CHROME DIVISION 'Booze, Broads,
Beelzebub' (Nuclear Blast) Review by Jeff Maki Buy
now
Who coined the phrase “rock n' roll
is the devil's music?” Whether it was a person of religious
stature, a congressman or upset grandmother, they've been
rolling in their grave for the last 30 years. This person's
warning has had adverse affects, fueling rock and metal bands
and their fans for decades. A sample of this quote opens Chrome
Division's second album and is the running theme of this band
made up of Dimmu Borgir's Shagrath and company.
Their debut album, Doomsday Rock N' Roll, was full
of attitude, melding punk and metal in the vein of the best
Motorhead. It often sounded like Lemmy may have had offspring
in the band. Booze, Broads, and Beelzebub has
the same vibe, except the band strays a little further into
mainstream territory. “Raven Black Cadillac” reminds
me of something along the lines of Rancid, a '90s-style, pop-punk
song fit for radio. Chrome Division's biker metal may have
a little more debt to pay to Turbonegro than people first
realize. Their influence, whether intentional or not, is strong. Listen
to the two bands back to back and you'll hear what I mean.
“Wine of Sin” is straight-up sleaze rock. At one
point, vocalist Eddie Guz even yells, “Show me your
tits!” Guz is the kind of vocalist a band like this
needs. He is charismatic, more punk than metal and seems to
have an axe to grind, accounting for a large part of
the "attitude" in these songs. The lyrics are comical
and over-the-top, but always fun and that's what Chrome Division
is largely about. The title track is an ode to drinking and
partying down Chrome Division-style, while “The Boys
from the East” is the band's new anthem. Just for shits
and giggles, we even get a Norwegian biker metal version of
ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man.”
To say that Chrome Division sounds like any of the above bands
is not entirely fair. They have a certain swagger and attitude
that few possess. That's often the missing link for making
a band not just good but great. Hearing Chrome Division for
the first time, if I hadn't known, I'd have no idea that Shagrath--the
vocalist of the mighty Dimmu Borgir--was a member of this
band. Dimmu Borgir encompasses everything that is extreme
metal. Other than sharing a band member, the two have nothing
at all to do with each other.
After getting past the band's self-portrayed image and some
of the silliness that comes along with it, Chrome Division
cuts it loose, playing hard and fast. Shagrath's raw guitar
sound is a major part of it. If rock n' roll is the devil's
music, Chrome Division is on a highway to hell.
I'm sure they already have there bikes fueled and ready to
ride.
