Pure Reason Revolution by Hammer and Anvil

Pure Reason Revolution by Hammer and Anvil
Superball Music October 25, 2010
by Jackie Lee King

Pure Reason Revolution's wall of sound has the feel of an apocalyptic clock counting down ten past midnight. It's brutal anarchy fills the senses with a siren call to arms and there is no time to take prisoners. It has a relentless rhythm that has moments of beat downs that pull you down into that void of nihilism. It's like a post war society, where melodies of that past become the mantras of the future. There is a searching quality in their cord progressions; like desperation for water and the listener is quenched with crunchy percussion and elevated in keyboard revelations. The opening track "Fight Fire With Fire," sets the tone of the record and encourages you to give a further listen. This is a tight group of rebels that aren"t afraid to cause carnage on their musical journey into infamy.

"Patriarch" is rooted fully into one of their inspirations, Depeche Mode. The flavors of gothic and industrial mixed with raw abandon, like tuning a muscle car where it not only purrs, but it growls. Another influence is worthy of note on this track as well. It's like Jeff Lynn from E.L.O. came into the studio and waved his magic hands across the consol, giving it an orchestral feel. Vocals on several of the tracks are co-sung by Jon Courtney and Chloe Alper have a complementary nature, it's like you never know when one person ends and the other one begins. There's no gimmick here, it makes sense for vocals to change from person to person.

"Valor" is a bottom heavy booty rocking motorcycle ride on a twisting mountain road. Its fat back rhythm shifts gears around the corners and picks up speed on the straight-aways; it's a good ride. There are quite moments on this record like finding an abandoned cabin in the woods giving sonic shelter from the harness of the environmental challenges that plague the world around the revolution.

"Blitzkreig" is the kind of song that can destroy governments with its grass roots appeal. It incites you to the dance floor to embrace its moody disarray and propaganda samples. A dark dance erupts in you and leads you into a realm of dissonance and rhythm; this is the next stage of gothic industrial. Viva la Revolution!



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