Hard Attack November 2015 Vol 2 Issue 2

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Editor In Chief Dave Tedder Managing Editor Chris Gillespie Volume 2 Issue 2

Table Of Contents Features Page Michael Monroe - Back To The Future......................................56 Queensryche’s Todd La Torre Issues A Challenge..................38 Davy Vain Explains Why He Loves his Day Job.....................44 Bill Ward - The ‘Art Of The Matter’............................................86 Interviews

Page Butcher Babies Take It Like A Man............................................8 Cats In Space Do Some Time Traveling.....................................6 Devilskin Dig Up Some Dirt......................................................10 Diamond Dogs Reprimand Our Writer......................... .............12 Diemonds - Stalkers, Death and Angst.....................................62 Oceans Of Slumber - Living Life Blue......................................89 One Eyed Doll - It’s Story Time................................................42 Marky Ramone - A Quick Conversation....................................36 Thundermother - Sisterhood Of The Road.............................88 XO Stereo - The Struggle To Write Is Not Real.........................90 6 Questions With...

Page This months featured bands are:...............................................14 Heart Of A Coward, Behold! The Monolith and Magister Templi Comin’ Atcha! (Live Reviews and Photos) Page Coal Chamber, Fear Factory, Madlife, Saint Ridley, .................20 Ghost, Marty Friedman, Exmortus and Wayland On The Rise (A Look At The Future Stars Of Rock) Page This month we check out Norway’s Suicide Bombers...............50 with a review of their releases and a special Interview with the bands leader, Chris Damien Doll

Quick Shots | Cd Reviews Page Chock full o’ reviews for over 30 releases!.................................66 Visual Stimuli Page This month we review the latest Inside Metal DVD release............18

Layouts and Web Design Sick Addiction Studios Art Direction Chris Gillespie, Dave Tedder Contributing Writers Stan Cocheo Terri “The Queen” Knight Dan Mann Vince Newman Paul Nichols Phoenix Romero Donny Rosko D. Salut Peter Scallen Skully Tony Sison Tim Welch Contributing Photographers Chris Gillespie Terje Johansen Hannah Lee Stig I LonaStig I Lona Dan A Nachtnebel Contact Us Hard Attack Magazine 7620 E. McKellips Rd. Ste. 4-206 Scottsdale, AZ 85257 USA www.hardattackmag.com www.facebook.com/HardAttackMagazine Twitter - @hardattackmag ©2015 Here’s Your Medicine Publishing Back cover photo of Wednesday 13 by Chris Gillespie

Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 3

From The Editors Desk Well, whattya know, we made it. Second issue out. Not usually something to get excited about but, just like our first go round there were a lot of circumstances that made this almost not happen. Ninety five percent of which was work related for various people, myself included. That whole “real life thing” getting in the way.

You know how it goes ...

Anyway, we’re back and we have an issue that kicks ass from front to back. Cover story star Mr. Mike Monroe - the Finn that makes your head spin - discusses his brilliant new platter, ‘Blackout States’ with Chris Gillespie.

Monroe reveals where the album title actually came from, shares some choice tour stories from his past, talks “band poison” and lets us in on the special song from Dee Dee Ramone that wound up on the album.

Phoenix Romero meets up with the Bombshells From Hell - Carla and Heidi of Los Angeles’ hottest property, Butcher Babies and they take her on a ride through their stunning new album, ‘Take It Like a Man,” while I, myself let Greg Hart from Cats in Space walk all over me like the dog I am as he spins tale after tale relating to what is most likely my top album of 2015, their own ‘Too Many Gods.’ Speaking of Dogs - Tim Welch had to reach for the smelling salts as he discovered a band that had eluded him for the better part of two and a half decades and nearly a dozen albums - Sweden’s retro rockers, Diamond Dogs - a bit of the Quireboys meets Dogs D’Amour. I think the poor guy has now gone flat broke snapping up every piece of music the band has done now in order to pay for past sins.

We discover what sets Diemonds singer, Priya Panda off (rhymes with “fucking psychopaths”). Okay, maybe there wasn’t much rhyming to be had there but you get the idea. Terri “The Queen” Knight talks to former Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward about ... ART. Art? Who’s Art? Not “Art” as in a proper noun, you numbskulls. His art, to be more specific his drumming art. It’s cool as hell and we think you need to need to check it out. Gillespie travels to Colorado to probably do questionable things to the natives but he also manages to meet up with the boys in Vain and discuss recording gear, touring after twenty long years, what life down the road may bring and more. Vince Newman gets some one on one time with Clare Cunningham from Sweden’s hottest new exports, Thundermother and if I ever get a call from him at 3:00am telling me he’s packing it all in and moving “to Sweden or Ireland or wherever she lives” again, he’s outta here. We get it, we get it, she’s the best thing from Ireland since Guinness and Thin Lizzy. We peg down new pop punk heroes XO Stereo - if these guys aren’t ruling the pop world in two years time then all is not right on the planet.

In this issue we introduce a new section called “6 Questions With ..,” which is, as it suggests, any six random questions we can throw at someone (we’ve had a “meeting” and discovered that adding vodka to the question selection process greatly helps). This month our victims are Magister Templi, Heart of a Coward and Behold!

The Monolith. In that same line of thought we’ve also added “Quick Shots,” where you’ll find album reviews in short form. Our new “On the Rise” area tackles Norwegian punky glammy superantiheroes Suicide Bombers - check ‘em out, they’ll blow your mind (geddit? Groan ...)

On the live front we have roundups of the mighty Ghost, Fear Factory / Coal Chamber, Wayland, Marty Friedman and Exmortus. We have have a grab bag of reviews for you to delve into and a review of the exceptionally well done ‘Pioneers of L.A. Hard Rock and Metal - 2’ DVD (2?? What happened to 1?!?!?!)

And there’s more. If you think I had enough brain matter to list everything in this issue you’re sadly mistaken.

Look for it - yer gonna lurve it (who’d I rip that off of???)

Here’s hoping ya like what ya see. If so, just buy us a drink or five next time you see us out trolling the clubs.

And, hey, we promise to be faster out of the gate next time. Really.

- Dave 4 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

Available from all stores in Norway, from cdon.com if you live in Europe and directly from the band at post@thesuicidebombers.com if you live in the rest of the world or want a signed copy.

Also available:

had something. The next logical step was to do an album.

I knew that the time was right to try to create something that I truly believed in, not restricted by the AOR genre, which, in my opinion, is just too formulaic and samey.”

When an album hasn’t even hit the streets and is the talk of the melodic hard rock community then that just touches a chord as Hart says, “I felt that we had something new to bring the scene, as I truly believe if you write from your heart without compromising too much then you’ll get the best songs.

Dave Tedder Goes Time Traveling with CATS IN SPACE. There are very few albums I listen to all the way through, anymore, much less repeatedly for days, no, weeks on end.

Face it, the days of ‘Back in Black,’ ‘High N’ Dry,’ ‘Rumours’ and ‘Don’t Look Back’ have come and gone, never to be repeated again.

Until recently when the debut album from a new (not so) young Brit outfit with the unlikely moniker of Cats in Space hit my mailbox. Nearly equal parts Queen, ELO, 10cc, Sweet and Alan Parsons, the ‘Too Many Gods’ album is the most infectious collection of music I have heard in ages. A power pop masterpiece sprinkled with AOR brilliance – actual “AOR” (as in “Album Oriented Rock,” not the keyboard glossed over mishmash that gets credited with the term today) – that recalls the glory days of deep cut FM radio elation. I was curious as to where this project came from, how it came to be and who the hell was behind it all and before I knew it I had one Greg Hart, guitarist and mastermind behind this spectacular throwback, on the line and I couldn’t wait to get the scoop on what I’m positive will be my favorite album of 2015 by a mile.

“I had to take full charge of this album as if it was to fail then it would be down to me and not because i compromised, you know? I had this vision from day one and everyone onboard has been totally committed and delivered performances that I was so happy with. I think that reflects in what people will hear. It’s honest, it’s fun and it’s huge sounding.

It has a few messages that are serious within the songs, but it’s an upbeat record - and it should take people on a trip, like all those amazing LPs of the 70s used to do.”

Digging into the music a bit, Hart discusses a few of the many highlights of ‘Too Many Gods’: “’Unfinished Symphony” (one of the best songs I’ve heard in years – Ed.) was inspired by The Raspberries, actually. It was one of the easier songs to write as I had all of the parts in my head already, including the 10cc inspired middle section. Dean Howard and myself laid down a lot of guitar parts here. I wanted to tell an “ironic” tale of someone who was still in the music business and still striving to be successful. Not really for the financial gains, necessarily but for the acknowledgement of it all but never quite hitting “the big time”. Read into that what you will! Haha.

“On this album one track has 120 voices on it and on “Only In Vegas” the outro harmony guitars is actually 24 of myself and 24 of Dean in a stereo mix using around 8 different guitars” - Greg Hart

Turns out the Cats in Space concept came to realization about a year ago when Hart reached out to Mick Wilson (of ELO and 10cc fame) with the idea of exploring Greg’s passion for 70’s hard rock and building not only an album but an actual band around it. Now, of course this idea has been cultivated umpteen times over the past two decades to varying degrees of success and failure. Just look at the rosters of Frontiers and Escape for further proof of this. “After I left my previous band due to my ideas pushing further away from the AOR sound that they had I called up Mick and we arranged to do have a few writing sessions together – I actually met him because he had come in to write with my girlfriend Janey Bombshell - as I knew he would totally get what I wanted to achieve,” says Greg. “’Mr. Heartache’ (the band’s debut single) actually came from those first sessions. That lit the blue touch paper and we just knew we

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With “Last Man Standing”, I was looking for a Slade type of vibe and Mick and myself thought about writing a song based on how these major cities are knocking down so much heritage these days. In particular London’s Tin Pan Alley - hence the last vocal on the outro - which is the Mecca for all guitar players and musicians when we were growing up. The swing style is a favorite of mine, and that was the Slade influence as well as Jellyfish who were also a massive influence on the record and then “The Greatest Story Never Told” is a duet between Mick and Paul Manzi. The orchestra is scored

by Mike Moran, an 80

piece section with everything added in the mix. This was to be the albums center piece and I wanted a big huge epic like John Miles or Alan Parsons, a brave move but well, I think we did it! And it certainly has hit a chord with everyone so far. It’s going to get another mix for a special release too so you can really hear the full orchestra.

One thing that sets ‘Too Many Gods’ apart from so many other “retro sounding” albums in recent years is that the production quality is miles ahead of the pack. The album has so many intricate moments spread throughout that haven’t been heard since the late 70’s: pieces that pop up briefly and are never visited again but make you want to repeatedly listen to the track for that brief satisfaction. An about face in these days of everything louder than everything else. Hart elaborates on the production, “Myself and Ian Caple produced the album using analogue equipment on a good old fashioned 24 channel desk. Mick Wilson also engineered a lot of the backing vocals early on and was also responsible for mixing them. It was a hard long job but so rewarding.

“I wanted hidden layers that didn’t get in the way, also using the “stereo” panning to effect like Queen did. Bands don’t do this anymore really and we wanted to bring back subtle layers and huge great harmony banks of guitars and vocals like bands did in the 70s when the techniques first became available. On this album one track has 120 voices on it and on “Only In Vegas” the outro harmony guitars is actually 24 of myself and 24 of Dean in a stereo mix using around 8 different guitars. It is lush! This album is made for people to play again and hear different things each time. I hope!”

About that name …

“I jokingly said to Steevi (Bacon) our drummer that if you put a picture of a cat on Facebook it gets more likes than anything. That will be good for promotion! And as we had both lost cats recently at that point too - we are major cat lovers by the way! - we said ‘let’s name the band after a cat or something’ in memory of our cats looking down from us up in the sky. Then one day i said ‘Cats in Space’ thinking it was mad but i wanted a name that would make people love or hate it, no middle ground. And it kinda stuck. By the way everyone loves the name so far!”

Listening to ‘Too Many Gods’ one can envision a live performance being akin to something that ELO or Angel would have brought to the stage. This, of course, costs a pretty penny or two so what are the realities of Cats in Space taking this thing to the road or to festival stages, I wonder. “Yes we are hoping to play in 2016, and if Hard Rock Hell wanna call me - I did eMail them we’d love to play that festival. It’s a big task to put this out live but if the demand is there then we shall do it. It is very much a band, and not a project, so yes, this thing will keep growing. We’re not an AOR band, we want to reach a far wider demographic.

“With a budget we would bring in backing singers probably, and maybe another keyboard player. But we like to think we can do a rock version of it, like Queen used to do which was so exciting hearing the songs live in that format. Plus using some light technology we can hopefully re-create the sounds live but it will only be a live band if we can do it properly. And that will need thinking about, but for sure we want to play live 100% . I can’t guarantee a spaceship yet though but who knows! A giant Cat Helmet would be cool! Hahaha” With a band whose pedigree is as solid as Cats in Space one would quickly jump and say that there is no way this band can fail. Aside from the aforementioned Hart and Wilson, from Moritz / Asia and 10cc / ELO respectively, they also encompass the talents of vocalist Paul Manzi (Arena and The Sweet), Dean Howard (Bad Company / T’Pau), Jeff Brown from The Sweet and Statetrooper and Steevi Bacon from Robin Trower’s band as well as a plethora of guests, not the least of which is guitarist and founder member of The Sweet, Andy Scott, who appears on the single “Mr. Heartache” and the accompanying video.

In a perfect world (or 1978), Cats in Space would be a mega band, of this there is no doubt in my mind. Here’s hoping they can rattle a few cages in the modern, sadly uninspired, age.

Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 7

The Butcher Babies Learn to Take It Like a Man quite often get As journalists we sent out on random assignments.

This was one of those nights for me. I, of course was familiar with The Butcher Babies and knew of their existence, had heard their music although it was not currently cued to play in my car. Just like the artists that give thousands of interviews a year we as journalists conduct thousands of interviews a year. “The interview went well,” I thought out loud to everyone and no one in particular as I positioned myself at the front of the stage to shoot photos. I am not sure the time spent on the tour bus with them prepared me for the larger than life bullet of raw power and energy they become when they take the stage. And by taking the stage I mean taking the entire audience hostage, thoroughly captivating them for every second of the show until the last note was blasted. Even then the audience refused to be set free and screamed for more, not moving one inch from the front of the stage until they got what they desired … an encore or perhaps two.

I must admit even days after this interview I found myself quite smitten with these two women, who are so much more than just pretty faces or smoking hot bodies (fyi that they work hard to maintain), they are two independent, strong-willed, intelligent women with a dream, with a desire to write and create music and with the drive to see their dream become reality. As I reflect back upon the words they said in this interview, I found them to be genuine, candid and at moments very profound. It is no secret that the music business is dominated by men; it is also no secret that the odds of achieving fame in this industry are a staggering million to one.

So being the minority in a business that has a million to one success rate can be a rough road on the journey to be successful. Hence the album title ‘Take it like a Man.’ Sometimes life is challenging at best, to get through it you have to ‘man up.’ The Butcher Babies have endured a lot of ridicule for being two front women of a band in the metal world, scrutinized because they’ve marketed their sexuality to their advantage, much like their mentor Wendy O Williams.

And yet here they are on the horizon of their sophomore album, embarking upon a new tour for GWAR’s 30th anniversary and fast becoming an unstoppable force in the music industry.

We caught up with both Heidi and Carla at the beginning of the tour for a quick chat.

8 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

HA: How is the new album ‘Take it Like a Man’ different from your previous albums?

Heidi: With ‘Take it Like a Man’ we brought it back to our original sound, that thrashy heavier sound that really gets the crowd going. After touring consistently for four years we have seen what our fan base reacts too. And we decided to give it to them!

HA: What made you decide on ‘Take it Like a Man’ for the title?

Carla: The title comes from a lyric in our song “Dead Man Walking.” It was a very powerful song for Heidi and me to write, because it spoke about the way we were raised. One of the lyrics in that song was “Where were you when I learned how to take it like a man, Where were you when I learned to stand.” It was just a stand out lyric for us. It kept coming back to us and we finally decided that should be the title of the album. It has so many different meanings for us in this industry we had to ignore so much hate for lack of a better word and learn how to take it l like a man.

In our lives in general we have had to do that. It’s not even a gender based thing. There comes a point in everyone’s life where you just have to “take it like a man,” whatever you’re going through in your life.

Heidi: It’s more of like a term then gender based. In the song “Dead Man Walking” it talks about the exact moment in my life when I had to learn how to fight.

Take it like a man and stand for myself. That moment in my life I think defined who I am today. These moments in our lives define the women that we are in becoming independent, powerful (if you will) women.

It’s more of a term of fighting for yourself, fighting for your life, fighting for what you believe in.

HA: Speaking of fighting, I heard you had to put up quite a fight to finalize the title. What was that about?

Carla: That kind of got blown out of proportion, our label and our management asked us to really think about what we wanted to call our album. The sophomore album is a very important one and they wanted us to be sure that the name was not some arbitrary name; that it actually meant something to us. After we explained how we felt about the title we chose, they completely got it and we behind it one hundred percent.

Heidi: They are always really great to us and they have let us do whatever we want to do. It is their job to make us think twice about everything … song

choice, artwork, etc.

HA: What would you say to women starting out in the music business?

Heidi: Everyone will always tell you no. Just don’t listen.

Carla: Your closet friends will tell you, no, when I moved to LA to play music years ago all my girlfriends would ask me,’ why do you want to do that?

You should just stay home.’ They tell you not to go for your dreams. Luckily we found each other and we support each other in our dreams - which is the key thing. Find people that support you, that love you, that want to see you be a successful human being.

Success does not come overnight, Heidi and I have been working together for eight years and before we started working together, we worked alone on musical projects. Success is not overnight, being able to write a great album doesn’t happen overnight, you sacrifice everything. We both have lost almost everything we had, to do these projects and we will keep sacrificing to see where the dream goes.

Heidi: I thanked my mom today during a Facebook conversation, for teaching me that dreams are meant to be followed, meant to be reached and meant to be fought for. That goes for both women and men.

HA: Do you think it was tough in the beginning when you were wearing only tape over your nipples for people to see that you were also creative talented musicians?

Carla: I think that was a snap shot in time, we did it with kind of a creative message behind it. Some people got it and understood it completely and loved it.

Other people kind of lashed out against it, but I think we did get a message across, if we had done nothing I don’t think we would be sitting here talking with you.

I’m proud of what we did, That we could kind of put the middle finger in the corporate music world’s face.

I also think we have evolved as women, as musicians, as people in general over the last few years so it was our decision to not to do that look anymore and to focus on our music.

Heidi: It comes from Wendy O Williams like the band name does. It was something that was an ode to her and her attitude and the stance she had about women in metal. As women people are always telling you; what you’re suppose to look like, what you’re suppose to sound like or be like. To us we loved how Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 9

she stood for a big giant F**K you to the music industry constantly telling women how to be. A lot of people didn’t know that, even though it is part of music history, they thought we were just being whores.

HA: What are you most looking forward to touring with GWAR? Heidi: It is their 30th Anniversary tour. That is huge.

It a huge honor to be asked to go on this tour. I am looking forward to watching their show every night.

That is such a neat thing as a touring musician, you get to see these iconic bands play every night, you get to know the show and the people behind the show. It is really an incredible experience HA: If you could change one thing you’ve done in your career what would it be?

Carla: I don’t think I would change anything because even the mistakes that I have made contributed to making me the person I am today. I’ll make more mistakes; we’ll make mistakes as a band I am sure.

The thing is they’ll help us grow. I don’t take anything as a negative Heidi: I’ve always said I don’t believe in regret, because it is growth.

HA: What do you consider Butcher Babies biggest accomplishment so far?

Carla: In my eyes the biggest accomplishment is just getting through this wild ride together with all the original members. We have all had to sacrifice so much.

I think it’s hard for a band to stay together, write a couple albums together and still love each other and truly be the best of friends. We see it all the time.

Bands that completely hate each other, don’t want to be on the same bus together, that don’t want to hang out at all other than the hour set they play together.

Heidi: The other night I was having a conversation and I was holding the actual physical copy of ‘Take it like a Man,’ standing in my house looking at all my material things there and I said you know this (the album) is the most important thing in my life right now.

With ‘Take it Like a Man’ flooding the airwaves you can be sure to catch The Butcher Babies coming to a town near you soon. The end of October they take to the road again supporting Amaranthe, kicking off in Atlanta and pulling up anchor a month later in San Jose.

-Phoenix Romero 10 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

Digging Up Dirt with Hard Attack’s Tim Welch and Paul Martin of Devilskin New Zealand isn’t exactly known for providing the international rock and metal scene with a wealth of talent, 8 Foot Sativa and Dawn of Azazel being the only two that immediately come to mind. However, a four piece hailing from Hamilton called Devilskin is out to change that. Hopping quickly across the globe on the back of their chart topping ‘We Rise’ album, sharing stages with the likes of Motley Crue and Alice Cooper as well as Slash and making as much noise as humanly possible, the band is making people stand up and take notice.

Coming together in 2010 because of their mutual admiration for each other’s prior bands the four members (vocalist, Jennie Skulander, guitarist, Nail, bassist Paul Martin and his son Nic Martin on drums), the foursome soon realized there was chemistry in the air. “We all had the rock work ethic to get out and just play. The crowds got bigger and the support went from great to phenomenal, says the elder Martin.

“Here we are today with a Number 1 debut platinum album and we are the most popular live band in New Zealand today.”

The quartet is proof positive that hard work pays off in the most popular of ways as their debut not only hit the top of the charts and went platinum but did so just weeks after it’s release, “I think we had done the bulk of the groundwork for this over the last 5 years or so,” Martin states. “In that respect it was us and our team – we’re actually our own label and we teamed up with a distribution company. The buzz was definitely growing all the time - and continues to - and I think the timing for ‘We Rise’ album release was perfect. Our distributors believed in us from the start but I think they were surprised by the great reaction the album received.”

I’ve heard stories of some chainsaw action at Devilskin shows back home … any close calls??

“We like to go all out with our live show, Jennie swinging a chainsaw has become a staple of the set, no close calls … yet.

“Since our first gigs we have been dressing up the stage to make the visual presentation outstanding and Jen loves the theatrics so we never quite know what she’s going to do next, it might be the splits, tumbling or it might be a glitter cannon. It keeps us, as well as the audience, on our toes. We have always tried to give people value for money at our shows. Visually we try to keep people entertained through the entire set. The chainsaw, C02 jets and a cannon are all part of the set and they tie in well together.

As has already been pointed out, unlike their Aussie neighbors not a lot of Kiwi bands have made their mark across the pond, yet Devilskin have already made an impact on both the UK and US markets. “The reception in the UK and US was fantastic. We weren't quite sure what to expect on our first visit but were totally blown away by the crowds. We got some great reviews and met some amazing people, as well as opening for Slash and then Motley Crue and Alice Cooper. Our manager put us in for the support slots and it helped that the other artists had heard of us. We had a blast at those shows.”

Changing stride a bit, I always wonder what people’s personal views on physical CD’s as opposed to legal downloads might be in today’s ever changing world. “Personally, I prefer physical CD’s (so do we Paul, so do we – Ed.). The artwork and the booklet are all part of the overall experience. It’s really important to make your music available by whatever medium people are using. But the ease and accessibility of digital downloads suits parts of the market and the physical CD’s suit other parts. It appears our fanbase love physical CDs / LPs and they love our merch and limited items we release. We will continue to support them with new releases.”

With a debut album doing as well as ‘We Rise’ right out of the box, how can they expect to top that success?

“We are really excited by the new material we have written since ‘We Rise,’” maintains Paul. “I think we have all grown and matured as writers and musicians and the pressure of having a number one album had really made us all step up our game. The new songs are killer and we can’t wait to release them. As well as that our audience are extremely loyal so we are quietly confident we will surpass ‘We Rise’ with our next release.”

Legendary sophomore jinx be damned, Devilskin is primed and ready to, as they say, start a revolution. It’s time someone put the land of wine and dairy on the metal map and this lot is sitting in the driver’s seat to do just that.

Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 11

Soren Karlsson of Sweden’s Diamond Dogs tells Hard Attack’s Tim Welch to Knock Off the Complainin’ Once in a blue moon (slice of orange with that, please bartender!) a band slips past me. Usually it’s someone so far down on the grand scale of things that it doesn’t matter, really. So, imagine my shock (and their horror) when, while perusing the biography of one brilliant Scandi Quireboys and Dogs D’ Amour soundin’ outfit called Diamond Dogs I discover that they’re hardly newcomers to the scene but, instead, have - count ‘em - ten – albums to their name. How

songs with producer Martin Sandberg who later called himself Max Martin, you just might know him! To be able to perform those songs I formed a band of smart looking lads, and 1992 we became Diamond Dogs.

HA: Can you tell me a bit of info about the new record itself? Who writes the material? Some of your favorite songs off this album and why

“Since we’re working in a very traditional industry it’s a good feeling when you know you’ve written a good quality rock n roll song that could’ve been on some of your favorite albums from the early 70’s.” could this be? I promptly got ahold of the main Diamond himself, frontman Soren Karlsson and begged forgiveness.

HA: ‘Quitters and Complainers’ is your tenth album yet I’ve never heard of you until now. How can this be possible?? You’re a brilliant band.

Tell me how it all came together back in the early 90’s.

Soren Karlsson: Well thank you, I’m glad you finally found us!

It all started in 1991 when I recorded some demo 12 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

they’re favorites?

Soren: During the years I’ve been writing most of our material, and piano player, Duke of Honk has always been very much involved in the artistic production.

Honk and I have been partners in crime from the very beginning.

It’s always hard to pick favorites among your own songs but the songs that are closest to my heart on this album would be “Broken”, “Alright Alright Alright” and “Stop Barking Up the Wrong Tree”.

Since we’re working in a very traditional industry it’s a good feeling when you know you’ve written a good

quality rock n roll song that could’ve been on some of your favorite albums from the early 70’s.

HA: You’ve recently finished a UK tour.. How did that go for you? How much touring has the band actually done outside of Scandinavia over the years?

Soren: The UK is always a blast. To be honest we’ve probably toured more outside Scandinavia than inside. During our 23 years going we’ve done something like two hundred shows in the UK, around fifteen tours in beautiful Spain, and quite a lot of partying all over Europe. And also we’ve toured together with Ian Hunter, Nazareth, The Cult, Dan Baird, Hanoi Rocks, Quireboys, The Damned and more.

But we haven’t been to the USA, I guess that’s why you never heard of us! haha

HA: What bands and artists did you grow up listening to?

Soren: I’m a punk kid growing up listening to British bands like The Clash, Sham 69 and the Sex Pistols and then in my later teens I went further in the British rock history discovering Rod Stewart & The Faces, Frankie Miller, Stones, Joe Cocker and others.

Through that music I went deeply in to early 60’s soul music like Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, James Carr and Etta James to name a few.

HA: Your current single is “Silver Star Delight.”

Where was the video filmed? Obviously a festival situation. Did you do several takes of the song on stage like they used to do or did you just run through it the one time?

Mick Geggus (Cockney Rejects) and keyboardist/ singer Idde Schultz. It’s a powerpop/punk band and I write the material. The first album ‘Busy Making Noise’ was released in 2013 and the second ‘Brand New Brand’ came this year in May. The country duet album, ‘Brilliant Outsiders,’ is an album I’m doing with UK producer Kevin Poree (Radiohead, James Brown.) I’m co-writing the songs with him and the backing band is Los Pacaminos with Hamish Stewarr and Jamie Moses, amongst others.

The sweet guys and gals I’m singing duets with are Maria McKee, Paul Young, Bellamy Brothers, Chris Spedding, Terry Reid, Dave Edmunds, Rissi Palmer and Linda Gail Lewis.

HA: ‘Quitters ...’ has a bonus album in the form of ‘Live in Bilboa.’ How did this idea come about??

Soren: Diamond Dogs is one of the best live bands you can experience and this is one of the last shows with one of the best saxophone players in the world.

Here you can hear Mats “Magic” Gunnarson blowing his brains out in front of a full house of true believers in that fantastic, extraordinary city.

We just had to add this bonus album to ‘Quitters …’.as a tribute to Magic, forever remembered. There will never be another saxophone in this band.

Soren: The filming is from a couple of festival gigs in Europe, so we didn’t really shoot a proper video, it’s just a small cocktail. And to tell you a secret, the shots are not even from that song, since it’s from before we gave birth to “Silver Star Delight”, I think you can tell this on my “perfect” lip sync! hahaha HA: I see you’re also in a band called The Crunch currently and have just finished a duets album which included Maria McKee. How did that come about?? What can you tell me about The Crunch?

Soren: The Crunch is a band I formed 2013 with Terry Chimes from the Clash, Dave Tregunna (Sham 69), Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 13

UK metal monsters Heart of a Coward exploded onto the world stage in 2013 with the release of their ‘Severance’ album (preceded by the self-released ‘Hope and Hindrance’). Supporting that album’s release with tours alongside Thy Art is Murder, After the Burial, Suicide Silence and metal powerhouse Machine Head amongst others, the Brit quintet had plenty of opportunity to unleash their brutal live attack on audiences across the world.

Following the Machine Head run, the band began work on new album ‘Deliverance,’ once again produced by Justin Hill of Sikth. As crushing and savage as ‘Severance’ was, the new album adds a new dimension to the band’s recorded output – melody. Vince Newman gets the lowdown on HOAC’s current activities as he lobs out six random questions to guitarist, Carl Ayers.

Hard Attack: ‘Deliverance’ was produced by Justin Hill of Sikth. How did that relationship come to be and how was the working atmosphere in the studio? Was it a strict, nose to the grindstone type of thing, more of a “party while we work” deal or a bit of both?

Carl Ayers: Well we had worked a bit with Justin on the Severance record so we knew what he was capable of.

It was awesome…we really like working with the guy and the atmosphere in the studio is great. He ended up becoming the sixth member of the band. I think because of time restraints, we kept the partying while in the studio to a minimum. So only one bottle of whiskey per night.

HA: You spent the summer doing a number of festivals, including Resurrection, Tech Fest, With Full Force, Download and others. In November you head out on an “intimate headlining run.” Which is more intimidating - playing to 10,000+ people on a festival stage or playing to a couple of hundred who are basically on top of you in a small(ish) club?

Carl: I wouldn’t say that any show we have played has been intimidating. I think we just find that the crowd is

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harder to gauge when you are playing in front of thousands of people. It all blends into a sea of heads. What we love about intimate shows is the look on people’s faces when we drop into a dirty breakdown. So we are very much looking forward to it.

HA: ‘Deliverance’ is your second release for Century Media. How do you think the new bosses at Sony, not exactly known for being metal friendly, will support the record? Do you think CM will still be on its own (relatively speaking) or do you think the “big boys” will actually put some of their muscle into it?

Carl: At this moment in time we are quite unsure as how this possible takeover will impact the band. Obviously we are optimistic that it will have a positive effect on Century Media, but I think it is definitely too early to say.

HA: HOAC has been described as everything from tech metal to hardcore to djent. As a collective what “scene” do you guys see yourselves fitting into? Or, do you flat out not give a fuck about genres / subgenres?

Carl: To be honest, we really couldn’t give a fuck how we are labeled, haha. We play what sounds good to us and what translates well in a live scenario. We have fun with it and take very little if any notice of all these different labels we are given.

HA: You played Russia in 2013 and 2014. How receptive are the Russians to your style of metal? Any interesting stories?

Carl: Wow, well what can I say, Russia has been amazing both times we have gone out there. The fans are crazy, and have a real passion for their music. Those guys even made a meme out of our song “Shade (Suffer, Bitch),” which is pretty funny. The people out there are really passionate. Some fans waited at the airport for our arrival and greeted us with a Russian doll full of vodka…good shit.

HA: HOAC are still relatively new on the “world stage” but you’ve risen up the scale pretty quickly. Thoughts on that?

Carl: This is a weird one, as we all work full time with normal day jobs. So when people mention that we have risen up the scale, it really doesn’t feel like it. But this balance drives the passion into our live shows and touring as this is our time away from our day jobs.

Norwegian doom metallers Magister Templi are back with their second full length album, ‘Into Duat’ through Cruz Del Sur Music. Formed in 2008 by frontman Abraxas d’Ruckus and guitarist Baphomet, they released a digital demo, ‘Lucifer / Restoration’ in 2011 before finalizing a lineup and heading out with Pagan Altar and performing at Inferno Festival in 2012.

In June 2012, they self-released their first Ep, ‘Iao Sabao,’ with a concept mainly centered on the ancient Greek Bornless Ritual and the alchemical picture series Splendor Solis. Shortly after, they signed with Cruz del Sur Music and have since released ‘Lucifer Leviathan Logos’ and the new ‘Into Duat’ via the label.

Hard Attack: With ‘Into Duat’, the band has made a transition from your folk metal beginnings to the doom laden efforts of your earlier releases into a more traditional (almost NWOBHM at times) metal direction. What brought on the change and do you think it may cause you to lose some of your existing fanbase?

Abraxas d’Ruckus: I think most of our fanbase has been built since 2012 when we had already left the folk stuff behind and started playing with the doom/ heavy that I still think we play, so I don’t think so. We haven’t changed that much in those years.

With ‘Into Duat’ we seemed to gain a bit of ground with the epic metal crowd, but I hope we haven’t lost any with the traditional heavy people because of it. I have read reviews from people who loved the last album and were disappointed with this one, but they have been rather few so far, so I think we’re okay for now.

HA: It’s said that a lot of Magister Templi’s lyrics are based on Western mysticism. Do you pull that from non-fiction books, research or both?

And your earlier albums were based on Crowley, correct? How long have you been “a fan”, so to speak of his?

AD: All my adult life, I think. I started reading about this stuff in my teens so it should be about 20 years now. I would say that I pull from both non-fiction, research and some unpublished sources too I guess. Crowley is certainly a major inspiration, but not the only one. There’s the Golden Dawn, renaissance magic, alchemy and the kabbalah too. The

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Order of the Golden Dawn and Crowley just made system of the chaos and modernized it a bit.

HA: What was the first record you remember buying?? And how did your musical taste develop over your younger years from there?

AD: Europe’s ‘The Final Countdown’ or their s/t debut album, I can’t quite remember. I like to think it’s the s/t because I still think that’s a killer album, but I think it may have been ‘The Final Countdown.’ Their newest album (‘War of Kings’) is pretty awesome too actually, reminds me of Deep Purple from the late 70’s and early 80’s. So if nothing else I guess Europe pushed me in the direction of Deep Purple and the rest of the 70’s hard rock that I always come back to.

HA: How much of a perfectionist are you in the studio? Does everything have to be technically perfect or is the feel more important, even if maybe you’ve slipped slightly off key vocally or if a guitar part isn’t “exactly right”??

AD: I don’t think we are perfectionists at all when it comes to those things. If something slightly off key sounds cool and desperate in the right place, we tend to keep it. The feeling and sound is much more important, which is why we record all the rhythm instruments together without a metronome to keep some of the live feeling in there. When it comes to the sound on the other hand we are pretty strict. Our worst nightmare is that the sound will become too clean once it’s through the mixing and mastering. To call us perfectionists would perhaps be stretching it since we really don’t know much about the processes. But we do harass the technicians a lot.

Fortunately we have found some very good ones who understand what our goal is, so that’s good.

HA: Can you tell me a bit about the Golden Dawn?

AD: Always! The Order of the Golden Dawn was formed in 1888 by three high grade Freemasons and Rosicrucians based on their collective knowledge of the occult and a manuscript written in cipher that had come in to the possession of one of them. The idea was to make an order that had practical occultism as it’s main focus, because nothing like that existed in the UK at the time and to make an order where men and women could work together as equals. That’s the basics of it. Famous members include the Irish poet William Butler Yeats, the actress Florence Farr and of course the Infamous Aliester Crowley, who based most of his later works on the system.

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Californian metallers Behold! The Monolith return from the tragic loss of their beloved frontman to come storming back with their their blinding new release, ‘Architects of the Void.’ Produced by Billy Anderson (Eyehategod, sHEAVY, Orange Goblin) ‘Architects …’ proves itself to be the band’s strongest effort to date.

Hard Attack: In the summer of 2013 you lost your bassist / singer Kevin McDade in a car accident.

How does a band come back from something like this?

Matt Price: It was tough but we didn’t force it. We were putting consideration into continuing with a different name. But we had to take some time. He was our friend so we needed time to grieve and just get our heads together. But we figured he wouldn’t want us to stop. He’d want us to continue or at least finish what we started with him.

HA: Was Jason (Jason Casanova, new bass player) an old acquaintance of yours or was he found through an audition process? And how did you find and then settle on Jordan (Nalley, singer) as your new frontman? What was it about him that made you and Chase say, “Yeah, he’s the one ...”

MP: We’ve known Cas (Jason) for a while. We’d done some shows with his other band Sasquatch. And he came out to a fair amount of our shows. He’s a killer bassist with a great tone and he’s a cool dude who is easy to get along with so that’s a big plus too.

HA: Billy Anderson produced not only ‘Architects mer was more of a stoner rock guy. of the Void’ but ‘Defender, Redeemist,’ as well. How did you hook up with Billy initially and what is the HA: Is the material on ‘Architects ...’ “fresh” (all working process like with him? Is the studio atmo- written with Jordan) or was any of it left over from sphere laid back and relaxed or is it a bit chaotic? writing sessions with Kevin?

Or somewhere in between?

MP: A bit in-between actually, haha. There were some technical problems which would pop up and put us off schedule, and we did have a tight schedule. So there were some tense patches. But not always...being in the desert the first few days helped with that. And Billy knows how to maneuver a recording through the tough parts. I’ve known Billy for years, he actually did the mixing and most of the recording for the first one too. I haven’t really seriously considered anyone else since after the first demos.

HA: How has the band grown since your debut Ep back in 2008?

MP: The only completely fresh, from scratch stuff would be the first two tracks on the album, “Umbral Vale” and “Philosopher’s Blade” and the second half of “Architects of the Void.” Everything else I had at least written most of the riffs for. And we had already been playing a slightly different version of “The Mithtiditist” at the last couple of shows before the accident.

HA: You premiered “Philosopher’s Blade” a few weeks back. Can you tell me what the song is about?

MP: Honestly, I know there were some themes we used lyrically so there would be a feeling of continuity MP: That’s hard to say...I suck at self appraisal. I think as we wrote, and I know what the song is about...but we’ve gotten better haha. Seriously I think we’ve gotten I’d probably just fuck up explaining it. It’s a question heavier and more “metal” since then, a bit less “stoner for Jordan, and unfortunately at the time of this interrock/metal” or whatever. I’m actually stoked about that. view I can’t seem to reach him. I think he’s camping Metal was the original plan anyway, but our first drum- in the mountains or something haha.

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INSIDE METAL: PIONEERS OF L.A. ROCK AND METAL II (MetalRock Films) With Inside Metal … filmmakers Bob Nalbandian and Carl Alvarez present a glimpse inside the bygone era in hard rock and metal that most people around the world seem to be most fascinated with – the greater Los Angeles late 70’s / early 80’s scene.

Covering more than just the venues and bands that everyone touches on time after time and over and over ad nauseam, the documentary hits up members of such “almost weres” as A La Carte, Smile, Snow, Sound Barrier, Black Sheep, Max Havoc, London and the man who quite possibly flirted with success more than any other at the time, Greg Leon, amongst others.

The interviews were all done throughout Los Angeles at various studios and houses, perhaps for the sake of putting the interviewees at ease, rather than having them filter into a soundstage one by one for what would invariably be an uncomfortable time for all.

The tone is set with Lars Ulrich stating that he had come to the States in the summer of 1979 (“The Summer of Cheap Trick” as he calls it) to go to tennis camp in Wisconsin, when he took a two week long trip to LA and discovered Legs Diamond, Van Halen, Yesterday and Today (aka Y&T) and Tower Records. He would move to LA, or more specifically Newport Beach, a year later to concentrate on a future tennis career, only to discover, much to his dismay that he wasn’t quite good enough. As we all know, music took over his well documented life from then on out …

A block of the film revolves around Randy Rhoads, as would be expected but rather than an exploitative expose’ we’re treated to intimate recollections from former Quiet Riot bandmate and best friend, Kelly Garni (describing how he and Rhoads met as outcasts in school) as well as Grover Jackson, who puts forth a story of the Randy Rhoads model guitar and how he, as a rising star in the Charvel camp, was concerned that the “zany design” Randy wanted for the guitar may put a halt to his ascension. He suggested putting his own

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last name on the headstock, rather than the popular Charvel logo and therefore launched his own, Jackson imprint.

When Van Halen scored their deal with Warner it was projected that they were the Great White Hope that would lead to every other LA area band getting signed, which is a topic covered by everyone from influential journalist (and later Metal Blade publicist) Jon Sutherland to Great White frontman Jack Russell, Brian O’Brian from A La Carte, Scott Waller from Smile and others. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be, however, as the suits weren’t quite yet tired of the skinny ties. Willie Basse also relays a story of Van Halen being kicked out of The Rock Corporation for screwing up a BTO cover. Who owned The Rock Corporation? A member of BTO’s road crew, of course …

Detective drummer Jon Hyde, who still looks like he’s in his 20’s, offers up one of the best stories of the doc, which involved him being sat on by John Bonham at a Waylon Jennings show at The Roxy.

Armored Saint’s Joey Vera and A La Carte’s O’Brian share stories of Motley Crue’s formation and guitarist, Mitch Perry divulges that he was asked by Nikki Sixx to sing for Motley.

Brian Slagel and John Kornarens reveal the actual reason Metal Blade and the Metal Massacre series become a reality while Gina Zamparelli talks about her near legendary rise to the top of the Los Angeles club promoter ladder in a ridiculously short amount of time.

I could go on and on with tales from the film but that would a) take up ten pages and b) it would ruin all the fun. Aside from the names listed, some of the others interviewed include Malcolm Dome (Kerrang / Teamrock), Don Dokken, Carlos Cavazo, Chris Holmes, live promoter / manager David Forest, Steve Quadros from Snow and Orange, Steve Lynch, Pat McKeon (Bad Moon / Max Havoc), Spacey T. from Sound Barrier, Greg Durschlag from the Weasels, Frank Dimino, Dave Meniketti, Richard Black, photographer Kevin Estrada, Gene Hoglan and hell, there must be someone or other I’m leaving out. The fact that the “local guys” were given as much – or more - facetime than the known names is testament to the fact that Nalbandian and Alvarez wanted to show their appreciation for the bands that made the “scene” as special as it was.

The film is peppered with archival video footage and demo material – much of it provided by (at the time) LA scenester, Alan Wood - which is one of the attractions for fans who were too young to live through that period or lived too far from the area to experience it firsthand.

The DVD is a must have for anyone who was enamored with that period in time as well as for those who lived through it and survived and might want to spend an hour and a half reliving those moments.

If I’m pressed to point out a fault I would have to offer up that, as pleasant as Bob Nalbandian’s voice might be, they would have been well advised to hire out a professional voiceover artist to provide the narrative. But that’s nitpicking, really.

BRING ON PART III! -Dave Tedder

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LIVE REVIEWS AND PHOTOS

COMIN’ ATCHA!

WAYLAND / HALDEN VANG / POOR MAN’S FAME / LAURENICOLE The Rabbit Hole Charlotte, NC

It happens repeatedly that the music scene gets together to give some relief for tragedies that strike. Whether it be events like Live-Aid or Farm-Aid, helping after Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, music helps and musicians have gotten together to help.

Charlotte, NC’s music scene is no exception to this. Regular events for friends battling diseases, helping baby owls at the regional large bird rehabilitation and care facility, and helping their neighbors to the south in South Carolina, who, although the hurricane didn’t hit, had a lot of flooding due to what I saw as being tag-along storms that hit the predominantly lowland state.

The counterintuitive relief effort of getting more water to them was the reason for this benefit. Yes, there’s too much water in most of South Carolina, so what do North Carolinians do? We send more water to them! Of course it’s fresh drinking water, which they had in short supply. The Rabbit Hole in Charlotte was the hosting venue for this night of support and music. Sponsors of the show included custom guitar creator DC Axes, plus photographer and promoter Gary Carota Images, Stone Chrome Radio, Powerhouse Magazine and also the music school, Rock University. Much water was collected during this all ages show.

Arriving just after the band LaureNicole hit the stage. I must have only missed the first song and a half. Lauren’s powerful, clear and perfect pitch 20 20 || Hard Hard Attack Attack Magazine Magazine www.hardattackmag.com www.hardattackmag.com

vocals bring you in immediately, welcoming you to a sound punctuated by a great rhythm section (made up of Evan Bennett on bass and drummer Ryan Whitcher) and creative lead guitar playing, courtesy of Griffen Prufer. The songs are a bit catchy and entertaining with evident comparisons to early Pat Benatar, Blondie and Joan Jett which made me sad that it was a week before the release of their debut album, “Light the Way”. I hope that the recording presents half of what it’s like to experience LaureNicole live. I’ve always liked when a band is creative with their choices of songs to cover. Very logical that a band with this much stage presence and power would cover a Led Zeppelin song. The choice and execution of Ramble On” is one that I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anyone else sing, other than Robert Plant that is. This furthers the comparison between LaureNicole and the band Heart.

The other cover I heard was an almost expected “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” which they recited more than interpreted. Not a bad choice of a cover, just not a creative one. All in all, LaureNicole is a very impressive band, their performance truly set the tone for the night.

Second up was Old Man’s Fame, who put their heart into the performance and really tried to get the place rocking. Vocalist Tricia Kimbrell has a lot of energy, though I really would recommend getting in some vocal coaching as I heard some off key singing during what I heard of their set. She’s listed as playing piano also, though I didn’t see that happen during the show. Great stage presence and the band performed very well, I encourage the band to not just keep going, to work to improve their overall sound, starting with the singing. A great amount of potential that quite possibly is being

missed.

Halden Vang is a three piece retro relevant band from the Charlotte region. So far their only release is an Ep entitled, ‘How About Now?’ and yet they only played a few pieces from that release. Initial equipment issues tore into their stage time, yet recovering from that, they quickly slammed into the title cut from the Ep. Getting away from their bluesy sound, they presented more of a hard rock side. Though most of the pieces they played weren’t known, they’re so well written and catchy that they had the crowd singing along. I swear there were more people in the place and up front watching them than there had been for any of the other three bands that night.

Anxiously awaiting what I hope will be a full album release from Halden Vang, if the material presented is an example of what’s down the line, I look forward to hearing whatever they come up with next.

Wayland takes their name from where they’re from: Wayland, Michigan. Truly a touring band and even though they’ve been through the area extensively, this is only the second time I’ve seen them live. The first time was at the beginning of this tour, from which it seems they’ll never stop – and that’s a good thing. Maybe they wouldn’t agree with that, yet what I’ve seen is a band that started off being comfortable on stage and has only improved in the months since I’d seen them. Wayland is on the heavier end of the hard rock spectrum whose influences come through in their music, yet blend beautifully - everything from Led Zeppelin to Megadeth with heavy influences of Grand Funk Railroad and more modern fare like Seether and Buckcherry are present in their songs. Wayland’s work ethic is strong and reveals their Midwest roots, and the best part is that the music holds up just as strongly. Their performance at the Rabbit Hole was one not to miss, featuring and emphasizing the strength of their live show.

All in all, it was a great night of music, a gathering of great friends and all for an almost ironic, yet very important cause.

Water for those in a flood? Of course! They need to drink, right?

-Stan Cocheo / All Photos by Hannah Lee Photography

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COMIN’ ATCHA!

COAL CHAMBER FEAR FACTORY JASTA SAINT RIDLEY MADLIFE Lawrence, KS The Granada Theater

So the Coal Chamber tour rolled into town and I made arrangements to head out, take some pictures and give them and their tour mates a review. Upon arriving, I was pretty impressed with the early turnout as most of the time on these bills, people come much later to skip the early bands. I had planned on only reviewing Coal Chamber and Fear Factory that night myself, but something special happened.

Normally, I am not interested in opening bands.. A large chunk of them tend to be throwaway acts who bought their way onto tours so they can get a “taste of the Rock Star life” because, quite frankly, it wasn’t going to happen any other way. Then Madlife hit the stage and changed all that.

From opener “Pain of Pleasure” I was hooked. They barreled through song after killer song “Just One Gun,” (my favorite live track) “To Live and Die in Hollywood,” “Redline,” “All The Angels” and “Nothing Changes” for the set. Their singer, Angry Phil, pacing the stage like a caged lion ready to pounce on the first person who wasn’t paying attention. Kyle Cunningham killing it on drums, Isaiah Stuart shredding the guitar and Topher Graves commanding the bass. The band was intent on not leaving the stage in one piece. If any of the crowd wasn’t chanting along with the chorus of “Just One Gun” (“… all it takes is just one gun to start it all and then it’s no fun …”) or “To Live and Die in Hollywood” they had no pulse. The band had a distinct “old school” metal sound with industrial influences.

What a great set from Madlife. Now I can chill until later right? Didn’t happen.

The next band, Saint Ridley, hit the stage 20 minutes later and it was sweat inducing once again as the band powered through a set of great songs as well. Led by singer Paul Ridley, the twin guitar attack of David Flynn and Phil Durham, Nathan Garcia on bass and Ron Schlager on drums, the group continued to deliver on the premise that not all opening bands suck. They powered through a set that included “Rust” (great catchy riffage that hooks you from the start), “Death by Design,” “Stick to the Plan,” “Blood Money,” “Who I Am” (with a trippy intro), “Burn” (a favorite of mine) and “Preacher.” Four of these songs

Angry Phil - Madlife (“Burn,” “Rust,” “Death by Design” and “Who I Am”) also appear on their five song tour only exclusive CD that can be purchased at their shows for only five bucks. Double score.

Jasta was next up. I just did not really dig them at all personally. It was obvious the crowd loved them and Jamey was an excellent frontman, constantly engaging the audience. The band was top notch from top to bottom, I’m just not a big fan and I am not familiar enough with their material to give an honest review. So please forgive me guys.

Fear Factory took over the stage and it was clear that they were on top of their game. Opening with “Shock” and “Edgecrusher” (from ‘Obsolete’), I was immediately happy as that is my favorite album from the band. The songs sounded as fresh as the first time they toured that album.

The set included tracks from ‘Mechanize’ (“Powershifter”), ‘Digimortal’ (“What Will Come” and “Damaged”), new album, ‘Genexus’ (“Dielectric” and “Soul Hacker”), ‘Soul Of a New Machine’ (“Martyr”) and ‘Demanufac-

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Saint Ridley ture’ (“Demanufacture” and “Replica”).

Being the 20th anniversary of ‘Demanufacture’ I was surprised they didn’t play a couple more tracks from that album. They did play the 2 best songs at least. Noticeably absent from the set was anything from their release prior to ‘Genexus’, ‘The Industrialist.’

The band delivered a tight set without missing a beat. Guitarist Dino Cazeres riffed his way throughout the set without so much as breaking a sweat, Bassist Tony Campos (Static X, Prong, Ministry, Soulfly and Possessed) played as if he’d been in the band from day one, smiling at everyone he met eyes with. Drummer, Mike Heller brought some sorely needed fresh blood to the drum work and singer Burton C. Bell was top notch. Hitting all the highs and growling all the lows without too much effort. It was really great to see him in top form. With any singer, I am always concerned whether the years of touring have taken their toll or not. Alas, Bell wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

Jamey Jasta

I look forward to seeing Fear Factory doing a headline tour in the near future as their set was just entirely too short to truly enjoy.

Just as I was getting really into the music, they were finished.

After a set change that seemed a little too long, Coal Chamber finally took to the stage. With the lights turned down low, I suddenly found myself looking up at returning bass player Nadja Peulen towering above me on the stage’s edge. The band burst into their trademark opening song “Loco” and the crowd lost all sense of control. Bodies began flying, people were jumping up and down with the rhythm and the stage lights hadn’t even come fully on yet.

Coal Chamber is back.

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Dez ran across the stage smiling almost non-stop. He was in a great mood tonight. Guitarist, Miguel “Meegs” Rascon strutted his stuff, looking serious as always, but letting the audience know he was happy to be there with them. Drummer Mikey Cox was in top form behind the kit. It was almost impossible to see him behind all the bright overpowering lights on the stage and emanating from the large video screens on either side of him.

He was there though, and he made sure we all knew it. Not to be left out, Peulen spent the night running across both sides of the stage and engaging everyone in the process. Fans were happy to see her again and it was apparent she was happy to be there too.

The band played through some of their better known songs (“Big Truck,” “Fiend”, “Clock”, “Drove”, “No Home”, “Dark Days”, “I”, “Oddity”, “Rowboat” and“Somethiing Told Me”) as well as a few new ones from ‘Rivals’ (“Another Nail In The Coffin”, IOU Nothing” and “Rivals”) before finishing the set with crowd favorite “Sway” and I could not have been happier at the end.

I decided not to track by track this. Why? Partly due to space restraints and partly because choosing the highlights of a Coal Chamber set is NOT easy. I have never been overly on their studio output, but I’ll be damned if they can play one bad song, much less, note on stage.

This is a LIVE band and that is how you should see them. I have a love of this band live and tonight, I was reminded of how much I missed seeing them after all this time!

GO LOCO! -D. Salut / All live photos C. Gillespie (Be sure to check out www.hardattackmag.com for more live pictures from this show!)

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COMIN’ ATCHA! Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 27

MARTY FRIEDMAN / EXMORTUS Kansas City, MO Riot Room

COMIN’ ATCHA!

On this cool evening, I paused briefly before heading out the door wondering if I should change into something a tad warmer. Along with that, I had thoughts about tonight’s show. “Is there going to be a good turnout?”, “Am I going to be able to get into this opening act, Exmortus?”, “Fork, spoon or hatchet?!”

I decided it was a good bet to stay dressed lightly for the evening. As I arrived to the venue, I realized I had made the right choice judging by the line outside the door. It was going to be a packed show and therefore very warm inside (and the hatchet came in handy, working my way to the front door).

As I walked up, I noticed Marty bandmates outside the stage chatting away with his cohorts. inside the doors and prothat immediately let all of us going to be one hell of a show.

Friedman and some of his door undisturbed whilst Shortly after, they stepped ceeded to do a sound check outside know that this was

After a really tight opening set from local KC opening band Hellavate. The stage was cleared and drums reset for Exmortus. This band out of Whittier, CA is described as a “neoclassical shred quartet”. I gave their most recent single, “For the Horde” a quick listen to get a feel for the band and liked what I heard. An excellent band with what seemed to be expert chops musically, but I have been fooled before...

Not so this time. The band hit the stage in full stride and never slowed down once throughout the set.

With precision and extreme melodic sensibilities, this band was a perfect fit for Friedman fans.

From the first notes of “Rising” through “Slave To The Sword”, “Immortality Made Flesh”, “Foe Hammer “ (all from 2014’s ‘Slave To The Sword’) and the previously mentioned new single, “For the 28 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

Horde” before closing the show with the instrumental, “Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement” and my favorite “Metal Is King” these guys delivered note after note of extreme neoclassical headbanging ear nirvana.

Singer/guitarist Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez sang his heart out and played like a madman possessed.

David Rivera, the other guitarist and “new guy” to the band, played tightly alongside as if he’d been there from the start, never stuttering once in his abilities. Drummer Mario Moreno and bassist Michael Cosio held the rhythm to it’s insane pace with what seemed nary a sweat upon their brows.

Behold neoclassical shred fans, this band is going places!

After getting the crowd worked into a sweat filled frenzy, Exmortus left the stage and it was time for Marty and crew to take the stage.

The band assembled on the stage and stood around the drum set chanting a preshow ritual before swinging around and breaking into the intro riff of ”Hyper Doom” (from newest album, ‘Inferno’) along with “Amagi Goe” (a Japanese cover song), leaving every jaw in front of him on the floor.

With Arizona native Jordan Ziff on second guitar, Friedman continued to rip through song after song with passion. Meanwhile bassist, Kiyoshi seemed to be gleefully beating the crap out of her instrument and not missing a single note and cartoon maniac drummer Chargee pounding away as if his life depended on it. It was non-stop shred heaven of the highest order.

Aside from three tracks from ‘Inferno’, Marty concentrated on most of his older material, but the audience never seemed to mind. In fact, I am sure many of them were just happy to see Friedman doing what he does best.

Marty and company plowed through faithful versions of “Street Demon”, “Elixir” and “Stigmata Addiction” (all from ‘Loudspeaker’) after which Marty chatted with the audience and commented that he truly did not expect the US shows to turn out the way they have. He mentioned that he expected to see a lot of audience members “like this”, as he proceeded to cross his arms and stand there staring blankly at everyone mimicking the guitar nerd cliché. “Instead”, he exclaimed, ”You guys are all going insane!” “This is nothing like I was expecting and it is amazing to see this”.

The group finished out with “Devil Take Tomorrow” (from ‘Loudspeaker’), “Tibet/Angel” (from ‘Scenes’) before taking a short break to allow bassist Kiyoshi to shine.

Jordan Ziff

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COMIN’ ATCHA!

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Electrifying the audience with a bombastic solo, Kiyoshi showed that she could hold her own on stage. Her energy was a highlight of the show for me and I am afraid many may have missed just how good she was while watching the two guitar players command the stage. Friedman sure knows how to pick some great musicians.

The band then gave us all a kick ass surprise with a medley of “Ashes To Ashes”, “Forbidden City” and “Tornado Of Souls.”

After Ziff played a short, but great solo (much too short), Marty started chatting about Kansas City and the band broke out into a rollicking cover of “Kansas City” (by Leiber and Stoller) after which he quipped “We didn’t play that one in Saint Louis ...”

Marty then discussed the ‘Inferno’ album and asked the audience if they’d mind if he played some of it for us and then they plowed through “Inferno” and “Undertow” before breaking away from that album’s material for “Dragon Mistress” (from ‘Dragon’s Kiss’) in which he brought up an audience member to jam along with the band as he has been doing on this tour.

A medley of “Thunder March/Ballad of the Barbie Bandits” and the encore “Kaeritakunatta Yo” (another Japanese cover), closed out the night and the band left the stage and an audience full of very sweaty and happy campers.

-D. Salut / All photos by Sick Addiction Studios View more photos from this show at www.hardattackmag.com

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COMIN’ ATCHA!

GHOST Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall

This is a tour I have been looking forward to since I last saw Ghost in April of 2014. I would have gladly gone and seen the band on the short acoustic tour they did briefly before their latest album ‘Meliora’ was released, but alas, the group didn’t schedule any dates close enough to me. So, I waited patiently.

Then, the tour began, The anticipation was practically killing me. I kept seeing cool new photos and reviews of shows, the live photos, the song lists, the pictures of merchandise (IGOTTAHAVETHATSHIRTWITHTHEPOPEKISSINGPAPASRING!). It was almost unbearable.

Finally, my day was upon me. My companion and I made an evening of it. Driving into Lawrence from Kansas City, eating at a local Greek restaurant just down the street and then getting in line (that had been forming since earlier that afternoon) and waiting for the doors to open.

We beelined to the merch table and promptly spent too much money (don't we all do that from time to time?) and then headed upstairs to claim our seats for the show. We could have hung out at the cramped barricade by the stage, but upstairs provided a much nicer, yet still very close view of the stage.

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At 8:30pm sharp, the house lights dimmed and Purson opened the show. I can't really say much about the band. They struck me as a “hippie / psychedelia” band. The mix was pretty bland sounding and I really couldn’t judge the band overall. At this point I was actually worried about the sound in the venue because of this.

The band finished, the stage was reset and the lights dimmed once again. The drifting music of the band’s intro “The Masked Ball” fell across the audience alongside the smell of incense.

Suddenly Ghost pounded onto the stage with opener, “Spirit”, a rocking adrenaline fueled preview of what the night had to hold (my earlier worries about the bland sound disappeared at this point, as the sound was amazing). The crowd roared loudly, but not as loud as when the driving bass lines of “From the Pinnacle to the Pit” kicked off. I was crouched down in front taking photos for the first three songs and I could barely hear the band over the almost deafening drone of the crowd singing along. This was no ordinary concert, this was a “Ritual,” which incidentally, was the third, very fitting song played.

Papa paused to speak to everyone throughout the show. Peppering his speech with his usual tongue in cheek (and sometimes outright) humor.

The crowd ate up every single word coming off of the stage.

They then tore into “Con Clavi Con Dio” and crowd sing along favorite “Per Aspera Ad Inferi.”

The powerful “Majesty” was followed by the (once again crowd stirring) bass driven “Prime Mover.”

The spirits were moving in heavy symphony tonight. At this point it was becoming clear that this was a more fierce and tighter playing bunch than the year before. There was something about the rhythm section and it was showing in spades.

They were unstoppable.

More crowd favorites in the enchanting “Night of the Witch” and the eating of the flesh storyline of “Body and Blood” were delivered until the band broke into the instrumental “Devil Church.” The band then segued into the ever so appropriate “Cirice” and out of the darkness came Papa in a fresh costume change. The same one he wore for the short acoustic tour mentioned earlier. The ladies were swooning and when Papa grabbed one woman's hand and serenaded her with, “Can't you see that you’re lost without me?” I was

shocked she didn’t pass out from the overwhelming experience she was clearly having. That's the power in being able to lead an audience well and Papa does it with ease.

“Year Zero” and “Spoksonat” were followed by what was possibly the pinnacle moment of the night. The powerful “He Is,” a hymn to the masses if you will, that brought pure goose bumps to my flesh (and probably everyone else around me).

The audience was listening and mesmerized and chanting the song word for word.

At this point you would have thought any band would be done. But Ghost was far from finished.

The cry out for “Absolution” was followed by a short ditty from Papa about the one thing everyone seems to worship and be willing to die for – money - and that is the premise of the next song “Mummy Dust,” a wicked piercing song with all the vibe of a horror movie soundtrack.

Things slowed down with an acoustic rendition of “Jigolo Har Megiddo.” Papa then warned the crowd of their behavior when introducing the “Sisters of the Night.” Local girls recruited as nuns to hand out “communion” during “Ghulah / Zombie Queen”, his humorous “No touchy touchy” at the end was met with laughter.

The band finished out the show with their now all too familiar cover of Roky Erickson’s “If You Have Ghosts” and the groundbreaking “Monstrance Clock.” “Another song about sex …” quipped Papa.

As I said earlier, this was no ordinary concert. A Ghost show is an event and a ritual, as the band’s loyal followers have come to coin the shows. The “Ritual” is truly a bonding experience among the fans. If there was ever a more welcoming brotherhood (and sisterhood) of fans, I'd be hard pressed to meet them.

ALL HAIL GHOST! -Chris Gillespie All photos Chris Gillespie More photos from this show at www.hardattackmag.com

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COMIN’ ATCHA!

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A Short Conversation with Marky Ramone

Alongside The Sex Pistols and The Clash, New York greasers, The Ramones were 70’s Punk Rock Royalty. The elite amongst the unwashed or the Kings of Grime, if you will.

Recently Hard Attack’s Queen was granted an audience for a short time with Marky Ramone, drummer for the band from 1978 – 1983 and then again from 1987 – 1996. The last surviving “known” member of The Ramones, Marky has just had his autobiography, ‘Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life As a Ramone’ released and he has stories to tell.

When you look back at how music shaped itself the mid 70’s was truly an amazing time and especially when The Ramones blasted onto the punk scene. I always have great respect for those artists that take the time to write it all down and share the memories with the rest of the world. There will never be another time quite like the 70's and 80's when music dripped with the rebellion that created so many different explosions of creativity.

Marky Ramone and his book ‘Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life As a Ramone” is full of all those great trials and tribulations and music movements that made up The Ramones in all their candid glory and it's also great to see this musical legend still doing what he loves.

You might remember a few of his television appearances - in 1993 when he appeared with The Ramones in The Simpsons episode “Rosebud,” his 2001 appearance on MTV accepting his lifetime achievement award presented by Bono of U2. A very special moment indeed. Do I need to even mention "Rock N Roll High School"!?!

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Marky Ramone is best known for the 15 years he spent drumming for the legendary Ramones.

He joined the band in the spring of 1978 and in a matter of weeks he was in the studio recording the ‘Road to Ruin’ album which features “I Wanna Be Sedated” – one of the band’s most popular songs.

The following year the Ramones filmed the cult classic “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” and later that year, they joined forces with producer legend, Phil Spector to record ‘End of the Century.’

Fast forward to 2010 when The Ramones received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the first for the band.

Queen: I just finished reading “Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life As a Ramone” I love this book. It's a great read!

Marky: Thanks! It took 5 years in the making and that was the result.

Queen: Marky you come from that era where there was just so much going on, I mean Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and later on into the 70’s and it seemed like the punk scene was growing, thriving and finding it's place in society and you were so involved with all of that. What was it like back then when Tommy came to you and asked you to join the band?

Marky: Well he wanted to leave and produce so Tommy suggested to the other Ramones, being a drummer, to get me in the band. They always used to see me with my other groups before they were the Ramones. I had done five albums before I joined the Ramones and it was that simple and we booked

a rehearsal, did 3 songs, and it all worked out and the first song that I recorded with them was “I Wanna Be Sedated.”

Queen: I was talking to a friend of mine just the other day and they asked me if I remembered “Rock and Roll High School” and I said of course. I mean, come on, who doesn’t?

Marky: Yes that one was a whole other story haha. And that's in the book!

Queen: I was reading about all the zany things you guys went through. You know you've had this very original “flair” in your life as did those guys and it seems like you really “clicked” when you all got together.

Marky: Yeah I mean we were brothers. We were a family and we were bandmates. Once we hit that stage the chemical reaction, whatever you want to call it, took over and we became one. Um, if there were any petty animosities that brothers do have sometimes we would leave that off the stage.

We traveled in a Ford Econoline fifteen passenger van for fifteen years, that's how long I was in the group.

We did 1700 shows and so when you're trapped and there's nowhere to go in a van - I don't know what the cubic feet was – but, you know you're going to have little animosities. The thing to do is get rid of them as soon as you can because they “If you’re gonna write a book it better be truthful and you can fester you know. We were different people with different better be truthful about yourself. If you’re gonna talk about personalities and maybe that's what created our sound. That other people and be honest about them you’ve gotta be honest wall of sound that the Raabout yourself.” mones are known for.

Queen: I would love to have been able to sit on one of your rehearsals.

Marky: You know I used to take a camera around with me everywhere and I have 400 tapes of The Ramones all over the world but I would have given anything to have had a camera at that first day’s rehearsal.

Queen: Tell me a little bit about that!

Marky: Well it was in a rehearsal studio in New York City in mid Manhattan and we were all there and I only had to do three songs to see if my style was adequate to theirs and it worked. Tommy was there just in case I needed to ask him anything because he was already in the band for three and a half years. It was that simple, we basically did songs off the first album and one off the third album. The fourth album wasn't recorded yet.

Queen: You know what I appreciate the most is when an artist like yourself will put a book like this out there Marky: Well you know my old man told me … he said, ‘if you're gonna write a book it better be truthful and you better be truthful about yourself. If you're gonna talk about other people - which I observed with my band mates - and be honest about them you’ve gotta be honest about yourself, your personality.’ What you're made out of you know? So I always took that to heart and realized he was right when I started the book years ago.

Unfortunately, our conversation is cut short as Marky has to move on to his next interview in the cattle call situation we were in but if you’re a Ramones fan and a fan of that era of music in general then ‘Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life As a Ramone’ is a must read Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 39

Queensryche’s Todd La Torre explains to Hard Attack’s Chris G. why everyone should always do their homework.

In the annals of rock, when a band loses a singer with a trademark vocal style, they rarely recover. The bands that have been able to find success with a new singer can usually be counted on just one hand. One of those bands is Queensryche. With new vocalist Todd La Torre now in his third year (going on four) and the band having released a second album with this line up, it is apparent that this group is firing on all cylinders and is ready to once again prove that they still have more to give to their fans.

Whether you love or hate the band’s current incarnation, there’s no denying the tenacity and freshness of their last two albums that prove the band feeling restored and reinvigorated. Just off a fresh tour with the Scorpions, Todd took the time to sit down with us and answer some riddles.

HA: Thanks for sitting down and doing this interview today!

Todd: You are very welcome, glad I can do this for you.

HA: How has the reception to 'Condition Human’ been so far?

Todd LaTorre: Good, everyone seems to enjoying it, and with a new record you never know how it's going to be received and it's been a real step up in progression. We had more time to write and arrange the songs on this album, really analyze them, and do them right.

HA: You are on a tour break right now right? What's happening moving forward?

Todd: Well we just finished a tour with the Scorpions and then we have four or five more shows left until the end of the year. In January we will be starting another tour. The Monsters of Rock Tour in February HA: I noticed a date for Kansas City on February 1, 2016.

Todd: I don't know about that. I just got the details that we were looking to line up our tour support and final 40 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

dates are not announced yet. I met with the guys earlier and Michael (Wilton - guitarist) brought up to management that he'd seen that date posted. It was either a wrong date (editors note: It was a wrong date and announced prematurely) or a show we don't have scheduled. Management is looking into it.

while listening to the music. With your new album I caught myself doing the same.

There are so many elements to your new album cover, like I see an airplane on the floor under the girl. Is that possibly a nod to Chris DeGarmo?

HA: That is weird, well I do hope that you'll get a date in KC as you have not played there with Queensryche yet.

Todd: Actually no, that is incorrect. You are onto something though. Every item on that cover is linked to a song on the album. It's like a game of course, you need to just follow the clues. Like the song “Bulletproof”, well there are shotgun shells behind the mirror. The song 'Hourglass' is represented by the sewing machine as a friend of mine and I were upholsterers and he passed away so this was my tribute to him.

Todd: Yes, it is strange. This new tour coming up we are supposed to hit up several places we have not been to so I hope that will work out actually!

HA: Now you have two albums out, both on vinyl, a format that had been pretty much dead for a long time. You being pretty much my age, how does it feel to have your albums on vinyl?

Todd: It's awesome! The whole new resurgence in vinyl has been a great thing. People just don't understand the feeling of being able to hold a tangible thing like an album in their hands in this disposable, throwaway world of computers and everything at your fingertips.

“Every item on that cover is linked to a song on the album.

It’s like a game of course, you need to just follow the clues.”

To be able to hold that and look at the cover and admire the artwork while listening to the record is so cool. I think a lot of it is still a novelty though. People will buy the record and never open them. The record just sits on a shelf so they can show it off. There are some though, who buy two records so they can still open one and leave the other sealed, the collectors.

We are very lucky to be signed to a label that supports that (releasing albums on vinyl).

HA: Speaking of album art, I am a big fan of that, growing up I would scan the covers of albums such as KISS'S 'Destroyer' album

I sat down with the concept of this album in mind and we really worked on what we wanted it to be. Like you'll see the girl wiping the dust off the window and where she wiped it away so far is the “TriRyche” logo.

On the back of the album, there are faces in the rocks and it's supposed to be the outside looking up to the house the girl is in.

For the lyrics, we were trying to decide what to do when we decided the floorboards should be a part of it. We finally decided that they should be scratched into the floor as if the innocent little girl who seemed “pure” herself did them, adding a darker, more sinister feel to the art. So the lyrics were scratched onto the floors by her and she got it bloody while doing it with her nails.

HA: So you truly sat down and thought out the entire album as a whole? A rare thing today.

Todd: Some people don't understand or like it when you do something that makes them think, I mean, we still get people asking “Who Killed Mary?” We want the listener to take the time and have to peel back the layers. Our last album was a simple and obvious cover so to speak, but with this one we wanted to go back and start making people think again.

The fact that you looked at the cover and asked me that question about it shows me that's what is happening and I think that it's really cool, that's what we wanted!

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HA: Looking back on your career, is there anything you would change?

Todd: No. Everything that has happened has happened for a reason and is as it should be today. I mean, I would have loved it if I could have been asked to be in Queensryche in 1995, but I would not have been as good of a singer back then and it might not have worked, so no.

HA: Would you ever revisit Crimson Glory?

Todd: No, I am pretty happy where I am at.

HA: Listening to your two albums with Queensryche. I can say that in the history of bands replacing their singers, it is rare to make it work. AC/DC had Brain Johnson, although that was because of the loss of Bon Scott, and pulled it off. I mean outside of that band, I can't name someone who has come in and seamlessly filled those shoes vocal wise like you have with Queensryche I can close my eyes and listen to the music and I get chills, it's so good. Have you gone back and listened to these two albums yourself?

Any thoughts on that?

it, I've spent too much time making them!” I did watch the “Guardian” video several times just to take it in. I also watched the recent Wacken video of our show with over 80,000 people. I mean, I lived it and experienced it and I will cherish that experience, it was like no other.

When we do videos, I will often watch the edits over and over until we get a good final version and you reach a point where you are just “FUCK! I'm over it!” (chuckles). You're glad it's done and you're proud of it.

HA: Looking back to when you first joined the band as “Rising West” and as it morphed into Queensryche once again, how would you say it has changed dynamically for you in the band?

“We still get people asking “Who Killed Mary?” We want the listener to take the time and have to peel back the layers.”

Todd: Well thank you! I generally don't tend to listen to my own albums. I don't even own a copy of the first one (laughs). I had like five copies and I gave them all away to family and friends. So I haven't really heard it since we put it out. I don't have a copy of the new one either (laughs). I mean, I don't go driving around in my car listening to myself. After being immersed in it for a year and a half, I just get myself away from it. I listen to it day to day during that time and then outside of the final mixes, I am done.

HA: Kind of like actors who don't see their own movies then?

Todd: Yeah kind of. We've done some videos and when they come out my friends are all “this video is so cool” and all I'm thinking is “I don't want to watch 42 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

Todd: It's been an honor as well as a surreal experience. The chemistry has been awesome and the band is really close. We all get along really well and have a great deal of mutual respect for one another. It leads to very healthy touring experiences as well.

If someone writes a song and another member doesn't like it, they will just say it. We don't argue about it, and no one is walking away hurt by it. This band is a real family and they have fully embraced me as an equal member.

Over three years out now and it feels good. Queensryche solidifies my roots and I am grounded in this band. We are very democratic and we keep moving forward.

HA: Being the outsider when everything was going down. What would you have to say about your band mates now versus then as far as happiness?

Todd: The band is much happier now. It's really reflected on the stage and in our music. All the guys are writing their own music again and the band is not a heavy metal band playing with adult contemporary

style vocals anymore. The constraints are gone and the band has really shown that. Can you imagine what it would have been like being Michael Wilton back then and having someone write with outside writers and being given a song and told “Here, play this?” That had to have been pretty hard. So yes, much happier.

HA: So after all this, are you still a really big fan of the band as well?

Todd: The stuff up to ‘Empire’ is still some of my favorites. I remember getting some of the later albums and thinking that the music was really good and then the vocals would start and at that point I was over them. In 2011 I had a friend who had an extra ticket to see the band and she wanted to give it to me so I would go with her. I told her to sell the ticket or whatever as I really did not want to see them, but she insisted and I went. I completely lost interest in the band after that.

When I was finally playing with the band the first time they said “What songs do you want to do?” and I told them “The Warning,” “En Force,” “Child of Fire,” stuff like that and they were so surprised and happy with that. I told them this is the stuff I wanted to hear!

They asked me if I knew one particular song so they could play it and I said ‘I’ve never heard of it, what record was it off of?’ They said 'Promised Land'’ and I said I own it and I've only ever listened to it once! So, no. (laughs) I always remind myself though that there is always someone out there that's better and can do better than me. With this band though, we are doing what we want to do. I'm not rapping over an adult contemporary style song at least. We are a heavy metal band and we like to have some good subject matter and allowed to be an intelligent band.

HA: Like the band originally was?

songs to play live.

HA: So you started as a drummer and here you are as a singer all these years later. Is there one that you prefer over the other?

Todd: I love 'em both. Behind the kit you are the back bone and heart of the band and when you are locked in with the bass there is nothing like it.

Being in the front, I am able to engage with the fans and express myself vocally and with emotion, reaching out to everyone around me. They are both very different from one another but I love them both for their own reasons.

HA: Is there anything questions you would love to be asked or anything you'd like to say?

Todd: That’s a good question. There is not anything I can think of offhand. I get a lot of interviews and yes it's a lot of the same questions like “How did you come to join Queensryche” and I'm all “I've been in the band three and a half years, have you done your homework?”

I understand that not everyone knows the history of the band, but the constant questions about stuff like Geoff Tate, ya know? We just finished touring with the Scorpions, stuff like that.

Thinking off hand, questions about influential stuff or funny road experiences are ok, but it seems like people just aren't creative about their questioning.

You are one of the few that actually asked about the artwork, that's so cool, this has been a great interview!

We like forward thinking. Questions like “what are things musically that you want to do?” and “what would you like to achieve”?

HA: What are your favorite songs to play live right now?

HA: Well thank you for the compliment, I'm a little rusty still, but getting back into the swing of it! Thank you again so much for your time Todd! You have been awesome to speak to.

Todd: “Warning,” “The Whisper,” “NM156” and “Arrow of Time” are my favorites right now, just really fun

Todd: You’re welcome and thank you! We'll see you all on the road in 2016!

Todd: Yes!

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It’s Story Time What do you get when you cross Lily Tomlin, the variety show antics of Carol Burnett, brilliant musical production and a guitarist featured as one of the Twenty Most Extraordinary Female Guitarists in Guitar Player Magazine? You get One- Eyed Doll!

When I discovered that One Eyed Doll was only a two-piece band I was quite skeptical about their performance. Now that I have experienced a One-Eyed Doll show, allow me to clarify, this little two piece band has a HUGE sound, in fact you don’t even really miss a standard bass player or a second guitar player not being present on stage.

This show is not only a band playing music but it is true performance art live.

Kimberly Freeman recently stated that analytics showed One-Eyed Doll appeals to more of an all-ages group, rather than a straight over 21 bar crowd. From what I saw live this band appeals to absolutely everyone. There were parents with

Right after sound check we caught up with Kimberly and Jason (aka Junior) for a quick interview.

HA: What is one thing about the new album that shows how the band has progressed musically?

KF: The producer… (looks at Jason) JS: We were actually studying modes when we wrote this album. So a lot of this in is some strange modes. Most music is in either a major or

teenaged kids, young adults in their 20’s, people I see at all the metal shows, in fact I was at the front of the stage sandwiched in between a big buff biker metal head Slayer kind of guy on my left, and a transgender or transvestite 6’3 in heels on my right side. That is pretty damn diversified if you ask me!

a minor key. There an infinite amount of modes but there are actually 5 other major modes that you can use for music. We kind of explored that in this album. We also did a lot of stuff on mandolin and banjo on this album; we spent a good amount of time in the red wood in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California writing.

Instantly you got that childlike feeling of Lily Tomlin sitting in her giant oversized rocking chair(am I dating myself here?) every time Freeman shouted out “It’s story time!” But also like watching Lily, you couldn’t wait to see what story Kimberly would tell next, or what song the story would lead you into. Because as we all know every song tells a story. During the show Kimberly would go to her giant magic trunk, and put on different hats or accessories to enhance her stories. I suddenly felt like I was in the middle of the Carol Burnett Show. One -Eyed Doll is a mixture of variety, storytelling, bad ass Nancy Wilson-esque guitar playing and refreshingly new innovative music.

HA: Kimberly what does Jason (aka Junior) have that the previous 4 drummers have not had?

KF: That’s an interesting question…every line up of this band has brought something special to the group. Everyone has had their strengths. Junior has been with the band since the first album.

That’s because he has been recording a lot of our songs, and actually playing on them. He is in the liner notes as a musician on every single album, even before he joined the band. Jason is a multiinstrumentalist, amazing producer, engineer, writer and composer. What doesn’t he bring is the question.

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HA: So not only are you a drummer but you are also a producer, do you produce any other bands?

JS: Yeah..I think I’ve made over 100 albums, mostly local bands I started in Sacramento I did a lot of hip hop there. In 2005 I moved to Austin and also recorded a lot of bands there. You probably haven’t heard of many of them.

HA: How did it feel to be recognized by Guitar Player Magazine on their list of Top 20 female guitarists.

KF: Well I’m glad they recognized that I am a female, that was cool ... some people don’t see that right away. In fact I can totally pass as a boy if I don’t have any make up and my hair up in a hat, just wearing T-Shirt and jeans. And that they know I play guitar, that’s also nice. Actually they put me on this list of 20 extraordinary female guitarists. There were some really amazing ladies on that list and I am honored and humbled to be listed among such greatness.

HA: What do you consider One-Eyed Doll biggest accomplishment so far.

JS: This has been a really good tour. Our first headlining tour, since we have been out with a bunch of other headlining acts, that have been super awesome to take us out; OTEP, Mushroomhead, and Wayne Static. So this is our first time headlining the whole country, and it has been really awesome. Great turn outs every night and I am really proud of that.

KF: There have been a lot of just moments on this tour that have made me feel like, this is my career right here right now. We have been pushing really hard to have all-ages shows, seeing those kids and teenagers singing along with the songs does something for me that nothing else can do.

It is humbling and sometimes it stops me in my tracks.

HA: What advice would you give to woman starting in this industry?

KF: Hmm, I’m not sure I am the person to give advice to anyone because I have probably have done everything the hard way. It’s taken me this long to get where we are at. Especially when you start out you will run into a lot of misogyny, in different forms, people will try to put to you

down. There will be these guys that it’s almost like they’re offended or fearful of seeing a girl on stage being powerful or in control of an audience.

They will try to stop you, ruin your shows or ruin your meet and greets, but remember to keep your chin up. Don’t let them or anyone kill your spirit.

The best advice I ever got was from my grandpa Bernie Jones, who the band is named for, he was a performer all his life with one eye. I told Bernie I have these songs and I want to be a performer like you, and he said “Play guitar”, I said “ I’m not sure it’s kinda late to start playing now” he said “ You can’t rely on anyone in this world, especially musicians, so you better learn to back yourself up. You write your own music, you perform your own music, and if everyone in your band bails on you, you can still play that gig. Learn to play guitar. So I went and learned that guitar.

HA: What is the one thing you would like to see One-Eyed Doll achieve?

JS: At one point one of my big goals as a musician was to record with a legendary producer, at an amazing studio. We have actually achieved that now with Sylvia Massey.

KF: She is seriously a legendary producer. She actually embraced us and we lived in her studio in between tours. We would play on different albums she was working on, Jason would do some engineering. She is a magical being of music and light.

HA: What will you guys being doing for the rest of 2015?

JS: We are booking another tour right now. We won’t be talking about it because it is not ready to be talked about yet. (smiles) Of course we will be back in the studio writing music for our next album.

KF: Everybody is so excited about how well this tour is working out, that they are already working on what we will be doing for the rest of the year.

We have so much music that is not even out yet. (laughs) We are so far ahead. When we are off the road we are always writing and recording. I was asked in an interview recently what are my hobbies… I couldn’t come up with one. All we (points to Jason) ever do is make music. This is what fun is for us, I don’t want to do anything else.

-Phoenix Romero Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 45

Still

No Respect

Davy Vain talks Elvis, Coconuts, Recording and the “dreaded” Day Job. The music industry landscape is littered with bands that were “one hit wonders” and never seen again. Some are still slugging it out years later even. However, a large section of those bands just don’t seem to have the chops to match their legacy. (Hell, there’s some bands out there whose fame and popularity are downright baffling!)

Then there are a few times every generation that there will be a band that comes along that seems to have everything needed to be the best at what they do. The best melodies and hooks, excellent musicianship, a great singer and for the ladies, a lead singer that can make hearts melt. But somehow, they don’t get the recognition they truly deserve. “No respect” you might even say.

Vain is one of those bands.

Vain is not known for touring the States on any kind of regular basis. Most of the band’s members have successful endeavors in other fields and are very good at what they do. When the band does assemble, it’s a no-holds barred wild rock n roll ride fans won’t soon forget.

Earlier this year, the band decided to play a three date mini tour of sorts in the US and I jumped at the chance to interview Davy when the opportunity arose. I did not walk away disappointed.

You just played three shows, San Jose. The homecoming show? Is that right?

Yes. And then you did the Whisky A Go Go and of course The Buffalo Rose In Golden Colorado. How was it? All three shows?

It was great man! The Whisky last night, of course, when you’re playing, like, a major city, that’s like the most exciting. Because you know it’s a major city, and you got more industry people coming out and other big name people so you want to make sure you’re happening.

We actually, er James Scott, our original guitar player and Shawn Rorie, kind of the “next guy in line”, they 46 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

both live really far away. So only one rehearsal before the shows. So the Whisky was our second show.

Every show went pretty damn good. So I am pretty happy.

“WOW! Why didn’t we use that?” ya know? Then writing new stuff so you kind of get like a time capsule of kind of back what we did then and where we’re kind of at now.

So what’s the future for Vain right now?

What’s that looking like?

So what I think what we’re going to do, you know because we have a label and you know I am so busy in the studio. The studio is always booked with other people that work there too and then somebody said “you should do the Kickstarter thing”. So I think we’re gonna try that for the next record and just, that way we can have enough, book enough time to just really get it done and not be kind of “everybody doing so many different projects at the time.

Um, I think we’re kind of going to ramp it back up again more, because everybody really dug being together again so much. Jaime’s been so busy because he has his own amplifier company, 3rd Power.

Best sounding amps ever. So he’s been busy, and I’ve been producing a lot of stuff. So now what I think we’re going to do is start working on a new record with this line up when we can. All these guys and then we’re going to play the Rock Cruise in 2016. Then probably fire up some more shows more in America.

Maybe some East Coast and maybe some more stuff.

That sounds awesome, have you already written some songs at all, or got some ideas?

Yeah, Yeah. I got a lot of ideas and a lot of old Vain songs, kind of like on the last record, that we never used. I’ve been going through, ya know, hundreds of hours of practice tapes and just finding gems like

So you’ll still be producing?

Yes, exactly.

Are you going to try to put it out on vinyl with this whole vinyl resurgence thing going on?

Yeah, because when I produce, I record everything to analog and I mix down to analog too. So, I really dig analog a lot.

So what do you think about everyone going

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kind of crazy for vinyl again?

I love it. I’ve always gone to tape. It’s funny because there’s so much stuff in a recording studio. The best mics, the best pre-amps. All this other equipment.

When I mix down to analog tape, that’s what musicians notice more than anything. You know they’re like “Wow, what’s that sound? It’s so cool.” Ya know?

What kind of board are you using?

I’ve got a vintage MCI console and so I use that and I also have a lot of outboard pre-amps like Neve, uh, V72’s, like Beatles era. CalRec which is 70’s stuff and vintage mics and you know lots of vintage gear.

Vintage compressors. Compressors are a really big part of it. The MCI is really musical and really cool. I love that board. I mean ‘Back In Black’ was done on that and you know, even ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ lots of different stuff.

That sounds pretty kick ass. So what’s your favorite thing that you’ve recorded, or produced over all the years?

Oh God, I uh, it’s hard to pick just one thing ya know?

Um, my favorite mix I think I did, was … I just did a mix for this album that’s coming out called ‘The Guitar Man.’ It’s a compilation, I mixed a few songs on it. I did the mix for Neal Schon and Sammy Hagar’s cover of “Thank You,” an old Sly and the Family Stone song. That mix is pretty cherry. But, it’s hard to pick ant one thing that’s a favorite when it comes to music.

Basically like your children, hard to pick one over the other?

Yeah exactly!

That sounds cool. I am looking forward to hearing that track.

Okay, lets have a little fun here. You’re on a desert island and you can have only one famous person with you to keep you entertained, alive or dead. Who would it be?

To entertain me huh? And is it music, or?

Anything.

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Well if it wasn’t music, the first thing that came to my mind, believe it or not, wasn’t music. Like Elvis or Richard Pryor ya know?

Cuz’ I’d be on a desert island. Maybe if it was one guy. Even if he was good, I’d be like, I’ve fucking had enough of that. But Richard Pryor, or some brilliant comedian can maybe keep us feeling good. Cuz’ he’d be fucking making jokes or having an upbeat attitude ya know?

I don’t know I thought of Elvis cuz’ he’s not even my favorite, but he’d probably be a good just be a ya know (singing like Elvis) “These coconuts are so gooood...”. It’d maybe be kind of funny too because he could entertain you different ways. He’s done a lot of movies too. Where like, even though I love, like, Steven Tyler. You know he’d be, I think Steven Tyler out of all those. He’d be pretty good because he’d be funny and still be able to sing, so that’s a hard one!

It’s hard picking one thing. I’m greedy I want it all! (laughs) You’re done touring. You’ve got all your priorities out of the way and no responsibilities. If you could do anything you wanted right now, what would you be doing?

God. I’d probably just be doing what I do. I love it so much. I’d be in the studio, ya know. Just working on new music. Or I’d be on vacation with my chick and I’d play with my dogs. Going to maybe like, I love nature-y -is that a word? - shit. Looking for animals and ya know, something like that if I wasn’t doing what I love to do.

So you’re really in your element right now.

Yeah and California’s got some really nice shit too, but this (Golden, Colorado) is beautiful all around here. I love this. (chuckles) After all these years, are there any favorite tour memories for you? Anything that stands out?

There’s a lot, but I think probably one of the top ones was the first time we played Hammersmith Odeon in the UK with Skid Row. And Lemmy was there and so was Robert Plant.

Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 49

kind of crazy for vinyl again?

I love it. I’ve always gone to tape. It’s funny because there’s so much stuff in a recording studio. The best mics, the best pre-amps. All this other equipment.

When I mix down to analog tape, that’s what musicians notice more than anything. You know they’re like “Wow, what’s that sound? It’s so cool.” Ya know?

What kind of board are you using?

I’ve got a vintage MCI console and so I use that and I also have a lot of outboard preamps like Neve, uh, V72’s, like Beatles era. CalRec which is 70’s stuff and vintage mics and you know lots of vintage gear. Vintage compressors. Compressors are a really big part of it. The MCI is really musical and really cool.

I love that board.

I mean ‘Back In Black’ was done on that and you know, even ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ lots of different stuff.

That sounds pretty kick ass. So what’s your favorite thing that you’ve recorded, or produced over all the years?

Oh God, I uh, it’s hard to pick just one thing ya know?

Um, my favorite mix I think I did, was … I just did a mix for this album that’s coming out called ‘The Guitar Man.’ It’s a compilation, I mixed a few songs on it. I did the mix for Neal Schon and Sammy Hagar’s cover of “Thank You,” an old Sly and the Family Stone song. That mix is pretty cherry. But, it’s hard to pick ant one thing that’s a favorite when it comes to music.

Basically like your children, hard to pick one over the other?

Yeah exactly!

50 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

That sounds cool. I am looking forward to hearing that track.

Okay, lets have a little fun here. You’re on a desert island and you can have only one famous person with you to keep you entertained, alive or dead. Who would it be?

To entertain me huh? And is it music, or?

Anything.

Well if it wasn’t music, the first thing that came to my mind, believe it or not, wasn’t music.

Like Elvis or Richard Pryor ya know?

Cuz’ I’d be on a desert island.

Maybe if it was one guy. Even if he was good, I’d be like, I’ve fucking had enough of that. But Richard Pryor, or some brilliant comedian can maybe keep us feeling good. Cuz’ he’d be fucking making jokes or having an upbeat attitude ya know?

I don’t know I thought of Elvis cuz’ he’s not even my favorite, but he’d probably be a good just be a ya know (singing like Elvis) “These coconuts are so gooood...”. It’d maybe be kind of funny too because he could entertain you different ways. He’s done a lot of movies too. Where like, even though I love, like, Steven Tyler. You know he’d be, I think Steven Tyler out of all those. He’d be pretty good because he’d be funny and still be able to sing, so that’s a hard one!

It’s hard picking one thing. I’m greedy I want it all! (laughs) You’re done touring. You’ve got all your priorities out of the way and no responsibilities. If you could do anything you wanted right now, what would you be doing?

God. I’d probably just be doing what I do. I love it so much. I’d be in the studio, ya know. Just working on new music. Or I’d be on vacation with my chick and I’d play with my dogs. Going to maybe like, I love nature-y -is that a word? - shit. Looking for animals and ya know, something like that if I wasn’t doing what I love to do.

So you’re really in your element right now.

Yeah and California’s got some really nice shit too, but this (Golden, Colorado) is beautiful all around here. I love this. (chuckles) After all these years, are there any favorite tour memories for you? Anything that stands out?

Skid Row. And Lemmy was there and so was Robert Plant.

There’s a lot, but I think probably one of the top ones was the first time we played Hammersmith Odeon in the UK with

I was in my dressing room by myself and my tour manager somebody wants to come in and say hi, and I’m like “okay” and Robert Plant walks in and sits down right next to me alone in the room. It freaked me out!

He’s like (in mock accent) “Hello, I came to see you sing tonight. I heard you’re kind of the new cool original voice”. I’m like “Oh my God!” Ya know? That was pretty mind blowing! Then he hung out for awhile and then split.

After the whole show was over, then Lemmy got on stage and it was all us, Skid Row and then Lemmy was standing right next to me and we were doing “Train Kept A Rollin’”. So that whole show, the first time at Hammersmith, which was such a famous place and finally feeling like the band was blowing up in Europe. That was probably the top one.

That is sweet. I can’t imagine just how cool that must have been!

Before we go, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans reading this?

Yeah! I’d just like to tell the fans ya know, we’re getting ready to do a new thing. Keep checking davyvain.com, we’re going to try and launch this whole new thing pretty soon. Do this cool Kickstarter thing and include all kinds of special things for the fans, my management has the whole idea for it. At first I didn’t want to do it. It’s kind of weird, you’re begging fans. And they’re going “No they’re all part of it and they’re pissed cuz’ it takes so long to do music. They’d rather get it now. So you hurry up and finish it”. So that’s kind of the next plan.

So check it out and keep your eyes on the website or go to the Facebook Vain page and like it and check out what’s going on there.

-Interview and photos by Chris Gillespie. Check out www.hardattackmag.com for more exclusive live photos!

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ON

. . .

E S I R E TH

In the music world there are always rumors. Whispers and hushed comments about bands that seem to lie somewhere in the mystic realm of undiscovered territory. Stories of wild and reckless abandon. Jaw dropping stories of parties, shows, photo shoots and music videos that seem to be made up in order to further contribute to urban legends. Ones that can't possibly be true... or are they?

One such band is the now defunct (and once very real) but still legendary Trashcan Darlings. Out of those ashes arose a new band from their former guitar player Chris Damien Doll's vivid recognition of what a real rock and roll band should be, Suicide Bombers. An over the top and overall fantastic experience of what the cosmos has to offer to fans of hard rock-bubble glam punk meets heavy metal world of ear nirvana.

I recently got a chance to sit and chat with founder Chris Damien Doll recently despite his busy schedule of touring, writing and possibly trying to avoid any entanglements with the law....

HA: A lot of people out there know that you were in a band prior to this called the Trashcan Darlings. That band is no longer at this point. Can you tell me how you came about transitioning from the more punk style of TD versus the more straight ahead glam pop hard rock of Suicide Bombers?

Chris: I have always loved hard rock! We did those type of songs in Trashcan Darlings too, but the main direction there was always glamour punk. When it came time to start a new band I just felt like focusing more on this type of music and doing something fresh and new, rather than to start the same band again with different members, kinda.

HA: Being in Norway, a so -called "Black Metal" stomping ground, did you have a difficult time finding people with the same musical directions as yourself?

Chris: It took a lot of time to get the right members for this band, but that was more down to me, and later us as the members started to arrive, knew that we were looking for special characters and all very different musicians from the ones I had played with before. So I started with a blank piece of paper, more or less. I didn't have anyone in mind and needed to start completely from scratch. Finding people with the same musical direction in Norway these days isn't too

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hard. There are a lot of hard rock bands around, but finding the right people took some time.

recorded that first album?

Chris: Of course! On lead guitar we have Lazy Leather The Sex Gunslinger. He's one of the best lead guitarists out there with all the flash and ability he needs, but his main focus is always on the song and making them great.

Tasty is the word for when his magic fingers grace the fretboard. He's the high frequency designer of the technicolored revolution, with an eye for all the dirty details in any sordid affair.

Chris:We changed the bass player towards the end of the ‘Criminal Record’ tour, but apart from that it's the same guys who recorded the first album. James Nero - The Bitch Commander and bass player on ‘Criminal Record’ was in another band, which was fine when both bands were just rehearsing, but when things started happening for both bands at the same time, he had to make a decision and went with the band he started, Kill City Bandits (a great band by the way). We got C-Slim in the band quickly.

He's an old friend of mine. An excellent bass player and can hit all the high notes on the backing vocals and we haven't looked back since.

On bass we have C Slim - The Thunder Mechanic. A rocket powered grease-godzilla! Half man, half machine ...and all rock'n'roll! His right hand thunders like ten thousand metronomes playing at once, while his crystal sheen harmonies channel the cybernetic angels of the dreamporn quire. The 4-string equivalent of Apocalypse Now!

HA: In listening to the first record, I can hear a lot of musical influences. Ratt, Zodiac Mindwarp, Hanoi Rocks/Michael Monroe, Faster Pussycat, Warrior Soul and dare I say it... Sigue Sigue Sputnik? How far off am I in this assumption?

On drums there's T-Bone - The Outlaw Groover; A savage rock n’ roll beast. His nuclear powered beats, like the sound of distant galaxies colliding, are always delivered with immaculate precision and have been used to demolish thousands of planets. A dangerous renegade banned from several solar systems on the account of sheer decibel.

Chris: You're right on track, buddy! I love all those bands and although we set out to create a sound of our own, I am not surprised if some of the influences shine through every now and then. The trick is to have as many influences as possible and add everything else you got to the mix as well. That's the way you get your own sound. The other guys do the same thing with their influences, which are a lot of times different from mine, and the sound of our songs with the whole band playing them is the easily identifiable sound of the Suicide Bombers.

HA: Can you tell us a little about your band mates?

Then there's me... The Sleaze Fuhrer, on lead vocals and rhythm guitar.

HA: In 2012 you released your first album 'Criminal Record' on CD, and you followed up with a vinyl version of that album in 2014. So I am assuming things built up pretty quickly for the band during that time?

HA: Well it definitely shows in your music.

You have a new EP out now called 'The Sex Tapes'. The lead off single is the ultra catchy "Bladerunner (Tokyo Nights)". How has that been received so far? I noticed you've done lots of dates in Europe this year promoting it.

Chris: Yeah. We played a lot around Scandinavia on ‘Criminal Record’ and had a blast.

The whole band had been dying to get out on the road for so long as didn't play much live Chris: ‘The Sex Tapes’ has gotten nothing but until the album was out. We wanted to launch good reviews. It's a 6-track mini album with the band with the album, rather than to play soundbites in between to make it a continuthe songs to death and then record them. So ous stream of music and soundbites. It's the you can say cabin fever had kinda set in and Photo: Terje Johansen soundtrack to the "best movie never made." we were happy to show people what we'd been working on for all that time.

We got some shit in a few reviews for the intro and outro on the first album, so when we decided to put 6 intros and We got a lot of cool write ups for it too, both the album and 1 outro on this one, we were naturally expecting more shit, the live shows, with great reviews and interviews in lots of but so far all the reviews I've seen have been great and it magazines and online zines. seems that people get the soundtrack thing too, which is cool.

HA: Is this the same line up you have now that We've been around Scandinavia again with this and also

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played more in Europe. ‘The Sex Tapes’, being a mini-album, has also provided us with the luxury of getting to play the whole thing live, as well as most of the tracks from the debut and they all go down great at our shows. We'll resume touring in October with lots more dates in Norway.

HA: The reviewers of the first album obviously missed out on Tigertailz and Sigue Sigue Sputnik then.

Chris: (laughs)I don't know... I can't remember the reviews now, there were a few of them like that and I think they basically couldn't make out if we were being serious or not.

This time I think they all got that we are definitely serious.

With that first album we just wanted to introduce the band with a cool intro, you know. Like those bands you mention and "in the beginning" from Shout at the Devil and all those great intros in rock n' roll history and that's just what we did. This band is about having great, and sometimes megalomaniac ideas, and running with them. This time we took that a whole step further than anyone has done in the past and it worked out great for ‘The Sex Tapes.’

HA: So how did this last tour go? Any great memories?

Chris: The tour went great and was tons of fun! Lots of great memories, of course. First and foremost it was cool to be on the road again with a new record, new videos out and play our songs and party.

We got to play shows in Germany and the Czech Republic too, which was a first for us. Met lots of cool people and had a brilliant time.

Bombers we haven't really looked too much in that direction as we're a little bit different musically. They are all great bands and I don't really care too much what people compare us too, as long as they like the band they're comparing us to.

At the moment I am not aware of that many unsigned bands that I like. I know I dig Dirtbag Republic from Canada and several local bands in Oslo, but it's not like a whole scene of unsigned bands I'm into anymore, like you had in Hollywood in the 90's.

HA: So during this time before your next tour cycle do you have anything exciting planned?

Chris: We are keeping ourselves busy as fuck as always!

At the moment we are writing songs for the next record, which will be a full length album again. Most of the songs are written, but we're writing the few last ones now.

We also filmed ‘The Sex Tapes’ release party with 7 cameras and are working on that to maybe do something with it at some point.

We're also planning the next set of Suicide Network videos which we'll publish on our youtube channel (www.youtube. com/suicidebombersmusic) as well as planning the videos for the next album.

And on top of that we are looking into getting ‘The Sex Tapes’ out on vinyl, so the fans don't have to wait for two years this time too.

So yeah, lots of exciting stuff in the works, but too early to say anything more definite about any of it at the moment.

HA: If you could meet any famous person alive or dead who would it be and why?

Chris: Damn... I'm not sure who I'd want to HA: Touching on the meet. I've been lucky Photo: Stig I Lona new CD, I noticed enough to meet sevsome other influences coming through. Most noticeeral of my heroes already and there really is none that I ably on a song called "Boyfriend.” A band called have to meet. For me it's most fun to meet people when 'Heart Throb Mob' comes to mind. I know they are I can sit with them, have a beer and talk a little bit, you among the influences for you, are there any other unknow. And I've been lucky enough to do that with a lot of signed bands past or present that you really dig? people I admire already.

Chris: I love a lot of those underground and unsigned 90's LA bands. Heart Throb Mob, Queeny Blast Pop, Big Bang Babies and Glamour Punk were probably my favorites, but there were so many great bands from that era. I was influenced by all of them a lot in the past, but for Suicide

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HA: What's the most memorable rock n’ roll story you have?

Chris: I have so many rock n’ roll stories I wouldn't know where to start. Some are party related and probably not

suited for print, but the ones that are the most memorable to me are always the ones that are connected to the band.

HA: What's the ultimate goal for the band?

When Suicide Bombers got serious cabin fever from reChris: The ultimate goal for this band is to keep releasing hearsing our songs for the first album, we couldn't take it great quality records and have our fan base expand to anymore and decided to book one show in Oslo before the unimaginable sizes, so we can tour the world and play to album was out. We booked a small club and didn't think crowds so huge there isn't enough room for them on this many people would planet! ...Now that show up. The place would be something! was packed! You Then we'd move on couldn't get another to the next planet person in there with (laughs). a fucking shoehorn!

They ran out of beer Seriously, we're in it on tap before we for the music as much started playing, I think, as anything. The peoand they soon ran out ple who form bands to of bottled beer too become millionaires or and then all the rest get girls, quit quickly of the bar. It was so when they've gotten crowded people had the girls or are tired to go to the club next of trying to get rich. door to piss. That was There's nothing wrong a memorable night. with those ambitions, Photo: Dan A Nachtnebel ‘The Sex Tapes’ release party is another as it's but if you don't have a burning passion for the biggest headline show we've done so far. For this we music, you probably won't stick it out. booked decent size club and went all in. We had printed a new backdrop, had walls of Marshall stacks on each site With that said, I think this band can go far. We have great of the drums with Suicide Bombers logos on them, custom songs, great musicians and great quality albums and made red mic stands and between the songs we played shows and there is no reason why we shouldn't be bigger pre-recorded audio commercials for all our merchandise than Elvis Fucking Presley! which we had recorded in the same style as the album intros. This was also the first time we did most of the songs HA: Where can a fan get your music and check from ‘The Sex Tapes’ live. It was another great night and out your band? pure mayhem backstage of course.

Chris: If any of your readers want to check us out, they HA: Do you have a “Spinal Tap” moment to should visit our youtube channel (www.youtube.com/suishare? cidebombersmusic). It has our music videos as well as the Suicide Network promo films.

Chris: (laughs) I have played a lot of odd gigs throughout the years, but so far not much of that with Suicide BombThey should also like our Facebook (www.facebook.com/ ers. We've always deliver the goods, without too much suicidebombersmusic) which has all information and news trouble. and shit like that. We also have our own web-site at www. thesuicidebombers.com which we update frequently.

I did speak Norwegian at a gig in Sweden on the last tour. Norwegian and Swedish is very similar and you are If you can't find our CDs in your local store or favorite onkinda considered a douche if you speak English when line shop, drop us a mail on Facebook and order directly they understand your language. Some words are differfrom us. That also goes for anyone who wants a signed ent, though, and the Norwegian word for "fuck" means copy or any other item. something else in Swedish. So I did all my stage raps We also have an undercover distributor in America who is and couldn't understand why the crowd wasn't getting it. doing a great job for us. Americans can order directly from When we walked off stage, C told me my mistake and said him and save a lot on shipping. Contact us on Facebook he'd been trying to tell me the whole show, of which I was and we'll pass his info on to you, or you can bid on one of oblivious of course. Not a spectacular Spinal Tap moment the auctions he has going for our CDs on eBay. by any standards, but one of the few that have stuck out with this band.

Apart from that I'd like to say thanks for the interview!

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SUICIDE BOMBERS ‘Criminal Record’ ‘The Sex Tapes’ (Self Released)

The Suicide Bombers are a band not to be under estimated. Their fearless leader, Chris Damien Doll had a mission when he started this band after the Demise of his former group The Trashcan Darlings.

He assembled some like minded band mates (an almost unthinkable task in the “Black Metal” capitol of Norway!) and set out to make his visions a reality. A cold hard reality of a dystopian future where technology hasn’t only overrun the world, but entirely consumed it in all its neon and black stained glory.

I have decided that I can’t pick any one good thing, or one album over another. These two releases are the real deal. You really can’t have one without the other (like a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup!). I’ve decided to just list a few highlight here.

The first song on ‘Criminal Record’ (after a very movie trailer inspired intro) “Let’s Rock N’ Roll”, brings forth a reminder of Warrior Soul’s “Wasteland” or Ratt’s “I’m Insane” (wow, that’s a mind bender!). On first listen, one can already tell that this is going to be different.

The follow up, “Easy Access” out and out reminds me of Faster Pussycat’s “Sex Drugs and Rock n’ Roll”.

Great sleazy rock with an attitude to match. “Napalm Heart” starts in with a helicopter fly in and then struts over to a nice Hanoi Rocks vibe. The guitar solo reminds me so much of Ratt’s Warren DeMartini and Robin Crosby’s old solos.

“This Time Tomorrow” has a super bouncing bass line that I just love. Great grooves highlight and frame the song so well, A nice fun listen, but watch out, you’ll catch yourself bopping your head along and easily distracted from any tasks you may be trying to accom-

plish (like me trying to write this review).

I am reminded of Britny Fox when “Smoke & Mirrors” comes on, most notably their song “Stevie” (a highly under rated song as far as I am concerned). There’s a little Michael Monroe influence in the song as well.

Do you dig Zodiac Mindwarp? Well then “High on Explosives” fits the bill to a perfect “T”. Right down to the well written and fast breakdown style lyrics. More sleaze and attitude than you can handle. “Cindy” has some awesome guitar work. A lot of which reminds me of another hard rock sleaze band, Vain.

From the Ep ‘The Sex Tapes’, “BladeRunner (Tokyo Nights)” is the definite highlight of the album. Hit up Youtube and check out the video!

Every song on ‘The Sex Tapes’ has an intro and there is even an outro at the end of the disc. An excellent homage to bands like Sigue Sigue Sputnik and even Tigertailz who both utilized intros to set the “scene” for the music.

If you dig any of the bands I have mentioned in this review, I highly recommend you pick up these titles.

Hell, if you like any good sleazy glam, pop, power punk, hard rock music, both of these releases are for you.

‘Criminal Record’ is available on CD and Vinyl and ‘The Sex Tapes’ is available on CD (and rumor has it on vinyl soon). Check out our interview with Chris Damien Doll (starts on page 46) for info on where to grab the albums and keep in touch with what’s going on with the band.

- Chris Gillespie

Hard Attack Magazine goes Back To The Future with Michael Monroe There are few legends who come across my path that I can truly and honestly make me all giddy like a school boy crushing on the cute girl across the room in class. These are the mystical creatures surrounded by legendary stories and who have influenced so many since their time and still continue to do so.

One of those legends is former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe. Apart from the 20012009 Hanoi Rocks reunion, Monroe has been recording and performing solo for the most part since those halcyon days of the glam punk revolution.

More recently with Hanoi Rocks co-hort Sammi Yaffa beside him, Monroe has continued to carry the flag for the self-described “blues punk” music he performs so well. With a new album 'Blackout States' recently released and a tour with some recently announced U.S. dates, it looks as if Monroe is ready to prove to the world once again that he is still just as relevant as ever in today's post modern hard rock and metal wasteland.

We got chance to sit with Michael and pick at his brain a little bit and boy was it fun!

HA: Michael, thank you so much for your time today, how are you doing?

MM: No problem! Thank you for having me by!

HA: You have a brand new album 'Blackout States' which sounds great on first listen.

Is there a specific meaning for the title?

Michael Monroe: The title is just one of the songs, 58 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

uh, “Blackout States” is actually a song about a state of mind. Actually Ritch Jones wrote most of the lyrics on that one. Think it was, he had a friend who was a junkie, but it's about … it doesn't mean you have to be drunk or on drugs to have a blackout state of mind. It can even be that people just blackout because of who they are. Which is even more scary (laughs). It's just about different states of mind and we didn't have a name for the album and uh, I was going through the song titles and I kind of suggested “hey how 'bout 'Blackout States' it's pretty cool” and everyone went huh? Why not!

Even the word “States” reminds me of the United States you know, when I think of the United States, I think of New York City and skyscrapers and everything. There's these buildings on the cover and I had this kind of visions of the buildings and stuff. It's actually buildings from different cities around the world. There's one, the Astoria, obviously a building in London, which is being torn down now, that's the building in front on the cover. There's the Chrysler Building from New York. There's buildings from London, New York, Berlin and Tokyo, which is referring to the song “Hammersmith Palais.” The chorus, “I had no fun in London since the Hammersmith Palais, New York City's boring since the punks all went away, Tokyo’s gone techno and Berlin's goin' crazy. I ain't had no fun since Hammersmith Palais.” That Demolition 23 song.

HA: Sammi Yaffa was in Demolition 23 with you too, right?

MM: Yeah Sammi was in that band and Jimmy Clark was the drummer and Jay Hening played

“Old Kings Road” is about the old days and of course the Kings Road in London. So there's like a “punky” kind of London theme that comes up inadvertently ya know.

HA: Speaking of “Old Kings Road”, you guys did a video of that and it is very interesting. How was that experience for you?

It seemed like you were revisiting some memories with that.

MM: (laughs) Yeah, we went to this hotel, Hotel Pelirocco in Brighton. It's this hotel with all these different rooms with different themes. They have like, a rockabilly room, a punk room, a rasta room and a mod room . The mod room has like a night table that's the back of a Vespa and on the other side of the bed was another night stand that is the front of a Vespa and the room is very much like a “Who” theme, and the “mod” kind of stuff all over the walls.

guitar. We played with Nasty (Suicide, Hanoi Rocks, Cherry Bombz) on tour because Jay couldn't leave America because of some problems with his past and unfortunately took his own life about a year later.

In any case, 'Blackout States' just sounded like a good name for the album. Nothing more deep and meaningful with that.

HA: Still an interesting concept nonetheless.

MM: Yeah, we thought it was a cool name and there seems to be like a London theme that appears. We didn't plan on any concept. It wasn't intentional, but as it turned out, we had a song called “Old Kings Road” and a song called “Dead Hearts On Denmark Street” and Denmark street is right off that block that is being torn down in London and when it was younger, that neighborhood was completely different now. It's been changed and Denmark Street has all the guitar stores and stuff. A legendary place. So that song “Dead Hearts on Denmark Street” is about that.

They had the “Pretty Vacant” room which was the room where most of the video was shot. My room was, I was staying at the “Betty Page” room that has a green wall and a leopard print bed spread and stuff. They had a “Rough Trade” room and it was pretty out there, ya know? That hotel. All the stuff inside rooms was filmed in that hotel. Some of the other stuff was filmed in Soho in London, where we're walking down the streets, that's in London. But I mean the song’s about the old days kind of. Not necessarily that nostalgic, you know.

We’re still here and this band, we're doing it better than ever, I think, well, references to a “rose tattoo” is the Hanoi Rocks rose tattoo I have on my arm. The ‘Lock and chain” is the Sid Vicious necklace. That lock and chain he had around his neck. “We changed our names like the good ones do” because when we started Hanoi Rocks of course we changed our names because nobody could pronounce our Finnish names, so there was a good reason for it. But then again, some of the great, you know, people from Marilyn Monroe to Alice Cooper changed their names to their stage names you know? Like the good ones do.

You know, it was … it's a timely song. With references to, uh, referring to the past which is so much a part of our lives. It's always going to be there. I think it's a good song.

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HA: Well I agree. I think it captures that whole “Michael Monroe/Hanoi Rocks” vibe very well.

MM: Cool.

HA: Another song on the album - “R.L.F.” (aka “Rock Like Fuck”) - I completely love that song.

MM: (laughs) You love that one?

HA: Oh yeah I love that one! It's pure punk.

MM: Yeah, Sammi had the music for that. He, ya know, on this album, we wrote a bunch of stuff on our own because everyone lives all over the world. Sammi lives in Morocco now. Oh not now, he lives in Spain actually. Rich Jones moved to London, Steve Conte lives in New York and Karl Rockfist lives in Stockholm.

We had like, we wrote a bunch of stuff. We didn't really get a chance to get together at a rehearsal space. So we started at home from scratch, worked on our ideas separately and then we got together for a few days at a rehearsal place to see what we had and pretty much had the whole album written. So Sammi had the music for “Rock Like Fuck”, He had a working title for it called “Fuck Shit Up” and that (laughing), I swear for real. So I thought why not write it for the slogan I've had since the 80's, that was “Rock Like Fuck.” So even then we decided to call it “R.L.F.” so people wouldn't get offended right away, right off the bat! (still laughing) This is the song you have to read the lyrics to get offended!

So I like the lyrics for that and it's one of my favorites too I gotta say.

HA: It's a great high energy song, I love it! You’ve had Rich Jones with you since 2013. How is working with him now?

MM: He is a great songwriter. He wrote the most of the lyrics for “Dead Hearts on Denmark Street” as well as “Blackout States.” He's a great songwriter and I was positively surprised about how good he is. I think he influences the sound of the band in a good way. He kind of makes it more “punky” in a Clash kind of way. The Clash and 60 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

The Boys, you know a melodic punk. I think he brought some of that vibe into the band. He's a welcome addition to the band. It was a no brainer.

Dregen decided he couldn't handle touring for both his solo album and being in this band. Rich had already been sitting in for Dregen before so we just said “Okay, we'll just keep Rich!” That was easy.

HA: That worked out well then. Can you tell me a little bit about the story behind “Under the Northern Lights”?

MM: Yeah, this song was written by Dee Dee Ramone. It’s never been recorded or released officially before. That was because I've had it for, I mean, you know in my 10 years I lived in New York, there was a time in the early 90's that I hung out with Dee Dee Ramone quite a bit. He had a bunch of songs. He had the Ramones stuff and he had a bunch of his own songs. I still have two audio cassettes that he gave me that has his demos and he wanted me to do these songs.

Especially this one, “Under the Northern Lights”, because I was from Finland. He was all “You're from Finland right? You know, you should do this song.” It even has a line in it saying “… and the gray Finnish sky is frozen” so I thought it was a cool thing and I still have his hand written lyrics that's actually featured in the artwork. Underneath the actual lyrics you can see some of the hand written lyrics. He just thought it was cool for me to do that song. I've never had a demo of that, I've never recorded that as a demo, but I remember Dee Dee trying to sing me on this. Here's the guitar and then, I've had it for years, almost 25 years now. And now, each album I've done, I thought maybe it would be good for that one and then it never really worked out. Finally on this album, we recorded it. We got in touch with Dee Dee's widow and she got us taken care of and got their okay with it. They were actually really pleased, they didn't even know about this song. So it's kind of cool to have this never before released or recorded officially, Dee Dee Ramone song on the album and it's an honor and a privilege.

HA: That's a real cool surprise for this album. The song fits you so well. The whole album has a great flow to it and I love it.

When I think of Michael Monroe, I know, you're like AC/DC in the punk/glam power

pop world, I always know what I am going to get from you. Fans can always count on that greatness.

MM: Thank you. I appreciate that. That's great to hear. I always try and make records that are all killers and no fillers. If the song is not good enough, why put it on the albums? So I try to maintain that quality there. I don't ever want to put out anything I wouldn't be 100% happy with.

We’ve gotta have all the ingredients and the attitude. I’m just trying to get better at what I do

with this band. It's a lot of fun and there's so much creative energy and we really have a good time. There's no bummers, no uh, nobody in the band that's like a, ya know, like somebody once said there's “wankers in every anchor” and I don't think there should be. It's not worth it, having one guy who will poison the atmosphere or the vibe. The one guy who walks into the room and someone else gets uptight when they do. There's nobody like that in this band. Everyone's truly the

best of friends and we have a good time.

What keeps me going, keeps me hungry and trying is knowing there's always room for improvement and you can always, I'm trying to get better at what I do. When I perform live and make records and in every way, so that keeps me hungry.

HA: Well I have to say that I love the saxophone playing that you add to your music.

It wasn't some one-off thing. You've been doing it for years now and even on this re-

cord. I think you've gotten even better than when you started if I might say so myself.

MM: Well thank you. That's nice to hear. Yeah, I think it adds a lot of color you know? I've always had a couple of sax songs and couple of blues harps. Harmonicas too.

HA: Which is always cool as well. A true measure of doing something you don't hear Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 61

out there everyday.

MM: Yeah, I play the blues punk (chuckling) you know! Yes, a punky attitude. That's my style of course.

HA: I understand that you are going to be playing some tour dates in Europe, are there any plans to come to North and South America in support of this album?

MM: We have that cruise (Monsters of Rock) coming up in February 2016, a Caribbean cruise or something or other that we're supposed to be a part of. So we're planning to book some dates in the States around that. I'm not sure what's go-

ing to happen, I mean how it's going to go down.

Nothing confirmed yet, except for the cruise I think (as of this publication some dates have been confirmed and posted by the band).

Thing is, in America, I've never, we've never, well...Hanoi Rocks breaking up before we ever got anywhere, you know. If we'd have even managed to have gotten a little bit of a foothold and opened up for somebody or toured with somebody else (with a larger fan base) we could have gotten a little further. We could've had a bit more of a name apart from the “cult reputation” you know, the uh, cult following. I think that's why it's kind of hard to break in America. It's such a huge amount of space there and you've got to tour for a couple of years to have anybody even notice.

So, in these days it's kind of like for a rock band like us, we'd have to get on a tour with a big name to expand our fame in any way I think.

HA: I hear Def Leppard is touring next year...

MM: (laughs) Uh huh, okay... Oh yeah, that'd be great! (still chuckling) We've been talking with Slash for ages about touring together and all that.

In Europe it would be possible but in America, even Slash said it's really difficult out there. It's not easy for him, even. Because rock n roll is not happening so much anymore. They have to put package tours together, that way makes the most sense (financially).

So uh, talking about touring in America is really difficult. Even for him you know, being a huge name as he is. I'm really happy that he is as big as he is and so are the Foo Fighters also. They've got the right attitude and right style. They always pay homage to the “real guys” and the cool people in rock. So I am happy that at least those bands are as big as they are, they're doing the right thing and the right kind of music.

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Of course we want to come play, but if you're not making any money how are you gonna? I mean you gotta cover a lot of costs. The last time we toured (the States) was when Dregen was in the band and that was 2012? I forgot when it was, but we did that one tour without any support. You know, the Finnish government gives you grants, so they gave us a grant for that tour, so that was

our tour support. The record companies don't give that anymore these days. So we sort of like, gave up on touring in the States awhile ago or sort of accepted that fact that it was probably unlikely to get into a good place like that. I mean, not that I've given up of course. Well maybe it'll happen now that we don't care anymore! (laughs) HA: Speaking of touring. You've mentioned New York, London, Berlin and Tokyo earlier, are there any favorite places that you look forward to playing? Any stories behind them that you'd like to share?

MM: Well yeah, I love to play in America, like in the midwest especially. When we play in, of course, New York and L.A. It's always big gigs.

All the cool people and you get to see all your old friends and stuff. But Americans have a certain appreciation for rock n roll. Especially guitar rock, I noticed that already in the 80's when I went there with Hanoi Rocks and everybody was into Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, AC/DC and ZZ Top. Good rock n roll is a part of America and it's great to play there because you know people really appreciate it.

I love Japan as well. Japan is always great to tour. It's a lovely country and it's a great vibe that people have. So polite and considerate and nice and not necessarily phony. People say “Oh nobody can be that nice, they're pretending.” Not really in Japan. It's the way they are brought up and I like Japan a lot. But anyway, you know, I like to play anywhere. We'll do a great show whether it's two people, two thousand people or two hundred thousand people. I'll give everything I got always to every show. I'll play at your kitchen table and still give it all to ya! (laughs)

doing a couple of shows with Alice Cooper in England at the end of this tour and the end of October. I hope that means we'll playing even more with the great ones like Alice, of course who has always been a big hero, a big influence for me.

Still cool.

HA: Anything you enjoy doing when you are not touring? Anything you'd like to say to the fans?

MM: To the fans I'd like to say I really appreciate everyone's support and we really, really love our fans. Our fans are very patient, for not being able to … well, most rock fans around the world don't get a chance to see this band live. We just appreciate all the support and the loyalty, God bless 'em.

What I do between tours? Well, I never stop working. I'll always work on some songs or doing something with somebody, jamming somewhere.

When I am not doing anything, I'm trying not to do anything. So I stay home with my wife and my two cats and I'm happy to just vegetate and watch TV. Watch 'Colombo' or something like that, one of my favorites. Good movies, you know. That's what I do in my spare time - nothing! (laughs) Which is important to recharge your batteries. But yeah, I'm usually 24/7 that's what I am. That's the way I dress and that's the way I live. Rock n roll is my life. It's what I do best, so I'm going to keep doing it as long as I am here.

After all this, I can say that getting the chance to chat with Michael is up there in my list of the coolest experiences in my years of rock journalism. Michael shows his roots in everything he does. As you can tell in this interview, he not only makes you feel nostalgic, but also ready to embrace the future. If there ever was a true definition of “cool,” Michael Monroe is it.

So audiences are, you know, all kinds of cool. I believe that what you put up image wise and being what you are then that's what you'll get back ya know? Some bands I know, advertising how they eat raw meat and they're so wacky and wild and they're crazy and of course you're going to -Chris Gillespie get some sick weirdos you know? Yeah, well, never mind those devil worshippers! (laughs) There are rock bands that I think would be a great opportunity to go on tour with for a year like the Foo Fighters, Slash or you know … but we're

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DIEMONDS – Stalkers, Death and Angst: Forever Untamed Indeed It may well be time for Dave Tedder to “Meet His Maker” as he sits down for a few minutes with the not so very subtle Priya Panda.

It’s said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. DIEMONDS, however also happens to be the name of the female fronted hotly tipped Canuck quintet whose time it seems has finally come, after treading the boards back and forth across the northernmost part of the America’s for the better part of the past decade along with taking a dip in the lower waters from time to time.

Starting life rehearsing in an East Toronto basement, the band really started to take shape when tantalizin’ teasin’ and curiously named frontgal Priya Panda met guitarist C.C. Diemond at NYC’s Madison Square Garden then let ran into him again at a party she was dj-ing. “We wrote a song together the first time we hung out so I guess it was meant to be!” she exclaims.

Releasing their debut album, ‘In the Rough’ in October of 2008, the band hit the road hard, headlining their own shows along with opening slots with the likes of LA Guns, John Corabi, Faster Pussycat (no doubt satisfying the Sunset Strip fetish they had at the time) as well as Semi Precious Weapons and Teenage Head. ‘The Bad Pack’ followed in 2012, along with dates with Slash, Steel Panther, Sebastian Bach and stints on Rocklahoma, Heavy MTL and the KISS Kruise, amongst others.

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Not too bad for a bunch of DIY dolled up punks, eh?

Along the way Diemonds had to face the harsh realities of band members passing away. “The road we’ve walked over the past little while has been pretty difficult for us as people and as a band,” reflects Panda when asked.

“It changes you to lose friends at a young age, over and over and over. It was really hard to lose Alan Riches from health complications. He’s C.C.’s lifelong best friend and played on our first two records. For me, he was always around when recording vocals and he was my ally on the road. I miss him so much. When we lost Paul Mancuso, our bass player, almost a year later, it was such a blow, it was staggering really. I find it all very difficult to talk about, especially because the last time I saw him he was reaching out and maybe I didn’t notice until it was too late.

We were putting the final touches on (new album) ‘Never Wanna Die’ when we heard the word of the passing of Vassil Mester, the drummer who we played our first shows with and did our first songwriting and recording with. It doesn’t get any easier but music heals wounds and saves lives. The new record is a testament to that and recorded in the honor of our fallen brothers.”

Aside from the pain of losing friends and partners in the worst possible way imaginable, Priya has had to deal with a very determined stalker over the years. A situation she addresses in the brutal and very direct, “Better off Dead.”

“That song was written about a pretty scary situation I had with a crazed man who went fully into stalker mode,” she remarks. “He pissed me off so much, he’d call me until my

phone died and show up unannounced at shows and random places and email me essays about his life. It was twisted, and I started to feel really withdrawn.

“Canadian winters already do that to people, you don’t really need any help from a psychopath. So that’s when i eventually wrote this song in some sort of blind rage. I put it down on paper and it almost went straight to tape without any edits. I probably should’ve called the cops, but I’m a singer. Sometimes I don’t make the most rational decisions ...”

As a matter of fact, lyrically, ‘Never Wanna Die’ seems to come from a very angst ridden and / or frustrated with life point of view. “Yeah, I think our new record shows that we still have the fucking fire we’ve always had and the life we lived over the past few years has brought a lot more of it the surface. It was at the boiling point when we were recording ‘Never Wanna Die’ and you can definitely hear that in the songs and certainly in the lyrics. I was angry, I was sad, and I felt alone and I know a lot of people have been there and know what it’s like,” the singer opines. “But I also had an epiphany about myself and the world and I wanted to put that out there as well. I think the album has it’s darker and lighter moments.”

Darker and lighter moments indeed. The album covers all the bases. But how many songs were initially brought to the table for the new outing? “We’ve been whittling away songs over the years so when we brought the songs to the table we had eleven. We’ve test run songs and ditched them and stuff, which is the good thing about playing live so often. The last track we only did a demo of (the sleazed up, in-yourface and raunchy “Queen of Obscene”) and it appears on the Japanese release as a bonus track.”

lot of good things from them through a lot of our Canadian peers who had started working with them. It was a natural fit.”

Touring has always been a part of Diemonds DNA and that’s not looking to change anytime soon. “Touring was one of my ultimate goals growing up, so as soon as we had an Ep, we hit the streets and have logged tons of road time,” she submits. “Things haven’t honestly changed that much, except we bought ourselves a trailer over the years so we don’t have to ride with our gear. I still drive countless hours as do Aiden, our drummer, and Adam our bassist. D.K. still has the same bench he’s always had.

The thing that’s amazing is, we’re still stoked to be doing it every single day. When we load in and plug in and see that people have driven from hours and hours away sometimes to see us, it fires us up. We just love to play rock n’ roll. It’s pretty uncomplicated really haha.

“Our first stop outside of North America in a few years will be Japan in early November. To say we are excited is a huge understatement!! This one is big for us.”

Toronto, Diemonds headquarters, has a huge musical history when it comes to hard rock and metal. Who would happen to be some of Priya’s favorite hometown bands and has she had the pleasure of sharing stages with them, I wondered …

“My favorite Toronto band hands down is Cheerleader or Kill Cheerleader as they were called before they stopped playing shows,” she answers. “I saw them so many times I’ve lost count and they were the reason I got a fake ID. We never got to play with them but a sketchy Toronto promoter pretended he got them back together and had us open once.

That sucked.

“I was angry, I was sad, and I felt alone and I know a lot of people have been there and know what it’s like”

For ‘Never Gonna Die’ Diemonds teamed up with Juno Award winning producer Eric Ratz (Billy Talent, Cancer Bats, Big Wreck, etc.). “Eric actually mixed ‘The Bad Pack,’ Priya explains. “He was originally introduced to us through Alan Riches. We knew he’d been killing it for Canadian rock bands we dug like Monster Truck, Danko Jones, and Cancer Bats and we had him on our radar.

We were really stoked when he said he dug our tunes and wanted to work with us too. Eric is a dude who really knows his rock bands and rock riffs and that’s cool by us.”

Last year, Diemonds secured a deal with Austrian based Napalm Records, the lucky bunch who get to count ‘Never Wanna Die’ among their releases. “Napalm had contacted us pretty shortly after we re-released ‘The Bad Pack’ on our Canadian label (Underground Operations) at the time.

They caught wind of us and they were psyched on the tunes, which was the most important thing. We’d heard a

“C.C. would probably go with No Warning, they were his bros. Some of the Toronto bands we’ve gotten the chance to play with include Killer Dwarves, Sebastian Bach, Teenage Head, Nick Walsh of Slik Toxik (and now Famous Underground) and just so, so many more.

“I also got to sing on a track alongside Danko Jones on a Hateful Snake cover. This city has had some amazing bands. They all have roots in and around here. We’re proud to be from this city.”

Finally, I just had to ask … “Is Hell really full?”

“Not yet. That’s the thing...”

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AGENT FRESCO ‘Destrier’ (Long Branch Records / SPV) This Icelandic quartet take progressive rock to a whole new realm. Forming just weeks before they entered a Battle of the Bands contest in their homeland the quirky bunch not only won the thing but also received several accolades for the individual band members.

‘Destrier’ opens with “Let Them See Us” and just over a full minute of monotonic noise which gets more than a bit irksome as it goes along for just over a minute before launching into an atmospheric and moody piece that sets you a bit more at ease with things, until “Dark Water” kicks in with more of an alt rock sound to it that revolves around a simplistic but

XO STEREO ‘The Struggle’ (Another Century)

captivating piano piece.

The album’s title track is a bit more of a melodic prog rock piece that for once doesn’t seem to have a hundred things going on in the background, while “Wait For Me” is beautifully constructed with hooks aplenty.

“Angst” starts out as a trippy experimental track before becoming the bombastic industrial monster that it winds up being. “Death Rattle” and “Mono No Aware” are both ambient pieces of cinematic euphoria awash in synths galore.

The beautiful thing about Agent Fresco is that, while they’re diverse in their writing and explore the full gamut of the prog rock genre, they still have an identifying mark about their music so that there is no mistaking who you’re listening to. They do bring in bits of Karnivool, a touch of Nine Inch Nails at times and even bits of Col dplay and Keane but it’s instantly recognizable as their own sound.

-Vince Newman

The Hollowed, respectively, XO Stereo is a punk fueled power pop band from Los Angeles who happen to know their way around a hook and a melody.

Infectious and exhilarating at once, every track on ‘The Struggle’ is a masterclass in pop songwriting, each with it’s own identity. From the frantic opener, “Show and Tell” to “This Disease” and “Hatchet,” which take you back to the late 90’s mall punk glory days. Title track, “The Struggle” is a bass driven monster of a song and lastly, the band takes a banal, humdrum song (viz Real Life’s “Send Me an Angel”) and turns in a powerful, glorious rendition of the song, rendering it nearly unrecognizable, aside from the chorus.

Simply put, get your asses back in the studio boys and knock out about 25 or 30 more songs stat.

The only things that sucks about this record is that it’s not nearly long enough. Clocking in at five songs and just around 20 minutes in length, ‘The Struggle’ is about half as long as it should be.

Featuring Justin Whitesel, Jon Weisberg and Cooper Campbell from LoveHateHero, From First to Last and -Tim Welch 66 | Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com

AHAB ‘The Boats of the Glen Carrig’ (Napalm Records) German doom metallers Ahab are on their fourth release in a decade long career that seems to get sludgier and gloomer as the years go by.

‘The Boats of the Glen Carrig’ is a five song Ep (with a sixth bonus track not found on my copy) seems to be based on William Hope Hodgson’s novel of the same name. The first two tracks on the record (“The Isle” and the oddly titled “The Thing That Made Search”) seem to be a test of patience as, in true doom form, it takes seemingly forever to get through them. “Red Foam (The Great Storm”), comparatively is a blast furnace of guitars, picking the tempo up somewhat, at least and “The Weedmen” just slows it all back down again. Closer, “To Mourn Job” is an epic atmospheric piece which picks up at the end with vocalist Daniel, Drost being the focal point of the track.

Recommended for sludge metal enthusiasts – and hey, the band are progressing with the new release.

-Vince Newman

ANTIOCH ‘II: First Stryke’ (Self Released) Some bands never quite made it out of 1982 – Canada’s Antioch is one such band. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. If it’s done well, then there’s an audience out there still waiting to embrace you.

The thing with Antioch is … their material is just “there.”

There’s nothing memorable, good or bad about the ‘II: First Stryke’ (shouldn’t that be Second Stryke or Next Stryke or something?) album. The musicianship is fine and vocalist Nicholas Allaire has a decent range. The songs though, in all of their Manowar / Judas Priest /

Cirith Ungol glory are average at best.

Opener “The Stryker Rides” kicks off just as a thousand other albums in the early 80’s have: a drum roll intro followed immediately by furious riffing courtesy of Alex Dupris and a blood curdling scream. Once you’re into meat of the song however, it’s just the same riffing with no real thought put into the production of the song, aside from a breakdown highlighting bass player Jordan Rhyno.

“Iron Serpent” shows the band pulling off their best Judas Priest effort. It’s all rather pedestrian metal, with the tracks all basically being paint by numbers, with the last two numbers, “Mistress of the Night” and “Antioch” (do bands still title songs after themselves?) being two of the brighter points on offer so it’ s a little grating getting there.

As I said, there is an audience for early 80’s pseudo European metal and Antioch may very well appeal to that crowd. For the rest of the world, even traditional metal has moved beyond this point so it will be a little hard to relate to, I’m afraid.

-Vince Newman

BLACK TONGUE ‘The Unconquerable Dark’ (Century Media Records) The UK’s Black Tongue scare me a tiny bit. And I kind of like it. They mix doom and sludge with bits of death metal thrown in to even things out a bit.

‘The Unconguerable Dark’ is the band’s first full length in a world that now relies upon as short an attention span as possible to (hopefully) gather much info as necessary.

Musically, it’s all growling and down tempo doom infested music, with obvious tributes to their heroes, including Eyehategod, Candlemass and Pentagram, amongst others.

If you like your metal slow and grinding and you haven’t checked out Black Tongue it’s time you got off your ass and corrected that judgement in error.

-Vince Newman

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DEGREED ‘Dead But Not Forgotten’ (Sun Hill Productions) The third album for the Swede quartet is a decidedly big step forward for the band who expertly meld modern rock, AOR, prog rock, melodic hard rock and God knows what else.

Opener, “The Scam” comes off a bit like fellow countrymen The Poodles while “Shame on Me” is a bit of a throwback to the 80’s and “Better Safe than Sorry” is an arena style rocker of the highest order.

“Kill Your Darlings” is a fantastic workout for the rhythm section of Robin Ericsson (also the band’s singer) and drummer, Mats Ericsson and “Touch of Paradise” is an absolute anthem. “Forgive You” sees the band touching on the prog angle a slight bit and “Firefly” is nothing short of a pop metal masterpiece with guitarist Daniel Johansson flexing some riff heavy muscle. In contrast, “Final Ride” shows keyboardist, Micke Jansson taking the reins.

Closer, “Turn Around, Don’t Back Down” is an uplifting mid tempo rocker with Johansson absolutely tearing up his fretboard.

‘Dead But Not Forgotten’ should propel degreed to the top of the melodic rock family tree. It’s getting a bit crowded up there but I think room will be found.

-Tim Welch

STEREO NASTY ‘Nasty by Nature’ (Stormspell Records) At first glance, the cover sports artwork of a hot, leather clad rocker type chickee with her back to you holding a large knife that could possibly be Tennessee approved.

It’s someone reminiscent of a classic era Scorpions or Def Leppard album cover.

Hailing from Kildare, Ireland, Stereo Nasty sound as if

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they could be from New York City, L.A., or Detroit. The album has a real street level mentality to it and vocalist Mick Mahon is reminiscent of Sebastian Bach at times with just a hint of grit, “Black Widow” and “Holy Terror” are both good, hard driving tunes with strong guitar work courtesy of Adrian Foley.

“Interstellar” and “Out of The Fire” slow things down a bit and things pick back up again with “The Fear.” “In The Blood” has a huge bass line while Warriors shows a bit of a Scorpions influence. These guys have heavy metal in their veins.

-Skully

THE MURDER OF MY SWEET ‘Beth Out of Hell’ (Frontiers Music) The Swedish cinematic rock act’s third album, ‘Beth Out of Hell’ is a conceptual piece tackling the idea of an “apocalyptic love story between good and evil” as drummer and producer Daniel Flores describes it.

Featuring voiceover actors as well as a children’s choir and a symphonic bed track, the album is definitely the Angelica Rylin led quartet’s hardest hitting release to date.

Both Rylin and Flores take on roles as “Lucifer’s Daughter” and “Archangel Michael” respectively with spoken word pieces littering the songs throughout and it isn’t actually until the sixth track, “Still” that things seem to get rolling on the song front instead of the music playing a minor role to the symphonic section and the storyline, as it does for the beginning third of the opus. The following track, “Humble Servant” follows suit and comes across as something that Evanescence or perhaps We are the Fallen would have kicked out.

The following two tracks, “Requiem for a Ghost” and “Euthanasia” are interesting as well but after that it all goes back to being lost in the cinematic overly lavish pieces that decorate the album from start to finish. There are times, in fact, where the orchestration is so over blown that Rylin gets lost in the mix.

Kudos to Flores for the amount of work it must have taken to pull all of this off but it’s a little too, over the top for it’s own good. Leave the symphonics to Delain, Nightwish and their ilk.

-Tim Welch

VAMPIRE ‘Cimmerian Shade’ (Century Media Records) The Gothenburg metal quintet shows strong growth on the ‘Cimmerian Shade’ Ep, their second release for Century Media.

As soon as “Pyre of the Harvest Queen” hits your ears you’re realizing that not everything is thrash and death metal with these guys as the song is melodic and atmospheric, although the cookie monster-ish vocals, courtesy of Mr. Hand of Doom are present and accounted for.

“Sleeper in the Deep” is a laid back acoustic based instrumental that relaxes you just enough while setting you up for the kick in the teeth that is “Night Hunter.” The Ep’s final track, the skull numbing “Hexahedron” delivers more of the same.

I don’t know if “mature” is a word that Vampire would want their music to be associated with but that’s what we have here, in short, land speed record order.

-Vince Newman

WOLFHEART ‘Shadow World’ (Spinefarm Records) Okay, who put this piano in front of the earthquake that just hit my headphones? Clocking in at just under 7:00 “Aeon of Cold” takes you through a variety of peaks and valleys ranging from piano interludes (not only at the beginning but throughout, as well) to pure blast beat mayhem. “Zero Gravity” sees the band hit full death metal stride and “Storm Centre” pulls things back a bit in favor of a solid groove oriented slice of death. That is until the blast beats kick in …

“Last of All Winters” opens with a beautiful acoustic guitar before punching you in the face subtly. Yes, Tuomas Saukkonen (ex-Dawn of Solace,The Final Harvest, etc) and friends kick your ass melodically on this one.

For a band who lists no keyboard player in their lineup, they sure use them freely enough as “Nemesis” opens with a nice little piano workout before kicking into full on attack mode once again. “Abyss” is a song bound to be off putting to some of the band’s more hardcore fans as it’s a melodic rock number all the way though, albeit with the cookie monster lead vocals front and center on the track. “Ven” closes ‘Shadow Heart’ out, taking you through different shades of light, from the melodic to the epic and then to the absolute sublime.

-Vince Newman

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CD REVIEWS and much too short solo from Broderick.

ACT OF DEFIANCE Birth and the Burial (Metal Blade Records) The first horse out of the gate for former Megadeth members Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover, the band certainly prove their mettle on this outing. Rounded out by former Scar the Martyr frontman Henry Derek and ex Shadows Fall guitarist, Matt Bachand, now on bass, the band approach ‘Birth and the Burial’ as if they have something to prove. And they just might, after all, we know how the public can be, right? Let’s jump into the album, shall we?

Straight off, Broderick delivers up some “rip your head off” riffing as “Throwback” kicks in, with Derek offering up some classic harsh guttural vocalizing. “Legion of Lies” offers up more of the same with a slightly more melodic chorus while “Thy Lord Belial” is a lesson in pure brutality as one wonders if the band is racing to see who can finish the song first.

“Refrain and Re-Fracture” actually opens with an acoustic / electric guitar duel reminiscent of Yngwie Malmsteen’s work way back in Steeler. It is also the first glimpse we have into the more melodic side of the band. In “Dead Stare” the band mix modern thrash with, again, a very melodic chorus with which Henry Derek becomes the star as his clean singing drives this section along. Never fear however, as we’re thrown right back into the pit with the neckbreaking “Disastrophe,” featuring a stunning

What’s this on “Poison Dream,” – a piano and strings? Well, yes but don’t get too used to it as the band interrupts the melancholic moment with Shawn Drover giving us some classic arena rock drum dynamics and Bachand jumping front and center leading into the song’s breakdown.

“Obey the Fallen” shows frontman Derek becoming the star again as he shows off a powerful set of lungs as he switches over to his clean singing ‘persona’ – one that I think he should explore more in the future.

The final two tracks on the album, “Crimson Psalm” and the album’s title track could have been dropped on a Megadeth album and fit in perfectly so I’m guessing these were two of the songs written before Broderick and Drover’s departure (although I doubt Mustaine could pull off the hardcoreesque vocal style Derek brings to “Crimson Psalm”).

All in all a great beginning and I can’t wait to hear what the band’s sophomore effort will bring once they begin to find their own identity.

- Vince Newman

ANDERSON – PONTY BAND Better Late Than Never (Liaison Music Inc.) Magic happens when musicians choose to work together. According to the story, Jon Anderson, singer

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and songwriter of the band Yes, had mentioned to jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty that he’d like to collaborate at some point. Anderson had a few collaborations at this point (and several more since) and this set the stage for the two to work together, although it took over twenty years to do so!

This all happened back in the 1980’s, when Ponty’s fusion jazz was in full swing and Yes were at the top after the success of their ‘90125’ album. As the album title says, ‘Better Late than Never.’

At first I thought this was going to be like Jon Anderson’s previous collaboration with another former Yes member, keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Their album, ‘The Living Tree’, was stripped down to being predominantly just a piano and vocal collection of original pieces. That’s not the case here and it took me by surprise. When I found out that it was Jon Anderson, taking Jean-Luc Ponty’s fusion jazz pieces and putting an additional melody over them, along with lyrics as only Jon can write, I had to sit and watch the DVD that comes in the two-disc set.

That DVD is of their performance of these pieces, live at a theater in Aspen, Colorado. Turning the songs into vocal pieces requires a renaming of them. So a piece like Jean-Luc Ponty’s “Rhythm of Hope”, from his album, ‘Mystical Adventures,’ a piece that happens to be my favorite of his works, turns into a song called “One In The Rhythm of Hope.” And the lyrics are incredible and expressly Jon Anderson. I find it amazing that he heard this, these melodies, in and over Jean-Luc’s jazz compositions.

Truly inspiring. What I also like about this album is that they do cover some Yes songs, just revamping them a bit to include the violin and also to be played by what is in essence a fusion jazz band. Songs like “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “Time and a Word” are covered, plus the almost required

Even if the idea of this collaboration does not intrigue you to the level it hit me, this album is one of some amazing and beautiful music, intimately set and executed with perfection.

Another key point of this album is that it was funded by a Kickstarter campaign, all of the supporters being included in the liner notes. I have to ask, “Does that mean that this is the new way of producing music?”

-Stan Cocheo

BURN HALO Wolves of War (eOne Music) Burn Halo is back with a vengeance!

The opening track off of the newest release, “Wolves of War”, is pure in your face hard rock, post metalcore…. whatever you want to call it, it’s just good! “Don’t Think You Know” has a more familiar feel to the band’s debut.

Old fans will feel comfortable here as they headbang consistently through the track.. There is no doubt, no question that singer James Hart still has it. He has an amazingly recognizable voice that both Burn Halo and Eighteen Visions fans have loved for years.

“Fuck You” is a song of independence that everyone can and will identify with. Long time guitarist Joey Roxx brings the heavy with the riffage and newcomer John Duarte lays it down thick on the drums. Four songs into this offering we hear “Out of Faith”.

Reminiscent of “Threw It All Away” off of their offering ‘Up From The Ashes,’ this is when you pull out your lighter.

This one pulls you in all the way. “Dying Without You” is another heartfelt and intense song. These guys have figured out how to add elements of metal into songs that the masses can enjoy. During “Home” I can hear some Avenged Sevenfold influence, heavy and hook oriented.

“Novocaine” and “Enemy Inside” are two more heavy, loud anthems to crank up in your car or at your party.

At this point we are more than halfway through this offering and Burn Halo has not disappointed. There is a clear torment that James is portraying or maybe he is releasing some pent up aggression on this album. Whatever the case, if you like dark angst in your music than this is the album for you.

The softer “Will To Live” is up next.

The addition of strings really sets it apart from the rest of the album. The huge chorus doesn’t hurt either. “Until The End” picks up the pace again, hitting off with a catchy guitar intro.

Wrapping up this record is “You Are The Damned,” an almost 8 minute epic. The pure emotion in the acoustic guitar, bells, and strings make you want to turn up this track for your neighbors in the next county to hear.

More excellent guitar work from Roxx and an intense screaming vocal from James says Burn Halo is ending ‘Wolves of War’ with a bang.

It’s been four years since their ‘Up From the Ashes’ album and well worth the wait. Fans of Avenged Sevenfold, Breaking Benjamin even Thrice will enjoy this offering from these seasoned veterans.

- Donny Rosko

BLAZON STONE No Sign of Glory (Stormspell Records)

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rendition of “Roundabout.” A nice Yes surprise is the inclusion of “Wonderous Stories” from the ‘Going for the One’ album.

Blazon Stone is basically made up of two guys, Cedrick Forsberg, and Georgi Peychev.

Cedrick plays all the instruments, and Georgi provides the lead vocal.

It’s pretty common these days with the ease and convenience of home recording.

They hail from Sweden, and have a sound that certainly makes you think of that area. Like most metal bands from that part of the world, they are technically proficient and understand theory enough to do some real damage. A heavy power/speed combination. fast drumming, shredding solos, good singing, and all the other hallmarks of Swedish metal. An interesting note: they’ve chosen a theme for this project, and it just happens to be...pirates! I love it already! Aye matey! Are ye ready to embark on the high seas of METAL!?

The album cover depicts a legacy fighter with a sword and rifle in a blazing battle, bodies littered about.

Digging into the album itself, Peychev can actually sing, so you don’t’ worry about having to struggle or strain to hear what he’s singing about (unlike our cookie monster cousins.) and reminds me a bit like Jeff Scott Soto to me with a touch of Bruce Dickinson at times.

The opening tracks “Declaration of War” and “Fire the Cannons” both set the pace for the album right away, fast and anthemic in nature, with an obvious Iron Maiden influence creeping in, blazing right through to the end.

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if you read the lyrics, there are ships, pirates, booty and maidens to rape and pillage.

And lots and lots of war.

Nine tracks in total, you get a product that cuts off the fat and leaves you with the leanest, toughest metal they had to offer.

Maybe on their next outing they can diversify a bit. Maybe drop a ballad in for good measure or at least slow things down a bit from time to time. Overall, ‘No Sign of Glory’ impresses. I’d absolutely recommend it to my diehard power metal friends.

-Skully

CAGE Ancient Evil (Sweden Music Group) ‘Ancient Evil’ is the seventh release for the San Diego metal institution and is, in fact their second concept album, following 2007’s ‘Hell Destroyer.’

The concept is based on a horror novel that frontman Sean Peck conceived and is centered around Elliot, a guard at London’s Newgate prison, and his wife Annabelle, who happens to be dying. A soul stealing Arab scientist enters the picture and claims he can save Annabelle by injecting her with the soul of a healthy human, which, in turn transforms Annabelle from the doting wife into pure evil. Whaaaat?

I don’t know, you’ll have to read the book, I suppose.

intro, “There Were Others” (courtesy of ex – Iron Maiden and Wolfsbane frontman Blaze Bayley, who voices the bulk of the spoken word segments) the one-two-three punch of “Ancient Evil,” “Behind the Walls of Newgate” and “The Procedure” will flat out rip your head off. Delivered with enough intensity to shred the CD (or mp3 files, whatever format you choose to listen), guitarists Dave Garcia and Casey Trask are pushed so far up front and in your face in the mix that you’ll swear they’re in the room with you.

The band powers through track after track at full speed until reaching “To Save Love,” which slows proceedings down – but just a bit. For the adrenaline junkies out there, never fear, the band pump things up again on the very next track, “Sinister Six,” which sees Peck launch into full on Geoff Tate mode (circa the ‘The Warning’ / ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ era). The epic “Tomorrow Never Came” closes out the musical portion of the album (the spoken word “It Can’t Be” is the actual final song). To say the band saved the best for last would be an understatement of massive proportion. The track is a hook filled monster, recalling Dio’s early efforts, as well as the ongoing Priest and early Queensryche comparisons that are always rife with the band.

By now you know Cage and you know what to expect from them – high class Euro power metal delivered by an American band that do it almost on the same level as their contemporaries across the water that the sub genre was named for. I’m sure Mrs. Watkins would agree …

-Tim Welch

The music is what matters here and Cage has never had trouble delivering in spades. After the spoken word

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CALIGULA’S HORSE Bloom (Inside Out Music) Progressive rock takes on many forms. There are aspects that end up being similar throughout the wide genre, such as tempo changes, musical virtuosity and the use of different instruments not normally associated with rock or metal. At times this formula shines and other times it seems to be almost the standard to the point of predictability, which is the exact opposite intent of most progressive rock bands. Caligula’s Horse falls outside that predictable area. At first, their album ‘Bloom,’ almost seems that it’s going to be very much a Dream Theater-esque rehashing, particularly in the title track. As that song moves into “Marigold”, the listener is transported to a realm of introspective lyrics and musical adventures that though clearly are progressive metal in style, the melodies are strong enough to keep the interest going.

Riding out of Brisbane, Australia, and calling themselves a progressive alternative rock band, Caligula’s Horse heads into the symphonic progressive metal style at times, yet their sound is quite unique. “Bloom” is their third album and is a powerful album of grand and also emotional statements.

Sure the standard elements are there, the heavy guitars and machine gun drumming, then moving into quieter acoustic passages and symphonic overtones, yet there’s something else about Caligula’s Horse that stands out. Maybe it’s their lyrics, possibly the way the songs change. Though very reminiscent of Dream Theater, Caligula’s Horse stands on its own.

It’s good to hear a band be as creative as Caligula’s Horse presents themselves to be on ‘Bloom.’ I very much enjoyed and hope they tour the USA soon. These are pieces I’d love to hear live.

-Stan Cocheo

does feature 10cc vocalist Mick Wilson, afterall. After a slow, quiet piano intro it kicks into quite the pomp rocker.

CATS IN SPACE Too Many Gods (Harmony Factory) Already being hailed as an Album of the Year candidate by several publications, it’s easy to see why that presumption is being made at this stage.

Quite simply, ‘Too Many Gods’ rocks and rocks hard. But not in a modern way, however. Rather in a modern take on classic rock like no one has touched on in, well, anytime recently.

Comprised of a board of B List names with A List talent the Cats in Space lineup includes members of Sweet, Arena, T’Pau, the Robin Trower Band and Moritz to tick but a few checks off of their collective CV’s – serious talent here.

As the intro “Arrival” kicks into the title track, both ELO and Alan Parsons immediately spring to mind complete with backing vocals provided

by Sweet and Queen. Now this is how you start an album! “Stop” has a definite Queen vibe going, again with some Alan Parsons thrown in for good measure. “Last Man Standing” is very campy but in a good way, as it’s a toe tapper through and through.

First single, “Mr. Heartache” throws the band back into ELO territory with a guest appearance from Sweet legend, Andy Scott and a stellar performance from vocalist Paul Manzi. The beautifully epic “Unfinished Symphony” follows and is pure bliss in a melancholic vein with the lyrics tackling the point of a view of a songwriter that hasn’t quite reached his artistic pinnacle just yet. “The Greatest Story Never Told” comes across very 10cc oriented, and why shouldn’t it?? It

CD REVIEWS

Though this is another album of, “put it on and play it”, which is something I greatly enjoy, it’s also got standout tracks like ‘Dragonfly’ and the title cut, ‘Bloom’, which moves right into ‘Marigold.’ Those two songs set the stage for what you, the listener, is in for on this album. A sonic journey of harder edged progressive metal, tempered by symphonic as well as softer passages as you move through the songs. Jim Grey, the vocalist, has a likable voice that brings you in to listen to what he’s saying. There’s a minimal amount of screaming and yelling which differentiates Caligula’s Horse from a band like Dream Theater. Melodic and expressive, he’s got the vocal chops and power. The guitars are heavy at times, rhythmic throughout and though the solos don’t really stand out, they’re spot on perfect for the songs. Some powerful bass playing by Dave Couper that sometimes seems to be influenced

by Steve Harris of Iron Maiden with its pop and punch. With this style of metal, the machine gun style bass drumming doesn’t always present well and seems to distract from songs at times, at least with other artists.

However, Geoff Irish plays well and his use of triplets and fills help the songs rather than detract from them.

I’d have to see them live to see which parts Sam Vallen plays on guitar as opposed to “everything else” that he is listed as playing on the album.

One could place bets on “Only in Vegas” being written by Jeff Lynne but alas it’s not although it’s that ELO-centric that you’d be forgiven for the assumption.

“Main in the Moon” welcomes Mick Wilson back to the proceedings while “Five Minute Celebrity” recalls The Who in all of their glory.

In a nutshell, if you long for the AOR of yesteryear and favor artists such as Queen, Sweet, New England, The Alan Parsons Project and Supertramp, this is an album you must add to your collection. As I mentioned at the top of the review, the core band member’s names may not be familiar but the talent is absolutely top of the line.

-Tim Welch

CHAOS FRAME Paths to Exile (Nightmare Records) These Midwestern metallers highly impress with their blend of prog metal, power metal and thrash – although they may have a bit of an identity crisis covering so much ground on one release. Do they throw everything into a blender and see what pops out? At times, yes, s they seem to cross the different subgenres several times in the space of a song on several of the tracks. If you’re going to have your material clock in over 5:00 apiece then I guess you have to stay motivated somehow, right?

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The quintet were all raised on the requisite healthy diet of Symphony X, Jag Panzer and Dream Theater with a bit of Blind Guardian thrown in for good measure.

“Painful Lessons” starts off in fine style very Queensryche in nature, actually, kicks things off while the epic in length title track, clocking in at just under 8:00, flirts with thrash metal, featuring some great drumming from Steve Bergquist.

“Dercato” sees vocalist Dave Brown throw a little cookie monster style growling in, mixing things up a bit with his otherwise powerful clean singing, which is much preferred here, thank you very much, while “Terra Firma” leans much more toward the prog side, especially in it’s intro. Brown just lets loose vocally on this track.

Is that a saxophone solo I hear in “Paper Sun”?? Don’t laugh. It works and works fantastically, actually. “Doomed” is rightfully named as things slow down a bit ala Sabbath or maybe even Cathedral – but just a bit, it’s not all doom and gloom, as guitarists Matt Hodsdon and Andy Xiong tear things up underneath it all and pick things up in spots throughout the track, while album closer, “The World Has Two Faces” is an epic affair, both in context and in length, coming in at a full second longer than the album’s title track.

All in all, an impressive second outing for the band, although it would be nice to hear what they can do when they concentrate on one style rather than trying to be all things to all people.

-Vince Newman

DEF LEPPARD Def Leppard (Mailboat Records) “Do you really, really wanna do this now?” is the question Joe Elliot puts to us at the start of “Let’s Go.” Yes, yes, we do wanna do this now. Because we’ve heard that this is classic Leppard.- “the best thing they’ve done in 25 years!” And we’ve heard that it’s crap. So, we want to make up our own minds (or let me make yours up for you anyway).

By now everyone’s heard the aforementioned “Let’s Go” (aka “Pour Some Sugar On Me Pt. II”). When you work with Mutt Lange for a decade you learn to make the type of records Mutt makes. “Let’s Go” is a prime example - it’s a layer upon layer work of art with one of the catchiest choruses to come down the pike it quite some time, while the riff in “Dangerous” (another one that has made the rounds) is sharp enough to slice your head off. The chorus is a bit of a throwback to “Photograph” but not so much that the band plagiarizes themselves. With “Man Enough” one instantly recalls Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” Bass heavy with a bit of an R&B feel on that bottom end the track “breathes” quite a bit, meaning the normally prominent guitar work from Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell takes a back seat to Rick Savage for a change. The Leps have always delivered on the power ballad side of the coin and “We Belong” is no exception as, while the mid tempo track might play things a little safe, the band obviously know what they’re aiming for with this one (you have to ask?? R-A-D-I-O).

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“Invincible” pulls the band into more “modern sounding” (if you will) territory for the first time on this album.

Moody, subdued and with some brilliant guitar work going on in the background, it features yet another strong chorus. “Sea of Love” is the “party song” on the record as it’s more bubbly and poppy than the bulk of what we have on offer here. A plethora of harmony vocals decorate the song throughout the choruses. As we hit the halfway mark, “Energized”, actually, ummmm, isn’t. It drags from beginning to end and the band actually sounds bored delivering it, while “All Time High” kicks off fast and furiously and takes us back to their classic period. If I could put my finger on what song the front section of the verses rips off I’d name it but unfortunately it’s not coming to me (old age is fun, folks!). “Battle of my Own” is Def Leppard wanting to be Led Zeppelin and succeeding at it, I guess. Not impressed. “Broke ‘n’ Brokenhearted” is a guitar driven pop metal track that, again, is classic Leppard.

With “Forever Young” you get another stab at a modern rock track with a hook and harmony laden chorus and “Last Dance” is an acoustic based number, perhaps trying to re-catch the fire of “Two Steps Behind (?) and “Wings of an Angel” is a big sounding modern rocker that falls in line with material on the ‘Slang’ or perhaps ‘X’ era. The album’s final track, “Blind Faith” is a bit experimental for the band. Dark and pensive, it hits all the marks that it needs to, The verses are primarily a melancholic vocal delivery by Joe Elliott accompanied by a sole guitar and a mellotron, courtesy of producer Ronan McHugh, adding strings just before fully kicking in at the 4:21 mark then pulling things back down to close the song out.

Fans have been clamoring for a “classic Def Leppard record” since the mid 90’s and with this self titled opus they pretty much have what they’ve asked for. But they probably won’t be completely happy. Why? Because it’s not a blueprint of ‘High N’ Dry’, ‘Pyroma-

- Dave Tedder

HAMMERCULT Built for War (Steamhammer / SPV) The Israeli thrashers up their game on this, their third release. While their prior two efforts, 2012’s ‘Anthem of the Damned’ and 2013’s ‘Steelcrusher” focused on breaking faces and ramming their fists down the listener’s throats, they have found a sense of melody on ‘Built for War’ not present in the older material. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no Sunset Strip / Swedish rock posing going on here, it’s just that the guys have broadened their talents while still pushing the limits of thrash metal.

After opening with the overly dramatic intro piece, “From Parts Unknown” drummer Maayan Henik kicks things off as the bulldozer known as “Rise of the Hammer” jumps out at you – and we’re off to a very impressive start.

The humorously titled “I Live For This Shit” shows off the powerful twin guitar attack of Guy Ben David and Yuval Kramer while “Spoils of War” is flat out mayhem with an unexpectedly very catchy chorus and political lyrics about conflict back in their homeland.

“Ready to Roll” is straight out of New York circa 1982 street thrash and “Blackened Blade” is just vicious with frontman Yarik von Hammer (yes, you read that correctly) screaming as if his life depended upon it. With “Let It Roar” Hammercult pulls a page from classic era Accept’s handbook, so much that you would swear you hear Herr Dirkschneider jumping in on the chorus. Just an immense track from start to finish. “Ode to Ares” lets up just enough to let us catch our breath but no worries, as “Altar of Pain” throws you straight back into the pit and the aggression of “Blood and Fire” is designed acutely to rip your head off while I’m sure “Saturday Night Circle Pit Fights” actually inspires many.

Hammercult wear their influences on their sleeves, with elements of Destruction, Testament and early Anthrax thrown into the mix. I’m convinced that once this band finds their own legs they will be unstoppable.

-Vince Newman

KELLY KEELING Mind Radio (Frontiers Music) While I am familiar with Kelly Keeling as a singer I am not overly familiar with his back catalogue as such. The exception, of course, is Baton Rouge with whom he made his initial impact.

In fact, if I remember correctly, he made quite an impact at Firefest with Baton Rouge where he appeared to be very emotional and tired!

The album starts with “This Love Our Paradise” which highlights the power and edge in KK’s voice and the song

is reminiscent of prime time Night Ranger. It rocks along with great interplay between guitars and keyboards. This is followed by “Isolated Man” which kicks in with a pacey riff and lead guitar intro before dropping into a half-time verse to great effect. The pace is picked up for the bridge and chorus which has a great hook. “Sunshine Over Me” opens with an ’80s high-tech keyboard intro and then into a great mid-paced melodic rocker. The vocal melody on this song for me is totally lush and works superbly with KK’s voice. “Still Need You in My Arms” opens with some Journey-esque piano and the vocals are mellowed out a little and the song builds nicely to the chorus which is also strong. The feel changes markedly for “Written in Fire” which is a big rocker with a great guitar riff and KK’s voice getting put through its paces.

The tempo is lifted with “Take Me to The Limit” but the song is actually slightly lighter than its predecessor.

The chorus has some great gospellike backing vocals. Although in this song when KK really drops down an octave or two in range it doesn’t really suit his voice - in my opinion at least sounding like a poor man’s Billy Idol.

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nia’ and ‘Hysteria,’ that’s why, which frankly, is a ridiculous reason. There’s enough here for everyone, whether you were a fan of the harder driving material of the first three albums, the pop metal perfection of the late 80’s and early 90’s, or even the alternative leaning rock and pop records of the late 90’s into the new millennium. I’d say “Welcome back boys” but they never went away now, did they?

An electronic drum beat and acoustic guitar open “Love Will Tear Us Apart” with Keeling trying a little falsetto wooing! The chorus is a little clichéd but good none the less. “No Man’s Land” opens with synth and piano before the drums introduce the rest of the musical accompaniment. This song has some great time changes and really rocks along in places.

Another Journey-inspired song is next and again Kelly’s voice in the lower ranges lets him down and it sounds double-tracked to get some power into it. Called “Frozen In Time,” it is easily the weakest song so far on the album. Until, that is, “Monkey House” kicks which actually is the weakest song on the album. I kind of get what he is trying to do with this song but it

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doesn’t really work. Penultimate song “Ride the Storm” gets the album back on track and is a good melodic rocker where KK’s voice carries the melody well and the song in general. Finally, we get to the end and the song “Who Do You Run To” (nothing to do with the Moritz song of the same name or Heart for that matter) which rocks along a big staccato riff and KK goes for it in places with the vocals but it comes across average

Now while I concede, Kelly’s voice may be an acquired taste, as it took me a few listens to get into, it really does grow on you after a bit.

The album starts really strongly but peters out soon enough, although it could be that the front end is so strong the last three to four songs just let it down a little. If you like melodic rock and / or AOR with an edge this will press your buttons, but you will need to persevere with it to get the best out of it.

-Peter Scallan

Followers of Rammstein’s Lindemann will immediately pick up on the industrial metal vibe present throughout the disc - the staple sound of Rammstein - but the glaring difference between the Lindemann project and Rammstein would be the fact that the vocals are presented in English and not German as standard with a Rammstein release.

As mentioned earlier, the disc maintains an industrial metal feel so listeners of Tagtren should not anticipate nor expect any death metal blows that one may be accustomed to. Instead, there’s a constant reliability of synthesizers throughout allowing for melodic elements that accompany Tagtren’s guitar work with solid non crushing riffs scattered throughout the disc.

According to the credit information listed in the disc, Lindemann was responsible for lyrical and vocal content resulting in odd and sexually based material whereas Tagtren handled all instrumental duties including orchestrations as well as production and engineering. Unfortunately the lyrical content such as golden showers and orifices to name but a few, becomes quite stale after a while leaving Tagtren’s contributions to be the savior of the release.

Standout tracks include the title track, “Skills in Pills” as well as “Home Sweet Home,” “Golden Shower” and “Fat” with each bringing something unique to the listening table, breeding hope and salvaging the disc.

LINDEMANN Skills in Pills (Warner Music) Till Lindemann, the creative mind behind Rammstein and Peter Tagtren who is the driving force behind Sweden’s Hypocrisy and Pain have combined their talents and resources for a collaboration simply known as Lindemann resulting in an eleven track effort titled ‘Skills for Pills’ released through Warner Music.

Listeners should not approach with caution but should set the expectation level moderately. If not, then there will be disappointment. This is not a Rammstein release even though the voice of Rammstein is on it.

The Lindemann disc could have been a standout release for 2015 but instead misses the mark. Whether shock value or offensiveness may have been the end goal, one’s not sure. It’s not a poor effort but instead it’s an album that may need some

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time to let sink in. Tune out the lyrical content and let the guitars, orchestrations and synths take hold, transporting one on an industrial metal listening escape.

- Brian McLean

LYNCH MOB Rebel (Frontiers Records) George Lynch is back with his Lynch Mob and their eighth studio release.

Backing Mr. Scary up are Oni Logan (vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass) and Brian Tichy (drums). This latest entry into his extensive career with the Lynch Mob does not disappoint. First off, this latest release is not ‘Wicked Sensation’, but that’s really not here nor there. That album was lightning in a bottle and is now twenty five years old.

‘Rebel’ from front to back is a balls out rocker. It opens with the adrenaline rush that is, “Automatic Fix,” which immediately grabs you and doesn’t let go. From there George and company go full throttle with “Between The Truth And A Lie”, “Testify”, “Sanctuary” and “Pine Tree Avenue.” The album switches gears with the down and dirty bluesy swagger of groove laden “Jelly Roll”, “Dirty Money” and the melodic rocker, “The Ledge”. Closing the album is “War.” The band have great chemistry, and sound raw and a little bit loose while coming through clear and polished at the same time. A feat few bands manage to achieve successfully. Oni Logan’s vocals are on point and Lynch does what George Lynch has always done best - he plugs in his

Overall, ‘Rebel’ is packed with a great collection of well written and performed songs but it’s the overall sound that really does it for me. If you like your rock music dripping with bluesy licks and soulful singing, then this album is for you.

- Tony Sison

MAD MAX Thunder, Storm and Passion (Steamhammer / SPV) A sort of “greatest hits re-recorded” set from the classic German hard rockers, if you will, ‘Thunder, Storm and Passion’ is a worthy package for either new fans or those who have been with them since their humble beginnings back in 1982.

The band is fronted by Michael Voss, who you may be familiar with from his stints with Casanova or perhaps Demon Drive or more recently Wolfpakk.

Only Juergen Breforth remains from the earliest days of the band (Voss having joined in time for the release 1984’s ‘Rollin’ Thunder’ album).

Jumping into the album, it’s a collection pulled together from the band’s sophomore effort ‘Rollin’ Thunder,’ and the two following releases, ‘Stormchild’ and ‘Night of Passion,’ respectively and funny enough it actually follows the running order that the tracks actually appear on those album, with the exception of the final two songs, “Night of Passion” and “Hearts on Fire”, which have been flip flopped.

Musically it’s formula hard rock from each of the eras represented (1984 – 1987) and, even though the songs are re-recorded versions you can still tell how the writing progressed from one album to the next, beginning with paint by the number German hard rock then slowly but surely becoming more commercial and “Americanized” along the way. The production on the new versions is stellar and anyone familiar with the original versions of the songs will be thankful for that fact, as the band weren’t exactly afforded a huge budget on these tracks the first go round.

As for the songs, as one would expect (and hope), the further along you get a band’s catalogue the stronger the writing becomes, although “Losing You” from “Rollin’ Thunder’ is a bit of a standout here. For some reason the song “Rollin’ Thunder” is recalling “Sign of the Gypsy Queen,” which, of course, April Wine popularized back in the same era, as well. “Never Say Never” and “Stormchild” (both initially on ‘Stormchild’) see the band in double time as their writing was beginning to mature and they were starting to get a sense of who they were come to light. However, it’s this album’s last four songs, all of which are culled from their gem from 1987 ‘Night of Passion’ where they come into their own and the re-recordings bring that out even more. “Burning the Stage,” “Wait for the Night,” ‘Night of Passion” and “Hearts on Fire” are all melodic rock tour de forces and you’re left wondering …”Hmmm, what if they just re-recorded that entire album?!?”

As was stated in the opening paragraph, if you’re a melodic hard rock fan and looking for a “new” band then this is a great starting point. Or, if like myself, you’re familiar with the band’s early material it’s nice to have a refreshing take on these songs it’s a win / win all around. Well, as long as you don’t mention the war …

MITCH LADDIE BAND Let You Go (MLBP)

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guitar and then taps into the universal energy that only the elite guitar gods have access to.

Three years after the last studio release we have the welcome return of Mitch Laddie esq & co with a brand new studio recording ‘Let You Go.’ From the off this album cocks a snook at what you’d expect from someone quite often perceived as a blues guitarist.

Mitch is a versatile guitarist, comfortable to mix and blend rock, blues, funk and what ever else takes his fancy. Joining him on this musical adventure is bassist Rhian Wilkinson & drummer Matt Connor, who together create a huge wall of sound which doesn’t swamp but compliments and reinforces Mitch’s playing.

From the absolute funkfest of ‘Your Time, Pt 2‘ through to the more jazzy ‘Linger‘, the bluesy ‘Cut Loose‘ to the 60’s infused rock of ‘Before It’s Mine, Pt3‘, you are taken on a musical journey without seat belts or safety net!

For those of you yearning for a change from blandness, or if you’re just looking for something a bit different and refreshing then this is the album for you.

-Dan Mann

-Tim Welch

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roe would call it.

MICHAEL MONROE Blackout States (Spinefarm Records)

Michael Monroe. When the name is mentioned, it is immediately followed with reverence and those long ago days he fronted Hanoi Rocks. It also brings to mind the beginning of his solo career in the heyday of so called “hair metal.” A time which I wholeheartedly love.

Michael has not been a quiet one on the music front by any means. Whether he is playing and recording solo or when Hanoi Rocks temporarily reunited or even his Demolition 23 project, Monroe is non-stop. That is a blessing in today’s wasteland of nu metal and no talent pop trash.

‘Blackout States’ is not a promise of anything “new, fresh or exciting” as they say in the music industry. Instead it is a fulfillment to his promise to never forget what his fans have come to love. Opening track “This Ain’t No Love Song” kicks the disc off in high speed, immediately showcasing the tandem guitars of Steve Conte and newest addition Rich Jones (Black Halos, Ginger Wildheart’s band).

Yeah, that old school Monroe/Hanoi Rocks vibe and sound is definitely still there.

“Old Kings Road” is an ode to Michael and Sammi Yaffa’s past. With references to changing their names (while in Hanoi Rocks) and rose tattoos and even a nod to Sid Vicous with “a Lock and Chain”. “Goin’ Down With the Ship” has a great sleazy swagger that’s hard to find today. A great ode to true friendships and an excellent “blues punk” style song as Mr. Mon-

“Keep Your Eye On You”, “The Bastard’s Bash” (with it’s raunchy high energy four on the floor guitars bursting through in between) and “Good Old Bad Days” continue the swagger of the album until we come across “R.L.F.” “R.L.F. (Rock Like Fuck)” captures the pure raw punk energy of the band. With Michael’s trademark slogan “Fuck Shit Up!” thrown in for good measure, I’d put this up there with The Sex Pistols and The Ramones for snotty punk attitude alone.

Title track, “Blackout States” has a nice dirty intro that skips right back into the tried and true Monroe sound - a song that is every bit what you’d think it would be about. The Dee Dee Ramone penned “Under the Northern Lights” appears next. A song written for Michael many years ago, it finally sees the light of day. I have to say that it is such a fitting song for Michael. A great start with it’s acoustic guitar intro, Michael and company did a great job capturing how I think Dee Dee would have performed it himself.

“Permanent Youth” is another song that sways to the trademark Monroe vibe, with a sweet sax solo that brings it home. If the rest of the album is a pretty great reminder of the charm that is Michael Monroe then “Dead Hearts on Denmark Street” is proof of his raging against change and all the crap that comes with it.

“Six Feet In The Ground” and “Walk Away” close out the album without losing any of its steam. A rare feat when it comes to recording an albums worth of material. I almost forgot to add, drummer Karl Rockfist and Monroe’s ever present partner in crime, bassist Sammi Yaffa carry the album in perfect punk tenacity in their duties.

Rock solid rock n roll never sounded so good.

So many bands write throw away songs. With Michael Monroe and his band they are all keepers.

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- Chris Gillespie

THE MUGGS Straight Up Boogaloo (Self Released) One could use the phrase never judge a book by it’s cover, or in this instance, an album by it’s title.

This is the fourth album from the Detroit three-piece, of Danny Muggs (Danny Methric, vocals/guitar), Tony Muggs (Tony DeNardo, keyboards) and Todd Glass (drums). I discovered that some years ago Tony DeNardo suffered a life threatening stroke which left him paralyzed and unable to speak. However, after many years of trying, he found he was able to play his bass parts on a Fender Rhodes keyboard.

The album kicks off with “Applecart Blues” not a ‘traditional blues track’ by any means but a modern pumping rock song that will have you turning up the volume. “Fat City” has a sixties groovy feel to it, much more laid back than the opener. “Lightning Cries” very much slots into a particular blues rock vibe that seems to be rising in popularity and as such is very much to my personal taste.

Next we have the wonderfully titled “Spit & Gristle” again falling into the gritty blues rock realm. Then a Led Zeppelin style riff fills the air as we launch headfirst into “Roger Over and Out A” a cracking song which leads you into “Roger Over And Out B” a simple song with acoustic guitar and an atmospheric vocal interspersed with soundtrack type clips.

Things are very laid back when it

“Tomorrow’s Dream” follows which is actually a cover of a Black Sabbath track but with a Rival Sons twist, and it’ll certainly get your foot stompin’.

The title track “Straight Up Boogaloo” starts with a great radio promo voice over before you get exactly what it says in the title, boogaloo rock n’ roll!

Elvis influences are very evident and you envisage a classic trio with one on the double bass pounding the strings.

“Rattlesnake Shake” is southern blues rock, written of course by Peter Green, with all the right ingredients, stretching out to just under twelve minutes of superb music.

How do you follow that? Simple, with a Lennon/McCartney number, namely “Yer Blues” and what a great version too. The final track “Theotis Toddlinski Outtakes” isn’t an actual song, rather voice over outtakes delivered in a deep ‘voice over guy’ style!

To sum up, I absolutely love this album and wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it to any music lover.

-Dan Mann

NEWMAN The Elegance Machine (AOR Heaven) Steve Newman is one of the most highly respected UK rockers out there. His albums always receive deserved attention, simply due to the unfailing quality of the songs.

Taking two years to complete (yes it really has been that long since ‘Siren’), ‘The Elegance Machine‘ marks the welcome return of Newman .

All the trademarks are here again in quality songs, great vocals and melody is as always high on Mr. Newman’s agenda.

On first listen, ‘The Elegance Machine’ wears a harder edge than “Siren.” Very guitar driven retaining those all important hooks that the band is known for with the addition of some quite wonderful keyboards.

The title track has a real driving rhythm, kicked along by the drum work of Rob McEwen, over which the bass and Steve’s guitar work builds into a real monster track. “Don’t Stay Lonely” has every chance of becoming one of the band’s live staples as it has that sing along chorus , hard guitars and screams to be performed from a sweaty stage.

A welcome return to the fold is Mark Thompson Smith (Big Life / Praying Mantis) who lends backing vocals on three tracks including the rocking “Illuminate.”

Geoff Wooton appears on a further three tracks including the wonderful “Halo,” co-written by Steve and Paul Boyle. The song has an almost U2 feel to the guitars and a 100% fantastic lifting chorus that is going to sound amazing with the audience singing it back to the band.

If you are a fan of the work Steve Newman releases , you are not going to be disappointed at any point here and have you never delved into the aural place Steve calls home ... now’s your chance.

-Paul Nicholls

CHAND K. NOVA The Wrath of Chand (Self Released) Chand K Nova was not familiar to me before this album dropped into the inbox.

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comes to “Blues for Mephistopheles” a modern blues track which wouldn’t be out of place on, say, a Rival Sons album.

‘The Wrath Of Chand‘ is a twelve track instrumental rock album, written & recorded by Chand, a musician from London.

Kicking off with the title track “Wrath of Chand” you’re instantly transported into the realms of Satriani & Vai with maybe a hint of Ozric Tentacles for good measure. Personally I need to be in a certain frame of mind to enjoy instrumental albums, and so have waited till the right time to give this a fair crack of the whip.

Technically proficient playing to my ears, no doubt my guitarist chums will either correct me or agree! Certainly you get a fair bit of widdly widdly, however there are more laid back segments of the album.

“Warlord” has a harder edge to it than some of the other tracks, which given it’s title is not really a surprise, while “Different Faces of the Same Beast” certainly made the cone in my subwoofer move somewhat with a low down rumble of bass which is overpowering to the extent that it spoils what is otherwise quite an enjoyable track.

“Final Strike” cries out for some decent vocals which would make for a decent melodic hard rock track.

If you like your instrumental rock then it’s certainly worth checking out.

Overall not a bad album and I’d be intrigued to hear something in a full

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band context.

-Dan Mann

OZONE Self Defence (Escape Music) After a very, very long wait, this much vaunted album is finally here, the main draw points being the voices of Chris Ousey and Steve Overland, arguably the best voices in the business . Teamed with guitars from Mike Slamer and Tommy Denander, ‘Self Defence’ screams for attention and dedicated listening.

From the onset, Mike Slamer is truly on top form , giving us what we have come to expect, classic riffs great solos and a presence on songs that is 100% recognizable and a welcome return. Tommy Denander brings his trademark feel and playing to the album making the album a musical extravaganza. As both Tommy and Mike are credited with writing credits you have to assume that the songs have only benefited from this collaboration.

Now, let us turn to the vocals. Two of the best singers rock has to offer brought together in one place at one time on one album - ladies and gentlemen the results are simply astounding. Have two voices ever melded so well? I think not. A tour de force is on offer here. Neither singer outshining the other, instead both compliment and make room for each other. Sensibly Chris and Steve have picked their parts well, reserving individual lines that suit each voice and allowing each to exploit their strengths .

Song wise the album is classic Melod-

ic Rock with some superb songs (the track “So Blind” really stands out from the bunch here) and is sure to stay on your player for some time.

If you are a fan of well written, performed and arranged songs this album is for you!

-Paul Nicholls

POP EVIL Up eOne Music Pop Evil has brought us some memorable songs such as “Boss’s Daughter” and “Trenches”. Let’s take a look at their latest album and see if they have delivered yet another great one.

The album’s first single, “Footsteps” leads off the album and has an almost electronic feel to it – a bit of a switch for the band and has me wondering if the rest of the record will follow suit.

With “Core”, we’re back in familiar Pop Evil territory. With blaring guitars and a hard hitting rhythm section you’re instantly hooked. “In Disarray” begins with a sludgy feel, something more in line with early Black Sabbath material. That shouldn’t concern you, however, Singer Leigh Kakaty brings the catchy hooks for a big chorus on this track. Three songs in and all is well here - all slightly different but still ring true to Pop Evil. The fourth of thirteen tracks, “Take It All,” is well produced with gang vocals that are sure to grab your attention.

Pop Evil brings us a new feel with “Ghost of Muskegon” with a small electronic groove. There is a big chorus, but honestly I am not a huge fan of this track. I am missing the

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theatrics I am use to with these guys.

“If Only For Now” is the song to break out the lighter to. I want to drive around with my lady at sunset and blast this one, good job guys. Not only is this a great song but it showcases a higher range for singer Leigh. “...” is merely a 31 second musical interlude that seems to split up the vibe of this album. “Ways To Get High” has a groovy, funkadelic rock vibe to it. This is unlike the rest of the album, if not the rest of their entire catalog but I actually really like it. It’s as if Prince and Lenny Kravitz had a love child… wait that is weird but this song rocks. “Lux” is more like it, driven by a distorted bass and sludgy hard rock guitar I’m hooked. This still feels like unfamiliar territory for the seasoned group….. four more songs to go. “Vendetta” is where home is for me and this offering. A heavy, guitar driven, chunky and dare I say catchy song. I mean seriously I can’t stop banging my head to this one.

Another curveball, “Seattle Rain” starts off as a folky tune with an array of acoustic instruments playing. It is a good song, nice and catchy and low key. Rounding out “Up” with a strong ballad is “Til Kingdom Come”. A fun song that has a nice touch of late 90’s guitar work and song structure. I could see the music video looking a lot like “November Rain” from Guns N Roses.

Not bad company to keep if you ask me.

It is clear that the band has really ventured off and done what they wanted with this collection of songs, there is a nice variety. Although some may get a little lost and long for the old Pop Evil I think this new and versatile Pop Evil is here to stay. Fans of bands like Otherwise, Red Sun Rising and Seether will absolutely enjoy this album. Go check it out and see for yourself.

-Donny Rosko

Well, well, well! Praying Mantis!

There is a band I haven’t heard from in a long time, especially as I am old enough to remember them first time around. That and the fact that along with my old band Samson they were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) with Iron Maiden and Saxon. So what are they up to now? Let’s find out!

Not surprisingly the opening song has NWOBHM connotations although the British edge is taken off the song with Jaycee Cuijpers European style vocals. “Fight for Your Honour” is very traditional melodic classic rock and bounces along, however, “The One” quickly follows and is a fine slice of AOR-style melodic rock and Cuilpers vocals grow me on with this number.

“Believable” also straddles the fine line between classic rock and AOR, sounding a little like Journey in places, actually.

“Tokyo,” if I am honest doesn’t really do it for me with the clichéd opening, although it isn’t a bad song overall, driven by a big bass line and clean guitar riff. The keyboard opening of “Better Man” belies the powerful slow burner it actually is. Again, it doesn’t really do it for me like the opening three songs.

“All I Can See” again opens with keyboards and another slice of classic AOR unfolds. Consisting of great textures between guitars and keys, it allows the vocals to be expansive and has a great chorus. The next song sounds like it could be on a Magnum album with its (once again) keyboard

QUEENSRYCHE ‘Condition Human’ (Century Media Records)

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PRAYING MANTIS Legacy (Frontiers Music)

intro and guitars and I could imagine Bob Catley singing this. “Eyes of a Child” really is the real deal with regards to classic melodic British rock.

As it’s title and intro suggests, “The Runner” is slightly more epic. Despite the grand opening and some great harmony guitars it just doesn’t even burst into a power walk never mind run. The song just doesn’t live up to the intro or grandiose title and I am left a little disappointed. The keyboard opening of “Against the World” also hints at a more grandiose song and this time it comes to fruition with impressive guitar harmonies and riffs.

It has a strong bridge before launching into a great chorus, although I am not totally convinced on the vocals.

And speaking of epic, “Fallen Angel” finally delivers what the last two songs have built up to! Clocking in at just over 6 minutes, it has all the guitar, keyboard and vocal parts of an epic including some classic Mantis twin guitar NWOBHM-style! And we are at the final song already – where did the time go?! “Second Time Around” is classic NWOBHM melodic metal and sounds a little like Iron Maiden with keyboards. While not quite to my taste, it is executed superbly well and I can totally see the attraction of this type of music having been swayed by it as 13/14 year old back in the day with my combat jacket covered in patches.

Queensryche. Wow. I can’t believe I am excited to mention that name again. This once great band had been relegated to “Adult Contemporary” hell. Former singer Geoff Tate seemed to have fallen off the tracks in his vision of the band and bringing in outside song writers who just could not capture what the band was truly about, heavy metal.

Then a drastic change happened. The band fired Tate and after a lawsuit that resulted in the band winning the rights to their name, many thought it truly was the end. Even when they announced that they had a new singer.

Fans were understandably skeptical.

And then the self-titled album was released. A return to form from a band many thought was dead. Rising from the ashes to regain their standing in the progressive metal realm.

It is good to know and hear that some of those pioneer bands of NWOBHM are still going strong and sounding good. While not all to my taste, there are some excellent songs on the album. And whilst Jaycee most definitely has a fine melodic metal voice, I am not totally convinced it works for Praying Mantis as they band have lost some of their “British-ness.” I am not sure in these days of political correctness if I am allowed to say, but I am saying it none the less! On that basis, why don’t you buy it and make your own mind up. Opinions on a postcard to …

Queensryche follows up their amazing self-titled album and their second with singer Todd La Torre in fine fashion.

As on the first album, La Torre proves he can out-Tate Geoff himself and still sound original while he’s at it.

-Peter Scallan

“Guardian” starts out with a grooving

Opening song “Arrow of Time” is a step into an even more progressive sounding Queensryche. Without losing any of the nuances that make the band sound so good. The song recalls a bit of early Dream Theater. The intro and main riffs remind me a little of “Spreading the Disease”, only sped up a lot more. I’ll take it.

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tribal rhythm style intro. The vocals cross right into classic ‘Operation:Mindcrime’ territory. I could almost swear that that old singer of theirs was still contributing vocals, especially on the fly ins.

Goose bumps. “Hellfire” slows down the tempo and brings a grungy almost dirge like feel to the album. “Toxic Remedy” continues the slower vibe, albeit with some excellent guitar work that captures a lot of the ‘Empire’ era vibe, right down to the crashing of the cymbals and driving bass. Todd’s vocals stand out as his own in this song as well, proving that he is no slouch in his duties.

“Selfish Lives” grooves right out of the gate and immediately brings back more of the ‘Empire’ era, with it’s radio voice compliments and all.

“Eye9” is refreshing with a bass intro, adding a touch of tension into getting the song going. Almost like a nu metal song, but with Queensryche showing how it’s supposed to be done. An angelic chorus opens “Bulletproof” before sparkling guitars and soaring vocals take over. A slow burning ballad that showcases some great guitar work. I can’t really compare this to much from their past. I’ll chalk it up to the band proving they can still think outside the box.

“Hourglass” is quite an eclectic song, with different breakdowns and direction changes all over the place. It really keeps your ears on their feet.

Some great tandem guitar work on this one as well. “Just Us” is another ballad that made it on to the disc. A great, chilling reminder of some of Queensryche’s past works. Another ‘Empire’ influenced song apparently, but still so fresh to these ears.

“All There Was, “The Aftermath, “Condition Human” and “Espiritu Muerto” close out the disc.

songs and not try to describe them?

Because I can’t do justice to this any more than I have. If you are a Queensryche fan, buy the album. This collection is one of those albums you can listen to from start to finish, and I have many times already.

I know there are some “DeGarmo” holdouts out there, but I say this to you: you are only hurting yourselves.

This is some great work from a band that has proven that they are still a viable act that can write amazing songs.

If you are not a Queensryche fan or have never heard them, buy it anyway and listen to it immerse yourself in it.

You’ll thank me later.

- Chris Gillespie

RED SUN RISING Polyester Zeal (Razor and Tie) Red Sun Rising have become the new darlings of the active rock scene and with their new full length release ‘Polyester Zeal’ you are in for one hell of a treat. Leading off with “Push” we get fairly strong start. With guitars a plenty and a catchy chorus this is a damn good song. “Amnesia” kicks off with a cool guitar riff that sees Mike Protich enter into a 2000’s - era style vocal and he pulls it off. There is something very familiar to this music so far. I can hear influence from bands like Cavo and The Veer Union.

Rounding out the 3rd spot on this album is the band’s current single, “The Otherside,” which has a slightly different sonic footprint than the rest of the album with it’s Alice in Chains vibe.

Why did I just type the last of the

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Almost halfway through the album we have “My Muse,” a slightly less upbeat song. The distorted bass gives it a sudo-electronic feel at first but that only turns to sludgy goodness towards the middle of this song. “Emotionless” has a cool driven acoustic feel and a memorable hook in the chorus. Following is another low key song, “Blister” - the obligatory “whip out your lighter” song.

Back into hard driving radio rock we go with “Worlds Away.” The track is your classically formatted rock song and the addition of echoing backup vocals really does set this it apart from the rest of this offering. Continuing on, “Unnatural” has a very cool end to the chorus. The song changes up completely and you will have to buy this track to hear what I’m talking about. “Awake” is the groove song of this album. I can’t stop banging my head to this one. The pulsating bass/ guitar of the verse is captivating and encapsulating.

“Bliss” starts as an acoustic song with some light strings in the background. The familiarity with this band is that they are a rock band in the classic sense of the word, being as well versed in their songwriting as they are. Dynamics are not lost on these guys and the forefathers of rock should be proud. The last song on this freshman offering, “Imitations” is a 100mph rage of fury. Right from the beginning I just want to get in an American car and drive fast. This is American rock and roll reminiscent of Guns N Roses.

It’s no surprise that these guys have made a big splash. If you are a fan of Rock music from the late 90’s and early 2000’s, this is for you. Red Sun Rising have taken the music that must influence them and thrown their own twist on it. I dare say this is a modern take on the rock most of us grew up on.

-Donny Rosko

The opening track, “Rising Tides” for this Colorado based quartet is a dark and eerie piano piece that slowly builds not only in dynamics but also in the listener’s interest. “2:13” starts with a memorable guitar riff that slots in perfectly with the modern rock world. A steady electronic drum beat brings “The Otherside” is a guitar driven track full of heaviness. There is a very full keyboard/synth sound to this track that really hits hard in the hook laden chorus. The dark theme carries through with “Shadows.” The vocals on this track get a bit grimy towards the end and I’m liking that.

Andrew Whiteman’s guitars on “We are the Hunted” have a very metal percussiveness to them, although the solo could be a little stronger here.

“Break Away” sounds like a modern take on the 80’s rock all the way to the harmonizing guitar solo, which is a vibe that really suits these guys.

Halfway through this offering we have “Scars” which has a great guitar intro, heavy and memorable. I’m a little lost in the verses but the chorus is big and brings me right straight back in. Vocalist Matthew Whiteman has a unique voice and it has taken a little over half of this album to grow on me but it has.

Now that I mention it, he sounds like a cross between Benjamin Burnley from Breaking Benjamin and Volbeat’s Michael Poulsen. That can’t be a bad thing. Next up is another memorable tune with “Cold”. This band really fills the sonic space and these tracks sounds huge. “Misery” offers up some metal growling which is just not working for me. Thankfully it’s not through-

All in all “The Rising” is a good album.

This band has a lot of talent but there seems to be something missing. I can’t put my finger on it but I see a lot of potential and I will be looking for the band’s next release. If you are a fan of Gemini Syndrome, Breaking Benjamin or Volbeat give Red Tide Rising a listen.

-Donny Rosko

SEVENDUST Kill the Flaw (Asylum Records) It’s 2015, so you are probably no stranger to Sevendust. If so, what the hell kind of rock have you been hiding under? With new album, ‘Kill the Flaw’ the band is in prime form.

Right off the bat, you are greeted with a programmed beat that kicks into a heavy melodic number with “Thank You.” “Death Dance” leads with a piano driven melody that is soothing … well, that is until the drop tuned and distorted guitar comes hammering in. Another melodic tune but Vince Horsnby’s bass is driving this one. By the third song, “Forget” I have a feeling that Lajon and crew are up to their

old tricks - and I like it. The addition of a guitar solo separates this track from the first two thus far. “Letters” harkens back to the older radio singles from the early 2000’s that we all loved.

The vocals are clean, crisp and very in front of the music with a very catchy chorus that you can’t help yourself singing along with even on the first listen. Starting the next song off with a low key vibe and harmonized vocals “Cease and Desist” then builds into a huge and heavy chorus.

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RED TIDE RISING The Rising (Deathbox Records / Vanity Music Group)

out the entire song but when it kicks in it doesn’t seem to fit. Right off the bat “The Choice” has a huge guitar and drum intro that I love. Definitely a more metal driven song than some of the others, “This Is War” is an energy filled anthem with plenty of anger.

This is one of those songs that you will break the speed limit to. The title track, “The Rising,” rounds out this offering. This is actually one of my favorite tracks on this album and is a little less metal and a bit more straight ahead hard rock.

We are at the halfway mark with the angsty and angry “Not Today.” There is no doubt at this point that Sevendust has reverted back to their heavier and perhaps more simplistic style.

Sevendust is synonymous with the guitar riffs provided by Clint Lowery, with “Chop” it is the bass that truly shines and drives the heavy grooves.

The sludgy, almost djenty rhythm of this track is catchy. Title track, “Kill the Flaw” is probably my least favorite track but it has a storytelling vibe to it.

“Silly Beast” leads off with some dark ethereal music. Once the band kicks in, this is driving and absolutely brutal track. Lowery’s guitar skills once again, really shine on this album and “Peace and Destruction” is no exception. There are more screams on this track which certainly gives it a heavier feel. “Torched” has a pulsating drum beat provided by Morgan Rose. The culmination of the screaming, yells and drums this song gives off a “going to war” energy. I’m getting pumped and looking for my rifle just writing about it.

‘Kill the Flaw’ is a solid offering from an extraordinary band. Go grab your copy and turn it up to eleven!

-Donny Rosko

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SKINDRED Volume (Napalm Records)

Skindred has been a band for a long time. 17 years to be exact. Combining aspects of metal, reggae, rock and some dance this band is sure to catch the unfamiliar off guard. Opening track, “Under Attack” is a hard hitting rocker to the core. A hard rock song with a Rasta-esque vocal melody, it flows well. There is a fluid movement through the song which keeps you engaged. Title track, “Volume” continues the theme and actually feels like a Disturbed song at times. With a very open and catchy chorus this is another good one.

Here we go, a bit more reggae with a deep bass driven verse with “Hit the Ground.” One thing is certain, I can’t stop banging my head for the first trilogy of songs on this offering. “Shut Ya Mouth” is yet another hard rock/ metal song but to my liking it isn’t as good as the others thus far.

Track five is titled “I” and is just an interlude as the beautiful voices sing to you for 40 seconds. I had to laugh as I really enjoyed that. Back at it with “The Healing,” this is a lot more straightforward that the start of the album. They drift into P.O.D., territory with this one, just a hint of rasta in there but tons of groove. Okay, here is the electric or dance feel I’ve heard about. “Sound the Siren” totes some interesting electronic flavor in the intro and bridge. Not personally my taste but it sure is done well. “Saying It Now” is another well polished modern hard rock song. Easily something you would hear on active rock radio.

Although I’m not very familiar with the rest of their catalogue, I have to say I

am impressed with this band’s writing robustness. The second interlude titled “II” is straight up a dance beat.

Good Lord help me!

elements of heavy metal with country. Now before you pull a face, think southern rock with balls as a more accurate description.

“No Justice” is another reggae song that turns into a sort of beach rock chorus (Ed - ???!). Enter another beach vibe groove. “Stand Up” has a nice movement from the sludgy guitar and fluid vocals. This will be a cool backyard party song for sure. The last song on this album, “Three Words,” leads off with a very soothing vocal solo building into a truly heartfelt number. A minute into the track the energy picks up, staying moderately heavy this is yet another catchy song.

Kicking off the album is “Intro” which is quite fitting, very Cinderella “Bad Seamstress Blues” meets ‘”A Fist Full Of Dollars,” instantly making you think of the Wild West before the album launches into “Tell Me Why” which is a pretty decent hard rock track with hints of southern and elements of the intro sneaking in.

Skindred are no doubt seasoned veterans and it shows after listening to ‘Volume.’ The album has appeal for fans of metal acts such as Disturbed and Godsmack or of reggae rock bands such as P.O.D. and Islander.

‘Volume’ is a solid album to have in your collection. They may not become your favorite band but they will help your party groove.

-Donny Rosko

SKIP ROCK Take It or Leave It (Streetdog Records) I’ll be honest and say that before this release I hadn’t actually heard of Skip Rock, a band who’ve apparently been around for more than six years.

According to the accompanying press release, this album is a change from their previous stuff. The change in question sees the band combining

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The tolling of a church bell leads us into “Death or Glory” which again is a fairly straightforward hard rock track with some great grinding guitar work from Darius Dee (that’s a name? – Ed.) that got me reaching to turn up the volume.

The country element rears its head for “Jesse James” a track that wouldn’t be out of place on say a Medicine Hat release. Following that is “Outlaws,” which continues with that country feel, but sounding a little weak compared with some of the other tracks.

No surprise with the intro to “Motorcycle Mann II” as a Harley starts up and rides off, taking us into some more frantic guitar work from Dee. Again more southern rock with a bit more guts to it.

“Rich N Nazty” brings an almost sleaze element to the party with Marc Terry’s vocals sounding a bit ragged at times. “Hell is on Fire” is rather Skinny Molly in flavor but with Terry’s slightly guttural vocals. Slowing back down for “Too Young” a ’round the campfire’ style ballad with some female accompaniment, all in all very enjoyable. “Take It or Leave It” brings us back to the grinding guitar style of previous tracks. I found the vocals a little weak in some respects on this track.

Tracks eleven & twelve are live bonus tracks, the first being “Hit And Run” and the second entitled “Rough And

To summarize, not a bad album by any means and I can see where they’re trying to go with this release.

Maybe the vocals need to be a little more controlled and a little more polish to the overall package, but fairly enjoyable nonetheless.

-Dan Mann

NAD SYLVAN Courting the Widow (Inside Out Music) As a fan of progressive rock, especially of the 1970’s art rock style, I’ve often wondered where the albums are by musicians that are also influenced by the music of those bands. Early Peter Gabriel era Genesis had influence upon other bands such as Marillion but did that end there? Apparently it did not. Nad Sylvan’s ‘Courting the Widow’ album truly brings forth the complexity and style of the art rock of that era, yet is obviously updated. A lot of this has to be due to Nad’s collaboration with Steve Hackett, former member of Genesis, whose work to this day continues to embrace that sound, yet also continues to evolve.

Sylvan was the front man on Steve Hackett’s recent touring ventures.

Sounding more like Peter Gabriel than Phil Collins ever did, Sylvan also played most of the keyboards and also the guitar parts on the album.

Guests do appear on this album, allowing for some musical explorations such as on the track “Long Slow

Crash Landing”, where Nad and Steve Hackett have a guitar duel.

One of the things that I’ve always loved that is highly prevalent in progressive rock, is the concept album.

They take a few tactics of either a story, like Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’, or a vague overall concept such as Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon.’

Yes, other bands also do concept albums, those are just the easiest to reference.

On ‘Courting the Widow’ the concept is loose and based on an existing character of Nad’s, called the Vampirate. This character is on a ship and seeks and subsequently finds the widow that the album title references.

What I like about it is that songs may be pulled and experienced on their own without having to be immersed in the concept. Back to either of those Pink Floyd releases, pulling a song out of context is not always optimum. On ‘Courting the Widow,’ Nad achieves that goal of walking the fine line between concept and singular song.

So, if you’re a fan of the art rock subgenre of progressive rock, ‘Courting the Widow’ by Nad Sylan should not only be experienced, it should be put on repeat, as well as returned to often. I wish I could point to a standout track, the album itself in its entirety is wonderful, especially since it’s reminiscent of a style, yet definitely updated.

-Stan Cocheo

VOODOO HILL Waterfall (Frontiers Records)

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Ready”. Rough and ready would pretty much sum up these two tracks. I think a case of great if you were there but not as good when transferred to album.

Guitarist Dario Mollo and legendary former Deep Purple singer / bass player Glenn Hughes are back with their highly anticipated third release, ‘Waterfall’. The evolution of the Hughes and Mollo combo really works. The roaring but melodic guitar links and riffs that accompany and enhance the “Voice of Rock’s” tones. There is a distinct 70’s classic rock feel to the album, which is no bad thing in my eyes. I say, if the formula continues to work then don’t fix it.

That being said, ‘Waterfall’ kicks off with vintage classic rock will balls of “All That Remains” tour de force mover that touches on just about every rock genre you can think of. “The Well” is a gut crunching rock guitar riff that doesn’t let up for a single minute.

The album flows with non-stop classic riffs and superb musicianship. Stand out tracks include the Zepplinesque “Karma Go”, the guitar driven soul mover, “Evil Thing”, “Eldorado” and the album closer, “Last Door”.

Dario Mollo’s guitar playing is impeccable throughout. However, the shining star of the album is Glenn Hughes. He sings in leaps and bounds, displays real emotional gusto and makes you believe that rock and roll will live forever. The bottom line, Voodoo Hill have delivered a very enjoyable slab of driving classic rock music. A strong musical force to be genuinely appreciated.

-Tony Sison

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aural landscape and Blackie, voice thinning as it does, can still sing with the same injured emotion he put forth on ‘KFD.’ There’s a lot of ‘The Headless Children’ influences in here too.

W.A.S.P. Golgtha (Napalm Records)

W.A.S.P. The name alone conjures up those heathens from the 80’s who laid waste across the world with their decadent music and meat throwing, flame fueled shenanigans.

From “sacrificing” nuns on stage to saw blade embedded cod pieces across the cover of the controversial single, “Fuck Like a Beast,” W.A.S.P. has always been a band that attracts trouble wherever they go.

In 2015 they continue to do so. It’s no secret that the band’s leader, Blackie Lawless, is now a born again Christian but with a band like his, you have to wonder how he can continue to perform and yet stay true to his newfound beliefs. Therein lies the new controversy. With some fans still crying foul and some left scratching their heads. One could wonder if this was to be the end of the band.

Not so.

With ‘Golgatha’ (the name - giving place of skulls is the hill Jesus Christ was crucified upon), Lawless has been able to keep to his “horrific” roots by exploring the darkest parts of the bible. Don’t tell me the idea of being crucified upon a cross and left for days until final sweet death embraces you is not a terrifying thought. That and other biblical topics all abound in what is a continuing return to form for the band. Staying true to their previous two albums ‘Babylon’ and ‘Dominator,’ the new album also revisits a lot of the ‘KFD’ era in its haunting

All is not completely well though. The album lacks that touch that defined the band’s sound during the late 80’s – 90’s eras. That “special something” if you will. Still Lawless and company are still able to deliver an album worth listening to.

for salvation.

Don’t let the band’s newfound Christian leanings keep you from this album. It is pretty great in execution and Lawless and company have proven they can still deliver. True fans of W.A.S.P. will find themselves enjoying every horrific and emotional minute of it.

-Chris Gillespie

“Scream” opens proceedings and it quickly mirrors the ‘Headless Children’ album in production style and writing.

Not a bad way to kick things off.

“Last Runaway” tackles redemption with a catchy chorus that captures some of Blackie’s trademark vocal style. “Shotgun” keeps the motor running until the next track “Miss You” takes a really dark turn, Full of sorrow and pain, the last time I had goose bumps like this was on ‘KFD’s “My Tortured Eyes”.

“Fallen Under” is another track that is reminiscent of the “KFD” era as well.

It’s intensity driven intro brings the song to heart. The intro to “Slaves to the New World Order” harkens to the days of ‘The Crimson Idol.’

The melodic guitar chimes intro of “Eyes of My Maker” recall something Dokken or Lynch Mob might have done. The song picks up the beat and holds a sense of urgency throughout.

A perfect vibe for a song that seems to be about the pride before the fall.

There’s a wicked breakdown mid song that delivers the payoff.

“Hero of the World” revisits ‘Headless’ territory again before breaking into my second favorite and final track on the album. The title track “Golgatha.”

The quick horn sounding intro mimics the “horns in the sky” phenomenon people have reported around the world over the last several years.

Another one of Blackie’s excellent raw emotional works. A pleading to Christ

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WINERY DOGS Hot Streak (Loud & Proud Records) I love supergroups. When musicians get together from varying bands and put together something new and different, I’m all for it. Starting with the Super Session of Al Kooper’s, with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills, then on to Crosby, Stills & Nash which had moved quickly to include Neil Young, and then later ones like H.S.A.S. and Damn Yankees, they’re always interesting. GTR and Asia are other examples.

So when I first heard that Billy Sheehan, Mike Portnoy and Richie Kotzen were getting together under the moniker of “Winery Dogs”, I was quite intrigued. Their first album, the selftitled 2012 release was a wonderful breath of fresh air with a sense of nostalgia thrown in for good measure.

Seriously, it was like walking past a window after the apple pie has been set on the windowsill that was made from your grandmother’s recipe, the air is fresh and yet that smell brings you back to a time long forgotten. The time long forgotten with the Winery Dogs is one of heavy melodic music of a style many musicians have moved beyond, yet again with a

Supergroups have one flaw. They’re great at first and many times seem to run out of inspiration. For years I thought it was because of the fabricated nature of many of them, put together by record companies or something, and the initial spark having been lost when it came time for their second release. Exceptions of course exist, need I point out CSN&Y’s long career? Well, where’s the second H.S.A.S. album (that’s Hagar, Schon, Aaronson & Shrieve, of course)? How about that not up to standard second Damn Yankees album? GTR was a one shot. Asia never achieved the same level of quality as their first album, though they’ve tried many times since. My fear was that it was going to be the case with the Winery Dogs.

Now I’m hoping it’s a sophomore slump. This album is good, don’t get me wrong. It’s not up to the level of their debut and yes I’ve thought that maybe it’s because I am that familiar with the first album that this one would take time to sink in, and even with that as a possibility, it’s not quite there. Again, don’t get me wrong, this group is wonderful, I love them dearly and thank them profusely for doing what they’re doing. There just seems to me to be something missing from this album that was palpably there the first time around. So, I still look forward to the tour in support of this release. I hope that they continue

and don’t make what I’ll unflatteringly call a “Damn Yankees” move and be a two-fer and then out. This album is better than the second Damn Yankees album and I’m happy that it exists.

What problems do I have with it? One is that it seems that they’re trying too hard and missing the point. The title cut, “Hot Streak” is a prime example.

It really sounds like they took an old disco song and made it a hard rock song. That works only occasionally, to the point I struggle to give an example. The good part about ‘Hot Streak’ as an album is that it doesn’t seem like they’re struggling, the fact that they’re having fun still is something that shines through. And for that, I’m happy. I’d say pick it up just to support these guys in hopes that their third album reaches closer to the greatness of their first release.

-Stan Cocheo

ZIERLER ESC (Vanity Music Group) This is a heavier album, dark and deeply orchestral with heavy guitars and drums, walking fine lines between the sub-genres of progressive rock. At times symphonic, other times metal, the riffing is reminiscent of classical work. The first song “A New Beginning” changes enough times that you feel you’re on a journey. Maybe to a new start? The heavy riffs leave room for a guitar solo with a beautiful tone, though late in the over seven minute song. There are allusions to many of their influences, from Queen to Dream Theater, Nightwish and even The Darkness. The vocals are strong, yet minimal on the guttural screaming, which I appreciate as that’s a style

that’s good when it’s good, yet when it’s not, it’s really bad.

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fresh new feel to it. The anticipation worked against me in regards to that debut album, to where I had to forget about it otherwise I would obsess upon it. Working against me so that in forgetting about it, I did exactly that, forgot about it when it came out and ended up picking it up early in 2013. It started strong, moved along nicely and mellowed out in all the right places and kept my interest. They also presented the work with exceptional energy in a live setting, touring medium sized clubs for the most part, which made the experience even greater as the intimacy of the venue just added to the pleasure of hearing these three perform their songs and a few covers.

Finn Zierler, the keyboard player and one for whom the band is named, has worked under the name Twilight and also Beyond Twilight. Now working with a diverse group of musicians, Zierler’s band consists of Swedish guitarist Per Nilsson (Scar Symmetry) and bassist Truls Haugen (Incense), from Norway. Pushing the international aspect farther, vocalist Kelly Sundown Carpenter (Firewind, etc) hails from Texas, as, of course, does drummer Bobby Jarzombek (Halford, Fates Warning, etc). The talent of these musicians shines through as it is stated proudly that there’s no cheating, no copying and pasting or other modern studio tricks. It’s organic and presented beautifully by Jacob Hansen, the studio engineer who’s best known for his work with Volbeat, Amaranthe and Destruction, amongst others.

The shortest song on the album is 4:44. This means that every piece is a journey that approaches epic standing and yet it’s not repetitive and everything flows well. The music takes you along on the journey as it progresses along. ‘ESC’ is a dark run through themes of aggression, darkness (on two pieces, ‘Darkness Delight’ and “Dark to the Bone’), as well as evil, and the helplessness of being irreparable, or at least that’s my take on it.

If you’re in the mood for some dark and at times angry progressive rock, put this one on. This album rocks, very heavily at that and makes me want to pursue the other work and projects by Finn Zierler, as well as the other members of the band he assembled for ‘ESC.’ -Stan Cocheo

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BILL WARD Getting to the ‘Art of the Matter’ When you get into the heart of Rock and Roll and you go back into the elements of early hard rock bands like Black Sabbath you must appreciate the theatrics and art form that made us stop and listen and go back into our own minds. You can appreciate what those legends did for the music industry and how they evolved with it and you can also appreciate people like the talented Bill Ward, one time drummer for Black Sabbath.

You can weigh in on all the news about these sometimes controversial bands and bandmates or you can strike out on your own and take notice of the solo journeys they have also embarked upon.

Bill Ward has tapped into another art form that brings to life what we might have envisioned in the first place. Hard Attack’s Terri “The Queen” Knight had the chance to sit down with this drumming legend and hear a bit about this new venture with his drum art.

HA: I know you are had your art exhibition at the Fathom in Los Angeles. I’m an artist myself so what really amazes me is that although I listen to music when I’m doing my art you actually take us “inside” the music.

Bill Ward: Oh yes, what we do is, when we came to take the shots and everything we used multiple cameras and I sat down and played for one hour and forty minutes to test on the drum kit. That’s how all those pictures came about. We played nonstop as well! The only time we made a stop was to fix the definition on a camera. I didn’t come off the set I just waited while they changed positions and changed lights and then we hit again so …

HA: You know it comes out with all these vibrant colors and it’s fascinating to look at. I can only imagine what it was like to put it all together.

BW: It was very exciting! You know, I used sticks that had different colors and tips and I used brushes that had different colors as well so when the lights went out everything was filmed in the dark and I just went into crescendo’s and each rudiment performed a different pattern. For instance, when I’m playing jazz, there’s a whole different atmosphere in the picture that you’re looking at. That’s when you can identify that that’s jazz playing. Or when I’m playing, for instance, really fast bass drums - 32 notes - or slamming really hardcore on my cymbals, crescendoing on cymbals and all kinds of things that creates a whole different world of color and creates a whole different world at just the sight of it.

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It’s totally different. All these different views and I could see them as I was making them.

To be honest with you at first technically I didn’t know what the hell was going on. After about five minutes everybody just said “Stop we’re just going to take as many photographs of you as possible” HA: It would be cool to sit and watch you do it. If I were close you can bet I would be at your exhibition. It would fascinate me to hear you talk more about that.

BW: That’s another part, I love to talk about each painting. Each has a story. There are memories.

For instance, in the jazz, there’s one piece which is my favorite. It’s called “Making Flowers from my Heart” which is one of my favorite pieces. There’s an explosion of color coming from the center of the picture and the kit is in front. You can barely see me behind it but there’s a plethora of what looks like skulls coming out of the right side of me. I remember when I was doing that. I enjoy doing the art show itself. I go into as much detail as I can and I share about the vulnerability of the art and why I titled them as I did … what the titles mean to me. To be honest with you it’s a great way of doing therapy.

HA: Art therapy at its best! I know you say your drum sticks are colored. Do you have different colors for different genres of music that you like to do?

BW: Not necessarily no. They just use these different things like, if I’m playing jazz then that would bring off a different texture.

HA: I do believe art and music go very much together and so when you can take someone inside the music especially another musician, I do believe they can “feel” what you are trying to do.

BW: Yeah I’ve had a lot of compliments from a lot of different musicians, you know, which has been really nice and as a matter of fact one of my friends, Dave Lombardo, has recently done an exhibition with the same company that initially got in touch with us. Dave and I are really good friends and I’m a huge fan so when I see his paintings I’m like “holy shit” and it’s great because we can exchange ideas together you know.

HA: I know the name of the show is “Absence of Corners” - I love that name.

BW: We were looking for something and there was one thing missing. When I was going through the art and I said, “there’s got to be a title it just hasn’t revealed itself yet.” Then I went “I know what the title is, there’s no corners anywhere,” so I wrote that down and then I thought we needed something more fluid so it took me two weeks to find the word absence and I said, “that’s it Absence of Corners.”

Keep an eye on www.billwarddrumart.com for updates on Ward’s art shows.

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the same night after night? Or do you like to switch things up from time to time?

We review our setlist for every show! Depending on how well certain songs go down with an audience or if we want to try out something new. But the main ones we start and finish with as we know they work.

HA: Who would be your dream band to tour with?

Clare: ACDC of course haha!! Airbourne and Motorhead are on the list!

HA: You share a label with Crucified Barbara, another fantastic all female band. Is there any hope of seeing the two bands on the road together?

Sisterhood of the Traveling Bands From The Runaways and Girlschool to The Donnas and Drain STH and Phantom Blue to Precious Metal and Vixen, all female bands have proven time and time again that they can melt faces off just as much as the Boys Club can.

One of the newer entries to the game, with two albums to their credit, including their near chart topping debut, comes Thundermother. Three parts Swede (guitarist Flippa Nassil, bassist Linda Strom and drummer Tilda Stenqvist), one part Italian (second guitarist Giorgia Carteri) and one part Screaming Irish banshee Clare Cunningham, the multinational quintet based in Stockholm don’t rely on their feminine whiles when it comes to taking the stage – word has it they’re one of the best live acts playing their wares on the European circuit.

With new album, ‘Road Fever’ taking the world by storm Hard Attack had the chance to catch up with Thundermother frontwoman Clare Cunningham just after their most recent European trek.

HA: It seems the band has been touring a lot lately. How did the shows go overall? What do you feel was the best show on these two rounds of touring?

Clare: Yes we did 2 massive tours almost back to back. We did the 'rebels of Scandinavia' tour which covered most of Europe and then a Spanish tour. All of the shows were truly amazing but the Spanish ones were really special. Packed out venues every night. In particular we played at the Alalaya Rock Festival and were the first ever non Spanish band to do so!! That was a real privilege!

HA: Do you keep your setlists pretty much

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Clare: This would be amazing!! We love Crucified! We actually have played a few festivals together but to tour together would be something special yes. They are amazing musicians and girls!

HA: Do you think the world is becoming a little more receptive to the "all female hard rock band concept"? I mean, it's not exactly a new phenomenon, going back to Fanny and the early days of Girlschool to name but two.

Somehow, for the most part, all female bands haven't made much headway in the grand scheme of things, though.

“I think society is slightly changing and ‘accepting’ all female rock bands more, but we still have a long way to go!!”

Clare: True! I think society is slightly changing and 'accepting' it more, but we still have a long way to go!!

Of course we have Girlschool who paved the way a while back but it’s still very much a male dominated world but Thundermother are here to change that!!

HA: Do you have a favorite song or two off of 'Road Fever?" Maybe something for personal reasons? If so, can you share that with us?

Clare: “Rock N' Roll Sisterhood” is special to us all, as we all wrote it together and it means something personal to us being females in this industry. We hope to inspire all the sisters of rock out there!!

-Vince Newman

thing from Zeppelin to Emperor afterall ...

Living Life Blue Houston based Oceans of Slumber have been causing quite the stir across the nation’s largest state since their formation in 2011. The sextet’s synthesis of the atmospheric with the dark and sinister caught the attention of the bayou area’s club goers and finally the A&R department at Century Media Records, with whom they inked a deal earlier this year.

The summer release of their covers Ep, ‘Blue’ coincided with the kickoff of the Revolver Magazine sponsored North American tour that saw OoS jumping on with headliners Everygrey, Voyager and Borealis. The band - vocalist Cammie Gilbert, guitarists Anthony Contreras and Sean Gary, bassist Keegan Kelly, Uaeb Yelsaeb (that’s Beau Beasley backwards, by the way) on Synths and skin pounder Dobber Beverly – were on their way to Webster Hall in New York City when I had the chance to quickly catch up with Cammie Gilbert.

Hard Attack: You’re currently in the middle of a 12 date Revolver sponsored tour with Evergrey. How is that going for Oceans of Slumber? Is their audience receptive or do you have to work at winning them over?

And is this the band’s first proper tour?

Cammie Gilbert: The tour is going well. Yes, this is our first official time on the road together and it’s been a whirlwind of places and people. While still new to most of the fans at these shows, we’ve been fortunate to gain a good amount of positive feedback.

HA: Why release an Ep of (mostly) covers as your first major introduction to the world? What was the inspiration behind the songs you chose? You do cover every-

Cammie: We had finished (forthcoming full length) ‘Winter’ at the end of last year and were shopping it around. In the interim we decided to put together a record to keep us busy so that we didn’t get too much of a head start on our third record. We were already an independent band and didn’t expect that to change. ‘Winter’ was going to be released around summer time, since we were behind schedule on everything, and then ‘Blue’ was going to come out around that same time. Then we started getting interest from record labels. We were signed based off of our new record ‘Winter’ and then because of release times, CM decided to release ‘Blue’ as a holdover and introduction. Odd and awesome at the same time.

‘Blue’ was just a bunch of musicians playing and interpreting songs that were formative on their upbringing. Nothing more.

HA: You just joined the band earlier this year. How did you wind up with the gig?

And, what happened with the band’s previous singer, Ronnie?

Cammie: Having been long time friends with Dobber and Oceans of Slumber I had known of the bands desire for a female singer for some time.

When Ronnie had other responsibilities to take care of, I was asked to step in and gladly took on the role as the new lead singer.

HA: What artist or band made you decide to pursue music as a career?

Cammie: Early on I listened to everything from Tool to Janis Joplin and as I’ve grown older I’ve refined my taste to more technical, dynamic music and sound explorations. Throughout the years I’ve discovered amazing/life changing artist such as Type O Negative, Leprous, and Dio to name a few on the metal side. While, otherwise I enjoy artist like Etta James, Billie Holiday, and Ma Rainey and can attribute my vocal taste largely to their styles.

With word coming down that OoS absolutely killed it on the road, the band are readying the release of ‘Winter.’

-Vince Newman Hard Attack Magazine www.hardattackmag.com | 91

Dave Tedder Discovers That ‘The Struggle’ To Write Great Music is NOT Real.

XO Stereo is basically a punk / power pop "supergroup" featuring members of LoveHateHero, From First to Last and The Hollowed that’s been floating around for a few years. Starting out as a fun, studio project, all three mainstays of the band had either played or toured together at some juncture. “We had always had a mutual respect for one other,” says guitarist Justin Whitesel. “I wrote some songs which caught the attention of Cooper Campbell (drums / vocals) and Jon (Weisberg guitars / bass) and we basically decided almost overnight to write a bunch of music for the sake of writing stuff we'd want to hear and listen to.”

“It was definitely one of those "stars aligning" kind of situations where we were all available at the same time to finally work together,” says Weisberg. “Working with these guys has been such a great experience and I'm really excited about what's to come” and Campbell adds “I couldn't be more enthusiastic or thrilled for the future of XO Stereo. I have been doing music my whole life and loving it, however, have never been inspired to the level that I am while working with Justin and Jon.” With a few songs in their repertoire that date back a few years, some of the tracks on ‘The Struggle’ had to be brought up to speed for the Ep. “A few of them go back more than just a few years,” Justin says. “It might have been a case of them just not fitting in with our prior bands so we just reworked and put a modern spin on them.

Plus, with everyone in this project adding their own flavor, it made everything much more unique and special.”

“For whatever reason some ideas or songs didn't work with past projects but they sure did here,” Jon adds.

“It was like finding missing puzzle pieces where you had a near complete composition, but couldn't find one or two elements to make them all fit together. Then suddenly, new perspective brought about the completion and improvement of some of these older ideas. It was really great hearing that moment where things came together.”

Cooper says, “It was extremely convenient and exciting when different ideas from the past were able to come together to spark life and create new songs. We have all become so much more familiar with each other's writing styles as time has gone by and our chemistry as a whole has, and continues to, develop immensely.

‘The Struggle’ includes a brilliant cover of Real Life's classic pop song, "Send Me An Angel,” which as it turns out is a favorite of both Justin and Cooper. “It's no secret that Rad is my favorite movie of all time, and I've always dreamt of covering a song from that movie.”Whitesel says matter of factly. “As most of the soundtrack is

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relatively unknown to the mainstream, I chose “Send Me An Angel” since it was actually a well known single back in the day. I always wanted to create a dancey, yet heavy guitar driven version of this track, and we're all pretty stoked with how it came out.”

Cooper recalls, “I can remember my jaw dropping from excitement when Justin told us he thought we should do a cover of "Send Me an Angel." I've always loved that song, not to mention, the movie Rad brings back so many great memories from my childhood.

We had so much fun putting this one together in the studio!”

Justin brought Black Veil Brides guitarist Jinxx Ferguson into the picture to co-write and work on the Ep. “Jinxx actually was the one who convinced me to start XO Stereo,” relates Whitesel “and we wrote the first song before I brought in Cooper and Jon. Jinxx cowrote and contributed guitars, violin, cello, and many other fun "orchestral" pieces. Unfortunately, the track didn't make it to ‘The Struggle,’ though. Who knows, maybe we'll release it as a bonus song sometime in the future.

On touring the album, Justin says, “We’re eager to hit the road and be able to share these songs with the world,” and the trio add touring members to enhance the live performances. “Our touring members are people we've worked with in either past projects or have spent time on tour together and trust. They are some of the best in the business and we couldn't be happier that they work with us. Since the core band handles everything on our own as far as writing and recording (myself and Jon handle guitars, bass, pianos, synth, and programming while Cooper handles all vocals and drum duties), there was never a need to make this a 5 or 6 piece band. We don't limit ourselves, though and you never know, one of our session members might become a permanent member. Or maybe not. Everyone, whether session or permanent in the XO Stereo camp is family and we all actually hang out outside of the band.

“Also, the other performing members are in high demand too,” states Weisberg. “They have a lot going on in their own careers and we've been lucky to lock in as much time with them as we have. These guys are so unbelievably talented and versatile that they could play with any artist, anywhere. The fact that they play with us just makes our live performances that much better.”

Campbell chimes in, “In a perfect world, everyone could be in multiple places at the same time and be involved in every single project that comes their way. Sadly, this isn't always the case. Our touring members are truly exceptional musicians, as well as,

individuals and we are grateful any time we get the opportunity to share the stage with them.”

What was the first record each of you remembers buying yourself and how did that record influence your musical tastes over the years? Or did it not??

Justin: Nirvana’s Nevermind. My mom had to buy it for me actually since I was too young...but it changed my life.

Jon: Well mine certainly isn't as cool as Justin's, but I think it's still pretty rad. I got Michael Jackson's ‘Dangerous’ on cassette. I thought it was the greatest thing at the time. I would hijack my parents' stereo and just listen to that from start to finish. I don't know how much that album really influenced my musical taste, but it sure was a lot of fun when I was a kid.

Cooper: Mine might surprise a few people. The first album I bought for myself was "The Very Best of The Righteous Brothers-Unchained Melody." I saw the movie "Ghost" with my mom the night before and thought the song "Unchained Melody" was absolutely amazing. It was the first time in my life that I actually felt chills while listening to music. It has most definitely influenced my musical taste over the years.

Since then, I have always searched for tunes that generate that same feeling, regardless of genre.

So, with only an an Ep available, which is nowhere near enough in this instance, when can we expect new music from these guys?? I know, a little early to be asking this particular question but seriously, five songs is not enough. There has to be more in that machine.

Justin: That's a good thing right? Haha. We finished these songs well over a year ago and have been taking our time finding the right label to release it. Now that it’s getting a proper release, we are well aware five songs is not nearly enough and we’ve already been hard at work on our full length with one of our favorite producers - which we unfortunately cannot name yet, actually. But rest easy, production on the full length has already begun and it’s turning out amazing!

Jon: We are extremely proud of this Ep and hopefully people will enjoy it as much as we do. As for new music, like Justin said, we're working on it and it has been going really well. Now that we have the experience of working on the songs from the Ep together, it's making the process of writing the full-length go more smoothly.

‘The Struggle’ is in stores now via Another Century.

At press time there were, unfortunately, still no dates announced.

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