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hella no 666
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by Jordan Dowling
  • Type: Album
  • Release date: 29/01/2007
  • Label: Ipecac

...And on the seventh day, God rested. On the eighth day, he invented a slow-burning formula for the eventual annihilation of the universe he created from the point at which he gave his only sun. A breakdown of society, the crumbling of the Earth's atmosphere, the expansion of the solar system leaving us feeling more alone and more paranoid as each second ticks away. The apocalypse. For Hella, things need to be sped up.

Let’s keep with the image a little while longer. Imagine The Mars Volta's swollen red super-giant bursting beyond the constraints of mass and time and finally contracting to an all encompassing black-hole, sucking in Lightning Bolt’s heaviest riffs and The Boredoms’ most intense drum work after hurtling them to ‘n’ fro against all manner of cosmic debris. Titles such as 'Song For Insecuirity' and '2012' may seem wilfully obtuse. They are. They fit the mood perfectly.

Yet There Is No 666 In Outer Space’s most impressive attribute is that at the core of all this lays a solid earth foundation, far stronger than what is to be found on previous albums. Each track is a fully-fledged song, built for the most part around the vocals of new member Aaron, with fellow newbies Josh and Carson adding subtle layers over the band’s core sound. Zach Hill still tortures his drum kit at a different speed, beat and dimension to the rest of the band. It’s all for the best.

Do you need this album? Well, on a summer’s day are your eyes drawn to the deep pitch of the shadows? Do you flick your head side to side in paranoia more than a model in a shampoo advert? Does the fact that Yellowstone Park is more than 50,000 years overdue for a near-extinction level explosion keep you awake at night? If it does, then you do. Hella are the five horsemen of your own personal Armageddon. It may not be the happiest ending, but hey: the soundtrack is fucking great!

  • Hella 9 / 10
Words: Jordan Dowling

and this...

is what my money is going on at lunch.


finally!!! some who likes this album along with me!

altho i don't think spencer sings. correct me if i'm wrong


im sorry i cant

as i dont know what the other three members do and havent recieved correspondence i had to put it was him. if anyone can find out who sings ill gladly change it (didnt think this piece would be up yet!)


question

dont you think the vocalist sounds suspiciously like Omar from the mars volta, particularly on 'the ungrateful dead'


i do (cedric though)

i've only listened to this album once through as my old PC went booboo. on a first listen it certainly kicks the shit out of the double LP. i might buy it today.

aaron ross sings i think.


speculation:

hella killed my PC?


cant be

seriously if he can sing while doing that drum work hes fucking inhuman


ah

i read that peace too.
ammended!


Zach Hill =

fucking genius.


I am glad..

..this is awesome and the addition of vocals hasn't ruined things


i did reckon he sounded really camp at first

but as the record came out last week, i thought i'd give it another chance, and it i'm very glad i did, just took a bit of getting used to i guess. i hope they tour soon


Bought this album last week...

...only having chance to listen to it right now.

And my God :O

It's definitely the best album I've heard of 2007 so far.

Completely in awe at the speed and technicality of the musicianship. Seeing this live will be something else.

And incidentally I thought the vocals sound very Corgan-esque in parts.





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