"If you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth."

MANIC ADRIFT - "MANIC ADRIFT" (Death Metal from Germany; D.I.Y. Digital Album and CD release)

MANIC ADRIFT - "MANIC ADRIFT"
("D.I.Y."; CD & Digital Album)
(Information: Order the CD for a price of 7 Euros via manicadrift@hotmail.com or download the digital album for a price of  2 Euros @ http://manicadrift.bandcamp.com/releases.)
(Running time: Eight songs in around thirty minutes.)

Here's my review on the current self-titled MANIC ADRIFT release, a so far beside this very one here for/to me totally unknown young (?) Death Metal band from Germany that I got aware of due to a review of my good friend Rudi who does a great job at writing about music and doing reviews on records over @ http://www.hotel666.de/, and some time ago he used to do a review on this band and album and what I could read made me curious about this piece here, and so with some time of being put on the line my review on it is now coming finally up as well. This album is released on CD as well as in the form of a digital album for all what I do see and think by the band itself all the D.I.Y. way and from where to get the CD or the digital album and for what costs you can read above. I have the digital album, and so my review is based on it, not knowing the CD release after all (so far), just that you know it. Okay, it's already pretty late keeping in mind that tomorrow work is calling me up very early again and so straight and right into the action: This is Death fuckin' Metal from Germany with clear roots in the good old Sverige Death Metal scene and days, so think for example about old DISMEMBER and ENTOMBED, some GRAVE, EDGE OF SANITY, and UNLEASHED as roadmarks to the sound and style and musick of MANIC ADRIFT. But please do me, do the band, and do yourself the favor and keep in mind that (a.) MANIC ADRIFT are a pretty independently band with a own character that's definitely not copy-&-paste-ing anyone or anything and also they aren't ripping anyone of the big old ones off; and also keep in mind that (b.) MANIC ADRIFT are, and thank the mighty Buddha for this, a totally fresh and if you want so up to date band, Old School as fuck for sure but with a lot of own and fresh ideas and so with sort of a modern touch (that you can get perfectly aware of when you just listen with only a little attention to the great guitar playing and its riffs and leads), no stale and lame retro band crap. Thumbs up for both points, the (a.) and the (b.), too. You can expect crushing and ripping damn heavy, aggressive, and brutal yet melodic and catchy very well-versed guitars with a great dark and morbid necro feeling to it all, sick and suffering hysteric and brutal screamed and shouted guttural grunted vokillz (sometimes enriched by desolate and desparate spoken word parts), some few cool sinister atmospheric synth parts, and a devastating harsh and totally precise and to the point played rhythm section that gives the whole musick the right and strong massive backbone. Also you can expect a very strong songwriting that also offers pretty often sort of a furious organic grooving and rocking vibe that really kicks ass, and trust me when I say that this guys know how to play their instruments, trust me. Also MANIC ADRIFT shall be a great live band that delivers very entertaining gigs. Anyhow, expect also a damn good necro-styled production sound, and a great (cover) artwork, and even I can't tell that much about the lyrics just by looking at songtitles like "FROZEN THOUGHTS", "HUMAN KING", "ENRAGED WORLD", "SINNER", and "FADE AWAY", just to name this ones as examples, I could imagine that they also offer some interesting stuff on the lyrics-front. Metalheads and especially Death Metal fans shouldn't think twice, this one is clearly recommended by me for /to you. So go out and risk an ear, or better buy it in which format ever promptly right now. And "THX!!!" to Rudi for making me known to and with this strong going and much promising young german band. Cheers!!! /// Andy

(8 of 10 points)

(Band contact: https://www.facebook.com/ManicAdrift)

"Don't pick a fight, but if you find yourself in one I suggest you make sure you win." (John Wayne) / Statement Sunday

IRON AGE - Reg "the Leg" Park, a forever immortalized timeless Legend of the Iron Age.

You fuckin' never ever can fake passion!!!

Hey my dear readers, next up, finally, after nearly a month or so of no news from this front it's time for the return of the "IRON AGE" posting series up here on your favorite "Manslaughter Thug Life" blog. Where else, right?!? And like you all should already know by now and if not then at least and for sure really latest now, this very posting series up here is all about Bodybuilding. Old School Bodybuilding, especially, of course. Get used to it. Accept it. Fuck yeahr, man, love it!!! Just damn fuckin' love it, point and fact!!! :-) (And if not then wait until just wait for the next new other posts to come up here again.) This very post here is a tribute post, a honour paying post, a respect giving post to one of the brightest stars ever to enlight the steely of the world of iron and metal, we will here and now pay our respect to "Reg the Leg", to no one else than the mighty Reg Park, the man that got worshipped by no one else than Arnold "The Oak" Schwarzenegger, the man who influenced legends of Bodybuilders that followed him over the decades, the man who was the one and only worthy successor to the larger than life Steve Reeves, and a man who is without a doubt one of the greatest champs ever in the history of the iron game. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing (even he surely needs no further introduction) the one and only Reg Park!!! Here we go...

Wise and true words...!!!

Guts & Glory!!!

PS - Note: After this post by far more is in the pipeline to keep the "IRON AGE" series going and to heat it up one time after another. I will introduce already now what and who will be up next here, because with the very next post we will pay our tribute, proof our respect, and show our honour to two other of the greatest ever legends of Bodybuilding, to no one else than the lifechanging and just sheer nearly everyone else (beside Arnold) outshining Bill Pearl and also to the first ever IFBB "Mr. Olympia", the man with some of the most outstanding biceps and shoulders ever to be seen on a stage, the one and only larger than life and just great Larry Scott. This will then be our first stop of the ongoing tribute and honour posts to the great champions of old. Don't get me wrong, there are far more up on my list that will get their proper respect'n'honour tribute posts up here, but then we first will come to another historical and/or theoretical chapter in the "IRON AGE" series like you know them also already as well so far. Ah, and one last word to the tribute posts: So far they are all more or less in a chronological running order, more or less I will stick with it but not all the way, so don't wonder when we jump back in time to honour giants like for example Clancy Ross up here as well, just that you know it. Okay, that's it really so far, so up and going, here comes "Reg the Leg", point and fact.

Reg and Arnold.

One of the brightest stars at the steely horizon of the iron age...

- Reg Park -

...and a true timeless icon of Bodybuilding, forever immortalized in metal and steel!!!

Guns Salute - Reg Park.

Reg Park was born in Leeds, England/U.K. at the 7th of June of the year 1928 and he was given the name Roy (even Reg should become the name under which he earned his fame), and btw so he is the first modern thru and thru 20th century european and not american Bodybuilder that joines the ranks up here of this very posting series dealing solely with Bodybuilding from then up to somewhere now or so. Already as a young boy and even more when he was growing older he showcased a incredible big lust for sports, so he did athletics, played football/soccer in the ranks of "Leeds United", and was also a active and good gymnast. He started to work out and train with weights not so much because of a real passion and lust for it but by far more because he simply wanted to gain more strength, more powerful muscles, and overall a more athletic body/physique, all with the aim to benefit his services or performances in the other kinds of sports that he did already exercise, like mentioned right before. But he also simply wanted to gain a better shape and look, too, inspired by the back then active early or real "old school" Bodybuilders like he saw them on and knew them from the covers and the pages of the few back then published Bodybuilding and Weight Training magazines. And so when he became 17 years old he started weight training and working out with dumbbells and barbells together with his good friend and training comrade David Cohen. Thanks to his god given great genetic(s) and his iron will and discipline and firy motivation he started to gain very quick very impressive, good, and strong improvements and progress. The only sort of break had been his time when he did his duty and served his country and nation in the army, when he did his military service. With his already back then impressive physique the army very soon used him as a instructor especially for the athletic and physical training of the soldiers and recruits. He did his duty in Great Britain as well as in British Malaya (today Malaysia). In 1948 he returned to England, in advance of the then current Olympic Games. Still his interest in Bodybuilding was going strong and big, after he already gained himself the fourth ranked place at the "Mr. Britain" competition in 1946. And now in 1948 Reg Park decided to be right at and in place when history would be made and so he attented as a euphoric part of the audience the first ever NABBA "Mr. Universe" that took place in the environment of the Olympic Games and was organized by the guys of the "Helath & Strength" magazine. The unbeaten and unrivaled legend of iron pumping, the almighty John Grimek (if you really don't know him and if you should have missed the "IRON AGE" posts up here then read the post about him from last month when we payed our tribute, showed our honour and gave our respect to him), won the competition and became the first ever "Mr. Universe" and wrote history with his name. This event inspired the young Reg Park in a massive and overwhelming way. The amazing developed physique of men like John Grimek (like already said, read the tribute about to honour him from last month), Steve Reeves (if he really should be unknown to you then also read the tribute post to honour him from last month), and also André Drapp was a great inspiration for him, Reg Park, and so he finally again started to hit the weights with enthusiasm and driven forward by his incredible iron will and hunger and thirst for gains and success. He started working hard and trained hard and soon he managed to grow on to 102kg of muscles. This hard and heavy, intense way of working out and training payed off for him in winning at the 28th of October in 1949 the "Mr. Britain" title. This was a great honour and pleasure to him, even more because his idol John Grimek himself was one of the judges that finally crowned him to be the new "Mr. Britain" of and in 1949. And also his parents had been more than happy and felt honoured when he, their son, wins the title. And as a sort of a reward they made him the gift of a U.S.A. travel, after the U.S.A. had already been back then (and still are) the global stronghold of Bodybuilding in a more than ''just'' or ''only'' dominant way. He started his U.S.A. travel in the month of December of the year 1949 and he made the best ever possible out of it. In the U.S.A. he trained with some of the best active pro Bodybuilders of that certain time and he learned a lot from them, made intersting and especially exceedingly useful experiences. The first for him pretty much life changing experience that he made especially due to the training together sessions with and also social contacts with some of the great ones of old like for example Clancy Ross, Al Stephan, Floyd Page, Marvin Eder, and many more of the top athletes of this very special time was that they all used to train by far more heavier and harder, more intense than their european rivals back then. Also their sort or kind of training was already back then by far more advanced than the training systems used and maybe developed over here in old Mother Europe. So they used well thought through splitted training schedules (even not to compare with what came up later and with what we have today, known as split training schedules), did more developed and advanced to him pretty new exercises, and the training relationships had been more intensive and more motivating, as well as more focussed than over here. And also, something very crucial and also something very different compared to the Bodybuilding routines and habits established in Europe the U.S. American Bodybuilders strongly believed that the right and strict disciplined nutrition was of the highest importance for every serious and truly ambitioned and focussed Bodybuilder, and that they were totally right in and with their believes in this case we all know very well today because no matter how hard and disciplined you train you will never ever outtrain a bad diet, even back then over here in Europe that was something again very different compared to the States and to the Bodybuilding how it was done in the States. And especially the heavier and even more heavier training Reg Park recognized as the connecting link between all the top athletes he trained with during his time in the States. This sort of heavy, really heavy training and way of working out was totally unusal to/for Reg Park, but once he started to do so he quickly catched up to/with the U.S. American roughnecks and silverbacks, and he wrote history by/with his own hands when in the September of 1950 he was crowned to "Americas Best Developed Athlete" in the Saint Nicholas Arena in New York at a competition of the AAU (back then still sort of one of the biggest and leading Bodybuilding federation, especially in the U.S.), and he won this title in a battle up on stage against the leading U.S. American athletes of this very time. Some time later on in 1950 he made it back to England, equipped with new wisdom and knowledge as well as with bigger and more and more massive muscles, too. Back in England he decided promptly that it was time for him to enter the NABBA "Mr. Universe" competition, and he was confident- and had all rights to be this- about having a good chance to win it. And pretty sure he would have done it, won it, if not the in this year and at this time pretty much totally unbeatable and "extraterrestrial" Steve Reeves (again, just read the post to honour him from last month) would have also participated in this competition, not at least because he desperately wanted to make up good the defeat to the unrivaled one in a million: John Grimek, at the "Mr. Universe" premiere back in 1948. And so Steve Reeves took the victory and Reg Park came up second best, or first looser, depends on how you want to see it. Even Reg Park delivered one hell of a performance and also a battle for Steve Reeves as tough as a battle for and with him at this time could only possible be, he simply could not beat the incredible Steve Reeves. This second place and this very defeat to Steve Reeves just let Reg Park to only one conclusion: Their was only one way for him to go, the one to the top of it all. And to go this way he simply had to work even harder and heavier, even more disciplined and more focussed than before. And so he did. He won after the 1950 NABBA "Mr. Universe" title more and more competitions and titles like for example the "Mr. Europe" title, and in 1951 he made a clear statement that he was the nomber one of his time and the one and only lawfully successor of Steve Reeves with finally winning in a triumphant way the this years NABBA "Mr. Universe" title. He repeated this triumphant victories on the biggest stage of them all back then two times, in 1958 and in 1965, with coming off being the biggest and best Bodybuilder of his time on a global level.



Reg Park doing light squats
for warming up.

So after some lame years the British Bodybuilding finally got its big star and glorified hero to who the normal guys in the gyms could look up to. What's pretty interesting is the fact that the training of Reg Park back then in all aspects aimed more at strength than at the muscle pump. And so during his golden days he earned and gained himself the title of being one of the if not the strongest Bodybuilder(s) of his time and age. In the early 1950's he did benchpress and incline benchpress usually with at least 185kg dumbbells and in a time when squats with 140kg or 180kg were imposing he did squats with at least 225kg and even (far) more. And he did manage to rewrite some british weight lifting records. Reg Park also participated in the race for fame of benchpressing 500lbs. which means ca. 225kg first, and this all without todays fancy training equipment like benchpress shirts and such stuff that boosts performances through the roof. (And also without steroids and such other different stuff.) It is not save to say who did it first, the rivals had been the canadian olympian weight lifter Doug Hepburn, Wag Bennett who was later a mentor of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Reg Park. Anyhow who did it first, but Reg Park did it. And he did it on a old wooden bench at the "Health & Strength" show in Bristol, England/U.K., and this without any cushion of the with weight loaded barbell on his chest and also without bending his back. This was all in 1953. During his brutal, intense, hard, and heavy bad ass work outs he usually/regulary moved weights like 140kg at the Neckpress, 90kg of clean Curls, 270kg at the Squats, and he deadlifted 270kg as well, while he did alternatley dumbbell benchpresses with 55kg dumbbells. For Calves-Raises he used normally 450kg and even more. Reg Park was especially grateful to the mighty Clancy Ross and also to Marvin Eder for pushing him more and more to use heavy and heavier weights to reach and push his limits further on and on. Both were kinds of role models for/to him. His training and also his nutrition Reg Park kept simply, basic, and (in a positive way ) primitive. Milk, steak, eggs, and heavy weights. Authentic thru and thru, and no bullshit fancy stuff needed. He did right and correct so. He focussed especially on the big ones, which/what means: Deadlifts, Squats, Benchpress', to build up his work outs and his body. And he was also one of the first ever Bodybuilders to use the so called "5x5" program, which means he did 5 sets for 5 reps of the Deadlift, the Squat, and the Benchpress in one Basics Work Out. beside this in general hard and heavy barbell based work outs with also hard and heavy dumbbell training in addition to it was the way of building muscles of Reg Park. (And he was and still is in the right with it.)

Reg Park &
Dave "The Blonde Bomber" Draper

Beside his Bodybuilding carreer Reg Park also started working early on a succesful carreer outside the gym and aside of the competition stage, not at least because you have to keep in mind that back then you simply couldn't make a living out of it (= Bodybuilding) because you just couldn't earn and make enough money with Bodybuilding and it was in no way such industrialized and commercialized like it is today. So other ways to make your money needed to be discovered and walked. And Reg Park did both very succesfully. He was a good pupil of his father who was a very prominent and succesful entrepreneur. So Reg founded his own company with which he sold seminars, photos, weights, and dumbbell-/barbellsets. This was at a time when most of the young british Bodybuilders had to improvise when they wanted to work out and train, and so they had to build their own weights, dumbbells, and barbells. Because in contrast to today weights and all this stuff had been very rare back then, and the weight training as well as iron athletes had been frowned upon heavily back then, and even other athletes mocked them. Think about that today and not only since today Weight Training is a basic training category of and in nearly every other sport it's clear to see that we came a long way since then and it is also clear to see and say who had been the stupid and ignorant nutjobs and meatheads and who not back then (and sadly enough in far too much cases also still today). When Reg Park in 1993 became presented the "Hall of Fame" price of the "Oscar Heidenstam Foundation" he said, that he is grateful that he entered Bodybuilding back then at the time when he did, sort of a revolutionary and pioneer time. He talked about his experiences back then, how it was when everyone defamed you behind your back just because they couldn't deal with you and the shape and look of your physique, how it was and how it felt to be looked down on by anyone. But he also said that "today" which means then in 1993 he made his peace with the world and the people, the days of the past were long gone and a lot had changed since then. With his company he also sold his very own magazine. First it was named "Mr. Universe" (from 1952 to 1953) and since 1954 it was named "The Reg Park Journal". And it was very popular. It was a great mag, filled with work out schedules, training systems, and nutrition plans and advices, heavily influenced by the leading U.S. American magazines of that certain era. First simple supplements and work out gear clothes were also sold. He wrote all his articles by himself without engaging a ghost writer, no matter if for his very own magazines or if for all the other magazines he wrote for, and so he wrote for example for "Health & Strength", "MuscleMag", and several Weider publications, too. In 1959 he moved to Johannesburg in South Africa, but he still worked on, especially as a author and writer. And, for example, for the first ever issue of the "MuscleMag" back in 1974 he wrote without wanting a fee for it because he believed in the work of the "MuscleMag" editor Robert Kennedy. And you can also see with/at this example how big his love and passion for the sport was, something a lot of our so called "champs" of today could learn a thing or two from, that sometimes even want money cash for just writing an autograph for their fans. Fake ass bullshit idiots!!! Reg Park also became a big influence, sort of an role model, and also a close friend to and with no one else than Arnold "The Oak" Schwarzenegger. Reg Park also became known and famous as an actor in many "sandals movies" in which he played for example Hercules like the unforgotten Steve Reeves before him (so also in this sense he, Reg Park, was the lawful successor of him, Steve Reeves), and like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno after him. But also this did no harm to his character, because he always stayed a humble, righteous, native, loyal, and sincere man. At the beginning of 2007 Reg Park was diagnosed sick, after a aggressive and incurable form of skin cancer was diagnosed at him. Until his sickness he by himself trained clients and athletes at his "Morningside Virgin Active Gym" in Sandton, Johannesburg. He died at the 22. of November of 2007 at the age of 79 years in the circle of his family. He left his wife Mareon, his son Jon Jon, his daughter Jeunesse, and his granddaughter Jarner. In the memory of his father Jon Jon, who lives in L.A., California/U.S.A. (re-) named his own gym into "Legacy Gym". And also a Reg Park foundation exists today, lead by his daughter Jeunesse, which enables access for socially disadvantaged people to sport and fitness.
That's for now and for here all what there was to tell about the great life story of the more than great Reg Park, one of the greatest champs of all times.
R.I.P. Reg Park, forever unforgotten and immortalized in Metal and Steel, a true hero of the IRON AGE.

Reg Park: Hercules came to live and walked the earth.

So, okay, I hope you enjoyed the reading of this very article. The next post of the "IRON AGE" article series up here will come for you as soon as possible. And, like already written above, next up will be tribute posts to honour no one else than the lifechanging Bill Pearl and also the first ever IFBB "Mr. Olympia" Larry Scott himself. And with him we will also see the tides turn, with the IFBB becoming more and more the dominant ruling and leading force in the world of (professional) Bodybuilding, and this is a status that the IFBB used to defend and still to occupy today, to be the solely ruling and most dominant force in Bodybuilding on this globe. So a lot of the champs we will pay our tribute to in the ongoing future of this "IRON AGE" posting series up here will be IFBB superstars, and a lot of them had been "Mr. Olympia" by themselves at some point in their career. But that are future sounds, so now just you stay tuned for more to come up here (which means, of course, also all other "normal" posts you expect up here), and then that's it for now, more as soon as possible. Stay tuned. /// Andy

R.I.P. Tim Williams, bass player of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

 

R.I.P. Tim Williams, bass player of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

 

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/suicidal-tendencies-bassist-tim-rawbiz-williams-dies/#channel=f1a84b1184e0129&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blabbermouth.net

CARNIVORE - "MALE SUPREMACY"

 

Lifechanging clasSICK time up here on "MANSLAUGHTER THUG LIFE", still fuckin' GREAT. 

 

 



WWW (a.k.a. Wise Words Wednesday) - "Yesterday you said tomorrow..."

Winston Chruchill: ''When you are going through hell, keep going...'' (Furious Friday)

FEARLESS. FROM BIRTH TILL DEATH.

(Just an amazing picture, I love it, so I needed to share it here.)

PARADISE LOST - "TRUE BELIEF"

One of the GREATEST bands ever, especially their first five lifechanging albums, very important for me back then in my younger days as a teenage Metalhead and still very important for me today as a... as just me, fuck subcultural boundaries and bullshit labels to classify yourself. I love this band and this is one of my all time favorites of them and it was and is also one of their biggest hits... and a larger than life anthem. And today or respectively tonight this dark-tuned Metal music is just a perfect match to allow me coming down and letting my thoughts slip away from the stress and strife of this day. So, I hope you enjoy it, but be sure that I definitely do enjoy it, and then soon I wish you all a good night as my day will end very soon with me embracing night and with her also rest, finally today/tonight, and then more is coming up in the next days for sure, so far and until then sleep well or do well what-ever you're about to do. Cheers folks. /// Andy

 

 

Wise-Words-Wednesday: "I don't believe in pessimism..." (Clint Eastwood quote)

AHAB - "NICKERSON'S THEME"

Fuck it, what a farce of a day this one had been...it's definitely true, that with work you can (easily) ruin your whole day... ah, but forget all the trouble of the day and now finally slipping into relaxation. Here's my tonight's soundtrack, a perfect choice. It's the awesome goosepimples-spending intense hymn "NICKERSON'S THEME" by the so far to me unknown band AHAB, almighty Doom/Death (Metal) full of grapping melody lines and far, far more. I love it, and tonight it's also just totally perfect for me for "coming down", for letting this bullshit day all behind me. Cheers guys!!! /// Andy

 

 

(Note: Please don't ask me why it seems so, that since some posts Blogger totally fucks up the uploaded pictures... maybe I will find out what's the problem is and will be able to fix 'em... it sucks.)

2 DIAS DE SANGRE - "ULTIMO HOMBRE" (Combat Hardcore on "ONE LIFE ONE CREW RECORDS"; CD - Release; 2013.)

2 DIAS DE SANGRE - "ULTIMO HOMBRE"

("ONE LIFE ONE CREW RECORDS"; CD)

(Label contact: http://www.onelifeonecrew.de/)

(Running time: Ten songs in around twenty-nine minutes.)

(Release year: Released by the end of 2013.)

Yeahr, even I am a little bit late with this review article on it now here it finally is, the newest and so far still current and so how it seems today the final 2 DIAS DE SANGRE album ever, released by the end of 2013 - and yes, you read correct: This is, so my stand of play, really the final album of this Hardcore roughnecks primarly from the city of Goslar, sort of my hometown, then from the cities of Hannover (/Hanover) and Hamburg. They played their farewell show this May and for all what I know or think to know that was it then so far. And you know what: This sucks heavily!!! And definitely not the good way of sucking... Okay, anyhow... And if you ask yourself now why this review is coming up just now, just that late, then you have to know: I got it this May, not earlier, and I just didn't manage to write it down earlier so far, hm, that's the story, so just take it like it is and don't ask any questions about it anymore. Okay, so now back to the topic: The newest, current, and (so it seems) final 2 DIAS DE SANGRE album, titled "ULTIMO HOMBRE". Before the release and like Angelo told us in the interview I did with him on 2 DIAS DE SANGRE last year (read it here: http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2013/05/2-dias-de-sangre-combat-hardcore-from.html) some drastic changes taken place before the release and recording of "ULTIMO HOMBRE": A new label, a new singer, new and first ever professional done music video, but anyhow no new or second guitar player, how- or why-ever...

Okay so much about all the dingle-dangle around and about "ULTIMO HOMBRE" by 2 DIAS DE SANGRE, now to the music and the songs of and on the album, so here we go: I will start this one with the only negative point concerning "ULTIMO HOMBRE", because you know the old saying of starting with the bad and finishing with the good - or in this case not with the good but with the great and awesome stuff. But, hm, maybe like an other old saying says: "Where there is light, there's always darkness, too." And even I would definitely doubt that "always" term and use in this very saying at least here's one example that this old saying from time to time and also still hits the nail on its head. So the only negative or critical point (from my point of view) is the "new" singer Christoph and his delivery and the style and quality of it which means his vocals and singing here on this album. Don't get me wrong, he's definitely a very good guy, and also beside being sympathic he's also very authentic for how I know him, but he's to be honest just not that good at singing, to say it that way. Okay, he is (or was) also in a pretty if not very difficult situation simply due to the fact that he had to manage to fill out the footprints that Denis left, the former singer and one of the founding members of 2 DIAS DE SANGRE and btw also the older brother of Angelo, okay, not easy anyhow, for sure. I still can remember seeing 2 DIAS DE SANGRE in 2010 at their record release party of their split album with GIVE 'EM BLOOD (my review on it back from 2010 you can read here: http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2010/12/things-ive-seen-through-shit-ive-been.html) when I saw them for the first time ever live with Christoph who jumped in to replace Denis for this evening because he was back then in England or where the hell else ever (can't recall it anymore precisely) and I thought right from the start that he couldn't match up with Denis, neither in the case of his stage performance, nor in the case of the style and quality of his delivery. (My thoughts on or about this gig you can read here in my review-article about it from 2011: http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2010/12/things-ive-seen-through-shit-ive-been.html.) So I was pretty sceptical when some years ago Angelo told me that Denis was going to quit duties due to new situations in his private and his work-related life and that Christoph was about to jump in replacing him. And okay, maybe it's just a matter of my personal taste and perception in and of music (surely it is, at least also) but in my book Christoph has just not what it takes for a band on this level like 2 DIAS DE SANGRE. Anyhow: Expect brutal and throaty shouted aggressive vocals from him, surely full of energy and, like already said, aggression(s), no problem with that. But I simply don't like the style of his vocal delivery, it's too moldy and uninspired, gammy and lame, stale and heard in this way far too often for thousand times before, and also it lacks a total own note or own identity and that makes it by far too much exchangeable, it sounds like the singing of every more or less noteable ordinary Beatdown or Tough Guy Hardcore band of today outta there, and then that's it already again and that's not much... Beside this by far too ordinary style of the delivery also the quality of it is anything but above average if anyhow, in no way varying or expressive enough to be anyhow grapping and also not massive and harsh enough to really make you listen up with ringing ears. And then that's it... and at least in my book that's just not much and not to talk about being enough after all. That this album only suffers a little bit because of it and is not (totally) taken down by it is just due to two things - and this finally brings us to all the good, the very good, the great, the amazing stuff and moments of "ULTIMO HOMBRE":

(1.) 2 DIAS DE SANGRE change often the singer which means the lead singer on "ULTIMO HOMBRE" and so it is damn great to see or better hear Denis himself returning to the mic on this very album and even Angelo himself is taking over the lead mic duties and here we get one great surprise, there was never ever the need to search "outside" for a new singer simply because Angelo's voice, style and delivery and also the quality of it which means his lead singing and his lead singing voice is total gold and the perfect match to/with the songs and music of 2 DIAS DE SANGRE. Brutal, hard, very massive and harsh, heavy and aggressive and beside this truly very smart and charismatic and even some sort of anthemic from start to end, full of grapping energy and sheer unmasked and unaffected real and honest hardness and raw and brute force, just perfect. Angelo takes over lead vocal duties on the phenoemnal title track "ULTIMO HOMBRE" dedicated to Gabor/(former) MY OWN LIFE one of his very best friends who suffered a terrible accident years ago and who still suffers through the bitter consequences of it, as well as he shares lead vocal duties with Denis and Christoph and a guy named Björn on "WHAT YOU GONNA DO?" and also delivers the backing vocals on "EUROPAS STURZ", their brilliant cover version of the legendary DOGMA IVS classic as a tribute to DOGMA IVS and especially our good friend Marcus who tragically died some years ago (read here about it: http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2011/05/marcus-giese-02-08-1969-15-05-2011-rest.html; and also here: http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2011/09/one-final-last-good-bye-farewell-my.html). Just the perfect combination and style'n'quality of what Angelo delivers here and how he delivers it all, and this also all totally on point.

(2.) The second point, and also the even more important point: The over-all quality of the songs on "ULTIMO HOMBRE" is just amazing and totally awesome, absolutely total gold if not even already total platinum, it would make up for anything or would make good every fault so it all makes up good the only average lead vocals of their main singer. It all starts with the sheer great and just totally grapping and damn interesting songwriting that's beside being totally bonecracking and skullsmashing, and full of everything down hammering and any resistance atomizing heavyness and full force brutality and total power also filled to the bloody max with one hell of a lot of surprising moments, strong changes of the pace compositions and the rhythm arrangements and a tension building almighty song architecture and great twists and turns and that's also again very advanced compared with their earlier (already and still damn fucking great) stuff. You get this good when listening to "FRONTIERS" and "WINGS OF HERSEY" that both had been already released in 2010 in their original versions on the above already mentioned split with GIVE 'EM BLOOD, and while both songs also already back then totally conquered today in their updated 2K13 versions they shine in an even brighter light and that's just damn brilliant. No need to say that 2 DIAS DE SANGRE are or had been very skilled and determined, focussed, and ambitious musicians (and that I really desperately hope to see the guys returning to make new music in which form ever and under which banner ever). Hard working and talented guys, the best-ever combination (in no matter what in life, and so also in making and creating music). We get almighty damn great stand-alone guitars with that typical unique and characteristic sound by Angelo, it's at the same time incredible harsh and heavy and forceful while at the same time groovy, catchy, and in a great way varying so that it really makes for major parts the music and that it makes all the differences in quality and style or just put it that way: A really stand-alone trademark!!! It is backed up by a total massive and brute, tight and precise in time at the point played very diverse and varying rhythm section consisting out of very strong bass playing by Jan and incredible great and well-versed, diverse, and forceful drumming delivered by Hajo. Then a lot of fat and broad crew gang back up chantings'n'shouts add up to it as well as the diverse and varying lead vocals (to which I already said respectively wrote enough above). To anyhow label 2 DIAS DE SANGRE anyway is pretty hard with melting Hardcore of various forms (from NYHC influences to Beatdown impressions and from there to metallic HC marks, and Metalcore reminiscences we find truckloads of differing inspirations or influences that are taken by 2 DIAS DE SANGRE and that are made to something totally of their very own) together with Thrash Metal and Death Metal and also managing it to fill in some Grindcore moments as well, so just let us stick with the description of Combat Hardcore/Metal, their very own breed of murderous great musick. A truly very unique band, definitely. They deliver ten songs in total here on and with "ULTIMO HOMBRE", two re-done ones, one cover song, and one intro song, and all the songs are nothing but amazing, with "ULTIMO HOMBRE" shining above or shining out them all. And what they made out of the anyhow great classic "EUROPAS STURZ" is also just totally phenomenal. But also all the other songs totally do nothing else than conquer, period. Especially the re-done ones "FRONTIERS" and "WINGS OF HERSEY" rule, and also "DENIS SONG", "TIME HAS COME", and "WHAT YOU GONNA DO?" used to take me by storm and force right from the start, point and fact. Beside the great music that is also wrapped up in one bomb of a mighty powerful production sound we get also a really great artwork and one more time again damn strong lyrics delivered by 2 DIAS DE SANGRE. So you see, it's the TOTAL package we get here. So, if it wouldn't be for the above mentioned and discussed lead vocal issue "ULTIMO HOMBRE" would definitely get the ultimate rating up here by me but also so be sure that the rating will be well deserved and justified and also make sure to get your hands on a copy of this album just in case you may still don't have already done so, because otherwise you would miss one of the strongest albums of the last years and perhaps also in years to come no matter out of which particular genre. So, it really sucks and is sort of pretty sad that 2 DIAS DE SANGRE really seem to called it a day, but at least they managed to do right in which so many countless others do wrong or completly fail: They leave us and say good bye to us with one hell of an amazing album that is a statement of its very own, and as far as I don't know why they disbanded and so can't understand it I am at least thankful that they go with such a phenomenal album and in a such a great and strong way, a great farewell statement by them for all of us, and (like already said one or two times before) just a totally overwhelming and incredible bright shining amazing album that you simply NEED to have, so in case you should still don't have it then go out and change this HERE AND NOW and damn fucking buy this album, period. Highly, highly recommended. Good bye guys!!! HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! /// Andy

(9,5 of 10 points)

(Band contact I: https://www.facebook.com/#!/dosdiasdesangre?fref=ts)

(Band contact II: http://dosdiasdesangre.bigcartel.com/)

 

 

Motivation Monday: "It's you against you."

Statement Sunday: "SAYINGS OF THE SPARTANS", Plutrach.

R.I.P. Peter Scholl-Latour, one of the greatest thinkers of our time.

Rest in peace, PETER SCHOLL-LATOUR, one of the GREATEST thinkers of our time(s).

 

 

 

(*9th of March 1924 - 16th of August 2014)

BLOOD FOR BLOOD - "GOIN' DOWN THE BAR" (THE WRECHTED ONES - Coverversion)

BLOOD FOR BLOOD - "GOIN' DOWN THE BAR"

(THE WRETCHED ONES - Cover)

Just a little musical appetizer for now, to fill the void or so... today, thank the wise Buddha for this, seems to be a lazy day at work, the first lazy day of this hectic work week so far (when it then really turns out to be really a lazy day), and so I managed to check the blog since some days and I found myself singing this very song here on and on and on in my head since I got up this morning, and even the original version is far better and anyhow out of reach, I still also love the BLOOD FOR BLOOD version of this anthem, and so now you get it, and then more to come maybe hopefully this coming weekend. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

Barbrawl V2.0

Rest in peace, Robin Williams.

 

(Robin Williams , *21st July 1951 - 11th August 2014)

FORCED ORDER - "ETERNAL WAR" (Harsh Californian Hardcore Punk; "D.I.Y." Digital Album from June 2014.)

FORCED ORDER - "ETERNAL WAR"

("D.I.Y."; Digital Album)

(Information: I just stumbled upon FORCED ORDER more or less by accident and to be honest I don't know anything else than this very album here of/by FORCED ORDER, so for all what I see this is a "D.I.Y." release but I don't know it for sure and don't ask me if there are any physical copies of this album floating around, I just don't know it, sorry.)

(Running time: Eight songs in around eleven minutes... an all out attack, point and fact!!!)

(Release date: 24th of June 2014.)

(''What to pay, where to get?'': Download it over @ http://forcedorder.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-war-2 for a price of 6,00 U.S. $.)

FORCED ORDER... ah to me totally unknown band from California, and a very young band to judge by the bandpicture(s), that I stumbled upon sort of by accident after a online friend of mine who's from the States wrote me that I should check this guys out... and what shall I say... maybe just: "THX man!!!" Simply because FORCED ORDER are a damn good band that delivered here with their current "ETERNAL WAR" titled album really a damn good ass kicking album. For all what I see on their Bandcamp site it's their so far second release after their "DEMO '14" titled debut release from February 2014. This guys roar out from California and they deliver one fresh explosive fury and fiery musical molotov cocktail of a little album full of brutal and harsh, aggressive and heavy shredding and sawing Hardcore Punk full of dirty flavored hard and heavy hitting, brutal striking, and bonesmashing powerful hammering guitars that beside the sheer power and force of the thrashing riffs and moshing grooves also deliver great also pretty melodic leads and solos, and that truly are the engine that drives the music and songs forward without mercy, no damn fucking prisoners taking. This is all backed up by a really massive and totally tight and precise in time rhythm section, that fuels the free of regrets, doubts, and any kind of mercy forward pacing engine with the right heavy full value fuel. All is then cultivated and melted together by the infernal bestial hard and aggressive, pissed off and furious wild raging shouted vokillz (also nicely backed up here and there by loud crew shoutings) that really heat up the temperature in a fiery and brutal way, to heat up the engine and the rotation or circulation speed of the fuel even more. Imagine a mixture out of HATEBREED with VISION OF DISORDER with NYC Hardcore from MADBALL to AWKWARD THOUGHT and set it all on a heavy Punk diet with stuff like (newer) THE EXPLOITED mixed with some Old School Youth Crew Hardcore impressions like YOUTH OF TODAY and PROJECT X and you surely have a good starting point to discover FORCED ORDER. The guys can play, and surely they know how to write songs (that are despise their short running time full of great and fresh grapping and interesting ideas) and how to do it all already their very own way. Thumbs up!!! To the lyrics I can't say anything of real reliable worth, so I won't say anything about it, even I could imagine, and that's the impression that I get, that they don't sing about my little pony dancing and singing in the sun... The (cover) artwork is great, but don't mistake it for being the cover of a Old School Crustcore/D-Beat album just because of the motif and black/white artwork and the that way styled band logo, and the broad and heavy production sound is a true and pure bomb. So, even I would love to see and hear them doing some longer lasting songs and varying it all a bit more here and there I think they are doing exactly what they want to do and I definitely know that they do it all already really and truly damn fucking good and we all can surely expect even far more from this strong going young band to come in the future, I really hope so. So all in all this one is without a doubt recommended, so go and check it out or make it simple: Just buy it. Get it, period. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! /// Andy

(8 of 10 points)

(http://forcedorder.bandcamp.com/)

 

 

HULKAMANIA FOR LIFE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HULKSTER!!!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY & ALL THE BEST TO:

 

HULK HOGAN

 

- THE GREATEST, A TRUE ICON & IDOL OF YOUTH!!!

 

 

HULKAMANIA WILL LIVE FOREVER!!!

 

HULKAMANIA FOR LIFE!!!



SAGA - "ON THE LOOSE"

Hey folks, everything's fine so far?!? Now just a little goody, majestic stand-alone classical Prog Rock by no one else than the almighty, immortalized, and unforgettable SAGA with their larger than life classical anthem "ON THE LOOSE" from their phenomenal 1981 album "WORLD'S APART". (Btw, 1981 eh, sounds like a great year:-)!!!) I love this stuff, I love this band, album, and song, and beside this it also brings great childhood memories to my mind, because my mother listened to SAGA in general and the mentioned album in particular again and again over all the time, so that it marked me heavily without a doubt. And after today at work my comrades at work and I are busy with some "special" office works we have all the time in the world to listen also to music, and that was when it happened that this song was played and again I was hooked right from the start. And so now, just you enjoy it, a evergreen larger than life classic. Cheers!!! /// Andy

That's how it is.

Motivation Monday: "Hard work beats talent."

REBORN TO CONQUER - "ETERNAL SLEEP" (Sinister Metallic Hardcore on "MARKED FOR DEATH RECORDS" from 2012.)

REBORN TO CONQUER - "ETERNAL SLEEP"

("MARKED FOR DEATH RECORDS"; CD)

(Label contact: https://www.facebook.com/markedfordeathrecords)

(Running time: Eight songs in around thrity-six minutes.)

(Release year: Released already back then in 2012... but I just got aware of it and finally my hands on it recently so shut up, and now here it is, my review on it.)

Here it is, the so far still newest album of REBORN TO CONQUER. Years ago I saw them live, and they totally conquered me in a superior and dominant manner. And it is incredible how fast time moves on, because this was now already before four years... fuck it, I grow old, period. Okay, back then I bought their two so far released full length albums, "FULL COURT PRESS" and "HOMICIDE", and while "FULL COURT PRESS" was sort of a let down surprise because the stereotypical Tough Guy Beatdown Hardcore that this album offered (and still offers) was anything but definitely not what REBORN TO CONQUER delivered live up on and from the stage, but then "HOMICIDE" was a full bomb, and then after three years of working hard two years ago in 2012 REBORN TO CONQUER unleashed their newest offspring, titled "ETERNAL SLEEP", and it is for all what I think or mean to know still their current album and for all what I definitely know it was and is again a step forward. Not such a giant move than the "HOMICIDE" masterpiece was (and still) is (especially) compared to/with the "FULL COURT PRESS" album, not that incredible huge, but still surely a step forward. To get it straight right from the start: I like the "HOMICIDE" album anyhow a bit, even it's surely only a little bit, better or more, but that's just a thing or a matter of my personal taste in music and mainly based on the tendency that in my perception the band moved back then strong in a Holy Terror Hardcore direction and that was and is simply sort of my holy grail of Hardcore music, personally for me, so you see, it is just based on my very own personal perception and also taste in music (okay on what else...), but in every moment, every second it shines clearly through that "ETERNAL SLEEP" is definitely all the time more tight, more intense, more complex, more demanding structured, and it is incredible challenging arranged and composed and it is marked by a so damn tight and grapping intense and deep atmosphere, it's amazing, I mean, this album is like a twisted and bestial ride through the abysmal dephts of mankind and its sick and twisted suffering belief(s) in a higher entity above all else that it makes your skin crawl and your mind and head spin around all the time. Music wise REBORN TO CONQUER clearly go in a direction best described as sinsiter dark and nearly hypnotic intense Metallic Hardcore music-wise in the tradition of mighty bands like ARKANGEL, KICKBACK, DAY OF SUFFERING, and ALL OUT WAR, but they do it all on their very on (left hand) path, and they do it all on one hell of a fucking high level of quality. Deep and dark, very heavy and sick sinister distorted guitars build up the walls of music on the foundament of a sheer forceful and outstanding precise and incredible tight to the point played rhythm section, and then all is cultivated with purely intense vokillz that are mainly/mostly done in a aggressive and hysteric screamed and only slightly shouted way, very pissed off and above all very charismatic done, and it all is shaken up by cool spoken word parts and great chosen and composed'n'arranged movie samples that heavily add up to the atmosphere, as if this would be anyhow necessary... no way... but it makes it all even more intense and with this great and I just fucking love it, it makes my skin crawl even (far) more, point and fact. The technical skills of the REBORN TO CONQUER guys are above any discussions or doubts, they are just very strong and skilled talented musicians. And, even more important, they are very, very skilled songwriters, and what they create here and what a great atmosphere they create right from the start out of nothing is simply just overwhelming. Amazing!!! But I think I've already written something to it already one or two times above, and so I maybe shouldn't repeat myself here and now (again). But instead of this I better write down some words to their lyrics: I don't know if this was intended or not but to me "ETERNAL SLEEP" is sort of a concept album dealing with the issue or topic of a or the (especially monotheistic religious) belief of man in a higher entity named "god" or how-ever else and especially with the concept of death and after-life and the surviving or ongoing/-travelling of the soul of man and what the construct of man's religious belief(s) has/have to offer for answers to this questions, and it is done on a very thoughtful and passionated, a smart and cliché-free, a philosophical level and in such a way, and this is just great, and at least as intense and demanding and challenging as the music itself already is. Take some time and experience and discover "ETERNAL SLEEP" in its whole entirely because otherwise you would really miss a lot, one hell of a lot, period. The artwork of the album is great, and especially the cover would really deserve a LP release. The gloom and deep production sound is a perfect match, and only adds up to the high, the very high quality of "ETERNAL SLEEP". So, now finally coming to the closing line(s) of this review, just let me summarize: Every fan of intense and deep, dark and sinsiter, heavy and brutal and in a gloomy way distorted metallic Hardcore (or of any music of that specific intense, dark, and heavy and brutal kind) that beside overwhelming music also offers strong food for your thoughts and that also offers a very own unique approach shouldn't think twice but get this album as soon as possible (in case he or she still doesn't have it already), because this is really one hell of an exciting and grapping intense ride. Highly recommended, pure gold, I love it. In the name of the father, the son, and the holy... FUCK YOU!!! Amazing!!! /// Andy

(9 of 10 points) 

(Band contact: https://www.facebook.com/#!/rtc2k6?fref=ts)

 

 

 

 

 

(I just thought that I could give ya the complete artwork, and so I did... the scans look good but while uploading and completing this very post here they suddenly looked shitty at least in some parts but don't ask me why Blogger fucked this up while uploading when it turns out that some of the scans really look that shitty when finished this one here...)