Droids Attack, Must Destroy
This three piece blues/doom outfit from Madison, Wisconsin dig arcade games, robots and rock n’ fuckin’ roll. Droids Attack‘ third album Must Destroy is filled to its crusty brim with tongue-in-cheek song titles, bluesy scuzzed out guitars and a rhythm section that’s creative and thundering.
Founded by vocalist/guitarist Brad Van, the trio blend bluesy guitar tones into meaty riffs that ooze a doomy, stoner vibe. The grooves rumbling through each song are infectious and catchy, leaving you a heaping pile of raucous hard rock to worm your way through.
This is the type of shit you’d want blaring out of half blown speakers as your drag a near empty keg through your decimated basement, weaving in and out of passed out bodies, out the back door bleary eyed and slightly crispy from the night before. These dudes deliver music made for a major rager and have a sound that makes you feel like anything could pop off at any time of day.
Unforgiven 4
“Unforgiven 4” lets everyone in on what these guys are about. After a solid 55 seconds of noise and reverb that fades in slowly over that time, we’re greeted with big, doomy riffs that are hear to bury you before the album even gets into full swing The lead that joins in at 2:15 is short, but soulful.
Great Wall Of Gina
“Great Wall Of Gina” kicks the album into high gear with some High On Fire inspired riffing, massive drums and thick bass lines. The uptempo rhythm keeps the thick, fuzzed out guitars from suffocating too much. Vocally, the delivery is relatively clean, raspy and a bit in the distant, sheltered beneath this huge umbrella of doomy, stoner riffs — they are perfect for what the band is doing with their sound.
Blueshammer
“Blueshammer” is certainly that — a hammer of bluesy riffs and pummeling drums. The raucous start to this one will have you throwing horns as you bang your head along with the thick groove. This is a bad ass track, plain and simple. Easily one of my favorite songs on the album, this one has some balls. The bass lines alone are indicative of the burly tones the band is hurling around with “Blueshammer.”
Arcade Bully
Wow. The opening riff to “Arcade Bully” is hands down one of the best on the album. The rhythms that accompany it suit it perfectly. This is a hard rock anthem if ever there was one. It’s heavy, rocking, massive… everything you could want in a song. The lead at 2:17 is bluesy in nature, but shreds like no tomorrow before shifting into a huge Sleep influenced doom riff. I gotta hear that one again.
Must Destroy
Another sweet doom oriented bit of guitar work keeps the momentum churning along as “Arcade Bully” transitions smoothly into the title track. For as awesome as the riffs are throughout this album, it’s the combined rhythms of the bass and drums that turn out to be the unsung heros, matching Van’s guitars perfectly with nicely timed transitions and tempo shifts.
Crisis In The City
“Crisis In The City” starts off much slower and more deliberate with bluesy, fuzzy guitars before shifting into a riotous blast of sweet riffage and a more aggressive vocal delivery. The drums push the band along nicely as the guitars warble and the bass lays it on thick. This is a relatively quick song at just over three minutes in length that blends in seamlessly to the next track.
Canadian Death Bus
“Canadian Death Bus” fades in with a blues and roll feel that sounds like something George Thorogood might have cranked out had he been into doom. The extended lead that starts just before the two minute mark hovers nicely above the thicker rhythms. This is a song full of all kinds of great stuff and envelopes you in a sweet atmosphere.
Koko Beware
After that epic track the guys get back down to business with driving riffs and thundering drums. The uptempo “Koko Beware” is chock full of doomy and bluesy mayhem, meaty rhythms and a quick vocal delivery that’s punctuated with a sweet lead at 3:20.
Astro Glider
The final song on the disc slows things down a bit with monolithic guitars and sick, rocking lead just after the song opens up. This is essentially Brad Van letting loose for a few minutes with his guitar while keyboards and the rhythm section lay down a solid foundation for his fuzzy guitars to stand out. This is one hell of a way to close out the album.
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Additional Notes:
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