Super Duper Alice Cooper

You have to hand it to the boys at Banger Films, because these guys know how to make a great rock documentary.  The boys have tackled the world of hard rock and metal with a Headbanger's Journey as well as with Metal Evolution.  They also have also produced solid docs on Rush and Iron Maiden.  Their latest project to tackle is a documentary on the Godfather of Glam, Alice Cooper.  Each film these guys do, is a little different from the last, so be prepared for another solid experience.

Super Duper Alice Cooper dives into the transformation of Vince Furnier to Alice Cooper.  It is a Jekyll and Hyde story, in which a straight laced young man, from Phoenix, turns in to a rock n roll madman.  The film takes you all the way back, to the early days of Vince's career.  It chronicles from his first band, The Earwigs, all of the way up to the rise and fall of Alice Cooper.  It is a wild journey that shows how the excesses of drugs and alcohol, can come close to destroying one's life. 

The film is full of rare archived footage and still photography, which narrated by Alice and and other key people in his life.  I like how the film dove into the breakup of the Alice Cooper Band and how Alice, with the help of Bob Ezrin, was able to move forward, after the split.  Alice succeeded, after the band broke, but in the end fell victim to drugs and alcohol.  It wasn't until he conquered his demons, that he got his career back on track. 

The movie ends, as Alice is making his comeback into the rock world.  I really like that they touched on his comeback and his relationship with ex-guitarist Kane Roberts.  They were a solid team.  It is ashame their partnership didn't last longer.  Super Duper is a solid film from start to finish, which kept me wanting more.  An in depth look into one of the godfathers of glam and stage theatrics.

 

Bottom Line:  Another solid rock doc from Banger films.  The rise and fall and resurrection of Alice Cooper.  A classic tale, of a man than lived to the excess of life but was able to wake up before his demons took his life.  A must for all Alice fans.

-Ragman is wondering if there will be a part 2.    

Podcast #175: Axe

These New York cats keep sounding better with every album they release, so check 'em out.Why can't we all just get along? Surely this thought pops into a metalhead's mind whenever his/her favorite guitarist leaves a band. Let's face it: this has been going on for decades - generally happening in bands featuring the lead singer's name (e.g. Dio, Ozzy, Dokken, etc...) But what drives that wedge between the lead singer and the guitarist? Join Genghis & Ragman as they discuss this phenomenon. Next, the boys round up Martyrd guitarist Michael Andreas for a one on one, as Mike discusses the band's latest single, Faceless, as well as their upcoming new album.

DVD of the Show: Dio - Live in London (Hammersmith Apollo 1993)

Beer of the Show: Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Porter (Harpoon Brewery)
	Appearance: 3.5 Aroma: 3.5 Palate: 3.5 Taste: 4.0 Overall: 3.5	"This nicely balanced dessert beer has a sophisticated flavor profile that minimizes the bite of its nearly 10% ABV. Nice work!"

2nd Beer of the Show: Lenin's Revenge (Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company)

Featured Tracks: Winger - Queen Babylon; Dio - Strange Highways; Eat the Gun - At the End of the Day; Sebastian Bach - Gun to a Knife Fight; Winger - Tin Soldier; Whitesnake - All Out of Luck; Black Country Communion - Afterglow; Gus G - My Will Be Done; Martyrd - Pain of Reason and Faceless

Ragman's Classic of the Show: Lion - Powerlove

Genghis' Pick of the Show: EZO - House of 1,000 Pleasures

Ragman's Pick of the Show: The Intersphere - The Ghost of a Chance

Genghis' Pick of the Show: Prong - Come to Realize

- Ragman is back in the saddle again...

Podcast #175: Axe

Batmetal

I know it's vacation around the Nightmare Studios campus, but I had to share this awesome video of Batman rocking the shit out of an audience starved for superhero metal. Aren't you?

Then enjoy - and get those HORNS UP!

- Genghis loves metal and comics, so...you know...

Vacation time again...

We're in July, so you know the drill. We don't intend to stop posting, but don't be surprised that we get a little distracted from the site by doing our family thing.

With any luck, we'll catch some shows and let you know what sort of shenanigans are going on with respect to the podcast and such. But we hope our fans have fun and we'll do the same.

In the meantime, you might keep an eye on Twitter or Facebook for the latest TRTR info, cool?

HORNS UP!

- Genghis can't wait to relax and drink more beer...

Outline In Color - Masks

Holy crap these Tulsans know how to rock a fucking joint. Think In Flames with a poppier edge.I don't know how many metalcore bands you can name from Tulsa, Oklahoma, but if you're in the market for that you've got to check out Outline In Color, and their latest LP, Masks. Sounding a bit like a poppier In Flames of sorts, this talented sextet of twenty-somethings knows how to lay down a seriously heavy beat with a melodic grace that stands out from the crowd.

"Genghis, this isn't a unique band by any means." Okay, disembodied nay-sayer, but I'm telling you, once the first track Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea kicks off you get an immediate sense of energy that I don't find in most modern metalcore. This isn't just the typical cathartic screamo sessions that most of the subgenre seem to sound like. Animal Masks' clean tone break (1:16) lets the listener breathe before the mosh break (2:01) in a way that belies a deeper understanding of the power of dynamics. And the end transitions perfectly into Beautiful Secrets and that simple, but perfect pre-chorus riff. This band is firing on all cylinders and then some.

The Bottom Line: With a knack for compelling riffage that sounds mature beyond their years, Outline In Color seems poised to rock the shit out of all before them. If they keep this up, we may all one day worship them or fall at their feet.

- Genghis can hardly imagine what a killer live band these guys make...