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HORSE The Band

The Mechanical Hand

Written by: PP on 09/12/2005 16:06:06

HORSE The Band are one of the most hyped scene bands around. Every single scene-magazine records every movement of this band, curiously enough described as "nintendocore" and "Mario hardcore" and other rather unusual labels. The band themselves describe their style as "having sex with a dead body" on their Myspace page. But how does a band labeled nintendocore actually sound like?

If you're old enough to have been around when Nintendo Entertainment System (8-bit NES) was determining your social status, imagine your favorite Donkey Kong, Super Mario or basically any other NES game, add some hardcore breakdowns and screamed vocals and you have HORSE The Band. Their peculiar keyboard and guitar effects create a sound appropriate for the background music for inclusion in any of those classic nintendo games we all used to love so much.

Is that hard to imagine? I don't blame you. But wait, there's more! Their lyrics and videos consist of two things. Nonsense and more nonsense. Or how does the following sound: "The room is BLACK!!! my mind is red, im alone in the room ....but theres someone in my head!" or "the lampshades have faces and the closets are cruel", both taken from "The House Of Boo". The video for "Birdo" shows what I had already guessed; the band does not take themselves seriously. In the video they're dressed up like total retards with fake teeth all over the place, clown suits and whatnot.

However, it is not important whether they're serious or not. It's the music that counts. The instruments are well balanced, and no single one dominates the other ones. The bass drum blasts are clear but yet the occasional beautiful guitar melodies can be heard crystal clear even while the screamed out vocals seem to be on the spotlight.

If you thought The Bloodhound Gang were strange, wait till you hear HORSE The Band. This is one of those albums that needs to be heard to believe it. I'll finish the review off with an excerpt from "Taken By Vultures": "SLAVES! Masturbate to a single note: *BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*"

Download: Lord Gold Throneroom, A Rusty Glove
For the fans of: Stretch Arm Strong, The Bloodhound Gang

Release date 20.09.2005
Koch Records