FOE: July 2015

Sunday, July 5, 2015

External Menace / Droogettes split 7" review

External Menace / The Droogettes

Split 7"

Rebel Sound Records

Released: June 12, 2015

External Menace started in Scotland in 1979. These two tracks are classic punk. Think 999, UK Subs and Rezillos. Rocking with professional ease and energy to please. Thankful they have decided to grace us with some more vintage punk rock.

The Droogettes are a Philadelphia punk band that most definitely set out with a specific mission statement in 2013. Simplistic and minimalist oi (think early Blitz and Infa Riot), performed by all females, dressed in the Clockwork-droog uniform, complete with sugary pop sweetness and tongue in cheek ultra-violence. I say tongue in cheek as their song "Girls at the Milk Bar" has obvious Clockwork Orange roots, which should have readied these young ladies as it did in the movie: "The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultraviolence." But I have yet to witness the Droogettes waltzing--left two three, right two three--and carve left cheeky and right cheeky, so that like two curtains of blood seemed to pour out at the same time, one on either side of his fat filthy oily snout in the winter starlight. Down this blood poured in like red curtains. Yeah I hope they haven't done that.

I always enjoy the Droogettes live and love the roots approach on these two tracks.

Welly, welly, welly, welly, welly, welly, well. To what do I owe the extreme pleasure of this surprising visit? You can witness the Droogettes twice in the next week. July 10 at the Legendary Dobbs in Philadelphia and Saturday along with FOD at Siren Records in Doylestown.

Pressing Info:
100x Purple Vinyl (External Menace Exclusive)
100x Halloween Orange Vinyl (Droogettes Exclusive)
100x Kelly Green Vinyl
100x Orange Vinyl with Heavy Black Splatter (Rebel Sound Exclusive)

200x Black Vinyl

Cheers,
Frank FOE

https://www.facebook.com/pages/External-Menace/262003337186837?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/droogettes
https://www.facebook.com/RebelSoundMusic
http://www.rebelsoundrecords.com/

King Parrot "Dead Set" Review

KING PARROT

"Dead Set"

Housecore

Released: May 19, 2015

If there was a grindcore version of Turbonegro, I would expect it to sound and appear like Australia's King Parrot.

Out of their minds, over the top, precise without the appearance of much effort. This isn't work for these guys. Pure simple grindcore fun that comes second nature.

The guttural death metal vocals accentuate the Sam Kinison-like vocals. I love the grooves this band creates as much as I love their all out attack. The grooves reminded me how much I love the grooves of fellow Australians Blood Duster.

Check out this video for "Like a Rat" which features producer Philip H. Anselmo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6welxMRKZ9Y

"Dead Set" reached number 21 on the Australian national album chart in it's debut, the highest debut for an Australian extreme metal album to date.

I loved their last album too. Read the write up here: http://frankfoe.blogspot.com/2014/03/king-parrot-bite-your-head-off.html

"Dead Set" is a high volume, aggression with a smile, death/grind/groove metal fest of debauchery.

King Parrot will be in Lancaster PA on Saturday July 18, 2015 with Superjoint Ritual and Child Bite.

See you in the pit!

Cheers,
Frank FOE

http://www.facebook.com/kingparrotband
http://www.thehousecorerecords.com
http://www.thehousecorestore.com

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Cymbals Eat Guitars Lose Review

Cymbals Eat Guitars

"Lose"

Barsuk Records

Released: August 26, 2014

In case you missed it, Cymbals Eat Guitars released a great alternative pop record about a year ago. You can go see them live this week.

They play Monday July 6th in Lancaster at the Chameleon, Thursday July 9th at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville NJ and Sunday July 12 in Philly at the Electric Factory.

My ears hear the driving bass and emotional feel of the best of Archers of Loaf, the dream-pop meets angst of a band that knows that alternative music exists across the Atlantic and beyond the current decade and rounded out with the pop feel of Weston meets the Strokes.

Check out the video for "Warning". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nFHXNN_dzk

By the way, that isn't the band in the video. The band Crosshair is in the video.

"LOSE" is an exceptionally solid pop record. Repeated listens brings out an understanding of the multiple layers that producer John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) captured masterfully from vocalist and guitarist Joe D'Agostino, bassist Matthew Whipple, keyboardist Brian Hamilton, and drummer Andrew Dole.