Greystone Canyon-While The Wheels Still Turn

Rockshots Records
2018

Australia's hard & heavy/classic metal band Greystone Canyon will release the Western-themed "While The Wheels Still Turn" on March, 9th, 2018. Starting things off with the (ever so brief, but nonetheless enjoyable) intro "Keeping Company With The Dead", the nine-track "While The Wheels Still Turn" serves as the debut album for Greystone Canyon...even if it feels more like an expanded-EP. It clocks in at just over 33 minutes and features three numbers that fall under the two minute mark. Influences included Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin, (early) Ozzy Osbourne, King Diamond, and Megadeth. Lead by vocalist/guitarist Darren Cherry, Greystone Canyon might be a new act on paper, but it is actually comprised of veteran musicians with ties to countless other Australian metal bands.  Such proof can be found on the Metal Archives. Said musicians include: Rich Vella (guitars), Dave Poulter (bass), and drummer Luke Wilson. With four well-seasoned musicians in charge of it's construction, "While The Wheels Still Turn" features a Western style of heavy metal that is easy on the ears and quite capable of invoking positive memories of the classic hard rock & heavy metal scene of the late seventies and early to mid eighties. May God and the members of Greystone Canyon forgive me for the following words, but in all the best ways possible (including sincere love and appreciation for something completely new to these ears of mine!), "While The Whiles Still Turn" comes across as Megadeth (or a more traditional metal version of Dave's band) mixed with the Western music of Jon Bon Jovi! I fully expect to be crucified for such a comment, but in this case that is a compliment to talent of Greystone Canyon. To that end, "While The Wheels Still Turns" features some material that carries the same vibe as heard on Metallica's cover of "Whiskey in a Jar" and "Turn the Page". There again it might sound like a odd comment, but it is meant as praise to the album's atmosphere. In closing, Greystone Canyon's debut is a solid listening experience that should appeal to both fans of Western rock/heavy metal and classic hard rock/heavy metal.

Airbound-Airbound

Art of Melody Music
2017

Airbound is a AOR/melodic rock band from Italy. This self-titled album serves as the group's studio debut and it was produced by Oscar Burato and the band members themselves.  Those band members would be Tomás Borgogna Ugarteburu (lead and backing vocals), Lorenzo "Fudo" Foddai (guitars and backing vocals), Angelo "NgL" Sasso (bass and backing vocals), Alessandro Broggi (keyboards, piano, and backing vocals), and Riccardo Zappa (drums and percussion). You've also got guest performances from Davide "Dave Rox" Barbieri (Raintimes, Wheels Of Fire, Room Experience, Charming Grace), Mario Percudani (Hungryheart, Shining Line, Ted Poley, Axe), Josh Zighetti (Hungryheart, Charming Grace), and Sven Larsson (Raintimes, Street Talk, Room Experience). With all of that talent on hand you've expect nothing but a smooth ride and that's exactly what you get. Inspired by the classic AOR scene of yesterday and modern day melodic rock, "Airbound" is a very slick album that plays to the strength of lead singer Tomás Borgogna Ugarteburu. With his appealing (almost vintage like) voice up front and the enjoyable pairing of rock guitar solos & (delightful) keyboard parts, "Airbound" is a solid debut album that AOR and melodic rock fans alike can enjoy. I'm not sure how long this group has been around, but Airbound already has the feel of a veteran band. That is a real rarity these days.

G.O.T.H.-Glam On Thy Hell

Musicarchy Media
2016

Formed in 2005 by co-vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Ivan Prim, G.O.T.H (Glam On Thy Hell) is a rock-solid hard & heavy gothic metal band whose vast array of influences seem to range from Siouxsie and the Banshees to Slayer*! Originally released back in 2015 in digital format only, "Glam On They Hell" is the first full-length studio recording from this up-and-coming American/Portuguese band and it is a highly-atmospheric walk on the dark side of the moon! Well, it's either that or it is a calm, cool & collected sneak peak at the other side of the life's door. You do know the spooktacular place that I am talking about right? If not then it is where you can expect to find death just sitting there nice and comfortable as he waits to greet you after all of the lights have been turned out!! Given the mysterious narrative that is this album's lyrical content** (mystic metal anyone?) I suppose it could go either way. From that point of view it isn't a easy task pinpointing the exact origin of "Glam On Thy Hell". Mind you it's not as if it actually matters. For you see whichever way you choose to slice it and dice it the end result will always be the same. From it's lyrics to it's actual music "Glam On Thy Hell" is a winner! You don't often get hear that when it comes to a band's first album, but somehow all of the stars were able to line up just right and G.O.T.H. pull it off. Produced by Ivan Prim and João Pereira at Requiem Studios in Wolverhampton UK, G.O.T.H.'s debut outing is truly something special, but then again so are the two people that were involved with it's creation. Yes, you heard that right. Despite it's grand scheme there were only two people at work on "Glam On Thy Hell"!. In addition to G.O.T.H.'s main-man and founder Ivan Prim (lead vocals and backing vocals, drums, guitars, bass, and orchestration!) you have Kate Prim (lead vocals and backing vocals). Working together with co-producer João Pereira the pair of Ivan and Kate created a bang-up goth metal release that musically covers a lot of ground and should help set this band apart from it's peers. Somewhat fittingly "Glam On Thy Hell" includes 13 tracks (one of which is nothing more than an intro but still....) and these different tracks all line up in such way that you can't help but be reminded of a time when albums were just that-actual, honest to goodness albums and not just a collection of random numbers just tossed together. There's a nice even-flow about G.O.T.H.'s debut album and the vintage vibe of this disc's production merely adds to the overall appeal of "Glam On Thy Hell". With this only being their first album there's no doubt that this will be a good band to keep an eye on. And now that they are teamed up with the great folks over at Musicarchy Media the members of G.O.T.H. will finally get a chance to put out their debut album on a physical format***! That's a win-win in my book!!



*Even if it has more in common with heavy glam metal than it does thrash this album's somewhat eerie title track, "Glam On Thy Hell", features the same kind of familiar guitar riffs that Slayer in known for. And to answer your second question, yes, the song "Glam On Thy Hell" is all the more awesome because of these killer riffs!

**Despite the fact that you can take the album's well-written lyrics and interpret them in a variety of ways the end result is always the same. There is a strong sense of unity between the lyrics and the actual music on G.O.T.H.'s first album and it makes for a damn fine listen! 

***While it is technically just for the European market, "Glam On they Hell" will at least see a CD release. And that is all that really matters when it comes to fans of this underrated gothic rock/metal band.

Free Metal Monday: Wicked Faith-Warpaint

Self-Release/Independent
2015

Wicked Faith (who for some unknown reason are still unsigned!) is a simply awesome female-fronted heavy rock/hard & heavy band that is based in Norwich and lead by Jade Murray. The name-your-own-price "Warpaint" looks as if it is the first studio recording from this talented UK quartet* and it was released back in mid-October of 2015. With 11 really good songs in all, "Warpaint" is about as well-rounded and smooth as one could hope for when it comes to debut albums and (per the band members themselves) it is "free, because we want people to listen...". Seeing how bloody good this album is I can't help but share that sentiment so be sure to check this one out by clicking here.





*Wicked Faith is rounded out by guitarist Tim Frost, bassist Mia Webster, and drummer/vocalist Matt Dove.

Deathless Creation-Thrash 'N' Roll

Timezone Records
2015

Formed on New Year's Day, 2012, Deathless Creation is a German metal band whose current line-up features vocalist/guitarist Benne Rommel, guitarist Vlad Nikolov (Slartibartfass, ex-The Witches Sabbath, ex-Daargesin, ex-Encryption, ex-Total Hate), bassist Eric Arikan, and drummer Stefan Schaubele. The aptly-titled "Thrash 'N' Roll" is the full-length debut album from Deathless Creation and it was preceded in life by the independently-released "Endless Source of Power". Prior to that (worthwhile) 4-cut EP this Günzburg, Bavaria-based quartet released a 2012 demo by the name of "Insanity". You can find both the "Endless Source of Power" EP and the 12-track "Thrash 'N' Roll" over on this group's bandcamp page. Up front my personal advice would be to snag both up on CD, but that recommendation would probably make a hell of a lot more sense to you once I've actually covered this well-sculpted slab of rock! And "rock" it does! It also thrashes along merrily, but with this disc's title and all what more would you expect out of it? How about some eighties metal and N.W.O.B.H.M. love? That sounds good right? Well, I'll tell you want. It sounds even better "live" than it does on paper! With their mash-up of thrash, traditional heavy metal, eighties metal, N.W.O.B.H.M., and heavy rock a band like Deathless Creation has a lot going for it right out of the gate. After all we are talking about a lot of my favorite things here and chances are (taste-wise) the same can be said of a lot of our readers. Really all that is missing is some old-school punk and this would be the perfect cocktail! Could you even imagine that greatness? Wow! Regardless, "Thrash 'N' Roll" is fun ride with plenty of interesting twists and turns along the route. To be fair this four-piece is a tad raw around the edges. For me it's all part of the charm, but it's still best to point it out so that no one complains about this being more garage metal than grand metal. Especially because you know someone would! 

Run 2 Cover-Lovesick

KBB Records
2015

Based in Phoenix, Arizona and made up of brothers Christian and Brandon Iverson (lead vocals and bass & drums and vocals respectively) and Colin Shaw (guitar and vocals), Run 2 Cover is a extremely talented modern pop rock/pop-punk trio that was first formed in 2010 and began life as a heavy metal outfit. "Lovesick" is the full-length debut from this 3-piece teenage band and this radio-friendly release was produced by Matt Good (From First To Last, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows) at Good Sound Studios. Having played alongside the likes of Escape The Fate, Eyes Set To Kill, IM5, and Alien Ant Farm, Run 2 Cover has already amassed a loyal following and with each new date added that list seems to be growing at steady pace! Just going by this band's catchy debut here it's plain as day as far as why that's the case and with a crap-load of live shows on the horizon (see below) this up-and-coming pop rock and roll band should easily win the hearts of our teenage daughters before they even know what hit them! The way I look at it things could be worse. At least were not talking about another One Direction or anything! And then there's the fact that A) This band plays their own instruments so it's not like this is a pro-tools type of pop album and B) There are legitimate rock hooks to be found on an album like "Lovesick"! Sure, there is a lot of bubblegum pop going on here and you are going to have to wade through it. No one in good conscious can deny that. But, every once in awhile this young trio starts to reminisce about the "good old days" and when that happens...well, let's just say there's some powerful stuff going on! While true blue metal fans will likely want to pass on this I will say that there is plenty to like about Run 2 Cover if you are into the more guitar-driven side of pop rock and/or pop-punk. Seeing as my tastes generally range from Slayer to the Go-Go's I actually enjoyed this album as a nice change of pace kind of option. If you are the same way (meaning your collection is like mine with Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast" sitting comfortably next to the soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever!) then why not give this one a spin? You can find out more Run 2 Cover on the band's Facebook page or over on the group's official web site. 

As promised I've included the band's upcoming tour schedule. 


Burn Halo, Heartist, Courage My Love, Run 2 Cover
9/5/15 – Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
9/6/2015 – Las Vegas, NV @ LVCS
9/9/2015 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
9/11/2015 – Albuquerque, NM @ The Jam Spot
9/12/2015 – El Paso, TX @ Mesa Music Hall

One Eyed Doll, Stitched Up Heart, Run 2 Cover
9/18/2015 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
9/19/2015 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
9/22/2015 – Missoula, MT @ Stage 112
9/23/2015 – Billings, MT @ Pub Station
9/25/2015 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
9/26/2015 – Danville, IL @ Vintage Villains (Danville Comic Con)
9/27/2015 – Lansing, MI @ The Loft *
9/29/2015 – Westland, MI @ The Token Lounge
9/30/2015 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom
10/1/2015 – Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
10/2/2015 – Ottawa, ON @ Mavericks
10/3/2015 – Clifton Park, NY @ Trickshots
10/4/2015 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/5/2015 – Trenton, NY @ Championships Bar *
10/6/2015 – Akron, OH @ Empire Concert Club *
10/7/2015 – Newport, KY @ Thompson House
10/8/2015 – South Bend, IN @ Cheers Pub
10/9/2015 – Louisville, KY @ Expo Five
10/10/2015 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
10/11/2015 – Springfield, MO @ Outland Ballroom
10/14/2015 – New Orleans, LA @ Southport Hall
10/16/2015 – Fort Worth, TX @ The Rail Club
10/17/2015 – Austin, TX @ Dirty Dog Bar
10/18/2015 – Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
10/19/2015 – Corpus Christi, TX @ House Of Rock *
10/20/2015 – McAllen, TX @ The Thirsty Monkey *
10/21/2015 – San Antonio, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
10/22/2015 – Lubbock, TX @ Jake’s Backroom
10/23/2015 – Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard
10/24/2015 – Merriam, KS @ Aftershock
10/25/2015 – Wichita, KS @ The Elbow Room
10/27/2015 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Sunshine Studios Live
10/28/2015 – Englewood, CO @ Moe’s
10/29/2015 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Area 51
10/30/2015 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Dive Bar

* = Stitched Up Heart, Run 2 Cover

Regicide-Fall of an Empire

Self-Release/Independent
2015

Formed in 2006 in Las Cruces, Regicide is a traditional heavy metal/thrash metal band and the recently-released  "Fall of an Empire" is their debut album. The band is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Issac Trujillo, lead guitarist Dominic "Dimemond" Flores, bass guitarist Andrew "The Android" Silluron, and drummer Brandon "Brack" Gallegos and their influences range from the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and Motörhead to bands like Testament, Anthrax, Metallica, Pantera, Megadeth, and Slayer. With a run-time of just over thirty minutes there is obviously not that much to this eight-track recording and in all honesty that's probably a good thing as New Mexico's Regicide has a long way to go before they can hope to compete with their elders. While the band's take on heavy/thrash metal isn't exactly bad it isn't great either. If anything it's just so-so and a lot of that has to do with the album's overall generic sound. There's nothing here we haven't heard a thousand times over and what is here is colorless and flavorless. As much as I would like to support these underground metalheads I find myself uninspired and unmoved by their debut album here. Hopefully that will change over time, but seeing as this band is already some nine years old it doesn't look promising in that department. This one is only for die-hard collectors who must have anything and everything thrash related.     

Blizzard Hunter-Heavy Metal to the Vein

Pure Underground Records
2015

"Heavy Metal to the Vein" is the long-awaited full-length debut from Peruvian speed metal/traditional heavy metal act Blizzard Hunter. A lethal combination of older tracks and new numbers, "Heavy Metal to the Vein" features ten tracks in all and has a run-time that is just short of the fifty minute mark! It's scheduled for release on June 19th and I'm calling it now. I've got dibs on "Heavy Metal to the Vein". This is one of 2015's BEST albums and if there is any kind of justice in the world at all (or at least in heavy metal circles) then it is going to end up sitting atop of many Year End Best Of Lists! Now, long-time readers will be familiar with the name, but for everyone else perhaps a brief overview is in order. First formed in 2006 by lead guitarist Lucho Sanchez (ex-Disinter, ex-Necropsya, ex-Bleed of Hate) and initial going by the name of Blizzard (with the Hunter part added on a later date due to some trademark issues), Blizzard Hunter began life as a Ozzy Osbourne tribute band. Inspired by Ozzy's solo album "Blizzard Of Oz", Lucho Sanchez and his fellow band-mates moved from covering only Ozzy Osbourne to playing songs from Iron Maiden, Metallica, Kiss, Judas Priest, and Megadeth. Other than Kiss (with an exception being made for numbers like "God of Thunder" and "I Love it Loud") those early cover choices offer excellent starting points on the map when we go about examining Blizzard Hunter's metallic sound. With these guys you'll hear some Iron Maiden and Judas Priest as well as some Metallica and Megadeth. And the whole Ozzy thing? Well, dig deep down under all of the aggression and speed and you're likely to find some Black Sabbath heaviness as well as love and admiration for Ozzy's early solo years! All of which is rather wicked when you think about it. Seeing as this band's whiplash approach to heavy metal hides a reasonably darker underbelly it's just like hitting your favorite bottles of beer & win (or in my case hard cider!) and having the early flavors give way to rich and rewarding aftertaste! It's a two for the price of one hit of heavy metal! But that's the end of this band's "story" and we still need to cover parts of the beginning. So anyway, it wasn't long before the band made the inevitable leap from performing covers to writing original material and this album here shows just how far this Lima-based band has come! My first introduction to this incredible heavy metal/speed metal band came in August of 2014 in the form of  "Conqueror of Destiny" and after reviewing the group's first EP I was hooked! When it was released on cassette tape with a limited run of only 100 copies I pretty much knocked over anyone and everyone in my way in order to snag a copy for my personal collection! The three tracks on that EP ("I'm On My Way", "Ghost Rider", and "The Joke") ended up here on "Heavy Metal to the Vein" and back in late January of this year I actually covered the album's blazing title cut! That should bring us all up to speed so let's jump right into the heavy metal fire that is Blizzard Hunter's debut album! As far as the album's line-up is concerned it goes a little something like this. In addition to the insane lead work of guitarist Lucho Sanchez, "Heavy Metal to the Veins" features Sebastian "Dragon" Palma on vocals, Toño "Wild Rocker" Rojas on guitars, and Lalo "Indú" Salas on bass. For the drum parts Blizzard Hunter called in former member
 Juan Miguel Leon. His session work is simply fantastic and there is a nice bit of chemistry going on between him and bassist Lalo "Indú" Salas. There's also a great of chemistry when it comes to Blizzard Hunter's guitarists. Toño "Wild Rocker" Rojas and Lucho Sanchez (ex-Disinter, ex-Necropsya, ex-Bleed of Hate) share solos on Blizzard Hunter's first album and more often then not the pair pull of the ultimate tribute to Glenn Tipton & K. K. Downing! As far as the mic work of lead singer Sebastian "Dragon" Palma (Lightning, ex-Morvidhen) is concerned it has never sounded better! In days of old I talked about this front-man's (all-out addicting) youthful energy and no matter what the band throws at him the answer is always the same! Just as he does in life, Sebastian "Dragon" Palma grabs it by the balls and takes charge like the bad ass he is! For a younger man he certainly has a mature voice and with his band-mates all but doing the same thing this high-pitched singer pays tribute to the good old days of metal! To be more specific we're talking about 80's metal and the whole N.W.O.B.H.M. scene along with influences that run the gamut from Motörhead to Dio! You'll pick up other cues on "Heavy Metal to the Vein" like Raven, Grim Reaper, Helloween, Savatage, and even (early) Slayer! Unlike a hundred plus other bands, Blizzard Hunter stands out because they take those various influences and then build their own weapon of mass destruction! As it stands now the band Blizzard Hunter is all about paying homage, but doing it in a way in which they are securing their own distinct place in hall's of heavy metal! The upcoming "Heavy Metal to the Vein" starts things off with a brief spoken word intro before making a B-line straight to your jugular with "Conqueror of Destiny". Wow! Did anyone get the number of that bus that just flattened me? Heavy to the max, "Conqueror of Destiny" is epic metal the way it should be played and if there is a better way to go right into a heavy metal fan's heart then I don't know what it is! On new cut "Heart Of Fire (Vampire Hunter's Song)" you'll find Blizzard Hunter thrashing about in a mixture of Raven, Iron Maiden, Grim Reaper and King Diamond and man is it ever something to behold! These Peruvian metal maniacs make you want to stand up tall and proud with "Nemesis (Feel My Strength)" and fellow new number "The Murder". The former is a tried and true heavy metal ripper while the latter sees the band delve into doom while keeping one foot firmly planted in the realm of N.W.O.B.H.M.-inspired speed! "The Murder" is also blessed with some stellar heavy rock guitar work and it's these little finishing touches that make this album so special. "My Revenge" and album closer, "The Final Judgement", are the other two new cuts and they are both on the "heavier" side of things. "My Revenge" has a mid-section guitar solo that should make Slayer fans scream with joy ends while "The Final Judgement" just whips riffs at you from all directions! As for the tracks which appeared on the band's "Conqueror Of Destiny" EP? Those three cuts go all the way back to 2011 (if not sooner!), but even so they feel right at home here on the band's debut. Obviously they are re-recorded versions, but "I'm On My Way" (track number two), "Ghost Rider" (track six) and "The Joke"(track nine ) still kick serious ass! Scratch that, "I'm On My Way" and the other two re-recorded numbers sound better than ever and when wedged in tight on this album they help make "Heavy Metal to the Vein" the superb work of art that it is! With the new album all wrapped up and waiting to drop the band Blizzard Hunter has managed to grab itself a nice twofer. Now only is this one of 2015's best heavy metal releases (and one that I'm dying to get my hands on as far as official CD copies go!), "Heavy Metal to the Vein" also holds the distinction of being one of the GREATEST debut albums in all heavy/speed metal! Big words I know, but this is a BIG heavy metal album that is filled up with BIG heavy metal moments! For fans of the band this one will be a no-brainer. Just pick it up and live in the moment! For new fans this will be a chance to hear old school-infused heavy metal/speed metal of the highest quality from a band that lives and loves metal as much as the rest of us! Not only that, but you will end up adding one new album to your collection that will end up being a timeless classic in years to come! Let's all hope that mid-June gets here before we know it!

Rockstar Frame-Rock 'n' Roll Mafia

Musicarchy Media
2015

Every bit as hotblooded and a hundred plus times as sexy as it's artwork suggests, "Rock 'n' Roll Mafia" is the soon to be released (to great fanfare and widespread joy no doubt!) debut LP from Rockstar Frame. It was not even a week ago (last Wednesday to be precise) that I first introduced you to this hot new hard & heavy rock band and their even hotter single, "She's Hot". That pulse-raising piece of rebel rock was just phase one of this band's plan for world conquest. Now this Milan five piece is back in black and ready to finish the war that they started with "She's Hot" and I for one welcome our new conquers with open arms and raised first! To paraphrase The Ramones "I'm all revved up and ready to go" and I've got this band's first studio release all but CRANKED up as loud as if can be in the background so that every living soul can experience the next evolutionary & revolutionary leap in female-fronted hard rock for themselves! Or at least all the living souls in my little corner of the world as they are the ones getting rocked and rolled all over by what some people have been calling the "New Guns N Roses with killer female vocals"! That's not entirely unfair as Rockstar Frame do strike a similar pose to Axl Rose and company. Well, later day Axl Rose and his pals (as in G 'N R "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II") as this Italian hard rock band also likes to utilize the winning combo that is screaming guitars and flashy keys! Still, Axl Rose comes across old and cranky when compared to Rockstar Frame's sultry lead singer Faith Blurry! A killer artist all her own, Faith has a set of pipes on her that can't be beat and her range is quite impressive (to say the least). There's a red hot fire burning deep down inside her that keeps the music of Rockstar Frame blazing! Faith Blurry could easily strike gold on her own as a singer so having someone this talented behind the mic gives this hard rock/heavy metal even more bite! There's also enough attitude in feisty front-lady Faith Blurry alone to make the Misfits' number "Attitude" sound like a silly love song! In other words she is the perfect weapon for these smooth criminals! But, let's take a step or two back as "Rock 'n' Roll Mafia" is actual the end of a journey that was first started back in 2012 by founding member and drummer extraordinaire Max Klein. At it's core,  Rockstar Frame is very much a tale of how one man's unfortunate accident would transform the lives of many in a truly healthy and positive way! The story begins with Rockstar Frame's Max Klein taking a nasty tumble down a cliff. That bit of misfortune left Max in a coma. While his loving and supportive family stayed by his bedside they played him rock music. As he lay unconscious Max soaked up all the good vibes that the music had to offer and when he eventually woke up he found that he was now inspired to create great music of his own! To that end the talented Max went out and recruited equally skilled musicians and with one thing leading to another we now find ourselves staring down the barrel of a gun named Rockstar Frame! That might be oversimplifying the whole history of this female-fronted heavy rock/hard rock band a wee bit, but just as Max believes that it was the rock music that his family played for him that helped to bring to him back around to the waking world I have to believe that it was more than just mere coincidence that these five musicians found each other. The music of "Rock 'n' Roll Mafia" suggests as much as this kind of band chemistry doesn't pop up everyday! As for the other key players involved? They would be guitarist Morris Steel, bass guitarist Andy Di Bella and keyboardist Ace Wave. Collectively these five good friends have turned a simple vision into a spectacular reality where eighties hard rock, blues rock and sleazy/pop metal are smoothed over by the sounds of heavy rock radio. It's a place where this band's colorful influences (from Guns 'N Roses to Aerosmith) are touched up and turned inside out in order to give all the dearly faithful something fun and catchy to scream and shout about! With it's electrifying material, "Rock 'n' Roll Mafia" is primal rock and roll from a one-time-in-a-million/billion hard and heavy act. Needless to say you are going to want this one for your own collection friends!

Premortal Breath-They

 

Self-Release/Independent

2014

Released back in late July of this year, "They" is the first studio offering from Germany's Premortal Breath. With eight-tracks in total (incl. such glorious gems as "Fuck My brain" and "Blood Baby Shower"!), "They" is the result of one back to the basics (heavy metal tried and true/heavy metal through and through) band that spent a full four years in training from their initial formation back in 2010 to the recording of this buzz-worthy/everything but the kitchen sink debut LP. Lead vocals come courtesy of one Thomas Greulich and his rough & ragged voice doesn't give you heavy metal goosebumps then who knows what will! Falling somewhere between the metal scene of old, underground/garage metal and German metal/thrash in general this one is admittedly better then the "kitchen sink" comment might lead you to believe. Sure there is melody to be found, but the real strength of "They" lies with it's overall heaviness and the feeling that you get that this five-piece band has poured everything they have (heart, soul and even their sanity) into the making of this righteous little banger! Available on iTunes (which is where I downloaded my copy friends!), "They" is good first-step forward for this heavy metal/thrash metal band and it should please fans who like their metal to be somewhat bleak, but nonetheless full-out wicked!

 

Clouds Taste Satanic-To Sleep Beyond The Earth

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Well, I feel like a dick. I realize that's not much of a way to open a review, but seeing as this was released back in July and I just stumbled upon it in my email this past weekend its a reasonable enough response on my part. Better late than never I suppose. Although it's got to be said that when it comes to this New York instrumental band the cooler months of October, November and December do seem to offer up more suitable environments when listening to a modern day doom metal band with a "post rock" past like Clouds Taste Satanic. And while I can't be entirely sure about the name of this Brooklyn band (seeing as I've never had the experience of tasting clouds for myself!) I will say that the title of this band's first full-length LP is all the more fitting given the fact that Clouds Taste Satanic wears it's influences on it's sleeves! "To Sleep Beyond The Earth" is a debut album where the love of Earth and Sleep is but the first step taken in this band's personal journey towards self-discovery with some Sunn O))) and those "post rock" roots acting as stimulants for these passionate performers! Said performers include Steve Scavuzzo and David Weintraub on guitars with Sean Bay (bass) & Christy Davis (drums) rounding out this party. Music-wise you can expect to find yourself  transfixed by the cold stare of Clouds Taste Satanic with the album "To Sleep Beyond The Earth" methodically creeping and crawling towards the listener with outstretched skeletal hands of doom. All told it's 45 minutes of stretched-out soul crushing material, but as they often say slow and steady wins the race. Made up of "To Sleep Beyond the Earth (Parts I & II)" and "To Sleep Beyond The Earth (Parts III & IV)" this is one of the ultra rare instrumental albums that actually seems to work better without vocals muddying up the mix. Available as a digital download at the link below, with Kinda Like Music handling the  vinyl and CD versions of the excellent "To Sleep Beyond The Earth", the debut full-length from Clouds Taste Satanic is sinister sexy and should be viewed as a must-have for fans of Earth and Sleep!

http://cloudstastesatanic.bandcamp.com/releases

Amulet-The First

Century Media Records
2014

Active since 2010, London's Amulet made their debut with the 2011 demo, "Cut the Crap". Independently released on cassette with a limited run of 222 copies (22 yellow, 25 red and 175 white) that recording would eventually see a limited release of 100 copies as part of a CD/DVD package before it was released as a 7" by Mordgrimm Records (100 white, 400 black-now sold old!). Somewhere in-between all of that chaos the four-track demo in question was magically transformed into a digital download and that would proved to be my first exposure to this spellbinding British heavy metal band. Like many before me I was hooked with "Cut the Crap" all but turning me into an obsessed Amulet fan! And now we are gathered together to behold the glory that is "The First". Released this past September, "The First" is exactly how I imagined it would be. Without mincing words, "The First" by Amulet is partly A) A tribute to the likes of  Diamond Head, Blitzkrieg, Tygers Of Pan Tang and Tokyo Blade (with a few sparkling glimpses of Budgie) as evident by the first half or so of this 14-track album and  B) Ozzy/Ronnie Black Sabbath appreciation day as heard the clearest on "Talisman"/"The Sacrifice" and expressed lyrically with this album's theme of black magic, mysticism and warning's about "preachers and fools" ("Wicked 'n Cruel")! Along the way you might pick out some highly appreciated affection for Italy's one and only Goblin (the instrumental "The Flight" is spectacular!), but musically this dark and spooky LP is all about the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene and occult doom metal. The CD version at least contains a cover of Coven's "Wicked Woman" all but furthering that particular agenda and if there's any fault to be had with "The First" I certainly haven't found it yet! Jamie Elton's vocals elevate the mood and if his bewitching voice (all but snatched from the windpipes of many a great lead vocalist with Ozzy and Dio merely heading that pack!) isn't enough Elton's backing band features a guitar great in the making by way of 'Nip' Blackford! Who knows where this guy has been hiding, but one simply rule out the involvement of the black arts as 'Nip' comes across as another time traveler plucked from Britain's truly glorious heavy metal past and deposited in London's post-N.W.O.B.H.M. landscape! And that is simply two of the five members who were involved with making this memorable debut album! As the title suggests this is just the beginning for Amulet and if "The First" is this desirable one can only imagine what these Londoners might have up their sleeves for a sophomore outing!

Mark Rogers & Mary Byrne-I Line My Days Along Your Weight

Important Records
2014

"I Line My Days Along Your Weight" is the debut offering from Brooklyn husband and wife duo Mark Rogers & Mary Byrne. Recorded live to analog tape over the course of a few cold days this past January (with Mark handling most of this album's instrumentation and Mary working as a vocalist, acoustic guitarist and pianist) this tranquil release is just now seeing the light of day. The fact that it is some nine months later is likely not lost on the pair responsible for this confident collection and it most certainly should not be lost on those wise enough to invest in this invaluable folk album. With "I Line My Days Along Your Weight" there proved to be no birthing pains though even as the delivery process of this folk release proved to be as natural and intimate as it's initial creation! Given the undeniable chemistry of the pair and warm and cozy sense of comfort that this album conveys it's not too surprising to learn that Mark Rogers & Mary Byrne stood some mere inches apart as they recorded this humble and humane release. From the onset Mark Rogers (a former member of indie-folk band The Loom whose fingers of gold have been heaven-blessed!) and his partner Mary Byrne (a onetime lead-singer, songwriter and guitarist for Atlantic trio Hot Young Priest whose peaceful vocal delivery unsuccessfully masks the true strength and confidence of this masterful singer!) went out of there way to make "I Line My Days Along Your Weight" sound as delicate and true to life as possible. Even the "minimal touches of lap steel, piano, and electric guitar" that were later folded into the mix as a bit of afterthought add little to what is essentially a bare-naked and (very much so!) intimate take on folk. And with such intimacy on display the differing shades that exists between sorrow and joy on an album such as this all but wash away. In the end as subtle as "I Line My Days Along Your Weight" proclaims to be it is as bold and bright a statement as one can make. And it's a statement that is more than deserving of a receptive audience.  

Doomocracy-The End Is Written

Steel Gallery Records
2014


Formed in 2011 by longtime friends Michael Stavrakakis (vocals), Angelos Tzanis (guitar) and Minas Vasilakis (drums) and calling Heraklion, Crete, Greece home, Doomocracy is a cleverly-named doom metal band (no duh!) influenced by the likes of Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Black Sabbath, Memento Mori and Veni Domine. "The End Is Written" is the full-length debut album from Doomocracy and (if we are going to be perfectly honest here and why shouldn't we?) if you are a fan of any of the bands listed as influences (as well as Trouble, Iron Man and Internal Void) for this Greek metal band then chances are you will really dig what has been laid to tape here on this 46 minute tribute to all things doom! And that is by no means a knock against this five-piece band (bass player Manolis Sx and guitarist Harry Dokos round things out) and their particular take on classic doom. Doomocracy is really good at what they do with the 8-track "The End Is Written" serving as not only a fine introduction to this Greek outfit, but a serious love letter to old-school doom! What's more, Doomocracy (as a whole) is stocked with better then good musicians and a lead singer whose crisp and clear delivery is only matched by some fantastic high-pitched wails! Backed with strong songwriting skills and a production job that plays to Doomocracy's organic nature, "The End Is Written" is a strong showing for this Greek act and one album that I would feel comfortable sharing with traditional doom metal purists!

Luicidal-Luicidal

1-800 Prime CD
2014

Luicidal is a punk rock band from Venice, California that was formed in 2012 by ex-Suicidal Tendencies' bassist, Louiche Mayorga.  Prior to releasing their self-tiled, 12-track debut-album here the group (which also features former Suicidal Tendencies' drummer RJ Herrera) apparently spent it's time playing songs from Suicidal Tendencies' first three studio albums ("Suicidal Tendencies", "Join the Army" and "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today"). Lest you think the cleverly-titled Luicidal is simply Suicidal Tendencies version 2.0 let's clear the air out of that bubble. This is old-school (as in early eighties friends) punk rock first and foremost and other than let's say "Live For Today" and "Least to Succeed" this particular disc doesn't sound at all like Suicidal Tendencies. And no, that is not a bad thing. Not in the least. Sure, it is more than a little  surprising considering all of the former Suicidal Tendencies members that play of "Luicidal". In addition to Mayorga and Herrera you've got Rocky George (coolness!), Amery Smith and Grant Estes. Naturally One would think that an album featuring all of these one-time Suicidal Tendencies members would have a similar flow. But no. Instead we are treated (and I mean treated!) to great punk rock and that starts the very moment that "Westside Familia" kicks in! This frenzied slab of California punk clocks in at under two minutes, but man alive is it ever a banger! The previously mentioned "Live For Today" comes out to bat next followed by the band's punk rock cover of "Kumbaya"! The first of two covers of this track on this one album(!), "Kumbaya" might seem like a odd cover choice, but in hands of Luicidal it actually works rather well! From there it's a mash-up of slow crushers like "Changed World" (featuring Dale Henderson of Beowülf on vocals and guitar!), "Knife Fight" and "Least to Succeed" and fast thrashers like "Green Light" and "Killing Skating Machine". Besides featuring former members of Suicidal Tendencies and the aforementioned Dale Henderson, "Luicidal" is blessed by appearances from the likes of Keven Guercio (No Mercy), Mando Ochoa (Sick Sense) and the one and only HR of Bad Brains fame! It's actually the second version of "Kumbaya" where we find HR doing his thing and this cool reggae/hip-hop fusion piece closes out "Luicidal" on a high note! While hard copies of this album will not be released until mid-October you can download it right now off of iTunes and Amazon. "Luicidal" is a great first-step for bassist Louiche Mayorga and his band-mates and for fans of Venice Beach punk rock or old-school punk in general this one is a real no-brainer!


https://www.facebook.com/LuicidalOffical

Lelahell-Al Insane​.​.​.The (Re​)​Birth Of Abderrahmane

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
2014

Active since 2010, Lelahell is a three-piece band from Algiers, Algeria. With a 2012 EP entitled "Al Ihtiquar" already to their name (featuring a cover of Mayhem's "Freezing Moon" nonetheless!) this death metal/extreme metal outfit now offers up the debut album "Al Insane... The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane". Featuring 10 tracks in total and falling just shy of the 41 minute mark "Al Insane... The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane" was mixed and mastered by Ivan of Anthropocide Studio (Abominable Putridity, Aborted Fetus) and features some cool cover artwork courtesy of Kaamos Illustration (Hypocrisy, Pain).While the 2012 EP* was a one-man project of Leahel (Carnavage, ex-Neanderthalia, ex-Litham, ex-Devast) this new album finds Lelahel (vocals, guitar) joined by bass player Nihil (Barbaros) and drummer Slaveblaster (Barbaros, ex-Devast, ex-Orcus (live) and ex-The Kult ov Satanåchiîa). Between the three musicians there is a experience and it most assuredly shows on the group's initial Horror Pain Gore Death Productions offering! To the music's advantage Leahel's vocals lean closer to the black metal side of things while the actual music in question is nothing short of brutal, technically-savvy Cannibal Corpse/Suffocation-style death metal! The guitar playing of Leahel is rugged and riff heavy. Dare I say it's almost thuggish? It hits the sense like a boxer hitting his target and when you add to that some sick & sinister bass playing and a billion-miles per hour drumming it turns into a hail-storm of extreme metal! The only downside is that some of the cuts here do tend to blend together, but that's such a minor complaint that it's hardly worth mentioning. All told this is some bad ass death metal for fans of aggressive, over-the-top and speed-enhanced extreme metal! If that sounds like you then drop what you're doing and snag a copy of  "Al Insane​.​.​.The (Re​)​Birth Of Abderrahmane" for your personal collection!

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/al-insane-the-re-birth-of-abderrahmane

*Per the Metal Archives.

Megasonic-Intense

Mausoleum Records
2014

Megasonic is a Belgian-based trio whose influences include the likes of Van Halen, Ozzy, Aerosmith, Saxon, Savatage, Whitesnake, Metallica, UFO, Iron Maiden, BLS and Alter Bridge. Add that all together and you end up with a band that is part classic hard rock and melodic heavy metal with a few symphonic rock and progressive metal flourishes. The band, which is made up of lead vocalist/keyboardist/drummer Dimitri Verhoeven, guitarist/keyboardist Jeroen De Bock and guitarist/bassist Lieven De Wolf, is only a few years old from the looks of it with the thirteen track "Intense" serving as their debut outing. With eleven original compositions and two covers (Paul Gilbert´s "Down to Mexico" and ABBA´s "Does Your Mother Know") "Intense" is a solid (if unspectacular) release. There are some inspired moments such as "Demon's  Lust", "Witches  Brew" and "Future Shock" (three tracks which incidentally run one right after another with "Future Shock" the best of the three) as well as "Eye Of The Storm" and  "Run  For  Cover". But then you've got a real clunker like "Man  In  The  Moon" (a tiring ballad which is just lame) and other numbers that are merely so-so ("Bombs Away", which comes across as part Van Halen and part Riot is so close to being good that's it's discouraging!). The two covers end the album with "Down to Mexico" likely chosen to pull in guitar rock fans and ABBA´s "Does Your Mother Know" serving as more of a novelty then anything else. For Megasonic an album like "Intense" is a good starting point as it does feature some highlights ("Future Shock", which arguably is the heaviest number here, is a nice little banger all it's own!) and it paints the picture of a band with much more to offer if given time.

Arising Fear-Beyond Betrayal

Self-Released/Independent 
2014


The year-2008. The place-Augsburg, Bavaria. The band-Arising Fear. The style-metalcore/thrash. That is the when, where, who and what of the equation that is t the heart of this German four piece band. And yet it still leaves a lot of questions remaining doesn't it? For one thing the actual players are Alex Rauh (vocals/guitar) , Kevin Pöllmann (guitar/vocals), Tom Franz (bass) and Tobi Möhring (drums). And the style? Well, it's a bit more complex then all of that, as it's the old throw everything in (heavy meal, thrash metal, metalcore, groove metal) and see what sticks, and yet it's simpler then all of those different elements would suggest. Up front I'll say that this LP was a long time coming for me, waiting and waiting and more waiting, and I had hoped to have a physical copy on hand instead of relying on MP3s (it just makes life all the more easier when you have a actual CD copy to go by-just an FYI for future submissions) so I can't comment much on lyrics and such. It is what it is. The music on the other hand can be discussed so, the pros and cons. Pros would be attitude (aggressive, to the point outlook/mentality), technical ability and the realization that Arising Fear are on to something with their actual music! The four guys involved with Arising Fear offer up a semi-unique take on modern thrash and when they are on the material really CRANKS! The cons though, or really just con, would be the need for a wee bit more consistency (some tracks were really cool and then there were occasions where I just wondered if I was missing something) from start to finish. As this is the band's first full-length (a 2009 self-titled EP served as a precursor to "Beyond Betrayal") and they are still working out some of the kinks the lack of consistency can be excused. The best bet to take on Arising Fear would be that by album number three (possible two, but let's say three to be on the safe side) these four will be whipping out "drop the hammer"-style metal that will balance out the band's aggressive attitude and technical know-how. For now this one is good, not average or great, thrash metal/metalcore with signs of future promise for those with patience.

Illustrations-In Vain

Self-Release
2014

Having formed in 2010, San Antonio, Texas act Illustrations first released this one back in the summer of 2013. Featuring 12 tracks of hardcore metal spanning a length of 36:53, with the shortest one, "Die Young", clocking in at just under 2 minutes(!), it is just now seeing a proper launch and for fans of all things hardcore (ie: straight-up hardcore, grindcore and metallic hardcore) this sounds appealing. While not the best piece of (metal leaded) hardcore to come my way this year (whether reviewed or not) it still offers enough gritty moments to band your head to!

http://illustrations.bandcamp.com/album/in-vain 

Hellscream-Made Immortal

Self-Release
2013

This 11-track debut album from Hellscream answers the age old question of what would happen if you paired up David "Conan" Garcia (Cage) & Norman Skinner (Skinner, Dire Peril, Tramontane, ex-Machine Called Man,The Consequence of Chaos, ex-Katagory V (live), ex-Imagika). Wait, what? You've never asked that question before? Well now that is weird. Very weird indeed. I honestly thought that every "true believer" had pondered that question at one point or another in life, but here I find out that I'm the only one. Still, do you want to know the answer anyway? I mean since I brought it up and all? Well then, here's the score. Take one fine guitarist in David "I could crush all of you puny earthlings with my god-like humongous arms" Garcia, add in the epicness that is vocalist Norman "Rob Halford has got nothing on me!" Skinner and have then have Stu "The Hammer" Marshall, (Death Dealer / Empires of Edén guitarist/producer) master the 50+ minute slab of power/thrash/speed metal fury and the result is near sonic annihilation of EVERYTHING! Or at least that's what happens after the creepy intro that is  "I scream, you scream, we all scream for Hellscream!" opens things up in eerie fashion! After that evil little moment of an opening it's all or nothing as in (to quote Hudson from the movie Aliens) "That's it! Game over, man! Game over!". Just stand back and await delivery as the pairing of Skinner and Garcia results in track after groovy track of "Speed Kills..." power thrash! Both modern and retro (in a good way friends!) Hellscream are like taking your metal collection of old (you know, from A bands like Anthrax & Annihilator up to and including Z groups such as Zoetrope & Znowhite) and adding modern touches (from song-construction to production values) all while forging boldly ahead into (maybe not new per say, but original nonetheless) exciting territory where one man's voice perfectly suites another man's guitar playing! Hellscream are all that and more as funneled through a supergroup project (only difference is here you don't get any of the big egos that would usually be involved in such an effort, but instead you get all the big riffs and even bigger metal moments!). The only downside would seem to be that, seeing as this is a side-project and all, we could be looking at a one and done deal as both Garcia and Skinner have fully stacked plates in front of them with their day jobs! One can't imagine then that Hellscream, even as good as they might be together here, would take priority over their other projects. For the time being though it's easy enough to enjoy "Made Immortal" for what it is (heavy power metal that borders on thrash metal only with all the added excitement of speed metal!) while appreciating the skill level of both men involved!