The Bullet Monks are disappointed men, primarily because this Bayern-based four-piece would far rather have originated in an Arkansas trailer-park. The moustachioed spectre of Earl Hickey pops up Banquo-like surprisingly often on this, their debut album. Obscene lyrics, Blues slide guitar, choruses which go ‘Hell Yeah’ and ‘Born To Be A Loser’ and threats to ‘…open a can of whoop-ass…’ add red-neck credibility. Sandwiched between the Blues-based ‘Downtown Is Dead’ and the Rock n’ Roll rollercoaster ‘Never Be A Wannabe’ they even indulge in some ineptly-executed American-accented larceny to add that touch of White Trash chic. Bizarre website comparisons to Led Zeppelin and Motorhead are rendered redundant by the band’s own determination to imitate The Supersuckers. This they achieve with aplomb on ‘No Gain Just Pain’ and ‘Canned Insanity’. This brand of up-tempo ‘Mosh n’Roll’ appears to be The Bullet Monks’ speciality but only makes up about half the record.
Fortunately or otherwise The Bullet Monks are too talented to be constrained by such a limited format. According to their publicity there is ‘…No nu-whatever…’ here. The hideous ‘I Am’ delivers exactly that, being a perfect replication of the spiky-haired massive-trousered Disturbed at their late 1990s zenith / nadir. The non-trailer half of ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ boasts similar heavier numbers, showing a considerable Nu-Metal influence. Nasty Breed 77-style Eastern-type wails combine with ‘One, two, fuck you’ chants and other Nu-isms evoking the likes of Drowning Pool. While effortlessly played, the heavier numbers feel like a band leaving their comfort zone. Lyrics about controlling zombies seem out of place for a band torn between detailing their fucked up-ness in dreary, stolid Nu-Metal style and crashing off the rails in a Jack-soaked Rock n’Roll crazy train.
That’s not to say that The Bullet Monks don’t deliver some serious Heavy Metal. ‘Hang On Lord’ comes on with a Cathedral-type stomp, before edging off into Audioslave-style muso territory. Massive riffs and Chris Cornell-style vocals support holocaust-referencing lyrics, before recovering into a Monster Magnet pastiche. ‘We’re All Fucked’ offers a great chorus, while ‘Tentacle’ boasts cracking Nu-Metal riffery from The Monks’ guitarist Dangerous Dan.
At its best, ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ is an impressive record. Slick song-writing, good musicianship and considerable style are evident on the stand-out tracks. ‘Lifestyle Junkie’ is a particular highlight, opening with downbeat Nirvana-ish beginning, before crashing into some of The Bullet Monks’ patent super-fast Mosh n’Roll and a chorus curiously reminiscent of Kula Shaker. Ditto ‘Under The Sun’ which starts with a clever Nu-ish riff and features a particularly strong vocal line and a thrilling guitar solo. ‘My World’s a Show’ is another cunningly crafted mini-epic featuring the Monks’ signature combination of Nu-Metal riffage with a rock-solid chorus.
The Bullet Monks are reportedly taken pretty seriously in their native land, to the extent that the German version of Metal Hammer has awarded the band the magazine’s ‘Full Throttle’ award. There’s no doubting their ability, but on ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ they are struggling to find an identity. Do they stick with serious, serious riffy, chanty, wailing-vocalled Nu-Metal paeans to their depression and neuroses or do they forget their troubles, crack open a bottle of Jack, break out their Hellacopters records and buy that Earl Hickey-style trailer which could be the only thing that makes them happy? The next record will show which way this band is headed. Personally I’m hoping for Hickey.
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