Brute Forcz-Out For Blood

Self-Released/Independent
2012

Move over Fozzy! It turns out you're not the only rockin' and wrestlin' heavy metal band out there. Say hello to Brute Forcz (Why the "z"? Because everything looks cooler with a "z" on the end!) which is made up of (former) pro-wrestlers/twins Robb "Jammer" Steel and Ronn "Slammer" Steel. This 10-track affair was one of many that I found on my last adventure rummaging through dollar bin CDs. It's actually fairly new (I believe it was released back in Oct. of 2012?) so I thought I'd give it a spin and let the chips fall where they may. One last note before we go there there. Obviously there was no way I was going to pass up on this CD with that album art and the band's promo pic below! Alright, as far as "Jammer" and "Slammer" as concerned I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that these two probably wrestled on the independent circuit as I've never heard of them. While I don't watch wrestling these days (I'm more of a N.W.A., World Class Wrestling, UWF, mide-eighties WWF kind of guy) I do still pick up on the ins and outs of the ring through friends. Regardless, these two former wrestlers left the squared circle behind and headed for California. While they tried their hands at acting (They had a small part in Adam Sandler's God awful "Jack And Jill") they soon found that their true calling was in the field of heavy metal. After adding British guitarist Will Wallner (who was actually Robb's guitar tutor prior to joining Brute Forcz) the group issued their debut-EP, "Kick Ass Heavy Metal".

Alright, now that we are all caught up to speed the band lists Motörhead, Judas Priest, Mötley Crüe and Kiss as their influences. To that end they managed to get Bob Kulick (Who, along with Brett Chassen, forms Office Studios) to produce their debut EP and this one, the band's full-length debut album. Of course Bob has done studio work with Kiss in addition to having his own cult band named Skull (See Metal Mark's Forgotten Gem article on Skull for more information). Since Bob has worked with Triple H. (He produced/played guitar on the theme music for Triple H) he's used to being around guys who have more adrenalin then they know what to do with! OK, so my first impression of Brute Forcz was not so positive. Or at least the album's first song, "Live For Speed", as it sounded like a poor man's Motörhead. As the album thundered along though I did get a sense that, while this album drips cheese, this L.A. metal band had their hearts in the right place. First things first. The bad parts of "Out For Blood" are plentiful. Lead vocalist Rob Steel sounds like he went to the Greg Hudson (Lead "singer" of Torn Flesh) School For Heavy Metal Vocalists. That's not a good thing my friends. Rob does the old sing/speak thing when this band would be better suited to find even a mediocre lead singer. It's hard to take this one seriously as a result. Especially when the lyrics come across like they were written by a high school metalhead serving detention! In that regard this album does thread the fine line between serious heavy metal and bands like Piledriver, Cycle Sluts From Hell and Spinal Tap. There's good news to be found though. Those influences that are listed above come out to play and they play hard! This L.A. 3-piece plays real heavy metal. When they get going they really get going. They smoke up the room with the Venom meets Accept track "Metal Injection". Throughout this album the band finds time to worship at the altars of Raven, Motörhead, Venom and Accept. Yes, they do occasional do it in such a sloop fashion that it sounds like a High School metal band still learning their chops. While that's not all that encouraging I will say that while these 3 are thrashing about it obvious that they are having fun.They have enthusiasm on their side which is a very contagious thing. The lyrics might be cheesy (I'm looking at you "Teenage Lover") and the band might sound like a Spinal Tap/Venom hybrid on more then one occasion ("Sex Machine"), but for $1.00 I'm glad I took a chance on this group. Heavy metal has lost a lot of it's fun side so Brute Forcz are a nice reminder of the way things used to be. Perhaps this band might not be anything more then a side-note in the heavy metal history books or will just be seen as a novelty act, but I can't help but wish them success as they give today's scene a much needed "Metal Injection"!