ROCK N ROLL EXPERIENCE - Nov / Dec 2009

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!!

There once was a simple blues based band from Texas by the name of ZZ Top & the 3 men who comprised ZZ Top managed to have a career in the ever so fickle music business that lasted 30+ years & to this very day, the legendary ZZ Top continue to play sold out concerts all around the world. The bands latest release is a 2 disc DVD set that has old & new, a concert from 1980 that was filmed in Germany, then a 2nd show that was filmed in 2008 during the bands most recent tour of the world! If you watch both discs back to back, it's rare that you can say a band stayed virtually the same, members, sound, music & all, for all those years, but with a few small exceptions, ZZ Top has remained a rock n blues monster that's never stopped! The first disc is a show filmed from Rockpalast in Germany...it's a rare glimpse into the past, a time when Billy Gibbons was jumping about the stage, playing blues licks o' plenty, while entertaining the hell out of the crowd at the same time & Dusty Hill's vocals sounded amazing, but I'll admit that Dusty still looked old, even back in 1980, whereas Billy Gibbons looked fairly young under his long assed beard! Highlights on the first disc are "Manic Mechanic" which is rarely played these day, & listen closely to the lyrics to "Hi Fi Mama" & do your best to not chuckle at the 3rd grade sexual overtones in that song! "Jailhouse Rock" is another lost gem that you don't see the band playing these days, but the closer of "Just Got Paid" is stellar & it's interesting to note that Billy Gibbons doesn't mute his strings when he plays slide guitar, he lets that damn thing slide & the twangy slide sound is there, but for some reason it's not as noticeable when he does it...it's one of the many perks to being Billy Gibbons! The 2nd disc in this set is a more current version of the band that was captured in 2008. "Jesus Just Left Chicago" is blues & beer soaked with it's moody rhythm & great groove, but there's no denying that the best part of the disc is the encore of "La Grange" with it's extended solo, a cover of "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix, which, sadly, kinda loses some of the feeling that the Hendrix version had, & the closer, "Tush" is awesome, but I have to bitch about the fact that "Tush" is played over the credits of the dvd & you don't get the full screen for most of the song. As a whole, this dvd captures 2 different era's of the band & this dvd is a must have for blues & rock fans alike...this set kicks serious ass!

Having seen Buckcherry a few times over the years, I can tell you without any doubt, the bands new live cd captures the sound, the vibe, the essence & the energy of the band 110%!!!! The track listing is really good & I give it to the band for pulling out all their good material for this record! I know that in the bands current set, "For The Movies" & "Check Your Head" were dumped for more recent songs, so it's a nice surprise to see those 2 older gems mixed in the set! It's rare that a band puts out a cd that has ALL the songs you really wanna hear, but this cd does just that...all of the bands hits are there, both new & old, & the current line up of the band is not the line up that recorded "Lit Up" or "Ridin'" to name a few, but in all honesty, the current band owns all the songs they perform & what I mean is, even though certain members in the current band may not have wrote certain songs, each member plays their part with conviction, & whether you love or hate Buckcherry, you have to admit that the band is a force to reckon with when you see them live...Josh demands all attention when he's singing, Keith & Stevie bounce guitar riffs off one another brilliantly & the rhythm section is flawless. The unique thing about this disc is, it's ALL live, there's supposedly NO overdubs & everything is live as it happened onstage & when you listen closely to each song you can clearly hear a few flubs here & there, which proves the authenticity of the claim, that the band delivered their fans a raw, real, gritty, brutally honest, live rock n roll record, & this is it kiddies, this is the real deal! If you've seen Buckcherry live before, this is a great souvenir of their live experience & if you've never seen the band in concert, this is a great opportunity to see what all the buzz is about!

ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE DVD Track Listing:

Rating: 4 stars!

Fans of schlock cinema, bad movies that were made, more than likely, before you were born, might enjoy this new dvd entitled "Zombies of the Stratosphere" which features a young Leonard Nimoy, best known for his work on Star Trek as Spock. There's a dozen mini movies on this disc that make up the entire series...it's kinda like an old time black & white mini series...it's chock full o' bad acting, bad sets, bad monsters, & it kinda is what it is...it's goofy, it's cheesy & it's not meant to be serious by any means! What can I say other than this...this dvd is great fun if you come home one weekend & you're stoned out of your mind & want to laugh at crazy scenes with little plot line, bad acting & little or no artistic value...don't take that as a stab by the way, it's meant in a good way, because, again, all the films on this dvd are cheesy, they are camp, they are meant to be laughed at!

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DOA Kings of Punk, Hockey and Beer Track Listing: Donnybrook, Dead Men Tell No Tales, The Hockey Song, Devil's Speedway, Beer Liberation Army, Beat 'Em Bust 'Em, Pencil Neck Geek, If I Were A Redneck, Logjam, When Power Came To Canada, Overtime, Cocktail Time In Hell, Taking Care of Business

Rating: 5.5 stars!

I would have given this cd 6 stars, but I had mixed feelings on the bands cover of the B.T.O. classic "Taking Care of Business" & I give the band bonus points for covering it, because they are from Canada, so they covered a homeland band, BUT, the cover just doesn't do the original justice, so the band lost a little in my eyes for that flub. This cd is chock full o' Canadian references that might fly right over the heads of USA peoples, BUT, I "got" the bands jokes, their Canuck references & DOA have a quirky sense of humor, they are good at making fun of themselves & they did a good cover of the Freddie Blassie song "Pencil Neck Geek" which was an 80's pro wrestling anthem of sorts, back in the day! Punk mentality, rock n roll energy & frat boy humor are what fuel "Kings of Punk, Hockey & Beer", but there is a small glimpse of adult reality if you listen closely, but it's not a dominant theme, & as the title of the disc suggest, it's all about reckless abandon!

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RAMMSTEIN Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da Track Listing:

Rating: 6 stars!

I skipped posting the song titles simply because they are all in German & this is an American web site, so why bother with the German text? When I listen to the new Rammstein cd, musically, it's good, it's dark, it's textured, it's layered, it's moody, it's got anger, it's got artistic fervor, BUT, I'm an American, I speak English, so alot of the songs are lost in translation...the vocals sound like a tape being played backwards & it's what really prevents Rammstein from breaking through in a huge way on the US rock scene! The first track is part goth, part rock with a creepy opening that's subtle, dark & eerily romantic in a medieval kinda way. The third song opens with an intro that reminds me of the "Rocky" theme song, but then the chunky guitars kick in & the song has a killer groove, BUT, again, the German spoken vocals...I don't know, I really like this cd alot, musically, it's crushing, BUT, I don't really want to hear a band sing in all German, I want to hear the band sing in English so I can sing along, or at the very least, understand what the song title is & what the song is about! The fourth song has a interesting new wave sorta pop swagger to it, the 5th song has a cool assed guitar opening, the 6th song is a ballad that is really good, if only I knew what the singer was saying though! Track 10 is the song that stands out the most to me, it's got a really great hook, & track 11 sounds like a Halloween sounding song...it's creepy, spooky & orchestrated in a dark manner, but I have no idea what the song is about, so in this review, I can simply state, musically speaking, the band did a great job on every song...lyrically, it's like listening to Arnold Schwartzenegger in German, but the cd is a great release regardless!

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WARRIOR SOUL Destroy the War Machine Track Listing: Pigs, The Fourth Reich, Motor City, Don't Believe, Burning Bridges, Bad News, She's Glaswegian, Knocking 'Em Down

Rating: 5 stars!

The band Warrior Soul is best known as the band that had some minor MTV air play back in the late 80's/early 90's via music videos for "The Losers" & "The Wasteland" & in 2009, Warrior Soul is back with a new life force...the only original member is lead screamer Kory Clarke, but in all honesty, Kory always was the life's blood behind Warrior Soul...there were quite a few rotating members in & out of the band up until Kory decided to disband Warrior Soul & start a new rock band that was less focused on politics & more focused on having a good time & partying...that band was called The Space Age Playboys & they issued one studio release & one live record before disbanding...the band never got a fair shake in the States, but they had minor success & toured overseas. Kory tried a full on Warrior Soul reunion several years back, but the same old "issues" that plagued the band previously were still intact, so after several overseas reunion shows & a one of record of re-recorded Warrior Soul classics, Kory let Warrior Soul fall by the waste side again & his focus was on a solo record & other musical pursuits, which included being the new singer for doom metal icons, Trouble! In 2009, Kory is juggling both bands pretty well, he's touring with Trouble & is the bands new permanent singer, & in between that job, Kory manages to keep Warrior Soul alive once more & he has a new 8 song opus for his fans entitled "Destroy The War Machine" that was originally sold only at Warrior Soul shows & titled "Chinese Democracy" which was an attempt to piss off AXL Rose, who's record of the same name, for whatever reason, took 12 years or more, but was finally released the year that Kory decided to use the same name, so call it involuntary savatage if you will. The new Warrior Soul record is a solid release, it's a great rock record, BUT, I must point out something here, this is NOT the Warrior Soul that featured Ricco on guitar...this version of the band features Kory as the only "original" member, but musically, the band is far more solid, there's still political overtones in bits & pieces, but for the most part, the songs are about life, living in the USA & I really think the everyday man can really relate to the lyrics..this record is written from the view point of the working class & Kory is an amazing writer, which is evident when you listen to this cd!

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COMMON ENEMY Living The Dream? Track Listing: Still Having Fun, The Thrill Will Kill, We're Under Attack, Living The Dream?, Beer Bong, To The Left, Warped In World 8, Hey Kid Wake Up, Nothings Wrong, My Board My Rules, Pac Man Fever, Thrash House Party, Police Story, Just Another Enemy, Party Harder, Never Enough, Shut Your Mouth, Bail Out, Syphon & Destroy, Standing In Line

Rating: 5 stars!

Musically, every song is less than a minute & in most cases, each song is just barely over a minute long, the vocals are garbled & screamo, the guitars are grainy & gritty, the final mix of the recording is clean, but the band is a skate punk styled rock band that's got aggression by the boat load, every song is basically the same fast paced, boom/boom/boom, balls out, fast paced, in your faced flurry of rock frenzy! This cd is just barely 27 minutes long, it has 20 songs & it's a fast paced, in your face rocker that's worth checking out if you like a band like D.R.I., a great mix of punk music & skate style. I dig the cover for this cd too because it's a wrap around cover, if you open the front & back to make one large cover, you get a cool mural of artwork that's part Cracked, part Mad magazine, part Thrasher!

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I LOVE RICH Season of the Rich Track Listing: Let's Fuck All Night, I'm Only Here Cause Your Sister Said No, Everybody's Getting Laid Tonight, I'll Be Around, Rise Up For Rock N Roll

Rating: 6 stars!

I Love Rich is a tongue in cheek, & I mean VERY tongue in cheek, crazy, sleazy rock n roll experiment gone horribly right! The sad thing is, if this band had came out about 15 years earlier, this band would probably be on MTV, signed, & touring crappy bars all over the world, BUT, the band is out now, the times are different, the music scene isn't what it used to be, & good time rock n roll with themes based explicitly about sex are not totally en-vogue these days, but I Love Rich continue to press the flesh with anthems like "Let's Fuck All Night" & "I'm Only Here..." that take what KISS & Poison did in their prime & I Love Rich pull out all the clever ways to hide the sexual overtones & I Love Rich goes right for the heart of the matter when they tell it like it is, they call a spade a spade & are not afraid to say they want to f**k you & where the band IS clever is in their sense of humor, because they are superb at beating you to the punchline, but still delivering a punchline in their own unique way! Musically, the band is straight up hard rock, the vocals are rockin', the guitars parts layer the vocals nicely & what can I say, I Love Rich has a kick ass, sexy, EP that leaves nothing to the imagination & it's best described like having sex with a watermelon...if you push on it too hard it will break, but if you do it just right, you've got a nice, juicy treat...weird analogy, huh? That's what I Love Rich is all about!

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HANK WILLIAMS - Revealed The Unreleased Recordings Track Listing: 3 Disc set

Rating: 6 stars!

Hank Williams Sr. was an icon, a country music pioneer, an outlaw, a rebel, a radical, a shit kicker, a womanizer, a drinker, a man's man, & Time-Life has just released a new, never before heard 3 cd box set that captures the man, the myth, "The Hank" if you will, in rare, candid moments, both spoken & performing, onstage & offstage, there's country, polka, gospel, & several rare live shows as well. Gems on this set include "Cold Cold Heart", "Hey Good Lookin'", "I Saw The Light", "Just Waitin'" & ""Deck of Cards" to name just a few. Hank Williams is known as a country music star, but he was really the first rebel in music back during an era when music was clean, rock n roll hadn't quite happened yet like we know it today, & the interesting thing about this set is, it explores the religious side of Hank Williams Sr., because he might have been a hell raiser, an angry young man, a guy who wasn't always nice to people, BUT, he had a spiritual side that's heavily explored on this set alongside all of Hank's hits! The packaging for this set is deluxe, there's archival pics, the case is a thick book-like case that's idea for a library or bookshelf storage, & even in the year 2009, Hank Williams remains a vital artist & an interesting point I want to mention is, this set is fully endorsed by the estate of Hank Williams!

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THIS LINK TAKES YOU TO OUR HOME PAGE!.

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Christmas Classics done in a metal style...what a concept! There's a few cd's out with the same concept, but this one has the most interesting cast of performers for sure & the Alice Cooper track "Santa Claws Is Coming To Town" is my personal favorite, simply because Alice puts his creepy little swing on this classic & John 5 shreds on the leads! "Run Rudolph Run" is my 2nd favorite, it's got Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top playing guitar, Lemmy from Motorhead delivering blunt vocals like ONLY Lemmy can & Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters has the drums covered...it's an instant classic! "Silent Night" featuring Testament's Chuck Billy & Scott Ian from Anthrax is kinda goofy because it's a super tuned down, cookie monster vocals styled version of the song & it's kinda weird to say the least! Dug Pinnick's vocals on "Little Drummer Boy" is superb, "Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer" featuring Tracii Guns & Stephen Pearcy is interesting, but the vocals Ronnie James Dio delivers on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" is probably the most powerful performance on the entire cd & Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath is playing guitars on that track too! The entire concept is simple, this is a Xmas record done in a metal style with an all star cast of performers...there's not much more that need to be said than that...it's a metal Xmas cd & it kicks ass in a metal kinda way!

Named after Chris Mascara, (Yes, that's his real last name!), Mascara is a unique, weird, special, strange hybrid of rock, art, passion & crazy emotions! This cd is not meant for the main stream, it's meant for the art crowd, the music lovers, the freaks, the people who enjoy strange, yet artistic sounds, vibrant tones, rich messages that are part indulgent, part self-less. Music wise, some tracks are rock oriented, some are just out there & odd, but regardless, as an artistic statement, "Fountain of Tears" is chock full of good music & I love the artwork for the cd packaging!

BRETT GLEASON The Dissonance Track Listing: Futile & Fooled, The Worst Part, I Am Not, The Escape, Idealize The Dead

Rating: 3 stars!

I won't trash this cd, I can appreciate the artists vision & concept, but, the general vision that Brett Gleason has for the direction of his music...it was lost on me as I tried to follow it. Perhaps this cd is a selection of tracks that only the artist can understand, or perhaps I just don't quite get it...regardless, there's a hidden bonus track on the cd for those interested.

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ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME LIVE - DVD Track Listing:

Rating: 6 stars!

Any way you slice it, this 3 dvd set rocks! Highlights include Metallica performing "Master of Puppets" with both Robert Trujillo & Jason Newsted on bass & there's extra bonus footage of the band getting ready pre-show! The footage of ZZ Top being inducted by Keith Richards is classic & the band plays "Tush" & "La Grange", Aerosmith's performance of "Sweet Emotion" is good but the scratching Kid Rock does is iffy & Steven Tyler's vocals blow Kid Rock's away! AC/DC's "Highway To Hell" is what it is, it's the same thing the band has always done, even in their old age, they still rock! There's a version of "Honkey Tonk Woman" that has Tina Turner, Keith & Mick from The Stones, Little Richard, & a crap load o' superstars all onstage performing The Stones classic. "All Along the Watchtower" has so many performers onstage...there's Neil Young singing & playing guitar, Carlos Santana & Jimmy Page anchoring all the lead guitar work, The Edge, John Fogerty & Johnny Cash are onstage playing, as is Paul Schaffer, Keith Richards & original Jimi Hendrix band members Mitch Mitchell & Noel Redding! The surviving members of Queen jam with Dave Grohl & Taylor Hawkins from Foo Fighters & those are the highlights from the hard rock angle of things, but there's a slew o' cool footage of Tom Petty, Roy Orbinson, Prince, Eric Clapton, U2, The Doors with Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam on vocals, etc., & the bonus footage on each disc is equally as cool with tons o' behind the scene clips, rehearsals, etc. This 3 dvd set is a must have for the music lover, it covers 3 generations of popular rock music & it fills in ALL of the blanks!

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Click Here to go to the Rock N Roll Experience HOME PAGE!!!.

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The Essential thing to remember when you watch this dvd is, it's NOT meant to be taken seriously...it's a series of candid interviews with some of the heaviest bands in the metal genre & remember to laugh, keep an open mind & take EVERY clip with a grain of salt, because this entire dvd is VERY tongue in cheek! The 2 clear stars of this dvd are Corpsegrinder from Cannibal Corpse & King Diamond, because these 2 guys get asked some seriously retarded questions, yet they have a sense of humor, enjoy it all & have fun! Corpsegrinder is begged to sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in one part, then in another he's quizzed on candy bars, then he's asked to say the "N" word...yeah, it's that kinda interview...the entire dvd is like that. The King Diamond clips are just as crazy & I prefer the interview clip where he's talking to the girl with the low cut top over the "Megadeth" girl simply because he seems more amused with the girls boobs. Peter Steele's interview segment is ok, the Nevermore guys have alot of fun & beg the female interview to take her pants off & overall, this is a quirky, crazy dvd that features some of the darkest guys in metal being just plain goofy! There's some bonus footage on the dvd & they are audio interviews that have still pics of naked girls as the background images. The Venom audio interview is typical of Cronos...it's cocky & jovial. What can I say about this dvd other than that the title describes it pretty damn well! For me personally, living in Maryland, I enjoyed seeing the clips that were filmed outside of Club Sonar, which is located in downtown Baltimore; let's face it, it's always funny to see your home turf on film! As a complete body of work, this dvd is a fun dvd to watch.

I truly had no clue what the folk metal/pagan metal scene was really all about; I'd seen guys going around wearing kilts/pleated skirts, playing this music that was a mix of metal & Scottish folk music, & I wrote it off as some weird hybrid that was just kinda gay, but this new dvd really explains the concept of Pagan Metal pretty damn well! Bands like Finntroll, Leaves Eyes, TYR & Turisas are all part of a developing music scene that's rooted overseas in which the music is folk in origin, it's got pan flutes, violins, keyboards, etc., in parts, yet it retains a metal element that matches Back Sabbath, so that in a nut shell explains Pagan Metal...it's NOT death metal, death metal is very dark & slightly cooler than Pagan Metal...Pagan Metal is essentially the dorky counterpart to Death Metal....it's the music that the guys who grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons are listening to these days! I'm not going to sugar coat it, most of the Pagan metal scene is goofy, it's cartoonish, it's not what most American people would consider cool...it's relatable more overseas because it's based more after the overseas, Norwegian, Scottish, etc., culture & the music has a dark element to it, but it's NOT all about satan & killing, it's more about their history, where their ancestors came from & what they did. I don't know, I prefer simple themes in my music...sex, drugs & rock n roll will always relate more to the US market than pan flutes & Riverdance styled metal.

On an artistic level, the new solo record from former Lost Prophets & current Nine Inch Nails drummer, Ilan Rubin, is the most amazing, vibrant, diverse, dark, rockin' solo record since the first Foo Fighters record! Ilan plays all instruments on the disc & the opening cut, "The Collapse" is a weird mix of Queen meets Nine Inch Nail meets early David Bowie, while "Tap Dancing.." has a less distorted Motorhead kinda pummel with a bit of a pop punch! The packaging is minimal, the front cover is the back cover just reversed, the inside has a pic of Ilan's face & the packaging allows the music to be interpreted in it's own way because there's limited images, just darkness & the music takes you on a voyage that goes deep inside the mind of Ilan & when the disc ends it takes you back to a similar place where the disc started with a song that's heavily rooted in piano roots & the closer, "Somethings" remind me a bit or Radiohead. Overall, this disc is cool as hell, it's got alot of darkness, yet there is a pop side if you look for it & Ilan proves he's a talented writer/performer on this record!

Muse has been around for quite a few years, they've done several national tours across the USA & abroad, & finally they are gathering a world wide audience with their newest release, "The Resistance", which packs in a unique blend of pop rock, electro-sheen, grooves, glam, & the debut single, "Uprising" has garnered critical acclaim from radio & media with it's pop hooks & simplistic rock approach, but hidden inside the bands core is a mix of electron music, hard rock, pop rock, & there's actually a few decent guitar solo's on this disc, there's some great song writing & a solid foundation for a band that will make a lasting impact on popular music today & beyond! The bands a bit vague at times, they keep mystique to their sound & their brand & that's what makes listeners so curious about the band...they are rarely seen, rarely touted, yet they are indie darklings, darlings of the press & fans & critics alike agree, the new Muse record is amazing & I'd have to agree as well...this is a well written, strong body or music from the band!

This new self recorded, self produced single from Jackie Kringle & the Elves is a release by Gar Francis...the music is standard rock with a christmas sleigh bell in the background...it's not a bad song, kinda sounds like it's been around for a while because it's got that classic rock sound, but this is a brand new song by the band & it's not bad, it's fun, quirky & falls under the niche of rock n roll christmas songs. The song is recorded & produced well for an indie band too I might add! www.myspace.com/garfrancis

Billy Idol always has been & always WILL be the man! I actually had the pleasure of seeing Billy Idol for the first time ever in concert in 2008 & I wasn't working the show, I went as a fan, I wanted to see if he was any good in concert & I'll admit that I wanted to see Steve Stevens play guitar in person..what I witnessed last year was an amazing show...Billy Idol might be older these days, BUT, the man is in amazing shape, he rocks hard, his voice is a little lower in register than it was back in the beginning of his career, but what you experience when you see Billy Idol live in concert is, he's an amazing performer, he's full of life, animated, he can croon in some parts & yet he has this punk rock energy even in his later years! Billy Idol has a new live concert dvd out entitled "In Super Overdrive LIVE" & to put it bluntly, this dvd is killer, it rocks hard & it's a great watch from start to finish! Naturally, all the "Hits" are performed & Billy strays from the covers on this dvd...the one that surprised me the most was his rendition of "Kiss Me Deadly", which is the Generation X song, NOT the Lita Ford/Ozzy duet that I thought it might be at first! "Rebel Yell" is rockin', "Eyes Without a Face" is moving, "Dancing With Myself" is fun, "Scream" might be my personal favorite simply because media didn't overkill it with saturation on radio & "White Wedding" is still as haunting toady as it was back in the 80's! Overall, this is a great dvd, it rocks hard, if you've never witnessed a Billy Idol concert then this is the dvd for you...it captures the essence of Billy Idol live & I might add that the backing band he has on this dvd...they will tear your face off!

I will admit that I haven't really seen too many GREAT horror movies in the past few years...most are 1/2 assed, the set up is there, but the delivery gets lost, or the actors don't sell it, or it's just not scary! Penance is the first horror movie I've seen in probably a good 10 years that honestly had me on the edge of my seat, it scared me in parts, it made me squirm, it kinda grossed me out & it's a really sick freakin' movie! I'm debating if I even want to tell you the premise...let's just say, it's sick, the "doctor" in the movie, who also happens to be the villain....he's sinister, sick, & the ending of the movie leaves it open where a sequel could happen! I'll offer one spoiler to this movie & it's the scene where the mad doctor mutilates his own genitals & cuts his own testicles off...the scene is set up so good that if you're a guy, you're definitely going to squirm & go, omg, that's crazy! The theme of the movie is genital mutilation & for a b-movie I will give it to the movies director & writer...he did a great job telling his story, making a cinematic thriller that's equally scary, compelling & weird as hell! Trust me, I love horror movies & when I say this one is crazy & scary & twisted, it definitely IS a flick you've gotta check out...it's just so twisted that it's compelling to watch...it's definitely NOT a movie for small children to see though, so be warned...it's very graphic & very adult oriented!

Dark, yet surprisingly energetic & ambitious, the new release from The Shiver, entitled "A New Horizon" kinda reminds me of what I felt the band Flyleaf SHOULD sound like...there's some dark, almost gothic overtones, there's some pop influences, there's definitely a commercial side to this band, yet there's also an underground vibe & vocalist Faith sounds amazing throughout the entire cd! "In Obscurity" kicks off the disc with power & passion that sounds very modern, yet artistically there's an old soul in the heart of the track. "The Fragile Sound" has interesting tones & it's both art & energy mixed to create a strong mix of music & melody. I dig this band, they are a little rough around the edges with the overall mix on this cd...they are an indie band with alot of potential & again, my description of the band would be, "This is what Flyleaf SHOULD sound like!"

When founding guitarist/founding member Piggy died back about 2 years ago, most people believed that was the end of Voivod...I mean, technically, without Piggy it's NOT the same band, BUT, with Snake still manning the vocals & the same line-up in tact, the band is still out there & I think Piggy would give the band his blessings if he were still with us, because on this new concert dvd you get to see how vital the band still is & the concert footage looks amazing, it sounds great, the new guitarist is good & the bonus section is the real highlight on this dvd simply because there's a cool interview with Dave Grohl where he talks all things Voivod & explains the bands influence on him as a musician, etc., & there's a bonus concert from Canada...technically it's only like 15 minutes worth, but it's a cool bonus, & there's a documentary on the band as well! This dvd is cool as hell, the bands got alot of balls to stick it out after the bands guitarist passed away & it's nice to hear new songs played alongside old Voivod standards on this disc...there's even a Pink Floyd cover that closes the concert portion of the disc out!

Freakhouse is a cool, in your face, independent rock band that just released their first full length dvd/home video & as an added bonus you get a full length cd of audio tracks to boot! The dvd features concert footage, rehearsal footage, band interviews, music videos, rare glimpses as the band records in the studio & you get to see both serious moments & quirky moments alike on this dvd package & there's even 2 alternate take bonus videos included in the mix! Classic hard rock/metal with a modern twist, Freakhouse's new dvd is a great package & worth checking out! www.freakhouse.com for more info!

Thin Lizzy was one of the world's best rock bands, yet they were shot down in their prime when bassist/singer Phil Lynott died way before his years...the band never really got their much deserved superstar status until many, many years after the band was over. There is still a version of Thin Lizzy that tours the world, BUT, it's not the same version that created hits like "The Boys Are Back in Town", "Jailbreak", or "Cowboy Song". The Phil Lynott version of the band lives on via a new dvd called "Are You Ready?" that was recorded in Germany back in 1981 when the band was in their prime & doing their best to conquer the world with their rock n roll music! This dvd is pro-shot, the audio is EXCELLENT, you hear EVERY note that the band played, all the dual guitar solo's, all the blunt rasp of Phil's vocals, & every beat of the drums, just as if you were there! The film itself shows a little age & it's to be expected since technology has made the process this show was filmed in totally obsolete, but for what it is, when it was filmed, this dvd kicks ass, it gives you a full on rock set from the band & it's quite touching because you'll never get to see the band like this again, so this is the next best thing to seeing the original band live, experiencing what they were all about & rockin' out with Phil & the boys!

Marc Spitz is a well known writer who wrote for several famous music publication in the US & he's also released a few rock biographies & his latest project is a David Bowie biography. This book is slightly different than the other David Bowie books out there in that the book tells the stories of David Bowie, along side the authors stories, & the interviews he conducted with all of the many Bowie acquaintances both new & old, that's what makes this book such a juicy read! From Bowie's childhood in a middle class family, to his rise as the "Thin White Duke"....from the Ziggy era to the Modern Love era, this book covers everything up to the very present & it's a great book for sure! It's actually a really cool X-mas gift for the David Bowie fans out there because the book tells the story of David Bowie is a very interesting, unique & casual point of view that's easy to understand & easy to relate to!

W.A.S.P. stands for "We Are Sexual Perverts", this is also the same band that wrote, "Animal, F**K Like A Beast", & in 2009 the band, which should essentially be called "The Blackie Lawless Band" has a new cd in stores entitled "Babylon" & musically, the cd rocks...it's chock full o' old school styled W.A.S.P. jams, BUT, the clincher to this cd is that it's a loose "concept" record & it's based after a chapter in the Bible! I would have given this cd a solid 6 stars, but anytime I have a persons religious views pushed upon me, even if it is in a conceptual piece, I don't know, it kinda makes the art, no matter how good, a little less interesting to me. The band logo even has a set of black angel wings...the cover art should have featured the band members as skeletons on the horses similar to what the band did many, many years ago when they had cartoon renditions of the band made up, but I guess when the band is Blackie 100% & the line up changes quite often, then it's not viable to focus on the band members for the cover art. Musically, I really do like the songs on this cd, I just get a little annoyed with the biblical overtones. MY personal favorite off this cd is the Chuck Berry classic "Promised Land" which is the last song on this cd...it's a classic rock n roll song & Blackie does it justice...it almost comes off like "Blind in Texas" in that it's a perfect fit for Blackie, it's very iconic, very classy & really a great way to close off this cd, although I'm not sure how it ties into the concept other than the song is about business & life. The concept Blackie was trying to compare things to, the political climate of life in America, etc., it's not a bad idea, but he write a detailed explanation of his ideas & why he did this record, concept wise, so he didn't hide anything, he was forthright with his reasoning behind this record & like I said, I think the music is great, just the theme, the concept...that makes me lose a little interest.

Slayer IS Slayer...there's no other band that sounds like Slayer, no other band that plays like Slayer...for many, many years now, Slayer has built up a solid foundation of never really changing, releasing dark, angry records, playing sold out show after sold out show & always staying true to their roots & with the bands latest release, "World Painted Blood", much like putting on an AC/DC or Ramones record, there should be no surprises in what you get, the vocals are distinctly Tom Araya's, the guitar work is split between Kerry & Jeff, while the drumming is absolutely perfect in it's delivery! The title track kicks the cd off & the guitar playing that opens the disc sounds singular & like it's only one guitar playing instead of a doubled up guitar attack & it sounds pretty pleasing to the ears. "Human Strain" has a melodic breakdown that's something I can't recall ever hearing Slayer do in any of their previous efforts...it shows a different side to Tom's vocals & it's actually a unique change to what the band does, but that small breakdown is short lived & the harsh, heavy, angry stuff kicks right back in rather fast! "Psychopathy Red" was actually leaked out a few months prior to this cd coming out & it was issued on a 45 record that was strictly limited edition! There's a relative tone in all the guitar work on this cd...it's hard to explain it, but it feels like they went more from their punk roots on this cd & stripped aways some of the metal cliche's that some previous efforts had & that's what makes this cd just a little rawer in some parts. Again, "World Painted Blood" is a standard Slayer cd, it's nothing that you wouldn't expect from the band, yet they found a few ways to keep things new & fresh, so this cd is definitely worth checking out if you love good, heavy music!

BRUCE KULICK BK3 Track Listing: Fate, Ain't Gonna Die, No Friend of Mine, Hand of The King, I'll Survive, Dirty Girl, Final Mile, I'm The Animal, And I Know, Between The Lines, Life

Rating: 6 stars!

Wow, KISS fans have had a stellar year in 2009...we got a new Ace Frehley solo disc that kicked butt, a new KISS record that was equally as stellar & now, to round out the year, there's a new Bruce Kulick solo disc that rocks just as hard in stores entitled "BK3". The bulk of the disc sounds like "Carnival of Souls" era KISS & "Ain't Gonna Die" features lead vocals by none other than Gene Simmons & that's the song that I personally fell in love with upon first listen! "Fate" opens the disc up with a fast paced rock tempo & the true crime is that only the die hard rock fans who seek out this disc, those are the only one's who will know the true musical genius on this cd...there's elements of The Beatles, Cream, KISS, Zeppelin, Sabbath, etc., scattered about & Bruce manages to keep it all sounding fresh while still maintaining one foot rooted firmly in the past. "I'm the Animal" has this really sleazy vibe to it & it's a song that would have been a huge hit back in the heyday of the Sunset Strip for sure & the song features Eric Singer as well! For the guitar geeks out there, there's a cool instrumental cut called "Between The Lines" that features Steve Lukather dueling solo's with Mr. Kulick! Overall, this is a cool disc, the KISS fans will dig it & fans of good hard rock music will appreciate it too!

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BAD LIEUTENANT Never Cry Another Tear Track Listing: Sink or Swim, Twist of Fate, Summer Days, This is Home, Running Out of Luck, Dynamo, Poisonous Intent, These Changes, Walk on Silver Water, Shine Like The Sun, Runaway, Head Into Tomorrow, Falling Trees, Split The Atom

Rating: 5 stars!

Adult contemporary rock with a melancholy twist, Bad Lieutenant is a band comprised of Bernard Sumner whom you might know as the guitarist/singer for New Order & some former members of Joy Division are also on the record, which might explain some of the dense themes, the sense of loss that I feel on certain tracks & overall, this is a good artistic record, but it's a bit moody in spots & this cd is definitely NOT a party cd, it's more of a mood piece....what I mean is, each song has it's own story, it's own vibe, yet each song is meant to provoke, to make you think, to make you feel, & nothing's totally happy on this disc & that's what makes this band work...the disc was recorded in home studios, the band was held in high esteem as it was assembled & as they put together their material & the end result is an interestingly unique Brit-rock experience that you won't soon forget!

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EMILIE AUTUMN Opheliac - The Deluxe Edition Disc 1 Track Listing: Opheliac, Swallow, Liar, The Art of Suicide, I Want My Innocence Back, Misery Loves Company, God Help Me, Shalott, Gothic Lolita, Dead Is The New Alive, I Know Where You Sleep, Let The Record Show, Album Out Takes

Rating: 5 stars!

What I like about this cd is the sick & twisted mind of Emilie Autumn...she's a sheepish, sly, sexy string player, her vocals are lavish & sultry just like her image, yet there's an innocence to the vocal parts & the instrumentation's which comes off very surreal, oblique & I remember a friend telling me that she read online in one of those, "If you like....then you might like..." & the comparison used was, "If you like Rasputina, then you might like Emilie Autumn" & to be honest with you, that is a damn good comparison...Emilie Autumn's music is a little more sexier & slightly more gothic than Rasputina's though & I think Emilie's sense of humor is a little more interesting than Melora's in all honesty, not to mention, Emilie's alot better looking than Melora from Rasputina! Alice Cooper with a Cello & boobs, shock, sex & silliness, Emilie Autumn's new cd is good, yet odd, so if you like Cello's more than guitars, check out this disc...it's not quite as heavy as Apocalyptica, but it's got it's moments!

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