There’s really only one way to describe The Accused – sick. That’s the way it’s been since 1981 when guitarist Tommy Niemeyer formed the band with his perverted friends in Oak Harbor, Washington. The Accused has always been a band that you either love or hate. Most hate, but those who love do it with a heart full of gore. Too metal for punk, too punk for metal, The Accused sound is fast and furious with vocals that sound like a zombie vomiting blood.
The Accused want you to die. Literally. Song titles like “Die Violently,” “By The Hook” and “Stomped To Death” are among the ways they would like to see you expire. Their mascot Martha Splatterhead makes Iron Maiden’s Eddie seem like a harmless boyscout. The music more than matches the extreme song titles. Even back in the thrash metal days, The Accused were too strong for some headbangers. That’s still true today, but they are much loved by the grindcore freaks in Pig Destroyer and Brutal Truth as well as more popular metal acts like Municipal Waste and Lamb of God.
Tommy’s riffs are brutally fast, gnarled and angry sounding. Dorando Hodous (bass) and Mike "The Nyge" Peterson (drums) are a powerhouse rhythm section that bulldoze all in its path. It’s hard to imagine The Accused without the signature vocals of Blaine Cooke, but B.R.A.D. Mowen more than fills his bloody boots. If you’ve never heard The Accused vocal style, just imagine Snake from VoiVod after gargling even more glass than usual. Then washing it down with all the gravel from Satan’s driveway.
There’s 14 songs delivered in 29 minutes and there’s not a scrap of filler on any of the songs. There are no ballads, acoustic intros or keyboards. “Fuck Sorry” gives you an idea about the malicious intent of these songs. “Seriously Dead” is how you’ll feel when the whole thing is over. But then you’ll want to hit play again and start the entire bloody trip again.It’s fitting that The Curse of Martha Splatterhead is released on Southern Lord records. They have a history of being on cool labels. The Accused’s 1986 debut full length The Return of Martha Splatterhead was the first album released on Earache Records. After a stint on Combat alongside Agnostic Front and Exodus, none other than Sir Mix-A-Lot released a few of their records on his Nastymix label.
Splatter Rock has risen from the dead. Raise your bloody stump and yell.
--Woody
buy here: The Curse of Martha Splatterhead
http://www.splatterrock.com
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