Why we edit 101: On first pass of our review for the upcoming sophomore record from Germany’s Bird’s View we had typed up a lengthy story on how we used to look forward to Alternative Press’ annual “100 Bands You Need To Know…” issue because we’d always find a few diamonds in the robust rough that’d be go-to’s for us going forward. Like New Zealand’s Cairo Knife Fight who, to cut to the chase, definitely shares similar vibe genes with Bird’s View.
Now aren’t you glad we decided to just get to the point… or did we discover the very best smoke show to do the same thing but in a better way??? Whatever the case may be it all rests in the power of EDITING! But back to Bird’s View and the front to back banger that is House Of Commando! Kids, this is just their second record and that’s following a debut which only came out last year! Is it a crime to be this good? Maybe. But we ain’t NARC’s up in the RNRF offices!
Anyway, “Vienna” is a lo-fi rawker with sing-song lyrics that end up as part of the first of many a big chorus as “Stay Down” really captures that CKF feel we spoke of earlier while also collecting a Queens of the Stone Age aesthetic with albums 1-3 being ever present with the way the razor sharp riffage from Alex Köper and Niko Huber easily slide between a certain fierceness then abruptly shift to a soulful psychedelic groove that those Desert Rawk vets have mastered.
Speaking of the Desert Rawk genre, “Pin Drop” really digs in deep there with Jan Iser’s rambunctious rumbles behind the kit bringing some thunder as Huber effortlessly navigates vocal lines from a subdued croon into a commanding force with ease. And did we mention that “Pin Drop” is easily one of the most infectious all out Rawk bangers of the year??? Because it is! We had a copy of the single before the record and easily let it play for over an hour without tiring and now, within House Of Commando, we still find it hard not to go back to it immediately after it finishes.
“Circus” presents an electric feeling that’ll cause uncontrollable toe tapping and head bobbing with “Came Along” bringing the first (kind of) comedown that’s still big on the Groove as Max Westenburger’s bass work really gets a chance to shine. “More To Come” is a rager and then some with an intensely hypnotic repeated instrumental refrain as screams are the lay of the land here, “White Barriers” is a percussive rip roarer with Iser’s thunderous pounding the backbone, and “Colorblind” is reminiscent of some of Stone Temple Pilots’ musical interludes and more acoustic-driven numbers (“Sour Girl” and “Wet My Bed” come to mind especially).
“Promise Everything” makes good on that promise with a big, badass Rawker that sports an even bigger chorus with some Huber croonin’ before the riff-fueled “Come Back Home” comes with some feverish fretboard fury. “What It’s Like” seemingly quiets things down for the HOC finale until the loud arrives once more for a guitar soloin’, jam out feel good kind of rad time that ends the second Bird’s View on a definitive high.
House Of Commando arrives through Drakkar Entertainment on September 20th. Pre-orders are live now and can be found by heading here while you can drop in here and here for the socials to keep you up-to-date on all the Bird’s View happenings.