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Die Pigeon Die - Ripped from V to A
(No Escape Records)
Hymen Holocaust – Hymen Holocaust (No
Escape Records) reviews by Sam Thomas |
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Two little grind offerings landed in my lap recently, courtesy
of Australian label, No Escape Records. Die Pigeon Die (what a
great band name – full marks for the thought) have produced
the snappily-titled “Ripped from V to A” which clocks in at
seventeen minutes for eleven tracks. I’ve already mentioned
the word grind so you know where this one’s heading. Yes, it’s
another of those forays that guys make into the world of
having a great time pissing around in a studio with lots of
disgusting noises, throwing in a few medical conditions as
track titles. “Unexpected Episiotomy” is probably the best
title, unfortunately there are no (printed) lyrics so this
could be the best example of songwriting ever to grace my
ears, but I’ll never know. Then again, maybe not. There are
the usual samples, screams, grunts and evidence (as normal)
that these guys can really play their instruments. I wouldn’t
be surprised to discover that they are all members of other
bands in a more mainstream genre, nor indeed that it’s one
guy’s solo project.
Which brings me neatly on to the second offering, the
self-titled “Hymen Holocaust”, which is credited as being the
work of Morris Cliteater. This has the added bonuses of being
three minutes longer, and having printed lyrics, which had me
absolutely pissing myself. As an example, my favourite track,
“Shaven … Not Furred” is a cautionary tale of a gentleman |
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who was led into necrophilia by his girlfriend’s unwillingness
to comply with his desire for a less hirsute experience.
Obviously, all seven tracks are of a similarly offensive
nature, but with a strong sense of humour running through
them. Which, to me, is the whole point of grindgore. And
that’s why “Ripped from V to A” loses out, because it could
have the funniest lyrics in the world, but I’ll never know.
www.myspace.com/noescaperec |
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Foxy Shazam - Introducing (Ferret/New
Weathermen Records) Review by Steve Green |
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Were I twenty years younger, I'm sure I'd be raving about this
one. Introducing, is an upbeat party album, it's feel-good
music for the latest generation of music worshippers, the
post-hardcore brigade, except that all of the bands ideas are
nicked from the 70s and I've heard it all before. For any
younger readers, I'll compare Foxy Shazam to The Darkness,
albeit a band trying too hard to sound like Justin Hawkins and
co... For those in their 40s (or above), here's my real take
on their sound. First band that comes to mind is Queen, mainly
for the piano parts: circa Seven Seas of Rhye. Next up is the
quirkiness of Sparks and the pop-rock formula of Cheap Trick,
except that this isn't a patch on either band. For |
the next slice of off-the-wall behaviour, I'd throw in a bit
of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and even a bit of the
Rocky Horror Picture Show, especially on A Black Man's
Breakfast. Finishing things off, I'd mix up a smidgeon of
Sweet and a dollop of Al Green. A heady mixture of talented
comparisons I'm sure you'll agree.
At the end of the day, this album is a bit of light hearted
fun, even if it is a complete rip off of half of the 70s.
Accept this album for what it is, and enjoy.
www.myspace.com/foxyshazam |
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Gang Green -You Got It Re-issue
(Metal Mind) Review by Metal Mark |
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Boston's Gang Green had been around for a while by 1987 and
they had established themselves as a highly charged up punk
rock band. However, by this time a number of punk rock bands
were starting to add a more metal sound to their music. The
metal parts are more slight here than bands like DRI and
Suicidal Tendencies who embraced the metal or crossover sound
more openly. Gang Green maintain much of the full throttle
punch that made them such an enjoyable band to listen to. In
those days when I was in high school there was a metal crowd
and a punk crowd and at first it was hard for me to accept a
band that was perceived as a "punk band". Largely because I
started out on metal and was just |
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so centered on those style bands, but the quick realization
was that there wasn't a lot of difference between some forms
like speed metal and hardcore. Both were fast, heavy guitar
oriented music that pounded away with normally aggressive
vocals. That's largely what you get on this album, although I
actually prefer their previous LP "Another Wasted Night" and
it's probably the best album of their career. Unlike a number
of their peers whose lyrics were oftentimes very serious and
centered on political and social topics, Gang Green focused
more on skating, beer and at times, tongue in cheek views of
of various odd topics. Yet they pulled it off because they
blazed forward without hesitation pulling the listener along
with them. This is still an enjoyable album today twenty plus
years after it's initial release. Metal Mind's re-issue
features a booklet with a history of the band. |
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Gorgoroth - Re-issues (Regain
Records) By: Dave Schalek |
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An
interesting turn in developments has occurred regarding the
break-up of Gorgoroth. On December 13, 2007, Regain Records
issued a statement regarding the label’s choice to support the
sole remaining founding member of the band, guitarist Infernus,
as the owner to the rights of the name Gorgoroth and logo,
rather than support Gaahl and King Ov Hell in their endeavor
to secure the rights to the name and logo.
On December 20, Gaahl and King Ov Hell issued a statement that
claims that the Norwegian patent office has granted them the
rights to the band name and logo. Regain Records has yet to
officially respond.
But, in some ways, the label has already done so. The next
chapter in this continuing soap opera is Regain Records’
decision to re-issue the three pre- Gaahl/ King Ov Hell
full-lengths from the Infernus-fronted Gorgoroth. Those
albums, of course, would be “Pentagram”, “Antichrist”, and
“Under The Sign Of Hell”, and are, supposedly, remastered for
these re-issues (maybe a slightly fuller sound, but I may be
fooling myself). In addition, the label has re-issued “The
Last Tormentor” live EP, now simply entitled “Live Bergen
1996”, and has made all of these albums available at eMusic,
as well. Unfortunately, there are no extras to be had on the
full-lengths except for posters of each album’s cover art
included with each CD.
Gorgoroth certainly needs no introduction to any person
claiming to be into black metal, and I won’t dwell on
critiquing classics that have been around for more than 10
years. However, if you never had a chance to track down any of
these classics before, you’ve now run out of excuses. What the
Hell are you waiting for?!
The break-up of the band, to me, is just another aspect of
Gorgoroth’s “extracurricular activities”, which are often
highly amusing and entertaining. It will be interesting to see
who actually shows up on stage as Gorgoroth during 2008’s
Wacken. Could a tour of the U.S. |
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ever be in the cards?
www.regainrecords.com |
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Ground of Ruin – Promo 2007 (Self
Financed) Review by Chris Davison |
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Ah, a short CD. Sometimes it's just what the doctor ordered –
if you're going to send a demo, a couple of good songs on
their own can often make much more of an impact on their own
than with half a dozen other shit ones. I reviewed these boys
a little while ago, and I was moderately impressed with their
dirty, messy take on thrash metal, and if memory serves me
correct, wondered what they would sound like if they have a
decent production.
Well, it might not be Andy Sneap at the helm, but this is a
quantum leap in terms of sound |
quality, being a much crisper and tighter sound this time
around. Vicious sharp riffs come at the listener without
warning, and the drum sound in particular is impressive,
underpinning thrashy death metal that sounds more than ever
like the much-missed The Enchanted, particularly in terms of
the flashy guitar work. Here again the vocals have been
tightened up, being much more clear than before, and the mix
just about perfect in terms of clarity and power.
Two songs, as I have said, is perfect for this – a showcase
for the songwriting talent in the band and a chance to get
their music heard. It's pretty impressive stuff, and there's
plenty of dark atmosphere and influences from various other
outfits to be heard in the tracks. Burning the Olive Branch is
the winner of the two songs here, brooding with menace and
deadly intent. Loads of promise, and now at the stage where a
record label ought to do the proper thing.
www.myspace.com/groundofruin |
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Jack - MMVII Ctenomys Blainv (Endless
Brutality Of Men) Review by Steve Green |
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You can always rely on Mexican label Endless Brutality Of Men
for a bit of quality punk influenced grind. Here they present
Hungarian crusties Jack, who fire down 14 tracks in just over
17 brief minutes. Subtle this ain't, but I gotta say, for the
extremity of the music, this is brilliantly produced, with
every single crash, bang and wallop being perfectly audible.
If only more bands of this ilk paid a little more attention to
the production values...
All of the songs are sung in the bands native tongue. They've
kindly provided a translation in English, but even without
reading the lyrics, it is obvious by their punk driven beats,
that this is politically motivated and full of hate. A perfect
soundtrack to a new Europe methinks. |
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Whether you are a fan of classic English punk or the US
variety, I'm thinking the Dead Kennedys here, then you are
sure to like this short sharp blastathon.
www.ebmrecords.com |
www.myspace.com/jackpunk |
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Project Failing Flesh – The Conjoined
(Burning Star) Review by Chris Davison |
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Look, every other bugger is going to be mentioning this, so
I'm going to start by saying it too. This features Eric
Forrest, he that used to be the throat for the legendary
Voivod from Negatron through to Voivod Lives. I have an early
confession to make, in that he was the definitive voice of
that band for me, and yes, I know that places me in the
minority, but he has such a brilliant voice that anything he
does is likely to be of interest to me.
Thus it is with Project: Failling Flesh. This is a brilliant
album, and I mean brilliant as in fucking brilliant. If the
last couple of Voivod albums sounded to your ears
like...well...utter drivel, then this could be what you have
actually been waiting to hear. Discordant, and truly |
futuristic, this is the sound of a world gone very, very
wrong. So many bands have tried to produce a marriage of the
industrial and the futuristic, and almost without exception
they have all sounded fairly poor. PFF are THE sound of things
to come, especially if those things involve your nuts being
crushed in a vice while a grasping government sells out
everything of value, including your life, to avaricious greedy
corporations. Hell, this album is more cyberpunk than Blade
Runner.
Eric Forrest has never sounded so completely inhuman and
alienated. Whether screaming at the top of his lungs in a
curiously robotic fashion, or making sounds that are like
human feedback – jarring and unsettling but never the less
curiously appealing, he melds perfectly with the jackhammer riffage and impressive drum work. Third track “Regenerate”
brings to mind Pitchshifter, for instance, but actually sounds
both heavy and extreme, while “Eve of Demise” sounds like some
demented hardwired version of Black Metal filtered through
layers of neon lights and illegal chemical compounds. There
are so many differing influences at work between these eleven
songs that the only thing holding them together is the aural
motif of alienation. It really does sound like the extreme
soundtrack to a cult sci-fi classic that has yet to be made.
Every beep, every face-smashing riff has been perfectly honed
to make you feel uneasy.
Fear Factory? Fail. This is the true sound of your life, your
sterile existence of being lost in cyberspace between bouts of
work and reproduction. The future is bleak. The future is
project failing flesh.
www.projectfailingflesh.com/ |
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