Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway
Can you even begin to imagine what a band that seemed like an unholy amalgamation of Ministry, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, and Wendy O. Williams / The Plasmatics would sound like?
Imagine no more! I have discovered a band that surely embodies what such ungodly musicality would sound like, and they are the Bern, Switzerland-based CAPTAIN CONTROL. That sound is what may best describe the contents of their new 12″ EP release for Subversiv Records, ‘Be Prepared‘ (Sept. 28).
Riddled with punk rock angst guided by slabs of incendiary guitars, dizzying, machine-gun drumming, and absolutely vicious vocal onslaughts, this music is not for the faint of heart. There are such furious intensities as “Tonight You Die“, “Mamma’s Gonna Get You“, and “Let Them All In” that render fast-burning, non-stop numbers with anthem-worthy qualities to them.
The band – Miss Von Der Rolle (vocals), Pushdaisy (bass), Dave Talon (guitar), and Detti (drums) – are all about providing the most bang for your buck… well, in the equivalency of a song, anyway. Riveted into every track are abundant metal elements, sometimes tempered with dark, gothic tinting like that laden in a cut like “Another Night In Jail“.
With the continuous buzzing of frenzied, chainsaw guitars driving their advance, there’s an alluring, feel-good vibe embedded into these songs. One just needs to give “Download Me Baby” or “Let Me Feel Your Skin” (co-written by the band’s second live guitarist Tom) a spin to feel the urge to sing along with their gang choruses. It sinks its way into your flesh like a fang. Before you know what bit you, you’re wailing away, too.
I must point out that one of the more clearly defining qualities of CAPTAIN CONTROL is the unique vocal styling of Miss Von Der Rolle. Her throaty, venomously angsty vocalizations are punk as fuck, their resonating nature is what brought to mind my earlier mention of Wendy O. Williams. Yes, Miss V.D.R. could indeed be described as the acidic sister to Marilyn Manson, Edsel Dope, or Al Jourgensen.
Two of the best examples of her slaying sonics come with the one-two throttling of the last tracks on this EP. It is really the entire CAPTAIN CONTROL camp doing what it is they do best. “Painting By Numbers” and “Good Night America” are a pair of exceptional high points on the record, two incredibly rocking tunes that transmit a palpable anti-social undertone in them.
Like odes to both self-destruction and nuclear Armageddon, these numbers cut you to pieces with their razor-sharp riffs and bile-filled lyrical deliveries. But the truth is that actually describes all the contents of ‘Be Prepared‘, and you will discover that for yourself once you join in this amplified protest.
‘Be Prepared‘… to get all outta control with CAPTAIN CONTROL now via the stream we have here or head over to Bandcamp [LINK] where it is streaming and available to purchase.
