Roxin' Palace-Freaks of Society

Sleazy Rider Records
2016

Originally known as Modern Middle Ages, Roxin' Palace is a (somewhat sleazy) hard & heavy band that hails from Italy and was formed back in 2011 by Crown, guitar player of Revoltons and Hell, ex-drummer for Elvenking. This 13-track album is Roxin' Palace's second full-length recording and it was just released last October.  Available on iTunes for the unbelievably low price of only $4.99(!), "Freaks Of Society" follows the group's 2013 self-titled debut and it finds Crown and Hell backed by two new members, lead vocalist Al and bass guitarist Gian. These two talented musicians replace the departed Axel (vox), Slaver (guitar), and Garret (bass). Having heard some of the group's previous album (which you can read about thanks to the good folks over at Sleaze Roxx) this new line-up seems to be a improvement over the old one. Or to put it another way, "Freaks Of Society" provides a clear cut case of addition by way of subtraction! With the short and sweet title track serving as little more than a brief introduction on Roxin' Palace's brand new album, "Monsters Love" (this album's second track) is the heavy crunchy that actually gets the party started!! Running close to five minutes in length, "Monsters Love" is a (guitar rock-worthy) song that combines the appeal of classic bands like Guns N' Roses, Skid Row, and (early) Mötley Crüe with the vibrant colors of modern day hard rock. The same slick set of circumstances applies to the album's third number, "Gangs Eraser", as this wicked fun cut takes from the past and the present in order to roll out a rock-steady song that is just DYNAMITE! Thanks to influences that run the gamut from The Beatles to Megadeth(!), Italy's Roxin' Palace is able to offer a lot more bang for your hard earned buck. When you stack this up-and-coming quartet next to your average, everyday sleaze rock/hair metal/glam metal revival band you'll quickly notice just how much these other influences help out when it comes to an album's overall listening experience. Sure enough, because of the way in which "Freaks Of Society" was written, performed, and produced it does have the same lively feel of vintage band's like Guns N' Roses, Skid Row, Dangerous Toys, Ratt, Kik Tracee, Faster Pussycat, and Shotgun Messiah. There's nothing wrong with that picture. Not at all. Actually, that's a big part of why this album is as fun as it is! For those who loved the mid-eighties to early-nineties hard rock and/or hair metal/glam metal scene this disc should be a real hit!! It's just that the guys in Roxin' Palace stretch their creative wings nice and wide by adding in some harder moments ("Rockers of the Eagles" and "F.A.N.") that wouldn't be too far removed from the likes of Alice Cooper, Mind Funk, "Black" to"Load"-era Metallica, Leatherwolf, and "Slave to the Grind"-era Skid Row. With bad ass ready-steady rockers ("Thai of Mine", "Postatomic Hotel", "Monkey Junkie", and "Little Lizzy") and the obligatory ballad ("L.A. Mist"), "Freaks Of Society" is damn fine any way you slice you! But what happens when you toss in some punk rock Poison ("F.A.N."), dive bar hard rock ("Neighborhood Stars") and sleazy & easy garage metal ("Fading Idol")? Well, that's where the aforementioned "party" comment comes into play. Carrying around a copy of "Freaks Of  Society" is akin to having an instant party at your fingertips! Just add some cold beer and hot women to the mix and you are all set!

Sunday Singles: Snakewine-"Brood of Vipers"

Phonector
2016

Released back on February 10th of this year, "Brood of  Vipers" is a drop-dead AWESOME single from German heavy rock/hard & heavy band Snakewine. This ass-kicking quartet is solid as fuck in regards to both their songwriting skills and actual performances and it was it just last week that I covered Snakewine's unreal album "Serpent Kings". Seeing as this rock and roll-fueled outfit is as much influenced by bands like Guns N' Roses and Rose Tattoo as it is Motörhead and Zeke there is no shortage of good times when you plug into tracks like "Brood of Vipers"! In fact the more I hear from this up-and-coming band the more I fall MADLY in love with them and it's the same kind of special feeling that I've long felt for Motörhead and "Appetite For Destruction"-era G N' R!! This is another band that I can't believe is flying so far below the radar especially in this day and age when this kind of dirty underground rock could save us all!!!!

Saturday Singles: The Ragged Saints-"Pretending Diamond"

Turenki Records
2015

Issued back in June of 2015, "Pretending Diamond" is the most current release from Finnish classic hard rock band The Ragged Saints. Members include Markku Kuikka (lead vocals), Tomi Julkunen (guitars), Toni Bite (guitars), Jukka Hoffrén (bass), and drummer Miikki Kunttu and yes, this is the same band that gave us "The Sound Of Breaking Free"*. Formed in 2011, The Ragged Saints hail from Helsinki and they are one of those rare bands that have managed to effectively combine elements of classic rock, radio rock, eighties hard rock, and melodic heavy metal into something absolutely magical! With a new album reportedly in the works there is still hope that the world will catch on to just how good this group is! Meanwhile a cool number like this should give fans a bit of cheer even if it does make you long for more...



*You can read my review of this rock classic by clinking on this link.

Gravelhead-Gravelhead II

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Released on January 29th, "Gravelhead II" is the latest recording from this Rochester, New York-based heavy metal/hard rock band. With a run-time that is over the fifty minute mark(!), "Gravelhead II" serves as  the natural follow-up to the group's 2010 self-titled debut and finds this heavy metal/hard rock band channeling it's vast array of influences into what ends up being one highly-recommend album! The group is lead by guitarist BrAiN (sic) and as a result of his Ozzy-like vocal delivery one can't help but point towards not only Osbourne's solo work, but Black Sabbath in general. Of course (musically-speaking) the rest of Gravlehead helps out greatly in this regard as this New York band as a whole channels solo Ozzy & Black Sabbath. Still, Black Sabbath is just one of many influences for this solid hard & heavy act as "Gravelhead II" offers up flashes of everyone from Metallica to Rush and in no way whatsoever is that a bad thing! Currently the band is rounded out by Jared Niedermaier (guitar/vocals) and Tom Bittner (drums) and for now at least "Gravelhead II" is only available as a digital download. With a price tag of only $5 (!) it is an absolute steal as "Gravelhead II" is not only an amazing step-forward as far as the group's skill level is concerned, but it is a prime-time example of how effective hard rock/heavy metal can be when you take the time to make sure that your album has the perfect balance of pristine melodic passages and flashy guitar-rock leads! For more information on this exceptionally-talented (and for some reason vastly-underrated!) New York band be sure to check out their Facebook page. 

Damn Dice-The Great Unknown

Self-Release/Independent
2015

"The Great Unknown" is the full-length debut from London's Damn Dice. If that moniker sounds a little familiar then you're not alone. It took me awhile, but the name finally came to me. This is the same band that released the "Wild 'n' Ready" EP. That was back in 2013. Apparently a lot has changed in the past two years because this doesn't sound like the same band. Then again this doesn't look like the same band either! Thankfully this London hard rock band has dropped the hairspray and make-up and in it's place they've adopted leather jackets. And with the leather jackets Damn Dice has brought a whole lot of attitude!! Honestly, two songs in and I couldn't believe that this was the same band that I once compared to Poison, Quiet Riot and Mötley Crüe! Once you hear the explosive opener "Power" for yourself you'll understand what I mean! Wow! The band follows that metal cruncher up with "What Now" and by this point in the album I'm starting to get the impression that this London band has fully made the jump over to heavy rock/heavy metal. "Drive" is more of the same and while there are still a few hints of the past this is obviously one band that has tightened up their sound and fully embraced the leather and denim lifestyle. "Down" proves to be more of the same. It's filled with rock and roll riffs and yet it's distinctly hard & heavy in it's approach. Song after song plays and the reality hits me that I really like this album. The mixture of heavy rock, hard rock and heavy metal is thoroughly enjoyable and the band's energy helps move everything along at a nice pace. Each and every track is upbeat and from opener "Power" to the album's final curtain call, "Home", there's never a dull moment. While I would like to throw out some names for comparisons sake I find myself at a loss. Damn Dice has definitely evolved in that department. The band has become a solid hard rock band and I would be surprised if this album's material didn't just kill it live! It's certainly heavy enough to get crowds moving. Hell, there's even a couple of tracks that push the envelope into true blue heavy metal territory.  "No Fear" is one such track and it's blazing leads damn near woke up the neighborhood! The same goes for the aptly-titled "Rock (Like You Mean It)"!! Talk about a number that lives up to its name! As epic as these cuts are "The Great Unknown" is still a creature of habit. So make no mistake as to this album's true intention as this is still hard rock through and through. And to that end modern hard rock fans should eat this album up. So should heavy rock fanatics. And of course Damn Dice fans should appreciate a album like this. For Damn Dice it looks as if second times the charm. I can see good things for these Landon-based hard rockers. Everything about "The Great Unknown" points toward that obvious outcome. To Damn Dice I say "Hell of a job guys!". Keep up the good work. This album has set a precedent so don't let us down!!!!

That was then...

 

This is now!

French Metal Friday: Dygitals-Dynamite

Mausoleum Records
2015

First formed in 1984 by vocalist Hervé Traisnel, Dygitals is a French hard rock/heavy metal that was originally active until 1990 or so with their last release during that initial time period appearing in the form of a 5-track demo. That special event took place in 1987 all but assuring this band's well-established link between the past and the present. Now reformed (and as slick as ever!) and with original members David Dugaro (guitar) and Alain Clouet (drums) also in the fold, Dygitals will release this brand new 10-track album on May 5 in North America and on May 21 in Europe. And it's all thanks to the awesome folks over at  Mausoleum Records. This energetic and enthusiastic hard rocking band (which also features bassist Jack Gayffier and guitarist Jean-Marc Lavayssiere in it's current line-up) is most certainly a sight for sore eyes especially as they are no strangers when it comes to my ears! Thanks to the nifty 1985 "French Connection" split that they did with Steel Angel, Vytal and Yuggs and the inclusion of their great song "Stars Of Life" on the 2CD compilation "Revolution Hard-Rock" I was already somewhat familiar with Dygitals. I knew the score when it came these French metal rockers. Or at least I thought I did. Having just recently acquired a great deal more of their music (including 2012's excellent "Avé..."* which I've had a copy of for some time now) I can honestly tell you there was much more to the picture than I first thought possible when it came to this French act and the French metal community in general! After being away from the scene for a total of 19 years (!) these guys proved had tons of magic up their sleeves on the highly-related and highly-recommend "Avé..." so needless to say I was madly anxious for the release of "Dynamite"! When it comes to this lot and this (likely to knock your socks off!) new album let's just say they did not disappoint!

The highly-regarded Hervé Traisnel packs a real wallop on "Dynamite" while his fellow bandmates crank out the kind of high-energy heavy metal that used to rule rock and roll radio way back in the day and has been sorely missed! That's not to say this French band is retro or that their music is old and dated. Far from it! An album like "Dynamite" gives us even more reason to love good old fashioned heavy metal especially seeing as this band likes to emphasis the ROCK part of hard rock! This cult French metal act offers up a list of influences** a mile long the on their official Facebook page and fairly enough their sound has been compared to every one from AC/DC to Accept and even Quiet Riot to Iron Maiden! But, that's just what makes this French heavy metal act so much fun! Dygitals is everything you love about hard rock and traditional heavy metal only better! Occasionally bluesy around the edges, "Dynamite", which is indecently enough the band's fourth full length album and second since the band came back together in 2009, is commercial enough to appear on the radio and yet the band's new album is most definitely a metal platter for those of us who still hunger for the real thing! Produced, engineered and mixed by Didier Chesneau at MII Recording Studio in Forainvillier Dreux in France, "Dynamite" needs to be heard by a much wider audience. Here's hoping then that the disc will do as well here in the U.S. as it will do in the band's home country where they still retain a loyal following. Granted it's not much, but you can hear a bit of the title track by checking out this video:

*Be sure to check out the spot-on review of this album over at Two Guys Metal Reviews. Fellow bloggers and all around cool friends, Two Guys Metal Reviews is one of my favorite sites and they have turned me onto more great music than I can count!

**AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Accept, Judas Priest, UFO, Scorpions, MSG, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Trust, Warning, Ratt, Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore, Malmsteen, Van Halen, Y&T, Dio, Foreigner, Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Quiet Riot, Dokken, Pretty Maids...

T.H.L.-Thirteenth Hell Level

Sound Management Corporation
2014

Sent my way from the ever reliable Stefano Gottardi, "Thirteenth Hell Level" is a 10-track release from Italian hard & heavy outfit T.H.L. Featuring eight original compositions and two choice cover songs in the from of "Born To Be Wild" (Steppenwolf) and "Honky Tonk Woman" (The Rolling Stones), "Thirteenth Hell Level" is also this band's full-length debut album. And it's a recommended one at that! Formed in 2010, T.H.L. (Thirteenth Hell Level) is a five-piece band whose influences range from Alice Cooper to Metallica (by way of Dokken, Skid Row, Poison and Dangerous Toys!) and on this solid CD the band's opening number, "Master Dominio", set's in motion a rock and roll train that speeds along the track with reckless abandon! Infused with the blood of hard rock icons like Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, Mötley Crüe and Kiss these Hell City rock and rollers light up the night on cuts like "Really Cruel" and "Erythroxylum" before treating us to what just might be the first female cover of "Born To Be Wild" out there! To be sure it's a different take on the Steppenwolf classic, but damn if it doesn't just make you want to cut the rug then brother you might want to check your pulse again because it's quite likely you're dead! Granted T.H.L. doesn't seem to have the same luck with "Honky Tonk Woman" and that's a shame as I am a HUGE fan of the original! But on "Born To Be Wild" they make it right and for a band that is otherwise lyrically-deep with their songs (the above mentioned "Erythroxylum" deals with drugs, "Sociopathic" is a look at modern society while "Forget" tackles the ugly reality that is rape and "War", well, that is self-explanatory!) it's both a fun diversion as well as little a peak at a different side of these skilled rockers! Cressi Federica does a great job of leading this lot and with a second album in the works (one which is rumored to be a concept album) T.H.L. has put themselves in a nice position to succeed. Fans of classic hard rock and heavy rock/heavy metal should find much to appreciate about "Thirteenth Hell Level".