Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Mag Seven - Use Your Powers For Good, Not Evil
 | The Mag Seven continue down the road to rhythmic punkie instrumental magic. Chunky percussive guitar rhythms against stark drums molded around theramin whirring and gloomy progressions. Hard core thinking, post punk churning, sharp cracking snare, and sub-melodic structures just waiting for direction. I'm always disappointed when instros are written like back tracks for vocals, with too little melody. Some of this is like that, yet other parts are infectious and interesting in a relentless vein. |
Picks: This Ridiculous Chin, Clown Wars, Super Reverb, 8 or 8:30?, Put The Lotion In The Basket, Funk Jam #1, Lirra (til Robbie's Runnin Around), Sweet Jam O Mine, Thank Fuckin God, Two Words... Fuck and You, The Song That Cannot Be Named, Harvey
Track by Track Review
Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
A slow deliberate punk dry chop chord track with big snare and whirring tone spooking out from behind the hedge. Big and multi-textured, "This Ridiculous Chin" is an interesting side trip on the road to Malibu.
Clown Wars Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Speedy fear and loathing in clown-town. Rhythmic dry chop assaults relentlessly drive for the throat.
Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Slightly reminiscent of old Agent Orange with theremin, "Super Reverb" grinds out a warning to all who will hear. No, there's no reverb happening here.
8 or 8:30? Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Long echoed repeats, slow building climaxes, dramatic danger, and a spooky ambiance. Then, just when you expect, it becomes big and mechanical.
Put The Lotion In The Basket Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Big drums, big chords on long decay, and a tight thick melody. Grunge for the voiceless ones.
Funk Jam #1 Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
I dunno where of the funk is spoken. This is more like a cowboy hop after some really bad cactus juice took hold of your senses. Disorienting and angular.
Lirra (til Robbie's Runnin Around) Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Ominous and dramatic, "Lirra" chops at the bill, paying with restraint and a charge card. Thick and brooding.
Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Chunk 'n' roll riffology with a great bass line and cool damped chops. Not quite enough of a melody to make you whistle while you work, but definitely dark and moody, and quite effective.
Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Buzzy fuzzy feedback oozing ominous bass lines and slow dangerous thumpology. "Thank Fuckin God" is pensive, deliberate, and mean. The title aside, the Mag Seven have a knack for this kind of grinder.
Two Words... Fuck and You Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Impolite and oozing social deficiency, this almost background track scares and sets moods, but doesn't get moving for quite a spell. Once it does, it's quite alarming in a stark future way.
The Song That Cannot Be Named Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Dueling riffs and power chords. Heavy and thick, with a dramatic arrangement and a nearly military cadence. A little too repetitious for my taste.
Harvey Aggro Rock (Instrumental)
Invisible rabbits aside, "Harvey" takes a long slow climb from silence to mere ambient noise and a delicate distant guitar riff. It eventually yields to a big feedback crunch chord finale of dissonance and an abrupt ending.