Noisy London-based alt-rockers Bear vs Manero have a penchant for rather fantastical song titles – ‘Now is Not the Time for Impressions, Rory Bremner’ and ‘The Tale of the Chameleon and the Malcontent Cockroach’ were their two single releases last year – and this is matched by a brilliantly hectic sound. The Bifacial EP largely follows this trend, with the first track ‘Fluoride Frustration Face’ being kickstarted emphatically by singer Dan Toms’ crying yelp of “Clive! Are you awake?! It’s time for breakfast”. His bizarre vocal and lyrical style is complimented by mean, sludgy blues-rock bass riffage, wailing guitars and crashing drums. It sets a precedent for the rest of the EP, which is outrageous and attention-grabbing throughout. Second track ‘Discordia 2.0’ is more doom-laden, the band trudging along menacingly before taking off into a thrash frenzy characterised by the great refrain of ‘Let the C-C-C-C-CHAOS REIGN!’. This is carried through on ‘Thor’s Super Sweet Sixteen Party’, with Toms at his most frantic and demonic during the verse and chorus respectively.
What is most striking throughout the EP is the versatility of the singer’s voice, recalling at times the yowl of Late of the Pier’s Samuel Eastgate and at others the roar of James Hetfield. He takes another turn in style on the final and most impressive track ‘Budd’, telling a strange and enticing day-in-the-life narrative of a character both at ease and bored with his world. The whole story is told in a near-monotone, something which is often difficult to pull off without sounding self-indulgent but works here, and is left with an uncertain ending. His detailed descriptions also take on a poetic quality, peppered with aquatic imagery and cryptic ponderings and matched by the slow building of ominous tension by the ensemble. A sense of impending doom is added to Toms’ storytelling through the brooding, grungy guitar refrain which holds centre-stage throughout the six minutes. It provides an epic ending to a very enjoyable and refreshing EP, which makes a convincing argument for the good health of vibrant British rock music in 2013 - most of us thought it had died around 2008. Words:
Words:Michael McCubbin
What is most striking throughout the EP is the versatility of the singer’s voice, recalling at times the yowl of Late of the Pier’s Samuel Eastgate and at others the roar of James Hetfield. He takes another turn in style on the final and most impressive track ‘Budd’, telling a strange and enticing day-in-the-life narrative of a character both at ease and bored with his world. The whole story is told in a near-monotone, something which is often difficult to pull off without sounding self-indulgent but works here, and is left with an uncertain ending. His detailed descriptions also take on a poetic quality, peppered with aquatic imagery and cryptic ponderings and matched by the slow building of ominous tension by the ensemble. A sense of impending doom is added to Toms’ storytelling through the brooding, grungy guitar refrain which holds centre-stage throughout the six minutes. It provides an epic ending to a very enjoyable and refreshing EP, which makes a convincing argument for the good health of vibrant British rock music in 2013 - most of us thought it had died around 2008. Words:
Words:Michael McCubbin