Remember when rock was just plain old rock? You know, back when we didn't have all these confusing and contradictory subcategories, or kids on metal forums choosing sides in the bitter war between death metal and power metal? When did all this unnecessary complexity come from? Where are the bands that play pure rock for the pure fun of it? Well apparently, the answer is Frisco, the home of COBRETTI. Their latest album, "Violation Guaranteed", is the answer to what AC/DC would be doing if they still had the vigor and passion they used to.

Musically, these guys ain't out to impress anybody, and that's the most impressive thing about this disc. Opener "All or Nothing" is the best possible start this album could have, and with its punk drive and classic rock grit, it's also the strongest track on the album. The rest of the album doesn't quite match the energy of the first track, but it's still some pretty solid stuff, and tracks like the flanger and tambourine attack of "Full Service" and the hellacious Chuck Berry inspired "Black Lung" keep the party going. And even though the whole "lead singer acting like a religious figure" thing is a bit cliché these days, Rev. Huey Lubricant has quite a set of pipes and is more than capable as a frontman. His lyrics are also perfectly appropriate odes to rock and roll excess, such as the aptly titled "Bender", "White Lightning" and "Midnight Cowboy". Another nice addition is the dab of gospel sounding female vocals on "Healin' Touch" and "Bought Some Luv", making those tracks instant album highlights and the perfect enhancement to the Rev.'s shtick. This shit must be a blast to witness in person!

Yes, it's been a long, strange trip since the days of having my head stuck in the somber artistic expressions of BORKNAGAR and OPETH. All one has to do is come up for air, take a look around and realize that the fun of rock music is back, or more accurately, it never went away. Thank you, COBRETTI, for that reminder. To learn more, check out an interview with these crazy guys at the Chaos Realm.

- Cardona

OFFICIAL SITE: www.cobretti.us

MP3 SOUND SCRAP: Healin' Touch

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