Review Summary: The wait is finally over...
The often frustrating 5-year wait suddenly turned into a 43-minute long bliss after I finally got my hands on Cairo Knife Fight's debut LP,
The Colossus. Yes, I continue to shove this band down Sputnik's throat, because it's well worth the time and patience to discover their music. I have to say Nick Gaffaney and the few guitar players that have helped build this beast (most notably former contributor, Aaron Tokona, Joel Haines and to a certain extent, current member George Pajon) have done an awesome job. The hard rock mixed with some industrial touches and a penchant for rock 'n' roll make this record quite diverse and definitely gripping.
The two gorgeous singles, 'Rezlord' and 'No Longer Silent' are still brilliant highlights*, with the latter being one of their best cuts so far. However, they are slightly different in sound from the rest of
The Colossus. Nine Inch Nails-like throbbing synths introduce and accompany the title track and 'All In The Game', before giving way to danceable rhythms and catchy vocals. The spastic, "broken" drum patterns are the foundation to some groovy leads. The Mark Lanegan assisted, 'Climbing Through Ashes' further expands the electronic elements with some techno-influenced beats and vocoders, while 'Degrader' and current single, 'Reality Engine' heavily contrast it by boasting some manic riffs. The band alternates between melodic choruses and gritty verses with several detours and welcomed variations. After a first listen, it's clear Nick has worked a lot on the album's flow, because you pass through the tunes without ever noticing a strange gap between the different styles he approached. Everything is very subtle placed and carefully arranged into a cohesive unit.
I understand where these 5 years went, since Gaffaney is responsible for all the present instruments except the guitars, plus all the personnel changes in the past couple of years that had significantly delayed all progress. The sonic drought is over, 2015 being the most prolific year for Cairo Knife Fight, releasing
The Isolator and now this. I am delighted to finally enjoy
The Colossus in its entirety and even more content because they have met all expectations. This is undoubtedly one of hard rock's highlights in quite a while, so get your hands on it as soon as you can.
*
The Isolator review -
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/66309/Cairo-Knife-Fight-The-Isolator/
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