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...

My Sleeping Karma - Moksha

This may or may not be Ganesh giving us a horns up. You decide.I won't claim to have useful knowledge about Eastern mysticism. I mean, I am aware of Vishnu and Ganesh as deities in the Hindu pantheon. But the closest I've come to any exposure would be Keanu Reeves' Little Buddha (1993). In any case, German quartet My Sleeping Karma gives instrumental psychedlic rock an appealing Eastern flavor on its fifth studio joint Moksha. In Hindu tradition, Moksha is one of the four goals of human life and basically means emancipation, liberation, or release. So, it wouldn't at all surprise me if this was all some grand concept album, perhaps spurred on by one of the band's members for personal reasons.

Either way, this is some fantastic groove rock, replete with contemplative interludes that sound amazing. Which isn't to say that they took a stoner rock template and threw in some sitars and tablas for an instant Indian vibe. This is still pretty straightforward instrumental tripping, but it seems to have a more elevated purpose to it. Maybe it's just me. But I thoroughly enjoyed this album from the opening track Prithvi's hypnotic verse riff, through the introspective interludes, and down to the final track Agni's energetic finish.

The Bottom Line: My Sleeping Karma's instrumental trip Moksha feels like a journey to musical enlightenment and ultimately release as the album's title implies. This German group knows how to take psychedelic instrumental rock to the next level.

- Genghis is definitely getting a t-shirt with this album's awesome artwork on it...

Meytal - Alchemy

YouTube drumming sensation Meytal Cohen's long-awaited debut album is finally here. No, that is not her on the cover.Say what you want about YouTube, but it has made it possible for talented amatuer musicians of all stripes to show the world what they can do. And while the world may regret showing Justin Bieber some people its attention, there are those musicians that turn out to be genuine and grateful professional artists, such as drummer Meytal Cohen. Her debut album Alchemy comes to the world two years after a successful Kickstarter campaign that funded the Israeli metal fan's dream of becoming a bona fide working musician in America. Followers of Cohen's drum covers (including Mike Portnoy) know she's a huge metal fan, particularly of progressive-leaning bands like Tool and Dream Theater, and it shows in her music.

The whole affair starts out modestly but strong on Breathe with vocalist Eric Emery's lush vocal harmonies providing a contrast to the exotic backing rhytym and a nice wild drum break at around the 3:00 mark. Everybody Hates You Now is one of the more aggressive, fast tempo tracks, featuring some of Meytal's heaviest drumming on the album as well as some nice solo work from lead guitarist Travis Montgomery. This sets the stage nicely for Shadow In Disguise, with its Sevendust meets Scar Symmetry vibe, as things go up a notch right before the introspective Behind These Walls, which makes use of an interesting mix of The Beatles' sugary harmonies and Opeth's dark rhythmic beauty. Dark Side Down is easily my favorite tune and makes me think of a lost track from James LaBrie's latest album Impermanent Resonance (like Slight Of Hand or Amnesia, maybe?) with some really good vocal work from Emery. And Tear Me Apart is a great way to end things on a nice heavy, balls-out note.

Overall, progmetal fans should dig this album as a solid entry in the genre. And though the influences may be too on the nose for some to merit descriptions of "fresh" or "innovative", it would be a huge mistake to dismiss this band as some numetal holdover. But now it's all about the touring (ProgPower USA or even the Warped tour would be a great opportunity) and getting the name out there. In any case, this is a promising start for a young [relatively] unknown with a dream, and that's what this business was always about.

The Bottom Line: Your appreciation for Meytal's debut album may be greatly tied to whether you've been a long time fan of her popular drum cover videos, giving you a sense of shepherding her career through likes and donations over the years. But ignoring all of that, this is an impressively polished and mature songwriting debut from a hardworking newcomer that improves with repeated listenings and gives you a sense of anticipation for what's next in a burgeoning career.

Tracks Probably Soon-To-Be-Covered On YouTube: Shadow In Disguise, Torn In Two, Dark Side Down, and Tear Me Apart

- Genghis hopes to see this band tour through Houston soon...

Podcast #191: Tarakian

Somebody's gotta keep things solid on the low-end in UFO. That man, ladies and gentlemen, is Rob De Luca.Fans of the legendary 1981 animated masterpiece, Heavy Metal, no doubt remember the classic rock tunes from the soundtrack. Well, it's on and poppin' as Genghis & Ragman put together their musical picks for the impending Heavy Metal reboot. Join the lads as they play Hollywood producers, offering their ideas for stories, voice actors and, most importantly of all, killer tunes.

Then the lads chew the rag with journeyman bassist Rob De Luca (UFO) as he talks about his time in the legendary hard rock band as well as his work in his own notable band Spread Eagle and his work with Sebastian Bach. It's gonna be good, so grab a cold one, settle in, and get those horns up!

Video Of The Show: Thin Lizzy - Live In Concert 1983

Beer of the Show: Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout (Big Sky Brewing)
	Appearance: 3.5 Aroma: 3.0 Palate: 3.5 Taste: 3.5 Overall: 3.5	"A pretty straightforward - but delicious - imperial stout (read: strong) with smoky, bitter chocolate notes. Na sdarovie!"

Featured Tracks: Frankenstein Rooster - Walking Shred; Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation; Don Felder - Takin' A Ride (Heavy Metal); Dare - Runaway; Riggs - Radar Rider; Cheap Trick - Reach Out And Take It; Metallica - Trapped Under Ice

Ragman's Classic Of The Show: Diving For Pearls - Gimme Your Good Lovin'

Genghis' Classic Of The Show: Queensrÿche - I Don't Believe In Love

Ragman's Pick Of The Show: Eclipse - Stand On Your Feet

Genghis' Pick Of The Show: Cyrax - Cockroach

- Genghis does realize he's had the same pick of the show twice in a row...

Podcast #191: Tarakian

Update on Monday, July 20, 2015 at 5:53PM by Genghis

Some aural weirdness apparently happened during Rob's interview, but the file's been reworked. You can re-download now for a corrected version.

Opul - Levels

Man, Matt Lupo (East Of The Wall) writes some tasty stoner metal. Let's hope he keeps up with this.As impressive as the music of East Of The Wall is, it's beginning to impress me more how fertile a training ground it seems to be for new talent. In fact, names from acclaimed outfit's roster seem to be popping up all over the place these days, like El Drugstore and now Opul, and its solo EP Levels, from guitarist/vocalist Matt Lupo.

Now this is some grade A stoner jams with a nice crunch that I could leave on repeat all weekend. This record is plain bad-ass, kids. The sound's reminiscient of the off-kilter, meaty, rhythymically progressive jams of a band like the criminally underrated Eniac Requiem crossed with the melodic sensibility of King's X. Indeed From the mellow jam of opener Presence, through Velocity & Saturation's hypnotic drone, to closer Clarity's chimey shimmer and glassy strumming, the melodic glue that holds it together is enhanced by the ethereal vocals of mastermind Lupo himself. While this effort doesn't sound like East Of The Wall or El Drugstore, the connection between these bands may be the incredible diversity and creativity amongst its shared members.

The Bottom Line: Whether you're a stoner metal fan or just looking for something new that sounds fresh-but-different than most of the music on the heavier side of 21st century rock and roll spectrum, this is your jam.

- Genghis will be cranking this album quite a bit in his new car...