ALBUM REVIEW: Tranquiliser – Imperial Wax
Post-punk band IMPERIAL WAX are back with their latest album Tranquiliser. The band, made up of former members of THE FALL, BLACK PUDDING and CABBAGE, primarily take inspiration from punk and garage rock, with artists like HERNI CHERRIER, MASHIMA, and OLGA TOKARSCHUK being named as some of their influences. So, what does the record sound like? Well, a solid rock record that brings in different elements of the genre in a way that mostly succeeds.
Opening the record is its lead single Less I Need, an alternative rock track that brings in garage and punk sounds whilst also experimenting with elements of 90s Britpop. The rough production gives it a cool edge, and helps the album leave a solid first impression with this taster. The coolness continues in No Control where the band combine elements of blues rock with the sounds of early punk, leaving you with a montage of imagery coming to mind from that time.
What IMPERIAL WAX succeed at is having your interest piqued as you wonder what combinations and experimentation will follow next, with the results leaving you satisfied. Some of the main highlights include Burning In The Water, which starts out rather chill before a series of drum breakdowns gives you a sudden shock out of any calm state; the title track, with its catchy, fun opening; Post Lobotomy which has a solid, bouncy guitar rhythm and the immediate carnage that comes to mind when you picture this being played live; and Midas Touch, which is just a fantastic fast punk song.
However, things do go downhill in the final three songs. What are meant to be droning guitar tracks end up being rather boring and you find yourself zoning out as the songs go on and on and on. Silence starts out as the first offender, to the point that you might not realise that the next song, Civilised Dissent, has started. The same dull droning continues, but then you’re led to believe that things will pick up when some intriguing guitar sounds start to play but, alas, it’s false hope and you’re back to zoning out. And while final song Through Hands doesn’t leave you zoning out, you do find yourself getting frustrated as the lyrics and vocals just sound like pure moaning.
It’s a shame that the album ends in the way that it does, as aside from the final three songs, Tranquiliser shows that IMPERIAL WAX have talent and are capable of creating fantastic combinations of genres that leave you wanting more.
Rating: 7/10
Tranquiliser is out now via Guesswork Records.
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