Labonoski, Adam

Biography

Adam Labonoski lives in a rural Upstate New York area with his wife and 3 children. He is an “emerging photographer” with a love for music and considers himself a freelance music photographer. He enjoys most forms of music, but especially enjoys rock music. He currently can be found circulating the music scene in and around most of Upstate New York (Albany to Buffalo, Watertown to the NY/PA border) photographing the local, upcoming bands. Read more

Mrozowska, Alexandra

Biography

Born in Poland in 1991 I was growing in the world of hip-hop, techno and digital downloads. How come I have found myself in love with rock ‘n roll in such inappropriate time and place? Heaven only knows, it seems! I have spent my earliest childhood years hanging ’round the radio and soon I was to discover I have a soft spot for anything labeled ‘classic’ or ‘oldie’, no matter whether it was 50′s vintage rock ‘n roll, 70′s bluesy rock or 80′s synth pop. Read more

Staff Top 10 for 2011

Every year, Hardrock Haven staffers compile their Top 10 best releases. Here’s the writers’ favorites from 2011: Read more

Roymans, Elsie

Biography

Elsie is a freelance concert photographer, secretary, animal & music lover. After being active as a model, she became a photographer herself. Since she was a teenager she was into rock and metal music, and went to several gigs. So she took the challenge to start concert photography in 2009. It’s her passion to capture emotions and certain moments during metal and rock related concerts. Read more

Groeneveld, Marcel

Biography

Marcel “Mars” Groeneveld was infected with the rock virus in the mid-’80s and hails from the Netherlands, home of the Van Halen Brothers, Golden Earring and Vandenberg. Groeneveld works as a claims and insurance manager for a trucking company to make a living, but music is his love and passion and where his heart lies.

This Dutch rocker has been active in the music business. Groeneveld started out promoting Dutch bands, such as Sleeze Beez, Vengeance, Jewel and Read more

ReinXeed | 1912

by Franco Cerchiari
Staff Writer

After the release of the extraordinary Majestic just a mere 10 months ago, it was a huge hope that this great Scandinavian power metal quintet would come back even stronger with a release that firmly would set this band as one that could keep up with any of their European Power Metal equals. With a concept album that tells the tragic tale of the doomed ocean liner Titanic, Tommy Johansson and company blast their way through this metal outing with an almost reckless abandon, with layers upon layers of galloping guitars, feverishly played drums, symphonic keyboards and a mountain-sized wall of harmonic vocals.

The tracks are well written, and what is heard is a gifted ensemble of players who seemingly rush their way through this compilation, barely allowing listeners to catch their breaths. After a listen, it’s obvious that ReinXeed is hell bent to capture their place within the metal genre.

However, as painful as it is to say, there is little here that is completely original. Taking the story of Titanic and making it into a concept album aside, after such a fantastic showing as Majestic was, and as quickly as it grabbed you, 1912 seems to do just the opposite. It wasn’t until after several spins, that the tracks finally seemed to take hold. But, as has been said, first impressions are everything. The tracks, while indeed melodic with vocals that one swears will reach the heavens, the power metal, heart-shaking heaviness that can be heard on previous releases was seemingly missing. And the far-off sound that previous efforts had is absent here. The CD is not as loud and as pompous as previous efforts.

With all that said, it is important to understand that there are no tracks on this compilation that are “bad.” 1912 is well played. Within the realm of power metal, ReinXeed certainly is one of the good ones. Guitars rule the tracks, the vocals are harmonious, the sound, for the most part, is clear, and the mixing is done well. While it’s true that the tracks barely differ in sound from one track to the next and sound formulaic, this wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the endless mile-a-minute riffs and breakneck speed double bass drums that do little to hold the listener’s interest.

Standout tracks include the title track, “1912,” with an intro that sounds similar to “Deep Under Sea” from Majestic,“Terror Has Begun,” “Challenge the Storm,” “The Final Hour,” “Through The Fire,” and “Farewell,” all of which show the neo-classical guitar shredding for whichTommy Johansson has become known. And the 1:28 short, “Lost At Sea,” with sounds of crashing waves, gives one reason for reflection, as it pays homage to those whose spirits were lost on the fateful night.

Musically, for those fans of Symphony X, Keldian and Power Quest, ReinXeed, can undeniably be placed in the same list as a power metal band and as a force to be reckoned with. The songwriting of 1912 is well done, the guitars are superb, the keyboards are impressive, especially as those heard on “The Voyage.” It is a deep-set hope that the heaviness and punch that was heard on Majestic is brought back. And perhaps it is this that was missing. The powerful, commanding punch of power metal that reaches deep into the soul of the listener, slaps him silly and makes him instantaneously want to reach for the volume knob was not as present here, and the tracks get lost instead of staying with the listener long after the CD ends.

ReinXeed is a remarkable band, led by one of the true guitar talents of our time. So they strayed a bit here – it can happen to the best of them. And while it isn’t always fair to compare a band to previous outings, as each individual CD adds to the repertoire that is a band, but bring back the ReinXeed that released the awesomeness that was Majestic.

Genre: Power Metal

Track Listing:
1912
The Final Hour
Terror Has Begun
Spirit Lives On
Through The Fire
The Fall of Man
The Voyage
We Must Go Faster
Challenge the Storm
Reach For the Sky
Farewell
Lost At Sea

Musicians:
Tommy Johansson – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass guitar
Mattias Johansson – guitars, backing vocals
Calle Sundberg – guitars, backing vocals
Nic Svensson – bass guitar
Viktor Olofsson – drums

Label: Rivel Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.8/10

Rival Sons : Pressure and Time

by Erik Tweedy
Staff Writer

Now here’s an impressive release that’s a little different coming out of Los Angeles. Rival Sons unleashes something that feels so ultra-cool and hip to listen to that you’ll want to break out your bell bottoms and platform shoes. Mixing old-school funk and blues straight out of the ‘60s and ‘70s with a twist of Wolfmother and the Black Crows, Rival Sons may soon be crashing through the door of superstardom.

There are so many different influences on Pressure and Time that it is difficult to pin down what their real deal is. Zeppelin, Hendrix, Cream, the Who, Blue Suede and Steppenwolf are all worshipped here. Opening with “All Over the Road,” Rival Sons set the pace of a funky trip down a very hip road with a fuzz-infused old-school sound that is upbeat and downright fun to listen to. “Young Love” opens like an old-school Johnny Cash number that turns into something you might hear playing in the background of a Quentin Tarantino movie. In fact, this entire release sounds like the greatest movie soundtrack ever. It is all over the place and smells of cigarette smoke, sweaty women and Vincent Vega.

By the time you reach the title track, you have slipped into a 1972 haze filled Super Fly night at the movies. The funk is just oozing out of your speakers. “Only One” is a blues number that will have you hitting the repeat button, assuming you can see it through the haze. The Hendrix-inspired “Get Mine,” clocking in at a bit over two minutes, is a flat-out jamming song with a tasty little solo at the 1:30 mark, and “Burn Down Los Angeles” is filled with enough guitar fuzz to stuff your teddy bear.

Not even 20 minutes into the disc and already at track seven, “Save Me” continues your time warp back to when musicians actually could play their instruments. Musically, these guys are great, and vocally, Buchanan is slamming it on every track. “Gypsy Heart” is a standout track with plenty of solid guitar work from Scott Holiday and some tasty bass licks from Robin Everhart. Rounding out this strangely terrific release is “Face of Light,” a Zeppelin-inspired, mid-tempo love song that is the perfect way to finish off this release.

While not creating anything entirely new, Pressure and Time is a great disc that welcomes you back to a time when rock and roll was just plain good fun to listen to. Fans of classic rock will really dig this release, and there is plenty here to bring new fans into the genre. This release surely will make it on to a lot of top 10 lists for 2011.

Band:
Jay Buchanan: Vocals
Scott Holiday: Guitar
Robin Everhart: Bass
Mike Miley: Drums

Track Listing:
All Over the Road
Young Love
Pressure and Time
Only One
Get Mine
Burn Down Los Angeles
Save Me
Gypsy Heart
White Noise
Face of Light

Label: Earache Records

Website: http://www.rivalsons.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 9.4/10

Don Jamieson : Live and Hilarious

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer

Though possibly best known for his work on Inside the NFL, comedian Don Jamieson has become a household name amongst metalheads, acting as co-host of VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show. Riding his wave of current success, Jamieson has just released a live stand-up album on Metal Blade Records. This may not be a groundbreaking work of artistic genius, but it is pretty entertaining.

Touching on everything from sex to Justin Beiber, and herpes to polictics (with, unfortunately, an instantly dated “hunt for Bin Laden” joke), Jamieson covers a wide-variety of [mostly] relevant topics. He doesn’t seem overly concerned with offending anyone, as racial and religious jokes make frequent appearances in the set. Being a seemingly open-minded crowd, though, it would seem Jamieson’s fans have no problem with this, as the audience reaction is strong throughout.

What plagues Live and Hilarious, however, is Jamieson’s failure to deliver anything new or unique. Most of his observations are just that, observations. Many of the “jokes” feel like setups to a strangely absent punch line. His anti-PC rants also feel very “been there, done that,” leaving his racially themed jabs to feel less hilarious and more a recitation of overplayed stereotypes. Controversial topics don’t play as well when they are presented too obviously and without obvious wit and sarcasm.

Now, this isn’t to say that there aren’t shining moments in the set. His description of a Pavlovian-like answer to getting his girlfriend to watch sports is both brilliant and practical. A joke about the body weight/perceived penis size phenomena also prompts him to note that it’s “hard to convince girls I’m 450-pounds overweight.” There are more than enough of these laugh-out-loud moments to keep audiences tuned in.

What did seem like a bit of a missed opportunity here was a severe lack of metal-themed jokes. Sure, as a comedian it’s best not to focus too much on one topic, but for someone so well recognized in the metal community, putting an album out on one of the longest-standing metal labels, it seems a mountain of genre-specific jokes would have made this a must-have release. The metal world needs someone to remind it how ridiculous grown men running around in tight leather pants and corpse paint really is. Plus, who else would be able to effectively make a joke about Blackie Lawless’ man boobs to an audience that actually gets it?

While Live and Hilarious may not make Don Jamieson and international comedy sensation, it is a decent release from one of metal’s biggest supporters. It’s just too bad the album feels a bit like a Malmsteen record—the star has plenty of talent, he just doesn’t always seem to know how to use it.

Genre: Comedy

Label: Metal Blade Records

Website: www.donjamieson.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 6.1/10

American Hollow : Whisper Campaign

by Joe Mi
Staff Writer

Whisper Campaign is the full-length debut release from Salt Lake City-based prog rockers American Hollow. Blending genres from progressive rock to classic rock and metal and influences from acts as diverse as Pink Floyd, Tool, Led Zeppelin and King Crimson, American Hollow is trying its best to dish out a unique sound.

Formed in 2008, the Utah quintet definitely marches to the beat of its own drummer. American Hollow is carving out a distinct niche in the prog rock arena and have chosen to focus on keeping the music melodic and relatively low key. American Hollow mixes the intense guitars, bass and drums of progressive rock with more atmospheric/ambient elements to create a dark and moody album, filled with lush melodies primarily driven by bass and drums.

“Terronoia” opens the album and is a rather longish instrumental, with an almost military-style drum line and backed by a smooth bass line courtesy of Nathan Alan Gilbert. It seems a bit drawn out, perhaps a minute longer than it should have been – but it does build in energy and power as it adds some keyboards and guitars. It flows nicely into “State Of Decay,” a biting social commentary that features Jameson’s fine alternative-rock voice. He has a somewhat limited range but uses all of it very well, singing clearly with power and passion. The next three tracks are titled to appeal to the geeks among us. Soft keyboards and interesting guitars lead into “Operator,” which has a bit of a free-form modern jazz or atmospheric feel to it. Guitarist Kyle Mullikin makes it really sing during the intro. “Variable” is filled with warm guitars, smooth vocals and pleasant keys courtesy of Gilbert and Mike Larsen. This flows nicely into the more intense and guitar and drum driven “Constant” – in effect, these three songs are really one musical “arc.”

“Gravity” is a very simple song – basic vocals and a fluid bass line fade into low-key drums – and it could be described as somewhat “ambient” or “atmospheric,” but it does give Jameson a chance to really stretch his vocal chords at the end. Dissonant guitars, heavy bass and pounding drums make the opening of “Illumineye” a bit different, and the track is filled with nicely handled tempo and tone changes. “Prizards” is the epic track on the CD that is more than 13 minutes long and filled with all that is good about progressive rock – subtle keyboards, heavy guitars, tempo changes, slick vocals, building musical intensity and fantastic bass and drums. If one song exemplifies the quality of American Hollow, it is this one. “Blow Wind! Bring Forth Storm” is the high-energy heavy rocker and is the only track that really differs from the others. It further displays the band’s talent and versatility. The second instrumental, “Terrannoyed,” wraps up the album and is a shorter, tighter and more interesting one than the opener.

Overall, American Hollow’s debut is quite good. The engineering gives the album a pleasant and warm tone, emphasizing the subtleties and softer nuances of the music. The album has a good flow, especially the “3 tracks are really one song” of “Operator,” “Variable” and “Constant.” Weaknesses are few here – perhaps only the fact that most of the tracks are of similar tone and tempo. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish one song from another, but this is more of a concept album, rather than a CD of individual songs.

If you are a fan of the prog-rock genre, there is much here to like. Whisper Campaign has proven that America Hollow will be a force on the progressive scene. The band plays tightly and is always melodic and in control, giving solid musical performances from start to finish. It is refreshing to find a band that is concerned with the small things, choosing to emphasize the details and use soft passages in their music rather than trying to overwhelm the listener with a massive wall of sound. Recommended!

Genre: Progressive Rock

Band:
Kyle Mullikin (guitars)
Jameson (vocals)
Chronos (drums)
Nathan Alan Gilbert (bass, keyboards)
Mike Larsen (live guitar, keyboards)

Track Listing:
1. Terronoia
2. State of Decay
3. Operator
4. Variable
5. Constant
6. Gravity
7. Illumineye
8. Prizards
9. Blow Wind! Bring Forth Storm
10. Terrannoyed

Label: American Hollow Records (Indie)

Website: http://www.americanhollowband.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Winter : Into Darkness (reissue)

by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer

It’s unlikely that anyone who got into the burgeoning extreme metal scene in the late eighties/early nineties wasn’t, at the very least, aware of death/doomers Winter. While most bands were pushing the limits of speed and technicality, these New Yorkers lived up to their name by creating metal that was, essentially, frozen. Like the mountainous icebergs that bring down cruise ships, Winter’s music drifted slowly along, sometimes so slowly that one may have wondered whether it was moving at all. Though rather tedious to a great many metalheads, the band deserves accolades for creating some extremely eerie, lumbering metal that paved the way for acts such as Sunn0))) and Boris. Fittingly, this reissue is being put out by Sunn0)))’s very own Southern Lord Records, a label known for salvaging long-lost classics (such as the pre-Fu Manchu band Virulence’s If This Isn’t a Dream…)

Instrumental opener “Oppression Freedom/Reprise” certainly sets the tone for the album, boasting sludgy power chords dragged along at what feels like little more than about 10 beats per minute. Things do pick up a bit during “Servants of the Warsmen” and “Destiny,” though this is about as peppy as the record ever gets. The band should be commended for creating a whole album that creates the same ambiance as the end of the original studio version of Kiss’ “Black Diamond,” albeit without slowing the tape.

While the band doesn’t seem to have adopted the “tune so low that your strings flop around” mentality many modern bands go for, they do stick to the lower registers, and this, of course, only adds to the gloominess. The guitars boast the signature nineties thinness that plagued many smaller metal releases, but when mixed with the rather shoddy production, they do help to create an overall cold sounding album. Strangely enough, and perhaps because of the plodding tempos and thin mix, John Alman’s vocals are clearly understandable, a definite rarity amongst early growlers.

Winter does seem to personify the old extreme metal adage that it’s easier to play fast; slowing things down really tests a musician’s internal sense of rhythm and doesn’t allow for mistakes that often get lost in a flurry of shredded notes. Unfortunately, this causes the members’ shortcomings to shine like a beacon, especially for John Gondaves, whose drumming shows numerous tempo fluctuations and imperfections. Commendations can be granted for the fact that they left everything natural, though one wonders if they would do the same with today’s point, click, fix technology.

With all of its flaws, Into Darkness is still a very important piece of metal history. Since the band only ever released one further EP, it’s hard to say how they would have progressed and whether they would have been the first band to create an album that essentially doesn’t move. They did play at the 2011 Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands, so perhaps they are on their way to releasing their next sonic attack. Don’t worry, though, you should have plenty of time to get out of the way.

Genre: Death Doom

Band:
John Alman (v,b)
Stephen Flam (g)
Joe Gonclaves (d)

Track Listing:
1. Oppression Freedom/Reprise
2. Servants of the Warsmen
3. Goden
4. Power and Might
5. Destiny
6. Eternal Frost
7. Into Darkness

Label: Southern Lord Records

Website: www.southernlord.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

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