CD REVIEW: Steel Panther – All You Can Eat

Shane | 2 May 2014 | Reply

CD REVIEW: Steel Panther – All You Can Eat
Kobalt
April 2014
Reviewed by Shayne McGowan
7/10

With their 2009 release “Feel the Steel”, I felt that Steel Panther had delivered something to us that was truly brilliant, an album that was chock full of riffs, hooks and heavy metal worship, with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek. On their 2011 offering “Balls Out”, it was more of the winning formula that had brought them success on their debut proper, and with the exception of one or two songs, it was mostly killer.

Now in 2014, we get Steel Panthers third release, “All you can Eat”, and to be honest, the joke is starting to wear a little thin on me. The riffs are still there, and there is definitely some killer stuff on offer here, but I think that lyrically, they are now going even further out of their way to push the envelope of what’s funny, and what’s just wrong!

Before going in to the hard rocking territory we would expect of Steel Panther, we are treated to an acoustic opening. “Pussywhipped” ramps things into gear, and proves to be one of the highlights of the album. “Party Like Tomorrow is the End of the World” is a definite grower. When it was first released as a single, I thought it was a weak effort, but it really is an absolute anthem!

“Gloryhole” is reminiscent of Panther clasics like “Asian Hooker” and “17 Girls in a Row”, while “Bukkake Tears” brings “Stripper Girl” and “Community Property” to mind. “Gangbang at the Old Folks Home” is the first Steel Panther song that I just flat out don’t like. I’m not a prude by any stretch of the imagination, but it just goes a little too far, and really pushes the boundaries of poor taste to a new level.

“Ten Strikes You’re Out” is another highlight of the album. A few of the lyrics in this get a little silly, and I can’t help but think that this could be an epic radio anthem if it were cleaned up a little. “The Burden of Being Wonderful” is Michael Starrs vanity anthem to himself, and is actually quite funny. Musically, it brings Def Leppard to mind.

“Fucking my Heart in the Ass” and “BVS” are both slabs of Steel Panther silliness, that although I don’t totally dislike either, I could do without both of them. “You’re Beautiful When You Don’t Talk” is another song that brings a giggle, although women might not get the joke.

“If I Was the King” is the final, and possibly biggest, highlight of “All you Can Eat”. Honestly, who can’t relate to lyrics that fantasize about executing One Direction, and making Megan Fox your queen, and the riff is bouncy and catchy as hell! It’s almost one of my favourite Steel Panther tracks already.

Finally, ending the album is “She’s on the Rag”. It’s another song that I flat out don’t like, although I can’t quite pin point why… Lyrically it doesn’t push the envelope as hard as “Gangbang at the Old Folks Home”, and musically it’s solid enough, even if it is fairly standard.

Over all, “All you Can Eat” is not a bad album. It actually has more than a few potential Steel Panther classics amongst the tracks, and future favourites among the live set I’m sure. That coupled with the fact that it’s mostly very entertaining, and it definitely delivers the heavy metal awesomeness, and I am quite sure it will be another mega hit for the band. I just feel that at this stage of their career they may want to tweak the formula a little before the joke gets too old, and everybody stops listening.

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