Kenneth W's Reviews

The price tag on this album was $1.99, brand new. The cover looked like it was definitely some type of stoner music, but the sticker on it read: "Fans of Down, Audioslave, Corrosion Of Conformity and Soundgarden must hear 13". Confusing, to say the least, but I figured the price was worth giving it a shot. Good thing I did. Solace are, indeed, a stoner band. Very much a stoner rock band, but with a hefty dose of that Louisiana sludge heard in bands like Acid Bath, Eyehategod, and Crowbar.

13 kicks off with the two-in-one assault of "Loving Sickness/Burning Fuel," the majority of the song a Sabbath-like rocker with a riff that smells like a heavy version of Led Zeppelin's "Misty Mountain Hop," a couple of harmonica-laced breakdowns and soulful solos set the head a'bangin'! The last minute, or so, is a doomy nod toward Corrosion Of Conformity country. Other standouts include "Indolence," "King Alcohol," "Forever My Queen," and "Once Around The Sun (Deep Through Time)." The album continues to stomp along for a little over an hour, spitting out stoner rock anthem after epic sludge monster after stoner rock anthem. Some of the noisier, sludgier tunes, like "Rice Burner" and the hidden track, "Shit Kisser," don't really do it for me, but overall this is quite a find for $1.99. It comes highly recommended for fans of this kind of music.

Website: http://www.diedrunk.com
Review Date: 12/4/2007

I first heard Pillar via the used bin at a local record store. I bought their original indie Fireproof album (their major label debut was also called Fireproof). I was impressed. The band was nothing special by any means, but they did the rapcore thing well. I've since picked up all their subsequent albums and have enjoyed them all. Above, however, was an album that always eluded me. I could never find it in the music shops, and I constantly got outbid on eBay. Because of this I thought it was going to be a great album.

Wrong!

This album is rather boring, vapid and trite. I've never understood how any band could write an entire album -- every song -- on the same exact subject. Christian bands do it all the time; always writing about Jesus. The problem is that some bands aren't very poetic with their lyrics, and though Pillar later figured out how to properly write lyrics, they failed here on their debut: "He heals the sick / He saves the lost and died for you in case you forgot, man / He'll jump a building in a single bound / I once was lost, but now I'm found." Words about as lifeless as the man they're writing about. And, as you could probably tell from those lyrics, the flow is pretty bad on most of the songs. I have a feeling that this album came out very soon after this band began writing music. There are some good songs here, indications of things to come, but Above is largely forgettable.

I'm not even remotely religious so I always find it funny when I rock out to Christian music! But when it's good I can't deny it -- or is it Him? Ha! Either way, Above is far below average. Like I said, Pillar later became a very good band, but God should have intervened and kept this album from being released.

Website: http://www.pillarmusic.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/pillar
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Never judge a book by its cover, they say. Good advice. Upon first glance at Arrows by Norway's Stonegard, one might me tempted to believe this is some sort of stoner-doom band. Quite the contrary; aside from the stoner rock-like album cover and seemingly apt band name, Stonegard is much more an alternative metal band than anything else, but with more of an extreme approach. They are called a stoner rock band, but I really don't hear it. They do manage to pull in some contrasting styles to make something of a unique sound -- black/death metal riffs, melodic passages, old school 70's rock, traditional heavy metal, grunge, nu-metal, and even a little southern rock. But I think they're versed in a more alternative metal style. Unfortunately, however, while Stonegard has managed to create quite a solid and competent menagerie of sounds and offer a nice dose of originality, Arrows simply lacks truly memorable songs.

Arrows starts out with "Ghost Circles," a short instrumental, and then kicks off with the title track, a song that initially disguises itself as a melodic death metal track. However, the vocals and verse riffs betray that notion. This song is the prototypical Stonegard song. It's dynamic and interesting, but lacking of a truly solid hook, something that warrants repeat, on-the-spot listens. Some tracks like "Resistance" and "Goldbar" offer a more melodic distraction from the monotony, but again, they lack that endearing quality that would make this a great album. All is not lost, though; Arrows is most definitely not a bad album. In fact, it's quite good; but generally this is going to be a one-and-done album, something you'll enjoy occasionally, but not wish to play over and over again. Stonegard definitely has a unique formula to work with here; they simply need to focus on creating something a bit more alluring next time out.

Website: http://www.stonegard.org
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/stonegard
Review Date: 12/4/2007

The year 1999 spawned an album called Moontower, it came bearing the name Dan Swano -- the only album that ever will. This album was hailed as one of the first true progressive death metal albums for its flawless mix of 70's-influence prog rock and death metal. A true masterpiece indeed, but in 1994 an album by the name of The Autumn Years did virtually the very same thing. The band was called Furbowl.

Furbowl -- what's in a name? -- is an oddity. To find a category to place this band in is almost impossible. The band consistently denied that they were a death metal band, though conceded to the fact that they would inevitably be placed in that category. In general terms, this would be correct, but what is it that makes it so hard to truly categorize this band? Well, they're not one of anything, but more of many things. The label death-influenced progressive rock/metal I placed on this band sounds ridiculous I admit, but it's simply meant to give you insight into what this band sounds like. I said they were an oddity, and they truly were, but a good one, and a band worth checking out.

The band formed around 1990 under the name Devourment, but four short years later, after releasing The Autumn Years, the band lost their singer who went on the form a new band. They briefly changed their name to Wonderflow, but never released anything and quickly disbanded. The singer in question was Johan Axelsson (aka Johan Liiva), most notable for his work with Arch Enemy -- which was the band he helped form after leaving Furbowl -- (he's now currently singing for Hearse with fellow Furbowl alum Max Thornell on drums). In their short time Furbowl managed to release four demo tapes, an EP entitled Those Shredded Dreams -- which features a Michael Amott (Arch Enemy) solo on two songs -- and The Autumn Years.

I first heard this band in 1994 on a Carolina Records sampler CD -- which I still have -- called I Hear Ya - Winter Sampler 1994-1995, the song featured was "Weakend." The song began with a simple bass line and then kicked in with a burly "Oh yeah!" which was followed by a quiet, creepy verse and then a riff heavy pre-chorus and a catchy, galloping styled chorus. What caught me off guard was the middle of the song, here it switches to a soft, melancholic strumming punctuated by a killer, yet beautiful solo! I was hooked immediately and quite interested to hear how the rest of the album would sound. A band that could include these seemingly disparate styles and make them work together so well was intriguing to me, to say the least, as I'd only just begun to branch out and really try different genres of music outside of my few favorite bands.

Though I'd had it downloaded for ages, it took me a long while to find an actual copy of this CD, which I managed to find this past July. Like I said previously, when I'd first heard the song "Weakend" over ten years ago, I was intrigued. But from the opening moment of "Bury The Hatchet" -- with its heavy, bluesy feel, strengthened by Liiva's unique, quasi-death-like howl -- I was thoroughly hooked. The songs on the album are groovy, fast and heavy, and showcase some amazing lead work throughout; "Dead & Gone" features a frickin' violin solo! All of the songs generally mix progressive rock with death metal, but most, like "Dead & Gone," offer up some unique, unexpected elements, which keeps the album interesting; just slight twists in the program, even some dark, punk moments (gasp!). The album closes with the acoustic instrumental "Road Less Travelled," and the dark, brooding "Still Breathing." At this point you'd be hard-pressed not to hit the Repeat button.

Unfortunately Furbowl remain virtually unknown having been virtually unknown from their inception. This was a truly unique band at the time, the closest resemblance being Entombed with their trademark death 'n' roll style. That is still not an accurate comparison, nor is Dan Swano's Moontower, but they're both valid starting points if you're interested.

Website: http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=3439
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Lullacry are part of that overseas crop of female-fronted metal bands. They play a mixture of rock and metal: somewhat heavy, somewhat mellow, but mostly they're rooted somewhere in between.

They've been around for quite a while, releasing one full-length before this -- which is very hard to find -- and two since, along with an EP and a handful of singles. This particular album features their old singer, but not surprisingly she sounds almost identical to their latest singer at times. If you want a good idea of what this band sounds like, think Evanescence and Sinergy combined.

Lullacry play a very catchy -- sometimes too catchy, like something that is too sweet! -- rock/metal mix. Be My God is considered by many to be their best album, but I disagree, being more partial to Crucify My Heart or Vol. 4. I find the catchiness of those two albums to not be as present on Be My God. Either way, Be My God is a solid album; definitely worth a listen if you like female-fronted metal bands.

Website: http://www.lullacry.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/lullacry
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Static-X are one of the most original bands coming out of the nu-metal era. They came off like a White Zombie/Fear Factory hybrid with a nu-metal foundation; a striking contrast to the more standard nu-metal bands. Furthering that contrast was the powerful vocals -- and ridiculously high hairdo -- of vocalist Wayne Static. Originally simply called Static, they released two self-titled demos that lead them to a record deal. With a new name, their major label debut, Wisconsin Death Trip, was released in 1999 and quickly garnered them a large fan base. They've maintained that fan base, despite the decline of nu-metal's popularity, over the course of three albums, and this, Beneath...Between...Beyond, a collection of unreleased tracks, covers, remixes, and rare demos.

Like with most albums of this nature, it's a mixed bag. The album is split up in sections, which makes it a smoother listen. The first eight tracks are the meat and potatoes of this album; featuring unreleased studio tracks that span the bands career it gets the album off to a great start. Two remixes follow; both are forgettable, if not simply pointless. The cover tracks come next in the shape of the old Ministry classic "Burning Inside," this one featuring Burton C. Bell from Fear Factory. Then there's a cover of Black Sabbath's "Behind The Wall Of Sleep" (originally featured on the Nativity In Black II tribute album) and the oft-covered "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" by The Ramones. The album is rounded out with five demo tracks.

This album is worth it simply for the eleven unreleased studio tracks and the covers. The two remixes will do nothing for you, and the demos are cool, but offer little in replay value because the studio versions are far superior. Beneath...Between...Beyond (great title for this type of album) is a solid odds-n-ends collection, but not without a few unnecessary dingleberries.

Website: http://www.static-x.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/staticx
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Dark Moor began its emergence into the metal world in Madrid in 1993 as the brainchild of guitarists Enrik Garcia and Javier Rubio. Three years later the first recorded material surfaced on the demo Tales Of The Dark Moor. After two male singers left the band, and the eventual departure and replacement of founding member Javier Rubio the band would find themselves a female vocalist by the name of Elisa C. Martin who would contribute to two demos, two EPs and three full-length albums. Along the way the band shed its skin of many members including Elisa in 2003.

As of this review the only founding member left with the band is Enrik Garcia and they've once again employed the talents of a male singer in Alfred Romero. This new album, Beyond The Sea, is his second with the band after 2003's self-titled release. Once again we find the band playing a fairly typical form of European power metal -- their only flaw -- that incorporates mid- to high-range vocals (occasionally including some almost-death metal growls), big hooks, fast staccato riffs, solos, keyboards, double bass, all the usual suspects.

Dark Moor has always been a great power metal band and even with the loss of the excellent Elisa Martin on vocals they still continue to produce excellent material. Never skipping a beat. This new album will not disappoint fans of old, nor turn away newcomers interested in the band. If you like power metal, you'll like this album; you'll like all of their albums.

Website: http://www.dark-moor.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/theofficialdarkmoor
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Ben Harper is excellent. This is his seventh studio album since 1994, there have been a bunch of singles, two EPs and three live albums thrown in, as well. He's not as prolific as someone like Ani Difranco -- who had released about thirteen albums in her first twelve years, including one double live CD -- but he's still releasing albums at a good rate, and they've been very good. Like Ani Difranco, one of the things that makes Ben Harper so good is that each album is slightly different from the previous. Styles have varied between funk, soul, rock, reggae, and many other styles, all still retaining an element that is undeniably Ben Harper.

This album features two main albums, one is a softer, more acoustic album and the second is a bit heavier (relatively speaking, of course) and groovier. Both CDs are excellent and offer up a range of different styles within the main sound of the CDs. There is also a bonus disc here that includes six songs, four are alternate mixes and two are live. The day this was released it cost me $13.99 on sale, which is a great price for a 3CD set, and while the bonus disc has some really cool takes on some songs, I wouldn't suggest paying the normal price of like $23.99 just for the added bonus disc. Still, the main two CDs are well worth checking out (if you're not too metal, of course).

Website: http://www.benharper.net
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/benharper
Review Date: 12/4/2007

When the first song, "Brand New Morning," on Magnum's latest album of the same name kicks in I can't help but notice the similarity to Survivor's Rocky IV theme song "Burning Heart." I can sing the chorus to "Burning Heart" right over these riffs. Normally that would be a complete turn off, but when those riffs kick back in for the chorus I find myself a little less disappointed because they've recorded a damn catchy chorus over it! It's actually quite a good song, probably the best on the album, though it doesn't make me want to punch your face like "Burning Fight" does.

The band features the amazing Bob Catley on vocals (I suggest you guys check out his solo material). A new addition to the band is Harry James from the massively overlooked (at least here in the US) band, Thunder. The album follows a path paved by countless rock bands throughout the 70's and 80's: traditional rock 'n' roll, excellent vocals, keyboards, solos, big hooks, and a little cheese. After the album opener you get that 70's influence with "It's Time To Come Together" and "We All Run," the latter being the better track. They slow it down for "The Blue And The Grey," which could technically be classified as a ballad, but a little more up-tempo than your typical ballad. The next two tracks, "I'd Breathe For You" and "The Last Goodbye," are mid-paced rockers with some great hooks. The album closes with "Immigrant Song" (not the Led Zeppelin classic), "Hard Road" and "The Scarecrow," the latter being a relatively slow-moving 10-minute opus, but all three being good, solid tunes.

All in all, this album -- their 20th, by the way -- has some great moments. The songs are well constructed, the hooks are big and memorable, the musicianship is top-notch, and it all comes together sounding great, but somewhere it does fall short of being a truly great album. Maybe it's because of that cheese. Regardless, fans of 70's and 80's rock with leanings more toward that keyboard-driven 70's melodic rock style with slight prog elements should definitely give these guys a listen. Very good rock(y) 'n' roll.

Website: http://magnumonline.co.uk
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/magnumuk
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Believe it or not, Stone Sour has been around for fourteen years. Formed in 1992 the band took a break in 1997 while vocalist Corey Taylor and guitarist Jim Root began their journey with Slipknot. Toward the end of Stone Sour's demo days they had more in common with Slipknot than current day Stone Sour; they were darker, heavier, and more metal than the modern day heavy rock/metal version -- although many songs from those early demos have resurfaced on the debut self-titled full-length and this, the follow-up, Come What(ever) May.

When Slipknot dropped their Roadrunner debut it lit up the metal world. Sure, they had a gimmick with their ridiculous masks that were cool for a minute; beneath the masks, however, was a talented metal band (except for the idiotic clown that does nothing but look idiotic) and the album reflected this. Sadly, Slipknot must have traveled through Turdville USA on their first big tour, bought some real estate and settled down, because that's where they've been ever since. So when Stone Sour resurfaced in 2000 (under the name SuperEgo) and released their major label debut three years later I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. It wasn't original by any means, but it was a crushing slab of modern rock/metal. Come What(ever) May offers little in terms of evolution from that album, but it rocks no less.

The first two songs released from this album, "30/30-150" and "Reborn," didn't impress me much initially. I felt they lacked the catchiness present on the last album. Now that I've had time to get to know the songs, I've changed my mind. "30/30-150" and "Reborn" are both catchy and heavy, the two key ingredients present in the best of Stone Sour's heavier songs, and they're clearly two of the best the band has recorded. The opening triumvirate, consisting of "30/30-150," "Come What(ever) May" and "Hell & Consequences," kicks down the door in dramatic fashion: heavy grooves, melodic overtones and killer hooks. The next up is "Sillyworld," an acoustic/electric rocker that is overshadowed by its stupid name and lyrical line of "I can't take your silly world; I can't take your silly world no more." "Your God" and "Made Of Scars" (originally titled "Scars") are re-recorded from the 2000 SuperEgo demo, both are of the standard fare.

"Through Glass" is a very simple acoustic number that, again, I initially didn't like much, but when my CD player in my truck recently died I heard this song on the radio about every two minutes when I was driving, and instead of growing to despise it -- like the Chili Peppers' "Dani California" -- I eventually just couldn't get it out of my head; its simplicity won me over and I now find it to be an excellent, emotionally heavy track; a definite album highlight for me. "Socio" and "1st Person" are decent rock songs with some heavier moments, but generally just kind of putter along, offering little. If Stone Sour needed an epic track, "Cardiff" is the one. The song is a slow pressure-cooker of dark, brooding metal that builds and builds and explodes during the chorus; a masterful and moving track. The album closes with "Zzyxx Rd.," an emotive piano/acoustic piece that could have come from any number of rock albums from the Eighties; a mellow ending, but a damn good one.

The production of the album is generally very good, but the guitar tone on the heavier tracks sort of undermines the heaviness of the album; where the fierce metal grooves of "30/30-150" and "Reborn" should feel like being hit with repeated right hooks from a young Mike Tyson, it feels like being hit with a pillow swung by the 89lb and heinously anorexic (among other things) Nicole Richie, in comparison. There's not enough crunch, power; it's too soft and fluffy. Overall, however, it's not too much of a detriment; it simply leaves me wanting something a little heavier. Musically everything is tight and vocally Corey Taylor shows once again that while he may be unjustly mocked by many, his vocals are some of the best in the game (for this style of music); strong, powerful and emotional.

Come What(ever) May is a solid album from beginning to end with a few missteps and stumbles along the way. While Slipknot seems to be wallowing in its own self-indulgence, Corey Taylor and Jim Root, along with Josh Rand, Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga (recently replacing Joel Ekman after the unfortunate death of his son), have once again created the antithesis to Slipknot's continued disappointing output. Should the two be compared? Of course not, but one must question the point of one when the other is so much better.

* Some versions of this album include two bonus tracks, "Suffer" and "The Frozen," the former being a good, heavy number, but definitely a bonus track for a reason, while the latter is a poignant spoken word piece like the Taylor-penned "Omega" from the last album. I'm sure they'll be included on the inevitable Roadrunner reissue in six months to a year from now.

Website: http://www.stonesour.com
MySpace: http://myspace.com/stonesour
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Wicked Maraya are a band I'd never heard of until recently. The song "Another Day" was playing on one of those Music Choice channels that some cable providers offer these days and I really liked what I heard. So, I hopped on the eBay train and it lead me right to this CD, roundtrip fare: $4.99. They play a mid-paced form of dark, old school rock/metal with Lou Falco doing a superb job on vocals in the traditional hard rock vein with some upper-register wails and a few more guttural screams.

The best thing about this CD is the songs, though. They're extremely catchy and well crafted. There is nothing mind-blowing about this disc, the twin guitar leads are great, but not amazing, as is the overall musicianship of the band. As mentioned before, the vocals are done extremely well, but this is no Geoff Tate (though the singer does have a few resembling moments). So, that leaves you with the songs themselves; individually the band is nothing spectacular, but as a whole they've managed to put together a collection of killer metal tunes. If you like some of the heavier rock bands from the 80's that toyed on the edge of full-blown metal then you should definitely give Wicked Maraya a try, if you come across the CD. If this album were released today, it would have already earned a slot on my Best Of 2005 list!

After this album and a successful European tour, the band dropped the "Wicked" from their name and continued on for two more albums as simply Maraya. Unfortunately the music changed, the band traded in their long hair and all-around metal look for short-crops and a more fashionable mainstream style of dress. Luckily they didn't rap, but the style of music drastically changed into a more upbeat, radio-friendly alternative rock sound. This wouldn't be so bad if the songs were actually good. At best, they're mediocre. Cycles, though, is a great metal album that you should definitely check out; an overlooked treasure. They disbanded in 1999 and the singer is now in a cover band in Florida called Funkette...seriously (see link).

Website: http://www.funkette.com/wicked-maraya.html *

* You can download the entire album for free here.
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Dead Man In Reno sounds like it could be one of those typical Hollywood cinematic turdfests that fails trying to be Pulp Fiction and The Usual Suspects with that M. Night Shyamalan twist (see Smokin' Aces for enlightenment). But alas, Alabama-based Dead Man In Reno's self-titled major label debut is just a typical metalcore album with a bit of that so-called math-metal thrown in just to seemingly disrupt the flow of certain songs that were doing fine without the interruption. Not quite a turdfest, but at this point the metalcore genre is rife with bands so similar to each other that there's really nothing to hold on to with this album, it's a sheer drop to a point that's simply too close to the bottom of the barrel. Of course, good music is good music, even if it's totally unoriginal, and Dead Man In Reno do manage to knock out few great tunes; but, unfortunately, they aren't consistent enough. It took the band a mere ten days to record this album. At times, it sounds as if they may have written it in less.

Musically Dead Man In Reno are very tight, managing to create a very heavy sound and the occasional intriguing riff or passage; but for the most part it's just more of the same, nothing new. The vocalist comes off sounding less natural with his screams and more like he's got a vocal processor plugged directly into his throat; and the occasional death metal vocals are simply ridiculous. As one would assume, none of this adds to the album, but rather takes away from it in ways that will simply baffle the listener. Songs like "She's Tugging on My Heartstrings," "The Devil Made Him Do It" and "Cursed" have some great breakdowns, quiet passages and solos, even some piano, orchestration and clean singing that focuses on melody -- something lacking throughout most of the album -- but it's just not enough to propel this album beyond a middle-of-the-road rating. The band shines on "Cursed." They show potential for greatness on that song, and for brief moments elsewhere. But, sadly, for most of the album they're taking the path of least resistance, a path already tread by countless other bands. Dead Man In Reno float dead in the water. They show enough creativity and talent to stay afloat in a sea of sameness, but they'll need a good dose of creativity and reinvention in the future if they ever intend to make that evolutional transition to more solid ground.

Website: http://www.deadmaninreno.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/deadmaninreno
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Powerman 5000 is a guilty pleasure of mine. Being a local band to me I've been listening to them since their early albums when they played more of a funky, industrial space rock style. Tonight The Stars Revolt! saw the band with a beefier, more streamlined sound -- a sound that gave the band their greatest success to date -- but not too far removed from their early albums. A follow-up by the name of Anyone For Doomsday? was recorded but subsequently shelved right before its scheduled release. Promos were released and a single, "Bombshell," was sent to radio. Those that heard the "Bombshell" or Anyone For Doomsday? were hard-pressed to find a logical reason why it was shelved. It was the perfect follow-up to a highly successful album! With the announcement that the band hadn't broken up, that they hadn't been dropped from their label, and were recording an entirely new album without two longtime members, rumors and speculation was rampant.

Two years later the band returned with Transform, and upon reading that title and hearing the first single, "Free," it was pretty apparent what the band, or most likely, the label, had in mind: a transformation. That's as far as I got with the band back then. That single did nothing for me. It was more a simple punk style, rather than their earlier industrial rock sound. I was uninterested. Now, through Lala.com, I've picked up both Transform and this, their latest, Destroy What You Enjoy.

Both albums aren't as bad as I expected, but neither are that great. Surprisingly, though different, Transform doesn't completely abandon the old Powerman 5000 sound like I expected; and on songs like "Theme To A Fake Revolution" and "That's Entertainment" there's a bit of good nostalgia and disappointment at the same time. Both albums are definitely much simpler and straightforward with more of a punk rock influence, but sadly, those new elements that surfaced on Transform have all but taken over on Destroy What You Enjoy. The lead off single, "Wild World," is a perfect example: a simple, mediocre, juvenile pop-punk song, something you'd expect from Blink-182, not from a band that was once the industrial cousin to White Zombie. The formula is repeated throughout Destroy What You Enjoy -- an album title that, like Transform, seems to carry a more accurate message than most albums titles. It's worth the $1.75 I paid for it, but not much more than that.

Website: http://www.powerman5000.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/powerman5000
Review Date: 12/4/2007

I picked up this little gem through lala.com for $1.75 -- you can't beat that! Sonata Arctica, if you're unaware, is a Finish power metal act; one of the best out there. Back in 2004, before releasing Reckoning Night, the band released a two-track single and a four-track EP for the song, "Don't Say A Word." The EP features the brilliant title track and another great one from Reckoning Night, "Ain't Your Fairytale." The bread and butter of this EP, though, is the two exclusive tracks: "World In My Eyes" and "Two Minds, One Soul," both covers.

"World In My Eyes" was originally done by Depeche Mode. It would have been easy for them to cover "Personal Jesus" or "Enjoy The Silence," which are the two standard Depeche Mode covers; but Sonata Arctica chose a more obscure track from the classic Violator album. Sonata's version of "World In My Eyes" begins with a brutal scream from Tony Kakko and a heavy-as-hell riff -- both, sadly, do not make return appearances without being subdued by electronic effects; the song, then, settles into a slight industrial, electronic heavy jam that unfortunately stays decent and nothing more.

"Two Minds, One Soul," originally by the underrated Vanishing Point, from their Tangled In Dream album, is the better of the two covers. The song fits Sonata's style much better; thus, wouldn't be found out of place on any of their albums. It's a mid- to fast-paced tune with a great, catchy -- yet subtle -- chorus. It stays true to the original, so, if you've heard the Sonata version, you should well know that Vanishing Point is a band you need to check out (if you've not already).

Obviously the EP isn't readily available -- at least for us in the US -- so this one is more or less for the serious fans. If you can find it, however, definitely grab it; the two covers are worth it.

Website: http://www.sonataarctica.info
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/sonataarctica
Review Date: 12/4/2007

I stumbled upon this CD by complete chance. I was trading on lala.com and someone that was sending me another CD had this one up for trade, so I requested it. The cover looked cool and I took a chance. I'm glad I did. This is a pretty solid album, akin to prog-metal heavyweights Circus Maximus, though not as heavy on the progressive side.

Dreaming Awake kicks off with the first of three instrumentals, "Into The Afterlife." It's the only one that's not orchestral, relying on fast guitars and a heavy rhythm section that leads directly into "Eternity," which follows a stylistic pattern of fast and furious power metal. "Dreaming Awake" is up next, and it's easily the album's best track. A heavy mid-paced number with a ridiculously catchy chorus; this is the song that draws the most comparisons to Circus Maximus. If by this time you're enjoying the album, the rest shouldn't let you down. Dreaming Awake continues a similar path throughout the rest of the album; uptempo power metal numbers with a progressive edge -- "Fall Of Man" and "Maze Of The Past" -- and mid-paced anthems -- "Then Shadows Fall" and "Remember." The two orchestral instrumentals are largely forgettable, but they're short and really don't interrupt the flow of the album.

Recently I was sent a CD by a new Ulterium Records band called Darkwater. Four of the five members of Harmony make up the same number in Darkwater, all playing the same role in each band; the only member not making jump is the bass player. Darkwater is not too far off in terms of style; they're simply more progressive and heavier. And as of right now, Harmony is working on a new album. Either way, I highly recommend both bands.

Website: http://www.harmonymetal.net
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/harmonyfanpage
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Anthropia is a French progressive power metal band, the creation of a young man by the name of Hugues Lefebvre (Hugo, for short). The Ereyn Chronicles, Part I: The Journey Of Beginnings is, as one might assume, a fantasy-based concept album, the first of three installments. The story takes place in the fictional world of Ereyn, ruled by Queen Lunne. As with most fantastical concept albums, the land has fallen into chaos. The main character, Amryl, is on a mission to find the "all-knowing oracle" which will save his people. A disastrous shipwreck, however, sets him on a separate course; one that sees him searching for self-discovery, as he rose from that near-fatal shipwreck with amnesia. Amryl is a hero in the loosest sense; he's naive and not so much a warrior, the typical character trait for a story such as this. Of course, the story is secondary; what of the music?

Musically The Ereyn Chronicles is a very impressive album. Heavy progressive metal is the main course; but symphonic metal and classical are also on the table. The album starts with the typical atmospheric intro: orchestration, chanting, etc. "Question Of Honor" follows and immediately makes its presence known with heavy riffs, killer solos, keyboards, a great chorus, chanting, and the one thing that I feel plagues this album most: bum vocal notes.

I can't hold much against Hugo, he's done everything here but the drums; however, while his vocals sound excellent for the most part, he occasionally hits some notes in a higher-range that simply sound a bit off. I'd say the average music fan wouldn't pick up on it; but one attuned to this sort of thing may find their face crinkling up a bit when he hits those notes. Luckily, it's not a common thing throughout the album; and, aside from a few mediocre moments, Hugo consistently shows his skills and songwriting prowess on songs like "Lords Of A World," the semi-acoustic "Forgotten," "In The Maze Of A Nightmare," and the epic prog-rock heavy closer, "The Desert Of Jewels."

Anthropia, for me, was one of the biggest surprises of 2006. The Ereyn Chronicles, while not perfect, is a very good album that does much more than hint at great music to come when the inevitable parts two and three are released.

Website: http://www.anthropia.org
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/anthropiachronicles
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Of Infinity was conceptualized in 1999. Their roots were planted in Utah, but then they moved to Arkansas (big mistake, I could have told them that), then they moved to the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, then they moved back to Utah, and finally found themselves in Houston, Texas! Yeehaw! So, if you're asking yourselves why a band that's been around for 7 years can only manage to release one 3-song EP, this may answer your question. It also gives you a little insight on the dedication of this band being that all their cross-country roaming was based solely on finding the right band members to complete their vision of Of Infinity.

Nazareth (guitars) was previously in the black metal band Fallen Empire -- one of the few mention-worthy bands from Arkansas -- so you can assume the level of guitarmanship is top-notch. The music is much in the vein of The Gathering, Flowing Tears and Aegis-era Theatre Of Tragedy, but without the male vocals and a little less symphonic. Vocally, Alessandra is clearly on top of her game, her lush, strong soprano vocals captivate and her melodies are outstanding. The one drawback of this EP, besides its length, is its production; occasionally -- like in the beginning of "The Voice Without" -- it can seem a little noisy without any one instrument standing out. This usually doesn't last long, and it can easily be overlooked, but it is there nonetheless. The song itself is a mid- to fast-paced jam with everything from acoustics to piano and synthesizer to double-bass to a heavy galloping riff, punctuated by a strong, memorable chorus. "Shadow Of A Lie" follows with an acoustic intro interlaced with violin before kicking into a heavy groove, a little less in-your-face than the first track, but no less catchy; subtlety is the key here. On a completely pointless side note, the solo in "It's Only For Forever" -- a great, piano-based metal ballad with a killer chorus -- sounds a lot like the solo in Testament's "Return To Serenity" -- the greatest, most soulful metal solo of all time (don't argue with me).

In a genre overflowing with similar bands, Of Infinity aren't going to change your mind if you're not already a fan of this style. But if you are a fan, you can add a nice little EP to your collection. It likely won't trump your top album, but it should be knocking on the door. All in all, this is a great EP and worth the $5 it'll cost you to pick it up.

Website: http://www.ofinfinity.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/ofinfinity
Review Date: 12/4/2007

It's been a while since I was sent this CD to review and I'm happy to say that my initial reaction still stands; this album is brilliant! I'm usually not a fan of this style of music, but one cannot disregard superb songwriting even if it's a style normally not listened to. Slumber, a six-piece band from Stockholm, Sweden, plays a symphonic, atmospheric form of doom/death metal. The music is somber and dark with a lot of synthesizer and orchestral effects accompanied by a low, sickly, guttural growl. The music is simple, but the simplicity of this album is probably the most intriguing element to this band; they come off as much more of a technical band because they use their talents to such perfection, making it appear to be something it's not. Leonardo da Vinci once said, "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" and that statement alone sums up this release. Simple, yet sophisticated, mesmerizing.

Fallout is Slumber's debut album featuring six re-recorded songs from two previous demos -- the title track being the only new song -- but most of us weren't privileged enough to hear those demos so this is just a simple footnote. The only downside to this album is that it is a tad on the short side, but -- as I understand it -- the band felt that the new material they were writing wasn't at a stage that sounded complete, so I can't fault them for having good judgment. You won't hear me complain much, though, as there is absolutely no trace of filler anywhere to be found on this album. I'll take seven great songs over seven great songs and a few forgettable songs any day of the week.

To get a better understanding of what Slumber sound like, take one part early Anathema, one part early Katatonia, a little My Dying Bride and the symphonic elements of Tristania and Sirenia and you'll get a good idea of what this band sounds like. This album is truly a gem and worth checking out for fans of this style of music, but I'd also suggest it to fans of metal in general. Like I said, this is not a style of music I listen to often, but this CD just blew me away by its sheer, undying brilliance.

Website: http://www.slumber.se
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/slumberband
Review Date: 12/4/2007

I'm not a huge rap fan, though I do like some. I love the old shit like Run DMC, Eric B. & Rakim, the first two L.L. Cool J albums, etc., I also really dig on the early Nineties rap like House Of Pain, Cypress Hill and Funkdoobiest. Since then there have been very few rap groups that I have even remotely liked. I discovered Insane Clown Posse in high school and because I'm a clown -- no pun intended -- I found them to be hilarious, they lost it in the past few years when they got rid of their long-time producer, though. When the good beats are gone the retarded lyrics are no longer funny because the hooks and verses become weak. Anyway, then there is Kottonmouth Kings, formed out of the punk band Humble Gods, they mix acoustic music, reggae, rock, metal and punk with rap. It's a very unique mix that never sounds like rapcore, it always maintains that rap element as the predominant sound. Kottonmouth Kings have released a lot of music, each CD usually contains around twenty tracks, many times more than that and unlike many rap albums there aren't ten songs and ten stupid skits, these are mainly songs. Sometimes I feel like this is a good thing, and others not a good thing as some songs just aren't all that great, but they're not total crap so it's not so bad.

Apparently the members do nothing but record music (and, according to the lyrics, smoke a lot of weed) because not only have Kottonmouth Kings released nine albums since 1998 -- the tenth coming June 6th -- the individual members have also released some solo/side-project albums. This is Daddy X's second solo album. Like Kottonmouth Kings his solo material is a variation of styles mixed in with a lot of rap, although his lyrics are more introspective and political than those of Kottonmouth Kings who rap more about partying and smoking weed. There are twenty-one songs here and again it sometimes feels like too many. There are a ton of kick ass songs, but there are some slight snoozers that just feel a little thrown together. The lyrics suffer sometimes, too. Have you ever written lyrics to a rap song? You have to write a fucking ton of lyrics! This is no six-line verse, four-line chorus. You have to write like forty-line verses, three of them! It's ridiculous! Anyswayze, in order for rap lyrics to work they have to be well thought out and generally they are here, but sometimes they reek of laziness. Still, in the end this is another very good release from the Kottonmouth cam...err...kamp. Give it a chance, these dudes are white so it's not your typical mainstream rap.

Website: http://www.kottonmouthkings.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kottonmouthkings
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Puddle Of Mudd broke out into the mainstream with their third album, and first major label release, Come Clean, in 2001. With the help of Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit) and the "strength" of a sophomoric and juvenile lead single called "Control," followed by the equally ridiculous "She Hates Me" (both about as thought-provoking as Buckcherry's recent chart-topper "Crazy Bitch"). Puddle Of Mudd's third single, "Blurry," reached a well-deserved #1 spot on the US charts. "Blurry" is truly a great, great song. Unfortunately, Puddle Of Mudd has yet proven to be a band capable of recreating or reaching that level of greatness a second time, on any given song let alone an album. Famous marks their third major label effort, after a four year absence. In those four years, the mainstream music scene has changed; Puddle Of Mudd has not.

Famous offers up the same sort of stereotypical alternative rock found on previous releases. The catchy but pedestrian title track starts the disc and sets the tone perfectly for an album that is equal in characteristics. "Livin' On Borrowed Time" and "Merry-Go-Round" are very good mainstream rockers, while "It Was Faith," "We Don't Have To Look Back Now," and "Radiate" touch upon what made "Blurry" a hit song, though not quite coming close to that same level. "If I Could Love You" is a solid melodic rock tune, choice for a single; while lead single "Psycho" and "I'm So Sure" deliver lyrical genius on par with Come Clean's "Control." Wes Scantlin's vocals also still remain an obstacle, as his nasally whine can sometimes disrupt an otherwise good tune.

Famous will not likely draw new fans to the band, but it should please fans of previous albums. Puddle Of Mudd don't have the mainstream backing like they had before Fred Durst became the most hated rap-rocker in the world, but they do still have decent songs to help maintain their waning popularity. They simply lack great songs, save for one. Famous is a decent album, but fame is likely the last thing this album will generate for the band.

Website: http://www.puddleofmudd.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/puddleofmudd
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Never judge a book by its cover, people say. Not a bad suggestion, but generally one that no one adheres to. I've been seeing albums by Louisiana's Supagroup in stores for years now, and I've always figured them to be some weird indie rock band. When I was asked to review their upcoming album, Fire For Hire, I almost just declined the request without a second thought, but there was a link included in the e-mail to Supagroup's latest video "What's Your Problem Now?," so I checked it out. Whoa, now...this isn't indie rock! I thought. "What's Your Problem Now?" was a modern take on old school rock 'n' roll, akin to the almighty AC/DC. The next day I picked up their self-titled album from the used bin at a local music shop. Again, it wasn't indie rock, and I found myself very impressed. Since first checking out their video I've acquired three albums, including Fire For Hire, and each one is a solid slab of good time rock 'n' roll.

So-called "retro rock" has been on the mainstream platter in moderate amounts the past few years, with bands like Wolfmother, Priestess, and Airbourne making waves. Unlike their fellow "retro rock" brethren, Supagroup has been plugging away for over ten years now, releasing their debut album in 1996. It's easy for people to just write off "new" bands when they feel the bandwagon is getting a bit crowded, but Supagroup has put the time in, and if the three albums I own are any indication, Supagroup sits high upon the ladder.

Fire For Hire is introduced with the outstanding old school rocker "What's Your Problem Now?" With an opening declaration that they're here to "kick your ass," you can expect a good dose of the rock 'n' roll cliches and excess. Some will complain about this, but what's rock 'n' roll without a little indulgence -- or a lot? "Born In Exile" and "Lonely At The Bottom" step up to the plate next and hit back-to-back homeruns. "Sold Me Down The River" and "Jailbait" infuse some of their southern roots, most evident on "Jailbait," the Winger-esque ode to underage foolery. The album steamrolls along at a steady pace, revealing gem after gem. Among them: "Promised Land", a solid rock tune with a chorus that brings to mind a gospel choir; "Long Live Rock" states the obvious, but in undeniable fashion; and rock lessons are belted out in "Hey Kiddies."

Lead by the brothers Chris and Benji Lee -- the former doing his best Bon Scott imitation throughout much of the album -- Fire For Hire is twelve tracks deep in solid, old school rock 'n' roll fun. There is nothing outwardly original here, but good music remains such no matter how original it may or may not be. Not so different from Canada's Priestess and Australia's AC/DC clones Airbourne, Supagroup clearly knows how to craft quality rock songs in the spirit of good time rock 'n' roll. Fire For Hire doesn't disappoint.

Website: http://www.supagroup.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/supagroup
Review Date: 12/4/2007

The year was 1993, and I was in the infant stages of what was to become complete and utter music obsession. I was still holding on with dear life to 80's rock and bands like Slaughter and Def Leppard, and punk bands like Social Distortion and Black Flag. I was also pretty ignorant to the vastness of the music world, and too stubborn to truly open myself up to new musical styles and genres. It was then that I met someone who was an extreme metalhead, he introduced me to bands such as Sanctuary, Solitude Aeturnus, Heathen and Helstar, and he eventually introduced me to Cynic's Focus album. I absolutely hated it! I just could not grasp the concept of this album actually being considered music. It was just a bit too heavy for me at the time, and the sweet yet vicious and vitriolic vocals just tore at my bleeding ears. I loved the power metal bands he showed me, like Sanctuary, and the doom metal bands, like Solitude Aeturnus, but Cynic was just too big of a chasm for me to cross at that point in time.

Years later, as I was reluctantly nearing semi-maturity, and my obsession with music continued to grow -- eventually manifesting into a nagging, money-hungry wife -- I was listening to some really extreme bands, and one day I came across an article about this short-lived band named Cynic. Bah! I remember this band, they suck! I mumbled. But I did a little digging and found that their one and only album was considered to be one of the best death metal albums of all time, a highly regarded landmark release, considered a classic to a countless many. I hated one of the best metal albums of all time? I thought. Weird.

So curiosity got the best of me and I went out and found it at a used record shop, brought it home, cranked it and proceeded to declare this album one of the best death metal albums of all time! Focus blew me away, made my sweaty areas tingle with delight...because this time around I actually listened to it. And I simply blew it off a few years earlier, the same way I booed Queensryche off the stage when I saw them open for Def Leppard in 1989, only for them to become one of my all-time favorite bands after Empire came out a few years later. How pathetic.

Putting my self-loathing moment aside....

Many people refer to Cynic as death metal, which at the time this was originally released was generally correct, though a fairly big understatement at that. To me, death metal is played by bands like Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel, this is not what I hear when I listen to Cynic. By today's standards, they are more in the melodic death metal vein, yet at the same time they are completely different. They combined extreme technical playing with traditional metal, death metal, thrash, jazz, fusion, and classical (to name a few). Paul Masvidal's death metal growls intertwine flawlessly -- albeit in a very acidic manner -- with his signature haunting flanged vocals, and angelic clean vocals. Not many other metal bands have ever combined such contrasting styles and extreme technical wizardry, and pulled it off as flawlessly as Cynic did. They were in a class of their own in 1993, and thirteen years later they still exist there…alone.

This new re-issue comes remastered and includes six bonus tracks, new artwork and pictures, and liner notes by Ula Gehret (Metal Maniacs editor, ex-Century Media rep) and a message from Paul Masvidal. The remastered tracks aren't any different than on the original release, they've just been brought up to current audio standards. The six bonus tracks are a different story, they consist of three remixes of "Veil Of Maya," "I'm But A Wave To..." and "How Could I," and three tracks pulled from the 1994 demo released by the post-Cynic project, Portal. As much as I love this re-issue I have to question the logic behind remixing only three songs. These three songs are far superior to the original three. Why not remix and remaster all original eight songs? Why stop at three? Don't get me wrong, the original tracks sounded great in 1993, the mix was excellent for the time, but ten years have passed and the technological advancements with which they could have used to remix the five remaining tracks should have been utilized to a greater degree because there is a glaring, almost torturous difference between the three tracks they did remix and the original eight. Honestly, I think they should have remixed all or none, as the remixed tracks just leave you wanting more.

The three Portal tracks are excellent songs and I wish I had a copy of that demo. They are very different from the Cynic material. Gone is the death metal, gone is the "heavy," it is replaced by a prog-rock, experimental noisescape with clean male and female vocals. Portal is somewhat similar to Paul Masvidal's and Sean Reinert's current -- and excellent -- Æon Spoke project, having more in common with Pink Floyd, Dredg and Radiohead than anything metal. So I'm a bit confused as to why these are even on this CD. It's obviously done for the fans, but the difference between Portal and Cynic is quite significant. Cynic released four demos prior releasing Focus, most fans would probably have preferred a few pre-Focus demos over these three tracks; as would they have probably liked the long sought-after cover of Metallica's "Damage Inc.," I'm sure (of course, getting past the Wall of Lars would likely have proved impossible). Luckily, at least, the Portal tracks are very good. I think a re-issue of the whole Portal demo would have made more sense, but I'll quit beating the dead, rotten horse and walk away with what I can get.

Regardless of my personal gripes about the bonus tracks, the "focus" here should be on the original eight tracks. So I'll sum it up in one sentence: Cynic was a band that was at least ten years ahead of its time, a band that defied limitation, transcendental in creativity, an enchanting enigma to this day, and on the back of this CD there is a blurb where it reads: "'Focus' is an absolute classic!"

'Nuff said.

Website: http://www.cynicalsphere.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/cynicisbetterthanyou
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Italian power metallers return with their fifth full length album after 2003's excellent self-titled release. With that release we saw the band progress in style -- or digress, as some seem to think -- to more of a traditional power metal band, shedding much of the Euro speed metal sound of their earlier releases. This new release shows a band more dynamic and experimental than on its predecessor. Freeman is decidedly heavier, as well.

The band still has that old school Fates Warning sound, most notable in Roberto Tiranti's amazing vocals. The harmonies are outstanding. Musically they seem to have incorporated more instrumentation, or at least used it to a better, more noticeable degree. Most of the songs are in the mid-tempo range, but some like "Deserter" and "Dive In Open Waters" are clearly some of Labyrinth's heaviest songs to date, showcasing a more thrash sound than any we've heard from them before.

Fans of power metal would be well advised to check Labyrinth out. This new album is a great addition to their catalog, albeit a slightly different addition compared to earlier releases.

Website: http://www.labyrinthmusic.it
Review Date: 12/4/2007

One word: Wow! That's how I would describe From The Sun, The Pain, The Wind, The Soil, an album I recently picked up on a whim. Mahavatar is a New York based band that plays a progressive form of modern, alternative metal. The band incorporates crushing metal that ranges from down-tuned chuggers to old school thrash-influenced anthems, all the while incorporating quasi-death/hardcore and clean vocals along with quiet acoustic passages, Middle Eastern-influenced interludes, and killer solos.

One of the biggest surprises here is with the vocals. When I first heard the album I noted a male vocalist doing the heavy vocals, while a female vocalist did the clean vocals -- vocals that sounded like a stronger yet equally haunting version of Marianne Faithful. It wasn't until flipping through the booklet that I found myself questioning who the vocalists really were. Karla Williams -- which I assume is female, but I can't tell from the pics I've seen -- is the guitarist, but it doesn't list "vocals" next to her/his name. That distinction rested solely with Lizza Hasan. A quick search on the internet had me scooping up my jaw -- which had fallen onto my nuts. Lizza Hasan is female, and the only vocalist in Mahavatar! This isn't a case of a female vocalist doing heavy vocals but still sounding like a female doing heavy vocals, like Morgan Lander (Kittie), Karyn Crisis (Crisis) or Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy). Hasan truly has a hellacious, naturally guttural sound that doesn't sound like its emanating from a female throat -- an impressive feat.

From The Sun, The Pain, The Wind, The Soil is the band's second full-length or, rather, their first full-length, Go With The No!, re-released with a different name, a remastering, and two bonus tracks, "BH" and "The Prophecy." They've also released three demos. The first track, "Cult," is one hell of a tune! The song begins with a piercing metal riff leading into a dark, twisted verse -- "this is the message of my cult!" -- and chorus. The mid-section features some clean singing and a Middle Eastern-tinged solo that leads into a mellow, introspective outro. "By The Numbers" and "Raw" are both crushing anthems, the latter being a dynamic piece that incorporates acoustic and cleanly-sung interludes. "Open Your Mind" is a catchy, mid-paced sing-along, while "The Prophecy" is a slow, doom-laden monster with a breakneck thrash chorus! "Deep Cobble" and "The Time Has Come" are both dark, haunting masterpieces: slowly rising and falling, grim throughout.

Mahavatar is a band that caught me by surprise; first with their music, then with the dynamic vocals of Lizza Hasan -- even the intelligent, poetic and poignant lyrics caught me by surprise. Mahavatar is one killer band! Those not averse to modern metal, and want something quite unique within the genre, would do well to check out From The Sun, The Pain, The Wind, The Soil.

Website: http://www.mahavatar.net
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mahavatar
Review Date: 12/4/2007

The term "progressive" has become something of a misnomer in music over the last few decades. It once referred to a band that was constantly evolving, reinventing their sound, album to album, song to song. At some point, though, that term simply applied to bands that played in odd time signatures and mixed myriad musical influences into their songs and albums, not necessarily doing much in the form of progression. I'm not an elitist; I understand what the term once meant, and what it means today. I have no problems with it. So I found it odd when I was taken aback with Disillusion's first full-length since Back To Times Of Splendor. On Gloria, gone are the complex, brutal guitar melodies and drum work; gone are the gut-wrenching vocals and death metal exploitations. Instead it's all been replaced by simpler riffs and vocals more akin to industrial metal than the progressive death metal that was on Back To Times Of Splendor. Disillusion seems to have embraced the original meaning of "progressive," releasing an album that is seemingly the product of a different band.

"The Black Sea" starts Gloria off with some violin, not unknown to fans of their previous work. The smoke soon clears, though, and once Andy Schmidt starts to "sing" -- in a distorted, half-spoken word style, accompanied by female harmonies during the chorus -- you know something has changed. "Dread It" follows, and largely travels the same road; though it features an utterly distracting, herky-jerky guitar riff, and the gothic overtones during the chorus are boring. A truly oddball track is next: "Don't Go Any Further" begins with what seems to be some processed, off-the-cuff spoken words -- "Um...I saw you this morning, when you were ironing all the...all the...uh...you know...all the stuff that we need...". It makes no sense. And it's repeated again during the first verse, and the second verse if more spoken word nonsense. The chorus is simply the title shouted over a groovy riff. (In fact, the lyrics in the booklet are simply "don't go any further" written over and over again.) The song ends in a cacophony of disjointed noises. "Too Many Broken Cease Fires" and "The Hole We Are In" are the only two songs that seem to be a distant product of the band that released Back To Times Of Splendor. But even these songs are not without the new oddities the band has injected into the rest of the album.

This formula is essentially repeated over the course of eleven songs. Nearly every song features spoken word verses, utilizing some kind of vocal processing, samples, industrial-sounding (i.e. artificial) rhythms, simple, groovy guitar riffs, and an astounding lack of anything as memorable as found on Back To Times Of Splendor. However, with that said, Gloria is a decent and interesting album. It's just not very comparable to what this band has done in the past. But taken as a singular piece of art, it's a decent progressive industrial metal release. Gloria is simply a bit too short on character appeal.

Website: http://www.disillusion.de
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/timesofsplendor
Review Date: 12/4/2007

People are always saying rock music is coming back. Wishful thinking? The fact is rock music never went away; the media spotlight did. Part of what made the 80s rock scene so great was the way fans and mainstream media embraced the genre. It was larger than life. And it was a blast. Those days are gone now; it's simply now a microcosm of what it once was. But there are still bands out there kicking out that raw, in-your-face rock music. So while the overblown gusto may be gone, the music will always remain. Overloaded -- hailing from Detroit, the self-proclaimed "rock city" -- is one of those bands still laying down that old school rock. They claim to be a heavy metal band, but they're not. There are some metal influences, but overall Overloaded is a rock band.

They formed in 2004 and released Hail The Kingdom, their debut album, in 2005. Hail The Kingdom is an unabashed throwback to the glory days of rock, and it immediately proves just that with the bombastic, guitar-driven, sexually-charged, hook-laden opening track, "Beaver Fever." Vocalist Chris Gillen sounds like a cross between Sammy Hagar and Todd Lewis (Toadies, The Burden Brothers) -- strong, dirty and powerful. "War Of The Worlds," "Where Are You Running To?" and "Feeling Overloaded" follow the same stylistic path, the latter being something of a local hit, and a song that garnered the band a lot of attention from rock fans and big name sponsors. With Hail The Kingdom being only seven songs deep, a dud or two is fairly noticeable. "King Of The Landfill" and "Cyclone" are two duds; they simply offer nothing in the manner of hooks, nothing for the listener to sink his teeth into. The album closes with "Sick," a mellow, bass-heavy number with a mild hook that would have been better served in the middle of the album, leaving a stronger, heavier track to close things out. So while not without flaws, Hail To The Kingdom is most definitely a solid release.

A few months after this release, Overloaded released Hellfire, a follow-up 5-song EP. The EP quickly went out of print, so in 2006 the band released a self-titled album featuring Hail To The Kingdom and the Hellfire EP, minus the tracks "Sick" and a cover of "Crazy Horses" (originally from the Hellfire EP). You can still order Hail To The Kingdom and Overloaded. A new album entitled Regeneration is due sometime this year.

Website: http://www.overloadedmusic.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/overloaded
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Few record labels impress me more than Limb Music. Label owner R. Limb Schnoor -- manager of Keeper Of The Seven Keys-era Helloween -- takes it a step further than most labels and gives the fans something more than just the music to chew on. The artwork and packaging for virtually all of Limb's releases is excellent, generally fantasy-based, but always of the very highest standard. Their albums often have an extensive booklet (in this case 22-pages thick) that includes more great artwork, band photos, lyrics and they always include The Story So Far..., a history of the band that gives fans a little insight into who they're listening to. In many instances there are also liner notes about each individual song, words from the band explaining what the songs are about, how and when they were written, or any number of other little insights that you'd otherwise never know. And this is just on the regular releases. The limited edition releases have bonus tracks, bonus CDs with complete live shows or more bonus tracks (demos, live tracks, alternate takes, etc.), or bonus DVDs with studio footage, live shows, backstage nonsense, life on the road documentary-like pieces, and even posters, stickers and little things that would seem insignificant alone, but together makes one hell of a package! Limb Music delivers the goods in ways that virtually all other labels wouldn't dare to do. Heavenseeker, the follow-up to 2003's Legends From Now And Nevermore, by Germany's Galloglass, is no exception.

Artwork and packaging, of course, means very little when it comes to the music. Galloglass had the difficult task of following up a debut that, while not without flaws, was a very solid slab of power metal. They, however, were up to the task. Legends From Now And Nevermore lacked a little bit of identity. While it was executed well, and the songs were great, the album kind of flashed before you without leaving a distinct impression simply because it wasn't so different from many other bands out there, bands that we've known for a lot longer. This time around the band takes a step beyond the shadows of their power metal brethren. They've not completely carved out their own little niche in the genre, but they're seemingly on their way to doing so.

The first thing I noticed about Heavenseeker is the added dynamics to a lot of the songs. "Burden Of Grief" starts things in typical German power metal fashion, great song, great hook, but nothing out of the norm. The next track, "After Forever," is where the band sheds their old skin; the violin intro accompanied by thrashy riffs opens the door a crack, but the aggressive vocals -- a few stops short of death metal in spots -- kick it wide open. This newfound aggressiveness is repeated on other tracks, sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn't work so well. "After Forever" is a song that I feel it doesn't work so well as it sort of detracts from overall quality of the song, which is otherwise excellent if not lacking slightly in the hook department. "Behind The Mirror," on the other hand, uses the death-like vocals to add depth to the verse, accentuating the clean vocals, a negative to the positive, all leading up to an awesome chorus that reminds of prog-metal and is surrounded by an old school nod to 80's thrash metal. "Perished In Flames" is a heavy and catchy power metal anthem, while "Dawn Of A New Age" is a bit lighter in sound, showcasing a chorus that could have been written by the newly renamed Rhapsody Of Fire.

"Banished From Eternity," for me, is the highlight of the album; violins flow through the beginning until the verse kicks in, mid-paced with some slight death metal-ish vocals in the distant background and leading into a thrashy chant-filled pre-chorus that opens into a stunning chorus highlighted by harmonized female vocals. I could do without the short mid-section rant before the solo (you'll have to hear it), but otherwise the song is just awesome. "At The Shadowcross" and "To Kneel Is To Suffer" are both catchy, mid- to fast-paced melodic power metal anthems while "Heavenseeker" and "Signs" go for the throat with more power metal meets thrash metal with hook-laden choruses and excellent solo work, the former being the heavier of the two. "Kings Who Die" is something like a campfire ballad you'd hear from Blind Guardian, it picks up towards the middle, but is never very heavy; a great song in its own right and a low-key, somber end to fairly frenetically-paced album.

The limited edition of this album (limited to 4,000 worldwide) includes a 22-page booklet that features lyrics, song-by-song descriptions from the band, and the typical The Story So Far... band history. The regular disc features two bonus tracks, "Golden Years" and "Fragments." Both songs could very well have been included on the main album, these are not total leftovers tracks. "Golden Years" is more of a heavy rocker than it is a power metal song, the chorus is a little subdued and less bombastic, but still very memorable. "Fragments" is another heavy thrasher with double-bass, a heavy riff-laden verse, more aggressive (not death) vocals and a decidedly less catchy chorus, but still a good song, just not quite up to the standard of some other tracks, the weaker of the two bonus tracks.

A bonus DVD is also included in the limited edition version and features over 100 minutes of footage. The DVD includes The Making Of Heavenseeker, a documentary that is over 30 minutes long, one that I found to be very interesting, but the band speaks in German, so I was essentially just watching it and only listening when it showed the band playing. Subtitles would have made this section far more enjoyable, but beggars can't be choosers, or, apparently, German. There is also a slideshow of photos from the studio and from the photo shoots, plus a 10-minute moving video montage of those photography sessions. Again everything is in German, but it's interesting to see more of the photo locations, and there are a few random comedic bits like the woman who obliviously walks between the photographer and band. The best part -- worth the price alone -- is the live portion of the DVD. The footage was taken from a show in Wilhelmshaven, Germany in 2004. It's a multi-camera/angle video recording, the sound quality is excellent and professionally done and the band sounds excellent. This could have been a strictly DVD-only release. It's that good. It features ten tracks and an intro and outro; they play seven songs from Legends From Now And Nevermore and three from Heavenseeker -- which hadn't been released at the time of the recording.

Galloglass have released a great album with Heavenseeker. The album moves swiftly along for almost the entire album, but it does hit a few speed bumps along the way that slow it down slightly, but overall the band is on the right track with an improvement over their debut full-length. Since the release of this album last October, bassist Dirk Zelmer was replaced by ex-Taraxacum bassist Shaker Elmosa, and Carsten Frank, while he was a very good vocalist in his own right, was replaced by current Threshold vocalist Andrew McDermott, a very high quality upgrade that can only aid the band on future releases. Both Legends From Now And Nevermore and Heavenseeker would be great additions to any power metal fan's collection.

Website: http://www.galloglass.de
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/galloglass
Review Date: 12/4/2007

This year marks the ten year Kottonmouth Kings anniversary; and Hidden Stash III is the second KMK release this year after Koast II Koast, which was released in June. It's been five years and six albums since Hidden Stash II. As one could imagine, with that many albums recorded, the outtakes, remixes and unreleased material can pile up inside the vaults; thus, Hidden Stash III comes equipped with thirty-six songs over two CDs, and a bonus DVD with twenty-three videos. Saint Dog, Judge D, Big B, and other Suburban Noize Records -- KMKs self-owned label -- stable mates also make appearances throughout the two CDs and DVD. And, as with most albums of this type, you can't expect brilliance on every track; however, there are most definitely some brilliant songs here.

The disc one opener, "Gone Git High," is typical of the KMK style: pro-marijuana prose laced over a bass-heavy beat, great verse flows, and a boisterous sing-along chorus. "The Underground" has Daddy X sounding like Eazy E, even borrowing from E's verse flow from the NWA classic, "Boyz-N-The Hood;" a great chorus is provided by Big B. "That's How It Goes" is an unreleased Kingspade -- KMK members' side-project -- track, and showcases another side to KMK and their side-bands/projects: melody. The track is rife with piano, some orchestration, positive lyrics about life, and a melodic chorus that is so good it literally gives me goose bumps. Other standouts include "Still Smokin'," "Police Story," "One Life," and "Hit That" -- which, not surprisingly, is about alcohol and weed, not women.

Disc two is similar to the first disc, though it fares a bit worse due to some too-similar-to-the-original remixes (except the remix of "The Lottery") and just a few more weaker tracks than on disc one. The aptly titled "Hidden Stash" kicks off this disc, and it's a good tune, but a little weak for an opening track. The following track, "Keep A Lookout," would have been a better, catchier opener. "Remember Me" incorporates some reggae into the mix, while "Losin' Streak" has an electronic/industrial feel; very good tunes. "Flyin' High," "Lady Killer," "Last Daze," and "Rip N Tear" are also great tunes.

Fans of traditional mainstream hip hop would probably hate Kottonmouth Kings. The lyrics are generally very positive and intelligent, even when the songs about woman, and some about smoking weed, often seem to contradict that notion; but overall KMK are a very positive and talented band, and there's no denying a good song regardless of what the lyrics are about. And, while this album isn't without some mediocre material, it's a gold mine for fans of the band.

Website: http://www.kottonmouthkings.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kottonmouthkings
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Perris Records is one of the few labels out there that still focuses on releasing old school 80s rock. Many consider the genre to be dead and gone. Of course, those who love this style -- myself, whose music obsession began with 80s rock, included -- know better. Rock music -- glam, 80s rock, hard rock, melodic rock, AOR, etc. -- is, however, quite alive and well. Perris Records released the first Hollywood Hairspray compilation back in 1992, exposing fans to new bands from all over the world playing an older style, and reacquainting them with some old favorites like Pretty Boy Floyd and Jetboy. In 2006, Perris released this, the fifth installment of the series (and also the sixth volume later in the year).

Volume five starts with "Instinct Animal," an outstanding and extremely catchy track from Chris Laney (Zan Clan, Animal). The song is like a cross between Trash-era Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. If only this song set the precedent on this album. Unfortunately, like with most compilation albums, what we get is a fairly broad range of songs, in terms of quality. A band called Hollywood is up next with a song called "Hearts On Fire," a pretty good glam rock tune; but the song lacks balls -- which is pretty much glam rock in a nutshell (no pun intended) -- and, while catchy, is fairly unmemorable. Some other standouts include the power ballad/melodic rocker "Hold On To Your Dreams Tonight" by Gunshy, "Dancin' On My Grave" by Sweet Cheater, and a gritty, hard rock number by Dirty Rig (featuring Kory Clarke of Warrior Soul) called "Suck It." And though the album isn't complete crap, there are some turds floating around the bowl; both "Forever Damned" by The Deadthings and "Merry Go Round" by Jack Viper deserve a good flush. The rest of the songs make for a decent listen, but overall, there's nothing mind-blowing to sink your teeth into. Hollywood Hairspray isn't essential listening, but it's also not without its charm.

On a somewhat useless note, the artwork for volume five and six includes a scantily-clad Jen Hilton, something of a new 80s rock poster girl, who has also recently been seen on all three Trixie albums and the latest Bang Tango offering.

Website: http://www.perrisrecords.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/perrisrecords
Review Date: 12/4/2007

The Gathering -- if you didn't already know -- began their career as a gothic death band, then on their first full-length releases they progressed to a more doom-death style. Musically they were a slow, plodding doom metal band with a slight progressive lean similar to early Amorphis. The vocals were the typical death growls common to the genre until their second full-length. They released two demo EPs, An Imaginary Symphony and Moonlight Archer, that were more of a gothic death sound, heavier, faster and more aggressive. Then came the two full-length albums, Always... and Almost A Dance, under the prototypical doom-death style -- one album with death vocals, the other with clean, more doom-like vocals -- before seemingly reinventing themselves on their 1995 breakthrough album, Mandylion.

Musically not a whole lot changed, but with the removal of the male vocals (guttural and clean), and the addition of the godly female vocals of Anneke van Giersbergen, they sounded like a completely different band. Surely fans of the previous releases were dumbfounded, but it was hard to deny the sheer brilliance and beauty of Mandylion. Nighttime Birds followed with much of the same success. Then came yet another twist in the tale of The Gathering, that twist was the two-disc How The Measure A Planet?, an atmospheric rock masterpiece filled with ambience, keyboards, slow-moving guitar rhythms and a myriad of sounds far removed from the band's previous work and musically more in line with the legendary Pink Floyd; on this album Anneke's vocals were in full bloom, unlike previous albums where her voice worked within the music, on this album the music works within and throughout her majestic melodies. Then came If_Then_Else and again the band evolved, taking the qualities of How To Measure A Planet? and adding some heavier guitars and more driving rock sound. It's all relative, though, as it was still a far cry from Mandylion and Nighttime Birds. Skipping the experimental Black Light District EP, Souvenirs was next in line and was a close companion to If_Then_Else. Those hoping that these two heavier, more rock-oriented albums would lead them back to that Mandylion sound will have to continue waiting.

It seems that this band works in pairs: two gothic death demos, two doom-death albums, two gothic doom albums, the two-disc progressive rock opus, and then two atmospheric rock albums.

Welcome Home.

Once again The Gathering has taken their craft, dismantled it and put it back together using a different instructions manual. But like their previous albums, Home may sound a little different, at the end of the day they've not traveled too far. Sure, comparing this album to Always... would be like comparing Michael Jackson's face today to his face in the Seventies, but in the progression of the band this is just a slight nose job, noticeably different, but still a similar face. "Shortest Day" and "In Between" start the album and act as the bridge from Souvenirs with their more rock-oriented sound similar to that album. It isn't until after these two openers that you notice that slight change on the face of the band. The music box intro of "Alone" is shattered by a throbbing, almost-industrial/electronica-like circus beat accompanied by audio shifts and shapes first heard on the epic title track from the Black Light District EP, noisy and distorted on the surface, but with a lurking beauty beneath; truly one of the strangest, yet most amazing songs the band has written. "Waking Hour" and "Forgotten" are both soaring piano-based jewels that act as platforms for Anneke's stunning vocals, to not be moved by her voice is virtually impossible. "Fatigue" is a short atmospheric instrumental that leads into "A Noise Severe," a slight piano piece accompanied by slow, distorted guitars and quiet interludes.

"Solace" then walks through the door, all weird and misshapen and speaking a strange language, but somehow glowing with an eyebrow-raising intrigue. The song begins with Anneke speaking in a non-English tongue, and then enters a pounding, distorted drum beat and a vocal melody that simply shouldn't fit over such an odd rhythm. Guitars are present in the background, but go unnoticed over the drum beat and the vocals, which carry the song and make it a standout track that defies its own oddball nature. "Your Troubles Are Over" again focuses on that driving drum beat layered with those amazing vocal melodies, while "Box" and the acoustic-based "The Quiet One" follow a more mellow, lilting road. The album closes with "Home" and "Forgotten (Reprise)," the former being a slow, meandering piece that again revolves around the melodies of Anneke's vocals, the true album closer and a great one at that. The latter track, "Forgotten (Reprise)," adds a little ambient atmosphere where the piano was on the regular track earlier on the CD, a mellow, entrancing counterpoint.

The Gathering have never followed any rules, in fact they seem to make them up as they move steadily along this path they're constantly reshaping. Home is just another turn in the road for this band. Does it work every time? Damn near. The problem with this album is that after the first two tracks it's a fairly mellow affair. "Alone" and "Solace" add a nice dynamic to break up the monotony, but overall even at the album's heaviest point it's still a low-key collection of songs. The songs are great, but the album is the sort of album that will be enjoyed thoroughly in the right mood. Unfortunately that mood will likely not be as often as you'd hope. Certain tracks will hit home every time, but others will find themselves being skipped over far more often. Again, the songs are very good, something we've come to expect from this band, but I don't feel like they're the kind of songs that will standout each and every time you play the album. Home is a very solid release in a steady stream of other good to great to amazing releases, but it's definitely not their best album to date.

If this is home, I can live with that, because it's a nice place to be for a short period of time, and The Gathering will likely move again soon so I'm not too worried about the scenery getting old. Things are good for now.

Website: http://www.gathering.nl
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/gatheringofficial
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Metalcore annoys me. With so many amazing metal bands out there, and an equal number of killer hardcore bands, it baffles me that when putting the two together it more often than not produces mediocre results. Too often a metalcore band starts off more like a traditional hardcore band, then over the course of just a few albums they progress more toward the metal end of the spectrum. The problem with this is it doesn't sound like a natural evolution. It seems too forced, like the band members took courses at Metalcore University, but didn't study hard enough. The course schedule looking somewhat like this prior to them dropping out:

Semester 1: Hardcore For Dummies
Semester 2: Metal Riffs and Scales: The Basics
Semester 3: Metal Riffs and Scales: The Basics
Semester 4: Metal Riffs and Scales: The Basics
Semester 5: Metalcore: The Theory of Cookie-Cutter Songwriting

Extracurricular: St. Anger: The Greatest Metal Album of All-Time
Extracurricular: Solos Are Gay
Extracurricular: Breakdowns? Fuck yes! Every song!
Extracurricular: Solos Are Gay II

Unearth have pretty much followed this same pattern over the course of two EPs and two full-lengths prior to this, their third full-length, III: In The Eyes Of Fire. This, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing. I'll always maintain that a good song is a good song regardless of the ingredients or the manner in which it was written. So, while offering nothing special in terms of metalcore, Unearth haven't completely come up short. To their credit, one thing that Unearth avoids is the standard screaming verse, cleanly-sung chorus, which, given the success of their last album, The Oncoming Storm, would have been an easy cash-grab maneuver. In fact, there are no cleanly-sung vocals to be found on this album.

III: In The Eyes Of Fire starts off strong with "The Glorious Nightmare," a standard metalcore tune, but a great one. "Giles," the lead-off single, is another great tune: aggressive, heavy, and dynamic. "Sanctity Of Brothers" is another killer track -- my favorite on the album. The first twenty-five seconds of "This Time Was Mine" is pure speed/power metal, however it quickly dives back down into the muck of metalcore cliche, but remains a great song. At this point, with four of the first six songs being excellent showcases of metalcore prowess, you've heard it all. This is where the album begins its steady decline. "So It Goes" begins with more power metal-like riffing, which is excellent, but it quickly hits a brick wall; it does, for those curious, feature the album's only solo -- which, surprisingly, is nearly a minute long and very good. "Impostors Kingdom" and "Bled Dry" are both jumbled messes, with only brief flashes of greatness. The rest of the tracks, minus the very cool instrumental track "Big Bear And The Hour Of Chaos," are simply middle-of-the-road metalcore tracks, neither great nor terrible; they're just there.

The problem with the album is not that there are really any bad songs, but simply that taken as a whole the album lacks dynamics. It becomes tedious. After a point the songs just bleed into each without much separating one from the other. The choruses, for the most part, severely lack hooks. This takes away from each song having its own identity; the songs become faceless in a faceless crowd. Everything sounds great, everything is played well for what it is, but III: In The Eyes Of Fire is like Candy Corn: the first few bites are great, the next couple are OK, any more than that is simply just too much; try again next year.

Website: http://www.unearth.tv
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/unearth
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Recently I picked up a CD by a band called Isengard. The album cover featured a massive stone structure with some people standing in front of its portcullis. The back of the CD showed a fierce-looking dragon, all scales, boney spikes and jagged teeth. The album was in the bargain bin for $2 and I picked it up thinking I was going to hear some obscure metal band paying homage to all things Tolkein. What I heard was some horrendous bluesy rock band playing some of the worst songs I've ever heard in my entire life. What kind of trickery is this? You're supposed to be a power metal band! I thought. Arwen, on the other hand, don't fuck with the formula! They keep it real! This is what you would expect: power metal at its symphonic finest.

Arwen are clearly more interested in making great music than they are with royalty payments. With eight band members and no Slipknot-like gimmick I doubt they're riding the money-wagon to the bank. What we essentially have is a great power metal band with male and female vocalists, both of whom sing and opt not to include the standard guttural male vocals. Accompanying them we have a double-dose of guitar and killer lead work, two keyboardists adding that big symphonic sound similar to Rhapsody, and a solid foundation of bass and drums.

The album features thirteen songs (one being an intro) ranging from the typical fast-paced power metal on songs like "Illusions" and "Fantasy and Reality" to a mid-paced almost rock sound on "By My Own Sight" to the slow power ballad touches of "Lullaby." Oftentimes I'm reminded of Helloween while listening to this CD, if they only had a male and female singer. The choruses are big and catchy with that group vocal approach we hear on a lot of these types of albums. The songs average five minutes long and never get tiresome. The structuring is the rather typical verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-chorus-chorus stuff, but in the end the songs are strong enough to not even give that a second thought. And again, does that even matter? The song is what's important, right? And there are good, quality songs aplenty here! And though the band is named after a character in the Lord Of The Rings novel, they aren't a band -- as far as I can tell -- who write solely on the topic of Middle-Earth, like Finland's Battlelore. And that eliminates the cheese factor, which is fortunate, for the band features two members named "Nacho."

Website: http://www.arwenmetal.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/arwenmetal
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Limb Music has always been a label that I've had confidence in, out of the twenty-or-so albums I have from their catalog there isn't a single one that I dislike. And now, once again, from the hallowed halls of Limb Music Products (LMP) comes another excellent metal band by the name of Casus Belli. As always with LMP releases, the booklet includes The Story So Far..., a brief history lesson on the band; according to this the band was formed in Greece in 1997 after singer Panos Dedes was a "hairs breadth" away from securing the vacant vocalist position in Judas Priest -- which, of course, was ultimately given to Tim Owens. Clearly Owens was the better fit, but there is one song on this album that does show a side of Dedes's vocals that does have a very big Halford quality to it; so while he doesn't sound like Halford all the time, I think he could have done a very good job in the band. History lesson aside, Judas Priest got Owens and the metal world got another great metal band in Casus Belli.

They play a form of true heavy metal with a little power metal mixed in, think Brainstorm and Eternal Reign. In The Name Of Rose is their second full-length album following a debut in 2001 (Mirror Out Of Time) and a self-financed/released demo EP in 2004 (Holy Gates). The band makes their intentions known within the first thirty seconds of "I Am Your Master," fast and heavy riffing, breakneck solos, Steve Harris-like bass lines, double bass and some snarling vocals that are generally like a mix of Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) meets Udo Dirkschneider (Accept) meets Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (Overkill). "Vengeance Is My Law" follows and shows the band implementing the same formula as the previous track, but incorporating a bigger, catchier hook in the chorus. After the metal onslaught of the first two tracks, the mid-paced "Holy Gates (In The Name Of Rose)" proves the band is not all speed and power, but can slow it down yet still be just as effective. Another very solid track. "Diamond Crown" takes it cue from the first two tracks while "Edge Of A Knife" is a heavy power ballad with some cool keyboard work, a good song, but the faster, heavier tracks are superior, the bread and butter of the album.

While the remaining tracks, save for the final song, stay the path of the fast and heavy, it is worth mentioning -- for those curious about the Judas Priest connection -- that "Isolation" features a chorus that shows where Dedes is capable of pulling off that Halford sneer; it's not his predominant style on the album, but it shows a bit more of what he is capable of. The album comes to a quiet close with "Whispering," a simple acoustic-based instrumental with a soulful, melancholic solo layered on top that I think would have been better served in the middle of the album, letting the album end on a heavier note. Either way, it matters little as the production (courtesy of Mystic Prophecy's R.D. Liapakis) is heavy, raw, and perfectly suited for the music, bolstering the previous ten songs where the gritty production shines. All making for a damn good listen.

In a genre that is overflowing with great bands, let alone the countless that are not so, Casus Belli are not going to turn heads in the originality department. But those that are more concerned with great music (you should be) will be very pleased with In The Name Of Rose.

Website: http://www.casusbelli-band.com
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Ramallah is a band that I knew nothing of until recently. I picked this CD up after hearing this eerie, socio-political metal/hardcore hybrid song called "Days Of Revenge" on a Music Choice TV channel. As it turns out Ramallah is a one-man side-project by Rob Lind (aka "White Trash Rob"), guitarist/vocalist of Boston's now defunct Blood For Blood -- one of my favorite hardcore bands (so much for me being a music expert...hmph!) -- and Saints & Sinners. Kill A Celebrity is Ramallah's first full-length album following a 6-song EP called But A Whimper that was released in 2002. So let me put this right out in the open: make no mistake, this is a hardcore album, but it isn't your every day hardcore album. There's something unique here.

What first grabbed my attention on the song "Days Of Revenge" is the use of keyboards and piano. I can't recall another hardcore band that has used these instruments to such perfection. "Days Of Revenge" isn't the only song where this is present, either. Throughout the album the keyboards and piano add some real dark elements to the music, creating an atmosphere not found on most in-your-face-type hardcore albums, sometimes even reminiscent of the Halloween movie theme music. The foundation of the music is of the old school, brutal hardcore nature. The lyrical content does not cover the usual hardcore bravado: I'll-kick-your-ass-because-I'm-hardcore-and-[insert vegan, straightedge, Amish, et al., here], etc….The words here are a verbal onslaught directed at pop-culture and the political and social depravity of the world. Lind says it best, "We live in terrible times. People should be terrified and horrified and disgusted at what's going on in this world and in their name every single day. Ramallah is here to shove it all right down their throats." And he does just that. After the opening intro track, "The Other Side", creates an atmosphere of impending doom, Lind breaks the silence with a vocal-only roar at the beginning of the next track, "Kill A Celebrity," and he leaves nothing open to question: "I'd love to detonate a car bomb / At the doors of your precious MTV / And put some sarin gas in the central A.C." This isn't your everyday Hatebreed.

Musically, like I said, this is a hardcore album with a lot of power chord "chugga-chugging," staccato and stop/start riffs aplenty, some punk-like moments and some "galloping" nods to the more metal side of the spectrum, but Ramalla never sound like part of the current Cash Cow that is metalcore. Unfortunately, there are some songs like "Brother Malcolm" that just don't work too well, they lack the emotion and catch-quality that most of the songs on Kill A Celebrity have. A few others like "If I Die Today" and "Heart Full Of Love" are simply by-the-numbers hardcore tracks and sort of take away from the flow of the album, but they're definitely good by hardcore standards. This is a bit tragic, though, as there are 16 tracks that could have easily been cut down to 12 or 13 and you'd have one killer album.

Hardcore music in general has always been a genre that seems to be boxed in -- much like punk music -- where most bands never seem to stray far from the beaten path. Occasionally a band comes along and tries to create something unique in a cookie-cutter world, to create a new path, and occasionally it actually works. For the most part, Ramallah has made it work. They're not groundbreaking by any means, but they're not riding the ragged, overcrowded coattails of other hardcore bands, past and present. If you're into brutal hardcore, and are interested in a band that takes it to another level, then give Ramallah a try. You may find something unexpected.

Website: http://cultofsilence.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/ramallah
Review Date: 12/4/2007

For the past few years, the US mainstream market has been giving more and more attention to bands that churn out old school rock music; Supagroup, Airbourne (Roadrunner is reissuing their debut in 2008), Miss Crazy (just signed a three-record deal), even Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row) has gotten an unexpected (but deserved) amount of exposure for his latest album Angel Down, considering five years ago it would have largely been ignored. Well, Endeverafter now join the ranks of modern rock bands injecting that old school flavor with their Razor & Tie Entertainment debut, Kiss Or Kill. But while other bands manage to channel their sound completely from that old (and great) era of music, Endeverafter ocassionally struggle with this, hopping from foot to foot, from 80s rock to something more akin to modern alternative rock.

Kiss Or Kill immediately lines up four hefty shots of no-frills, gritty rock 'n' roll -- with maybe a bit too much sheen. "I Wanna Be Your Man" and "Poison" are both driving rock songs, sometimes bordering on metal with their double bass, galloping riffs, and speedy leads; but their big hooks betray that notion. While "Baby Baby Baby" and "Gotta Get Out" don more traditional garb, mid-paced AC/DC-like anthems. The modern stylings first surface during the chorus of "Gotta Get Out," touching upon something Blink 182 might have written, but it bares itself full on the ballad "Next best Thing." While the power ballad was something of a staple in the eighties, here it comes off like a stolen (post-mainstream success) Hoobastank song. It simply lacks the magic of a true rock ballad, leaving much to be desired. But it has radio hit written all over it.

Endeverafter haven't struck gold with Kiss or Kill, but they're not far off the mark either. While some songs may sort of lose their identity in a shallow sea of radio pop, they also find redemption every time with quality songwriting, whether showcasing a rock style ("Tip Of My Tongue"), metal ("Road To Destruction"), or the unfortunate (but still decent) foray into pop oblivion ("All Night"). Kiss Or Kill won't blow you away from beginning to end, but among the good there stands tall a few that are great.

Website: http://www.endeverafter.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/endeverafter
Review Date: 12/15/2007

Run! 40 Below Summer is a nu-metal band.

Still reading? Good. Let it be known that 40 Below Summer is a great nu-metal band. Formed in 1998, the band quickly self-released a full-length -- Side Show Freaks (1999) -- and an extremely limited (10-15 copies) promotional EP -- Rain (2000). They were signed shortly thereafter and released their major label debut -- the outstanding Invitation To The Dance (2001) -- which was then reissued on another major label in 2002, after a corporate merger. In short time they released a follow-up -- The Mourning After (2003) -- and the band was dropped a year later. In 2005, after two original band members quit, 40 Below Summer disbanded. However, in 2006, the band resurfaced with The Last Dance, a demos/b-sides album featuring nine unreleased tracks, including a cover of Guns 'N' Roses' "It's So Easy." The Last Dance also includes a DVD featuring the band's -- at the time -- final live performance, a few additional live performances, interview footage, and a video.

History lesson aside, The Last Dance is what you'd expect from a demos/b-sides release: it's a mixed bag. "New Age Slaves" is a great, groovy, double-bass-filled, anthemic piece with a catchy chorus. "5 Of A Kind" is largely the same: catchy, groove-laden, typical nu-metal; and very good. Things slow down with an excellent modern rock ballad "Tell Me Now," and "It's About Time" cranks things back up with its rollicking groove, simple yet addictive chorus, and Clutch-like verses and mid-section. Beyond this, the album largely follows the same course, with only the oddball and eerie "Alaskan Thunderfuck" standing out from the norm. And then there's the cover of "It's So Easy," which mostly stays true to the original, only coming from a nu-metal perspective.

Fans of the band's previous output will be satisfied with The Last Dance; but this release surely won't convert any non-believers. All nine songs are good, and a few are great. The production is a little weak, as the guitar tone sounds a bit thin, and the drums occasionally sound a bit on the weak side. The bass is clear in the mix, but like the guitar it's missing that bottom end. The DVD is an added bonus. The live footage looks and sounds great; and the interview footage with band members gives the fan a real good insight into 40 Below Summer's existence -- and subsequent non-existence.

Though they broke up, 40 Below Summer has played a few shows since then. They've also released The Last Dance, and they're re-releasing the Rain EP with seven bonus tracks in July (2007). Rumor has it that their debut, Side Show Freaks, will also be re-released in the future. So while the band has broken up and members moved on (with Black Market Hero and the excellent Anja), 40 Below Summer still have something left for the fans, and The Last Dance is a worthy addition to their discography.

Website: http://www.40belowsummer.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/40belowsummer
Review Date: 12/4/2007

War And Peace started as a side project for Dokken bass player Jeff Pilson in 1993. So far they have released four albums, this being the third, and first where Jeff plays the role of primary songwriter and musician.

The overpowering role he played in Dokken's sound over the years is clearly evident here. Jeff's vocal performance is very strong and his harmonizing melodies sound almost indentical to how they sound on Dokken albums. The music is a mix of classic 80s rock and a more modern rock sound. The songs themselves are excellent and very catchy.

Considering that this album came out after Jeff left Dokken I can't help but wonder how much better Dokken's latest two CDs would have been if Jeff had been in the band and contributed some of these songs to those albums. They were good albums, but Light At The End Of The Tunnel is a great album! Fans of Dokken, or those who crave an ode to the old school, should try to find this album.

A bit of free advice -- something someone should have mentioned to the band: Never -- and I mean NEVER! -- use the Nightmare Before Christmas font on ANYTHING!

Website: http://www.jeffpilson.com
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Moonspell have come a long way in their almost-20-year career. Formed in 1989 under the name Morbid God they were then a black metal band and released one demo. Following that same path -- and going by a new name -- Moonspell unleashed their own brand of folkloric, gothic-influenced black metal in 1993 with their first and only demo, Anno Satanae. The demo featured five songs, three true songs and an intro and outro, two of these songs were featured on a 7-inch release the next year. It wasn't until the band released their Under The Moonspell EP that we saw glimpses of the band they were to become, although this EP is an oddity in their discography, not quite black metal, but not quite gothic, either. It's a very strange mix of Middle Eastern rhythms, a symphonic and orchestral soundscape with black metal and cleanly-sung male vocals, female vocals and choirs. You'll hear mention from other would-be reviewers (read: lazy, ignorant reviewers) that Memorial is an album that harkens back to the Under The Moonspell EP, but that is a comparison about as odd as the EP itself.

For those that have followed this band has seen them go through phases over the course of their career. Wolfheart and Irreligious had more of the black metal sound from the early days of the band mixed with a slight to heavy lean -- which varied from song to song -- towards the gothic end of things; Sin/Pecado was more experimental and more gothic still, while The Butterfly Effect was slightly heavier, but far more experimental with a slight industrial swagger; Darkness And Hope saw the band revisiting the heavier gothic style that was on Irreligious, but without much of the heaviness, and The Antidote took that to a slightly heavier plateau, but not quite reaching the black metal realm of their early material. In 1998 four of the main band members at the time released an album called Hermeticum under the name Daemonarch; a full-on black metal assault, it's an album more closely related to the Morbid God/Moonspell black metal-era than anything Moonspell has done from Wolfheart on. If you take the black metal brutality of Hermeticum and the slight gothic touch of Wolfheart you'll find yourself with a recipe for Memorial.

Though The Antidote was heavier than Darkness And Hope, Memorial doesn't take the next logical evolutionary step, it comes in leaps and bounds. The gothic elements are there, but in limited amounts compared to previous albums, as are some modest symphonic moments. Gone, however, is the dominance of Fernando Ribeiro's clean vocals, the funereal gloom that permeated past releases, all but replaced here by his snarling black metal growl. This is by far Moonspell's heaviest album to date. The album begins with the first of four short instrumentals, this one being "In Memoriam," an orchestral affair with some heavy guitar supported by lush keyboards. The first real song out the gate is the first single, "Finisterra," a blistering gothic black metal masterpiece. The beginning riff is a little misleading as it doesn't start out all that heavy, but slowly the double-bass kicks in and once the verse begins there's little room to doubt the intentions of the band on this album: fast, death metal-like riffing, blast beats and a sickening black metal roar. The song is punctuated by a catchy one-line chorus, repeated. "Momento Mori" follows and begins with a run through the chorus, which is a little slower than "Finisterra," but still heavy; it also features the clean vocals of old during the slow verse. Instrumental number two is up next in the form of "Sons Of The Earth," a short acoustic number rounded out by an electric solo; each instrumental follows a similar path of just being a nice interlude, not really standing strong as a single song, but being a great bridge between songs when listening from beginning to end.

The album continues in crushing fashion from heavy, fast-paced epics like "Upon The Blood Of Men," mid-paced numbers like "Blood Tells" and "At The Image Of Pain," and more traditional Moonspell pieces like "Sanguine" and "Once It Was Ours!." One of the standout tracks is probably the most different, "Luna" starts with a groovy, keyboard-laced riff that leads to one of the few slow, clean-vocal verses, the chorus soars with some outstanding vocal work by Brigit Zacher, once again working with the band after a few years absence -- she also sings on Wolfheart, Irreligious and Sin/Pecado. The song takes a departure from the sound of the rest of the album, but never hinders the flow. Depending on what version you have the album will either end with "Best Forgotten" or "Atlantic," the bonus track; both are heavy numbers with slower verses, each excellent. All versions of the album have a secret track after the last song, nothing worth writing about, just some samples and keyboard.

I've heard a lot of people say they lost interest in the band when they abandoned more of the heavy, black metal influence for the gothic sound, around the Irreligious period. To those people I suggest they give this album a listen as this album is, like I mentioned, far heavier than anything they've released since Anno Satanae. For those who continued to follow the band will no doubt find this album to be one of the best the band has ever released and those who have never heard the band will find this to be a killer starting point. It must be noted that the almighty and underrated Waldemar Sorchyta once again places his flawless production stamp upon a Moonspell album; the man is a killer musician (Grip Inc., Despair) and an outstanding producer that sadly, like with his bands, doesn't seem to get the recognition he deserves. He also played bass on this album.

Moonspell have once again managed to release a stunning album of gothic metal, this time with a surprising black metal magnetism, not unheard of for the band, but definitely unexpected at this point in their career. If you're a fan, this album is required; if not, or if you once were a fan, it's well worth at least checking out.

Website: http://www.moonspell.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/moonspell
Review Date: 12/4/2007

For those who don't know, Chris Caffrey is the guitarist for Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He recently released his first solo album entitled "Faces" -- which is excellent, by the way -- and this is the second single released from that album. The single is sold as an EP and it features three unreleased tracks, one track only available elsewhere on the first single for "The Mold" -- which includes another unreleased track -- and three album tracks. The title song is probably my least favorite from the full length CD. It's a bluesy, southern rock type of song and not representative of the rest of the music on the CD, which is a mixture of early Savatage-type metal and old school rock.

Chris handles all vocal duties. He's not the greatest vocalist around, but he is good and quite capable, comparable to Savatage mastermind Jon Oliva's gruff, abrasive style. The unreleased songs are good, but nothing spectacular, and one is simply a radio edit of the album track "Pisses Me Off." (I don't understand the point of making a radio edit of a song that's not even the single, but whatever.)

This is a good EP to grab for fans of Chris Caffrey and his other aforementioned bands, but I'd suggest you first pick up the limited release of "Faces" with the full-length album "God Damn War" as a bonus. If you then want to pick up this EP, go for it, but you're not missing much.

Website: http://www.chriscaffrey.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/chriscaffery
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Man, this band is so good. I first started listening to Therapy? back in the early 90's when a manager of mine at a music store I worked at introduced me to their "Nurse" CD. At the time, I wasn't very impressed because back then I was still fairly close-minded about music. But then they released their "Troublegum" album and that CD blew me away. It was just too good to not take notice. After that, "Nurse" became more appealing. It's still not their greatest album, but aside from a track or two it's a killer CD. Since then Therapy? have consistently given us great music. They've release about 10 EPs and more singles, most of which having unreleased songs on them, and not to mention all the full length albums they've put out. They also continuously release live songs, demos and unreleased tracks via their website. This band owns!

Over the course of 10 studio albums the band has consistently given us greatness, but at the same time they've evolved their sound. No two albums sound alike, some sound similar, but on each their is something that makes it unique. "Troublegum" is very alt-rock oriented, "Shameless" is very punk rock, "Suicide Pact - You First" is experimental and noisy with longer songs, "Infernal Love" is almost poppy, "Semi-Detached" was a poppy alt-rock album, "High Anxiety" was a return to their "Troublegum" sound, but heavier and more mellow at the same time, and this new album is simply ferocious punk/metal album...and it's so good!

From first song to last, this album kicks ass. It's full of hooks and melodies and noisy heaviness that you just can't find in a band every day. Yet, after 15 years Therapy? continue to make great, amazing music. The one thing that is unfortunate about the band nowadays is their lack of singles. With no good record deal since their days with A&M (where they released about 20 singles) it is hard for them to release new singles because they're just can't afford it. They released two singles from "Shameless," one from last year's "High Anxiety" and so far nothing from this new album with no plans for one either. Truly sad, but by no fault of the band. Hopefully, we'll get a b-sides album someday so we can hear the unreleased songs they would have undoubtedly released on singles had there been anything remotely close to label support for these guys over the past few years. Anyway, iIf you haven't ever heard this band, I cannot recommend them enough. You won't be disappointed.

Website: http://www.therapyquestionmark.co.uk
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/therapyquestionmark

Man, this band is so good. I first started listening to Therapy? back in the early 90's when a manager of mine at a music store I worked at introduced me to their "Nurse" CD. At the time, I wasn't very impressed because back then I was still fairly close-minded about music. But then they released their "Troublegum" album and that CD blew me away. It was just too good to not take notice. After that, "Nurse" became more appealing. It's still not their greatest album, but aside from a track or two it's a killer CD. Since then Therapy? have consistently given us great music. They've release about 10 EPs and more singles, most of which having unreleased songs on them, and not to mention all the full length albums they've put out. They also continuously release live songs, demos and unreleased tracks via their website. This band owns!

Over the course of 10 studio albums the band has consistently given us greatness, but at the same time they've evolved their sound. No two albums sound alike, some sound similar, but on each their is something that makes it unique. "Troublegum" is very alt-rock oriented, "Shameless" is very punk rock, "Suicide Pact - You First" is experimental and noisy with longer songs, "Infernal Love" is almost poppy, "Semi-Detached" was a poppy alt-rock album, "High Anxiety" was a return to their "Troublegum" sound, but heavier and more mellow at the same time, and this new album is simply ferocious punk/metal album...and it's so good!

From first song to last, this album kicks ass. It's full of hooks and melodies and noisy heaviness that you just can't find in a band every day. Yet, after 15 years Therapy? continue to make great, amazing music. The one thing that is unfortunate about the band nowadays is their lack of singles. With no good record deal since their days with A&M (where they released about 20 singles) it is hard for them to release new singles because they're just can't afford it. They released two singles from "Shameless," one from last year's "High Anxiety" and so far nothing from this new album with no plans for one either. Truly sad, but by no fault of the band. Hopefully, we'll get a b-sides album someday so we can hear the unreleased songs they would have undoubtedly released on singles had there been anything remotely close to label support for these guys over the past few years. Anyway, iIf you haven't ever heard this band, I cannot recommend them enough. You won't be disappointed.

Website: http://www.therapyquestionmark.co.uk
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/therapyquestionmark
Review Date: 12/4/2007

With a name like Trendkill, I'd have expected this Swedish band to step outside of the box a bit more. The only trend the band doesn't follow is the screamo verse/cleanly-sung chorus template that is followed by most bands of this style; and that surely doesn't elevate the band to any level of originality. Trendkill approaches metalcore much in the same way as Germany's Cataract -- less cookie-cutter metal, and more of a modern death metal groove mixed with hardcore -- only not as good. Going against the metalcore grain, like I mentioned, there is no clean singing; but there is also only one solo -- on the song "Headshot" -- and breakdowns aplenty, which is very, very typical of the genre.

No Longer Buried is the band's debut full-length, following two demos. Despite the lack of originality, Trendkill comes out swinging with brutal intent. Songs like "Dedication," "Judge Me Now," "Break The Silence," and "Headshot," with its melodic mid-section, make this album something of a guilty pleasure. It's an album perfect for getting the blood and adrenaline flowing. There really isn't a bad song on the album; however, there also isn't a great song in sight. Thus, No Longer Buried stands firm a little bit right of the middle of the road. Nothing mind-blowing and nothing vomit-inducing -- No Longer Buried is just good; but very typical.

Website: http://www.trendkill.se
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trendkill1

With a name like Trendkill, I'd have expected this Swedish band to step outside of the box a bit more. The only trend the band doesn't follow is the screamo verse/cleanly-sung chorus template that is followed by most bands of this style; and that surely doesn't elevate the band to any level of originality. Trendkill approaches metalcore much in the same way as Germany's Cataract -- less cookie-cutter metal, and more of a modern death metal groove mixed with hardcore -- only not as good. Going against the metalcore grain, like I mentioned, there is no clean singing; but there is also only one solo -- on the song "Headshot" -- and breakdowns aplenty, which is very, very typical of the genre.

No Longer Buried is the band's debut full-length, following two demos. Despite the lack of originality, Trendkill comes out swinging with brutal intent. Songs like "Dedication," "Judge Me Now," "Break The Silence," and "Headshot," with its melodic mid-section, make this album something of a guilty pleasure. It's an album perfect for getting the blood and adrenaline flowing. There really isn't a bad song on the album; however, there also isn't a great song in sight. Thus, No Longer Buried stands firm a little bit right of the middle of the road. Nothing mind-blowing and nothing vomit-inducing -- No Longer Buried is just good; but very typical.

Website: http://www.trendkill.se
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trendkill1
Review Date: 12/4/2007

I first heard of Mower through the Kottonmouth Kings; they're on Suburban Noize Records, a label owned by the rap group Kottonmouth Kings. Unlike a good number of bands on Suburban Noize, Mower are not a rap group, or even close to it. They're a hardcore band with metal influences; think D.R.I. meets Pro-Pain with a more urban flare.

Not For You is their second album, following 2003's self-titled debut. Not For You is simply the perfect soundtrack if you want to kick someone's ass! The songs are, for the most part, straightforward, fast and heavy. The band boasts two vocalists, both screamers, one higher-pitched, the other heavier. The hardcore/punk influence is old school, the metal influence is minimal, but the pummeling assault of Not For You is excellent. Occasionally the band breaks out something a little different, like on the dark, brooding "Broken Hands" that is more about melody than aggression; "The End" is a mid-paced groover that sounds more like White Zombie's version of the Sabbath classic "Children Of The Grave" than anything hardcore. The album ends with a nice cover of 1966 hit, "California Dreamin', originally by (the grammatically incorrect) The Mama's & The Papa's. But the core of the album is just in-your-face hardcore/punk with some metal nods now and again.

Website: http://www.mowermusic.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mower
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Godsmack is a guilty pleasure of mine. They're a modern rock band started by former Meliah Rage/Strip Mind -- thrash bands! -- drummer Sully Erna. They got lumped in with the whole nu-metal scene, but where never really part of it. The band released All Wound Up in 1998 before being picked up by a Universal Records imprint label. All Wound Up featured a hidden track called "Whatever" -- which, funnily enough, after re-releasing All Wound Up as Godsmack, would later become their breakthrough hit.

Sully Erna is a huge Alice In Chains fan, and was rumored -- but not proven -- to once be in an Alice In Chains tribute band; Erna, though he denies it, got the moniker "Godsmack" from an Alice In Chains song of a similar name: "God Smack." So is it any surprise that after a string of highly successful full-lengths Godsmack released a stripped down acoustic album not unlike the Alice In Chains classic acoustic EPs, Sap and Jar Of Flies?

Surprisingly -- or not so, if you're a fan -- The Other Side is just as good as those aforementioned EPs! The album starts with "Running Blind," a very catchy tune with light acoustic and percussion work. "Re-Align" follows and makes clear the one difference between this EP and the Alice In Chains EPs. "Re-Align" is not a new tune, but an acoustic reworking of a song originally featured on their Faceless album. Out of the seven tracks here, only three of them are exclusive to this EP. That doesn't affect the quality of the EP, however. "Touche," and "Voices" are the other two exclusive tracks; both are very good. "Keep Away," one of the band's most famous songs, also gets the acoustic treatment here, as well as "Spiral," but they both are essentially the same as the original versions, only now acoustic. The best of the reworked tracks is "Asleep," an excellent, haunting rendition of "Awake" from the album of the same name.

A lot of hate is directed at Godsmack, but I don't see the point. If you don't like it, move on. Who cares? Personally, I find them to be perfect for those times when I just want to rock out to a good, catchy, solid modern rock album. I've always found the comparisons to Alice In Chains to be vague at best, at least musically. There's no question that Alice In Chains were a big influence, but I've never found Godsmack to sound like Alice In Chains, nor have I ever thought Erna to sound like Layne Staley, like so many claim. To me, I've always found that to be an easy excuse to either vaguely write about the band or write them off. Alice In Chains were always a much more complex band; Godsmack are a simple modern rock band, and they do it very well. The Other Side is just further proof.

Website: http://www.godsmack.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/godsmack
Review Date: 12/4/2007

So...the promo of the new Iced Earth EP has inevitably leaked. And, of course, the turds of the world have been tearing it to shreds. (Typical of the Blabbermouth generation.) So let me set things straight. People are slamming the production, saying it's terrible. Let's put it this way, the production is very good as it is, on a leaked version no less. It can only get better with an official release, but is fine as is. I realize the promo has been released, and leaked versions have likely been ripped from the promo, but one should never judge a final product on something that simply is not that. However, I do have the promo, and it is safe to say that these recordings lack that certain "punch," that bottom end, as we first heard on The Glorious Burden. Most importantly, though, the production is still very good on this EP.

"Ten Thousand Strong" is a great opener. It's a simple song -- and I believe this version is an edited version of the one that'll appear on Framing Armageddon -- that gets straight to the point, goes right for the throat. It's a heavy song with great riffs, a great chorus, and great vocals from Owens. But while "Ten Thousand Strong" is a great appetizer for things to come, it's safe to say that the spotlight will be shined brightest upon the re-recorded Something Wicked trilogy (originally on Something Wicked This Way Comes with Matt Barlow on vocals). This new version of the trilogy is excellent, but only after the initial shock of hearing all the changes -- and changes are exactly what Jon should have made when re-recording these songs! If you're expecting something like the original versions, go listen to the original versions. Now, as good as I think these new versions are, they're very different, and I'm sure people -- as you can already read across the net -- will hate on them simply because they aren't comparable to the originals. The changes are mostly of the subtle variety, but they still make a big difference. And again, without changing things these re-recordings would have been pointless.

The approach of this new version of the trilogy is like that on the Gettysburg trilogy from The Glorious Burden. It's very atmospheric, far more symphonic and orchestral -- which is exactly what Jon promised, by the way. "Birth Of The Wicked" remains largely the same as the original, but "Prophecy" is where the immediate changes are noticed. The opening is much more atmospheric, and different in structure; the build-up in the beginning is more subtle, and when it finally kicks in the riffs don't hit nearly as hard as one would expect (unless they've not heard the original); the solo has been changed a bit, and the ending is slightly different. After a few spins, though, everything seems very natural. The problem is trying to not compare it to the original. "The Coming Curse" is without the original piano intro here, which is unfortunate because that intro sets the song up very well. This new version just kicks right in without any build-up. Again, the main portion of the song is very similar to the original, with only slight changes. The mid-section and ending is where the most changes occur. Where the original had Gregorian-like chanting, this new version adds a prominent female voice to that mix. It changes the emotive aspects of the song drastically, but luckily not for the worse.

It is very important that one acknowledges that the original trilogy and this new version are both different enough to stand on their own merits. People will compare, and people will hate, but, like I said, once you get over the initial shock it gets better and better with each spin. These new versions lack a little a bit of that good old oomph! when it comes to guitar tone, even when compared to "Ten Thousand Strong," but the re-recordings are very respectable. And they offer enough change musically and vocally to appease those that felt Jon was crazy for re-recording them, or that Owens could never match Barlow's great vocal performance on the originals. The fact is, Owens made these new versions his own, and Jon took the songs to a new plateau. Whether better or worse is up to the listener, but if you look forward and not back you should find great satisfaction in the re-recordings. And in using the excellent "Ten Thousand Strong" as a measuring stick, one can expect great things from Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) (scheduled for release later in the year).

Website: http://www.icedearth.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/icedearthofficial
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Papa Roach has evolved since their early days. Their first few albums are harsher, heavier and noisier, but on songs like "Orange Drive Palms" you got a glimpse of what was to come: full-blown rap-rock. They fully embraced the mix of rap and rock on their 5 Tracks Deep EP, a style later perfected on Infest. At the height of the rapcore movement -- and in a move that went against mainstream logic -- they abandoned virtually all of the rap aspects on the follow-up, lovehatetragedy, and went straight for a more modern rock sound. The result was excellent! Getting Away With Murder further solidified this band as a great rock band even if their departure from the style of Infest steered them from the mainstream spotlight somewhat.

Far-out-of-the-spotlight bassist Tobin Esperance, surprisingly, has always been the main songwriter in Papa Roach, and on The Paramour Sessions he has followed the same path of modern alternative rock found on the last two albums, but this time he's added some new elements. "Forever" has, for possibly the first time, Jacoby Shaddix (who now looks like the mutant son of Nikki Sixx and Billie Joe Armstrong) truly singing, almost crooning, in a clean Jim Morrison-like vocal tone. He actually has a very good singing voice (he's used it sparingly in the past, but not so strongly). "Reckless" is an acoustic rocker, while "The Fire" is like a 70's rock track with a little Latin flavor. "Roses On My Grave" has Shaddix singing again and rockin' out over an all-orchestral backdrop! A great song, indeed. Songs like the catchy-as-hell "I Devise My Own Demise," "Alive ('N Out Of Control)," the electronic-tinged "Crash," and the lead-off single, "...To Be Loved" (featuring the album's only rapped verse during the breakdown), will immediately please fans of the band's previous two albums.

Website: http://www.paparoach.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/paparoach
Review Date: 12/4/2007

I am not a fan of instrumental albums.

Canvas Solaris was a name I began hearing after their Sensory debut, Penumbra Diffuse, was released this past January. The label website served me up an MP3 for the track "Panoramic Long-Range Vertigo" and I had to agree, this was a great track. A full album of this sort of thing, however, didn't intrigue me one bit. Musically this band was very much like Zero Hour -- one of the best bands I've heard in the past ten years -- but I pretty much assumed an album's worth of this sort of instrumental music would bore me silly. So I closed the door on this band, or, rather, I tried to.

As time went on, people kept suggesting them to me. Canvas Solaris just wouldn't go away. They were stalking me! Strangely enough, about two months ago I came across this album at a local record shop (Nuggets in Boston, Kenmore Square...GO!) for a whopping $2. I couldn't pass it up! It's most definitely worth the $2, I thought. Sure enough, it was worth it; worth more, in fact.

Penumbra Diffuse is a damn good album. What I like most about it is the fact that the band doesn't get excessive with anything, everything is precise. There is nothing self-indulgent about the songs, no excessive solos, noises or drumming to fill the space where vocals would normally be. While some songs are heavy, others are mellow with acoustic guitars and all manner of "non-heavy" instrumentation such as tabla, mandolin, clay drums and some light synthesizer work. It all flows seamlessly, melding metal with countless audio shapes and shifts that form a very solidly fused musical landscape. Precise.

Opening with "Panoramic Long-Range Vertigo," the song bolsters some of the album's heaviest moments, shifting from the riff-heavy sound of label mates Zero Hour to some tribal drum interludes to some slight keyboard-injected pyschedelia. "Accidents In Mutual Silence" and "To Fracture" are the closest relatives to "Panoramic Long-Range Vertigo," both mixing heavy riffs propelled by odd (read awe-inspiring) time signatures and lighter moments that recall new age and electronic dub. "Vaihayasa" is a Middle Eastern and Latin-flavored jaunt told by 6- and 12-string acoustics, supported and carried by myriad percussive instruments. That percussive support is further extended to "Pyshotropic Resonance," by definition an example of organized chaos, orderly disorder; the song is all over the map, discordant, and typical of what I usually fear with instrumental albums, though it strangely works within the more strict confines of the album as a whole. "Horizontal Radiant" and "Luminescence" are the album's two epic tracks, the latter just a hair longer at an even 12:00. "Horizontal Radiant" shows itself from all angles, it's heavy prog, it's mellow prog (think Dan Swano's Unicorn releases), it's got that new age vibe, rock, electronic undercurrents, synthesizers and percussion; a great song indeed. Not to be outshined, "Luminescence" takes a slightly subtler approach, it combines all the elements of "Horizontal Radiant," but it's an emotive song, it slowly builds itself up, crescendos, to only fall and rise again. Epic.

I still maintain my opinion of instrumental albums, I've heard too many for one band to convert me, but Canvas Solaris got through my defenses in a big way. I barely notice that there aren't any vocals, which is generally the biggest hurdle for me. Since buying Penumbra Diffuse I have purchased their Spatial/Design EP and Sublimation from their old label, Tribunal Records, and I am equally as pleased with both of them. I'm not a complete convert, but I'm now more open to the possibility. I do, however, find myself thinking of how much more amazing this band would be with a vocalist -- something they once had during the early days of the band -- but at the end of the day Canvas Solaris really have no need for a vocalist, their music says enough, and it comes with a glowing recommendation.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/canvassolaris
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Chris DeGarmo is a scapegoat. To this day, fans continue to claim his departure from Queensryche is the reason the band is a shadow of their former self. And now with this reissue it appears that even Geoff Tate is trying to shift some of that blame onto the shoulders of DeGarmo. In the liner notes he writes, "...and to top it all off, my guitar player, Chris DeGarmo, quit the band. This last detail was perhaps the most difficult to deal with. Emotionally, Chris left all of us devastated. Financially, we were all standing on the edge of a desert, wondering if we had enough water to make the crossing." You'll notice the use of "my guitar player," not "our," which is curious to say the least. He then goes on to discuss the turmoil that surrounded DeGarmo's replacement, Kelly Gray, and all the drugs, alcohol, and death that followed them onto the Q2K tour (maybe offering some insight into the whole Nevermore/Kelly Gray debacle). Geoff then says, referring to the writing of Q2K, "The writing was truly something new for us, as we had only ever worked at creating with Chris…and his style and influence were the building blocks of the Queensryche sound." Again, Chris DeGarmo becomes a scapegoat of sorts.

Hear In The Now Frontier was the last album to fully feature DeGarmo; in fact that album is virtually a Chris DeGarmo solo album as he wrote most of the songs with that intent, not really interested in doing another Queensryche album, and the band relented and released it under the Queensryche banner; Geoff Tate even stepped aside allowing Chris to sing lead vocals on "All I Want." Have people, fans and Geoff Tate alike, forgotten about this album? Have people forgotten that DeGarmo went on to form the short-lived Spyz4Darwin, an alternative rock band with the singer from Sponge? Have people forgotten that he has recently co-written songs with Dredg, a decidedly non-metal band? Have people forgotten that Chris partially returned to Queensryche in 2003 and co-wrote five songs on Tribe, an album far removed from the Queensryche of old, the Queensryche that fans claim only Chris DeGarmo could bring back? For almost ten years now DeGarmo has proven many times that he is nowhere near the person people claim him to be. He's a commercial pilot now! That's what he does for a living. The Queensryche of old is gone forever, folks, as is Chris DeGarmo. It's time to move on.

To say Q2K was a departure for the band was an understatement, it was a grand exit. When it was released in 1999, I was a bit shocked actually. After Hear In The Now Frontier I didn't have any expectations, but Q2K is very different from that album, let alone from previous albums. The songs were all of a sudden very basic, seemingly lacking of personality. While songs like the very catchy "Sacred Ground" and the almost prog-rock "Liquid Sky" are really good, only the brilliant "The Right Side Of My Mind" comes anywhere close to the many classic songs this band has written. Other tracks like "Falling Down" and "Breakdown" are good, but forgettable upon repeated listens. However, it's the dreary, sleep-inducers like "One Life," "When The Rain Comes," "Wot Kind Of Man" -- Wot? -- and "Beside You" that stops this album dead in its tracks. The songwriting just isn't very good, and that's not the fault of a man flying high above the streets of Seattle.

So why reissue an album that didn't sell very well in the first place? Well, surprisingly -- or not-so -- Q2K has been out of print for a while now, so this will at least put it back in the shops for those that do like the album, or are interested in it. It has been remastered, though there really isn't much improvement over the original. Queensryche has already re-released all their other albums except for Tribe, and most of those albums had worthless live bonus tracks. They included a few rare songs, but songs previously available on singles and soundtracks. There were no early songs like "Rage" (which later became "Anarchy-X"), "Waiting For The Kill" (which later became "NM156"), "Ballad In B Minor" (which later became "I Dream In Infrared"), or the many other never-released demos and early versions of album tracks. Luckily, Q2K is a bit different in that respect. Sure, the added radio edit of "Breakdown" and the live version of "Sacred Ground" are both essentially worthless, but they've also included two completely never-before-heard/released songs, "Howl" and "Until There Was You." The former being a very good song in the vein of "Sacred Ground," while the latter is a very good modern rock ballad. Both tracks are not completely produced, but they're still better than at least six tracks that originally made the album; why they never originally included these songs in place of others -- or in addition to -- is beyond me.

Seven years later, Q2K still doesn't impress me much. The addition of two unheard songs is cool indeed, but the songs neither increase or decrease the quality of the album as a whole. It's still the same old Q2K. "The Right Side Of My Mind" still remains one of my all-time favorite Queensryche songs, but the rest of the album doesn't even compare. There are some very good songs, but there are just as many boring, unmemorable tracks. Queensryche will never be the same; even if Chris DeGarmo returned to the band they would never be the same. It's wishful thinking, but it won't happen. And no amount of finger-pointing towards DeGarmo will change the fact that Q2K remains a mediocre album at best.

Website: http://www.queensryche.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/queensryche1982
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Aspire is a band I discovered through MySpace. I listened to the clips on the band's page and was impressed enough to pick this album up from CD Baby. Aspire is the product of just two musicians, Ryan Metzger (all vocals) and Al Candello (all instrumentation and programming). Formed in 2004, they quickly released a demo EP called All Ahead in 2005, followed immediately by this, their debut full-length, Quest Eternal.

When I first got the album I was a little disappointed from the onset, the opening track, "Living In A Dream," has a hollow sound with the vocals, it sounds like Metzger recorded them at the bottom of an empty well (though just on this track, for some odd reason). It took me a while to get used to them, but eventually they clicked, bolstered by the great accompanying music. This is symphonic power metal with a progressive edge at its DIY (do-it-yourself, noob!) finest. The keyboards and orchestration doesn't sound like it does on a Therion or recent Blind Guardian album, the drums are programmed and lack that sonic punch that you hear from the likes of Gene Hoglan, the guitar tones are crisp and crunchy, but could be more so. All of these factors take away from the album -- albeit slightly, though glaringly -- but it's a clear cut case of a band doing the best job with what they have, and Aspire has done a very good thing with the self-released/produced Quest Eternal.

As I mentioned, "Living In A Dream," may take some getting used to because of the high reverb (echo) on the vocals, but the song is heavy and epic with tons of double-bass -- which will generally sound perfectly normal to the untrained ear -- great melodies, solos and orchestration. "Lost Forevermore" is a mid-paced symphonic metal piece that recalls Hall Of The Mountain King-era Savatage. Things pick up with "All Ahead" and "Riding With The King," two of three songs taken from the debut EP; both are speedy, double-bass-filled tracks with simple, yet extremely catchy choruses (the former features some riffs that sound very similar to Def Leppard's 1980 fan favorite "Wasted"). "As Many Years (Go Passing By)" reminds me of "Still Loving You" (Scorpions) at the beginning, but slowly pulls away from that comparison and just slowly sways, shifts and snakes its way through almost six minutes of melodious mediocrity. It's done well, but stacked up against the first four tracks it's missing that which would keep it from becoming a brick wall: a hook. As if knowing it's got some ground to make up, the band fires back with "From The Shadows," the third song taken from the debut EP, and the fastest and most symphonic song on the album, a great tune. A metal song that borrows a few rock riffs follows in the name of "The Liberator," a pretty good tune with some really cool breakdowns, and piano/keyboard/solo interludes mixed in throughout, a nice subtle chorus punctuates with the help of those rock riffs. The very end of the song, the final twenty seconds, gets sucker-punched by some double-bass work that sounds a little out of place or off rhythm. "Final Serenade" closes the album on a slow, melodic note that does less for the album than "As Many Years (Go Passing By)." Again, not necessarily a bad song, but there's nothing really there to latch onto, it's just there, moping along.

Overall a very good debut full-length that isn't without a few dings, dents and scratches. As I mentioned earlier, for what the band is working with they've done a great job, but some songs could have been better realized, and Metzger's vocals occasionally falter in strength; there are moments where I just wish there was a little more power and variation, that added Oomph! that puts it over the top. It's a well done album for just two guys from New York, one that definitely impressed me, but I'm hoping that their upcoming follow-up, Repentance, due this Fall, has resolved some of the issues that Quest Eternal suffers from (the samples on their site indicate they have remedied some of them). The flaws are few, but they are very noticeable. Still, it's a solid debut full-length, one that I recommend in spite of its weak spots, though on a try-before-you-buy basis.

Website: http://www.aspireband.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/aspirenyc
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Skid Row have come a long way since the days of "Youth Gone Wild" and "Monkey Business." After two classic 80s rock releases -- Skid Row and Slave To The Grind -- Skid Row struggled to match the greatness of those two albums with their third full-length album, Subhuman Race. An increasingly volatile relationship between vocalist Sebastian Bach and the rest of the band effectively sent Skid Row to an early grave. However, the band did not stay dead. In 2003 the band released their fourth album, Thickskin; this time featuring the very capable and new lead singer Johnny Solinger. While more modern rock (reference 3 Doors Down, Seether, et al.) than 80s rock, Thickskin was a decent effort. The album featured some very good songs, especially "Ghost", which could have been a top 40 hit -- for any band not named Skid Row. And that's the problem. Skid Row is yet another band not willing to let go of a name that is far too synonymous with what they're clearly not anymore, and never will be again. Very few bands can make that generational leap, and the name "Skid Row" will likely always have that "washed up 80s rock band" stigma. Regardless, for the open-minded, Thickskin is a fairly solid release. And now we have the follow-up, Revolutions Per Minute.

While Thickskin had some oddball tracks -- like the horrendous updated punk cover of the classic "I Remember You" (titled "I Remember You Two") -- Revolutions Per Minute plays like a compilation album. This time out the band seems to have just gone into the studio and recorded whatever came to mind -- while drunk. Revolutions Per Minute jumps from modern rock to punk to -- puke -- country rockabilly nonsense. "Disease" starts thing off, and it's a solid modern rock tune with a slight punk vibe and a nice hook. The sleazy rock anthem "Another Dick In The System" follows, and again it's a very good song. The walls crumble right after. "Pulling My Heart Out From Under Me" is a quasi-acoustic pop rock song, while "When God Can't Wait" is trying way too hard to be Dropkick Murphy's (and would be a respectable song coming from that band). "White Trash" makes Sum 41 seem mature. And the hoedown starts sharply at track 8; "You Lie" is a twangtastic, country rockabilly turdfest -- a song we're subjected to twice, this version and the virtually identical Corn Fed Mix bonus track. The one other song worth mentioning is "Strength," an excellent modern rock take on the hit song by The Alarm. The rest of the songs bounce back and forth between styles; making for a seriously uneven, confusing, and difficult listen.

If Skid Row decided to record a stylistically consistent album, they'd do well in either style presented on this album -- if they pandered it to the right fans. Unfortunately Skid Row has rock fans, and rock fans want rocks songs, not country, or rockabilly, or punk songs. Somewhere on Revolutions Per Minute there's a great modern rock EP. Getting to it, though, is simply far too much of a chore.

Website: http://www.skidrow.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/skidrow
Review Date: 12/4/2007

Chances are, if you're not a fan of Solitude Aeturnus, you may never have heard of Las Cruces. In 1996, Brainticket Records (founded by Solitude Aeturnus founder and guitarist John Perez) released a monstrous slab of southern doom metal called S.O.L. by the then unknown band Las Cruces. The album made huge waves throughout the underground doom metal scene, and two years later Ringmaster was met with great anticipation. It was called one of the heaviest albums of that year, and remains a doom metal classic to this day, as does the debut. Unfortunately the band disappeared for the most part shortly thereafter, only managing to self-released an EP called The Lowest End in 2001. Since then rumors of a break-up often persisted, but a few years back the band announced plans to release their third full-length album, Dusk, once again on Brainticket Records.

For those who have not heard Ringmaster, if you're a fan of up-tempo doom metal (i.e. mid-tempo) like Solitude Aeturnus, Wall Of Sleep, and the obvious Black Sabbath, then Ringmaster is one you should seek out. Unfortunately it's not so easy to find these days. The debut even harder to find. The Lowest End EP harder than that.

History lesson aside, Ringmaster is a classic doom metal album. The aptly titled "Behemoth" simply crushes, while "Killer Kane" brutalizes in a mere two and a half minutes. Mark Zammaron's vocals stand out here as quite unique in the doom genre; not only can he lay down epic wails like those heard by the almighty Robert Lowe (Solitude Aeturnus, Candlemass), but he also has an underlying gritty stoner rock style (see the self-titled debut by Blood Of The Sun for reference). Those two combined make for quite an interesting texture, as evidenced on the progressive dirge "Cascades Of Phantoms" and the pounding "Human Form."

Like I mentioned, it's not the easiest album to come by (unless you wish to spend a decent amount of cash), but if you happen across it, pick it up! You won't be disappointed. Las Cruces are preparing to release their upcoming album entitled Dusk sometime in the near future. The album will feature Zammaron on vocals, but it's unclear whether or not he'll continue as a member of the band, as it was previously reported that he chose to not continue on with them. Either way, while we await the coming of Dusk, Ringmaster remains an unsung classic; an oft overlooked masterpiece of crushing, southern-influenced doom metal. Find it!

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/lascruces
Review Date: 12/4/2007

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