Monte Pittman - The Power of Three

Monte Pittman may not be a household name in the metal world, but maybe he should be.You may not have heard of Monte Pittman, but he's been around. Having left for LA to become a rock star at 24, he ended up working in a music store and giving guitar lessons to Guy Ritchie (Madonna's ex), which led to meeting Madonna herself and eventually forming a very fruitful musical relationship that even saw him playing solo with her on David Letterman. Not bad for a boy from Longview, Texas.

What really matters though is Pittman's approach to songwriting. Rather than amaze you with fretboard virtuosity (not to say he doesn't have chops), shifting time signatures, or arcane conceptual storylines, he just writes highly listenable heavy music. There's some really great grooves that will stick in your head for days after listening, and that's just the kind of music I dig the most.

Having played with Prong (with writing credits) on a couple of their albums you can definitely hear that influence on tracks like Delusions and End of the World where Monte throws out some sweet down-tuned riffage. But there are lots of other great influences that come together here, including aspects of Motörhead and Alice In Chains, as well as a Guns and Roses feel that all mix together perfectly into a hell of a musical stew. I know I'm ready for another helping.

The Bottom Line: Pittman's The Power of Three is one great, modern, metal album, filled with crunchy riffs, great grooves, and a terrific sense of "the song matters most". I can't wait to hear whatever he does next.

Tracks To Make You Wonder What The Hell You're Doing Not Songwriting: A Dark House, On My Mind, and End of the World

- Genghis is *really* digging this album...

Podcast #169: Forward

Eve to Adam's Taki Sassaris talks turkey with two of the biggest turkeys in the biz. Here's to 2014. Cheers!Man, another year's come and gone. It's hard to believe that 2013 is now a brief memory, and so many great tunes and concerts now just a blur. Join Genghis and Ragman in their much overdue New Year's show as they discuss all that they're looking forward to in the new year. If 2014 is half as good as 2013, we're in for a great year of hard rock and heavy metal. To ring in the new year the boys cornered vocalist Taki Sassaris of newcomers Eve to Adam for a one on one where he discussed his band's latest release Locked and Loaded as well as their plans for the new year.

Beer of the Show: St. Bernardus ABT12 (Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV)
	Appearance: 4.0 Aroma: 4.0 Palate: 4.0 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 4.0	"Like Halloween's Dead Guy Ale, we wouldn't think of celebrating the winter season without this amazing Belgian quadrupel. Salut!"

Featured Tracks: All Hail the Yeti – I am Wendigod; Deep Purple – Vincent Price; Kiss – Black Diamond; Alice in Chains – Voices; Van Halen – She’s the Woman; Red Dragon Cartel – Deceived; Mötley Crüe – Down at the Whiskey; Iced Earth – Anthem; Rough Cutt – Black Widow; Eve to Adam – Straightjacket Supermodel, What Would You Kill?, Immortal, Fortune Teller, & Crime Scene

- Ragman is glad he got this one out before spring - DOH!

Podcast #169: Forward

Primal Fear - Delivering the Black

Now THIS is some bad-ass power metal. Squire! My sword!One of the reasons I never tire of heavy metal is that it endures so heartily, and it's because of bands just like Primal Fear that continue to fly the flag of musical irrepressibility. Those crafty Germans have been cranking out quintessential power metal for nearly 20 years, and they're nowhere near done yet, as exemplified by their 10th studio album, Delivering the Black.

Ralf Scheepers and company have fashioned yet another tight production of unstoppable force that kicks off with the thundering beat of King For A Day and only lets up once for the quasi-ballad, Born With A Broken Heart - as every other track on this 52 minute release comes at you like a tornado of flaming circular saws (no wonder metal guys wear so much leather).

While Ralf rocks the vocals so mightily you have to wonder why Judas Priest passed him up when they had the chance, you can't ignore the killer guitar work of Alex Beyrodt and Magnus Karlsson, whose razor sharp rhythms feel like they could cut through a battleship. Now this is power metal!

The Bottom Line: Fans of straight ahead, no bullshit power metal simply must check out Primal Fear's latest album. It's the kind of stuff that reminds us that all of the various subgenres and offshoots that crowd the genre today started somewhere, and this is it. Excellent work, boys!

Tracks To Make You Want To Tear Down The Highway Brandishing A Broadsword: Rebel Faction, Alive & On Fire, Delivering the Black

- Genghis would look *terrible* in all leather...

We Hunt Buffalo - Blood From A Stone (EP)

What, you don't like Canadian nuclear fuzz grunge collectives like We Hunt Buffalo? Take off, you hoser!Hot damn, who knew that Canada could still turn out some truly great fuzz grunge like We Hunt Buffalo? Seriously, this trio of Canucks knows their way around some stoner metal, with riffs so thoroughly enveloped in thick, pillowy fuzz it borders on the insane. Not bad for some dudes from the 'burbs of Vancouver, eh?

Just to be clear, I love this shit. It's like cranking some 90s era Seattle sound through an amplifier made out of cotton candy, with its warm, sweet, decadent droning forming a glorious wall of sound. See? Now I'm getting incomprehensible too. Listen, don't trouble yourself so much with the particulars, this is just all about bathing in the sheer psychedelia of sonic waves that WHB is throwing down. If you dig stoner metal, you gotta check them out.

The Bottom Line: There are a lot of bands that're basically putting out primal scream sessions set to music these days that just end up sounding like they lowered a mic into a dyspeptic robot's gullet. We Hunt Buffalo, however, just makes good fuzzy stoner grooves - with actual melody no less.

Tunes to Crank Up While You Twist Open Another Mickey's and Load Up Your Vaporizer: The whole damn album

- Genghis can't wait for a full length from these cats...

Concert for Ronnie Montrose - A Celebration of His Life in Music

It is sad to see the list of rockers we lose every year.  One of the most devastating losses of 2013, was the loss of guitarist Ronnie Montrose.  Ronnie influenced so many and will be missed.  To honor Ronnie's life, several colleagues and friends decided to take the stage for a memorial concert.  Concert for Ronnie Montrose, was a star-studded event, that included guitar greats like Neal Schon, Joe Satriani, Jeff Watson and more.  As you would guess, this turns into a bit of a shred fest.

The concert was filmed in San Francisco, where Montrose got his start.  The show covers every stage of his career, which includes performances from Gamma and Montrose.  Filling in for Ronnie in Gamma was Marc Bonilla, and for Montrose Joe Satriani.  This show was amazing and would have been fun to attend, but the Bluray is shot so well, it feels like you have a seat, front and center.  This concert was a very fitting tribute to one of the greats.  A must for any shred head.

Bottom Line:  A fitting tribute to one of the greats.  A shred fest from start to finish.  If that ain't enough, there is an extra jam session with the boys from Y & T and few special guests.

-Ragman thoroughly enjoyed this one.  Shred-age!