Back in May 2021 I went to The Powerstation to see the mighty Beastwars celebrate the tenth anniversary of their debut album, and every song felt like a melodic sledgehammer to the cranium. This was sludge/stoner metal being taken in new directions, with riffs and volume being used as weapons, and when I walked back out onto the pavement I was somewhat shellshocked. I have since caught drummer Nato in his other band, End Boss, and was similarly impressed with that, so this is an album I have been waiting for, for some time. But to be honest, when I started playing this, I realised it was not what I expected at all!
For various reasons, the band felt unable to record an album of new material, so instead they decided to revisit some NZ classics which they would approach in their own imitable heavy way. The first single from the album is “Waves”, originally by Flying Nun band Superette and taken from their only album, 1996’s ‘Tiger’. If that were not enough, Beastwars somehow convinced Julia Deans from Fur Patrol (whose “Lydia” is an absolute classic, and whose last tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of ‘Pet’ was stunning) to provide backing vocals, while they then end the album with a version of her own “We Light Fire”. This album will obviously be of most interest to Kiwis who will be intrigued to hear the different versions of material they may already know quite well, but it does not work as an introduction to the band themselves who have not approached this with the vigour and drive we have all come to expect. It is interesting, but nothing more than that, and even then, only to a select audience. If anyone is expecting to hear music of the power and sheer gravitas of the likes of “Red God” then you will be sorely disappointed. This is for fans of the originals and fans of Beastwars only, as this feels like a stopgap, and let us hope we get an album of new material soon.
Rating: 7/10
