The Zico Chain - 'The Zico Chain' (Hassle) Released 10/04/06

Mad fer it? Not Zico Chain front man Chris Glithero it would seem. Of Manchester’s glittering musical heritage he declared “every musician there wanted to be Baggy but I wanted to be Lemmy”. So, upping sticks he moved South, nabbing band mates Paul Frost and Ollie Middleton along the way and they all ended up in Seattle. Eh? Well, that’s one of the first things to jump out of this CD, for the trio owe a great deal and more to Nirvana’s brand of much copied grunge rock. And the similarity doesn’t end there: Glithero’s vocal is Cobain with a sore throat and a severe cob on.

They’ve not been short of attention however, having filled support slots with Nine Black Alps, Alkaline Trio, Cave In and Fall Of Troy. For these shows they’ve received mixed reactions from critics and punters alike and it has to be said, from this here reviewer. The first few tracks are unrelenting and overpowering. ‘The Thing’ in particular is pounding, repetitive and tedious, displaying Glithero’s affected vocals at their most headache inducing. But then, things do begin to improve.

About halfway through, they hit their stride and the vocals really start to grow on you. By the time highlight song ‘Social Suicide’ struts in, you’re sat up and really taking notice. The opening chords sound immediately familiar maybe cause it’s catchy as hell or because it sounds like a Nirvana B-side. Either way, the hook is sensational, raw and grabs you roughly by the earlobe for a good shaking. For weeks you’ll be screeching “only one entry, only one entry, only one entry SOCIAL SUICIDE!” on the bus and scaring fellow passengers.

‘Brain’ sees Glithero go head to head with squealing, tortured guitars before finishing on a high with ‘The Lonely Ones’, which pummels you into the ground in a most pleasurable way. With just six songs packed into fifteen minutes and one second, it’s a blink and you’ll miss it offering, but one worth keeping your eyes (and ears) open for.