The Final Clause Of Tacitus – Asinine Music For The Solemn And Staid EP
The Final Clause Of Tacitus – Asinine Music For The Solemn And Staid EP
Self-Released
Release Date: 14/05/2021
Running Time: 19:31
Review by Beth Jones
9/10
The 90’s… What an era, eh?… Make of that what you will because it was very much the Marmite generation. You either loved it like your favourite pet, or hated it so vehemently, you could quite happily have doused it in petrol, set fire to it, and watched it burn to death as you smiled manically. Personally, I really rather liked it. It was my formative years, and a time of discovery, where I lived in the present, being blissfully unaware of the past, in recent musical history terms, and excited to see how music would shape the future. I often wondered if it could all end up like it did in Bill and Ted’s excellent adventure.
I spent many a Saturday night throwing some shapes on the dancefloor of Buckley’s famous Tivoli Nightclub, to killer tracks from the likes of Korn, Rage Against The Machine, and The Chilli Peppers. I believe it was during a particularly violent shape-throwing moment, while mostly drunk, and particularly stoned, that I first lost my glasses in the middle of a pit, and had to try and scramble between the melee of Doc Martens, DCs, and super-wide cargo pants covered in straps and buckles (the purpose remain still largely unknown to this day), to liberate my slightly skewed spectacles from their final resting place, lodged under the front of the stage. Ah…Happy memories…Anyway, I digress!
The point of that ramble was, I look back on that time fondly, and still enjoy the music that entered my life then. So, when a band pops up in the here and now, emulating those classic late 90’s sounds, I’m gonna be all over it. Enter stage left The UK’s Crossover crew, The Final Clause Of Tacitus, and their new EP, “Asinine Music For The Solemn And Staid”. Well, hello the 90’s, how the hell are you doing?! It’s been a long time!
We first encountered TFCOT at Rabidfest 2019, which seems like forever ago now, and I was an instant fan. They produce a mixture of all of the above bands, adding in a bit of grunge, and a dabble of Skunk Anansie, alongside some of the most skilful funk bass I’ve heard in a long time. This new 5 track EP is a continuation of their already established style. Angry Rap over chunky riffs, and catchy hooks. What’s not to love?
If you’re a fan of that type of stuff, and fancy a bit of nostalgia, there’s not really any downsides to this EP. The bass could have done with being a bit heavier on the bottom end, perhaps – I’m a sucker for bass, especially when it’s played as well as it is here, and I like it to be meaty as hell. There are a couple of times where the vocals are a little too far back in the mix for me, as well, but those are only tiny tweaks that don’t really take anything away from the overall sound, and it’s all a matter of personal taste.
To sum up, if you liked the 90’s, Rap/Funk/Grunge, or if you’ve ever been in a slam dance that made you have violent joy, then this is for you. I can’t wait to see these chaps live on the circuit again somewhere, because, even though my days of diving into the middle of the pit are over, the memories live on, and I can see the happy scenes now, with this EP as the soundtrack.
‘Something’s Gonna Break’ (Official Video)
TRACKLISTING:
01. Something’s Gonna Break
02. War Cry (feat. Georgi Valentine)
03. Not Today (feat. Jahred Gomes)
04. All Figured Out
05. I Can’t Talk to You
LINE-UP:
Matt Dunne – Vocals
Tom Burden – Guitar/Vocals
Andy Silva – Bass
Daryl Malloy – Drums
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
