Bang - Bang (1972)

Formed in 1970, this band from Philadelphia rocked just as hard as Black Sabbath was over in England or as Blue Cheer did over in in San Francisco. Ok so perhaps they were a bit more neanderthal but you've got to give these boys some credit for jumping on the heavy-as-hell chromatic blues riff band wagon sooner than most every one else. Just listen to the opening riffs to "Future Shock" or "Lions, Christians" for prime examples of late 60's/early 70's slabs of mutant proto-metal beef. Frank Gilcken plays his guitar like it was a rhythm instrument, hammering out palm mutes between enormous two note riffs. Frank Ferrara on bass in nearly in audable, so I can only asume he's playing the exact same dumb-as-bricks chord progression as the other Frank. Ferrara voice is a bit higher in regester, often sounding a bit like Robert Plant and Ozzy Osbourn.

And much like thouse two obvious influence, Bang has a few numbers where they take things down a notch or two. "Last Will and Testament" sounds alot like one of thous folky-er numbers that Tony Iommi seemed to love to put on most every Sabbath album.

All in all you'd be hard pressed to find anything that falls so squarly into the proto-metal genere that is not one of the above mentioned bands. Bang is severaly overrated, and this album shows it. If anyone has heard any of there other albums let me know. The bands website, lists one album before this one that's labled as unrealesd. Boy would I like to get my grubby paws on that! It also mentions them haveing reformed!

- overview by Denez


Tracklist:

1. Lions, Christians
2. The Queen
3. Last Will
4. Come With Me
5. Our Home
6. Future Shock
7. Questions
8. Redman

128 kbps, ripped from vinyl

http://rapidshare.de/files/10896245/Bang.rar.html