Lamb of God made the announcement they have been teasing all week in social media. They will release a covers album to celebrate 20 years as a band under their original moniker, Burn The Priest. Legion: XX is due for release on May 18th via Epic Records. The album will feature covers from favorites by the band including Stormtroopers Of Death, Bad Brains, Ministry, Agnostic Front, Quicksand and Cro-Mags. Check out the first single below, ‘Inherit The Earth’ by The Accused.Continue reading
International symphonic metal sensation Tarja is no stranger to cover songs and albums. She is not releasing a holiday album, Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas), due out on November 17th from earMUSIC. Watch the video from her first single – ‘ O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ below.Continue reading
Helmet will go down as one of the greatest and most influential bands ever. This fact is undisputed. Coming out of new York City at a time when a generation of bands bred on New York Hardcore values married to the talent of thrash bands (with some general avant-garde weirdness for good measure), Helmet stood out like a sore thumb of weirdness. Continue reading
I’ve never really taken to Prong, strange though it seems. Energetic and bruising, they nevertheless come across a tad light-heartedly for me, and that’s sometimes the case with latest album Songs from the Black Hole (SPV GmbH).
A set of lesser-known Punk covers, the opening draft of Discharge‘s ‘Doomsday’ rips up trees with its pace and ferocity; Tommy Victor‘s acidic growl and rapid bursts of leadplay enlivening a great start. It’s on the ensuing ‘Vision Thing’, however, a gothic classic given a Blink182-meets-Desert feel, that the irritation begins: the largely laconic vocal blunting a subtle yet driving riff, turning the track into that awful ‘Nu-Punk’ stuff that blighted metal in the 90s. No doubt the band are trying to retain the feel of the originals while slapping on their own slant, but that cheapens the sound in some areas; the chopping bullet riff of the Butthole Surfers‘ ‘Goofy’s Concern’ diluted by that throwaway, almost disinterested vocal. The Adolescents‘ ‘Kids of the Black Hole’, though, is given a crucial kick by a more urgent, sputtered delivery, some pinpoint pace changes and a real snarling attitude with riffs and lead pulsing viciously together culminating in a brooding atmosphere enhanced by a rumbling bass.
As well as questioning the need for a band of Prong’s stature to produce such an album, it’s the lack of substance, immediacy, a paucity of real feeling and belief which ultimately disappoints despite the occasionally feisty rampage such as the version of Black Flag‘s ‘Bars’. If only the emotive, baiting ‘Seeing Red’ with its staccato riff, pounding drums and true Killing Joke evocations was the norm rather than the exception, this would be a joyous reworking of understated favourites. Even the catchy, driving riff of Fugazi‘s ‘Give Me the Cure’ seems to miss an edge, a vitality that only appears in the angered chorus.
There’s no doubting the “fun” aspect, nor the quality of the musicianship, but overall this could be a really decent pub band working through a hard-edged set. If Prong want to prove their relevance, this isn’t the trick to do it. Go and stream the originals, kids.
6.0/10
PAUL QUINN
I don’t think anyone is running around accusing Russell Allen of being lazy but, true to his contrarian nature, his current work output is something approaching Stakhanovite in nature. This digital only release of covers and acoustic versions of songs from Adrenaline Mob is, presumably, some kind of a stop gap until the band get around to recording the follow up to Men of Honor. With Allen spending much of 2015 working on the new Symphony X album, Dearly Departed (Century Media) is going to act as a reminder that, despite all the comings and goings in personnel (the departure of Mike Portnoy being the most notable in recent times), Adrenaline Mob remain a going and thriving concern.
Your view of Dearly Departed is going to depend on your view of Adrenaline Mob and your view of the role of the cover version as part of an artist’s canon. This might be a self-evident truth but one does detect a bit of a sneer around this kind of endeavour, however well intentioned. In the case of Dearly Departed, the second covers album from the band, it’s fun. It’s lightweight fun, most assuredly, but fun nonetheless.
As with other Adrenaline Mob releases, the production on this record is big, modern and polished. The vocals are high in the mix, showcasing Allen’s voice which works well for the acoustic versions on show here: ‘Angel Sky’ and ‘All On The Line’ from Omerta and Men of Honor (both Century Media)’s ‘Dearly Departed’ all get thorough run outs. I’m not entirely convinced that the world actually needs an acoustic version of ‘Angel Sky’ but these things are pleasant enough and Adrenaline Mob junkies will lap it up.
The covers include the very-hard-to-bugger-up ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’ from the Charlie Daniels Band, a warm and faithful Black Sabbath medley and a sprightly and convincing rendition of Queen’s ‘Tie Your Mother Down’. For this listener though, it’s the Pat Travers band cover of ‘Snortin’ Whiskey’ which is the most inspired choice, suggesting the band have a deeper musical hinterland and a better sense of humour than I had previously given them credit for: it’s punchy, gnarly and a very welcome appearance.
Dearly Departed is no world changer but, a bit like finding some cash down the back of your sofa, it will bring a smile to your face. Don’t expect too much and leave your prejudices at the door and you might find yourself enjoying this.
6.5/10
MAT DAVIES
In today’s extreme music world, there is quite a variety of bands that focus their image and even their lyrics around a gimmick. Sure, this may sound kind of a cheap tactic, but especially in the heavy metal world, gimmicks can actually make a band stand out. For instance, we have GWAR, Earth’s favorite Scumdogs. Another great example is Ghost (I refuse to use that “B.C” bull crap) who consist of masked druids with a lead vocalist who is meant to be a Satanic Cardinal of sorts as they lead the audience in a ritual. However, not all gimmicks are great and actually do appear to be a cheap tactic. Specifically, the use of women and sexuality (in a serious matter) just makes me roll my eyes. This is where Butcher Babies have fallen into my lap. No, not literally. This dual-female fronted metal band has apparently taken the average neck beard metal head demographic by storm. But hey I get it, let’s have two “chicks” sit on stage in skimpy clothing with giant breasts bouncing around to get a male dominated fanbase’s attention. Ok so maybe I am being a little harsh on this gimmicky band, and hey maybe I am! They released a five song EP consisting of covers, entitled Uncovered (Century Media). To name a few, there are covers from ZZ Top, Suicidal Tendencies, and S.O.D. which at first glance, I am interested.
Unfortunately for Butcher Babies, the only thing they really do with these five covers, is, well, butcher them. First and foremost, I do want to give a positive note that at least the cover was not of ‘La Grange’ or ‘Sharp Dressed Man.’ Instead, they went for a song which certainly fits their style, which I can respect, in ‘Beer Drinkers & Hellraisers.’ The instrumentals were truly made into their own and they did make it work. Vocally, though, this song is just simply dreadful. If this is what these two women sound like on every song, then I have already checked out. The second cover is ‘They’re Coming to Take Me Away’ by Napoleon XIV, which is an interesting choice because I am not sure if the vocals are directed at the vocalists themselves or anyone crazy enough to listen to this album. The next cover is ‘Don’t Give a Fuck’ by Suicidal Tendencies which may be the perfect song for this corny band. Only three songs into this and I understand it now. Boobs, beers, swears, this band is for prepubescent males to listen to/watch on YouTube as they hit their rebellion stage. The fourth track is actually the most surprising to me which is ‘Crazy Horse’ by The Osmond’s. Yes you read that right, The Osmond’s! Maybe this is the track that turned this whole band around for me! Oh who’s leg am I trying to pull? Lastly, we have the biggest bastardization of a cover I have heard since Madonna’s version of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie.’ This commercialized sex appeal band has taken ‘Pussy Whipped’ by the legendary supergroup, Stormtroopers of Death, and turned it around from a joke between buddies to a girl power anthem. Now I am not a sexist, chauvinistic pig, but did they really need to stoop down to this? I mean, we all get it. Two female vocalists who like to guzzle beer, shake their bodies around, play some heavy music, and attempt to be overall bad girls. This is just too much for me to handle and this just has to be a joke.
Sure they clearly have the fanbase, they have played Rockstar Mayhem Festival, and they have three releases under their belts (no pun intended), but I just cannot buy into this filth.
3.0/10
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TIM LEDIN