Its 11:39 on a Thursday night and I’m listening to Fu Manchu’s SIGNS OF INFINITE POWER. I wrote the title in caps to emphasize the power. Is that even funny? I can’t even tell anymore. Fu Manchu always opted for a fuzzy, distorted, big-dumb–rock sensibility. And while they name check Blue Oyster Cult, it seems like they base their style only on one of BOC’s songs: “Godzilla,” probably one of the biggest in big-dumb-rock riffs.
Another group name checked constantly is the hardcore band Black Flag, but Fu Manchu play at a slower Nugent-esque tempo than Flag did in their later days. And Fu Manchu are ten times better at it than Black Flag ever was. In fact, Fu Manchu started out as a hardcore band called Virulence, but they weren’t any good until they changed their name and slowed down. Black Flag, on the other hand, slowed down and were pretty cool, but then sped up to that 70’s rock thing (which the Fu do so well) and strangely began to suck. Maybe the Flag would have had better luck if they'd changed their name when they changed their sound. Still, what is Fu Manchu going on about this time?
On this album, FM (as I shall hereby abbreviate them to) tuned down to the key of their first album. This is good, although I miss the fuzzy guitars from their subsequent albums. The cover is a grid of a UFO crossing the sky while an eclipse occurs. Possibly the UFO is flying towards it. I’d prefer the latter. Perhaps the vehicle is the “Sign of infinite power” that FM is trying to tell us about.
The inside CD sleeve isn’t much help. The back of the booklet shows a faint orange oval on a peach-brown background. The eclipse has happened. Then on the back cover, under the cd holder, is our extraterrestrial friend the UFO, above what looks like volume bars in that same orange brown grid-work. Perhaps those are walls, and they are traveling home. On the inside are photos of the band member rocking out. No clues from the band photos.
Let’s see if the song titles help any. Everything song title in the book is written in faded, cheaply scanned green lettering against a hideous blackish-green background. So far I’ve heard “Bionic Astronaut,” “Steel Beast Defeated,” Against the Ground,” the strangely titled (even for them) “Webfoot Witch Hat,” “El Busta,” (my Spanish dictionary only had El Busto, meaning a man’s chest. I’m assuming that by changing the end to the feminine “a” they are referring to a woman’s rack. Bravo, sirs. Especially if that word doesn’t actually exist in Spanish); “and now we arrive at “Signs of Infinite Power.” Throughout which singer Scott Hill keeps repeating “It’s a sign…it’s a sign...it’s a sign...of INFINITE POWER!” like some street corner prophet you always tell yourself you’ll stay and listen to on the way to the bar.When you pass by him, he tries to catch your eye; thinking he’s found another convert. You, instead, look at the time on your cell phone (or whatever visual excuse we make in this century to avoid communication, let alone eye contact with those around us) and quickly fade into the crowd of pedestrians striding toward whatever important destination they've made up in their minds.
Now Hill and band are talking about Gargantuans marching. Fair enough. As I turn the back cover on its side, I notice the UFO, in front t of a sun-like planet, looks strangely like the Eye of God pyramid on US currency. So there is a reason to what looks like a rush job CD cover! Scott Hill, you aren’t just preaching alone in the wilderness. Your echoing voice has carried this far over the rocks, weeds, and dried out plains. SIGNS OF INFINITE POWER, indeed, sir.I don’t exactly get it, but you seem to be a man with a plan. I will preach the word of Fu Manchu in every dale and grotto for here on out. Forever and ever, or until the band changes their sound. Amen.
