Zombies ate my Girlfriend - Retrocide

I have anxiously waited for this album since the release of Patient Zero and can positively state Zombies ate my Girlfriend delivered an album of top-shelf quality that spans 47 minutes with 9 explosive and memorable tracks. They are two middle fingers in the air legit!

The first song, Appropriate Hate Crimes contains a thunderous roar of “kill kill kill, like a fucking disease!” that serves as an indicator to the overall mood of the album. The Spear is a well crafted fuck-you to the socio-political milieu South Africans are experiencing. Lyrics such as “trend of the day, rape and betray, the colourful smokescreen of false unity” and “lies and deceit, free handouts and cheats” are fair comment on the apathetic psyche of South Africans.

For me, Burn the Scene is the heaviest song on the album, containing impressive vocals and guitar riffs. This song delivers ample circle-pit material. A vocal burst in Cold Cuts of “you’ll never get it, you’ll never get, you’ll never get it, even though you know we said it!” is heartwarming stuff for a fellow critic of the cesspool called local music.

Jahan’s title is reference to the Emperor of India that erected the Taj Mahal. The phrase “sycophant asylum” stuck with me, evoking a horrific parallel image of a prison or palace filled with people excessively seeking approval and attention.

Dead Russian spans over 6 minutes with weird electronic effects and infectious guitar solos. There are some odd-sounding guitar pieces 2 minutes into the song. The song Maranatha is slow in tempo with impressive arrangements to fit the raspy to spitting variations on the vocals. This song also features impressive bass riffs.

The title-track Retrocide is the only song under 4 minutes. I found the variations of tempo in the chorus particularly interesting. Hail the Disaster is the longest song on the album, containing an interesting breakdown that adds to the superb production and mixing of the album. All-in-all, a very creative exhibition on contemporary metal that will have you humming siff melodies all day - simply brilliant with a hell of a message.

Since Patient Zero, Louis Henn has been replaced with Chris Hall on guitar and Marc Olwage replaced Wesley Robb on bass. Zombies ate my Girlfriend’s impressive live performances are always a spectacle to witness.

To the snakes, charlatans and general hate mongers, may you and your families rot in the eternal hell that you have created for yourselves!

Bandcamp Retrocide

The United Underground 5

I am not the biggest fan of punk and metal collaborations, even though I am a huge fan of both genres. The problems I experience are usually a bottling of two distinct crowds. Nonetheless, South Africa is a land of contrast and the best thing to do is embrace that contrast.

Half Price is a great punk rock band in the Western Cape and to see them play live is a joyous occasion in-itself.

Bulletscript has seen more member changes than Slayer, but still ever-ready to roll with the punches. Their current line-up is the best I’ve seen and by themselves they are a nice bridge between punk and metal music.

So this is my call-to-action. Get off your asses, smile and enjoy yourself at a gig. Hopefully I see everyone at Manila bar in Longmarket Street this Saturday the 7th of February.

Facepoop event page

Half Price Facepoop page

Bulletscript Facepoop page

Napalm Death - Apex Predator - Easy Meat

Napalm Death are a grindcore band formed in England in 1981. I am not a grass-roots Napalm Death fan as I only became aware of them with the 2005 LP The Code is Red... Long Life the Code. It was their previous LP Utilitarian, released in 2012 that really exposed me to a new milieu of grindcore music.

I was privileged enough to have seen Napalm Death perform at Graspop 2014; they captivated me with beautiful noise performed flawlessly. The vocalist Barney sincerely intrigued me with his super-fast spewing of socio-politics lyrics, compared to his otherwise calm and collected manner.

The album is filled with overall well-crafted drumming. Barney's screams add a lot of flavour to the album. Dear Slum Landlord… is a macabre song with a sludge feel.

Apex Predator – Easy Meat contains 40 minutes spanned over 14 songs. An epic variety on the album, this album is superb progression in their amazing repertoire of incorporating different styles of music.