HLADIKARNA

This Russian band sometimes release material under their full name, I Will Kill Chita, and sometimes under the abbreviation IWKC, and this 2017 album was the fourth full length under either version. The band are a quartet, comprising Nikita Samarin (drums), Andrew Silin (keyboards), Artyom Litvakovskiy (bass, cello, noises and samples) Nick Samarin (guitars, keyboards, vocals) plus numerous other singers and a tabla player. Musically this is all over the place and it took me quite a while to get a handle on it, as while krautrock is very much the obvious starting point there are also elements of punk, avant garde and melodic prog to boot. At times it is pleasant, while at others it is quite disturbing. The bass may be taking a backseat or can be a distorted fuzzed out monster, while the guitar may be gently picking or riffing as if the band are at CBGB's.

Mostly instrumental, just when the listener feels they are getting a handle on it they come up with the introduction to "Five Big Chillums" and it feels like a different band altogether, well up to when the guitar and bass joins in. Although there are a number of singers mentioned this is mostly an instrumental album, from a band who have a real edge and drive. It is incredibly intense, and then they throw in "Youth" which is a power pop number with harmonies which sounds as if it could have come from another band altogether, right up until the bridge when you know that they are still there as it gets dirty, filthy and full of grunge. This is certainly not going to be for everyone, and definitely not for anyone who wants their prog to be clean and enjoyable throughout, but if you want an album that is pushing boundaries, and is quite definitely outside the mainstream then this may be for you.