DOWNSPIRIT, the heavy rock band formed by ex-SYMPHORCE/ex-FREEDOM CALL guitarist Cedric “Cede” Dupont will be releasing their new album Bulletproof? in North America on August 14th. The album is available for pre-order on AMAZON. The band based in Stuttgart, Germany blends old blues roots with a modern, down tuned guitar-feel, their songs are a mixture of typical bluesy 80’s hard rock and a contemporary metal sound, which also includes some…
T HE COMPANY BAND‘s new EP Pros & Cons charted this week on three of Billboard’s Charts. Pros & Cons came in at #25 on the Heatseeker Chart, #52 on the Hard Rock Chart and #116 on the Independent Chart. In addition to cracking the Billboard Charts, THE COMPANY BAND is continuing to explode on the radio scene. The album has reached #14 on the CMJ Loud Rock Chart, which is unheard of for an EP. …
The Como Brothers Band begin their The Speed of Sound with Underneath It All. Underneath It All is a bold opening for the band, but is one that is ultimately matched by tremendous musicianship. The track bounces between an instrumental and vocal focus; the production of the track allows each piece of the band to shine brightly. The chorus will have listeners singing along shortly after their first listening; hints…
For Keeps is the first track on Issues, and it showcases the work of a performer that has distilled a number of musical genres into a concentrated blast of rock. For Keeps touches upon the work of Lita Ford, Heart, and even finds time to take on a little Sheryl Crow. The tracks on Issues are tremendously personal, and I feel that listeners will be able to identify each of…
Themes From Gitar starts off Seen as Unclean, and it provides a blueprint for how the album ultimately will play out. This microcosm of the album will immediately familiarize listeners with Gitar’s inimitable style, and create a different context to enjoy. Eyes of the World showcases the act as ultimately comfortable in their settings. The ability of Gitar to expand upon minutia and create such an immersive track is unparalleled;…
iDrool opens up A Curious Children’s Album, and it immediately shows listeners that childrens’ music can actually be well-written and performed. The track swells and morphs into something considerably greater than its constituent parts. Of particular note during iDrool has to be the absolutely sizzling horns, which are played with an intensity that is a constant presence during the album. Don’t Forget has a solid two-part harmony that further varies…
The blend of rap and soul that begins Everybody is something that is utterly unique, and it shows The Higher Concept an act that would work equally well on R&B, rap, and pop radio stations. The multiple vocalists that are introduced to listeners through this introductory track ensure that the momentum is running high as the disc continues to spin. When It’s Over begins with a heartfelt guitar line that…
To say that “Alpha Males & Popular Girls” starts out oddly is a major understatement. The lead vocals come through in a very poppy vein (almost in the way of the strung-out goth rock of the late eighties), while the instrumentation comes into view as purveyors of a Locust / Lightening Bolt type of noise rock. The use of multiple layers of vocals during the first track gives the song…
King Tuff has taken a number of years off since the release of eir debut album, Was Dead. The 12 tracks on this self-titled follow-up come forth as an evolutionary step forward. Anthem is a jangly, psychedelic-tinged track that is haunting in its overall feel. The drums are right up front with the super-sonic vocals, making for something that is inimitable. Alone & Stoned provides listeners with additional speed,…
I like when DVDs have a CD release tied to them. If there is a particularly impressive DVD and I want to take that with me and listen to it, most times what I would need to do is go and find some way to rip the audio stream to my computer and then burn it to a disc. However, with this CD I am able to take what was…
“Blood on Your Lips” has it all – strongly enunciated lyrics to the point that individuals can distinguish anything that is being sung, utterly sick guitar work, and drumming that pops up whenever the band needs it. The style of music may be too hard to get on pop radio, but the idea is that listeners are treated by Sodom on this CD much like they would be at…
After the piano solo, the lighter-rock that starts out “Alexandria as Our Lens” is welcome. The heavily-vocal nature of the track, coupled with the continued piano lines on the track make this a more rock-based version of The Rocket Summer. The slightly vocal style of the vocals on “Alexandria” is comparable to Mark Schultz and later Yellowcard. What results is not the traditional “emo” that is so present on…
Socialburn moves cross the gamut of popular rock type of styles, taking a little bit from Bush, Howie Day and even the dirty rock of bands like Lit for their “Beauty of Letting Go”. A track like “Speak Now” really looks toward Switchfoot for its main influence, but really puts forth something that is more cohesive and compelling than anything that “The Beautiful Letdown-era” Switchfoot could come up with.…
Skinny Sad Girls is the first track on Girl Named Never, and it soars due to the smart instrumentation and vocals, which have a decidedly Elvis Costello feel to them. What results then is a track that will stick with listeners long after the track wraps up, a perfect microcosm of the collection of tracks on this album. Girl Called Never is a slower track that flips the relationship between…
Dani Raushi and her band begins High Tides Collide with a furious bit of rock that seems destined for radio rotation. The harder edge of the drums and guitars amps up the overall sound as Raushi’s vocals come forth as a blend of The Pretty Reckless, Evanescence, and Avril Lavigne. The tightness of the resulting composition is enough to keep listeners focused in, and Don’t Call Me (the next track)…
Another October is one of those bands that are able to tie together tremendously emotive lyrics with absolutely intense arrangements. The act is able to blend together equal parts emo, hardcore, and punk music into something that is bubbly, catchy, and will be remembered long after listeners finish up with this EP. Romeo Was Wrong is a tempestuous track that looks back to the halcyon days of Blink-182 while adding…
Again is a brutally forward bit of rock music, and it immediately throws listeners in to the unique style of Eclectic Mayhem. The band is able to create a stable foundation from the onset of this track, ratcheting up the energy until the vocals kick things into a high gear. Whether it be Tool, Jet, or Monster Magnet, the influences that Eclectic Mayhem place here are stellar. Want It All…
Sixstep is an act that bounces between reggae and ska, spinning the two styles into something that can be appreciated by all. There is a certain storyteller feel here, where the band weaves a story through each of the tracks on House of Cards. Get In Line keeps things free through the inclusion of a chunky and funky bass line. This addition gives Sixstep a varied sound that yields considerably…
Canadian (though technically American) sibling act Heart is one of those bands that has always been around, or so it seems. Despite the changing fads and musical styles, they always manage to keep up without compromising their distinct sound. So much so, that when you start to calculate all of their hits over the past few decades (“Magic Man,” “Dreamboat Annie,” “Barracuda,” “These Dreams,” “Never,” “What About Love,” among many…