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Bam Margera Presents... Viva La Bands Vol. 2

Written by: DY on 10/04/2008 00:37:01

Chances are you\'re familiar with the professional idiot that is Mr. Bam Margera. He\'s a regular on MTV with his show Viva La Bam, as well as being a part of the show Jackass. He\'s also a professional skateboarder, has his own clothes company and owns a record label. If you have no idea who he is, or you haven\'t already heard his (second) compilation album, let me give you an overview of what to expect.

Firstly, there\'s not a consistent genre, the album spans from gothic to death metal to indie rock and synthesized power pop and more. This is a bunch of songs that Bam has thrown together into an album, purely because he likes them. Many of the artists are those which he attempted to help by featuring them on the many shows he\'s appeared on. Interestingly, there are several tracks that have been written exclusively for this album (tracks by In Flames, Clutch, Children Of Bodom, CKY), which is a welcome feature, considering a drawback of most compilation albums is that you already actually own all of the songs.

The album boasts some brilliant songs, including those from the aforementioned bands like Children Of Bodom\'s \"Tie My Rope\" and In Flames\' \"Abnegation\" plus awesome additions by Priestess and Viking Skull. Sadly, but not surprisingly though, Bam also has a taste for Bloodhound Gang\'s disappointing offering of \"Screwing You On The Beach At Night\" and Kill Hannah\'s cheesy \"Believer\".

As with any compilation this diverse, the quality of this album really depends on your personal preferences. The variety in genre means you\'re likely to find at least a few tracks that appeal to you and if you have a particularly diverse taste in music you might even find it to be the perfect mixtape for your car stereo.

However, with so many money spinning compilation albums flying out of record labels these days, it\'s refreshing to listen to a good honest mix like this one, showcasing some (for the most part) decent bands worthy of some attention. Viva La Bands indeed.

Download: Viking Skull - Blackened Sunrise, Children Of Bodom - Tie My Rope, In Flames - Abnegation
For The Fans Of: Any of the bands on the album
Listen: Myspace
Buy: iTunes

Release date 04.09.2007
Ferret Records