Hammerlock/Dead Kings--split 10"
Proud To Be Idiot 2000
What happens when the winners of Coors' lifetime achievement in consumption award hook up with Rancid Vat leader and writer extraordinaire Thee Whiskey Rebel, then get paired with North Carolina's most hateful? Rock n' roll bedlam, baby! On this split 10", the Hammerlock/Whiskey Rebel tandem and the Dead Kings strike a fatal blow to lame poseurs everywhere with six combined tracks of badassery. It's enough to make you want to cry, regardless which side of the imposter line you stand on--joy or fear, you're in for it.
First up are Hammerlock, Thee Whiskey Rebel in tow, with 3 More For The Road. This half of the split consists of three rocking covers. Kicking things off is a take on "The Devil Just Called My Name" by Simon Stokes. Here, Travis and the Reb trade lead vocal lines on the verses. It is truly amazing to hear just how seamlessly their voices interchange and blend. Next up is a redition of Merle Haggard's "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink." On this one, Thee Whiskey Rebel handles vox alone, his lower register fitting the song to a tee. Travis retakes the pole up front on George Thorogood's "Blue Highway." This track is a fitting closer to side one of the 10", as it's the kind of boogie Hammerlock does better than anyone else in the world. All in all, the no-brainer guaranteed drinking party you expected.
The Dead Kings back this gold with more of the same on At Dawn...We March. The first two of their three cuts are different versions of "Bastards Breed Bastards" and "Caught In The Friendzone" than those that appeared on the For All Those Hot Black Chicks album. In this form, those cuts sound tonally sharper, more rocking, and less metallic than the album takes. The power is still there but these renditions will almost certainly prove more favorable with the punk wing of the Dead Kings' fanbase. Fear not though, metalheads. The closing "Crybaby" features a slowed down riff towards its end that honors the heavier aspect of the band's sound. Still, this side is the closest the Dead Kings have ever come to true scum punk. It's a killer listen.
If you're already hip to these bands, there was probably never any doubt in your mind as to the monumental bitchin' quality of this release. Newbies are especially in for treat, as this is the kind of life-affirming swagger that makes it possible to get through your day. As long as there are bands like Hammerlock and the Dead Kings out there to counteract all the crappy prefab garbage of the mainstream, things will be alright. That Whiskey Rebel ain't exactly a slouch either, by the way. Righteous beyond words.
Score this 10" directly from THE DEAD KINGS |
