Review: –(16)– ‘Forgeries Vol. 1, 1972 – 1984’
A covers album can be one of two things: an easy cash-in record to fill time between studio releases or, if handled well and given the appropriate level of respect, a time-honoured tradition of paying tribute to your forebears in this world of heavy metal.
Californian sludge legends –(16)–have always seemed like a band much more in line with the latter, so I think that Forgeries Vol. 1, 1972 – 1984is probably going to be full of hidden gems and, especially given the vintage of these tracks being forty plus years old, I’d expect the very embryonic nature of the band’s journey to be brought to life.
As you progress through the album, you can see each element of the bands covered here coming into focus as a sliver of THEIR inspiration and sound. Many of these tracks make total sense in the formation of the –(16)–‘s DNA; Black Sabbath, Black Flag, Agent Orange and Rudimentary Peni all check those sludgy hardcore punk boxes that are clear influences.
Some others are a little more diverse than you’d expect at first, but so much of sludge has obvious hard rock and groovy heavy blues influence that seeing Kiss, Blue Öyster Cult, UFO and Scorpions on here doesn’t surprise me either. –(16)–‘s bulldozing version of Can’t Get Enough goes much harder than the Scorpions‘ original, as is the lurching groove of Kiss‘ Rocket Ride to close. It seems that Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll is the perfect sludge cover song, given its natural swagger and classic bluesy riffs.
Each track has been picked with reverence and matches up with their own sound so well…
The real surprise of the whole album is the Bee Gees staple Tragedy, which takes on a much more grinding nihilistic bent under the riffs of Alex Shuster and the grim bark of Bobby Ferry to become one of the heavier sludge covers I’ve ever heard (competing with Weedeater’s classic Gimme Back My Bullets from 2007). Maybe it’s my last year listening to so much Ozzy, but this version of St. Vitus Dance captured that subterranean groove and charismatic wail so well, I think the Prince of Darkness himself would’ve approved, while even the songs I am less familiar with – the early punk era is not my wheelhouse at all – feel like a natural fit.
There have been great cover albums (most of Garage Inc) and terrible cover albums over the years (Chris Barnes, I’m staring dead-eyed at almost everything you’ve done), but Forgeries Vol. 1, 1972 – 1984may be one of my new favourites for its faithful take on classics with its varied and interesting song selections.
Each track has been picked with reverence and matches up with their own sound so well, you could’ve mistaken some for originals if you weren’t familiar with them. But the best covers don’t just faithfully reproduce those tracks, they have the band’s signature touch to them as well and I think –(16)–have really succeeded on that front. Forgeries Vol. 1, 1972 – 1984is a treat that’s out now through Heavy Psych Sounds.
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
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Scribed by: Sandy Williamson
