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November / December 2005Blindside | Ben Jackson | Mindflow | Widow | Rikets | Twilight | The Mass | Insidious Discrepancy | Prostitute Disfigurement | Bloodchum | Resurrecturus | Ramesses | Third Degree | Recourse | Desire Black | Asguard | Skullflower | Black Garden | Skarp | Defleashed | Mardo | Mind Grinder | End of Level Boss | Bobaflex | Discipline | At All Cost | Eric Johnson | Hill of Giants | The Mighty Nimbus | Octavia | Order of Nine | Gravity Propulsion System | Streams of Passion | Look What I Did | Omegalord | Bradley Gailey | COBRA noir | Poetry Band | Sage | Nuclear Assault | Unicorn | Fear Factory | Paragon | Widow | Life of Agony | Pro Pain | Ani Kyd | Dam | Monolithe | Force of Evil | Dark Funeral | Overmars | In Tormentata Quiete | Jacknife | Presto Ballet | Mojo Gurus | Seether | Rigor Sardonicous | Scott Michael & The Daves | Ten Years After Now | Nutley Brass | Black Crucifixion | Lord Belial | Kult of Azazel | Ram-Zet | Centinex | Beautiful Creatures | Nuse | Grenover | Slightly Stoopid | Grimfist | 1349 | Bullistic | Blessing the Hogs | Charnel Valley | Psionic | F5 | Jello Biafra & The Melvins | Empyrean Asunder | The Devil's Rejects | Nausea | High Council | Sunn | Avenger of Blood | East Coast Comp | Thrones | Sloug Feg | Totimoshi | Black Label Society | Aerosmith | Bane | Lies | Kevin Zugschwert | Lanfear | Serpent's Kiss | Opiate for the Masses | Urbansnake | Index Case | Hatesphere | Cold | In Flames | Beyond Mortal Dreams | Nicodemus | Texas is on Fire | Madwork | From the Inside | Audrey Horne | Masters of Horror | Eyefear | xenomorth | Infliction | Space Odyssey Blindside Long before these hardcore Swedish freaks infiltrated America, Blindside was known for creating some of the most blistering new wave of hardcore. Re-packaged and re-mastered, Blindside's second album, "A Thought Crushed My Mind" is presented here in all its hardcore glory. In this previous offering Blindside was heavily influenced by Refused and its apparent from the second the album begins. Vocalist Christian Lindskog bears more than just a passing resemblance to his idols on songs like "King in the Closet", "Where Eye Meets Eye" or "Vow of Silence". Lindskog's melodic vocals that are now a major staple of the Blindside sound had yet to fully develop at this point in the band's career, so the material here relies heavily on screaming. If you're looking for some solid hardcore that sounds like Refused if they were still a band, then check out this re-released 2000 album. http://www.blindsideonline.com Ben Jackson Former Crimson Glory axeman Ben Jackson has released his second solo album. His first one, "Here I Come", was a bit on the poppy, experimental, and progressive side, but this one is quite the opposite-just straight up hard rock all the way! Ben and his band play melodic, 80s style hard rock with balls! Ben's a really good guitarist and singer (he plays and sings lead) and he's backed up by a talented backup band. They pull no punches on this one, they just put the pedal to the metal and rock out, playing the type of hard rock you'd have heard back in the day, while cruising around the mall parking lot with the top rolled down. Some of the songs are heavier yet, with shades of Crimson in them, such as "Eyes Of Fire", "Heavy On My Mind" (this song lives up to its title!), and "Rock And Roll Heaven", in which former CG vocalist Midnight sings backup. There is one ballad in "Far And Away", and on "Ghost In The Mirror", a piano is used, giving it a pop flavor and some Elton John influences. All the other songs are full-on rockers that pack a punch, with Ben's powerful guitar playing taking front and center, with no frills, weird stuff, or flavors of the month thrown in. Ben has clearly not betrayed his roots and has still got it in him! Even though Crimson Glory may be history, Ben can still rock the world! http://www.benjacksongroup.com Mindflow I can't understand the opening track/introduction here. It was, in my opinion, nothing more than noise. I could've done without that. However, when the second track, "Meeting Her Eyes," kicked in, it was much better. As I went through the rest of the disc, I started to like it more and more. It didn't take long for this one to grow on me. I'd have to say that Mindflow is a heavy, progressive rock band. That's my simple term for the day. But, what I really liked about this band was that the music seemed to flow rather well and, the beauty of it is that it doesn't seem to be perfect, if you know what I mean. It has more of a raw feel, which I really like. It's almost as if the band was going for a live sound. I was gonna use the term "sloppy," but, I didn't want you to get the wrong idea because this band can play. It just seems to me that they were trying to do something different. Like, they knew they had some good tunes, they just didn't go into the studio and nit pick over every little detail, which is a good thing...at least in this case. It's just so...I don't know...free flowing. I think that's the charm of this record. Now, I will admit, there are some tunes I could've done without. But, then again, the album has a running time of a little over an hour and I happen to have an exceptionally short attention span. So, I skipped a track or two here and there. But, for the most part, I really got into this album. Besides "Meeting Her Eyes," some of the tunes I really got into include "Deadly Event," "October 17th," "Honesty," which was a tune that was all over the place, "Another Point Of View" and, even though I'm really not into instrumental music, "The House Of A Locked Mind" was pretty cool. http://www.mindflow.com Widow Widow have all the potency of the venom of a Black Widow spider! This band plays blitzing metal that never lets up, pedal to the metal all the way! Their sound is 100% pure heavy metal, taken straight from the classic sound of metal's forefathers. Their influences include Priest, Maiden, Iced Earth, Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, Metal Church, Jag Panzer, Hammerfall, and Primal Fear. Widow's music is aggressive and packs a punch, but is also slick and polished, played with a lot of skill and technicality. Vocal duties are shared by by frontwoman Lili and lead guitarist Cristof. Their styles are a bit of a contrast, Lili's vocals being melodic and harmonious, like Hammerfall's Joacim Cans, while Cristof sings in an aggressive, evil growl, a la King Diamond, although he can be melodic at times as well. Cristof and fellow axe slinger John E., meanwhile, are a hell of a twin guitar team. They seem to have learned a few lessons from the masters of the twin axe attack, like Murray/Smith and Tipton/Downing. The music also has a dark, spooky aura to it-another cue from Mercyful Fate-and many of the songs deal with horror themes. The CD opens with the high speed galloper "An American Werewolf In Raleigh" (the band's hometown), and more horror stories are told in songs like "Re-Animate Her" and "I'll Bury You Alive". It's good to hear a band playing metal the way it's meant to be, sure is a breathe of fresh air in times like these! This is their second album (and it's very appropriately titled!), so watch out for Widow! Definitely a band with a promising future! http://www.burning-village.com Rikets 4 tracks of groove metal with the jump happy riffs and the tough guy vocals that have ben done to death by 5 million other bands. This band sounds like every other nu metal band on the planet. Info: http://www.corporatepunishment.com Twilight Holy shit is this a sick and crushing release. Some of the most vile, rawest black metal I have ever heard. This is the pits of hell for sure. This music is fast, raw black metal played with such a fury and such passion and emotion. This is unlike any other black metal release I have heard. The band do slow it down at times and the vocals are buried slabs of hate and the devil would be proud. This is real underground black metal. End of story. Info: http://www.southernlord.com The Mass Wow was this a pleasant little surprise. This band play metal with lots of different styles, jazz, meldoy, sludge, metal etc. The 8 tracks here are all good solid tunes and not a bad one in the bunch. The band is very original and the music always keeps you guessing and I love the melody and the guitar sound they use, just unreal. A gem of a release. Info: http://www.crucialblast.net Insidious Discrepancy This was not bad for a modern style death metal band. I don't like the low gutteral vocals, but you know I hate that style period. The music here is mostly fast paced with some nice double bass parts and thunderous ripping riffs. The music does slow down at times to let you breath and the production is nice and thick and heavy. If your into the Cannibal Corpse/Suffocation style of death metal these guys play that style rather well. Info: http://www.unmatchedbrutality.com Prosititute Disfigurement This is another band like the above band playing modern groove/blast death metal. Again, I can't stand the vocals as they sound childish and are not brutal at all. The music is fairly fast and catchy and I do like some of the riffs and song arrangements. The production is good and while I am no big fan of this style at all, this wasn't too bad. Info: http://www.unmatchedbrutality.com Bloodchum This was a total Internal Bleeding/Suffocation/Cnnibal Corpse/every groove band from Long Island clone banmd. This was bad. I hated the vocals, the cheezy blast beats and the song arrangements sounded like every other band that has done this style of music. Info: http://www.unmatchedbrutality.com Ressurecturus I remember getting the bands 1st demo back in 1995 and here they return with their 2nd full length release. The band has not turned into another faceless groove metal band that play nu metal with lots of jump riffs and the low vocals. Sorry guys, but there is a million other bands that do this style and do we really need another one? I know the band wasn't playing this style in 1995? I know bands cange, but this was one time for the worse. The good thing you can download the entire disc for free on the bands website. Info: http://www.resurrecturis.com Ramesses This is raw tuned down sludge metal. The vocals fit the music as the guy howls and sludges his way through the tunes. Think Kyuss meets Autopsy meets doom metal. The production works perfect for a band like this too. Info: http://www.invada.co.uk Third Degree Intense, full blasting energy from this band. The band sound like older Morbid Angel with a touch of hardcore and I love the super blaze fast parts, they rip tease and shred everything. The production is thick and the vocals are awesome growls of real death metal. A masterpiece of fast, excellent played death metal. Info: http://www.selfmadegod.com Recourse This was a wicked combo of death metal meeting hardcore, but in a good way. The vocals are great and are tough guy style, but aren't the Phil from Pantera style and more than stand on their own. The music is fast, catchy and the band can play and write tremendous songs. This is the perfect belnd of hardocre and metal and it is the best Metal Core band I have ever heard. A must buy. Info: http://www.devildollrecords.com Desire Black This was one of the worst cds I have heard. The music is flat and pointless. The vocals are terrible, the guy just sings into the mic with no feeling and his voice sucks. The music has no point to it and is like a band gargae band. How on earth can a label really release this? Info: http://www.excaliburrec.com Asguard This didn't set my soul on fire. Black metal with keyboards and the vocals sounding like ever other black metal band. The band sounds like all those Europe bands that play these metalfests. The production os good, but the band just sound like too many other Cradle of FIlth wannabee bands for my liking. Info: http://www.devildollrecords.com Skullflower All this cd is, is a bunch of industial noise that is completely forgettable and did nothing for me at all. Info: http://www.crucialblast.net Black Garden This wasn't too bad. This was sort of doom metal with a bit of melody to it and a little big of the goth sound to it as well. The vocals aren't just some girl singing, they were male and quite good. The band are sort of like doom version Kyuss. Info: http://www.deafsymphony.com Skarp This a fast blast of grindcore mixed in with a little death metal. The band mix in some sludgy parts and when they hit the fast mode, whew does it get fast. The vocals are screamed as the guys sounds like he is on his last breaths. Info: http://www.alternativetentacles.com Defleashed Decent swedish style death metal. You know when the band comes from sweden your going to get that chunky Entombed like death metal riffing. The vocals are good growls of death too ha ha. The production is strong and while this isn't super original, it more than gets the job done. Mardo I've been sittin' on this release for quite some time now because I've been lazy. But, I have been reading up on the band because I knew I was eventually gonna be writing about them. I've seen a lot of different reviews that have said a lot of different things. They (the people who have written about the band) may describe their music in different ways. But, they all seemed to agree that, at the core, Mardo is a rock 'n' roll band. That's without all the various writer terms that we all seem to use. I can agree with that and I can agree with a lot of the other reviews that I've read as well. But, I have to throw my own opinion into the pile now. So, here you go. After listening to their debut release, my impression is that Mardo delivers a sonic blast of classic 70's rock swagger with a modern rock sound...and they do it well. They mention some of their influences on the CD cover...The Kinks, Led Zepplin, Cream, The Beatles, The Doors, stuff like that...and I can hear some of that in their music. I also heard a little Alice Cooper, a little Golden Earring. The original music is cool. But, they do a really interesting version of "I Want A New Drug." Yes, we're talkin' about a Huey Lewis & The News song. How often do you hear that? Not too often. I'll tell you one thing...this version is worth writing home about. If you want a blast from the past without leaving the present, well, Mardo will do the trick. Great band, great album. Well worth a listen. Mindgrinder What do you get when you have former members of death metal bands Windir, Emperor, and Zyklon? Mindgrinder, coming from Norway with their second album Riot Detonator released by Candlelight Records USA is a step in the right direction. The CD brings extreme metal to a whole new level. There are blast beats, breakdowns, and violent double bass work alongside bone crushing guitar work and low groaning vocals that are in the vein of Morbid Angel. "Transition," starts off with constant aggressive double bass played by Cosmocrator with fast guitar picking by guitarists Titan and Nitrous that can get anyone's head banging. Belligerent raspy vocals by Cosmocrator enter the song that are incoherent but only adds to the stress of the sound. There is an incredible breakdown section that has so much raw energy it got my head spinning. Followed by a fast killer guitar solo that is technical and exposes the bands real talent and musicianship to light that will have any guitar player's jaw drop. This band is hard, aggressive, and down right brutal. However, the song "Epilogue," is a beautiful classical acoustic guitar part which breaks the monotony of the album. There are no other instruments or vocals in this piece but only guitar that takes the spot light. The song shows another side of the band that is melodic with the use of different chord shapes and harmony. Mindgrinder is excellent in what they do and the style they play. Riot Detonator is a straight forward extreme / death metal record but also has the ability to try different ideas that gives the album more musical scope. If you love European metal groups, Hate Eternal, and Morbid Angel then this band is for you. This band delivers the goods and you will not be disappointed. End of Level Boss End of Level Boss's debut album Prologue on Exile on Mainstream Records is an eerie, trance induced, raw punk experience. The CD design is all black with weird images and distorted band member photos in the background with the lyrics to all the songs in the foreground. This is a stoner metal band where some songs can play for ten minutes straight; add time changes that do not loose its groove, which I cannot say for some bands, have tripping off color guitar parts that are not the typical heavy metal crunch-crunch guitar sound, and lyrics and vocals that are reminiscent of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana and you have End of Level Boss. Their sound reminds me of Soundgarden and Voivod. The first song "Freak Waves," is an amazing opener. Guitarist Heck Armstrong plays a creepy clean guitar part that quickly builds up and turns into a heavy distorted chorus complimented with his quirky lyrics, "I fell through the sky / Seeking out the circus mind / One lapse of time crash through scatter forward sight / I was lying there for days there shaped like night." Simple lyrics but can be interpreted many different ways. There is a subset underneath these lyrics that is intriguing, psychedelic, and maybe acid induced. This band is very much like the grunge movement and Nirvana and I love it. Other songs can play forever it seems like. One song can bleed into the next with no hesitation but a constant flow. Not that the songs sound the same but the production sounds like a theme album. "Disjointhead," is a ten minute opus with many sections and musical ideas. Drummer Gareth Millsted and bassist Elenajane build fantastic grooves while the guitar may be playing a rhythm section or a guitar solo that transcends and sings with a haunting delay and wah-wah pedal which builds anticipation for the next segment. You can tell the band spend a lot of time in the studio to finalize these songs. In the summer of 2005, End of Level Boss locked themselves away in a recording studio in South London, England for months and it shows. You will like this record if you are a fan of punk, avant garde musical ideas, and wanting something different. Either you love or hate this album, either you get it or you don't, there is no in between. Bobaflex What do you get when you mix idiotic lyrics with unoriginal rap/metal vocals and drums? Bobaflex with their TVT Records debut album Apologize for Nothing! When I first received this CD the cartoon storyboard in the jewel case caught my attention, but the enthusiasm was short lived when I saw the bands clichéd nu-metal image that is so ten years ago! Never mind the look, what about the music? The first song on the album "Six Feet Underground," has a memorable hook and attitude that gives the listener a clear idea what the bands sound is all about. Guitarists Shaun and Marty McCoy and Mike Steele deliver a crunchy rhythmic section while the vocals are screaming during the choruses and complimented with a breakdown every now and then. This song is the best on the CD and sorry to say the only one. Once you get half way through the album, the songs loose their appeal. All their ideas have already been done before and are redundant. The lyrics are undeveloped that a child could write with no underlining message but to just fill space. In "Don't Lie Down with Dogs," the lyrics sound like they should be in a West Coast gangsta rap song not metal rapping "My sex rhythm leaves you awe stricken / Song driven / Makin' women cum / Singin' to their pussy through my tongue." Who the hell says that? Who do these guys think they are? Did these guys receive an education? Those kinds of lyrics can fly in a Snoop Dog song, but with this band? No way! Gee and I wondered why rap/metal was dead. Who wants to see another Limp Bizkit reincarnation except without as much raw energy and creativity but playing it safe and not reinventing the rap/metal wheel. Their retarded lyrics and riffs did not transcend and capture my attention long enough. I did not feel or understand what this band is all about or what they are trying to prove. Rap/metal is dead and should stay dead. No one wants to hear rapping about your tough white middle class suburban lifestyle of pimps up, hoes down, while playing along to a metal riff. It's so 1998 and it's not cool anymore. Discipline Hailing from Holland since the early '90's, the punk band Discipline has captured my heart. Their old school style and the "I don't care" punk attitude are reminiscent of Murphy's Law, Dropkick Murphy's, and Agnostic Front just to name a few. It is so refreshing to hear something new from the rest of the polarized bands I come across. The title track "Downfall of the Working Man," starts off with an amazing hardcore riff played by Erik Wouters that is backed by a dreary boomy bass line by Carlo Geerlings. Vocalist Joost De Graaf has an original voice that is raspy, airy, and powerful all at the same time especially during the second verse where they express their political views with lyrics such as "There was a time this work filled the nation with pride / All these corrupt politicians have pushed us all aside / Like a cancer that is spinning / They're taking it all away with our liberties / Until it's all done." Wow, right on man, so true. I couldn't have said it any better with these amazing lyrics that speak from the heart and the truth. The song "Hell is for Heroes," starts off with a thumping drum beat hammered out by Joost Strijbos. Then the band goes into a memorable chorus and vocal melody line that is simple yet effective. During the bridge the guitars build up tension and anticipation for the last and final chorus which then explodes on the CD. Discipline has been around for a while touring in mainly Europe even though they are a new commodity here in the U.S. This is pure old school punk and it's raw, nasty, and unpredictable. Everything that real punk should be not like the fake teeny bopper pop "punk" bands like Simple Plan and New Found Glory that MTV spoon feeds kids everyday who don't even know what punk is to begin with. These songs are simple but the delivery is fantastic. I would definitely recommend this album. Go out and buy it now! At All Cost Yes, you're seeing that label correctly. And yes it is the same Combat that gave birth to the likes of Exodus, Venom, Dark Angel and Megadeth. The newly resurrected label is proud to present the debut full-length for both band and label, 'It's Time To Decide'. At All Cost have a sound that fuses the intensity of metal and the energy of rock-n-roll, while pushing the boundaries of the metal/hardcore scene . At All Cost want to put the dance back in hardcore. There is a definite mix among to songs here. From classical guitars to violins to vocoder and synth effects, At All Cost are bringing a new sound to the hardcore fans of today, while covering the bases of what of is already out on the market. It does take a couple listens to fully appreciate what At All Cost are creating. So give them a listen, and give them a chance. At All Cost just may be what this genre has been looking for. In terms of reviving it. http://www.atallfuckingcost.com Eric Johnson Well now here's a 180 degree turn from what I'm used to. One of the top notched guitarists, Eric Johnson comes at you with his latest in guitar wizardry. 'Bloom'. There are many fusions of style here. Rock, blues, jazz, contemporary to pop. I really don't know how one can compare this to anyone else, as his playing, as with any guitar virtuoso, does have it's own distinct sound. I don't really follow too many of them either. And am not familiar with any other of Eric's releases. If you are any sort of musician, Eric Johnson will please your eardrums. There is nothing heavy on this disk if you were wondering. Some nice melodic jams. Nice music for any gathering. With 16 tracks clocking in at right under 60 minutes, 'Bloom', lets you as the listener, journey into a world of musical beauty. One without the cares of the world or everyday life that can bring one down. So dim the lights and get lost in 'Bloom'.
http://www.favorednations.com Hill of Giants This was a bad power punk type of band. The music got boring very weak and the songs lacked any substance and just fell flat. The vocals were ok, but the songs just didn't click with me and almost all the songs sounded the same. The band play power punk sort of Husker Du, but nowhere near as good. Info: http://www.hillofgiants.org The Mighty Nimbus This was some low tuned down up tempo doom metal that again got boring after a couple tunes. The vocals are ok, but the music is just faceless as every song sounded the same and the songs didn't do a thing for me. This just plodded along and bored me to death. Octavia This was an all female band and it is the best one I have ever heard. The band play melodic goth with plenty of passion and emotion. The vocals, thank god, aren't that female opera crap. The songs were quite good and kept my interest as it played on. The music didn't bore me and the band should pat themselves on the back on a well done job. Info: http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk Order of Nine This was just an awesome listening experience. This band play pure 100 % heavy metal with bits and pieces of power metal mixed in. The band remind me of a thrashy Overkill. The production is perfect and the guitar sound kills me. The vocals are strong and powerful and this is one of the best new bands I have heard. This is not some generic power metal stuff. This is the real deal. Info: http://www.nightmare-records.com Gravity Propulsion System This was a total Black Flag type of band. I love Black Flag and this band even have the weird guitar sound down. The band even have the raw production down that Black Flag had. If you like Black Flag (with Henry Rollins) then you'll love this band. Info: http://www.gravitypropulsionsystem.com Streams of Passion This is a goth metal band with female vocals. The music isn't bad as the band slash into some good ole style metal and mix it in with the goth. The vocals aren't bad at all as she fits in with the music and has a good set of lungs as well. Fans of The Gathering will love this. Info: http://www.insideoutmusic.com Look What I Did The music is cool and the vocals are wacked out. The music is warpy, crazed out shit. If you remember Human Remains, this band is like them a bit. The music is like death jazzed up metal with warped vocals. The band inject some of the jump metal that I wasn't crazy about, but the other stuff is nuts. Not bad. Info: http://www.combatrecords.net Omegalord These boys are local to me and I have never heard them before, but now I wish I did. Great pure heavy metal band is what the ticket is here. The band remind me of Metal Church in spots minus the vocals. The vocals are a bit gruff, but nevertheless get the job done big time. The music is pure straight ahead heavy metal. This shit is heavy and the band can still whip some melody in there too. Production is on the money and raise your fists, metal is alive and well. Info: http://www.omegalord.com Bradley Gailey No I didn't like it. Not one bit. Bad, generic rock with awful riffing and just bad songs. This was like a bad bar band that can't get a record deal. The music is limp metal with little and no power. The riffs are boring and the only thing good here was the vocals. Think of a really bad version of UFO. COBRA noir Didn't like this as it was doom metal with an up tempo with those done to death screamed death metal vocals. The music has got that nu metal sound with the jump riffs and it has just been done to death by tons of other bands. This does nothing and already adds to an already overcrowded metal scene. Info: http://www.cyclop-online.com Poetry Band This was some weird shit let me tell you. The band play weird almost haunting avant-garde metal with spoken vocals and a flute! This was very original and actually did not bore me and the music sort of sucks you in and keeps you there. I couldn't stop listening to this, it is that haunting. This is an amazing slab of music that anybody will love if they are open minded. Info: http://www.poetryband.com Sage Sage are a modern style hard rock band fronted by female vocalist Tracey Sage. She has quite a good voice, strong, clear, and gutsy, with an operatic touch. Her voice is really what makes this band stand out. They are quite good as musicians, playing music that is hard rocking yet accessible, but they do sound a bit generic, like just about any band you might hear when you turn on a modern rock radio station. Of the five songs on this disc, opener "Manifest Destiny" is an anthemic rocker, "Backbone" is the fastest song on the album, verging on being speed metal, "Out Of Body" is a midtempo rock tune, and "Graves" and the title track are slow, somber numbers where they use what sounds like a mandolin or some other kind of acoustic string instrument. Like I said, this band are good at what they do, but they need to find a sound that's all their own, and be less generic. Nuclear Assault Paragraph one off of the press sheet is as follows: " As one of the most-respected and hardest hitting forerunners of the original thrash metal scene, Nuclear Assault have built an impressive and enduring legacy through their time-tested, frenzied metal attack, socially aware lyrics and healthy sense of humor. SVP USA is proud to bring you 'Third World Genocide', Nuclear Assault's first studio album in over a decade." Sounds all fine and well. And for not having an album out in over a decade, I have to say I was expecting more than what I'm listening to here. Sure 'Game Over and Handle With Care' can stand the test of time because they were good albums. 'Third World Genocide' actually had me saying, "What the F…." for the first few tracks. This can't be the Nuclear Assault I remember. It's not. A couple of years ago at the Milwaukee Metal Fest they were a highlight of the fest. Maybe that was due to the fact that I don't believe they played any of this new material. It is a frenzied metal attack alright. Almost passes for a bad W.A.S.P. album. Due to the fact of the straining vocals and the actual tempo is mid-to barely up-tempo. In fact very weak would be a better description. There are some hair-band to Ramones sounding riffs throughout. The humor is still there as well. In the country song "Long Haired Asshole" that about makes you want to vomit. Track six, "Defiled Innocence" and track 9 "Fractured Minds" are what I believe to be the only songs that remotely sound like Nuclear Assault. The rest of them really needed to be re-worked. As for the country song, would have been better off as a hidden track. That's where I would have found the humor. For all you hardcore NA fans, congrats. You're band has recorded a new one. For NA, if you're changing your sound, change it again. http://www.nuclearassault.com Unicorn Here's a jump back in the time machine. The long lost 1967 masterpiece concept album by the legendary L.A. rock band Unicorn. Do you remember? I know some of you may. I sure don't. But I know there are plenty of music fans out there who are going to dig this one. There is a very wide range of styles on this album. From psychedelic rock to blues, jazz, folk to pop ballads, country and R&B. from one spectrum to the other. Nothing was held back in the making of this album. I can't even begin to give you a run down of what sounds like what and like who. What I can say is if you want to take a step back, to a time of musical pioneers, Unicorn are a band that was stirring things up pretty heavy in the L.A. underground in the late 60's. There are so many different styles portrayed here, I'm sure there may be a track on the album for everyone. Thanks to the chance discovery of the master tapes, and the wonder's of today's digital wizardry, you are going to be able to hear the long lost masterpiece from the band Unicorn. Very nostalgic. Hope you enjoy. It is very interesting. For more on Unicorn, and the upcoming DVD documentary, check them out at the website below. http://www.cosmicstoryteller.com Fear Factory I was checkin' out a fan site that had a message board and I was readin' a lot of the comments people left in regards to this album and, from what I saw, it seems like they have a mixed reaction, especially when compared to previous material. Personally, I'm not a Fear Factory fan to begin with. So, I don't see what all the hype is about. I gave this album a listen and it wasn't anything I haven't heard before. I don't even know what I'd call 'em...aggressive rock, some hardcore vocal style, a little nu-metal. Nothing special though. Don't get me wrong, there's some good tunes on here that are worth listening to. I was rather fond of the crushing groove of "Millennium" and "Moment Of Impact," which is just plain crushing. I can listen to the album. I mean, I wouldn't turn it off or anything like that. I just wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it. Maybe I'm getting picky in my old age, but, I'm looking for music that excites me. Let's face it, there's a lot of music out there that's trying to get your attention and, no matter how much time you have, you can't listen to it all. You're gonna have music that you listen to on a regular basis. You're also gonna have music that you listen to every now and then...a casual listen if you will...and, at least for me, that's what this album would be. I'd throw it in every now and then when I'm not really sure what I'm in the mood for. Paragon Paragon are a straight ahead power metal band, in the vein of Primal Fear, but a bit more aggressive, and they also have some influence from Manowar, to the point where they cover "The Gods Made Heavy Metal". Paragon sound like you'd expect a power metal band to sound-melodic and powerful, but with a harder edge than most power metal bands. Vocalist Andreas Babuschkin has a voice that is rough and raw, but can also be operatic at times. The band cranks out the metal full throttle, no holds barred, pure straight up headbanging all the way. They even get a little "epic" on some of their songs, such as on "Masters Of The Sea", an eight minute long swashbuckling pirate saga (the seem to have taken a cue from Running Wild on this one), and the ballad "Empire Of The Lost". "Symphony Of Pain" is a bit more melodic, the band easing off just a bit for this one, and "Beyond The Veil" ventures into darker, doomier territory, with shades of Black Sabbath's "Heaven And Hell". This band aren't really doing anything new, but they're a good power metal band nonetheless. http://www.paragon-legions.com Widow Widow have all the potency of the venom of a Black Widow spider! This band plays blitzing metal that never lets up, pedal to the metal all the way! Their sound is 100% pure heavy metal, taken straight from the classic sound of metal's forefathers. Their influences include Priest, Maiden, Iced Earth, Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, Metal Church, Jag Panzer, Hammerfall, and Primal Fear. Widow's music is aggressive and packs a punch, but is also slick and polished, played with a lot of skill and technicality. Vocal duties are shared by by frontwoman Lili and lead guitarist Cristof. Their styles are a bit of a contrast, Lili's vocals being melodic and harmonious, like Hammerfall's Joacim Cans, while Cristof sings in an aggressive, evil growl, a la King Diamond, although he can be melodic at times as well. Cristof and fellow axe slinger John E., meanwhile, are a hell of a twin guitar team. They seem to have learned a few lessons from the masters of the twin axe attack, like Murray/Smith and Tipton/Downing. The music also has a dark, spooky aura to it-another cue from Mercyful Fate-and many of the songs deal with horror themes. The CD opens with the high speed galloper "An American Werewolf In Raleigh" (the band's hometown), and more horror stories are told in songs like "Re-Animate Her" and "I'll Bury You Alive". It's good to hear a band playing metal the way it's meant to be, sure is a breathe of fresh air in times like these! This is their second album (and it's very appropriately titled!), so watch out for Widow! Definitely a band with a promising future! http://www.burning-village.com Life Of Agony I went online to see what other people were saying about this release and, of course, people were saying it's the best thing since sliced white bread. I saw the word brilliant thrown around in a few different reviews. Personally, I don't see what's so great about this album. I mean, sure, I'll admit that it has a great sound and there's some good tunes to be heard here. But, there wasn't anything on here that knocked me on my ass. I like the kind of music that can reach out and grab me. I didn't hear anything like that on "Broken Valley." In fact, I've heard it all before. This is a style of music that's been done to death. I don't know what label you'd tag their music with. I'd call it modern hard rock. That's how I hear it. "Love To Let You Down," which, if I'm not mistaken, is the first single from the album and that's one of the better tunes. I also liked "Last Cigarette" (which will probably be the 2nd single) and "The Day He Died." But, if I never hear these songs again in my life, I don't feel like I'd be missing anything. If you were interested in this release and you asked my opinion, I wouldn't suggest passing it up. Give it a listen, you'll probably like it and that's pretty much all I have to say on the subject. Pro-Pain This band had been around a long time and I remember seeing some of these members in the godly Crumbsuckers many years ago. The band return with this new release of groove and heavy riffing. Now, the one thing about this band is they have been doing this style for ages and aren't some jump on the bandwagon band. The band pound out 10 more hardcore tunes that hit hard and will blast you. Gary sounds great on the vocals and it amazing to me after all these releases the band can still churn out the goods. 16 years and still going strong. Any of these nu metal bands could take a listen to these guys. Ani Kyd I found this very boring. Sort of alternative rock that goes nowhere fast and the songs are boring and the music plain stinks. The vocals are the only good thing as this loses steam really fast. The band just didn't do a damn thing to me. Info: http://www.alternativetentacles.com Dam Decent death metal that didn't suck, but didn't blow me away Death metal based on riffing and not just speed. The band do mix it into the fast mode and if you like swedish death metal, but with a bit more speed to it, then check these guys out. Monolithe Doom metal with total feeling. You would have to be in a certain frame of mind to take in 50 plus minutes of this. Take bits of Symphony of Grief, Disembowelment, etc. This is a hurting experience so prepare to be sucked in with sadness. The painful dying man vocals work in this setting too. If your into doom metal with lots of feeling minus those female opera vocals, here is a band for you. Force of Evil This band features members of Mercyful Fate and King Diamond and sounds like both those band music wide, but with clean, clear vocals, but no high pitched sounds that Mr. Diamond uses. The music is metal, verging on power metal at times. The production is perfect the music is very strong and if you never liked King Diamond because of his vocals, buy this and it is highly recommended by me. Dark Funeral This a live CD from these long time black metal guys. The production is very good, it is not too polished, with black metal it should not be. The band rip through these tunes with a blazing feel and the vocals are perfect for black metal. This band has been around and on this live CD they let it all hang out and shine and prove they are one of the best black metal bands..period Overmars Boring death metal that just plodded along with tired death metal screamed vocals and music that had no direction and left me bored after 3 songs. The band throw a bit of industrial to the mix, but this is like a weak At The Gates style band without the power, the vocals, or the songs. In Tormentata Quiete This was a bad combo of death/doom metal with some horrible screeching black metal vocals. Wow the band also use clean and female vocals with the doomier parts. No band has done that before. This style is so overdone and so old and so crappy. Bands like this are a dime a dozen and it all sounds the same. Just generic junk. Info: http://www.dawnofsadness.com Jacknife This is another one of those modern groove metal bands with tough guy vocals. This was ok as the songs are better that a lot of the other bands that do this style. The music is like all the other bands doing this style, lots of groove/dance riffing and tough guy/death metal vocals. Info: http://www.zerosumrec.com Presto Ballet Presto Ballet is a project that is the brainchild of Metal Church guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, and Ballet are on a totally different page from the Church. While Metal Church offers heavy metal with brute force, Presto Ballet is much more melodic and progressive. There is an abundance of influence from 70s progressive/classic rock masters, like Yes, Kansas, ELP, and Uriah Heep, as well as some from more recent bands like Dream Theater and Spock's Beard. Kurdt doesn't totally abandon his metal roots though, as there are quite a few metallic elements in Presto Ballet as well, with speedy riffs and drumming, and a driving metal beat. There is even some Beatles influence, especially on the ballads "Sunshine" and "Bringin' It On". Keyboards are used very heavily, almost dominantly. The Hammond organ and Moog synthesizer are two of the main instruments used on this album, and classical piano is used in a few places as well. These duties are handled by Brian Cokely, and he certainly does a fine job. Vocals, meanwhile, are handled by Scott Albright, and this man has one golden set of pipes! He sings in a powerful, operatic voice, sometimes majestic and triumphant, sometimes wailing in despair. On the song "Slave", he sings more aggressively than usual, letting out a couple of savage screams, much like Quiet Riot's Kevin DuBrow on "Metal Health" (the song). This album is a very sophisticated, intricate, and complex project. It is very well put together, and is, in short, a work of brilliance. All the musicians play beautifully, and the songwriting and craftmanship is top notch. My only criticism of this is I think they overdid it a little bit. I get the idea that Kurdt was deliberately trying to outdo himself, saying to the world, "Look, I can do other things besides Metal Church", and in doing so, ended up over-decorating the cake. Chill out, Kurdt, we know you can do it! Which brings me to another point; Kurdt is a very good guitarist yet the guitar on this album seems to take a back seat. Someone with Kurdt's talent should put it more up front, even when they're trying to do something different. Aside from those things, however, this is a fine piece of work. Mojo Gurus Yee haw and hot dang! What have we here? The Mojo Gurus are a bunch of rockin' rednecks who jam out some hot, honky tonk Southern tunes. Their music is basically Southern-style blues/rockabilly, with some country and bluegrass in a few songs. You'd expect to hear this kind of stuff in a smoke filled roadhouse club, and it evokes that kind of atmosphere. Every song is a rollicking tune that you can shake your booty to, and all are odes to the whiskey drinking, woman chasing redneck lifestyle. Hard to keep your feet still when you hear this! The band are influenced by everyone from Bill Haley and Elvis to Charlie Daniels to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Georgia Satellites to The Stones and CCR. This is, in a word, fun. Party hardy Southern honky tonk all the way! This album WILL have you "shakin' in the barn", or whatever building you happen to be in! http://www.mojogurus.com Seether Seether. What can you say about these guys that has not already been said in one form or another. After a serious cramming down the throats of radio listeners with their break-through hit with Amy Lee, (Oh how that song makes me nauseous), they have become somewhat of a household name amongst rock and light rock stations throughout the country. Maybe the world. Even off this latest release they have just about played out the track "Remedy." A track I actually liked the first couple of times I heard it. If you are a Seether fan, you're going to love this album. It is Seether. Nothing that jumps out or catches my attention on this one. Though I must say that there are many choices for several "hit" singles left on this one. They do pretty much follow each other along the same general lines. And with popular radio being what it is, you're going to be hearing plenty more from this one. Another hit record from the lost and tortured souls that make up Seether. Maybe I need to stop listening to the radio so much during the day. Who knows. http://www.seether.com Rigor Sardonicous I find it hard to believe that there's people out there who actually listen to this stuff. Color me suprised. I wouldn't even download this album for free if I had the chance. Hell, I got the album for free and I don't wanna listen to it. The opening track, "Exordium," was the only tune that was actually worth listening to...and that's kind of pushing it. It's a keyboard kind of tune that you'd probably hear in a haunted house or something. After that, everything else sounded the same. Seriously slow guitar grind with a vocal style that's worse than anything a death metal band could ever come up with...and you know how bad some of those death metal vocals are. BLAH!!! I honestly can't see the attraction here. This is what it might sound like if you're coming down from a really bad acid trip. I don't know though...coming down from an acid trip, even a bad one, might be more entertaining. I don't do drugs. But, I'd probably give them a try before I gave this disc a second listen. Ah, let's see...let's take a look from a line in their bio. "This is slow, cold, torturous doom at its absolute heaviest and darkest. Rigor Sardonicous once again attacks the underground in a force that leaves little else standing." Okay, well, that gave me a good laugh. Sorry, I just can't agree with the hype. You can talk this album up all you want. That's just not the way I hear it. Sure, it's slow. I would add pointless to that. It was torturous to listen to and the only reason why little else is standing is because it's rather hard to fall asleep while standing up. I mean, really, if a train is coming at you as slow as this music, I'd say you have plenty of time to get off the tracks. If this is something that floats your boat...more power to you. If you're really that hard up for entertainment, drop me a line. I'll make us some coffee and we can sit around and watch some paint dry or something. http://www.smilingdeath.com Scott Michael & The Daves I understand that press is really important for any artist. I can also understand when an artist has some tunes that they want people to hear. What I can't understand is when people send in their music on a CD-R and expect me to be impressed. Sure, promotion can cost a pretty penny and not everyone can afford to spend a lot of money to do what they need to do. But, you don't send a CD-R with sloppy writing out. That's just plain stupid. I mean, seriously, I burn CD's for people that look a lot better than this. I see a disc like this and it turns me off faster than the thought of Rosie O'Donnell in the nude. I mean, if you're gonna be cheap, that's fine. At least be cheap in a professional way. Have a little pride in what you're doing. Let me give you a suggestion that I believe will help you out. I can get 50 CD-R's for $12.00 at Wal-Mart (a store that I hate with a passion, but, that's not the point here). They also have a label package that you can get for around the same price. It comes with the software and 100 white labels the size of a disc. The one I use and reccommend is Memorex exPressit. It's a simple program to install, figure out and use. We all know that printer ink is expensive. But, if you keep it simple and use nothing but black ink, which I've done, you can make well over 100 labels for your disc. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about because I burn a lot of CD's. Anyway, pick a nice font and slap your name on the disc and the title of your album, maybe your website and/or contact information...don't make it too crowded. If you're smart, you'll also have that information, as well as the song titles, in with your press information. I would also suggest getting some slim jewel cases...you can get a 30 pack for around seven dollars. They also come in a 50 pack and 100 pack. Don't know the exact price on those because I only buy the 30 pack. But, anyway, you just spent around $30 to make up 50 CD's that look somewhat decent. Plus, if you bought Memorex exPressit, you still have 50 labels left to use and, even if you bought additional jewel cases or a larger amount of CD-R's, you're still not gonna spend more than $50 on the whole thing. In fact, if you're a smart shopper, you can probably make up 100 CD's for around fifty dollars. I'd have to check a few prices to give you an exact amount. But, I know for a fact that it can be done for as little as a dollar a disc because I do it all the time and, keep in mind, I'm just making a copy of something for a friend of mine...trading CD's...whatever. The disc that I made isn't being sent out for review, it's not gonna end up on a website such as this. So, I really have nothing to lose/gain by doing it right. You, as an artist, have a lot more at stake. Don't you think it's worth a little extra effort to do it up right? I think so. Anyway, you can download some of these tunes online, free of charge, which is a good thing for the general public. It's a good way to get your music out to new people. It doesn't really work out too well with gettin' reviews though because most publications aren't interested in you if they have to download your music. So, keep the advice I gave you above in mind when it comes to that. As far as the music goes, some of it isn't too bad. It could use a little work though. Keep in mind that this is a demo and, being so, I would assume that these tunes are a work in progress. Scott seems to have some good musical ideas and, hopefully, we'll be hearing more about him in the future. But, for now, since he's got those tunes online that you can check out, give 'em a listen. It's only gonna take a few minutes of your time and, you never know, you might like what you hear. http://www.scottmichaelfreemusic.com Ten Years After NOW I wasn't even born when Ten Years After started making music. I would come into this world two years after their legendary Woodstock performance. I'm sure I heard some of their tunes when I was growin' up because I remember seeing some of their albums in my dad's record collection. I'm totally in dark when it comes to their history. So, this is the first time I'm really being exposed to their music. It's kind of funny...if I heard this album without being told who the band was, it never would've crossed my mind that this was a band that was makin' music before I was even born. They have a really great sound. I'd probably call it rock 'n' roll with a bit 'o' blues thrown in to give it some flavor. When you play the name game, I guess you'd tag 'em as a classic rock band. The opening track, "When It All Falls Down" kind of has that vibe...same with "Time To Kill." In the band bio, it said that "King Of Blues" might remind you of ZZ Top and I'd have to agree with that one. That's actually my favorite track. I really liked that one. To wrap it all up, the band throws down two classic songs, "I'd Love To Change The World" and "I'm Going Home," which were recorded live. I think this release will appeal to a wide range of people...long time fans should be happy with it and I'm sure that there will be a whole new audience who will come to appreciate this release as well as their older material. http://www.tenyearsafternow.com Misfits Meet The Nutley Brass I like this. I thought it was a neat little record. But, there's really no way to review it other than to describe what it's all about...kind of like that string tribute to Kiss that's floating around out there. That's a collection of Kiss tunes performed by two violin players, a viola player and a cello player. That's all that needs to be said...that's all that can be said. With this album, it's a collection of Misfit tunes performed as lounge music. The Nutley Brass did the same thing with The Ramones and, if you remember that, it's the same thing...only this time, it's The Misfits. About the only thing I can really add to that is the fact that everyone and their mother has a tribute album. It seems to be the popular thing to do these days. But, something like this, it isn't done all the time. That's what makes it special and, of course, it's gonna stand out. I have about 20 Kiss tribute albums. Some are really good. Some of them really suck. But, out of all of them, the one that really stands out is the string tribute because that's totally different than any of those other albums. When it comes to The Misfits, you've heard one Metallica cover, you've heard 'em all. I guarantee you...you ain't heard nothing like this before. http://www.nutleybrass.com |
