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Left Spine Down
Smartbomb

Posted: Monday, July 30, 2007
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor

Vancouver, Canada is certainly a hot spot for music, as the hometown of such renowned acts as Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan, and KD Lang. It is also the breeding ground for two of the industrial scenes greatest luminaries: Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly. It should then come as no surprise that Left Spine Down also hail from this city, for with the release of their debut EP, Smartbomb, they are poised to become a new revolutionary force in modern music. This varied group of musical misfits creates an equally varied mix of industrial, metal, drum & bass, and punk with a digital edge, culminating in what could be a new breed of underground music, dubbed iPunk by the band. One need only listen to the opening track from Smartbomb, "Last Daze," which kicks into high gear with gritty guitars chugging away overtop a blistering drumbeat that will certainly please the punk and thrash metal crowds. Augmented by some excellent synth effects, the song is a rather straightforward affair that preps the listener for the band's real power. Some frenetic drum & bass beats permeate throughout "Reset" and "Hang Up," keeping the energy on high while maintaining the hard rock elements that made "Last Daze" such a forceful opener. These songs are sure to cause some bruises in the mosh pit, yet they could easily fit into any DJ's drum & bass set list, similar to Pitchshifter's mid '90s output. "Ready or Not" reverts back to a more metallic approach, but in constant with the previous tracks has plenty of electronic tweaking and effects to make the song one for the rivetheads to be proud of. Closing things out is "Policy of Hypocrisy," which is only included in review copies of Smartbomb, but is worthy of mention for its thrashing beats and frantic synth leads. With Chris Peterson of Front Line Assembly producing, it should come as no surprise that Left Spine Down's sound on the Smartbomb EP is as crisp and as clean as it is mean and raw. The EP has a polished sheen that manages to not clash with the band's punk-laden energy, and despite the heavy amount of electronics, Left Spine Down attacks the listener with all the fervor of any raucous rock & roll band. All in all, Smartbomb is a great primer for the searing full-length release that is sure to follow.