Quick Review - Hatebreed's The Concrete Confessional

The Concrete Confessional

Hatebreed

I'll put it short and sweet.
This album is incredible.

Fueled by the injustices of this world Hatebreed seems to be able to always put into words and music the frustrations many of their fans can relate to.
From government corruption to the abuses of power based on religious dogma, Jasta and Company tap into that anger and vitriol to create an amazing soundtrack to this world burning around us.
It is difficult to hear this album and not wanna take a sledgehammer to something or someone.

If you were a fan of the band's earlier work, there is plenty of that old school hardcore to sink your teeth into. If you are generally a fan of heavy metal, you are definitely going to find that the band has tapped into their more "metal" side with many thrashy riffs and chugs.

Jasta's clean singing has come a long way and is probably his best singing overall. The band musically is on top of it's game and the production is stellar.

What I enjoyed the most about this album is that Hatebreed never retraces it's steps. Old school fans will love the aggression and the way the lyrics sink in rather quickly. But there are few instances on this album that I ever say this material sounds anything like their earlier albums. Aside from the title of the track "Walking the Knife" which automatically brought to mind the title of their first EP "under the knife" I can say that this album is a new stage of Hatebreed.

Few bands can say that this far into their career they sound as heavy if not heavier than their earliest and most primal times. The Concrete Confessional may be their heaviest and most "Metal" album of their careers. As a fan I say thank you.

A first listen review of Deftones GORE Album

GORE

Deftones

The Deftones have never shied away from sounding different from one album to the next. While most bands explain their transitions as merely experimentation or trying to stay fresh, this band has not. Perhaps it has never really been about experimentation but acting out a self realization of what the band could be. Never one to latch onto one signature style, Chino and company continue to peel back layers upon layers getting closer to the DNA and molecular abstraction that is the true sound of the band. Going back to their earliest origins on Adrenaline, you can see the corners lifting on any genre stamping the band may have been saddled with. "Nu Metal", "rap metal", "aggro" or even "emo" never truly fit the band. While Korn sang about personal "issues" and Limp Bizkit were "breaking stuff", Deftones were going "back to school". With hiked up striped skate socks, oversized hoodies and the power of sledgehammering riffs, their hearts beat closer to Sade than slayer. With abstract lyrics, song titles and a mix of technical/blistering metal, Deftones are a very unique entity.

Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno, is personally one of my favorite artists of any genre. A number of his non Deftones projects are incredible. Moreno carries over many of the elements from those outside endeavors to each new Deftones project. Most specifically Team Sleep, whose influence has been heard on the last several Deftones albums going all the way back to Saturday Night Wrist, a sound that was layered with distortion and effects.

Gore seems to have hit the reset button. It's stripped down, extremely human and wears it's scars for all to see. The production feels like it was scrubbed clean with a white magic sponge. The band hasn't sounded this rubbed raw since their Self Titled album, which was my personal favorite album. There has been plenty of talk in the press about lead guitarist Carpenter's dissatisfaction with the direction of this album. The Self Titled album was also surrounded by the type of turmoil that either destroys a band or brings a band closer together. For the first time in my recollection the band has a true blue guitar solo(provided by Jerry Cantrell) via "Phantom Bride" which is their most radio friendly track on this album.

Gore is an album that fluctuates between beauty and destruction. The full compliment of the band is playing at it's peak. Chino is as adapt at hitting all of the soaring notes as he is at straining his vocals til the point of bursting. Steph takes out his anger with monstrous riffs, while Abe's smooth percussion feels like home. Sergio Vega, who continues to walk in the late Chi Cheng's bassists boots provides truly warm tones that complete the sound of a band relying more on musicianship than layered effects.

If I had to isolate some of my favorite tracks on first listen, the album's three closing tracks would be on my list. "Gore" has a cool pace, lot of space between the lyrics and the riffs have just the right crunch to keep the song interesting. "Phantom Bride" is a vibrant song with a lot of soul. It may be the album's most dynamic track that never wanders too far from the vibe of the chorus and is solidified by that great Cantrell solo. "Rubicon" is an amazing track to close the album. It's full of energy and the percussion on this is highly impactful. All around great musicianship back to front on the track.

It's too soon for me figure out where this rates as far as my favorite Deftones albums. The one element that makes listening to this album as joyful as listening to their last is the return to the stripped down heaviness of their self titled album. While the last album felt like I had to figure out equations while listening to it, this time around I put my pencil down and just took in the sound scape the band builds around me. Sometimes less is a whole lot more.

Anthrax - For All Kings - track by track Review!

 FOR ALL KINGS

Anthrax

Grownman's Track by Track review!!!!

You Gotta Believe - Great start on this one that matches up quite well with their last album. The writing is strong and Belladonna feels like a better fit for the pace of this song. The main riff is reminiscent of early Anthrax. This is the first recording with Jonathan Donais of Shadows Fall on lead. It's definitely a plus that he's such an instrumental part of this song with his solos. This is how you introduce a new member.

Monster At The End - Two tracks in and Anthrax feels like their back for good. With all the line up changes in the past few years it's pretty cool to see Anthrax back at it's best. Donais once again is the spotlight of this track with his leads and solos peppering the listeners ears throughout. I can't say it enough this song is made for Belladonna. The pace of the last album made it sound like he was playing catch up. This time around, this is a perfect fit.

For All Kings - Check out that friggin bass beneath it all, Frank Bello is on point. When I first heard this track alone, I wasn't digging it. Now in the context of the album, it makes a hell of a lot more sense. The pace of the track is in order with the rest of the album. The production is so well balanced that you can clearly hear how great the new lineup gels together. The band sounds tight.

Breathing Lightning - A radio friendly track that incorporates all the thrash crunch the band's known for. I guess this old dog can learn a few new tricks. It's probably the most pop thing the band's ever done and I can't hate on them because it's actually good. The track even ends with an outro similar to the acoustic strumming on Sabbath's Laguna Sunrise.

Suzerain - This is what Scott Ian was talking about when he said that this album will have some of the most metal inspired music they've performed in their careers. Belladonna embraces his Dio on this one and the new kid Donais adds that next level of guitarmanship the band's needed for a very long time. I recall the band heading into the much more metal territory when they first hooked up with Dan Nelson. We saw how that went right? This time around, I think the band is well equipped and comfortable enough to explore their darker side. Come on now, Donais solo in the latter half of this song slayyyyyyyyyyyys!!!!!

Evil Twin - Break out your long board and thrash hard.

Blood Eagle Wings - The track begins with Uniquely Distorted riffs that transition into a signature Anthrax thrash groove. This will keep you swaying and singing along the whole way through.

Defend Avenge - What year is this? This is straight outta the early Anthrax songbook. No time to write. Time to MOSH! ..... this will even put a smile on the hardened brows of Testament fans

All of Them Thieves - This tune has a heavy Pantera influence. By demons be driven this feels like something that could have easily been on "Sound of White Noise' or 'We come for You All". The band has never sounded fuller or more confident.

This Battle Chose Us - While it definitely has a beautiful crunch, I'm not completely sold on the entire track. It's lost a bit of the energy and steam the rest of the album embodies. It might grow on me after a few listens but for now this feels like filler. 

Zero Tolerance - Bouncy signature grooves reminiscent of early Anthrax. Some of the best guitar work on the entire album and when I consider what I've just listened to, I'm blown away. The song as a whole isn't my favorite track right now but it definitely will thrash your face off.

extra live tracks - a bonus 

This is the album that will finally satisfy both the Belladonna and Bush fans. The thrash and metal components really work well on this album in a way that I haven't heard for sometime. Compared to the many original Thrash/Crossover bands from the 80's, Anthrax still deliver and bring to the table some fresh ideas without changing the dynamics of their sound. The album really benefits from the lack of drama and lead vocalist shakeups their last one dealt with. That was a large problem with even getting that album completed. I can't say it enough, Jonathan Donais is the fuel injection that Anthrax really needed going into this album. Many fans had no clue what to expect from yet another Anthrax line up change. His playing brings out the best in these thrash vets. It sounds like the band has found a fountain of youth in their playing. The production is pristine and does a great service to the melodic moments that appear throughout this album. If I had my hands held to the fire to actually give this album a score, I'd definitely give it 8 out of 10. It's so much better than their last album and it feels like everyone is on the same page now. As a long time fan, I'd like to see the band be even more productive in the future to knock out a few more albums before any shake ups occur. Shadows Fall is on a hiatus, Ian is focused on Anthrax business again and Belladonna seems to be fully initiated into his role as vocalist which means that they should not wait very long before getting into the studio again after they complete a touring schedule for this one. Strike while the iron is hot men!

Fear Factory streams new album! Genexus release day!!!!! Quick First Listen Review

FEAR FACTORY's GENEXUS is unleashed upon humanity today!

The long awaited return of Fear Factory happens today! That's right, the much talked about and reported about Genexus was released today. Nuclear Blast is currently streaming the entire album, listen above. This is a must listen. FF sound as great as they've sounded in years. This album successfully reaches all the expectations I had for this album after hearing the first few singles the band released. This trumps many of the "comeback" albums that have been released in 2015. The band sounds refreshed, invigorated and ready to write the next chapter of the bands storied career. The transitions between their earlier sound and the latter half of the career comes full circle on this album. Genexus is as stripped down and groovey as Digimortal and as punch heavy as Archetype. The evolution of their sound is helped greatly by the veteran work of Tony Campos on Bass and a return to real drums by Mike Heller. Between the power of Burton's vocals (both the irate and clean) and the electricity of Dino's riffs, Fear Factory has regenerated into a mechanized Jaeger forged with evil intent. This is exactly what I wanted to hear from Fear Factory. They even were able to pull off a really mellow and beautiful tune called "Battle of Utopia" that ties together Ray Kurzweil's theories on "Singularity" which is a theme that flows throughout the entire album.

ORDER AT:
Nuclear Blast: http://nblast.de/FFGenexusNB
Amazon (Digipak): http://nblast.de/FFGenexusAMZDigipak
Amazon (Standard): http://nblast.de/FFGenexusAMZ
DOWNLOAD AT
iTunes: http://nblast.de/FFGenexusIT
Amazon (Digital): http://nblast.de/FFGenexusAMZMP3
Google Play: http://nblast.de/FFGenexusGP

Misdemeanors - Dehumanized EP - Review

Dehumanized EP 

Misdemeanors

Misdemeanors out of NYC are back with a brand new EP, Dehumanized. They really killed it with their last release Danger to Society. They practice a spirited brand of hardcore that lends an ear to the early to mid eighties scene. The first track "They Live" shows up to kick a ton of ass (they must be all out of bubble gum). The raw and unadulterated joy of the drum beat riding beneath bending guitar riffs and shouting vocals is definitely one to be heard. "Raygun" is fast, furious and ready to shred your face off. The Keith Morris'esque vocal delivery fits perfectly with the aggressive punk bombastity of the band. "FNA" is a dirty sounding tune that kicks off at a raucous pace and perfectly incorporates call/response shouting. The title track "Dehumanized" does what even Keith Morris's Off project doesn't do enough of, keep the vocals in the mix and not push it so forward that you lose track of the band's performance behind it. The track is fully flushed out and is equal parts gritty and explosive. The breakdown and pace change a third ways in gives this track exactly what it needed, a space to breathe. These guys have grown since their last release and it left me wanting about ten more tracks just like this. But I guess that's what EP's are for anyway right? Pick this up now.

REVIEW - All That Remains' The Order of Things

THE ORDER OF THINGS

ALL THAT REMAINS

I feel like I have to preface this review by revealing I'm a really huge fan of Phil Labonte and company. I've been fortunate enough to run into the band on several occasions in the past and see the band at it's humble beginnings all the way up to the Fall of Ideals album. They are great to their fans and regardless of what you may or may not feel about Labonte's opinions on politics he's a hell of a metal vocalist.

Back in the Nineties Labonte was the frontman of another popular western mass band SHADOWSFALL. I picked up their first album in a hole in the wall record store John Dwyer of Pathos Records sold his metal cds through. It has become one of my favorite albums over the years. The dual vocals of both Labonte and Matt Bachand really made that album a diverse thrash classic with a lot of haunting melodies. How does that relate to the album I'm about to review?

Well folks, each ATR album is as diverse as the next and this one has a whole lot of melody. Haunting? No...positive and uplifting? Yes

The first three tracks I heard off this album were a real indicator that the band was expanding on their sound in a big way. No Knock is as heavy as they've sounded in years. A track that lyrically brings to the forefront the issue of law enforcement and the fourth amendment. This Probably Won't End Well sounds like a great transitional break up song that could be paired with Last Time off the "For We Are Many" album or What if I Was Nothing off the "War You Can Not Win" album. Tru-Kvlt-Metal really takes their mixture of clean/harsh singing and melody to newer heights which in it's darkest moments brings to mind the strained vocals of SIX off the "Fall of Ideals" album.

I was extremely excited to hear this release with those three tracks already committed to memory and I'm glad to say as a fan of the band since it's inception I am not disappointed.

Divide, The Greatest Generation and For You are lyrically and melodically driven tunes that focus more on songwriting than pummeling. This trifecta forms a nice barrier between the brutality of No Knock and A Reason For Me to Fight where Oli Hebert really flexes his muscles in satriani'esque flourishes throughout the riffs and scales.

Victory Lap has a great rock feel. It has a bouncy and upbeat rhythm. It's one of the bands most scaled back songs ever committed to tape.

Pernicious is a standout track with nice balance of groove and instrumentation throughout. Jeanne Sagan showcases her chops on bass and lends a hand on backing vocals. It's rhythmically one of the best tracks on the album.

Bite My Tongue is another track that defines how far this band has come musically since Fall of Ideals. Upbeat and powerful riffs and chugs. The percussion is on point. Just listen to that jazzy interlude? Listen to that bass? Highly efficient and effective playing on this by all members.

Fiat Empire turns the heat back up on the heavy. The riffing on this so freaking great! Martin and Hebert are an underrated rhythm section. Labontes vocal range on this so crazy as he reaches almost Brian Wilson'esque heights on the chorus and descends into the depths of hell for those crazy screams he's famous for.

ATR finishes out the album with a nice acoustic intro on Criticism and Self Realization that transitions into a beautiful mix of brutality and melody. The range from vitriol to uplifting is incredible.

My overall concensus is that this album is a very solid one. While not nearly their heaviest it may be one of their most cohesive and balanced. I've read that Phil Labonte wasn't as proud of their last album as he had been of his previous efforts. I think this one will sit very well with the frontman and the long time fans like me who have enjoyed the great musical path All That Remains has taken us on. Big ups!

HMT Dual Track CD Review - Horrendous

Ecdysis

Horrendous

We really enjoyed our last dual review so we're throwing you another one. Straight off the Dark Descent label and it's a doozy. We hope you'll listen, buy and share the word about all of these great bands we review. The publicity we give them is well deserved.
Nuff said. Get on with it.

Track 1 - The Stranger

Grownman says
Synthy beginning. Major distortion on opening riffs that I'd expect from a band jamming out in their basement. Fuzzed out compression with a bit of a groove. The vocals are so strained and otherworldly. I enjoy when the song picks up with a bit of thrash momentum. Nice to hear some soloing over the fast rhythm later on in the song. A nice blend of classic death with some anthemic soloing spliced in.

Professor Fork Tongue says
I'm in love with the main riff on this. Sounds like something late era Carcass would conjure up. Horrendous has a melodic death metal streak in them somewhere. If there's one thing I love it's death metal with prominent bass. Vicious bass at that. First time listening to this I didn't really dig the vocals. Listening on headphones and I've completely reversed my stance. Some great solo which is something you're going to hear multiple times from me in this review. I'm no audiophile but one thing I can tell right off the bat is there is no "loudness war" production on this album. I'm not sure it's compressed at all. Every instrument has a chance to rip you to shreds. Easily the most well produced metal album I've heard all year.

Track 2 - Weeping Relic

Grownman says
Opening with a WTF moment. These vocals are bestial. The riffs are crossover crunchy. The percussion is really clean and bright. While I can't seem to get a grasp on the song's direction until 2/3rds in I can see that this band enjoys pushing the boundaries and keeping things off kilter.

Professor Fork Tongue says
This one kicks up the tempo a notch. I'm really appreciating this album a whole lot more through headphones. Again, the bass is fucking fantastic. I haven't heard leads like this on a death metal album in a long time. This one throws a couple curve balls at you.

Track 3 - Heaven's Deceit

Grownman says
Nice palm muted and distorted riffage. For what the production lacks the deep tones and throat bursting vocals make up for. Once again these throat shredding vocals over a constantly transitioning rhythm works. It's unorthodox yet still holds true to the classic death metal sound.

Professor Fork Tongue says
This is great but short. You can hear their progressive streak in this one. I'm not gonna sit here and throw a mish mash of band names out because while I can hear hints, they don't sound like any of them. It's refreshing to hear a death metal album that's accessible but can still tear your throat out. I thinks it's official that these guys have gone from top of the heap of the "OSDM" wave, to top of the heap of death metal in general. Morbus Chron went too far to the progressive side this year but these guys worked out the formula perfectly.

Track 4 - Resonator

Grownman says
Hello, this is faster and heavier. Everything seems to just pop in my ear drum. Thrashy punk death maneuvers in the dark.

Professor Fork Tongue says
Another great one. More straight up old school death metal on this one. Vocals particularly stand out. I really can't say enough about the guitar work on this album. Voice almost sounds like amp feedback towards the end of the song. Just vicious.

Track 5 - The Vermillion

Grownman says
An echoey acoustic instrumental. Sounds beautiful. Always worked for Sabbath.

Professor Fork Tongue says
I'm a sucker for a great instrumental break. A real nice come down moment from the brutality of the rest of the album.

Track 6 - The Nepenthe

Grownman says
So many strong points to this song. Starting off with some dissonant soloing on the tracks intro. There is a nice balance between the brutality of the vocals and the strong musicianship accompanying it. Twists and turns keep my ears guessing.

Professor Fork Tongue says
Allow me to cream my pants about the production of this album some more. I can turn this up as loud as I want without distortion and destroying my speakers. This loudness war compressed crap has got to go. Try that with most albums these days and your ears will slap you. There's a really nice piece in here with what sounds like minimalist atmospheric keyboards deep in the mix that sounds great in the headphones.

Track 7 -  Monarch

Grownman says
Feels old school right from front street. The buzzing of the amps remind me of Metallica's "And justice for all" production. I love the soloing on this song and the upbeat rhythm throughout.

Professor Fork Tongue says
Oh man I love the soloing at the start but I love it even more when it really kicks in. This one is going to cause massive pits with the big riffs and anthem gang vocals.

Track 8 - When the Walls Fell

Grownman says
woah!!!! I wanna start singing "Over the Mountain". So Randy Rhoades-ish. I'm starting to think these guys own a time machine. This totally sounds like something straight out of the early to mid 80's. Well timed instrumental.

Professor Fork Tongue says
Whoa. This has a new NWOBHM vibe to it. A little out of place but I love it. These guys have some serious chops and I'm pretty sure they could do any kind of metal they want and do it well.

Track 9 - Pavor Nocturnus

Grownman says
Sounds sabbathy from the start. Iommi-esque slow riffing and that Ward'esque beat. You know this is gonna be an ominous tune from the start. Transitions into something akin to a Human era Death tune. Why have I never heard these guys before? There's a really nice bass line hidden around the mid point that I'll have to back track to on the album's next rotation in my playlist. Great old school outtro.

Professor Fork Tongue says
Slow and doomy at the start. Again, I love hearing the bass. Gives this track an extra creepiness vibe. I completely hear the Human era Death vibe that Grownman got.

Track 10 - Titan

Grownman says
As I could only expect after hearing the rest of this album. This is going to have some "Titan"-ic distortion. It definitely has a bluesy and soulful vibe which is completely unheard of on most death metal albums. Great way to close out an album that's constantly switching things up. There is not one moment on the album including this tune where I'm scrambling to regain my attention or find myself scratching my head over why something was thrown in.

Professor Fork Tongue says
Very somber track. Kind of vaguely reminds me of Sacriphyx who are great in their own right. The chanted vocals underneath the throat ripping vocals sounds great. I have a feeling this will be in my top 5 somewhere at the end of the year, it's that good. Go grab it from Dark Descent who are on a gigantic roll the last few years, especially this one.

Horrendous is Jamie Knox(drums) Damian Herring (guitars,vocals) Matt Knox (guitars,vocals)

HMT Dual Track by Track Review of Eternal Khan's A Poisoned Psalm

A Poisoned Psalm

Eternal Khan

When I reached out to Eternal Khan last week about interviewing the band about their upcoming album "A Poisoned Psalm" they were gracious enough to send us a download of the cd to review. As I often do when I have a new interview coming up and need some expert advice I hit up Professor Fork Tongue, the in-house underground metal expert. He immediately pitched me an idea to do a dual track by track review for the cd. So here it is. I'm extremely happy at how it came out and it feeds off what Prof. Fork Tongue and I had collaborated on when we first started this site. If there is any band that deserves the special treatment and care that we gave each song on this cd, it is Eternal Khan. This  is just the tip of the iceberg as I will be posting later on this week our interview with the band. Great guys, great music and they are just a stones throw away from Heavy Metal Textbooks headquarters. Check these guys out and definitely pre order this cd. Now on to our review.

Bells on the Black Hour

Grownman - This song based on the Salem Witch Trials. Gotta love that very ominous intro. Sounds like a funeral march. I'll probably say this throughout this review but it definitely would make for a great score to an old school horror movie. Love the galloping guitars and the first generation Death metal feel to this. This is the song that originally got me hooked on the band.

Prof. Fork Tongue - The thing like I enjoy most about this band is I instantly know it's them as soon as it comes on. That's rare these days. I love the synopsis of each song that comes with the download. I hope it's also in the CD notes. It's fairly common in metal but I also love the intelligent lyrics. I made mention in previous reviews of this band to Faustcoven and Negative Plane and I don't hear that anymore. I'm not sure they were ever an influence but that's what they conjured up in my mind. Now they just conjure up Eternal Khan. That's the sign of a good band. Love the dropped out outro.

Raging Host

Grownman - The production on this album is incredible. Eternal Khan definitely have their own signature sound. A great song about a Spectral Horde riding across the sky. I absolutely love how the vocalist phrases the lyrics "No refuge in the dark wood". Something about it every time I hear it triggers this response in my brain and I just wanna head bang.The combination of the speedy picking and those crashing symbols really give this song that cold wintry atmosphere. You can almost feel a cold breath riding down your spine.

Prof. Fork Tongue - Love the middle eastern style drums that run through this song. There's a couple great sounding transitions in here which seems to be a strength of the band. I prefer when these guys slow it down which they do a bit in spots on the song. Again. the lyrics are fantastic throughout the album and so are the drums which were both done by D.Murphy. I love the guitar and vocals too don't get me wrong but drums are something I never really notice but I'm noticing them so that's somewhat new for me.

Undermined and Abandoned

Grownman - A tune based on the existential quandary of why we're here and what the hell to do with that realization. This band has amazing timing and rhythm. Love that each song takes you on a journey and the songs have these crazy twists and turns.

Prof. Fork Tongue - A great thing about the guitar work with these guys is that they never sacrifice atmosphere for riffs or vice versa. I love both but combining the two well is tough and they do it exceptionally well. The line "At odds with the nature of our nature. Tragically self-aware." is a great line and I love the cadence at which it's delivered.

The Tower

Grownman - This is absolutely my favorite track on the album. The intro reminds me of something off Danzig's 4 album. Any comparison's to the Evil Elvis rhythm section is coincidental. This isn't about the Gods Killing...this is about their complete disdain for humanity.The low and slow bluesy strum transitions into really beautiful atmospheric riffs. Hammering drums and the lightning fast picking that quickly come into play bring to mind a scene from Godzilla. Throngs of people just running away from a godlike monster that's just glaring down at them with rage and disgust. I'm probably reading too much into this, no? 

Prof. Fork Tongue - The gods may have been disappointed when humans couldn't actualize their potential but I'm not disappointed in this song. Best track on the album hands down. What a great intro. Again, I love when these guys slow it it down, always the highlight in my eyes. When it picks up I can't help but head bang while I'm typing. Your gods have left The Tower.

The Black Stork

Grownman - Thanks to Professor Fork Tongue for filling me on what this song is about. This song is fast and brooding. The acidic vocal delivery of each line along with the grand scale of the song structure makes you feel like your walking down the long corridor of an abandoned hospital. The chords during the last 30 seconds of the song are really beautiful and somber like a sad lullaby.

Prof. Fork Tongue - I've done deep, deep research into eugenics so when I saw the title of the song I pretty much knew where this was going. To make it short and sweet I'll quote a little something I wrote about the movie "The Black Stork" of which the song is based on. "In 1917, Hollywood produced The Black Stork, a story about a mismatched couple who are counseled by a doctor against having children. However, the couple become pregnant anyway and the woman gives birth to a defective child that she allows to die. The deceased baby’s spirit then ascends into the arms of Jesus Christ. Hailing it as a "eugenic love story" in publicity ads, the eugenic movement had its own propaganda film at last, and it promoted The Black Stork throughout the nation.It’s catch-phrase: “Kill Defectives, Save the Nation and See ‘The Black Stork.” Not quite “Save the Cheerleader, Save the World,” but close. Dr. Haiselden, then famous in eugenics circles for his baby-killing ways in Chicago, played himself as the doctor in the film." Anyway onto the song. Once again really great lyrics seemingly through pro eugenics glasses. I don't mean that as a knock either, that's what you do when you write songs. People take stuff too literal sometimes. Really great somber ending as Grownman said, almost like a "sad lullaby".

Void of Light and Reconciliation

Grownman - Hearing this makes me want to unsheathe a sword and storm a castle. Something really medieval about the tone and rhythm. This is another amazing tune. I wanna hear this as a score over a movie about an evil king. This song perfectly captures the transformation of the mind and it's descent into evil. The rage in the delivery of the vocals and the overall composition of the song really illustrate the story. I absolutely love how much range the band has and the tools they have at their disposal. To think this is only three musicians and how immense of a sound they can get out of all the transitions they come up with. There is not one song on this album that just stays the course. Eternal Khan strive on each track to outdo themselves.

Prof. Fork Tongue - I read the lyrics before reading the synopsis and what I came up with was "a darkness is creeping up ever so slowly and when it takes hold it obliterates all". After reading the synopsis that's pretty much what it was. I thought about it in a literal sense but it's more of "a negative and repressed aspect of one's personality reemerging on its own terms to the detriment and shock of the unsuspecting subject" which is essentially the same as what I was thinking just from a different angle. That's a sign of great writing right there.

Into the Twilight Abysses

Grownman - Based on a HP Lovecraft "The Dreams in the Witch House". Take my money. One of my favorite Gothic horror writers, H.P. Lovecraft hailed from Providence, RI, home base of Eternal Khan. This makes me very happy. The song captures all the drama of the story and I really wish someone would adapt it to a movie so this could be it's lead score. Love how the chords are like the angles in the character Gilman's room. They draw you in while the bass, percussion and vocals hint at the void that waits behind it all. There is drama and adventure at every turn.

Prof. Fork Tongue - Take away my metal card, I don't know shit about Lovecraft. Could never get into fiction, shoot me. This may be my second favorite track of the album and the one that most reminds me of their EP "A Primitive History", which I also loved.

Conclusion: An amazing album back to front that finds the band fully realizing their own sound. The exceptional cover art and extras make this a must own. 

D.Murphy - drums, lyrics T.Phrathep - guitar
N.Wood - guitar, vocals

Click here To Preorder "A Poisoned Psalm" 

Review - Sevendust's Time Traveler's and Bonfires

Time Traveler's and Bonfires

Sevendust

Sevendust's follow up to last year's Black Out the Sun, is a stripped down, acoustic album comprised of twelve tracks (broken up into 6 newly written songs and 6 acoustic covers). Time Traveler's and Bonfires was financed in part by the fans through a funding campaign at PledgeMusic. Within a week some 2000 pledges doubled the campaign's goal amount and set the stage for the band to get this album out much quicker than their previous efforts. The funding campaign model is an excellent idea for bands like Sevendust who've known the struggles of dealing with big record labels in the past.

I'll be succinct, this album is a good album. It's a bit of a conservative step back compared their last album which was some of their darkest and heaviest material. The band is pairing this release with an all acoustic tour.

I've listened to the album a half dozen times and I find the 6 new tracks really lack definition. The real standouts are "Come Down", "The Wait" and "One Life" which have the feel of their last two albums. "Bonfire" is probably the weakest track on the entire album.

The second half of the album delivers the goods. The band sounds so much more comfortable with the material. Stripping down tracks like "Denial" and "Crucified" to the bare bones really showcases great musicianship and songwriting that sometimes gets lost in high gloss production. "Karma" still retains a kickass intensity that the band started delving into on their last two albums. "Black" one of the biggest hits of their career is on a whole another level. While I would've preferred a dirtier solo during the track, it cements the whole acoustic feel of the project.

For some reason, this album feels like an EP. The new tracks are good, not great. After their last album, I had really high expectations that they were embracing their dark side. This feels like a band at a standstill. IF you're a diehard Sevendust fan, you'll probably already have pre ordered this. If you're only a fan of their last two albums, you may just wanna wait and see where the band goes from this point on. - grownman

New Blog Segment Exclusive: Reviews by ULTRA

Welcome to Ultra Review. This week, Ultra reviews Nashville Pussy's latest release "UP THE DOSAGE".  We're excited to have Ultra joining us as a regular contributor to the site and we look forward to what he has in store for us in the coming weeks!

NASHVILLE PUSSY: Up The Dosage

    Nashville Pussy are what they are: they write short, catchy tunes with raunchy lyrics.  You either like them or you don’t.  If you do appreciate the Pussy, I think you’ll agree that this is their best album so far.  “Till The Meat Falls Off The Bone” is one of the catchier tunes: “Get high…stay stoned…and make your brain at home…smoke…smoke…till the meat falls off the bone”.  “HIGH!.STONED!…MEAT!…BONE!” has been stuck in my head more than once.  “Everybody’s Fault But Mine”, “Before The Drugs Wear Off”, “Hooray For Cocaine, Hooray For Tennessee”, and “Pussy’s Not A Dirty Word” are some of my other favorites.  The band has called this their “Back In Black” album.  What they mean is that if you are going to recommend one Nashville Pussy album to a friend, this is the one you tell them to check out.  If they are going to like the band, they are going to like this album.  Nashville Pussy are legitimately good musicians.  They could entertain without the raunchy lyrics, but being who they are has put them in a special place in my heart, and this album is my favorite so far. - reviewed by ULTRA

 

                  

www.nashvillepussy.com/

Nashville Pussy is Blaine Cartwright(guitar/vocals), Ruyter Suys(lead guitar), 

Jeremy Thompson(drums) & Bonnie Buitrago(bass) ‎