Kicker / Submachine

Split [7-inch] (2014)

John Gentile

As a bit of a teaser for their upcoming second full-length, Kicker has teamed up with Submachine. Kicker gives us a taste of what's to come while Submachine, who release materially rarely these days, serve to remind us what they do best.

Kicker's side opens with the brand new track, "Shit at Kicker." Both a mission statement and re-introduction, the song demonstrates the band's hallmarks. Of course, right off the bat frontman Pete the Roadie spits out a diatribe about how he's bad at foosball in his gloriously thick English accent. As always, he's at once pissed off and hilarious. Like so many larger than life characters, Pete is magnetic- a character that seems to be pulled from fiction, live (and on record) his absolutely enthusiasm and genuineness are what makes him so dynamite. Though, it should be added, while Pete spent the first 30+ of his years in the music biz supporting bands, only taking the mike around his fifth decade, he is highly skilled at his art. Perhaps he picked up his skills by osmosis, but Pete is a master of blending the line between musicality and explosive delivery. Really, he can stack up right next to the other English punk legends.

However, while Pete is on classic form, the band, quite surprisingly, comes from a new angle. True, the band still roots their sound is classic UK 82 smashing, which is exactly what made their debut album, Not You so great. But here, likely influenced by their pedigree of Neurosis, Filth, and Dystopia, the band is adding a more violent and avant-garde edge to their sound. Now, while the riffs crack away, the band creates a nosier background with guitar and bass lines flying al over in the background while Pete howls away in the front. Frankly, it's a more sophisticated, though equally energetic, take from the band.

Kicker's second side is a cover lesser-known first wave punks The Partisans. "17 years in hell" is one of the group's more political recordings. Not You celebrated (and slightly lampooned) punk culture, focusing most of its tracks on what makes punk rock be the thing that it is. Does "17 years in hell" forecast a Kicker that not only comments on the microcosm punk rock, but that comments on the the bigger picture?

Fittingly, Submachine play the foil to Kicker (Kicker's drummer Toby used to drum for Submachine). Submachine goes for a decidedly American take on crust-influenced punk. Opening track, "Small Fires," which is less than forty seconds, is driven by a lumbering riff while Lemmy influenced vocals growl over the top. The second and third tracks, "Hope/Rain" and "Tin Man" contrast the purposeful simplicity of the opening.

"Hope/Rain" is still rooted in curst, but in metal style, switches tempos and ends with a blazing guitar solo. The band also quotes Taxi Driver as a bit of a wink towards their own, and punks, early influence. "Tin Man" revels in the hard-charging style of crust-punk guitar. As the guitars thunder forward, more in a stream of hard buzzing tones than clean notes, the band spirals outward, eventually sticking in an off-kilter guitar solo that creates a sort of challenge between the dueling rhythms- focus on the scrambling guitar or the headstrong busting of the underlying melody? Although Submachine don't try to mask their influence, or stylistic choices, they do a clever job of keeping the music stimulating and interesting through spastic sound clashes like these.

This is a fitting split. Not only is it linked by a member, but Submachine proudly declares where ether came from while Kicker boldly declares where they are going. Very exciting.