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CD/TAPE REVIEWS Push - Shaken, Not Stirred (Z Records)
This melodic hard rock CD gets off to a good start and ends pretty good, but with ballads outweighing the rockers the middle could be stronger. Their ballads are average, but when they crank it up they jump to the head of the pack. If they continue with the harder direction, this band will be a force to be reckon with. My favorite songs are “Never Again,” “Ship Comes In” and “Casanova.” For more information: http://hjem.get2net.dk/push/. Seasons of the Wolf - Lost in Helll (Earth Mother Music)
This album is another offering in the ever growing field of Progressive Metal, but the lyrics help this album stand out. Imagine a combination of Bobby Ellsworth from Overkill and King Diamond and that makes for a unique vocal delivery. The more I listen to this album, the more I like it. My favorite songs are “Lost in Hell,” “Abandoned City,” “Interstellar” and “Voo Doo Master.” These guys have what it takes to make it to the big time. I wish them luck and hope others take notice of their excellent musical abilities. For more information: SOTW, P.O. Box 339, Longboat Key, FL 34228. Love Sikk Junkiez - “Sex Action” CD Single
It is kind of hard to judge what this band truly sounds like by one song, but so far so good. “Sex Action” is heavy, sleazy Rock ‘N Roll at its finest. They sing in English, but you can tell it is not their native tongue. Actually the accent adds a gritty feel to the song and that is definitely a good thing!! For more information: LSJ Organization, Kulibanov Dominique 3, allee Jacques Brel 92220 Bagneux, France. Thundercore - Shift EP (demo)
This two song demo tape rocks. If this is the type of sound they are going for, they are off to a great start. “Global” and “Circus of Rats” remind me of stuff by Fear Factory and Sepultura. I look forward to hearing more from Thundercore. They have great potential. For more information: Thundercor@aol.com or Rob Mason, 8842 Robson Lane, Camby, IN 46113. You can also check out their site at: www.thundercore.com. Amaze Me - Wonderland
This band did exactly what their name implies. This is a very catchy melodic hard rock album with all the ingredients to make a great band. The lyrics and music are top notch. They don’t exactly sound like other bands, but there are elements to their music that you have heard before. My favorite songs are “Wonderland,” “Without Your Love,” “Higher & Higher,” “Red Lips” and “Good Day to Die.” This is my first encounter with this band and I will make sure it is not my last. Amaze Me will amaze you too!!! Angra - Fireworks
This album fits somewhere in the middle of the pack of Progressive metal bands. Nothing great, but not bad either. They did catch my attention when they placed the fastest song, aptly titled “Speed” between “Gentle Change” and “Raining Nights”, which are the slowest and most mellow songs on the album. My favorite song was “Extreme Dream.” I was impressed with the guitar playing, but for the most part, the album seems like a poor man’s Savatage. A good album, but I have heard better. Soulmotor - Soulmotor (CMC International)
This band has a serious vibe going. Their music gets your whole body and soul moving, i.e., a Soulmotor. The songs are funky and bluesy with a low end that really kicks you in the butt. Their debut album may well lead the charge into the new millennium. I think you would be hard pressed to find another band around that takes all these musical elements and makes them fit together so well. Check’ em out. My favorite songs are “Guardian Angel,” “Omega Son,” “Kali” and “By the Sound of Her Wings.” For more information: Soulmotor PO Box 161373, Sacramento, CA 95816. Testament - The Gathering (Spitfire Records)
This is the best Testament album in a long time. They are one of the kings of Thrash metal, but they are now adding some new elements to the mix, most notably the guitar playing of James Murphy and the drumming of Dave Lombardo. Heavy is an understatement to describe this album. Chuck Billy’s voice is at its peak on this album. It is very low with some growl to it, but not to the point where you can’t understand most of what he is singing. This will definitely be one of the top metal albums of the year if not the 90s. My favorite songs are “Eyes of Wrath,” “True Believer,” “Legions of the Dead,” and “Careful What You Wish For.” For more information: www.testamentlegions.com.
The Uninvited - The Uninvited (Igloo/Atlantic)
Turn on any pop radio station today and you now know what the Uninvited sounds like. I try to avoid saying bands sound like someone else, but these guys really sound like the Barenaked Ladies on a few songs. My favorite songs on the album all have humorous, tongue in cheek lyrics. The lyrics do help this band stand slightly apart from everything else out there, though they either seem to be humorous or about drugs. My faves are "What God Said," "Young & Beautiful," "Peter Christ," and "That’s What You Get." So if pop radio appeals to you, then this CD will also. CIV - Thirteen Day Getaway (Atlantic/Lava)
CIV delivers 13 tracks of punk rock frenzy, that does not let down from start to finish. If you like other current punk bands, then this release will fit right in to your collection. My favorite tracks were "Secondhand Superstar" and "Shout It." Poundhound - Massive Grooves (Metal Blade)
Poundhound is a side project of King’s X, Doug Pinnick. This album is a little funkier than King’s X, but still very similar. It is an excellent album and I would highly recommend it to any King’s X fan or anyone that enjoys well crafted songs and/or excellent musicianship. Don’t let this one be missing from your collection. I liked all the songs, but these three really grabbed me: "Shake," "Darker" and "Friends." Cutthroat - Cutthroat (Sore Throat Productions)
For you dedicated Eternal Jam readers, you will remember I reviewed a three song demo from these guys. The tape blew me away and this 10 song CD continues the assault. Cut Throat is playing 80’s metal in the 90’s. These guys play HEAVY METAL like very few bands do these days. If you missed getting the tape, don’t fear because the three songs on there are also included on the CD. The entire album kicked butt, though these tracks really got my head banging: "So Far Down," "Living In Anger," " Bullet," "For Your Love," "Took It Away," "Shallow Grave" and "Pain." This CD is a must have for every metal fan’s collection. For more information: Cut Throat, PO Box, 1574 North Hollywood, CA 91614 or http://members.aol.com/cthroatgtr Dream Into Dust - No Man’s Land (Chthonic Streams)
This 4 four song CD is Goth at its most basic level. "The Lost Crusade," "Age of Delirium" and "Seasons in the Mist" are all slow and dark, both in musical and lyrical content. "Dissolution" is mostly spoken word with sparse musical interludes and the longest track on the CD. They have not quite reached Bauhaus level yet, but in a few years they just might. For more information: Chthonic Streams PO Box 7003 New York, NY 10116-7003 | Tommy Shaw - 7 Deadly Zens (CMC International)
This solo release from the long time Styx and Damn Yankees guitarist/singer just reiterates that Tommy Shaw is one of the best overall musicians in the business today. Not only can he sing and play, but he writes great songs also. This is not your typical solo album. While the songs do sound different then his material with either Styx or Damn Yankees, they don’t go on any strange tangents either. The excellence of this album might take more than one listen to realize, but when you do it hits you like a ton of bricks. My favorites on the album are "Stop Knockin’," "All In How You Say It," "Half a Mind" (a great duet with Alison Krauss), "Straight Down the Line," "Ocean" and "Down on the Ground." I think this CD would appeal to Tommy’s long time fans as well as anyone looking for some great new music to check out.
Full on the Mouth - Collide (PMG/Atlantic)
This 3 piece band creates a rock sound with a little something extra. The programming and mechanical sounds are not overpowering and seem to add a nice texture to the music. The lyrics really stood out to me. They made sense and were not just a bunch of words slapped together like some bands seem to do. I applaud them for this. My favorites were "People Mover," "Rainbow," "Waiting" and "Another." I hope this album does well for them because I would like to hear more from these guys. For more information: Full on the Mouth, PO Box 1150, Flint, MI 48501 or FOM@aol.com.
By Lori Powers Moon Dog Mane - Turn It Up
Moon Dog Mane is Frank Hannon’s (ex-Tesla) new band. When I was listening to this CD, I asked my husband what bands this reminds him of, and the first thing that came out of his mouth was “Tesla.” Of course the singer isn’t the same, and to me, the band is much more “southern” sounding but on the song he heard, it’s must have been Frank’s guitar playing that reminded him of Tesla. It’s a great band and Brodie Steward is a great vocalist (Rob says he sounds a bit like Johnny Lang). They use all the required “Southern/Blues” type instruments such as tambourine, piano, organ, and dobro. There are 12 songs on the CD. My favorites include: “Turn It Up,” “When I think About It Now,” “Can’t Stop Rockin,” Let It Shine,” and “Times Are Changin.” PC69 - Electrified
For some reason when I got this CD, I was expecting not to like it (not sure why). Boy was I pleasantly surprised. I love this band. They are a great melodic hard rock band. I am instantly drawn to a great voice. Of course all of the musicians are important but lately many of the CDs I’ve heard start off with some great guitar, etc...but once the singing begins, I’m not so impressed (not to say they’re bad...just not for me). I love those good, strong singers with a wide vocal range. These guys are have been around more than a decade and it shows. They are some great musicians. My favorite songs on the CD (hard to pick favorites) include: “Over The Fire,” “Higher Kind Of Life,” “Rocket Ride,” “Best For You,” and “Gone Again.” Would love to get my hands on some of the other CDs this band has recorded. L.A. Guns - Shrinking Violet
This is L.A. Guns first CD with Jizzy Pearl (Love/Hate) on vocals and a much better CD than their last one, Wasted. Not that Wasted was bad, but this one has more songs and is put together better. I like it a lot and it hasn’t left the CD player since I got it. The CD kicks off with “Girl You Turn Me On.” It’s a very catchy tune and one of my favorites on the CD. Other favorites include: “I’ll Be There” (a heavy rockin’ tune that is my absolute favorite), “Bad Whiskey” (very bluesy), “Dreamtime,” “Cherries” (very catchy), and “Decide.” It’s an excellent CD and I cannot believe how great they sound with Jizzy singing. Devil’s Nite - Primitive
This band has a great Rock N’ Roll sound. Vocalist, August, has a great high pitched voice (up there with the Dean Davidson, Geddy Lee and Mark Slaughter). He also hits the lows quite well, too. In fact, there were times when I thought there were 2 different vocalists. The CD contains 12 songs. They have a very tight sound, great lyrics and do a great version of Jani Lane’s (Warrant) “Southern Comfort.” My other favorite songs on the CD include: “Judgment Day,” “Wanderlust,” ”Psycho ‘99” (it’s rockin’), and “Heroes” (the ballad...August sounds great). I like this CD more and more each time I listen. Check it out. For more information write to: Devil’s Nite, c/o Primitive Records, P.O. Box 78, Roseville, MI 48066-9998. Marvelous 3 - Hey! Album
The first word that pops into my mind when I think of Marv3 is “catchy.” It’s toe tapping sing along music. I’m not even going to begin to try to describe the type of music they play because I don’t have a clue. I have heard it described as “power pop.” To me, it’s rock...with a Cheap Trickish vibe. I have heard nothing but great things about this band...and it’s all true. People are catching on fast (including Elektra Records). This is definitely an album everyone should own. My favorite songs include: “You’re So Yesterday,” “Freak Of The Week,” “Until You See,” “Every Monday,” but every song on the CD is great. Funny Money - Funny Money
Funny Money is former Kix vocalist, Steve Whiteman’s new band. I’ve always love Kix so it doesn’t surprise me that I LOVE this band, too! Many of my favorite 80’s bands have broken up and gone their separate ways. Some of them have gone on to form new bands and tried to leave their past (and that great rock sound) behind, not this band. This CD contains 10 rockin’ tunes. It’s that classic good time party music that most of us miss hearing. You’ll find no depressing alterna-crap here. This is one band that I just know would put on one hell of a concert. The songs are full of catchy lyrics and great beats. This is the kind of music that wouldget anyone up and dancing. It’s got the kick ass rock songs such as "Can’t Take The Heat," "Boogie Man," and "Monkey See, Monkey Do," as well as the "required" ballads like "For Keeps" and "Dry Eyes Cry." Steve’s voice sounds better than ever and the band sounds great. In the last few weeks I’ve played the heck out of this CD and can’t wait to hear more music from the band. If you would like to get yourself a copy of this EXCELLENT CD, just send $13.99 to: Kivel Records, 923 SawMill River Road, Suite 300, Ardsley, NY 10502. L.A. Guns - Wasted
Wasted is the first and last CD L.A. Guns recorded with vocalist Ralph Saenz. The CD contains 6 songs including 4 originals, a Kiss cover, and the classic "Ballad Of Jayne" redone and titled 'Jayne 98. First I must admit that I am a little biased when it comes to L.A. Guns because I LOVE these guys. It’s always a pleasure chatting with Johnny and Tracii. They constantly show how much they appreciate their fans and that makes them tops in my book. Putting that aside, and trying to be objective...I will say that this is a really good CD. Not their best, but still quite good. I love the first song, "Wasted." It’s a heavy rockin’ tune with a really great beat. "Heavy Head" is also a great song, "Forgiving Eyes" is my favorite ballad on the CD. I do like "Jayne 98" but after comparing it to the original, I’d have to say that Ralph just doesn’t hit the notes that Phil Lewis did. I’m sure that someone who never heard the original would think that this is a kick ass song. The band also does a great "Cold Gin" cover. Ralph sounds a little David-Lee-Rothish on this song. I guess my biggest gripe about this CD is that there are only 6 songs. It’s well worth checking out and can be purchased by sending $14 (includes shipping) to: Mitch Lafon, Stand Back Entertainment INC, P.O. Box 282, Massena, NY 13662-0282. MORE REVIEWS |
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