CD of the Month
  • Mudvayne
    Mudvayne
    by Mudvayne
Inspiration
  • Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground New Edition
    Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground New Edition
    by Michael Moynihan, Didrik Soderlind
  • Retribution
    Retribution
    by Shadows Fall
  • Brutal Legend
    Brutal Legend
    Electronic Arts
Tuesday
Apr172012

OSI - Fire Make Thunder

Don't expect the keyboard wizardry of Dream Theater, this isn't that kind of prog band. Think of it as Chromakey with Jim Matheos guesting (i.e. good stuff!).It's been three years since the release of OSI's last album, Blood, so it's about that time again for them to release another one. There's a really interesting symmetry to this band: three letters in OSI (for three words: Office [of] Strategic Influence), three words in the new album title (Fire Make Thunder), bookending two single word albums (Free and Blood), three years between each album release. The list goes on. It's as if there really is a clandestine agency behind the band, dictating some secret agenda only they can understand. I just hope they keep it up.

One of the greatest strengths of OSI is the connection that vocalist/keyboardist Kevin Moore (Dream Theater, Chromakey) and guitarist Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) have despite the fact that they rarely get to work together in the same room, sending tracks back and forth digitally, and prompting one to wonder how musicians ever managed before the Internet. Their shared musical vision delivers once again in a uniquely satisfying mix of progressive metal and electronica. I've been a fan of Kevin's work since Chromakey, and his plaintive crooning, reminiscent of Peter Gabriel, is used like another great texture over his atmospheric keyboards. Matheos' driving rhythym guitar, on the other hand, makes for an effective counterpoint, a surging energy that coexists with Moore's keyboards, and accented artfully with Gavin Harrison's (Porcupine Tree) drum work. I want to make sure to give Harrison due credit. His clever percussion reminds me of Terry Bozzio's tasteful work on the two criminally underrated Bozzio Levin Stevens albums, Black Light Syndrome and Situation Dangerous (great stuff, look it up).

The Bottom Line: If you haven't heard any of Kevin's solo work since he left Dream Theater, don't come in expecting any ivory gymnastics. But, if you like atmospheric, progressive headphone music, OSI is simply one of the better bands in the subgenre. Highly recommended driving music.

Tracks For Justifying the Cost of Your High-End Headphones: Indian Curse, Enemy Prayer, and Wind Won't Howl

- Genghis wonders if those Marshall headphones are worth the money...

Wednesday
Apr112012

New Interviews

These guys are really making a name for themselves with some great tasting beer and an even greater sense of style.Jazzed about talking this week with Jeffrey Stuffings of Jester King Craft Brewery, makers of the wonderful Black Metal Farmhouse Imperial Stout we had back in Podcast #131.  Should be fun, plus heavy (this dude really likes the black metals).

- Genghis wonders if he should do the interview in full Cookie Monster voice...

Thursday
Apr052012

Imminent Sonic Destruction - Recurring Themes

A project that almost blows you away, except for a couple of nagging problems that can't be ignored...

Here's the thing: Tony Piccoli's brainchild, Imminent Sonic Destruction, is a highly entertaining progressive metal band with a nice touch of death metal thrown in. On the band's first album, Recurring Themes, you get nine tracks of energetic, Dream Theater-esque rhythyms with the inspired addition of death metal growls/screams, all with a satisfying doom metal chug. What's not to like?

Unfortunately, there's a couple of things - and they're hard to ignore. Even more unfortunate that they both come from Tony himself, the mastermind behind this otherwise great album. The first is the solo work. While Tony has some respectable chops, and his right hand doles out some great Sabbathy 6th string riffage, the solos just don't fit the music in this age of genre masters like Petrucci or [In Flames' JesperStrömblad.

Also, he sounds like Weird Al Yankovic.

I shit you not. And it pains me to say it in as much as it immediately detracts from the otherwise fantastic tunes on this album, but I have a couple of Weird Al's highly entertaining albums (as a bit of a nerd myself, I particluarly love White and Nerdy) and there is a scary resemblance. After a while, I could only visualize Weird Al singing as I listened to the whole album.

For what it's worth, my recommendation to this band is to spend some serious time finding a melodic shredder and a powerful singer with a good range for clean and growling vocals. And let Tony keep writing more great songs.

The Bottom Line: Unfortunately, this is an album kept from sheer greatness by collapsing under the weight of its ambition. Tony Piccoli's songwriting is fantastic, but this band desparately needs a new singer and better guitar solos. I certainly will be keeping my ears open for the next album from this band.

Tracks That Prove This Band Could Be Great: Monster, Breaking Through, Sick, Raven

- Genghis knows that sometimes you just have to call it like you see it...

Wednesday
Apr042012

From Straight to Bizarre (Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper and LA's Lunatic Fringe)

As we all know Frank Zappa was not one to conform to the man.  Frank felt oppressed by society and would do anything he could to express his God given freedoms.  From Straight to Bizarre is a documentary film, recently released, which chronicles Frank Zappa and the formation of his own music label. Feeling the constraints from the label he was signed to at the time (Verve), Zappa and manager Herb Cohen decided to form their own label, so that Frank could express his art without the censorship of his former label. 

Zappa and Cohen formed the Straight and Bizarre label and signed the most fucked up/controversial artists that they could find.  Not many went on to great fame with the exception of the Alice Cooper Group.  The rest of the artists just had cult followings, as did Zappa himself.  This documentary dives into the whole story of how the label was started and how it was developed.  The majority of the film is made up of archival footage of Zappa back in the day.  There are also some current interviews with people that were associated with Zappa and the label. Not a bad film, but did run a bit long.

Bottom Line - An interesting behind the scenes look of the formation of Zappa's music label, but at 2+ hours, it got a little winded.

-Ragman was intrigued, but wondered if it would ever end.

Wednesday
Apr042012

UFO - Seven Deadly

Veteran rockers UFO are back in action in 2012 with their latest release Seven Deadly, which marks the bands 21st studio release.  Unfortunately, UFO albums have been hit or miss over the past several years.  I've always liked the band, but didn't totally get into them until 2004, when guitarist Vinnie Moore joined the band.  I really dug the first record (You Are Here) they did with him, but since then, it has been a crap shoot as to what you would be getting. 

Seven Deadly kind of falls into the mediocre bracket for me.  The songs are tired and just come off sounding stale.  Not sure if the band just put this one together too quickly or if they had the wrong producer.  The songs lack the crispness they deserve and just come up short.  It didn't help that the lyrics are pretty cheesey too, which hurt the final product.  I know the band has been doing it for 40+ years, but this is the first record that sounds like they have.  The band sounds tired and just like they are going through the motions.  The only real highlight on this one for me was Vinnie Morroe's guitar playing.

Bottom LineA classic hard rock band that sounds like their a classic hard rock band. Die hards may get this one, but the casual fan may be turned off.

Standout tracks: Angel Station, Mojo Town and Burn Your House Down.

-Ragman was hoping for more from this one... Maybe next time.