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October / November 2003Automatic Animal | Scorched Earth Policy | Death on Wednesday | Electric Six | Flamethrower | The Melvins | Slaughter & The Dogs | Spatial Field | A Static Lullaby | Zen | TEOS | The Unseen | Kijli | Vinnie Vincent Invasion | Winged Serpent Master | Hyaline | Honest Pod | Single Bullet Theory | Figure Four | Godhead | The Limit | Bernie Torme & The Electric Gypsies | Best of Seven | Thomson & The Desaster | High Risk | Martin Barre | Battleore | Siegfried | Leviathan | Dawn of Defiance | Sargiest | Cipressi | Cradle to Grave | Held Under | Dave Brockie Experience | Judge D | Markonee | Bugs On Junk | Lo Pro | Stretcher | Dope | Worthless United | Circle II Circle | Rotten Anal Enema | Cell Dweller | K.A. | Scum Scunge | Violent Downfall | Rage | The Act | Black Funeral | Lunatic Gods | Theatres Nes Vampires | Sic Seed | Flesh Divine | Demenus Game | Kill Hannah | Green Carnation | Various Artists' "Useless In Bed" | Acheron | Capture The Flag | Freddy Vs. Jason Soundtrack | Heart | Helloween | Kalmah | KISS | Pride & Fall | The Business | Zero Hour | Underworld Soundtrack | Never Dead | Crusher | Kottonmouth Kings | Dark Shift | Rivera Bomma | Holy Mother | Red West | John Lennon Automatic Animal If the name don't get ya, the tunes definitely will. Not a second in and they're all over the place no long winded entrance music or recurrent chord patterns, just a booming breakthrough of words and music that make an immediate impact to your nostalgic trip through the land of lost guitar Rock and arena fillers. Three songs in and you're already conjuring up memories of big name greats of the day with loud, unfiltered access to organically grown stomp and groove the way supergroups like Zep, Rush, and Sabbath used to do 'em. For once, here's a band that "earns" the multi-lateral comparisons offered them in their printed build up most notably, Rush, Tool, QOTSA… Floyd… maybe, but only slightly. To a greater degree, there's a great deal of early underground moments taking place cueing from early Melvins stuff, "Loud Love" era Soundgarden, Candlebox, and Monster Magnet. They're adept at shifting structure, tone, and time changes but overall, they're an above average four on the floor plug it and play dirtbag of a style with equal parts leather, lead, and arpeggios. First two tracks make a quick and early noise before giving way to the elongated looseness of the eight-minute epic journey through the forest of free jam. Power chords and grinding riffs play through titanic drum rolls and light acoustics to accentuate magnetic tunes like "Valley Of The Blind," "El Matador," or the peacefully executed "Prana" and closing "Papillon" that are at once a combined character of tranquility and tortured soul. AA leaves "it" on the table and the listener gasping for breath with an enthusiastic yet unlikely blend of heavy Rock and Psych styles that go Prog and Punk at the extremes and fuse them all together remarkably well, deserving of (and receiving) an impressive production and with little doubt, industry accolades from peer performers and fans alike. Scorched Earth Policy While this release might not break any new musical ground, it does pack quite a punch for those of you who like heavy, straight forward, hard rock/metal. This release will satisfy your hard rock hunger and it will do so with five original tunes and a cover of Neil Young's "Don't Let It Bring You Down." It'll grab you by the throat and shake you up a bit. It's got energy, groove and it can be laid back at times. But, regardless of what's going on in these tunes, it manages to maintain the heaviness. Nice thick sound, which I really like. Cool album, check it out, enough said. http://www.scorched-earthpolicy.com Death On Wednesday Following up their debut full length, "Buying The Life" in late 2000, the six tunes on this "EP" are much more than the stopgap space filler till the next long player. Sure, they've said as much, but where most bands have to tend the creative fires a few hours longer to develop enough for label demands, this record happened almost by accident, the result of throwing down some demos that erupted into a full bore recording project with full Grammy winning production accompaniment to boot. Mid-week blues aside, DOW isn't your average Progressive Punk deal gone soft. Instead, it's a digestible chunk of radio-friendly Rock layered with Pop hooks and vocal harmonies, led by Lawler's Morrisey-esque croon aiming toward the AOR class with soulful uplifting tunes that run from airy to edgy and rarely sappy. "Simple Life" is a catchy opening number that sneaks up and smothers you with an addictive chorus that you can't help grooving to; "Born To Bleed" and "Falling" are relatable examples of the non-coincidental rub off from their many touring miles with the likes of Social Distortion and Sugarcult, both energetic and highly electric; "Sympathy" and the closing nameless acoustic number reflect a family man maturity, lending credibility to the idea that variety and durability play key roles in the longevity factor long after the hit single's smoked out. DOW's intentions are good, and their song crafting's better, often wearing the Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards, Petty and Orbison influences on their sleeve and recalling them often. Electric Six Upon first listen, you're intrigued but not sure what to make of it. Upon second and third listen, you're laughing, you're diggin' it, still not sure what to make of it, and even less sure you're still living in the here and now. Electric Six is a five-member amalgam of yesterday and tomorrow with a highly eclectic if not unusual style of Arena-sized Rock jams, futuristic filler, Funk, Punk, and disco ball effects. "Fire" is a far-reaching record that's difficult to decipher but damn sure fun to groove to! The singer's the vocal equivalent of Tom Jones and The Dictators with a manic MC-like delivery that'd be wickedly funny if it wasn't so oddly chic. Motor City Madmen of a new dynamic, their tunes branch and break ties with an across the board blend of the glitter and glam scene of the '70s, '80s Punk and New Wave, and a Modern Rock, Euro-club crossfire. "Fire" comes at ya from every angle; one minute it's dirty dancing, the next, gutter Rock with plosive guitar chords, then before you've caught up, Dance Fever returns with a trippy new twist and techno stretch think Dead Or Alive does Deadsy doing "Superfreak". It's like listening to five bands in one, fronted by dastardly Dick Valentine, who's likely to portray every member of The Village People and KC and Sunshine Band before turning Tales From The Darkside on us with that eerie, campy Cramps-like twinge he throws in the howl and don't forget the cute "Everybody Wants Some" nod on the "I'm The Bomb" break. Every song on the record possesses a unique and singular identity that adds a welcome variety and staying power that probably can't be fully appreciated until the next great Rock revolution. For the Rock n' Roll purist, there's plenty to bite into "She's White, "I Invented The Night," "Getting Into The Jam," along with plenty of other sonic mayhem by way of beats, blips, and the occasional beep. Electric Six will make some noise on the club circuit before long. But then it might take the rest of the world a little time to catch up to this swashbuckling force that's created this sinfully delicious slab of Rock erotica and self-indulgence with a Studio 54 soundtracking and B-movie titles. Flamethrower They do just what the name says on this sixteen song bombardment of senses dulling speed Punk. There's no scene stealing or Seattle-bred associations to be made here, these four guys just throw 'em up there in two minute increments of self-deprecation and so-fucking-what?? and see what sticks… and most of 'em do! There's the occasional random act of senseless slowdown with a tune like "Drowning And Empty" or "The Job" but otherwise we're running a rich mixture of about 90% track power that's got the engine over-revved and stretching the same riff to the point of permanent exhaustion! Carbon deposits aside, Flamethrower's spit-soaked assessments of personal discontent come through refreshingly loud on the one hand, irritatingly static on the other like an inescapable Marshall amp glued to both ears emitting stress-induced screams from an altered state of spirit. Split nerves aside, Flamethrower's self-proclaimed ideal to put "evil" back into Rock is dead on; if not literally taken as actual repetitive refrains of soul selling sacrifice to the satanic one himself. The songs are first person views from the garage to the highway and highlighting the ever-present pathway problem peddlers posted at every corner. With lead vocalist Brian High's Lemmy-like liquor-soaked wail and the band's Zeke-inspired guitar power, the tunes hammer away on the notion of teenage Pop posing as Punk as not a single note presented here has anything to do with arena-filling anthems and toast your neighbor sing-alongs. The lyrics are right from the garbage and the songs pick 'em work interchangeably well from one gratuitous rant to another whether dealing with "dropping out," "breaking down," or "selling your soul to the devil for an ounce of speed and a spot on Letterman with Lemmy!" The stage is set for a band like Flamethrower to spread their prison cell poetry and four-barrel love for life's left lane on the listlessness of the Rock industry and return the missing element of danger and defiance The Melvins The album formerly known as "10 Songs" gets a 16-track boost by way of "some alternate recordings and garage demos." Funny, you'd be hard pressed to know the difference where the original ten begin and the last one ends. The sound quality is every bit 1986 and done live to two track to boot imagine a corkscrew of sound entering your head and exiting both ears in bloody chunks. Credit where its due, Melvins began life before most of what we consider ground breakers of the age like Helmet or Q.O.T.A. and god bless 'em, they haven't changed much; still as irritably noisy and technically reckless as before, though we may thank the modern era for advancements in sound production in their later years, none of which are present here. There's no disguising the Melvins in any age however, nor can we get around those beloved skips and scratches that begin surfacing with track eleven and go deeper from there. I had to listen twice, but no, it's not Buzzo's persistent roar, though it does match up well with the ultra low-fi discharge. With barely a tour under their belt and lucky to lose a buck, they did this original 10 song abomination at a time when Punk Rock, Metal, and Hardcore didn't have the slightest clue. So falling somewhere between Sabbath, Venom, Circle Jerks, Cro-Mags and D.R.I., and apparently landing on their feet somehow eighteen records and monumental underground fame these empty-pocketed saviors make like shit on the shoe on more occasions than booze and dead brain cells. King Buzzo's (Buzz Osbourne back then) emits a genuinely painful grunt for vox, much like a phlegm induced cough following a plodding, shuffling, wall of sludge and speed that's as untimely as it is ultimately endearing for its distinctive aggression and discordance. Most of the extra tracks are satanically strewn repeat performances of the originals and lend nothing to their listenability yet there's something so completely charming about picking up that needle on vinyl again. Worth hearing twice would be tunes like "Now A Limo," "Grinding Process," "Snake Appeal…" anyone for three times actually? "Set Me Straight's" a "new" addition that smokes on all cylinders specially with the double barrel drumming. So here you've got yet another reason to love the Melvins or at least show your next door neighbors how much you care. Also featuring a flowery redone cover art and four page insider notes on club closing remembrances and how to "be unappreciative bastards" and still come out alright! Slaughter & The Dogs You can't teach an old dog new tricks… and don't expect any here. The English Punk vets plow through fifteen classics, old and new from their recent and only U.S. tour! An original member of the old "bootboy" guard during the late '70s rise of the UK street scene, S&TD's underground rumblings made quick work of the prep-school Pop and glitter ball gods of the time with ample three chord chaos, heavy hooks and face full of fun that smacked hard with youthful records like "Do It Dog Style" or the slender "Bite Back". TKO's fourth installment of their in your face live series finds the classic Barrett/ Rossi team tearing 'em up at NY's CBGB's and SF's Justice League, two landmark staples of the gutter to glory days of ol' school Punk. Delightfully crude and spaciously sloppy, S&TD cuts loose like a revived band of lost and lonely legends given their final go at turning a profit… and the "payoff" here is for the lucky fan that either didn't see 'em in the first 2,200 go rounds. Or for those that did and wanna grab a bootleg-quality slab of hedonistic history that begins with the likes of yesterday's "Twist & Turn," "Runaway," "Boston Babies," and the rowdy raise 'em in the air effects of newer cuts like "Blow" and "Saturday Night Till Sunday Morning" before needlessly but nonetheless, picking apart the vintage 'Dolls and Velvet Underground tunes then kicking back 25 years for "Cranked Up Really High" to end things… loudly. Don't believe me? Just ask the poor RCA mascot on the cover… finally nailed the little sucker after all these years! Spatial Field Some uplifting music with a fall in and out of love first person spin to go with some clever night time clips of the Windy City between lyric pages. Initially a side-project meant to foster their home grown and growing up tastes from their Harder-core origins, Spatial Field began life in 2000 and got their break from their shoestring "Cloak & Dagger" EP that won 'em new fans and fanzine press. "Remember Right Now" is a solid Rock record with the associative H/C gone Emo gone Pop principles that places 'em somewhere within the ranks of Post-Punk and "Indie" with catchy melodies, chorus, and polished, if not an overproduced final output. The biggest selling point about Spitalfield is they throw out more hook to grab onto than most of their age and don't concern themselves with glamorizing their delivery. They stick to the principles of a good Pop tune short, simple, and sweet, with an easy to follow chorus and verse and AOR-led intentions, on a similar scale to fellow successes, Fallout Boy, Boy Sets Fire, or most likely The Movielife. Where many albums feature the best two or three cuts at the onset, maybe a slight variation, by six or seven there's no fooling we're listening to the same lazy verse only retitled and very redundant. Not the case here. Tunes like "Those Days You Felt Alive," "Kill The Drama," "Five Days And Counting," and "Stolen From Some Great Writer" boast voracious verses the listener can swing onto and ride the duration of the song and wake up with them the next day. Remember The Knack's first album? How about Cheap Trick's "In Color?" "Remember Right Now" is very much a "now" record that's well schooled in the principles of such past hits, borrowing on the idea that one or two songs does not an album make, so let's presume we'll only have one shot and make it count. Oversimplified, yes, but simplicity is the key to successful songwriting and proven time and again by bands forty years older and a million and one records wiser! And "Remember Right Now's" a full length in every sense. Five or six of the songs could step forward and work as successful singles "Five Days And Counting," would make a good first choice, or either of the two "ballads" that follow, "In The Same Lifetime" or "Am I Ready?" But either probably serve better as second or third follow ups. "Make My Heart Attack" at the end is another logical choice. Spitalfield won't make any new friends in their old neighborhood but taken at face value, they've got the makings for homespun success story with this strong debut. A Static Lullaby I'm sure we'll all be comforted once this trendy 'movement' is over. I've heard enough Emo/Screamo groups who consider themselves Metal...and here's another one. Actually, I'm not sure if these chaps refer to themselves as a "Metal" band or not, but to me, they sound almost exactly like the Southern Oregon Christian rockers SO FAR AWAY. I gotta give props to these guys though. If nothing else, their song titles are amusing. I got a chuckle out of "Annunciate While You Masticate". Heh. Go to http://www.ferretstyle.com for more. Zen Appropriately titled. The only thing I hear happening on this disc is...well...SHIT. How can a band be together for a decade and still sound that awful? The CD cover is decorated in pot leaves so maybe that's their excuse. These Swedes were too stoned to tune their snare drum! Y'know I never got the Stoner Rock thing, although I thought Kyuss had a few good songs. Maybe you'll hear something I'm missing. TEOS The Philly-based fivesome formed in 2000 and comes at you from every angle on their spirited five-song debut EP. "The Evil Operating System" operates with precision instrumentation and bludgeoning pure-Metal riffs blended together with a touch of evil, two-guitar assault, and soaring vocals to create a traditionally sound breakthrough release. Tilted heavily toward the stalwart Power Metal and Thrash-bands of the '80s & '90s their songs boast a uniqueness of form, depth, and tempo without sounding diminutive or dated see opening and closing tracks, "Immolation" and "Tortured" for irrefutable reference. Owing much to the skilled attributes of the band members, all accomplished musicians, and featuring a superb production job, TEOS is far from the average poor man's demo. Lyrically antithetical to the idea of "evil operating," the words exemplify and exceed despair, effectively rising to the challenge to beat everyday obstacles. Similar to classic bands like Pantera and Priest in form and function, TEOS has been making the case for uncompromising heavy Rock played with premise and priority. They've already made an impressive stir on their local WYSP airwaves and online downloads. Their bio suggests "Metal needs heroes" and the point is inarguable. Metal's finest hour came from those who looked it, played it, and stood behind it; So while we'd be hasty to rank 'em up with the likes of the Overkill's and Motorhead's, or even Pantera's of the world just yet, the intensity and flash are present and the same commitment to quality can be heard in each of the five tracks, all of which rely on a heavy foundation, melodic soloism, a quick and poignant delivery. Features: "Immolation", "I Will Rise", "Control", "Bring Me To Life", and "Tortured". For further info check 'em out at: http://www.TEOSband.com. The Unseen You may not see 'em, but you sure can hear 'em… loud and usually clear save for the occasionally cloudy vox and chaotic backing choir. The relatively youthful Boston-street Punks bellow and belt 'em out for the suffering masses on their latest "Explode" LP, an album racked with anger, pain, and self-loathing. Here lie twelve identifiably catchy tracks meant to present rather than revolt. Combining a volatile mix of Exploited-like aggression with a Sixer meets A-F style of melody, punch, and cynicism to go with a groove-heavy core of riffs and rolls, "Explode's" got 12 cuts that scale the wall of self-deprecation and stand proud. And all without the typical full-length gluttony that follows many a band's lead track for a basic 20-plus ball-out broken into measured increments of mindless drivel. The gang vocals and harmonic discourse reminds of the youthful spirit where fresh out of high kids spout off about real world phenomena and social unrest over a brash verse and fast pace. Incessant whining and interpersonal dilemma's stay cast aside in favor of truth, justice and a negative outlook on burning moments like lead screamer "False Hope," "Your Failure Is My Revenge," and two tell it like it is standouts, "Negative Outlook," and "So Sick Of You," railing against corruption and perceived commercialism. Bands that try too hard to be "Punk" usually fall flat and get picked apart from a mile away. The Unseen's got the chops to back up the wild haircuts, leather and boots look that's powerful enough to bowl of yer Pop/Punk pretty boys while keeping pace with the scruffy veterans out to prove a point. Kijli Basically they have great music but they just scream and scream. They sound like every band out there trying to make it in the industry. I am not saying that they are bad or anything. I am just saying they need to focus more on their vocals. For more info on the band please visit http://www.kiju.it. Vinnie Vincent Invasion EMI, in an apparently loose mood, let's go two lost wanderers of yesterday's hair generation with two sought after lost "classics" from the enigmatic Vinnie Vincent and his Invasion. Like many of the Glam Metal records of their day, they don't stand the test of time too well, but they're sure fun to go back and listen to again. Now appearing in all their glossed up and teased glory with the added attraction of digital remastering, VVI's self-titled 1986 debut and their "All Systems Go" '88 follow up made a respectable impact but had inexplicably little lasting effect. They were an unlikely combination of Hair Metal fluff Rock with virtuosic tendencies that featured the fast flying finger work of an overindulgent post-Kiss Vincent with the gratuitously chickish frontmen vocalists. One look at the back cover band photos says a lot about the era they started in, but upon further listen, there was solidity to the playing that steps yards beyond what most of their ilk were capable of producing. Vincent's initial claim to infamy was as fill in guitarist on Kiss' bare-faced "Lick It Up" line up. Short-lived though it was (Vincent having been invited to leave shortly after the '83 tour began) it was a record that barely hinted at the fretboard freedom he allowed himself on his solo endeavors. Three years later, as if to prove a point against the prohibitive measures of the Paul and Gene team, the simply titled "Invasion" emerged and really cut into the surface of showmanship versus soloism. And the Metal fans took notice right away. "Invasion" appeared at the right time when Pop Metal's popularity was peaking. They featured four poseurs with unimaginably big hair, even by true feminine standards, and a number of anthemic crashers like "Boyz Are Gonna Rock," "No Substitute," and "Animal" all laid out for maximum consumption by the ladies and the air guitar-God in the making. The featured element was unquestionably Vincent's unstoppable and indecipherably quick finger work. The songs themselves were timely and on a level with the Crue's, Ratt's, and Quiet Riot's of the day, as well as the soon to be Cinderella's, Poison's and Winger's round the corner. They boasted the soaring, swooning, sometimes sketchy vocals of the long forgotten Robert Fleischman, a John Waite look-alike that held his own, and beneficially backed by a tight rhythm section headed by bassist Dana Strum and stool jumping drummer Bobby Rock. Vincent's playing steals the spotlight however, effectively drowning out the background "music" with a run of imperceptibly sloppy scales and double-picking that overstates the obvious on more than one occasion throw technique out the window, flash is the fashion! VVI's first record produced some damn quality tunes the aforementioned "Boyz Are Gonna Rock" opener, plenty of heavy riffage with "Animal," "Twisted" and "I Wanna Be Your Victim"; the sorely underrated power ballad "Back On The Streets," which was later redone by Europe's John Norum and garnered maybe an inch more attention if any; and the potent closing epic, "Invasion," that in itself is reason enough to pick this one up. VVI's next album in '88 had more going for it. The band had a successful debut under their belts, toured the world under the tutelage of greats like Alice Cooper and Maiden, and an obviously broader budget for the aptly titled "All Systems Go" which featured fuller sound, cleaner production and hot new vocalist in Mark Slaughter. Somewhere along the line, someone might've suggested to Vincent that soloing can still impact while keeping the focus on the overall song. The result is a much sharper, shapelier record with more groove appeal and slick-shredding over mere showmanship. This time its Slaughter's voice that melts the speakers. With a higher range than Fleischman, though comparably close at certain measures, Slaughter's debut signaled a star on the rise, for him and Strum… if not necessarily the whole group. "Ashes To Ashes" and "Dirty Rhythm" are two immediate heavy hitters that should've gone further than they did. "Love Kills" was the hit single of the record that lit the charts awhile, but had no real benefit of a capable follower. "Let Freedom Rock" possesses that so necessary Rock band gimmick with Vincent opening the tune with, you guessed it, before cutting into one of the stronger album tracks. "That Time Of Year" was another underappreciated power ballad, along with the Stryper-like "Ecstasy" that finds Slaughter in full tear flow effect. Truth is this album was less impacting but better musically. For one or another reason it just didn't strike the community chord the way it should have. Shortly thereafter VVI were done. Heavy Rock fans can't go wrong with either of these picks, both similarly styled records yet very distinguishable from the other. Don't expect any bonus attachments however, as these CD reissues were done mainly as core crowd pleasers for long waiting listeners with the cleared space in their collection. Winged Serpent Master Okay, well, first of all, I'm not really into black metal or death metal. There's some stuff out there in those styles that has an excellent production and quality musicianship. But, it still doesn't float my boat. So, if I can't get off on that stuff, I'm certainly not gonna be able to get into this release. I mean, take a band such as Venom for example. Even their worst material is a lot better than this. The vocal style was rather plain, the production wasn't all that and it came off sounding like it was recorded in a very cheap home studio. Even though I'm not into music such as this, I at least try to find something in the material that might stand out for me. You know, so I can tell you that, "Hey, you'll like this release because of this or because of that." After all, I am at least familiar with this style of music and what people who are into it expect from it. But, I can't find anything here to comment on. So, if you're one of the people who are into this style of music...which is self described as a mixture of black, death, thrash and dark metal...you're pretty much gonna have to take a chance on it and see for yourself if it's something that would be worth adding to your collection. E-mail: sacrificedmaster@yahoo.com Hyaline If I hadn't already heard this kinda thing before, I'd have to call it incredibly original. Even still, it's a CD well done. Hyaline has taken the liberty of borrowing NU Metal Tool-like elements and blending them together with a somewhat Pink Floydian organic feel. THe multi-layered instrumentation makes for an atmospheric album that will appeal to fans of Southern Oregon's very own FLOATER. Though very reminiscent, in my opinion, this band is better. Go to www.hyalineband.com for more information. Honest Pod Honest Pod are basically your typical modern style rock band, which is not to say they're bad. Their influences seem to include Pearl Jam, Faith No More, Godsmack, Creed, a bit of nu metal. Some of their songs have a kind of a spacey feel to them, similar to Pink Floyd. Their vocalist sings in an emotional voice, and the rest of the band, while not musical geniuses, do play fairly well. "Sign Of The Times" is the hardest (and shortest) song on the disc (which contains five songs), and the last song, "Saturn Return", is an emotional, brooding ballad. The rest of the songs are middle of the road, modern rock tunes, the kind of thing you'd expect from a band like this. At the end of the day, this ain't bad, but it's not much different from most of the other bands making waves these days. Single Bullet Theory Gentlemen, start your engines! We're putting the pedal to the metal and speeding down Route 666 with Single Bullet Theory, a band who can really burn rubber! These guys play some super charged rock and roll, that really goes for the throat! Their music is very heavy and aggressive, influenced by Pantera, Guns 'N' Roses, and old school thrash metal, with a bit of hardcore/punk, and some "modern" flavorings. Singer Matt Difabio is one brutal SOB, like a clash of Phil Anselmo and Axl Rose. Guitarist Doug Rush shreds as if possessed, and the rhythm section, made up of bassist Bill Mezick and drummer John Sasso, is as hard as concrete. These guys don't mess around! There is not one song on this album that doesn't kick ass! Single Bullet Theory's music strikes you with the force of a runaway 18 wheeler! They are also a talented band whose playing is right on the mark, and are as tight as can be! Today's music scene is in a desperate state, so to hear a band like this is a breathe of fresh air! These guys could kick the shit out of most of the "rock" bands that are big news today! Let's hope Single Bullet Theory get the props they deserve so they can breathe some life into today's stagnant music scene. AC/DC took us for a trip down the "Highway To Hell". Well, now it's time for a new band to take the wheel, and drive us on an even deadlier ride! Fasten your seat belts, we're riding down Route 666 with Single Bullet Theory, and there's no turning back! Figure Four Figure Four's "Suffering the Loss" is a loss. The music beats are strong, but the singing, well shouting needs a bit of work. The lead singer sings only in one tone the entire album. If he would used his voice in other ways then it would be a kick ass cd. For more information on this band please visit http://www.figurefour.com. Godhead While I can't say that I'm a major fan of Godhead, I have heard a few of their previous releases. So, to a certain degree, I've followed their career. At the core, this is a gothic/industrial band. On this release, however, I get the impression that they're looking to take their music in a slightly different direction. Personally, I view that as a good thing. This album seems more straight forward or, shall we say, mainstream...and it manages to maintain that same vibe that's been heard on previous releases. In other words, the band continues to grow without forgetting where they came from. I'm not sure how the hardcore fans are gonna view this album. Myself, I thought it was rather good. I guess you're just gonna have to check it out for yourself and form your own opinion. That would be the best thing to do. The Limit The Limit are a trio who have just released their self titled debut, and this is a four song sampler from it. They play modern style hard rock, in the vein of Nickelback, and are quite good at it. All four songs rock hard, the band play well, and singer/guitarist Mark Daniel has a gutsy voice and can really shred! The sky is the limit with The Limit! They have what it takes to rock with the big guys, and become a major force in the hard rock scene of today! Bernie Torme & The Electric Gypsies Irish born rock guitarist Bernie Torme has been going at it for a very long time! He has played with many legendary rockers (including Ozzy Osbourne, Dee Snider, and Ian Gillian) and has also worked as a solo artist. This studio offering is a two disc set. The Electric Gypsies are a trio consisting of Bernie on guitar and vocals, bassist John Pearce and drummer Chris Jones (both formerly of punk band the Anti Nowhere League). Bernie and the Gypsies play straightforward, raunchy, but melodic, blues-based hard rock, done the good old fashioned way! Their sound is in the vein of Aerosmith, Whitesnake, the Stones, the New York Dolls, Thin Lizzy, Humble Pie...As a guitarist, Bernie seems to pick up much influence from classic guitarists like Rory Gallagher, Robin Trower, John Sykes, Joe Perry, Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore, Steve Marriott, and Jimmy Page. He also sings lead, and sounds like Steven Tyler meeting David Johansen, with a touch of Bon Scott. They have turned a smokin' album of hard rocking tunes, with no frills, just good old fashioned bluesy hard rock, the way it was meant to be! Bernie is a hell of guitarist, and it's really a crying shame he's not a household name at this point, after all the years he's been playing, and being such a talented player! This guy deserves some props, so check out this album! If you're into smoking guitars and/or classic style rock and roll, you won't be disappointed! As for songs that grabbed my attention, well, they all rock, but one that jumped out at me was "Shoot The DJ", a hard rocking, booty kicking tune in the vein of Motley Crue's "Live Wire". Another song, "Dark Horizon", is a rather long number, almost ten minutes. It's a good song, with some cool guitar work, but it has one of those endings that just drags on forever! Doesn't that drive you nuts? The first disc closes with "Pearls", a short little unplugged ditty. Now for disc two... White Trash Guitar" (disc 2) Best of Seven If you like, the sounds of Bon Jovi and Goo Dolls, then check out the arising band Best of Seven. The band got their name from lead singer's crazy love for baseball. Best of Seven will give you that high-energy vibe of true American Rock n Roll. With songs such as "Suffer Me" a bit of punk flavor rock n roll, "Sleep" a love theme for the woman, and "Mark Ratner" just a feel good song, makes this album worth listening to. Every song is a great one. http://www.Fastlanerecords.com Thomson & The Big Desaster Thomson & The Big Desaster is a disappointment. Every song sounds the same and they repeat the chorus over and over. It sounds like a broken record. They sound like a bluesy 70's band out of a garage. High Risk Punk rock, that's what we have here. A 17 song album with an hour plus running time. At times, I thought the production could've been touched up a bit. But, other than that, this was a really good album. When I think of punk rock, I think of bands like The Ramones, Dead Kennedys, The Exploited or The Sex Pistols. While this band has a way to go before they reach that level, I think they're on the right track. Any label who would pick 'em up would have a winner on their hands, that's for sure. Throw some serious promotion behind 'em and they could do some damage in the music world. Hell, look at this disc. There's some great material to be found. Ah, the best of the bunch, in my opinion, are tracks like "Punk Rock Anthem," "Cheers" and "Rage" just to name a few. Can't really go wrong here. Yeah, so, be sure to check 'em out. Martin Barre The first solo album from Jethro Tull's legendary guitarist. Actually, according to his press release, this is his third one. The first two were unreleased in North America. Anyway, this release is a 14 song instrumental album, with one vocal track featuring Simon Burrett. That tune is called "Don't Say A Word." Go figure. You get close to an hour's worth of music here. Not sure if it's something the Tull fans will embrace or not. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. Maybe Martin will reach a different audience because, after all, those instrumental people are almost in a world of their own. They've got a deep appreciation for music and musical ability. I dig that stuff as well. But, I'm also rather fond of lyrics. Since I'm not really a Jethro Tull fan, I can't sit here and compare this release with anything he's done in the band. Not that I really need to do that anyway. There's a good variety of material to be found here. For the most part, it's kind of mellow. My opinion would be that this is a very relaxed album. Something that Martin's doing just for fun. After all, having been in the business for 30 plus years, I don't think he has anything to prove. You don't last that long unless you have talent, right? Right! Bottom line...if you're looking for something a bit different in an instrumental album, you might wanna give this disc a spin. I'm sure it will be a release that you'll appreciate regardless of if you're a Jethro Tull fan or not. |
