Wednesday, December 31, 2008

OVERKILL - Immortalis (VBR)

Unlike other veteran metal acts whose dedication to the genre peters out as the years rack up, Overkill remain dedicated to continuing on in their original direction, as evidenced by their 15th album overall, 2007's Immortalis. Trends may come and go, but you know that Overkill are always good for supplying some good old-fashioned crunchy thrash metal, and that's something you've got to respect. And all these years later, singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth can still screech with the best of them. For old-school thrash metal, Immortalis is a true exhibition, as evidenced by such hard-hitters as the album-opening "Devils in the Mist" as well as "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Skull and Bones," the latter of which features Lamb of God's Randy Blythe guesting on vocals (who does his best drill instructor impersonation). All these years later, you still know what's in store each time you pick up a new release by Overkill. And that's just the way their fans like it -- Immortalis is no different. -- by Greg Prato, allmusic.com

Tracks
1. Devils in the Mist
2. What It Takes
3. Skull and Bones
4. Shadow of a Doubt
5. Hellish Pride
6. Walk Through Fire
7. Head On
8. Chalie Get Your Gun
9. Hell Is
10. Overkill V...The Brand

..year - 2.007
..label - Bodog Music
..buy - Amazon
..home page - www.wreckingcrew.com/

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MOTÖRHEAD - Motörizer (VBR)

Even if Motörhead had broken up around 1983 or 1984, they still would have gone down in history as one of the most influential metal outfits of all time. Motörhead, after all, was the first metal band to seriously incorporate punk; they wrote the book on thrash metal and speed metal in the late '70s and early '80s, paving the way for Slayer, Metallica, Venom, Megadeth, Testament, Anthrax, Death, Exodus, and countless others. But Motörhead, of course, didn't break up in 1983 or 1984, and they were still cranking out quality albums in the late 2000s. Lemmy Kilmister (who turned 62 in 2007) shows no signs of slowing down on 2008's Motorizer, which Cameron Webb produced at Dave Grohl's 606 Studios in Los Angeles. Despite the fact that Webb has worked with a lot of alt rock and alt metal artists (including Limp Bizkit, Orgy, Godsmack, Buckcherry, Lit, Ben Folds, and Monster Magnet) and produced this 39-minute CD in a studio that is owned by a member of the Foo Fighters and ex-member of Nirvana, Motorizer makes no effort to be alternative-sounding. Instead, the classic Motörhead sound prevails, and forceful, in-your-face tracks such as "Buried Alive," "Runaround Man," "When the Eagle Screams," and "Time Is Right" sound like they could have been recorded 25 years earlier. Motorizer never pretends to be groundbreaking, but if the material is predictable, it is engagingly predictable; Kilmister sounds inspired and focused throughout the album, and at 62, he has yet to overstay his welcome. Motorizer falls short of essential and isn't quite in a class with Motörhead's best late-'70s/early-'80s output, but this album is definitely respectable — and it is good to see this seminal thrash/speed trio still plugging away after so many years in metal's trenches.-- by Alex Henderson, allmusic.com

Tracks
1. Runaround Man
2. Teach You How to Sing the Blues
3. When the Eagle Screams
4. Rock Out
5. One Short Life
6. Buried Alive
7. English Rose
8. Back on the Chain
9. Heroes
10. Time is Right
11. The Thousand Names of God

..year - 2.008
..label - Steamhammer/SPV
..buy - CD Universe
..home page - www.imotorhead.com

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GIRLSCHOOL - King Biscuit Flower Hour Girlschool (VBR)

Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee on January 12, 1984, King Biscuit Flower Hour: In Concert finds Girlschool in the midst of their transition from the sort of female-biker punk-metal that made them Motorhead's soul sisters, to a more commercialized pop-metal sound. The trade-off wasn't the total disaster some fans thought, though -- the material on albums like Play Dirty, which directly preceded this concert, demanded more polished musical skills, even if it toned down their earlier raucous energy somewhat. That's the crossroads Girlschool is at here, and it's an interesting one for devoted fans.-- by Steve Huey, allmusic.com

Tracks
1. Screaming Blue Murder
2. Play Dirty
3. You Got Me
4. Hit and Run
5. Nothing to Lose
6. Future Flash
7. Running for Cover
8. Burning in the Heat
9. Demolition Boys
10. Tush
11. Like It Like That
12. C'mon Let's Go
13. Emergency
14. 20th Century Boy
15. Race With the Devil

..year - 1.997
..label - King Biscuit Flower Hour Records
..buy - Amazon.com
..home page - www.girlschool.co.uk/

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GLENN HUGHES - Music For the Divine (VBR)

Glenn Hughes has always seemed to surround himself with the greatest guitarists and drummers of rock, including Ritchie Blackmore, Tommy Bolin, Ian Paice, Tony Iommi, and Kenny Aronoff. And on his 2006 solo outing, Music for the Divine, the string of strong supporting players remains intact, as Hughes is joined by a pair of current Red Hot Chili Peppers -- guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith -- and an ex-Pepper, Mr. Hollywood himself, Dave Navarro. Music certainly has a funkier edge than, say, the last few releases Hughes has collaborated on with Iommi, but this should certainly not come as a surprise to longtime fans, as his funk roots trace all the way back to his Deep Purple-era releases. Arguably, he has not played alongside musicians as fluent with the funk as his fellow travelers here, especially on the leadoff single, "The Valiant Denial," which rocks and slithers the way only a Peppers groove can. The funk continues on such selections as "Monkey Man," but just when you think you have it all figured out, Hughes and company hand in a surprise reading of, um, "Nights in White Satin." All in all, Music for the Divine is another fine release from one of rock's great (and criminally underrated) voices. -- by Greg Prato, allmusic.com

Tracks
1. The Valiant Denial
2. Steppin' On
3. Monkey Mad
4. This House
5. You Got Soul
6. Frail
7. Black night
8. Too High
9. This is How I Feel
10. The Divine

..year - 2.006
..label - Frontiers Records
..buy - Amazon
..home page - www.glenhughes.com

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A.C.T. - Today's Report (VBR)

The beginnings of A.C.T. were in 1994 when Ola Andersson, Jerry Sahlin, Thomas Erlandsson, and Jens Appelgren formed the group Fairyland. By 1996, after several lineup changes and a name change, they recorded their first demo. After a tour supporting Yngwie Malmsteen and another demo, the group was ready to record an album. Today's Report was released in 1999. They followed up that release with Imaginary Friends.

Tracks
1. Abandoned World
2. The Wandering
3. Waltz with Mother Nature
4. Why Bother
5. Today's Report
6. Welcome
7. Cat Eyes
8. The Chase Personalities (The Long One)
9. Foreplay
10. Piece of Meat
11. Tinnitus
12. Lord of Lies
13. Emelie (Ms. Amnesia)
14. Insomniac
15. Concluding Speech
16. Grandpa Phone Home
17. New Age Polka

..year - 2.005
..label - Atenzia Records
..buy - n/a
..home page - n/a

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ANNIHILATOR - Metal (VBR)

Some album titles offer little, if any, indication of what the music sounds like, but Metal is a highly appropriate title for this album because it contains exactly that: metal -- specifically, thrash metal with alternative metal moves here and there. Given the numerous personnel changes that Annihilator has experienced along the way, longtime fans couldn't help but wonder what new lineup guitarist Jeff Waters (Annihilator's only constant over the years) would be unveiling this time. But in fact, the lineup on Metal -- Waters on lead guitar, rhythm guitar, and bass, Dave Padden on lead vocals, and Mike Mangini on drums -- is the same lineup that appears on 2004's All for You and 2005's Schizo Deluxe. For those who have been following Annihilator since the '80s, it is surprising to see Waters being able to maintain the same lineup for three albums in a row. The main difference between this 2007 recording and the two Waters/Padden/Mangini discs that came before it is the fact that on Metal, Waters employs a long list of guest musicians. Among the guests: Willie Adler of Lamb of God, Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom, Jesper Strömblad of In Flames and Anders Bjorler of the Haunted. That is an attention-grabbing list of guests, but ultimately, it is Waters, Padden, and Mangini who do the most to make Metal worthwhile, and inspired tracks like "Downright Dominate," "Clown Parade," and "Detonation" demonstrate that Annihilator can still deliver quality thrash after all these years. Waters, not Padden, handles the lead vocals on "Operation Annihilation," reminding us that Padden is, in fact, a much better singer. But Waters' guitar-playing skills are consistently impressive on Metal, which falls short of essential but is still an exciting and ballsy demonstration of what Annihilator's Waters/Padden/Mangini lineup has to offer.
-- by Alex Henderson, allmusic.com

Tracks
1. Clown Parade
2. Couple Suicide
3. Army Of One
4. Downright Dominate
5. SMothered
6. Operation Annihilation
7. Haunted
8. Kicked
9. Detonation
10. Chasing the High

..year - 2.007
..label - SPV
..buy - Amazon
..home page - www.annihilatormetal.com/

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GLENN HUGHES - Songs in the Key of the Rock (VBR)

Ever since the mid-'90s, that Glenn Hughes has been one busy gentleman. After sorting out his personal life, Hughes returned to recording and touring like a man possessed as he began cranking out album after album in a short period of time -- including 2003's Songs in the Key of Rock. And for those who thought that Hughes may begin mellowing after the aforementioned "downtime," the rip-roaring album opener, "In My Blood" (in which Hughes sounds quite a bit like ex-Deep Purple bandmate David Coverdale) will silence any doubters. Also included is a tribute to Hughes' old pal John Bonham on "Higher Places (Song for Bonzo)," as well as a song that sounds like the spitting image of Bonham's band, "Get You Stoned." Vocal-wise, Hughes sounds stronger than ever on Songs in the Key of Rock -- something that can't be said for some of his lead singer peers from the same classic rock era. -- by Greg Prato, allmusic.com

Tracks
1. In My Blood
2. Lost in The Zone
3. Gasoline
4. Higher Places
5. Get You Stoned
6. Written All Over Your Face
7. Standing on The Rock
8. Courageous
9. Secret Life
10. The Truth
11. Wherever You Go
12. Bonus

..year - 2.003
..label - Frontiers Records
..buy - Amazon
..home page - www.glennhughes.com

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LACUNA COIL - Within Me (Single)

With the debut of their self-titled 1998 EP, Lacuna Coil (which translates to "empty spiral" in English) turned a lot of heads in Italy's ambient/goth scene thanks in part to Cristina Scabbia's haunting but mesmerizing vocals. Additional recognition came after a European tour with Moonspell and later with the Gathering and Seigmen. With the rest of Lacuna Coil's lineup in place -- courtesy of Andrea Ferro (vocals), Cristiano Migliore (guitars), Marco Coti Zelati (bass), and Christiano Mozzati (drums) -- the band's first full-length, In a Reverie, was issued in 1999. The Halflife EP appeared in 2000, and their next LP, Unleashed Memories, followed in spring 2001.
The group's third album, Comalies, was highly praised by the metal world after its release in October 2002, and attention surrounding Lacuna Coil continued to grow as they spent time on the road with Type O Negative, P.O.D., Opeth, and Danzig, among others. "Heaven's a Lie" was also a U.S.
commercial radio success as the album's first single, followed by the equally popular "Swamped." The band accepted an invitation to appear at 2004's Ozzfest, and spent the next year playing at many European festivals. Karmacode surfaced in April 2006. -- by Mike DaRonco, allmusic.com

Tracks
1. Within Me (Album Version)
2. When a Dead Man Walks (Live)
3. Enjoy the Silence (Live)

..year - 2.007
..label - Avalon Records
..buy - Amazon
..home page - www.lacunacoil.it/

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METAL CHURCH - This Present Wasteland (VBR)

It is no exaggeration to say that Metal Church has been a revolving door over the years. The Pacific Northwest outfit has had quite a few lineup changes along the way, which is not unusual for metal bands -- and on 2008's This Present Wasteland, guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof is the only person
remaining from Metal Church's original early-'80s lineup. All of the other participants are 2000s arrivals, including lead singer Ronny Munroe, guitarist Rick Van Zandt, bassist Steve Unger, and drummer Jeff Plate. But here's the good news: with Vanderhoof obviously in the driver's seat, this 2008 edition of Metal Church is quite faithful to the spirit of Metal Church as they sounded in the '80s. Sure, some longtime fans might argue that without the participation of Craig Wells, Duke Erickson, Kirk Arrington, or the late David Wayne (who died in 2005 from complications resulting from a car crash), the band that Vanderhoof oversees on This Present Wasteland isn't really Metal Church. But in fact, Vanderhoof sees to it that the classic Metal Church sound of the '80s -- a tough and hard-driving yet melodic mixture of Dio, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, and Iron Maiden -- is alive and well on engaging tracks like "Breathe Again," "Monster," "A War Never Won," and "The Company of Sorrow." Munroe (the band's fourth lead vocalist) is perfect for Metal Church, and he fits right in with a gruff vocal style that owes a lot to Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale, and Bruce Dickinson. This Present Wasteland falls short of essential, but it's a solid and well-executed effort that underscores Vanderhoof's ability to keep the Metal Church of 2008 faithful to the spirit of Metal Church as they sounded 20 years earlier. -- by Alex Henderson, allmusic.com

Tracks
1. The Company of Sorrow
2. The Perfect Crime
3. Deeds Of A Dead Soul
4. Meet Your Maker
5. Monster
6. Crawling to Extinction
7. A War Never Won
8. Mass Hysteria
9. Breathe Again
10. Congregation

..year - 2.008
..label - Steamhammer/SPV
..buy - Amazon
..home page - www.metalchurchmusic.com/

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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

VICTIMIZER - The Final Assault

Some of the best fucking music out of Denmark since cult Mercyful Fate!! Running wild in nuclear streets over the last 7 years, the band released some underground demos, 7"s and split LPs which now seem like classics from 80-fucking-3. "The Final Assault" is their first & final studio album, a sure lesson in violence... a heavy fucking bulldozer plowing through the wave of newbie friendly fag thrash. This is Rapid Thrashing Violent Speed Metal Hell with an evil edge that cuts like RAZOR!!!!! Face the music, prepare to die!!!

Tracks
1. Tyrant's Genocide
2. Circle of Annihilation
3. Iron Cobra (Pride of the Zombie Squad)
4. Demons in the Night
5. No Escape from the Jaws of Hell
6. Pentagram Warfare
7. Beast of Slaughter
8. Running Wild in Nuclear Streets
9. Raise the Fucking Knife
10. Flamethrower Madness

..year - 2.007
..label - Hells Headbangers
..buy - http://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/item.asp?PID=4761
..home page -

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Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Girlschool - Take A Bite

In December 1978 Girlschool released their first single, "Take It All Away", on the independent label City Records. This led to interest from Motörhead's management and a support slot on the Overkill tour in the spring of 1979. After signing to Bronze Records later that year, the band released their first album, Demolition, in the spring of 1980, alongside the singles "Emergency" and "Race with the Devil". Tours around Europe and as support to both Uriah Heep and Black Sabbath followed.
In 1981 the band teamed up with labelmates Motörhead again, billed as Headgirl, on the classic single "Please Don’t Touch" (St. Valentines Massacre), which went silver and reached no.5 in the UK. The album Hit and Run was released in March, going gold in Canada, and a sellout tour of the UK followed. The band supported Rush, amongst others, and a Friday night headline slot at the Reading Festival maintained the band's profile. (BBC Radio 1's The Friday Rock Show broadcast the Reading set.)
After playing Japan in 1982, Enid left and was replaced by Ghislaine "Gil" Weston from the bands The Killjoys and Alternating. Girlschool recorded their third album Screaming Blue Murder, hitting the road in the U.S. to play stadiums alongside Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Scorpions and Blue Öyster Cult.
In 1983 the band went back into the studio with producers Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, of the band Slade, for their fourth album Play Dirty, charting in the U.S After Kelly Johnson left to live in L.A. she was replaced by Cris Bonacci on lead guitar and singer Jackie Bodimead (ex Strategy and Canis Major) on lead vocals for the 1985 album Running Wild, released on Mercury Records in the USA but not finding a release in Europe. To this day, Jackie Bodimead is only traditional lead vocalist in the band, although she did contribute keyboards in the live setting, when not on lead vocal duty. A live video from the Camden Palace, London showcases this line-up.
In 1986 Girlschool signed to GWR records and reunited with original producer Vic Maile for Nightmare at Maple Cross, minus Bodimead and now back as a four piece with Kim McAuliffe on vocals. The album included a cover of the song "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" recorded together with the original artist Gary Glitter.
The following year, after five years with the band, Gil Weston left to get married - becoming Gil Weston-Jones - and Tracey Lamb (Rock Goddess) took over on bass for their next album Take a Bite.
Kim, Cris, Denise and Enid teamed up with punk singer Toyah Wilcox under the name She Devils for the Women in Music festival in December 1990 and summer 1991 saw Lydie Gallais replacing Denise on drums under the new name Strange Girls for a three track demo, UK dates and festivals in Germany as support to the Beach Boys.
In 1992 the band released the album Girlschool, with Jackie Carrera on bass. Carrera, however, did not wish to tour the US and Tracey Lamb returned to the band. On the departure of Bonacci in 1992 Kelly Johnson rejoined the ranks and the band toured extensively, releasing the CD Girlschool Live in March 1995. As well as tracks from the back catalogue new tracks were featured.

Tracks
Action/Fox On The Run/Girls On Top/Tear It Up/Love At First Bite/Head Over Heels/Up All Night/This Time/Don't Walk Away/Too Hot To Handle

..year - 1989
..label - GWR Records
..buy - http://www.amazon.com/
..home page - www.girlschool.co.uk/

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Girlschool - Girlschool

In 1975, Enid Williams (bass, vocals) and Kim McAuliffe (rhythm guitar, vocals), both from South London, formed an all girl rock covers band called Painted Lady. After playing the local pub scene and numerous line-up changes (Deirdre Cartright, Kathy Valentine, later of the GoGos), Kelly Johnson and Denise Dufort came on board and in April 1978 they changed their name to Girlschool and hit the road touring venues around France, Ireland and the UK

Tracks
My Ambition/One More/Can't Say No/Wild At Heart/Can't Do That/We Came/Can't Keep A Good Girl Down/Sitting Pretty/On My Way/Take Me I'm Yours

..year - 1992
..label -Communique
..buy - http://www.amazon.com/
..home page - www.girlschool.co.uk/

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