V/A – Invaders / 2006 Kemado / 18 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/invaderscomp / http://www.kemado.com / Reviewed 23 April 2006

Invaders starts off in pretty much the way that one should expect from Kemado Records. That is to say, Saviours bring back the rock of an earlier period when they use “Free For All”-type of guitars with a down and dirty sound on their “Circle of Servant’s Bodies”.

The decision to put Danava’s “By The Mark” (at its full seven-plus minute glory) might be challenged at the first blush, but there is no doubting the band after they get started. With enough repetition to give individuals carpal just from listening to it, Danava create a beautiful metal song in the vein of Black Sabbath without any major effort on their part. Big Business is the first derivation from the formula that has seemed to be prevalent on “Invaders” up to this point. This is not indie rock or emo or anything even resembling it, but Big Business’ “As The Day Was Dawning” sounds much more in the vein of sludge-metal acts than the classic metal that opened up the compilation.

The first track that does not seem to contribute much to the overall sound of “InvaderS” has to be the psychedelic clusterfuck that is Black Mountain’s “Behind The Fall”. Don’t get me wrong, the chaotic horns do well in the track but there just does not seem to be much accomplished with this track. The minor weakness exerted by Black Mountain is fixed by the time that The Sword starts up their “Under the Boughs”. In “Under The Boughs”, The Sword comes up with a simplistic sound that gradually gains momentum until it threatens to overtake the entirety of listeners. Kemado has been releasing this hard and heavy style of music for a while now, and the talent shown by bands on “Invaders” should be enough to sell a few more copies of the album. Sure, there are some weaker tracks on this disc (the “wheels stuck and spinning” sound of The Fucking Champs’ “The Loge”) , but overall the sound of “Invaders” is something that has not been heard in a few years but does not seem a day older than when it was first produced. If someone is a fan of classic metal, psychedelic, or sludge, “Invaders” may just be the disc to pick up for this year. None of the tracks will likely make it to radio, but there is talent on this disc to share. Thanks have to go out to Kemado for this one.

Top Tracks: Saviours “Circle of Servants Bodies” , The Sword “Under the Boughs”

Rating: 7.3/10

[JMcQ]