"Throne Of Bones" is the debut release from Central New York Metalists` Perfect Symmetry, and this review is one of those "special" one for me, as the band and myself both hail from the Oswego County area. And the band deal in the kind of Euro-style Metal that is RARELY heard around these parts, believe me! Sadly, Nu Metal and bubblegum Punk are the ususal offerings. The band is: Scott Patnode on guitar [who is now joined by co-guitarist Brian Brophy], Frank Squadrito on bass, Mike Waite on drums, and Patrick Puffer on vocals. The bands` style can best be described as a mixture of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Queensryche and Fate`s Warning, though they hardly copy these bands note-for-note. One of the most striking features of "Throne Of Bones" is the high-quality production; it puts some major-label releases to shame, all the more remarkable considering this is a self-financed CD! Certainly the most important consideration here is, naturally, the songs; no amount of stellar studio wizardry can cover up a mediocre song. Fortunately, the eight tracks here aren`t even CLOSE to being mediocre! Much thought and care obviously went into the songwriting and arrangements; each tune stands apart from the other, every one starting off differently from the other [a common pitfall of many bands] and basically having their own unique "personality". NOT an easy thing to pull off! Among the standout cuts [not an easy pick here!] are "Single-Minded" [the longest track at over 7 minutes] and "Fading"; both of which have several time changes through out which are complex yet accessable at the same time, which is no mean feat. Of course, this is all due to the high-level musicianship of the band themselves; Patnode spits out pure guitar hellfire WITHOUT over-playing. Waite actually plays the WHOLE drum kit , not just the kick, and definitely knows how to hold back when required. Squadrito`s bass can be both felt AND heard and is very prominent in the mix. Puffer`s vocal performance is the icing on the cake; no high-pitched shrieker or Cookie Monster growler, his lower mid-range vocal delivery gives the song that extra punch, and is an intergal part of the bands` sound. Also worth mentioning Rachel Maurer, who provided additional vocals on both "The Tide" and "Set Me Free", enhancing the emotional impact of these songs. If all of the above sounds like a can`t-miss combination for success, well, IT IS! Now all you have to do is get in touch with the band at their website and BUY the album! As I`ve said a million times [yes, I`ve kept count], this is the BEST way to support bands like Perfect Symmetry; that way, we get to hear MORE great releases like "Throne Of Bones"! Highest recommmendation possible!
A New Year is upon us, and what better way to kick it off than with the brand new Hirax? Actually, "Assassins Of War" won`t be out `til early February `07; fortunately, through the good graces of Katon W. DePena, yours truly has an advance copy hot of the press!:) The five songs here are a bit different from the previous studio releases ["Barrage Of Noise" and "The New Age Of Terror"] in that there really aren`t any hyper-Thrash numbers to be found here. More mid-paced tunes are the order of the day, with all the blood and thunder you`ve come to expect from the band; it`s more of a slower death! In fact, the disc has a definite "Hell Awaits"-era Slayer vibe to it. The slower pace has no diminishing effect on the bands delivery, it only enhances the blast! Can`t go a million miles an hour on EVERY track, can you? You end up sounding like a hamster on a treadmill. And we all know MORE than a few bands who fit THAT description, don`t we? If you`re a Hirax fan, you KNOW what you`re gonna get, and the band never disappoints. Remember, Hirax was there at the beginning when this genre was born, and while they may not have invented it, they sure as HELL have perfected it! Listen to "Lucifer`s Inferno", "Summon The Death Dealers", "City Of The Dead", "Invasion", and" Assassins Of War"; any questions? Yet ANOTHER high-water mark release, "Assassins Of War" is certain to enhance Hirax` already stellar reputation. THRASH `TIL DEATH!! [Thanks yet again to Katon W. DePena for the advance copy!!]
Certainly one of the most intriguing and anticipated releases of `06, Mountain Of Power is the brainchild of Swedish 6-string slinger Janne Stark (Locomotive Breath, Overdrive), and features a plethora of Hard Rock talent from all across the galaxy. [well, from THIS planet, anyway!]. The bands` self-titled debut is a tribute album of sorts; a tip-of-the-hat by Stark and company to the Blues-soaked Heavy Rock greats of yore. From the more well-known acts like Mountain, Derringer, Budgie and Captain Beyond to more obscure fare such as Point Blank, Wireless, Stray Dog and others, this CD was obviously a labor of love for all involved. Though recorded under modern conditions, the songs covered here are lovingly rendered note for note; honest, straight-from-the-gut guitar Rock, harkening back to the days when you didn`t have to be able to sight-read Paginninni solos in order to call yourself a "Rock Guitarist"! Groovy, funky riffage mixed with Petatonic sweetness and drenched in soulful vocals; makes for a HELLUVA mix, don`t it? Derringer`s "Sittin` By The Pool" was an inspired choice, as it`s from one of THE great live albums of all time, "Derringer-Live". [`Course, I would have loved to hear them cover ""Beyond The Universe"; but hey, maybe that was saved for "Mountain Of Power-Volume 2"! What do ya think, Janne?] In addition to the cover tunes, the band has included an original track, titled [of course!] "Mountain Of Power", and it DEFINITELY lives up to its` name! Hopefully, this album will get enough exposure to where it teaches todays Nu/`Core/whatever generation the painful truth; samplers, modellers and DJs` do NOT a good Heavy Rock album make! So buy, buy, BUY this Bad Boy, and crank `er to 11!!!
True US Metal dead??!! Don`t tell THESE guys! They probably wouldn`t listen anyway; and if they did, you might get a spiked metal fist in your face! From the corn [NOT "kOrN"!] fields of Iowa come 4 young guys whose specialty is Old School US Metal; think Lizzy Borden and Steel Prophet, to name but a few. While others of their generation have been brainwashed into thinking Sub 41 is "Metal" [Puh-leeeease!], this 4-man strike force is laying siege with pure `Eighties-styled Metallic fire-power. The bands` S/T CD demo is a somewhat rough-sounding [C`mon, it`s a DEMO! Whadaya expect??] 4 -track affair that MORE than makes up for it`s sonic shortcomings with an all-out Metal assault circa 1985. High quality, high energy tunes that are GUARENTEED to induce instant headbanging and fistpumping. And it`s ALL good for you, too! "Nightmares", "No Warning", "Howling" and "Dark Mirror" are well written and well executed, and showcase the stellar musicianship of Chile-born vocalist Alonso Donoso, guitarist Eric Wicker, bassist Mark Andersen and drummer A.J. Austin [now replaced by Tim Cummings]. No slouches in THIS band! And each cut is a standout, so there`s no point in me going through my "Choice Cuts". So go to the bands` website, BUY their demo and pick your own favorites. I wanna see these guys release a full-length, dammit!! And buying their stuf is the best way to ensure that happens!! Awsome job, guys!!! Two Horns Up \m/\m/!!
Well, another day, another Maiden album. Sound enthused, don`t I? Must admit, I had mixed feeling about getting this album, especially after the not too bad "Brave New World" and the aptly titled "Dance of Death", both of which felt like the band was basically phoning in their performances. Well, things seem to be looking up! Perhaps it was the rather negative experience performing at the laughable Ozzfest a while back; maybe the boys got pissed off JUST enough [Mrs. Osbourne seems to bring that out in people, I`ve noticed] to where it got some blood pumpin` back into the veins of the British stalwarts. Whatever the case, it seems to have worked; "A Matter Of Life And Death" is definitely one of the better Maiden albums in recent memory, though not quite reaching the heights the band scaled during the "Piece Of Mind"/"Powerslave"/"Somewhere In Time" days. And even though there are several lengthy numbers, there aren`t any real "epics" as in days past, at least not as memorable as in days past. The lads DO sound more lively than they have of late, playing with a fire and passion that`s been sadly lacking on recent efforts. Harris` tunesmanship is still as sharp as ever, and appears to have paid attention to that old show business maxim "Don`t bore us, get to the chorus!". Even on the longer tracks, `Arry keeps things simple, direct and to-the-point. One complaint I`ve heard is that even with the 3-guitar line-up, it STILL sounds somewhat sparse on the guitar riffs. To be fair, messrs. Murray, Smith and Gers all have a complimentary sound, and , at least in the studio, 3 guitars are most likely going to SOUND like 3 guitars. [Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet and Blue Oyster Cult are other examples of this]. Live, it`s a whole `nother story. Sooooo, what`s the verdict? "A Matter Of Life And Death" is certainly a welcome return to the quality and consistency of Maidens` past; judging from the recent performance on the charts both here in the states and abroad, many others would agree! Nice one, guys! UP THE IRONS!
