Various Artists
Dead Forever
Tribute To Motorhead
[Dwell]
Yet another Motorhead tribute (what's that make now, 5 of them?).
Oh well, lets get on with this...
First up is COFFIN TEXTS doing "Steal Your Face" - it's an acceptable (deathy) version, not to far removed musically from the original, and the vocals are passable (as far as this type of death metal vocal style goes). Next is DECEASED with "Stay Clean" - I've never been a big DECEASED fan, but they manage to truly rock out on this...it manages to maintain the feel and energy of the original, and it's got a nice gritty (without being sloppy) sound to it - if only all DECEASED were this good. HATE THEORY are up next with an abysmal version of "Bad Religion" (which I'm not familiar with, so it must be off one of the 3 shite Motorhead albums) - this track retains no Motorheadness at all... it's just pure shite and could have been any lame ass band doing any lame ass song. ACHERON (a band I've never been particularly fond of either) contribute "(Don't Need) Religion" - it's alright I suppose, not straying too far from the (classic) original. The vocals are the weak point here (someone tell him to take the cotton out of his mouth next time). "Ace of Spades" is then completely and utter butchered by HOSTILE INTENT - these fuckwads don't even play the lead guitar parts which make the song, so it comes off as a half ass incomplete version by a band with (obviously) very little technical guitar ability - fuck these nimrods for even attempting a track this classic if they couldn't manage to do it right. VILE is next with "Love Me Like A Reptile", which I found kind of interesting - they basically took the track and turned it into a spacey mindfuck (with heavy Black Sabbath/stoner rock overtones) at about one third the original speed. Vocals are of a clean variety with lots of reverb, adding to the "spacey-ness" of it...on some strange level this works and actually makes we want to check out what VILE normally sound like. BLOOD COVEN then offer us up their version of "Deaf Forever" - it starts off with an alright synth intro, which then leads into a riff heavy, somewhat "dampened" (in energy) version that works in my opinion. The vocals alternate between the bottom end growled (although decipherable) type and the higher pitched scream type. Synth is also used through the track although its not so high in the mix as to become offensive. Although the track loses almost all of the vibe of the original, it comes out as a good (original) interpretation and so I give it the thumbs up. "Love Me Like A Reptile" is then performed by Canadian stoner rock outfit TCHORT - it's a decent version overall, with the only real problem being the somewhat inaccurate lead guitar line melodies that lack any real power to them...some might also be bothered by the vocals, as they do have a certain pompous "rock star" quality to them, but I think it works within this context - this one makes the grade. TYRANT are then up with "Killed By Death", of which they also mimicked the originals' razor sharp and somewhat thin sound...unfortunately, that's the only thing they do right - while (musically) accurate in the actual execution, the playing is limp-wristed at best, and the vocals are complete and utter shite, being of the whiny 80s metal type - another collection of "has beens" to be thrown into the crematorium. "Iron Fist" is then done by NOCTUARY, a band that seems to have more press surrounding the accusation that one of the members stole Mortiis' nose'n'ears (snicker) than their actual music (which seems to be of a fairly high grade from the handful of tracks I've heard). Their version of this (sad to say) is somewhat lacking. They've got a lot of energy and viciousness in their version, but it's weakened by the too clean for my tastes production, and the bass (which is done very well) should have been MUCH louder in the mix. It's decent, but the SODOM version of this released back in the 80s is superior...maybe next time guys. ENGRAVE follow with "(We Are) The Road Crew" - snorefest. It's ruined by the half hearted vocals (two tracks of them, one of which is done in a SUPER annoying voice) and overuse of double kick drum. It's not quite blasphemous, but a compliment to the original it is not. "Motorhead" is up next, as interpreted by DECAY OF SALVATION, who manage to fuck up the tempo and timing to the point where even though they're playing the correct riffs, the feel of the original is totally lost. It's not as horrid as ENGRAVE, HATE THEORY or HOSTILE INTENT, but I could still have done without it. Finally, the last track done is "Overkill" by a band called BLACK WITCHERY. I have no idea who they are and have never heard of them before, but this is definitely a CLOSE runner up to best track on the CD - it's very close to the original (i.e.: they play it correctly) and has the feel as well - a top notch job...I'm definitely going to be seeking out information about this lot, 'coz if their own stuff is 1/2 as good as this, they're one fucking great band.
So there you have it - as with the last Motorhead tribute review, I won't add anything else and let you decide for yourself if this is worth seeking out. Let's see if I review yet another of these NEXT month...
© 1999 chorazaim
First up is COFFIN TEXTS doing "Steal Your Face" - it's an acceptable (deathy) version, not to far removed musically from the original, and the vocals are passable (as far as this type of death metal vocal style goes). Next is DECEASED with "Stay Clean" - I've never been a big DECEASED fan, but they manage to truly rock out on this...it manages to maintain the feel and energy of the original, and it's got a nice gritty (without being sloppy) sound to it - if only all DECEASED were this good. HATE THEORY are up next with an abysmal version of "Bad Religion" (which I'm not familiar with, so it must be off one of the 3 shite Motorhead albums) - this track retains no Motorheadness at all... it's just pure shite and could have been any lame ass band doing any lame ass song. ACHERON (a band I've never been particularly fond of either) contribute "(Don't Need) Religion" - it's alright I suppose, not straying too far from the (classic) original. The vocals are the weak point here (someone tell him to take the cotton out of his mouth next time). "Ace of Spades" is then completely and utter butchered by HOSTILE INTENT - these fuckwads don't even play the lead guitar parts which make the song, so it comes off as a half ass incomplete version by a band with (obviously) very little technical guitar ability - fuck these nimrods for even attempting a track this classic if they couldn't manage to do it right. VILE is next with "Love Me Like A Reptile", which I found kind of interesting - they basically took the track and turned it into a spacey mindfuck (with heavy Black Sabbath/stoner rock overtones) at about one third the original speed. Vocals are of a clean variety with lots of reverb, adding to the "spacey-ness" of it...on some strange level this works and actually makes we want to check out what VILE normally sound like. BLOOD COVEN then offer us up their version of "Deaf Forever" - it starts off with an alright synth intro, which then leads into a riff heavy, somewhat "dampened" (in energy) version that works in my opinion. The vocals alternate between the bottom end growled (although decipherable) type and the higher pitched scream type. Synth is also used through the track although its not so high in the mix as to become offensive. Although the track loses almost all of the vibe of the original, it comes out as a good (original) interpretation and so I give it the thumbs up. "Love Me Like A Reptile" is then performed by Canadian stoner rock outfit TCHORT - it's a decent version overall, with the only real problem being the somewhat inaccurate lead guitar line melodies that lack any real power to them...some might also be bothered by the vocals, as they do have a certain pompous "rock star" quality to them, but I think it works within this context - this one makes the grade. TYRANT are then up with "Killed By Death", of which they also mimicked the originals' razor sharp and somewhat thin sound...unfortunately, that's the only thing they do right - while (musically) accurate in the actual execution, the playing is limp-wristed at best, and the vocals are complete and utter shite, being of the whiny 80s metal type - another collection of "has beens" to be thrown into the crematorium. "Iron Fist" is then done by NOCTUARY, a band that seems to have more press surrounding the accusation that one of the members stole Mortiis' nose'n'ears (snicker) than their actual music (which seems to be of a fairly high grade from the handful of tracks I've heard). Their version of this (sad to say) is somewhat lacking. They've got a lot of energy and viciousness in their version, but it's weakened by the too clean for my tastes production, and the bass (which is done very well) should have been MUCH louder in the mix. It's decent, but the SODOM version of this released back in the 80s is superior...maybe next time guys. ENGRAVE follow with "(We Are) The Road Crew" - snorefest. It's ruined by the half hearted vocals (two tracks of them, one of which is done in a SUPER annoying voice) and overuse of double kick drum. It's not quite blasphemous, but a compliment to the original it is not. "Motorhead" is up next, as interpreted by DECAY OF SALVATION, who manage to fuck up the tempo and timing to the point where even though they're playing the correct riffs, the feel of the original is totally lost. It's not as horrid as ENGRAVE, HATE THEORY or HOSTILE INTENT, but I could still have done without it. Finally, the last track done is "Overkill" by a band called BLACK WITCHERY. I have no idea who they are and have never heard of them before, but this is definitely a CLOSE runner up to best track on the CD - it's very close to the original (i.e.: they play it correctly) and has the feel as well - a top notch job...I'm definitely going to be seeking out information about this lot, 'coz if their own stuff is 1/2 as good as this, they're one fucking great band.
So there you have it - as with the last Motorhead tribute review, I won't add anything else and let you decide for yourself if this is worth seeking out. Let's see if I review yet another of these NEXT month...
© 1999 chorazaim