CLASSIC GTC: IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC Reptile Brain Music
Imperial State Electric Reptile Brain Music is available on Spotify, Deezer, Tidal…
by Alle Royale
“Reptile Brain Music” is the third installment (fourth if we consider “In Concert”, an EP of cover songs) of Imperial State Electric’s Power Pop conquest of our planet. ISE is the (reptile?) brainchild of Nicke Andersson, founder member of Entombed and The Hellacopters; the band started life when acclaimed punk n’ roll outfit, The Hellacopters, retired for good, leaving Nicke with the freedom of starting a new project that could reflect his ever-increasing interest in the sixties and seventies melodic rock n’ roll.
If the eponymous debut was mainly a solo affair, with sophomore effort, “Pop War”, Nicke found his ideal sidekick partners in Tobias Egge, Tomas Ericksson, and Dolf de Borst, singer, and bassist with New Zealand garage rock mavericks, The Datsuns; their collaboration seem to fully blossom on their brand new single, “Reptile Brain”, in which the bassist takes on the role of lead vocalist for the very first time in the band.
A tasty slice of garage punk, very much in the vein of fellow countrymen The Hives, the new single already debuted on the “Pop War Tour”, proving the enduring state of grace of Imperial State Electric as prolific composers; not much room for melody this time around, but a stomping groovy number, born to make your speakers tremble. We still don’t know if this is the sign of a new artistic direction for the forthcoming album as a whole, or just a slap in the face to wake the fans up, in preparation for a massive dose of “Reptile Brain Music”!
[7. October 2013]
IMPERIAL STATE ELECTRIC Reptile Brain Food
Original band photo and artwork via Spotify
CREDITS (Discogs)
Bass – Dolf DeBorst, Nicke Andersson, Tobias Egge
Drums – Nicke Andersson, Tomas Eriksson*
Guitar – Nicke Andersson, Tobias Egge
Illustration – Eric van den Boom
Lead Guitar – Robert Pehrsson (tracks: 4)
Lead Vocals – Dolf DeBorst (tracks: 4), Nicke Andersson, Tobias Egge (tracks: 8)
Mastered By – Christofer Stannow
Mixed By – Fred Estby, Nicke Andersson
Producer – Nicke Andersson
Recorded By – Fred Estby, Nicke Andersson
Rhythm Guitar – Robert Pehrsson (tracks: 4)
Sleeve – Nicke Andersson
Vocals – Clarisse Muvemba (tracks: 5), Dolf DeBorst, Linn Segolson (tracks: 5), Robert Pehrsson (tracks: 4), Tobias Egge, Tomas Eriksson
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“After the break-up of The Hellacopters in 2008, Andersson started to work on a solo album, recording all instruments of eight songs by himself, however, Andersson changed his mind and decided that it would be better to form a band. Andersson recruited Dolf de Borst, Tobias Egge, and Thomas Eriksson, all of which he had worked previously within Cold Ethyl, a cover band he formed shortly after the breakup of The Hellacopters. During the recording of the band’s self-titled album, Andersson also enlisted help from several old friends, including Dregen, Anders Lindström, Robert Pehrsson, Neil Leyton, and others. While Andersson insists that Imperial State Electric is a band and not a solo career or a side project he also acknowledges the fact that the band might have a revolving line-up of members including himself on drums instead of guitar.” – band bio