If you clicked the link to read this review is because somehow you have heard about King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, or because the name was too odd for you to pass on discovering what the hell Is a band called liked that being covered in a Metal magazine, well let me first tell you that this band with the weird name released the critically acclaimed Thrash Metal album Infest the Rats’ Nest (Flightless Records) in 2019 which added a new genre in their vast catalog of albums that include a wide range of genres that go from psychedelic to garage, to progressive rock, among others. On the other hand, if you have heard King Gizz, you know exactly what I’m talking about and you probably agree with me that this band is one of the most creative musical acts in the world at this moment.
The band released the live album entitled Chunky Shrapnel (Flightless Records) that includes live tracks from most of their studio album catalogs. This live concert includes flawless performances that were played during their 2019 touring cycles which include performances from different countries like the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg. What makes this live album interesting is the order of the tracks and the different energy that each song brings. You may be listening early Metallica/Motorhead riffs in some of the tracks, i.e. ‘Planet B’, ‘Venusian 2’, ‘Hell’; and then transition to passages of Psychedelic Rock and Rock N Roll with tracks like ‘Let Me Mend The Past’ and ‘The River’. I’m very picky with live albums, mostly because they don’t seem to grasp the exact energy that a band brings by seeing them live, but this album catches the overall energy of the experience that must be watching King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard live. With this live album, King Gizzard brings a rarity within live albums and that is that the band has accomplished to perform and record a live album that somehow makes these performances better than the ones in the albums.
The creative genius of this band does not stop evolving and I cannot wait to hear what else they will keep releasing in the future. I sure hope that the whole COVID-19 situation soothes so I can go and have the experience of watching them live in October, where they will be playing Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado for two straight nights. In the meantime, check this live album and make sure to stay in the lookout for the release date of the film that shows the live performances of these songs in a visual representation. Be ready to Rock n’ Roll!
8 / 10
WESLIE NEGRON