Austrian Death Machine - Double Brutal

Published September 19 2009

*=Staff's pick	CD 1: Double Ahhnold Need Your Clothes, Your Boots, And Your Motorcycle* Let Off Some Steam Bennett Who Writes The Songs? It's Simple, If It Jiggles It's Fat See You At The Party Richter Hey Cookie Monster, Nothing Is As Brutal As Neaahhh Who Told You You Could Eat My Cookies?* Come On Cohaagen, Give Deez People Ehyar Who Is Your Daddy, And What Does He? 2 Come On, Do It, Do It, Come On, Come On, Kill Me, Do It Now Allow Me To Break The Ice Conan, What Is Best In Life? CD 2: Intro To The Intro T2 Theme Hell Bent for Leather Time Travel: The Metallica Conspiracy Trapped Under Ice* Iron Fist Recalling Mars Turned Into A Martian Killing Is My Business…and Business Is Good* Tactically Dangerous - Cannibal Commando Gotta Go

Genre	Thrash Metal	Tim Lambesis	Vocals
Tracks	24	Tim Lambesis	Guitar
Runningtime	55 Min.	-	Guitar
Label	Metal Blade	Tim Lambesis	Bass
Release	29 September 2009	Tim Lambesis	Drums
Country	USA	Tim Lambesis	Keyboard
Similar artists	S.O.D. As I Lay Dying, Goretortue

Terminator Salvation hit theaters this summer, but I did not see it, nor am I at all interested in the Sarah Conner Chronicles. I agree with Linda Hamilton, in that the first two Terminator movies were sufficient in creating the perfect circle of events. What made those movies so dynamic and amazing, was the two different roles which Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayed so effectively.

Well, apparently, the current Gummy Bear Of Candycornia continues to inspire, and agitate: As I Lay Dying's Tim Lambesis, who has created his sophomore follow up to - Austrian Death Machine's - 'Total Brutal' - with the ambitious double disc - 'Double Brutal'.

The thrash elements, not so simple solos, ribald humour, caustic catachresis, and delectable discourses continue as Tim and Ahhnold battle it out, and totally recoil; in order to discover - come judgement day - who is the real brute, who is the strongman, who is in command, or who is the fast action hero.

As the runnning mania commences, ADM break the ice with the introductory total crucial phone call from the "real guvnator', who is letting off some steam, and chewing Timmy a new one for his sense of humour, his girlie man, epicene imagery, and his inability to properly growl.

This leads right into the T2 inspired - "I Need Your Clothes, Your Boots, And Your Motorcycle". This like most songs on the CD, is pure ineluctable, non perfunctory thrash, with red heat, white hot twin solos, uncanny drums that destroy, and heart pumping, iron clad melodies.

This is where the true genius lies, because Tim is still the soul songwriter, and he performs all the music, by playing various instruments. The songs are spaced out by the constant interchange and ludicrous dialogue between Tim, and Chad Ackerman, who mimicks Arnold Schwarzenegger quite well, continually berating Tim's tactics.

A risible example of this can be found on - 'Who Writes The Songs? (The Real BombTrack)', where Ahhnold attempts to create his own bellicose symphony with his own heavy artillery. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics, all throught the CD, will again prove that there are no villains, just iron fisted clowns and hell bent fools.

Death Metal and Deathrash have been associated with cookie monster vocals, and cookie cutter guitar arrangements for almost two decades. Tim pokes fun at this genre with - 'Hey Cookie Monster, Nothing Is As Brutal As Neaahhh!', which in turn, sets the pace for the scenario in - Jingle All the Way - and the chock full of nuts, but chipper - "Who Told You You Could Eat My Cookies?"

Unfortunately, after the first CD, a bit of the novelty has worn off. Although, given Metal Blade's current list of 'Hot Acts", this is still way better than over half of what they are currently shoving down our throats, with the exception to new Ravage, of course.

Perhaps I need to chill, but I am curious as to why this is spread out among two discs, when it is under 60 minutes. For those few who still buy CDs, this is just annoying, and they will probably import or burn the songs onto one CD-R, which is what I intend to do, adding some great cuts from their debut.

The second disc of covers, is what saves this release from becoming too trivial. With Tim and Ahhnold singing (if you can really call it that), on these thrash classics, the quodlibet lipid kind, or rotten riffs cop to, and attentuate to the proper circumstance.

The Megadeth, Motörhead, Metallica, Misfits, and Agnostic Front covers are all relatively decent, and fit the whole scheme, quite well. I think the Megadeth rendition of "Killing...." is by far the best, and probably the most appropriate. The Agnostic Front lines are pretty cool too.

I recently discovered Goretorture, and since these grindwhores also have Arnold Schwarzenegger films as a common theme in their lyrics, I understand why Tim chose to cover "Cannibal Commando", and he does the original justice, even making an attempt to properly pay homage to the T2 theme music.

As much as all of these covers make 'Double Brutal' a solid recording of mainstay, hungry, twisted, sincere songs, I have to wonder why Tim opted to honour "Hell Bent For Leather", when it was already done on the 'Brutal Christmas' (EP), last year. This has become a commonly covered Judas Priest song. It would have been really cool to hear a version of "Raw Deal", which would have satisfied both aspects. I would also have appreciated a cover of the Ramones - "Commando", in this same vein. I am confident Tim could handle both those songs.

The Ed Repka cover artwork is quite befitting for the dialectical chaos which ensues all throughout. The dialed in, cool oscillating jokes, and puns, also make for fun and more enjoyment.

Just like with new Beatallica - 'Masterful Mystery Tour'- if you like classic thrash, and, witless, wanton mayhem, then check out 'Double Brutal'. Let the fatuous flab forbearance fall away, and slough off, while you jiggle all the way into the marsh pit.