Heavy Metal Textbooks

 4TH OF JULY BUFFET

Here are six 2017 releases from right here in the US of A:

MISSISSIPPI BONES: "Fat Bottom Girls & Midnight Rider"

Normally I wouldn't get too excited about a band releasing two cover tunes, but Mississippi Bones did a great job with both of these rock classics, paying proper tribute while making them their own at the same time.  Extremely well done; hear for yourself:

SOLACE: "Bird of Ill Omen"
New Jersey's Solace is one of my favorite bands of all time.  When I saw there would be a new EP on Bandcamp I thought it was too good to be true.  Then I found they had replaced Jason, and I still don't know how to process this.  Justin Goins now appears on vocals (and keyboards).  Tommy Southard and Justin Daniels are still on guitar and Rob Hultz is still on bass, so I thought a new singer couldn't make for such a drastic change in a band's sound, but I was wrong.  Jason (nobody seems to know his last name) was a truly inspired rock singer, and there is probably no one who can adequately replace his energy.  That being said, these two tunes do have their moments.  When the full length album comes out, perhaps this EP will have given me enough time to adjust and appreciate the new version of the band on its own merit.



ALL THEM WITCHES: "Sleeping Through The War"
I really wasn't going to review this album at all since it has received so much attention and critical acclaim, but this is one of those posts where I mention all the cool stuff I have neglected to mention  to date, and here we are.  If you haven't heard this one, it breaks new ground for this band.  Sleeping Through The War would likely appeal to stoners, regular rock fans and many in the "Coachella" crowd as well. 
 

LO-PAN: "In Tensions"
Lo-Pan always delivers high quality rock with one or two real "keepers" on each album.  "In Tensions" came out in January, and "Long Live The King" was the first tune to really catch my ear on this one.  

GEEZER: "Psychoriffadelia"
This one came out in May, and will be a contender for my top ten list.  Here is "Stressknots", one of five truly great tunes on the album.  

SASQUATCH: "Maneuvers"
Sasquatch is another band that does not disappoint its fans.  "Maneuvers was released a couple of weeks ago; here is "Destroyer": 

In the spirit of July 4th, I wanted to put a good spread on this picnic table. Hope you got something something to eat that was to your liking.  Back next weekend, over and out!
-ULTRA