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Kinski - Down Below It's Chaos CD (album) cover

DOWN BELOW IT'S CHAOS

Kinski

Psychedelic/Space Rock


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chamberry
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars In "Alpine Static" we saw Kinski at their heaviest. From the Krautrock album that was "Don't Climb On And Take The Holy Water" they shifted drastically to some serious guitar-based rock. Alpine Static was like Sludge without slowness and Stoner Rock without the groovyness. It was a strange album to classify, but it was very high on energy. Alpine Static didn't showed much of their Space Rock influences (although the few psyched moments where highly enjoyable) so in August of 2007 they released "Down Below Its Chaos" which was return to their narcotic roots, but never going back to their old sounds.

What psychedelic adventures are Kinski going on next? Stoner Rock! These guys threw away any modern influences in their music and dived head-first into 70's fuzz fest. Like many Stoner Rock bands, their main influences is early Black Sabbath and on this album Kinski is no exception. The music is heavy, but groovy and never intimidating. Kinski are using vocals for the first time on this album and it fits perfectly with their new style. The vocals aren't very dominant in volume or in the songs either since there are only 3 tracks with them. The songs are very energetic and while they may lack the progressive leanings of their early albums its very fun to listen to since its easy to appreciate and hard to put down.

What's more to say? If you're a fan of bands like Witchcraft, Colour Haze, Dead Meadow and the likes then you'll find great enjoyment in Kinski's Down Below Its Chaos. Me? I would've preferred if Kinski went on to more experimental or innovative grounds like some of their previous efforts, but I don't mind them playing this kind of music since they're very good at it (although not adding anything new) and I'm also a fan of the genre. If you're not a fan or don't know what it is then feel free to give it a try.

Report this review (#141064)
Posted Saturday, September 29, 2007 | Review Permalink
Neu!mann
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars The sixth official Kinski album (in a somewhat confusing discography) was a transitional effort, moving away from the underground Psych-Rock of earlier recordings toward the more streamlined riffs of the band's later releases on the Kill Rock Stars record label. But in no way did the added structure compromise their music, which still sounded like an attempt to effect the greatest impact with the fewest possible chords, most of them played very loud.

Look at photos of the group and you'll see a quartet of musicians well past the first bloom of youth, but don't worry: they play like a much younger band. Proto-Punk guitar thrashes dominate, with a higher percentage of actual songs this time around, including the grungy ersatz title track, "Dayroom at Narita Int'l", no doubt the source behind the memorable NME blurb comparing the album to "Sabbath in a washing machine during a power surge".

We're a long way from anything like Progressive Rock, in other words, despite the evident brains behind the music, and several unexpected digressions. Note the savage guitar freakout at the climax of "Passwords & Alcohol"; the subtle flute embellishments introducing an otherwise raucous "Boy, Was I Mad!", and the oddly mutated rhythm driving "Child Had to Catch a Train", with an extra beat subjoining each meter.

They aren't really a Space Rock outfit either, although the album's brooding five-star finale "Silent Biker Type" comes close. The long instrumental track works like a bridge across time from counterculture Germany to post-millennial Seattle, in just over nine hypnotic minutes reaffirming an obvious Krautrock influence, absorbed like a xenomorph spore at close to genetic levels.

It's a powerful end to an already muscular album, and a reminder of the hidden strength often lurking behind an unassuming moment of musical repose.

Report this review (#1780774)
Posted Sunday, September 10, 2017 | Review Permalink

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