Free Metal Monday: Cellar Door-Pictures Of Home

Self-Release/Independent
2013

In late March of 2013 Swedish punk/hardcore band Cellar Door put out this free EP. It could very well be the only recording that lyrically-deep outfit put out. As there is very little information about the group or "Pictures Of Home" it is hard to see where this four-track fits into the grand theme of things. I say all of this with a bit of sadness in my heart because I would love to learn more about this particular Cellar Door. Seeing as there are so many different groups that have laid claim to this moniker it's a real mess. Proper credit should be given to this Swedish act when it comes to this gem. For metal fans this one carries itself along nicely with hard-tinged guitars. Thing is it is the lyrics that other the real punch! They are largely poetic and they make "Pictures Of Home" all the more poignant. If anyone has any more information on this hardcore group please get in touch with me. .

Saturday Singles: D.O.A.-"The Cops Shot a Kid (Gonna Be A Riot)"

Sudden Death Records
2015

Serving as the first single from D.O.A.'s upcoming studio album, "Hard Rain Falling", "The Cops Shot a Kid (Gonna Be A Riot)" is yet another explosive slab of political hardcore from this legendary punk band! It's every bit as powerful and distinct as this Canadian band is and unless you've been living under a rock for the past year or so it's title should be self-explanatory! Especially if you live here in the U.S.!! Written by D.O.A. guitarist/vocalist Joe "Shithead" Keithley in reaction to the recent deaths of African Americans at the hands of police in Ferguson, Missouri, Baltimore, Maryland and New York City, "The Cops Shot a Kid (Gonna Be A Riot)" is two and a half minutes of stand your ground/united as one punk/hardcore fury and it's a message that everyone needs to hear! By this point in the "party" there's no reason whatsoever that the police here in the U.S. should not be wearing body cams while on duty. Why it is even a argument is beyond me. Not only would it help assure that everything is on the up and up with our police force, but it could also be used to help apprehend anyone who might try to harm a cop! I'd call that a win-win situation there with everyone having their backs and butts covered. Hell, I can't find a single person in my wide range of friends and family that doesn't support the idea of body cams! And we're talking liberals and conservatives and the young and the old here friends!  So, in the words of Captain Jean-Luc Picard let's "Make it so!" and we can do that by standing up together and demanding that our police force be required to wear body cams while on duty!


PS. D.O.A. is reportedly working on the 12-track "Hard Rain Falling" as we speak! From the sound of things it has been funded by Kickstarter and it promises to be a return to D.O.A.'s early sound. Or to be more precise recordings like "Hardcore 81" and the "Disco Sucks" EP . That sounds good to me! While it does look as if the album has successful funded you can still help the band out and get some nifty rewards in the process! As of this writing D.O.A.'s  Kickstarter Campaign has 14 days to go so why not head over there after you are done with the review?

Shaved Women-Just Death

Ektro Records
2014

When it comes to punk rock are you as disillusioned as I am? Are you tired of hearing all the hype about some great new punk band only to find out that they are about as punk rock as your crazy uncle Bernie? If so then let's sit down and talk about this four-year old, four-piece band. You see, there's "punk" and then there is St. Louis-based punk act Shaved Women. And when you've got promo material that boasts of the following "Giving maladjusted hope to aspiring psychopaths everywhere, this fat slab is full of tasty jams. The distorted, buzzsaw riffs make you want to carry around a knife, not a switchblade. The John-Bonham-meets-the-Incredible Hulk drums make you want you start a fight with a wall until you have less bones. The vocals drill into your head and convince you that the only way out is to slam through the ground, tearing all of your friends' designer blouses while failing through the wormhole. Simply put, this sounds like the tension of blood boiling after a car accident...if it was catchy." you find yourself hoping to GOD that it really is all it's cracked up to be. Or at least I was. And yes, from the get-go I knew I was onto something damn special! For once the promo material spelled it all out to a the letter of the punk rock law. This one is spot-on damn fucking cool and for Shaved Women (Ben-vox, Chris-guitar, John-bass and Tom-drums) "Just Death" is the right kind of full-length release to make the best possible impression while making you long ache for more! Like done to your bones ache my fellow punk rocking friends! With three EPs already to their name the nine-track "Just Earth" should reinforce the concept that punk rock is far from dead and rotting. If anything it's just living life as recklessly as it can in St. Louis, Missouri! And speaking of recklessness, which in this case is just the name game, let's just toss a couple out with the shared acknowledgement that when it comes to Shaved Women it is indeed all about rocking out to your own John-Bonham-meets-the-Incredible Hulk beat! Somewhere between Halo of Flies, Raw Power, Black Flag, D.O.A., S.N.F.U. and The Grim you'll likely find Shaved Women hanging out and downing a case or two of cheap beer as these four would be in good company! It's punk first, some rock licks second and the cherry on top is dirty garage metal. "Just Death" is "lean, mean and totally obscene" as well as loud, fast and a bit obnoxious. And God bless Ektro Records for releasing it! Are your taste buds tingling at all for this nine-track demolition derby? If so then try the group's bandcamp on for size while you wait for this hammer to drop.  

http://shavedwomen.bandcamp.com/ 

www.facebook.com/pages/Shaved-Women/317471271626588
www.ektrorecords.com
www.soundcloud.com/ektrorecords
www.facebook.com/ektrorecords