German Hardrockers BERSERKER will donate 18.000€ to the Berlin cancer charity for children on May 25. November 2011 BERSERKER front man Schröder was diagnosed with cancer, now he is cancer-free. In 2012 the band collected money for this charity at their concerts and will also continue to do so in the future. Slayer´s Jeff Hanneman is dead: he passed away at about 11AM on May 2nd near his Southern California home because of liver failure due to an infection after a spider bite. More info: www.facebook.com/slayer
R.I.P. Jeff! Festivals cancelled: ROCK AM SEE (GER) takes a break in 2013 "lacking attractive headliners"; BURNING SEA in Croatia had to succumb to a new tax regulation; yet purchased BS-tickets can also be used to visit METALDAYS in Slowenia.
The Siberian Jay music video "I´m Holding" featuring Mikko Sirén from Apocalyptica on drums - we reported about the videoshoot in our "1h with" Special - can be watched here: http://youtu.be/C-hSNurZVcs
Kevlar Bikini. The quite curious and original name called my attention in a heartbeat. And so did the songs of their album Explodisiac, mixed by legendary Tomas Skogsberg at Sunlight Studio in Sweden and mastered by Pelle Henricsson (Entombed, Refused, Meshuggah) at Tonteknik Recording, released in February this year. The Zagrebians Auker (vocals), Arlavi (bass), Berta (guitar) and Kicho (drums) really managed to record a damn explosive, punk-a-billy, booty shakin´ strip-club rock of the finest, 100% fun-warranty and really well executed.
Devil´s Jukebox is the opener and one of the highlights of the album. Catchy melodies, cool riffs, punk/metal groove together with throat-shredding vocals and loads of lick-lick-lick´s, it will get you off your feet and rocking! Rats and Copycats surprised and amused me borrowing lyrics from Black Eyed Pea´s “My Hump” right in the beginning! Haha! It fits perfectly to the song and added an extra fun part to it! Cool-crazy lyrics involving some booty-shakin´ and Michael Jackson, together with elements of Blues, Metal, Punk and Rockabilly just give the song the status of “cherry on top of the cake” in my musical heart. Yikes Mama and Jab got me rattlin´ and rollin´ with their rockabilly tunes and great bass lines. Supersized Buttcake and Pretzelspine kick-off filled with heavy/trashy moments and some punk elements. Suped up machine has the heaviest intro and trashiest riffs of them all, it got me “ready to roll (…) and out of control”. One of my favorites. Urinea brings some calm after the storm with acoustic tunes à la Alice in Chains. Last but not least, Kiss It Like It´s Skinny Liv Tyler is the perfect song to end the album. Really catchy and with some cool bass lines, it sticks into your brain and get you shakin´ all again. The title is quite absurd but nevertheless funny, serving ist purpose of being unforgettable by its weirdness.
All in all a great album filled with high-energy booty-shakin´ rock and a must have in every party-rocker´s collection worldwide. I hope I can get to see the band live, they surely kick ass big time!
