Customer Reviews

Into the Vortex

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Forget that first review. This is THE album for fans of late 80s, early 90s hardcore, etc. Lovers of Jesus Lizard, Today is the Day, Shellac, and other such midwestern angst will not be disappointed.

Blazing guitars, a maniac of a drummer, and bass lines straight up from the sewer. Yeah, so the guy can't sing, but he sure as hell can scream, with gut-wrenching, tragic lyrics that will either make you want to cry or do a cartwheel out a plate glass window.

Other hardcore albums continue to be weeded out of my collection as my tastes change, my mood mellows, and my hair falls out. 'Into the Vortex' will NEVER be lost, though. This album sums up more about modern life in nine songs than most groups manage in a whole career.

The bass distortion on this album is so heavy that it'll out-rock most post-punk noise rock...but when you add the outerspace guitar anarchy reminiscent of Syd Barret you know you're headed for someplace really special. Absolutely the best album put out by Amphetamine Reptile. If you want the loudest rock that doesn't grow stale or macho, then this is it.

Holy cow, I'm reading that first review and I can't stop laughing... Into the Vortex remains a monumental achievement of rock by three quiet guys from Fargo. I'm sitting here listening to it right now and it not only remains one of the most standout albums of the 90s, I think it has actually gained some momentum for me since then. I have many albums by many bands that I truly love, but I can think of none that I still play as much as this album now almost 17 years later. Hammerhead was so ahead of their time they went their entire young careers without hardly an ounce of recognition and somehow flew under the radar until they broke up.

Now here in the latter part of the year of 2010, almost twenty years after they started playing basement shows for nobody, they've reformed and are better than ever. I just got back from the Amrep 25th anniversary bash and it seemed like everyone in the crowd was there to see Hammerhead because they had missed them the first time around. I talked to so many people like myself; people who had been listening to the four Hammerhead albums of the 90s nonstop ever since. The performance was incredible; the crowd screamed like they did for no one else that whole day.

About four hours before they even played, the drummer whipped out about four or five copies of "Into the Vortex" out on the merch table and they were bought up by the first five people standing there, with about 30 people groaning in disappointment at not being fast enough. Anyone who thinks this album doesn't matter I would invite to try and see what a copy of it is going for on Ebay. And believe me, it's only going to get pricier...

After about three listens I cannot believe I completely missed Hammerhead and this album fifteen years ago. This is one fine album, incredibly well executed with some crazy catchy riffs and song structure.

I think it's admirable of the record company to release this album. I mean, how many record companies would actually give a tonally challenged "singer" like this a chance? No, really, advice to the "singer": take lessons! Or get someone else to sing your songs, because you sure can't. On the other hand: don't bother, because the songs suck anyway. Ten years from now, this album won't matter at all. So go ahead, sing your heart out. See if I care.