Hy-Test

Dishing Out The Good Times

Written by: TL on 22/07/2010 19:45:45

I wonder if the Australian power-trio Hy-Test chose that name because it sounds like it's short for "High testosterone", because their music is pretty manly. I also wonder if they knew and chose to ignore the fact that packaging your CD as a pizza in a box has already been done. Regardless, I'm not awarding the looks of their debút LP "Dishing Out The Good Times" any points for originality for that reason, so we are just going to have to see if their sounds are capable of fending for themselves.

On first listen, I was inclined to say no, but already here after a few more spins, I'm starting to change my mind. Hy-Test (seriously, there better be a good reason for that retarded name) play a sort of manly, hybrid, stoner-punk'n'roll, and while they pound through eleven tracks of no-nonsense, gruff man-music, it is possible for the listener to trace a delightful number of respectable influences. The concoction seems a mixture of stoner music inspired by Kyuss, hardcore punk alá Black Flag, and a no-bullshit attitude implying that this is a band very likely to go on stage and open with words like "We are Hy-Test, and we play rock'n'roll".

In my ears, the end product falls somewhere in the middle ground between bands like The Hives, Cancer Bats and Gallows, what with the dominating fast drums and the crunchy guitars complimenting vocals that are more charismatic raw shouting than they are pretty singing. The stoner element then comes in via classic-sounding mini solos.

The question then, is only how far up our scale Hy-Test take this first album of theirs. For me, the disc races up to the level where it's going to have my head bopping and my feet tapping whenever it's played in my general vicinity, however, the songs do seem to need a bit more work individually, before they'll be likely to command me to dig "Dishing Out The Good Times" out of my collection further ahead than in the immediate future. Given the nice blend of influences however and the cool production already in place though, I'd say it's only a matter of letting time do its work on the songwriting department, and then Hy-Test will likely produce something that not only rocks, but also sticks.

7

Download: Girl In Black, Take Ya' Money
For The Fans Of: The Hives, Cancer Bats, Gallows,
Listen: myspace.com/hy-test

Release Date 02.07.2010
Impedance Records

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