AMN Reviews: Dead Neanderthals – Prime (2014; Gaffer Records)

Coming off a recent team-up with Machinefabriek, Dutch free-jazz / noise group Dead Neanderthals is back with Prime, a release due out in early October. Consisting of Colin Webster and Otto Kokke on dueling saxophones, and Rene Aquarius on drums, the Neanderthals amp it up in a major way on this effort. Ultimately, this is a free jazz blow-out ala Peter Brotzmann with a touch of hard noise wall on the side. Webster and Kokke don’t slow down the screeches and squeals for a bit on the album’s single 40-minute track. They turn in an all-out blast fest with Aquarius pounding the drums relentlessly. Fans of Merzbow, Painkiller, heavy drones, and saxophone madness will find plenty to like here. Perhaps you could say  that they are a one-trick pony – but what a heck of a trick!