The Anals - Total Anal (Permanent, 2009)

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Metz, France, from what I've heard, doesn't have a whole lot to offer music-wise other than A.H. Kraken. I had this mentality till I heard The Anals's debut LP Total Anal. What a nice name. Though I hadn't listened to The Anals, I thought there'd still be a benefit to getting the album because of the cover. It's really nice. It's just that saturated nostalgia I'm a sucker for.

The music itself isn't that bad. Fuzzy synthesizers, reverberated vocals, and a guitar that sounds, well, like it's being pushed out of your anus. As obnoxious and mean that sounds, it's exactly how the album really sounds. But I still enjoy the music. The songs don't build as much as they do repeat. And it doesn't really sound like anybody knows how to play their instrument, which confuses people. It leaves you asking yourself if this is the sound the band is going for, or they are just bad musicians that had a few too many Sparks' and said, "Hey man! Let's make a band! How 'bout, the Brown Snakes! Oh wait, that name is probably taken. The Anals! I'll go get my baby sister's keyboard and we'll jam!" Even though the music is butchered even more by the production quality, it still manages to be pleasing.

Songs often start off as a dance or electro song, a really bad electro song. And then they mildly build when the detuned guitar shrieks become prominent. The songs are also very minimal, you can hear the emptiness. But be aware this is a duo, so keyboard, drums, vocals, and guitar are hard to be handled by two people. Don't fret though, if you like your no wave synth-free there's still hope. A lot of the songs also just contain the three components you need to make some awesome punk; guitar, drums, and drunken wailing.

The Anals are most certainly not for everybody. In fact, their fan base may just contain me, and themselves.

[The Anals Myspace]

[Buy Total Anal from Permanent Records]