Free Tyson Free! |Play It Again Sam Records, 1994|

1. Free Tyson Free!, 2. Get Chained, 3. Power Is My Life, 4. Murder As Religion, 5. Tyson Vs Washington (F.T.F.), 6. Sanity Fair, 7. Sanity (Karaoke Ambient), 8. Sanity B., 9. Free Tyson Free! (ESPN Mix)

A review of a band from Belgium appears the very first time at Fabryka, but well, it’s not our fault there are so little bands making industrial rock music coming from that country.

Holy Gang was a side project of a Belgian band LaMuerte and released only one album, so practically it was one of those one-famous-song bands like Union Underground with their "Drivel". Additionally there’s a guest appearance of Front 242’s Richard "Richard 23" Jonckheere on the album.

Free Tyson Free! title refers to the famous, American boxer Mike Tyson, who was convicted on the charge for raping Miss Black Rhode Island - Desiree Washington – in an Indianapolis hotel room, 1992. Tyson was given a sentence of six years in jail.

Where hardcore meets industrial metal, there can’t appear a boredom. Therefore an interest to the song was given by TV and radio stations. An aggressive videoclip with the same title was played on VIVA TV and other music TV stations many times, but it’s still accessible f.e. on YouTube thesedays.

This CD or rather EP contains a genius, aggressive title song dominated by dynamic rhythm, heavy guitars and slapped bass. The lyrics are based on a rap style syncopation, shouted by Marc "Bonecrusher" Desmare. Marc’s voice fits perfectly to that kind of music so it’s kind of sad he hadn’t featured in any more aggressive side projects, but only in a garage band LaMuerte and punk-funk Marine, where he was playing a saxophone in the 80s.

The next song is "Get Chained" which reminds me a direction of Ministry with its edgy wall of guitars but then it turns into a super wooden, marching song "Power Is My Life" in a style of Die Krupps, where even the guitars use couldn’t help. Both of the songs were recorded with a guest appearance of Richard 23 mentioned above. The situation was rescued by "Murder As Religion" with its growled vocals and industrial metal like fusion of layered guitar riffs .

"Sanity Fair" it’s also kind of a simple track kept in the same style with samples and guitars but its remixed version sounds more industrial, in a style of The Young Gods or Cubanate, however it’s missing the vocals. It transforms very easily into "Sanity B." with more looped, danceable rhythm yet industrial vibe.

Free Tyson Free! was re-released by Roadrunner Records on 01/24/1995. Mike Tyson left the prison 2 months later (after 3 years spent in jail, where he turned to Islam), then he returned to boxing, gathering millions of people at the front of the TV screens (worth to note the fight were broadcast in a pay-for-view system). Undoubtedly it’s a great album for all fans of industrial metal music but for Mike Tyson’s fans as well ;) (NINa, August 16, 2009)

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