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

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

CHERRI BOMB’S DEBUT ALBUM THIS IS THE END OF CONTROL OUT NOW

Teenage rock sensations Cherri Bomb’s debut album, This Is The End Of Control, is out today and available now on iTunes. The album is also streaming in full via the Official Listening Party. The album features “Let it Go,” as well as “Shake the Ground,” which has a brand new lyrics video and also appears on Avengers Assemble, the official companion album to the blockbuster film The Avengers.

Managed by ex-Hole drummer Samantha Maloney, Cherri Bomb have won the hearts of rock enthusiasts of all ages, including Revolver Magazine who called the album, “a defiant blast of teenage rebellion that suggests a cross between Halestorm and the Foo Fighters.” The girls will be hitting the road in support of the album, including a stop at the Bamboozle Festival in Asbury Park, NJ this Saturday, May 19th, as well as a string of Warped Tour dates starting in Darien, NY on July 17th. Read more

A TRIPLE DOSE OF HARD ROCK 3 Pill Morning details label debut “Black Tie Love Affair”

Midwest rock quartet, 3 Pill Morning, has revealed details of its upcoming label debut, Black Tie Love Affair, due out July 17th via A2Z / Page 2 Music / eOne. Black Tie Love Affair will look to build on the success of the band’s 2011 independent release, Take Control, which broke into the national spotlight behind the hit single, “Loser,” a mainstay on the Active Rock Top 100 chart for over five months.

Commented vocalist, Jeff Stebbins, “I like the concept of ‘Black Tie Love Affair’ because nothing in life is ever perfect, yet we all dream about the money, the nice suits, the flawless relationship, and are obsessed with that dream. Being in the music biz is the same thing, where we want the packed stadiums, fast cars, a tour bus, but the reality is, to make it in anything, you have to kill yourself to make it happen. ‘Black Tie Love Affair,’ the album, takes you through the reality of life and the fact that things aren’t always perfect.” Read more

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