When you mentally piece together your standard band, you generally envisage four key members; vocalist, guitarist, bassist and drummer, but what if you decided to half that and take an unconventional route? Well that’s exactly what THE FIRE AND I have done and it hasn't hindered them in the slightest. Formed in Bathgate, Scotland, Gordon Love and Hooligan Sadikson, using just a bass guitar and a set of drums, deliver an intense onslaught of hard, raw indie rock, and show the world that yes, less can indeed mean more, and back that up with the brand new album; “Double Kamikaze”
Opening instrumental track “Devil Damned Thoughts” is a groove-laden, dark, bluesy piece, and like it’s title suggests, sounds like the inner turmoil of one’s fragile state of mind, full of frustration and is a great start to proceedings, while the following title track takes things up a gear with some almost punk/thrash drum playing before Gordon’s vocals finally make an appearance. Clearer than expected but by no means crystal, like a rough copy of DRENGE.
“Coming Loose” is a gentler affair, with its bass sounding like it owes a lot to artists such as THE CURE, it’s an altogether more stripped back effort with far smoother vocals, which is poles apart from “High Flyer Suicide” in every aspect. There’s a doggedness at its core, the duo not concerned with sounding polished or not wanting to take anything away from the sound, its rock ‘n’ roll as was intended.
“Still Under” is again stripped right back and acts as an interlude is some ways, despite the album having an actual interlude prior to this song. At less than two minutes long, it’s morose and almost gothic in its sense of melancholy, like a modern take on JOY DIVISION. “Full Effect Intake” and “Bitten” snap you back into consciousness with their lively displays, leading up to the final track; “Washing Over”.
“Double Kamikaze” is a fitting title really, in the sense that it’s highly unorthodox for a rock band to just utilize bass and percussion and play as a duo; it’s a risk that’s paid off however, and goes to show that if you’re serious about your art, in this case music, you can achieve what you want to achieve without having to conform to any rule books or templates. The sound may not be all too innovative, but it’s inspiring none the less. [6.5]
"Double Kamikaze" is available now on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/double-kamikaze/id819306888
Check out The Fire And I on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefireandi
Opening instrumental track “Devil Damned Thoughts” is a groove-laden, dark, bluesy piece, and like it’s title suggests, sounds like the inner turmoil of one’s fragile state of mind, full of frustration and is a great start to proceedings, while the following title track takes things up a gear with some almost punk/thrash drum playing before Gordon’s vocals finally make an appearance. Clearer than expected but by no means crystal, like a rough copy of DRENGE.
“Coming Loose” is a gentler affair, with its bass sounding like it owes a lot to artists such as THE CURE, it’s an altogether more stripped back effort with far smoother vocals, which is poles apart from “High Flyer Suicide” in every aspect. There’s a doggedness at its core, the duo not concerned with sounding polished or not wanting to take anything away from the sound, its rock ‘n’ roll as was intended.
“Still Under” is again stripped right back and acts as an interlude is some ways, despite the album having an actual interlude prior to this song. At less than two minutes long, it’s morose and almost gothic in its sense of melancholy, like a modern take on JOY DIVISION. “Full Effect Intake” and “Bitten” snap you back into consciousness with their lively displays, leading up to the final track; “Washing Over”.
“Double Kamikaze” is a fitting title really, in the sense that it’s highly unorthodox for a rock band to just utilize bass and percussion and play as a duo; it’s a risk that’s paid off however, and goes to show that if you’re serious about your art, in this case music, you can achieve what you want to achieve without having to conform to any rule books or templates. The sound may not be all too innovative, but it’s inspiring none the less. [6.5]
"Double Kamikaze" is available now on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/double-kamikaze/id819306888
Check out The Fire And I on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefireandi
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