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Voodoo Six

Fluke?

Written by: TL on 13/01/2011 16:11:52

Attention all struggling young hard-rock/classic-rock bands who can't get reviewers to give you a break due to you not being 'original' or 'relevant' enough! Class is in session, and UK badasses Voodoo Six are here to teach you how it's done with their second album, cheekily titled "Fluke?". Here's a band that stubbornly refuse to compromise classic rock ideals with any sort of contemporary elements, and still manage to sound timeless, due to their understanding that it takes more to really really rock, than three riffs, a four-to-the-floor type of beat and a pretentious solo.

As much was proved on the band's previous outing "First Hit For Free" and as much is true on "Fluke?" which is basically more of the same music, enjoying a slightly beefier production (one might say it has more oomph eh AP?). Now, essentially V6's music is built with the same building blocks bands in their genre traditionally use, but there are two decisive differences: 1) This band has the indeterminable x-factor of being able to write riffs that have balls the size of boulders, and 2) they are detail-aware enough to not leave it at that, and instead small instrumental flourishes are allowed whenever there's time, keeping the soundscape both dynamic and interesting.

That all is just a fancy way of saying that these boys slay instrumentally, however, from my angle it does seem that they've dropped a wrench in their own machinery by exchanging their previous singer Henry Rundell for a new guy called Luke Purdie. Don't get me wrong, Purdie seems an excellent singer, with a mighty, smokey, Chris Cornell-ish roar, that should satisfy many of the Audioslave fans who should already be enjoying this band, due to the similarity in their grooves. His manly sound however (as well as his lyrics, if he is the one responsible for them), does not in my opinion compare to the versatile sneer and Axl Rose/Steven Tyler-like swagger that Rundell's pipes brought to the table.

The result is that while V6 still wipe the floor with - let me think.. - almost every hard rock band I know, and most of the classic rock bands too, this new record is still a slight step down for me. Their overall band-personality is just a little simpler and more heard-before than it used to be, and it hinders the unquestionable instrumental awesomeness from finding my attention as easily, if I'm not actively listening for it. So, a Fluke? I'd say that's being harsh, but I will say that there were more winning tracks on "First Hit For Free", and for them to get back to that high level on their next release, I think they must find a way to get more versatility out of Purdie. Till then, check a few tracks from here, and take notes on how to instrumentally kick ass six ways 'till sunday.

Download: Underneath My Skin, Take The Blame, Mountain, Take Aim
For The Fans Of: Audioslave, Stonerider, Mountain
Listen: myspace.com/voodoosix

Release Date 18.10.2010
Powerage