Customer Reviews

War Bird

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

 

 

If you dig Jucifer, pick this ep up. If you're favorite Jucifer album is The Lambs EP, you're really going to love this one. Very similar to Lambs, it's pure heavy drone for the most part. Heavy but probably not quite as heavy as lambs, Amber's vocals are sugary sweet but still foreboding. The last song is a big change of direction for them but it was a welcome surprise.

I love Jucifer! They show how effective a band can be with only TWO people. Yeah, you heard me right. Jucifer is composed of the beautiful guitarist/vocalist Amber Valentine and a kick-axe drummer who actually knows how to utilize ALL parts of his instrument, making the most of each song.

As my title blurb states, Jucifer play experimental metal/rock with a raw, primal vibe and minimalistic production. In other words, this is music in its rawest form. If you only appreciate over-produced crap like Metallica's BLACK ALBUM stay far away (excuse me a second -- bleeaahh).

I know Jucifer have fast death-metal-like material on some of their other cds but there's none of that here. WAR BIRD is a 22.5 minute EP featuring 5 songs 1 prologue and a nameless 45-minute track of forest sounds (i.e. crickets, etc.). The riffs are simple and Sabbathian in nature, with the exception of the last proper song "My Stars" which utilizes a banjo (I think) and sounds more like Neal Young, but it's good and has intriguing lyrics. In fact, all the lyrics are intriguing, even deep -- no Gwen Stafani here.

All the instruments are perfectly clear but the production is so minimal it sounds like a quickly-recorded demo tape, which is what it is essentially. But THAT'S Jucifer. You either accept it or you don't. I accept it because I personally hate overly-slick, over-produced metal/rock. Bands like Dream Theater make me puke. One of my all-time favorite bands is Bathory, who are known for their ultra-raw production.

Anyway, the song writing is simple with unconventional structures and zero lead solos. The drums and guitars sound like ONE instrument. In other words, Amber and her drummer are really in sync and write/perform in total harmony. Over it all floats Amber's unique vocals, which are equal parts soft, pleasant, whispering and slightly haunting.

The EP takes more than one listen to really grab you because it's so far off the beaten track but somehow WAR BIRD works. The songs are strangely infectious.

To top it all off, Jucifer have great album covers. Just take a peek at the WAR BIRD cover, as well as IF THINE ENEMY HUNGER, LAMBS and I NAME YOU DESTROYER. Heck, I'd buy WAR BIRD just for the cover.

So why not 5/5 Stars? Because, although WAR BIRD is good for what it is -- a quickly recorded EP thrown to the fans -- it's not great, particularly when compared to their most recent highly impressive (and way better produced) L'AUTRICHIENNE, which is a double concept album based on the French Revelution. If you're new to Jucifer start with that one.

Jucifer are refreshing because they're so original and unpredictable. I hope it catches on.

This CD is nothing but the true vibe of what Jucifer is all about..."Being Original". Don't expect how each of the songs will start or end...Don't expect anything... just enjoy the vibe that War Bird offers.
Nick Christofalos (reactavox).
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