Canadian rockers THE GREAT RUSSIAN EMPIRE have eschewed the guitar option and gone for two basses instead. It really shouldn’t work but in a bass loving bass clandestine amalgamation it does, and some – By Guy Shankland. The surprise is just how damn good and dark it sounds. ‘The Low Ends’ E.P oozes pure black current concentre head tilting Rock ‘N’ Dark. The Mode is set early on with the atmospheric slow burner ‘Full Of Blood’ which drifts from light to lights out with a devastating simplicity. Next up is lava straining riff of ‘The Hand That Brings The Road Kill To The Side’ which bubbles with some early laconic larynx loosening before galloping over the mountain with an ever changing beat confidently riding shotgun. A curious cover of Cop Shoot Cop’s ‘If Tomorrow Ever Comes’ rumbles along nicely but in the words of Ian Dury, “It’s not one thing nor not another.“ Original order is restored with the homely homicidal horror of ‘Blood Everywhere’. The teeth rattling bass butchery is joined in unholy union with some nightmare inducing vocals that come together like a two piece jigsaw blade cutting through flesh and bone. ‘Pigs Blood’ has a lighter somewhat palette cleansing composition which helps wash away the taste of fear from the previous track. Finally ‘The Fence’ struts with animated vigour and fuzz Rock infected feedback. A darkly fresh and slightly disturbing but more-ish release.
THE GREAT RUSSIAN EMPIRE
LOW ENDS E.P
8/10