Sexy/Heavy’s debut offering, Battlesushi, is appropriately named, as are the band. The Melbourne four-piece are definitely more of the heavy side of the sexy/heavy spectrum and Battlesushi provokes the feeling of, ‘I don’t know what the fuck this heavy sludginess is, but I like it.’
Strong driving riffs with anxiety-inducing effects are the order of the day, yet each track is balanced out with a pop sensibility in its arrangement and composition, without succumbing to the, ‘Let’s just come up with a hook then write nonsense around it’ trap.
The title track, Battlesushi, is particularly impressive. It boasts a build-up intro starting with a thudding bass track, and as soon as the punchy drums kick in, you’re hooked. The final track of the record, Testibreasticles, is quite frankly frightening with its dark thematics; thudding, building melody, and its spooky, effect-heavy overdubs. It is no less enjoyable for it, and is probably my pick for standout track from the album.
My only fault would be that the vocals are a tiny bit buried amid everything that’s going on, but that’s sludge’n’roll for you. Sexy, heavy, nicely layered and very engaging.
BY REI BARKER
Best Track: Testibreasticles
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Heavy shit
In A Word: Thick
