Witchers Creed-Witchers Creed EP 17

Self-Release/Independent
2017

 Witchers Creed is a hard & heavy/doom metal band that is made up of guitarist/vocalist Filip Andersson, bassist/vocalist Emil Bjällerhag, and drummer Charlie Rangstedt. This two-track recording looks as if it is the first release from this occult Swedish trio and it clocks in at over 14 minutes! The group's influences include Black Sabbath, Leaf Hound, Pentagram, & Orchid and I have the always reliable Paul Rote to thank for introducing me to this killer the release! I completely agree with Paul's statement that this is "Mountain meets Sabbath meets your favorite underground seventies hard acid rock band". I might add in a little piece about the early days of stoner rock (and how it influenced the back end of these riff-rock warriors from the underworld!), but otherwise this one sure as hell sounds as if it has been ripped straight out of the seventies and time warped to the here and now! With this fuzzed-over release likely serving as the group's first time in the studio, Witchers Creed is bound to get all kinds of notice from fans, critics, and labels alike! Glory awaits these Swedish merchants of doom and, frankly-speaking my friends and fellow rockers, I cannot wait to see what else this band is capable of!!  

King of None-Troubles by the Score

Self-Release/Independent
2016

King of None is a riff-heavy & beer-fueled band from Finland that just released it's second EP, "Troubles by the Score", back on November 1st. The five-piece group, which is lead by emotionally-rich vocalist Miiro and (sadly) appears to be relatively-unknown outside of their home country, first hit the scene in 2015 with their self-titled EP. That particular recording was apparently "stoner rock 101 for beginners" whereas this gritty four-song EP is seventies rock and hard rock-infused stoner rock with depth and a great deal of integrity. For these self-dubbed "waster rockers", "Troubles by the Score" is the right sound to get them noticed by not just fans, but proper A&R reps. Seeing as their new EP is a name-your-price download, King of None should have little trouble reaching either party....

Blaak Heat-Shifting Mirrors

Svart Records
2016

With an expected due-date of April 15th, 2016, "Shifting Mirrors" is the latest release from the highly-innovative trio known as Blaak Heat. Formed in Paris, France in 2008 by vocalist/guitarist Thomas Bellier (ex-Spindrift), Blaak Heat began life as Blaak Heat Shujaa before a change in style and location lead to the new and improved moniker. Now somewhat fittingly based in Las Angeles, Blaak Heat is as warm and colorful as their new local woulds suggest with the avant-garde "Shifting Mirrors" obviously soaking up all of the imagination and creativity that L.A. has to offer. Without downplaying the hard and heavy nature of Blaak Heart's third album, "Shifting Mirrors" falls somewhere between desert/stoner rock and anything-goes psychedelic rock. Repeated listens are mandatory if you are to pick up on all of the subtle nuances of this unconventional album, but that's not an issue at all seeing as you are going to want to hit the repeat button on Blaak Heat's new album! This one is most definitely something different, but as always different can be a good thing!

Free Metal Monday: Dixie Goat-Black Sun Child

Self-Release/Independent
2015


I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow it's Monday again friends. It's like I blink and there goes the weak. What's more it's now November! Where did the past month go? Like the old Steve Miller Band song goes "Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' Into the future". It's weirdness I tell you. Pure weirdness. Anyway, let's talk about Dixie Goat here. "Black Sun Child" is their latest release (and possibly only one?) and it is HOT off the presses! How hot? How about October 31st HOT! Yeah, that's HOT alright! As for the who, where and what of this freshly unearthed treasure? Well, the who (besides the excellent band name) would be:

J.P: Drums
K.F: Bass
Nikk: Guitar & Vocals

As for the where? Try Santiago, Chile. That just leaves us with the what. Does anyone want to take a stab in the dark here? If you looked at that cover and said "It's got to be doom in one shape or another" then you are correct! Not only is this doom, but it's GREAT doom!! Or at least that's the outer shell of this Halloween treat. Just like a certain candy coated chocolate delight (which I LOVE!) there's more to the story than meets the eye  Once you get past the tasty candy coating art that is doom (as in doom glorious doom!) you'll find yourself lost in a world of imagination where (seventies) hard rock, stoner rock, hard & heavy and even snarky punk do a little dance, make a little love and get down tonight! Yes my friends that's right! I'm talking about damn catchy doom metal that brings the joint to it's knees with riff-tastic rock! And the best part is it's FREE! Sure, it would be a good thing to throw a few coins in the jar for these Santiago movers and shakers, but I certain can and do understand that it's tough all over. We've all got to do what we can to make it. And that right there is part of the reason I try to dig up free music for our readers. So, whether you buy this hard working trio a drink or two or not this well-laid out album is right here waiting for you....with open arms. And the band? Well, you can find out more about Dixie Goat over at their Facebook page.

Free Metal Monday: Over the Top (Various Recordings)

Self-Release/Independent
2015

 
I've got Paul Rote to thank for this band. He aptly described this San Antonio, Texas band as The Godz meet Black Sabbath and as I type this up small piece up I've got "Trailer Park Queen" playing in the background and man alive(!)  I just can't get enough of these stone cold rockers! Why am I only now hearing about this band? And what's more why isn't this band a big hit? This is retro-hard rock/stoner doom rock at it's absolute best! A four-piece band lead by bassist/vocalist Jason Chapman and featuring the mad skills of guitarists Jeff Nettles & Matt Brown and drummer Ryan Gonzales, Over the Top not only offers cool original material for free over at their Bandcamp page, but the group also does a bang-up job covering "Strange Ways" by KISS! Originally appearing on KISS's 1974 album, "Hotter than Hell", "Strange Ways". was written by Ace Frehley and it sounds groovy as F**K in Over the Top's hands! As with Over the Top's original compositions it's free to download and it makes for a nice listen on this Monday morning. Enjoy!

Psychedelic Witchcraft-Black Magic Man

Self-Release/Independent

2015

 

Recorded and engineered by Gabriele Romano at Gold 63 studio in Rome, Italy, "Black Magic Man" is the the debut EP of  Psychedelic Witchcraft. A one of a kind one-woman occult/doom rock project, Psychedelic Witchcraft is based in Firenze and fronted by a demon in angel's clothing by the name of Mia. Otherwise known as Virginia Monti (or at least that is how it appears) this temptress is blessed with a hypnotic voice that will all but distort your senses and leave you standing in awe of her power! As Mia uses her soothing voice to lull you into a false sense of security your body will be stripped of it's flesh thanks to the righteous music of this Italian band! Influences range from Jefferson Airplane, Fleetwood Mac and Iron Butterfly to Black Sabbath, Trouble and Leaf Hound with the band Coven serving as a great starting point of reference. This band's (awesome) take on hell-themed seventies rock is nothing short of heavenly-inspired as witnessed by the the title track and "Slave Of Grief". One can only imagine how significant a full-length release would be for the seventies-infused Psychedelic Witchcraft, but perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself here. After all, in no way, shape or form are we finished talking about this project's driving force! In addition to her strong vocals and the magical way in which she is able to transport you back in time to the early-mid seventies Mia plays guitar alongside special guest Lorenzo Bianchi. Front-woman Mia (aka Virginia Monti) also produced "Black Magic Man" and is responsible for the seductive art-work that is posted above. With four tracks in total, "Black Magic Man" was preceded in mid-January by the single edit of "Angela" and this highly-recommend EP will be getting the royal vinyl treatment later this summer thanks to the folks at Taxi Driver Records. It will be a limited edition 10" and if  I'm to wager a guess or two it will be a hot ticket item given this EP's overall warm reception from fans and critics alike. All of which is warranted mind you (the reception and the impeding record release!) as this is one band that is just screaming to be heard by a larger audience!

Free Metal monday: Dogzilla-"Winnetou" Single

Self-Release/Independent
2015   

Dogzilla is new hard & heavy/sludge metal band from Tarnów, Poland. The group is comprised of guitarist/vocalist Karol Wałaszek, bassist Jakub Sroka and drummer Nikodem Zawirski and on their six minute plus (!) single, "Winnetou", you get to experience the sights and sounds of the seventies hard rock scene without leaving the comfort of your own home! Fuzzed over for your listening pleasure, "Winnetou" is a name-your-own-price download, but why not toss man's best friend a bone or two while you're at it just to show just how much you care! As the band's YouTube channel points Dogzilla are anything but a one hit wonder. But whereas that particular demo track is post-Black Sabbath love from and to seventies hard rock lovers, "Winnetou" is nothing short of highly-righteous rough rock with stone cold killer leads! From the look of things Dogzilla certainly has more to offer so why not jump of this trio's bandwagon while there's still plenty of room?
 

Dirty Fingers-250 Dollars

Logic(il)Logic/Andromeda Dischi
2015


Formed in the summer of 2010, with guitarist turned vocalist/guitarist Gabriel Grisanti the sole original member left standing after a round or two of unfortunate line-up changes, Dirty Fingers is a Italian hard and heavy band that is said to contain "Metallica energy, Motörhead tipsy bad manners and some gloomy Black Sabbath-inspired passages". I for one would beg to differ. That description leaves out Dirty Fingers whiskey-soaked/sleazy-does-it attitude (there's some sweet Guns N' Roses love going on here!) as well as the fact that this four-piece puts the ROCK back in rock and roll! And really both of those key points only add to the overall awesomeness that is Dirty Fingers! Because it's not just Metallica, Motörhead and Black Sabbath when it comes to Dirty Finger's sinsational full-length debut album here! No sir! On "250 Dollars" the up-and-coming Dirty Fingers also take a page or two from Megadeth, AC/DC, Hanoi Rocks, Krokus, Accept, Judas Priest, Riot, (early) Mötley Crüe, Rose Tattoo, T Rex, Alice Cooper, (solo) Ozzy, Kiss and even Jimi Hendrix and pretty much yes, it is as f**kin' killer as all of that sounds! For these Verona-based rock and rollers* it's all about kicking back and kicking ass and based solely upon their nine-track debut-album here these guys are already at the top of their game! One can only imagine then just how righteous album number two will be for Gabriel Grisanti and gang! If this is just the starting point for Dirty Fingers then quite possibly we could be looking at one of Italy's greatest contributions to hard rock and heavy metal! You can find Dirty Fingers online here and you will want to check out this album's kick-off track, "Back To The Move", by clicking on the YouTube link posted below! Dirty Finger's "250 Dollars" is everything that I love about rock 'n' rock-infused hard rock/heavy metal rolled up into the perfect underground club/dive-bar worthy act and I simply couldn't ask for a better soundtrack then this for the long-overdue summer days that lay ahead!

*The album's full line-up includes:

Gabriel Grisanti-Guitars and Vocals
Riccardo Menini - Guitar 
Edoardo Micheloni - Bass 
Giorgio Nuzzo - Drums

Free Metal Monday: Dr. Crazy-Demon Lady

Superhot Records
2014

Dr. Crazy is heavy/hard rock band made up of Tony Reed (Mos Generator), Chris West (ex-Trippy Wicked) and Mazz (Groan). In addition to the EP's title track, "Demon Lady" features the songs "Burger and Fries", "Powerzone" and the group's own signature song, "Dr. Crazy". Released back in July of 2014, "Demon Lady" is available as a name-your-own-price download and it seems as it would be best suited for fans of classic hard rock. Or more preciously classic hard rock of the seventies and early eighties variety as everything about this Dr. Crazy seems geared towards being as retro as humanly possible. And yes, we are including the awesome artwork of "Demon Lady"! Painted by the very talented Justin T Coons, "Demon Lady"'s artwork paints a fairly accurate portrait of the music within as this is slightly easy & sleazy/loose & reckless rock and roll we're talking about! With another EP due to be released sometime later this year, "Demon Lady" is worth a quick listen if riff rocking hard rock is your drink of choice!

Kreyskull-Tower Witch

Inverse Records
2014

Kreyskull is four-piece band from the south-east parts of Finland that is made up of ex-members of Demonic Death Judge, Kaihoro and Total Devastation. "Tower Witch" is the band's sophomore album and it serves as the follow-up to 2012's "Year of the Octopus". With a line-up that features Kari A. Killgast on lead vocals, Saku Hakuli on guitars, Timo "Ringo" Karvonen on bass and Timo Karvonen on drums this "heavy doom rock" band from the Kymi-Poitsila area defies easy explanation. On one end influences for this 70's-influesed hard rock/heavy metal band range from Black Sabbath/Trouble to Rush with even the sounds of ZZ Top getting in on the act! On the other end of the spectrum you've got flashes of psychedelic rock and jazz seeping into the mix with some groove and stoner rock riffs applied here and there as finishing touch-ups. Brawny and robust lead vocals and great, riff-happy and garage rock-worthy guitar solos add the requisite cherry to the top of this delicious treat and while it all might sound incredibly odd on paper (and lord oh mighty does it ever!) it's an entirely different matter all together when you hear the enthralling music of Kreyskull in the flesh! More fun and explosive than a barrel full of dynamite-wielding monkeys, "Tower Witch" is a righteously fun time with this very cool & slick Finnish four-piece offering up a sparkling fresh/buzz-worthy take on seventies-era hard rock & rock and roll! "Tower Witch" is easily one of 2014's most engaging LPs and it's one of those albums that I recommend with giddy schoolboy enthusiasm! For more information on Kreyskull be sure to head either here: https://www.facebook.com/kreyskull or here: www.inverse.fi

 

Steve Foglia-Steve In Wonderland

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Self-produced by the main man himself (with the always reliable Atomic Stuff Promotions stepping in to lend a helping hand on the PR front), "Steve In Wonderland" is the second solo release from seasoned drummer/professional instructed Steve Foglia. Serving as the follow-up to 2011's highly-regarded "Revenge" (a concept album based on the legend of "Angst"*, "Revenge" found Steve working with the likes of Adam Bomb and one-time Yngwie Malmsteen/Loudness member Mike Vescera), "Steve In Wonderland" features eleven (70's/early 80's-inspired) classic rock/hard rock songs including a righteous cover of the well-known & well-loved Grand Funk Railroad hit, "We're An American Band"! Opening number "Fight for Justice" features guest vocals courtesy of Blaze Bayley (Wolfsbane/Iron Maiden) while Simone "Seth" Borsellini (singer for Sfregio and Fumonero bands) and Francesca Foglia guest star on "Enemy's Collection" and "Walking in Wonderland" (a sweeping eight minute plus number that recalls the heyday of AOR!). Meanwhile Rakel Traxx guitarist Zantolo offers up his skills on "Wrong Hole", a sleazy, seventies glam rock-infused, Hanoi Rocks meets (early) Great White (while Carlos Santana stops by a visit and a sweet and tasty solo!) number that is just too good for words! Otherwise the line-up for "Steve In Wonderland" includes vocalist Johnny Idol, guitarists Federico Mineva & Daniele Arieta, bassist Maurizio Dedoni (Alessio Menconi's bass player) and keyboardist Edoardo Tavanti. Naturally Steve Foglia (also of Jennifer Scream's) handles all the drums and percussion on his second solo outing and thanks to the mastering job of Dario Mollo (The Cage, Tony Martin, Voodoo Hill, Glenn Hughes) every minute that passes of "Steve In Wonderland" finds the listener pulled further and further into this time-stamped picture of hard rock perfection! Just going by it's vintage finish (one which gives "Steve In Wonderland" a remarkably classic vibe!) this a surefire winner for fans of classic rock of old or the seventies' hard rock scene. Whether it's original gems like "Few Days to the End", "Love's Gate" and "Numbers" or even Steve's respectful cover of "We're An American Band" there's not a single moment on "Steve In Wonderland" where something feels out of place. Songs like the rugged rocker "Numbers", "Enemy's Gate" (arguably the heaviest cut here this one almost sounds like Alice Cooper cooperating with Black Sabbath in order to make seventies hard rock sound as wicked as possible!), "Loves Gate" and "Club 27" (a track which references the numerous musicians who died at 27**) all gel together as Steve's second solo release glides about carefree and natural! Everything that was right about yesterdays' hard rock, glam rock and AM rock and roll is given an uplifting makeover in order to reflect Steve Foglia's personal love for the music and artists that inspired him. For this Italian drummer (and the all of the additional musicians who lent their time to the worthwhile cause that was the construction of Steve's solo album number two) every number here just springs to life! From heavy rocker "Fight for Justice" to "Eternal Last Day" every song has the heart and soul of yesteryear's music. You can hear as much on "Eternal Last Day" thanks to it's official video provided below for your viewing enjoyment!), but to think that is just one moment for Steve and company! Thanks to it's wide range of influences (Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Foghat, Rolling Stones, Faces, Kiss, Quireboys, etc.) and the commitment of all involved, "Steve In Wonderland" is just too good not to be shared with fellow music fanatics and collectors alike!

"Angst"* is a famous abandoned hotel in Liguria, Italy, next to the French border.

**Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain, etc.

For more information on Steve Foglia and this album be sure to head here:
http://www.stevefoglia.com/ 

Audrey Horne-Pure Heavy

Napalm Records
2014

"Pure Heavy" is album number five for Norwegian hard rock band Audrey Horne. Having loved the band's 2013 album, "Youngblood", I will admit that I was a little worried about being let down by this new disc. Call me a pessimist if you must, but when your first introduction to a band comes courtesy of such a great rock record as "Youngblood" it can be hard to picture any band improving upon that. Thankfully my fears proved to be unwarranted. As it turns out "Pure Heavy" is pure bliss as far seventies & eighties-inspired rock/hard rock is concerned and for Audrey Horne the good times only get better! Now, for those who don't know this Norwegian band, which was formed in 2002 and takes its name from Sherilyn Fenn’s character in the cult TV series Twin Peaks, features musicians primarily associated with the black metal scene. We're talking about a band whose past and present members have played in bands like Enslaved and Gorgoroth so an album like this can come as quite a surprise. A pleasant surprise mind you, but a surprise nonetheless. The thing is the five musicians who are involved in Audrey Horne are such top-notch performers that it all comes across as natural! Up front on the mic you've got Torkjell Rød/Toschie while Ice Dale and Thomas Tofthagen handle guitars, Espen Lien plays bass and Kjetil Greve plays drums*. Each and every part of this band performs at the top of it's game while simultaneously blending together to form this near-perfect rock and roll machine! The individual songs present on "Pure Heavy" compliment each other resulting in this amazing collection of highly-memorable and hook-laden tracks! Favorite moments are too many to count as this is simply track after track after track of cool and buzz-worthy rock! When I reviewed "Youngblood" last year I wrote how the band "has a good sense of melody and knows a thing or two about writing catchy riffs." That is as true now as it was back then. And while I could sit here and roll off the band's influences and try to point out the references to everyone from solo Ozzy to The Sweet let's just say that Audrey Horne has their own vibe going on and leave it at that! Although I will say one last thing. If the slick combination of seventies rock/hard rock and eighties hard rock sounds like something you would want to roll with then you will love this release. Then again, even if you are not all that sure about that sort of combination chances are you'll still enjoy this release. Plain and simple it's fun. It's a fun album from a very cool rock band. And frankly speaking that will never go out of style in my book!

http://www.audreyhornemusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AudreyHorneOfficial

Review of "Youngblood"
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2012/12/audrey-horne-youngblood.html

*This is the band's line-up as listed on Facebook. As the digital promo did not include any line-up information I am simply going to go by that.

Mausoleum Gate-Mausoleum Gate

Cruz del Sur Music
2014

Tuesday, October 7th, 2014. Be sure to mark that date down on your calenders. In fact highlight that date and then circle it! For you see friends that is when the self-titled debut from Finland’s own Mausoleum Gate will be released and yes, you are going to want to procure a copy of it for your own collection! Trust me on that. Heavily-inspired by 70's progressive rock and hard rock as well as early 80's metal and the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene as a whole, Mausoleum Gates are destined to be the next hot ticket item when it comes to vintage-sounding heavy metal and you will want to be the lucky few who are able to lay claim to having known about this five-piece act before they blew up and became HUGE! Despite outward appearances though Mausoleum Gate didn't exactly come from out of nowhere (even if their mystical and downright spooky personal suggest otherwise!). Formed in 2008 by Count L.F. (Acoustic and Electric Guitars) and Wicked Ischanius (Bass, Hammond C3 Organ, Mellotron M400 and MiniMoog) the band first hit the scene (studio-wise) some two years with the release of  "Gateways for the Wicked". Touring behind the demo EP, Mausoleum Gate beefed up it's portfolio thanks to a live appearance at Germany's Metal Warning Festival. There the group played alongside such legendary bands as Sarcofagus and Cloven Hoof making 2010 one for the books!  In 2013 Mausoleum Gate added the 7" single "Obsessed by Metal"* to their ever-expanding catalog before re-releasing "Gateways for the Wicked" on cassette. In the midst of all of that metal madness Mausoleum Gate had it's fair-share of line-up change to boots, but as of right now all signs point straight-ahead for this mysterious Finnish heavy metal band. Now signed to Cruz Del Sur Music, with V.-P Varpula (Lead Vocals), Kasperi Puranen (Electric Guitars) and Oscar Razanez (Drums, Percussion and Gongs) rounding out the current line-up in a generally sensational fashion (extra kudos to vocalist Varpula whose stylistic voice cements everything quite nicely!), very effective way(!), the group has released one of the most compelling debut albums of recent memory. Up front it must be noted how mystical and eerie it all feels, but really that is all for the better! Bass-heavy and fuzzed over in a glorious, somewhat 70's kind of way, "Mausoleum Gate" is propelled forward not only by the raw and honest voice of V.-P Varpula, but by the use of clever guitar lines and versatile keys (Mellotron and Organ).  Mausoleum Gate is as much about the sound of Uriah Heep, B.O.C., Rainbow, Deep Purple, (mid-seventies) Scorpions and Hawkwind as it is Black Sabbath, King Diamond/Merciful Fate and OZ. Add in some (early) Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, Daimondhead and (to a lesser extent) Witchfinder General, Demon and Satan and the frightening sound that echos through your eardrums is all at once hauntingly familiar and brazenly discomforting! With the added benefit that comes from Timo Raita's creepy artwork this Finnish band has a stud of a debut in their hands when it comes to "Mausoleum Gate". I couldn't love this album (and sure enough this one has all the hallmarks of an actual ALBUM and is not just a bunch of misc. tracks all crammed together!) anymore if I tried and quite frankly I am just as excited for the heavy metal community at large to hear this album as I am the prospect of Mausoleum Gate releasing dozens more similarly great albums in the years to come!  


https://www.facebook.com/MausoleumGate

 
 
*Earlier this year the band released a compilation CD, "Gateways For The Wicked and Obsessed By Metal Sessions", which includes all of the previous releases from Mausoleum Gate on one handy CD!

Elegantly Wasted-The Dog Years

Flaco Music
2013


"Keep it loud and stay true". That's the motto of  Los Angeles-based hard rock and roller's Elegantly Wasted and let me just say that wiser words have never been spoken! On "The Dog Years" (the group's 3rd album) singer/guitarists Lenny J and Queen D (founders/top tier musicians) continue their campaign to conquer the world with not just the same kind of killer music that was found on their debut album, 2003's "Greetings from a Strange Place", and its 2007 follow-up, "Desolation Row", but even better material that is rock radio-friendly and (if they still played music videos mind you) custom built for MTV and VH1! And by the gods of rock and roll they might just pull it off! Conquering the world that is or at least all of rock radio! When you're talking about radio-ready rock and roll that is equal parts of old-school hard rock/hair metal (Aerosmith, Guns and Roses, AC/DC, Shotgun Messiah, Hanoi Rocks, D'Molls, Enuff Z'Nuff and Shotgun Messiah), classic rock (Alice Cooper, Slade, New York Dolls, The Cult, Sweet and Kiss) and "modern" rock (Foo fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Underground, etc.) it's damn hard not to get excited about the possibilities that could lie ahead for the band if only the mainstream press and the corporate suits that run radio stations these days would just catch up to the band and really LISTEN! There's a damn good reason why Elegantly Wasted still plays all the best clubs in L.A. and has toured toured Europe 5 times and the US twice. Both on and off the stage this band simply ROCKS and on "The Dog Years" Elegantly Wasted has found it's footing thanks to sweet hooks, catchy rhythms, gripping lyrics and highly-addictive song structures! It's track after track of hit singles in the waiting on album number three with not one bad cut to be found among the lot! Released late last year, "The Dog Years" is only now making the rounds online. Had I covered it last year I would have marked it down as one of the best hard rock albums of 2013, but (seeing as it came out in December and all of 2013) I might still cheat a little and add it to this year's Top-Ten as it is just too good to be kept under wraps! Elegantly Wasted might not save traditional rock/hard rock all by itself, but  with an album like this one they are not about to give in and give up! "The Dog Years" is proof-positive that these L.A. hard rock warriors are in it to win it! All that's left now is for the fans and newcomers alike to step up and show Elegantly Wasted that their efforts are not in vain.... 


 https://www.facebook.com/elegantlywastedband

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

ArrJam-Session One

ArrJam.Atomic Stuff Promotion
2014

Ladies and gentlemen may I please have your attention. It's that time again in our program when we lay it all down and kick out the jams motherf**kers! And here to give us a helping hand with that assessment is Italy's ArrJam. Formed by bassist Il Daz and guitarist Mauroman and first begging life as a cover band of sorts, with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus, Robben Ford and Living Color not only getting the royal treatment, but further serving as one set of influences (the other being drummer Moretti Butcher's previous progressive metal roots), this four piece band is rounded out by lead singer Got. As the only singer who could use his voice as an instrument and improvise with bassist Il Daz (with improvisation and jam being key words to focus on when it comes to the fresh sound of these Italian rockers!) Got adds a lot when it comes to the essence of the apt-titled "Session One". Self-produced and featuring a total of twelve- tracks (several of which are instrumental cuts!) ArrJam's debut album was released this past April and just as their name implies this is the sound of one rock band which knows how to let down their hair and just jam! But, even as ArrJam cuts loose and gets knee-deep in the funk they keep everything pretty much in check making "Session One" a fun debut album! The group's early cover choices make up one aspect of the sound here as does the prog. metal roots of drummer Moretti Butcher. That said, "Session One" goes a long way towards making sure that rock and rollers are catered to as there are cherry picked elements of seventies classic rock and good old fashioned hard rock. Besides the singing of Got, which is a keen part of this album's more traditional-styled rock numbers, it's bassist Il Daz that drew me back. His playing is tight and with guitarist Mauroman and drummer Moretti Butcher joining in on the good times this largely-improvised album is impressive and worthy of repeated plays! These Italian's rockers are off to a hot start with "Session One" and from here on out the skies the limits if you ask me!

The Black Rain-Water Shape

Atomic Stuff Records
2014

Pure energy. No, we're not talking about that oft-repeated bit from Information Society's catchy "What's On Your Mind". Instead we're going to talk about the Italian band The Black Rain who, despite being born in Bologna in 2002, didn't grow into a proper band until 2010. The thing is by that point the band, which is categorically heads and shoulders above plenty of like-minded bands both in their native country and here is the U.S. (and that's before we even address their top-tier front-man Mirko Greco!), was well on their way towards setting fire to the playing field (or if you will the heavy rock and roll/hard rock scene) by way of well-thought out and (more often then not) heartfelt material. With a 2010 EP entitled "Hot for a Night" having served as the group's debut and then the late 2012 full-length album, "Night Tales", having helped to establish their name the stage was all set for this four-piece to come out swinging and really set themselves apart from the rest of the crowd with their sophomore output. To that end along comes the well-crafted/well-executed "Water Shape" which should do wonders for the ever-growing legacy of this band in their home country as well as serve as a pretty good introduction for the American audiences. From the way in which this disc opens strong with "Shadows" and then hits with "Mesmerize" you'd swear that this was going to end up being one of 2014's better hard rock platters! And that was before the album's first single "Rock 'n' Roll Guy" even kicked in! The track is righteously dedicated to those who still live their lives the rock 'n roll way and if any number is going to put The Black Rain on the charts it's this rocker!With both "Shadows" and "Mesmerize" (two rock and roll laced hard crunchers) grabbing hold of me hook, line and sinker (and by "hook" I mean the gnarly guitar playing of Eugenio Bonifazi and the strong presence of lead singer Mirko Greco) there was absolutely no way in heaven that I could have possibly been expected to see a number like "Rock 'n' Roll Guy" coming. And yet there it was. "Rock 'n' Roll Guy" is the sound of late eighties/early nineties hard rock/hair metal only the difference here is there is none of the long locks associated with said genres or any of the silly lipstick and lace! Instead we get the pleasure of four leather-clad musicians (including the rock-solid rhythm section of  bass player Marco Molteni and drummer Raffaele Marchesini) making magic for heavy rock/hard rock lovers! By the end of "Rock 'n' Roll Guy" I was close to ranking this album as one of the best rock and roll LPs of the last few years! "(S)He's So Amazing", which features Francesco Grandi (former lead singer of Rain) as a guest, did little to stop the enthusiasm I had for "Water Shape" and neither did the somewhat bluesy "Robert Johnson". Five numbers in and I was completely digging these Italian hard rockers whose sound hinted at a wide variety of influences such as (or rather as diverse as!) Collective Soul, Black Label Society, Soundgarden/Audioslave (In fact front-man Mirko Greco comes about as close as he can to being a rustic Italian version of Chris Cornell!), AC/DC, Santana, Billy Idol, Jimi Hendrix, Candlebox, The Black Crowes and even U2 ("King Of Stones" coming across as a hard and heavy version of said Irish rock band!). The versatility on display here is nothing to sleep on. The title of this 11-track album refers to the structure-free status of water and after just one listen to this recently-released album you'll understand the meaning behind that message! The way in which the rest of the disc plays out (check out "Without love" which reminded me of both solo Chris Cornell and solo Rob Thomas!) there really is an amazing amount of variety going on hence the title! The Black Rain probably did not go into the studio with the goal of crafting a Top-10 kind of rock and roll platter, but it's hard to pinpoint a moment that doesn't strive for that vision on "Water Shape"! With that said, "Water Shape" does offer plenty of heavier moments for the hard rock crowd. This one has guitar solos that go out of their way to be wicked as possible (it certainly looks as if they (the almighty riffs that rage on this disc!) are just aching for a good fight and then there are those dynamite rhythms that keep the beat steady, but are anything but restrained! And yes, the band does play as if they are dead set on taking over hard rock/rock and roll or at the very least taking a real chunk out of the scene by way of atomic leads, kick-ass bass and forceful singing that reminds you all at once of the glory of rock and roll as well as rock's dirty underbelly! Simply put this album (as smooth as it can be) feels like a band going a long way towards jam-packed rock/hard rock with slick licks that are (occasionally) disguised as commercial rock. "Water Shape" shakes, rattles and rolls and even offers a few surprises along the way  (no spoilers friends as you need to hear this one ALL THE WAY through in order to reap the full benefits of this particular party! How it is that Atomic Stuff Records can keep finding gems like this band is any one's guess. Somehow/someway the label picks up the scent of cool rock stars in waiting and then snags and bags them before anyone knows what the hell happened! It all seems so unlikely at times that bands like this are still out there. And yet here we are looking at another band with more talent between the four members than anyone can rightly be expected to contain. The Black Rain are a really good find on the part of Atomic Stuff Records and it just goes to show that when this label is tasked with finding their next new and exciting (dare we even say sensational?) act they know how to pick em! Although let's face it friends, that kind of task is much easier when you've got a band who can pair up good hooks with good looks!

So, if you find yourself looking for the next cool thing in hard rock/heavy rock and roll then look no further! Sure, the fine folks over at Atomic Stuff Records will likely get there hands on even more killer acts that happen to reside in Italy. The Black Rain should be leading the way though and doing it with plenty of sizzling guitar riffs and one of the better new front-men out there! You can find these guys online at http://www.blackrainrock.com/   and http://www.atomicstuff.com/ as well as on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Black-Rain/137533619623054 

Pale Divine-Cemetery Earth

Shadow Kingdom Records
2014

Pennsylvania's Pale Divine originally released "Cemetery Earth" back in 2007. Now, seven years after the fact, Shadow Kingdom Records has done the band (and frankly all of their fans as this sounds downright dynamite!) right with this remastered, jam-packed double-CD reissue. Active since 1995 (and sporting a cool sound that is equal parts proto-doom and 70's psychedelic rock/hard rock!) the band first hit the scene two years later with their demo, "Crimson Tears". From there came the group's debut full-length album, "Thunder Perfect Mind" (2001), with "Eternity Revealed" following in 2004 and then finally "Cemetery Earth" landed in 2007. The group's latest release (2012's "Painted Windows Black") is their forth full-length album overall with a 2011 split with Spiritus Mortis having appeared in-between album number three and album number four. For a more thorough history of the band though be sure to head on over to the group's Facebook page linked below. Meanwhile let's turn our attention back to the subject at hand. With regards to "Cemetery Earth" (which was recorded between June and September of 2006 interestingly enough) the band members themselves consider it to be their "best sounding and most metallic effort to date". As I haven't heard the rest of Pale Divine's catalog for myself I can't exactly vouch for that, but it would be hard to imagine that any of it could have surged with the kind of power that this one did! I would also be rather amazed if any of the group's previous (or even later day) material hit the kind of highs that this 2007 album did as "Cemetery Earth", all ten original tracks of it, is masterful psych-doom! With bass guitarist John Gaffney (now in Sinister Realm) joining in for this one sole album the band (guitarist/vocalist/keyboardist Greg Diener and drummer Darin McCloskey who are both founding members) hit all the right moves with their sound (drawn from influences such as Black Sabbath, Trouble, Pentagram, Candlemass, Witchfinder General, Angel Witch, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden) perfectly reflecting everything there is to love about proto-doom to begin with! Having snagged engineer Chris Kozlowski for the album (a decision that proved to be more then a little bit beneficial for the group I must say!) and with bass guitarist John Gaffney (at the time of course) bringing his own ability (incl. songwriting!) to the party "Cemetery Earth" proved to be quite the success with more then a few (highly applicable) rave reviews! Now, I could cut my own path through this album, even track by track. But really there are LOADS in of great reviews already out there of the original release. Other then saying that the re-mastered sound is fantastic on this re-release (and man alive but is it ever!) I'll just leave that part (incidentally disc one of this two CD set) as homework should you really need to know. I way say that it is killer doom metal/psychedelic rock along the lines of bands like Black Sabbath, Pentagram and (to a lesser extent) Trouble. Only with  Pale Divine there are heaping handfuls of traditional heavy metal riffs and some tasty N.W.O.B.H.M. tidbits to beyond! Now, as for the second disc? Well, seeing as it's made up the group's "Demo 2006", rehearsal and live tracks and I do realize that might none of that really sounds all that exciting on paper right? But, there is a bright spot my friends! I'd say it's worth it just for the band's live cover of  "I’ve Been Around Too Long"! Originally written and performed by the Scottish band Marmalade (a rather diverse band in their own right as their music ranged from pop rock to psychedelic/blues such as the surprisingly heavy "I’ve Been Around Too Long"!) it works SO WELL for Pale Divine that one has to wonder why they haven't attempted a studio rendition of it? It's not as if the group is immune to cover songs (seeing as they have covered Pentagram, Candelmass and Deep Purple in the past and all that jazz!) so I do have to wonder why not cover this rocker for real? Otherwise disc two, which features the track list posted below, is fine in it's own right. It's true that having the demo versions of a couple of these tracks is rather sweet as they are different enough to prove interesting, but I'll be honest here here and just state for the record that I would buy this set just for that choice cover (and of course disc one's much improved sound!). That's just me though. Anyway, disc two features the following tracks and yes, I'm marking this set down as sure-fire winner!
Disc two track list:

1. Eyes of Destiny
2. Broken Wings
3. Cemetery Earth
4. (I Alone) The Traveller
5. Fire and Ice
Live from Howlers Coyote Café; Pittsburgh, PA 6-21-2011:
6. (I Alone) The Traveller
7. Soul Searching
8. I’ve Been Around Too Long (Marmalade cover)

High Spirits-High Spirits 7"

Hells Headbangers
2014

Active since 2009, with Chris Black (Aktor, Dawnbringer, Pharaoh, Superchrist, ex-Nachtmystium) sitting in the drivers seat from day one, Chicago's High Spirits are another another band whose sound is derived from the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement AND heavy metal's heyday. With two demos, two singles ("High Spirits" being the second one), one EP, a compilation album and one full-length album already in their back-catalog (and a new full-length album due to drop towards the end of April!) this rock/hard rock/heavy metal act doesn't show any signs of slowing down anytime soon! For that we should all be thankful! Or at least if you find yourself neck deep in love with old-fashioned heavy metal that just keeps on keeping on and rocking the very foundations of all things "loud & proud"! With this new 7" you get a different version of the title track then the one that appeared on the band's 2009 "Demo # 2" (said demo along with their first demo can be found on the group's 2009 compilation release) with the B-side track being a "newly-recorded song from the band's formative nights". First things first let's take a look at the band's namesake song. "High Spirits", which will also appear on the band's upcoming new album, "You Are Here", is a more along the lines of a heavy rocker, almost seventies-like in it's approach and, as weird and messed up as this sounds, it almost sounds to me like Chris Black is channeling (early, new wave/punk rock days) Sting while the backing-band tears through a monster of a garage number! Meanwhile we have the B-side "Night After Night" which could be a long-lost N.W.O.B.H.M. cut. Again, here the band's heavy metal-leanings take a back-seat to heavy rock although there's no way to disguise what this Chicago-based collective is all about. Even if these two numbers are more or less "high-energy rockers" Chris Black and company proudly wave their alligience to classic hard rock and heavy metal making High Spirits the perfect company for those of us old enough to remember the glory days or even the younger kids out there longing for something real with integrity! Hopeing "You Are Here" will come packed with this much passion, energy and enthusiasm! You can find out more about this 7" inch and the band's previous releases right here:

http://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/high-spirits-high-spirits-vinyl.asp

The Graviators-Motherload

Napalm Records
2014


Sweden's The Graviators, who first formed back in 2009 before releasing their first self-titled full-length release the same year, are another (newish) act that chooses to stretch the boundaries of modern day doom.On their upcoming new album "Motherload", which is the group's forth overall full-length album and first in two years (the last one being 2012's "Evil Deeds"), the band takes up the challenge of giving doom metal a proper once-over and, thanks to the addition of stoner rock and classic rock/seventies hard rock, they do a pretty fly job at it one must say! Fronted by one Niklas Sjöberg(also of Swedish stoner metal outfit NYMF) the band could best be described as a loose and easy Black Sabbath/Trouble hybrid attempting to spread their magical wings and fly away!  Aside from the questionable lyrical-content (more occult and witchcraft silliness) this band does it right with Martin Fairbanks (also of NYMF and ex-Clandestine) providing post-Tony Iommi leads and a HEAVY rhythm section of Johan Holm (bass) and Henrik Bergman (drums, formerly of High in Fungoid Void) drawing to mind not only Black Sabbath's famous bass & drum duo, but also the back-beat of the band Iron Man! Alongside great new material like "Leifs Last Breath / Dance of the Valkyrie", "Narrow Minded Bastards" and "Tigress of Siberia" (and that's just the opening part of this full-length release!) the band opted to include a special bonus in the form of of a re-recorded "Druid´s Ritual"! Originally released on the group's 2011 limited-edition split with Brutus it's a great way to close out album number four from this doom metal collective!  The Graviators have done well with "Motherload". Whether we're talking about HEAVY doom rockers like "Bed Of Bitches" and "Corpauthority", twisted and evil epic numbers like the 9 minute long "Eagles Rising" (dig the vox on this one!) or a track like "Lost Lord" (where the band inhales everything that early seventies psychedelic rock had to offer!) this is one album that should be on the radar of every doom metal and stoner rock fanatic! As the first The Graviators release that I've heard start to finish I must say that I was more then impressed! Another addition to my best of 2014 list, "Motherload" is already rocking my world and I will most certainly be looking to add a CD copy of this little gem to my personal collection as soon as it is released at the end of this month!