Viking Skull – “Heavy Metal Thunder”

One of the dirtiest, sleaziest bunch of scumbags you’re ever likely to even attempt to listen to. They stink, but oh my it’s the most pleasant disgusting stench you’ll ever smell! I remember standing by the Snickers Bowl waiting for Viking Skull to drag their respective butts on stage in a pokey side stage at Donnington’s Download festival one year (2004?!). After playing Chapter One to death on our festival sound machine the previous year (Much to the annoyance of our pruning prima donna gothic rock neighbours in the camp site – Either that or our drunkenness might of annoyed them!), I was in awe, as if I remember correctly, that stage was jammed and overflowed at least 10 ranks deep onto the grass whilst the main stage was almost barren of spectators.

This collection is basically the band’s first two offerings (Chapter One and Born in Hell) with 5 bonus songs, but it’s worth the purchase even if you have already bought them. Their songs are simple, funny old school heavy metal; tunes like “Wizards Sleeve,” “Beers Drugs and Bitches,” “Rape Pillage and Burn,” “Dirty Dirty Hole” and “Red Hot Woman” really get you stomping around your living room with a black tooth smile plastered on your face.

As the story goes, Viking Skull were formed in 2002 when assorted members of Speedhorn (Raging Speedhorn) and their crew (Plus Jess Margera later joined on drums) were faced with the bleak concept of free booze being withdrawn whilst not being on the road. So what better way to get booze? Start another dirty rock band and carry on the party! Live, these are the tightest of bands, even in a small venue I have been showered with metal filings as a party trick of theirs is to destroy the metal parts of the guitars with angle grinders whilst everyone is trying their hardest to rips their heads from their necks with furious head banging!

This is would have to be one of the best albums to put on when you and a few good friends are sinking a slab or two of beer, or to simply get a party started! Distorted murky guitars intersected by the voice of a man who sounds like he’s swallowed razors blades whilst smoking back 60 a day of the harshest cigarettes you could find, whilst still being surprisingly able to sing without pansying out and grunting all the way through.

Check out “Crazy Trucker” for a simple synopsis of their grime ridden style and for one of the best placed samples from ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ about 2 minutes in! Love it! England loves these guys! They should make it big on the other side of the pond as well!  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Beers, Drugs And Bitches
02. Wizard’s Sleeve
03. Frostbite
04. Rape Pillage And Burn
05. Crazy Trucker
06. Skull Heaven
07. Born In Hell
08. Crank The Volume
09. Red Hot Woman
10. Seedealer
11. Heavy Metal Thunder
12. Saddle Up
13. Double Or Quits (Demo Version)
14. Rock And Roll Suicide
15. Conquer The World
16. Baby Let Me Know
17. Skulls & Whiskey
18. Dirty Dirty Hole,
19. Inject My Woman (With Love)
20. You Can’t Kill Rock & Roll

Run Time: ??:??
Release Date: 10.26.2010