Description

Hammerhead – Evil Twin – Cassette

Evil Twin is an album by Hammerhead, released in 1994. This album encapsulates the band’s powerful and aggressive approach to noise rock and post-hardcore. Known for their raw energy and abrasive sound, Hammerhead’s Evil Twin album is a definitive example of the band’s style during the peak of their influence in the underground rock scene.

The album features a collection of tracks that maintain a relentless pace, characterized by distorted guitar riffs, pounding drums, and intense vocals. The sound is gritty and intense, often venturing into chaotic territories, which is emblematic of the noise rock genre. The themes in ‘Evil Twin’ likely explore the darker, more introspective aspects of human nature, which aligns with the intense and sometimes menacing sound of the music.

Evil Twin is an important release in Hammerhead’s discography, showcasing their commitment to a style that is both raw and energetically compelling. The album is appreciated by fans who favor music that pushes the boundaries of rock through aggressive performances and an uncompromising sonic aesthetic. This release solidifies Hammerhead’s reputation in the noise rock and post-hardcore scenes, highlighting their ability to create music that is both impactful and enduringly influential.

With power and intensity to spare, post-punk hard rock trio Hammerhead could as easily have been called ‘Sledgehammer’. Paul Sanders (vocals, guitar), Paul Erickson (vocals, bass), and Jeff Mooridian Jr. (drums) formed the group in Fargo, ND, around 1990, and moved to Minneapolis, MN, just a few years later. Amphetamine Reptile, which is also located in Minneapolis, released all of their recordings.

The band has cited Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle as a guiding influence on their loud, dark, rhythmic approach. Others have compared them to everything from hardboiled pulp fiction authors Jim Thompson and James M. Cain, to brain-pounding noise rock units Unsane, Surgery, and Bastro.

Their vinyl debut was 1991’s Peep picture disc single (featuring art by ex-Replacement Chris Mars). It was followed by 1992’s Load King, a tour-only single issued on gray vinyl, and 1993’s live Evil Twin, another tour-only single. Their first full-length was 1993’s Ethereal Killer, recorded while they were still located in Fargo. Next came the Evil Twin EP, which featured the four songs from the previous 7′, two from the picture disc, and a re-recorded version of ‘Load King’ (and was originally issued as a yellow-vinyl 10′).

They had relocated to Minneapolis by the time 1994’s Into the Vortex hit the streets. It witnessed the trio moving their driving, minimalist sound in a more focused, but no less uncompromising, direction with lyrics taking on greater importance. The Taxi Driver influence was driven home by couplets like, ‘Someone should clean this dirty world/someone should save the pretty girls’ (‘All This Is Yours’) and ‘The rain came down/blood soaked the streets’ (‘Brest’).

Many fans, and Hammerhead’s fans only seem to have increased since they called it quits, consider 1996’s Duh, the Big City their crowning achievement. Unfortunately, it was to be their last full-length recording, and was followed by only one more release, the tour-only Earth (I Won’t Miss) single. The beginning of the end had already arrived when Sanders left the group in 1995. Other guitarists were enlisted to take his place, but none quite stuck. He went on to form more RAM (which later disbanded), while Erickson (billed as Apollo Liftoff) and Mooridian Jr. formed Vaz

Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic seal

Amphetamine Reptile Records

Track Listing
Evil Twin
Anvil
M.I.A.
Washout
Peep
U.V.
Load King