KEVLAR BIKINI – EXPLODISIAC

Hailing from that unlikely rock hot bed of Zagreb, the excellently named KEVLAR BIKINI have unleashed their first long player “Explodisiac” on the world. Formed in early 2010 they consists of members Auker, Arlavi, Berta and Kicho and describe themselves as a “punk/r’n’r bad ass quartet from Croatia”.

They must have something going for them as the CD was mixed by legenderary Swedish producer Tomas Skogsberg, who has previously taken the controls for bands such as Refused, Hellacopters and Backyard Babies. It certainly shows, as their sound is very reminiscent of these more well establish bands.

First track “Devil’s Jukebox” sets the tone of the album sounding like a cross between Velvet Revolver, Metallica, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, with maybe just a hint of Rob Zombie. Unusual chorus off “Lick, Lick, Lick, Lick, Lick the wound. Lick, Lick, Lick, Lick, Liquor tuned” probably shows that these boys aren’t trying to get on X factor anytime soon. Nice bass mid section, reminiscent of Limp Bizkit, only delays the headlong crash into oblivion at the songs finale.

 

“Yikes Mama” has initially a Stray Cats vibe. Whilst “Rats and Copycats” reverts to the trademark brain crushing bass-led sound, although the band seems to have a sense of humour containing as it does the lyric “I say bad, but not in a Michael Jackson funky kinda way”.

I’m not sure what a “Supersized Buttcake” is, and am not certain I really want to find out! However again it reminds me of Limp Bizkit, in a good way obviously, with the songs tempo-changing bass breaks. “Suped Up Machine” is their most obviously punk number, rattling along at a screaming pace, with a nice chorus extolling the virtues of gasoline, which is something we might not see in the UK for a while if the tanker drivers go on strike:

 

“Sweet Ride”, a non vocal track at only 1 minute 27 seconds should be the soundtrack to a spaghetti Western with its eerie intro and back drop of teeming rain. But fear not, normal service is resumed with “Jab” and “Pretezelspine”:

 

“Urinea” is a slower paced number although the lyrics are no less vitriolic as apparently Croatian men have “Got poor bladder control. That’s why I piss on everything you stand for”. Final track continues in the dirty rock’n’roll vain and who would not “Kiss it Like it’s Skinny Liv Tyler” although I’m not sure her father would be best pleased if the Hollywood actress did “Lick it like a lollipop. Lick to the last drop!”

So there you have it, hard rocking all the way from South-eastern Europe. I’m not sure if some of the lyrics haven’t got a bit lost in translation, although I think that there is more than a pinch of salt to be seen, so perhaps they shouldn’t be taken too literally. All in all a promising début and shows that good music can truly transcend the national borders. Check them out on:

http://www.facebook.com/kevlarbikinizg
http://www.myspace.com/kevlarbikini
http://kevlarbikini.bigcartel.com/

Bones