High Beam....Volume 1

[Kevin]

Band: V/A
Album: High Beam…Volume 1
Format: CD
Label: High Beam
Time: 73 Minutes
Year: 2002
Track list:

Thumlock – Zatthium Biker
Log – Poppin’ the Hood
Nunchukka Superfly – Signed Epsteins Mother
Monstrous Blues – Group No. 6
Legends of Motorsport – Cream
Blackrock – The Spectator
Jed Whitey – My Own Private Altamont
Dern Rutlidge – Broken Girl
Shamen’s Ride – Nowheresville
El Sanchez – Never Comin’ Down
Pod People – Filling the Void
Volume – Habit
Hee-Haw – How to Pay Your Debts When You’re a Genius
Dragonauta – Hombre Monstruo
Sh’mantra – The Pit & the Pendulum
Wrench – Headlight
Fugg – I’m Psyched Tonight, Mike
Shifter – Road to Demise
The Search for Delta 9 – Before Somewhere
Daredevil – Bloody Hell

Label Site and Cover Photo: www.highbeammusic.com/

Lets face it, the stoner/doom scene can be pretty insular. Yeah, its great to promote the few bands in your city or state that are making great music; God knows they need it. And deserve it. But with all the great music coming out these days, it’s tough to stay ahead of what’s going on in your native country, not to mention other continents.

This is where the new High Beam sampler comes in. I’ll admit it upfront: I love comps. Got a whole shelf full of ‘em in the collection, and there’s hardly a listening session that goes by when I don’t pull one out for a spin. High Beam’s ‘Volume 1’ does what all good compilations should do: turns you on to talent with which you’re unfamiliar while offering up some rarities as well.

High Beam is Australia’s premier stoner/doom label. I’ve heard many of these bands here and there, but this comp really brings it all together, showing how much depth this label has. The music veers from doom to punk to stoner to tongue-in-cheek lunacy. Most of this stuff has been available elsewhere, but 2 tracks, ‘Never Comin’ Down’ by El Sanchez and ‘Road to Demise’ by Shifter, have not been widely heard before. These are two bands I had not heard, and I’m pleased to say that I’m a convert. The rest of the disc is every bit as tasty, and although you may not like this or that song, I may feel the opposite. Bottom line: its all good.

That’s what I’m talking about. A wide variety of tunes, exposure to new music, a 73-minute running length, and a cheap price tag. That’s value for money!!


Kevin McHugh

[Lax Charisma]

...sure is Kev,
50c a song actually. I've had this disc for a long time now and it quite simply is the shit. Didn't have to hit the skip button once.
You people should do yourselves a favour...

[ClubberLang]

As Above.
The El Shanchez is g,g,g, good. Very. Will be getting as much of their Stuff I can get my hands on.
Were, what and when, anybody? - Jeb.

[Jeb]

BEAT MAGAZINE
By Dieter Kraus

This release is a sampler of the talent Highbeam have in their current stables. Born out of an online zine in 1996, Highbeam began by importing rock luminaries such as Nebula and their much sort after split ep with Lowrider. Now they represent some of this lands finest acts from their current home and birthplace of Wollongong.

The twenty track cd certainly contains some impressive bands, and ones that can be found playing venues nation wide at any time of year. Opener is Thumlock`s Zatthium Biker. A track which gets the ears in the mood for more fuzz tone and guitar sling. This being a dominant theme amongst many of the bands to be found here. But even by list alone there is diversity aplenty. From Log and Nunchukka Superfly to the organ chesse insanity of Legends of Motorsport, there is a vision of the future for Oz rock, and one that is potent. Monstrous Blues can be sure to bring this about, their track Group No 6 giving to bounce per ounce a healthy work out. Blackrock give thumping bass to grinding hip work the high floating elbow from the top rope with a fine riff for the track The Spectator. Flat stick comes in the form of Jed Whitey with a Dwarves style frantic paced ditty thats sure to enduce seizure. Dern Rutlidge`s track Broken Girl gives the groove element a low casual swing, while Pod People give the heavy target the full treatment with a track from their recently released album. Dragonauta keep the heavy doom vibe going with power in slowness and bizzaro vocal stylin. Wrench keep the Australia wide flag of Highbeam intact with Headlight from their album Oscillator Blues now an underground classic album and Fugg throw some fuel on the fire with crazed frantic punk relentlessness.

From Shifter to Daredevil and back to El Sanchez there is enough talent squashed onto one disc to run to the hills for. This disc is a landmark release for one of Australia`s best independant labels, but also it is a fine document of the talent contained within this land.

[Jeb]

STONERROCK.COM
By Robwrong

Well, most of you that have read my reviews know exactly how I feel about compilations....boring! Usually...well the truth is, I have heard a good portion of the tunes on this High Beam compilation and knew what I was up against. In all fairness, on the cover of this CD from High Beam it simply states "Documenting the past, present and future of the High Beam Music label'...and that is exactly what this compilation is all about. New and old High Beam artists, all good in my opinion and each having their own 'fish to fry' or own sound to boot.

Everything on this CD is represented from the High Beam roster. The doomy sludge of Pod People with a cut off of their latest 'Doom Saloon'...their sound is throttling tuned down heaviness that must be experienced. California's 'Volume' doing 'Habit'...their sound is one step beyond Fu Manchu, and Patrick used to sing for Fu Manchu strange enough. I just recently fell in love with Volume's blues based hard rocking 70's sound. Legends of Motorsport are representin' their own brand of 'bullshit'...hehehehe...these guys are sarcastic to the hilt and great musicians to boot. If you like the crudeness of Kung Pao than you will certainly dig where the Legends are coming from.

Other bands from the roster that have cuts on this Australian labels 20 song comp. include: Thumlock. Log, Monstrous Blues, Dern Rutlidge, Wrench, Dragonauta, The Search for Delta 9 and more. If you are looking for new cuts from these bands, don't...most of them are off of albums that already exist. This is the compilation to get if you are interested in any of these artists without prior knowledge of them...a good one if you are just getting into the stoner rock scene. Check it out for a good full CD of good rock and roll, all with common ground but very diverse to say the least. Hats off to High Beam, and cheers to many more years of good rock to come:)

[Jeb]

From Drum Media

[Lax Charisma]

;D....Hee Haw sound like a rockier Morrissey!!!
;DReally?

[Jeb]

From Extreme Noise Magazine

VARIOUS ARTISTS
'High Beam'
HIGH BEAM
Flying in the face of the current "rock is the future of rock" trend, this compilation from High Beam Music offers 20 tracks of fuzzy, riff-driven (and thankfully hype-free) Australian rock.With no image to push and no English press to sate, the emphasis here is placed firmly on the power of rock and the salvation that is offered our
souls by the riff. This is a power that Sabbath knew well. So too Melvins, Cathedral and deconstructionists Sleep, Earth and Sunn. Now High Beam and their artists pay tribute at the great altar of the riff, offering fuzz
pedals as sacrifices. As a compilation this doesn't offer much that fans of these artists won't already have (save a demo track from El Sanchez and an unreleased song by Shifter), but as an introduction to some of the best underground Australian rock out there (or indeed as that car tape you never got around to making)
you cannot go past this CD.
Adam D Mills