Today is May 11, 2009 and is also – the birthday for Eric Burdon, the legendary lead vocalist for the (legendary) 1960’s Rock band – The Animals. Eric Burdon and The Animals are deservedly enshrined in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (inducted in 1994). Eric Burdon has turned a rockin’ 68 today! Today is as good an excuse as any to slap on some tunes from The Animals and play them LOUD. The Animals were an integral part of the historical “British Invasion” of Rock & Roll, straight from England, back in the storied 1960’s. Man, the voice of Eric Burdon is just plain timeless, in my Metal opinion. I have always been captivated by the vocals of Eric Burdon, I always wonder how he would have sounded fronting a Metal band today, he has that voice that is deep, cool and ominous. The three tunes from The Animals that I always find stuck in my head are: “House of the Rising Sun”, “Sky Pilot” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”. (Now I am gonna have these tunes stuck in my head today, that is cool with me though). The Animals career may have been short compared to many other bands of that time period, however, I always feel it is quality and not quantity that matters most in Rock & Roll. To me, The Animals and Eric Burdon exemplify Rock & Roll quality.
Happy Birthday Eric Burdon – legendary vocalist of The Animals
Posted in 1960's rock & roll, 1960's rock & roll british invasion, 1960's rock music, 1970's Rock, classic rock, Hard Rock, Rock, rock & roll, rock & roll hall of fame inductees, rock and roll, rock and roll hall of fame inductees, rock celebrity birthdays, rock music, rock music vocals, Vocals with tags 1960's rock music, classic rock, eric burdon, eric burdon rock vocalist, hard rock music, Music, Rock, rock & roll british invasion, rock & roll hall of fame, rock and roll celebrity birthday, rock and roll hall of fame, rock music, the animals, the animals rock band on May 11, 2009 by Metal OdysseyEan Evans – Thank you for the music
Posted in classic rock, classic southern rock, Hard Rock, Music, Rock, rock music, southern hard rock, southern rock, southern rock bass players with tags ean evans, ean evans bass player, ean evans tribute, Hard Rock, hard rock music, lynyrd skynyrd, lynyrd skynyrd southern rock band, Rock, rock music, southern hard rock, southern rock on May 10, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
I heard the news on May 6, 2009, that Ean Evans, the long standing bass player for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member & Southern Rock Legends Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away from a battle with cancer. Ean’s quality bass playing and backing vocals will surely be missed. Ean’s music will forever be heard and enjoyed by fans worldwide, an everlasting gift he has left us all. Metal Odyssey pays tribute to Ean Evans and gives condolence to all of his family and friends. May God Bless You, Ean Evans, rest in peace in Rock N’ Roll heaven.
The greatest Heavy Metal album of all time is…
Posted in 1970's hard rock, 1970's Rock, Album Review, Black Sabbath, classic rock, cool album covers, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, Music, ozzy, Ozzy Osbourne, Rock, rock music, rock music vocals, tony iommi heavy metal guitarist with tags 1970's heavy metal, 1970's rock music, Album Review, bill ward, Black Sabbath, black sabbath 1974, classic hard rock, classic heavy metal, classic rock, geezer butler, greatest heavy metal album of all time, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Metal, metal music, Music, ozzy, Ozzy Osbourne, Reviews, Rock, rock music, sabbath bloody sabbath album, tony iommi on May 9, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Well, I have finally reached the pinnacle in my decision process for The Greatest Heavy Metal Album Of All Time. Please reference my past posts on this topic, you will find many great & legendary Metal albums that I personally nominated for this prestigious label. Without further delay, in my Metal opinion, and only mine alone, I have chosen: Black Sabbath – “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”
Please note that this is my opinion, anyone out there can have his/her own choice for this topic. It boils down to personal preference, especially when it happens to be Metal. Here are my reasons for why I feel this way about this incredible album:
1. It is my belief that Doom Metal, Stoner Metal and real Metal all began with Black Sabbath. “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” just signifies musically, what Metal was and where Metal was heading, back in 1974.
2. Without question, for me, the ‘riff master’ of the Metal world then and now is and forever will be the legendary Tony Iommi.
3. Ozzy Osbourne – no Rock or Metal vocalist has ever sounded like him, or even come close. Ozzy’s vocals are so unique, it is uncanny. I am not saying Ozzy is the greatest vocalist ever, what I am stating is that his vocals are a signature, a trademark if you will, of “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.” Ozzy’s vocals are so extraordinarily identifiable, just as Tony Iommi’s guitar riffs.
4. Not that this played any factor in my decision whatsoever – the album cover artwork is extremely cool, very much Metal. The artwork depicts a skull, demonic beings, a nightmarish snapshot of a piece of hell. Perhaps, I do not know officially for certain, this was the first album cover of any Rock genre which depicted 666 in it’s artwork. (Again, I would need to really research this).
My summary as to why I believe “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” to be The Greatest Heavy Metal Album Of All Time is this:
Black Sabbath “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” is a tried and true Heavy Metal classic. Every song is a definitive statement of just how talented and forward thinking Black Sabbath was in 1974. These 8 songs are a journey of surreal riffs, post psychedelic musical heaviness, that molded Heavy Metal into what it has become today. The opener “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” has a lead riff that instantly prepares you for the remaining set of songs. The instrumental “Fluff” could only work for Black Sabbath on this album, it’s convenient yet prominent position within these songs makes complete sense. “Fluff” and it’s acoustic beauty embarks on the intelligence Black Sabbath held onto musically. Just look at how many Metal bands since, that have slipped in dreamy, mystical or macabre instrumentals for their respective albums. Ozzy Osbourne is so unmistakably eerie on vocals, he was and always shall be one of a kind. Tony Iommi delves into the world of heavy riffs, formulating one after another throughout, unknowingly becoming the Metal riff king for all time. Geezer Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums provide a legendary rhythm section, that shapes the dark moodiness of this beyond fantastic Metal masterpiece. I look at 1974, then I realize exactly how prominent Heavy Meal was then. It really was not an embraced genre as yet, Metal was truly in it’s infant stage.
“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” was the Metal comet that stormed into the musical universe in 1974, making a collision onto a world of Rock & Roll that did not know what hit it. Legions of bands and musicians have been influenced by this album, if not, these bands/musicians are not into Metal and/or do not live on this planet. I strongly urge any and all Heavy Metal or Hard Rock fans to add “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” to their music collection, it is an essential and important work of Heavy Metal. The Greatest Heavy Metal Album Of All Time.
Just as a sidebar, I struggled with this decision. I was steadfast in deciding on Slipknot “All Hope Is Gone” as the greatest ever. Then, I followed my Metal heart and realized, if it wasn’t for Black Sabbath and “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” would there even be Metal music as we know it today?
Molly Hatchet debut album from 1978 – Rocks heavy to this day
Posted in 1970's hard rock, 1970's Rock, 1980's hard rock, 1980's southern hard rock, 1980's southern rock, Album Review, classic rock, classic southern rock, cool album covers, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock guitarists, hard rock songs, Music, rock music, rock music vocals, southern hard rock, southern hard rock albums, southern rock, southern rock albums with tags 1970's rock music, 1970's southern hard rock, 1970's southern rock, 1980's southern hard rock, 1980's southern rock, Album Review, banner thomas bass guitarist molly hatchet, bruce crump drummer molly hatchet, classic rock, classic southern rock, danny joe brown vocalist molly hatchet, dave hlubek guitarist molly hatchet, duane roland guitarist molly hatchet, Hard Rock, hard rock music, molly hatchet, molly hatchet 1978, molly hatchet debut album, molly hatchet southern rock band, Music, Reviews, southern hard rock, southern rock, steve holland guitarist molly hatchet on May 8, 2009 by Metal OdysseyIn 1978, Molly Hatchet, the Southern Rock legends to be, released their debut album “Molly Hatchet” – this album still rocks today. I was just embarking on my teen years back in 1978, Kiss, Foreigner, The Electric Light Orchestra and Cheap Trick were my four main bands that I listened to constantly. (I was not into the real heavy music until I entered high school, heck, I was still green and learning fast about the huge world of Rock music). One band, however, that turned my head and gave me instant goose bumps as soon as I heard their tunes was Molly Hatchet. Man, I was amazed at the sound of this band. I was going on fourteen when I first heard the guitar jamming, the muscular feel and Southern Rock energy coming from Molly Hatchet. The vocals of Danny Joe Brown sounded so bad ass to me, (they still do), I thought I was bad ass when I spoke of Molly Hatchet to my grammar school buddies. The rebellious sound, vocals, lyrics and super cool album cover won me over in 1978 and has never waned for three decades. I never forget or stop listening to those bands that got me into music as a kid, these bands including Molly Hatchet I am forever grateful for.
“The Creeper” in and of itself is good enough reason to chase this album/CD down. The seven minute and brilliant “Dreams I’ll Never See” for me, makes for one of the greatest cruisin’ tunes I have ever heard. “Bounty Hunter” and “Gator Country” just kick start this album into a Hard Southern Rockin’ rebellious ride that I enjoy taking. I realize a couple of posts ago was about Molly Hatchet as well, I am stoked recently over this band forgive me please. This debut album from Molly Hatchet blows away thousands of other debut albums that are out there – how often I find myself not buying a bands first album due to it’s blandness. Hey, this is my Metal opinion. Sure, the debut from Molly Hatchet is “old school” – only remember that this is an album that helped pave the way for Southern Hard Rock to flourish and receive it’s due respect and credibility. I hope my posts on Molly Hatchet can lure new fans to this legendary band and to the genre of Southern Rock. Veteran fans of Molly Hatchet and Southern Hard Rock already know what I am talking about.
Here is the original lineup of Molly Hatchet, as they appeared on their debut album “Molly Hatchet” – Danny Joe Brown – lead vocalist, Duane Roland – lead guitar, Dave Hlubek – lead guitar, Steve Holland – lead guitar, Banner Thomas – bass guitar and Bruce Crump – drums.
Duff McKagan’s Loaded is loaded with Punk & Hard Rock
Posted in Album Review, Century Media, century media records, current hard rock songs, current heavy metal music, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock guitarists, hard rock songs, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, new hard rock album, new heavy metal album, new punk rock album, Punk rock, Rock, rock music, rock music vocals with tags current hard rock albums, current heavy metal albums, current punk rock albums, duff mckagan, duff mckagan bass player, duff mckagan hard rock vocalist, duff mckagan's loaded, duff mckagan's loaded album, geoff reading rock drummer, guns n' roses, Hard Rock, hard rock album reviews, hard rock music, hard rock music review, jeff rouse rock bass player, mike squires rock guitarist, Punk rock, velvet revolver on May 7, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Duff McKagan, you know, the very famous and former bass player for the legendary Guns N’ Roses and current bass wizard for Velvet Revolver? Yeah, that guy. Well, let me tell you, Duff McKagan has his brand new solo, (if you will), album out right now and it is in my Metal opinion, sensational. Really, these tunes that Duff McKagan provides with Loaded are just that – loaded. Loaded with quality Hard Rock driven tunes. These songs have catchy hooks and an almost unmistakable Punk Rock vibe happening throughout the entire album. Loaded is groove laden and if I am not mistaken, not over-produced! I can honestly say, that I hear a bit of overall polish missing and I love that!!
Duff McKagan handles the lead vocal duties on every song and plays guitar on this album. I will say this without hesitation, Duff McKagan can sing. His vocals are tailored made for Hard Rock, with a whole bunch of Punk Rock attitude to go along with them. Why do I keep bringing up the comparisons with Punk Rock? Well, that is what I honestly hear, Duff Mckagan’s Loaded is all about Hard Rock and Punk Rock meeting each other in the middle. The only song that gets the least of my attention on this album is “Mother’s Day” – the lyrics are depressing. I always stray away from the sad ballads/sad lyrics from any band. However, despite the lyrics on this song, musically it is very listenable.
Once you listen to the first two tracks – “Sick” and “Sleaze Factory”, anyone who appreciates Hard Rock and Punk Rock will realize the fusion of the two are here with Loaded – these two songs set the table for this album. Duff McKagan has proved to me, that he is an extremely well rounded Rock musician, his talents resonate loud and clear on this album. Loaded as a band and Sick the album, are sure fire to achieve commercial and mainstream acceptance and success, I can appreciate that. Loaded as a band deserves all the applause they can muster. When you have the instant and legendary credibility of Duff McKagan carrying the music, broad acceptance is unavoidable, forget being labeled underground. Loaded and this album has become an instant favorite for me, I highly recommend this album to all heavy music fans worldwide. Now, to spotlight the fine musicians that make up Loaded: Duff McKagan on vocals & guitars, Geoff Reading on drums & vocals, Jeff Rouse on bass, vocals and translucent and Mike Squires on guitars and vocals.
Molly Hatchet – “Greatest Hits” defines Southern Hard Rock
Posted in 1980's hard rock, 1980's southern hard rock, 1980's southern rock, Album Review, classic rock, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock songs, Heavy Metal, Music, Rock, rock music, rock music vocals, southern hard rock albums, southern rock albums with tags 1980's southern hard rock, 1980's southern rock, Album Review, danny joe brown vocalist molly hatchet, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, jimmy farrar vocalist molly hatchet, molly hatchet, molly hatchet album covers, molly hatchet album review, molly hatchet greatest hits album, molly hatchet southern rock band, Music, Reviews, rock music, southern hard rock, southern rock on May 6, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Every time I listen to Molly Hatchet “Greatest Hits” I get positively pumped and put into the best of moods. The Southern Hard Rock crunch of Molly Hatchet coupled with the back roads feel of all their music will never be matched by any band today. Molly Hatchet, in my opinion, was the heaviest Southern Rock band of their day. They treaded the fine line of Metal later in their career with “Satisfied Man” and “Shake The House Down”. Early in Molly Hatchet’s catalog of music, “The Creeper” made it known instantly that this band was playing heavy and for keeps! This song off of their debut album “Molly Hatchet” is bass heavy and the guitar work slams it down! The signature heaviness of Molly Hatchet is also linked to the unique lead vocals. The tough as nails vocals you will hear are from Jimmy Farrar and Danny Joe Brown. Both vocalists were so similar in their attitude and make no mistake Southern Hard Rock vocal delivery. The FM radio hits of the late ’70’s and early ’80’s are all here, with “Flirtin’ With Disaster”, “Beatin’ The Odds”, and the lengthy guitar driven masterpieces “Dreams I’ll Never See” and “Fall Of The Peacemakers”.
Let’s face it, the album artwork on Molly Hatchet album covers are extremely cool. I still find myself, to this day, staring at the artwork like it is my first time ever seeing it. I am from the generation of Metal/Hard Rock fans that would (and still do), sit down with a vinyl album jacket and inspect every speck of art, from front to back, while listening to that respective band’s tunes. I strongly recommend any fan of heavy music to buy this “Greatest Hits” of Molly Hatchet, still, I also recommend any album that this band has ever released, past or present. It is my opinion, that Molly Hatchet truly crossed over many Rock genres during their reign – Rock, Hard Rock, Southern Rock, Southern Hard Rock and eventually a stab at trying to sound like ’80’s Heavy Metal, (with the album “The Deed Is Done” – released in 1984). Call them any genre you wish, I just call Molly Hatchet legends. Long live Molly Hatchet. Keeping in mind, the core of the original Molly Hatchet lineup has changed over the years, this band has still released some current and impressive Southern Hard Rock albums over the last decade.
I have never, ever, heard such incredible, good-old fashioned guitar jamming in my life like I hear with Molly Hatchet on their “Greatest Hits” – intensity is the best adjective. This band legitimized guitar jamming and put it on the map! This is the ultimate “Greatest Hits” you will find from Molly Hatchet. Give the Hatchet a try and you will be hooked for life! The liner notes that come with the re-mastered CD are eight pages. Two pages are devoted to a summary history of Molly Hatchet, along with four cool band photos and song/album credits.
Mastodon “Crack The Skye” is a cool Metal journey to take
Posted in Album Review, current heavy metal music, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, progressive metal, progressive metal albums, progressive metal music, progressive rock, rock music with tags Album Review, bill kelliher guitarist, brann dailor drummer, brent hinds guitarist, crack the skye album, crack the skye mastodon album, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal music, mastodon, mastodon metal band, mastodon progressive metal band, Metal, metal album review, metal music, Music, progressive hard rock, progressive metal, troy sanders bass player on May 6, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
I have been reading “professionally paid” music critic reviews about the newest release from Mastodon – “Crack The Skye” – the majority of them are not even worth discussing or repeating. I dig the new Mastodon album, simply put it rocks. For Metal sakes, anyone who knows Metal, should know and/or understand that Mastodon is and always has been a Progressive Metal band. With the Progressive Metal bands, you never know exactly what you are going to get with the next album. (To solidify my point, just look at Rush, Dream Theater and Queensryche, these bands have always experimented musically). So what, big deal, so the new Mastodon album is not as heavy as their last release “Blood Mountain” – give me a Metal break.
The Metal musical “escape” I feel and hear while listening to “Crack The Skye” is cool for me. The vocals are still heavy, the guitar leads are still heavy, and the rhythm section is the farthest thing musically from 1970’s Hard Rock as you can possibly get. This album was not created in 1977, this Metal is happening now. Sure, there are plenty of synthetic sounds applied to “Crack The Skye,” that is what makes this album progressive. The synthetic interludes and backdrops along with the lyrics are why I call “Crack The Skye” a Metal journey. Mastodon did not provide here, a “rip and tear – let it all loose, heavy frenzy” – if I or any other true Metal fan wants that, heck, I will listen to a Metal band that is supposed to play that way. Suffice to say, in my Metal opinion, Mastodon has created a Progressive Metal gem. Paid and uninformed music critics can call this new album from Mastodon anything they want. The sole reason why I live for Metal music in the first place, is due to it’s diversity with all of the Metal genres. At the end of the day, when you break it all down, musically, Metal will always be… Metal.
I really give praise to the vocals, musicianship, song writing and lyrics on “Crack The Skye” – do I find any flaws? Nope. I could never write or play Metal music this darn good. I recommend to all Mastodon and Metal fans across the globe to chase this album down, play it, enjoy it. Rock out to it. Jump onto “Crack The Skye” and experience the Progressive Metal journey that Mastodon created. Now, just because I want to, here is a roll call of the fine Metal musicians that are Mastodon: Brann Dailor (drums, vocals & percussion), Brent Hinds (lead guitar, vocals & banjo), Bill Kelliher (guitar) and Troy Sanders (bass, vocals & bass synth).
“Ghost Hunters” reality series has me hooked
Posted in creepy incidents, ghost hunters, ghost stories, ghost theme reality television shows, paranormal experiences, paranormal reality televison, paranormal television shows, personal ghost stories, spooky stories, strange stories with tags ghost hunters, ghost hunters international, ghost hunters reality television show, ghost reality television shows, ghost stories, scary stories, sci fi channel, science fiction channel, t.a.p.s., the atlantic paranormal society on May 5, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
I am sure, I am not the only person out there who is hooked on the reality television series called – “Ghost Hunters.” (Well I know for certain I am not the only person, for my wife is just as hooked on this show as me). Jason and Grant (the founders of “T.A.P.S.” short for The Atlantic Paranormal Society”) are definitely the only two people that do this gig on reality t.v., that never panic or run scared from things that go bump in the night. This is why I do give Jason and Grant credit, they stare down the shadow, mist, moving object, breaking object and unexplained noises/voices in the dark of night. Plus, Jason and Grant always try to debunk whatever ghostly situation they get themselves into. That is so key, that is what separates the truths from the myths. It is so great, when Wednesday nights come around, my wife and I will plant ourselves down and watch the reruns of “Ghost Hunters” that air right before the new episode. (Just in case you are unfamiliar with this show, it is on the Sci-Fi Channel). Just to give credit where it is due, the lead investigator for the “Ghost Hunters International” team, Brian, he as well does not back down from any spooky situations either. “Ghost Hunters International” is a welcomed spinoff from “Ghost Hunters”, us ghost show buffs cannot get enough spooky time.
I am so drawn into this show, (plus any other ghostly reality show that is out there – but “Ghost Hunters” is my/our favorite), probably due to the fact that I have had numerous – and I mean numerous – ghostly/paranormal experiences in my life. I really do not care in the least if anyone thinks I am pulling their leg – or if anyone does not believe in ghosts or the paranormal. Like they always say on “Ghost Hunters” – personal experiences are just that, personal. Unless I have actual recorded evidence through audio and visual media, my stories will always be accepted as such – stories. However, I do know there are quite a few people out there who do believe in ghosts and the paranormal. These people embrace stories of personal ghostly experiences – it is then up to the individual to separate fact from fiction. (I am like that, heck, I have heard and read tons of stories about ghostly haunts and the paranormal, half of these I dismiss within seconds).
I will end my article of praise for “Ghost Hunters” with a small story involving one of my ghostly encounters: The year was 1985. It was a bitter cold, Winter day and I am all alone in my parents house. It was a weekday morning, fresh snow covered the ground everywhere. A heavy door knocker was located on the outside, of the side door, to the house, in which I distinctly heard this door knocker get put to good use. The door knocker sounded loud as it rapped against the door, at least eight to ten times. The speed and force of the door knocker hitting this side door appeared to be of frantic nature. I hurried to this door to see who it may be… no one was there. My debunking at this moment of time went like this: 1. There were NO fresh or old foot tracks in the snow leading up to the house from any angle. (Again, there was freshly laid snow of about two inches which fell that morning). 2. The door knocker was heavy, it would take a human being to actually put this door knocker into use, I therefore dismissed wind or a wind gust for causing this to happen. 3. I was fully awake, preparing to go to work, no television was on at this time nor was any cool Metal music being played on my stereo. 4. This house was set in a rural area, the nearby neighbors were a good walk to get to, I dismissed it as being any sound coming from the neighbors house. During the ten years I lived in this house, I never experienced this door knocker acting strange either before or after this said incident. I made the call – has to be paranormal, right? If it was the only incident to ever happen at this address, I probably would have tossed it aside as just plain strange. (Way too many interesting & creepy incidents had happened at this particular house – I will share these in later posts). I feel it was paranormal. Feel free to make up your own mind on this – personal ghostly experience I once had.
Quiet Riot “Rehab” – a Heavy Metal diamond in the rough
Posted in 1980's heavy metal music, Album Review, classic rock, Hair Metal, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock songs, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, Music, Rock, rock music, Vocals with tags 1980's heavy metal, 1980's metal music, Album Review, Frankie Banali, frankie banali rock drummer, glenn hughes, glenn hughes rock vocalist, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal music, kevin dubrow, Metal, metal music, Music, neil citron rock guitarist, Quiet Riot, quiet riot heavy metal band, quiet riot rehab album, tony franklin on May 4, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
The late Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot has certainly left his mark on the world of Heavy Metal. In my opinion, just the album “Metal Health” alone is quite the Metal accomplishment. “Metal Health” (released in 1983), will forever have the distinction of being the very first Heavy Metal album to hit #1 on the album charts. Fast forward to October 31, 2006, Quiet Riot “Rehab” was released under the radar, so to speak. “Rehab” is a darn good hard rockin’ album, in my Metal opinion. You no longer hear the Hair Metal thumping of the 1980’s on this album, what I do hear, are quality written songs with quality musicianship. In summary, the music on “Rehab” is Hard Rock meets Heavy Metal.
I am not saying that “Rehab” is the greatest Metal album I have ever listened to, it is just a real decent album of songs that really rock, a well rounded album of songs. This is not what I expected, actually, for I thought that “Rehab” was going to be a Hair Metal trip down memory lane. I did get more than I anticipated, for all the tunes here are relatively longer than your usual straight-up Heavy Metal album. The shortest tune is “Blind Faith”, at 3 minutes and 23 seconds. The longest tune is “Evil Woman” at 8 minutes and 49 seconds. The musicians on “Rehab” are (of course) Kevin DuBrow on vocals and Frankie Banali on drums – with Glenn Hughes on bass and lead vocal duet on the tune “Evil Woman.” (No, this is not a cover song of The Electric Light Orchestra’s Classic Rock hit). Glenn Hughes also provides background vocals throughout “Rehab”, with Neil Citron on guitar and Tony Franklin on bass as well. “It Sucks To Be You”, (written by Kevin DuBrow), is the closest you are probably going to get in hearing the old school Hair Metal swagger vocals coming from Kevin DuBrow. Musically, the song is also the most reminiscent of 1980’s Heavy Metal from Quiet Riot too.
Overall, I find “Rehab” to be a sincere and serious approach in creating and delivering on some very cool Hard Rock/Heavy Metal from Quiet Riot. After each listen to “Rehab”, I cannot help but find myself wishing Kevin DuBrow did not pass away so young. Then again, Kevin DuBrow will live on forever in the music he helped to create, leaving Metal fans like myself enjoying what I consider to be one of the more unique vocals in Heavy Metal’s storied history. In my Metal opinion, “Rehab” is one heavy, mature, quality driven, class act effort for Quiet Riot to end their Metal legacy with.
Over Kill “The Years Of Decay” – A Thrash Metal album to behold
Posted in 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's thrash metal, Album Review, Extreme Metal, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Music, Over Kill, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal music, thrash metal music reviews with tags "sid" falck, 1980's heavy metal, 1980's metal music, 1980's thrash metal, Album Review, bobby "blitz" ellsworth, bobby gustafson, d.d. verni, d.d. verni bass guitarist, Heavy Metal, heavy metal music, Metal, metal music, Music, Over Kill, over kill thrash metal band, the years of decay thrash metal album, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal genre on May 3, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
“If it is old school Thrash Metal you are looking for, you have definitely found it! Over Kill does not disappoint, each song is as heavy as the next, TRUE Thrash Metal. This is as great a start as you can get if you are beginning an Over Kill music collection. Over Kill throughout the years have been steadfast and loyal to the Thrash Metal sound and genre, comparing “The Years Of Decay” to their other albums is non sensical, for I admire the entire catalog of albums from this band. “The Years Of Decay” in my opinion, stands out from the vast Thrash Metal album crowd, since it’s release in 1989. For an album that is now twenty plus years old, this brand of Thrash Metal from Over Kill is still Earth shattering, in my Metal opinion. Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth on vocals and D.D. Verni on bass deserve all the accolades. Bobby Gustafson on guitar and “Sid” Falck on drums are both tremendous players on this album as well. I really recommend “The Years Of Decay” to all Metal and Thrash Metal fans alike. New Over Kill fans cannot pass over this heavy hitter.
Rumpelstiltskin Grinder – a fresh breath of new school Thrash Metal
Posted in Extreme Metal, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal music reviews with tags cannibal corpse, Death Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal, metal music, Music, relapse records, rumpelstiltskin grinder, rumpelstiltskin grinder thrash metal band, Thrash Metal, thrash metal album review, thrash metal review on May 2, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Rumpelstiltskin Grinder. It was just a matter of time before I picked up the newest release from these Thrash Metal dudes. “Living For Death, Destroying The Rest” is their brand new album, (on Relapse Records), it is fast, furious, super heavy, a tad diabolical, well, I made my point. These attributes are exactly what I look for from any Thrash Metal album, so it is safe to say that Rumpelstiltskin Grinder delivered the super Metal goods here, in my Metal opinion. I cannot say enough about the frenzied pace of the Thrash Metal with this album, while driving and listening to these guys, I have to say it is quite exhilarating.
“Graveyard Vandalization” is a tune that Cannibal Corpse should be very proud of. Lyrically, it is completely and insanely gory, disgusting and downright nasty. What else could anyone expect from a song lyrically, when it has a title like that? For me, the tune is still quite entertaining and musically encompasses all things Thrash. It is humorous to me, for when I think of the title for this album – “Living For Death, Destroying The Rest”, well, isn’t that the usual theme of 24 hour network news cable channels? If anyone out there cannot handle the lyrics and tunes from Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, I guess they probably should not be able to handle the nightly news either. It is refreshing for me to know, that a band like Rumpelstiltskin Grinder is running off with the torch of Thrash Metal – I hope they carry on for quite awhile. I recommend this album to any Metal fan who wants to be entertained with some down home, new school, Thrash Metal fury.
Watch out Metal & Hard Rock fans – Chickenfoot is coming!
Posted in 1980's heavy metal music, Album Review, classic rock, current hard rock songs, Guitar, Hard Rock, hard rock album review, hard rock guitarists, hard rock songs, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, Music, recent heavy metal albums, Rock, rock music, rock music vocals, van halen, Vocals with tags 1980's heavy metal, cabo wabo, chad smith, chad smith drummer, chickenfoot, chickenfoot hard rock supergroup, Hard Rock, hard rock music, hard rock music review, Heavy Metal, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, heavy metal music review, joe satriani, joe satriani rock guitarist, Metal News, michael anthony, Music, red hot chili peppers, Rock, rock music, rock supergroups, sammy hagar, the red rocker, van halen on May 1, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Supergroups are not a new concept to the worlds of Hard Rock or Heavy Metal. Asia, Hellyeah, HSAS and Saints Of The Underground are just a handful of really cool supergroups of Hard Rock and Metal, both from the past to the present. Chickenfoot, however, is a super – supergroup. With the likes of Sammy Hagar on vocals, Michael Anthony on bass & backing vocals, Chad Smith on drums and the brilliant – Joe Satriani on guitar, Chickenfoot is one monster of a legendary lineup of musicians. C’mon, you are looking at half of the Van Halen lineup here, with Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony.
I have always admired each and everyone of these guys as musicians, my appetite for Van Halen, Sammy Hagar’s solo material, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Joe Satriani has never waned over the years. I have just recently heard three tracks from the upcoming release from Chickenfoot, (due for release on June 9, 2009), these three tunes are really, really, really cool and hard rocking. “Soap On A Rope”, “Oh Yeah” and “Down The Drain” all sound like vintage Van Hagar, (oops), I mean Van Halen with Sammy on vocals, of course. However, this is not a replay of Sammy Hagar fronting Van Halen – no sir. The songs are so vibrant, heavy and unbelievably catchy. Gee, could it be due to Joe Satriani blazing on guitar like his life depends on it? Joe Satriani has finally put his stamp of unreal guitar wizardry, onto a band with a vocalist. When I listen to these three songs, it is Van Halen meets Joe Satriani. I find all three songs to be a bit more edgier than what Sammy Hagar has done with Van Halen, this is a compliment. Trust me, Joe Satriani stands out on these three songs! In my Metal opinion, Joe Satriani does not take a back seat to Eddie Van Halen on any day.
Michael Anthony lends not only his talented bass skills to Chickenfoot, he also brings to the Metal table his distinguishable backing vocals – (which are currently sorely missed in the new Van Halen). Chad Smith has proved to me, on only these two songs I have heard thus far, from Chickenfoot, that he can play drums like a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal super pro. Chad Smith can play the heavy stuff, you betcha! I actually have shook my head while listening to “Soap On A Rope”, “Oh Yeah” and “Down The Drain”, (in an over impressed/blown away manner), due to the overall musicianship and the way these guys gel together. These three tunes rock hard – period. Metal debate closed, as far as I’m concerned. June 6, 2009 will be just another great and historical day in the world of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal music. For the last few years now, I keep telling anyone who listens, this is truly an unbelievable time to be a fan of Hard Rock and/or Metal music. The vintage & legendary players are still out there, turning out the highest quality of heavy music, Chickenfoot is one great example of what I am talking about. Chickenfoot is going to be very huge, this Summer of 2009!
You too can also check out these three tunes from the forthcoming Chickenfoot album, just go to: http://www.chickenfoot.us
Heaven & Hell “The Devil You Know” is Metal greatness!
Posted in 1980's heavy metal music, Black Sabbath, classic rock, dio, Hard Rock, heaven and hell heavy metal band, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, horror metal, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, Music, new heavy metal album, Power Metal, recent heavy metal albums, Rock, rock music, rock music vocals, ronnie james dio, tony iommi heavy metal guitarist, Vocals with tags 1980's heavy metal, Black Sabbath, dio, geezer butler, Hard Rock, hard rock music, heaven & hell, heaven & hell heavy metal band, heaven and hell, heaven and hell heavy metal band, Heavy Metal, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Music, recent heavy metal albums, Rock, rock music, ronnie james dio, the devil you know album, tony iommi, vinny appice on April 30, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Alas, I finally received via U.S. mail, on April 29, 2009, directly from Best Buy online, the brand new Heaven & Hell release – “The Devil You Know” – (I pre-ordered the CD/DVD version) and I am simply ecstatic over this Metal! I feel I am exonerated from all the praise and hype I have been giving Heaven & Hell for their embarking on making this new album. Greatness is not enough of a positive adjective to describe the Metal tunes on “The Devil You Know” – and I mean all ten songs are enormously great. My favorite tune on this album is “The Turn Of The Screw” – it sounds incredible with Tony Iommi on guitar, for Iommi seems as if he let his melodic side take over with the leads and solo. Ronnie James Dio sounds like he is thirty years old again on not just this tune, all ten of these tunes!
Am I going too far with the praise so far? In my personal Metal opinion, nope. Anyone, albeit fan or professionally paid music critic, who does not agree that “The Devil You Know” is Metal greatness should go out and start listening to dance club music from the 80’s. Heaven & Hell sound as if they have let out their finest and most creative ideas musically, for this new album. Oh, yes, the vintage Tony Iommi guitar riffs are abundant, with dark and doom ambiance aplenty. Lyrically, the songs are what you can expect from Heaven & Hell, with the legendary Ronnie James Dio leading the way vocally, accentuating each syllable with Metal precision. Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice sound so tight as a rhythm section, I would swear they play & practice music together weekly, for the past twenty five years! The old school Metal meets a current Metal groove is happening on this album, I find it extremely addicting.
By no means has Heaven & Hell released a retrospective Metal album that carbon copies the work they accomplished during the 1980’s, no way. In my Metal opinion, this is as current a Metal sound as any recent Metal album release, by any band. Heaven & Hell did not just step it up a notch, they stepped it up with class and respect for us fans – by writing and creating what I consider the highest quality of Metal I have heard in recent memory. I feel Heaven & Hell did reach back to their roots, yet they combined it with the maturation of their musical talents, giving my ears not what Metal used to sound like but what Metal truly is. “The Devil You Know” has instantly become one of those Metal albums, where I cannot believe how great and intense each song is. No skipping over any tune or quick sampling here. Veteran Black Sabbath – Heaven & Hell fans should be thrilled by this new album, new fans most certainly will be Metal impressed. It is not the cliche’ that Heaven & Hell has become of age, it is more that Heaven & Hell proves they are ageless.
Auto dealer waiting room experience is bizarre!
Posted in auto dealership stories, everyday experiences, everyday people, everyday social experiences, people, psychology of strangers, strange adventures, strange stories with tags auto repair stories, errands, social nightmares, swine flu, waiting room stories on April 29, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
I set off today, on my little journey to have my car get it’s regular – 3,000 mile oil change. Nothing about arriving to the auto dealer was out of the ordinary, I checked the car in, gave the necessary information to the gentleman behind the service desk, then proceeded to the… customer waiting room. Once inside the crowded waiting room, the social nightmare had begun. I will describe to you, what I observed and heard, while I tried my hardest to blend into the atmosphere, of this god forbidden, auto dealer waiting room.
I first noticed, as always, the majority of the customers waiting were elderly. That is fine, retired people have the morning hours to use for this purpose, I try my best to squeeze auto repair/oil change trips during weekday mornings, rather than tie up a quality Saturday morning. I did not make eye contact with anyone in this waiting room, that is rule #1. An older woman, sitting only about five feet from me, decided she wanted to cough up enough phlegm to fill a one gallon container. Her “coughing attack” became quite the scene. I do not know what was more alarming, the decibel level of her coughing or the disgusting sound of her throat clearing. This spectacle went on for about five minutes. She did everything she could to spread her infectious, bacterial microbes across the entire room. With the swine flu scare currently happening, sitting this close to any stranger this ill makes my mind wander. If I knew I needed to cough out of control and cough up my insides, well, I would have gone to the rest room (which are very clean at this establishment, well marked too).
Another older woman decided, well, she wanted to “control the television controller” – she would not settle on any cable channel whatsoever! She acted like a toddler, given the remote for the first time in her life! (This auto establishment does have a very nice HD flat screen on the waiting room wall, with countless cable channels) I did my very best to ignore this second “incident” – I buried my eyes and thoughts into the issue of “Discover” magazine that I brought with me for support. The third incident was having to sit directly across from a middle aged woman who felt it is necessary to bring along with her – a full days worth of snacks. This gal packed away a bag of chips, granola bar and full bottle of some type of liquid in under fifteen minutes. Just as a side bar, the man who accompanied her, well, he decided it was appropriate to belch a few times to make his presence known and heard. At the point where the remote control happy woman decided to settle on far reaching news on the dreaded “swine flu outbreak” – I made my escape outside the building.
Upon returning into the auto dealer waiting room, I was well into my third hour waiting for my car. (I was informed an oil change was not the only procedure my car would be going through this particular day, surprise!) Anyhow, sitting alone now, I had the HD flat screen all to myself! Plus, someone left the “Food Network” on, cool. It was just me and one big, empty, phlegm free waiting room. So I thought. Another customer decided to venture inside and join me. At this point, giving a ballpark age for the woman who came into the waiting room is non essential. She entered the room, looked at me, looked at the food show on the HD flat screen, looked back at me and said, “do you like to cook”? My reply was – “uh, uh, yeah, sure,” to which she responded back – “good, because my first two husbands liked to cook too.” At this point I new I was in a bind. This woman then asked me if I liked to clean. Yup. She said – “my second husband kept everything neat.” I now felt like I was on the dating game from hell. I was rescued when an employee of the dealership entered the waiting room, informing this woman her courtesy ride to work was waiting. (phew). That was the end of this social twilight zone I stumbled into today.
Still waiting patiently for the new Heaven & Hell
Posted in 1980's heavy metal music, Black Sabbath, classic rock, dio, Guitar, Hard Rock, heaven and hell heavy metal band, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Music with tags Black Sabbath, dio, geezer butler, heaven & hell, heaven & hell heavy metal band, heaven and hell, heaven and hell heavy metal band, Heavy Metal, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Music, Rock, rock music, ronnie james dio, the devil you know album, tony iommi, vinny appice on April 29, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
In my last blog, in regards to the new release from Heaven & Hell, “The Devil You Know,” I mentioned I was hoping my CD/DVD version would arrive on the 28th of April, via U.S. mail. Well, gosh, golly, I received a confirmation of shipment email from Best Buy online – it informed me they (at Best Buy), shipped my CD/DVD out on April 27th. Shucks. I am not faulting Best Buy here at all, yet, when I pre-ordered the new Slipknot CD – “All Hope Is Gone” last Summer of 2008, it arrived in my mailbox right smack dab on the release date!! Go figure. I am a patient Metalhead. Always have been, always will be. Great Metal things come to those Metalheads who wait.
Since I am on the topic of the legendary Heaven & Hell, let’s face it, Tony Iommi is the super king of Heavy Metal riffs. Stoner riffs, Doom Metal riffs, whatever you want to call it, the Metal masses have followed Tony Iommi’s formula of riff excellence for four decades now. Geezer Butler has his very own signature sound coming out of his bass, just like his partner in Metal, (Tony Iommi), Geezer brings the heavy doom and boom to his playing. Man, I cannot wait to hear the incredible Ronnie James Dio belting out the vocals on these brand new Metal tunes! My favorite Black Sabbath album of all-time is without question, “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, in my opinion it really signified the status, of the Heavy Metal sound that this band was about. I am just so smitten, that these four guys are together again – releasing “The Devil You Know” and embarking on another world tour, even after touring last year. The truest spirit of Heavy Metal illuminates from Heaven & Hell, both from their music and lyrics. What an undeniable legacy, in my Metal opinion! Transcending the Metal music they are so talented for creating, Heaven & Hell exemplify that longevity does coexist with quality.
Heaven & Hell Day is Here! Heavy Metal fans rejoice!
Posted in 1980's heavy metal music, Black Sabbath, dio, Guitar, Hard Rock, heaven and hell heavy metal band, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, heavy metal vocalists, horror metal, Metal, metal music, Music, new heavy metal album, recent heavy metal albums, Rock, rock music, rock music vocals, ronnie james dio, tony iommi heavy metal guitarist, Vocals with tags 1980's heavy metal, best buy, Black Sabbath, dio, geezer butler, Hard Rock, hard rock music, heaven & hell, heaven and hell, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal music, Rock, rock music, ronnie james dio, the devil you know album, tony iommi, vinny appice on April 28, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Obviously, it is April 28th, 2009. Today, the new album release from Heaven & Hell is unleashed on the glorious world of Heavy Metal!! It is going on twelve noon – (Eastern Standard Time/U.S.) for me at this moment – I am patiently awaiting the arrival of my new copy of “The Devil You Know,” via U.S. mail. I pre-ordered the CD/DVD version, through Best Buy (online). It seems that the CD/DVD version is a Best Buy exclusive, therefore getting the DVD part of the package is for me, a Metal bonus! Plus, get this – I pre-ordered about two weeks ago, the cost of “The Devil You Know” CD/DVD was $9.99 with free shipping!! (Now, with these tough economic times, that is a Metal bargain). This was such a cool deal, heck, I even bought my best buddy on the planet a copy too. My experiences with purchasing from Best Buy online has been truly, flawless. Best Buy really does offer continuous cool deals on a wide variety of Metal Music CD’s. Well, enough of praising Best Buy, I want my Heaven & Hell new tunes NOW!!
I have to wait until possibly 3:00pm est to get my hands on this new release, for I can never set my watch to the mailman. If I do receive “The Devil You Know” today, I will be the happiest Metalhead in North America. I have been listening to “The Mob Rules” this morning, man, it only got me more pumped up for this 2009 version of Black Sabbath (oops), I mean Heaven & Hell. I will also post my review for this album either tonight or tomorrow morning. (I am quite certain the review will be a good one). C’mon mailman, where are you dude?
Heavy Metal theme song for the New York Giants 2009/2010 NFL season is:
Posted in Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, Metal, Motorhead, Music, national football league, nfl, nfl football, ozzy, Ozzy Osbourne, Rock, rock music, sports - football with tags eli manning, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal music, lemmy kilmister, Metal, metal music, Motorhead, Music, national football league, new york giants, new york giants football team, nfl, nfl football, ozzy, Ozzy Osbourne on April 26, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
I am a sports fan, a REALLY GIGANTIC fan of the THREE TIME – SUPER BOWL CHAMPION: New York Giants!! With being a fan of Metal music and this being Metal Odyssey, I am going to choose the Heavy Metal theme song for the New York Giants upcoming season of 2009-2010. Why am I doing this? The answer is simple, because I can, that is why. (Well, at least it will be my very own – personal choice, of the New York Giants – Heavy Metal theme song). My choice of the Heavy Metal theme song for the New York Giants is – “Hellraiser” – written by Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead and Ozzy Osbourne. I like the Motorhead version of Hellraiser to be the pick, Ozzy does a great rendition of this song too, however, I have to choose one or the other. The Motorhead version of “Hellraiser” just seems to be kicked up a notch heavier than the Ozzy version, plus Lemmy’s vocals brings out the lyrical message of the song more stronger, in my Metal opinion. You can find this great Heavy Metal tune on Ozzy Osbourne’s 1991 album – “No More Tears” and Motorhead’s 1992 album “March or Die.”
I am so looking forward to the new NFL season, even though it is still April! Seeing the New York Giants get ousted early in the playoffs last year leaves a sour taste in my mouth, that is one valid reason why I have chosen “Hellraiser” to be the theme song for my favorite NFL team. Eli Manning and his supporting cast of teammates, along with Coach Coughlin, have taken us to Super Bowl glory once before. This should be a Giant year for this team, (as long as we have a new “go-to” wide receiver with leaping ability and great hands). Otherwise, I am pleased with the defensive and offensive lines, plus the running game is a 1-2-3 punch. Special teams have always been a great trademark for this franchise, going way back to the Coach Parcell era. Go Giants! The Big Blue Wrecking Crew!
Happy Birthday Peter Frampton!
Posted in 1970's hard rock, 1970's Rock, Album Review, classic rock, Hard Rock, Metal, Music, rock celebrity birthdays, rock music, rock music vocals with tags 1970's hard rock music, 1970's rock music, Album Review, frampton comes alive album, Hard Rock, Music, peter frampton, peter frampton birthday, peter frampton rock guitarist, peter frampton rock vocalist, Reviews on April 25, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
Anyone who follows Metal Odyssey knows that I like to keep up on the birthdays of legendary Rock Stars. Why? Well, it is a great excuse to write about these dudes and give my opinion on their music. So, without further delay – Metal Odyssey gives out a LOUD Happy Birthday to Peter Frampton!! Frampton turned a cool rockin’ 59 on April 22, 2009. My favorite Peter Frampton album is definitely “Frampton Comes Alive.” Released in 1976, this live album for me, captures the Rock & Roll spirit, talent and energy that Peter Frampton has been exhibiting, going on four decades. “Do You Feel Like I Do” and “Baby I Love Your Way” are true Frampton classics, the live recordings only bring them more to life, in my opinion. I always liked his album “Where I Should Be” – the single “I Can’t Stand It No More” I still find very catchy. Is Peter Frampton Hard Rock? To me, no, if you are going by todays Rock music standards. It was probably easier to categorize Peter Frampton as Hard Rock in the 1970s, maybe. As I see it, Peter Frampton is a Rock legend in his own right, I have always been keen on his brand of Rock & Roll. Plus, for me, the music of Peter Frampton always reminds me of the Summer, being at an outdoor party or just hanging out at the beach. I really cannot figure out why this is, I do recall many outdoor parties in the past, where Frampton was being cranked up loud though. (Maybe that is the reason). All in all, Peter Frampton and his music has been cool for me over the years, I wish Peter Frampton all the best as he continues to tour and write music. Thank you for all the great tunes over the years Peter Frampton!
W.A.S.P. “The Last Command” is a Heavy Metal classic!
Posted in 1980's heavy metal music, Album Review, Hair Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, Metal Reviews, Music, rock music, W.A.S.P. with tags Album Review, Blackie Lawless, chris holmes, Hair Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Metal, metal music, mountain rock band, Music, Reviews, the last command w.a.s.p. album, W.A.S.P. on April 24, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
“W.A.S.P. “The Last Command” is a Heavy Metal album that has enormous energy, loaded with heavy riffs and guitar leads. I am a W.A.S.P. fan, I by no means want to sound bias, yet this is a classic example of just how sensational, fun and at times provocative the Heavy Metal music and lyrics of W.A.S.P. truly are/were. Released in November of 1985, it is my opinion that “The Last Command” provides more Heavy Metal music muscle than many bands of this genre and time period. The bonus tracks are key, (these bonus tracks are found on the reissue version), there are 7 in all, with W.A.S.P. doing a heavy duty cover of the infamous Mountain song “Mississippi Queen”. Blackie Lawless on lead vocals and bass is the epitome of Heavy Metal then and now, his vocals are a focal point for me, extremely riveting. The 5 live bonus tracks are infused with an electrifying energy of all things Heavy about this band, these songs are quality live recordings. After you listen to the 3 opening songs, the captivating Heavy Metal of W.A.S.P. will have you wishing you owned “The Last Command” for the last 20 plus years! I have never known of or listened to a W.A.S.P. album that I never liked. “The Last Command” kicks the Metal into high gear and should always be played LOUD for maximum enjoyment. I highly recommend “The Last Command” to all W.A.S.P. fans, Heavy Metal and Metal fans and any fan of quality Heavy music from the decade of the ’80’s.
W.A.S.P. on “The Last Command” – Blackie Lawless on lead vocals and bass, Randy Piper on lead, rhythm guitars & background vocals, Chris Holmes on lead & rhythm guitars and Steve Riley on drums & background vocals. The liner notes are outstanding, with 12 pages of complete lyrics, extended artwork, nearly a dozen full color photos of W.A.S.P. and written history behind the making of “The Last Command” and a history of W.A.S.P. as a band.”
Seether – acoustic or heavy, this band is a gem!
Posted in acoustic rock album, acoustic rock concert, Album Review, concerts, Guitar, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, Metal, metal concerts, Metal Reviews, Music, Rock, rock music, rock music vocals, seether acoustic rock album, seether rock band, Vocals with tags acoustic rock, Album Review, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Rock, rock music, seether, seether acoustic concert, seether one cold night, seether rock band, shaun morgan on April 23, 2009 by Metal Odyssey
When I first purchased Seether “One Cold Night”, I knew I was going to hear a live, acoustic concert. What I did not expect, was how incredible the songs from Seether’s past albums would sound acoustically. As the subtitle of this CD states – “An Intimate Acoustic Performance”, “Feb 22 2006” – the entire musical atmosphere does definitely come across as mellow and intimate. That is what playing acoustically does, the once Heavy Metal or Hard Rock songs become more personal to the listener/audience with even deeper meaning, in my Metal opinion. Shaun Morgan to me, is brilliant as a vocalist and guitarist. He can sing the acoustic versions of his songs, making me believe that this could very well be the only versions. When I listen to the acoustic versions of “Gasoline”, “Diseased” and “Immortality”, It makes me listen more to the lyrics and song structure.
The copy of this CD I purchased came as a duel CD/DVD. The DVD is the actual Seether acoustic concert from February 22, 2006. The DVD also includes the music video for the song – “The Gift”. It is a cool concert no matter how you slice it, from the sound quality to the camera angles. A bonus feature at the end of the concert DVD has Seether sitting on stage being interviewed after the show, ( some local Philadelphia dj does the interview and conducts it well). Shaun Morgan answers every question without an ounce of attitude – his demeanor and the way he carries himself during this interview dictates what a class act he really is. The Seether lineup for this concert CD: Shaun Morgan on lead vocals & guitar, Pat Callahan on guitar, Dale Stewart on bass and John Humphrey on drums. I cannot force anyone to like the music that I do, I can only recommend and say take a listen. However, with Seether “One Cold Night”, I really recommend to all fans of quality Rock, Hard Rock and Metal music.
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