Customer Reviews

Double Brutal

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In July of 2008, Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying fame released a side project under the name "Austrian Death Machine." The CD was brilliant in every respect, capturing the anger and brutality of the Governator's movies. Today, the sequel, Double Brutal, has been officially dropped on us. I pre-ordered the album from the official website and received my pre-order package in the mail yesterday afternoon.

All the haste and glitz doesn't save the album from falling a little flat in two areas. First, I noticed there's a new fake Ahhnold on the album. Even though he does sound quite beefy and realistically older, I liked the comedic impersonation from the first album way better.

I also wasn't too fond on the band's reliance on break-downs during their songs. It sounded to me like each break-down sounded exactly the same as the one before, but at a slower tempo. However, I like how Lambesis lowered his dependence on ProTools to get the job done. Here, it sounds like he was able to manage getting the whole band together. If it was done with ProTools, I could never tell.

Now, the songs themselves... None of the songs are as thrashy as, say, Get To The Choppa. BUT, the humor and brilliance in the songwriting extends to this album. The songs are great, my personal favorite is still "I Need Your Clothes, Your Boots, and Your Motorcycle."

Of course, disc two features a bunch of Ahhnold-inspired covers. Out of all of these tracks, I was the most impressed with Trapped Under Ice and Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good. Hell Bent For Leather is great, except for the fact it's the exact same song as the Christmas EP without the intro part.

I recommend this album to anyone who's a big Arnie fan, fans of ADM, or fans of BROO-TALL music in general. Great album overall.

The New Austrian Death Machine album is here!

Okay. I'm wondering if I'm allowed to like this WAY more than I like As I Lay Dying?

This album is awesome metal. What can I say? Buy it!

The opening with the two Ahhnold clones arguing is priceless.
The first song melted my face off, and the following tracks were amazing.

I honestly think that this is likely one of the best metal releases of the year. The riffs are heavy, the lyrics are hilarious, the production is strong, and the entire project is amazing! I found myself head banging like a madman!

I could go track by track and review this, but if you know about Austrian Death Machine you already have an idea of what this sounds like and likely already own it.

If you're not familiar with Austrian Death Machine, this stuff has flavors of modern 'western' metal (Tim is the frontman for "As I Lay Dying") in that it has non-melodic vocals and fair amounts of rhythmic variety (but it's not prog at all). This album also has a bit of old flavor to it as well with simpler, heavier riffs, tapping solos and straight-forward songwriting...think pre- "symphony of destruction" era Megadeth. Every song is basically a quote from Arnold "The Governator" and it's essentially a hilarious side project. The music is kinda what you would have if Dwayne Johnson replaced Nicholas Cage in an action movie; less chatter and heroic poses and a lot more 2x4's to the face. This is stuff you should NOT listen to while driving, but you SHOULD listen to while slaying hordes of zombie teletubbies.

This album is five stars! Well worth the money and the Arnold impressions are stupid and funny. Tim Lambesis is a "girlie man" but he sure can make some brutal and funny thrash metal. Go and get it you won't be disappointed

"You are not me! I'm me!!"

If you don't "get" the aforementioned reference, don't bother purchasing this. You'll just think this record is stupid. :) It's held up for me through multiple playings, and I still find it funny.

This is one crazy album everything about it is sooo cool and purely done perfect. the artwork is pure eye candy, the first track "Double Ahhnold" is a funny and great intro which is leading to a promising ass kicking record, its about these two arnolds just going at it saying who the real arnold is...instant classic and then kicks it up a notch to the highlight song from this record "I Need Your Clothes, Your Boots, Your Motorcycle" which is a perfect way to start off the shredding is amazing and the chorus is simple yet addicting, then leads to abunch of other awesome tunes and funny arnold tracks...then disc 2...what a treat to hear awesome cover tunes from legendary bands like Metallica, Motorhead and Judas Priest

Just as clever as Total Brutal, funnier actually! Couple brutal riffs with brutal vocals from a brutal actor... it's just brutal! DO yourself, or a friend, a favour and buy it!

Comedy, one thing that is severely lacking in the Metal industry. Listening to all this new Metal music now a days it's nice to have a break from all the seriousness and listen to a group that you can literally hear having fun making their music. Tim Lambesis once again proves that he is quite possibly one of the best humored guys in the Metal genre today and still has the skills to create an amazing Thrash album.

The dialog between Ahhnold and Tim is priceless and I am glad their is more this time around. "Intro To The Intro" alone made my side hurt I was laughing so hard toward the end when they all start singing. The lyrics of the songs are just as witty as those heard on the equally great debut album Total Brutal and still make me crack a smile while headbanging.

The music on it's own is top notch and in my opinion is some of Tim's best work. Though he had a lot of guest musicians, most of the music heard is done by him. Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals, Trumpet, Keyboards and even Oboe are all done by Tim making some classic gritty Thrash that fans of the genre would be proud of. As far as guest musicians, the most obvious are those whom contributed guitars solo's.. Here is a list taken from Wikipedia..

* Andrew Tapley of The Human Abstract - Tracks 2 & 5
* Rusty Cooley of Outworld - Track 3
* Chris Storey formerly of All Shall Perish - Track 6
* Mark MacDonald of Mercury Switch - Track 8
* Buz McGrath of Unearth - Track 9
* Kris Norris formerly of Darkest Hour - Track 11
* James "JP" Gericke of Skyline Collapse and Death by Stereo - Track 12
* Rocky Gray of Living Sacrifice - Track 13 (First)
* Jason Suecof of Capharnaum - Track 13 (Second)

And as if the first CD wasn't enough we get a 2nd, what's more it's Tim and gang covering some Classic's and surprisingly enough succeeding. The "Trapped Under Ice" cover alone was quite an accomplishment but I also have to admit the T2 Theme is probably my favorite song on the second disc, it's just so epic hearing the classic title done so well with guitars.

All in all Austrian Death Machine remains the top runners in the Comedic Metal universe closely followed by Dethklok which actually might be all the bands in the genre. Hopefully this band will pave the way for more groups to tap into their humorous side and lighten things up a bit. I have to give Tim and Co mad props and say Double Brutal is def placed in my Top 10 Metal Albums of 2009. A must for all fans of the Metal Universe.

Total Brutal was brutal without a doubt but this album ups the ante. Doubles down if you will. If you thought the first album was heavy this one will crush your soul. I particularly enjoy the track 'see you at the party Ricter' and 'cool off Bennet' but all the tracks are worthy headbangers. Another standout track is on the second disc. Tactically dangerous-cannibal commando is straight up brutal death metal. Not that it's the best track or anything but is certainly brutal. If you like death/thrash metal and have a sense of humor you will be diggin' this stuff.

This is a metal masterwork, it's an album you can just put in and listen to all the way threw and love every song. It's Broo-Tal UGH!!! The cover songs are awesome, I was particular proud of the "Killing Is My Business" Megadeth cover which was very well done. As I said with ADM's debut album this concept is musical metal master working at it's best. Arnold + metal go hand in hand with awesome results. This is by far the best metal album of 09 thus far next to Megadeth's Endgame. Death Magnetic sucks.

I listen to the samples before I buy... So far I am not buying.

I hate to say this... but I dug the first Austrian Death Machine Album so much. I work out to it sometimes, and even play it for people I don't know. But after listening to the first Arnold inpersinator and loving it so much, I can't get past how this guy sounds. Chad Ackerman's Arnold was perfect for what the album was, and even though Josh Robert Thompson has done more famous Arnold impersonations... it makes me cringe when I hear it on this album. :( Compare Broo-Tall Song Idea to any of the other Arnold work Josh Thompson did.

I appriciate tremendously the covers being on a second album, but the Metallica cover... the vocal choice he made did nothing for me. The T2 Theme song has always been a favorite for me... and their cover makes me very happy.

Ultimately, I can not put my finger on what it is about this album that just isn't doing it for me, but I remember putting Total Brutal in my Car Stereo with my buddy... Both of us laughing... and then Banging heads... followed up by some taco bell.

I'm just not feeling this album, and it Pains me to say that, because I was super f'ing pumped about banging head to this CD. It's the Arnold voice... I can't do it... Even listening to it now, when I hear that Arnold voice in a song I cringe.