Ape Machine – Live At Freak Valley
- Written by Will Simpson
As live albums go, this is a dust kicker. From the opening to the finish Damon DeLaPaz carries the sound with a ferocious display of musicianship from behind the drums; very tight performances are all about the lock in of the bass and drums and this record has it aplenty. Ape Machine’s Live at Freak Valley delivers at every beat, with an image of a ghost ship sailing in the skies behind them, they light the torch and burn the floating airship to the ground. This band carry their heart on the sleeve as ‘Black Night’ thrashes out a homage to the deepest purples, the delivery never slips up.
Yet it feels safe, the tried and tested heavy riffing with punchy toms rolling around in the bass space; making your head roll around in the same fashion of all the heavy rock that came before it. If you know what you like and you want it done to a high standard, then this is it.
Vocally and lyrically the songs feel like they are expressing an old opinion, it’s almost like rock of this nature is a conserved sound. That can't be right surely?!
With resonate echoes of Robert Plant screaming his emotional heart into the mic while he's getting his mind into some Aleister Crowley black magic; it’s a reminder that the stomping black smoke rock beast can still be conjured up and executed in front of your very ears and invoked with a bass, a drum kit, some heavy riffs and an emotionally charged front man. Certainly this album is going to be a favourite for the tribe of the black hood with a snarl; by the time your granny hears it though she will just shame you and say “oh yes, it was all the same in my day ya know”, then she'll put Black Sabbath’s greatest hits on and deliver you a quick slap for being part of the not-so-clever.
As it is though, it’s a simple formula that makes for a dark and heavy session between some good musicians. It is what it is.