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Although the Danish “alternative” rock scene is mostly very predictable and pretty boring, one gets surprised from time to time. Listening to Beta Satan’s Girls for the first time was one of those nice surprises. Kind of: “Well, there’s still some hope left for the kids”. On the other hand I know that I’m a predictable old ignorant that hates almost anything hyped in the Danish mainstream press. Beta Satan is kind of an all-star band with members from Tiger Tunes and I Am Bones – two bands I have ignored completely!
Anyway, this record is really cool aggressive synth driven guitar rock. Lot’s of punky attitude and snotty provocative lyrics. It’s really original, catchy and melodic. I like this a lot and find this record a fresh blow to the whining and boring Danish mainstream so-called rock. If this kind of music is gonna hit the charts and get some serious airplay at the major radio stations, I’ll clap my hands and piss my pants. I would love it if the sorry mainstream indie-kids and confused Volbeat “fans“ would turn their ears towards Beta Satan and went for more experimental rock like this.
But hey, let’s put them down instead; don’t let them think they are better than us! Isn’t that what we usually do? It’s not that good! The record gets a bit boring at the end doesn’t it? Well, the Danish press has been full of 3 out of 6 ratings and conform reviews. So let’s get in opposition …
… and btw, nice to finally receive a record from Crunchy Frog that is actually worth listening to! ;-) - lowcut magazine
They have come to rule your world. So they say. Convinced of their own brilliance (and pretty damn loud about it) Danish quintet Beta Satan have been on this quest for world domination since 2006, when they found each other in a common loathing of demanding girlfriends, bad television, public transportation, shitty music journalism and much more.
On their debut they’ve added religion and overly sensitive singer/songwriters among other themes to the long list and created the music to match. Sinister synths, scorching guitars, sonic noise and massive drumbeats topped with pure aggression is the essence, but a formidable sense of melody and the ability to effortlessly (and credibly) combine industrial, pop, metal and plain rock makes ‘Girls’ just about as brilliant as they would claim.
The two principal songwriters, drummer Klaus H. Nielsen and singer Kåre Rolf Hansen, come out of late Danish synth-poppers Tiger Tunes and even though they’re not to be compared, Beta Satan do benefit from the same innovative vein that made the Tigers such an entertaining acquaintance.
I hereby recommend that you let BS rule at least a corner of your world. It’s gonna be a dark and angry place, but you will find yourself return to it again and again. - all scandinavian
Discography
Split 7" with Lack [7"-single/DD] - © Play/Rec, 2007
Girls [CD/LP/DD] - © Crunchy Frog, 2008
Photos
Bio
The tall tale of beta satan is the tale of five young men in their 20s who grew old and bitter, way too soon. The guys began complaining about the state of things: bad television, lousy music journalism, dead-end jobs, kids nowadays, the public transportation system, demanding girlfriends, the fear of not being able to reproduce and what have we. Five men, who in the end felt an urge to do things differently, to stop treating everybody as their new best friend, to make music journalists understand what research actually means, to laugh at stupid gig offers. To start bending the rules.
And when they got together to mock the world they luckily found time to make music. Arrogant, fast and complex music about lousy singer/songwriters, teenage satan worshippers and raving madmen. And for once in their sour 20s, they found something they actually enjoyed. Getting pissed, writing songs and rants, playing them live and looking grave at the audience, while having a hard time not laughing at their own hillbilly jokes.
From modest parts of Denmark come K. R. Hansen, Kenneth Andersen, Johannes Gammelby, Morten Riis and Q, who does the dishes in Beta Satan. They play straight-up rock instruments like guitar, drums and keyboards but it sounds like a hell-of-a-lot more. Like a sonic spanking with enough charm to make you forget that you’re actually being beaten by hardcore, insisting and arrogant pop tunes. It’s mind-boggling, it’s original and it’s having a hard time taking itself as seriously as it is expected to be done here.
That’s Beta Satan for you – hope you enjoy.
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