As of 10/31/07 we're now called RAYSREALM and have moved to:

STUFF YOU SHOULD HEAR!!!

NOTE: Reviews added most recently are at the top, separated by the previous groups with a line

YOKE SHIRE - "The Witching Hour" 2CD '07 (Zygo, US) - My heavens, what a package this is, I thought as I pulled the yellow padded envelope from the mailbox. I realized that Massachussetts band YOKESHIRE hadn't put out an album for a while, but this felt like a couple CD's worth. And...it is! YOKE SHIRE have just delivered their new double CD, "The Witching Hour" and brother, it's a corker! I know we've had this conversation before but the compact disc age has brought to the fore the whole concept of double albums. Seems in the past, bands had 40 minutes to show their wares, so regardless of how many songs they'd written since last time out, they pared it down to the cream of the crop. Occasionally there would be the odd double record, you know, "Physical Graffiti," "Exile On Main Street," but they were few & far between and really had to deserve the length. Otherwise, doubles were confined to the live album where bands would have the opportunity to stretch out, especially since '70's bands knew how to jam more. These days, though, every Tom, Dick & Harry whips 65 minute CD's on us like there's no tomorrow & you know what most of them are...say it with me, kiddies...too long. The simple reason is that the extra 20 minutes or so are generally composed of the weaker songs that should've been left on the cutting room floor. So, when you receive in the mail a DOUBLE CD (!!!) your first reaction is...uh oh. My second reaction to "The Witching Hour," however is...Damn, I wish there was more! Seriously, I'm going to cut right to the chase. This new album by YOKE SHIRE is fucking phenomenal and that may even be the understatement of the year. This is a band who transcend so many styles and sounds (prog, hard rock, r&b, Latin, desert, stoner, etc.) that it would be hard to name them all (I tried) & yet, despite that amalgam, the entire thing works so well that yes, those aforementioned classics like "Physical Graffiti" come to mind. The mind-blowing begins with the early cuts of the album, like "Spiral Dance," incorporating a definite r&b overtone, with things like the unyielding rhythm & sax making me think back to things like EWF & Funkadelic without once losing the connection to progressive rock, Tull-like aspects & a Pagan overtone. Just wonderful, but that's only the beginning. Elsewhere, "Triskelion" ups the ante with a hard rock vibe that could be a lost track from Legend's "From The Fjords" relic. And how about the opener to the second disc, the luscious "Dream Tea." When is the last time you ever heard anyone say that a 16:00 song could've gone even longer & you'd be ok with it?! This is a warm, vibrant grooving jam that would put the best of the Desert Session stuff to shame. Simply fantastic, but it doesn't end there. How about "Damiana," a 3 minute bass solo that is actually teaming with melody & highly engaging? Then consider the other epics that abound, "A Myriad Of Moons," the title cut and "Midnight Chimes." These are songs that not only defy description but also defy the listener not to press "repeat" to hear them again & again...and, they all tie together with such a flowing clarity that the album at times seems like one grand musical exploration that you'd gladly take again & again. The only thing I can add that will make this double disc even more impressive is the fact that YOKE SHIRE is composed of 2 guys: Craig (lead & backing vocals, acoustic & electric guitar, drums, percussion, bass, keyboards, bass pedals, saxophone, flute, mandolin, theremin, glockenspiel, marimba) & Brian Herlihy (acoustic & electric guitars, backing vocals, percussion). I haven't made it a practice to give numerical ratings to albums on Chaos Realm, but if I did a 0-10 scale, "The Witching Hour" would be one of the only "10's" in recent memory, right down to the lavish packaging. Simply magnificent.
www.yokeshire.com

SLOUGH FEG - "Hardworlder" CD '07 (Cruz Del Sur, US) - Man, how does stuff like this happen? Finding out about SLOUGH FEG (well, they were THE LORD WEIRD....) back then seems so long ago now, & such an innocent thing. I remember ordering a couple Manilla Road discs from good ol' Denis G at Sentinel Steel way back when & having him off-handedly suggest I try these guys' first disc. Yeah, I remember and by the time I'd skipped back to listen to the disc for about the 4th time, I'd already sent an email to Mike Scalzi to do an interview. Very few times had I heard a metal debut that was this focused, filled-to-the-brim with blinding guitar work AND catchy songs and yet said more in a half-hour than most of today's discs say in twice that long. And...um...they also had a Celtic influence, both musically & lyrically. To say I was smitten would be correct. In very short order, Mr. Scalzi went on to raise himself to next-to-deity level in my book. Album after album including "Down Among The Deadmen" & (their last one) "Atavism" showed me a man who had not only a singular vision of writing and playing that is very unusual in music of any kind, but also the intelligence to surround himself with the best & most creative musicians possible. The fact that he also found time to involve himself with another world-class metal unit, Hammers Of Misfortune only served to deepen the respect I've grown to have for this guy. And now comes SLOUGH FEG's latest offering, "Hardworlder," and I am shocked to say that it is a total piece of....Ha Ha...got you, didn't I?! Just kidding. The truth is that, as good as "Atavism" was and, as hard to follow as it appeared to be, once again Scalzi & Company have sloughed (ouch!) off another layer of skin to reveal another equally virile beast. Better, well, I'm not sure that would even be a fair comparison. I'm very serious when I say I'm putting this band very close to the level with the very great of all-time at this point, and in doing so, the same pointlessness of album-to-album comparisons rears it's head. Think about "Master Of Reality" & "Vol. 4." How do you do that? "In Rock" & "Fireball." What would be the point? "The Deluge" & "Crystal Logic." Why try? "Hardworlder" moves this band forward & creates a new, exciting chapter. Remember the deeper exploration of melodies found in "Atavism"'s songs like "Starport Blues" & "Man Out Of Time?" "Hardworlder" investigates this '70's hard rock side of things to great extent. Sure, there are plenty fast, ripping moments here but I really dig the way they are taking the time to let melodies come even more to the fore, letting the yeast rise & songs yield a catchiness that is irresistable. In turn, the lead guitar work & melodies in that are explored & examined in a way that only the best of all metal albums allow. Scalzi & co-string-bender "Don" Angelo Tringali set their fretboards alight during numbers like "Tiger! Tiger!" & "Frankfurt-Hahn Airport Blues" that will recall the best of the '70's gods. Moreover, adding to the usual wealth of captivating original material here are 2 scintilating covers, Horslips "Dearg Doom" & the aforementioned Manilla Road's "Street Jammer." Bassist Adrian Maestas & drummer Antoine Reuben Diavola form the remainder of a totally organic, boiling 4-piece that can hang their hats (and chops) on songs of only the most top-shelf around. To wrap things up as simply as possible here: It may be possible that somewhere, in some small town, somewhere on this globe there's a heavy metal band as good as SLOUGH FEG. I just have serious doubts that there's one better.
www.cruzdelsurmusic.com
www.sloughfeg.com

BLACK BETTY - "Black Betty" CD '07 (Twin Earth, US) - Funny, our reactions to things. Ok, take my wife...please, take my wife! (No, I'm not Henny Youngman & no, I love my wife a lot! Just kidding) Sheezus Christ, what the hell kind of tangent am I going off on?! Anyway, yeah, our reactions to things. Like the presence of guitar solos in songs. When I listened to Metallica's "St. Anger," (and I did, about 7 times actually, which was a helluva chore, let me tell you!), I was appalled by the absence of solos. It smacked of a band trying to fit their square peg into the round hole of a popular style-genre (nu-metal) and quite unsuccessfully, at that. RUSH's "Vapor Trails" irked me for the same reason (but not their new one, as you'll read elsewhere!). With all that on the table, I'll come right out & say that this self-titled disc by Canada's BLACK BETTY does not contain traditional guitar solos...nor should it...and, it's absolutely awesome. What's the deal? A few things. To begin with, the vocals in this 2-piece unit are provided by Jonas Fairley (of Sir Hedgehog fame) and they are so far beyond top-shelf that they'll make your head spin. This is metal throatwork on a level that rubs shoulders with names like Liebling, Wagner, etc. Secondly, the guitar riffs & tone of Ana Serena are sounds that could be described as a big damn truck, lumbering up the street and planting 5 foot tire treads up your front lawn, through the foundation of your house, crushing the bodies of you & your loved ones & then plastering your backyard flat before plowing resolutely through the homes on the next block. In other words, it sounds like Iommi in 1971. Thricely, this duo of destruction is then employed to bear the weight of some of the more amazing metalworks you've heard since the last Pentagram album: "Astral Messiah," "Serpentine Demise," "Womb Of The Titan" & even a nod in the direction of the early Zeps with "Painter Blues." My reaction, mother truckers, is that nothing could be added to or taken away from this, so monolithic & plundering is it at it's very essence. I must pay Twin Earth Records a very large compliment here. They don't sign many bands or release many albums, but when they do...well, by Jove, they DO, adding this to a roster already bulging with Starchild & Valkyrie!
NOTE: Stay tuned for an interview with BLACK BETTY on Chaos Realm soon!
www.blackbetty.ca
www.myspace.com/blackbettymetal
www.twinearthrecords.com

PERSEPHONE'S DREAM - "Pyre Of Dreams" CD '07 (Private, US) - Funny how just the name of a band can take you back to a particular time. The first thing I thought about when Of Sound Mind's Chris Lamka told me about the new P DREAM disc was the Powermad Festivals that took place several years back at the Tall Cedars Hall in Parkville MD. Granted, the promotion was shaky & only a handful of souls turned out at each of these but Maryland was hardly a metal hotbed in the late '90's/early '00's. On the other hand, the line-ups, the bands I got to see in an intimate setting was staggering: among tons there were Manilla Road, Jag Panzer, Wardog, Jack Starr and yes, Pennsylvania's PERSEPHONE'S DREAM. While the term "prog metal" often sends many running for cover, fearful of being pelted to death by raining arpeggios & rabid packs of 7/4 time signatures, PD rose above all that to make music that took my breath away & I'll say that their performance at Powermad (coinciding with the release of their "Opposition") CD was right up there with that of anybody. Around that time, I'd corresponded a bit with guitarist Rowen Poole & recall a cool conversation with him at that show, which culminated in him handing me a copy of said "Opposition," getting a brief introduction to some of his family who'd come to witness the gig, etc. It was one of those totally cool moments you always remember in this field. Anyway, time went by, things went on & I lost touch with what was up with Rowen Poole & PERSEPHONE'S DREAM until just a few weeks ago when I stopped in to see my buddy Mr. Lamka & he directed this brand new disc my way. To say it was a surprise was the understatement of the year. To say I'm surprised by it's excellence is not, as this band just continues to get better. PERSEPHONE'S DREAM, you see, are most surely not progressive in the sense of trying to wow the listener with note-per-second, spazzed-out time changes or dissonance for the sake of being artsy. But, they are absolutely progressive as hell when it comes to writing songs that are utterly different & captivating in both the musical & lyrical sense. This is not a band who are "heavy" in the crushing-riff sense of the word. What they are heavy in is atmosphere and feeling. Check out "Synesthesia," "Nightfall" or the multi-part "Temple In Time," PERSEPHONE'S DREAM's most ambitious work thusfar. Distorted guitars exist, but in support of lush melodies, deft-yet-tempered playing and gorgeous female vocals, a wonderful pallette on which the song becomes the piece of art. Other favourites include the sci-fi-laden of "Alien Embassy" and the erotic "Aphrodite." Truly, Heidi Engel's vocal performance here is one of the most utterly sensual I've ever heard & I would recommend most men not listen to it while driving or operating heavy machinery! In all, "Pyre Of Dreams" is simply a great album by a band who's continued to get better every step of the way & it comes highly recommended from these quarters!
www.persephonesdream.com

SEASONS OF THE WOLF - "Once In A Blue Moon" CD '07 (Earth Mother, US) - SEASONS OF THE WOLF are a metal band from Florida who've been around for quite some time now, with "Once In A Blue Moon" being their 4th release. In truth, in my work over the years in music journalism, I have rarely seen a band that does a better job than SOTW. That goes from putting together their albums with scintillating artwork & packaging, getting their material to the proper markets (in their genre, the European metal scene in particular) and generally handling their affairs when it comes to contacting mags & websites, with news on the band, shows, etc. With all this, I know what you're next question is going to be: How does the music stand up? Well, there have been times before that I've seen a band do all the peripheral stuff right and then not have the wares to back it. Trust me, however, in SOTW's case this could not be further from the truth. See, SEASON OF THE WOLF totally kicks ass. Interestingly enough, the things that I like most about this band are the things that make them atypical when it comes to metal. Sure, these guys have long hair, tattoos, skulls & bullets aplenty. Sure they've got song titles like "Wings Of Doom" & "Battle Scars." But in reality, what makes SOTW so special to me is their songs & arrangements. They have got a distinctly different feel that likens them a lot more to the hard rock/metal crossover of the mid-to-late '70's. Take the vocals of Wes Waddell, for instance. Here's a guy who's definitely not the prototype stratosphere metal shrieker. Think more in terms of Mark Shelton (Manilla Road) or even Taffy Taylor from Quartz. Yeah, that cool, bro just listen to him on "Ghost Woman" or "In The Shadows." Also, how about Skully's guitar work. No neo-classical wanker here, this is a guy who may not play a thousand notes a second but he puts a ton of heart into every single note, wringing the emotion out of it. Try "Nikhedonia" on for size, or "Snaggletooth." Even on "Alien Landscapes," where he does explore the classically influenced end of things, the emotion this guy puts in metal guitar places him right up there with people like Pete Haworth or John Mortimer. And then when you mix in the keyboards of Dr. Samurai (gotta love that!), that's when things really get interesting. This guy's keys are the polar opposite of the way the ivories have made some bands less heavy. Samurai's work raises this bands material like "Peace On Earth" & "The Edge Of Time" from mere songs to works of great atmosphere. Think about Allan Lanier's contributions to Blue Oyster Cult. In fact, you know what, maybe not in exact style, but in the attention to craft in songwriting & the detail of atmosphere, SEASONS OF THE WOLF reminds me of the best work of BOC. And the simple fact that they are a great metal band, one of the few who this day & age might be able to give SLOUGH FEG a run for their money.
www.sotwmetal.com

TROUBLE - "Simple Mind Condition" CD '07 (Escapi, US) - I remember back in the old days, before the internet, before cell phones, before ink pens...well, ok, maybe not the last one but anyway.... Back in the early days of my CHAOS REALM printed mag, there used to be this dude in California who'd stumbled onto some company's forgotten phone line. He'd trundle over to a nearby industrial park, call some access code & one by one bring a bunch of us from around the 48 contiguous into a conversation involving the latest thrash demos, live shows, etc. Participants could've involved your's truly, the late (great) Chuck Schuldiner, Katon W. DePena (Hirax), etc. One day, the talk turned to a the debut LP by a Chicago band called TROUBLE. With their tuned-down ultra slow sludge running counter current to the hyperspeed thrash of the day, they were a flashpoint of disagreement. People either loved or hated 'em & I remember mentioning that I was among the former, saying they were, among other great things, incredibly tight. I was met with an outburst by a particularily vehement regular on the line who barked "They suck! It's easy to be tight at 2 miles per hour!" Well, that close-minded soul (God love him, though, he was a nice guy) notwithstanding, I continued to board the TROUBLE train for each of their next albums, impressed with the way they combined brutal Sabs/Vitus heaviness with a flair for NWOBHM double leads & lyrics that while somewhat Christian-slanted, were never preachy. I was even more impressed when they signed with Geffen & on that imprint issued their self-titled 4th album that saw them explode their style into panavision. While still keeping an element doom, they began to expand into a more '70's hard rock vein, the sign of a band who was really in this thing for the long haul. Even more so, their next record "Manic Frustration" continued this more upbeat (yet far from commercial) leaning, with the first 4 songs remaining to this day one of the strongest openings of any record ever. Added still to the mix was a unique psychedelic underpinning, manifested in some of the band's own songs as well as a blinding cover of Donovan's "Atlantis." This stylizing progressed on "Plastic Green Head" (1995), although I felt the running order of this one bookended the heavy songs around the psych-y stuff a bit too much. I was in high (dumb joke, Ray) anticpation of TROUBLE's next offering when...they kinda dropped off the face of the earth. True, there was the very hard-to-find self-released "One For The Road" shortly after, plus a few live appearances (I saw one) with the singer from Exhorder filling in for Eric Wagner who'd left to do his LID solo project. But then...nothing. Finally, talk began drifting around the internet of a reunion & a new album to be released in early 2006...then late 2006...then early 2007.... Truth is, I ordered "Simple Mind Condition" on May 16, 2007 from Amazon and finally got it July 3. Apparently some kind of problems with Escapi Records in Europe. But, all that aside here's the skinny: It could be July 1997 because "Simple Mind Condition" picks up right where TROUBLE left off, and I mean that in the best possible way. While the aforementioned "PGH" slipped a trifle due to it's odd track listing, "SMC" is put together like a true classic heavy rock disc should be. There are mid-paced hard rockers like "Goin' Home" (first seen on the aformentioned "One For..."), "Seven" & the swinging "Pictures Of Life." There are a couple heart-felt ballads in the best Eric Wagner tradition (so glad he's back) in "After The Rain" & "If Only I Had A Reason." The band's doom days see a nod in more dark numbers like "Arthur Brown's Whiskey Bar" & "The Beginning Of Sorrows," the latter a real favourite along with "Mindbender" & the massive cover of Lucifer's Friend's "Ride The Sky." Through it all, TROUBLE's trademarks ride just as high themselves: the massive twin guitars of Rick Wartell & Bruce Franklin, serving up either cement-thick riffs or leads as sweet as honey bouyed by a super-crunching production courtesy of Vincent Wojno. Over it all floats the timeless voice of Eric Wagner, with perhaps his strongest performance to date to reassure the metal listener: It may be a "Simple Mind Condition," but it's one I'll gladly remain in a long time. (Just hopefully not another 12 years before it's next installment, though!)
www.newtrouble.com

END OF LEVEL BOSS - "Inside The Difference Engine" CD '07 (Exile On Mainstream, Eng) - Finding a band that comes up with a really unique idea is pretty cool. Finding one that does so and produces something excellent in the process is even better. I remember such a feeling the first time I'd heard VOIVOD's "Nothingface." Sure, I'd been a fan of that band well before that, actually loving their sloppy chaotic early works but revelling at seeing the light-bulb go nuclear with that amazing "Nothingface" disc. Now (what a segue!) we see something truly different & exciting from England's END OF LEVEL BOSS. "Inside The Difference Engine" is EOLB's 2nd disc & while I've yet to hear the first, I'm told the level of growth is substantial. What these guys have done here is to take the tried-&-true sound of so-called stoner rock & give it it's most exciting kick in the ass since Kyuss' "...And The Circus...." Somehow, they've married the low, grooving rumble to a kind of left-of-center songwriting & dissonant chording familiar to fans of...wait for it...Voivod & maybe even Neurosis & it works. And, how it works! Listen to the opener here, "Selfishnegativibemerchant" and ride along on it's waves of riffs, heavy & plundering...then feel the freshness as the band end it in a hypnotic way you could never see coming but that fits like a glove just the same. More surprises await in cuts like "Corners" & "Mr. Dinosaur Is Lost" & each will not only delight the listener who's grown jaded with heavy music these days but have him/her looking forward to not only the next track but to the next CD from this band. If END OF LEVEL BOSS is the future of heavy music, we've got some good days coming. For now, enjoy this one to it's fullest!
www.mainstreamrecords.de
www.eolb.com

COSMOSONICS - "Junk Rock...For Lovers!" CD '07 (Private, US) - A good couple years ago, I wrote a review of a band called the SCIENCE FICTION IDOLS from Pennsylvania. They'd dished out a sweet little disc that was full of a brand of super-catchy, mighty addictive rock/punk/sleaze/pop that had my head in a whirl. So much the mental whirligig I became that I completely missed their show in Baltimore that year, never heard of 'em again & figured what's done was done. That was until I got this spanking new piece o'plastic from the COSMOSONICS & realized they were basically the SFI's reborn. Well, definitely not "born again," as I doubt anyone with those kinda ideologies would pen such ditties as "My Hangover," "Stun Gun Fun" or "S 'n' M," but you get the point. The most dangerous rock bands in the world can't be kept down & these guys are back in spades. From the opening rollick of "Goin' Out Yo' Mind" straight through "Bubble Gum Blues" to "I Luv Hollywood," COSMOSONICS give a clinic in trashy rock & roll that's as sticky to your brainy as that bubble gum itself. Here's a bunch who can lash Cheap Trick-worthy melodies to Thin Lizzy double leads & probably do the whole thing while knocking back 3 bottles of Jack in the confines of a smokey club in your neighborhood. If you're from B-More, find out yourself on Aug 11 when they play here. Until then, buy this CD and forget to go to work tomorrow. We promise your boss'll understand.
www.thecosmosonics.com
www.myspace.com/thecosmosonics

AMPLIFIED HEAT - "How Do You Like The Sound Of That" CD '07 (Arclight, US) - I totally dug the preceeding EP by AMPLIFIED HEAT but I had 2 questions: Would we get a full-length installment from this trio & would it be up to standards? The answers are, in order, "yes" and "Hell, yeah!" Probably the first & foremost thing that comes to my mind when listening to this baby is "What would good ol' Billy Gibbons think of them apples?!" My feeling is, he'd find 'em might juicy! Remember how those first 3 ZZ Top albums sounded? A gnarly-assed power trio in full flight, bass & drums churnin' like a tub o' Papa's good-time cider & a lead guitar tone that made a rusty switchblade run for cover? Yup, it's right here, with Jim Ortiz's lead axe getting so damn upfront that you're going to swear the boys snuck a Marshall into your bedroom while you got up to grab a fresh brew. Of course, if the songs were simply ZZ-copies, this wouldn't be worth such a great review & truth be known, they are a lot more. Check out ditties like "Tough Guy," "What Went Wrong," "Mooshine" or "Amplified Boogie." This is a band (fleshed out by Chris Ortiz - drums & Gian Ortiz - bass...Jim also handles vox) that not only knows how to bring it like a mutha but also writes it like the bard. Good playin', good singin', good composin'. I like the sound of that! For a band I don't hear a whole lot of people talking about, AMPLIFIED HEAT is one that everyone reading this page needs to check out now!
www.arclightrecords.com

MASTERY - "Lethal Legacy" CD '07 (Sanctuary, Can) - Actually released in 2006 on a North American label, "Lethal Legacy" comes with the tag of being an instrumental thrash metal album. It's granted that the first reaction may be to go running in the other direction. In the case of MASTERY, however, that would be a huge mistake because this is actually quite good. The thing that makes "...Legacy" quite a keeper is...the songs (dang, it's always the songs!). Obviously, you gotta make the riffing even more interesting when there isn't any yelling to go along with it & these guys from North of the border take a template laid out by Metallica, early Anthax & early Testament & fire it up a few notches. Try on "Numeration" or "Power Race" for size & you'll be impressed with not only their memorability but the tenacity & ferocity of the playing as well. "Lethal Legacy" may be short on length (6 studio songs & 2 live cuts), but in today's world of the overblown digital "long-ness" of CD's, it's actually kinda refreshing to have an album the length they used to be. In any case, I'm already looking forward to what these Canadians have on offer next, as this is a damn convincing first chapter.
www.masterymetal.com

MAWWAL - "Black Flies" CD '07 (Ancient, US) - Trying to refrain from the old "what is progressive?" adage is what I'll be doing here, so why not dredge up a new argument? What is "world music?" Some people think of it as music that incorporates things from other parts of the world. So if that's the case, what is the same stuff then called "native music" in the place from where it's inspiration draws? Ok then, maybe it's music that brings together styles, feelings, etc. from many distinct cultures and somehow manages to fuse them together into...wait for it...world fusion. Well, now maybe we're getting somewhere and if MAWWAL is any part of this destination, it's a good place to be. MAWWAL is the brainchild of Jim Matus (guitarist & writer for another band reviewed here in the past, PARANOISE) and their first installment is quite a treat. If you have any familiarity at all with Peter Gabriel's (easily the creative force in Genesis...look what happened after he left!) explorations into the music of other cultures, MAWWAL is what that could've evolved into, pushed further by a quantum leap. "Black Flies" is at once experimental & passionate. Matus (guitar/lute/vocals) guides his band (Joe O'Brien - bass, Jill O'Brien - vox, Mike Keyes - drums, Rohan Gregory - violin, Michel Moushabek - percussion) plus a host of guests into a myriad of worlds on this CD. Traditional pieces from Libya, Syria & Yemen are explored and then blown wide open with amazing arrangements by Jim that allow western perspectives to swim & mingle in such an intense yet flowing way. Added to the mix are some of Matus' own compositions, replete with lyrical interpretations from a variety of sources. The icing on the cake are 2 songs featuring Nusrat Fateh, the Qawwali singer of great legend. Having been granted permission by Nusrat's estate, Jim separated the vocal tracks & then wrote completely new musical themes to be played by MAWWAL around them. The results are spectacular, even to someone like myself, who didn't know anything about Nusrat's music before reading the info Jim sent along. Let me tell you something. I'm the kinda guy who'll throw on an AC/DC record long before I'd grab one by a middle eastern percussionist. Still, I'd urge anyone reading this page to check out MAWWAL (as well as Jim Matus' other band PARANOISE). This CD has captivated me more than one evening and it might just snare you too!
www.mawwalmusic.com

THERION - "Gothic Kabbalah" 2CD '07 (Nuclear Blast, Swe) - This CD has been a really great surprise for me over the past month or so. I was on vacation with the family down at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware & of course, with a Record & Tape Traders in the middle of town, I had to make a stop while the wife & kids were doing the souveneir thing. For whatever reason, I spotted this in the Various T's. I'd always thought THERION was a black metal band, and even though that's not always my cup of tea, the packaging & song titles looked interesting. It was a double CD & only $6 for the used copy, so what the hell. Well, THERION may have been a black metal band at some point but one listen to this baby will tell you those days must be well in the rearview mirror. Somehow, this album reminds me of a cross between power metal, gothic rock & Electric Sun (yeah, Uli's band) all wrapped around some seriously impressive songwriting. In fact, I'll go as far right now as saying that "The Perennial Sophia" is one of my favourite songs of the year. There's no question that this is a pretty long album, the vocal styles vary wildly (from operatic female to deep male) and the lyrical concept is quite layered and intricate. So, if you're looking for a disc to crank this Friday night at the party, you may want to bring along Cobretti or Cosmosonics. All the same, if you've got some time blocked off for some listening, I think "Gothic Kabbalah" may actually begin to dominate your player. It sure has mine.
www.megatherion.com

TIA CARRERA - "Heaven / Hell" CD EP '07 (Arclight, US) - TIA CARRERA is a band whom apparently are known for their practice of...er...not practicing & just going out & jamming on songs in the live format. That's kinda neat & all and I'm the first person to encourage this sort of thing, maintaining that most of today's bands don't know how to jam & lack organic presence because of it. That said, while the couple monster-extended tracks here are quite heavy, after a few minutes they take on the feel of a large, lumbering animal, lost from it's native habitat & stumbling around without a whole lot of aim. A little planning can go a long way, even for the most exciting explorations (see the CAUSA SUI review, for example!). Nice digipak, though.
www.arclightrecords.com

CAPHARNAUM - "Le Soleil Est Une Bombe Atomique" CD '07 (Unicorn Digital, Can) - Hmmm...let's see, what band did I receive a disc by this time around who's name looks like a black metal monicker, is surely not and is actually a very nice surprise? Well, of course, that would be CAPHARNAUM. Actually, these guys scared me quite a bit with the title of their opening track, "Atomic Disco." There I am, wincing as I half-expect to hear John Travolta's footsteps tapping a snappy beat to the voices of the Brothers Gibb but, lo and behold, my fears are averted. The nice surprise is that this 4-piece bunch is doing a very cool, kinda prog-y, heavy guitar instrumental music, sometimes in the vein of left coast notables, Djam Karet. The 10 cuts here feature a few mellow pieces with superb acoustic stringing and a host that boast more distorted riffery and scalding leads. Between Franqois Blanchard & Marc-Andre Blanchard (brothers, perhaps?) I'm not sure which axeman does which part but they seem to be nicely distributed & the 2 play off each other as smooth as silk. Holding down the bottom are Philippe-Antoine Bernard (bass) & Maxime Brisebois (drums) and, sometimes funky, sometimes jazzy, sometimes straight-on they do the job quite well. I'd highly recommend this disc to any fan of the aforementioned Djam Karet, or seriously cool guitar instrumental stuff. This blows Satriani away.
www.unicorndigital.com

MITHRAS - "Behind The Shadows Lie Madness" CD '07 (Candlelight, Eng) - Not to be confused with the Mythra of NWOBHM fame, MITHRAS are composed of 2 guys who are doing some pretty interesting stuff with the death metal format. While a lot of people have written off that form of music as having given everything new it had to offer a few leap years ago, this duo never got that memo. Throwing everything into the hopper from grinding speed to turn-on-a-dime intricacies to throaty growls that somehow sound quite convincing, they then couple their musical train to a unique sci-fi theme. It's true, titles like "Under The Three Spheres," "The Beacon Beckons" & "Into The Black Holes of Oblivion" put me in mind of the highly-overlooked Canadian band DBC and complete an interesting look at what can still be done in this genre. I've heard that MITHRAS have a disc preceeding this one that some argue is even better but I've yet to hear it. Sounds like I need to place an order.

ASHBURY - "Endless Skies" CD '07 / '83 (Vintage/Rockadrome, US) - Some people are just good at certain things, just rule at something. Tom Brady at playing quarterback in the NFL, for instance. Sidney Crosby in hockey, as an example. Dennis Bergeron at coming up with amazing obscure hard rock. I mean, let's face it, here's a guy who (along with his late partner, Phil Baker) turned me onto: Winterhawk, Slauter Xstroyes, Full Moon, Sorcery, Manilla Road's "Dreams Of Eschaton," do I need to go on? Well, Dennis has done it again, this time hitting me right between the eyes with a little album that came out of Oklahoma in 1983. Now I've heard that the wind goes sweeping down the plain in Oklahoma, but the guitars must have too, and a couple guys named Randy & Rob Davis must've been standing there, waiting to catch 'em. They did and then they started to play like madmen (well, there's a song on the album called "Madman," so...) and came up with this absolute beaut of a record. There is really very little I can say about how good this damn thing is, from beginning to end. The songs are so good, the playing (Randy Davis - lead guitar) & singing (Rob Davis) so spectacular that you're going back & hitting "repeat" to hear every single track again. So what does ASHBURY actually sound like? The best description I can think of is The Moody Blues songs & vocal melodies crossed with the hard rock riffs & leads of Full Moon (or for the obscure-challenged, Ritchie Blackmore, maybe). From the opening of "The Warning" through scorched-in-your-brain hook-laden jewels like "Twilight" & "Vengeance," this album stands up with anything from the '70's, including all the big boys. You then finish up with the 7+ minute epic title cut and your face-to-face with an opus that finds it's equal in Full Moon's "Winter City" & Winterhawk's "Period Of Change." This is the real deal, kids, & it's only a shame that ASHBURY never did a follow-up. Essential for any '70's hard rock fanatic!
www.rockadrome.com

CANDLEMASS - "King Of The Grey Islands" CD '07 (Nuclear Blast, Swe) - There seemed to be a good deal of polarization on the online boards about this album, the follow-up to the self-titled album the reformed CANDLEMASS issued a couple years back. Of course, a major change occurred within the group's ranks, longtime vocalist & resident monk-robe-wearer Messiah Marcolin having given up the mike stand in favour of Solitude Aeturnus crooner, Robert Lowe. Needless to say, the banter I read circled around whether Lowe's somewhat more laid-back voice fit CANDLEMASS as well as it did his Texas unit. Now having heard the album, I'll offer my 2 cents. It is certainly not the 2nd coming of "Nightfall" or anything like that, in fact, I think I still like it's eponymous predecessor better. One of the issues I've found with the record do indeed relate to Lowe's voice, although not in the way you might imagine. For some reason, on some of the songs, it sounds to me as though Rob is actually trying to inject some sort of accent into his voice. Weird, I know, but I'm actually a little disappointed that he doesn't sound exactly like himself. Secondly, "King..." starts strongly with "Emporer Of The Void," "Devil Seed" & "Of Stars & Smoke," it's mid-section gets a little "samey" until the songwriting picks up again on "Clearsight" & "The Opal City/Embracing The Styx." I'm not sure how long Leif E. & Co. worked with Lowe after his joining, but maybe they should have taken a little more time with this one, allowing the band to coalesce. It may have been a great album rather than simply a decent one.
www.candlemass.se

CAUSA SUI - "Free Ride" CD '07 (Elektrohasch, Ger) - I hope my good ol' buddy Mike M doesn't mind me namechecking him in this review. Back in the early '80's, I turned Mike onto the whole underground deal. Of course, he knew the Sabs, the Zeps & all that but like a couple hundred other people who came in the record store I was lucky enough to manage, I led him away from the Quiet Riots & toward the Mercyful Fates. Thing is, Mike took the ball & ran with it. He ran hard. He made cuts that would juke Ray Lewis out of his socks. In other words, in short order, Mike dove into the heavy underground scene headfirst and was soon turning ME onto more stuff than I ever dreamed of. One area he really became a bit of a specialist on was the early '70's European (especially German) heavy prog scene, taping (ok, work with me, this was pre-CD-burner times) delight after delight like the entire Jane catalogue, Grobschnitt, Wallenstein, etc. I'm talking about albums chock full of 8 & 10 minute epics of masterful writing, revolving around long wah-wah guitar jams, creamy organ washes, throaty vocals & an organic analog sound that went well with hot summer afternoons. In other words, musical heaven, & without Mike's guideance it may have all escaped me. Why am I bringing all this up now? For the simple fact that CAUSA SUI, 4 young guys in 2007 have managed to not only capture that entire feeling but have brought it forth into the present in a way to make it completely their own. Listen to the playing of Rasper Markus (vox), Jess Kahr (bass), Jakob Skott (drums) & Jonas Munk (guitar, organ, electronics, vox) here as their playing belies their ages. Moreso, take in opuses like "Lotus" & "Newborn Road" & be impressed at their patience with allowing a song to develop & flower as they play it. "Free Ride" is another proud jewel for the Elektrohasch label and, in relation to that, right up there with the best Colourhaze has to offer. I know my buddy Mike's already worn out a copy of this one!
www.elektrohasch.de

BILLY LEE JANEY BAND - "Soul Driver" CD '07 (Rockadrome, US) - One of the bands you'll always hear '70's obscure rock fanatics talk about is TRUTH & JANEY, their 1976 platter "No Rest For The Wicked" being a scalding study in homage to Sabs, Purple, Budgie, etc. The band went on to release a much more mellow 2nd effort along with a storming double live set that's revered as much as "No Rest...," then they faded away. Guitarist extraordinaire BILLY LEE JANEY however, did not fade away but continued to swing the ol' axe and now in 2007 has put together a disc with his band (Dan "DJ" Johnson - bass, Eric Schnell - keys, Skip Lowe - drums, Danny Gibbs - Hammond B3 & Dan Hummel - percussion) that sure as hell does him proud. "Soul Driver" is a front-to-back killer, laced together with meaty Strat riffs & licks, and doused with generous dollops of cool organ from Gibbs. BILLY's vocals are mid-range & blues-oriented, as is his playing yet it never takes on the feel of a SRV worship service. This cat has his own sound. Listen to "20 Miles Bad Road," what a way to start an album, just dripping with feeling & soul. And lemme tell ya, when this cat sits back, hits the wah & fires away, you'll be in Strat heaven all the way. Guitarists & just those who love guitarists, or for that matter, electric blues rock...buy now!
www.billyleejaney.com
www.rockadrome.com

DARYL STUERMER - "Rewired" CD '07 (Unicorn Digital, Can) - On the other hand, I really can't get too wildly excited by this effort by guitarist DARYL STUERMER. Sure, his playing is technically impressive & I'm sure he has all the latest technology at his disposal (having played with Phil Collins, etc.) and yet.... The songs here have all the excitement of background music for a '70's TV detective show and the entire thing is just crushed by that overly-polished studio luster that basically castrates anything it touches. Why do people do this to records?
www.unicorndigital.com

JOSIAH - "No Time" CD '07 (Elektrohasch, Ger) - I've liked JOSIAH from their very beginnings & on this, their 3rd CD, they strike gold again. Kinda like a combination of heavy '70's rock infused with the sound & sometimes sensibility of very early '80's metal riffing, this power trio knows how to get the blood pumping every time. Interestingly enough, the CD opens with it's oddest song, the somewhat impenetrable "Looking At The Mountain." Still after that, JOSIAH opens the jets on their Cactus-meets-Motorhead machine & really gets down on monsters like "Harvester Of Lies" & "Time To Kill." Especially impressive is the nasty guitar tone & feral playing of Matthew Bettencourt but the whole band makes it clear there can never be too many copies of Toad's "Tomorrow Blue" laying around. This is the stuff of filthy men in oil-stained jeans hanging around a motorcycle garage down on Route 27. There's a disassembled Harley engine on the floor and every one of them knows the name of every part. Killer.
www.elektrohasch.de

SGT. SUNSHINE - "Black Hole" CD '07 (Elektrohasch, Ger) - While the above 2 discs give a real good indication why I often turn to face Germany & pray to the Elektrohasch label, this one well, not so much. I am not familiar with SGT. SUNSHINE's previous output but I must say that this one has left my scratching my head...and pulling out what little hair I have. Believe me, I'm all for stuff thats psychedelic & attempting to go down different avenues. I like people who try things & aren't afraid to open new doors. The problem with this 3-piece, however, is that even though they occasionally have some good ideas for songs, decent rock riffs & pretty good playing, they try to make things weird simply for the sake of it. Some of the songs here like "Old Man" & "Tell Me" could do some business if they beefed up the production (it isn't very powerful) and got rid of the irritating vocals & the seemingly senseless interludes & directionless meandering that suddenly crops up in the songs. In other places, the material is just not strong enough and comes off as sorta side-show fodder, in which, boiled down to it's essence, there's just very little there. Elektrohasch is surely entitled to one fumble & maybe with some time & direction, SGT. SUNSHINE could come to something.
www.elektrohasch.de

T.A.O. - "The Abnormal Observations" CD '06 (Unicorn Digital, Can) - Interesting sort of prog-metal here from T.A.O., what we have here are 7 songs in the 6-7 minute range peppered with bizarre rhythm changes, a vocalist that I can honestly say I've got no comparison for (kinda upper range) and songs that...well...are not very easy to figure out. Stuff like opener "Shruti" & "Ifot" take left turn after left turn, one minute drenched by overdriven guitar riffs & the next minute swerving into a backroom jazz interlude. This is one of those kind that even after many listens, you still may be scratching your head trying to figure out if you like it or just think it's weird. Worth hearing.
www.unicorndigital.com

NILE - "Ithyphallic" - (Nuclear Blast, US) - I guess in one way, a NILE review is a kinda easy one. It seems like you either like these guys or you don't and that's probably pretty easy to understand. When a band's style involves extreme riff-storms, blast-beats by the bucket, incomprehensible growling about subjects ranging from Egyptian history to theology to philosophy and song titles as long as most entire song lyrics, well.... Thing is, I like NILE. I can't explain why, but I do and this latest record is a further elevation and honing of all the things I mentioned above. Much like Fu Manchu in the stoner/heavy rock arena, this bunch continue to go about their business, doing what they do and filing their dangerous weapons into sharper points each time around. Kudos to a band who are irritating enough to non-music fans that my wife lasted approximately 20 seconds into the first song here and interesting enough that I've listened to "Ithyphallic" several times since it's release. Now damn, if they would just do something about the font on the back cover & lyric booklet! These eyes are almost 50 years old, you know!
www.nile-catacombs.net

ANAIS MITCHELL - "The Brightness" CD '07 (Righteous Babe, US) - ANAIS MITCHELL is a singer/songwriter who delivers 11 cuts here that range from folk-ish to pop to jazzy, etc. The arrangements of all of them are quite interesting & varied and her lyrics are extremely well-written, often personal, heartfelt and dynamically realistic. There is, however, the not-so-small matter of her voice. I can honestly say that, in some 30-odd years of reviewing music, MITCHELL has one of the most irritating voices I have ever heard. Perhaps this is a case of one man's poison being another's treasure & I can respect that, but this woman has about the most sing-song, littlle-girl voice I've ever heard and for me it detracts mightily from what may have been enjoyable songs. Again, MITCHELL's vocals strike me as so bizarre that it's possible someone may actually enjoy them, so if you're in the mood to take an extreme chance...
www.righteousbabe.com

MASTERPLAN- "Mk. II" CD '07 (Candlelight, Ger) - Gotta say I'm not a big follower of the whole European melodic metal scene over the years. Too much of that stuff seems way too polished, formulated & glossy for my tastes. Truth be known, I didn't even know who the hell MASTERPLAN was until I read Mr. Cardona's review of this disc over on the Peacedogman site & noticed that ex-Riot crooner Mike DiMeo was now at the mic. A fan of Mike's in Reale's band, I was hoping he'd brought over some of that more kick-butt attitude oft-missing in this kinda music. He has. While I'll say right here that I'd probably not be scurrying to the "M's" in my collection to grab this and run if a twister was gonna strike, "Mk. II" is still good stuff. Sure enough, the majority of the songs here have the same kind of professional yet kicking feel of latter day Riot albums. Obviously, the creative level of Mark Reale is not here, meaning there aren't any songs approaching the massive riff-quality of stuff on classics like "Innishmore" or "Brethren Of The Longhouse." Still, this is above-average metal that I'd have completely missed out on had I not noticed the DiMeo connection. Pays to read those reviews!
www.master-plan.net

ELIZABETH NICHOLSON - "Sink Or Swim" CD '06 (Private, US) - This self-released CD by ELIZABETH NICHOLSON is a very nice discovery. It's been awhile since I've gotten a disc by a female Celtic performer that's turned my head. In the past, there have been some great ones who've gone on to even greater heights: Maireid Sullivan, Grace Griffith, etc. NICHOLSON could be well on her way to joining those ranks in my opinion, with this disc. Here she not only sings but plays guitar & harp and also has written 4 of the 9 songs as well as part of another. Together with the help of a handful of other musicians, she offers a top-notch mix of jigs, reels & songs that give a fresh look to Celtic music from both the traditional aspect as well as new songs. ELIZABETH's voice may not be the widest in range of anybody I've ever heard but it lends a wonderfully personal flavour that's complimented by her excellent harp & guitar work. Check out, especially, "Tailchaser's Jig/The Red Nose," "The Sandpiper (Slow Air) or the nearly 9-minute "Fair Annie." Refreshing stuff!
www.elizabethnicholson.com

WIDOW - "Nightlife" CD '07 (Cruz Del Sur, US) - Apparently WIDOW has been around for awhile and for this installment, have had the excellent fortune to end up with the great label Cruz Del Sur behind them, making them stablemates of Slough Feg, Bible Of The Devil, Hammers Of Misfortune, etc. While I won't kid anyone into thinking this North Carolina band is on the same level as those gods (who is, really?) this is still good metal. The line-up of Chris Bennett (lead guitar, screams), Peter Lemieux (drums), Joshua Pantke (bass) & John E. Wooten IV (lead vox, guitar) is not going to shock anyone with innovative songs, they do deliver 11 tracks of above average metal here, including 2 covers (Van Halen's "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" & Kiss' "Stole Your Love.") My only complaints would be the sometimes-goofy-beyond-reason lyrics ("First Born" is down-right embarrassing) & the sometimes irritating drum sound. Still, musically & guitar-wise, these guys have something to offer fans of true '80's metal.
www.cruzdelsurmusic.com
www.widowusa.com

SO FUCKING WHAT - "Dodge City Cowboys" CD '07 (Master Rock, Swe)- Eye-catching band name these guys have. Style-wise, I'd ask you to imagine a rockabilly band with some gothic guy, sorta like a Glenn Danzig-light on vox. The problem I have is that there are a helluva lot of songs that sound exactly the same on this record. Perhaps there may be an element of unfamiliarity with the genre for me and that's why I can't discern as many differences as I should, but I kinda doubt it.
www.sofuckingwhat.net

ORESOUND SPACE COLLECTIVE - "It's All About Delay" 2CD (Private, Den) - Well, it may all be about delay but to this here writer, it's all about making up for lost time. See, my buddy Scott (a member of OSC) sent me this 2 disc set at the end of last year and I made it my business to...um...er...listen to it quite a bit and then lose my place in a stack of review discs, hereby rendering said album "unreviewed." Ok, it's also all about space rock and how to do it right. Anyone who's ever had an interest in Hawkwind or their long family tree had better apply here. For that matter, anybody who's into any of the music that's stemmed from the driving, pulsing, cosmic style of music that'll take you on a journey, free of psychedelic pharmaceutical intervention (well, if you want it to be), this is surely your ticket to a much better place than the mundane world of mainstream music the majority of the earth's saps muck around in. Long, free-flowing pieces like "Nebula 4747," "Jupiter Flyby (In Member of Doug Walker)," or "The Tony Blair Witch Crocket Project" (love that title!) will provide your admission, passport and travel accomadations. Feel free to board here and enjoy a first class ride!
www.oresoundspacecollective.com
www.myspace.com/oresoundspacecollective

RUSH - "Snakes & Arrows" CD '07 (Atlantic, Can) - You can never be sure of what the future will bring. In fact, sometimes it's the farthest thing you can imagine. I remember sitting in the bedroom of a friend in high school, listening to the new (2nd album) by RUSH, "Fly By Night" and being completely blown away by the likes of "By-Tor & The Snowdog." Never could I imagine that this band would go on to release such lame & ineffective piffle as "Signals" or "Power Windows" in the '80's. I can also remember working at a store in those same '80's and the day said "Power Windows" came out, hurling the vinyl copy of it as hard as I could at a concrete wall at the back of the mall after hearing it. Never could I imagine that this band would go on to again release an album I thought was one of the best records of the year. And yet...some 20 years on, after many more dreadful efforts, half-hearted attempts to right the ship, news stories regarding Neil's personal tragedies & Alex's somewhat hysterical New Year's Eve escapade...they have. "Snakes & Arrows" is not only the best album RUSH have done since "Moving Pictures," it may be the best since "Hemispheres." Yes, it is that good. The opener "Far Cry" indicates that even though they're moving along in age, RUSH are not afraid to rock. Yes, there are some keys on the album but they're not dominant. What is dominant is Alex Lifeson's multi-layers of guitar, given an added oomph by the colossal production of Nick Raskulinecz. This is a (ouch!) far cry from the irritating nu-metal sound prevalent on the band's previous record. And...yes, Alex is back to soloing on "Snakes...," especially going for it on the disc's 2nd half. Still, the most impressive thing about his playing here is the acoustic work. Lifeson spreads gorgeous strands of acoustic guitar throughout a vast majority of even the albums heavier tracks, placing lavish numbers like "Armor & Sword," "The Larger Bowl" & "Spindrift" among the band's best songs since the "old days," each sporting melodies you'll have with you for days. Geddy Lee may not screech like he did on "The Temples Of Syrinx" (of course, he hasn't done that in a long time) but his vocals are commanding and assured as they deliver Peart's commentary in fine fashion. And, speaking of "The Professor," if it is true that, in the aftermath of the deaths of his daughter & wife, he actually lost his chops completely at one point...well, they are back in spades. In a sense, one of the most telling things about "Snakes..." is the inclusion of 3 instrumentals, each completely different & obviously the work of a band who are through making concessions to fashion & simply want to play. Truly, "Snakes & Arrows" is music closer to RUSH's heart than anything they've done in a long, long time.
www.rush.com

SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM - "In Glorious Times" CD '07 (The End, US) - To begin with, I can't say how happy I am to see The End Records putting out this latest release by SGM. Over recent times (somewhat glorious ones...ouch), The End have established themselves as being one of "the" labels I look out for. They seem to be cherry-picking bands that have something different to offer, who don't mind zigging when the rest of the world would zag. Enter SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM, who's previous couple discs I've loved & who blew me away live last year at The Orion Studios in Baltimore. This is one of those cases where trying to describe the sound of a band is nigh on impossible. Sure, this crew uses guitar, bass & drums...but that's only the beginning. Also included in their arsenal are things like glockenspiel, xylophone, trumpet, toy piano (!), violin, dulcimer, sledgehammer (!) etc. And, before you start saying "Oh, yeah, they must be one of these distant, artsy-fartsy acts," can it, buster! SGM will just as soon rip into a crushing lurch of metallic violence, complete with harrowing growls that will make the local death metal merchants wince. The thing that makes them so engaging, however, is their willingness to inject these other things with such an aplomb and charm and to tear down virtually every barrier known to man in terms of song-structure & genre style while still making the whole thing flow. Lyrically, they remind me of an old favourite, Blue Oyster Cult, in that while there's not much talk of slash & gore per se', their stuff is off-center & creepy to be truly disturbing in a much deeper way (superb lyric booklet enclosed, by the way). Listen to just the opening cut (clocking in at 10:04) "The Companions." There's more going on here than most bands fit in an entire record and yet it's never overblown. Same with any of the other longer cuts like "Angle Of Repose" (7:53), "The Salt Crown" (8:40) or "The Greenless Wreath" (6:51). Actually, these guys remind me of a musical version of one of my favourite writers, Peter Straub. If you've ever read his "Shadowland" and can imagine it put to music, this is what it would be like. Buy now!
www.theendrecords.com

PELICAN - "City Of Echoes" CD '07 (Hydra Head, US) - PELICAN is a band who, with their first full-length "Australasia" a few years back basically defined a genre. I don't care what or how many things have been done by Isis & their ilk, this Chicago band took the whole super-heavy, atmospheric instrumental brand of metal and raised it to heights that not only created an art form but did so while crafting a Chaos Realm album of the year. Since then, PELICAN has gone on to hone & polish that style. The EP and album that followed (...Throats...) was seen by some as a "lightening" or a wimping-out in stronger circles. This new disc has received even more of such commentary, thanks it seems to the added prevalence of acoustic guitars, less-distorted sections, etc. For myself, I don't see it that way at all. What I hear on this album is a band who's not content to stand still & be satisified with bringing the same dish to the table every time. Now, sometimes that can be a dangerous proposition. For me, there are certain bands whom this did not work out for. AC/DC, Judas Priest, Jaguar, etc. And yet, I think the progression works very well in PELICAN's favour. This album may not have quite the immediate blow-me-away power that "Australasia" did, but I can tell you this. I've found myself listening to it quite a bit in the wee hours & losing myself in it's long cuts that unfold like a layer of dreamscapes. Titles are not important. Listening is. Give yourself an hour, press "play" & enjoy.
www.hydrahead.com/pelican

PIG DESTROYER - "Phantom Limb" CD '07 (Relapse, US) - I'll make it clear from the get-go that I have 3 pot-bellied pigs as pets. So, I don't really want any of them destroyed...unless, of course, one of them would eat my White Boy & The Average Rat Band album. And, truth be known, I have eaten my share of ribs...so I have been a PIG DESTROYER on occasion. Here's the dealio: Along with Cephalic Carnage, these guys are one of the few so-called grind bands that is blazing a worthwhile trail these days. And, "blazing" is the operative word. From "Rotten Yellow," through noxious terror like "Cemetary Road" all the way to "The Machete Twins," this is the aural equivalent of having a guy named Vinnie load up on a year's supply of PCP, fire up a jackhammer while standing at your front door and then have somebody tell him you said his real name is Richard Simmons. And have the whole thing choreographed by the makers of a Swiss watch company. Die now!
www.relapse.com

ANAL CUNT - "Defenders Of The Hate" CD '07 (Menace To Sobriety, US) - As the old Saturday Night Live joke used to go, with a name like ANAL CUNT, it has to be good and this nuclear obliteration machine from the mind of Seth Putnam always was, is & ever shall be. This is a compilation containing the "Defenders Of Hate" 7", songs from the "Thrash Of The Titans" comp., a split 7" with Flatchenbrand & another Menace To Sobriety Comp. Basically, the deal is this: If you like music that sounds like a asphalt cutter on high speed, taken to the side of your cranium by Jeffrey Dahmer, yet laced with hysterically satirical humor dial A.C. for your fix. What more can be said about a song called "Limp Bizkit Think They're Black But They're Just Gay."
www.sethputnam.com

MANOWAR - "Gods Of War" CD '07 (SPV, US) - I'll let you in on a little secret. MANOWAR has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Sure, most metal fans dig the first 4 albums a lot as...wait for it...they are actually great metal albums! Take away the loin-cloths, muscle-bound chests, cod-pieces, etc., they're full of killer riffs, heroic vocals & drums that thunder like Mt. Olympus. Where it all kinda changes is the people who have stuck with this bunch in the days post-Ross-The-Boss, when they've been, some shall accuse, living on their laurels & becoming nothing more than comic-book cartoons. Funny thing is, I still love those silly old comic book buffoons. In truth, "Gods Of War" may be a broadsword thrust deeper into the heart of flat-out ridiculous-ness than anything I've ever heard. Any album that opens with an intro entitled "Overture To The Hymn Of The Immortal Warriors" can only be taken so seriously and reviewed with a bit of tongue in cheek. To be honest, there are probably more intros here than actual songs. Witness "Overture To Odin," "The Blood Of Odin," "Sons Of Odin" & finally...yes!..."Odin" himself. These are all actual titles. And, there's no question that the SONGS themselves are not going to win any awards for memorability in riffing, much less the guitar solos which are about as generic as Giant brand bread. Still, for those who've always worshipped Conan, cheap fantasy & dumb comic book heroes (guilty) there's far worse in the manner of an hour's worth of mindless entertainment. And, damn, that Eric Adams still has a mean set of pipes!
www.manowar.com

PISSED JEANS - "Hope For Men" CD '07 (Sub Pop, US) - PISSED JEANS look for all the world like 4 accounting majors sitting around in their dorm rooms wondering how they could ever possibly be cool. (Hey, I'm entitled to this stereotype, as I've been there...or at least close enough. Psych major here, but you get the point). PISSED JEANS actually sound like 4 renegade freaks who somehow stole King Buzzo & Geezer Butler's equipment, injested smart quantities of early Black Flag & tons of sludge-punk masterpieces from all eras, and possibly even Cactus' "One Way Or Another" for good measure. Then they decided to go absolutely crazy and record the first things that came to their minds. Shows you appearances can be deceiving. Buy this. Now.
www.whitedenim.com/pissedjeans

MYSTERY - "Beneath The Veil Of Winter's Face" CD 07 (Unicorn Digital, Can) - This is what I'd call a cross between extremely polished hard rock & neo-prog. There are aspects of Iluvatar, Jadis & even some more of the accessible kinda Kansas stuff prevelant in MYSTERY's music. The vocals are, unfortunately, what put me off a lot, reminding me of the most saccharine-laced crooning of Styx's Dennis DeYoung (ouch). There are some longer song structures which prevent this from getting into "Babe" territory, but it's a little too twee for me.
www.unicorndigital.com

ISOLE - "Throne Of Void" CD '07 (I Hate Records, Swe) - Purveyors of the kinda melodic doom perfected by the likes of Candlemass & Solitude Aeturnus, ISOLE have a simple problem on this, their (I believe) 2nd disc. Unlike their previous record, which included some memorable songs, this one doesn't deliver a whole lot that's going to stick to your ribs. Ok stuff at best, but it's not going to be rushing back to my player.

TANGLEFOOT - "Dance Like Flames" CD '06 (Borealis, Can) - TANGLEFOOT have apparently been around quite some time in the Celtic rock fraternity and have a fairly extensive discography to their credit. This is my first experience with them and I must say, they certainly sound professional. A little too, actually. While the performances of "The Whiskey Trick," the title cut and "Boot Soup" are as spot-on as can be, the highly polished production and studio sheen sucks a lot of the feeling right out of it. I think this band would be much more appealing if they recorded their stuff in a more live setting & just let go.
www.borealisrecords.com

ORANGE GOBLIN - "Healing Through Fire" CD '07 (Sanctuary, Eng) - I really liked ORANGE GOBLIN when they started, digging the heavy stoner vibe of their first couple discs. Seemed, though, like they kinda lost their way for a few albums, however, straying away from the true massive '70's metal vibe until a bit of it could be felt in the English band's last offering, "Thieving In The House Of God." Well, I'm here to say that with "Healing Through Fire," OG are back with a friggin' vengeance. Simply put, while Tony, Ozzy, Geezer and Bill are fucking around with whatever reason they have for not recording as Black Sabbath any more, this is the album they should be making. Strong-assed cuts from beginning to end, borne on the crushing lead guitar of Joe Hoare, but the cherry is the finale, "Beginners Guide To Suicide." Here's a track Hairy Chapter could've forgotten to put on "Can't Get Through."

NEUROSIS - "Given To The Rising" CD '07 (Neurot, US) - What can I say here? NEUROSIS is certainly no stranger to anyone into any aspect of the so-called underground heavy music scene over the last umpteen years. Regardless of which album you might pick, "Souls At Zero," "Times Of Grace," etc. this west coast unit has a sound that, with it's sprawling dark heaviness and lyrical/vocal desperation has influenced the likes of everyone from Mastodon to High On Fire. It would be easy, and simplest to say that if you like music that is daring, original and above all, monstrously heavy buy every single NEUROSIS disc now. I will say that, but also that if you like the especially caustic stuff, I'd grab "Souls At Zero" and this brand new one now ("Given..." is easily the band's most sonically bludgeoning since that '92 release). Then, go on to explore the rest of the wonders this killer band has to offer.
www.neurosis.com

ENGINEER - "The Dregs" CD '07 (Metal Blade) - Actually, it's kinda appropriate that this review come right after one of NEUROSIS. That California band, while at their heaviest in years on their new CD, is a study in metallic chaos that must be taken in waves, allowing them to wash over you several times to really get a grip on what they're trying to do. Not so with ENGINEER. This oddly named band (and isn't it refreshing to have a heavy band NOT called something to do with ripping someone's guts out?) is basically here for one thing: aurally killing you. There's not a whole lot of pretense, melodic intros, acoustic interludes nor time for stroking one's chin here. That's partly because not long after the beginning of "Scala Natura," you won't even have a chin as you'll have been kicked in the face so hard. And, on it goes through "The Iron Worker," "Greenhorn," etc. This 4-piece from New York State delivers sheer sludge-core aggression that while simplistic as hell still manages to plunder like a runaway 18-wheeler, much owing to the grueling guitar tone of Ryan Gorham. See, while Thin Lizzy may be one of my all-time fave bands, don't expect this Gorham to sound anything like Scott G, if you catch my drift. Nasty stuff from below the basement.
www.myspace.com/engineercooldude
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BLOOD OF THE SUN - "In Blood We Rock" CD '07 (Vibra, US) - They used to have this commercial on ESPN or whatever, maybe they still have it, I don't know, can't remember the last time I saw it. Anyway, it showed a bunch of kick-ass major league baseball plays, like Derek Jeter diving to his left for a wicked ground ball, flipping it to Cano with his glove hand, then followed by a clip of him rifling a game-winning dinger. Then they show a close-up of DJ and he's saying "I live for this." Well, cats & catess-es (is a catess a female cat? I digress...), I live for this. This may not be the glory days of my printed mag when I'd get a minimum of 10 vinyl records in the mail a day, but I'm still thinking the mailman on my route still curses the weight of his bag. There are brown packet after brown packet. A ton of 'em contain decent recorded medium, some quite excellent and some, pieces of rat bile. Still, every so often there's one that contains a disc like this one from Texas' BLOOD OF THE SUN and that's when I flash my famous Jeter-like pearly whites and croon, "I live for this." BLOOD OF THE SUN makes the first correct move here before they even start. Their name is that of a song from LESLIE WEST's "Mountain" album. If you know me, even the mere mention of the company who made the cardboard the jacket of that album is printed on would put you in my inner circle. Secondly, and still before the music commences, the cover art includes a skull, a motorcycle and a good-looking woman. Thirdly, the line-up of the band includes not only a bassist, a drummer (who sings!) & a rhythm guitarist, a lead guitarist, but also a guy who plays organ, clavinet & piano. The picture of the band jamming on the inside shows one guitar player who looks like Billy Gibbons pre-beard, another with a definite Ken Hensley vibe and at least 3 of the 5 with hair down to their asses. This is getting better by the minute & we haven't even heard anything yet. Then, I look at the songs. They're all long, and they include one that's called "Road King" & one called "Cold Blood." Well guess what, cowpokes, they're all called "Rules!" 'cause that's exactly what the fuck this does! You want to know how good this is? This is like a southern version of Deep Purple from when they had Rod Evans & did "Why Didn't Rosemary," except that they injected the whole thing with HGH, had some dude who's middle names are "Organic Groove" produce it and then indicated to Ty Tompkins (lead guitar) and Dave Gryder (keys) that they dared 'em to do a few soloing duels. Jesus H. Christ, this is a smoker!!! From the opening of the aforementioned "Cold Blood," right through "Get Yours," "99 1/2," "Wizard" & "Road King" this is a trip down '70's lane that then hits the HOV right into 2007. Add to the whole procedings the bluesy, feeling-drenched vibe of Henry Vasquez (who does a slam-bang job nailing the skins as well) and you've got a first class, top-shelf dose of the stuff that'll float my boat till the day I die. Come to think of it, I live for this.
www.myspace.com/bloodofthesun
www.brainticket.com

THE CHUCK NORRIS EXPERIMENT - "...And The Rest Will Follow" CD '07 (Master Rock, Swe) - I can only figure it this way. This has to be some deranged plan by my kids. They're trying to give me a freaking heart attack so they can immediately inherit my vast fortunes. Um...hmmm. Well, what the hell's up with that, as I don't have any vast fortunes. I don't have any narrow fortunes, actually. I don't have much of anything, to be honest, except a daycare business (which is doing pretty good, but I'm not sure what my 5 kids would want with 74 MORE kids, to be honest) and 2 beat-to-shit mini vans, plus a house in need of serious repairs. So, why is it I'm getting so many God damned kick-ass CD's in the mail lately? I mean, I already take heart meds, so I'm not sure how much more seriously I can take somebody bringing the RAWK after Cobretti. And yet, here on my doorstep, from beautiful downtown Sweden (Hello, Cleveland! Hello, Sweden!) is CHUCK NORRIS. Well, it's not really CHUCK NORRIS himself (as much of a thrill as that would be for macho ol' me), but with the size of the holes caused by the machine-gun-like guitar strafing here, and the door crashing in from the marshall arts kick this CD dishes out from start to finish, it might as well be. Made up of luminaries from several other Swedish bands, THE CHUCK NORRIS EXPERIMENT is basically a statement in the words "ass kicking personified." In fact, considering the fact that all the members are going by the first name "Chuck" and the maximum dose of in-your-face rawk and God-damn roll present on "...And The Rest," this would be a perfect fit on the Wondertaker label. That should tell you how good it is, but even that may not do this one justice. Remember the Dirty Power disc of a few years back? Remember the startling blast of Bible Of The Devil's "Tight Empire?" Yes, my friends, this is that good. In fact, by the time opener "The Roof Is About To Cave In" has shuddered to a close in your speakers, your roof will have caved in & you'll have to move next door to destroy your neighbor's humble abode with "Meteor Mama." And then, "Senorita (Lookout)." And then, "Saturday Night." And then, "She Moves In Murderous Ways." Are you getting my point here? There is seriously not one weak cut, not one rusty link in this violent back-alley swing of a chain to the head. Hell, they do a Pagans cover, they do a key-laden version of "Meteor Mama" to close the CD, which makes 2 great songs out of one and they have a song called "Bullshit City." Take that, Gums & Blowjobs, not freaking "Paradise City" but "Bullshit City!" And, you want to know something else? Just like Cobretti, they also have a guitarist who is left-handed! But you know what, I can't really tell you anything else that will make any sense because these songs are so great, this band kicks so much ass and this CD is such a necessity that there is nothing else for you to do except to order it right now. Genres be damned, everybody in the world, even my kids need to make this 35 minutes of rawk their mantra for life. Now, if I can just figure out why they want my mini-vans.
www.chucknorrisexperiment.com

CEPHALIC CARNAGE -"Xenosapien" CD '07 (Relapse, US) - I'm 49 years old. I guess that may mean I can apply for the AARP card soon. Not sure of the age deal on that, but brother let me tell you I've got a few goals in life and one of them is to march my aged ass into the local audio emporium and snag the newest Blood Tsunami disc using my senior discount! But anyway, being old as I am, I still remember school days. You'd go in the first day of class & the teacher would have their name up on the board...as in: "My name is CEPHALIC CARNAGE. Welcome to: GRIND 101." Yes, that is the upshot, the longshot and the bottom line of this fine piece of spinning plastic. The good ol' CC guys take one look around at the current crop of anybody trying to do this most extreme form of death metal, open fire for 40 minutes on with all guns on live ammo, blow the smoke from their barrels & walk away. Can I possibly say that this is the greatest grind album ever released? Well, things like that don't ever really make sense but I will say this: I'm not sure that there is any way to do it any better. Whether it's the primal rawness or the syncopated jazz-like breakdowns that will leave your head doing figure 8's, whether it’s the bizarre alien-theme or the spectacular insert booklet art, it's all here. From the opening of "Endless Cycle Of Violence" to the dying embers of "Ov Vicissitude," including sonic annihilations between like "Vaporized" & "The Omega Point," this is as close as most people will ever get to having their jugular veins & femoral arteries sliced out & rammed into their craniums by a neuro-surgeon's scalpel. Brutal as a bloody massacre yet played with the confidence & deftness of a first violin.
www.relapserecords.com

MOTHER SUPERIOR - "Three Headed Dog" CD '07 (Rosa, US) - My dad (and God love him & my mom, they just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary) has a thing where he sometimes pronounces words wrong to be funny. Take "coincidence," for example. He always says it "co-winky-dink," to kinda emphasize it. Well, a co-winky-dink I experienced recently was that about 2 weeks ago, somebody online was lamenting to me that there were no bands that brought forth that vibe of the old Stones, Who, Faces anymore. Maybe it's the times, maybe those heady days of that kinda British verve has passed us by. A couple days later, another person was bemoaning the fact that with the advent of the 80-minute recordable medium some years back (aka CD), we've been slammed with a deluge of double-length albums that have single (if that) album substance. "What's the last good one?" they cried, "Physical Graffiti? Exile On Main St.?" Precisely 3 days after that, this package from Rosa Records arrived and in one fell swoop, my coincidence turned into a full-fledged CO-WINKY-DINK. Here was the new MOTHER SUPERIOR, the latest installment from that wonderful 3-piece from the left coast and dang if it didn't blow the conversations with those 2 people out of the water. Henry Rollins has used MS as his backing band. Alice Cooper, Emmylou Harris & George Clinton have worked with these suckers. Meat Loaf has just recorded the MOTHER boys' song "Whore" for his latest single, fer crissakes! Truth is this: Jim Wilson (guitar/vocals), Marcus Blake (bass/vocals) & Matt Tecu (drums/vocals) are renowned in the music world. Great musicians? Not even a question. Wonderful when putting a harmony vocal part together? Unchallenged. So, what happens when the 3 of these cats get together & do their own thing? There you have the history of MOTHER SUPERIOR, one of the most organic, versatile & flat-out engaging trios that, despite themselves, are probably even less of a household word than King's X. This bunch from L.A. takes that quintessential British Invasion base & stretches it out over songwriting that's to die for. Just listen to the length of this sprawling epic. You've got '60's pre-punkers like "(I'm) Obsessed." You've got numbers that would give the r&b soul of Rod & The Faces pause, such as "Let It Go." Then you've got something indescribable like closer "Standing Still." In between, memories are made by glorious stuff called "Shady Lady," "False Alarm" & "Stealing My Shadow." I think one of the most strking things about MOTHER SUPERIOR is the way they take something like that simple, 3-piece line-up and are able to wring so much incredible dynamics and flat-out panorama of range out of it. In that sense, they really remind me of, in my opinion, one of the absolute greatest power trios of all-time, Grand Funk during the period from the Red Album through "E Pluribus Funk." Less is more & my God, was/is it ever. How can I even begin to sum up MOTHER SUPERIOR and "Three Headed Dog" in short? Let's stick to the GFR theme...Good writin', good singin', good playin'! All the way around.
www.mother-superior.com
www.myspace.com/mothersuperiorrock
www.rosarecords.nl

BILLY LEE JANEY - "Soul Driver" CD '07 (Rockadrome, US) - It seems like just yesterday that Vinyl Discoveries was still around. Vinyl was a place just a couple minutes from my house that some in the, what I call "periphery" would term a "record store." But that's patently unfair and just completely disrespectful to the memory of what it was. Vinyl Discoveries was a place originally started by a fella named Carl & then carried on with noble grace by another cool dude named Bart. Sure, it was a place that sold records & CD's but much, much moreso it was a place where people who really were into music, who really felt a brother/sisterhood over music that stretched far beyond the mainstream could get together, hang out & chew the fat about whatever happened to be on their minds. Shit, for all the world, I could be talking about some forum on the internet, couldn't I? Except, perhaps, this was real & in person. Thing is, Vinyl was one of the places I learned about some of the most sacred gems from the '70's, unheralded hard rock masterpieces that stood head-to-head with the Sabs, Mountain, etc....yet virtually no one knew about them. Names that were bandied about and tapes that exchanged hands were labelled things like Poobah, Totty, Mariani and...Truth & Janey. From the heartland of Iowa, yes TRUTH & JANEY unleased 3 records, 2 of which were absolute hard rock masterpieces for the ages. Just listen to the studio disc "No Rest For The Wicked" or the nasty-guitar-toned 2bl Live album and tell me that shit doesn't hold it's own with the big boys. Now, some 30+ years later, Rockadrome is issuing the latest solo disc by T&J guitarist BILLY LEE JANEY and I'm here to tell you, buy it, brother! Here's the dealio. You like Trower, you like Stevie Ray, you like Billy Gibbons (yeah, I know he plays a Les Paul, but don't be picky)? This is pure, git-down, fret-meltin', wah-wah-stompin', Strat-screamin' of the highest order. The blues has a name and these days, when it's coordinated with hard rawk, BILLY LEE JANEY's your man. Hell, "20 Miles Of Bad Road," "Soul Driver" and then this cat goes ahead & lays down his work on the theme of my fave movie ever, "2001..." by offering up his take on "Thus Sprach Zarathustra." The Strat tone is thick, creamy & gorgeous, the vocals are bluesy and the ass is being kicked. Eric Clapton, put Blacky in a package & send 'im to Iowa where BLJ can put him to good use!
www.rockadrome.com
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COBRETTI - "Violation Guaranteed" CD '07 (Wondertaker, US) - Sit down with me now, my children & let me take you back to a time...a wonderful time, so long ago. It was a time when bands came rampaging down from the mountains, guitars held high in hand, riding on banks of amps that would reach to the sky. They were there for one reason & one reason alone, and the villages they approached would fear their very name. For it was rawk for the sake of rawk, loud to be louder than all else and a good & proper ass-kicking because...well, just because. There were no ulterior motives, no political agendas, no moral high-ground to be preached. In fact, the moral low-ground was to be given way more than the fleeting glimpse! There was beer to be drunk, women to be conquered, beer to be conquered and women to be drunk. Names like Riot, Moxy and Thin Lizzy were bandied about and toasted...then toasted again...and again. Amps were turned to 11 and each band had two (that's two!) guitarists and they both could play lead like muthafuckers with their axe slouched on the thigh of their tight jeans, cigarette stuck on the headstock. Women loved 'em and screwed 'em with wild abandon &, shit, let's not even get into the lead singers! This was the time of our lives. Well, the time of our lives is back and brother, is it back in spades thanks to this Godsend, this sacred host of manna that's just been dropped on our heads by San Francisco's COBRETTI. The fact is, I knew this was gonna be good as soon as the package fell out of the mailbox. There are some labels whereupon seeing their return address I fear the worst. Others warn of a boredom attack to rival the new Trouble album. And yet...there are a precious few that cause me to run, carefully handling the package until I can place it in a lead containment vessel before the detonation. Wondertaker is one of those. Peter Gammons knows baseball, Mike Ditka knows football & Sluggo knows the rawk. Still, this here COBRETTI sucker is making me think I can wait for that new Dirty Power disc anyway (also to be on Wondertaker!). What can I tell you about this beer-stained, sex-tinged, overdriven maximum riff fest that my intro already hasn't? Robert Vastano (left hand guitars) & Mike Baptista (right hand guitars - does that rule or what?) have your number and you are first on their freaking hit list. Now, don't get me wrong, I want you to listen to this album in it's proper running order but I want you to do this for me, ok? I care about you. So, I want you to duck when track 4, "White Lightning" starts. Why? Because if not, you're gonna die. If this song doesn't have the hottest, most kick-ass opening since Riot's "Hot For Love," I want you to tell me what does. Mike's lead here is as incendiary as it gets. The way these 2 guys play together is pure fucking magic, baby! The thing is, their riffs are so simple and yet they are as captivating & catchy as a cage full of high-class hookers dropped into a monestary. And, once again, their leads are short & to the point but what leads they are. Angus, you listening? Every great solo you haven't done since "Back In Black" is here to the 10th power. Also, let me introduce you to singer Tim Whitfield. No operatic screeching here, my man, just a mid-ranged voice & a half that spells danger, cops are on the way but we're gettin' the hell out of here, so grab the beer & the chicks. That kinda voice. And the lyrics. You won't be finding Shakespeare here & nor should you. Instead, how about the following: "Shit outta luck without a pot to piss in, I just bought some love....Down on my knees, lookin' for Jesus. No use in cryin' when you've hit rock bottom, hung out to dry 'cause I just bought some love." Yeah man. I can't leave without also giving proper kudos to bassist Brandon Zych & stickman Tim E. Delicious (of course!). Every single song on this CD just rawks like a Hustler convention on a 20 foot cabin cruiser and that ain't no shinola. Seriously, kiddies, some things occasionally touch the rawk, some feel the rawk. This IS the RAWK. The Unicorn rides again!
NOTE: Read the full-scale interview with COBRETTI on the Chaos Realm site now & find out why these guys are just as crazy & ass-kicking as you & I. Just go to the CHAOS REALM interview link at the bottom of this page & click to find these rawk gawds tawkin!
www.myspace.com/cobrettisf
www.cobretti.us
www.wondertaker.com

AROARA - "Forward Through Ruin" CD '07 (Private, Scot) - I love it when something comes along that purely challenges me to describe it. Virginia's Buck Gooter is one this time around (see review below) and Scots AROARA is surely another. The band's 2nd CD, "The Infamous Grouse" (?!?!?!) (I've yet to hear their 1st) was an entertaining, if somewhat predictable exercise in traditional Scottish music, driven by electric guitar, bass & drums & supporting fiddle, mandolin, etc. as well as the occasional vocal. It was well-played & produced but it didn't really set the table for the advancement the band would make the next time out. With "Forward Through Ruin," AROARA have pared down to a 4-piece (from 6 on "...Grouse") and delivered one of the most cool & original albums of the year so far. Composed of Evan MacDonald (drums), Duncan Menzies (bagpipes, fiddle, whistles), Edward Mills (guitars) and Philip Scarffe (bass), they made their next adjustment (after the line-up whittling) to eliminating vocals and then, most importantly, to writing all original material. And what material it is. While "...Grouse" contained 8 cuts, "...Ruin" sports only 4 and they are all quite long: 8:52, 6:34, 9:31 and 12:30. However, instead of the yawn-inducing cries of "Who needs Lunesta?!" tracks of this duration could inspire, instead we have pure gold. What we have are Scarffe and MacDonald laying down furious, oft-changing rhythms, fueled by the over-driven riff machine known as Edward Mills. On this disc, Mills reminds me of Hetfield on a caffeine binge during the "...Justice" days as he blasts out enough chugging distorto-riffing to keep the Big Muff Pi factory in business for a few years. Over top it all, Duncan Menzies lays down a relentless assortment of ear-frying bagpipes that make me think of something Scott Long of Seven Nations told me once: the bagpipes were the heavy metal guitar of medieval times, as they were the loudest and most irritating instrument that old people couldn't withstand. Amen, brother and crank them pipes to eleven!!! Listen to the opener, "The Morrigan's Ascent." This is pure Scottish battle folk metal and it's a track that grabs me enough to make it seem like only half it's 9 minutes. The star of the show, though, has got to be the massive closer, "The Woolly Mammoth." Broken into 4 sub-titles, this track is, for me, the pinnacle so far of any fusing of heavy & ancient music. Great as Cruachan, etc. are, this absolutely stomps any of it into oblivion. Such cool stuff, and the best thing about it is to have it come basically out of nowhere at the hands of a bunch of young guys who are really into what they do and also have bad taste enough to wear a Motorhead shirt. AROARA rules & keep your eye out for an exclusive CHAOS REALM interview with them, coming soon!
www.aroaramusic.com
www.myspace.com/aroaramusic

ELECTRIC MAGMA - "Coconut Bangers Ball" CD '07 (Around Ahead, Can) - Even though I've become an old man (go 'head & call me an elder statesman, I'm still an old man), I manage to pick my spots when it comes to checking out bands on the live side of the coin these days. Such was the case with the Doom Or Be Doomed Festival that John Brenner (Against Nature/Revelation) was cool enough to put together in Baltimore this April '07 and without a doubt, one of the highlights was seeing Canada's ELECTRIC MAGMA. Playing what can only be described as a crushing amalgam of sludge/stoner/instrumental groove, these 3 guys not only impressed the hell out of me but also made me wonder how their new disc would stand up to the last one, "Snail The Wah." Well, the verdict's in and it's a good one! I know some people may be tentative when it comes to mostly instrumental music, but I have a couple things to say about that: 1) ELECTRIC MAGMA are a damn piece heavier than most bands that have a shouter & 2) They've even added a singer on a few tracks on "Coconut...," so now you have NO excuses! Still, EM is the triumvirate of Tim Reesor, Tryg Smith & Tom Brouard and it's that nucleus that forms one of the most organic & punishing trios you're ever going to hear. I'm especially pleased with "Coconut..." in that it shows the band are not afraid to progress. That's not to say the album isn't teaming with pulsing, groove plunderers in which both wah-drenched guitar & bass blast overtop rolling drums, not unlike a demon instrumental version of early Clutch on HGH. Still, check out the new-found energy and speed factor found in cuts like "Workin' For The Red Eye." Man, that's some slamming stuff, honcho! All in all, as proven at DOBD and now capitalized & punctuated on the 80-minute recordable medium, ELECTRIC MAGMA kills! Buy this now & get pulverised.
www.electricmagma.com
www.myspace.com/electricmagma

IRON RIDGE - "Heaven Light Shining" CD '07 (Private, US) - Funny thing, how certain names, people make indelible impressions. You say baseball, I think Babe Ruth, Ted Williams. You say mountain, I say Everest. Works the same way with music & it's varying styles. A lot of things move in & out of the mix, but you mention heavy metal & the first things coming to my mind are going to be Black Sabbath & Judas Priest...every single time. And, even though it's something that's only been on my map the last few years, when somebody plays word association with "bluegrass," my instant reaction is IRON RIDGE. See, this band (proudly from the MD/PA area) embodies everything this new fave genre of mine stands for and then some: killer playing chops, scintillating vocal harmonies & a songwriting skill that's to die for. It's fitting then, that with a deeply spiritual feel running through the a lot of the best bluegrass music, IRON RIDGE has taken this opportunity to make a CD steeped in the Gospel tradition. What I really like with what the band has done here is the way they tackle, with equal deftness, a couple different approaches. First, they've selected some simply sterling traditional pieces and put their remarkable stamp upon them. For instance, the 2nd tune on the disc, "In My Time Of Dying." Rockers will be familiar with this chestnut from it's treatment by Zeppelin on "Physical Graffiti" and IRON RIDGE's version here is just as commanding. Especially of great note are the vocals by Jen Starsinic (fiddle/clawhammer banjo). Stunning is the word and while they'd be notable for someone of any age, Jen's youth makes them even more impressive. Then, you've gotta talk about the originals, which is where IRON RIDGE raise their game even further. Denny Kopp pens the 6 of these here and when you listen to songs like "We'll Be Forever There," "Just Lift Up Your Eyes" and "Land Of Peace & Love" you'll understand why I love this band so much. Oh, and try tearing your ears away from the simply smoking instrumental work by the entire band: Denny Kopp (mandolin/vox), Jay Mosley (banjo/vox), Jerry Leitner (rhythm guitar/vox), Max Allison (bass/vox), Joey Mosley (lead guitar/dobro) & the aforementioned Jen S. Is IRON RIDGE a genre-defining band? You betcha!
NOTE: Go to the CHAOS REALM interview link (at the bottom of this page) for a fantastic interview with the IRON RIDGE band!
www.ironridgeband.com

BUCK GOOTER - "Woman President" CD '07 (Private, US) - First, I have to tell you this. The 2 kind gentlemen of BUCK GOOTER sent this, their 3rd full-length disc to me, wrapped in part of a shredded wheat container. If you can't like that, if you can't get behind that, then brother, you just don't have a clue. Secondly, BUCK GOOTER (composed of Terry Turtle - acoustic guitar w/treatments, vox and Billy Brat - theremin, stylophone, percussion, drum machine + MP3, jug, bugle, vox) is from Harrisonburg, VA. This is important for a trio of reasons. To begin with, Harrisonburg is near the junction of U.S. Route 33 and The Skyline Drive. I love the Skyline Drive and the Shenandoah Valley. I like to hike & camp there. If you don't, get over it. Harrisonburg is also the home to Valkyrie, one of the stars of the Doom Or Be Doomed Fest and purveyors of a sound not unlike Wishbone Ash crossed with Sabbath. That rules. Thirdly, Harrisonburg VA is the poultry capital of the world. That goes far beyond ruling. Any place that chicken is king is damn sure ok by me. And so is BUCK GOOTER. Together with their bag-o-bones collection of instruments, left-field arrangements & a true hook-writin' sensibility, Terry & Billy make some of the quirkiest & yes, oddly catchy original music you're likely to hear. Think the very best of the Butthole Surfers & you won't be terribly far off. Now let me warn you, if you get just a little bit nervous or confused around things that don't share production values with people like Celine Dion or Seal, or Lord knows even Shinedown, you'll more than likely go screaming to your mother after hearing this high-prince of garage-sounding stuff. Still, if you like utterly cool, brilliantly conceived, funny and flat-out originally entertaining music, you gotta grab this tasty spoon-sized nugget!
www.buckgooter.tk

CRUACHAN - "The Morrigan's Call" CD '06 (AFM, Ire) - With the differing kinds of music I like, it's kinda cool when a band crosses over a couple of the genres in question and does so with a fluid, line-blurring style. Truth be known, it doesn't happen that much but Ireland's CRUACHAN has been making a habit of it over the course of what's now a run of five remarkably consistant albums that have also seen them on a solid upward curve. Their newest and also their best is "The Morrigan's Call." While this disc (released late last year in the old country and in early '07 on Candlelight in the US) features the band's familiar style of thrashing & at times, black metal crossed with Celtic folk, there's more to be said than that. What makes this one a marked improvement over even the last killer "Pagan" is the quality of the songs. Sure, main man Keith Fay still unleashes torrents of distortion-crusted riffage, roars like a Norwegian madman & then tempers it all with mandolin, banjo & other Gaelic instruments. Yes, Karen Gilligan lets her gossamer voice float over the proceedings as well. But listen to fantastic compositions here like the lengthy "Cuchuulainn" & "The Great Hunger" as well as the more concise & blistering opener "Shelob" & "The Very Wild Rover." Here's a band not content to rest on the laurels of their cult following. If more people would open their ears to originality, this bunch could make waves that would knock down genre walls.
www.cruachan.cjb.net

BLOOD TSUNAMI - "Thrash Metal" CD '07 (Candlelight, Nor) - To begin with, I have to hand it to BLOOD TSUNAMI. I mean, let's face it, being a young upstart band and calling your album "Thrash Metal" takes either gonads the size of steroid-injected musk mellons or complete foolishness. Depends, of course, on whether you can actually deliver the goods or not. Seriously, I took a gander at this thing, cover art & all and said this crushes or it's the biggest joke of all-time. Some 8 cuts later this boy ain't laughin', 'cause along with the new ONSLAUGHT comeback, this baby is putting thrash back on the front page. From stem to stern, "Thrash Metal" is a template for how this musical form should be done. One song after the other, the 4-man squad unleashes riff after riff that not only remind you of the best of the '80's German scene, but also that are catchy & cleverly written. Listen to "Let Blood Rain" (ok, I know that title may remind you of a certain L.A. quartet, but this is far more of a Deutsch than a West Coast Offense). The main riff here is infectuous enough to remind me of one of the first couple songs on Priest's "Angel Of Retribution" opus. But Christ, try to dodge the shrapnel coming at you from the double-barrelled guitar attack in "Infernal Final Carnage" & "Devoured By Flames." Not only that, the bass & drums have that distinct '80's thrashin' feel that eschew the latter-day blast-beating in favour of pure ripping sticksmanship. Add in the daring to do a super-lengthy instrumental in "Godbeater" that ends up NOT being a first class bore and you've got quite a debut from a band who merits watching, not only for the future but right the hell now. Calling your first album "Thrash Metal" is a risky move many bands might hesitate to try, but these Norwegians would!
www.bloodtsunami.com

PRIESTBIRD - "In Your Time" CD '07 (Kemado, US) - PRIESTBIRD, that's a new one. I've heard of Judas Priest, Firebird, Priestess, Rare Bird, The Hip Priests and Budgie, which is a kind of bird. But...hmm, no, gotta say I never heard of a PRIESTBIRD before. Still, this is an interesting trio. They open up the album with a series of songs that gives off a really cool '70's hard rock/prog vibe, some of the stuff featuring a pretty dang heavy guitar sound & dark imagery. Somewhere around mid-album, they then veer into territory that could be called a dense kinda Brit-pop but with some sort of threat/warning tone to it that's hard to identify. And, as "In Your Time" moves toward it's closing moments, the heavy guitars come out again, at one point, nearly scaring the living shit out of me. So, this PRIESTBIRD thing is kinda heavy, kinda scary, kinda poppy and in general a pretty good album. Won't appeal to everybody, but therein may lie it's charm.

PALE DIVINE - "Cemetary Earth" CD '07 (I Hate, US) - You know what, Greg Diener has got to be one of the unsung heroes of metal today, especially in the realm of things known as doom or whatever you wanna call it. When you start talking about guys who've really put the pedal down for this kind of music, particularily from the Eastern U.S. in general, certain names come to mind: Scott "Wino" Weinrich, Victor Griffin, Bobby Liebling, Randy Palmer (R.I.P.), Dale Flood and yes, there are some more...I'm sure I'm overlooking an important one or 2 & it's not intentional. The point is, if PALE DIVINE keep issuing statements of majestic content like "Cemetary Earth" (which is only the latest of several), his name is going to quite high on that list. If reviewing albums is ever a drudgery, it's certainly not when it comes to discs like this. I'll put it like this, if you like your metal raw, heavy & dark as hell and yet laced with melodies and wah-inflected guitar solos out the living wazoo, then this is for you. Wanna talk about how good this is? I give you the very first cut, "The Eyes Of Destiny." Man, if that doesn't bring to mind Solstice's "New Dark Age," nothing does. And how 'bout that ultra-catchy part in the next song, "Fire & Ice." Listen to that one once & you'll know exactly what I'm talking about, that is if you're able to put down your air SG long enough to even say a word. And, on it goes through "(I Alone) The Traveller," "The Seventh Circle" & "The Conqueror Worm." If there aren't enough hook-laden leaden riffs to ensnare you or enough searing guitar leads to cause multiple stab wounds here, you'll be wowed by Greg D's utterly convincing mid-range vox & plundering bass & drums of John Gaffney & Darin McCloskey. Is this as ultimately great as The Hidden Hand's "...Whiskey Foote?" Maybe not, but it's frighteningly close.
www.paledivine.com

MIDDIAN - "Age Eternal" CD '07 (Metal Blade, US) - Here is the new band of former Yob guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt. As with his former unit, it's a 3-piece (guitar/bass/drums) affair, rounded out by Will Lindsay (bass/vox) and Scott Headrick (drums). The question is, does it sound like Yob and the answer is, to a certain extent, yes. Actually, I have heard some refer to "Age Eternal" in a somewhat disparraging way as "Yob-Lite," but to me, I see it more of a continuation of a progression Scheidt had already engaged in with "The Illusion Of Motion." That is, the songs continue to great lengths (there are only 5 here on this full-length release) but within their grooves are many more layers of shade & colour. Gone are the days of simply High-On-Fire mixed with more trad-metal overtones. While still wrenchingly heavy, this takes on many more levels of unusual chordage & gossamer melody amongst the plunder. So, if you like the direction Yob had been moving on the last couple discs, I think you'll be happy with this.
www.middian.org

THE JOHN BUTLER TRIO - "Grand National" CD '07 (Jarrah, Australia) - Here's a guy I've heard take some heat among people over here, calling him a "flavour of the month", as he's become a sort of college-rock-darling 'round these parts the last year or so. I don't really like that kind of criticism as I think it's a bit unfair. BUTLER has been around, doing his thing Down Under for quite a lengthy time, now, so I'll be damned if it's his fault it's taken the U.S. a month of Sunday's to recognize him. Anyway, me griping aside, "Grand National" is simply another sterling work from a highly talented guitarist/vocalist/songwriter. JOHN combines his super-unique picking style with a world of melody and some flat-out gorgeous songs in "Better Than," "Devil Running" & "Fire In The Sky." Whether it be BUTLER's rocking stuff, where his tone takes on a nearly Trower power or the more introspective material, he's got the kind of command & presence that used to be spoken of a man named Stevie Ray Vaughan...that visceral organic vibe where the song may only be 4 minutes but you know on any given night it could be 14. I'm diggin' it.
www.

ONSLAUGHT - "Killing Peace" CD '07 (Candlelight, Eng) - In some way, I would like to call this the best thing since sliced bread. Of course, I can't...and the reason is that it actually is sliced bread. Truth be known, this is one of the best pure thrash metal releases in a very long time. As good as Kreator's "Enemy Of God" was, "Killing Peace" makes it sound like Casper The Friendly Ghost. As great as Exodus' "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" was, this renders it a mere stuffed animal claw machine in comparison. Yes, England's ONSLAUGHT have risen, some 18 years on from their last release & take most other thrash bands of any age (Blood Tsunami, perhaps notwithstanding) behind the woodshed with this aural whipping. Is it especially innovative? No, but then again neither were the other smokers mentioned above. What it is, is a 40-minute explosion of saw-toothed riffs, honed to lethal sharpness & arranged smartly into concise statements that define the word "thrash." No neo-classical leads here, nor Scandanavian blast beats, no siree! "Killing Peace" pulverizes the band's ill-advised Metallica-ish previous attempt and raises the effort on their best platter, "The Force," to the 10th power. Fitting, then, that vocalist Sy Keeler (from that album), returns to the fore here. After being rudely ostracized by the record company, he is back now in scathing glory and founding guitarist Nige Rockett plus new boy Alan Jordan breathe fire-bending riffery all over masterclass cuts like "Destroyer Of Worlds" & "Twisted Jesus." Special kudos go to drummer Steve Grice, sounding like Lombardo hasn't in years. All in all, ONSLAUGHT may not be what anyone would call progressive, but who needs that when this is the audible equivalent of having your head removed by a giant, whirling surgical blade.
www.onslaughtfromhell.com

THE FUCKING CHAMPS - "VI" CD '07 (Drag City, US) - Here's a band that's been around quite awhile & I'm just now checking them out, which makes me look about as bright as a rotten yam. See, my ol' buddy Chris L. at Of Sound Mind tried to turn me onto 'em a few years back but at that point I was in one of my anti-instrumental snits & so I passed. Well, this your's truly Dum-dum doesn't give you gum-gum, but he does give you this, "VI," the newest release by the left coast's FUCKING CHAMPS. Right off, their name rules, so we've gotten that out of the way. Secondly, if you like anything from Thin Lizzy to Iron Maiden to Mastodon to Djam Karet...that is to say, heavy dual guitar stuff with NO neo-classical bullshit and all gut-wrenching harmonies, super-charged metallic riffs & production clear enough to wallop your gut, look no further than cuts like "The Loge," "A Forgotten Chapter In The History Of Ideas" & the amazing "Column Of Heads." There's just no singing, but after being forced to watch 5 minutes of American Idol, who the hell cares. Add to that something like the cover of the spiritual "Abide With Me" and anyone with the slightest interest in massive electric guitar work needs this (and the CHAMPS' other discs) yesterday.
www.thefuckingchamps.com

GEORGE BRIGMAN - "Rags In Skull" CD '07 (Bona Fide, US) - GEORGE BRIGHAM is a guitarist/vocalist/composer from the Baltimore area and, while I frankly had no idea of his existance or work, apparently he's been around for quite some time. "Rags In Skull" is his latest CD and it is a kind of mixed bag. There are some cuts that would qualify as hard rock, such as "So This Is Life" & "Goin' To Pieces" along with some stuff further afield, like the Celtic-influenced "Leprechauns." I really admire the DIY attitude of GEORGE in producing work that is right from his heart to the disc, but there are problems. The fact of the matter is, based on what I'm hearing here, neither the guitar work nor the laid-back vocals pack enough wallop to stand out and the production style doesn't have a whole lot of oomph either. Some of the songs here make me interested enough to wonder how GEORGE would be live, but this disc, after several listens, doesn't leave a big impression.
www.georgebrigman.com

CLUTCH - "From Beale Street To Oblivion" CD '07 (DRT, US) - Reviewing this kind of release is unique in the sense that no matter what I would happen to say about it, it would have very little effect on anyone's decision to check it out or not. Such is the luminary status CLUTCH has achieved in the heavy/underground/whatever music arena, and such status is wildly deserved for this Maryland area band. In my mind, CLUTCH has been great over the entire course of their long, stately career but most especially so with their last 3 releases on the DRT label. Free from the confines of major label meddling (of which they've had their share), they have now dished out "...Beale Street...," one of the best hard-rawkin' gems of this year so far that doesn't have the name "Cobretti" on it! CLUTCH is not hard to describe as they spin their art on this disc. Tim Sult (guitars - amazingly under-rated), Jean-Paul Gaster (drums), Dan Maines (bass) & Mick Schauer (Hammond, piano, clavinet) lay down a heavy as hell, yet honey-sweet '70's groove while above it, Neil Fallon (vox & guitar) observes life through a twinkle-in-the-eyed Zappa-esque vision that never fails to entertain. His vocals can espouse a punk ethic, to be sure, in opener "You Can't Stop Progress" & yet listen to him stretch out in places like "White's Ferry" & "Child Of The City." This is the sound of a hard rock band operating at not only the top of their but doing so with such ease as to even make the lister swagger. Essential.
www.pro-rock.com

CARPTREE - "Insekt" CD '07 (Fosfor Creation, Swe) - I'll begin this review by talking just briefly about another, more known band, Porcupine Tree. The interesting thing about that group is that they've been very instrumental in showing that so-called progressive rock can have a different face than things of a Floydian, Yessian or Genesis-like nature. And so, CARPTREE are also part of this new face of prog, with their dark, swirling style of atmospheric music. Surely not for fans of so-called prog-lite, this is stuff of fairly lengthy songs, driven along by sometimes surprisingly heavy guitar rhythms (ok, you're not going to confuse it with Blood Tsunami but "heavy" in the P. Tree mold) and draped with lavish yet decidedly un-frilly keyboard parts. A key element to CARPTREE's sound are the vocals of Niclas Flinck, who while possessing an often somber voice, uses it with a touch that can be almost called uplifting, in a paradoxical sort of way. My recommendation is that if you'd like to hear some progressive rock that's not playing it by numbers, or some prog-metal that's surely not in the Dream Theatre shred-em-&-snore mold, pick up a copy of this one.
www.carptree.com

RED MOLLY - "Never Been To Vegas - Live" CD '06 (Private, US) - Born in Hillsdale NY at a campsite sing-around, RED MOLLY are composed of Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner & Carolann Solebello. Having issued an EP in 2005, they've decided to follow it with their first full-length disc, a live set. Possibly an odd choice, making a debut album in front of an audience, RED MOLLY works it to their advantage here. One of the reasons it works as well as it does, I think, is the style involved here. These ladies play a kind of music that's well within the folk/roots (acoustic guitar, lap-steel, etc + 3 part harmonies) music kinda thing and the honesty, directness & passion of that as a whole go down nice & easy in the intimacy of a small crowd. Secondly, they kn

As of 10/31/07 we're now called RAYSREALM and have moved to:

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Tons of new reviews for July 2007

STUFF YOU SHOULD HEAR!!!