AKIMBO
Photo by Jean-Marc
Akimbo has barreled their way through the United States and Europe over the last decade with all the fervor of a demon army bent on conquest. Forging a path of righteousness with a thunderous sound and a menacing presence in today's underground rock scene, Jon Weisnewski (Bass/Vocals) and Nat Damm (Drums) have solidified a unique and devastating sonic battle axe left embedded in the skulls of their enemies. After years of rotating guitar players, Aaron Walters (Guitar) joined the band in 2006 and has proven himself as the defining diesel in this engine of pure, flaming, voluminous rock. Personally selected by Neurosis for the Neurot roster, they encompass everything that has made rock, punk, and metal a dangerous sound for the last 50 years.
After five full length albums on the likes of Alternative Tentacles and Seventh Rule, Akimbo has once again bested their previous efforts and come forth with the sinister and anthemic full length album Jersey Shores. A concept album spanning twelve days of brutal and savage shark attacks that haunted the New Jersey coast in 1916, Akimbo has allowed the dark subject matter to fester into the grain of their instruments and recreate their sound anew. Steering away from the beer-fueled "rock for rock's sake" approach, the album treads into a more mysterious and brooding territory than previously heard from other releases, maturing the band's sound as a whole and adding a new chapter to the Akimbo saga.
The joining of Akimbo and Neurot for this tangential exploration couldn't have seen better pairing. With six hammering, primal, evocative, haunting tracks that transport the listener through 45 minutes of timeless fear, Jersey Shores marks the brandishing of a new weapon for Akimbo to wield after ten years of aggressive battle through the hallow pits of the rock and roll underground. Similarly, Neurot stands to gain a fierce ally in their already monumental roster of critically acclaimed artists who have continually aided in writing the book of sonic independence. The template has been carved, and in September of 2008 the molten steel will pour, burn, and harden.
AKIMBO
JERSEY SHORES
2008, NR064