WD SYNDICATE'S BEST OF 2008 Saturday, December 27, 2008
WD SYNDICATE BEST OF 2008
Happy holidays from the Syndicate! Hopefully Santa made his yearly visit, dropped off some toys and didn’t make out with you girl in the meantime. If you’re reading this you survived the annual holiday shopping frenzy and your kicking back with some eggnog while wearing that ugly sweater your Aunt Tootsie made for you (yes, I had an Aunt Tootsie). In all seriousness, we here at the Syndicate wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday.
With each passing year we are always subjected to all these year end reviews, or best of lists. Frankly I’m not impressed with many or any of them. So being that WD SYNDICATE made its official relaunch in 2008, I felt it necessary to put our own spin on the best of 2008. From, music to politics, 2008 was far from boring. So without further adieu, we bring you the BEST OF 2008!
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ok here are the ground rules for this category. At first we were going to go by genre. But listing Best Punk Album, Best Hardcore Album, Best Metal Album, Best Metalcore Album, Best Emo Album (if that even exists), and so on and so on would just be counter productive. No, we wanted the best fucking album put out in 2008 hands down. The best album of 2008 should blur the lines of genre and make it to your playlist the most despite your so called musical allegiance.
CANCER BATS Hail Destroyer
Obviously this was a tough category, especially when combining all musical genres. But Canadian rockers the Cancer Bats hit a home run with Hail Destroyer. Combining genres such as metal, hardcore, punk and southern rock, we here at the Syndicate found it virtually impossible not to give this award to them! The album is an absolute rager from beginning to end and does not let up at any point. Songs such as Harem of Scorpions, PMA Till I’m DOA, and Regret are absolutely mosh pit inducing numbers. I challenge anyone to name a song better to get over getting played by a chick than Sorceress. Working day and night got you down? Try throwing on Deathsmarch while stuck in the cubicle next time. I’m willing to bet your ripping off your cheap tie and throwing windmills by the copy machine in no time.
Runner Ups: (1) Parkway Drive Horizons, (2) H2O Nothing to Prove, (3) Gojira The Way of the Flesh, (4) Testament The Formation of Damnation, (5) The Gaslight Anthem The’59 Sound,
WORST ALBUM OF THE YEAR
To be the winner of this prestigious award a band has to have two elements. One, the band has to suck to begin with and two, the band has to put out an album that is complete garbage. Hey they say, consistency counts for something right? The Worst Album of the Year should be exactly that….garbage that just annoys you just for being played. It’s the album that either hasn’t made it to your iPod or you immediately skip over any of its songs while on shuffle. And the loser is…
METALLICA Death Magnetic
It’s of no surprise that our WORST album of the year is apparently Revolver magazine’s BEST album of the year. Just goes to show you who sucks dick at the rest stop bathroom and who doesn’t. How anyone can name this drawn out album the best of 2008 is beyond us. Here at WD headquarters the consensus seems to be that Metallica lost its teeth when it released the radio friendly, hard rock, Black Album. They left metal behind and joined the ranks of Led Zepplin, CCR, Pearl Jam and their classic rock motif. Ok, maybe we’re being a bit harsh on the guys here. With all due respect, we know that without the monster that was Metallica, many of today’s bands probably wouldn’t exist. Their music has inspired many…but the keywords “was” and has”…past tense. The leader of the big 5 of thrash hung up its chops, licks and fast paced riffs with Justice and never looked back. Sure Death Magnetic has its moments, but for such a juggernaut we were expecting so much more…and utterly disappointed yet again (hello St. Anger!). The Unforgiven III?!?!? Come on now!!!!
Runner Ups: (1) The Offspring Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, (2) Guns N’ Roses Chinese Democracy, (3) Saliva Cinco Diablo, (4) Nickelback Dark Horse, (5) Fall Out Boy Dave de Sylvia, (6) Judas Priest Nostradamus.
COMEBACK BAND OF THE YEAR
Bands come and go and sometimes, come back again. Sometimes they are better off not coming back. It’s a tough obstacle to overcome and any band that can do it successfully are usually a force to be reckoned with. 2008 was filled with comebacks. Some more commercial than others, but only one will win the Syndicate’s title of Comeback Band of the Year…
H20 Nothing To Prove
New York hardcore legends came back with glorious anger with the release of Nothing To Prove. After a seven year hiatus which included branching out into various side projects (Toby Morse - Hazen Street, Todd Morse - Juliette and the Licks and The Operation M.D., Rusty - P-Nut Jewelery) the band regrouped and put together an album that made us feel like it were 1994 all over again. The album is fun, fast and furious. Plenty of gang vocals and guest appearances (Lou Koller of Sick of it All, Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio, Roger Miret of Agnostic Front) litter the album and give it a great old school feel but the guys go through great lengths not to be "preachy", chasing away new listeners. The album was followed by nonstop touring which the band has always been known for (Dropkick Murphy's, H2O, and Civet on the ALL ROADS LEAD TO BOSTON TOUR). A good part of my life has been spent at H2O shows and its great to see the guys haven't lost a step. They are one of the best hardcore bands to perform live, always have been. After a seven year layoff, they learned a lot about life and it shows in both the album and their live performances. At the end of the day, they got nothing to prove.
Runner Ups: Testament, Motley Crue, AC/DC
BIGGEST LETDOWN ALBUM
This category is not at all similar to the Worst Album of the Year in that the “winner” of this award isn’t necessarily a disaster of a band that induces sleep or suicide. Everyone has bad days and maybe this band just wasn’t feeling so hot when they recorded the biggest letdown since you told your parents you were dropping out of school to pursue your acting career.
ALKALINE TRIO Agony & Irony
I can hear thousands of emo kids crying their mascara off already. I know, I know…we’re a bunch of savages for naming Alkaline Trio as the recipient of this award. I’m sure I’ll lose about 10 minutes of sleep over it. Agony & Irony was over-hyped and disappointing. No one wanted this album to be better than what it was than we did! There’s only about two really good songs on this album and comparing it to the band’s predecessors is futile. It just doesn’t compare.
Runner Ups: (1) Rise Against Appeal to Reason, (2) In This Moment The Dream, (3) All That Remains Overcome.
BEST TV SHOW
Again, we’re combining all the genres here. Comedy, thriller, mystery, cop shows, all got to compete for the best show on television. New, old, it didn’t make a difference. It had to hold our attention for the entire season. That means we would lie, cheat and steal in order not to miss an episode. But being we all have DVR or Tivo I guess that just makes us really bad people huh?
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Another tight race but the gang from Sunny won in convincing fashion, and for good reason. Hands down it is the most original, most entertaining, most shocking and most hysterical show on television today. If Danny DeVito ran for president the Syndicate would vote for him. The Syndicate’s own, Gdevil was Greenman for Halloween! They did an entire show about a mystery poop!!!! Is there anything more funny than poop humor? We don’t think so, and if you do, you’re probably on the wrong website.
Runner Ups: (1) Sons of Anarchy, (2) Dexter, (3) Burn Notice, (4) Psyche, (5) True Blood
HOTTEST “UNKNOWN” GIRL ON MYSPACE
Fire up your engines boys and girls. This award goes to the hottest amateur model/gal on Myspace. Looks are one thing, but the winner of this one isn’t just lips, tits and a great ass. She also has to have a good attitude. One where if you leave a comment on her page she actually writes you back saying how sweet you are, making your ego as well as other body parts swell. By “unknown” we mean she hasn’t graced the covers of Maxim, FHM or Stuff (is that still out?) just yet, but she’s also not just posting camera phone pictures of her in the ladies room. Please ladies, some professionalism por favor? Our Hottest Girl on Myspace has to have mostly all or some professional photography in her profile.
Jessenia Vice
Instead of telling you all why Jessenia won, how about we just post a photo or two and tell you we hope she does a WD shoot in the near future. We have a feeling the title "Unknown" won't be for very long. Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Jessenia Vice…
Runner Ups: Jessenia won by such a large margin we actually sold all of the runner ups to Middle Eastern men to be sex slaves.
BEST PORNO
Best pornographic film. Yes, pornography is on everyone's mind. Don't front. Even the holiest of holy's have indulged in a Debbie Does Dallas video or two..or three. Porn has come a long way since the cheesy music and over abundance of pubic hair circa 1970s and 80s. Have you seen the crowd the AVN's get each year in Vegas??? Fact of the matter is the porn industry is one of the largest in the world and like it or not (WE LIKE IT! WE LIKE IT!) its here to stay. So why not have some fun with it? The best skin flick as judged by WD SYNDICATE has to entertain as well as arouse. We're artists here for god's sake! Give us more than a suck, slam, money shot for our dollar!
Tattoos+hot gals+porn+money shots = WD SYNDICATE'S Best Porno of 2008! This one from Burning Angel is sure to take the wrinkles out of your pants. Directed and delivered with the quirky comedic genius of Brookyln's favorite Jew, Joanna Angel, COMT#4 assembles a gorgeous cast including Jessie Lee (GDevil's favorite), Casi Nova, Dasi Marie, and the smoking hot Jezebelle Bond. The girls produce scorching scene after scorching scene but in true BA fashion, never taking themselves too seriously. You'll find yourself laughing while choking your chicken for sure. And who doesn't want to laugh AND whack off???
Runner Ups: (1) Babysitters, (2) Honey Bunny, (3) Fuck Me In The Bathroom
BEST FREE PORN WEBSITE
Why waste money on porn when you can get some quality skin flicks for free via the internet? If you choose to throw money out of your window you probably ate some paint chips when you were younger. Yes there are some quality pay sites out there, and if you are looking for a specific sort of fetish such as midgets, bondage and/or choking then maybe you should steal mom’s credit card and go nutty…no pun intended. Till then here's the Syndicate's best free porn site of 2008...
Pornhub is awesome. It’s updated a bunch of times daily and you rarely see the same video twice. Your not getting snips of videos, mostly your getting whole clips! No more skipping on the money shot for us! Another feature includes a great search engine to find all the scenes of your favorite vixen or genre. Why waste time searching when there’s spankin off to be done??
There are zillions of websites out there. Hell even WE have a website! Who would have thought! If you can think of it, there’s a site for it. Hairy footed women who perform topless car washes? Google it. I’m sure something will come up. The winner of this award should be able to keep you busy for hours and piss off the IT department so much they eventually block it from work computers.
Got hours to kill? Procrastinate much? Dodgin doing actual work? OVGUIDE is the place to be. It breaks down all that is the internet into categories and then gives you the best sites to surf on. Check it out!
Runner Ups: WWW.WDSYNDICATE.COM Come on, did you really think we weren’t gonna plug ourselves here???
BEST MMA FIGHT
Congrats to MMA for pretty much making the fiasco known as boxing a thing of the past. Let’s just all hope and pray that greed, money and power doesn’t infect what is probably the most entertaining sporting events of recent time. With that said, there were some great MMA fights had in 2008. UFC, WEC, Affliction all promoting big name cards and putting some quality fights for display. The Best MMA Fight of 2008 should have it all though. Great storyline, great fighters and of course, a great fight.
Couture vs Lesnar
This was a tough decision but in hindsight we felt that the Couture vs Lesner fight had it all. The salty veteran warrior verse what seems to be the future, immoveable object. In the end, Couture fell to Lesner in respectable fashion. The fight brought great debate the next day at the water cooler as yuppies and pencil pushers talked about as if they were starting a Fight Club of their own in the parking lot.
Runner Ups: (1) Urijah Faber vs. Jens Pulver, (2) Chuck Lidell vs. Rashard Evans, (3) Eddie Alvarez vs. Joachim Hansen
BEST ART WEBSITE
Yes, we’re a cultured bunch. We can appreciate good art even when its just for art’s sake. Just don’t show me a lump of shit and tell me it’s man’s plight against the system. The winner of this category should be able to hold anyone’s interest, even if they aren’t art aficionados.
I swear, favoritism had nothing to do with this selection. So what I’ve known the head honcho over at Robots for upwards of 20 years (shit, just gave away my age didn’t I?). This is in no way a plug for the fastest growing, most informative street art and graf site in the world. I swear. (How was that for subtle Chris?)
BIGGEST DOUCHEBAG
The list was long. Too long. We kept adding to it as the days went on and finally we had enough and decided to just name a whole bunch of douchebags to the list. They are all deserving of praise. Douchebaggery seemed to run rampant in 2008 and sadly it doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Please do everyone a favor. If you see douchebaggery occurring in your neighborhood, please do something about it. Much like terrorism, if you see something, say something. And the douchebags are...
There you have it folks. The best and worst of 2008 as viewed by us at the Syndicate. The views expressed in this article are the soul opinions of WD SYNDICATE. If you disagree with or are offended by any you're probably a douchebag yourself and may very likely end up on next year's list. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
MOVIE REVIEW: THE WRESTLER Monday, December 22, 2008
So here I am sitting at my desk after baring witness to an indie movie which as of last week, I had never heard of. Tonight I battled the balmy cold weather to make my way to a small theater in the Lower East Side of Manhattan to see The Wrestler. The Landmark Sunshine Theater. For years I have always walked right past this place and never even thought about stepping foot in there. Usually its lined with the trendy, indie, overly liberal rot that infests my city like the bubonic plague. Only instead of puss filled blisters they bring really stupid furry hats and way too tight shirts, and of course their piss poor attitude. So when I saw the latest movie starring Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei was showing there, I gasped a little. I hope it's worth dealing with fake city dwellers and freezing tempertures.
I've been on a bit of a Mickey Rourke kick lately for some reason. The other night a friend brought over a movie called Barfly and ever since I have been looking up any flick with the walking, plastic surgery disaster known as Mickey Rourke in it. The ugly fucker has been in some show stopping movies and in my opinion, has always given his characters that "badass" appeal. Barfly was an awesome movie and I'm glad it took so long for me to see it. Had I seen it when I was younger I totally wouldn't have appreciated it fully. (So yes, Janine, thank you!).
The Wrestler is a movie about a wrestler's fall from the spotlight and how he copes with normal everyday life. For me, it reminded me of the old school WWF and brought back some great childhood memories I had. I remember watching wrestling with my brother all morning long on Sundays, trying to recreate the moves we saw I heroes pull off. I remember how frustrated my brother would get when he could not, for the life of him, figure out how to get me in a "figure four leg lock", even when I would let him position me. It was damn confusing for us! "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorf, Ivan "The Polish Power" Putsky, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Ric Flair, Classy Freddie Blassy. The list goes on and on. We'd watch for hours and beat the crap out of each other during the commercial breaks. Back then wrestling was still trying to pull off being a legitimate sport and anyone who called it a "stage act" got a beatdown right there on television! I remember watching Regis Philbin getting supplexed after calling wrestling fake for cryin out loud! It was a soap opera for kids then, and nowadays its the same. It just targets grownups and it dropped the "this is real stuff" act.
As staged as it is the blaring fact is that wrestlers have not lead such poignant lives equal to their superstar or celebrity status. For a while it seemed that the pro wrestlers of yore were dropping like flies everyday. It was a sad reality that these once harrowed superhumans were passing well before their time. But why? These guys had millions chanting their name. They had everything. Fame, glory, fortune...right? This is where Rourke's character, Randy "The Ram" Robinson takes center stage. The movie centers on Rourke's differentiation between life in the ring and reality. Through a series of twists and turns The Ram is forced to choose between the glory or the reality, leaving for a great ending in my opinion. One you'll have to see the movie yourself to see.
Pluses for the movie:
Mickey Rourke kills it on screen once again. His fucked up face perfectly casts him as a beat up wrestler. If he wanted to go into the biz he really could. I'm willing to bet he spent a lot of time with the small time wrestling circuits to really grasp the lifestyle.
Marisa Tomei is a stripper. Which means we finally get to see her do some nudity. And much like Rourke, she did her homework in some stripclubs to learn the ropes. And we ain't talking the high class kind, we're talking truck stop titty bars. Sign me up! Always had a thing for you Marisa. Right up there with Alyssa Milano.
Acting, screenplay and camera angles were all fucking top notch. If this doesn't win some Oscars I am never paying to see another movie again.
THE FUCKING SOUNDTRACK KILLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quiet Riot was the first metal record (yes, I said RECORD) I ever owned!!!!
Things that sucked about the movie:
I'm sure some will bitch about the ending. Without giving it away it sort of pulled a Sopranos on you. I liked it though.
Nothing really sucked except the asshole who kept yanking my seat back every time he had to get up during the movie, the two fucktards who yapped as they were 10 minutes late and tried finding a seat in a packed house, and the other two jerkoffs who camped out on the floor next to me as if it were Central Park and we were having a god damned picnic.
SHAI HALUD, SCARLET GREY, ALL THAT REMAINS Monday, December 15, 2008 SHAI HULUD Misanthropy Pure MetalBlade Records
The revolving door of post-hardcore sound slams one home with Misanthropy Pure. The human race hating group who has had more lineup changes than Madonna has had sex partners puts it all together for one hell of a progressive hardcore sound. (First recording with vocalist Matt Ian mazalli). I never understood the "post-hardcore" label. I mean does that mean the said band happened after hardcore? If i had to describe Shai Hulud it would be "Post Apocalyptical Hardcore". Misanthropy Pure is something to listen to when the end of days nears and the great Kutulu arises from the depths of the sea...or you can just listen to it like I do when driving recklessly and have to get someplace in a hurry. Shai's off-timed beats and misnthropic lyrics are abundant throughout but the drastic breakdowns are what draws my attention. Nicely done and well worth the wait.
TOP TRACKS: Venomspreader, Misanthropy Pure, We Who Finish Last, Set Your Body Ablaze (the new guy gets a crack at the best SH song ever!) GDEVIL'S VERDICT: If you have never heard Shai Hulud before and are into that whole math rock, metalcore stuff being pumped out now, Misanthropy Pure is a great addition. These guys pioneered the sound so many bands have copied an put forth as their own.
SCARLET GREY Limited:Black Self Released
Glam chick rock by a bunch of dudes. I got turned on to this band by a friend of mine who did a photo shoot for God's Girls.com. Reason being they have a song entitled, yep you guessed it, God's Girls. I felt obligated since she is hot although I was a bit apprehensive when she said "Your not gonna like this but give it a listen anyway." Way to sell a band! While Scarlet Grey isn't my usual cup of whiskey, they are certainly deserving of some praise with their album Limited:Black. A bit pop, a bit glam, a bunch of ooooooo's and ahhhhhhh's to line each track. Yes your girlfriend will probably like it more, but she may be that much happier you turned off the metal for once and showed your soft side.
TOP TRACKS: Mr. Sinister, God's Girls, She's Liquor
GDEVIL'S VERDICT: As much as I make fun of them I can't stop listening to them. Kind of reminds me of Alkaline Trio minus all the talk of killing yourself or your loved one. Not bad at all.
ALL THAT REMAINS Overcome Prosthetic Records
I wait for a new ATR album like a kid waits for Santa on Christmas morning. I have raved about this band in the past for both its albums and its live performances (although I was a bit peeved that they dropped off their tour with In Flames recently). Bottom line however, if you like metal, you more than likely have an appreciation for ATR. So Overcome is no surprise a pretty good album. What's different on it you ask? Well for one they parted ways with Killswitch Engage mainstay, producer Adam Dutkiewicz. Instead they elected the services of Jason Suecof (Bury Your Dead, Cannae, Devildriver). I'm not sure how much influence he had on the sound of this album but it definitely gives off a more mainstream vibe, take that for whatever its worth.
TOP TRACKS: Before the Damned, Undone, Relinquish GDEVIL'S VERDICT: While its not a bad album by any means, I don't think its ATR's best. I was expecting something a bit more brutal and less melodic. Then again, melody ain't such a bad thing, and no one really does it better than All That Remains. All hail Oli!
SASQUATCH AND THE SICK-A-BILLIES Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Let me first start off by saying that I don't claim to be a writer, a critic, or know every aspect of music, but I do know what I like. With that said here's one guy's perspective on the Sasquatch and the Sick-a-Billys show on Dec 7th at Otto's Shrunkin Head in NYC that me and Chris of Robots Will Kill headed to.
If you haven't been there here's the layout. The place is small with a tiki lounge feel to it. A small bar in the front room with a couple of booths. There's a narrow hallway that leads into a room that's not any bigger than your folks living room. Oh and squeezed into that hallway is a photo booth and a hunting video game. In that room is a small stage, maybe ten inches off the ground and some seats & tables on the outer wall. As for Sasquatch, if you haven't seen him, fucking get out there and check these motherfuckers out! I assure you they will not disappoint. From the lead singers antics such as deep throating the mic to the tons of nose picking, earwax licking hijinx... all without missing one goddamn guitar riff. It's a show that's sure to blow your fucking head off! Sasquatch is a three piece band that's as tight as a frog's ass who will make you appreciate side saddlin, hony tonky, dirty country rock. The style reminiscent of their forefathers of country; you can hear similarities from the driving bass lines from the Reverend Justin K to the drumming styles of Snake. Its great to see a band that's committed to the sound they love so much. I mean, here's a band that drives out from Pittsburgh, Pa to do a show for "FREE" on a Sunday to a handful of people. That says something to me. Hearing them cover the Misfits' Hollywood Babylon and Metalicca's Am I Evil in pure rockabilly form is a treat everyone should take in once in their life. Than there's the random 4 Non Blondes cover of What's Goin On, which was kind of odd, yet fun.
This is just some of the antics Sasquatch and the boys had in their 2 hour set (yes once again for FREE!). Oh and another great treat was when Sasquatch was just calling out drummer's styles and Snake would play them at random. For example, he went from Louis Prima (whose birthday it would have been) to Hank Williams Sr. to Slayer and than to the rhythm halting White Stripes.
***NOTE!!! This video was ripped from a previous show..just notice Sasquatch's reaction to the heckler...priceless***
Get out there and support the scene before there is no scene from...
CRUEL HAND, KANYE WEST, CIVET, NORMA JEAN Sunday, December 7, 2008CRUEL HAND Prying Eyes Bridge Nine Records
Notice a pattern in the reviews lately? Cruel Hand is another band signed to Bridge Nine Records (Energy was in last weeks updates). Reason being I just saw both of them open for fellow Bridge Nine bandmate, H2O, in what was a great show at the Blender Theater here in NYC. Cruel Hand put on a set that impressed me so much I splurged and bought their cd, Prying Eyes. The Maine quintet continued to impress me with 12 tracks of hardcore onslaught. The breakdowns are furious and many and proved to be big crowd pleasers at the show. They have a slight metal touch which was reminiscent of old school NY hardcore legends, Leeway (they even did a cover at the show) but are a band who is uniquely its own.
TOP TRACKS: I dig em all. No lie. I have been playing this cd nonstop since I bought it. Dead Weight, Life in Shambles, Hounds, No Known Graves, Prying Eyes…the list goes on.
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: Go and buy this album. If you like fast, furious, metal and punk infused hardcore you’ll love Cruel Hand. The singer’s voice reminds me of Brian Dingledine, vocalist of holy terror hardcore act, Catharsis of the mid 90s. The riffs remind me of Leeway. What’s not to love?
KANYE WEST 808s and Heartbreak Roc-A-Fella Records
Look. Even a crusty metalhead punk dirtbag such as myself needs some love makin music in his playlist. It shouldn’t be a surprise if you find such artists such as James Brown and Barry White shoved in along with Hatebreed and Iron Maiden on the ol’ ipod. So please don’t give me any grief on why Kanye made it in on this week’s reviews. Everything is fair game and if that’s not good enough for you I got a nice shiny boot I can lodge in your ass. Comprende? The first thing that I noticed on 808s is the presence of some serious percussion on many of the tracks. Kanye’s use of real instruments is a draw for me when it comes to his work. Another feature I noticed is Kanye’s use of synthesized vocals on most, if not all of the tracks. It gives it a “West Coast” style and personally, I can visualize myself in a tricked out Caddy with hydraulics jamming to 808s. The most interesting tidbit I also noticed on this record? Kanye doesn’t really rap on it. He’s singing for the most part. It’s more of an R&B album than a hip hop album in my opinion. I’m sure Kanye’s detractors will have plenty to say about that. TOP TRACKS: Welcome to Heartbreak, Heartless, Amazing, Love Lockdown, Robocop...yes, a track named Robocop.
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: If you don’t buy it, try stealing it or burning it from a friend. For most of you out there I’m sure it’s not your style. But if you’re in the mood for something different, trying to get over that gal who ditched you, it’s not a half bad album. Many of the tracks tell of heartbreak and sorrow, and it’s no surprise why. Kanye’s mom passed away while writing this album and to top all off, his woman left him! If that’s not inspiration for some bluesy shit I don’t know what else is.
CIVET Hell Hath No Fury Hellkat Records
What do you get when you add sexy to a stripped down garage punk band? You get Civet! While not breaking any kind of barriers with their second full length, Hell Hath No Fury, they prove that staying the course is just fine….especially when you’re a quartet of hot chicks. Honestly, I would probably sell my own mother into slavery for a night out with all of these girls (sorry mom). It’s just that they really are gorgeous, and they all have that damn punk girl snarl down pat! Oh. Did I mention the record is actually good too? The album has a crunchy, old school, punk vibe and each track is fueled with gang vocals and Civet’s signature femme fatale attitude. TOP TRACKS: Son of a Bitch, All I Want, Brooklyn (by law, I have to like any song with “Brooklyn” in it), Hell Hath No Fury GDEVIL’S VERDICT: While its not groundbreaking material, it’s still good ol fashioned, kick in the ass, punk rock music. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
NORMA JEAN The Anti Mother Solid State Records
Norma Jean cleaned up their act a little, so to speak, on their fourth album entitled The Anti Mother. The metalcore quartet from Georgia adds a little melody to their repertoire…ok, how about A LOT of melody? Without a doubt, The Anti Mother is the band’s most melodic to date. How does something as peaceful as melody work with the destructive force of Norma Jean? It will probably welcome a little more radio play and more than likely be ear-friendly to those who haven’t heard Norma Jean ever before. I applaud such actions and personally like the way the band experimented in this album. They also enlisted guest vocals by Deftone’s frontman, Chino Moreno and Saosin’s own, Cove Reber. Not only do these heavy hitters lend their pipes, but they also co-write on their respective guest tracks. Not too shabby.
TOP TRACKS: Vipers, Snakes, and Actors, Birth of the Anti Mother, Robots 3 Humans 0, Surrender Your Sons (Chino Moreno track), And There Will Be a Swarm of Hornets (a nine and half minute rager).
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: A good edition to Norma Jeans arsenal. New listeners will be pleasantly surprised I’m sure. But I would love to see their faces after they listen to Redeemer afterwards.
ENERGY, THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM, BLOODCLOT! Sunday, November 30, 2008ENERGY Invasions of the Mind Bridge Nine Records
Fans of melodic hardcore will appreciate the latest from Energy. While it’s a bit more refined than their previous release, Punch the Clock, Invasions is no slouch. The songs on Invasions mix a good dose of melody with angsty punk aggression to keep everyone happy. They tend to tap into a unique emo-esqe sound, similar to early AFI. Their use of gang vocals and choruses are sure to incite many a sing-a-long in upcoming shows.
TOP TRACKS: Hunter Red, 400, Contact, Satellite and the Hit, Brickstone. Considering there are 11 tracks, two of which are instrumentals and one is 28 second quickie, I’d say that’s a great ratio. GDEVIL’S VERDICT: I haven’t been able to stop listening to this album. It’s a good change of pace from the usual heavy shit I listen to. Invasions of the Mind is something you can throw on to get past second base with that emo chick you’ve been hitting on.
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM The ’59 Sound Side One Dummy Records
Fans of garage rock rejoice, The Gaslight Anthem has arrived with their fourth full length release, The ’59 Sound. This is my first crack at listening to Gaslight and without knowing a thing about them I knew they were from the rock capital of the United States…New Jersey. The parallels made with The Gaslight Anthem and early Bruce Springsteen are uncanny on this album. It’s evident that they are and have been heavily influenced by The Boss. That may be okay for my dad who is now 60 but what about the kids? Rest easy children. This is intelligent, stripped down, blue collar rock and roll anyone can enjoy.
TOP TRACKS: Great Expectations, The ’59 Sound, Miles Davis & The Cool, The Backseat, Meet Me By the River’s Edge
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: If it ain’t from Jersey throw it back! Jersey has been the birthplace of Springsteen, Bon Jovi, big hair and some toxic fumes. You might as well add The Gaslight Anthem to that growing list of things that rock from the armpit of America!
BLOODCLOT! Burn Babylon Burn (self released by Bloodclot!)
NYHC’s godfather, John Joseph is back with his new project, Bloodclot! Truth is the guy has never truly left the scene to begin with. When anyone mentions New York Hardcore there are two frontmen that stand out in my mind. They are, and in no certain order, Roger Miret of Agnostic Front, and John “Bloodclot” Joseph of Cro-Mags fame (I was also a fan of his short lived side project, Both Worlds, a while back). These guys were the blood and sweat that gave the scene its boldness…or its balls more or less. With hardcore taking on different sounds these days its great to see Bloodclot! come out with Burn Babylon Burn. It stays true to the old school hardcore code of delivering a message, not something coated with flashy guitar solos or fashionistas preaching about whatever cause is the trend these days. The album has some serious breakdowns to go along with Joseph’s realer than real lyrics, and if anyone knows how to lay down meaningful and insightful lyrics there’s no one better than John Joseph. But let’s also give credit to the rest of Bloodclot! shall we? As I said before, there are some major breakdowns on this album, sure to make any pit a moving mass of picking up change, fist pounding riot.
TOP TRACKS: Revolution, Parallel Lives, Asleep At the Wheel (great metal chorus which reminded me of Leeway), The Turning Point, Stirring In the Hearts and Minds.
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: In this day and age it seems as if there are millions of bands and with technology and the internet its getting easier for so many of these bands to be heard. Here’s my gripe. If your going to send me friend requests on Myspace, Facebook or any other mind numbing social networking website, HAVE SOMETHING TO FUCKING SAY!!! Seriously, it seems to me that many of these cookie cutter bands follow the same formula and sing about meaningless nonsense. Bloodclot! is not one of these bands and I hope many of you younger cats out there read this and take notice. You may not have grown up on Cro-Mags or Bad Brains, but I assure you without them, many of the bands you listen to today would be irrelevant. On a sidenote, John Joseph has a book out entitled The Evolution of a Cro-Magnon. (published by Punkhouse). I urge anyone who grew up in New York City in the late 70’s and 80’s to go out and buy it.
TRIVIUM, UNEARTH, METALICCA, BLEEDING THROUGH Sunday, November 23, 2008TRIVIUM Shogun
Roadrunner Records
Once upon a time there was a thrash metal band who ruled the music world with an iron fist and face melting guitar licks. That band went by the name "Metallica". Today Metallica have turned into a joke. A bunch of primadona rock stars who still think that they're relevant. In my opinion they lost their right to be labeled "metal" years ago, but that's just me. But nevertheless, back in their day (pre black album) their music destroyed and was used as influence for many bands that followed them. Trivium must have took notice. Their new album, Shogun, is what Metallica probably would have sounded like had they not lost their balls.
TOP TRACKS: Into the Mouth of Hell We March, Of Prometheus and the Crucifix, Shogun
GDEVIL'S VERDICT: Buy it. Cut the sleeves off that ratty, old Metallica t-shirt and prepare for headbanging.
UNEARTH The March
Metal Blade Records
My friend Amanda turned me on to Unearth almost two years ago. I believe she said something to the effect of "Unearth will rip your face off!" Coming from an extremely attractive, tattooed gal I did what any red blooded, male would do...I touched myself repeatedly, then went out and bought Unearth'sIII Through the Eyes of Fire. Simply put, I have been a fan ever since. Unearth's recipe for success lies in their ability to pull off insane fretwork while keeping the tempo amped to the extreme. Its good to see a band actually get better with each album using the same formula rather than "experiment" with new sounds. I'm so sick of that bullshit from bands who have only put out two-three albums. The March is the perfect addition to Unearth's arsenal.
TOP TRACKS: We Are Not Anonymous, The March, Crow Killer, The Chosen
GDEVIL'S VERDICT: From now on whenever a hot tattooed girl tells me anything, I listen.
METALLICA Death Magnetic
Warner Bros
Ok. If you read my review on Trivium's album Shogun, you probably know where I'm heading with this review. Metallica fans, if not anything, are absolutely loyal so I'm sure I'll get a lot of negative feedback when i say...this album is absolute garbage. Hell Metallica could put out an album of them farting in a coffee can and everyone will buy it. Let me explain. I hold Metallica to such a high standard I tend to be really hard on them. Ever since the Black Album I've said they lost something. They lost their edge while acting like pompous rock stars in the meantime. They deserve all the credit in the world for what they have done in the world of metal...but alas, they aren't metal anymore. They have re-created themselves into a hard rock band, and by all means, that's perfectly fine. Musically, this album is leaps and bounds better than that last album they put out. I can't even, and won't even speak its name. The guitar work and drums at times brought me back to the times of Ride the Lightening. But the vocals are what bother me. Somewhere along the line someone got in James Hetfield's ear and told him he has a brilliant voice. And while some of the all time best Metallica songs are ballads, I still liken the Hetfield growl of Kill Em All. At times he seems to draw out words when there's no need to, and it just gets really annoying (See The End of the Line). And do i really need to comment on on The Unforgiven III???? Going to the well a few times shows a lack of motivation and creativity in my opinion.
TOP TRACKS: The album isn't ALL bad. It's just not MY Metallica. That Was Just Your Life, All Nightmare Long and the 10 minute raginistrumental Suicide & Redemption had me banging my head like it was 1988 all over again.
GDEVIL'S VERDICT: Regardless of how many times I badmouth them I always end up buying their new album. Like ex-bassist Jason Newsted once answered when asked if Metallica were sellouts, he answered, "Yes. We sell out. Every single show." As long as they keep pumpin out albums, the fans will buy them and I'll keep holding my breath till they go back to their old ways. Till then, I have a slightly used copy of Death Magnetic if anyone's interested.
BLEEDING THROUGH Declaration
Trustkill Records
Orange County's metalcore marauders are at it again with their fourth full length entitled Declaration. Its the heaviest thing I've heard recently. I don't care if they have a hot keyboardist, if its one thing Bleeding Through has been known for is that they always go heavy. Their last album The Truth was a bit of a let down for many BT loyalists because they experimented with ballads and vocal ranges. Declaration seems to be just that, a declaration stating they can still keep it heavy while keeping it interesting. I couldn't listen to the album in its entirety on first listen. It kind of got on my nerves and seemed repetitive. But once I was in the mood for something brutally heavy I gave it a try and was pleasantly satisfied. One thing I noticed was the presence of the keyboards actually. In the previous albums, Marta's keyboards are more background, elevator music in my opinion, and the band could record with or without her and still pull off the same sound. But on Declaration Marta's keyboards are pushed more into the forefront, giving off a dark, eerie, atmosphere, proving she's way more than a piece of ass on stage.
TOP TRACKS: Declaration, Orange County Black and Blue, There Was a Flood, Sister Charlatan
GDEVIL'S VERDICT: Declaration is growing on me the more I listen to it, as did any previous Bleeding Through albums. Would a person who never heard BT before appreciate the album? Eh. Don't think so. But OG fans can rejoice that they ditched the power ballads from The Truth and returned to punching people in the face.
UFC 91: COUTURE VS. LESNAR Sunday, November 16, 2008
So here I am on a Saturday evening. Its raining cats and dogs here in Staten Island. The weather reports a tornado may actually touch down here. In New York City!? All signs point to a somewhat quiet night inside. One thing is for sure, this guy is not going anywhere in this monsoon. So what to do? Order up some cheap Mexican food and watch what has been labeled the most anticipated MMA bout of the year.... UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar. Other than the heartburn achieved by shoveling down six tacos, it was a pretty damn entertaining evening.
***(ANY VIDEOS BELOW ARE FROM PREVIOUS BOUTS OF ONE OR BOTH FIGHTERS)***
Bout 1: Damian Maia (9-0) vs. Nate Quarry (16-2) Referee: Herb Dean
Maia is a two time world jiujitsu champion who is suppose to be a ground game technician. Quarry is on the come back after having back surgery. One of his sponsors is Nuvasive Tech who supplied the technology to "rebuild" him...I just thought that was cool.
Round 1: Quarry gives up his back early in the bout. You can actually see Maia licking his chops as he sinks in a rear naked choke for a first round submission.
Damian Maia wins by tap-out (rear naked choke) 2:13.
Bout 2: Josh Hendricks (18-4-1) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) Referee: Steve Mazagatti Hendricks is a burly guy who is currently on an eleven fight win streak. Took a year off so he may have some rust. He'll be testing it against a Brazilian JiuJitsu champ in Gonzaga, who is just a beast. He rolls out of the locker room to Danzig'sMother...so I have my prediction already. I remember seeing him knockout Cro-Cop and being pretty impressed...
Round 1: Heavy blows are traded by both monsters from the opening bell. You could hear the sickening thuds of each punch landed. Gonzaga landed more clean punches though. Gonzaga starts to land some serious knees while in a stand up clinch then unleashes a vicious right cross to Hendricks' head that sends him to the mat. The ref stops the fight as Hendricks is in La La Land.
Gabriel Gonzaga wins by TKO at :61.
Bout 3: Matt Brown (10-7) vs. Ryan Thomas (9-2) Referee: Herb Dean
Matt Brown (Ultimate Fighter alumni) replaced Matthew Riddle (knee injury) on short notice for this fight. So who had the upper hand with this? Recent fights like this show the new fighter winning a slightly higher percentage of the time. In my opinion it presents a problem for both fighters. Its like getting ready to take out the prom queen only to find out you got stuck with her fat cousin instead.
Round 1: Thomas takes it Brown early. They go to the ground where its pretty even as both fighters trade offensive guards.
Round Winner: DRAW
Round 2: Again the fight goes right to the ground. Brown manages to get Thomas in an arm bar. Thomas attempts to slam Brown two times (sans Quentin Jackson) to no avail as Brown is able to flip Thomas onto his back and gets full hyper extension on the arm bar.
Matt Brown winner by tap-out via arm bar at :57.
BOUT 4: TamdanMcCrory (11-1) vs. Dustin Hazelett (13-4) Referee: Steve Mazagatti Two tall, lanky fighters. McCrory prides himself on his Greco Roman background while the bearded hillbilly Hazelett, who entered the ring to CreedanceClearwater Revival, has been studying the "rubber guard" extensively.
Round 1: Excellent strikes traded at opening bell. Fight goes to the ground where Hazelett's rubber guard comes into play. Hazelett ties up McCrory in an OmaPlata. McCrory manages to roll out of it but lands right into a tight arm bar.
Dustin Hazelett wins by tap-out via arm bar at 3:59.
BOUT 5: Jeremy Stephens (15-3) vs. Raphael Dos Anjos (11-2) Youngster Jeremy "Lil Heathen" Stephens whose three-fight win streak was snapped with a recent unanimous-decision loss to Spencer Fisher, will welcome Brazilian Fury Fighting lightweight champ into the UFC.
Round 1: Good strikes exchanged from opening bell. The fight goes to the ground where Dos Anjos shows great control, putting Stephens on the defensive for most of the round.
Round Winner: Dos Anjos (2-1)
Round 2: Great right hand and knee combos thrown by Stephens. Dos Anjos times one of these combos just right and spears Stephens to the ground where he locks on a tight anaconda lock around the torso of Stephens. Stephens defends well and manages to escape mounting Dos Anjos, landing some serious elbows during an effective ground and pound.
Round Winner: Stephens (3-1)
Round 3: The biggest right hand of the night is thrown by Stephens. I mean he winded up like Popeye does after eating spinach. Sends Dos Anjos hurdling to the mat where Stephens goes for the kill, following up with some more punches before the referee puts an end to it.
Jeremy Stephens wins by TKO :39.
BOUT 6: Kenny Florian (12-3) vs. Joe Stevenson (34-8) Kenny Florian is one of my favorite fighters. Not only does he look like Face from the A-Team but his fighting style is just insane. Joe Rogan made some comments that everyone takes his ground game for granted because his opponents are focusing with his Muay Thai skills. Stevenson (who resembles John Leguizamo) has an impressive record and is a skilled wrestler and Brazilian JiuJitsu black belt is looking to make a name for himself with a win over Florian.
Photobucket" border="0">
Round 1: From the opening bell Florian looks to use Muay Thai kicks to open things up. Stevenson gets in close and pins Florian to the fence. Florian escapes and manages to take Steveson down to the mat. An excellent transition fom stand up to ground game. Florian applies a rear naked choke.
Kenny Florian winner by tap-out via rear naked choke 4:03.
MAIN EVENT: Randy Couture (16-8) vs. Brock Lesnar (2-1) Referee: Mario Yamakazi Here it is folks. The main event! Randy "The Natural" Couture meeting maybe his toughest challenge in his career. He's without a doubt, a legend in MMA fighting and the UFC. And at 45 years old he can still bring it. His opponent, who I am balloting to nick name "Baby Fenster" is 31 years old and outweighs him buy about 45 lbs, and oh yeah, has a 85 inch reach! When the fighters touch gloves one is instantly reminded of Rocky being dwarfed by the gigantic Russian destructive force, Ivan Drago.
Round 1: Both fighters hunt each other before clinching. Brock throws a few knees that land to the body before Randy sneaks big right to Brock's head. Brock shoots on Randy for a take down. That boy can friggen move for a big guy because its lightening fast. They trade guards at about 2:00. But Brock can't do anything from half guard and seems winded by end of the round.
Winner: Draw
Round 2: Round opens with a big elbow by Brock to Couture's head. Randy, stunned, begins to lean on Lesnar as he pushes him up against the fence. It gives Randy enough time to recover. At 3:37 Brock gets cut on right eye by some good shots by Randy. Brock throws a 1-2 combo and lands a big right to the left side of Couture's head which sends him to the mat dazed. Brock rains a flurry of hammer punches until ref stops the fight.
Brock Lesnar winner by TKO at 3:07 in the second round.
Fight Summary: This was a classic battle of experience versus ability. Not taking any ability away from Randy Couture but at first glance the fight looked as if it would be lop-sided. I mean what in hell does this Lesnar guy eat?! Couture put up a great fight in my opinion, and Brock., although I dislike him for his arrogance, deserved the win and fought a little better. A lot of people are blogging today about how the ref stopped it too early but i call bullshit on that. I think the ref gave Couture ample time to recover but after 30-40 hammer punches by this behemoth you can't blame the guy for stopping the fight in the interest of safety. Could Couture have continued? Of course he could have. But that's what separatesMMA/UFC from a random street fight. The only question now is will Randy Couture hang up the gloves? Only he knows the answer to that.
SLIPKNOT, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, FOXBORO HOT TUBS, THE OFFSPRING, CANCER BATS, MOTLEY CRUE, SPOILER NYC, STICK TO YOUR GUNS, H20 Wednesday, November 12, 2008
STICK TO YOUR GUNS COMES FROM THE HEART Century Media
I got turned on to this band by a friend who stated, and I quote, “If you thought hardcore was dead Stick To Your Guns is a fucking zombie!” Brain eating undead aside, he was part right. STYG throws an uppercut with their new album Comes From the Heart. Its chock full of the positive messages of hardcore songs of yore but its got an updated sound. Will old school cats think this is hardcore? Will they call it metalcore? It’s a matter of opinion really, and you know what they say about opinions right? They’re like assholes, everyone has one. Anyway, OG STYG fans may badmouth the new album because the vocals are more geared to traditional hardcore and not metalcore. I applaud this move. Hearing the melodic changeups in the vocals is a refreshing change of pace in my mind. One can only hear so many Cookie monster vocals before he wants to rip his ear drums out with a spoon. Top tracks include: Heart from the Heartless, Enough’s Enough, and Accessory Children. GDeViL’s Verdict: Buy it. Support the hardcore scene and pay these guys their due. They have a great sound yet stay true to hardcore roots. I had the chance to see these guys live at the Revolver Thrash and Burn Fest and the energy they pumped out on that stage could be felt by everyone.
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD Swan Songs Octoscope Music
A bunch of masked Eminems!!!! But they mix a good dose of metal/rock instruments and hooks? Yes they had a song on the latest version of the Madden video game and yes they are yet another band who has used Myspace to their advantage but who the hell is gonna hold that against them in this day and age? HU is the real deal. A gangsta rap mashup with hooks reminiscent to pop/punk and metal. So far I’m diggin it. I’m looking forward to seeing them live and see what kind of crowd they draw. Top Tracks: Undead, City, California…aw hell, I can’t stop listening to this shit, all of em. GDeViL’s Verdict: This is what happens when the word “genre” is ignored. Kudos. Think Linkin Park only with balls and actually good hooks. The masks are a nice touch fellas but putting the album out the same week as fellow masked cohorts’ (Slipknot) may not have been such a good idea. Does anyone remember Mushroomhead? Bottom line, buy the album and get yo drink on.
SLIPKNOT ALL HOPE IS GONE Roadrunner Records
The original masked men from Iowa are back with their fourth full length release, All Hope is Gone. I’ve read a few initial reviews of the album and was not shocked most writers had mixed feelings on the album. Understandable given the subject. Slipknot has disappeared for a few years with its members branching off doing their own little side projects. Many felt that the monster known as Slipknot may have been sleign for good, that they lost their edge. I disagree. The “nasty nine” are back and as usual, they are pissed off. Let’s remember folks, normal bands have, at the most, five egos to deal with when making music. We’re talking about nine musicians here. Its an accomplishment in itself that they put this many albums out, and really, have they actually put out a bad album? No. Consider All Hope is Gone a mixture of all the previous albums, but please let’s not call them “Nu metal”. What the fuck is that shit anyway? Nu??? Slipknot is metal. All hope is NOT gone. Top Tracks: Gematria (The Killing Name), Psychosocial, Butcher’s Hook, All Hope is Gone GDeViL’s Verdict: I had the opportunity to actually hear Slipknot before seeing them. What I heard was a magnificent symphony of violent noise. When I saw them live in a small venue in NYC I could not believe that all these masked motherfuckers were on the stage at once making such heavy music. I’m a big fan of drumming in any metal band. Joey Jordinson is at his best and is undoubtedly one of THE best in the business. But the percussions of Shaun Crahan and Chris Fehn are astounding and can be felt big time on this album. Obtain this album by any means necessary.
SPOILER NYC Grease Fire in Hell’s Kitchen I Scream Records
Blue Collar, nitty-gritty, oi-punk. That’s what you’re gonna get with Spolier NYC. Their first album, Grease Fire in Hell’s Kitchen is exactly that. A messy, greasy, out of control, raging kitchen inferno, in what use to be one of NYC’s toughest neighborhoods (like the reast of the city, its being infiltrated by heartless yuppies). But when the smoke clears and the fire is put out, you’re left with a deliciously greasy burger and fries. Did I just call this album a burger? Whatever. The band is fronted by Alan Roberts of Life of Agony fame just to give you the pedigree on this one. Top Tracks: Ruined, Grease Fire in hell’s Kitchen, Suicide Motel GDeViL’s Verdict: Looking for a no frills punk album you can cruise to in your rebuilt Merc while picking up tattooed, Betty Page look-a-likes? This is the album to do it to.
H2O NOTHING TO PROVE Bridge 9 Records
There was once a time you could throw a rock in NYC and hit a lightpole which bared a flyer boasting of some hardcore/punk show being held within the city. CBGB’s, Wetlands, Tramps, Coney Island High and The Continental. All venues which showcased shows almost on a weekly basis. All gone. Every single one has closed shop, along with many of the bands which graced their stages in the days past. It appeared that for a while the NYHC scene may have died? H2O was born from the guts of the NYHC scene. Their music was a throwback when they first hit the stage back in 1995 and here we are now, in 2008, seven years since their last release and Nothing to Prove is a much needed breath of fresh air into a scene that many feel has lost its path. The members of H2O isn’t going to claim being saviors of a lost scene, but with their latest release, I don’t think anyone would argue the point. I always say that the scene today reminds me of punk and hardcore of the late 70s and 80s. Music has become more visual than audio. Much of it doesn’t have a message, or better yet, it doesn’t have a message worth listening to. Back then it was disco and hair metal that invaded good music. Nowadays its emo, prog rock and all this crossover nonsense. Is it good? To an extent. But I just feel that its always good to go back to your roots more often than not. I’m not saying H2O is saving the world or anything but Nothing to Prove is a much needed wakeup call for a scene that at times loses its way. The seven years hiatus has done these average joe’s some good. Refuled and refreshed they put out a classic hardcore album for the ages. Top Tracks: What Happened?, Fairweather Friend, A Thin Line, Undconditional. GDeViL’s Verdict: Old school cats will either love or hate this album. But putting all the shitty hardcore scene politics aside, this album is absolutely solid and totally worth the seven year wait. Although a couple pf more tracks would have been nice. Good work guys and thank you!
MOTELY CRUE SAINTS OF LOS ANGELES Eleven Seven Music ELES
Not many bands can claim they’ve been to hell and back… and back and forth again. For one band, not only has this journey to hell been done numerous times, but I think they’ve actually accumulated enough frequent flyer miles to own their own little corner in the fiery abyss. Yes, the Crue is back with their first full length recording in years. Saints of Los Angeles is aptly titled after the “glam” rock band who outlasted all the wannabe’s from back in the day. Saints brings back the raw sound only the original Crue can concoct. Top tracks include, Face Down in the dirt, Motherfucker of the Year, and Welcome to the Machine. GDeViL’s Verdict: Buy it. Not only buy it, but buy tickets to Cruefest as well. Its sure to be one of the top acts to see this summer…assuming the band keeps it all together and doesn’t relapse. The saddest sight I ever seen was a fat, bloated Vince Neil falling off a stage in New Jersey as he forgot the words to Livewire.
Cancer Bats Hail Destroyer Metal Blade Inc.
Canadian metal/hardcore/punk crossover miscreants are at it again with their sophomore effort Hail Destroyer. This album has quickly made its way to into the “most played” category on my playlist as of late. While CB have been labeled a hardcore act, its easy to hear the many influences that keep Hail Destroyer rockin. They do a great job of combining hardcore, punk, metal with a touch of southern rock. The result is an easy two thumbs up. Top tracks include: Hail Destroyer, a sure crowd pleaser, Harem of Scorpians, for the sick breakdowns, and my personal favorite, Sorceress, an ode to evil bitches everywhere. GDeViL’s Verdict: Buy it and see how many times your neighbors complain on you for cranking the decibel level to “ungodly”.
FOXBORO HOT TUBS STOP, DROP & ROLL
Green Day puts out a throwback 60s, garage band album. Yes, from the boys who brought you Dookie, comes a side project known as Foxboro Hot Tubs. The hipsters of Williamsburg have been drawn to this like a newly opened baggie of dope, but regardless, it’s a pretty interesting listen. Top tracks include, Ruby Room, She’s a Saint Not a Celebrity, and 27th Ave Shuffle. However, all of the tracks have been known to make your ass shake, even if it is just a little. GDeViL’s Verdict: Steal it from a hipster. Preferably maim the fucker while ripping it from his cold, dead hands too. This way you get the double satisfaction of ending the gentrification of NYC’s neighborhoods and scoring a good album to play at your next bash.
THE OFFSPRING RISE AND FALL, RAGE AND GRACE Sony/BMG
Pop-punk California darlings The Offsrping are back! But does anyone really care? After listening to their full length, I was almost hooked into saying “Yes, I care.” But sdaly after the first four tracks the album nose dives into a pile of main stream pop garbage. Top Tracks include: Half-Truism, Trust in You, You’re Gonna Go Far Kid, Hammerhead. GDeViL’s Verdict: Burn it…literally. Just set the fucker on fire. The offspring had something special when they released Ignition and Smash, but they lost me forever when they put out that Pretty Fly For White Guy penis discharge
MICKEY FEATHERSTONE ON VELVET REVOLVER Friday, September 5, 2008
Well...I went to the Velvet Revolver show last week and feel the need to bring attention to Scott Weiland. All I can say is cheat, cheat, cheat!!!! Aside from the fact that they went on almost an hour late, due to the fact that they couldn't find Scott, he then went on to suck! Don't get me wrong, the band was tight as hell but Scott is struggling and I don't mean with just addiction! I tried really hard to hear Scott but just couldn't! I could hear all the backup vocals loud and clear but his voice was almost non existent! When I mentioned cheat, here's what I meant by that....I can understand crowd participation but having the crowd sing a lot of the song, every song, COME ON!!! I know bands use props, example: Scotts megaphone....its good for the beginning of maybe one song, possibly for show or to make a statement. But when he needs to use it every song, then he's just cheating his way through having to actually sing a song cuz his voice is spent! Honestly when I did hear his voice, it sounded like shit! This man actually wants to reunite Stone Temple Pilots! It will be interesting to see if this happens, due to the fact that I think he's finished. I don't think time off will help this guy! Coming from a fan, I hope he proves me wrong! Tonya (Detroit)
BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, TOO PURE TO DIE, MICHALE GRAVES, PARKWAY DRIVE, BURY YOUR DEAD
BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE Scream. Aim. Fire. Sony BMG
British metalists BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE are back with their second album release, Scream. Aim. Fire. Rumor had it that the band was to change their style for this release. Which in my eyes would have been an enormous mistake. Just look at the results of other similar bands such as Trivium and Avenged Sevenfold when they decided to throw us a curveball with their styles. Poop. Cocky. And shit. That's what is the typical result. However, BFMV seemed to have delivered regardless of some minor changes.
For one, the vocals come in with less of a growl. But it's not as drastic as it sounds. Singer Matt Tuck actually does have a voice and can use it rather well in this capacity. He can still sound angry but on this album it's more smooth and easier to listen to. Besides, it fits perfectly with the bands emo-type lyrics and song material. Musically, the album reminds me of Dokken. And for those of you who are too young to know who Dokken is, go through dad's record collection and listen. They were definitely influenced by them.
The title track Scream Aim Fire is the opening track and sets a good tone for the rest of the album. They take a political turn lyric-wise, dealing with the war and the tactics their government is using to “lure” men into the military. I don't know anything about that, but the double bass and breakdowns are pretty kick ass. For the most part the coming tracks revert back to their emotional writing of ballads. Hearts Burst Into Fire is probably the tear jerker of the album and no joke, it's my favorite. The heaviest track is Waking the Demon. Monster riffage and Tuck's vocals are brought to a growl more often than any other track.
Overall, it's a solid sophomore effort. No need to worry about “selling out” here just because they may have changed or added a few things here and there to separate them from the rest of the cookie cutter emo-metal bands.
TOO PURE TO DIE Confidence and Consequence Trustkill Records
I have never heard of this band before. While walking the aisle at the local record shop, the cover of the band's debut album, Confidence and Consequence, caught my eye. The manager of the shop put a little sticker on it that said “Manager's Pick!!! The Second Best Band to Come Out Of Iowa!!!” It left me wondering, who the hell was the first best band? I'm guessing it had to be Slipknot, but I could be wrong. Anyway, it was enough to peak my interest, so I bought it and threw it my cd player for the ride home.
What I heard was a very raw sounding album. Nothing over the top or overly inventive, but more of a back to basics metalcore sound. Nothing fancy. Like blue jeans and a white t-shirt… you can always pull it off and still look good. Two tracks that really got me excited were the title track, Confidence and Consequence and 99. Other tracks, while good, didn't really hold my attention as well. That's not to say they weren't any good however.
I did a little research on the band and found that this album is actually a re-release done over with a new singer (Paul Zurlo). Apparently past fans feel that the new singer doesn't mesh well with the lyrics and are calling for the old, unknown to me, singer. Regardless, Confidence and Consequence is a pretty solid album just the same. Maybe they'll let the new guy do it more his style than trying to copy the past.
MICHALE GRAVES & DAMIEN ECHOLS Illusions SOS Records
Ex-Misfit frontman and all around Republican good guy recorded 15 tracks of folkie, raw, and inspirational indie goodness. Say what!?! Yes. You heard me correctly. That guy who ran around, and still does, with a skull painted on his face, who gave the Misfits a much needed boost, is actually ditching the face paint and letting it all hang out so to speak.
Anyone who knows Graves knows that he is an uber conservative. In January 2004, Michale helped found conservativepunk.com in which he also contributes and writes for. Michale has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Times, National Public Radio, WABC, Fox news, WLIB and USA Today and news outlets all over the world speaking and debating issues relating to pop culture, politics, counterculture, rock music and the entertainment industry. In October 2004, Michale addressed The Young Republicans Club of New York City and received a standing ovation. He was made an honorary member of the club and placed on their board of advisors. Kind of rare in the punk scene don't you think?
Who is Damien Echols? He's a guy who, along with three others, were convicted of multiple homicides in Memphis circa 1993. They have been in prison ever since, awaiting a death sentence that has been overturned more times than an overdone pancake. I won't get into the specifics of the story, but it sis interesting. Go check it out here
But I WILL speak on the album. Afterall that's why you're here I assume, not for politics. If you were expecting the Misfits then place this cd back on the rack and continue along. Although you may want to here Graves' acoustic versions of Misfits faves, Dig Up Her Bones and Crying On A Saturday Night. Other noteworthy tracks would be Frostbite and Wormwood. Lyrically sound recordings throughout. The album is more along the lines of Nick Cave, but in this writer's opinion, its better and has less gay in it. Give it a listen while sippin on some sort of alcoholic cocktail on a quiet evening at home and give the headbanging a rest.
Australian metalcore? You betcha. This is by far one of the best albums I have heard, regardless of genre, in quite sometime. I believe this is their third release and why I have never picked up any of their stuff is beyond me. I'm in the process of obtaining the rest of their albums, but Horizons can stand on its own, without knowing any background on the band.
The band is all about monster breakdowns and scorching solos. They are prevalent on every track and make a listen to the entire album go by in what seems like a blink of an eye. At first purchase I listened to the album in its entirety six times. Favorite tracks are Carrion and Boneyards but that was pretty difficult to narrow down to just two.
About a year ago BYD released Beauty and the Breakdown and this writer, along with many others anointed them the Kings of the Hardcore Breakdown (If they hadn't yet already). BYD as a band has been through a lot. They have had more lineup changes than the Spears' sisters have had pregnancy tests. They have dodged bullet after bullet that would have been the nail in the coffin for any other band. Guitarist Eric Ellis was jumped after a show in Milwaukee which caused the band to drop off the tour they were on (I believe Hell Yeah was the headliner so no harm, no foul in my book, that band sucks). So in about a year, and three vocalists later, BYD is back with their fourth full length.
Vocalist, Myke Terry (Cassius) is the current throat of BYD. He's not a dramatic shift from the former singers of the band so on this album, you don't lose anything in that department. They do change it up a bit and add some more melodic vocals on some tracks. In my opinion it makes BYD a little easier to listen to if you've never heard them before. But this band has never been about being easy on the ears. When hardcore/metalcore aficionado speak of BYD, they speak of breakdowns. The art of the breakdown… when all the music comes together in a tribal crescendo, has been re-written again and again by BYD, album after brutal album. The breakdowns continue on Bury Your Dead. That's really all that has to be said isn't it?
AVON JUNKIES, BLOODSIMPLE, DISFEAR, THE SWORD
AVON JUNKIES A Merchants Tale Unsigned
Being a Staten Island local and into the music scene it's hard not to run into local favorites, the Avon Junkies. All one has to do is attend one of the Junkies' shows to see what this band is about. They are a fusion of metal, punk, ska, funk, jazz. And anything else I missed can probably be thrown in there. But the bottom line is these guys know how to rock, and rock well at that mind you. That's what happens when actual musicians play together and the Avon Junkies are chock full of talented musicians.
Their first full length release, The Merchants Tale, is a collection of nine pieces. That's right; I said pieces, not tracks. Most of the pieces clock in at an average of 5-6 minutes. The use of trumpets, trombones and banjos makes the time fly, and before you know it you're listening to the album on your second or third run. Its hard to say which track is the ear grabber on Merchants. But if you insist, I would have to go with the opener Never Be followed by the quasi love song, Bullshit. Did I even mention the lyrics that go along with this magnificent sound are matched perfectly? Take this line in Lost…”Don't try and pretend like all we have is strictly in the bed. I remember the times we used the floor instead.” Fucking brilliant.
So support a local band, support good music and become a Junkie. Grab The Merchants Tale and add a little color to your music collection.
BLOODSIMPLE Red Harvest Bully Goat/Reprise Records
Red Harvest has been out for a few months now and either I have been living under a rock or the marketing for the album sucked. I'm willing to bet it's the latter. For those who don't know, Bloodsimple is a metal project embarked on by Tim Williams and Mike Kennedy (formerly of New York hardcore legend, V.O.D.) When their first release hit the stands (Cruel World) I was pissing in my pants with excitement. I thought it would be a similar sound compared to V.O.D., of which I was and still am a HUGE fan of. I wasn't disappointed with Cruel World but it's seemed that the band was trying really hard to mesh a little of the old with the new. It was a decent album, but their identity was yet to be revealed.
One complete listen to Red Harvest, I'd say that the identity has been found. Tim's vocals are still one of the best in the business. He's been doing the dual scream/melodic vocal thing since 1996-97. Bands today need two singers to reach the range he can. Red Harvest is a straight punch to the mouth. Heavy breakdowns litter the album while Tim harnesses all the emotion he can into each track. Top tracks would have to be the title track, Red Harvest, Dark Helmet (intense breakdowns), and sure to be a crowd favorite and my own favorite, Dead Man Walking. The opening riff will send chills down your spine. Promise.
Bloodsimple has taken a step in the right direction where most bands seem to falter. I'm not surprised due to their pedigree. I'm sure its going to continue.
Haven't heard of Disfear? Well wake the fuck up and have a cup of metal. Former At The Gates vocalist, Tomas Lindberg and fellow Swedes go for the jugular on the band's sophomore effort. There's nothing fancy here. A total blue collar approach to an old school metal sound and it's pulled off beautifully. Think Motorhead on a cocaine binge…for a week. It's not taking anything away from the band's talent. The guitar work and drums are off the chart, and Lindberg's legendary growl has never been better. Not much has changed sound wise since their first release, Misanthropic Generation. To anyone who isn't a fan of Gothenburg metal the tracks may tend to blend into one another, making it difficult to tell when one song ends and another begins. But traditionalists will surely be banging their heads to the dark, groove metal sound that is brought forth on Live The Storm. The band does a good job with the changeups and the use of choruses. Just enough to get you amped up for the next song. Top tracks include, Get It Off, Deadweight and my personal favorite, Phantom. Catch them on tour in the states now before they go overseas. You'll be in for one hell of a show.
Throw back heavy metal act, The Sword have released their second full length, Gods of the Earth. The highly technical Austin, TX act is back, chock full of another dose of Norse mythology and fuzzed out riffs. If Black Sabbath were to be reborn in this day and age, Ozzy Osbourne's new name would be J.D. Cronise and Tommy Iommi would come back as Kyle Shutt. That should give you an idea of what The Sword sounds like just in case you've been in a coma since their debut album, Age of Winters. I've only given the album about two full listens so far but I've found myself bobbing my head to the deep beats and grooves cut through with perfect precision by the band. An absolute score and must buy. Top track? Try How Heavy This Ax and Lords on for size.
WD SYNDICATE 2008 SUMMER TOUR GUIDE
With summer come many things. Mostly all of them are good. The warm weather just makes you wanna reach out and hug someone doesn't it? If you answered yes, then leave my website, never return, and fall on a knife…repeatedly. There's only one thing on our mind here at the Syndicate once the temperature goes up…and no it doesn't involve your mother and corn oil. Music festivals ya big dummy! Here's a quick guide to a few tours we deem worthy of labeling “cool”. Some you have heard of, maybe some you haven't. Obscure or not, here's a little guide to help you decide how to spend your summer.
1. THE BAMBOOZLE
The Where's and When's: May 3rd and 4th in beautiful East Rutherford, NJ at Giants Stadium. (The home of the Superbowl champion New York Football Giants by the way…fuck you New England) http://www.thebamboozle.com/
Current Lineup: Way too many to list. Without a doubt Bamboozle is the most diverse two days of music of the summer and it just keeps getting bigger. Just to name a few how about Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Eat World, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Paramore and Bret Michaels…yes, I said Bret Michaels. Rumor has it that he will be performing Poison songs as well as growing his hairline back for an encore.
Most Notable Act: Minus the obvious headliners I'd have to go with my boys in The Mighty Mighty Bosstones performing on the second day. This band gave so many punk and hardcore acts an opening shot back in the day, its good to see them performing at a big event again. They are sure to put on a sick set fueled with anti-New York Yankee comments.
…Oh and a little band called Every Time I Die will also be scorching a stage.
Photobucket" border="0">
