It took me a while to figure out what the hell BPMD stood for and silly me didn’t pick up on the initials of the musicians in the band. But moving past that, the quartet that includes Bobby Blitz from Overkill on vocals, drummer Mike Portnoy, ex-Dream Theater as well as being with The Winery Dogs and Sons of Apollo, bassist Mark Menghi who is known for his other project in Metal Allegiance and guitarist Phil Demmel, ex-Machine Head and now back with Vio-lence, is an eclectic who’s who of the rock and metal world. All are known to those who follow the heavy music world but only some may be aware of the kinds of influences these guys have in terms of what they listened to growing up as a kid. So what we have here in the form of the album “American Made” is a collaborative effort that boils down to the music all 4 members consider to be an integral part of who they are.
This album is simply fun to listen to from start to finish. Taking old classics as well as a couple of hidden gems from yesteryear, this album sounds like it was created with pure passion. There’s no reason these guys needed to do this album other than they simply wanted to for pure fun and joy and you can hear that listening to each track.
It’s pointless going through the ins and outs of each song as most of these will be pretty familiar to those who either grew up with these tracks or discovered them through backtracking after realizing many of their favorite musical heroes all trace their roots to 60’s and 70’s rock n’ roll. Who hasn’t heard “Toys In The Attic” by Aerosmith by now and while BPMD’s version is a bit heavier and a bit audacious that may get a few disapprovals from Aerosmith aficionados, being a fan of Aerosmith myself I thought this version was rockin’, for lack of a better description.
The other big one most will no doubt have heard the original is the closing track “We’re an American Band” by the Grand Funk Railroad. The chorus line alone will no doubt spark some nostalgia from those in the know and here the band do pretty well to retain the integrity of the original while stamping their own take on it at the same time. It’s an easy classic and the essential epitome of this whole album, capturing the identity and concept of what the band wanted to achieve here so it makes sense that it’s the closing track.
The others may be a hit and miss in terms of what will be argued back and forth among both old school rocker fans and metal heads alike with the choices and the version being recorded stylistically. The Ted Nugent opener “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang” is simply fun and Bobby Blitz stands out the most with his trademark shrieks and almost humerous way he spits out those vocal lines. “Evil” was the first sample to be heard and is a strong bluesy number that was originally written by Willie Nixon and re-done by Cactus later, here BMPD stamp their authority to once again bring the song into a new generation.
“Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” is ZZ Top biker attitude and the band retain that vibe very well here making this on par with the original in that respect. “Saturday Night Special” might not impress Lynyrd Skynyrd fans with this harder rock version but those not into the band might find something likable about it. “Tattoo Vampire” is a thrashy take on Blue Oyster Cult’s energy filled original, again very different here and may not be for the Blue Oyster Cult fans but metal fans may dig it.
BPMD bring Van Halen into the modern century with “D.O.A.” which unsurprisingly works well here, I always thought Van Halen done heavier would work well so hearing more covers of their songs is a welcome treat. “Walk Away” is probably the most different song on here and may stand out in terms of being an almost stand alone number that’s covered on the album. Originally by The James Gang, led by the legendary Joe Walsh, the band may have taken a risk with this one but in the overall scheme of things with the concept of the album, it’s sort of understandable why it would be included on the album. Same thing with “Never In My Life” by Mountain, the time stamp can be distinctly heard here with it’s very early 70’s sound and BPMD once again retain that thanks to Phil Demmel’s guitar work.
Overall “American Made” is going to either be loved or hated by listeners who will be coming in from all directions on the rock and metal fields. The blend of old school and heavy rock is going to always have counterpoints of course but I think the bigger picture here is not just a simple tribute to the classics but also a deep appreciation for music in general and to see just how far we have come. Could this have been a Metal Allegiance album given Mike Portnoy and Mark Menghi’s involvement here? Maybe but then this is not really an all out metal record but more on the rock side of things. But either way the best way to listen to this album is to simply enjoy it for what it is and not for what it should have been which is always the best way to listen to any music anyway.
7/10
TRACKLIST
Wang Dang Sweet Poontang
Toys In The Attic
Evil
Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
Saturday Night Special
Tattoo Vampire
D.O.A.
Walk Away
Never In My Life
We’re an American Band
