“What do you get if you cross a heavy metal band with the Clash?" asked no person ever. But the real question should be why has no one ever asked this question? Would it work? Should it work? Would anyone enjoy this concoction of sound?
Zombie Strippers from Hell, hailing from Poland, are one of the few outfits bold enough to ask the questions others had feared to ask. Exactly what would "heavy punk" sound like? This duo is pulling together their influences of Kyuss, NOFX, Killswitch Engage, Kreator, Fu Manchu and Bad Religion to forge a sound like no other. Hence, they are swiftly becoming the defining band in the genre they themselves have dared to create.
December 1st, 2017 saw the release of the band’s debut full length album, and to give you a brief preview my exact words on first listen were: “OH. MY. GOD!” “Tales from the Other Side” delivers a sound of jaw dropping uniqueness that sums up perfectly the heavy punk term.
When track “Dracula” starts off the record, it’s like being hit in the face by a shovel! The speed and intensity of the sound is quadrupled; a punk tune at its purest but mixed with metal riffs. It’s a struggle to define in a few words just what this is like.
“Texas” slows the pace a little and throws a little melody into the mix. Musically we get hardcore/punky verses with a deathrash chorus, but with something else thrown in. It took me three of four listens of the album to work it out, but there’s a definite Entombed influence within the guitar work too. “Rising” is far more anthemic; a thumping solid drum line, courtesy of Decapitated drummer Michal Lysejko, accompanied by a solid, slightly darker bass line.
For a first full length album this offering stands head and shoulders over the majority of debut releases. That the band are defining a new genre themselves with their recording adds a little more gravitas to their work. This piece has blown my mind, and keeps doing so…
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