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

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