US 2020
37:50
Tee Pee Records
https://www.facebook.com/The-Atomic-Bitchwax-86002001659
My Rating 70/100
In terms of ultra-heavy power, rock bands they do not come any more dynamically head banging than ‘Automic Bitchwax’ a power trio from Long Beach NJ. Their inception in the early nineties was carved from the loins of New Jersey band ‘Monster Magnet’ with the fusing together of core members’ bassist/vocalist Chris Kosnik, guitarist Ed Mundell and drummer Keith Ackerman. In forging this illustrious grouping it has been reported that their original intentions were just to go jamming around the ‘New York’ area. But whether such proclamations indeed are true it is hard to believe today listening to their raucous self-titled ‘Super Stoner Rock’ stylisations. A thumping blend of crowd pleasing heavy riffing intermingled with vigorous bass lines and powerful drumming. Their music follows a pattern of ‘no holds barred’ non-stop energetic grungy rock coupled with a huge slice of psychedelic attitude. Whereupon the term ‘Super Stoner Rock’ certainly can be translated into music to blow your socks off.
Moving on almost thirty years later and this New Jersey-based rock n’ roll trio are still cranking out the goods, an unbelievably breath-taking array of breakneck speed guitar manipulations delivered with the force of a hurricane over thunderous complex drum patterns. Their eighth studio album, ‘Scorpio’ on Tee Pee Records is the August 2020 release as a follow up to the group’s 2017 album ‘Force Field’
‘Automic Bitchwax’ have always been a band that like to take their compositional ideas on the road and deliver their music in the various stages of progress directly to live audiences. The three years since the release of their 2017 album ‘Force Field’ have been no different with numerous tours in the US and Europe. Such intense touring offers the band the opportunity of honing their new material to the finest degree and then the work in the recording studio follows easily to the tried and tested arrangement patterns.
Summary -Here we have 10 tracks of super concentrated and intense ultra-heavy and super-fast rock music delivered by three consummate musicians, especially notable being Chris Kosnik’s contributions on bass and vocals and Garrett Sweeny on lead guitar. The tracks are packed with plenty of variation and clever interplay and the gruff vocals totally suit the power rock output style. A band clearly best seen live.
