Zero Tolerance Reviews

Bluesmatters! October 2004 www.bluesmatters.com

UK - KILLING FLOOR: Zero Tolerance Appaloosa AP144-2. Y'know, it feels good to type that title - a brand new Killing Floor album! Ye Gods, who would have thought that in 2004 we would again be treated to the rasping vocal and sharply played harp of Bill Thorndycraft and the electric (in the best sense of the word) guitar of Mick Clarke; also the driving keys of Lou Martin (in the interim with Rory G of course) plus the bass of Mac McDonald. Drums on this set are either by Bazz Smith or Chris Sharley. I have had this set for a while pending a release date and I couldn't help but wonder - how is it they sound as angry and energetic as on the Sixties first Killing Floor, made at the time when they were touring with the likes of Freddie King? For the answers see a future interview I did this week with Bill but for the moment take my word that everything you may have liked about the original band is present and correct BUT on a bunch of either new or not previously recorded songs. Bill's song contributions reflect his concerns for humanity and The World whilst axemaster Clarke can be relied upon to produce a never ending stream of mean riffs and storming solo's, backing off to let the sly piano runs dance through the songs as the bassheavy rhythm stalks the numbers. 'Calm Down' is a great example of the playful and it must be said totally intuitive interplay this band always had and clearly have not lost. Younger listeners who caught on to the Blues via latterday Feelgood will find the Lee Brilleaux attitude carried on with style here. In a lot of ways the Dr F sound was presaged by Killing Floor and their contemporaries Steamhammer. So this set picks up the threads and the likes of blitzkrieg opener 'Burnout' and the easyrollin' 'Strange Love' will delight original fans and satisfy those new to Killing Floor. I have no doubt that any live performance will leave no audience member unconverted and for Mick Clarke fans this CD is further and quite unnecessary proof that his fame does not match up to his prowess. In short, a comeback you wouldn't want to throw back - just savour the bitterness in the delivery of 'Zero Tolerance' the title track, with it's slide guitar sneering across the break�..Pete Sargeant



Amazon customer review by John Yates from London www.amazon.co.uk

Improving with age
Amazingly this historic and under rated blues/rock band have come together again with basically the same line up as before. Ten new tracks of varying tempo plus a couple of blues standards make for a wonderful listening experience. They are playing for the love of their music and it comes over as one of the freshest blues rock albums for some time. With raw and raunchy vocals and mouth organ from Bill Thorndycroft and simply stunning guitar work by Mick Clarke the tracks re trace the historic roots of blues by commenting on the angst of our time from happy pills to oil wars. A great come back and worthy of many of the best bands around. JY



Bobtjeblues www.bobtjeblues.com

Mick Clarke and Lou Martin I knew, but I could only guess at who Killing Floor were. After doing some research I learned that both men were the founders and that they stirred things up with a few others in the late sixties and early seventies. 32 years later Killing Floor emerges again with the album Zero Tolerance. After listening to it for the first time I thought: this can't be, it can't be this good. Yet several listening turns show that it only gets better. What they bring here, together with their soul mates of old, is simply phenomenal. The enthusiasm and passion just drips, nay, streams off it.

Everything's just right: from the greasy guitar sound of Mick Clarke to the singing and harmonica play of Bill Thorndycraft, not to mention the keyboards and fantastic rhythm sections. This is the most agitating blues-rock man can find. The band wrote twelve songs themselves and brings only two covers: 'Strange Love' by Slim Harpo and 'Bring It on Home' by Willie Dixon. The rhythm and style changes are countless, but it always rocks and swings your socks off.

If there's an album lately that really blew me away, it has to be 'Zero Tolerance' by Killing Floor. Listen to any track and get pulled into the wall of sound that these gentlemen bring. During 'Bring It on Home' Bill Thorndycraft yells: "make that guitar smoke". There's no other way to put it, cause this is exactly what this cd does: "making that guitar smoke"!!!
Reviewer: Philippe Warlop

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