Archive for the hard rock music Category

ACCEPT “BLOOD OF THE NATIONS” – 2 DAYS TO GO UNTIL IT’S U.S. RELEASE! SOME METAL THOUGHTS…

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 12, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

ACCEPT – Their back. With a new lead vocalist in Mark Tornillo. Wolf Hoffman and Herman Frank are the guitar duo with Peter Baltes on bass and Stefan Schwarzmann on drums. This is ACCEPT 2010… and I can’t wait to get my ears melted by the scorching Metal that Blood Of The Nations is about.

I’m feeling quite confident that Blood Of The Nations will be a great listen. Why? Well, I entrust in the words from Metal Odyssey’s correspondent Scott Coverdale… who has stated today: “Blood Of The Nations is a strong contender for Metal Album Of The Year“. Scott Coverdale goes on to say: “Regardless of where you purchase your CD’s, be it f.y.e., Best Buy, Target, Walmart or an independent mom/pop record store, if they aren’t carrying Blood Of The Nations… demand it!

Scott Coverdale continues to say: “This album is definately the heaviest album that Accept has ever recorded. I would even say it is a bit faster and heavier than Restless & Wild. For all those who are skeptical of Mark Tornillo being able to fill an UDO-less Accept, you will definately be pleasantly surprised, almost to the point you’ll like his vocals better… in my opinion. Producer Andy Sneap is a genuis”.

Stone’s thoughts: Wow. Now, for the Metal record, I am an UDO advocate, one who feels strongly that his vocals are the signature of this legendary band we have known and embraced as ACCEPT over the decades. Scott Coverdale has his Metal opinion and he is very much entitled to it, just like anyone else. Indeed, with an “UDO-less” ACCEPT, there will be a huge void to fill in the vocals department, certainly. I have listened to just one song from this new ACCEPT album – The Abyss. I have been Metal impressed by this song since I first heard it, dating back to May 3rd, 2010. The band sounds 100% Metal potent, with Mark Tornillo’s vocals sounding just super to my ears. If anything, while listening to The Abyss, I hear a “touch” of UDO in Mark’s vocals. Is it just me? I don’t know. Still, Mark Tornillo is a unique vocalist, a veteran front-man and comes with plenty of Metal credibility.

Coverdale has already listened to this new ACCEPT album quite a few times now… and he is Metal thrilled to say the least. I look forward to giving my Metal insight/review on this new ACCEPT album in the very near future.

* Producer for Blood Of NationsAndy Sneap, has woven his legendary Metal career working with the likes of: Megadeth, Exodus, Testament, Blaze BayleyArch Enemy and Onslaught… just to name more than a few.

* Legendary ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffman is credited as being the photographer for the front cover image on Blood Of The Nations.

ACCEPT – Blood Of The Nations releases on September 14, 2010 in the U.S. on Nuclear Blast.

* For more info on ACCEPT, just click on the really cool links below:

ACCEPT – Official Website

ACCEPT – myspace music page

* Century Media Records online (aka) CM Distro is a site where you can buy ACCEPTBlood Of The Nations. Just click right here to get it: Century Media Records/CM Distro

ACCEPT vocalist Mark Tornillo has made his mark in Metal History with New York/New Jersey’s Heavy Metal/Power Metal ambassadors – TT Quick.

* For more info on TT QUICK, click here: TT QUICK – myspace music

* In case you missed it on Metal Odyssey back on May 3rd, 2010, check out the post which featured the still video/song for The Abyss, from Blood Of The Nations. Just click on the big and luring link below and you can listen to The Abyss:

ACCEPT – “THE ABYSS” FROM “BLOOD OF THE NATIONS” ALBUM – HERE IT NOW! PLUS MORE ACCEPT INFO!

Blood Of The Nations – Track Listing:

Beat The Bastards

Teutonic Terror

The Abyss

Blood Of The Nations

Shades Of Death

Locked And Loaded

Time Machine (North American Bonus Track)

Kill The Pain

Rollin’ Thunder

Pandemic

New World Comin’

No Shelter

Bucketful Of Hate

LONG LIVE ACCEPT!

Stone.



JUDAS PRIEST “METAL GODS” & PRIMAL FEAR COVER OF “METAL GODS” = UNREAL METAL GREATNESS!

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, heavy metal songs, metal odyssey, Music, power metal music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 11, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

JUDAS PRIEST & PRIMAL FEAR – What do Judas Priest and Primal Fear have in Metal common, besides both being Metal Bands? METAL GODS. As I and so many countless others will attest, “nothing beats an original”… only Primal Fear covers the Judas Priest originalMetal Gods like they were put on this Earth to do so. Originally heard on the 1980 studio album from Judas Priest – British Steel, Metal Gods has been a lifetime favorite Metal song for me.

Hell, this British Steel album is downright Metal sacred and easily one of the greatest Metal albums ever created. I remember the first time I heard Metal Gods off of this British Steel album… whoa… whoa again. The British Steel album in and of itself is a thoroughbred classic Metal album for the ages… and Metal Gods catapults this reasoning of mine fifty fold.

I can recall, with Metal ease, listening to this one track on British Steel, that is Metal Gods, continuously. I would pick up the turntable needle and drop it back down at the beginning of this incredible song, each time it ended. Metal be thy name. It is the obvious and sheer muscularity of Metal, that this Judas Priest original of Metal Gods bestowed upon thine ears, which made me stand at attention in Metal awe so many years ago. This Judas Priest original still has that same Metal affect on me… and I don’t see it waning anytime soon.

The repeated opening riff throughout Metal Gods is like my very own psyche-out Metal stimulant that makes me feel really, really, good. I vividly remember looking up at my Judas Priest poster, which hung on my bedroom wall when I was a teen, while any Judas Priest album was being cranked up by me. When Metal Gods was played at maximum volume, I would then proceed to play air guitar and bang thine head like an out of control Metal lovin’ maniac. Um, I guess I still do that when I listen to this song… so let it be Metal written, so let it be Metal done. (Only I don’t have a Judas Priest poster on my bedroom wall today… my Metal supporting wife won’t allow it and I do understand).

Being a futuristic look into the unravelling of mankind’s involvement into the “dabbling” and experimenting with the science of robotics, Metal Gods is a song about robotic creatures/machines known as… Metal Gods. These Metal Gods taking control of their surroundings and the very same people who created them, while mankind falls victim to their evil control, is the theme that this song gets across quite clearly. Not too far fetched in my Metal opinion. Who knows how advanced our technology will take us all eventually? Herculean robotic machines may very well be the norm some day in our future… and they could eventually get pissed off at us.

Yes, Rob Halford is the Metal God and I will never dispute that title he carries with Metal honor and pride. However, Ralf Scheepers is no cheap imitation of Rob Halford. Ralf can flat-out sing Metal. Ralf Scheepers… maybe a strong candidate for being the Power Metal God? Listening to the Primal Fear cover version of Metal Gods for the first time was like the second coming of when I first heard this prolifically immense song, so many years ago. Primal Fear could have “covered” Metal Gods or they could have covered it with F’n Metal Might. My Metal senses tell me… Primal Fear covered this Judas Priest classic with F’n Metal Might.

No one has to take my Metal word for it, that both the Metal Gods original and the Primal Fear cover verson are unreal Metal greatness. All you have to do is seek out these Metal songs for yourself and give ’em a Metal try. You can give me a Metal thank you later… after you realize Metal Gods is probably one of the greatest Metal songs ever written. For lifetime/veteran Metalheads out there… hopefully you understand my Metal reasoning and agree with my Metal thoughts on… Metal Gods. I have a funny feeling that many of you fellow Metalheads do understand.

Primal Fear – Metal Is Forever/The Very Best Of Primal Fear was released back on April 3, 2007, on Nuclear Blast. This is a double CD, with CD 1 containing 16 greatest hits and CD 2 containing 9 Metal Classics. The cover of Metal Gods is heard on Metal Classics. This double CD showcases just how fabulous this German Power Metal Band known as… Primal Fear was, is and forever shall be.

* For more info on Judas Priest, click here: JUDAS PRIEST

* For more info on Primal Fear, click here: PRIMAL FEAR – Official Website

LONG LIVE JUDAS PRIEST AND PRIMAL FEAR!

Stone.

VALIENT THORR “STRANGER” – A FUNTASTIC, ROCKIN’, THRASHIN’, METAL MASHIN’ OLD SCHOOL METAL BASH!

Posted in Hard Rock, 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 & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 10, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

VALIENT THORR – One look at the above headline for this Valient Thorr – Stranger album pretty much says it all. Or does it? Well, the headline probably could suffice with most Old School Metalheads who don’t give a crap about details… an album is supposed to just deliver the Heavy Music goods and be done with it. Have no fear fellow Metalheads, party freaks, moshers, space travelers, Punks, Thrashers and Old Schoolers… Valient Thorr does deliver something for all of you with Stranger. This is Valient Thorr’s fifth album in seven years, releasing September 14th on Volcom Entertainment. With nearly 250 shows a year for most of this run, touring with everyone from Motorhead to Joan Jett, Valient Thorr has certainly proven they are a knuckles pounding the pavement, no bullshit band with those numbers.

Years ago, I mean decades ago, when the cool word floating around was “crossover”, with bands such as D.R.I. and M.O.D. and to an extent Anthrax, they were taking a little bit of every Hard & Heavy genre out there and incorporating it into their very own sound. Valient Thorr doesn’t just have shades and influences of just about every cool music genre in the history of modern day Rock ‘N’ Roll. This Universe exploring band is potently stocked with all of the hell raising, fist pumping, shot-gun beer swilling and garbage can kicking qualities one could only wish for… and then some. Valient Thorr knows how to play some kick ass music.

Is it appropriate for me to state that Valient Thorr has created a “funtastic” album with Stranger? You bet it is. You see, as I listen to the music, (lyrics aside), of Valient Thorr, it makes me feel like jumping right into this album and being a part of the whole damn scene that is going on within these songs. Lyrically, these songs are not just about chugging down a beer and playing darts. Valient Thorr has something to say and they are more than psyched-out to get their point across.

Escapism is a necessity for me and I seek it out through music, through Rock ‘N’ Roll, um, Metal. Hitching a ride on the escapism Space Shuttle that Valient Thorr is navigating is one hell of a trip. I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t need his steak “cooked to perfection”, in other words, I sometimes like ’em raw. Valient Thorr is spreading their raw talent and raw sound across this globe for good reason… to one day hopefully make all those Kidz Bop CD’s disintegrate into millions of pieces, from the sheer presence of this band’s musical existence.

Plus, Valient Thorr is no slouch band either, fans of Heavy Music will either connect with their sound or run for cover. If running for cover is the option one chooses, then they should make sure to bring along a case of laxatives with them… cause they are obviously chronically constipated. Gillionaire is a wake up call to the materialistic morons of Planet Earth and I can only second Valient Thorr’s strong and resounding message they convey here. Oh, yeah… Gillionaire Rocks with plenty of pent-up attitude and blue collar angst that makes the vibe thrive, through every note.

Sleeper Awakes is even more attitude laced with gang vocals aplenty and scorching guitar leads, with a searing guitar solo that fortifies my hunger for… Metal. Disappearer mixes some speed, speed and more speed with it’s overall… speed. Metal be thy name does Disappearer grab my damn attention and smacks it senseless. Double Crossed has some wholesome Old School rhythm and does not shy away from being guitar friendly. Riffs and solos abound on Double Crossed that semi-convinced me it was 1984 all over again. “You will pay, I’ve just been double crossed” might very well be my #1 Metal chorus of 2010… and beyond.

The more I listen to Stranger, the more I wonder if the members of Valient Thorr were born on Planet Lemmy Kilmister. Why I think that you query? It’s the I don’t give a shit – take our Rock ‘N’ Roll or bust attitude that Valient Thorr radiates so, um, eloquently. Sudden Death Is Nothing is kinda easy for me to point at and declare as my favorite song on Stranger. Whoa… it’s the blitz of Thrash that races unapologetically straight into my ears, that makes Sudden Death Is Nothing so damn memorable.

Woman In The Woods is for all Metal intents and purposes… eerie… and I like that. The guitar tones and even the tempo shifts are haunting. Is there really anything that Valient Thorr doesn’t experiment with musically? Maybe Kidz Bop. “Vision Quest” is relevant Metal, while also being a reminder that Old School Metal never dies. I catch onto some late 80’s Anthrax vibration while listening to “Vision Quest” and Habituary”, both with the Metal, gang vocals and vocals of Valient Himself.

It would be a dream come true to have Valient Thorr play at one or both of my daughters weddings someday. Hell, it would be the best damn music to ever invade my ears at a wedding for Metal sakes. Throw in the Metal fact this band is just down right contagious, with their free spirited attitude towards Heavy Music and yes Virginia… there is a Thorrior Claus. Valient Thorr would tear the roof off of a wedding hall and I would want to be there to witness it. Um, I wouldn’t want to pay for the damage though.

One final song to mention, Future Humans” might be a spine-chilling look into the future of mankind, regardless, this song freakin’ Rocks like there is no weekend, um, I mean tomorrow. It’s the thunder stomping beat and guitar driven nature of “Future Humans”, that makes me want to jump up and down on the hood of a pristine limousine, parked outside of a five-star restaurant. Metal be thy name.

Valient Thorr is a band that is difficult not to admire and gravitate to. They are a gritty working man’s Heavy Music band that should really gain some major Metal momentum with the release of Stranger on September 14th. Fans of NWOBHM, Old School/Traditional Metal, Hard Rock and well… any Metal, should hopefully dig Valient Thorr like I do. This band already has some fiery momentum happening already, it’s just the thought of them gaining legions more Thorriors worldwide and galaxy wide that makes me sleep better at night. I’m now a Thorrior… and it serves me right.

VALIENT THORR:

Valient Himself – vocals

Eidan Thorr – guitars

Nitewolf – bass

Sadat Thorr – guitars

Lucian Thorr – drums & percussion

* Stranger is set to release on September 14, 2010, on Volcom Entertainment.

* Stranger is produced, recorded and mixed by Jack Endino.

* For more info on Valient Thorr, just click on the links below:

VALIENT THORR – myspace music

VALIENT THORR – Official Website

Track Listing For Valient Thorr – Stranger:

Gillionaire

Sleeper Awakes

Disappearer

Double Crossed

Night Terrors

Sudden Death Is Nothing

Woman In The Woods

Vision Quest

Habituary

The Recognition

Without Hope, Without Fear

Future Humans

Thorriors Of The Galaxy Assemble!

Stone.

THE NEW CZARS “DOOMSDAY REVOLUTION” – AN INDUSTRIOUS & CREATIVE APPROACH TO ROCK MUSIC DIVERSITY

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, hard rock songs, 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 September 8, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

THE NEW CZARS – Releasing on September 14, 2010, on Samson Records, is Doomsday Revolution, the debut album from The New Czars, which electrifies with an approach to making diverse and Heavy Music coexist together. To say that Doomsday Revolution is a storm cloud of Modern Rock/Hard Rock can be another way to describe this album. When a new Hard Rock or Heavy Metal band dares to be original, it’s like an anomaly these days. Doomsday Revolution does mix it up well with moments of Hard, Heavy and Industrial Rock. The New Czars take their mixed bag of music experience and do deliver a debut album that steers away from any same old mentality.

The New Czars do dare and succeed to set themselves away from the rest of the pack and that alone deserves a hell raising horns to the air. Regardless if The New Czars are a new band unto the world of Heavy Music, these are seasoned and talented musicians all the same. Greg Hampton, is no stranger to the Rock Music industry. Greg is the lead vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, lyricist and producer for Doomsday Revolution and he comes packing with impressive Rock ‘N’ Roll credentials. With wearing so many “hats” in getting this album to it’s final pressing, I can only marvel at the true spirit of Rock ‘N’ Roll Greg Hampton possesses.

Greg Hampton was a lead guitarist and songwriter for Alice Cooper’s concept album Along Came A Spider, as well as playing bass and keyboards amongst a variety of other things, on this macabre masterpiece from 2008. Greg also co-produced, mixed and played various instruments on Lita Ford’s 2009 comeback album – Wicked Wonderland. Greg, as with his band mates Paul Ill (bass) and David “Chilli” Moreno (drums), sound as if they have been doing this gig together for quite some time… only this is their debut album and three is not a crowd.

Let’s throw in the fact that a Rock Music legend, the likes of Adrian Belew of King Crimson fame, lends contributions to Doomsday Revolution on guitar and the credibility factor and peer respect for The New Czars only becomes more admirably real. It’s the blue collar and do-it-yourself Rock musicians that give rise to and/or expand on a non-trendy sound and vision, in which they want to share with the rest of the Rock community. Greg and his band The New Czars are doing just that with Doomsday Revolution, without any flirtation with the flavor of the month society.

Doomsday Revolution unwraps it’s heavy side with the Industrial edginess from Keep On Goin’. The hardened vocals and guitar licks of Greg Hampton simultaneously keeps this song moving at an addicting tempo. If this opening track is any indication of the music prowess that The New Czars are intending on releasing unto thine ears… then one best get ready. There are so many more muscular riffs, leads and solos to follow from Greg’s guitar throughout this album. No song style on Doomsday Revolution is immune from the imagination of his guitar playing. Confessions takes right over where keep on goin’ left off, with an almost maddeningly loud vibe that rises from this song. I envision a full scale implosion of my decades old stereo speakers, at any moment, while this song is being cranked to high.

The New Czars are not all about full-throttle and face to the pavement heaviness on Doomsday Revolution. Why Do U Have 2 Lie exhibits Greg Hampton vocally toning things down, amidst a mid-tempo Hard Rock swirl of sound. The old adage of “less is more” holds true with the lyrics of Why Do U Have 2 Lie, showing lyrics can be emotional and smart by not saying too much. Time Stops is an unexpected surprise on this album. Another mid-tempo ballad, Greg Hampton proves he can croon with a David Coverdale like accessibility. Melodic and hooky, Time Stops also incorporates a sitar for some Eastern World ambiance. The guitar solo more than helps Time Stops to stray away from feeling like a ballad, which is just another amazing musical element to an already amazing song.

Don’t Watch Me showcases some exemplary drumming from David “Chilli” Moreno, with spastic drum fills that coincide perfectly to this song’s anxiety filled lyrics. Greg Hampton let’s it all loose vocally, making Don’t Watch Me sound as an angst filled memoir from a paranoid soul. What separates Greg Hampton from being just another Heavy Music vocalist is his ability to adapt to a song’s theme, turning on and off degrees of emotion in his voice, in such a fantastic way it’s borderline uncanny.

The title track, Doomsday Revolution takes no prisoners with it’s Hard and Heavy Industrial mayhem, which comes across as The New Czars answer to their version of an anthem. Trust me, the chorus on Doomsday Revolution alone is enough to get the adrenaline pumping up the psyche-out meter. Only Dreaming is another ballad stopover, this time around the tempo is slow and unsuspectingly alluring. Greg Hampton could very well shun off the Hard Rock & Metal Gods and make his fortune as an unplugged crooner… only this is a musician who seems to revel in his Rock ‘N’ Roll diversity more than anything else and revel he should.

With 16 songs to digest on Doomsday Revolution, there are no dull moments. How could there be with such a fortified stack of diverse songs such as this? Be it Industrial, Rock, Hard Rock or slivers of Traditional Metal, you will hear it on this album. Just don’t stray too far away… for the Alternative and Electronica bug will be poking you on the back from the likes of Funky Detour. Yes… there is a “Funky” vibe happening within this song that sneaks and swirls it’s way through with subtle ease.

Obviously, I walk away with the impression that Greg Hampton strategically sandwiched himself between two skillful and time tested players in bass guitarist Paul Ill and drummer David “Chilli” Moreno. As it is in the world of professional sports teams… your only as good as your players and The New Czars have come to play.

I can’t resist to mention, that to my Metal ears, I can hear somewhat of an Ian Gillian poise and swagger in the vocals of Greg Hampton. A personal interpretation to the fullest extent of course, so convict me for being a lifelong fan of quality Rock vocalists and hearing what I do. I conclude, that after several thorough listens to Doomsday Revolution, I feel compelled to put Greg Hampton on the list of today’s current quality vocalists. To overlook Greg’s guitar play would be a travesty… really, he is that good.

If ever there was a surefire flag bearer for Music Appreciation 101, then it is Greg Hampton and his band The New Czars. Don’t be afraid to take chances, is what we are all taught from an early age. Greg Hampton has taken many very cool chances with Doomsday Revolution and from the sounds of it, he has come away unscathed. The totality of musicianship from The New Czars Greg Hampton, David “Chilli” Moreno and Paul Ill have left an undeniable impression on my ears, an impression that won’t evaporate for me anytime soon.

Fans of Industrial Rock/Hard Rock, Progressive Rock genres and Modern Hard Rock/Metal should strongly consider picking up Doomsday Revolution. Guitar enthusiasts are urged to take an earful of what Greg Hampton is playing on this album. Old School Metalheads who are looking for an alternative to single-based genres should be forewarned: you might just get hooked on what this album is all about.

* For more info on The New Czars, just click on the link below:

THE NEW CZARS – myspace music

From left to right: Paul Ill, Greg Hampton and David “Chilli” Moreno.

The New Czars:

Greg Hampton – vocals & guitar

Paul Ill – bass

David “Chilli” Moreno – drums

* Adrian Belew (King Crimson) – contributing guitarist & Rock legend

Track Listing For Doomsday Revolution:

keep on goin’

confessions

desperate

why do u have 2 lie

don’t watch Me

Time stops

brush with the devil

so sure

abstract prague

crashed

doomsday revolution

only dreaming

Tell Me

had 2 do it

funky detour

crotch critters


THE NEW CZARS… A WHOLE NEW BREED OF ROCK.

Stone.

VANDENBERG “BURNING HEART” – THIS 1982 POWER BALLAD STILL GLISTENS

Posted in classic rock music, classic rock songs, Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, hard rock songs, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock guitarists, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

VANDENBERG – Let’s go back to 1982. I was a sophomore in high school and very proud of my ability to draw the band logos for Styx, Michael Schenker Group and of course… KISS. (The Judas Priest band logo was and forever will be too difficult for me to draw freehand). Hirax, Hellhammer and Armored Saint were formed, just to name a few Metal bands. Alright, W.A.S.P. was formed in 1982 too. World famous pro basketball star, (UCONN & Pheonix Mercury) Diana Taurasi was born.

Ronald Reagan was the United States President and Bryant Gumbel began his 15 year career as NBC’s The Today Show co-host. The Weather Channel also launched into cable television back in 1982. Well, enough with the 1982 trivia… this post is about guitarist Adrian Vandenberg’s own Hard Rock band which debuted their self-titled album Vandenberg, this very same year on Atco Records.

This Vandenberg debut album was and always will be an excellent listen for me. My favorite song from this album is Burning Heart. That’s correct… a ballad. A Power Ballad too. Me, the dude who likes to tip-toe around ballads in almost any album review I do, really digs Burning Heart. Ever since I first heard this song on the FM dial back in 1982, I have been an admirer of it. Bert Heerink was the lead vocalist on this song and album. Could it be the strength in Bert’s vocals that I hear be the deciding factor for my liking Burning Heart so much? How about the guitar talent of Adrian Vandenberg himself? Adrian’s solo in Burning Heart is as articulately placed and played as any I’ve ever heard over all these years.

Adrian’s tone and feel that comes out at me from his guitar just always seemed to have that wallop. On Burning Heart, Adrian makes his guitar come across with such a free floating sound, making this Power Ballad come together perfectly… he dictated this song and commanded it with his guitar eloquence. Burning Heart from the very onset of my hearing it, never came across to me as being sappy. It is quite an emotional song for certain and radiates that essential vibe that seems to be lacking in so many Power Ballads over the decades.

Does Burning Heart remind me of a love I once had? Nope. Does it remind me of a love I could never have? Nope again. Despite this, this is a song that just reminds me of a time in my life when I was seeking out my place amongst my peers and just trying to get along. In actuality, that is really what I’m still doing, to this very day. Any song, from the vast and seemingly infinite world of music, will hold it’s own unique affect on an individual. Burning Heart stays in my music mind files as being… timeless.

*  Besides being a legendary guitarist, find out more about Adrian Vandenberg and his other artistic talent… as a world renowned painter in the fine arts. Peruse Adrian’s brilliant artwork by clicking this link: ADRIAN VANDENBERG – ARTIST

Vandenberg, as they appeared on the debut/self titled album:

Adrian Vandenberg – guitar, keyboards and backing vocals

Bert Heerink – lead vocals

Dick Kemper – bass and backing vocals

Jos Zoomer – drums and backing vocals

LONG LIVE ADRIAN VANDENBERG & HIS MUSIC

Stone.

THE DOORS “13” – Reflecting On My First Album By This Beyond Legendary Band

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, metal odyssey, Music, psychedelic rock music, Rock, rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music history, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 6, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

THE DOORS – Today was a gorgeous late Summer day where I live. Eastern Pennsylvania has had it’s fair share of oppressive humidity the last few months, so taking advantage of more mild temperatures with little to no humidity is essential for the mind, body and soul. Outdoor activities are once again in the fold for Stone and his family! So, the family and I set out for some mini golf this afternoon. My wife found what I consider to be the cleanest and most fun mini golf course I’ve ever seen or played. Sittler Golf Center is quite the place… with a driving range, pro-shop, take-out window and of course, mini golf. This cool place is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

There are those many moments in my life, where being somewhere and hearing a song sparks a memory. Today there were two songs I heard being played at Sittler Golf Center, they were Touch Me and Light My Fire by the beyond legendary – The Doors. Listening to these kind of Rock Classics while playing mini golf makes Stone very happy. The memory these two songs sparked in my mind were of the first vinyl album I ever owned by The Doors, which was 13.

It was an immediate vision in my minds eye, the album 13. I could see it as plain as day as I moved about the mini golf course today. 13 is a slab of classic vinyl I wish was still in my collection. All I kept thinking to myself as the vision of this album drifted through my mind was… why did I get rid of so many damn great albums years ago? This question gets brought up by me so frequently and the answers are always the same. CD’s were invented and I traded or sold many of my vinyl albums so I could buy… more vinyl albums and/or CD’s! It was an economic cycle I was in for years, buying and then selling my favorite albums. I guess now I know better, the collector and nostalgic parts of me helps to keep my collection intact.

Yes, I did not own a studio album from The Doors until after this “greatest hits” of 13 ran it’s Rockin’ course through my young Rock ‘N’ Roll hungry veins and consciousness. 13 was as terrific a starting point as I could ever ask for in exploring The Doors. I believe I bought 13 sometime around 1983. I remember choosing this 13 album over The Doors Greatest Hits album, due to my liking the album cover of 13 much better. 13 has all four members of The Doors on the cover, with of course Jim Morrison taking up the majority of the cover… and rightfully so. I can honestly remember, holding both albums, debating which one to buy, while standing in the record aisle at the Caldor department store.

Here is what The Doors – Greatest Hits looks like:

Granted, both album covers have a fantastic photo of Jim Morrison. My thinking back in ’83 was to get the “greatest hits” of The Doors that everyone else was passing over. Thinking back, it seemed most of my friends and cousins had bought the Greatest Hits from 1980. L.A. Woman, Not To Touch The Earth, Break On Through and Riders On The Storm are not on 13 and on the Greatest Hits from ’80. However, 13 did have… 13 songs versus the 10 songs heard on the “original” Greatest Hits album from ’80. So, three more songs plus I liked the album cover better, making 13 my first album of choice in adding The Doors to my record collection and life.

It’s funny, yet as I played 13 over and over again back then, my favorite song on this album was You’re Lost Little Girl. Why it’s funny is that this song was never a huge hit for The Doors. I can recall hearing this song being played on WCCC, WHCN and maybe WPLR up in very expensive Connecticut while growing up, only very rarely. Heck, compare this song to the timeless classics of Light My Fire, L.A. Woman, Riders On The Storm and Hello I Love You and forget about it… these songs were staples in the FM rotation of any reputable station back in the 80’s, today as well for some.

What lured me in first and foremost, upon my initial listening experiences of 13 was the voice of Jim Morrison. Whoa. Jim Morrison sounded like no other dude I was listening to of any band at the time. This wasn’t Rob Halford, Ozzy, Paul/Gene/Ace or Peter of KISS, Dennis DeYoung, Lou Gramm, Tom Petty, Bon Scott, Brian Johnson, Jeff Lynne or Robin Zander. Nope. This was a more mysterious voice I was being exposed to at this time of my young life. The previous names I mentioned were all being digested by my ears and mind around 1983, slightly before my “real” exposure to the Thrash Metal movement that enriched my life to this very moment. All of these vocalists I named off are extremely unique and I admire them all greatly.

The voice of Jim Morrison to this day, makes me wonder as to what exactly was going through his mind as he sang. The only other vocalist that I could consider mysterious, with an unreal alluring X -factor, is the late and so sadly missed by me and countless others… Ronnie James Dio. To me, the voice and persona of Jim Morrison was Rock ‘N’ Roll in it’s most profusely exposed state. Sure, I could rant on about the drugs and misfortune of Jim Morrison here, only that’s not what I take from this legend of Rock ‘N’ Roll. Just knowing at that young age back in ’83, that drug abuse defeated Jim Morrison was enough for me to understand the consequences of living such a lifestyle.

13 motivated me to buy this amazing book:

This fabulous biography, No One Here Gets Out Alive, was written by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman and was printed back in 1980. I remember being mesmerized by the content that I absorbed from these pages. Whoa… was I becoming schooled on the life and times of a Rock ‘N’ Roll legend. I was so fascinated by this book, that I can admit to reading it several times over before I graduated high school. I can remember that my mom was just happy that I was reading a book at all! So many kids had this book under their arm, in their locker or tucked away in their stash back in those early ’80’s that it was alarming.

My memory of watching this album, 13, spin around on the turntable seems like yesterday to me. Yes, I held that album jacket and stared at The Doors. I even read No One Here Gets Out Alive as this album played. Listening to Ray Manzarek on keyboards, Robby Krieger on guitar and John Densmore on drums was a lesson in how American Rock Music was formulated in the late 1960’s and into the early 1970’s. I remember back in ’83, as I still do now, the feeling of amazement that The Doors released their debut album in 1967… when I was only 22 days from turning 1 years old!

The Doors and their 13 album only enlightened my adoration for Rock ‘N’ Roll, making me all the more better prepared for the onslaught of Metal Music that has been an important part of my life for so long now. This is not nonsense about The Doors actually pushing me head first into exploring so many other cool and historical bands when I was a teenager. I actually took a keen interest in listening to The Animals, The Rolling Stones, The Who and a slew of other Rock Music heavyweights back in those early to mid ’80’s due to this remarkable album called… 13.

* The Doors – 13 was released back in November of 1970, on Elektra Records.

* The Doors – 13 was their first “greatest hits” album release.

* Apparently, 13 has never been released on CD. I’m going to find it on vinyl again someday… hopefully in the same mint condition as I once owned it!

* For more info on The Doors, just click here: THE DOORS – Official Website

* For more info on Sittler Golf Center, just click: Sittler Golf Center – website

Track Listing For The Doors – 13:

Light My Fire

People Are Strange

Back Door Man

Moonlight Drive

The Crystal Ship

Roadhouse Blues

Touch Me

Love Me Two Times

You’re Lost Little Girl

Hello I Love You

Land Ho!

Wild Child

The Unknown Soldier


LONG LIVE THE DOORS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!

R.I.P. Jim Morrison & Ronnie James Dio

Stone.

TEN VERY UNCOOL HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL ALBUM COVERS PART II

Posted in classic rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 5, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER?

I don’t advertise myself to be an “expert” in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal album cover design. Nor am I a photography expert either. What I do know is this… a Hard Rock or Heavy Metal album cover should entice fans or potential fans to buy the album. Skulls, flames, guitars, dragons, sword & sorcery, space aliens, monsters, spooky landscapes, the paranormal and the macabre is right up my Metal alley when it comes to album covers. You won’t find this cool stuff on the album covers below. Marketing Hard Rock and Heavy Metal should be simple, right? Well, that is not always the Metal case, as you shall see from the following list of ten very uncool album covers that I have compiled… just for you… and it’s “Part II”!

Years ago, I did earn a degree in Graphic Communications, therefore I think I know what cool Hard Rock and Heavy Metal album artwork is supposed to look like. Then again, what do I know? Some, if not many of the albums in this top ten list have probably sold millions of copies worldwide… so my opinion on these very uncool album covers is probably one big, nasty and smelly fart in the wind anyways.

* Just because an album cover is uncool, doesn’t necessarily mean that the music contained within is lousy. This list, as with the first list, only points out those Hard Rock & Heavy Metal album covers which Metal Odyssey finds so extremely boring and embarrassing that they are… well, uncool.

Here are Metal Odyssey’s Top Ten Very Uncool Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Album Covers Part II, enjoy! Or, try to enjoy.

#10:

Hard Rock Essentials: 1980’s (1995)

Wow. Is that supposed to be a guitar in the center? Um, it’s missing some parts. Ahhh! Those two skulls are so NOT scary! These aren’t the skulls and guitar that I’m looking for on an album cover! This is what a record company gets, when they don’t want to pay the $$$ for decent Hard Rock artwork. Instead, it looks like some record company gave a kindergartner the “go” on this one. Or, it’s some overpaid record executive’s fourth grade kid that did it. Either way… this artwork stinks like rotten cabbage.

#9:

Metal Church – The Human Factor (1991)

Look, anyone who knows me, knows I revere Metal Church… every Metal Church lineup too. With that said, this album cover does this Metal Church lineup NO Metal justice whatsoever. It looks like these guys are laying down on a (gulp) Disco dance floor from Saturday Night Fever. The Metal Church “classic logo” is there, only it’s not enough.

#8:

Torben Enevoldsen – Heavy Persuasion (2007)

Alright, Torben, sit right there and hold up your guitar’s neck directly in front of your face… o.k., a little to the right, hold still now, why aren’t you smiling? Sit still… done! What a picture we got! That didn’t take too long now, did it? Man, Torben, this is gonna make an awesome album cover!

#7:

Lee Aaron – Metal Queen (1984)

Um, yup. Anyways, Lee Aaron really doesn’t look like a queen here at all. Instead, let’s be real, she looks more like a lady barbarian. Where’s the queen’s clothing? Hey… that’s a cardboard sword! Is that backdrop a soiled shower curtain? Regardless, this is not the sword & sorcery I’m talkin’ about. Where’s Doro Pesch when we really need her!?

#6:

Koushik – be with

Apparently, Koushik is a Canadian electronic musician. That’s what my Metal research has uncovered. Despite the lack of Hard Rock or Heavy Metal tags associated with Koushik, this album cover is just a MUST to make this list. I should have never thrown away my kids drawings from when they were one years old. Damn, I could be selling them right now… to record companies as album covers! I could have been rich! I could understand if this cover was for Kids Bop though.

#5:

Symphonity – Voice From The Silence (2008)

Trust me… these dudes called Symphonity ROCK. However, the Power Metal & Speed Metal that this cool band is great at just does NOT resonate on this album cover. Honestly, if I did not know about this Symphonity band, I would swear this was a Gospel album.

#4:

Helloween – Chameleon (1993)

As with Metal Church, Helloween is a band that I honestly revere. Helloween invented Power Metal for Metal sakes. Helloween F’n Rules. However, Chameleon is hands down, my least favorite Helloween album ever released… and it has the worst Helloween album cover ever created. Yes… Metal be thy name.

#3:

Heavy Metal: Head Bangin’ Hits (2003)

It’s some girl wearing a Dee Snider Halloween wig and Jerry Garcia glasses. Um… not my idea of a “Heavy Metal Chick”. It’s covers like this that makes me ask… WTF?

#2:

Heart Of Metal 2 – Various Artists (2001)

Yeah, o.k., like every Metalhead out there is gonna give their sweetheart a barbed wire heart, as a token of their Metal love. Here baby… I love you baby… uh, don’t get cut on this barbed wire heart. Over the years, it never ceases to amaze me, the over zealous stereotyping that we Metalheads receive. Like we are all a bunch of cash strapped barbarians, that rummage through landfills for anniversary gifts. If I gave my wife a barbed wire heart… she would then know that I totally lost my Metal mind, plus I’d get kicked out of the house as well. Hey, not even Hot Topic sells these barbed wire hearts. Not yet anyways.

#1:

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Road Songs That Rock – Hand Picked by Guy Fieri (Compilation) – (2008)

F’n Whoa. Hey, I don’t need that Food Network or Guy Fieri hand picking ANY Rock, Hard Rock or Heavy Metal songs for me. Stick to eating your high cholesterol foods Guy. Plus, I don’t see the F’n connection between the Food Network and Rock ‘N’ Roll anyways. Furthermore, I NEVER connected Guy Fieri to Hard Rock, Heavy Metal or any Rock Music for that F’n matter. All of a sudden, Guy Fieri is the second coming of Wolfman Jack.

Do you think the Food Network would let me have a 30 minute show called… Cooking With Stone? Bet your Metal butt they wouldn’t. Yet it’s alright for the Food Network to set loose their “food experts” on the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal world. Gee Metal whiz.

This is a perfect example of a corporate entity getting involved where they DON’T BELONG! It’s all about the quick $$$ isn’t it Food Network? By the way… the track listing is not too shabby on this CD. I don’t own it and would never buy it… due to the Metal fact it has a damn Food Network logo on it with Guy Fieri laughing all the way to the bank… or should I say refrigerator?

Stone.

BLACKIE LAWLESS OF W.A.S.P. – HAPPY METAL BIRTHDAY!!

Posted in celebrity birthdays, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music history, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 4, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

BLACKIE LAWLESSOn September 4, 1956, Blackie Lawless was born. On that day, the history of Heavy Metal was solidified and secured. Blackie Lawless turns a Metal cool 54 today! Happy Metal Birthday Blackie Lawless! You are a Metal Odyssey – Lifetime Metal Warrior. With 14 studio albums and 4 live albums as the founding Metal leader of W.A.S.P., I and Scott Coverdale give you a Metal salute and a rousing THANK YOU!

THANK YOU Blackie Lawless for also standing up against the PMRC back in 1985… our freedom to listen to the music that we love in America was on the brink due to this PMRC “group” and WE WON due to our Metal and Music community banding together as one. Scott Coverdale and I don’t forget what you stood up for back in those late 80’s. Stone and Scott Coverdale shall never forget their Metal roots, therefore, we shall never forget the history of Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P.!

THANK YOU for creating Babylon. This 2009 studio album of unreal & supercharged Metal was heralded as the #1 Heavy Metal album of 2009, right here, on Metal Odyssey! On December 28, 2009, Metal Odyssey posted their “Top 25 Heavy Metal Albums Of 2009”. Anyone who missed it can read all about it and check out W.A.S.P. Babylon being #1, just by clicking on the big and cool link below:

METAL ODYSSEY’S TOP 25 HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF 2009

* After the release of Babylon, I was so psyched out of my Metal mind about this album, that praising one song at a time from it seemed like a logical Metal choice. Here is the post, from November 14, 2009, that gives Metal praise to the Chuck Berry classic Promised Land, that W.A.S.P. so admirably covered on Babylon:

W.A.S.P. COVERS CHUCK BERRY CLASSIC – “PROMISED LAND” ON “BABYLON” ALBUM

* On November 11, 2009, I gave a Metal thumbs up to the song Crazy from Babylon:

W.A.S.P. “CRAZY” FROM “BABYLON” ALBUM IS WOVEN WITH HEAVY METAL MATURITY

* And on November 10, 2009, I ranted and Metal raved about W.A.S.P. covering the Deep Purple classic Burn that is heard on Babylon:

W.A.S.P. COVERS THE DEEP PURPLE CLASSIC “BURN” WITH HEAVY METAL PRIDE ON BABYLON ALBUM!

* On March 10, 2010, Metal Odyssey posted about just how incredible W.A.S.P. Live… In The Raw truly is. You can check it out by clicking on the magic link below:

W.A.S.P. – “LIVE… IN THE RAW” RESONATES THE LIVE POWER AND SOUL OF HEAVY ROCK ‘N ROLL!!

* On January 14, 2010, Metal Odyssey featured a post about the collector side of Stone when it comes to W.A.S.P., the 12″ single of The Real Me is shown in all of it’s Metal glory! Click that jim dandy link below to check it out:

W.A.S.P. – “THE REAL ME” 12″ SINGLE FROM 1989 REVISITED!

* On December 30, 2009, Metal Odyssey got all Metal giddy about the 1989 picture disc of The Headless Children. Yes… that fine link below will take you right to this post:

W.A.S.P. “THE HEADLESS CHILDREN” 1989 PICTURE DISC IS FOR KEEPS!

* Going back to April April 24, 2009, Metal Odyssey wasn’t bashful about being Metal psyched about the 1985 studio album – The Last Command. Metal be thy name, this is a fabulous W.A.S.P. album! Read for yourself, if you so choose, by clicking the link below:

W.A.S.P. “The Last Command” is a Heavy Metal classic!

* Back on March 21, 2009, Metal Odyssey celebrated 26 years of W.A.S.P. Heavy Metal! A terrific post was written to celebrate this amazing and historic Heavy Metal event. The link below shall guide you to this Metal read:

Celebrating 26 years of W.A.S.P. Heavy Metal!

* For those who want to learn about more incredible W.A.S.P. albums from the past, all you need to do is click on the links below. These are all album reviews written by Stone!

* From March 15, 2009:

W.A.S.P. – DYING FOR THE WORLD

* From March 15, 2009:

W.A.S.P. – STILL NOT BLACK ENOUGH

* From March 15, 2009:

W.A.S.P. – HELLDORADO

* From March 14, 2009:

W.A.S.P. – THE CRIMSON IDOL

So, as anyone can see, Blackie Lawless and his amazingly important and Metal historic band W.A.S.P. are and forever will be embraced here on Metal Odyssey.

LONG LIVE BLACKIE LAWLESS!

BLACKIE LAWLESS = HEAVY METAL & ROCK ‘N’ ROLL LEGEND

Stone.

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.

STRAIGHT LINE STITCH ANNOUNCE TWO SEPARATE TOURS WITH 36 CRAZYFISTS AND SOULFLY

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 2, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

(New York, NY) — STRAIGHT LINE STITCH have announced dates along side both 36 CRAZY FISTS & SOULFLY. Dates will run from mid September through the end of the year. “We are excited and honored to be supporting 36 CRAZY FISTS on their first national headlining run. When we’re out with those boys it feels like home because we know all of them so well and it just makes for a much more fun experience. It’s going to be a party for sure!” says front woman Alexis Brown.

The band is also set to do a short Canadian run with HATEBREED this month with a slew of off dates. Visit http://www.myspace.com/straightlinestitch for more info. When asked about having the chance to tour with SOULFLY, Alexis continues,“We get to tour with SOULFLY too? WOW! That about sums it up. We have been fans of SOULFLY since day one. They have been rockin’ out for a minute, and now that we get to support them just makes everything that much sweeter. We’re really looking forward to sharing the stage with them and hopefully learning a thing or two along the way.”

w/ Hatebreed

Sep. 06 – The Blind Dog – Windsor, Ont.

Sep. 07 – The Music Hall – London, Ont.

Sep. 08 – Phoenix Concert Theatre – Toronto, Ont.

Sep. 09 – Club Soda – Montreal, Que.

Sep. 10 – The New Capital Music Hall – Ottawa, Ont.

Sep. 11 – Illot Fleurie Park – Quebec City, Que.

Sep. 13 – Oxygen Nightclub – Moncton, N.B.

Sep. 14 – The Cunard Centre – Halifax, N.S.

w/ 36 Crazyfists and Taking Dawn

September 16th Seattle, WA – El Corazon

September 17th Portland, OR – Peter’s Room

September 19th San Francisco, CA – Avalon Ballroom

September 20th Las Vegas, NV – The Farm

September 21st Los Angeles, CA – Whisky A Go-Go

September 24th Mesa, AZ – The Nile

September 25th Farmington, NM – Gator’s Bar And Grill

September 26th Lubbock, TX – Jake’s

September 28th San Antonio, TX – Scout Bar

September 29th Houston, TX – Scout Bar

September 30th Dallas, TX – Trees

October 02nd St. Petersburg, FL – State Theatre

October 03rd Jacksonville, FL – Brewsters

October 05th Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade

October 06th Charleston, SC – The Oasis

October 07th Fayetteville, NC – Rock Shop

October 08th West Springfield, VA – Jaxx

October 09th Vineland, NJ – Hangar 84

October 10th Philadelphia, PA – Polaris

October 14th Flint, MI – Machine Shop

October 22nd Denver, CO – Marquis Theater

October 23rd Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep

w/ Soulfly and Incite

November 26th Los Angeles, CA – House Of Blues

November 27th San Diego, CA – House Of Blues

November 28th San Francisco, CA – Slim’s

November 30th Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre

December 02nd Chicago, IL – House Of Blues

December 04th Cleveland, OH – House Of Blues

December 08th New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre

December 09th Philadelphia, PA – Theatre Of Living Arts

December 12th Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live

December 15th Dallas, TX- House Of Blues

December 16th Houston, TX – House Of Blues

STRAIGHT LINE STITCH, originally hailing from Knoxville, TN, features Alexis Brown on vocals, Seth Thacker and Pat Pattison on guitar, Jason White on bass, and Kanky Lora on drums.

* Their latest release on eONe/Raging Nation Records “When Skies Wash Ashore” is in stores now!

* For more info on Straight Line Stitch visit – Straight Line Stitch – MySpace.com

For more information on eOne Metal please visit http://www.e1metal.com/ or follow @E1MetalATTACK

(Source: eOne Music press release, September 1, 2010)

Stone.

MURDERDOLLS “WOMEN AND CHILDREN LAST” – MY FIRST METAL IMPRESSION

Posted in Album Review, extreme metal music, Hard Rock, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, horror metal, horror punk, metal odyssey, Music, punk rock music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 31, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

MURDERDOLLS – Yes, I made my Murderdolls CD purchase today, on it’s release date. The deluxe edition looked too fantastic to pass up, therefore I snagged this version of Women And Children Last and so far… it has served me right. The three bonus tracks on the deluxe edition are: Mother F**ker See, Mother F**ker Do, The Funeral Ball and A Moment Of Violence. The bonus DVD includes live songs recorded at The Key Club in W. Hollywood, CA on June 17, 2010.

So, what would my favorite track be thus far? Well, I have listened to Women And Children Last about five times today… and I am not remotely close to growing tired of one song yet. Actually, this new Murderdolls has been quite the escapism for me. The raucous, pissed off and nightmarish lyrics are a sheer delight to listen to… especially after I watched the news at noon today.

The lead single from Women And Children Last, My Dark Place Alone, still blasts out at me like a stick of Metal dynamite, leaving me thinking… this crazy shit is F’n fun! Blood Stained Valentine is one hell of groove infested number… it Rocks so hellishly fine this… Blood Stained Valentine! Summertime Suicide has some deep and depressing lyrics… only the melodic hardness of this song has taken me by surprise and makes it a damn cool song, worthy of hitting the repeat play button multiple times. Pieces Of You is another infectiously heavy and vibe ridden song that has me in Metal stitches.

Wednesday 13 has the vocals of a modern day Horror Punk meets Horror Metal superstar. Joey Jordison is Metal sound and Metal solid on guitar. If there is any question about Joey delivering the licks with a six string, then just one listen to Rock N Roll Is All I Got is the sure fire-slap to the forehead reminder that he is the real deal. Whoa… Rock ‘N’ Roll is (gasp) fun sometimes! Whatever You Got, I’m Against It electrifies with fun vibes throughout, with strong hints and deep shades of Punk Rock flavor… Old School style too.

Well, my first Metal impression of Women And Children Last, after nearly six thorough listens, is that this Murderdolls album is spontaneously contagious! I don’t predict that my Metal impression shall change anytime soon, unless… maybe I’ll like this new Murderdolls album even more with each listen. Murderdolls don’t disappoint on delivering the Heavy, nor do they disappoint on bringing some Horrific Fun back into the world of Rock ‘N’ Roll either. That’s my first Metal impression of Women And Children Last, so let it be Metal written, so let it be Metal done.

LONG LIVE MURDERDOLLS & THEIR ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!

Stone.

RUDOLF SCHENKER – HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM METAL ODYSSEY!

Posted in classic rock music, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock and roll, rock guitarists, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 30, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

RUDOLF SCHENKER – Born on August 31, 1948, Rudolf Schenker turns a Rockin’ cool… 62! Tuesday, August 31, 2010, is Rudolf Schenker day at Metal Odyssey! Happy Birthday Rudolf! Metal Odyssey wishes you all the very best in your Metal endeavors on your birthday! May all the peace, love and good health be with you always!

Words cannot express, just how much your music with the Scorpions has meant to me, during my whole life.

* Pictured in above Scorpions photo, left to right: Pawel Maciwoda, Klaus Meine, Matthias Jabs, James Kottak and the birthday dude… Rudolf Schenker!

* On June 27, 2010, I posted about my Rockin’ experience seeing the Scorpions live at the 2010 M3 Rock Festival. Click on the big ol’ link below to read about it if you like:

SCORPIONS AT M3 ROCK FESTIVAL 2010 – THANK YOU SCORPS!!

LONG LIVE RUDOLF SCHENKER!

LONG LIVE SCORPIONS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!

Stone.

HIGH ON FIRE “FROST HAMMER” – A METAL SONG FOR THE METAL AGES

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news, stoner metal music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 29, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

HIGH ON FIRE – Good health. Family. Cool Metal buddies. Sunny skies. Free stuff. Cold beer. Finding an independent record and CD store. Finding a quarter in the grocery store parking lot. Taking a relieving dump. Sure, these are all the big and some little things that can perk up the human spirit. However… it’s Metal that never fails to perk me up time and again, year after year, day after day.

Hearing that one Metal song that lifts me up is always a reminder as to why I am hooked on the greatest music in the history of mankind. What’s the greatest music in the history of mankind you query? Uh, it’s Metal. This is Metal Odyssey after all, that you are visiting. Sure, there are other Rock genres covered on Metal Odyssey… only Metal is the end all and be all. Metal be thy F’n name.

I’ll get to the Metal point here: Frost Hammer from the High On Fire album Snakes For The Divine – kicks some serious Metal ass. Frost Hammer is an instant adrenaline surge for me. Whoa… I’ve been Metal supercharged by High On Fire. A charging pissed off beast, out of the dark northern woods of no man’s land is Frost Hammer. Des Kensel on drums plays with enough fierce enthusiasm, with so many cool fills, that it’s mind numbing. Lead vocalist and guitarist Matt Pike leads the way with his nailed to the Metal riffs, leads and a solo so fast and tenaciously addicting that it smacks me senseless.

The triple Metal threat of Matt Pike, Des Kensel and Jeff Matz are as potent as any power trio I’ve ever listened to. For me to state otherwise, would be untruthful. On Frost Hammer these guys play tight, no, super tight, defining what “in-your-face” Metal is supposed to sound like. Frost Hammer is one of those great Metal songs, where I wish it would continue on for another five or ten minutes. Nonetheless, this song will always sound like an epic to me. High On Fire didn’t rewrite any sacred Metal rules with Frost Hammer… they just stayed true to ’em.

With speed and heavy coexisting so deliriously well on Frost Hammer, there is no moment to really catch your breath. This is not even a Thrash Metal song, yet it rivals the fierce and bombastic tempo of such. Just hearing Matt Pike bellow out – “Frost Hammer”! is enough to make me feel secure in my own little Metal world, which I love to get lost in continuously.

High On Fire doesn’t make Metal that’s fashionable, they make Metal that kicks ass… period.

* For more info on High On Fire, just click the link below:

HIGH ON FIRE – myspace music page

* High On Fire – Snakes For The Divine was released on February 23, 2010, on E1 Music.

LONG LIVE HIGH ON FIRE!

Stone.

MEGADETH “RUST IN PEACE LIVE” – RELEASES SEPTEMBER 7th, 2010! TRACK LISTING & ALBUM ARTWORK

Posted in 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, Thrash Metal, thrash metal albums, thrash metal bands, thrash metal music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 27, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

MEGADETHDave Mustaine and his Thrash Metal legacy continues, with his band MEGADETH. Rust In Peace Live will be Released on September 7th, 2010, on Shout Factory! The entire MEGADETH studio album Rust In Peace is a known Thrash Metal Classic and this gem is performed live in it’s entirety on Rust In Peace Live. Rust In Peace was the fourth studio album from MEGADETH, released back in 1990, on Capitol Records. There are several other MEGADETH songs on this forthcoming live album as well… classics all.

You bet your Metal ass I’m gonna be buying Rust In Peace Live! Once a MEGADETH fan… always a MEGADETH fan and there is no copping out. The front cover album artwork is vintage MEGADETH, with the unmistakable logo and the image of Vic Rattlehead in the foreground. MEGADETH can keep on releasing the Thrash Metal goods… and I’ll keep on buyin’ em up. Metal be thy name.

* Rust In Peace Live was recorded at The Hollywood Palladium, March 31, 2010.

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

MEGADETH:

Dave Mustaine – vocals, guitar

Chris Broderick – guitar

David Ellefson – bass

Shawn Drover – drums, percussion

Here is the front cover album artwork for the 1990 studio album – Rust In Peace:

Track Listing For – RUST IN PEACE *LIVE*:

Holy Wars… The Punishment Due

Hangar 18

Take No Prisoners

Five Magics

Poison Was The Cure

Lucretia

Tornado Of Souls

Dawn Patrol

Rust In Peace… Polaris

Holy Wars Reprise

Skin O’ My Teeth

In My Darkest Hour

She-Wolf

Trust

Symphony Of Destruction

Peace Sells

LONG LIVE MEGADETH!

Stone.

Ten Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Songs That I Can Do Without

Posted in classic rock, classic rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on August 25, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

Here at Metal Odyssey, not every Hard Rock or Heavy Metal song ever created is going to be praised. There are those songs that give me an instant headache. Then, there are those songs that make me want to barf. Of course, there are songs that make me wonder… why? Here is a list of 10 songs that I honestly cannot listen to ever again. It’s all personal preference here and just because I may dislike the song listed does not mean I don’t like the band that recorded it.

There are bands and musicians on this list that are beyond legendary. Enjoy or become annoyed with this list, regardless, these songs are NOT going to ever “psyche out the party”. God forbid if these songs were to psyche out a party… then that party must be at the Lame-O Ranch At Rolling Hills.

01 – White LionWhen The Children Cry: Yeah, yeah, yeah… it’s a serious song about a sad and serious topic and I truly respect that aspect of this song. It’s just so damn sad that for years it made me want to scream every time I heard it. Now, one micro second of this song’s beginning is enough for me.

02 – Twisted Sister Leader Of The Pack: Of course Twisted Sister is a legendary band. The only problem is this cover song they did way back in 1985 is not a crowning moment for this icon band. The silver lining about this cover song is it made me appreciate the albums Under The Blade and You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll all the more.

03 – Ozzy Osbourne & Lita Ford Close My Eyes Forever: Just like When The Children Cry, I realize this is a serious song with a deep and somber meaning. However, this would be a much more tolerable song if the duet performing it was Celine Dion and Josh Groban… and then I still wouldn’t listen to it.

04 – MetallicaOne: Back in 1989 I was the biggest Metallica fan on the Metal block. Upon my very first listen to One… I was clutching onto my Slayer, Overkill, Anthrax and Exodus albums and running for cover. My Mercyful Fate albums too. Oh, for the record, I was 0% impressed by the music video for One as well. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always be a Metallica fan. Just realize there is no law that requires me to love everything that Metallica ever did.

05 – Honeymoon SuiteNew Girl Now: Um, again… not every Hard Rock or Heavy Metal song is gonna get Stone psyched out. Two words of note here – bubble gum.

06 – Ozzy OsbourneSo Tired: Look, I revere Ozzy, he’s the Godfather of Heavy Metal for Metal sakes. Regardless, I grew tired of So Tired the very day I bought Bark At The Moon back in 1983. If I whined just like Ozzy does on this song… my wife would slug me in the head and boot me in the butt.

07 – Ace Frehley/Frehley’s CometDolls: C’mon. The lyrics are just plain weird. Space Ace is another musician I have revered since the late ’70’s and I’m a KISS fan for life. I love every song Ace Frehley has ever played guitar and/or sung on. The exception is this song.

08 – MetallicaTurn The Page: This is one instance where nothing beats the original. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band never created this Classic Rock masterpiece for Metallica to improve on it. Sure, it’s a multi-million dollar seller for Metallica… and multi-millions of turtleneck wearing Bananarama fans bought it too.

09 – Styx – Mr. Roboto – I can vividly remember, like it was yesterday. Either WHCN or WCCC FM, (which FM station is not vivid), out of Hartford, Connecticut was announcing the “new” Styx single… Mr. Roboto. I was ecstatic. Bring on the “new” Styx is all I was saying. Then… this song played. Ouch. At the end of Mr. Roboto, the DJ asked listeners to call in and give their opinion on the song. Back then, (1983), my family and everyone else I knew had the clunky… rotary phones. The phones in which you had to “dial” by finger, one number at a time. Anyways… I was in a state of despair… too upset to call any damn DJ at that moment anyhow. All I do remember is clutching onto The Grand Illusion album, slowly rocking back and forth as I sat there on the floor, half crying, muttering this one lone word over and over… why?, why?, WHY?!

10 – Queen – Radio Ga Ga – I also remember too vividly this song being released as well. Queen is so enormously legendary, it’s just a shame there is a Queen song out there that I cannot listen to. Radio Ga Ga is that song. Look, I already took a beating in 1983 with Mr. Roboto… now only a year later, it’s another revered band of mine taking a stylistic music detour as well. I don’t care if this song’s meaning is about radio playing lousy songs and programming back in the day. This song was not the Queen I fell head over heals with as a young lad. To this day, I cannot figure out what the “Ga Ga” was suppose to mean. Maybe Lady Ga Ga figured it out.

Stone.

MURDERDOLLS – ONE WEEK UNTIL “WOMEN AND CHILDREN LAST” RELEASES!

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, horror punk, metal odyssey, Music, punk rock music, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 24, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

MURDERDOLLS – It’s Tuesday, August 24th, 2010. Next Tuesday, August 31st, the second studio album from MURDERDOLLS is released upon the world via RoadRunner Records. The buzz and excitement is building like an F’n tsunami with Women And Children Last due out one week from today. As I have been chatting with fans and several Metal buddies the past two weeks, the new MURDERDOLLS album seems to get brought up as if it was the beginning of a new chapter in Rock ‘N’ Roll history. Maybe this album will be just that, who knows?

So, what could all the excitement be about, when it comes to the new MURDERDOLLS album? For one, we are living in crappy economic times right now in America, so anything that can put our minds at ease about paying bills and making next month’s rent or mortgage payment is embraced by our sub-conscious and devoured like marble cake soaked in beer. I know for fact, that music is a driving force that steers my emotions and empowers me to live and love my life, regardless of how messed up the world news may be. (Yes, for the record, my wife and daughters are the #1 driving force that motivates me, only music helps to turn up my psyche-out dial until it smokes).

Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison are no strangers to the Metal and Extreme world of music. Hell, neither one of them are strangers to the Rock world period. Their talent as songwriters and musicians has been laid out before us fans and spread across albums that most of us consider damn right sacred. Slipknot is a band, whose lyrics and Metal reaches out and beats the piss out of my privately held emotions. Joey Jordison and Slipknot gave new meaning to captured aggressiveness through song. Wednesday 13 is a vocalist and musician who dared to be different a long time ago, hell, he obliterated the status quo while making stagnant Rock Music run for cover.

Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison are not your grab the money supergroup. They are the Saturday matinee, nightmare-double-feature that I crave to see and listen to. MURDERDOLLS are not a softened up act from the late ’70’s or ’80’s that is now preaching that their Metal has matured or progressed. No F’n way. These are two musicians that are NOT telling fans through interviews, that they should not be telling MURDERDOLLS what songs to play live. (Not from anything I’ve read or heard anyways).

The persona and image that MURDERDOLLS glistens with may not be brand new to Rock ‘N’ Roll, still it’s the uniqueness of these musicians themselves that adds to their overall mystique. Image aside, it’s the music of MURDERDOLLS that matters. I don’t envision anytime soon, MURDERDOLLS appearing onstage at the CMT Awards doing a country version of Dead In Hollywood. Sincerity and credibility sure does go a very long way with me… especially when it comes to music that’s fortified with 100% bad ass. The album title – Women And Children Last, advertises the sense of humor that MURDERDOLLS has, while sticking up a middle finger to the uptight world of political correctness. (Phew)… bad ass Rock ‘N’ Roll isn’t dead and buried after all!

After listening to My Dark Place Alone from the forthcoming Women And Children Last album for over a month now, I certainly hope that the entire album will be just as scorchingly powerful. The Punk subtleties that are aggressively fused with Metal, explode from My Dark Place Alone. Speed, Thrash and a sprinkle of Rob Zombie-ism in the vocals of Wednesday 13 seems to escalate with each passing second, as I listen to My Dark Place Alone. In the end, it’s the originality that means the most to my Metal ears. MURDERDOLLS do not have to make excuses to me if I hear any semblance of past Metal, Punk or Rock influences in their music.

Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison are going to throw hints around, through their songs, of their past musical background… it’s inevitable. The overall aggressive and horror based embellishment of their sound is what lures me the most, all the while knowing these two musicians are not just throwing a record together just because they can. I’m not expecting a carbon copy of their first album – Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls, the single My Dark Place Alone has changed all that thinking.

Horror Punk has always been the “evil kid on the block” within the Rock Music world that factually gets ignored by the mainstream, maybe that is why I fell head over Metal heels for Horror Punk so many full moons ago. Music evolves, so therefore bands evolve too. MURDERDOLLS are taking their music to the next level of Hard & Heavy and I am one fan who cannot wait to get my ears pummeled by Women And Children Last.

I can understand the excitement and the anticipation of this new MURDERDOLLS album, it’s an excitement that is flowing around my Rock ‘N’ Roll arteries and Metal veins as I am drafting this actual post. Bring it on MURDERDOLLS and stomp down upon the generic music vacuum!

MURDERDOLLS:

Wednesday 13 – vocals

Joey Jordison – guitar

Roman Surman – guitar

Racci Shay Hart – drums

Jack Tankersley – bass

* For more info on MURDERDOLLS, just click the links below:

MURDERDOLLS – Official Website

MURDERDOLLS – myspace page

LONG LIVE MURDERDOLLS!

Stone.

MUSIC OUTLET – ENFIELD CONNECTICUT STORE HAS HEAVY METAL APLENTY!

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news, travel with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 22, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

MUSIC OUTLET – I journeyed back to Connecticut last week, the state where I was born and lived forty years of my life. Usually, the words: very expensive are always used to describe Connecticut on Metal Odyssey. Connecticut is very expensive, I should know. However, there is one store up in very expensive Connecticut that isn’t expensive at all. IT’S AN INDEPENDENT RECORD AND CD STORE! Located in the very friendly and cool city of Enfield, this store is called – Music Outlet. (See store contact info at bottom of post).

Scott Coverdale, our Metal Odyssey correspondent and Heavy Metal think tank, took me to Music Outlet on Friday, August 13th. Always bragging about just how incredible the selection of Metal is at this Music Outlet, Scott couldn’t wait to get me there. It felt like 1988 all over again… two Metal buddies, taking a long cruise to buy some Metal. Scott is a loyal customer at Music Outlet and has longed for the day, when I could finally browse through the vast selection that this store carries for Hard and Heavy Music.

Gary, the owner of Music Outlet, is very knowledgeable about Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and Rock ‘N’ Roll. That is exactly how a record and CD store owner should beknowledgeable about the product, the bands, the musicians and their music. I have to admit, it is always an unreal thrill to find an independent record and CD store, especially when we live during a transitional period of how Rock ‘N’ Roll is being listened to, bought and sold. This is the age of the mp3 and itunes. We can buy mp3’s on Amazon, Best Buy and countless other websites 24/7. Despite this unbeatable technology of digital downloading… I’m steadfast Old School and damn proud of it.

After one visit to Music Outlet, I have come to the realization that Gary is Old School too. There is a market out there that wants their Rock ‘N’ Roll on vinyl and/or CD still. I’m a part of that Old School market. Gary’s store has the goods… and there is Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Punk Rock and Rock ‘N’ Roll aplenty to be found at this Music Outlet. From vinyl to CD’s, from the obscure to posters, with band t’s and music DVD’s in-between, Gary’s store is bolstered with every sub-genre of Metal Music that is known! As an added bonus… Gary has all upcoming Metal and Hard Rock album release dates posted up for all customers to see.

There are the “little things” that an Old School Metalhead may need to buy at Music Outlet as well… blank cassettes, vinyl album sleeves and CD jewel cases are also available to purchase. You read that correctly… blank cassette tapes! Now… that’s Old School! Plenty of promo posters from various record companies are hung about Music Outlet and the Metal is played loud throughout the store.

The prices are very competitive to any online record/CD store, with both used and new albums & CD’s being sold at Music Outlet. There are many great CD titles being sold new for around $10, with used CD’s being around $6. I found the selection of new CD’s to be the best I’ve come across in years, at an actual physical location and not online! Whoa. Easily, I could have spent well over my budgeted limit… it took some very strong Metal will power to not go overboard! Admittedly, I was semi-shaking at the overall selection of Metal CD’s that Music Outlet had for sale.

Gary told me I can call him anytime to order by phone, he said he has no problem in shipping out the Metal! Mail order Metal! I’m more than happy to pay for shipping, especially when a hard to find or highly sought after Metal CD can be found at Music Outlet. Meeting Gary, perusing his abundant supply of Metal CD’s and taking in the Old School, independent Record & CD store experience at Music Outlet, was a fabulous way to spend some of my time while back in Connecticut.

* Here are the 3 CD’s I bought at Music Outlet:

Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier (Mission Edition)

Primal Fear – Metal Is Forever

Bonded By Blood – Exiled To Earth

Scott Coverdale’s 3 CD’s purchased at Music Outlet:

Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier

Holy Mother – Toxic Rain

Michael Schenker Group – Built To Destroy

* I without hesitation, recommend any Metalhead or fan of any Rock genre to stop by Music Outlet in Enfield, CT… or give Gary and his Metal crew a call and order your Metal fix by phone! Patronize Music Outlet… it will serve you right. Tell ’em Stone and Scott Coverdale sent you.

Music Outlet Contact Info:

Owner: Gary

Store Location/Address: 151 Hazard Avenue, Enfield, CT, 06082

Phone: 1-860-749-2050

ROCK STEADY MUSIC OUTLET!

Thanks Scott Coverdale for hooking me up with Music Outlet!

Stone.

GLENN HUGHES – HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM METAL ODYSSEY!

Posted in celebrity birthdays, classic rock, classic rock bands, classic rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music history, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 21, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

GLENN HUGHES – “The Voice of Rock”. Metal Odyssey extends a loud Happy Birthday to vocal and music legend Glenn Hughes! On August 21, 1952, Glenn Hughes was born. Glenn turns a Rockin’ 58 years old today! Glenn Hughes has been the lead vocalist for both Deep Purple and Black Sabbath during his unreal legendary music career. Those are two bands that paved the road for Hard Rock and Heavy Metal as we all know, listen to and love it today.

In 2010, Glenn is Rockin’ better than ever with his new band – Black Country Communion, which also features Jason Bonham on drums. Glenn Hughes can easily be considered as one of the all-time greatest singers in Rock history… in my Metal opinion, Metal be thy name.

The genres of music that Glenn Hughes has performed, as both a vocalist and musician, coupled with being a songwriter and producer, are many… Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Blues, Funk and Soul to name quite a few. To say Glenn Hughes is a diverse vocalist and musician is an understatement. Glenn Hughes belongs in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, his contributions and talent stand alone, as he has stood the test of time.

* For more info on Glenn Hughes, visit his “official website” by clicking the link below:

GLENN HUGHES – Official Website

* For more info on Black Country Communion, just click the cool link below:

Black Country Communion – Official Website

Black Country Communion will be released on September 21, 2010, on J&R Adventures.

* Pictured at the top of this post, is the album cover for: Glenn Hughes – Feel, which was released in 1995 on SPV.

Here are just a few albums, where Glenn Hughes is featured on, that are lifetime favorites of mine:

Black Sabbath – Seventh Star (1986)

Glenn Hughes – lead vocalist

Deep Purple – Burn (1974)

Glenn Hughes – bass & vocals

IOMMI With Glenn Hughes – The 1996 Dep Sessions (2004)

Glenn Hughes – lead vocalist & bass

On October 20, 2009, I reviewed this IOMMI With Glenn Hughes album. You can read all about it by clicking the oversized link below:

TONY IOMMI & GLENN HUGHES – 1996 DEP SESSIONS ALBUM- OLD SCHOOL HEAVY METAL

LONG LIVE GLENN HUGHES!

Stone.

GOO GOO DOLLS – “HOME” CD SINGLE INCLUDES LIVE NON-ALBUM TRACK!

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, metal odyssey, Music, rock 'n' roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 20, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

GOO GOO DOLLSOn August 31, 2010, the Goo Goo Dolls 9th studio album – Something For The Rest Of Us will be released on Warner Bros. Records. In the meantime, the CD single  – Home, has been released, with the B side being a live 2010 version of Broadway. The original studio version of Broadway can be found/heard on the 6th studio album from Goo Goo Dolls – Dizzy Up The Girl, released back in 1998 on Warner Bros.

I landed this Goo Goo Dolls CD single at… you guessed it… Super Walmart. It seems as if Super Walmart is the only massive retailer that consistently carries CD singles at this point in time, from what I’ve witnessed by shopping around. These CD singles are a terrific value, they are usually priced between $1 and $2, I bought this one for $1.88. Another value you are getting with this CD single is the live version of Broadway, it is listed on the backside/liner notes as a non-album track. Therefore, this version of “Broadway” can only be had from buying this CD single. I’ve checked itunes to see if this live version of “Broadway” is available there… it is not.

The Rock Music that this Goo Goo Dolls trio creates is and always has been commercially accessible, with an unmistakable leaning towards a mature realism in their songs. Traditional Rock songs with a story have not gone away, the storytelling of Rock legends such as Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty are alive and well and the Goo Goo Dolls are no exception.

The single Home, embodies the personal struggle of being around people that are not really your friends, where conversations with these people are filled with lies. “Empty faces” are referenced lyrically in “Home”, to describe a crowded room of people that one finds them self captured in and I can actually feel the message that John Rzeznik is clearly describing here with his vocals. “Come take me home” is the cry-out chorus of this song and it resonates truthfully as to how I feel when I want to get out of a toxic social setting or situation. Home is a Rock song from the Goo Goo Dolls that I have listened to more times than I can count, ever since I purchased this CD single.

Broadway is a Goo Goo Dolls classic in it’s own Rock ‘N’ Roll right. This live version has all the Rock steadiness I could ask for and leaves me wanting more live Goo Goo Dolls Rock ‘N’ Roll. The saxophone on Broadway lends a thick shade of The E Street Band influence and the ever familiar saxophonist Clarence Clemons comes to my mind. There is something about the combination of a saxophone and Rock ‘N’ Roll that gives me that good times feeling.

I’m looking forward to this new Goo Goo Dolls album, Something For The Rest Of Us, which will be released on October 31, 2010. The Goo Goo Dolls don’t sound like they are caving in anytime soon to a “flavor of the month” sound with their new single Home. If anything, it sounds like the Goo Goo Dolls are doing what they have always done best… playing quality written Rock Music that connects with me.

Goo Goo Dolls:

John Rzeznik – lead vocals & guitar

Robby Takac – bass guitar & backing vocals

Mike Malinin – drums

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

GOO GOO DOLLS – Official Website

Track listing for Something For The Rest Of Us:

Sweetest Lie

As I Am

Home

Not Broken

One Night

Nothing Is Real

Now I Hear

Still Your Song

Something For The Rest Of Us

Say You’re Free

Hey Ya

Solidier

ROCK STEADY GOO GOO DOLLS!

Stone.

The rude, obnoxious and very ignorant wedding DJ

Posted in hard rock music, heavy metal music, life, metal odyssey, Music, personal stories, rock 'n' roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on August 18, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

Wedding DJ’s. Some are cool and great at what they do… and some are very, very, lousy at their craft. I unfortunately encountered the most rude, obnoxious and ultra ignorant wedding DJ on Saturday, August 14th, 2010. It is important to actually name the exact date… for this moment I had with this “professional” wedding DJ, was that bad. August 14, 2010, shall stand as THE day I interracted with THE most thick headed person when it comes to Rock ‘N’ Roll.

Here is how the story all began… I had the pleasure to attend the wedding for my first cousin Mark, (who is really responsible in my becoming a lifetime member of the KISS Army). Mark married his true love, a beautiful and kind hearted gal named Roberta. I wish them all the infinite joy as they journey through life together as husband and wife… and as best friends too.

A wedding is an experience for all who attend, when family and friends come together to celebrate two people that are going to be partners for life. My cousin Mark, along with Roberta, are special people to me… they are family and friends combined. So, making the three and a half hour journey by car, with my wife and daughters by my side, to attend this wedding was of the upmost importance to me.

I, being the Rock ‘N’ Roll crazed dude I am, decided to dedicate a song to Mark and Roberta, for all of us to dance along to and enjoy. I grew up with my cousin Mark, we were very close through childhood and throughout college as well… and even though we may live in different states now, that cousin bond will never subside. Dedicating a song to my cousin Mark and new cousin Roberta met quite a bit to me. The “professional” wedding DJ thought otherwise.

You see, after I introduced myself to this wedding DJ, (as a first cousin to the groom), the tension began to build rather quickly. It seemed this wedding DJ was intimidated by me, just by his nervous mannerisms he displayed. Plus, he was sweating profusely and his face was red as a beet. How can a wedding DJ be sweating like a farm pig like this, when all he is doing is standing still and pushing computer keys to play wedding songs? Whoa. Whoa again. Anyways, I asked him if he would play… “Nothin’ But A Good Time” by Poison, this proved to be the most hilarious request ever given to this idiot DJ, as he so expressed to me.

To best explain what exactly happened, it went just like this:

Stone: So, can you play a request for me? I’d like to dedicate a song to Mark and Roberta.

Idiot/Red-Faced/Sweating/Wedding DJ: Sure, what is it?

Stone: Poison… Nothin’ But A Good Time.

Idiot/Red-Faced/Sweating/Wedding DJ: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, ha!!!!!

Stone’s Note: Now… this oval shaped, sweating like a pig, red-faced wedding DJ laughed straight into Stone’s face. Not cool.

Stone: What’s so funny?

Idiot/Red-Faced/Sweating/Wedding DJ: I have never, ever, in all my years of being a wedding DJ, had such a ridiculous song request!

Stone: Really.

Stone’s Note: I was stone faced with this sweaty, pig-faced DJ. I never budged. If anything, I felt pity for this small town wedding DJ. I wasn’t about to start a fiasco with this jerk, not at my cousin’s wedding.

Idiot/Red-Faced/Sweating/Wedding DJ: I guess I really do have this song after all… I can play it towards the end of the night, when I play the Rock stuff.

Stone: Thanks. I guess.

Hmm. Rock stuff. What the hell is Rock stuff? Britney Spears? The Village People? Lady Blah-Blah? N-Sync? That’s the only crap I was hearing for “music” for the first two hours I was at this wedding… what “Rock stuff” was this human pear, that sweats profusely, that pretends to be a “cool” wedding DJ, referring to?

Nonetheless, I took “for granted” that this moron DJ was going to play the song I wanted to dedicate to the bride and groom. Forget it. This dork wedding DJ never played it. What a jackass. What a pear shaped, sweating, red-faced, momma’s boy, small town, wedding DJ jackass. He stood there, laughed in my face in the most mockingly way possible, all due to my song request. Heck, I should have laughed straight back at his face… he was the one that stunk like a port-O-potty left in a farm field, after the county fair has ended. I’m not kidding… he stunk like the worst crap ever imaginable. Whoa.

I could understand being laughed at, if it was a song by The Wiggles, Jim Nabors or Barney that was requested.

This imbecile DJ did state, at the beginning of the wedding reception, that requests and/or dedications were accepted. Throw in the fact… that he DID play “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC at the end of the night only made it more mysterious to me. Why would “Nothin’ But A Good Time” be such a ridiculous song to request? What was so damn funny about it? Playing an AC/DC song at a wedding is no different than playing a Poison song. Give me a Metal break.

At the end of the day, I am glad I never went off on this jackass wedding DJ. Nope, instead, I get my frustration out by writing about this idiot. I wish I could post his name and business for all to see… only I’m too nice of a guy to NOT stoop so low. My only advice to all wedding DJ’s is this… when someone requests a song, don’t laugh in their face and mock them, especially when you admit to having the song on your play list. It’s not too much to ask.

Beware of sweaty, red-faced, ignorant wedding DJ’s.

Stone.