Shop our Big Takeover store for back issues, t-shirts & CDs
Follow The Big Takeover
Recent Review Favorites
Here are my favorite tracks from the items I’ve reviewed over the past two weeks on this website. The artists are in the order I reviewed them, with the songs in my order of preference.
Battle Ruins – “Heart of Fire and Stone”
The closing track on BR’s eponymous debut 7” (Rock’N‘Roll Disgrace) is definitely my favorite track on the release. Less tough-guy street punk and more NWOBHM worship, this song is just plain awesome, particularly in the call-and-response vocals, one of which sounds like the bastard child of Lemmy and Ian Stuart, the other sounding like Robert Plant on a Bruce Dickinson trip.
Battle Ruins – “Blood Eagle”
The opening track is also a killer tune that perfectly blends the street punk and NWOBHM aesthetics.
Battle Ruins – “Warpaths Ahead”
A really great 1:55 track that begins as total skinhead street punk (complete with the traditional bass-led hardcore-type intro), but abruptly shifts to the NWOBHM sound for the chorus and bridge, proving that BR have a knack for writing strong, catchy songs without sacrificing balls.
Battle Ruins – “Cut Bloodline”
Now this song isn’t available on the 7” – as far as I know, it’s only available on the original CD version of the EP, which I believe the band released themselves. It’s more of an old school NYHC skinhead song, along the lines of Agnostic Front circa Victim in Pain and Cause for Alarm. It also doesn’t have the NWOBHM vocals. Regardless, it’s a strong offering from this mysterious street punk band.
Battle Ruins – “Traitors Stomped Out”
Just because this song is listed last doesn’t mean it’s a weak track. I just like the other songs better. It’s a continuation of the alternating vocals BR sound, though more street punk in sound than NWOBHM.
Sun in the Satellite – “The Way”
The A-side of the 7” (MPLS Ltd.) is a lumbering trip through altered states that really reminds me of San Francisco’s long defunct (but not forgotten – by me at least) band Bomb. Sparse, sexy and hazy-as-hell.
Sun in the Satellite – “Wait to Fall”
The single’s B-side is more along the lines of, say, Loop, Main or any of the other bands from that UK scene of dreamy drug music.
The Slit Plasters – “Holy Shit”
The last track on the It Smells Like Hell Over Here…But It Sounds Good! EP (Chorizoloco.com) is probably the strongest, being a rant against religion from a band based in Vatican City.
The Slit Plasters – “Wayne Svitato Integro”
Quirky garage-punk that oddly reminds me of a spastic track from Oingo Boingo.
The Slit Plasters – “Hildegard, 5* Vice Commando SHE-WOLF”
Rife with ’70s rock revival clichés, this is definitely the weakest song on the EP. It’s not completely horrible, though, and is kind of fun in its blend of KISS-style hard rock and garage sensibilities.
