Rather like the recent Rock S’Cool CD that was mine to review this is in many ways both critic proof and difficult to work out who the audience is meant to be. The big idea this is that here are twenty songs chosen by Bam Margera, “the most powerful/influential powerful person under 30,” according to Stuff Magazine (and Margera’s PR people.)  

The tracks of most interest here are the exclusive tracks. Clutch provide King of Arizona and as ever prove reliable doing that being Clutch thing that they do. In Flames Abnegation is also pretty good but no better than anything they’ve put on their own records. Tie My Rope is the contribution from the equally reliable Children of Bodom and as ever they provide us with a furious yet melodic attack on the ears. CKY’s exclusive remix of Rio Brave is as horrible as the rest of their oeuvre so at least we’re getting a degree of consistency. 

The ever childish Bloodhound Gang also stay in character with Screwing You on the Beach at Night which has echoes of their best known tune Bad Touch but without the memorable chorus. Bam Margera certainly can’t be said to have narrow taste buds as GWAR are up next with War Is All We Know and, even separated from the Beyond Hell CD, is still crap. 

Towering above the rest is Dimmu Borgir’s The Serpentine Offering which remains one of this year’s best efforts. Placed next to Priestess’s pedestrian Lay Down it seems even better. Fortunately Kill Hannah’s Believer is a feisty little pop rocker which warrants further inspection. This band is touring with HIM in December – perhaps you could leave after they’ve been on! Vains of Jenna sound like a weird cross between Bowling for Soup and G’N’R on Enemy in Me. Curious.

The rest of the CD is OK but I doubt that I for one, will ever pull it out again and I probably won’t be rushing to the bands’ websites as Uncle Bam suggests. Another thing I won’t be rushing to watch again is the accompanying DVD which features outtakes from the Viva La Bam vaults, although the Viking Skull video has plenty of energy as indeed does their track on the CD.

Let us know your views on Viva La Bands

Track Listing

Clutch - King of Arizona
In Flames - Abnegation
Children Of Bodom – Tie My Rope
CKY - Rio Bravo (Remix)
The Sounds – Ego (Alan Moulder UK Mix)
Shiny Toy Guns – Rocketship
Bloodhound Gang - Screwing You On The Beach At Night
GWAR - War Is All We Know
The 69 Eyes - Shadow Of Your Love
Priestess - Lay Down
Dimmu Borgir - The Serpentine Offering
Kill Hannah – Believer
Viking Skull - Blackened Sunrise
Vains Of Jenna - Enemy in Me
A Life Once Lost - Firewater Joyride
Revolution Mother - Come On
Melody Club - Take Me Away
The Thieves - Vacant Thoughts
Malevolent Creation - Buried In A Nameless Grave
Gnarkill – Dico At The Piano Bar