Megalighter are set to return at the end of this year with a brand new album, but in the meantime the band are back with a re-issue of their second EP (originally released in 2005 and now remixed by Roger Langvik for extra psychedelic oomph) on which they deliver five tracks of intense, gloriously fuzzy rock ‘n’ roll that sits cross-legged in a haze of heavily fragranced smoke between the heavy rock of QOTSA and the vacant-eyed mysticism of The Doors.
The cover art of ‘it never ends’ says it all – a shot of roaring flame, it is hard to think of a better metaphor for the sizzling music laid down by Megalighter whose genre-straddling workouts which recall everything from Motorhead to the Ramones (often in the course of the same song) are designed to stun and entrance the listener with their sheer balls-out intensity. Opening track ‘black hole’ is the perfect starting point for the EP. A veritable epic at five minutes, it is Megalighter at their most oblique, the riffs wreathed in smoke and throwing up a heady brew of Led Zeppelin-esque weight and Sleep-style stoner groove over a hypnotic rhythm that has you entranced from the get-go. That the band should follow such a track up with the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it ‘party’ is the work of insane genius, the band shifting gear into full on Motorhead mode, the riffs hurtling past as the percussive assault slams into you almost physically. With the original EP apparently beset by technical problems, there is no evidence of that here; Roger Langvik has bought a beautiful sonic clarity to the band, with the vocals kept front and centre and the band’s none-more-powerful rhythm section given the punch and depth they so obviously deserve, the result being that the EP sounds brilliantly analogue and warm and yet clear throughout, the instruments clearly separated (something you’ll appreciate best through headphones) and the whole given the hefty weight you imagine Megalighter carry live.
‘Radioactive rod’ sees the band head back into stoner territory with a syncopated riff underpinned by frantic percussion and topped with Freddy and Marty Young’s savage, whiskey-soaked vocals and you can only shake your head in despair at the fact that, with bands such as Rival Sons currently bringing back the power of rock ‘n’ roll to audiences the world over, Megalighter aren’t headlining stadiums with their brilliantly melodic, savage sounds. ‘Panzerfaust’, as the title suggests, brings the rage, the band unleashing a primitive, punk-fuelled beast of distorted bass and sweat-soaked rhythms complete with gang-style choruses just begging to be chanted from a swirling mosh-pit as the band unleash the frantic track with all the fire and fury of an atom bomb. Final track ‘Use the gun’ opens on a beautifully understated, reflective note that showcases the band’s subtly progressive leanings with echoing effects rippling through the guitars before a mid-tempo riff grinds through the mix and the band close the EP on a euphoric note that nods to Aerosmith, Screaming Trees and Led Zeppelin all in the space of five awe-inspiring minutes.
The band’s website possibly says it best when it states quite simply: “Thank God – a band like Megalighter is finally here. A band that simply is too angry, too hungry to spend time in front of the mirror fixing haircuts and clothes to make the group look like something out of the sixties.” Megalighter are the real deal – a band who, on each and every release, challenge themselves to do better than before with countless hours of practice and development building into a sound that encompasses the very best music of the last three decades without specifically sounding like any of it. Here you’ll hear psychedelic, metal, rock, punk, prog and much more, all wrapped up into beautiful, life-affirming music that will leave you with a sense of euphoria and a desire to listen to more, much more, of this amazing band. You can hear more from this band on Myspace (here) and if you have a single rock ‘n’ roll fibre in your body they’ll be your new favourite band in seconds. Bring on the new album Megalighter – the world needs you!
