Jussis, I've just been klapped by the heavy buzz. For those of you that insist on being engrish: Golly, I have just heard a splendid selection of ditties.
Ja, boet, I finally got me mitts on a copy of Ten:Negative:Sixes by Mouthful Of Flies. Those of you that remember such great local (SA) heavy bands such as Ragnarok, Viking, Odyssey, Fallout, Two Dogs Funking, Brothering, etc. will certainly remember Dean Smith and Dan Stevenson, SA music's prodigal sons that ducked overseas to find fortune and fame. They are now both UK-based and, well, it seems thay are well on their way to that with the release of this album.
After a long and hard battle to release this album, the Flies finally managed to put some quality metal out there. They have been releasing songs ("Blatant Frenzy", "Black Magick" and "March of the Clones") in drips and drabs over the last two years and also managed to whitewash the annual Corewars battle of the bands in 2005. They gigged for the first time in 2006 and it was pretty much done and dusted from there, bar the odd personnel challenge.
The result of all this coil is Ten:Negative:Sixes, a album what does not sound like the plethora of other heavy releases out there. It is hard to find a band to compare them to but there are traces of Black Sabbath, Korn and Down in there as they address topics like the society, life, darkness and the system. Another point to mention is that this album really came together mostly online. Ideas between Dean and Dan were shared via email with sound clips being sent to and fro.
The album opens with "Deadened Soul". The riffs reminds be very much of Down on their debut album but the vocals are aggressive yet clear. No cookie monster vocals today thanks. The second track it "March of The Clones" and the opening sequence used to be as a teaser on the band's website, www.mouthful-of-flies.com. Finally, I get to hear the full song. Some excellent drumming there by Dean who is credited with all drums on the album. Even though he is guitarist these days, his drumming has come a long way from those heady Irish Club daze with Ragnarok. "Believe The Lie" is a nice melodic mid-tempo stomper and the ever present guitar melodies really give the song a Korn'esque feel.
Straight into another teaser track that used to be on the band's website, "Blatant Frenzy". Besides the title going to inspire a horde of like-named bands in future (mark my words. Also the inspiration for a section of this forum), this song was also on a 3-song demo that was sent around and received a 8/10 from Metal Hammer. "Breeder" ups the tempo again almost to metal-thrashing mad level and Dan's voice sounding a bit Rob Zombie'ish in the verses. Good stuff. Dan also used to be in the German band Bloodstone, where he co-wrote and recorded two albums, before teaming up with Dean for some beat of the heavy kind.
"Lost" opens up the second half of the album and brings the tempo down a notch but the intensity is still there. This songs has defenite Painkiller-era Priest riffage influence. "Ingrained" in turn brings the listener some Maiden-inspired solos. IMHO this album shows the members' influences without blatantly sounding like any of them, a mistake so many bands make. "Living The Nightmare" reminds me of Alice Cooper thematically but the rest is all pure MFOF. "Black Magick", which is also available as a video on the band's website, brings us some evil and darkness, Joe. The album ends off with "Strange Days" and also my favourite tune. This is how metal should be played, uncomplicated, straight-forward and going for the throat.
All in all I am most impressed. One can hear the production is above par and just the whole package is a step above the mediocre crap that comes out these days. Just the sleeve design alone is worth a mention and Dan certainly showing his creativity off there. The entire album was written and performed by Dan and Dean with Dean's boet, Robi flying to London from Canada to help out on the bass. Esteemed session muso YoYo Buys also lent his bass skills. The band gigs around London and the live line-up is Dan (lead/rhythm & vox), Dean (rhytm guit and backing vox) and Kev Parker (ex String Theory) on drums. MFOF are currently looking for a demon bassist to complete their unholy ranks so if you are gatvol for the mundane, get your ass to mud-island and lookup these fine minstrels. Who knows, they might ply you with some Jaegermeister first. Seriously, this band can really hold their own at a very high level.
You can buy Ten:Negative:Sixes from the band's website: http://www.mouthful-of-flies.com
You can also listen to extra tunes off http://www.myspace.com/mouthfulofflies
Also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4087023682
:Smokin:Gooi it loud!
