The only band, other than Sepultura, to cover Motorhead and almost...ALMOST do the song better than the originals....
LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Packaging--
The good:
A dingy apartment graces this one's cover and booklet. The booklet has several photos the building. Also included are lyrics and some band info. The CD-Rom extras on here are some of the best I've seen. A lengthy "making of Serenity" is very interesting...lots of interviews and some video. Then there's video outtakes which are amusing. Links and such are included. The best part is that in the "making of" we learn that the guys in the band were taught the songs by Rob and the drummer playing in a practice space and just taping it onto a tape recorder...they'd then send the tape over to the bassist to figure out a bass line. These rough practice tape demos are on here. Very nice touch. Couldn't ask for more with that.
The bad:
This is pretty typical Blood For Blood. Simply stated, nicely done, and strangely elegant. Nothing bad to say.
The music:
The good:
I remember first hearing about this band in college when I worked at the radio station. The metal director handed me the CD and said "check this out, if you like it you may as well keep it." After asking what the deal was--only one song could be played over the air. Every song was not compliable with FCC standards. Every song. That's impressive.
Years later, the band broke up...then though "broken up" an album came out called "Outlaw Anthems." I don't know the story behind it, but the album reeked of "contractual obligation." Nothing was new, that is to say...they actually took parts of their own songs and presented them within new "songs." It was strange. It was an album you felt like you heard before, because a lot of it, you have. That's not to say it's "bad"...they're great songs...it's more strange than anything.
The chugging hardcore band they used to be is still there at times, but for the most part, this band has become a punk band with lots of hardcore thrown in. It seems the song with Rob doing a lot of vocals have a punk feel. The Buddha songs are more metal sounding.
In "My Jesus Mercy" the band borrows the theme to "Halloween." Oddly, they've done this before on Spit My Last Breath. Strange. It's an eerie riff, and definitely works, but I just think it's weird to reuse it.
There's something about Blood for Blood that makes them sound incredibly sincere...there's definitely the passion and anger that's legitimate and so I respect them.
The album begins with a prayer and then kicks in with "Serenity" an insanely heavy and fast song. "Hanging on the Corner" could've come off Living in Exile as could most of these tracks. This whole disc just works. I have a pile of CDs that I don't know what to say about, but this one I don't know what NOT to say...it's one of my favorites and something you should check out if you're even mildly interested in the band.
On this one they cover "Runaway" by Del Shannon. A strange selection. Some parts work...the gang backups of "WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY?" just come off as ridiculous, but at the same time...the point, I assume is to have fun with a cover and they definitely make it their own (which they managed to do wtih Ace of Spades).
The bad--
This is an EP...so it's too short. There are 9 tracks, but really...track 1 is the intro...track 2 is very short, and track 9 is just a continuation of track 2. Good enough though...Blood for Blood fans rejoice.
Recap�
I'm very happy the band is back...check them out if you haven't heard them...head to amazon.com and search for Blood for Blood. There are a few mp3s available to download for free if you are interested.
Want more info?
Thorp Records
Review by Chris