ROCK N ROLL EXPERIENCE - November / December 2007

1 Star - crap

2 Stars - This is stuff your Mom might like!

3 Stars - It rocks, but is only okay

4 Stars - This is good, but there's room for improvement!

5 Stars - You should consider buying this...it's a good one!

6 Stars - Sell your car, dog, baby, etc., this is a MUST have!

The Robinson Brothers, Chris & Rich, who are also the 2 main men behind the Black Crowes, have a new dvd/cd set release out entitled "Live At The Roxy" under the moniker or Birds of a Feather, & it's really the purest expressions of music that you will ever hear! The entire show is essentially just the 2 brother's playing songs all by themselves, with an occassional back-up singer to add a little extra to the vocals. When you think of the roots of Rock N Roll, this cd will really evoke that same emotion...it's as stripped down as you can get, it's raw, un-polished, & really special for fans of the Black Crowes, & both brother's respective solo works, & I might add that there's quite a few really obscure covers on the cd as well that really show who influenced the boys! I was actually kinda surprised "Jealous Again" wasn't included on the cd, because that's one of the Black Crowes biggest songs & it's really beautiful on the dvd, but I guess the guys decided that it was better to cut that one for the cd! Listening to the cd & watching the dvd, it's really refreshing to experience pure music that's simple yet effective, with loads of emotion & just enough attitude to give it an edge! I also never saw Chris Robinson play guitar, so the dvd was interesting on that note as well! If you buy the dvd package you get both the dvd & cd, or you can buy the cd by itself in a jewel case..either way you get a stellar product, but I'd suggest getting the cd/dvd packaging because it's a better value for the money & there's never too much of the Robinson brothers! When you listen to the cd, or watch the dvd from beginning till end, you get the true vibe of what made the Black Crowes such a great rock n roll band...I always assumed they were just huge Rolling Stones fans, but they are much more than that, they are music fans, & they do what they do very well!

Imagine Queens of the Stoneage if they were a little more punkier & had electronic beats instead of live drums..that's the best way I could describe Rogue Thief, which is a one man band of sorts, in that Rocco wrote, played & executed all instrumentation on this cd, & overall it's an interesting EP from this Philly based musician. "Frontline" kicks the cd off with punchy electronic beats that are covered with crunchy guitar tones & this is the song that sets the pace for the entire cd, which is a fast paced ride that blends live playing with electronic elements, & it's been done a million times over since bands like Ministry & Thrill Kill Kult started oh so many years ago, but when it's done really well like on this cd, you have to acknowledge it & make note..this is an excellent cd from this un-signed artist! You can check out more on Rogue Thief at www.namenooneman.com

Ok, I'll be totally honest with you..I saw an interview Blaze did not too long ago & he admitted that he uses some sorta hair products that help balding men re-grow their hair, & when I started watching this dvd, I couldn't stop looking at his hair..it's so full & thick now..I remember seeing him with Iron Maiden many years ago when they did a club tour here in the USA & Blaze would sweat, & you could literally see right through his hair & it was like 6 pieces of hair on a bald scalp...now he has this thick main of hair & it's like a totally different guy! Ok, I got that out of my system, so the new DVD that the man & his band put out is quite simply pure metal genius...his band is strong, his guitar players are tight, his drummer is strong, & Blaze...god, his voice is amazing, but watch the dvd & look at the funny faces he makes..he's funny to watch! Ok, I will stop with the things I noticed & stick to the fact now...the band is amazing, it's pure metal, & the highlight for me is the band covering Iron Maiden's "Man On The Edge", which is the first single released off the Blaze era of Maiden & it sounds stellar! Watching Blaze interact with the crowd, sweting on them, high fiving, & making contact, it makes you feel like you're there, & the video of the band is superb & sharp & super clear! There's a load of bonus features as well & the interviews can kinda drag on a bit, but they are still interesting & this is a killer dvd for the real metal fans!

Queen is one of the most inspiring bands from the 70's with their glam, theatrical, & campy elements both in music & image, & the bands front man, Freddie Mercury was the catalyst of that..he was flamboyant, openly gay, & very un-apologetic regarding his lifestyle & the excess that his celebrity afforded him. This dvd has loads of clips, concert footage, music videos, interviews, & it's a great anthology for an amazing musical force's legacy, & I've seen quite a few Queen documentaries, but this one might be one of the better one's on the market! There's a great quote from Freddie, when he was asked if his contracting HIV had slowed him down at all, Freddie replied, "My Darling, I don't give a f*ck! & that's pure rock n roll attitude! The saddest part of the dvd is the last portion that chronical's the last years of Freddie, & the way the program is done, although it's sad, it's not a tear jerker & that's what I really like about this dvd..it really celebrates what Queen was..a rock n roll phenomenon!

Ok, so this is Maynard from Tool's first ful length solo record, & to be honest with you..at first I didn't know what to think of it..it's very indulgent, it's NOTHING like Tool, & infact, it reminds me alot of the theme from the Soprano's..it's got alot of spoken word style vocals & some just plain weird stuff..the highlights for me are track 6 & "The Undertaker" & "Rev.." because these 2 feature Danny Lohner, & to be honest with you, these are the only 2 that are real songs in that they are memorable, & have song style structure..alot of the stuff on this cd is more art based & reminds me of the weirder sides of Brian Eno & David Bowie..it's just very artistic & I can't describe it any better than as totally indulgent & exactly what a solo record should be! Check out the artwork too...it's kinda tongue in cheek & you have to have a sick sense of humor to "get" it..oh yeah, check out where the cd is housed..the inside of the cd case, the actual inside, literally, where the cd is, has a little message if you're smart enough to find it! I gave this cd 6 stars because, at first I thought, god, this thing sucks, then I played it a few more times, & I understood it..it's not a record that's meant to be listened to once..you have to absorb it & figure out where each track is coming from...the theme of religion is recurring a few times & I definitley like the thoughts & humor that Maynard displays on this cd, plus, come on, the artwork is some of the coolest sh*t EVER!

Rating: 5 stars

Jen & company put out "Flesh is the Law" a few years back & it's now being re-issued, & it's pretty much the same pressing, just it's being made more widely available via distribution from MVD, & "Flesh is the Law" is probably the bands best cd for the fact that they really got it all together, their song writing was really strong, & there's no denying they still maintain that trashy quality that makes them who they are, but they also are the pre-cursor to Marilyn Manson and all the shock rock that came from around that same era...the themes for every other song are exactly what you'd expect, pain, submission, & sex. The band maintains their trademark sound with scorching guitars, Jen's vocals that range from shrieks to subtle, soft singing, & the rhythm is undeniably punchy & you can dance to it as well as start a mosh pit! The live tracks on the disc are killer too I might add!

Ok, if you dont know anything about the Rolling Stones, or you're too young to really know much about the band, this is a must see documentary dvd! It chronicle's the bands 2 year period where they wrote some of their darkest material ever, & I learned something I really never knew about the band..they were one of the first bands to release double A sides on a single..what that means is, there were 2 hit singles on a 45 record..usually, there was one hit single & the flip side was a b-side that wasn't meant to be played on radio. There's also an interesting part where they talk about the recording of "Jumoin Jack Flash" & the guitars were recorded as if it was a punk rock band..the guitars were meant to be noisy, angry & loud, & for that era, they definitley achieved that! The band had this very psychedelic vibe, but then there's that angry rock style that you can't deny, & that's what always attracted me to the Rolling Stones..they had loads o' influences from country, to rock, to punk, & they had this amazing rhythm & groove, so this is a dvd you really need to check out, it's a great piece of rock n roll history that's madatory watching!

In all honesty, there are some weird parts of this dvd, like they show pics of the band that are older than the era that this dvd is supposed to be about, but this dvd is cool because it chronicle's the bands last era when they were still 3 of the original 5 members. There's loads o' interviews, cool concert clips, & again, I don't understand why they chose to use an Appetite For Destruction era picture for a dvd about the UYI era, but as it is, it's still a cool compilation of clips, interviews, & it really gives details of the last era of the band before it was just AXL! This DVD is a must have for the GNR fans!

Rating: 6 stars

I definitley think Riggs stepped it up a full notch with the latest release of "Sleaze Freak", which is his 2nd full length release from his band, Scum of the Earth! The sound is very similiar to Rob Zombie, but then again, this is the man that created alot of the Zombie solo songs from his first couple o' solo discs, so it makes sense..there's that tuned down, devil groove on most tracks, there's guitar solo's, devilish dead girls singing back up's at times, & the artwork is very 50's/60's horror movie inspired which is super cool! There's a bonus track on the cd that kicks in on track 23 called "Just Like Me" that's really different than all the other songs on this cd, so make sure & chec it out! There's a bonus dvd included with this cd that is hosted by Metal Sanaz & it's a short documentary on the recording of the new cd, as well as some interview clips with the band, the fans & even a live song from a show in CA! I don't really think I need to give a blow by blow detail of every song, because each song is distincylt it's own monster, although the entire cd has the Scum of the Earth sound that you can't mistake for any other artist, so if you like your rock sleazy & dirty, with loads o' monster themes, chunky riffs, creepy grooves & an underlying theme of spookiness, then you'll love the new Scum of the Earth cd!

Track Listing: Three Suns & One Star, The Path, N.O.D., I Scream, On March The Saints, Never Try, Mourn, Beneath The TIdes, His Majesty The Desert, Pillamyd, In The Thrall Of It All, Nothing In Return

Rating: 6 stars

Funny story..I was kinda drifting from rock music when I got this cd in the mail...I had lost that lust for riff filled rock that was inspired by Back Sabbath & Led Zeppelin, because to be quite honest with you, I hadn't heard anything that great lately, then I got this cd, & by the time I was on track 2, I was giving the devil horns, my blood was flowing with rock n roll enthusiasm, & I felt like I did when I first heard the frist Down record...the new Down cd really brings back that vibe & sound & feel..it's man's music, it's very organic, very basic, very raw, & totally f**king real! You can listen to this cd all the way through & it just kicks your ass froms tart to finish! There's little musical interludes that slow down a bit, but overall, this cd busts serious ass all the way through & that's what rock music has been missing for quite a few years! You can't deny that this is a metal super group that has members of Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity & Crowbar..it's got a very southern vibe, & I think what the band represents is the honesty, the integrity, the grittiness & the real side of music..I call this the purest form of rock/metal that there is..it's just so real that it hurts & that's what music is supposed to be about!

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RATT

Tell the World: The Very Best of Ratt Track Listing: Dangerous But Worth The Risk, Back For More, Lovin You's a Dirty Job, Nobody Rides For Free, Heads I Win, You're In Love, City to City, Body Talk, Way Cool Jr., Round & ROund, Lay it Down, I Want A Woman, Dance, Wanted Man, Slip of the Lip, Shame Shame Shame, Lack of Communication, Over the Edge, Steel River, Way Cool Jr. (Unplugged)

Rating: 6 stars

Ratt are a pivotal band from the 80's LA Hair Metal scene..they played raunchy, sleazy hair metal that borrowed a guitar tone from Eddie Van Halen, but lyrically I think the band was more similiar to Aerosmith & Zeppelin..they really mixed the best of the great rock icons from their era, & Warern DeMartini's solo's are what really made the bands sound as much as Stephen Pearcy's vocals! "Back For More" is the song that I think really defines the band...both in the title & the content of the song! I saw the band this Summer palying with Poison & the band still has that same fire..tehy've been through alot, one member past away, one member refuses to join the band, but yet they are still iconic with the era they came from, their fan base is stronger than ever, & the band sounds as good live as they do on cd! I think the only song I might have omitted from this compilation is "Steel River" because is that one really a "greatest hit"?? You can't deny that "You're in Love", "Wanted Man" & "Round & Round" are great classic rock tracks, & I think this might be the first compilation that has "Nobody Rides For Free" which was previously just on a movie soundtrack! This is the definitive Ratt collection & I don't think any metal cd collection is complete without this cd!

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OVERKILL

Immortalis Track Listing: Devils In The Mist, What It Takes, Skull & Bones, Shadow of a Doubt, Hellish Pride, Walk Through Fire, Head On, Chalie Get Your Gun, Hell Is, Overkill V..THe Brand

Rating: 6 stars

When I got the new Overkill CD, the first thought that came to my mind was, wow, this band is still together??!? They were a great 80's/90's thrash metal band that influenced alot of the underground metal scene, but they never really made a huge mark, commercially, & when I first popped this cd in the player...dammit, these guys are like 20 years into their career & wow, they still thrash like they were in their early 20's & ready to dominate the world with guitars & power! Blitz's voice sounds as amazing as it did when he first started the band, & the twin guitar attack is strong, the solo's are rich, there's a definite rhythm, & this cd is pure Overkill from beginning to end..there is no other band that sounds just like Overkill, & that's what made the band what it is today..they are like AC/DC, Slayer & The Ramones..they never changed for trends or to make $$..they make music for their fans & they are loyal to what they do & just how many bands can you really say that about today???

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SERJ TANKIAN

Elect the Dead Track Listing: Empty Walls, The Unthinkable Majority, Money, Feed Us, Saving Us, Sky Is Over, Baby, Honking Antelope, Lie Lie Lie, Praise the Lord And Pass The Ammunition, Bethoven's C***, Elect the Dead

Rating: 5 stars

SerJ Tankian is using his down time from System of a Down wisely..he's promoting his first solo cd, & to be honest with you, it sounds just like SOAD..it's kinda quirky, kinda weird, frantic at times, & the only thing that really makes the record slightly different than SOAD is the approach that each song doesn't really have a band vibe, as much as a mood & ensemble..there's opera singers, some riff rock, some slow stuff, lotsa moody vibes, & the cd has a really cool packaging, cool layout, & I dig the music, although I was kinda hoping to hear something a little different at times, because most of this cd could really fall under System of a Down's sound, I mean Darrin is missing, but come on, you can't deny this is SOAD light at times! I'm not slamming the music, it's good stuff, it's got alot of weird tempo's & Serj did a helluva job on this, I just hope that he doesn't get mad when people compair it to SOAD because it's very similiar to that band & that just shows what a huge part of SOAD Serj has in him & is!

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Rating: 5 stars

There's no denying that Sebastian Bach was one of the best singers from that entire genre of hair bands...his voice is still as strong today as it was back then, he still has the cool long hair, & he can still sing all the high notes & all the low notes that he did back in the day with Skid Row. I remember seeing Sebastian opening for Guns N Roses last year, & he played quite a few of these songs on his new "Angel Down" cd & the songs on this cd have the same exact energy that the live performaces did...there's some classic sounding heavy metal tracks on here, a few slower ones, & even a ballad, which some might argue is the best stuff on the cd! "American Metalhead" is really a great song & honestly, I think it would have been a great title for this cd, because it's exactly what this cd is all about..it's waving the flag for heavy metal & saying, hey, heavy metal might not be big business like it once was, but I'm still here, I'm still kickin' ass & dammit, I wanna rock! "Angel Down" is an interesting rocker, & the cover art was designed by Sebastian's father, & infact, Sebastian actually had the cover art tattooed on his body! "Back in The Saddle" features a duet with Axl Rose, & I think some people are afraid to say it, but I will tell the truth..when I first heard this cover of the Aerosmith classic, I wasn't sure if it was really AXL or not..I say this, because I grew up with the "Appetite" era AXL & his voice has changed alot since that time...you might swear that it was someone imitating AXL if you didn't know better, because there hasn't really been anything released by Mr. Rose in MANY years, so it's amazing that Sebastian got AXL to duet with him on this song...this definitley marks some sorta milestone, & don't get me wrong, the song kicks ass, it's just a strange pairing considering AXL's been so reclusive as far as releasing new music to the record buying public for the last 10 years or so. "Love is a Bitchslap" is one of the songs I distinctly remember seeing Sebastian play on his last tour & all I can say is, wow, kick f**kn' ass track with strong vocals, searing guitars, & all the right ingredients for a killer metal song! This is actually the first dull length Sebastian Bach solo record, & hopefully this is the first of many from Sebastian, because he's got this amazing voice & it's ashame that there's so few cd's from him available, I mean there are some, but not as many as he could have out. Anyways, overall, "Angel Down" is a great cd from beginning till finish & it's great to have some new metal from Sebastian!

Rating: 4 stars

Listening to this cd, it really does sound like it came from the late 80's hair/glam metal era...I hate to trash anyone, but most of these songs are just poppy, with little substance, nothing really memorable, & what the band is really selling their music on, is their looks! "Sir Yes SIr" is probably the best song on the cd..it's not bad at all, but like with "Call Me Baby Call Me", if you stripped it down a little more & added some more upbeat shit to it, it could be a Britney Spears song...I give the guys credit for even trying to do what they are doing, but it's not that happening, & if I said elsewise I'd be lying. I gave this cd 4 stars though, because the recordings sound ok, there's something there, just I feel like I'm going back 20 years & I don't really wanna go back that far if I'm listening to a brand new band..I wanna live in the hear & now, not yesteryear, but again, I give S.E.X. Department props for even putting out an extremely glam rock/retro sounding product like this...they have some balls!

Rating: 6 stars

Avenged Sevenfold are back with their much anticipated follow up to "Cities of Evil" which propelled the band into rock stardom & got them a spot on Ozzfest, as well as selling out tour after tour over the past few years. The new Avenged Sevenfold CD is close to what you might expect from the band..it's chock full o' riffs, complex solo's, & similiar vocals to the last record..I make that statement because, if you listen to the bands early records, the vocals were not clean, & with the clean vocals, it's apparent that the band's success was greater for media outlets & radio to jump on & tout as the next big thing, but the interesting note is, alot of the bands core audience considered that move to be a sell out, whereas I look at it as a progression..the songs on the new cd are written & arranged like old scholl metal songs, but there area few twists & turns that make this record a little more quicky than their previous release...the only thing I found kinda bland about this cd was the front cover, which almost reminds me of Cinderella's "Long Cold Winter" cd with the white cover & band logo, but that's just my opinion. Overall, killer heavy metal from the USA's best newer metal band...viva la riffs, killer rhythms, excellent drumming & did I say pure freakin' metal?!

Ok, so this is Maynard from Tool's first ful length solo record, & to be honest with you..at first I didn't know what to think of it..it's very indulgent, it's NOTHING like Tool, & infact, it reminds me alot of the theme from the Soprano's..it's got alot of spoken word style vocals & some just plain weird stuff..the highlights for me are track 6 & "The Undertaker" & "Rev.." because these 2 feature Danny Lohner, & to be honest with you, these are the only 2 that are real songs in that they are memorable, & have song style structure..alot of the stuff on this cd is more art based & reminds me of the weirder sides of Brian Eno & David Bowie..it's just very artistic & I can't describe it any better than as totally indulgent & exactly what a solo record should be! Check out the artwork too...it's kinda tongue in cheek & you have to have a sick sense of humor to "get" it..oh yeah, check out where the cd is housed..the inside of the cd case, the actual inside, literally, where the cd is, has a little message if you're smart enough to find it! I gave this cd 6 stars because, at first I thought, god, this thing sucks, then I played it a few more times, & I understood it..it's not a record that's meant to be listened to once..you have to absorb it & figure out where each track is coming from...the theme of religion is recurring a few times & I definitley like the thoughts & humor that Marnard displays on this cd, plus, come on, the artwork is some of the coolest sh*t EVER!

Rating: 5 stars

Fight was one of those bands that really made me fall in love with metal again...I vaguely recall that when their first cd came out, that Heavy Metal was kinda stale, grunge was getting ready to crush the scene, Judas Priest had just severed ties with Rob Halford, & the song Rob recorded for the Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie with the core of Pantera was just heavy as f*ck & then when Fight's first cd came out...wow, it felt like Heavy Metal had kinda gone dormant & Rob Halford brought it all back in all it's glory with a new powerhouse band that just nailed it on cd & onstage! Now, after many years, the original Fight demo's, which started it all, are being released & there's even a slew of new, un-released stuff on there as well! For demo's, these songs sound stellar, Rob's vocals are amazing, as always, & it's interesting to hear how these songs changed by the time they were eventually released on the first record...some songs changed alot while other's just put some finishing touches to make it complete! "Kill It" is the song that really sounds like a demo to me, because it's got a gritty sound, & don't get me wrong..it's heavy as hell still, & kicks ass...when I think of demo's though, I think of crappy sounding songs that are full of power, passion, & really rough...this song captures it all! The liner notes explain everything, the meaning behing "k5" which was simply so when the band recorded, no one messed with the tapes, because if they said "Rob Halford or Fight", the fans would know what that was & check 'em out, so "k5" was the secret name the band used while recording! Do I even need to go on with hoe heavy this cd is? It's classic metal with a modern twist..it's Judas Priest meets Pantera..it's amazing, strong, heavy metal & if you liked the first Fight cd, you'll love the hello outta this cd! I am glad Rob made these demo's available for the fans..I always felt like Fight was under-appreciated, & this cd gives the fans a nice little treat! I have to add that "Psycho Suicide"is a song I don't remember ever hearing from the band, & wow..it's cooler than hell!

Rating: 5 stars

Slik Helvetika are a metal band that's straight up metal, riffs, guitar solo's & they kinda remind me of a better version of Accept, when they were a good band back in the 80's! The guitars are loud, the vocals could be a little louder at times, but overall, this is a kick ass cd..I'll admit that it's slightly dated in it's sound, BUT, that's not a bad thing, it's killer metal, & dammit, it's nice to hear that bands still are out there doing this kinda shit & keeping the scene alive! "Bastard" is my personal favorite, but all the songs on here kinda run in the same metal vain & rip your face off! Also, check out the interludes that are between every other song..they are quite funny & weird!

Rating: 5 stars

Ok, so whenever I review a cd, I give an honest opinion of what I think of the band, their music, & their "product" as a whole...in all honesty, sometimes I HATE reviewing a band because who the hell am I to say what's good or bad?? I have my own personal opinions, just like everyone else, & I was talking to someone who said something to me, that I had really forgotten..I mean I know this, but I have been doing this for so long that I let it slip away...the concept of "Being good at what you do, regardless of whether you personally like it or not." Ok, so my first thought on Demonhunter was that they have a Christian presence & I almost didn't even review this cd...I hate to ignore any releases based on their personal opinions or beliefs, but I was not that hyped to review a CD that had "god" themes...anyways, I took into consideration that good music is good music regardless, & let me tell you, just ignore the bands back cd cover if you hate religious messages...listen to the music, & enjoy it for the melodies, energy & intensity! There's a definite "Jesus" theme on this cd, but the music is good & I can't deny that...'Lead Us Home" is a kick ass song & "Carry Me Down" is actually a slower song that's quite stellar, I just get annoyed with religious overtones in my music, so look aside from that & just listen to the music if you are not into religion based bands, & I will admit to, the bands cd cover is really unique..it's like this 2 way fold out thing that opens like a book inside of a book..not sure if that makes sense, but in terms of originallity in artwork, I LOVE the art direction for the cd packaging! The music itself is a mix of hardcore, melodic rock, & definitly good, just that pesky religion stuff kinda urked me at times, but anyways...

Rating: 6 stars

Ok, there's no denying, this band is straight up garage style punk rock..the quality of the music on this cd is iffy..it has a very cheap sound that's almost tinty at times, BUT, let me clarify something..I LOVE it..this IS what punk rock is all about..it's gritty, dirty, nasty, did I say dirty?? Seriously, it's got hooks, it's simple 3 chord punk rock that's stripped to the bare bones, nothing is complex, no guitar solo's, & this is the kinda music that is timeless..it's guitar/bass/drums, easy to play, fun to sing with, & with the exception of "Black Cats & Broken Mirrors", "Shades of Grey" & "Never Say Goodbye", the entire cd has the same sound, attitude, & it's almost like you're listening to a vinyl record at times...sooo retro & actually very cool! I know that the kiddies today don't quite know what old school punk rock was like, but this is as close as it gets!

Rating: 6 stars

Queensryche is one of the few metal bands to hang around since the 80's, & they have this totally distinctive sound that ONLY Queensryche has...Geoff Tate has a voice that NO ONE else has...it's borderline operatic, strong, distinct, & few if any guys can really sing his range! This entire cd has the Queensryche feel, but the song that just kicked my ass from the start was "Neon Knights", which is probably my personal favorite from the Dio era Black Sabbath, & all I will say is, wow, I've heard a few bands cover this song & Geoff Tate is the ONLY dude to nail it like that! The cover of The Police's "Synchronicity II" is interesting & the guitar parts are what I really like about it, plus, to be honest with you, I've always felt that Sting's voice was weak as hell & hearing this version just this song some balls! "For The Love of Money" is ok, but I seem to remember another band from the 80's covered this one & had a pretty decent hit out of it, so I wasn't really excited over that song, but the cover of Peter Gabriels' "Red Rain" was, in all honesty, superb! The song was perfect as it was before in it's original form, but hearing Queensryche nail it to perfect & add their own style to it...wow, I'm speechless! The last song on the CD is without a doubt, the highlight..it's a cover of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky" that was preformed live, & all I will say is, Mr. Tate had ALOT to say about politics on this particular night, & man, he got it ALL out on this one..the band ripped on this cover, but Geoff was on fire & as good as his vocals were, it was his ranting that makes you go...wow, this dude's pissed off on this one! Overall, I wasn't sure what I thought when I first heard Queensryche was doing a cover cd, but in all honesty, this thing is well worth checking out if you like Queensryche..you get to hear them doing some select cover's & most of them are kinda obscure if you're on the young side.

Rating: 6 stars

Released on Misfits records, isit any surprise these Japanese horror punk rock fiends play music that's loud, fast, catchy, & very Misfit's-ish at times? Ok, I know everyone compairs Balzac to te Misfits, but it's hard to deny that their un-polished sound it very similiar to that band & this CD opens with a weird assed intro, that kicks into "Godless" after like 4 minutes of intro, & then the entire cd pummels you non-stop with gory themes, raunchy punk rock, & it's interesting to hear the Japanese take on American Style horror punk because they pretty much nail it just like their American counterparts! "P.A.R.K" is my personal favorite..it's kinda weird, kinda creepy, & very cool all in the same vain..it's got some sampled elements & is definitley the strongest song on thie cd! The bands cover of "Ziggy Stardust", the theme for a particular era of David Bowie's career was an interesting choice, but again, this is one of those songs that quite a few bands have covered, & it's hard to really top what Bowie did, but I do give Balzac credit for jammin' on this one because they add their own style to it & it's such a classic song that you almsot can't f*ck it up! The bonus dvd has all kinds o' cool concert footage & stuff that every Balzac fan will salivate over! As far as this cd as a whole...you get ALOT for your money with this package..it's a helluva package & Balzac really gives their fans a great package compaired to some bands out there that offer a cd with no bonuses! I dig the art theme to the cd as well..it's typically spooky & dark, but would you expect any less from Balzac???

If you don't know who Dark Funeral is, you probably don't care for black metal or death metal, because Dark Funeral are one of the most driving forces in the genre today...they've been around for a while now, & this dvd is a 2 disc set that has a few different concerts on it, & on disc 2, the part that really interested me the most was the "History of the band" part where they put together all of this non-pro, fan shot footage that covered the bands entire career because that's what the fans really wanna see! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the pro shot footage, the audio is sharp, the video is strong, but the non-pro footage is where you see the human side to the band & that's what I loved the most about this dvd, because I'd never seen ANY early footage of the band, & this dvd has it all! I do have to ask one question though...is the bands look considered "scary" overseas? I ask this, because when I watch the dvd, I'm not slamming them, but they come off slightly funny at times..the are wearing as much face paint as Gene Simmons from KISS & twice as much leather & studs as Rob Halford, to it's really an interesting look that's part retro, atleast as far as the US rock scene is concerned, but to watch it onstage, it looks cool, I just don't view the band as being scary...ok, sorry, I went off on a tangent there! The Netherlands concert is my personal favorite...it's their strongest set & it's around 30 minutes long & kills it from beginning till end! This dvd is a must have for all back metal & Dark Funeral fans!

One really cool perk of doing Rock N Roll Experience is that often times, I get advance screenings of upcoming shows...I recently got to check out advance screeners for episode #1 & #5 of the VH-1 Classics "Seven Ages of Rock" series that premiers the first week of December & episode #1 is all about the origins of Rock N Roll, & it really focuses heavily on The Rolling Stones & has a cool interview with Keith Richards where he plays guitar & explains why the blues were such a huge part of his musical journey, & there's some great footage of The Who as well, but guess what, you know what the show really glosses over? The Beatles, Elvis, & Jimi Hendrix, who in my opinion, were a huge part of that era, but the Dennis Hopper narated show really delves into the origins of Rock music with episode #1, & on episode #5, it's all about Arena Rock & the larger tha life bands that played to insanely huge crowds...Artists highlighted on this episode are KISS, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Queen & The Police...the KISS footage was my personal favorite part of the program, & let's face it, if you're checking out Rock N Roll Experience, this is a show you have to check out, it's very cool, well put together, & whenever you watch the "history of Rock N Roll" type specials, they all have similiar aspects to them, but that's also what makes them all interesting, so be sure & check out this special airing over 7 nights on VH-1 Classics!

It's pretty cool to check out this dvd, because there's serious connections with the Maryland area on this dvd...there's 2 concert's filmed in their entirity on this dvd & while one is a Philly show, the other is a Maryland filmed show from the Recher Theatre, & it's awesome to see alot of my buddies on this dvd, infact, I even see myself during the first dew songs! The dvd has alot of interesting bonus stuff like band interviews, video, fan clips, & more! There was originally some sorta problem with the Philly filmed show, so that was the reason that the Maryland show was filmed as well, & watching Phil & the boys tear it up, it's great fun to be able to watch this dvd & re-live the show that I was at & let me tell you, this dvd captures ALL of the energy, the power, & the intensity that the band had the night of the filming, & if you've never seen the band live, it's easy to focus on the bands guitarists, but check out Jason on drums..that dude is a monster & he's one of the bands secret weapons in their live show. When I see Phil screaming his ass off, I can't help but think of Jamie from Hatebreed..I don't mean that as a dig, but seriously, the intensity that Phil has onstage is only rivaled by that of Hatebreed!

KISS fans are rabid, we all know that, they are obsessive about their lust for the band, & most rock fans have heard of KISS conventions, which rival Trekky conventions, in that you have a room full of "people" who are borderline obsessive about their favorite subject, they dress up like their hearo's, they have tattoo's, endless amounts of memorabilia, & they are the ultimate fan for sure. KISS Loves You is a documentary style dvd that focuses on the pre-reunion era of the band when the band was not packing arena's, they were doing slim business, & things were "iffy" at best..the band was sans make-up & they had little going on, but in all honesty, this was the most interesting era of the band because they had better musicians in the fold & wrote stronger songs...this dvd interviews many new york natives as well, including Todd Youth from Danzig/D Generation & Dick Manitoba, among others! With alot of dvd's, the bonus footage is what excited me the most, because there's outtakes, public access show footage, & private movies that were filmed during the bands reunion tour press conference! I think alot of the hype on this dvd is basically, if you wanna see what the "Real" Kiss Army is like, watch this dvd & you will get 100% proof positive, that the fans are still there & they love the band still! I think that the reunited version of the band really did kinda kill some of the hype though, because after Ace & Peter were let go..again, & replaced with fake's in the same make-up/costumes, the unique quality of the band kinda went out the window..again! Overall, this dvd is really amusing & worth checking out!

Rating: 6 stars

I really didn't care for the Genitorturers until I saw them in concert a few years back, & then I "got" what the fanbase had already known...Jen & the boys are a passionate bunch that play eroic metal that's got heavy theme's in bondage, s&m, & basically, it's NOT stuff you wanna play around your Mom, but it's fun..in a sick & perverted sorta way! The concert footage is cool, but I think they tried to make it too slick at times by adding too many cuts & edits...one funny part is a home movie clip where Jen introduces the band members as members of Motley Crue! There's some behind the scenes footage where the bands guitar player...uhmm, drinks milk, lol, no more details! & then there's footage of an x-rated photo shoot for an adult magazine, but the highlight for sure is the concert footage that's the center piece of the entire dvd! Seeing the band live in concert is where they shine..their music is not necessarily the most amazing, BUT, when they perform live, I emphasize the word perform..they bring each song to life with showmanship & crazy stage antics!