Hey folks, what's up, everything's fine? Yeahr, I know, maybe again later than primraly planned but that's just life, I guess, so okay, here we go again, back on track. The next load of record reviews is now coming for you all. Since the last last record reviews post by me for you quite a bit happened. Some cool guys send me a lot of their new releases (extra big "THANKS!!!" as usual go out to Brett Hole and "BLACKHOLE RECORDS" and also to the guys in "AGGROBEAT RECORDS", you're just great!!!) and also I still have the last final remaining releases that I bought over the last months still waiting in the pipeline to be finally reviewed by me for you up here. So this will be a very mixed up post and for all what I do see now starting working on it I would swear that this won't be the only record review post for this month up here on your dear "MANSLAUGHTER THUG LIFE" blog. (Even it may will be the last package post for this month and "for a while" in general up here since I'm thinking about turning the direction again and giving every album and the review on it proper room up here, with having its exclusive post, hm, we will see how I decide in this case, yes, but that's how I think of and feel about it right now at the current moment.) Okay, now that's all of the introducing small talking words for now, so now just straight and direct into the action finally again, yes, so here we go!!!
So okay, here it is, a album about I clearly and calmly say two things straight and direct off from the get go:
(1.) This album is already now one of the BIGGEST surprises of 2014, without a single doubt, period.
(2.) This album is already now one of the VERY BEST albums of 2014, point and fact.
And if you would know me only a little bit than you would know what this means... after CALIBAN had always been so far a band that I could calmly and easily live without. In my something like around two-thousand albums big record collection you will find beside this one here only one more CALIBAN album, and that's their "OPPOSITE FROM WITHIN" titled one that's now also already some years old but that was so far the only album I considered pretty good and I considered to might have it won't hurt no one which means me. And now this perfect bomb of an album, it hit me like a laser guided cruise missle, and this also totally from out of nowhere. It's incredible what they've done here, what they've created here, and it hit me absolutely unprepared. And, yes, I dare to say it: I fucking love it, period. In contrast to their mates HEAVEN SHALL BURN they truly sticked true to their Metalcore approach with still retaining a strong Hardcore spirit and style and keeping it their very own. This is already fucking great, but even more great is simply the fact that they still sound very strong like just themselves. I mean it is comparable to KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and them still sounding also still like just themselves. There are legions of bands outta there copy the styles of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE as well as of CALIBAN and still this are two bands that stick out and that still offer sort of an aprroach of their own, and this is really great. And in contrast to pretty much more or less all of the years before today with this album I really cheer up to their own approach, because today they finally have convinced me in a supreme and total conquering way. Hard and heavy and furious raging and brutal smashing'n'cracking yet incredible melodic and hymnal, catchy and in an all positive sense poppy so that it makes you smash down everything in sight in this moment just to let you fall down to your knees and sing from out of the deepest dephts of your heart full of passion and emotions the next moment, just to raise up and mosh hard and push up your fists to the sky and sing loud and proud a long to the songs the other moment. Packed up full with energy and dynamic, passion and heartfelt emotions, and a pretty strong and authentic unbroken attitude, all made out of fantastic guitars (diverse challenging and incredible well lowing through at the same time, brutal hammering and yet incredible strong melodic singing - I mean that the guitars are singing, you are not reading it wrong;-).......), emotional and strong lead vocals, loud back up chants, and a hard and precise rhythm section machinery at work. Great musicians at work and they deliver it all in the garment of a really strong, surprising, varying, demanding, and grapping songwriting, it's just perfect (or at least as close to perfect as it only could be), point and fact. This is modern, melodic, hymnal/anthemic, heavy Metalcore of the best of kinds so if you are in this then just don't think twice and just go out and get it, you won't regret it, trust me, it's superb, period. My personal favorites are "WOLVES & RATS", "YOUR SONG", "I AM GHOST", "KING", "I AM REBELLION", "NEBEL", and "WHO WE ARE", but don't mistake that for thinking the other songs would suck, nah, the total opposite is the case. The production sound is purest gold and the artwork just a phenomenal beauty of an album artwork that I would love to see and have on LP format. This album rules in a totally supreme way so I can only highly recommend this to you so go out and get it- and then go freakin' fuckin' nuts on it. Cheers & grab your copy soon. /// Andy
(10 of 10 points)
(Copy the following link into your browser and then just go there: http://calibanmetal.com/.)
CONCRETE - "
SUBCULTURE STREET TROOPER"
("REBEL SOUND MUSIC" & "REBELLION RECORDS"; 7'')
(Released at the 26th March 2014.)
A big "Thanks!!!" very much for this little record goes out to Brett Hole of "BLACKHOLE RECORDS" who used to send me this little album some time ago via E-Mail, and here's now finally my review on it. Again: THANKS a lot man, cool of you!!! This is a collabortaion release between "REBEL SOUND MUSIC" and "REBELLION RECORDS" and it's a vinyl 7'' release featuring two tracks at all, "SUBCULTURE STREET TROOPER" and "BORN TO LOOSE NEVER", in around six minutes of total running time. Expect some hard hitting and tough as nails no bullshit American Oi! blended with some doses of old school Hardcore, somewhere between HAMMER & THE NAILS and BLOOD FOR BLOOD and throw some RAZORBLADE and also some CRO-MAGS in the mix here and there, too. Cracking and smashing, harsh and heavy shredding guitars, brutal shouted aggressive full power lead voacls, stomping precise and tight damn hard drums, angry rumbling and buzzing bass, and full throttle loud and proud crew back up chants and a lot of great and fresh sing a long potential in it as well. The songwriting is pretty strong, especially the diverse and really heavy stomping title track is very strong and grapping arranged and composed, thumbs up. The artwork is okay... I guess... here and there some good old clichés won't hurt, righty right;-), the lyrics are good stuff, and the production sound is dirty and heavy as well, so all good and fine. It just seems to me that the two songs had been recorded to different times and maybe even at different locations, because, hm, that's just how it sounds. Btw, the production sound of the a side is much stronger, as in general the a side really sticks out, with the b side still being good anyhow as well. Okay, that's it already for this one, a short album and a short review, that's how it is. Oi! fans and Hardcore maniacs as well should make sure to check CONCRETE out, I am pretty sure they will be worth your time. Damn good stuff. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy
(8 of 10 points)
(Copy this link into your browser headline and then just go there: https://www.facebook.com/CONCRETENATION?fref=ts)
DISCHARGER - "
DESECRATED GROUND"
("RANDALE RECORDS"; CD)
(Already released back then in 2012.)
Yes, I know, this an already a little bit older album, the so far last DISCHARGER full length album and probably DISCHARGER are already about to release a new one this year and at least a new 7'' (I think so) will see the light of the day very soon (and will be released , ah, I mean reviewed up here also very soon... just read on...), but this is all nothing but uninteresting right now right here, because what's is now interesting is nothing else but this groundbreaking masterpiece of an album that I desperately want to finally review up here, and after I am the CEO (and the only writer as well;-)...) of the "MANSLAUGHTER THUG LIFE" blog I'll now do exactly this, review it (finally) right here, right now. Like already said this was already released back in 2012 but it took untill christmas 2013 before I got it, when my girlfriend gave it to me as a christmas present. There had been three albums that I missed out on in 2012 and that I really desperately wanted to have since then. Two of them I managed to get pretty early and reviewed both of them already last year up here. I am talking about PATRIOT's - "THE SPIRIT OF REBELLION" and WISDOM IN CHAIN's - "THE MISSING LINKS", and both of them would have made it easily and also pretty high in my top ten album list of 2012 if I would have just got them earlier. The third album was always this one, DISCHARGER's - "DESECRATED GROUND", but due to what reasons ever it took untill christmas last year. Hm, and then something happened that in this form I wouldn't have thought ever to experience again: With this album I discovered sort of a bit of a lifechanging album. A groundbreaking one this very one here is really and truly anyhow, but also sort of more than this. It made me feel like back in the days when I was a teenager and discovered albums that influenced me heavily and for life and this fantastic and phenomenal masterpeice of an album owns all the potential to be also exactly this, and it appears to be exactly this. Playing since 2003 or 2004, I can't recall it exactly right now, and going stronger than ever today. (And they always went impressive strong right off from the start.) So, now finally straight to or back to (?) the topic: DISCHARGER - "DESECRATED GROUND", released via the german label "RANDALE RECORDS" (one of the best we have today... if not the best of all) and this in 2012. DISCHARGER always sort of played a sound very much of their very own, they had never been ''just another Oi!/Skinhead Rock band" and hell no have they ever been sort of a Streetpunk/-rock/-core what the hell else ever band (and also never claimed that to be, no, the total opposite), but latest with their so far last full length album "THE SWORD OF OUR ANCESTORS" from 2008 they finally presented something very fresh, very new, very unique, very stand-alone, and something so much outstanding that I was totally conquered by supreme force and by storm. Oi!, Pagan Rock and Heavy Metal joined forces and gave life to a new born bastard son, and here's this piece of dirty and outspoken greatness grown a little bit up and it got even better, even fucking better. Their split with JENNY WOO I sadly missed out on so far, so "DESECRATED GROUND" was my long awaited and also long overdue next meeting with them, with DISCHARGER, and it was and still is one hell of a happening. Fifteen new (okay, back then new... you know what I mean;-)...) songs they give us here and right from the get-go it is clear that this album is nothing else than a damn fucking statement: "Bow down, the champs are here!!!" No doubts, no dsicussions. DISCHARGER give us here all in all fifteen songs (including the great atmospheric intro track of the title "LEGACY OF VIOLENCE"), and this are simply fifteen anthems and nothing less or else. After the already mentioned intro the album kicks really off and this with the smasher "THE BOYS OF 033", one hell of a song, followed up by the larger than life hymn "WE'RE COMING TO YOUR TOWN". Whoooaaa, what an impressive way to start the album off. And so it continues to go on. The album is filled with great diverse guitars that cover a wide distance from crushing metallic riffs and punky melodic chords to adorable larger than life melody lines and leads as well as brilliant solos, and this all on an incredible high level of skills, no matter if we talk about the technical skills of playing or the creative skills of writing. Then we have great hard sung aggressive and pissed off very charismatic lead vocals that are backed up by massive crew shouts, and the sing a longs they deliver are just fantastic, as well as the verses and also the refrains are just fucking awesome arranged. A great bulky and forceful bass and massive stomping and beefy stunning drumming then add up to this mighty force. The musicians are very, very skilled and very, very well-, well-versed and the songwriting skills and abilities are sort of even a bit higher, it's just sheer fantastic. Grapping, atmospheric, interesting, powerful, and full of energy and dynamics, all just on a level of pure platinum. Also all is done fucking fresh and outshining strong, too. Great outspoken und critical as well as proud lyrics that cover a wide distance of different several topics, and also on a very, very high level of quality. Then we get also a cool and sinister artwork (that's a perfect match to/with the 100% authentic militant attitude of the album, the songs, the music, the lyrics... the band), and a first class production sound. So you see, this is the fucking complete package, point and fact. Each and every single song is a pure anthem, but if I should name you my personal favorites then it would be "WE'RE COMING TO YOUR TOWN", "HEAR US MARCH", "OUR SOCIETY", "MY RIFLE", "OUT ON PAROLE (MOTHERFUCKER)", "NEVER SURRENDER", "BOUND TO BE CRUCIFIED", "DEATH BEFORE DISHONOUR", and "THE BOYS OF 033", so maybe you start with checking this pure groundbreaking and even more lifechanging anthems out, but also with the other here not mentioned songs you won't go anyhow anyway wrong. I don't know what I could write here and now more. To name you here and now any bands to compare them, DISCHARGER, with makes no real sense at all, after they really play a style and sound of their very unique own. But if I would need to then let me say that if you like BADLANDS and BATTLE RUINS, then you will also like if not even love DISCHARGER, but keep in mind that they take it further than BADLANDS had ever did, and that they play it more stand-alone and more Metal-Cliché free than BATTLE RUINS. This is a brilliant and phenomenal album, an album that really sticks out and shines bright and an album that will stand strong and hold its ground as one of the most strongest and powerful for many, many years to come. If you should still not have this album, just in case, then by anything what's maybe holy in your believe or in your whole life, then just finally buy it and enjoy it, this is a totally amazing album and a clear statement: DISCHARGER, unrivaled, unbeaten, battle scarred and pissed off as fuck. Better than ever, and the best around!!! Get it, now!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy
(10 of 10 points)
(Copy the following link into the headline of your browser and then check it out: https://www.facebook.com/dischargerholland.)
DISCHARGER &
UPRISERS - "
SPLIT E.P.:
NO PLACE FOR OUR KIND /
EVERYBODY'S GOT A REASON"
("REBEL SOUND MUSIC"; 7'')
(Released at the 27th of March 2014.)
Hell yeahr, a brandnew DISCHARGER release, fuck, that's damn great!!! This time around they are with a new split release on 7'' vinyl, sharing the vinyl with the UPRISERS from New Hampshire, a to me totally new band. Before we go in it deeper: THANKS very much one more time Brett Hole and "BLACKHOLE RECORDS" for sending me this album via E-Mail, fucking great of you!!! All in all both bands give us two songs which makes this here a four songs release at all with a total running time of around eleven minutes. Okay, side a is occupied by the UPRISERS. A to me totally new band formed by guys that back then used to play in THE BRUISERS as well as THE RADICTS, and their first song on this split 7'' and the title track of/for their side "EVERYBODY'S GOT A REASON" is a re-done old THE RADICTS song, their second track "GHETTO BLASTER" then is a brand new one of them. The UPRISERS play a very strong rockin' Punkrock style and sound with a female singer, Britney Noyes, who does a decent, a good job, especially in and with "GHETTO BLASTER" she shows what she really can do. Okay, the UPRISERS give us heavy rockin' and catchy rollin' melodic as well as fast and sharp hitting played guitars, a stomping tight and precise right in time powerful rhythm section, and the strong vocals already mentioned, as well as nice sing a longs and good loud back up chants. They can play and they can write songs, for sure, it's just not really my bottle of beer. But fans of DEADLINE, THE DISTILLERS, DIE HUNNS, and also the U.S. BOMBS will surely love them and their side. For me also anyhow truly good stuff, and so they get 7 out of 10 points for their delivery here and now by me. Then side b is on and this means that it is time again for the almighty DISCHARGER. And they simply deliver one hell of greatness, pure platinum, again. Their first song "EVERYTIME WE DRINK" you may know already for it is around on YouTube now already for a while and sees here its first record or album release. It's fast forward, it's straight to your face, it's outspoken gladitorial (the attitude and the message- not the music- remind me quite a bit of the legendary and iconic STORMWATCH and their immortal classics like "NOTHIN' BUT TROUBLE" and "BOOTLES FLYING"), it's skilled in every sense, and it is no prisoners taking and no bullshit accepting catchy and melodic as well as heavy and harsh Oi!/Skinhead Rock & Roll of the very best kind. Their second song "NO PLACE FOR OUR KIND" kicks off also just right, with smashing guitars and a massive rhythm battery that will tear down every wall in sight to make sure they will be heard and the battle scarred militant message they deliver will be heard everywhere, delivered by the great singing charismatic singer who's backed up by some mighty back up chants as well. I won't go in it too deep after in the direct review above I have already described the style and sound of DISCHARGER as far and as good as I can do it in english and so just read there if this words here hadn't been enough for you so far. But let me say that this are the most "pure" Oi! smashers that DISCHARGER had done maybe since their legendary and great "BORN IMMORTAL" debut but on the same larger than life and greater than great, groundbreaking and lifechanging level of quality of their "DESECRATED GROUND" output. So, yes, don't think twice, brilliant stuff again delivered by DISCHARGER. They get the purest platinum one more time up here which means that they get 10 out of 10 points for sure. Phenomenal!!! Both bands deliver also strong lyrics, and the production sound(s) as well as the artworks of both sides are damn strong stuff. So, what are you waiting for, buy it. Now!!! Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy
(7 of 10 points and 10 of 10 points make 17 points at all, and this makes after all and over all...)
(8, 5 of 10 points)
(Copy the following links into the headline of your browser and then check it out: https://www.facebook.com/dischargerholland & https://www.facebook.com/theuprisersnh?fref=ts.)
KRAWALLBRÜDER - "
SCHMERZFREI"
("K.B. RECORDS" + "TONPOOL MEDIEN GMBH"; CD)
(Released in 2014.)
Yes, here it is, the new full length album by the mighty KRAWALLBRÜDER from Germany titled "SCHMERZFREI". This is the normal CD version that I have here before me, but for all what I know or think to know this album is also released as a limited CD edition (but don't ask me what goodies are included in the limited package of the limited CD version set) as well as a LP vinyl version. After I missed out on their precursor release, "BLUT, SCHWEISS UND KEINE TRÄNEN", this is my first time again with the KRAWALLBRÜDER since their "DAS 11. GEBOT" album from some years ago (I reviewed this very album some years ago up here), and I was very curious what they would hold in store for me respectively us this time around. And something that I can calmly say right now and right here at the beginning of this review to kick it all off is this: This very album here will definitely be one of the very best albums of 2014, damn fucking DEFINITELY, no matter how early it may still is in this year and no matter how early it was released, period. I was a little bit out of this whole Oi! from Germany or German Oi! stuff and especially this whole German Rock trend was never up that high on my fave lists, nah, in contrast to this it ticked me off and still ticks me off mostly all the fucking time. And after the Krawallbrüder moved more and more from German Oi! to German Rock if not maybe even a little bit "German Metal" or "German Street Metal" I lost them out of sight without that much regrets. Here and there I noticed that the whole dumbass German Anti-Fascist-Action-Über/Ultra-Fascists still treat them as one of their favorite objects for witchhunting, for hustle and defamation and an endless stream of terrible bullshit lies flows about them coming from out of the AFA direction, but I guess that some things probably will never ever change, especially not the stupidity of men... But okay, after I've read an interesting interview with them and saw the great artwork of the album when I first saw it in my local record store I suddenly and promptly felt the need to take the album home with me and so I did. And already in my car it first conquered my stereo... and then it conquered me, and this in a totally supreme way. The KRAWALLBRÜDER grew over the last decade or so to one hell of a mighty and damn fucking strong band, it is really fantastic when you listen to example to their "DIE FÄUSTE HOCH" album or their "IN DUBIO PRO REO" album (two also really strong albums, also still today) and then to this one here, their new "SCHMERZFREI" titled album, how strong and skilled and diverse they have become over all the years, as musicians and as songwriters. This is hard and heavy stomping metallic Hard Rock music made in Germany deeply rooted in punky German Oi! and standing for it. Harsh and heavy guitars, yet pretty diverse and incredible catchy and really damn skilled and well-, well-versed, mark the music as well as the charismatic hard sung vocals (and the vocals that are today really sung and this also pretty often clear and melodic) and the loud'n'proud band back up chantings and the very sing-a-long compatible hymnal and anthemic refrains. The rhythm section is pure and true force, massive, tight, precise, to the point, in time, and very well-versed and incredible fucking skilled. The songwriting is outstanding strong and diverse, and energy, force, dynamics we get it all non stopp. What I like even more is how great diverse and still more than well flowing the grapping songwriting is, it's just phenomenal and sheer fanastic. On top of it all we get great and very outspoken lyrics, the already mentioned awesome artwork, and a true and poor bomb of a production sound, the whole damn complete fucking package. Don't know what I now should write more, I mean, if you miss out on this very one here you will surely miss out on one of the best albums of/for 2014, I guarantee you, and this I can and I do very calmly, so trust me upon this. My personal favorites are "AUF EIN WORT" (the best one of them all), "BLUT UND TINTE", "WEG VON EUCH", "SCHMERZFREI", and "NIE EIN ENDE SEHN", but also the other not mentioned songs rule like hell. For any fans of bands like the TROOPERS, TOXPACK, BERSERKER, FREI.WILD, UNANTASTBAR, KÄRBHOLZ, and the BÖHSE ONKELZ, but they are fare superior- more fresh, more exiting, more independently, more heavy, and far more metallic- to them all, even compared with/to the mighty TROOPERS and TOXPACK. And, oh yes, they really deserve their success, it's earned and hard worked for, and it is by far more than just deserved. One of the best current bands, and one of the very best german bands of today. For Skinheads, Metalheads, Hard Rockers, Streetrockers, Punks, Hools, Bikers, Rock & Rollers, and all other antisocial outcasts with a faible for heavy rocking anthems, because anthems are all of their tunes on this brilliant album and antisocial they are still anyhow. Get it my dear readers, highly, very highly recommended to all of you outta there. An amazing album, a more than amazing album, point and fact. Go out and get it. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy
(10 of 10 points)
(Copy the following link into the headline of your browser and then check it out: http://www.krawallbrueder.com/.)
PLATZVERWEIS - "
BIS DER VORHANG FÄLLT..."
("BURNOUT RECORDS"; CD)
(Released recently in 2014.)
Cool, the new PLATZVERWEIS album, released just recently, is spinning its round in my stereo. PLATZVERWEIS are a still pretty young German Punkrock/Oi!/Streetrock band from Liebenburg, a small town near where I live, and with saying that they are still a pretty young band then I mean when we just look at the age of the guys in the band, because this is already their thrid album (their debut "MIT DIESER BAND" already released back in 2006, their second album "DEIN LETZTER TAG" released in 2011, and now in 2014 their newest one "BIS DER VORHANG FÄLLT...") so far and beside their already three album they also participated in the five way split "THE KIDS STRIKE BACK" in 2009 and "UNITE AGAINST CANCER" that I have reviewed some time ago up here, maybe two years ago or so. You see, the band started many years ago and the guys in the band were around sixteen years old back then, so you see, they are still sort of young guns but they already came a pretty long way so far untill now. And so now here is their third album already, and the first full length of them that made it into my collection. I saw them live two times before over the last years and then at the release party of this album a thrid time, and what shall I say, they heavily conquered me. Had they been before too much sort of Rocking Teeny Punk music or so that was live on stage pretty entertaining even not too impressive at all and so no album of them beside the above mentioned five way split and also the comp album made it home to me, but that changed in a definite way with their recent release party and this one here, their brandnew album, entitled "BIS DER VORHANG FÄLLT...", released via the "KB RECORDS" sub label "BURNOUT RECORDS" - and they couldn't have find a better label, perfect match, if you ask me. We get thirteen new PLATZVERWEIS songs (including the cool intro track "LA MADRUGADA", the solely english song "DREAMS OF RIOTS" feat. Mane/LAZY BASTARDS- all other songs are completly sung in german- and the outro track "AUF WIEDERSEHEN") in around 43 minutes. And judging by their recent live performance and this songs respectively album they made a huge, a really huge step of development forward- live on stage and also on the record. This is one of the strongest and toughest, tightest and energetic current german Streetrock bands somewhere in the middle between Punkrock, Oi! Punk, and German Rock (but without becoming sort of this typical bullshit cliché German Rock FREI.WILD/BÖHSE ONKELZ/etc. pp. band like so many and with this I mean too many and this means by far too many bands outta there these days) and they do it all very much independently and concentrated on their own and they deliver one hell of a great quality, and this is just really great and all is more than fine with me. So we get cracking guitar playing that's really surprisingly fresh and diverse, varying and really nicely skilled, truly far above average and really shining in the genre of German Rock and German Oi! Punk and German Punkrock like we see and hear it today in by far too many cases. And don't make any mistakes, even when I speak about German Rock here in the context of the new PLATZVERWEIS album I simply just mean that you can clearly find some marks of this kind of music in the sound and style of PLATZVERWEIS, but they are definitely no German Rock band not only but first and foremost because they are by far too much Punkrock for this, and that's just great and more than good and fine with me. And what I like even more is that they really manage to create a strong on the one hand socially aware and critical mood while on the other hand a full blown out "No Future!" attitude all at the same time, and this music-wise as well as lyric-wise, and that's just something that not many bands of today manage to do, especially not so many young bands of the current ones. With doing so and with keeping it all fresh, alive-lively, and exiting they remind me of the better 1980's German Punk bands but without copying anyone and also without becoming a dull lame crappy retro farce, and that's just great and makes it even greater. Best you can experience this in their phenomenal dystopic anthem "IN DER FABRIK", one hell of a pure platinum song, music- and lyric-wise. In general the guitars marking the songs strongly and this, like said, for good reasons and also for the good of the music of PLATZVERWEIS, great, thumbs up. Beside the guitars the lead singing voice stands out, too, and marks the songs really heavily, and this is good, really good, because: It's tough as nails, roars and shouts harsh and aggressive as well as it sings catchy and hymnal in a melodic way as well, diverse, really well-skilled, and pretty charismatic, thumbs up. The rhythm section then bombs thru in a massive way and gives it all a really strong and beefy backbone. On top of it we get full back up chants and massive sing a long shoutings. All matches perfect together, thumbs up. The songwriting is tight and precise to the point, diverse and grapping, the arrangements of the verses as well as the sing a long refrains are really great, so it's all there, it's all here. Ah, and one word, when the intro "LA MADRUGADA" played the first time I was frightened that they now would sound like the new BROi!LERS full length... hahaha, but hell no, they don't, and that's great. On top of it we then get also really strong lyrics that cover a wide range of topics, a great and beautiful artwork, and a first class bombing production sound, the full package. Great!!! Ah, and beside Mane/LAZY BASTARDS who joins PLATZVERWEIS in/with "DREAMS OF RIOTS" also Schulle/TOXPACK joins PLATZVERWEIS in/with "UNSERE HASSLIEBE". My personal favorite songs on this one are "IN DER FABRIK" (best song on the album, also lyrics-wise), "ZWISCHEN BEGINN UND ENDE", "SIEVERT", "BIS DER VORHANG FÄLLT...", "ODE AN DIE HEIMAT", and "DREAMS OF RIOTS" (and they should really sing more often in english, just by the way, also their great cover versions of "EVERYWHERE WE GO" by DISCIPLINE and "CRISIS IDENTITY" by OXYMORON proofed this to me clearly when they played them live on stage last saturday), so maybe start with this boneshakers and then move on and continue your discovery journey through the whole album. So, okay, my last words of this review and on this album: It's a great piece and it secures PLATZVERWEIS a good place in the championsleague of German Rock, Oi!, and Punk music. And check the guys also live on stage out if you can, they surely won't dissapoint you. Ah, and before I forget: Get this album as soon as you can. Cheers & Oi! /// Andy
(9 of 10 points)
(Check out the following link by copying it into the headline of your browser and then just go there and enjoy your ride: http://platzverweis-punkrock.com/.)
RUNNING WILD - "
RESILIENT"
("STEAMHAMMER" / "SPV"; CD)
(Released- for all what I know- by the late end of 2013.)
Fuck yes, after the to me totally surprising (and fucking great) comeback album "SHADOWMAKER" something like two years ago or something so like this Rock'n'Rolf really did it and here's the next round, another new and never or in this case maybe just not that really expected RUNNING WILD album. This is one of the three most important bands ever to me, maybe even the one and only most important band ever, anyhow, more precise I simply can't tell it here and now to you. Anyhow, enough of the glorious introduction talking and about all the haters out there I won't say a word here, and anyhow, even if I would do so they would know it all anyhow far better, so fuck it and fuck them. And so with this set straight right from the get go direct into this record and my review on it up here for you, so here we go: I love this band, I was happy as fuck when they really came back two years or so ago with "SHADOWMAKER", I was even more happy with the album for it is a fucking strong album, and as far as I was surprised when I saw this album I was happy to see it, and then I bought it promptly... and fell in love with it and so it's easy and clear for me to say that I damn fucking love this album, period. Again it breathes a very strong Hard Rock vibe with stomping rhythms and grooving guitar riffs, but offers also even more big loads of fiery and furious Heavy Metal full of hard and heavy, yet incredible catchy and melodic striking guitars, thundering drums and bass, and one of the greatest and most ever charismatic voices in Rock and Metal. This time a lot of a stronger and from RUNNING WILD thankfully well-known rebellious Outsider or Renegade mentality comes finally into play again as well as also really a Pirate or Pirate Metal flair shines through strong here and there and this also stronger than on the last albums. Honestly, I don't really know what I should write more here and now... I mean I could tell ya about the great grapping songwriting that offers one hell of a lot of surprises like for example the tricky rhythm architecture in/of "DOWN TO THE WIRE", about the tension filled tight atmosphere like it is for example maybe best build up in the monumental or epic "BLOODY ISLAND", about the great fresh youthful 1980's streetcruisin' born-free spirit of the perfect hymnal and catchy and by any positive means poppy "DESERT ROSE", about the full power authentic battle scarred spirit of the full throttle high energy anthem "FIREBREATHER", about the minimalistic greatness of the stoic and somehow punky rocker "RUN RIOT", about the glorious pure pirate hymn "THE DRIFT", the incredible great arranged up tempo hymn "CRYSTAL BLOOD", the stoic marching Hardrock riffing of the title track "RESILIENT", about the great fluffy and relaxed catchy car driving Heavy Metal Highway hymn "ADVENTURE HIGHWAY", or about the power and force of the dirty rocking and nasty rolling hard rocking pure Heavy Metal greatness of the opener "SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE"... I could tell ya about the phenomenal and unique leads and the in platinum shining solos, about the great and even greater than "just" great songwriting and the structure of the rhythm and pace of the songs, about the fantastic arrangements of the verses and the simply just larger than life refrains, or about the great lyrics packed up full with strong metaphors, about the cool artwork with the old school Adrian head completly in gold, or about the great clean and clear, yet hard and heavy perfect production sound. About all this and even far more I could tell ya all about, but would it change anything? If you know Metal, Heavy Metal, and RUNNING WILD then I am pretty sure that you already did make your decision: Either you are one of the countless haters that are running wild around today and of which the numbers are legions and so you simply defame and hate and turn down this album and this band all the time and you will never ever give it a fair try and chance and so haven't bought and won't buy it anyhow (or have it- and maybe even enjoy it- but can't stand for it in public), or you already know or have it and know about the strong quality of it and so enjoy it and I hope you enjoy it on and on and on. So just let me close this lines with saying that this is one of the best Heavy Metal and Hard Rock and Metal and Rock in general albums in and perhaps also for years and that you miss something outstanding with it. The best RUNNING WILD album since "VICTORY" and a album that stands strong and stands its ground even in the context of the brilliant RUNNING WILD history and discography. And also one the very best albums of 2013, just for the record. So don't be a nutjob, and so if you are into Metal, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock in particular, and if you still don't know or have it, then by any means do yourself the great, great favor and finally buy it and enjoy it... and play it loud!!! /// Andy
(10 of 10 points)
(Copy the following link into the headline of your browser and then check it out: http://www.runningwild.de/.)
SCHILLER - "
OPUS"
("DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON GMBH, BERLIN" @ "UNIVERSAL MUSIC COMPANY"; Limited edition double CD)
(Released in the second half of 2013.)
And now to something very different, hm, and I dare to say something completly different. If you know me or maybe better this very blog of mine and me through this work of me up here on and with this very blog then you maybe already know or really should know that I simply love music, more or less in all its variation. For sure I have certain styles that I clearly perfer and to which I listen now for something like over fifteen years which means for the half of my life so far and in some cases of styles and bands I listen to it for now sort of two decades or so which means that I listen to it for more than the half of my life so far. But growing up and maybe also nowadays really start to slowly grow old... nah, hell no, haha ;-) ... taste variates and differs and like the mind and the character and personality also the taste gets wider and more open and so today I don't really care what certain style or kind of music it is I listen to as long as it is good music that pleases my gusto and gives me a great feeling or something like this I will listen to it and stand for listening to it no matter what specific style or kind or genre of music it now may be. And so I enjoy heavily to listen to good Electronical music of all kinds as well as I use to enjoy for example a good Punkrock record in my stereo. (Ah, and don't make any mistakes, I am still talking about Electronical MUSIC, so I am not talking about bullshit chart disco Techno Pop, Euro Dance, Thunderdome styled sort of stuff, or any garbage of that kind else, just to get this straight.) And this brings us finally to this very album here, the current release of or by SCHILLER, for sure the in every sense leading german Electronical Music artist of our present days and current time. This newest album of the more or less one man E.-Band SCHILLER a.k.a Christopher von Deylen is titled simply "OPUS", and it was released by the end of the last year 2013 or something like late autumn or so, and I really wanted to have it and finally got it as a Christmas gift from my beloved parents. And since then this album granted me a lot of great deep and intense trips of the musical kind through majestic landscapes of sound and music, melodies and symphonies, made me dream and made me let my mind fly and drift away from the stress and strife of the daily grind for a lot of times, and it keeps continuing to do so, and this hopefully for a long, long while on and on. On this album SCHILLER combines his great passionate, playful, well-, well-thought-through and thought-out, emotional, atmospheric, soulful, alive-lively, and just sheer mind opening Electro music with Classic music and Opera music and he creates what is one of his strongest works to date. Not only one of his strongest but also one of his most interesting and most demanding and also most challenging and also one of his so far most ever critical works, because with a such ambitious project like this, melting modern Electro.-Music into one with Classic music and also with some few Opera set pieces you either completly fail in a epic way or you conquer supreme in a even more epic way. And thankfully SCHILLER is gifted, skilled, talented enough and ambitious in all the right ways, and simply a little genius in his musical genre and also sort of a unique little big musical genius of his own, and so he definitely manages to conquer supreme in a total way with his newest offspring "OPUS". It's very relaxed and creates and offers a lot of space for imaginations, dreaming, and drifting away in a world of sound and music. Soulful beats, life breathing melodies and symphonies full of spirit and soul, fantastic rhythm arrangements, all is totally in a flow of its very own, a tight atmosphere, all is incredible fresh, young, and simply just welcoming if you just got the sense for that kind of music, as well as it is really very sophisticated in so many ways so that it really demands your full attention listening to it when you want to experience this in every way majestically masterpiece of art in its whole stand-alone brilliance, and how all the great ones of the larger than life Classic Music themes are worked into the compositions is just breath-taking, and trust me, you won't be able to see where the shining horizons end when you allow yourself to let you slide into the wide open life and spirit breathing landscapes of the "OPUS" created by SCHILLER. SCHILLER also works here and there also on this one together with other artists that cultivate some of his new songs even more. I own the big limited edition package that also comes with a first class bonus CD packed up full with variations, outtakes, and alternativ versions of or to the album tracks, as well as some complete new tracks (and I totally fell in love with "L'HORIZON" and "BERMUDA DUNES", so just thanks for this pure beauties). Just a great deal. I don't know what to write here and now more, if you are also into Electronical Music, no matter if you stand for it or not, then do yourself the favor and get this album, otherwise you would miss one pure shining beauty of its own immortalized in music. I simply love this album, that comes in a minimalistic but just great atmospheric artwork as well as in a warm, clear, and clean production sound that's a perfect match with the music. Like already said: I love this album, and so I can only recommend it to you, my dear readers, if you just can rely to Electro.-Music as well as to Classic Music, too. For sure one of the best albums that had been released in 2013, and so better just get it, dare to do so, you won't regret it. /// Andy
(10 of 10 points)
(Copy the following link into the headline of your browser and then check it out: http://musik.schillerserver.de/.)
THE WARRIORS - "
DEAD TO ME"
("REBEL SOUND MUSIC"; 7'')
(Released at the 2nd April 2014.)
First of all a really big "THANKS!!!" to Brett Hole/"BLACKHOLE RECORDS" and the great guys in "AGGROBEAT RECORDS" who all send me this very one here via E-Mail for reviewing it up here, the new two track 7'' vinyl EP of THE WARRIORS, old England Oi! warhorses. Like already said they give us two brandnew tracks, the title track "DEAD TO ME" on Side A and "NO ONE PROVOKES ME" on Side B, and the two tracks run through in around six minutes. Seems to me that THE WARRIORS are more active than ever over the last six to eight years and that's all good and fine with me, had been always one of the best and most authentic U.K. Oi! bands ever and how ridiculous it is that over here in Germany the AFA and their "fighting" comrades really defame and label them as R.A.C. we don't need to discuss here and now. Instead of this let us rather focuss on the music, and that's just great pure british Oi! with a stoic typical english stomping boot party spirit and a raw punky edge to it, full of slashing guitars, marching drums, heavy buzzing bass playing, great forceful yet clear lead singing vocals, sing a longs and loud and proud crew back up chants. It's hard, it's heavy, it's nasty, and it's pissed off and outspoken and unbowed, straight up no bullshit old school Oi! Oi! Oi! music with strong lyrics, and wrapped in a poweful production sound and a great and cool "RESERVOIR DOGS" like artwork. What need you more, this is damn good stuff so anyone into Oi! should know what to do. And, of course, short album, short review. And now go and get it, period. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy
(8 of 10 points)
(Copy the following link into your browser and go there: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Warriors/30082312869.)
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| Great tribute cover artwork! |
VARIOUS ARTISTS - "
CASHING IN ON CHRISTMAS VOL. V"
("BLACK HOLE RECORDS"; Double 12'' LP)
(Released more or less by the end of 2013, sort of just right before the Christmas time really kicked off.)
(Music-Junky and Record-Nerd News: I have a copy of the to just five copies at all limited test pressing of this compilation, and this just rules, so fuck you, haha...;-)...!!!)
Okay, I know, it's maybe a little bit late or otherwise maybe a little bit far too early for a review on a Chrsitams compilation... but me and my lazy ass simply failed to get it done earlier due to reasons that I already talked about enough (or at least I do feel so) in earlier posts of this very year of 2014 and so I will spare me every word more about it here and now. And also, hey, come on, this review won't anyhow anyway hurt nobody, and the next Christmas time will come for sure, so take it like this: This review will prepare you just right for it. ;-) I received this last year direct from Brett Hole, the C.E.O. of the mighty "BLACK HOLE RECORDS", and not even just a ordinary copy of it, nah, but a copy of the rare test pressing of this album coming as a double 12'' LP release on black vinyl. And so, dear Brett, a extra big "THANKS!!!" goes out to you, great of you man. Cheers & Oi! for it. :-) And now finally into this very review of mine on it: This is a fucking cool compilation featuring one hell of a truckload of Oi!, Streetpunk, and Punkrock and to this related bands playing tribute songs to what is one of the greatest times of the year, Christmas. One hell of an all out American Oi!/Streetpunk brawl + battle mates from some other Oi!/Streetpunk bands from several other countries of the world join in the attack, and don't take anything too serious, have some fun with it, and then you will experience happy holidays mood also in May or so. The soundquality or production quality is over the whole distance no matter what particular band is playing what specific song pure gold, the artwork is just gorgeous and a brilliant slightly (?) ironic tribute to one of the greatest classics of Punk ever, the vinyl comes in black and features music on three sides of the two 12'' LP's, while side four shows a great imprinted "Santa's not dead!" picture :-) !!! The quality of the bands and music differ here and there a bit but is all in all really good and better. Hm, and now I will name you my favorite bands/songs on this one, hm, yes, and then we're maybe almost through with this review because then you know all what you have to know so far. My personal favorites are without a doubt the HARRINGTON SAINTS (hailing "XMAS"), SUCKERED IN (roaring out loud for "WHISKEY & KIELBASY"; good to hear something new from them finally again), LION'S LAW (being pissed off because Santa, yes, "HE NEVER CAME AROUND"), the American Oi! godfathers IMMORAL DISCIPLINE (shouting out loud and proud "FUCK YOUR CHRISTMAS"), ROADSIDE BOMBS (telling us about "CHRISTMAS IN CALIFORNIA"), MADDOG SURRENDER (proclaiming that "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS THE STANLEY CUP"), STRANGLEHOLD (mourning because of "ANOTHER NIGHT ALONE"), BOY (announcing the "PARTY TIME"), BISHOPS GREEN (teaching us all about "CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK", and delivering the stand-alone by far very best song of the whole comp, fucking amazing Skinhead Rock & Roll), PRINS CARL (who tell us it's time to "CUT THE WIRE"), the ANGRY SNOWMANS (taking us with them on a trip to the "NORTH POLE", while wrapping SHAM 69's "BORSTAL BREAKOUT" into the right christmas clothing), EVIL CONDUCT (ringing the "SILVER BELLS"... and sounding extremly like the good old Sugar Oi! veterans of the VANILLA MUFFINS, at least to me, but in this case the opinions do differ heavily here;-)...), and the MISSILE TOADS (hailing the "CHRISTMAS HAM"). Don't take it all too serious and if you are going down into your cellar to laugh than you're definitely not in the target audience of this release. I like it, a really damn good compilation, that I can only recommend to you. Cheers & Oi! Oi! Oi! /// Andy
(8 of 10 points)
(Copy the following link into the headline of your browser and then check it out: http://blackholerecs.bandcamp.com/album/cashing-in-on-christmas-volume-5.)
Okay folks, that's it for now, more will be coming sooner than you think for you again. Sooner... why?!? Okay, because I will definitely change the formula again which means that in most cases I will step back from the package posts finally again and will give every single album its single record review post, mostly because so I hope and think to get a more frequent posting series managed finally again up here without that long times of nothing really happening up here, and also this seems to me more just to the bands and labels who send me their albums for reviewing them, so that no long or at least no that long times of waiting for your reviews up here won't happen again, at least not as long as nothing anyhow serious trouble like bullshit happens that hadn't been a part of my smart master plan... ah, okay, I guess you know what I mean;-)... So, yes, that's all for now, thanks very much for your time and interest. Next up I will finally correct the mistakes in the three big record reviews posts that came before this one here and then from next week on stay tuned for a massive load of new reviews coming up here. Ah, and untill then: By any means go out and buy the new RYKER'S album "HARD TO THE CORE", it's damn fucking amazing!!! Cheers & Oi! /// Andy
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