### Frankenbok: Murder of songs

#### 09/09/10 || revenant

What this article about? Zoo Magazine’s hatchet job on “Murder of Songs”.

What’s Zoo? Soft-porn trash magazine published in Australia. Best known for providing quality content such as sluts in lingerie giving sex tips, articles researched using Wikipedia, pictures of vegetables that look like genitalia and pictures of blokes vomiting. High brow stuff indeed!

What’s “Murder of Songs”? The third full length album from Melbourne band Frankenbok. Groove metal, with a hint of thrash, incorporating multiple vocal approaches, with Anselmo-like screeches, low pitched growls and clean singing.

How did Zoo murder it? On the same day of the album release, the following review appeared in Zoo magazine:

Aussie hard rockers Frankenbok haven’t done themselves any favours with this whiffy deposit of ten smelly turds. The songs are nothing if not ironically titled – Failure To Learn? More like Failure To Learn… When To Quit! Tired stuff from a band of blokes who ought to chuck it in and get jobs in IT. Ex-vocalist Adam Glynn has gone onto better things with Five Star Prison Cell. Check them out instead.

They got a bad review from a trash magazine. So what? Frankenbok have insisted, both at the time and in later interviews, that they neither they nor the record company ever sent the magazine a copy of the CD. They also claim that the reviewer was a mate of Adam Glynn, through whom they learned that the reviewer in question had never listened to the album. The band did get a bit of publicity from the review and subsequent spat between band and magazine, and Zoo continued to run articles bashing Frankenbok’s music. When Frankenbok’s next EP (“The Last Ditch Redemption”) was released, they sent a copy to Zoo who again slammed it. This time they took it on the chin.

Since we all know that Global Domination is the one true authority on the Internet when it comes to metal, what’s the GD verdict? Truth be told, I never had any real interest in Frankenbok. When the war of words occurred, I was an entertained onlooker. It does look more like a plug for Five Star Prison Cell than a review of Frankenbok, if only because of the last two sentences. The review did not have any initial impact with me but, after having seen Frankenbok live and being rather impressed, a curiosity crept in, and I suddenly had a need to listen to this album.

Truth be told, “Murder of Songs” is actually quite a good album. The mix of vocal styles is interesting, though I would have preferred a little less of the screamo vocals and more of the clean vocals. I don’t say that often, but the vocalist has such a great voice it is a shame he resorts to screaming so much.

The songs themselves are incredibly catchy. Numerous times I’ve found myself singing to “Triumph” or “What is Real?” in a moment of distraction. However, some of the songs tend to go overlong and lose their way. “Failure to Learn” is a prime example of a song that could have been cut back and improved.

The biggest downside this album has is the production. The guitars are way to thin, and this really detracts from great riffs on display. The other major problem is the drums, as the kick drums sound more like the drummer is wearing tap dancing shoes. The opening to “What is real?” is monstrous, but lacks the production support to become the world conquering track it should be. The bass, however, does sound fucken cool.

In the end, I have to say this is a fairly good album with a couple of flaws. It’s not world conquering, but it’s sure as shit not a “whiffy deposit of ten smelly turds”. I sense a fair bit of potential in Frankenbok. With a bit more polish on the songwriting, and a lot better production, these guys could really kick some major arse. With a new album currently in the works, I look forward to it with great anticipation.

- Information
- Released: 2007
- Label: Prime Cuts
- Website: www.frankenbok.com
- Band
- Adam B. Metal: vocals, guitars
- Aaron Butler: guitars
- Tim Miedeckie: bass
- Mick Morley: drums, tap shoes

- Tracklist
- 01. The Night and the Fog
- 02. Failure to Learn
- 03. What Is Real?
- 04. Worship Before the Dead
- 05. Walk This Lie(fe)
- 06. Down on You
- 07. The Meltdown
- 08. Down to the Wire
- 09. Triumph
- 10. Sludge (I Will Make/Take These Horizons)