Review written by Stijn “Metal Shredder” Daneels.

I first got into contact with BEUK somewhere in late 2017 when they introduced me to their single “Tijdbom” (“Time Bomb”). In Spring 2018 I met the band for real when they performed at the Rock Balegem festival and I had much fun seeing them perform at that awesome event! Now, a year later, BEUK’s leader Roel sent me their freshly made EP to shred through! And once again, I had much fun!

“Dynamiet” (“Dynamite”) is the first EP of the Belgian hard rock band BEUK, released through Belgian record label Parsifal and succeeding their 2017 debut album “Strak Plan” (“Well Laid Plan”). This short release features 6 songs for about 17 minutes of runtime.

Personally I’d describe BEUK’s style on “Dynamiet” as Motörhead in Dutch. Like that legendary act, BEUK plays short songs with groovy riffs, heart throbbing rhythms, catchy choruses and a huge emphasis on bass guitar and drums. It’s straight forward rock n’ roll and overall very engaging to headbang, sing, mosh and dance to! Compared to their 2017 album, BEUK’s new material is shorter, faster paced and more tightly written. While their debut had more of an AC/DC and Black Sabbath vibe, this time BEUK have gone full throttle. And in my opinion, this new, Motörhead-inspired sound is a definite improvement compared to their earlier work. The faster, rawer sound fits much better with BEUK’s musical strengths. They play frantic, heavy rock and Roel’s vocals have a natural snarl to them that fits perfectly with the punk rock pacing of the material on “Dynamiet.” Oh, that reminds me…

Did I already mention that all of BEUK’s lyrics are in Dutch? And that it’s very effective? All lyrics are written in rhyme and Roel sings those lines with raw confidence and suave. He has a very informal voice and sounds like a guy you meet in a local bar and who tells you his wild stories while gulping down lots of alcohol. And in Dutch those outrageous tales really come to life, even more than if they were sung in English. While Dutch doesn’t sound as aggressive as German, it has a no bullshit, barking quality to it. If French is the language of love and German the language of hate, then Dutch is the language of down-to-earth rock n’ roll fun. All kills, no frills! SNAPPIE?!

On the front cover there’s BEUK’s signature brass knuckled fist mascot, holding a burning dynamite stick between its fingers. Personally I find the heavy use of red and yellow very effective. So often do rock and metal cover art use black and white and with this colorful look BEUK’s new release will certainly be easy to spot in the store shelves. Plus the red and yellow combination reminds me of Hulk Hogan, BROTHER!

Like Motörhead, BEUK’s themes are very relatable to punkers and rockers alike. They discuss such topics as the sonic power of vinyl, sexy women, the legacy of the late Amy Winehouse, the scorching destruction of WWI and also they’ve got a song about cycling. More on that in the next chapter…

The track “Alles Wat Je Wil” (“Everything You Want”) is a song about the Tour De France. Sung from the perspective of a Belgian cyclist (I believe it’s Eddy “The Cannibal” Merckx) who’s sprinting his way towards the finish line while a French competitor is desperately trying to remain in first position, to seemingly no avail. All the while our Belgian speedster is telling the French cyclist that he’s willing to give away everything he has just to claim that coveted victory! It’s the shortest track on the EP (clocking in at about 1:40 minutes) but damn! The chaotic drum beats, the razor sharp guitar riffs and the snarly vocals replicate the suspense and adrenaline so perfectly. Close your eyes when you play this tune and I bet you can imagine yourself frying that Frenchman all the way to second place!

This EP’s only weakness? It’s short runtime. I enjoyed all six tracks on this release a hell of a lot and my only wish were for this release to have a few more songs. Of course, quality persists over quantity, and so this bombshell of an EP gets…

8,5 dynamite sticks out of 10! Rammstein sure isn’t the only rock band that thrives with non-English lyrics! BEUK prove that the Dutch language is more than raunchy enough to punk out any doubters and they’ve got the screeching riffs and pulse pounding beats to show it! Here’s Dynamite’s explosive title track!