Devil's Whorehouse - Blood & Ashes Review
by Matt Hensch
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It all started with Meathook Seed and Green Carnation before leading into Devil's Whorehouse. The last is just the latest side-project of well-known musicians acting out of the norm. Whoop Dee Do. Not that the former bands were regrettable partnerships compared to the sole singularity standing lonesome with those nasty prostitutes. I mean for heaven's sake, I can smell the STDs from here! And do not even get me started on that dreaded excuse of 'death rock' Devil's Whorehouse exhumes ever so pathetically. Who do they think they are, the Misfits or Samhain? Apparently both!
Devil's Whorehouse goal is just that: be one of those two bands. Why absorb influence when you can copy them? As an individual that occasionally enjoys these bands and this sound, I can verify the lousiness is at an all-time climax within Blood & Ashes, almost disintegrating the physical CD due to its annoyances, and definitely shredding the project's reputation. Needless to say, Devil's Whorehouse is lame, plain and simple; they are showmen if dull 'spooky rock' is awesome, which it certainly is not.
It could have been. Devil's Whorehouse is actually a cool collaboration on paper: a side-project of black metal warriors and two others guys that came from Nowhereville performing horror rock or scary punk or whatever it's called in the vein of The Misfits or Samhain Like certain promises, it fails miserably when applied to modern life. Basically, Blood & Ashes resembles these groups to the core of their instrumental influences: simple, catchy riffs both fast and mid-paced, poppy drumming, audible bass
the list goes on. Since these qualities are the only qualities, the band runs short of good material after four songs, which leads the record down utter predictability, and that is really how the whole album works instrumentally. I would like to say something about guitar solos, drum fills, bass lines, or something not completely under totalitarian-like control, but said-factors occur rarely if at all, and provide no hit upon Blood & Ashes. No spine. No heart. No brain.
However, Blood & Ashes slowly becomes less than a clone, because it withers and withers until Devil's Whorehouse is the tribute band they primordially aimed to be, with nothing of interest or value at all. Although I have already stated how generic everything quickly becomes, it is almost as if they went beyond unoriginality toward the record's final cuts, drastically plodding into utter filth until you finish the deed or submit, which is common, do not worry. I am all for something different, but jeez, Devil's Whorehouse lacks refreshment field in every category. It all just sounds like an impaired tribute with no effort to be found, although it wants to be. It stares and shouts, "Please! I can help you!" Devil's Whorehouse will look back with a false sense of accomplishment and say, "Don't worry. We have the guy that wrote Panzer Division Marduk on board. We will be fine."
Spoiler: They were WRONG!
What about that Maelstrom fellow? He is not bad, if one is into some guy that can wonderfully mimic Danzig's vocals. After all, the band is generic, their style is generic, and the vocalist is generic
behold! The triangle of banality!
Overall, I would say the failing economic figures alongside the poor conditions found within Devil's Whorehouse's second full-length record lead to a public shutdown of this bland style of raw negligence so many legends have mastered beforehand, completely pounding every aspect into nothingness once again. Blood & Ashes is hardly listenable at its best moments, so I do not suggest looking into it. It is the individual's call, but I can make no guaranteed blessings about Devil's Whorehouse and this lackluster full-length.
Tracklisting
Oceans Turn to Blood
Wicked One
Speak the Name of the Dead
The Cult of Death
Werewolf
Demons of the Flesh/Tight White Ropes
Shadows Never Change
Smell of the Ancient Ones
Face the Master
Werewolf Nation
Snakes out the Mouth of Hell
CD Info and Links
Devil's Whorehouse - Blood & Ashes Rating:3.0
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