Review: Durty Triix – Crackin’ Skulls and Crushin’ Bones

Mazz-XT Music(October 7th, 2022)

Reviewer: Jason Hopper

The band Durty Triix hail from Sydney, Australia and are set to release their debut album ‘Crackin’ Skulls and Crushin’ Bones’. The band has only been around for less than a year but claims to have a “star-studded” line-up of musicians who I have never heard before. Even people who may be familiar with the band members would probably agree that these members are not “stars”.  Exuberant press releases can come across as ridiculous with the wrong wording.

So what does Durty Triix have to offer to the rock n’ roll scene? Unfortunately, nothing thrilling or even slightly moving. There are some decent tracks but a lot of the album feels like songs that I’ve been listening to for decades. When an album sounds too familiar and doesn’t offer something new or a fresh take on the genre, it gets tired quickly. There are songs on here with riffs I have heard in hundreds of places before but I would rather listen to those songs if for nothing more than better production.

The production is the biggest detriment to the album. The sonics are one step up for demo quality with everything sounding distorted and muddled, especially when cranked up to headbanging volumes. The louder it is, the worse it sounds.

With all that said, as stated earlier, there are a few decent tracks. Their most recent single ‘Hell Hath No Fury’ is a fun, fast-paced rocker. The first two tracks also hold promise. ‘Living in Danger’ does some interesting arrangements in the vocal delivery, and I liked the riffing in the chorus, timing it to end with the snare crash. The title track is the best song on the album. A heavy blues rock groove and a great gang vocal delivery for the chorus. A basic rhythm we all have heard a thousand times before but still well done.

Then there are missed opportunities. ‘Legend Down’ would hands down be the best track, with a riff similar to Valentine’s Too Much is Never Enough. It’s sure to get your blood pumping…and then the chorus arrives. There’s a time change and a drum syncopation that did not work for me and interrupts what came before, throwing off the feel and rhythm in a harsh fashion. A damn shame as everything else works but the heart of the track. Then there’s ‘Miss Kitty’s Bar’. I don’t care how good of a groove a band has, it’s hard to enjoy a song that opens up with lyrics like “Yakkety yak, yakkety yak.  Nik nak paddy wack, don’t drop the hacky sack”. No way in hell would I be caught listening to lyrics like that. I didn’t even want my family to hear such nonsense coming from my speakers…and they’ve heard Steel Panther! It ruins a song that has a good bluesy, almost later day Aerosmith feel to it.

With better production, perhaps this album would have a chance but with the market as saturated as it is these days, this band is sure to get lost in the shuffle. There is nothing new here to offer, so with a sound that is familiar and sonics that are lacking, there are better ways to spend your time and money.