ALBUM REVIEW: Disco Balls To The Wall – Tragedy
In the words of the BEE GEES; “When you lose control and you got no soul/ It’s tragedy”. With chunky metal riffs infused with some of the hottest 70s and 80s disco, New York-based TRAGEDY are full of soul. Adding some headbanging to the two step, TRAGEDY drop their greatest hits, Disco Balls To The Wall, on July 30. It’s a high octane smorgasbord of heavy disco which rocks us like a hurricane. From the rework of ABBA’s Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight), to the massive chug of their namesake, there’s something for everyone.
Being a cover band comes with tremendous pressure. Add on the extra pressure of taking on behemoths such as BONNIE TYLER and DONNA SUMMER. The twinkling guitars of Dancing Queen explode into a party anthem. This album has TRAGEDY proving cover bands are nothing to shimmy away from. If you’re under the illusion this is a one trick pony, Evil/Baker Street transforms from disillusionment central to an eerie temptress GHOST would be proud of. Though, if you’re expecting the iconic saxophone, prepare for disappointment.
What do you get when you cross a song about overthrowing Heaven with a celebration of horniness? One of the greatest mashups bar ZEAL & ARDOR’s remix of ABBA’s Dancing Queen and LINKIN PARK and JAY-Z’s Numb/Encore. Raining Blood/It’s Raining Men shouldn’t work on paper, but it does. Dark weather reports over the iconic thrash metal introduction borders on the occult. Heavy metal squeals about a bounty of men melting into murderous bass wins us over. This creepy anthem has us outside at half past ten wondering if we’ll get soaked by blood, á la Carrie, or crushed by a human being. Either way, the category for this particular ball is thrash disco.
Though a feel-good collection, Disco Balls To The Wall isn’t without its shortfalls. Experimentation leaves the gate open for not so great results. TRAGEDY’s punt at TOTO’s Africa takes the song to the point where it’s no longer recognisable. It’s still a good time song but it wanders too far from the beaten track. Weighing in at 14 tracks, the record feels padded in places. The inclusion of a live rendition of DONNA SUMMER’s Hot Stuff is a spectacle yet could have been bonus material.
When TRAGEDY executes their idea well, they do it well. Stayin’ Alive has the sexy groove it always needed. By the time the chorus rolls around, we’re wanting to open up a pit, to a BEE GEES song no less. The blended vocals in Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In sat on a bed of meaty riffs pulls us from the dream-like state of the original. The celebration of the dawning of a new age gets a JUDAS PRIEST-inspired overhaul THE 5TH DIMENSION may have closed themselves to. Yet it is ADELE’s Skyfall which stands head and shoulders above the rest. The crescendo into a heavy riff grabs the attention. While the verses are still ballad-esque, this is one time we wished James Bond donned a battle jacket instead of black tie. With its dramatic chorus and Holy Diver inspired melody, Skyfall is one to listen to.
Disco Balls To The Wall does what it says on the tin. It shows TRAGEDY at their heavy disco finest. They capture the footloose, fancy free essence of disco and smash it into riffs of thrash, drums of doom, and vocals of quintessential metal. TRAGEDY are declaring their love of the 70s and 80s while pulling it into the 21st century. While some of their audience may not be acquainted with the original versions, this is an excellent place to start. If it isn’t already the soundtrack of the next gathering of your most metal compadres, it should be.
Rating: 8/10
Disco Balls To The Wall is set for release on July 30th via Napalm Records.
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