Oi!, lazy fuckers! T.W.A.T. - Blood, Sweat, and Teargas is out - the review

OI!,

T.W.A.T. is finally out with their debut album, as of 26. August. Here comes probably the most unique t.w.i.s.t. of anhalt EBM: oi punk with electro and EBM mixture. We have been following this band ever since the release of the first demo track Battleground in 2008, and it is particularly great to see this band officially alive with an album! Album snippets to be found here, while you read on: http://soundcloud.com/twatoibm/sets/album-snippets/. Or you can just go ahead and buy the album right away here, because it is bloody worth it!

Blood, Sweat, and Teargas (probably one of the most magnificent titles ever) gives a mix of raw and aggressive energy mixed with (at times playful) melody and both male and female vocals. You will only need one listen to realize that this differs a lot from the standard anhalt EBM scene, but the hard beats and raw bass are always there. The melody part comes from the oi punk influence - although 1TJ is not familiar enough with this genre to draw any similarities to specific oi punk bands. Almost every track follows this receipt: straight forward and tight anhalt EBM sounds, but sooner or later the track breaks into a melodic and usually aggressive energy, which is where the unique punk influence breaks through. Some tracks are particularly melodic: for example Born and Raised with a slower pace, fantastic melody, and particularly NOT positive lyrics. Other songs are straight forward and energetic as hell, (Too Rude for Radio (punked up)). Others again are closer to typical anhalt EBM sound (The Barricades). The intro and outro instrumental songs are fantastically catchy and their sounds may make you think of old minimal 80's electro songs.

It is in order to compliment T.W.A.T. for not being afraid to do something entirely unique. The usage of unusual synth sounds in each track has never been heard of in EBM before. Both vocals are energetic, angry, and "punky", but it is particularly unique to hear female vocals in anhalt EBM used like this: tough and very fitting for this kind of music. Some may recognize the male vocals from EkoBrottsMyndigheten, as Martin is a part of that as well.

T.W.A.T. runs up to you in boots, shouts OI! straight into your face, and leaves no doubt that the punk influence that in the early 80s helped shape the pioneering bands of EBM (DAF and Nitzer Ebb), is forever a part of this genre, and that an even stronger mix of these styles works bloody sweaty well!




If you are looking for something unique, if you like oi punk, or old school EBM, or both, you will not be disappointed! If we were to rate album reviews on this blog, Blood, Sweat and Teargas would receive top rating. OI!!!!!