Nightglow - Orpheus

Italy is running away with 2014's metal god training ground title so far. Rest of the world: GET WITH IT!Italian band Nightglow means to take the world by storm with a sound that aspires to the great English metal acts of the 80s. But these guys throw a nice bit of modern sounds into the mix for a less retreaded sound; in the end you get an old sound/new sound mix of about 30/70.

So while there is an underlying current of that advertised 80s style sound, the low-end heavy production and gutteral screaming that comes out at times leans the overall impression to more modern sensibilities, but that isn't a complaint at all. I just didn't want to give the impression of getting an old Judas Priest sound when a souns more like Sevendust comes blowing out your speakers. All in all, this is some damn fine agro-metal, proving that Italy is this year's first place runner for amazing metal. Check 'em out.

The Bottom Line: If you dig an older sound but don't necessarily want to go too old school, Nightglow has the goods for rocking some metal tunes that don't sound like everybody else out there. Closest I can think is Iron Maiden crossed with Black Label Society (heavy on the BLS side in terms of guitar sound) with a hint of progmetal maybe? In any case, be prepared to mosh.

Tracks To Crank While Conditioning Your Leather Jacket: Fuck You, Liar & Stay With Me

- Genghis is almost ashamed to admit he's never owned a black leather jacket...

Hell In The Club - Devil On My Shoulder

If your Tardis is in the shop and you're itching to check out some late 80s party metal, Hell In The Club is the ticket.It's not often that I read a band's description that says "they mix classic hard rock and modern sounds, heavy metal and party songs, fifties rock n’ roll and anything in between", so I was justifiably intrigued to hear about Italy's Hell In The Club.

And that's not even all that makes this album/band different, being composed entirely of members of other bands (Death SS, Elvenking & Secret Sphere) decidedly not in Hell In The Club's genre of classic hard rock/pop metal of the 80s and 90s like Guns N' Roses, Poison, et al. And I'm happy to say that the result is more than just a gimmick. These cats actually do the concept justice, sounding like a band you'd hear on stage at the Whiskey some weekend circa 1989.

Fans of the aforementioned era should be grooving at the raspy crooning of Davide "Dave" Moras and the crunchy rhythyms of Andrea "Picco" Piccardi's axe on such bar-worthy tunes as Bare Hands, Beware of the Candyman and Save Me. But it wouldn't be the whole package without the anthemic We Are The Ones for sweaty, fist-pumping moments and the obligatory ballad, Muse. This is a great representation of a certain sound fondly remembered by many an elder rocker.

The Bottom Line: If you miss the yesterdays of weekend partying that included a stop at your favorite local, smoke-filled, live music bar for some late night rocking, Hell In The Club's sophomore release Devil On My Shoulder will scratch that itch, guaranteed.

- Genghis does in fact miss those days...

Circuitry (Self-Titled)

Like extreme metal, but want it to be more...listenable? Check these dudes out STAT!Fans of the site know that I'm a sucker for the intricate machinations of extreme or tech metal even though, like a rich dessert, I may feel like I've had more than enough after only a slight indulgence. But what makes the music of New Jersey trio Circuitry different on their self-titled debut is their judicious use of melodic hooks to take the edge off the razor-sharp technical prowess they clearly possess.

From the get go, tracks like Safe Words kick off with all of the sound and fury of your typical extreme metal band, replete with shifting time signatures, but tracks like Horizon have such a strong melodic hook, they bring to mind the easy fretboard gymnastics of Freak Kitchen or other such bands with musicians that have mastered - and transcended - technique and now make the music they want to make - even if it sounds like it's from Mars to us mortals.

The Bottom Line: Most extreme metal acts are so focused on raw technicality that they lose a sense of melody (or even just listenability, for that matter), but Circuitry maintains that love of the hook enough to make their output more than just "music for robots to mosh to".

- Genghis would like to see a music video with robots moshing to Circuitry...

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.