HardReviews 5
by Martin Popoff
Deep Purple - Burn
(Rhino/Warner)As kids, we went loco at the title track and Lay Down, Stay Down because we were metalheads. The rest... well they all had something funky and sour about them. Now, as I love Deep Purple more each week, I dig Burn passionately start to finish, save for Mistreated (zzz). Outside of us uncompromising metalheads, it's always been well regarded though, as the perfect potent chemical mix between gothic Ritchie, funky Glenn and David along for the ride, but may as well side with Glenn. As part of the classy Rhino reissue situation, this one falls short of the high established bar. As a remaster, I can't tell the difference. At the close, there are five bonus tracks, and they're all remixes from the album, save for a remix of Coronarias Redig, a widely available instrumental. Of the remixes, Burn... so there's a little more bass. You Fool No One sounds practically re-recorded - how does this happen? Glad it did though (wot a barnstorm). Mistreated... I'm way too bored with that stupid song to even care. Sail Away - Deep Purple's answer to Trampled Under Foot - not much difference. The booklet rules though, featuring a ton of tiny text and rare photos, sure to result in third degree Burn Mk3's all over your body.
Rating 9The Accused
Oh Martha! (Condar)Anybody remember that whole Martha Splatterhead thing? Anyway, Seattle's The Accused got some buzz due to their synthesis of punk and thrash back (creating "splatter-core") in '86 with The Return Of Martha Splatterhead, and here they are back again with their first record (of eight!) since '92. The mission is intact, these songs captured with explosive yet old school production values (by Jack Endino), lots of comic sounds and art, and songs that are fast, punky, but riffy enough to sound like a cross between boozy Testament and My War/Slip It In-era Black Flag. Catchy as all hell, Fast Zombies Rule and Dying On The Vine lead the supercharge for me, with the really, really fast ones sorta blurring into nothing. Blaine's vocals bring back that classic Accused snivel, lending the cover of Tank's Filth Hounds Of Hades a ton of legitimacy no other current coverer could match. And for those who want to re-live the fuss, the band has added a re-recorded version of the debut Martha Splatterhead EP. Fun stuff, but a substantial metalhead meal for only a l'il over half the menu.
Rating 6.5
