Negative Pegasus – Looming

If one has ever been introduced to Negative Pegasus by way of a festival flyer or an egotist blog, allow the following to function as an official disclaimer: Neg Peg are in no way as bombastic as any amount of Oneida comparisons or murmurs of 'grinding loops' or 'sheets of feedback' might possibly have readers believe.

 

However, the opening and closing segments of Looming reveal a group of musicians who could promise a chaotic live show and never fail to deliver. It pains to report, though, that there's no disguising the fact that on tracks like Ottoman Silver, their tricks sound a little too regimented. There's a clear agenda to match noise-rock distortion and riff loop hell to a pop-song structure, but where other groups have utilised such a crossover and sparked fireworks, Neg Peg only get so far on this first round. Still, even if they don't manage 'ground-breaking' on this enjoyable debut, 'booty-shaking' is nearly as good.