FOGWAX - Swimming With Sharks

(S/R – 2016)

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French trio Fogwax, formed from defunct act, Last Barons spoil the surprise quite a bit with the smattering of boasts regarding their Seattle inspirations all across the promo sheet.

 

Not that that scares me off listening to their debut album. Built on a skillet of Soundgarden-seasoned potato, and a rather hacked off Eddie Vedder approach in leader Julien Soler, 'Swimming With Sharks' packs quite an instant bite as does his thumping bass lines, although the good taste is initially ruined by the industrial fuzz of opener 'Man Of The Year'.

 

A wavy amalgam of uptempo and slow-beat numbers ensues, of which 'Face The Sun', 'Ocelot', 'Blood Eagle', 'Fight Women', 'Spider Will Have His Revenge Against The Town'and 'Big Black Nowhere' bear the sharpest teeth for sinking. Soler's thumping bass lines support the deeper haunting tracks such as 'Spider...' wherein guitarist David Mazeline goes a little progular and then powers his way back with a swirly solo trip.

 

Gripping grunge de force, shaped anew for 2016, with tight application by Soler, Mazeline and drummer Romain Thillaye apiece sees this Normandy trio present a contemporary great white contemporary rock beast straight from the continent.

 

Tres bien, Monsieurs.

 

8/10

 

By Dave Attrill

 

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Smashing Pumpkins, Alice In Chains & Bush.