 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mark
Strigl, Chris Howorth, Maria Brink, & John Ostronomy in Holmdel, NJ. |
"I
think the show is terrific...I'm sure it's going to be a huge success!"
- Rob Halford
"You guys started doing something really cool...I think it's the coolest f**kin' thing!" - Nikki Sixx "Mark and John are true blue authentic metal fans and it shows." - Decibel Magazine |
Mark
Strigl, Evan Seinfeld, Tera Patrick, & John Ostronomy in New York, NY. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
DETHKLOK MOTORHEAD
ROCKFEST
featuring BEATLLICA ARKAEA SEAN
BAKER ORCHESTRA MAIDEN
ROCK NYC RICK
ERNST CLASSIC
ALBUM: DARRYL
J. KECK CHILDREN
OF BODOM CLASSIC
ALBUM: BIOMECHANICAL CLASSIC
ALBUM: CLASSIC
ALBUM: CLASSIC
ALBUM: CLASSIC
ALBUM: CLASSIC
ALBUM: IAN
CHRISTE RAT
SKATES POISON JOHN
5 DEVIN
TOWNSEND GUNS
N' ROSES KISS
THE
HAUNTED KILL
CHEERLEADER |
DETHKLOK
- "The Dethalbum II"
Back to the album, this contains all the hits from season two, plus two original songs not from the show. It has 12 tracks total. This album is pure brutality with heavy beats and awesome instrumentals. It is a really great album and I think people are going to start listening to Dethklok more. It definitely shows that Dethklok can be just as good as any "real" band. Although
all the songs are good, the ones that really stand out to me are "Bloodlines",
"The Gears", "Burn the Earth", "Laser Canon
Deth Sentence", "Deth Support", and "Volcano".
And yes, that's half the album. "Black Fire Upon Us" is also
worth mentioning; if you're familiar with The
Dethalbum, it's the "Into the Water" of this album.
I definitely like this album if like low, heavy metal or like the show. Review by Alex Bainter AKA MetAlex
MOTORHEAD A select few rock/metal figures have withstood the test of time. Regardless of whether the focus was on bell bottoms in the 70's, spandex in the 80's, or god knows what in the 90's (possibly flannel), these figures have transcended trends in fashion and music, garnering the respect of rock/metal fans as a whole. Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie James Dio, and Lemmy Kilmister ("LK") fall in this category. On October 5, 2009, a brisk San Francisco night, Motorhead laid siege for the second consecutive tour to the hallowed Warfield Theater ("WT"), the last time being on April 8, 2005 during the Inferno tour. In my humble opinion, WT is currently the best Bay Area venue for a rock concert. Many moons ago (25 +/- years), when I had a full head of hair and a gut that did not necessitate being sucked in at the sight of a pretty damsel, the best venues were three sister venues, The Stone in San Francisco, The Omni in Oakland (East Bay), and One Step Beyond in Santa Clara (South Bay). These venues, owned by John Nady of Nady Systems who invented the revolutionary wireless guitar technology, were the hotbed of shows spanning genres from glam, to thrash, to death metal from the mid 1980's to early 1990's. Sadly the insurgence of the pseudo lumberjack flannel-toting brigade from the Northwest in 1991 symbolized the death knell for these venues. WT, captured on Slayer's 2001 DVD entitled, War at the Warfield, is a 2,500 seat capacity theater built in 1927 and renovated in September 2008. WT's layout presents a dichotomy. On the one hand, the theater's beauty is exemplified by intricate frescos of matadors and angels painted on the ceiling atop the stage. Box seats that have long been put out of use adorn each side of the stage and the walls of the seated balcony are a vibrant plum red and gold combination. On the other hand, the standing room only floor has a stark industrial feel with black walls and floor. The walls are carpet padded, serving a safety function for your injury prone writer who trounced around like a whirling dervish at Slayer and Megadeth shows. Motorhead was supported by two bands, Nashville Pussy ("NP") and Reverend Horton Heat ("RHH"). NP was the first to take the stage. Sadly, I missed NP. My girlfriend's birthday celebration took priority. After a plea-laden request to the misses, I broke away and arrived at WT at 8:35, within a few minutes after the end of NP's set that began at 8:00. My natural inclination was to head for front row in the pit, almost as if beckoned by an oversized magnet drawing the metal plates in my Dr. Martens [and possibly one in my head]. Upon grasping the barricade lining the photo pit, I felt like an infant who had been handed his pacifier. I just needed someone to rub my tummy and I would have been in sheer heaven. Next on
stage was RHH, a three-piece rockabilly Texas band who put on an entertaining
show. RHH played a 57-minute set from 8:48 to 9:45. The band appeared to be in good spirits, at least Phil Campbell ("PC") and Mikkey Dee ("MD"). [Maybe I am not a good judge of character, but I have difficulty gauging LK's state of mind. In an ideal world LK's warts would serve as something akin to mood rings, changing colors to reflect his mood. Sorry, I digressed.] What I know for certain is that LK wore what he has for many years, black jeans, a Western style long sleeve black shirt, and black leather boots. As for MD, he recently finished his obligation to a Swedish reality based show, permitting him to join the band on tour and relinquishing the services of fill in drummer Matt Sorum. No disrespect to Sorum, but MD's prior tenure in King Diamond's band speaks volumes about his prowess. Having secured the final spot along the barricade, I had the dubious distinction of being within three feet of the amplifiers stacked stage right. Normally this would not be of great concern. However, my last Motorhead experience and the warning of a Steamhammer Records representative during two recent phone conversations raised concern that was cemented when the show started. The only concerts I recall being as loud are Slayer's show at The Stone during the Reign in Blood tour (11-03-86), Paul Stanley's show at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, New York during his first solo tour (02-27-89), and Kiss's show at The Stone during the Revenge club tour (04-23-92). Motorhead played 18 songs. I will refrain from commenting on each song. However, for the benefit of providing a full picture of the metal onslaught, I enumerate all the songs Motorhead performed. [I recall my frustrations as a pubescent teenager reading otherwise well written reviews in Kerrang, Metal Hammer, and Aardschok where the writer only mentioned some songs performed live. Doing so is analogous to foreplay without sex.] 1. Iron
Fist, a fast, furious, and heavy song opened the set. At 10:28
the band left the stage and returned after two minutes to play three
songs. Two flashback memories are worthy of mention. First, as I left the venue, my mind flashed back to the Judas Priest/Anthrax show at WT on the Demolition tour (01-19-02). One reason that is a memorable show is because it was my ex girlfriend's first rock concert. As we left the venue she vigorously sucked in air while tapping the interior of her teeth with her tongue. I asked her why she was acting as if she was wearing ill fitting dentures. She responded with some concern, "The concert was so loud I think some of my teeth have been knocked loose." I came close to feeling the same at this show. Second, even though Motorhead did not perform any songs off Orgasmatron (released in 1986), the performance of two songs off Orgasmatron's predecessor, Another Perfect Day, brought back memories of the band's in store appearance at a long defunct San Francisco record store called, "The Record Vault" during the Orgasmatron tour. Some readers may recall seeing Metallica, Venom, Slayer, and Death Angel band members donning the store's black t shirt featuring a white logo and demon. Once the autograph seeking fans left the store, the owner closed shop but the band and crew remained. A crew member pulled out a fairly large, clear Ziploc bag. This bag contained pills and capsules of every conceivable color. It was like Skittles, but in hallucinogenic substance form. Review
by Arash Moussavian, Entertainment Attorney
ROCKFEST
Featuring Korn, Mudvayne, and Black Label Society Of all the shows I have ever been to, this one was by far the best. I hadn't ever been to a concert with so many bands playing (8!), but it proved to be the most enjoyable. The lineup was After Midnight Project, Burn Halo, Bury Your Dead, Suicide Silence, Static-X, Black Label Society, Mudvayne, and Korn. After Midnight Project was just a smaller band who got to play with some big names. They weren't exactly metal, but were still very good. I enjoyed their music and the show they put on. They all got very into their music and had tons of energy. These guys definitely have potential. The next band, Burn Halo, was more of the "Nickelback metal", music I'm just not that into. I'd recognized them from a previous show and wasn't necessarily looking forward to seeing them again. Despite that, they are growing in popularity with two singles off their album and a music video for "Dirty Little Girl." I have a feeling we'll be hearing about these guys a lot in the future. Bury Your Dead came after that. I really liked their music and enjoyed how they got the crowd involved. They talked to the crowd a lot and also split it down the middle to have the two halves run at each other. They also encouraged "safe" moshing, telling people to help anyone up who falls in the pit. Good, heavy band. Next up was Suicide Silence. I should tell you right off the bat I hate "Screamo" or "Deathcore", or whatever you want to call it. These guys were no exception. Their breakdowns, although repetitive, were actually pretty good though. Otherwise these guys just aren't very special to me. "Are…you…ready?" Wayne Static yells from backstage. Then Static-X breaks out with "Push It". The entire crowd rushed in to watch them, whereas for other bands people were just milling around. They had a very high energy show, with lots of great songs including "Cannibal", "Bled for Days", "Dirthouse", and "Destroy All". "Stingwray" was heavier then ever, and had me going absolutely nuts. They ended perfect with "This Is Not." My only complaint was their shorter show, although with the other names they weren't necessarily a "big band." I was really excited to see Black Label Society, and it was a real treat to see Zakk Wylde. At first, his masterful guitar skills really entertained me, but after a while, I couldn't even tell when they changed the song. He also had a guitar solo that went on at least 15 minutes, and I decided it a good time to go get food. I can't really remember their show because I just couldn't get into their music. Finally they played "Stillborn", which was absolutely great, but unfortunately their last song. It was nice to see an older metal band and especially awesome to see Zakk. Another band I was looking forward to, Mudvayne, came on next. For the most part, it was a great show. "Fucking Determined", "Dull Boy", "Happy", "Dig", and "Death Blooms" were all really great. Other songs that I didn't recognize weren't as good, the bass desperately needed to be turned up, as it's a very important part of their songs. All in all, they put on a terrific show. Finally, Korn. I didn't know much of their music, but this show made me a fan for life. They had the most energy out of all the bands, and just put on a fantastic show. "Freak on a Leash" was completely crazy and everyone loved it. This was the best show I'd seen out of all the bands. I would see Korn 100 more times. Review by Alex Bainter AKA MetAlex
BEATALLICA
- "Masterful Mystery Tour"
First album, third album, what's amazing is that these guys manage to keep their shtick engaging and fun to listen to. You want to hear the next song and find out how they have twisted the songs together. These guys work really hard to make these smash-ups work and they even throw in small guitar parts from other Beatles or Metallica songs, just to keep you on your toes. Plus the lead singer has James Hetfield's voice down so well, it's down-right creepy. A few of the standout songs include, "Masterful Mystery Tour", "Everybody's Got a Ticket to Ride Except for Me and My Lightning", " Hero of the Day Tripper" and "Tomorrow Never Comes". Also listen to the lyrics, as most have been 'metalized', which may be funny for adults but you may want to watch out for the kiddos in the room, if that's an issue. If the
thought of polluting a Beatles or
Metallica song really disturbs
you, please find another CD to purchase and save yourself the stroke.
But for most folks, who are fans of both of these groups, these songs
will be a riot. So if you like "Weird
Al" and thought Dread Zeppelin
was great, then this is right up your alley. Review by Lee Brown AKA Brown Sound
ARKAEA
- "Years
in the Darkness" The review I have put together is based upon three albums that have been released over the course of the last few months. All of these albums pertain to the Fear Factory family tree. As most of you know there is a soap opera going on right now regarding who controls the name of the band. In the meantime, all of the current/pervious members (depending on which faction you speak to) have recently released albums. For Dino Cazeres (original guitarist) this is his second outing with his band Divine Heresy, while Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers debut with Arkaea. Not to be outdone, Burton C. Bell, and touring bass player Byran Stroud have released City Of Fire, dedicated to the city of Vancouver, B.C. Before delving into each album, let me state that no one has reinvented the wheel here, nor did they have to. When listening to each album, you can definitely feel each members influence.
I can’t help but thinking what culling together the best songs from each album and having them recorded by the original members of the band might have produced? Raymond has talked about wanting to write/record with the guitar tandem of Dino, and Christian, but while this ever take place? Neither has recorded with a second guitarist, would dual guitars mesh within the textures of a Fear Factory song? What while happen when the legal issues shake out between everyone involved? Will we ever get to hear the “new” Fear Factory with Dino, Burton, Byron, and Gene Hogland? Will we ever see the original band put their issues to the side for the sake of their fans/music? Or will we see the splintering we’ve all seen with Sepultura, and Soundgarden and their respective wives/managers? I guess we’ll have to continue to tune into this soap opera to find out! Review by Victor Ruiz AKA Marsaries2005
SEAN
BAKER ORCHESTRA - "Bakers Dozen"
Stand Out Tracks: "Dukes Of New York," "Neo-Classical Gas," "Playing Opossum," "Which Way to Radioland?" and a cover of Deep Purple’s "Highway Star." Review by Mark Strigl Buy Sean Baker "Baker's Dozen"
MAIDEN
ROCK NYC I had the privilege of seeing one of my all-time favorites bands, Iron Maiden, last Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, and they did not disappoint. The show was somewhat based around the recent DVD re-release of the "Live After Death" 1985 concert video. I used to own this on Betamax!! The DVD is great and it is loaded with all sorts of fun extras. A must have for all Iron Maiden fans. Anyway, back to last Sunday's concert...the stage set was not the exact set from the 1984/1985 Powerslave tour as some people have been reporting, it was a new stage that seemed to be based on the Powerslave set but also included non-Powerslave imagery of Eddie. The MSG house lights went dim early around 8 PM as many people, including me, were still finding their way to their seats. They started off with the Churchill speech that led into "Aces High" which was followed by "2 Minutes to Midnight." At this point, Bruce Dickinson addressed the sold out crowd for the first time of the evening, and I have to admit it was the only point of the whole show that I didn't love. It was hard for me to make out exactly what he said, but it seemed to start out with him greeting and signaling out some fans from Brazil who were right up by the stage. Again, I do not have his exact wording, but he said something to them about how they were really rocking out, and that a lot of others in the place were smoking too much pot. Is this really the first thing you want to do when you are playing to a sold out crowd of New Yorkers? Tell a few people from Brazil how great they are? WTF? Then Bruce went on to complain that after playing in this arena for over 25 years, there are no pictures of his band on the walls. He said something about them having pictures of clowns, athletes, and others, but there are no pictures of Iron Maiden in the halls of MSG, and this is because Iron Maiden are ignored by mainstream media...blah, blah, blah. There are no pictures of Jimmy Buffet in the halls of MSG either. After the first break, the band got right back to doing what they do best, and that is rocking!! The set included almost all 1980s classics and some gems I have not heard live in sometime such as "Revelations" and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." I believe the only 1990s song they did was "Fear Of the Dark," and it got a great crowd response. I really do not mind that they now have 3 guitar players although sometimes Janick Gers' stage moves are a little too much for me. Don't get me wrong, he is a great player. I love his work with not only Maiden but also Bruce solo and Ian Gillan. Bruce Dickinson later poured plenty of love and compliments on the crowd which made me forget his earlier odd initial introduction to us. There was an odd power outage on stage during the song Powerslave which I am sure you have all read about already on Blabbermouth.net. When the power came back on to the stage, the band seemed to be unsure of whether they should finish the song "Powerslave" or just move on. It appeared that Bruce and Adrian wanted to finish it, but they ended up just moving on to the next song. Anyway, the moral of the story is as follows: do not smoke pot at Iron Maiden concerts because Bruce might get mad. Honestly, Iron Maiden is one of the best bands out there, and you do not need weed to listen to their music. Save it for the Phish reunion tour. Review by Mark Strigl
JUDAS
PRIEST - "Nostradamus"
Act I features thirteen tracks, five of which are preludes to the primary compositions. Although all tracks truly stand out, my favorites include the heavy cuts “Death,” “Conquest,” and “Persecution.” “Death” contains a hard-hitting sludge style guitar riff, and “Conquest” contains classic dueling guitar solos while “Persecution” contains haunting vocal whispers, a stellar performance by drummer Scott Travis, and a guitar and organ counterpoint pattern that appears in both the song’s introduction as well as its finale. I also favor the cut, “Lost Love,” which contains no drums and features Halford’s impeccable vocal ability. Act II, which features ten tracks including preludes, is interesting because it not only features the album’s title track, “Nostradamus,” which was previously released as a free MP3 download by Live Nation on April 21st, but it also features two tracks which were in conideration to be the album’s first single, “Alone” and “Visions.” We were told the latter was the most likely candidate although guitarist Glenn Tipton suggested that its single version would be slightly edited to better fit the format. Both tracks would be outstanding choices, but “Visions” contains such a strong chorus and heavy guitar riff, that I would side with its being chosen since both hardcore and casual Priest fans, who may be wary of the idea of a concept album, will definitely not be disappointed in the track’s pure metal characteristics. “Alone,” however, is also outstanding, and it features some muted guitar chords reminiscent of those featured on one of my favorite ever songs, Ace Frehley’s “Escape From the Island,” from KISS’ 1981 concept effort “Music From ‘The Elder.’” “Alone’s” chorus also features some of Halford’s best vocal work to date when he exclaims, “We don’t wanna be alone…we just wanna be!” “Nostradamus” is an album that will forever command an iconic status much like Queensryche’s “Operation Mindcrime,” The Who’s “Quadrophenia,” and Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” I mentioned to Judas Priest’s manager, Jane Andrews, and their publicist, Chip Ruggieri, that I could immediately envision the album being performed in an opera style setting which was an idea similar to one of both Andrews' and the band's. When I was a kid, and I first discovered Judas Priest when purchasing a bubblegum rendition of their “British Steel” album (they were incidentally called Chu-Bops) in a candy store, I could have never imagined that I would not only have had the opportunity to preview such an epic masterpiece as “Nostradamus,” but that I would have also been able to interview Judas Priest members Rob Halford, K.K. Downing, Ian Hill, and Scott Travis. Now, I am anxious to speak with guitarist, Glenn Tipton, the only member of the band Talking Metal has yet to interview. Stay tuned because Mark and I hope to bring you that interview in the very near future! Until then, be sure to go out and purchase Judas Priest’s “Nostradamus” on June 17th in America and June 16th internationally. This album will undoubtedly become mandatory listening in the future of metal! P.S. Happy Birthday Ace Frehley!!! Review by John Ostronomy
RICK
ERNST: "Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal"
The story is told by the founding fathers of the genre with great interviews with people like Gary Holt, Lars Ulrich, Dave Mustaine, Kerry King, Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, and countless others. This award-winning film is a really fun watch. Check out the film's Web site at www.getthrashed.com. Review by Mark Strigl
CLASSIC
ALBUM: VINNIE VINCENT INVASION - Self Titled Although Ace Frehley has always been my favorite rock star, I was also a big fan Vinnie Vincent, the guitarist who replaced Ace in KISS when the group embarked on their Creatures of the Night tour. Although Vinnie’s time with KISS was short, he soon re-emerged in 1986 with the Vinnie Vincent Invasion and their self-titled debut album. While Robert Fleischman handled vocals on the album, the live band featured singer Mark Slaughter. Rounding out the group were bassist and famed talent scout, Dana Strum (who would later go to form Slaughter with Mark), and drummer Bobby Rock. Both Bobby and I had the same drum teacher at Berklee College of Music! With tracks like "Boyz are Gonna Rock," "No Substitute," and "Back on the Streets," Vinnie proved, once again, that he knew how to write great songs. John Norum, KISS, and even Ace Frehley have also done versions of "Back on the Streets," and I just found out that my friend Richie Friedman, from We Buy Guitars in New York City (sadly no longer open), co-wrote the track with Vinnie. Did you know that Vinnie was the first guitarist other the great Randy Rhoads to play what we now call a Jackson Rhoads model? He had to get special permission from Randy's family, and at the time, he referred to it as a "Shark Fin." Vinnie later went on to create the great “Double V” guitar, which was definitely an ultimate metal machine! Lately, Vinnie has kept a low profile, emerging only to sign some lithographs for Australia’s KISS World store. Let’s hope to see more of him in the future, as he is truly an amazing guitarist and songwriter. Review by John Ostronomy
DARRYL
J. KECK – "Metal Generation"
While most metal fans of the day were too closed-minded to accept music as good or bad, Keck points out that both Poison's "Look What the Cat Dragged In" and Anthrax's "Among The Living" are great albums. This book also does not overlook many of the great bands that time seems to have forgotten such as Anvil, Malice, and Odin. Highly recommended. For more info check out High Volume Press. Review by Mark Strigl
CHILDREN
OF BODOM – "Blooddrunk"
I have been waiting anxiously for this record, and let me tell ya', once again, Children of Bodom do not disappoint. Songwriting and production are extremely awesome on this one, and the musicianship is insane! While so many of today's great metal bands tend to lean away from guitar solos, Children Of Bodom go the opposite direction with plenty of killer 6-string mayhem...but wait, there is more!!!!! Mindblowing keyboard solos too!!!! Whoever said, "You can't play heavy metal on the synthesizer," was dead wrong, and this album proves it. The two greatest bands of modern metal are Lamb Of God and Children Of Bodom. This album confirms it. Standout Tracks: "Blooddrunk," "Done With Everything, Die For Nothing," "Tie my Rope", Smile Pretty For the Devil," "One Day You Will Cry"...really, every song is good. Review by Mark Strigl
CLASSIC
ALBUM:
W.A.S.P. – "The Headless Children"
Most people associate these lyrics with The Who, but true metal fans will remember W.A.S.P.'s great cover of "The Real Me" from their 1989 studio effort, "The Headless Children." As always, the great Blackie Lawless and company did not disappoint with a true classic album comprised of stand-out tracks including "Mean Man," "Forever Free," and the title track, "The Headless Children." By this time, Blackie switched from bass to guitar, the one and only Chris Holmes handled lead guitar duties, and Johnny Rod, formerly of King Kobra, rounded out the group on the bass. Officially, the band didn’t have a drummer, but Quiet Riot’s Frankie Banali stepped in for the recording as did keyboard player, Ken Hensley. I liked this album so much that I covered W.A.S.P.’s version of The Who's "The Real Me" for my final recording project at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. I did an instrumental rendition and played all of the instruments. Years later, Captain T added vocals to the track and it appeared on a great W.A.S.P. tribute CD called "Shock Rock Hellions – A Tribute to W.A.S.P." The album was released in 2006 by Denmark's Codiac/Valhalla Records, and it is filled with several other W.A.S.P. classics like "Animal (F**k Like A Beast), "L.O.V.E. Machine," and "Hellion." Oh yeah, by the way, I got an "A" on the recording project! Thanks Blackie! Review by John Ostronomy
BIOMECHANICAL
– "Cannibalised"
John K is back with a all-new Biomechanical!! New band (featuring ex-Dragonforce bassist Adrian Lambert), new sounds, and an all-new spin on heaviness. This stuff is extreme, but it incorporates tons of classic influences. At times, the mix is a little muddy but it doesn't affect the overall power of this extreme progressive metal opus. Standout Tracks: "Fallen In Fear", "The Unseen," and "Breathing Silence." Review by Mark Strigl
CLASSIC
ALBUM: RAGING SLAB - Self Titled
I have been extremely lucky to know some of my favorite Metal musicians, and included in this category is the great Raging Slab. Originally described by Guitar World magazine as Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Metallica, Raging Slab is one of the best bands to emerge out of New York City's Lower East Side.Their 1989, self titled, major label debut is one of my favorite albums to date, and lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Greg Strzempka really nails it on stand out tracks like singles "Don’t Dog Me" and "Bent For Silver" as well as on album cuts like "Dig a Hole" and "Get Off My Jollies," a track which first appeared on Slab's Buy Our Records release, "True Death." ‘Til this day, I still think of Slab when I’m on Manhattan’s famous Fifth Avenue. Why? Because in the track "Geronimo," Strzempka sings, "I thought I saw Geronimo walkin' up and down Fifth Avenue. He made a hole when he looked right through me." I can hear the guitar riff now! I also think of Slab when I order my favorite "Taco Burgers" at New York’s San Loco restaurant, a place immortalized in the album's final track, "San Loco." I love the lyrics, "Fly away buzzard, fly away crow, way down south where the wind don’t blow. Women here are good enough, I’m gonna get me some of that San Loco...stuff." Through the years, I've kept in touch with Raging Slab. Greg Strzempka, slide guitarist Elyse Steinman, and lead guitarist Mark Middelton are all from my hometown area, and I've jammed onstage with Middleton on several occasions. Bassist Alec Morton worked in an East Village studio where I used to rehearse, and within a few weeks of my moving to New York, I met with Strzempka at a Manhattan recording studio when the group was looking for a new drummer. That's an area where they’re right up there with Spinal Tap as they've worked with over twenty drummers including Bob Pantella of Monster Magnet and Black Label Society co-founder Phil Ondich. Our friend Kory Clarke from Warrior Soul even played drums with Slab in the early days. Take my word for it, and get yourself a copy of "Raging Slab!" Heck, go buy all their albums. You won't be disappointed. If you don’t believe me, ask Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx and Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones. They'll set the record straight! Review by John Ostronomy
CLASSIC
ALBUM: FATES WARNING - "Parallels"
If you are a fan of bands like Dream Theater and Queensryche, but do not know Fates Warning, do your ears a favor and pickup a copy of this one. Review by Mark Strigl
CLASSIC
ALBUM: STEELER - Self Titled
This 1983 album was our first introduction to a teenager from Sweden named Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Yngwie picked every note and he did it faster than anybody else – way faster. Besides being a speed wiz, he infused beautiful classical melodies into his metal guitar leads. The album also contains a young Ron Keel handling the vocals and most of the songwriting, both of which are way above average. Yngwie left the band as this album was being released to join Alcatraz, The first Alcatraz album is called "No Parole From Rock n Roll," and it is also awesome. Review by Mark Strigl
CLASSIC
ALBUM: BADLANDS - Self Titled
In 1989, the times were a changing and Jake E. Lee along with Ray Gillen, Eric Singer, and Greg Chaisson seemed to know it a little before most of the people who were slowing sinking on a boat called the Sunset Strip. Straight ahead classic hard rock is what you get on this album. No BS, just perfect rock. Ray Gillen's soulful voice along with well-crafted songs make this one of the best albums of the late 1980s. This album brought people back to the classic sounds of Zeppelin and helped prepare them for band's like Soundgarden, who were already brewing their potent riff rock far north of the glam metal scene on the Strip. Review by Mark Strigl
CLASSIC
ALBUM: SAXON - "Power
and the Glory"
Speaking of 1983, it sure was an incredible year for hard rock and metal. Other must have albums released that year are as follows: Accept
– "Balls To the Wall"
IAN
CHRISTE - "Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga" Leaving here we aggravate you" - I'm The One The genesis of Van Halen is fascinating if for no other reason than they lost their driving charismatic force at what appeared to be their commercial peak but somehow managed to thrive and survive while conquering everything in their path without ever skipping a beat until they became their own worse enemy. The band has been and always will be led by a sprawling talent on the six-string who was gifted with staggering prowess and who created some of the greatest jet-engine riffs ever committed to tape. This guitar god partnered with a superbly unsubtle genius of a madman on vocals complimented by a frantic backbeat led by a happy go lucky bassist and a frenzied madman on the skins who together defined and influenced an entire generations of rock n' roll enthusiasts with six-albums in less than seven-years. The superb voracious singer was eventually replaced by a more at ease venerable musician who allowed the band to mature and develop while still commanding the audience's attention. Eventually egos and outside forces did what rap, grunge and continual changing musical tastes couldn't do; bring the band to their knees. Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony, Alex and Eddie Van Halen (and later to a lesser extent Gary Cherone and Wolfgang Van Halen) defied all odds and became the biggest band in the land not just once, but twice and may possibly do it a third time. If you think you know the full story about the anarchic Van Halen family…you don't. 'Everybody Wants Some' is endearing, euphoric and expansive history into what is most likely the most estranged band to ever emerge from the land of opportunity. Ian Christe is frank and unbiased as he chronicles the band's entire history with gritty details of their rise to the top, each break-up, the aftermath, submerged inner tension and meticulous details that even the casual fan will devour. Van Halen's rise, fall and resurrection are all here in mesmerizing detail and will have you asking yourself, "Who's Mitch Malloy?"
Shook hands with the devil Looked him in the eye Looked like a long lost friend" - Mine All Mine The most staggering aspect of the book is that it's an unauthorized biography. As a general rule, I usually don't enjoy unauthorized biographies because they tend to be glorified tales written with a lot of assumptions and tall tales that even a casual fan would raise their eyes with suspicion. I never hoisted my eyebrow once as Christe's research is nothing short of astonishing; minute details are given ranging from specific recording sessions, family lineages, failed auditions for singers, the numerous attempted reunions with Roth and the most important aspect for guitar geeks-a detailed outline of guitars used, created and played by Eddie Van Halen over his entire life. Christe knows this band, loves this band, pulls his hair out over their internal drama and as a result has written the definitive Van Halen story. Once you pick it up it you will need to unchain yourself from your chair because it's impossible to put down whether you are a Van Halen or Van Hagar fan. Even if the band sat down one day to write their story, it would be biased with revisionism. No authorized biography would ever be this factual or truthful. If recent actions are any hint, it probably wouldn't even mention Michael Anthony. Christe puts the reader right in the emotional thick of the action from the 1920's in Europe to the present day reunion in 2007. Christe makes you feel like an insider with his fastidious quotes and personal insight. Don't get me wrong, Christe dishes dirt, but does so without judgment and makes sure he has the facts straight. People often tell me I should write a book, but after reading 'Everybody Wants Some', I doubt if I could ever be as comprehensive and succinct as Christe who spent a colossal amount of time researching this book which is apparent right from page one. The book encompasses the Van Halen's journey from Holland to California, to their early high school bands, jamming to thousands of people in backyards, their encounters with Gene Simmons and their rise, fall, dissolution, internal destruction and eventual resurrection(s). David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar's post Van Halen solo-tenure's are also detailed as are stories of what Eddie and Alex Van Halen have been doing for the better part of a decade proving they indeed have been very active but out of the spotlight. There are details of songs left off albums and jams recorded but have never seen the light of day. From late 1998 until early 2004, Eddie and Alex were invisible to the outside world. 'Everybody Wants Some' puts this long pause into perspective. When the Van Halen brothers disappeared into 5150 in 1999, they had alienated their most devoted fans and by early 2004, they had been away for so long that no one really cared anymore. The sad aspect of the Van Halen brothers disappearing act was it did diminish their legacy. There was a time where I went years without listening to any Van Halen albums, even though I loved them. They were so far removed from the spotlight and the lack or archive releases frustrated me and millions of fans. As discussed in this book, the amount of unreleased music stored in 5150 is staggering. There should have been dozens of live DVD's, box sets, remasters and other fan oriented packages in the last decade to quench the enormous thirst fans still have for this band but alas we had to settle for three new songs on the 2004 package, 'The Best of Both Worlds', two songs on 'The Best of: Volume 1' and an album with Gary Cherone. Then the abrupt reunion with Hagar in 2004 left fans sour once again, however, Christe puts all of these events into the proper perspective and while he details their fall from grace, he makes us almost forget all of the internal drama and elevates their legacy in ways I never thought possible. Despite the constant rotation of lead singers, unreleased songs, the Cherone album and failed reunions Christe manages to make me view Van Halen as something more than a soap opera, he reminds us why we loved them in the first place and as a result they will always be a vital and imperative band no matter what the future holds for them. With his poetic prose, Christe jogs your memory and proves that Van Halen will always be legends. As soon as I finished reading 'Everybody Wants Some' I gave every Van Halen album another spin and viewed each one from a fresh outlook including the comical 'Diver Down', the pulverizing 'Fair Warning' and the metallic and misunderstood 'Balance'. The band should give Christe a portion of future proceeds from record sales just for writing this book, because as a result of reading it, I am reevaluating records I had forgotten about years ago and it appears I underestimated them. 'Everybody Wants Some' is the essential gift every Van Halen fan should have. Do yourself a favor and buy this book before you buy a t-shirt at the reunion concert. Christie has written a book that is stylish, succinct, breathtaking and as dazzling as an Eddie Van Halen guitar solo. If you ever stared in the mirror and attempted to imitate David Lee Roth with leaps and splits from the "Jump" video, then this book is for you.
- Unchained Review by Anthony Kuzminski Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer for the antiMusic Network, Unrated Magazine, is a contributor to Talking Metal and can be found at The Screen Door Chapter One of the book can be read in its entirety here.
RAT
SKATES - "Born in the Basement"
The man behind the story is Rat Skates, original drummer and co-founder of Overkill. Skates is candid and passionate about the role he played in the early thrash movement. What emerges is not just a musician, but an entrepreneur with keen business instincts determined to make his band a success no matter what the cost. What the band lacked in monetary resources, Skates made up for in imagination and creativity, using everyday items such as milk crates and Styrofoam paneling to create an arena-like stage set for the band's live shows. As the story unfolds, the viewer gets a true sense of what it was like to be a part of thrash's heyday. Skates could have easily used today's technology to enhance the image of the thrash movement or his own. However, he eschews big production in favor of the same "do-it yourself" approach that characterized his earlier days in Overkill. The result is a documentary that faithfully preserves the spirit of the early thrash movement. Review by Jerred Mathews
POISON:
SACRIFICIAL, SURREAL, AND SEXUAL Review by Anthony Kuzminski (apk876@yahoo.com), who can be found at The Screen Door
JOHN
5 - "The Devil Knows My Name"
Building on the success of "Vertigo," John released "Songs for Sanity" in 2005, an amazing follow-up which showed John expanding artistically. "Gods and Monsters" and "Denouement" melded guitar heroism with nu-metal and industrial influences, genres usually thought to be incompatible while the acoustic "2 Die 4" and country-influenced "Behind the Nut Love" showed new sides to John's playing. On the latter, John ingenuously reproduces the sound of pedal steel, an instrument commonly played in country music, on his electric guitar. John explained the origins of the song's sound, "I love pedal steel guitar and I tuned the whole guitar in an opening tuning like a lap steel. I bend the strings behind the nut so the other strings will ring out." On John's most recent release, "The Devil Knows My Name," he raises the bar yet again. The songs are more epic and the guitar playing is even more over-the top than previous efforts. On "27 Needles," John abandons the more traditional twang of country music in favor of heavy distortion. Although John is playing the guitar, his tone and technique closely matches a fiddle player (Check out at 3:02 - 3:37). "Black Widow of La Porte" is a tour de force of guitar heroism with John taking a wide array of influences (Satriani, Vai, and Buckethead) and blending them into his own style. At 2:57 - 3:02, John almost sounds possessed as he hits a legato run with blinding speed. Later, at 6:03 - 6:24, he pays homage to one of his favorite guitar players, Buckethead, before returning to the song's main theme. In a unique marriage of styles, "The Washing Away of Wrong" features the guest guitar playing of virtuoso Eric Johnson. John explained, "With Eric Johnson, he's more of a Texas blues-rock player who's incredible and I put him in such a different rhythm - I put him in a really heavy Sabbath rhythm". Perhaps, the most fascinating track is John's rendition of "Welcome to the Jungle" where he painstakingly preserves Axl Rose's voice on the guitar. From one artist to another, it's the highest compliment. Stand Out Tracks: "Black Widow of La Porte", "Welcome to the Jungle", "Dead Art in Plainfield", "The Washing Away of Wrong" Review by Jerred Mathews
DEVIN
TOWNSEND - "Ziltoid the Omniscient"
The Devin Townsend storyline is both absurd and entertaining, but at the same time does not draw the listener's focus away from Townsend's extraordinary musical talents. "ZTO" strikes hard with precise heavy metal riffing, Martian melodies, Zappa-esque vocal harmonies, and laser sound effects. It's a powerful beginning to an amazing musical journey. Musically, the album draws upon Townsend's earlier solo projects as well as Strapping Young Lad. "By Your Command" begins in heavy Strapping Young Lad territory, but later blends into musical landscapes reminiscent of his earlier solo work (3:42-5:57). "Solar Winds" is perhaps the most epic song on the album. After a brief narration, Townsend sings introspectively before the song gives way to majestic fanfare. 4:46 - 6:02 could be the heavy metal equivalent of "Kashmir" while 6:57-9:24 demonstrates Townsend's brilliant use of crescendo. Townsend dims the volume at 6:57, creating an illusion of distance between the listener and the song, but instead of fading out, the song gradually builds towards a grand finale. Just as the drums reach the pinnacle of intensity, the song gives way to "Hyperdrive," the album's most straightforward and accessible offering. "Color My World" contains the album's greatest peaks and valleys in terms of intensity. Similar to "By Your Command", the song begins with the relentless frenzy of Strapping Young Lad before morphing seamlessly into calmer pastures. It is amazing how one artist can bring such two extremes together so effortlessly. Stand
Out Tracks: "By Your Command", "Solar Winds",
"Hyperdrive", "Color Your World", "The Greys". Review by Jerred Mathews
GUNS
N' ROSES I recently
was sent at the last minute to review the Guns
N' Roses show as it made a stop in Chicago. The review will
be published on Unrated Magazine
and antiMusic.com
this coming Monday, but due to numerous requests, I am putting it up
here on the blog early. I'd like to give a special thanks to Mark
and John at Talking
Metal for helping reinvigorate my interest in this band.
Allstate
Arena In the fifty-years since Elvis laid down his first vocal at Sun Studios in Memphis, TN rock n' roll has become more than escapism and so-called "devil's music", but also a driving life force. We have been blessed with some truly magical artists who have elevated our hearts, minds and bodies: Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, the Ramones, The Clash, the Sex Pistols, AC/DC, KISS, U2, REM, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Metallica and thousands upon thousand others. All of these acts mastered their craft and in their own way, changed the face of music. However, I'm not sure if there has ever been a group of artists in the annals of rock n' roll who were more mischievous, moody, maniacal, magical and miraculous than Guns N' Roses. With all that being said, they may also take the title as the most maddening group as well. While I'm saddened by group dissolution and preventable deaths, I firmly believe that Moon, Hendrix, Joplin, Bonham, Morrison, Presley and Cobain all chose a path where there was no looking back. Whereas every member who has ever performed with Guns N' Roses is still alive (and for the most part well). When they unleashed their brand of rock upon the world it was met with universal acceptance and I'm not sure if I've ever seen a band be admired, loved and reach such a wide and diverse group of people since the Beatles. Males, females, metal heads, rockers, punks all heralded and cherished GNR's brand of vicious rock and still do nearly two-decades later. Sadly, the group has largely existed in name only for the last thirteen years, but 2006 has proven to be a year in which the name Guns N' Roses becomes more than a mere nostalgia trip. Despite a brief interrupted tour in 2002, this is Axl Rose's first full year of touring since 1993. While I've heard reports of blazing nights and some solid bootlegs, I wasn't convinced I needed to see this incarnation of GNR. Here's my reason why; There was a time in the mid 1980's where Keith Richards and Mick Jagger did not see eye to eye. As a result, Jagger went solo on a tour to Australia and Japan, territories the Stones had never been to. Not only did this infuriate Richards as these were territories the Stones had never visited where large amounts of money could be made, but more importantly, his partner went there without him. These two men had built so much together and yet one was standing on the sidelines watching his partner claim all the glory. Richards' fill in was virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani, who is a top flight guitarist, but he doesn't have the same history with Mick. Great musicians don't make great bands. Since then Jagger and Richards reconciled and have only played the classic Stones songs with each other enhancing their legacy and legend. My generations version of the Stones, Guns N' Roses, has spent the better part of the last thirteen-years out of the consciousness of the public, but never far from our hearts and minds. I received a last minute phone call to review the GNR show and I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to go. I wasn't sure if I could reconcile these new musicians no matter how talented they may be. I overcame my reservations and headed out to the Allstate Arena where Axl Rose and seven supporting musicians, better knows as Guns N' Roses hit the stage at 11:35pm. Before the band hit the show, I wasn't sure what to expect. They arrived on stage amidst an army of pyrotechnics and strobe light madness with an appetite for destruction. The crowd response was deafening which makes me wonder what reaction a full fledged reunion could bring. A reunion of this type could break all box office records. When Axl Rose screeched his way on stage, it was with an appetite that I would say is close to being unheralded in my lifetime. The opening
trio of songs were all from "Appetite For Destruction" ("Welcome
To The Jungle", "It's So Easy", "Mr. Brownstone")
and the in succession performances put the crowd in a maddening trance.
It became very apparent it would be far too easy to label these musicians
as a glorious cover band. This is far more than Axl
and a bunch of arbitrary musicians. Each member was handpicked by Axl
for not only being a masterful musician but also a spellbinding performer
as well. A lot of discussion has been had on each of the band members
and how they'll never compare to the original line up. I was one of
those who had my doubts but can tell you that after seeing this eight-piece
band shred through a two-hour plus show, these guys are no slouches.
What you have here is not even an All Star team of musicians, but better,
a group of guys who have chemistry and who are pulling off the impossible
every night by winning each crowd over. Bassist Tommy
Stinson roamed the stage like a veteran; while guitarists
Robin Finck and Richard
Fortus roamed the stage doing a damn good job on making most
of the audience, even if it was briefly, forget about top hats and faceless
guitarists. The long awaited "Chinese Democracy" is still not on any release schedule, but it did not stop him from performing five songs from the album. "Chinese Democracy" and "IRS" are reminiscent of how one could imagine GNR in the 21st Century. "The Blues" and "Madagascar" were moody ballads, the latter of which bore images of political uprisings from the 60's on the screen behind Axl when performed. However, there is one new song that stood apart from the rest; "Better". A bootleg of this track leaked earlier this year and I will say that it is on par with anything Axl Rose has ever created. This triumphant composition is a cinematic poem filled with fuming guitars and perfectly textured harmonies. When one hears a song like "Better", you realize the potential that "Chinese Democracy" holds. But until it is released, we'll have to be content with the concert experience. As
Robin ended his solo and launched into "Sweet Child
O' Mine", the crowd responded with a response so magnetic, one
had to see it to believe it. I'm not sure if there is an album from
the last twenty-five years that still continues to grow, develop and
resonate more than "Appetite For Destruction". Not only do
people know every word to the singles, but they know every word to all
twelve compositions. Most shockingly, the new band performed these songs
to perfection as if they have been performing them for decades. The
seductive power with which they were delivered to the audience was hypnotic.
Something I didn't expect to see, nor did I want to see, was a band
who made this material their own and this current incarnation did just
that. What the current band lacks in history they more than make up
for in their resolve and willpower. As the
evening continued, there were intermittent solos between suites of songs
by assorted members of the band. Keyboardist Dizzy
Reed, the only member to continually stand shoulder to shoulder
with Axl over the last fifteen
years, had the evening's most sublime moment with a piano led solo of
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. Reed's
playing was so dead on and inspirational that photographer Rob Grabowski
commented to me that it was the highlight of the show for him. Something
people tend to forget and overlook is that Dizzy
Reed joined the band during the recording of the "Use
Your Illusion" albums. He is the only member left from that era
who is still in the band and after seeing his solo, I'm glad he stood
by Axl's side as he brings not only
musical aptitude but history with him as well. Guitarist Richard
Fortus performed "A Winter Shade of Pale" during
his solo and the unbelievably gifted guitarist Bumblefoot performed
the complete elegiac "Don't Cry" instrumental to roars of
approval. Many have criticized these solos as being unnecessary and
long, however, I see them as giving these unknown musicians a chance
to shine. Besides, these are more than just instrumentals; they are
extended jams that are virtually songs within themselves and are anything
but meandering and without purpose. The eighteen-song set had a total
of eight songs performed off "Appetite" (including a vicious
"My Michelle" with a guest appearance with Sebastian
Bach), one from "Lies" (a reliable "Patience),
four from the "Use Your Illusion" albums (including a soaring
"November Rain") and five from the still unreleased "Chinese
Democracy" (with the aforementioned future classic "Better"). Review by Anthony Kuzminski of AntiMusic.com
KISS
- "Alive! 1975-2000"
Summary: This reasonably priced package is a must for all hardcore KISS fans, and it is a great representation of KISS' live material for the casual fan of rock and metal. Standout Tracks: "Deuce," "Into The Void," "Lick It Up" Review by John Ostronomy
THE
HAUNTED - "The Dead Eye"
Summary: Great pure metal darkness with no cheese. Standout
Tracks: "The Flood," "The Crowning,"
"The Reflection," "The Medusa," "The Guilt
Trip," "The Prosecution" Review by Mark Strigl
KILL
CHEERLEADER - "All Hail"
If you like old GN'R, the first Motley record, Iggy Pop, Dead Boys, Motorhead, and Turbonegro...these guys will be right up your alley...Kill Cheerleader. I would call them Punk Metal Sleeze Rock. The songs on this CD really blow me away!!! Get it now. Review by Mark Strigl © 2008 Talking Metal. © and TM Talking Metal. All Rights Reserved. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
