TEARABYTE
"Embrace
Oblivion" (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Tearabyte seem to have removed all of the strings from their electric guitars and replaced them with the bigger, throbbier strings of a bass. If you're looking for heavy, look no further because, believe me, this is it.
Like Testament and perhaps Overkill, Tearabyte thrive on the low end of the musical spectrum. Their songs are bottom-heavy, evenly paced (never too fast) and designed for maximum impact. The opening chords of the CD's first track, "Road Rage," set the tone and it never changes throughout.
Fortunately, although the band's typical sound never strays too far from its center, each song is structured so that it stands out on its own. The only weak song on the CD is "It's All A Lie," which rumbles along nicely enough but doesn't ever really go anywhere either. The CD's best tracks are the title track, the unabashedly angry "Road Rage," "Price of Evil" and the Southern-fried cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."
One thing is certain: I hope Tearabyte didn't form a band for the same reason Blackie Lawless of "W.A.S.P." originally did (when asked, Blackie answered, "To get my dick sucked.") Women are likely to find "Last of the Gash" and "Screaming Pig Fucker From Hell" (no, I am not making it up) so offensive that they'll probably bring rotten tomatoes and picket signs to a Tearabyte show. Then again, it works for GWAR.
Tearabyte is: Al Mead - bass, lead vocals; Kevin Mead - guitar, backing vocals; Jeff Owens - drums.
For more information, check out http://www.tearabyte.net.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2002 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 12 Aug 2024 14:33:59 -0400.
