Mas Alejandro Silva, Por Favor?

In case any fans want to catch some more of Alejandro Silva (Chile), here's a sweet video of him doing some south of the border shred...

- Genghis ain't seen a fretboard that scalloped since Maestro Malmsteen...

Terra Nova - Come Alive

Dutch melodic rockers make a come [alive] back CD that ain't half badI admit that I know absolutely nothing about these Dutch melodic rockers.  And I don't think it really makes a difference either way, but you know, full disclosure and all.  Thing is, while the band originally made it big in the 90s, they ended up disbanding around the turn of the century only to be coaxed back into the studio in 2005 with a successful come back album of sorts. Fueled by their favorable reception after the band's hiatus, the Hendrix brothers have recorded an all new album aptly titled Come Alive.

It would seem that the band has lost none of its talent.  Again, I can't say I ever heard any of their stuff the first time around, but if you dig the sound of bands like Nation or Europe, you'll definitely love this album.  Brothers Ron and Fred Hendrix form the nucleus of the band, and their synchronicity no doubt plays a part in how tight and fluid is the overall sound on this disc.  I can't claim I'll be giving it multiple listens since the sound is so distinctly of another era, but there's no questioning their focus or talent.

The Bottom Line: With a solid sound of melodic rock bands of yore (circa early 90s), Terra Nova is a bit of an anachronism in today's soundscape. But there's no denying their passion and talent for crafting tightly focused, catchy riffs reminiscent of bands like Europe in their heyday.

- Genghis is looking for that old Nation CD

Allegaeon - Fragments Of Form And Function

From out of the mountains they came...to conquer!Melodic death metal has been around some years now.  Enough that it's hard to release a debut album and receive critical acclaim right out of the gate.  But everywhere you look these days, you seem to find no shortage of praise for Allegaeon's first full album, Fragments Of Form And Function (their self-titled EP came out a couple of years ago).  I don't know what they're feeding their kids in Colorado these days, but the chops these boys display are phenomenal.

The music itself is both brutal and melodic at the same time - something you'd expect from melodic death metal, but Allegaeon manage to make it sound fresh and powerful without splintering off into yet another hybridization of the genre.  Vocalist Ezrah Haynes performs as expected, with powerful, guttural singing, but it's the twin guitar attack of Ryan Glisan and Greg Burgess that make this album stand out.  Their frenetic exchanges are nothing short of mind-blowing even in an age where guys like Michael Romeo walk the Earth.

The Bottom Line: This is one killer debut from these boys from the Mile High state.  If you're a fan of melodic or technical death metal, you'll probably want to give this a listen.  I only fear what Allegaeon will have to do to top it.

- Genghis will be watching this band from now on

James LaBrie - Static Impulse

Damn, James, what have you done? This CD fucking ROCKS.It's funny to think of Labrie as anything other than the Canadian vocalist from Dream Theater.  It's not like he just joined one of the biggest bands in the prog metal scene (try the last 20 years).  But his solo work is relatively sparse for a singer with his talent.  After a couple of albums as "Mullmuzzler", James has finally accepted his role as leader of the James LaBrie band.  And their latest effort, Static Impulse is, in a word: incredible.

LaBrie has slowly been gathering an amazing group of musicians with which he's forged a tight, melodic - and now heavier than ever - band worthy of a big tour.  I mean it, this album sounds like it deserves a place on the shelf next to In Flames as well as Dream Theater.  Though many side projects become another "guy from a popular band does his own thing" self-centered solo CD, James and Matt [Guillory, keyboardist extraordinaire, of Dali's Dilemma] are a great song-writing team, crafting songs with punch while maintaining a lyrical sophistication that transcends most solo efforts from lesser musicians.

The Bottom Line: I can't stop listening to this CD.  James and company have made an incredible album that incorporates all of the best elements of his solo work to date in a tightly focused musical force.  If Ragman hadn't already declared a CD Of The Month (the bastard), this would be it for me.

- Genghis is cranking up "Mislead" for the third time...

Triumfall - Antithesis Of All Flesh

Why is black metal so boring? Don't ask these guys.I'll be the first to admit; I'm not much of a fan at all of black metal.  It's not because I'm Roman Catholic - I mean, I am, it's just the reason I oppose the genre.  It's just that I find the whole theatricality of it all rather sophomoric.  If the music were there, like jazz or blues, that would be one thing.  But it's the thing with the make up, the album covers with skulls and crosses, and whatnot that just seems so contrived and silly.  A lot of times, Ragman will be playing some sort of metal at the studio, or in the car stereo on the way to a concert, and I'll say "Hey, this sounds great, who is this?" and it turns out to be a black metal band.  Which only seems to prove my point that if the music is strong enough to stand on its own, why do all the other silly shit?

So, here we have our first Serbian black metal band, Triumfall, and their debut album, Antithesis Of All Flesh.  Their website's manifest is as follows:

Triumfall's main goal is to play fast and aggressive, but yet melodic and atmospheric Black Metal, and also to express their beliefs and attitudes that thrive from the darkest mysteries of the Left Hand Path. Band's spiritual quintessence is the one with the aesthetics of the Darkside. Glorification of Darkness and Death is not a matter of free choice, but an self-consciousness outcome of the rebellious spirits and purity of the Black Hearts.

The Bottom Line: They're towing the company line all right.  Oh well.  There's no question that the boys have talent.  Their music is tight and well established in the genre.  I just feel like every song sounds the same and I don't know how to recommend an hour's worth of one song...

- Genghis just doesn't get it, does he?