WORLD WAR 4 - "DEMO 2" (Boston Hardcore thrashing mad again!!! - D.I.Y. Tape Release in 2014.)

WORLD WAR 4 - "DEMO 2"

("D.I.Y."; Tape)

(Running time: Six songs in around ten minutes.)

(Note: There are also plenty of downloads floating around through the web, but don't ask me if there's only one more or less official one - but especially in case you live outside the States then one of the download links is better than remaining without it, not at least after I am not so sure about any limitations of the Tape and if it's maybe already sold out or not... - and honestly I own it also just as a download MP3 version... it's hard to get your hands on stuff like this when you live in Germany and not in the States... but after I don't know of any anyhow official link I won't post any here and now, just search for yourself around the well-known (Blogger) sources and you should find one pretty soon.)

Here it is, the since something like two years now already again expected and awaited new WORLD WAR 4 release, their "DEMO 2", at least I have waited for it quite a long time (which means the mentioned two years now) and I would bet that I was not the only one. The guys of or in WORLD WAR 4 play beside WORLD WAR 4 also in pletny of other bands, like for example xNO TOLERANCEx that had been also featured some years ago up here on this blog with one of their back then current releases, and so enough of the namedropping and the talking about the past here, because what counts, what matters is only the here and now, and so here we go: And the first thing I can say is that WORLD WAR 4 definitely sticked to their style, sound, and approach, and this simply just rules. We get six new songs, with one of them being the intro track, "WAR-TRO", and another one being an outro stomper, "WW4-MARCH", so this makes four full or real or just proper new songs and this songs carry the titles of "MOVIN' ON", "SEE YA LATER", "SOCIETY'S WASTE", and "LEECH". Expect one hell of furious thrashing metallic Old School Hardcore Crossover inferno breaking loose right from the start, somewhere between S.O.D./M.O.D. and D.R.I. with some GANG GREEN and (early) PRO-PAIN as well as some (old) SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, IMPULSE MANSLAUGHTER (only a little bit), and CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER in it, and made round by Old School East Coast Thrash Metal like ANTHRAX, OVERKILL, and NUCLEAR ASSAULT, then you have a pretty good idea of what WORLD WAR 4 are all about. Expect them to do still their own stuff, so you won't find any copy'n'paste crap and instead of this a self-reliant band doing their own thing, and also expect it all to be fresh and up-to-date, so no lame and stale boring retro garbage will float through your ears and head while listening to the demo. Crushing and sawing, shredding and mercyless roaring guitars, great pissed off aggressive and harsh shouted lead vocals, a buzzing and ripping bass playing, and thundering drums really make the music, and cool songwriting, nice varying of the pace and groovin' rhythm structures they deliver as well, so you see, yes, it's all there what you can ask for, hm, and maybe even a bit more. Cool lyrics and a great Old School HC D.I.Y. artwork as well as a first class recording/production sound we get on top of it, so you see, it's the complete package. And even it's not blowing me exactly away like its precursor release two years ago it's still one hell of a great new offering by/from a band that's more than ready to release via a good label a proper full length album - finally!!! Even this is a very short review (I mean, it's also a very short release) I can only highly recommend this album to anyone into Old School Thrash/Hardcore Crossover, especially if you want that stuff in a new fresh and exciting dose and all delivered by a strong self-reliant still pretty young band. So go and get it. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! /// Andy

(Rating: 9 of 10 points)

(Check this site out - and if Blogger again is refusing to follow my order to post this as a direct-link to the site you know anyhow how to get there: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/world-war-4.)

You are the storm.

"He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.'' (Confucius)

SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT - "SOTP" (A complete collection of songs that you can find up on "REVERBNATION".)

SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT - "SOTP"
(Note: A collection of various songs from pretty much of all the so far SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT releases that you can find up on the bandsite on "REVERBNATION" waiting to be downloaded by you for free.)
(Expression of thank: A big THX goes out to Stavros who wrote and send me his material for reviewing it.)

So far I knew SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT just from a bunch a comps (some of them I also reviewed up here in the past) and so I was pretty much like: "Uhm, okay... again something missed, I guess..." after Stavros, the mastermind of and behind SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT, contacted me and send me his stuff for reviewing and I realized that nowadays they already have two full length albums out, "FREEDOM FIGHTERS" (2012) and "MORE PUNK THAN YOU" (2013), beside a solo EP, "MALAKA... THE E.P." (2012), and beside split and demo releases and the (in parts already mentioned) contributions to several comps. Whoops, yes, of course, again something missed, righty right. 

So, okay, I checked it out and I liked what I could hear. Then, while SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT still shredded out out of my speakers, I searched a little bit throughout the web what I could else find, and there and then... hm, okay, let me say it this way: On the side of the message and the lyrics this is definitely a political band and the politics lean to the right... how far I can't and won't say, also because I simply don't really care about it that much (and so I don't searched for it oh-so intense and instead of this rather listened to the music). So now just for the record: SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT is a, hm, let us say Conservative Punkrock band, so if you have any problems with that for what reasons ever (good ones, bad ones, what-ever) don't say you haven't been warned by me and please just don't waste your or even worse my time with leaving shitty comments or sending me crappy mails. I know where I stand and why I stand there, and so I can calmly live with a lot of other positions, even of those I may dislike or that are may contrary to mine, and if you can't do this then that's your thing to deal with - and not mine.

So, now back to the topic: SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT was and still is a one man band, and Stavros is this one man, hm, and for all what I know all instruments that we can hear in the songs are real instruments played by him, so now drum-computer or "computer-sampler-guitars" or anything else like this are here to be found, and that's pretty fine, so even it's "just" a one man band it's a "real" band. Don't ask me if he will change this in the future and how he handles it when he is or will be playing live on stage (because if he can't beam himself in under a second from here to there and there and back to here again and acting his parts all over the place I simply don't see him play concerts with SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT anyhow, hahaha;-)...), but that's of no concern here and now. If I understood it right then Stavros is an U.S. American of Greek decent, living at the Westcoast in Los Angeles (or the L.A. area) and judging by our E-Mail contact he's a pretty sympathic guy. Okay, not that important, but this pretty sympathic guy plays and delivers a really good sort of slightly Oi! and Streetpunk fueled PUNKROCK music that will really shake you in your boots or Chuck's if you are into mohawked meldoies. Dirty yet pretty heavy shredding and sawing guitars, a nasty rumbling bass at work, harsh beating and stomping drumming, all on a very decent level of skills and the songwriting is also pretty strong, so all in all really decent stuff that Stavros delivers here, and that's how I like it. Also the songs convince with a grapping variations of the pace and the rhythm work. The lead vocals are angry and harsh sung pissed off and snotty and fit very good to an overall aggressive Punkrock style. Nice rocking rhythms here and thirtsy rolling groovy arrangements there enrich the music a lot, and anyhow old SKREWDRIVER definitely had been an influence anyway beside a lot of other stuff from U.S. CHAOS to RANCID. Really strong and good Punkrock with a lot of potential and quality. The lyrics deal with a lot of things'n'stuff, from personal and historical (old ancient Greece) topics over Punkrock Way of Life themes to political stuff you will find a lot offered here by SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT. The recording or production sounds of the songs do vary (keep in mind that they are from different releases) but are more or less all in a pretty raw yet hard flavor and so it's all good and fine with me and also a perfect match to/with the music. To the artworks of the releases I can't say that much, after only the covers are to be found up there on their "REVERBNATION" site but I like the general band logo a lot as well as the cover art of the "FREEDOM FIGHTERS" album. So, after all I think you should know now pretty much all so far, so here we have really good and strong stuff that I can recommend to any fan of Punkrock muisc, and so why not stop at the site the following link will (or at least should) lead you to, right?!? And just in case of doubts, then still: "More Punk than you." ;-) /// Andy

(Rating: 8 of 10 points)

(Band site: http://www.reverbnation.com/spiritofthepatriot - Okay, after it seems that Blogger is still not posting links to sites as direct links to the particular sites just do as always and copy the link into the headline of a new browser-tab and then just go there. This is the "REVERBNATION" site of SPIRIT OF THE PATRIOT where you can find truckloads of their songs for downloading them (all) for free, hm, and so I guess you know what you have to do now.)

R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell /// Tribute post: PANTERA - "CEMETARY GATES" + PANTERA - "REVOLUTION IS MY NAME"

PANTERA - "CEMETARY GATES"

10 years already... feels so unreal...

R.I.P. DIMEBAG DARRELL, a true champ will never be forgotten, and so are you: Still missed... and forever immortalized!!!

PANTERA - "REVOLUTION IS MY NAME"

SKINFULL - "GOOD INTENTIONS... BAD IDEAS" (Patriotic U.K. Brickwall Oi! Roughnecks with their farewell album; 2014 "SKINFLINT MUSIC" release.)

SKINFULL - "GOOD INTENTIONS... BAD IDEAS"
("SKINFLINT MUSIC"; CD/LP)
(Note: If I am now not totally wrong then this album is or was released on CD and LP, anyhow, I have it as a MP3-Download, as the official one to be more precise, and it was send to me straight out of the "SKINFLINT MUSIC" HQ and so THX very much for it!!!)
(Running time: 14 songs in around 48 minutes.)

Here it is, the already a little bit longer awaited second proper full length album of/by SKINFULL, the young U.K. Brickwall Oi! Roughnecks that unleashed hell some years ago with their debut album and that since then are pretty much one of the by the AFA/ARA most defamed and "witchhunted" Skinhead/Oi! bands of today. Okay, not wasting any space or energy with worrying about this ridiculous and stupid crap, so right and straight into the action, my review on SKINFULL's second offspring "GOOD INTENTIONS... BAD IDEAS", and so here we go one more time again: Awaited since some years here it finally now is, and then it is directly announced to be also again the final album of/by SKINFULL, why ever. After now two full length albums, a handful of singles and splits, and some compilation contributions the chapter SKINFULL will already be closed again... why ever... but anyhow this aren't good news, because had SKINFULL clearly been one if not the strongest going and by far best new or young England Oi! band in and since many, many years and they will definitely leave a big room of blank and empty space behind. Okay, anyhow, back to "GOOD INTENTIONS... BAD IDEAS": They definitely sticked true to their style and approach and so they deliver here and now a full dose of by dry and dirty, heavy and angry foward pushing powerful guitars dynamized, by a heavy buzzing and grim roaring bass beefed up, by stunning precise forceful drumming forward driven, and by snotty and angry grim harsh lead vocals and loud crew back up chants cultivated very heavy and powerful Brickwall Oi! the U.K. kind in the tradition of bands like CONDEMNED 84 and others of that kind, but all pretty fresh and self-reliant as well as relevant and on a today level with a lot of own fresh ideas, no bullshit retro copy'n'paste crap that no one with a clear mind really anyhow needs. I would just wish that the songwriting would be more dynamic, especially more varying in the pace work a good bit, and the drumming could still be more versatile (and if I remember it correct, then I wrote more or less exactly the same critics-points also already four years ago in 2010 when I reviewed their debut), but that's just me thinking, and it's anyhow a really strong and damn good album that will definitely please every fan of Brickwall Oi! especially of the U.K. kind. The lyrics are through and through Skinhead Aggro lyrics and patriotic political stuff, but still I can't see respectively read and hear any far right bullshit here and so just stay the fuck away from me with this bullshit defamation and witchhunting and rather carry the fight in a physical way to the real Nazis if that's what you really want to do, at least you proclaim it so, all you brave AFA/ARA virtual warriors on your witchhunt crusade. Okay, coming to the close of this review then let me say that the heavy yet dirty production sound really rocks and that the artwork, so far I can say something about it after I just have the coverartwork infront of me and nothing else, really is a nice Skinhead Aggro artwork like you would also except it from an album like this, the same as in the case of the lyrics. Hm, and maybe this all is just my only problem with this album, personally it's for me a bit too foreseeable music-, lyrics-, and also artwork-wise and I would have loved to get something more surprising, challenging, and unexpected, hm, but okay, anyhow, all in all this takes not really anything of the quality of this album away and so I can and do calmly recommend it to any fan of heavy Oi! outta there. And, again, it fuckin' sucks that SKINFULL decided to call it a day. Farewell guys, you will be missed. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy

(Rating: 8 of 10 points)

(Band site: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Skinfull/103236909727986?fref=ts)

(Label site: https://www.facebook.com/SkinflintMusic?fref=ts)

(Note: You know the deal and what to do and how to do it after Blogger finally one more time didn't post this links as direct links to the sites, so anyhow, you know what you have to do to go to the sites anyway...)

PS: And here's my album favorite for you:

SKINFULL - "STAND PROUD, STAND TRUE"

BISHOPS GREEN - "CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK" (Best time of the year, and a happy 2nd advent to all my readers. Oi!)

BISHOPS GREEN - "CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK"

Great song, great band. 

Taken from the still hot rockin' "CASHIN' IN ON CHRISTMAS VOL. 5" LP from 2013,

my favorite one on it.

Enjoy it!!!

And then a happy 2nd advent to all of you, my dear readers. Have a drink on it.

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

SICK OF IT ALL - "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE" (Hardcore Godfathers from the NYC make their glorious return in 2014. / CD-Release via "CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS", limited edition.)

SICK OF IT ALL - "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE"
("CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS"; CD / Limited Version)
(Note: The limited version comes not in a jewel case but in a digi-bock/box and with a nice and pretty cool patch for your jacket, hoody, or cappy or what the hell else ever and it also features two exclusive bonus tracks - the CD, not the patch...)
(Running time: 16 songs in 35:38 minutes.)

They are back, SICK OF IT ALL are finally back, three years after their more than great and more than relevant 25 years anniversary celebration album "NON STOP" and four years after their so far last real or proper regular album "BASED ON A TRUE STORY" now in 2014 they finally really put out their newest one, titled "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE"  (and just btw, the title makes me just say that I definitely hope that it won't be their last act which means their final album), and I can't tell you how I was waiting for it, for the return of one my ultimate heroe bands ever, to say it that way. And I also asked myself if they will conquer like they did before, especially after they never let me down with not one single album, yes, and I can tell you that they definitely conquered and conquer like before - if not even more dominant and more supreme. Beside the question if and if so then how they would be able or will stand their ground today in general it was also pretty interesting for me to see and experience how they would stand their ground in particular in such a music-wise strong year than 2014 it is, at least in my book. And so I was incredible curious to finally put it in my stereo, crank up the volume, listen to it, give it a good round, and then another one, and then... then I realized that I was on a short holiday travel when I bought this shining little great silver disc back then at the early beginning of this year's October and there where I spend my little short holiday I had no opportunity to put it on (heavy) rotation... and so I had no other choice then keep on waiting for it even a bit longer... but when I was back home and I finally fired it up that's how I did... and that's when I was totally knocked off promptly, like a forceful swing of a crowbar straight to the face it hit me.

It's just phenomenal how hard and heavy, furious and intense SICK OF IT ALL made their return with "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE", they kick legions of butts of all those who proclaim or that are announced to be the definition of Hardcore 2014 or any bullshit like this, and they deliver mighty kicks and this just so easily that they leave even not the smallest space for questioning who are the lions and who's the prey. And this still today. Hm, and thinking about it... for how long this guys are now already around and in what age they are today, hm, but who cares, because it just feels that they only get better and better over and with all those years - and with this being said always keep in mind that they always had been the true and real force, so this definitely means and says a lot. The sixteen songs (and this, only logical, includes the fourteen regular album tracks, clearly and definitely) storm to power right from the get-go and lave no question unanswered, so let us here and now have a more detailed look on it, on what's going on here on "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE", yes, and that's how and what we will do now and so here we go:

The album is heavily marked by forward driving and pushing harsh shredding and deadly ripping damn sharp aimed and heavy hitting guitars, that are beside this, which means all this shredding and ripping stuff, also damn fucking well-versed played and shine with great composed and arranged riffs and just a fantastic rhythm and groove work, so that the guitars heavily mark and even make the songs in their whole structures and arrangements, not at least because the guitars lead the way or better they decide and give the order how fast the way is walked, what means that the guitars with all their riffs and grooves definitely make the pace of the songs. That the guitars are delivered on a damn high level of skills and quality should be clear anyhow, so here just for the record, also just for the record: I love this typical characteristic tone and sound of the guitars, it's definitely through and through SICK OF IT ALL and that's just fantastic, that's what I love, a strong own unique and also (more than "only") great identity. Man, when I think about that my first ever experience of and with SICK OF IT ALL had been with their in my case definitely lifechanging "SCRATCH THE SURFACE" masterpiece groundbreaker back then in 1994 when I was just thirteen years young you maybe get a good impression of how important this band was and still is (and definitely will always be) for me and how I love this band and their specific characteristic and unique sound, style, and identity. And man, I really listen and mosh to SICK OF IT ALL now already for twenty years... that's maybe longer then some of the readers of this blog are old, man, whatever happened, hahaha, where did the time go... ;-) But, okay, okay, okay, that's another story, so back to the "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE": All the hailing and praising of the guitars and their dominance shouldn't lead you on a wrong way of thinking somewhat and somehow bad about the rhythm section, because, let's get it clear, all great guitar work would be lost somewhere in the void if the rhythm section, bass and drums, can't keep up with it and after SICK OF IT ALL are one of the bands that definitely are and always had been nothing else than the real deal you can be sure that they know this old and simple truth. And so expect the outstanding guitars to be backed up by a widescreen stunning heavy very massive, absolutely tight and precise to the point played, masterful and exhilarated rhythm section that definitely knows how to fill and even more and this is how to cultivate the structures and the arrangements and rhythms of the songs with massive force and just sheer full power, and this in a damn fucking very manifold, grapping, cavalierly, and totally spurred yet sheer heavy and brutal way. Or, to say it more short, expect the outstanding guitars to be backed up by a outstanding rhythm section. Above all then shine the fantastic and phenomenal lead vocals, they shine to outshine every- and anything else, delivered simply by one of the most characteristic and most unique, by one of the damn best and greatest lead singers outta there, so there's no need to loose any more words about it, Lou Koller simply is THE man, point and fact. Backed up are the lead vocals by fat loud widescreen gang back up chantings and supported by the more than great guest singer Mad Joe Black/WISDOM IN CHAINS who shares vocal duties at the brilliant "FACING THE ABYSS". This is just true, real, pure, and just fantastic and timeless Hardcore from the NYC or NYHC on a stand-alone level that leaves even larger-than-life great ones like AGNOSTIC FRONT and MADBALL (clearly) behind, it's just incredible. Add to it here and there a slight metallic glance and tone and fill in some Oi! Oi! Oi! from time to time and you will have the perfect mixture of that special SICK OF IT ALL brew, all delivered via a sheer amazing high skilled and intense-grapping exciting songwriting. To compare SICK OF IT ALL with any other bands would be ridiculous and beside this also damn disrespectful, and so I will definitely spare me this. They do their own thing and they do it on a stand-alone level, and maybe with "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE" even a bit more than before (with their also totally outshining precursor releases). In their own history you can maybe best locate it in the middle of a coordinate system in between "SCRATCH THE SURFACE", "CALL TO ARMS", "DEATH TO TYRANTS" and, as a logical and organic development of it, "BASED ON A TRUE STORY", and with some (very) few "YOURS TRULY" and "BUILT TO LAST" marks in it to round it all up as well, and all this done very fresh and lively-alive and on a very present-"today" level (no copy'n'paste work of own old glory days, not that I expected them to do this, but just to point it out and set it straight), full of 120% relevance. This also counts for the more than great and very diverse and multilayered outspoken lyrics, really a fresh pleasure to read and listen to and also a perfect match to/with the title and especially the (btw just totally awesome and fantastic) artwork of the album, that's in fact a real and true beauty. The widescreen and still warm and organic/natural or earthy production sound - loud, fat, heavy, brutally harsh, and hard yet dirty and organicly at the same time and over all the time - then just gives it all its more than bright shining crown made out of purest platinum and diamonds.

No filler to be found, just - yehp, you see it coming (but even it sounds like a cliché, here it is nothing but the truth) - killers to be found, so it's pretty hard to name you any favorites, but if you want so then go and check out "ROAD LESS TRAVELLED", "GET BRONX", "NEVER BACK DOWN", "BELTAWAY GETAWAY", "2061", "FACING THE ABYSS", "SIDELINED", "SOUND THE ALARM", "DISCONNECT YOUR FLESH", "OUTGUNNED", and "DNC (DO NOT COMPLY)" (Oi! Oi! Oi!) first out - as well as "STAND DOWN" and "WITH ALL DISRESPECT" in case you can get your hands still on a copy of the limited version - but don't make any mistakes, because the (anyhow only very, very few) not mentioned songs are also truly masterpieces of work.

So you see, SICK OF IT ALL came back and they conquered, again and again, and this in a more than "only" dominant way, and if 2014 would not also have finally seen the release of the new CRUCIAL CHANGE album it would had been SICK OF IT ALL who would have conquered my "virtual trophy" of having made the album of the year 2014, but also so they have created one hell of an outstanding dominant and supreme beast of an album with "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE" that I can't recommend high enough here and now to/for you, simply pretty much the best of the best (with just one excepetion this year), and SICK OF IT ALL beat with "LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE" even SLAPSHOT with their 2014 self-titled masterpiece and delievered the best Hardcore album 2014, and also if we take a look on music in general, like already said more or less, it's just a through and through phenomenal masterpiece. Hm, and now you already now my no. # 1 and my no. # 2 album of 2014, hm, but so it be. And I am proud to keep walking on on the "ROAD LESS TRAVELLED" still inspired and guidelined by the music and words of the greatest of the great: SICK OF IT ALL.  HARDCORE!!! FIST!!! /// Andy
(Rating: 10 of 10 points)

SICK OF IT ALL - "ROAD LESS TRAVELLED"

(Band site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=477u0EEfjeI)
(Label site: http://www.centurymedia.com/)
(Note: And after Blogger really one more time again is freakin' fuckin' ticking me totally off with refusing to post the links as direct links to the sites, damn it, just copy the links in the headline of another tab of your browser and then simply go there... fuckin' Blogger, damn it.)
(PS: Please don't ask me why my scanner didn't get it done to do the scan in a clored way and instead of this delivered mostly just black/white scans, don't ask me why... that my scanner wouldn't be able to scan the "reflecting-holo-effects" of the artwork was clear to me, but why now also just black/white, I don't know... but anyhow, I think you get also via this pictures a pretty good impression of the complete artwork and that was all that I wanted to reach with giving you - again - a complete scan of the whole artwork of this album, so not questioning anymore here and now...)

SICK OF IT ALL - "WITH ALL DISRESPECT"

SACRED REICH - "INDEPENDENT" (Official Video)

SACRED REICH - "INDEPENDENT"

Larger than life groundbreaking and lifechanging classic. 

So play it loud and bang that head that doesn't bang.

THRASH OR BE THRASHED!!!!

CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER - "LOWLIFE"

CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER - "LOWLIFE"

Legendary and classic band, was a very important album and band for me back in the days, and it's all still damn ripping and shredding, fuckin' ruling stuff.

Old School Thrash/Hardcore Crossover madness, groundbreaking shit, so play it loud!!!

BANG!!! BANG!!!

(That's it for today, I know, just some videos, hm, but that's how it is, more and also more new valuable stuff again as soon as possible.)

ANTHRAX - "MADHOUSE" (Official Video)

ANTHRAX - "MADHOUSE"

Mosh or be moshed. Old school. One of the greatest bands ever. Iconic.

BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!

ANTHRAX, back in the days.

SLAYER - "SEASONS IN THE ABYSS" (Official Video)

SLAYER - "SEASONS IN THE ABYSS"

Simply one of the very best song ever wrote, taken from one of the very best albums ever made, by one of the most outstanding and one of the very few greatest bands of all times. So here it comes. 

BANG!!!

TOXPACK - "FRISS!" (East Berlin Streetcore in 2014... nah, come on... - CD-Release via "BETTER THAN HELL RECORDS" in 2014.)

TOXPACK - "FRISS!"
("BETTER THAN HELL RECORDS"; CD)
(Running time: 13 songs in around 41:36 minutes.)
(Note: Don't ask me if there is or will be also a vinyl release and if so via which label, I don't know it, even I could imagine that there will be a LP release of it, and if so only for the artwork who alone would deserve a vinyl/LP release.)

It had been a few years since my last meeting with TOXPACK album-wise, the so far latest album of them in my collection was or better is their "CULTUS INTERRUPTUS" album from back then in 2007, back then still released by the infamous "DSS RECORDS" label (is this label still existing today... existing and active...?!?), so you see, seven years passed us by since then, and now here I have their so far more or less brandnew album "FRISS!". The two albums in between, "EPIDEMIE" and "BASTARDE VON MORGEN" I don't own and I also never really cared that much for, some songs I know, some of this songs I liked, some not, so you see, none of them really kicked me, so the albums dissappeared from my radar screen. TOXPACK pretty much lost a lot of their importance for me with and after "CULTUS INTERRUPTUS", simply because from my point of view this whole (East Berlin) Streetcore thing died or started to die fast with this album and they turned more and more into a through and through straight German Rock band and after there are already too many bands of that kind outta there and I was never a fan of that stuff and even not that much of a big BÖHSE ONKELZ fan (especially not of their later and late releases), nah, and so I then wiped TOXPACK away from me, to say it this way, and never cared for them anymore since then. Yes, and then now. Then 2014 happened and from out of nowhere their newest album popped up on my radar and finally even made its way into my record collection again. And so now here we are. 

I bought this album due to the fact that the two video or single releases, "NICHTS HÖREN, SEHEN, SAGEN" and "NICHTS BLEIBT WIE ES IST", totally blewed me away. Let's get it straight, even in the beginnings of TOXPACK had clear and strong bounds to Oi! and Skinhead, also music-wise, hm, they never were a Oi! or Skinhead band and from my point of view they also never proclaimed to be that or that they wanted to be that. Always by far more Hardcore and Hard Rock/Rock & Roll and also Metal with some few Oi! and Punk impressions left and so I simply can't understand all the nutjobs outta there crying and bitching around that TOXPACK wouldn't be a Oi! or Skinhead band anymore with this very album here, they simply never were and they never wanted to be, point and fact. Okay, and from this Hardcore, Metal, and Hard Rock/Rock & Roll cocktail with some few Oi! and Punkrock notes in it they then turned over the years more and more out to be or to become a, hm, let us say straight (German) Rock band. That's no problem at all, but the songs simply became more and more ungrapping and unattractive, uninspired and uninspiring, and so I was out, and then I heard the two mentioned songs and they grapped me promptly and in a supreme and dominant way, and so without wasting a second thought I went and bought "FRISS!", so this all here and now came to happen, yes, hm, and now I somehow wish a little bit that I would have wasted a second thought and not 15 Euro bucks... at least a little bit I do wish so...

Why?!? It's simple: "FRISS!" is everything but a bad album and it's pretty impressive how far TOXPACK had developed their music and themselves in a sense of professionalism, but this not at all in a really convincing way, it simply happened in a incredible soft and (in an all in all not so positive meant) poppy direction or way, with unbelievable soft and clean guitars, and pretty often superficial dingle-dangle and because of that pretty annoying refrain arrangements, über-intrusive clear and clean lead vocals that (too bad) sound all in all not really unerringly and also too overly doubled and tripled, some sometimes better and sometimes not really that good'n'clever placed and arranged piano and synthie/sampler parts with sort of a oh so emotional flowing vibe for the heartbroken crowd outta there, and by far too overused "Ahaaaaa!!!", "Ohooooo!!!", and "Whoooaaa!!!" background chantings, hm, and this is also everything but creative or upsetting or revolutionary or fresh'n'new like TOXPACK themselve announce it in the opener "STILLSTAND (KEINE ZEIT)", but instead of this it's all very chart-, pop-, and mainstream-affine and so it seems like TOXPACK go in a pretty comparable or same direction like the BROILERS and so expect here an album somewhere between Emo Pop music (even bands like MADSEN and MUFF POTTER here and there come to my mind... and that's nothing that speaks for TOXPACK or "FRISS!") and German Rock that will definitely please fans of this genre (especially when they act their part of the emotional and thoughtful sensitive guy as well as the upsetting tough guy part) and it's also an album that reminds me a lot of newer DIE TOTEN HOSEN albums and, only logical... maybe..., late BÖHSE ONKELZ albums, hm, and again this gives them not really any points in my book, hm, and I also ask myself who really needs this all anyhow anyway...?!? But I could imagine more than enough folks outta there... and why not, tastes in music differ and at least TOXPACK are strong musicians that know what they have to do and so they do. Even it works, again, not really for me... and I think it works in general not really... So you will find from my point of view totally annoying and especially unnecessary songs like "ALLES LÜGE" (stop crying like a sixteen years old boy... now serious: lyric- and music-wise this song is so much under its potential, it's a damn shame, TOXPACK are old and should be good enough to work out such a topic in a by far more clever and proper way, lyric- and music-wise), "FREIHEIT" (the verses are done great, great arranged and delivered, but the refrain part... oh man, what a crappy farce, it totally demolishes the whole song...!!!), "GUTE REISE" (this can't be meant serious, never, bah!!!), the annoying BROILERS ripp off "INTRO" - titled "GUSTATIO" - and "OUTRO" - titled "BELLARIA" - tracks, and the terrible "TRANSATLANTIK RENDEZVOUS" that sounds like TOXPACK trying to act'n'play like RAMMSTEIN and that is what it only could be, yes, utter garbage and one of the by far most worst songs I've heard in 2014... and not only in 2014 but since and in and probably also for years... and that's also lyric-wise total crap, because even it's definitely okay, more than okay, to critize the NSA and their "spy" activities "around the globe", yes, but to believe the bullshit that the German government and secret service(s) wouldn't have know this and wouldn't had been- and surely still are- a part of this is just at least naive bullshit... even it's the old story, because it's pretty easy to blame the oh so arrogant, dumb, power-hungry, and presumptuous U.S. Americans... but that's another and pathologic german neurotic story... and a story that makes me wanna puke again and again!!! Okay, all in all I think we now have really talked enough about negative aspects of "FRISS!" and the "new" (but after all anything but new) TOXPACK, what is there left to say... 

This: But not all is bad, definitely not, and after the negative points it's now time for the positive aspects, really about time, and keep in mind that I already wrote that "FRISS!" is anything or everything but a bad album, so here we go: It carries a lot of strong rockin' songs on board with it, for example the great anti-Nazi smasher "NICHTS HÖREN, SEHEN, SAGEN" is a straight and strong rocking total bomb with great arranged verses and hymnal refrain parts and driven forward by pushing guitars and great heavy and full vocals backed up by a stunning rhythm section, great, even the sucking guest vocals by Stephan "DER W" Weidner (BÖHSE ONKELZ/DER W) really wouldn't had been necessary, but okay, a good promo thing it's anyhow I guess. (Btw, don't get why a lot of guys bitch around that TOXPACK make a song against Fascist scumbags, such songs, when they are done good, are always good, and TOXPACK did not only a good but even a great job.) Also "NICHTS BLEIBT WIE ES IST" is a fine example of how great TOXPACK can still be (or at least could be...), also this is pretty much the only song that breathes a little Oi! feeling, but just a feeling, don't get it wrong, because music-wise it's nothing else than a straight anthemic Hard Rocker. My personal favorite is the (maybe even al-) mighty "VERGANGEN, VERGESSEN", a melodic and hymnal, in every positive sense catchy and emotional great Rock anthem, again carried forward by great guitars, and it's really a shame that especially the production of the guitars is so incredible soft and tame. Lyric-wise "NICHTS BLEIBT WIE ES IST" and "VERGANGEN, VERGESSEN" are a great pairing, two nostalgic songs, one, the first one, focussing on the good times of old that you think of gladly and that you try to hold dear to the heart and to reactivate from time to time, the other one, the second one, then focussing more on the dark or fucked up and troubled times and mistakes, misfortunes, and failures that had been and that you never want to repeat again, and both lyrics are done great, really great, also nicely cliché-free. Beside this three masterpieces we also get two not great or masterpiece songs but still pretty decent tracks with the strong burning angry rocker "NIEMAND" and the, hm, not really but let us say "party life" anthem "LA VIDA LOCA", that are no major league songs but that still stand their ground. Ah, and before I forget to mention the title track... "FRISS!" is also one of the great or at least really very strong moments of this album, music- and lyric-wise, and maybe one of the most critical songs on the whole new album here. So, and now to last summary-chapter and the rating...

Music-wise, like already said, expect a mixture out of German Rock and Emo Pop, sometimes better, sometimes worse, and the strongest part surely is the very strong guitar work, no matter if we would talk about the riffs, the leads, or the solos, and its still pretty unique tone. But anyhow TOXPACK should cut this whole Streetcore dingle-dangle, just name it like it is: German Rock (maybe add some Emo Pop and all would be perfect), and then that's it, because anyhow something Hardcore or just Core related you won't find anymore today and also I would question this whole Street thing heavily these days... Lyric-wise expect a, hm, let us say: "colorful" journey from personal and nostalgic topics over outspoken critical and political lyrics to a sheer "Lust for life!" hymn (remember "LA VIDA LOCA"), also sometimes better, and sometimes not. So, if you are searching for a straight and modern poppy and soft Rock (or German Rock) album, then you surely could find by far more crappy albums like "FRISS!"... hm, but why should you search for such an album... just thinking... We get a great artwork, and an artwork that also reminds me a lot of Old School German Punk records and flyers, and a by far too soft, tame, and teethless production sound that finally again does the whole album a lot of harm, yes, and then I guess that's it all what there was to tell about TOXPACK's "FRISS!" from my point of view. So, all in all three masterpieces, one great and two okay songs, and then five really and truly crap songs and one just completly utter garbage track and an all in all pretty boring, foreseeable, and "out-swallowed" musical approach that also robs very large parts of the (at least so far) TOXPACK own identity, anyhow, and this all leads us to the following rating up here and to an album that I honestly not that much need in my music collection, sad but true, because even when I want to listen to an album of a style like this (and even I ask myself why I should) I would definitely grab one of the  better ones like this, a more interesting, fresh, and exciting one... but okay, anyhow, I think the new (?) chosen target audience of TOXPACK will anyhow love this album and even if they should loose some of their so far or "old" fans with "FRISS!" they will make up good for this with winning truck loads full of new ones, hm, and they should also storm into the german media control charts sooner or later with "FRISS!", so after all I would say mission accomplished. Last words now, not only in the case of TOXPACK, no, definitely not, but I would swear that they talk the same things in interviews when they should become critized or confronted with critizism of their new album because of this through and through Emo Pop flirting German Rock approach, so here we go: Btw, I still can't stand it when bands label and name their start of the flirting with the mainstream as a "development as a band and of the music" and that there "old fans" simply would be too close minded, nah guys, just show some guts and pride and name it like it is and don't perform such a ridicolous charade, and then all will be fine. Ah, and one more (and last time) again: Just forget about this whole Streetcore thing, would be by far more authentic. /// Andy

(Rating: 6 of 10 points)

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

(Label site: https://www.facebook.com/bthrecords?ref=ts&fref=ts)

JUDAS PRIEST - "HEADING OUT TO THE HIGHWAY"

JUDAS PRIEST -"HEADING OUT TO THE HIGHWAY"

(Taken from the 1981 JUDAS PRIEST album "POINT OF ENTRY".)

Short and simple and straight said: 

ONE OF THE VERY FEW VERY BEST BANDS EVER NO MATTER OUT OF WHICH MUSICAL ERA OR MUSICAL GENRE AND BY FAR OVERDUE THAT THEY COME UP BEING FINALLY FEATURED HERE!!!!

(And I can't tell ya how incredible important this band was and is and probably always will be for me. Total phenomenal, period.)

I could have choosen legions of songs of the almighty JUDAS PRIEST, how-ever, I decided to pick here and now their larger than life Old School Hard Rockin' Heavy Metal anthem "HEADING OUT TO THE HIGHWAY" (in it's original and official video version), hm, for no specififc reasons ever, just because it's currently on heavy rotation here and I simply wanted to share it with you and to have it up here on my blog as well, yes, that's it, and so here it now comes.

Play it damn fuckin' loud!!!

HEAVY FUCKIN' METAL!!!

GO!!!

JUDAS PRIEST back in the days.

ZZ TOP - "JESUS JUST LEFT CHICAGO"

ZZ TOP - "JESUS JUST LEFT CHICAGO"

I don't know why, maybe it's because of the season of the year or why the hell else ever - maybe just because it always was and still is and will forever remain just GREAT music - but currently I am damn often listen to my old heroes of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock and Rock/Rock & Roll and this includes also, and this even in a pretty prominent position, the almighty ZZ TOP. And so, as the first post of this month and the solely post of tonight, you now get a little video clip of the great Blues Rock anthem and classic of/by ZZ TOP titled "JESUS JUST LEFT CHICAGO", yes, and now enjoy it enthusiastically and then all the best for now, my way now leads me straight into my bed, and more (hopefully) pretty soon. /// Andy

ZZ TOP before "the beards".