Tin Foil Phoenix

TIN FOIL PHOENIX

Age of Vipers

C4 Records

Sun Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5

By now, we're sure even Tin Foil Phoenix are sick of all those "rising from the flames" references, so we'll do our best not to make any. They're probably even sicker of all the comparisons to post-grunge acts like Nickelback or Theory of a Deadman, though those are gonna be tougher to avoid. Luckily, there's enough on Age of Vipers to distinguish TFP from their better-known brethren, even if they are happy to wear their influences (which likely also include Soundgarden and Alice in Chains) on their sleeves. Lead single Hurry Home sounds tailor-made for the rock charts, Have a Nice Day balances eerie guitar bursts with a far sunnier chorus, and on Insomnia, lead singer Maz ducks and weaves around a creeping guitar riff. The spoken-word stuff doesn't always work, but we're happy to hear the band has seen fit to commit their grungeabilly cover of Ralph Stanley's Man of Constant Sorrow to disc, making for one of the weirdest collisions between bluegrass and alt-rock since Dolly Parton took on Collective Soul's Shine.
- By David Schmeichel - Winnipeg Sun - October 2007

Tin Foil Phoenix
Age of Vipers
(C4 Records)

B-

Website: http://www.tinfoilphoenix.com

Tin Foil Phoenix often gets thrown into the Theoryofanickeldefaultback category, a comparison that works some of the time but which also denies TFP its best moments. On Have a Nice Day, singer Maz's trademark spoken-word vocals and witty lyricism give TFP an edge on the safe-rock crowd. Not afraid to bust a riff either, the title track contains some serious Alice in Chains-like crunch, without being another one of those AIC clones (Godsmack, Krome and, um, the new AIC?). The Stuff also packs a wallop, complete with a kickass, albeit too short, guitar solo near song's end. That being said, moderate rock songs such as the Incubus-ish Hurry Home and the generic rock balladry of Stick It to the Man don't do much to separate TFP from its contemporaries, but hey, whatever gets you on the radio.

- By Jared Story - Uptown Magazine - August 2007

Uptown Magazine - Winnipeg's Online Source for Arts, Entertainment & News
June 7, 2007

Here's a reminder...
Tin Foil Phoenix serves notice that its going to keep fighting

Jared Story

Tin Foil Phoenix has dealt with more shit than an elephant-cage cleaner over the last few years - but here they are with a brand-new CD and a strong will.

"Getting past those things lets you see if you're doing this for the rest of your life, to see if your heart's in it," says singer Michael Allan Zirk (Maz), who is joined in TFP by guitarists Fish and Phil Cholosky, bassist Paul Robinson and percussionist Lyle Giesbrecht. "I can't say I wouldn't have liked an easier route sometimes, but when you deal with those things, it makes you stronger.

"If you believe in any kind of karma, if you keep persevering, eventually things will come around."

So what are "those things" Maz is speaking of?

Well, Sonic Bloom, the band's original handle, is apparently a freaky invention that can turn an ordinary flower into one of those carnivorous trees from the Evil Dead movies... or something like that. Anyhow, to avoid any legal problems the band had to change its moniker in 2002.

Then, with a follow-up to its 2004 debut album, Living in the Shadow of the Bat, all ready to go, the band split with Chad Kroeger's 604 Records, a label that had seemingly lost interest in the band. The icing on the cake came when original drummer Steven Kray was diagnosed with cancer.

It seems like outside forces have been steering the TFP ship at times, but the boarders have been repelled and the band is finally in control.

"It's becoming the story of our lives. We're going to change that up - starting now," Maz says. "We're definitely tired of delays. We've taken all the steps to take the industry delays out of the picture. We certainly came through everything very well."

Creative control is evident on new disc Age of Vipers, which the band is launching this week. The collection contains radio-ready rockers such as first single Hurry Home but also boasts tracks that don't necessarily cater to commercial adio.

"We're just looking for more of a feel against having things so perfect," Maz says. "We didn't want to be afraid to have songs that weren't four minutes long. It's so confining. There are probably three or four that are beyond five minutes.

"We felt maybe these aren't singles, but they're songs that will serve us well live, and we just want to let them breathe and get a little progressive."

When you've got creative control you can also do songs such as Man of Constant Sorrow by The Soggy Bottom Boys. Tin Foil Phoenix used to jam the tune with former Power 97 music director Lochlin Cross, and the cover has become a fan fave.

"We don't play a set without it now," Maz says. "The funny thing is, here in Winnipeg, people know the song a lot because it had some airplay, but wherever we play it everyone seems to recognize it - young people too. It's really bizarre."

© Uptown Magazine 2007, All Rights Reserved - By Jared Story - Uptown Magazine - June 2007