Snakewine-Serpent Kings

Phonector
2015

Formed in January of 2014, Snakewine is a underground German four-piece whose dirty & sweaty sound combines elements of heavy rock, hard rock, blues rock, and heavy metal. "Serpent Kings" is the full-length debut album from this rock-infused band and it features the line-up of Ronny Konietzko (vox), Frank Vogel (lead guitar), Sebastian Welsch (bass), and Buddha (drum). The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Niklas Wenzel and it features eight hard living cuts that would have made Lemmy proud! Speaking of which, Motörhead is at one end of the spectrum (as far as influences go!) with the likes of Guns N' Roses, Dangerous Toys, Skid Row, Danko Jones, and even Danzig* sitting comfortably on the other end. Sure, you could argue that there is a lot more to this bands sound**, but either way it all adds up to one hell of a rock n' roll ride  that probably slays the beast live! With summer fast approaching you couldn't ask for a better soundtrack to the good times than  "Serpent Kings".



*The albums last cut, "Shipwrecked", sounds like a cool mash-up of early Danzig (as in his first solo record!), Guns N' Roses, and Motörhead.

**Listen in closely and you'll likely pick up on everyone from AC/DC and "Trash"-era Alice Cooper to Poison (if and only if Poison had been more influenced by Lemmy and company and they rocked a much heavier beat!!).

Joe Bouchard-The Power Of Music

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Just released on April 29th and serving as an absolute must-have for classic rock fans both old and young(!), "The Power Of Music" is the latest (and arguably greatest!) solo recording from one time Blue Öyster Cult member (and superb musician in his own right!!) Joe Bouchard. This spectacular full-length album (which is Joe Bouchard's forth solo recording since 2010) features seven new numbers and two choice covers. It also serves as the proper follow-up to 2014's "New Solid Black". The album opens strong with the classic rock thunder of "Walk With The Devil" all but stealing the show and from there it is just one ace track after another until "Career of Evil" closes things out in style! Written by the poet Patti Smith and Joe's own brother Albert (who was a founding member of Blue Öyster Cult), "Career of Evil" is just one of many classic B.O.C. songs that still rule rock radio and it is given special consideration by Bouchard on his new solo album. Simply put it works on so many levels, but then again you could say the exact same thing when it comes to the original material that makes up the bulk of Joe Bouchard's "The Power Of Music". In addition to the splendid title track (which sounds as if it could have been written by B.O.C. sometime in the seventies!) and the aforementioned "Walk With The Devil" (I love this great rock track!!) you've got the wild and fun ride that is "Is He The Wolfman". This first-rate song is old-time rock and roll number with a nice and spooky horror/Sci Fi vibe and it shows just how talented and creative this multi-instrumentalist is! Other stand-out numbers from this former B.O.C. member include "Story Of The Blues Project" (more old fashioned rock and roll, but this time with a nice blue twist!), "36 Strings" (a laid back number with an easy does it feel to it), and "Photographic Evidence" (another number that sounds as if it could have easily been written by B.O.C. during the seventies!). When it's all said and down "The Power Of Music" is a hell of a good rock and roll album from Joe Bouchard and it makes for a great (as in solid gold!) addition to one's classic rock collection.

Red Morris-Lady Rose

Self-Release/Independent
2015

The recently-released "Lady Rose" is the full-length debut album from Italy's Red Morris. The brainchild of Brescia-based guitarist Maurizio Parisi (who dedicated this album to his wife Rosa), Red Morris is as much a rock guitarist with a solid reputation in his home country as he is the driving force of this genre-jumping instrumental four-piece. On "Lady Rose" Red Morris/Maurizio Parisi is joined by bassist Renato Mombelli, keyboardist Beppe Premi, and drummer Claudio Amadori as well as two guest contributors in the form of Lou Longoni and Alberto Parisi*. The resulting album is a testament to guitarist Maurizio Parisi's youthful studies of classic guitar as well his devotion to classic rock bands such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Cream and the work of Carlos Sanatana! On "Lady Rose" you'll find solid rock numbers like "Golden Angel", "Lady Rose", "Independence", and "Black's Eyes" nestled alongside the progressive "Mystery" (which is a jazz rocker of the highest caliber!), the Celtic "Celitica" and the bluesy "My Life Blues (Go Go)". It all leads up to the excellent "My Sea's Echoes" which closes out this heartfelt album in style! With a run-time that is over the 30 minute mark the soulful "Lady Morris" simply covers a lot of ground genre-wise. Even in-between the individual tracks on this instrumental album you'll find different genres dancing together in harmony. And yet "Lady Rose" is still very much a rock album. Every cut on this album has a simple rock groove which keeps you intoned with the action at hand. With "Lady Rose" only the first of hopefully many it will be fun to see where this Italian band goes from here. Red Morris is one band that I plan to keep an eye on! 


*Lou Longoni provides minimalist vocals on the jazz-infused "Mystery" while the apply-titled "My Life Blues (Go Go)" features rhythm guitar courtesy of Alberto Parisi.  

Psychedelic Witchcraft-"Set Me Free" (Single)

Twin Earth Records
2015

Just released last week (or Wednesday, October 7th to be precise!),  "Set Me Free" is a hot new single from Italy's one and only occult rock band, Psychedelic Witchcraft. The vision of lead singer/guitarist Virginia Monti (who I had the sincere pleasure of interviewing back in May of this year!), Psychedelic Witchcraft takes it's cue from the 70's rock scene where the likes of Coven, Black Sabbath, Iron Butterfly, Jefferson Airplane, and Cream sit hand in hand in spiritual harmony. For the absolutely fetching Virginia Monti (aka Virgin Witch) there's also a passion shared for Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento, and Jess Franco and with that key piece of information in hand it's a bit easier to understand where the music's vibe comes from if you happen to be new to the band. Backed by the impressive number "Wicked Dream", "Set Me Free" serves as the follow-up to "Black Magic Man" and features a line-up of Virginia Monti (vox), Jacopo Fallai (guitar), Vanni (bass), and Daniele Parrella (drums). For this up-and-coming Italian rock act this two-track release shows a nice amount of growth and maturity and as somehow who has been a fan of Virginia Monti and Psychedelic Witchcraft since first hearing "Black Magic Man" it's wonderful to hear that kind of improvement in such a short amount of time. Naturally that goes a long way towards pointing out Virginia's dedication to her craft. With a full-length album planned for sometime down the road, "Set Me Free" shows you what can be accomplished when you put all of your heart and soul into a project and with that in mind I congratulate Psychedelic Witchcraft's amazing front-lady! As far as the who, want, when and where of this single? Well, we tackled the who (line-up) so let's address those other three. Recorded and engineered at Gold studio 63 Rome by Gabriele Romano, "Set Me Free" (the song) sounds a lot like a female-fronted Black Sabbath circa 1970! In no way is that a bad thing, but it still is what it is and there's no reason to not point it out. That being the case and all, "Set Me Free" still rules and this Italian band's vintage sound does wonders for one's psyche! And speaking of one's psyche (or calming the savage beast inside!), "Wicked Dream" moves right into your soul and then makes itself right at home! Side two of this single finds Psychedelic Witchcraft coming into their own in a BIG WAY and it is glorious! With the sinister "Wicked Dream" you get the sensation that it's all been leading up to this moment and that Virginia has been saving the best for last!!! Falling somewhere between doom metal and garage rock, "Wicked Dreams" leaves you with all kinds of wicked thoughts as it puts a spell on you that is damn near impossible to shake!!!! It's because of musical moments like "Wicked Dreams" that Psychedelic Witchcraft has quickly become one of my all-time favorite acts and I can't help but wish that this sinfully delightful band will one day tour my part of America! Until that fateful day happens I'm going to continue singing the praises of  Psychedelic Witchcraft
and I will keep on encouraging everyone that I know to check out this awesome act!

The Jokers-Hurricane

SPV/Steamhammer
2015

Rocking and rolling it's way into stores later on in September, "Hurricane" is the latest & greatest release from classic rock/hard rock band The Jokers. This UK band's third full-length album, "Hurricane" serves as the naturally follow-up to the 2013's critically acclaimed "Rock & Roll Is Alive" and this highly-anticipated release finds vocalist Wane Parry and guitarist Paul Hurst welcoming in new members Phil Hartley (bass) and Dan Evans (drums). Formed in 2006 (and veterans of the time honored game, "Good Bands with Bad Names!") The Jokers hail from the North West of England and have made a name for themselves thanks to not only top-notch recordings, but rambunctious live shows! Even still this four-piece band has come a long way since issuing their first album, "The Big Rock 'n' Roll Show" back in 2009. Musically-speaking The Jokers have evolved quite a bit if even between their last release and this forthcoming one. While I can still hear the likes of AC/DC, Status Quo, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Who, Bad Company, Free, Mott The Hoople, and The Faces* here on their new album (and thank the gods of rock and roll for that!) we're also talking about a smooth yet swaggerlicious sound that has been highly enhanced  by way of bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones! So it's seventies hard rock riffs and sixties rock and roll vocal harmonizing to the rescue then? Why yes it is and I'm glad you asked! Well, I mean (obviously) there is a lot more to it when it comes to The Jokers. Don't (for a second) let me mislead you into thinking it's all as easy as that. There's classic rock, boogie rock and the blues. And you'll also find garage rock and even a bit of progressive rock on this LP. But for here and now and with time always being an issue, "Hurricane" really is the best parts of classic rock rock from the seventies and (amazing) vocal harmonizing as popularized by The Beatles! With that said, "Hurricane" never sounds stale or as if it is dated. If anything this new album finds these UK rockers all but taking over the whole modern day retro rock scene. The production helps push this fresh product right up to the front where it belongs and this band's successful ability as songwriters should keep them there. And since this record is every bit a "record" (as in it's a throwback to the days when LPs actually featured great material from start to finish and were not just a few key singles and filler junk!) fans and newcomers alike will have a whole album's worth of cool rock and roll to enjoy and share with others! With albums like this keeping real rock and roll radio alive the scene looks to be in good hands for the foreseeable future!   


 

*Read my review of "Rock & Roll Is Alive" (linked above) for more on this.

Bad Touch-Half Way Home

Self-Release/Independent
2015


Formed back in November of 2009 while it's members were still serving time in high school and college, Bad Touch are a up-and-coming classic rock and roll band based in Dereham, Norfolk. Comprised of vocalist Stevie, lead guitarist Rob G., rhythm guitarist Seeks, bassist Bailey and a drummer named George, with the bluesy rock of "Half Way Home" serving as their full-length debut, Bad Touch list their influences as being bands like Guns 'N' Roses, Aerosmith, Led Zepplin, Skin, AC/DC and Little Angels. Despite hailing from the UK the band has more in common with the American hard rock scene of the seventies and early eighties as well as the southern rock sound of the band The Black Crowes. And all of that is fine and dandy when it comes to the enjoyable "Half Way Home" as what the band might lack in originality they make up for in enthusiasm and charisma. Having just returned from a 18-date UK tour with The Answer, Bad Touch are all about spreading the gospel of classic rock and barroom blues to the all of those who are dear to their hearts! And of course that has to includes the faithful fans of bands like Led Zepplin and The Black Crowes as Bad Touch drinks from the same cool waters as their heroes once did! If you live in or around that part of the world and you get a chance to check these young rockers out live and in all kinds of brilliant colors then by all means make it so! These young and hip guys are on their way onward and upward with the easy rockin' of "Half Way Home" sure to be a classic album in so time at all! I don't know about the rest of you, but this is the kind of bad touching I can't help but crave! You can find out more about Bad Touch by heading here friends!

Duke Garwood-Heavy Love

Heavenly Recordings
2015


Just released this past February, "Heavy Love" is the fifth full-length solo album from impassioned singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Duke Garwood. Largely unknown outside of his native country, South Londoner Duke Garwood is a graceful old folk singer trapped in the body contemporary bluesman and even though "Heavy Love" holds the distinction of being my first sampling from this stirring man there was an instant connection and it felt as if I finally found a long-lost kindred spirit! That might sound fanciful or come across as a leap of faith to some of our more cynical readers, but scratch just under the surface of this mournful LP and you too might just discover how those ghosts of yesterday are alive and well and speaking directly to you through Duke's imaginative voice! Though it often looks as if it has been stripped nearly naked the unassuming "Heavy Love" is remarkable deep and lovingly thoughtful as it's words and music slowly break down any and all barriers. As haunting as it might be Duke Garwood's latest release is also memorizing in it's own right and it stands out as a fully-completed work of art. There are no bumps along the path and there are no side-distractions to keep you from enjoying the breath and scope of compelling LP like this. "Heavy Love" could just as easily have been entitled Love Heavy as the heart of this recording seems eerily tied to Duke's own ghosts and the haunting way in which they still seem to want to strangle his soul. All told "Heavy Love" is a masterful work from an artist that London seems to have been previously hoarding. Now's the time for the U.S. market to stand up and take notice of Duke Garwood as this has all the makings of a mutually-beneficial relationship!

Seth-Seth (2CD Complete Discography)

Minotauro Records
2014

Straight up front class I've just got to say that this review is long overdue. And the reasoning behind that early morning admission reads a little something like this. As deep and expansive as this career retrospective is for Boston's Seth the actual music in question here is twice as explosive and captivating! Frankly-speaking there is far too much (top-of-the-shelf) hard rock and heavy metal here to cover in one sitting! Or if you will, "Seth" is one of those rare treats where you could write a full-pledged article on the band and still not even scratch the service as far as just what it is about these rockers that made them so great! And yet the band name Seth remains largely unheard of which is absolutely criminal! I was only a year old in 1974 and yet there was Boston's Seth, lead by the incredible voice of guitarist (occasional bassist/keyboardist) Gerald "Gerry" Stafford, starting out of the gate on a pathway towards personal glory. Yes, there were covers likely to be found in the band's initial start, but cover tracks merged with original compositions and over time a band like Seth covered an unreal amount of territory. Seventies hard rock mixed with progressive rock and the blues plowed headlong into the emerging N.W.O.B.H.M. sound. There was commercial rock and even folk with every new avenue bearing the fruits of their labors! For Seth it was seemingly all too easy as the strong songwriting and catchy melodies found on this 2CD set suggest. Covering everything the band did from the seventies to modern day, with the 2014 recording of "The Abbey of Thelema" posting proof-positive that a band like Seth never runs dry when it comes to top-tier material(!), "Seth" is jam-packed with material with each CD here filled to maximum capacity! With their self-titled LP from 1980 opening up this wonderful set I was hooked from the very start and left wondering out loud who it was that a group like this wasn't a bigger threat to eighties rock radio? Along with unreleased singles, demos, live material, home recordings and rehearsal tapes it's all here on this expansive set with Minotauro offering these Boston rockers the royal treatment! You'll find the band's history covered in the booklet as you find out more about not just band founder/chief songwriter Gerry Stafford, but fellow bandmates (and talented musicians in their own right!) Rich Santapaga (bass, synthesizer, and vocals) and Dom Marrtignetti (drums, percussion, and vocals). The mini LP gatefold Japanese-style paper-sleeve packaging holds a nice poster featuring colorful live shots of the band in action and thanks to the extra polishing that fantastic album received "Seth" rolls out of your speakers in grand fashion! I've provided a link below with the full track listing, but suffice to say  there's very little about this 2CD career-spanning collection not to like! For this sadly-forgotten band this double CD release is a start, but really Seth deserves all the high-praise and recognition that they can get! For fans of 70's hard rock, (light) metal and prog I simply cannot recommend this package enough! This Boston band ruled the local scene in the late 70s and early 80s and this magnificent 2 CD set helps show you exactly why that was and why you should not only care about Seth, but be vocally loud about their contributions to hard rock and progressive rock! On sale now for the incredible low price of only $16.90 (it's worth it's weight in gold if you ask me!!!!) you can now hold a piece of history in your own hands by heading here: http://www.minotaurorecords.com/#!cds/cnec And (as promised) for those who might want to check out this sweet set's full track listing in advance (and why not as it packs a real punch!) I suggest going right here: http://www.minotaurorecords.com/#!product/prd2/3279545621/seth-2-cd-complete-discography

PS: While there really is too much in the way of material here to cover in advance I would like to add the following note. Musically-speaking there is strong material here that would appeal to fans of Rush as well as fans of Kiss, Judas Priest and even Diamond Head! Seth were nothing short of masters when it came time to crafting heavy rocking songs and they covered so much ground that this 2CD set should easily appeal to just about everyone who values real rock and guitar-oriented hard rock. Any band that can move this easily between clean hard rock and complex progressive rock is worth investing time in and in a day and age where everything retro is suddenly hip a trio like Seth should be on the tip of every one's tongues!

John Fairhurst-Saltwater

Self-Release/Independent
2014


First things first my friends and fellow lovers of all things righteous and rocking. The picture posted above is not necessarily the artwork for "Saltwater". As I wouldn't want anyone to go out looking for "Saltwater" and expect to find it based solely upon said picture I thought it would be appropriate to mention that fact up front. Also, I should probably mention and/or warn you right now that the music of John Fairhurst (like any addictive substance) is hard to walk away from ounce you've sampled it. Try as I might I have not been able to kick this habit and it all started the second I tapped into album opener/first single "Breakdown"! As just one of ten new numbers that make up this highly-personal, 46 minutes long debut album, "Breakdown" is blues-rock for those who have lived the blues and for Bristol-based John Fairhurst (a solo artist turned member of the three-piece that bears his name) that one concept started the very minute that he found himself bedridden for an entire year! Having taken a nasty fall down an unmarked manhole while on the job at a building site, John Fairhurst was left with a serious knee injury and bed bound, in pain and emotionally frustrated (all of which only served as fuel to the fire when one is talking about real blues!) he spent a year alone with a National Resonator guitar. Despite the hardship of such an ordeal it proved to be a blessing in disguise as he spent the year developing the virtuoso finger-picking technique that would soon define his style. And the rest is, as they so often say, history. Or is it? For there surely must be more to "Saltwater" then just "Breakdown" right? What about the album's second single "No Shelter"? Scheduled to appear in a new Luke Perry film, "No Shelter" is as blues-based as "Breakdown" only here we're looking at the rougher side of this power trio. And by rougher we're talking about down and dirty rock. Dangerously addictive dirty rock at that! Even more, the same can be said of feedback-rocker (and one of my fave moments of "Saltwater"!) "I'm Coming Home"! Somewhere between this album's first single and "No Shelter" it dawns of you just how far-reaching this trio can get and that is thanks in no small part to John's gruff singing style and the band's appetite for real, honest-to-goodness, rustic music. Move past the rock of "Breakdown" and you have the authentic twang of "Who You Feeling" and the home-grown feel of "More More More". Then there's the gospel-infused and whiskey-soaked "Pay Day" and the heart-heavy "Time Goes By" that captures you with it's roll away the blues look at life. Whether it's a sinful love for down-home blues as offered on "Black Cat" or a track like "Dance In The Pines" that wouldn't seem so out of place on a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack, "Saltwater" not only has it covered, but it does so by way of wholly organic and meaningful music. Naturally-developed through actual blood, sweat and tears (as well as broken bones!), "Saltwater" found a welcoming heart and soul within me and chances are it can do the same for you!

Lonely Kamel-Shit City

Napalm Records
2014

Not to be confused with "Sin City", "Shit City" is the new album and destination for Norway's Lonely Kamel. Unlike the album title though "Shit City" is anything but shitty! On album number four Lonely Kamel (sporting one of the coolest monikers out there!) take out rolling paper and have one hell of a "smoke em' if you got 'em lads!" jam feast where "traditional" (as if there is such a thing!) stoner rock get's buried up to it's head before being saturated with the sounds of the seventies. That could mean seventies hard rock as much as it could mean psychedelic rock, doom metal or even raw punk as opener/title cut "Shit City" dictates. Seeing as it's all done in good taste(!) it's all the same in the end right? Yeah, why not. As for the band goes? Let's see you've got Thomas Brenna on vocals & guitar, Lukas Paulsen on guitar & backing vocals, Stian Helle on bass and Espen Nesset drums. And speaking of the band (or at least their lead singer/guitarist), in regards to their fourth effort (jokingly) front-man/ringleader Thomas Brenna say's of "We wanted this record as simple and cheap as possible record". If that's the case then I'd wrangle up these Norwegian desert warriors and find out how they did so much with so little as "Shit City" makes for one bad ass listen! These Norwegians rockers have a rough overcoat that hides some legit talent and as one wonders along the dirty and dusty trails of "Sin City" there is plenty of breathtaking sights to take in! Between the nine tracks offered here you'll partake of not only stoner rock and seventies-infused hard rock (as well as the other tempting treats mentioned previously!), but how about some blues to serve as the night's last round? It's all there and it's been wrapped up nice and neat so that anyone and everyone can partake of the festivities! Thankfully for those folks who are living in the U.S. and/or Canada won't have to wait too long to enjoy all the frills and thrills associated with this new friendship as "Shit City" is due to arrive here around the ninth of September.  As someone who is new to the party that is Lonely Kamel I can honestly say that this upcoming release is a stoner rock smorgasbord and one that I plan to lean-on the next time a "chill out" moment is called for!

https://www.facebook.com/lonelykamel

The Dream Logic-My Black Arts

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Their backgrounds include touring and performing with the likes of D’Angelo, Les Nubians, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera and their friends include guitarists Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) and Vernon Reid (Living Color). Meet New York city's The Dream Logic. Made up of  band leader/vocalist Charles Compo and his longtime collaborators Jerry Brooks (bass) and Camille Gainer (drums), with the aforementioned friends/guitarists both helping out on this wild fourteen track LP, The Dream Logic is a fantastic new project just begging to be discovered by the older generation and today's young and hip crowd! The follow-up to 2013's "Dream Logic", "My Black Arts" is a bridge between the past and the present built with love and care by this eclectic jam fusion band. My first sampling of The Dream Logic came courtesy of the first single, "Drunken Monkey". With it's (FUNKY!) southern rock meets Steppenwolf's classic "Magic Carpet Ride" vibe it won me over something fierce! But for these New York born and bred musicians/friends there is so much more to the story when it comes to this fifty minute new album! Under the watchful eyes of multi- instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Charles Compo The Dream Logic comes alive on "My Black Arts". Never mind the funk as we're talking blues, soul, jazz, roots rock and even classic rock all gathered together for an impromptu jam session where there is only one rule-make it real. And by God it is as real as it gets when it comes to this New York-based band! Dripping with passion and integrity "My Black Arts" is a phenomenal release thanks in no small part to the shared chemistry of Compo, Brooks and Gainer. Recorded at The Cutting Room in NYC, "My Black Arts" never sways from it's mission statement and for young and old alike The Dream Logic roll out the red offering carpet. Whether you have a "few" miles to your body like some of us (wink wink) or you are still young enough to let down your hair this one will make you shake and move and feel alive! When the title cut rolls in and calls it a day you actually feel as if you've not only gotten your money's worth, but that you've been treated to one of the best shows that you've ever been to in your life! Sure there are good albums and even great albums. But when was the last time an album made you feel as if you've just witnessed a wonderful evenings worth of high-class entertainment? Until you hear "My Black Arts" for yourself chances are you won't be able to relate to the heartwarming afterglow of a release like this one! Not just for those into jazz-funk or fusion (listen to the excellent "Headlight's Into Darkness" for a sampling of soulful rock and roll) "My Black Arts" caters to all while still maintaining it's own identity. For some readers though an album like this one will require a leap of faith. That's understandable. If you've never branched out before on your own to sample all of the deliciousness that life has to offer it can be unnerving. The thing is in this case I must implore you to try out The Dream Logic. Offering more than you could ever imagine, "My Black Arts" is a soundtrack to a story just waiting to be written! One filled with love and adventure, twists and turns where you might know ahead of time that the ending is going to a happy one but you still delve in out of anticipation and child-like enthusiasm. And it can all be yours by simply clicking on this link: http://thedreamlogic.bandcamp.com/   

Karen Haglof-Western Holiday

True Morgan Music
2014

"Imagine a distaff ZZ Top without the bluster" was the only selling point needed when it came to the solo debut from former Rhys Chatham and Band of Susans guitarist Karen Hagloff. Upon first listen I couldn't have agreed any more. And yet another perspective threw me for a loop of sorts. As "Western Holiday" opened with the spectacular title cut (a blues-buster rock and roller that is based on a real life wrangler that Karen knows!) my teenage son duly noted how the first few notes of the track sounded similar to the "Left 4 Dead" soundtrack! That had not dawned on me, but it's an interesting observation all it's own with Karen's full-length endeavor finding favor with my whole household. For this one-time Minneapolis native whose currently a New Yorker it all sounds so natural and seeing as this singer/songwriter is also a hematologist/oncologist there is simply no way that one can downplay the talent involved with this 12-track debut album! As someone who paid years of dues in both the rock scene in Minnesota and New York (with time also spent as a member of The Crackers!) Karen Haglof craftily builds upon her roots making "Western Holiday" a album that is not only about the blues ("Righteous Anger" and the blues-punk infused "Musician's Girlfriend Blues" (featuring Mitch Easter on slide guitar!) starting off the LP in that direction) but Americana, noise-pop, cowpunk, rockabilly, alt. country, guitar-driven pop rock and heartfelt rock and roll. It's sort of one of those album's where anything goes as long as it plays to the strengths of Karen as a vocalist and guitarist. With Steve Almaas (ex-Beat Rodeo) not only sitting in the producer's chair, but providing bass and vocals on "Dog In The Yard' (alternative country and rockabilly wrapped together all neat and tidy!) and "Lincoln Letters" (a number that ended up featuring the late, great Faye Hunter of Let's Active on lead vocals) and CP Roth on drums, piano and percussion "Western Holiday" ends up being a well-rounded release with a clean and crisp sound! In fact doing a full track-by-track breakdown of this fine solo album from Karen Hagloff would be a huge undertaking because of how well-rounded everything here is! Karen and her fellow musicians do such a wonderful job of infusing each track here with originality, creativity and integrity that by the time 80's rocker "Won't Wake Up To You" kicks in you're out of breath! For me the highlights of "Western Holiday" were too numerous to note as there is not a dull moment to be found as Karen's debut album is filler-free! With a real voice of honesty, reason and sometimes hurt Karen carries the weight of the world through-out these 12 revealing cuts and if justice were to be served 'Western Holiday" would become this year's must-hear hit album!

Inside The Hole-Impressions

Logic(ic)illogic Records
2014

Inside The Hole is a Sicilian power-trio lead by vocalist/guitarist Roy Zappia. Formed in late 2009 this hard rock/blues rock band released the self-produced album "Beer! Sex!..and Fuckin' Roll" in 2011. "Impressions" is "Beer! Sex!..and Fuckin' Roll" after it was "touched up some". Apparently Roy Zappia and his band-mates (bassist Emanuele Cutrona and drummer Alessio Runfola) came to the attention of Logic(ic)illogic Records in late 2013 and after meeting with the label both parties decided that the lyrics and vocals on "Beer! Sex!..and Fuckin' Roll" needed to be improved. "Impressions", which was mixed and mastered at Atomic Stuff Studio by Oscar Burato, is the end result. Whatever it was that Inside The Hole (or rather front-man Roy Zappia) tweaked when it went back in the studio must have worked seeing as the ten-track "Impressions" is a damn fine thing! Self-describing their sound as "Hard 'n' Blues" and with influences ranging from Ted Nugent to Iron Maiden (something that really does work within an album like "Impressions"!) Inside The Hole captured the spirit of a working-man's barroom band on their "debut album" while firmly showcases a style that these three musicians were born to perform! "We'll Be Free" opens "Impressions" and the very first thing that one notices about Inside The Hole is the gruff voice of guitarist Roy Zappia. Whiskey-soaked and enjoyably rough this skilled guitarist gives "Impressions" an overall everyman feel and on a song like "I Pay For You" (a fave moment of mine which sounds like George Thorogood & The Destroyers teaming up with Motörhead!) he helps his band achieve a nice balance between all things hard & heavy and fundamentally-sound/authentic as hell bare-cheated blues! And it's that exact balance that makes "Impressions" such a fun listen! Musically this Sicilian band takes the best parts of Motörhead, Ted Nugent, Deep Purple and Foghat and then fuses it all together with the fanatical guitar playing that recalls Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Johnny Winter! For this Sicilian power-trio it's all fair game and when Inside The Hole let's everything roll nice and loose (check out "Mary, The Dream" and "Love Me Baby"!) that's one cool kicker, but it's even better when the trio gets HEAVY! The title cut actually looks towards Rainbow and Motörhead for inspiration while "Beer! Sex!..and Fuckin' Roll" slimes it's way across the stage like the Motor City Madman doing shots of whiskey with Lemmy! By the time "Begins The Blues" finally wraps this album up it's been a hell of a ride and the temptation to do it all again compels you to hit play "just one more time"*!

*Just one more time lead to an afternoon spent listening to this album again and again!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inside-The-Hole/175154769186932

Steve Weinstein-Last Free Man

Resonator Music
2013

As "Lost & Found" opens Steve Weinstein's late 2013 release "Last Free Man" I took a moment to reflect on the lost art of simple rock and roll. Call it part Bob Dylan part Tom Petty (or Tom Waits with a more keen eye for philosophy or maybe even a smoother take on Eddie & the Cruisers without the sax and way more honesty) or just Steve Weinstein being Steve Weinstein, but whatever it is it certainly sets the mode for this splendid David Baron (Peter Murphy, Lenny Kravitz) produced 10-track release from this part-time rocker/tenured professor of Philosophy at the University of Waterloo. Rewarding tracks such as "Lost & Found" and the title cut are merely the start of this fantastic journey which finds Steve and guests (Bassist Sara Lee of B-52s/Gang of Four, drummer Tony Mason (Al Green, Norah Jones), guitarist GE Smith of Bob Dyan, Tom Waits and Hall & Oats fame, guitarist Adam Widoff (Lenny Kravitz), guitarist Larry Saltzman (David Johansen, Paul Simon) and gospel piano/B3 organist Better Sussman of Whitney Houston fame) drawing from a vast array of sounds and textures so that the music at hand comes of as natural as possible. And that it does. Natural, smooth and organic rock swirls within the likes of "Til I Die", "No Vacancy" and "Seeing Stars" and for those that simply cannot get enough of garage rock and roll "Last Free Man" should be the drug of choice! Lest you think it's all driven by the upbeat early days of rock and roll (specifically mid-late sixties rock!) there's the dark blues rock of "Storm Warning", the gospel-infused "Throw It Away" and a quirky cover of Mission of Burma's "That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate". Things finish up with the late-seventies/early-eighties pop punk of bonus number "Girls that Don't Exist" and really I couldn't have been happier with this magical piece of nostalgic rock and roll. Sure enough it could easily fit in with today's hip scene where the likes of Beck and The White Stripes roam about freely and that's a good indication of it's staying power. Still, I'll admit that it's the old-fashioned charm of these numbers that draws me in and will keep me there. Why not join me there then? There's room for plenty on board this pleasure cruise and we could all learn a thing or two about life and love from Steve Weinstein while we're at it!

http://steveweinstein.net/

My Doppelgänger-God is a lie

Self-Release/Independent
2014

"I'm Alex, guitar player with the heavy metal band Lonewolf (https://www.facebook.com/lonewolfdivision). Here is the other project I've joined and I'm playing in: My Doppelgänger". Thus began the e-mail from Alex Hilbert inquiring as to whether or not Heavy Metal Time Machine took submissions from unsigned acts. Of course the answer to that question has been and will always be a resounding "Yes!" with any and all small print as to the matter (if there actually was any!) simply stating "All submissions (from pop rock to black metal!) are welcome whether you are signed or unsigned"! With that, Alex went on to say that the band's sound (unlike the more traditional, power metal leanings of Lonewolf)  is like "Guns N' Roses meeting Metallica with a touch of Lynyrd Skynyrd and with a kind of Hellhamer on the drums ! No musical boundaries , but still very metal...". And from that point on I was off and running, downloading the album and plugging myself into the (D.I.Y.) concept album that is "God is a lie" (http://mydoppelganger.bandcamp.com/album/god-is-a-lie). What's it all about you might ask? Well, straight from their mouth to this page: "The album is meant to describe the degeneracy of a being, lost in a world he can only feel through its violence and its perversion. The unequal fight between the conscious man and his baleful double will bring him to the end of a life that was eventually sauntering on the sinuous road of insanity". Not to far-fetched if you ask me as one only need look out his window to see the truth in it all. But, heavy-message aside, this French is more then words. For this newish (as in 2012 or so from the sounds of things) French band has planted it's roots down deep into rich soil from where their various influences and inspirations* can sprout up and fully blossom! With "God is a lie" the band, gracefully lead by singer Will (or a French James Hetfield disguised in "rock and roll" sheep's clothing!), takes nothing for granted as the whole project, from "the recordings the mix and mastering (with Powerwolf's guitar player in "Studio Greywolf" Germany) to the 16 pages booklet", might look and sound professional, but it is indeed a 100%  D.I.Y. affair. And it's that same sense of self-assured passion that moves these musicians involved and has resulted in a genuine rock record! Sure as the air we breath there's a metal essence to this French collective and there's a real blues mindset to be found within some of the song-construction that appears on "God is a lie". Even so, as you slowly pull away from this album and reflect on the overall riches that it possesses, it's rock, real rock and roll (even classic rock friends) that you end up taking with you. But, don't take my word for it as each and everyone of you is certainly sensible enough to stream this album and take from it what you will. Just remember though that it's not enough to just have ears. No, you have to learn to really listen. And an album like this deserves one's full listening ability so that all of it's riches can be yours! For more on My Doppelgänger be sure to head over to the group's Facebbok page here: https://www.facebook.com/my.doppleganger.official


*For My Doppelgänger it's not just about the obligatory "metal" role models (Metallica, Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, etc.) as the likes of Uriah Heep, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Mark Knopfler, The Rolling Stones and Blackfoot are referenced as well! And yes, it does show in the band's blues-based, hard rock/heavy metal approach to riff-happy rock!

MACH22-Sweet Talk Intervention

Self-Released
2014

"Sweet Talk Intervention" is the the full-length debut album from Philadelphia-based MACH22. Although a relatively new name to the hard rock scene the band has already managed to play alongside the likes of Slash (who named MACH22 Grand Prize Winner in Guitar Center’s Onstage with Slash contest!), Cheap Thrill, Steel Panther and Tom Keifer. Additionally, the band, which is fronted by founding member Lamont Caldwell (a soulful front-man who toured with Bilal Oliver as a saxophonist and has also played with artists like Erykah Badu, Common, Kirk Franklin, Dave Matthews Band and The Roots) and plays (highly-addictive) adventurous hard rock, performed for an audience of 75,000 at Jay-Z’s "Made in America Festival"! With the Rock 'Em/Sock 'EM after-effects of this Jeff Labar (Cinderella) produced album still nice and fresh in the air it's pretty easy to pick up on just why a group like MACH22 can crossover from a crowd made up of Steel Panther fans to those of Jay-Z. That's of course assuming that that their live shows are even half as good as what was laid to tape on "Sweet Talk Intervention"! With a backing band that features Sebastian LaBar (son of Cinderella guitarist Jeff LaBar!) on lead guitars and vocals, Ted Merrill* on rhythm guitars and vocals*, Jaron Gulino** on bass and vocals and Damian MonteCarlo on drums you had the making of something special, but "Sweet Talk Intervention" goes above and beyond anyone's expectations! It certainly seems as if no expense has been spared (as far as talent is concerned!) when it came down to making sure that this ten-track release sizzled! And that's just it. What makes this recording stand out is how it crackles with electric energy! Lamont Caldwell stands up front and, just like a revved up preacher about to deliver a sermon of a lifetime, he leads the cavalierly in a chorus of soulful hard rock and heartfelt blues rock and it's more then a little crazy how it all seems so simple in MACH22's hands! There's more than enough in the way of good times to be had on the band's debut and while this house of rock might have been built on hard rock and roll and blues rock MACH22 never rests on it's laurels! The group's base sound would have been more then enough to carve out a niche in this rock market of ours, but by making frequent pit-stops in more out of the way places like AOR, funk and even hip-hop(!) they transform themselves into a all-encompassing band for the ages! It's an odd combination to be sure (hard rock and hip hop?) but here it really works as these different elements (AOR, hip hop and funk) live right next door to drop-dead hard rock riffs and those noisy neighbors of theirs (especially Sebastian LaBar who was trained by the one of the best when it comes to rock-based leads!) are always around to lend a helping hand in keeping it all on track! For MACH22 this (locked and loaded!) 10-track debut album (due to be released on May 6th so mark the date down in your calender!) is a great place to start off their (sure to be long) career! And with an appearance scheduled for this year's Rocklahoma festival (May 23-25 in Pryor, OK so be sure to check out  http://www.rocklahoma.com/ for more information!) MACH22 should be winning over a legion of new fans in no time at all! Both this disc and getting a chance to hear this group live are recommend!

 www.mach22music.com 
www.facebook.com/mach22


* Besides being voted a finalist in the Mark Tremonti shredding contest by Baltimore's 98 Rock radio listeners and having officially been sponsored by PRS Guitars, Ted's previous band (The Euphorics) performed with Dizzy Reed (Guns N Roses), Smile Empty Soul, Uli Jon Roth, Ionia and Charm City Devils.

** In addition to being an in-demand bassist (he recently played a handful of shows with Charm City Devils) Jaron Gulino fronts the very cool On Top whose 2011 debut-album, "Top Heavy", is highly recommend thanks to it's blend of classic heavy metal (Judas Priest, Saxon, Accept and Dio) and sleazy hard rock (Ratt, Twisted Sister, Dokken and W.A.S.P.).    

***Prior to joining MACH22 as it's drummer, Damian MonteCarlo fronted and played guitar in numerous bands that opened for the likes of Ratt, Skid Row,Warrant, Vince Neil and Dokken. He also self-produced three full-length albums and one EP.

The Deafening-Central Booking

Self-Release/Independent
2013

Allow me to introduce The Deafening. First heard by yours truly on the "Shoot To Thrill"* compilation that came with the December 2013 issue of Classic Rock Magazine (dedicated to the one and only AC/DC!), on which they opened things up rather nicely with the insanely catchy "Shake Down Chinatown", this female-fronted, New York-based four-piece act offers plenty of passion to go along with heaping handfuls of (AC/DC meets Guns N' Roses) blues-infused rock and roll punch! Lead by Lena Hall, and with at least two other releases to their name from the looks of it (two EPs it seems**), the Deafening list their interests as "Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll". Nothing wrong with that right? With Burt Rock on guitar providing razor sharp rock riffs and a sweet and nasty rhythm section made up of bassist Dylan Doyle and drummer Mick Harrison the band easily rolls through opening numbers like "Destroyer", "Evil Kiss" and "I'm So Bad" all while keeping their various and undeniable influences (Guns N’ Roses, MC5, Iggy Pop, AC/DC, Kiss, The Rolling Stones, Motörhead, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, Queen, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Cheap Trick, Skid Row and The Misfits) firmly in check. While this one is primary a bad to the bone, rock and roll circus of an album ("Destroyer", "Evil Kiss", "You Will Remember The Dead", "Shake Down Chinatown", "Central Booking" and "Death Rattle N' Roll") the band does opt to slow it down on the heartfelt "Jessie" and even takes a turn at eighties hair metal with the easy and sleazy "Sexy Like A Suicide". In the end one can't help but appreciate how The Deafening serves up honest-to-goodness, barroom rock and roll without a hint of the cheesiness that has found it's way into today's scene. This New York-based group writes music that is catchy ("Evil Kiss", "Shake Down Chinatown", "Destroyer" and "I’m So Bad") and overflowing with attitude all while possessing more then enough raw sexual appeal on cuts like "Sexy Like A Suicide" and "Twist" (which is like The Donnas meeting Lita Ford for beers and then cruising around hunting down prey!) to take them all the way to the top! Why not get in then on the ground-level while this band is still (relatively) unknown?

http://thedeafening.bandcamp.com/album/central-booking

*Also featuring Youngstown, Ohio's own Turbo Lovers this 18-track compilation was worth the price of admission alone!

** A self-titled one from 2010 and the interestingly-named "Rattlesnake Sex Show" from 2011.

Wet Nuns-Wet Nuns

Throng Of Nobs
2013

Here I am writing a review for an album that I just discovered from a band that has already called it quits. What's up with that I ask? "Sittin' on a boat, eatin' some oat, makin' a coat outta dead coyote". Those are the words that are plastered on this group's Facebook page as far as a biography goes. Alright...well, I guess that's fair enough in the grand scheme of things. I mean who am I to complain right? Then again, what exactly are we to make of this band when they lists their interests as "Women, booze, death. Enya"? The first two I can get behind and maybe I'll even level a bit of understanding for the third part there, "death". But Enya? Even I have to draw the line there. I mean sure, I've got some Enya buried deep down in my iTunes play-list, but that's a secret that no one is supposed to know about. So mums the word. Alright? Thanks. Anyway, in spite of the little bit of info we have about Wet Nuns, whose name does sound like a bad seventies porno, let's just roll on. The easiest way to describe this one would be punk blues. That's right, punk blues. Take the underbelly of blues and the attitude and anger of punk rock (and it's "three cords and the truth" outlook) and shake it up and down in a bag filled with the dirty syringes, cheap-ass beer and the rotting remains of various sewer "critters" and you've got this self-titled album just about all figured out. Sometimes it's sloppy and sometimes it's right on. It's every bit as ugly as you can imagine it would be and yet it still strikes the right cords far more often then it reasonably should have the ability to do. And even if it gets a little too far ahead of itself and threatens to descend into a bath salt-induced, "I'm gonna eat your face off sucker!", psychotic breakdown it does have it's charms. Buyer beware as always though....  

Dogs of Delphi-Irons in the Fire

Self-Release/Independent
2013

Based in Kansas City Missouri, whose pro football team the Chiefs are very likely to remain undefeated after they destroy my hometown (not so) pro team today, the Browns (especially when it comes to our anemic and down-right offensive offense!), let me introduce all of  you to the band Dogs of Delphi. This real deal, raw, ravenous and ready to strike band is not only heavier then King Kong's (big and hairy) testicles, but their demeanor is even nastier then damn stinky ape! Dogs of Delphi, with what I expect is their debut-recording, offer up (for your listening pleasure of course!) 5-tracks of unapologetic metal. This mid-west act is every bit what you'd expect based not only upon their cool moniker and the EP's gripping title, but also the effective black and white art-work that dons this EP! This five-track release opens strong with the cutting "Voice's of the Sky" and like a mean and vicious junk yard dog, whose gone rabid and has developed a taste for human flesh, it sinks it's blood-craved teeth into you and just doesn't let go!  Not even the album's closing number, which in this case is the gut-punching title-cut "Irons in the Fire", offers relief from it's trap-jaw so don't bother saying any prayers or begging for mercy. Long after this one is (technically) over your head is still going to be rattling from all of the meaty riffs and you'll be wondering where that mack-truck is that just ran you over! Now, usually I try to steer clear of a band's self-penned description. But, in the case of the Kansas City act it is actually a fairly spot-on description. As such it would be hard for me to argue against such a fact as the following. In a nutshell, Dogs of Delphi are said to be what you would get when you combine the three bands Black Sabbath, Clutch and Corrosion of Conformity into one volatile collective. Alright, you've got me as the "volatile collective" part I added myself. The thing is it's all too real and this band's sonic destruction is downright dangerous! So, this one sure does seem to be a combination of all three (Black Sabbath, Clutch and Corrosion of Conformity) with the Clutch part having everything to do with the sound & style of lead singer Adam Vinck. As he has the same kind of gnarly vocal delivery that a younger Neil Fallon did, which is f**king wicked friends, it's easy enough to draw a line between Dogs of Delphi and Clutch. Beyond that yes, sure enough there are those definite pieces/parts of both of the (other two) previously mentioned bands (Black Sabbath and Corrosion of Conformity). But, hold on a minute or two as we check out some of the other groups that spring to mind when you're talking about Dogs of Delphi. There's quite a bit of  anything/everything that Phil Anselmo had/still has to offer the heavy metal community.  This four-piece recalls the likes of Pantera, Superjoint Ritual and Down and in this case that's far from a bad thing! It's simply that Dogs of Delphi has more the enough substance to keep them interesting. With a guitarist like Todd James on hand, who keeps himself quite busy by laying down groove-heavy riffs (with the emphasis on HEAVY!), there does seem to be a tiny bit of (let's hold off on the psychedelic please and, in it's place, how about we try it with a bit more punk fellas?) Monster Magnet. Well, there's that and then (and I'm not sure why it was that I came away with this one) I heard the familiar rumblings of the mighty Motörhead in between Dogs of Delphi's riffs. Why it is that bands like this always bring me back to Lemmy and company I just don't know. Maybe it's a genetic defect on my part?. Either way there are also a lot worse things in life then being compared to a band like the one Lemmy fronts! On subsequent listens (as this one DEMANDED that I listen to it a half dozen or so times!) I came away with the impression that Dogs of Delphi could be what an alternate universe version of Motörhead would sound like if their biggest influences had been not only bands like Black Sabbath, C.O.C. and Clutch, but also "No Life 'til Leather" era Metallica! All of that just goes to show the diversity of this Kansas City collective and how "Irons in the Fire" is a beast of an EP!  Well, that and then it shows that my mind never likes to stay in one place for too long. I will chalk that one up to all the years of headbanging and thrashing out as it would explain the scrambled egg brains of mine! And hey, Dogs of Delphi, which is filled out by the pair of  bassist Michael Christopher (formerly of Primer 55) and drummer Jason Byrd (formerly of Cherry Wench with Todd James), might not helped me any with there monstrous riffs, but you are not going to hear me complain! Maybe the group's not a well-known commodity right now, but if they keep on cranking out this kind of ball-crushing, heavy on the groove and southern fried for extra crunchiness material then that will change soon enough. Be sure to clear out the runway for this Kansas City collective when you do secure a copy of this EP. Because let me tell you, when they come down to land these 5-tracks it's going to make one hell of a heavy metal explosion and leave layers upon layers of carnage everywhere! You can snag a copy of this one on iTunes, Amazon and other sources that deal in all things digital and all things "hotter then hell and capable of drop-kicking the devil's ass all the way to heaven" metal!

Zodiac-A Hiding Place

Prosthetic Records

2013

 
On album number two, the four members of Germany's rock band Zodiac cover a lot of ground from the album's opening, AC/DC-like, number "Downtown" to "Free" (which features some classic rock guitar playing that wouldn't have felt out of place on Funkadelic's "Maggot Brain") and even "Leave Me Blind", a semi-soft piano-ballad. And they do it all while coming across as a (long time in the making and well-seasoned) veteran act. When you consider the group's true age though, as they were only founded back in 2010 by drummer Janosch Rathmer (Long Distance Calling) and singer/guitarist Nick van Delft, it's all the more impressive I'd dare to argue. Three years on and the pair, which were eventually joined by guitarist Stephan Gall (ex Rocketchief) and bass player Ruben Claro, sound as if they have hit on a winner formula with "A Hiding Place". With the help of producer Martin Meinschäfer (Henrik Freischlader, Donots), who also produced the group's well-received, 2012 debut-album, "A Bit of Devil", the gentlemen in Zodiac release an album that was made by rock musicians for rock fans. While this young group chooses to cover Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer", and in fine fashion I must say, they do come across as a youthful and enthusiastic modern rock band with a sound that (one would think) should bring in today's young generation of rock fans. True, it is their 70's love-feast (with group's like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy and many others serving as a sort of blue-print for Zodiac) that will appeal to most listeners and with good cause. But, rock is an ageless institution so hopefully this talented, up-and-coming act will find fans both young and old. If this album is any indication then these guys are in for even better days ahead.