Cost: $3.00
Found this one at a semi-local indie record store. They've never had a dedicated bargain bin, so I was quite surprised to find something priced as cheaply as $3--especially a disc I actually wanted to buy.
Nearly all-Swedish (the only exception I'm aware of is Havana Black) tribute. Was familiar with Lost Souls, Omnitron, The Hellacopters, and Entombed, but the rest of the roster was completely unknown to me. I was expecting the tribute to be on the punkier side overall, but the covers actually end up being somewhat varied in style.
1. Castaway - Killed by Death
Straightforward hard rock cover. Female lead vox don't seem like an optimal choice for a Motörhead cover, but these are serviceable.
2. Sator - Over the Top
Not bad performance-wise, but without the nasty guitar tone and Lemmy vocals, this feels very lightweight compared to the original.
3. Cosa Nostra - Iron Fist
Solid, somewhat punkish cover. The vocalist manages to combine a little bit of Lemmy gruffness with some snottiness in his delivery without it sounding completely lame.
4. Havana Black - We are the Road Crew
No complaints here.
5. Livin' Sacrifice - Hellraiser
Out of curiosity, I checked out some of this band's original material. They started as a noisy all-female punk band in the early '80s, but the cover is in more of a late '80s or early '90s commercial hard rock style. The female vocals are probably better technically (though a tad oversung) than Castaway's, but they feel like a less appropriate fit. They aren't completely terrible given the song choice I suppose, but still way too clean and proficient for Motörhead.
6. Lost Souls - Sweet Revenge
Don't think I ever actually heard these guys, but I used to see their final album on Nuclear Blast around a lot. Never picked it up as it didn't seem like my kind of thing. Heavily industrialized groove/thrash cover. Wouldn't care about original music in this style, but the cover is an interesting interpretation.
7. Gone - Die You Bastard
Bouncy, groovy alt-rock sounding cover. Worst track on the tribute. Worth noting that the vocalist here is Björn Flodkvist, who was the late '90s Candlemass singer.
8. Omnitron - Ace of Spades
Only cover I had previously heard. Speedy rendition which is probably the most straightforward metal to be found on this tribute. Thumbs up. Because of the speed and lack of oddball songwriting, this reminds me a bit more of the later Krixhjälters material (although it's far less weird than that stuff, too) than the Omnitron debut CD (where this cover originally appeared).
9. Full Metal Jacketz - Eat the Rich
Another cover which is solid musically, but missing the filth and grit of the original.
10. Nomads - Motörhead
Fun country and western version.
11. Cat Rapes Dog - Deaf Forever
Electronica/EBM cover, nearly unrecognizeable.
12. Hiroshima - Overkill
Not that awful, but they took a lot of liberties with such a well-known song and it just feels off. Though I will say, the mid-paced section they put in to replace the entire solo of the original is kind of cool in its own way.
13. Kurt Olvars Rebeller - The Hammer
Instrumentally one of the most faithful covers on here. Unfortunately it's brought down by the vocals, which are overly forced and way too shouty. Still good overall.
14. Röjkommandot - Damage Case
The guitar tone made me think this was the Entombed song for a moment. This is sped up to a nearly unrecognizable level, although it kind of works. However, the vocals aren't that great.
15. Hellacopters - Speedfreak
I had to edit my comments for "The Hammer" as this might even be a closer to the original by a hair or two. Annoyingly tepid vocals though.
16. Entombed - One Track Mind
Interesting choice of song, and sounds pretty much how you'd expect for mid '90s death'n'roll Entombed. The original song isn't a favorite of mine (and this era of Entombed certainly isn't either), but it's an okay cover.
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