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Dirty Rats: End In Tears

Hard and Heavy Rock

4.5/5.0

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Unsigned/Self-released
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 11.12.2019 | Released: 13.12.2019

Nearly a decade after AC/DC was formed, some Dirty Rats appeared in Melbourne Australia. Originally a five piece crew, the band dropped a four song EP in 1987 and played constantly on the pub circuit. But Dirty Rats didn't last all that long, calling it quits in the early Nineties from internal squabbles. Now a quarter century later and quite a bit older, original member and bass player Jamie Beovich has reformed Dirty Rats. Now a lean four piece, Dirty Rats dropped their very first long player, Rock N Roll, in 2017. Now these disease carrying, cellar dwellers return with their sophomore effort, End In Tears.

Dirty Rats

Okay. So let's address the elephant in the room first. Hailing from Australia, you're probably asking, do Dirty Rats sound like AC/DC? No. Or yes. Definitely maybe. Alternatively, I would describe Dirty Rats music as rowdy guitar-driven hard rock suitable for a pub fight or a backyard kegger. With plenty of speed, rock rhythm and groove, and no small amount of blues and boogie, I can certainly hear some minor AC/DC, but perhaps also some Motorhead, punk, and simple classic Eighties rock. Basically, across End In Tears, Dirty Rats rip it up with three minute party rock songs, with not one pussy ballad to found among them.

Fast riff rockers come with The Juice, Axis Of Love, Bad News Woman, and Rat Rock by example. Something slightly more tame, more heavy and steady, arrives with Jaded. Hurts Like A Mother has an awesome bass and drum start before the riffs rise and the groove kicks in. If there's song that has the most literal blues and boogie groove, it's Rock Star, and you may think AC/DC. Or not.

Essentially, for some rowdy and roaring guitar-driven riff rock, Dirty Rats and End In Tears is the real deal. Recommended, the next time you want to get beer drunk and bust some heads.

House Of Shakira: Radiocarbon

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

4.5/5.0

Soon to advance into their fourth decade of music, House Of Shakira returns with their ninth and latest studio album, Radiocarbon. My last experience with ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Essentially, for some rowdy and roaring guitar-driven riff rock, Dirty Rats and End In Tears is the real deal. Recommended, the next time you want to get beer drunk and bust some heads.

Alphabetical Index

By far, Sweden's Eclipse is one of my favorite bands. Always consistent and always entertaining, Eclipse has been delivering their 21st century version of melodic metal rock since songwriter, producer ... [ Read More ]