FUN WITH EXPLOSIVES: ASPHYXIA SINGLE REVIEW

Meanjin/Brisbane genre bending band Fun With Explosives have released their latest single Asphxia. Pulling from Punk, Metal and Rock influences I was excited to see what would come out of such an interesting mix and I wasn't disappointed. I will just throw in a trigger warning for strangulation before we get into things. Darkness has drowned out the land, Solitude's arrived but no one's holding your hand, Death to the thought that I could bring you to harm, A sudden rush of blood is now

drowning your calm, Distressed, someone's following you. From the beginning, musically you will feel like you have been pulled backwards through time to the 80's Metal scene before flipping into Rock style high vocals and scaling guitars, with an overall undertone of Punk in the Bass Guitar and bouncier drums before finally topping everything off with Horror movie under a Grunge style lens lyrics, pulling everything together into a neat and unsettling package. Moving through the track you can feel the unnerving build-up as the climax approaches, almost like hairs on the back of your neck standing up as an unseen predator approaches. As the song comes to its end it is taken to a darker aspect of feral, for want of a better word, guitars and unleashed vocals. My hands grip tight, your world's now

turning black, Stabbing, your heart has picked up the pace, As you look behind, a familiar face, a face of misery, a face of shame. Throughout Asphyxia there are several moments where Vocalist Leon gave me goosebumps as his intentional use of heavy breathing, growling and wailing vocal slides took over the show. Musically I think the band has a lot of talent and potential with their ability to blend and mix genres seamlessly. My only main critique for Asphyxia being that while you feel the unnerving shifts and the initial feeling of being followed and watched, to me personally the music is missing a darkness or oppressive nature to it that would have the music and lyrics match on a more complete story telling level. Darkness falls, you're walking all alone, Sneaky feeling you are not on your own, Feel the cold sweat running down your back, My hands grip tight, your world's now turning black, black, black, black, black. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_33ISAiJqY

You can find Fun With Explosives on: Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok

For Fans Of: Metallica, Nirvana, Gallows and Rob Zombie

8/10