Podcast #115: Expectations

We talk to Mr. Superfantastic himself, Eric Martin. Such a cute kid.Happy New Year!  We're only 6 weeks late, but would you expect anything else?  Join Genghis and Ragman as they bring in the new year Right To Rock style, by discussing what they're looking forward to in 2011.  There're a lot, so get your crayons and construction paper ready.  Next, the boys get a call from Mr. Big vocalist Eric Martin for a heart to heart.  Eric discusses Mr. Big's upcoming new CD What If, including what it was like recording with Kevin Shirley.

Featured DVD of the Show:  Mr. Big - Back to Budokan

Beer of the Show:  Red Hook - Eisbock  Beer Rating: 4

Featured Tracks:  Distorted Wonderland - Never Had Nothing; Mr. Big - Take Cover; Van Halen - Dirty Movies; Dio - Straight Through the Heart; Anthrax - Armed and Dangerous; Ozzy - Killer of Giants and Let it Die; Mr. Big - Blame it on My Youth, Undertow and Next Time Around

- Ragman's fingers are starting to cramp up, so enjoy!

Podcast #115: Expectations

The Poodles - In The Flesh

Fans of Talisman and Swedish Glam/Hard Rock should definitely check this out.If you're not familiar with The Poodles, you should be.  They are a Swedish Glam/Hard rock band that pack some punch.  The band was originally formed by some ex-Talisman guys (Guitarist Pontus Norgren and Drummer turned Vocalist Jakob Samuel).  The amazing Norgren left and is currently a member of Hammerfall.  The Poodles formed in 2006 and made an instant impact overseas.  They have 3 studio albums and are about to release their fourth.  A great way to get introduced to the band is their recent DVD release, via Frontiers Records, titled In the Flesh.  The DVD was filmed during the band's 2009 tour for Clash of Elements.

In the Flesh is a concert film/documentary that gives you a taste of what the band is like live as well as some behind the scenes stuff.  Some of the more compelling footage included in the video is the one on one interviews with the band members.  You really get a sense of what these guys are about.  This DVD is shot very well and the concert footage is amazing - and the band does sound great live.  They don't blow you away with their performance, but they do sound like they do in the studio.  All in all a very enjoyable watch.

Bottom Line: A great way to get introduced to The Poodles.  You get a taste live as well as some behind the scenes.  If you want to get to know the next big thing in Glam/Hard rock, then check this one out.

- Ragman is still baffled as to why they call themselves The Poodles...

The Defaced - Anomaly

What a treat to get another album from these crazy death metal-ing Swedes - and it does not disappoint!It has been about 8 years since The Defaced released their phenomenal album Karma in Black.  I have often wondered what happed to these guys and if they would release another new record.  The band is a supergroup of sorts, being made up of several heavy hitters from the Swedish death metal scene, but the driving force of the band comes from the brains behind Darkane (Vocalist Jens Broman and Guitarist Klas Ideberg).  These guys have been busy with their day jobs, so it makes sense that it took so long to get a new release.

The Defaced is a departure from the brutal sound of Darkane, because there is more melody involved.  The songs are still brutal and heavy like the 'Kane, but just more melodic.  To say I'm geeked to hear they have a new record would be an understatement, because I am totally psyched.  The band have just released their 3rd full length CD Anomaly. Let's see if they've still got it...

Anomaly starts pummeling the senses from the lead track Remaining Eternal and doesn't let up until the last note of The Test.  This is an incredible record and a great return after such a long hiatus.  The songs on this record range from thrashy to just mid temp crushers.  There is one ballad of sorts on the CD titled Renewal Defined; it's a slow rocker that starts off somewhat slow and mellow, but then gets heavy for the chorus.  The great thing about this band is that they can slow things down while staying heavy. This song kind of reminds me of something Opeth might do.

Vocalist Jens Broman has a great clean vocal style as well.  He can bring it heavy and guttural, but then change on a dime and throw in the clean vocals like its childsplay.  I can't say enough about this record because it is such a nice blend of heavy and melody.  All the songs on the CD contain great riffs and catchy melodies.  The Defaced sound like a more tamed Soilwork.  Don't get me wrong, they bring it heavy, but there are more grooves and melodic stuff going on than with the 'Work.  All in all a great CD.  This my co-MVP CD of the month.

Bottom Line:  The best CD I have heard in some time.  Every track rocks. The best aspect of all Swedish melodic death metal wrapped up on one disk.  Great heavy tunes with great melody and monster riffs.

Standout Tracks: Can't pick one - they all rock!

- Ragman gives this one a big HORNS UP!

Nelson - Lightning Strikes Twice

Matt and Gunnar do their best to make lightning strike twice, but did they? Eh, not so much.Nelson are one of those one hit wonders from the early 90s that were never given a real shot to repeat the success of their debut.  After the Rain is one of the melodic rock classics from back in the day that spawned several hits and put the brothers on the hard rock map.  Unfortunately for them, and many others, grunge began to rear its ugly head and effectively killed the music we loved.  Gone were the hairspay and the make up, and in were flannel shirts and baggy jeans.  I think we all can say that there needed to be a change, but this one came so abruptly that none of us knew what hit us. 

Since their debut the Nelson brothers have continued to put out material that veered from their initial sound.  Their albums over the last 20 years have been hit or miss, with most of them being misses.  Fast forward to 2011 and the band have just released what is being called the official follow up to After the Rain.  The new CD is entitled Lightning Strikes Twice, and hopefully it'll be able to recapture the old sound that made them a household name in the 90s.

Lightning Strikes starts off a with a different vibe than their debut.  The songs are less punchy and have more of a classic rock vibe to them which, for the most part, are okay with a few stand outs.  It is standard Nelson, with big choruses and catchy melodies, but the songs on this CD just don't capture the magic of the debut.  It goes without saying that the songs will be somewhat "bubble gummy", but that's okay - as long as the songs are well-written.

The CD starts to get going around track 3 with Ready, Willing and Able, but it wasn't until How Can I Miss You that I started getting into it; it's a mid-tempo rocker with a darker feel to it.  It's catchy and sticks with you more than most of the tracks on the disk while the rest are a variety of rockers and ballads.  I think the strongest things about this disc are the cool guitar harmonies that are intertwined in most of the tunes on the album.  All in all, not a bad record, just not a great one either.  The songs seem more poppier than back in the day and have more of a classic rock vibe to them than they did in the 90s.

Bottom Line: A mediocre return from the Nelson twins, but something to build on.  The songs are poppy, but do carry some weight due to some excellent axework.

Standout Tracks: How Can I Miss You, You're All I Need Tonight, When You're Gone and Change a Thing

- Ragman wonders if the boys will grow out their locks for the next one...

Helstar - Glory of Chaos

The hometown heroes show you how it's done in Clutch City with some killer thrash.Helstar are legends of the Houston metal scene circa the early 80s.  I grew up listening to and seeing these guys monthly during my high school years.  My buddies and I would pile into the car, grab a 6-pack 12 pack case, and head to Cardi's (or wherever the band was playing).  I can remember after one show I had banged my head so hard that the next day I practically needed a neck brace to hold my head up.  Good times. 

Helstar was homegrown and went through the same musical evolution that many of the bigger names out there today did.   It's a shame they never made it on the world stage because they had so much going for them back in the day - Remnants of War still stands up as one of the classic thrash albums of the era.  The band has been on and off again over the last several years, but it looks as though they're gonna give it one more shot before they hang up their axes.  Officially reunited with the majority of the Remnants of War lineup in 2006, Glory of Chaos is their second offering since their reunification.

Glory of Chaos sees the band moving into the new era of thrash and death metal with the band adopting some new techniques.  This is evident especially on the lead track in which vocalist James Rivera has gone for a guttural/death metal vocal approach.  I have to say that I didn't really dig him doing this sort of vocal style; James is strongest when he is belting it out in his clean vocal.  It wasn't until the second track Pandemonium that I really started getting into the record - no, it didn't take long.  Pandemonium is a mid-tempo rocker that is more reminiscent of the Helstar of old.  The song has some cool heavy riffs and a great mid-section.  Also, Rivera is back singing the way I like it.  The next track to kick my ass was Summer of Hate.  It's a straight ahead mid-tempo rocker driven by a cool riff reminiscent of Judas Priest's One on One; a great melody with a chugging rhythm that you know would "blow your Aunt Connie's socks off" (Dice!).

All in all, a solid record from the stars of the Houston strip (what strip?).  The band has evolved and moved into the new millennium nicely.  Most of the elements are still intact, with the exception of the technical riffing that they became known for in the late 80s.  The band are still thrashy, but not as technical as they were back in the day.  Not a bad thing though, because the songs on this disc rock (but I do miss it).

Bottom Line: Metal vets showing that they can still hang with the best of them.  A nice variety of thrash and mid-tempo rockers that will have the head banging in no time.  This one grows on you more and more with each spin.

Standout Tracks: Pandemonium, Monarch of Bloodshed, Summer of Hate, Deth Trap

- Ragman is wishing Cardi's was still around... (Genghis - "NO SHIT!")