Posted on: July 27, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Coping off the riff for Metallica’s “Motorbreath” in the beginning of the track, the opening “G.W. Cunt” is a high-water mark for these two individuals, Joe Hiles and George McSweeney. The track is only around a minute, but political beliefs don’t need to be long, drawn-out treaties or discussion. “Pentagram Agenda 1984”, as well as the rest of the tracks on the disc, feature guest drumming by Brock Ailes, from The Freedumb Fries. In this second track, however, we have some nice double-bass pedaling to go along well with the brutal guitar riffs and Slayer-like solo contained within. Cruci-Fetus is Dead Kennedys, Anal Cunt, and Aus Rotten all rolled in one, and they are on a mission to fight injustice and the fucked-up system in which they currently live. Five tracks blow through the listeners ears almost too fast to be picked up, but the tracks will inexplicably stay with you for a long time.

This mixture of 80’s metal guitar along with the surfer-punk vocals of Joe and the more grave vocals of George brings an immediacy to this disc – if we don’t go in and fuck things up, all things will simply go to pot. Each consecutive track brings something to the foray, and track four is no difference. Coming up with a guitar line that cuts through the distortion of the recording (intentionally recorded that way to give the entire disc a certain feel to it), Cruci-Fetus sonically blasts their listeners in two different ways: the twin dragons of the vocals during the chorus, and the blazing solo during the bridge. With a ring-distortion on the guitar not unlike that of a Stabbing Westward song, Wires (Cautionary) adds some middle eastern sounding riffs to the mix.

A final track, recorded with Jared Allen (from The Freedumb Fries) on vocals, was left off the commercial release of the disc. I have to commend the guys for actually putting their foot down on this one: the track, while it may have been slightly catchy, added a modicum of silliness to the CD that was to be found no where else on it. While this was their first recording, and only done after a small time together, I see no limit to where Cruci-Fetus can go, provided that they find a drummer at the talent level of Brock, and are able to pull off the multi-part vocals as well as they are recorded on the disc. I have total faith in the stage show of Cruci-Fetus: the individuals in the band are loud, intelligent about political subjects, and opinionated. If you see this disc somewhere or a flyer for a local show, make sure you can stop by for what promises to be a killer show.

Rating: 7.6/10

Top Track: G.W. Cunt

Cruci-Fetus – Demo / 5 Songs / 2003 Self-Released / Reviewed 20 December 2003 / Released October 2003

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