Every now and then I find it entertaining to randomly pick something out of the promo-bin without overthinking what to review. Sometimes this way I discover brilliant stuff, sometimes I question my choices. Baronen & Satan’s short and snappy promo chatter sounds promising enough. This quartet is from Gothenburg, Sweden. There’s more than enough quality music coming from Sweden. That should be a good sign. I’m further informed the band is influenced by hardcore, punk, garage, psych and new wave. Again: this sounds promising. The production is handled by Jim Diamond who also produced The White Stripes and Dirt Bombs. Well, what could go wrong?
My confusion starts with what to review… The first three tracks are the new EP Why Does The Blood Never Stick To Your Teeth? (well, 2017 is over, so it’s not that new anymore) and the 2016 album Satan Is A Lady. Do I review both? Let’s just hit play and see what happens. A lot of hard work starts, that’s what. I can’t sit through this EP and album in one sitting. It’s too much. Music wise it’s not even that bad, although I think the simple rock ala The White Stripes is a bit boring and average. I’ve got nothing against simple rock ‘n’ roll, don’t get me wrong. But don’t make it too simple. Other than that, I want my rock to sound dangerous, not dull. But we haven’t even got to the part that makes this record close to unlistenable. What really creeps me out is that voice. It’s quite horrible really. I’m not sure if this is the kind of voice that can be described as “love it or hate it”, cause I’m so deep in the hate it camp. So yeah, I’ll review both EP and album at once and be very brief about it: don’t waste your time, look on for better rock that’s out there.
