Maintaining a career that spans almost two decades, CKY are a band that need little to no introduction. Over the course of their time together they’ve sold upwards of a million albums and have performed and toured with some of the biggest names in alternative music. That said, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing – there’s been a considerable amount of turbulence for CKY over the years – but now the band are back, re-vitalised and refreshed.
Their new album ‘The Phoenix’ (the album title alone suggesting a triumphant return), is the first studio album the band has released since 2009’s ‘Carver City’. The most notable change is the distinct shift in vocals as guitarist Chad Ginsburg takes over the role of front-man from departed vocalist/guitarist Deron Miller.
With an almost tongue in cheek demeanour, the album opens with the track ‘Replaceable’, the second single to have been premiered ahead of the album release. From the off, the track is unmistakably classic CKY, encompassing everything we’ve come to expect from them over the years. Big guitar riffs drowned in pedal effects, catchy vocal hooks and layers of subtle synthesizers also used on ‘Unknown Enemy’ (reminiscent of those on ‘Ghost Town’ by The Specials), all drag you right back the band’s prime; think ‘Infiltrate.Destroy.Rebuild’ era ‘horror rock’. Prior to the album’s release, Chad stated that ‘The Phoenix’ is supposed to pick up right where ‘Infiltrate.Destroy.Rebuild’ left off and without hesitation it does just that.
Standing by that traditional CKY sound, ‘Days Of Self Destruction’ is the first single to be taken from the album. Chad Ginsburg’s vocals really come into their own here and display the band’s maturity since their hiatus by experimenting with new tones, greatly differing from those featured on their previous single, 2010’s ‘Afterworld’. Sadly, both ‘Days Of Self Destruction’ and ‘Lies From You’ use fade outs that make the song endings a little disappointing, especially since the former fades out during an impressive guitar solo battle between Ginsburg and Brent Hinds of Mastodon.
‘Head For A Breakdown’ incorporates acoustic guitars and violins alongside other softer musical elements. It weaves together an emotional, heart on sleeve ode to what could be interpreted as drug or substance abuse and addiction. This and ‘The Other Ones’ demonstrate just how far the band have come in terms of songwriting, combining complicated storytelling and delving into, and exploring, daring new territories. ‘Head For A Breakdown’ is more acoustic based, to the point where it almost sounds folky and ‘The Other Ones’ in contrast sees the band incorporate some jazz funk-esque bass lines. For the second time on ‘The Phoenix’ Ginsburg takes respite from vocal duties to rip into another highly impressive and overtly complicated guitar solo, proving his new position at the helm is not only well-deserved but rightfully his own.
Continuing the ‘horror’ theme is penultimate track ‘Wiping Off The Dead’, which could have been a B-side or an unreleased track from the band’s debut album ‘Vol. 1’. Fusing together fuzzy guitars and heavy bass lines, ‘Wiping Off The Dead’ harks back to the early days of CKY’s career, bringing an overwhelming wave of nostalgia.
Album closer ‘Better Than Get Even’ continues to ride said proverbial wave right to the very end. Brimming with catchy, toe-tapping hooks and dream-like vocals in the verses, ‘Better Than Get Even’ comprises all the previously traversed elements on the album. It doubles up as the perfect summary, announcing the band’s reappearance as well as how refined they’ve become as musicians.
Despite trialling new ideas, some slightly more blues-rock than metallic, ‘The Phoenix’ is still recognisably a CKY album that’ll please fans old and new. For the former this is an exciting new release and for the latter, a sentimental trip down memory lane with a buzz of adventure about it. Cementing their grounded, ‘no bullshit’ attitude whilst remaining formidable and unceasingly tenacious, ‘The Phoenix’ closes out with the lyrics “if you’re looking for a war I’m here to fight”. Rising from the ashes, CKY return with the fires in their stomachs ablaze.
JAMES DAVENPORT