Stryper - Live at the Whiskey

Hot off the heels of their last album, No More Hell to Pay, Stryper are back, with a smokin new live DVD and CD, called Live at the Whiskey.  Stryper have really had a renaissance, since the re-union in 1999.  They have been touring steadily and have been releasing material every couple of years.  Live at the Whiskey was an intimate performance, that the band recorded back in November of last year, at the Whiskey a Go Go, in Hollywood.  The set list was comprised of tracks from their 30+ year career.

Live at the Whiskey shows how awesome this band is, and showcases how well they play.  The band have not aged at all, and their music has stood the test of time.  Songs like Free and More than a Man stand up well against the band's more current material, like No More Hell to Pay.  Michael Sweet has lost nothing as a vocalist and sounds great on this release.  This is a fun, live record, that you can get into, even when you don't have the visual.  I found myself on more than one occasion, singing along with the audience, when prompted by Sweet.  Pretty cool.

Bottom Line: Stryper showing that they still got the goods live.  They band are playing better than ever, and it shows on this release.

Standout Tracks: More Than a Man, Free, To Hell With the Devil and No More Hell to Pay.

-Ragman is thinking of wearing his soldiers under command costume out for Halloween.

Lillian Axe - One Night in the Temple

Lillian Axe is one of those bands that leaves you scratching your head wondering, why weren't they bigger.  Unfortunately, the band got pigeon held as a hair band, but if people would stop and listen a little closer, they would realize that they are much more than that.  That being said, the band has recently just released an amazing CD/DVD package (One Night in the Temple), of an acoustic show, that they did back July of 2013. 

The band decided to do something special for their friends and family, as well as a few lucky fans to commemorate their 30+ year career.  They decided to do an acoustic show and film it for a live CD/DVD package.  Once a little more thought was put into it, they also decided to add a storytellers element to the live show, which makes this package essential, for any Lillian Axe fan.  The band sound amazing and do a nice job of converting some of their heavy rockers acoustically. 

The highlights of this package, are the backstage and more initmate moments, with the band.  You get to see parts of the sound check as well as a Q & A with the audience.  Again, the band sound great and I love how they breath new life into some older cuts, but its newer songs like Death Comes Tomorrow and Until the End of the World that really shine.  This is a great package and should not be passed by.

Bottom Line: A great storytellers type performance, by the great Lillian Axe.  A Best of, done acoustically.

Standout Tracks: Nobody Knows, Death Comes Tomorrow, Until the End of the World and Crucified.

-Ragman still can't believe this band isn't bigger.

Hillbilly Horror Show Vol #: 1

Well it is that time of year again.  Yes, Halloween, which means lots of B-rated horror movie reviews.  I know you love this shit as much as I do, so let's get started.  The first one of the season, is the Hillbilly Horror Show Vol# 1.  I know it sounds cheesy, but this thing was actually pretty good.  It is an 1 hour long movie, made up of 4 short stories, ala Creep Show or Tales From the Crypt.  2 of the 4 shorts are really done well, that being Franky and the Ant and The Nest.  The other 2, I could have done without.  It is a showcase for up and coming horror film directors, which I totally dig.  The only downside is that you are subjected to the moronic antics of 2 hillbilies and their sister, cousin or whatever she i;, other than that, this thing is pretty solid.  Check it out for some fresh new horror.

Bottom Line:  Fresh new horror getting introduced with a classic formula.  Even though the Hillibillies get a bit annoying, it doesn't take away from some solid film making.

-Ragman would like the to see a few of these ideas in a longer format.

Podcast #179: Axe

Look, bottom line: Steve Blaze is one of the coolest guys in metal. He's the fucking man. 'Nuff said.It doesn't get much better than meeting one of your metal heroes. Yeah, we listen to these guys, but when we get to meet them it's can really be an honor - especially if they're cool as shit! Join Genghis & Ragman as they talk about the great Lillian Axe. Why haven't they made it bigger? Tune it to hear the lads' thoughts. Next, Ragman grabbed the Metal Munchkin and headed over to a local rock club to meet with Lillian Axe main man Steve Blaze for another installment of An Evening With... where Steve and the band rolled out the welcome mat backstage to discuss the band's latest release, One Night In The Temple.

Featured Tracks: Lillian Axe - Show a Little Love, Dream of Lifetime, Until the End of the World, Nobody Knows and Death Comes Tomorrow

- Ragman was honored to chat with Mr. Blaze, once again...

Podcast #179: Axe

Beastmilk - Use Your Deluge

You just know that each of these post-punk, Gothic rock dudes is thinking "Don't cry, man, don't cry"Helsinki post-punk, Goth-rock quartet Beastmilk has reportedly built up quite the rabid following in a short time, beginning with an utter clamor for their EP Use Your Deluge, which was heavily bootlegged on eBay for lack of available [vinyl] copies through their Finnish label. But thanks to some savvy industry dudes, their music is coming stateside through Magic Bullet Recordings.

Lead singer Kvohst sounds like a foreboding Jim Morrison as he croons through the EP's four tracks, which displays a unique if vaguely familiar sound not unlike 80s alt bands backed by the wall of sound of today's post-hardcore bands. Think something like the B-52s plus East of The Wall minus Fred Schneider's goofy shtick. Fair enough?

The Bottom Line: Beastmilk could easily entertain at your next hipster cookout, making for good background music that sounds avant garde without being a noisy fucking mess. This is a band that could go places, so I'm gonna keep an eye on these jokers and let you know what I find out. Tattooed fingers crossed.

- Genghis briefly imagined himself in a pair of black stovepipes and broke out in a cold sweat...