Getcha Rocks Off

I've been doing this for ages on forums. These reviews are similar to what Scott does at No Life 'Til Metal—long, short, or in between. They may also be posted at other places on the net, so if you see them don't think I stole them! Hehe. Enjoy!

DEAD MAN IN RENO – DEAD MAN IN RENO (Metalcore/Mathcore)


Dead Man In Reno sounds like it could be one of those typical Hollywood cinematic turdfests that fails trying to be Pulp Fiction and The Usual Suspects with that M. Night Shyamalan twist (see Smokin’ Aces for enlightenment). But alas, Alabama-based Dead Man In Reno’s self-titled major label debut is just a typical metalcore album with a bit of that so-called math-metal thrown in just to seemingly disrupt the flow of certain songs that were doing fine without the interruption. Not quite a turdfest, but at this point the metalcore genre is rife with bands so similar to each other that there’s really nothing to hold on to with this album, it’s a sheer drop to a point that’s simply too close to the bottom of the barrel. Of course, good music is good music, even if it’s totally unoriginal, and Dead Man In Reno do manage to knock out few great tunes; but, unfortunately, they aren’t consistent enough. It took the band a mere ten days to record this album. At times, it sounds as if they may have written it in less.

Musically Dead Man In Reno are very tight, managing to create a very heavy sound and the occasional intriguing riff or passage; but for the most part it’s just more of the same, nothing new. The vocalist comes off sounding less natural with his screams and more like he’s got a vocal processor plugged directly into his throat; and the occasional death metal vocals are simply ridiculous. As one would assume, none of this adds to the album, but rather takes away from it in ways that will simply baffle the listener. Songs like “She's Tugging on My Heartstrings,” “The Devil Made Him Do It” and “Cursed” have some great breakdowns, quiet passages and solos, even some piano, orchestration and clean singing that focuses on melody—something lacking throughout most of the album—but it’s just not enough to propel this album beyond a middle-of-the-road rating. The band shines on “Cursed.” They show potential for greatness on that song, and for brief moments elsewhere. But, sadly, for most of the album they’re taking the path of least resistance, a path already tread by countless other bands. Dead Man In Reno float dead in the water. They show enough creativity and talent to stay afloat in a sea of sameness, but they’ll need a good dose of creativity and reinvention in the future if they ever intend to make that evolutional transition to more solid ground.

Rating: 45/100
Website: http://www.deadmaninreno.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/deadmaninreno
Downloads: From Here I Can See The Shore (Official video), Lovestainedrazorblades (Fan-made video)

TRENDKILL – NO LONGER BURIED (Metalcore)


With a name like Trendkill, I’d have expected this Swedish band to step outside of the box a bit more. The only trend the band doesn’t follow is the screamo verse/cleanly-sung chorus template that is followed by most bands of this style; and that surely doesn’t elevate the band to any level of originality. Trendkill approaches metalcore much in the same way as Germany’s Cataract—less cookie-cutter metal, and more of a modern death metal groove mixed with hardcore—only not as good. Going against the metalcore grain, like I mentioned, there is no clean singing; but there is also only one solo—on the song “Headshot”—and breakdowns aplenty, which is very, very typical of the genre.

No Longer Buried is the band’s debut full-length, following two demos. Despite the lack of originality, Trendkill comes out swinging with brutal intent. Songs like “Dedication,” “Judge Me Now,” “Break The Silence,” and “Headshot,” with its melodic mid-section, make this album something of a guilty pleasure. It’s an album perfect for getting the blood and adrenaline flowing. There really isn’t a bad song on the album; however, there also isn’t a great song in sight. Thus, No Longer Buried stands firm a little bit right of the middle of the road. Nothing mind-blowing and nothing vomit-inducing—No Longer Buried is just good; but very typical.

Rating: 60/100
Website: http://www.trendkill.se
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trendkill1
Downloads: Walking Dead, Dedication, Break The Silence (Video)

STONEGARD - ARROWS (Extreme Alternative Metal)


Never judge a book by its cover, they say. Good advice. Upon first glance at Arrows by Norway’s Stonegard, one might me tempted to believe this is some sort of stoner-doom band. Quite the contrary; aside from the stoner rock-like album cover and seemingly apt band name, Stonegard is much more an alternative metal band than anything else, but with more of an extreme approach. They are called a stoner rock band, but I really don’t hear it. They do manage to pull in some contrasting styles to make something of a unique sound—black/death metal riffs, melodic passages, old school 70’s rock, traditional heavy metal, grunge, nu-metal, and even a little southern rock. But I think they’re versed in a more alternative metal style. Unfortunately, however, while Stonegard has managed to create quite a solid and competent menagerie of sounds and offer a nice dose of originality, Arrows simply lacks truly memorable songs.

Arrows starts out with “Ghost Circles,” a short instrumental, and then kicks off with the title track, a song that initially disguises itself as a melodic death metal track. However, the vocals and verse riffs betray that notion. This song is the prototypical Stonegard song. It’s dynamic and interesting, but lacking of a truly solid hook, something that warrants repeat, on-the-spot listens. Some tracks like “Resistance” and “Goldbar” offer a more melodic distraction from the monotony, but again, they lack that endearing quality that would make this a great album. All is not lost, though; Arrows is most definitely not a bad album. In fact, it’s quite good; but generally this is going to be a one-and-done album, something you’ll enjoy occasionally, but not wish to play over and over again. Stonegard definitely has a unique formula to work with here; they simply need to focus on creating something a bit more alluring next time out.

Rating: 70/100
Website: http://www.stonegard.org
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/stonegard
Downloads: Arrows (Live video), From Dusk Till Doom (Video from From Dusk Till Doom)

Note: “From Dusk Till Doom” is from their latest album of the same name and is not quite representative of anything written in this review; it is much heavier than anything Arrows.

Straight out of Metal Reviews!

kmorg wrote:

Straight out of Metal Reviews!

Nah, I just posted them on the forum there, not on the main site. These are too short for the main site.

You write very well! I'll give you stars

kmorg wrote:

You write very well! I'll give you stars

Haha. Thanks. Wait until I release my first novel. Metalheads should dig it.

wow these sound more professional than i expected. no offense meant.

mc666 wrote:

wow these sound more professional than i expected. no offense meant.

Hahaha. These are some of my more pedestrian reviews, so I wouldn't be offended. I am a writer, however, so I can write. =)

This is a review I did a while back for metalreviews.com. I wrote the review before checking to see if anyone else had reviewed it on the site (they don't allow more than one review per album). Unfortunately someone had reviewed it! Pffft. So, I try and post this review wherever I can, because it's a killer album, very unique within the the prog genre.

NOVACT - TALES FROM THE SOUL (Progressive Rock/Metal)


Ken Golden is the man! For those unaware, he is the owner of three separate labels under one roof. The Laser’s Edge focuses on progressive rock (White Willow, A Triggering Myth, Wobbler), Sensory is for progressive metal (Zero Hour, Redemption, Wastefall) and Free Electric Sound is set aside for progressive fusion (At War With Self). I praise him solely because everything I’ve heard from either label has been excellent. Ken Golden knows good prog when he hears it, and he doesn’t simply go for bands that sound the same. He often signs bands that offer something a bit different within the prog field. Behind The Curtain for example, sounds like no other prog band I’ve heard before. The same can be said about A Triggering Myth and even Wobbler, to an extent. Even if similarities exist, such as with Zero Hour and the upcoming Twisted Into Form, the music is always killer. Recently I came upon novAct, a prog-rock/metal outfit out of the Netherlands. I ordered Tales From The Soul shortly thereafter and it’s been in heavy rotation for the past two months.

The band formed in 2001 under the name Morgana-X. They released a three song live rehearsal demo, then a follow-up promo EP called Misunderstood—which Roy (guitars) kindly sent me; thanks, dude!. They then changed their named to novAct, showcased two tracks on a split compilation called Arnhem Trolleymetaal, and finally in 2005 released this, their first full-length, Tales From The Soul.

“Sharply Condemned” kicks things off with a heavy, driving riff, melodic bridges and a lush, heavy prog-rock tapestry coolly painted by Eddy Borremans’s outstanding vocals. Truly, it’s only when vocalist Eddy Borremans begins to sing that you realize there is something special about novAct. To say that Borremans is a unique vocalist in the rock/metal world is almost an understatement. I’ve read that he compares to Queensrÿche’s Geoff Tate, Pain Of Salvation’s Daniel Gildenlow, and Andy Kuntz from Vanden Plas and Abydos, among others. None are accurate, if you ask me. If I had to pinpoint a similarity in vocal style it would a heavier version of Roland Gift of the Fine Young Cannibals—gasp!—and the clean tones of the legendary Otis Redding. Maybe this isn’t the sort of thing a metal fan wants to hear, but that’s what I hear.

Tales From The Soul is, simply put, an amazing album. From progressive rock/metal anthems like “Hope And Fear,” the Jeff Buckley tribute “The Eternal,” “Path Of Daggers” and the heaviest track on the album, “The Rider,” to the more melodic songs like the goth-influenced “Flower,” it is clear novAct rival the greatest prog-rock/metal bands out there today. The slight gothic touches reminiscent of To/Die/For adds yet another dynamic that makes this band stand out from the pack. The interwoven guitars and keyboards create space for Borremans’s stunning vocals; the solo work is precise and fits perfectly, beautifully. The bass and drum work don’t go on any proggy tantrums, but they hold it all together, creating a solid foundation for the stars of the show: the guitars, keyboards and vocals.

Everything about this album is brilliant. From the music to the production, lyrics and artwork; it’s all outstanding. I’ve had this album for quite a while now, I’ve listened to it virtually every day since and its quality has not diminished yet, it sparkles brighter after each listen. Not only is this one of the best prog-rock/metal albums I’ve ever heard, its undoubtedly one of the best albums I’ve ever heard overall. Nothing more needs to be said. Ken Golden couldn’t have a more appropriate last name (clearly his first name is great, too), novAct and Tales From The Soul are both simply that: Golden.

Rating: 95/100
Website: http://www.novact.nl
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/novact
Downloads: The Rider, Eternal Life (different version taken from the Morgana-X Misunderstood promo), Sharply Condemned (Live video) and The Rider (Live video)

SEEMLESS – WHAT HAVE WE BECOME (Hardcore Stoner Rock)


I always find it odd when a band finally hits “the big time” and key band members quit. Back in 1998 Kilgore, formerly known as Kilgore Smudge (and Stain, and Smudge before that), released A Search For Reason; the album took off, landing the band a slot on Ozzfest, giving them a quickly multiplying fan base. Then, after seven years, as the band was on the rise, vocalist Jay Berndt abruptly quit the band. Kilgore’s days were over.

Similarly, Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage followed a similar path. After the band hit it big with Alive Or Just Breathing, he abruptly quit the band in 2002. Killswitch Engage carried on, tapping Howard Jones of Blood Has Been Shed to take up the (inferior) vocal slot. Jesse Leach resurfaced a few years later in Seemless, a band featuring ex-members of Shadows Fall, Overcast, and another ex-Killswitch Engage alum, singing on their self-titled debut album.

The band follows a similar path tread previously by Only Living Witness, a cited influence. They combine hardcore and groovy rock riffs that often border on stoner rock. Vocally, Jesse Leach only touches on his previous metalcore style, opting here for a soaring, cleaner tone. The debut was already written when Leach joined the band; What Have We Become is the band’s first collaborative effort with Leach. This album is heavier than the last, more raw, but still groovy as hell with a hardcore sensibility; evident on tracks like “In My Blood,” “Cast No Shadow,” and “Seven.” A good dose of melody accompanies “Eyes Of A Child,” “Parody” and the album closer, “…Things Fall Apart.”

What Have We Become is another great album that just falls short of the greatness showcased on the debut. However, there’s nary a reason to not check this one out.

Rating: 75/100
Website: http://www.seemlessband.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/seemless
Downloads: Cast No Shadow (from What Have We Become), Numb (from What Have We Become), Cast No Shadow (Video from What Have We Become) and Lay My Burden Down (Video from the self-titled debut)

Delete me!

Not sure what you are talking about. It looks fine to me

The forum was screwed up few hours ago with ads all over the place.



Anyway, keep up with the good work, Eyesore!

sovdat wrote:

The forum was screwed up few hours ago with ads all over the place.

Anyway, keep up with the good work, Eyesore!

Yeah, and those three replies (the WTF?, the blank one, and the one where I mention the code) were all supposed to be another review, but it wouldn't post. Weirdness.

A mod can delete them if they want to.

HOLLYWOOD HAIRSPRAY VOL. 5 – VARIOUS ARTISTS (Rock)



Perris Records is one of the few labels out there that still focus on releasing old school 80s rock. Many consider the genre to be dead and gone. Of course, those who love this style—myself, whose music obsession began with 80s rock, included—know better. Rock music—glam, 80s rock, hard rock, melodic rock, AOR, etc.—is, however, quite alive and well. Perris Records released the first Hollywood Hairspray compilation back in 1992, exposing fans to new bands, from all over the world, playing an older style, and reacquainting them with some old favorites like Pretty Boy Floyd and Jetboy. In 2006, Perris released this, the fifth installment of the series (and also the sixth volume later in the year).

Volume five starts with “Instinct Animal,” an outstanding and extremely catchy track from Chris Laney (Zan Clan, Animal). The song is like a cross between Trash-era Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. If only this song set the precedent on this album. Unfortunately, like with most compilation albums, what we get is a fairly broad range of songs, in terms of quality. A band called Hollywood is up next with a song called “Hearts On Fire,” a pretty good glam rock tune; but the song lacks balls—which is pretty much glam rock in a nutshell (no pun intended)—and, while catchy, is fairly unmemorable. Some other standouts include the power ballad/melodic rocker “Hold On To Your Dreams Tonight” by Gunshy, “Dancin’ On My Grave” by Sweet Cheater, and a gritty, hard rock number by Dirty Rig (featuring Kory Clarke of Warrior Soul) called “Suck It.” And though the album isn’t complete crap, there are some turds floating around the bowl—“Forever Damned” by Deadthings and “Merry Go Round” by Jack Viper deserve a good flush. The rest of the songs make for a decent listen, but overall, there’s nothing mind-blowing to sink your teeth into. Hollywood Hairspray isn’t essential listening, but it’s also not without its charm.

On a somewhat useless note, the artwork for volume five and six includes a scantily-clad Jen Hilton (http://www.jenhilton.com) (NSFW), something of a new 80s rock poster girl, who has also recently been seen on all three Trixie albums and the latest Bang Tango offering.

Rating: 60/100
Website: http://www.perrisrecords.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/perrisrecords
Downloads: Instinct Animal/Hearts On Fire (Medley)

Thanks dude...good reviews!

Ouch! I guess I'm alone in this, but I liked that Skid Row album, I thought it was way better than Thickskin. "You Lie" seems to get the most hate from reviewers, but that song cracks me up every time I hear it.

Judging from all the bad press that CD has gotten, I have a feeling that if I ever meet one of the Skid Row dudes and tell him that I really liked "Revolutions Per Minute," they'll reply "WOW, so YOU'RE the guy? We thought you were just a legend, man!"