Flybanger

Vancouver-based metal rockers Flybanger return to form with their new album Headtrip to Nowhere, a follow-up to the indie debut Knottskull and the recent Outlived EP.\nThe band consists of a lead singer simply known as Garth, backup vocalist and bassist Tom MacDonald, guitarist Brian Fratesi and drummer Rob Wade. In addition to Flybanger's standard lineup, Faith No More guitarist Jim Martin guests on two separate tracks. Each aspect of the music complements the other aspects, ably melding together to form a moderately metal-fueled, alt-rock sound. \nHeadtrip to Nowhere's tunes range from immensely good and innovative ("Radical," "Blind World, "Pull," "Evelyn" and "Demon Away") to tolerable ("Cavalry" and "Company") to poor ("Haul" and "Weapon") to damned funny (the eloquently titled "Crackballs" and "When Are You? (Gonna Die))."\n"Crackballs" is undoubtedly the most inexplicably funny song in ages. The track commences with "Uh huh, Uh huh" catcalls somewhat reminiscent of a crackery, post-pubescent incarnation of Kriss Kross coupled with lukewarm, rehashed Limp Bizkit guitar licks. The tune might have played better if even a hint of social relevance brimmed at the surface. As is, the stuff's funny, and marginally questionable.\nHeadtrip to Nowhere is worlds better than much of the trendy, pappy alt-metal that inundates our airwaves and record store bins, but as a band, Flybanger has a ways to go before it reaches the artistic credibility and semblance of greatness attained by current metal acts the Deftones and Southern Culture on the Skids, or past artists such as Black Sabbath and Guns and Roses.\nFlybanger is a band with great but unleashed potential. Its headtrip will be to anywhere but nowhere.