Seaweed

December 1 - 7 , 1 9 9 5

*** Seaweed

SPANAWAY

(Hollywood)

It isn't everyday that a thrashing guitar band from Tacoma cite Iron Maiden and AC/DC as influences, but then Washington's own Seaweed aren't your average metal/alternative outfit. Founded in '89, the group released a bunch of self-produced, well-executed singles before joining Sub Pop. Now, with the weight of a major label behind them, Seaweed walk the art/commerce tightrope. From the blistering chords of "Drug Free Zone" (a vicious attack on social conformity) to mid-tempo rockers like "Saturday Nitrous" and "Start With" (the latter with Screaming Trees' Barrett Martin on drums), Seaweed deliver thought-provoking, ear-pounding soundscapes rich in melodic textures and rhythmic nuances. "Assistant" finds singer Aaron Stauffer taking aim at corporate ideology ("Nailed to the tackboard/A list of policies you'll abide") while the twin-guitar assault of Wade Neal and Clint Werner sends the piece spiraling toward a sonic frenzy. By the final track, the somber "Last Humans" (where Stauffer sings "There's not an empire that hasn't met its fall/It's what I wait for"), Seaweed have created a convincing soundtrack for the apocalypse.

*** Seaweed

SPANAWAY

(Hollywood)

-- David Gérard