Tag Archives: hard rock

Album Review – Grenouer / Unwanted Today (2015)

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If alternative heavy music is your cup of tea, the new album by this talented and experienced Russian band might be exactly what you are looking for.

Rating4

5.Unwanted_Today.Album_coverUnwanted Today is more than just the eighth studio album by Russian Alternative Metal/Rock band Grenouer. Blending elements of traditional Heavy Metal and Alternative Rock and always evolving in a very similar way to what can be found in the music by renowned bands such as Sevendust, Velvet Revolver and Linkin Park, among others, the entire album is a very interesting expedition through the realms of alternative music and, according to the band members themselves, can be considered “a soundtrack to an epic story of loss, struggle, and resurgence.”

In case you have no idea of what that actually means, I suggest you take a good listen at Unwanted Today in its entirety, and not just at one or two songs, otherwise you won’t be able to absorb the full message delivered by this talented four-piece group from Saint Petersburg, Russia. Not only that, the music in the album is nicely complemented by guest contributions from Eddy Cavazza (John Wetton, Anthony Phillips), Demian Von Dunkelwald (Overunit Machine), Enrico ‘Erk’ Scutti (Figure Of Six) and Dmitriy Yankovskiy (Helicaon Opera), adding extra layers of vibrancy to the overall result.

The futuristic intro Awake already presents to the listener the avant-garde side of the band, but it’s when the heavy riffs and keyboards from Alternative Metal from the title-track Unwanted Today kick in that you’ll get a much better taste of what Grenouer have to offer. In addition, lead singer Andrey Ind has a smooth and melancholic voice that matches perfectly with the band’s musicality. It’s a very good song for driving on an endless road, just like A Little Too Obsessed, which presents a stronger Hard Rock vibe the likes of Velvet Revolver thanks to the job done by guitarist Alexander Motor. In my opinion, this is what Linkin Park could have been doing if they hadn’t chosen the more “commercial” path of the music industry.

The following track, Something Really Bad, is another radio-ready tune where the band delivers a pleasant and very cohesive sonority with its Rock N’ Roll riffs enhanced by its Alternative Rock drums and vocals, while the slower and more introspective On A Rainy Day sounds tailored for a relaxing moment alone. Blossoms In The Dust, a semi-ballad where the low-tuned bass lines by Al Bolo keep it away from being commercial due to their strength, follows a similar pattern as the previous track, with highlights to Andrey and Alexander for being in total sync. And “closing” the first half of the album we have I Can’t Stand It, where Grenouer travel back to an Alternative Metal musicality, in special its heavier riffs and atmospheric passages with the vocals by Andrey being boosted by the background effects. Besides, its straightforward lyrics truly help the song become more enjoyable.

3.Grenouer.Photo.AIn Daily Miracles, which even has a headbanging feeling despite not being pure metal music, they combine elements from bands like Korn, Linkin Park and Sevendust, with Al Bolo once again kicks ass on bass, whereas Going To Stay is even heavier and therefore more inclined to Heavy Metal. It’s my favorite song of the entire album, with guest guitarist Eddy Cavazza enhancing its energy level and its chorus being extremely effective and catchy. Point Of No Return, another introspective song totally focused on its vocals lines, kind of disappoints a little not for being a bad song ( it delivers what it proposes), but for coming right after the most exciting tune of all. Maybe if it had been placed before “Going To Stay” it would have sounded a lot better, who knows, at least to my ears.

The electricity is back in Artificial Tears, a great display of Alternative Rock with a metallic energy flowing and the constant beats by Danny D leading the song, before Don’t Let Them (Get You Down) shows us all Grenouer know how to go from low and heavy music to gentler passages, displaying a high level of professionalism that proves why they’ve been in action since the 90’s. And to properly wrap up this alternative “soundtrack” they offer us the outro Clearway, which showcases an impeccable connection with how everything started in “Awake”.

You can get more information on Grenouer at their Facebook page and YouTube channel, and also get your copy of Unwanted Today at the Mausoleum Records webstore or at the band’s BandCamp page. If you’re a fan of well-crafted alternative heavy music, this entertaining album by this skillful band from Russia might be exactly what you’re looking for to add to your playlist.

Best moments of the album: Unwanted Today, A Little Too Obsessed and Going To Stay.

Worst moments of the album: Point Of No Return.

Released in 2015 Mausoleum Records

Track listing
1. Awake 1:01
2. Unwanted Today 3:17
3. A Little Too Obsessed 3:37
4. Something Really Bad 3:25
5. On A Rainy Day 2:46
6. Blossoms In The Dust 3:27
7. I Can’t Stand It 3:14
8. Daily Miracles 3:27
9. Going To Stay 2:57
10. Point Of No Return 3:25
11. Artificial Tears 3:10
12. Don’t Let Them (Get You Down) 3:44
13. Clearway 1:47

Band members
Andrey Ind – vocals
Alexander Motor – guitars
Al Bolo – bass
Danny D – drums 

Guest musicians
Eddy Cavazza – lead guitar on “Going To Stay” and keyboards on “Clearway”
Demian Von Dunkelwald – guest vocals
Enrico ‘Erk’ Scutti – guest vocals
Dmitriy Yankovskiy – guest vocals

Album Review – Broken Rain / Here Comes The Pain (2015)

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Here come Broken Rain and their feast of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock.

Rating4

here comes the painWhat originally started as a cover band in 2006, playing classics from behemoths such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, has finally evolved into a much more compelling and original act who, above all things, remained loyal and true to the roots of Heavy Metal, their strongest passion in life and the essence of their powerful music. I’m talking about Slovakian Heavy Metal band Broken Rain and their debut full-length album, the ass-kicking metal extravaganza Here Comes The Pain.

After releasing a demo in 2009, which included some cover songs and three original tunes, and after sharing the stage with several metal bands in Europe in the past few years, including opening for British legends Uriah Heep in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia in October 2011, the band formed by Martin Rybár (lead vocals), Filip Prašovský (guitars, backing vocals), Vladislav Gális (bass, backing vocals), Imrich Šimig (keyboards, guitars) and Branislav Končír (drums) is more than ready to rock with their debut album. Combining the foundations of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal with elements of modern metal genres, Here Comes The Pain will guide you on a pleasant heavy music journey that will remind you why you became a metalhead many years ago, making you bang your head, raise the horns and sing together with the band.

With its spooky intro with wolves, wind, screams and so on, the opening track Burn The Witch takes the listener to the amazing kingdom of heavy music from the 70’s and 80’s, sounding like a tribute to Helloween, Deep Purple, Axel Rudi Pell and many other metal giants, especially due to the awesome riffs by Filip. It’s a very exciting tune with a simple and catchy chorus, and I don’t need to say the lyrics talk about how witches are mesmerizing and drag us to the dark side, right? In Seize The Fire, Martin delivers some solid Power Metal vocal lines inspired by the unique voice of Michael Kiske while Imrich enhances the overall musicality with his keyboards, followed by Forgotten Heroes and its true fighting vibe and rhythm. The lyrics are an ode to all our heroes in life (“In the night dark and cold / It was a sight to behold / When the final battle came / They were covered in blood / Lost in the enemy flood / But they still felt no pain”), with the final guitar solo by Filip truly representing what those words are saying.

There’s no way you will not enjoy Wanna Love My Girl, an awesome 70’s rock ballad with resonant keyboard notes, where Martin puts his heart and soul into singing it and deserves our recognition for such a good performance, as well as the Hard Rock party Burning Eyes, where once again the combination of riffs, keyboards and beats works really well. In addition, you will love how the music “rises” until its sing-along chorus (“Burning eyes / When you look in the mirror / And feel like you’re gonna cry / Just set the light / As it comes through the window / The chance is zero / But it may happen tonight”). Not only the title-track Here Comes The Pain focuses on traditional Heavy Metal with more modern elements such as harsher backing vocals, but it’s also time for drummer Branislav to have a whole lot of fun due to its faster rhythm, followed by the pure Heavy Metal found in So Far Away: inspired by the unparalleled music by Iron Maiden and Helloween, this song showcases great performances by Martin and Branislav, with highlights to the thunderous bass lines by Vladislav. Every single time I listen to a song like this I remember why I love metal music so much.

Broken Rain_Photo by Marius Sachtikus PhotographyWhen Broken Rain blend the metallic sounding by Judas Priest with the groovy music by Deep Purple in some sort of tribute to the power of Rock N’ Roll music, the result is I Want To Play Rock, where although the whole band seems very cohesive and energized, it’s Imrich who ends up stealing the show with his keyboards. The following track, Tonight, is a semi-ballad that sounds like it was recorded for a cigarette TV commercial, reminding me of the best tunes by Van Halen with Sammy Haggar on vocals, while Prisoners In The Wasteland is another fun and direct song full of energy, keeping the album at a high level even after “so many” songs.

Finally, Martin relies on some high-pitched screams to kick off Strong, an average song which is a little below the rest of the album in terms of quality (but that should sound better if played in front of a live audience), before the album closes with the self-titled bonus Broken Rain, and let me tell you this is an incredible Rock N’ Roll tune with a killer performance by Imrich. This song can be played on any rock n’ roll radio station in the world without a shadow of a doubt, and people will just love it.

In order to feel more of the high-quality sonic “pain” inflicted by Broken Rain, go check their Twitter account and their Bandzone.cz page, listen to a nice preview of Here Comes The Pain at their SoundCloud page, and obviously purchase the album  (available as a CD or a digital download) at their official webstore. If you are a heavy music lover, make yourself ready because here come Broken Rain and their feast of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock.

Best moments of the album: Burn The Witch, Wanna Love My Girl, So Far Away and Broken Rain.

Worst moments of the album: Seize The Fire and Strong.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Burn The Witch 5:24
2. Seize The Fire 5:14
3. Forgotten Heroes 5:51
4. Wanna Love My Girl 5:18
5. Burning Eyes 5:48
6. Here Comes The Pain 5:29
7. So Far Away 4:33
8. I Want To Play Rock 3:48
9. Tonight 4:50
10. Prisoners In The Wasteland 5:05
11. Strong 4:22

Bonus track
12.Broken Rain 3:34

Band members
Martin Rybár – lead vocals
Filip Prašovský – guitars, backing vocals
Vladislav Gális – bass, backing vocals
Imrich Šimig – keyboards, guitars
Branislav Končír – drums

Concert Review – Volbeat (General Motors Centre, Oshawa, ON, 05/12/2015)

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Awesome bands playing awesome music don’t always translate into an awesome experience.

OPENING ACTS: Crobot and Anthrax

volbeat_na2015I have to start this review by grunting some really unpleasant words about the whole organization of what was supposed to be a great event at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ontario on the night of May 12. First of all, whoever thought Oshawa was a better city for Volbeat and Anthrax to play instead of Toronto made a huge mistake, and I’m not complaining about the distance to Oshawa, as a 1 or 2-hour drive is nothing to worry about. The huge issue was the lack of information and the complete nonsense regarding the sales of the general admission (floor) tickets. I swear to Ronnie James Dio that I tried to purchase those tickets a hundred times online and all I could get were some stupid seats far from the stage. I thought it was going to be a sold out event because of that, but guess what? The floor was not even half full, nor were the seats closer to the stage, which makes me wonder if scalpers had all the remaining tickets for the floor area, or if the venue system is a lame piece of garbage worse than Windows Millenium Edition.

Not only that, the price for the floor or the seats was the exact same shit, so why couldn’t they allow some people that wanted to access the floor area (who most probably had the same issue I had buying their tickets) to actually change their seats for the floor if the price was not a single penny off? That also caused lots of minor incidents between fans and the organization, some even involving physical interactions. Well, that’s what happens when amateurs avid for some easy money try to organize a mini-festival that shouldn’t be held at a venue like that. Shame on you, whoever had the “brilliant” idea of taking such awesome bands as Volbeat and Anthrax to a shithole like that, weakening the performance of the bands to the point it looked like a lackluster and uninspired concert.

The guys in charge of opening the night were American Rock band CROBOT, from Pottsville, Pennsylvania. I’ll be honest with you, this is definitely not my type of music, but the band tried as much as they could to stimulate a very passive crowd, especially the nonstop frontman Brandon Yeagley and the “crazy-frog-legs” bassist Jake Figueroa. If you love Psychedelic Rock, go after their music: they’re very talented musicians who have the energy of the 70’s ingrown inside their spirit and are more than capable of delivering that energy through each of their songs.

Setlist
1. The Legend of the Spaceborne Killer
2. Skull of Geronimo
3. Night of the Sacrifice
4. La Mano de Lucifer
5. Nowhere To Hide
6. The Necromancer
7. Chupacabra
8. Fly on the Wall

Band members
Brandon Yeagley – lead vocals, harmonica
|Bishop – guitar, vocals
Jake Figueroa – bass
Paul Figueroa – drums

IMG_0280When you see a guy with a huge Anthax tattoo on his arm AND wearing an Anthrax T-shirt watching an ANTHRAX concert so passively, barely moving to the point I almost called the paramedics to check if he was still breathing, you know there’s something very wrong going on. The “humongous” space between my seat and the front one was killing me, as well as the somnolence of one of the worst crowds I’ve ever seen in my life. However, even with all those issues, Anthrax kicked ass once again, of course, thanks to their flawlessly executed frantic Thrash Metal. I just wish I could be together with some real fans who were having a good time when they were caught in the rare but exciting mosh pits on the floor area. Well, if people are capable of standing still while Joey, Scott & Co. play masterpieces like Caught in a Mosh, Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t and the best song of the night in my opinion, the heavy and furious I Am the Law, they should rethink paying 50 bucks for a ticket and almost 9 bucks for a beer. Damn, and people keep complaining they do not have money. Stay home and watch a DVD, right?

Setlist
1. Worship
2. Caught in a Mosh
3. Got the Time (Joe Jackson cover)
4. Madhouse
5. Antisocial (Trust cover)
6. Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t
7. Soror Irrumator
8. Hymn 1
9. In the End

Encore:
10. I Am the Law
11. Indians

Band members
Joey Belladonna – lead vocals
Jonathan Donais – lead guitar
Scott Ian – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Frank Bello – bass guitar, backing vocals
Charlie Benante – drums, percussion

VOLBEAT

IMG_0300Every single word used above for describing the Anthrax concert can be replicated to Danish Heavy/Hard Rock band VOLBEAT. I cannot believe I witnessed one of the best heavy bands of the modern era playing tons of awesome songs to a crowd that looked like they were at the funeral of their grandmothers. Except for random groups and couples that were truly enjoying the electrifying music by Volbeat, the rest of the “fans” were falling asleep and some even left the venue BEFORE the band played half of their setlist. Again, I don’t care it was on a Tuesday night and you had to work on the next morning, why don’t you just save some money and stay home watching a DVD if you thought it was getting late? At least I was able to move to a better location, as more than half of the seats were empty just like the floor area, and could stand up and dance with my lady to classic such as A New Day, Danny & Lucy (11 pm), Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood and The Mirror and the Ripper.

IMG_0304The badass kids that went on stage during 16 Dollars and banged their heads like most adults at the venue couldn’t do were a breath of fresh air amidst the audience’s stagnant attitude, but the incidents during one of my top Volbeat songs, The Garden’s Tale, with a woman having to be carried out of the arena due to her stupid behaviour (including hitting the poor security guys many times), could pretty much summarized my feeling during the entire night. Not even when Volbeat played part of a brand new still-nameless song of their upcoming new album, which by the way sounded superb, the fans reacted properly. I guess even the band felt the same way, with Michael Poulsen and Rob Caggiano making a lot of mistakes during many songs like if they were “who cares, this audience is shit anyway.”

When Volbeat returns to Canada, let’s pray to the Metal Gods that they come to Toronto instead of Oshawa, and to a much better venue with a professional organization, so that I can purchase my floor tickets and really feel the heat of the music by those rockers. Sorry, Oshawa people, nothing against you. The problem is that you had your chance to show those amazing bands you’re worth their visit, but you screw it up pretty bad. Next time, come to Toronto and you’ll see how you should behave when Anthrax and Volbeat are kicking ass on stage.

Setlist
1. Hallelujah Goat
2. A New Day
3. Dead but Rising
4. Lola Montez
5. Danny & Lucy (11 pm)
6. Sad Man’s Tongue
7. The Nameless One
8. Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
9. Ecotone
10. The Human Instrument
11. The Garden’s Tale
12. Heaven nor Hell / A Warrior’s Call
13. Doc Holliday
14. The Mirror and the Ripper
15. 16 Dollars

Encore:
16. Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza
17. The Hangman’s Body Count
18. The Lonesome Rider
19. Fallen
20. Still Counting

Band members
Michael Poulsen – vocals, guitar
Rob Caggiano – guitar
Anders Kjølholm – bass
Jon Larsen – drums

Album Review – Rockstar Frame / Rock ‘N’ Roll Mafia (2015)

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This distinguished Italian mafia is here to stay with only one objective in mind: spreading their rousing Rock N’ Roll music all over the world.

Rating4

RSF_RNR MafiaInspired by the rock music his family played him while he was in a coma after falling from a cliff years ago, which by the way he believes helped bring him back, drummer Max Klein formed Rock N’ Roll/Hard Rock band Rockastar Frame in 2012 in Milan, Italy. Now, after many live performances and after winning several contests such as the national Rock on the Road in 2014, the band is ready to spread their electrifying music all across the world with their debut album, the excellent Rock ‘N’ Roll Mafia.

Obviously, that wouldn’t have been possible without all the talent, hard work and passion for music that have accompanied each band member for years. For instance, frontwoman Faith Blurry recorded vocals for her first commercial on Italian TV when she was only 6; keyboardist Ace Wave holds a summa cum laude degree in classical piano from the Academy of Music, where bassist Andy Di Bella is also finishing up his electric bass studies; and band founder Max and guitarist Morris Steel have been professional session musicians for the past ten years. In other words, all that energy and willpower translates into pure top-notch Rock N’ Roll.

Do you want to know why Rock N’ Roll with piano and keyboards sounds so cool? The opening track, entitled Guilt, has the answer to that question. This is radio material, as catchy as it can be, with the rocking vocals by the red-haired diva Faith matching perfectly with the band’s music. She’s Hot also has all the ingredients to become another instant radio hit, sounding even more powerful than the opening track. Moreover, Ace and Max keep delivering some exciting notes and solos while Faith is totally on fire, and what to say about the song’s chorus? It’s undisputed sexy rock music.

After that kick-ass old school Rock N’ Roll start, the band shows their Alternative Rock side in Addictions, full of background effects and a more atmospheric rhythm thanks to the job done by Ace on keyboards, but quickly returning to their roots in the title-track Rock ‘N’ Roll Mafia. Of course it’s not Deep Purple per se, and it’s not the band’s intention to be so, but this song has a strong Purple-ish vein that makes it truly gripping. It’s not only fast and groovy, but there’s also so much adrenaline in it I believe there might even be some mosh pits when this song is played live. In Song for You, it’s time to slow down and enjoy a nice Rock N’ Roll and Hard Rock ballad where Faith has another beautiful performance while Ace oce again nails it with his piano notes, followed by the heaviest of all songs, This Burning Song, a Hard Rock tune with stronger riffs. It’s a good example of how their “catchy-chorus machine” doesn’t seem to stop for a single second, being highly recommended for fans of straightforward rock music.

RSFWith hints of Blues and its provocative lyrics, the awesome tune Poison has the perfect name and rhythm to qualify it as a hot strip-tease theme, while Cherry Boobs might not be a bad song, but it’s below average, getting a little repetitive after a while. It’s still enjoyable and a good option for a TV ad that needs some rock music, though. The next track, Lie, which is also closer to Alternative Rock than old school Hard Rock, has a very cohesive and creative instrumental with the final guitar solo by Morris being really good, but unfortunately the same can’t be said about Years Gone,  a generic rock semi-ballad that’s too commercial (even if that’s what the band wanted with this song). It doesn’t really harm the overall quality of the album, but it’s just unnecessary filler in my opinion.

That minor “incident” is followed by a sequence of outstanding songs that put the album back on track, starting with RSF (the acronym for Rockstar Frame), a heavy tune with a nice melody and a crucial punch to make it stand out among so many good rock songs in the album. Then we have second song with elements found in the music by Deep Purple (especially in regards to the keyboards), I Don’t Give a Fuck, a very soulful song which old school lyrics fit Faith’s voice nicely; Twisted Double Nature, a modern rock music song that focuses on the passionate vocals by Faith, which ends up enhancing its final result; and finally the last regular track of the album, a fantastic piano ballad entitled Fairytale, where Faith steals the show with her strong but smooth voice. Besides, its lyrics go really well with the music, with kudos to Ace for another amazing performance on keyboards. And if you think 14 hymns of pure rock music are not enough, there’s also an excellent bonus track called Limitless for Life, strongly influenced by 80’s and 90’s Hard Rock.

I personally prefer the first half of the album as I’m more of a metalhead than a rocker, but it’s undeniable that the music by this one-of-a-kind Italian mafia is way above your average rock music (well, the album art says it all). You can check more of their music at their SoundCloud page, give a shout to them on their official Twitter, and of course purchase Rock ‘N’ Roll Mafia at the Musicarchy Media webstore. If you feel you’re ready to join the Rockstar Frame mafia, don’t think twice and succumb to their action-packed rock music. You’re going to love it.

Best moments of the album: Guilt, She’s Hot, Rock ‘N’ Roll Mafia, Poison and Fairytale.

Worst moments of the album: Cherry Boobs and Years Gone.

Released in 2015 Musicarchy Media

Track listing
1. Guilt 3:20
2. She’s Hot 3:24
3. Addictions 3:46
4. Rock ‘N’ Roll Mafia 3:52
5. Song for You 4:22
6. This Burning Song 3:22
7. Poison 3:26
8. Cherry Boobs 3:42
9. Lie 3:49
10. Years Gone 4:08
11. RSF 3:54
12. I Don’t Give a Fuck 3:34
13. Twisted Double Nature 4:03
14. Fairytale 3:22

Bonus track
15. Limitless for Life 4:16

Band members
Faith Blurry – vocals
Morris Steel – guitars
Andy Di Bella – bass
Ace Wave – keyboards
Max Klein – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Samantha Maloney

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samantha01

Samantha kick-starting our hearts!

Everyone knows that most heavy music drummers simply hate studio sessions: they feel a billion times better when they’re able to pound their drums in front of a live audience. However, when the drummer is not just a regular guy but an unstoppable woman who has absolutely no mercy for her drum kit, things get even more exciting, which is exactly the case with our Metal Chick of the Month, the always fired up American Hard Rock drummer Samantha Maloney.

This blonde bombshell, who was born on December 11, 1975 in New York City, New York, but currently living in Valley Village, California, got her first drum set when she was only five years old, and I guess I don’t need to say how important that milestone was for the rest of her life and career. During part of her teenage years, Samantha studied percussion at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City right before joining her first band, American Post-Hardcore Shift, with whom she recorded the EP Pathos (1994) and the full-length albums Spacesuit (1995) and Get In (1997). You can check her work with Shift on YouTube, as for example the good song Trudge.

It was after Shift that she became truly famous in the world of heavy and alternative music, when in 1998 she joined American Alternative Rock band Hole, from the always controversial Courtney Love, and started touring the whole world, including countries such as Japan and the UK, and appearing on TV, magazines, music videos and interviews. However, things got even more exciting for our hardcore lady in 2000, when she became the official drummer for American Hard Rock legends Motley Crüe and recorded with them their 2002 Lewd, Crüed & Tattooed DVD from the New Tattoo tour. This is where you can see Samantha Malone at her best in total synchronicity with Vince Neil, Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx playing classics like Kickstart My Heart, Girls, Girls, Girls, Home Sweet Home, Live Wire and Shout At The Devil, proving why the band chose her to join them at that time.

After leaving Motley Crüe in 2004, she formed a supergroup called The Chelsea with Melissa Auf der Maur (The Smashing Pumpkins, Hole), Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle), and Radio Sloan (The Need), but they mysteriously played only one concert together before splitting the band, and also recorded the drums for Courtney Love’s debut solo album America’s Sweetheart, which I personally consider pretty decent musically speaking if you take into account all the complex and sometimes unbelievable issues Courtney has always had in her life and career.

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Although America’s Sweetheart was the last full-length album with Samantha on drums, she recorded lots of other songs and singles with a huge variety of artists. For instance, in 2006 she was a guest musician in the album Impeach My Bush, by Electroclash punk artist Peaches, with whom she ended up touring in support of the album; in 2007, she released the single Happy For You with a project called The Ingenues; and in 2010, together with Billy Ray Cyrus, they formed a band named Brother Clyde, recording the single Lately. Besides that, she was also involved in numerous projects with artists such as Daryl Hannah, Eagles of Death Metal and Scott Ian (Anthrax), and managed for a period of time a Los Angeles-based all-girl teenage rock group called Cherri Bomb.

In addition to all that, Maloney has also a career as an actress: in 2008, she guest starred as “Sam”, Lou Ashby’s chauffeur on three episodes of the Showtime series “Californication”, and in 2006 she played the part of Maureen Tucker in the movie “Factory Girl”, not to mention she also added live drums to the score for the film Black Hawk Down in 2003 and is currently involved with a TV series called Next Great Family Band.

Among her biggest influences in music, we can find huge names such as John Bonham, Phil Collins, Neil Peart and Tommy Lee, and probably due to all the talent and energy those guys emanate while behind their drum kits Samantha decided to continue drumming instead of pursuing a serious basketball career with her college back in 1993. Fortunately, for the fans of good music, her biggest idols in life were not guys like Magic Johnson or Larry Bird, right?

Lastly, Samantha is a huge advocate of drummers, especially when a girl wants to follow this path. However, she said once that only being a good drummer is not enough: you must also have good business perspicacity to draw the attention of those who are looking for a drummer for their bands or projects. In order to do so, Samantha created a “list” of tips to help any drummer that’s starting his or her career, including creating a press kit so the others can actually see how the drummer sounds like; establishing a decent network with everyone that’s somehow related to the world of music, like employees from music stores, pubs and, of course, other musicians; and making it public that you’re available and what type of music you want to play, if you want to tour, among other details. These might seem very simple or basic tips for most of us, but if a successful drummer like Samantha is saying so, don’t waste your time and go invest in your career!

Samantha Maloney’s Official Facebook page

“Times are changing. There are more girls that are playing. I just think it’s ridiculous. Either you’re talented or you’re not. Either you’ve got it or you don’t. Either you’re a great drummer or you’re a good drummer. Whether you’re a guy or a girl….you’re good or you’re not. What gender you are? Who cares?” – Samantha Maloney

Album Review – Faith No More / Sol Invictus (2015)

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It might have taken 18 long years for Mr. Mike Patton and his demented squad to release a new album, but the result is so good it was definitely worth the wait.

Rating4

FNM_frontAt long last, after 18 fuckin’ excruciating years, the demented squad composed by the gentlemen Mike Patton, Jon Hudson, Billy Gould, Roddy Bottum and Mike Bordin, “usually” known as American Alternative Metal/Rock band Faith No More, is back with another freakish experiment entitled Sol Invictus (Latin for “Unconquered Sun”), the seventh studio album in their revolutionary career. Without Faith No More there wouldn’t be Alternative Metal, Funk Metal, Nu Metal, Grunge, contemporary Hard Rock, and so on. And if you think what I’m saying is bullshit, how about what Corey Taylor, frontman of the biggest Alternative Metal group in the world, Slipknot, said after seeing Mike Patton and his crew performing the all-time classic “Epic” at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards? “I was mesmerized by that. I never felt a moment like that until that moment. It completely turned me around.”, stated the iconic #8.

Perhaps the greatest question in everyone’s minds, after knowing the band was officially getting out of their state of “creative hibernation”, was that if they were going to be capable of releasing something as amazing as their previous albums, especially the masterpieces The Real Thing (1989), Angel Dust (1992) and King for a Day… Fool for a Lifetime (1995). Well, although Sol Invictus doesn’t have any “A Small Victory”, “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies” or “Digging the Grave” among its songs, it’s still a well-set album with lots of thrilling moments, showcasing a band that doesn’t seem to have been on hiatus (not including their sporadic live performances and tours along all those 18 years) since their previous release, the also spectacular Album of the Year, from 1997.

The title-track, Sol Invictus, is just as weird as the album artwork, which means it’s perfect for opening their live performances. It’s short and melancholic, just like they’ve mastered doing through the years, and we all have to agree that with that piano intro and those whispering vocals you know somehow it’s Faith No More even if you’ve never heard anything about the band in your entire life. The same can be said about the awesome Superhero, a very melodic and alternative tune with interesting keyboard notes by Roddy Bottum, where after only two seconds you know it’s pure Faith No More. I guess there’s no need to mention how incredible Mr. Patton’s crazy screams and vocals are, but it’s valid to mention that the lyrics beautifully follow that vocal craziness (“Like an American drug / Makes a mean cock grow / …kill a priest / Makes a superman of glass”).

The next track, Sunny Side Up, sounds a lot like many songs from Album of the Year, with a stylish blend of Jazz, Blues, Rock N’ Roll and everything else. In other words, fans of the band will enjoy it for sure, while others will probably ask themselves “what the fuck is this?” Even if you don’t understand that song really well, you’ll relish Separation Anxiety and its stronger Rock N’ Roll vein. Mike Patton once again steals the show with his wicked voice and proves why he’s among the best and most versatile singers in the world. The only setback in this exciting tune is the drumming: I was expecting more from Mike Bordin, despite him doing a relatively decent job throughout the whole song.

FNMThe dark intro in Cone of Shame corroborates they really enjoy sounding bizarre, with its last part getting a lot more vibrant and intense, while Rise of the Fall offers the listener some elements from Reggae music and more audible guitar lines, as well as more rhythmic beats. Moreover, the crazy screams by Mike Patton end up adding a lot of electricity to a song that’s below average for a band like Faith No More. Following the lowest point of the album we have Black Friday, a song purely inspired by 80’s classic rock music which despite its lack of creativity has a good blend of semi-acoustic parts and heavier riffs and screams.

And just when you think Faith No More cannot get weirder, they come up with the stupendous Motherfucker, another perfect choice for opening their live concerts, where the focus is obviously on Mike Patton’s vocal lines and the song’s eerie lyrics (“Get the motherfucker on the phone, the phone…”), also including the best guitar solo of the entire album. Not only that, I doubt you won’t be singing this song everywhere, even at work with your boss by your side. Unless you don’t know shit about the band, you probably know how much they love songs with Portuguese or Spanish names (and sometimes lyrics), but unfortunately the boring Matador doesn’t get close at all to the marvelous classic “Caralho Voador”, for example. It’s just an average song with nothing new or outstanding, except for the strong bass lines by Billy Gould. And sounding like a B-side from King for a Day… Fool for a Lifetime, From the Dead gives a melancholic ending to Sol Invictus with the band’s trademark. It’s a good listen if you’re at home or in your car, but definitely not recommended for their live performances.

I wish there were a few more guitar solos by Jon Hudson and some faster beats by Mike Bordin in this or that song, as Sol Invictus sounds too calm for me in many of its moments, but at least we can loosen up knowing Faith No More are not “dinosaurs”. They are a more-than-alive group that still got it in them, and from now on (well, they’ve been doing this already) there are even more outstanding tunes in their lunatic arsenal to be masterfully played during their live concerts all around the world. And we’re all very thankful to the unparalleled Mr. Patton and his fellow mates for that, even if it took so many years for them to return.

Best moments of the album: Superhero, Separation Anxiety and Motherfucker.

Worst moments of the album: Rise of the Fall and Matador.

Released in 2015 Reclamation Records

Track listing
1. Sol Invictus 2:37
2. Superhero 5:15
3. Sunny Side Up 2:59
4. Separation Anxiety 3:44
5. Cone of Shame 4:40
6. Rise of the Fall 4:09
7. Black Friday 3:19
8. Motherfucker 3:33
9. Matador 6:08
10. From the Dead 3:06

Band members
Mike Patton – vocals
Jon Hudson – guitar
Billy Gould – bass guitar
Roddy Bottum – keyboards, vocals
Mike Bordin – drums

Album Review – Chip DiMonick / Uncaged EP (2015)

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Everybody break out and raise your fists and glasses to this electrifying mix of Hard Rock and Punk Metal.

Rating4

ChipDiMonick-Uncaged-CoverI’ve been receiving some feedback on the material added to The Headbanging Moose, saying this webzine is getting too “evil” with all the Death and Black Metal bands recently reviewed. As this is a very democratic webzine (and to avoid becoming “The Demonic Moose”), it’s time to soothe the mood a little with the top-notch Hard Rock by Pittsburgh-based band Chip DiMonick and their brand new party-all-the-time EP entitled Uncaged, the fifth release in their career. However, that doesn’t mean things are not going to get loud or nasty, so you better be ready to break out and enjoy the music by Chip Dimonick and his notorious crew.

Formed in 2005 and being voted “Best Punk Band” in the Iron City Rocks Pittsburgh Music Awards for the past three consecutive years, this Pennsylvanian quartet is back with two new members (DJ Carothers on lead guitar and Gregg Livengood on drums) and, of course, more of their Hard Rock/Punk Metal music, offering us all catchy tunes talking about love, hate and revenge, among other bitter topics. “Uncaged is all about breaking down the barriers that restrict who you are, whether imposed by yourself, society, or whomever”, said Chip DiMonick, founder of the band.

From the very first notes of the title-track, Uncaged, you can already get a sense of how interesting the mix of Hard Rock and Punk Rock in their music is. It’s gripping “pub” music, perfect to be played on any radio station, where Chip commands the festivities with the song’s sing-along chorus (“Hey, tonight we’re uncaged / You can’t hold us down / Hey, forever uncaged / Everybody break out”) while the rest of the band delivers solid Rock N’ Roll lines. And they keep rolling on with You Ain’t Punk, a message to their haters due to their aforementioned awards as “Best Punk Band” in Pittsburgh (“You ain’t punk, you ain’t punk, I bet you never saw the Misfits once…”). Talking about the music itself, it sounds like if Green Day (especially the riffs found in the classic “Welcome to Paradise”) met Motley Crüe: they managed to stay heavy even adding that specific Punk Rock sounding we’re used to listen on the radio, leaning towards fresh and exciting Punk Metal with highlights to the strong bass lines by Joe P.

ChipDiMonickPressPhotoThe band gets heavier and slower in That’s How Much I Hate You, a pure Rock N’ Roll tune thanks to DJ Carothers for his awesome guitar riffs and solo which would definitely be an excellent song for a strip-tease, despite its acid lyrics. Actually, I guess the lyrics would also be perfect for that special “presentation”, don’t you agree? Anyway, the following track, Lightning Bolt, is a smooth Hard Rock ballad that seems to have been crafted in the 80’s or 90’s so classic it is, with the great vocal performance by Chip adding the emotion the song demands. Girls will fall in love for this ballad, no doubt about that.

The last two songs in Uncaged are just as good and catchy as everything else, starting with Hand Grenade (check out the acoustic version HERE), another incredible radio-ready tune where all band members are throwing their “hand grenades” in the form of fast and heavy riffs in total sync with the drums by Gregg, boosted by huge doses of energy. Let me say that the fact it’s the heaviest of all songs has nothing to do with it being my favorite of all tracks. Or maybe yes? Well, the last track of all, Dig Deep, is yet again a melodic display of pure Hard Rock enhanced by hints of Rap Metal. And how not to feel inspired by these simple but very effective lyrics (“You gotta dig deep, you gotta have faith / Put all those doubts right in their place / When you’re dead and gone, you can finally sleep / But you’re alive right now so you gotta dig deep”)?

In a nutshell, pick any song from Uncaged, play it on the radio and you have an instant hit. As simple as that. And if you like what you see, go check their official Facebook page and also grab your copy of Uncaged on CD Baby, Amazon or iTunes. Let’s break out and raise our fists and glasses to the heartening music by this awesome American band.

Best moments of the album: Uncaged and Hand Grenade.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Uncaged 4:09
2. You Ain’t Punk 3:47
3. That’s How Much I Hate You 4:02
4. Lightning Bolt 3:39
5. Hand Grenade 3:04
6. Dig Deep 3:01

Band members
Chip DiMonick – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
Joe P. – bass, backing vocals
DJ Carothers – lead guitar
Gregg Livengood – drums

Album Review – Velvet Six / Demons Los Divas (2015)

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Are you ready to find out how many demons and divas surround your life? This Finnish band is willing to show you they are everywhere.

Rating4

velvet_six_album_coverHailing from the city of Kokkola, in Finland – the Holy Land of all-kinds-of-metal – Velvet Six were formed in 2010. Although still young, this band has been through a lot and have a lot more to show yet. They released their debut album Dark City Nightlife in 2011, saw two of their original band members leaving the group, found competent musicians to fill the gaps and had the opportunity to open a concert for The 69 Eyes, the vampires of Helsinki – all of this in two years.

Now, with a strong line-up and batteries recharged, Velvet Six are ready to release their second album, Demons Los Divas, via Inverse Records. Instead of trying to define their music, it is better to let the band define their own style: “Velvet Six’s music can be described as Gothic Rock that combines the atmosphere of HIM, the arrogance of Billy Idol and the multi-dimension of Muse”, and along the 10 tracks of Demons Los Divas you can find those pieces that make Velvet Six sound so familiar and yet so new.

Demons Los Divas is a story about demons and divas that affect our everyday life. They crawl deep into our feelings leaving scars. The damaged feelings have to be confronted and processed, so that life can go on. But how is it done? Answers can be found in the nightlife, love and death, as those come out in each song of the album. Twist opens the album and puts everybody to dance since the beginning. As a good Gothic band, the keyboard plays a very important role in this album. Combined with heavy guitars and melodies, the result is no different than awesome, dancing and deep songs. The title-track Demons Los Divas comes next and sounds like a great Hard Rock song, with an outstanding riff, an awesome guitar solo and guess what? A chorus that will stick to your mind all day long (”Demons los divas they all taste the same, cold and so heartless, they want the world, and they want it now”).

Velvet_Six_promopic1Something Evil keeps the feeling of the beginning of the album, although it is possible to see things are getting heavier and darker and they prove it with the next song, Back to Black. It starts with a beautiful keyboard solo then the drums and bass join to make it more complex. In this song, particularly, Olle Wallenius’ voice sounds a lot like HIM’s Ville Valo – and it contributes to bring the mysterious feeling in this track. Lightkeeper brings the DNA of Depeche Mode, being really atmospheric with Olle showing how versatile he can be, singing from smooth to aggressive tones.

After a deserved rest with calmer songs, the Hard Rock is back with Loves Like. It’s quite easy to imagine some of these songs being played at a Hard Rock/Gothic party and to see all people enjoying what is going on. Underneath is the next song and, once again, the keyboards are the strongest feature of the melody, just like as in The Family, which sounds a little bit heavier and it would be unfair not to mention the amazing work of base and solo guitars throughout the song. Blood Rain also has that dancing feeling and sounds more like a Love Metal song that reminds me of HIM. This song also has some mysterious female backing vocals that make all the difference, resulting in a pure Goth feeling. The last track, I Saw, is the deepest song of all and, following the timeline of the facts, it closes the album with loneliness and death.

In summary, if you are a Gothic Rock, Hard Rock and Love Metal fan, this is definitely a must-have album. Additionally, but unfortunately not present in the album, Velvet Six recorded a cover to Call Me Anything, by Swedish band Weeping Willows. It is completely different than the original version released in 2004 in the album Presence, and the band found a whole new groove to this amazing song – watch the video below. If you like what you see, do not forget to check their music and show your support on the band’s official Facebook page, as well as purchase Demons Los Divas at the Inverse Records official webstore. They cannot wait to show the world that Gothic music is still alive and kicking.

Best moments of the album: Twist, Demons Los Divas and Back to Black.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Twist 3:26
2. Demons Los Divas 3:54
3. Something Evil 3:36
4. Back to Black 5:16
5. Lightkeeper 3:47
6. Loves Like 3:54
7. Underneath 3:52
8. The Family 5:32
9. Blood Rain 4:43
10. I Saw 4:15

Band members
Olle Wallenius – vocals
Richard Vikman – guitar
Christoffer Solborg – guitar
Matias Muotio – bass
Miro Kronqvist – keyboards
Henrik Björkgård – drums

Album Review – Scorpions / Return to Forever (2015)

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This rock may be rolling home after so many years of good service, but it still has A LOT to teach the world on how to make true Hard Rock.

Rating2

scorpions_return to forever50 years ago, in Germany, Rudolf Schenker, only 16 years old, decided to follow any school boy’s dream and formed a Rock N’ Roll band, the Scorpions. Schenker, alongside his band mates, put together awesome melodies and great lyrics, added a bunch of exciting backing vocals, touching powerful ballads, crazy guitar solos that made everyone want to be a rock star, and the formula for perfect Hard Rock was created. It turns out that half a century later, this magic formula still works and Scorpions are still one of the most important names of all times in Rock N’ Roll history.

Since Scorpions were formed, countless musicians have joined and left the band, but for the past 11 years the group has a strong line-up with Rudolf on lead guitar; Klaus Meine – who joined the band in 1969 and recorded every Scorpions’ album – on lead vocals; Matthias Jabs on rhythm guitar; James Kottak on drums; and Paweł Mąciwoda on bass guitar. In 2010, the band released Sting in the Tail, which was announced supposedly as the last album of their career. And we are glad they have changed their minds. In 2011 they were back to the studio to work on new material, and although 2014 was not an easy year for the band, with the arrest and period of rehab of Kottak, they rejoined forces to finish the album and the result is Return to Forever, a masterclass on how Hard Rock is supposed to be, released this year to mark the band’s 50th anniversary.

The album is available as a standard album, limited deluxe CD which contains four bonus songs, iTunes version with the same songs as the limited deluxe edition plus the song “Delirious”, double heavyweight vinyl and a limited edition collector’s box set. According to the band, the songs were written between the early 1980’s and 2014 and we can notice the changes and evolution of the musicality through the tracks. The album starts in a very thrilling way: the first song, Going On With A Bang, has a lot of influences of Blues but with a lot of Rock N’ Roll, and is one of the newest songs written for this album; then comes We Built This House, the first single for this album (check the video below). This song is very meaningful and tells the story of Scorpions, the ups and downs and everything they have learned along the way. This song is really touching and beautiful and has those classical backing vocals known on Scorpions work that make all of us, in the audience of their concerts, to sing it out loud together. Rock My Car is a very exciting song: written many years ago, it talks about driving fast on the famous German Autobahn highways. And this song carries all that high-speed feeling, with a breathtaking solo.

House Of Cards, the first ballad of the album, is very deep, exploring different levels of love, until it turns into hate and fades away. All For One is all about friendship and complicity the musicians find in each other to keep the band going on. The beginning of the next song, Rock ‘N’ Roll Band, sounds just like “I Can”, an old song by their German fellows of Helloween, but then the song gets its own shape and turns into a real Rock N’ Roll anthem. Klaus Meine wrote this song in the 1980’s and found the inspiration after visiting some clubs on Sunset Boulevard, in Los Angeles, so you can imagine the environment of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll he found back then.

Catch Your Luck And Play was originally written for the 1988 album Savage Amusement. Rudolf Schenker wrote a new chorus to this nice song, the kind all fans enjoy singing together with the band while clapping their hands tirelessly. Then we have Rollin’ Home, one of the best songs of the album, with great performances by all musicians – it is amazing to notice, for example, that after so many years Klaus’ voice has not changed a tone. But what is intriguing in this song is the message contained in it. It sounds like a good-bye, especially on the chorus (“Here we go! / This rock in rollin’ home”) that, again, has an amazing work on backing vocals. Hard Rockin’ The Place is another good example of Hard Rock, with an amazing riff.

scorpionsLight up your lighters, or your cell phones, because Eye Of The Storm is the perfect song for that and to calm down a little bit before more of their fast Rock N’ Roll. It was supposed to be released in Humanity: Hour I (2007), but did not fit to the album. It has a beautiful solo, maybe the strongest of this album. The Scracth sounds like those old Rock N’ Roll songs from the 1950’s – the highlights here are definitely the drums and the bass that bring a very unique groove to the song. Gypsy Life is a ballad like no other band can do, only Scorpions. It closes the standard version of the album in a very nice way and, again, reflects Scorpions’ life style, living year after year on the road.

For those who got the deluxe or iTunes versions, there are still some bonus tracks. The first is The World We Used To Know, which somehow does not fit well to the rest of the album, although it has good lyrics and backing vocals, but, not such a strong work on guitars. Dancing With The Moonlight, on the other hand, puts everybody to dance. When The Truth Is A Lie has great acoustic guitars alongside the electric guitars, and this combination gives a calm element but still keeps the song quite heavy. Who We Are basically puts together acoustic guitars, Klaus’ amazing voice and stunning backing vocals, and the result is another very deep ballad with the band’s trademark. Delirious closes the iTunes version in a great manner: another song wtih those riffs only a band like Scorpions can do.

It is quite easy to imagine most of those songs being played live and driving the crowd crazy. Is this the very last Scorpions album? We cannot tell. If so, we know we have in our hands a very intimate album, that take us closer to the lives of those iconic musicians. If not, and we hope it is not, we know we still have a lot to learn with those veterans of Rock N’ Roll. One thing we know for sure: they did their job very well throughout the years, leaving their names carved forever in the world of music.

Best moments of the album: Going Out With A Bang, We Built This House, Rock N’ Roll Band, Rollin’ Home and Gypsy Life.

Worst moments of the album: The World We Used to Know.

Released in 2015 Sony Music

Track listing
1. Going Out With A Bang 3:47
2. We Built This House 3:53
3. Rock My Car 3:20
4. House Of Cards 5:05
5. All For One 2:58
6. Rock ‘N’ Roll Band 3:54
7. Catch Your Luck And Play 3:33
8. Rollin’ Home 4:03
9. Hard Rockin’ The Place 4:06
10. Eye Of The Storm 4:27
11. The Scratch 3:41
12. Gypsy Life 4:51

Limited Edition/iTunes bonus tracks
13. The World We Used To Know 3:51
14. Dancing With The Moonlight 3:42
15. When The Truth Is A Lie 4:27
16. Who We Are 2:33

iTunes exclusive bonus track
17. Delirious 2:58

Band members
Klaus Meine – lead vocals
Matthias Jabs – lead guitars, rhythm guitars, acoustic guitars
Rudolf Schenker – rhythm guitars,lead guitars, backing vocals
Paweł Mąciwoda – bass guitar
James Kottak – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Lykaion / Heavy Lullabies (2015)

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Hailing from Italy, this band takes you into a pleasant musical journey from Hard Rock to Gothic in the same album.

Rating4

Lykaion-Album_cover640When I first saw Lykaion‘s video clip for the song “For Love”, before even listening to their full album, my first thought was “Wow, what a cool Hard Rock band from Italy!” With powerful riffs, sticky chorus, Alessandro Sforza’s sweet and full-of-attitude voice, amazing backing vocals and their Guns ‘n’ Roses and Crashdïet’s t-shirts, what else would you think? But I was wrong – and in this case, being wrong is not even close to being a bad thing.

Founded in 2000 in Rome, Lykaion mixes in their sound a lot of Gothic Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal and even Love Metal – that style well-known by Finnish bands such as HIM and To/Die/For. They are about to release their second album, Heavy Lullabies, via Finnish label Inverse Records. Along its 11 tracks, you can feel the influences of each one of these genres and be surprised with how the band can go from the deepest melancholic feelings to  Hard Rock happiness and the rage of Thrash Metal.

Heavy Lullaby opens the album and here comes the first surprise: it is a calm and smooth instrumental song! I am not quite sure if this was an interesting way to introduce the album, but it is a beautiful and deep song though. For Love comes next with a completely different atmosphere as said before, being a pure hard rock song that could be played at the iconic Rainbow, in Los Angeles, while you enjoy a cold beer, dance and sing along. The same Hard Rock feeling continues in the next track, Anthem, with great riffs and guitar solos. I would dare to say that Alessandro’s voice, in a different way and with a pinch of aggressiveness, sometimes sounds like Def Leppard’s iconic lead singer Joe Elliott.

Lykaion_Picture2Love is a theme widely explored in this album and in the fourth track, I Don’t Love You Anymore, as its own title suggests, they sing about the love that no longer exists. It is a beautiful ballad, full of mixed feelings, and to make it even more intense there are two amazing guitar solos by Fabio Valentini that can make any broken-hearted girl cry. From this point on, Hard Rock is left behind and the band dives into heavier sounds, like in Waitin’, where the band explores bass and drums in a wonderful way. Smile, although being a ballad, is still heavy, dark and deep, more like a Love Metal song. End of Time keeps the speed and the heavy feeling alive, with great backing vocals on the chorus. Out of my Heart and Animals are not exactly ballads, but they are good examples of how Love Metal songs, such as the greatest classics by HIM, should sound like.

The following track, Accept Yourself, starts with a lovely guitar solo – again, that kind of solo that makes girls cry – and you may think that here comes a love ballad, but then everything changes and what you listen is a powerful anthem, full of attitude and strong lyrics. I can imagine this music played live as one of the highlights of their concerts, with a huge interaction between the band and the audience, especially in the chorus (“Raise your hands / Up into the air / Accept yourself / Accept the mess”). What a song! After this travel through different genres, Till the End closes the album in great style, bringing some Gothic notes and feelings.

What makes Lykaion’s sound very unique is how easy they take the best features of each musical style, each band, each theme that inspired them, and turn it all into great songs that cannot be categorized in a single genre. These Italian guys genuinely know how to take their listeners into an intense and exciting musical trip. Do not miss the chance to listen to this album and show your support to this promising band on Facebook. Also, do not forget to check their YouTube channel, there are a lot of cool high quality live videos of the songs of their debut full-length album, Nothin’ But Death (2012).

Best moments of the album: For Love, End of Time and Accept Yourself.

Worst moments of the album: Smile.

Released in 2015 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Heavy Lullaby 3:55
2. For Love 4:27
3. Anthem 4:10
4. I Don’t Love you Anymore 5:10
5. Waitin’ 3:55
6. Smile 4:04
7. End of Time 3:54
8. Out of my Heart 4:20
9. Animals 3:41
10. Accept Yourself 4:46
11. Till the End 5:06

Band members
Alessandro Sforza – vocals, guitar
Fabio Valentini – guitar
Valerio Lippera – bass
Andrea Alberati – drums