February 06

KONQISTADOR Melbourne band (two Canadians, Reggie and Lizzy Ray, moved to Melbourne via Detroit) and one Detroit member, Dave Chow, who recorded this tasty little album, Chaos Riot, by internet. Album features nine songs for 35 minutes. Two in French, one in Spanish, one instrumental, one superb cover of Alice Cooper's Ballad of Dwight Frye. One track of one minute of found sound recorded in Istanbul. It's crisp, intelligent, involved. They rock on stage, too. Lizzy's a wee Canadian lass with a big voice and great presence; hubby Reggie pounds his venerable drum kit with compelling passion. Konqistador online Album review (an edited version previously published in The Courier-Mail newspaper) Konqistador, Courage Riot (Warthog/Shock) Konqistador formed three years ago, composed of Lizzy and Reggie Ray of Melbourne act 72 Blues, and Detroit musicians DA Chow and Ben James. The resulting debut album is one of the most vital recordings to slap this listener around the ears in a long time. From the first bars of opener Kill Konstantine, the short, sharp recording demands attention with its heady fusion of hard rock, synths and blues. And then there’s Lizzy’s voice, given an even more raw, dirty edge here than on 72 Blues’ debut of last year, Said I Would; even with atmospheric distortion, her vocals weave a siren’s attraction, irresistible but potentially dangerous. Partly written and recorded in Istanbul, that location infuses several of the tracks here. The only filler is the minute-long Namaz 476, which blends sounds recorded in Istanbul, but yet manages to fit the slightly fractured tone of the album. While it sounds like an outtake from The Exorcist, it serves as a halfway point bridge between the title track’s Biblical imagery and Un Cercle Justifie’s French stylings. Cercle isn’t the only foreign language outing, either; Toro Montenegro is sung in Spanish and Camelot in French, and these further enhance the exotic appeal of the album. A cover of Alice Cooper’s Ballad of Dwight Frye is a stunner; guitars and synthesisers have been used to enhance the asylum setting without losing the song’s essence. If this is the soundtrack of the Apocalypse, bring it on. <<>>