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Crackin' Skulls And Crushin' Bones

    
       
       
       
     
             
Durty Triix are a hard rock band from Australia formed in 2021 by vocalist/guitarist Scotty Ginn (Rags N Riches), releasing their debut album 'Crackin' Skulls And Crushin' Bones' in 2022. The band are completed by Dave McKeowen (guitar), Damian McDonald (bass), and Jason McDonald (drums).    
             
Featuring a hard rocking sound popularised by bands such as Aerosmith, Def Leppard, AC/DC, and a host of other sleaze rock bands during the eighties and nineties, Durty Triix hit hard - and kick harder - across forty two thundering minutes and ten songs. The band come storming outta the blocks with album opener 'Living In Danger', blending old school NWOBHM sounding guitars with the bold swagger of sleaze and glam rock. Harder hitting than a wrecking ball in full swing, 'Living In Danger' is a scorching start to what, hopefully, is gonna be a scorching album. Being the oldie I am, I was fortunate to have been a part of the whole sleaze rock and metal evolution of the eighties and into the nineties - when bands such as Cinderella, Ratt, Slaughter, FireHouse, and Skid Row all led the way. And what great times they were too...the energy, the pizzazz, the rebellious nature - oh such a wonderful time...    
             
...that Durty Triix are recreating! The atmosphere and smell of the old days coming back in droves, with the title song 'Crackin' Skulls And Crushin' Bones' echoing the hard rock boogie of the legendary AC/DC. The bands iconic guitar sound instantly recognisable - Durty Triix maintaining their bombastic and highly energetic opening with a fantastic flourish of infectious and head noddingly attractive hard rock. It's upbeat, it's up tempo, it's up lifting! 'Miss Kitty's Bar' takes the album in the direction of Southern rock, with visions of a saloon bar, tables littered with beer bottles, and the saw dust covered floor getting stomped all over with rockers energetically strutting their stuff. It's party time baby - and Durty Triix are the soundtrack! And with a title perfectly suited to a ballad, 'Can't Stop Thinking About You', actually isn't. It's an up tempo flurry of energetic rock, blending the iconic sound of UK rock band Status Quo with the party rock feel of American glam rockers Poison. Durty Triix revelling in bringing an age old sound to the modern day - oomph and energy included.    
             
It's been a while since I've heard any band - either rock or metal - that has reflected so many different bands in their sound. Durty Triix a veritable encyclopaedia of sleaze and glam rock bands of yesteryear. It's just incredible...and it's something the older generation are gonna love, reminding them of their youth. I tell ya - there's gonna be a lot of happy fifty year olds out there (me included)! And now we're off to the Kiss dominated seventies with the glam rock aura of 'Loose Lips And Tight Hips'. The hard hitting nature of 'Loose Lips And Tight Hips' is gonna nod heads hard, the energy level just as high now as when the album began. Dunno where these Aussies get their energy from, but I hope it don't run out! And OMG - electrifying pace takes over the album with the fast paced 'Confusion And Illusion'...the nearest the album gets to the classic "foot on the monitor" feel of traditional heavy metal. I reckon many of the worlds metal heads are gonna be enticed into the Durty Triix universe by this one. Simply awesome! And talking of awesome, the band bring blues rock to the fore, in the shape of 'Tell Me Honey' - a strolling, swaggering, swinging stomp of side to side swaying. Is there no corner of the hard rock genre that Durty Triix won't visit?    
             
"ballad", someone shouts! Well with three songs left to go, we'll just have to wait and see. 'Cause right now, the band return to the pulsating nature of bombastic hard rock with 'Hell Hath No Fury' - and a feeling of the mighty Van Halen. Durty Triix continuing their Bill & Ted time travelling trip back to a glorious era for rock evolution - an era that produced many of the genres greats. And the instantly recognisable guitar sound of the NWOBHM makes its presence felt once again - 'Legend Down' a heavy hitter mixing the sounds of bands such as Whitesnake, Aerosmith, and (the just mentioned) Van Halen. The driving rhythms Durty Triix have loaded the album with, are the stuff of parties! Raucous and energetic parties at that! You certainly won't go far wrong with 'Crackin' Skulls And Crushin' Bones' (the album) as the soundtrack to your next beach party. Just remember to send me an invite! The album comes to a close with 'Stand Up, Get It Up' - and not a single ballad in sight! Which is kinda unusual for a modern day rock album...but I ain't complaining. Much more energy on show and I get to keep my lighter in my pocket. 'Stand Up, Get It Up' also returns the Kiss flavour of earlier, hitting hard and kicking harder. Forty two minutes ago, Durty Triix started this party with a bombastic sleaze and glam rock sound...and never looked back! 'Crackin' Skulls And Crushin' Bones' (the album) has been full of energy, oomph, and pizzazz - and is a cracking album.    
             
Overall, an infectious hard rocking album packed to the rafters with pulsating party rock anthems.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Mazz-XT Music    
             
Review is also featured at Metal-Roos    
             
             
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