Northern Colorado’s psych punk power house Bitchflower came out of the gate swinging with their latest album, Aghast, Aroused, Appalled. A staggering work of rock and roll, Bitchflower waltzes through these ten tracks pulling together a sound with the energy and power of punk yet the contemplation of psych rock.
Bitchflower is made up of veterans of the Colorado hardcore scene and it shows. Guitarists Zack Hill of Copper Teeth and Steven Davis of Harkener bring a certain provenance from their time in the metal community, while bassist Nick Perich and drummer Miles Mercer (both of King Crawdad) maintain the rhythm that allows this rock band to go back and forth from psych to punk. And at the front is Brooke Van Buiten who leads with a devastating, yet surprisingly subtle vocal performance across the album.
Aghast, Aroused, Appalled moves like a freight train; steady, powerful, and if you get in the way you will be crushed. And like that freight train, this album can’t seem to sit still, moving between moods and genres almost on a whim. Opener “Hunger” tells the listener a lot of what to expect, starting as a witchy desert stroll then culminating in anthemic punk.
This is the energy they capture throughout the album, weaving between high and low intensity with a hypnotizing effect. While some of the lower moments stand as nice palate cleansers, this album is at its best when the band is having fun. Songs like “Big Time Mental” and “Cardio Lasso” have Bitchflower bringing the heat and showcasing their heavy metal roots, while “Quickersand” feels like an ode to ‘70s rock legends like Black Sabbath, which vocalist Buiten clearly relishes in.
When boiled down, Bitchflower might be too good at being a heavy rock band. Their execution in that space is so locked in that when it comes to reigning it in, something is lost. That being said, the attempt is refreshing and seeing a band try something different is always better than being served up the same ten songs.
While the sentiment is correct, Aghast, Aroused, Appalled the music is too on point to completely evoke these emotions. But the recipe is correct.
Listen to Aghast, Aroused, Appalled the new album by Bitchflower. Catch them LIVE in Denver @ The Bluebird on Saturday, Nov 22nd.
