SOLDIERS OF SCRAPE

"Taking on the name of the fans who support them", Detroit's BOWLSCRAPER are now known as SOLDIERS OF SCRAPE and a new album called "Operation: Shifting Gears" is the first shot across the rust belted bow. What's it all about? Metal, beer, long hair, tattoos, and more beer. The spirit of old school metal (one of the song titles actually) is everywhere on this one and the band's PANTERA-esque, meat-and-potatoes delivery has its moments, even some cleverness and fun from time to time. It's just a shame that the majority of the songwriting isn't much better than mediocre, as I enjoyed much of what I heard. At least the production of Ben Schigel (CHIMAIRA, WALLS OF JERICHO, DROWNING POOL) gives the music a nice punch and the CD art is cool as hell (especially the inside foldout!).

Much of "Operation: Shifting Gears" relies on chugging riffs and Dimebag Darrell string bends, in-the-pocket drumming (though muscular and not totally one-dimensional),and the whiskey soaked, Anselmo vocals of Mick Stone. While tracks like "Just a Moment", "Inebriated Youth", "Mountains", and "Living the Life" are decent enough slabs of metallic toughness, there isn't enough to keep most folks interested beyond the occasional spin. "Shifting Gears" is one of the better ones with a kind of thrashy gallop, "Coming Down" approaches full on asskickery, and "Wet" sports a nice little groove, yet even these tracks won't have you jumping up and down with both fists in the air.

It is on the first four cuts where the band shows more of an identity and the songwriting, while still a tad spotty, is solid and the lyrics no-nonsense odes to flowing suds and heavy metal. "Blaster" is one such mid-tempo chugger and a tribute to mosh pit warriors everywhere. "Cold Beer" is a basic metal rocker with lyrics about indulging that are sometimes entertaining and sometimes annoying with lines like "A shot of Jack and we're drinking it here / where's our waitress? I am thirsty". The album high points are unequivocally "KFKR" (as in Kerry Fucking King Rules) and "Old School Metal", mainly for the lyrical content. The former chugs along with King-esque guitar lines and lyrics that utilize SLAYER song titles: "He came from South of Heaven screaming from the sky / he shows no fuckin' mercy / he will die by the sword / he will fight til death". Musically, "Old School Metal" features an arrangements that move from laid back rhythms and light, lazy licks to up-tempo chug and back again. The lyrics are about what you'd expect for this tribute tune: "I remember bands like ANTHRAX and TESTAMENT and METALLICA and S.O.D., NUCLEAR ASSAULT / and for all those metal brothers, that's why we do this." Stone pays tribute to the fallen soldiers as well. Finally, radio edit versions of "Cold Beer", "Coming Down", and "Wet" are also included.

Yes, "Operation: Shifting Gears" is not unlikable, especially for those with a sense of humor and a desire for straight ahead metal. I found myself wanting to like it more than I did, probably because I seem to recall enjoying the BOWLSCRAPER material quiet a bit.