Ironchrist | Getting the Most out of Your Extinction

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Maryland-based Ironchrist hit the scene in the late ‘80s just as the thrash metal movement was exploding across the country. The members of Ironchrist cut their musical teeth in local punk bands, and you hear a lot of punk and hardcore elements in their sound. In addition to their crossover appeal, there is a level of technicality that you didn’t see in a lot of thrash bands. The breakneck speed of the riffs is still the main characteristic of Ironchrist’s sound, but there was a complexity to the rhythms that went a step beyond the norm. Factor in a penchant for apocalyptic and socio-political lyrics and themes, just enough of a melodic aspect and raspy, hardcore-style vocals and you have a very compelling, very unique entry in the thrash metal genre. Ironchrist issued their full-length debut Getting the Most out of Your Extinction on the New Renaissance label in 1990, but complications with the label soon led to the band calling it quits.

Divebomb’s 2012 reissue of Getting the Most out of Your Extinction features the full 1990 album plus the band’s 1987 demo recordings as bonus tracks. All of the songs have been remastered by Jamie King at Basement Studios. King has done wonders to clean up an album that didn’t have a great production initially, and even the early demos sound terrific. If that wasn’t enough, the booklet includes an essay/interview with the band as well as lyrics and rare photos.

If you’re one of the lucky few who grabbed a copy of Getting the Most out of Your Extinction the first time around, you will absolutely want to upgrade to this deluxe reissue. If you’re not familiar with Ironchrist but are a fan of forward-thinking technical/crossover thrash metal along the lines of Voivod, DBC and Nuclear Assault, this reissue is the perfect way to discover one of the genre’s most unfairly overlooked bands.

Genre: Thrash Metal

Band:
Tristan Lentz (g) (v)
Ned Westrick (b) (v)
Scott Treude (d) (v)
Mike Bullock (v)

Track Listing:
1. Getting the Most out of Your Extinction
2. Neurotica
3. World War Three (Crack Party Weekend)
4. Mechanized Emotions
5. Equilibrium
6. Cyborg
7. Contusions
8. White Plague
9. Inheritance
10. Intermission
11. Vagina Dentata
12. The Grind
13. Unforgiven/Shiva Descending
14. Turn It Off
15. Bloodhounds
16. Face Your Death

Label: Divebomb

Website: www.ironchrist.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10

Memory of a Melody | Things That Make You Scream

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

They say everything is bigger in Texas. That bodes well for Memory of a Melody because they’ve got what it takes to be the next big thing on the modern hard rock/metal scene. But that’s not just because they call Texas home. No, MOAM earn the right to be given a shot at the big time based solely on the merits of their music, a slab of sonic muscularity that straddles the gossamer-thin line separating hard rock from metal.

The band has one foot firmly set in each genre. One minute they are dishing out a crunchy, melodic modern hard rock track like “Break Away,” the next they are smashing your face with a vicious metal assault like “Ultraviolence.” And just to prove they are not all aggression all the time, they slow things down for a brooding ballad (“Skin Deep”). The phrase “one trick pony” does not apply here.

The guitar work here sizzles and smokes and single-handedly elevates MOAM to the next plateau. The production smartly plays to this strength, everything engineered with crisp, sharp precision that allows the amazing axe-work to shine. The twin guitar attack creates a heavy wall of sound that cascades over your ears like a six-string tsunami.

As a versatile vocalist capable of uvula-shredding screams as well as clean singing, Mario Galdos focuses more frequently on the latter and reserves the former mostly for emphasis and attitude. MOAM may borrow some metal-core techniques, but they are not a true metal-core band. They are banging around on the same half-rock, half-metal turf on which bands like Bullet For My Valentine and Black Veil Brides found success: heavy-hitting modern hard rock punctuated with aggro-vocals for metal credibility. While both those bands are better than MOAM when it comes to writing slick, commercial hooks, MOAM destroys them both in the technical skills department.

MOAM are a ripe piece of succulent metal fruit hanging on an independent vine, ready to be plucked by a record label that knows a good thing when they hear it. While their metal-core-tinged modern heavy rock formula may not be the most original approach, plenty of bands have ridden this style to the top and many of those bands lack the sheer talent that MOAM bring to the game. Hell, some of them don’t even deserve to play scratch-n-sniff with the bottom of MOAM’s collective jockstrap.

The song quality does seesaw somewhat, with ass-kicking tunes mixed with less impressive tracks. For example, “Till Death Do Us Part” gets the head whipping with a catchy stop-start rhythm and pays off with a slow, emphatic chorus. “Pieces,” on the other hand, brings plenty of slam to the party but lacks a hook to sell the song. Then “My Darkest Hour” kicks your coccyx seven ways from Sunday, only to be followed by “Reach” which is neither good nor bad, but just sort of…there. The band proves multiple times that they are capable of blowing you away…hopefully next time they will do so from start to finish.

These Texas mavericks have got what it takes to carve out a name for themselves in a crowded metal market. Sure, this being a debut album, there is some room for improvement, but that scarcely detracts from just how good these guys are at times. If heavy-edged modern hard rock with mounds of melody and a little bit o’ metal-core is the sort of thing that appeals to you, then MOAM may very well make you scream for joy.

Genre: Modern Hard Rock, Metal

Band:
Mario Galdos (vocals)
Wade Sigue (guitar)
Roel Castillo (guitar)
Joel Martinez (bass)
Robin Lopez (drums)

Track Listing
1. Mask
2. Till Death Do Us Part
3. Things That Make You Scream
4. Pieces
5. Intersection
6. Break Away
7. Skin Deep
8. My Darkest Hour
9. Reach
10. Ultraviolence
11. The Core
12. Truth in Lies

Label: Independent

Webpage: www.thingsthatmakeyouscream.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.3/10

Moonspell | Alpha Noir

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer –

Everyone probably best remembers Moonspell from their “hit,” “Opium,” from the Irreligious album. It embodied the shift from their early black metal sound to one more rooted in Goth metal, and helped to substantially broaden their fan base. Many years have passed since “Opium,” and while the band has stayed active and quite successful in the metal scene, their newest album, Alpha Noir, is ultimately very forgettable.

The members of the band described Alpha Noir as “an incendiary album,” which is not only a pretty ridiculously abstract thing to say, but is also far from true. That is, of course, unless fires are often caused by overly pompous blandness.

Ignoring the general lack of interesting riffs, perhaps the most painful part of the album is the lyrics. “Lickanthrope,” assumingly designed to be some sort of darkly sexy werewolf song, loses all listen-ability with the repeated growl of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Seriously? Even Stephanie Myers managed to avoid such a classic cliché.

Other standout weirdness includes “Love Is Blasphemy,” which could easily be the name of a HIM song, though it doesn’t carry the Gothy romance Ville Valo tends to deliver. “Opera Carne,” which essentially translates to “Meat Opera,” perhaps relates to the “incendiary” description of the album, and suggests a hidden theme of barbequing.

Silliness aside, Alpha Noir really just comes across as a generic album by a once better band. Compared to a lot of the cookie-cutter metal dominating airwaves, it’s not terrible. But with so many great bands putting out far superior albums, it does little more than leave the listener unaffected, perhaps revealing the nothingness the title implies.

Genre: Goth Metal, Black Metal

Band:
Fernando Ribeiro – vocals
Ricardo Amorim – guitars
Pedro Paixão – keyboards, guitars
Aires Pereira – bass
Miguel Gaspar – drums
Track Listing:

1. Axis Mundi
2. Lickanthrope
3. Versus
4. Alpha Noir
5. Em nome do medo
6. Opera Carne
7. Love Is Blasphemy
8. Grandstand
9. Sine Missione

Label: Napalm Records

Website: www.moonspell.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 4.3/10

Alcatrazz | Live ’83

by John Kindred
Publisher –

Alcatrazz was formed by former Rainbow and MSG vocalist Graham Bonnet in the early ’80s. The band featured former members of the band New England, bassist Gary Shea and keyboardist Jimmy Waldo, as well drummer Jan Uvena of Iron Butterfly and a member of Alice Cooper’s band. The legendary Yngwie Malmsteen initially handled guitar duties. Having recently arrived in the U.S. in ’82 thanks to Mike Varney, Malmsteen worked with Ron Keel’s Steeler and was just beginning to make a name for himself. Alcatrazz proved to be his true launching ground before becoming a solo artist in 1984.

This lineup produced one studio album, No Parole From Rock ‘N’ Roll, which originally was released in 1983 on Rocshire Records. Alcatrazz then followed that up with the live album Live Sentence in ’84. The writing partnership of Bonnet and Malmsteen produced a heavy commercial sound that appealed to fans of Rainbow and MSG. With support of MTV, the song “Island the Sun” granted the band a brief exposure to possible fans, but the album received limited radio airplay. Malmsteen quit the band in ’84 to move his solo career forward and was replaced by another legend Steve Vai.

The release of Live ’83, again, features the original band lineup performing at The Country Club in Reseda, Calif., in the early ’80s for a live radio broadcast. Originally only attainable as a bootleg, Deadline Music has released the official copy, which was mastered by Anthony Focx. The live performance features 10 songs, with a majority of those coming from the debut album. Alcatrazz also performed Rainbow’s “Since You Been Gone” and MSG’s “Desert Song,” as well as Malmsteen’s own instrumental composition “Evil Eye.” The 11th and final song on the CD is a bonus studio track of the Rainbow classic “All Night Long,” featuring George Lynch on guitar.

Considering that the original source of the live performance probably was stashed away in someone’s vault for years, the quality of the recording and performance here are top-notch. The band is on fire, and Malmsteen’s guitar playing fits perfectly into the audio landscape of Alcatrazz’s sound. Even when he dashes off into lead runs under the vocals of Bonnet, his fret board antics work without clashing with the vocals, or the band for that matter. It is the rhythm section of Shea and Uvena that holds the foundations together, while Waldo keeps the melodies and rhythmic heartbeat alive with his keys.

Live ’83 is a true gem that Alcatrazz and Malmsteen fans should add to their collection. It highlights a raw, unrefined Malmsteen on equal footing with Bonnet’s raw, gritty voice.

Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Neo-classical

Band:
Graham Bonnet (v)
Yngwie Malmsteen (g)
Gary Shea (b)
Jan Uvena (d)
Jimmy Waldo (k)

Track List:
1. Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live
2. General Hospital
3. Kree Nakoorie
4. Island In The Sun
5. Evil Eye
6. Since You Been Gone
7. Hiroshima Mon Amour
8. Suffer Me
9. Desert Song
10. Jet To Jet
11. All Night Long (Bonus Studio Track featuring George Lynch)

Label: DeadLine Music

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Fly Machine | Come Metamorphosis

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Formed in the early 1990s from the ashes of North Carolina-based progressive/thrash/doom metal innovators Confessor, Fly Machine was similar to Confessor in a lot of respects. Both bands embraced technicality and had an unusual approach to their music, pushing the boundaries of the metal genre in interesting new ways. Fly Machine seemed somehow more suited than Confessor to life in the post-Nirvana musical landscape of the mid ‘90s.

Divebomb’s 2012 collection Come Metamorphosis collects the eight demos that made up the original, self-titled (and self-released) Fly Machine disc as well as three additional songs. All of the songs have been remastered by Jamie King at Basement Studios, and the disc features additional multimedia content. The liner notes feature a brief band history from drummer Steve Shelton.

As Shelton points out in the liner notes, some of these songs had their genesis in the Confessor days, so you’re going to hear a lot of that sound on songs like “Empty Circle” and “Downsize.” There’s a more ‘90s vibe to most of the songs on Come Metamorphosis. Maybe that’s due to Dave Dorsey’s vocals, which are less overtly “metal” than Scott Jeffreys or the Soundgarden-like groove that keeps popping up. Either way, Fly Machine’s sound probably would have gone over very well with the alternative rock and metal crowd if they had any kind of spotlight at all. Obviously that wasn’t the case, so Fly Machine’s career was limited to that one self-released album.

Obviously a collection like Come Metamorphosis is going to be of most interest to serious Confessor fans. It’s no accident that this Fly Machine collection comes just as Divebomb has released a collection of early Confessor demos (the excellent Uncontrolled). Both make effective bookends to Confessor’s lone ‘90s album (1991’s Condemned), but beyond that Come Metamorphosis has plenty to offer fans of innovative progressive metal on its own merits.

Genre: Doom Metal, Progressive Metal

Band:
Dave Dorsey (g) (v)
Chris Nolan (g)
Cary Rowells (b)
Steve Shelton (d)

Track Listing:
1. Becoming
2. Cell
3. Take You On
4. Drowning
5. Empty Circle
6. Downsize
7. Mover
8. Victimize
9. Big Down
10. Gun in Me
11. Thrown

Label: Divebomb

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Confessor | Uncontrolled

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Confessor. Just saying the name in the company of knowledgeable metal fans is enough to cause heads to turn and previous conversations to cease. The North Carolina-based band is one of those rare bands (Manilla Road is another) who are both legendary and largely unknown in the larger metal world. They defied classification, merging thrash, doom and progressive metal elements into a “controlled chaos” that left a mark on all who experienced it. What other band could combine technical (yet still heavy and doom-like) guitar riffs, a piercing vocal wail and ultra-complex mathematical drum rhythms to simultaneously bring to mind Trouble, Metallica and Watchtower? Confessor is rightly known for their 1991 full-length debut Condemned, but the band’s early recordings, largely unavailable until now, shed light on the development and evolution of the still-unique Confessor sound.

Divebomb Records’ 2012 collection Uncontrolled collects all of the band’s early recordings in a deluxe, 2-disc set and throws in some very memorable extras. It includes the 3-song 1988 demo The Secret, the 3-song 1989 demo Uncontrolled, the 3-song 1990 demo Collapse, plus the version of “The Secret” that appeared on Metal Blade’s Metal Massacre X compilation, the version of Uncontrolled” that appeared on Peaceville’s Vile Vibes compilation, and a pair of live songs. All of the songs have been newly remastered by Jamie King and sound absolutely incredible. Uncontrolled also includes a bonus DVD as well as enhanced content on the audio CD that feature rare video footage, and a booklet that includes rare photos and an essay by Mean Deviation author Jeff Wagner.

If you’re already a Confessor fan, it goes without saying that Uncontrolled is a must-have release. Not only does this “fully-loaded” collection bring together a wealth of rare material, it also provides a window into the formative years and creative evolution of this groundbreaking and truly progressive band. If you’re not familiar with Confessor, their debut full-length Condemned is the ideal jumping-on point, but it has been out of print so long that’s not really an option. Until that album gets a proper reissue, Uncontrolled is the best available way to discover this innovative and still overlooked metal band.

Genre: Thrash Metal, Progressive Metal, Doom Metal

Band:
Scott Jeffreys (v)
Brian Shoaf (g)
Graham Fry (g)
Cary Rowells (b)
Steve Shelton (d)

Track Listing:
1. Collapse Into Despair
2. Alone
3. Condemned
4. Uncontrolled
5. Prepare Yourself
6. Suffer
7. The Secret
8. Deception
9. Eve of Salvation
10. Uncontrolled (Vile Vibes version)
11. The Secret (Metal Massacre X version)
12. Word of Praise (live)
13. Addictive Bind (live)

Label: Divebomb

Website: www.confessorband.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Jack Blades | Rock N Roll Ride

by Ron Higgins
Staff Writer –

Rock N Roll Ride is the semi-biographical 2nd solo album by Night Ranger and Damn Yankees front-man, Jack Blades. Jack has been on quite an impressive ride for 30 years, beginning with Night Ranger’s classic 1982 debut Dawn Patrol, and if this release is any indication, he has no plans to exit the ride any time soon!

Coming off the heels of last year’s excellent Night Ranger release Somewhere in California, Jack releases a collection of mostly hard-driving, guitar-blazing tracks with the obligatory ballad thrown in. The songs are catchy, the hooks are big, the choruses are mammoth and the production is pristine. It’s basically everything you’d expect from someone with his pedigree and he brings along some of his Night Ranger brethren and a few other rock and roll heavyweights to join the fun. Fellow Rangers Brad Gillis, Kelly Keagy, Eric Levy and Joel Hoekstra make guest appearances as does Cheap Trick’s legendary singer Robin Zander who co-wrote one of the tunes and even adds his vocals to it. Additionally, Jack’s son Colin contributed as did other musicians like Will Evankovich, Christian Cullen, Alan Hertz, and Whitesnake’s Brian Tichy. Overall, it’s not a perfect release but it’s pretty darn good. Although he’s been at it for over three decades, this release shows that Jack is still at the top of his game.

The album starts off very strong with two of the best tracks on the album kicking things into high gear. The lead track (and video) “Back in the Game” is a high-energy rocker that sets the tone for the whole album right from the starting gate. It features blistering guitar work and a big melody. Lyrically, it’s an uplifting tune, advising that when you get knocked down, get back up and get “back in the game”. Interestingly, Jack’s son Colin lends his vocals to this track and is also featured in the video as a soldier. Two of his greatest inspirations are music and American military history so he combined the two into this song’s video and dedicated it to all of the military heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

The second song is the title track and is another big rocker. As good as the opening track is, this one manages to be even better. This could easily be the lead track as it too sets the appropriate hard-rocking tone and has the advantage of being the title track and basically a summary of Jack’s life. The chorus is extremely catchy and the crunchy guitar work is reminiscent of Blur’s classic “Song 2”. Drummer du jour Brian Tichy sits behind the skins on this one. Two songs in, and it’s already clear that this release is something special.

Next up is the mandatory ballad “Hardest Word To Say.” With landmark ballads like Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian” and the Damn Yankees hit “High Enough” the bar is set pretty high for any Jack Blades ballad and this one definitely lives up to expectations. It’s musically awesome and lyrically poignant. This is a song of lost love where the singer knows that the relationship is over but still feels strong enough for his lover that he can’t bring himself to utter the hardest word to say… goodbye.

The next song, “Anything For You” is interesting because it was co-written by Robin Zander who also put in a guest vocal on the song. It’s a slower number with a Beatle-esque quality. It’s got a strong George Harrison sound and vibe to it.

Other standout tracks include “Love Life”, “Say You Will” and “Hey Now.” “Love Life” is the 5th track and it kicks the tempo back up after the two slower songs. It too is an upbeat, optimistic tune about loving life and enjoying the California lifestyle. Thematically, this could easily fit on Night Ranger’s most recent release, Somewhere in California, as could the next track “West Hollywood”, which is a psychedelic track that channels Tom Petty (to a somewhat eerie level), placing the listener at the intersection of Haight-Ashbury, right down to the lyrical nod to Hendrix with the line “Are you experienced in love?” This was actually co-written with Jack’s son Colin. “Say You Will” is another up-tempo rocker, this time featuring a nice lead solo from fellow Night Ranger band-mate Brad Gillis. Kelly Keagy plays the drums on this one as well as the bluesy gospel rocker “Hey Now” that closes the album. It features another exceptional blistering lead and has a real Black Crowes feel to it. A nice, interesting way to wrap up the album.

Other tracks include “Born for This”, lyrically celebrating people’s passions, “Don’t Give Up”, another motivational track with a killer chorus, and “Rise and Shine”, a song that starts off slow with a moody Doors-like atmosphere due to the keyboards and then launches into a full-on guitar attack.

Overall, this is a very good album and an excellent follow-up to last year’s impressive Night Ranger release. It brings the listener along on Jack’s lifetime journey of rocking for a living. It’s got big guitars and big melodies and highlights the vocal prowess of Jack’s voice as well as his impressive songwriting ability. When melodic hard rock is done well, it allows the listener to escape into a vision of sunny skies, palm trees and cruising down the avenue in your convertible ’65 Mustang with your best girl by your side. So grab your Turtle Wax and put a shine on your favorite cruising vessel because this release is definitely done right. Strap yourself in and get ready for a rock and roll ride!

Band:
Jack Blades: Bass, guitar, acoustic guitar, lead and backing vocals
Joel Hoekstra: Guitars and solos
Will Evankovich: Acoustic Guitars, mandolin, additional guitars, coral sitar guitar, backing vocals
Kelly Keagy, Brian Tichy: Drums
Eric Levy, Christian Matthew Cullen: Keyboards

Track Listing:
1. Back In The Game
2. Rock N Roll Ride
3. Hardest Word To Say
4. Anything For You
5. Love Life
6. West Hollywood
7. Born For This
8. Don’t Give Up
9. Say You Will
10. Rise And Shine
11. Hey Now

Label: Frontiers Records

Website: http://www.jackblades.net/

Hardrock Haven Rating: 9/10

Juliet’s Vice | Juliet’s Vice

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

Juliet’s Vice might hail from Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, but the only kind of love they seem to believe in is the kind that lurks in sin-shadowed back alleys and filth-strewn gutters. Nothing wrong with that; when you’re a sleaze metal band, nobody expects you to sing about the love of Jesus (come to think of it, Christian sleaze metal might be an untapped genre) or eternal romance sparked over a candlelight dinner. This is the band’s third album and they stick with the creed that if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it, cranking out another devilish dose of bad attitude and bad ass riffs.

Juliet’s Vice punched our collective cochlea last year with d.g.a.f. and leaned heavily on the slithering riffs of Guns N’ Roses while doing so. That style is still hanging around on this self-titled album, but the band has upped the heaviness factor by incorporating a thicker sound, adding some metal beef to bulk up their ‘80s hard rock foundation. As is often the case when rock bands turn to metal, some of the hooks have suffered in the transformation, but the heavier style and muscular bottom end is something Juliet’s Vice should definitely pursue further on future albums.

They should also pursue production improvement. Granted, the rough, raw aesthetics sort of fit the sleazy vibe the band is going for, but a little more polish would be appreciated. Slick and sleazy need not be contradictory adjectives. And the engineering is definitely sub par, the mix a bit too muffled and muddy. The sonic quality needs to be crisper for the songs to deliver maximum impact. That said, while the production is easy to criticize, it’s also easy to forgive, as this is an indie band whose recording budget was probably less than what Bret Michaels spends on hair extensions.

But if fans of pristine production aren’t going to be impressed, maybe fans of tear-it-up guitars will be. Because that’s what Dan Parsels and Damian MonteCarlo, who also share lead vocal duties, do with their axes: slam out some serious six-string savagery. Not the technical ego-masturbation of Malmsteen or Pell, but rather the sizzle and scorch necessary to bring a sleaze metal album to life. In other words, the guitar work here is not neat and neoclassical…it’s nice and nasty.

The songs consist of all rockers, no ballads. If you want to rock out with your balls out from start to finish, then Juliet’s Vice is your band. Take “Dirty Little Princess” for instance; this is sleaze metal of the highest order, easily the best song these guys have ever recorded. It’s got raunchy lyrics, politically-incorrect profanity, more attitude than a badger with a wasp stuck up its ass, and a hard rocking chorus ripped right out of the pages of the oldschool Sunset Strip handbook. Next up is “Tattoos n’ Pink,” the kind of fun, catchy little ditty that you find yourself humming after just one spin. If you’re looking for the heavier stuff, “You Don’t Own Me” gets the job done with powerful guitars, emphatic drumming, and lyrical eloquence along the lines of, “Bitch, I’ll see you in Hell.” Probably safe to say these guys don’t have day jobs writing for Hallmark.

Juliet’s Vice make no pretensions about who they are. They are sleaze metal, they are gutter rock, they are the spirited debauchery of the ‘80s given current incarnation with zero modern concessions. William Shakespeare once wrote, “’Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Call Juliet’ Vice idiots and they’d probably smash your teeth down your throat with a broken beer bottle, but they are full of sound and fury that signifies nothing but a good time for sleaze metal enthusiasts.

Genre: Hard Rock, Sleaze Metal

Band:
Dan Parsels (guitars, vocals)
Damian MonteCarlo (guitar, vocals)
Joe Mal (bass)
Nicolino Maiellano (drums)

Track Listing
1. Star
2. Dirty Little Princess
3. Tattoos n’ Pink
4. The Ones to Blame
5. Fireball
6. Silver Screen
7. You Don’t Own Me
8. Broken Home

Label: indie

Webpage: www.reverbnation.com/julietsvicerocks

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

Joe Satriani | Satchurated Live in Montreal

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer –

Spectacular improvisation as spirited and as eloquent as Satriani’s studio material – if nothing else – makes this live release worth checking out. And not only by the guitar heads for whom this double CD is mandatory. This is also an album for those who not simply love a great melody, but are also curious to hear how a composer works in real time. How on the spur of the moment simple things can be turned into complex ones, how ideas can be shrunk and expanded, and how melody, harmony, and rhythm can simultaneously be shaped by formidable chops and intuition.

But there is, naturally, a wealth of other goodies on Satriani’s first official live release since 1993, apart from demonstrations of technical virtuosity and a perfect sense of musical form. Sonically the record is a firework where the ultimate guitar guru structures the sound of his instrument with layer upon layer of tonal texture, using the guitar as his orchestra of choice. There is also the buzz of his interaction with other players, especially Mike Keneally on the keyboard during their witchery call-and-response moments. And, of course, nothing on the high tech guitar scene these days beats the supercharged energy and sincerity of a Satriani show and its uplifting, celebratory vibe.

Recorded at the Metropolis Theatre in Montreal, Canada on 12 December 2010 during Satriani’s Wormhole Tour, the record spans material from the very early days of his career to songs from his latest studio release “Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards”. The set list opens up his vast emotional range and shows how virtuosically Satriani can balance not only the different energies within one piece of music, but also within the set, going from swagger of such barnburners as “Pyrrhic Victoria” and “Big Bad Moon” with quasi-mystical extrapolations on “Light Years Away” and “Andalusia”.

What makes, however, this record so different from other modern-day instrumental guitar releases – and what places Satriani in a different league from other high-tech masters – is that for him the guitar is not a fetish and not a weapon, but a tool for constructing his own very singular but accessible universe.

Above everything else this release is pure, unadulterated entertainment, even when Satch is delving head-on into an extensive impro, or when he is searching for deeper meaning outside of the straightforward rock formula. And the crowd during this show is giving back as good as it gets – more resembling a South American audience than a Canadian one with its chants and the touching moments when the entire venue is singing back to Satch his impromptu sparks of intuitive magic.

Genre: Instrumental Rock

Personnel:
Joe Satriani – lead guitar, vocals
Jeff Campitelli – drums
Allen Whitman – bass
Mike Keneally – keyboards, percussion
Galen Henson – rhythm guitar

Track Listing:
Disc 1
1. Ice 9
2. Hordes of Locusts
3. Flying in a Blue Dream
4. Light Years Away
5. Memories
6. War
7. Premonition
8. Satch Boogie
9. Revelation
10. Pyrrhic Victoria
11. Crystal Planet
12. The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing
13. Dream Song

Disc 2
1. God Is Crying
2. Andalusia
3. Solitude
4. Littleworth Lane
5. Why
6. Wind in the Trees
7. Always with Me, Always with You
8. Big Bad Moon
9. Crowd Chant
10. Summer Song
11. Two Sides to Every Story (bonus track)
12. The Golden Room (bonus track)

All songs written by Joe Satriani.

Label: Epic

Web: www.satriani.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 10/10

John Schlitt | The Greater Cause

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

So great is the voice of Christian rock legend John Schlitt that he could sing a manual on how to recycle used toilet paper and make it sound good. When GospelMusicChannel.com named him the best rock singer in gospel music history, they exhibited the sagacity of Solomon. He cut his musical teeth with the mainstream band Head East but succumbed to the devils of drug and alcohol addiction before devoting himself to Christ. Born again in spirit but still burning with the need to rock and roll, Schlitt soon found himself fronting the band Petra who, with Schlitt as their singer, became the biggest name in Christian rock during the late ‘80s/early ‘90s.

Between Petra projects, Schlitt released two solo albums: Shake in ‘95, which resembled the melodic, arena-rock style of Petra and was well-received, and Unfit for Swine in ‘96, a darker, edgier effort that many fans thought was aptly titled. Following Petra’s disbandment in 2005, Schlitt released another solo effort, 2008’s The Grafting, which was fairly mellow, leading fans to wonder if the man whose voice had once commanded the Christian rock scene still knew how to rock it up.

Well, consider that question answered with an emphatic, “Heck, yeah!” The Greater Cause is most definitely a rock album, as if Schlitt wanted to satisfy his fans, silence his critics, and have a spirited—or would that be Holy Spirited?—good time doing so. The album sports that classic John Schlitt feel, the kind of not-too-hard-not-too-soft-rock the man has been serving up for three decades and while the sound is too retro to win him any new fans, the ones already in his camp should be plenty pleased.

Time’s inexorable crawl has been kind to Schlitt; despite qualifying for senior citizen discount at Denny’s, his voice shows little sign of wear. Maybe he doesn’t wail as high as he once did, but the soulful grit and attitude is still there. The production caters to this strength, the engineering warm and organic and rightfully focused on Schlitt’s vocals. Same goes for the musicians hired to bring this album to life; all are competent and skilled, but they understand they are playing second fiddle to the star of the show. This album belongs to John Schlitt and whether it’s an unqualified success or a crash and burn debacle rests solely on his shoulders.

Luckily, The Greater Cause succeeds more than it stumbles. As has always been the case with Schlitt, his voice is best suited to rockers and he slams out a number of them. “Live It Loud” kicks things off raucously, with just a hint of modernism in the chorus counter-vocals, which come at you like staccato bullets. “One of These Days” is delicious ear candy, a mid-tempo tune that evolves into a full-throttle rocker loaded with urgent energy and sharp hooks. And then there is “Hope That Saves the World,” which is exactly the kind of song you hope to hear when picking up a John Schlitt album, featuring a catchy start-stop rhythm, melodic guitar leads, and a soaring chorus. Less impressive are the ballads, but those have never been Schlitt’s strength. That said, most of them are tolerable—“Where I Wanna Be” even manages to be good—but “The Gift” is anything but, coated with so much cloying, cringe-inducing sweetness that you risk going into diabetic shock if you listen to it more than once. It’s a nice love letter to his wife, but she’s the only one who should have heard it.

This is a good, solid “comeback” from Schlitt. No, it doesn’t top his glory days with Petra, but did anyone actually expect it to? That would be like visiting the zoo and expecting to see a Wooly Mammoth—ain’t gonna happen. But this is definitely the best of Schlitt’s solo albums, meaning Christian rock fans have great cause to be excited.

Genre: Christian Rock

Musicians:
John Schlitt (vocals)
Jerry McPherson (guitars)
Andrew Ramsey (guitars)
Chris Rodriguez (guitars)
Gary Burnette (guitars)
Tony Lucido (bass)
Matt Campbell (bass)
Matt Pierson (bass)
Joeie Canaday (bass)
Tim Acres (Hammond B3 organ)
Peter King (keys)
Dan Needham (drums, percussion, keys)
Matt Butler (cello)
John Catchings (cello)

Track Listing:
1. Live It Loud
2. Take Me Home
3. Love Won’t Leave Me Alone
4. One of These Days
5. Faith & Freedom
6. End of Fear
7. Where I Wanna Be
8. Hope That Saves the World
9. Run
10. The Gift
11. The Cross Remains

Webpage: www.johnschlitt.net

Label: 4K Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10

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