The Atomic Bitchwax - The Local Fuzz

The Atomic Bitchwax
The Local Fuzz
Tee Pee Records/Impedance Records

One can never know what to expect from a new album from New Jersey outfit The Atomic Bitchwax. But there’s always one thing you can be certain of, it’ll be a quality classic stoner/hard rock album. Two years on from their impressive fourth album ‘T4B’, the trio (Comprising of ex-Godspeed/Black NASA bassist/vocalist Chris Kosnik, ex-Core guitarist/vocalist Finn Ryan and ex-Raging Slab/current Monster Magnet/Riotgod drummer Bob Pantella) are back with their new album ‘The Local Fuzz’.
The first thing you notice about The Atomic Bitchwax’s latest release is that it’s their first studio album not to be titled numerically. And while it does seem a little confusing at first, it all makes sense once you give the album a spin. Unlike the band’s former efforts, ‘The Local Fuzz’ sees the band taking an entirely new approach to their song writing, with the album comprising solely of one forty-two minute instrumental piece.
Supposedly boasting a collection of fifty riffs performed back to back (I say supposedly because I kind of lost count after the first twenty-five!), and recorded as one long track, ‘The Local Fuzz’ is nothing short of one ambitious project from The Atomic Bitchwax. But while it could have well sounded like a complete disaster in the hands of others, it comes across as a completely natural fit for the likes of The Atomic Bitchwax.
Making any attempts to break down ‘The Local Fuzz’ into words is not an easy task, as the whole album (Song?) seamlessly moves from one small jam to another with a natural flow. But if there were some interesting moments worthy of taking note of, it would be the thumping fast paced and chopped up groove at the start, the classic heavy riffing around the four and a half minute mark, the percussion/bass driven progressive feel around the nine minute mark, the mellow Pink Floyd passages around the twenty-four minute mark, the jazz-like atmospherics towards the thirty minute mark, the Jimi Hendrix influenced flash of guitar tones at the thirty four minute mark and the climatic rush of speed near the tail end.
If you’re familiar with the instrumental piece ‘Super Computer’ from ‘T4B’, then you’ll already be somewhat familiar with what the band has to offer on ‘The Local Fuzz’.
If on the other hand you’re unfamiliar with The Atomic Bitchwax, then imagine a combination of fuzzed out rock guitars with traces of psychedelic rock, hard rock, stoner rock and even a touch of the blues with an emphasis on memorable riffs and impressive solos.
Fans of The Atomic Bitchwax and those who worship ‘The Guitar Riff’ should immediately track this album down without any fear of disappointment.

For more information on The Atomic Bitchwax, check out - http://www.theatomicbitchwax.com/

© Justin Donnelly