cd_review_austriandeathmachine_doublebrutal001008.jpg about%20-%20jpg.jpg reviews%20-%20jpg.jpg interviews%20-%20jpg.jpg gigs%20-%20jpg.jpg cd_review_austriandeathmachine_doublebrutal001006.jpg
AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE
www.austriandeathmachine.com
Well, who'd have thought it! Here we have a second outing for As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis' Schwarzenegger-themed side project and, this time, it's spread across two discs. The first is much like 'Total Brutal' where songs are interposed with, at times, incredibly humorous 'Ahhnold' dialogues with Lambesis, whereas the second comprises cover versions of tracks used in Schwarzenegger movies (together with an inventive version of the main theme from 'T2'). Matters kick off with an overt reference to 'The 6th Day' as two Ahhnolds engage in verbal battle for cloned/genuine identity, which appositely sets the amusingly entertaining tone for what follows. Fans of Arnie cheese will undoubtedly lap this up with the abundance of parodical Schwarzenegger intertextuality although, despite all the comedy, there is some rather very good metal on offer here too. Again, nothing much has changed since 'Total Brutal', at least stylistically, although there is once again an array of guest musician talent at work, perhaps most notably legendary shredder Rusty Cooley and bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan as well as the likes of Unearth's Buz McGrath and Death by Stereo's James Gericke. Just like its predecessor, 'Double Brutal' parodies both Schwarzenegger and the metal genre, but with even more humorous effect this time round. Check out track seven on disc one and the song it segues into with its Cookie Monster/death vocal mockery...pure unpretentious comedy genius! Okay, okay, genius is perhaps a too strong a word to use but I found it funny as fuck, and I definitely reiterate unpretentious which is one of Austrian Death Machine's strengths. It is so refreshing to hear metal with a genuine sense of humour whist retaining a degree of seriousness about the actual music. So, where can Lambesis go next in his metal parody? Would the joke start to wear a little thin on a third Schwarzenegger album? I would hazard a guess at yes although, to be honest, I would have said the same for a sophomore release but he's proved me wrong here. Perhaps he'll expand on the "celebrity metal" concept that As I Lay Dying's Nick Hipa explained to me once during an interview. I seem to recall mention of a Denzil Moshington idea. Well, okay, perhaps he's best sticking with Arnie. Two Austrian Death Machine releases along with the output of ArnoCorps surely now engenders the need for recognition of a new subgenre...'Arnie Metal' looks like it's here to stay!
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Metal Blade Records
Album
DOUBLE BRUTAL
cd%20reviews%20-%20jpg.jpg
Review by Mark Holmes
RUNNING TIME:
52:29 (both CDs)
RELEASE DATE:
28th Sept 2008
TRACK LISTING
Disc 1: 1) Double Ahhnold; 2) I Need Your Clothes, Your Boots, and Your Motorcycle; 3) Let Off Some Steam Bennett; 4) Who Writes the Songs?; 5) It's Simple, If it Jiggles it's Fat; 6) See You at the Party Richter; 7) Hey Cookie Monster, Nothing is as Brutal as Neaahhh; 8) Who Told You You Could Eat My Cookies; 9) Come On Cohagen, Give Deez People Ehyar; 10) Who is Your Daddy, and What Does He?; 11) Come on, Do It, Do It, Come On, Come On, Kill Me, Do It Now; 12) Allow Me To Break the Ice; 13) Conan, What is Best in Life. Disc 2: Various cover versions of songs/themes from Schwarzenegger movies
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
USA
"Fans of Arnie cheese will undoutbtedly lap this up with the abundance of parodical Schwarzenegger intertextuality although, despite all the comedy, there is some rather very good metal on offer here too."