CD of the Month
  • Mudvayne
    Mudvayne
    by Mudvayne
Inspiration
  • Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground New Edition
    Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground New Edition
    by Michael Moynihan, Didrik Soderlind
  • Retribution
    Retribution
    by Shadows Fall
  • Brutal Legend
    Brutal Legend
    Electronic Arts
Tuesday
Aug202013

Aerosmith - Rock For the Rising Sun (BluRay)

Rock For the Rising Sun, is a concert film documenting Aerosmith's tour of Japan, after the Tsunami in 2011. Even though the band band had been told not to go, they decided to forge on to Japan.  The DVD is a mix of live and behind the scenes footage of the band, during their visit to the land of the rising sun.  The live footage was comprised from various stops on the tour, featuring an impressive set list, which includes all of their hits as well as some classics gems.  The show looks amazing and the band sounds great.  This is one of those BluRay's that gives you a sense of being in the first row.  Aerosmith doing what they do best, putting on one of the best live show in rock n roll.  This one's a keeper.

Bottom Line: Even though the band fights, in the media, like cats and dogs, they can still somehow pull it together, to put on a stellar live performance.  The band look and sound great and prove why they are still one of the greats. 

-Ragman enjoyed this DVD, more than he did their last performance in H-town.

Sunday
Aug182013

Podcast #154: Hiatus

Our main man from Cali, Tracy G, is working on some sweet projects as always, so listen up!Call off the search parties, Genghis & Ragman have returned from their yearly sabbatical to bring you the latest in all things metal.  Join the boys as they catch up with news, share stories of awkward run-ins with their favorite artists, and deal with the mounting muffin-related issue of having Bane working in the studio with John. Also, catch up with our boy, the one and only Tracy G, who gives us a little preview of one of his many projects, The Robot Lords of Tokyo, and other cool stuff. So, pour a cold one and kick your feet up, cuz the summer's coming to a close and the lads are back in the saddle again...

DVD of the Show:  Jorn Lande - Live In Black

Beer of the Show: Matilda (Goose Island Brewery)
 
Appearance: 3.5
Aroma: 3.0
Palate: 3.5
Taste: 3.5
Overall: 3.5
"Goose Island debuts on the show with a nice Belgian Strong Pale Ale that tastes amazing."
 

Featured Music: Paradox - Day of Judgement; Jorn Lande - We Brought The Angels Down; In The Silence - Serenity; Beatallica - She Came In Through The Bathroom Window; Robot Lords of Tokyo - Great Escape and Broken; Pearl - Mama

Classic of the Show: Raven (with Udo Dirkschneider) - Born To Be Wild

Ragman's Sponsor Pick of the Show: Kingdom Come - God Does Not Sing Our Song

Genghis' Sponsor Pick of the Show: Kamelot - Ashes to Ashes

Ragman's Pick of the Week: Stratovarius - Halcyon Days

Genghis' Pick of the Week: Coma - Don't Set Your Dogs On Me

- Genghis *finally* got around to mixing this show...

Podcast #154: Hiatus

Saturday
Aug172013

MelodicRock Records is very excited to announce two new signings. The first is Faith Circus for the release of their brand new album "Turn Up The Band".

Faith Circus, from the west coast of Norway, were a band born from the ashes of two rival bands. Comprised of, Marc Farrano (vocals), Marius Mørch (guitars), Lasse Koester (bass) and Baard Nordvik (drums). 


Their style could be described as a hybrid of acts such as Kiss, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Journey, etc... Strong melodies, great hooks, burning frets, pounding drums, thunderous bass and smooth, yet powerful vocals. From the heartbreaking to the hip shaking, the band had it all...classic/melodic rock delivered with pure passion, love & fun!


The band signed with Kivel Records (US) in the fall/winter of 2007, and their debut album were released about a year later. Among the 11 tracks were a cover of the Eric "The Fox" Carr/Bruce Kulick/Adam Mitchell composition "Can you feel it", until now only released in demo form on the former Kiss drummers, post-release, "Rockology" album. And another tune featured guest appearances by veterans such as Steinar Krokstad/drums (ex-Stage Dolls/Vagabond), Morty Black/bass (ex-TNT/Vagabond), Dag Stokke/keyboards (TNT/Vagabond), Tore Moren/guitar (Jorn/Rain/Carnivora), Steinar Hagen/acoustic guitar (Return) and Tony Harnell/background vocals (ex-TNT/Starbreaker/Westworld).
Like so many other bands they ran into some "trouble"...and broke up (in august 2009)... 
But a mere 11 months after declaring to the world they would no longer be working together, the boys were back - Marc Farrano and Baard Nordvik and introducing new guitarist H.K. Rein and new bass player Christer Ottesen (ex-Popium/Flare).

The MRR release of Faith Circus "Turn Up The Band" will feature some real bonus material for fans!
First - there is the brand new 10 track studio album which will build on what the debut album offered back in 2008. But not only that - for those purchasing the CD release - you will get the band's debut album as a bonus disc - totally re-mixed from the original release and featuring two additional bonus tracks (13 songs total). The songs are "Heroes" and a remake of the 1981 classic James Bond tune "For Your Eyes Only" - this time sung as a duet with the insanely talented Robin Beck!

Andrew McNeice: "I love the enthusiasm and the energy of these guys. And I love the attitude of the songs on this new album. In your face at all times, even when bringing it down a notch for a few really melodic numbers – and one monster ballad! The best of both world's on this album - attitude and melody. Looking forward to delivering it into the hands of those that loved the debut and a swag of new fans also."

The Faith Circus album will be released September 23.

The band's Marc Farrano takes over to deliver all the news on the band!

On signing with MRR - "In this day and age where you can't seem to swing a dead cat without hitting a record lable it's real easy to jump in and make the wrong decision, and maybe get screwd over by someone out to make a quick buck! We first came into contact with Andrew (McNeice) when our friends in On The Rise got signed to Frontiers Records in 2003, and have been talking with him, off and on for the past ten years. Like so many, many others we appreciate and enjoy his great website on a daily basis and it's easy to see that this guy loves what he does, and is a true fan of melodic/classic rock, and music: period!
You need to have a passion for what you do to be doing something like this for free all these years! Therefore it felt totally natural when we first heard he was setting up a label a few years back, and when we finally had finished our album and sorted out our personal issues contacting him first to see if he would be interested in getting behind the new Faith Circus release was a no-brainer. Luckily he "got it" right away and invited us to join the MRR family!
We feel truly blessed and excited to have a guy in our corner we know always puts the artist first! This gives us new "hope" and courage to keep on making music in a business that only seems to get harder and harder for any new up and coming, as well as the established bands!"

On the new album - "Wow! What can we say?! It's been 5 long years since our first release (not counting the 2010 digital remixed debut album and the 2012 live digital EP "5.l.i.v.e.") and a lot has happened! Our first album was labelled AOR/melodic rock, and although this might have been a true description at the time Faith Circus has always been just an old fashion rock `n roll band! This time around we have the opportunity to show a bit more of who we are as the album contains co-writes from almost every member in the band. The decision was made to cut back on the mid tempo/slow songs as there are enough, great ones, to choose from on our debut. We also managed to include some cool, special guests (read the booklet!), mostly for our own pleasure!

The album were, like last time, recorded at Tomtom Studio in our hometown of Bergen, by Thomas "Tomtom" Haugland. The mixing process was a co-effort between Tomtom and the band, and finally mastering was left in the more than capable hands of Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, House Of Lords, Tesla, etc...)

Although the album has been ready to go for some time it still feels fresh every time we put in on….and that has to be a good sign, right?! We like to view the album as a hard-hitting, loud, massive testament (inviting you to sing along!) to that rock `n roll is very much alive & kickin in 2013! No gimmicks here, no retro act…it's like the fuckin 90's never happened! And if YOU want a piece of the action all you gotta do is…Turn Up The Band!!"

On the new guitarist - "Life in a rock `n roll band might be many different things, but one things for sure it's never boring!! In a lot of ways we feel it reflects life itself… Since the inception of Faith Circus back in 2007, which seems a lifetime ago, the band has been through a lot, breakups, personnel changes, long periods in limbo, some really sweet highs and some psychological draining lows, etc, etc... It's never easy replacing a founding member of a band, but regardless of who's leaving, with every new guy that comes in the dynamics are bound to shift one way, or the other. The trick is to stay positive, roll with the punches, and look at it as an opportunity to, maybe, grow and expand in a slightly different direction!
Marius Mörch is a very, very talented guy and a great, diverse guitarist, and he will, without a doubt, be successful in whatever he chooses to do in the future. We thank him for his commitment and all the great work he's done for Faith Circus these past 6 years and wish him nothing but the best! So, with that being said the remaining three of us are very honoured, excited and proud now to welcome H.K. Rein into the band!

This cat is on fire!! 

We came across him on YouTube playing in a local Guns `n Roses cover band. It turned out he had more to show for his talent than just playing covers, as he is a singer and songwriter as well! Actually his first gig, before officially joining Faith Circus, were a Kiss Expo in Stavanger (Norway) attended by Eric Singer & Tommy Thayer! Talk about being thrown in at the deep end…"
H.K. Rein: "I've been soaking up so much rock 'n' roll over the years and can no longer hold back! It's very exciting to be able to express myself in an already established band at this level. I'm ready (and willing) to offer my body & soul to the Faith Circus."

"So there you have it! We can't wait to get out there and promote the new album! And soon thereafter start writing some new music!!"

Wednesday
Aug072013

House of Shakira sign to MelodicRock Records

House of Shakira wants to come out and play again.

It´s not yet 18 months since their critically acclaimed album "HoS" hit the market, but the band has been working on a sequel ever since. It´s about time to let the new opus "Pay to Play" see the light of day. And MelodicRock Records is going to be the label to deliver this new classic to the masses.

The upcoming seventh studio release marks the second CD with lead singer Andreas Novak, and is accordingly their best album so far. The band chose a small label, in order to maintain highest priority throughout the process, instead of falling between the lines in the hands of a bigger label.

Says frontman Andreas Novak:

"MelodicRock Records is our weapon of choice, whose enthusiasm we trust with our lives. I'm proud to say this is by far the best release I've ever been involved in. This album has been a true pleasure and walk in the park to compose, since we're immune to pressure. It´s all for the love of good music. Fame and fortune should not be anybody's goal - then it becomes an obstacle instead. We just wanna play."

 

Label CEO Andrew McNeice:

"I've had the pleasure of working with Andreas over a number of yeas now as well as a long standing friendship with the rest of the HoS guys. When they came together I pitched to them immediately. Well, I might have had to wait one album, but I've got them now! I'm as excited about this release as I could be. I've been going back and forth with the guys over the last few months deciding upon which songs had to make the cut and organizing the perfect sequencing so this album flows like a fine wine. They guys have outdone themselves and I think the songs, the passion and the energy of this record rival their classic debut."

 

House Of Shakira are a Swedish rock formed by guitarists Mats Hallstensson and Anders Lundström that started out in Stockholm around 1991 under the moniker The Station. The mid 1990s saw the band change their name to House of Shakira, named after a London bordello. In their 22 year history the band has released six previous studio albums, all of which have left their mark, making the band one of Sweden's best known musical exports as well as hometown heroes. Their famed debut album Lint remains a genre classic. For the band's second album with singer Andreas Novak, the guys collectively concluded that it was time to give the debut a run for its money. The House Of Shakira line-up of Mats Hallstensson (guitars), Anders Lundström (guitars), Andreas Novak (vocals) and the blistering rhythm section of Basse Blyberg (bass) and Martin Larsson (drums) locked themselves away in the studio for several months, not immerging until the songs of their new release "Pay To Play" were completed and a perfect addition to the band's legacy

House Of Shakira’s "Pay To Play" will be released worldwide via MelodicRock Records/Cargo Records on CD September 23 and via Digital outlets two weeks later on October 7. Copies will be available for purchase at the MelodicRockFest event in Chicago, September 27-29. Full details, album artwork, track listing and that all important preview will follow shortly.

Saturday
Jul132013

Death Dealer - War Master

Who said there aren't such things as super-groups?  Not sure, but whoever it was, didn't know what the hell he was talking about.  The latest super-group to grace my CD player, is Death Dealer.  Death Dealer is comprised of vocalist Sean Peck (Cage), guitarist Ross the Boss (Ex-Manowar), drummer Rhino (Ex-Manowar), bassist Mike Davis  (Halford/Lizzy Borden) and are rounded off by guitarist/producer Stu Marshall (UDO).  Together, these guys have created some molten metal, hot enough, to give you sun burn from 10 miles away.  This band is heavy, and they aren't afraid to give you a swift kick in the shorts, with their brutal style of music.

The band's debut, Warmaster, blends thrash, power and progressive metal, all into one sound.  The CD begins with the pummeling track, Death Dealer, which brings back memories of Painkiller era, Judas Priest. It is just as intense as the Priest classic, but with a more modern vibe.  A standout on the record, is the guitar playing of Ross the Boss.  Boss' guitar playing, on this CD, is phenomenal.  I knew the guy had chops, but he really shows them off on this release.  Another strong presence is Sean Peck.  Peck has pipes of steel, and sings his ass off on this record.  To be fair, all of the guys involved lend a stellar performance to the album.

The CD is full of fast and midtempo tunes with the exception of the ballad, Children of Flames.  I do like the variety on this disk.  It is a nice mix.  One minute you're banging your head and the next your are singing along with the band's anthem, Hammer Down.  Solid tunes executed to perfection, by some metal veterans.  Go get it.

 

Bottom Line:  The songs on this disk are brutal and over the top, but there is enough melody to keep them interesting.  Peck and Boss shine on this record.

Standout tracks: Never to Kneel, Children of Flames, Hammer Down and Curse of the Heretic.

-Ragman is wondering if these dudes were in to D & D.