Holiday Wishes from Fist To The Sky, and the HappyHeadbanger

Post #224

Not long ago I received a holiday postcard from the new Independent Band of the Year, Fist To The Sky. I'd also like to take a moment to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year. Thank you again for all your support throughout another rockin' year of heavy metal appreciation. Keep following us in 2013!

FIST TO THE SKY

The HappyHeadbanger

Lordi-Deadache

Post #74
Lordi! The monster-mask wearing 80's-style metal enthusiasts from Finland follow-up their "Arockalypse" album with another monster & horror inspired album; "Deadache". This album does a good job of covering all the basic elements from their previous album. Although they don't seem to try anything new or experimental with this album, they do stick to their tried & true formula very well.

They sart off "Deadache" with another SCG-intro, but I don't find it as creative as SCG3 from "The Arockalypse". The rest of the music, however, rocks just as hard as before. Monsters, ghouls, and tales of hauntings lace every musical nook & cranny of "Deadache". Mr. Lordi sings as enthusiastic as ever with his incredibly raspy voice. Catchy guitar riffs and lead guitar melodies show off this band's genre of inspiration- 80's hair-metal. Eerie, mood-setting keyboards provide the essential nightmare-ish vibe that Lordi thrive on.

Feast your ears on this album for Halloween this year, or should I say, let it feast upon your ears?
Here are my recommended tracks:
-Girls Go Chopping
-Man Skin Boots
-The Ghosts of the Heceta Head
-Deadache
-The Devil Hides Behind Her Smile (This song pays tribute to another haunting story, as the keyboards play a musical theme from the musical "Phantom of the Opera")
-Missing Miss Charlene (Why is he missing Miss Charlene? Because a monster stole dear Charlene, of course...)

A Twisted Christmas

Post #47
For this year, I'm reviewing Twisted Sister's "A Twisted Christmas" for the Holidays.

I first saw this CD while shopping the after-Christmas sales last year. It was 60% off in the holiday music section at Target. My first thought was, "Twisted Sister recorded a holiday album, this is nuts!" However, being a fan of Heavy Metal music as I am, I couldn't pass up this CD for such a great price.

This album, recorded in '06 (after their last "reunion" tour) is quite a curious effort from this band of 80's hair-metal pioneers. I must admit upon listening to it for the first time I laughed out loud practically through the whole thing. Truth be told, this is probably half the intent of this recording. However, for any heavy-metal fan looking for a Christmas CD beyond the catalogue of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, this might be worth checking out.

The CD starts off with a soft sounding, acoustic guitar and trumpet (poorly-played, but it turns out to be in jest) version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". The band breaks off in mid-melody for a 'dramatic' dispute of song-stlye. They proceed to re-start the song, but playing it TWISTED!!! (i.e. with full TS distorted guitar and power-chords), and just before the final verse they step it up even more with a double-time tempo. In spite of the rough edge to their sound, TS manage to pull off some catchy interpretations of some holiday classics on this CD. My favorite moment has to be "Oh Come All Ye Faithful", which is nothing more than "We're Not Gonna Take It" with the lyrics from "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" sung to the beat of the Hair-Metal anthem.... You have to hear it to believe it, but they fit the song's melody surprisingly well!

The rest of the album will continue to surprise you with its catchiness, while you laugh at the stylistic clash in the same breath. You have to give Twisted Sister credit for having a sense of humor about themslves enough to tackle a project like this, and never stray from their trademark sound throughout.

My recommended songs:
-Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
-Oh Come All Ye Faithful
-Silver Bells
-Deck The Halls (the melody of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is thrown into this song during a "breakdown" segment)
-Heavy Metal Christmas (this is "The 12 Days of Christmas" with TS's unique, and somewhat cliche, alternate choice of lyrics)

King Diamond- The Graveyard

Post #40
Every year around Halloween, I like to dig out the spookiest, creepiest heavy metal music in my vast collection and really get into the Halloween spirit. Being a long-time fan of bands like Kiss & Alice Cooper gives me much to choose from in this category. This year I'm going to review one of my favorite albums from King Diamond; Denmark's evil, dark lord of Heavy Metal.

King Diamond's work outside of his original band, Mercyful Fate, has become a creative outlet for the singer's concept-themed musical projects over the years. In many of the albums under the "King Diamond" moniker a very detailed plot of some sinister subject matter or other is developed in the style of a heavy metal rock-opera. King Diamond uses the many pitches of his unique voice to sing several different characters' parts throughout.

On "The Graveyard", King Diamond tells a dark tale of a madman who exercises revenge against a pedophile. Told from the madman's perspective, this eye-for-an-eye tale follows his plot of revenge as he kidnaps mayor MacKenzie's daughter and holds her hostage... in a graveyard. MacKenzie was the true abuser of his daughter; a crime he framed the narrator for. By the end of the album it's clear that nobody wins, and suffering abounds. If you're feeling like a metal album that tells a haunting tale along the lines of Kiss the Girls, then give The Graveyard a listen.

recommended:
-Black Hill Sanitarium
-Trick or Treat
-Up From The Grave

Patriotic Rock for the 4th!

Post #29
Every 4th of July when we celebrate our national independence, I can't help but to make a point to listen to a few hard rockin' renditions of patriotic songs. Here are some of my favorites to listen to this time of year:

-Star Spangled Banner by Jimi Hendrix

-4th of July by Soundgarden
-Light Up The Sky by Van Halen (this one isn't really about patriotism, but I like it because it makes me think of fireworks displays!)
-In America by Britny Fox
-Star Spangled Banner by Kiss
-Star Spangled Banner & Declaration Day by Iced Earth
-Rockin' In The USA by Kiss
-American Girl by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
-Pink Houses by John Mellencamp

Green Day!

Post #19
Happy St. Patrick's Day! For this special occasion I'll review Green Day.

Green Day are a neo-punk band that jumped onto the scene in the mid-90's and fell under the over-used blanket category of "alternative". Their songs are short fast & fun and often poke fun at a variety of social & political issues. Each Green Day album was pretty much a repeat of the previous with minimal variety... until 2004's(?) American Idiot!

American Idiot was a concept album and a true masterpiece among modern hard-rock music. The first time I listened to it I recall thinking, "This is the best Green Day song ever.... no THIS is the best Green Day song ever!" over and over again as one song followed the next. I'm also pretty fond of the anti-Bush political commentary that's sprinkled throughout the lyrics.

Listening to Green Day on St. Patrick's day is a mild tradition for me. During my college days I used to wait until March 17th to go out and collect the next Green Day album. So if you feel like "going Green" on the one day of the year when everyone is Irish, give Green Day a listen.

My recommendations for Green Day are from my personal Green Day mix CD, "St. Patty's Day Parade" (Yes, all of the following songs will fit on one 80 min CD-R):

• -At the Library
• -Jesus of Suburbia
• -Basket Case
• -Are We The Waiting
• -St. Jimmy
• -Panic Song
• -Wake Me Up When September Ends
• -Brain Stew
• -Warning:
• -American Idiot
• -Sassafras Roots
• -Minority
• -Boulevard of Broken Dreams
• -Nice Guys Finish Last
• -Give Me Novocaine
• -The Grouch
• -Welcome to Paradise
• -Macy's Day Parade
• -Uptight
• -Pulling Teeth
• -Jaded
• -Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
• -In The End
• -Whatsername

Color coded Album reference: 1,039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours, Dookie, Insomniac, Nimrod, Warning, American Idiot

MIA:Kerr Plunk, Shenanigans

'Tis The Season! A Rockin' Christmas Post (pt.2)

Post #9
Get "Barenaked For The Holidays"!
Seriously, you should get it! Its the collection of holiday music from the band Barenaked Ladies. This is truly a favorite holiday music CD in our household around Christmas Time, right up there with good ole' Bing Crosby (and not just a favorite of mine, my wife digs it as much as I do!) It's also more than just a "Christmas" CD, as it contains a number of Hanukkah songs as well. So whether you put up a tree & stockings, or spin dreidels & light the Menorah, you will certainly enjoy this recording.

In true Barenaked Ladies fashion, they pep-up the album with some comedic tunes like Jingle Bells & The Elf's Lament. But don't think this is entirely a goofy album either! There are a number of truly heart-felt interpretations of classic Holiday songs that genuinely honor the "Reason for the Season", for either faith.
For those who download, I recommend:
-Jingle Bells
-Hanukkah Blessings
-Elf's Lament
-God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/We Three Kings (features Sarah McLachlan)
-Deck The Stills
-I Have a Little Dreidel
-Auld Lang Syne

'Tis The Season! A Rockin' Christmas Post (pt. 1)

Post #8
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Back in the 90's this group started off as a side project from the band Savatage. Initially they recorded classic Christmas songs in the Heavy Metal style. After a successful video & single with "Christmas Eve", they soon began to write original Christmas-themed material. Since their debut "Christmas Eve & Other Stories", they've released 2 other Christmas albums (both concept albums that create their own story) and one non-Christmas album: Beethoven's Last Night. The Christmas albums are a blend of new material & Holiday classics interpreted throughout. On all their recordings, the guitars & drums are expertly blended with symphonic accompaniment. If you like hard rock music and like getting into the Holiday Spirit, then check out this band!
Recommended Christmas Rock from TSO:
-Anno Domine
-Siberian Sleigh Ride
-What Child Is This?
-O’ Come All Ye Faithful
-The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve
-Boughs Of Holly
-Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (This is the song that started it all; it can also be found on Savatage's classic concept album, Dead Winter Dead ['95], which tells a story of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina)
-This Christmas Day
-Back To A Reason (Part II) (This song is a sequel/rewrite of "Back to a Reason", which originally appeared on the Savatage album: Poets And Madmen ['01])