It's not too common that a musician can lay claim to a style that's both classic and original. Mike Scalzi can claim it twice. We here at Peacedogman wet ourselves over "Atavism" from (THE LORD WEIRD) SLOUGH FEG last year, ultimately naming it Album of the Year. Now Scalzi's other outfit THE HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE have just released their third album "The Locust Years"-a powerful and unique journey through both the slightly familiar and the completely unexpected.

Those who are already familiar with SLOUGH FEG (anyone who's a regular visitor here had better be!) will find the dueling leads, galloping rhythms, dry tone and Scalzi gruff quite familiar, particularly on "Trot Out the Dead" and the title track. However, there is so much more going on. Through most of the album the dueling leads take a back seat to both piano and Hammond organ, which at times add Jon Lord-ish power and flair, but also bring the sort of eeriness employed by ATOMIC ROOSTER a la "Death Walks Behind You". For that matter, Scalzi's vocals are also rather scarce, in favor of some deathly serious female vocals courtesy of Jamie Myers and Sigrid Sheie who sound far more COVEN than NIGHTWISH. This brings us to the biggest difference between "The Locust Years" and "Atavism", which has to be in the overall mood. This one is far more somber, and the folksy vibe of FEG tracks like "Atavism" and "Man out of Time" is delved into deeper with tracks like "We are the Widows" and "Famine's Lamp", and is blown wide open with the solemn epic closer "Widow's Wail". Not to worry, though, because in between the ballads is still some rockin' stuff. The upbeat "Chastity Rides", the "Immigrant Song" inspired "War Anthem" and hard-hitting instrumental "Election Day" all do a nice job of keeping things from getting too serious.

So why do we music journalist types delight so much in an album like "The Locust Years"? Well, beyond the sheer enjoyment of the music itself, the grueling task of dissecting an album this complex and inspired gives us a pretty strong sense of job security. Too often we can sum up a band as "just another IN FLAMES rip-off", but every once in a while we get something like this which reminds us that, yes, there is music out there that is still unique and worth sharing with the world. So we've done just that. Now go play the part of the well-informed music consumer and go buy it.

- Cardona

OFFICIAL SITE: www.hammersofmisfortune.com

RELATED ITEMS: SLOUGH FEG - "Atavism", 2005