Review: Terminal Cheesecake - Dandelion Sauce Of The Ancients

What can you say about Terminal Cheesecake.....fucking legends! Throughout the late 80s/90s they released some of the most exhilarating, visceral slabs of psychedelic noise this side of Gibby Haynes' stained bedsheets. Barring last years mighty live outing 'Cheese Brain Fondue' there have been no releases since 1994's 'King Of All Spaceheads'...until now that is. 11th November (mark that in your diaries) sees the release of 'Dandelion Sauce of the Ancients' on Box Records. The band on this outing are: Russ Smith, Gordon Watson, John Jobbagy, Dave Cochrane and Neil Francis from Gnod replacing original vocalist Gary Boniface. In many ways it's like they've never been away - the same spark of aural anarchy is there as is that feeling of having put your brain through a mangle....it's been a while but, by Christ, it feels good!

Right from the get go, with the screams of " I want it.." and its metronomic drums and cavernous bass, 'Birds in 6/8' let's you know that Terminal Cheesecake are back and they ain't mucking around. When the track opens up it becomes a glorious chaotic melange of drums, bass and coruscating guitar and it makes you realise how much you've missed them. The bass is heavy enough to rip holes in the speakers and the guitar positively squeals at times. It's one hell of a way to announce 'hey, we're back!' - triumphant! 'Poultice' opens with some gentle guitar, straight from the sixties psych scene but soon evolves into a psychedelic jam of huge proportions with Francis' vocals wailing beneath like some tormented soul. It's a remarkably straightforward 'psych' track but goes to show that the band have the musical chops to go head to head with any other psych band out there....and probably come out on top. 'The Winding Path' revisits the Cheesecake of old - echoey spoken word resonating around more thunderous bass and almost motorik drum beats. The fuzzy wall of guitar sound and spacey synth effects give this a disorientating feeling which is at once comfortable and familiar as well as dizzyingly disconcerting....in short, it ticks all the boxes. The same instinctive excitement one felt on hearing, say, 'Johnny Town-Mouse' or 'Pearlesque Kings of the Jewmost' for the first time is there...a pretty outstanding track. 'Dandelions' opens with some primal drumming and huge basslines and snatches of a spoken word sample....and then the guitar slides in making the most sublime noise...acid to the max. The drums keep everything on track and give the overall track a sedate tempo but the guitar raises proceedings to the stratosphere, soaring way above our heads and into the cosmos. 'Mr. Wipey's Daytrip To Guilford Haven' (surely in the running for track title of the year) starts like the clangers in an icecream van before the drums and Francis' echo-laden vox enter the fray. This track reminded me a great deal of the long gone but never forgotten Head of David....always a good thing. 'Song For John Pt.1' starts big and then gets bigger; more humongous guitar creating sparks as it melts the synapses and scrambles the grey matter. As the track progresses it melts into a cacophony of aural terrorism that could soundtrack World War III...it is awesomely huge! The album is brought to a close with 'Lord Jagged (The Chemical Teacake Quintet)' and it's discordant intro that makes free jazz seem ordinary.....but it's not an intro, the entire track is an admixture of instruments, wailing vocals and dissonant noises that has a cathartic feel about it, a musical 'primal scream' (and that's the therapy not the band!) - it's as though the band have been on their best behaviour up until now and this is their chance to howl at the moon.

To say this is a triumphant return is an understatement....it may not be as deliberately anarchic as some of their previous recordings and, some may say, there is not as much youthful high-spirits involved, but this is a sign that the band have grown with the times. Francis brings a distinct Gnod influence with him but that's never a bad thing. However, to call this album a 'comeback' is to do it a great disservice....they may not have put anything out but if this album shows one thing it's that Terminal Cheesecake are alive and as vital and intoxicating as ever. 'Dandelion Sauce Of The Ancients' is released by Box Records on November 11th on a groovy Orange Crush coloured vinyl. It's gonna be one THE essential records of the year.