Swami Records
2004
Audit In Progress
About This Album
Audit in Progress is Hot Snakes' third outing, and the first to include ex-Sea of Tombs drummer Mario Rubalcaba. It's a much more focused album, too, bottling up the energy created by rapid-fire drums and two chaotic guitars, only to unleash it in the explosive moments not dominated by Rick Froberg's captivating yelp. After two relentless openers, the Snakes downshift into the dynamic stops and starts of "Retrofit." There could be some influence from guitarist John Reis' Rocket from the Crypt here, in the way the song winds punk tight only to let go of the top. But it's he and Froberg's Drive Like Jehu that comes most often to mind on Audit in Progress, from the crosshatched guitars to the explosive rhythm section in Rubalcaba and bassist Gar Wood. Hot Snakes' previous albums sported these elements, too, but they also had patches of howling noise and a generally manic quality that was addicting for some, but too insanely driven for most. Audit doesn't take any breaks, either. But it uncovers melody in the strangest places, and sweats with an addicting fury. "I pay nothin' for nothin'," Froberg sneers over the title track's choking power chords.
Track List (try tracks 1,3,5,6 and 8)

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