Verticoli are a four-piece rock outfit from Tassie, and whilst they wear their influences boldly on their collective sleeve, they do so with class.
On their debut long player Punching Bag, those influences are drawn from a number of different sources.You can hear echoes of ‘90s grunge and alternative rock, the ‘70s classic rock of Zeppelin and Sabbath, some hard Aussie pub rock, and some more bluesy influences. They throw it all in a big bubbling pot over a roaring fire, stir it ‘round, and serve up a damn fine – and damn fun – rock album.
The songs are exceptionally strong, sticking in your mind for a long time afterwards; the riffs are huge; the grooves are fat as fuck, and you get the sense this stuff would rock the hell out of small, sweaty live venue.
Verticoli have only been around for a few years, but Punching Bag is a very mature, developed release, which subjects the listener to a pleasant pummelling for 40 minutes.
BY ROD WHITFIELD
