The Twenty Second Sect

I first discovered the Twenty Second Sect via Sympathy for the Record Industry and their release of the band’s Get That Charge 7 song mini-LP. (Thanks, John!)

As soon as I put the needle down and “I’ll Be Your Navigator” literally came screaming out of my stereo, I knew that I’d love this group! Ultra-high-energy, female-fronted Aussie rock, at a time when Aussies were some of the rockin’-est rockers around! (Kind of like Sweden is now!).

The guitars are monsterous, the rhythm section blasts away, and singer Liz Dealey sounds positively viscous and totally pissed off! Amazing stuff!

“I Never Said” cuts back the franticness slightly, but then “Beach Rock” is completely insane, with its non-stop, machine-gun snare rolls! But despite the nearly untamed ferocity, these are actual songs – and damn good ones, too!

One of my fave bands at this time (mid-to-late 80’s) was Sweden’s Union Carbide Productions, also due to their wildness. Well, the Sect pulls out one of UCP’s heavier cuts, “Ring My Bell”, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the disco song of the same name (thankfully)! I didn’t think that anyone could match UCP, but the TSS do a fine job acting as crazy as the Swedes! I don’t think that it is possible to be any closer to the edge without falling off!

Working with dynamics a bit more on “Pull the Trigger”, they move from slower and quieter to shrieking – both guitars and vocals – as Liz sings (as best I can tell) about unrequited love that goes very wrong. “Hell” (possibly due to the actions in the previous song?) has a minimalistic beat on the verses that again becomes more intense on the choruses.

This record closes with the title track, which is absolutely unrelenting – this band must have been out of control live!

Sympathy also put out a 4 song 7” that is just as great! “UXB” is more high-energy, “Gimme Control” smolders along and seems more like a plead to lose control, “I’m a Man” is a wacked-out version of the Spencer Davis tune and “Hey Baby” is again slightly slower, but still intense with noisy guitars and the repeated “I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you” line that sticks in your head!

The released another album on Greasy Pop Records in Australia that I have never found, but I would say that if you love out-of-control r’n’r, then search out this band! You won’t be sorry!

There's a good interview with the band done for Noise For Heroes in 1990 here.