"We were definitely out of control on our first tour, Ozzfest 2001," Mr. Banks admits. "It wasn't enough to just play our music; we also had to fire shotguns on stage and throw pigheads at the crowd. Chalk it up to a desperate bid for attention." The Head Charge rap sheet - which also includes getting into bloody brawls with their fans, smashing equipment they couldn't afford to replace, reacquainting themselves with hard drugs and occasionally being locked up by the enraged fuzz - has served to obscure the fact that these free spirits play the shit out of their instruments and make brutally powerful music of uncommon distinction.
But this distorted (though hardly inaccurate) perception of the band will likely change with the release of The Feeding, a seething mass of avant metal, nightmare grindcore and moshpit rock that alternates between pummeling ferocity and passages of all-out grandeur. It's a stunning display of primally extreme music that's guaranteed to scare the hell out of your parents.
The album had its genesis during the limbo in which AHC found themselves after touring intensively behind their acclaimed 2001 debut, The War of Art, two years of prolonged exile from the road and ongoing internal tumult that found several band members in a virtual death match with their personal demons. Three guys in the band jumped into the chemical deep end and two of them went back to rehab, guitarist Bryan Ottoson ruefully recounts. "It got so bad I was nearly checked into a psychiatric unit for suicidal behavior."
Inevitably, their struggles begat rage, and that could've paralyzed them. But what sets Head Charge apart is an almost alchemical ability to transform their rage - at the world, each other and (perhaps most of all) themselves - into dark art. Hence, the worse their situation got, the more inspired they became, as singer Cock and bassist/guitarist Mr. Banks - now collaborating with Ottoson and keyboard manipulator Justin Fowler - stirred up a cauldron of new songs and brought them to seething life with drummer Christopher Emery. While the band's old label turned a deaf ear to their bold sonic forays, emerging producer Greg Fidelman, who'd engineered the Rick Rubin-produced first album, embraced the band's new material. The band managed to get out of their deal, and sign with Nitrus/DRT. "Rick Rubin was gracious enough to let us leave American Recordings without hassle. It could have been a litigious nightmare" adds Mr. Banks.
With Fidelman at the helm, Head Charge spent four months on the album, and it evidences an unlikely, previously dormant self-discipline. Tellingly, whereas the sprawling The War of Art ran well over an hour, as if they could barely control their wild-eyed impulses, The Feeding clocks in at a dense 41 minutes, the compression serving to intensify their fury. The opener and first single "Loyalty" sets the record's brutal tone, as Cock spews recriminations with frightful conviction while also revealing a scarred humanity in his natural voice, a captivating tenor that sounds like the troubled emanations of some fallen angel. "Dirty" would be an infectious, balls-out rocker were it not for Cock's Satanic howling, which transforms it into the soundtrack to an exorcism. "Walk Away" delivers a hyper-melodic, gloriously anthemic chorus, then proceeds to hack it to pieces in characteristically deranged fashion. Easy listening this ain't. And yet the closing "To Be Me" achieves something close to serenity, like the eerie calm after a thunderstorm - or a nuclear holocaust. "It's almost hopeful" Mr. Banks acknowledges, sounding like he can hardly believe it himself.
There's a line in "Walk Away" that perfectly encapsulates this tormented but inspired band: "We're dirty and hungry and bitter and tired and broke and bruised and battered," Cock shrieks in agony and defiance, adding, with all due irony, "so happy." Although Cock is the band's primary lyricist, it was Mr. Banks who came up with the words (he admits, quite unnecessarily, that he was in a bad state at the time). Mr. Banks recited the line his partner, who knew right away that it would drop right into the hole he was looking to fill in the song's crucial bridge section. "For a while," Mr. Banks says, "that's what we wanted to call the album - with no spaces between the words. It just says it all."
Also in the cosmic coincidence department is the filigreed, intertwined guitar figure that opens and closes the boldly provocative "Ridiculed," The Feeding's roiling centerpiece. The part is actually two guitars, and the parts were conjured up simultaneously by Ottoson and Cock - in two separate parts of the studio, out of hearing of each other. At the same moment, each of them entered the main room eager to play their new creations to the other band members and Fidelman. Only then did everyone realize that the two parts magically interlocked. Divine intervention. With this crew, that's highly unlikely - unless God has a truly twisted sense of humor (and with AHC there's plenty of circumstantial evidence to support that hypothesis).
Mr. Banks describes his band's dynamic as "a constant battle between Order and Chaos," and that's an apt description of the corrosive yet savagely beautiful sonic onslaught AHC delivers on The Feeding. In the end, Order prevails - if just barely - which is a good thing for American Head Charge and their ever-growing legion of fans. If Chaos had come out on top, this dangerously self-destructive but supremely talented band would've surely imploded, leaving nothing but wrecked gear, lost souls and mangled body parts. Instead, with all their limbs still attached and pulsing with the endorphins of catharsis, AHC will spend 2005 on the road - and this time, hopefully, not the road to perdition.
Bryan Ottoson passed away on April 19th, 2005 in his sleep on the band's tour bus while supporting Mudvayne. Many reports concluded it to be the result of an accidental prescription drug overdose. After being diagnosed with a severe case of strep throat, he was prescribed penicillin and an unknown pain killer. He, unknowingly, developed pneumonia and the strep throat got worse. He was found in his bunk after members of the band attempted to wake him before a performance.
Also, Christopher Emery was fired from American Head Charge onstage on the 11th of February 2006. So who is to say that Chaos isn't prevailing in the long run?
On April 3rd, 2007 American Head Charge will release a CD/DVD combo titled "Can't Stop The Machine". The DVD will feature a complete retrospective of the bands career from the early days signing to Rick Rubin's American recordings, interviews with all band member, performing live on Ozzfest 2001, worldwide tours with Slipknot, Mudvayne, Static-X, and more.
Also a look behind the scene at making both "The War of Art" and "The Feeding" Albums. It will also include all of the bands videos and a special tribute to late guitarist Bryan Daniel Ottoson. The CD will feature live recordings, remixes, and other unreleased material.
Unfortunately, due to lead singer Cameron Heacock's “inability to continue on a musical career path,” the band disbanded August 11th, 2009.
In June 2011 There were tweets on bassist Chad Hanks' twitter regarding American Head Charge reforming with a new drummer. Hanks also stated that there is a new Facebook page called American Head Charge (Official).
Reach and Touch
American Head Charge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've heard you talk about how
You bleed and it doesn't mean shit
Until I see some action a hint of
Rose and a mountain of garbage
Leaves me for dead and nothing drags me from
Breaking myself
Breaking myself to try to keep everyone
Smell the burning wreckage of even you
All of your perfection lets get inside
The bag turn it 180 degrees
Forget we even met cause it all comes
Down to this the good ones always
Leave in the end
Breaking myself
Breaking myself to try to keep everyone
From walking over me
I see the world and it all looks blue
I kiss the world and it all tastes true
The blurry eyes make me appealing
In a normal fashion another 2 or 3
You will become very friendly
Your liquidation is a siren song
You swim I follow I'm feeling my head sink
So as to reach and touch what hurts me
Still I try to reach and touch what hurts me
The lyrics of American Head Charge's song Reach and Touch depict a sense of emotional exhaustion and internal turmoil. The singer has seen things change from good to bad, from white to red. They have heard people talk about their problems and pain, but it doesn't mean much until they see some action. The singer feels like they are being used and taken advantage of, and they are constantly breaking themselves to try to please everyone around them. They feel dead inside, surrounded by garbage, and nothing seems to be able to pull them out of the darkness.
The chorus describes the singer's intense desire to connect with the world around them, even if it hurts. They see the world as blue and true, but their eyes are blurry and they are struggling to keep up. They are drawn to people who are liquidating themselves, and they feel like they are sinking with them. Despite the pain, the singer continues to try and reach out and touch what is hurting them, perhaps hoping to find some kind of release.
Overall, Reach and Touch is a song about feeling powerless in the face of inner turmoil and external pressures. The singer is struggling to keep up with the demands of the world around them and is constantly breaking themselves to try and keep everyone happy. They are searching for a way to connect with people but are wary of getting hurt in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen it turn from white to red
I've witnessed anger and frustration escalate to violence.
I've heard you talk about how
I've listened to you talk about your problems.
You bleed and it doesn't mean shit
You talk about your pain but don't take action to fix it.
Until I see some action a hint of
I need to see you take steps towards progress.
Rose and a mountain of garbage
Amidst chaos and unpleasantness.
Leaves me for dead and nothing drags me from
I feel overwhelmed and incapable of escaping this feeling.
Breaking myself
I'm putting myself under a lot of stress and pressure.
Breaking myself to try to keep everyone
I'm sacrificing my own well-being to please others.
From walking over me
To prevent others from taking advantage of me.
Smell the burning wreckage of even you
I can sense that you're struggling and not doing well either.
All of your perfection lets get inside
You appear perfect on the outside but there is something more going on beneath the surface.
The bag turn it 180 degrees
Let's completely reverse the situation.
Forget we even met cause it all comes
Maybe it's best if we just forget about each other entirely.
Down to this the good ones always
Ultimately, even the best people have their flaws and will disappoint us.
Leave in the end
They will eventually leave us behind.
I see the world and it all looks blue
I perceive the world as being melancholic and depressing.
I kiss the world and it all tastes true
When I embrace the world, I find truth and meaning in it.
The blurry eyes make me appealing
My blurred vision makes me appear more attractive to others.
In a normal fashion another 2 or 3
Typically, I would have a few more experiences like this.
You will become very friendly
We will become very close.
Your liquidation is a siren song
Your destruction is like a seductive call to me.
You swim I follow I'm feeling my head sink
I'm getting myself into trouble by following your lead.
So as to reach and touch what hurts me
I'm drawn to pain and heartache, and try to confront it head on.
Still I try to reach and touch what hurts me
Despite the difficulties, I'm still making an effort to face my emotional issues.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
River Sutcliffe
Listen to this album for years & it never gets old. One of the best!
ETB
you said it best.
Apex Mind
When I saw them at First Ave in Minnesota they hung pig heads from the celing and threw them into the crowd after the show (laughing) They are the most DYNAMIC band I have EVER seen live. Unique energy. Once-in-a-life-time bro.
_BioKnowledge_
Yeah dude! Greetings from México!
Johannes Haro Ant
Acción, reacción 👊🔥💀 Reach and touch
s2thep
That fucking intro riff!
Luciano Puentes
💖