Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze

Odonis Odonis started out as the solo vehicle for prolific songwriter/bandleader Dean Tzenos. Having initially recorded nearly 40 demos in just a few months, Dean picked out 10 which he took to Vancouver to re-record and call Hollandaze. The album opens with the title track, resplendent in reverb fuzz, a spaghetti western style twang intertwined with a dirty guitar and incoherent shrieking vocals, all of which are perfectly wrapped up in two minutes. It's a full-on guitar assault and pure balls out which makes for a pretty impressive introduction.

The influences suck up all the best bits of such key noisenik bands as Psycho Candy era Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine. They then mix it up with the best sludge hooks that Mudhoney could possibly offer and stick them into one huge fuck off blender which spews out molten riffs across such atonal beauties as 'Busted Lip'. The songs can be short and sweet but the nihilistic 'White Flag Riot' - which claims you have the right to riot - is a beautiful mess belligerent in a syrupy bass and brick-heavy drum thumps.

Odonis Odonis have purposely tuned the production so the rhythm section is at the forefront of their sound and swallows up the haunting vocal on 'Blood Feast'. The attention to the drums and bass is reminiscent to the pedantic production methods of Steve Albini, who I'm sure is an influence on the band as they shock us through the chaotic abrasive 'New World' with its wobbly swarming seaside organ scything in and out while Dean Tzenos barks his vitriol.

The albums is choc-full of hook after hook. The almost funk bass opening on 'Handle Bars' gets about two seconds of freedom before the screaming psychobilly guitar boots its arse firmly into its cage. Odonis Odonis are not gonna do commercial or tuneful, no bloody way! The ubiquitous bottom-heavy bass is the glue for each of their songs and creates the template when its melded seamlessly with a screeching guitar on the Killing Joke influenced 'Basic Training' and the chiming strop of 'Ledged Out' with its pummelling rally of surf guitar.

The most accessible track is their last one, 'Tick Tock', with no sign of feedback and more concentration on melody and caustic, nerve-trembling drum patterns. Right up there as one of the best debuts of 2011, Hollandaze is sleazy and psychotic, creative and pulsating, catchy and charming.

Stick it on your Christmas list now!