Wizard Tattoo are brilliant, Bram the Bard is a mad scientist cooking up some of the most unique and original music you’ll hear, and One of These Knifes is a work of fucking art that you need to own.
Right, that’s the review done then.
No? You want more?
Fine.
The absolute genius of Wizard Tattoo, and Bram the Bard, is how, from the first note of Varsak of Man to the gentle fade of Edge of Reprisal, everything you hear on One of These Knifes sounds familiar, but at the same time like nothing you have ever heard before.
There are heavy influences of 70s rock/metal sprinkled through the EP. For example, A Wizards Blade reminds me of Planet Caravan by Sabbath, but it is more of a feeling, a subtle nod to those that came before him that Bram the Bard is doing here. Because Wizard Tattoo is an entirely unique entity all of its own. It is hard, it is heavy, and then in the blink of an eye it is as soothing as a lovers caress at the end of the day.
The blurb states that One of These Knifes is influenced by;
Danzig, High on Fire, UFO, Kyuss, Mastodon, and Primus.
And though I can hear that in places, there is something about Bram the Bard that makes him stand out from the crowd.
The songs are expertly written and the music played by someone who is not only technically proficient, but who plays from their heart, and that is very important here. A lot of musicians can be the mutts nuts when it comes to how many complicated parts they can put into their songs, but if it doesn’t come from the soul then what’s the fucking point?
Personally, I love Jimi Hendrix because that was the way he played and I think Steve Vai is just a noodling bell-end for being more concerened with how many notes he can fit into a bar than if he has any emotion in his veins. Fortunately for me, Wizard Tattoo fall into the former category here.
One of These Knifes is pure joy in four tracks, Wizard Tattoo kick ass on so many fucking levels, and Bram the Bard is destined for greatness.
You can get One of These Knifes over on Wizard Tattoo’s Bandcamp Page.
