Rock N Roll Experience - November / December 2008

Before you begin reading these reviews, we have a rating system to tell you just how good or bad a CD is & here's the breakdown on how it works:

1 Star - You'd rather vomit than own this music!

2 Stars - This is a cd you don't want your friends to know you have

3 Stars - It's okay

4 Stars - This is a good one, it lacks a little something, but it's a keeper

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

6 Stars - Do what you have to do by any means to get this disc, it's a MUST HAVE!!

Kreator is a band that's got a long history in the thrash metal world...I am not even sure how many guys in the current band are "original" members these days, & the band originally started out so freakin' heavy that it was insane...in 2009 the current version of Kreator is a modern sounding thrash band that's slowed down the tempo a little compared to the early days, but don't think there's any ballads on their new cd which drops in January of 2009, because every song is loud, fast & in your face with the intensity of a speeding bullet! "Hordes of Chaos", the title track, features a sound that new metal fans might compare to Trivium or Bullet for My Valentine & that's something I find interesting, because Kreator has been around for so many years, yet they never got their recognition over here in the USA, while overseas they are thrash metal legends! The twin guitar attack on "Escalation" sounds killer, & "Amok Run" starts off a little slow, which is something the old Kreator would NEVER do...it's really nice to see that the band name has been kept alive all these years & what I have to give the band props on is their musicianship, because the guitar playing on this cd is very old-school in that it's complex, intense, & there's great guitar solo's too! Some of the guitar licks verge on neo-classical & that's something that modern thrash metal kinda let go over the years because let's face it, it's some complex stuff to play & it's what separates the boys from the men, so to speak! I was reading the mini bio on the back of the cd that I received & the band nailed what they wanted to achieve...they wanted a studio record that sounded live & raw & one that wasn't over-produced via computers, & what you have in the new Kreator cd is a killer riff-fest that will have you headbanging so much that you will snap your neck like a mouse in a mousetrap

Rating: 6 stars

Mudvayne are back with a brand new studio record finally...it's been a few years since the bands last record because Chad & Greg were off doing the Hell Yeah band with Vinnie Paul from Pantera & in all honesty, that project blew up so freakin' huge that it's no wonder they went with that venture for nearly 2 years, but it made the Mudvayne fans lose out because the core of the band was awol...well, flash forward a short time later & the original freaks who brought you "Dig", one of the metal crowds most favorite anthems, are back with a new cd entitled "The New Game". I am kinda confused as to whether each song really relates to the concept/murder mystery "concept" that's what this cd is all about. "Dull Boy" was released on the bands last compilation record & it's a kick ass song that's full-on Mudvayne craziness! The new cd starts off with "Fish Out Of Water" which is typical Mudvayne, it's not the heavier stuff they started out doing on their debut record, but more mainstream, radio friendly heavy metal, & that song is followed by the huge radio hit "Do What You Do" which is a stalewort on modern rock radio with it's mellow opening & punchy chorus. "A New Game" is the song that kicked my ass....the guitar work by Greg is probably the best I've ever heard him do..it's heavy, hard at times complex & honestly, it's just a rockin' song with lotsa twists & turns on a musical level! "The Hate In Me" sees Mudvayne kinda returning to their roots because the vocals are more hardcore styled than the clean vocals that Chad has been known for these days & if you listen to the first record closely, it's interesting to note that Chad's singing style has really progressed & it's actually in a different key too! "Scarlet Letter" is the song that might make Mudvayne fans angry...it's got an acoustic opening & in all honesty, if Chad's vocals were not on this song, it might confuse Mudvayne fans until the heavier parts kick in because this is the song that will definitely be their biggest song on this cd..it's their crowning moment because this is the one that's got so much cross-over appeal...radio will pick up on it, it's catchy, it's got the heavy parts that will appeal to the rockers, & the slower parts will get the band recognized more since mainstream America is so in love with the heavy/mellow styled songs, but as a song, this is really the most creative & drastically different I've ever heard Mudvayne...it almost reminds me of the progression that Metallica went through over the years...their first record was anti-establishment, angry, pissed off & raw, & with each record, the band gets better & better & gains more fans until they are a heavy metal juggernaut!

Rating: 6 stars

Eddie Glass & the backing band he has that calls themselves Nebula, have a new cd out..it's actually a compilation of the bands various BBC/Peel Sessions from over the past several years...John Peel passed away not too long ago, & for those that live outside the UK, you might not even know who John Peel was, but he has a cooler than thou radio show that featured every good rock band that ever was over the past many years, & Nebula is a band that I'd best describe as Black Sabbath meets Fu Manchu...the bands got a distinctly stoner rock vibe & sound, their guitar tone is nice & fuzzy, the rhythm section is tighter than a 2 year old & Eddie's vocals sound so retro that it's insane! I had the pleasure of seeing Nebula live a few years back & they are the real deal....dirty white boys playing dirty rock n roll the way it was meant to be played! Reckless abandon played at loud volume..that's the best way to describe Nebula & the bands new cd captures them tearing it up live with various formations of the band...the only constant is Eddie's fuzzy guitar tone & gritty vocals! Honestly, they remind me alot of Monster Magnet too & that's a really good compliment in my book...also, the guitar solo's on this cd are very Jimi Hendrix-ish with loads o' wah wah peddle!

Buckcherry always has been & always will be nothing more than a blues based rock n roll band..their formula for music is pretty simple...guitar, bass & drums with Josh Todd's vocals smeared on top of it all...it's the basic & purest form of rock n roll music, yet it's also the most honest & truest musical expression, but to be honest with you, Buckcherry has this weird trend...every other record they release is so/so...their debut release was amazing, the follow-up, "Time Bomb" was iffy, then they split up & reunited with Josh & Keith re-building on their musical legacy with a slew of amazing, very well written & strong rock n roll mayhem, then, the follow up, "Black Butterfly"...as a Buckcherry fan, I was personally kinda on the fence about it...musically, it's not...I don't wanna say special, but it's doesn't top the bands "15" record, which was a total balls out, amazing record from beginning till finish...the highlight of the bands new cd is "Cream" which is a little experimental, edgy, & honestly, "Cream" was the song that made me think, ok, it's the last song on the cd & it's easily the best, most interesting song, so they ended on a high note! "Too Drunk.." was released wayyyy early on as a supposed internet "leak" but it was actually a ploy to promote this cd & "Too Drunk.." is a song that's got more groove & funk than most of the bands prior work & honestly, it might sound odd, but it reminds me of James Brown in parts..there's this soul, this body, this funky vibe that's kinda addictive after a few listens. The artwork is really dark & beautiful on the cd, but I tend to not like the eco-friendly packaging, because over time those sorta packages look crappy as opposed to a jewel case that protects the artwork. I could easily bitch that there's nothing really heavy on this cd, but the core of the writing on this cd is more personal, it's more mature, & if you compare this cd to the bands debut release, all I can say is musical growth 110%..."Black Butterfly" is a progressive step for Buckcherry & at the same time it's the band carving another notch in their musical legacy, so what I'm hoping for is that the bands next cd, if the trend continues, is a rock n roll masterpiece that's a little harder & chunkier riff wise. I am also surprised no one's pointing out that the one guitar solo from "Too Drunk.." is a TOTAL rip off of "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix! Then again, isn't ALL blues based rock sorta stolen from other artists? lol

Ok, allow me to totally indulge my lust for pop music & let me say, The Veronica's might be pop/teen oriented music, BUT, they are seriously so much fun that you can't help but get hooked by the 2 sister's & their catchy songs about love, life & having fun! "Take Me On The Floor" is sexy & dark with a great pop vibe...I remember when I caught the band a few months ago..this was the song that I felt they just really nailed live...the energy on this song is the same on the cd as well...upbeat & energy filled! "Popular" is addictive & memorable, & "Untouched" is edgy in a teenage pop-star kinda way. The bonus track on this cd is a cover of "Goodbye To You" & how can you not love that song...it just puts you in a good, upbeat mood! Honestly, this is a cd you can put on, your niece, nephew or any other pre-teen person you might know, they will love it, you will love it...it's just very relatable, fun, poppy, & I tend to call this sorta music disposable pop..what I mean is, there's nothing super heavy here, no rants about politics, religion, news, etc., ie., there's NOTHING depressing on there, it's all fun, light hearted & fluffy...basically just like the 2 singer's who sing these pop gems...I'm not saying this cd is disposable either, I'm just saying that it's light hearted & you won't walk away feeling down...it's a fun listen! The Veronica's pick up where Avril left off a few years back, just with the Veronica's you get 2 cute girls for the price of one!

I have to admit, when I got this cd, my first thought was, ok, yet another emo sounding indie band with a female singer...I was expecting a cross between Gwen Stefani meets Paramore, BUT, what I heard when I popped this cd is was a band that's NOT total pop-drivel what-so-ever! The bands singer, Lydia Marsala has an amazing, deep, rich, strong voice & in all honesty, she could be a soul singer if she truly wanted to go in that direction...Fugitive Kind plays rock music, & what they do is artistically original & cool sounding, but the vocal performances on every song are what make this band unique & truly special! The artwork is interesting...the outside cover has the bands empty practice space, then the inside shows the band jamming in the same space. Overall, this is a great cd...if you think you'd heard all that the new music scene had to offer in terms of rock music, check out Fugitive Kind, they are definitely a band that defines their own genre!

Rating: 6 stars

MR RUSSIA is a weird little outfit from Chicago that has all the trapping of a great rock band, minus the fact that there's NO guitars at ALL in the bands music! Basically, the band is comprised of bass, drums, keyboards, vocals...the bands bio stated that they were sick of guitars drowning out the band while being played at 11, so they put together a band with NO guitars, & in all honesty, I miss the treble tone of guitars alot, as a guitar player, what I found myself doing was, I picked up my guitar & started playing along to each song & what I realized was, adding guitar parts to each song adds another element to the band for sure, BUT, it also makes the band lose what makes them special! "XOXO" is a fast paced punk rocker & "It's True" kicks ass, yet, there's no guitars, so the overall tone of EVERY song on this cd seems to be different than every other band...I've always felt like a guitar's treble tone IS what rock n roll is all about...the rhythm anchors the song, but the loud guitars are what makes rock n roll so distinct...listening to MR RUSSIA though, in all honesty, the bass guitar is played in a style that's filling in for all of the missing guitar parts! MR RUSSIA might be one of the more interesting rock bands I've heard in a while..they define a new genre of rock that totally defies what rock is all about...loud fast rock styled music with bass, drums, keyboards & NO guitars!

Rating: 6 stars

If this band had came out in 1984 they'd be the talk of the metal world...the sad thing is, they are 2 decades too late...the cool thing is though, for the fans of old school heavy metal, for the people who liked their rock sleazy, played at 10, with songs about sex drugs & rock n roll, then this is a band for you! Sister Sin is a Swedish band & is fronted by a female singer named Liv & she's interesting, because in the modern metal world, most females who perform hard music are....shall I say...hard looking, whereas Liv is a Heavy Metal Maiden & I'd best describe her as a black haired Doro Pesche! Musically, the band is straight up heavy metal that sounds like it came direct from the Sunset Strip in the early 80's...the sound is gritty, the music is tough, & overall, the band is totally retro-metal, they look like rock stars, they play like rock stars, & all I can hope is that the heavy metal community does their part to support this band & see them become big rock stars!

Rating: 5 stars

Eerie Von, the former Sam Hain & Danzig bassist, re-released his solo records recently, & on this one, much like his other solo records, Eerie plays ALL instruments, & the end result is a low-fi product that's most modern punk music played in a sludgy kinda way...the music does have a pop element, but Eerie's vocals are too doomy feeling to ever be considered pop! "A Cage Is A Cage" could be the role model for every song on this cd...the entire disc is a moving machine of art & horror, dark & darker, weird & weirder! As a complete piece, the cd, the artwork, the music...it all completes itself, makes for a whole piece of art, & there's nothing on this disc that will ever be played on the radio, but what I respect about this cd is that it's all real, no pro-tools, nothing sounds fake on here & it is what it is!

Rating: 6 stars

I know of the Punisher comic books, but I have no idea how the new Punisher - War Zone movie is...all I can tell you for sure is that the soundtrack to the cd kicks ass with some great rock bands & a brand new track from Mr. Rob Zombie, which happens to be the title track to the movie & lead single! Zombie's song "War Zone" is typical Rob Zombie with the exception that the emphasis on electronics is smaller & the band vibe is there this time around...plus John 5 co-wrote this song too! Slayer's track is brutal, Seether jams, Kerli's song is soothing while it rocks because her voice is just really melodic, Machine's of Loving Grace offer up an artistically electronic selection that kicks ass, & Hatebreed's offers up a Sepulture cover! As a whole, this soundtrack kills, it's just really tight, rocks from start to finish & is a good one for sure!

Rating: 6 stars

I remember watching Tracey Ullman oh-so-many years ago, back when she basically started the tv show The Simpsons, when she had a Sunday night Fox TV Show & I thought she was a comic genius with her impersonations, her facial expressions, & what she did as an entertainer! Flash forward many years later, & Tracey Ullman is still at it, doing what she does best, & there's a new Tracey Ullman dvd out that captures 5 episodes of her Showtime masterpiece, "One Nation Impersonated"! Each episode is based around what happens in one day with various people's lives as the focus point..it's kinda like a take on a reality show, & you have Tracey impersonating alot of the famous type people in this show, including Mr. Posh Spice aka David Beckham, Laurie David, Cameron Diaz, Ariana Huffington & Paulie Walnuts from the Soprano's among many, many others! The characters Tracey makes up on her own are classic, but my personal favorite it the Paulie Walnuts impersonation, complete with VERY bad language! There's a slew o' extra footage as well on this dvd that includes deleted scenes, bloopers, un-used bits, & I laughed non-stop with this disc, it's a riot to watch if you like Tracey Ullman's show...honestly though, if you've never seen Tracey Ullman, this is a great dvd to check out to fully understand what her brand of comedy is all about! This is a killer dvd!

Rating: 5 stars

I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for cheesy, bad, B-movies & homemade cinema, & with this dvd, you get a low-grade, grainy, low budget movie that's supposed take the viewer in the realm of a random tv station that's got a weird assed tv show about "urban legends", & the show is complete with weird tv commercials, cheesy actors, & the stories each urban legend are about...whether they are real or not...each one is part goofy, part creepy, & totally weird! Check out the bonus footage too, a weird little movie entitled "Naked Bowling" which is about....do I even need to say it...naked bowling! The best part is, there's no naked men in this movie, although there's a few naked ladies! Bad film-making has never been so amazing before...Urban Legends is not a major studio release, but in all honesty, the story lines & overall production make it equal to any major motion picture you might see today!

Rating: 6 stars

Living Colour get compared to Jimi Hendrix all the time, & in all honesty, it's only because they are black musicians playing rock n roll, but it's ironic that they play a cover of "Crosstown Traffic" by Jimi Hendrix...sorry, I had to state that before I started this review! Corey Glover's vocals always sound amazing & seeing him sing them live on this dvd is quite fantastic, but the center of EVERY Living Colour song is Vernon Reid's guitar doodles that range from soul-filled & funky, to hard & heavy! The bands got grooves that make you wanna move, funk that makes you wanna sway & aggression that makes you wanna mosh...how many bands can you say that about? This dvd captures the band on their 2007 tour & you get a really strong performance from a band that truly did break down the racial barriers in hard rock music! "Time's Up" is the only song missing from this show, but you've got a cover of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" so who can bitch? Overall, this is a stellar rock concert captured on DVD for all future generations to see how it's done!

Rating: 6 stars

Rush are one of the original prog rock pioneers in my personal opinion..they paved the way for bands like Dream Theatre & even Dragonforce to some degree...grant you, Rush's musical approach is not as complicated as say Dragonforce, BUT, it's un-deniable that Rush's influence on music can be felt in bands like that because Rush defined an era in music where it was ok to be diverse, to write a pop sounding song, to write a hard rock song, & then to go off on a whim & write a weird song that's trippy, yet still rocks! Rush have a new 3 dvd set out entitled "Snakes & Arrows Live" that highlights the band on their last world tour. Each dvd has loads of extra footage, there's alternate shots, backstage footage, & honestly, there's too many extra's to even mention, I look at all the extra footage the band put on this dvd as a bonus for the fans & you have to really watch this dvd to see all the little surprises..I don't want to ruin those surprises for you, BUT, I will review the concert footage, which, in a word, is amazing! They get up-close & personal with Geddy & the boys, & you can practically feel what they are feeling as they jam out to songs like "Lime Light" & "Between The Wheels"! The band plays a healthy dose of new & old material with a nice emphasis on the new, but my personal favorite was the 3rd disc which is a "bootleg" so to speak from an extra show the band filmed...that's what I would say is my personal favorite from this dvd because it's just extra footage that the band offered their fans & it's all classic songs that the die hards will LOVE!

Rating: 6 stars

The Cure has always been one of indie rock's most melancholy groups...their music is overtly sad, yet most of their songs are twisted love songs...they mixed goth overtones with new wave sounds & whether you like the band or not, you can't deny their impact on pop-culture, they had a slew o' hits & there's a new cd out that celebrates the legacy of The Cure...from the bands that took part in this release, right down to the artwork, this cd is a fitting tribute for the Cure..."Lovesong" is on here 2 times, although the last version is a hidden bonus track! "Just Like Heaven", the first track on the disc, is obviously the best song on the cd for passive Cure fans..Joy Zipper did a killer job too I might add! "A Strange Day" is my personal favorite..it's a somewhat up-beat track that features Frank Black! The Kitty Karlyle track is also one of my favorites..it reminds me slightly Eve 6..it's got a more modern punk-ish vibe than the other tracks on this cd. As a complete piece of work, a band has to love it when other bands get together & make a tribute disc for you...you've got a bunch o' bands on this cd, including former Belly singer Tanya Donelly, paying tribute to one of indie rock's biggest bands ever...this is a fitting tribute for The Cure!

Slank's new release, "Anthem For The Broken Hearted" kicks off with a 70's inspired track titled "Devilinu" that reminds me of David Bowie meets Space Hog..it's catchy & retro with tinges of modern rock that firmly rooted in classic glam rock, but then track 2 kicks, "Caricature" in & it's rooted slightly in ska music, then track 3, "I Miss U But I Hate U" kinda has this Rod Stewart vibe back when Rod Stewart was still doing rock music! "Do Something" has a fast, upbeat, up-tempo theme & sound, & my purpose of pointing out how different the first 3 tracks are is because EVERY song on this cd kinda changed the pace & what makes this an interesting listen is that each song is unique, there's nothing that repeats itself...every song is totally different & original...this is NOT a band that sticks to one set formula for music & that's what makes Slank a killer rock band...diversity in their music!

Rating: 5 stars

Well crafted, poppy sounding indie rock with credibility & great song writing...that's my description of the new cd "Hiding Place" by Copper Sails. The title track of the cd mixes several styles together to create a catchy song that's got great, layered vocals, while "Still Lost" has a very Coldplay-ish kinda sound & vibe. "Orange Peel" is the best track on the cd...it's got a very memorable chorus & although the vibe is slightly somber, it's a great song! The artwork on this cd is dead on with the mood & sound of this band...I give them credit for really creating artwork, right down to the color/shade of grey, that just works for the mood of every song on this cd!

Rating: 5 stars

Ben Fold's kinda brought back to relevance the piano driven rock bands several year back & from that point, you had many off-shoots from that movement...The Frontier Brother's sound is a direct influence of that piano drive rock movement, & it's not a bad thing...it's actually kinda refreshing in ways to hear a band doing something creative & different....musically, I definitely hear the same kinda 70's influences that We Are The Fury have at times....T-Rex, Bowie, etc, but with more emphasis on alt rock for the most part. I really like the artwork, it's got an 80's indie vibe, but there's some song titles that are just wayyyy toooo long...come on guys, remember that you're not writing a novel here, you're writing rock music, so really long titles are just redundant! Other than that little foible, I think this band is interesting & have their own creative niche in a music scene that's very cookie cutter-ish.

Rating: 6 stars

I remember when Pro-Pain first release "Fowl Taste of Freedom" many years ago...they were an angry 3 piece hardcore act, their music was loud, sludge-ridden & there was no compromise in their formula for domination.....fast forward many years later, the band has a few members, they are a 4 piece act now with a twin guitar attack, & there's actually guitar solo's & clean vocals to boot! "Let The Blood..." is a pure metal massacre with all the trappings of a classic metal opus, while "Hour Of Time" has an almost Irish style fightin' vibe to it's metal assault! "Where We Stand" has a unique chorus that kinda reminds me of "Flight of the Icarus" by Iron Maiden & the choruses on most of these songs were written so that each song is ready for a crowd to scream along with the band as they play them...it's almost like a heavy metal pep rally cry at times! What I give Pro-Pain alot of credit for is their musical growth...there's bands like AC/DC, The Ramones & Slayer who NEVER change...they release the same freakin' record every other year, then there's bands that grow, change & evolve...Pro-Pain have done just that over the year, they've evolved, embraced their metal roots & this is a good, solid release from the band!

Rating: 6 stars

AC/DC laid down a solid formula for rock n roll that's lasted over 30+ years & the bad boys from Australia are back with a new record entitled "Black Ice" that's basically more of the same old/same old....no, there's no new ground broke here, it's more of exactly what you'd expect....blues based rock n roll played loud, with simple power chords, raspy vocals & solid rhythm that you can just as easily bang your head to as well as shake your ass to! "Rock N Roll Train" is the lead single that's tearin' up radio currently, but to be honest with you, every song is a potential single...I'm partial to "Anything Goes" which has this really cool descending feel to it that's actually fresh sounding & I think it might be the most interesting track on the cd in all honesty! No one will deny that the band is ALL about Angus Young's solo's, which are one part Chuck Berry, two parts Jimmy Page....basically, heavily electrified blues riffs being played by an older man in a school boy uniform! Brian Johnson's vocals have never sounded crisper, he's singin' his ass off on this cd & what's interesting is the fact that AC/DC still has the same drive & determination & passion for rock n roll after all these years! If you're ever in doubt as to the intentions of a cd, check out the song titles...the phrase "rock n roll" is used to much that it's just a given on this disc! I also think it was a great business move to sell their cd exclusively at Wal Mart, I mean, that's like the biggest chain store in the USA, so why not partner up & make sure you get the music to the masses since downloading & the internet kinda wiped out many smaller area's Ma & Pa record shops...Wal Mart's are EVERYWHERE & it guarantee's that all the fans will definitely get the new cd!

Rating: 6 stars

The Answer is a rock n roll frenzy that won't be ignored! It's interesting that the bands they describe them as on the label of their cd...I guess they "kinda" remind me a little in pieces of them, BUT, don't let that fool you...the vocals remind me of the late, great Ray Gillen..they are rich, strong & simply amazing! If this bands singer was in a contest with Robert Plant for the job in Led Zeppelin, hands down, this guy would win! The Answer are rock stars tried & true....the guitar licks on this cd are great, the songs are well crafted, & I was honestly left salivating for more when this oh-so-short EP was over. This is the bands first release in the USA & as an added bonus they included a dvd with footage of the band, videos, new music & so much more! All I can say is, The Answer is the answer to the slump that rock music's been in...good, honest, hardworking rock played with passion! Make sure to catch the band all this fall as they open up the USA leg of the AC/DC "Black Ice" world tour!

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Rating: 4 stars

Ok, I'd be a liar if I didn't tell the truth here....every song on this cd is good, BUT, it's all the same...every song is a very Ramones-ish track that's got the same sound, same guitar tone, same vocals, & overall, it's not a bad release from the former Danzig bassist, but what is truly lacking is the diversity to make it a great record...Eerie did everything himself on this cd, so it just sounds like Eerie with no changes at all...it's fine it that's what you like in music, but I love diversity & change..."Hey Louisa" is the stand out track on the disc in my opinion, but I think Eerie needs a little collaboration on the next solo cd to make a better product.

Rating: 6 stars

This band features Eerie Von from Danzig on drums & it was recorded in the 80's, so the sound quality is not as glossy as today's standard cd's, but overall, this is a great slab o' horror based punk rock, & the cd has 25 songs on it, but every song is sooo freakin' short it's insane! This cd basically gives you the core of everything Rosemary's Babies ever released as well as a live show to boot! If you like old school Misfits you'll dig the hell outta this cd!

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