DIED SMILING: Evolution Of The Fist CD
It's not often you find a band that can make their metal brew work by virtue of existing in a world where they are on the cusp of all sorts of styles but evade pigeon-holing by not throwing themselves too far into any one category. Therefore, on this album you'll find elements of hardcore, thrash, stoner, anthemic and '80's metal, and no doubt more, all wrapped up in one potent brew of originality. The songs are well written with an eye constantly on the melody lines while the arrangements are much more powerful, enveloped in a whirlwind of guitars, driven by the hurricane rhythm section, with dual vocals that reflect 2 sides of the metal coin, with King's X style harmonies sitting happily next to raging lead vocal, above this canopy of guitars that power up and burn. I think it's the sort of album that certainly needs a few plays before the material starts to become more addictive - this is not exactly instantly hummable stuff - but if you stick with it, you'll find something new and exciting lurking in here.
GETAMPED: Reject & Sterilise CD Single
Hmmmm……..catchy for sure, inventive - definitely, song-writing that makes sense and an arrangement that swirls around your head - yes, this is a fine single. It borders a hinterland between something like Green Day or Blink 182 and the more serious style of FFAF, hints of Porcupine Tree on track two, and emo-rock in general, full of twists and turns as well as some stonking guitar riffing and soaring, economical soloing. The song itself features upfront vocals, well sung solo and exquisite harmonies, while the overall effect is to keep you hooked yet put a smile on your face. The two anthemic compositions are arranged superbly, produced well and with enough adrenaline to have you up and rocking while at the same time being seriously brilliant home listening.
I AM THE AVALANCHE: I Am The Avalanche CD
Now this is f**king fantastic. It's essentially modern day American anthemic indie pop-punk but this separates the men from the boys. There's nothing stupid or mindless about this band - the songs ooze feelings, angst and emotions from every pore, absolutely superbly written and totally riveting. But the fact that they manage to arrange the songs in guitars-laden slabs of pure anthemic genius is also jaw-dropping, but what REALLY makes this album stand out is the variation - there's real thought at work here. It's not a case of finding a formula and milking it - there's songs that are supercharged, songs with a bouncing rhythm, powerful punk balladry, high-flying indie anthems, intensely flowing mid-paced slices of nirvana and, overall, not a less than stunning track on the entire album. You feel every ounce of the emotional intensity that shines through as it moves you in every way, emotionally and physically. A joy to hear, a long-lasting musical treat on the ears and a set of songs written and sung to perfection, the sound of American youth in angst mode never felt so good.
KINGSIZE BLUES: Live Fast And Die CDEP
Four tracks and twenty minutes of fast-paced, in-your-face metal, the sort of thing that makes Dio look like Bananarama!! From the opening salvo of rifle fire drumming, pummeling bass and swirling guitar riffing, you know you're in for a wild ride and when the vocalist comes in and shouts himself hoarse, in both upper and lower register manner, the intensity is unleashed and there's no way you're gonna get this sucker back in its box. Full of wildly riffing, frantically rhythmic raging man's metal, this is a hurricane force set of songs that takes no prisoners and, albeit a tad one-dimensional, creates an effect that's hard to resist if you want to be swept away on a sea of metallic mayhem and rapid-fire riffing, pummeling you into the ground then stomping hard just to make sure it's done its job. Not for the faint-hearted.
LONG STORY SHORT: We Are Audio CD Single
Glasgow band that I just happened to catch one night playing in Dundee and their set was head and shoulders over the other acts on that night, so when they handed me their single, I had high hopes - luckily, it does not disappoint. A three-tracker, it opens with 'We Are Audio' as this Hawkwind-esque synth line then immediately into an almost disemboweling sludge riff before revealing a phenomenal rush of riffing guitars and bass/drum rhythms that swirl around the mix and drive forward, really amazing when turned right up loud, as this almost symphonic hardcore sound envelops you in a blaze of guitars that positively glow as they duel and soar, the production pretty first rate for an indie recording too, the song entirely instrumental bar a few distant vocals buried in the mix towards the end, but that riffing is heavy but so melodic as it swirls around in your head, the even more distant synth backdrop still adding to the full sound. Just under three minutes that says "we're here and we're ready". Then the first song, 'She Fights', an almost Funeral For A Friend style riff ensues as dual lead vocal soars above stop-start riffing and pounding rhythms, the whole thing actually sounding seriously harmonious and gloriously dense, as the two guitars continue to drill holes in fine Fony fashion, and as this FFAF-esque emo-core song goes, this is top notch stuff, showing that here's a band that can seriously deliver the goods, again just under three minutes of excellence. The third track, 'Crime', continues in a similar vein only with a more directly driving sea of rhythmic power as the guitars steam ahead in fine heavy riffing fashion, while this time the lead vocals are performed first by one guy, then the other and the effect really works as the song powers up and positively flies, again full of emotion and a seriously fine slice of nu-metal-meets-emo singing and playing, three minutes that simply aren't enough, as can be said about the nine minutes this thing lasts - definitely more, please - and a band to watch!!
LUCKY NINE: True Crown Foundation Songs CD
Now it's not often you hear a CD with a vocalist that shouts his head off AND sings to perfection, and the result is absolutely spellbinding, but this is one such album, on its seriously molten tracks. Taking no prisoners, this is an adrenaline rush of an album with some furious, swirling riffing and arranging, as the whole band ignites and the two guitarists glow while the rhythm section sounds solid, powerful and tight, driving it all forward with ease, as the vocals are sung and hollered to excellent effect, delivering the songs as though it was the last thing the guy's ever gonna do, just choc full of yearning, angst, power and emotion, a truly breathtaking vocal performance throughout, for its range and vision, thought-provoking lyrics and anthemic delivery. Song after song rides in on waves of guitars and highway-fuelled crunching, crashing rhythms, but the band is unafraid to spice it all up with some dynamic arranging that means when they erupt, the effect is greater than you could imagine. Onstage, they must be amazing, and you can imagine a live concert being one seriously rousing event from start to finish. Room for twists and turns in the music - witness the excellent and yet flowing 'A Lucky Hit' for evidence of this - it's a truly engaging album, one from which you don't want to stray for a second after you've put it on. Solid, forceful, huge-sounding and molten rocking, this just doesn't just glow, it hits meltdown. Stunning!!!
LUCKY NINE: Vessel And Vine CD Single
Two-track taster for the new album and we're talking a sizzling motorized hot-rod race of a single as the band fire up and burn, setting the controls for the heart of a blazing sun, as a monumental wall of heavy riffing, sung and hollered dual vocals, pummeling rhythm section and searing guitar work, all fly out and just rage to incredibly intense but enjoyable degree, the whole thing wholly addictive and inviting you to play it one more time, every play it receives. The second track, 'Sweet Dreams, Lilac', is almost a UK answer to Linkin Park, mixing moments of slower songwriting and emotive vocals, with spiraling squalls of huge-sounding guitars and hollered vocals, backed by a fierce rhythm section and with yet more lead guitar work raining down to awesome extent - the only bad thing about this being, it leaves you wanting more - so the only alternative is to put it on again.
NIGHTMARE VISIONS: NVIII CD
Third album from a band you probably haven't heard before and I have to say that it's rather good - well, I don't HAVE to say it, but I will - this is rather good!! In fact it's pretty f**kin' awesome - shame there's only four tracks and twenty-six minutes of it, but that's better than a kick in the teeth - although it's arguable as to whether or not you aren't getting just that, judging by the power unleashed on this CD. But it's a latent power, a slow-motion power, a power that smoulders rather than blazes, only to build into this amzing conflagration of thickly riffing guitars, crystalline pounding bass thunder and crashing, crunching drums with lead guitar work scything away on top. The album starts with the slow-burning five minutes of 'I Am The Sadness' before increasing the intensity with an even more evil and guitar-rich sizzler in the form of 'Moments of Vision' as growled but sung vocals deliver a suitably evil song over the churning guitar riffing and rhythmic multi-paced power, gradually increasing both pace and density over its six minutes running time.'Sun Sets Forever' starts in a similar vein, until two minutes in when the band fire the turbo up and go supernova, headlong into a blaze of metal mayhem as the riffing becomes rifle-fire and th rhythms positively ferocious, yet all the time with that searing heat of lead guitar chords shining above the whole song, to excellent extent, this time the semi-growled vocals more part of the mix, but still lyrically audible, a testament to the excellent production upon which this is founded. The final track, 'Rainbows End' lasts over nine minutes and simply takes everything you've just heard into furnace heat territory with the band building a head of steam and heading storm-force through a burning path of molten metal riffing and rolling, heavy as lead and hot as the sun. By the end, suddenly twenty six minutes does not seem short at all, and you understand why this is the case - any more and it would be overdone - a it stands, it leaves you wanting more - so you just put it all on again and relive the experience - a trip well worth repeating.
SAZ: Demo EP Ltd CD Single
Dundee band who are absolutely unique in the world of rock right now. Their live concerts are becoming ever more the sort of rock event you just have to see, but at last we now have CD evidence that provides a taste of what makes them so special. In what you'd call "excellent demo quality", the band provide thee rip-roaring tracks that will have you leaping about the room in a frenzy, for sure. For those that don't know, Saz are a quintet featuring guitarist, bassist and drummer plus two female vocalists, but used like no other band around - Nikki, the lead vocalist has one hell of a strong voice that's way pure while the co-lead and harmony vocals of Nicola provide a superb depth and counterpoint to that, still a strong voice in her own right. Between the two of them they hammer out the lyrics to some hot-rocking tracks without ever sounding forced or shouted.
Ah yes, the tracks - Saz play what you'd call '80's metal - but they play it at a speed that is positively jaw-dropping. We're talking the sort of thing that makes Girlschool sound like Bucks Fizz!! Across eight minutes, three blinding tracks are belted out to perfection. "Gotta Get A Grip" is the immediate addiction track - once you hear that riffing guitar, the thundering bass and pounding drums, you're hooked - then Nikki's vocal comes in and the two share the chorus as the whole song surges forward and takes your head off. Instant and yet timeless, you'll be playing this to death. "Pictures" opens with Nikki's racing lead vocal, as Nicola's harmony vocal puts the icing on the cake, and Kevin's riffing guitar work open it up as the rhythm section of Marina on bass and Rich on drums power in and the whole thing takes off like a rocket, this wall of metal magic scorching through your brain, the fury of the finest punk harnessed by some tungsten strength metallic arranging and composing - red hot and raging!!
Finally, "Scavenger" opens with a blazing guitar riff as the thunderously fast rhythm section enters and Nikki's vocal soars at breakneck speed while Nicola adds the extra special vocal ingredients on the chorus, as Kevin launches into a guitar solo that's short sharp and to the point before the song rages onwards as the band roar towards a truly climactic ending, as a fireball of music and vocals leaves you utterly breathless. If this is a demo, then the real thing is going to be awesome - but for now, get to see them live whenever you can, and get this EP - you simply can't go wrong!!
SINOCENCE: Black Still Life Pose CD
I may be missing the point, but I'm always after an album of molten metal that essentially has its roots in the death metal and thrash styles, but one where you don't feel your being torn apart limb by limb - more one that simply bludgeons you to pieces in the best possible way - and this achieves that spectacularly. Everything is spot on - the songs, the production, the arrangements - all of it makes for one of the most powerful intense metal albums that you can genuinely sit through and enjoy the whole furnace-heat experience. The vocals are sung, the lyrics are audible, the rhythms are crisp and crunching while at the same time being fierce and on fire, and the guitars riff and drive into a black hole - hell's teeth, there are even guitar solos - yes, REAL guitar solos - by the truckload - short, precise, sharp and spot on. This is a rare beast and one of the most enjoyable and long-lasting slices of metal with a thrash-y edge that I've come across in a while. Just LISTEN to that guitar work - it blazes a trail like few others playing real man's metal with attention to melody and allowing the full power of the songs to come shining through. The songs themselves are full of attention-grabbing and quite sensible lyrics, a veritable icing on a molten metal cake, while the vocalist delivers them with aggression but a voice that soars, red hot and flying. Overall, this is one seriously faultless album of pure metal that surely can't fail to make this band a sensation across an ocean of metallic styles, cutting through them all with power and passion, and simply stunning stuff.
SOCRATIC: Lunch For The Sky CD
This is one of those rare albums where you really listen to the lyrics as they tell their tales of lives unfolding, opportunities missed, inherent feelings, situations encountered and life in general - the writer is just amazing, producing songs to which you remain absolutely transfixed, play after play after play. The added fact that the songs are wrapped up in an American indie slice of pop-rock guitar heaven and delivered with the magically intense and yet fun approach of a band like Blink 182 or Good Charlotte is the icing on the cake, as song after song take you with them on a journey that is breathtaking. The musical equivalent of leaving it all behind and cruising down the highway towards a new dawn while remembering with affection a glorious past, this is a set of songs, arranging, playing and singing that have to go down as sheer brilliance. There's elements of everything from the Blinks through Todd Rundgren to the Beach Boys as a tight, flowing and above all fun and mature set of songs cut through and have you eating out of their hand. Anthemic, heartfelt and rocking, this is the sound of America and it makes you wanna fly the stars and stripes from the very rooftops - stunning and then some!!
TEST SWITCH ISOLATOR: Let's Dance CD
Yes - it's a debut album, yes - it's 10 tracks - and yes, it's just 24 minutes long. Hmmm…..
But then you listen to it and you realize that we're talking "the Ramones effect" here - in other words, any more would be impossible. Here we have brutal metal turned up to the max, yet written and arranged with intelligence, if that makes sense. You see, this band can change from a whisper to a scream - and bearing in mind that their whisper is most people's screaming - in an instant, so that a song like the immaculately named 'Jazzy Jeff Owes Me Forty Quid" covers everything from death metal to metal rap in the space of three minute, while 'This Rat Spawn Went To Market' is almost metal ska in just a minute flat whereas the following 'Chubby Gets Slapped' is outrageous and brutal metal mayhem for four minutes of death-defying intensity. This style of the album goes even further out on a dismembered metal limb on the even better named "Now You see It, Now it's been shot in the head by an AK47" with a mix of Slipknot and grinding hardcore taken to a suitably intense but wholly listenable and immensely enjoyable extreme, to such an extent you would imagine this being the natural next step on from a band like Slipknot in the extreme but well-written and arranged metal stakes - until you get to four minutes in and out of nowhere the band turn into a ska act once again, just so head-benfding you're convinced you've moved into the twilight zone until at twenty seconds short of the end, the roaring headf**k returns only to bellow headlong without a break into the even harder, faster core mayhem of 'Overwhelming Like A Necrophiliac's Tea Party' - all of it just so insane, you wonder what sort of a mind thought it up - and when after just a minute and a half , it stops and moves on, you just have to smile in wonderment, especially as the final track lasts also just over a minute and is a loving homage to you, the dear listener, delivered in metallic Streets style spoken voice - it's all getting so bizarre around here, and this is just the beginning. Stunner!!!!
3 STAGES OF PAIN: Black Heart Blues CD
Described as the missing link between hardcore and blues-rock, you'd be forgiven for scoffing at such a description. But you stick on the opening track on this CD, and you'll see what they mean - there really is a blues groove going on underneath the scarily heavy sounding foreground, not hugely so, in case you're a tad put off by that, but there all the same. That said, when you get to the fourth track, the first two and a half minutes mix blazing hardcore with a blues vibe before the whole thing drops back into this absolutely seriously sultry slice of sleazy blues for nigh on three and a half minutes before a slowly moving wall of sludgy riffing starts to climb as this sea of thickly riffing, slow-moving hardcore blues guitar work takes over on a foundation of tungsten strength bass and drums. Yes, folks - it really does do what is says on the tin! A couple of the tracks are pure hardcore rage , but most manage to combine the two styles into this crushingly heavy yet highly original method of composition and playing , the likes of which you won't have heard from any other band on the scene right now. The fact that it works is a testament to a band that really believes in itself. Song after awesomely heavy song provides one of the first ever hardcore albums that you can imagine having a seriously wide appeal to most seventies and eighties rock fans who find this style too dense under normal circumstances. Meanwhile, the rest of us who embrace this brew with open arms, will have a field day playing this to death amid a night of Jack Daniels and some seriously loud entertainment. A brilliant album all round - a new kid on the block who threatens to knock it off.
TOBIAS: Ourlifeinmono CDEP
Band from my old home town of Stafford and things are clearly on the way up there, musically, if this is anything to go by. Five tracks of essentially emo-core nu-metal that ooze class and quality - and they rock!! But it's not down to thrash or speed - no, this is song-writing, arranging and playing that's sheer class - up there with the likes of FFAF, Fony and Br:gade, for sure. The first track is 'Reality' and it's a driving slice of molten emo but with a twist as the song turns all sorts of corners, both obvious and subtle, as it goes, the main riff backed by this buzz-saw distance guitar as the rhythm section drives it all forward with strength. The guitars soar and chime while the vocalist really delivers the goods, impassioned and sung, but mixing powerful and harmonic to excellent effect. Twisting and turning, but rocking and rolling, this is dramatic stuff and thunderous with it - and that's just track one!! Next up is a track that ups the intensity at the beginning with a sea of crushing riffs before it settles down to a chugging rhythm and cascading guitars, as the singer delivers the lyrics in fine fashion. The things begin to build as the cymbals splash, the guitars power up, the drums begin to thunder and it all erupts to an anthemic chorus before dropping back and repeating, all this leading to an end section that is massive sounding as this huge wall of sound roars into life, the vocals flying above it all and the song just making the adrenaline flow as you sit there in sheer disbelief that a local band could sound this hot. 'Forgotten' is in a similar vein, the most FFAF-esque track on the CD - and no bad thing - with a stirring setting that breaks out into a hail of wall-to-wall guitars, riffs and leads as one , with the bassist pounding it out as the drums hammer and another on-fire vocal performance ensues on a song that's full of emotion and angst. All just immense and superb! Two further tracks are just as furnace-hot sizzlers as the rest, if anything 'Save' being the best track on the EP, saving the best for last, as the band blasts out with intention and invention, strong and streaming to awesome degree. Overall, this is metal that doesn't put a foot wrong and this band should contact a label like Drive-Thru or similar, right now, because whoever signs this band has got a winner up their sleeves.
UNCHOSEN: Billie Jean CD Single
I hope that the band are doing this Michael Jackson cover either to get noticed or to make money or because the record company thought it was a good idea at the time, because it's a bizarre take on the track and, judging by the quality of the two original tracks that follow it, doesn't do the band any justice at all. 'D.O.A." on the other hand is a revelation - strongly lurching rhythms that reveal a squall of electric guitar riffs and thunderous bass, over which the singer give an impassioned performance as the stop-start then all guns blazing nature of the track, and the swirling, searing guitar riffs and soloing, reveals a band that is positively on fire. The five minute 'Dreamspell" is even better with a track that is once again founded on stop-start rhythms and passages that combine with flowing guitar work and electrifying solos as the singer delivers another anthemic performance, and a seriously hot track from a great new band - so why in god's name did they consent to record the cover!! There must be dark forces at work here.
SYNTH MUSIC:
GREG BREDEN: Stones CD
A musician who produced some pretty amazing cassette only albums at the tail end of the first wave of UK synth music back in the late eighties/early nineties, and has now released his first CD album - and the magic has not been diminished one iota.
The album begins with a six and a half minute 'Apollo', a new version of the track originally called 'Sunrise', and an absolute corker - featuring verything you could want from a synth music CD in one track, this drives along on waves of synths, drums and guitars mixing the stylistic influences of the flowing melodic sensibilities of Wavestar/Dyson and the strength of arrangement of '80's Shreeve, in fact the track is like a cross between the two as huge sounding synths, red hot electric guitar and expansive synth backdrops, deep bass and driving crunching drums combine to go from an initial space opening into this gorgeously flowing guitar lead above the soaring rhythmic backing and a mass of Hawkwind-esque 'Space Ritual' style synth backdrops, the guitar lead just flying magnificently over the top, the combination of classic synth with space-rock and seriously fine melodies almost bringing you to your knees with joy - as the synths then fire up and this immense sounding Wavestar-esque synth lead just burns its way through, the dueling with the guitar then carrying on to the end of what is a seriously powerful but incredibly well arranged and played, totally addictive composition - it's a track that you will play and play and play. Then we have a new, near eight minute version of 'Stones' opening with expansive synths and strings that rise up in glorious fashion, swirling and diving as a crunchy electronic drum rhythm appears and the flowing synth melodies take hold, this time the lead guitar more relaxed and dynamic in classic Pink Floyd vein above the ocean of synths, rhythms and choral synths. Then the pace accelerates, the bass and drums become harder and this tidal wave of synth melodies just flies into view, synth tunes and backdrops soaring out all over the place a the guitar bursts simply add the icing on the cake, the track then twisting and turning to create a driving slice of prog-synth with this awesome sounding arrangement like there were about 8 people playing here, the synth work on fire, the rhythms roaring as it all combines to create a towering wall of huge-sounding music, more than anything either Shreeve or Dyson could have dreamed of, and when the guitar comes in over the top, the effect is jaw-dropping. Then suddenly it all stops leaving this soaring sea of synth melodies to see things out. It's a powerful track that many a synth and prog band would kill to sound like. The nine minute 'Indigo' isstarts off with more high-flying synths and chugging rhythms, as the lead synth and a piano melody combine above another towering wall of more restrained proportions from the synths and rhythms, the whole thing flowing easily and effectively, full of melody and strength, depth and feeling, going from relaxed to powerful, crossing many patterns of arrangement like a musical train journey, always fascinating, always something different before your very ears as the wondrous journey ensues, one you'll want to take many many times, as the guitar work chimes out and adds even more to the already corking composition. As the album progresses, across a further 5 tracks between five and ten minutes long, things just get better and better, the music climbing effortlessly from peak to peak. From explosive to relaxed, dynamic and melodic, there's an ocean of synths, rhythms and guitars at work here and the effect is stunning. It's one of those albums whose power, strength, emotion and addictive qualities can't even be imagined until you've heard it - and the overall playing and composing is faultless - there's not a wasted second anywhere on this album. With crossover appeal to a vast legion of electronic and prog music fans, this is one red hot debut CD.
JOHN FOXX: Cathedral Oceans III CD
The first two albums consisted of gorgeous, lush, full-sounding spacey, cosmic fluid synth music that couldn't fail to warm the hardest of hearts. Now, for the third in the series, he's added vocals - whooaaahhhhh - hold on - don't rush off!!! He's added vocals and created one of the most awesome albums of what can be rightfully called "Gregorian Chant For The New Millennium" as a whole series of track rise up on waves of synths and echoed, Church-like Gregorian Chant-styled vocal, and have you, the listener, absolutely riveted to it. This is spiritual electronic music taken to a height that's almost the equal of Constance Demby's 'Sanctum Sanctorum' only here it's much more direct - no frills - just the synths and the vocals, often wordless or certainly so indistinct that you can't actually hear the words, as the church-like echo takes over. Close your eyes and you could indeed be in some giant Cathedral. It's seriously fine music that fulfills every bit of its promise and potential, stays true to what it is from start to finish, doesn't try to do anything untoward and, as a result, is a truly remarkable and satisfying album.
CEVIN KEY: The Dragon Experience CD
All instrumental electronic soundtrack from the ex-Skinny Puppy member and - shock! horror! - it's accessible!!! Not only is it accessible, but it's brilliant, too. None of this noise stuff or avant-garde weirdness - no sireeee - this is the sound of multi synths music that ranges from full-sounding cosmic with flowing seas of synths and distant samples through sparse eerie soundscapes to solidly rhythmic excursions founded on crunchy electronic drums and classic seventies styled sequencer work, as samples and melodies and assorted electronic effects are added to the rolling rhythms, the production picking up every nuance of the instrumentation to dramatic effect. Some times it even approaches trance or techno with a more melodic and solidified arrangement but even this is the sort of thing that most synth fans would lap up. Overall, outside of its soundtrack status, it works superbly as eleven tracks of complex, rich sounding, powerful, spacey and flowing multi-layered, multi-textured electronic music and possibly the most effortless crossover work to come out of the hands of one of the true geniuses of industrial electronic music over the last two decades.
