Old Fashioned, No-Nonsense Rock ‘n Roll
The Atomic Bitchwax crashes into the rock world’s eardrums yet again in 2017 with Force Field. The rock group formed in 1993 and have not stopped producing straight up rock and roll since their first LP hit CD stores in 1999.
As one can imagine, the band’s past work is very much an indicator of their sound on Force Field. The overall sound of The Atomic Bitchwax is similar to that of Wolfmother, among other modern rock acts. The Atomic Bitchwax differentiate themselves with their nonstop instrumental speed and straight-shooting vocals. Anyone who is a fan of pure rock would enjoy the band’s song catalog they’ve built over the years.
With six albums in the rearview, Force Field is the next successor in a long consistent line of rock and roll riffage. Although this album is more of the same, it should remind listeners that The Atomic Bitchwax are great within the niche they occupy. Throughout Force Field, there is not an inkling of giving up or slowing down.
Right from the get-go, “Hippie Speedball” sets the tone, building to a total 34 minutes of chaos. “Hippie Speedball” as well as pretty much every song on this album, is a fast and bombastic rock song that clocks in at about the two or three-minute mark. This song gives the listener exactly what they’ll be getting from almost every song on this album.
Although most songs on the LP are formulaic and often follow a similar trajectory, there are a few standouts that deserve recognition. “Shell of a Man” and “Liv a Little” are two catchy tracks on the same road as the others, but they just veer into a separate lane. “Shell of a Man” has groovy rhythms and a larger than life chorus that demands a sing-along from any live crowd. It is really the epitome of what The Atomic Bitchwax can do, and it achieves a musicality that is at a higher level than the rest of the album.
“Liv a Little” also breeds catchiness with an arena rock kind of vibe. It’s a style comparable to songs like “Uprising” by Muse and “Get Some Freedom” by Big Data. This is a song that can get the people going as it combines clap tracks, well-placed guitar strums and a coarsely filtered vocal effect. “Liv a Little” and “Shell of a Man” are the breakout songs on Force Field where the band really gets to show their writing chops.
Though there are some great songs on Force Field, the grand majority of the album is occupied by interchangable songs. This is not to say any of the songs are poor in quality, but the sheer amount of songs make it difficult to differentiate between them. The introductions on many songs also blend together, which is not a problem the band had in previous works such as 2015s Gravitron.
Gravitron was a bit edgier and powerful in its delivery, but Force Field is still a great installment to the group’s discography. Force Field also provides The Atomic Bitchwax with more energetic live material, which is always a plus. Overall, Force Field did not have the same impact as the albums before it, but it still has many redeeming qualities and stands as a consistent effort by The Atomic Bitchwax.
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