Heavy Metal 107

Heavy Metal Madness:Bonus Round Summary

2012-01-26T22:49:00.005-06:00

Post #181 [Poll Winner: Heavy Metal Madness-Bonus round results]
On New Year's Day, the bonus round for the ongoing 'Heavy Metal Madness 2012' contest closed and the field of bands in this competition is now down to 64.

With the closing of the poll, the bands that advanced to face the #1 seeds in the four respective genre-blocks were: DANZIG, THE WHO, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, and DEATH. Respectively, voters eleminated some very talented and influentail bands: ALL THAT REMAINS, EVANESCENCE, DEEP PURPLE, and TYPE O-NEGATIVE. It should be pointed out that these results were 100% in line with the Heavy Metal Madness Selection Committee's preference, as in each case, the band that came out ranked 16th, bested the band ranked 17th. The smallest margin of victory was DANZIG over TYPE-O-NEGATIVE, where DANZIG collected a tie-breaking vote in the last hours of the polling window, making the final vote-count 20-19!

So, as we dismiss these 4 bands form this tournament, I'll leave you with a selected song or two from each. Just a reminder of the talented musicians you ultimately decided against for the chance to be crowned the "Best Heavy Metal Band" of all-time...

All That Remains:
-Hold On

Evanescence:
-Bring Me To Life

Deep Purple:
-Smoke On The Water

Type O-Negative:
-Christian Woman

Mortal Wrath: Overview and Suggested Listening.

2012-01-22T21:33:00.002-06:00

Post # 180 [Poll Winner: Independent Band Of The Year 2011]

After Mortal Wrath won this year's annual competition of independent bands, I welcomed them to the blog, and posted their main website as a link in the 'Honorary Vice President' side-bar. Now it's time to take a few minutes and focus on their music, the reason they're on this blog to begin with.

Since they do not yet have a hard-copy CD release at this point, I'll be reviewing the music they have available to stream online through their website: http://www.mortalwrath.com/. If you follow the link, you'll be greeted with a sample of their music, and follow the tab labeled 'music', and you'll have 10 tracks available for previewing. The heading will tell you 'Progressive/Power Metal', and that's what you're going to get with Mortal Wrath!

Listening to their music, I hear a lot of influence from mid-2000's power metal (like Blind Guardian, and Hammerfall), but also some more classic influences (like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and especially early Queensryche). They use the tone of power metal, and add to it some elements of progressive-metal for song structure. The result is usually some speedy and intricate major-key riffs, plenty of melodic-yet-heavy virtuoso guitar solos, and soaring vocals that recall some of progressive metal's finest singers. Case-in-point: the first time I ever heard Mortal Wrath, their vocalist, Tommy Fields, reminded me so much of Queensryche's Geoff Tate, that I went back and played their debut, self-titled EP for about a week.

These 4 guys from Romney, WV, have a good thing going for heavy metal, if you ask me. I've heard they plan on recording some of their songs for an official release in the coming year, so mark their website for future reference, and follow their facebook page so you won't miss out.

The Happy Headbanger's top picks:
-Law Under Grace (My top pick for Mortal Wrath. Up-lifting speed-metal. It would almost fit in with DragonForce on you ipod... download it & try it out!)
-Lest Thine Eyes be Single (Straight forward progressive-power metal, just like they claim. Great guitar soloing on this track...)
-The Single Projection (A thrashy, heavy tune with melodic chorus)
-The Absence of Mystery (A slower, somber song. Here's a different side of Mortal Wrath, and an exhibit of their versatility.)
-Morningstar Crusade (This song has a bit of everything, as it balances slow, melodic passages with faster heavier ones.)
-Carnivorous Aspect (Here is a song that sees Mortal Wrath pushing for a heavier sound. Riffs on this one are almost bone-crushing. The vocals are delivered a little harsher too, but still within the power-metal style...)

HEAVY METAL MADNESS!! (Extended Deadline: 1-15-12)

2012-01-13T17:19:00.000-06:00

Post #179

Hello again readers!
This is just a reminder that if you would like to be eligible for prizes in the HEAVY METAL MADNESS 2012 contest, please request/submit your completed brackets by January 15th, 2012!

The contest is heating up, with the first 8 matches of the first round underway. Over 50 entries have been collected so far. At least the top 5 entries, at the end, will receive prizes in the mail after the madness is over, and Champion of Heavy Metal bands is crowned. I encourage any of you who may already have entered the contest to spread the word to family and friends this weekend, and try to pull in some more entries.

Another reminder: Don't forget that ROCK AMERICA (music memorabilia retailer), has agreed to sponsor this contest with a $20 gift card. This will be awarded to the top overall bracket prediction in a prize-package. For a sample of the kinds of products they have available, here are some examples, featuring the #2 Seeds from each quadrant of the Heavy Metal Madness Bracket:

SLAYER (#2 seed in the Classic/Thrash Metal bracket)

LED ZEPPELIN (#2 seed in the Classic Rock/Hair Metal bracket)

AVENGED SEVENFOLD (#2 seed in the Hardcore/Death/Power Metal bracket)

PEARL JAM (#2 seed in the Alternative/Grunge/Punk Rock bracket)

Don't forget to vote in this month's matches! >>>>

Lazy Monster-Blood Will Tell (2011)

2012-01-10T00:30:00.003-06:00

Post # 178

Lazy Monster are an independent band from Cantu, Italy, who have just recently recorded their debut album Blood Will Tell. These guys deliver great, upbeat, hard rockin', classic-rock-inspired metal! I have often mentioned that I have always appreciated the late-80's hair metal era, and with Lazy Monster, I can hear some influence from that era in their sound, but with a modern spin on it. Think Buckcherry meets Tesla, or BulletBoys. They also display a 70's-style, classic rock sound at times.

The album kicks off with 'Flight of the Phoenix', a real up-tempo number. The main riff brought back memories of the late 80's right away. Specifically I was reminded of similar sounding riffs of the likes of Dokken, Tesla, or early Queensryche. Then the singer came into the mix and I was thinking he could have been in Deep Purple if he was from that time. The second track, 'Pull the Trigger', slows it down a bit, but the guitars scream through the speakers with the same timeless feel of classic hard-rock. In the middle of the song they cut to a clean-guitar breakdown, showing us some versatility.

The next several tracks keep the album chugging along with a very consistent sound and style. Lazy Monster may be inspired by a classic era from rock music's history, but they use this inspiration to revitalize the essence of rock n' roll in a modern context.

Just when you think you've heard everything in their bag of tricks, the 9th track, their namesake 'Lazy Monster', is a real change of pace for the album. This song is just different enough, that you are forced to give it your full attention. This song has a bit of a haunting feel. Here is where we get a peek at the dark-side of this band. 'Lazy Monster' (the song) proves Lazy Monster (the band) is not just a one-trick pony.

Lastly, the album closes on a high note again, as they hit us with a modernized, heavier interpretation of The Who's classic 'Baba O'Riley'. Can you imagine the synthesized parts of this song shredding out from an electric guitar? They crank out this number with heavy and raw emotion that shows you in one instant their inspiration from the past, and their direction for the future. I'm not sure where Lazy Monster will go from here, but wherever it is, its going to ROCK!

My top picks from Blood Will Tell:
-Flight of the Phoenix (Fast, hard-rocking jam to start the record...)
-Pull The Trigger
-It Is For Me (A mid-tempo number, guitar solo has a lot of groove!)
-Chase It Down The Highway (Another high-tempo rocker. My top pick, if not 'Phoenix')
-Lazy Monster (a little bit of the Dark Side of the band. A breakdown late in this song fades out to just bass & drum, then the song builds back up.)
-Baba O'Riley (A nice interpretation, a 'must-hear' track!)

ALL THAT REMAINS-For We Are Many

2012-01-02T15:30:00.003-06:00

Post #177
Massachusetts metalcore veterans ALL THAT REMAINS have again proved themselves masters at fusing hardcore with melodic metal on their newest album, For We Are Many. With this release they manage to simultaneously hang on to their radio-friendly melodicism and reach back to some of their more hardcore roots.

For production, they also went back to Adam Dutkiewicz (from Killswitch Engage) who had previously produced their albums The Fall of Ideals and This Darkened Heart. For 2008's Overcome they had chosen Jason Suecof for production. How much credit Dutkiewicz deserves for the resurgence of hardcore elements on For We Are Many I cannot say. Whoever's decision it was, I can say this; it works. And it works very well!

...For We Are Many is a modern masterpiece of melodic metalcore at its finest. Vocalist Phil Labonte keeps a finger on the pulse of modern melodic metal with his infectious melodies, but on many tracks he draws on his inner fury to bring menacing screams and growls into the mix. The best songs on their latest release exhibit a perfect balance of the extreme and mainstream vocals within them. If you are asking yourself how this can work, you obviously have not listened to this album.

Beyond the vocal style, which by now has become All That Remains' trademark, there is the equally impressive lead guitar work by guitarist Oli Herbert. Herbert is quickly becoming one of my favorite guitarists of the current generation of metal's 6-string slingers. The guitar solos on For We Are Many perfectly maintain their balanced attack on your auditory senses. Intense, melodic, masterful, classic. I am tempted to say 'timeless' to describe the soloing work on lead guitar, but that is up to time to tell. Almost every track on this album is worth hearing.

Happyheadbanger's recommended tracks:
-Now Let Them Tremble... (the intro, flows straight into the title track...)
-For We Are Many (All That Remains get straight to it with the title track; a fierce tour-de-force that reclaims their hardcore dominance.)
-The Last Time (A catchy, more melodic number, but still seriously heavy!)
-Won't Go Quietly (here we get all sides of All That Remains, and Oli Herbert adds a new twist with a voice-box effect towards the end.)
-Dead Wrong (One of the more extreme tracks on the album. The hardest vocals Phil has delivered since 'The Weak Willed' back on The Fall of Ideals...)
-Faithless (Another great, thrashy tune, lyrics convey the message of strength and resilience, as many ATR songs often do.)
-The Waiting One (Here the album closes with the softest offering from All That Remains. A beautiful ballad)

The Happy Headbanger's Predictions for Heavy Metal Madness 2012.

2011-12-31T13:30:00.004-06:00

Post #176

With the bonus round underway, it's time for me to pontificate about the Heavy Metal Madness 2012 tournament. This contest will be the subject for my reader's polls throughout 2012, where you can vote for your favorite bands in multiple match-ups each month. Brackets are available to fill out by emailing me at: happyheadbanger@gmail.com. Entries will be accepted until January 5th, 2012.

After a thorough opinion weighing and debating process among myself and the members of the HMM Selection Committee, we determined the final seeding of the 68 bands included in this tournament. Looking over the different match-ups I see a lot of tough choices. But debating the fine points of what I consider would make one band better than another, I went through and made my choices. My result for the Final Four came out to be: SLAYER, BLACK SABBATH, TOOL, and GREEN DAY. The bands I had to eliminate to get down to those four were often difficult to pick against. Still I found it to be a fun process, and now my curiosity is peaked to see how this will play out with voting open to the vast population on the internet!

Considering the infinite ways this tournament can play out, I'm going to venture some guesses of other bands I find likely to win this tournament. I'll start in the green bracket, with what could be one of the toughest picks in my opinion: Ramones vs. Misfits. Provided they both advance to the second round, this is one decision any punk rock fan would dread. How do you make the call between these two legendary bands for this genre? In my own prediction, I picked Ramones, but in all honesty, I can see either of these bands making the Final Four.

In the blue bracket, though I picked Slayer to emerge in the Final Four, I cannot rule out the possibility of several other bands in this group that I rank among my personal favorites: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Megadeth and, of course, Metallica. Part of me is hoping to see a Megadeth vs. Metallica match in the Elite Eight. A tough choice that would be, indeed! Time will tell if we get that opportunity. Not to be overlooked, I might look at Ronnnie James Dio as a dark horse to come out of this group. His passing away from stomach cancer in May of 2010 has elevated him in the subconscious minds of many fans of metal. His contributions over the years through the several bands he sang in are being dusted off and played again by many people who hadn't listened to them in years. Will this nostalgia be enough to tip some scales in his favor in this tournament? We shall see!

For the purple bracket, it's almost not fair to see how some of the bands matched up even as early as the 1st round! How do you choose between KISS and Alice Cooper, or Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix?!? Match-ups like these were simply inevitable when you're trying to design a tournament for the best rock/metal band of all time. As a result, this bracket is one that, in my eyes, is totally up for grabs. I foresee many of the match-ups in this bracket coming down to the last day of voting, and being decided by small margins. It would take a band beyond the #10 seed winning this block before I will be surprised!

Lastly, looking at the black bracket, where some of the more extreme bands are found, I can again see many different ways this tournament might play out. In the end it may simply depend on which fan base has more followers of this blog: metalcore, death metal, or modern power and prog? These sub-genres are pretty diverse when you think about it. When you think of mainstream success, the bands with more melodic elements are clear favorites. When you think of devoted, cult-followings, then maybe the death metal bands will have the unseen advantage. A couple telling match-ups, should they happen to meet, could be System of a Down vs. Tool, and Avenged Sevenfold vs Disturbed. Those are the four bands I view as favorites to come out of the black bracket. But in the end, it will be up to the readers to decide!

DEADMANSWAKE- VP Exit Interview

2011-12-27T23:30:00.006-06:00

Post # 175
The past year has been a busy one for the Happy Headbanger. It has been filled with memorable shows, many great new albums from heavy metal artists, a couple interviews with some up-and-coming bands, and plenty of reviews decided by reader's poll results. I thank all of you who have voted in the polls over the past year, but I'd especially like to thank one poll-winner in particular: DEADMANSWAKE.

One year ago, DMW set a Heavy Metal 107 record for most votes received in a reader's poll. Together with Inn Cinema, Sutured Psyche, and the other contestants from last year's Independent Bands Reader's Poll, they helped bring in over 1100 total votes over a 45-day polling window (over 550 of those votes going to DEADMANSWAKE)! This unprecedented response was what prompted me to create the 'Honorary Vice President' spot on this blog, and ultimately commit to doing more for the Independent Band-of-the-Year than one full-length review.

I had the pleasure of seeing them play live twice over the course of the calendar year, and from the first time I saw them (on January 8th) at the Will Rock for Rescues show, to the more recent Dame-Nation 2011 show on July 29th, they have notably become a more cohesive band. I should point out that at the time they won the reader's poll, they were without a full-time drummer, and had been playing previous shows using session drummers. The January 8th show was their first performance with their new drummer, Brandon Schabell. Though he seemed a bit nervous, he pulled the band through that show just fine. By the time Dame-Nation 2011 came around it was obvious he had gelled with the band, and he seemed so much more relaxed and confident. Their performance that day was all the better!

With that perspective, I look back at 2011 as a year of revitalization for DEADMANSWAKE. Before their VP spot is handed over to the new Independent Band-of-the-Year, I will take a moment here to ask them all a few questions about the past year, their current and future plans, and some general questions about themselves.

Happy Headbanger-How would you summarize 2011 for DEADMANSWAKE?

JP Soule-Mostly satisfying. I would've liked to do some actual touring, but time and money did not allow. No big deal. There's always next year.

Kryssie Ridolfi-2011 was a pretty decent year for us. We started playing out with Brandon right at the beginning of January, so that was obviously life-altering. We've shared the stage with a few nationals this year AND got to play Dame-Nation for the third time in a row. All that compiled with the work we've been doing on two upcoming releases, I'd say we've been pretty productive this year. I'm proud of us.

Troll-2011 for DEADMANSWAKE is mostly about getting back into shape. Dusting off the cobwebs, bursting into the spring air with vigor and confidence. We wanted to get back to kicking ass, melting faces, and making everyone extremely uncomfortable with our on-stage banter. Back to form, really.

Josh Barker-2011 was a transitional time for DMW as we solidified our lineup with our new drummer and new attitude towards performing. We basically adopted a "Kick every show in the balls, no matter what" attitude, and it really ended up in some memorable performances for us. We also have written more new material this year than in my two previous years in this band, so that is exciting to be progressing forward to our new album.

Brandon Schabell-2011 has been the entirety of my DEADMANSWAKE career, but I've had a blast. I personally feel that we've been making a lot of headway with the material we've been writing. We're growing as a band, and that means 2012 will be even better.

HH-What has been your favorite performance of 2011?
JPS-That's a tough one. Our set opening for In This Moment at Penny Road was pretty awesome. We were on our game and the crowd was really into us. Both of our Reggie's shows were epic, too; Mosh For Cancer and DameNation 2011. Both great sets with great crowds.
KR-Our show opening the Hell Hath No Fury Tour (In This Moment, Straight Line Stitch, etc) back in May was a complete blast. People came in from out-of-state to see us and ITM share the stage again, and Blake was cool enough to rock our shirt during their set. It was a great night and the crowd was awesome.
Dame-Nation 3 has the solid runner-up spot, though!
T-Performance, or gig. I mean there really is a difference. Overall best experience is probably Dame-Nation, as usual. It's always a great time, great lineup, our friends from the city actually show up ;) and we don't want to disappoint anyone, especially ourselves. We try our damnedest at every gig, but that show always brings out the best in all of us. Especially when the crowd is amped to be there. We definitely have the most fun when we're given that energy from the room. It friggin' snowballs, and next thing you know, everyone is sticky and needs a cigarette and a shower.
JB- My favorite performance of the year was probably Dame-Nation, as it was a good showcase of us at our peak. The crowd was energetic, the vibe onstage was fun, and the rest of the show featured some awesome bands. We made a lot of new friends at that show, as well as having a blast ourselves, which is really what this is all about.
BS-My favorite performance so far has without question been Dame-Nation 2011. We turned the technical issues on stage into our unique brand of "shit happens, roll with it" sort of humor. I feel as though we played that show more for ourselves than for anyone else, and that's what music is really about; creating something you enjoy. If other people like it, great. If they don't... well then you won't see them at the next show and that's okay too.

HH-What can fans expect from DMW in 2012 both in terms of shows and your next recording project?
JPS-There's a cover EP in the works that we're doing for fun and to test out Brandon's recording skills. We're also writing for album #2. I'm thinking our next album will be both more melodic and hook oriented AND heavier and more progressive. I'm really excited about what we've written so far.
KR-HITTING THE ROAD. Mark my words. We've been forced to put it off for years because of our revolving-door band member issues, but now that we're solidified and stronger than ever, it's time. 2012 will see DMW traveling and living on gas-station food. I can't wait. :o) Our cover EP and album number two are currently in the works, and we'll start production on those in 2012. No concrete release dates yet, but it'll be worth the wait for sure.
T-We're currently rehearsing for a cover EP. Something fun for ourselves, and our fans. Maybe for some special online releases and specials for the hardcore fans. We have no set schedule, just sort of an ASAP, when we're ready kind of thing.
Writing is ongoing for the next album, but we're not putting a deadline on that either. We're letting the process flow organically rather than trying to try and shit out less than our best effort. Trying to be a bit smart and stretch our own limitations, abilities, and comfort zones. Growth is the only reason worth being an artist. We're certainly not going to phone it in.
JB-In 2012, we're aiming to release our cover EP and play some of those songs at shows. We're working on our next album, and will probably be debuting some new material at some point to test the waters, but we're not ready to commit to a date on album number two just yet. But 2012 will see new material in our shows, and hopefully some more shows with national acts and at bigger venues. We aim big every year, so we plan on getting out there as much as we can and kicking ass.
BS-We're about halfway done with the writing process for our next album. I'm especially excited about the new project since its going to be the first DMW album that I will be playing on. Some of the new songs we've been working on have definitely pushed us creatively. I'm optimistic about 2012, although I can't say for sure when the album will be released or what shows will be lined up. All I can say for sure is that it's going to be a blast as always.

HH-Regarding 'Album Number 2', every time I've seen one of your shows, you've played 'Screaming In Silence', and of all your original songs not on It Comes to This, that is my clear-cut favorite. Can you confirm yet if that song is going to make its way onto 'Album Number 2'?
JPS-As far as I know, we do indeed plan to put "Screaming" on the next record. People seem to like it and it'd be nice to give it the full studio treatment.

HH-From the couple shows of yours that I did attend, it seems you are pretty tight with several other bands on the Chicago local scene. Is there a strong sense of camaraderie among some of the bands?
JPS-Oh, for sure. There are some egos and attitudes out there, but we do our best to be cool with everyone. We're all doing what we do for the same reason. Bad attitudes can take a walk.
KR-Yes and no. I find that generally speaking, there is a camaraderie, but every now and again, you run across those bands that don't want anything to do with you. Honestly, it doesn't break my heart. I'd rather be close to other bands and give everyone a leg-up when they need it than live by the "every man for himself" mentality. Most of the bands we've worked with feel the same way, so we're in extremely good company. The bands that don't? Fuck 'em. This is all about having fun for us, when you boil everything else away. I love all the amazing people I've met through the Chicago music scene. :o)
T-Definitely so. I think it mostly comes from mutual respect. You see other Cats out there giving it their all, and you have to respect that. We're all in this together. I personally gravitate to bands I like, sure, we all do, but I know a lot of people who I talk to and support because they've just got it. There's a small but dedicated group of people from all over the area that spend almost every weekend going to see and supporting other bands. I certainly try, but don't always have the time or energy working 6 days a week.
JB-There is a strong camaraderie among the local bands we play with. We all know how hard the music scene is, especially in Chicago, and we try to watch out for each other and help each other out when we can. While our sound is hard to match with other bands, we do enjoy playing with a lot of local metal and hard rock acts for the sake of the people in them. We also try to be supportive and go to their shows if we're not playing that night. Since the music business is all about connections, we try to stay connected with as many people as possible, and we try to promote local acts as well though our own promotions.
BS-I would definitely say so. The music scene (not just in Chicago) is facing some really hard times right now. A majority of people aren't going to shows anymore and even fewer are buying albums. The bands that do it for the money are gone, leaving only the bands that actually enjoy playing music for people. We stick together because we know the hardships facing the music industry. It's not about who draws the most to a show or who sells the most albums. It's about having fun. When bands can have fun on stage, they will earn my respect.

HH-Is there a chance this will translate into collaborations or guest appearances?
BS-I'll leave that one for JP and Kryssie.
JPS-There are a few things in the works. Wait and see... :)
T-I think Kryssie might have something going on, but you'd have to ask her. Anything I've been involved with is either from past bands or people I've met from other bands. Some fill-in stuff here, some recording there, or maybe doing a small side project or reunion thing for the fun of it. I also did some background gang-vocals for Dysfunctional Mariachi. They've long been friends and jammed with several of the guys in other old bands. I went to the studio for DMW business and ended up drinking with them all day while they worked in the studio. That's always fun!
KR-It has in the past, and I'm sure it will in the future. Dane, from Sins of a Nation, and I have been DYING to share the stage. So at the very least, making that duet happen is at the top of my list. :o)
JB-We've discussed collaborations and guest appearances with several of the local bands. A few musicians and myself have discussed covering a Christmas song sometime this winter, though that has not gone beyond discussion at this point. We're always open to suggestions and ideas, as we enjoy collaborating with our friends in the local scene. In fact, you can find video of us stumbling through Metallica's 'Creeping Death' with our buddies from Desolate Sky at our CD release show back in March of 2010.

HH-That is a pretty cool video of you guys paying tribute to Metallica. I recall you did the same thing at the Will Rock for Rescues show.

HH-Do you have any suggestions for Heavy Metal 107 for content or format?

JPS-More pictures of ME!!! Kidding... You run a good site. My only suggestion, I guess, would maybe be to add a gear section for the few metalheads who just have to know what their favorite musicians are playing on stage and in the studio. I'd read it!
KR-Nah, keep doing what you're doing. I'm no good at this kind of stuff! Hahaha!

T-More? I don't know. But I am an information sponge. The more, the better, is all I can think of?
JB-I really don't have any suggestions as to the forum content or layout, as I've never really had a problem navigating it or finding content on it. I'm not much of a blogger myself, so I'm not the best to consult on formatting. I do enjoy the content and I've discovered a few acts that I probably would not have, thanks to some of your reviews and posts.

HH-Thanks, guys. I really appreciate your readership. I'm glad to hear you find the content informative and enjoyable, and especially when readers discover some new band, or a new song, or an obscure tidbit that they enjoy, then I consider it a success. Those are the reasons I wanted to write this blog to begin with!

HH-Besides the Dame-Nation 2011 review, do you have a favorite blog-post from 2011?
JPS-Eek! That's hard, man! I decline to answer on the grounds that I'm tired and can't think of one off the top of my head...
KR- I actually really dug the September 11th blog. That event was this generation's Kennedy assassination, and it's always interesting to me to get a window into everyone's brain concerning that day.
T-Err, no? I guess is the honest answer. Sorry... (scared face)
JB-As strange as it may sound, I did enjoy your blog post about the Beatles a while back (I don't remember the month, I was just browsing your blog randomly one day) and how they were still influential and still have a dramatic impact on music almost 50 years later. John Lennon has always been a huge influence on me as a musician, and it was good to see the Beatles mentioned on a metal blog. Their influence is felt everywhere, regardless of how much some people want to deny it, and their music will always stand the test of time.

HH-Who is your favorite band?
JPS-Iron Maiden

KR-Rude. How can you ask me to choose just one?! Alkaline Trio, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses... I dunno. This isn't fair. Music is my life. I can't narrow it down!
T-Now that's not fair. That's always changing, and anyone who obsesses about any one band that much is a loony. I do have 'Slayer' carved into my arm from when I was thirteen...I've been kinda stuck on Obscura the last few months, but am saddened by Thesseling leaving. He honestly was what drew me into them. I am a sucker for fretless bass, especially shredding on some amazing technical death metal.
JB-I do not have a favorite band, so instead I shall name my top four: Metallica, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles.
BS-Top 3 in no particular order: Tool, Dream Theater, Darkest Hour

HH-Usually I say Kiss, but I love so many metal bands... just read this blog, lol, I have hundreds of favorites!

HH-What is your favorite movie?
JPS-The original Jaws, no question.
KR-This varies from day to day, but since I have an over-300-piece collection of Nightmare on Elm Street memorabilia, we'll go with that. ;o)

T-I always say Office Space, and that always sounds right in my head, so I'm sticking to my guns.

JB-My favorite movie is The Lion King.
BS-"Baseketball". No question about that one.

HH-Usually I go with a good psychological thriller. Memento, and Se7en are always near the top of my list...

HH-What is your favorite book?
JPS-The entire Necroscope series by Brian Lumley.
KR-The Outsiders has been one of my favorites since forever... and Catcher in the Rye... I've also read The Princess Bride probably ten times at least... I can't choose!
T-I don't get a lot of time to read books. Mostly stuff online. World news and astronomy mostly. The last great thing I read that still stays with me is the entire Dark Tower series from Stephen King. Even if it was like 10 years ago, still lodged in my brain as one of the most awesome things I've read. I want to re-read it again sometime. I recently read the Slash and Mustaine books and enjoyed them. I've been meaning to pick up Rudy Sarzo's "Off the Rails".
JB-My favorite book is a tie between Phantom of the Opera and The Pushcart War.
BS-My little black book.

HH-You guys have a lot of good titles in there, but I must commend Troll on the mention of The Dark Tower series. That's ALWAYS near the top of my list... I'll go ahead and call it my favorite today! Also love The Stand by King. I should re-read the Dark Tower series soon myself...

HH-(For Troll) What is your favorite kind of cheese?
T-As usual, subjective. Entirely dependent on context. On soft pretzels? Cabot makes this amazing Habanero Cheddar. They just came out with a cheap version, but if you can find the good one in the deli section, it's worth the extra price.

On nachos? A blend of cheddar and pepper jack, maybe some colby jack and Velveeta.

Quesadillas? Pepper jack and colby jack, all the way. Fry it with some butter in a pan or skillet...

American cheese with Ritz Crackers (No substitutions!)

I'm not much of a funky cheese kinda guy, I'm very picky with flavors and textures so... But I did once have a great beer and cheese pairing with New Holland brewing that was eye opening. I even tried some of the funky veiny cheeses. I didn't vomit, amazingly.

JPS-Smoked Gouda. Troll's not the only one who loves cheese, y'know...
JB-I'm not Troll, but my favorite cheese is Mozzarella. On Everything.

HH-Every time I've seen you guys, you always seem to be having a lot of fun. What do you do when you hang out together?
JPS-Lots of bonfires, Mario Kart Wii and Mario Party 8. There's also a lot of snooty craft beer consumption. Troll's turned me into a beer snob.
KR-Ha! We do all sorts of dumb things. Whether we're brewing beer and having french-fry parties at Troll's place, screaming at the TV playing Mario Party at my place, or being inappropriate and embarrassing at Steak 'n' Shake at 2am, we're almost always together. We're all best friends, family, and accomplices. :o)
T-I know the gang spends a lot of time playing Mario Party and Kart. I work too damned much and often have to opt out. However, we enjoy thrifting and being goons around the fire and yes, playing video games. And making a million pop culture references to make each other laugh. Amazingly we don't party or drink together really, we all drink alone ;) That and pick on Brandon for being a Douchebag.
JB-When we hang out, I'm usually beating Kryssie at video games, bowling and air hockey, and she's usually whipping my ass at the card game Egyptian Ratscrew. We're extremely competitive, so we have to be better than each other at everything. We also hang out at Steak N Shake, have pretty awesome bonfires, and enjoy random movie nights together. We try to get out to shows and support other local bands as much as possible, but conflicting work schedules sometimes make that difficult. We have a blast just being together as a group in general, and you could drop us all in any situation/context and laughs will ensue for sure.
BS-Bi-weekly trips to Steak 'n' Shake are an integral part of any band. Hanging out usually consists of making fun of me for being a douchebag, making fun of JP for being 86 years old, making fun of Kryssie for being.... "Italian", making fun of Josh for his obsession with pork, and making fun of Dan for hating everything. Oh and Mario Party.

HH-Who's Dan? I gather from the process of elimination that 'Dan' is Troll's real name? Anyway, you all sound like a fun bunch of folks to hang around with!

HH-Lastly; who do pick for the Final Four of Heavy Metal Madness 2012?
JPS-Oh, man, I don't know! I'll go with Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Amon Amarth, and Rob Zombie.
T-Since I just saw the list of criminally left out bands, I want to say Mastadon and Skid Row! I say: King Diamond, Led Zeppelin, Black Flag, and Death (clockwise).
BS-Dream Theater, Led Zeppelin, Tool, and Stone Temple Pilots.

HH-I have my personal final four as: Slayer, Black Sabbath, Green Day, and Tool... With Slayer winning the whole thing, but the only way to know for sure, is to follow the blog, and vote in the monthly polls yourselves! Thanks again to DEADMANSWAKE for taking the time to do this interview, and especially for being an excellent 'Honorary Vice President' for Heavy Metal 107 in 2011!

T-Thanks for all the support Joel. It means the world to us that anyone would take the time to give us any sort of attention. We're needy! No, really, it is awesome. You provide a great resource and spread the word to a lot of unrecognized talent in this area. Keep up the good work!
*********************

To keep up-to-date on DEADMANSWAKE, follow them on their website and social networks!
http://www.facebook.com/DEADMANSWAKE
http://deadmanswake.com/
http://www.myspace.com/deadmanswakechicago
or to book them, send a message to: deadmanswakeband@gmail.com

And as always, Happy Headbanging!

Congratulations, Mortal Wrath!

2011-12-12T17:20:00.003-06:00

Post #174 [Poll Winner: Independent Band 2011]

Congratulations to Mortal Wrath from Romney, West Virginia on winning this year's Favorite Independent Band reader's poll! Following the tradition established last year, Mortal Wrath will soon enjoy a side-bar link to their main website for 1 year, a full-length review, and promotional blog posts ahead of every show they play throughout the year. The Happy Headbanger is honored to have them featured on this blog.

This year's Independent Bands contest was a huge draw for votes, similar to the last 2 years' polls. Though Mortal Wrath jumped out to an early lead and managed to hang onto that lead throughout the contest, there were a couple bands who gave them a run for the money. Ideal Zero were knocking at the door for a while, and later, Sins of a Nation got into the mix as well. Those bands finished 2nd and 3rd respectively but couldn't overtake the lead before the poll closed.

Watch for that review of Mortal Wrath soon, as well as their web link and show announcements.
Until then, happy headbanging to all!

Pearl Jam-Ten

2011-11-30T17:55:00.000-06:00

Post # 173 [Poll Winner: Favorite Pearl Jam Album of the 90's]

It is perhaps a little overdue that I finally review some Pearl Jam on this blog. Though there were polling opportunities before, they never managed to come out on top (they failed to win the Favorite Grunge-Band poll, and Favorite Debut Album poll.) Over the 2nd half of 2011, I decided to focus on the 90's with my reader's polls, and I finally made my way to Pearl Jam. They have had the most staying power of all the grunge-era bands, and deserve some attention for it.

It may have been expected that Ten would win favorite album of the 90's, but it is also poetic, as it celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2011. This album was a major cornerstone for the entire Grunge genre. Ten is well known for the several smash hits it includes: 'Even Flow', 'Alive', 'Black', and 'Jeremy'. Beyond those songs is a top-notch rock album from one of the biggest rock bands to emerge during the 90's.

Through a persistent commitment to follow their own agenda, and to write music from the heart and not follow trends, or bow to the will of producers or critics, Pearl Jam have established a very loyal and devoted following. Many of these fans first developed this obsession with Ten. This album brought a certain appeal to the hard-rock music scene of the early 90's. By the time 'Jeremy', the album's 3rd single, was released people were catching on. Along with their contemporaries Nirvana, Alice In Chains, and Soundgarden; Pearl Jam were offering a different sound, and new take on angst-driven hard rock. Leagues of new fans, who had perhaps grown tired of the pop-driven Hair-Metal scene, flocked to this new 'alternative' scene, and gave the grunge movement its primary fan-base.

I invite you to go back to your CD archives, dust of your scuffed-up copy of Ten, and give it another listen...
The singles you have probably heard several times over, unless you've lived in a cave for the last 20 years...
-Jeremy
-Even Flow
-Alive
-Black

My other recommended tracks from this genre-defining masterpiece:
-Once (Perhaps the best of several overlooked tracks on this album)

-Porch
-Release (The hidden track at the end, 'Master/Slave', fades out, and if you have your player on repeat, picks up again as the intro of 'Once', bringing Ten full circle.)

Anthrax-Worship Music

2011-11-24T17:31:00.005-06:00

POST # 172

With what may be the longest-awaited album from any of the Big-Four bands of thrash metal, Anthrax display a fine return-to-form effort on their latest: Worship Music. This album sees the in-studio return of Joey Belladonna, who had not sung lead vocals on an Anthrax album since 1990's Persistance of Time! It is also the first Anthrax album of any kind since 2004's The Greater of Two Evils, the studio album that featured John Bush vocals on fan-picked Belladonna-era classics; and the first album of new material since 2003's We've Come For You All. In any case, it's been a long wait for new music from Anthrax!

In hindsight, the '05 reunion seems to have been the starting point of what turned into a huge identity crisis for Anthrax at the lead singer spot. This was a brief reunion with Joey Belladonna (and guitarist Dan Spitz) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their classic album, Among the Living. After that tour, the band had several attempts to fill the lead-singer spot: Dan Nelson in '07, John Bush in '09. All along the way, the band was working on new material, and with each new singer, new issues were brought up, and the delays for the new album began to mount.

Eventually it would be Belladonna again coming into the fold to give a voice to the band's new material. Joey completing the band's lineup came not a moment too soon, as the first ever performance of the Big Four was announced. Anthrax joined Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica for a series of Sonisphere Festival shows, and thrash metal fans world-wide have been treated to this historic event through its release on DVD.

With Joey on the mic for Worship Music, it really feels like a classic, 80's-era Anthrax album. The album is packed with riffs that sound like instant classics. Joey's voice hasn't lost anything over the years, if anything it sounds better than ever. Heavy mid-tempo riffs, great solos from Rob Caggiano, and a few clean-melodic passages make this a truly memorable album.

In my opinion, the first few tracks on this album are the best, though the whole album is worth hearing.
Recommended:
-Earth On Hell (A somewhat socially conscious track depicting several current events in a brutal light)
-The Devil You Know (A great thrashing song!)
-Fight 'Em Til You Can't (This one goes great with a round of Silent Hill, or Resident Evil- describing battles with zombies!)
-I'm Alive (My TOP pick from this album. Clean guitar intro builds to a heavy riff with tons of groove!)
-In The End (This one has a string-quartet intro. Almost reminds me of Apocalyptica, then it delivers more great thrash riffs)
-Judas Priest (I had to recommend this, simply for the lyrical references to Judas Priest!)

DEADMANSWAKE- 2 Shows This Week!!

2011-11-10T01:20:00.002-06:00

Post #171
Attention Heavy Metal 107 readers!
DEADMANSWAKE are playing TWO SHOWS this week!! Thursday (TODAY) they are opening for Brand New Sin at the Underground Lounge at 952 W Newport in Chicago, and THIS SATURDAY, November 12th, at MOJOES in Joliet, IL supporting Cynic, Scale the Summit, and Three.

DEADMANSWAKE have been the independent band-of-the-year for 2011, and the current poll of independent bands will decide their successor. This may be the last show announcement for them as Honorary Vice President of this blog, so if you're free on either of these evenings, get out and check them out! They are sure to deliver superb performances of their classic and catchy heavy metal.

HEAVY METAL MADNESS 2012- Now Sponsored by ROCK AMERICA!

2011-11-04T17:49:00.009-05:00

Post #170
Here's a little update for those of you participating in (or interested in participating in) the Heavy Metal Madness 2012 competition. I have already mentioned that I will have prizes to give away to the top-scoring brackets that I receive by the January 5th deadline. However, I have recently confirmed that Rock America will be providing a $20 GIFT CARD that will be included in the Grand Prize Package!

If you want to be a part of this unique contest and opinion poll of rock bands, please email me at happyheadbanger@gmail.com, or stop by the Vernon Hills, IL location for Rock America where brackets are available to fill out on the spot!

The Happy Headbanger is very grateful for this sponsorship, and as thanks I will be sharing various products available at Rock America throughout this competition. Today, I will start by sharing some items that are on my personal wish list, featuring the four #1 seeds from the Heavy Metal Madness 2012 bracket. Simply click the image if you are interested in purchasing these items:

Metallica (#1 seed in the Classic Metal/Thrash bracket)

Black Sabbath (#1 seed in the Classic Rock/Hard Rock/Hair Metal bracket)

Tool (#1 seed in the Metalcore/Death/Power Metal bracket)

Nirvana (#1 seed in the Alternative/Grunge/Punk Rock bracket)

Simply click to order!
Enjoy shopping online at http://www.shoprockamerica.com/
Again, thank you for participating in HEAVY METAL MADNESS!!!

Warrant-Cherry Pie

2011-10-27T05:05:00.006-05:00

Post #169 [Poll winner: Favorite Warrant album '89-96]

The theme for polls this past summer and fall has been the 90's. While most of these polls have focused on the trend the rose in popularity during that decade-Grunge, this post allows me to focus on one of the trends that faded during the 90's: Hair Metal. Within the Hair Metal scene, Warrant were already late-comers, with their debut album being released in January '89. By '93 the Hair bands were, by and large, struggling to maintain their platinum-selling status.

With the recent passing of Jani Lane, the founding front-man of Hair-Metal legends Warrant, I took the time to reminisce on some of my favorite tracks in post # 156 on August 19th. Soon after, I posted the poll asking your opinion for favorite Warrant album. The resounding answer was Cherry Pie.

Cherry Pie, Warrant's second release, may have had perfect timing, hitting the charts in 1990. The album is still well known for its title-track, a song that has been typified as stereotypical, cliche Hair Metal. Lyrically the song is virtually 100% innuendo, but the heavy, pop-rock tune has a catchy chorus that is difficult to forget. If you take the time to look past this over-inflated, trade-mark title track, you will discover the true greatness of this album. The other singles it produced; 'I Saw Red', 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', and 'Blind Faith' each give more merit to this album's solid songwriting.

'Uncle Tom's Cabin' in particular shows the versatile side of Warrant. Beginning with an acoustic intro, adding a banjo to the melody, and changing tone a few times throughout as the guitars flip between electric and acoustic, this song gives you just about everything Warrant is capable of. However, what truly makes this song memorable is the narrative style of the lyrics. The song tells the story of a corrupt sheriff and deputy who dispose of a dead body in a swamp. The narrator, who observes the event along with 'Uncle Tom', portrays the weight of this circumstance quite well.

If you want to rediscover Warrant's Cherry Pie album, here are my top recommended songs:
-Cherry Pie
-Uncle Tom's Cabin
-Sure Feels Good to Me
-Mr. Rainmaker
-Train, Train (Blackfoot cover)

Independent Band Reader's Poll 2011

2011-10-21T01:43:00.005-05:00

Post #168: 2011 Independent Band Reader's Poll Contestants
Hello happy headbangers! It is time once again for the most anticipated reader's poll event of the year here at Heavy Metal 107: the annual INDEPENDENT BANDS READER'S POLL! This fall marks the 3rd annual running of this polling competition. Whichever band pulls in the most votes over a 35-45 day window will get a full review posted on the blog shortly after the poll closes, a link to their main website on the blog's side-bar for 1 year as 'Honorary Vice President', and brief promo posts announcing any upcoming shows they schedule during that year.

Without a doubt, this is the best opportunity to discover, new, interesting, and diverse independent bands on this blog. I have always tried to select a variety of bands that show different sides of rock and metal music so that there would be at least one band for each reader's unique tastes. This year, I think I've collected the most diverse group of seven bands yet. Here they are for your consideration:

The Bob Clymers
(Grunge/Rock/Bluescore)
"A two-piece duo specializing in the dirtiest of rock." From late 60's acid-rock legends like Hendrix and Joplin, to the 90's grunge movement, some of this band's influences are apparent when you hear their music. Wherever they draw inspiration from, they compose songs that truly hit home with a raw, untamed sound and pure emotion. Check out these songs at the links below:
'Nightingale'
'Grain of Sand'
'Ghost'

On Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thebobclymers
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thebobclymers
On Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/thebobclymers

Sins of a Nation
(Metal/Rock)
Nominated by last year's winner, Deadmanswake, Sins Of A Nation blend thrash and classic British-style metal in such a way that one can't help but bang their head to it. Their vocalist has an uncanny ability to channel the likes of Bruce Dickinson, Ozzy, and Phil Anselmo, depending on what the song calls for. You gotta hear these guys!
'Self-Evident'
'Bow Down'
'Deafening'

On Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/nationofsins
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sins-of-a-Nation/152050021482064?ref=ts
On Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/sinsofanation

Penguins With Shotguns
(Metal/Rock)
From Kenosha, Wisconsin, a heavy rock band with tons of attitude... Penguins With Shotguns can win you over with catchy hard rock hooks in one song, then step it up with a furious hardcore edge on the next. They, too, were nominated by a previous winner: Losing Scarlet, who won the first ever Independent Bands poll on this blog. This band has some versatility, so be sure to check out more than one of the following:
'Said and Done'
'Lethal Remedy'
'Wake Up Screaming'

On Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/penguinswithshotguns
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penguins-with-Shotguns/286259296835
On Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/penguinswithshotguns

Ideal Zero
(Alternative/Rock)
A female-fronted alternative rock band from the Orlando, Florida area, Ideal Zero are the product of a diverse background of musical inspiration. Heavy guitars, overlaid with keyboards, and a soft, melodic female vocal delivery make for a quality headbanger's listening experience. Check out these songs:
'Beneath The Sun'
'My Road'
'Free Again'

On Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/idealzeromusic
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IdealZero
On Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/idealzero

Mortal Wrath
(Progressive/Power Metal)
Hailing from Romney, West Virginia, Mortal Wrath draw their musical inspiration from nature, geometry, world history, and politics. Delivering their music as a blend of classic heavy metal and progressive rock, they sometimes sound like they're channeling early Queensryche, or European power metal. For a more cerebral listening experience, check out their tunes:
'The Single Projection'
'Law Under Grace'
'Morningstar Crusade'

On Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/MortalWrath
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mortal-Wrath/163404103696287
Band's Main Website: http://www.mortalwrath.com/

SAGE4
(Gothic Metal/Progressive)
Sage 4 are another of Chicago's female-fronted metal bands that are on the rise.Their style of Gothic metal fuses influences from the heavy side of mid-90's grunge with a more traditional, and sometimes progressive, melodic metal. Their first release was packed with creative and technical musicianship, and they're working on their second. For a taste of what they have to offer check out these tunes:
'Graves'
'Out of Body'
'Steal My Thunder'

On Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sage4
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/SAGE4/84337197643
Band's Main Website: http://sage4.com/

Eliminator
(Speed-Black Metal/Thrash)
Eliminator are the hot new underground metal band from Edison, New Jersey. Initially envisioned as a blend of speed metal and black metal, they have quickly expanded their horizons to incorporate some melodic, blues/R and B elements into their musical pallet, resulting in the most unique extreme metal band I've heard in years. Check out:
'No Answers'
'Near Dark'
'Breaking The Wheel'

On Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/eliminatorus
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eliminator/119800414712789
On Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/eliminatorus

Please vote for your favorite band in the monthly reader's poll!

My Thanks to the Heavy Metal Madness 2012 Selection Committee

2011-10-18T04:11:00.002-05:00

Post #167
Selecting the bands that are included in the Heavy Metal Madness 2012 tournament was not as simple as you might think. For this daunting task I actually enlisted a selection committee of my close friends with a broad appreciation of hard rock and heavy metal music to assist me. All of their input has helped make this contest a more accurate representation of the state of heavy metal music today. Although 68 bands seems like a lot, there were many many more that many of us considered that didn't make the cut.

In no particular order, the bands that are not on the final bracket, but deserve an honorable mention: Iced Earth, Skid Row, Lamb of God, Gwar, Machine Head, Ratt, Immortal, Amorphis, Venom, Poison, Behemoth, Mastadon, Overkill, Pink Floyd, Emperor, Staind, Municipal Waste, Beatles, Dimmu Borgir, Offspring, Metal Church, Heathen, Blind Guardian, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Nile, Mudvayne, Decapitated, Mushroomhead, Therion, In Flames, Otep, Primus, Rancid, Holy Terror, Artillery, Dokken, Journey, Kalmah, Bloodbath, Cannibal Corpse, At the Gates, Shinedown, My Chemical Romance, Nevermore, Sodom, Sacred Reich, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tesla, Morbid Angel, Necrophagist, Suffocation, Cradle of Filth, Bathory, Enslaved, Alkaline Trio, Rammstein, Warrant.

My thanks again to the Heavy Metal Madness Selection Committee: Rocky the Rockette, Franthrax, foxymophandlematt, Jeremy, Wolf, and Stygian.

Good luck on filling out your brackets everyone!

HEAVY METAL MADNESS 2012 BRACKET: Rules and Scoring

2011-10-13T22:13:00.011-05:00

Post #166
It's finally here! The OFFICIAL Bracket for Heavy Metal Madness 2012! This contest will play out over the course of 2012 through numerous reader's polls each month here at Heavy Metal 107. The winner in each match-up will be determined ENTIRELY BY YOUR VOTES! The only exception will be in the event of a tie, in which case the higher seed will advance. So keep an eye on this blog on a monthly basis so you don't miss a chance to vote for your favorite bands! Spread the news to your friends by sharing this blog on your social networks, the more votes the better. There will also be a contest, with prizes, for the most accurately predicted brackets. THERE IS NO ENTRY FEE! All you need to do is completely fill out the bracket with the bands you think will advance in each round, and send it back to me by the deadlines below and you're in!

HEAVY METAL MADNESS 2012 Scoring, Rules, and how to submit your bracket:
Scoring: For each correctly predicted match-up, each entry will earn points based on the band's original seed multiplied by the number of the round*. The first round of 64 bands begins in January, runs through May, and will be played out in four 30-35 day polling windows. The second round of 32 bands will be conducted over two 30-35 day polling windows in June and July. The Sweet Sixteen is the 3rd round, Elite Eight is 4th, and the Final Four is the 5th AND FINAL round.

*The only exception to the seed-based scoring is in the 'play-in' round (where the 16th and 17th seeds face-off for the chance to face the #1 seed in each quadrant). A correct prediction of this round will count as 1 point, and will only be used to decide a tie-breaker among entries at the conclusion of Heavy Metal Madness. The play-in round is considered a 'bonus round', and is not required to be eligible for this contest. The play-in bonus round does have an earlier deadline than the official deadline to submit a bracket prediction.

In each poll, in the event of a tie, the higher-seeded band will advance, up until the Final Four. If there is a tie for 1st place in the Final Four, there will be a tie-breaking follow-up poll featuring only the 2 bands that tied for first.

Only the correct winner is needed to earn points for any given round.

There is a bonus of 5 points for each correct band to reach the Final Four, and a bonus of 10 points for correctly predicting the overall champion.

Prizes will be given away to at least the 5 highest-scoring brackets, possibly more depending on the number of entries received by the Heavy Metal Madness deadline. Prizes will consist of a variety of the following items: CDs, DVDs, magazines, posters, or stickers featuring bands from the Heavy Metal Madness bracket. I will ship them to the winners at my own expense.

The deadlines for bracket submissions are:

Play-In Bonus Round Deadline: December 5th, 2011

Official Heavy Metal Madness Deadline: January 5th, 2012

To request an email with an attachment containing the official Heavy Metal Madness 2012 Bracket (Excel spreadsheet), send an email to: happyheadbanger@gmail.com

You may also request my mailing address through that email, and I will accept paper-copies of your predictions so long as the envelope is post-marked by the deadlines given above.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or are unclear about any specifics in this competition.

Here is an image of the OFFICIAL bracket:

It can also be found at the bottom of the blog, where it will be updated once the tournament has begun.

The American Carnage Tour (2010), Part II: Testament, Megadeth, & Slayer!

2011-10-08T16:50:00.006-05:00

Post # 165
Picking up where I left off from part I of this review (post #146), my new friends and I left the VIP suite as Megadeth bid us farewell as they went backstage to prepare for the show. We were granted early entry to the floor-level and vendors. I made a short detour to get a souvenir tour T-shirt (I chose the Megadeth: RUST IN PEACE 20th Anniversary Tour shirt). Then I entered the arena floor and got right up close to the front barricade. There was one row of people in front of me, and I had a great view of the stage. This was sure to be an awesome show!

Time seemed to drag for a while. I conversed here and there with other fans, and watched the crowd slowly fill in the standing-room-only floor level. But finally the wait paid off: Testament took the stage to deliver their set of killer thrash-metal!

When it comes to thrash metal, everyone probably think of the Big Four first, particularly in the last couple years when they have been performing select shows together for the first time. However if there was a 5th thrash band on the totem-pole when it comes to significance in the genre, it is probably Testament. Their energy, bone-crushing heavy riffs, and seriously fast-paced tempos served to prove that they were right at home with two of the Big Four whom they were opening for.

They opened their set with the intro from their latest album The Formation of Damnation. This album was a true return to form for Testament, and they are helping bring traditional thrash back to prominence in today's metal scene. Inevitably, with the break-neck pace of their music came the break-neck intensity of the mosh-pit. It had erupted about 3 or 4 rows of people behind me, and the people who opted out of moshing crammed more closely together. The physical pressure of being packed so tightly together and close to the front barricade built to an uncomfortable level many times, but I'd be damned if I was going to give up this close spot before I had my chance to see Megadeth this close. So I toughed it out, and managed to hold my own through their set.

Testament delivered a killer set, too! I recognized such classics as 'The New Order' and 'Practice What You Preach' before it was all said and done. My favorite moment, though, had to be during their performance of the title-track 'The Formation of Damnation'. The band paused before the closing thrash segment and gave singer Chuck Billy a chance to direct the crowd into a face-off mosh, and he directed the crowd to spread out to either one side or the other of the stadium floor, then when the music kicked back in, they charged each other with as much of their furious abandon as they could manage! After they finished their set we all had a few minutes to catch our breath and prepare for Megadeth...

Many of us knew they were intending to play the entire Rust In Peace album on this night. I for one, couldn't wait. This has long been my favorite Megadeth album, perhaps my favorite metal album of all time! You can go back and read post #1 if you don't believe how much I praise this album for it's technical, speed-driven riffs. Before long, the band took the stage...

Dave Mustaine, one of the founders of the thrash-metal genre, walked to center stage. Clad in his trademark plain white, light weight shirt and jeans, with his signature flying 'V' Dean guitar, he muttered a quick, 'Here we GO!' and instantly flew into the opening riff of 'Holy Wars... The Punishment Due'. For the next 45 minutes there was no looking back...

My adrenal glands got the best of me, and I was helpless to sing along to one of my all-time favorite thrashers, 'BROTHER WILL KILL BROTHER! SPILLING BLOOD ACROSS THE LAND! KILLING FOR RELIGION, SOMETHING I DON'T UNDERSTAND!' I think I sang along for the entire first song. I could see Dave up at the mike, and I could hear the crowd behind my own voice, also singing along. For all I could hear, Mustaine could have been lip-syncing. I could see his jaw moving, but his mop of blond hair kept his face partially obscured. Dave Ellefson and Chris Broderick were thrashing along, keeping perfect time... the band seemed so tight! The fast-paced, complex riffs that overflow the Rust In Peace album seemed second-nature to Megadeth. This was a technical masterpiece of heavy metal being brought to life for the lucky fans that attended this tour.

At some point I cut back on the singing-along, perhaps because my throat was getting dry. This was in early August, remember, and the mass of bodies was making the heat more and more apparent. When they got to 'Poison Was The Cure', the band went back-stage to swap instruments, while Ellefson kept us entertained with the song's bass-intro. Shawn Drove returned to the drum-kit and added the next ingredient, closely followed by Dave and Chris on guitar. Then, right on cue with the song, the intensity was back, and the crowd resumed undulating with headbanging and moshing!

Megadeth continued to fly through this masterpiece album! Some other highlights of the performance for me were Dave Ellefson's bass spotlight during the track 'Dawn Patrol'. During that number, David Ellefson was alone on-stage, while Dave Mustaine spoke the dialog/lyrics from back-stage somewhere. Also, this was the part of the show where Vic Rattlehead walked onto the stage and pointed intimidatingly at us. After this number concluded it was on to 'Rust In Peace... Polaris', the last track on the Rust In Peace album.

Megadeth still had more for us, and they played about 5 more numbers from the rest of their catalog. They saved 'Peace Sells' for their closing number, but it came with a nice twist this time... As the song was about to end, they surprised us by jumping back to the guitar solo from 'Holy Wars...'! The band jammed a few more minutes on that number, during which Dave Mustaine introduced the band, traded several solos with Chris Broderick, and then wrapped it up as 'Holy Wars...' ended: "Next thing you know, they'll take my thoughts away!"

I couldn't imagine a better way to see Megadeth for the first time, except maybe for a longer set! During this intermission, I finally chose to give up my front-row location to seek out the water fountains- I was pretty dehydrated! I found them, and waited through the line to get replenished, then returned to the arena floor. By this time I think I had lost track of some of my new friends, but before the show resumed I did bump into one of them again. But now, it was time for SLAYER!

In slightly different fashion, Slayer kick off their set with 2 tracks back-to-back, from their newest album: 'World Painted Blood', and 'Hate Worldwide'. Then, the anticipated 20th anniversary celebration of their classic album Seasons In The Abyss began as Tom Araya shouted, "WAR ENSEMBLE!"

Seasons In The Abyss (which I reviewed earlier this year already) starts off with 3 tracks that, on the recording, pick up after each other with barely a pause between the tracks. To the best of my recollection, Slayer played them live in a similar fashion: 'War Ensemble', 'Blood Red', and 'Spirit In Black'. They continued through their classic album, with true-to-the-recording accuracy, much like Megadeth had done before them. Again, they added a few of their best known songs after the Seasons In The Abyss performance was over.

To me this was a legendary night of thrash-metal icons performing at their best! From the golden opportunity of meeting the members of Megadeth, and hanging with the before the show, to the KILLER performances of all three bands, to the new friends I made on this day, I'm tempted to say this was the best concert of my life! I hope to catch each of these bands again at points in the future. For now, I'll leave you with their set-lists so you can listen for yourself to at lease some form of this night's great metal music!

TESTAMENT
-For the Glory of...
-More Than Meets the Eye
-Dog Faced Gods
-The New Order
-Practice What You Preach
-Into the Pit
-DNR
-3 Days in Darkness
-The Formation of Damnation

MEGADETH

~RUST IN PEACE: 20th ANNIVERSARY~

-Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

-Hangar 18

-Take No Prisoners

-Five Magics

-Poison Was the Cure

-Lucretia

-Tornado of Souls

-Dawn Patrol

-Rust in Peace... Polaris

-Trust
-Head Crusher
-A Tout Le Monde
-Symphony of Destruction
-Peace Sells/Holy Wars (reprise)

SLAYER
-World Painted Blood
-Hate Worldwide

~SEASONS IN THE ABYSS: 20th ANNIVERSARY~

-War Ensemble

-Blood Red

-Spirit in Black

-Expendable Youth

-Dead Skin Mask

-Hallowed Point

-Skeletons of Society

-Temptation

-Born of Fire

-Seasons in the Abyss

-South of Heaven
-Raining Blood
-Aggressive Perfector
-Angel of Death

Eliminator-Breaking the Wheel

2011-09-27T00:58:00.003-05:00

Post #164
Eliminator are an independent metal band out of New Jersey. When I first heard about them through another heavy metal music blog I follow, I thought, 'OK, here's another one out of countless black/death metal bands. What could it hurt to check 'em out?' In this case, I was glad I did. I downloaded their debut album Breaking the Wheel, and gave it an honest listen. The first thing that impressed me about the sound on this album was how they seem to hearken back to the early days of thrash and speed metal, rather than just grinding out riffs. I found enough intricacies in their guitar work to hold my interest.

Then I was further impressed by their song structures, which often incorporated significant break-down segments, where clean guitars were used in minor keys to enhance the dark, ominous tone and mood of the music. After further exploration of their music through their myspace page, I also discovered they have really begun to smash boundaries of their genre with their more recent works. Believe me, I don't use that term lightly. You really must hear it for yourself. But that's a story for another post...

For now, I am going to focus on Breaking the Wheel. This album bludgeoned my skull in ways it hasn't been abused since the days of early-era Sepultura. The guitar tones truly capture that early thrash-era tone. The drums fill a wall-o-sound with decadent blast-beats that challenge the upper limits of tempo. Warchild's vocals are demonic screams and shrieks, though he sometimes will drop into deeper tones that remind me of classic Slayer vocals.

Though it only contains 7 tracks, a couple of them are pretty long, making for a quality headbanging experience for about 40 minutes. The best ones I can easily recommend:
-World Obliteration (Eerie, old-school woman's voice begins your listening experience as she promises you 'Everthing is fine in Heaven...' Drums come into the mix, and after a few seconds kick into double-time. Just when you think Eliminator are ready to start thrashing out, you hear the drums double in tempo once again as the guitars come in at a break-neck pace!)
-Breaking the Wheel (The title track is my favorite on this collection. The song's most redeeming quality is found with the multi-tiered breakdown section about half-way through. The lyrics convey a message of fighting against cancer.)
-Prescription for Extinction (Closing number brings more speed-black metal riffage, but closes on an extended melodic break-down. Clocks in at over 8 minutes as the longest track on the album.)

To check out this album, and more of Eliminator's music visit their myspace page!

Iced Earth-Something Wicked This Way Comes

2011-09-25T23:00:00.002-05:00

Post #163 [Poll Winner: Favorite Iced Earth album from the 90's]
Iced Earth released their debut album in 1990, and quietly built a strong underground following throughout the decade. By 1998, they had become one of the biggest names in American power metal. Something Wicked This Way Comes, their 5th album, saw the band touring more extensively than ever. The strength of fan support for this album also led to the recording of Iced Earth's first live album, Alive in Athens. Your votes last month for your favorite Iced Earth album of the 90's further confirms the significance of this release.

Something Wicked This Way Comes displays Iced Earth at one of the high-points of their career. Having established Matt Barlow as the band's main-stay lead singer, the band's stability was also at a peak. This album has several tracks that are now Iced Earth classics, as evidenced by their inclusion in both the Alive in Athens live album and their 2-disc compilation The Blessed and The Damned.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is a well balanced thrash/power metal album, incorporating a variety of melodic guitar parts with Iced Earth's traditional speed-metal riffs. Matt Barlow's vocals are as strong as ever, as he displays his vocal range with mastery throughout this album. Jon Schaffer's songwriting and guitar playing are also above the standard the band had shown by this stage of their career. All in all, this is perhaps the best album Iced Earth have recorded. It certainly got your vote for the best album from this band in the 90's!

Though I have touched on this album before, I still have tracks to recommend, some repeats, some new:
-Burning Times (probably the best known Iced Earth song, a true classic!)
-Melancholy (Holy Martyr) (still a personal favorite of mine...)
-Stand Alone (this one has an anthem-like vibe in the chorus)
-Reaping Stone (a slow-tempo number, with plenty of dark-toned clean guitars mixed with heavy chord progressions)
-Something Wicked (trilogy); I: Prophecy, II: Birth of the Wicked, III: The Coming Curse (an epic 3-part concept suite depicting mankind's corruption, and the possible coming of the Antichrist... As intricate as these tracks are, Schaffer & company would return to this concept years later as the inspiration for a double-length concept album, but it began right here...)

DEADMANSWAKE makes Elbo Room debut on Sept. 27th!

2011-09-20T06:42:00.002-05:00

Post #162
Hello again constant readers!

Today I'm writing to remind you that DEADMANSWAKE will be playing at Elbo Room in Chicago, IL on Tuesday, September 27th for the very first time! They're appearing as part of the "Project Independent Tour" along with Sins Of A Nation and several others. If you have no other plans for this particular Tuesday evening, why not come down and catch some great, live, Heavy Metal music?

Visit the Elbo Room for more details!

Remembering September 11th Through Music

2011-09-14T01:11:00.009-05:00

Post #161

Two days ago, we observed the 10th anniversary of the Al-Queda attacks against the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon. Though this horrific event is doomed to live in the memories of everyone who lived and breathed on that infamous day, it is still a reminder that the values that unify the United States will always win out over anything that tries to divide us.

With this post I will share some songs that live in MY memory, forever connected with September 11th, and many songs directly inspired by the events of that day.

Slayer-Disciple
This song comes from the album 'God Hates Us All', which was released on September 11, 2001. Though obviously not inspired by the events, it seems an ominous coincidence that it was released on the same day many Al-Queda followers slaughtered thousands in the name of their religion. I certainly recall thinking 'How could God let these events transpire?' that day. Surely the faith of many was shaken as planes crashed into buildings...

Live-Overcome
From their 5th album, released one week after the attacks. One of Chicago's radio stations began playing this song, with audio clips from news casts of the attacks mixed in. It became a song that many clung to as they tried to comprehend this tragedy.

The next few songs were all inspired by 9-11, and the lyrics reflect each bands perspective, attitude, and interpretation of our humanity...
Dream Theater-In The Name of God
Iced Earth-When the Eagle Cries
Testament-The Evil Has Landed

All these songs are inseparable from the event in my mind, however the one song that first imprinted itself in my mind about September 11th, and has the most lasting impression of how we all felt in the days, weeks, and months afterward, is "My City of Ruin" by Bruce Springsteen. Though he had written the song before 9-11, he had tweaked a few of the lyrics by the time he performed it on September 21st as part of the 'America: A Tribute to Heroes' telethon.

I remember watching the entire telethon. It made me realize how truly powerful music can be. Healing, unifying, and inspiring in the same instant. God bless our fallen heroes from September 11th, and in the 10 years since then...

These are just the songs I thought of off the top of my head. Feel free to share your personal songs about 9-11 in comments below.

HEAVY METAL MADNESS!! (Coming in 2012)

2011-09-10T17:21:00.001-05:00

Post #160
For those of you who've been following this blog for a while, you may have noticed that I usually use the phrase 'favorite' in all my reader's polls as opposed to 'best'. This is mostly because saying a thing is your 'favorite' is easier. 'Favorites' can be based on one individual's opinion, and requires no further justification. To say something is the 'best' requires more justification and explanation. Sure, I can easily say whatever I think is the best, but that may differ greatly from what the next guy would say is the best. On this blog I try to let the reader decide for their self what is best.

Well, coming up in 2012, I might make one exception to this rule of thumb I've been following, and try to decide who is actually the 'Best*' heavy metal band. The '*' would reference the following footnote: 'based on reader opinion'. How does that sound to you, dear readers? It will be called HEAVY METAL MADNESS, and be designed after the NCAA's March Madness basketball tournament. Spanning several months (possibly the entire year), I will post numerous reader's polls each month. Each poll representing one match-up in the giant bracket.

The bands I choose to include will represent the most influential bands I can think of from the most relevant genres and sub-genres in hard-rock and heavy metal music, from the early 70's up 'til now. The reviews of each poll-winner will be much briefer since there will be several results each month, but essentially a summary of who advanced and who was knocked-out should suffice.

Hopefully this tournament-style reader-opinion poll will keep your interest peaked, as each month you invest more and more of your own fanaticism into HEAVY METAL MADNESS. I've found that when the NCAA tournament comes around, I'm always more interested in the results in years when I participate in an office pool or two. Hopefully this can have the same effect with Heavy Metal music. Would you agree?

We'll begin to find out in 2012! I plan to initiate this tournament very soon after this fall's annual Independent Band Of The Year poll (formerly called the 'Myspace bands poll'). If all goes well, it will prove to be the ultimate contest for the BEST* Hard-Rock/Heavy Metal band ever!

Blog Update: Check out new features!

2011-09-04T19:13:00.002-05:00

Post #159
I want to take a minute to point out a few changes I've made to the blog recently. Most obvious is the relatively new banner at the top of this page. I've mentioned it earlier, shortly after I uploaded it. Again, thank you to Andy at Traynart Graphic design for that.

Next, I want to point out the box on the left hand column where you can now enter an email address for a quick and easy way to follow this blog. If you've enjoyed any of my posts, please take a second to enter your email, so you won't miss a single post!

Other changes I've made include the re-organizing of the links section. I've now split it into 3 sections. First are the links to off-shoots of this blog that I've created myself. These are called 'Happy Headbanger links', and include my Pandora radio station, a Facebook page, and Twitter feed. The second category 'Music, Rock, and Metal Blogs' includes the other music oriented blogs that I follow. The 3rd category, 'Other Blogs' contains the blogs I follow that don't necessarily relate to music or heavy metal in any way, but I still recommend them!

In my blog settings, I have now made comments open to all! This feature used to be restricted to google account holders, but not anymore. You should now be able to comment on any post, remaining anonymous if you choose.

Lastly, the "Coming Soon" section will slowly be phased out. I still want to write about these topics, so I will leave the list there until I get to each item on it. However, since I have a bad habit of adding items to this list faster than I get around to writing them, I'll simply stop adding topics to it.

The "Honorary Vice President" spot was created for the winner of last year's 'Independent Bands Reader's Poll'- DEADMANSWAKE. Unlike the 'President' spot, which lasts for a term of 2 years, the VP spot will last for 1 year (until the next 'Independent Bands Reader's Poll'). Watch for the new 'Independent Bands Poll' coming in October!

I hope these changes make the blog a more enjoyable experience for all of you! I am always open to suggestions. If you have any ideas, feel free to email me at happyheadbanger@gmail.com

later
\m/

PANTERA-Cowboys From Hell

2011-08-31T19:13:00.005-05:00

Post #158 [Poll winner: favorite Pantera album 1990-2000]
With Pantera's major-label debut, Cowboys From Hell, they became an instant success in the extreme/thrash metal scene in 1990. This was around the peak of the thrash-metal scene, before the alternative and grunge movement had established a grip on the heavy music market. Though Pantera would go on to become one of the biggest metal bands in the world in the coming years, it was the strength of Cowboys From Hell that gave them the fan-base upon which to grow.

In last month's reader's poll you chose Cowboys From Hell as your favorite Pantera album. Although there is a definite sense of the kind of hardcore band they would become in the next couple years, Cowboys From Hell still shows some residual influence from the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal era, at least in some of Phil Anselmo's higher pitch screamed vocals. Songs like 'Psycho Holiday' had some verses that sounded like they could easily have been sung by the likes of Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson. Others, like 'Primal Concrete Sledge' or 'Domination', showed us the direction they would choose to pursue with their future releases.

The most memorable, and most accessible, track on this album is without a doubt 'Cemetery Gates'. This song features prominent clean, melodic sections that seem to show the band's influence from early-era Metallica. Even as early as 1990, some of the harder-edged radio stations dared to play this track. I believe its wide-spread exposure is partially responsible for Pantera's die-hard following they maintained throughout the 90's, in spite of heavy metal's general decline in popularity. At the same time, they became a primary inspiration for a new generation of hardcore metal bands.

Pantera's influential legacy began with Cowboys From Hell. Check out these tracks from this heavy metal classic!
-Cowboys From Hell
-Primal Concrete Sledge
-Psycho Holiday
-Cemetery Gates
-Clash With Reality
-The Sleep
-The Art of Shredding

DAME NATION 2011 (Concert review from July 29th, 2011)

2011-08-26T07:13:00.013-05:00

Post #157
In part thanks to DEADMANSWAKE being the current independent band-of-the-year for this blog, I have been looking forward to DAME-NATION 2011 for months. They returned to this Female-Fronted Metal Fest, along with fellow Dame-Nation veterans Losing Scarlet for a truly memorable show. The show went down at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago's south loop on Friday, July 29th, 2011. This unique festival drew in not only the best female-fronted metal acts of Chicago's local scene and their followers, but also several other like-minded independent bands from across North America.

DAME-NATION is the brain-child of Chicago-area music promoter Eric Sanchez. It was an idea conceived to give female-fronted metal bands a place where they can be in the spotlight, rather than an afterthought in the sub-genres of heavy metal music. The ladies that fronted these bands knew this was their place to shine, and they performed like it!

I made the trip to Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago's south loop by about 5:30 pm, hoping I wasn't running late due to the rush-hour traffic. As it turned out, one band, The Unvoiced, was unable to make it to the show, so the start of the show was delayed a bit anyway. I had a few minutes to browse the venue before things got underway, so I mingled. I got to meet Eric in person, which was a pleasure. Then I began to notice a couple familiar faces as I spotted members of Losing Scarlet and Deadmanswake in the crowd. A few minutes later another friend of mine from the band Sutured Psyche arrived. We spent a few minutes catching up before the first performer went on.

First up was Lindz Riot, from the band Mary and the Black Lamb. She was from Canada, and was performing solo this day since the band couldn't afford visas for everybody to enter the US. So not only did she have the pressure of opening this multi-band show, but she was also on her own. If she felt the pressure, she didn't let it show. She sat behind her electronic keyboard, and let the music do the talking.

It was really nice mood-setting music. Many of her songs reminded me of some of Evanescence's ballads. Then, after she'd performed a couple numbers, noting which ones were from her band's CD, and which are from her upcoming solo project, she announced that Grace Meridan from Shield of Wings would join her for a duet. Together they covered Evanescence's 'Haunted'. Very well performed too, as both Lindz and Grace have a similar vocal range, and were both capable of covering Evanescence on their own. Together they brought a new dimension to the song. What's more is they had only rehearsed the song together over the internet!

Lindz ended her set gracefully, and then the stage was prepared for the next act, Solarsphere. Now it was time for fully amped metal! They kicked off the show with heavy guitar-riffs accompanied by keyboards in the background. Then when Rachel Sabine delivered the vocals, they revealed their true genre: symphonic metal. The operatic style vocals brought a nice contrast to the music. They played a good variety of songs, many with prominent melodic sections, others that were quite heavy. Before they were finished, Rachel made a comment on how they came to the last Dame-Nation as fans, and this time they were there as performers. The sincere gratitude for being included was a nice touch. It was just one of many instances throughout the evening that illustrated how strong the camaraderie was among the bands and the promoter.

Next up was A Sound of Thunder, from Washington, D.C. Lindz came back to the stage to introduce them, so she asked us if we were ready for some 'epic, power-metal'. The crowd gave a loud cheer, then the band took the stage...

What might I have expected from an intro like that? Heavy riffs, check. Catchy chord progressions, check. Shredding guitar solos, check. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, powerful vocal delivery... CHECK! Lead singer Nina Osegueda has a voice that was made to sing power metal. Nina sang with more of a straight-forward hard-rock style vocal, as opposed to operatic. A fitting complement to the band's heavy groove, she packed a lot of power into her voice! Her range, style and delivery may have been quite different from the first two acts, but it was no less entertaining. In fact I was probably enjoying this band the most so far!

A Sound of Thunder kept hitting us with their best, song after song. Then when you think a band might start to tire out, Nina says to the crowd, "Hey! I don't think my band's working hard enough. C'mon, let's hear you guys work it!" As she turned the spotlight over to guitarist Josh Schwartz we soon found out we were in for a killer guitar solo. Josh proved quite skilled with the fret-board, but cleverly kept the crowd into it as he threw in a couple classic metal riffs from the likes of Sabbath and Deep Purple.

For their closing number they played 'Archangel (Wings of Steel)' off their self-titled EP. However, before they finished the song, they slipped into Dio's 'Holy Diver', closely followed by Black Sabbath's 'Heaven & Hell' riff. I pumped my fists in the air, and cheered as loud as ever. Then I held my right hand high in the air with Dio's traditional devil-horn/evil-eye salute '\m/'. If any band want's to know how to win me over with a live show, paying tribute to one of metal's legends is always a plus!

After their set, and stage equipment was swapped out for the next band, Lindz came back onstage again (apparently she had been made the M.C. for the evening as well!) This time she was introducing her duet partner's band, Shield of Wings. We had been given a preview of Grace Meridan's voice during that duet, but how would she sound backed by her own band?

The answer: Incredible! Shield of Wings hit us with heavy riffs and symphonic backing elements early and often. Grace's operatic voice elevated the music to a level somewhere in the stratosphere. Then, in places where the songs kicked up in intensity, I couldn't help but notice this blur of blond hair on stage-left. Guitarist James Gregor easily had 4 feet of length to his hair, and when it came to headbanging, it did not go to waste! This band was clicking on all levels. They were heavy, melodic, symphonic, employed good stage-craft, but then they gave us yet another dimension. A couple songs into their set, Gregor was on backing vocals, screaming with a death-metal-esque fervor. It was definitely something new that none of the previous bands had displayed. It was such a contrast to the almost angelic vocals from Grace that you could not help but be captivated by the change-offs between the two.

Shield of Wings played out the rest of their set with grace (literally!) Hearing a band so accomplished in a metal style that brings such contrasting elements together is always an aspect of metal I've found rewarding. From the Metallica albums of the mid-80's to today's melodic-metalcore bands like All That Remains, I've always enjoyed songs that switch gears somewhere in the middle. I'll be sure to pick of Shield of Wings' CD before long!

Next up was Angelical Tears, all the way from Oklahoma City, OK. They launched into their set with a ton of energy. Again, they brought a mix of heavy riffs and classical-inspired backing elements. Singer Julia Flansburg delivered vocals that show inspiration form classical music, but also had moments where she let loose a bit and sang in a gothic-metal style. Their music had a good ebb and flow to it; thrashy segments mixed with melodic break-downs, and good soloing on lead guitar by Steven Bittle.

In some ways Angelical Tears reminded me a bit of the previous performers Solarsphere and A Sound of Thunder, but they had a tight chemistry and confident stage presence all their own. They took a moment near the end of their set to thank the event organizers, and of course the fans for coming out & supporting female-fronted metal. Then they closed their set with the song 'Queen of Hearts'.

After another stage change-over the crowd braced themselves for the next act: Losing Scarlet. Losing Scarlet are a Chicago-area band that I've been following for a couple years already. They were the first band of the evening whose music I was already familiar with, so I was more than psyched up to hear what they had in store for this show.

The band members took their positions on stage, and a hush fell over the crowd. Then we heard.... thunder? Rainfall? BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! (The triple bass-drum thundered loudly) I cocked my head with wonder and recognition; it was the intro to Slayer's 'Raining Blood'! Sure enough, they launched into the speed-thrash classic, as Jodi Kell ran to center stage and instantly got the crowd into it. "C'mon Chicago, let me hear you!" she yelled, then instantly broke into a furious head-banging fit and the band thrashed on, flawlessly chugging through Slayer's most classic of riffs. Jodi came to the forefront again and urged us the get louder, and we obliged.

Right as 'Raining Blood' hit its lull before the lyrics kick in, Losing Scarlet switched gears in a heartbeat, and kicked into 'Learning to Bleed', the title-track from their second CD. Jodi sang with everything she had, and she packed a lot of power into her voice. A perfect voice for melodic metal, with the band keeping it heavy, Losing Scarlet were stealing the show! If their influence from classic thrash metal wasn't apparent from their intro, the riffs their songs were built upon were an easy clue. During the instrumental passages of their songs, Jodi periodically broke into her intense headbanging. Now, I know I call myself 'The Happy Headbanger', but honestly, Jodi brought the art of headbanging to a new level this night!

After a couple songs from their new album, they changed things up a bit as they treated us to a new cover, Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie". The crowd got into the show a little more, as Losing Scarlet added their heavy touch to this song, and made it their own. They followed it with 'Dick, Whiskey', a song that has quickly become a favorite sing-along for their fans. "Hey, now. Who are you to judge me? With my empty bottle of whiskey..." They dedicated their next song to Eric Sanchez, Dame-Nation's organizer. It was 'Call Me', a cover of the Blondie classic. They wrapped up their set soon after that, but they were going to be a tough act to follow. I could hardly believe they were the same band I first saw over a year and a half ago! They've really improved their sound, style and confidence in that time. Jodi Kell in particular has become a confident front-woman for this up-and-coming metal band.

Next came DEADMANSWAKE, current independent-band-of-the-year on this blog, and the penultimate performer of the evening. If they felt any pressure in following such a powerful act as Losing Scarlet, they didn't let it show. If anything they seemed the most cool and collected band yet. DMW kicked off their set with 'Screaming In Silence', a real thrashy yet classic sounding metal song. It's the second time I've heard them play this song, and I must say it's my favorite song in their live set.

Another factor that was playing into their hands was the fact that, like Losing Scarlet, they were local to the Chicago and suburban area. The crowd's enthusiasm may have been a hint that they were a fan favorite, but the most obvious clue was the sea of DMW t-shirts that were present in the audience. The backs of these shirts included the lyric "When I said 'I wanna bury the hatchet...' ...I didn't want it buried in my back!" That was from the song 'Back to Blood', and not one to disappoint, they performed that song as well.

They took a moment between songs to thank Eric again, for organizing the show. Other times they would be goofing around and teasing each other between songs. They had a great sense of humor that was entertaining, and it kept everyone's spirits up. These guys were having fun, and it was contagious. Of course it helped that they also played great metal music too. Kryssie Ridolfi has a smooth, bluesy voice, but she can belt out some angst when she wants to! Their guitar tandem of JP Soule and Josh Barker delivered ripping guitar solos that simply sounded classic. Kryssie kept interacting with her band-mates throughout their set. They delivered a great set, mixing a couple cover tunes into the fray of their best known tracks from 'It Comes to This'. They closed with an unexpected cover of Cee Lo Green's 'FU'.

For the last band, Lindz returned to the stage and said, "When it comes to Boston, I hate their hockey team. But there is one thing I love about Boston, and that's AVARIEL!!!"

The final performance of the evening was brought to us by Boston's Avariel. With this band closing out the evening, it seemed to bring the show full circle, as their style was symphonic metal. Lead singer Shannon Kelly delivered a soaring vocal performance of classical inspired tone and pitch. Perhaps not as high in pitch as Soalrsphere or Shield of Wings, but a masterful upper mid-range! The band was quite heavy as well, making for the perfect conclusion of a well-planned, niche oriented concert. A two-guitar attack, with keyboards filling up a wall of sound, not to mention a 6-string bass; this band was top-quality metal! On a couple tracks, one of their guitarists, Scott McDonald, provided death-style backing vocals. Not quite to the degree that we had heard from Shield Of Wings, but enough to add an edge to their sound.

By this point it was close to 2 a.m., and the crowd seemed to be showing signs of fatigue. Just as I thought that Avariel might have a tough duty in being the final act, they unveiled their trump-card that brought the crowd back to life... Towards the end of their set they started a number with a symphonic intro, and as the drummer began to pick up the rhythm, I recognized the song as Metallica's 'No Leaf Clover'! What a perfect song for a symphonic metal band to cover. They did the song justice too. This time guitarist Michael Rosati sang most of the verses, while Shannon sang the choruses. I got back into the throng and pumped my fists in the air, screaming my approval. I wanted the band to know I appreciated them coming from Boston to play this show. Rounding out this collection of talented bands couldn't have been better!

I am now following all of these band's through their various websites. I encourage you to do the same. If you have an appreciation for female-fronted metal, you can't go wrong with this collection of bands! I'll include links to each band's website as I summarize the set-lists below:

Lindz Riot
-Masquerade
-Stranger
-Saturnine (The Gathering cover)
-Haunted (Evanescence- duet w/ Grace Meridan from Shield of Wings)
-Into the Night
-Emily
(also check out her solo-page: Schoolcraft)

Solarsphere
-Inner Demons
-Eternal Hunter
-Alone
-Phoenix
-Sick Pleasure
-Lilith

A Sound of Thunder
-Intro: Tubular Bells
-Walls
-A Sound of Thunder
-Kill That Bitch
-(Josh Schwartz guitar solo)
-The Beast
-Blood Vomit
-Archangel (Wings of Steel) (included Dio tribute/medley)

Shield of Wings
-Carnival Mirror
-Solarium
-Essence of the Moon
-Malady
-War & Rapture

Angelical Tears
-Tomorrow Happens Now
-Darkness
-Sunrise at Sunset
-With the Shadows
-Missing
-Pool of Sorrow
-Queen of Hearts

Losing Scarlet
-Raining Blood (Intro- Slayer)
-Learning to Bleed
-Halo of Stone
-Shameless Prayer
-Love the Way You Lie (Rihanna cover)
-Dick, Whiskey
-Call Me (Blondie cover)
-Kiss the Guilt Away
-Shade of Hate

DEADMANSWAKE
-Screaming in Silence
-Back to Blood
-Running Behind
-Flowers (Stand Between Us)
-(If You Need Me) I'll Be Bleeding
-867-5309 (jenny) (Tommy Tutone cover)
-Probably
-FU (Cee Lo Green)

Avariel
-Bleed
-Still
-Victim
-Phoenix
-No Leaf Clover (Metallica)
-In Heaven

I'd like to thank all the bands, and friends new and old, who made this event such a memorable concert: Eric Sanchez (Dame-Nation's organizer/promoter), Ryan Reilly (long-time friend, guitarist for SUTURED PSYCHE, and inside scoop for Chicago's local scene), Lindz Riot and Chee Kam (her manager); from SOLARSPHERE: Rachel Sabine, Brett Zweig, Adam Gordon, and Mike Rutledge; from A SOUND OF THUNDER: Nina Osegueda, Josh Schwartz, Chris Haren, and Jesse Keen; from SHIELD OF WINGS: Grace Meridan, James Gregor, Jeff Olsem, Pat Eulitz; from ANGELICAL TEARS: Glenn and Julia Flansburg, Steve Bittle, and JC; from LOSING SCARLET: Jodi Kell, Scott Haith, Petra Sith, and Shawn Kelly; from DEADMANSWAKE: Kryssie Ridolfi, JP Soule, Josh Barker, Troll, and Brandon Schabell; from AVARIEL: Shannon and Ryan Kelly, Michael Rosati, Jay Narbonne, and Scott McDonald.

I'll be sure to keep up with all your music. Keep an eye out for reviews of your albums here on Heavy Metal 107 in the future!

Until we meet again...

And as always, Happy Headbanging!
\m/

Remembering Jani Lane (1964-2011)

2011-08-19T20:19:00.009-05:00

Post #156

On August 11th, 2011, Jani Lane, former lead-singer/songwriter of Warrant, was found dead in his hotel room. Though he, and his band, had been labeled as 'Hair-Metal', and as such saw their popularity decline in the late 90's, Lane was truly a talented song-writer. I'll take a moment here to remember and honor him, and the music he gave us.

Warrant released their debut album, 'Drity Rotten Filthy Stinkin' Rich' in 1989, right in the middle of the 'Hair-Metal' era. The top-ten hit ballad 'Heaven' solidified their significance for this genre. As their career progressed, they expanded their sound, and actually migrated away from the stereotypical 'Hair-Metal' sound in the mid-90's. However the rise of alternative rock and grunge was too strong to afford as large a fan-base for Warrant as they enjoyed in the late-80's.

With the passing of Jani Lane, far too young at the age of 47, now is the perfect time to go back and discover some of the best music Lane ever wrote. Myself being a huge fan of the whole Hair-Metal scene, I kept up with Warrant through the years, at least until the band parted ways with Jani around 1999 or 2000. So let me be your guide into the somewhat obscure works of Warrant. I'll share with you today the tracks I compiled on a mix CD of my personal favorite Warrant tracks.

The Best Of Warrant (1989-1996)
1-Down Boys
2-The Hole In My Wall
3-Cherry Pie
4-Stronger Now
5-April 2031
6-Sure Feels Good to Me
7-A.Y.M.
8-Uncle Tom's Cabin
9-32 Pennies
10-Followed
11-Andy Warhol Was Right
12-Sometimes She Cries
13-Indian Giver
14-Chameleon
15-The Bitter Pill
16-Train, Train (Blackfoot cover)
17-Vertigo
18-Undertow
19-Inside Out
20-Heaven
21-In The End (There's Nothing)

Color-coded album reference: Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinkin' Rich ('89), Cherry Pie ('90), Dog Eat Dog ('92), Ultraphobic ('95), Belly to Belly ('96)
(Compiled by the HappyHeadbanger on 8-18-11)

Other good tunes that I had to exclude to fit this compilation on an 80 minute CDR: Machine Gun, Ultraphobic, and Family Picnic

Rest in peace, Jani Lane. I know I will miss you and the music you might have brought to us had you lived on. I hope many others out there will miss you as well. Click the image of Jani above to visit his official website.

Strych9Hollow Interview (Rave fiasco explained, and band's background)

2011-08-07T18:54:00.010-05:00

Post #155

In the days following the Scream The Prayer show, I composed that promised interview for Strych9Hollow and sent it to the band members via facebook. Here is that interview, which should answer some questions about the events surrounding the Scream The Prayer show at Milwaukee's Rave venue, as well as some insight into the band's background and influences. Strych9Hollow are: Wit Kolo-lead vocals, Jackie Bergjans-guitars/backing vocals, Lloyd Schueler-guitars/backing vocals, Sam Crafton-bass guitar/backing vocals, and Joey Nichols-drums.

HappyHeadbanger: Briefly describe what happened at the Rave on July 17th, and why you were not able to perform.

Jackie Bergjans: There was a misunderstanding about things between the promoters at the Rave and our band. Things were eventually worked out, and in the end, yeah we were pretty upset wasting our time and money, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Joey Nichols: There was a miscommunication between an employee/promoter at the Rave and the show was overbooked. In the end we did get screwed, however I think we lucked out here and will get what we deserve in return from the Rave.

Wit Kolo: Whoever the promoter guy was, Jason or what not, f'd up. To be honest it was quite hard to get a straight answer outta the guy. He kept tip-toeing around the issue and frustrated me to the max. Unlike the others who seem to think it's "worth it" I disagree. It was a huge waste of time, money and energy and absolutely unprofessional and unacceptable.

Sam Crafton: Yeah, what they said.

HH: Did they reconcile to the point of refunding you the money you put up for this show? If not, then I'd side with Wit that they wasted your time. I mean, I'm glad that I got to meet you & hang with ya, but in the end, I'm only one fan. You guys should have played and earned some more fans. I hope they make it up to you next time!
JB: We were refunded the money, but it was a pain trying to do so. And regardless of whether or not we were refunded, we still wasted $300-$400 just with the van and trailer rental and gas. So yes, still a big waste of time and a big waste of money.
WK: We were refunded the $300 deposit for the tickets but that was it. We lost exactly $411 after van/trailer rental and the fuel it took to get there and back (aka 800 mile round-trip). They also gave us 10 drink tickets, which I though was a poor excuse, but it is what it is and is now it's in the past. For the record I am not upset with The Rave as a venue. I know it was out of their hands. The fault belongs solely to the promoter. We will return to The Rave again. This time, though, I’ll be triple-checking the situation before making the trip.

HH: Of the national bands that were at that show, do you have a favorite?
Jackie Bergjans: I like I The Breather out of all of the bands there.
Joey Nichols: I The Breather was definitely my favorite band on the bill of Scream The Prayer. However I was actually more looking forward to seeing Texas In July because Adam Gray is probably one of the sickest drummers on the planet, and has become a huge influence for me.
Wit Kolo: I the Breather.
Sam Crafton: Norma Jean, and The Chariot were my favorites.

Lloyd Schueler: Close Your Eyes.

HH: Many of you say 'I the Breather'. Was that just because you had to leave the venue so early, or are you familiar with all the other bands already?
JB: I have seen I The Breather before and I like them a lot.
WK: I’m an I the Breather fan, but had they not played as early as they did we would not have waited for their set. Yes, I was familiar with most of the bands on the bill.

HH: Who were your major influences growing up?
JB: Number one influence, hands down, is Evanescence. They are the reason I am a musician. Other major influences for me are Black Sabbath, Killswitch Engage, and Within Temptation.
JN: Deftones, Tool, and Cold were my main influences when growing up and inspired me to pick up the guitar. As I became I drummer, I began to focus on metal, leading Killswitch Engage to become a huge inspiration.
SC: My brother Ray Crafton.
WK: Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Incubus, Linkin Park, Deftones.
LS: Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold.

HH: Who inspired you to play music?
JB: Almost the same as the last response. Evanescence is the inspiration.
JN: My brother and his friends jammed around sometimes and I always was interested, haha. So I would have to say my brother Mike and his friend Louie.
WK: Kurt Cobain.
SC: I got into music in my early teens and just sort of picked up the bass and started playing. But now, my influences are Mic Todd, Geddy Lee, Steve Harris, and Justin Chancelor.
LS: My dad.

HH: Is there a person in your life you look up to or idolize?
JB: My guitar teacher, Joe has always been a great source of guidance for me. My mother is also a very big influence in my life.
JN: My mother is hands down my idol.
WK: Those who get to do what I've only dreamed of most my life.
SC: Dimebag Darrell. I got into Pantera right before he died, but after I read the biography, I really wish I could've met him.
LS: All professional musicians. I don't really have a certain person.

HH: Sam, I'm a huge Dimebag fan as well. Never actually met him, but was lucky enough to see Pantera in concert once. You can read about it in post #96, posted on June 3rd 2010.

HH: When and how did you guys meet and decide to form a band?
JB: I placed an ad on STLMusic.com and Joey was the first to respond. We started jamming, then a friend of my mother's knew a local band called Seeing Seven and we got in touch with them and found Wit. We had a few other members before Sam and Lloyd joined us.
JN: Me and Jackie met through stlmusic.com, both in search of band members. Later we heard through a close friend about Wit. We went through a few member changes to land where our lineup is now. Sam came along from being a fan our music and trying out after seeing we needed a bass player, Lloyd completed the new lineup when he heard we needed a guitarist. We knew Sam and Lloyd from their playing in other local bands prior.
SC: I played a show with the band after they were dominating the local scene for about a year and a half already. A few weeks later they were looking for a bass player and I applied. I was given 2 tryouts and got the open slot. It was very uplifting for me at that time in my life. Everything was going downhill and then my brothers and sister picked me up.

HH: How did you come up with the name of the band?
SC: One of the 3 original members can let you know that one. I wasn't there for the name origin.
JB: When it was just Joey, Wit, and I, my first suggestion was the name "Hollow". Wit said it was too plain and came up with the idea of Strychnine to put somewhere in there, thus Strych9Hollow was born.
JN: Wit liked something with Strychnine, and Jackie liked something with Hollow, haha. So simply enough we through a number 9 in the center and combined STRYCH9HOLLOW. It had a very nice catch to it.
WK: The name was 'Hollow' when I joined, which I thought was too generic. After juggling around various names, I started putting random words with hollow, and strychnine had a good ring to it. It also had an edge to it, which fits the style of band we are.

HH-What is the furthest from home that you have played a show?
JB: Milwaukee I think.
JN: Unfortunately Witchita, Kansas :( but that's gonna change very soon!
WK: Milwaukee or Wichita.
SC: Milwaukee is the farthest so far, I think.
LS: .The Rave in Milwaukee.

HH: From 'Thrash and Burn' to 'Scream the Prayer'?!? One of those tours featured the likes of Devil Driver and Despised Icon, the other Sleeping Giant and The Great Commission. They almost seem to be at opposite ends of the religious spectrum. Do you consider yourselves religious? If so, to what extent, if any, are your religious views expressed in your music? Or do you try to keep them separate?
JB: I am more spiritual than religious, and I am not a part of any religion. If I were to be a part of any religion it would be Buddhism. And yes, we keep our religious beliefs separate from the music.
JN: To be honest I have no religious views.
WK: Born and raised Catholic but I don't practice anymore. The band as a whole is religiously neutral. We certainly respect everyone's right to their faith.
SC: Wit does a big majority of the lyrics, but personally I believe in God and Jesus Christ. Those tours were pretty much just shows that seemed to fit our music, not the lyrics or our beliefs.
LS: Nope, don't believe in religion.

HH: Hmm; a semi-Buddhist, an Agnostic, a lapsed Catholic, a Christian, and an Atheist. I must confess I love that combination within the same band, haha! So long as you all get along and keep writing great music, I don't care. Personally, like Jackie put it, I consider myself more spiritual than religious. My beliefs can pretty much be summed up in the lyrics of the Tracy Chapman song 'Heaven's Here On Earth'.

HH: Reviewers are always trying to categorize bands. How do you describe your music/genre in your own words?
JB: I would say our main "genre" would be Metalcore, even though our sound varies from many different genres.
JN: Metalcore/Hardcore.
WK: I really don't know. I can't keep up with all the genres and sub-genres. We attempt to make metal music that is accepted by as large a fan base as possible.
SC: Metalcore.
LS: Melodic metal/hardcore.

HH: If you were running out of your home to leave on a long road trip, and only had time to grab one CD to listen to on the drive, what CD do you grab?
JB: I would say "The Heart Of Everything" by Within Temptation.
JN: Killswitch Engage "As Daylight Dies".... man I love that album!
WK: Kinda hard to answer being as we are in the ipod generation now, but I'd burn a mix of whatever my faves would be at the time.
SC: Tool "Lateralus".

HH: For me I'd probably grab "Rust In Peace" by Megadeth. I've been on a huge kick with that album since seeing the band play the whole thing on the American Carnage tour!

HH: Wit, I'm curious, since I burn a lot of mix CDs as well (a few now with Strych9Hollow tracks!) Can you list a few songs that are on one of them?
WK: The most recent one I made=1. A Prophecy-Asking Alexandria 2. Beneath the Surface- As Blood Runs Black 3. Parallels-As I Lay Dying 4. Morte et Dabo-Asking Alexandria 4. For We Are Many-All That Remains 5. Informal Gluttony-Between the Buried and Me 6.Erase Begin-Fell Silent 7.Breath in a New Mentality-Underoath 8.Zerohour-Circle of Contempt 9.Bleed to Live-Strych9Hollow 10.Chorus of Angels-Haste the Day.
HH: Cool! Awesome mix, I must say!

HH: What do you do in your free time, either individually or when you hang together?
JB: When I have free time I'm either playing guitar or playing video games.
JN: I usually workout, play video games, or sleep.
WK: Not too much during the work week. I spend a lot of time with my dog Schecter. Weekends I'm either at shows supporting fellow bands or playing shows. Sometimes we'll have a band BBQ, but most of the time we only hang out at practice or shows.
SC: I play soccer and kickball. I'm a huge fan of hole-in-the-wall bars. The other members and myself go to shows together pretty often, including local shows. We're pretty active in the "scene" here in Saint Louis.
LS: Play my guitar and skate board on my free time. With the band we play music and write new music.

HH: I go to my fair share of shows, both for national and global touring bands as well as local shows between Chicago & Milwaukee. Occasionally I'll get on a video game kick, but otherwise I enjoy blowing and playing Hacky-Sack.

HH: Wit, is Schecter the Pit bull I've seen in some of your facebook pics? Pits sometimes get a bad rap. Anything your want to say to defend the breed?
JB: No breed of dog is bad, it's how they are raised that makes the difference.
WK: Yes, Schecter is the pit bull in the pix. Pits have a bad reputation due to the stupidity and cold heartedness of the parasite that is man. They are literally one of the most loving, gentle, playful and loyal breeds. Anyone that has been close to one of these dogs that has not been abused, is loved and treated with respect will agree with me. It is truly unfortunate how the ignorance and sheer neglect by people hurts these animals which have no voice of their own to stand up for themselves. I hope to one day have enough money to contribute to some kind of rescue organization. Meanwhile my dog is living for a thousand pit bulls which will never feel love and most likely be euthanized.
HH: I agree whole heartedly. All pets deserve love and the highest level of respect. A few years ago my wife and I volunteered to be a foster-home for homeless pets that were up for adoption through our local Petsmart. Back then we lived in a building that didn't allow dogs, so it was cats that we fostered (even though we already had 2 of our own). Over a 2-year period, we probably helped over 30 cats find loving homes. I'd like to start doing that again sometime soon.

HH: Who is your favorite band?
JB: Evanescence
JN: Man, it is so hard to say... Although I have many favorites, I will just say that there is no band in my eyes who can put it together or scratch the surface of Killswitch Engage.
WK: Led Zeppelin
SC: Coheed and Cambria
LS: A Day to Remember

HH: I most often say KISS is my all-time favorite. If you ask me to be more metal-focused, I'll usually say either Metallica, Megadeth, Judas Priest, or Iron Maiden depending on the day.

HH: What is your favorite book?
JB: The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice.
JN: I absolutely do not like reading, so I do not have one. I should probably work on that though.
WK: Lord of the Rings.
SC: Year of The Black Rainbow by Claudio Sanchez and Peter David.
LS: The Harry Potter books.

HH: I read so much, it's hard for me to pick a favorite. I love the Harry Potter series as well, but usually say Stephen King's Dark Tower books are my favorite.
Jackie, Have you ever read "Bloodsucking Fiends" by Christopher Moore? It's a comedy/satire Vampire/love-story. Hilarious & kinda twisted!
Joey, let me know your interests, I can suggest something for ya! (I also work part-time at a Barnes & Noble, so I know my books!)

HH: Favorite Movie?
JB: Interview with the Vampire.
JN: I am going to be completely honest; asking me to pick a favorite causes me to confuse myself haha. I am very indecisive and have so many favorites, but I will say.... Casino.
WK: Scarface.
SC: Forrest Gump.
LS: Dazed and Confused.

HH: I like a good thriller flick. Probably would go with SE7EN as my favorite!

HH: What is your favorite song to perform live?
JB: Day 1824.
JN: My favorite song at the moment to perform live is Day 1824.
WK: All of them.
SC: It changes often because I really enjoy playing new songs live, but "Day 1824" has been my favorite for awhile.
LS: Bleed to Live, or always our newest song at the time.

HH: Do you have any covers in your set? If you would cover a well-known song, what would it be?
JB: We used to play "Rose of Sharyn" by Killswitch Engage, but none at the moment. I would like to do a heavy metal version of a pop song, maybe by Michael Jackson or something.
JN: At the time we really don't have any covers, but if I could choose a song or band to cover from it would be Underoath.
WK: We used to do "Rose of Sharyn" by Killswitch and "All These Things I Hate" by Bullet for My Valentine. We haven't played a cover as S9H for years though.
SC: We have no covers in our set currently, but I really, really, really, really think we would play "I'm Broken" by Pantera really well. Sadly, that idea keeps getting shut down, hahaha! Everyone knows I want to play that because I play that main riff about every practice.
LS: Master of Puppets.

HH: I love those two songs you mentioned you have covered before. I can almost hear them in my head. Would you ever dust those off and play 'em again for just old-times' sake? Or maybe if you were given a long set time and needed to play more songs to fill it?
JB: The Killswitch song I don't particularly want to play again, but the BFMV song I'd be ok with doing again.
WK: Sure, though I’d prefer just learning a few new ones and keeping it fresh.

HH: Some of those other suggestions sound pretty good. I totally understand putting the focus on your original material, but if you threw a new cover in, I bet you guys could do it justice and make it your own.

HH: Do you have a favorite quote? Or a philosophy that you live by?
JB: "To conquer others is to have power. To conquer yourself is to know the way". Lao Ma.
JN: I believe if you want something bad enough you can have it. You just have to dedicate your mind to it, do not cry about it, and take every punch with a smile on your face that may come along the way to getting it.
WK: You can be anything you want if you work hard enough.
SC: "The truth hurts, but denial is what will kill you." That's in 'Truth of a Liar' by August Burns Red.
LS: Don't do anything you will regret, and be honest an truthful.

HH: What music/artists are you into at the moment?
JB: Right now I have been listening to a lot of Miss May I. Heard one song and got hooked.
JN: I am currently into pretty much all of the same stuff I have been for the last couple years... August Burns Red, Killswitch, I The Breather, etc. I am an EXTREME fan of techno music though, so that always sits high on the list.
WK: Too many to list. I listen to a wide range of music on a regular basis, from jazz to metal and everything in between. As long as it evokes emotion in me I get into it.
SC: Unearth, A Day To Remember, and Thrice
LS: Periphery

HH: You thank a ton of bands from StL's local scene in the liner notes of 'Dying for a Dream'. Are there one or two favorites that you think I should check out to review at some point?
SC: Some bands to check out around here....Sicfaist, Virucide, A Lesser Hope, Burning Cold, One Day, Exit 714, and Raising Kane. Just to name a few, haha!
JB: Sam pretty much covered it. Parallel 33 is also a good band and we are friends with them as well.

HH: Thanks to all you guys in Strych9Hollow for taking the time to answers my question. I wish you continued success on the Saint Louis local scene. I can't wait to hear your follow-up EP to Dying for a Dream!
JN: I hope you enjoyed the responses man! Thank you so much for being such a loyal fan to Strych9Hollow, and being interested in our background.

JB: Thanks again Joel!

HH: In closing I'd like to try to suggest some new music for each of you. It's part of the reason I started writing this blog; to help anybody and everybody discover new music that they might not have heard of otherwise. So, if you haven't already heard of these bands or songs, check them out and let me know what you think.
For Jackie: Since you mentioned an appreciation for pop along with rock and metal, check out the song 'Love Is Dead' by Kopek (see post # 114, October 2010)
For Joey: If you haven't heard of Black Tide, check 'em out. Their 2nd album should be coming out soon, but I reviewed their debut in post # 23 in May, 2008.
For Sam: Since you mentioned Tool in a couple responses, you need to hear Karnivool. Any track from the 'Sound Awake' album will do, but start with 'New Day'. Sorta like Tool, but not as dark. (See post #110, from October 2010)
For Wit: Your tastes seem pretty eclectic. If you haven't heard of The Stone Foxes, check out the song 'I Killed Robert Johnson' (... with strychnine!) I reviewed them in post # 125, January 2011.
For Lloyd: You seem to really like the hardcore stuff. I'm going to mention a local band up here in the Chicago local scene, called Inn Cinema. I haven't reviewed their independent release yet, but they were mentioned in post #107, September 2010. They still have a melodic side, but I think you'll like.

Thanks again guys! See you again sometime...

Don't forget to check out Strych9Hollow's music on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/strych9hollow
Highly recommended for fans of Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, Bullet for My Valentine, and August Burns Red!

Scream The Prayer- Milwaukee Review (from Sunday July 17th, 2011)

2011-08-05T23:00:00.007-05:00

Post # 154

On Sunday July 17th, around mid-day, I set off for Milwaukee, pumped with anticipation for another great concert at the Rave. However, as I was about to hit the road I got a call that quickly darkened my mood. It was a call from the band Strych9Hollow, whom were the main reason I was making the trip up to Milwaukee in the first place. One of the band members informed me there was a major mishap unfolding and that their performance and set were about to be cancelled. I mentioned I was about to hit the road for the show, and said I'd meet them there, hoping they could work something out in the meantime.

Now somewhat discouraged at the thought of not getting to see my favorite independent, underground metal band from St. Louis perform, I proceeded to drive up to Milwaukee's Rave for the Scream the Prayer tour. My hopes were hanging by a thread. It was Strych9Hollow whom I was making the effort to see live. Of all the other bands on the bill, I had only heard of Norma Jean, the headliner. All I could do was cross my fingers and drive.

Arriving at the Rave brought more bad news; the event promoters had danced around the issue for a while, only to tell the band that there had been a big misunderstanding and they did not have a time slot available for them to perform. Thus Strych9Hollow were out of a gig, victims of the Art of Betrayal. The entire trip from St. Louis, MO to Milwaukee, WI.... all for nothing. Local bands beware: if you get a gig opening for big-name bands at the Rave in Milwaukee, make sure the promoters know what's going on and be triple-sure they will have a stage for you when you get there!

In spite of the scheduling fiasco, I at least got to meet & hang out with the band for a short while. Unfortunately they couldn't stay long. Without a stage to play on, and various members having to work their day-jobs the next morning (two states away no less!) they hit the road after the first couple bands had played. Before they left, I promised to interview them here on Heavy Metal 107. I felt it was the least I could do, since I had otherwise intended to make them the primary focus of this review.

However, what's done is done. I didn't get to hear Strych9Hollow play, but there were still about 10 bands on the bill. I figured I should make the most of it, so I settled into the crowd near the front barricade and got ready for some screaming heavy metal (this time of the Christian variety- I thought that would be interesting!) I wasn't able to catch the name of every song, and was not familiar with any of the bands, so I'll only be mentioning a few songs by name.

The first band I caught was I the Breather. They delivered an intense set of intense metalcore/hardcore metal. Very energetic performance. The crowd began moshing, just like any metal show. It was contagious chaos!
Check out: "Highrise"

Next came The Great Commission, from southern California. I would almost call them melodic Christian death-metal. Their line-up included a singer, bassist, drums, and 3 guitarists. One guitarist sang melodic backing vocals, and their female guitarist provided the death-metal backing vocals. Oh, and she was wearing a t-shirt that said 'Jesus Saves'... in Slayer font! Her playing seemed strictly rhythm. I think Jackie from Strych9Hollow could have played circles around her, though.
Check out: "Every Knee Shall Bow"

They were followed by Texas In July from Pennsylvania (don't assume Texas, just because of their name!) These guys were straight-up hardcore metal. Their music got the crowd pumped up and the adrenaline flowing! More moshing ensued...
Check out: "Magnolia"

Then came Close Your Eyes. They were still hardcore, but seemed to have a melodic side to them. They fit right in with the previous performers, and by now knew I was in for a great metal show!
Check out: "Wake Up!"

Now it was getting time some some of the bigger names on the bill. The Chariot came onstage next. More hardcore metal, more moshing, more chaos!
Check out: "The City"

War Of Ages was the next band to tear things up. Here is where I think I found my favorite act of the evening. These guys were more a metalcore band. Great riffs, hardcore screaming vocals. It felt to me like the crowd's energy rose even higher at this point. At one point one of the backing vocalists from The Great Commission joined them on stage for one song. Great mix of melodic and hard-core vocals! If you only check out one of the bands from this show, War of Ages is my top pick!
Check out: "Collapse"
and "Strength Within"

The penultimate band was Sleeping Giant. Though still heavy metal, they seemed to be the most melodic band of the whole show. Their vocalist also took the time to tell a few personal stories of pain and struggle between songs. He conveyed that he has come through adversity in his life, and thanked the Lord Jesus for saving his soul. At one point, between songs he said, "Well everybody, it's Sunday. Welcome to church!" It was certainly the most aggressive, loud, and heavy music I have ever heard at a service!
Check out: "Morning Star"
and "Eyes Wide Open"

The headline was Norma Jean, a metalcore/hardcore band who have been featured on tours as big as Ozzfest. Being the headliner, I was able to track down a Norma Jean set list online at! http://www.setlist.fm/
Here's what I found:
-Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire
-The Anthem of the Angry Brides
-Blueprints for Future Homes
-Birth of the Anti Mother
-I Used to Hate Cell Phones, But Now I Hate Car Accidents
-Bastardizer
-Dilemmachine: Coalition, Hoax
-Falling From The Sky: Day Seven
-Bayonetwork: Vultures in Vivid Color
-A Small Spark vs. A Great Forest
-Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste (w/ one of the guys from The Chariot on backing vocals)
-Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire (song conclusion)

I hope this is accurate. I cannot vouch for this set list from memory. As I mentioned, I was not truly familiar with any of these bands prior to the show. However I did have a great, moshing time! Some of these bands I'll be sure to check out further for more happy headbanging. You should do the same!

Dream Theater-Images and Words

2011-07-26T19:45:00.004-05:00

Post #153 [Poll Winner: Favorite Dream Theater album of the 90's]

Dream Theater established themselves in the 90's as the premier force of progressive metal. 1992's Images and Words, their second album overall, was the album that put this band on the heavy metal map. It contained their highest charting single, 'Pull Me Under', an 8 minute progressive-thrash song that in their early days, drew some comparisons to Metallica. The rest of the album illustrated how truly versatile they were. Images and Words was just the beginning for Dream Theater, but it remains one of their most memorable albums, as confirmed by your votes in the recent reader's poll.

Dream Theater quickly became masters of grand thematic elements in the music and lyrics. Now a trademark of the band, there were several 8 minute-plus songs on Images and Words. Songs that sometimes seemed to push the limit of musical intricacy. They contained a blend of heavy and melodic elements, with balanced instrumentation of guitars, keyboards and drums. Long instrumental segments of some songs were where you found the band jamming on a catchy chord progression, highlighted by multiple leads and solos that traded off from one instrument to the next. Then, just when you thought they've exhausted the musical potential of a given chord progression, they fell back into the song's chorus, or another verse, and brought the song to a conclusion.

Dream Theater are now a major influence to many metal bands. Though their career may be far from over, they already have a unique and significant legacy. They have no shortage of fans. Their ambitious musicianship has given them a strong and diverse following. Should you not already be among that following, here are my picks from this classic album from their early days- my favorite songs from Images and Words:
-Pull Me Under (Their first single, and biggest hit, this song foreshadowed a promising career.)
-Another Day (A softer, keyboard-driven number. More of a ballad than a rocker)
-Surrounded (An uplifting tune that builds in intensity near the end.)
-Metropolis-Part I: "The Miracle and the Sleeper" (This one is a heavy, thrash inspired epic! It's musical themes have resonated so strongly within the band that they made their entire 1999 album it's sequel. You can listen to this song, then their 'Scenes From a Memory' album, and you'll hear many melodies incorporated from Metropolis-Part I.)

Don't Miss Deadmanswake at Dame Nation 2011!!!

2011-07-23T01:10:00.001-05:00

Post #152
On Friday July 29th, don't miss the biggest Chicago event to feature independent, female-fronted heavy metal bands: Dame Nation at Reggie's Rock Club! Included on the bill is DEADMANSWAKE, current independent band-of-the-year here on Heavy Metal 107! Not to be overlooked, Losing Scarlet, last year's independent band poll-winner, are also performing. Don't miss the rare opportunity to see these featured bands perform together!

Dame Nation has developed a reputation for gathering the best independent, local talent when it comes to female-fronted rock and metal bands. This year that reputation stands to grow even further, drawing a few out-of-state performers. Other bands appearing include: Avariel (from Boston, MA), The Unvoiced (from Montreal, Canada), Angelical Tears (from Oklahoma City, OK), A Sound of Thunder (from Washington D.C.), Lindz Riot of Mary and the Black Lamb (from Ontario, Canada), along with Shield of Wings, and Solarsphere (both from Chicago).

It all starts at 5pm on Friday the 29th - less than a week away! Click the image below for more information and how to get your tickets!

Losing Scarlet-Learning to Bleed

2011-07-17T17:15:00.011-05:00

Post #151

Every so often a CD comes around that I just can't get enough of. These are the albums that live in my CD player for months on end. You know this kind of album: the one that just grabs you and you can keep playing it over and over and never get tired of it. I've had this experience several times, when I'll listen to the same CD on a daily basis week after week. In the past it's happen with albums like GN'R's 'Appetite for Destruction', Pantera's 'Far Beyond Driven', System of a Down's 'Mezmerize'... Well, this summer it's happened to me again. The album that did it this time: Learning to Bleed by Losing Scarlet.

Losing Scarlet have held strong to their signature sound they established on their self-titled 2009 debut, but Learning to Bleed sounds like a much stronger, crisper, and more established effort. It's not that they've done anything different on this album, I just think they do what they do much better this time around. The recording quality seems a couple notches higher to my ears as well. As you listen to this album, it flows really well from one song to the next. Each song seems to add a slightly different element or effect to their repertoire.

Overall I can still describe their sound as the half-way point between Evanescence and Disturbed. So if you have checked out Losing Scarlet's first CD and found it enjoyable, then don't wait another second and pick up a copy of Learning to Bleed today! Here are my recommended track to get you started:
-Learning to Bleed
-Halo of Stone (My personal favorite. This song rocks hard with a lot of attitude.)
-Dick Whiskey (Their first single from this album, with a cool video on youtube!)
-Kiss the Guilt Away (Melodic segments mixed with some fast-paced thrashing!)
-Afterglow (The closing number is perhaps the best example of Losing Scarlet expanding their horizons. A softer, slower number, but still electric. Lyrics are introspective and full of emotion, describing the aftermath of a failed relationship.)

(Click the album cover above to visit the band's website to order your CD, check for upcoming shows, and join the band's mailing list!)

Scream The Prayer Tickets available... for Sunday July 17th!

2011-07-14T08:55:00.003-05:00

Post #150.5
For anyone in the Milwaukee area; I have tickets available for THIS SUNDAY'S show: SCREAM THE PRAYER TOUR! Headliner: NORMA JEAN. Also featuring: Sleeping Giant, The Chariot, Close Your Eyes, Texas in July, I the Breather, The Great Commission, As Hell Retreats, Sovereign Strength, AND St Louis' heroes of underground metal- STRYCH9HOLLOW (see posts #98 & #133), plus many more!

Show starts at 4pm!!!

Send an email to: happyheadbanger@gmail.com for more information! Hurry if you're interested! Only 3 days until the show!

Lyric Quotes of the Month (Nov. '08 - Dec.'09)

2011-07-13T07:13:00.003-05:00

Post #150
Hey there, readers! It's been awhile since I've posted a collection of my monthly lyric quotes. If you've missed a couple over the last few months, don't worry because I do intend to write posts like this one periodically. So, to pick up from where I left off way back in '08, here we go...

November '08: "Now I know there's trouble in the middle-east. I'll spend all my money when I stop the arms race. All my brothers in the desert gonna have themselves a feast. And when that's done then we'll start on world peace." from 'When I'm President' by Extreme

December '08: "On my Heavy Metal Christmas my true love gave to me... A tattoo of Ozzy!" from 'Heavy Metal Christmas' by Twisted Sister

January '09: "The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams. It's Heaven and Hell" from 'Heaven & Hell' by Black Sabbath

February '09: "Life burns from the touch of the Reaper, all things must pass." from 'Life Burns!' by Apocalyptica

March '09: "When you combine heartache with misery sets up a challenge for destiny." from 'Tainted Past' by Armored Saint

April '09: "As long as one of us is chained, none of us are free." from 'Who Has the Right' by Sammy Hagar

May '09: "I woke the same as any other day except a voice was in my head. It said 'seize the day, pull the trigger, drop the blade and watch the rolling heads.'" from 'The Day I Tried to Live' by Soundgarden

June '09: "Don't drink from the cup of human kindness. It's a strange brew and poison to the touch." from 'Follow the Tears' by Heaven & Hell

July '09: "I will try to pour all of myself into this life before I die. If I go before my time, then take these words evermore into your life." from 'Into the Mouth of Hell We March' by Trivium

August '09: "Does following faith lead us to violence?" from 'In the Name of God' by Dream Theater

September '09: "I pound the walls, I shake the cage! I will not fall, I will not fail!" from 'Become the Catalyst' by All That Remains

October '09: "I pledge allegiance to the underworld, one nation under Dog, there of which I stand alone. A face in the crowd, unsung, against the mold. Without a doubt, singled out, the only way I know." from 'Minority' by Green Day

November '09: "Sleep my friend and you will see the dream is my reality." from 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' by Metallica

December '09: "Stop searching the sky for answers, and look within." from 'Still I Rise' by Shadows Fall

Avenged Sevenfold-Nightmare (2010)

2011-07-10T07:07:00.011-05:00

Post #149
After the tragic death of their drummer, Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan, Avenged Sevenfold faced a tough decision of whether or not to continue their musical career. Having already written most of their next album, they decided, after taking some time off, to stick it out and continue on with A7X. As a fan, I was okay with their decision. I can't believe The Rev would have wanted them to give up making music.

My curiosity was peaked as I anticipated this latest album. How would they finish it up? What would the mood be? Would there be tracks with The Rev's unique vocals, either as lead or background? What would they do to honor him? And most obvious, who would finish up the drum tracks for the album?

All of these questions and more were answered with the release of Nightmare. The first answer I learned of, as I followed this project, was that Mike Portnoy, former drummer of Dream Theater, would be filling in on drums. This was at the band's request; Portnoy came to mind as he was The Rev's favorite drummer. Portnoy accepted the offer graciously and performed like a pro in the studio.

This notion is just one of several ways the band honored The Rev in the production and release of this album. There is a 'thank-you' in the liner notes both to Jimmy and to his family. He is depicted in a drawing of 5 skeletons that represent the 5 band members, his tell-tale hair style making him easy to recognize. Another photo of the 4 remaining band members at a bar also includes an empty bar-stool with a full glass on the bar in front of it. The picture behind the CD is of the band embracing, with text below reading, "R.I.P JIMMY "THE REV" SULLIVAN, 02/09/81 - 12/28/09". There are vocals from The Rev recorded on this album in the song 'Fiction', and you can imagine many of the lyrics could be about The Rev, or how the band is trying to cope with their feelings of grief and mourning. Most obvious, however, has to be the lettering on the grave stone on the album's cover-art, which reads, "FOREVER".

All the references to The Rev aside, Nightmare proves to be the most versatile album yet from Avenged Sevenfold. There are a few heavy songs, like the title track and 'Welcome To The Family', and also several softer tunes like 'So Far Away' and 'Fiction' that make liberal use of clean guitars or piano. Some tracks bring elements of progressive metal into the fold, much like they did to some extent on their last couple albums. The biggest surprise, to me, was hearing the song 'God Hates Us', which employs an extremely harsh, screaming vocal-style that hearkens back to the band's early years. It seems like they included this song to prove to their fans from those early years that they can still scream like that if they want to, however I believe M Shadows' history of vocal cord surgery is still a deterrent from using this style to excess.

Avenged Sevenfold have always written songs with dark and haunting tones and themes, and Nightmare brings those moods out again. This time, though, it feels more personal. There is a definite somber mood in many of the songs. I am sure that in many ways recording this album was a catharsis for the band, helping them to deal with their emotions surrounding the loss of their band-mate and friend. No doubt there are a multitude of fans out there who have felt their own emotions brought to the surface while listening to this album too.

Now to honor The Rev one last time, by recommending my favorite tracks from this important album, because music truly does live forever, and with it the memories and experiences of the musicians who created it. My top picks from Nightmare:
-Nightmare (of course, the title track & first single gets my thumbs-up. It shows right from the start that A7X are still heavy, in touch with the scary side of music, and continuing their legacy in fine form!)
-Welcome To The Family
-Buried Alive (This one brings a strong progressive element; starts slow and melodic, but transitions near the end into a mid-tempo thrasher)
-So Far Away (This song, to me, really sounds like it's about The Rev, but it could be about losing any loved one.)
-God Hates Us (As I hinted at, this song sounds like it could have been on one of their early albums; 'Sounding the Seventh Trumpet' or 'Waking the Fallen')
-Tonight the World Dies (Slow & melodic number, but very dark & haunting in its tone)
-Fiction (Perhaps the last time we'll get to hear The Rev singing on an A7X record, "...let it burn under my skin, let it burn!")

CELLOUT-Superstar Prototype

2011-06-24T00:09:00.005-05:00

Post #148
Hailing from Sweden, melodic metal band Cellout have released their debut album, Superstar Prototype, on Nuerra Records. With their own style of melodic metal, they are making a conscious move away from the stereotype of most metal bands that hail from Sweeden, in that their vocal style intentionally avoids the more extreme screaming and shreiking style typically found with Sweedish death-metal.

Superstar Prototype is an album of pure melodic metal. Simple as that sounds, it is truly the best way to describe it. Their songs are built upon pure power-chord riffs. They excel at creating high-tempo grooves rather than showing off any flashy techniques. It's great music for pumping your fist to great grooves, and the choruses are quite catchy. Singer Percy Mejhagen had said they wanted to focus on melody with their vocal style, rather than screaming for the sake of screaming. Says Mejhagen, "I'm not comfortable screaming the way a metal singer 'should' scream. Instead... we let the guitars do all the screaming."

My only point of criticism would be in the lack of any prominent guitar solos. Granted this is perhaps a stylistic choice of the band itself, but from my personal point of view, I think it would bring Cellout's music to a higher level. But I will leave it at that and just say, to each his own. I know there is a following of metal fans out there who prefer the groove-style of metal and care not for over-the-top, excessive guitar soloing. For these fans, Cellout is a must-hear.

Regardless of my personal reservations, I still have several tracks to recommend from Superstar Prototype:
-Dark Days ( A heavy thrasher. First track of the albums shows their heavy side. Still, you can tell their music is melody-driven.)
-All My Demons Inside
-Flooded (One of the ballads of the album. Here you get a taste of the softer side of Cellout, and a better example of Percy's vocal range and talent as a singer.)
-Set Things Straight (Brutally heavy while still infused with soft vocal melodies.)
-Blow (Another softer tune, not quite as much so as Flooded, but still catchy.)

This CD is available from Nuerra Records
http://www.nuerra.com/home/?page=profiles&artist_id=1

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System Of A Down (Full Review)

2011-06-20T21:27:00.007-05:00

Post #147 [Poll winner: Which is not a topping on System of a Down's pizza?]
For those who voted in the reader's poll regarding System of a Down's choice of pizza-toppings, you need only listen to the song 'Chic N' Stu' to discover they like... 'pepperoni, and green peppers, mushrooms, olives, chives!' That means the correct answer for the poll question was actually 'sausage'! Hope you had fun with that poll last month. Now for more about System of a Down...

System Of A Down came onto the heavy metal scene in 1998 with their self-titled debut album and quickly revolutionized the scene with their genre-defying sound and style. With all the members being of Armenian descent, their lyrics are charged with strong political themes that reflect their unique perspective on a number of issues. Their outspoken, thought-provoking, and emotional social commentary would quickly become a trademark of theirs, and continued to grow with each release.

On their first album, SOAD quickly exhibited an array of songs that showcased their unique style and techniques. Serj Tankian's vocals are very extreme & hard-core in places, with prominent screams and guttural growls that approach the likes of death-metal vocal styles. They would migrate away form this vocal style in the coming years.

In 2001 System of a Down released their 2nd album, Toxicity. This album proved to be a true break-through effort for System. Several songs that featured prominent melodic passages became huge hits. Don't be fooled though, these songs still contained extreme elements as well. System of a Down were becoming more adept at fusing the popular and melodic elements of hard rock with the hard-edged and more extreme elements of metal, all the while managing to sound exactly like neither of those genres!

With their surge in popularity following the Toxicity album, their fan-base became strongly devoted to following their every move, and stalking the web for any hint of new music from them. Rumors of unreleased tracks from the Toxicity recording sessions sparked obsessive fans to pirate and share any such tracks if they got leaked.

Then in 2002, to put an end to the illegal downloading, while at the same time pleasing many fans, the band gave in and released the tracks as their 3rd full-length album, Steal This Album! The title was a bit of a joke as well, reflecting the fact that many fans had, in fact, stolen the tracks already. However, this final product was more polished and refined than the versions that had been leaked. Several of the songs that were released as singles also became big hits.

In 2005, System of a Down gave us what has to be regarded as their masterpiece (at least to this point of their career), a double-album, released in two parts: Mezmerize was released in the spring, and Hypnotize in the fall of the same year. The packaging of these 2 albums was even designed to compliment each other, as Mezmerize contained a flap that could be inserted into the side flap of Hypnotize, making a double-CD folding case. The art work on the discs and inserts was also complimentary.

Stylistically, these last two albums by System of a Down show even more of the band's talent as musicians. Some tracks, like B.Y.O.B. exhibit the extreme side of their potential, with plenty of screams and brutally heavy riffs. Other tracks, like Lonely Day, are so soft and melodic that you may wonder if they are performed by the same band. And of course you have many numbers like Question! which switch it up between soft melodies and harsh screaming so suddenly you might think they are trying to do too much, but remarkably, SOAD make these elements work.

It is this uncanny ability to effortlessly fuse some of the most extreme styles of metal with the most catchy and pretty elements of pop-rock that make System of a Down practically incomparable in the metal scene. It has been 6 long years since they last recorded an album together. I think if they do decide to return to the studio at some point and make some fresh tunes again, we would be just as impressed as before. I still believe they are a band with unlimited potential.

For my recommended tracks from System of a Down, I'll give you the track-list for my personal mix CD; 'How Do You Own Disorder? -The Best of System Of A Down'
-Suite Pee
-Prison Song
-Soldier Side-Intro
-B.Y.O.B
-I-E-A-I-A-I-O
-Aerials
-Tentative
-Deer Dance
-Cigaro
-Sugar
-Chop Suey!
-Chic N' Stu
-Hypnotize
-Suggestions
-Question!
-Radio/Video
-Roulette
-Attack
-Holy Mountains
-Toxicity
-Innervision
-Sad Statue
-Lonely Day
-Soldier Side

(compiled on 4-21-06 by the Happy Headbanger)
Color-coded album reference:
System Of A Down, Toxicity, Steal This Album!, Mezmerize, Hypnotize

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The American Carnage Tour (2010), Part I: VIP Meet-N-Greet with Megadeth!

2011-06-17T00:09:00.008-05:00

Post # 146

The American Carnage Tour that took place in 2010 was perhaps the greatest gathering of thrash-metal veterans on one tour since 1992's Clash of the Titans. Testament, Megadeth, and Slayer had metal-head audiences at their mercy on this tour. Aside from the handful of festival appearances of The Big Four (Metallica-Slayer-Megadeth-Anthrax), shows on this tour have been the only ones to feature as many thrash metal pioneers on the same stage. And this tour hit several major cities across the North American continent as opposed to a few select appearances.
It took a lot of effort and persistence to pull this tour off. Already it was a follow-up to the Canadian Carnage Tour, which featured the same bands. However, shortly before the scheduled start of the tour, Slayer announced that their singer/bassist, Tom Araya, needed to have back surgery, and the tour was canceled. Much apology was issued to ticket-holders from all the bands involved, and a rescheduling was promised.

Several months passed, during which Megadeth and Testament scheduled their own co-headlining tour and added fellow Bay-area thrash veterans Exodus as an opening act. This was Megadeth's 20th anniversary tour for the Rust In Peace landmark album. In honor of RIP, they performed the entire album, plus a few more Megadeth classics. Testament took the opportunity to feature their complete The Legacy album in their set as well.

After Araya had recovered from back surgery, a rescheduled American Carnage tour was announced. I was lucky enough to be among those who had tickets for the original original tour, thanks to my beautiful wife and her mom, who went in together to get these tickets for me as a gift. The tour promoters were true to their word, and after refunding the old tickets, and reissuing new ones, I was all set for the show. But the most amazing thing that had me in total shock was the fact that they were VIP tickets with an opportunity to meet MEGADETH! For this opportunity, I will be forever indebted to my wife, for it is truely a once-in-a-lifetime type of opportunity!

For those of you who've been reading this blog from the beginning, you know how devoted I have been to Megadeth as a fan. I've reviewed all of their studio albums on this blog and intend to add some reviews of their live material soon. Megadeth, and Dave Mustaine in particular, have always been atop my list of heavy metal musicians I idolize. The chance to meet them in person was honestly like a dream come true for me. I couldn't wait for the show (though I had already been waiting for almost half a year!)

When the day of the show finally arrived, I made my way to the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL, and made sure I was plenty early. I got in line with the other die-hards who also had VIP tickets and were anxiously awaiting their chance to meet their heroes of heavy metal. Always excited to converse with other like-minded fans, I struck up conversations with everyone who was in line close to me. We all discussed our favorite Megadeth songs, albums, band members, etc, as we waited for them to open the doors to the Pavilion.

Having nearly an hour of time to kill, I got to be pretty good friends with several of these strangers who were waiting in line. I met people from other Chicago suburbs and downtown. Others had travelled great distances for this opportunity to meet the band; from places as exotic as Mexico, Peru, and (get this) Egypt! Whatever our cultural differences may have been, we were united on this day by our fanaticism for heavy metal in general, and for Megadeth in particular!

At last the doors opened and our event coordinator from 'I Love All Access' gathered us together, checked our tickets, and explained how the meet-&-greet was going to work. After the plan of events was drawn out, we proceded to the 2nd level private sky-boxes where drinks, snacks, and air-conditioned comfort awaited us. There was Megadeth music playing to set the mood, and we were minutes away from meeting the band!

The hostess handed out our merch bags (everybody got a special back-stage pass, a Megadeth dog-tag, Megadeth skull-cap, and long-sleeve Megadeth shirt). We were told to help ourselves to drinks and snacks, all on the house. After a few minutes of mingling, we were told to get ready, line up, and get out our chosen item for autographing. So I get in the back of the line, only to realize we were facing the wrong direction, and from behind me I hear the hostess say, 'Here they are! Megadeth!'

So there I was, unexpectedly first-in-line, with merely a few seconds to gather my thoughts and try to think of something un-stupid to say to the living legends I idolized standing right in front of me. First up was David Ellefson. What to say? "Hey Dave. How's it feel to be back?" (David Ellefson had only returned to the band prior to this rescheduled tour. In fact, if it had gone through when originally scheduled, I might not have met Ellefson, but James Lomenzo instead! Perhaps this is some manifestation of fate?) In response, he kinda smiled and nodded and said, "Feels good!" Okay, nothing too spectacular I admit, but I was there, and I got to shake his hand! Then I hand him my item to autograph: a limited, promo edition of Rust In Peace in a coffin-shaped box with a pop-up Vic Ratlhead inside. Dave says, "This is pretty cool!", signs it & passes it back.

Next: Shawn Drover, the drummer. Hand shake. Sign the little coffin. Pass it back. "Hey dude" is said back & forth between us. Then it's Chris Broderick, lead guitarist. Repeat formalities. Then I step back, feeling like I should say something more substantial to these guys. I say, "Shawn, Chris, I've been a fan for years, but I really like how you guys fit in the band. You keep things really tight." (This is true, you can see my old reviews of Megadeth on this blog & see how I've praised Megadeth's newer material.) They both respond with a smile and a 'thank-you'.

Now, I am merely inches from Dave Mustaine. I'm star-struck to silence, but force myself to get past it. "You're.... You're YOU!" I say, lamely. I pause a second to realize how that must have sounded, shake my head and look down at my hands, which are holding the aforementioned RIP-coffin-case, and in my other hand a brand-new copy of Dave's autobiography, 'Mustaine'. Within a second or two my mind debates trying to beg for him to sign 2 items, but the rules we were given specifically said only one item could be signed. So, making a split-second decision, I hand over the RIP-coffin, wanting to complete the set of the whole bands' signatures, and hope that I may get another chance for Dave to sign the book some other day.

Dave takes the little coffin, turns it over in his hands and looks me in the eye and says, "Wow. You know, these are really rare." Then he signs it. Hands it back. At this point Chris Broderick actually leans in and asks Dave what the coffin-shaped box actually is. Mustaine explains that it was a limited run that was distributed mainly to critics & promoters, and that there aren't that many around. How lucky I am to have such an item, and have it signed by the band, no less, does not escape me. I say thanks and shake his hand, and immediately thank him again for having the band do this whole 'meet-n-greet' in the first place.

Then I remember a clever question I had (or so I thought), and ask him if it's true that he named the Gigantour Tour after the anime entitled Gigantor. He says, "Yeah. Yeah, I did." Taking a shot in the dark, I asked him if by chance he still follows any anime (Japanese animation. I'm actually a big fan of it myself). He just looked back at me and said something to the effect that he's too old for that stuff now.

At this point I began to feel self-conscious of having been the first-in-line. I realized that everyone else was waiting impatiently for their chance to meet and converse with Megadeth, so I almost walked away without getting my photo taken with the band (included with the VIP packcage.) The event coordinator grabs my arm and says, "Hey, don't you want your picture?" Of course I did! So I walk back to the band, Dave Mustaine puts his arm around my shoulder, the other band members pose in a line, and 'CLICK!', the photo is snapped... right as one of the caterers walks right in front of the camera.

"Hey man, what the hell are you doing?" Dave shouts at the guy. So we repeat the photo. I guess I was lucky that they took the time to take a second photo. It would have sucked if my pic with Megadeth was just a guy in a catering uniform blurred while the band and I are obscured in the background. So, in the end, I got my photo just fine:

Then I hung around and watched the other fans file through the line, getting various memorabilia signed. Vinyl LPs, CDs, posters, T-shirts. One guy even had a VMNT guitar (Dave Mustaine's signature model from Dean Guitars)! My new friend from Egypt came over after he got through the line and we talked some more. Since we were both at this event by ourselves, we agreed to stick together throughout the show. (Mosh-pit buddy-system you know, have to have some one looking out for you, and someone to look out for.)

We're still in touch to this day. We had a great time at the concert. But those details I'll save for another post...

Losing Scarlet: CD release & acoustic set.

2011-06-14T00:07:00.001-05:00

Post #145

On March 12th, 2011, Losing Scarlet performed an acoustic set at Best Buy in Mundelein, IL to celebrate the release of their new album, Learning To Bleed. I was able to catch this performance, and got to hear Losing Scarlet play some of their best songs unplugged. It was a great afternoon of live music!

It was really cool to be able to hang out with the band again; it has been over a year since the last time I saw them. In that time they've been polishing up their new songs, which sounded great pouring out of several display-model stereos throughout the store! I'll have a review of the new album coming soon, but for now I'll share the experience of their CD-release show.

Playing to over 20 of the LS faithful, plus the regular weekend clientele of Best Buy, Losing Scarlet broke out their acoustic guitar, bass, and bongos to deliver a great set with a bit of a different flavor than they usually provide. However, their music's formula translates well on acoustic.

They opened their set with one of their new songs, 'Inclusions', a great song about asserting one's independence. They followed it with another new one, 'Dick Whiskey', for which they also have a video on their youtube page. Next they gave us all a twist with a new cover-song, 'Zombie', originally done by The Cranberries in the mid-90's. Jodi Kell's voice is a good match for that song, and they did the song justice. The rest of their set was dedicated to songs from their 1st CD, which have become fan-favorites to their regular following by this point.

I hung around for a bit after their set, enough to catch up with the band members and get a signed poster. It was good to see these guys again, and reassuring to hear them perform so well. As I mentioned, it had been too long since I saw them last. They're playing many shows this summer. Don't miss your chance to catch them. Click the photo to get to their website, and watch for their next show.

Here is their complete set for the CD-release show:

-Inclusions

-Dick Whiskey

-Zombie

-Left to Burn

-Die With Us

-Feel the Pain

Heavy Metal 107's new banner, by TraynArt Graphic Design!

2011-06-12T17:26:00.002-05:00

Post #144
Just recently I uploaded a new, fancy, full-color banner for this blog. It is a concept I've had in mind for years now, and thanks to a friend of mine who is a graphic designer, it has been brought to life. I couldn't have envisioned it any better! I hope you enjoy seeing it atop this blog as much as I do. I need to take a moment to express my gratitude for his fine work. Thanks so much, Andy! If you're looking for someone to do graphics for one of your own blogs or websites, feel free to contact him here: traynart@gmail.com.

DEADMANSWAKE @ Brauerhouse in Lombard, IL

2011-06-09T15:08:00.004-05:00

Post #143
Hey people! DEADMANSWAKE are playing another killer set this Friday, June 10th.

This time they'll be at the Brauerhouse in Lombard, IL. If you can get there you won't be disappointed. They go on after midnight, about 12:30, however the full show begins at 9pm.

Also appearing, Beneath the Stares among others...

Contact the band at http://www.facebook.com/DEADMANSWAKE for further info!

Chicago Metal Fest-Mosh for Cancer, feat. DEADMANSWAKE & others.

2011-05-30T18:56:00.001-05:00

Post #142
Friday June 3rd, at Reggie's Music Club in Chicago! Don't miss another great night of Metal music for a good cause, supporting cancer research. Reggie's is located at 2105 S. State St.

Heavy Metal 107's independent band of the year, DEADMANSWAKE will be performing along with Slaughter Xtroyes, Sins of a Nation, True Witness, Act of Destrustion, and Panzer!

Tickets are $10, click here: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/42267?utm_medium=bks

More info below!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187330854642718

Lita Ford with Ozzy Osbourne, 'Close My Eyes Forever'

2011-05-22T13:49:00.003-05:00

Post #141 (Poll winner: Favorite Duet)

Lita Ford teamed up with Ozzy Osbourne in 1988 for what has become one of the greatest duet performances in hard-rock history. The song was 'Close My Eyes Forever'. It came about at a time when hair-metal was at the apex of its popularity, and rock radio was dominated by hard-rock ballads. Ozzy's solo career was back on track after he enlisted Zack Wylde on lead guitar, and Ozzy himself had been to rehab and got cleaned up for the first time since about 1970. Lita Ford, at the time, was also managed by Sharon Osbourne and was working on her third solo-album since the break-up of The Runaways, Lita.

Whoever had the idea for this collaboration was a genius, because the market was primed for its success. 'Close My Eyes Forever' would become Lita Ford's best selling single, and Lita became her most successful album. Ozzy probably benefited from this duet just as much, since it showed a softer side of his potential as a vocalist and exposed him to a larger audience through its heavy air-play and successful music video. I'm sure this song played a role in setting up Ozzy for the success he would see with his next album, No More Tears, as well.

Lita Ford would enjoy a little more success with her next release, Stiletto, but within 5 years the grunge-scene would become king, while pop-metal/hair-metal became uncool. But for 1989 'Close My Eyes Forever' was as big a hit as anyone could have wished for. It's a memorable and unique sounding ballad to this day. I've never heard another song quite like it since. Aside from being on the album Lita, it also appears on the 1992 collection The Best of Lita Ford.

Other recommended Lita Ford hits:
-Kiss Me Deadly
-Shot of Poison
-Back to the Cave
-Only Women Bleed (Cover of an Alice Cooper classic!)
-Playin' With Fire

Heathendom-Nescience and Self-Titled debut

2011-05-05T20:46:00.002-05:00

Post #140
Heathendom are a power metal band from Greece. They incorporate elements from progressive metal, to traditional, classic metal, while keeping the riffs really heavy. When I first heard them I was instantly reminded of early Queensryche, thanks to the voice of vocalist Dimitris. Other bands I could compare them to range from Iron Maiden to King Diamond. Guitarists Lefteris Vourliotis and Michail Vlavianos are a fearsome combination of talent. There are quality lead guitars, acoustic guitars, keyboards, and plenty of heavy, distorted guitars in their mix.

Not to be overlooked, there are elements of progressive metal prominent on several tracks. If you've enjoyed some of the more epic songs from the likes of Dream Theater, or late Iron Maiden, then you will be impressed with Heathendom songs like 'Mirror of Memories' or 'Haunted in Hell'.

I highly recommend Heathendom to fans of classic heavy metal, as well progressive and power metal. As I have alluded to previously, if you like the vocal style of singers like Bruce Dickinson, King Diamond, Rob Halford, or Geoff Tate, then you need to hear Heathendom!

Recently, Metal On Metal Records has reissued their self-titled demo (originally released in 2005), and full-length debut album Nescience (originally 2008). Both are available through Metal On Metal's website: http://metalonmetalrecords.com/home.html. They are a European label, so it may be easier to shop online via CDBaby.com in the US. For Heathendom's music at CDBaby click here: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Heathendom.

My recommended tracks from:
Heathendom
-A Poem By Rote
-War & Pain
-Haunted In Hell (this is a 19 minute progressive, 2-part, epic masterpiece!)

Nescience
-Nescience
-Burn
-Mirror of Memories
-Scenes of Old (this one is more thrash-inspired)
-Haunted In Hell (same as on their self-titled release, available on this release as well!)

DEADMANSWAKE opening for In This Moment, May 7th, Barrington, IL!

2011-05-02T23:03:00.006-05:00

Post #139 Hey there happy headbangers!
Don't miss a great night of metal music, Saturday May 7th at Penny Road Pub in Barrington, IL. Part of the "Hell Hath No Fury" Tour, featuring '...the hottest chicks in hard rock'! Doors open at 5:30 pm. In This Moment are the headliners, but several other bands are performing, including DEADMANSWAKE, this year's myspace-band reader's poll-winner. Also performing at this show: Losing Scarlet, last year's winner of the same reader's poll. Two poll-winning bands from Heavy Metal 107 performing at the same venue! This could be an historic night of metal music. DON'T MISS IT!

More info can be found at...

http://theticketrumba.com/tickets/673

SAGE4-Graves

2011-04-29T00:06:00.002-05:00

Post #138
SAGE4 is another female-fronted metal band on Chicago's local scene. They've been playing venues around the Chicago area, as well as travelling various states in the midwest as opportunity presents itself. Recently, they've been performing a series of acoustic sets at different Hot Topic locations. Currently working on new material, they are sure to be back on the local scene soon, ready to deliver top-notch live performances of their personal style of metal.

Their sound reminds me of a blend between gothic metal and alternative rock. Lead singer Tracey Sage delivers vocals with smooth melodies and heart-felt emotions while guitarist Mike Walsh develops intricate riffs and chord progressions on guitar. A tight rhythm section keeps the groove heavy for this band.

They have a full-length, self-produced album: Graves. It is available through their website for download, or on CD. Listening to Graves will give you the full effect of SAGE4. A myriad of guitar techniques are exhibited throughout this album. Lyrics are sung with true emotion, and they often reflect on issues you feel are personal and inspiring. Different songs bring comparrisons to mind, from Alice In Chains to Megadeth, Lacuna Coil to Metallica.

My favorite tracks on Graves:
-Steal My Thunder (Intro reminds me of Alice In Chains, then it gets heavy)
-Everyone's A Hypocrite (Fast, heavy, filled with angst. My favorite track!)
-Graves (Acoustic intro, heavy & melodic tune!)
-Am I Evil? (Drum intro reminds me of Megadeth's 'Trust'. One of the heaviest numbers on the album.)
-There (A slower, softer song. Lryics reverberate with mourning. Emotionally heavy.)
-Dream Eternal (Another slow-tempo number, at least at the beginning. A balanced mix of electric & acoustic guitars. A gothic-metal tune that is also a bit progressive-metal.)

Check out their website to download, or order your own copy of Graves today!
http://www.sage4.com/

Slayer-Seasons In The Abyss (Spirit In Black)

2011-04-24T22:15:00.010-05:00

Post#137

Poll Winner: Which song does not belong?

In last month's reader's poll I gave you six songs, all with the word 'black' in the title and asked you to figure out which one does not belong. There were 2 songs by Black Sabbath (one with Ozzy, one with Tony Martin), a Slayer song (Spirit In Black), a Dio song, an Ozzy Osbourne song, and a Tony Iommi song. The 'winner' this time was Slayer, since they were to only option where no band member had played on a Black Sabbath recording.

The song I chose, 'Spirit In Black', is from Slayer's monumental 1990 album Seasons In The Abyss. Last year, Slayer celebrated the 20th anniversary of 'Seasons' by performing it in it's entirety on the American Carnage Tour. I was lucky enough to attend one of those shows, but I'll review that concert a little later.

Today, I'm focusing on Seasons In The Abyss.

Many fans consider this album the last great album from Slayer's prime-years. It was a strong follow-up to 1988's South of Heaven, and closed the decade with a furious, thrashing consistency for Slayer. The album opens with the first 3 tracks blending together almost like a big medley. 'War Ensemble' kicks it off with a fast, thrashy, war-themed mosher. 'Blood Red' immediately continues with more lyrics depicting 'the massacre of innocent people'. Then we're hit with 'Spirit In Black', another Slayer classic, where the band again focus on horrific images of purgatory-esque suffering.

Never shy to look on the dark side of human nature, Slayer take you on several twists and turns through an often psychopathic psyche with the different tracks on this classic album. By this point in their career as one of the 'Big 4' pioneers in thrash metal, they had remained arguably more consistent than any of their peers.

Later in the 90's, metal would become less popular as grunge and alternative rock would rise in popularity. The effects this would have on veteran metal bands would differ from one artist to another, but Slayer would stay the course. Several years later metal began to rise again, and Slayer's contribution to its rejuvenation has remained significant to this day. But for now, take a moment to go back and appreciate one of the greatest albums from thrash-metal's golden era.

My personal recommendations from Seasons In The Abyss:
War Ensemble
Blood Red
Spirit In Black
Dead Skin Mask (a true favorite of mine. One of the darkest, most haunting melodies ever composed in metal!)
Skeletons of Society
Seasons in the Abyss

Hemoptysis Interview (& Red Cross link for Japan Disaster Relief)

2011-04-11T00:48:00.005-05:00

Post #136
I recently corresponded with the members of Hemoptysis, from Tempe, AZ, for an interview-the first interview here at Heavy Metal 107. Band-leader Masaki Murashita and company shed some light on Hemoptysis' style, direction and influences, as well as offering some personal background on how they got into heavy music. I hope you find this interview helpful & entertaining. I may have more interviews with independent bands coming in future posts.

Here are my questions, and what Hemoptysis had to say:

HappyHeadbanger: In previous conversations, you had mentioned you have family in Japan. Were you born there? How long have you been in the States?

Masaki Murashita: Yes, I was born and raised in Japan. I left Japan when I was 15 to study English and I have been in the US since 2004.

HH: First, I'd like to ask how your family & friends in Japan are faring with the efforts to recover from the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis? My thoughts and prayers are going out to the whole country of Japan right now, and I'm sure I can say the same for many of this blog's readers.

MM: Thank you! My family is ok, but I was very shocked about this whole thing. However, Japanese people are strong and the victims are helping each other in this horrible situation to move forward instead of rioting, which is incredible. I am very proud of it. I truly hope things will settle down soon and everybody can get their lives back as soon as possible.

HH: Let me take a moment to give our readers a chance to help the victims of these terrible disasters in Japan. Please click the link below to give what you can through the Red Cross. Every little bit helps, even if its just $1. I know that over a thousand people have voted in reader's polls on this blog before, and if all of them donated just $1, that still adds up to a thousand dollars. That would make a difference to any person whose home, or entire village, was washed away by the tsunami.

http://www.redcross.org/

https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?idb=0&5052.donation=form1&df_id=5052

HH: What was the first album you remember owning that made you love music?

MM: Metallica's 'Master of Puppets'. That was the beginning.

HH: What artist inspired you to play an instrument?

MM: Dave Mustaine. He inspired me to play Metal.

HH: What artists do you idolize?

MM: Megadeth, Marty Friedman, Jeff Loomis, Gary Holt, Jeff Waters, Jason Becker, to name a few.

HH: What band would you love to open for on a tour?

MM: Megadeth, Exodus, The Absence, DAATH, Carcass, to name a few.

Ryan Miller: Opeth, Meshuggah, Exodus, and Death Angel.

Sunao Arai: Anthrax, Machine Head, Korn.

Travis Thune: Slayer, Hypocrisy, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, etc...

HH: I retain an eclectic taste in music, in spite of the Metal-centric nature of my blog. If you do as well, what is the most atypical style of music you truly appreciate?

MM: I do listen to many different types of music. There's so many, so I won't mention them all, but all types of music definitely inspire me. I'm learning every day.

HH: Your debut album, 'Misanthropic Slaughter', describes several pessimistic and negative views towards humanity and society. To what degree do the song themes and lyrics reflect your personal opinions and beliefs on the state of our world's politics and society?

MM: Each song was inspired by personal events. Travis and I both write lyrics for the band and each song has a special meaning to it. M.O.D. is the only song that might seem to be total fantasy, but the anger and revenge themes reflect our opinions and beliefs. I would say that the songs are 100% real when it comes to the emotion put into each song. The songs that involve murder are songs that were written when we felt like committing those acts, however we don't believe people should actually go out and kill other people, you know? The urge to kill and hurt other people is very strong sometimes, but we release that anger through songs because, ultimately, murder isn't worth throwing your life away.

HH: What is your favorite song to play live?

MM: M.O.D.

RM: Shadow of Death, the kids like the solo trade-offs.

TT: Blood Storm

SA: M.O.D.

HH: Any covers in your set? If not, is there one you would consider?

MM: Not as of now. I'm not a big fan of covers unless it's different and unique.

HH: Metal music is often viewed as rebellious music, and stereotypically teens grow to love this music while their parents despise and discourage it. Was this the case in your own adolescence, or was your family supportive of your decission to pursue a career with this style of music?

MM: My family is 100% supporting what I do and they are proud of it. Metal is the music that has passion and emotion. My parents never actually got into Metal before I introduced them to it, but now they actually appreciate Metal.

HH: Music seems to be moving perpetually towards the digital format. Do you think that full-album format of song collections will be completely replaced at some point?

MM: Maybe, but I know a lot of Metalheads prefer to have the physical copies (on CD) or vinyl, which I think is awesome because I'm one of those people who cares to see the artwork of the album. That's one of the decisions people have, to give it a shot and buy the CD or not. At the end of the day, an MP3 is just and MP3. The sound quality is nothing comparable to CD or Vinyl and you can't compare the experience of seeing the booklet and listening to the music with it.

HH: I totally agree! I was worried that it might be a generation-specific thing, but I'm glad to hear that Metalheads still prefer physical copies in some format. The artwork, lyrics, and photos of the band really complete the experience in my eyes as well. (An FYI to our readers; 'Misanthropic Slaughter' is available on CD, with full lyric booklet, band photos, and cool artwork! Visit Hemoptysis' website to order your copy: http://www.hemoptysismetal.com/)

HH: Who in Heavy Metal do you think is overrated or underrated?

MM: There are so many overrated and underrated bands out there. I wish labels would give those underrated bands a chance, give them tour support and get them some exposure because they deserve it.

HH: Any particular song or artist(s) you are really into at the moment?

MM: Sargon's debut album, 'In Contempt'. You really need to check them out.

RM: Since I've been learning slide guitar lately it's been a lot of Duane Allman, Ry Cooder, Elmore James, stuff like that.

TT: Sargon.

SA: Victor Wooten. He is an incredible fusion bassist.

HH: To wrap things up, here are a couple 'just-for-fun' questions.

What's your favorite movie?

MM: I honestly can't think of a favorite. I don't watch very many movies.

RM: The Exorcist.

TT: Tough to answer this one. Top three: Good Fellas, Pulp Fiction, Braveheart.

SA: I don't really watch movies often, so I don't know.

HH: I would probably say Seven, or Memento. I love thrillers with a good twist at the end.

How about a favorite book or author?

MM: I doon't have a favorite author but I did like Lords of Chaos by Michael Moyniham and Didrik Soderlind.

RM: The Stand and anything else by Stephen King.

TT: I don't read enough books to have a favorite.

SA: I don't read books.

HH: Myself, I consider Stephen King my favorite author (and The Stand is one of my top five from him), however I feel like mentioning Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore as a recent favorite of mine. Great for a ton of laughs.

HH: Last question. Who is your favorite band, or what is your favorite album?

MM: Megadeth, The Absence, Izegrim, Sodom, Exodus, to name a few.

RM: Testament. Favorite band of all time.

TT: Favorite band: Slayer. Favorite album: Reign In Blood.

SA: Anthrax.

HH: My favorite... well, if you've been reading this blog, then you have some ideas of who my favorites are. Keep reading!

A very grateful 'thank-you' to Hemoptysis for this interview opportunity!

Duet/Guest Vocalist Poll Choices

2011-03-25T20:47:00.005-05:00

Post #135
For this month's reader's poll, I'm making it a bit interactive with this post, where you can hear all the songs to compare, in case you're not familiar with them all already. Here you go!

Lita Ford with Ozzy Osbourne
Close My Eyes Forever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy3fJ8Nmzyw ube.com/watch?v=Zy3fJ8Nmzyw

Megadeth with Cristina Scabbia
A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn01nSG4cvU

Temple of the Dog featuring Eddie Vedder
Hunger Strike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjNjJR9jUGo

Guns N' Roses with Alice Cooper
The Garden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9e77IrHBsw om/watch?v=-9e77IrHBsw com/watch?v=-9e77IrHBsw

Halford with Bruce Dickinson
One You Love to Hate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAQavq1CQ68 om/watch?v=cAQavq1CQ68

Alice Cooper with Chris Cornell
Stolen Prayer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNqCsGRJHIE&feature=fvwrel

Corrosion of Conformity with James Hetfield

Man or Ash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D0ZRedeBDs

Led Zeppelin-IV

2011-03-24T01:55:00.009-05:00

Post #134 [Poll Winner: Favorite album from 1971]

1971 was an historic year for rock music. Iconic bands like The Who, Black Sabbath & Led Zeppelin were in their prime, and recording the best music of their careers. Several of the albums that topped the charts for hard-rock music that year, have become recordings of legendry status. Perhaps the most lengendary, the most iconic, and most associated album from 1971 is Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album. Sometimes called 'Zoso', or more often, simply 'Led Zeppelin IV', this album contains several of their best known songs. In particular, the song 'Stairway to Heaven' (which has won a poll on this blog by itself) became such a keystone song for a whole generation. To this day, songs from Led Zeppelin IV are standard plays on any classic rock radio station. The influence that this collection of songs has had on rock and metal music is inmeasurable.
Here is the complete track list for this essential album:

-Black Dog

-Rock And Roll
-The Battle Of Evermore
-Stairway To Heaven
-Misty Mountain Hop
-Four Sticks
-Going to California
-When The Levee Breaks

Strych9Hollow-Dying for a Dream

2011-03-20T00:24:00.002-05:00

Post #133
Strych9Hollow are an independent metal band from St. Louis, Missouri whom I discovered on the Thrash and Burn 2009 tour. This tour featured a number of underground, hardcore & extreme metal bands, and was headlined by the melodic-death metal band Devildriver.

There were 3 stages with bands playing simultaneously. My friends and I migrated from one stage to another throughout the show. I first saw Strych9Hollow on one of these secondary stages. My ear caught on the heavy-yet-melodic riffs that were pumping out of the amps, while my eye was drawn to the frenzied, headbanging guitarist on stage right. They had a female guitarist that was tearing up the fretboard faster than she was headbanging (which was pretty fast!). The other guitarist delivered metalcore-style backing vocals, while their lead singer had a great ability to switch from melodic singing, to angst-driven screams. These guys (& gal), had all my favorite elements of metal music!

I made sure to grab a promotional sticker from the stage with their name & myspace website on it. Within days of the show, I was a regular listener on their myspace page, and began eagerly watching for a release date for a CD from them...

Their self-produced debut album is 'Dying For A Dream', and it was worth the wait! Hearing this band's official recording is a very satiating headbanger's experience. Their influences from hard-core metal to melodic, classic metal are apparent in their sound. Again, let me say that this is the kind of music I've been looking for! You could easily categorize them as melodic metalcore and they'd fit right in with the likes of Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, or August Burns Red. They are a talented bunch of song writers & musicians.

Though most of their songs are metalcore thrashers, they have a few melodic numbers that give 'Dying For a Dream' a balanced attack on your auditory senses. Fast or slow, Strych9Hollow's musical themes and lyrics tend to focus on the dark side of life, casting a haunting or melancholic tone with consistency.

So if you're looking for a fresh take on the melodic metalcore scene, with sound guitar work, good soloing, and balanced variety in vocals and songcraft, then Strych9Hollow may be the band you've been waiting for!

Here are my hand-picked favorites from Dying For A Dream:
-Art of Betrayal
-Beautiful Angst
-Schizophrenia
-Dying for a Dream
-Better Off Alone
-Death vs. the Escape Artist

Don't forget to visit their myspace page for streaming mp3's!
http://www.myspace.com/strych9hollow

Shadows Fall-Retribution

2011-03-15T01:00:00.004-05:00

Post #132
I had heard of Shadows Fall a few years ago, but for some reason, never developed a true devotion to their music. I had picked up 'Of One Blood' on clearance, and was unimpressed. It seemed too 'death-metal' for my tastes at the time. I bit later I tried 'The War Within', which I also found used. I found this album much more appealing, but still wrote them off as a poor-man's Killswitch Engage. I listened to this CD a bit more than the previous one, but still lost interest after a week or two.

Then, in late '09, came the turning point when I scanned their newest album, Retribution, at a bookstore sampling station. I heard the intro track, 'The Path to Imminent Ruin', and was instantly hooked. My eyes widened at the difference I heard on this recording. Each track seemed like polished perfection compared to anything I had heard from them previously. I hesitated no further, and added this to my purchase.

For the next several weeks, listening to Retribution became a near daily ritual for me. This album had instantly become one of my favorite releases of the year. Shadows Fall can hit you with heavy, thrash style metal, but an instant later will slip into a clean melodic segment. Brian Fair's vocals can scream like metal-core, growl in a deeper near-death-metal style, or sing in classic melodic-style ranges. Again, some of these elements were present on their older releases, just not to the degree of quality that I hear on this release. Retribution seems to strike the perfect balance of elegance and brutality.

Not to be overlooked is the guitar soloing on this album. Lead guitarist, Jonathan Donias, tears up the fretboard with a classic, shredding guitar style that would make the likes of Marty Friedman, or Glenn Tipton jealous. To be honest, this is my favorite element of their sound. Each track I look forward to hearing what the guitar solos might have in store. The quality of guitar work on this album is enough that I want to eat my words from my previous comparison to Killswitch Engage, for I now feel that Shadows Fall are much better at the art of the guitar solo!

From the acoustic intro of 'The Path to Imminent Ruin', they fade into 'My Demise', one of the heaviest tracks on the album. From there it just gets more intense, as almost every track rips your eardrums with ferocious heavy riffs. They even have a cover of Bob Marley's 'War', but if it weren't for the lyrics, I wouldn't recognize it for the over-the-top intensity with which it is delivered! There are a couple tracks that do focus on the melodic side of Shadows Fall, 'The Taste of Fear' and 'Picture Perfect'. These songs really help make this album a complete, and well rounded metal experience.

If you've been on the fence about Shadows Fall as I have in years past, then I highly recommend listening to Retribution. They've raised the bar significantly on this album. Here are my suggestions to help guide you:
-The Path to Imminent Ruin
-My Demise
-Still I Rise
-War
-The Taste of Fear
-Picture Perfect
-Dead and Gone

http://shadowsfall.com/main/

Losing Scarlet at Durty Nellies (1-29-10)

2011-03-03T01:10:00.001-06:00

Post #131
You may recall my review of Losing Scarlet when they won the reader's poll for unsigned bands on myspace.com back in '09. Well, shortly after they won that poll, I had the pleasure of seeing one of their live shows, as they played a small venue in my area along with 4 or 5 other local bands. It was an excellent show!

The venue was Durty Nellie's in Palatine, IL. I made sure to arrive early so as not to miss Losing Scarlet, as they were scheduled as the opening act. While waiting for the show to start, I wandered around the floor and looked over some of the merchandise for sale. Besides Losing Scarlet, a few other bands had music for sale. I picked up a free sample from one of the bands (Inn Cinema). Then I got a drink and waited for the show to start...

Losing Scarlet came out and got the night rolling with 'On Display', one of my favorite tracks from their independent debut album. Scott Haith led out of the gates with the thrashy riff, then the band joined in, followed soon by Jodi Kell's emotional vocals. Having listened to their CD several times, I was pleased that I recognized most of the songs. They delivered near-flawless renditions of their recorded songs. As I have mentioned before, they're like a blend of Disturbed's heaviness, and vocals similar to Evanescence or Lacuna Coil.

They played a good long set of their self-described 'pretty metal'. Scott jamming out killer riffs on guitar, Petra Sith providing melodic bass-lines and backing vocals, Conor McCann drumming intensely, and Jodi singing lines that were sometimes sexy, and other times cathartic. Most of the songs were from their self-titled debut, but they had some surprises in store for me and the rest of the audience, as they played a number of new songs, presumably to be included on their upcoming second album 'Learning to Bleed'. One particular treat was their cover of Blondie's 'Call Me'. It turned out to be a real crowd-pleaser, and got more people active in the crowd.

They closed their set with 2 of their new songs, including one that has become the title track for their upcoming 2nd CD, 'Learning to Bleed'. I was a bit sad that their set was over already, but a great night of music was still in store. Next up was Inn Cinema, who played a bit more aggressive style of music, but still with catchy melodies. Other bands I recall were The Crossing, and Beyond the Red. A great night of music through and through.

1-29-10 Durty Nellie's Losing Scarlet setlist:
-On Display
-All I Am
-Left to Burn
-Shameless Prayer
-Call Me (Blondie cover)
-With This We Fight
-Shade of Hate
-Learning to Bleed
-Inclusions

The Beatles. Still an influence...

2011-02-25T18:18:00.009-06:00

Post #130 [Poll Winner: Who do you prefer, The Beatles of The Rolling Stones?]
Heavy Metal is an ever-changing genre of rock-n-roll. The diversity of artists that can be included in 'metal' music is enormous. When, exactly, did bands stop calling their music 'Rock N' Roll' in favor of 'Heavy Metal'? The 80's? The 70's? The 60's? If you ask 5 different fans, you may get 5 different answers. Myself, I generally align with the opinion that credits Dave Davies of the Kinks as the progenitor of heavy rock and what would grow to become known as heavy metal when he slit the speaker cone of his amp to achieve the sound they displayed on their first hit single "You Really Got Me" in 1964.

What else was going on in 1964? Why, The British Invasion of course! In this past December's reader's poll, I pitted the 2 biggest bands from this era, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, against each other and asked you to choose a favorite. The result was a bit more lop-sided than I anticipated, as The Beatles took the poll comfortably by a vote of 12 to 2 over their old contemporaries.

Don't doubt for a second that the Fab Four are still a relevant influence on today's heavy metal artists. Several big-time bands have covered their songs, but even more obvious is how many headbangers still cite The Beatles as a major influence in their decision to pursue a career in music.

As my recommended picks from The Beatles, who have such a prolific catalog to choose from, I'll simply share one of my favorite compilations of theirs: The Beatles 1.
-Love Me Do
-From Me To You
-She Loves You
-I Want to Hold Your Hand
-Can't Buy Me Love
-A Hard Day's Night
-I Feel Fine
-Eight Days a Week
-Ticket to Ride
-Help!
-Yesterday
-Day Tripper
-We Can Work It Out
-Paperback Writer
-Yellow Submarine
-Eleanor Rigby
-Penny Lane
-All You Need is Love
-Hello, Goodbye
-Lady Madonna
-Hey Jude
-Get Back
-Ballad of John and Yoko
-Something
-Come Together
-Let It Be
-The Long and Winding Road

Hemoptysis-Misanthropic Slaughter

2011-02-23T20:36:00.008-06:00

Post #129
From the desolate plains of the Arizona desert come Hemoptysis, an independent death/thrash metal band with their full-length debut, 'Misanthropic Slaughter'. In early reviews they've been described as a fusion of death, thrash, and black metal, but if you ask them they simply call their style of metal 'Desertcore'. After hearing thier debut album, front to back, I might add 'melodic-death metal' or even 'Classic British metal' to the list of elements contained in their music. Either way, this band is poised to break down some walls between sub-genres of metal music.

The band's line-up for their debut: Masaki Murashita (rhythm and lead guitars & vocals), Ryan Miller (lead guitars, electric sitar), Travis Thune (drums), and Sunao Arai (bass guitar). Oh, and of course Vitis, the Demon of Corruption, or 'Temptor of the Holy', who graces the album cover as mascot.

Though I've honestly been hesitant to get into the 'death'-sub-genres of heavy metal, I must admit that Hemoptysis offer enough of a new take on it that I keep playing their CD in spite of my initial reservations. The vocal style is where Hemoptysis have people calling them 'death' (although their name & cover art probably help!), however it is the guitar-work that keeps me coming back for more; a furious hybrid of thrash-riffs and melodic, shredding guitar solos are present in almost every song. On top of the technical brilliance they display on guitar, drums & bass are black-metal style vocals that are more shrieked than growled. Maybe like Children of Bodom if you're looking for a comparisson, at least vocal-wise. Keep in mind, I'm not a regular listener of this sub-genre...

Misanthropic Slaughter is an album I would primarily categorize as thrash metal. The drumming is fast and technical, the guitar riffs are very heavy and construct strong melodies. The tempo varies from song-to-song, but is quite fast on the majority of the tracks. The guitar leads can shred pretty fast, but also display melodic passages up and down the fretboard, much like early metal pioneers like Iron Maiden. There are even a couple instances of clean guitars that set a meloncholic tone when implemented.

Overall, as I said before, it is the technically acomplished and diverse thrash guitar-work that I find raises this album's quality above the status-quo for a death-thrash crossover effort. It's also where I find satisfaction in the listening experience. But for those of you out there who genuinely appreciate death-metal, and appreciate when it incorporates melody & classic heavy metal, then you need to hear this band!

My personal recommendations from Misanthropic Slaughter:
-Misanthropic Slaughter (The title track kicks off this album with apt ferocity. Lyrics depicting graphic, and morbid varieties of murder & mayhem)
-Hopeless (Bass intro, great riffs, a clean guitar break-down segment that leads into a volley of guitar soloing between guitarists Ryan Miller & Masaki Murashita, capitulating with a barrage of blast-beat drumming, this song has a bit of everything!)
-M.O.D. (Lead guitar intro is classic shred! Reminds me a little of Iron Maiden's 'Wasted Years'. Then it turns into a total thrasher!)
-Impending Doom (Another classic-sounding riff that conjures recollections of Megadeth.)
-Shadow of Death (Another death/thrasher, with a bit of political themed lyrics. This song originally appeared on their EP, 'Who Needs a Shepherd', but is remixed here. They also have a video for it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKenWvu4sm8)
-Hadephobia (Clean intro gives this tune an ominous tone... before describing the nightmarish threat of being sent to Hades...)
-End of Sorrow (My absolute favorite song on this album! Again, features a clean-guitar intro, but more intricate than most of the other songs. Some keyboards can be heard in the background, and of course, killer guitar solos that exhibit masterful melodic themes.)

Misanthropic Slaughter is set to be released on March 8th, 2011.
You can pre-order the CD on the band's official website. Check it out for more info, merchandise, upcoming shows, etc...
http://www.hemoptysismetal.com/

Smash Corps-No Peace Until Tomorrow

2011-02-02T15:34:00.001-06:00

Post #128
Smash Corps are an independent thrash/hardcore metal band from the Chicago area. No Peace Until Tomorrow is their 2nd full-length album, and 3rd release overall. If you're a fan of Disturbed, Pantera, or classic-80's thrash metal, then this band is worth checking out. Now for a closer look at No Peace Until Tomorrow...

This album starts off with 'Darkside of Truth', a good, heavy song with lyrics that show some social commentary on cynicism. The album just gets better from here on! Smash Corps tear into some heavy grooves that truely remind me of one of my all-time favorite bands: PANTERA. They are more about 'heavy' than 'speed' in their formula. They also know when to change things up a bit, as most songs feature good guitar solos and melodic break-downs.

No Peace Until Tomorrow offers you plenty of fist-pumping, headbanging, hardcore/thrash songs. Their influence from bands like Black Sabbath to Metallica, Pantera to Iron Maiden is clearly evident throughout. Vocalist Tim Smith has a voice that reminds me of Tool's Maynard James Keenan, but the delivery is more strict in the thrash/hardcore/groove-metal genre. Their strongest talent is probably their ability to deliver heavy-yet-melodic, infectiouos riffs.

Here are my annotated, personal recommendations from No Peace Until Tomorrow:
-Darkside of Truth (a slow, grinding thrasher, lyrics with a bit of social criticism, good guitar solos)
-Otherside (More of a straight-up groove-metal number. Headbanging required!)
-Face Your Demons (Another heavy tune, built upon infectious riffs. Cuts to an elegant, melodic breakdown at about two & a half minutes in, with a great melodic guitar solo... perhaps my top pick!)
-New Soul/Just Wait (Another slow-grinder, also with breakdown segment and talented soloing.)
-Left in a Ditch (One of the faster tracks on the album. More great riffage!)
-No Peace Until Tomorrow (On the title track, you find more heavy riffs galore, yet the song retains a strong sense of melody, while still keeping it heavy.)

Check out these songs and more at Smash Corps' myspace page below!
http://www.myspace.com/smashcorps

KOPEK touring in the US, opening for HINDER!!!

2011-02-01T21:30:00.001-06:00

Post #127
Hot new rockers, KOPEK, embark on first US tour in support of Hinder- ON TOUR NOW!!!

Hinder's current tour supporting their new album, All American Nightmare, is in progress now. They are hitting several major US cities throughout January & February. Special guests on this tour include Saving Abel, My Darkest Days, and KOPEK!!!

For tour dates, shows & venues, please check out any of the bands' websites:
Hinder: http://www.hindermusic.com/home/index.shtml
Saving Abel: http://www.savingabel.com/main.aspx
My Darkest Days: http://www.mydarkestdays.com/
KOPEK: http://www.kopekofficial.com/

DEADMANSWAKE, Judas Beast & Others this Friday!

2011-01-26T17:53:00.002-06:00

Post #126
Catch another night of great local talent at the Clearwater Theater in West Dundee, IL!
This Friday, January 28th. Show starts 6:30pm.

Heavy Metal 107's myspace band of the year, DEADMANSWAKE will be opening for JUDAS BEAST, a Chicago-based tribute band covering metal classics from Iron Maiden & Judas Priest. Other local bands appearing include Centaurus & Eli.

See more information at the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=194111883937398

The Stone Foxes-Bears and Bulls

2011-01-24T23:37:00.002-06:00

Post #125
I'm going to take a moment here for a little departure and review a band that is much more a blues-based rock band, The Stone Foxes. Though I love metal like no other music, I do retain an ecclectic range of music that I enjoy. I was raised on classic rock, and that genre (as well as several heavy metal artists) are often influenced by the blues. The Stone Foxes appeal to me through those roots of the blues...

The Stone Foxes are a new blues-rock band out of San Francisco, CA. Their second full-length album, Bears & Bulls, offers 12 tracks that illustrate their style and direction. The Stone Foxes comfortably blend rock music with blues, blue-grass, or a hint of country/folk rock in a fashion that remotely conjures comparisons to The Eagles in my mind. Overall I'd say that they stick much closer to strick blues that The Eagles, though.

This albums opens with the up-beat 'Stomp', which is an apt title, as you'll quickly tell if you give it a listen: a brisk drum-clap-drum-clap rhythym carries the tune (much like Queen's 'We Will Rock You', if you need a point of reference). The band comes in with a harmonized 'Whao-oh-o-oh..', and touches of a bluesy slide guitar complete the formula for this simple, yet addictive track.

The next song, 'Patience', kicks it up a bit, and the band jams this one out with some heavier electric guitar. I would almost compare their electric/amped songs to late-80's Aerosmith, if perhaps they had a stronger blues influence themselves. From here on out The Stone Foxes display numerous incarnations of twang-infused blues, mixed with good-old rock & roll. It is really a great musical formular that must be heard to be fully appreciated.

I have several tracks from Bears & Bulls that I would highly recommend. They are as follows:
-Stomp
-Patience
-I Killed Robert Johnson (a clever, narrative blues number, that both pays homage to the Blues Legend, while also telling a little tale that plays upon the Faustian legend connected with Robert Johnson himself.)
-Reno (this song is a bit of a ballad. The Stone Foxes show us what their softer side is like.)
-Little Red Rooster (This one is straight-up, 100% blues to the core. Much like Hendrix's 'Red House', or SRV's 'Pride and Joy', this song belts out an infections groove, that may not bring anything new to the blues, but harnesses the crux so well you can't help but sing along with it, much like those classics of yore had done before...)

Don't miss out on this great new blues-rock band! Check out their webpages today!
http://www.thestonefoxes.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Stone-Foxes/121833977860695

Iron Maiden-The Final Frontier

2011-01-17T17:17:00.015-06:00

Post #124
Iron Maiden, living legends of modern heavy metal, have recently released their 15th studio album, The Final Frontier. The last Iron Maiden album I reviewed, A Matter of Life and Death, I called the best Iron Maiden album ever. That's saying a lot for a band with such albums as The Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, and Powerslave in their back-catalog. Do I dare to make such a bold claim again with The Final Frontier? Perhaps this time I'll digress, but not without being strongly tempted! This album continues to solidify the band's reputation for always being able to deliver a quality metal album with well-blended elements of classic, progressive and melodic metal.

If you have followed Maiden's recent works since Bruce Dickinson rejoined the band in 2000, then you may think you know what to expect. However, as The Final Frontier opens with the epic, sci-fi themed "Satellite 15... The Final Frontier", Iron Maiden immediately (and boldly!) go somewhere they've never been before, musically speaking. Drummer Nicko McBrain performs such a unique, intense, and thundrous cacophany of a drum intro the likes of which I've never heard in heavy metal. As this intro builds layer upon layer, as instruments join in, one by one, the listener is drawn in to the song with a truely gravitational force. About two-and-a-half minutes in, there's a bit of a lull during which Bruce's voice comes in and sets the lyrical context of the song, followed with the resumption of the drum-theme, but intensified two-fold. The song builds further like a wave about to break. Then, at the four-and-a-half minute mark, they shift gears for the title track, which rocks out like classic Iron Maiden!

Before you have a chance to catch your breath, the next track, "El Dorado", picks up where the first one left off, and raises the intensity even higher. The guitar riffs are a bit heavier, almost thrash-metal paced. Bruce's vocals soar with the kind of powerful delivery Iron Maiden's fans are used to. By this point you know you're in for an excellent listening experience, and your head should already be in motion!

By turns and twists, this album goes on to explore different facets of epic heavy metal. From intricate guitar solos to the always-masterful vocals of Bruce Dickinson; from the thundering drums to the driving bass riffs, this album has everything. Many songs are built upon melodic, lead-guitar passages, while others take root from Steve Harris' ingenious bass-lines. Thematically and lyrically, The Final Frontier focuses mostly on topics of fiction and fantasy, with the exception of the last number, "When the Wild Wind Blows", whose lyrics read like an indictment of today's current events & politics.

I shouldn't forget to mention that this album is available as a 'Mission-Edition', a version of the CD w/ special packaging (a windowed, tin CD case) that includes a code for special online content, music video, interview, and video game.

Check out this new masterpiece from Iron Maiden, and do not miss out on these recommended songs:
-Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
-El Dorado
-Mother of Mercy
-Coming Home (Bruce's lyrics on this one come straight from his perspective as a jet pilot)
-Starblind
-When The Wild Wind Blows

http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=1

WILL ROCK FOR RESCUES (January 8 2011)

2011-01-08T00:58:00.001-06:00

Post #123

DEADMANSWAKE performing for charity!

2011-01-06T05:10:00.001-06:00

Post #122
ATTENTION!! This Saturday, January 8th, 2011, don't miss your chance to see DEADMANSWAKE as part of a benefit show at LIVE 59 MUSIC CLUB in Plainfield, IL. This event is benefiting the Will County Humane Society. Part of the $8.00 admission goes toward the Humane Society, but other donations of food and pet supplies are welcome.

The show begins at 7pm, with DEADMANSWAKE performing at 9:30pm.

Also appearing: Desolate Sky & Delightful Downfall

For more information visit one of the links below:

http://triblocal.com/plainfield/calendar/2011/01/08/will-rock-for-rescues-benefit-for-the-will-county-humane-society/

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=170262346329052

Help Losing Scarlet open for Buckcherry & Hellyeah!!

2011-01-06T03:05:00.003-06:00

Post #121
Losing Scarlet (last year's Myspace.com poll-winner) are in an online Battle of the Bands contest on Rock108 radio in Iowa. The winner will get an opening slot on the JAGERMEISTER MUSICTOUR featuring Buckcherry, Hellyeah, ALL THAT REMAINS and others. The contest only runs until January 13th, so DO NOT DELAY!

I've seen Losing Scarlet perform live before, and they really rock the house! Please show your support for them again, and vote for LOSING SCARLET at the link below:

http://www.rock108.com/battleofthebands

You can only vote ONCE, but make it count, and share the link with your friends!

If you're not convinced, click the Losing Scarlet label at the end of the post, and listen to some of their music online.

Bruce Dickinson- Heavy Metal 107's 2nd President!!

2011-01-05T01:39:00.002-06:00

Post #120 [Poll Winner: Heavy Metal Election 2010-Favorite Frontman]
Bruce Dickinson's Inauguration:
In a landslide reader's poll, Bruce Dickinson scored a decisive victory for president of this blog. This convincing result came in timely fashion, as Iron Maiden have recently enjoyed much acclaim for their newest album, The Final Frontier.

Whether this album title may indicate that Maiden are nearing the end of their career remains to be seen. However, for the next 2 years, Bruce will hold office here at happyheadbanger. In the meantime, keep enjoying Iron Maiden's music as well as Bruce's solo material.

Bruce Dickinson would like to thank every reader of happyheadbanger/Heavy Metal 107 who voted for him. Holding the office previously held by James Hetfield will be a welcomed challenge. May the metal music of Iron Maiden stand as my testament to the enduring quality of heavy metal! To use a lyric as my theme for this term as President, here's one from the song 'Born in '58'

"Justice and liberty. You can buy - but you don't get free."

DEADMANSWAKE-It Comes to This

2010-12-22T17:17:00.002-06:00

Post #119 Poll Winner: Favorite Independent/Myspace band (2010).
As you may already know, DEADMANSWAKE are a local band in the Chicago/suburban area that are making a name for themselves in the last couple years. They've been around for a few years, as early as '03, then called Dead Issue. They've also gone by the name Encircled before finally changing their name to DEADMANSWAKE. A couple changes in personnel over the years have solidified the band's creative core: JP Soule & Josh Barker on guitars, Troll on bass, and lead vocalist Kryssie Ridolfi.

In the last couple years they've opened for the likes of Scar Symmetry, Eyes Set to Kill and A.D.D. as well as other female-fronted metal bands such as In This Moment and Epica. They were also featured in Chicago's Dame Nation and Dame Nation Redux shows (a multi-band concert that features female-fronted Chicago-area metal bands).

It Comes To This is the self-produced debut album from DEADMANSWAKE, the 2010 winner of this blog's myspace-bands reader's poll. After having a chance to hear this album in its entirety, let me say, WOW! This band delivers some great metal music! Their sound reflects strong influence from the classic NWOBHM and Thrash-metal scenes. Heavy riffs are the backbone of most of their songs, but they do change it up with plenty of melodic, clean-guitar passages here and there. Kryssie's bluesy voice keeps a melodic element at the forefront of the mix, delivered with great enthusiasm & emotion. Josh & JP trade back & forth on their guitar solos so smoothly you'd think they've been playing together for a decade. The drum & bass rhythm section keeps a heavy groove driving the music onward.

DEADMANSWAKE establish a trademark sound of melodic metal that's easy to sing along to, while still providing plenty of energy that lends itself well for emotional venting. This formula, combined with the immense talent that is aparent on this recording, leads me to say these guys will soon find themselves playing bigger & better shows if they stick with it.

The band already have plans in the works for an EP of cover tunes. I can't wait to hear what suprises they have lined up for that project. For now, I'm quite pleased with It Comes To This. I also plan on seeing a few of their live shows over the next couple years. I hope many of you will do the same. From now until next year's Myspace-band reader's poll, I intend to keep promoting DMW's shows through this blog. Watch for these upcoming shows right here at happyheadbanger!

For now, I'll leave you with my recommended tracks from It Comes To This:

-Amy (First track-a real fast-paced thrashy song. Always good to hear a band kick off their album with one of their best songs!)
-Back to Blood (Another thrasher. Love the lyrics. This song is quoted on the band's T-shirt, which you can buy directly from their website!)
-Far Be It From Me (Here is where DMW lighten up & show a little of their softer side. A great power-ballad of sorts.)
-Flowers (Stand Between Us) (Another good song with heavy sound and very catchy melodies. Lyrics use the line '...it comes to this', making it somewhat of a pseudo-title track)
-Why Didn't You Say So?
-Homeless (This one is an acoustic bonus track. Shows the band's versatility.)

Don't forget to visit the band's websites for streaming music, merchandise available for purchase, and upcoming shows!
http://deadmanswake.com/
http://www.myspace.com/deadmanswakechicago
http://www.facebook.com/DEADMANSWAKE

Catch DEADMANSWAKE Live in Milwaukee!

2010-11-26T01:05:00.003-06:00

Post #118
This Sunday, November 28th, DEADMANSWAKE will be part of a huge show at The Rave in Milwaukee, WI.

DMW, along with other local rock bands, will help build up the intensity for a great night of heavy metal mayhem, headlined by Epica! Other bands on the bill include: Scar Symmetry, Blackguard, and The Agonist.

Show starts at 6pm!!! More details in the link below:
http://www.therave.com/concert_details.asp?id=4266

The New Czars-Doomsday Revolution (2010)

2010-11-21T15:15:00.003-06:00

Post #117
The New Czars may be a new band, but they could be considered a supergroup in a sense. The members of this 3-piece band are actually veteran producers & songwriters who have produced music for an impressive variety of big-time artists: from the likes of Alice Cooper, Bruce Dickinson, & Puddle of Mudd, to Pink and Lita Ford.

With some other material they had composed independently, they decided to try their hand at being rock stars instead of just working for them. After whittling down their numerous compositions from more than 30 to 16, and reworking some tracks to incorporate more vocals, they ended up with Doomsday Revolution, an impressive debut hard-rock album.

The New Czars incorporate an ecclectic range of inspiration into a well-refined, almost methodical hard rock sound. Singer/guitarist Greg Hampton has a bit of a throw-back vocal style. On some tracks he sounds like he'd fit right in with some of the most popular late 80's pop-metal bands, while on others he brings a melodic post-grunge vibe. In every instance, though, they deliver the music so cohesively, you'd think they've been playing together for years.

Here are my top recommended tracks from Doomsday Revolution:

-Keep on Going (A great heavy track kicks of the album! I love the mantra: I'll keep on going... wonder what makes me tick?)

-Desperate

-Why Do U Have 2 Lie (One of the ballads. They show their versatility on tracks like this.)

-Brush with the Devil (Another heavy tune, perhaps my favorite of them all!)

-Abstract Prague (This one's instrumental, and almost reminds me of Soundgarden sometimes.)

-Doomsday Revolution (It's the title track, and another great, heavy-rock song.)

Check out some of these songs on their myspace webpage:

http://www.myspace.com/thenewczars

Judas Priest-Hell Bent For Leather

2010-11-09T01:00:00.004-06:00

Post #116 Poll Winner: Favorite Judas Priest album from the 70's.
In the late 70's one of the most important movements in heavy metal developed: the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. One band that was quite instrumental in the development of this style of metal was Judas Priest. Starting as a heavy, blues-based rock band, in much the same was as Black Sabbath did, they took the style to a more technically advanced level.

With the combined talents of Glen Tipton & KK Downing trading guitar solos, along with Rob Halford's amazing vocal range, the heavy metal genre was given a new path down which to grow & develop. Over the course of a few years, multiple British bands took inspiration from Priest's sound and helped further expand this movement within heavy metal.

Hell Bent For Leather (titled Killing Machine in the UK), was released in 1979, and is now viewed as Priest's crowning achievement from that inspiring decade. By this time, Judas Priest had developed a versatile formula, composing songs that were often heavy and fast paced, but also featured some tunes that were more melodic or anthemic. These were elements they would perfect further in the coming 80's.

My top picks from this classic album:
-Delivering the Goods
-Hell Bent for Leather
-Burnin' Up
-The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) [Originally a Fleetwood Mac song, Judas Priest perform it so well that many don't realize it's a cover]
-Running Wild
-Before the Dawn

Congratulations, DEADMANSWAKE!

2010-11-06T01:21:00.005-05:00

Post #115

In appreciation of the unprecedented and overwhelming response to the recent reader's poll, I would like to thank all of the bands who allowed me to feature them and their myspace.com web page in this poll: Smash Corps, Third Law of Motion, Killcode, Skank, Sutured Psyche, Inn Cinema, and the winner: Deadmanswake!

Over the course of this blog, I've been keeping track of the reader's polls each month. Prior to this year's 2nd annual independent/myspace bands poll, the record for reader response in a poll was 56 votes. This poll has shattered that record with an amazing 1156 votes!

Same as last year, the winner will have a full-length review coming soon. However, as further thanks for all the votes & new readers brought to this blog by the poll-winner, they will soon be featured in a link on this blog for 1 year as 'Honorary Vice President'. I will also try to keep up with their scheduled shows, and mention them ahead of time here in the blog. So keep an eye out for great local shows!

Not to be overlooked, the rest of the poll contestants are likely to be reviewed at a later date. Several of them helped to make this the most competitive reader's poll yet, and a few of them had even held the lead before Deadmanswake pulled ahead at the end.

Again, thanks to all who participated, voted, & rocked out to great new music! I hope you continue to support independent music & local bands!

KOPEK- White Collar Lies

2010-10-28T02:05:00.006-05:00

Post #114
Kopek are poised to hit the mainstream rock-music market with riffs, melodies & attitudes reminiscent of the roots of hard rock. A 3-piece band from Dublin, Ireland, inspired by classic artists like the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, Kopek are out to show the world that they have what it takes to succeed in the music business. More than that, if the collection of songs on their debut album, White Collar Lies, is any indication of what they're capable of, they'll be around for quite some time!

They may be young, but that hasn't stopped them from winning their fair share of contests- including the Global Battle of the Bands (gbob.com). Maybe it's the luck of the Irish, but I'm betting there's something more tangible behind their rise to success. Songs like 'Love is Dead', their debut single, rock out with socially conscious lyrics and grab the listener with thought provoking messages. They have a cool video for it too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr3D0bYrcZY. Other songs, like the title track, 'White Collar Lies', take a more melodic and soft approach with the music, while the lyrics seem to provide sharper, straight forward criticism of current events.

So many aspects of this album really brought me back & reminded me why I came to love hard rock music in the first place. It is that intangible essence of good rock music that Kopek have tapped into. They seem to have the right frame of mind to hold true to their ideals, both musically and lyrically. Even more important, they have the talent to deliver these aspects efficiently on their debut album.

Singer Daniel Jordan has the type of scratchy voice that is a perfect fit for an edgy hard-rock band. At times he reminds me of Buckcherry's singer, Josh Todd, while other times he seems more like a Jack White (of The White Stripes). In spite of these similarities, Kopek have plenty of unique elements that make them worth checking out.

Here are my picks:

Cocaine Chest Pains (A great hard-rockin' tune, gets the album off to a great start!)

White Collar Lies (The title track is a softer number, but the sharp criticism of government policies & corruption makes it one of the most memorable songs on the album)

Love Is Dead (Simple lyrical format, but thought provoking in a nearly ingenious way)

Floridian (A genuine ballad. Kopek display another side of their talent on this one)

Bring it on Home (This is the song that made me draw some comparisons to The White Stripes)

[WHITE COLLAR LIES is due for release in MARCH 1st, 2011]

Heavy Metal Campaign '10!

2010-10-21T02:30:00.003-05:00

Post #113
Your Heavy Metal 107 Candidates:

James Hetfield (Metallica)

James runs for re-election because Metallica is still one of the most successful metal bands in the world. The successful Death Magnetic album may only be a sign of what's to come from this band over the next two years. Voting for him wouldn't hurt the chances for a State-side Big-4 tour either! Re-elect James Hetfield!

Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)

After finishing a close second in the 2008 election, Bruce is again seeking your vote for president of this blog. Iron Maiden's latest album, The Final Frontier, stands as the latest testament to their iconic legacy in heavy metal. Does the title suggest the band might be hanging it up soon? Or are they just toying with us? Either way, they still have it after 30 years. Scream for me blog readers! Vote for Bruce!

Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)

Having directed Megadeth's music back to the speed-driven thrash style that was their trademark in their early years, Mustaine's band has been on plateau over the last couple years, recapturing the metal hearts of their faithful fans. Megadeth have also been honoring the 20th anniversary of their landmark Rust In Peace album by playing it live on tour this year. Dave himself has even released his own autobiography earlier this year, giving fans a chance to hear his life story in greater detail than ever before. Calling all Droogies! Vote for Mustaine!

David Draiman (Disturbed)

David Draiman contends for president this term behind the strength of Disturbed's latest album, Asylum. Here again, we see Disturbed both maintaining their strengths, and stretching their talents of songcraft in heavy metal. Asylum touches on several issues relevant in the world today, in the midst of all it's changes. Stop corruption and vote for David Draiman!

Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath)

Ozzy has long been associated with the earliest days of heavy metal, having been a founding member of the legendary Black Sabbath. Now, with his new album Scream showing that he still has some fight left in him, Ozzy makes another run for this blog's symbolic president. Ozzy also has a recent autobiography out at bookstores everywhere, inviting fans to hear the story of his unparalleled career, complete with every controversy! Ozzy wants to hear you SCREAM! Vote OZZY!

Corey Taylor (Stone Sour/Slipknot)

Corey Taylor also returns to challenge all candidates this term. He has proven repeatedly that he can front some of the best metal bands, either extreme (Slipknot), or more mainstream (StoneSour). Though the tragic loss of their bassist, Paul Gray, may leave some questions of how Slipknot will continue their career, Stone Sour are back with a new album, Audiosecrecy, and are ready to take it to the metal masses. Here's another Mission Statement: Vote for Corey Taylor!

Ace Frehley-Anomaly

2010-10-10T10:11:00.005-05:00

Post #112

The "Space-Ace", original guitarist of KISS, has returned with Anomaly, his first solo-album in 20 years, and eleven years since his last recording with KISS. Whether intentional or coincidental, it came out at almost the same time as KISS' latest, Sonic Boom. From my point of view it doesn't matter if Anomaly was supposed to compete with Sonic Boom, or simply re-establish Ace Frehley in the hard-rock music scene. It sounds like a classic Ace solo-album and holds up to the standards of his previous work, and in my opinion, that's all I could have hoped for.

Long overdue though it may be, Anomaly is the Ace Frehley album fans have been waiting for. In spite of two decades passing since 89's Trouble Walkin', Anomaly sounds like it hasn't missed a beat. With classic-rock riffs and a bit of blues, Ace digs into his roots with this release, and captures the true essence of his Space-Ace persona. He even gets the Sci-fi theme involved on the track "Outer Space". Not to be overlooked, he also offers essentially 3 instrumental tracks (one of them has a few lyrics, but it's a one-line refrain that only comes around during breaks in the instrumental jam session). Those who think Ace's best work is in his instrumental songs will not be disappointed with these either.

Oh, and before I forget to mention it, Anomaly has the most unique packaging I've ever seen for a CD! Once you pull off the slip-cover, the CD is held in this weird little paper-board contraption, and there's a slip of paper with 'assembly instructions'. After following the 'fold here' & 'insert tab here', step-by-step instructions, you end up with a nifty little cardboard pyramid displaying Anomaly's groovy cover art! It looks nice on a shelf sitting next to an Ace Frehley action figure...

As a long-time KISS fan, as well as an Ace fan (for he was my favorite of the original line-up), I'm tempted to say Anomaly tops Sonic Boom as the better album. Part of me feels that Sonic Boom may be a more balanced album, but the best parts of Anomaly leave Sonic Boom's best songs in the dust! My advice to the old-school KISS fan is check them both out & make your own call. Without a doubt though, these are both great albums.

My top picks from Anomaly:

-Foxy & Free

-Outer Space (The best track on the album in my book. Possibly the best song Ace has EVER written!!)

-Pain in the Neck

-Fox on the Run (Cover of the classic 70's hit by Sweet!)

-Genghis Khan (This is the mostly-instrumental song I mentioned earlier. Just one line of lyrics to break it up & give is some structure. A great jam!)

-Change the World (A little bit of a softer tune from Ace. A song about bettering one's self and making a difference.)

-Fractured Quantum (Hoped for, expected, or even predictable, here's another instrumental track that continues the themes of Ace's previous instrumentals; 'Fractured Mirror', 'Fractured Too', and 'Fractured III'.)

KISS-Sonic Boom

2010-10-10T10:10:00.002-05:00

Post #111

KISS! The make-up clad hard-rockers emerge from an eleven year studio retirement with Sonic Boom, a hard-edged rock n' roll album that finds the band returning to their roots. Although this album has been well received by many fans and critics, there have been many changes within the band in the years since Psycho-Circus. Some fans may hold some reservations because of these circumstances, but in the end they are moot points at best. As should always be the case with rock n' roll, the music speaks for itself on Sonic Boom.

The first single, "Modern Day Delilah", get this come-back album off to a great start. Catchy hard-rock riffs are abundant on Sonic Boom, and it is these riffs around which the album is built. Gone are the days when KISS would emulate current trends in music. Here they stick to their strengths: rock n' roll riffs, catchy hooks, melodic and classic guitar solos. Gene and Paul trade off on lead vocals throughout the album while both Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer take lead vocals on one track each.

For those concerned about how Tommy & Eric fit into this formula, keep in mind both of these guys have been with the band before. Eric as drummer after the tragic death of Eric Carr from '92-'96; and Tommy as a collaborator and guitar tech as early as the late 80's. What surprised me most was how well these two captured the classic KISS vibe on most of this album. Tommy's leads really are written to sound like classic Ace Frehley leads. Half the time he was soloing I was doing double-takes thinking I was listening to albums like Hotter Than Hell or Dressed to Kill. Eric's drumming likewise focuses on the rhythm styles of their early days. You can tell the band really studied their early material when composing Sonic Boom. If you're a KISS purist, then this really is the album you've been waiting for, in spite of the absence of Peter & Ace.

Sonic Boom ends almost as strongly as it started, with the track "Say Yeah". Simple title, but catchy like classic KISS songs should be. It was also a featured song on their last 2 tours. Also, as great as the album itself is, the full experience doesn't end there. With this release, KISS include a bonus CD and a bonus DVD!

The CD is KISS Klassics; a collection of 15 of their hits and fan favorites from the 70's & 80's, re-recorded by the current band line-up. There are some pros & cons to re-recording old songs, but I suspect it was done primarily to cut back on royalties to their previous label, Mercury Records, since they are now using their own label, KISS Records. The songs themselves are sometimes better than the original recordings, sometimes not. Having cranked up the original versions for years on-end, they are the versions I mostly side with. There are a couple where I feel the emotion is missing, that sound like cheap imitations of the originals. Most are generally interchangable with the old versions. The few exceptions where I feel the new take is an improvement can be found below in the 'top-picks' section.

The DVD is a real treat! It features a few live performances from their recent tour in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Like several other rock & metal bands have found, KISS take advantage of the extreme enthusiasm fans display at live shows in South America. Have you ever seen a South American Futbol (Soccer) match? Well, they treat their rock concerts pretty much the same way! On this DVD you'll hear the fans singing along with every word, and many of the riffs! Of course, KISS put on a great performance with all their theatrics & pyro-technics as well. The six tracks are: "Deuce", "Hotter Than Hell", "C'mon and Love Me", "Watchin' You", "100,000 Years", and "Rock and Roll All Nite".

Here are my top picks from Sonic Boom:

-Modern Day Delilah

-Russian Roulette

-Hot and Cold

-All for the Glory (Here's where you can hear Eric Singer on lead vocals, very similar to Peter's voice.)

-When Lightning Strikes (Tommy's lead vocal track. Sounds eerily like an Ace Frehley song, both in the vocals and music style.)

-Say Yeah

...and top picks from KISS Klassics:

-Hotter Than Hell (This one benefits from the modern re-recording. Sharper & fuller sound than the original!)

-I Was Made for Lovin' You (Although this still has the disco-beat feel as always, the new recording brings a whole lot more out of the guitar tracks. The result is a heavier feeling song. More along the lines of how they play it live!)

-I Love It Loud (Don't get me wrong, the original version is great too. In fact the whole 'Creatures of the Night' album is still one of my favorites. However, the new recording of this song benefits from a stronger & better defined backing vocal track, the 'Yeaaa-aaa-aa-aaah-Yeah!' part sounds so much better here!)

-Black Diamond (I'm really torn between this new recording and the original. What I like about this one is another chance to hear Eric Singer's lead vocals. But I don't dis Peter Criss' vocals on the original, I just mean you should hear them both!)

-Rock & Roll All Nite (Again, not necessarily better than the original, but this is one song they never do a bad job of playing. Either live or in-studio!)