In The Usual Suspects ‘Verbal’ Kint, played by Kevin Spacey offers a prophetic warning: “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” On Mesa Cosa’s new album, El Es Demons, the demon is here, and its form is manic rock’n’roll.
A wail of feedback precedes a dirty Dolls-via-Stooges punk rock guitar riff, which begets a rolling surf beat. The song is ‘Change the Channel’, but no-one’s going anywhere. ‘Stone Bone’ is a little more freakish; a chunky Stones quest for meaning in a world ruled by specious pronouncements and 15-second social media fads.
You can’t refuse the grimy evangelical nihilism of ‘Say No’, while ‘No Return’ sends you back to the punk rock well from whence all great rock’n’roll has come and both chapters of ‘Church of the Snake’ are an acid trip that’s as fucked up as it’s enthralling. ‘Blood and Brains’ swears on the bible of The Gun Club, ‘Matate’ is one-minute of deranged punk intensity and ‘Ghost Dog’ is Suicidal Tendencies infused with Arthur Rimbaud imagery. ‘Coming at You’ is as linear as Mesa Cosa could ever be, and that’s pretty warped; ‘Canibal’ seduces you, sucks out your brains and fucks you up forever more. If this is the depths of hell Billy Graham promises rock’n’roll would lead us to, well, fuck it, pull up a fire-proof couch and settle in for the ride.
