Maybe it's because your reviewer listened to The Stooges' "Raw Power" to get into the correct nerve-shredding mood to tackle this second album from Leeds' self-styled "band that torture from Yorkshire", but fifty minutes later he finds himself alternating between foaming at the mouth and evilly scanning the vicinity for anyone to offer out for a scrap. Who's that at the door? The Vicar? He'll do...
Such is the level of dementia liable to well up within anyone wanting to bask in the Scaramanga Six's brain-blistering aural sensurround, so be warned: "Strike! Up The Band" is not for anyone with a brittle streak. If, however, you like your rock'n'roll (and this IS great rock'n'roll) with intravenous side orders of monkey glands, then inject away. This is a truly great hit - believe me, I've only just come down from the ceiling!
Proceedings open with the (not very) subliminal "six six six" chant and soon change up to a dangerous fifth with "The Wrath Of The Mighty" in which the band beat the living excreta out of a riff that's a ringer for Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" and the Morricone brothers thunder: "We have the power, we can deliver!" in a manner leaving no room for doubt whatsoever.
It gets better and better as the story unfolds. "Pressure Cage" you'll already know from the "Continuing Saga.." EP and it's "Black And White"-era Stranglers-pistol-whip-The Birthday Party vibe hasn't diminished, while the past caring thrill of "You Do, You Die!" and the vicious, glammed-up, modern day "Aladdin Sane" strut of the ace "Too Cool For School" leave you gasping for oxygen. Nitrogen, even. By the time the compressed riffs'n'organ meltdown of "Rush Of Blood" kick in, you'll probably not be responsible for your actions.
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Yet, despite this unfettered rock'n'roll action, The Scaramanga Six push even more erogenous buttons when they slow it down a wee bit. Indeed, "Elemental" and "Bane Of My Life" are two of the very best things here. "Bane Of My Life", especially, is magnificent, starting with a kooky organ riff akin to early XTC,. before building up to become one of the scariest things I've heard, especially lyrically. At one point, Paul Morricone exhorts: "Taking the children out for a swim, I want to drown them, why did I have them?" Christ and double Christ! The deceptively sweet "Stray Dog", meanwhile reins you in with its' "never ask where a stray dog's been" chorus. Aw, we knew they were old softies underneath it all, didn't we? Hmmm...
Ceaselessly inventive in ideas and merciless in its' execution, "Strike! Up The Band" will (probably literally) floor you, providing you can take the pace and intensity. That said, it's undoubtedly one of the best new albums you're gonna encounter this year and - like a tank battalion running over George Dubya's country retreat - is a thing of truly beautiful, murderous intent.
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