Minibosses / Penny Windblow - Split CD

This split CD from Forge Records features Phoenix-based NES cover band The Minibosses and Brooklyn-based hardcore outfit Penny Winblood. Like most EPs, it’s a quick listen, with only eight tracks lasting twenty minutes, making it an excellent teaser for those who haven’t heard either act. This works well for The Minibosses, who are due to release their second album, Brass, later this December. It also doesn’t hurt them that the popularity of video game music is on the upsurge, as the sheer proliferation of video game cover/remix acts found on sites like Overclocked Remix and the success of concerts like Video Games Live demonstrates. But they’re not just another band jumping on the 8-bit bandwagon. The Minibosses can claim a degree of seniority here; members Matt Wood and Aaron Burke started covering video game music in 1997 when they were part of the Jenova Project. After the Project’s demise in 1999, they recruited Ben Baraldi on bass and Rich Smaldone. The band has mostly retained that lineup ever since, the sole exception being second guitar (ably provided on this album by John Lipfert). Since your average NES theme only runs a brisk minute and half, The Minibosses generally grab three or four at a time and whip them into wicked medleys whose rock’n’roll resonance dwarfs the originals while exalting their potential at the same time. “Ninja Gaiden” gets the geek party rolling here, its leisurely saunter gaining momentum and urgency as the song progresses, building (as any good video game cover should) toward the boss fight. “Double Dragon” wastes no such time. It leaps immediately into action, delivering a quick flurry of guitar licks in just over a minute. A new recording of their “Castlevania” medley caps their half of the disc. Though I found the original’s slightly slower tempo and dirtier sound more preferable, I still felt compelled to grab a whip and start destroying zombies, bats, torches, random blocks of stone, etc. It will pique your interest as well, even if it doesn’t inspire you to do the same. Penny Winblood then closes out the CD with their five song set. Filled with the cacophony of abrasive guitars, muted drums, unintelligible vocals, and spliced with the occasional sample, their experimental chaos strikes an interesting contrast to the tight arrangements of The Minibosses. Beyond that, there’s little to recommend here for the non-math metal junky other than interesting song titles like “fire is a hungry bitch” and “jc’s nuts.” In a lot of ways, their music is analogous to those cartoon fights that occur behind closed doors. There’s a lot of noise and commotion, but no one outside of those concerned has the foggiest notion as to what the hell is going on. [www.minibosses.com; www.pennywinblood.com]