Oh, I do sincerely hope that White Man Kamikaze are as good as the reports and this demo suggest. With personnel seemingly ever-changing when it comes to the bassist and their histories appearing _cloudy _to say the least, WMK are a band which intrigue and captivate with aplomb. It is possible for a band to seem this self-assured and slightly off kilter on record - this demo proves it.
‘E.P.I.’ is a furious punk-riddled ode to something…it’s unclear: it could be old skool punkers; it could be nu skool ‘punkers’; it could be something else entirely. With cries of, “1, 2, 3, MC4!” and the slogan-worthy, “Who will survive, and what will be left of them?” as the battling frontline to a scarred backdrop of funky beats, fuzzy guitars and throttled drums. It’s catchy. Like a hand.
A dedication to a dead Beach Boy? That's ‘Pet Sound’: a spoken word prelude with a thundering introduction then snarling vocals and twangy guitars leading up to a quaint chorus, noisily declaring “Fuck! Tsunami! El Niño!” It is presumably a raucous verbal assault on the equally vicious weather systems that led to his demise. Are the profanities unnecessary? Almost certainly. Is it required? Abso-fucking-lutely.
The use of foul language does not guarantee controversy or attention or even a good show. I numbered 9 uses of such language in ‘Asbestos Fury’ with 8 of those appearing in the frenzied last 30 seconds. Does this signal a _forced _climax or just potent vehemence, unrepressed and uncultivated as of yet. There’s only one way to really find out. I have got to see WMK live onstage to see if they’re the real deal.
Will they be as unforgiving in their allegedly bile-fuelled shows?
Will the songs stand up in a room filled with expectant faces?
Will the pressure of calculated hype prove too much for White Man Kamikaze?
All of you who remain sceptical whilst still in the eternal search for the little something that's just a little bit special, come find out.
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9Raziq Rauf's Score