Ice, Sea, Dead People – Teeth Union
If you’re going to align yourself with the likes of Fugazi , Erase Errata , Q and not U and Liars then you’ve got to be sure of yourself. There exists a large gulf between being indebted to these racket-mongering icons and standing shoulder to the shoulder with them. Happily, on Teeth Union this London-via-Bedford 3-piece inch closer to the latter with each of their 9 succinct statements.
From the opening bars Teeth Union is urgent and with a wealth of boisterous noise-punk at its bloodied fingertips it bursts with frenetic tempos – its frequent lulls like eyes in a storm. Craig Sharp ‘s rough-edged guitar providing bite while authenticity is added throughout by a pervading tinny echo. David Thair ‘s leaden drums belie their blunt force, as perhaps heard best on “Laser Brain” – the most straight-fowardly punk cut here available, until it crashes into Ex-Models -like dissonance – itself a recurrent theme that allows for squalling, pulsing moments of cacophony that lean Teeth Union towards an affinity with noise terrorists Lightning Bolt and The Locust .
Equally, a strong art-punk theme provides giddy spikes, but Ice, Sea, Dead People are far from childish and sit atop a serious strain of hardcore – one as teeth-chatteringly loud as that Pulled Apart By Horses have recently been putting to great use. Yet also, as is the nature of things, there’s also a real sense of rhythm to proceedings. The industrial groove laid down on “My Brother’s A Brother” for example is not at all unlike the sadly-missed heroics of DFA 1979 .
When all these elements combine its like being caught in the crossfire of a battle for aural supremacy – exhilarating, dangerous and, potentially, life-affirming.
Advised downloads : “My Brother’s A Brother” and “Hence:Elvis”.
~Teeth Union is out now on Lost Toy Records .~