Francis Harold & The Holograms – Who Said These Were Happy Times?

Warning: this album may cause irritability, fatigue, and clinical depression. You know that scene in Total Recall when Arnold Schwarzenegger’s eyes start bulging out of his face; this record has a similar effect, albeit on the ears. Arizona death-noise-punks, Francis Harold & The Holograms knock your balance out from the off, then they proceed to induce projectile vomiting, chest pumping sweat-outs, and nightmarish musical hallucinations.

Nasty and confrontational, the band revels in their twisted sonic demeanour. Cavernous vocals drenched in reverb, lacklustre lurching guitars and a stout but uninspiring rhythmic section. Nine indistinguishable dirges later and one is left to ponder whether the tinnitus will ever dull. There’s no question that the production has been executed to make the listener's skin crawl – and to be fair it does succeed in making these ears itch a little – but ultimately the scare tactics aren't much more than a cheap thrill. [Alan Souter]