Jello Biafra has
done a number of collaborations since the Dead Kennedys broke up, but this one
reminds me the most of that legendary San Francisco punk band. It's
heavier and more aggressive than the Kennedys, but the Melvins’ trademark slow
and heavy sound really only shows up on “Caped Crusader” and “Dawn of the
Locusts”. For the most part, it’s Jello’s songwriting stamp that is apparent
throughout the album, both musically and lyrically. And speaking of lyrics,
with the war on terrorism and the Bush administration’s assault on civil
liberties he’s got plenty to write about. “Islamic Bomb” talks about the threat
of the former Soviet Union selling nukes to anyone with the cash to buy them,
“Caped Crusader” compares the fundamentalist fervor of Al Qaeda with that of our
own Attorney General, and “The Lighter Side of Global Terrorism” and “McGruff
the Crime Dog” deal with the way American’s have been willing to give up privacy
in return for greater “security”. But Jello doesn't spare himself, either.
On "Enchanted Thoughtfist" he sings, "Don't just question authority/Don't forget
to question me." All in all, there’s plenty of food for thought here. And
taken simply on its musical merits, this album is the strongest material that
Jello has been involved with since the Kennedy’s ‘Frankenchrist’. An incredible
album. (Bob Ignizio)
This
northeast Ohio based alternative rock band really shows some promise on their
self titled four song demo. “Eschatology” is a great pop song full of
infectious hooks and creative guitar work. It’s a political song (let’s just
say these guys aren’t members of the George W. Bush fan club), but manages the
difficult feat of getting their point across without letting it overwhelm the
song. Lead vocalist/guitarist Dave Evans delivers strong melodic vocals on the
verse, but the chorus could use a little more oomph. “Gordy’s Dead Brother” is
okay, but a bit too influenced by Nirvana. The Nirvana influence creeps into
“Skateworld” as well, but it’s not so overwhelming. This one comes really close
to being a great song. What holds it back? The pre-chorus, which has a couple
of rough vocal moments. “Clusterfuck” is a pretty decent track as well.
Nothing noticeably bad about it, but nothing about it is quite as appealing as
“Skateworld” or “Eschatology”. Right now, Collectin’ Dirt is a good band with
lots of potential. Although at times they wear their influences on their
sleeve, at others they sound quite original. Aside from that, they have a knack
for writing good hooks and smart lyrics. The production is decent, although you
can still tell this is a demo. I’ll be interested to hear what this band sounds
like after they grow a little bit. Go to
http://www.collectindirt.com for more info. (Bob Ignizio)
Aside from the production, which is a little slicker and
more modern sounding, this could easily have come out about 12 years ago. Grave
are still playing the classic Swedish death metal that first brought them to
attention, along with their countrymen Entombed and Unleashed, back in the early
nineties. Grave don’t break any new ground, they just do what they do best -
fast, heavy, and melodic death metal. If you feel Entombed and Unleashed have
strayed too far from their origins, you’ll no doubt love this. The performances
are excellent, and the production is top notch. But aside from the lack of
progression (not necessarily a bad thing, mind you), the songs just don’t stand
out much for me. If you already like Grave, or your entire album collection
consists of bands with unreadable logos performing songs about murder, mayhem,
and black magic, you’ll want to pick this up. If your tastes in metal a little
more wide ranging, you may still like it, but I’d advise listening to a friend’s
copy first before making a purchase. It’s not a bad album, just a bit too
typical for my tastes. (Bob Ignizio)
What
can you say about this other than it's a Guitar Wolf album? This is raw,
out of control rock 'n' roll played by a group of Japanese dudes who were
listening to Link Wray and The Ramones in the womb. Whatever the Japanese
word is for subtlety, it's not in this band's vocabulary. These guys work
themselves into a frenzy, and it's hard not to give in yourself. I'd be
lying if I said I wouldn't like this a bit more if the lyrics were in English,
but with song titles like "Jet 13", "Katsumiya Tobacco City" and "Midnite Blood
Pump" I doubt that I'm missing out on anything too deep. I'd also be lying
if I said I wouldn't prefer a slightly more polished production, but fans
of this band dig that lo-fi sound so they should be pleased. The faithful
will no doubt plunk down their cash for this and be satisfied, and if you
haven't heard the band before, this is as good a place as any to start.
(Bob Ignizio)
Jello Biafra has
done a number of collaborations since the Dead Kennedys broke up, but this one
reminds me the most of that legendary San Francisco punk band. It's
heavier and more aggressive than the Kennedys, but the Melvins’ trademark slow
and heavy sound really only shows up on “Caped Crusader” and “Dawn of the
Locusts”. For the most part, it’s Jello’s songwriting stamp that is apparent
throughout the album, both musically and lyrically. And speaking of lyrics,
with the war on terrorism and the Bush administration’s assault on civil
liberties he’s got plenty to write about. “Islamic Bomb” talks about the threat
of the former Soviet Union selling nukes to anyone with the cash to buy them,
“Caped Crusader” compares the fundamentalist fervor of Al Qaeda with that of our
own Attorney General, and “The Lighter Side of Global Terrorism” and “McGruff
the Crime Dog” deal with the way American’s have been willing to give up privacy
in return for greater “security”. But Jello doesn't spare himself, either.
On "Enchanted Thoughtfist" he sings, "Don't just question authority/Don't forget
to question me." All in all, there’s plenty of food for thought here. And
taken simply on its musical merits, this album is the strongest material that
Jello has been involved with since the Kennedy’s ‘Frankenchrist’. An incredible
album. (Bob Ignizio) 
This
northeast Ohio based alternative rock band really shows some promise on their
self titled four song demo. “Eschatology” is a great pop song full of
infectious hooks and creative guitar work. It’s a political song (let’s just
say these guys aren’t members of the George W. Bush fan club), but manages the
difficult feat of getting their point across without letting it overwhelm the
song. Lead vocalist/guitarist Dave Evans delivers strong melodic vocals on the
verse, but the chorus could use a little more oomph. “Gordy’s Dead Brother” is
okay, but a bit too influenced by Nirvana. The Nirvana influence creeps into
“Skateworld” as well, but it’s not so overwhelming. This one comes really close
to being a great song. What holds it back? The pre-chorus, which has a couple
of rough vocal moments. “Clusterfuck” is a pretty decent track as well.
Nothing noticeably bad about it, but nothing about it is quite as appealing as
“Skateworld” or “Eschatology”. Right now, Collectin’ Dirt is a good band with
lots of potential. Although at times they wear their influences on their
sleeve, at others they sound quite original. Aside from that, they have a knack
for writing good hooks and smart lyrics. The production is decent, although you
can still tell this is a demo. I’ll be interested to hear what this band sounds
like after they grow a little bit. Go to
Aside from the production, which is a little slicker and
more modern sounding, this could easily have come out about 12 years ago. Grave
are still playing the classic Swedish death metal that first brought them to
attention, along with their countrymen Entombed and Unleashed, back in the early
nineties. Grave don’t break any new ground, they just do what they do best -
fast, heavy, and melodic death metal. If you feel Entombed and Unleashed have
strayed too far from their origins, you’ll no doubt love this. The performances
are excellent, and the production is top notch. But aside from the lack of
progression (not necessarily a bad thing, mind you), the songs just don’t stand
out much for me. If you already like Grave, or your entire album collection
consists of bands with unreadable logos performing songs about murder, mayhem,
and black magic, you’ll want to pick this up. If your tastes in metal a little
more wide ranging, you may still like it, but I’d advise listening to a friend’s
copy first before making a purchase. It’s not a bad album, just a bit too
typical for my tastes. (Bob Ignizio)
What
can you say about this other than it's a Guitar Wolf album? This is raw,
out of control rock 'n' roll played by a group of Japanese dudes who were
listening to Link Wray and The Ramones in the womb. Whatever the Japanese
word is for subtlety, it's not in this band's vocabulary. These guys work
themselves into a frenzy, and it's hard not to give in yourself. I'd be
lying if I said I wouldn't like this a bit more if the lyrics were in English,
but with song titles like "Jet 13", "Katsumiya Tobacco City" and "Midnite Blood
Pump" I doubt that I'm missing out on anything too deep. I'd also be lying
if I said I wouldn't prefer a slightly more polished production, but fans
of this band dig that lo-fi sound so they should be pleased. The faithful
will no doubt plunk down their cash for this and be satisfied, and if you
haven't heard the band before, this is as good a place as any to start.
(Bob Ignizio)