American Head Charge – The Feeding

Come And Get It

Uncompromising brutality and harrowing screams combined with the tenacity of a circus gone terribly, terribly sinister. Welcome to the twisted, methodical carnival that encompasses the music of American Head Charge. No, you won’t find any nu-metal rapping on The Feeding, nor will you find long, technical guitar solos from a band trying to be as “metal” as possible; just straight-for-the-jugular hard rock.American Head Charge first stepped on to the heavy music radar thanks in part to a chance encounter when vocalist Martin Cock and bassist Chad Hanks met at a Minneapolis rehab facility. Concocting a unique mixture of industrially-infused hard rock, the band quickly caught of ear of mega-producer Rick Rubin, who signed them to his American Recordings label and helped them cultivate their sound even further. The band quickly became a household name, only to have internal fighting and label trouble threaten to derail their success.

Four years and a new label later comes The Feeding, in which the band showcases a new sound – largely dropping the industrial elements which helped make their debut, The War of Art, so intriguing. In fact, the album feels a bit stripped down in many elements – including the guitar work, which at times feels too sedated and tired. However, Martin Cock does present a greater range in vocals this time around with the use of drawn-out harmonies. For the most part the band’s lyrics remain firmly etched in angst, though not entirely. But have they lost their intensity? In a word – no. Their arsenal of potent musical shifting and willingness to mix things up within each song will pleasantly satisfy your most rampant heavy music craving.