Supergroups always sound promising on paper. You’d think that when you add x member of classic band with y member of another classic band, the result would be something combining the best qualities of both artists’ main bands. Though as history shows, 9 times out of 10, this isn’t the case. How come so many supergroups end up sounding far from “super”? There are many reasons, but that’s another topic of discussion for another day. You may be wondering, why all this talk of supergroups? Because today’s album review comes from a brand new supergroup, The Limit.
Consisting of members of Pentagram, The Stooges, and The Testors, The Limit specializes in an old school brand of rock n’ roll. Had I not known their debut album, Caveman Logic, was a brand new release, I’d take it for a private press obscurity that could’ve been recorded anytime between 1966 and 1976. I know that’s a broad window in terms of rock music, but when you consider the bands who were kicking around the underground between the conception of garage rock and the punk rock explosion, it makes sense. The Limit explores the non-psychedelic sounds of the late 60s and early 70s that played a key role in the evolution of metal, punk, and hard rock.
The one thing that The Limit does very well is balance out the best qualities of each member’s individual main groups. One element may outweigh the others on individual songs, but as far as the entire album goes, Caveman Logic is a pretty evened out affair. Some cuts focus on the doom and gloom of early 70s Pentagram (the title track, “Over Rover”, “Death of My Soul”). Others bleed the raw power of The Stooges (“Black Sea”, “Fleeting Thoughts”, “Kitty Gone”), albeit with the hard rock hooks and fancy fretwork of a band like The Dictators. There’s a lot of similarities between Sonny Vincent and Ross the Boss pre-Manowar. Both can churn out ugly, aggressive riffs like it’s nobody’s business, but when it’s time to lay down a smoking hot solo or two, they’re armed and ready.
When they aren’t ping ponging between punk and doom, The Limit takes us back to the early days of American garage rock. “Human vs Nature”, “Sir Lancelot”, and “When Life Gets Scorched” are exactly the types of tracks that would have the pre-flower power youth of America bouncing off basement walls. I can practically hear the stomping shoes and taste the fruit punch! It makes sense The Limit have garage rock down to a science. After all, they grew up with garage rock, which in turn inspired them to forge their own musical destinies.
I may not be able to hop into a time machine and party it up 60s style to the tune of The Sonics, but Caveman Logic is the next best thing. The roots of all hard and heavy music are on full display, and played by the very architects of hard and heavy music. When touring becomes feasible again, I hope to see The Limit rock out in a sweaty watering hole. Better yet, maybe they can play my garage.
7 out of 10
Label: Svart Records
Genre: Hard Rock
For fans of: Pentagram, The Stooges, The Dictators