Band : The (International) Noise Conspiracy
Album title : The Cross Of My Calling
Label : Burning Heart
Distributor : Epitaph – PIAS – Concrete Web Promotion Office
Release date : 17/11/2008
Release : CD

Although it would seem strange to see a band which plays a hybrid of late 60’s Psychedelic Rock and early ‘70s Prog Rock on a label known to be distributed by Epitaph, who’re rather known for their Punk Rock releases, The (International) Noise Conspiracy actually have a firm connection with the latter genre, as their frontman Dennis Lyxzén used to sing for the now legendary Punk Rock act Refused [formed in 1991, they left us 2 demos (compiled on The Demo Compilation sampler), 5 EPs (compiled on The EP Compilation sampler), and 3 studio albums...before breaking up in 1998].

Formed by Lyxzén (whom was strongly influenced by ‘60s Folk singer Phil  Ochs) immediately after the Refused split with a line-up also consisting of Lars Strömberg (guitar, also  played with Separation), Sara Almgren (guitar/ organ/ keyboards up until 2004-5, when she left to join Swedish Punk band The Vicious), Inge Johansson (bass, sang for Totalt Jävla Mörker until 2004) and Ludwig Dahlberg (drums) with the intent to achieve an ideal blend of music and politics that was “...a cross between Elvis Presley and Che Guevara...”, he also set out to fight against music’s function as a spectacle. What with the band’s lyrics usually having a socio-political insight (and the band’s leaning towards leftist Marxist political ideals – mind you, that has little to do with Communism!), the Epitaph connection suddenly doesn’t seem so weird anymore! Since the release of the band’s 1999 debut full-length The First Conspiracy (on G7 Welcomming Committee Records), The (I)NC has already given us three other full-length studio albums [2000’s Survival Sickness (their debut on Burning Heart), 2001’s A New Morning, Changing Weather, and 2004’s Armed Love] 2 full-length and an EP of live recordings [2002’s Your Choice Live Series on the Your Choice Records imprint, 2003’s Live At Oslo Jazz Festival on Moserobie Music Production, 2005’s and (Live EP) on American Recordings], four 7-inches (on equally as many labels), and 8 EPs (one a 1999 split with Separation, again several labels were used to release ‘em, among which Burning Heart).

The band first teamed up with famed producer Rick Rubin for 2004’s Armed Love, who signed the band onto his own label American Recordings, and returned to him for this follow-up! Well, if you didn’t know before what kinda music this band plays, I kinda gave that away in my opening line, didn’t I? Expect the guys to occasionally sound like The Doors (most so in their instrumental parts, see the album intro, the “Riders On The Storm” rip-off organ solo in “Child Of God”), or even Black Crowes...but mostly like themselves, really. Guest vocals (just backings during “I Am The Dynamite”, but more prominently there for “Boredom Of Safety”) on the album come courtesy of the very soulful Lisa Kekaula (of The Bellrays). Check out myspace.com/internationalnoiseconspiracy as soon as possible, because currently the complete album is up there (wasn’t so 3 weeks ago when I checked for info on the occasion of the “The Assassination Of Myself” radio single which, after careful and repeated listening sesions, has been deemed non-typical for the album sound overall, as it contains no keyboards what-so-ever) for you to discover all the little diversities of tthe band. A big double thumbs up, by the way, for their version of “Hiroshima Mon Amour” [originally belonging to the soundtrack of the 1959 drama/ romantic movie by French director Alain Resnais...previously covered by (the John Foxx fronted) Ultravox and Alkatrazz (the Graham Bonnett fronted Yngwie Malmsteen band)].

People interested in live acquaintances will find it helpful to know that, returning from a short trip to the US in early November, the band starts a European come November 30, and theyy’ll be passing by in Belgium @ Nijdrop in Opwijk on December 17 (if you can’t go that day, then maybe Holland’s Paradiso in Amsterdam or Luxembourg’s Kulturfabtik in Luxembourg city on eth days following will do it for ya? Check the band’s MySpace for possible more details). Meanwhile, I’ve found yet another addition to that “Best Albums Of 2008”-list of mine!

98/100

Tony.