aubl review of the AYRTDF...? ep - a three outta fiver

[The Ghost Of Fudge]

Deadloss Superstar - Are You Ready To Die ForE.P

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A review by Kris Rennie

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Deadloss Superstar need no introduction other than they rock like bastards on the live stakes and anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of seeing their show yet should definitely check them out.

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A band that comprises of Brian and Craig of FudgeNight fame, the ubiquitous musical talent that is Wazzak(formerly of Subsistence and My Decaying Leg) and two members of local metal act We Become Less - Martin Hill and James Johnston, Deadloss Superstar have gained themselves a reputation as being one of the best live acts in the Aberdeen music scene with the emphasis solely on playing REALLY MOTHERFUCKIN LOUD.

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The Are You Ready To Die ForE.P doesn't waste any time in revealing this reputation as first track Wall Of Skin blasts out of the speakers with a frenzied duel attack from Craig and Martin's squealing guitars and then the vocals kick in and from here on in, Deadloss Superstar are cookin' and doing what they do best and rockin' the fuck out.

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The majority of the track from the minute Brian's vocals kick in and Deadloss crank up the pace, the track reminded me of some of my favourite stoner rock bands such as Monster Magnet, Corrosion Of Conformity and Kyuss but the only let-down for me is the Rage Against The Machine-esque stomp chorus which I felt broke the track up too much.

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Apart from that, Wall Of Skin is a blinding start to this CD and sets the tone nicely for the rest of the E.P.

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A wailing harmonica, a slow thumping drumbeat and some Cajun country-fried guitar chords usher in possibly one of the coolest tracks I've heard since I last listened to an Alabama 3 album in Draw The Line. It sounds like it should be on the soundtrack to an American road movie or should actually be on an Alabama 3 album, or if not, could at least be mistaken for an Alabama 3 track.

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Brian really stretches his vocal range here and they blend perfectly with Ziggy Fantastic's harmonica and the slowburning swamp boogie beats provided impeccably by Wazzak, there really isn't much to fault in this track apart from the loud grungey guitar parts that almost threaten an otherwise perfect song, I didn't really understand their inclusion in the track and I felt they ruined what could've been the best song Alabama 3 have never written.

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D.N.R, to me, is basically a Monster Magnet track. The vocals and the guitar parts and even the song's structure sound very much like something Monster Magnet have done before and have done better. Not to say that D.N.R is actually a bad song, its most certainly entertaining and again, is loud and abrasive and what Deadloss Superstar do best but I feel its their weakest track and the widdly guitar solos and vocal histrionics where Brian shouts "FUCK YOU!!!" and "WOOOO!!!" are over-used and make this song a grating annoyance more than anything to tap your toe violently too.

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In Tranquillo Mors, for me, is Deadloss's shining moment, and is possibly one of the most punk rock songs I have heard from an Aberdeen-based rock band. If any of Aberdeen's so-called "punk" bands were to actually listen to this track, they'd realise that this is how punk rock ought to be played.

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In Tranquillo Mors invokes the spirit of The Clash, The Cramps, The Damned and The Stooges in one screamin' demon of a track. It rips by at breakneck-and-breakskull speed without letting up, the guitar parts are played fast and hard, Brian hollers and screams and Wazzak pummels the fuck out of his kit.

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Perfect track, once again no-one puts a foot wrong and this is the way punk rock should playedchaotic, violent, horrible and as loud and as fast as humanly possible. If punk rock were a driving test, Deadloss just passed with flying, or driving, colours.

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From the wanton destruction left behind from In Traquillo Mors, we get a live favourite of Deadloss's in the shape of their final track Stars.

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Its yet another slowburner but a slowburner in the style of an ensuing apocalypse, its a decent song and Brian displays much of his vocal range. Last time I saw Brian sing was at Fudge Aid and there I thought Deadloss were a good band but I wasn't overly impressed with his vocals but on this track, he really excels himself throughout the duration of the track with his vocals going from soft to loud in all the right places, especially when he sings the immortal line midway through the track "THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL!!!".

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All the band play fantastically in this track although at times you have the sneaky feeling its all going to go all lighters-in-the-air and descend into stadium rock guitar chord theatricsand then, at the end, it does.

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In my own opinion, the track is okay but I prefer it when Deadloss are rocking out and sounding like they're bringing Hell to us on a silver platter but Stars, for me, is maybe Deadloss's most anti-climactic moment and ultimately sounds like their own Champagne Supernova.

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Mainly because it sounds like its going to be very predictable from the word go. I have probably heard the track before when I saw them play Fudge Aid but in this instance, hearing it again I could tell exactly what the song's structure was going to be and where they were going to go with the track and I knew the ending would consist of an overlong widdly guitar solo.

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I think one of their more "softer" tracks Rising Sun is a better song than Stars because it doesn't last as long but as a closer to the E.P, Stars works well and is probably an apt conclusion. Sadly, it wasn't a track that washed well with me.

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Deadloss are by no means an original band but they use their influences and their combined talents well and have reinforced themselves as a fearsome live act and are one of the premier rock bands in this city and I heartily recommend seeing them live.

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I suppose the good thing about the E.P as a whole would be the amount of styles and influences Deadloss have displayed and there is something for everyone here.

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Anyone who is into Monster Magnet, Kyuss, Corrosion Of Conformity, Masters Of Reality and Queens Of The Stone Age will like what they've done in Wall Of Skin and D.N.R, fans of Alabama 3 will be amazed at what they've done with Draw The Line, 70s punk rock fans will love In Tranquillo Mors but I can't help thinking that Oasis fans may love Stars.

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In conclusion, a decent motherfuckin CD from Deadloss MUTHAFUCKIN Superstar.

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3 OUT OF 5

[Jimmy Lucifer]

I never realised Wazz played drums on that EP! Was I just not paying attention?

I also find it funny that "In Tranquillo" is getting lots of positive vibes from people. Mart and Bri: watch yer backs. Craig will be having the lions share of the royalities before you know it....