What started out as a revitalising take on British grunge; the creative outlet and brainchild of one-man machine Matt Bigland has developed into much more over time. Providing a relatively straightforward yet highly commendable debut ‘Growing Pains’ in 2010, 2013’s ‘Nature Nurture’ follow-up saw Dinosaur Pile-Up cement their distinctive sound. Going some way to shake off the grunge stereotype that dominated the outfit’s early existence, it showcased a band settling into their own style.
Having found comfort alongside comparable long-time drummer Mike Sheils and bassist Jim Cratchley, ‘Eleven Eleven’ sees Dinosaur Pile-up continue the trend, sounding more cohesive than ever. It’s simultaneously their heaviest release to date. Opener and title-track of sorts ’11:11’ proves to be one of their punchiest songs to date, firmly shaking off any easy comparisons to long-gone musical eras, whereas the likes of ‘Red And Purple’ demonstrate glimpses into older material.
Underpinned by a distorted rock and roll swagger, the album twists and turns through a maze of dirty guitar riffs. By further distorting Bigland’s vocals and guitar work, ‘Eleven Eleven’ demonstrates a ferocious edge, only occasionally disrupted by calmer elements that bring Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain’s style right up to date.
The record’s mid-section of ‘Nothing Personal’ and ‘Anxiety Trip’ play with breakdowns, the latter moving into new, metal territory for the reaffirmed trio. Cleverly, the tracks weave between styles just as much themselves as on the structure of the album.
If anything, this leaves the more straightforward tracks a little lost, with the latter half of the record sometimes struggling to match the excitement. Yet just as ‘Eleven Eleven’ runs the risk of monotony, ‘Cross My Heart’ sees Dinosaur Pile-Up take a huge shift, bookending the record with diversity alongside the title-track.
Unrestrained in its approach, each element is amped up when laid against their back-catalogue. Using heavy riffs galore, it further establishes Dinosaur Pile-Up’s sound as their own. Although the record battles to keep attention in its latter half, there are real gems of British rock dotted throughout ‘Eleven Eleven’.
BEN TIPPLE