Banki
02-24-2009, 04:01 AM
The F*cking Champs
A heavy metal trio that rarely performs in front of real metal audiences, the ~censored~ Champs are a peculiar outfit from San Francisco who hang with the indie rock crowd, while spitting out vile, perturbed hesher music. Former Nation of Ulysses guitarist Tim Green moved to San Francisco in 1995 and quickly hooked up with drummer Tim Soete and guitarist Josh Smith. With no bass and barely any vocals, the three of them formed the Champs (later adding "F*cking" to their name, perhaps to piss off their parents). The sound was pure, brutal riffage, with galloping power chords à la Judas Priest and occasional wanky bits. They released several homemade tapes with names like Triumph of the Air Elementals and Music for Films About Rock and a couple 7"s, all of which were difficult to find but available at their shows.
In 1997, they came out with their magnum opus, III (released under the name C4AM95 for God knows what reason), a double album that raged most furiously. In addition to the relentless riffs spewing forth from III, the ~censored~ Champs came up with some fine, short electronic pieces with titles like "Now Is the Winter of Our Discoteque" and "Silent Night, Friendly Night." Their fondness for heavy rock and atmospheric electronics was shared by Trans Am, which sparked an ongoing friendship and collaboration. In 2000, the ~censored~ Champs returned with IV, a deft, equally abrasive follow-up. The following year, Double Exposure, an EP from the supergroup Trans Champs, arrived. Sticking with the Roman numeral gimmick, they came back two years later with the equally ugly V.
The band went on hiatus soon after, and Smith left the group. During the recording of the next Trans Am/~censored~ Champs collaboration, the Champs experimented with different lineups before recruiting Trans Am's Philip Manley to become their second guitarist. The ~censored~ Am's Gold, which also featured drumming by Jon Theodore of Golden and the Mars Volta, was released in 2004. The ~censored~ Champs also delved into soundtrack work, crafting pieces for commercials and the Sims video games, as well as for the Italian horror film La Foresta Della Morte and for the featurettes on the DVD of the Dawn of the Dead remake. The band returned in 2007 with, of course, VI, and a retooled lineup: Smith retired from the group to play with bands such as the Makes Nice and Drunk Horse, leaving Manley as the ~censored~ Champs' sole guitarist.
IV
http://i29.tinypic.com/5ybyah.jpg
Though most metalheads still haven't heard of them, the ~censored~ Champs prove with IV that they are one of the most full-on, ferocious-sounding metal acts out there. Wasting no time, they immediately flay their listeners with the first track, "What's a Little Reign?," a pulverizing number that was also featured on the soundtrack to the Italian horror film La Foresta Della Morte. Perhaps they are a bit too ironic for the metal crowd with titles such as "Thor Is Like Immortal" and "I Love the Spirit World and I Love Your Father," but fans of Venom and Iron Maiden should dig the ~censored~ Champs as much as the indie rock audience that usually populates their shows. IV kicks some serious booty, especially the song "NWOBHM 2," which could not rock any harder. The last track, "Extra Man," is the only one with vocals and one can only wonder why the ~censored~ Champs don't sing more often, because drummer Tim Soete has a fine, underutilized voice. But perhaps the ~censored~ Champs are destined to remain obscure. They seem to enjoy playing in front of small crowds in tiny clubs. While IV is undoubtedly a fierce record, it is an instrumental metal album, something that's still pretty out there and unheard of.
1. What's A Little Reign?
2. Espirit De Corpse
3. Policenauts
4. Nwobhm 2
5. Lamplighter
6. Thor Is Like Immortal
7. C'Mon Smash The Quotile
8. These Glyphs Are Dusty
9. I Love The Spirit World And I Love Your Father
10. Vangelis Again
11. Lost
12. Extra Man
http://rapidshare.com/files/31889619/IV.zip
V
http://i30.tinypic.com/311m82g.jpg
The ~censored~ Champs are happily shambolic on V, mixing epic chugging guitars with doses of gentle synthesizer washes and keyboard melodies. If they can't decide if they want to be Megadeth or Moroder, it only makes their songs all the more fun. The swirl and bombast of guitars bring to mind images of muscle cars and drag races, Transformers rolling out, and cheesy 1980s heavy metal posters. Whether they're dabbling in progressive pretension on the "Never Enough Neck" suite, incorporating medieval melodies into their guitar crunch, or painting somber emotional soundscapes worthy of Vangelis on "Children Perceive the Hoax Cluster," the band always seems honest and dedicated in their quest for dynamic arrangements and sonic textures. The Bach ode "Air on a G-String" would seem hopelessly ridiculous coming from the guitars of less-accomplished musicians. V is a great ride, full of forceful aggression, action-packed, and always playful and warm. How the ~censored~ Champs can rock out with such monumental ferocity while still seeming warm and cuddly seems like a minor mystery, but the success of their art is a testament to their abilities and originality.
1. Never Enough Neck (pts 1 & 2)
2. Children Perceive The Hoax Cluster
3. I Am The Album Cover
4. Nebula Ball Rests In A Fantasy Claw
5. The Virtues Of Cruising
6. Aliens Of Gold
7. Air On A G-String
8. Hats Off To Music
9. Major Airbro's Landing
10. Policenauts 2000
11. Crummy Lovers Die In The Grave
12. Part Three
13. Happy Segovia
14. Chorale ~censored~
http://rapidshare.com/files/31889840/V.zip
VI
http://i29.tinypic.com/2n1xkcm.jpg
1. The Loge
2. Abide With Me
3. Spring Break
4. Fozzy Goes To Africa
5. Insomnia
6. A Forgotten Chapter In The History Of Ideas
7. That Crystal Behind You? (Are You Channeling)
8. Play On Words
9. Champs Fanfare
10. Earthen Sculptor
11. Dolores Park
12. Column Of Heads
http://rapidshare.com/files/31887521/VI.zip
A heavy metal trio that rarely performs in front of real metal audiences, the ~censored~ Champs are a peculiar outfit from San Francisco who hang with the indie rock crowd, while spitting out vile, perturbed hesher music. Former Nation of Ulysses guitarist Tim Green moved to San Francisco in 1995 and quickly hooked up with drummer Tim Soete and guitarist Josh Smith. With no bass and barely any vocals, the three of them formed the Champs (later adding "F*cking" to their name, perhaps to piss off their parents). The sound was pure, brutal riffage, with galloping power chords à la Judas Priest and occasional wanky bits. They released several homemade tapes with names like Triumph of the Air Elementals and Music for Films About Rock and a couple 7"s, all of which were difficult to find but available at their shows.
In 1997, they came out with their magnum opus, III (released under the name C4AM95 for God knows what reason), a double album that raged most furiously. In addition to the relentless riffs spewing forth from III, the ~censored~ Champs came up with some fine, short electronic pieces with titles like "Now Is the Winter of Our Discoteque" and "Silent Night, Friendly Night." Their fondness for heavy rock and atmospheric electronics was shared by Trans Am, which sparked an ongoing friendship and collaboration. In 2000, the ~censored~ Champs returned with IV, a deft, equally abrasive follow-up. The following year, Double Exposure, an EP from the supergroup Trans Champs, arrived. Sticking with the Roman numeral gimmick, they came back two years later with the equally ugly V.
The band went on hiatus soon after, and Smith left the group. During the recording of the next Trans Am/~censored~ Champs collaboration, the Champs experimented with different lineups before recruiting Trans Am's Philip Manley to become their second guitarist. The ~censored~ Am's Gold, which also featured drumming by Jon Theodore of Golden and the Mars Volta, was released in 2004. The ~censored~ Champs also delved into soundtrack work, crafting pieces for commercials and the Sims video games, as well as for the Italian horror film La Foresta Della Morte and for the featurettes on the DVD of the Dawn of the Dead remake. The band returned in 2007 with, of course, VI, and a retooled lineup: Smith retired from the group to play with bands such as the Makes Nice and Drunk Horse, leaving Manley as the ~censored~ Champs' sole guitarist.
IV
http://i29.tinypic.com/5ybyah.jpg
Though most metalheads still haven't heard of them, the ~censored~ Champs prove with IV that they are one of the most full-on, ferocious-sounding metal acts out there. Wasting no time, they immediately flay their listeners with the first track, "What's a Little Reign?," a pulverizing number that was also featured on the soundtrack to the Italian horror film La Foresta Della Morte. Perhaps they are a bit too ironic for the metal crowd with titles such as "Thor Is Like Immortal" and "I Love the Spirit World and I Love Your Father," but fans of Venom and Iron Maiden should dig the ~censored~ Champs as much as the indie rock audience that usually populates their shows. IV kicks some serious booty, especially the song "NWOBHM 2," which could not rock any harder. The last track, "Extra Man," is the only one with vocals and one can only wonder why the ~censored~ Champs don't sing more often, because drummer Tim Soete has a fine, underutilized voice. But perhaps the ~censored~ Champs are destined to remain obscure. They seem to enjoy playing in front of small crowds in tiny clubs. While IV is undoubtedly a fierce record, it is an instrumental metal album, something that's still pretty out there and unheard of.
1. What's A Little Reign?
2. Espirit De Corpse
3. Policenauts
4. Nwobhm 2
5. Lamplighter
6. Thor Is Like Immortal
7. C'Mon Smash The Quotile
8. These Glyphs Are Dusty
9. I Love The Spirit World And I Love Your Father
10. Vangelis Again
11. Lost
12. Extra Man
http://rapidshare.com/files/31889619/IV.zip
V
http://i30.tinypic.com/311m82g.jpg
The ~censored~ Champs are happily shambolic on V, mixing epic chugging guitars with doses of gentle synthesizer washes and keyboard melodies. If they can't decide if they want to be Megadeth or Moroder, it only makes their songs all the more fun. The swirl and bombast of guitars bring to mind images of muscle cars and drag races, Transformers rolling out, and cheesy 1980s heavy metal posters. Whether they're dabbling in progressive pretension on the "Never Enough Neck" suite, incorporating medieval melodies into their guitar crunch, or painting somber emotional soundscapes worthy of Vangelis on "Children Perceive the Hoax Cluster," the band always seems honest and dedicated in their quest for dynamic arrangements and sonic textures. The Bach ode "Air on a G-String" would seem hopelessly ridiculous coming from the guitars of less-accomplished musicians. V is a great ride, full of forceful aggression, action-packed, and always playful and warm. How the ~censored~ Champs can rock out with such monumental ferocity while still seeming warm and cuddly seems like a minor mystery, but the success of their art is a testament to their abilities and originality.
1. Never Enough Neck (pts 1 & 2)
2. Children Perceive The Hoax Cluster
3. I Am The Album Cover
4. Nebula Ball Rests In A Fantasy Claw
5. The Virtues Of Cruising
6. Aliens Of Gold
7. Air On A G-String
8. Hats Off To Music
9. Major Airbro's Landing
10. Policenauts 2000
11. Crummy Lovers Die In The Grave
12. Part Three
13. Happy Segovia
14. Chorale ~censored~
http://rapidshare.com/files/31889840/V.zip
VI
http://i29.tinypic.com/2n1xkcm.jpg
1. The Loge
2. Abide With Me
3. Spring Break
4. Fozzy Goes To Africa
5. Insomnia
6. A Forgotten Chapter In The History Of Ideas
7. That Crystal Behind You? (Are You Channeling)
8. Play On Words
9. Champs Fanfare
10. Earthen Sculptor
11. Dolores Park
12. Column Of Heads
http://rapidshare.com/files/31887521/VI.zip