In proper style this record kicks of with a sample from said movie before it starts rolling. Rolling is really the best word to describe the band’s sound. While Vladimir Harkonnen themselves speak of thrash-influenced hardcore I’d rather speak of thrash’n’roll. The musical foundation is clearly thrash metal but there is way too much variation in tempo and too much melodies and singalongs for real thrash metal. You can find some hardcore in their style but only in the same way that you can find punk in early Iron Maiden. It’s more of a subtext.

If you remember Bonehouse you have a good idea of how Vladimir Harkonnen sound like. They use the same basic recipe but they streamlined it significantly. It is all a little more compact and hence a little less punkish. Anyway, the lyrics are pretty good, the sound is phat and the “may shai hulud eat all fascists” on the back cover is funny as hell! This record is as much timeless as it is out of time. It depends totally on the recipient’s position within the popcultural matrix. If you liked Bonehouse or if you can imagine a singalong version of Entombed then this is a total recommendation.  [jan]

www.vladimirharkonnen.de