Austrian Death Machine - 'Double Brutal'

Still humorous on the second go around, but the staleness of the gimmick is starting to creep in.

Last year, As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis unveiled his side project, Austrian Death Machine. A far cry from the metalcore styling of his main band, Austrian Death Machine was a way for Lambesis to showcase his admiration for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the form of crossover thrash metal. Lambesis provides all the instrumental and vocal work, while Chad Ackerman (Destroy The Runner) performs the Arnold impersonations. After the surprisingly entertaining debut Total Brutal, the band returns with a more ambitious two-disc affair, Double Brutal.

Like the debut album, each song on the first disc of Double Brutal is based on one of many Arnold films, including timeless classics “Jingle All The Way” and “Commando.” The solos and breakdowns that dominated every track on Total Brutal appear on the sophomore album in grander fashion. As before, Lambesis brings in guest guitarists to play solos on each track, including Buz McGrath (Unearth) and Andrew Tapley (The Human Abstract).

The musicianship is strong and the lyrics have a witty bite, but the songs lack the hooks that made “Get To The Choppa” and “If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It” instant favorites. The ideas don’t seem to be as developed, though the jab at cookie monster vocals on “Who Told You You Could Eat My Cookies” is a notable highlight. The unfunny skits are back, this time even more humorless than Total Brutal. While Ackerman does an adequate Schwarzenegger impersonation, his poor attempts at humor make for skip-worthy material.

The second disc is comprised of mainly covers, ranging from Metallica’s “Trapped Under Ice” to Agnostic Front’s “Gotta Go.” There are only seven covers and a few skits on the second disc, making it more of an extended EP than a full-fledged album. The covers are done well and faithful to the original, with a modern technique. The clean production does take the essential dirtiness away from Megadeth’s “Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good” and Motörhead’s “Iron Fist,” but the second disc is a nice counterpart to the lighter first disc.

Throughout the band’s existence, one thing has always stood out; Austrian Death Machine is nothing more than a one-trick pony, a gimmick that has been stretched way too thin at this point. It seems that Lambesis knows this and has some fun with the whole concept, which makes for an enjoyable listen, but the songs aren’t as catchy this time around. The second disc of covers is a nice bonus, and the lyrics are still humorous, but there isn’t anything on Double Brutal that wasn’t already heard a year ago on Total Brutal.