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Star 10 HashAudio Ejaculation Independent As the band's first 'proper' release, this EP captures the energy and eclecticism of Star 10 Hash's live show far more successfully than their earlier demo was able to. With a re-recording of Pornography plus five new tracks, 'Audio Ejaculation' is both confronting and catchy. Star 10 Hash sit somewhere in metal-punk-rock hybrid territory, drawing from a range of genres without claiming exclusive allegiance to any (although the track Metal Chick suggests they identify most strongly with the metal scene). Consequently, the songs almost seem written in a piecemeal fashion, borrowing from anything and everything along the way: from jagged metal riffs to grunge angst to sound-bites from children's toys. These disparate musical elements converge with Angie's manic vocals to produce a sound that is chaotic and oddly contradictory. A mixture of cutsey-ness and aggression, child-like fun and political consciousness, the tracks on 'Audio Ejaculation' are often structured by a collision of opposites. However, while the craziness is part of the charm, it sometimes means that the songs lack unity and clear direction. There are a lot of non-sequiturs: for instance, why include a sweet, pop-like bridge in a song protesting the stereotype that girls can only play "pop metal" (Metal Chick)? Is it meant to be ironic, or did they just include the section because it sounded good? Or how about the funky, porn-style riff from Pornography: is it sarcasm or appropriation? The best tracks on 'Audio Ejaculation' are actually the ones where Star 10 Hash reign things in a bit and keep the eclecticism more tightly controlled. The heavily groove-driven No Pride and the surprisingly gentle When I have an almost early '90s feel, a grunge-style simplicity that combines melody and aggression to great effect. The stand-out tracks on this EP tend to be some of the less obviously in-your-face moments. Yet the crowd-pleasers are still the more full-on, crazy songs like Dominate and Pornography. 'Audio Ejaculation' is a solid release - if only they could somehow combine that intense energy with a more controlled and consistent songwriting approach.  |
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