RIP (6/96, p.12) - 3 (out of 5) - "...Though not wholly original, Ammonia doesn't blatantly rip off anyone. It's just honest, hook-heavy rock pop with a happy little groove..."
On their Epic debut album Mint 400, the Australian trio
called Ammonia reveal themselves as a singularly powerful combo combining an unrelenting,
multi- hued sonic intensity, an appealing, hook-laden melodic might and a distinctive
songwriting voice. The resulting 12-song album--produced by Kevin "Caveman"
Shirley who performed the same function on Epic labelmates silverchair's smash debut
Frogstomp--has already made Ammonia a sensation in its homeland, and it's not hard
to see why.
From the urgent opening strains of "Ken Carter," through the infectiously
anthemic "Drugs," the moody epics "Face Down" and "Little
Death," to the effortlessly catchy punk-pop of "Suzi-Q" and "Z-Man,"
Mint 400 (which takes its title from an auto race described in Hunter S. Thompson's
legendary Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas), consistently lives up to the copious acclaim
the band has received in its homeland since the album's late-1995 Australian release.
Based in Perth, the world's most isolated city, Ammonia's history stretches back
to 1992, when guitarist/vocalist Dave Johnstone and drummer Allan Balmont first began
playing under the name Fuzzswirl. They went through a variety of band names and bassists
until Simon Hensworth joined in early 1993. It was then that the trio rechristened
itself Ammonia and began gigging relent- lessly, developing a strong hometown following
while honing its ever-increasing catalogue of original compositions. Meanwhile, word
of mouth began to spread quickly, thanks to the band's growing reputation as a live
act as well as a self- released cassette distributed through independent record stores.
In February 1994, Ammonia finally ventured eastward to play in the more cosmopolitan
metropolis of Sydney, where they recorded a live session for the influential alternative
radio network, Triple J. A track from that session, "Orange Juice," received
heavy airplay, and it wasn't long before the record companies began taking notice.
That summe r, Ammonia became the first band to sign with the newly-formed murmur
label, which would soon also become the home of silverchair.
October 1994 brought forth Ammonia's official debut release, the EP In A Box. It
was an immediate success in the band's hometown, and made significant inroads on
the national scene. A second EP, Sleepwalking, followed in March 1995, consolidating
the band's fan base while receiving significant mainstream radio airplay. That summer,
the band juggled live work with the sessions for Mint 400, which features ten new
originals along with newly-recorded versions of "In A Box" and "Sleepwalking."
Mint 400 was an immediate hit in Australia, jumping into the national charts at Number
15. When released as the album's first single, the instantly memorable "Drugs"--written
in perhaps five minutes during an informal jam session-- emerged as an instant smash,
despite certain stations' refusal to play the song due to its title.
"There isn't really that much of a message," says Johnstone modestly. "'Drugs'
is about apathy towards drugs. 'In A Box' is about living your life...in a box. Being
in Perth is feeling closed, not being able to see the world. 'Sleepwalk- ing''s about
sleep, death. 'Ken Carter''s about being trapped in a relationship. 'Mint 400''s
about selling out. 'Face Down''s about drowning."
In Australia, Mint 400 was as big a hit with critics as it was with audiences. One
magazine described it as"a debut album of staggering proportions, boding well
for huge national and international success...This is a band with color and shade,
riddled with musical mood changes and topped with a powerful command over the all-important
area of melody." Another reviewer called Ammonia's music "a racket that
is youthful, cocky and played with passion that serves as a constant reminder why
you continue to look for new artists to feed some fire within." Still another
praised the album's "big guitar sounds and dramatic key changes" an d concluded
"It is no wonder they've been cited as the Next Big Thing."
With Mint 400 now available in the U.S., American listeners can now hear what all
the fuss is about. They're not likely to be disappointed.
An alternative rock band from Australia, Ammonia has made a name for themselves producing post-Nirvana songs including "Face Down" and "Little Death." The band consists of Dave Johnstone as guitarist and vocalist, Allan Balmont on the drums and Simon Hensworth on bass. Although the band is popular in Australia and among some alternative rock fans in the United States, their sound is not definable among the other alternative rock groups. The group's album Mint 400, contains 12 songs which will bring the band much success with the hits "Suzi-Q," "Drugs" and "Ken Carter."
The group began in 1992 with Dave Johnstone and Allan Balmont. The guitarist and
drummer were then performing under the name Fuzzswirl. It wasn't until 1993 when
bassist Simon Hensworth joined the group that the name was changed to Ammonia. The
band's success was due mostly to its
hometown style of recording and word of mouth. The trio released a cassette of recordings
and
became a well-known band in Perth. Trying to further the band's notoriety and success,
Ammonia
began touring in 1994 to larger cities in Australia such as Sydney. Their song "Orange
Juice" received great attention in Sydney and in the summer of 1994 Ammonia
received a recording contract with the Murmur label. The group's first album, In
A Box, received rave reviews. Sleepwalking, the band's second album, was released
in 1995.
Ammonia receives its musical inspiration from everyday experiences like most bands.
The group's
song "Drugs" is about apathy toward drugs and its title song "In
A Box" is about living a sheltered
life. The group came up with this hit living and performing in Perth and trying to
further their career
with gigs and performances outside of Perth. Mint 400, the group's third release,
is about selling out. The album received its title from an auto race described in
the book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
The album has been released both in Australia and the United States. Audiences applauded
the
group because of their musical style, adapting different sounds depending on the
mood and
messages of their songs. Mint 400 was number 15 on the Australian music charts.
Despite the 300-400 other alternative post-Nirvana bands that exist, Ammonia has
managed to
develop a style of its own. Their songs demonstrate a passion that does not exist
in most alternative
rock bands. The band continues to release original work while recording some of audiences
favorites.
Mint 400 includes ten original songs along with remakes of "In A Box"
and "Sleepwalking." Ammonia's success continues to increase because of
the demand for passionate loud bands.
~ Kim Summers,
All-Music Guide
