Scene and Heard – CCCLXXXV :  Tears of The Cobra –  Angels Die Hard (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Angels Die Hard are like nothing you have experienced before. They are a band who challenge the norms, who find joy in exploring new territory, both musically and geographically, whose every move seems based more around whether it will result in an interesting anecdote than any other outcome. Even their press release reads like a rough draught for a new episode of Michael Palin’s Ripping Yarns. I mean who even goes looking for musical inspiration amongst the ancient culture of the Andaman Islands?

But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding and if the video of Tears of The Cobra is anything to go by, maybe it is an approach that more bands should take. The resulting track is a beguiling instrumental which wanters through psychedelic landscapes, strange proggy dynamics, asian tribal beats and shimmering shoegazery and guitars that saunter between chiming riffs and industrial buzz-cut intensity.

Many bands try to be different, to push boundaries, to force people to comment, to create a reaction. Many who do so call themselves eccentric. But  eccentricity has to be uncalculated, spontaneous and honest and Angels Die Hard sound as if this is music that pours naturally from them making them truly eccentric and in the best possible of ways.

And Sundowner, the album from which this fine track is taken, is a wonderfully strange and strangely wonderful collection of musical ideas, capturing the contrast of their journey from the ancient civilisations and fragile environment that is slipping away before our eyes to the more crass and commercial sights and experiences of the tourist trail. Occident meets Orient in the most fascinating of ways. It’s a strange album, a beguiling album, a challenging album, one with something to say, even if it does it through mood and music rather than any more direct communication or lyrical form. It is melancholic, groovy, cool and creative. One day all albums will be required to conform to such creative standards. Until then you have these splendid fellows.