It's probably impossible to describe "Venom Shock" more aptly than one of Snake Lightning's Facebook fans.
"It's like The Darkness mixed with the 'South Park' dudes," a follower wrote a few days after the 10-song album was unleashed on iTunes earlier this month.
That's exactly what the Oklahoma City act sounds like. The rock-comedy duo is fully committed to all things '80s rock 'n' roll. Basically, the band is a pair of musicians who like rock, and like singing about how much and how hard they like to rock.
It's absurd' and kind of awesome.
If you're about to give up, don't. Diving, reverb-laden guitars; twinkling synthesizers; and pew-pew electronic drum fills have your back on "Never Surrender," a song that urges the facing of fears and the stoking of that rebellious "fire burning deep inside you now."
The fire has engulfed you by now, I'm sure, but don't get too heated' Snake Lightning is about to douse you with "Cove Party," a song that sails on a lake of alcohol and adult idiocy. The lyrical discussion here centers on the following: "Beer' is what we drink! Boats' it's what we ride! Buds' is who we are!"
Then it's onto either "boobs" or "booze"' it's impossible to decipher with all the high-pitched, Stephen Pearcy-from-Ratt-shrieking' and sun-bleached shenanigans at a filthy cove party. "Cove party! Cove party!"
Lionesses tear into young prey during the "golden age of rock 'n' roll" in "Cougars of the World," a track replete with Judas Priest guitar-chugging and sampled cougar growls. The song's title provides both a concept and chorus, which amid group shouts, goes something like this: "Cou-gars! C-c-c-cou-gars! Cougars of tha' world! (Rawr!)"
Dan "The Dangerzone" Abbott, lead guitarist/bassist/keyboardist/drummer said Snake Lightning is booking shows for the fall and spring. There's no telling what breed of cougars would prowl around at a Snake Lightning show, but it's safe to assume you wouldn't want any of that fur to touch yours.
This album will make you sick with laughter. And vomit. Doctor's advice: Take "Venom Shock" on an empty stomach with 12 units of chilled aluminum. "?Joe Wertz
