Monsters of the Dirty South - Unfinished Business

Monsters of the Dirty South

Unfinished Business
self-released; 2018

​3.6 out of 5

By Bill Todde

Based in Southwest Victoria, Australia, Monsters of the Dirty South takes the already established and accomplished desert rock genre and takes it to new and exciting heights. Through experimentation across many genres of hard rock, the two-piece has created a unique and energetic sound that is sure to captivate fans of rock music from all preferences. Their debut EP Unfinished Business was released in mid-May of 2018. Supported by their live shows and a fast growing legion of fans, Monsters of the Dirty South looks to streamline the process by bringing the experience to record for fans everywhere to enjoy.

“Swings and Roundabouts” is the second track on the album, following the explosive opening title track “Unfinished Business.” The song rides a single riff through the verses, carrying the hypnotic properties of the vocals straight past the eardrums and directly into the brains of listeners. As the track progresses, each of the instruments ultimately opens up full throttle, summiting a peak with the final 30 seconds of the track that underlines it with classic badass rock n’ roll.

“Gone Away” is a more drum focused track, opening with a repetitive pattern that becomes so addicting and suspenseful that it leaves you on the edge of your seat. As the song goes on, the guitar and vocals join. The drums do not die down, with light speed fills sprinkled throughout the track to keep listeners on edge and in awe of the pure musicianship that carries the song. The closing track “Cherry” is less dissonant and relies more on riffs than the previous three tracks, however the bravado behind the song is not lost through the change in formula.

While any fan who pines for the days when a dirty guitar riff and explosive drum fills were king will immediately take to this album, fans of the lighter side of the genre will enjoy the illustrious lyrics and the fervent energy that radiates from each of the four tracks. While the initial distortion and violently rhythmic crashing of symbols might turn some listeners off, another few seconds is all that will be needed to pick out the blues influence of the guitar work. Fans of bands like Alien Crime Syndicate, Queens of the Stone Age, Alice in Chains, Metallica, The Strokes, The Hives, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath or Rage Against The Machine will feel right at home listening to Unfinished Business. Fans of music in general will appreciate the energy that each song is approached and delivered with. While the regular dissonance will be enough to turn some listeners away, the guts presented through the EP are more than enough to overcome personal preference in a simple appreciation of how well the music was written and recorded.

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