Album review : “Huxwhukw” by SERIOUS BEAK

There are a lot of amazing but unknown facts about Australia/Oceania and one of them is the existence of SERIOUS BEAK. Seriously! In less than forty minutes, the quartet from Sydney provides a piece of art that is brutal and relentless both for the ears and the brains and also freakishly beautiful. Despite the fact that “Huxwhukw” is their debut album, it is completely obvious that these guys know what are they doing and how to do it uncompromisingly well. Comprised of Tim Brown and Lachlan Dale (guitars), Andrew Mortensen (bass) and Gene White (drums), all of them former and current members of bands like SQUAT CLUB, ADRIFT FOR DAYS, SLIMEY THINGS, BATTLE POPE, SQUID, EBOLIE, THE MABOBS to name a few, SERIOUS BEAK gives us by far one of the most interesting albums I have heard in a very very long time.

“Huxwhukw” needs full concentration while listening so that one can discover and get the taste of all the shades and nuances of the tunes. The playing is expert, there is no instrument that is lost in the mix or dominating over the others but I especially love the two guitarists’ work - when they complement one another or when the playing is more like dueling - it is sheer pleasure listening. This album is all about tamed and controlled chaos, fusion of styles and tempos that change more frequently and unexpectedly than the mind can follow. Furious MATH guitar attacks followed by EXPERIMENTAL and  AMBIENT soundscapes followed by high class PROGRESSIVE METAL passages; pinches of  THRASH and FUNK here and there, some accoustic guitars and …........oh, did I just hear a piano for two seconds?..........all this garnished with the haunting vocals of Brian Campeau in the track “Fljóta”..........If everything I have said doesn’t make sense to you just go to the Mecca of undiscovered gems Bandcamp and decide for yourself.
“Huxwhukw” was released in November 2011 through the independent label ART AS CATHARSIS RECORDS and is available for purchase on bandcamp as a limited edition digipack CD and digital download. I think the album will appeal to fans of math, progressive and avant-garde/ experimental metal. Totally worth getting!

http://artascatharsiscom.fatcow.com/
https://www.facebook.com/seriousbeak

*review by Vania*