The Dabs

Mermaid opens up Altered Reality, and provides listeners with a brief introduction for where the band will ultimately go over the course of the album. While the driving instrumentation hurtles listeners quickly to the track’s conclusion, I feel that there is a very meaty and fulfilling sound that is whipped up here. Black Bones is a track that takes on hints of alternative, goth, and psychedelic rock. The interaction between the guitars and drums makes for further complexity, ensuring that listeners will continue to enjoy Altered Reality through a number of listens. Parallel Lies is an absolutely brutal track in the vein of Monster Magnet and Gwar, linking together British heavy metal, thrash, and even more tribal (think Sepultura) heaviness into a two-minute blast. Ghost immediately follows up Parallel Lies, bringing A Hundred Years into a distinctly different sound; Ghost keeps the passion even as the band establishes a jazz / heavy rock fusion with this track. Where Art Thou Men? brings listeners to the conclusion of the first half of Altered Reality, providing simultaneously an end (to the first half) and a beginning (to the second half). Kong is an effort that is as looming and intimidating as the titular ape. The production of Altered Reality is close and tight, imbuing each of the album’s cuts with a very raw and fiery spirit.

Cockroach Mambo is a late-album inclusion that keeps the momentum high, ensuring that listeners are able to stick with Altered Reality through the memorable short-epic dynamic of the album’s final two tracks, Grunge and Born to Loose. The tracks provide a final bit of evidence that A Hundred Years is an act that can continually shift styles and approaches in the creation of some of the best music that we have heard this year. Listeners will never know what to expect from A Hundred Years beyond tremendously musicianship and dedication to creating some impressive rock.

Top Tracks: Parallel Lies, Where Art Thou Men?

Rating: 8.9/10

A Hundred Years Altered Reality CD Review / 2013 Self / 13 Tracks / www.a-hundredyears.com /

Read more: http://neufutur.com/2013/09/hundred-years-altered-reality-cd-review/#ixzz2hxpg2fog
- Neufutur Magazine

Mermaid opens up Altered Reality, and provides listeners with a brief introduction for where the band will ultimately go over the course of the album. While the driving instrumentation hurtles listeners quickly to the track’s conclusion, I feel that there is a very meaty and fulfilling sound that is whipped up here. Black Bones is a track that takes on hints of alternative, goth, and psychedelic rock. The interaction between the guitars and drums makes for further complexity, ensuring that listeners will continue to enjoy Altered Reality through a number of listens. Parallel Lies is an absolutely brutal track in the vein of Monster Magnet and Gwar, linking together British heavy metal, thrash, and even more tribal (think Sepultura) heaviness into a two-minute blast. Ghost immediately follows up Parallel Lies, bringing A Hundred Years into a distinctly different sound; Ghost keeps the passion even as the band establishes a jazz / heavy rock fusion with this track. Where Art Thou Men? brings listeners to the conclusion of the first half of Altered Reality, providing simultaneously an end (to the first half) and a beginning (to the second half). Kong is an effort that is as looming and intimidating as the titular ape. The production of Altered Reality is close and tight, imbuing each of the album’s cuts with a very raw and fiery spirit.

Cockroach Mambo is a late-album inclusion that keeps the momentum high, ensuring that listeners are able to stick with Altered Reality through the memorable short-epic dynamic of the album’s final two tracks, Grunge and Born to Loose. The tracks provide a final bit of evidence that A Hundred Years is an act that can continually shift styles and approaches in the creation of some of the best music that we have heard this year. Listeners will never know what to expect from A Hundred Years beyond tremendously musicianship and dedication to creating some impressive rock.

Top Tracks: Parallel Lies, Where Art Thou Men?

Rating: 8.9/10

A Hundred Years Altered Reality CD Review / 2013 Self / 13 Tracks / www.a-hundredyears.com /

Read more: http://neufutur.com/2013/09/hundred-years-altered-reality-cd-review/#ixzz2hxpg2fog
- Neufutur Magazine

Canada’s A Hundred Years has channeled their dark, ominous songwriting into a frightful collection of 13-tracks on their appropriately named full-length, Altered Reality. The album is rife with their self-described “psychedelic Badlands Rock” with lots of throwback 60s Garage Fuzz, California Desert Rock and “really slow Death Metal.” The ethos of the album is dark lyrical matter presented in an equally dark musical package. The songs culminate with a feeling of “not fitting into society and being something like anthems for weirdoes.” Turns out that is an apt description.

Jangle guitar ushers in “Mermaids” but any feel good gives way initially with Simmons’ Nick Cave-like vocal delivery and finally the chorus of heavy fuzz, urgent beat work from the percussion and effects-laden electric notes. The dark ethos of the album is laid down immediately on this opening dirge track. “Black Bones” opens to more jangle and plods out of the gate at mid-tempo with Simmons now channeling vintage Morrison on the vocal delivery. Any restraint goes out the window at the midpoint when the fuzz returns in a sonic assault, throaty vocal yells replace the melodic verses and the amps sound to be begging for mercy. “Parallel Lies” blasts at the intro and eschews the “slow Death Metal” moniker with full agro electric that is dripping with effects, messy bent fills and drumhead destruction in the percussion. Eerie backing keys and wah electric open “Ghost.” Don’t let the name fool you; there is no “Unchained Melody” here. It is a funk-laced instrumental rocker that builds from opening electric and backing snare through the keys and then intricate electric note work. Even as “toned down” as this one may appear on the surface, the urgency in the music is ever-present. “Kong” follows the opening formula with a slight restraint through the verse, only to implode at the chorus in sheer unabashed blast musicality. Finally, “Cockroach Mambo” is another aural onslaught with more organic, messy guitar work in the melody and fill departments. Never mind the whimsical track title; this one is still soaked in the dark, downtrodden, dirge-like vibe of the tracks that came before it.

The 13-tracks of Altered Reality bring strife, power and an edge that belies the musicality behind the cacophonous soundscapes. Despite the often-muddled sound of the guitar work, facets of slide, wah and controlled distortion rise to the surface… this implies a command of instrument. Also their commitment to their raw, powerful sound also illustrates that these guys are making the very music they want to be. Certainly not for everyone, but a respectable first outing.
- Skope Magazine

Canada’s A Hundred Years has channeled their dark, ominous songwriting into a frightful collection of 13-tracks on their appropriately named full-length, Altered Reality. The album is rife with their self-described “psychedelic Badlands Rock” with lots of throwback 60s Garage Fuzz, California Desert Rock and “really slow Death Metal.” The ethos of the album is dark lyrical matter presented in an equally dark musical package. The songs culminate with a feeling of “not fitting into society and being something like anthems for weirdoes.” Turns out that is an apt description.

Jangle guitar ushers in “Mermaids” but any feel good gives way initially with Simmons’ Nick Cave-like vocal delivery and finally the chorus of heavy fuzz, urgent beat work from the percussion and effects-laden electric notes. The dark ethos of the album is laid down immediately on this opening dirge track. “Black Bones” opens to more jangle and plods out of the gate at mid-tempo with Simmons now channeling vintage Morrison on the vocal delivery. Any restraint goes out the window at the midpoint when the fuzz returns in a sonic assault, throaty vocal yells replace the melodic verses and the amps sound to be begging for mercy. “Parallel Lies” blasts at the intro and eschews the “slow Death Metal” moniker with full agro electric that is dripping with effects, messy bent fills and drumhead destruction in the percussion. Eerie backing keys and wah electric open “Ghost.” Don’t let the name fool you; there is no “Unchained Melody” here. It is a funk-laced instrumental rocker that builds from opening electric and backing snare through the keys and then intricate electric note work. Even as “toned down” as this one may appear on the surface, the urgency in the music is ever-present. “Kong” follows the opening formula with a slight restraint through the verse, only to implode at the chorus in sheer unabashed blast musicality. Finally, “Cockroach Mambo” is another aural onslaught with more organic, messy guitar work in the melody and fill departments. Never mind the whimsical track title; this one is still soaked in the dark, downtrodden, dirge-like vibe of the tracks that came before it.

The 13-tracks of Altered Reality bring strife, power and an edge that belies the musicality behind the cacophonous soundscapes. Despite the often-muddled sound of the guitar work, facets of slide, wah and controlled distortion rise to the surface… this implies a command of instrument. Also their commitment to their raw, powerful sound also illustrates that these guys are making the very music they want to be. Certainly not for everyone, but a respectable first outing.
- Skope Magazine

Self described “Creepy Dirtbags,” A Hundred Years, call Edmonton, Canada home, and they seem like they were weaned on a pretty steady diet of skateboarding, Kyuss, and Mystery Science Theater 3000. Add plenty of Molsons and probably mushrooms eaten by the handful, store in a drafty dirt floor basement all winter, and you get this.

A Hundred years _dead_ordying-correctedTHANK GOD!

Altered Reality is a noisey overloaded racket of 13 songs, all of which feel like their going to fall apart at any moment. And like any train wreck, the anticipation of impact is half the thrill.

Frontman/guitarist Jeremiah Simmons sounds as though he’s method acting his way to being Peter Murphy, with a overdone baritone that’s excessively dramatic and fun to listen to. Think William Shatner as a villainous Vincent Price.

“Parallel Lies” is a charging assault of a song. Full of piss and vinegar, and the unsentimental notion, “Oh, ain’t it true that the bad die young/ And the good die boring.”

“Cockroach Mambo” shows the band has a sense of humor and probably more than a few Zappa albums in their collections.

“Venus” is a busy psychedelic jam, as is “Where art thou Men?” The latter owing to Nirvana’s loud-quiet-loud songwriting formula. Drummer Kris Blatkewicz plays all over the place, over the measure line, reminiscent of free jazz and Bill Ward at the same time.

“Born To Loose” is all over the place. Quietly sloppy before lurching into a purposeful overdrive.

“Grunge” sounds more like a Damaged era Black Flag song than the Melvins or Nirvana. They could put out two albums of songs just like this and it’d be perfect.

“Damaged” is by contrast, one of the more rock steady numbers on the disc. Everyone more or less stays in the lines of where you’d expect them to be, musically.

But overall, this is a glorious mess. Almost like Jackson Pollock with a band. Performing all the time would give the band more cohesion. A bigger budget would allow the band a chance to clean up the recording into something, neater, something more tidy. Both are probably bad ideas.

So now there’s a dilemma. How much success improves this knuckle dragging brilliance and how much would ruin them?

Only one way to find out. Buy the damn thing. Send them Canadian dollars, and maybe they won’t spend it wisely. I want more, just like this. From start to finish, more primitive man musings fleshed out with these instruments they are still in the process of figuring out how to hold. I want more. And you will too if you know what’s good for you.
- Indie Music

Self described “Creepy Dirtbags,” A Hundred Years, call Edmonton, Canada home, and they seem like they were weaned on a pretty steady diet of skateboarding, Kyuss, and Mystery Science Theater 3000. Add plenty of Molsons and probably mushrooms eaten by the handful, store in a drafty dirt floor basement all winter, and you get this.

A Hundred years _dead_ordying-correctedTHANK GOD!

Altered Reality is a noisey overloaded racket of 13 songs, all of which feel like their going to fall apart at any moment. And like any train wreck, the anticipation of impact is half the thrill.

Frontman/guitarist Jeremiah Simmons sounds as though he’s method acting his way to being Peter Murphy, with a overdone baritone that’s excessively dramatic and fun to listen to. Think William Shatner as a villainous Vincent Price.

“Parallel Lies” is a charging assault of a song. Full of piss and vinegar, and the unsentimental notion, “Oh, ain’t it true that the bad die young/ And the good die boring.”

“Cockroach Mambo” shows the band has a sense of humor and probably more than a few Zappa albums in their collections.

“Venus” is a busy psychedelic jam, as is “Where art thou Men?” The latter owing to Nirvana’s loud-quiet-loud songwriting formula. Drummer Kris Blatkewicz plays all over the place, over the measure line, reminiscent of free jazz and Bill Ward at the same time.

“Born To Loose” is all over the place. Quietly sloppy before lurching into a purposeful overdrive.

“Grunge” sounds more like a Damaged era Black Flag song than the Melvins or Nirvana. They could put out two albums of songs just like this and it’d be perfect.

“Damaged” is by contrast, one of the more rock steady numbers on the disc. Everyone more or less stays in the lines of where you’d expect them to be, musically.

But overall, this is a glorious mess. Almost like Jackson Pollock with a band. Performing all the time would give the band more cohesion. A bigger budget would allow the band a chance to clean up the recording into something, neater, something more tidy. Both are probably bad ideas.

So now there’s a dilemma. How much success improves this knuckle dragging brilliance and how much would ruin them?

Only one way to find out. Buy the damn thing. Send them Canadian dollars, and maybe they won’t spend it wisely. I want more, just like this. From start to finish, more primitive man musings fleshed out with these instruments they are still in the process of figuring out how to hold. I want more. And you will too if you know what’s good for you.
- Indie Music