Beneath The Scaly Exterior
Beer Fridge Records
The struggled breath of a dying man and some Bruce Willis banter sampled from Lucky Number Slevin sets the tone for Silver Lizard’s Beneath The Scaly Exterior, an album slowly choking on its own blood.
To their credit, the Bunbury boys have balls. The album embodies the spittle-soaked angst and aggression of punk at its finest. Conviction and energy practically radiate through the speakers, especially in tracks like Something So Same and Parasite To Host. Crucified contains some interesting rhythmic ideas and engaging, chunky guitar riffs, and the band’s decision to include acoustic track Four Gaps is an interesting, if somewhat inexplicable decision. However, most songs on the album are repetitive and indistinguishable from each other, often failing to develop properly, making them feel longer than they actually are. Overall, the album gives the distinct impression of someone trying to perform open heart surgery with a machete; bloody, violent and often failing to hit the spot.
SHAUN COWE
