Nico's Alchemy - Fundamental Darkness [Album]

Dirty Dog Records

September 7, 2009, 09:45 PM

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Set the controls on the WABAK Machine for 1976, Sherman (From BBC TV show The Rocky & Bullwinkle show? Watch Peabody’s Improbable History to get this reference.)


"Fundamental Darkness," the latest release from Nico’s Alchemy, takes us back to a time when arena rock bands like Rainbow, Triumph, and April Wine bent the radio waves with wailed vocals and blistering solos. "Fundamental Darkness" isn’t a tribute album, though. They aren’t imitating these sounds. Clearly, this band means every bar. They put a lot of heart into the songs and it is this sincerity that, for me, saved the album from being a tired exercise in heavy-handed arena rock.

The mid-to late-70s was a great time in music history and an influential time for hard rock and heavy metal. The reason music has changed though, is that sound was explored pretty thoroughly 30 years ago leaving not much left unexplored. There are several songs on "Fundamental Darkness" that plod again through this well-travelled ground. 'It’s Enough,' 'Miss Sensation,' and 'Shine On,' for example, sound like filler from a late 70s rock album.

A few songs however, show Nico’s Alchemy’s own musical voice and give us something that, while not necessarily new, still sounds fresh. 'No Time For Sadness' opens with a minute of thoughtful, soulful solo backed by tightly strummed and echoed chords before kicking into a relentless instrumental romp. 'A Leap in Space' sounds like one of Jeff Beck’s more contemplative pieces. 'Save Me Jesus' and 'Fading Away' have a familiar sound, but the virtuoso playing is informed by 30 years of guitar rock gods that never influenced the guys playing in the 70s. The result is viscerally rocking songs with intellectually impressive technique.

If you clicked on this link, you probably saw that my rating for "Fundamental Darkness" is somewhat low. I don’t really enjoy this sound any more now than I did 30 years ago when this style of music, and I were both kids. If you do like 70s hard rock, by all means pick up "Fundamental Darkness." Even if you don’t, you might consider seeing Nico’s Alchemy live if they come to your town. I have a feeling (without having actually seen them mind) that they would put on a real head banger of a show.

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