It's great to hear a CD like this, one that moves beyond old definitions of metal and alternative with a fresh, unified sound. That sound is largely defined by a massive sonic assault made up of loping bass and guitar and drums that both keep the beat and answer the music as a whole. What makes Avondale different from most post-metal are the clean lines of its songwriting, the breathing room in the mix and the passionate performances by singer Matt Palubicki, who can shout, spit fire and sing the hell out of an ambitious, lilting melody. As an album, Enormous Black Power Gift cuts to the heart of what much of the greatest rock is all about. Revolving around shaking off a diseased relationship, a song like "Power Gift" finds the bluesy strength in individualism. At the same time, "Shine" and "Superstar" offer the promise of transcendence, a hope that can only come by grappling with the ugliest details of reality.

Avondale’s "Enormous Black Power Gift" comes in an elaborately illustrated cardboard foldout case that’s much more aesthetically appealing than the average jewel box. Musically, this Kansas City-based group stands out from the heavy music pack because of Matt Palubicki’s vocals, which are clear, emotional and on-key. The subtle nuances in his voice on songs such as "Second Thought" offer a welcome change from the usual all-shouting, all-the-time hard rock vocalists. His ability to hit higher notes also expands the group’s range, as does the interaction between Avondale’s two guitarists. "Power Gift," with its Helmet-style mix of precise bursts of noise and edgy-but-melodic vocals, is the album’s standout, and the tension-breaking shout of "You can’t be trusted" near the end of this song should be enough to set any club into a frenzy when the group is playing live. This Gift outshines its impressive packaging.

Remember metal? I don't. Good. Avondale is a mix of metal, whatever it may be, and straight up Kansas City brutality. There is a clear difference between what Avondale does on Enormous Black Power Gift (a fine name, although Wilt Chamberlain also would have gotten the message across) and what a band like Shiner does. The vocals here are a major part of the equation, as Matt Palubicki has a near-sickening vocal range, and the vocals are simply everywhere, so you just have to duck when they fly by, unless you want to get clocked upside the head. The vocals also dictate what the music is doing most of the time, which doesn't allow much room for aimless wandering. The instrumentation is quite strong, but seriously here, the vocals are the main draw. Now that I've said that more times than "Rock sign!" I can move on. The production by the K.C. tag-team of Paul Malinowski and Joel Hamilton is stellar as predicted, as they approached this with the right angle, putting an emphasis on making the drums crash and the vocals soar above. The guitars aren't huge, as there just isn't that much room in the mix, but they sure are treated with a layer of chunky distortion that I missed. There's a hidden track that steps up the tempo to a mad-dash to the finish line. Kansas City needs your red hot lovin', and so does Avondale. While they're not the standard crushing indie rock band you're used to from that city, they add new elements to the blend, which is refreshing. Plus, they know how to package a disc, going to HammerPress and getting it done up like Dirt Nap's Below the Speed of Sound, but even more so. This dedication to getting the right producers and the right packaging shows that these boys take what they're doing quite seriously, and I hope they get the attention they're earning. - Signal Drench E-Zine, Nov. 99. http://www.signaldrench.com