Sunday, April 26, 2020

Tasteless "Rotten To The Core"

(Self-released 2020)

Rotten To The Core
Morning Mist
Working On The Rig
Love Really Hurts Without You

I barely had time to recover from the priapism-inducing first slab of wax from these boys than they go and unleash their second EP of neo rockin' resplendency. In a relatively short space of time they've risen through the ranks of their neo rockabilly cohorts to become thee numero uno ensemble within their chosen genre. Seriously lads, you couldn't make it up! This is just more quality from the quartet of adroit artistes. Finely honed musical skill with a dollop of contemplative lyrics make for a listening experience second to none. I'm just wondering if guitarist Loz Hawkins has 10 fingers on each hand! And yes, the final track is a neo rockabillyocean cover. But it's those originals where the boys shine. I'm just gagging for a full length (ooooh matron!) release. I've had enough of the tantalising teasers! In the meantime, use those sausage fingers and head on over to their bandcamp page and snap this one up before it disappears into the ether. Because it will!


Left Hand Black "Left Hand Black"

(Wolverine Records 2020)

Dead Heat
28 Days Later
Deep Rising
Let's Scare Jessica To Death
Children Of The Night
Behind The Green Door
Long Live The New Flesh
Army Of Darkness
Walking Dead
Jaws
Murder On My Mind
Your Vice Is A Locked Room
Devil In Miss Jones

From the remnants of The Dead Next Door, come Gothenburg's Left Hand Black with their début self titled album on Wolverine Records. Available as digital download, digipak CD or LP. The LP version is sexed-up with the inclusion of the CD, poster and lyric sheet. Now that that's whetted your appetite, what do the quartet sound like? Well, with a track listing which reads like the video nasty section of your local video store from days of yore, you pretty much know what to expect lyrically anyway. But then again, this is horror punk we're taking about so quelle surprise. My press release blurb states the members having a liking for outfits such as The Misfits, Bad Religion and The Ramones. They've been plying their wares since Spring 2019 so wasted no time in unleashing this beast of an album. What I've always liked about horror punk is the songs are usually short sharp shocks. There's only one song here over the 3 minute mark. They're the kind of songs that in essence leave you wanting more. So instead, to satiate your appetite you just listen to em over and over again. Whether this was a deliberate tactic or not I don't know but the formula works. Melodic singalong verses and choruses abound throughout. You know, thinking back to the aforementioned musical influences, you can definitely hear em. The boys have concocted a selection of songs that become immediate ear worms. Think the catchiness of some of the best work by The Spookshow with the vocal stylings of Blag Dahlia and you're half way there. 


X-Ray Cat Trio "Love, Blood & Monsters"

(Buzzards Claw Records 2020)

Terrordactyl
Morticia
Deathrace 2000
When You Gonna Do It
The Devil's Cum Rag Part 2
Reincaranation
Lonely Lonely Lonely Lonely Night
Getalong Gang
Ah C'mon!
Oh Baby Why Don't You Come Home
The Fiji Mermaid
Demiurge
Goodnight Little Vampire
Nina Noelle

I remember reviewing the lads' 2017 7" 'I Lied' and calling it "a funsize Rockabilly Psychosis And The Garage Disease". Well this is the party pack and should be shared with all your mates. No, wait. Lure your mates in and let them buy their own copies the miserly shower of shites! So, the everythingthatyoucouldimagine 'n' roll trio and more besides are back with 14 songs with more variety than a box of Roses...only there are none of those coffee flavours that nobody likes. Nay, this is Caramel Kegs, or Golden Barrels as they're now known for everyone! Now I have a very organised music collection. I'm a bit pedantic in that respect. Musing over what the fuck to add in the genre field in my metadata was a head scratcher so I finally decided on "Garage/Rockabilly/Surf/Sleazy Rock'n'Roll". That still doesn't cut it though. Suffice to say I love this band in all their musical guises and love this album. If The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Hasil Adkins, The Sonics, Charlie Feathers, The Ramones and Duane Eddy all indulged in a massive gangbang with a groupie, the resulting triplets would be the X-Ray Cat Trio.


Buy the album
X-Ray Cat Trio Official
X-Ray Cat Trio on Facebook
X-Ray Cat Trio bandcamp
Hellacious Harmonies on Facebook

Saturday, April 18, 2020

Beat Devils "Andy The Frog"

If there's one thing I love more than crisps, it's Moscow's Beat Devils. Always a class act and never afraid to push the boundaries. Indeed they say fuck boundaries and scene traditions. That's one of the things I love about em. That and the fact they know how to write a catchy ditty and mix it with just the right amount of polish so as it stands out from the usual banal stuff littering the scene. Some bands add so much gloss that it tries to cover up the inadequacies beneath. These boys have no inadequacies. Au contraire, the talent is dripping off em like an egg sandwich. So last month they released an accompanying video for their song Andy The Frog and there's not a zombie or ghoul to be seen. HOORAH! See? Fuck scene traditions. Directed by Katya Merzlyakova and produced by Svetlana Shabaeva-Markina, it's a 3 minute movie-ette par excellence. Have a gander below and check out their Facebook page while you're at it. I love the Beat Devils me!