Hammerhead Duh, The Big City CD

Hammerhead's final release opens with the propulsive, Chrome-like "Earth (I Won't Miss)." The song is as loud and fast as anything the Midwestern trio had ever done before, but with a more pronounced psych/prog rock edge -- as befits its sci-fi-sounding title -- and prefigures the rest of Duh, the Big City, which is crisper and yet more experimental than previous recordings. The lineup had also changed since their last full-length, with Craig Klaus taking the place of guitarist Paul Sanders, who left to form his own band. If for some strange reason you should find yourself falling asleep while listening to this rocking little record -- a highly unlikely occurrence -- crazed instrumental "Mr. Bizmuth," which teeters on the edge of Metal Machine Music-style unlistenability, will surely wake you right up (all your friends and neighbors, too). Oddly enough, it isn't the last track (or even a bonus track), but is followed by the considerably more melodic title track, "Duh, the Big City," which closes the book on the brief but compelling story of Hammerhead. Paul Erickson and Jeff Mooridian Jr. would next materialize in the two-man noise unit Vaz. ~ Kathleen C. Fennessy

Recording information: Beehive (1995); Perma Sonics (1995).

Hammerhead: Paul Erickson (vocals, bass); Craig Claus (guitar); Jeff Mooridian (drums).

Personnel: Paul Sanders , Paul Erickson (vocals, guitar); Jeff Mooridian, Jr. (drums).

Alternative Press (6/96, p.67) - 4 - Well Done - "...sprint the fine line between hardcore and heavy metal that bands like Unsane and Helmet have helped blur..."