Sacred Heart | The Vision

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

The Pure Steel Records’ Pure Underground division reached deep into the metal vault to find this lost gem. Sacred Heart was a Cleveland-area heavy metal band active for a brief period of time as the 1980s gave way to the ‘90s. The band, which featured hotshot guitarist Byron Nemeth, released just one demo, the three-song The Vision, in 1989. After all these years, Pure Underground has brought these long lost Sacred Heart recordings – plus a few additional surprises – back to light with their deluxe reissue of The Vision.

This edition of The Vision contains not only a newly remastered version of the original three songs from the original demo, but the song “Time After Time,” which originally appeared on Auburn Records’ Heavy Artillery sampler in 1991, as well as the previously unreleased song “Take Hold.” That’s five vintage Sacred Heart recordings total. The rest of The Vision consists of a six-song 2010 EP by the Byron Nemeth Group.

The Sacred Heart songs are about what you’d expect from an American heavy metal band with that particular name. They’re traditional, Dio and Maiden-inspired American power metal songs with an epic, dramatic flair, some nice melodies and high-pitched (if a bit thin) vocals. Stylistically, it’s similar to bands like Fifth Angel and early Drive. The later Byron Nemeth Group material is quite a bit different. It’s more keyboard-oriented progressive metal with lots of technicality and a vocalist who is much more powerful, if not quite so distinctive. It’s kind of a weird juxtaposition, actually. The later songs are probably better overall in terms of songwriting and production, but they really don’t seem to go with the original Sacred Heart material at all. The Vision might have been more effective without them as a simple EP release.

Obviously a reissue like The Vision is aimed at serious collectors of forgotten ‘80s era heavy metal, and if you fall into that category, chances are you’ll find this Sacred Heart collection worthwhile. The band doesn’t really make the jump from “solid” to “something really special” territory, but it’s always good to see these old relics dusted off so that collectors who missed them the first time around can finally hear these lost metal releases.

Genre: Heavy Metal, Traditional Metal

Band:
Byron Nemeth (g)
Ed Edwards (b)
Brian McIntyre (d)
Keith Van Tassel (v, tracks 1-5)
Ray Richter (v, tracks, 6-10)
Mark Herholtz (g)

Track Listing:
1. We’ll Hold On Till Tomorrow
2. New Order
3. The Vision
4. Time After Time
5. Take Hold
6. Demon’s Wing
7. Selfish
8. The Game
9. Dreamcatcher
10. What’s Done Is Done
11. Slip of the Tongue

Label: Pure Steel, Pure Underground

Website: http://www.facebook.com/SacredHeart2012

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

Ten Years After | Hear Them Calling

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer –

Few British guitarists have given themselves to the blues with the same tenacity and perseverance as Alvin Lee. What to many of his generation was still a received method, to Lee was an organically absorbed culture he completely assimilated in. And what others have later began moving away from – be it toward hard rock, pop, or jazz fusion – to him has always remained a constant source of self-fulfillment.

The accent of this release is on the more introverted cuts from the early Ten Years After catalog, but Lee’s raw-edged passion for the blues is still conveyed through the key tracks with vividness that would make any newcomer to the band sit up and listen.

From the disquietingly ominous riff on opener “Hear Me Calling” to the infectious urgency of closer “I’m Going Home”, the album is an engrossing, and at privileged moments – hypnotizing – affair. Lee made tradition his own, deeply personal reality from the very start, so even among the earliest material from the band’s 1967 debut there nothing generic about his reading of the blues. His biting, self-assured guitar attack, his full-bodied, yet edgy tone, and his unique phrasing make his sound signature instantly distinguishable, along with his expressive, non-liner improvision which in the early Seventies earned him the reputation of one of the most formidable blues improvisers on both sides of the Atlantic.

But above all it’s the emotional truth of his delivery that grips you the most – both on punchy powerhouse bangers and the poetic, haunting slow-burners. Lee’s latitude makes sure he always keeps his audience on its toes, and not only through variety of emotion, but also stylistically. And the album highlights the band’s range well – from the early borderline psychedelic exercises to their raucous blues-rock side, to showcases of Lee’s improvisational brilliance as on standouts as “I May be Wrong, but I Won’t Always be Wrong”. Recorded “as live”, this highlight superbly reveals not only Lee’s tasteful jazz sensibility, but also his formidable gift for improvising expansively yet with astutely sharp focus.

The lack of liner notes and personnel credits is regrettable, as well as absence of the initial release dates. But even as it is, this compilation gives a perspective not only on the band’s own path, but also of the transformations within the genre and its relationship with the record industry. Not that Lee ever does much hat-tipping to trends and fashions. Whatever style he chooses to tap into, he is always authentic, always himself, and always immediately recognizable.

Genre: Blues, Blues Rock, Classic Rock

Track listing:
Disk 1
1. Hear Me Calling
2. Love Until I Die
3. Rock Your Mama
4. A Sad Song
5. Losing the Dogs
6. Going to Try
7. Boogie On
8. No Title

Disk 2
1. The Sounds
2. I Can’t Keep from Crying Sometimes
3. Spider in My Web
4. I Want to Know
5. Speed Kills
6. I May be Wrong, but I Won’t Always be Wrong
7. Three Blind Mice
8. Portable People
9. I’m Going Home

Label: Talking Elephant Records

Web: www.alvinlee.com; www.tenyearsafternow.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

NAMESAKE

by Chris A.
Staff Writer –

Georgia-based rock n roll band “Namesake” are currently on tour with Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, meeting and making new fans as they promote their soon-to-be released new album. In this video, rock n’ roll writer/photographer Chris A. has a relaxed conversation with three members of the band. For more information on Namesake drop by their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/namesakerock

Interview Video Link

Music Video Link

Steve “Zetro” Souza of Hatriot

by Steve Patrick
Staff Writer –

Listen to the interview:

Legendary thrash metal vocalist Steve “Zetro” Souza’s latest band Hatriot is ready to bring their brand of thrash to new live audiences as soon as possible. Souza is probably best known as the lead singer of Exodus from 1986-1993 and again from 2002-2004. He was also the first lead singer of the fledgling thrash band Legacy and the man responsible for suggesting the band tryout Chuck Billy on vocals (after which the band renamed themselves Testament).

Hatriot is an unapologetic thrash band that is further legitimized by having one of the founding fathers of that genre fronting the group. Hatriot also has a nice element of family bonding since Zetro’s son Cody plays bass in the band. However, Zetro made clear in our chat that there was no element of nepotism and that Cody had to audition like everyone else. Souza also joked that Hatriot’s recent mention on VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show reminded him of a moment in Spinal Tap.

During our conversation, Zetro gave updates on the new upcoming Dublin Death Patrol album and his thoughts on the new album by his good buddies in Testament Dark Roots of Earth. Hatriot currently has a 4 song demo available for streaming/downloading on their Facebook page and Zetro hopes to have a full-length Hatriot album out by January 2013. Zetro was clearly excited to talk about his new band, so it’s a safe bet that thrash fans can expect great things from this up-and-coming group.

For more information, please check out www.facebook.com/hatriot and www.hatriotmetal.com

Fates Warning | Inside Out (Expanded Edition)

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer –

Long before “progressive” was a genre – back in the days when it was only a mere adjective – there was Fates Warning. Reaching back into the archives, Metal Blade has remastered Fates’ superb 1994 progressive metal opus Inside Out, bringing a fresh perspective to this fine album and giving fans of this pioneering act a chance to hear some unreleased live material and demos.

Despite an original release date in 1994, Inside Out was actually Fates Warning’s seventh studio release – the follow-up to their commercially successful 1991′s Parallels. With a history extending back to 1982, Fates Warning is considered by many to be one of the founders of the progressive metal genre, along with Dream Theater and Queensryche. Perhaps the instability of the band’s lineup kept them from becoming as widely known as their peers, as by 1994 only guitarist Jim Matheos and bassist Joe DiBiase as the only remaining founding members. The lineup for Inside Out was: Ray Alder (vocals), Jim Matheos (guitar), Frank Aresti (guitar), Joe DiBiase (bass), and Mark Zonder (drums) – arguably the strongest of all incarnations.

Inside Out was an extremely melodic album, featuring amazing musicianship and fine songwriting both in terms of music and lyrics. The tracks seem to be a bit edgier and slightly harsher than those from Parallels, and lyrically they are more introspective. Fortunately the remastering did nothing to diminish the impact and musicality of Inside Out, with the only obvious changes being an emphasis on the more subtle highs and a general increase in crispness which helps to emphasize Mark Zonder’s amazingly intricate cymbal work.

Revisit the stunning “Pale Fire,” take a swim back to “The Strand,” focus on Ray Alder’s amazing vocals on “Shelter Me,” and spend some time on “The Island In The Stream.” All of the tracks have aged well, and are still relevant today.

The second CD is a true treat for Fates fans. There are killer live versions of “Outside Looking In” and “Point Of View,” and a nicely done concert recording of “The Eleventh Hour.” The demo tracks are interesting peeks into the development and writing processes, particularly the alternate lyrics on “Outside Looking In,” the different, livelier arrangement of “Pale Fire”and more dramatic vocal delivery on “Shelter Me” and “Island In The Stream,” and the cool instrumental version of “Face The Fear.” The final track, the demo “Circles” truly shows the evolution of a song – this was the basis for “Shelter Me,” but it is radically different in meaning and lyric, although the melody is unmistakable.

The additional material is not perfect, for example on “Down To The Wire” Ray Alder voice is pretty much buried by the music, and the bass in “Face The Fear” is loud enough that it is distracting. Considering the technology of the time and the age of the recordings, the small things are easily forgiven.

The expanded edition of Inside Out will be released on 5-June-2012. Until Fates completes its eagerly anticipated follow up to 2004′s FWX, fans can happily enjoy these newly remastered releases and bonus material, as well as the debut release from Arch / Matheos – featuring Jim Matheos and original Fates voclaist John Arch, along with long time member Frank Aresti.

If you already own the original Inside Out, there may not be enough additional material to justify purchasing the Expanded Edition, but if you don’t have a copy then this release is simply a must have if you consider yourself a fan of progressive metal.

Genre: Progressive Metal

Band:
Ray Alder (vocals)
Jim Matheos (guitar)
Frank Aresti (guitar)
Joe DiBiase (bass)
Mark Zonder (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Outside Looking In
2. Pale Fire
3. The Strand
4. Shelter Me
5. Island in the Stream
6. Down to the Wire
7. Face the Fear
8. Inward Bound
9. Monument
10. Afterglow
11. Outside Looking In (Live)
12. Down to the Wire (Live)
13. The Eleventh Hour (Live)
14. Point of View (Live)
15. Face the Fear (Live)
16. Outside Looking In (Demo)
17. Pale Fire (Demo)
18. Shelter Me (Demo)
19. Island in the Stream (Demo)
20. Face the Fear (Demo)
21. Monument (Rough Mix)
22. Circles (Demo)

Label: Metal Blade

Website: http://www.fateswarning.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Air Raid | Danger Ahead

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Swedish traditional heavy metal band Air Raid makes their debut this year with an EP titled Danger Ahead. Following in the footsteps of fellow Swedes Wolf and Enforcer, Air Raid falls into what has been called the New Wave of Traditional Metal – an emergence of newer bands with a decidedly old school heavy metal sound.

Air Raid’s sound has its roots in the obvious places – Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Accept and maybe a bit of Mercyful Fate. You can’t go wrong with those influences, and as a result, Danger Ahead is a very satisfying EP. It’s got a great twin axe attack, fantastic melodies, and a crushing heaviness to the rhythms that you don’t always see from a lot of newer traditional metal bands. Between that and the heaviness and power in Michael Rinakakis’s vocals, this is a very muscular, hard-hitting collection of songs. If you don’t bang your head and raise your fist to the metal assault of “Annihilation” and “Midnight Burner,” then you may need to rethink this whole metal thing. And who could forget the awesome battle anthem “The Metal Cult?”

The EP also includes the band’s 2-song 2011 demo as bonus tracks. The songs – “Traitor’s Gate” and “Fight Street” – sound like they could have been taken from some forgotten early ‘80s Neat Records 7” release. They’re straight-up, old school NWOBHM all the way, and close out the EP with a bang.

There may only be seven songs on Danger Ahead, but there’s enough pure metal awesomeness to fill multiple albums. Whether you’re a disciple of the classic bands named earlier, or newer bands like Skull Fist, In Solitude, White Wizzard and the like (or better yet, both), you have to check out Air Raid. It doesn’t get much better than this!

Genre: Heavy Metal, Traditional Metal

Band:
Johan Karlsson (g)
Andreas Johansson (g)
Robin Utbult (b)
David Hermansson (d)
Michael Rinakakis (v)

Track Listing:
1. When the Sky Turns Red
2. Annihilation
3. The Metal Cult
4. Midnight Burner
5. Free at Last
6. Traitor’s Gate (demo 2011)
7. Fight Street (demo 2011)

Label: StormSpell

Website: http://www.facebook.com/AirRaidOfficial

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.75/10

Crazy Lixx | Riot Avenue

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

If you are an admirer of the Scandinavian melodic-glam-scene, you are probably aware of the Swedish melodic hard rock group called Crazy Lixx. While their name brought them a fair amount of ridicule by segments of the press during their earlier career steps, their sensational debut album Loud Minority was more than enough to shut a lot of mouths and turn a lot more heads their way; one of them being the CEO of Frontiers Records under which Crazy Lixx put out their second album, New Religion in 2010. Two years past that time and the quintet hand us their third effort Riot Avenue.

Most fans would agree that the musical direction of Crazy Lixx is hard to label, with a sound that touches equally upon sleaze metal and melodic rock and AOR. On that account, Riot Avenue seems to straighten their position in the market, clearly oriented toward sleaze metal and hard rock. The melodic rock elements have been kept to a minimum on this third release which is not necessarily a good thing considering the multiple AOR highlights that Lixx have offered us in the past (“Heroes are Forever”, “Blame it on love”, “Children of the Cross” etc).

The Crazy Lixx of 2012 is more riff-centric and substantially heavier delivering intense hard rockers such as “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” and “Young Blood” while one happily finds that the title track is easily one of the most dramatic sleaze metal tracks we will get to hear this year. Still, powerful hard rock unfortunately does not make up for the lack of adult oriented moments on Riot Avenue. Indeed you could say that the balladic “Heatseeker” is set to represent their more melodic side, still it does not quite reach the quality of its predecessors.

To be perfectly clear Riot Avenue if far form a bad-even average-album. It if a first class sleaze metal and hard rock release from one of the fastest rising acts of the genre. Only Crazy Lixx was known for delivering a complete ‘80s rock menu with each album touching upon glam-sleaze, melodic rock and AOR, which clearly is not the case with Riot Avenue.

Genre: Sleaze Metal, Hard Rock

Line up:
Danny Rexon – Vocals
Andy Dawson – Guitars
Edd Liam – Guitars
Loke Rivano – Bass
Joél Cirera – Drums

Tracklist:
01 – Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
02 – Young Blood
03 – Riot Avenue
04 – Fire It Up
05 – Downtown
06 – In the Night
07 – Church of Rock
08 – Heatseeker
09 – Sweet, Bad and Beautiful
10 – Be Gone
11 – Only the Dead Know

Label: Frontiers Records

Web: http://www.crazylixx.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

LIVE! | Halestorm

by Adam Labonoski
Staff Writer –

May 15, 2012 at Onondaga County War Memorial, Syracuse, NY

Atlantic Records artists Halestorm have been rocking their way up the charts and are currently touring on Godsmack’s Mass Chaos tour. They swung through Syracuse to play at the Onondaga County War Memorial on May 15th.

Lzzy and the crew never disappoint, they are rife with energy and put on a great show! They started this show with their most recent hit song, Love Bites (So Do I). Lzzy has amazing and strong vocals. Her voice isn’t the only heart stopping feature of the show. Once the men in the crowd closed their jaws, they began to rock out to the rest of the set. With Arejay on drums, Josh on bass and Joe on guitar, the tunes are nothing but heavy rock-n-roll. Halestorm is the exemplification of hard work, hard rock and strong determination. They are sure to have many hits over the next few years.

Halestorm is currently touring with Brookroyal, Staind and Godsmack. Look for a concert review coming soon from Hardrock Haven photographer Sara McCarthy!

Rock on!

http://www.halestormrocks.com/

Setlist:
Love Bites (So Do I)
Ms. Hyde
I Miss the Misery
American Boys
Familiar Taste of Poison
Freak Like Me
Rock Show
It’s Not You
I Get Off

Halestorm 2012 Photo Gallery

Photos appear courtesy of Adam Labonoski

LIVE! | Stéphan Forté

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer –

May 26, 2012 at Divan du Monde, Paris, France

The idea of France as a high-tech guitar hotspot takes some getting used to, but anglo-centric doubting Thomases were given something to chew on after tonight’s show at Divan du Monde. The gritty, grotty Parisian club at the foot of the Montmartre Hill was where Stéphan Forté – Adagio’s axe-man extraordinaire – was showcasing his freshly released full-length solo debut The Shadows Compendium. And it took him just a few numbers into the set to prove that virtuosic chops and bona fide flare for Neo-classical drama can not only take root on French soil, but also evolve into something unique.

Snazzy guitar technique can these days be flashed around by shred heads in just about any country, but it takes things to say, as well as taste and a certain kind of self-awareness to make technique serve the music, not the other way around. And you can’t fault Forté for the lack of either: even when he pours showers of notes over his rocket-propelled grooves or sets his ostentatious leads against the soaring melodies, the focus stays on the ultimate goal – composition as opposed to demonstrations.

A special kind of resourcefulness is needed to come up with material as irregular and as dramatic as Forté’s, and the standout of the show “Prophecies of Loki XXI” was perhaps the most vivid illustration of how Forté works as a composer. The wildest piece he’s written to date, it is all about fierce harmonic changes battling out a blitzkrieg of epic proportions, rip-roaring virtuosic leads, and the overall apocalyptic vision of the most grandiose kind. This sort of lofty writing which pulls all the stops is where it’s at with Forté – multi-layered, big-scale harmonic ideas and exuberant high-tech leads working to create a world as unique as it is extravagant.

The crowd welcomed Forté not just with warmth, but with genuine awe, anticipatory silence ensuing between numbers after applause. Different from audiences in the States or in England, the audience tonight was receptive but at the same time respectful, responding with equal delight both to Forté’s technique and the actual songs.

So given this was France, no wonder Forté’s interpretation of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” became the biggest highlight of the set. More understated and open-ended than the studio version, it was a telling piece, showing that underneath Forté’s formidable chops, his sense of drama and his aim to stop at nothing to convey is inner realities, there are layers of musical culture stretching back not just to Neo-classical players of the Eighties, but further down in history.

Forté’s graceful rendition of Beethoven’s sonata would have been a showstopper, but the show was over. Or so it seemed, as just a few minutes later he and the players from Adagio who supported him were joined by the band’s newly recruited singer Kelly Carpenter for a short run of the band’s songs. The contrast between the far-out magic of Forté’s solo material and the power metal conventions of the band came in as a jolt, but the guitar still remained the main draw, adding dimension to the band’s standard-issue songwriting.

Fans stood in line for what seemed like forever to meet Forté after the show – another clue to the reaction high-tech guitar is receiving on the other side of La Manche. And while Forté would himself be the first to admit that his main influences are Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, and Yngwie Malmsteen, there is still nothing second-hand or imitative about him. What he’s received from the older generation is simply a launching pad for his own realities. And those realities being as dramatic and engrossing as they are, the result is a comprehensive, autonomous world of its own – complex but as accessible at the same time.

Photos appear courtesy of Alissa Ordabai

Lzzy Hale of Halestorm

by Steve Patrick
Staff Writer –

Listen to the interview:

Few young rock bands exemplify the benefits of hard work and determination better than Halestorm. Case in point, at Rock on the Range in 2009, Halestorm were touring in support of their eponymous first album and destroyed the Jägermeister Stage with a blistering set that announced their arrival at the annual rock festival in Central Ohio. Then the band returned to ROTR in 2010 to perform an expanded set on the FYE Second Stage. By this time, in addition to the stage size and set length, Halestorm’s audience had visibly increased.

Flash forward to ROTR 2012 and Halestorm had climbed another rung in the rock festival’s ladder of stage status to perform a set dominated by cuts from Halestorm’s recent release The Strange Case Of… as well as their tried and true anthems like “I Get Off” and “It’s Not You” on the Monster Energy Main Stage. Halestorm truly has become the quintessential ROTR band and they couldn’t be happier about it.

Right after the band’s set, frontwoman Lzzy Hale took some time to speak with Hardrock Haven about the new album, what it’s like to play ROTR, future touring, and dressing up like a zombie Garth Algar…

Halestorm’s sophomore album The Strange Case Of… is available now wherever albums are sold.

Ministry | Relapse

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer –

An astounding 31 years in, the Godfathers of industrial metal are back with another shard of noisy anger. Faster and more brutal than just about anything they’ve done before, Relapse reflects both the external events shaping our world and the internal struggles (including a near-limb-losing experience) shaping frontman Al Jourgensen.

Opening track “Ghouldiggers,” sets the tone for the album to follow. It starts of slowly with a rant about the current state of music, initially drifting over some subtle noises, but eventually blasting in to full-out industrial fury. The song brings to mind the work of Rob Zombie, but far faster, and with a hyperspeed, shred-worthy solo.

Revved-up song tempos dominate the album, and do a fine job of keeping everything energetic and effective without drifting into too many spaced-out soundscapes. Minus their first album, Ministry have never shied away from their metal roots, but this is certainly the band at its most headbanging.

Standout tracks include a cover of S.O.D.’s “United Forces,” which is fitting, as S.O.D. covered several Ministry classics on their Live at Budokan release. “Weekend Warrior” is a tad silly, but one can’t help but laugh when Jourgensen tells Wendnesday to “f**k itself.” “Bloodlust” also stands out, being oddly reminiscent of Strapping Young Lad, melodic screams and all. There’s no doubt Devin Townsend was influenced by Ministry when creating his metal masterpieces, and it’s cool to see the tribute paid-back (whether intentional or not).

While it seems unlikely Ministry will ever attain the level of success they once tasted with Psalm 69, they continue to put out relevant industrial metal that pushes both musical and lyrical limits. It’s also refreshing to see that Jourgensen’s anti-Bush furor, while not unfounded, seems to be hibernating for the moment. Maybe he’s just saving up his energy for this year’s elections, which could foreshadow a Ministry that is angrier and faster still (time for a blastbeat? Perhaps). Either way, this is one relapse to be celebrated.

Genre: Industrial Metal

Band: All Jourgensen (v,g,k)
Mike Scaccia (g)
Tommy Victor (g)
Tony Campos (b)
Casey Orr (b,k)

Track Listing:
1. Ghouldiggers
2. Double Tap
3. FreeFall
4. Kleptocracy
5. United Forces
6. 99 Percenters
7. Relapse
8. Weekend Warrior
9. Git Up Get Out ‘n Vote
10. Bloodlust
11. Relapse (Defibrillator Mix)

Label: 13th Planet Records

Website: www.ministrymusic.org

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.4/10

Six Feet Under | Undead

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer –

First off, let it be said that Six Feet Under’s Haunted is an absolute death metal classic. Along with its follow-up, Warpath, Chris Barnes and company carved a niche as the best of the groove-oriented death bands. Subsequent releases, while entertaining, though not mind blowing, only served to elevate the band’s popularity. Well, after playing the groove card for so many years, it would appear Chris decided to return to his roots. Undead, featuring a new line-up, is not only a throwback to Chris’ Cannibal Corpse days, but is easily the best thing the band has produced since those early g[l]ory days.

From the opening notes of “Frozen at the Moment of Death,” what’s instantly noticeable to long-time followers of the band is that the SFU you’ve grown to know and love is long gone. Grooves are replaced by blast beats, and slow moving power-chord progressions take a backseat to trem-picked, pinch-harmonic laden brutality.

Barnes’ vocals don’t quite hit the sub-bass guttural depths of Tomb of the Mutilated, but haven’t lost any punch over the years. Plus, he tends to avoid the often ear-piercing higher screams he’s employed at times throughout his career. The lyrics are typical Barnes fare, and are as ridiculously twisted as ever. They tend to stay away from the political leanings of past offering such as “Amerika the Brutal,” but come on, would you really want anything else?

As a side-note, as Chris’ projects will never quite shake comparisons to the band he helped bring to the forefront of death metal, it should be noted that this album far outdoes the lackluster Torture album released by Cannibal Corpse earlier this year. Whereas that album seemed recycled and uninspired, this album comes across as interesting and fresh.

While the style change may be hard to accept for more groove-oriented fans of the band, it is a welcome change to a band with a very storied career. Perhaps for the next release, they’ll blend the mid-paced brilliance of Haunted with the complexity of Undead. That would be a combination to truly wake the dead.

Genre: Death Metal

Band:
Chris Barnes (v)
Steve Swanson (g)
Rob Arnold (g,b)
Kevin Talley (d)

Track Listing:
1. Frozen at the Moment of Death
2. Formaldehyde
3. 18 Days
4. Molest Dead
5. Blood on My Hands
6. Missing Victims
7. Reckless
8. Near Death Experience
9. The Scar
10. Delayed Combustion Device
11. Vampire Apocalypse
12. The Depths of Depravity

Label: Metal Blade Records

Website: www.sfu420.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Wig Wam | Wall Street

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

Once upon a time, fans of this Norwegian glam rock band would wig out whenever they released a new album, their excitement as justified as putting a bullet in a pedophile’s brainstem because the band’s debut was fantastic and was followed up by a genuine glam-rock classic in Wig Wamania. Both albums glutted themselves with glam-rock hooks and sing-along choruses and massive harmonies and cool-cheese lyrics and fans gobbled it up like Rosie O’Donnell binging at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

But then came the band’s third studio album (or fourth, depending on whether you consider 667…Neighbor of the Beast and Hard To Be A Rock N Roller…In Kiev to be distinctly separate albums or just different versions of the debut) and not only did it find Wig Wam evolving (some would say devolving) into a more straight-forward melodic hard rock sound, but it also showed some chinks in the previously-impenetrable armor. While there was still plenty to love, for the first time there was also some filler tarnishing a Wig Wam album, pollution creeping in where previously only perfection had existed.

So expectations must now be tempered when approaching this latest offering. Will it be a return to the glory days of Wig Wamania…or another good-but-not great offering like Non Stop Rock N Roll? Well, stylistically speaking, it’s much closer to the latter than the former, with the band still mostly in melodic hard rock mode rather than glam, but some of the songwriting on this release exhibits marginal improvement. That’s not to say there aren’t some tracks that are the sonic equivalent of porcine feces, because there certainly are, but they are offset by some super-catchy gems, making this an uneven but still enjoyable album. Your opinion of this release will basically depend on whether you are a glass half-full or a glass half-empty type of personality. You can dub this a disappointment or you can consider it a flawed success and either position is both easily defended and easily countered.

For example, “OMG! (Wish I Had a Gun)” is a doozy of a rocker, packed with a pounding beat and a healthy dose of attitude, not to mention a big chorus that features more big backing vocals than you could count with an abacus, two calculators, and all your fingers and toes. But right on its heels comes “Victory is Sweet,” which is so dull that pharmaceutical companies are studying it to see if they can bottle its attributes and sell it as a cure for insomnia. But making up for that woeful track is “The Bigger the Better” with its pop-edged Def Leppard vibe and overt catchiness…only to be followed by “Tides Will Turn” which wants you to be moved with emotion and succeeds…except the emotion is unbelievable boredom. Then you get “Try My Body On” which rocks out with a slithery sexual groove and the kind of decadent addictiveness that once defined Poison, complete with lascivious lyrics and a gang vocal chorus. But before that you have to slog through the bluesy barroom swagger of “Wrong Can Feel So Right,” which is one of the better fillers, but that is definitely damning with faint praise.

Bottom line, Wall Street is certainly not up to the ridiculously high bar Wig Wam set for themselves early in their career, but just because they blew their best load a little bit early doesn’t mean the band doesn’t have any bullets left in their rock ‘n’ roll guns. Wig Wam is still very capable of scoring a direct hit and nailing the bulls-eye…they just do so more sporadically nowadays. That said, Wig Wam cranking on only six cylinders instead of eight is still better than many bands’ best. Wall Street might be a little subpar by Wig Wam standards, but by any other standard it’s pretty damn good.

Genre: Melodic Hard Rock, Glam

Band:
Age Sten Nilsen (Glam)–vocals
Trond Holter (Teeny)–guitars
Bernt Jansen (Flash)–bass
Oystein Andersen (Sporty)–drums

Track Listing
1. Wall Street
2. OMG! (Wish I Had a Gun)
3. Victory is Sweet
4. The Bigger the Better
5. Bleeding Daylight
6. Tides Will Turn
7. Wrong Can Feel So Right
8. One Million Enemies
9. Try My Body On
10. Natural High
11. Things Money Can’t Buy

Webpage: www.myspace.com/wigwamania

Label: Frontiers Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10

Malice | New Breed of Godz

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

It took a quarter of a century, but the metal world can finally witness the return of one of the American cult heavy metal scene’s most beloved bands. Malice is back…sort of. The “sort of” qualifier is there for a couple of reasons, both of which take much of the joy out of the band’s long-awaited return. The first reason is that of the lineup that gave us the classic albums License to Kill and In the Beginning, only guitarists Jay Reynolds and Mick Zane remain. The rest of the lineup is new, including Helstar vocalist James Rivera, who seems to be taking over Ripper Owens’s role as the “go-to” replacement metal singer. The second reason is that of the twelve songs on New Breed of Godz (and they lost a point just for that title), only four are actual new songs. The rest are just re-recordings of older Malice songs with the new lineup. We’re not off to a very good start here, are we?

The problem Malice faces here is that while James Rivera is a fantastic singer and has one of metal’s most recognizable voices, he also tends to dominate an album. In that respect, New Breed of Godz ends up sounding like just another Helstar, Seven Witches or Vicious Rumors album. There’s nothing here that really screams “Malice,” and that even includes the older songs. Speaking of which, if the best you can do with this lineup is four new songs, it’s probably not worth releasing as a full-length album. The re-recordings are interesting at best, and a mistreatment at worst. The old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” comes to mind. As for the new songs – “New Breed of Godz,” “Branded,” “Winds of Death (Angel of Light)” and “Slipping Through the Cracks” – they’re all decent songs, but again, they seem more like Helstar songs than Malice songs.

None of this is to say that the music on New Breed of Godz is bad. It’s not. The musicianship is good and James Rivera sounds great as always. If you can ignore the history here and focus on the songs there is a lot to like. It’s just really hard to do that if you’re a long-time Malice fan, especially with so few new songs to focus on.

If you’re a huge James Rivera fan or a very forgiving Malice fan, go ahead and give New Breed of Godz a listen. Just don’t expect a new “true” Malice album, because this definitely isn’t it.

Genre: Heavy Metal

Band:
Mark Behn (b)
Pete Holmes (d)
Jay Reynolds (g)
Mick Zane (g)
James Rivera (v)
Robert Cardenas (b)

Track Listing:
1. New Breed of Godz
2. Hell Rider
3. Against the Empire
4. Branded
5. Sinister Double
6. Circle of Fire
7. Stellar Masters
8. Winds of Death (Angel of Light)
9. Air Attack
10. Chain Gang Woman
11. Slipping Through the Cracks
12. Godz of Thunder

Label: SPV

Website: www.malicemusic.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 6/10

All Too Human

by Derric Miller
Staff Writer –

All Too Human checked in with Hardrock Haven to talk about their brand new studio release Juggernaut; how the band has evolved since their last release Entropy 10 years ago; how new singer Gordon Tittsworth (Images of Eden, Dread the Forsaken) joined the band; specific tracks like “Juggernaut” and “Cut Me;” upcoming tour plans; and a whole lot more.

This is one of the surprise releases of the year and it’s a mix of modern metal with intricate Progressive elements. It’s also heavy as hell! Tune in now to get to know what should be one of your new favorite bands, and pick up Juggernaut today!

Online: www.alltoohuman.net

Mario Erdmann of Wild Frontier

by Derric Miller
Staff Writer –

Hardrock Haven: Congrats on the great new album, 2012, Mario. To start things off, why don’t you give the readers a bit of the inside story on why the band went with 2012 as the title. Obviously, it’s the year 2012, but what about the numerology, the mythology behind the numbers, etc.?

Mario: 20.12 is the birthday of singer Jens, who has his birthday on Dec. 20. And the month December stands for the “12.” So we have 20.12. Also there should be a little bit mythology with the Mayan calendar, but I do not expect that world will going under on December.

HRH: Tell me about the opening track, the title track, the instrumental. Has Wild Frontier recorded an instrumental before?

Mario: Yes, on the Thousand Miles Away album we did also an instrumental intro which was called “In The Middle Of Nowhere.” And on Bite The Bullet we have “Lost And Found.” We love to produce mystic intros. This brings diversification to an album.

HRH: 2012 has been receiving some great reviews since it’s been released. The one track some people might not have accepted as fully is the ABBA cover, “Gimme Gimme Gimme.” Why’d the band decide to go that quirky route and cover ABBA?

Mario: Because we have also a second band called “Wild Night” which is a cover / tribute band and there we perform a few ABBA songs and many, many people suggested us to record one ABBA song as Wild Frontier and so we did it. And we want to show that Pop songs can also be Rock songs. We have also performed songs from the Backstreet Boys, Kim Wilde etc.

HRH: The first single was “It’s All Over Now” and you also have a kick ass video for it, one that already has about 6,000 views on YouTube. How’s the single doing for the band in Europe? And any other videos in the works?

Mario: Yes, I must admit that I am surprised that we got more than 6000 views in a month. We recorded a second video, for “Why don´t You Save Me,” which will be released on June. This video was filmed at the Sababurg, a castle where the Grimm fairytale “Sleeping Beauty” originated. The reactions of the video in Europe are very good, but let me tell you that the most visitors to our website are Americans. More than 65 percent of the visitors are from the United States and that shows us how important the market with their fans is.

HRH: Wild Frontier recently held a release party for the new album. Tell us a little bit about the party, who attended, and all that good stuff.

Mario: It was a familiar party with 250 of our closest fans. And we performed the best of Wild Frontiers from the last 22 years, and on the second set we performed the new material and finally Gary Moore’s “Out In The Fields”. That’s the song which brought Jens and me to Metal music.

HRH: On the “special thanks” in the liner notes, I snuck my way in there but so did a Hardrock Haven favorite Phil Vincent. Did the band write with Phil or how did he contribute to 2012?

Mario: We’ve known Phil for many years and he is also correcting the lyrics for us, because English is not our native language and therefore it is important to have someone like him and Derric Miller. Thanks a lot for their endless support.

HRH: Wild Frontier has finally found some permanent members this time around. Who are the new guys in the band?

Mario: Jens and me founded the band in 1990. In 2003, Thomas Ellenberger joined the band and in 2011 Sascha Fahrenbach and his brother Nico joined. Those guys both make us very happy because they have enormous musical potential. I think you can hear it on the album. Also it is more powerful performing live on stage with two guitars. They both were good guys who love good beer. We have had lot of fun with them so far.

HRH: On your website, it appears that you have a passion for brewing beer. What kind of beer do you make? Lager, ales, stouts, dark or light, etc? And what is your opinion on what we Americans call beer, like Miller Lite and Budweiser. Don’t hold back, cuz it’s truly awful stuff.

Mario: Yes, I love beer and I have a small home brewery. Mostly I´m brewing a German Helles which is not comparable to American beer brands. It is a vintage style and very smooth. Let me tell you that I am also a beer label collector. I own more than 35,000 different beer labels from all around the world. I know many American brands and my favorites are Schmidt, Michelob, Coors, Gordon Birsch.

HRH: Well, the festival season is hitting Europe now. What do Wild Frontier’s tour plans look like this Summer and into the Fall?

Mario: It is very difficult to join good shows at festivals here in Europe. We started working with a concert agency a few weeks ago (by the way the same agency who works with Bonfire) and we´re looking forward to some great shows. For next year we can announce a few shows in the Summer. This season is nearly closed. Maybe we will perform a few shows in Fall.

HRH: Is there anything I left out that you’d like to leave with all of our Hardrock Haven faithful?

Mario: We would like to thank you and all our fans around the world for supporting us. For us, it is a great honor to bring our tunes all around the world. Music connects people and that’s what we want. We’re doing music from fans to fans. That’s it. It makes me very proud to know Melodic Rock fans from all around the world. Thank you all!

Online: www.wildfrontier.de

LIVE! | Candlebox with Elephant Mountain, Sugar Red Drive & ACIDIC

by Sara McCarthy
Staff Writer –

May 10, 2012 at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY

The Westcott Theater hosted a night of pure rock and roll Thursday night, featuring Candlebox. The group made a stop on their tour bringing with them Sugar Red Drive and Acidic.

Starting off the night was Elephant Mountain, a local band formed in 2009 by Joe Altier and Brian “Slider” Azzoto formerly of Brand New Sin. Elephant Mountain took the stage right around 8:00 and proceeded to set the standard for the night’s performances. This was their first show in many months, and although there might have been a few loose points, these guys truly delivered. With an amazing voice and a stage presence meant for much larger venues than The Westcott, Altier grabbed your attention and kept it right up front on the band. John Hanus, lead guitar stood off to the side on stage right, somewhat out of the spotlight, but showing his skill on his chosen instrument. At certain points during solos, you could almost see his fingers in your head as they danced across the strings.

The band played a seven-song set and just before the song “Pray” Altier let the audience know that this song holds a special meaning to him. Considering the passion in which he sang with, he wasn’t just paying us lip service. Elephant Mountain delivers unadulterated rock and roll, and watching them onstage the band that kept coming to mind is Government Mule. Given the opportunity, they would have just gone off on an adventure of improvisation and pure musical magic.

http://www.elephant-mountain.com

Set List:
Born Before My Time
North of Nowhere
No Other
Out of My Head
Pray
Words With Friends
I’m Done

Candlebox, who gained popularity in the early nineties and still receive regular airplay, brought their tour to Syracuse, in support of their album Love Stories and Other Musings.

They ripped into their first song “Bitches Brewin” from their 2008 release Into The Sun, and followed with “Don’t You,” all the while giving the crowd an idea of what was to come. A very tight, well rehearsed, fun and energetic performance. Kevin Martin proved that his vocal ability is still as strong as it was when the band first hit it big. He obviously takes care of his voice and was all over the stage, playing up to the crowd.

The band has matured as musicians over the years and you would never know that bassist Adam Kury wasn’t part of the original lineup. They were like a well-oiled machine, playing off of each other and having a great time doing it. Songs from their new album, “She Come Over Me” and “Believe In It,” were well received by the fans. In fact at one point, a pair of female audience members were so passionate about the music, they decided they needed to pummel each other. This prompted Martin to stop the show, remind the ladies that they were supposed to be having fun, and asked them to stop. They were past listening and security had to step in to remove the brawling babes.

The music continued and when the deep bluesy rifts and screaming high notes of “Change” filled the room, the crowd went insane, screaming and jumping up and down. The night was filled with a balanced mix of new songs and past hits, although “Lucy” was not played. The fans were energetic and the band appeared to have a blast. It was a great night of music all across the board and Syracuse is looking forward to Candlebox’s next stop here.

http://www.Candleboxrocks.com

Set List:
Bitches Brewin’
Simple Lessons
Don’t You
Believe in It
Underneath it All
Change
Blossom
She Come Over Me
Breathe Me In
Arrow
Stand
Turn Your Heart Around
Sweet Summertime
Miss You
Cover Me
Far Behind
You

Links:

Sugar Red Drive- http://www.sugarreddrive.com

ACIDIC- http://www.acidicband.com

Candlebox 2012 Photo Gallery

Photos appear courtesy of Sara McCarthy

Sonata Arctica | Stones Grow Her Name

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer –

Stones Grow Her Name is the latest evolutionary step from the Finnish power / progressive metal beast called Sonata Arctica. Evolution is the key word, as Sonata Arctica now blends almost equal parts symphonic metal in with the more familiar power / progressive styles that have been the band’s trademark through their six prior releases. This 11 track masterpiece is an amazingly unique sonic journey that for the most part is free of the stereotypical clichés of symphonic metal.

Since releasing Ecliptica back in 1999, Sonata Arctica has built a huge following in Europe, but unfortunately the band has mostly stayed under the radar in the US. Led by vocalist, keyboard player Tony Kakko, Sonata Arctica delivers everything from the expected power metal to soft balladic anthems without any signs of discomfort. Fellow keyboard artist Henrik Klingenberg delivers many amazing riffs, but surprisingly the music on Stones Grow Her Name is very guitar-centric. Guitarist Elias Viljanen pulls out all the stops on a number of tracks, putting out big hooks, catchy riffs and soft passages with equal aplomb and ability. Bassist Marko Paasikoski and drummer Tommy Portimo are the perfect rhythm section, providing the backbone and continuity to hold the diverse stylings of the album together.

Lyrically, Sonata Arctica moves far from the typical power-metal themes of war, conflict and nuclear apocalypse. Their songs focus on more personal issues such as justice, sanity and relationships – thus broadening their appeal to the non-power fans. The band is tight and their performances are flawless whether doing a soft ballad or galloping along at full power.

“Only The Broken Hearts (Make You Beautiful)” opens the album with a nice sing-along chorus, power–ful but not overpowering keyboards and strong guitars. This track deals with broken relationships, and finding the strength to cope. The very gritty rocker “Shitload O’Money”is a cautionary tale of personal corruption, and features some amazing guitar work and great gang vocals. Light Neo-classical keys open “Losing My Insanity” before the track become a rousing drum and guitar-driven power metal track. The brutal “Somewhere Close To You” licks the listener in the guts with powerful bass, intense guitars, manic drumming and bitter lyrics. “I Have A Right” is a powerful call for justice across the world with an effective spoken passage based on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child. This track presents the finest vocals on the album, heartfelt and passionate.

Bluesy acoustic guitars and vocals open “Alone In Heaven” as the band ponders the conventional vision of the afterlife, but the track becomes an upbeat, almost commercial rocker. The album’s title is inspired by the band’s description of a graveyard as “the field where the stones grow dead names.” “The Day” is a heartbreaking, bittersweet song that tells the tale of a man who loses his family to a natural disaster – no doubt inspired by the tragic tsunami that struck Japan. This track has to be one of the most emotionally powerful metal tracks ever performed, and is the standout on the album. Touches of bluegrass and southern rock make “Cinderblox” quite different from the rest – it is a kicky and upbeat song but the band does not sound 100% comfortable moving this far from their core. The simple and soft ballad “Don’t Be Mean” highlights the strength of Tony Kakko’s voice, and the vast range of talents that make up Sonata Arctica – fine performances from all make this track a special one. The lyrically deep “Wildfire, Part: II – One With The Mountain” deals with prejudice, exile, fear, and conflict – and brings the band fully back into the progressive power metal zone. “Wildfire, Part: III – Wildfire Town, Population: 0” is part anti-war song, part eco-green anthem and a plea for corporate responsibility, and is 100% awesome. The track wraps with a quote from British naturalist and filmmaker David Attenborough: “Instead of controlling the environment for the benefit of the population, perhaps it is time we control the population to allow the survival of the environment.”

There are no negative elements on Stones Grow Her Name. The musical performances are top notch, the songs are well-written and always melodic, and the engineering power metal precise. The band delivers an eclectic and diverse mix of music with a great sense of depth, emotion and fire, making Sonata Arctica’s latest release one of the finest albums of 2012.

Very highly recommended to fans of power metal, progressive metal and hard rock.

Genre: Power Metal

Band:
Tony Kakko (vocals, keyboards)
Elias Viljanen (guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (bass)
Henrik Klingenberg (keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Only The Broken Hearts (Make You Beautiful)
2. Shitload O`Money
3. Losing My Insanity
4. Somewhere Close To You
5. I Have A Right
6. Alone In Heaven
7. The Day
8. Cinderblox
9. Don’t Be Mean
10. Wildfire, Part: II – One With The Mountain
11. Wildfire, Part: III – Wildfire Town, Population: 0

Label: Nuclear Blast

Website: www.sonataarctica.info

Hardrock Haven rating: 9.5/10

LIVE! | Black Sabbath in Birmingham

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer –

May 19, 2012 at O2 Academy in Birmingham, UK

Black Sabbath’s hugely anticipated homecoming reunion gig was somewhat marred by Bill Ward’s absence and the internet palaver which preceded it, but in the end the show didn’t turn into a riot, a rally in support of Ward (as predicted by some) or a nasty stance against the substitute drummer Tommy Clufetos.

“If you go extra fucking crazy for this one, we’ll carry on,” Ozzy said to the audience before the band launched into “Children of the Grave”, the next-to-last song of the set. And, apparently, was pleased enough with Birmingham’s response, rewarding the crowd with “Paranoid” which followed straight after – the last number of the show.

Not that the crowd was welcoming “Children of the Grave” with more enthusiasm than it gave to other old-time anthems such as “War Pigs”, “Electric Funeral” or “Iron Man”. From the very start Birmingham’s response to the set comprised exclusively of the band’s early-days hits was that of singing along, moshing, crowd surfing and generally going nuts for the home-grown idols who have for eternity defined their home town as the birth place of metal.

There are many – some would say way too may – notes from those early Sabbath songs that Ozzy can’t hit these days, but whatever was lacking in terms of vocal delivery was partially made up by his warm, affable stage presence. It takes a small venue like the 4000-capacity Birmingham O2 to fully appreciate Ozzy’s charisma and sincerity – the way he talks to the audience and genuinely cares about everyone having a good time, his body language, and the tone of his banter. Or maybe it takes a homecoming show to touch those strings in the soul of the King of Darkness, who often talks – as he did tonight – about being proud of being a Brummie.

The substitute drummer Clufetos not once was introduced to the audience, but was given a solo slot (in fact, longer than the one given to Geezer Butler) which drew a mixed reaction from the crowd given the details of Bill Ward’s non-participation which appeared on his web site a few days before the show. Given that Clufetos plays in Ozzy’s band, it’s easy to imagine that substituting Ward was an offer he could not refuse, and to their credit of the crowd treated him with respect.

By contrast – and understandably – Ozzy asked for attention and applause to be given to Tony Iommi many times, at one point falling on his knees before Iron Man during his lead on “Dirty Women”. This solo indeed one of high points of the show, the flight of Iommi’s eloquent, intelligent impro as compelling as the best of his studio work.

And when Ozzy sang in unison with Iommi’s guitar as on “Electric Funeral”, the sound was pure magic, the whopping immediacy of the song still giving you goosebumps, no matter if you were a seasoned fan or a fresh recruit. And speaking of fresh recruits, there were plenty of those in the crowd – children and grandchildren of die-hard fans sat next to their fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers. The 10- or 15-year-olds may not know what extraordinary conviction and inspiration it took to write those tunes 45 years ago at the time when flower power and mystical East-meets-West excursions were de rigueur on the music scene, but they surely appreciated what they were hearing – first-hand and unobscured by the nostalgic glasses of history.

And at the end of the day this is what tonight’s show was all about that – the songs that have not only stood the test of time but have become the indelible part of the Western culture. It was also about the tenacity and dedication of the guitar player, the drive and the erudition of the bass player, and the candor of the singer. The three men on stage weren’t the same men who wrote the songs they played this evening, but there are times when bands grow so big the old adage “the show must go on” becomes less of a choice and more of an imperative.

Set List:
1. Into the Void
2. Under the Sun
3. Snowblind
4. War Pigs
5. Wheels of Confusion
6. Electric Funeral
7. Black Sabbath
8. The Wizard
9. Behind the Wall of Sleep
10. N.I.B
11. Fairies Wear Boots
12. Tomorrow’s Dream
13. Sweet Leaf
14. Symptom of the Universe (instrumental)
15. Drum solo
16. Iron Man
17. Dirty Women
18. Children of the Grave
19. Paranoid (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath intro)

Photos appear courtesy of Alissa Ordabai

Stuka Squardron | Tales From the Ost

by John Kindred
Publisher –

What on oddity to have a band that comprises Englishmen dressed up as Nazi’s, portraying vampires straight out of the World War II era. Calling themselves Stuka Squadron, their name is derived from the German two-man dive bomber squadrons from that time period. The band takes historical fiction and propels their back story forward into what can only be dubbed as horror-science-fiction. Offensive as this may be to some, the Nazi part, that is, Stuka Squardron pushes forward with the release of Tales From the Ost.

Heralded as the forerunners of the New Wave of Traditional Metal, Tales From the Ost features 13 songs. The CD was produced and mixed by Paul Miles, who also played lead guitar as his alter ego Der Mastergoth. The album links together each song with a narration, war sound effects, speech from Winston Churchill, radio transmissions and sounds of the undead, all of which is like taking a page straight out of Manowar’s playbook.

Although Stuka Squadron has been compared to early Iron Maiden, the music lacks the galloping rhythmic pulse and soaring vocals. Instead, Begley has a throaty-mid-timbre-vocal style that trends closer to the undead conceptual approach of the band and has an Rocky Horror-esque campiness. The guitars march forward in the style of traditional heavy metal, relying on eighth note-muted power chords and twin harmony lead melodies. The bass and drums provide the hammer that fuels the flame.

Set aside the lyrics and the visuals for a moment, and Stuka Squadron quite quickly prove that they are no slouches when it comes to musicianship. Starting off the CD with “Into the Breach,” we get the first taste of blood with the CD’s opening instrumental interlude, complete with military sound effects and an eerie voice declaring, “… legions of the undead the Stuka Squadron returns …,” which ends with wicked laughter. This carries the listener into “Tales of the Ost,” which is the album’s title track. Duke Fang Begley begins to tell the tales of the Stuka Squadron, which are spun over riffs that are inspired by the likes of Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. Tales From the Ost features catchy songs that combine melodic and heavy elements, along with the conceptual atmospheric sound effects and narration. It is an album not unlike Pink Floyd’s the Wall or Queensryche’s Operation Mindcrime that draws you in with the story line and holds your attention with a superb audio soundtrack.

Gimmicks aside, these Brits can rock, and they do it well, albeit disguised as vampiric Nazi’s. While the shtick works on their debut album, it will be interesting to see if the concept can hold the same amount of weight on their future sophomore release.

Genre: Heavy Metal, New Wave of Traditional Metal

Band:
Duke Fang Begley – Vocals (ex-Centurions Ghost)
Gravedigger Cox – Lead Guitar
Sir Graveghoul Terrorsound – Lead Guitar
Lord Graham Pyre – Bass
King Kamil Krol – Drums

Track Listing:
1. Into the Breach
2. Tales of the Ost
3. The Last Resort
4. Stuka Squadron
5. A Cross of Iron
6. On the Volga Bridge
7. Tiger 1
8. The Fall
9. Lovecraft
10. Zabulon’s Inferno
11. Lord of Valhalla
12. One Eyed God King
13. We Drink Blood

Label: Metalbox Recordings

Web: http://stukasquadron.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Fall From Grace | The Romance Years

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

Fall From Grace have faced their fair share of adversity, but they conquered it by subscribing to the creed that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. And “strong” is a good adjective to describe this album’s sound: part modern rock, part power-pop, part punk, and part hair metal, the conglomeration of elements all prettied up with a polished production that is slicker than K-Y Jelly on a stainless steel pole yet never crosses the line into sugarcoated crassness.

Hooks are the heart and soul of this album; The Romance Years has more hooks than a fishing derby. While Fall From Grace have their own identity, their brand of infectious rock bears more than a passing resemblance to acts like Marvelous 3 and 40 Ft. Ringo. The band is very fond of thick backing harmonies; there haven’t been this many gang vocal “Whoas!” on an album since the ‘80s pop-metal peak. Most of the choruses are designed to be anthems, soaring addictively over the top, the kind of songs you can sing along to before your first listen even ends.

But with commercial appeal comes criticism. Fall From Grace could catch flak for playing what some would dub a disposable form of rock, but odds are they don’t care. The band refuses to chase trends or deliberately cater to a certain sound or style; they simply play what they want to play, critics be damned. Their goal is not to change the world; their goal is to simply rock your cochlea and hope you have a good time while they do so. 10-4, mission accomplished.

The best example of this ear candy is “Heart Attack Road,” not just the best song on The Romance Years but one of the best songs of 2012, period. A well-suited heavier edge makes an appearance along with some spit-and-snarl attitude which is used to power the song all the way to a massive chorus. For modern rock radio to ignore this track is felonious, a crime against rock ‘n’ roll humanity.

But that is far from the only great song The Romance Years has on tap. “Maybe I’m Outa My Head” is so catchy that if your body doesn’t move when you listen to it, you’re probably riding in the wrong end of a hearse. Huge backing vocals hammer the hooks into your ears where they travel onward to penetrate and stimulate the sonic pleasure centers of your cerebellum…or whatever part of the brain registers musical ecstasy. “Stand Alone” is another killer tune. So is “Your Majesty.” And “So Long For Now.” And the list goes on…

While they are the minority, there are a few songs that skew lower in the quality department. “The Resurrection,” while not rubbish, pales in comparison to the three opening tracks that precede it. “God of War” sounds badass, but in reality is just a brief instrumental that serves no purpose but to make you reach for the Skip button, and “Great Expectation” is anything but. And the electronica remix of “Fade 2 Grey” at the end of the album takes a good song and turns it into the exact opposite of a good song. It’s like taking a succulent slice of prime rib and then pissing on it. Seriously…why?

But those are the only negatives, the only diminutive dollops of donkey dung on an album otherwise loaded with diamonds. There are so many great tracks on this release that anything subpar is easily overlooked. Anyone who avoids purchasing this album because of 3 or 4 duff tracks is as brain-jacked as a guy who refuses to sleep with a Swedish supermodel because she chews her fingernails. Even though Fall From Grace might not be perfect, they have created an album that you can easily fall in love with for years to come.

Genre: Modern Rock

Musicians:
Tryg Littlefield (lead vocals, guitar)
Brian Olson (guitar)
Justin McDonald (bass, vocals)
Ty McDonald (guitar)
Jesse Smith (drums, vocals)

Track Listing
1. Your Majesty
2. 18 & Out
3. Heart Attack Road
4. The Resurrection
5. A Train Leaves London
6. Fade 2 Gray
7. God of War
8. Stand Alone
9. The Romance Years
10. Great Expectations
11. So Long For Now
12. Maybe I’m Outa My Head
13. Fade 2 Gray (Jon Rook Remix)

Label: Road 2 Hell Rekkids

Web: www.fallfromgrace.us

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Mörglbl | Brütal Römance

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer –

French veteran trio Mröglbl led by guitar guru Christophe Godin deliver a familiar brew on their new release: an off-the-wall, heady mixture of jazz fusion, metal, hard rock, prog, and whatever else they feel like including into their whimsically singular universe. In line with the style of their previous albums, the new record oscillates between knotty jazz-rock extrapolations, heavy metal riffs, ostinato languor, and soaring melodies all mixed in a wacky cauldron of genres, styles, formats, and moods.

It has often been said that Godin with his phenomenal chops and an exceptional gift for riffs and melodies could have become an A-list rock star decades ago, if only he could stick to one genre. But thankfully Godin is someone who finds staying within one paradigm too limiting for his latitude, on top of being a great merrymaker who can’t resist having fun even with the most pathos-laden maxims of metal or the most sublime elevations of jazz.

Godin’s free-flight improvisations such as on standout “Fidel Gastro”, however, show that there have always been deeper realities to his music than virtuoso chops or accomplished genre-bending. Channeling his intuitive magic into the band’s mosaic of styles during ad lib impro is where Godin goes beyond the facades and the joie de vivre of his act, opening another dimension with a scrupulous truth of feeling and mastery which goes beyond technique and beyond the theatrics.

Genre: Jazz Fusion, Rock

Line-up:
Christophe Godin – guitar
Ivan Rougny – bass
Aurel – drums

Track Listing:
1. Gnocchis on the Block
2. Brütal Römance
3. Le Surfer D’Argentine
4. Golden Ribs
5. Fidel Gastro
6. Oh P1 Can Not Be
7. Cantal Goyave
8. Glucids in the Sky
9. Wig of Change
10. Metal Khartoon

Label: Free Electric Sound

Web: http://www.morglbl.com/en/, http://www.christophegodin.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

John Schlitt

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

Back to the Rock: An Interview With John Schlitt

If you grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s as a Christian rock fan, then the name John Schlitt is a familiar one. Following a drug-abusing stint with secular rock group Head East, Schlitt became a born again Christian and then became the lead singer for Grammy Award-winning Petra, easily the biggest band in the C-rock circle back in the day. Thanks to his distinctive rasp, he was recently named the greatest rock singer in Christian music by GospelMusicChannel.com and he proves why on his latest solo album, The Greater Cause, which finds the vocalist returning to the rock roots for which he is best known.

John recently took the time to chat with Hardrock Haven about funding an album through Kickstarter, why he didn’t join the Petra reunion, and whether he’ll ever do metal-core.

HRH: John, thanks for talking to me. Your fans lamented that your last few projects were pretty mellow compared to your output of old, but this new album, The Greater Cause, is definitely more of a rock album. Was that in response to fan demands or just a natural outcome of who you are as an artist these days?

SCHLITT: First of all, I hope the fans weren’t too disappointed in the [other] projects because I am very proud of them. At the time, they were what I felt I needed to do. Now, this CD is exactly what I should be doing at this time. I will admit that it is very natural for me, the style is very comfortable…it is me! The mellow stuff was a stretch for me but I wanted to stretch. Motivation? It was just time.

HRH: You funded this new album through Kickstarter, which some people call akin to begging while other folks call it the funding format of the future. What was that experience like?

SCHLITT: Initially I wrestled with those very thoughts. It took my team to help me see that there were people who would be excited to be part of a project of this sort. For every dollar that was pledged I tried my best to give them back worthwhile returns. And, as we went through the process, I discovered “yes,” this is the new way of doing things. The bonding between the artist and the pledge partners is very rewarding for both.

HRH: And the result is an album that any John Schlitt fan will find rewarding. Petra was often accused of chasing trends—even you yourself released an alternative rock CD (Unfit For Swine) during the peak of grunge—and typically defended it in the name of ministry. The Greater Cause, however, is really retro-rock and seems more an attempt to curry fan favor than reach out to a broad audience. Do you still feel that call to ministry and if so, how does that impact your musical choices?

SCHLITT: A true musician understands the structure of music and instead of fighting it, uses it. It stretches him. It brings new ideas and new ways of doing things. Additionally, it is wise to find out where the “listening ear” is at the time and use it. Petra’s and my roots are still rock but the term “rock” is broader than some would like to think. I believe the common denominator is energy and excitement. In respect to The Greater Cause, I think you are right—it is retro-rock and it exactly what I was hoping for! Music is cyclic. I believe there will be more interest in this style of music in the near future. The whole purpose of my music is to create an entertaining way of sharing a life-changing message. It always has been and always will be.

HRH: Sounds like your cause remains unchanged. Speaking of that, where did the title of the new album (The Greater Cause) come from and what does it mean?

SCHLITT: The title is very important and it needs to communicate the vision and spirit of the project in few words. The phrase, “The Greater Cause,” came to my wife and me during our quiet time and we realized that it was the heart of the direction this project would take us. The word “cause” means “a reason or motive.” Everyone has reasons/motives for what they care about and believe and act out of what they believe is true. We do it when it concerns our family, our work, our faith, and even our politics. This CD is meant to encourage the listener to consider and evaluate what the greater reason or motive is for their life.

HRH: A little self-evaluation is never bad advice. You have always been a rock singer; any interest in experimenting with another genre? Will we ever see a press release announcing John Schlitt has joined a metal-core band? Is there a great thrash-metal album lurking somewhere in your soul? Bet you would raise some eyebrows…

SCHLITT: As you pointed out earlier, I’ve already experimented with many different styles of rock. With the directions you mention, the answer is “no” and “no.” I don’t think so BUT!!

HRH: And here I was all ready to pitch you your next album title: Schlitt-Core! Toward the tail end of Petra’s run (before they recently resurfaced) the band’s popularity declined, sales plummeted, and fans seemed to be abandoning the Petra bandwagon like rats fleeing a sinking ship. How does it feel as a performer to be at the pinnacle one moment and then labeled a forgotten relic the next?

SCHLITT: Wow! You cut right to the tender heart of it, didn’t you? Seriously, our fans are still our fans. Petra was blessed with three generations of fans and that is almost unheard of. How can I complain about that? Times change, music tastes change, and the music business changes. As a result, our popularity has an ebb and flow like everything in life. Do I like the low times? No, but we don’t know what tomorrow may bring.

HRH: Hopefully what tomorrow brings is news that your CD has gone platinum. You recently performed a song with your original band Head East for the band’s induction into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following which you were accused in some religious circles as having back-slidden in your faith. Having survived the witch hunt (how’s that for an oldschool Petra reference?) of the ‘80s Christian rock controversy and now this, why do you think some Christians feel the need to rush to judgment and lash out at their brethren?

SCHLITT: Everybody has an opinion whether it is right or wrong. I’m not accountable to them. I’m accountable to God.

HRH: Well said. Your former band, Petra, have reunited under the moniker of Classic Petra and have brought your predecessor, Greg X. Volz, back into the fold for lead vocal duties. Is there a reason you are not involved in this new/old reincarnation of the band?

SCHLITT: This band is called “Classic” Petra. They represent the time of Petra I was not part of.

HRH: I think there are plenty of fans who would argue that your era of Petra is just as classic as the early days, but point taken. If Bob Hartman (Petra’s guitarist and founder) called today and wanted to reunite the Schlitt-era Petra lineup, what would you say to him?

SCHLITT: First of all, he has not called. Secondly, I am very focused on the direction God appears to be leading me, in this solo direction, which I am very excited about. But, who knows what the future holds?

HRH: Here’s hoping your future holds nothing but great blessings. John, thanks a bunch for speaking with me. We here at Hardrock Haven wish you the best of luck with this new album.

For more information on John Schlitt, please visit www.johnschlitt.net.

LIVE! | Rise Against with A Day To Remember & Title Fight

by Sara McCarthy
Staff Writer –

May 7, 2012 at New York State Fairgrounds Chevy Court in New York, NY

On a very wet and dreary Tuesday night, Rise Against brought their tour to Syracuse, NY. Despite the horrendous weather, a crowd of about 4,000 descended on the New York State Fairgrounds, it takes more than a day of torrential rain to stop Syracuse rockers from attending the first outdoor show of the year.

Title Fight, hailing from Kingston, PA started playing at 6:00, which was the same time the gates were opened. This scheduling snafu prevented a lot of audience members from seeing the band perform. Formed in 2003, the band lists Blink 182 as a major influence and that is apparent in their music. A grinding mix of punk and hardcore, Title Fight gave an energetic performance and truly seemed to enjoy themselves on stage. Their last album Shed was released in May 2011 under Side One Dummy Records and recently announced their plans to enter the studio this summer and release their new record in September 2012.

http://www.title-fight.net

A Day To Remember was next on the bill for the night. An already rowdy crowd went ballistic when band members took the stage. The band opened with “The Downfall of Us All,” and crew members threw dozens of large beach balls out to the crowd. For about five minutes it wasn’t safe to be a bystander, you never knew when you might get beaned with a wayward ball! Ripping through each song, this band held nothing back and neither did the kids in the audience. Fist pumping and singing right along; there was a constant stream of crowd surfers coming off the front of the crowd. At one point, just before playing “Homesick”, Vocalist Jeremy McKinnon crawled inside a huge transparent blow-up hamster ball, rolled off of the stage and ran/rolled all over the top of the crowd. Each successive song brought more energy and a larger response from the crowd, and a few different times it appeared as if the barriers in front of the stage were not going to hold. Finishing up their dynamic set with “The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle,” this group of guys from Ocala, FL left the crowd wanting more and primed for Rise Against.

http://adtr.com/

Set List:
The Downfall of Us All
A Shot in the Dark
I’m Made of Wax Larry, What Are You Made Of?
My Life For Hire
All Signs Point To Lauderdale
2nd Sucks
You Be Tails, I’ll Be Sonic
It’s Complicated
Homesick
Better Off This Way
Have Faith In Me
All I Want
The Plot to Bomb The Panhandle

The set for Rise Against featured five vertical rectangular video screens, evenly spaced across the stage. These screens lit up, showing movie scenes and dialogue taken from “The Shameless Opportunist” in Catch-22. As the intro concluded, band members took the stage, and opened their set with “Survivor Guilt.” The momentum started by A Day To Remember was continued by Rise Against, band members were all over the stage, playing it up for each section of the crowd. When they broke into “Help Is On The Way,” the video screens played clips of demonstrations and the clashes that can break out at these events. The main part of the set was finished up with “Prayer Of The Refugee” which drove the crowd insane; they started surging forward and once again called into question the stability of the barriers. Things cooled down a bit when vocalist Tim McIlrath brought out an acoustic guitar and played both “Audience Of One” and ‘Swing Life Away.” At this point in the evening, the rain started once again, drenching everyone in the area. The crowd stayed strong and when the opening strains of “Make It Stop (September’s Children)” started, the started jumping and screaming. This song deals with the problem of homophobia in today’s society and how it is affecting our children, with an increase in suicide rates. This is a band not afraid of serious and unsavory topics.

Rise Against put on an amazing show that left the audience satisfied that they got their fill of rock on a wet Tuesday night. As the thousands of people filed out of the exit gates, members of PETA stood handing out fliers, as Rise Against are active supporters of the controversial animal rights organization.

http://www.riseagainst.com/

Set List:
Survivor Guilt
Ready To Fall
Collapse (Post-Amerika)
The Good Left Undone
Broken English
Help Is On The Way
Disparity By Design
Drones
Re-Education (Through Labor)
Blood To Bleed
Satellite
Paper Wings
Prayer Of The Refugee

Acoustic:
Audience Of One
Swing Life Away

Make It Stop (September’s Children)
Give It All

Encore:
Midnight Hands
The Strength To Go On
Savior

Rise Against & A Day To Remember 2012 Photo Gallery

Photos appear courtesy of Sara McCarthy

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