A fuzz beast clawing out of a pit of noise, riffs and existential joy 👹
'Perseus War' is the 3rd album by Australian born, UK based artist Dez Dare. Leading on from 2022s 'Ulysses Trash', Dez presents 10 songs of dystopian indifference captured over 4 weeks in late 2022. Meant to be a companion EP to the last record, ideas spilled, riffs flowed, Perseus was born.
'Ulysses Trash' is a call to inaction, embracing the reality of the world around us and the place we have within it. 'Perseus War' is the violent struggle that the universe and all within it has to survive. The daily pressure of existence, the beauty in the destruction left by the way and the sweet solace of understanding we have no control.
Dez Dare (aka Darren Smallman of BATTLE WORLDWIDE, Low Transit Industries, Thee Vinyl Creatures, The Sound Platform, Warped) grew up in Geelong, a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia where he became involved in the local punk and rock scene in 1990, playing in a band called Warped, sharing stages with the likes of Bored!, The 5678s, Fugazi, The Dirty Three and the Hard-ons, going on to play in multiple bands spewing out sludgy punk rock, drone riffage and noisy pop abundance. Darren was embedded in the scene, playing music, running labels (founding record label and touring company Low Transit Industries in 1999 working with bands such as The Essex Green, Lilys, Elf Power, Okkervil River, Of Montreal, Black Mountain, Trans Am) before moving to the UK in 2010 where he has operated ever since.
"I looked into the void to find solace (freedom to fight, freedom of mind)" is sung out in the opening line of 'STOP. STOP. STOP. TALKING.'. Regardless of the viewpoint Dez is singing from, this is the underlying sentiment. You can only be truly free with acceptance. Accepting you for who you are, that we all one day will die, that humans are flawed and beautiful, that otters are the best animals. Let go. The void has it covered.
Press
"This balance - between big and small, between composure and fury - is what makes the record so engaging, Smallman's gaze of disdain flitting from universal issue to idiosyncratic bugbear without pause. Where the emotive weight could easily be lost within the tumult of post Geelong guitars, here it is high and bold, registering with intimacy and wit." The Wire
“The lone fighter is something like the punky-grungey and above all a few years younger version of Bevis Frond, offering fuzzy psychedelic noise rock on ‘Ulysses Trash’.” OX FANZINE [8/10]
“It’s a wild mix of classic garage rock, psychedelic elements (Hawkwind says hello), typical punk riffs of the late 1970s, noise rock à la Sonic Youth or Fugazi, repetitive, shamanic recitations. 34 captivating minutes over thirteen songs from one cast.” Amplified [8/10]
“The guitars romp and saw all over the place like a swordfish spearing its prey with a Kyuss on acid feel to it.” whisperinandhollerin.com [8/10]
“’Ulysses Trash’ is brilliantly conceived, shockingly under-produced and a worthy testimony to one man’s trip. Over in the blink of an eye in a gloriously extended WTF moment of unbridled chaos “Ulysses Trash” is a triumph and will comprehensively add more aural colours to your sonic palette.” All Music [9/10]
“I would say if Hawkwind wrote two-three minute punk songs, they would sound just like this and that’s a hell of a compliment!” Über Rock
“A melting pot of thirteen tracks that take you on a musical roller coaster ride quite unlike any other.” RPM Online
