R.A.M.B.O.

Bring It! (2005)
Havoc

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: GodDamnDracula
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on December 16th 2005

Hot damn! This album is GOOD. Toss poo at passing cyclists GOOD. Throw a bagel at an SUV GOOD. Fling pennies at the monkeys GOOD. Throw shit GOOD. Whatever.

R.A.M.B.O.’s first album was an experience akin to mowing the lawn or clipping the hedges. Invigorating, but not particularly enjoyable. Wall of Death the System had a few things going for it: Good lyrics, funny song titles, good cover art, entertaining video clips and a jewel case to hold it all together. Unfortunately, the music was neither original nor particularly good.

Bring It is both original (in a limited but still valid kind of way) and good. I think you will agree these are both qualities that one would hope for in a musical album. In an attempt at simplification, I will list a few of the things that are good about it:

Slick production courtesy of that dude from Converge, Kurt Ballou.
A picture of a guy in a cape handing out ass whoopings on the cover.
Melody and heaviness in equal measure.
A song near the end of the album that’s almost pop-punk for you mellow lovers.
Lyrics about fighting the system and other shit that will get you pumped up and mad at that little Texan fucker that’s on TV all the time.
The person who sings for this band is good at singing for a band.
The people who play instruments for this band are also good at it. I think. I’m not sure I’m entirely qualified to judge.
There are video clips that you can play on the computer (though I didn’t watch them yet).

For those of you who feel the need for further clarification, or those who do not prefer lists, I present a few more sentences for the sake of clarification.

R.A.M.B.O. has artfully blended abrasive hardcore with smooth melodies and some bad-ass sing-along choruses. Think of some Swedish bands like Skitsystem or Disfear. Now think of some bands like Strike Anywhere or Gorilla Biscuits. Combine them in your head. You will probably come up with something that sounds nothing like this band. Probably, you should just listen to the album. I think taking things into your own hands instead of relying on your imagination is probably the best course of action. Also, you may be thinking to yourself, “I don’t like those bands and furthermore I own none of their albums. Most likely I don’t like this band.” Don’t be foolish. Of course you like this band. Try it, I think you will be surprised. It’s got something for everyone (did I mention there is a picture of a guy in a cape on the cover?).

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

gladimnotemo (January 18, 2006)

The DVD to this is the most awe-inspiring mosh-filled thing ever.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (December 19, 2005)

A fucking cape.

Anonymous (December 18, 2005)

i really wish people would post proper links. dont you realise that if we find your review interesting, the first thing we will do is get some mp3s? I'd mch rather not have to do this illegally so please post a link to the bands homepage in future. thanks.

http://rambo.computershateme.org/

rkl (December 17, 2005)

dear scruffy,
this is a bad ass album, but this is not the reason im writing this letter.
rather, your tossing aside of megadeth, one of the better bands of the 80s.
mustaine's lyrics were k-rad, and you cant tell me the riff from hangar 18 doesnt make you cream and crap yourself simulteaneously.
love, rkl

p.s. we're still getting together for pizza and cleveland steamers later, right, snookums?

Anonymous (December 17, 2005)

I mean it's cool how everbody who has obviously seen the cover for two seconds keeps refering to THE FLAG as a cape.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (December 17, 2005)

How can a cape be boring? seriously?

Anonymous (December 17, 2005)

Uhh i can see a flag on the cover...hmm so i guess a capes the new flag.

Scruffy (December 17, 2005)

But, it's not a cape...

Also, since when did mediocre paintings of fantastical scenes make something worth buying? Are we all gonna rave about Megadeth next week? Sonata Arctica?

I have never heard this band, so this is not an indictment of their music, or the cover art. It's pretty cool-looking. Just saying.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (December 17, 2005)

But yeah, it's still a good cd, and the cover alone makes it worth twice the price. A GUY IN A FUCKING CAPE!

givemeamuseumandillfillit (December 17, 2005)

What the hell is this.

I popped this cd in expecting to be blown away, but this is totally shitty wok. WHERE'S THE CRUST? If i want to hear crappy skate punk i'll do a mail order from bad taste records.

Scruffy (December 16, 2005)

Maybe Cobra Commander stole the cape before the picture was posted, and that's why that guy is so mad at him.

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

terrible review.
next time try to focus on the 'musical album' instead of using arbitrary nonsense and fantasies of guys in imaginary capes to gauge your review.

prankish (December 16, 2005)

I see a guy with a FLAG on the cover, but I definitely don't see a cape.

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

Great stuff, Felix Havoc can do no wrong.

ElVaquero (December 16, 2005)

The review was pretty neat. Made me want to check out the album.

Mission: accomplished.

angiemima (December 16, 2005)

haha, my band played with them at Philly Fest in April and their show was amazing. My dad was visiting from Oregon and he was converted, hah! He's 63. The crowd was so funny, there was a naked guy in the pit with Viking horns on.

etwiels88 (December 16, 2005)

Whats with reviews that couple weeks? There hasn't really been anything good or noticeable...

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

"Tony Pointless's going away show! ...show is with Municipal Waste, F.O.D., and Caustic Christ."

Better book those plane tickets now, kids...that show is gonna fucking rule. Jesus...I'd drive 200 miles to see any one of those bands play a show, but all 4 on the same bill? Who in the fuck is gonna open?

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

Revolution Anarchy Mosh Bike Overthrow.

Make sure you check out the live videos - this band is notorious for their shows and crazy ass fans.

-Ken

Also, get their split with Crucial Unit - one song features John Ashcroft on guest vocals...seriously.

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

Revolutionary anarchists mobilizing to battle oppression

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

Well, there's only two.

Their first one's better.

But this one's cool, too.

-Will

BizzleBrizzle (December 16, 2005)

Best RAMBO album is Wall of Death The System

Dante3000 (December 16, 2005)

Is it true that the "B" Stands for "bike"?
Anyhow, I have heard a couple of songs from this band and I really like them.
I would reccomend they team up with ArnoCorps for a tour of super awesome resuce team bands. Of course ArnoCorps could kill RAMBO with one hard look, but they don't do that, because they're a resuce team not assassins.

So, someone tell me: Best RAMBO ALBUM TO START WITH...Caps lock...damn.
-Dante

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

the first album was great! as a side note for those who do not know, the singer from jid dynamite used to play in this band.

kenjamin (December 16, 2005)

Score is for Vegetarian Kingdom and Govinda's in Philly. The guy from Rambo will convert your diesel car into a vegetable oil car.

Anchors (December 16, 2005)

Great band, but god damn do I hate Sylvester Stalone.

skaboom (December 16, 2005)

I have not heard of these dudes, but I would buy it based on the cover art alone.

BizzleBrizzle (December 16, 2005)

As for them breaking up, there's gonna be a farewell show for Tony Pointless January 27th in Philadelphia, he's moving to Arizona. This is on R5 Production's website:

Tony Pointless's going away show! After more than a dozen years of service to the Philadelphia punk scene - the famed Tony Pointless is moving to Arizona to be with his lady friend. Send him off right and mosh hard to his theatric crazy pants punk rock band.

show is with Municipal Waste, F.O.D., and Caustic Christ.

On to this record:

It's alright, but it's not nearly as good as Wall of Death the System, Wall of Death The System has a unique and awesome sound to it, this one just sounds like just about every other crust record in the world.

gladimnotemo (December 16, 2005)

I'm surprised to see this reviewed...I'm gonna do Wall... eventually, since the reviewer is dead wrong about it here. I hope the rumours about them breaking up are false. That would be lame.

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

Going for humor. Only getting bad reviewer.

tommy_jarvis (December 16, 2005)

Rambo can't break up!
We were eating at vegetarian kingdom in philly last summer, and the people at the table got up to leave. I looked up and saw Rambo's singer, the singer from 1905 and all these other neat people from good philly bands. But then I continued eating my tofu, because they probably didn't want to talk to me.
Later that night, while walking around outside the church at Pointless Fest, I ran into their singer again. Super-nice guy. I didn't know his name, so I called him Rambo Guy. He didn't seem to have a problem with this.
What a good story!
This is also the reason that Rambo can't break up.

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

How can you not like an album that has that kind of cover art. some dude taking on what is some type of military police, with nothing but his bare knuckles and a cape/flag thing. if their music is anything like the art, this will rock!

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

I like this album...a lot. Wall of Death was good..but unmemorable sans a few songs.

killyouridols (December 16, 2005)

review started off great, got lousy, got great again.

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

man, i always read comments about how much the reviews suck but...

this review really sucks

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

Too bad they're breaking up real soon.

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

how was wall of death not particularly enjoyable, soo many good tracks brah.

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

finally!!!!

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

their first album was better. Wall of Death is fucking awesome, plus Jason Shevchuk's guest vocals give it like...10000000 punk points. not that i like his bands that much....

-phdeconrol (shut up)

Anonymous (December 16, 2005)

RAMBO are awesome, but I disagree about their first album. It was good.

-Will