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 Post subject: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:46 am 

Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:30 am
Posts: 7
Location: Australia
Honcho - Battle Of Wits
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Label: (Honcho records)
Release Date: Out Now

Band members:
Trond Skog - Vocals
Halvor Berg - Guitar
Hakon Eng - Guitar
Steinar Knapstad - Bass
Kenneth Andersen - Drums

Norway has not only oil, fish cleaning and setesdalsgenser (a Norwegian cardigan)... they also have something called HONCHO!

This is the first time I have the honour to review one of my favourite bands in the stoner genre, and this is the third time the Norwegian fuzz devils in Honcho hits the ground with a bang! For you who does not know this band, SHAME ON YOU...it is almost an offense to call yourself a stoner rocker if you do not know about them. Anyway, the new effort ‘Battle Of Wits’ delivers 11 jaw bangs of higher rank in almost 55 swaggering minutes. I have to admit that Honcho’s debut ‘Corporate rock’ is a bit sharper, but still this is faaaaaaaaar from bad and Honcho still have allot to give and proves once again that they are one of the beasts in fuzz heaven!

The guys in Honcho have used heavy tools (as usual) in creating this album and every minute of it is a delight, and the 11 songs makes ‘Battle Of Wits’ to the perfect wedding crasher that blows the bridal gown of the bride in no time. That’s the 11 good reasons why you shall NOT miss this battle; otherwise you will be stuck-in-the-mud for the rest of your life!

‘Battle Of Wits’ starts off with the brilliant ‘Visine’, and from the very beginning Honcho shows the audience that Norway is to be reckoned with. First-class riffs that is neatly arranged, that provides a professional overall impression. The second mindblower ‘Changes’ along with the lethal ‘Coupe De Ville’ runs right through you without leaving any single piece of meat behind. These tracks are one of the absolute highlights on the album, once again Honcho shows who’s in charge and you get tons of leaden jaw knocks á la Norway! You get lots of retro and fuzzy moments of higher rank more than enough to satisfy any fuzz-pedal-worshipping-maruijana-smelling-ass-kicking-tattooed-stoner-rocker out there in the concrete jungle!

If you are planning to bring a knife to the gun fight, my advice is: JOIN HONCHO AND DO THE OPPOSIT! On the fifth nugget ‘Brought a gun to the knife fight’ you get a more “benign” treatment, but there are still a lot of heaviness, fuzz and catchy melodies involved. Therefore, there is no need to panic ;-) Tracks like ‘Powerlock’ and ‘Earth’ makes ‘ Battle Of Wits’ even more clever , and not to mention the end track ‘Clover’ which is a mixture of atmospheric relaxation and heavy fuzzness which easily etches itself into your mind.

‘Battle Of Wits’ is a high explosive album in 11 acts, nicely packaged with lyrics and everything you would expect of such a dignity as Honcho and almost every tune brings joy to both ears and soul. If you want a real goodie for Christmas and you’re a fan of Kyuss, Dozer, Pawnshop, Fu Manchu, Mannhai or whatever you will dig this band too...these guys are g.u.n.s. for hire!

Grab the limited edition album containing the missing part of one of Yakuza’s fingers at Myspace,Check it Out.

Reviewed by Tobias Beament
http://www.planetfuzz.com/

Check em out on Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/honchoband

Track List

01 Visine
02 Changes
03 Coupe De Ville
04 Fade To Grey
05 Brought A Gun To The Knife Fight
06 KOT (Knowing The Oak Tree)
07 Nihilism
08 Powerlock
09 Rites Of Passage
10 Earth
11 Clovers

Listen to Honcho - Coupe De Ville
http://planetfuzzrecords.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-honcho-battle-of-wits.html


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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:33 am 
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Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 5:41 pm
Posts: 1679
I vaguely remember the last Honcho album – something Drowning in Fire – as being, well, competent. Nothing on the level of Dozer, Generous Maria, Asteroid, Blowback, etc, but nothing offensive either.

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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:49 am 

Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 11:08 pm
Posts: 624
Location: Ontario , Canada
I enjoy me some Honcho. However I think Dozer is way overrated, especially now. I guess it all depends on ones taste.


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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:07 am 
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Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 5:41 pm
Posts: 1679
The last Dozer wasn't that great at all. Not much staying power. The one prior was strong, and the first three are keepers (though I never understood the love for Madre).

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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:30 am 

Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 11:08 pm
Posts: 624
Location: Ontario , Canada
Arzgarth wrote:
The last Dozer wasn't that great at all. Not much staying power. The one prior was strong, and the first three are keepers (though I never understood the love for Madre).


I will absolutely agree with you here. I enjoy their earliest releases. However lately, they have not done anything "exciting" . I'm not sure if they just need to go back to the basics, more fuzz, less heavy.


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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:26 am 
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Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:04 pm
Posts: 74
Location: Louisiana
Well, back to the topic at hand, "Battle of Wits" is one of my top albums of the year.
I absolutely loved the first two and they still get played on a fairly regular basis.

To derail the thread once again, Dozer is one of my favorite bands too but oddly they don't get the number of spins that Honcho does.
Time to go revisit some Dozer I guess.


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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:51 am 
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Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 4:47 pm
Posts: 308
Location: Devon, England
This is a cool album

Here's my review

http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album/Honcho_BattleOfWits.php

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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:25 pm 

Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:28 pm
Posts: 74
Location: O-Town, Florida
I'm listening to this one now, working on my full review. I think the album is some great old-school stoner/desert rock. It does have a good flow throughout the album, but I do have to agree that it's nothing over-the-top special. I mean not all albums have to be, I could definitely listen to this one again, and wouldn't mind hearing their older works. But putting it on my 'Top 20 for 2010'? No way.
Solid release, nothing overly special, but worth the listen regardless.

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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 10:47 am 

Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 10:44 am
Posts: 1
ACCruiser wrote:

If you are planning to bring a knife to the gun fight, my advice is: JOIN HONCHO AND DO THE OPPOSIT! On the fifth nugget ‘Brought a gun to the knife fight’ you get a more “benign” treatment, but there are still a lot of heaviness, fuzz and catchy melodies involved. Therefore, there is no need to panic ;-) Tracks like ‘Powerlock’ and ‘Earth’ makes ‘ Battle Of Wits’ even more clever , and not to mention the end track ‘Clover’ which is a mixture of atmospheric relaxation and heavy fuzzness which easily etches itself into your mind.




We better bring knife and a gun in the fight. If you failed with the first weapon then you have the replacement.

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 Post subject: Re: Honcho - Battle Of Wits
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:55 pm 
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Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:04 pm
Posts: 74
Location: Louisiana
I still haven't managed to get my hands on a physical copy yet.
It's a shame somebody doesn't pick these guys up for distribution and give 'em a little push.
I think they're prime material for this general "scene" i.e.; they'd fit nicely on the Small Stone roster (as if Ham needs another under-appreciated unknown band weighing his label down...).
Anyway, I'm still spinning this regular; I like.


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