Hammerhead “Global Depression” + Release Show TONIGHT
4 years ago Hammerhead got back together to play AmRep’s 25th Anniversary show at Grumpys downtown, their first shows since their late 90s breakup. A few sporadic shows, a limited 4 song record and a few years later, they’re back with a 6 song record.
The title track kicks things off in classic Hammerhead fashion. Steamrolling bass and shouted vocals pick off just where Hammerhead left us years ago. “Santa Prisca” slows down a little with a shouted chorus of “I’m dead, you’re dead, we’re dead, all dead” that I can’t help but think is a nod to their old labelmates Calvin Krime’s “Oh My Goth”. The bass led “Like A Wizard” (video here) leads the next two faster cuts before the sludgy guitar noise of “Outer Rim”. The tropical drum machine beat and distorted vocals of “Descended From Apes” closes out the EP with a nice little curveball, both sounding completely different than anything from the band before yet totally making sense.
It’s been years since the AmRep domination of the 90s but with a current crop of bands clearly influenced by the sound (Ex-Nuns, Animal Lover, etc), it’s good to have the band back in town that did things best. Let’s hope this keeps happening.
-Adam
Stream a track at Brooklyn Vegan.
Hammerhead plays an official release show for Global Depression tonight at the newly reopened Turf Club with Comb Boats and The Hand. More info and tickets here.
