Album Review: Who You Selling For

Impressions/Thoughts:

The Pretty Reckless is a newer band that formed in 2009 and recently produced their third album entitled Who You Selling For. I was introduced to this band through their second album, Going to Hell, which impressed me with the high caliber of the songs that were presented within that release. After listening to their second album, I felt enthusiastic about their music and was looking forward to their next album release. When The Pretty Reckless announced their third album was coming out and released the first single from it, I was anxiously anticipating listening to the new music.

The Music:

As the album begins, the first segment of the two-part song is a piano piece that is called “The Walls Are Closing In” which is the first part of the song “The Walls Are Closing In/Hangman”. After the brief piano intro, the song switches to the second part entitled “Hangmen” which has a very rhythmic riff which picks up the pace and leads into the chorus. In the beginning of the song, the piano complements Taylor Momsen’s melodic voice, whereas during the second part of the song, both the music and her voice are very monotonic except during the chorus.

“Oh My God” demonstrates Momsen’s rougher vocal style, which has been one of the draws to The Pretty Reckless band. Her style is unlike that of most female vocalists that we are accustom to hearing who typically demonstrate their soprano abilities. “Oh My God” is the fastest song on the album and hits that hard rock cord. 

“Take Me Down” is the lead single and has a good opening riff which leads to a bold catchy chorus. The song is rather euphoric sounding, but has a serious message. It’s got a catchy melody and a chorus to boot and the singer makes you focus on the lyrics. To me it seem that this song has a “Sympathy for the Devil” vibe to it. The tone of the song starts slower and slowly builds up as the tune continues to the end. It’s a solid hard rock tune.

“Prisoner” starts with clapping to the beat of a march that continues throughout the song. The sound reminds me of what you might hear when a chain gang is working. It also reminds me of an old gospel or blues song. The guitar and bass enter giving a simple slow riff making way for Momsen’s vocals which form a melody above the rhythmic beat. Lyrically the line “You can have my body, But you can’t have me” mirrors the theme of being a prisoner.

“Wild City” reminds me of a 70’s Blaxploitation movie, especially the show Shaft.

“Back to the River” is a song that reminds me of an Allman Brothers esque southern rock jam song, and it also features a former member of The Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes, who was with The Allman Brothers Band from 1989–1997 and 2000–2014.

The title track “Who You Selling For” has some references to the members of the Beatles and Pink Floyd. Overall this song sounds like a ballad as it has a softer riff.

The acoustic song, “Bedroom Window”, is a short and sweet piece of music. It’s a ballad like song with a simple melody that goes up and down making a soothing track where the focus is on the words.

“Living In The Storm” picks up the pace with a faster beat that has me tapping my foot to the beat. It’s one of the longer tracks on the album and showcases the instrumental abilities of the band. The song also has a really nice guitar solo about halfway through the song. The tune seems to touch on the subject of substance abuse and trying to avoid being pulled into that way of life.

“Already Dead” slows the album tempo down with a very bluesy riff which makes for a sadder song. The music emotes strong feelings of sadness about a person who is dead, which then amplifies with a guitar solo midway through the song.

“The Devil's Back” is the longest song on the album, being a little over seven minutes long. The song retains the somber mood that has been created on the latter half of the album. After all the lyrics are sung, the guitar starts to wail mimicking the vocal melody. This song is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s wailing guitars.

The album closes with the song, “Mad Love”. It starts off with a Beatles esque sound in the intro, then changes into a funky beat. Momsen’s vocals have a distortion to them that creates an interesting dynamic in the song. I like the steady beat but this song focuses on the melodic vocals more than the instrumentals, with the vocal solos sounding like there are multiple people singing together.

Verdict:

Who You Selling For is another top-heavy album, where most of the catchy hits are played on the first half. The Pretty Reckless continues to mature musically with every album. There are songs that are reminiscent of The Beatles, Allman Brothers and Pink Floyd, showing the bands influences on their sleeve. This album is a great hard rock album and I recommend you check it out especially if you love hard rock.

Top 5 Songs:

1) “Take Me Down”

2) “Oh My God”

3) “Prisoner”

4) “Living In The Storm”

5) “Back to the River”

From left to right: Mark Damon, Taylor Momsen, Ben Phillips and Jamie Perkins

  

You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and their official website is here.

Discovering Metal: Judas Priest

“Let’s go break that Law!”

Following the big three early metal bands (Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple), Judas Priest is the next most important metal band to come out of the U.K. They started in the early to mid-1970’s and had a very blues oriented sound and style. Only a few years later, they shed off the blues sound and became the first band to be classified as metal. They inspired the leather and studs look and had songs that represented that refined metal sound. If you listen to some of their earlier songs, like from Sad Wings of Destiny, and then a song from their album Painkiller, you would note a distinct difference because their later works are heavier.

Judas Priest is still one of the biggest bands in metal. In their US shows, they fill large theaters. What keeps drawing fans to their shows during their tours is that they still give a great live performance. Each of the musicians are still at the top of their game, and Rob Halford still screams gloriously. They also continue to record new music, which in this day and age is something their peers are forgoing and resting on their past laurels. 

When talking about Judas Priest, most people cite their duel guitar attack and Halford’s vocals. While these attributes certainly made them stand out from the crowd back in the day, for me what really sets Judas Priest apart from other heavy metal bands is that they have good songs which are true to the Heavy Metal genre. Their epics like “Screaming for Vengeance” to their anthems like “Living After Midnight” made them stand out from other bands sonically. For me, it was the character of the band that made them so likable. Because they are the “Metal Gods”, they wave the flag of metal and they wear that label as a badge of honor. That is something every metalhead can get behind.

Top 10 favorite songs:

1) “Victim of Changes”

2) “Painkiller”

3) “Rapid Fire

4) “Beyond the Realms of Death”

5) “Metal Meltdown”

6) “Hell Bent for Leather”

7) “The Rage”

8) “Halls of Valhalla”

9) “Blood Red Skies”

10) “Screaming for Vengeance”

No, I’m not going to have “Breaking the law”, “You’ve Got another thing Comin”, or “Living after Midnight” on my list because they are over played and everybody knows those songs.

From left to right: Ian Hill, Scott Travis, Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton

You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and their official website is here.

Album Review: The Last Hero

Impressions/Thoughts:

I’m not a fan of Alter Bridge, or rather I haven’t had the chance to listen to any of their music before this album was released. What I’m saying is that this is my entry into the music of this band and it will foretell if I will go back to check out their previous albums. From what I know of the members of Alter Bridge, is that the vocalist/guitarist Miles Kennedy is also the singer of Slash’s solo band and I know of Mark Tremonti’s guitar virtuosity. I think it’s funny to point out, for those that don’t know, that three fourths of the band were in the band Creed.

I’ve heard of Alter Bridge in podcasts and articles, so I knew that they at least had something going for them, because a band that is talked about must be good. So for this album my only real introduction was the video of the opening track “Show Me a Leader”. I liked it so I decided to purchase it when it came out.

The Music:

“Show Me a Leader” has a serene intro that sounds very majestic. When the bass and drums enter, the riff takes off and the guitar soars over the rest of the instrumentals. Then the main riff begins and propels the song forward. This song is very relevant with the American presidential election looming over us. The song is about the people who are tired and numb from their so called leaders leaving them cold. They want a leader who is trustworthy, who won’t compromise and will give them hope. They don’t need a person who is selling themselves as or being sold as a savior.  “Show Me a Leader” is a good opening track that makes you want to hear more.

“The Writing On the Wall” is a song that makes you think about how others can see the writing on the wall but you can’t. I like how the vocals mimic the riff in the beginning part of the song. It has a nice complex riff as the guitars, bass and drums form a good harmony. Lyrically, it imposes the thought that there’s nobody else to blame but you for whatever sins you commit or actions that you repeat over and over again. Overall it’s another great song.

“The Other Side” is distinctly heavier than the previous songs. It opens with a soft chant and builds up and then the instrumentals to join in. One thing that I found that was omitted in this song was that there was no big long guitar solo. The song sound dark as the notes continually descend the scale. I find this song is about people who are self-righteous or closeminded about faith and spirituality. In that they are often not open to other people’s views. They judge others and say they’ll go to hell while they claim that they have a straight path to heaven. When in reality they are only setting themselves up for damnation.

“My Champion” is a much more upbeat song in both sound and lyrics. The song’s riff sonically rises up the scale. In this song, we have the return of a big guitar solo which is another showcase of the bands abilities. Thematically, I see parallels to Survivors famous song “Eye of the Tiger”. It’s about rising up when your knocked down and never giving up. It has an encouraging theme which leaves the listener with a good feeling.

“Poison In Your Veins” jumps in with the drums and a fast riff. The chorus is really catchy and makes the listener want to sing along to it. Again, there is another great guitar solo. The song is very emphatic and hooks in the listener till the very end. Lyrically the song is about how some people have aspirations, but beat themselves up and don’t let themselves peruse their dreams. They have a poison in their blood, so to speak, that continuously beats themselves down. These people never reach their goals or potential in life because they self-destruct and this song is encouraging people to cast aside their self-doubt to achieve their dreams. 

“Cradle To the Grave” has a very powerful and engaging opening riff that immediately hooks in the listener. This song has two great solos placed in the later part of the song. This is a somber song which makes you contemplate your relationships with your parents and siblings and that you realize when they’re gone you won’t have their arm around you to shelter you. This song deals with the loss of someone close to you like a mother or father. It also touches on the fact of how inevitability time passes by and how nothing lasts forever. All that we’re left with is our memories to fall back on.

“Losing Patience” is another song that makes you want to listen to the message which is strongly enforced by a catchy chorus. It is a song about how instead of just waiting around for something to happen that you should just go out and make it happen. Carpe diem.

“This Side of Fate” has a more serene riff than most of the other songs on the album. The song almost sounds like a ballad, but the riff picks up for the chorus and solos. This song allows the vocalist Miles Kennedy to display his ability. This song is about living with your decisions and the outcomes.

“You Will Be Remembered” is a softer song, and has an almost country or gospel vibe to it. It’s a very different song that adds a distinctive flavor to the album. The song is very uplifting and is very easy to listen to. Lyrically, it’s about people who sacrifice a lot, even themselves, for others. These heroes should be appreciated for their accomplishments and be remembered.

“Crows On a Wire” is one of the heavier songs on the album. The beginning of the song starts off with a great guitar sound and drums that makes you want to move to the beat. Then, the vocals are added to carry the melody throughout the entire track. It is rather upbeat sounding. Throughout the entire song you hear the guitar, bass and drums with one guitar solo. Lyrically, the song is about power and glory. For anyone in the public eye, no secrets can be hidden. Being in the spotlight can be a double edged sword. Some people can build you up while others want to take you down. Our society likes to put people up on pedestals and then tear them down. Overall, It’s a great tune to listen to.

“Twilight” is a more upbeat song in comparison to the previous track. The chorus has an interesting dynamic as it starts with backing vocals with the main vocals following afterwards. The song stresses the need for tolerance. The world is in conflict and if we as people don’t tolerate others we’re going to destroy the world we live in, and we only have ourselves to blame. Hoping that things don’t get worse, while we are looking and praying for changes for a better future.

“Island of Fools” has a progressive sounding riff that make it sound epic. Later in the song, the riff becomes much heavier right around the time when the guitar solo takes place. The message of the song seems to be that we all have certain images of what life should be, but our dreams are shattered through our experiences in life. So we have to have courage and perseverance to pick up the pieces to save ourselves. If we don’t work towards our destiny, we’ll just be fools waiting for the future to unfold.

The title track, “The Last Hero”, is the closing song on the album, not including bonus tracks. The melody of the chorus is reminiscent of another song on the album, which creates some continuity to the album. The riff progresses and becomes heavier, then changes to a more serene sound which bridges right into the chorus. This song has more great guitar soloing from the band. The question posed in this song is, “Are there any more heroes left in this word?” Leaders try to bring change about, but others tried to undermine them. Time will tell whether their decisions were right or wrong, but it doesn’t help when they are being downtrodden. With the first song “Show Me a Leader”, the eighth song “This Side of Fate” and this track, it almost feels like they are a continuation of a similar theme.

“Last of Our Kind” is a bonus track that came with the digital and special edition versions of the album. This song is on the heavier side which is reflected in the lyrics. The solo by Mark Tremonti is phenomenal.

“The lyric was actually inspired by when the exterminator came to our house because we had carpenter ants. And after he sprayed the house and I went up and looked at all the ants writhing around dying, I felt so bad and it broke my heart. So the song is written about being exterminated from the ants’ perspective!” (Miles Kennedy, musicradar.com)

The song is from about human’s impact on other species which in the mind of the masses is rarely contemplated.

“The title was actually supposed to be Symphony Of Agony.” (Miles Kennedy, musicradar.com)

There is another bonus track, “Breathe”, on the exclusive CD version which can only be purchased at Best Buy. Unfortunately, I don’t have this bonus track so I can’t review it. Although, you can check out this little tidbit of the song below.

Verdict:

This band has some major talent, as both the lyrical content and instrumentals are phenomenal. This album is on the longer side being 72 minutes, which includes the first bonus track. From another review I read, they said that this album is top heavy. In a way, I agree. Most of the first half of the album has very catchy songs that hook their riffs and melodies in you which makes it more memorable. The latter half is no black sheep though there are some great songs on there, some of which are growers and you have to listen to them a few times to appreciate them. Overall, The Last Hero is a great album that I recommend you take a listen to it and the other songs and albums by Alter Bridge.

Top 6 Songs:

1) “My Champion”

2) “Show Me a Leader”

3) “Poison In Your Veins”

4) “The Writing On the Wall”

5) “The Other Side”

6) “Crows On a Wire”

From left to right: Scott Phillips, Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti and Brian Marshall

You can follow Alter Bridge on Facebook and Twitter. Their official website is here.

Too Long at the Party

Being “Too long at the party” is a term that is tossed around in different contexts. The context of which I will be referring to is when a band has been around so long that they are tarnishing their legacy. An example of this situation would be when a band can’t perform as well as they used to. In a band’s career, especially one that spans a long period of time, it often incorporates a deep history that has evolved over several decades which often includes lineup changes, musical directions, to break ups and reformations. One might conclude that some bands may be staying “Too long at the party.”

My intention is not to bash any artists, I’m here to be objective and pose the question “Is [insert band name here] not as good as they used to be?” Of course people are going to have their favorite eras of different bands, what I’m asking is does that drummer hit as hard, can the singer still hit those notes, etc.? I’ve looked at many different bands and in my opinion the best artist that is older and still records and performs live to this day would have to be Alice Cooper. In the case of Alice Cooper, what it comes down to is that his live performance is a show. Alice himself was never known for his singing abilities, but rather as a performer, a showman. So now that he is nearing his 70’s, he still gives a great live performance. For him, he still performs as well as or better than he did in the past, but now he just has to put on less makeup.

  

Being “Too long at the party” is a question that has to be answered on a case by case basis for each band, because the lifespan maybe 40, 50, or 60 years. It may not be a matter of making new music, although some bands seem to have creative burn out, but rather a contemplation of whether performing live is still appropriate. Some artists are hanging up the towel by going out with a bang. We call these farewell tours. Ozzy did it, although that really didn’t work out because he continued to record and tour years later. Lately, the two best examples of this are Twisted Sister and Mötley Crüe. Those two bands are retiring, although for different reasons while still at the top of their game.

A band may just stagnate and need some new blood to inject some energy into it. When people are deciding whether to go see a band’s live performance, they have to ask themselves if they are going just for the sake of nostalgia or whether they are going because they are expecting to see a great show. You have to ask yourself and the bands should ask themselves this question, Have they been around too long?

Follow the official Facebook page of the Metalizer for updates of when new posts to this blog.

Album Review: Breathe in the Water

Impressions/Thoughts:

After their last album Burn the Serum, which came out in 2014, I had high expectations for their follow up to that album. So when their first single “Pristine Waring” was released, I had a guttural reaction to it because it was a simpler sounding song that got me right in the mood for the album. As more tunes were released as singles, my confidence in this album grew as each song was just as strong as the last.

The Music:

“Pristine Warning” starts with a simple powerful riff that gets you right in the mood. There are some great instrumentals and transitions in between the verses and chorus. The guitar solo near the end after the verse, explodes with energy as guitarist Eddie Veliz shreds, which is a display of emotion about the subject of the song. The bass echoes after the solo and leads right back into the chorus. You can tell that from the subject matter in the lyrics that this is not going to be a happy song. The tone of the song then goes down the scale, so it alerts you that it is going to be a serious or emotional topic. Lyrically, it jumps right in by saying “I feel sick, I feel numb pointless treason, I should’ve seen it all along”, which grabs your attention as the song is about a relationship that went south. After giving that person second chances and being let down repeatedly, the decision was finally made to end the relationship for the benefit of all parties.

“Breathe in the Water” starts off fast, but slows down the tempo for the main riff which has a beat that hooks in the listener. I like how the vocals start off soft and build up to an emotional peak in the chorus. The rhythm grabs you as the melody of the vocals fly above the riff. As the chorus repeats, there are more lyrics added after it with “Breathe the water, breathe it all in. Breathe, breathe, breath, breathe.” which is catchy and also emphasizes the theme of the song. The lyrics are about a man and his family fleeing Syria in a boat which capsizes and his family drowns. This song emanates empathy for the man who was trying to get a better life for his family, but instead he loses them all.

“Closer To The End” is more serene but bursts into a heavy riff. It moderates in between these tones throughout the piece. The vocals echo the riff’s emotion and after the first chorus “We’re closer to the end.” you only hear the instrumentals in that similar serene tone until the vocals return a few moments later. Lyrically this is another sad song and touches upon nearing the end of someone’s life.

The next song, “Follow Blindly” is a faster track that has a continuous rhythm and instrumentals throughout he song. I focused on the lyrics of this song which portray how prayers aren’t wanted from people who are hypocritical. These people claim to follow Christ blindly, but are really just wolves in sheep’s clothing. This song is about the disillusionment concerning these people and their claim to have faith in God.

“Show Me Your Love” is a mellower song that is more like a ballad and later on it punches into a heavier riff. The song is about how a guy who is insecure about a relationship he is in and wants to be shown the other person’s love. Lyrically it also portrays how he is insecure about his relationship. He refers to it as agony and living a nightmare, ultimately the relationship is not going to have “a beautiful ending”.

“Reckoning, Pt. 1” is a prelude to what is to come later in the album on the last song. This track is only 38 seconds long and fades in and out quickly enough so that it could be easily missed. 

“The Dead” starts off with an upbeat tempo which is unusual for the name of song. Then it transitions into a riff that is much more in line with what you would expect from a song with that title. This piece is much more solemn and serious with its lyrical content; what the theme of the songs boils down to is  that dead men tell no tales.

“Bipolar Schemes” is a good song that has instrumental interludes that give this track a good listening pace. I like how the riff slows down after the chorus which gives me time to reflect on the song’s lyrics. The words in this song describe a man who was in a relationship with a woman who kept putting him down and berating him. The lyrics “Jesus couldn’t help you with your soul” show that a woman that is referenced in the song is struggling with many issues where she is trying to keep them contained inside to the point where she couldn’t deal with them anymore and ends up slitting her wrists to keep her issues to herself. That is how she dealt with it and he tried to help her, as indicated in the lyrics “Jesus can’t help me get you through”.

“Hide From You” has a very distinctive riff that separates itself from the other songs on the album. The song grabs you and makes you want to hear more. The lyrics, according to my interpretation, seem to be about a person who has a certain faith which may make him be seen by others a fool for his beliefs. Despite what others may think, he still is trying to remain strong in his faith. It’s about a need to believe in God which helps him continue on in life, because otherwise it just seems hopeless. In a world where everything seems to be against him, he is able to cope with the feeling of being alone in his struggle by retaining his hope and faith in God. Overall, it’s an engaging song that grabs you from the beginning and carries you to the end.

“Song For a Broken Masque” is a song with a slower pace. It starts off with a serene opening but transitions into the main riff which has a deeper harder tone as it goes down with every chord progression; it sets a darker mood. This track has good instrumentals that had me tapping my foot to the beat without even realizing it. I think this song is about someone who is not understood and feels emotionally spent. It sounds like this person is a scapegoat as he is being blamed for somebody else’s problems. In addition, they tarnish his name and make him look bad. He realizes that the person who is slamming him doesn’t recognize his full potential of what he could be. He gets to the point where goodwill cannot mend the bridge of the relationship and distance is all he wants from this person as he’s been hurt enough.

“The Beginning of What Was” as the members of Kyng described, is an homage to Led Zeppelin. The acoustic guitars on this song offer an interesting change from the sound of the other tracks on this album. It’s a refreshing instrumental interlude which provides an opportunity to reflect on the songs heard so far on this album.

“The Battle of the Saint / Lines” opens with an acoustic guitar melody which serves as a good transition from the previous song. Then it launches into a heavy metal riff that mimics the melody of the previous acoustic guitar intro. The riff is heavier and has an emotional quality to it. Lyrically the song is about how people try to bring down others regardless of whether they are viewed as a leader, a god, or a “man of gold.”

“Not Enough” is an upbeat song with a melodic hard rock feel. It has a catchy chorus you which you find yourself singing along to. I like during in the midpoint of the song where it slows down and you can only hear the guitars and vocals. The lyrics describe a relationship in which one person is trying to keep the relationship together but they can never give enough.

The album closes with “What I’m Made of / Reckoning, Pt. 2” which is faster and heavier than most of the other songs on the album. I like the chord progression leading up to and into the chorus. The riff is really strong as it punches the listener with emotion. From my lyrical interpretation, I see the song as being about a resolve through tough times in life. When the singer says “I’ll clutch a crucifix in hell,” this tells me that even if he going to hell he’ll keep holding on to his faith and give it his all. Overall the song closes the album with very strong instrumentals and vocals.

Verdict:

The album has a more serious theme than their prior album. Musically it has a heavier tone although some of their songs are on the slower side. Lyrically it’s very sad as it touches on many subjects such as  loss, where you fit in with the world, relationships and judgements made by others or by a higher power. Breathe in the Water is a very good album. I find it to be a grower, in that you have to listen to the album a few times as the songs grow on you. The more you listen to the songs, the more you understand the meanings as they distill into you. When comparing this to thier last album Burn the Serum, it is very hard to make a choice which one is better. I would say that this album is one of their better albums and I recommend that you take a listen to it.

Top 6 Songs:

1) “Breathe in the Water”

2) “Pristine Warning”

3) “What I’m Made of / Reckoning, Pt. 2”

4) “Bipolar Schemes”

5) “Follow Blindly”

6) “Hide From You”

From left to right: Pepe Clarke, Eddie Veliz and Tony Castaneda

Follow Kyng on Facebook and Twitter, and on their official website.

Discovering Metal: Anthrax

From left to right: Charlie Benante, Frank Bello, Scott Ian, Joey Belladonna and Jonathan Donais

The big four of Thrash Metal are Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Out of those four, Anthrax is the least successful in album sales with about 10 million albums sold worldwide. This has not stopped them from continuously touring and making great albums. Anthrax is viewed as being silliest of the big four with their mascot the “Not Man” which was spawned from a rap metal song that they made called “I’m the Man”.

Anthrax is known for their thrash hits like “Indians” and “Caught in a Mosh”, and rightly so, but they have explored depths which at the time where ground breaking like the song “I’m the Man” and their cross over with their rendition of Public Enemy’s song “Bring the Noise”. Throughout their career, they have produce a diverse array of songs that have the influences of thrash metal, heavy metal, rap, and punk.

For myself and other metalheads, what really made Anthrax stand out is that they have a lead singer with a broad vocal range and versatility. I’m talking about vocalist Joey Belladonna. While listening to Megadeth and Metallica is great and they each come with their own styles, Anthrax offers a different flavor that really appeals to me. I was used to the singing in Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, so Anthrax was a natural progression for me as I got into heavier music.

I first discovered Anthrax, after I saw my first Megadeth show, in the summer of 2013. The first album I listened to was their third album Among the Living. At that point in time, I had been listening to more of Megadeth’s deeper catalogue like Cryptic Writings. Anthrax had a different dimension in their music, a touch more punk than other thrash metal bands. I really enjoyed Among the Living so I decided to listen to their prior albums like Spreading the Disease and Persistence of Time.

I’ve listened to the music from Anthrax’s inception to the album Sound of White Noise and then from the album Worship Music to their current music. Based on my listening experience, I would definitely recommend to any heavy metal fan that they check out Anthrax, especially fans of thrash metal. Anthrax has continually impressed me with their creativity in the songs produced throughout their career. They’re a great band and I look forward to what songs they’ll release in the future.

Top Favorite Albums:

1) Among The Living

2) Worship Music

3) Spreading the Disease

4) For All Kings

5) Sound of White Noise

Album Review: Victorious

Impressions/Thoughts:

Wolfmother is an Australian Hard Rock band that that was formed in 2000 and is most well known for their song “Woman” from their self-titled debut album. I became a fan after listening to their third album, New Crown, but that album wasn’t as impressive as this latest album. Had the music business been like what it was when Wolfmother started up, I could have seen many of their songs being big hits on the radio. Wolfmother has this tone in their music that appeals to both the casual rock fan as well as the hardcore hard rock fan.

When I looked up the band, Monster Truck, on iTunes, my search results included their new album Sittin’ Heavy. I then checked the related section and that’s when I learned about Wolfmother’s album, Victorious. By this point, I was already a fan of Wolfmother’s music, but I didn’t know what to expect on this new album. I was pleasantly surprised because it had some hard rock mixed in with some softer tunes.

The Music:

“The Love That You Give” opens up the album with a catchy melodic riff. I like the parts in the song where the riff breaks up in preparation for the chorus.

The next song, “Victorious”, has a faster beat and a heavier riff which sounds more upbeat than the opening track. It’s a catchy song and the drums get to shine when the chorus plays. I like when later in the song the riff changes and the singer says “Don't you ever get tired and feel like giving up?” Then the singer breaks off into a solo which builds up back into the main riff.

The third song, “Baroness”, contrasts the previous song by being slower but none the less catchy. I really like the more distorted guitar sound, which makes the chorus even more catchy and complements the vocals.

The forth song, “Pretty Peggy”, is a slower song that sounds more like a ballad. I like when the vocals have that echo effect when the singer is wailing over the riff. The song itself has a slower melody that makes it stand out from the other songs on the album.  

The following track, “City Lights”, jumps in with a high pitched riff. I think it’s pretty cool when the vocals and riff tradeoff in the chorus. Later in the song, after the chorus, the band goes off into a cool guitar solo that demonstrates their instrumental abilities.

The sixth song, “The Simple Life”, opens with a very interesting heavier riff where you hear the drums and guitar in separate intervals, which then leads into the chorus. Further along in the song the riff changes with a solo playing over the riff, and then goes back into the main riff but with more dimension to it.

The seventh song, “Best of a Bad Situation”, is a much more upbeat song than the previous track. I like the part before the chorus where it almost sounds like clapping. In the upbeat nature of the song, I find myself stomping along with the beat. The song makes you want to sing along to its lyrics. This track can appeal to any type of rock fan and I can definitely see this song being played live.

The eighth song, “Gypsy Caravan”, opens with a more generic riff, but when it transitions into the chorus is when it really hooks you in. I like how the song breaks up and becomes faster later into the song. I think the song would have wide appeal to rock fans and would be a good mood setter for a party or social event.  

The ninth song, “Happy Face”, has a classic “Sabbath like” sound as it starts off slower with a distorted heavier riff. When Andrew Stockdale’s vocals join into the song, he reminds me of Geddy Lee from Rush. I really like the riff and the wailing guitar about halfway through the piece as it solos on top of the riff. The track is simpler than the other songs on the album, as I feel it is more about listening to the riff rather than the vocals.

The closing track of the album, “Eye of the Beholder”, has an added kick to it when the beat follows the drums. The vocals in the chorus soar over the riff adding another dimension to the song. The instrumentals then change into a faster beat, then goes back into the rhythm of the main riff. As the last track on Victorious, it is a good closing piece for the album.

Verdict:

The instrumentals in the songs on the album display true quality in Wolfmother’s music. The combination of the catchy riffs and the singer’s voices create a synergy that appeals to me. Victorious is a great hard rock album with some excellent songs that compose it. If you’re a hard rock fan I suggest you check out this album and the other music by Wolfmother.

Also, I’d just like to point out that this is the first album where Wolfmother actually has a wolf on the album cover.

Top 5 Songs:

1) “Victorious”

2) “Eye of the Beholder”

3) “Gypsy Caravan”

4) “Pretty Peggy”

5) “Best of A Bad situation”

You can follow Wolfmother on Twitter and Facebook, and they're official website is here.

Discovering Metal: Black Sabbath

the original line up from left to right: Gezzer Butler, Toni Iommi, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne

In rock and pop music culture there are Kings and Queens. In metal culture there are Gods and Godfathers. I think metalheads watched one to many Scorsese films and read about one to many different pantheons. Black Sabbath is arguably the most important band in the history of metal music. From the great albums from their Ozzy and Dio eras to the lesser known albums such as Born Again, they have created a legacy that has made an impact on the entire Heavy Metal music genre.

For me, I wasn’t introduced to Sabbath through their classic Ozzy Osbourne period, but through the albums they did with vocalist Ronnie James Dio. I remember discovering it because I had gotten into Bruce Dickinson’s solo album Accident of Birth, which is one of my favorite albums of all time. I remember that on iTunes where I buy most of my music, that they only had the Dio era music as well as some more obscured Sabbath albums. I had bought the box set, The Rules of Hell, which was a compilation containing the entire 3 studio albums that Dio was on as well as the live album Live Evil and the three songs from the compilation Black Sabbath: The Dio Years.

At the time I had only heard the live version of “War Pigs” from an Ozzy Osbourne live album. I didn’t know the lyrics because of the nearly inaudible crowd singing of the song, so when I listened to the compilation album, The Rules of Hell, I was blown away. Because at that point I only heard very little of Black Sabbath’s music, so when I heard songs like Children of the Sea and Heaven and Hell, that to me was Sabbath.

Later, my friend gifted me Black Sabbath’s second album Paranoid on CD. After discovering this side of the band, I went and listened to their other albums like Master of Reality and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Of course iTunes at this time still did not have these albums yet so CD was my only option.

I remember when their album 13 was announced, the album itself was more reminiscent of classic Sabbath music. I had the pleasure of seeing them live on that tour for the album in 2014 in Hamilton, Ontario. They were great which is not something you normally can say for a band of their age. Black Sabbath is a band that continues to be as influential in Heavy Metal culture just as much today as they were in the 70’s.

Top Favorite Albums:

1) Heaven and Hell

2) Paranoid

3) Master of Reality

4) Black Sabbath

5) 13

“Figure in Black which points at me…”

Follow Black Sabbath on Twitter and Facebook. Make an effort to go out and see them live for this will be the last time you'll ever have the change to do so. See if they're coming to a city near you here

Local Music Spotlight: Kill the Clock

Every band must always start small in their local music scene before they gain any notoriety or prestige. Buffalo New York is a music scene that features so many talented musicians that tend to go unrecognized. While the most popular band to ever come out of Buffalo is still the Goo Goo Dolls, rest assured that there is so much more talent beyond them.

(Pictured left to right: Dan McCormick,
Joe Morganti, Mike Tomasulo, John Vaughan)

For this local music scene spotlight, I'll be taking a hard look at the punk rock band Kill the Clock. Featuring Dan McCormick on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Joe Morganti on lead guitar, John Vaughan on bass and backing vocals, and Mike Tomasulo on drums and backing vocals, Kill The Clock is built for success right off the bat. The band always features an energetic performance from every single member. Mike is the kind of drummer that makes the muppets Animal look like an amateur, Joe is the kind of lead guitarist that would make any song a masterpiece, John plays bass with so much groove that you can feel the energy come off him at all times, and Dan is the perfect definition of a kick ass frontman.

I recently had the chance to attend another one of their concerts at the Waiting Room in Buffalo New York where they were the headlining band of the night. I can tell you all that I was nothing short of completely entertained the entire show. Kill the Clock has so much energy in their show, you cannot help but want to bob your head and jump up and down the entire show. With catchy guitar hooks and lyrics relatable to anyone between the ages of 12 and 30, these guys did not disappoint whatsoever with their show.

During their show, they played a song  that they had not yet released and had written only a short time prior to their show titled "Earth To Matilda". I had the chance to catch up with drummer Mike Tomasulo after the show to ask him about the inspiration behind the song.

He told me that the inspiration behind the song is essentially a middle finger to people that may disagree with you for the sake of disagreeing with you.

"Well we wrote the song start to finish 24 hours before the show. At first it was stressful trying to piece it together in our short time frame, but after two hours, we walked out of rehearsal with a new song capturing more emotion then anything else we've ever written."

Kill the Clock is finishing up recording their newest EP to be released on November 18th of this year via Skyway Studios owned and operated by fellow local musician RJ DeMarco of Rescue Dawn. Be sure to check out their new EP when it is released and attend their release show when that happens.

Until then, I'll leave you with an interview I conducted with the band via WNIA Radio at Niagara University earlier this year. This features a few live acoustic performances and a general discussion about the band themselves!

Click Here to go like them on Facebook and check them out!

Album Review: Welcome to Fat City

Impressions/Thoughts:

Crobot is a newer band from Pottsville, PA whose music has really groovy riffs and lyrics to match. They are known for their very energetic live performances and humorous posts on social media. I found out about Crobot rather randomly since their self-titled EP was featured on iTunes’ Spotlight for new metal music. I took a chance on listening to it and loved their music from the very first song on that EP “Legend of the Spacebourne Killer”. After they issued their 2014 debut album, Something Supernatural, which featured some great songs, I decided that it and was good enough to make it to my number two spot on my list of top albums for 2014. Their next effort, Welcome to Fat City, faced high expectations from their fans.

When Crobot finally released their first single “Not for Sale”, the reaction I had was that the song sounded similar to some of the tunes on their previous album. While having some commonality in the sound of the band from album to album can be a good thing, offering musical differentiation in their songs can make them stand apart in their music genre. Consequently, when their cool title track came out I had much of the same feeling, but it wasn’t until I listened to the third single “Plague of the Mammoths” that my anxiety about whether the rest of the songs would all sound the same was unfounded. Prior to the album being released, Crobot was promoting their new album on social media which started as a humorous ad campaign for the album. One of the campaign approaches was to make funny commentary or anecdotes about the covers or songs while providing snippets of the songs.

For those of you in the know fat city is a nickname for the city of New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA). This album is not about NOLA, it’s about a fictitious planet named Fat City where the singer Brandon Yeagley is running for mayor. You can learn more about the concept behind the title track here.

The Music:

Following the drum fill on the opening song, “Welcome to Fat City”, it segues into a groovy riff, it just releases a sense of grandeur. This transition gets you in the mood and makes you want to move your body to the beat of the song.

Similar to this SNL sketch, I’ve thought about what I would like to hear in Crobot’s music. The answer is ‘I’d like to hear more cowbell’. In the second track, “Play It Cool”, we get that right from the get-go as the cowbell is played along with the beat of the groovy riff. I like the chorus of the song where the vocals have a kind of echo effect.

The next song, “Easy Money”, starts off with the guitar only, but when the bass and drums jump in the tune is really rocking. After about three-quarters of the way into the song, the riff slows down and a harmonica solo is added over the riff which creates a really cool and dynamic sound. The following track, “Not for Sale”, is the fastest song on the album. It starts off with a faster riff then slows down a bit and then returns to the previous fast pace. In the music video for the song, part of the lyrics are misinterpreted from “who paid your debt to be here” to “who paid your dad to be here” which makes for a very humorous video to watch.

Crobot then slows it down with a slightly heavier song, “Hold on for Dear Life”. The song starts out slow and builds up to a faster pace and then transitions to a slower riff with the singer wailing over the melody followed by the riff picking up again to its conclusion. Although this more mellow style is different from what you would expect to hear from Crobot, it gives the ear a break and creates an enjoyable piece to listen to. The next track, “Temple in the Sky”, sounds cool the way the riff plays. As the song continues the riff gets faster until the chorus then returns to the slower pace like in the beginning. The seventh song on this album, “Right Between the Eyes”, starts off with distorted guitar sound which marches into the vocals. The next track, “Blood on the Snow”, has another groovy riff that makes me want to bang my head to the rhythm.

Now we are on the last section of the album. The ninth track, “Steal the Show”, has a return of the harmonica. I can see this song being played live as they ‘steal the show’. The following song, “Moment of Truth”, is a mellower track on the album. I like how the song builds up and then near the end it breaks down with only the slow beat of the bass and drums complimented by guitar bursts that accent the rhythm of the riff. The vocals join in with “Moment of Truth” repeating till the end of the song. The closing track, “Plague of the Mammoths”, has an interesting riff that differentiates it from the rest of the album. It happens to be the heaviest song on the album. It has a great riff and overall sound to close out the album.

Verdict:

Welcome to Fat City is great album for those that like groovier metal. Those that are fans of Crobot will love this album. I greatly enjoyed listening to this album and for me it is a must buy. I recommend you check out this album as well as Crobot’s debut album Something Supernatural.

One last thing, while the album is called Welcome to Fat City, I think it should be renamed Welcome to Groove City, because it’s just a groovy record.

Top 5 Songs:

1) “Not for Sale”

2) “Welcome to Fat City”

3) “Plague of the Mammoths”

4) “Easy Money”

5) “Play It Cool”

Check out the playlist below for the ad campaign for Crobot’s album Welcome to Fat City.

*CONTEST*
Leave a comment below for a chance at winning a code for the digital version of this album. Contest deadline ends on Wednesday 10/5 at midnight.