Customer Reviews

Biermacht [Collector's Numbered Edition]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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It's sad to see bands like Portland's WEHRMACHT simply disappear into obscurity and never get the credit for what they were. WEHRMACHT was probably one of the most original, intense and fun bands of the Thrash Metal era. Their love for Gore films, international beers and extreme hardcore punk gave birth to one of the most unique musical styles in a genre often deemed as close minded. "Biermacht" was the band's second and (sadly)final album, but the band went with a bang. From the hilarious opening, "You Broke My Heart (So I Broke Your Face)" to the intense thrash/grind of "The Wehrmacht" and "Night Of Pain", the band displayed an incredible musical capability (specially drummer Brian Lehfeldt). The record is filled with 3-second joke songs, many of them only the band members knew what they were about (i.e., "Drink Jack"), but despite this obvious filler, the album is truly an amazing Hardcore/Thrash display. As a final note, this album is less than 30 minutes long.

Great guitar riffs, catchy and vicious, plus a good dose of "virtuosity"(especially guitarist Marco Sharko, check out Spazztic Blurr if ya wanna hear his pretty original songwriting skills), and extremely tight, fast, energetic and precise drumming from Brian. Good breakdowns not far removed from hardcore and many, many thrashing parts. Each song here is a classic by itself. The songwriting is awesome, the lyrics are about beer, horror, fun and some other stuff like that. Nothing really serious at all.
Recommended (along with the first full-lenght "Shark Attack") for all fans of music. It's a very pleasing experience, it's easy to listen and its funny stance could bring you more than a smile. It may need a few listens to get goin', though. It's not a loss of time, that's for sure!
I obviously fell in love with it. And with the first LP. And with the band....

Wehrmacht, one of the most overlooked pioneers of the early grind scene (in this era, bands such as SOD and Wehrmacht were hailed as thrash/hardcore or thrashcore), gained a great deal of credibilty with their second album Beirmacht. The album consists of some of the groups greatest outings such as "GoreFlix", "Night Of Pain (Part 2)", and "Radical Neck Dissection"!

This Y2K New Renaissance re-release contains a few packaging/tracking flaws that are worthy of note. The inlay and booklet both have incorrect track listings, for example. It also lacks production notes or any additional commentaries, thanks lists, etc. that other reprinting labels such as NMG have. Regardless, Biermacht is still a mandatory own, and hopefully, Shark Attack (Wehrmacht's best album and one of the greatest metal releases of all time) will be re-released soon.

-l-

This is the second of two albums released by Portland, Oregon's terribly under-appreciated Wehrmacht. This 1988 follow-up to 1986's "Shark Attack" is better produced and more technical. Typical of late-80's Northwestern U.S. metal, they tend to be slightly funky on this release (a la Accused, Mr. Bungle).

Wehrmacht was arguably the first band to be coined speed-core for this extremely fast metallic hardcore. Though their speedy crossover sound, technical guitar work, and campy lyrics were predated by the likes of S.O.D., Wehrmacht is definitely deserving of the speed-core badge. Napalm Death and other grindcore heavyweights consider them major influences.

The vocalist, who sounds uncannily like Kreator's Mille Petrozza, and guitarist went on to front the funky progressive grind band Spazztic Blurr. Drummer Brian Lehfeldt joined Cryptic Slaughter then the much more tame Sweaty Nipples.

Don't get ripped-off buying this used. If Amazon doesn't have it in stock, check New Renaissance's website.