PRIMAL FORCES by La Chinga – Album Review
La Chinga are a brilliant Canadian band that were formed in the City of Vancouver in 2012, although the concept was conceived by the bands Bassist / Vocalist Carl Spackler while he was surfing in SoCal. Apparently the bands name came from his beach buddies hailing each other with the mysterious phrase “La Chingaaaaa!” …. We’ll spare any sensitive unilingual anglophones the meaning: what matters is that Spackler’s dream of forming a Hard Rock trio built on erogenous funkadelic rhythms and a devotion to life more sublime pleasures: Chief among them being Tequila, was now embodied inside a beautifully obscene two word incantation. Drummer / Vocalist Jay Solyom and Gutarist / Vocalist Ben Yardley were conscripted shortly after, both veterans of Vancouver’s notoriously dead-end music scene, both beautifully obscene in their own right.
La Chingas self titled debut album record was rushed out of a makeshift studio in 2013 on nothing but fumes and not giving a damn. It landed like a hairball crossed with a stink bomb in a world of yoga pant commerce and MacBook “Musicians”. This was a revolutionary act, or more accurately a de-revolutionary act that reverts to good old fashioned musical talent and classical rock styled lyrics. An act that played real instruments! – Spacklers obsession with good old fashions 70s Rock forming the bands great sound and making them the the hottest bunch of stoned ape groovers to hot wheel out of the Pacific Northwest for a long time.. well forever actually!
“Freewheelin” followed in 2016 on Detroit’s Small Stone Records, and so did unhinged tours of Europe, more year-end accolades, festival slots (420 Fest, Sasquatch). And then things got serious: in late 2017, La Chinga entered Vancouver’s fabled Warehouse studio with no-less-fabled producer Jamey Koch…..The result? “Beyond the Sky”, an Album that is on my playlist, and is a one that is played often at the moment. The opening track “Nothin’ That I Can’t Do” sets the agenda for the albums sublimely confident freedom rock, sometimes meaty and beaty “Mama Boogie”, “Death Rider”, and the even glam-handed track “Killer Wizard” and dirtbag pretty (“Keep on Rollin’). When it all melts into a puddle of phased goo in the final bars of “Warlords”, the listener has been rolled, boogied, and otherwise supernaturally conveyed well beyond the sky, maybe even beyond ridiculous. The bands brand new Album PRIMAL FORCES is scheduled for release by Ripple Music on 06 October 2023. Rock News were pleased to be given full access to the album for review prior to its release.
Full of confidence, free flowing with supreme instrumentals and good old fashioned Classic Rock lyrics.
Following on from their previous album ‘Beyond the Sky” this new Album has all of the same attributes, continuing to be full of confidence, free flowing with supreme instrumentals and good old fashioned Classic Rock lyrics. The first track “Light Up” sets the tone for the whole album with a strong beat, great guitar solos and is clearly inspired by 70s heavy classic rock. Things get pumped up with “Ride the Dragon” and “Backs to the Wall” with some great rifts before the level drops a little with the track “Witches Heart and “The Call”. I loved the guitar solo in the middle of “Electric Eliminator”, “Rings of Power” and the final track “Motor Boogie” eases the listener back down to earth. Throughout the whole album the listener is treated to the strong and heavy beats from Drummer Jay Solyon and Bassist / Lead Vocalist Carl Speckler is front and centre with his powerful voice and great delivery, and the solo guitar pieces by Ben Yardley, well in my opinion they are sublime. A band I would love to see live should they make it over to our sunny UK shores. If you like bands like Deep Purple, Freedom Hawk and South of Salem then Im sure you will enjoy Primal Forces by La Chinga. Certainly an Album that will be on my Apple Music / Spotify playlists and Ive already added their older Albums “Beyond the Sky” and “La Chinga”.
Track List:
- Motor Boogie
- Light it Up
- Ride the Dragon
- Bolt of Lightning
- Backs to the Wall
- Witches Heart
- The Call
- Witches Heart
- The Call
- Stars fall from the sky
Release Date: 06 October 2023
Record Label: Ripple Music
Band Members:
Carl Speckler – Vocals and Bassist.
Ben Yardley – Guitarist, Vocals and Moog Synth.
Jay Solyon – Drummer and Backing Vocalist.
PRIMAL FORCES by La Chinga – Album Review @ Rocknews.co.uk
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