Gutter Demons "Unfinished Business"

(Falsetto Records 2015)

Digging Up

Hellride

Gutterkings

After Dark

Invaders

Pieces

Bloodfeast

Gemini

Tornado

Phantom Creep

Unfinished Business

A few years back the Gutter Demons decided to be a trio of cunts and disband. This left me in utter dismay. Sure, I tried to love other bands but it just turned out to be nothing more than lust. I felt so cheap. I was ashamed. I could hardly even bring myself to put on my headphones at one stage. The sense of loss coupled with the sense of abandonment was just overwhelming. I pleasured myself nightly to other psychobilly outfits but it was no good. Then one night in 2014 whilst watching the ink bleed from a photo of Toxik as my tears alighted on his un-sliced loaf of bread styled quiff, I read the news that they were back together and a new album was in the pipeline. Well, after I changed my shirt (as my nipples had pierced the one I was wearing, such was my glee), I immediately became whole once more and stared at my computer screen waiting for the day the new album would be released. So, here we are now in 2015 and I have sores on my arse and bloodshot eyes but such scourges were worth the wait as the new album was pushed through my slit a few days ago. Now with a band like the Gutter Demons, where you have very high expectations, this could go either way. Are they going to go in a new direction after all these years OR are they going to hit us betwixt the thighs with an album full of instant Gutter Demons classics? Well right after the 56 second intro the answer presented itself in no uncertain terms. This is the Gutter Demons we all know and love. Pounding slap bass and drums, crunchy guitar and Toxik's distinctive vocals. I fuckin' love the Gutter Demons me and this album only cements that fact. Tucked away neatly between the originals is a fantastic cover of The Jiants "Tornado". When I saw the track listing I was hoping it was going to be this song. But the new batch of originals, fuck me but they're cleverly constructed lyrical masterpieces. One song I've always loved from the Gutter Demons was "Out Of Sight". Psychobilly ballads (if you could call them that..) have always appealed to me so one of thee standout tracks on this outing is "Pieces". Others to immediately grab me by the frenulum were Gutterkings, After Dark, Bloodfeast and Phantom Creep. These were all immediate favourites with the rest being of the variety that grow on you and sometimes surpass the immediate favourites over time. Now then, I won't be sticking up a sample track at the end of this as I noticed that in addition to the Falsetto logo on the back that there's also a Universal Music logo on there and those big boys can be a bit narky when it comes to that sort of thing. But the album can be sampled via all your favourite download sites or of course you can purchase the sexy CD that comes housed in digipak format with pristine artwork from Paskal Millet. That's what I did! Did I mention I love the Gutter Demons?

The O'Prez

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King Moroi "Hardly Better Than Nothing

(Bellfire Records 2015)

Funsize

Hiding In The Graveyard

Switchside

Staying Bad

Disparex

Meatgrinder

Sir B.I.A.

Crying Dying Man

Hardly Better Than Nothing

Spytank

Headvice

My Train (Has Gone)

Creepcake

I must admit I'd never come across King Moroi before until this release. Aesthetically the album looks great coming in a gatefold digipak with some excellent artwork by Horror Rudey. There are some world class artists on this scene that don't get the recognition they deserve (me included *ahem*). But does it sound as good as it looks? Yes. Yes it does. It kicks off with a sound that to my ears is reminiscent of the Krewmen sound during their Egyptian phase....ie. the Into The Tomb album. That sound pops up again here and there throughout the album. Lead vocals are shared between guitarist Jerry Toothpaste and slap bassist Smirnov. At least I think they are as the vocals take the band in very different directions stylistically with one vocal being of the clean, rockin' psychobilly variety and the other being of the punkabilly or psychOi! variety. I prefer the former, but that's just me. The latter seems ultra popular on the psychobilly circuit. So you could say they're catering for both sides of the coin. The guitar sound/style give the boys that much needed stamp of individuality in a scene that's swamped by "itallsoundsthesame-abilly". No mean feat for a band to come up with something fresh-sounding when every other band wants to sound like their 1980s forefathers. Yes, I know I mentioned the Krewmen earlier on you nitpicking shower of cunts but that was a comparison, I'm not saying they're a Krewmen tribute act. They sound fuck all like em, the guitar just reminded me of that Egyptian thing they had going on. Quit bustin' my balls. But anyway, King Moroi. A powerful release from the German trio of male models that will please both fans of old school psychobilly and their upstart punkabilly siblings alike.

The O'Prez

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The Hyperjax "March To Your Own Beat"

(Lime Digital Music 2015)

Staring Out The Old Guard

Hard Knock Chops

Blood And Sand

City Of Broken Rain

Three Sheets To The Wind

Whatever Happened To The Krewmen?

Blast Me Into Outer Space

Sweet Solitary

Burn In Your Own Flame

It's The Nature Of The Beast

Angry Young Man

Carats, Briefs And Boils

The Hyperjax eh? One of those bands that seem to have been on the periphery of the scene for many years. But which scene? Too clever for psychobilly, too ballsy for rockabilly and too rockin' for punkabilly. The boys are a law on to themselves. Perhaps as the album title suggests, they definitely march to their own beat. And what a fuckin' beat it is. It's an enigma of sorts. There's pounding drums and slap bass accompanied by that Holy Grail of guitars, the Gretsch. Nothing different about that ensemble of musical tools when it comes to things with "billy" stuck on the end, but it's what the lads do with their tools (oooooh matron) that makes the sound instantly recognisable as The Hyperjax. They're like a sub genre on to themselves. Thedogsbollocksabilly! Yes, that's it. This is some powerful stuff. Power mixed with melody. Some bands have either one or the other (some neither) but The Hyperjax have both. They're fuckin' hyper alright. And I had to run to the jacks* in between songs as the sounds within loosened my sphincter. (*jacks is Irish slang for toilet...hyper...jacks...did you see what I did there? ....tough crowd!). But anyway, the lads have a fairly sparse back catalogue given the fact they've been playing together in various incarnations for almost 20 years. I of course own all the stuff they've released prior to this and it's self-evident that the boys have really honed their skills in the studio/production department. That's by no means disparaging towards their previous output. It simply means that the production values on this album hits a new pinnacle of perfection for the trio. It just oozes quality...sonically and lyrically. The album is currently available as digital download from over 200 sites (Amazon, iTunes, 7digital etc.) with both CD and vinyl releases to follow. Fine, I'll stick up some links ye lazy shower of shites! Usually I add a sample song at the end of these reviews but it's hard to pick just one so you can sample em all on the download sites below. What a guy!

The O'Prez

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Beat Devils "Night Falls Down" (music video)

Bit of an unusual one this time around. Unusual as in it's not a record review but a video review. The Beat Devils...a name that instantly conjures up tones of power neo rockabilly and psychobilly have made their first music video for their song Night Falls Down. And...it's not what you'd expect at all. The boys have ventured in to the country...perhaps gothic country field and the result is something that is sure to have Johnny Cash tapping on his coffin lid with glee. Filmed at dusk, with some gorgeously dark scenery, the footage lends itself perfectly to the lyrical content. The chorus reverberates in your head long after the song has finished. The ponces in Nashville could take a leaf out of the Beat Devils book when it comes to writing country. Why's that? Because the shite they're passing off as country in Nashville these days isn't fucking county...it's soft rock sung with a southern accent. That's why. Anyway, the Beat Devils have given us some excellent projects in the past and this is no different. Proving once again that they are no one-trick ponies. It gets on my tits in one way that the talent the boys possess gets ignored by the major players in the record industry but with that said, in another way I'm glad that these moguls remain clueless as fuck knows what kind of homogenized watered down piss they'd turn it in to. But I digress, have a look and a listen. It's not for the cringe-worthy line dancing brigade but for the true connoisseurs of good music.
The O'Prez

Smell Of Kat "A Dream Of One Thousand Katz"

(Smell Of Kat 2015)

A Dream Of One Thousand Katz

Close To Me

The Man Who Cannot Die

Razor

Neo Rockabilly stalwarts Smell Of Kat are back with a limited edition 7" EP in various colours and it's a top notch release from the boys. Stylistically it's right on the border between neo rockabilly and old school psychobilly. Whereas a lot of bands try to emulate that classic 80s sound, the lads don't have to. It is their sound. It's exactly what you'd expect from Smell Of Kat. Their past catalogue is brimming with psycho rockin' treats and this is no different. Clean echo-laden guitar driven along with a tight slap bass and drums back beat. The quintessential ingredients for a night of aural sex. This is one of those releases where 4 songs just aren't enough. The teasing Spanish feckers! Hopefully a full album is imminent as they've left me with blue ears....yeah that's right, blue ears..the auditory version of blue balls. You'd want to snap this one up fast as it's almost sold out. Imagine the life of regret and dismay you'll live if you don't heed my words. This EP is sure to become a classic on the scene and a collector's item. Put yer hands in yer pockets ye miserable shower o'bastards and support one of the best bands on the circuit.

The O'Prez

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Rockabilly Mafia "ROW!"

(Crazy Love Records 2015)

Now

Cutaway Bob

Tu' Was

Beat Up A Lady

Sentenced To Rock

ROW!

Michael's Last Ride

Verirrt

Since We Ain't Together

One Note

Doch

Maltman's Razor

Straße Nach Elmshorn

Neorockabilly

Ich Weiß Bescheid

Ah yes. Rockabilly Mafia. They look like a Ted band but sound like an early 80s neo rockabilly band. This isn't a love em or hate em kind of band. Everyone loves Rockabilly Mafia. So here they are again with an album full of primal neo rockabilly beats. The drum and bass sound on this album have a kind of jungle sound going on...a bit like Batmobile's Bambooland album. Loads of tom-tom drums (the snare even sounds like a tom) and that all-important woody resonance on the slap bass. Whereas by no means a psychobilly outfit, some psychobilly bands could take a leaf out of Michel "Ted" Harbeck's book and actually sing but sound psychotic at the same time. The lads have always had a crossover appeal. They could quite easily feel right at home at a Ted, Rockabilly or Psychobilly festival. This was never as true as it is on this album. It's rockabilly done right. Not some safe museum piece with a rule book included. Fuck me I hate that shit. Rockabillies in the 50s weren't trying to sound safe. Some of the stuff they recorded sounded like shite because the recording equipment they had was shite. Why replicate that? Rockabilly Mafia have no interest in sounding "authentic" as is obvious on this album. Rockabilly is supposed to be wild, right? The Mafia boys obviously think so. Never taking themselves too seriously and just having a good time which in turn emanates from the recordings. Crazy Love have done an excellent job on the packaging. The album comes in a digipak with 20 page booklet for added sex appeal. But we'd expect nothing less from our Guido, the dirty label-owning fecker. Look at him there. Teasing us with his big booklets! ..........................But anyway, an excellent release from Rockabilly Mafia which will appeal to just about any facet of the rockin' scene. Coming soon on vinyl too if you please!!
The O'Prez

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Restless "Originals"

(Bluelight Records 2015)

Don't Say It Unless You Will

Get Away

I Wanna Get With You

The Fool

Maraca Man

Rat-A-Tat-Tat

Runaway Train

I Want It All

Travellin' Man

You Drive Me Insane

You Know It Ain't Right

Some Folk

Restless! The band synonymous with the term "Neo Rockabilly". I love neo rockabilly and psychobilly in equal measure. However, neo rockabilly outfits are few and far between in comparison to the profusion of psychobilly combos currently doing the rounds. So, quality not quantity, right? Of course it also means a neo rockin' ensemble will really have to set the bar high for us hard-to-please listeners who have an expectation that can so often be deflated. This is especially true when a band like Restless release an album of all original material (hence the album title...and the fact that it's the original line up from 100 years ago!). Expectations are beyond high. Having Ben Cooper back in the fold and penning some of the songs is the equivalent of having Mark Denman back in the Long Tall Texans flexing his musical biro. You know what I mean right? With this line up we're all expecting that classic Restless sound. Do we get it? YES! Yes we DO!! I remember as a teenager, I'd take days off school or leave early as I'd be gagging to hear albums I'd bought at the weekend and just couldn't be arsed staying in school when all that was reverberating through my head were songs that I just couldn't wait to listen to again. This album makes me want to go back to school..so as once again I can't be arsed going as I'd much rather be at home being filled with aural pleasure. This is Restless. It's like a glorious concoction of all the best stuff they released on Nervous, ABC and Madhouse. Classic Restless and all brand new putting the naysayers to shame. The album's production values also give it that all-too-rare element of it not sounding like their previous output whilst maintaining the trademark Restless sonance, where if you hear a song it's instantly recognisable as being from that album. But I was almost bitterly disappointed. I'd listened to 11 tracks of pristine Restless up-tempo perfectly formulated neo rockabilly but there was one missing ingredient. A Mark Harman ballad. They've always been my secret pleasure, like a treat after the main course. And then there it was. Track 12. Thanks Mark. Perfect placement too given my dessert analogy. 

On a side-note...Bluelight Records always package their releases beautifully opting for super jewel cases as opposed to the standard jewel cases. Aesthetics are important to me too. 

So, Restless fans rejoice. THIS is what you've been waiting for. Now Restless have the unenviable task of penning a follow-up album that reaches the same heights or surpasses this one. 

The O'Prez

The album is available online on both CD and vinyl formats from all purveyors of the finest rockin' sounds. My go-to guy is Howard at Raucous Records. Also, the CD has two tracks not available on the vinyl...and the vinyl has two tracks not available on the CD!!

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The Intolerants "100% Of Nothin'"

The Western Star Recording Company 2015

Number One
Crawlin' Back
The Bitterness That Lasts
While You Were Out
Ten To Two
Can't Be Arsed
Red Dress
So Long Baby Goodbye
The Next Time I See You
Do You Hate Me?
Without You
Why Do I Do It
Coal Miner's Son
En Gång Till

So what have we here then? Fucked if I know! First I thought it was a crackin' new release on Alan Wilson's Western Star label by a garage band I wasn't familiar with called The Intolerants. But then I thought no, they're actually a psychobilly band...no wait....a rockabilly band? A country band? A neo rockabilly band?? Jaysus these lads are hard to pigeon-hole. Diversity is order of the day on this album. 14 ditties, 13 of which are self-penned with the cover coming by way of  that old Blasters classic So Long Baby Goodbye, which while still retaining that rootsy feel is delivered with more of a punk rock sensibility than the roots rock original. The self-penned stuff, while all fits under the big umbrella of all things rockin', is where things grab hold of your scrote (or front bottom) and refuse to let go. It's everything great about all the different sub-genres that have "billy" stuck on the end all in one place. The album can go from Luther Perkins-esque stylings to Poison Ivy infused goodness, straight through to Mark Harman inspired neo-rockin' and end up with moody slow-set material where you try and feel a girl's arse before the lights come on down at the local nightclub. Quality stuff that encapsulates everything I love about the broad spectrum of music that can be deemed simply rock'n'roll as I'd be here all day listing the more precise definitions of the music these guys play. There's even a song about Maggie Thatcher for fuck sake! Top that!!

The O'Prez

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Thee Flanders "Graverobbing 2"

(Halb 7 Records 2015)

Intro (Featuring Tom Toxic)

Enjoy The Silence

You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) (Featuring Bela B)

Dein Vampyr (Featuring Brigitte Handley)

Red Light Spells Danger

Pet Sematary (Featuring Teddy Taste)

Ich Brauch Keinen Grund

Comeback And Stay

She Bop (Featuring Ramon Sitoci)

Don't You Want Me (Featuring Pattsy)

Dirty Lies

Junk

Deja Vu

Outro (Featuring Achim Mentzel)

It's been 8 years since Thee Flanders unleashed their first instalment of against-the-grain psychobilly covers under the guise of their 2007 Graverobbing album on Halb 7 Records. That album was good. This one is great. In the 8 years between that album and this one, it's immediately obvious that the boys have really honed their skills for arranging, or in this case rearranging songs and in the words of Louis Walsh..."making them their own". (I will NEVER reference Louis Walsh in a review EVER again. I apologise profusely). It could have been all too easy for the band to go in to the studio and just do psycho renditions of songs known to the mainstream by speeding them up and applying some sore throat vocals. Naturally the Flanderesque versions are going to have a lot more balls and attitude than the originals...this is a psychobilly band after all...but it's balls and attitude with a gamut of great ideas and recording techniques. All the songs have been completely re-imagined by the band with stellar results. (Speaking of stellar, there's a stellar line up of guests on this album too as you can see from the song titles above). The album was recorded by Teddy Taste and mixed by Ramon Sitoci and fuck me pink the sounds they got from Thee Flanders are nothing short of astounding. For example the sound of the snare on some of the songs is really catchy. It's not too often you'll hear of a snare drum being catchy but such is the production quirks to be heard all over of this album. You'll just have to buy it and listen to it to know what I'm talking about. That's another atypical trait of this album. If you actually listen you pick up on all sorts of different things going on in the songs with each additional play. Thanks Thee Flanders for the early Christmas present. To sum up, I fuckin' love this album because...it's great...and I'm great...and I'm always right! And that's all that counts!!
The O'Prez

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The Retarded Rats "Underground Is Dead"

(Killjoy Records 2015)

Underground Is Dead (Extended Radio Chart Version)

 One - ? - Three

 Underground Is Dead (Real Life Version)

Blurring the lines between psychobilly and garage punk. That's the sonic delights to be gorged on on this limited edition 7" EP from Germany's Retarded Rats. Fronted by slap bassist and vocalist par excellence, Anna Killjoy, and bringing up the rear is Flatty Killjoy on guitar and Mutant Ann on the skins. More often than not, female-fronted psycho outfits are way off the mark. Annoying vocal styling and music that falls in to the "punk with a double bass" variety. The Retarded Rats however are bang on the money. What a breath of fresh air to hear a girl-laden psychobilly band that isn't relying on gimmickry to gain popularity but instead rely on the sound. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be? Yeah, a cool image is one thing but isn't worth a shite if the music falls short. The Retarded Rats tick both boxes. They look good AND they sound good. If you took all the singles that were released on the Big Beat label back in the 80s...both psycho and garage punk...melted em down and re-pressed em as one great big 7" slab of black sexiness then this is what you'd get. 

The O'Prez

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The Minestompers "The Minestompers"

(Crazy Love Records 2015)

Minestomp

Mama's Clit

Invasion

Toxic Avenger

Drive By Cumshot

Possessed To Skate

Surfride To Hell

Bukkake Blues

Demon Twist

Leprechaun Boogie

Place To Go

Bad Dreams

Stomp Around The Swamp

Tohuwabohu

The older I get I'm not as easily impressed as I was as a nubile teenager. This can go for just about anything. Girls, films, food, life..music. This is especially true in my chosen genre. Good old psychobilly where a lot of bands just sound the same...or like someone else. 90% of the time there's no trademark sound which becomes instantly identifiable in a way that separates them from their stable mates. For example, you'd know straight away if it was Demented Are Go, The Quakes, Nekromantix, Torment etc you were listening to even if you didn't have access to the album sleeve. Enter Köln's Minestompers and their inaugural airing on Crazy Love Records. Psychobilly naysayers of the "no slap bass, no billy" variety are in for a reality check. This 100% psychobilly with *gasp* bass guitar! I love slap bass, but it's not the be-all and end-all if the band are fucking good. The Minestompers are fucking great! The trademark sound is coming in spades from vocalist Dave. The guy sounds like a demented Charlie Feathers hiccuping all over the place. There's a great strep throat tone to it too. Those two elements in the vocals are my favourite elements and are all too rare. There are only a handful of vocalists who can pull it off and Dave is right up there at the top. I've had this album for a while now and it gets blasted out regularly. Sometimes you make a mental note of standout albums. You know the way they just get ingrained in your psyche? This is one of those gems. An excellent début release which is all anti-wholesome psychobilly of the towering over their opposition variety.

The O'Prez

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The Goddamn Gallows "7 Devils"

(Crazy Love Records 2015)

Ragz And Bones

7 Devils

47 Crosses

The End Of The World

Rotting Away

Stew Hogg

Sidewalk Slammer

Y'All Motherfuckers Need Jesus

Instant Major Felony

Malefactor March

Nature Of The Beast

Serafino

Waiting Around To Die

Nowhere Left To Roam

Broken Man

Raise The Moon

It All Goes Away

This a reissue of the US 2011 release on Farmageddon Records  now out in all its splendour on Germany's Crazy Love Records. There's a carnival feel running throughout the album; albeit an evil carnival. Think Ray Bradbury's novel Something Wicked This Way Comes and you'll get the idea. However, when they're not being the creepy gutterbilly bastards that we all know and love, this album features one of my favourite Gallows ditties "Nature Of The Beast". This is a straight-up folk ballad with some fine yodelling. For the most part though, this a big blend of hillbilly, cowpunk, bluegrass, folk, rockabilly, with that underworld vocal styling that makes for some very uncomfortable listening...but that's a good thing. This isn't your "nice" version of American roots music. The lads are the personification of every reason you wouldn't want to go in to the swamps alone in Louisiana. But fuck me, can they play their respective instruments or what? All the ingredients for a pissed-up stomp are adroitly executed. The boys are the real deal and no mistake.

The O'Prez

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The Rocket Beats "Human Tornado"

(Crazy Love Records 2015)

Rocket Alert Theme

Mystery Man

Evil In My Veins

Human Tornado

Dinosaur Rock

Electrical

Brown Fury

Madhouse

Let's Shout Again

Be-Bop-A-Lula (Rocket Version)

Grave Party

My nipples were plain to be seen poking out through my shirt whilst listening to this album, the second outing from Russia's Rocket Beats. Russia has produced some top class bands over the years and The Rocket Beats maintain that high standard. Evil, sci-fi themed psychobilly sounds are order of the day here. But what sets them apart from the usual psychobilly brigade is the inclusion of quality female backing vocals (and lead vocals on one track). Speaking of which, she's an excellent slap bassist too! They're reminiscent of that wave of bands that came from Europe in the mid 1980s. Bands like Les Crabs, The Scallywags, The Scannerz...that kinda thing. The kinda thing I absolutely love. Fuck knows how such an underground scene can still produce bands like this, putting their own stamp on things with that classic, minimalist ensemble of guitar, drums and slap bass. It's testament to the talent that exists within the realms of psychobilly's self-contained world I suppose. It will never be for mass consumption. Within music's broad spectrum of genres and styles, psychobilly has to be thee most ignored one of all. Or the most misunderstood. Yet, it has survived on its own merits while being blacklisted by the "music press". But what appears to be the music industry's pet hate, is our subcultural secret which sticks two fingers up at them triumphantly. So yes, another quality release from Crazy Love Records (Guido really has an ear for quality) with this, the sophomore album from The Rocket Beats. Equal parts psycho and billy with a splash of the aforementioned sci-fi for good measure. Now to put a warm spoon on my nipples. It's getting embarrassing.  

The O'Prez

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The Quaranteds "World Wide Quarantine"

(Crazy Love Records 2015)

Johnny's A Commie

Hate

Exotic Girls

Ride This Torpedo

King Of The Night

Wench

White Wedding

Holy Jaysus this 7 dittied silver platter gave me a right kick in the bollix and no mistake! Right from the get-go the clean guitar and machine gun slap bass grabbed me by the scrote and refused to let go. I had no pre-conceived notions before listening to this, the second outing from LA's The Quaranteds. They've been around a while and my ex-girlfriend was always singing their praises (she knows em personally....see? I have worldwide connections...what a cosmopolitan guy) but all she ever showed me was dodgy quality videos she recorded on her phone so I never really bothered me arse checking them out further. WHAT A GOBSHITE! The boys are brilliant! 5 originals and 2 covers (Ride This Torpedo features guest vocals from that dapper bastard Gator McMurder of Bea Pickles/Coffin Draggers fame) and it's all in-your-face psychobilly of the tough guy variety. In its essence, psychobilly is a more ballsy, aggressive, punch in the throat version of rockabilly and this is exactly what the lads have captured here. I fucking love it! It reminds me of when I was 15 and heard The Guana Batz for the first time (having grown tired of the sugar coated rockabilly dross that was doing the rounds at the time) and thinking to myself "fuck sake, THIS is what I've been looking for". It's psychobilly like it used to be in its heyday over this side of the pond. Now it appears that heyday has moved Stateside. The boys do it right. Straight-up psychobilly with no pretentiousness. 

The O'Prez

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The Spastiks "Demo EP"

 (The Spastiks 2015)

Radiation Baby

Rubber Legs

Big Black Bug

Dynamite

My mate Tim (guitarist from New York's The Spastiks) sent me their demo CD (along with a pair of  XXXXL women's knickers) in the post. For a demo CD it actually sounds more like a finished product. (The knickers were soiled). The boys are obviously serious about their art. Lyrically though "serious" doesn't come in to the equation. Stylistically it's very old school psychobilly with plenty of rockabilly twang and comic book stories told through the medium of song. It's like a Guana Batz/Krewmen mash-up with maybe a hint of The Cramps. The whole thing is driven along with a solid slap bass and drums backbeat and features a vocalist that doesn't rely on growling bullshittery to transform his voice from rockabilly to psychobilly. It's a sexy little teaser of what the lads have in store for us. All we have to do now is wait for Tim to stop perusing the ladies undergarmentry section of his local charity shop and round up the rest of the lads (found modelling the aforementioned ladies undergarmentry...in the same charity shop) and record an album. Shower of sex-cases.
The O'Prez

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Bombat Belus "if you Like us it's nice..."

(Self Released 2015)

The Whole World Will Be Dead! (Intro)

 Bad Moon Rising

 Bombat Belus Syndicate

 Wir Sind Die Roboter

 Kimuś

 I'm So Lonesome Baby

Może Kiedyś Innym Razem

 Małe Piwko Z Kolegami

 Bad Wild West

 So Tragic!

 Biedna Psina (Remix)

Merciful Jaysus, typing out those Polish song titles took a lot of concentration! Now to sit back and relax to the soothing jazz-funk sounds brought to us on this, the second album from Bombat Belus. Ah yes, it's the stuff that exudes gentle finger clicking whilst wearing your beret and sipping herbal tea on your veranda overlooking the tranquil meadow glistening in the sun; almost as if it's a green ocean as the cool breeze gives the magical illusion of waves shimmering to and fro...........no wait! Is it fuck. It's pounding in-your-face psychobilly is what it is. It's the stuff that exudes being pummelled in the wrecking pit whilst wearing your steel-toe boots as you spit neat whiskey out of your bloodied mouth by way of offering a medicinal pick-me-up to the mass of fallen bodies on the dance floor.  The boys sway slightly more towards the more punkier side of psychobilly as is evident by their inclusion of bass guitar as opposed to double bass. There are a couple of covers on here that I can't get enough of. I usually don't harp on about individual songs when doing these reviews but fuck me, their versions of Bad Moon Rising and I'm So Lonesome Baby have been on repeat for days. So there are some obvious rockabilly influences floating around in the loins of the band too. There's certainly an undeniable Meantraitors influence going on which I can hear in the guitar sound. This is quality stuff from the Polish purveyors of the peculiar. Next time though guys, release an all-English language album so as I don't have to spend 4 hours typing the song titles!! 

(The lads released this album themselves and in very limited quantities so, get in touch with them directly from the links at the end of this if it's not too late.)

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The Test Pilots "Deadly Rhythms"

(Street13 2015)

Blues In Zest

Deadly Rhythms

Cheap Rumance

Far Beyond Hell

Quality not quantity is order of the day on Sweden's trio of nimble-fingered ne're-do-wells The Test Pilots début EP. They're no strangers to the scene mind you what with their connections to Joe Hellraiser And The Graverobbin' Bastards in a previous life. The boys have released a couple of videos prior to this release which immediately peaked my interest. For a while there those videos were getting more views than my usual fare over on Pornhub. Such teasing little minxes. Aaaaanyway, I finally got me clutches on the EP and had a box of Kleenex at the ready in anticipation of the forthcoming sexy sounds. God I love aural sex. The lads are one of those bands that are on the borderline between neo rockabilly and psychobilly. The vocals are definitely leaning more towards psychobilly with the guitar sound being very reminiscent of The Blue Cats "The Tunnel" era material...especially their (The Blue Cats) "Man With A Mission" song. The Test Pilots are a lot ballsier though. The guitar solos are every bit as enjoyable as the melodies in the songs...and as memorable. Tony is an amazing guitar player. Obviously a LOT of work went in to crafting these songs. Excellent drum fills and bass lines turn the whole thing in to a very tight ensemble of sounds. Back to those vocals, when I say leaning more towards psychobilly, I don't mean it's all demonic growling (ie...shite!), I mean Matt has a raspy voice which suits psychobilly perfectly. Put simply, they can sing, they can play, they write their own fantastic songs...what more could you want? Maybe a bomb under Simon Cowell's car to send cunts of his ilk a message that this is where the REAL talent lies. But no one gives a fuck what they class as talent anyway. The Test Pilots = Talent.

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(Use the above link to message the boys and buy the EP directly from them)
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The Wreck Kings "Wrecking Machine"

(Crazy Love Records 2015)

Desert Haze

The Walking Dead

Blinded

Pesadilla

No Man's Land

Kiss The Ground

Machines Will Walk The Earth

El Demonio

Gotta Go My Way

Madhouse

Get Down

Real Wild Rockin' Cat

El Mariachi

Farewell

The German mentalists are back with their second album. If you liked their début 2010 release 'Under Pressure' then you know what to expect. It's the same hard-edged psychobilly, bordering on punk'n'roll, but with better production values and the lads have obviously honed their skills too as is evident in the song structures. Apart from the slap bass, there isn't much evidence of any rockabilly to be found. It sounds to me like the boys are of that later generation of psychobilly outfit that came to the genre via the punk route as opposed to the rockabilly one. They're like a more vicious sounding Peacocks with a twist of America's Hayride To Hell. It's a tough sound which thankfully doesn't rely on theatrical "put-on" vocals to get that across. They're certainly not a psychobilly band of the "fun" variety so to speak. They're more of the "kick you in the face" variety. Tales in the form of song guaranteed to put a scowl on your face.

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Astro Zombies "Frogs Legs"

(Crazy Love Records 2015)

Frogs Legs

Alligator Man

Use My Axe

Zombie Now

Fish Fingers

Monster Stroll

Go Out!

Crazy Monkey

Burlesque Show

Mad

Attack Of The Green Farts

The Creatures

Be still my restless nipples. Today my postman forcibly shoved his big package through my slit and left me feeling like the happiest boy in Ireland. For inside was the brand spanking new album from the French connoisseurs of slaptastic rhythms the Astro Zombies. But enough gay innuendo. I'm a fanny-man me (Americans, over here that's the front bottom). Anyway, Frogs Legs...what a cracking fuckin' album. The aforementioned cuisine may not be my favourite culinary delight but I am partial to a fish finger so thanks Astro Zombies for including some on your menu of auricular fancies.This is psychobilly with oodles of billy. The way it should be. The slap bass is relentless. Unlike a lot of psychobilly though, it's not predictable. Yeah it's 3 guys with a guitar, double bass and drums singing songs about stuff that would be more suited to the pages of Viz than any deep and meaningful tome but it sounds fresh. That can't be an easy task what with the genre being now over 30 years old. That's the best thing about psychobilly though when compared to its rockabilly relation. There are no rules so inspiration can come from anywhere or any other musical genre. But Jaysus the boys are on top form here. I have all their previous stuff in my collection and all too often people, or indeed the band, will claim their latest release is their best work yet. Well, this is. The artwork for the packaging suits the sounds on the album perfectly. Clean and clear. The songs on here have the rare trait of reverberating through your skull after you've finished listening. For years there have been a handful of releases that have become classics of the genre. In years to come this will be one of them. Je aime les Astro Zombies. Did you see what I did there? I'm on a roll! ....or a baguette......I'll get me coat :(

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The Diggerz "A Psycho's Tales"

(Crazy Love Records 2015)

Intro

Forgotten Son

Breakout

Fresh Flesh From The Graveyard

Dreamgirl

Hangover

BBQ On A Lost Island

Jealousy

I Want Her

Set Me Free (Live)

Hailing from Essen in Germany, this is The Diggerz début release (even though they've been together for 5 years, the lazy bastards) on everyone's favourite record label Crazy Love. Without even listening to the music I immediately tipped my hat to them for the their usage of the correct punctuation in the word "Psycho's" in the album title. Yes, I am that anal (ooooh matron) when it comes to grammar. So, having been filled with glee and merriment from the offset, I proceeded to place my sextastic headphones over my manly ears and have an aural perusal of the sounds emanating from betwixt....oh for fuck sake..I don't half talk shite. I put on me headphones and had a listen to the album, right? What immediately struck me (well, after I completely ignored the intro) was the crisp, clean production that I love. Many albums have good songs but shite production. This has good songs coupled with erm....anti-shite production! That's right. It's the ANTI-SHITE! My favourite instrument of all time, the slap bass is right up there in the mix, the guitar sound is clean with bits of twang and reverb where necessary and not overdone. The drums are snappy and crunchy. Great so far. Will the vocalist piss on the whole thing? No. No he won't. HOORAH! I hear traces of Pitmen vocal stylings in his voice. Before I go on, I'm not going to start making comparisons but I'll make one more. Vocally the band are Pitmen-esque and muscially, Gorilla-esque  (but cleaner sounding). Now, back to The Diggerz sound itself and leaving aside possible influences and getting back to these vocals, fuck me what vocal range. Mo is one of thee best singers the psychobilly genre has to offer. The backing vocals are spot on too! When paired on some tracks it's almost like listening to Joy Division with quiffs. Also, you can't second-guess where each song is going. Unique melodies abound. The hardest thing to do now is pick a single track to stick up on YouTube for you to sample the greatness of this album.

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