Review
Scissorfight
Victory Over Horseshit

Tortuga Recordings (2006) Michael

Scissorfight – Victory Over Horseshit cover artwork
Scissorfight – Victory Over Horseshit — Tortuga Recordings, 2006

I'm going to jump right to the point; if you don't like rock-n-roll music, you're not going to like Scissorfight. This New Hampshire outfit plays gritty rock music - this is music for the blue collar working man. So if that is you, grab a case of your favorite beer, crack one open, and turn up the volume.

Victory Over Horseshit is a CD single to promote the band's upcoming full-length release. On this disc we get two songs from that album, two unreleased tracks, and a hard to find song. The disc opens with the title track, a rock-n-roll jam that is equal parts of influence from Clutch and Fu Manchu, but with a slight metal edge to it. Factor in a super catchy chorus, and it's hard not to sing along. "86 Sucker," the other new track, has a definite southern-rock tinge to it - ZZ Top is no doubt an influence - though it is a bit more straightforward in its approach. And while it may be written in a traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula, it's by no means corporate radio rock.

Scissorfight hit us with two previously unreleased tracks. The first, "Sun Hunt" is lead by crisp riffs and, gasp, a clean singing Iron Lung. This change caught me a little off guard, but after a few listens the stylistic change didn't phase me anymore. Overall I found this song to have a slight Queens of the Stone Age feel to it. Well, the first QOTSA record that is. "Rules are Different for Dead Men" is a rager of a song and classic Scissorfight doing what they do best. The single closes out with "Transcontinental," a track that was available on the limited Champions of Sound Tour 7". And while this song was originally released a couple of years ago, it fits well on this single as it blends the aggressive dirty-rock upbringing and the recent mainstream leanings of the band.

Scissorfight have made a few adjustments since they last checked in, the most notable being that their sound has become a bit more accessible. The songwriting is a bit more straightforward and akin to mainstream radio rock. This isn't really a bad thing, though some longtime fans of the band might consider this move selling out. My suggestion is to ignore them and just rock out.

7.5 / 10Michael • February 7, 2006

Scissorfight – Victory Over Horseshit cover artwork
Scissorfight – Victory Over Horseshit — Tortuga Recordings, 2006

Related news

Scissorfight Vocalist Announces Art Show

Posted in Music News on October 17, 2007

Mess With The Bull (Ex-Scissorfight) Post Demos

Posted in MP3s on January 2, 2007

Scissorfight Tourdates

Posted in Tours on March 21, 2006

Recently-posted album reviews

Jungle Rot

Cruel Face Of War
Unique Leader (2026)

Twelve albums and more than three decades into their career, Jungle Rot remains one of death metal's most reliable institutions. While countless bands have spent years chasing technical excess, progressive experimentation, or whatever trend happens to be dominating the underground now, the Kenosha veterans have remained committed to a simpler mission. Writing memorable riffs, locking into crushing grooves, and leaving … Read more

Overcalc

Fruits of the Decision Tree
Sleeping Giant Glossolalia (2024)

Some instrumental records create atmosphere while others create movement. Fruits of the Decision Tree feels like it creates an entire environment. It’s unstable, mechanical, strangely beautiful, and constantly in motion. The solo project of Nick Skrobisz (Multicult, The Wayward), Overcalc exists somewhere between electronic experimentation, prog-level guitar precision, ambient drift, and full on sci-fi hallucination. Trying to pin it cleanly … Read more

Fangus

Emerald Dream
From The Urn Records (2026)

The needle drops, and there’s no introductory sweaty handshake. Fangus doesn’t care for niceties; they’re ready to get down to brass-knuckle business. With their debut full-length, Emerald Dream, the Montreal quintet has exhumed a sound that feels less like a tribute to the early '70s and more like a master tape found rotting in a damp basement behind a stack … Read more