Lynch Mob - Rebel

Lynch and Logan are back at it with some down and dirty hard rock sure to please.Being guitar fans, we're always excited about new product from our favorite guitarists like the venerable George Lynch and his latest studio album with Lynch Mob, Rebel. At this point George has made more albums with Lynch Mob (yeah, I know about REvolution, but it was a studio album, so bear with me) than he did with Dokken, making this an interesting and expected point to make comparisons in terms of songwriting and longevity, if I may.

There are probably two general camps within the base of Lynch Mob fans; Oni Logan versus Robert Mason. Both are great vocalists, and both appeared on what are probably the two best albums of Lynch Mob's career, but getting back to Rebel, it's definitely great to have Oni return on vocals, as he's my favorite of the two.

Testify, with it's swampy Zeppelin trudge is a perfect example of how Logan's clear and steady tone layers nicely on top of the heavy bottom beat. And it's always nice to hear those more adventurous tunes that Lynch pulls out since leaving Dokken like the funky Pine Tree Avenue and Jelly Roll. It's gotta be obvious to anyone by now that so much more was brewing in that coiffed head of his than that former band allowed.

The Bottom Line: Long time Lynch Mob fans will no doubt be pleased at this raucous new outing, but old fans that left when the Mob got a little too experimental (Smoke This) just know that this may not be the old Lynch, but he's still making some damn fine modern rock music.

Tracks To Play While Packing Your Old Leather Pants For The Salvation Army: Between The Truth And A Lie, Pine Tree Avenue, Jelly Roll & The Hollow Queen

- Genghis has been air guitarring relentlessly for hours to this album now...

Beauvoir Free - American Trash

I have been a fan of the Beauvoir-Free pairing, since these guys first joined up forces, in Crown of Thorns, back in the early 90's.  Believe it or not, but Beauvoir, used to be in the iconic punk band, The Plasmatics, before exploring his more melodic hard rock side.  The guy has worked with Kiss, John Waite, and many others. 

Beauvoir and Free just have a great chemistry together, and I was really geeked, when I heard, that they had gotten back together, to do a project, for Frontiers.  Much like their other band Crown of Thorns, the songs are melodic and catchy as well.  Beauvoir's voice is as solid as ever, and so are Free riffs.  This could be the best thing either has done, since the first Crown of Thorns record; it is that good.

American Trash is solid from start to end, without one clunker.  The first track to really grab my attention was, strangely enough, the opener Angels Cry.  It is a mid-tempo rocker, oozing with melody, as well as one hell of a catchy chorus.  It is one of those choruses that stays in your head for days.  There is a nice mix of rockers and ballads on this one.  The bonus is that each tune with packed with killer riffs from Free.  Check out the tune, It's Never Too Late, to hear what I'm talking about.  It has one of those classic 80's style riffs, that just makes the hair's, on your arms, stand up to pay respect.  If you're looking for some solid melodic hard rock with attitude, then this one is for you.

Bottom Line:Beauvoir and Free proving that when they get together, they make musical magic.  Another killer release, from this duo.  Hopefully this is not a one off, because this one is a killer release.

Standout Tracks: It's Never Too late, Angel's Cry, Cold Dark December and Never Give Up

-Ragman likes when friends get back together.

Earth - Primitive and Deadly

Earth is a band, that just came on my radar, with their 8th release Primitive and Deadly.  I'm not sure how I keep missing some of these bands, but I am thankful, when I discover, like this.  To be honest, Earth isn't one of those bands, that I would typically appeal to.  They have this slow droning, doom metal-ly, thing going on, which for the most part, bores me.  The cool thing about these guys, is that they infuse some nice melodies, into their tunes, to keep the ears perked up.

Primitive and Deadly is a 6 track CD, that clocks in just under 60 minutes.  The tracks are slow and brooding, but have nice melodies.  The only track, I was not very stoked about, was the instrumental, bonus track, Badger's Bane, which went on and on, with the same chord progressions, just being played over and over again, which clocks in at about 12 1/2 minutes.  I'm thinking Bill Zebub, could use this track, for one of his flicks.  All joking aside, this band does have a very melodic and creative side.  I actually think they excel, when they add in vocals.  Check out the track From the Zodiacal Light, featuring vocals from Radia Shaheen Qazi, and you'll know what I mean.  If you like your music slow and droning, with melody, then check these guys out.

Bottom Line:  Not being a big fan of droning or doom metal, i really found this one appealing.  The melodies that these guys come up with, become infectious and will stick with you.  Even though they are better know for their instrumentals, I think they are better with vocals, especially with Rabi.  That song rocks.

Standout Tracks: From the Zodiacal Light, Even Hell Has it's Heroes, Torn By the Fox of the Crescent Moon

-Ragman is branching out.  Who am I kiddn', this is pretty friggin metal dude!

Armored Saint - Win Hands Down

It has been 5 years since Armored Saint has released any new studio material.  Thank god their back!  I have been a fan of this band, since the first release, so I'm always geeked, when I hear that they have new product out.  Well, the Saint have just released their 9th full release, Win Hands Down, which might be their strongest, since they re-united in 1999.  To be honest, I have not been that blown away, by the band's material, since they reunited, until this latest release.  This release embodies the passion and fury, that these guys had, back in the day.

Win Hands Down starts off in fine form with the title track.  It is an uptempo rocker that starts the CD up in high gear.  John Bush is on top of his game, vocally, on this release, and is sounding better than ever.  The whole album is solid, with the exception of the last track Up Yours, which comes off a bit cheesy, for me.  It is the deeper cuts like Muscle Memory and Dive, that steal the show for me.  It is so cool to hear how much they have grown, since their inception 30+ years ago.  There is a lot of variety on this disk, which makes it a total keeper.  One minute your grooving, with a track like An Exercise in Debauchery and the next you're mellowing out, with the dark track Dive, which is a departure from the original sound, and I totally dug.  Great record.  A Top for 1015.

Bottom Line: Armored Saint retuning to the scene, with their best releases, in over a decade.  Great songs, with lost of variety.  This is a candidate for CD of the year.  Catch these guys live if you can, because I know I will, if they can take the heat in Tejas.

Standout Tracks: Muscle Memory, An Exercise in Debauchery, Dive, With a Full Head of Steam

-Ragman is pissed their not coming to Texas with Saxon, WTF!

Against the Grain - Road Warriors

Think of a punkier, thrashier, Motorhead, mixed with a hint of Black Sabbath, and you would be pretty close, in being able to describe the sound of, Against the Grain.  Against the Grain is a 4 piece, out of the Detroit, and Road Warriors, is their 4th release.  Not knowing much about these guys, before their disc showed up on my doorstep, I really didn't know what to expect.  The thing that did catch my eye, was the cover of their latest release.  It is a picture of a dude riding a Harley, or some sort of bike, through space.  How metal is that?  I mean this sucker is trucking, with lots of power coming from that bike, as well as from this band.

Road Warriors starts off in fine form, with the lead track Here to Stay.  It is a up-tempo rocker that has a classic 70's vibe about it, without sounding dated.  Kind of like an upbeat, Sabbath, type tune.  The song is driven by a cool groove laden riff, that gets your head banging quickly.  The next track, Til We Die, takes it up another notch, evoking memories od Kill Em' All era Metallica.  Pretty sweet!  That is the cool thing about this band, because they borrow from the past, but they put a nice modern spin on it, and make these tunes their own. 

There is a nice variety on this record, because one minute you'll get a thrash tune, the next a punk tune, and then some doom.  These guys really surprised me and made me a believer, with this release.  If you're looking for something fresh, with attitude, and a classic vibe, then Against the Grain is for you.  Go get it. 

Bottom Line: Against the Grain is one of those bands, that wears their influences on their sleeves, while still keeping an identity.  A solid 4th effort from these rockers, from the Motor City.

Standout Tracks: Sirens, Comin in Hot, Nothing Left to Loose and Til We Die

-Ragman is digging the variety on this one.  Man, these guys can lay down a groove.