Thor – Beastwomen from the Center of the Earth
Every now and then a CD comes along that is so fun and goofy that you can’t help but crank it up and enjoy it, even if you have a smirk on your face the entire time.
Thor and Mick Hoffman’s rock odyssey Beastwomen From The Center of the Earth is about as campy as it gets. Thor (a former world class bodybuilder) is no stranger to camp, having produced such films as “Rock ‘N Roll Nightmare” and “Zombie Nightmare”. Over the past three decades, Thor has dabbled in different styles of rock music. On his latest musical venture, Thor has partnered with Mick Hoffman to present an entire multimedia experience to the public.
Beastwomen (the album) follows the story of Thor vs. Beastwomen from the Center of the Earth, the comic book. Those who like their rock grandiose and over the top will love songs like “Break the Ice” and “Sleeping Giant”. Some songs are more rock, others are more opera, but they’re all cheese. What makes it even more enjoyable is that the entire production is presented 100% on the level. There’s no nod, no wink, no subtle gesture to let the listener know that Thor and his crew are any less than completely serious. Think of Thor as the William Hung of rock operas — except that I ain’t worried about William Hung kicking my ass after reading my review.
Thor and Mick Hoffman each brought half-a-dozen songs to the table. Each performer’s songs alternate, so the album almost seems like a split EP with shuffled tracks. According to what I’ve read online, Thor also collaborated with eleven guest writers on his songs. The final results are a little scattered, but if you’re worried about that you’re missing the point — and the mighty power of THOR!
If you’ve ever played Dungeons and Dragons and thought afterwards, “damn that adventure would have made a great song!” then run (don’t walk) to the nearest record store and pick up a copy of this album today. Beastwomen from the Center of the Earth is kind of like Danzig without the evil. It’s cheezy as hell and way over the top, but it’s also something that most modern releases aren’t any more — FUN.