Cleveland’s
American Werewolves are the latest band to deliver a solid horror rock release
for 2005, a year which has seen a number of good albums in the genre. It’s
obvious these guys like the Misfits, but overall I’d say the Werewolves are more
in the vein of early Social Distortion and eighties hardcore musically, with a
bit of fifties rock n roll thrown in for flavor. For the most part the vocals
are essentially shouting in key. Which isn’t to say that vocalist Trevor Moment
can’t be melodic when he wants to; he does some nice crooning on “For Your
Blood” and “I Spit on Your Grave”. A little more of that would have been nice,
though. The songs are simple and catchy, and the production by Mike Bridavsky
is crisp and powerful. The album starts really strong, with the first five
tracks all being winners. On the same level as that opening volley is “A Kiss
for the Dying” and “Scream a Little Scream”. And “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte”
could have been a great song, but what keeps it from reaching its full potential
are the vocals on the chorus. It’s just crying out for a melodic hook, but
instead we get more gruff shouting. Still, seven excellent tracks, one
“almost”, and nothing that sucks. Definitely worth the money. (Bob Ignizio)
A
lot of people were bracing themselves for the worst with this album, the band's
first full-length release since 2003's breakout hit ‘Anthems of Rebellion’.
After all, it seems that once bands get a little taste of fame, they line up at
the sell-out trough and make music that's just a pale imitation of their former
glory. Well, have no fear...Angela and the boys are back with ‘Doomsday
Machine’, a searing attack of melodic death metal rage that's sure to please
even the most jaded metalhead. The beats are blasting, the songs are memorable,
and the sound is ominous one second and furious the next. The Amott brothers
are proving themselves to be one of the most formidable guitar duos in the scene
today, and on this album they're showing that their potential is just beginning
to be realized. If they continue on this track, then they'll go down in metal
history alongside of greats like Murray/Smith from Iron Maiden and Downing and
Tipton from Judas Priest. What really makes this band come together, though, is
lead...er, um...singer Angela Gossow. No fluff chick here, just one of the most
brutal and original lead vocalists death metal has ever produced. I'm beginning
to feel like this band is everything a metal fan has been looking for, a
culmination of over a decade of death metal evolution. One of the best of the
decade. The Heathen Hippy gives it five standing ovations. (Taliesin Govannon)
Dadaism
was an art movement that played with the bounds of what art really is. At one
point in the movement there was a working toilet complete with a handle for
flushing on display at a museum. I wouldn't call Attack Formation a working
toilet or anything, but after you listen to this album you might wonder what
actually constitutes music. Attack Formation's album ‘Somebody for Anybody’ felt
like a movie soundtrack, but I have no idea what movie I was watching. They play
music that gets more intense and as you listen you can feel your heart start
beating faster and you wanna get to the end of the CD just so you know the
outcome. Unfortunately it’s a CD- so there is no outcome. The band is
interesting to say the least. Apparently anyone who wants to can join; they
aren't just creating music, they are creating a forum. As I said they are
playing with the bounds of music, including sound effects, and they are looking
at an album like a complete work rather then a collection of songs. I don't
really know who to compare this band to. I mean, I thought of everyone from
Minor Threat, to Nine Inch Nails, to Rocket from the Crypt, to Jay-Z...
seriously, I don’t know where to start. Anyway, there is something to be said
for the Baskin-Robbins of sounds you will experience when you listen to
‘Somebody as Anybody’. Whatever your thing is, you will find elements of that in
this album, but I can't promise all 31 flavors will satisfy you. For the record,
I know nothing about art, or music for that matter, just wanted to make sure we
were clear here. (Feowyn A. MacKinnon)
I
don’t wanna be one of those people who review records and all they have to say
is this band sounds like another band. I mean, of course one band sounds like
another band, nobody does anything new anymore. I guess that’s not entirely
true, I saw this girl who just mimed everything she was doing, instruments and
everything. If she put out a record that might be new. What am I saying,
silence is not new!!! So yeah, The Badamps ‘Molotov Milkshake’ was just
what I expected. That’s not a bad thing. I mean, sometimes it’s nice to have
people or bands meet your expectations. Screeching Weasel, The Queers; I liked
those bands. I’m glad they were successful enough to have kids do the same thing
they did, and while we are at it, I’m glad the bands before them were successful
enough for Screeching Weasel to want to copy them. It’s a good thing, kids learn
how to play the same kind of things the bands they like play, and then the bands
they form sound like the bands they like. I’m getting off track here. The
Badamps seemed to have the same drum beat throughout the entire album, except
for track 3 and the first 16 seconds of track 10. Don’t pretend you don’t know
what I’m talking about. The vocals seemed to have that fake accent…but then I
found out they were from Canada, so they get points for incorporating real
accents into their songs…though, the accents didn’t sound quite Canadian…that
doesn’t really matter. What really matters, and this is the truth, chubby girls
like album titles that feature milkshakes. The music is worth the cost of the
CD, but not the cost of shipping and handling. So if no one has it, just forget
about it. Its Pop punk with not quite Canadian accents. You could probably dance
to it, but it’s late and now I want a milkshake. (Feowyn A. MacKinnon)
Cleveland’s
American Werewolves are the latest band to deliver a solid horror rock release
for 2005, a year which has seen a number of good albums in the genre. It’s
obvious these guys like the Misfits, but overall I’d say the Werewolves are more
in the vein of early Social Distortion and eighties hardcore musically, with a
bit of fifties rock n roll thrown in for flavor. For the most part the vocals
are essentially shouting in key. Which isn’t to say that vocalist Trevor Moment
can’t be melodic when he wants to; he does some nice crooning on “For Your
Blood” and “I Spit on Your Grave”. A little more of that would have been nice,
though. The songs are simple and catchy, and the production by Mike Bridavsky
is crisp and powerful. The album starts really strong, with the first five
tracks all being winners. On the same level as that opening volley is “A Kiss
for the Dying” and “Scream a Little Scream”. And “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte”
could have been a great song, but what keeps it from reaching its full potential
are the vocals on the chorus. It’s just crying out for a melodic hook, but
instead we get more gruff shouting. Still, seven excellent tracks, one
“almost”, and nothing that sucks. Definitely worth the money. (Bob Ignizio)
A
lot of people were bracing themselves for the worst with this album, the band's
first full-length release since 2003's breakout hit ‘Anthems of Rebellion’.
After all, it seems that once bands get a little taste of fame, they line up at
the sell-out trough and make music that's just a pale imitation of their former
glory. Well, have no fear...Angela and the boys are back with ‘Doomsday
Machine’, a searing attack of melodic death metal rage that's sure to please
even the most jaded metalhead. The beats are blasting, the songs are memorable,
and the sound is ominous one second and furious the next. The Amott brothers
are proving themselves to be one of the most formidable guitar duos in the scene
today, and on this album they're showing that their potential is just beginning
to be realized. If they continue on this track, then they'll go down in metal
history alongside of greats like Murray/Smith from Iron Maiden and Downing and
Tipton from Judas Priest. What really makes this band come together, though, is
lead...er, um...singer Angela Gossow. No fluff chick here, just one of the most
brutal and original lead vocalists death metal has ever produced. I'm beginning
to feel like this band is everything a metal fan has been looking for, a
culmination of over a decade of death metal evolution. One of the best of the
decade. The Heathen Hippy gives it five standing ovations. (Taliesin Govannon)
Dadaism
was an art movement that played with the bounds of what art really is. At one
point in the movement there was a working toilet complete with a handle for
flushing on display at a museum. I wouldn't call Attack Formation a working
toilet or anything, but after you listen to this album you might wonder what
actually constitutes music. Attack Formation's album ‘Somebody for Anybody’ felt
like a movie soundtrack, but I have no idea what movie I was watching. They play
music that gets more intense and as you listen you can feel your heart start
beating faster and you wanna get to the end of the CD just so you know the
outcome. Unfortunately it’s a CD- so there is no outcome. The band is
interesting to say the least. Apparently anyone who wants to can join; they
aren't just creating music, they are creating a forum. As I said they are
playing with the bounds of music, including sound effects, and they are looking
at an album like a complete work rather then a collection of songs. I don't
really know who to compare this band to. I mean, I thought of everyone from
Minor Threat, to Nine Inch Nails, to Rocket from the Crypt, to Jay-Z...
seriously, I don’t know where to start. Anyway, there is something to be said
for the Baskin-Robbins of sounds you will experience when you listen to
‘Somebody as Anybody’. Whatever your thing is, you will find elements of that in
this album, but I can't promise all 31 flavors will satisfy you. For the record,
I know nothing about art, or music for that matter, just wanted to make sure we
were clear here. (Feowyn A. MacKinnon)
I
don’t wanna be one of those people who review records and all they have to say
is this band sounds like another band. I mean, of course one band sounds like
another band, nobody does anything new anymore. I guess that’s not entirely
true, I saw this girl who just mimed everything she was doing, instruments and
everything. If she put out a record that might be new. What am I saying,
silence is not new!!! So yeah, The Badamps ‘Molotov Milkshake’ was just
what I expected. That’s not a bad thing. I mean, sometimes it’s nice to have
people or bands meet your expectations. Screeching Weasel, The Queers; I liked
those bands. I’m glad they were successful enough to have kids do the same thing
they did, and while we are at it, I’m glad the bands before them were successful
enough for Screeching Weasel to want to copy them. It’s a good thing, kids learn
how to play the same kind of things the bands they like play, and then the bands
they form sound like the bands they like. I’m getting off track here. The
Badamps seemed to have the same drum beat throughout the entire album, except
for track 3 and the first 16 seconds of track 10. Don’t pretend you don’t know
what I’m talking about. The vocals seemed to have that fake accent…but then I
found out they were from Canada, so they get points for incorporating real
accents into their songs…though, the accents didn’t sound quite Canadian…that
doesn’t really matter. What really matters, and this is the truth, chubby girls
like album titles that feature milkshakes. The music is worth the cost of the
CD, but not the cost of shipping and handling. So if no one has it, just forget
about it. Its Pop punk with not quite Canadian accents. You could probably dance
to it, but it’s late and now I want a milkshake. (Feowyn A. MacKinnon)