CD/TAPE REVIEWS

By Kevin Brown

Neurosis - Sovereign (Neurot Records)
This 4 song EP is a collection of ambient musical dirges. Neurosis is a difficult band to categorize. They delve into spoken word, psychedelic, trance, doom and stoner music sometimes all in the same song. The CD-ROM track on the disc gives the visual equivalent of what the music sounds like. The droning guitars of the title track sound like a horde of locust coming out of your stereo. A band like Neurosis is not for everybody, but for those with an open mind looking to try something new or get a glimpse of Neurosis, Sovereign may be a good starting place. For more information: Neurot Records PO BOX 410209, San Francisco, CA 94141 or www.neurosis.com

Vulgar Pigeons - Genetic Predisposition (Howling Bull America)
Imagine the Saturday morning cartoon themes done by a death metal band. That would be a fair description of Vulgar Pigeons. All the blast beat drumming and grinding guitars are there for your listening pleasure. If you judged the CD by its cover, you would think that Vulgar Pigeons probably played some sort of pop punk. The song subject matter does seem similar to what you would hear from a pop punk band, but in a death metal style with titles such as "Carney Lansford," "Citric Snot," "Vodka and Salsa" and "Pukeweed". The seventeen track CD clocks in at 24 minutes. If you like your music short and very fast, then Vulgar Pigeons fit the bill. For more information: John Gotelli, 1257 Sleepy Hollow Lane, Millbrae, CA 94030 or www.vulgarpigeons.com

Attention Deficit - The Idiot King (Magna Carta)
Forget that Alex Skolnick used to be the lead guitarist in Testament and that Tim Alexander was the drummer in Primus because Attention Deficit is like neither of those bands. Think more along the lines of progressive funkified jazz. When you put three great musicians together(bassist Michael Manring rounds out the trio) good things are bound to happen. With song titles like "Low Voter Turnout," "Dubya," "My Fellow Astronauts" and "Public Speaking Is Very Easy", this album shows its lighthearted side as well. This is one instrumental album sure to keep your attention. Just look for the little brown dog on the cover. For more information: Magna Carta, PMB 1820, 280 E. 51st St. New York, NY 10022-6500 or www.magnacarta.net

Adagio - Sanctus Ignis (Limb Music) Adagio is another in the long line of progressive metal bands on this label. Unfortunately there is nothing that really sets them apart from those other bands. The music and songs are good and there is absolutely nothing bad about this album. That being said, don't miss their fantastic instrumental version of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song." If you are looking for yet another quality progressive metal band, then add Adagio to your growing list. For more information: www.spv.com

Michael Lee Firkins - Decomposition (Nuerra Records)
Essentially a cover album, Decomposition is also a showcase of the guitar work of Michael Lee Firkins. He is a guitar player, not a shredder. This album covers everything from Jimi Hendrix ("Little Wing" and "Manic Depression") to Duke Ellington ("Caravan"). About half instrumental and half vocal make for a nice mix on this nine track CD. "The Window" is the lone track penned by Michael himself and shows he has songwriting talents as well. The very mellow version of the "Pink Panther" theme was my standout track. Michael Lee Firkins is definitely heading towards the top echelon of rock guitarists. For more information: Nuerra Records, PO BOX 641602, Omaha, NE 68134 or www.nuerra.com

Glenn Hughes - Return of Crystal Karma(SPV Records)
This release is another gem from powerhouse vocalist Glenn Hughes. His songs are all very blues based, but still rock with the best of them. He always backs himself with quality musicians and this album is no exception even showcasing them on the instrumental track "Owed to "J." "The State I'm In" and "Switch the Mojo" really capture Glenn at his best, but there really is not a bad song on the album. Each song while sounding different has a similar base so if you like the first track, you should like all the others on the album. Return of Crystal Karma is a first rate funky blues rock release that deserves your attention. Glenn's releases will hook you and leave you wanting more. For more info: www.spv.de

Various Artists - UltraSound 2000 Sampler(Independent)
Unfortunately this release is not commercially available and was only given out at the UltraSound music conference in Las Vegas last year. On the plus side, all the artists appearing on here should have product available. My favorite bands on here are Towne Cryer XXI(melodic hard rock), Picture Perfect(melodic hard rock), Ray DeTone(rock, surf, pop, funk and country guitar instrumental), Spiders & Snakes(punk hard rock), Loaded Dice(southern hard rock), Load Point Pull(industrial metal), and October Thorns(progressive metal). The music on here ranges from instrumentals to power metal. The UltraSound music conference is a great place to see a bunch of different bands in the hard rock/metal genre. Make sure you attend next year so you can get the sampler disc. I'm sure it will be as killer as this one is. For more info Ego Trip Entertainment, 717 S. Mill Ave. #104, Tempe, AZ 85281

Mob Rules - Temple of Two Suns(SPV Records)
Temple of Two Suns continues the end of the world story begun on their debut Savage Land. Majestic metal delivers the tale. The album goes from the violin dominated "Flag of Life" to the guitar driven "Unknown Man" and both are done with equal skill. "Hold On" follows with simple piano and beautiful female backing vocals provided by Susanne Mohle. Mob Rules is not afraid to experiment with their sound and that separates them from other German bands in this category like Helloween and Blind Guardian, though fans of those two bands will definitely enjoy this band. If Savatage was German they would be called Mob Rules and I mean that as the highest compliment. They don't sound like mirror images of each other either. Mob Rules should have a long career ahead of them. For more info: www.spv.de

Saga - House of Cards(SPV Records)
My God, they are still together and it is all the original members too. Saga was formed in 1976 and is still going strong. Their latest release, House of Cards continues with the same keyboard driven rock they have always done. I have to admit that the only previous song I have heard by them is the killer tune, "On The Loose." The songs on this album are mellower than that track though. The songs seem to do with how modern technology is changing the world for both good and bad. Long time Saga fans will be very happy with this album, but I think even casual fans will find House of Cards a quality rock album. For more info: www.saga-world.com

Dark Moor - The Hall Of The Olden Dreams(Arise Records)
A very successful blend of progressive and power metal. The powerhouse drumming goes along well with the keyboard and guitar progressions. Neither one overpowered the other, which seems to happen too often in other progressive power metal releases. Elisa's vocals really add a different quality to this album. Her powerful yet very melodic voice coupled with her Spanish accent really make the songs come alive. The lyrics just would not sound as good if sung by a man. There is just something about this release that makes me think it would appeal to people that don't even think they like metal. The vocals and backing vocals have a captivating quality to them. It's good to see another country heard from in this genre of metal. Spain's Dark Moor can and will give the German bands a run for their money. For more info:  www.euskalnet.net/arisemetal
Van EE - Powerplay (H+H Records) Powerplay is the first solo outing from long time rock/metal drummer Ernst Van Ee. Guitarist Peter Magnee and vocalist Robert Soeterboek ably assist him. Ernst's talents are demonstrated on the tracks "Triplet Thing," "Takketoeketakka," "Tricks and Chops" and a very nice tribute to late drummer Cozy Powell called "Dance with an Angel." My favorite tracks on the album are "Shot Down," "Faces of Death" and "Devilzone." These three tracks are the heaviest on the album and really take the drums, guitar and vocals to the limit, which the musicians handle with total ease. Not only is this a great drum album, but it also is a great hard rock/metal album as well. Ernst proves he can handle any type of music and not miss a beat. For more info: www.threnody.com/evanee or Nightmare Records 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

Hobbit - Two Feet Tall (Midwest Records) The band name alone should prove to you that they are influenced by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and the liner notes said they even called themselves Fantasy Rock. I think that description sells them short of their true talents. Some songs do indeed have a fantasy feel to them ("Midyear's Eve" and "Two Feet Tall"), but the rest of the album expands from there. The songs sound a bit dated, but for good reason, they were all recorded between 1979 and 1983, but due to legal reasons, the album did not see the light of day until 1999. They were a hit in their native Texas and also were the opening band on a few nationwide tours. Musically the band covers a spectrum of sounds from the late 70s and early 80s with "Faggots in the Fire's” Arena Rock feel to "Till I Get You Back's” New Wave sound. The vocalist even commented before the song started to stop him if he becomes to Un-New Wave. Vocally, Hobbit reminded me of Yes, but without the real symphonic rock that they are known for. I enjoyed the straight ahead rock of tracks like "Love is Forever" and "Takin' Your Heart Away" and "Till I Get You Back" could easily fit on any of the New Wave compliation CDs out there. Even with the many styles of music on here, they all fit together very well and nothing seems out of place. As the saying goes, better late than never and that is how I feel about hearing the music of Hobbit. They will take you to the music of the past without a time machine or having to fight evil orcs, goblins, or ogres. This is one musical adventure everyone should take. For more information: Nightmare Records, 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

Catchin' 22 - Can't Steal Our Spirit... (US Records) This album starts out as run of the mill Rock and Roll, but by the third song it picks up steam and turns into a great album. Johnny James' jangling blues inflected guitar riffs really make the songs stand out. His leads on "The Greater Cause," "On To You." "Now" and "Bootlickin'" are killer. Paul Souza's voice really kicks in on the third song also. "Harder," "Now" and the excellent ballad, "Since You've Been Gone" shows his talents very well. Terrence Falton on bass and Ayman Ibrahim on drums also do a great job and round out this Canadian quartet. Take "One More Time Around" and "N.Y.C." off this album and you could have a near classic, but even with them on there, you have a damn good album. Buy this album and start at track 3. For more info: www.catchin22.com or Nightmare Records, 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

GracePoint - Science of Discontent (Candlewax Records) The land of 10,000 lakes has produced a very good entry into the progressive metal sweepstakes. The downfall of some progressive metal bands is a weak vocalist and song structure, but that is not the case here. Matt Tennessen takes care of the powerful vocals and the songs have real lyrics and not just sentence fragments. The title track is an excellent instrumental that shows the band's talent and chops without incessant noodling. "Your World" caught my attention with its slow intro, but picks up speed after a minute. GracePoint proves that you can be progressive and still write very good songs. These guys are as good as any of the more well known progressive metal bands out there. Give them a shot!! For more info: www.gracepointmusic.com, Gracepoint, P.O. Box 18181, Minneapolis, MN 55418 or Nightmare Records, 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

Mighty Sideshow - The Intro (Nightmare Records) Mighty Sideshow mixes elements of Stoner and Southern Rock with a little Doom to form this audio brew. "Throwing Rocks" and "Down" have the thickest grooves and really set the tone of the album. "The Intro" really grew on me with a second listen. This album should appeal to fans of the above mentioned types of music. They are a very professional sounding band and should have a good career in front of them. For more info: www.mightysideshow.com or Nightmare Records, 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

USM - Silver Step Child (Nightmare Records) You would never guess this was a three-piece band from their massive melodic hard rock sound. Tony Ritchie's vocals really have a commanding presence and he plays bass as well. Lionel Hicks' powerhouse drumming and the wicked guitar playing of Pete Southern round out the band. The title track is my favorite for its ability to energize the listener. You get both the rockers ("Terrorphobiac") and the ballads ("The Other Side of Paradise") on this 10 track CD. USM is proof that great hard rock is still being made in 2001. For more info: www.unitedstatesofmind.co.uk or Nightmare Records, 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

Visionary - Visionary (Nightmare Records): This album was originally released in 1996 and is being re-released to go along with a new album that should be out soon. They seem heavily influenced by the music of Queensryche. "Enigma" and "The Angry One" show the biggest glimpses of Queensryche, but it is just that, a glimpse. They are a good band, but just need a little more time to get them over the hump into bigger and better things. I will say that "Only One" was a very good ballad that gives ample proof that they are quality musicians. They seem on the right track and I think with five years of polishing and practice, their new album should be quite good. For more information: Nightmare Records, 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

Something Wicked - Something Wicked (Independent) Something Wicked sounds like a very good hard rock bar band, but at this point are not much more. The sound clips throughout the CD can be done away with because they don't add anything to the songs. I enjoyed the slower tempo songs like "Soul Shine" and "Monkey Song" more than the rockers on the CD. The band sounded more comfortable playing those songs and a little redirection may very well bring them to the next level. For more information: Nightmare Records 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

Antithesis - Dying For Life (Nightmare Records):
Blistering power metal from Ohio. "Deceiver Within" and "Distanced" prove that point very nicely. They can also slow the tempo down with songs like "Times of Trial" and the uncredited "Secret Fires". This album is a very strong debut release and Antithesis is a band to keep an eye on. For more information: www.antithesismusic.com or Nightmare Records 7751 Greenwood Dr., St. Paul, MN 55112, info@nightmare-records.com

By Lori Powers

Phoenix Down - Under A Wild SkyI’ve got a load of CDs on my desk to review, and thought I would start with the easiest first. This CD is awesome! Phoenix Down is the brainchild of Kane Roberts. For those of you who can’t recall who Kane is, he played guitar for Alice Cooper for years. He also co-wrote and arranged 3 albums with Alice. He is an excellent musician. This sound can best be described as melodic hard rock. I’ve read many CD review where a CD was classified melodic, but I just didn’t see it. This CD is the stuff that good melodies are made of. It’s full of great grooves, great production and great lyrics that you will find yourself singing along with after one listen. Most vocals are done by Kane and Jim Peterik (Survivor) and sound excellent. On the CD credits, there are 10 vocalists listed. Don’t know who does what where, but the end result is a vocal masterpiece. The music sounds great, but the mix of vocals and backing vocals is what I really love. They found the perfect mix. The CD is filled with great lyrics and great melodies. I like every songs on the CD but my favorites are “I Want It Again” (reminds me of newer Danger Danger), “In Another Life,” and “Rain.” The songs are much better than anything on the radio these days. This is a CD I highly recommend.

Arsyn - Degeneration
In my batch of CDs to review, I had a bunch of straight-ahead Rock bands, and Melodic bands. Arsyn is quite different...and didn’t grab me at first listen. After a few more spins, it started to grow on me. The CD can best be described as metal with an industrial feel. Industrial is not usually my thing, but Arsyn has a quite unique sound and I like it. It’s dark and powerful...and even a bit thrashy at times. I do like the music hard...but it’s usually difficult to find a good thrashy, metal band these days because most of them come with the “cookie-monster vocals.” Collin has a good strong voice. The main thing that makes me think of industrial, is the vocal distortion on some of the songs. It’s not a bad thing...it just makes his voice sound a bit different on each song, but still very clear and strong. Most songs are very bass driven, and the drums sound great. The production on this CD is awesome. My favorite songs on the CD include: “Succubus Blues,” “Knock Down Mr Foolish” and “Psycho Super Society.” “Succubus Blues” is a very excellent song, and I think they should try going more in this direction next time. All in all, it’s a very good CD. The only thing I didn’t care for was the last two songs which are remixes (originals are much better). Interested? Well, you’ll find the opening track “Kill Joy” in the upcoming movie, “The Librarian.” For more info. check out their site at: www.arsyn.com.

Bozzio Levin Stevens - Situation Dangerous(Magna Carta)
Reviewing an instrumental album is either the easiest or hardest thing to do. Fortunately these guys make it very easy with killer music like this. Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin and Steve Stevens are all excellent musicians individually, but when you put them together, things really heat up. This is the second album this trio has put out and I think it is even better than the first, which is saying something because that one was very good. This disc has its slower moments, but for the most part, it is faster than the previous release. Steve Stevens shows off his great flamenco guitar playing on “Tziganne.” My favorite tracks are “Dangerous,” “Crash,” and “Endless.” I highly recommend this instrumental work of art. For more information: www.magnacarta.net/

Lana Lane - Secrets of Astrology (Limb Music)
This is Symphonic Rock for the modern man with lots of synths and keyboards, soaring guitar work by Arjen Lucassen and David Victor, fierce drumming by Ed Warby and the ever steady bass line by Tony Franklin (yes, that Tony Franklin). Lana has a voice very similar to Heart’s Ann Wilson. There is a soothing, yet powerful quality to it. My favorite tracks are “Raining,” “Long Winter Dreams” and “Speed of Sound.” I think these tracks appealed to me the most because of the harder edge to them. The other 10 tracks are good, but tend to be on the slower side. This album would definitely appeal to fans of Symphonic Rock and it is nice to hear a female voice along with that type of music. For more information: www.lanalane.com or www.limb-music.de

Ivory Tower - Beyond the Stars (Limb Music)
The outside of the CD packages says Ivory Tower is Progressive Power Metal. After listening to the disc, I agree about the Progressive part, but the Power part is only hinted at. The music was quite good, but overall the songs really did not grab me. Each song had its strong moments but then faded into just an average song. “The Peeping Tom” caught my attention the most and could be the stalker national anthem (“Sorry for watching you/But I adore you”). I think if this band continues with the Progressive sound and does away with the little Power, they will be a better band for it. For more information: Ivory Tower P.O. Box 26 24 - 24025 Kiel- Germany or www.ivorytower.de

Yellow Machinegun - Spot Remover (Howling Bull America)
These three Japanese women play a furious blend of punk and metal. The English lyrics come out in a combined scream/death metal growl which the vocalist’s accent helps to accentuate. The CD clocks in at 15 songs in just over 30 minutes, but that is about all your head and neck will be able to stand because it will be banging. My favorite tracks on this album are “Home Alone,” “Why?,” “Something Enormous,” “In a Box” and “Iron Woman.” This band is not your average female metal band. For more information: Howling Bull America, P.O. Box 40129, San Francisco, CA 94140-0129 or www.howlingbull.com.

Bob Catley - Legends (Frontiers Records)
This solo album from Magnum vocalist Bob Catley is a masterpiece of melodic hard rock. His voice is powerful yet tender on the quieter parts of the songs. Also featured on this album is some great guitar work by Vinny Burns. My favorite tracks are “The Pain,” “Shelter from the Night,” and “Tender is the Night.” This album definitely positions Bob Catley as one of the great vocalists in hard rock.

Stone Angel - Turning PointThis band definitely has a lot going for it. It is hard to pinpoint their sound, but that is not a bad thing. You can hear influences in their music, but they don’t sound like other bands. If this came out in the 80s, it would have been in the middle of the hard rock pack, but since it is coming out now it sounds quite refreshing and has a chance to hit the top. It is good to hear some great harmony vocals still being included in songs. I always thought that was one of the key ingredients to great hard rock/pop metal bands of the 80s. My favorite songs are “Hey You,” “O’ My Love,” and “In Your Eyes.” Give these guys a chance and I think you will like what you hear.

Hugo - Time on EarthMelodic rock is the dish being served here. Hugo has a voice very similar to Steve Perry. Almost every song on this album has a love theme. I normally get ill when I hear an album full of love songs, but if I had to have one in my collection, this would be the one to have. The songs are smooth and easy to listen to. My favorite track is “Fine,” slightly sappy but with an edge to the music. Hugo’s cover of “Magic Power” by Triumph is almost a dead on copy of the original and he even sounds very similar to Rik Emmett on it. For a romantic evening around the fireplace that does not involve Perry Como or Johnny Mathis, put this album on. It will create the same effect plus the songs are better!!!

Robin Brock - Blame it on Rock & Roll (A2 Records)
The best way to describe this album is that it is somewhere in between pop and Pat Benatar. The 11 songs on here grew on me with repeated listenings. I liked the song “Rockin’ on the Airwaves” mostly because it sounded different than the other songs on here. It had a slight bluesy edge to it that gave it a little extra kick. “You Lost Your Heart” tells of a relationship that was looked at totally different by the two people involved. Robin has a great voice and the music was good. She and John Capek (Keyboards) have proven they can write good ballads. This album is a good start, but I hope the next album rocks out a bit more.

Michael Nitro - Counting the Days (Seymour Records)
I was sure this guy was going to be a shredder, but that is very far from the truth. This album has a funky blues rock sound to it and there is very little soloing. “Hell’s Train” is my favorite track. “Catalina Song” sounds like it could have been sung by Matthew Sweet, but I think it is Mr. Nitro himself doing all the vocals on the album. Most of the songs are on the slow side, but that helps show the fine quality of songs on this album. This album made me think of Robin Trower and that’s not such bad a person to be compared to. For more information: Seymour Records, P.O. Box 14831, Scottsdale, AZ 85267-4831 or www.michaelnitro.com.

Michael Monroe - Life Gets You Dirty (SPV Records)
It’s good to see former Hanoi Rocks lead singer, Michael Monroe still cranking it up after all these years. Not Fakin’ It came out in 1989 and I have to say this album is as good if not better than that one was. This album is full of great Rock ‘N Roll songs with a little punk attitude thrown in. Michael plays everything on the album except drums and bass and there is no let down in any area. My favorite tracks are “Always Never Again” and “No Means No.” “Not Bad for a White Boy” is Michael’s take on the Rap/R&B sound of today. He declared, “Dead, Jail or Rock ‘N Roll” on his first solo album and I’m glad he chose the Rock ‘N Roll!!! For more info: www.michaelmonroe.com.

Barakade - Volume I (Magellan Records)
Barakade is a melodic rock band that can easily slow it down and kick it up a notch with equal ability. I appreciated this album more on my second listen when I was not reading along with the lyrics. Drew Barrett has a unique voice which I discovered reviewing his solo album, The Strolling Minstrel not too long ago. Volume I shows that he can handle the hard rockin’ songs like “Someone Will Pay” and “Out On Edge,” just as well as the slower songs that appear on here as well as his solo album. Barakade is a good band and the rest of the guys are equally good musicians. I don’t know if they will ever record another album, but if they do I think it will build on an already good start. For more info: Barakade, P.O. Box 1056, Merrick Road, Seaford, NY 11783.

Emerald Rain - Age of Innocence (Frontiers Records)
This is the type of album you know you will like from hearing the first note. Very melodic hard rock with killer harmony vocals definitely gets my attention. The songs all use a similar base, but they all sound different. They show they don’t get stuck in a groove and keep repeating things. It’s nice to hear an album full of songs with a positive outlook that does not get sappy. My favorite two songs are “No Saviour” and “Don’t Tell the Rain”. “Don’t Tell the Rain” shows that a bad situation can have an outlook of hope. Emerald Rain definitely has a winner on their hands with this album. For more information: http://members.home.net/emeraldrain.

Venom - Resurrection (SPV Records)
It’s good to see the original line up of this pioneer of black metal back together again. This is a very good album, but it lacks some of the original fire the band had back when they released classic albums like Black Metal and At War with Satan. While this album still touches on the topics that made this band famous, this release is more heavy metal than black metal. Venom’s influence has touched bands ranging from Metallica to the current crop of black metal bands. My favorite tracks are “Vengeance,” “Pain,” “Loaded,” “Black Flame of Satan” and “Thirteen.” Compared to old Venom, this album may fall a little short, but compared to what is now considered heavy music, it is head and shoulders above the rest. For more info: www.spv.de.

Atello - The Big PayoffI hear that this band is unsigned, but that should not be for long. This is a strong album and the songs are very catchy hard rock. My favorite tracks are “(You’ve Got A) Grip on my Heart,” “Your Love” and “Blind Justice.” I think a band with independent product this strong has a great future ahead of them.

Casting Shadows - Pipedreams (Maddhatter Productions)
This disc is a 5 song demo of pop alternative songs. To their credit, each song on here sounds a little different, but none of them seem out of place on the CD. “My Plans” has a heavy groove along with some good percussion and “For Awhile” is pretty slow and mellow with a very nice acoustical piece at the end of it. My favorite song though was “So Now.” It seems to fall in the middle of the above two mentioned songs. Overall, a very good start. I would like to hear more and a little better production could also make things even better. For more information E-mail: castingshadows@mediaone.net
(ed. note: The band sounded really excellent live, so give them a shot if they play near you.

Bralalalala - Well Come To The Galaxy (Independent)
The lyrics are pretty good and the music while choppy in some places is not bad, but the vocals are so bad on this album I lost interested in it half way through the second song. It is either because of a very heavy foreign accent, a speech impediment or they are just plain bad. I honestly thought the first song, “Primal Bend” sounded like an old Anthrax song with Joey Belladonna singing with marbles in his mouth. I did finally listen to the entire album and things did not get any better. For more information: www.bralalalala.com or Bralalalala, 584 Castro St. Suite 633, San Francisco, CA 94114

The Cruxshadows - The Mystery of the Whisper (Dancing Ferret Discs)
Who turned the clock back to the mid to late 80s? This album would fit in perfectly in that time period. No, this is not a hair metal band, but a sound that was also popular then: New Wave. The Cruxshadows sound very much like a heavier Depeche Mode or OMD. My favorite songs were “Cruelty,” “Leave Me Alone,” “Heart on my Sleeve” and “Nothing.” The album had sort of a haunted feel to it. It was not really depressing, but you could detect a slight sadness in the air. I think fans of 80s New Wave music would find this album a welcome relief from the current bubblegum pop. I sure did. For more information: www.deathsdoor.com/cruxshadows

Stone Vengeance - The Angel (Independent)
Stone Vengeance is a rock band. There are some Christian overtones to a few songs (“The Angel” and “Touched and Paralyzed”), but overall they seem like a straight ahead rock band. The album is good but nothing really stands out to me. The one thing I do like though is that they are not trying to sound like any one else. They seem to want to be a rock band and are not trying to put rap, R&B or blues sounds in just because they happen to be black. My favorite track is “Babylon Gwan Down” and “The Stroll” (which borrows nicely from “...Satisfaction” by the Stones). The second half of this CD is much better than the first half. The songs are just stronger and seem to show the talents of the band more. This album has laid a good foundation for subsequent releases to build on. For more information: Stone Vengeance c/o Michael Coffey, P.O. Box 880153, San Francisco, CA 94188-0153 or www.stonevengeance.com

Various Artists - Music from the Succubus Club: Soundtrack to Vampire the Masquerade (Dancing Ferret Discs)
As the title states, this is the soundtrack to the video game Vampire: the Masquerade. The central focus of the songs seem to deal with a vampire’s favorite drink: blood. The music on here is nice blend of techno, goth, pop, rock and dance (sometimes all in one song). My favorite songs are “Deception” by The Cruxshadows, “Prey” by Seraphim Shock, “Bloodsucker 2000” by Paralyzed Age, “The Last Beat of your Heart” by Mission U.K., and “Soul to Bleed” by Carfax Abbey. I can’t say I am familiar with this game, but I do know one thing, this CD is very good. For more information: www.ferret.com/discs or www.succubusclub.com