Fight Amp - Manners and Praise

Fight Amp has slipped by a large portion of the metal populace. It might be a case of too many cooks in the kitchen, as there is no shortage of Amphetamine Reptile-worshipping bands now. But while peers like Engineer, Black Cobra, and Akimbo enjoy bigger exposure, Fight Amp has come up with Manners and Praise (Translation Loss, 2009), an album that’s way ahead of the competition.

Bitter Son
School

This sophomore release explores noise rock much further than previous full-length Hungry for Nothing (reviewed here). The songs are shorter and faster now. “Bitter Son” could have ripped its angular riffs from a Panthers album, while “Magic Words” and “Extra Regular” retain the straightforward chugs that make headbangers happy.

Thankfully, the godly tones of bassist Jon Dehart are on display throughout. This is by far my favorite aspect of Fight Amp. With the departure of guitarist Rebecca Burchette, the band is a three-piece, and Dehart has an even bigger presence. The rumbling four-string intros to “Elbows Off” and “School” work like concerto overtures; when the guitar riffs hit, horn-throwing results.

History is littered with bands that failed to live up to the excellence of their debuts. Fight Amp, however, has hit its stride. Hopefully Manners and Praise will lead to bigger and better things for the band.

– Chris Rowella

Buy:
Amazon (CD)
Amazon (MP3)
RevHQ (CD)
Interpunk (CD)
Translation Loss (CD, shirt)