SHIHAD
Massive Magazine, 1999
By Suzan Ryan

         "It does sound awesome, eh?" smiles singer and guitarist Jon Toogood. "When we were mixing it, I couldn't tell whether it was good or not, but now I'm thrashing it, going 'awesome!' It's so good that at times I find it unbelievable that it's us, basically."
         No one else does. Not after almost 10 years of touring the world and supporting such bands as Faith No More and Rage Against The Machine, and kudos from musicians such as Iggy Pop and Ministry's Paul Barker (who labeled their album 'Killjoy' number one on his Desert Island mix tape). The Garth (Rage Against The Machine) Richardson-produced album has managed what few albums can: to bridge the gap between lounge room and live show, translating the kind of urgency and power previously only available at gigs into your speakers. The songs are tight, sharp and original with the Shihad blend of excellent musicianship and passion for producing original rock music. Toogood agrees: "We're unashamedly rock. I've got no religion apart from music, that's my way of flipping out of reality. I love being on stage and I love having my guitar cranking at a million decibels. It actually fires my spirit up. Why be ashamed of that?"
          "The General Electric" is available now.