The Chimpz ~Battle of the Bands ~ Oct 16th 2008 "The Knitting Factory " Hollywood"

By Maya Dawn Henderson~

Metal continues inching closer and closer to black music, and whereas the first few instances of hard-rock/metal and hip-hop almost twenty years ago were deliberate experiments in crossover, now we barely give the melding a second thought. Be it from Korn or Method Man, kids will take jolting, jacked-up beats in any form.

The Chimpz, a band from Los Angeles, will make you rethink this concept all over again. They’re a metal band, basically, yet they make music that admirably scrambles the switch-box between hip-hop and rock in a way that doesn’t insult either genre. The Chimpz are armed with a few things that set them apart from the rest of the regular hip hop or metal crowds. The band seems very intent on making good music, rather than on riding the latest wave. Live, the band plays their hip-hop- stained rock songs with the full force of their own conviction. The Chimpz are; Art Rivera, lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Chukky Preston on the mic, Henry Atkets, lead guitar, Thomas “Cuzzit” Nave on bass, and the dreaded Sean Topham on the drums.

At the Knitting Factory’s recent “Battle of the Bands,” the music's diverse complexity didn't faze its small but local audience; about twenty people were up front for the entirety of the show, leaping like salmon toward vocalist, Art. They mimicked his style, which tipped back and forth between a hard-bitten metal shouts and fluid rapping. The Chimpz, clear spiritual successors to Rage’s progressive hip hop, have really come into their own sound and style.

They played a few new songs, including ‘Walk The Line’, a guitar-solo filled and adrenaline fueled power smash of riffs and rhythms, shifting tempos and grooving ferocity. Another new tune followed called ‘Walk Away’. This song had a poppy edge and a menacing funk beat that showcased drummer Topham at his stoned best. This is the kind of track that is indicative of Chimpz’ range. In a typical Chimpz song, there's a short riff introduction with a 4/4 beat, but suddenly things change: the guitarist might start a new zigzagging riff in a longer meter, which drummer Sean Topham imitates with his bass drum while keeping the first rhythm steady. There might be a barreling stomp at the heart of the song, then an articulate, fast-moving guitar solo; changes of key and tempo, and then they’ll end it on a cushioned rock guitar chord.

Next up was ‘Watch Out’, which featured a great rap riff by Chukky. I like Chukky. I like his layered, jazzy beats, his knack for finding the perfect rhymes and working them into perfect beats, his ability to realize hip hop's potential to this band. Most of all, I like him because he's good at what he does. He takes the mic on just about every song, and proves himself to be as good as Dr. Dre, or J Dilla. In other words, he doesn't give Ghostface or Lil' Wayne a run for their money, but he holds his own. They went on to play ‘Stand Up’. This is more of the band’s signature rap-rock. They tend to borrow heavily from Kidd Rock at times, but their approach is more raw, making them stand out. Another new song played was ‘Home Invasion’. Cuzzit has never sounded better. His bass melds perfectly with Atkets’s guitar and Topham’s bombastic percussion. Art is important, but this is a song that harnesses all of the band’s many strengths

They played ‘Suicidal’ from their first album, while their Gorilla-costumed-mascot did ‘the monkey’ through the crowd and passing out CD’s. Art easily raps and screeches like the metal singer he is, yet still infuses punk attitude and elements. They closed up their set with yet another new tune, ‘Blow’. This is a party track with great energy. Chukky raps in his typical fast manner. It’s a must listen. It’s not often that listening to a band can truly cause your jaw to drop faster than as though it were made of lead ~ but it does happen sometimes and this kinetic Southern California hip-hop metal act with a long-standing friendship, has definitely got that jaw dropping magic.
You don't know whether chimps are going to kill you or kiss you. They're very open on some levels and much more evil in a certain way.”
~ Tim Burton

By Maya Dawn Henderson~

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