Category: CD Reviews I-P
3 Panram – Rats (Release Year – 1996)
Panram’s sophomore release, RATS is certainly one of the more rare discs in my collection.
This German metal band sounds like a mixture of Queensryche, Crimson Glory and a little bit of Metal Church all rolled into one band.
Guitarist Ricci Tessalla plays like a madman on this record. 
His excellent guitar work is a reason to pick up this record all by itself. The instrumental track Break One makes me wonder why I haven’t heard this guitar virtuoso before.
Singer Jack Steen has very good vocal range, but not even a great singer can save average sounding songs, and the song writing on Rats is definitely lacking. When playing through this disc, I keep waiting for a stand out song, and the best moment I can find is the instrumental, Break One. Pack Bites the Last would have to be second. Sadly enough, after spinning this one a couple of times, the band comes across as a second hand Queensryche.
The bottom line is Panram may be one of the more obscure acts of the 90’s and Rats won’t do anything to change that. If you are interested, you can find cheap copies of this disc on Ebay. I have included the song Pack Bites the Last below so you can experience Panram for yourself.
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Rats
2. Slip My Skin
3. Rule of the Fun
4. Crucified
5. Break One
6. Love Line
7. Hit Bottom
8. Blue Sky
9. Pack Bites the Last
Pan Ram is:
Jack Steen – Vocals
Ricci Tessala – Guitars
Franky Matthes – Drums
Holly Hollander – Bass
1 Million Dollar Reload Update!
Million Dollar Reload has posted the following update on their myspace page today:
USA tour with The Black Mollys from Chicago will begin June 19th , venues are currently with tour promoter/agent and will be confirmed shortly. Most of the UK dates with the Black Mollys have confirmed , with a handful of gigs to be added . Our managers and agents dont want to us to have any days off! (fuckin slave drivers!) So before the main tour with The Black Mollys begins in the UK , we will be doing a handful shows with Blaze Bayley on his upcoming tour.
Also , publishing , licensing and distrubution deals will be sign sealed and delivered within a matter of weeks, all contracts are currently with our lawyers ! (trying to squeeze a little more concessions from the contracts! hee hee) So the the Album will be re-mastered with new artwork and a few surprises for release for a date ….soon! …..( So anyone who has “Anthems of a Degeneration” in its current version…. you lucky MO`FO`s ! you have got yourselves a limited edtion!)……Dont worry, the album will be released before “Chinese Democracy” comes out , although… thats not much of a recommendation! Come on Axl , get your finger out out of your ass !! and sort that shit out! (oops! i`m ranting again!)
11 Nevada Beach – Zero Day (Release Year – 1990)
One of the more surprising yet lesser known CD’s in my collection is Zero Day, by Nevada Beach.
Nevada Beach has a sound that I would call a cross between Dirty Looks, Britny Fox and Great White. Singer Hank Decken reminds me of Henrik Ostergaard from Dirty Looks, but while that band has a style similar to AC/DC, Nevada Beach’s sound is more of a hard rock/pop metal sound.
Nevada Beach had a hit with their song, Waiting For An Angel, on the MTV Headbanger’s Ball, but never really achieved the level of success that so many of the bands from the early 90’s did. It is a shame, as Zero Day is
a very good CD, and one that will appeal to most hair metal fans. Zero Day is on Metal Blade Records, and this isn’t the type of artist that this particular label is known for.
With Nevada Beach being one of the lesser known bands of the era, you can still find copies of their CD, and sometimes Vinyl, on Ebay and Amazon.com for less than 10 bucks. If you are a fan of music from the hair metal era, you will most certainly enjoy this record. I recommend grabbing a copy before these all disappear!
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Rough House
2. Waiting For An Angel
3. On Zero Day
4. Action Reaction
5. Only The Fool
6. Back For Blood
7. Walking Dead
8. Stand
9. Big Zero
10. Gagged And Bound
Nevada Beach is:
Hank Decken: Lead Vocals & Lead Guitars
John Murphy: Drums & Vocals
Tony Rivers: Bass & Vocals
Geoff Safford: Guitars & Vocals
6 Iron Maiden – The Number of the Beast (Release Year – 1982)
It is hard for me to think of Bruce Dickinson as that other guy, as big as Iron Maiden has become, but The Number of the Beast is the first album to feature ex-Samson front man, Bruce Dickinson as the lead singer of Iron Maiden.
The first couple of albums with Paul Di’Anno were good, but Bruce’s powerful voice elevated Iron Maiden’s sound into the stratosphere. The galloping style of guitar playing by Dave Murray and Adrian Smith was unlike anything other bands were doing at the time.
Not every song on the The Number of the Beast is an instant
classic, but the three songs on this album that every hard rock fan should have in their play list are The Number of the Beast, Run To the Hills, and Hallowed Be Thy Name.
For this listener, this album is one that requires a few plays before you can gain a full appreciation for it. The musicianship on this record is amazing, but some of the songs take some time to grow on you. This isn’t my favorite Iron Maiden album, but it is a superb release, and most certainly a must own record for all metal fans.
For Iron Maiden, The Number of the Beast is a ground breaking disc, and one of the better albums to come out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. This is an absolute classic!
Rating:Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Invaders
2. Children of the Damned
3. Prisoner
4. 22 Acacia Avenue
5. Number of the Beast
6. Run to the Hills
7. Gangland
8. Total Eclipse
9. Hallowed Be Thy Name
Iron Maiden is:
Bruce Dickinson – Lead vocals
Dave Murray – Guitar
Adrian Smith – Guitar
Steve Harris – bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Clive Burr – drums, percussion
0 Judas Priest – Jugulator (Release Year – 1997)
When Judas Priest announced former Judas Priest Cover Band, British Steel singer, Tim “Ripper” Owens as the new singer in 1996, I had high hopes the band would beable to maintain the same level of intensity the band had on the Painkiller disc.
The first time I heard the Jugulator disc, I was completely let down. Owens came off like a bad Halford clone. I thought maybe the band has been too far removed from the recording process to recapture their classic metal sound. It was 7 years since Painkiller was released after all.
I haven’t played Jugulator for quite a while, but a couple of songs off this disc have made their way onto the Boneyard playlist on XM Radio. Strangely enough, the songs started growing on me. I decided to give this album another chance. I may have been a little too quick to write this one off.
Looking at the track listing, one must quickly garner that the band is quite angry on this release. The subject matter is certainly heavy and on the depressing side. Is their a rule that says that a metal band has to write all doom and gloom tunes? Judas Priest has quite a few upbeat, catchy tunes in their repertoire. You won’t find may of those on Jugulator.
A quick run down of the tracks:
Jugulator is high speed sonic attack that at times almost ventures into the Power Metal category. Owens is quick to establish that he has a multi-faceted voice, but this song does nothing to excite me. Whoever mixed this album picked the wrong song to open up this album.
Blood Stained is a much better tune. I actually like this one a lot. It is a little different from the classic Priest sound, but I like Owens growly vocals on this one. Judas Priest should have done more songs like this one on Jugulator.
Dead Meat is a heavy tune that resembles the Painkiller sound somewhat. The one thing that is missing from this song, is a catchy chorus. This song just doesn’t work for me.
On Death Row, Ripper tends to scream more than he sings. It is a heavy driving tune, and the chorus is a little better on this one, but it takes a little too long to get it. The lyrics are a little cheesy but it is a tune that has grown on me.
Decapitate doesn’t have a whole lot of redeeming qualities. This tune comes across as a moody, noisy metal track. I find this one, a hard song to listen too.
After the migraine causing Decapitate (no pun intended) Burn in Hell is a move in the right direction. The band slows the rhythm down long enough for the listeners to catch their breath, and then blast off into what is one of Judas Priest’s better songs with Ripper Owens.
Unfortunately, I felt the migraine returning with Brain Dead (maybe it has something to do with head related songs). This is more metal noise with little replay value.
Abductors is more of a mid tempo metal song. It isn’t a great song, but it is better than many of those that came before it.
I had high hopes for the song Bullet Train. After all, this seems like a cool subject matter to write a good metal song about. Sadly, once again, this is another tune that does not deliver. Chalk this one up to poor song writing.
Does any one really need a nine minute song? Their are some rare exceptions to this rule, but Cathedral Spires is not one of them. Judas Priest should have learned their lesson with this extremely lengthy metal migraine. Sadly, they went on to do another 9 minute stinker Lochness on Angel of Retribution.
As a whole, my first reaction to Jugulator was the right one. There are two or three songs with redeeming qualities, but this does not make a good CD. Ripper Owens debut with Judas Priest was a flawed one for sure. It may not be completely his fault. Very few vocalists can overcome a poorly written song, and Ripper just didn’t have the
experience to save most of those badly crafted tunes. After listening to Jugulator, I am glad that Rob Halford is back with the band. I am going to go take some Excedrin now!
Jugulator is a disc that will appeal to die hard metal fans, and those wanting to complete their Judas Priest collections only.
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Jugulator
2. Blood Stained
3. Dead Meat
4. Death Row
5. Decapitate
6. Burn in Hell
7. Brain Dead
8. Abductors
9. Bullet Train
10. Cathedral Spires
Judas Priest is:
Ripper Owens – Vocals
KK Downing – Guitars
Glenn Tipton – Guitars
Ian Hill – Bass
Scott Travis – Drums
9 Motley Crue – S/T (Release Year – 1994)
The successor to Motley Crue’s Dr. Feelgood, the self titled album in 1994, is the only Motley Crue disc without Vince Neil on vocals. There are different stories on what happened with Vince Neil. Vince says he got fired, Nikki Sixx says he quit the band. Either way, John Corabi from The Scream joined the band, and provided the vocals for Motley Crue’s sixth studio album.
This album seemed doomed for failure from the very beginning. It was released in 1994, after the fall of hair metal, and this type of music was no longer trendy.
John Corabi’s vocals did add a new dimension to Motley Crue’s music, but it wasn’t enough to help push this disc. This record did chart at # 7 in the United States, but its stay near the top was short lived.
I recall when this album first came out, I was on the side of the fence that could not adjust
to John Corabi singing with Motley Crue. Several years later, I have found this CD much more to my liking.
I enjoyed Corabi’s singing in his previous band, The Scream. Today, I enjoy his vocals with Motley Crue as well. His raspy style of vocals, puts a new spin on the Crue’s music, and helps it sound fresh.
There are several strong cuts on this record. Some of my favorite tracks are Hooligan’s Holiday, Smoke the Sky, Poison Apples, and Misundersood.
Why is this CD worth exploring again in 2008? It was a new sound of sorts for Motley Crue. Less hair metal, and more straight forward rock. Corabi is a very good singer, and their are enough good tunes on this disc worthing giving it new spins today.
Rating:Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Power to the Music
2. Uncle Jack
3. Hooligan’s Holiday
4. Misunderstood
5. Loveshine
6. Poison Apples
7. Hammered
8. Til Death Do Us Part
9. Welcome to the Numb
10. Smoke the Sky
11. Droppin’ Like Flies
12. Drift Away
13. Hypnotized
14. Babykills
15. Livin’ in the Know
Motley Crue is:
John Corabi – Vocals
Nikki Sixx – Bass
Mick Mars – Guitar
Tommy Lee – Drums
1 The Limit – Reinventing the Sun (2008)
The Limit is a three piece band from New Haven, Conneticut. Their debut CD, Reinventing The Sun, pulls its sound from many of the Limit’s influences. On this CD, I can hear a fusion of sounds that includes Rush, Led Zeppelin, as well as a few others.
The Limit has a good classic rock sound. For a trio, the music on this CD is quite good. In fact, it is far better than I could have ever expected. I could tell from the very first listen that the songs on this disc translate quite well. Mark Daniels’ guitar work is quite solid. He also has a solid vocal range, which works with this style of music.
The production on Reinventing The Sun isn’t quite what it should be. I found the production quality a little thin. Reinventing The Sun doesn’t do The Limit the justice they deserve. I don’t know if something is missing from the way this mixed, but I thought the overall sound was a little too low. A few tweaks of the equalizer, and I was able to improve the sound somewhat, but I could not get it perfect. At times, I thought Daniels’ voice should be at the forefront, but it gets washed out by the music at times.
Reinventing the Sun is a solid start for The Limit. This CD shows that this band has loads of potential, and I expect big things from them in the future.
For more information on The Limit, check out their myspace page!
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. House Of Sand
2. Closer
3. A Little Like Dying
4. Sky Walker
5. Everything
6. Time Can’t Keep Me
7. Mother Maria
8. Best Thing
9. The Things You Want
10. Gravity
11. Save Yourself
12. Hard To Say Goodbye
13. Hard To Say Goodbye (Reprise)
The Limit is:
Mark Daniel – Vocals & Guitar
Bob Chimiel – Drums
Todd Grosberg – Bass
Bob Chimiel – Drums
Todd Grosberg – Bass
2 Poets & Pornstars – S/T (Release Year – 2007)
Los Angeles rockers, Poets & Pornstars has released their debut album in 2007.
This CD has a mixture of styles. Some tunes fall a little closer to the alternative rock side, and some tunes are certainly hard rock.
I could not get into this record after the first couple of spins. Some of the tunes here started growing on me with repeated listens. I usually lean towards the harder tracks on albums with mixed styles like this one. Some of my favorite songs on this record are Rock and Roll, Get Your Kicks, Strange, and Monkey.
I believe the first half of the album is much more rocking than the later half of the disc. With that being said, this isn’t my favorite CD of late, but it does have some solid tunes worth investigating. Hal Ozsan is a good singer. He seems to have fun with the songs, and that comes across when you listen to the songs here.
Sadly, he has left the band, right at a time when the band seemed to be gaining some momentum. I am not sure what is in store for this band in the future, but their debut is an album that a few of you may want to look into.
Check out Poets & Pornstars at their myspace page!
Rating: Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Rock and Roll
2. Get Your Kicks
3. Strange
4. My Devil’s Song (sexwinewomensongsugarmagicmoney)
5. In The Dark
6. War On Gravity
7. Monkey
8. Partners In Crime
9. Spy vs. Spy
10. Earthman
Poets & Pornstars are:
Hal Ozsan – Vocals and Guitar
Sally Hope – Bass
Domo – Guitar
Dave Plesh – Drums
Randy Austin – Keys, Percussion, Background Vocals
0 Point One – Unlucky Stars (Release Year – 2007)
Kudos goes out to Point One from Seattle, Washington. Somehow this band has managed to create a sound that is a blend of 80’s, 90’s and 00’s metal.
I didn’t think something like that was possible in this day and age, but Unlucky Stars, sounds so unlike anything I have listened to lately, it is a total breath of fresh air.
With Point One you get some guitar work reminiscent of 80’s metal, the pure vocal style of today’s rock, bits of grunge, a dabble of hardcore (but not too much), and small hints of industrial. The marriage of all of these different sounds some how works for Point One, and better yet, works for this listener’s ears.
There are several songs on Unlucky Stars that are radio ready, and a few that have hit potential. Sadly, with Point One being an indie artist, I doubt that there are enough radio stations out there that have the balls to play this disc. If you are a hard rock fan, with an open mind, you ought to give Unlucky Stars a listen. I think you will find some tunes you can enjoy on this disc.
Point One has six of the tunes from Unlucky Stars available for listening on their myspace page. You can also view the video for Monochrome Mistress below! Go check them out!
Rating:Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Unlucky Stars
- Oxygen
- Monochrome Mistress
- Crime
- Best Part Of Me
- Cruel
- Drama Queen
- Sometimes
- Running Away
- Bodies For Freedom
- Pain That I Am Used To
Point One is:
Len Hotrum – Vocals, Additional Guitars
Keith Wright – Lead Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Backing Vocals
Chase Culp – Drums & Percussion, Backing Vocals
Darren Howard – Bass, Vocals, Backing Vocals, Additional Guitars
2 JORN’s ‘Unlocking The Past’ To Receive U.S. Release In March
Locomotive Records has set a March 4 U.S. release date for “Unlocking the Past” from JORN, the solo project of former MASTERPLAN vocalist Jorn Lande.”Unlocking the Past” includes some previously unreleased cover songs that were originally considered to be “leftovers” or additional bonus tracks for previous JORN albums. Many of them were never included on any official release. Some brand new covers were also recorded specifically for this CD. Dust has been brushed from these recordings; the remix of “Burn”, “The Day the Earth Caught Fire” (which originally appeared on JORN’s solo debut album “Starfire”), and the remastered version of “On and On” (which was supposed to appear on a MILLENIUM covers album a few years back), complete the track listing of the album.
You can hear JORN’s remake of Thin Lizzy’s Cold Sweat below:
5 Rhino Bucket – S/T (Release Year – 1990)
It seems that every few years another new band releases a disc full of AC/DC inspired rock.
The debut release by Rhino Bucket is one of the better ones.
Singer Georg Dolivo sounds just like a Bon Scott clone. Greg Fields has the Angus Young style of playing down pat on this
record.
One Night Stand is one of the biggest hits by Rhino Bucket, and this tune is worth the price of admission by itself. This is album exemplifies what a hard rock record should be. You wont find any sappy ballads on this record. It rocks all the way through from beginning to end.
The band lineup has changed but Rhino Bucket is still rocking hard in 2008. Sadly, the record that spawned one of their band’s biggest hits is out of print. You can still find copies of this disc online on EBay and Amazon.com. Hopefully, another record label will reissue this excellent slab of hard rock. Don’t miss out on one of 1990’s better hard rock records.
For more information on Rhino Bucket, check out their myspace page.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. One Night Stand
2. Beg for Your Love
3. Train Ride
4. Going Down Tonight
5. Even the Sun Goes Down
6. Blood on the Cross
7. Shot Down
8. I’d Rather Go Insane
9. Inside/Outside
10. Ride the Rhino
Rhino Bucket is:
Georg Dolivo – Vocals
Reeve Downes – Bass
Greg Fields – Guitar
Liam Jason – Drums
12 Motley Crue – Shout At the Devil (1983)
It is almost mind boggling for me to think that 2008 marks the 25th Anniversary of Motley Crue’s Shout At the Devil.
If I were to choose my top 10 favorite albums of all time, Shout at the Devil would almost certainly make the list.
I think I have owned Shout at the Devil in every form it has
been in, including LP (Yes, I tried to find the backwards message), cassette, and CD. Few CD’s bring back the fond memories that this disc does, and this album has always found itself in my playlist consistently over the years.
On Shout at the Devil, Motley Crue was still hungry, and this comes across in the sound of the record. They had not yet achieved the massive success that they were headed for. The band was certainly were making a name for themselves every where they went, and their reputation as L.A. bad boys certainly solidified after the release of Shout At the Devil.
The band’s sound matured over the punk/metal style of Too Fast For Love. Shout at the Devil is a raw metal record. In my opinion, the band hadn’t fallen prey to the pop metal sound that would show up on their later records.
Everything from the Intro to the final cut Danger rocks on this record. Shout at the Devil is everything that a metal record should be loud, sleazy and totally cool. No metal fan should be without it.
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. In the Beginning
2. Shout at the Devil
3. Looks That Kill
4. Bastard
5. God Bless the Children of the Beast
6. Helter Skelter
7. Red Hot
8. Too Young to Fall in Love
9. Knock ‘Em Dead, Kid
10. Ten Seconds to Love
11. Danger
Motley Crue is:
Vince Neil – Vocals
Nikki Sixx – Bass
Mick Mars – Guitar
Tommy Lee – Drums
2 Million Dollar Reload – Anthems of a Degeneration (2007)
The country that brought us the awesome band, The Answer, now has another rock band to be proud of! (No, not U2!)
Million Dollar Reload, the five piece band, from Belfast, Ireland has released one great slab of rock with their cd, Anthems of a Degeneration.
When I hear a CD this good, I wonder if I am living on the wrong side of the pond. Why releases like this aren’t circulating in the United States to mass appeal is a crime in my opinion.
Million Dollar Reload has a sound that I would compare as a cross between Buckcherry, Guns ‘N Roses, and maybe a little bit of AC/DC. The music may be unoriginal, but when songs are this good, I could care less. A CD of this quality deserves to be in the player of every hard rock fan, regardless of what country you live in. One thing is for certain, if the band can a major record label to bite on this release, this band will be huge!
The first six songs on Anthems of a Degeneration are high energy rockers. The band doesn’t give you a chance to breathe until you get to the song, The Last Icon. This is a slower track, but should be a monster hit for this band. It is a song about rock stars passed on including AC/DC’s Bon Scott.
The pace resumes with the awesome track Tattoos and Dirty Girls and rocks all the way through the final cut, Travel. I thought the title “Travel” was a strange name for a balladesque tune, but it is another hit worthy number for the band, and a very strong note on which to close this disc.
You can buy a copy of the CD off of the Million Dollar Reload myspace page. Don’t even hesitate to pick this one up. This is a great rock CD. It should not be missed!
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- I:Introducing The Formula For A Frantic Life
- Get It Up
- Livin’In The City
- Goodnight New York
- Give It All
- Degeneration
- International Anthem
- The Last Icon
- Inspermental
- Tattoos and Dirty Girls
- Superslave
- Dead Like You (Freeloader)
- Fire Your Guns
- Cold Hard Day
- You Can’t Stop Me From Flying
- Travel
II: Dreams and Heroes
III. Claws of Babylon
IV. Blues For the Soul
V:Redemption
Million Dollar Reload is:
Phil Conalane – Vocals
Andy Mack – Guitars and Backing Vocals
Kie McMurray – Bass/Vocals
Davy Cassa – Drums/Vocals
B.A.M. – Guitar/Vocals
2 Steve Grimmett – Personal Crisis (Release Year – 2007)
2007 had a surprising amount of good new hard rock and metal releases. There were so many in fact, that I will still be finding about the ones I missed throughout 2008.
One of the better metal discs of 2007, is Steve Grimmett’s Personal Crisis.
This is a release that has a sound that is deeply rooted in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. For me, this is a very good thing, as I enjoy most of the bands that came out of the NWOBHM era. I have always enjoyed Steve Grimmett’s voice in Grim Reaper, but I wasn’t sure what to expect with his solo disc.
I have always classified Steve Grimmett as a Rob Halford type of singer. His voice has matured, and has maybe deepened a little bit since the Grim Reaper days. The high pitched screams are gone, but I am completely ok with that. His voice is more relevant with today’s metal releases than ever before.
80’s metal fans looking for a disc with ultra sharp guitar playing, and killer vocals, need not look any further. Ian Nash’s playing on this record will win you over immediately. There is plenty of guitar noodling for you to feast your ears on.
Personal Crisis has a few surprises in store for you. Joanna Ruiz sings on the track Enemy, along with Grimmett. This is an extremely strong track, and Ruiz’s voice really adds a new element to this song.
Steve Grimmett covers his old band’s tune (Grim Reaper) with the tune, Wrath of the Ripper. This song will have you scurrying to pull out your copy of See You In Hell, to compare it to the original. I love this version of the tune.
Personal Crisis is a record that no metalhead should be without! Finding this disc in the United States may present quite the challenge for you. I recommend picking up a copy from Impulse Music at this location. You can preview some of the songs at the Steve Grimmett myspace page. Take the time to check them out! You will be glad you did!
Rating: Out
of 10
Track Listing:
1. Karma
2. Wait For Ever
3. Freedom
4. Lonely
5. Afterglow
6. Enemy
7. Promises
8. Invincible
9. Strength
10. Wrath Of The Ripper (Grim Reaper cover)
11. Fallen
Steve Grimmett Band is:
Steve Grimmett – Vocals
Ian Nash – Guitar
Rich Walker – Bass
Pete Newdeck – Drums/ Background Vocals
8 Odin – Human Animal (2007)
The band Odin is back in action again. You may remember these guys from the mid 80’s, or from the movie, The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years.
If the three tracks on the Human Animal EP is any indication of the kind of tunes that Odin has in store for us in 2008, sign me up now.
Jeff Duncan’s guitar work on this record is very similar to his heavy licks on the Armored Saint records on which he appeared.
Randy “O” has a one of a kind, earth-shattering scream that is extremely cool.
As a whole, Odin has a heavy sound that falls somewhere between Dokken and DIO. It is a great metal sound that I can really get into. My only problem with this EP, like so many of them is, it is too short. The three songs on this disc, only left me wanting to hear more.
Once this CD starts to circulate, fans will be demanding more Odin, without a doubt.
You can get your own copy of this EP through Odin’s website.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Human Animal
2. Helpless
3. Let The Show Begin
Odin is:
Randy “O” -Vocals
Shawn Duncan – Drums
Jeff Duncan – Guitar
Aaron Samson – Bass
9 Knyght – Destination Unknown (Release Year – 2007)
80’s style pop metal continues to influence bands from all over the globe.
The latest bit of glam metal comes from Knyght, a young five piece band from Italy.
Destination Unknown is the band’s five track demo. Judging from the tracks here, Knyght is a band with potential, but could use a good producer to help them tighten up their sound.
Tommaso Forni’s vocals kind of reminds me of a young Vince Neil. The music on this disc is solid enough, but the mixing seems to be all over the place. Stop Me is a fairly catchy tune, but the keyboards are mixed way to high on this tune.
The title track, Destination Unknown is another tune that has a lot of potential. The guitar work on this tune, was mixed way too low, and is drowned out by the keyboards.
I have no problem with the keyboards on the songs here, but they are mixed too high above the guitar playing, and that should be the band’s focal point.
Knyght is a band that has a lot of potential. They need to continue to work on crafting their sound. With the help of a producer and some one with a little more mixing experience, they could have a lot to offer to the glam metal fans around the world.
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Stop Me
2. Neverland
3. The Believer
4. I’ll Live In Your Shadow
5. Destination Unknown
Knyght is:
Tommaso Forni – Vocals
Oliviero Forni – Guitars and Backing Vocals
Dario Stagnitto – Bass and Backing Vocals
Fracesco “The Doctor” – Keyboards
Paolo Montinaro – Drums
0 Onesidezero – S/T (Release Year – 2007)
The band Onesidezero formed in 1998, and released a debut CD, Is This Room Getting Smaller in 2001.
I can’t vouch for the band’s first CD, but if it is half as good as the new self title disc, then I may have to seek that one out as well.
Onesidezero has a sound that fuses modern rock, with a hint of 80’s metal. It is a sound that works, and I am impressed by the tunes I have listened to here.
I can’t place my finger on it, but if I had to compare Onesidezero’s sound to another band’s tunes, I might say Tool, however, Onesidezero’s songs are much more mainstream sounding than that.
I tend to prefer the harder numbers on this disc, and the songs My Confessions, Sleep, and Stay are all highly enjoyable tunes. I tend to lose interest on far too many of the tunes here. The guitar work gets my attention at times, but I was expecting something with a little more teeth. Quite a few of the tunes here, sound too repitious, and I begin to lose interest.
I have mixed feelings about this disc. This album is neither amazing or terrible. It may appeal to more of the alternative rock fans, than the hard rock folks. The harder numbers are pretty good, but the rest of the tunes just didn’t appeal to me. If you like what you seen in the video, “Sleep” below, stop by the band’s myspace page, and give some of their tunes a whirl, and see what you think.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Carry Your Gun
2. Breath
3. Whatever Happened To…
4. Levitation
5. My Confessions
6. Sleep
7. Stay
8. Blondevil
9. Who Will Stop the Rain?
10. Safely Forgotten
11. Cardboard Cutouts
12. Carry Us Away
13. TrickAssHo
Onesidezero is:
Jasan Radford – Vocals, Guitar
Christian Hernandez – Bass
Rob Basile – Drums
Levon Sultanian – Guitars, Vocals
5 EZO – Fire Fire (Release Year – 1989)
The Japanese band known as Flatbacker had two releases under their belt, before they were discovered by Gene Simmons of KISS who suggested the name change to EZO.
The band was signed to Geffen records and released a couple of albums in the late 80’s.
Fire Fire is the second and final release by this four piece
metal band. The band lost their deal with Geffen and broke up after this record was released. Their current whereabouts are unknown. Fire Fire is a very slicked produced record. EZO sounds like a million bucks on this disc. The tunes fall between somewhere between hard rock and heavy metal, and is in the vein of Loudness. Shoyo Iida’s fretwork does not disappoint on this record. Masaki Yamada is an above average singer/screamer. He even had a brief stint in Loudness
Fire Fire is a pretty good record for the most part. My favorite cuts are Love Junkie, the title track Fire Fire, Streetwalker, and Million Miles Away.
Both EZO records are a chore to find. If you are able to grab either one at a decent price, do so. They are pulling down big bucks on Ebay and on Amazon.com. Happy Hunting!
Rating:Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Love Junkie
2. Night Crawler
3. Fire Fire
4. Wild Talk
5. Burn Down the Night
6. Black Moon
7. Back to Zero
8. Cold-Blooded
9. She’s Ridin’ the Rhythm
10. Streetwalker
11. Million Miles Away
EZO is:
Masaki Yamada – Vocals
Taro Takahashi – Bass
Hiro Homma – Drums
Shoyo Iida – Guitar
4 Kane Roberts – Saints and Sinners (1991)
Kane Roberts claim to fame was his stint as the lead guitar player for shock rocker, Alice Cooper.
He was a member of Alice Cooper’s band at the same time, as Kip Winger.
Both musicians branched out with music careers of their own after their stint with Alice.
Chances are, if you enjoyed Winger’s tunes to any degree, you will probably love Saints and Sinners. They style of music is quite similar.
Saints and Sinners is Roberts’ sophomore effort that was originally released on Geffen Records. This disc was produced by Sir Arthur Payson, who also has discs by RATT and Alice Cooper to his credit. Most of the songs on this disc were written by Roberts and Desmond Child.
With this record he had a couple of modest hits, with the track
Twisted and Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore? which was written by Jon Bon Jovi. I like both of those tunes quite a bit, as well as Rebel Heart and Fighter.
The sound on this record is typical early 90’s pop metal, but I am OK with that. I got a lot of play out of this disc back when I owned it on cassette years ago. I tracked down another copy of this one recently.
Fans of 80’s Hair Metal will definitely enjoy this disc. It is out of print, but you can still find copies of this one through Amazon.com and Ebay. Happy Hunting!
Rating: 
Out 0f 10
Track Listing:
1. Wild Nights
2. Twisted
3. Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore?
4. Dance Little Sister
5. Rebel Heart
6. You Always Want It
7. Fighter
8. I’m Not Lookin’ For An Angel
9. Too Far Gone
10. It’s Only Over For You
Kane Roberts band is:
Kane Roberts – lead, rhythm guitars, lead vocals
John McCurry – guitar
Steve Steele – bass
Myron Grombacher – drums
Chuck Kentis – Keyboards
1 Megadeth – Warchest (Release Year – 2007)
2007 has been a very strong year for Megadeth. Early in 2007, the band released United Abominations, opened for Heaven and Hell, then set off on their own world tour.
Everyone from AC/DC, to KISS, and even Jetboy have opened up their archives to deliver new collections worth owning. Megadeth is the latest to jump on the band wagon, by releasing their own set called The Warchest, a collection of goodies that not too many Megadeth fans will want to be without for very long.
Chances are you have many of the songs listed in this set, but you don’t have the rare demo cuts of these tunes. Some of which, I like better than the originals due to the rawness of the cuts.
The are several cuts that have never been released in the United States, and several more that have live cuts that have never been released anywhere. Disc 4 of this set captures a live show recorded live at Wembley Stadium in London in 1990. This is the first time you will hear these live versions anywhere.
The real bonus in this set is the DVD. Megadeth is captured live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, from 1992. Those of you that were not overly impressed with the last Megadeth live DVD, That One Night – Live in Buenos Aires, truly needs to check this one out. This is an extremely tight set by Megadeth. It is a high energy, excellent hair flying experience. It is by far my favorite live DVD from Megadeth without question.
The Megadeth Warchest is a great collection with over five hours of superb heavy metal entertainment. This set is a must own for die hard Megadeth fans.
You have a few more days to get your name in the running for a free copy of this set. You can enter the Hard Rock Hideout Warchest giveaway at this link. The winner will be picked this Friday!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Disc One:
1. Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good!
2. The Skull Beneath The Skin
3. Peace Sells
4. Wake Up Dead
5. Devils Island
6. Set The World Afire
7. Into The Lungs Of Hell
8. Anarchy/Problems [session take]*
9. Hook In Mouth
10.Liar
11.In My Darkest Hour
12.No More Mr. Nice Guy
13.“dark themes…”*
14.Holy Wars…The Punishment Due [Casey McMackin demo]*
15.Tornado Of Souls [demo]*
16.Five Magics [demo]*
17.Hangar 18
Disc Two:
1. “keeping score…”*
2. Symphony Of Destruction
3. Go To Hell
4. Foreclosure Of A Dream
5. Architecture Of Aggression [demo]^
6. Skin O’ My Teeth [live at Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI 5/23/92]
High Speed Dirt [live at Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI 5/23/92]
8. Ashes In Your Mouth [live at the Cow Palace, S.F., CA 12/4/92]
9. Sweating Bullets [live at the Cow Palace, S.F., CA 12/4/92]
10.Breakpoint [session take]*
11.Angry Again
12.Train Of Consequences
13.Reckoning Day
14.New World Order
15.The Killing Road
16.Strange Ways
17.Paranoid
18.Diadems
19.A Tout Le Monde
Disc Three:
1. Trust
2. Almost Honest
3. Use The Man
4. She-Wolf
5. A Secret Place [live at Woodstock, NY 7/25/99]
6. One Thing^
7. Duke Nukem
8. Insomnia
9. Crush ‘Em
10. Kill The King
11. Dread And The Fugitive Mind
12. Never Say Die
13. Moto Psycho
14. 1000 Times Goodbye
15. Coming Home^
16. Kick The Chair
17. Of Mice And Men
Disc Four:
All tracks recorded live at Wembley Stadium, London, England 10/16/90
1. Intro/Rattlehead
2. Wake Up Dead*
3. Hangar 18*
4. Hook In Mouth*
5. The Skull Beneath The Skin*
6. The Conjuring*
7. In My Darkest Hour*
8. Lucretia*
9. Devils Island*
10.Take No Prisoners*
11. Peace Sells*
12. Black Friday*
13. Holy Wars…The Punishment Due*
14. It’s Electric*
15. Anarchy In The U.K.*
( * previously unreleased ^ previously unreleased in the U.S. )
Disc Five [DVD]:
1. Intro/Holy Wars…ThePunishment Due*
2. Wake up Dead*
3. Hangar 18*
4. Lucretia*
5. Sweating Bullets*
6. In My Darkest Hour*
7. Tornado of Souls*
8. Ashes In Your Mouth*
9. Peace Sells*
10. Anarchy In the U.K.*
2 NY Dolls – One Day It Will Please us to Remember Even This (2006)
I couldn’t think of a better way to finish up Glam Month without mentioning the New York Dolls reunion disc from 2006, “One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This”.
Surviving New York Dolls members, David Johansen, and Sylvain Sylvain, were joined by bassist Sami Yaffa (Hanoi Rocks), guitarist Steve Conte (Crown Jewels), drummer Brian Delaney and keyboardist Brian Koonin.
Usually reunion records scare me off, but I couldn’t pass up on checking out the latest disc by a band that I
consider the godfathers of glam. Amazingly, this record does not disappoint. It is one solid record from beginning to end. This disc has a big classic rock sound, with upbeat songs that are pleasingly good.
The band even released a couple of videos for this record, which I doubt you ever got to see, if you live in the United States.
Dance Like a Monkey
Get Away from Tommy
This record will please all New York Dolls fans, and quite a few people that are interested in checking out this band for the first time. This isn’t a hard rock record by any means, but it is a very good rock and roll record, and deserves to be heard by all glam fans!
For more information on the New York Dolls, check them out on their website here!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. We’re All in Love
2. Runnin’ Around
3. Plenty of Music
4. Dance Like a Monkey
5. Punishing World
6. Maimed Happiness
7. Fishnets and Cigarettes
8. Gotta Get Away from Tommy
9. Dancing on the Lip of a Volcano
10. I Ain’t Got Nothin’
11. Rainbow Store
12. Gimme Luv and Turn on the Light
13. Take a Good Look at my Good Looks
4 Gypsy Pistoleros – Wild, Beautiful, Damned (2007)
In January of 2007, UK rockers Gypsy Pistoleros released their first full length disc, Wild, Beautiful, Damned.
The band open the eye of a lot of people, and gained a whole new fan base with their appearance in the Rocklahoma Music Festival.
The Pistoleros mix a little bit of flamenco into their sleazy, glam tunes. The band has a sound that I would call a cross between the punk of The Sex Pistols and the glam of Hanoi Rocks and maybe a dash of early 80’s Motley Crue. The influences are definitely strong in the music, but one thing is for certain, Wild, Beautiful, Damned rocks! This CD sounds like a party waiting to happen….just add tequila. I have quite a few favorites on this record including the tunes: Forever Is Para Siempre, Moonchild and Un Hombre Sin Rostro, Pistolero.
You won’t hear a new glam record that is more unique than this one. It is a very solid effort, and is a disc for all glam fans to check out!
2008 could be a big year for the the Gypsy Pistoleros. They have been invited back to Rocklahoma in 2008, and are releasing their 2nd CD, Para Siempre soon. If it is as good as this release, the band will take the world by storm!
Check out the Gypsy Pistoleros on their myspace page here: http://www.myspace.com/gypsypistoleros
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Crazy Loco Loquito
2. Un Hombre Sin Rostro, Pistolero
3. Forever Is Para Siempre
4. What’s It Like To Be A Girl In The House Of 1000 Dolls
5. Una Para Todo Es Bandido!
6. Senor Mangi Acqui
7. Moonchild
8. Switchblade Kiss Comes Close
9. Jet, Jet, Jet Boys
10. Shotgun Kiss Is Ay Que Dolor
11. 1-2-3-4 Kiss Me Then I’M Damned For Sure
The Gypsy Pistoleros are:
1 Lizzy Borden – Appointment With Death (2007)
I have been looking forward to the new Lizzy Borden disc for a while. As soon as I seen some of the guest musicians giving Lizzy a hand on this disc (George Lynch, Dave Meniketti, Ira Black), I knew without a doubt I would pick this up. There hasn’t been a ton of hype about this release, so my only hope going in, is that Appointment With Death with this record is that it would surprass the last Lizzy Borden effort, Deal With The Devil.
In 2007, Lizzy Borden returns with a new band, and a brand new look that will scare your grandparents.
Appointment With Death is a concept album, but that shouldn’t scare you away. This release is pure heavy metal.
Lizzy’s voice hasn’t changed one bit. He can still hit those high pitched notes with ease. He is in fine vocal form on this record. Ira Black’s guitar work is a definite upgrade for this Lizzy Borden fan’s ears. His chugging guitar riffs combined with Marten Anderssen’s heavy bass work, and Joey Scott’s excellent skin bashing seem to compliment each other quite well.
There are two or three cuts that I couldn’t get into very much but I do have some early favorites. The title track, Appointment With Death, is a hard driving tune that I want to keep playing over and over. Live Forever is a metal beast that is forcing its way into my head whether I like it or not. I am a sucker for guitar solos, and Bloody Tears is a metal anthem that has a lot of excellent guitar work. Tomorrow Never Comes has an Iron Maiden type of guitar sound to it, and has catchy lyrics that get into your head quickly. Under Your Skin is quite possibly the most modern sounding metal track on this record. This is a good song that could have some hit potential. Somethin’s Crawlin is the perfect Halloween Anthem. This song kind of reminds me of something that Alice Cooper would do, and that is quite cool. (We Are) The Only Ones has great sing along quality and neck-snapping, head-banging quality.
Is Appointment With Death Lizzy Borden’s best work? If it isn’t, it is very close! This is the kind of disc that will take multiple listens to fully absorb and appreciate. The songs are well written, and the music is a step above any heavy metal discs that have been released recently. It is a very solid metal offering, and is one that should appeal to Lizzy fans every where. Go Get It!
Rating:Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Abnormal
2. Appointment With Death
3. Live Forever
4. Bloody Tears
5. The Death of Love
6. Tomorrow Never Comes
7. Under Your Skin
8. Perfect World (I Don’t Wanna Live)
9. Somthin’s Crawlin
10. (We Are) The Only Ones
11. Darker Side
Lizzy Borden is:
Lizzy Borden – vocals
Joey Scott – Drums
Ira Black – Guitars
Marten Anderssen – Bass
Special Guests Include:
George Lynch (Dokken/Lynch mob)
Dave Meniketti (Y & T)
Corey Beaulieu (Trivium)
Jonas Hansson (Silver Mountain)
Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal/ex-Morbid Angel)
Michael T. Ross (Angel/Hardline)
Adam Cameron
Zane
Marliese Quance
2 Kik Tracee – No Rules (Release Year – 1991)
One of my recent re-acquistions was the debut CD by Kik Tracee, No Rules.
This CD was produced by Slaughter’s Dana Strum. Not surprisingly, the band sounds like Slaughter, and at times a little like Guns ‘N Roses.
Steven Shareaux is a good singer, and has a sound that is somewhat unique. The band is quite solid as well.
No Rules is a CD that was a little better than some of the other offerings by many of the hard rock bands in the early 90’s. This CD, like many, was released to late in the game, and crashed and burned when Nirvana hit the music scene. The band hung around and released an EP in 1992 but then broke up and has not been heard from since.
Some of the stand out cuts on this disc are You’re So Strange, Trash City, Velvet Crush and the cover of the Paul Simon classic Mrs. Robinson.
Fans of 80’s hard rock are going to love No Rules! You can get low cost used copies of this CD at Amazon.com. Go grab one before they are all gone! You can hear more songs at Kik Tracee’s myspace page here.
Enjoy the video for You’re So Strange!
Rating:Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Don’t Need Rules
2. Mrs. Robinson
3. You’re So Strange
4. Trash City
5. Hard Time
6. Big Western Sky
7. Generation Express
8. Soul Shaker
9. Tangerine Man
10. Lost
11. Velvet Crush
12. Rattlesnake Eyes
13. Romeo Blues
14. Fade Dunaway
Kik Tracee is:
Stephen Shareaux – Lead Vocals
Rob Grad – Bass Guitar and Background vocals
Michael Marquis – Lead and Acoustic Guitar and Background vocals
Gregory Hex – Rhythm and Slide Guitars and Background Vocals
Johnny Douglas- Drums, Percussion and Background Vocals
5 The Order – Metal Casino (Release Year – 2007)
I love it when new Metal Acts surprise me in 2007, especially when they have a sound that is rooted in 80’s hard rock and metal. The Order actually isn’t new, this is actually their 2nd full length release.
The Order are a four piece band out of Switzerland. They have a sound that blends a little bit of Dokken, with a dash of KISS, and yet rock hard enough to create something different and new.
Take one listen to Gianni Pontillo’s vocals in the video below, for the song Satisfaction, and see if you can hear a little bit of Paul Stanley in his sound.
Nonetheless, Metal Casino rocks from beginning to end. There are plenty of great cuts on this record including “Mama”, “I love Rock ‘N’ Roll”, “Satisfaction”, and the excellent ballad “My Last Goodbye”. Fans of 80’s Hard Rock Bands like Dokken, XYZ, KISS and Krokus are going to love this disc.
The Order joins what seems to be a growing list of great Swiss Hard Rock bands releasing quality new tunes in the last couple of years. This disc is definitely a contender for one of the Top 10 Hard Rock Records of 2007!.
Check out The Order at their myspace page here, then go buy the record! This disc is now available through most retailers through Locomotive Records!
Rating:Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Welcome To The Metal Casino
2. Mama, I Love Rock N Roll
3. Satisfaction
4. Bridges Burning
5. My Last Goodbye
6. In The Heat Of The Lonely Night
7. Let The Good Times Roll
8. Down With The Rain
9. Forever
10. Broken Days
11. Little Wings
The Order is:
Gianni Pontillo – Lead and Backing Vocals
Bruno Spring – Electric and Acoustic Guitars
Andrej Abplanalp – Bass and Backing Vocals
Mauro Casciero – Drums and Percussion
2 Invitro – When I Was A Planet (Released – 2007)
Invitro is the new band featuring featuring ex-Snot and Soulfly guitarist Mikey Doling.
When I Was A Planet is a somewhat entertaining fusion of Punk and Metal.
This sound of Invitro kind of reminds me of Suicidal Tendencies at times. There is a lot of humor in the lyrics which will certainly crack a few smiles with even the toughest hard rock fan.
The heavy sound of this record may not appeal to everyone. Fans of the genre will probably like this, but those looking for a more mainstream hard rock effort, are probably not going to enjoy this record. This album does however have a noteworthy moment.
When I was a Planet is pretty good. The video below is pretty funny! This is the least heavy song on the record, and I like this one quite a bit.
As a whole, I found the album, When I Was A Planet a little too heavy for my taste. If you like your music on the heavier side, check out Invitro. You can find more info on Invitro at this link.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. New Disease
2. King
3. When I Was a Planet
4. Ridiculist
5. Balloon
6. Transfer
7. Stitches
8. Hollyvision
9. Comb Over Party
10. Three-D
11. Lucid May
12. Pre-Prise
13. Lemmy’s Bumps
14. Shark Attack
2 Mondo Generator – Dead Planet (Release Year – 2007)
One of the acts that took the stage at the 2007 Ozzfest was Nick Oliveri’s band, Mondo Generator.
Nick Oliveri is no stranger to Ozzfest. He first took the stage in Ozzfest as the bassist for Queens of the Stone Age.
On Dead Planet, Nick handles the lead vocals and bass playing. Nick Oliveri’s razor sharp voice is one that takes a couple of listens to get used to, but I find his sound refreshingly different from so many of the singers that I have listened to as of late.
Mondo Generator has a punk/metal sound that I describe as Motorhead meets Velvet Revolver. The music on Dead Planet is extremely tight. The dual guitars of Ian Taylor and Spud are far better than I could have imagined.
Dead Planet gives you a wide selection of tunes. 17 songs averaging about 3 minutes in length. The cool thing about the short song length on Dead Planet is, if you find a song not to your liking, chances are 3 minutes later you will.
Stand out tracks are All The Way Down, Lie Detector, So High, Take Me Away, and Paper Thin.
I had no expectations when I first listened to this CD, and surprisingly liked this one a lot. If you are a fan of Nick’s former work in Queens of the Stone Age, get Dead Planet, you will love it. If you like the video above, for Lie Detector above, check out Mondo Generator, I think you will like them! You can hear more tracks at the band’s myspace page here.
Rating: Out of 10
1. Basket Case
2. I Never Sleep
3. All the Way Down
4. She Only Owns You
5. Lie Detector
6. Mental Hell
7. All Systems Go
8. Like a Bomb
9. So High
10. S.S.M.T.
11. Take Me Away
12. Life of Sin
13. Paper Thin
14. Sam Hall
15. There She Goes Again
16. Bloody Hammer
17. Sleep the Lie Away
4 Mountain – Masters of War (Release Year – 2007)
Mountain returns with their first release since 2004’s Eruption.
This CD is a cover album of sorts. Leslie West and company have chosen to take on the tunes of Bob Dylan for this record.
You love or hate for this record will likely stem from whether you like Bob Dylan or not. Personally, I have not been a Bob Dylan fan, so I found this record a little more palatable than some. I am not familiar with a lot of Bob Dylan’s songs, so for me, I am hearing these songs for the first time as presented by Mountain.
I like Leslie West’s raspy vocals, and I always enjoy good bluesy hard rock. I don’t know if Mountain does an adequate job on the cover tunes or not, but I like what I hear on this disc well enough to spin this a few times.
On this album, you get a guest appearance by Ozzy Osbourne on the track Masters of War. I am sure this was a trade off for Leslie’s appearance on Ozzy’s Undercover disc. Nonetheless, I enjoy hearing Ozzy here.
Masters of War is a bluesy guitar riff filled disc that I enjoyed to a lesser degree. Is this the best collection of Mountain tunes that I have ever heard? No, but it is a solid effort from Mr. West and company.
This is a disc that will mix well with some of the other southern hard rock discs that I enjoy. Masters of War won’t blow your mind, but if you are a fan of the band, it is certainly worth seeking out.
Rating: Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Masters Of War
2. Serve somebody with
3. Blowin’ In The Wind [heavy]
4. Everything Is Broken
5. Highway 61 Revisited
6. This Heart Of Mine
7. Subterranean Homesick Blues
8. The Times They Are A-changin’
9. Seven Days
10. Mr. Tambourine Man
11. Like A Rolling Stone
12. Blowin’ In The Wind [acoustic]
2 Mower – Not For You (Release Year – 2007)
Typically Mower is not the type of band that I would usually listen to. I usually am a little more resistant to bands with hardcore tendencies.
I must admit that Mower is far better than I ever could have expected. Pinpointing the band’s style is a little more difficult than I expected. There are elements of hardcore, a little bit thrash, mixed with a little bit of stoner rock for good measure. Within the songs, I can hear elements of early Metallica fused with Anthrax, Rob Zombie and a small dash of Black Sabbath. The energy in the songs captivates my ears with every spin.
While I release this type of rock may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Mower’s latest CD, Not For You is one worth checking out. My favorite cuts so far are American Psycho, Look Away, U-Turn, Road Rage, and the thrashing cover of California Dreamin’.
Mower is the second metal band that I have heard lately using a dual vocal approach (the first being Atreyu.) The mixture of Brian Sheerin and Dominic Moscatello is a little different than Atreyu’s approach. One singer is all metal, the other is hardcore. It makes for an intersting mix.
Not For You is a short listen. It has 15 songs clocking in at roughly 39 minutes. Most of the songs here are less than 3 minutes in length. To me, it is the shorter length on the songs that makes this disc more listenable. If you like you music on the heavier side, Mower may be an act for you to get a quick Metal fix.
For more information on Mower, check out their myspace page here or their website Mower Music.
Rating: Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. American Psycho
2. Road Rage
3. 10′ X 10′
4. The End
5. Look Away
6. Broken Hands
7. MPYP
8. General Admission
9. U-Turn
11. Not For You
12. L.A. Riot
13. Zone
14. Seedless
15. California Dreamin’
6 Kiss – Alive! – (Release Year – 1975)
When thinking about a live Classic Metal CD, only one came to mind, KISS’ Alive from 1975.
If you are a KISS fan of any kind, this CD needs no introduction, you probably own this on multiple formats. For those of you that don’t, keep reading!
KISS Alive may be the most successful live hard rock disc of all time. This Album has sold over 4 million copies since its initial release. Rolling Stone Magazine has this disc listed as one of their Top 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
While I don’t agree with all of Rolling Stone’s choices, this is one that is a worthy selection.
Is KISS the greatest band of all time? Probably not. Is this the best live CD of all time? It is pretty damn close if it isn’t. The sound quality of this disc, is amazing, especially since it was recorded in ’75. I can listen to this 80 minute set repeatedly without getting bored.
This is truly a once in a lifetime live set, and I think the live energy of the KISS live performance is captured very well here.
If you are a hard rock fan, you owe it to yourself to pick up this excellent 2 disc set!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
Disc: 1
1. Deuce
2. Strutter
3. Got To Choose
4. Hotter Than Hell
5. Firehouse
6. Nothin’ To Lose
7. C’mon And Love Me
8. Parasite
9. She Listen
Disc: 2
1. Watchin’ You
2. 100,000 Years
3. Black Diamond
4. Rock Bottom
5. Cold Gin
6. Rock And Roll All Nite
7. Let Me Go, Rock ‘N’ Roll
