Let's admit that a name like "Flybanger" suggests typical hard rock you hear on the radio. An album title like
Headtrip To Nowhere is actually quite catchy, however. So you might get the impression this could be pretty catchy and rock well. In the end, Flybanger falls right in between. There isn't a whole lot of catchy or rocking songs that are needed, but something in them feels like they're trying a little harder than most bands. They don't completely break out, but they try too.
Make no mistake, this is still pretty ordinary stuff. The tracklist feels like it. The band doesn't want their "Company" to "Pull" them into a "Blind World". There's even the useless track which has a person's name for the title, "Evelyn". It's a completely useless track that simply drags along without any purpose. It's only notable because it includes the album title. Luckily for them, most of the songs are able to rise up, and thus not very skippable.
The fact that the songs in
Headtrip To Nowhere won't make you crave for the skip buttons is a good thing, but it's only because they're not bad. You won't listen to songs like "Haul" or "Blind World" unless you're spinning the whole package. Sure, they're pretty good. But unless you're in a specific mood for Flybanger, there's no reason to hear them. Same goes for "Radical" and "Cavalry", although the former is quite catchy and the latter has good drumming and an interesting style.
Between the small downfall and the pool of nediocrity, Flybanger were able to pull off some worthwhile songs. Oddly, they're in the second half of the album. Albums in this genre tend to hit you hard in the first few songs and make you delete the rest. Here, after the dull "Demon Away" finishes, the album only gets better. "Crackballs" is a little stupid, but its hook is made for the arena. "Weapon"' is more fast-paced and comes off as the catchiest track. "This Is Bliss" is the climax, however. "This Is Bliss" is where Flybanger finally puts out a track that's worth listening all the way through and out of the album. It's also where their moment of pride ends, since the last two songs are loud, fast, and not very notable.
Headtrip To Nowhere is an album that seemed to tried to lift itself up, which is a good thing, but it couldn't and instead fell back down. The songs are mostly average, quite enjoyable but not notable. The band lacks identity and is pretty faceless, but they sound solid. For those who like modern hard rock, this is a good addition to your collection. For others, get "This Is Bliss". This is really just another album. At least they tried.
Best songs:
- Cavalry
- Weapon
- This Is Bliss
