Animal Drive - Bite!

Well, I just found my favorite new band and they're called Animal Drive.  Hailing from Zagreb, Croatia this 4 piece is set to take over the hard rock/metal world.  Animal Drive is part of Frontiers' New Breed family, which will be showcasing new talent.  Man, if this is the type of music that we're going to get from this New Breed part of the label, then count me in. 

Animal Drive was brought to the label by Jeff Scott Soto, after he met vocalist Dino Jelusik, whilst touring with T.S.O.  Thanks Jeff!  This band, may have one of the heaviest sounds on the label.  They are full on hard rock, with some progressive and modern elements.  Imagine Pink Cream 69 mixed with Bullet for My Valentine.  Don't get me wrong, they're not quite that heavy, but close.  Their songs focus on melody, but pack a metallic punch. 

The Band's debut record Bite!, is solid from start to finish.  The album has a nice variety and keeps you interested for the whole musical ride.  The first song to grab me was Tower of Lies (I Walk Alone), which is the 2nd single and video.  The song starts with a killer Skid Row type riff, that is punctuated with a nice Zakk Wylde type diminished harmonic.  The song has a great groove and Jelusic's killer vocals, take it over the edge.  Jelusic has this killer Russell Allen meets Jorn Lande meets David Readman type vibe.  Let's just say the guy is talented.  If that weren't enough, then the killer soloing by guitarist Ivan Keller will send you over the edge.  His solo in this tune if friggin awesome.

This album is full of killer riffs that will have you air guitar-ing like a maniac.  Bite! is all killer and no filler.  If you dig a great power ballad, if you can call it that, then Hands of Time, has your name all over it.  It starts off like a ballad, before it kicks into this killer Pink Cream type riff, which takes the tune to a new level.  I love how this band can mix the heavy with the melody, which is what this song is all about.  The killer riff the killer chorus, and finish with the killer solo.  What else is there.  Bite is chock full of these elements which will make it one of my early faves for album of the year.  This one is a must folks!

Bottom Line: A new band, that is doing it better than the veterans.  A stellar debut from an up and comer.  Good luck lads!

Standout Tracks: Tower of Lies (I Walk Alone), Hands of Time, Fade Away, Had Enough

-Ragman has hope for the future of hard rock and heavy metal.

Pat Torpey (1953 - 2018)

Godspeed, Mr. Torpey.As huge fans of Mr. Big, we are saddened to hear about the passing of one of its founding members, Mr. Pat Torpey, who reportedly passed away on Wednesday due to complications from Parkinson's Disease. We were fortunate enough to see him play on their latest tour, where he was able to get onstage and continue to entertain audiences as he liked to do for over 30 years. Pat left a great legacy for his fans to enjoy, and we'll likely be doing a tribute to him and his work soon.

So raise a glass to the man, and give him a big horns up. And if you're interested in assisting research for Parkinson's, please feel free to do so here.

- Genghis is pretty bummed right now...

Podcast #229: Mulligan

Don't take them for some average TexMex blues band. Sons of Texas are bad ass, baby.If an artist had the choice to take one record out of their catalog do you think they'd do it? Would they ask for a mulligan? We think some artists would say "yeah, please make that one go away". So, join Genghis & Ragman as they discuss some of their favorite artists and the albums that should have never have been released.

Next, the boys check in with Sons of Texas guitarist Jes De Hoyos for a heart to heart. Jes dives into the band's latest release Forged by Fortitude, as well as details of their current tour. And if that weren't enough, the boys have included an extended beer segment featuring an in-depth interview with one of Brash Brewery's brewmasters, Allen Schneider. This is a mega episode, so grab a twelve pack, some grub, and enjoy.

DVD of the Show: Kix - Live in Baltimore

Beer of the Show: Hammer Smashed Face (Brash Brewery)
	Appearance: 4.0 Aroma: 4.0 Palate: 4.0 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 4.0	"Those mad geniuses at Brash make some of the best stouts around - and this barrel-aged Russian Imperial is AMAZING!"

2nd Beer of the Show: Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale (Country Boy Brewing Company)
	Appearance: 4.0 Aroma: 4.0 Palate: 4.0 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 2.5	"Country Boy's description of this brown ale reads much better than it tastes. It's not bad at all, just disappointing."

Featured Tracks: Polaris - Remedy; Kix - Cold Blood; Tankard - Die With a Beer; The New Black - The Beer of No Return; AC/DC - Have a Drink on Me; Lou DiBello - Heat Wave; Metallica - Moth Into Flame; Judas Priest - Locked In; Dream Theater - Solitary Shell; Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Want to Stop; Sons of Texas - Baptized by the Rio Grande, Slam With the Lights On, Feed the Need, Cast in Stone, Beneath the Riverbed & Breathing Through My Wounds

Genghis' Classic of the Show: Dream Theater - Under a Glass Moon

Ragman's Classic of the Show: Loudness - The Lines are Down

Genghis' Pick of the Show: Angel Vivaldi - Synapse

Ragman's Pick of the Show: Savage Messiah - Fearless

Editor's Note:  I know, I know, it's been awhile. We said we'd be posting sooner, but shit happens! Sorry guys. That said, we have a super deluxe version of the show that should not be missed.

- Ragman is embarrassed about how long it took to get this show up...

Podcast #229: Mulligan

Thundermother (self-titled)

Thundermother is back, baby. Now run out and get me pack of smokes and some whiskey, would ya?Sweden has been in the throes of retro rock for a decade or so - and they're damned good at it, let me tell you. Case in point, Thundermother. Their last album, Road Fever, was a raucous, beer-swilling soundtrack that heralded a band succeeding on its musical merits rather than the novelty of being a woman-fronted hard rock band. Chalk that up largely to the fertile mind of lead guitarist and founder, Filippa Nässil. And the all new band's new self-titled album continues that thought with more ass-kicking rock and roll than you can shake a stick at.

After the previous album, four members of the band left, leaving Filippa to put together a new lineup with Guerinca Mancini (vocals), Emlee Johansson (drums), and Sara Pettersson (bass). Mancini's smoky vocals are perfect for the raw energy of Nässil's beefy riffs, sounding like a cross between Pink and [the criminally underrated] Suze DeMarchi by way of Doro Pesch. Having conquered the Wacken festival despite only playing together for a few months, they hit the studio. Recording everything live, they laid down 15 tracks in just 10 days, most of which made the new album. And that raw energy is present in the atmospheric mix captured by award-winning producer Thomas Plec Johansson. This album sounds fantastic, like an old vinyl gem you might come across in a forgotten record store. Imagine Angus Young doing a side project with Pink and you sorta get an idea of what to expect - but don't let that decide for you. Check this band out for yourself, ya hear?

The Bottom Line: Sweden isn't done with the retro rock thing, but that's not a bad thing. Especially if you're in the market for some classic bar-rocking tunes that sound old[-school] and fresh at the same time.

- Genghis would like to be up front stage for this band if they come to town...

Podcast #228: Frozen

Light the fire and grab a brew, it's Kicks and Kisses time! Art by Krankenkatz. Buried in the frozen wastes of...Texas, the lads have busted out of their igloos to bring you their annual end of the year Kicks and Kisses List for 2017. Rejoice, rejoice, and join Genghis & Ragman, and all the Whos down in Whoville, as they crack wise about a year that may have sucked outside of music, but was actually a pretty good year for metal.

It's been a lean year to be honest. Harvey was a stone cold bitch. But we're looking forward to more output in 2018 with some improved equipment - hell, we even got a present from one of our fans (yes, that's "fans" plural)! So, keep them fingers crossed - but also keep those HORNS UP!

Video of the show: The End - Black Sabbath

Beer of the Show: Bourbon County Brand Northwoods Stout (Goose Island Brewing)
	Appearance: 4.0 Aroma: 4.0 Palate: 4.0 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 4.0	"Goose Island has outdone themselves with a fantastic sipping beer that begs for cigars by the fire."

2nd Beer of the Show: Black Crack (Southern Star Brewing Co.)
	Appearance: 4.0 Aroma: 4.0 Palate: 4.0 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 4.0	"This is easliy one of the best bourbon barrel-aged stouts we've ever had. Delicious!"

Featured Tracks: Amon Amarth - Viking Christmas; Black Sabbath - War Pigs; Sons Of Apollo - Coming Home; AC/DC - Hells Bells; Aerosmith - Shapes; Bad News - Cashing In On Christmas; Sweet & Lynch - Bridge of Broken Lies; Dayshell - Car Sick; Miss May I - Shadows Inside; Persefone - Prison Skin; Mr. Big - Forever and Back; Without Waves - Poetry In Putrid Air; Kobra and the Lotus - Light Me Up; Jinjer - I Speak Astronomy; Gov't Mule - Revolution Come, Revolution Go; Nova Collective - Cascades; Lynch Mob - Main Offender; Harem Scarem - Bite The Bullet; Pink Cream 69 - Man Of Sorrow; Tracy G Group - P.C.H.; Steel Panther - Wasted Too Much Time; Ten - The Travellers; Harem Scarem - Sinking Ships; Persefone - No Mind Faceless; Mr. Big - She's All Coming Back To Me Now; Lynch Mob - Miles Away

Podcast #228: Frozen