Album and Concert Review Thread

[LamaNamaneumi]

I went and check out ICP on Saturday 1-15-11. It was the Old Shit Tour, and it was awesome as to be expected, but what was better was the surprise opening act. When I bought my ticket I was under the assumption that Anybody Killa was going to be there.
When we got to the venue, to my surprise The Dayton Family was setting out by the bar selling cds and singing autographs. My brother and I talked to them for just a quick minute and asked them to play "Ain't Yo Bitch". Bootleg said it was not on the play list, my bro was like come on man thats the shit right there. Of course they blew my fucking wig when the hit the stage. They played my second favorite Marijuana anthem "So High". So I had to spark up a doobie, about half of the joint was burnt when security came walking up with his bitch ass flash light shining, telling me to put it out. I did, but I light that bitch back up when he left. The Dayton Family played a few more songs then they thanked everyone for coming out, then they played "Ain't Yo Bitch", so another joint got sparked and my brother and I got a few people in the crowd to get crazy.

It was an awesome night. I know a lot of people hate ICP, so I left them out. If you ever get the chance to check out The Dayton Family, do it. they put on a great show and they are cool as hell.

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[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

Any Last Words?

Setlist:
1. AntiSaint
2. Jars
3. Sleepwalking Elite
4. The Clincher
5. Shameful Metaphors
6. Sleep Apnea
7. Get Some
8. Letter From A Thief
9. An Evening With El Diablo
10. Send The Pain Below
11. The Red
12. Straight Jacket Fashion
13. Vitamin R
14. I Get It

This is a Live DVD that Chevelle recorded in honor of their 10 Year Anniversary. As a Chevelle fan, I was looking forward to this. However, once I watched it, it wasn't exactly all I had hoped it would be. First off, this DVD was shot over the course of two days at The Metro in Chicago. Chevelle also released a DVD from The House Of Blues in Chicago, but that's a different story for a different day. Anyway, I was disappointed because they really didn't focus on any of their early work. They didn't include songs like "Point #1", "Family System", "Well Enough Alone", or "Comfortable Liar". I like all of those songs and for a 10 Year Anniversary DVD, you'd think they'd put some of those songs on it. For what it's worth though, the setlist was pretty solid even without them. I was also unimpressed by the way they sounded. The music sounded great, but the vocals were just about mediocre. Pete Loeffler sounded off that night, and he did a lot better in The House Of Blues DVD. However, I do give them credit, this DVD was lot better than the Live At The Norva one that they released a few years ago. That was a train wreck. I recommend watching it on Youtube first, and then going out and buying it if you like it.

It's not necessarily a bad performance, it just wasn't the best that Chevelle could do.

 

[lenguy]

Okay I'm gong to Review my first album on this thread. Its Reds newest called Until We Have Faces

1. "Feed the Machine" 5:11
2. "Faceless" 3:24
3. "Lie to Me (Denial)" 4:15
4. "Let It Burn" 4:58
5. "Buried Beneath" 3:47
6. "Not Alone" 4:08
7. "Watch You Crawl" 3:43
8. "The Outside" 3:14
9. "Who We Are" 3:54
10. "Best Is Yet to Come" 4:05
11. "Hymn for the Missing" 5:38

Another solid outing by the Christian hard rock group from Nashville. I've always loved reds hard style and this album is by no means a departure from that sound. Songs like "Feed The Machine and Faceless" Bring that hard fist pumping style that they are known for while slower songs like "Buried Beneath" and "Not Alone" are slower and are very well done. Buried Beneath in particular has a catchy chorus. Overall the album isn't different from their other albums in terms of music style or even in the lyrics. I do however think this is their best effort to date

Note: I would go more in depth but My niece is over here and shes distracting me beyond belief..so I kept it brief.

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

Today I'll be reviewing this.

Setlist:

"Animal I Have Become" – 6:38
"Pain" – 4:12
"Just Like You" – 5:00
"Let It Die" – 5:06
"Wake Up" – 4:38
"I Hate Everything About You" – 5:53
"Rooster" – 5:15 (Alice In Chains cover)
"Riot" – 7:15
"Get Out Alive" – 5:56
"Never Too Late" – 4:33
"Scared" – 5:51
"Gone Forever" – 3:30
"Home" – 15:51 (Includes a verse from Hey Man, Nice Shot by Filter)

Wow, what a DVD! I've never seen Three Days Grace live before so this just totally blew my mind. Everything sounded great and Adam Gontier really knows how to connect with a crowd. It didn't have any mind-blowing lighting or pyro, but it really worked. You felt like you were at the concert and that's what a Live DVD should do. A concept that many DVD's that are filmed today have a hard time grasping. The fire during some of the songs to go along with the music really emphasized the music itself, making for a better performance. I really hope they film another DVD in the future with songs from their latest album, I also hope to actually see them one day. But for now, this will hold me over very well.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

TRUST COMPANY - DREAMING IN BLACK AND WHITE

TRACK LIST:

1. Close Your Eyes (Til It's Over)
2. Heart In My Hands
3. Almost There
4. Stumbling
5. Reverse And Remember
6. Pulling You Down
7. Alone Again
8. Dreaming In Black And White
9. Letting Go
10. Skies Will Burn
11. We Are The Ones
12. Don't Say Goodbye

As quickly as TRUSTcompany were thrust into the spotlight, they seemed to disappear even quicker. After making a significant splash with their 2002 Geffen debut, "The Lonely Position Of Neutral," the band landed high-profile gigs and heavy rotation on MTV and rock radio alike. Sadly, things didn't pan out so well in the years to come. 2005 saw the release of their second album, "True Parallels," after being shelved by the label for a year. The album was more or less dumped into stores with little to no support. As a result, TRUSTcompany went quietly into that good night later that year. A few years went by, and after cooler heads prevailed, the band reunited in 2007, self-funded and without the burden of a major label. The fruit of their reunion, the long-awaited "Dreaming in Black and White," finds the band barely missing a beat.

The first thing you'll notice upon listening to this album is just how good it sounds. The production (done by Chuck Alzakian) is top-notch and truly captures the spirit of the band. If any criticism could be laid on either of the previous albums, it's that they were a bit overproduced and homogenized. For the first time, TRUSTcompany sound exactly as they should, with the dual fret-work of James Fukai and frontman Kevin Palmer at the forefront supported by a bombastic rhythm section (including yet another new bassist, Wes Cobb) that will no doubt dominate the most expensive and elaborate soundsystems as well as the cheapest and tiniest earbuds. To put it bluntly, this is the first TRUSTcompany record with testosterone.

The album opens with the rocking "Close Your Eyes (`til it's Over)" which is 100% pure TRUSTcompany. Everything that made the band who they were remains intact and they have never sounded this fresh and energized. Later cuts such as "Reverse and Remember" and "Almost There" - the latter of which features an uncharacteristic but utterly cool guitar solo - expand upon what's already been heard while still staying true to the band's core sound. The title track along with the album's first single, "Heart in My Hands," are the obvious singles without being too obvious in their composition. Here we have classic TRUSTcompany tracks that show the band hasn't lost their edge creatively or commercially. Unfortunately, the album falls short of perfection with the inclusion of a few duds. The band's tendency to dip into sappy power-ballad cheese the likes of "Letting Go" and "Alone Again" doesn't do their comeback any favors and sound like the sort of stuff the band's previous label would have forced their hand in writing. These moments would surely have been better left on the cutting room floor and the album as a whole would have been the better for it.

Aside from a few minor kinks, "Dreaming in Black and White" is a solid and successful comeback from a band that always deserved better. Those who remember the band circa 2002 will be happy to find that they still sound great after all these years, while those who have spun the band's two previous records to death will find just enough variety and variation to make this third effort worthwhile. Even though it falls short of perfection, TRUSTcompany's third album proves the old adage that the third time is the charm. "Dreaming in Black and White" is without a doubt the band's finest album to date and with enough push, will do well to reinstate the band as the premier sensitive-guy hard-rock outfit. Here's hoping it won't be another 5-6 years before we hear new music from the band.

Overall I give "Dreaming In Black And White" 4 out of 5 stars. Ive waited nearly 6 years for this album and it did not disappoint. Highly recommended

 

[Ty Burna]

Pharoahe Monch - W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)​

Pharoahe finally has come out with his third studio album and I'm pretty stoked for this album. Pharoahe's always been underrated and well under played in every way. He's got smart and intelligent lyrics that put him on par with the likes of Talib Kweli and Mos Def, yet he's got an aggressive flow that really punctuates the message he delivers. So what can we expect from W.A.R.?


1. "The Warning" (featuring Idris Elba) 0:52
2. "Calculated Amalgamation" 2:48
3. "Evolve" 2:40
4. "W.A.R." (featuring Immortal Technique and Vernon Reid) 4:25
5. "Clap (One Day)" (featuring Showtyme and DJ Boogie Blind) 3:30
6. "Black Hand Side" (featuring Styles P and Phonte) 4:31
7. "Let My People Go" 3:55
8. "Shine" (featuring Mela Machinko) 4:08
9. "Haile Selassie Karate" (featuring Mr. Porter) 2:23
10. "The Hitman" 3:25
11. "Assassins" (featuring Jean Grae and Royce Da 5'9') 4:32
12. "The Grand Illusion (Circa 1973)" (featuring Citizen Cope) 5:16
13. "Still Standing" (featuring Jill Scott) 5:18

The album begins with the short intro "The Warning" which from the recorded message really sets the tone for the album. This album should be frenzied and almost violent in it's delivery. "Calculated Amalgamation" certainly doesn't disappoint. The beat is epic and I'm not saying that because it's good. You could see the beat being used in a climatic war scene in a movie. Pharoahe starts slow on the track but really picks up as his rhymes have not deteriorated one bit. I will say this track almost seems like a bit more set up for the rest of the album but because I love the beat I'm not complaining. "Evolve" comes up next and it has a darker slower beat and again Pharoahe shines on this track with his tongue twisting lyrics about struggle on the streets.

"W.A.R." is of course the title track of the album and it doesn't disappoint. Immortal Technique and Vernon Reid join Pharoahe over a piano and funk inspired heavy beat rhyming about mass media keeping the intelligent artist down. Really digging this song, Immortal and Pharoahe are on the same level lyrically, and Reid's guitars really brings the instrumental portion together, including a pretty sick solo over the base part of the beat. "Clap (One Day)" seems like a bit of a let down having to follow such a great track, but Pharoahe once again uses his diverse lyrics to keep you interested. Showtyme and DJ Boogie Blind didn't add much to this track. The chorus was a bit disjointed and over all they tried throwing too much into chorus and it sounds messy. The clapping portion added to the end of the song sounded good, although I would have rather had Pharoahe just flow over the last part rather than the claps.

"Black Hand Side" along with Styles P and Phonte seems really out of place on this album. It's a slower R&B style beat, Phonte croons over the beat and makes the chorus all himself. Styles P by himself isn't a bad rapper but he can't keep up with Pharoahe's ability. Not really feeling this track and I'm hoping this isn't a continuation of softer songs after the great beginning to the album. "Let My People Go" unfortunately does not alleviate my fears as it immediately begins with an organ part with a choir singing the chorus. Pharoahe did not help matters with this track while singing more than rapping. This sounds like a gospel song with a hip hop drum beat behind it. Not feeling this track at all. "Shine" with Mela Machinko on the chorus is definitely an improvement over the past couple tracks as Pharoahe gets back to what he does best, rapping about the streets and the beat utilizes a heavy bass line along with sounds like a xylophone rocking an oddly appeasing melody. Mela's ight on the hook but really doesn't add much to the track otherwise.

"Haile Salassie Karate" just doesn't sound right to me. The production is just very disjointed and really limits Pharoahe's flow to the same disjointed sound. It is only 2:22 though so it's over very quickly. "The Hitman" is getting back to where we started the album on and Pharoahe's drops the double entendres. This is definitely one of the better tracks on the album. Now, the track I've really been looking forward to, "Assasins" with Jean Grae and Royce Da 5'9'. We start with a futuristic intro telling a story of a group of assassins getting destroyed, all but three. We go immediately into a hard and fast beat with Jean Grae absolutely crushing the mic. A discussion for another day but Jean Grae needs some major appreciation as one of the most skillful female MC's. Royce brings the punchlines and is at home with the beat. Royce and Pharoahe on a track together is gold in my opinion and if they were to ever do a duo album I would be all for it. There's two tracks left on the album and honestly I don't care what they are because this is the best track on it.

Finishing up the album is "The Grand Illusion" and "Still Standing". The Grand Illusion is a nice track, I don't like the chorus on it and takes away from the aggressive and raw vibe that started W.A.R. "Still Standing" has an excellent beat and Pharoahe ties up this album with an awesome weaving of rhymes through the ebb and flow of the beat. The opening verse he starts off slow before speeding through the middle and then slowing up to the chorus. Jill Scott adds some solid vocals to the chorus and instrumental. Overall a gem I wasn't expecting.

Overall this was a great album. While I think if Pharoahe went with more aggressive beats and strayed away from the R&B and soulful tracks, this would have been a classic in my book. Even if he brought it down for just a couple tracks to switch it up would have been fine, but far too many slow, gospel, R&B like tracks for my liking, especially after the outstanding start to the album. Even then Pharoahe's lyricism shines on said tracks and never seems out of place with the beats. The production was a bit lacking, especially with no sight of one of his usual collaborators The Alchemist. A damn good listen, not a classic, but a damn good album and this day and age I will take an album like this any day. 8.5/10.

Notable Tracks:
"Calculated Amalgamation'
"Evolve"
"W.A.R."
"Shine"
"The Hitman"
"Assassins"
"Still Standing"

Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 10

 

[Richard]

Escape the Fate - The Dead Masquerade - 30th April 2011 - Sydney, Australia​

I will be reviewing a concert of my favourite band who I saw last night on their 'The Dead Masquerade' tour down under.

They brought along another band Pierce the Veil with them from the states as a major supporting band and a local band Buried in Verona as the opening act for the night. As I had not heard anything from those two bands before last night I won't review them. All I will say is Buried in Verona were okay, a bit too much screaming and Pierce the Veil were pretty good actually. They done a 30 or so second cover of 'Like a G6' which was alright.

Now, onto the review. The setlist for the night from Escape the Fate was...

1. Choose Your Fate
2. Massacre
3. 10 Miles Wide
4. The Flood
5. Issues
6. Something
7. Bad Blood
8. Day of Wreckoning
9. Zombie Dance
10. You Are So Beautiful
11. Gorgeous Nightmare
12. Acoustic version of Ashley
13. Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliche
14. Situations
15. This War Is Ours
16. The Aftermath

The doors for the show opened at just after 7pm and Escape the Fate came on at just after 9:30 and the suspense between PTV and Escape the Fate was killing me. Waiting that last half an hour to see my very favourite band was just too much and when the lights went off for 'Choose Your Fate' the house went nuts, cheering, yelling, screaming everything and chanting along to it and then Escape the Fate came out and burst into 'Massacre' just like their album.

Every song was amazing and perfect. I couldn't ask for a better performance and they were better than the first time I saw them too. The only thing was the fact that Michael Money, their live rythm guitarist was not on stage, just Craig, Robert, Bryan and Max's replacement for the tour, 'TJ' from Motionless in White as Max is apparantly back in the states battling his drug addiction again. I wonder why Michael was not with them...

When Craig jumped into the crowd from the stage during Day of Wreckoning he lost a shoe and decided to throw the other one into the crowd and play the rest of the show bare footed and later on when he was wearing a hat someone threw onto the stage he jokingly asked for shoes and people were throwing shoes onto the stage at him which was funny. He didn't wear them though. He did wear a bra someone threw onto the stage around his neck for one song and then chucked it away.

Highlights of the show would definately have been Choose Your Fate/Massacre, The Flood, Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliche, Situations, This War Is Ours and The Aftermath. Every song was amazing but those were stand outs to me.

I recorded the whole show but my internet isn't working well so I can't upload them to share them with everyone though, maybe later.

 

[Cracka Jack]

Vices & Virtues
by
Panic! at the Disco

1. The Ballad of Mona Lisa
2. Let's Kill Tonight
3. Hurricane
4. Memories
5. Trade Mistakes
6. Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)
7. Always
8. The Calander
9. Sarah Smiles
10. Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met...)


This is a band I was initially resistant to. After all, everything I had heard from their first album seemed far too "pop-ish" for me. However, after deciding to give their second release, Pretty. Odd., a chance, I was turned into a fan pretty quickly. The variety of instrumentation and the throwback sound were captivating, and I still hold the record in high regard. However, not too long after its release, two members of the band, bassist Jon Walker and guitarist and main songwriter Ryan Ross decided to leave and start their own band*. This left me wondering just what would happen to a band that I had only just started to enjoy.

*Side note: this new band, The Young Veins, have since released a great album called Take a Vacation! If you enjoy retro rock (60's era style), check it out.

I can now say that my worries can be mostly put to rest. This album is pretty good. Strangely, it actually feels, stylistically, like a bridge between their first two albums, despite actually coming out after both of them. They've managed to take the catchy pop-rock style of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out and combine it with the instrumentation and experimentation of Pretty. Odd. The results are catchy-as-hell songs with plenty of depth. I'll admit that I was actually taken aback by how much I liked this album, since I didn't know what the band would do without principle songwriter Ryan Ross. Thankfully, vocalist Brendon Urie has picked up most of the slack as the new lead writer, and will likely get better at it with time. I look forward to what the band will produce in the future, and this record should tide me over until then.

One last thing before a rating: "The Ballad of Mona Lisa", the album's lead single, is easily the worst song here, and it's not exactly horrible, either. If hearing this song has kept you from giving this album a chance, don't let it. Ignore it, in fact. Everything else here is better than it and should be given a chance.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Recommended tracks:
"Memories"
"Ready to Go"
"Sarah Smiles"
"Nearly Witches"
​

 

[Cracka Jack]

The Family Sign
by
Atmosphere

Track Listing:

1. "My Key" – 4:19
2. "The Last to Say" – 4:16
3. "Became" – 4:45
4. "Just for Show" – 3:39
5. "She's Enough" – 3:19
6. "Bad Bad Daddy" – 3:33
7. "Millennium Dodo" – 3:21
8. "Who I'll Never Be" – 3:08
9. "I Don't Need Brighter Days" – 4:05
10. "Ain't Nobody" – 3:17
11. "Your Name Here" – 3:37
12. "If You Can Save Me Now" – 3:52
13. "Something So" – 3:41
14. "My Notes" – 2:18

Ah, my favorite rapper-producer combo is back with a new album. Their last release, To All My Friends, wasn't quite what I was hoping for; while they can be pretty off-and-on as far as the quality of regular releases, their full-length albums rarely disappoint. Thankfully, this follows along with that tradition, as we get a lush, beautifully produced record with plenty of soul-digging and thought-provoking lyrics.

The way these two men (rapper Slug and producer Ant) work so perfectly together is a testament to the chemistry they've built up over the years. Ant knows just what sounds to pair, mood-wise, with Slug's words, from upbeat and inspiring to deep and melancholy. The piano that dominates much of the production on this record works perfectly with just about everything. Hell, listen to me, I'm gushing. I don't have any massive complaints about this album, but I'll acknowledge that it's not for everyone. Some may hate the lack of club-ready songs (not really what these guys do, but hey), and some fans have grown tired of Slug's vague subject matter in his lyrics, but I can't get enough. Still, give it a shot. It's very good.

Overall Score: 9/10

Recommended tracks:
"My Key"
"The Last to Say"
"Who I'll Never Be"
"Something So"
​

 

[Freddy4190]

Halestorm/Bullet For My Valentine concert @ the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C


My first concert ever. Halestorm came out and fucking killed it, they had the crowd so hyped up. Lzzy can sing her ass off. Standing room only crowd, packed in there.. maybe 300-350 people. their drummer is amazing, dude had a kickass solo during the middle of their set. Bullet For My Valentine came out and started into Your Betrayal and the crowd went fucking nuts. their whole set was amazing, start to finish. Came out and did an encore, tears don't fall. lead singer, matt did a hell of a job keeping the crowd electric and demanding huge circle pits which I was proud to be a part of. All in all, absolutely INSANE concert. BFMV did their thing and Halestorm killed it as well. No complaints here.

 

[Sinister Shadows]

last concert i went too was Hank Williams III/Assjack at The End in Nashville on Halloween. less than 200 available tickets. the place was absolutely packed, shoulder to shoulder standing room. some fans and the whole band had costumes. Hank Williams III and the Damn Band (seriously.. that's the name) came out and played a 1:30 minutes of all of his country music, then played a 30 minute hellbilly set(hard rock w/ traditional country intruments) and then they got out all the electric instruments and played a 1:00 of thrash/metal.

it was an awesome show and was exhausted afterwards (3 hours solid in the pit.. yes even moshing during his country) it's completly different than any other show i've ever been too or heard about.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

I've been waiting for this guy's new album to appear at around the same time a bunch of my friends were getting their knickers in a twist over Bon Iver's new release. While I don't mind some Bon Iver stuff, this guy is incredibly under-rated here in Britain which in some ways is good. I mean that in the sense of due to him not getting any sort of plays on the radio, there is less chance of people simply jumping on the bandwagon and the fans he does have here are quite passionate about his work.

Who? Dallas Green a.k.a City & Colour

Alexisonfire fans will know the name as he is the lead guitarist and co-vocalist for AOF, but his solo material is the antithesis and has a more folky charm to it rather than the ferociousness of some AOF stuff. He has done alternative versions of 'Boiled Frogs' and 'Happiness By The Kilowatt' as City & Colour for those interested.

But this thread is about reviewing albums and gigs, so allow me to review his 3rd LP and newest release, Little Hell.

Track Listing -

1. "We Found Each Other in the Dark" 4:22
2. "Natural Disaster" 3:50
3. "The Grand Optimist" 4:05
4. "Little Hell" 4:43
5. "Fragile Bird" 4:17
6. "Northern Wind" 4:16
7. "O' Sister" 4:16
8. "Weightless" 3:32
9. "Sorrowing Man" 4:32
10. "Silver and Gold" 4:40
11. "Hope for Now" 4:57

The theme of the album centres on relationships, specifically his worries and hopes for his family members as well as some songs to his wife. What comes across in this album more than his previous 2 efforts is his own sense of over-thinking said relationships. This comes across explicitly in 'The Grand Optimist', 'Little Hell', 'Silver and Gold' and 'Hope For Now'. Such honesty about his insecurities and worries is one of the things that drew me to him in the first place as it is a mindset I can associate with.

As great a song-writer as he is, the one drawback to his style is that he is very meloncholy which is perhaps a reason he has not garnered more fame for himself when one considers the success of a Lady Gaga or Katy Perry who are the polar opposite for the most part. However I personally feel it is a lot braver for a song-writer to be as honest as Dallas is. 'O Sister' is the saddest song on the album as it deals with his sisters mental health problems and him remembering how different she used to be. When I first heard a live performance of this song on YouTube I must admit I was a wreck afterwards as my oldest sister was going through a divorce which had sunk her into depression, but I'm happy to say she has now turned the corner and is getting back to her old self.

Overall, I'd give the album a 7.5/10 as although he has expanded his range and now includes a backing band on all the tracks instead of just him, his guitar and occasional harmonica for some songs on his past 2 albums, ('Sometimes' and 'Bring Me Your Love') it is not as large a step forward as Bring Me Your Love was from Sometimes, but Bring Me Your Love is just a phenomenal album.

I had been waiting for this album for months, and even briefly forgot about its release due to being bogged down in Uni work up until May, but it was definitely worth the wait.

 

[Johnny Scumm]

Last Concert that I went to, that wasn't Foo Fighters was Seasick Steve.

Now, compared to the Foo Fighters, considering Steve has a very attacking method of playing most of the time, the mood here was a lot different. On his rockier tunes, there was clapping along, but there was no jumping, moshing, because you really have to take in his playing. It's something you can't ignore. His slide techniques, along with his very interesting instruments are all absolutely brilliant. After 2 songs, he was joined on stage permanently by John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame. He played either Bass or Mandolin, depending on the style of song. He played around 15 songs, including his Doghouse Boogie, the song that made him famous. Towards the middle of his set was the more acoustic side of things, including his Drummer using a Broom as percussion!!

To kick off the heavier music, he introduced Jack White & Alison Mosshart to the stage, where he performed a number with the two of them. Overall, it was a brilliant night, with support coming from the Smoke Fairies. The best part about them were the lead girls legs. That was all, their music was rather dismal. On the Steve side of things, I'd give the concert an 8/10. For a 60+ year old man, it was brilliant.

 

[Richard]

Last Saturday night, my girlfriend and I went to...

Avenged Sevenfold - Welcome to the Family tour (Sydney, Australia)

Setlist:
1. Nightmare
2. Critical Acclaim
3. Welcome to the Family
4. Almost Easy
5. Buried Alive
6. So Far Away
7. Afterlife
8. God Hates Us
9. A Little Piece of Heaven
10. Bat Country
11. Unholy Confessions
12. Encore - Save Me

The opening band, Dream On, Dreamer were nothing memorable and their singer said "We have a couple more tracks coming up" between every song which was annoying but when the opening keys of 'Nightmare' struck, it was crazy.

The band minus Shadows came up and there was fire behind the drum set up and then Shadows ran out to scream the "NIGHTMAAAREEEE" part and everyone was going apeshit. He's amazing live and has a great voice and stage presence. They were 100% on fire and I was very impressed with Syn's live performance that he was able to do everything perfectly with absolutely no fuck ups.

Two guys managed to get on stage. One dived into the crowd, the other gave Vengeance a pat on the back and when he was taken away by security, M Shadows said over the mic that he wanted the security to let them stay because he understood they were probably excited and wanted them to stay which was nice and there was the obligatory "REV, REV, REV" chant for Jim.

I'd say the highlights for me would have been Afterlife, Nightmare, Critical Acclaim and Bat Country but without a shadow of a doubt, A Little Piece of Heaven was amazing, the BEST of the night.

If you have the chance, go to an A7X show.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Last Saturday night, my girlfriend and I went to...

Avenged Sevenfold - Welcome to the Family tour (Sydney, Australia)

Setlist:
1. Nightmare
2. Critical Acclaim
3. Welcome to the Family
4. Almost Easy
5. Buried Alive
6. So Far Away
7. Afterlife
8. God Hates Us
9. A Little Piece of Heaven
10. Bat Country
11. Unholy Confessions
12. Encore - Save Me

If you have the chance, go to an A7X show.

That is a pretty good set list. I am only really a fan of the last 2 A7X albums, but I was tempted to go to their last UK tour, and I regret I didnt.

It is good to see that "So Far Away" got on the set list, that really is a phenomenal piece of music, and I love "Afterlife", "Welcome To The Family", "Buried Alive", "Almost Easy" and "Nightmare" too. I would have hoped "Dear God" may have got on there too, that has always been one of my favourite A7X songs, and is the one that got me into the band

Since I missed the chance to see them live I have met a few new friends who are into A7X, so when they next tour I will more than likely get a ticket and go see them with one of those guys.

 

[Richard]

Falling In Reverse - The Drug In Me Is You

The debut album from Ronnie Radke's (Formerly of Escape the Fate) new band comprised of Jacky, Mika, Ryan and Derek.

1. "Raised by Wolves" 3:25
2. "Tragic Magic" 4:06
3. "The Drug in Me Is You" 3:39
4. "I'm Not a Vampire" 3:52
5. "Good Girls, Bad Guys" 3:15
6. "Pick Up the Phone" 4:38
7. "Don't Mess with Ouija Boards" 4:56
8. "Sink or Swim" 4:45
9. "Caught Like a Fly" 4:37
10. "Goodbye Graceful" 4:48
11. "The Westerner" 3:52

Raise By Wolves was the first song released from the band and showed a hell of a lot of promised from them. It was poppy yet not too poppy, a synth solo with a breakdown and has a line which was clearly directed at Escape the Fate "This war is mine".

Stabbing at Escape the Fate is a common theme through out the entire album but it's to be expected, after everything they said about him and being replaced, you have to expect that from him. It isn't the only theme though which is great.

So far there has been one music video released for the album, the title track song...

[YOUTUBE]rgWr2nln83s&ob=av3e[/YOUTUBE]

It is a great album if you were a previous fan of his work. I have not been able to stop listening to it, it's catchy, heavy, fun, everything you could want it to be and more.

Memorable tracks: Don't Mess With Ouija Boards, Goodbye Graceful, I'm Not A Vampire.

For Fans of: The Used, Escape the Fate, Atreyu, Black Veil Brides, My Chemical Romance.

 

[Uncle Phatso]

Homefront Songs for the Resistance soundtrack
​

War Ensemble - As I Lay Dying

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]47HnW_ky1Zs[/YOUTUBE]

In my eyes there are covers just that take the song to a new level. And a cover that just adds small elements of the band in another bands song. Needless to say I find it ironic that a self proclaimed cristian band is doing a cover of slayer. I enjoy Slayer, and I like AILD. But the thing that gets me is Slayer fans can't accept that this is a good cover. The drumming is in my oppinion the only thing that is better, but Tim Lambesis' growls fit this song. It's just old Slayer fans not accepting a newer breed of metal as being as good as their favorite band. This song to me gets a 4.5/5 just because you can't copy Kerry Kings work.

Fight the Power - The Dillinger Escape Plan feat. Chuck D

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]vqk63IzYxHI[/YOUTUBE]

I'm sorry a metal band like Dep should never fucking cover a rap song. I had the displeasure of setting through allmost 4 minutes of this. I'm all for putting your own spin on a cover, but they should of just let Anthrax have this cover. Because even with Chuck it is a terrible song. 1/5 just for having the balls to do it.

Uprising - iwrestledabearonce

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]_XbT6ZU7ipM[/YOUTUBE]

I am a fan of very few Muse songs. This is not one of them, but I have heard this song before. Krysta the lead singer shows her good clean vocals in this song. She has done clean before but this to me is a true tallent that she should exploit in her songs more. She has a good voice, it's not the most amazing thing ever. But this cover is just that, a cover. Nothing more, nothing less. But that all changes at 3:15 into the song. Krysta shows her true form and in my eyes this is one of the most brutal growling sessions I've ever heard come out of a female singer. George corpsegrinder Fisher couldn't pull off a growl like that. If the beginning would of had more of a pop I would of gave this a higher score. 3.25/ 5

War Pigs - The Acacia Strain

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]7pCu8r1Vzrc[/YOUTUBE]

I fucking loved the opening when I first heard this. I was like wow! I liked this band beforehand, but damn this might be a great cover. Then it turned to shit, I like Vincent when he growls on his songs. But I'm sorry you can't spin this song in your own tune. The growling was totaly un-needed. I love the playing but I didn't like Vincent's growling on this song. That is something that I thought I would never say. I loved the instrumentals, but the song to me just can't be covered by a total growler like Vincent. If the singing had been better it would of gotten at least a 4/5. But because of that being so unpleasent I have to give it a 2/5

One - Periphery

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]hvHKFEFX4Gw[/YOUTUBE]

I'm not a fan of the band, nor do I claim to be. But I like the tuneing they did this song in. It sort of puts a new lighter spin on the allredy light opening. The lead singer kind of sounds like he needs a small fire lit under his ass. He has the vocal tallent, but it's just dead singing to me for alot of the verses. He does put emotion into some of his singing and that made it great. Their guitarists are fucking amazing. That takes alot for me to say that to. I'm glad I had the chance to hear this song. It's a great cover 5/5, if they would have fucked with the ending solo I would have hated this song. They put a bit of a spin on it. It's not totaly exact, but it still is a great thing. Again 5/5
Fortunate Son - The Ghost Inside

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]C70o2jTZeDg[/YOUTUBE]

It's not a bad cover, the singer pulls a Vincent. But the style of playing is tuned so it's an enjoyable growl. It's a spin on a classic, and I enjoy it. Not the best on the soundtrack. But not the worst. 3.5/5

For What It's Worth - Winds of Plagues

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]sVCqHZTeNh4[/YOUTUBE]

This song was another one of the turds for me. I didn't enjoy it sorry, I lisitened to it. But give it a look for yourself. I'm not going to say much more. 1/5

Us and Them - Misery Signals

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]_yCkKiFY2lI[/YOUTUBE]

You have to have balls to cover a Floyd song. I love the drumming, that is a pro. But like the one cover the singer can put more emotion into his clean vocals. Now this is a bright ass song, but I enjoy the growling. I never thought I would say that for a Pf song. It's a good cover, and the band has put their own spin on it. While still giving it it's own credit. Good shit and I think I could lisiten to this band more to chill to. Not allways but they aren't bad. 4/5

Masters of War - Arsonists Get All the Girls

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]lmKzF-JGGfI[/YOUTUBE]

I have a small spot in my heart for most Deathcore bands. I wont lie, I love brutal growling, I've never heard of this band before. But the song that Bob Dylan put out was a great song, and this is a good cover. The singer has a pretty good fucking clean vocal tallent, that might be something he wants to look into in the future. The breakdown at the end was totaly un- needed though imo. It didn't ruin it for me, but dropped it's score. 3.5/5

War - Oceano

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]8yP9lmyWoQA[/YOUTUBE]

This is another band that I've never heard of. Thank god it will be the last time, they have tallent. But this cover is shit 1/5

Sunday Bloody Sunday - Veil of Maya

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]PeeRrRZDHnE[/YOUTUBE]

I'm sorry guys, but the last two songs are shit. If I was played this I couldn't even tell you that it was a U2 cover. There is such a thing as taking a cover overboard. This song fucking kills it by taking it over board. This is the only song that I actually didn't finish, 0/5.

All and all I've gave my non bias opinion. I can't say I would lisiten to the whole soundtrack again. But I have a few new songs to possibly put on my ipod.

Uncle Phatso's final rating: 5/10

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

Carnival Of Madness and 3 Doors Down -- Allentown, PA

Well this was the second year I went to see the bands on The Carnival Of Madness, and it was a totally different lineup from last year. Last year's tour was had an amazing inaugural run, but could the second year live up to the hype? Let's find out.

Emphatic:

Taking the spot of 10 Years on this tour was a new band called Emphatic. Emphatic came on at about 5:00 with a song called, "Damage." This is great and all, except nobody knew what the song was because it isn't on Emphatic's only album. Hell, the album's name is Damage! They were really loud, but they were surprisingly good. They had a problem like Sevendust last year where you couldn't hear the singer over everything else, so that hurt them. They played their first single off the album entitled, "Bounce" last in the set. I liked how Emphatic was always moving. The lead guitarist was showing off some pretty sick moves with his guitar. All in all, Emphatic was alright.

6/10

Adelitas Way

Taking the spot of Sevendust was Adelitas Way. Let me start off by saying this -- Adelitas Way is 2 or 3 years away from headlining one of these shows, and they fucking know it. They opened with their latest single off of their second album. The song was called "The Collapse" and it sounded great. Actually, everything Adelitas Way did sounded great. Frontman Rick DeJesus also liked joking around with the crowd in between songs, and I thought that was pretty cool. My God though, DeJesus is tall! He has to be about 6' 5 at the least. He towered over the band. The music sounded great, and was on par with how good it sounds recorded. Adelitas Way is in my top 5 favorite bands for a reason, and they proved it last night.

10/10

Black Stone Cherry

Taking the spot of Puddle Of Mudd this year was Black Stone Cherry. These guys have a hell of a lot of stage presence. The guitarist and bass player don't stay still for a second. They're always moving, and you can tell they they have a hell of a lot of fun doing what they do. I also want to point out that the drummer is amazing. The only downside to the band was that at times it was hard to hear the lead singer, not really a big deal. But these guys were a lot of fun to watch. Going in I wasn't looking forward to seeing them because I'm not that big of a fan. But hell, they made me a fan.

8/10

Alter Bridge

Alright, the first of the three headliners. Alter Bridge takes the place of Chevelle on the tour. To be honest, Alter Bridge was the only band I wanted to see more than anyone on the tour. Trust me when I say that they did not disappoint. From Mark Tremonti's amazing guitar playing, to Myles Kennedy's unique and outstanding voice, everyone loved them. The sound was great, and even though Myles Kennedy's unique voice caused this ringing in my ears, he was amazing. They played a lot of great songs. Slip To The Void, Find The Real, White Knuckles. Ties That Bind, Come To Life, Black Bird, Isolation, and Rise Today. However, what I thought was really cool was the guitar battle between Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti. They both showed off their amazing guitar skills and it was fun to watch and listen to.

10/10

Theory Of A Deadman

They were this year's Shinedown on the tour. Before they started playing, they had a corny track called Blame Canada start playing while the stage was dark. Once that finished, Theory started playing the song Gentleman. I want to give credit to the lighting director here because he put on a great light show to go along with the song. Theory was better than I thought they'd be. A lot better, actually. The only complaint I have was when Tyler Connolly would try to distort his voice with his other microphone. It was hard to hear what he was saying, but that's alright. Tyler also liked to joke around with the crowd - moreso than Rick DeJesus. There was even a competition between the two sides of the crowd to see who could sing louder. Theory Of A Deadman was great, and they honestly blew me away.

9/10

That concluded The Carnival Of Madness, however we were given a special treat.

3 Doors Down

Their opening was interesting. They had some 8-bit music playing before that segwayed in to Time Of My Life. 3 Doors Down frontman Brad Arnold sounded really good. The whole band sounded really good. I would've enjoyed them a lot more had I known more than 5 of their songs. With each song, the video board behind the drummer would play some cool graphics, or even the music video to the song. After every song, Brad Arnold would say, "Thank you my friends!" When you hear that about 13 times in a redneck voice, it gets annoying as shit. They finished their set with Not My Time, and then came back on for the encore. They played Kryptonite, Every Time You Go, and When I'm Gone. The only problem I had with them was that they were kind of boring. The guitarists and bass player didn't do much moving around, and the stage setup was really a bore too. Other than that, 3 Doors Down sounded fine.

7/10

So another year, another Carnival Of Madness gone by. I can only hope that there is another one in 2012 because this tour really has the potential to be something big. I can't say which Carnival Of Madness was better -- 2010 or 2011. However, I am giving a slight edge to The Carnival Of Madness 2011. The only reason I do that is because I knew more about the bands going in, and I thought that they sounded better and played better music. Obviously I loved Shinedown in 2010, but I loved every band on this years COM Tour. They all sounded great and they all have nowhere to go but up. Great show.

 

[Uncle Phatso]

Diecide
To Hell With God

To me this was a great album. Deicide has taken this album and took it to the top. The whole fucking album is just brutal. But with the ever so brutal new comers that are sort of downgrading old school death metal this album didn't take that direction. Don't get me wrong I like the new age of death metal. But for the most part it's just gotten so fast that it's taken a more speed metal direction. It just sounds rushed and muddled. This album screams to hell with that AND To hell with god.

The mixing on this album is what is the great thing. Glen admittedly is a great death metal singer, but in past albums his vocals have somewhat overtaken some songs. A few songs that could have turned out great just turned into for a lack of a better word, shit. It's not because of bad vocals, it was because of bad mixing among other things. But this album will have none of that.

The whole band sounds like someone stuck a steroid needle in it's arm. I'm fucking LOVING this album.

The title track to the song is just flawless and for it to be number one on the cd was a great choice. It's not up to par with a few of their old songs. But it was a great song choice for the first pick on the song. It catches your ears.

The guitar work and drumming along with the mixing make for an almost perfect combo. No overbearing drumming, or tuning out of the drums during solos. Sometimes that can happen with speedy drumming.

The only gripe I have off this album is that a few of the Vocals seem to just be trying to hard to rile up people. Shit Glen we all know you dude, you don't have to have cheesy Lyrics like this:”A revelation that has come to life, has got you by the balls”

Shit happens the “cheesy” lyrics are few and far in between. I'm going to let you have at it on your own this time. See for yourself what the songs are like. If this catches your eyes, or if you were an old school Deicide fan. This could be the album for you to get into. Just remember give it a listen and give it a second chance. I sometimes dismiss a song as crap only to give it a second chance a month or so later and turn out to love it.

Do not judge this band on it's image or satanic lyrics. That will come back and bite you in the ass, this band is much more than just image today. This is a monster band

Phatso score: 4/5

 

[Uncle Phatso]

I have no problem saying to me in metal right now. This album is the best of the year from what I've heard. Don't get your fur in a bunch, I haven't got to everything. But I had Mastodon's new album on high with Black Tongue, and Curl of the burl. While the album is solid, it's not that solid. To me this album is SOLID AS FUCK!

That album is Unto the Locust. Anyone read what I posted months ago when Locust came out about this being one of the albums you should get? Yeah.... You should

1. I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)"
The album starts out with a 3 part song. Don't get me wrong I didn't dig the whole Latin singing at the start. But it's cool, I kinda actually dig it. What got to me was the I am hell part, it's perfect. The whole surrounding opening riff is just Evil as it gets. I can imagine Flynn setting on an old throne looking down at the masses while saying this.

I am death
Arms held outstretched
I am hell
Born this mortal shell
I am wrath
Take this bloodbath
God sent me to kill you

Then it just blows into a thrashy ass song that really gets me. Lets get this perfectly straight, me and new age thrash are on uneasy terms. A lot of new thrash in my eyes can't hang with what came out in the 80's. But this being Robb fucking Flynn, needless to say he knows his shit. So it's getting a thumbs up from me. There are small guitarish solos in the song, but the ending one starts off with an acoustic guitar playing. DAMN! I was blown away, as soon as it hit I got that itch to break my neck headbanging.

Rob Flynn is an amazing singer, it's good to hear him and Demmel playing again!

#2 Be still and Know
Song number two is a great fucking pick-me-up song. It starts out with a great tapping opener. It's rather simply not the strongest song on the album. But still it's solid none the less. Robb's vocals really shine in the song. Truly one of the best metal "singers" today.

#3 Locust
I've already reviewed Locust when it came out.

#4 This is the end
This song has a really twangy guitar opener that might turn off a few fans. But trust me let it pass, as cool as I think it is the shit really hits you about a minute into the song. When the lead hits it makes me wonder how many takes they had to get to have that shit go right. It's just mind blowing how far I've seen guitar work come today.

This isn't Tosin Absai of Animals as leaders or Matt Pike of high on fire. This is Machine fucking Head. Guitar work second to none as usual. Great groovy song mixed with Trash elements.

#5 Darkness within

This is the only song on the album that I can't really get into. It's a rather powerful song no doubt. I don't like the song per say, but I love the vocals. Robb is speaking to the masses with this song. This is a song from the heart.

#6 Pearls before the swine

The last two songs on the album are to me what people will have to be willing to give a chance to like in my eyes. This is very much so a Machine Head song. But to me it's a really slow progressing song.

#7 Who we are

To me the children singing at the opening could have been more potent. Not saying that it wasn't cool, but I think with older children singers you know 11-13 that could off been a rather potent opener.

Just like Darkness within this is another song that can appeal to the masses. Aesthetics of hate and Halo off the last album gave me that feeling too.

But this song is what people are going to call a good metal sounding anthem. High upbeat riffs, with great lyrics. Robb's Vocals as said on other songs are great.

I loved the solo and the slowing down of the song after it. Sometimes I think after a solo some bands can just get way to into the song. Robb singing with the children is a good touch, but his vocals in this song are better than great. 5:02-5:44 are fucking amazing.

Phatso's score 4.5/5

 

[GANLEYBRAND]

I absolutely hated Metallica and Lou Reed's Lulu album. The album bored me to tears...

Here's a taste of it:

[YOUTUBE]8LWtb621DRg[/YOUTUBE]

Go to a record store and try to find Megadth's TH1RT3EN, likely sold out, and Lulu full stock.

My conclusion: Lulu sells but who's buying?

 

[Richard]

My Chemical Romance @ Hordern Pavillion - Sydney - 27th Jan 2012

I've been listening to these guys for the last 7 years and they've been one of my favourites for a long time and I know that people always give them shit, but they're good to me so that's all that matters. It was a dream come true to finally see them.

They played a lot of older songs which was awesome because even though I like their new stuff, it's not as good as their older stuff and they sounded really good live, they can play their instruments well and Gerard's voice was great live.

Before they played 'Kids' Gerard said to the crowd "Just fucking be something". The more I think about it the more it makes me want to create a manga idea I've had for a while and learn an instrument I've wanted to learn. If I get this job I applied for, I will.

Setlist:

1. Look Alive Sunshine intro/Na Na Na
2. Thank You for the Venom
3. Planetary (GO!)
4. Mama
5. Cemetery Drive
6. The Only Hope for Me Is You
7. Our Lady of Sorrows
8. Give Em Hell Kid
9. Summertime
10. Sleep
11. DESTROYA
12. S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W
13. Teenagers
14. Vampire Money
15. Vampires Will Never Hurt You
16. Helena
17. Welcome to the Black Parade
18. Cancer

Encore:
19. I'm Not Okay
20. The Kids from Yesterday
21. Famous Last Words

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Black Stone Cherry @ Manchester Academy 1- March 18th 2012

I had already seen BSC supporting Alter Bridge on their arena tour in December, and was blown away with how great their singer sounded live. I bought tickets for their own tour as soon as they were released and had been looking forward to this show for the last few weeks.

It was as good as I expected. BSC played songs from all 3 of their albums, including every one I was hoping to hear, including "Devil's Queen", "Like I Roll" and "White Trash Millionairre". The interaction between the band and audience was brilliant, with the singer Chris Robertson talking with the crowd between songs, getting clapping and cheering going brilliantly, and allowing us to sing most of the lyrics to "The Things My Father Said" which was an emotional, lighters in the air moment.

A personal highlight for me was the short covers section in the middle of the set, where BSC played Nirvana's "Rape Me" and "Champage Supernova" by Oasis, which being in Manchester and myself being a huge Oasis fan went down brilliantly.

This is a band who are going places. Phenomenal singer, great charisma on stage, huge riffs... check them out if you haven't heard them already.

Set List

1.Change
2.Maybe Someday
3.Blind Man
4.Such A Shame
5.Hell & High Water
6.Soulcreek
7.In My Blood
8.Rain Wizard
9.Like I Roll
10.Killing Floor
11.White Trash Millionaire
12.Drum Solo
13.Stay
14.Champagne Supernova(Oasis cover) (First Verse and Chorus)
15.Rape Me (Nirvana cover) (First Verse and Chorus)
16.Things My Father Said
17.Devil's Queen
18.Blame It On The Boom-Boom
Encore:

19.Peace is Free
20.Lonely Train

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

Shinedown - Amaryllis​

I am in love with Shinedown's newest album. You know, with every other Shinedown album, I have been able to point to one song and definitively say that I didn’t like it. On Leave A Whisper it was “Lacerated.” On Us And Them it was “Some Day.” On The Sound Of Madness it was “Sin With A Grin.” Thing is though, I can’t do that with Amaryllis. There is not one bad song on the album! I honestly thought that it was going to be hard for Shinedown to beat the masterpiece that was Sound Of Madness. However, they not only beat it, they exceeded my expectations. With that said, let’s get into the song by song analysis.

Adrenaline: What a song to kick off the 4th record! With this, it’s almost like they combined the sounds of Cyanide Sweet Tooth Suicide and Cry For Help off of SoM. To put it simply, it’s a fast paced hard rock song that makes you want to bang your head and I can’t imagine a better song to start an album off with. Zach Myers’ guitar part on the song is brilliant. I’ve seen videos of this song performed live and this seems like a song that will make you get your ass up and move. Very smart move by Shinedown to put this song first on the album which hooks you in and makes you want to listen to the rest of the album.

Bully: This is the first single off the album and has been out since January 3rd. It creates a different sounding Shinedown than we’re used to. It took me some time at first to get used to the song, but the more I listened to it, the more I started liking it. Change is a good thing and Shinedown’s different sound on this song is a nice change of pace. Bully is another one of Shinedown’s hard rock songs and is a good way to sort of cool down after the fast pace of Adrenaline. Very good.

Amaryllis: The title track is the 3rd song on the album. For the first time on the album we get our first taste of the slow rock that Shinedown is also capable of. At first it’s a very nice ballad featuring an acoustic guitar and Brent Smith’s voice. Then the drums start to kick in. This continues until the chorus hits when all the instruments kick in. This really is a beautiful song and it’s different from every other slow rock son Shinedown has produced. Eventually, Zach Myers kicks in once again with his electric guitar and it adds a very ncie touch to the whole song. This is a one of a few candidates to become a big hit for Shinedown.

Unity: I have said time and time again that this song will be bigger than Second Chance. It’s a slow rock song, but it features more piano and electric guitar than Amaryllis does. The opening of the song leads into a brilliant melody of what seems to be violins, drums, and electric guitar. Very different for Shinedown. There truly are no words to describe just how masterful this song truly is. You really need to listen to the song to hear why I’m so giddy about this song. Don’t worry though, it’ll be on radio soon enough.

Enemies: With the next song, Shinedown returns to the hard rock style with another headbanger. On a live chat once, Shinedown let us listen to a part of a demo from a song of “The Underground.” I can definitely hear some similarities between the two. Again there is a wonderful piece after the second chorus that makes a rush of adrenaline flow through you. Great guitar playing from Zach Myers and drumming from Berry Kerch. As well as great bass from Eric Bass. Great song.

I’m Not Alright: This next one may have you scratching your head at the beginning because the opening is one of the most unique things I’ve ever heard. This is another slow rock song from Shinedown until the chorus hits when it turns into a bit more of a hard rock song. I think I may have actually heard some trumpets in this song too, which fit perfectly into the bridge before the chorus. It may take you a very short amount of time to start enjoying this song. But after a listen or two, you’ll like the direction that the band takes on this song.

Nowhere Kids: This is a song that I think was going to be a dud for Shinedown after listening to the 4 second snippet they released back in February. My friends, never judge a book by its cover. This song is not what I expected. It’s another hard rock song, but it takes more of an aggressive turn for Shinedown. It’s completely different from their other hard rock songs because it is so aggressive. It’s another headbanger that I really love. The bridge to the chorus may take me a little while to get used to, but the rest of the song beyond that is truly great.

Miracle: The vocals on this song sound eerily like those from “I Own You” on SoM. Not that that’s a bad thing. This is another song that starts out with a slow rock feel, but once the song progresses it gets harder – but not by much. It’s a very pleasing song that sounds like something you may have heard before – but it’s different from what you’ve ever heard from Shinedown before. “You are the miracle in me” is pretty much the theme of this song and is the last line in the chorus and the song itself. Brent Smith relays a great message with this song that really can’t be missed. A wonderful song from Shinedown.

I’ll Follow You: This song starts with piano playing that may make you feel like you’re in a tavern in NYC or something. The song starts with the piano and vocals, but then the guitars and drums kick in and it creates a very nice touch to the song. Again, I think I’m hearing violins on this song which fit perfectly with the whole sound of the song. After one of the choruses, you have a nice guitar part from Zach Myers once again. It’s a different song from the band, but again – change is a good thing. Shinedown really seems to have a niche when it comes to changing their sound so subtly but yet so greatly at the same time.

For My Sake: A song that I love more and more each time I hear it. It’s in between hard rock and slow rock, and it works. The opening to the song is really all you need to hear to enjoy it. The chorus is very catchy and I love it. The vocals from Brent Smith seem to be a little different than what we’re used to hearing, but he makes it work. I guess that’s why he has been called the best singer in rock time and time again. For My Sake is quickly becoming one of my favorite songs on the album.

My Name (Wearing Me Out): This is another song where Shinedown takes a bit of an aggressive approach. It’s another hard rock song that starts out with eerie vocals and music, but then it keeps getting faster and faster. Then the chorus hits and it turns into a masterful song. I can’t compare this song to anything else Shinedown has done because it is so different. It’s not as aggressive as Nowhere Kids but I guess you could say it’s close. To be honest though, I love this song.

Through The Ghost: The final song on this album is a slow rock song that cools you down after listening to the mix of aggressiveness, and hard and slow rock. There are sounds in the music that are unlike anything I’ve ever heard in a Shinedown song. It honestly sounds like they recorded this song with a symphony orchestra. It is completely different from anything Shinedown has ever done. It really is the perfect song to end a majestic and wonderful album.

The biggest thing with this album is the change in Shinedown’s sound between SoM and Amaryllis. But that’s what they’ve been doing with all of their albums. They constantly change their sound to stay fresh. It’s a great thing for the band because they can actually pull it off. I’m extremely proud of Shinedown for this album, and I’m extremely proud to say that I am a fan of Shinedown. Amaryllis hits stores next week on March 27th. Folks, listen to me when I say… GO GET THIS ALBUM! It is by far, the best work Shinedown has ever produced and you will not be disappointed. A definite 10/10 from me.

 

[Ferbian]

The Unguided - Hell frost

Track list

1. "Inherit the Earth" 4:46
2. "Phoenix Down" 3:33
3. "Betrayer of the Code" 5:05
4. "My Own Death" 4:01
5. "Serenade of Guilt" 4:33
6. "Collapse my Dream" 4:15
7. "Green Eyed Demon" 4:23
8. "Iceheart Fragment" 4:29
9. "Pathfinder" 4:44
10. "Where the Frost Rose Withers" 5:03​

Hell Frost is the debut album of the band The Unguided, consisting of 4 of the former Sonic Syndicate members, most noticeably the two former singers that left Sonic Syndicate due to creative differences as stated for part of the reason.

And certainly this album proves that they definitely went in another direction. This album has been reviewed as one of the heaviest works of these guys music history, and with good reason. This album gives something for the person who enjoys heavy music with a mix of clean and harsh vocals, which Roland and Richard delivers in an almost perfect mix. I as well as a lot of the older Sonic Syndicate fans agree that this is definitely a refreshing sight that brings back the music that these guys originally got exposed for, heavy harsh vocal dominated lyrics.

If you're a melodic death metal fan, or skeptical about the genre but enjoy the growls of other alternative metal bands alike, these guys with this album is definitely a great place to start, as well as their former work with Sonic Syndicate (Pre "We Rule The Night"). A great album that shows that these guys are still dedicated to the fan base that originally brought them into the light of the music industry.

Recommendable tracks​

Phoenix Down: Originally intended as the main single of this album, eventually replaced by Inherit the Earth, but this song definitely represents all this band used to be in Sonic Syndicate, and will continue to be as The Unguided. A heavy band, with a great flow between two singers, a rather rare thing in todays music industry if you ask me.

Betrayer of the Code: A track dominated by Richards harsh vocals, a good place to continue onto if you've caught on to the style of Sonic Syndicate and The Unguided, but potentially not the best place to start.

Where The Frost Rose Withers: A slightly cleaner tune, where clean vocal singer Roland gets a bit more 'playtime' if you want to call it that.

Enjoy.