Ikara Colt
Basic Instructions EP
Epitaph
Ikara Colt is one of the most unique sounding bands in the Epitaph stable. They rock in an old school manner, going for a sound that explores the long forgotten – yet rich and plentiful – late 1970s/early 1980s gothic post-punk movement in England. Basic Instructions makes for a fun listen for older folks (me, for one, being an ancient 26 years old!), yet is something today’s “kids” will have a hard time getting into.
Basic Instructions harkens back to old Joy Division and early New Order post-punk. “May B 1 Day #2” features pretty much the same drum beat and blips as Joy Division’s “Shadowplay.” “Don’t They Know” features Ikara Colt’s lead vocalist doing an impressive Bernard Sumner impersonation, while the bassist totally rips off Peter Hook and the drummer plays in the double time hi-hat manner of many early 1980s post-punk bands. “May B 1 Day #1” sounds like a cross between Joy Division’s faster stuff and Gang of Four’s Solid Gold material.
I much prefer the tracks on which Ikara Colt quit trying to be other bands and just cut loose. “Panic” features crazy mathematical drum beats, overdriven and feedback-laden guitar lines and Thurston Moore-sounding vocals. This track is the EP’s most energetic, and is superb. The opening track, “Bring it to Me,” is also a total rocker, a la Repetition-era Unwound. I really wish the entire EP sounded like this song. Nevertheless, this is an EP worth buying. But, again, proceed with caution, as fans of “traditional California-style punk (e.g. NOFX, Offspring, Green Day) may not take kindly to this.
Epitaph Records: http://www.epitaph.com/
