Archive for the alternative rock music Category

MODERN MIMES – Unveil New Single “Heavy Heart”

Posted in alternative hard rock, alternative metal, alternative rock, alternative rock music, Music, music news, music videos, news with tags , , , , , , , , on May 15, 2023 by Metal Odyssey

MODERN MIMES, the alternative heavy rock outfit from South Florida, have unleashed their new single “Heavy Heart”. Following their latest single “Down and Dead”, “Heavy Heart” ventures into darker realms. Heavy distortion, dynamic electronics and stunning vocals combine to create a thrilling and powerful offering.

Listen to “Heavy Heart” here: https://youtu.be/-FlXD8dcVOw

About MODERN MIMES:
MODERN MIMES began as a duo in 2016 with Arianie and Ernesto blending styles of PORTISHEAD, NINE INCH NAILs, SEVENDUST, and LACUNA COIL. The duo performed locally in their hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and landed the Riptide Music Festival alongside WEEZER, SILVERSUN PICKUPS and many more. It was in 2018 that they were joined by drummer Justin Perez from New Orleans, Louisiana, and became the three-piece they are today.

MODERN MIMES Are:
Arianie Elcida Hernandez – Vocals
Ernesto Paez (ex-ANOTHER BLACK DAY) – Guitar, Bass, Synth, Vocals
Justin Perez – Drums, Vocals

Links:
Website: https://modernmimes.com/
Music & socials: https://linktr.ee/modernmimes

Source: C Squared Music

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FAIR TO MIDLAND – Sign World Wide Deal With eOne Music!

Posted in alternative rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock bands, Heavy Metal, metal odyssey, Music, progressive rock, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , on November 8, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

(New York, NY) – Texas natives FAIR TO MIDLAND have signed a worldwide deal with eOne Music. A new album is schedule for the spring of 2011 along with a tour to support it.

The band has enlisted producer Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONEAGE, COHEED AND CAMBRIA) to man the board for this next offering. “I’ve been looking forward to working with these guys for quite sometime. They’re a great band whose music is intricate and yet very melodic,” says Barresi.

The new album will be the band’s follow-up to “Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True” which included the popular singles “Dance of the Manatee” and “Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes.”

“We’re all huge fans of what Barresi did with Queens of the Stone Age.  We wanted a stellar rock producer and were lucky enough to find one who has managed to find the happy medium between polish and performance,” says front man Darroh Sudderth.

Founded in 1998 in the quiet farm town of Sulphur Springs, Texas, Fair To Midland quickly became one of the Lone Star State’s fastest-rising bands, earning critical acclaim for their first two independent releases, 2001’s “The Carbon Copy Silver Lining” and the 2004 “inter.funda.stifle.”

Since the release of “Fables From a Mayfly,” they have shared the stage with bands such as the Smashing Pumpkins, Flyleaf, Chevelle, Dir en Grey, Alice In Chains, and Serj Tankian throughout the U.S. & Europe. The band has made appearances at festivals such as Coachella, Bamboozle, Download Festival, Rock AM Ring and Rock IM Park.

Fair To Midland is Darroh Sudderth (vocals), Cliff Campbell (guitar), Brett Stowers (drums), Matt Langley (keyboards) and Jon Dicken (Bass).

* For more info on Fair To Midland, click on the very cool link below:

Fair To Midland – myspace music

(Source: Entertainment One press release, November 8, 2010)

GO GET ‘EM, FAIR TO MIDLAND!

Stone.

 

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TWEAK BIRD – Self Titled Album Is Eclectic And Heavy!

Posted in Album Review, alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, avant-garde metal music, Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news, stoner metal music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 28, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

TWEAK BIRD – Brothers Ashton and Caleb Bird have rode into town from Southern Illinois, with their self-titled, eclectically fused and heavy, full length album. Released on August 31, 2010, on Volcom Entertainment, Tweak Bird is the follow-up to this bands 7 song EP, Reservations from 2008. From the looks of the album cover, Ashton and Caleb seem to be pretty psyched out about things… as well they should be, since Tweak Bird were invited as an opening act for the Progressively Alternative legends known as Tool this past Summer of 2010. Your music must be striking a heavy nerve and be interesting plus different enough for Maynard James Keenan to take such a prominent notice.

Well, I’ve taken notice of Tweak Bird too. Yes, I’m no Maynard James Keenan, still I have learned long ago that when you play from the heart and don’t follow the leader with your Heavy Rock sound, a band is going to stand out from the sea of clones. Tweak Bird has seemed to navigate themselves through this sea of clones and gathered up their Rock influences to make a menagerie of sound that is both Heavy and semi-Progressive. With a sprinkle of Alternative ambiance that seems to peer through the cracks of Tweak Birds’s sound, it’s still the Heavy Stoner riffs and chunkiness of Caleb’s baritone guitar that commands their sound.

There are moments, while I listen to Tweak Bird, that I feel I’m hearing The Sword in a slightly tempered down groove. Then, the vocal harmonies of Ashton and Caleb seem to combine for what makes this album stand apart from being just another Heavy assemblage of songs. The comparison likeness, no matter how subtle, to that of the great Geddy Lee, is not an out of the realm statement to make when mentioning the vocals of these two brothers.

One moment where Tweak Bird’s music gets diverse, Alternative if you will, is on the song A Sun/Ahh Ahh, where an extended saxophone solo by John McCowan, (who is referred to as “sometimes third band member” in a Volcom Entertainment press release), comes into play at around the two-minute mark of this song that runs 4:13. The overlapping and intermittent vocal ahh’s over the saxophone lends to an almost eerie feel… and I dig it. “A Sun/Ahh Ahh” comes to a close with the saxophone solo and fittingly makes sense.

Flute anyone? Tweak Bird incorporates the flute into “Flyin’ High”. This song simultaneously breathes a slow tempo while Caleb plays the thickest and heaviest Stoner riffs that makes me bang my head in slow motion. It can be done… slow motion headbanging… Tweak Bird taught me how. As with the saxophone, Tweak Bird makes the flute fit right into their Heavy motives, almost in a hallucinating sort of way. Cool.

The last song on Tweak Bird, “Distant Airways”, is the longest as well. Six songs clock in under 3 minutes, two songs under 2 minutes and one song barely over 4 minutes long. “Distant Airways” plays out at 6:15 long and doesn’t bore the senses as a useless and redundant epic either. The good ol’ saxophone makes its appearance once again on “Distant Airways”, giving these sax moments I hear a smoky lounge vibe that borders on the ultra cool. Hey… I have stated that Tweak Bird has shunned away the “clone syndrome” of Heavy Music and this song exemplifies this statement with ease. Distant Airways comes to a synthetic close with what sounds like a UFO taking off from some god forsaken crop field. A bona-fide Progressive moment. Cool again.

“Tunneling Through” showcases Ashton Bird hitting the drums hard (as he has been quoted: his hitting the drums hard being the “trick” in making his drums “sound good”). To me, Ashton’s drumming does sound good… and yes, it does sound like he hits the drums damn hard too. “Tunneling Through” gives way to a victorious feeling of “opening your mind” and journeying into the unknown. A tad psychedelic in it’s lyrical content? Sure thing. These lyrics married with the Stoner riffs and Heavy crunch, gives me that early 70’s Blue Cheer slap to my forehead. I point out this song as being my personal favorite from Tweak Bird.

Tweak Bird opens the album with “The Future”, a song that has proved to me that Psychedelic Heavy Metal does exist, especially when this type of cool experimentation occurs. “The Future” has a memorable and steady beat that is not short on the Heavy side of Tweak Birds’s bag of cool & Rockin’ tricks. “The Future” ends with lots of fuzzy distortion that might have me borrowing my daughters lava lamp very soon. The shortest song from Tweak Bird is “Round Trippin'”, playing at 1:12. The UFO’s have come to land! One listen to “Round Trippin'” and you’ll know what I mean there. This synth laced instrumental, puts an exclamation point on my tagging Tweak Bird as indeed… semi- Progressive.

Beyond is a track that takes the classic vibe of Surf Rock and beams it down into 2010… and is played the Tweak Bird way. Maybe the resurgence of Hawaii Five-O has some credibility after all. This song would make for a fabulous addition to this revamped television series soundtrack. Am I being a wise guy here? Nope. Beyond has all the feel and sound of modern day “Surfin’ USA”, only without the teeny-bop lyrics of actual… surfing. Cool.

The “Pop” or commercial accessibility of Tweak Bird’s songs sound non-contrived and it works well within the parameters of Heaviness that they pound away with. Caleb is an admitted T-Rex fan and loves Marc Bolan’s songwriting technique, thus the underlying reasoning behind a Classic Rock “Pop” characteristic, swirled within Tweak Bird’s overall sound. Clearly, Tweak Bird is a Heavy Band when it’s all said and done. Ashton and Caleb just mix it up by implementing the saxophone and flute within their Heavy Music playbook, showing that taking chances in Rock Music can make a comeback in 2010.

Do I like Tweak Bird? I sure do. I admire their making an album that is not generic. Knowing they are a Heavy Band is just the beginning… one must listen to each song and hear for themselves that the “unexpected” is just as cool as the “expected”. The one constant throughout the songs heard on Tweak Bird, is that you will hear Ashton and Caleb both playing Heavy… regardless if there are those intermittent moments of stylistic changes, the Heavy always returns.

Any multi-faceted, Rock Music nut should have a field day listening to Tweak Bird. Heavy Music fans that want a slice of Alternative cake, with their search for up and coming bands, might get exactly what they have been looking for with Tweak Bird. After listening to Tweak Bird several times, my use of the word “cool” has heightened… and I’m going for another slice of that Alternative cake. Cool.

* Tweak Bird was produced by Deaf Nephews – Dale Crover (Melvins & Altamont) and Toshi Kasai (Big Business & Altamont).

* For more info on TWEAK BIRD, just click on the cool links below:

TWEAK BIRD – myspace music

TWEAK BIRD – Official Website

Pictured above: Ashton on left, Caleb on right.

Track Listing For TWEAK BIRD:

The Future

Lights In Lines

Round Trippin’

A Sun/Ahh Ahh

Beyond

Tunneling Through

Sky Ride

Hazement In The Basement

Flyin’ High

Distant Airways

GO GET ‘EM, TWEAK BIRD!

Stone.

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MADINA LAKE “THEY’RE COMING FOR ME” – NEW SINGLE RELEASED AND IT’S IMPRESSIVE!!

Posted in alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock bands, hard rock music, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news, rock music reviews with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on September 3, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

MADINA LAKE – The brand new single They’re Coming For Me from Madina Lake is currently available on itunes… and it is a winner. It’s the heightened chorus of this song that I can’t get enough of. Nathan Leone on lead vocals gives an emotionally powerful feel to this song’s lyrics. The guitar play of Mateo Camargo impacts They’re Coming For Me with an energy all it’s own. Mateo’s guitar parts seem to come in at the perfect time throughout this entire song. This new song explores the desperate side of the human spirit, They’re Coming For Me can be as inspirational as it is realistically moving.

A lost soul crying out for help can be disguised in social settings, to the point where no one on the outside could possibly detect there is anything wrong with such a troubled soul. This new single just may perhaps, make a lost soul out there feel that maybe they are not alone after all. Madina Lake has proven to me once again, that they are a band that takes great pride in not just their music, they take great pride in their lyrical content as well. Songs can be written with deep meaning behind their lyrics, while still having an irresistable Rock feel and melodic flow. They’re Coming For Me is a perfect example of this, in my Metal opinion and personal interpretation.

If you are a fan of Rock and/or Alternative Rock that touches on the human factor, this new Madina Lake single should be a song you can’t possibly pass over.

* The Dresden Codex – is the forthcoming album from Madina Lake. I have not seen an actual release date just yet for this album… still, it’s gonna be worth the wait for Madina Lake fans.

* For more info on MADINA LAKE, and to stay updated on the healing progress of Matthew Leone, just click the links below:

MADINA LAKE – Official Website

MADINA LAKE – myspace music

* To make a pledge by buying Madina Lake merch and music to help defray the medical costs for Matthew Leone, just click on the link below:

PLEDGEMUSIC – Madina Lake’s Matthew Leone – Sweet Relief Fundraiser

MATTHEW LEONE IS A HERO.

Stone.

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KOPEK “WHITE COLLAR LIES” – DEBUT ALBUM IS A PRESENT & FUTURE STANDOUT OF MODERN ROCK

Posted in alternative rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, heavy metal music, metal odyssey, modern rock music, Music, rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 28, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

KOPEK – Each era seems to have one, two or maybe three “new” Rock bands that illuminate with an unexpected specialness. Dublin Ireland’s Rockin’ trio named Kopek is special to my ears. It is 2010, and a whole new era of Rock ‘N’ Roll has just begun. Sure, my ears may have some Rock ‘N’ Roll mileage on them, only what I hear in the music from Kopek is Modern Rock that isn’t just shunning that dreadful and uninvited guest named the “status quo”… Kopek has obliterated it with their debut album – White Collar Lies.

The lyrics, song writing, musicianship and Modern Rock angst I hear on White Collar Lies, all points to the direction of Kopek one day becoming bigger than they could ever dream of being. As long as Kopek does not lose sight of keeping their music’s intentional and unintentional sound, feel and message within the parameters of soul and passion, all the while saturating it with pulsating modernism, they may very well be an iconic example of Rock influence in 2020. A momentary sigh of relief came upon me, after my very first listen through of White Collar Lies… there just isn’t any Pop accessibility happening in the music of Kopek. Thank God.

Certainly, the first single from White Collar Lies, Love Is Dead, most credibly will garner enough mainstream attention without a doubt. Once anyone unfamiliar with Kopek listens to Love Is Dead, they shall forever and always know who Kopek is. A personal and emotional Mod Rock march to psyche-out madness, may very well erupt in the streets, if Love Is Dead was played loud upon a giant metropolis. That would probably be a sight to see and doesn’t sound too far fetched, especially once Love Is Dead begins it’s Rockin’ and groovy Modern takeover of your soul.

If I was in charge of handing down the “first single” from White Collar Lies, it would be Cocaine Chest Pains. This opening track on Kopek’s debut not just establishes them as a refreshing and viable Mod Rock Band, this song let’s it be known that Kopek can Rock quite Hard. The song – White Collar Lies is a show stopper in and of itself. The lyrics are applaudable, with Kopek putting a spotlight of despicable shame on corporate greed and selfishness. Kopek plays music that makes me feel like I’m supposed to stand up and be counted, with a seasoned attitude of musicianship radiating from every note, from every song.

It is not difficult to find myself doing a semi-headbang to the Mod Rock of Kopek. Fever is a song that makes my Metalhead soul peek out the cracks and wonder what the hell is going on. Fever should, with it’s melodic foot stomping and Hard Rock influenced edginess, be another single embraced by the whole darn world too. Floridian is the up-tempo ballad that is highlighted by it’s ability to be melodic beyond belief. Inspiring melodies and just brazenly memorable is Floridian, making for guess what? Another potential single from this ultra-dynamic debut album called White Collar Lies.

The trio of Kopek play their instruments so well, it is almost too easy to succumb to, while letting my mind wander off to the lyrics, energy, spirit and mood that Kopek has created throughout White Collar Lies. In the end, the music on White Collar Lies… albeit Modern Rock dominate, still has flashes of Alternative, Rock and at times Hard Rock influences, dictating from beginning to end, that Kopek really can play like their lives depend on it. Lead vocalist Daniel Jordan may very well carry you off, into an excitingly edgy and engagingly powerful world of listening delight. There is a confident streak in Daniel’s vocals, that exhibits the strength in Kopek’s songs.

Kopek laid out their path of music for my ears to journey on, little did I know of the unexpected Rock ‘N’ Roll finds I would encounter along the way while listening to White Collar Lies. Let the uniqueness of Kopek’s Mod Rock blended with Hard edged crunchiness take your ears for a much overdue surprise of Rock newness. Believe me, once you’ve listened to White Collar Lies for yourself, you might very well be thinking this band is special as well.

* Just click on that groovy video box below, to watch and hear just how insanely cool the Kopek song – Love Is Dead from White Collar Lies is. Plus, this Kopek music video comes with Stone’s stamp of Rock ‘N’ Roll approval! Enjoy!

KOPEK ARE:

Daniel Jordan – lead vocals & guitar

Brad Kinsella – bass guitar

Shane Cooney – drums

Track Listing For KOPEK – White Collar Lies:

Cocaine Chest Pains

White Collar Lies

Fever

Love Is Dead

Floridian

Sub Human

The Easy Way (D.B. Cooper)

Bring It On Home

Love Sick Blues

Bigger Than Us All

Sin City

* For more info on KOPEK, just click on the link below:

KOPEK – MySpace Music Page

* KOPEK – White Collar Lies – will have it’s U.S. release, digitally, on June 29, 2010. The physical release for White Collar Lies will be on September 14, 2010. Both digital and physical releases are on Religion Music via SIN/Sony Music Independent Network.

* White Collar Lies was produced by Glenn Herlihy and mixed by Tom Lord-Alge.

Stone.

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KARNIVOOL – “SOUND AWAKE” IS A KALEIDOSCOPE OF PROGRESSIVE & HEAVY ROCK

Posted in alternative rock music, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal odyssey, Music, progressive metal music, progressive rock music, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 1, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

KARNIVOOL – Released on February 16, 2010, on Sony Music Entertainment, Sound Awake has already achieved Gold Certification in Australia, (Karnivool’s home country). Following their impressive and progressively hard & heavy album debut Themata from 2005, Karnivool has shown their fans and the music world they are not about to be stamped out by any sophomore jinx. If life is about taking chances, then Karnivool has inadvertently self inflicted themselves as being risk takers in the vast world of Heavy Music. A Progressive and Alternative sound can be a make or break proposition, when a band wants to embark on the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Universe. Karnivool has not only embarked with their Themata release from 2005, they have now forged their very own identity and placement, among the Progressive and Alternative Heavy Music battalion with Sound Awake.

Sound Awake opens up with Simple Boy, immediately setting the table for what Karnivool is serving one’s ears. Layered with exquisite guitars, the breakdowns are smart and intensely interesting. Throw in the buzzing sound of a bee and Simple Boy is just the beginning of this Heavy Progressive mind buffet. Ian Kenny on lead vocals resonates, hitting some high pitches that are Arena quality. Set Fire To The Hive showcases vocal and sound effects to heighten the modernism that this song permeates. Karnivool never loses sight of their musical heaviness on Set Fire To The Hive, while delivering an upper cut to the chin with their multi-layered progressive attack.

The Medicine Wears Off times out at 1:50, quite contrary to any Old School Progressive standards. Just bear in mind, this is not about sticking to convention with Sound Awake, a strong musical characteristic that Karnivool bestows is diversity and The Medicine Wears Off mellows down the pace with this semi-surreal song. Illumine can and rightfully should be a standout song on this album. The consistent up-tempo combined with it’s overall melodic vibe, makes Illumine a song that’s incredibly memorable. To label Illumine a hit is non-essential, this song is a star amongst many on Sound Awake.

Deadman is one of two songs on Sound Awake that has a running time of over ten minutes. This is what Progressive Rock is about, the song. If one is looking for the mind journey experience with Karnivool, thou shall not be disappointed with Deadman. Lyrically complete as it is musically precise, Deadman leads with it’s formidable and Alternative vocal presence courtesy of Ian Kenny, which fuses so well with the abstract sound and feel of it’s hard edged music. The abrupt climax to Deadman only exemplifies the artistic style that Karnivool has established for themselves as a band. Listening to Deadman makes me truly realize that Karnivool is all about music and all about the song.

To mention Deadman and not acknowledge the other ten minute-plus epic would be a travesty. Change is a song that develops itself into an array of musical doors that keep opening around me, inviting me in and weaving it’s Progressive signatures, in a manner that is embracingly captivating to my senses. It is very easy to wander off into a kaleidoscope of musical thoughts while listening to Change, an all natural affect that I am more than willing to experience again and again. In it’s totality, Sound Awake is a Progressive Kaleidoscope of songs, just waiting to be heard by anyone who loves music… period.

The musicians of Karnivool are obviously incredibly astute, with an awareness for capturing the nuances of their instruments in their most enhanced state, coupled with the almost sense of urgency to articulate the music as if it is fine art. Has Karnivool broken any new ground in this ever changing landscape of Progressive Rock genres? I can confidently say yes, with their uniqueness being highlighted by their musical and vocal diversity. Karnivool is not a band concentrating on making the hit single. Instead, Karnivool obviously has succeeded at making a complete album of richly written songs, which only reflects on their being a highly talented band that shall continue to rise. Please excuse me now… Sound Awake beckons me to listen once again.

KARNIVOOL IS:

Drew Goddard – guitar

Ian Kenny – vocals

Jon Stockman – bass

Mark Hosking – guitar

Steve Judd – drums

Track Listing For Sound Awake:

Simple Boy

Goliath

New Day

Set Fire To The Hive

Umbra

All I Know

The Medicine Wears Off

The Caudal Lure

Illumine

Deadman

Change

* Check out the music video for Set Fire To The Hive:

* For more info on KARNIVOOL, just click on the links below!

KARNIVOOL – MySpace Music Page

KARNIVOOL – Official Website

YouTube

Stone.

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KORN – “KORN III REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE” ALBUM COVER ART AND TRACK LISTING REVEALED!

Posted in alternative metal bands, alternative metal music, alternative rock music, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 15, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

KORN – RoadRunner Records revealed on Friday, May 14, 2010, via their website, the new album artwork for KORN III Remember Who You Are, along with the track listing. KORN III Remember Who You Are will be the ninth studio release from this legendary Nu Metal/Alternative Metal giant. Call it what you will… KORN is still heavy and the Heavy Metal world only gets more muscle bound by their return… in my Metal opinion. Check out the track listing for KORN III Remember Who You Are below! Also, the new album cover is really chilling… whoa. Leave it to KORN to get into the issues of our society once again! What do you think of this album cover? I’ll tell you right now… it creeps the hell out of me. This album cover speaks volumes for what currently is a societal evil that exists and lurks today, an evil that the world can live without. What else can I say, really, that’s my honest Metal opinion. Leave a comment and get it off your Metal chest!

Track Listing For KORN III Remember Who You Are:

Uber Time

Oildale (Leave Me Alone)

Pop A Pill

Fear Is A Place To Live

Move On

Lead The Parade

Let The Guilt Go

The Past

Never Around

Are You Ready To Live?

Holding All These Lies

KORN IS:

Jonathan Davis – vocals

James “Munky” Shaffer – guitar

Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu – bass guitar

Ray Luzier – drums

* For more info on KORN, click here: KORN – Official Website

* For more info on RoadRunner Records, click here: ROADRUNNER RECORDS

KORN III Remember Who You Are is to be released on July 13, 2010, on RoadRunner Records.

Stone.

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AIDEN “RAIN IN HELL” EP – FEATURES MISFITS AND BILLY IDOL COVERS

Posted in alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, gothic metal bands, gothic metal music, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, horror punk, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, punk rock music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 24, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

AIDEN – released the EP, Rain In Hell on October 31, 2006, on Victory Records. Rain In Hell is a CD/DVD, with 6 songs on the CD. I have always taken a liking to Aiden, they exhibit a menagerie of genres with their music… in essence, Aiden is a Heavy Alternative Rock Band, in my Metal opinion. When Rain In Hell was released, I was thrilled to see they covered a classic Misfits song – Die Die My Darling. Of course the original Misfits version of Die Die My Darling can never be topped, still Aiden does a respectable job at covering this song. The all encompassing Punk and raw sound, with attitude, is captured by Aiden, giving credibility to the reason they covered Die Die My Darling in the first place.

Aiden can take a Metal bow for their cover of White Wedding, the incredibly famous Post Punk meets New Wave song, written and recorded by the legendary Billy Idol. White Wedding first appeared on Billy Idol’s 1982 debut and self titled album. Aiden does not try to reinvent the Rock ‘N’ Roll wheel with their cover version of White Wedding, the tempo is stepped up a bit with Aiden’s trademark angst, otherwise it’s an alternate listen that won me over the very first time it invaded my ears.

I have to give Aiden credit for tackling both a Misfits and Billy Idol song to cover. To point at both of these cover songs as feature tracks on Rain In Hell is not a falsehood. WiL Francis on lead vocals comes across with Punk Rock legitimacy on the cover songs, making them all the more a credible listen.

There are four other songs on this Rain In Hell EP that are Aiden originals. A Candlelight (Intro) is a melancholy and flat out spooky song that runs as an instrumental for the first half of the song, with thunder and lightning atmospherics added in, a chilling theme it is… then WiL Francis steps in with Gothic illuminated vocals, with the lyrical theme about lighting candles and showing the world were all lined up to die, backed up with a Horror Punk chorus chant. Hey, this Aiden CD isn’t called Rain In Hell for nothing!

Silent Eyes is an acoustic song that visits the world of extreme depression and complete despair. If you are not familiar with this song, it is not one that you want to play loud, on your first date… you will probably scare away any potential long lasting or even short lasting relationship! Aw, heck, what am I saying? I’m the dude that adores Death Metal and Black Metal… this song lyrically is no stranger to my extreme listening ears. At the end of the Metal day, I like the acoustic guitar paired up with WiL Francis’s emotion filled and alternative laced vocals.

We Sleep Forever exemplifies the melodic side of Aiden, while being hard around the edges. The breakdown midway only seems to accentuate this songs lyrical theme of what I interpret as suicide… whether it’s emotional or physical. Aiden touches on the human side of emotion and despair, of a more extreme and delicate topic with We Sleep Forever.

The bonus DVD proves to be just that, with the following footage:

These songs were filmed live at House Of Blues in Chicago, IL, during the Never Sleep Again Tour in December of 2006: Knife Blood Nightmare, The Last Sunrise, Die Romantic, I Set My Friends On Fire, World By Storm.

Three music video’s included are: Knife Blood Nightmare, The Last Sunrise and Die Romantic. Four live video’s included are: The Last Sunrise, Die Romantic, Unbreakable and I Set My Friends On Fire.

Aiden, as they appeared on Rain In Hell:

WiL Francis – lead vocals, piano

Angel Ibarra – lead guitar, backing vocals

Nick Wiggins – bass, backing vocals

Jake Davison – drums & percussion

Jake Wambold – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Stone.

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DOMMIN “LOVE IS GONE” RELEASES IN FIVE DAYS – FEBRUARY 2, 2010!

Posted in alternative metal music, alternative rock music, collecting rock music, cool album covers, current hard rock bands, current heavy metal music, gothic metal albums, gothic metal bands, gothic metal music, Hard Rock, hard rock bands, hard rock music, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal bands 2010, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2010, melodic hard rock bands, melodic heavy metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 27, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

DOMMIN. A blend of Rock, Hard Rock, Gothic and Heavy Metal. Yes, I am into the songs and sound of DOMMIN, at the end of the Metal day, I am a very diversified Metalhead. Admittedly, I am also NOT ashamed to admit that. DOMMIN. Taking Metal detours is an adventure… heck, you only live once. My self diagnosis is that I love music, period. No, not Daughtry… I stated music, afterall, I’m not into garbled bubble gum slop from a televised talent show. On February 2, 2010, I will be picking up my reserved copy of Love Is Gone at my neighborhood fye and will skip all the way to my car with a sinister smile on my face. (O.k., I am just kidding about the “skipping to my car” part). This new DOMMIN album will be in my hands just 5 days from now… (I am counting Thursday thru Monday).

DOMMIN – Love Is Gone – (ROADRUNNER Records)

If you feel like it, check out the blabbing I did on October 19, 2009, regarding the DOMMIN E.P., just click on the link below:

DOMMIN – “E.P.” Has Me Hooked

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HAPPY METAL BIRTHDAY ANTHONY KIEDIS! PLUS “ONE HOT MINUTE” REVISITED

Posted in 1980's classic rock bands, 1980's rock music, 1980's rock bands, 1990's classic rock albums, 1990's classic rock music, 1990's classic rock vocalists, 1990's college music, 1990's hard rock music, 1990's rock bands, 1990's rock music, 1990's hard rock albums, 1990's hard rock bands, Album Review, alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, alternative rock music albums, classic rock music, essential classic rock albums, essential classic rock songs, essential hard rock albums, essential rock albums, hard rock music, hard rock vocalists, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock album review, rock and roll, rock celebrity birthdays, rock guitarists, rock music, rock vocalists with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 1, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

Red Hot Chili Peppers logoMetal Odyssey extends a loud Happy Metal Birthday to Anthony Kiedis! Anthony was born on November 1, 1962 and he turns 47 today. Anthony co-founded and is the lead singer for The Red Hot Chili Peppers. My favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers album is one hot minute, (released on September 12, 1995 on Warner Bros). My three favorite songs from one hot minute are Warped, Aeroplane and My Friends. It is surprising to even me, that I really like the song My Friends such a great deal, due to it being a mid paced Rock ballad. Still, this song seemed to capture my attention back upon it’s release, it still does when I listen to it. The presence of Dave Navarro on guitar makes one hot minute a more heavier sounding version of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, in my Metal opinion. This is an album that I have to honestly say, bridged the gap between Grunge gradually losing it’s stranglehold on popularity and Heavy Metal making a comeback in the public eye. (That is my Metal opinion, I cannot help myself).

One hot minute made total sense to me upon it’s release back in 1995, it still does. The songs carry out a continuous Rock vibe while not adhering to one specific trend of the day. A very polished album, (produced by Rick Rubin), one hot minute is exemplary of what the mainstream was embracing as acceptable heavy, whenever it came anywhere near Hard Rock or (gasp), Heavy Metal. With a toned down Metallica on the loose in the mid 1990’s, The Red Hot Chili Peppers were not toning it down with one hot minute… based on their style of Rock. Their sixth studio album and a multi-platinum seller, one hot minute obviously had some hot chart success. (With that said, I have never been one to judge an album based on chart positions). I have always appreciated this band, what is there not to like about the musicianship of Flea on bass and Chad Smith on drums as well? A Rock rhythm section solidified.

Getting back to Anthony Kiedis… I have and always will be greatly entertained by his vocals. Anthony also has written some clever lyrics that many times touched on his own inner battles with addictions. The diverse style of Anthony’s vocals make him a Rock singer that is without question, truly one of a kind. From Funk to Heavy Metal and everything in-between, The Red Hot Chili Peppers have touched on it all, with Anthony Kiedis cementing his dynamic vocal stamp on each song in their extensive catalog. From my perception, listening to Anthony Kiedis sing using so many styles, leads me to believe he has an admirable respect for all genres of music. The alternative and artistic overlays of The Red Hot Chili Peppers brand of Rock cannot be discounted… neither can the vocals of Anthony Kiedis ever be denied.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers "one hot minute" large album pic

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DOMMIN – “E.P.” Has Me Hooked

Posted in Album Review, alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, alternative rock music albums, collecting rock music, cool album covers, creepy album covers, current alternative rock music, current hard rock albums, current hard rock bands, current hard rock music, current hard rock songs, current heavy metal music, current rock albums 2009, diverse metal music, essential hard rock albums, essential rock albums, gothic hard rock bands, gothic hard rock music, gothic metal bands, gothic metal music, hard rock music, hard rock music 2009, hard rock songs, hard rock vocalists, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2009, heavy metal vocalists, horror metal, melodic hard rock songs, melodic rock bands, melodic rock songs, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock album review, rock and roll, rock music, rock music reviews, rock music vocals, rock vocalists, scary album covers, shopping for music, spooky album covers, Vocals with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

Dommin - Group Photo banner 2009

I picked up the Dommin E.P. at Hot Topic today and man, this band has me hooked. This Dommin E.P. has been available as a Hot Topic exclusive since July 7, 2009. This band caught my attention over the last few months as I scoured the web looking for new and cool albums to potentially buy. Buying this E.P. was a necessity for me, I have already listened to some of Dommin’s songs already and really liked what I heard. Plus this E.P. will make for a cool prelude to my finally picking up the new album from Dommin – Love Is Gone. The price I paid for E.P. is unreal great – $1.99. Uh, again, that’s $1.99! My copy I bought was the last one, (or only one), left in this specific Hot Topic store… that tells me E.P. sold quite well since July 7th. The price and obvious popularity is not too shabby for a brand new CD with four outstanding songs. E.P. contains a track that is not found on the Love Is Gone album – Awake. I have always been open minded to all Rock, Hard Rock and Metal genres, listening to a bountiful mix of bands over the decades has been my Metal way. With that said, this is how I describe the music of Dommin, in my Metal opinion:

Dommin - "Eyes" Banner - 2009

The vocals of Kristofer Dommin are extremely confident and powerful. His vocals alone are what draws me into the music, I am not ashamed to say that they are riveting… for me. When I listen to Kristofer Dommin sing, my ears detect some Glenn Danzig meets David Bowie – really. This is not to say that his vocals are unoriginal, not in the least. Kristofer Dommin’s vocals are very different from what I have been listening to in recent memory. I will confidently state, it is hard to pigeonhole Dommin into one specific music genre. Gothic, Heavy Alternative, Rock, Hard Rock, Melodic Goth or Modern Heavy Metal genres are all represented quite amazingly well with the music of Dommin. If that causes a stir, so be it… this band has been a tough Metal cookie for me to pinpoint with accuracy as to their specific placement in genre. Yet this is what makes Dommin so damn cool from the start, does it really matter anyways which genre a band adheres to? Take it from me, (if you want to), that Dommin belongs in the Heavy Music world with their dark, hard and artistic style of music. Heavy Music this outrageously melodic and hard gets me listening. Dommin takes Rock simplicity from decades past and elevates it into their very own Heavy and dark stratosphere of interpretation, exposing it for all to hear in 2009.

DOMMIN is:

Kristofer Dommin on vocals & guitar

Billy James on bass

Konstantine on keyboards

Cameron Morris on drums

** Track Listing For E.P. is:

My Heart, Your Hands

Dark Holiday

Without End

Awake – (only available on E.P., not included on Love Is Gone album)

DOMMIN is on a record label that in my Metal opinion, knows something about Rock and Roll… ROADRUNNER Records.

DOMMIN - "E.P." album pic

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U2 On Saturday Night Live… September 26, 2009, Some Metal Thoughts…

Posted in 1980's alternative rock bands, 1980's rock musicians, 1980's rock bands, 1990's alternative rock music, 1990's rock bands, 1990's rock music, alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, comedy shows on television, embarrassing rock music performances, late night television shows, political rock bands, Rock, rock & roll, rock & roll hall of fame inductees, rock and roll, rock and roll hall of fame inductees, rock guitarists, rock music, rock music commentary, rock music on television, rock music reviews, rock vocalists with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 27, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

MetalOdysseyOh, what a wonderful world it is, especially when you have the extremely deep pockets of NBC. To dole out whatever millions of dollars it probably took to get the no longer relevant U2 on Saturday Night Live, hey NBC… whoopee do!!!! Hey Saturday Night Live and your big daddy NBC… getting U2 on your no longer funny show is not impressive, it’s a pity. Could someone please tell Bono that he did not invent Rock and Roll? The sunglasses are very dated, Bono. Could someone please remind The Edge that it is a guitar that he is trying to play? Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. have always known how to play their respective instruments, at least the rhythm section of U2 is able to keep any semblance of their music together, in some sort of respectable manner. The U2 of the early 1980’s was tolerable and/or semi-entertaining. Now as the decades go by, when U2 resurfaces, it is like a bad cold you can’t kick during beautiful Summer weather. Was that live performance from U2 a skit or was it supposed to be serious? Sorry NBC and Saturday Night Live, this is one viewer who woke up this morning and did not experience any life changing experience from your over rated, not ready for prime time musical guest.

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AFI – All Hallow’s E.P. is a Horror Punk gem

Posted in 1990's alternative rock music, 1990's punk rock albums, 1990's punk rock bands, 1990's punk rock music, 1990's rock music, Album Review, alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, alternative rock music albums, classic punk rock, cool album covers, creepy album covers, essential punk rock albums, essential punk rock songs, horror punk, horror punk album covers, horror punk album review, horror punk albums, horror punk rock music, horror punk songs, metal odyssey, Music, old school punk rock, Punk rock, punk rock album review, punk rock album reviews, punk rock albums, punk rock cover songs, punk rock music, punk rock musicians, punk rock songs, rock and roll, rock music, spooky album covers, vintage punk rock albums with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 18, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

AFI "All Hallows EP" small picA couple of years ago, I purchased All Hallow’s E.P. by AFI… man, this is a cool Horror Punk gem. Released on November 3, 1999, on Nitro Records, this is AFI when they were creating Horror Punk and it is worth every penny I spent on it. A tidy E.P. it is, with four songs that are lathered with quality Horror Punk attitude and speed. Davey Havok on lead vocals sounds vintage, even though it has only been about a decade since this E.P.’s release. Every time I listen to All Hallow’s E.P., I walk away believing Davey Havok was born to sing this style of Punk Rock. I could listen all day to this Horror Punk style of AFI. I have been currently rummaging through my Metal and Punk Music collection, sifting through the spooky titles of both albums and songs and putting them on my daily rotation of music listening. Horror Punk will always stand out when searching for the creepy tunes, All Hallow’s E.P. is an obvious choice. With the Halloween season knocking at my Metal doorstep, rounding up the scary stuff to listen to has become an annual right of Horror passage for me.

The four songs on All Hallow’s E.P. are: Fall Children, Halloween, The Boy Who Destroyed The World and TotalImmortal. (That is not a typo, there is not supposed to be a space between the words Total Immortal for this song title). Halloween is a cover song, originally written and sung by Glenn Danzig when he fronted the legendary Misfits. AFI covers Halloween with all deserved and spooked out respect. The built in mechanism of the lyrics, coupled with the musical undertones of dread, makes these four songs explode with the dynamics of Horror Punk. My favorite track is… a tie. So, my favorite tracks are Halloween (due to it being a Misfits cover song and it is unreal good) and TotalImmortal. Being the last song out of the four, TotalImmortal is really the exclamation point of All Hallow’s E.P., it has the unrestrained Punk Rock energy that leaves me yearning for more of these songs from AFI.

AFI as they appeared on All Hallow’s E.P.:

Davey Havok on vocals

Jade Puget on guitar

Hunter on bass 

Adam Carson on drums

AFI "All Hallows EP" large pic

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MADINA LAKE – “Attics to Eden” is an Alternative Rock detour to take

Posted in Album Review, alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, alternative rock music albums, cool album covers, current alternative rock albums, current alternative rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock music 2009, post punk rock music 2009, Rock, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 13, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

main-150Madina Lake “Attics to Eden” caught my attention upon it’s release, (May 5, 2009), by the front cover artwork.  Anytime a band puts thought and/or creativity to use, with their album cover art, just motivates me to investigate the music inside the album further. I ventured to RoadRunner Records.com to give a listen to a few of the songs from “Attics to Eden”. I knew going in that Madina Lake is not a full throttle Metal band… not a Metal band at all… far from it. Madina Lake are an above decent, Alternative/Post Punk Rock Band with plenty of quality songs, in my Metal opinion. The key to expanding my Heavy Music collection and interests is to just plain research an album before you buy it. I am quite content at picking up Madina Lake’s newest album, both the music and lyrics are well thought out and written. Madina Lake has obviously paid attention to detail, with song structure, on “Attics to Eden”. There are no run ons or whining with these songs either, (again, in my Metal opinion). It seems to me, that Madina Lake was not interested in putting any filler songs on this album, that is always a great move for any band. What I walk away from, each time I listen to Madina Lake, is that they walk that fine line of being both commercially accessible and extremely current sounding, while still grasping and holding onto, enough hardness in their music to satisfy my taste. 

Madina Lake "Attics to Eden" album promo imageMadina Lake is obviously a younger band, yet the current and/or new textured sound to their songs is what differentiates them from being gobbled up by the status quo. It is 2009, I not only want to stay current with the younger bands… I need to. There is that part of me that does not want to be left behind in this vast world of Heavy Music. Honestly, there are stacks of Heavy bands out there today, that are fresh and new that just don’t do it for me. My not acknowledging on Metal Odyssey the bands that I feel are bland and yawn inducing, saves me from wasting precious time. Madina Lake is no waste of time for my ears. Taking a melodic and harmonious Alternative Rock detour, from the very heavy and Extreme Music that I listen to regularly, is essential for me, doing so keeps me musically grounded and open minded. Madina Lake “Attics to Eden” is one of those Alternative Rock detours I am referring to. To make an analogy, it is like enjoying watching horror movies, I need to watch a comedy and/or suspense thriller every so often as well. (Throw in a History Channel documentary too).

“Never Take Us Alive” is the opening song on this album, the upbeat Rock feel and inspired lyrics makes this album start off on the right note. “Statistics” is a steady rocker for me, along with “Let’s Get Outta Here” if I am to choose a few notables. Madina Lake took some influence from The Offspring, on “Let’s Get Outta Here”, especially with the chorus. “Legends” and “Criminals” are strong contenders for being my favorite songs on the entire album, both examples of the fortified confidence level that Madina Lake plays at musically. “Through The Pain” has “that hit” sound and feel seeping from it’s every nook and cranny. “Attics to Eden” is without question, a melodic and musically sound song trip. Madina Lake touching on the human spirit lyrically only pronounces more relevance with each listen, even for this middle aged Metalhead.

Madina Lake, as they appear on “Attics to Eden”: Nathan Leone on vocals, Matthew Leone on bass, Mateo Camargo on guitars & programming and Dan Torelli on drums.

fullsize

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