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Freakshow Demo (2005)
Freakshow / F.U.E.F. / Thanks for the Ride / Ain't Gonna Wait / Take a Bite / Tired / Wicked Eyes
Pablo
Diablo consists of the ugly 3/5ths of Solenoid with a bearded nut added on
drums. Whereas Solenoid keep the flame of Motorhead alive while also paying
tribute to early NWOBHMGBSTWOPBT with an in-your-face-attitude and no-time-to-waste-on-all-things-pretty-approach,
Pablo Diablo shifts the focus somewhat by keeping the Motorhead-ingredient
intact, but replacing Maiden/Saxon and Viking machismo with Bad Religion.
Lots of it actually, which doesn't have to be a bad thing. Most barriers are
entirely arbitrary and the same goes for genre divisions in rock & roll, as
this demo also proves that the line between punk and hard rock can be a very
fine one. Overall I'd say that they tilt towards the punk-side, by grace of
their hushed tempos, fairly straightforward song structures, rather ragged
sound and vocalist/bassist Monke, the man with the plan and the intention
to yell his vocal chords to pieces. Because they can be filed under 'punk',
this also implies they have to work with a fairly limited form of expression
and range of structures (most songs follow the basic on of verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-verse-etc),
but it's exactly the awkward balance of leather jackets and spiky haircuts
that ensures the band has its own identity. "Freakshow" is basically nothing
special - a good tempo, predictable chord changes and structure - but the
essential ingredient, the gut-sensation, is there, as Monke uses all of his
limited skills to get the message across. "F.U.E.F" also shows that the singer's
anguished screams (pretty unconventional, since several of his lines are quite
catchy and melodic) are unlike the Manowar roar of Solenoid's Frenz, yet in
its own peculiar way it also matches the twin guitar attack that sometimes
recalls the early 80s, studded wristbands and fists pointing into the sky.
A nice twist here is the sped-up hardcore finale (hence the Fucked Up Exploited
Finish). Two more highlights further pop up: "Thanks for the Ride" is vintage
Bad Religion, from back in the days when they weren't so slick yet. It's the
kind of track that would fall flat in the hands of a band that hasn't heard
of tightness, but they pull it off, with a completely over-the-top
drum fill as a bonus. The other special one is "Take a Bite," which is driven
by a guitar riff that seems a simplified Dead Kennedys one, injecting the
straightforward bashing with some paranoid surf from hell. The other remaining
songs are less remarkable and usually more indebted to hard rock: "Ain't Gonna
wait" is a nice change of pace featuring an extended quiet section that patiently
works towards a climax, but it also contains some catchy vocals which make
you wonder whether they'd sound better if they were mixed up louder. At almost
four minutes, it's not exciting as the shorter ones, but it also goes to show
they're not ready to be stereotyped yet. "Tired" is a tribute to 80s crossover
(or sounds like one, anyway), the band themselves doubting whether they're
playing hardcore punk or speed metal, while last song "Wicked Eyes," which
they wisely put at the end, lacks the individual spark most of the other songs
do have. While seeing these guys on stage will definitely have you expect
a freakshow (they look, you know, weird), the music here is rather
limited in scope, but done with the right attitude. I'll chop off my left
hand if they ever get big with this, but then I doubt they'd care about that.
It's from the gut, kicks quite some ass and better than what you are currently
listening to.
Read album reviews of similar or related artists: Solenoid - The Killbots