Podcast #215: Group

Ozzy's gunslinger, Gus G, chats with us about the spotlight - and shredding, of course.Contrary to popular belief Genghis & Ragman are very much alive. And their latest discussion takes you into the world of groupies. Are they still a thing? If so, what drives them and who are they? Join the boys as they drink bubblegum-flavored beer and get stupid - as if this isn't what they always do.

Following that, check out Ragman's interview with the one and only Gus G, who talks about his band Firewind's latest album and possible tour plans as well as what it's like being Ozzy's main man. HORNS UP!

Video Of The Show: Doro: Strong And Proud - 30 Years Of Rock And Metal

Beer of the Show: Voodoo Doughnut Grape Guerrilla (Rogue Ales)
	Appearance: 3.5 Aroma: 3.5 Palate: 3.5 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 3.5	"Rogue once again manages to capture the essence of one of Voodoo Doughnut's wares in a well-balanced grape-rific ale."

Featured Tracks: Persefone - Prison Skin; Doro - Caught In A Battle; Firewind - Hands Of Time; Yngwie Malmsteen - I Am A Viking; KISS - Plaster Caster; Def Leppard - Promises; Steve Perry - You Better Wait; Judas Priest - Rock Hard, Ride Free; Dayshell - Carsick; Enuff Z'Nuff - Runaway; Donnie Vie - Wunderland; Firewind - Cold as Ice, Ode To Leonidas, Live and Die By the Sword, Back on the Throne; Gus G - We Are One

- Genghis is anticipating the live concert windfall coming in April...

Podcast #215: Group

Podcast Interview: Kee Marcello

The boys caught up with guitarist/vocalist Kee Marcello, a few months ago, after the release of his band's latest album Scaling Up.  Kee discussed his latest release as well as his upcoming tour plans.  Kee also discussed his Superstitious solo as well as some Europe tunes that he gave new life to. 

And if you dig his music as much as we do, show the band some love by purchasing their latest album, Scaling Up, from your favorite online store, won't you? HORNS UP!

Featured Tracks:  Europe - Halfway to Heaven, Kee Marcello - Black Hole Star, Don't Miss You Much, Finger on the Trigger, Europe - Superstitious.

-Ragman is making progress.

Podcast Interview - Kee Marcello

Podcast Interview: Crystal Ball's Scott Leach

The boys caught up with guitarist Scott Leach of Crystal Ball, a few months ago, after the release of his band's latest album Deja Voodoo.  Scott discussed Crystal Ball's latest release as well as their upcoming tour plans.  Scott also discussed the concept and direction behind some of the band's videos. 

And if you dig their music as much as we do, show the band some love by purchasing their latest album, Deja Voodoo, from your favorite online store, won't you? HORNS UP!

Featured Tracks:  Crystal Ball - Paradise, Director's Cut, To Freedom and Progress, Dr. Hell No, Deja Voodoo, Hold Your Flag.

-Ragman can't believe what is in the Right to Rock closet.  Spring cleaning anyone?

Podcast Interview - Scott Leach

Junius - Eternal Rituals For The Accretion Of Light

Junius is back with their Neurosis meets The Smiths sound to complete their conceptual trilogy.You may remember my praising the lads in Junius for their intriguing brand of post-metal jams back when their album, Reports From The Threshold Of Death, came out a few years ago. Apparently it was the middle chapter of a conceptual trilogy that culminates in their latest release, Eternal Rituals For The Accretion Of Light (dem titles tho).

It should go without saying that if you're down with the last album, you'll know what to expect, and will most likely dig this new material. Despite the loss of guitarist Mike Repasch-Nieves, Joe Martinez has taken up the reins on his own to flesh out the loose storyline that previously delved into the state of the soul in the afterlife. Working once again with producer Will Benoit, these ten tracks make for an intense but somehow calming aural journey. At times, the hoary head of Opeth looms large in the band's gothic leanings as on Clean The Beast. But then tracks like All That Is, Is Of The One with its ethereal chorale takes you in a different direction, like a majestic beast winding its way along a lazy path. As with their last album, it's Junius' compelling way of being heavy without really being aggressive that impresses me so much - like a slow-flowing river that will inevitably crush you under its path.

The Bottom Line: Though you don't need to have heard previous entries in the trilogy, Eternal Rituals For The Accretion Of Light maintains Junius' penchant for hybridizing heavy, gothic, post-metal and introspective, 80s era, alt rock. Nice work, that.

- Genghis is imagining Robert Smith with a leather jacket and a Gibson Explorer...

Persefone - Aathma

This Andorran sextet knows how to write some incredible djenty prog, and I. am. loving. it.I am well on record by now for extolling one of the main virtues of heavy metal, specifically the subgenre of progressive metal, as being its ubiquity. I mean you can find practitioners pretty much anywhere on the globe. And that includes the tiny, independent principality of Andorra with the band Persefone.

Their new album, Aathma, is the latest bit of melodic pyrotechnics from this talented sextet, and fans of classic subgenre heroes like Dream Theater or Symphony X would do well to check them out if they haven't already. There's a rather djenty vibe to it all, but the addition of melodeath growls and progressive breaks, as heard in One Of Many, Prison Skin, and No Faced Mindless (check out the exhilarating piano interlude at around 3:12) make for a compelling musical stew I can't get enough of. Especially how that aforementioned progressive element plays itself out in the dynamics that devotees love on slower tracks like the haunting, delayed guitars of the atmospheric Cosmic Walkers or the pensive opening to Living Waves. This is just really well done music, people. All of which culminates in the frenetic, four-part, 20 minute Aathma suite. Just in case you wanted to know if they really know their progmetal chops.

The Bottom Line: This is djenty progmetal along the lines of TesseracT that takes you on a thrilling musical ride from the opening track to the last. 'Nuff said.

- Genghis would eat nails to see these cats on a bill with TesseracT - and maybe Animals As Leaders...