Band : Revolting Cocks
Album title : Sexo Olympico
Label : 13th Planet
Distributor : Soulfood Music – Sure Shot Worxx
Release date : 26/09/2008
Release : CD

Ach man, I've always been fond of this somewhat more seedy, say occasionally pornographic, project by Ministry's Al Jourgensen, and not in the least because the band comprised a great Belgian singer in Jan Van Acker! So perhaps you can imagine my exhileration when he revived the band in 2004 with the 2006 Cocked And Loaded album (review by collegue Trik posted 17/02/2008) as a first result.

Following the 2006 MasterBa Tour in support of that album (done with a line-up comprising Van Acker, Phildo Owen and Josh Bradford as singers, Sin Quirin as second guitarist, Clayton Worbeck on keybpoards, Anna Kjellberg on bass, and Seven Antonopoulos on drums) came a remix album titled Cocktail Mixxx (issued in February 2007, review done by yours truly & posted 07/04/2007; more info on the band members can be found there), which reminded me most urgently that I had failed to pick up the 2006 album...an unforgivable oversight which I remedied even before I had started working on the review.

The new album is a nice continuation of the usual Inductrial-Dance-Metal RevCo ingredients of sharp guitars, freaky keyboard/ synth melodies, wacky lyrics and vocal renditions...to which Quirin, Worbeck and Bradford (who was also responsible for the lyrics) added a refreshing first-wave Glam Rock element. Tracks like "Hookerbot3000" and "The Red Parrot" seemlessly continue the band's legacy (which has made the band a favourite among strip joint visitors worldwide). Slightly standing out are "Robo Banditos" which has several Spanish spoken word passages, the more Dance-geared "I'm Not Gay" (first heard on Ministry's CU LaTour live shows and already a favourite song on MySpace and Facebook homepages, it is also the album's first single), and the Dub-inspired "Wizard Of Sextown" (not surprisingly the longest track with its 7:20 length). The band's kinky attitude is sure continued, as one can conclude from the lyrics to several songs!

Impressed with the wacky qualities of the band's newcomers Worbeck, Quirin, and Bradford, Jourgensen was apparently ready to leave the Revco camp, "franchise it out", so to say, but he would still contribute (both as producer and musician) to the new studio album. When the recordings came back from the mastering studio, Al found out it was the first album in his career he found absolutely nothing to bitch about. In his own words: "This is the best RevCo album I've ever done...as a matter of fact, I think this is the best album – including Ministry, Pailhead, Lard – anything I've ever done, period! Production-wize, song-wize, I'm really, really happy with this record."...so he decided to come back on his earlier decision, and continue with the band anyway. What he won't do no more however, is actually tour with the band...although he will still occasionally play selected gigs of the band's future tours.

To give you a small insight on this band's lunatic attitude towards things, the band announced wanting to re-enter the studio this September of last to make another new album (meaning new recordings were to be done even before the sophomore album was physically out there). Recordings done, rehearsals will start for a worldwide tour to commence in April 2009. That's probably why you can also find two versions of "Hookerbot3000" on this album (the regular one and a "Disco A Go Go Mix" version). I mean, perhaps the guys will still find time to do some remix versions of the songs on the new album...I for one truly hope so, because that kinda stuff is so typical to the scene, and usually offers quite refreshing and surprising new visions on/ versions of the original songs!

To round this thing off, let me announce the addition of Sexo Olympico to my personal "Best Albums Of 2008"-list. I'm sure many of the people reading this will agree with me and do the same! If it so happens that you, dear reader, are new to the RevCo catalogue, surf to myspace.com/revoltingcocks to get a whiff of what you can expect. Only "I'm Not Gay" off the new album is posted there, but the additional 5 tracks will certainly give you no wrong impressions of the band!

98/100

Tony.