The Rumpus Room are a 3 piece rock band from the University of North Michigan. They have a garage-band vibe, but also reveal a hint of influence from late-60's acid-rock, like The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The White Stripes are another possible comparison, in regards to the raw sound that comes across in this recording. While the production may be rough around the edges, the band had a groove that is undeniable.
What Now is their debut EP. It consists of 4 tracks, the first of which, "Cops Called", is an instrumental. It's a new-age, alternative-rock jam session, almost falling into the 'experimental rock' genre. Reverberating effects on guitar are prominent, while the song eases in and builds throughout.
The second track, "Pipes/ Double Barreled", has a slow-tempo, minor-key tone that sets a somber mood. The riff here really gives me more of those Hendrix vibes, and some of the guitar leads sound similar the "Peace in Mississippi" by Hendrix. Maybe it's this connection that makes this stand out as my favorite song on the EP. In any case, I love the groove and the mood in this song.
The closing number, "Fuck", is the most intense song. It jams along with a groovy, hard rocking riff, and throws some guitar solos in the mix. It again is largely instrumental, with the exception of the occasional shouts of 'Oh, Fuck!' In this respect it could be compared to "Tequila" by The Champs.
What Now is The Rumpus Room's first recording. You can find it on iTunes.
A Sound of Thunder are an independent band from the Washington, D.C. area that have been creating their own brand of powerful heavy metal since 2010. I was lucky enough to discover them in July of 2011 at Dame Nation 3 in Chicago, IL. I chatted with the band briefly after their set and at the merch booth. We connected on social media and I've followed them closely ever since.
Fast forward 8 years, 5 albums, 4 EPs, and numerous Kickstarter campaigns, and we arrive at 2020, a year that marks the 10th anniversary for this band. With most of the world's activities put on hold or derailed due to the COVID 19 pandemic, A Sound of Thunder found themselves in a relatively lucky place as they had just completed the recording of their 10th anniversary album- Parallel Eternity. This was an ambitious project from the start that kept getting boosted to higher tiers as their Kickstarter goals kept getting exceeded. So the final product is a deservedly grand and over-the-top celebration of the band's whole career and then some!
In a nutshell- this is a 'Best Of' collection with new orchestral arrangements of each track, a bonus disc of covers and alternate mixes, plus a new recording, "Explorer", which has been in the works since the band's conception. This track was meant for this album- it is a 13 minute+ epic, prog-metal masterpiece that just wouldn't be the same without the orchestral elements. It reminds me very much of Iron Maiden's recent prog sound, or perhaps Dream Theater. And with the melodic vocals by Nina Osegueda, a comparison to Nightwish isn't out of the question either! But again, the orchestration brings it to another level. This track alone is worth the $13 for a digital download of the album, but if you're a true music collector, they have different bundles in CD or Vinyl formats that include the deluxe, 72-page booklet and a few bonus items.
As a compilation, this album totally delivers for the long-time fans as well as newcomers, as each of their releases has at least one track represented. Let me reiterate: each and every track gets the upgrade of new, orchestral arrangements! So, even if you've been following this band for years, as I have, you still get something totally new!
Disc 2 starts off where disc 1 left off, with an orchestral arrangement of "Elijah", a 9+ minute epic track from their Lesser Key of Solomon album. Then it starts to mix things up (pun intended!) There is an acoustic cover of Black Sabbath's "Too Late" (From the Dio-era Dehumanizer album). After a live version of "La Preso Del Rei De Franca" they have 3 tracks with a classical mix (orchestral instruments without the guitars and drums), 3 tracks with dubstep remix, and 3 tracks with different world-music remixes. It is quite a listening experience!
Overall Parallel Eternity is a compilation I can't get enough of. I love the symphonic-metal arrangements of this band's greatest hits. For the absolute best of this Best-Of, I would recommend you at least hear the following tracks:
