Back in May I got a taste of what could be expected from Seattle Garage-Grunge powerhouse Fox and The Law with their single “Feel So Blue.”  A single track filled with slight nuances and catchy hooks, the single left me anxiously awaiting Scarlet Fever.

Well the wait is over, and though it sounds strange to say out of context, I’m pumped that we have Scarlet Fever.

Standing upon the now empty foundation poured by Jack White, Guy Keltner, Ryan Granger, Dan O’Neil and Patrick Dougherty have built a cathedral of rock. Their ominous structure of swaying beats and heavy fisted riffs is held together by a mesh of post grunge/distortion controlled chaos. Fitting for the region and sound they convey so well.

Scarlet Fever is eleven tracks of Fox and The Law literally laying it all on the line. Having played together extensively up to the release of their debut, the Emerald City four recorded the entire album over the course of one week, a few tracks done in one take. While this speaks volumes to the comfort the four have with each other, it pains me to say, it came through in the album. Engineer and Producer Martin Feveyear did a great job of reeling in the loose ends, but a few tracks feel rushed and overly chaotic (“Stop Fakin” and “Pigeon Toed”). This in no way speaks to the album in its entirety, but they certainly stand out. The lead tracks (“Unbelievable,” “Treat Me Right” and the previously released “Feel So Blue”) hand deliver more than I could have hoped for. The distorted raunchy rock feeds your inner hunger for some face melting, raw rock. Though dipping in the middle few songs, Scarlet Fever promptly picks itself back up with “Something Bad” before thrusting you out of your seat with “Lemon Peel.” The shredding guitar wraps itself around the hypnotic chaotic rock to really get your pulse pounding.

Considering the mid-album lull, which is hugely overshadowed by the other weight carrying tracks, Fox and the Law is proof positive that Seattle is still the epicenter of ground shaking rock. Sorry New York and L.A. the Pacific Northwest is the holy land for true rock and the second coming is here with Fox and the Law carrying the flag. Set up by the appetizing “Feel So Blue” we tasted months ago, Scarlet Fever is a perfect main course for garage rock/grunge fanatics everywhere.