I first came across guitarist Jeff Aug when he was releasing solo acoustic albums and setting world records for the “most concerts performed in different countries in 24 hours”, which he actually set twice (and I think he still holds), but these days he is having a different kind of fun at the helm of instrumental rock trio Ape Shifter. As with the last album, ‘Ape Shifter II’, he has been joined by bass virtuoso Florian Walter from the band Less and drummer Kurty Münch known for his stint in the German punk band Rotting Carcass. No vocals here, just three musicians playing down and dirty filthy rock with a blues base – sort of like Taste but taken in a heavier direction.

I have just gone back and checked my review of their debut and I see I compared them to Taste then as well (plus Trapeze), and that the best way of describing this is as good old fashioned rock standing firmly in the Seventies, and I am glad to say they have found no reason whatsoever to change that stance. This is music designed to get crowds moving, fist pumping. They may not be recording as fully live as they used to as there are some guitar overlays, but the music feels fresh and exciting, and one knows they were not sat down while recording this but were facing each other in the studio having a blast with the amps turned right up and the engineer having heart failure. They can slow it down when they wish, and get a little more dramatic, but the only reason for doing so is that when they ramp it up again it comes at the listener even harder and faster. Here we have a rock album with no pretensions whatsoever apart from delivering a good time, and sometimes that is all we need.

Rating: 8/10

Links:
https://www.ape-shifter.com/