"Fools? I pity them." (Mr. T)

Wise words from a true legend.

SIXTEEN CELL - "THE VALE OF TEARS" (Russian Post Death Metal/Core, released in 2014.)

SIXTEEN CELL - "THE VALE OF TEARS"

("D.I.Y."; MP3 Online Digital Release + Download)

(Release date: 1st September 2014.)

(Running time: Seven songs - including one "Intro" track - in around twenty-two minutes.)

(Download link: http://sixteencell.bandcamp.com/album/the-vale-of-tears.)

(Note: I have not a single clou more than this album here, hm, basically about anything concerning this band and album, just stumbled upon them recently when I was surfing through the web on my never ending search - or hunt... - for new fresh music and then I found them, SIXTEEN CELL, and their album "THE VALE OF TEARS". So don't ask me about any physical releases and also don't ask me about any label backing this release up, also please don't ask me anything about the band  because beside this album - and this also solely in this its digital form - I don't know them... but this is anyway enough for me to do a review on it anyhow, point and fact.)

Hey folks, finally time for a new artcile up here to finish and close the month known as October in a proper way, and this is in this very case here and now with a review on a so far untill now totally unknown band (and album) to me, the band SIXTEEN CELL from St. Petersburg/Russia founded in 2012 and this very review that you are currently reading here is on their pretty current release from the 1st of September '14 that carries the title "THE VALE OF TEARS" and after their Bandcamp site taught me some informations about them I know that it's already their fourth release to date. Seems to me to be a very active band. And you know what: That's all more than "only" good and fine with me, "just" judging by this very one here, their newest and youngest born offspring child. So, with having been so far totally unknown to me I can only give you my words on this album, and so now I do: If you are in love with totally weird and over the top, very progressive and beside this all also very brutal and definitely also very atmospheric and melodic pretty cold and dark Death and/or Metal Core musick with a strong Post Core/Metal flavor added to it all, hell man, than SIXTEEN CELL with their new album "THE VALE OF TEARS" will definitely be your new holy grail or something close to this. They combine brutally stunning heavy and at the same time surely nearly breath taking melodic and symphonic, very atmospheric guitars that come over you like a thunder-storm and will conquer you promptly with really great shining double lead vocals (brutal male shouts and grunts and powerful yet melodic clean sung female vocals), and all they back up by fantastic sound effects and one hell of a great rhythm section. Life is giving to the songs by or through damn impressive songwriting (diverse, intense, grapping, skilled, and above all damn atmospheric), and all is delivered by very high skilled musicians that celebrate a very own kind of music that's maybe best described to be located on a very self-contained position somewhere in the wide and loose field (in-) between ONE MORE VICTIM, EMMURE, HIS STATUE FALLS, NEUROSIS, and also some (very) few THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and also some Brutal Death Metal like especially FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, yes, somewhere there you will surely find SIXTEEN CELL and their brandnew "THE VALE OF TEARS" album, and you will definitely enjoy them/it if you are into the mentioned bands and style(s)/kind(s) of musi(c)k. A great artwork, a clear and heavy just brilliant production sound, and for all what I get also pretty interesting lyrics we get on top of it all. Just give us a real "hit" or so the next time and it will be near to be perfect the next time. A great and interesting band and album that I can't recommend enough here and now. Go and get it, and it also costs you only one lousy dollar, just that you know it... btw... Like already said, a truly great album, and so I will now close this review with just pointing out that I definitely love this stuff, it's so damn great. /// Andy

(Rating: 9 of 10 points)

(Band site: https://www.facebook.com/SixteenCell?fref=ts.)

 

 

 

THE BUSTERS - "SHARP DRESSED GIRL"

Great tune.

Especially on a firy friday or saturday night as well as on a relaxed sunday evening.

SKA. SKA. SKA.

HARDBOILED WEBZINE: Great new interview up with the mighty DOWN FOR LIFE, check it out!!!

Hey folks, the great guys over @ http://www.hardboiledzine.com/ have a brandnew very strong interview online up and ready to read for you, it's a new one with the great and mighty young American Oi! wildfires of DOWN FOR LIFE from L.A. (were featured up here some months ago with a ''Videos'' posting), and I can only very highly recommend this interview (and band as well as the webzine, one more time again) to you, so go and check it out.

Here's the link to the interview:

http://www.hardboiledzine.com/2014/10/down-for-life-interview.html

Make sure to check it out!!!

So, okay, and then that's all so far for now. Stay tuned, more is coming soon. Next up will be - for example - reviews on the current and new albums of CRUCIAL CHANGE, SLAPSHOT, SICK OF IT ALL, and WORLD WAR 4 from Boston, as well as in the near future also the first ever inofficial "Heavy Metal" days up here will happen with reviews on the new and current releases of GRAVE DIGGER, JUDAS PRIEST, and ACCEPT, so you see a lot is in the pipeline and will more or less soon be ready, so stay tuned for more to come. (And we're now talking only about new ''Record Reviews'' posts, but even more is in the pipeline, trust me.) Ah, and also for now and this above all: Have a great weekend. It's Saturday Night so you know I will be up and out soon, and I hope you will be too. It's Weekend, so it would be pretty fucked up if you spend your time just hanging around somewhere online, so, by any means: Have a great time.

Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

HARDBOILED WEBZINE - make sure to check it always out.
You find them here: http://www.hardboiledzine.com/!!!

FUNERAL TEARS - "YOUR LIFE, MY DEATH" (Complete Album)

 

Hey folks, tonight maybe (?) only this little video for you.

I don't know how things will go on from now, but currently I don't think that I will

get that much more done today respectively tonight up here.

 

But now some short words to this video: It's a YouTube ''Video'' done by whom ever of the

complete "YOUR LIFE, MY DEATH" album of the Russian Funeral Doom Metal band

of the name FUNERAL TEARS, released in 2007.

I love this music, this epic, emotional, desolate-atmospheric, intense, sick, and brutal muSICK,

and after unfortunately this band and album were so far completly under my radar,

yes,  I enjoy them currently heavily.

So, if you are into in this stuff or interested in it, okay, then enjoy it, too. Especially when you

don't know them already so far.

 

That's it for now, more in one way or the other pretty soon.

Cheers and have a great evening. /// Andy

 

Just some few short inspirational words tonight.
Overcome your inner demons that hold you back
to become the best that you only can be.
And then... PUSH HARDER!!!

 

News: Concert Updates; Who's gonna buy me some flight tickets?!?

Oh man, how I would love to be there:
SHEER TERROR, SLAPSHOT alone, almighty billing,
and the DJ's, ha, one comment: Whoooaaaa!!!
BLIND JUSTICE and HEAVY CHAINS also rule.
And I would bet that VICE also rock.
This will be GREAT, for sure.
So, okay, who's buying me a flight ticket?!?

Also a damn great billing, and WORLD WAR 4
with their new demo album in their package,
and then also their first show ever. Beside them
xNO TOLERANCEx, BLIND JUSTICE, and the
BOSTON STRANGLER, only two words about it:
HELL YEAHR!!!
And I would bet that FIRE & ICE also know how to
kick ass, definitely.
So, again: Who's gonna buy me a flight ticket?!?

This will be also just GREAT, come on, I mean
AGNOSTIC FRONT and BANE alone, damn it,
this will be definitely damn fucking GREAT!!!
So, okay, for the last time here and now:
Who's gonna buy me a flight ticket now?!?

"Stay hungry. Feast on success."

 

Just like the old saying says: Satisfaction is the death of desire.

Never loose your lust and hunger, never loose your drive.

Always push forward. Always push harder.

Keep on moving.

Keep on fighting.

Stay hungry.

BARKING IRONS - "FUCK YOU!" (So. Cal. American Oi! stomping over you. Released via "SKINFLINT MUSIC" on 7'' vinyl in 2014.)

BARKING IRONS - "FUCK YOU!"

("SKINFLINT MUSIC"; 7'' vinyl EP)

(Running time: Four songs in twelve minutes of running time.)

(Expression of thanks: A big "THANK YOU MAN!!!" goes out to Dave/"SKINFLINT MUSIC" for sending me this album in its digital promo version for reviewing it, "THX!!!" Dave, great of you.)

And here we go again, one more time today, whoaaa, really damn busy up here today, it reminds me quite a bit of the good ol' days and makes me think about how I got it done back then with posting frequently and on a regular basis about twenty or even about thirty posts per month for years... don't ask me how I did it back then, seems unthinkable today... more or less... but on such a regular and frequent level like I did it back then over the first two or three years, pfff, that's really unthinakble today... and again, don't ask me how I did it back then, hm, and btw the first two or three years, oh man, this makes me think about how long this blog's now running, makes me think about for how long I keep this little blog now running, despite even the (nearly) dead period(s) from the last year on up to this spring or so and still coming back... maybe it's time for some little anniversary in the future, I think I should have a look on it... we will see. But now, after this was all a little bit off topic it's now really time to get back to the topic here and now which is my review on the for all what I know current and first ever release of this young American Oi! Roughnecks from So. Cal. being brought to us by the great "SKINFLINT MUSIC" label run by Dave who used to send me the promo version of it (THX again man, great of you), and so now finally here we go again right into the action: BARKING IRONS hail from So. Cal. and play one hell of a fast paced aggressive and pissed off in your face smashing American Oi!/Streetpunk full of roaring and shredding aggressive, dirty, and harsh raging furious guitars, snotty and pissed off vulgar spitting lead vocals, harsh beating and stomping, drums, and a grim sawing bass, strong composed verses, hymnal refrains with a huge sing a long potential, and great little surprises in the pace and rhythm arrangements as well as in the guitar work (really strong leads and solos) of the songs, full power and energy and throttle non stop and here and there also enriched with some (very) few Hardcore impressions. BARKING IRONS are really a band that promises a lot for the future and I can't wait to hear more from them and this hopefully very soon. Maybe their style of music is best described to be found loosely somewehere in a self-contained sector of the field between OFFENSIVE WEAPON, LONESOLDIER, the FIGHTING 84, and some few THE ANTI-HEROES. Very good and really strong and pretty sure especially for german standards damn politically incorrect lyrics (thumbs up!!!) that carry a message (thumbs up twice!!!), a pretty cool artwork that fits perfect to the aggressive and pissed off very authentic attitutde of the BARKING IRONS and their "FUCK YOU!" debut, and a dirty and harsh pulsating production sound on top of it all, so it's all there what you may could need. Just keep up the good work and in the future we will see surely even better albums than this little one here, but don't make any mistakes because this very one here is already a really damn good little one and it's also a big promise for the future, so go out and buy it, because: This kicks ass!!! It rules!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

(Rating: 8 of 10 points)

(Band site: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barking_Irons/749582328439394?fref=ts)
(Label site 1: https://www.facebook.com/SkinflintMusic)
(Label site 2: http://shop.skinflintmusic.com/)

ANTAGONIZERS ATL & DDC - "SPLIT EP" (American Oi! in your face, b***h!!!)

ANTAGONIZERS ATL & DDC - "SPLIT EP"

("REBEL SOUND MUSIC"; 7'' vinyl EP)

(Release date: 19th September 2014.)

(Collector informations: Limited worldwide to just 600 copies at all. 200 come on black vinyl, it's the "ordinary" pressing; then 200 more come on red vinyl with black splatter effect, and the final 200 copies then come on half red and half black vinyl.)

(Running time: Four songs in ten minutes, each band delivers two songs on their sides.)
(Acknowledgement: A very big "THANK YOU!!!" goes out to Brett Hole and "BLACKHOLE RECORDS", one more time, for sending me this EP for reviewing it, so "THANKS A LOT!!!" Brett, that's - again - damn great of you.)

Okay folks, pretty busy today up here, so the impression you could get today, hm, and after I am currently sick at home and with this more or less forced to stay home with this one today now being the fifth or sixth day of being sick or ill in a row I'm feeling totally pissed but now finally even only very slowly I am starting to feel really better a (big) bit after all I though it's time to bring finally some action into things up here again, and so I did respectively so I still do. And I thought why not start with reviews on the albums I know of so far for all up to this point that had been send lately my way for reviewing them, and here's the third and so far final one of this releases, and this is the - so much I can say right here at the starting point - damn great "SPLIT EP" between the ANTAGONIZERS ATL and the DDC, which stands for DRINK AND DESTROY CREW, both bands roar out from the street gulches of Atlanta, Georgia/U.S.A., and this is one hell of a great little album one more time brought to us by the cool folks who work their ass' off in "REBEL SOUND MUSIC".

 

So, okay, here we go, the ANTAGONIZERS ATL are probably no strangers to you anymore, and may it be only because of the review I've done on their for what I know precursor release just a few couple of months ago. (Read it here: http://manslaughterthuglife.blogspot.de/2014/07/antagonizers-atl-hold-your-ground.html, if you still don't know it but are anyhow interested in it.) They sticked true to their style and sound and that's just great. Maybe they only worked it out even a bit more with making it all even more tight, precise, forceful, and just sheer no holds barred. So expect some good healthy doses of powerful dustdry sawing and rocking guitars here that mark the songs heavily and that shine with a great dynamic very natural/organic grooving rhythm work as well as with very cool sharp edged leads and solos, too. Add up to this the forceful rhythm work of the bass and the drums, precise, tight, to the point played and just totally filled with explosive energy, and then cultivate it all with the great lead singing vocals, loud and proud crew back up chants, great arranged verses and totally anthemic sing a long refrains and you should get a very good impression of what this guys, the ANTAGONIZERS ATL deliver us here with their two songs "PRESSURE" and "THE CREW F.U." in their bonecracking dustdry anthemic heavy rocking Atlanta raised American Oi!/Streetpunk style that you maybe can best describe as a very strong, a great, and a very self-contained mixture out of THE ANTI-HEROES, THE TRADITIONALS, some few early SKREWDRIVER and some few SEX PISTOLS. This shit really rules!!! Btw, something that I just know by now and that I didn't know before is the fact that the guys in the ANTAGONIZERS ATL in their younger days played in other great and also today pretty legendary bands like for example ADOLF AND THE PISS ARTISTS and VIBRAM 94, just that you know it, and so no one should wonder that this guys know the deal which means that here are some skilled musicians at work delivering their songs in the way of really strong songwriting. First class lyrics we get as well. Thumbs up!!!

So here this time the ANTAGONIZERS ATL get (again) the rating of 9 of 10 points from me, great work, again.

(Band site: https://www.facebook.com/AntagonizersATL)

 

Then the next side is occupied by the to me so far unknown DDC that also hail out from Atlanta. They give us also two songs on their side, two songs that carry the titles of "HATED" and "VICTORY". They play a very heavy and brutal but yet still damn anthemic/hymnal and through and through really sing-a-long-friendly catchy but anyhow all the time tough as nails Roughneck American Oi! through and through filled with heavy and hard shredding guitars that deliver brutal assaulting riffs and bloody catchy right through your ears into your head storming leads and solos that bite you without letting you loose again, also a great rhythm work is delivered by the guitar playing. Backed up by a grim and bulky bass work in a thru and thru real deal powerhouse style, and massive and harsh stomping  ruff'n'tuff warzone drumming thundering from out of your speakers. Their crown the songs then get from the great harsh and pissed off shouted Hardcore styled lead vocals, that are backed up by broad and fat widescreen gang shoutings. One of the harder and also Hardcore influenced American Oi! bands of today, and one of the strongest ones, too. DDC are best to find somewhere between RAZORS IN THE NIGHT and FEAR CITY with some PATRIOT and some (very) few STARS & STRIPES thrown into the mix as well, and they deliver it thankfully also all already very self-contained and you can easily hear that here are also skilled musicians at work that also know how to write grapping and entertaining songs, and so they do. Strong lyrics we get also delivered by DDC, which means by no one else than the DRINK AND DESTROY CREW from Atlanta, Georgia/U.S.A., and for this one more time again they get two thumbs up from me.

So DDC get here and now a rating of 9 of 10 points from me, great work, too.

(Band site: https://www.facebook.com/DrinkandDestroyCrew)

 

Beside the great music on both sides of the vinyl delivered by both bands we also get a first class artwork and also on both sides a heavy yet still dirty enough bombing production sound, so that you easily can imagine, that this little album here is nothing less than the complete package and the real deal. This is highly recommended and I can just say that you need have to this as soon as possible especially when you proclaim to be only anyhow a little bit into Oi!, Streetpunk, Hardcore, and Punkrock music, into real street muisc. And btw, the ANTAGONIZERS ATL and DDC are definitely two of the most promising bands in the world of Oi! today, so we all better watch out for them and now just go out and get it. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

(Final rating: 9 of 10 points)

(Label site: http://rebelsoundmusic.limitedrun.com/)

 

(Note: Future releases of both bands shall already be more or less ready in the pipeline, so again: Watch out for them!!!)

 

 

THE TRANSITIONS - "THE TRANSITIONS EP" (Waving Dark Punk from Melbourne, Australia. Released via "REBEL SOUND MUSIC" as a 7'' vinyl EP in 2014.)

THE TRANSITIONS - "THE TRANSITIONS EP"

("REBEL SOUND MUSIC"; 7'' vinyl EP)

(Collector informations: Limited to 500 copies worldwide = 200 copies in black; 200 copies in oxblood vinyl, it's the Band Exclusive Pressing; 100 copies in transparent Coke bottle green vinyl, it's the "REBEL SOUND MUSIC" exclusive pressing.)

(Running time: Four songs in eleven minutes.)
(Acknowledgement: One more time again a big THX goes out to Brett Hole/"BLACKHOLE RECORDS" for sending me the album for reviewing it.)

Okay, here's the first release of this still pretty new young band, THE TRANSITIONS, from Melbourne, Australia in which no one else than Al from the mighty MARCHING ORDERS and RAZOR CUT sings, all brought to us by the sympathic guys in "REBEL SOUND MUSIC". But if you know impose your hands in joyful anticipation of another load a great Oi! Oi! Oi! music roaring out from the cold concrete of the streets down under than I have to disappoint you here and now, because THE TRANSITIONS are something very if not completly different. They were formed in 2012 and here they deliver us their so far first ever release and they serve us four songs of a classic or Old School sort of Dark Punk Rock music with a to me sort of waving tendency and also with a sort of Pre-Punk music approach to it, all done very fresh and surprisingly alive-lively. The promo sheet names bands like JOY DIVISION, THE DAMNED, THE BUZZCOCKS, WARSAW, ACCENT (the ones from the U.K.), THE CHAMELEONS, BOYS NEXT DOOR, WIRE, and also TSOL as well as in general late 1970's and early 1980's Punk, Post Punk, and in general 1980's Down Under Rock and Pop music as influences and the forces behing THE TRANSITIONS, hm, and even I am honestly not that familiar with all the named bands I can easily underline the general proposition of this words as well as I can also easily underline that bands like JOY DIVISION, THE DAMNED, THE BUZZCOCKS, and TSOL are clearly influences of THE TRANSITIONS, at least (also) from my point of view. I would enrich it with expression straight and direct that the music of THE TRANSITIONS offers a pretty cool waving vibe due to the pretty laid back and very soulful and playful guitar playing that in its best and strongest moments even comes close to what the god-like NEW ORDER celebrated on their later/late works (just listen to the breath-taking heartfelt and soul- as well as playful guitar work of the from my point of view by far most strongest track "NO MORE YESTERDAY" here on this album and you should easily get it), as well as a very dark and sort of desolate atmosphere and character of the music of THE TRANSITIONS that puts it clearly near to bands like the already mentioned JOY DIVISION, just as an example. Beside the already mentioned sort of waving guitar work prepare yourself for the strong charismatic snotty sort of melancholic lead vocals, and great in time and precise working rhythm section. The songwriting differs nicely between more waving ("WAITING FOR THE MAN", and the mighty "NO MORE YESTERDAY") and more Punkrock styled ("SHOUTING AT SILENCE", and "LIVE FAST, DIE YOUNG") songs and stays so pretty fresh and entertaining over all the time, while I have to admit that I clearly and definitely like the more waving songs far more, but that's maybe just a matter of my personal taste and says maybe more about it than about the quality of the songs, who knows, anyhow, who cares... I would wish that the band would work more on a more focussed and decisive approach and then we will see to where the journey leads them. A nice surprise anyhow, an interesting listen as well, and a solid release which makes it a good starting point and a good debut album. If you have a faible for the mentioned bands and styles of music then give them a spin, could be worth your time. Good lyrics, a not ugly but somehow pretty lame artwork, and a strong production sound we get on top of it all. Check it out, and then decide for yourself. /// Andy

(Rating: 7 of 10 points)

(Label site: http://rebelsoundmusic.limitedrun.com/)

 

 

 

 

DRUG SHOCK - "STRENGTH IN NUMBERS" (Here's what happens when members of IRON CROSS and COPYRIGHT CHAOS join forces. Oi! Oi! Oi! fuckin' destrOi!)

DRUG SHOCK - "STRENGTH IN NUMBERS"

("REBEL SOUND MUSIC" & "JOE POGO RECORDS"; LP)

(Note: For all what I know this very one here is in this form of this particular colabortaion release of the two involved and above mentioned labels a solely vinyl release, but I would bet that there will be also a CD release in which form and via which label ever.)

(Collector informations: Worldwide limited to just 500 copies in total = 200 copies on black vinyl; 100 copies in half red and half orange with black splatter effects, this is the Band Exclusive pressing; 100 copies in half swamp green and half mustard vinyl, this is the "REBEL SOUND MUSIC" exclusive pressing; 100 copies in transparent green vinyl with yellow and purple splatter effects, this is the "JOE POGO RECORDS" exclusive pressing.)
(Running time: Twelve songs in a running time of thirty-five minutes.)
(Acknowledgement: THX to Brett Hole/"BLACK HOLE RECORDS" for sending me this album in its - complete (!!!) - digital version for reviewing it, THX very much man - one more time again.)
(Label site I, "REBEL SOUND MUSIC": http://rebelsoundmusic.limitedrun.com/)
(Label site II, "JOE POGO RECORDS": http://www.joepogorecords.com/)

Here's the for all what I know the first (full length) release of/by DRUG SHOCK, a pretty new band founded in 2012 by members who otherwise play in the almighty IRON CROSS and in the so far to me pretty unknow COPYRIGHT CHAOS, and after they played their ass' off live on stage more or less all over the States they finally entered the studio and did what they had to do, they created one hell of a dirty and heavy bad ass Oi! Punk Bastard titled "STRENGTH IN NUMBERS" that will take you by storm with hitting you straight and right direct into the face like the sharp aimed and harsh carried-out swing of or with a rusty sledgehammer, smashing it - which means your face - into bloody pieces, and anyhow still leaving you with a totally satisfied smile over what once were your lips. This is hard and heavy by great guitars dominated very powerful and at the same time in a great way catchy, rich on sing-a-longs, and melodic and also harsh rocking by heavy guitars driven Oi! Punk Music of the just damn great kind with a strong Classic U.K. Punkrock influence, but that's thankfully very fresh and lively done and so there's no annoying lame or stale retro bullshit crap to be noticed here, and that's making it all even a bit more more great. Expect heavy and mercyless forward pushing and driving guitars without end, guitars that fire out harsh riffs and cracking rockin' and very organic or natural groovin' rhythms yet also sheer outshining leads and cool solos as well all the time, and guitars that also add up heavily to the great anthemic spirit of the songs, while at the same time are above any discussions the totally mercyless bonecracking and dustdry forward pushing dominating factor of the music of DRUG SHOCK. Cultivated it is all by the hard yet smart which means really sung, and this means clean and at the same time absolutely forceful sung and not "just" shouted lead vocals, backed up great loud widescreen fat and broad crew back up chantings, that deliver great verses as well as totally supreme dominant refrains and one hell of a truckload full of really large sing a longs. Then there's a nicely present bass, heavy and forward storming with beefing up the songs strongly and without taking any prisoners, and then there's still the furious drumming beating and smashing, without regrets the songs froward flogging, that's how I like it. All is done in a great way of grapping and interesting and just sheer sparkling songwriting, delivered by very strong musicians. Imagine a very strong and cool, and also a very self-contained mixture out of G.B.H. (I think first and foremost of their "PUNK JUNKIES" days) and some only very few SEX PISTOLS with PATRIOT, U.S. CHAOS, and THE BUSINESS and adding up some ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE as well as some OXYMORON to it for good then you will surely have a pretty good impression of what DRUG SHOCK are all about. We also get strong lyrics, a really fantastic Old School styled artwork, and a first class bombing production sound. That's all, I think you know the deal, this one is highly recommended so just better go out and get it. I really hope that DRUG SHOCK will also deliver us the goods in the future, not that this great album turns out to be just another flash in the pan. But anyhow, I make it simple: Buy it!!! Promptly!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

(Rating: 9 of 10 points)

(Band site: https://www.facebook.com/DrugShock)

SNOW SHARKS (Shark Slasher Horror brought to us by "SPLENDID FILM", "THE CARTEL", and "TITAN GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT" in 2014.)

"SNOW SHARKS"

("SPLENDID FILM" & "THE CARTEL" & "TITAN GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT"; DVD)
(Released - at least in form of this particular DVD edition under that name/title - in: 2014)

Hey folks, it's been a while, a very long while now... oh no, not what you think, not in case of this blog in its whole entirely but just and this very definite in case of the ''Movie Reviews'' up here. The last one was from now on posted nearly two years ago, oh man, so you or I or we maybe could say that it is definitely really and truly by far about time that a new one, a new "Movie Reviews" post/article is finally coming up. (At least from my point of view.) Okay, and so here it is, the first new "Movie Reviews" post in or since nearly two years and it's a review on one of the finest examples of the art of movie-making and its highest stand of play today, a review of one of the very finest examples of how great and intense and grapping and atmospheric and sheer overwhelming and outstanding amazing a movie today can really be, because this is a movie that definitely defnies the highest of the high standards of really quality movies of today totally new in a drastic, radical, and yes, in an even extreme way, this is a review on... pffffff, nah... this is a review on of the most shittiest crappy movies ever made and released, a review on one hell of a total cineastic farce that carries the title: "SNOW SHARKS"; and so now here it comes:

 

First of all I have to admit that I don't really have any clou why the hell ever this whole "Shark Slasher" or "Shark Horror" stuff as a subgenre of this whole "Beast Horror" or "Beast Slasher" thing enjoys itself so much support this days with countless movies being made and released and somehow celebrated, from "SHARKTOPUS", "SHARKNADO", "TWO HEADED SHARK ATTACK", "ZOMBIE SHARK", "GHOST SHARK", and to how-ever else this mostly totally abysmal countless legions of pretty much mostly identical crappy cineastic infamous actions may else ever be named. One of the very rare few better ones (not good ones in the sense of a good movie, hell no, but one of the better ones of this round dance of bullshit) was or is "SAND SHARKS" with it's pretty funny weird story and a somehow not totally embarassing cast, and with a sexxxy bombshell like Brooke Hogan playing very convincing the role of a well-fortified scientist - not. And here is the successor of "SAND SHARKS", titled "SNOW SHARKS". And after in "SAND SHARKS" the sharks thought that the oceans and the water weren't enough for them anymore and started to swim through the sand and this even more deadly and even more vicious and incredible fertile now this time here in "SNOW SHARKS" the sharks climbed the mountains and started to swim the snow, like the title suggests, hm, but that's not that all correct because rather than they climbed the mountains to swim in the snow and hunting skiers the sharks or in fact and by far better the "SNOW SHARKS" bombed right down to earth and into the snow from out of the dephts of space, so it's like alien sharks with the ability to swim choosed the snowily winter in one godforsaken U.S. American small mountain town with its wanna-be tourist/holiday spring-break-in-the-snow-party paradise as their chosen hunting time and place and now they are on the hunt for fresh human flesh to still their ever growing hunger for, of course, human flesh and blood. So the totally crappy but really funny and in a symptahic way absolutely weird and childish "scientifical" explanation that was created and used to explain why the sharks now prefer to swim in the sand instead of the water that was used in "SAND SHARKS" was thrown into the junk bucket and instead of this here in "SNOW SHARKS" the makers fob us with a lame and ordinary alien and magic/paranormal phenomenon dingle-dangle. And as if this wouldn't be already worse enough with this change of directions in the explanation and background story of the movie the makers also cutted the role of the sexxxy and well-fortified scientist from the movie, and with this they also cutted Brooke Hogan from their new over-natural and now even extra-terrestrial shark beasts movie. Okay, if you want to see her, which means Brooke Hogan, again taking on the fight against over-natural shark killing machines than check out "TWO HEADED SHARK ATTACK", in which she plays also very convincing and very reputable a biology scholar on an expedition - not. Hm, but Emily Adison is taking her place in "SNOW SHARKS", she seems to be or shall be be a well-known U.S. Hardcore Porn Star but after I am not that familiar with Porn (because I prefer real Sex compared with giving me the five by myself, so sorry but maybe just ask the almighty Google gods and you will pretty sure get a quick answer or far more than just one answer in which format you ever want) I can't even tell you who she is and who she acts here in "SNOW SHARKS". But maybe that's all also not the important anyhow, because after pretty much all the in parts more hot and sexy and in other parts less hot and sexy and in some parts just totally cheap and lousy girls - or should I say babes...;-)... - that act their parts here in "SNOW SHARKS" look more or less like Porn Stars and big and by human hands optimized boobs are jumping up and down on screen all the time I am pretty sure that you will find enough to look out for, in case you are looking for some Porn like, hm, let us say: "atmosphere". And in fact due to all the half-naked girls and all the optimized jumping boobs you can easily get the impression that you are looking a Porn movie, at least one of the Soft Porn kind... something that mostly all the "Beast Horror" or "Beast Slasher" movies know to, ah, okay, let us say to "gleam'n'sparkle" with... I think you get what I am saying with this... so just let us say that "SNOW SHARKS" perfectly lives up to the fullfillment of this cliché or standard that ones had been set (by whom ever else, but Sex -  still - sells - best - , I guess), and so it's maybe perfectly aimed at its dedicated and passionated target group, who knows. So okay, now you have all the background informations that you need, but before we now go on to the story and all the other stuff I just will close this part or paragraph of this review post or article with saying that I also today and even more after watching "SNOW SHARKS" still don't have a single reliable clou why this whole "Shark Horror"/"Shark Slasher" stuff enjoys itself so much sort of fame these days. Maybe because of the Soft Porn "atmosphere", but if so then why not watch right up a (Soft) Porn, why the need for all the sharks... but here's maybe not the place for discussing something to which no real answers may can ever be found... and especially is here not the place for any psychological discussions about primal fears and/or fetishs, so just let us go ahead.

 

After all the background informations now let us come to the story and the acting here of and in "SNOW SHARKS": So, okay, to the story pretty much all is said above, so expect over-natural alien sharks swimming the snow hunting their human prey and leaving the snow blood red. Beside the changed explanation and the changed place the story and the characters are pretty much exactly the same as in "SAND SHARKS". Plutocratic and nepotistic business men and local politicians want to unleash one hell of money making spring break party week machinery and kick it off not worrying about first missed persons and first blood ruts in the sand, nah, in the snow and even less caring about the crazy warning talkings of a old crazy grumpy guy that rides the snow with his sled dogs and his automatic rifles and knows of the unleashed alien sharks on their hungry hunt, and so the mayhem and the killing in the snow begins. Also a lot of the happenings of "SAND SHARKS" had been re-used in "SNOW SHARKS", like for example the bike race in or over the sand dunes, just that they ride here a snowmobile race over the snowy hills, just as one of many examples. Pretty funny is also that the spring break party (week) here in "SNOW SHARKS" is named a total success (before the killing really kicks off) but you just see a handful of guys run around, exactly like the beach-techno-party-festival in "SAND SHARKS" was a total success with its twenty or something like this visitors... Beside this also the characters are totally exchangable with the characters displayed in the precursor movie: So expect "tons of" big boobed half naked crying optimized babes, lame wanna-be "heroes" (that are, of course, well-served roughnecked U.S. Marine Corps heroes already at the age of twenty-five or so), a weird and crazy pretty Redneck like styled local old grumpy men knowing the deal and more or less coming from out of nowhere, corrupt business men and local politicians and their dumb and smug sidekicks, and faceless and very often big boobed victims non stopp, okay, you know the deal. Hm, but even anyhow real creativity would maybe be really too much expected maybe a little change of the formula is something we still could have asked for anyhow. Maybe... even it seems that maybe not. Beside this expect also a happy end in the face of many bloody deaths and some at the end insightful evil scoundrels, and a total bullshit end or a total crappy analytic explosion of how the alien shark trouble is solved in the end, but more I won't tell you about this masterstroke of creative storywriting and cineastic storytelling, trust me, you have to experience it for and by yourself to really believe it. But be aware of it, because it comes so quick and unflashy and without any attracting attention - like it had also started - so that you easily can miss it. Ah, but be sure that it's also an open end, so that the door is not closed for a part two of the attacking "SNOW SHARKS" from outta space... good news, right...?!? To the acting I will spare me any words beside one: Abysmal. That's enough. And, btw, that's also the only thing that can be said about the german synchronisation, so let us keep it short. Just some short more words to the cast: beside the above already mentioned U.S. Porn Star Emily Addison the other "big names" in/of the "SNOW SHARKS" cast are Kate Nauta (known - maybe even not so good, at least in my case - from "TRANSPORTER II: THE MISSION"), Eric Scott Woods (known - but also not so good, again at least in my case - from "JONAH HEX"), and Gina Holden (unknown to me, acted in the garbage movie "FINAL DESTINATION III", so it's no wonder why she is totally unknown to me), hm, and maybe they all were totally desponded or desillusioned or high on bad drugs or in serious fiscal troubles or simply too long out of work and too untalented for making any other better movies than stuff like this or what ever reasons else drove them to acting their parts here in "SNOW SHARKS", nah, but I can't imagine that this will benefit their careers in any positive way after all. And btw, just to close this lines then let me tell you that to the incredible special effects only one word can be used to describe them properly, and I think I used it already above and just short before here and now, because this word is: Abysmal. Or better: ABYSMAL!!! Some so incredible crappy garbage I haven't seen in a long, long while. While the special effects in "SAND SHARKS" were all the way totally okay and even pretty cool and really pretty good for a B-Movie the special effects used here in "SNOW SHARKS" are worser than worse. You don't even see one single "complete" shark for only one short time, no... I think more words don't need to be wasted on it, all is said. Just let yourself not be fooled by the after all still somehow pretty cool cover art of the DVD. Ah, last words here: The movie jumps right and straight into the action, no tension is being build, no atmosphere is being created. But that's pretty much how this all "Beast Horror"/"Beast Slasher" stuff of today works in general, so not blaming the "SNOW SHARKS" for it... or not that heavily, at least. So better let us close it here and now.

 

That also counts for the whole review on "SNOW SHARKS". The movie is bullshit and after all even worse than for example a creative explosion and cineastic masterstroke like "TWO HEADED SHARK ATTACK", and it's definitely far worse than its precursor movie "SAND SHARKS", even it's a nearly complete (but also nearly complete crappy) copy of it, and without "SAND SHARKS" being a really good movie after all, just to make this clear. The only things that speak for "SNOW SHARKS" are:

 

(1.) It's after all very often so cheap, crappy, and bad that it's again pretty funny and entertaining, especially when you see and use it as sort of a party movie. So pack your living room full with good friends and some crappy but tasty junk food and fill your fridge or ice box with some beer and other alcoholic drinks, and I mean a lot of it, as well as some big loads of in best case sugar and coffein fueled soft drinks for the poor guys that need to drive the rest of the pack home later that night, put "SNOW SHARKS" in your DVD player (I'm pretty sure that also a Blue-Ray version is out, just if you want to experience and enjoy the special effects in Blue-Ray quality...), open some brews (which means a lot of brews), and then let the fun begin... and trust me, it's by far more than enough when you just let the movie run on your screen in the background of funny conversations with your good friends, you won't have any problems to jump into the story and action again on any desired point of the running movie, and you surely won't miss anything. It's a pretty entertaining "party" movie after all, and that's it. And maybe that's after all enough and all you can a movie like this ask for... it's pretty sure all.

 

(2.) The second - and last or final - reason or thing that speaks for this movie is simply the even more abysmal competition in the "Shark Horror"/"Shark Slasher" genre, because if you have only watched for one time the overgalactic masterstroke that in fact is the almighty "SHARKTOPUS" then you will know that compared with this piece of "art" the "SNOW SHARKS" are gifts of god... This also counts when you look at this whole "Beast Horror"/"Beast Slasher" genre in its whole entirely, because just for example compared with "PIRANHACONDA" the "SNOW SHARKS" also nearly rule... decide for yourself if this is now speaking for "something" or maybe against that certain "something"...

 

That's all, I think I've said all and also enough, by far enough, so if you are a fan of completly thrashy B-Movies (or maybe we should here in this particular case better talk about X-,Y-, or even Z-Movies) and you want a new "party" movie to laugh about and being entertained by while drinking beer, eating junk, and talking and laughing with your friends and you see "SNOW SHARKS" for not a too high price then maybe give it a try and buy it for your next good time movie nights with some good friends, but be sure that this is anything but a recommendation of/by me. And also be sure that if you want a movie like this for a happening like this then for example "SAND SHARKS" or even "TWO HEADED SHARK ATTACK" would be better choices, in case you don't have and/or know them already. So, after all the movie gets the well-deserved rating that you will find right under this line, and then that's all for now which means for this very review, but I really missed Brooke Hogan - not.

 

Rating: 2 of 10 points

(Due to a Babe - factor of 9 of 10 points, hahahaha...;-)...!!!)

 

PS: The movie is released under several different names, beside "SNOW SHARKS" the best known one is maybe "AVALANCHE SHARKS", so don't be fooled when you stand in the shop before them both and really think of buying them both.

 

Here's the trailer (but in german) of "SNOW SHARKS", so that you maybe get an even better impression of what awaits you, nah, and no, it's really not a Soft Porn movie:

 

 

 

 

 

 

FATSKINS - "A YOUNG MAN'S GAME" (The Oi! Silverbacks from Arizona finally made it back on the map; CD & LP Release via "RANDALE RECORDS"; 2013)

FATSKINS - "A YOUNG MAN'S GAME"

("RANDALE RECORDS"; CD & LP)

(Note: This is a review on the CD Release of this album. The LP release is released in different colours and to all what I know in strictly limited numbers, but after I just call the CD my very own: Don't ask me any questions about the LP.)

(Information: This album was released, if my sources aren't the completly wrong ones, by the late end of 2013, but I just got my hands on it recently- and also just recently I got aware of the comeback of this Titans from Arizona some months ago, shame on me...- and so my review here and now is coming anyway, no matter if it is looked at it from today on an older release or not, just that you know that.)

(Running time: Six songs in 19:27 minutes.)
(Label site I: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/RandaleshopRandale-Records/213545295368031?fref=ts)
(Label site II: http://www.randaleshop.de/)
(Label site III: http://www.randale-records.de/news/news.php)
(Label site IV: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/RandaleshopRandale-Records/213545295368031?fref=ts)

Okay, damn it, how could this album been so long completly not under but totally off my radar?!? I mean, the first FATSKINS release since oh so many - and by far too many - years, a decade or so since they last played live or so and don't know how long it's been since their so far last release came out... it's been anyhow by far too long. Far, far too long, point and fact. The FATSKINS were very important for me and are definitely and without a doubt one of my favorites ever, and so you maybe have an idea of how curious I was when I finally (!!!) realized that they were truly back and that this album was really out, yes, and I simply needed to get my hands on it by any means. And so some months ago I finally did, and now here's my review on it... even I can't tell ya why it took me again four months to finally write it down... time just runs by too fast... just guessing... Okay, anyhow, back to the topic, "A YOUNG MAN'S GAME" thankfully still (or again) played by the almighty FATSKINS, so here we go: The FATSKINS had always been a very unique and stand-alone band, in case of the delivery as well as  also in case of the quality of their music, one of the greatest American Oi! Heroes and one of the biggest champs of the golden 1990's years (and just btw also if we look at Oi! or Streetpunk in general they were and are one of the greatest and one of my favorites, also if we not just look on Oi! but on music in general, just that this is clear), and here they give us finally six brandnew songs in a running time of pretty exactly 19 minutes and 27 seconds, and ya know what? They still have all what it takes to be a damn FATSKIN, hell yeahr!!! Yes, they fucking sticked true to their approach and style and quality or in short to their "GAME", they still know how to deliver the goods and, even by far more important, they do so, they still deliver the goods. And so we get six more than ''only'' GREAT songs, just amazing stuff, and all clearly dominated by fucking outstanding dry and dirty, heavy yet very melodic and catchy and in fact really singing guitars with a mercyless forward pushing drive, straight shooted, hard hitting, and sharp aimed all the time, from pushing and countless sheer mighty power-up's induced mercy- and regretless forceful, energetic, and dynamic riffs over a great pushing and forward driving natural/organic rhythm work, with a very hymnal or anthemic musical direction, to just larger than life catchy, melodic, totally shining, and like already said truly singing leads the guitar playing takes us on a ride, heavily and just massive marking the songs in every positive way and just being a true trademark and nothing else than totally awesome and self-contained, because they are really done in a through and through stand-alone way. And, by the way, the guitar leads are something that great and that unique that stuff like them wasn't heard since the phenomenal self titled THE PHOENIX CITY MUGGERS (another child of Mike Fatskin himself) longplayer released years ago. The next totally dominant factor in or of the music of the almighty FATSKINS are the totally outstanding and also just nothing else than unique lead vocals that simply are something totally of their very, very own, so that any comparisions just don't work, point and fact. To describe the lead vocals or the style of lead singing of Mike Fatskin is something that's pretty hard for me, maybe due to the fact that English isn't my mother tongue, who knows, maybe, at least I don't know it. But what I can say and what I do know is that it's just phenomenal great stuff, hard and sharp, pissed off and angry, at the same time catchy, melodic, and hymnal, slightly spoken word styled and above all really sung incredible characteristic lead vocals, that's what we got, that's what we still get, and that's just damn fucking great - and even (far) more than this. Maybe a love or hate thing, like some always said and still say, maybe, but maybe also just a thing of how aware you are of a great and very characteristic musical approach and delivery, of how you are aware of quality in music, who knows. Personally I tend more to the second option... Then there are still the pumping powerful bass playing, the great tight and heavy stomping drumming, truckloads full of larger than life sing a longs, and great crew back up chantings, and that all together give "A YOUNG MAN'S GAME" really its more than deserved crown of pure gold, if not even of pure platinum. Also the great grapping songwriting full of great rhythm structures, clever pace compositions, and just smart arrangements should be mentioned, truly (American) Oi! at its damn fucking very, very best, and that this guys know how to play should be clear anyhow anyway. Great diverse lyrics we thankfully get (again) as well, from Way of Life and subcultural topics to outspoken political and critical subjects you will find all what a real Oi! band should be concerned of/with. Remeber that Oi! is having a laugh and having a say, period. The cool and beautiful done "Hipster bashing!" artwork and the great natural, warm, and still heavy production sound then finally make it all to the real deal and the complete package. I think I don't need to say or write anything more, I can not high enough recommend this album to you, a really amazing one and one hell of a comeback. So in case you still don't have it than by any means it's an order to change this, because to get this album is your damn duty if you are anyhow just a slight little bit interested in really great and shining music, point and fact. Welcome back guys, I hope you stay for a (long, long) while, and always keep the faith. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

(10 of 10 points)

(Band site: https://www.facebook.com/#!/OfficialFatskins?fref=ts)
(PS: If I'm now not going into the totally wrong direction than there's really already a new FATSKINS album titled "JOIN OR DIE" about to be released soon (or maybe it's already released, at least in the States), so keep your eyes open, at least I know that I keep mine this time very wide open. Oi! Oi! Oi!)