The Mighty Swine-Last Man Standing

Broad Horizon Records, Inc.
2014

Assembled in 2007 by bass guitarist Mike Skimmerhorn (Chastain, ex-Spike, ex-CJSS), Ohio's own The Mighty Swine, who are now on album number two with "Last Man Standing" (the first album, a self-titled affair, having been released in 2009), are a guitar-driven, hard & heavy/progressive metal band with musical influences ranging from Steve Vai to Megadeth (more on that bit later!). Besides Mike Skimmerhorn (who provides lead vocals in addition to handling bass duties) The Mighty Swine features the services of Stacey Donahue and Jeff Tong (guitarists) and Rory Faciane (drums). Both Stacey Donahue and Rory Faciane are new to the fold since the band's 2009 release and with this new 11-track album following in the footsteps of 2012's (well-received and most-assuredly recommend!) "Lust" single the pair more then proof their worth on this hard hitting release! Recorded at Fat Track Studio in forest Park, Ohio, and with producer Rob Nadler once more at the helms, "Last Man Standing" is a nail-biting excursion into the world of politically-charged heavy metal where the messages are never lost in translation! While the band pulls off a spike-studded, note for note cover of the Judas Priest classic "Hall Bent for Leather" with power and passion on this new album it's actually the group's original material that reaches out and grabs you by the throat! Starting with "All That is Evil" Mike and his comrades arm themselves for an absolute throw-down and even at this album's earliest moments it's clear as day that this fearsome four-piece has no plans for taking prisoners! Musically album-number two ups the ante and if 2009's self-titled release was a tossed hand grenade into the heavy metal scene then "Last Man Standing" is a full on barrage of utter mayhem! Even as their own music carves itself a nice niche in today's scene an observation must be made and this one is by no means a bad thing! From "All That is Evil" on the music of "Last Man Standing" has a distinctive Dave Mustaine vibe going for it! Wait, what? Yes, as personable as Dave's writing is that same kind of refreshing, heartfelt feeling can be found in the lyrically-approach to "Last Man Standing" as well as in it's vocal delivery! And again, this is by no means a bad thing as Megadeth's material has long proven to be amazing from a personal perspective. Granted, The Mighty Swine does carry a bit of a torch for Dave and his crew in other ways as "Last Man Standing" feels (on occasion) as if it could be a cross between Megadeth and Metallica if (and only if!) said bands were more akin to the likes of classic hard rock and heavy metal bands (Ozzy/Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Rush, Deep Purple, UFO, Armored Saint, etc). Otherwise, as evident by original compositions like "Two Graves", "Empty Shells", "Last Man Standing" and more(!), The Mighty Swine march to the beat of their own drummer which, in this case at least, is one who never let's things settle down in the least! There's that and then there's new guitarist Stacey Donahue and what he brings to the mix. Said to be influenced by the likes of Randy Rhoads, Yngwie Malmsteen and Eddie Van Halen* his guitar playing most certainly adds an extra dimension to the music at hand with more then a few of these cuts ("Empty Shells", "Tomorrow", "Vengeance is Mine" and the title track again) perfectly crossing over between progressive hard rock and true, traditional heavy metal! And that's pretty much what listeners should expect when it comes to The Mighty Swine's sophomore undertaking. Much darker and decidedly heavier/technical in it's approach, "Last Man Standing" is NOT the same The Mighty Swine as heard on the band's 2009 debut output! "Tomorrow", "Vengeance is Mine" and "Dead Man's Stare" point towards a band that has progressed beyond their hard rock/heavy metal roots and has now fully-embraced HEAVY, guitar-driven and highly rhythmic, METAL that is a far lot closure to the likes of Megadeth and Metallica then the band's debut could have ever imagined! While Chastain might just continue to keep Mike Skimmerhorn busy by day (and no doubt provide a more stable paycheck along the way!) The Mighty Swine (who incidentally have a bit of a older, classic metal vibe about them and could almost be described as "retro" if that wasn't such a puke-inducing word these days!) is a cool vehicle all it's own! And besides, if ever it doesn't work out for Mike with Chastain then you couldn't ask for a better safety net then The Mighty Swine! For this is one band that could easier be more then a side-project!

*A special thanks to Hard Rock Hideout for the background info on The Mighty Swine's two newest members (there was a lot of research that went on on my end in between waiting for the album's complete track listing to arrive!)

Dead Earth Politics-The Queen of Steel

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Austin-Texas heavy thrash/groove metal band Dead Earth Politics are offering the three-track EP "The Queen of Steel" as a digital-only, name-your-price download that will come complete with lyrics and liner notes.You can find the download link at their official site below. Active since 2005, with this serving as the band's second EP and third overall release, the band has been compared to the likes of Lamb of God, Iron Maiden and Pantera and really (if we're simply to go by this 13+ minute EP) that's a fairly spot-on description (especially, musically-speaking and all, the Lamb of God and Iron Maiden parts where it's almost like the old Reese's Peanut Butter bit of someone got chocolate in my peanut butter/someone got peanut butter in my chocolate only with someone got Lamb of God in my Iron Maiden and vice versa!!!)! Opener "Redneck Dragonslayer" (Yeah, I know! I love the title as well boys and girls!) starts the party off on the right foot and with a (seemingly) new lead vocalist named Ven Scott doing his best to sound like a raged-out and metal moshing maniac version of Phil Anselmo it's (as those crazy kids these days like to say!) "all good in the hood"! While their are also clean vocals sprinkled throughout this (bad mutha of a) EP it's not quite clear who contributes those so we'll just say that whoever it is that handles that side of the coin does a pretty bang-up job! Actually, kudos all around as this one simply slays! From start to finish, top to bottom it's one all out rage of a recording! So, that begs the question then as to why  I was left feeling sad at the end of it all? Well, that can be summed up fairly easily. I was sad because it's w-a-y too freakin' s-h-o-r-t! That's one thing that drives me bat shit crazy about these little slabs of METAL fraggin' WARFARE! Starting strong and then teasing me by tearing through a mere three tracks just doesn't cut it with me friends! Why is it that all of real rock and shock, flat-out rage feasts are always t-o-o damn short? Dead Earth Politics are the kind of act that need a full, flushed out LP so that it doesn't simply come to a grinding halt just when you're really getting your rage on! Granted, it's a stupid complaint right? It's only a length-issue at the end of the day. Still, I really want to hear a full-length BEAST out of this Austin act now so let's hope that this little teaser is just wetting our appetites for a full-scale invasion of thrash metal groove glory!!!! 


http://deadearthpolitics.com/

Stone Cold Kill-Out For Blood

Self-Release
2013

Self-dubbed "Dirty, Rotten, Heavy Metal Sons Of Dogs", the appropriately-named Stone Cold Kill is one band that doesn't need to wear it's influences on it's sleeves. Instead it's encoded in their DNA! For you see the band's front-man, vocalist/bassist Ralph Robinson (who incidentally was only 16 when this 5-track EP was recorded!), is the son of Asomvel' guitarist  Lenny Robinson while both he and guitarist T-Bone are also the nephews of the late (and much more then simply great friends) Jay-Jay Winter! In fact this EP, which is dripping with the blood and sweat of old-school heavy metal, is dedicated to Asomvel's fallen comrade/front-man and the memory of  Jay-Jay Winter is keep alive and well thanks to gut-punching rock and roll cuts like opener "Cheap Faker" and the gripping "Out For Blood"! Even with only these five cuts it's fairly easy to pick up on the talent-level of this young band and it's not that much of a bold prediction to suggest that better things lie ahead for them. The band, which also includes one true maniac on the drum-stool by the name of Kyle "Goose" Corriganhas, simply thrashes it's way through "Out For Blood" and if Asomvel is the band's (rightfully so) main influence then let me tell you what friends, Motörhead is most-assuredly a close second! On numbers like the dirty rock and roller "Cheap Faker" and the album's real, red-hot smoker "Incineration" (which should come with it's own warning label!) these three English "lads" tear the roof off of the house of rock and roll and then proceed to burn the whole mother down! Stone Cold Kill might be a young band in age and regards to their actual time together, but you'd never know it from the way this EP unfolds! Vocalist/bassist Ralph Robinson has the soul of a much older man and his voice adds extra emotional depth to a number like "Nothing to Lose". Meanwhile we find guitarist T-Bone flipping his way through the playbooks of many a great English guitarists (both past and present) which ends up resulting in hints of the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene as much as it does both Asomvel and Motörhead. If there's a downside to be found with "Out For Blood" then it would have to be it's too short for it's own good length! By the time the band really has you worked up and ready to totally unleash on everything and everyone it's all over! This would have been served as a full-length affair, but I do understand all too well how those kinds of things take time and (realistically speaking here) cold hard cash. Hopefully these three can pull off such a feat in 2014 as they have the skills and ultimately the DNA to really shake up the heavy metal scene! I know I'll be keeping an eye out for them and, damn right friends, I'll be crossing these old arthritic fingers of mine that they pull it all off in style! The heart of heavy metal needs some new, young and exciting, fresh blood to keep it pumping for years to come and Stone Cold Kill are just what the doctor (Dr. Rock) ordered!

Lucid Dreams-Lucid Dreams

Rockworks Records
2013

Lucid Dreams, who hail from Oslo, Norway, just recently released this, their self-titled debut CD. Formed in 2007 by Silvester Pozarnik, Rune Hagen and Rune Gutuen (the album's engineer and producer), this 12-track album showcases a band that has managed to fuse AOR, hard rock, heavy metal and progressive metal together into something special all while basking in the glory of pure rock and roll! Sounds weird right? Almost like there is no way in the world it would work or that this six-piece band would be capable of pulling it off. And yet here I am playing witness to a band that echos everyone from Whitesnake (thanks to the sometimes quite slick lead vocals ex-Trendkiller/ex-Mudslide member Freddy Vain-try on "Daisy Dukes" and you'll hear it for yourself!) and Bon Jovi to Dio, Queensrÿche, Dream Theatre, (early) Steeler and even Saxon! In a way Lucid Dreams reminds me of a more flushed-out, progressive metal-minded version of Italy's Dangerzone. And that's a very good thing indeed. While Freddy Vain can pull off a number like "Daisy Dukes" he also can pull off a number like "Stormy" which requires him to channel the spirit of the late great Ronnie James Dio! Such range allows Lucid Dreams to move in and out of different with ease and make "Lucid Dreams" a fantastic listen! Of course helping that cause out is a backing band that, to put it bluntly, fucking slays! Guitarists Rune Gutuen and Ådne Olastuen simply excel while the rest of the band (bassist Jan-Erik Lysø, keyboardist Thorleif Østmoe (who contacted Metal Mark about reviewing this album and thus turned me onto a cool, as in the Fonz cool folks, 12 track release with such smashing good songs as "Daisy Dukes", "Stormy", "Take Me Away" and "Paranoia") and drummer Rune Hagen) makes it all sound so easy! Of curse when you consider the fact that Lucid Dreams is made up of a group of musicians who have more them paid their dues (read: there is a lot of experience packed within the pages of Lucid Dreams) it makes sense that a group like Lucid Dreams sounds so fluid. Albums like this one are the reason I love writing for this blog. Chances are that without Heavy Metal Time Machine I wouldn't have had the pleasure of hearing this release. I mean it's not as if Oslo, Norway is right next door to Ohio, U.S.A. or anything! But thanks to this blog (and well, Al Gore's Internet!) I get to hear a cool album like this and then share it with all of you! Lucid Dreams are very much a band that embraces the theory that you can cook up really heavy tracks like "Paranoia", which really borders on power metal,  and yet still rock out like crazy! And it's all good. It's like there is plenty of love to go around and it's alright if you're (musically) into bands as diverse as Whitesnake and Iron Maiden (another band that, along with everyone from the Scorpions to Yngwie J. Malmsteen to 80's era Judas Priest!, figures into the sound of Lucid Dreams). Hopefully it doesn't  sound as if I'm over-hyping this 12 track album, but the diversity present on "Lucid Dreams" and the overflowing energy that this band exhibits is just fantastic and really has to be heard to be truly appreciated!

Want more info? Of course you do! So, either head here: www.luciddreamsband.com
or head here: www.facebook.com/LucidDreamsRocks

Hell-Curse & Chapter

Nuclear Blast Records
2013

Having grown up in a Christian household rock music was considered dangerous. As I listen to Hell's
second full-length album, "Curse And Chapter" for the second time now (and that's after UPS dropped it off sometime last night after 7pm!) I'm drawn back to my youth when the devil wasn't so much in the details, but rather taking center stage for all to see through the likes of Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Iron Maiden and hundreds (thousands?) more! I spent grades 4-8 in a private Christian school where we had anti-rock crusaders* come in to preach to us ("The Devil inside" by INXS was about demonic possession? Really?) and I had the misfortune of being forced to sit and watch anti-rock preachers on VHS tapes (for those youngsters out there a VHS tape was what we used to watch movies on back in the days of cavemen and dinosaurs!) tell me how everyone from Cyndi Lauper to Queen was helping to usher in a new hell on earth! I always kid that at least being forced to watch the video tape turned me onto some great acts like The Lords of the New Church! But, now that I hear this new Hell about I must admit that maybe the devil, who is said to have all of the best bands anyway, is pulling the strings of this British occult metal act? No, not really. The real evil in is this world isn't found on an album like "Curse & Chapter". If you won't to see real evil then find yourself a map and look for Washington D.C. What we have with this traditional heavy metal five-piece is a band that is effectively lead by the theatrical David Bower who, in addition to be a splendid lead vocalist (think Rob Halford with a bit of King Diamond mixed in for good measure!) is also a part-time actor! In addition to David Bower the band features David's brother Kev (guitar and keys), Tony Speakman (bass), Tim Bowler (drums) and, last but not least, the exceptionally talented Andy Sneap (guitar). Musically Hell really doesn't sound like anyone other then Hell. Sure, you could draw parallels between Hell and the likes of Judas Priest, Merciful Fate/King Diamond, Satan and even Iron Maiden. But that would be selling both Hell and their sophomore recording short. "Deathsquad" for one features great keys that come across as partly Uriah Heap and partly potential soundtrack mater for Dr.Who! And really the opening of "Something Wicked This Way Comes" rivals anything Lars Ulrich and his bandmates released on Metallica's first three LPs! For a band like Hell, which arose from the ashes of Paralex and Race Against Time back in 1982, "Curse & Chapter" is a remarkably fresh revelation that traditional heavy metal still has plenty of lifeblood left in it! Speaking of Race Against Time, that group's cool track "Harbinger of Death" is covered here and it's a real keeper! And thanks to tracks like "The Age Of Nefarious", "Darkhangel" (possibly the best cut on "Curse & Chapter"), "Deathsquad", "Something Wicked This Way Comes" and "Land Of the Living Dead" this is one release that is sure to make the "Best Of" lists of many a fan and critic alike! Now for the million dollar question. Is it better then it's predecessor, "Human Remains"? In some ways yes, I'd say that it is. With more original compositions it feels more complete (if that makes sense) and relevant. It's hard to find a fault with "Curse & Chapter" other then it's (overly) critical and cynical viewpoint of Christianity. Considering that Christians are the last group left that you can still hurl vile insults at without any public outrage (no to mention the fact that you can disparage Christians and discriminate against them without fear of legal repercussions) it's just far too easy a target. Some of the lyrics, try "Deliver Us From Evil" for example,  are so cheesy and anti-religious that I felt like I was listening to a recording by Cronos! I normally try to refrain from mixing music discussions with religion discussions, but if a band like Hell really believes that Jesus Christ is the biggest threat our world is facing then they haven't been living on the same planet as I have for the last 40 years! The band is better suited (and much more original and interesting in my opinion) when they cover historical events or go after the greed of men (and yes, quite a bit of organized religion!) then when the go after a man who said to "love your neighbor as yourself". Just my two cents though and it's not a topic that will keep me from recommending this release and/or adding it to my "Best of 2013" list!

* No names please, but we were subjected to a set of (twin) gentlemen who, on more then one occasion, told us that everything we liked back then (in my case it was everyone/everything from AC/DC, Ratt and Heart to INXS, U2 and the Beach Boys) was just flat-out WRONG! Then, as a twenty something year old, I remember having one of them ring the doorbell of a party I was at of my then girlfriend/now ex-wife's Uncle's house. It was strange seeing this individual who had once condemned my choice of music now serving as a real estate agent!  Even more so I think I showed up at the front door with a beer in my hand! I'm not sure I ever got the full "benefit" of private school now that I think about it!

Asomvel-Knuckle Duster

Bad Omen Records
2013

Twenty years have passed since vocalist/bassist Jay-Jay Winter (RIP 2010) and guitarist Lenny Robinson first started Asomvel. Back then the group, which also featured ex-Cathedral/Acid Reign drummer Mark Wharton, could not have possibly guessed all that would happen to their band in the coming years. Before they could even get around to releasing their first demo, "The Blood Eye", which featured a "fitting" cover of a great white shark on the move, they reportedly went through ten or so different drummers in a way that would make even Spinal Tap chuckle! Not so funny though was the tragic passing of Jay-Jay Winter. Killed in a road accident in 2010, Jay-Jay's death would nearly crippled the band. While ex-Deathwing bassist Conan, who also plays/or did play bass in deathcore act Tangaroa (not quite sure if he still plays with them or not as there are conflicting reports online), would step in to handle vocals and bass even he knew that he could never really replace Jay-Jay and to this day both the band members themselves and fans still consider Jay-Jay to be a member of the band. Now, I freely admit that this release was a spur of the moment/impulse buy and prior to receiving it in the mail I had never heard of this British three-peace (which is rounded out now by drummer Jason hope) so I do not know how this one could or would compare to their older material. As I simply did not wish to be bias one way or the other I purposely choose not to listen to any of their previous recordings. That means "Knuckle Duster" is it for me as heck, I didn't even listen to samples of this one before I ordered it off of Amazon! I simply went by a review that I read in some metal mag (or was it online?) and now you will have the same option if you want. Here's the nitty-gritty details of this English heavy metal act. And actually gritty is as good a place to start as any. These English rockers play real, working man blues, drink hard and play even harder rock/metal that sounds as if it was honed by playing in every dive bar, biker hangout and empty parking lot between in Europe and the U.S.! That's a compliment of course as these fine gentlemen play working-clash rock and roll with lyrics that reflect a life that's seen it's fair share of blood, sweat and cold beer. These guys sound as if it's been a hell of journey, leaving behind them a trail of cheap liqueur and "Bad Mojo Rising" women, but we all know that "it's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll"! That said, in Conan we find a better then advertised bassist whose gruff, whisky-soaked vocals fall somewhere between Zodiac Mindwarp (the man and not the band) and a certain Lemmy Kilmister (the main man period!). He's able to convey real emotion with his delivery while the rest of the group as a whole, which at times (admittedly) did have me thinking about Lemmy's band, rock the part the freak out with a wonderful blend of sleazy hard rock, raw blues-rock, drunk punk rock and of course heavy metal! On one hand these guys (deservedly so) fit into perfectly into my ideal collection of all things "loud and proud". On the other hand though these English musicians do a good job of playing "cut  the crap all you crazy cats and get down with your bad selves!" rock and roll that wouldn't be too far out of place if served up hot and spicy alongside the likes of Neil Young, Aerosmith, Kiss, AC/DC or Ted Nugent! So yes, even though I "took a big chance at the high school dance" when I bought this one blind it paid off big time! This is one of those "9 points out of 10 points" or "three and a half stars out of four" albums that's a leap and a (HUGE) bounce better then (and yes, it does make me choke up to say this as I'm a total fanboy for the band!) "Aftershock" (I'll cover Lemmy's latest release tomorrow if I can) from a band that is "shut your mouth I'm just talking about Shaft" epic in magnitude and ready for the big time/primetime baby!

Lumbar-The First and Last Days of Unwelcome

Southern Lord Recordings
2013

Is it just me or does it not seem as Southern Lord Recordings always seems to gets their hands on the latest and greatest doom and sludge releases? And sure enough Southern Lord has done it once again! Case in point here we have "The First and Last Days of Unwelcome", the full-length debut album Portland, Oregon's Lumbar. This project features three longtime friends, Aaron Edge (Himsa, Iamthethorn, Roareth, Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth), Mike Scheidt (YOB) and Tad Doyle (Tad, Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth), who ended up coming together/bonding together after Aaron Edges was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. All of which gives this debut LP from Lumbar a sincerely urgent and emotional vibe. The thing is while this release might just be the brainchild of Aaron Edge, and Lumbar might just be more about his journey then anything else, this trio works together quite well with "The First and Last Days of Unwelcome". While all three members of Lumbar share vocal duties, which gives these seven tracks (titled "Day One", "Day Two" and so on all the way up to "Day Seven"!) even more of a crushing edge while simultaneously offering up a nice slab of doom metal variety, all of the instruments (guitars, bass and drums) fall on Aaron Edges himself. Collectively this trio is nothing short of magical (is that the right word for HEAVY doom metal?) with the music that is found within this seven-track album falling into the category of "epic"!  Well, that is if slowly creeping HEAVY (yes, I know, again with the "HEAVY", but in this case it truly is warranted folks!) doom metal, which is entirely justified in being as bleak, dark, dismal and depressing as it is here, can be considered "epic"?  
And yes, when it comes to this release (and the story behind it) it's certainly understandable why there is so much pain and heartache present within this music. When you sit and consider Aaron's (extremely) painful journey (post-diagnosis and all) and what he would have to endure it's no wonder that this debut-album ends up draining you emotionally the way it does. As someone who has suffered from chronic pain in the past (from my early twenties until I was about thirty five or so I suffered from horrific pain in my joints and in my feet) and still deals with constant pain to this very day I can see why this release was....well, a release for Aaron! For anyone to be (suddenly) diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which is something I have unfortunately seen first hand, that would end up being a crushing blow. But for a musician? What could you possibly do or say to help someone like that face the reality that their world was about to change? When your livelihood revolves around using your hands to create art what options could you hope to have? With friends like Tad and Mike in his corner he was given the chance to express the suffering (inside) that he was experiencing and the result, Lumbar and the creative energy-infused "The First and Last Days of Unwelcome", is a must-possess for doom fanatics. And better yet all of the band's proceeds will end up benefiting Aaron Edge (they will go towards helping Aaron pay his hospital bills and the treatment he will require) which means you can buy "The First and Last Days of Unwelcome" AND help out a musician who has given his all for his fans! This is is a release that will see a wide-range of formats from digital to LP (and even cassette!) so I can't recommend this one enough folks! You can hear the whole thing for yourself at their bandcamp page below....

http://lumbarsl.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-and-last-days-of-unwelcome

Dogs of Delphi-Irons in the Fire

Self-Release/Independent
2013

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

Tales Of Pain-Into The Labyrinth

Self-Release/Independent
2013

Tales Of Pain, a four-piece Mexican (tried and true) heavy metal/melodic power metal band, was first conceived of back in April of 2009. At first it was all about friends just having some fun and bounding over a (obvious) shared love of bands like Iron Maiden, Helloween and Metallica. Over time though the four musicians, who are lead "Into the Labyrinth" by the highly effective vocals of guitarist Siaska Di Borja, decided to buckle down, fine-tune their craft and, no doubt spurred on by the fact that they already had quite a bit of talent on their side (as well as natural charisma and youthful enthusiasm-two things that can't be learned as you've either got them or you don't!), see where things would lead to. And man alive let me tell you what folks. We should all be very grateful that Tales Of Pain, hailing specifically from Villahermosa, Tabasco, did decide to take things as far as they could go. Especially seeing as "Into the Labyrinth", a 9-track combination of (fine as wine) traditional heavy metal and melodic power metal, is quite the inspired release! While I'm not exactly sure if this is the group's first attempt to put things to tape or not (although I assume it is) I will say that if it is then "Into the Labyrinth" is a very splendid introduction indeed! With numbers like "Dark Decay" honing in on 80's metal, before heating things up some with a bit of heavy thrash,  and a cut like "Alive", with it's majestic approach to epic metal, moving Tales Of Pain from a fresh-faced, up-and-coming band to "top of the pops" territory this one band that should benefit from today's technical age. In the past a band like Tales Of Pain would have had a hard time even moving up past the tape-trading market and into the land of independent labels. Things have changed though (as far as getting your music out there to a world-wide audience and placing it into the right hands in order to get a record contract) and in the case of Tales Of Pain they can easily use that to their advantage. Still, when it comes to this heavy metal band, which also features guitarist Eddie Maciel, bassist Daniel Arias and drummer Beliel Canto within it's ranks, I'd love to cut through some of the burdensome "red tape" for them. I'd strongly urge any and all PR friends/contacts of mine to listen to "Into the Labyrinth" for yourselves and hear why I'm so excited about what these young guys have accomplished (sound-wise) in such a short length of time! Maybe this isn't quite music built for rocking out to, but (technically-speaking) Tales Of Pain have built a behemoth of an album  riff by bloody riff! For a young band that has barely cracked the ceiling of  the underground scene, which means of course that ( and may the gods of all things loud and proud bless them for this!) they are probably playing to crowds of no more then 200 or so, this kind of dedication and achievement is even more impressive! So yes, if I was in the PR field I'd grab this band right here and now while there is still fire in their belly. For everyone else though here's another example of  what is (more or less) metal magic in all it's glory. "Through The Looking Glass", which is cut number seven, is the sound of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest converging at that exact spot in history when Queensrÿche used to be good (God, does anyone else remember that or is it just my imagination getting the better of me?). Elsewhere the band puts all of it's chips on the style, sound and even swagger of Helloween and, if I had to put my money where my mouth is, I would wager that for the bulk of heavy metal fans that is where they would get the most pleasure out of this 4-piece band! With Tales Of Pain quite effectively merging these various different elements (from melodic metal to nearly progressive metal a lot of ground is covered on this release) into one new character I'd expect great things out of this young band as the sky is very much the limit! Find out more about Tales Of Pain, and how freaking straight-up boss their sound is, at their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tales-of-pain/139613849406379

Salem-Forgotten Dreams

Pure Steel Records
2013

If you are a frequent visitor to Heavy Metal Time Machine, or even if you are a long-standing fan of classic heavy metal and/or the N.W.O.B.H.M. scene, then you don't need me to preach the important role that the U.K. played in the development of heavy metal. The United Kingdom has long been fertile ground for all things loud and proud and Salem, who are also known as Salem U.K. in order to differentiate them from far too many similarly named groups, has been there since day one. Or at least day one as in 1981 which is when their first demo was released. It's been a long and winding road since then and yet, in grand style (and in similar fashion to other classic U.K band's like Hell for example), Salem are back with a brand new album and enough contagious energy to keep the fires of heavy metal burning for a very long time! The same Salem that made the limited-edition, 1982 single, "Cold As Steel/Reach For Eternity", (which has sold for nearly $1000 on the secondary market!), such a classic number has soldiered on making "Forgotten Dreams" one of 2013's best heavy metal albums! It's also the best "comeback" album that I've heard this year and an absolute MUST OWN for fans of straight-up heavy metal and N.W.O.B.H.M.! Now, this past March I had the privilege of covering Salem's much heralded "X-Rated" EP and, truth be told, the four tracks present on that EP are also on Salem's new full-length album. Those tracks, which were "When Love's In Your Heart", "X-Rated", "Ask The Lonely" and "Reach to Eternity" (2013 Version), have been re-mixed and re-mastered though, breathing new life into each and every one of them. With that said, let's take a brief look at what makes "Forgotten Dreams" such a strong contender for the "Comeback Album Of the Year" award and why bands like Salem are the past, present and future of heavy metal! Right up front it's worth noting that vocalist  Simon Saxby sounds phenomenon on this release! As the album kicks in with the title track, which is a strong number that lies somewhere between traditional heavy metal and epic heavy metal, Simon's vocals simply soar! Not only is (track number 1) "Forgotten Dreams" one cool-ass track, with guitarists Paul Macnamara and Mark Allison laying down riffs that are one-part classic rock and one-part heavy metal, but it's also the perfect way to open up an album! From there we move on to another new cut (track number 2) called "High Stakes". This one was an instant- fave of mine as the wicked guitar parts give off this almost Twilight Zone vibe with it's nightmarish riffs coming across as if they are also inspired by classic rock. The band, which also features bass player Ade Jenkinson  and Paul Mendham, has manged to take all of their various influences and turn them into a distinct, hard-driving style, that marries melody and metal madness. It's a perfect union as evident here. Alright, to make this review a little easier on the eyes I'm going to take things track by tracks, but with breaks into the sentences. Of course you are quite welcome!

Track 3) "When Loves In Your Heart"-I loved this number on the "X-Rated" EP and I love it here. This almost sleazy, hard rock number sounds more modern then anything and (again) features some simply smashing guitar playing. It also shows of the killer ability of drummer Paul Mendham who does so much more then simply keep the beat going! 

Track 4) "This Heart Is Mine"-Two songs in a row with "heart" in the title? Yes, and so what? This has a real charm to it and, as odd and off the wall as this may sound, it merges 80's metal, 80's rock and 90's melodic hard rock into one little number that is actually quite good.

Track 5) "Kazakafnu"-There is an interesting story about this one. Bassist Ade filled me in: "Kaza-Kafnu is the name of a 12-day trek from Kaza to Kafnu in the Indian Himalayas. Paul's daughter did the trek and when she came back she told us all about her experiences, so we kinda bastardized the name of the trek and made it into more of a place". Cool. Did I mention that it is also one of my favorite tracks on this album? No? Well, it is and frankly it doesn't get much better then this one. Throughout their new album Salem showcases how everyone from Thin Lizzy to Black Sabbath has allowed Salem's sound to evolve into this beautiful creature all it's own. The group's influences are really just about as varied as this album is. Wishbone Ash, Rush, Kansas, Rainbow and Deep Purple are just a few acts that have influenced the members of Salem and when it's played to utmost extreme (like on  "Kazakafnu") it's just something that's going to stick with you for a long time!

Track 6) "The Answer"-Short and sweet this one is really solid hard and heavy rock.

Track 7) "Reach For Eternity"-This updated version of an old Salem has hints of Deep Purple and Rainbow while it also carries itself in a fashion that says "Yes, I do think I can stand toe-to-toe with the modern rock radio movement and I'll prove it!". 

Track 8) "The Best Is Yet To Come"-Take the classic rock/AOR of bands like REO Speedwagon and Kansas (hear me out) and suddenly turn it into something mellow and marvelous that just screams out to be one of the album's singles!

Track 9) "X-Rated"-Another number that I loved on the band's previous EP and I love it here. Straight-up modern heavy rock having a make out session with 80's melodic heavy metal. What's not to like?

Track 10) "Break the Chains"-For some reason this one made me envision Styx and Ozzy's early (solo) band collaborating on a N.W.O.B.H.M. project!

Track 11) "Ask The Lonely"-From the previous EP and a subtle yet effective merger of classic hard rock and the light side of the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement (Praying Mantis, Bronz and White Spirit)

Track 12) "Aftershock"-A slower, almost doom take on Rainbow and Dio? Classic

Track 13) "Retribution"-Likely only to appear on the Japanese version of "Forgotten Dreams", which of course will serve as an incentive for fans to hunt down the Japanese version of "Forgotten Dreams", this one is really interesting. Reminiscent of  the early L.A. hard rock scene, this one features some crafty guitar work that, in another time and place, sure as hell sounds as if it could have been a hit for some hair metal rockers. Of course that's only if the number was fluffed up horribly as in Salem's hands it's way more reflective of a band that knows a thing or two about the virtues of classic heavy metal! 

Alright, so there you have it. A track-by-track breakdown of what just might be the comeback album of the year as well as one of my top 10 albums of the year! With the album's offer of variety, it's well-fashioned and technically savvy approach to song-writing, the epic skill-level of each and every member involved with the new album and a production (courtesy of bassist Abe) that highlights the classic appeal of U.K. heavy metal, "Forgotten Dreams" is an album that I've give a "A+" rating to and recommend for anyone and everyone reading this!

The Ragged Saints-The Sound Of Breaking Free

Power Prog (Europe)/Nightmare Records (North America)
2013

There are "rock" albums and then there are albums that "rock". The Finnish collective known as The Ragged Saints fall into that second category with their new 11-track debut-album "The Sound Of Breaking Free". Having laid the ground work with their 2012, 3-track promo, which was also called "The Sound Of Breaking Free" and included not only the title cut, but tracks "Don't Let Me Go" and "While The World Is Burning", I was well-prepared for the notion that this release would be special, but even I could not have foreseen just how good the group's full-length debut-release would be! Formed back in 2012, with the idea of forming a band coming after the band's two guitarists, Tomi Julkunen and Toni Bite (Twilight Ophera), attended a Whitesnake concert, the band would become a reality with the addition of bassist/seasoned veteran Jukka Hoffrén and drummer Miikki Kunttu. The last piece of the puzzle came in the form of lead vocalist and Status Minor front-man Markku Kuikka (Kenziner/ Book of Reflections/ex-Grönholm/ex-Thaurorod/ex-TorneD) whose soaring delivery and stellar showmanship would put The Ragged Saints on the fast-track to stardom! With influences such as Cinderella, Ratt, Whitesnake and Def Leppard playing a part in their early development The Ragged Saints, who also released the track "The Sound Of Breaking Free" as a digital single, had a sound going for them that captured the finer moments of classic hard rock. With the new album though there has been a natural progression and while they were once solely identified as a Whitesnake-like band, which translated means that they indulged the listener's appetite for melodic hard rock at it's best, the new album also finds the band tackling everything from heavy rock ("New Beginnings") to modern AOR ("A Place Where I Belong"). As I first listened to the album I must admit that it seemed as if it was every other song that was really good. The title cut opens things up and it sounds as if the band gave it a spit-shine as I didn't recall it being such a epic rock number! But then it was "A Place Where I Belong" which, at least during the first run-through, came off as good but nothing special. Track three, "Don't Let Go", came up and it was back to killer rock for The Ragged Saints with track number four, the AOR-like "I'll Never Give Up On Love", again coming off as good if nothing special. So yes, I had the fear that this would be one of those records where half of the songs were really cool, but with the other half being, well, decent. But, something happened after track number five, "Love Won't Fade Away", finished up. Suddenly the album gets up and just runs away. The Ragged Saints tore through tracks six-eleven like they were the saviors of rock and roll sent from God himself! At that point I decided to "spin the record' a second time, which was followed by a third time and then forth time (all of which took place yesterday!) and it dawned on me hat stylistically The Ragged Saints were like bands such as Heart, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones and the Scorpions who wrote their material around the idea of creating a "rock album" and not just "rock singles". So, while there are some cuts that stand out more then others (the excellent "Never Walk Away" being a good example), it's the fact that the album serves as a total-package which makes it so special. Overall there are 11 tracks which do cover a lot of ground from classic hard rock to traditional rock and yes, even AOR, but taken as a whole this is a hell of an album and the sign of mature musicians who just get it. With album number one now out of the way, which (for the record) will be released towards the end of October, The Ragged Saints now can set their sites on new challenges like bringing their music to everyone everywhere.That said, will this Finnish 5-piece be able to capture the attention of both European and American audiences with their debut-album? One would hope so. I certainly hope so. In the meantime though be sure to check out the group's official website and you can read my coverage of their 3-track promo at the link below s well.

http://theraggedsaints.com/
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=the+ragged+saints

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The Brink-Would You Love Her

Self-Release
2013

Based in and around Cambridgeshire, the English rock group known as The Brink are due to release this, their first full-length release, in just a few weeks. With 2 addition EPs contributing to their back-catalog, and having already shared the stage with the likes of Heaven's Basement and Tigertailz (indeed, the group is well-known for their hardworking style), The Brink are not exactly newcomers to the rock scene in the strictest sense of the word. Even so, The Brink, and everything that makes up their world of good, old-fashioned and damn authentic hard rock/rock and roll, are likely new to US fans. Lead by Tom Quick, who for some reason reminds me of a cross between Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and a more "down-the-middle of the road" (and much more mellow) James Hetfield, The Brink features two great guitarists in  Lexi Laine and Joey King and a up-beat and perfectly-suited rhythm section in bassist Gary Connor and drummer Dave Forster. Even in their chosen field (new rock and roll with an open-minded, older mindset) things are getting a bit crazy with this past year alone seeing more and more new names entering into the fold. What does The Brink offer on "Would You Love Her" to help them stand out? For one thing, The Brink know how to write catchy material that sticks to listener's ears. This album comes attached with actual, honest to goodness, singles! Crazy huh? Opener "One Night Only", the album's first single, is pure rock and roll bliss as is "I Want It" (with it's smiling nod to Bon Jovi), but the one track that has radio-airplay written all over it is "I Know". With it's somewhat laid-back, 90's vibe this is one track that could and should dominate rock radio as should it's follow-up cut, "Broken Romance". This 5-piece act, which lists it's three biggest influences as Bon Jovi, Skid Row and Aerosmith, bring back the groove of old school rock radio, but they do it with more then enough sweet nuggets of modern rock that one could easily see these guys break-out and in a huge way! The album's mixture of radio rock and rock ballads is a grand adventure in the making. And the thing is The Brink comes across as more of a fresh-faced (and in a good way) hipster act then some new band just recycling old classic rock riffs. Even if it's bands like Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Aerosmith, Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Jimi Hendrix that has helped define the sound of The Brink are more then adapt at cranking out fresh rock beats. And let's face the music here folks, that is easier said then done. Even when you have youth, energy and tons of enthusiasm on your side that's still not a guarantee recipe for success. With the end of 2013 clearly in sight now, which is just about crazy when you think about it, the one thing that has stood out has been the large comeback of traditional rock/hard rock and traditional heavy metal. adventurous. That means there are more then enough new acts to check out and it can be frustrating trying to find the cream of the crop. Well, The Brink are at the top and looking to keep that title anyway possible I figure. With the powerful appeal of "Would You love Her" (both as an album and as a title cut!) paving the way for this English act I see big things out of The Brink. So, why not jump on board now then before the bandwagon gets overly crowded?

AC Angry-Black Denim

Dust On The Tracks Records
2013
  
Promo-wise this is one album that I have been patiently waiting for. No, let's make that impatiently waiting for. One teaser e-mail after another had been dropped into my email and, having heard only tiny tidbits of AC Angry's road warrior-like classic rock/heavy metal previous to getting the digital download, I kept wondering just when exactly I'd get a chance to hear the whole package? Teaser e-mail's suck eggs big time so I had just about given up when I was finally able to download this album yesterday mid-morning. This is one album that was well-worth the wait! I have a soft spot for rock n' roll/heavy metal anyway, but the four guys in AC Angry sure know how to keep you glued to your stereo as you wait for the next track to drop! And this is one album that should be experienced on a stereo (or even better as an LP on a record player!) as their sound is tightly wrapped-up in the spirit of the 80's! Before we get to that point though let's do a quick-run down on the who, what and when of this German band. AC Angry's roots can be traced back in time to a band known as Taletellers Soulsellers. This local band was already well-known as they were always playing out and they had also won their fair share of battle of the bands' competitions. In 2005 or so that band would drop the Soulsellers part of their name and evolve into the shortened Taletellers. Vocalist/guitarist Alan Costa would be the sole survivor of that shake-up and he ended up drafting guitarist Stefan Kuhn, bassist Pascal Louis and former band manager turned drummer Holger Zenner for the newly named Taletellers. After releasing an EP ("The Missles Of Mercy") and two full-length albums ("Detonator" and "Radicalizer") the band decided it was time for a change and thus AC Angry was born! Along the way there have been shake-ups of course with only Costa and Kuhn remaining from the Taletellers' days. With bassist Dennis Kirsch and drummer Sascha filling out AC Angry's line-up we now turn our attention back to "Black Denim", the band's full-length debut album. Produced by Phil Hillen (Powerwolf, Parachutes, The Vision Bleak, Vendetta, etc) at SU2 StudioWaack, "Black Denim" shows a band that has forged their sound in the bottomless pits of hellfire rock and roll. Heck, the band even has a track called "Hellrock Anthem"! Drawing from bands both really old (Motörhead, AC/DC, Railway, Zodiac Mindwarp And The Love Reaction, Turbonegro, Mad Max, Accept and D.A.D.) and older, but still sort-of/kind-of new (Danko Jones, The Hellacopters and Gluecifer), AC Angry comes out swinging with a punk-like attitude while still retaining a barroom style of humble, cold beer and hot women, rock n' metal! With song-titles like "Booze Horse", "It‘s Good To Be Bad",  "You Got The Thirst-I Got The Booze" and "Rock 'n' Roller Roller Rolla!" (which, incidentally, borders on near speed metal!) you just know that when it comes to the guys in AC Angry their hearts are in the right place even as they rock out hard! Part of the time their heavy rock while other times they tear through hard rock, heavy metal and even power metal. But, it's all one and the same and it all sounds distinctly like AC Angry! Even with the list of influences mentioned above, theirs is a sound that's much more originally in real life then on paper. "Black Denim" is perfectly suited for rock and rollers and the same group of punks and metalheads that universally embraced Motörhead when they first hit the scene. Due for release at the end of October this is one album you shouldn't pass over!

Gypsy Chief Goliath-New Machines of the Night

Pitch Black Records

2013

 

Faithful readers (all dozen or so of you) might recall that I just covered these guys back in August of this year. Their "Black Samurai" single grabbed hold of my inner groove thing and shook it about like a hungry dog attacking a juicy steak! That sweet soul sister of a single might have been a tad old, which you can read all about at the link below (should you desire), but it sounded fresh and amazing to my ears. It caused me to look for further material that I might have missed and I stumbled upon another one of their tracks on the compilation "Axis Of The Underground Vol.2 Compilation Album". The song on that comp. was "St. Covens Tavern" and it's included on this, the band's second studio album. Of course you can also find that single on Youtube and the compilation might very well still be floating around online as a digital download. But, why mess with all of that when you could just get the song with the new album? And yes, it is another cool slab of stone cold grooves from this Canadian bunch! How so? Well, the band is lead by vocalist/guitarist Al the Yeti Bones (The Mighty Nimbus, Georgian Skull and Mister Bones) and features not only a three guitar attack, but also rustic harmonica playing courtesy of Brodie Stevenson! Brodie gives the band a different, more blues-based, vibe then the bulk of stoner rock bands who can be seen and heard traveling up and down the dusty back-roads of America. Want more information though about what these guys roll out? Imagine this one folks: On a small dirt road somewhere in the middle of anywhere/nowhere U.S.A. classic rock and classic heavy metal converge at a three way stop with Black Sabbath. After exchanging some pleasantries and sharing a pint or two at the only bar for miles and miles the three set off  some mysterious destination. At the end of their strange and bewildering trip they are confronted by the ghost of Phil Lynott who tells them, or rather commands them!, to morph their talents into the gnarliest rock band ever! Before leaving though Phil posses each and every member of this new super trooper act so that no groove will be left uncovered at the next part of their journey. That my friends and fiends is what Gypsy Chief Goliath (GCG) cooks up on their new album! And what's a main dish like that without some tasty side dishes? One of those tasty side dishes is the previously mention three guitars aspect of GCG. As these guys rock hard it helps matters that they are blessed with the skills of guitarists Dave Ljubanovich and Sean Hamilton. Three guitars makes for three times the fun. But, what happens when you also add Sean De Faria and Adam Saitti (bass and drums respectively) into the equation? The answer is simple folks. You end up with a must-own (and most certainly must-blast) collection of blues-based, rocking good times, stoner tunes that take everything you thought you knew about real, cold sweat and colder beer, rock and roll and gives it a much needed face lift! Rarely has stoner rock and roll ever sounded so alive and ready for the world as it does on "New Machines of the Night"!

 

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Gypsy+Chief+Goliath-Black+Samurai-Single+ 

Seremonia-Ihminen

Svart Records
2013

Talk about perfect timing folks. Finland's Seremonia will be releasing their second full-length album, "Ihminen" (Finnish for "human"), just in time for Halloween!  All of you ghouls and goblins should appreciate that fact and embrace this release with open arms. Instead of being candy for the kiddos this Halloween treat is for all the grow-ups who have outgrown the costumes, but still long to celebrate All Hallows' Eve. What makes this album such a treat? Let's take a magic carpet ride with this female-fronted band and find out. Seremonia (Finnish for "ceremony") rely on the unearthly combination of (heavy) psychedelic rock (late 60's/early 70's style), prog rock, doom metal and proto-punk to do the "talking" as their uniquely-flavored rock is sung entirely in their native language! That need not be a problem though as evident on "Ihminen". The lead vocals of Noora Federley give the band a haunting and slightly ghoulish quality. Hence the Halloween association. But, to peg them as just a "seasonal" band would be a wicked crime as this band's creepy brand of psychedelic rock is easily something to be enjoyed all year long!  Now, the group's lead vocalist Noora Federley is cool and all (she has more of a raw, real garage rock and roll style going on) it's doubtful she could sell such acid-soaked rock all by herself. That's where a skilled band comes into play. You have Teemu Markkula who handles it all (or so it seems). He plays electric and acoustic guitars, delivers the goods thanks to his use of the synthesizer and (finally) provides backing vocals as well! That sounds like a lot right? Well, the guys that back up Noora are as good as they come! In addition to Teemu Markkula you also have Ville Pirinen (electric guitars, synthesizer and backing vocals), Erno Taipale (drums, flute and guitar) and last, but certainly not least, Ilkka Vekka  (bass and synthesizer). All of these fine gentlemen, with maybe the exception being Teemu Markkula, are veteran heavy metal musicians. The thing is the list (of who's who and where they played before this band and where they are also currently playing) is way too long to type up! As such I'll just leave that part as homework. If you are really curious just hit up the Metal Archives and they'll have all the info you need (and then some) as it's all spelled out there. Meanwhile this band, and their often fuzzy delivery, just rocks on and on and on and on. That's a huge amount of rocking I know, but that's the one thing you'll definitely take away from this Finnish group. They know how to keep things rocking even if the music throws in the occasional curve balls like Erno's spacey flute parts. Why it is that I always think of Jethro Tull, or more specifically Ian Anderson, when I hear flutes in rock music I do not know. Either way the flute playing here is cool while also different. It fits their style though so Seremonia knows how to make it work just like the rest of their instruments. Back to the album we should, or really must, go and it's worth mentioning  that after it's all said and done you might walk away from this album a bit hazy from all the smoke (if you know what I mean) and lost since your concepts of space and time have been thrown to the curb! First of all smoke-engulfed acid rock does that, but introducing some slightly ghoulish doom to the mix results in a serious head rush! On one hand Seremonia are one of those bands where it feels like you're having a flashback through space and time. That's cool and all, but what's funny is that while this same music invokes another time and what not it also has enough of a modern quality that it never feels as if it's out of place on today's stage. So, while you explore a band that is obsessed with the sounds of acid rook and 70's doom, which this band has down pat, you can simultaneously add this album to your upcoming Halloween playlist and make your party a serious happening since this album also comes packed with some fresh new rock riffs!  Everything about this band and album I love. And yes, that includes the skeleton on the cover which reminds me of the great Mexican rudo La Parka! Does that mean that I am possibly looking at another addition to my year-end best-of list? That might very well be the case.

Stellar Master Elite-II: Destructive Interference Generator

Exciter Records
2013

Commercialized blackened doom? Is there really such a thing? Before listening to Stellar Master Elite's new album I would have said no. Or at least I think I would have said no. Maybe I would have just said that yes, it could be possible, but what would be the appeal? As it turns out there is more then enough here to appeal to heavy metal fanatics or, better yet, those who have always thought that what the world needs more then anything right now is a blackened, sample-filled and slowed down to a Black Sabbath-lie crawl, hard as a rock metal album. If that's a need then you just might want to consider this Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) based band. Formed in 2010, the band is technically just Dave (Crucifixion, Massacre The Wasteland, Rostnagle) on guitars, bass and synthesizers and Marco (Wintermoon, ex-Necroccult) on drums and vocals. That said, it appears as if more then half of the vocals on this album were provided by Benjamin Borucki of the black metal band Sonic Reign. Stellar Master Elite (or SME for short) released their well-received debut album, "I", back in 2011 and, from all accounts, it also displayed signs that the band was more then willing to paint outside the lines. But that was only one album. To carve out a career of playing music that falls outside of the norm though is something else all together. Even in something as nonconforming as black metal it takes skill and a huge set of balls to stand up and dare to stand out. Avantgarde metal has certainly been creeping about in the black metal scene for sometime now so that might not be so shocking in and of itself. But taking it to such an extreme as this? Yeah, it's a whole new world. But, we need to turn back around and see what exactly it is we have here right? Now, while "I" was a self-released album and all, and reportedly a damn fine sounding one at that, the band is now signed on to Exciter Records which should help break this band into new markets. I do have to admit something funny though before I go on any further with this review. I was all set to criticize the band for their self-absorbed and pompous name (Stellar Master Elite? Really? It's just like how it was pointed out in Robot Chicken where you have the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, who had to have a name that said "Yeah, I'm the boss so I need a name that spells that out in bold letters!!!" Arrogant much?) when I saw that the band was actually named after a song by Thorn. You see, it does pay to read any/all of promo material/information that comes (often times packed in like sardines) with new albums! Anyway, I'm getting off track (yet again) so let's get back to this album and it's (give or take) 45 minutes worth of simply lovely metal. For these guys the bottom line seems to be blackish doom metal although, seeing as the vocals are actually somewhat clear for this sort of genre, it might actually lean closer to death-like doom. The usual, run-of-the-mill, raspy black metal rasps you'd normally expect to hear are not as present here and, when you add to that things like thrash rock ("Pattern of Perception") and even groove-happy, spaced out, Rob Zombie-like rock (about 1:40 into "Empty Shells of Being" things get downright wicked!), then you end up with a near-perfect example of how to keep even the darkest of genres interesting! I'd have never guessed it myself (that an album like this, from it's album artwork to the song titles, would be so adventurous and down-right interesting!), but just when you begin to think that you've seen and heard it all along comes another "new" band like this to shake things up and offer up a freaking cool alternative to the usually humdrum you're exposed to on a daily basis! If I had a dollar for EVERY black metal release that ends up in my email or (physical) mailbox I'd be pretty well-off! What's more, if I went and listed all of the black metal releases that sound spot-on identical (black metal needs a major shake up in my opinion) you would quickly get a sense of how boring it can and often times does get reviewing this form of metal. But, if you go looking for a reason why black metal can and will survive (and along the way natural evolve into something seldom seen but gloriously embraced) then you might end up stumbling across a release like this. Germany's Stellar Master Elite might not be a well-known band yet, but releases like this should open new doors for them and bring in new fans. So, why not get in on the ground floor so you can boldly proclaim how you were a fan before they became huge and famous?

Ghost Avenue-Ghost Avenue

Pitch Black Records
2013

Ghost Avenue, who were formerly known as simply Ghost, were formed in 2002. I'll take a wild stab in the dark here and guess that the name change had something to do with the fact that they were being overshadowed by the Swedish band Ghost (who have now changed names to Ghost B.C.). It's more perception then reality though (the one Ghost overshadowing the other Ghost) as Ghost Avenue, especially when it comes to this self-titled release, offers up a fresh take on melodic heavy metal as we'll soon see. This self-titled, 11-track LP, is the follow-up to Ghost Avenue's 2010 debut-album, "The Engraving". While that album was self-produced and self-released, which didn't stop it at all from receiving good reviews, this new disc was mixed and mastered by Vagelis Maranis at Maranis Studios in Germany. Getting extra help in the studio has only helped this group from the looks of it as this 11-track recording features one catchy track after another. Up front you've got lead vocalist Kim Sandvik who, just like many other hard rock and heavy metal singers who have come before him, has a voice that is forceful enough for guys to get into (this is heavy metal after all) and yet his voice is also smooth enough that one could easily see girls swooning over him. If that doesn't make you think of 80's hard rock and heavy metal bands then I'm not sure would! He has that same kind of raw sexuality/animal magnetism that made bands like Van Halen, Skid Row, Mötley Crüe and Guns N' Roses all too popular with the ladies of the day!  Music-wise there is some of those same influences to Ghost Avenue's sound ( or more specifically Van Halen, Skid Row and Guns N' Roses), but then again there's a fair bit of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Saxon going on here to. Especially when it comes to guitarists Øystein Wiik & André Berger. Here's one of those albums where the music might be contemporary, but the lead solos seem as if they have been ripped right out of the playbooks of some real classic acts.  The guitars on "Ghost Avenue" bring to mind (all at once) both G N' R and Judas Priest, but the band is neither sleazy or sinister. Reference points would be more then appropriate when talking about this Norwegian act I suppose. While it's a sound that is every bit as contemporary as they come there is still a lot of riffs that seem like they have fallen out of time and onto this album. But that just comes easy when we're talking about a talented band like this whose game-play come from such a wide range of classic acts. In a way Ghost Avenue, which also features bass guitarist Magnus Liseter and drummer Petter Lein within it's ranks, reminds me of band's like Leatherwolf, early Sinner (especially Sinner's "Danger Zone" album), Mainiax, Cities, Lions Breed, Salem UK, California's Blitzkrieg and Lion (both of which were 80's metal bands), Canada's Fist, Lady Killer and Leather Nunn. There's quite a few other reference points I'd like to add to that list, but only album art flashes through my mind and not actual  band names. That's not really all that important though as Ghost Avenue, while indeed a combination of 80's heavy metal, classic hard rock, melodic metal and what not, are more about being true to themselves. That and they're more about being original than being just another mere carbon-copy of so and so's band or another retched, retro-loving act. That does bring up another point about this band as, unlike a lot of other bands these days playing a hybrid of hard rock and heavy metal (whether retro or not), the individuals in Ghost Avenue strive to be original at any and all cost! To that end they employ a lot of classic rock and roll hallmarks to their hard and heavy metal. So these guys might be flirting with eighties metal and eighties hard rock while they also flirt with the sounds of modern rock and roll. The leads might be metallic, but they are complex and catchy and man, they flat out rock! And what's metal without a little bit of melody? Ghost Avenue know how to write songs that have heavy metal's energy and attitude while also having enough melodic moments to keep this self-titled album from being too one-dimensional. It's a thing of beauty. If melody is a bad word word to you though then try not to worry so much. Norway’s Ghost Avenue can be every bit as melodic as the next melodic rock act and their music can be every bit as catchy as they want it to be (and hell if it isn't just about some of the catchiest rock-based material I've heard in awhile!). But when it comes right down to it the band end's up having more then enough balls to court the headbanging crowd! Pitch Black Records has scored big with this band and seeing as they are still somewhat young in their career, while they've also been around the block a few times, the future should point to even bigger and better things from this group. For the meantime though I'm not sure how I'm going to squeeze another killer album into my list of "The Best of 2013". It might just be that some band/album will need to be knocked aside as this 11-track album is way too fucking wild to be ignored! 

Pitch Black Mentality-The Pitch Black Reality

Casket Records
2013


Norway's Pitch Black Mentality, which was formed in 2008, started off a Metallica-tribute band. The group was a collaboration between Alejandro Silva Power Cuarteto guitarist/solo artist Jarle H Olsen and guitarist Frank Natås. The pair, having presumably meet while they were both members of one-time black metal outfit Lidskjalv, decided to piece together a new outfit that would combine the heaviness of thrash metal with some of the subtle-nuances of melodic metal. Eventually they would add seasoned musician Tore Christer Storlid (Brutallica, Artificial Comfort, Mahirim and Audrey Horne) as their bassist/vocalists and would enlist the services of drummer Bjarte K. Helland (Brutallica, Mahirim, Artificial Comfort) as well. Interesting enough Bjarte K Helland had also contributed to Jarle H Olsen's solo career so there was an addition connection there. Now, while these four seem to be the final line-up for Pitch Black Memtality, things are a little vague (promo-wise) when it comes down to actually handled bass and drum duties on this recording. Two studio-musicians, Rodrigues Garcia and Cristian Carrsco Lara, are said to have "helped form the quartet as studio/session musicians on bass and drums". So, while it's clear that Jarle and Frank handle guitars and Tore Christer Storlid is the lead vocalist, who helped with the bass and drum duties on "The Pitch Black Reality" is a question I'd love to know the answer to. I mean shouldn't we give the proper credit to those involved in making this 9-track album the rage-fest that it is? At least we know who we have to thank for the fantastic solos on "The Pitch Black Reality" (Jarle H Olsen) and the sweet, Scott Ian/James Hetfield-like rhythm guitar (Frank Natås). Take away the melodic metal part for a second and we're talking about thrash that is straight out of the same handbooks of groups like Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Heathen and Metallica. Speaking of Metallica, Tore Christer Storlid has a bit of James Hetfield going for him while Frank's clean/backing vocals are much more smooth. Again, I'm guessing on this part as it's not exactly spelled out. So, if Frank provides the smooth/clean vocals (which have a melodic, metal-core quality about them) then kudos to him. But, if it's all Storlid then we are talking about one hell of a lead vocalist with some kick-ass range! Either way the vocals work great on an album like this. Here we're talking about a thrash band that is aware of it's own influences (Metallica cover band all), but refuses to sound like either a copy-cat act or like they are on some retro-thrash kick! To that end the production works side by side with the music on "The Pitch Black Reality" in order to give everything a modern feeling while also understanding that thrash metal (or at least real thrash metal) needs to maintain it's rough appearance if it's going to work. As it was original a self-released affair, with Casket Records seemingly snagging these guys up in a moment of brilliant thinking, that is even more impressive. Although I see it more and more these days it still strikes me as a cool thing when bands, lacking the proper budget that a record label you would hope would provide, goes it alone and records a studio-album that sounds just as good as anything from a signed act! Anytime that happens I'm going to give proper credit to a band as it's not as easy as it sounds folks (even in this day and age of home studios). Anyway, this album, which was mixed by Tommy Hansen at Jailohuse Studios (Helloween, TNT, JORN, D.A.D) in Denmark, was seemingly constructed with thrash metal fanatics in mind as it's like a step-by-step instructional manual on the subject. Great lead solos? Check. A lead vocalist who is intimidating and yet comes across as a every-man? Check. Killer rhythm guitar? Check. And finally does it have a deadly serious rhythm section? Check. It's all there on this 9-track album that has me excited to hear real thrash metal. Now that is nice! If that sounds like something you could get into as well then keep an eye out for this record. You won't be sorry!