25 Dec 2024
Cairo Knife Fight - Album review: The Colossus
11 Jun 2015 // A review by Alistar3000
Having seen Cairo Knife Fight perform live
many times over the past few years I’d always been under the assumption they
were performing songs from a number of prior recordings. So I was a little surprised to discover that The
Colossus was actually their first album (they do have a few EPs recorded), and
more surprised to find that long time guitarist Aaron Tokona (AHoriBuzz) was no
longer a key part of the band, and makes only a small appearance on the album –
with that revelation I didn’t know what to expect when I pressed play.
I needn’t have been concerned. With Nick Gaffeney at the helm and a team of collaborators that includes Laughton Kora (Kora), Joel Haines (who seems to have played with a who’s who of NZ talent), and Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees), this album couldn’t fail. There’s nothing about it I don’t like, from the Nine Inch Nails-esque opening of the title track, to the jaunty rock feel of Rezlord (which is almost like a cross between Muse and Alice in Chains at times), right through to the overdriven, yet plaintive finale of Die Young. All of it is good, all of it needs repeated listening.
It’s a more mature, confident recording than the previous EPs, with a harder, and more polished edge to it. And it sounds big. Really big. This is an album that’s made to be played loud, through some big speakers – it’s the only way to really experience it.
I’m going to throw it out there – this could be the best local rock album this year. I just can’t stop listening to it, and it just gets better with every listen.
About Cairo Knife Fight
In short order the band shot to the attention of the public after gaining a standing ovation from a packed Opera House in Wellington following their support set for UK act Gomez in late 2009 and being hand picked by Them Crooked Vultures to open for their New Zealand tour in early 2010 July 2010 saw CKF release their self-titled EP. The first single This is Love was included on the NZ Radio Hit Disc for mid 2010 seeing it rated as one of the songs of the year. The EP went on to be nominated in the 'Best Rock Album' category at the New Zealand Music awards in 2011. 2010 also included a trip the NYC to perform during the CMJ festival (while not actually a part of CMJ the band came to the attention of several members of the team and found themselves on a CMJ bill at the Bowery Electric) and touring Australia.
2011 was an extraordinary year for CKF. It began with a NZ tour with NZ's rock hall of famers Shihad in January before Them Crooked Vultures front man Josh Homme once again requested CKF to be the opening act for his Queens of The Stone Age NZ tour in February, which was disrupted by the deadly earthquake in Cairo Knife Fights hometown of Christchurch. While dealing with the aftermath of such an horrendous event the band took solace in recording the follow up EP II, released in August 2011 to 5 star reviews and top 40 chart placing’s, and to appear as special guests of the Foo Fighters for an earthquake benefit concert in Auckland, NZ. CKF rounded out the year by again joining the Foo Fighters onstage at Western Springs in Auckland, New Zealand in front of 45,000 people for the band's Wasting Light tour. The concert is considered one of New Zealand's biggest ever stand-alone shows.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Cairo Knife Fight
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