X-Cops: You Have the Right to Remain Silent...

So a few members of the legendary band GWAR decided to put together a side gig, only the lead singer and guitarist switched roles. Well, there’s more to it than that, but that is the major headline you will see when you read about this band. Anyhow, X-Cops carry over the humor from one band to the other, only the music is pretty straight forward crossover whereas GWAR was a combination of various genres.

As for the music on “You Have the Right to Remain Silent”, we get a fast paced, energetic and of course, humorous album. The songs play very much like GWAR; catchy riffs and bombarding drums set within a humorous setting, capturing the nature of the band. They carry the pace of the album, never allowing the listener to become bored with their brazen sound, and quick tempos. In addition, there are a number of short, but shredding solos spliced into the songs that help blend the hardcore vocals and thrash music into a cohesive sound. The drumming is handle by none other than GWARS’ Mike Dunn, so if you’re a fan, you’ll know what to expect. The drums are just as important as the guitars, playing side by side with them to create a catchy and memorable rhythm for most of the songs. As for the vocals, Casey Orr (Beefcake the Mighty) has a nice set of pipes for the crossover sound. Now, he’s dabbled in some additional vocal duties in GWAR, but here, he’s finally turned loose and shows off his ability. He has a gruff tone to his voice, but not so harsh that you cannot understand every word he sings. He exudes just enough anger to get the point across, but just enough fun to keep in line with the ideals of the album.

“Cavity Search” and “Barbells” display the classic GWAR formula, as they both hook the listener with their riffs, while the drums create a nice rhythm, allowing the vocals to focus on the elements of humor. ‘Welcome to New Jersey” is more vintage crossover focused on the fist-pumping music more than anything else. Many of the songs follow suit however, not every song has the same captivating effect.  Songs like “Zipper Pig” and “Paddy Wagon Rape” tend to get lost in the humor and as such the music become an afterthought forcing the riffs to become dry and the drums stale. Also, there is a cover of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”, which they add enough of their own twist to not only respect the source material, but give it a new sound.  

All in all, for fans of GWAR or crossover in general, you can’t go wrong checking this out. I can’t say that this blew me off my feet, but it was memorable, which goes a long way with a humorous band such as GWAR. You may not find any classic tracks or groundbreaking material on this album, but I’d be willing to bet you’ll have a good time and get a kick out of the classic GWAR mentality.

Highlights: “Welcome to New Jersey” “Cavity Search” “Barbells”

Rating: 3