Probot and Eagles of Death Metal
Probot, and Peace Love Death Metal (Southern Lord)
Reviewed by Darcie Stevens, Fri., May 21, 2004
Probot
(Southern Lord)Eagles of Death Metal
Peace Love Death Metal (AntAcidAudio / Rekords / Rekords)In the face of nü-metal and aggro-core comes the heaviest, most elaborate attempt at true metal: Dave Grohl's Probot. An all-star army of thrash, grind, black, and heavy metal has assembled to take a meat tenderizer to the brain. From the opening rally cry of Venom's Cronos ("Centuries of Sin") to the eerie creep of King Diamond's closing "Sweet Dreams," Probot pulls itself up by its pewter bootstraps and shatters glass with undefeatable vocals. Lemmy's highlight, "Shake Your Blood," is glorified by some trademark strong-arm drumming courtesy of Grohl, who pounds on most of the album's tracks, featuring such brand names as Sepultura, C.O.C., D.R.I., Celtic Frost, and Voivod. If only a tour bus could hold the fight and spite of all 11 vocalists. And where would Songs for the Deaf be without Grohl? His open admiration for Queens of the Stone Age and his contribution to that album propelled them to the forefront of true modern metal. From the shadows of QOTSA rise the Eagles of Death Metal, Josh Homme's side project. Homme takes to the sticks as "Carlo Von Sexron" and kicks out a beat that translates into full rock & roll splendor. Opener "I Only Want You" busts the QOTSA model with a little funk and jive. The rest of the album follows suit: a Queens backbone and Seventies rib. "Speaking in Tongues" swivels, "Bad Dream Mama" romps, and "San Berdoo Sunburn" teeters drunkenly on the line between rock and classic country. Closing with speed rocker "Miss Alissa," Peace Love Death Metal is EDM's flight into the wild. This phoenix won't be burning anytime soon.
(Probot)
(Eagles of Death Metal)