Track Listing

1. Hello Morning
2. Assassins
3. Dracula Mountain
4. Two Towers
5. On Fire
6. Crown Of Storms
7. Longstockings
8. Wonderful Rainbow
9. 30000 Monkeys
10. Duel In The Deep

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11116 in Music
• Released on: 2003-04-14
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

the reason why i may be deaf in a while...
Lightning bolt's 'wonderful rainbow' is actually the first Lightning bolt album I have had the 'pleasure' of experiencing. it might be the last, then again it won't. you see, this is the "problem" with the music of lightning bolt...it's so contradictory, its drum'n'bass that you can't dance to, its accessible and incomprehensible, destructive and creative, offensive yet intelligent yet stupid. This is actually the beauty of lightning bolt record, and therefore is not a problem in the first place! It hurts your brain even when you are not listening to the music.

I haven't actually got the grounding in 'noise-rock' that others might have, so to me this sounds like every death metal band ever has killed their lead singer and has disappeared off to watch 65 days of static and Mogwai taking on Montreal based experimental group Hangedup in a no holds barred ultimate wrestling tournament while Sunn 0))) provide a sludge ridden commentary. occasionally sonic youth will throw in a crowbar for one of the contestants to use. meanwhile a fight has broken out between Primal screams 'Acclrtr' and 'nursery Thyme' by UNKLE in the crowd sparking a riot. in other words everyone's in a lot of pain and having a wonderful time. oh...and its all on fast forward.

'Wonderful rainbow' drifts between headache-inducing thumps of bass ('assassins') to neck snapping riffs (Dracula mountain). Along the way there are elements of 'post- rock' (the first parts of Longstockings as well as the title track), drum n bass and punk (nearly every track), prog (don't cringe... it still sounds violent on 30000 monkeys) and a strain particularly essential to lightning bolt...absolute insanity. all this is pulled off with surprising technical capability, which may explain why lyrics are not so present. when they do turn up they don't appear to fit in with the rest of the album often appearing like very warped, but sing-songy sounds, with virtually no tune, and nursery rhyme-esque playground bully melodies where present. This is perfectly obvious- lightning bolt are mocking the need for tunes and melodies in other bands styles. Besides both the bass work and especially the drumming is amazingly good, and any muscicians in these two fields cannot afford to let this slip by.

This album is a little too painful to be given 5 stars, and could hve done with a few more riffs, but who needs them when you have sheer noise and skill on your side? besides i think my tinnitus is just going away enough for me to give it another listen....

Not for the faint hearted
One way to describe this band would be an assault on your senses, a pair of guys just going at it on their respective instruments, a drummer flailing away like a madman, and bass playing that at first listen seems fairly simple bashing away, but listening again reveals layers of different parts all played as one part on the one (rather unique admittedly) instrument. two incredibly talented musicians going at it and doing their thing.
The thing I love about this band is that in the whirlwind of a song you can pick out a groove and beat to itjust lifting it up from pure noise to something much more incredible, somehow a noise that is left floating around your head.
Dracula Mountain to pick a song starts off with a drummbeat and garbled vocal before the bass launches in, in ways repetitive yet with somethign in the background that keeps you listening, launching through parts you could only really describe as a bass solo before launching back into the rhythm and song again
Trying to describe other songs really sounds the same, huge riffs and manic playing interspersed with odd parts and garbled vocals, yet every song seems to sound similar yet different, Crown of storms opening with some fast tapping on the bass, which morphs into a jumpy rhythm (all on the one instrument)
The title track Wonderful rainbow is one that does stand out as something different, a slower bass melody (if you could call it that) building and flowing for a few minutes of relative calm before the calm is torn up again by the start of 30,000 Monkies
The final track deserves a mention as something different, reminding me almost of something like the backing to a noise solo from someone like Dinosaur jr, stripped down to a drumbeat and a bass just being screwed with

Something different, in many ways an assault on your ears, but in others refined with a hidden groove to it.

While this is a review of the cd/band, something must be said about them live, a huge volume level coupled with the groove and sound of LIghtning Bolt and the fact they are setup in the middle of the floor playing right amongst you makes for a truely awesome experience, definately recommended if you get the chance.

Lightning Band
Sounds like nothing else. One drummer who plays like there's no tomorrow (he also has a mic jammed in his mouth so he can shout through a distortion effect) and a bassist who uses uses many effects pedals in order to make his instrument sound like a million and one things. As much as this recording is fantastic, I urge anyone who enjoys it to see them live, as i believe this is the only way one can understand them. They never play stages, only on ground-level, and there are no barriers between them and the audience. A fantastic experience.