Album Details

• Artist: Black Tusk
• Album: Taste The Sin
• Label: Relapse
• Year of Release: 2010
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2011-04-19

Pete Townshend once said that any rock song that uses more than three chords is a sellout to real rock & roll. While that means, sadly, that Pete has broken his own rule many times, it is also true that basic rock needs few if any trappings. A couple of chords, volume and attitude has been a winning formula since either Ike Turner or Johnnie Johnson invented the thing. Black Tusk keep it simple simple, and we are yet again the benefactors of such rowdy simplicity. "Taste the Sin" is just old school hard rock with minor chord metal flourishes. Georgia is more known for arty rather than hard rock, but Black Tusk will change that.

I had to laugh all the way through "Red Eyes." The over the top distortion, the gorilla sized riff and pounding drums; this is what hard rock is supposed to be about: excessive volume and a ridiculous, monster groove. And that is only one track that will bring a rock & roll smile to your face. Equally able to restore your faith in a simple kicking out of the jams are the heavily down-tuned "Toe Fry," and the quick assault of "Snake Charmer."

Those looking for frills from "Taste the Sin" move along. Those looking for variation are also bound to be disappointed. Black Tusk just plug in and go, and fans of basic, classic, amp-loving rock will follow.

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