Isaac James Band - Shut Up and Listen

I always find it intriguing, when I discover a new band, that has been out there for some time, but now just discovering them.  This recently happened, when I found, the not so new, killer band Isaac James Band. The band was named, after original drummer's Joel Ekman's (Ex-Stone Sour) son Isaac James. Unfortunately, Isaac lost his battle with cancer, at a young age, but his name will live on with this killer band. The band was conceived in 2008, but I have just recently been introduced to their awesomeness (Is that a word?).   They have released an EP - Too Much Horsepower (2008) as well as their full length debut Shut Up and Listen (2011).  Really? These cats have been around that long, and they're not a household name?  Something is wrong in suburbia.  One listen to The Rain, and you'll know what I mean.

Isaac James is what I like to call a buzz band with balls.  Their music has that nice alt rock formula, but with some kick.  If I were to compare thei sound to another band, I would say either Shinedown or one of my personal underground faves, Double Drive.  Vocalist Blackie Starks reminds me alot of Donny Hamby from Double Drive, because they both have really emotional deliveries, which make the tune.  It is really apparent on songs like All Again and The Rain.  The band delivers a nice mix of rockers, mid-tempo tunes, as well as a few ballads to make a complete effort.  This is one of those CD's that you put in, and then just keep hitting the repeat button.  So it stays in the deck awhile.  Well constructed songs with great melody.  Go get this one, because you will be missing out, if you do not check out this band.

Bottom Line:  Solid songs delivered, with lots of emotion and power.  Songs that will stick with you and will keep you craving more.

Standout Tracks: The Rain, All Again, The Real Me and Life in Eternal Review

-Ragman would have made this one CD of the month, had Genghis not beat him to the punch.

Be'lakor - Of Breath and Bone

I really like this band and this album, but I absolutely *love* this album's exquisite cover art. Check it out.So I don’t know if it’s been this way all along and I just haven’t noticed it, or if the youth of today are being slipped some sort of government-sponsored superdrugs, but there seems to be a spate of new bands with an impressive degree of talent and musical maturity. Bands like Cinema Sleep and Australia’s Be’lakor are putting out freshman and sophomore material you’d expect from more seasoned outfits – often with members nearly twice their age - in their respective subgenres and I couldn’t be more happy about it. Fittingly, it reminds me of the story of Athena springing fully formed (and armed) from the cleft head of Zeus, shouting a cry of war.

The Melbourne band, established in 2004, took the name of a demon from the Warhammer games (Non-nerds: To the Google!) and have been steadily impressing people in the melodic death metal community with each album getting better and better reviews. And now, they’re coming to America with their third effort, Of Breath and Bone. I have to say, this is some damn fine melodeath right here. If I had my druthers, there would be much more shredding solos – or any at all, for that matter. But, considering the great use of dynamics in establishing atmosphere, it’s a small disappointment as the album is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to “wait, it’s not over is it?”

The Bottom Line: Ignoring how young the members of Be’lakor are to be making music of this depth, Of Breath and Bone is an impressive example of melodic death metal from down under. The only disappointment subgenre fans might experience is the absence of shredding solos, but everything else on this album is fantastic, and I can’t wait to see these guys on a stage in the near future.

Tracks Prompting You Investigate the Ingredients of Vegemite: Abeyance, Fraught, Absit Omen, and The Dream And Waking

- Genghis would tell these kids to get off his lawn, after they finish a tight 30-minute set…

Niacin - Krush

Niacin lovers, it's time to take your vitamins! Come get some of this sweet instrumental groove.I have been a big fan of the neo-fusion that Billy Sheehan, John Novello and Dennis Chambers have been putting out as the band Niacin for about 15 years now. I've mentioned many times on the show that I'm a huge fan of instrumental jams and whenever these cats get together, I get a big smile on my face. I first came on to them with High Bias' release in 1998, and I played the hell out of my Blood, Sweat & Beers DVD on many a lazy Sunday.

There's no surprise here for fans of the band in terms of the level of musicianship, as each member of the band is one of the foremost instrumentalists in their field. From Chamber's nimble percussive accents, to Novello's lush Hammond flurries, to Sheehan's incredible dexterity on bass, you just can't get enough of this stuff.

The Bottom Line: If you're a Niacin fan, come and get more of the stuff you love. If you're new to this awesome jazz rock trio, do like ol' Samuel L. Jackson says and "hold on to your butts".

Tracks to Keep You Musicians Nice and Humble: Krush, Tone Wheels, Car Crash Red, Cold Fusion, Prelude & Funky Opus, Drifting, Sly Voltage and Triple Strength

- Genghis would die a happy music lover to see these dudes play in a nice, small club...

Cinema Sleep - Make Your Way

This band could be the next big thing in the contemporary metal scene...seriously.It’s becoming clear that the current way of doing things in the music biz of the 21^st century is to release an EP to help build buzz and anticipation, be it for a new album from popular veterans or a debut from intriguing newcomers. The latter situation is where we find Cinema Sleep, whose Make Your Way makes for a tempting sonic appetizer from the young band - and I don’t just  mean young in terms of new; the average age of Cinema Sleep is 22, but you would be understood for believing this is the work of a more mature group of seasoned musicians.

The production is tight and polished but satisfyingly heavy while also being melodic – a winning formula in my book. There’s a lot of influence from numetal and post hardcore but it lies over a foundation of the melodeath I’ve come to enjoy for its heaviness and slick lead guitar work. I could see these guys getting a lot of positive feedback with the various buzz tours every summer. Seriously, there’s no reason these kids couldn’t be the next big thing in the contemporary metal scene.

The Bottom Line: I hope Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet For My Valentine have collected all of their checks and paid off their homes, because this ride wasn’t gonna last forever. There’s a new band in town, and they’re hungry.

Tracks to Make You Throw Out All of Your Non-Black T-Shirts: Light To Shadows, In Dreams and The Response

- Genghis is at that age where he wishes he was half his age again…

Swallow The Sun - Emerald Forest and the Blackbird

Finnish melodic doom metallers Swallow The Sun sound a bit like a much heavier Opeth - and it's great.I don’t often listen to doom metal but really only because of thematic differences compared to sludge or stoner metal. At the risk of offending fans of either camp with my tendency for oversimplification, it’s like the Goths vs the Stoners on the metal tip. Suffice it to say all things being equal, I’d rather get high than cut myself. 

But I’ve got to admit Finland’s Swallow The Sun’s fifth studio effort, Emerald Forest and the Blackbird, is a pretty damn fine album. I haven’t heard any of their previous material, but I really dig their melodic doom sound along with all of its Gothic overtones. The slower pace of the music, and the well-used dynamics that carry ethereal clean vocals to guttural growls to banshee-like screams while maintaining a very listenable melody, make me think of a scenario where the lads of Pink Floyd graduated high school at the turn of the 21^st century. Sure, I don’t understand the lyrics, but I don’t mind much when the atmospheric noodlings play with such a satisfying crunch. So…Uncomfortably Numb?

The Bottom Line: If you miss the time in between Opeth albums, Swallow The Sun may satisfy your Pink Floyd metal jones with great atmospheric melodies over crunchy rhythyms.

Tracks to Make You Both Love and Fear Your Black Light Posters: This Cut Is The Deepest, Cathedral Walls, Hearts Wide Shut, Silent Towers and Of Death And Corruption

- Genghis remembers his uncle’s blacklight poster with the tiger coming out of the jungle…