There is definitely a place in Hard Rock/Heavy Metal for the type of 3-chord, no-frills songs with which L.A.'s Brute Forcz have filled their debut full-length, Out for Blood. Shit, AC/DC and KISS have been going since the 70s with little variation from that basic formula. All four songs from the band's demo, Kick Ass Heavy Metal, are present, plus six new songs. All deal with sex or the Heavy Metal lifestyle and the band's own name is a pretty accurate description of the method they use to make their point. Not a lot of metaphors here to wade through.
As on the demo, guitarist Will Wallner tears the songs up and time after time he lays down some seriously awesome 80s-style leads. Slammer (drums) and Jammer (bass, vocals), former pro wrestlers, handle the rhythm section capably. What continues to limit Brute Forcz are Jammer's vocals. There's nothing wrong with the guy's voice and he isn't out of tune or anything, but he barely sings. He has a very limited range and the spoken/shouted lyrics carry very little emotion. If you're going to sing about basic Heavy Metal images you need the charisma of a Brian Johnson or a Paul Stanley to really sell them. Tracks like the up-tempo "Live for Speed" and the thoughtful "Freedom's Heart (Neda's Song)" could really soar with one of those guys at the microphone.
Guitar fans can get some mileage from Out for Blood and fans of the 80s won't hate it either. Bottom line; while Brute Forcz plenty of crunch and attitude, they are a vocalist away from truly kicking ass.
