I love this album. Sometimes albums that are funny are only good for one listen, but I’ve lived with this one for a few weeks, and I still like listening to it.
One of the reasons is that the band are great musicians and there are some really good metal songs here.
A reference point for the band I’ve noticed, which I don’t think anyone else has, is that there is a real Frank Zappa vibe to the music. Zappa was very funny, and he did satire very well, but he was also a great songwriter and musician, and I feel Psychostick are really following in the same path, and that’s a compliment.
Right, 21 tracks, best thing to do is pick out my favourites. ‘Obey The Beard,’ catchy as hell, very true (nothing more metal than a beard), and great lyrics: “Abe Lincoln had a beard/ZZ Top, EPIC beards/Dimebag Darrell, METAL beard/ Chuck Norris KICKASS beard.” Work of genius…get to work growing your beard now.
‘So Heavy’ is reminiscent of Austrian Death Machine, while ‘Dogs Like Socks’ is just daft.
‘Loathe Thy Neighbour’ is awesome, and catches perfectly just how dreadful ‘neighbours’ can be. ‘Awesome’ does what it say son the tin, and is too catchy. You could catch yourself humming around your gran (which wouldn’t be awesome). ‘The Power of Metal’ compels you, as it should be.
Finally, there is ‘Bruce Campbell,’ history’s greatest actor, and this a suitable homage to The Chin, and even references the truly awesome Brisco County! What do Black Sabbath, Mastodon, Metallica and Iron Maiden all have in common? Answer: none of them have written a song about Bruce Campbell, which pushes Psychostick to the front of the metal gods!
If you love metal, have a sense of humour and are not dead (a beard would help!), you will love this!
Awesome!
(Rock Ridge Music)
