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Merendine Atomiche
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Raw
Mausoleum Records
Release: 8/22/2006
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Rated:
Review by:
J Sherrod
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The Italian metal band Merendine Atomiche has been around
for eleven years and somehow I've never heard anything
about them. Where the fuck have I been?!? Normally I pick
my own CD's to review, but one of NowOnTour lackeys
handpicked this one for me. Fortunately, he knows his shit,
and I ended up with a copy of the band's new sophomore
release Raw. Now I can tell others just how
much I - and maybe you the reader - have been missin'
out.
"In The Cage" starts with a frustrated man as he panics and
tells himself "I gotta get out!" The song then bursts into a
solid groove, reminiscent of Prong. This song hits like a brick
to the head in a riot. A great bottom-heavy bass sound from
Dario Bianchi compliments gritty guitars and solid double
bass licks.
"Roads And Beers" - a great title on it's own - is as heavy as
the hangover you'd have after a two-day binge. Singer Luca
Zandarin tells it like it is with "Roads and beers, we have no
fears!" I feel that way damn-near everyday of my life.
Drummer Luca Cerardi is explosive on this track and lead
guitarist David Bisson provides a killer guitar
solo.
While my musical analogies are flowing, let me make one
more about the title track. My personal favorite on this
album, this song is as heavy as a three-year-old fruitcake
nobody wanted from a Christmas past. This could easily pass
for a Sepultura song off the Chaos A.D.
album.
"I Want To Be A Man" reminds me of early 90's-era Anthrax
with it's solid grooves from Luca Securo that keep this flowin'
like old school thrash metal (and yep, three dudes named
Luca in one band - if you were counting).
Now I come to what has to be, without a doubt, the song that
stands out like a sore thumb. I've always been a believer
that no matter how many heavy, skull splitting, bone
crushing songs a metal band writes, nothin' shows how low
their sacks hang like puttin' a ballad on the record.
"Ocean's Shadows" isn't a love song ballad, just a song of
growin' up, defeating our fears and overcoming challenges in
life. Musically this song is top-notch and Zandarin's vocal
range is superb as his Italian accent adds so much to the
flow of the song. Much respect to the band for putting this
jewel on the album.
The last of the disc is where things really get versatile. With
lyrics almost taken from any 80's glam metal song about
strippers, "We Didn't Know" is fun and still remains heavy.
Lyrics like, "She said to us, bang me like you bang your
heads" pretty much sums up what any hetero male wants to
hear from a fine lady. The song also describes the "two
types of women" in the world, but you must buy the record
to find out what they are. The closing song, "Shake For Me"
follows-up with lyrics you don't want your momma to hear.
Both are fun but still fit well within the album's
context.
These guys put different styles of metal together to create
their own style. While I don't know their status in the metal
world abroad, I hope the band gets much deserved
credibility in the US. If mainstream success doesn't happen,
I firmly believe Merendine Atomiche will build a loyal
following that will stay with them through the years. I'm
proud to say I have now become part of that. |
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