Desperadoz - Call of the Wild (2017)

One of the issues I've taken with most of the Desperadoz records beyond the debut is that I'm a pretty big fan of both the Western and Weird Western genres of film, comics, and so forth, and thus would really like to see bands deliver it unto heaviness...Western Death Metal, Doom Metal, Black Metal, Power Metal, whatever the niche it can burrow itself into, like rounds from a Colt. So I secretly root for bands like this one to take it to the next level and achieve that rare integration of lyrical and musical aesthetics. Yet, a lot of what I hear on their records seems more like worship of big arena hard rock and metal lite from those glorious 80s, as if the idea was inspired more by Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive" than sticking spurs into something far more potent and aggressive.

Now, to be fair, I think these Germans at least touch upon that Western appeal superficially, as much of their discography feels like you're about to pop in your Silverado or Young Guns DVD, a clear lineage from the sort of big, bright, burly 80s entertainment some of us grew up on, along with Alex Kraft and company. Plenty of bluesy acoustic guitar sequences. Cliche-ridden lyrics that speak to you of the hard life on horseback. The rather obvious saloon fonts used for the rather effortless cover artwork. A solid, atmospheric intro piece that feels exactly like you're strolling into a town alongside some tumbleweeds... whistling, guns being cocked, and a natural swagger to it that simply belongs to this thematic genre. They even manage to draft a couple semi-heavy power/speed licks circa their German heritage mixed with a little late 80s Zakk Wylde-driven Ozzy ("Hell & Back"). Sadly, this level of energy is the exception rather than the rule, and most of the writing is cemented in safe, run of the mill hard rock rhythms that generate little more vitriol than Skid Row; both the riffs and the vocals, with some grooves, some slide guitars layered in there, and not a lot of surprises.

That doesn't make it bad, per se, and 80s MTV purists might revel in how it takes that throwback sound and mixes in a heavier dose of Western, but this and most of its predecessors just don't seem to have a lot of ambition, and I come away feeling as if it was just too snug and comfortable. It's not because Desperadoz bite off any particular band too much...no, even Alex's vocals mirror a little bit of Sebastian Bach attitude, only with a lower range edge akin to Peavy Wagner of Rage, a higher melodic sustain reminiscent of The Cult's Ian Astbury, and some harmonies that remind me of the mid or slow paced hits from the Alice in Chains lexicon. The drums and bass sound bright and clear, and the riffs do possess a degree of variation to round out the album from sounding too samey. The country ballad material ("All the Long Way Home") is a bit tacky, but fits the concept, and the instrumental pieces here actually spin a competent cinematic narrative which I'm sure several directors of 80s and 90s flicks would have loved in their soundtracks.

The thing is, I don't really want Silverado or Three Amigos! in hard rock form. I want The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, or Once Upon a Time in the West, set to some tunes that can thunder across the plains like a desperate gunman and his steed on the run from some pissed off outlaws. Not prim, proper, stadium anthems, but a gritty and grimy orchestra of bullets and knives. Not just 'one shot for the road', but stinking drunk and pissing itself with fear and tension. Call of the Wild has a modicum of spit and fire by hard rock standards, but it just doesn't take enough chances, and ends up with their last couple efforts as an example of good production standards and professionalism without the extra oomph that surpasses an average listen. Plenty of qualities, and thematic qualifications, but every time it spits a little tobacco, it feels like a janitor rushes in to clean it up all too conveniently. Far from a complete bust, but I feel like I'd enjoy these Desperadoz better if they were more pissed and trigger happy.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

http://www.dezperadoz.de/

Dezperadoz - Dead Man's Hand (2012)

I had pretty high hopes for the Dezperadoz project after hearing the 2000 debut The Dawn of Dying, because let's face it: Wild West themed metal is in short supply, and the thought of a German speed/thrash band taking up the idea and applying Tom Angelripper's vocals is quite inspirational. However, since that point Alex Kraft's project has taken a turn for the worse, upping the atmospherics and Western/cowboy cliches and pairing it with a modern pop production and a more melodic vocal edge that often reminds me of The Cult's Ian Astbury crossbred with Alice in Chain's Layne Staley. There are still distinctly heavy/power metal riffs in there, often with a bit of thrash or groove to them, but it just wasn't enough to justify all the cheese toppings.

Sadly, Dead Man's Hand does not take a 180 back to the roots of the outfit, so this is more or less a direct continuation of An Eye for An Eye, but I'll give Kraft some credit. He's a talented dude. His vocals cut a little more into the skin here, and in general the riffs are kept pretty heavy, a more hostile spin on the bluesy/grooves you'd hear from Zakk Wylde and company. Maybe The Cult or Skid Row if they were more 'metal'. They're often pretty threadbare and generic in nature, but back in the early 90s, where hard rock was one of the styles being subsumed into grunge or groove metal, an album like Dead Man's Hand likely would have found an audience. The production is high end, the use of pianos and acoustics and other instruments give it a massive, dynamic feel, and for the most part they seem to lay off the lame narrative interludes and other bits (they still exist, though). On the other hand, this is all so very cliche and song titles like "Just Like Cowboyzz" and "Yippie Ya Yeah" make it hard to take seriously. I realize the Dezperadoz are a bit of a fun gimmick, but not a 'funny' one.

If only this level of energy was applied to something more devout and vicious, Kraft would have one of the most unique bands out there. Instead of the silly stereotypes, go for broke with some greater concept and more complex, interesting music. You could still use the folksy guitars, the pianos, the theme, but how about steering it in more of an Unforgiven or Deadwood direction and less Blazing Saddles? Ditch the big melodic rock songs like "Train of Souls" and bring back some of that thrashing from the first album, because often this album feels about as Western as Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory" or "Wanted Dead or Alive" and no further. A lot of the lighter hearted throwback tracks like "My Ol' Rebel Heart' just plain suck, and there's no reason to swell up an album to an hour of content when you could just as well cut it down by 20 minutes and keep the more interesting, original sounding compositions.

These criticisms aside, though, I do feel that Dead Man's Hand is marginally better than the two albums before it, and if anyone out there was truly enamored with style established on The Legend and the Truth, then they might as well strap on the six shooters and run and gun with this. Aside from some of the goofiness, there was some effort in its construction, and Alex is a good singer if not a memorable one. But alas, the prize cow of Wild Western extreme metal has yet to be properly milked and butchered.

Verdict: Indifference [6.25/10]

 http://www.myspace.com/dezperadoz

Dezperadoz - An Eye for an Eye (2008)

If there's one thing An Eye for An Eye does to justify its existence above the Dezperadoz sophomore The Legend and the Truth, its that it noticeable turns up the heavy elements that were in short and almost no supply there. They spend very little time wasting away on the high plains before kicking back their whiskey and getting down to business, and while the Ian Astbury gone Alice in Chains vocals are still not as effective as Angelripper was on the first album, I feel like they're formed into more exciting, potent choruses here than I found on the predecessor. That's not to say this is some tour de force Western comeback here, it's another average outing with a few catchy moments and nothing more, but I feel like it somewhat better satisfies my desire for a truly gripping Wild West cowboy metal record, since bands like Hellyeah seem incapable of giving the theme its due.

Like I said, no time is wasted, and after the expected theatrical 'setup' of the title track/intro, they rage right into a chugging, forceful power/thrash tune just called "Hate". The chorus in this song is pretty good, but most of the lyrics are sadly retarded, especially the opening clip, and it feels muddled at best. "Days of Thunder" is much less insulting, with a more dramatic drifter atmosphere to it carried through the clean guitars and wide open chords. This is actually one of the best songs on the entire album, and I liked how the verse vocals cut down to a mid ranged along the wacky, effected bass-lines. "Wild Bunch" and "Wild Times" are both very similar to the first two metal tracks, with "Wild Times" being closer to "Days of Thunder" and thus better, enveloped in some grooving guitars. The covers of The Doors' "Riders on the Storm" and Johnny Cash' "25 Minutes to Go" are quite weak, the latter going as far as idiotic, but there are a few more originals like "May Heaven Strike Me Down" and the more sultry "Give Up" which do their job admirably enough to give at least a passing listen.

Basically, just wedge this album between The Dawn of Dying and The Legend of the Truth and you'll get an accurate picture of its quality. Accessible, country fried hard rock with hints of heavy, power and thrash metal that never amount to more than a mid-paced chugging onslaught also reminiscent of 90s, groove oriented grunge bands. Kraft's vocals are skilled and clean enough, though derived from better known acts like The Cult, Stone Temple Pilots and of course AiC, and the stupidity here is kept to a minimum (turning up in perhaps 3-4 of the total tracks). If you want a better Western metal album, grab the debut, but even though this feels a little less produced than the sophomore, it has a bigger pair of balls to kick in with your spurs. Still waiting on a genius Western metal album, like a Red Dead Redemption or Unforgiven proof positive that new life can be spat into the old genre, and at this point I'm doubting that Kraft's Dezperadoz are going to deliver it, but this isn't completely sucking the tap at the saloon.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

http://13119.webhosting4.1blu.de/home.html

Dezperadoz - The Legend and the Truth (2006)

The Dawn of Dying might have just been a one-off, a curiosity of country Wild West thrash that was anomalously concocted out of Germany of all fucking places. But Alex Kraft decided that after six years, the trail had grown too cold, and once again demanded the beating of hooves, the wake of covered wagons, and the sounds of gunfire ringing off across its open prairies. So, well after the dust had cleared, the spurs had rusted and the outlaws had been hung, the Desperadoz returned, changing the -s in their name to the -z, and The Legend and the Truth was born. This time, instead of just having his buddy Tom Angelripper handle the vocals, Kraft has decided to take on the duty himself with some cleaner pipes that remind one more of Layne from Alice in Chains or Ian from The Cult than the heavily Sodomized debut.

It's certainly a competent replacement, and a fine fit for the better production of this album, but I actually found it more agreeable to my own tastes when Angelripper was present. Not that he would have been required for a repeat, but the coolest thing about the debut was that it was a Wild West THRASH album, for the most part, and that contrast of thematic manliness and wanton aggression gave it a unique quality. I don't really want to hear something that's just a Wild West rock album, more or less Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory" mixed with Dirt or Facelift, with perhaps some added meat to the sparse metal guitars and less pop readiness. Granted, the vocals here are quite professional sounding, but the whole album reeks of safety when compared to its predecessor, and I could feel my interesting here numbing after only a few tunes...

There really is nothing heavy about this album, anywhere. It's far more focused on its concept as a Wyatt Earp biography, and at best you'll get some open chords under huge swathes of clean country sounds, rock drumming and other instrumentation as fits its theatrical nature. A few of the songs have some chugging patterns, like "OK Corral" and "Friends 'Till the End", but I feel once again drawn to the Alice in Chains comparison, because these are about as metal as "We Die Young" from that Seattle band's debut. Then there are the various little narrative segues, or the cover of the Rawhide theme, and goofy pieces like "Hellbilly Square" which break up any of the serious qualities the album might otherwise have had.

In summation, this was a pretty big disappointment, and in retrospect I almost wish the project had just been laid to rest after the debut. Kraft tries to season the record with a slew of guest appearances from Tobias Sammett, Joacim Cans, Doro Pesch, Michael Weikath and so forth (including Tom Angelripper on the bonus track), but it doesn't add any dimension of character, just the usual minimal celebrity contributions. It's not completely void of decent music, especially as the atmosphere in songs like "First Blood" and "OK Corral" maintains the Western aesthetic so well, and the intro title track is quite glorious, perfect for a TV show, but of the 50 minutes, there are maybe 15-20 that are actually worth hearing. The concept makes sense, but it seems like Kraft went for a shallower musical experience to try and find a greater exposure, and the dream of an epic Western thrash masterpiece that fused the good looks of The Dawn of Dying with superior riffing force ends here.

Verdict: Indifference [5.25/10]

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Desperadoz - The Dawn of Dying (2000)

Thrash metal and the Wild West. Two birds of a feather. In fact, I'm honestly surprised they hadn't collided earlier than this. At least not to the extent found in the output of Desperados (later exchanging the final 's' for a 'z') the project of one Alex Kraft. Some might know the guitarist from Tom Angelripper's solo band when he wasn't busy with Sodom. Why, Tom himself has sharpened his spurs for this debut, saddled his horse and strapped his pistols for this debut, The Dawn of Dying, and you'll find his very distinct vocals all over this high-falootin', six-shootin' concept album., which somehow, despite its absurdity, manages to not insult either the audience or its source material...

Thrash metal and the Wild West. They could have been joined better, but for what it's worth, I will take this. The album plays out like a classic Western, opening with crickets in an open prairie, then an ascending instrumental with guitars, pianos and distant percussion, before the swagger of the cowboys begins with "Gomorrah of the Plains". This is your basic mix of thrash and traditional heavy metal, lots of simple mutes but glazed over in atmosphere and melody appropriate to the fictional, historical realm the band's thoughts are dwelling in. Nothing really to write home about, but there are better songs which better utilize the bells and whistles and general atmosphere, like "Dodge City", "The Dawn of Dying", "Devil's Horse" and "Gone With the Wind", the last of which is like a Southern cousin to "The Saw is the Law". Several of the tracks go further into the traditional country/blues of the setting, with pumping, fun bass lines in "Jumpin' Down the Running Train" or the rock anthem "My Gun and Me", but it all fits in surprisingly well together.

I would point out that the actual thrash core of this band itself is not very interesting. I couldn't count a single riff here that would raise my hackles in a positive frenzy were it not for the dressings of the thematic, theatrical instrumentation. Without these dynamics, The Dawn of Dying would be a tremendous bore, even with Tom Angelripper on for the ride. But when it all comes together, it's hard not to smile at the band's intentions. Obviously, by nature this sort of project seems silly, but the Germans don't fuck around with it. The lyrics are pretty damned crazy, in fact. Which begs the question: why is it that it took a group of Europeans to come up with this? We should have had dozens of cowboy thrash bands already...and no, Agony Column and Pantera don't count. First they beat us with some of the greatest films of all time (directed by an Italian), and then the damn Germans beat us to quality Wild West thrash. It kind of stings inside, but The Dawn of Dying helps me bear the annoyance like a full swig of whiskey.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (wild instinct to stay alive)

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