A.P.F. - Gold Lead Iron




A.P.F. is made up of brothers Joshua and Jon Moser, on guitars/vocals and drums respectively, and Josh Seibert, bass guitar, and these guys don't mess around. Ballsy, filthy, full of attitude and mature like the trio has been around for decades already. What I mean is A.P.F. belie their age that few, almost no bands this early in their career can touch upon. Apart from musical prowess bar none, the guys are absolutely fearless which is extremely telling in all the songs on ‘Gold Lead Iron’. Doubt they know what restraint means and that’s how all bands should be. I might sound like a sappy old oaf but man, what the band creates makes me scream “hallelujah, holy shit pour me another drink!” while thrashing around my place with no abandon. Yes, this album is that great, you hear!

Relentlessly, ‘Hold Me Down’ catapults ‘Gold Lead Iron’ into the stratosphere from the word go with it’s finger-picking sounding electric guitar, machine-gun toting drumming and trance inducing thumping bass guitar. The verses builds up only to explode in the choruses, where A.P.F. goes full tilt with their electrifying, brimstone smelling Louisiana blues. ‘The Bends’ is slower – for the most parts – and more jam inspired, well until the choruses, that is. Heavily pounding drums allows the band to go all out, only to revert to a suggestive stance with Joshua crooning amazingly. ‘Wanna Be Your Man’ is suggestive, dangerous and sexy and then some! Again, Joshua is crooning and seductive as he is trying to get his woman. The rhythm section is pulsating as our protagonist is getting closer and closer to his target. It’s back to real delta blues from the heartland of the swamps in Louisiana in ‘Mornin’ Time’. Down and out and caught in a rat race looking for an option to cope. Badass, indeed!

Oh yeah, gritty, dirty and mean, ‘Don’t Give A Damn’ tells the story of Jesco White, the dancing outlaw from West Virginia. Slow, meandering and ready to strike, the song is just as crazy as the man himself. Starting off like a bluesy, led-heavy version of Rush’s ‘Workin’ Man’, ‘Sidewalk Playa’ is a monster in disguise. Weaving in and out between tempos, there’s a constant sinister vibe lurking in the background. The last proper song on the album is ‘Ol’Red Top’. A mixture of delta blues, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan emanates from the speakers as A.P.F. are out for the kill. Around the 4-minute mark, everything goes quiet. Don’t fret though, let the disc spin cause you’re in for a treat.

Why on Earth A.P.F. from western Maryland are still unsigned is beyond me. They had me hook, line and sinker when their amazing debut, 'Devil's Son', was released at the tail end of 2012. And now, their sophomore wax is out and it's even better than its predecessor. Still, this trio has to do things DIY which is a damn shame cause the band's mix of delta blues and rock is second to none! It needs to be out there so the band can show the masses what great music really sounds like.

- Swedebeast


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