Blood God - 'Blood is My Trademark' CD Review (Massacre Records)

German death metal vocalist Thomas Gurrath (Debauchery) kicked off his thrash side-project Blood God a few years ago and, earlier this fall, the band released its second disc, Blood Is My Trademark (Massacre Records). The new disc sports cover art by Warhammer illustrator Adrian Smith) and the band describes the backdrop to their live set as “decorated with puppets of female demons and bodyparts and skulls and stuff like that”. Now that you know where the band’s headset is, they describe their musical influences as Judas Priest, Accept, Iron Maiden, Motörhead and AC/DC.

Given Gurrath’s tenure in Debauchery, it should come as no surprise that the disc’s lyrics are horror themes about bloodletting, murder and mayhem. With the disc’s catchy, old-school metal riffs grabbing the listeners attention right away, most people may not even realize what they are singing along to. At least one group though has paid attention as, going back a few years, Gurrath was fired from his job as a high school philosophy teacher when school officials found out about Debauchery and their associated theatrics.



Thomas Gurrath’s vocals are almost a dead-ringer for that of Brian Johnson (AC/DC) and this, along with some Angus Young style riffs, gives this disc a serious AC/DC vibe though Blood God comes on a bit louder, harder and faster. Most of the songs feature thrash/metal guitar riffs and shredding solos over top of a locomotive bass/drum backbeat. What adds to the thrash metal vibe is that most songs also have gang vocals on the chorus. The band doesn't stray far from this proven formula though there are a number of cases where the guitars are down-tuned and there are hints of NWOBHM and White Zombie style groove in “Sexy Music for Sexy People”. Another track where Blood God mixes it up is “Dragonbeasts Are Rising” where the band pulls back on the aggression for a guitar instrumental lead-in. Across the board though, all of the songs have catchy and melodic hooks that will be instantly recognized by fans of late 70’s/early 80’s metal.

The band took an interesting twist with this release as they included a bonus disc as part of a limited edition digi-pack that is comprised of alternate recordings of the main disc’s ten songs with death metal vocals. The band’s press release states: “[Y]ou should never forget your roots, right? That’s why the limited edition digipak of the album comes with a bonus CD including the whole record sung with the Debauchery monster voice.” Gurrath’s (cookie) monster vocals on the bonus disc seem to be just a different vocal track on top of the same music but the guttural vocals (which are surprisingly understandable) add a harder edge to the music which makes these alternate versions worthwhile.

Links:
Blood God

Whitesnake - 'Live in 1984 - Back to the Bone' CD Review (Frontiers Records)

While veteran rockers Whitesnake have released a number of live albums over the last few years, Live in 1984 - Back to the Bone capture the previously undocumented live lineup of John Sykes (guitar), Neil Murray (bass) and Cozy Powell (drums). This is a solid addition to the Whitesnake catalog as the material from this tour falls squarely between the blues-rock of Live...In the Heart of the City and the MTV-friendly hair metal of Live at Donington 1990.

As much as David Coverdale downplays his work with John Sykes (evidently Coverdale made a crack that Sykes and Robert Plant should form a band and call themselves ‘The Anti-Christs’), Sykes and Coverdale co-wrote Whitesnake’s 1987 self-titled album, which was the band’s commercial peak. Live in 1984 gives the listener a view into a lineup that was only together two years as all of the members of this lineup were fired prior to the release of the 1987 self-titled album. In an interview with Melodic Rock in 1999, Sykes said “I mean if it had been just one person, fired me or just one of the band member's cause they'd had a little tiff or tizzy or something you could understand it. But he fired everybody. The drummer, bass, me, the producer. It was like he was just cleaning shop and the only reason I could imagine that would be for is so he could have a lot more control of things, certainly in the financial department.”

The disc’s first twelve cuts are guitar-driven rockers that follow in the spirit and sound of the US remix of Slide It In. Comparing the set list from Live in 1984 to a bootleg I have from the 1984 tour, the only difference is that this new recording doesn’t include two of the band’s early 80’s numbers: “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” and “Don’t Break My Heart Again”. The remaining track (which is really four songs within this track) is from Jon Lord’s final performance with Whitesnake. Lord’s organ playing is featured prominently on this last track, making the sound of this lineup more in the spirit of the original UK release of Slide It In.

The band starts out really strong on this new recording - clear production highlights the drive and energy and makes it clear why this lineup was such a compelling live act. The band opens with two of the rockers from Slide It In - “Gambler” and “Guilty of Love”. These songs have a driving stomp and swagger and Sykes throws down some shredding, melodic guitar solos. On “Guilty of Love”, and across this disc, Coverdale is a master of stopping the band on a dime to rev up the audience for a sing-along. Both “Love Ain’t No Stranger” and “Slow An’ Easy” (which was in heavy rotation on MTV at the time) start with a slow burning bluesy guitar before shifting into a driving stomp. The focus of this disc is on the music and there isn’t a lot of the typical in-between-song ‘dirty talk’ and double entendres from Coverdale aside for “Love Ain’t No Stranger” starting off with the comment to an audience member: “a lovely pair of titties you have on your chest”. Some of the other highlights on the disc are Sykes’ guitar solo which serves as a lead-in to “Crying in the Rain” and a reach back into Deep Purple’s catalog for a vocal and organ driven rendition of Stormbringer’s “Soldier of Fortune”.





While the track(s) with Jon Lord are a repeat of the tracks that started off the disc, these renditions are essentially alternate versions as they are less guitar driven and Lord’s organ playing is featured prominently in the mix.



“It’s still hard for me to find the words when remembering that half the incredible band who originally recorded the ‘Slide It In’ album with me have passed away,” says Coverdale. “It’s incredibly difficult to articulate: Cozy Powell...Mel Galley...Jon Lord…All amazing people and amazing musicians. Their memories live on in our hearts & in the music they made. I miss them beyond words… Wait until you see & hear them playing as only they can and add in the fiery guitar assault of the incredibly gifted John Sykes, plus the relentless melodic bass pounding of Neil Murray.”

Links:
Whitesnake

Wizard Rifle (Stoner/Noise Rock) - 'Here in the Deadlights' CD Review (Seventh Rule Recordings)

Portland-to-Los Angeles three-piece Wizard Rifle released their second disc, Here in the Deadlights, in October (Seventh Rule Recordings) and this new five song disc combines sludgy stoner rock with muscular garage punk along with some elements of free-form jazz. In terms of comparisons, the sludge of Melvins, the bluesy stoner-rock of Mudhoney and the destructive garage punk sounds of any of the early AmRep bands (i.e. Halo of Flies) immediately come to mind but Wizard Rifle’s music is also cross-cut with the free-form unpredictability of no-wave punks like James Chance and the Contortions. All of the songs clock in around the six minute mark and they are highlighted by excellent production, which clearly brings the band’s sonic wall of sound to the forefront. Here in the Deadlights was recorded at guitarist Max Dameron’s Breakfast Studios and mixed by Billy Anderson (Sleep) and Jesse Johnstone.

The disc starts with “Crystal Witch”, which combines the swirling psychedelia of early Pink Floyd with stoner sludge and a big, muscular guitar sound. This is a high-energy number with building guitar riffs and tom rolls over which Dameron and drummer Sam Ford sing in a bluesy, hoarse rasp. This number immediately flows into “Buzzsaw Babes”, which is a garage/blues number that features a twisting guitar line, a big bottom-end bass and pounding drums along with fuzzed out vocals. “Paul The Sky Tyrant” is more of a heavier song with its grinding, groove-based riffs and marching beat. The (mostly clean) vocals on this number are beneath a twisted guitar line and the music is more bluesy than fuzzy. “Psychodynamo” is the longest track on the disc, clocking in at almost nine minutes, and this number starts with minor key, atmospheric, space-rock and spoken word vocals that build and eventually pick up speed , taking the song to an old-school hardcore ending. The disc closes with “Beastwhores”, which starts as a post-punk free-form jazz number that morphs into stoner psychedelic sludge.

What is fitting, given the sound of this band, is that Seventh Rule has pressed a limited edition vinyl version of Here in the Deadlights on “Deep Purple” Color-in-Color Vinyl (ltd to 100 Copies). Buy this through the label’s mail order shop before you have to pay eBay collectors’ prices.

Wizard Rifle has shared the stage with the likes of Yob, Church Of Misery, Black Cobra, Arabrot and Rabbits and the band was recently in town for a show at St. Vitus. In an era where almost every concert is recorded, I couldn't find any live footage from the band's recent fall tour so - here is a video from Wizard Rifle's 2012 show at The Acheron.



Links:
Wizard Rifle

Harem Scarem - 'Thirteen' CD Review (Frontiers Records)

Canadian band Harem Scarem isn’t (yet) a household name in the US but that hasn’t stopped them from putting out a number of melodic hard-rock discs that really should be staples of FM radio. For anyone not familiar with Harem Scarem, the band was formed in 1987 by guitarist Pete Lesperance and singer Harry Hess. The band hit its commercial peak in 1993 with their second album, Mood Swings, and sadly got pushed to the side by grunge. After a dozen studio albums, Harem Scarem called it a day in 2008 with the release of Hope but got back together last year to re-record Mood Swings (as Mood Swings II) and decided kept the band going.

Harem Scarem’s newest disc, Thirteen, came out this past Friday on Frontiers Records. It is obvious that the band still has a strong and loyal fan base as the band launched a pledge campaign to support the making of their new studio album and reached their goal in less than 24 hours.

Harem Scarem has a full, multi-layered sound and Hess’ gritty but melodic vocals and Lesperance’s guitar work are focal points in each of the songs. Hess’ vocals fall somewhere between that of Ray Gillen (Badlands/Black Sabbath), David Coverdale and Ted Poley and Lesperance’s guitar work ranges from groove-oriented 90’s alt-rock (“Early Warning Signs”) to a soaring power-ballad (“Whatever It Takes”) to bordering on the edge of power metal (“Stardust”).

This new 10-track disc (39 minutes) starts with the song “Garden of Eden”, which sets the tone for the rest of the disc. This number is a mid-tempo rocker with a big melodic chorus that is complemented by Lesperance’s fret work, which includes a nice solo and some memorable riffs. There is a bit of a flavor of Southern rock on “Live It” and the band starts to shift gears on “The Midnight Hour”, which is an 80’s style AOR number that includes both piano and some nice solos from Lesperance. After the power ballad “Whatever It Takes”, the band gets back to where the disc started and kicks it up for the shredding rocker “Saints and Sinners”. “Troubled Times” falls somewhere between 90’s ‘modern rock’ and the better side of Bon Jovi and the disc ends on a strong note with the big arena rocker “Stardust”, which features some heavy, distinctive guitar riffs that build to a big chorus.



For the collectors, there is a bonus track with an acoustic version of “The Midnight Hours” on the Japanese release and there is also a Japanese SHM-CD version that includes a second disc of the band playing live in Japan in 2013. On the European release, the bonus track is an acoustic version of “Garden of Eden”.

Links:
Harem Scarem

Yes - 'Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome' CD Review (Frontiers Records)

The latest album from Yes, Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome, was recorded this past May during the band’s “triple header” tour where the band played 1971's The Yes Album, 1972's Close to the Edge and 1977's Going For the One front to back during its shows. I have mixed feeling about this new live album as it comes right on the heels of 2011’s In the Present – Live from Lyon where the band played three of the six songs from The Yes Album and this recording only includes The Yes Album and Going for the One sets.

Before getting into the album, I should note that I never got around to listening to Yes’ latest studio album Heaven & Earth so this live show was my first exposure to vocalist Jon Davison and, vocally, he is more of a dead ringer for Jon Anderson than Benoit David was. Now for the show – the mix on this recording is extremely crisp and the contributions from all the members of Yes are clearly captured. Across the disc, Steve Howe’s guitar work and Davison’s vocals, along with some strong keyboard and piano flourishes from Geoff Downes, drives all of the songs.

When describing the impetus behind the ‘triple header’ tour, Steve Howe told Billboard: "We wanted an easy time and a hard time -- in other words, we wanted some challenges to rise to make the three-album concept work…So 'The Yes Album' is kind of the easy stuff because we've played a lot of it pretty regularly. And the challenges were bringing back 'Close to the Edge, which wasn't too tricky, and then doing 'Going For the One' really did give us some challenges because 'Turn of the Century,' 'Going For the One' (the song), 'Parallels,' those are formidable arrangements and (songs) we haven't done for a long time. We seem to have radically upped the game."

The positive side of this disc is that only a small handful of tracks from Going for the One have been included on previous live albums so it was great to hear this album performed live. Some of the highlights from this set are Howe’s flamingo guitar work on “Turn of the Century” and Downes’ piano/keyboards on “Awaken”. The negative side of this disc is that most of the tracks from The Yes Album have been on numerous other live discs from Yes and the ‘definitive’ live versions of these songs can be found on 1973’s YesSongs. Also, now that there is a well-established expectation for what these songs should sound like live, sluggish tempos on some of The Yes Album songs on this new live recording make these versions sound somewhat disconcerting (i.e. the transition as “Your Moves” shifts into “All Good People”). On a positive note, slower paced numbers like “Perpetual Change” sound brilliant with Davison’s soaring vocals and Howe and Downes put down some great jazzy licks on “A Venture”.



The Bristol Post covered this show live and here is a link to their review: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Review-Yes-Bristol-Hippodrome-9-10-Michael/story-21084469-detail/story.html

Links:
Yes

X-Drive - 'Get Your Rock On' CD Review (Frontiers Records)

When I was growing up, 80’s arena rock was the staple of FM radio so it was very easy to enjoy the debut release from California’s X-Drive, Get Your Rock On (Frontiers Records), The band’s sound is comparable to Night Ranger and both the Paul Rodgers and Brian Howe fronted lineups of Bad Company – most of the disc is comprised of bluesy hard-rock songs with melodic hooks, killer guitar solos and big harmonies on the choruses.

X-Drive is the brain child of previously unknown guitarist Jeremy Brunner and he has brought an all-star cast of musicians along to the party. The other members of X-Drive are vocalist Keith St. John (x-Montrose, Quiet Riot), bassist James Lomenzo (both he and St. John were in Lynch Mob at the time they came on-board) and drummer Fred Fischer (from the grunge band Midline). The disc was co-produced by Andy Johns (along with Brunner), who is well familiar with the sound of this era having produced/engineered bands that ranged from Led Zeppelin and Free to Van Halen and L.A. Guns.

The disc starts with a swaggering, hard-rock number “Love’s A Bitch” where St. John’s vocals bear more than a passing resemblance to Paul Rodgers and Brunner tosses off licks that sound like they could have come out of Eddie Van Halen’s playbook. Changing the groove a bit on the third track, “Steppin’ On The Rock” is a darker, grungy song whose sound falls somewhere between Krokus and Alice in Chains.

X-Drive switches gears with the obligatory rock ballad, “Baby Bye Bye”, which, thankfully, still has a bit of ‘teeth’. “Baby Bye Bye” is a breakup song which features emotive vocals from St. John along with a nice guitar solo toward the end of the track and sounds a bit like something Bon Jovi would have written. Bringing the tempo back up, this number is followed by the disc’s first single, “California”. This track is a laid-back, ‘summer’ number which prominently features big, big hooks and melodic vocals with big harmonies on the chorus (you’ll likely be thinking of Night Ranger after listening to this one).



The back-half of the disc picks the pace back up with some hard-rockers that bring to mind bands such as Whitesnake, Foreigner and Bad Company. Some of the highlights include the power ballad “Fly Beyond the Angels”, where Brunner’s soaring guitar line and St. John’s emotive vocals carry the song. “Just Can’t Stay” is a Whitesnake style blues-rocker with a slow, driving beat which are broken up by tempo changes on the chorus. The disc ends with the wailing blues rocker, “Love Breaks the Fool”, which brings to mind old-school Bad Co.

It is somewhat funny to think that that – 30 years after the fact – someone (Brunner) could solidly nail the sounds of 80’s arena rock. James Lomenzo said “It was such a pleasure to contribute to Jeremy's effort! He has written and crafted an incredible homage to the style of the 80's rock, a style that I cut my teeth on back in the day…His love for the era and style really comes through in a surprisingly satisfying way.”

Links:
X-Drive

Led Zeppelin IV (Zoso) - Deluxe Edition CD Review (Rhino)

I’m generally suspicious of reissues as, too often, it seems as an excuse to sell the musically obsessive a second copy of a disc by slapping on some random bonus tracks on to the end of the album. Putting my pre-conceived bias aside, I found the reissue of Led Zeppelin IV to be somewhat of a mixed bag – though I may in a small minority with this opinion as this disc is currently #7 on the Billboard sales chart.

The 2CD deluxe edition of Led Zeppelin IV is similar to many of the other Zeppelin reissues where the original album is on Disc 1 and an ‘alternate’ version of the album is on Disc 2. In comparing the original album to a previous version of this CD, this new release sounds brighter. One of the key differentiators with this new release is that the instruments and separation between the instruments sounds clearer - the crisp sound of the bass and drums is immediately noticeable.

My reservation with this reissue is the bonus disc as there just isn’t a “wow” factor. This second disc runs 41 minutes (as compared to the main disc’s 43 minutes) which is comprised of 6 full-band alternate versions of songs from the main disc and two instrumentals. I can’t figure out the point of the instrumentals as why would someone want to listen to “The Battle of Evermore” and “Going to California” without Plant’s vocals? (Karaoke anyone?) Aside for 1+ minutes being chopped out “The Battle of Evermore”, there really isn’t a noticeable difference between these versions and the finished versions. Things get a bit more interesting with the Sunset Sound mix of “Stairway to Heaven”. This version was recorded at Los Angeles’ Sunset Sound Recorders during the summer of 1971 and the mix brings out some subtle nuances in the instrumentation.



The demo version of “Four Sticks” is noticeably different than the finalized version as this demo version ‘pops’ with an energy and rawness. While the differences aren’t quite as noticeable, this same rawness can also be heard on “When the Levee Breaks”. The basic take of “Black Dog” is also noticeable different than the final studio version as this version is clearly unmixed, has a different, more sustained guitar line and seems to include some additional vocals (including some bum notes). For the remaining songs, my ears couldn’t tell the difference between the two versions.



Links:
Led Zeppelin

Nero Di Marte - 'Derivae' CD Review (Prosthetic Records) [Post-Rock/Atmospheric Metal]

Even though I’ve got a large stack of releases that I’m hoping to get through before the end of the year, Italian post-rock/atmospheric metal band Nero Di Marte’s sophomore release, Derivae (released Oct. 28th – Prosthetic), has already earned a spot on my ‘best of’ list for this year.

Nero Di Marte’s sound falls somewhere between The Ocean, Isis and early Pink Floyd. Derivae was recorded 100% in analog which allows the band sonic space to build their epic soundscapes – most of which clock in around the eight minute mark. The band chose to record in analog so “we could develop and commit to atmospheres and sounds while recording instead of thinking about how this guitar effect or that part should sound while mixing. It makes it a little bit more true to how we are when we actually play as a band, without the challenges of doing a live recording”. (from interview with Invisible Oranges).

The disc starts with “L’Eclisse”, which starts with crashing dark and ominous guitar chords which build up to a claustrophobic wave of sound over which drummer Marco Bolognini adds powerful drum fills. Guitarist/vocalist Sean Worrell utilizes a range of vocals across this disc and, on this song, his Italian baritone sounds a bit like Moonspell vocalist Fernando Ribeiro. The band shifts gears with the third track, “Pulsar”, where Worrell’s whaling vocals are featured up-front in the mix and Bolognini’s drumming takes on a tribal beat. There are a number of rises and falls in the music, including one where Worrell’s vocals are whispered over this tribal beat and the song closes with a moody, “Pink Floydish” outro.

Some of the other highlights on the disc are “Il Diluvio” and the 10+ minute final track “Those Who Leave”. “Il Diluvio” is a dark, almost doom number with a big post-rock sound. This song features big, crashing guitar chords and vocals beneath the wall of sound. This sonic swirl slows down toward the end to get more atmospheric. “Il Diluvio” is very “Pink Floydish” with its electronic burble of sounds. The guitar is slowly added in and vocals are a chant below the instrumentation. A major portion of this song is instrumental and this number ends where it started, with an instrumental outro.



Links:
Nero Di Marte

Brainstorm - 'Firestorm' CD Review (AFM Records)

While German power metalers Brainstorm’s tenth disc, Firesoul (AFM Records), came out earlier this year, I never got a chance to put my thoughts about the disc on ‘paper’. After the local Judas Priest show, I was reflecting that Brainstorm’s new disc captures a lot of the elements that were missing on Judas Priest’s most recent release so I thought I should finally sit down and knock out a review.

Brainstorm’s core sound falls solidly into the power metal genre but the band extends this sound to include elements of NWOBHM with the down-tuned dual lead guitars of Torsten Ihlenfeld and Milan Loncaric, light orchestral elements along with a little bit of prog, which includes clean, technical guitar solos. Adding to this, Andy B. Franck’s raspy but melodic vocals are directly comparable to artists like Rob Halford or Bruce Dickenson though Franck never goes for the high-end scream.

The disc starts with “Erased By the Dark”, which is an old-school power metal number that is powered by some breakneck drumming and the band just picks up the pace from here. The title track, “Firesoul”, is the next cut and this track is a bit more aggressive. This number focuses around driving guitar riffs and dual NWOBHM guitar leads and the vocals match this intensity.



One of the many standout numbers is “Entering Solitude”, which is a slower number than the disc openers. This track has a ‘classic rock’/AOR feel centered around clean melodic guitar lines, soaring vocals on the chorus and a melodic guitar solo toward the back-half of the song. This number is followed by “Recall The Real”, which really changes up the pace with its Gregorian choral intro and outro. After this ethereal opening, this slow burning number kicks into high-gear with staccato guitar riffs which are accompanied by soaring vocals and meaty, melodic choruses.

Looking at some of the other tracks, “Feed Me Lies” is a return to the aggressive and driving sounds of the disc’s opener and this track is the one that stuck with me after a few spins of the disc. “The Chosen” is the closest that Brainstorm comes to ‘traditional’ power metal as the keys are higher in the mix for this number and the riffs are downplayed in favor of orchestral flourishes. The soaring choruses are a notable standout along with the very clean guitar lines, which include a technical power-prog solo. The disc wraps up with “…And I Wonder”, which is another AOR rocker and the minimal instrumentation allows this number to be powered by Franck’s vocals.

Links:
Brainstorm

Heliosage (Symphonic Power Metal) - 'Towers in the Distance' CD Review

(Note: This single was released last year and is not on the full-length album)

Outside of Operatika, I haven’t seen too many US bands successfully pull off the Nordic symphonic power metal sounds of bands like Nightwish, Therion and Epica. Texas-to-Minnesota transplants Heliosaga’s self-released debut, Towers in the Distance, is an exception to this rule as the band’s ornate and majestic sounds are very comparable to these aforementioned bands. Heliosaga’s sound focuses around the soaring operatic and emotive vocals of classically trained singer Chelsea Knaack along with the melodic, yet aggressive, guitar riffs and solos and dense, swirling keyboard sounds of band leader and principal songwriter Damien Villarreal.



The band’s core sound can be heard in the riff-heavy power metal of “A Tower So Tall” “To Heal All Wounds” and “Lost”, all three of which highlight the band’s heavier side with aggressive, chugging guitar work and shredding solos. Heliosaga isn’t afraid to stray from their core as, musically, the band touches on a variety of styles across this disc. One of the highlights is the epic ‘Iron Maiden like’ rocker “All Souls”, where this 9+ minute song brings in significant proggy elements and tempo changes that will hold the listener captivated. Other styles range from the mid-tempo symphonic prog rock of “Edenscar” to the slow burning ethereal exorcisms of “Hideaway”. There are also a number of hard rock stops in between these points where Villareal’s riffs border on thrash.

While the vocals are upfront on all of the tracks, Knaack’s hypnotic vocals complement the instrumentation and never attempt to overpower it. Her vocals are the highlight of tracks like “Hideaway”, which adds angelic backing vocals that rise to the level of harmonies, and “Hunter’s Moon”, which is a hard rock number where the guitars are dialed back to allow the vocals to shine.

Heliosaga has posted on their website that they are looking for a bassist and guitar player so it seems unlikely that there will be any live dates anytime soon but this will be something to watch for in the future.

Links:
Heliosaga

Exodus and Slayer Play The Wellmont Theater in Mont Clair, NJ on 11/29 / Hatriot - 'Dawn of the New Centurion' CD Review (Massacre Records)

Thrash veterans Exodus just released their 10th album, Blood In Blood Out, on Oct. 14th and this disc features the return of vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza, who last recorded with Exodus on their 2004 disc, Tempo of the Damned. What is interesting is that original Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett also guests on this album with a solo on “Salt The Wound”. Slayer, Exodus and Suicidal Tendencies are out together on a fall tour and the closest the tour geta to NYC is a show at Wellmont Theater in NJ on November 29th.

What many people may not know is that Zetro is pulling double-duty as he is also the vocalist of Hatriot, a Bay-area thrash band which includes Zetro’s two sons in the lineup. Earlier this year, Hatriot released its sophomore disc, Dawn of the New Centurion, on Massacre Records.

This disc is exactly what you would expect from Zetro and crew – nine tracks (50 minutes) of hard-hitting, heavy thrash. This disc starts off with "From My Cold Dead Hands" which opens with Charleton Heston’s speech to the NRA and follows this with a slow build that will get a crowd into the pit waiting for the explosion. Hatriot doesn’t disappoint as the thrash kicks in with Zetro’s sneering, spat vocals, cross-over guitar riffs that straddle the border between speed metal and thrash and a gang vocal chorus. Across this disc, the music is punctuated by surprisingly clean production which emphasizes Hatriot’s sonic attack and, lyrically, Hatriot are pissed off about the state of the world, the hypocrisy of organized religion (check out the scathing 7+ minute “Silence in the House of the Lord”), etc. and aren’t afraid to call out the abuses that they see. The band even calls to free Pussy Riot at the end of “Superkillafragsadisticactsaresoatrocious”.

The band doesn’t stray far from their crossover thrash core, but Dawn of the New Centurion contains some complex variations on this core. “The Fear Within”, which is 7+ minutes long, is a hard rock/power metal number with a bit of doom metal thrown into the mix. This track starts with a slow burning opening and features clean, melodic guitar lines. This song then brings on gang vocals in an almost call-and-response counterpoint to Zetro’s vocals, slows radically toward the end for an introspective moment before picking back up for a boot stomping finish. “World Funeral” is a schizophrenic metal number with an aggressive gang vocal opening and some shredding riffs.



Links:
Hatriot

Three Lions (AOR Power Trio) - 'Three Lions' CD Review (Frontiers Records)

Three Lions self-titled debut disc came out earlier this year and this disc is a well-crafted throwback to the sound of 80’s melodic AOR rock. Three Lions is composed of Dare/Ten alumni Vinny Burns (guitar) and Greg Morgan (drums) along with Nigel Bailey (vocals/bass). The band was formed when Vinny, Greg and Nigel were introduced by Frontiers Records President Serafino Perugino to producer Alessandro Del Vecchio at Firefest in October 2012. The guys hit it off straight away and immediately set about writing new material for an album. The songs were written without an agenda and these songs were sent to Perugino for consideration, who loved the material and immediately commissioned an album.

This album has huge melodic hooks, choruses that invite singing along and many of these songs would have been a staple of FM radio if released thirty years prior. “We set out to write good songs, the only criteria was that all of us liked them” said Nigel Bailey. While the band sounds really tight, the focal point of most of the songs are Vinny Burns’ stellar guitar work and Nigel Bailey’s ‘Lou Graham meets John Wetton’ vocals. Musically, most of the songs are in the vein of Asia, early Foreigner and the Brian Howe-fronted lineup of Bad Company along with hints of Bryan Adams and Whitesnake around the edges. With an album full of anthemic rock, as one would expect, a number of songs are about girls.



The disc starts out with “Trouble in a Red Dress” (the first single from the disc) which is a melodic AOR rocker with solid guitar work and a bit grittier sound that brings the 80’s AOR sound into the present. This is followed by “Hold Me Now”, which is a Bryan Adams style guitar-driven tale about girls and summer. “Twisted Soul” starts with a slower intro before the driving atmospheric rock kicks in. The song sounds like a Foreigner number with a bit more punch in the guitar. “Winter Sun” is an old-school rock ballad which is powered by a big guitar sounds and upfront melodic vocals. Picking up the pace with “Just a Man” and “Holy Water”, either of these numbers could easily become the second single from the disc. Both of these numbers are mid-tempo rockers with the hooks that stick with you long after the song has ended.

One of the most diverse numbers on the disc is the eastern-influence “Kathmandu”. The band seems to take a page from 90’s metal with some slashing guitar lines while never losing its sense of melody. The other number that shows the band willing to take some risks is “Sicilian Kiss”, the final track on the disc, which is a moody, guitar-driven instrumental with strong leads and a slight hint of flamingo on the outro.

Links:
Three Lions

Whitechapel (Deathcore) Plays Gramercy Theatre on Nov. 10th / 'Endless War' CD Review (Metal Blade)

Whitechapel’s fifth disc came out this past April and Our Endless War (Metal Blade) is a solid slab of hard-hitting deathcore. The music is brutal, the lyrics are nihilistic yet the music is surprisingly accessible which is evidenced by this new disc cracking the US Billboard Top 10 chart. The band is bringing their sonic attack to NYC for a show at Gramercy Theatre on Nov. 10th along with supporting acts Upon a Burning Body and Glass Cloud. This show is general admission and tickets are $20 (+$9 ‘convenience fee’).

The disc starts out with the instrumental “Rise” which is comprised of a marching beat and bending middle-eastern sounding guitar line that progressively build and serves as the lead-in to the galloping title track, “Our Endless War”. “Our Endless War” explodes out of the gate with driving drums and a slashing guitar attack while vocalist Phil Bozeman takes the listener into the abyss with the roar “let’s go”. It is noticeable right away that the disc’s clean production, hints of the Scandinavian sound and Bozeman’s understandable vocal growl means that this is not your run-of-the-mill deathcore album. The lyrics for “Our Endless War” also sets the tone for the disc as Bozeman growls out an anthemic call to arms: “My country tis of greed, sweet land of idiocracy…While we still have liberty, let’s take back our justice for all.”

Whitechapel mixes up levels of intensity across the disc all the while staying close to their deathcore roots. “The Saw is the Law” (the first single from the new disc) has a big bottom end and locks into a sludgy bass groove while Bozeman’s vocals range from a death shriek to a glass-gargling growl.



“Mono” is solid, blast-beat driven pit fodder where bending and twisting guitar lines add atmosphere and mood to change up the tempos. “Let It Burn” is more of a hardcore number with a tribal beat and a menacing bass line that will get the boots stomping. “Worship the Digital Age” is another brutal number with a grinding groove that sounds like a decaying industrial machine grinding to a halt.

The band takes something of a breather on the tracks “How Times Have Changed” and “Psychopathy”. “How Times Have Changed” is the sort of grid metal tune reminds me of the type of music that one would hear at L’Amour in the early ’00s. “Psychopathy” is a slower stomper that has clean guitar and slows in the middle for an evil moody build. “Blacked Out” jumps right back into the death metal with the double-bass blast beats. Finally, “Diggs Road”, a tale about someone contemplating suicide, is one of the most diverse songs on the disc. This number starts with a moody, middle-eastern guitar intro that leads into a slow-burning stomper. The band changes up the tempos during different parts of this song and this number includes some very clean guitar solos. There are two bonus tracks on the disc, “A Process So Familiar” and “Fall of the Hypocrites” and both of these tracks are pummeling death metal that follow the sounds heard earlier on the disc.

Links:
Whitechapel

The Swan King (Chicago Post-Hardcore) - 'Last So Long' CD Review (War Crime Recordings)

Chicago post-hardcore unit, The Swan King, featuring members of Pelican and Planes Mistaken For Stars, released their second LP, Last So Long (War Crime Recordings), this past June. Spawned in 2009 in the Windy City, The Swan King is made up of Pelican guitarist and former Duane Denison pupil, Dallas Thomas (guitar/vocals), bassist Jamie Drier (x-Planes Mistaken For Stars) and drummer Zafar Musharraf (x-Toro! Toro!). Over the years, The Swan King has shared the stage with the likes of Red Fang, Black Tusk, Indian and Whores.

This new eight-track/30 minute disc is a refreshing throwback to the post-hardcore sounds of the late 80’s/early 90’s and was recorded by uber-producer Sanford Parker (Buried at Sea and Minsk) at Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio. This three-piece band works up a big head of noise (think Helmet or any of the early AmRep bands) with chugging and distorted guitar riffs and a pounding rhythm section but the band keeps the music accessible with solid melodies.

This is a big-sounding “rawk” disc where the band consistently maintains head-banging, high energy across all of the tracks. The band doesn’t stray far from their post-hardcore ‘core’ but the guitar riffs and melodies twist and turn within each of the songs (occasionally straying into mathcore) which keeps the disc from ever getting stale. Dallas Thomas’ vocals are up-front in the mix and he sings with a gruff but melodic yell which becomes another weapon in the band’s sonic attack. Some of the standout cuts showcase the band’s diversity which range from the hardcore of “Explore the Void” to the mathcore of “Returning to Haunt” to the melodic punk of “Last So Long”.



Links:
The Swan King

Uriah Heep - 'Outsider' CD Review (Frontiers Records)

Uriah Heep’s twenty-fourth disc, Outsider (Frontiers Records), picks up where 2011’s Into the Wild left off with 11 tracks of melodic hard rock that are sure to leave a memorable mark with fans of the classic rock genre. Now that I’ve heard my second Uriah Heep album, I really don’t understand why the band isn’t big in the States. In a different era, Outsider is the sort of arena rock that one would hear in coliseums (as opposed to B.B. King’s) but, unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be an active concert circuit in the States for hard rock bands outside of those acts pandering to boomers with ‘greatest hits’ shows.

Just a couple of ‘operational notes’ before getting into the review:

• there are two bonus tracks on the Japanese edition - the first, “One Minute (Sixty Seconds)”, is presumably a studio track and the second is a live version of 1998’s “Between Two Worlds”,
• long time bassist Trevor Boulder (who joined Uriah Heep in 1976) died last year from cancer and this new disc was recorded with his replacement, Dave Rimmer.

When reviewing Into the Wild, I had noted that, musically, the heavy use of a Hammond organ and Bernie Shaw’s Ian Gillian-like vocals make for an immediate comparison to Deep Purple’s comeback albums in the 80’s/90’s. While this comparison is still mostly valid, where it falls away is that founding member Mick Box delivers some solid guitar work without ever crossing into the realm of ‘guitar hero’ histrionics and all the songs have a “full band” sound rather than lingering too long on any of the members’ individual efforts.



This first single/video from the album, “One Minute”, is a solid indication for what the rest of the disc sounds like. The first minute of this song is the slowest the band gets as all of the eleven tracks range from mid-tempo to b*lls-out rockers. Within each of the songs, there is a healthy sense of melody but there is little of the pop commercialism that crept into the metal scene in the mid-80’s.



The first two songs on the disc (“Speed of Sound” and “One Minute”) will suck the listener in but the gloves come off for the two songs that follow: “The Law” and “Outsider”, as both of these songs are driving, hard-rock numbers. “The Law” starts with a repeating groove riff from Box and a galloping beat. This number shows the band at their peak as there are a number of tempo changes throughout the song where the band brings the pace down and the vocal harmonies up just to pick up speed again and pile-drive through the next part of the song.

Some of the other strong numbers on the disc are “Is Anybody Gonna Help Me?” and “Kiss the Rainbow”. On “Is Anybody Gonna Help Me?”, the band slows down the pace and highlights melancholy shimmering organ from Phil Lanzon (which has some shades of Argent) along with a stomping chorus. Similar to “The Law”, the band slows down the tempo of this song mid-way before bringing it back up again with a full head of steam. On the track “Kiss the Rainbow”, all of the band’s individual parts come together to form a memorable hard-rocker. The band doesn’t go quietly as disc ends, musically, where it started. “Say Goodbye” is a mid-tempo melodic hard-rocker that is in the same spirit as the two tracks that opened the disc.

Links:
Uriah Heep

Quiet Riot - '10' CD Review (RSM Records)

With the untimely death of vocalist Kevin DuBrow in 2007, it seemed the book was closed on Quiet Riot’s three decade long career. Frankie Banelli though restarted the band in 2010 with Chuck Wright (bass) and Alex Grossi (guitar) from Rehab’s touring lineup but vocalists rotated through the band until the end of last year when Jizzy Pearl (Love/Hate, Ratt, L.A. Guns, etc.) joined the band. This lineup released the band’s twelfth disc, 10, this past June and the disc also features guest appearances from Rudy Sarzo and Tony Franklin.

While Rehab highlighted Quiet Riot’s 70’s rock influences, which range from The Faces to Spooky Tooth and Led Zeppelin, 10 is a melodic hard-rock album that brings to mind Motley Crue’s self-titled 1994 disc. On this new ten track disc, the first six songs are studio recordings with the new lineup and the final four songs are live recordings with Kevin DuBrow, which are from the last professionally recorded shows that Kevin played.

10 follows in the spirit of Remedy and continues to veer away from Quiet Riot’s “party rock” sounds, with most of this cuts on this new disc being melodic guitar-driven, hard rockers. While Pearl’s vocals are grittier than DuBrow’s, they aren’t that far removed either which makes this disc clearly sound like a Quiet Riot album. The only noticeable difference from the past is that the band now uses group/gang vocals on the choruses.

The disc starts with “Rock in Peace” which sets the tone for the rest of the studio cuts and the band gives gives a nod to their past bringing lyrics from “Metal Health” into the chorus. On “Bang for Your Buck”, the band pick up the pace with a faster, teasing guitar line that sounds somewhat like Van Halen. This new lineup hits their groove with “Backside of Water”, which is a riff-happy hard rocker with pounding drums and brilliant guitar licks. “Band Down” is more groove oriented with the echo on the backing vocals and sounds like it could have come from Motley Crue’s self-titled 1994 release.

The live cuts are an interesting selection and are sort of a mixed bag in terms of sound quality. In an interview with Loudwire, Frankie Banali said: “I picked tracks that were special and of the moment. Let’s just say that there will be a familiar track, two unexpected choices and one that really shows the roots of Quiet Riot and how the band interacted in the live arena.” The live tracks start with “Put Up or Shut Up” from QRIII and then are followed with “Free” and “South of Heaven”, from Rehab. While DuBrow sounds in great form and Alex Grossi plays some stellar leads, the sound quality on these first two tracks is just ‘fair’. Unfortunately, the tracks aren’t well mixed and there are some noticeable sonic limitations, like mic overload and harsh backing vocals. The sound quality is significantly better (through bass heavy) on “South of Heaven” and the almost 10 minute medley of blues covers, “Rock ’n’ roll Medley” sounds phenomenal. This last song/extended jam includes songs from the Jeff Beck Group, Humble Pie and Led Zeppelin.



Links:
Quiet Riot

Mount Salem - 'Endless' CD Review (Metal Blade)

“Hailing from Chicago, IL, Mount Salem is a four piece psychedelic rock / doom metal band. They started writing music together in the summer of 2012 and released their first EP, Endless, in the spring of 2013. Metal Blade Records signed the band in the summer of 2013 and released an extended version of the band’s EP this past Spring which contained two additional tracks…The band puts a strong emphasis on tone and feeling in both their songs and live performances alike. Most of the band switched from their normal instruments and picked up new ones for this band and the result was much more natural than they had hoped for. Taking influence from the classics like Black Sabbath and Pentagram, they play loud, heavy rock and roll using all vintage gear. Throwing their own twist of dark and mysterious doom into the music, they invite the listener to step into their sinister realm..” — Metal Blade

Mount Salem play 70’s retro-doom (aka occult rock or witch rock) and, while the band’s music is the expected big sludgy stoner riffs and grooves, the songs often veer off into psychedelia. Vocalist Emily Kopplin sings in a haunted, waif-like manner and her vocals, along with the guitar riffs, are prominent in all of the songs. Kopplin also adds a church-like organ beneath the crushing riffs which serves as both additional atmosphere and a bridge between sections of the songs, rather than rising to the level of funeral doom.

The eight songs on Endless run just over 40 minutes and the disc picks up speed toward the back half of the disc. The first three songs are all stylistically similar, where bombastic, dirgy stoner riffs and thundering drums crash alongside of Emily Kopplin’s ghostly narratives and psychedelic organ. The songs start breaking from the mold with “Full Moon”, which has a slow burning atmospheric opening and this slow build kicks up into groove-based riffs with some time changes that will keep the listener engaged. “Mescaline” and “Mescaline II” are two of the strongest cuts on the disc. “Mescaline” is a shimmering and moody stoner/psychedelic instrumental which leads directly into the crunchy psychedelia of “Mescaline II”. This later number has a dense musical sound with a notable guitar line weaving beneath this sonic wall. The disc ends where it started as the guitar riffs on “Hysteria” sound like they came straight out of the Sabbath playbook and “The End” serves as a nice outro as it takes the pace down a notch with slower, brooding tempos and more prominant use of the organ.



Links:
Mount Salem

Kiss - '40' CD Review (40th Anniversary Compilation)

“Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?” - John Lydon

Kiss’ latest greatest hits compilation, 40, has a unique hook in that it is a chronological walk-through of Kiss’ back catalog, pulling one track from thirty-nine of the band’s past releases. The downside is that this looks like yet another cash grab as Kiss has already released numerous greatest hits compilations and the only previously unreleased song on this release is a 1977 demo from Gene Simmons entitled “Reputation”. “Reputation” is decent track that is comparable to “Christine Sixteen” and “Radioactive” but this track alone doesn’t justify the purchase of yet another compilation.



Here is the track list for 40:

Disc 1
01. “Nothin' to Lose” (from KISS)
02. ”Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll” (from Hotter Than Hell)
03. ”C’mon and Love Me” (from Dressed to Kill)
04. ”Rock and Roll All Nite" (Live) (from Alive!)
05. “God of Thunder” (Demo) (from The Box Set) (Note: Paul on vocals)
06. “Beth” (from Destroyer)
07. “Hard Luck Woman” (from Rock and Roll Over)
08. “Reputation” (1977 Demo)
09. “Christine Sixteen” (from Love Gun)
10. ”Shout It Out Loud” (Live) (from Alive II)
11. ”Strutter ’78" (from Double Platinum)
12. ”You Matter to Me” (from Peter Criss)
13. ”Radioactive” (from Gene Simmons)
14. ”New York Groove” (from Ace Frehley)
15. ”Hold Me, Touch Me” (from Paul Stanley)
16. ”I Was Made for Lovin’ You” (Single Edit) (from Dynasty)
17. ”Shandi" (from Unmasked)
18. ”A World Without Heroes” (from Music from “The Elder”)
19. ”I Love It Loud” (from Creatures of the Night)
20. ”Down on Your Knees” (from Killers)
21. ”Lick It Up” (from Lick It Up)
22. ”Heaven’s on Fire” (from Animalize)

Disc 2
01. "Tears Are Falling" (from Asylum)
02. "Reason to Live" (from Crazy Nights)
03. "Let’s Put the X in Sex" (from Smashes, Thrashes and Hits)
04. "Forever" (Remix) (from Hot in the Shade)
05. "God Gave Rock ‘N’ Roll to You II" (from Revenge)
06. "Unholy" (from Alive III)
07. "Do You Love Me?" (from KISS Unplugged)
08. "Room Service" (from You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best!!)
09. "Jungle" (Radio Edit) (from Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions)
10. "Psycho Circus" (from Psycho Circus)
11. "Nothing Can Keep Me from You" (from Detroit Rock City: Music from the Motion Picture)
12. "Detroit Rock City" (from KISS Symphony: Alive IV)
13. "Deuce" (from KISS Instant Live, 2004)
14. "Firehouse" (from Alive: The Millennium Concert)
15. "Modern Day Delilah" (from Sonic Boom)
16. "Cold Gin" (from Alive 35)
17. "Crazy Crazy Nights" (from Sonic Boom Over Europe)
18. "Hell or Hallelujah" (from Monster)
19. “Hell or Hallelujah” Live - Japanese Bonus Track

My challenge is that I can’t figure out what demographic this compilation is being targeted to. Long-time Kiss fans will already have all of these tracks and “Reputation” has commonly circulated on Kiss bootlegs (i.e. First Kiss, Last Licks). If this release is targeted to the ‘uninitiated’, the aging soccer dad/mom who wants to relive the radio hits of their youth may not be prepared for or want to hear the soft white underbelly of Kiss’ late 70’s/early 80’s lite FM/disco schmaltz. All-in-all, Double Platinum or any of the “Alive” albums would be a better place for this later demographic to start.

Links:
Kiss

Words of Farewell (Melodic Death Metal) - 'The Black Wild Yonder' CD Review (AFM Records)

German death metal band Words of Farwell dropped their sophomore disc, The Black Wild Yonder, earlier this year and this disc is one of the more intriguing albums that I’ve listened to in a long time. With some past reviews, I’ve started to feel like I’ve ‘been there / done that’ after listening to too many bands that want to sound just like (i.e.) Black Sabbath, play generic crush-and-grind generic death metal, etc. Words of Farewell play aggressive, yet very melodic, death metal with a very light symphonic touch thrown in the mix.

Words of Farewell formed in the German Ruhr District in early 2007. After releasing some very limited edition early recordings, the band signed AFM Records, who released the band’s debut disc, Immersion, in 2012. Immersion was recorded at Metallurgy Studios to which the band returned to in mid-2013 to record their follow-up, The Black Wild Yonder.

The eleven tracks on this new disc run for 60 minutes and each of these songs combines immediately noticeable clean, melodic guitar lines with atmospheric synths and swirling keyboards that underlay the guitar riffs, sometime rising to the surface to provide a transitional bridge. The underlying musical elements are dissonant and almost prog/classical in nature but The Black Wild Yonder is a long way from being a prog album as each song contains aggressive, buzzsaw guitar riffs and vocalist Alexander Otto adds in hoarse but very understandable growled vocals. Crystal-clear production highlights the combined light and dark elements within the band’s sound.

One of the nice thing about this disc is that all of the songs ‘go somewhere’ – the builds lead to an explosion of sound and the slow passages give the listener a brief respite. While the band doesn’t stray from their core sound of combining melody and atmosphere with dissonance and aggression, each songs has unique flourishes and melodies that allow it to stand on its own. One of the strongest tracks on the disc is “Damaged Beyond Repair”. This song starts out with atmospheric and dark keyboards to which an intricate percussion and bass line is added before the song kicks into high gear. Mid-song, Words of Farewell add to the atmospheric by briefly stopping their sonic attack for whispered vocals over a light piano.





Links:
Words of Farewell

Sinbreed - 'Shadows' CD Review (German Power Metal - AFM Records)

Sinbreed, a five-piece German power metal outfit, released its sophomore disc, Shadows, earlier this year on AFM Records. The phase ‘German power metal’ tells you almost everything you need to know – Sinbreed’s music is a mix of speed and power metal that is powered by two lead guitarists that alternate between NWOBHM soaring leads and shredding riffs, double-bass pounding speed metal drumming, gritty vocals and melodic, anthemic choruses. It should come as no surprise that Sinbreed includes Frederik Ehmke and Marcus Siepen from Blind Guardian along with vocalist Herbie Langhans, from the like-minded band Seventh Avenue.

The majority of the songs come pummeling out of the gate and the disc doesn’t stray far from its aggressive core. While a number of power metal bands seem to prefer vocalist with a high-pitched scream, Herbie Langhans is a growler (rather than a screamer) and his muscular, raspy vocals are comparable to Udo or Buce Dickinson at their lower ranges or current Accept vocalist Mark Tornillo.

Give a listen to “Bleed” (below) as this is a good indication of the sound of the rest of the disc. This isn’t to say that the disc sounds one dimensional as most of the songs clock in around the five minute mark which gives the band ample opportunity to vary the structures within each of the songs. The only deviation from this core sound is on “Broken Wings”, where the band uses an acoustic guitar intro and outro to bookend this seven minute number.



Links:
Sinbreed