METAL DREAMS MAGAZINE: Review of KILLER DWARFS

METAL DREAMS MAGAZINE

KILLER DWARFS - Stand Tall [Remaster] (Bullseye Records of Canada)

Score: 5 out of 5 Battle-Axes (more about rating system)

It's really hard to come up with a good band name and image these days. I realized when the band 'Garbage' hit the airwaves in the 90s that choices must have been run dangerously low. But back in the 80s concepts were still to be had, and the Killer Dwarfs popped up with one of the most amusing and original ideas in ages. Each taking the surname of Dwarf (just like the Ramones did years before), the band played up the idea of being vertically challenged, especially singer Russ Dwarf, who drove a tricycle in the band's videos, as well as arriving on stage in a small crate. Funny stuff, and I'm sure you'd agree if you saw their vids for "Keep That Spirit Alive" and the title track of Stand Tall, the band's second album, which was originally released in 1986. But it wasn't just the band's sense of humor that gained them a good-size fanbase, it was their original sound within the hard rock genre. No band can claim to sound like Killer Dwarfs, because Russ' nasally, high-pitched utterances were exclusive to this band. Sure, the 80s featured a lot of high-end vocalists but none with the tonal quality of Russ. Musically, the band totally rocked on Stand Tall, and this remaster proves that. The slamming skinsmanship of Darrell Dwarf just jumps right off the disc and makes one realize that the double bass drumming of today is completely unnecessary. Darrell was 'heavy' without it! If you like scorching lead playing then this is the stuff for you too because Mike Dwarf just smokes! Gone are the days when music sounded this good and this fun, and geez when was the last time you got a disc that was great from beginning to end? Whether it's the singles previously stated or tracks like "Human Survival," "Through Animal Eyes," "Believe In Me" or anything else off Stand Tall, it's a winner. If you're an 80s hard rock fan, then this should be in your collection. Prior to this reissue/remaster, this was one of the rarest cd's out there, going for big bucks on Ebay. Now, you can own it at a fair price and get a piece of Dwarfs history. Plus the remaster definitely sounds better than the original cd release. An absolute necessity! (Chris Dugan)