Review Elm Street - Barbed Wire Metal 2011

Tracks.
1. Barbed Wire Metal
2. The Devil’s Servants
3. Elm St’s Children
4. Heavy Metal Power
5. King Of Kings
6. Leatherface
7. Merciless Soldier
8. Metal Is The Way

Band:
Ben Batres – Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Aaron Adie – Lead Guitar
Brendan Farrugia – Bass Guitar
Tomislav Perkovic – Drums

Diskography:
Debut

Info:
Co-produced & mixed by Ermin Hamidovic at Systematic Productions in Melbourne, Australia
Mastered by Plec at Panic-Room Studios, Sweden
Artwork by Ed Repka

Released 18/11-2011
Reviewed 29/11-2011

Links:
metalelmstreet.com
myspace
youtube
massacre

Slasher film fanatics from Australia are releasing their debut album and I don’t really think I need to explain which film, or movie franchise rather, that has inspired these guys. Their album is called Barbed Wire Metal which is really a nightmarishly bad album title, but their artwork do have a nice cool traditional heavy metal look. The latter is also what the band are being marketed as, traditional heavy metal inspired by the greats and all of that. The debut is also said to be awesome in the press information, something I of course have to check out before stating such a thing in my reviews. One thing that strikes me fairly early is the fact that no one in the band calls himself Freddy Krueger which I think is a very big oversight when having a band name that is lifted from a street name. What they do have though is a song based on the movie from which they have stolen their band name, but of course the name can also be seen as an homage to the filmmaker which of course is how we at hallowed will look at it.

Megadeth - namedropping done, what I mean is that they are quite similar to said american band and the singer has a voice that reminds me of Dave Mustaine who is the voice of the band that started this entire text segment. Which means that it is quite rough traditional heavy metal of the early eighties with just a slight touch of modernity to it. A hint of thrash metal can be said to be there as they reminds me most of a thrash metal band. Overall it feels a bit like this band is trying to reawaken the eighties with their music, all about them rings of that era: their sound, their cover artwork, the album being only eight tracks, and the song writing as well. It is of course very guitar driven with much focus on the riffing, there are some smoother melodic guitar lines but the main focus in the songs are the riffing. This album has as I already have stated, eight tracks and it plays for less than forty minutes which also makes it feel more traditional as it can be fitted on a vinyl record.

So what about these guys who are missing their friend Freddy, is their music a nightmare or is it worth staying awake for? Well, in a way both, it is a nightmare in that it is so filled with cliché that even William Ged would feel a bit overshadowed and the word metal is so frequently used that you are beginning to wonder if you haven’t lost your way and ended up in the steel industry’s heart or maybe a steelworks. At the same time there are some good stuff like Heavy Metal Power (despite the silly name) and King of Kings which I thoroughly enjoy but then it gets a bit too traditional on my part, I think that genre is already a bit overcrowded and it doesn’t really need anymore albums filling it up even more, unless they are really fantastic and that my friends can not be said about these guys.

They do also have the geekiest press photos I have ever seen, posing in silly poses wearing classical bands’ logos on their shirts, it just doesn’t look cool. Sure that comes from a guy wearing an Arch Enemy shirt and a Top Gear hoodie right now, that is not cool either but then again I have never ever tried to be cool which is something this band appears to be doing. Still musically they do what they do quite well, it just is a tad difficult for me to get really excited about a band that sounds almost like Megadeth but makes and album that is far from touching the quality of what Megadeth released the same month.

I think this is a great album for you who like metal as it was in the eighties and who feels that the genre isn’t yet overcrowded, while we who think the genre is overcrowded first should have a few listens before doing business. But remember if you do business, you cannot fall asleep.

HHHHHHH

Elm Street Barbed Wire Metal

Elm Street
Barbed Wire Metal