Podcast Interview: Michael Monroe

THE Michael Monroe has a little tête-à-tête with Ragman about his latest album, Blackout States.The one and only Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks) takes some time to chew the fat with Ragman in a thrilling interview that includes work on his latest album, Blackout States, as well as his amazing experience of neary 40 years in the industry.

And make sure to check out [and buy, if you like] his new album available from Spinefarm Records, because that's how we get more music, capische? HORNS UP!

Featured Tracks: Hanoi Rocks - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams; Michael Monroe - This Ain't No Love Song, Keep Your Eye On You, R.L.F, and The Man With No Eyes

Michael Monroe Interview

Podcast Interview: Rikard Zander

Rags goes mano a mano with Evergrey's keyboardist Rikard Zander.In our latest interview session Ragman gets to chat with a member of one of his favorite bands of all time, Evergrey's Rikard Zander, who tells us of the writing of their latest album, Hymns For The Broken and other sordid tales of the music industry.

Don't forget to check out that album available from AFM Records, cuz we highly recommend it as well as their back catalog of progressive metal bad-assedness. HORNS UP!

Featured Tracks: Frozen, A New Dawn, Hymns for the Broken, The Grand Collapse, and The Masterplan

Rikard Zander Interview

Podcast #198: Amityville

We talk with kiwi director Jason Lei Howden about his heavy metal horror hit, Deathgasm. Excellent! *air guitar*It's that time of year again as the lads take their troop North - more specifically to a suburban neighborhood in Amityville on the south shore of Long Island in New York - to 108 Ocean Avenue (formerly 112 Ocean Avenue). Will their camping and drinking in the driveway intense investigation yield any interesting revelations? Or will John shitting himself interrupt the evening again? Tune in and find out.

And there's even a surprise phone call, and a bit of moral support, from director Jason Lei Howden (Deathgasm), who talks about heavy metal and making horror movies more like they used to (no more CG!). HORNS UP!

Beer of the Show: Zombie Monkey Porter (Tall Grass Brewing)
	Appearance: 3.5 Aroma: 3.5 Palate: 3.0 Taste: 3.0 Overall: 3.0	"This is a nice, smooth porter that's a little watery, but with an enticing aroma and flavor that makes a fine cigar beer."

Featured Tracks: Type O Negative - All Hallow's Eve; Alice Cooper - Prince Of Darkness; Skullfist - Bad For Good; Fastway - If You Could See; Dokken - Dream Warriors; Megadeth - No More Mister Guy; Elm Street - Metal Is The Way; Midnight - Evil Like A Knife; Bulletbelt - Deathgasm

Genghis Classic of the Show: Trivium - Like Light To The Flies

Ragman's Classic of the Show: Mercyful Fate - Princes Of Hell

Genghis' Pick of the Show: Vanden Plas - Monster

Ragman's Pick of the Show: Ghost - From The Pinnacle To The Pit

- Genghis is totally ready for some nice cigar weather...

Podcast #198: Amityville

Gama Bomb - Untouchable Glory

Best thing about this Gama Bomb album cover? Fucking cobra with a stick of dynamite in his mouth.It's not every day you hear of a thrash band from Northern Ireland. And like any thrash band worth their salt, Gama Bomb don't take themselves too seriously, letting their 21st century audiences into their heads by way of childhood pleasures such as comic books, sci-fi movies, computer games and, with their latest album Untouchable Glory, kung fu movies. Oh yes.

This is classic thrash metal and no mistake, with blistering leads over breakneck riffing and machine gun drums. This is classic stuff in the vein of genre luminaries like Kreator or Testament. And from the opening track Ninja Untouchables to the closer After The Fire it's a speeding freight train of moshable tunes that would have a skate park of punks attempting feats of derring-do all damn day and that's really the point isn't it?

The Bottom Line: Let's face it, this is classic thrash metal, so don't expect anything other than blast beats and speed riffs behind screaming, topical lyrics. And I got NO problem with that. The fact is that Gama Bomb is doing it and doing it well, having amassed a cult following for their talent, humor and generosity (they released an entire album for free download while signed to a label). If you're a thrash fan, you should check them out, or at least help support the cause, you savvy?

- Genghis would love to hoist a pint with these cats some time...

Children of Bodom - I Worship Chaos

Finnish melodeath masters release their latest - and Death is on the cover! Spoooooky.Though I've heard of Children of Bodom - sure, even seen them in concert - I can't say I could identify a COB song despite their worldwide popularity. But I do dig the Finnish melodic death metal stuff and Alexi Laiho is revered as one of today's best shredders so you'd think I'd be all over it. Which brings us to their latest studio album, I Worship Chaos.

From the get go this is pretty standard fare for the genre. I Hurt is energetic, heavy and fast with Alexi Laiho taking over guitaring chores in leiu of erstwhile member Roope Latvala. With the band working as a four piece on this album Alexi has stated that things were a little easier in terms of recording, with him being able to perfectly match his playing rhythym for any additional tracks, and it does sound air tight. But to be honest, I would never have known that this was formerly a quintet, and the production feels appropriate for what you'd expect from this kind of band. While I enjoy the music, it all kind of runs together after a while, which I've heard is a common complaint. Prayer For The Afflicted is one of the few tracks that veers from the formula, sounding like a dirge - almost treading into doom metal territory. By the second half of the album I started getting into it, with Suicide Bomber's slidey intro catching my ear before the heavy churn of the verse. All For Nothing's moody intro provided a nice counterpoint as well, making me think that more of this dynamic interplay would serve the overall sound better. By the time Widdershins rolled around I was changing my mind about this being a one trick pony of an album. This is what I'd like to think of as the COB sound.

The Bottom Line: This is clearly a modern melodic death metal band and album. The production is serviceable, though I think more definition between the vocals and the rhythym guitars would help dispel the idea that all of COB's songs sound the same.The talent's there for the right superstar producer to unearth.

- Genghis wouldn't mind having Alexi's guitar chops, no sir...