Who offer up an 8 track affair. And as What Eye? opens, it’s a bit of a chugathon. The vocals open, and we’re into that rap style. Ah, that must mean it’s rapcore. Not always my favourite ‘core it has to be said, but this feels nice and heavy, and it’s not trying to be the Fred Durst style. Static is up and continues the theme. Monster Zero has some interesting background sound going on in there, sounds like an added bit of drumming, almost like someones playing a constant bongo. Hey, how about it? Bongocore. Sorry. Anyway, yeah, it feels pretty inoffensive, and I thought so, there’s a twin vocal attack in here, a la 3rd Stone. We’re onto Seven Years Of Bad Luck now, and things are flying by pretty quickly, which is a good sign. Just a feeling that, as with this style of music in general, I’d like a shift of tempo, some really off the wall time changes. It all feels one paced and dimensional at times. It’s a different throw on the rock angle, but it’s just a singular different throw, instead of a variety of them.

The remaining tracks, Rupert Pupkin, Sangue, Two Bit Has Been and 24-7, see the re-enforcement of the blueprint rather than breaking it. If the rapcore thing is your thing, well it sounds worthwhile to me. If not, probably unlikely to give you an erection. Me, I must be honest and say that I can’t see me reaching for it that often. But I should temper that by the knowledge that in doing this zine I either recieve or go out and buy so many CDs that I just can’t listen to them all for the prolonger period of time I used to do with the Maiden albums when I only had like 20 or 30 albums. As the collection grows, the time you’re able to devote to them to allow them to grow over you into a classic decreases. Got to be a reseach paper in there for whoever’s interested!

Well, no matter what happens when you play the CD, you’ve gotta be impressed by the name and the title. And it gives me absolutely no idea of what to expect musically.

Anyway, we’ve got a 16 tracker here, which I believe is an album plus demo recordings or original EP. Something like that. And we’re half way into the opener G.O.P now. And already there’s the little bit of variety that was missing from the 7th Rail Crew. There’s still the rap thing going on, but there’s a couple of other changes of style and they appear to be prepared to break out from the almighty groove to provide some musical change. Groove is good, but when it’s constant with no diversion, then it can get old and boring just as quickly as anything else. And the end of the song sees itself out on a nice melodic guitar piece. It appears to set the scene for the rest of the album, with Mescalifornia being a standout in particular. Already there’s the feeling that this particular CD may see a little action on the old death deck. The Power Of Hydraulics sees the pace slow down a little, a more traditional sounding kind of song. So far everything’s sounded different on here. A good sign, though we’ve still got about 11 tracks to go. Hmm, just checked the website. It appears they’ve done a tour of the UK. And I wasn’t there and didn’t know about it. Bugger. So how far behind am I on everything then? I just said people won’t have heard of these bands, (in that anarchy column on the side <-) and here I’m potentially being proven wrong.

It’s getting bogged down a little in the middle, and 2,4-d ends with one of those really irritating fucking moments where they decide to try and make you think that your CD player is shagged. Ah well, Accosted makes up for that. TFM offer the variety that is needed in music.

Drunken Uncle brings some humour to proceedings, appearing to be a life recording of a between song chat between band and crowd. One of those humour "fuck you", "no, fuck YOU" type things, that you ultimately have to be there, but close your eyes and you can see it happening. Course, it’s happening in like the Derby Vics’ of this world, not the heavy Rock Citys’. Anyway, Base Song is highly melodic and infectious, definitely one of the standout tracks here, and the whole thing ends with the ludicrous Dingo In The Bush. In fact, the entire thing is good. Well, save that bogged down in the middle bit. But given enough time and space, I’m sure we can overcome that little difficulty.

Available on: Retaliate Records, PO Box 230130, Boston, MA 02123 USA. www.toxicfieldmice.com

I’ve got visions of the 3D sound for this one before I even begin to listen to it. Preconceptions? Sure, time to see if I’m right or so far off the mark that I’m way off the mark.Yep, I’m way off the mark. Though it is kinda sludgy in here. But it’s just flying over the top of me at the moment. Best come back to it in a while I guess. I need something easier to listen to at the moment.

It's strange. It feels a bit shambolic in some respects, a bit out of tune and discordant such as in Answer: The Best Kind and Lake. This can be interesting within some bands, but it needs the strength of the song to support it, and I'm not sure this has it. Or it may do, but it's hidden to an extent that I'm not sure that I'll be working to see if I can uncover it.

www.wonderdrug.com

Final offering this one then. Anything offering a sample of "You are about to embark on the most wonderful experience of your life" is fighting talk in these here hills, and certainly opening them to a beating. But hey Dave, lighten up, it’s only music. Yeah, ok, (growl). Dealing with a rappy sort of hardcore thing, nothing is outstanding, though So Long does have a nice riff in the middle of it and an interesting ending.

But, I’ve got to say, they kill it. KILL IT, with the final track. It goes into one of those hidden track things. 3 fucking times. Now, that they’re actually good songs I’m not going to dispute. Or review. Fuck it, I hate people that use a bollocks excuse for not reviewing something, but hidden tracks test my patience.

The rest of the album is ok, fairly standard fare though, but nothing to entice me. Best of the bunch here has been those Toxic Field Mice. By a long shot.