Taint

1. Taint of South Wales are something of an enigma. Many have striven to place their sound within a handy genre definition, only to find themselves wondering whether a band so dynamic and full of surprises can really be called 'sludge', or whether music so antithetical to boredom can justifiably be termed 'post-hardcore'. Taint's 2005 full-length debut for Rise Above, 'The Ruin Of Nova Roma' was a crafty beast that revelled in contructing such riddles for the listener and, of course, the critic. Pigeonholes are for pigeons, after all. It's the purpose of great rock groups to not quite fit in.

Formed as teenagers in 1994 amid the South Wales DIY punk/metal scene, Taint released a few demo cassettes of epic Helmet-influenced riffology which landed them with a stoner/doom tag that would, eventually, become superfluous. In 2000 the 'Die Die Truthspeaker' mini-album was released on London's Household Name Records and national shows were played with the likes of Acrimony, Canvas, Capdown, Cathedral, Consumed, Converge, Clutch, Earth Crisis, Hard To Swallow, Iron Monkey, Stampin' Ground, Spirit Caravan and Will Haven. Where many of those bands have disbanded or changed beyond all recognition, Taint are still here, following their own path with determination and purpose, their recent UK tour with Clutch leaving many jaws dangling open at the sheer intensity and fervour the band are able to generate live. Which brings us to their second full-length album release, 'Secrets And Lies'.

As with '...Nova Roma', 'Secrets And Lies' was produced by the band and mixed by ex-Fudge Tunnel/Nailbomb guitarist turned successful studio hound Alex Newport (Melvins/At The Drive In/The Locust et al). In Newport the band have found an ideal collaborator, a figure who instinctively understands how good, angry, heartfelt rock music should sound. As such, 'Secrets And Lies' is neither undercooked or overheated, it simmers with rage yet never boils over.

The album is an object lesson in sustained tension, reinforced with the toughest of hooks and complex dynamics which suggest a certain familiarity with the murky world of prog while remaining firmly grounded in aggressive, energetic punk-informed rock. And the riffs! Every track is blessed with the kind of infectious gut-level riffage lesser bands would give not only their eye teeth but a mouthful of precious pearly whites to procure.

There are, as previously mentioned, some stylistic surprises in store. The grim medievalism of 'What The Crow Saw' soon accelerates into a speedy, windswept dash complete with flute and somewhat reminiscent of 'Presence'-era Led Zeppelin in its breathless momentum, albeit invested with a vital streak of hardcore pugnacity. But most of all, 'Secrets And Lies' witnesses Taint exploring the limits of what they do and pushing beyond, perfecting themselves without forfeiting the abrasive edge that characterised their previous releases and provided their initial promise. They have delivered one of this year's most powerful albums, and a wake up call to British rock.

http://www.taint.co.uk/

2. Taint is a Texas-based power electronics/noise project started around 1990.