Review: Scattered Hamlet- Swamp Rebel Machine

Scattered Hamlet’s Facebook page describes them as the following: “Imagine Stone Cold Steve Austin with his partners Bo and Luke Duke in a parking lot brawl on a Saturday night set to music! Then you have Scattered Hamlet.” If there’s a more accurate description of a band, I beg you to prove it- their latest record- Swamp Rebel Machine- is exactly what I’d imagine Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Dukes of Hazzard jamming on their stereo. This couldn’t be any more accurate. They call themselves Honky Tonk Metal and that’s about as good as it gets. Imagine Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pantera, Nashville Pussy and Molly Hatchet all sprinkled into a giant pot together an combined into one bowl of delicious Southern gumbo and that’s what Swamp Rebel Machine is and it starts out from the very start of “Battle Hymn,” which kicks you in the ass so hard you won’t know what the hell hit you. Vocally, this is the perfect combination of Rob Zombie-meets-Wednesday 13 and the guitar work is catchy, infectious and addicting, coursing through your veins to the point you’ll be seething for more. This record is loaded with anthems- “White Trash,” “Outlaw Breed,” “Battle Hymn,” “Whip-Poor-Will” and the title track are just a few- but, in all reality there isn’t any filler on this one- it goes from 0-100 in just a few seconds and doesn’t stop until you’ve had enough…but you never will. So sit back, grab a beer and get ready for the biggest Southern metal ass-kicking you’ve ever had. And that’s the bottom line because…well, you know the rest. Rating: 9.5/10 -Reggie Edwards