First Blood

Every single movie fan has probably seen First Blood (1982) aka Rambo at least once in their life. Personally speaking, First Blood is one of these films which has been on my to-watch list for ages and which, either because of lack of time or because of lack of interest, I saw now for the first time at the age of 28.

As there is not much to say about the movie this review will be a rather short one. Basically, the film is about an ex-green beret, physically and psychologically marked by Vietnam war, who goes on a GTA-like rampage in and around a small American town after he was mobbed and maltreated by the local police.

The movie is fantastic. I even claim that it is the best 80’s action movie I have seen until now but, to be honest, I had one problem with the movie, or let’s rather say with the main character. I am not sure if it was on purpose or not but I never really felt any sympathy for the reticent anti-hero, John Rambo.

There may be some people who claim that First Blood is an (attempt at an) anti-war movie about an American hero who gets completely lost in the real world after the atrocities he experienced during war. That the traumatized John Rambo actually is the real victim (of the brutalized American war-past) and that his excessive brutality is actually his personal form of dealing with problems, just as he learnt it from war. First Blood then can be seen as a film about a mentally broken hero prisoner of war whose mind is still confined in it and who is not able to handle his traumatizing experiences.

I am not sure if I can agree with the above or if the movie simply is nothing more than a perfect example of a well-staged, brutal and thrilling action movie with great dialogues, lots of explosions, guns and gore. In the end I really don’t give a damn because Rambo is entertaining, a classic which set new standards and if you, just like me, are one of the few people who haven’t seen it, you should do it. Rambo is without question one of the best popcorn movies I have ever seen. A must!

Kill The Innocent – Ayahuasca


This is going to be my last review of the year 2013, and I’m happy to say right off the bat that I’m ending it on a very high note, because the first EP Ayahuasca by the relatively new Luxembourgish band Kill The Innocent is quite a tasty experience. So let’s dive right into it!

Generally speaking, the quintet plays deathcore but the music is slightly more multifarious than that and doesn’t stick to the genre all the time, which makes the six tracks by far more enjoyable than a lot of attempts by other bands.

In the instrumental department I’m not quite sure what convinces me more: the guitars or the drums. The latter are chock-full with blast beats and double bass work that ranges from balls to the walls speed to various patterns, all while being interlaced with several delicious fills. The guitars on the other hand have potential to leave you open-mouthed from the heaviness and technicality: finest shredding followed by speedy tapping with an extra serving of melodic solo is exactly what you’ll find during these twenty-seven minutes.

I’m quite sure that there is not a sentence, or a variation of it, that I have used as often this year as the following: the singer is killing it. But don’t blame me for that…since, in all seriousness, the vocals are marvelously well-done. Not only do the screams sound truly evil and the screeches come across as totally vicious, but the clear enunciation puts the cherry on the cake.

In closing, I want to say that KTI definitely took me off-guard because I have been mostly disappointed by local bands that tried to wander in this particular genre but due to its flawless execution and crisp production, Ayahuasca made me forget all about that. As a matter of fact, I’d even say that Kill The Innocent are my personal Luxembourgish newcomer of the year and that I’m quite positive that they will amount to great things in the future. Visit the band’s Facebook page and be sure to listen to the song below. If you like what you are hearing, head on over to Kulturfabrik in Esch this Saturday, where they will release their EP at the seventh edition of the Bang Your Head Festival!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opagIoNGxww]

Like Lovers – Fire

“No Strings Attached!”, this could have been the alternative title for Like Lovers’ newest EP Fire. The mastermind behind this little gem, Jan Kerscher seems to write music with an unattainable ease, which makes every aspiring musician / songwriter burst in utter jealousy; and I’m not even exaggerating. Recording 2 EPs within one year whilst simultaneously producing / recording bands in his studio is something that deserves my biggest respect and I guess this guy enjoys doing several full-time jobs at the same time.

The opener “Easy” is an easy-listening indie pop piece that gets you from the first second on with its catchy guitar riff and edgy structure, something completely different from the atmospheric opening track “Again” on this year’s first EP Former Selves. Speaking of no strings being attached, this was the first thing that came to my mind when I first heard Easy; as the song funnily reminded me of The Beatles’ approach in songwriting after they left their boyband image behind and started experimenting on a new sound and attitude, with no coercion or preconception of what could be wrong or right. The only right thing to do is start jamming and to me Easy obviously is a track that started as a guitar jam.

Luckily though, this short EP does not get boring in terms of songwriting, as the next track Satellite could not be more different from the first track, which is a good thing. Variety is a must in singer / songwriter music and Satellite is the proof of how it has to be done. What begins with an acoustic guitar and Jan singing about the desire of love (which could easily drift into a sticky kitsch love song) turns into a decently impulsive groove combined with a memorable vocal melody. Satellite could be the key track of this EP if it wasn’t for the next track Fire, which definitely is my favorite song. The fragile, almost minimalistic structure of the song, the dreamy vocals and the chimes are backed with 2 pumping drum tracks offering the right balance between atmosphere and dynamic.

The last track Nowhere is the most driving track with its rhythmic bass line and would almost suit for dancing. Again, the chorus melody is pure catchiness that is topped with the berzerk sounding guitar at the end, making it a very pleasing pop song and I have to admit that I am positively surprised by this EP. Writing music is an unthankful task demanding perfection once you decide to do it seriously. Jan breathes music and he’s got what it takes to write and produce memorable and enjoyable music. I jokingly ask myself if he’s got something to hide under all his talent, be it a reading disability or maybe an irrational fear of complicated mathematical tasks; because he’s brilliant and devoted at everything he does so there must be something he’s not good at. Maybe football?

You can get the EP on Bandcamp for free, but I would appreciate if you would pay for it! As I already mentioned several times before, independent artists do not live of love and air alone. Thank you!

Kondom des Grauens (Killer Condom)

Beware of carnivorous condoms in New York! The ravenous little bastards feed off of male genitalia and no one knows what their deal is. The first known case takes us back to the Quicky hotel, where a corrupt teacher took his student to let her “work” her way up to better grades and eventually ended up with a mutilated penis. Unfortunately, what started as an only moderately regrettable hit of karma quickly spiralled way out of control.

Enter Luigi Mackeroni, the hero, the cop investigating the case. He is a chain-smoking badass with Sicilian roots who happens to be gay and has his trans ex-lover call him “Lutschi” whenever she pops up. Like everyone else, he initially thinks that the girl bit off the teacher’s penis, but is proven wrong when he witnesses a schlong-devouring wrapper in action at the notorious hotel. He then proceeds to take us on a hilariously bizarre journey that leads to the origin of the killer condoms.

Kondom des Grauens is the first Troma-distributed film (based on an equally screwed up cartoon by Ralf König) I’ve seen, and I loved it. Ridiculousness and excess are defining characteristics of the trash genre, and this jewel sure delivers. Just from the title and above summary you should be able to tell that taking it too seriously won’t allow you to enjoy the viewing experience.

But while you do have your cheesy one-liners, overblown characters and primitive sexual jokes, Kondom des Grauens also carries a very real message. It’s depressingly rare to see an openly homosexual lead in any film, and even rarer to have one as un-stereotypically gay as Mackeroni. Conservative views and general bigotry are challenged throughout the whole flick and especially in a big moment toward the end.

A special mention goes to the cast. Trash works are often ridiculed for the bad acting performances, and this might be the case for Kondom des Grauens on a technical level, but holy Mackeroni (sic), are these people charming. It actually reminded me that good characters are an indispensable foundation for a good trash/comedy film. Also, some of you Germans and Luxembourgers might spot one or two familiar faces. (Spoiler alert: look out for Hella von Sinnen and Iris Berben!)

So I was mightily amused and occasionally touched, which means that the movie fulfilled its purpose in my eyes. I’m sure it’s not without fault, but I was too entertained to pay attention, and that’s the way it should be.

MWTE – Attraction To Light

I’ve been following the career of electronic trio MWTE from Metz quite closely for a while because I’m a huge fan of their first release, and on Friday two weeks ago I finally held their second (and first physical) EP in my hands: Attraction To Light. The artwork left the first fair impression. There is something magical about vinyls, as evidenced by their revived popularity, and coupled with gorgeous artwork, the aesthetic and emotional appeal of them is heightened even more. Kudos to madeByhujo alias Victor Ferreira for capturing the mood of the record so well.

The EP consists of two original songs and two remixes of each by Herr2003, Armagnac, Sun Glitters and Chapelier Fou. It also features Camille Delvecchio of Grand Blanc, who provides the vocals for Dead And Gone.

The title track, Attraction To Light, immediately draws you in with its soothing, pulsating beat. It hits the perfect balance between relaxing and engaging. Personally, I’ve been listening to it while studying and writing, because it doesn’t impose itself enough to distract you from whatever you might be doing, but still induces vibrations in your brain that motivate you to be active in some way. The first remix by Herr2003 brings about much the same effect at first, though it is decidedly more housey and bouncy and will make you want to get up halfway through and start dancing like the devil. The Armagnac remix feels like a different piece altogether, except for some tiny glimmers of familiarity sprinkled throughout. It maintains the distinct house influence of the previous track but wraps it up in a less frenetic whole.

Then the Attraction To Light chapter closes, and along comes Dead And Gone. It is just an incredible song. Iconic, almost. I can envision it in a fancy commercial or as the title track of a movie. Camille Delvecchio’s beautiful vocals enhanced by echo effects and MWTE‘s dreamy style work together excellently. I hope they will collaborate more in the future, because that is — quite literally, from a sonic standpoint — a match made in heaven. Sun Glitters does not take half-measures with his take on the song, as it brims over with grandiose effects. I have to admit that it’s my least favourite track, which is mostly due to the lofty standards the original set, and also the outstanding work by Chapelier Fou. The final remix is a mellow masterpiece with a melancholically ethereal edge, such a divine cherry on top of a wonderful, wonderful record.

The only downside is that it left me wanting more, but I’m sure the guys will take care of that with such an overwhelmingly positive response from the listeners. I advise you keep an eye on them too, because, to let you in on a secret: I believe they will be big. They have all the credentials to go far in their genre and proved it beyond doubt with Attraction To Light.

You can listen to MWTE‘s new EP on Soundcloud and buy it here, show them some love on Facebook and follow them on Tumblr for additional updates.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/14270111″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Five Finger Death Punch – The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell


At the end of July Five Finger Death Punch released the first part of their double album, The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell, and in November the second part followed, so I figured I’d review them both at the same time to decide whether it was worth being split in two. I’ll try to keep it as concise as possible…so here we go!

First the facts: Vol. 1 counts eleven tracks that have a run-time of forty-two minutes (fourteen songs à fifty-two minutes on the deluxe version), whereas Vol. 2 has twelve songs amounting to forty-one minutes. Both records have been recorded at the same studio and therefor share the same, flawless, production. Every instrument sounds really crisp and brings that “stadium-metal” feel with it, thus serving the fans what they are looking for.

In terms of musicianship nothing has really changed: neck-breaking riffs, pounding drum beats and aggressive screams alternating with melodic singing. However, I will go as far and say that this double album might be the band’s best work so far…but then again, the selection is also twice as big this time around. As on the three previous albums, the band has done a cover song again: Mama Said Knock You Out featuring Tech N9ne by LL Cool J on Vol. 1 and the well-known folk song House Of The Rising Sun on Vol. 2.

The biggest new element on this cycle is that the band has guest vocals on Vol. 1…and I’m not entirely sure how I’m supposed to feel about them. Let me elaborate: Judas Priest‘s Rob Halford fits nicely on Lift Me Up, Maria Brink adds a nice touch to Anywhere But Here and the above-mentioned Tech N9ne appearance mixes things up a bit…but I feel like they’re more of a gimmick than an actual part of the songs. Especially on the deluxe edition that is plainly obvious, since the three additional songs are alternate versions of regular songs which feature Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed and Max Cavalera of Soulfly. A bit unnecessary in my opinion.

All in all, 5FDP have definitely not left their comfort zone or re-invented themselves on these fourth and fifth albums…but it works. I do believe that they could have dropped a song or two on each album and made a single one instead…but in truth I can’t complain, since both have their appeal. Be sure to give the song below a listen and feel free to visit the band’s Facebook page for more information.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-2yuGgp_U8]

Cargo

Little gets me like father-child relationships, and nothing gets me like father-child relationships in bleak post-apocalyptic settings. This has to do with father-child dynamics (which I find fascinating), but mostly the concept of unconditional, selfless love in the face of a woefully hopeless future. I was bawling my eyes out 10 minutes into both the book and film adaptation of The Road when nothing had even really happened because the subject touches me so profoundly.

So when I tell you that Cargo by Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke is about just that — a father-child relationship in a bleak post-apocalyptic setting — you can probably guess the way this review will turn out. Yes, a tear or two were shed. Heartstrings were pulled. But Cargo doesn’t go for the cheap drama shots and moral lessons. It isn’t a boastful, manipulative film. It’s gentle and cautious, and its brilliance lies in its impartiality. Except for some subtle musical accompaniment that rears up toward the end, there’s nothing to direct your emotions, not even dialogue. The raw tragedy of the storyline does the job.

I think many of us are a tad sick of the zombie genre by now because it seems like covered ground for the most part, but this picture is a must-watch. It’s hugely popular with over 5 million views on YouTube despite not winning any awards at the Tropfest festival, where it was originally screened. And with good reason. Watching it is a rewarding way to spend 7 minutes and 4 seconds of your day, I promise, and about 76 811 people are backing my claim as we speak. Beware, though, for it might also shatter you emotionally, especially if you’re a dad/parent yourself.

Find it embedded below, and let us know what you think if you’ve seen it or decide to do it now.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gryenlQKTbE]

Falling Promises – Dystopia


The long-awaited debut full-length of the Luxembourgish hardcore ensemble Falling Promises is about to be released and I’ve had the chance to listen to it before it comes out…so here are my thoughts on Dystopia!

After an intro featuring Charlie Chaplin’s world-famous speech from The Great Dictator, you are immediately hit in the face with crushing riffs and beats, before the first breakdown of these thirty-nine minutes sets in…and many will follow. While the over-use of breakdowns is often despised, I personally don’t mind it in this case because the songs were clearly written with a live setting in mind and therefor the (violent) danceability on here is extremely high.

This fact also entails a lot of chugging on both the guitars and drums, but I can assure you that there is enough melodic variation in between these parts. Especially the string department has some really cool surprises in tow, namely on the song Surface, which has this really nice djent vibe to it with its almost entrancing melody. Definitely my favorite among these ten tracks.

The vocals range from bone-shattering screams to extremely deep growls, which can rival the bass guitar…well almost. Performance-wise there is absolutely nothing to criticize and the guest apperance by Jesse Barnett of Stick To Your Guns is a nice little bonus. I should also mention that the production value of the album is as tight as can be, making the listening even more enjoyable, since it fits the genre perfectly.

As a closing statement, I would like to say that Dystopia is a beautiful monument for the band’s fallen brother…and that I wish them all the best in their future endeavors. I, for one, will follow their road from here on out, and you can do so too by checking their Facebook page. Listen to the song below and if you like what you hear, head on over to the Why Not pub in Dudelange this Friday for the release listening party of the album.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oQFStp9q9Q]