Mama Kin - In the City

Young Swedes wear their 70s hard rock influences on their sleeves - and they're good!Taking their name from the classic Aerosmith track, Swedish rockers Mama Kin have burst onto the scene with their debut release In the City.  Mama Kin is a 4 piece hard rock band, that sounds like they just walked out of a time machine from the late 70's.  It is so refreshing to hear the new guys going old school.  I like when young bands, wear their influences on their sleeve, and pay homage to the ones that inspired them to pick up a guitar.  Sounding like a cross between classic Kiss and Thin Lizzy, Mama Kin bring it old school, without sounding too dated.

In the City is a 10 track platter of pure ear-candy for fans of classic hard rock.  This debut is chocked full of hard rocking anthems which contain big choruses and monster riffs.  The songs are well written, but do contain a little cheese to them.  Some of the tunes have the cliche type lyrics popular in the 70's and 80's like in Hey Operator and Fortune and Fame, but fortunately the music is strong enough to carry them. 

There are some really strong tracks on the record like Superman and Too Much.  I really dig the Kiss inspired track Too Much, which sounds like it could have come off Unmasked, but much heavier.  It starts with a cool Dio (Rock-n-Roll Children-esque) type heavy riff, before kicking into a full on Kiss type tune.  Vocalist Ward does a nice job emulating Mr. Stanley for this track.  Ward is a unique vocalist because he is like a cross between Phil Lynott and Paul Stanley.   All in all not a bad debut.

Bottom Line: New rockers taking the classic rock approach.  Good strong sing along type hard rock tunes that will keep you wanting more.

Standout Tracks:  Too Much, Superman, Higher and Higher and In The City

- Ragman is starting to wonder if all [good] metal now comes from Sweden...

Heaven & Hell - Neon Nights (DVD)

Ronnie James Dio's final taped performance - 'nuff said.It has been 6 months since the great one left us, and it is still hard to fathom that Ronnie James Dio is gone.  Luckily there are still plenty of releases coming out, to help this legend live on.  The latest release comes from Eagle Rock Entertainment in the form of a DVD/CD combo titled Heaven and Hell - Neon Nights (Live in Europe).  The DVD and CD are sold separately.  Neon Nights marks the last filmed performance of RJD with Heaven and Hell.   The performance was filmed a little over a year ago at Wacken.  This show and this release also marks the 30th anniversary of the band and their classic release Heaven and Hell.

Neon Nights captures the band in top form, but did these guys ever have a bad gig?  As you would imagine the set list is full of Black Sabbath classics as well as a couple off their last release.  In support of The Devil You Know the band took the stage at Wacken and ruled the night.  The amazing thing to me is how good the guys sound.  Ronnie's vocals were amazing that night and we should feel fortunate that they were preserved on this DVD.  The filming of the show is perfect and the audio is spot on as well.  The picture is good, but would be amazing on BluRay.  Hopefully this will get the BluRay treatment in the future.  There are some cool special features, like interviews with the band discussing their classic record H&H, as well as a special tribute from the guys to Ronnie.

Bottom Line:  A must buy for Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell fans.  Ronnie James Dio's final filmed performance, need I say more?  Get it.

- Ragman now has his music DVD of the year

De Van - Planet Botox

Damn, what the hell are them Swedes drinkin' over there? This stuff ROCKS.It has been awhile since a new band kicked my ass, and man I wish it happened more often.  The world of hard rock and metal seems to be flourishing now more than it has in years.   I wouldn't say the scene is getting saturated, but there is now more to listen to than there has been in quite sometime.  It takes alot for me to replay a CD after it has been reviewed, but if you kick as much ass as Swedish newcomers De Van do, then it is inevitable.  De Van mix the sounds of hard rock, goth, industrial with metal to make one killer sound.  The band reminds me of Crematory but with a bit more melody and more of a hard rock vibe.  I think the reason for the hard rock vibe is the vocals of Eric De Van.  He just has one of those killer hard rock type voices.

Planet Botox is the group's debut record on Jamsync Music.  It is an 11 track offering full of ear candy.  The CD is packed full of tunes that will get in your head and not leave.  Tracks like the melodic first single Shine will get in your head and will not let go.  It has one of those chorus' that tattoos the senses, so that it will be embedded in the brain for days.  Another track that is toxic is the track Plastic Surgery,  which is probably the catchiest tune on the CD.  It is an uptempo rocker that is sure to be a staple in their live set.  I'm not the biggest lyric guy, but these will give you a chuckle if you pay attention.  All in all a solid debut from another solid Swedish rock band.  Man, what is in the water over there?   Sweden is the new mecca for hard rock and heavy metal.

Bottom Line: Solid debut that will kick your ass.  A nice blend of several styles within the genre to create one killer sound.  Well-written songs that will stick with you.  A CD full of catchy/melodic songs with an edge.

Standout Tracks: Shine, Plastic Surgery, Rain, and Here in Shalaland

- Ragman was thinking about hair plugs until he heard Plastic Surgery...

Mas Alejandro Silva, Por Favor?

In case any fans want to catch some more of Alejandro Silva (Chile), here's a sweet video of him doing some south of the border shred...

- Genghis ain't seen a fretboard that scalloped since Maestro Malmsteen...

Podcast #111: Zombied

It wouldn't be Halloween without zombie ass kicker, Sean Peck of Cage!

Yes, Halloween came and went without our usual show - but we promise we had a good reason!  Apparently, that bastard John, jealous that we would even think of doing the show without him this year, did his best to utterly destroy misplace the tapes.  Luckily, they've been found, Blair Witch Project style and the mysteries of our time spent in central Texas killin' zombies and such are yours to be enjoyed.  Sorry about the generator noise, we had a problem with that, but hopefully you'll be able to understand us.  As for Mel...nobody really understands him anymore anyway, right? Then the boys get a call from our West Coast correspondent (hunkered down out East this time), Sean Peck of Cage, whose z-killin' skills are unmatched.  Sean takes a little time out from whoopin' undead ass to tell us some mouth-watering news about the new CD (appropriately titled, War of the Undead) and DVD, and even drops a world premiere exclusive track on ya!  Zounds!

Beer(s) of the Show:  Rouge Dead Guy Ale (Beer Rating: 3); Southern Star - Buried Hatchet (Beer Rating: 4)

Featured Tracks: Fastway - Trick or Treat; Dimmu Borgir - Gateways; Cradle of Filth - The Persecution Song; Amon Amarth - Twighlight of the Thundergod; Slipknot - Duality; Immortal - Mount North; Cage - Scarlet Witch and War of the Undead (World Exclusive); Vinnie Vincent Invasion - Love Kills; Mercyful Fate - Welcome Princess of Hell; Cage - Planet Crusher and Stranger in Black; In Flames - Episode 666; Twisted Sister - Burn in Hell; Slayer - Not of this God

 - Ragman is still cleaning zombie shit off of his shoes...

Podcast #111: Zombied