"Wait a minute, this sounds like rock and/or roll!"
Over the past six years, Melbourne trio Grim Rhythm only kept their music for jam rooms and rehearsal spaces, only sharing their music publically from the small and grimy live stages found in seedy clubs and dive bars alike. Then earlier this year, the three-piece bit down on the bullet and got off the proverbial pot and fucking finally recorded a proper release. The fruits of that labour arrive in the form of new LP, ‘What Do You Know About Rock’n’Roll’; a solid six-track offering of ballsy instrumental stoner rock.
In a nutshell, this record is basically the sound of Kyuss, Black Sabbath, and fellow Melbourne locals Clowns just sans vocals.
This record - out June 9th - is a real milestone moment for the band; offering something tangible and attainable to fans and listeners than just the fleeting, in-the-moment energy and passion of their booming live shows. For it's a record whose ebb and flow follows that of an actual live show, an environment that this particular band calls home.
‘What Do You Know About Rock’n’Roll’ was recorded live to tape over just two riff-heavy days in Adelaide with John McNichol (Hydromedusa, Horsehunter) at the Twin Earth Studios, the record was then mixed by Sam Johnson at Hole & Corners and mastered by local legend Mikey Young, who have all captured the band's sound so well.
This surprisingly dynamic album from Grim Rhythm, at its core, is a monstrous dirge of sludgy riffs, electrifying licks, menacing basslines, pumping and punchy drums, and the absence of any vocals whatsoever is more than made up for with their lively song arrangements and effective instrumental voicing.
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Opener 'Savage' is a driving pub rock rager that's bound to spill more drinks than you can shake a bogan's tinnie at. 'Punk Pete' takes what the opening track offers and pushes it up right to 11. The quieter, stop-start nature of 'Orgy At The Windsor' (sounds like a damned good time, honestly) allows the band to flex their dynamic muscles and get into a consistent up-and-down rhythm that careens off into a rocking outro. The riffs then come hard and fast with 'The Suspect', and the trio takes their goddamn sweet time with the snow-balling intro of 'Double Denim' as sharp guitars give way to a solid drum solo of flowing tom fills and fast snare rudiments, before it's straight back into the usual stoner rock fray. The slow-burning finale of the spacious 'Up For Muck' sums up the record well enough by encompassing each element of Grim Rhythm; the heavy riffs, the brooding song timbres, the stoner and sludge influences, the lack of vocals, the surging rhythms sections, and a real love for distortion and feedback.
Look, even if you do know a lot about rock n' roll, you could still stand to gain plenty from listening to Grim Rhythm's new LP. So stream one-sixth of it out below!
‘What Do You Know About Rock’n’Roll’ is out Friday, June 9th via the band's own label, Suspect Records. Grab it through their Bandcamp or pre-order it here. Grim Rhythm will be hitting the road this month for a handful of live shows. Dates below, fam.
Friday, June 9th - The Eastern, Ballarat
Saturday, June 17th - Crowbar, Brisbane
Sunday, June 18th - Frankies Pizza, Sydney
Friday, June 23rd - Old Bar, Melbourne
Saturday, June 24th - The Barwon Club, Geelong
