When Bolt Thrower called it quits there was a vast open space left on the extreme metal scene regarding war metal or poetry of war done in atmospheric and dark way. Sabaton does great job in power metal with war themes, also Minenwerfer in black metal, but I have heard only words of praise for 1914 from Ukraine. Besides great name, fantastic band photos, these Ukrainians offer great music and I am ashamed to say, but this is their first record I have listened to and I am awed. This is kinda conceptual album with WWI thematics starting from awesome Intro that is interesting to this region and us who live in it, because it is Tamo Daleko, Serbian folk song. First opener hits you away with vocals screaming Dobrodošli u Sarajevo, talking about assassination of Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo 1914 by Gavrilo Princip, which started WWI. Lyrics are fantastic and 1914 s mixture of blackened death metal, doom, atmosphere done with samples, synths and electronics provides picture of Hell on Earth which was that war. The album also featured prominent guests as Nick Holmes and Sasha Boole. I want to hear this band live. I am sure that would be an awesome experience. Recommended songs: …and a Cross Now Marks His Place, Mitt Gott Fur Konig Und Vaterland.
Joey Cape is, as most of you know, singer for Lagwagon and an icon of melodic punk rock and skatepunk, real legend. Jose Prieto is from MakeWar, awesome younger band that you should check out if you did not listen to their songs. This time, Joey and Jose deliver a little split seven inch with one song each. Joey Cape song is called Sorry and I can easily imagine it not acoustic, as is in this rendition, but with full band and it would be in the dark vein of last Lagwagon album called Railer which is for me one of the best band s releases ever in their history. Gentle, melodic and atmospheric with recognizable Joey s voice over great acoustic guitar melody. Jose Prieto s song is called Red and is a nice surprise continuing somehow darkened and sad atmosphere with fantastic melody on chorus and great Jose s voice having great interplay with Joey s voice. This is a nice little record.
BZFOS are back! Shock Rock Rebels is the new, tenth album in the twenty blood soaked years these Vienna based fiends walk among us. This is the second album this band got away from their more psychobilly horror oriented history and evolved into melodic horror punk rock band, in fact doing what they want is what Dead Richy Gein and his gang do best. I can say this new collection of songs is somehow one level up continuation of their previous opus All These Fiendish Things. This new one contains melody, horror, sarcasm, black humor and gore, just like a good horror should do. I consider Richy one of the greatest horror movie fiend authorities in Europe and I love what he does and I can safely say this album and the previous one are the best this band has done yet. Although hits like Stop Writing Songs About Your Girlfriend, Damien, Belial, This Night On Halloween and other horror songs are my favorites, Off With Their Heads is absolute hit for me, being the fastest melodic anthem with slight political touch between the lines. There are rock songs, there are metal influences and hard rock, but common denominator behind it all is good old horror punk rock. Great album. Also, check out their videos because they are quite little nice horror movies.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 