Drawers-Drawers

Kaotoxin
2014

Due for release on February 11th, and having been proceeded by a 2012 split with fellow-French noisemakers Hangman's Chair, this eight-track release is apparently a way for Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées-based Drawers to "reinvent themselves". Having never heard this lot prior to receiving the digital files for this self-titled release I can't vouch for where they've been, but I sure can and do appreciate where it is they find themselves at now and where they plan on heading from here! As this is only the group's second full-length affair since forming in 2006, with the first one being 2011's "All Is One" (along with the group's 2008 debut EP, "This Is Oil" that's all she wrote kids!) one would have to suggest that the future looks bright for these down-tuned rockers! "Officially" this is all sludge/stoner metal with (justifiable) comparisons being made in passing to the likes of Mastodon and Baroness, but (truth be told) that seems to bypass the band's own personality and it simply cannot be used as an exclusive tag given all of this album's quirky traits. In much the same way that a body's scars add character, with each one in turn telling a remarkable tale of survival, it's the various jagged edges of "Drawers" that makes it such a compelling listen. Alongside the towering waves of blackened sludge and (implied) doom, which are most-likely left over from the band's early days, you'll find yourself staring right at knuckle-punch garage metal, mean street rock and roll and, shockingly, groove-happy hard rock that's been rolled-up and lite ablaze via some wicked stoner rock riffs! Said gnarly riffs come courtesy of Alexandre Berenguer and Laurent Bringer while it's the pair of Jérémie Ruiz and Olivier Lolmède (bass and drums respectively) that keeps everything from flying of the page! Even so make no mistake about the intentions of Drawers in regards to this new album and their new direction. This is still the sound of a band at their heaviest when it comes right down to it. Recorded live in the studio, which merely adds more fuel to raw rock vibe of Drawers, this eight track LP is still punk through and through. Skipping with the pleasantries Drawers, without ever loosing focus on the goal at hand (one that I would assume would be to deliver knock-out material for those who believe in the power of really loud real music), plows there way over the listener never once stopping to offer anything in the way of an apology. And I for one couldn't be happier with the results! With Niko Bastide on the mic (as we can't leave out his fine contribution to the metal at hand!) and a backing band dead-set of rolling out honest music (warts and all!) this one only gets better with repeated listens! You're going to want this one folks.