Asphalt Valentine Strip Rock Roll

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer

Being straightforward and simple in rock music often can be considered a shortcoming, especially to those critics who tend to think of rockers as the Neanderthals of music. And though this description probably does fit a number of bands both past and present, true rock fans know that while Meshuggah and Fates Warning are great when you feel the need to hear a band stretch their virtuosic muscles, play around with bizarre chord phrasings and dabble with odd time signatures, sometimes the greatest gift that the electric guitar has given us is that of the power chord and the simple, gut-level music that comes with it. Asphalt Valentine exemplify this notion, and do so superbly on their new album, the fittingly titled Strip Rock Roll.

There’s not too much reason to detail the 10 tracks on this album individually, as the comments would be virtually the same for every track; they are super catchy, fun, up-tempo rock ditties with lyrics that are sleazy and basic, but also witty and smart enough not to be laughable. Each song is comfortable and familiar, but none sound like direct copies of anything else well known. Sure, “Don’t Come Easy” closely mirrors the main riff of Kiss’ “All American Man,” and the intro to “Hard Life” fools listeners into thinking they’re listening to Van Halen’s “Everybody Wants Some!!” Elements of all of the best-of-the-best resonate throughout — Motley Crue, L.A. Guns, AC/DC — yet strangely, Asphalt Valentine manage to create their own identity, learning from their forefathers, but never directly stealing from them.

It should be noted that when dealing with “simple” rock and roll, it may be deduced that this somehow implies a lack of quality musicianship. That is certainly not the case here. Sure, there’s nothing resembling “Bohemian Rhapsody” on Strip Rock Roll, but it’s not just Gavin Rosdale-esque talentless crap either. What makes the “simplicity” work is that it is backed by actual skill. The music is simple because the members want it to be, not because they have no choice but to make it that way. And for that, the members of Asphalt Valentine should be commended. They’ve managed to create an album that lacks pomposity and arrogance, but still contains enough flash and integrity to keep it exciting and interesting.

With all this praise, it seems only fair to give a little criticism. Perhaps one of the biggest “areas of improvement” would be in the backing vocal department. Not to say that they are bad when used, but several choruses seem a bit thin and would be improved with a bit of harmonizing or possibly even some classic “gang” vocals. “Dirty Little Secret” is a perfect example of this, as it is a great song with “hit” potential, but the chorus ends up sounding a bit anticlimactic. “It’s Not You” suffers a similar fate and could have done with a beefier background part.

In a similar vein, there are several instances, such as on opener “Never Lose It,” where only one rhythm guitar is featured during solo breaks, leaving the backing track a bit weak. There’s something to be said for keeping things real by only tracking what the band can do live, but sometimes a bit of guitar doubling can add the extra kick to really bring listeners to the floor.

Overall, Strip Rock Roll does exactly what it needs to. It gets feet tapping, heads banging, fists pounding and clothes disappearing. And isn’t that what rock and roll’s really all about?

Label: Chavis Records

Web: www.myspace.com/asphaltvalentine2

Band Lineup:
Stoopid “Joe” Flynt (vocals)
Brett “Beretta” Ciaramella (guitars)
Dallas James (guitars)
Scott “McGuyver” Clark (bass)
Scozzy Valentine (drums)

Tracks:
1. Never Lose It
2. Dirty Little Secret
3. It’s Not Me
4. Hard Life
5. Love & Gone
6. Don’t Come Easy
7. Be Your Drug
8. Strip Rock Roll
9. Down To The Aces
10. Bombshell

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.8/10

Prozac Daisies Krazzy

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

Despite a cheesy looking cover, and odd name and a penchant for strange spelling, Krazzy – the five track debut EP from the Prozac Daisies – is an exceptionally good effort.

The music of the Prozac Daisies is difficult to classify since the band had done what every band should do when trying to land a real record deal – they’ve mixed up their styles to display their musical versatility and songwriting talents, doing everything from a heavy rocker to a dodgy cover tune. The band is not your conventional five-piece rock band, as along with the required guitars/bass/drums they have a cello.

Guitarist / vocalist Vinnie D. founded the band with bassist Rocco Rado, both Chicago natives. They’ve added Patrick Christie (guitar), Michelle Tess Oberlin (cello) and Jeff Duckett (drums) to round out the lineup. Each of the Daisies is very talented, and none dominate the sound. One might expect the cello to be a huge attention grabber, but Oberlin is a very good player and the band treats the instrument as if it was nothing unusual. The cello is not used as a gimmick, rather it blends in as one might expect from keyboards or additional guitar. Vinnie has a good voice for classic rock – deep and resonant, and plays a solid guitar. He teams very well with second guitarist Patrick Christie and they make a formidable pair who can handle almost any style of rock. The bottom end provided by heavy-stick drummer Duckett and bassist Rado is nicely reinforced by Oberlin’s cello. Duckett and Rado work well together and seem to be the happiest when they are playing their hardest.

The CD opens with a heavy, pounding cover of Tommy Tutone’s “867-5309 / Jenny”. They’ve dropped the speed on this track, and the lower key and cello give it an almost dark and spooky tone rather than the original’s “happy rock” feeling. The guitar break is very “metal”, and they’ve added extra heaviness in the chorus. This is NOT the same song – the band took a “classic” and gave it their own twist – a lesson any other band recording a cover tune should learn.

“Khalifornia” opens with a classical cello line that fades into a pounding rhythm line, and then into a fairly standard hard rock tune with a really catchy chorus. “Don’t Give Up On Me” is almost a ballad, and features some nice acoustic guitar work and a smooth cello line that floats over the rest of the music, and really solid vocals and lyrics.

“Superstitions” opens with a very upbeat and driving bass/drum line that carries the song until the good gang vocals take over, and then settles into an almost funk/punk beat. “Krazzy” opens with an alternative rock sound, and that tone carries across and is very reminiscent of King’s X.

The production and engineering are very good, emphasizing the unique aspects of the cello without shoving it in your face. The musical balance is consistently good across all the styles, and the crisp engineering allows the raw talent of the band to be heard. The musicianship is top notch, and the songs are well structured musically and lyrically.

Krazzy is a fine debut EP by a very solid and creative band with a unique sound, and a fine example of American indie rock. While the EP would have been stronger with a fifth original song, the Daisies’ retooling of “867-5309” shows that the band has no intention of being a “conventional” group, and is willing to take some chances by messing with a “classic”. Highly recommended!

Label: Out Of The Box Records

Web: www.prozacdaisies.com

Track Listing:

1 – 867-5309 / Jenny
2 – Khalifornia
3 – Don’t Give Up On Me
4 – Superstitions
5 – Krazzy

HRH Rating: 8.5/10

Cowboy Prostitutes Let Me Have Your Heart

by Derric Miller
Staff Writer

When Cowboy Prostitutes released Swingin’ At the Fences in 2008, they immediately became one of the hardest to pigeonhole bands out there. Yeah, it was “Hard Rock,” but it was also Metal, Punk, Blues, and probably a few other monikers tossed in for good measure. Now they are coming at you with their brand new third studio album called Let Me Have Your Heart, and if anything, they have gone even further to make their sound indescribable, unless “kick ass” covers it all.

“Outrageous” is the opener, a bare-knuckled brawler of a rock anthem. It’s furious yet melodic, and infused with Punk attitude. The chorus, a scorching “Die die die, motherfucker you got to die!” is simplistic and memorable as hell. You’ve heard songs like this before, something Social D nailed seemingly hundreds of times, but it doesn’t make “Outrageous” any less of a track. Especially on lines like, “I’m a loser, and a boozer, I could never have a car like you sir,” you can hear their sense of humor along with their social commentary. With lead singer (and bassist) Luca’s snarling but expert vocal style, it almost makes you want to just hit repeat and not worry about what the rest of the album has to offer. But that’d be a mistake, cuz it’s all this good.

One band you can probably align Cowboy Prostitutes with is The Erotics. Both bands wield a serrated edge to their songwriting, but they are excessively catchy and radio-friendly once you get through the rawness. “If the Sky” is the perfect example of that description. You can hear their affinity for the ‘80s in this track, especially with the chorus. Guitarist LAO plays with a thick, fat style on this solo, almost bubbly (not neo-classical though) and smooth as Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. This is probably their “hit” song, should radio dare look outside the corporate status quo.

The riff on “Make Things Right” seems to glide back to the Classic Rock of the ‘70s. Cowboy Prostitutes likes to write about booze and girls, and typically both in the same song, but “Make Things Right” is more about perseverance. The telling line is “I’m still like 15 years old, playing guitar laying on my bed, this is like a curse and it will last forever!” It’s being stricken with the curse of Rock N Roll and never saying “die.” Lyrically, the band has improved and become more introspective without losing any of their edge. Smart lyrics just make a good song great, in other words.

“Save Our Cities” is sort of a slap in the teeth to conservationists, especially when you hear, “Saving trees is so exciting; and I thank you for the lovely gesture.” In a couple words, NOT politically-correct. If you thought some of the other lyrics were dark, try on the chorus, as Luca sings, “Save our cities and the true romancers, save us all a place where we can slowly die.” It’s not all fun-and-games in the Cowboy Prostitutes’ camp any more, kids. If you want to deconstruct it a bit, though, maybe they are saying mankind needs to learn to live with itself in global peace before we start worrying about inanimate objects like trees—that man versus man will be the real death for all of us. Nah, it’s just Rock N Roll, not existential philosophy, right!

After getting your head around “Save Our Cities,” you will welcome the uncomplicated “Up Yours!” This track features the biggest stadium anthem chorus on the release, especially at the end with “Well you can laugh some more, but I won’t BE YOUR TOY!” Luca’s voice soars on the ending here, with a wicked solo from LAO, and this one is as solid as “Outrageous.”

Sometimes “mature” can be a slap in the face to a band, but there no doubt Cowboy Prostitutes has “matured” from one album to the next. On the last song, “Finale,” you can’t help but feel uplifted by the lyrics, “In this moment I found the reason why I have never had a doubt in my mind.” This is an EVERYMAN song, for everyone who has ever doubted you in your walk through life, and how you found the resolve to keep going no matter what happens around you. The rhythm section here, from drummer Jonas Lewin and Luca, thumps the point across again and again. If you dig gang vocals, this chorus will be your best friend.

Let Me Have Your Heart is just another surprising release from another band from Sweden (go figure, ain’t all the great new bands from Sweden?) Just because you haven’t heard of a band doesn’t have anything to do with the quality of their music—it just means you need to listen to more music. That being said, if you are going to open up your musical landscape and try something new, start with Cowboy Prostitutes.

Label: Sunny Bastards

Online: www.myspace.com/cowboyprostitutes  

Track listing:
1. Outrageous
2. Nail That Pretty
3. If the Sky
4. Through the Streets
5. Girls Like You
6. Make Things Right
7. Waitin’ Around
8. Save Our Cities
9. What Shall I Do?
10. Up Yours!
11. Finale

HRH Rating: 8.3/10

Steel Panther Feel the Steel

by Deb Rao
Staff Writer

Steel Panther are no strangers to the Sunset Strip. The Los Angeles rock band has gone through many name changes including Danger Kitty, Metal Shop, and the infamous Metal Skool. Steel Panther is keeping the ’80s alive and well with their debut album, Feel The Steel on Universal Republic Records. Feel The Steel pummels with ’80′s Van Halen and Bon Jovi guitar riffs and vocals reminicent of Diamond David Lee Roth.

Steel Panther features Michael Starr AKA (Ralph Saenz)of LA Guns on vocals, Satchel on guitar, Lexxxi Foxxx on bass, and Stix Zadinia on drums. Opening track “Death To All But Metal” is a parody of how the music industry and MTV control what is played on television and radio today. In retrospect, maybe that is why so many young people today are turning to ’80s bands for sheer musical entertainment. The ’80s were a time where music knew no boundaries. Well, Steel Panther are breaking all the rules with their X-rated version of songs that are laden with sex, drugs, and pure rock – n – debauchery.

Standout track on Feel The Steel is the hit, “Community Property.” A tribute to touring musicians and their girlfriends and wives who are left at home wondering what really happens on tour? Steel Panther give a graphic account of what it is like to be an ’80′s musician on tour. It is kind of like the old cliche’, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” “Party All Day” has a Bon Jovi vibe, as “Eatin Ain’t Cheatin” has a Van Halen groove. Throughout the entire album, Satchel enthuses his love of ’80s riffs with precise execution. In a recent In-store in Norwood, Mass. Satchel commented, “Van Halen played a mjaor role in the influence on the band.”

What would Rock – N – Roll be without women? Steel Panther pay tribute to strippers and slow things down for just a moment on “Stripper Girl.”  ”Girl From Oklahoma” salutes the groupies in pure parody. Steel Panther has paid their dues on Sunset Strip. Michael Starr A.K.A. (Ralph Saenz{ sings his heart out with his Diamond Dave vocal style. As guitarist Satchel unleashes the Spartan ’80s guitar riffs. Steel Panther are so much more than a modern day Spinal Tap. They entertain you with their comical satire but behind the parody are four talented musicians who have paid their dues on Sunset Strip.It would be interesting to see on their next album if they can shed the comedy skit and rely on the strength of their serious song-writing instead.

www.myspace.com/steelpanther  

Label: Universal

l. Death to All But Metal
2. Asian Hooker
3. Community Property
4. Eyes of a Panther
5. Fat Girl (Thar She Blows)
6. Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’
7. Party All Day (**** All Night)
8. Turn Out the Lights
9. Stripper Girl
10. Shocker, The
11. Girl from Oklahoma

HRH Rating: 8/10

Arbogast Certainties and Doubts

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer

Sweden has produced a wide variety of quality musical acts that span decades and genres. From the Hall-of-Fame-worthy pop of Abba, to the American-inspired garage rock of the Hellacopters, and even the prog-infused black metal of Vintersorg, Sweden seems to have no shortage of musical luminaries. Perhaps it’s because of the lack of daylight during Swedish winter, forcing everyone inside with nothing else to do but create. Whatever the reason, it certainly seems to be working, and relative newcomers Arbogast are no exception.

Arbogast’s second full-length album, Certainties and Doubts, sees band leader Svante Widerström expand on previous efforts and futher refine the “Arbogast sound.” But what is that sound? That is an interesting question, as there’s not an obvious answer. The bulk of the material has a very ‘70s-throwback feel, but almost in an inspired-by-other-70s-throwback-bands way. Many songs call to mind Spacehog, both musically and vocally, though they lack a bit of the Freddie Mercury-like stylistic meanderings of Royston Langdon. Additionally, there is a preponderance of three-chord, punk-inspired backing music, though plucked and strummed rather than noisily expelled.

Humorously titled opening track “Robbed, Stripped and Glad About It” feels like a leftover from early Alice Cooper sessions, and would have worked well on Killer. Of course, Alice would doubtfully have veered away from some of the bizarre falsetto vocal stretches. This rocking song kicks the album off with a great amount of energy that the rest of the album, unfortunately, lacks. This is not to imply that the remainder is of lower quality, but after getting jolted with such a powerful track upfront, everything else seems a little lethargic.

For the most part, the rest of the songs on Certainties and Doubts could almost all fall under one description—fun and quirky. Gently strummed acoustics and pop melodies help to create an album of smile-bringing ditties. “Steal Me Some Luck” would almost fit well in a Macintosh commercial, though it’s a bit less contrived than usual Mac-fare. “Psychomath” is a great piece of pop fun, reveling in its simplicity and insane catchiness. It’s unlikely that anyone will be able to get it out their head after even one listen. “Bitacora Club” and “Applause to You” bring the initial energy back to a point, but end up as electrically dominated pop-rock nonetheless. Closing track, “The Cholera Song,” with its upbeat synth melody, builds up to what feels like children’s program theme music (though going by the title, it would be a pretty dark kid’s show).

While Arbogast use the simplicity and laid-back attitude to their advantage most of the time, there are points where things do become a bit redundant. Many of the vocal melodies are almost identical, and as noted before, the energy level never quite reaches beyond a mellow cheeriness. A little more power and slightly increased tempos would surely bring extra life to the songs and create a more diverse album.

What is certain is that Arbogast have created a solid, pleasant album that would feel very comfortable (stylistically, if not alphabetically) between Cheap Trick and Jason Mraz—not quite as hard hitting as the first, but a bit less obvious than the second. Chock another one up to Swedish creativity.

Label: Self-released

Web: www.myspace.com/arbogastrockbov ; www.arbogast.se

Band Lineup:
Svante Widerström (vocals, guitars, keyboards)
Bolivar (bass)
Gunnar Hansson (drums)
Jonas Hjortstam (various solos)
Mats Lilja (background vox)
Fredrik Lillen Falkerstedt (guitar solo)
Jason Lewis (spoken)

Tracks:
1. Robbed, Stripped and Glad About It
2. Psychomath
3. Steal Me Some Luck
4. Once the Tip of the Spear
5. Stay Up and Talk to Me All Night
6. Bitacora Club
7. Applause to You
8. The Other You
9. Thinking ‘Bout the Boss
10. Beckomberga 1944
11. The Cholera Song

Hardrock Haven rating 8.6/10

Witches Mark A Grim Apparition

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer

A Grim Apparition is the debut EP from Texas metallers Witches Mark, one of the more promising new bands of the traditional metal revival that’s been emerging in recent years. The band, which features members of Of the Fallen, Panzergod, Hammerwhore and Reverend, is poised to pick up the torch from classic metal bands like Omen, Liege Lord and Helstar.

Beneath the gorgeously grim cover artwork (this artist needs to be doing Iced Earth covers), A Grim Apparition offers four new compositions as well as a few surprises. It’s easy to slot Witches Mark in the traditional metal genre, but their sound also draws heavily on power, thrash and doom metal. There are even moments (especially on “Salem’s Fire” and “Ethereal”) where the melodic thrashing riffs sound like they could have come from an early Swedish melodic death metal album (like Arch Enemy circa Black Earth). These lightning riffs are paired with thundering rhythms to great effect, especially when Michael Lance’s powerful vocals are added to the mix. You can see why he was chosen to replace the late David Wayne in Reverend. Unfortunately, the vocals seem buried under the sheer weight of the guitars and aren’t always clear, which is the EP’s only real flaw.

If the first four songs weren’t impressive enough, A Grim Apparition also features a trio of bonus tracks. The first is a demo version of the title track. This is an interesting addition, but probably isn’t anything you’ll need to hear more than once. It is followed by a pair of “hidden” cover songs. The first is the band’s take on the classic Candlemass song “Solitude,” delivered with the requisite amount of doom and gloom. The second is a version of the lesser-known Angel Witch track “Something Wrong,” which totally fits the band’s sound. There is also an MP3 label sampler included on the CD, which is a nice touch.

Fans of the new breed of traditional metal bands (think Wolf, Pharaoh, Icarus Witch, Widow, et al) should absolutely check out A Grim Apparition. There’s just this great aura of grim heaviness, power and drama that few bands of this generation seem to understand. It’s the kind of mentality and earnest devotion to the music that made the classic Metal Massacre-era bands strap on their spiked gauntlets and slay their metaphoric (and some not-so-metaphoric) dragons while the L.A. party rockers were primping in front of the mirror. It’s just so damned … metal. Needless to say, A Grim Apparition definitely whets the appetite for a full-length Witches Mark album, which hopefully will not be too long in coming.

Online: www.myspace.com/witchesmark

Lineup:
Michael Lance – Vocals
Robert Williams – Guitar
Robb Bockman – Guitar
Andy Gonzalez – Bass
Sandra Torres – Keyboards
Yevgeniy Dankovjucovic – Drums

Track Listing:
1. Salem’s Fire
2. Cauldron-Born
3. Ethereal
4. A Grim Apparition
5. A Grim Apparition (demo version)
6. Solitude (hidden bonus track, Candlemass cover)
7. Something Wrong (hidden bonus track, Angel Witch cover)

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Sigh Scenes From Hell

December 23, 2009 by Publisher  

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by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer

For those uninitiated, the Sigh story goes all the way back to early ‘90s Tokyo, where band leader Mirai Kawashima put together the initial lineup of what would become one of black metal’s most unique and long-lasting acts. An early milestone came in 1993 in the form of their first full-length being released on the infamous Deathlike Silence label, founded by none other than slain Norwegian anti-hero Euronymous. Traditionally reserved almost exclusively for his Norse kinsmen, this was a breakthrough not only for the genre, but also for the Japanese black metal scene. Through the years, Sigh have undergone a number of changes, both in terms of personnel and music, dabbling in everything from straight-ahead black metal, to jazz, to avant garde experimentation. With 2010′s Scenes From Hell, we see the band taking all of the elements they’ve touched on in the past and blending them into a very unique extreme metal miasma.

The eight tracks that make up Scenes From Hell present an interesting emotional convergence. On one side is the standard black metal fare — high-pitched screaming vocals (delivered spectacularly by female vocalist Dr. Mikannibal), trem-picked grim guitars, and lyrical content dealing with Hell, death and war. The other side, though, is embodied by Sigh’s unique use of horns, woodwinds, keys and strings. Instead of following a similarly disharmonic, discordant, and generally dark musical course, the passages utilizing this diverse (by metal standards) instrumentation tend to be almost enlightening and positive, creating a very unique musical paradox.

Though most songs feature this strange clash of styles, a few stand out as particularly obvious illustrations. Opening track “Prelude to the Oracle” kicks things off with a bang, but boasts an oddly Mariachi-inspired horn passage. “L’art de Mourir” follows immediately after, though this time, the horns take on more of a carnival-esque feel. For a song that translates to “The Art of Dying,” it seems a very unlikely juxtaposition. Closing title track “Scenes From Hell” echoes this by coming off as a very musically upbeat song with very dark (obviously) lyrics.

While the above represent examples of rather bizarre stylistic pairings, there are many places in which the genre-bending mix works exceptionally. Of particular note, the spoken word over piano intro to “The Red Funeral” is incredibly haunting, and the use of violins later in the track create a Halloween-like atmosphere.

Unfortunately, while Sigh may be unique in the ever-growing black metal kingdom, in and of themselves, they tend to become a bit repetitive. After a few songs, the underlying guitar and drums riffs become almost indistinguishably similar and feature very few memorable melodies/patterns. Weirdly, even the avant-garde diversions seem to suffer the same fate, as the songs tend to feature the same mix of horns and strings over generic black metal riffing.

The other biggest drawback to Scenes From Hell comes from the lackluster production. The drums are flat, the instruments muffled and over-compressed, and even with all of its ebbs, flows, and varied instrumentation, there still seems to be a lack of dynamic range that would have added to the cinematic quality that the band seems to strive for. But perhaps the less-than-stellar recording values were done to add to the overall grim vibe of the album, following the footsteps of early Darkthrone, among others. But if history has taught us anything, everything can be improved upon. And though purists will disagree, later Darkthrone albums, along with works by similar acts such as Khold, have retained their innate grimness in spite of slick production. It would be nice for Sigh to give it a chance next time around.

Criticism aside, however, Sigh are a recognized name in extreme metal for good reason. They follow no one, instead blazing their own path of blackened fusion. And the hordes that have worshiped them from the beginning will no doubt proclaim this yet another piece of fine, black metal art.

Label: The End Records

Web: http://www.myspace.com/sighjapan; www.sighjapan.com

Band Lineup:
Mirai Kawasima (vocals, orchestrations, piano)
Dr. Mikannibal (vocals, saxophone)
Satoshi Fujinami (bass)
Shinichi Ishikawa (guitar)
Junichi Harashima (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Prelude to the Oracle
2. L’art de Mourir
3. The Soul Grave
4. The Red Funeral
5. The Summer Funeral
6. Musica in Tempora Belli
7. Vanitas
8. Scenes from Hell

Hardrock Haven rating: 6.4/10

Genitorturers Blackheart Revolution

December 23, 2009 by Publisher  

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by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

If you like your metal dark, twisted and just a little bit sick, you’ll enjoy Blackheart Revolution, the latest from the Genitorturers. These veteran rockers have built up a small but loyal cult following over the past 10 years, and if you have any interest at all in industrial dark metal but haven’t sampled it, Blackheart Revolution is a great starting point. If you are already a fan, you won’t be disappointed.

Genitorturers music spans multiple genres – everything from industrial underground metal to electro-pop to punk to hardcore to straight-up hard rock seems to get mashed together and squeezed into a relatively unique sound that at time delights, and at other times offends. Think Joan Jett meets Nine Inch Nails, then toss in some porn and you have a truly raunchy and raucous experience. Despite the band’s obvious desire to provide some shock value, they don’t need to rely on it, as they are very good underneath it all.

Musically, the Genitorturers are very solid players. Lead vocalist Gen has a number of voices, ranging from sweet and innocent to gritty and ballsy. She can sing and she can scream and tailors her voice appropriately to the tone of the music. David “Evil D” Vincent provides the bass for the band. He pushes out a very aggressive bass line through most tracks, mixing up the tempo changes and patterns without missing a beat, and even plays a full upright bass on one of the tracks. Bizz gets credits on guitar, and while he is a good and aggressive player capable of laying down some great riffs, the music is mostly driven by the the rhythm section. Three players are credited as drummers – Angel, Joe Letz, and Mark Prator, although Angel will be the touring drummer.

The CD opens with “Revolution,” a gritty driving song with a kicky bass and aggressive drumming and an overall “industrial” sound. “Kabangin’ All Night” is the quintessential raunch-rock party song and is moved almost totally by the bass and drums, but features a great guitar solo by Bizz. “Devil In A Bottle” is a heavy blues rock with Gen doing her best Joan Jett impression. This one is a real air drummer’s delight. “Louder” is a pounding tribute to rock, and the best way to play it – and has a simple catchy chorus that will easily have you singing along. The middle track, “Falling Stars,” is one of the highlights of the CD. It is a much lower-energy song but is close to rock-perfect – great lyrics, great vocals, a solid rhythm line and great muscianship from all. This track would be extremely radio friendly – and might be a bona fide hit if it was marketed right. “Take It” brings back the raunchy industrial theme, and is NOT radio friendly, while “Confessions Of A Blackheart” is a dark and almost techno-creepy with a dash of extra-spooky vocals thrown in. “Cum Junkie” – guess the theme of this one – is a musically solid track done with an almost house/dance beat, and it is all about the rhythm. This track would be Top 40 material but for the explicit lyrics. “Vampire Lover” has a great rolling bass line and fantastic vocals with a somewhat moody “electronica” feel. “Tell Me” wraps the disc is a very straight-up hard rock manner, and is one of the few tracks that is guitar driven.

The production and engineering are very good, with co-production credits going to Scott Humphrey (Motley Crue, Rob Zombie, Ozzy Osbourne) and bassist David Vincent. They’ve hit the musical sweet spots on every track no matter the genre. The Genitortures have received a bunch of well-deserved publicity, appearing on everything from video game soundtracks to Playboy TV.

All in all, Blackheart Revolution is a very diverse and solid recording. The band is good and the music is fun. Most of the tracks are aggressive but remain melodic no matter what the style of song. If you don’t mind your music a little raunchy and appreciate the underground sound, grab this one (just don’t play it in front of the kids).

Label: G-Force/MVD Entertainment

Web: http://www.myspace.com/genitorturers, http://www.genitorturers.com/home.html

Track Listing:
01. Revolution
02. Kabangin’ All Night
03. Devil In a Bottle
04. Louder
05. Falling Stars
06. Take It
07. Confessions of a Blackheart
08. Cum Junkie
09. Vampire Lover
10. Tell Me

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Slayer World Painted Blood

December 16, 2009 by Managing Editor  

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by Derric Miller
Staff Writer

World Painted Blood. Why not? Slayer has always used hyperbole to the Nth degree in album and song titles, and the new Slayer album aptly titled World Painted Blood continues that psychotic legacy. Less Satanic than God Hates Us All and Christ Illusion, Slayer seems to have somehow rekindled their love for violence-themed Speed/Thrash Metal, often tinged with Punk, to create a newly energized sound on World Painted Blood.

Not one to beat around the bush, the album’s title track is up first. “World Painted Blood” is another Slayer song that is both technically adept, especially with Dave Lombardo’s drumming, yet wildly chaotic, thanks to the snarling guitar solos from Hanneman and King. As always, Tommy Araya’s vile vocals stand above the entire genre as his spite and venom mix with articulation and quasi-hidden melody. In other words, “World Painted Blood” is awesome …

For sheer speed, “Snuff” is immense. The opening guitar solo bleeds violence, and Lombardo proves once again why drummers compare themselves to him in this arena. “Is he as good as Lombardo?” No, whoever he is, he’s not. Just check out the drumming during the raging guitar solos and try to keep up. When Araya starts screaming, “Killing is my future, murder is my future!” your blood will boil.

It’s not always about speed, though. When you get to “Beauty Through Order,” which begins at a bit more mid-tempo pace, you’ll be reminded of masterpieces like “Dead Skin Mask.” Araya, although he might not want to admit it, can hit all the notes and owns various subtleties to his vocal style that make him multi-faceted as a singer, even if most of the time he’s merely yelling on-key. Plus, hearing “God did not do this!” is almost as rabid as him singing “Dance with the dead in my dreams!”

“Psychopathy Red” is one of the heaviest and fastest songs on World Painted Blood, with jarring breakdowns between the verses that feature drum and bass solos. As with most Slayer guitar solos, the notes scream and shriek instead of just “sound.” The few stark tempo changes and vocal onslaught should make any classic Slayer fan drool.

Their first single is “Playing With Dolls,” and in a lot of ways, it sounds like Danzig at first. Araya completely removes the edge from his voice during the first couple verses, but quickly goes back to a more guttural style during the chorus, yelling “Die in front of me!” This is the track that proves Slayer is no one-trick-pony, and although they can be counted besides the heaviest bands in the world, they can also write a Heavy Metal song outside the Thrash genre. For a multitude of fans, this will probably be their favorite new Slayer song, because it has everything you’d want in a Metal anthem.

“Not of This God,” the closing track, sounds like it could be off of Reign in Blood. It doesn’t sound dated, but it’s vehemently heavy like “Jesus Saves,” albeit more technical. “You call him the Messiah, I see a reckless fraction based on mental slavery!” They’ve come a long way since “Jesus saves, listen to you pray …”

As long as Araya, Hanneman, King and Lombardo keep making music as Slayer, they will be the force to be reckoned with in the genre. The word is they’ll be touring with Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica as the “Big Four,” but who is really everyone coming to see? With Metallica living off their past success and Anthrax switching singers back and forth, only Megadeth is close to as relevant as Slayer. But they don’t play the same style of music as Slayer, and their following just isn’t as loyal. World Painted Blood is proof that Slayer is the “Big One,” and the rest can follow.

Label: Sony

Online: www.slayer.net

Track listing:
1. World Painted Blood
2. Unit 731
3. Snuff
4. Beauty Through Order
5. Hate Worldwide
6. Public Display Of Dismemberment
7. Human Strain
8. Americon
9. Psychopathy Red
10. Playing With Dolls
11. Not Of This God

HRH Rating: 8.6/10

Eldorado Golden

December 15, 2009 by Managing Editor  

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by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

It seems that a lot of very good classic-style rock had been coming out of Europe lately, and Golden from Spain’s Eldorado is no exception. The Spanish quartet has done a great job and put out a fine blues-based rock CD that will bring a smile to the face of any fan of the genre. Golden, the band’s second release, is filled with great foot-tapping, air-guitar numbers and features a killer cover of Ray Charles’ hit “I Don’t Need No Doctor”. The only disappointment is that the CD is relatively short and ends after 9 tracks.

Formed in 2007 and based in Madrid, Eldorado released their first CD entitled En Busca De Eldorado in May 2008. Both albums were produced by Richard Chycki (who has worked with Aerosmith and Rush, to name a few). Chycki came up with a very apt description of Eldorado’s sound – “New Vintage Rock”, and after listening to the very classic elements presented in a modern style one would be hard pressed to disagree with the term. For an interesting twist the band decided to release two versions of the album, one English and one Spanish.

The four members of Eldorado are fine musicians and play well together. Jesus Trujillo (vocals) has an ideal voice for the classic rock style of music – a bit growly and grindy but always clear and precise. He sings with gusto and energy. Nano Paramio plays an outstanding guitar. He lays down great hooky riffs and catchy rhythm lines, and does a nice job with his short-and-to-the-point solos. Cesar Sanchez (bass) and Javi Planelles (drums) are a solid bottom end. Not only to they play well off each other, they take over the songs and drive them forward during Paramio’s solos. Both are energetic players, and Planelles loves the cymbals (but doesn’t overdo them). As a whole, the band is very good at setting and following a mood, and they work as a team through all of the tracks.

The CD opens on a high with “The House Of The 7 Smokestacks”, a track that opens as a drum driven song, but changes to a kicky guitar and bass tune with a great guitar solo and a mystical, slightly rough and raunchy feel. The energy carries over in the well-crafted “The Rocket Song”, but then the band becomes soft and ethereal storytellers on “Atlantico” – terrific vocals and smooth music. “Falling, Falling” is probably the strongest song on the album with great bass and heartfelt vocals, although some may argue for the excellent cover of “I Don’t Need No Doctor”. Lyrically the band is at their best on the regretful “The Worst Of Myself”, and reaches down into the heavy classic grooves to pull out the riffs for “Free (A Chain Reaction).” They comment on society with the heavy “Tarot TV” and wrap the disc with the spooky and paranoid visit to “The Jackarta Club”.

The production and engineering are crisp and clean allowing the natural warmth of the vocals and instruments to show, and there is little in the way of enhancement, dubbing or other studio tricks. Refreshingly the band seems to want to come across as if they are playing live as a four-piece, and despite thins being a studio album Paramio’s guitar rhythm lines disappear as he solos allowing the bass and drums to be full contributors to the music rather than just background.

All in all, Golden is a fine album and Eldorado plays with intensity and fire. Any fan of classic or blues rock will enjoy this one. It has an almost a 1970’s sound, but played with current techniques. Golden is a CD that will find its way into your player and stay there for quite a while.

Label: Dejame Decirte (Indie)

Web: www.eldoradorockband.com , www.myspace.com/eldoradorockband

Track Listing:
01 – The House Of The 7 Smokestacks
02 – The Rocket Song
03 – Atlantico
04 – Falling, Falling
05 – I Don’t Need No Doctor
06 – The Worst Of Myself
07 – Free (A Chain Reaction)
08 – Tarot TV
09 – The Jackarta Club

HRH Rating: 9/10

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