Podcast #114: Yuletide

Our thanks to Don for a great interview. "Here's to you..."It's that time of year again as Genghis & Ragman reveal their annual Kicks and Kisses List.  Find out what events, albums, or whatever in the world of metal were kicks or kisses [to the balls] in 2010.

Next, the boys chat with comedian Don Jamieson from VH1 Classic's That Metal Show who discusses the show as well as his upcoming record on Metal Blade.

Beer of the Show:  Rogue - Santa's Private Reserve Beer Rating: 2.5

DVD of the Show:  Saxon - To Hell and Back Again

Featured Tracks: Steel Panther - Sexy Santa; Ronnie James Dio - God Yest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Saxon - Batallions of Steel; Dimmu Borgir - Chess and the Abyss; Dio - The Last in Line (Live); Taking Dawn - Time to Burn; James LaBrie - Misled; Judas Priest - Desert Plains; De Van - Shine; Accept - Teutonic Terror; Blind Guardian - Tannerlorn; Rage - The Beggar's Last Dime; AC/DC - Let's Get it Up; Various Artists - We Wish You a Metal Christmas.

 - Genghis and Ragman hope that all had a great Christmas (several weeks ago)...

Podcast #114: Yuletide

Podcast #113: Trunk

Say what you will about Jaz, but the man's a snappy dresser.Genghis & Ragman discuss the small but significant empire that metal maven Eddie Trunk has built for himself since his days as an AR rep.  While his radio work has done much for metal, it seems like his TV work is a little too commercial (for lack of a better word) for Genghis' liking.  As for Jim and Don, they're as important as talk show sidekicks have always been... Next the boys rounded up legendary vocalist, Jaz Coleman (Killing Joke), for a one on one.  Jaz discusses the reunion of the original line up as well as their latest release, Absolute Dissent.

1st Beer of the Show: Oskar Blues - Old Chub  (Beer Rating: 3.5)

2nd Beer of the Show:  Ommegang - Adoration  (Beer Rating: 2)

DVD of the Show: Velvet Revolver - Live in Houston, TX

Featured Tracks: Creation's End - Shadow and Flame; Bullet Boys - Smooth Up In Ya; Velvet Revolver - Fall to Pieces; Skid Row - Wasted Time; Tracy G Group - Superstition; Killing Joke - Love Like Blood; Absolute Dissent, The Raven King and Chessboards

Classic of the Show: Dio - Stargazer

Genghis' Pick of the Show: Heed - Enemy

Ragman's Pick of the Show: De Van - Rain

- Ragman and Wifey have found a new love: Beer Pong!

Podcast #113: Trunk

Happy New Year!

From the gang at Nightmare Studios, Ragman and myself, this is Genghis wishing all of you a happy new year.  we hope 2010 was a good year for you guys and that 2011 is an even better one - especially for metal!  Keep it heavy and keep those...

HORNS UP!

- Genghis is looking forward to another year of 'casting and blasting...

Michael Schenker Group - Live in Tokyo: 30th Anniversary Japan Tour

This is the Michael Schenker Group in top form; they're having a good time and it shows.You ever fall victim of the hype machine?  I know I have more times that I like to admit.  The latest thing I got sucked into was the new DVD from Michael Schenker - MSG - Live in Tokyo.  If you go to as many metal news pages as I do, I know you've seen the banner for this DVD looking at you and telling you to check it out.  Some- times these adds are misleading and sometimes you hit paydirt.  I guess it depends on much you dig the artist, to whether you'll check them out or not.  Well I have to say, about every Schenker DVD I've checked out I've dug.  Not all of them blow you away, but the chance to see Schenker wail is always appealing.  Another appealing aspect on this one, is that original MSG vocalist Gary Barden is back in the band.  How cool is that?

Live in Tokyo was filmed, as you might of guessed, in Tokyo on the band's 30th anniversay tour.  The show was filmed in January of this year, so you get a fresh look into what you expect live from the band currently.  I have to say this is one fo the strongest Schenker DVD's that I've seen.  For one, the band is on fire and sound great.  Another thing is the strong set list, which is comprised of MSG classics as well as some UFO and Scorpions tunes.  I dug the film on this one too.  The texture of the film is movie quality, with some nice camera techniques thrown in for good measure.  A solid DVD from a guitar legend.

Bottom Line:  The Michael Schenker Group in top form.  It was very cool to see Barden and Schenker on the same stage rocking.  The band appears to be having a good time and it resonates to the viewer.  Solid DVD.  If you're new to Schenker then this would be a great DVD to cut your teeth on.

- Ragman can't get Lost Horizons out of his head

Creation's End - A New Beginning

A solid punch of hard rock with a metallic edge.Persistence pays off, as I always say, and that is exactly what happened to guitarist Rudy Albert and drummer Dario Rodriguez, who are the driving force behind newbie's Creation's End.  I use the term newbies loosley, since the band is made up of some metal veterans.   Albert and Rodriguez have been compliling tunes since 2003 and just recently went into the studio to record them.  Once the basic tracks were recorded the boys recruited some big names to give them a hand, like vocalist Mike Dimeo (Riot, Masterplan) and guitarist Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie). 

Creation's End bring a nice blend of power with some progressive metal.  I wouldn't say they are a power metal band, because I don't believe they are in the truest sense, part of the genre.  They just bring a solid punch of hard rock with a metallic edge.  The first track on their debut CD A New Beginning, is a track called Of Shadow and Flame which blends the power with the prog.  This is a mid tempo rocker that has some killer guitar work by Sfogli.  It has a catchy chorus and a strong melodic vibe.  The cool thing about this CD, is that all of the songs are written well and contain strong melodies.  A solid CD from start to finish, that gets stronger with each spin.

Bottom Line: A supergroup of sorts, in which each individual shines at their craft.  The music will appeal to hard rock and progressive metal fans alike.  Go get it.

Standout Tracks: Still Life, Of Shadow and Flame, World Holocaust and Forsaken

- Ragman can't believe what a strong metal year this was.