Review: “Uncovered” by Butcher Babies

Sandwiched between their 2013 debut album “Goliath” and 2015 sophomore record “Take It Like A Man” came a covers EP like few others from Los Angeles California Groove Metal act Butcher Babies. Adorned by cover artwork which is perhaps a nod to Guns n’ Roses EP “Lies” with its Newspaper front page style offering scandal with pictures of the band, it grabs your attention before things have even begun and the fact that the music video for their Napoleon XIV cover “They’re Coming to Take Me Away!” has the better part of 4.6 million YouTube should also be enticing.

There is nothing to complain about in the 13 minutes and 59 seconds of pure adrenaline soaked intensity that Butcher Babies have created here. They’ve put their own distinctive spin on every single cut from the call to arms that is “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” which goes full throttle from the start and sees Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey deliver throat shredding screams over a the tight rhythms that the trio of other members produce. “They’re Coming to Take Me Away” has been made darker, more theatrical and even more unhinged than the original while The Osmonds cover is that in name and lyric only, becoming a Thrash Metal delight in their hands. Indeed your only complaint about this could be it’s length and with plenty of live footage of the band play the Pantera classic “F***ing Hostile“, guitarist Henry Flury’s love of Gojira and the whole Plasmadics Wendy O. Williams nipple tape saga this could have easily been made into a full length record. But it is none the less an absolute ripper and bodes well for a sequel so let’s be having it! [8.5/10]

Track listing

1. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers (ZZ Top)
2. They’re Coming to Take Me Away (Napoleon XIV)
3. Don’t Give a F— (Suicidal Tendencies)
4. Crazy Horses (The Osmonds)
5. Pussy Whipped (Stormtroopers Of Death aka S.O.D. Cover).

“Uncovered” by Butcher Babies has been out since 2014 via Century Media.