Hemi Devils-The Trilogy Of 6 – Volume 1

Self-Release/Independent
2015

"Rock-n-Roll Fueled By The Devil". That's the short and the (sinfully!) sweet of it when it comes to Ohio's one and only Hemi Devils. Based in Cleveland, with the recently-released EP, "The Trilogy Of 6 – Volume 1" serving as the soundtrack to this band's (alcohol-fueled) crazy train ride to hell and back (!), this wicked cool hard & heavy rockabilly band is another Ohio band destined for bigger and better things and it all starts here with these six songs. As usual though I'm getting WAY ahead of myself so let's rewind the tape and start somewhere closer to the beginning. Driven by not only "Hotrods, Hot Broads, and Hot Rock n Roll.", but (judging by the EP's lyrics and all!) cases of  Pabst Blue Ribbon beer (!), Hemi Devils is a band deeply-drenched in nostalgia and the good old sounds of yesterday. OK, let me rephrase that as I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Hemi Devils is a throwback to when rock was still dirty and dangerous and heavy metal wasn't so damn serious all the freaking time! The five guys in Hemi Devils (Jack, Rob, Kenny, Burn, and Scott) offer the listening audience a great alternative to the bland crap now plaguing rock radio. It's a sound and a lifestyle that many of us are secretly craving, but dare not say out-loud for fear of reprisal. To put it another way this is one band that (thankfully) doesn't give a rat's ass about the PC police! With Hemi Devils there are no pulled punches when it comes to things like booze, drugs and yes, even women ("Barfly Baby" anyone?) and man alive is that refreshing! Trust me here friends. After it's all been said and done you're going to want to check out this band's bandcamp page because (frankly speaking) it's all so much fun! Engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by Noah Buchanan at Brainchild Studios in the band's hometown of Cleveland, "The Trilogy Of 6 – Volume 1" was just released at the tail end of July. As such it's still hot to the touch and that much is abundantly clear once you've dug into this EP's blazing opener, "Baptized in Gasoline". It's got a nasty Rob Zombie meets Motörhead vibe going for it and if there is a better way to start an album off then this ripper then I sure as hell would like to know about it! From "Baptized in Gasoline" we head on out to aforementioned "Barfly Baby". Here we find lead singer Jack and his comrades adding some rockabilly to the mix by way of The Stray Cats. It's a potent addition alright and one has to assume that this mash up of Rob Zombie, Motörhead and The Stray Cats must sound as good in a live setting as it does here on tape! "Uncle Satan" throws more gasoline on the fire with dive bar worthy riff & roll flirting it up with rockabilly and for some reason I had flashes of Lords Of The Highway zipping through my mind! Not that the Lords Of The Highway were ever this HEAVY or anything. It's just a similar (somewhat) sleazy vibe. "She Devil" is next and this gritty roller is as sick as it is slick. It's also heavy as all get out and with it's bad woman from hell story-line it's a tale that many of us can easily relate to! "Angel Waiting" is sing-a-long rockabilly tossed together with garage rock and roll and if not for the explicit content this one could makes waves on alternative radio. "Electric Wine" (see video below) wraps things up and this heavy, fist-clenched rocker is one of the EP's finest moments. Heavy metal fanatics will appreciate it's all or nothing aggression as will the hard rock crowd. It's the perfect bookend to "Baptized in Gasoline" and it does the job that it was put in place to do. It makes you want to hit repeat in order that you can enjoy this wild rock and roll roller-coaster all over again! Given this EP's crazy low price (it's something like $7 for U.S. customers and that includes shipping!) there's no reason not to jump on this release so do it now!

The Flesh Eaters-A Minute To Pray A Second To Die (2014 Re-Issue)

Superior Viaduct
2014

Re-issued last month by Superior Viaduct, which means this one is fresh off the presses and probably still hot to the touch(!), "A Minute To Pray A Second To Die" is the second studio album from California's legendary (experimental) punk rock band The Flesh Eaters. The product of Slash magazine writer/punk poet Chris D.(aka Chris Desjardins) this oft-times macabre/downright moody band, which was fittingly enough named after a cult horror film from the sixties, was formed in L.A. in 1977 before making it's official debut one year later with the 7-inch EP "Flesh Eaters" (aka Disintegration Nation). Three years later the punk "group" issued it's first full-length album, "No Questions Asked", and with it's dark, near-death rock take on garage rock and roll the stage was set for The Flesh Eaters (with it's goth rock mentality) to do something truly magical. Cue 1981's "A Minute To Pray A Second". More experimental and (in a way) breath-taking then "No Questions Asked" (an album that is also consider to landmark achievement in the field of punk rock) The Flesh Eater's (bizarrely beautiful) second full-length album benefited from having a star-studded backing band featuring a real who's who from the then ever-expanding L.A. punk scene. Besides having Chris D. on lead vocals/shrieks and maracas the one-time line-up included Dave Alvin (Blasters) on guitar, John Doe (X) on bass, Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) on sax, Bill Batemen (Blasters) on drums and DJ Bonebrake (X) on maracas, snare and marimbas. With it's darker hues and morbid, horror-themed lyrics the ghoulish "A Minute To Pray A Second To Die" had the impact of a speeding hearse slamming straight into punk's underground rock scene and (influentially) it would go on to inspire bands for years and years to come! By bringing together roots rock, country, rockabilly, goth rock, jazzy garage rock, death rock and the blues the album took a stab at what punk rock was supposed to sound like and turned it into something radically different and gloriously original. Much like The Gun Club this L.A. band marched to it's own beat as evident by the oddball nature of this landmark recording. As a re-issue it sounds as wonderfully madcap as ever making it all the more deserving of a spot in everyone's essential punk rock collection!

The Gun Club-Fire Of Love (Re-Release)

Superior Viaduct
2014

Long out of print and demanding a high dollar amount on the secondary market, "Fire of Love" is the 1981 debut from The Gun Club. It was only last month that this smashing 11-track album was re-issued in a CD-only version by Superior Viaduct and for those of us who had long ago given up any hope of owning a physical copy of this blues-punk masterpiece that is one dream that has now become a reality! Elegantly produced by The Flesh Eaters' Chris Desjardins and The Plugz' Tito Larriva the amazing thing about "Fire Of Love" is how well it has weathered the changing times. As someone who only discovered the music of this L.A. band as an adult (and only by the good fortune of having once worked with an older gentleman whose wide-ranging taste in music reviled my own!) I'll admit that it gave me a greater perspective on the importance of this early "alternative" band. First formed in 1979 by singer, songwriter and guitarist Jeffrey Lee Pierce*, with guitarist Ward Dotson, bassist Rob Ritter and drummer Terry Graham rounding out the crew responsible for this great LP(!), the band managed to release seven full-length albums, one EP and countless singles during it's existence. Not one of the follow-up release would match the near perfection of "Fire Of Love" though and once opener "Sex Beat" rocks and rattles it's way into your nervous system you'll start to understand why this album is so hard to put down! "Sex Beat" is a tribal number that comes across as solo Lou Reed gearing up some garage rock and roll for all the crazy natives whereas the cover of Robert Johnson's "Preaching The Blues" offers up the first clue that The Gun Club were as knowledgeable about the Delta blues scene as they were about New York punk and 60's rock! The biggest clue though would be the band's choice cover of "Cool Drink Of Water" which comes much later on. This Tommy Johnson traditional is as authentic as one can get and it shows how comfortable Jeffrey Lee Pierce was no matter the environment. As far as The Gun Club's original material was concerned "Sex Beat" (as good as it is) wasn't this album's real highlight. Arguably that distinction would fall on track number four. Much ink has been spilled in regards to the haunting beauty that is "She's Like Heroin To Me". Another love-lorn track that kindles the spirit of a young, lost and lonely Lou Reed (as well as the Velvet Underground), "She's Like Heroin To Me" definite deserves it's revered place in the halls of rock and roll's greatest singles of all time. The problem with "She's Like Heroin To Me" is (at times) it overshadows other strong numbers like "For The Love Of Ivy" (a five minute plus moment of pure punk rockabilly wonderment!), the chaotic (yet strangely alluring) "Promise Me" and "Fire Spirit", a 60s/70s-infused number where the passion of Jeffrey Lee Pierce is highlighted in furious fashion! The colorful "Ghost Of The Highway" is another punk rockabilly song and if there is one thing to be said about "Fire Of Love" it's that not matter how stripped it might get the music packed within The Gun Club's debut album never falls short of brilliant! Caution is throw to the wind on "Jack On Fire" (a bare-naked rocker where primitive sex is presented raw and uncut!) and yet even during it's most twisted moments it never fails that I stare there in utter disbelief at just how far ahead of their time The Gun Club were! Long before rock music would be unclothed by the bands like The White Strips here was this L.A. outfit taking the best of what real rock and roll had to offer and, after cutting away all of it's fat and gristle, giving it back to listeners in such a simplistic manor that it was a feast for the senses! Even at 41 moments like "Sex Beat", "She's Like Heroin To Me", "Fire Spirit" and "Jack On Fire" find me standing with wide-eyed wonder while "Black Train", "Cool Drink Of Water" ( and "Goodbye Johnny" make me believe that the magic of "Fire Of Love" should be shared with our younger generation! This re-release sounds amazing and from "Sex Beat" to "Goodbye Johnny" there isn't a single moment where your ears start to wander. Even if I've had the pleasure of hearing this album before these past few days that I've spent with "Fire Of Love" have found me falling in love with this album all over again. This is one re-release I'll be sharing with family and friends young and old alike!


* A theatrical lead vocalist and guitarist, Jeffrey Lee Pierce was a founding member of The Red Lights and once served as the head honcho for Blondie's U.S. fan club!