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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 Acheron I have just one request. Next time can you try to condense even more about the band history onto smaller print? I think the disc was half over before I arrived at the closing thoughts of "world conquest" and "enemies eliminated from existence". Authenticating the ideals of true evil and denouncing anything to do with Christianity, Acheron's one band you can be sure ain't just going through the motions. "Tribute To Devil's Music" is twelve tracks documenting their many dark covers throughout the years as one of Metal's most outspoken extremists. Their history reaches back to '88 and their first "Messe Noir" debut, their leader Vincent Crowley has maintained a devout Satanic following having gone so far to debate the issues on televised forums and ultimately becoming a charter member of LaVey's church before later disassociating himself to act alone. Acheron's been a staple on the Black/Death Metal scene for some fifteen years and as they exist today, Crowley and crew are close to completing their first full length of new material in four years with "Rebirth: Metamorphosing Into Godhood." Their latest tribute pays homage to the Metal underground of the past, featuring covers of (What!?) "Black Sabbath," Frost's "Dawn Of Meggido," "Maiden's "Wrathchild," "Bathory's "Raise The Dead," and Venom's "Countess Bathory," before reaching back to torch up one of their own lost souls, "Ave Satanas," which first appeared on their "Rites Of The Black Mass" release in 1992. While many of the so-called "Black" Metal and Death bands fill the pages with propagandist bullshit that's usually layered with the same Satanist psycho-babble and pasty-faced poses, you can rest assured with Acheron, the spikes, spears, and devil horn signs are for real! Their discography covers 12 releases including rarities and comps and soundtracking stuff, but all things considered, they must be doing something right. Each song maintains its original sense of purpose and individual characteristics, enhanced by the winter chill effect of the low-droned guitar riffing, Crowley's death growls and ominous backing chants. While off center moments like Kiss' "War Machine" or Priest's "Devil's Child" make sense in conventional "rebellious" wisdom, what, no Slayer? Highlighted moments are storming covers of Death's "Evil Dead," Kreator's "Flag Of Hate," Mercyful Fate's "Room Of Golden Air" instrumental, the Venom shred, and Acheron's "enhanced" version of their own song! Capture The Flag Looks like the third time's a charm for the Michigan-based misfits with the Pop hook and power groove. CTF's a retro-minded Pop / Punk outfit with Metal urges. They take similar routes as up and coming peer members like Anberlin, Boy Sets Fire, and Spitalfield and add a raw energy that's heavy on the grime and a foot above the gutter. A finely tuned trio that's as conscious of lead in's and lead playing as others are of recording one good one and renaming the rest of the same an album over, CTF's shaped in the mold of yesterday's underdog of an AOR-driven ambition. It's more about making waves than radio waves. Every ounce expulsed from tracks one to eleven is easily distinguishable and digestible; rare in an age where song titles too often shack up with the sight unseen behind the scenes band members, leaving little left to consume for the hungry listener start to finish. Hearty yet heavy tracks like "Going Through The Motions" and "607" "start" the record in heated fashion where phaser-fed chords and rusty hooks merge with melodic breaks and lollipop-like lyrics reminiscent of Garage Rock's infancy. Vocalist Jeff Tuttle doubles as the excitable anti-hero letting his emotions wail and fingers walk, chugging through a roughly mixed, steam blowing windbag of riff-ridden chunks about interrelational screw ups and starting over. "This Is Worthless" and "Anti-Gravity Club" are a plosive punch in the gut past the halfway point, blasting a Thrash Metal and Punk fury with anthemic charm to further blur the lines and furthering CTF from the rest of the wandering pack. If you threw together bands like The Descendants, Dogwood, and Dag Nasty, mixed in some previously mentioned Emo/Punk talent, scraped the scattered remains of Scandinavia's Death Rock scene, the resulting reaction would be something like this..."Start From Scratch." Staggering! Freddy Vs. Jason Soundtrack An age old battle of evil versus… evil, finally reaches its chilling climax when Horror's two most popular figures do battle in what should prove to be a box office windfall amongst splatter movie vets and ostracized youth of the white-eyed variety. And with the roster of today's most popular heavy bands buried here for twenty stark, dark, and surreal tracks, looks like the powers at Roadrunner won't make off too badly either! With some 30-something sequels between 'em… seriously, who remembers, but okay, maybe sixteen or seventeen, the "Freddy vs. Jason" confrontation had to happen "Nightmare On Elm Street" vs. "Friday The 13th," four-fingered slasher vs. machete man; Two infinity driven madmen who were among the first to ignite the genre in the early '80s, somehow managing to survive every conceivable method of death to rise up and kill again, now face off against each other in 2003, and the one left standing gets their pick of the litter of hard to kill supernatural thrill seekers headed by Pee Wee Herman. Where many previously released Horror flick S/T's generally pick apart the bones from an age-old carcass, "Freddy vs. Jason's" music is a refreshing look ahead as many participants showcase new music for first time listens or latest editions. Hard Rock and Nu-Metal type superpowers like Spineshank, Slipknot, Hatebreed, and Sevendust unleash a fiery mix of unreleased material especially for this momentous occasion, headed by Slipknot's insanely aggressive "Snap" from their '97 demo that's as brutally ugly as the man behind the (pardon the pun) mask; Existing tunes by Powerman 5000 doing "Bombshell," Nothingface's surprisingly personable "Ether," In Flames' "Trigger," masochistic, modern-edged Thrash, and Type O's closing thoughts on the very balmy "(We Were) Electrocute." Highlighted and/or surprising moments appear in the form of frontrunner Ill Nino going all groovy and Def-tonic on the sorrowing first single, "How Can I Live"; Spineshank mixing roar with retro on their catchy and clammy, "Beginning Of The End"; From Autumn To Ashes' "The After Dinner Payback," In Flames-style melodic Power; Then there's the glut of Pearl Jam / AIC /Tool sound-alikes with the Goth-inspired hook and freaky chorus. And what gore-track would be complete without the one and only Alice Cooper who proudly appears courtesy of the Murderdolls' sound-alike singer doing "Welcome To The Strange!" Cover your eyes and cup your ears for this horrifically satisfying mix of chilly night air and piercing screams put to music from mostly new and proven talent dotted with dead weight and all hyping the kill factor times ten! Heart Returning from the "backburner" to front and center for a long awaited revival of one of Rock's most successful sister acts, the Heart's beating again. "Alive In Seattle" features the Wilson sisters return to their roots for last year's "Summer Of Love" tour, capturing the spirit with this two-hour, two-disc live audio documentary. After a million selling career that saw them rise among the ranks of the Rock n' Roll elite, the band disappeared for a good part of the '90s, save for the exceptional appearance here and there, to spend time pursuing individual ventures performing, scoring films, saving their breath basically. With a new band in tow, Ann and Nancy appear with a renewed sense of purpose that allows their many classic hits to stand the test of time and come across as significant as the day they recorded them. Save for the expected crowd noise, it's difficult to distinguish "Seattle" from a fully housed amphitheatre or four feet away from your living space, it's that effortless and clear. Two-discs and nineteen tracks mark this career spanning collection of early age oldies, obscurities, can't miss hits, and a few new tunes that blend right in with the rest. Biggest fanfare comes in the form of the opener "Crazy On You," which Ann stretches to the limits, a double up acoustic set of "Alone," and the surprising "Dog & Butterfly," Zep's "Battle Of Evermore," "Magic Man," and of course, "Barracuda." Far from the expected "Greatest Hits" monument that most returning legends ease into, Heart wastes no time to test the waters. They jump right in with the crowd pleasing "Crazy On You" before thrashing about unexpectedly, rushing in a newbie, "Sister Wild Rose," a quiet cover, "The Witch," an early favorite, "Straight On," and then maintaining a well balanced mix of yesterday and today that leaves the listener, and apparently the crowd, awed and fulfilled at once. The three new tracks are unmistakably Heart but neither in their classic-era "Crazy…" sense nor the '80s Pop idol variety, although "Break The Rock" makes an admirable run for Arena-Rock glory with its sing-along chorus! Ending the set by stepping back to the beginning with "Dreamboat Annie (Reprise)" was a bit bewildering, yet for all its mellow charm, evoked a sustained crowd reaction when one might otherwise expect more from "Barracuda" or even Zep's beloved "Black Dog," which actually came beforehand. Such goes far in exemplifying Ann Wilson's continued ability to hit the high or stretch the soul as it were, her delivery remaining as seamless as ever before. The band ignored mostly all of their 90's output save for a welcome rendition of "Wild Child" from the "Brigade" album. Great Rock song from an underserved album that got the expected silent crowd reaction but worthy of inclusion over the bubble gum fluff of another "What About Love" heel kick. Some two and a half decades since the start, and another several years between live shows, "Alive In Seattle" proves for Nancy, Ann, and all their many fans, distance does indeed make the Heart grow fonder. Helloween Helloween's latest is another adventuresome foray into the popular world of Melodic / Thrash Metal they helped create 20 years earlier. In spite of the departure of Uli Kusch and Roland Grapow (drums, guitars) between "Rabbit" and their previous "Dark Ride," the sound's potent yet progressive as they lift the dark cloud and return the rosy glow of before. Their unusually titled new album is a work in pride, power, and phallic outbursts (substitute "rabbit" for another furry "animal" which men have tried to tame since the dawn of time and you'll be on the right track). "Rabbit Don't Come Easy" shares many similarities with their excellent "Master Of The Rings" comeback in 1994, possessing that pent up passion and hostility that lacked since their "Keeper" days, commanding respect and admiration at once. They've been on a steady roll since then, maintaining the consistency of melody, speed and complexity and epic quality to the music with slight variations and risk taking freshness. "Rabbit Don't Come Easy" thus takes its rightful place among the many Helloween successes. "Just A Little Sign" and "Open Your Life" are a combative one-two combination at the forefront, boasting playing speed and double bass attack compliments of the authoritative session fill-in Mikkey Dee (since replaced in the band by Stefan Schwarzmann according to the credits), either of which, on equal levels, can stack up against the best of the rest. "Never Be A Star" is crawl-like in comparison, very catchy, downright "gentlemanly" in many ways, riding out a choral crescendo fit for a crowd pleaser or bathroom break depending on one's taste. "Liar" is a monstrous intrusion by mid-point, beginning innocently with the distinctive arpeggio-fed intro, duties now shared by Weikath and newcomer Sascha Gerstner, before going rhythmically ballistic and borrowing a bit of black from "The Dark Ride" and Deris' duplicating the decibel drop-off and desperate tone for this most aggressive of cuts. Conversely, "Don't Stop Being Crazy" is "In The Middle Of A Heartbeat" with a stronger pitch speaking of which, there's more band participation where the backing vocs are concerned "Do You Feel Good" is an experimental misstep that's easily forgettable amongst the rest; "Hell Was Made In Heaven" brings back the emotive firepower and opens like a classic Scorpions tune on steroids before following rank to an atypically "Weenie" style track… still those "Love Drive" overtones aren't quickly dismissed. "Back Against The Wall" and "Listen To The Flies" both would make better closers than the eight minute amalgamated mess that is "Nothing To Say," with the latter another hyped up Speed Metal maneuver with quick change tempo and aggressive posture. "Nothing To Say" is an unprovoked combination of "Black Dog" and Bob Marley but does nothing to add to the appeal of the record overall which, for the most part, stands among the top two or three of their lengthy catalog. Tales of triumph, transition, seduction and sentimentality blend with power, progressivism and paginated pasty-faced pumpkins to create something uniquely Helloween and still state of the art amongst the rest. Kalmah First song starts off like it was lifted from an old Running Wild tale. Then, Kalmah, this menacing Finnish creature emerges from the dark, trident thrust upward and into the night air this surging force escapes to shatter all precept of Finnish-spun Folk Metal. Their bio spins the usual idol-worship yarn presenting the next cutting edge entry in the Scandinavian Power, Black, and Death dance, laying it on thick enough to doubtfully acknowledge and expect little else. About halfway through, you realize they're definitely for real and primed to place at the frontline of the better bets their fellow forefathers laid forth in recent years. Featuring a well-executed instrumental mastery bore of a traditional Thrash-style shred and a barrage of quick fills and blastbeats, their music's at ease in the underground extreme yet tastefully offset by melodically sound innovations threaded from synchronized guitar and key arrangements to extend the usefulness in bridge breaks and enchanted forestry thematics. "Heroes To Us," "Cloned Insanity," "Doubtful About It All," "Tordah" are to name but a few, and are done without the bloated excess of progressive egoism to lose sight of start to ending points. Each song opens distinguishably catchy and sets a quickly defined pace dictated throughout some four to six minute excursions of true Metal musicianship that's a crossfire of aggressive and majestic tendencies pitting primacy with modernism. Last year, "They Will Return," their second full length, signaled the start of something special for Kalmah. Now a year later they return to the mysterious swamp-like surroundings from where they first appeared in 2000, stepping forward from where such supreme works as "Follow The Reaper" or "The Jester Race," and even the archaic "Walls Of Jericho" left off without toning down or cutting back. KISS "You wanted the best and you got the best…" roars the familiar introduction for the "Hottest band in the world!" Yes, the name's the same; the song's the same; only the band, featuring a space-suited Thayer for Frehley substitute and full symphonic accompaniment, has changed. Rather than spew forth another "Alive" record spotlighting sub par studio outings from the "Psycho Circus" and beyond, the boys got creative by adding the Melbourne Symphony to soup up the same old same old and create something special for the fans. The combining of said elements between Rock and orchestra becomes a less risky proposition now that fellow legends like The Scorpions and Metallica have successfully navigated the route, not that our beloved costumed crusaders would shy away from the challenge in any event. The first of the two-disc 21 track set features six band-only live cuts featuring "Lick It Up," the oft ignored "Calling Dr. Love," and "Psycho Circus." Then after a short pause, they returned with the Melbourne Symphony Ensemble and Orchestra to successfully re-dramatize the stunning events of their storied past. KISS' music, timeless though it is, does not always jive with the accentuated percussive, brass, and string arrangements laid out for them even the thought of "Do You Love Me" or "God Of Thunder" with woodwinds, lute, and lyre type instruments is enough to give ya the shakes. But then a few listens later, you realize the orchestration, more often than not, is a true accompaniment with the band's plugged in power at the core and tunes like "Detroit Rock City," "Black Diamond," and "Love Gun" are naturals. Unsurprisingly it's the "softer" moments that shine brightest as with the five songs of "Act II" done with the considerably lighter case of the Ensemble: Peter's "Beth" is a beautiful rendition with an encompassing "live" feel that breathes new life into their biggest seller. "Forever" is another acoustic ballad that gains strength from the strike of the bow; "Goin Blind…" who even knew they'd play it? Ask any one of the tens of thousands in attendance and the answer you'd probably get is, "Played what?" An interesting selection that's probably better left on the shelf. There are a couple of long lost bastards thrown in the mix for effect, and most are pleasant surprises "Sure Know Something" and "Shandi," for instance, each gained a startling ovation, round out the act, and leave the listeners, presumably of their own accord, raising the volume and wanting more. After a brief pause, the band returns for "Act III" with full Orchestra to run through their Greatest Hits, "Great Expectations," and lots of sparks, confetti, curtain call, and another hundred or so painted portraits of performers seated center stage six feet above the drum, dressed in black dropping their bows for a bow. In between, they open with a blazing version of their "Detroit Rock City" staple, step back momentarily to "Alive II" with the "King Of The Night Time World" follow up which sounds clunky, save for Peter's drumming(!); "Shout It Out Loud's" heightened immeasurably by the string section and brass, as is "God Of Thunder" with its hauntingly bass-heavy depth; "Black Diamond" with yet another improvised intro, belongs on any KISS "Hits" collection, live or otherwise, and comparative with "Love Gun" a song earlier, sounds monumental, as does Peter and Paul's collective chorus. "I Was Made For Lovin' You" got a proud ovation but sounded out of step with the rest; though I'd dare say Symphonizing a Disco song remains yet unprecedented for a Heavy Rock band, so we'll grant them their indulgence. They closed with a well-received classic from the "Dressed To Kill" album that was powerful but overemphasized by the flighty horn section. Overall the orchestration was in fine form, ably adding the classical twist to the band's own age old classics. They didn't skimp on the necessities they being, in no particular order, the expected gems from their preceding live successes, "Deuce," "Strutter," "Detroit," "Shout," etc.; Paul's between song banter including inquiries about the "coolness" of the collective; the bomb blowing, blood spewing tradition; and they used the occasion to infuse a few lifelong expectation-defying "B-sides" while kindly neglecting to include the masterful "God Gave Rock N' Roll To You Too" torture that bewilderingly closed their previous chapter. All in all, another thoughtfully planned and produced package by the marketing masters of the stage, this time breaking bread and blowin' speakers with the likes of Brahms and Beethoven while makin' more "Kisstory" in Melbourne! Pride & Fall One thing that I've come across with many EBM practitioners is that they while they create dynamic music generally delivering on the promise of some notion of innovation and distinctness, rarely do the songs, save for one or two, jump out as an individual voice demanding to be heard again and again. It is rare that we slap on a CD and peg track three, seven or ten for an immediate one off gratification but rather, press play and settle in for the duration; that's the usual function, and many are good at it. They are complete works to be enjoyed at full length on the dance floor or the next scheduled shuttle to the stars. "Nephesh," the latest from the Norwegian trio Pride & Fall is certainly no exception, however, there is an immediacy to instant club hits like "Inside," "Paragon," and "December" that climb into the listening experience on equal footing as that which inspires one to move those feet once the beats kick in. Introduced by "The Approach," a 90 second introduction that's akin to gazing into space on a breezy, cool September evening seemingly concluded 89 tracks later(!) we're quickly surrounded by catchy Pop melodies, accentuated dance beats and New Wave inspired vocs. Pride and Fall shares similarities with like-minded groups as Apoptygma Berserk and VNV Nation where Electronic music breeds with a Future Pop purpose creating a wider expanse for the listening audience. "Serenade Of Dreams" innocently enough near the end, establishes itself as another "hit" of the overall ten a well drawn mix of guitars, synths, and programming with a captivating and cinematically drawn sense that conjures a gentle backdrop over pointed narratives; "Extinction Means Forever" follows up and emboldens the spirit of the previous, capturing the sense of intrigue and melody while sharpening the synthesized effects, sharpening the beat and extending the mix. "Nephesh" is an elemental and illuminative debut from forward looking performers with fresh ideas that'll see them blessed with pride long before experiencing a fall. The Business So what happens when a crusty ol' Hardcore veteran Punk group gets tired of railing on about society's ills and political pinpricks? Write an entire album about...football. Or that would be "soccer" to those of us on the North American continent. "Hardcore Hooligan" finds The Business in fine form as they document their favorite "football as family" pastime, from pub crawls to penalty kicks for one of their most emotive albums in years. While "HH" boasts a feel-good, shout it out anthemic quality in its 12 tracks, there's an intensity channeled within the lyrical coarseness that's equal parts satisfaction, "Saturday's Heroes," "England 5, Germany 1" and sour grapes, "Maradona," "Handball" befitting of our patriotic protagonists with the piss drunk presentation. Instantaneous sing-alongs, one and all, particularly on the sharp opening stomp of "Hardcore Hooligan," the vehement lament of "Southgate," and the self-gratifying "Guinness Boys" that first appeared on 2001's "No Mercy For You". The "boys" break out the vintage collection if only a fraction of the time, railing off against the middle class on "3 Lions" and various lots of dissidents, of which they've encountered many in their 25 year uproar, netted nicely in the closing, "No One Likes Us" that's about as "inviting" a tone as exists throughout. "Hardcore Hooligans" is an album about football from the fervent fan's perspective for sure, but further, it's a call for unity, as are most of the songs of theirs and their working class brethren, that's strung together by Saturday night screamfests for the love of their sport and chosen spirits. Zero Hour A true to life tale of a bands' "Metamorphosis" from struggling young also ran in the early nineties who couldn't hold it together, to well on their way to being a top flight Prog-Metal act in a time when the genre's reaching its fullest potential. Not satisfied to simply run scales and systematic arrangements, "Metamorphosis" features a chunkier delivery with plenty of between verse atmospherics to provide a feverishly elemental character to be recognized for its intensity as well as dexterity. This twelve song reissue of their 1998 debut, which in its initial scarcity, vanished for most without a trace, features revamped cover art and finishes with two demo tracks, "Eyes Of Denial," and "Jaded Eyes," the latter a tremendously moving vocal-less performance that emerges as one of the sleeper hits of the lot(!) from the original sessions. The usual suspects prevail when comparisons are called for, particularly in the vocal range where relative newcomer Erik Rosvold conveys a haunting similarity to Dream Theater's James LaBrie. There's a definite familiarity with Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and Enchant during those gliding moments when the electricity's cut for momentary encounters with acoustics and the inner sanctum specifically during the fifteen minute five-part self-titled epic that with its combination of power, speed, and melodic progressivism, reveals the far reaching effects of their individual talents bridged together for this uplifting star reacher. Overall, their style here is interpretable with modern minded acts as an Evergrey, Vanden Plas, or Symphony X for its shredability and sudden surges in amplitude aside from the all-encompassing ability to perform mad scientist on the strings and skins. If you missed this the first time, and odds are you did if you weren't one of the 2,000 slick palmed fans who scored one, the "Metamorphosis" reissuance is a welcome return to "zero" for Zero Hour while they complete work on their 3rd release, "De-Evolution," which will follow up 2000's stunning "Towers Of Avarice" LP. Zero Hour proves to be a solid team that combines great demands and loosely methodical playing dynamics with an eye on the future and an ear for tradition as they emerge as one of the premiere players of the Progressive Metal scene. Underworld Soundtrack If you like real rock then check out the Underworld Soundtrack. It is loaded with awesome artists such as The Damning Well, Trust Company, A Perfect Circle, Finch, and more. Each track is hot and electricifying with a hard rockin beat. And don't forget to check out the flick!! Never Dead Well, I've gotta tell you, this band is doing something interesting on a musical level. They're very creative. But, as soon as the vocals kicked in, I lost all interest. I'm not too fond of that whole death growl style and, when it comes to this band, I find it totally out of place. They should stick with stuff like they're doing in the song "Frost." About two minutes into the tune, the vocals switch to a more, shall we say, cleaner style and I found that to be the best part of this release, backed up with the music of course. Never Dead's got an original vibe going on here when it comes to the music. So, it makes no sense to me why they'd wanna ruin that by using a vocal style that is, in a word, typical. Personally, I feel the band would be better off without it. Use a clean style because that would seperate you from everything else that's floating around out there. Stick with what you're doing and you sound like everyone else. This band has way too much potential to just sound like something we've already heard before and, in my case, not too fond of. Crusher Why must I be subjected to music such as this? I mean, come on, give me a break. I assume this is supposed to be something like black/death metal thrash garage grind. Some of this is just down right bad, like track five. Sounds like the Cookie Monster throwing up after drinking some sour milk to wash down his, uh, cookies. Blah! What really pissed me off is the fact that this release came on a blank CD-R. No track list, no online information. Just a mailing address. Uh, do the words FIRST IMPRESSION mean anything to you? Apparently not. I don't care what kind of band you are, if you're gonna send your material out to be reviewed, make sure you do it in a somewhat professional manner. Even if I would have gotten into your style of music, I still would've slagged you for the way you sent this release in. I've made CD-R's for friends of mine that have looked better than this. Twelve songs. I painfully made it up to track seven. Wasn't impressed. NEXT! Crusher Kottonmouth Kings You wanted the best, you got the best. The hottest band in the world...Kottonmouth Kings. Not an original way to begin a review, huh? It doesn't matter, I'm making a point. You know how Paul Stanley is always screaming about a rock 'n' roll party? Well, if there's ever been an album in the history of music that deserves to be called a "party record," it's this one. A double live album that features twenty seven, high energy tunes that's a guaranteed good time. Hard rockin' hip hop rap that doesn't let up from start to finish. Awesome stuff here, kiddies. It's one of the best live albums that I've ever had the pleasure of hearing and, if you're not familiar with the music of Kottonmouth Kings, it doesn't matter. This album's a good introduction to what they're all about. Give this release a listen and you're hooked. There's no question about it. So bring da' noize straight into your livingroom with the Kottonmouth Kings. You'll thank yourself for it. http://www.kottonmouthkings.com Dark Shift They couldn't have picked a more appropriate album title, that's for sure. Dark Shift comes off sounding like, in my opinion, a raw, garage version of Metallica before they went into rehab. They seem to move forward with a slow, heavy crunch. It's kind of like someone beating the crap out of you while making sure that you feel each and every punch. Not exactly perfect though. Some of the tunes could've been touched up a bit. "The Last Door" was one that I picked up on. I don't know, it just didn't seem right. There was some good guitar work about five minutes into the song though. There was also some instrumental work on here that was rather interesting to listen to. All in all, it's a nice slab 'o' metal that's worth a listen. Music for those of you who think rehab is for quitters. 'Nuff said! Rivera Bomma Here's an impressive album that delivers a positive message with a musical style that I guess you could describe as progressive hard rock with elements of flamenco and jazz. When I first heard it, some of what I heard brought to mind Queensryche, Iron Maiden and Deep Purple. It's got a huge sound and good production and it's a very, shall we say, musical album. There's close to an hour's worth of music on here, so, you're not gonna walk away from this one feeling disappointed, that's for sure. It's a spiritual album that will make you feel good and, in my opinion, we all need to have something like this in our collection. You know, they say that music has a healing power, well, that's the case with this release. So, be sure to give it a listen. After all, you can go wrong with something that will lift your spirit up and entertain you at the same time. http://planetrapture.com/riverabomma Holy Mother This is Holy Mother's fifth album, and their first for SPV. And boy does it rock! This is a metal album through and through! No frills, no artificial ingredients or preservatives, just 100% pure heavy metal! Holy Mother are led by singer/guitarist Mike Terilli, who sounds a bit like Ripper Owens (former Judas Priest singer, who recently vacated to Iced Earth to make way for the return of Rob Halford), and really kicks out the jams on guitar, singing and playing aggressively, but skillfully as well. The Holy lineup is completed by bassist Randy Coven and drummer Frank Gilchriest. Their sound is traditional, classic style heavy metal, aggressive, raw, and with a hard edge, but they have added some "modern" flavorings on this album, by tuning things down a bit and letting some Pantera/Alice In Chains styles creep into their music. But fear not, this album is as metal as they come! Mike really shreds, cranking out some scorching, classic metal riffs and solos, and the other guys make up a pounding, hard as concrete rhythm section. There are nine original tunes on this album, and a cover of Black Sabbath's "Never Say Die". Holy Mother have been going at it for almost a decade now, so hopefully this album will give them the breakthrough they need! The Red West The Red West has been described as a rock band and I won't argue with that. But, there's more than one level to the word "rock" and how you view this release all depends on how you view that word and what it means to you. In this case, I'd consider this release as emotional rock, a bit mellow, with a pop flavor and a hint of jazz with one foot planted firmly in the singer/songwriter line of thought. It's a solid, well written release that you can kick back with it. The pleasure/enjoyment here comes directly from the music and the emotion in which it's delivered. A strong performance that's sure to gain a lot of praise while touching a lot of people. John Lennon This is the CD that comes with "The Messenger" DVD. It is over an hour of interview out takes of John (also featuring commentary from the other Beatles in places), from various interviews throughout his career, all from different countries around the world. Some are from his Beatles days, others from his time as a solo artist. In one excerpt, the second to last one on the disc, he discusses the Beatles' breakup. In the others, he talks about all things Beatles, his music and writing, his adventures and escapades he had while touring the world, his thoughts on the countries he visited, his quests for world peace, Beatles manager Brian Epstein, and Beatlemania in general. He cracks jokes throughout the disc with his witty sense of humor, making the listen all the more enjoyable. When one reporter asks him to define Beatlemania, he says, "I'll leave that to the psychologists and let them get it wrong". Nobody could have said it better! This is a fun and interesting listen, especially for a Lennon/Beatles fan, listening to it also serves as a reminder as to what a great loss the world suffered when Lennon died, and makes his absence felt all the more. However, "The Messenger" also reminds us of what a great man Lennon was, and that him and his efforts, musical or otherwise, should not be forgotten, and never will. |
