BOMBUS is their name and some Hard Rockin' is their game. First thing I needed to do when I got this album was to figure out what in the blue hell is bombus? Interestingly enough, it means bumblebee. See? You've learned something, so don't ever say my reviews aren't educational, and now on to business.

First thing that hit me right off the bat is the pace of the album, it's actually strikingly slow at times, reminiscent of Doom Metal and the sound itself actually reminded me of German Punk / Hard Rock legends BOHSE ONKELZ. Certainly "The Poet and The Parrot" is the most unusual record I've probably had a chance to listen to this year. While the band is considered Hard Rock, it's Heavy Metal and Punk influences are easily heard, a terrific example of that is the faster and bass heavy "A Safe Passage", an excellent tune that has very audible influence by the likes of W.A.S.P and MERCYFUL FATE. This album surprised me. "Apparatus" for example is an atmospheric song reminding me at times more of Punk infused Thrash Metal than just straight forward Hard Rock.

The production staggered me as well, the album was released on Century Media, a pretty major label in the world of Heavy Metal, yet the production is awfully raw. But even more bizarre, the low quality production seems to somehow add to the feel of the album as a whole, and that's truly rare. I should correct myself though; it's not so much a low quality production as it is a very raw sound making the album almost seem like a live record minus the audience.

This is one of those rare records which you never expect, but it sort of gets you. It's very fresh in the sense that few records nowadays sound this raw and "live", and very few bands successfully fuse the genres BOMBUS have on this album.

A very recommended album for anyone who wants to hear something very unusual for the year 2013, and especially anyone who's a fan of some old school Hard Rock.