LOZEN are a two-women band named after an Apache warrior woman, whose spirit they attempt to channel through thunderous chug, schizoid dynamics and banshee (definitely not Siouxsie) wails. Certainly a promising premise for some righteous fury. Other, less dead and red spirits channeled here include MELVINS, UNWOUND, EARTH and fellow two-human nosie-rockers GODHEADSILO. The songs are multi-sectional cacophonies that parry and attack like a vagina with fangs or HEART with balls, often twisting and turning into the seven or eight-minute mark. While at times skirting with disjointedness, the quiet-loud menace of tracks like "Unspeakable Truths" hit like a female TOOL--a metal strap-on, if you will, fucking you in the name of stolen hunting grounds. It may fit strangely at first, but halfway through you'll start to enjoy it.

Unfortunately the power of LOZEN's ball-scalping maelstrom is sometimes diluted through meandering passages without enough melody for the listener to grasp. It's sort of like the name of the album, "Enemies Against Power." Enemies, Against and Power are all undeniably awesome words, but put together in that order I'm not sure what they're getting at. And judging by titles like "Wet Nightmare," the bewitching harmonies of "Erleichda!" and the manic giggles on "So Long" (there aren't enough manic giggles in hard rock), I'm curious to know. The mystique is there, and the righteous clamour is definitely there too, it's just the scattershot dynamics can make it hard to catch. Definitely a duo to look out for in the future, however, as at their best they come on with the purr of a sledgehammer.

- Shragge

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/11879515

RELATED ITEMS: No related articles at this time.