"Ignore the voices inside your head and push your body to the limits." - Ronnie Coleman (Statement Saturday)

MADBALL - "DOC. MARTEN STOMP" (Official Video)

Here it is, the official video to the great new MADBALL anthem "DOC. MARTEN STOMP" that you can find on their new "HARDCORE LIVES" masterpiece that I reviewed up here one or two weeks ago (as well). Great video, totally stand out song, strong lyrics, what could ya ask more for. A soon to be a classic track, for sure. Also a first class video. Check it out and enjoy it, and it's definitely true, that "HARDCORE LIVES".

 

So, okay, that's it for today, more soon, I don't how much I will be able to get done this weekend, it will be a pretty busy weekend that's already starting or better kicking off just right with the birthday party of a very good friend tomorrow and so it will continue to be/go on, hm, but or so we will see what I will get done up here. So long enjoy this track and stay anyhow tuned for more. Have a good (late) evening/night and then think of tomorrow, because hey it's just one more damn work day to go and then it's weekend, finally, sounds great, right!?! Yes, it sounds great!!! More soon, and for now: Good night folks!!!

 

 HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! /// Andy

 

PS: THANKS to the great "HARDBOILED" guys for posting the new video first and pointing me into that direction, and yes, I simply needed to do as them and spread this great video and song around the world. Check their site out as often and as regular as it is possible for you, at least if you are into real Hardcore musick, because it's definitely one of the greates sites on the web dealing with all and everything important concerning Hardcore. Here you'll find them: http://www.hardboiledzine.com/.

 

YOLO

 

(The mighty, mighty Lou Ferrigno tells the truth.

Always keep that in mind :-) !!!

Stick to the iron!!! /// Andy)

Accept no excuses, only results.

 

(Just in case you need some help to get yourself motivated for the upcoming new week.

Give it all you've got to reach your goals.

Dedication, passion, and commitment.

Have a great time.)

TOUGHSKINS - "KEEP THE FAITH" (American Oi! legends from California on the rise again, released in 2013 on 7'' vinyl by "REBEL SOUND" and "RANDALE RECORDS.)

TOUGHSKINS - "KEEP THE FAITH"
("REBEL SOUND" & "RANDALE RECORDS"; 7'')
(Record informations: Black 7'' vinyl containing four songs at/in all, two each side.)

Hey folks, back in action again. Some days ago I reviewed the 2010 (for all what I know) comeback release of the mighty TOUGHSKINS titled "ANGER MANAGEMENT", and I told you to stay tuned for my review on their follow up release, ta-da, and like promised so delivered, here it is my review on their what I know follow up release and their second album after their comeback, yes, their "KEEP THE FAITH" titled 7'' from 2013, released on black vinyl as a collaboration work between "REBEL SOUND" from the U.S.A. and "RANDALE RECORDS" from Germany. Again the TOUGHSKINS deliver us four new songs, again two per side, and this are four great new songs of the TOUGHSKINS typical American Oi! music with that tough sunny Californian Aggro spirit. They sticked true to their style and quality and attitude of musical and lyrical delivery, and thank the mighty short cropped, ox blood steel toe boots wearing one up above for that. "KEEP THE FAITH" is filled up with cracking and without regrets and mercy forward pumping sharp'n'hard played'n'aimed yet damn catchy and melodic, very forceful and full of passion fast played guitars, a great snotty and hard intoned but at the same time really sung and very charismatic melodic lead singing voice that delivers the vocals in a truly more than great way and that's backed up by loud back up chantings, a great and pretty present bass playing, full throttle high energy very dynamic drumming, and one hell of a huge truck load of sing a longs and damn fingerpointing and fucking fistraising potential, a sound that will surely fire up every damn pogo pit outta there as well as it will make you totally go rampage to it even when you listen to it alone enjoying it in your living room. This is a great release, if not even more than this, and in a very sympathic and also just authentic way it carries the spirit of the 1990's U.S. American West Coast/Californian Oi! sound like it was born and raised by for example BOVVER WONDERLAND and the TOUGHSKINS themselves into the second decade of the 2000's years and this in a authentic, original, unique, and especially young, fresh, and alive/lively way without any dumb and dull lame and stale retro bullshit crappy cheap feelings. Thumbs up and that makes it even greater than it is also already anyhow. This also counts for the very strong lyrics that also hold some nice surprises in store, like especially the phenomenal title track "KEEP THE FAITH" showcases in a brilliant way. The artwork is also a pretty cool one, and the warm and earthy yet heavy production sound finally makes it all round and to the complete package. I don't know what I here and now could write any more, I think with this one I said so far anything what there was to say and if not then combine it with my review on their "ANGER MANAGEMENT" release from some days before and you should have it all. This is a great release, even more than this, and in a significant way even a bit better than its precursor, and so it's more than "just" damn high recommended and I just hope that the TOUGHSKINS will carry it on and that they will come up with a full length of that quality some soon day. A fucking stand-out 7'' that you need to have especially if you are just somehow into real Oi! Oi! Oi! music without any trendy crap, just the real deal, and this is what you get here from the TOUGHSKINS, again. I love it!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

(10 of 10 points)

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

(Label site I: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/RandaleshopRandale-Records/213545295368031?fref=ts)

(Label site II: https://www.facebook.com/#!/RebelSoundMusic?fref=ts)

 

 

 

Statement Sunday: "A champion is someone who gets up when they can't." (Jack Dempsey)

KEITZER - "CRUSADE"

Damn great Death'n'GRIND from Germany. I love this stuff, a great grinding all out attack.

I think I need to get my hands on their current release, or at least risk one or two ears.

Enjoy it, and smash something up near by.

TOUGHSKINS - "ANGER MANAGEMENT" (California's Finest finally back on the attack, American Oi! legends on "RANDALE RECORDS", released on 7'' vinyl already back then in 2010.)

TOUGHSKINS - "ANGER MANAGEMENT"
("RANDALE RECORDS"; 7'')
(Record informations: Four songs in total, every side features two, and it's on black vinyl.)
(Release year: Released already back then in 2010, but... I totally missed out on it so far, just correct this big mistake some few months ago, and so now here is my review on this vinyl gem.)
(Label site I: http://www.randale-records.de/news/news.php)
(Label site II: http://www.randaleshop.de/)
(Label site III: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RandaleshopRandale-Records/213545295368031?sk=info)

Here's my review on a record that I was totally curious and excited about, for all what I know the, if you want so, comeback release of the mighty TOUGHSKINS, Cali Oi! icons and legends. Their "RAISED IN ANGER" LP is one of my total favorites, I fucking love it, and it's still more or less pretty permanently on heavy rotation again and again since truly oh' so many years now. Also their split with the great BROKEN HEROES (also from years ago) I always liked and still like a lot. So you may can think and understand that I always thought that it sucked drastically and heavy (in a no good way of sucking) that they disappeared totally years ago for too many years. Hm, back in the MySpace days then I had a little message-writing-meeting from time to time with one of the TOUGHSKINS guys (sorry, can't remember anymore with whom of the bois) and he told me that they would be back in action finally again. As much as I loved to hear or better read this lines back then, as less could be seen of them over here by me and so I more or less, with the time passing by, forgot about them. Then, some time which means some years ago Bernando posted on his almighty "THE U.S. OF Oi! OF SWEDEN" blog (that seems to be dead and defunct these days... and this sucks) that the TOUGHSKINS would be back, hell yeahr, and then... then it took me unto now before I finally got their (what is and seems to me to be their) comeback release, four years after it was released... don't ask me any questions about the how and the why... Anyhow, now I finally have it, and now here's my review on it, so let's go: On this one we get four new songs by the great TOUGHSKINS, two each side, and as much as I was curious and excited (and also maybe sort of frightening because I wasn't so sure what they would deliver, and especially I wasn't so sure about if they could deliver the quality we knew from them still today), at least exactly that much I was convinced by this little gem, especially the A-Side with the title track "ANGER MANAGEMENT" and the maybe band's very own anthem "THE TOUGHEST KIDS" totally rules. The order of the day is without a doubt: Sharp aimed, hard hitting, energetic and dynamic straight forward speeding and rocking American Oi! of the finest, ah, the toughest kind and the more (punk-)rockin' and more melodic and catchy and always anthemic and hymnal way with that more West Coast flair (remember, for example, the legendary and infamous BOVVER WONDERLAND), full of sharp played hard yet especially catchy and melodic and especially always hymnal arranged and composed guitar work, snotty, fresh, young and real sung vocals that are backed up by strong, loud'n'proud crew chants, a totally infectous anthemic sing a long and raise your fists potential, and not to forget the tight and heavy punching bass playing and the precise and heavy, to the point played and no prisoners taking drumming, all delivered in a strong way of musical delivery and wrapped into energetic and forceful, grapping songwriting that manages to take you with right from the start and refuses to let you loose again before the finish line is reached and overstepped. "ANGER MANAGEMENT" and "THE TOUGHEST KIDS" totally rule, both songs have all the potential to become little great classics one day. Side B then is a bit weaker, especially or better solely due to "LET'S ALL", a party song (so it appears to me) with a somehow DROPKICK MURPHYS like arranged rhythm structure that's simply just not working (at least on record, live is the situation maybe a pretty different one). "THE BEAST" is then the final song of the record, and pretty much exactly as strong as the already mentioned "ANGER MANAGEMENT" and "THE TOUGHEST KIDS", so it makes up more than just good for the let down of "LET'S ALL", and that's more than only good and fine with me. So, you see, really a great record full of outstanding and damn great American Oi! by a classic band without any bullshit retro crap, just pure golden American Oi! of the toughest kind. Made complete is this album by strong and also always entertaining, pretty diverse lyrics, a first class production sound, and just a totally awesome artwork. So, what shall I write more, this one is a little masterpiece, so anyone only somehow into Oi! and especially anyone only a little bit into American Oi! (/U.S. Oi!) simply needs to call this 7'' his or her own, by any means. And, even it's already a little bit late: Welcome back guys, finally the TOUGHSKINS are here... again!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

(9 of 10 points)

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

(PS: Stay tuned for my review on their follow up 7'' "KEEP THE FAITH" coming up the next few days. Oi!)

 

 

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." (Wise Words Wednesday)

PHIL "THE GIFT" HEATH - From NCAA College Basketball to becoming the ruling "IFBB MR. OLYMPIA" from 2011 up to the present day.

Oh man, pretty much two years passed... and it really took me so long to finally come up with the next new follow up "Sports" post in form of a tribute to one of the ruling Bodybuilding Champs of our current time(s)... damn it... where does all the time go by so fast...?!? Okay, okay, okay, one after another, so here we go: Back then pretty much exactly two years ago in 2012 I did the last real proper tribute post to an active, currently competing Bodybuilding Athlete, the tribute post to honur the Canadian Muscle Machine Ben Pakulski that back then followed up pretty if not very promptly the tribute post to honour Zack "King" Khan, the ultimate Ultra Muscle Mass Freak from the U.K., and since then in two years no new proper tribute post of this kind used to come up. This had different reasons that I won't declare or write down here again in a detailed way or something like this, just let me say that it all culminated in the pretty dead last year of 2013, the decline and changing of the direction of what once was planned as the first theme days posting series in a row up here, and in the still pretty silent first half of this very year of 2014, so, okay, after enough time came and went unused and I am finally really back on track again with blogging and this blog came back to "real" life in a proper way some months ago and after I am enthusiastical and passionate running my "little baby", the "IRON AGE" series totally dedicated to (Old School) Bodybuilding, I really felt like it was definitely in every sense far about all and every time that I re-start working also on the regular "Sports" posts, finally, and so now I do so with this very article here and now. So, okay, straight into the action, here we go!!!

Inspired and influenced by the this Saturday happening annual battle for the crown at the stage of the "IFBB MR. OLYMPIA" I decided to let this post here be totally in the spirit and mood of this great competition and so I decided to pay tribute and give respect and honour to the currently ruling already three time(s) "MR. O.", to no one else than PHIL "THE GIFT" HEATH. To get it straight, I am not the biggest fan of him anyway, and I really thought and still think that in 2012 Kai Greene definitely was better than him, not to talk about Dennis Wolf the last year, maybe, but after the IFBB Pro Bodybuilding is pretty much like Sports Enteratinment like the WWE Wrestling nothing makes me wonder anymore. Also I am not that much comfortable with that stereotypical "All American Golden Boy" image with that at least slightly arrogant touch or note to it that is created by "WEIDER" publications like for example especially the "FLEX" magazine or like it was created in the movie "GENERATION IRON" for him to create a battle between him, Phil Heath the golden boy and champ, and Kai Greene, the underdog suffering through hardships (so it seems and feels to me), but I am also not so sure how true this all is, this whole imagery that's created around him. Keep in mind, pretty much like Sports Entertainment in the WWE style, so maybe we all shouldn't give so much about all the created images and rivalries and counterparts, created just to sell the product(s) and label(s), and better focuss and concentrate on the sports and the athletes. But like the WWE I enjoy also heavily the IFBB and know very well the effort, the passion, the dedication, and just the incredible hard work these athletes put in it, so that it is by far more sport than most of the other stuff else outta there. So, with that said I have also to state that PHIL "THE GIFT" HEATH is a great champion, a great "MR. O." and one of the best ambassadors Bodybuilding today could only have. And also, above all, he is a great athlete with one hell of an amazing and mind-blowing HD body direct from out of the third dimension, and so with maybe (or definitely) not all but surely nearly all possible justifications he holds the crown as being the No. One, as being the "MR. OLYMPIA", and this is exactly the reason why I decided here and now to pay tribute, give honour, and show respect to this great one known as PHIL HEATH or just: "THE GIFT", a name they all call him for a reason (or two, or more).

FROM BEING THE SHOOTING GUARD OF THE "DENVER PIONEER'S"...

*** PHIL "THE GIFT" HEATH ***

... TO BECOMING THE RULING "IFBB MISTER OLYMPIA".

Phil Heath was born on the 18th of December in 1979 as a son to his parents in Seattle, Washington/U.S.A. who gave him his full proper name of Phillip Jerod Heath and in Seattle it was where he also spend his teenage and school day years, where he then used to discover and experience and further on develop his passion for and skills in playing Basketball. He was pretty good, so that maybe also a NBA career was possible for him, just that you know it. In Highschool, he visited the Rainier Beach High School, he played Basketball with a hunger for more and with the drive that's needed to make more out of it than just a hobby or a school sports thing, and so he finally earned and secured a scholarship to go to college, and so he did and the Uinversity of Denver was his choice and there he continued playing Basketball and became the shooting guard of the "PIONEER'S" or "DENVER PIONEER'S", and there he played in the NCAA Division 1-A Men's Basketball team from 1998 up to 2002. Like already said, he was a good player, but in no way he was that dominant on the hardwood than how he is it today on the stages of the IFBB Bodybuilding competitions. In his four year spanning career he scored 86 points before changing the Basketball top with the Posing slip and focussing solely on Bodybuilding and becoming the ruling biggest star of it today here and now. A lot of his understanding of and passion for being an athelete and doing what must be done by an athlete to get ahead he learned, archieved, and earned during his Basketball days especially when he was the shooting guard of the "DENVER PIONEER'S", so his future Bodybuilding career gained much benefit and profit from it and from the hard working focussed mentality that he earned as a Basketball player as well as his trust in his coach or coaches as well, something that still leads him through his career today and something that also benefits his career heavily. Beside playing Basket ball he also studied when he was at college and he finally double majored in "IT Technology" and "Business Administration", just that you know about it, not so unimportant.

With being no stranger to training and working out with weights Phil Heath more and more moved away from just being a Basketball player and became more and more fascinated by and with weight lifting and iron pumping. This ever ongrowing interest finally led him to quitting Basketball and focussing on Bodybuilding, it led him to really start with Bodybuilding and this finally led him to an impressive and amazing career, like we all know it today. It was especially his ongoing hunger for new experiences and challenges and a different, a more intense style of training and work outs as well as his curiosity of a very different style of competition like Bodybuilding on stage surely is compared with Basketball on the court that led him into Bodybuilding and away from Basketball. He moved more and more away from Basketball, and at the same time more and more (in)to Bodybuilding, also because he felt that Basketball not really led him to define himself as an athlete in a whole. And then in the October of the year of 2002 it finally happened, the time was right and the time had come for Phil Heath to fully move into Bodybuilding and to start his journey that led him from gaining his Pro Card finally to becoming the crowned king of Pro Bodybuilding and the definite current superstar of this sport, the "IFBB MR. OLYMPIA". His first competition he experienced in 2003, it was the "ROCKY MOUNTAIN USA CHAMPIONCHIP - NORTHERN CHAMPIONSHIP" and he already back then grew on from 185lbs. to 192lbs., so you see, he started back then in the Light-Heavyweight-Division, and he walked away with gaining gold and archieving the overall title win as well. And this fueled his fiery desire for more, for far more, and so he moved ahead and on and on. It took him just two more years before he won the "NPC U.S.A. CHAMPIONSHIPS" and there he then also walked away victorious with his IFBB Pro Card earned that allowed him from then on to compete as a IFBB Pro Bodybuilder. In 2006 he competed already as a Pro Bodybuilder and right from the kick off he won his first two pro competitions, the "COLORADO PRO CHAMPIONSHIP" and the highly reputated "NEW YORK PRO CHAMPIONSHIP". It was a very good first year as a Pro, a very good Rookie year, without any doubt. In 2007 he moved on to bigger stages and for the first time ever he competed at the infamous "ARNOLD CLASSIC" where he reached the fifth rank. This was enough for him to qualify for the 2007 "MR. O.", but anyhow Phil Heath decided not to participate, not to compete, because he felt like he really need more time to work hard and harder even than before on his form, and so he was not to be seen on the "MR. O." stage in 2007 even he was qualified for doing so.

In 2008 then he returned to competing on stage and he won the well-known "IRON MAN" show and placed second to Dexter "The Blade" Jackson at the 2008 "ARNOLD CLASSIC". In 2008 then Phil Heath finally competed at the "MR. O." stage for the first time ever and scored in at rank three, an impressive statement, and something that only the iconic Flex Wheeler managed to archieve in his first "MR. O." competition before him, and this was already in 1993. For the "MR. O." 2009 he was definitely the major fan favorite to take the title, but a stomach virus costed him the competition so that he finished it just placed fifth. In 2010 he was defeated by the mighty Jay Cutler at the "MR. O." stage, the then supreme ruling "MR. O.", but then in 2011 the signs where set different and Phil Heath defeated Jay Cutler and won the "MR. O." and became for the first time ever crowned the King of Bodybuilding, the "IFBB MR. OLYMPIA". In 2012 and 2013 he managed to defend his title against Kai Greene and "the rest of the world", and we will see what 2014 (and beyond) holds in store for him. Here you can have a look on the history of his so far archieved titles:
* 2003: "NORTHERN COLORADO STATE", 1st place Light-Heavyweight and Overall Victory (- See above, the "ROCKY MOUNTAINS" affair.)
* 2003: "NPC COLORADO STATE", 1st place Light-Heavyweight (After this competition he changed the ''weight class/division", from Light-Heavyweight to Heavyweight.)
* 2004: "NPC COLORADO STATE", 1st place Heavyweight and Overall Victory
* 2005: "NPC JUNIOR NATIONALS", 1st place Heavyweight and Overall Victory
* 2005: "NPC USA CHAMPIONSHIPS", 1st place Heavyweight and Overall Victory (There he earned his IFBB Pro Crad.)
* 2006: "COLORADO PRO CHAMPIONSHIPS", 1st place
* 2006: "NEW YORK PRO CHAMPIONSHIP", 1st place
* 2007: "ARNOLD CLASSIC", 5th place
* 2008: "ARNOLD CLASSIC", 2nd place
* 2008: "MISTER OLYMPIA", 3rd place
* 2009: "MISTER OLYMPIA", 5th place
* 2010: "ARNOLD CLASSIC", 2nd place
* 2010: "MISTER OLYMPIA", 2nd place
* 2011: "MISTER OLYMPIA", 1st place
* 2011: "SHERU CLASSIC", 1st place
* 2012: "MISTER OLYMPIA", 1st place
* 2012: "SHERU CLASSIC", 1st place
* 2013: "MISTER OLYMPIA", 1st place
* 2013: "ARNOLD CLASSIC EUROPE", 1st place
Beside competing on stage he also appears usualy and regulary in all the known "WEIDER" publications, especially the "FLEX" magazine, as well as he was the major star of and in "GENERATION IRON" and also beside this movie he released several Bodybuilding work out, diet, and lifestyle DVD's, as well as he runs his own Nutrition & Supplement company, "GIFTED ATHLETICS", and he also appeared at the 20th of October of the year of 2013 as a special guest star at the TNA PPV "BOUND FOR GLORY". Ah, and he was for all what I know pretty much the only athlete who was already signed by or to "AMI"/"WEIDER" when still being an amateur athlete, because they were already back then so impressed and convinced by his potential and also due to the promo work that the great Jay Cutler put in for him to convince the guys at "AMI"/"WEIDER" even more. Before we are now coming to the closing lines of this articlel let us have a short look on his body stats:
- Height: 5,9''
- Offseason Weight: 280lbs.
- Competition Weight: 250lbs.
- Arms: 23
- Legs: 32
- Calves: 20
- Neck: 18,5
- Waist: 29
Phil Heath is known for his amazing genetics and his smart and very intelligent training systems and strategies and his trust in his chosen trainers/coaches. Both, his impressive genetics and his very smart art of training, led him to his amazing and truly complete HD body with that for him typical bombing and/or bombastic 3D effect and also to his nickname "THE GIFT", just look at him and you will get it. Today he is married and lives in Arvada, Colorado/U.S.A. and trains at the "ARMBRUST PRO GYM" in Wheat Ridge, Colorado/U.S.A., and all signs are set for him to have an even brighter future than his already very bright present.

Okay, that's it so far, now for your visual inspiration just a few videos of PHIL "THE GIFT" HEATH, and then that's it for this post. I hope you enjoyed it and by any means stay tuned for the "MISTER OLYMPIA 2014" happening this coming weekend, and maybe you are as curious and exited about it as I am, and then for now just thanks for your time and interest.
Keep on pumping and stick to the iron. /// Andy

(PHIL HEATH, full body work out for the "MR. O. 2014")


(PHIL HEATH, Bodybuilding motivation video)


(PHIL HEATH, road to the "MR. O. 2014", shoulder workout)


(PHIL HEATH, work out video from 2013)

MADBALL - "HARDCORE LIVES" (New York Hardcore Icons unleash their new album via "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS", released June 2014.)

MADBALL - "HARDCORE LIVES"

("NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS"; CD)

(Running time: 17 songs in 36:04 minutes, 15 regular songs, two bonus songs.)

(Label site "NUCLEAR BLAST EUROPE": http://www.nuclearblast.de/de)

(Label site "NUCLEAR BLAST AMERICA": http://www.nuclearblast.com/en/)

Yeahr, Hardcore days up here right now, hahaha, so it may could seem with yesterday the review on the new RYKER'S masterpiece came up and now my review on the new MADBALL album "HARDCORE LIVES" follows it promptly, hm, and you may could easily and with a lot of justification say that currently this are the Legends of Hardcore days up here on your dear "MANSLAUGHTER THUG LIFE" blog. So, okay, enough of the introducing small talk, now straight onwards into the action, my review on "HARDCORE LIVES", the newest MADBALL offspring, so here we go: Don't ask me why but somehow and for what reasons ever I missed out on the precursor full length "EMPIRE" so far, so this is my first real meeting on full length distance with MADBALL since their "INFILTRATE THE SYSTEM" album from 2007. (Damn it, seven years... really seven years... fuck... where did all the time go...!?!) And what shall I say... I mean, MADBALL had pretty much always been total favorites of me, myself, and I since I first listened to them back then in 1996 when I was 15 years young and MADBALL released their personally for me lifechanging "DEMONSTRATING MY STYLE" masterpiece, a incredible important band for me, back then, since then, still today, and probably this won't ever change as long as my mind is still in check. (So, even more, don't ask me why "EMPIRE" always was under my radar so far... think I need to change this really drastically some day soon, finally.) So it was clear to me that "HARDCORE LIVES" would be an album that I really fucking needed to have. And so, right when it hit the record stores, yes, I bought it promptly and directly. And it took me pretty much by storm, one hell of an incredible strong album, a true masterpiece. MADBALL managed to create a fresh and totally grapping and surprising and incredible tight, strong, massive, heavy, and just, yeah', creative great New York Hardcore album that knows to blend and melt all what NYHC is made of into one and this on a damn fucking great outstanding level of quality. Great, really greater than just great, really diverse and smart songwriting and strong and strongest songs done by skilled musicians. It's through and through a real or better a true MADBALL album with all the trademarks we know and love this band for, but at the same time it's a really fresh, new and young, an exciting and grapping album from start to finish over all the distance. Freddy delivers his very charismatic and just pure sheer full force vocals (and covers a wider distance of different singing styles which means also melodic and pretty clean singing styles than ever before) with hell of truckloads full of energy, passion, heart and soul and just pure authentic attitude, backed up by grooving and moshing, cracking and chugging, furious raging and mercyless down beating guitar riffing, a sawing and very bulky bass work, thundering drums, broad and fat widescreen gang shouts, and all is wrapped up in great arranged and composed grapping songs that offer a great and wide  range of grooving rhythm work and furious assaults on everything and everyone in sight as well as a great range of pace from mid paced Oi! fuled stompers like the larger than life anthem "DOC. MARTEN STOMP" up to blast speed ragers we get it all. And, oh yes, the level of quality on where this all happens on is an incredible high level of an amazing quality. And also, just to tell it you by the way, we get also a lot of great and strong guest singers on here, and especially the performances of Scott Vogel/TERROR and the in every way awesome Candice Puopolo/WALLS OF JERICHO who simply participates in the best and most strongest song on "HARDCORE LIVES" titled "BORN STRONG" really cultivate this album in every way. So, if you ask me, then my favorites would be "BORN STRONG", "THE BEAST", "DOC. MARTEN STOMP", "HARDCORE LIVES", "THE HERE AND NOW", "TRUE SCHOOL", "BEACON OF LIGHT", "MY ARMOR", and "FOR THE JUDGED", but you won't do anything wrong when you start to discover this very album here with listening to any other one of the songs, all is just pure gold - maybe the mentioned ones are just pure platinum, of course. All comes in a phenomenal artwork and with truly great lyrics, as well as the production sound is a pure bomb, period. This is the real deal and the whole, complete package so I think all is said, this is definitely one of the best albums of 2014 no matter out of which certain particular genre of music and if you are by any means somehow into Hardcore then to buy and praise this album is your damn duty, so if you still don't have it so far change this promptly and as soon as possible and right now go out and get it. An amazing statement and the album name couldn't be a better one and with an album like this it is simply just and totally true: "HARDCORE LIVES"!!! Oi! /// Andy

(10 of 10 points)

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

 

 

 

 

 

Motivation Monday: "...so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never tasted victory or defeat." (Theodore Roosevelt)

RYKER'S - "HARD TO THE CORE" (It's true, THE German Hardcore Silverbacks raise hell again!!! - "BEATDOWN HARDWEAR"; CD; 2014)

RYKER'S - "HARD TO THE CORE"

("BEATDOWN HARDWEAR"; CD)
(+ Distribution: "SOULFOOD")
(Running time: 9 songs in 24:05 minutes.)
(Announcement: The album is also released on vinyl in several different colors and limitations, but don't ask me if there are still any copies floating around for you to buy somewhere...)
(Label site: http://www.beatdownhardwear.com/)

Oh man, two weeks of nothing up here... sorry guys, it was just that I was the last two weeks not really that much in the right mood for blogging (about what ever) and also I decided to enjoy my rare free time more with my girlfriend, our dog, and my family as well as with exhausting sports, reading books, going out, nerding around from time to time in "Skyrim", and playing around here and there, just doing what I felt like and what pleased my gusto, freeing my mind. It's currently very hectic and stressful at work, not at least because from the next week on I'm about to take over the control at one of our newer "occupational-education-measures" beside still doing my so far daily "normal" or ordinary work at "my" school, hm, so you see, I really have a lot to do. But anyhow, also up here there's a lot to do and this matches perfect with my mood to finally do something active up here again, and so, yes, finally, here we go again: And here it is, the first post since two weeks (or so), and this is a record review post on the new RYKER'S album "HARD TO THE CORE", and this album is in fact nothing else or nothing less than the comeback album of this iconic and legendary Hardcore Silverbacks from Germany after for over a decade the band was more or less totally defunct, so here's their comeback album: Kassel Core strikes back you may can say, veterans and one of the very most important german and european Hardcore bands ever (and especially of the 1990's) are back in town, the rebirth of one of the greatest of what became known also as Euro Core, and you know what: It's fucking great that they are back!!! Damn fucking great!!! It feels like they had never been away, but at the same time excitement is definitely in the air. They truly sticked true to their style of bonesmashing and skullcracking, hard stomping and furious raging, NYHC fueled heavy and mercyless moshing Hardcore but they definitely managed to fresh'n'shake it all up with strong songwriting, cool grapping fresh ideas, some few modern (more definitely metallic) influences, yes, and just pure energy and real attitude. No old guys trying to rehash some of their fame from yesterday with delivering a stale and lame retro copy'n'paste work of their own old glory days, no, but instead of this a veteran band coming back and delievering one hell of an massive all out attack styled assault of an album, a band that really wants to know it (at least one more time) again, and for that definitely much respect and also this is just great, point and fact. A few more metallic notes, some sing a long terraces styled Oi! influences (just listen to the great soccer/football Hooligan smasher "DIVIDED BY COLOURS"), and "Mosh!!!", "Mosh!!!", "Mosh!!!" full throttle high energy bulky and beefy, massive and really heavy fast paced as well as harsh and heavy stomping groovy NYC inspired Hardcore, that's what we get in 2014 delivered by the RYKER'S, and all on a very high level of quality and deliverd by skilled musicians via strong songwriting. Powerful yet still pretty diverse guitar work, hard'n'heavy yet melodic and catchy, great forceful and charismatic that typical RYKER'S lead vocals that are also backed up by really broad-screen gang shouts, and a very massive played and totally to the point hammering tight and precise rhythm section, great changes of the pace and groovy and moshy rhythms, that all is really making the music of the RYKER'S - also still in 2014 and that's just perfect, pure gold, period. A very high level of energy is it on where all the songs play'n'mosh, and this makes it all really fucking intense. In short: This is a grapping album and a really great comeback and definitely the strongest RYKER'S album since their almighty lifechanging masterpiece "GROUND ZERO" from back then in 1996. And if you still don't know it or them, oh man, then let me tell you that this album will be strongly loved and admired by you if you normally raise hell to bands like BACKFIRE!, HARD RESISTANCE, ONLY ATTITUDE COUNTS, SPIDER CREW, CRUSHING CASPARS, as well as MADBALL, AGNOSTIC FRONT, CRO-MAGS, WARZONE, and PRO-PAIN. On top of it we get strong diverse lyrics (maybe easy or better simple stuff, but honest and to the point and with a real and heartfelt message, and that matters more than any crappy pseudo-intellectual bullshit sung by cheap assholes with no real life than sitting infront of their PC screens in the cellar of their parents house), a great artwork, and a totally clean yet heavy and earthy bombing production sound. And, on top of it, heartfelt passion and real and honest attitude is to be noticed non stopp and everywhere and every second, so that also the album title: "HARD TO THE CORE" is more than just justified and in the case of the RYKER'S nothing else than a passionated statement of one of a kind. So, okay, what shall I write more, one of the strongest albums of or for 2014 so far and one hell of a comeback, and I really just hope and wish that in this form (far) more will be delivered by the RYKER'S in the future. And, of course: Welcome back guys!!! And to you: Go out and get it, and in case you still don't have it this means nothing else than: Go out and get it right now!!! HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! /// Andy

(10 of 10 points)

(Band contact I: https://www.facebook.com/rykershardcore)

(Band contact II: http://www.rykershardcore.com/)