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Victoriana
They used to be Audioslave. Sort of...
The Most Terrifying Thing were originally called Audioslave, before the name was bought off them by Chris Cornell's US supergroup. Whetever. This is the debut album from the Liverpool quartet, and the quality suggests they can make a living from their songwriting - as opposed to flogging band names to the rock glitterati.
Ignoring their home town's skiffle legacy in favour of an epic brand of US-flavoured rock, the Thing (you try abbreviating their name) are earnest enough to get hands tapping on steering wheels, yet angular enough to stop themselves being played at half-time during basketball games. Highlight 'Pop Song' is in good company.
7/10 - Future Publishing
Victoriana
ENGROSSED DEBUT FROM EPIC-HEARTED BRITISH ROCKERS
FORMERLY KNOWN as Audioslave (the US supergroup actually purchased the name from them) this Liverpool quartet have made a serious case for their own share of the spotlight.
Opening track 'Programmed' gives no indication of the dark delights to come, music with depth and fragile emotions backed up by the rarest of things - genuine quality. Their influences probably start with Nirvana and end with The Killers, crucially without sounding like either. The brilliant 'Silent Type' and 'The Pianist' scope through the former's rough hewn intensity before buffing it up with the latter's melancholic pop sensibility. For the most part it works a treat. Not recommended for depresives, The Most Terrifying Thing are otherwise a richly rewarding find.
DOWNLOAD: 'Silent Type'
FOR FANS OF: Nirvana, Oceansize.
3/5 K's - Emap
Victoriana
Rock and pop and metal and stomp!
IT can't be easy sharing your name with another outfit, but for art-metal quartet The Most Terrifying Thing - aka 'the artists formerly known as Audioslave UK' - the US band issued an order for the Liverpool lads to change their name, it might just have been the best thing that ever happened to them. Because, aside from the pot of cash the heavies chucked their way, it allowed them to start afresh. Consequently, 'Victoriana' is a startling debut. A work that references that giddy thrash of early-Slayer, with the twinkling harmonies of bonkers Scot's types Biffy Clyro. There's a touch of their scouse heritage about them too, and 'Tiamo''s Merseybeat styled stomp recalls The Beatles, if they'd existed in an age of Marshall stacks and fuzz pedals.
7/10 - Future Publishing
Discography
Available on Seeca:
Albums
Victoriana (30.01.2006)
Singles
Things Always Change (16.01.2006)
The Pianist (03.10.2005)
Pop Song (11.07.2005)
80's Love Affair (11.04.05)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Its one of the most famous cities in the world but for all its rock n roll glamour, the real Liverpool, England is a rough place to grow up. Especially, if you happen to be different.
Take the case of one Christopher Price, AKA Pricey, frontman for one of the citys best new rock bands, The Most Terrifying Thing. His rearing in the eighties and nineties, in a borough heavily populated by football hooligans meant that as a young, budding musician, Pricey had to learn quite a lot about the art of ducking punches. Its a bit hard when you havent got a skinhead and tracksuit, he shrugs at the recollection. You literally are the only person walking around with long hair, a checked shirt and Doc Martins for four miles of your house.
He could have easily given in to beat-down peer pressure, shaved off his raven-haired locks and bought the uniform of athletic attire. The songs though from Fugazi, The Melvins, Nirvana and the Pixies that peppered his early years thanks to three older brothers wouldnt leave his bruised head. At a time when the North of England was consumed by dance music and Britpop, these alt-rock bands from America were just about the only thing that made him feel like he fit in, even if where he fit in was 5,000 miles away.
After stints in several combos, which didnt really work out, Pricey found three kindred spirits in guitarist David Masson, bassist Glenn Noble and drummer Paul Champion. Bonding over a love of American music and sharing tips about how to avoid thug beatings, the four piece started on their way, writing charging, proggy rock stormers and branding themselves Audioslave. Yes, Audioslave.
It was 2001 and the real Audioslave, Priceys Audioslave, were gigging around Britain, slogging it out alongside an early Muse and a host of other bands that havent been so lucky. One day though, Pricey and the boys started noticing strange posts on their website message board. Soundgarden were defunct and fans were posting that Chris Cornell had started a new outfit that was going by the same name as his own.
At first, the boys thought it was a joke. Then, when their then manager called them during a trip to London, they thought it was a joke again. I was down visiting my brother and our manager called saying Are you trying to set us up? Ive just had some kick ass L.A. lawyer on the phone trying to buy the name off us for Chris Cornells new band.
Everyone thought they were being duped until the LA lawyer started sounding a little too real and offers started getting upped. Originally a deal was reached to share the name, but the Liverpool boys figured it would be too hard to compete with a supergroup so they took one last punch in the form of a fancy, signed check and relinquished the name. Lucky for the nameless outfit, Pricey had a particularly inspiring tune at hand.
I wrote a song called The Most Terrifying Thing. It was about me doing things to excess, far too much. I used the words the most terrifying thing to mean you dont realize youre stuck, until youre stuck, he explains. And then we just thought, thats a good name for a band.
Fast forward to 2005. Following years spent slogging it out on thankless tours, the combo finally hit the studio, recording their debut album Victoriana, which was released earlier this year. So far cuts from the eleven tracker have made fans of Iron Maidens Bruce Dickinson who played a few on his BBC 6Music rock show. XFM in London have also picked up on the dark, prog heavy riffs and clever observations on finding hope from a life stuck in the doldrums.
Their next step of course, is America. Plans are in the works for The Most Terrifying Things first US trek for mid 2007. As you can probably imagine, Pricey, cant wait. I grew up on American bands, he reminds us. Ive always felt something in common with what they were writing about and I really feel like thats where we belong.
Victoriana tracklisting:
1 - Programmed
2 - Pop Song
3 - Silent Type
4 - Pain & Problematics
5 - Tiamo
6 - Always In The Way
7 - 80's Love affair
8 - Enemy In Me
9 - The Pianist
10 - Things Always Change
11 - Blackpool
www.myspace.com/themostterrifyingthing
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