Fuckshovel
Garry from SAN PR got in touch the other day about the final review submission for 2012, letting us know that not only was it another record that we needed to hear, but that they were finishing on a massive high! The record in question is the debut album from Brit Metal Punks Fuckshovel, and their album This Is What We Are. Described as being packed to the rafters with a hefty collection of brawling motor-rock that will melt your face off, this album promises to set us up for the new year and have you running for the shops on the 18th of February to get your hands on a copy! Having already achieved slots at SXSW in Texas, as well as tours with The Germs and Glen Matlock, as well as some airplay on BBC Radio 6’s Rock Show, hosted by Mr Bruce Dickinson himself. I figured that based on all of this information, this was probably an album that I should be checking out for myself – so hit play and prepared myself for what I was about to hear!
Kicking off with Germs Of Empire we’re launched into a punk fuelled melee of hammering guitar lines, powerful rhythms and a real sense of movement from the word go. This is the sort of track which is going to get people moving, people jumping, and pits moving from the front to the back of the venue. Managing to throw a catchy chorus into the mix as well just to make sure you’re fully hooked in, the opening track here certainly sets things up in solid fashion, showing us what the rest of the album holds in store for us and getting us ready to keep going! Moving on to The Antidote this theme continues, this time opting to open with the drums to get you moving before ushering in the guitars bit by bit. The mix which forms here is once again fuelled by a real sense of old school punk, yet there’s a heavier element behind it which allows the track to become an almost metal cross over track – something few bands manage to achieve with aplomb. Another track which is sure to get crowds moving and rapidly become a live favourite, this is one which stands out as a live anthem in the waiting – it’s just got that in your face approach which you know people are going to hook onto.
Black once again incorporates this metal edge into things, forging ahead with the punk fuelled rhythms of the track and adding in that heavy edge which people will connect with throughout. Deep and powerful throughout, the key to the track here is the vocal and guitar combination, it forms into a sound that is quite simply massive, and still manages to throw in that catchy approach, albeit with a darkened edge! For me, a serious high point on the album is reached with the onset of Long Time Dead, launching into an all frenzy powered up by rolling drums, hammering guitar lines and a deep, rumbling bass line. Adding in the gravelly and hard hitting vocals, we’re shown the punk roots of the band once again, keeping the track moving at break neck speed right up until the moment it comes to a close. This track really stands out to me as a track which defines the sound of the band, a track which showcases the abilities within the tight unit and one which stands out as my personal favourite off of it, definitely one you need to be checking out.
Schizophonic, Vegas Nerve, All You Got and Auslander all continue to push the boundaries of what you’re expecting to hear on an album like this, each one presenting a melee of hammering punk with upbeat, distorted metal also thrown into the mix – it’s like a trip down the road of how to produce a solid album. It’s when Skull & Bones comes into being that we’re presented with yet another serious high point on the album though, once again hammering into a solid punk track with a twist, and another track which you’re going to have to check out. There’s a real sense of 80’s punk metal going on in this track, almost harking back to the early days of GNR in some ways, yet still managing to stamp their own take firmly upon it. There’s bass moments, guitar moments and more of those awesome vocals – it’s a track which once again defines the sound of the band, reminding us why we started listening to this album in the first place, and continuing to keep us hooked in.
Moving on to 2500 Days the album once again returns to the cross over approach, presenting us with another track which combines the key elements of punk with a hard hitting metal edge, showing that despite being 10 tracks into the album, the band aren’t finished yet. The combination of distorted guitars and gravelly vocals once again takes the lead here, the drums backing everything up as the bass adds a sense of depth and presents us with another track that you know is going to find its full force on the live scene! Adding in a funky edge for penultimate track Portia’s Box, the album approaches the end and continues to throw up surprises. Hammering through another fast paced melee of hammering elements, we’re led closer to the end, kept listening and still kept begging for more. As the final moments of the album hit home with FUs, we’re left with a solid Fuck You (literally) and brought to a close – finishing the album with a clear message that these guys are here, and aren’t to be messed with.
When you see a band called Fuckshovel you don’t expect something soft or melodic, the name kind of suggests that we’re going to be in for a pretty heavy ride! What I love though is that the guys have managed to throw in elements of melody throughout the tracks, taking tracks which are downright heavy and turning them into something more powerful, something which people will connect with and something which is going to stand this album in good stead when it comes out. If you like punk, and you like metal, then this is an album you’re going to want to hear – definitely a band to check out.
To find out more about Fuckshovel, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Kicking off with Germs Of Empire we’re launched into a punk fuelled melee of hammering guitar lines, powerful rhythms and a real sense of movement from the word go. This is the sort of track which is going to get people moving, people jumping, and pits moving from the front to the back of the venue. Managing to throw a catchy chorus into the mix as well just to make sure you’re fully hooked in, the opening track here certainly sets things up in solid fashion, showing us what the rest of the album holds in store for us and getting us ready to keep going! Moving on to The Antidote this theme continues, this time opting to open with the drums to get you moving before ushering in the guitars bit by bit. The mix which forms here is once again fuelled by a real sense of old school punk, yet there’s a heavier element behind it which allows the track to become an almost metal cross over track – something few bands manage to achieve with aplomb. Another track which is sure to get crowds moving and rapidly become a live favourite, this is one which stands out as a live anthem in the waiting – it’s just got that in your face approach which you know people are going to hook onto.
Black once again incorporates this metal edge into things, forging ahead with the punk fuelled rhythms of the track and adding in that heavy edge which people will connect with throughout. Deep and powerful throughout, the key to the track here is the vocal and guitar combination, it forms into a sound that is quite simply massive, and still manages to throw in that catchy approach, albeit with a darkened edge! For me, a serious high point on the album is reached with the onset of Long Time Dead, launching into an all frenzy powered up by rolling drums, hammering guitar lines and a deep, rumbling bass line. Adding in the gravelly and hard hitting vocals, we’re shown the punk roots of the band once again, keeping the track moving at break neck speed right up until the moment it comes to a close. This track really stands out to me as a track which defines the sound of the band, a track which showcases the abilities within the tight unit and one which stands out as my personal favourite off of it, definitely one you need to be checking out.
Schizophonic, Vegas Nerve, All You Got and Auslander all continue to push the boundaries of what you’re expecting to hear on an album like this, each one presenting a melee of hammering punk with upbeat, distorted metal also thrown into the mix – it’s like a trip down the road of how to produce a solid album. It’s when Skull & Bones comes into being that we’re presented with yet another serious high point on the album though, once again hammering into a solid punk track with a twist, and another track which you’re going to have to check out. There’s a real sense of 80’s punk metal going on in this track, almost harking back to the early days of GNR in some ways, yet still managing to stamp their own take firmly upon it. There’s bass moments, guitar moments and more of those awesome vocals – it’s a track which once again defines the sound of the band, reminding us why we started listening to this album in the first place, and continuing to keep us hooked in.
Moving on to 2500 Days the album once again returns to the cross over approach, presenting us with another track which combines the key elements of punk with a hard hitting metal edge, showing that despite being 10 tracks into the album, the band aren’t finished yet. The combination of distorted guitars and gravelly vocals once again takes the lead here, the drums backing everything up as the bass adds a sense of depth and presents us with another track that you know is going to find its full force on the live scene! Adding in a funky edge for penultimate track Portia’s Box, the album approaches the end and continues to throw up surprises. Hammering through another fast paced melee of hammering elements, we’re led closer to the end, kept listening and still kept begging for more. As the final moments of the album hit home with FUs, we’re left with a solid Fuck You (literally) and brought to a close – finishing the album with a clear message that these guys are here, and aren’t to be messed with.
When you see a band called Fuckshovel you don’t expect something soft or melodic, the name kind of suggests that we’re going to be in for a pretty heavy ride! What I love though is that the guys have managed to throw in elements of melody throughout the tracks, taking tracks which are downright heavy and turning them into something more powerful, something which people will connect with and something which is going to stand this album in good stead when it comes out. If you like punk, and you like metal, then this is an album you’re going to want to hear – definitely a band to check out.
To find out more about Fuckshovel, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls