Can I just say I’ve partaken in a few too many Facebook discussions about how there are far too many doom bands nowadays with Wizard in their moniker? Wizard Rifle is a pretty blatant example; do wizards actually carry guns in Portland, or something?
Alas, their silly name combined with some, erm, creative song titles and a bizarre band photo suggest this isn’t an outfit to be taken too seriously. “Crystal Witch” (there’s another overused word!) starts off all feedbacky ‘n shit, before a rollicking drum beat brings us into Big Business territory. I’d definitely list the Seattle duo/trio as a major influence on these guys.
“Buzzsaw Babes” is shorter and speedier, a brief burst of frenzied garage rock with just a touch of Harvey Milk or Killdozer. “Paul the Sky Tyrant” is about as intimidating as your typical tyrant named Paul, with a bit of a black-metal behind him, while “Psychodynamo” is much more mellow than expected initially, with kind of a trip-hop thing going on, though they eventually add some nice, crunchy riffs to the mix before things get a little too frantic for my taste.
I dunno guy, but I guess I can’t get past the band photo with the armless man in the brown pants.
