### Beat Hardy: Hate machine

#### 14/03/11 || Habakuk

Did you know this genre still existed? “Crossover / Nu-Metal” or whatever? No really, there still are bands that combine ultra-simplistic chugging riffing with funkish timings, generally rather slow, groovy drums and a bit of screaming / cleaner vocal parts about “down-to-earth problems” (“Fucking Cunts”) into something that tries to pass as an angrier version of hip hop. Shit moniker included.

These four Germans from the supposedly unspectacular city of Mannheim go for it with a big dose of Jump Der Fuck Up and a general approach more reminiscent of the mid-nineties than 2010. And I guess they’d take that as a compliment, too. The vocals alternate between grungy and hardcore shouting and are actually quite decent most of the time, and the guitars do what they have to do for this sort of style. Production-wise, no socks have been reported blown off yet, though. These guys are apparently not with a label yet, which unfortunately results in a lack of low-end punch, leaving bass and guitars a bit too far behind for the intended kick-in-the-gut sound.

The real problem here is however, that many of the songs just don’t go anywhere. Don’t get me wrong, I am a bit of a sucker for this deceased style of what used to be thinking outside the box fifteen years ago. This sentiment actually gave me high hopes during the opening tracks – but after a short while, the formula just wears a bit thin due to songwriting mishaps and a lack of riffs that really take it to the next level. Still, there is some potential with these guys, if they get their act together in that respect. I’m sure they can get a crowd moving decently already and it shows that they are doing what they enjoy.

To classically metalized ears, this shit is an absolute no-go, though. If you couldn’t even find the slightest redeeming factor in Limp Bizkit’s sound, have no affinity to Snapcase at all, and don’t have the odd Such a Surge (for all the German homies!) or Dog Eat Dog disc in your collection, steer clear. Beat Hardy are basically trying to become what they were. Well, why not.

- Information
- Released: 2010
- Label: Independent
- Website: Beat Hardy MySpace
- Band
- Sean Satanovic: vocals
- Joe Amsterdam: guitars, vocals
- Olli van Sale: bass
- Wash-T: drums, vocals

- Tracklist
- 01. Selim Gölüm
- 02. Hate me
- 03. Pseudo saint
- 04. Shit 2 the wall
- 05. Red button
- 06. Fucking cunts
- 07. Against the system
- 08. The end of M