A month ago Dunedin post-apocalyptic space-surf-rock guitar band Space Bats, Attack! dropped into their local University radio station Radio 1 and recorded a mesmerising set of new heavy riffing guitars/bass/drums instrumentals. They did such a fantastic job they put the live set up on their Bandcamp. Here’s the first pulverising track for your sonic exploration:
As Radio 1 video these live-to-air performances now you can also watch while you listen. Of particular significance is the fire extinguisher next to the bass drum, presumably placed there in case of spontaneous drummer combustion.
These are fantastic performances – musically complex, brutally propulsive yet lithe, full of dynamics with sonic twists and turns as effect pedals are manipulated like instruments. The video of the whole thing is a pretty compelling watch too:
Space Bats, Attack! are also a discovery point for a swathe of other noisy Dunedin guitar bands. As well as guitarist Lee Nicholson (Thundercub, and Lighting Wave effect pedal guru) you have guitarist Richard Ley-Hamilton (formerly of Males, now Asta Rangu), and the Nicholls brothers – Josh (drums) and Zac (bass). Zac is also a brilliant guitarist and along with Josh was in A Distant City, then The Violet-Ohs before forming their current band Koizilla.
Pop Lib 