The scouse Beastie Boys are back. They are here to finish off 2020. But, in order to finish this year off, you need say ‘ta ra’ in a big massive way. The Snails are certainly top of the list of bands best suited blow this year up. Loud, bombastic and sarcastic, what better band to do so.
These lads tend to get messy on stage. A StS show can be unruly and chaotic. And in that respect they are quite simply one of the best live acts out there. They also have that rare property of ‘universality’ when it comes to appeal. In short, they could share the stage with either a band like Maximo Park or metal legends Megadeth and still not look out of place. I am very pleased to say that ‘Maaate’ captures the vibe and the soul of an StS gig.
With its clever mix of doom and kitchen sink temperament i.e. The Obsessed jamming away with John Cooper Clarke, ‘Maaate’ delivers a nice big slice of irony-cake, filled with Harold Pinter jam. This song somehow manages to travel back to the early Sabbath days, nick all of Iommi’s gear, jump back and slap it on top of a Helmet backing track.
Frontman Krysten Hudson knows how to regale. He pours sardonic lyrics down your lug holes and lets it brew swill inside your sub conscious brain. ‘All dressed up like an extra, in a Michel Gondry film’ he says on top of fuzzy guitars and heavy drums. He sweats his soul out like a poet raised on post nighties pop culture. The verses climb all the way to a chorus doing its best Albini/Nirvana impression. In fact, the song in itself does leaves you on Cobain ring out before cutting off too silence. It leaves you wanting to replay the song again and again, over and over.
Salt the Snail are band well suited to pull the curtains over 2020 in a big way. But they are also a great band to reintroduce us back into the light. One should follow the slime trial and get on this track.
Words: Lewis Elliot McWilliam, Photos: RBY, Band Media
Youtube: https://youtu.be/oaUYdoLAt3M
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