Hard Announcements

METAL TO THE BONE!

"The Forbes Critique"
July / August 2009
All Reviews by Chris Forbes

RHINO
Dead Through Monarch
(Arctic Music Group)

This is as heavy as a ton of lead. The music is a combo of doom meeting Cowbar then hooking up with Down. The band have one of the heaviest guitar sounds I have ever heard. The vocals are out of this world as he screams out his last dying breaths and it fits the music quite well. The band mix it up and go from slow sludge parts, to some mid paced stuff and even inject a bit of speed here and there. This simply crushes and any fan of heavy music will dig this one. Info: http://www.mvdb2b.com

CROWN OF THORNS
Faith
(Lost Cathedral Records)

Oh my god this is easily some of the best hard rock I have heard in years. The tunes are so damn catchy and the band just ozze classic AOR rock n roll style. The singer has an incredible set of pipes and he sings the songs with such passion and feeling it isn't funny. This reminds me of stuff like Balance, Frankie and the Knockouts, etc. The production is perfect as is the playing and the melodies to the songs. I bow to this as this is the way kick ass rock n roll should sound and this band do more than deliver the goods, they crush them. This is an instant classic. Info: http://www.lostcathedral.com or http://www.myspace.com/crownofthorns

STEPHEN LYNCH
3 Balloons
(What Are Records)

This just didn't do a thing for me. It is a guy and his guitar and filthy lyrics. Actually some of the lyrics were a bit funny, but after a couple tunes the novelty of that wore off. This is a guy singing about sex, fishing holes, drugs, etc. A couple of the tunes have drums and stuff to them, but this is like some coffee room folk band and this just isn't my cup of tea and I listened to pretty much the whole CD and the title track was decent, but most of the other tunes were flat and easily forgetable after they were done. Info: http://www.whatarerecords.com

DEVIN TOWSEND PROJECT
KI
(Inside Out Music)

This CD really surprised me and I must say that I enjoyed it a lot. The music is like a mix of jazz meets rock and metal. The songs are just catchy as hell and the tunes and riffs and song structures sucked me in and I was digging this a lot. The singer has a really cool voice and he goes with the music too. This is a weird release in some ways as some of the riffs will knock you for a loop. This was very different and it easily won me over by track #2. Info: http://www.insideout.de

R.W.S.
The Power Of Negative Thinking
(Progressive Music)

This is a big time progressive metal band and even though that is something I am no big fan of, this was really good. The playing on this is big time on the progressive side with lots of time changes and guitar soloing, etc. But this this had hook after hook and that kept my attention and I did not find one tune here bad or boring and I didn;t even care about the lack of vocals. The production allows this to shine and there is even some elements of thrash metal iwthin this and that is obviously not a bad thing in my eyes. The brothers on this have released one killer CD that has the hooks, the songs and the playing on it to win over any metal fan. The riffs and arrangements on track # 3 are nothing short of amazing. Very impressive release. Info: http://www.pmm-music.net or http://www.myspace.com/razorwireshrinemusic

DRIVE A
Loss Of Desire
(Kick Ass Music)

This is one of those modern rock roll bands and I have to admit this is about one of the best one my ears have heard. The band have the chops down and the guitars are heavy and above all they know how to write solid, heavy catchy tunes. Riff after riff just sunk into my brain and I was loving this by track # 3. The singer has a solid voice as he sings with some aggression, but is still melodic at times. Sort of like a better Rage Against the Machine is what this reminded me of at times. Like I said I am a sucker for a good hook and melody line that this had more than its fair share of them. Modern rock n roll at its finest. Info: http://www.adrenalinemusicgroup.com or http://www.myspace.com/drivea

INTO THE PRESENCE
Self Titled
(Razor and Tie Records)

This was the complete opposite of the above band. This is a modern rock band with some awful songs, bad singing and this about put me to sleep by track #4. There was no memorable riffs or any hook to suck me in and the singer has an annoying voice and after each song was done there was nothing there to make me even think about it as each song faded it was like next. This just didn't do a thing for me and in my eyes is just another faceless band you would hear on the radio and then forget it the minute is done. Info: http://www.drivearocks.com

MIKE ALBERT PROJECT
Afterlife
(Big Deal Records)

This was a nice combo of metal and blues rock that had lots of killer hooks and the songs just plain rocked. The songs are all catchy and heavy and have that sludgy blues edge that I liked as well. The singer, Richard, reminds me of the guy from Stone Temple Pilots and that to me isn't a bad thing. The production is over produced and it kinda has that smoke filled bar sound that I also really liked. This is just ass kicking music that I really, really enjoyed. Info: http://www.bigdealrecords.com or http://www.myspace.com/bdrecords

BLACKBERRY SMOKE
Little Piece Of Dixie
(Big Karma Records)

This was some wicked cool country rock n roll and I didn't think I was gonna like this, but lo and behold I was into it big time by track 2. The band won me over with the riffs and just the killer song structures and the vocals too. The band mix in a really cool combo of country and southern rock n roll and it works and it works big time. The singer has an awesome raspy voice perfect for the style of music this band is playing. The band just churn out killer riff after killer riff and the songs just plain kick ass and are big time catchy too. This is not over produced and everything is right in place. A very pleasant surprise. Info: http://www.myspace.com/blackberrysmoke

TIM "RIPPER" OWENS
Play My Game
(SPV)

I was kinda disappointed in this. I guess I was expecting more from this and maybe I was expecting Judas Priest # 2, but this just didn't do it for me. It didn't suck, but the stuff on here didn't blow me away and I kinda just sat there as song after song played waiting for something to jump out at me and this was just kinda there. I would give this like a "C" as I was expecting this to blow me away and it just didn't do that. I will say this Tim's vocals sound awesome on this and he has plenty of guest musicians as well. Info: http://www.spvusa.com

FROM SNEW
Snew You
(Self Released)

10 tunes of ass kicking rock n roll that isn't far off from AC/DC or Krokus. The singer has a little Marc from Krokus in him and the tunes are just simple, but effective rock n roll tunes that will have your toes tapping and your head bobbing to the music. The band have a total garage like feel on the production too. 10 tunes on this and not a bad one in the bunch. If a label was smart they would snatch these guys up. Info: http://www.snewyou.com

DESILLUSION
Blasphaesthetic
(Self Released)

This totally reminded me of Nine Inch Nails, at least the 1st release. I have to admit the songs on this are quite catchy and my head was moving up and down more than a few times on this disc. The singer has a really cool voice and I can feel the passion and energy as he spewed out the lyrics. The band is also quite heavy and I am sure live they crush. The 5 tunes I heard on this disc are really good and just left me wanting to hear more. Info: http://www.myspace.com/desillusion

HOODS
Pit Beast
(I Scream Records)

Killer bone crushing hardcore done the old school way. Think Agnostic Front, Leeway, etc. The band just churn out a brutal display of old school hardcore that I have not heard in a long time. The singer just belts and screams his lungs and heart out as the band just rip through these tunes with intensity and fire. The fast parts had my playing my air drums ha ha. This is the way hardcore should be not that nu metal shit. This is a pure hardcore lover's dream and this kicked my ass and left me in the dust. Info: http://www.iscreamrecords.com

DISCIPLINE
Anthology
(I Scream Records)

I have not heard much about this band, but this 2 CD set (for the price of 1) is one you should not pass up. 2 discs of some incredible hardcore and this band don't sound like any other hardcore band I can think of and they just rip through these tunes. In the bands bio they consider them an oi band now I have not heard many bands doing that style so I will take the bio's word for it. All I know is that the music is some killer up tempo stuff and the band also blast into some speed stuff as well. The singer has a great voice and the double disc is from stuff from 2000 to the present and from top to bottom this just crushes. Easily one of the best releases I have heard this yr. Get this pronto. Info: http://www.iscreamrecords.com

FLIPPER
Fight (Live)
MVD Audio

I remember this band back in the day I am sure I probably saw them at City Garden's in NJ back in the 80's. What we have here is a live disc with the 1st half having some old tunes and the 2nd half having some newer tunes. The old stuff was OK it kinda dragged on in spots, but the newer stuff I liked as it was a bit more up tempo and I liked the song arrangements on the tunes. The production on both shows is good and it is amazing to me this band is still doing it and with 3 of the members being in the band back in the 80's still doing it 25 years later. Info: http://www.mvdaudio.com

HILL COUNTRY REVUE
Make A Move
(Razor And Tie)

Oh this is just some smokin hot blues rock that I couldn't take out of my stereo. I must have listened to this 5 times the 1st day I popped this in to review. I thought a lot about Robert Cray as it played on. The songs are brilliant and the singing is perfect for this style of band. This is a the perfect blend of rock n roll and blues. The production is perfect allowing everything to flow and I love the guitar sound the band uses and this just sucked me in like a good book that I could not put down till I finished it. This will easily be a top 10 for me at the end of the year. I bow to this....just simply amazing. Info: http://www.razorandtie.com or http://www.myspace.com/hillcountryrevue

FLIPPER
Love
(MVD Audio)

This is the band's new studio album and some tracks are featured on the live release I reviewed above. I don't know a lot about this band and their whole history, but this release is pretty good. The band have a down and dirty garage sound and I very weird guitar sound. They have the old Nirvana bass player on this and trust me this does not sound like them at all. The band have a very raw, sludgy, heavy sound and the singer sounds pretty good on this too. This is not something I would listen to every day, but it is different and I can appreciate that. Not your typical band for sure and this did grow on my with repeated listens. Info: http://www.mvdaudio.com

« January / February 2009

Hard Announcements

METAL TO THE BONE!

"The Forbes Critique" July / August 2009 All Reviews by Chris Forbes

"The Forbes Critique"
July / August 2009
All Reviews by Chris Forbes