SUZISUZI likes exclamation points. On Microphone’s Counter Attack, its new 12-track, 20-minute LP out via Pure Evil last month, the title of every song ends with two exclamations. And that’s appropriate, given the bombastic tendencies contained within each track.
Now, SUZISUZI – “suzi” means “vein” in Japanese, as in the veins that pop out of your neck when you scream – has some legitimate punk credentials. Fronted by the scream-o bassist from Yellow Machinegun, it also features two members of the Japanese punk band Abnormals. But, while the two screaming female leads thing makes for some interesting fare, don’t go into this one expecting anything on par with most of Melt-Banana’s warped catalog. There’s definitely more of a metallic crunch to the proceedings than the aforementioned band’s apocalyptic thrash.
Some songs (I’m looking at “Soil!!” and “Stoneman!!”) toy with metal structures to interesting ends, and I like the occasional interjections – “Downtown Mountain!!” features an excellent drum “solo,” for takers. But the too-long “Long, Fast and Slow!!” is clunky and overdrawn at 4:57 and “Transfer!!,” at times, sounds like a Green Day retread. Too much inconsistency to say this is great, but definitely worth a preview or two.
All in all, an interesting brew of metal and artistic-minded hardcore for the Fantomas and Locust set. – Justin Vellucci, Swordfish, June 5, 2018
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