Psychostick- IV: Revenge of the Vengeance review

Are you ready for chapter four? What\’s that? I can\’t hear you! I said are you ready for the fourth chapter in the epic story of Psychostick\’s career!? Well, if you\’re not, too damn bad because they\’re coming for you and there\’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Humorcore masters Psychostick are back with the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2011\’s Space Vampires vs. Zombie Dinosaurs in 3D– IV: Revenge of the Vengeance and you might as well call this one a sequel because that\’s exactly what it is. Being set up just like a movie, you\’re not just in for the greatest listening experience ever, but you\’re also in for the greatest album you\’ll ever view as a listener. Oh, does that not make sense to you? Too bad! Make it make sense! The album kicks off with one of the most captivating movie trailers never seen. It definitely builds up the anticipation of what can only be expected to be the most off-the-wall experience of 2014. From there we get treated ordered to “Obey The Beard,” which you’ll do- trust me, you will- you have to. Next up is lead single “President Rhino,” which is one of the most impressive campaigns ever. “H Flat” shows the band debating how to make a song as heavy as possible, deciding to tune the guitar to H Flat- a tuning that doesn’t exist- as pointed out by guitarist Josh Key during the discussion. Nonetheless they create it and go for it anyway, creating a song in “So. Heavy” that is so heavy it will make you want to do things like punch a tornado and heabutt a mountain. It makes razorblades taste like candy and it’s so incredibly heavy that the chorus is nothing but growling. After the ridiculously popular internet sensation “Dogs Like Socks,” we get treated to another trailer- this one letting us know a dimensional time portal is coming for us. How will we survive it? WILL we survive it? You have to keep listening to the album to find out! “Quack Kills” is a beautiful story about singer Rawrb’s immense fear of ducks, while “Blue Screen” is a song everyone can relate to when their computer crashes and they get the dreaded and scourged “blue screen of death” but also pokes fun at our dependence on computers- much like “Sadface :(“ did with social media on the previous album. “NSFW” brings in a cavalcade of fun as well as Bill Manspeaker of Green Jelly, an appearance that had to make the guys in Psychostick channel their inner fanboy. And, as you may have guessed from the title- it’s definitely not safe for work. After the best cover of Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” ever created on the face of the earth, we get yet another hilarious guest spot from Manspeaker in “New to the Neighborhood” followed by “Loathe Thy Neighbor,” which anyone who’s had annoying new neighbors will love. After Psychostick nearly fights each other to the death over the last slice of pizza in “Fight to the Death,” we get a couple songs that were written for fans who donated to the band’s Indiegogo campaign (the entire record was funded by fans via aforementioned crowdsourcing site. One of those songs is a moving ode to horror/action legend Bruce Campbell. After a trick or treating-themed track, we finally see what the “Dimensional Time Portal” is all about and what could potentially be awaiting us in our doom. It’s up to Psychostick to save us-and the world- from the inevitable demise that awaits us. If they don’t, we risk losing the world we live in and- even worse- women everywhere will completely lose interest in sexual activity. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen- no coitus for anyone! Luckily, Psychostick uses the power of metal to stop the time portal and saves the world- and the sexual lives of men everywhere. This leads to the final track- “The Power of Metal Compels You,” where we see Psychostick defeating the dastardly time portal and saving the world- or so we think. The final line is “wait, what’s that!?,” as we hear a “boom” and the end of the album. To top it all off, we get more outtakes, which has become a staple of the Psychostick album. After an impressive album in 2011 and three solid years of continuous touring, Psychostick have got to be exhausted. Not only have they given us a record that’s just as good as its predecessor, they’ve given us a huge album in 21 songs. IV: Revenge of the Vengeance isn’t just a Psychostick album, it’s a Psychostick experience. They really went all out on this album. Not all of it makes sense and some of it may be a little over the top, but that’s what makes this band so great- they aren’t afraid to push the envelope of ridiculousness. In fact, they bask in it. Get ready, world. Get ready for the revenge of the vengeance and one of the most action-packed metal albums ever concocted. Rating: 9/10 -Reggie Edwards