EP REVIEW: MDMA – Blitzpøp
Grunge was one of the defining genres of the 90s. With bands such as NIRVANA bringing the genre to the forefront, you can’t help but compare every band to bear the label to them. However, BLITZPØP are doing things a little differently. Formed by MOTHER’S CAKE frontman Yves Krismer (guitar), GIANT ANTEATER vocalist and bassist Pia Unterlechner (vocals), Alex Örn Númason (bassist) of THE VINTAGE CARAVAN and drummer Kajetan Abber, the band take high-energy garage grunge and add their own little twist.
The result is MDMA, the band’s debut EP. The rough and raw sound is evident from the start. Unterlechner‘s vocals are sultry and reminiscent of Courtney Love. However, that is not a bad thing; it is refreshing to hear a band tap into a nostalgic style that seems to have gone out of fashion in recent years.
There is something special about this band. They ooze confidence, despite this being their debut recording. That could be because they have been in previous bands, which has clearly done them wonders; they clearly know their stuff. Furthermore, they sound like they are having fun. The guitar work on second track The Sickness Is Coming is raw and in your face. The band are also clever enough to release an EP first, instead of an album. With an EP, there are less songs to release, and therefore there is less chance of the work wearing thin. With six songs, MDMA is the right length.
Not that the band lose steam. In fact, each song seems to improve upon itself. Of course, this could be because the EP was produced by Tom Kornis, who clearly has a fantastic ear for detail. Whilst each song is mellow and at a slightly slower pace to most stereotypical rock songs, this actually works in the band’s favour. As the songs are all at around the same pace, the overall pacing of the EP is a lovely mid-paced grunge/rock body of work. This is until Spirit Of Times, which takes on a much slower pace. However, thanks again to the brilliant production, the overall pacing is not affected.
The only criticism is that it does sound like the band stay in the comfort zone of grunge and rock, and do not branch out their sound. However, considering that this is their first ever release, it’s better to cut them some slack. Besides, it’s better that they stick the landing on songs that they are comfortable with than branch out into unknown territory.
Overall, this is a very exciting debut for a band. BLITZPØP know what they want to achieve, and that is admirable for a new band. It is helped that they already have music industry experience by playing in different bands. MDMA is a well-produced and fun EP. It is an excellent example of how to do a debut release right. The songs are fantastic, the pacing is excellent, and the band clearly know their sound, although they could have branched out a little more into other genres. However, that is only a minor issue. Their mix of grunge and rock is not only refreshing, but also revives grunge, a genre that you don’t hear much about these days.
Rating: 8/10
MDMA is set for release on September 30th via self-release.
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