The Other – Fear Itself

album by:
The Other
Version:
CD
Price:
£9.17

Reviewed by:
Rating:
4
On 21 October 2015
Last modified:22 October 2015

Summary:

What I particularly liked about this album is the differing influences throughout, with sleazy sounds and hard rock blending nicely together to put the 'Fear Itself' into you. Recommended for fans of The Damned, Iron Maiden, Marilyn Manson and Iggy Pop.

Horror Punk Rock band The Other from Köln, Germany released their sixth album ‘Fear Itself‘ on 10th July  via Steamhammer/SPV. The Other started in 2002 as a Misfits cover band, a lot has happened in the thirteen years since then, and a few line-up changes sees the remaining original members Rod Usher and Dr Caligari with new guitarists Pat Laveau and Ben Crowe and bass player making up the current line-up of The Other.

I was going to review but found that Vocalist Rod Usher has already done a video giving a track by track guide to each song! Do I need to? Well it would be reckless not to, it’s interesting viewing (see below) but I have a job to do so here goes. In general the album something like The Damned meets Iron Maiden. With thirteen tracks I’m not going to try and top Rod’s track by track guide, I’m just going to give a few observations and highlights.

Opening track and title track Fear Itself is a one minute long introduction, with ethereal, medieval type chanting and a gothic horror movie feel leading nicely into Nie Mehr, the only song in their native language which starts a bit Motley Crue, think Dancing on Glass then merges into something much harder hitting. Bloodsucker with the lyrics ‘She’s too young, too young to be a bloodsucker. She’s too young to drink blood’ has a Billy Idol flavour and by that I mean the song Bitter Pill, not the taste of! Doll Island – Isla De Las Mune more of a C.S.O.D, meets Metallica number. German Angst starts a bit Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name with a punishing drumbeat in places. Funeral March reminded me of Real Wild Child (Wild One) by Iggy Pop. Animal Instint of Wolfbane’s Man Hunt. Finishing with Mephisto  (one of the chief demons of German literature) with more Motley Crue style riffage. Whilst I can’t say the song specifically reminded my of Marilyn Manson’s The Mephistopheles Of Los Angeles I thought of it because of the title and I did think of Marilyn when listening to a few of the songs.

My highlight tracks have got to be Funeral March and Animal Instinct. What I particularly liked about this album is the differing influences throughout, with sleazy sounds and hard rock blending nicely together to put the ‘Fear Itself’ into you. Recommended for fans of The Damned, Iron Maiden, Marilyn Manson and Iggy Pop.

Track List:
1: Fear Itself
2: Nie Mehr
3: Bloodsucker
4: Black Sails Against a Midnight Sky
5: Dreaming of The Devil
6: Doll Island – Isla De Las Mune
7: German Angst
8: Screams in The Black House
9: In The Dark
10: The Price You Pay
11: Funeral March
12: Animal Instinct
13: Rise
14: Mephisto

Band Members:
Rod Usher – Vocals
Doc Caligari – Drums
Ben Crowe – Guitar
Aaron Torn – Bass Guitar
Pat Laveau – Guitar

Links:

Website: http://www.theother.de/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theotherhorrorpunk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/The_Other

Horror Punk Hell Tour 2015

Win an incredible The Other wall plaque with Big Cheese Magazine –http://www.bigcheesemagazine.com/features/article/win-an-incredible-the-other-wallplaque

What I particularly liked about this album is the differing influences throughout, with sleazy sounds and hard rock blending nicely together to put the 'Fear Itself' into you. Recommended for fans of The Damned, Iron Maiden, Marilyn Manson and Iggy Pop.

About Louise Swift

I first went to a gig in 1981, Gillan at Leeds University. I've been a regular gig goer ever since. I haven't kept count of how many gigs I've been to over the intervening years, but it's a lot! My favourite bands are AC/DC then, in no particular order, Anti-Nowhere League, Slaughter and the Dogs, Towers of London and Dirt Box Disco. I tend to like Glam/Punk and rude offensive lyrics, not sure what that says about me but as Animal would say 'So What!' The question was recently put to me - did I write for any online publications? My reply - No, but I'd like to! Planetmosh was suggested and I found myself offering to review Aces High Festival. Easy peasy I thought! Well not quite, if a jobs worth doing it's worth doing well! I had sixteen bands to research. I found I actually enjoyed that and it kept me too busy to be making lunatic comments on Facebook! ;) Then I felt a bit inadequately qualified. I mean, who am I to comment on others, when my musical expertise extends to being able to play a mean Greensleeves on the recorder and a passable Annie's song on the flute! Haven't picked up either instrument for years! What I do have, however, is over 30 years of experience as a gig goer, so I can comment on what I like and what I don't! It's only my opinion and, if I don't like a band it doesn't mean they are bad, just not to my own liking. I admire anyone who has the guts to get up on that stage and have a go!