American Head Charge – Tango Umbrella

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes since their return to the scene in 2011, American Head Charge is set to release their first full length album since 2005’s The Feeding. Tango Umbrella is set to release on March 25th 2016 via Napalm Records. American Head Charge launched a very successful Indiegogo campaign to help raise money for the recording of Tango Umbrella. They offered many perks that included signed drum heads and sticks, hand written lyric sheets and VIP golden tickets. This album no matter what Loudwire’s poll results were is the most anticipated album of March. To quote Peter Presser, Captain of American Head Charge’s Death Squad “This is a new era of AHC, don’t forget Trepanation, The War Of Art, The Feeding or Shoot, but don’t compare them to Tango Umbrella either” and he is right. This album brings to the fore front a whole new side of AHC while not forgetting about what makes their sound their own. Peter again describes the new sound perfectly “TU is heavy, melodic, emotional but above all: intense. A hectic rollercoaster ride, 200% Head Charge style. Expect the unexpected, outside the box but straight in the face kick ass shit, no ‘1-2-3-4, wawawawa, fiddle fiddle ploink ploink’ generic tunes that a lot of shitty bands are getting away with these days.” Honestly I could not have said it any better myself. None of that chunk, chunk, chunk, on top of super heavy double bass. This is album is some of the best music I have heard come out in quite a while.
Leading of the album is the first single “Let All the World Believe” to me if any song on the album is classic AHC it is this one. The back and forth changes in tempo with Cameron’s lyrical punch to the face combined with Justin’s work on the keys will throw you back into a time where all was right with the world.

Up next Justin kicks of “Drowning Under Everything” with some synth work followed by an eruption of guitars by Karma and Ted. As Cameron comes in with his soft yet syndical line of “I see your mask” Chad is laying down that signature low tuned bass line that makes him stand out from everyone else. This song takes you on a ride that you enjoy till the end.

There is nothing about “Perfectionist” I can tell you that you can’t find out on your own by watching the lyric video. If you have not, shame on you go check that shit out.

According to my guy Peter Presser “Sacred” is a slow & heavy piece that grabs your attention, drags you along and only lets go when it’s finished. And he is right, this song is a melodic masterpiece that shows that other side of AHC that fans may not have seen before

“I Will Have My Day” to me if there was a party song on this album I would say this is it. It is a fun, up tempo song that will get the party moving.

The next song on the Album “A King Among Men” I will leave for the band to describe. I will say this, this song is for Bryan Ottoson 333!

Up next is my favorite track on the album “Suffer Elegantly”. Chris comes out banging hard accompanied by some killer guitar work. This song kind of has that Cowards feel to it but with a little more rhythm and groove to it. Love this track.

“Antidote” starts out with a little bit of a chuggy into with Cameron coming in with a soothing tone before course erupts into killer beat that will surely get the head moving.

“Prolific Catastrophe” as described by Peter Presser “when I heard the drum intro I thought I was listening to Van Halen’s Pretty Woman, then when bass and guitar kicked in it sounded like AHC’s own version of Rock n Roll Nigger, to eventually end up as your typical AHC track. Gotta love the unexpected twists in this song ;)’”

“Down and Depraved” has that raspy machine gun delivery that gets the blood up then intertwines in with Cameron’s clean lyrics that make his vocal stylings all his

To close out the album is “When The Time Is Never Right” and to do the honors my dude Peter “When The Time Is Never Right gave me chills up and down my spine and goose-bumps all over, even more when listening to it for the umpteenth time. Another Head Charge masterpiece.’”

This is defiantly a new era in American Head Charge History and should be everyone’s play list. I would like to thank Peter Presser for giving me a hand with this review and giving me his opinion on this beast of an album.

Review by Ace Sims, RockRevolt Journalist

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