Posts Tagged ‘80s metal’

Midnight Chase aren’t better than the catch

Friday, October 28th, 2011

Midnight Chaser-Rough and Tough (Heavy Artillery)

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I have a lot of respect for what Heavy Artillery is doing for the old school, traditional and heritage metal scenes, releasing such stellar power/thrash gems as Sign of the Jackal whilst remaining unerringly true to their metallic cause. All too often, however, I see new releases from bands like Midnight Chaser and just shake my head. Arriving with faux ironic 80s cover art-which is bright, ironic and laughably terrible-Rough and Tough claims 70s inspired hard rock roots, but the depth of execution really leaves a bit to be desired, despite the points earned for taking their name from a White Spirit song.

Yikes.

Musically speaking, the guitar abilities of Stephen Lauck are workmanlike and effective-if a bit simplistic-evoking positive memories of Saxon, Thin Lizzy and Diamond Head at times, while the vocals of Scott Attwood are a bit nasal, but succeed in a manner which is half Bob Mayo (Wargasm) and half Kevin Heybourne (Angel Witch). In more recent news, it seems as if ex-Mordred/Laaz Rockit axeman Sven Soderlund has joined the band’s ranks on second guitar, so perhaps the sophomore effort will pack a bit stronger punch.

For as it stands now, it’s the silly songs like “Cougar’d” which really bring Midnight Chaser down, sounding more like Steel Panther/Darkness styled cheese than anything forged in fire or baptized in steel. Missteps like this-combined with the one-dimensional, unimaginative direction of the songwriting-make Rough and Tough a difficult album to recommend to anyone other than those with low standards for their 70s/80s retro rock.

Rating: C-

Written by MetalGeorge

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OTEP BRINGS DOOMSDAY TO NEW YORK

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

On a warm night in June the rock and metal was brought to New York City in the form of “The Doomsday Tour” featuring OTEP and other bands on Victory Records. Having just released the exceptional Atavist album a few months back, the band has hit the road filling up clubs and venues with their special brand of madness. The tour is on the Spartan side when it comes to the size of these venues. Nonetheless, the The Studio at Webster Hall was packed to the gills with fanatics ready to let loose with all of the emotional liberation Otep Shamaya usually brings to the proceedings.  The basement club underneath the legendary dance hall had the right atmosphere for the mayhem that has about unfold. I must point out that the men’s room is one of the creepier places I’ve been to in many years. I was totally convinced I was gonna end up dead in a bathtub, missing a kidney after I relived myself. Any case, as always New York City represented as they always do and on a week night too no less. This is important to note for this especially diverse collection of acts. A group of bands unified more by rebel spirit and collective mindset with a mission to kill eardrums and put on an awesome show.

Opening the show early was art-rock curiosity ONE EYED DOLL. The two-person group comprised of Kimberly Freeman and “Junior” Sewell trip the light fantastic musically from punk cabaret to high theater to metal. Their manic performance was exciting for an opening act with Freeman especially calling to mind a young JOAN JETT, a delicate AMANDA PALMER or a harder edged KIM GORDON. I suspect they will mint many new fans along the way if they keep this up. Next came the Sunset Strip by way of Sweden rock n roll extravaganza that is SISTER SIN. They may be from the land of black and death metal but these three guys and a gal have a heart full of whiskey, leopard print and sleaze. With a dynamic performance and music that calls to mind all of the greats of `80’s glam rock, front woman Liv Jagrell is a powerhouse singer and performer. Whipping the crowd into a frenzy with rock anthems like “Outrage” and “The Sound of The Underground”, they definitely made their presence felt. They even had an uber fan in the house in the person of former WWE superstar Mick Foley who is obsessed with them. If you haven’t yet picked up their albums or seen them in person I’d say you’re missing out.

SISTER SIN updates the glam rock experience for modern fans.

Also appearing in opening slots were DESTROPHY and BLACKGUARD. DESTROPHY played a tight set of active rock anthems mostly culled from their recent release Cry Havoc. Led by lead singer/guitarist Ari Mahloupolus the band plays tight, high energy songs with crushing grooves and soaring chorus parts.  Lead Guitarist Erik Tisinger was a standout player on most of the songs. The top songs aside from the opener were “Reconnect” and “March of the Dreamless”. Meanwhile BLACKGUARD seemed like the real wildcard on the bill. They have never failed to impress me live, but I wondered how they would go over on this bill when they certainly have their own thing going. Well neither the band nor the faithful crowd let me down because as soon as the music started to play, everything went crazy. I didn’t think such a tiny club could get such a big mosh pit going, but they did. Playing what they call “epic metal”, they were just killer, especially energetic front man Paul Zinay who kept things rolling along. They kicked so much ass you would have thought they were the headliner. Even though they had many of their own fans in the house they won over an entire new batch on this night with songs mostly from their new album Firefight (Victory). Songs like the title track, “Farewell” and “The Fear of All Flesh” were excellent with lead guitarist Kim Gosselin and drummer Justine Ethier deserving a special mention for their sweet skills.

"Don't be silent......."

Finally it was time for OTEP to hit the stage. The anticipation in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Members of DESTROPHY were setting up the gear and tuning up for quite a while before I realized they would  be the de facto backing band tonight. I had hoped some of the stellar personnel from the Atavist sessions would have made it out on the road for the tour, but alas not. Still I was excited to see what these guys could do and I was already admiring their temerity for playing two gigs and teching for themselves too. As the intro music of “Carmina Burana” by CARL ORFF (often used as “Devil music”) filled the P.A. the crowd of lions let out a roar as their heroine hit the stage, bounding up to her platform and microphone stand. As she cooed the line “Hush little baby…don’t make a sound” that opens up the raucous “Eet the Children” you could feel a pulse of energy go through the crowd. It was the first of many surprises on the night. An OTEP show is as much an exercise in the artistry of theatrics as it is a rock show. Singer, witchdoctor, poetess Otep herself is the spiritual ringleader and exorcist for the evening.  Following in close succession was the angry rocker  “Confrontation” and the witchy “Crooked Spoons”. Both cuts feature Otep at her most wicked, alternately screaming with lusty abandon and extreme prowess. Much like on the new album, she seems to have stepped up her vocal game even more than before, mastering her bellowing death growls and singing in her melodic voice stronger than ever. As for the band they did a capable job of backing her up, especially Ari from DESTROPHY on guitars and backing vocals.

Otep's shirt says "Jesus Saves. I Spend."

After a brief interlude it was time for the usual mid-show  out of body experience that is “My Confession”. As one of the center piece of their first album Sevas Tra, the alternating haunting quiet mantra of survival versus violent eruption of perseverance is really moving. Once again in between each song is a pastiche where the band explores space and Otep “has spiritual intercourse” with the crowd. These short steps in between the tracks bloom into fully realized ideas and are often as powerful as the songs themselves in some cases.  Next up was “Battle Ready” which never fails to be a perfect mosh pit anthem, especially with the drawn out ending groove. Otep does so little rapping these days you sometimes forget how good she on the older material, somewhat like Chino Moreno of THE DEFTONES. Following that up with their spirited cover of NIRVANA’s “Breed”, the song is now permanent fixture in the set list due to its popularity with the fans. “Breed” had been the closer for some time so it was nice to hear it somewhere else in the set tonight. The single from their new record was the next cut heard in “Fists Fall”. It is easily one of the most brutal and unrelenting tracks the band has ever produced. I was a little surprised more of the new record wasn’t represented tonight since the songs are so strong. “Smash the Control Machine”, with its title borrowed from beat poetry godfather (and hero of mine) WILLIAM BURROUGHS is as fine a rebel anthem as any band has produced since the heyday of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. Otep’s lyrical vitriol matches her activist passions so seamlessly that it just makes sense that she is opening the eyes and minds of her fans to greater social possibilities. Wrapping up the night was the original nightmare become real in “Tortured” and the bruising stomper “Blood Pigs”. The hunger of the fans was sated and the goddess of words left the scene pausing only to give thanks and respect. That was all she had left to give anyway since she left everything else on that stage.

 

Set List:

Eet the Children

Confrontation

Crooked Spoons

Wurd Becomes Flesh

My Confession

Battle Ready

Breed

Fists Fall

Smash the Control Machine

Tortured

Blood Pigs

 

by Keith (Keefy) Chachkes

 

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MetalGeorge’s Gems NWOBHM Spotlight: Grim Reaper

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Despite the fact that this British band has been much maligned by the Beavis and Butthead crowd over the years for their undeniably cheesy apparel and overall OTT metal cliches, Droitwich’s Grim Reaper actually advertized their early career as being one of the ‘heaviest,’ ‘scariest’ and ‘most Satanic’ outfits around town.

For serious.

Having beaten out 99 other acts in a Battle of the Bands contest for the opportunity to record a demo, Grim Reaper-centered ’round guitarist Nick Bowcott, vocalist Steve Grimmett and a revolving door rhythm section-signed to Ebony Records in the early 80s and delivered the seminal See You In Hell debut in 1983.

Best known for its release during the early days of music video-with the band’s title track clip receiving much hilarious ridicule from our aforementioned MTV headbangers-See You In Hell nevertheless serves as a typical, meat and potatoes NWOBHM effort to the bone. Priding itself upon a high energy attack which pushed forward Grimmett’s piercing wail and Bowcott’s working man melodic guitar work, See You In Hell really didn’t rock the boat much with inventive ideas, yet served just fine as a simplistic, every day metal outing which featured immediate, memorable appeal.

None of the album’s eight tracks featured anything wild or crazy, yet each possessed an instantly hummable melody line and chorus which stuck in the listener’s head for days. This, alongside the album’s traditionally ‘scary’ heavy metal artwork certified that Grim Reaper would, at the very least, achieve some success amongst the denim ‘n leather faithful who were simply MAD about Thee Almighty Riff.

It’s not so strange, then, to understand that both See You In Hell and its ’85 follow up Fear No Evil would do quite well for themselves with fans, assisted by a number of corny, post-apocalyptic and/or medieval videos showcasing the band fighting against some sort of over-the-top evil invader.

All of this made Grim Reaper one of 80s metal’s bigger names, right up until the release of 1987′s Rock You To Hell, a comparatively watered down affair which showcased The Reaper setting sights on more commercially oriented pastures. Despite the album’s typically brutal artwork, Rock You to Hell followed a hairier, hair-sprayed path. This wasn’t exactly such a bad thing, however, as evidenced by “Lust For Freedom” and the supremely catchy title track, both of which struck primarily to a tried ‘n true Grim Reaper formula.

Not every fan was able to get behind such songs as “Suck it and See” or “Waysted Love,” however, and Grim Reaper slowly began to devolve into a caricature of both their prior glories, as well as the typical ‘heavy metal excess’ of the day. Largely lionized by the media, Grim Reaper effectively dissolved after Rock You to Hell, with Grimmett singing briefly for Brit thrashers Onslaught on their In Search Of Sanity LP before later forming a new version of Grim Reaper, whose apparent purpose is to solely play out these classic Reaper jams to a new, younger audience who weren’t able to see them back in the day.

Elsewhere, former guitarist Nick Bowcott has worked for the Marshall company for many years now, while also penning a monthly column for Guitar World, a nice continuation of a career which has seen its fair share of ups and downs, yet which has also undeniably had some impact upon how the world today views prototypical, raise your fist and yell heavy metal.

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Blood Horror and Metal tussles with a Demon Queen

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

In our continuing search for the best horror-themed metal bands ‘round town, we here at Blood Horror and Metal have uncovered a KILLER traditional metal act from Italy, proudly following in the bloody footsteps of their homeland’s cinematic heritage.

Although Sign of the Jackal performs a speedy, melodic form of thrashing 80s metal—inspired by the NWOBHM movement in particular—the influence of such films as Lamberto Bava’s Demons, Luigi Cozzi’s Paganini Horror and Lucio Fulci’s masterpiece The Beyond is never far behind, buried within the band’s lyrical and conceptual aesthetic.

To boot, the vocals of frontwoman Laura Coller pleasantly remind the listener of classic Doro Pesch and Warlock…so what’s not to like, really? Blood Horror and Metal got down and dirty with ‘Demon’s Queen’ Laura, discussing all that is demonic, metallic and horrific….enjoy! \m/G.

Cheers and congrats! I LOVE The Beyond…the film AND the new EP! How has the response been to this new material, both at home in Italy and here in the States? Have you noticed some rabid American hellhounds catching onto the scent of the Jackal?

Ciao George! Thank you for your interest in our band! The response both in Italy and in the Stases has been GREAT. But most of all in Germany, where we played at Keep It True and have a lot of fans. They are dying hard fans for classic heavy metal, so it fits perfect for us! We have been very welcomed in Italy too, but the scene is more into thrash metal, so reaction has been a bit ‘colder,’ you could say  We’ve been at first place in CMJ charts for two weeks in a row, however, so this is some very good satisfaction to us!

How important as Heavy Artillery been to pushing the band’s exposure here in the States, do you think? Does it help being on a label which is based here, and will they been bringing you here for a tour at all, do you think? Have any of you been here before? If not, what are your expectations?

Heavy Artillery has been very important for us. Both because they gave us the chance to get known in the U.S.-which is kind of uncommon for an Italian band-but most of all because they do a great job. They do a lot of advertising and promotion, their products are good and professional ones, packaging looks always great, and they are very good working partners. Easy going people who trust in us and always open to talk to solve problems. It wasn’t that easy to get convinced to sign for them, there’s an half world between us, but we never regretted our choice. Of course, it will be great to have a tour in the US, and I really really hope this could happen! None of us has been there before, and we are excited at the idea! We’ve got great expectations, you know…we have the ‘American Dream’ By the way, I’m curious to see how U.S. are… talking to many American people, I’m sure there’ll be a lot of differences and I can’t wait to discover them!

This EP is just killer from front to back; a real blazer which combines so much of metal’s classic past, without sounding dated or retro in the slightest. How important was it to convincingly present your music in this honest, straight forward way?

We wanted to sound the precise way it came out. Our idea was to propose something like it should have been in the golden age of Heavy Metal, but without copying anybody. There are a lot of influences of course, and they all come from bands we are fond of, but we try to make it our own way. If you listen the whole day and whole life to a kind of music, it is easy to compose, play and sing this way. In Italy we use to say something which can be translated into ‘grown up with bread and heavy metal.’ I don’t know if there’s a common saying in English also… but it gives the idea of what I’m talking about: if it is the only way of music for you, it happens that you can only continue from the point somebody else left. I’m happy when people say to us we sound ‘classic’ or even ‘old fashioned’… and also happy that the result is not boring. Present music helped us just as an opposition: we did not want to sound like it, and we did all what was possible for us to avoid that precise sounds or riffings…

When it comes to classic metal, which sounds and bands influence you the most when it comes to filtering into the band’s sound?

A lot…really a lot of influences. Everybody of us has different tastes regarding music itself, but all related to heavy metal. So, we’ve collected ideas of Warlock, Black Knight, Taist of Iron, Malteze, Messiah Force most of all because of the way female vocals are involved. Then we step into Dokken, Lizzy Borden regarding chorus and solos, Accept for the riffing (killer headbangin‘!!), and a lot of U.S. underground bands because of the sound itself. We listen to a lot of records and always collect ideas of what could fit or what to avoid in our songs.

Do you feel that comparisons to Warlock are all but inevitable? At the same time, do you embrace this, to a certain degree? “Head Over Heels” could most certainly fit on any Doro-led metal classic, which is one of the best compliments I can give…

Warlock are one of the most well known bands with female vocals in the whole world, so, comparisons are inevitable. On their first three records, they are one of my favorites bands ever…. I’m mad for them, so I think it is a great compliment for us! As I said before, we’ve got a lot of influences of bands with female vocals, more underground than Warlock…. And I should share with you a revelation: “Head Over Heels” is a cover by Meghan…. Yes, they are one of the underground bands I was talking about! (laughs)

At the same time, one aspect of the band REALLY sets you apart, namely your love of classic horror. I myself am absolutely OBSESSED with Italian horror/cinema and soundtracks, so you’re certainly speaking my language! What is it about this period which most  appeals to you, and what are some of your favorite films and directors?

Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, Mario Bava are some of our favourites. Italian horror movies are some of the best ever, and we’ve got a lot of inspiration with them. By the way, ‘horror’ is pretty Heavy Metal as a subject…. It’s very easy to get inspired by demons, monsters, blood, zombies… don’t you think so? Soundtracks are also good ones…. Terrifying, obscures, or heavy metal at all, we do adore them. There are many movies we got inspiration in: Night of the Living Dead by Romero, Paganini Horror by Cozzi, Paura nella città dei morti viventi [a.k.a. City of the Living Dead-\m/G] from 1980 by Fulci  are our song’s titles and movies themselves. Our band’s name too takes inspiration from Damien Thorne’s first record Sign of the Jackal, but even from the movie The Omen from 1976 by Richard Donner…. A recommended one!

Do these films’ iconic scores have any impact upon Sign of the Jackal, as well? How did the decision to incorporate the song from Paganini Horror come about within your instrumental?

Paganini Horror is one of the worst movies ever, I think. But it has got this great idea of Paganini’s ghost killing people with his violin…. We found it awesome! The original soundtrack is a plagiarism of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name”, and we wanted to get inspired starting from this: we re-wrote the soundtrack and it clearly came out as instrumental from the very first time. It’s just a great song, in my opinion!

What are your thoughts on the Italian metal scene, and have they been supportive of the band at all? I’ve heard that bands are very competitive over there?

The Italian scene is not that good. It is basically split into two big sectors: as Manowar would say, ‘the false ones and the true ones.’ There are some bands who know what ‘support’ means: they arrange shows, festivals, keep all the metal scene alive, and do it for free or losing their money and time as well. There are some other bands who are ready to pay to be put in the bill with someone “big”. They usually make their own counts, and are not interested in the music or the scene itself, but just being on the stage. There are fortunately a lot of friends who we are pleased and used to play with: National Suicide, Sacrificator, Violence Spread, Anguish Force, Witchunter, Baphomet’s Blood, Fingernails, Walpurgis Night, Skanners… are all good friends who we shared the stage and who supported us and receive our total support! This scene keeps the metal alive, and is supported even by some other realities, like My Graveyard Productions, or the organizers for Heavy Metal Night and Revenge of True Metal… all free festivals done for heavy metal itself, and not for fame or money.

How far back do these EP songs go, and does the band have enough tracks ready for a full length yet? If so, what can you share with us regarding direction, song titles/themes or label? Will you likely be going back with Heavy Artillery, do you think?

The EP is a kind of gift for all those who are interested in us and for all those who followed us since the very beginning. On the vinyl version it incorporates also two cover songs we used to play in our sets. We always play two coverd, and we’ve got a lot to choose from, among them being “Warlord’s Wrath” and “Head Over Heels,” which are some of our favorites. Both the original bands-Black Knight and Meghan-are quite underground and not so well-known. We are working on our full length album, it will be released hopefully by the end of November 2011, and will be probably called “In the Mark of the Beast” or something similar. It will be released for Heavy Artillery, and we are quite excited for it to see the light!!

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U.D.O.

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

U.D.O.-Rev-Raptor (AFM)

While no one will argue the fact that ex-Accept singer Udo Dirkschneider is a certified metal legend, a larger cross-section of the populous has remained comparatively in-the-dark when it comes to the studio output of U.D.O., Dirkschneider’s post-Accept solo career.

To be fair, the quality level has been spotty at times, yet the reality is that U.D.O. have actually crafted their fair share of solid, impressive heavy metal outings; not too far removed from Udo’s musical past, while also embracing the production qualities and energy of modern acts, as well.

While 1987′s Animal House will always be well regarded by fans, such relatively recent efforts as 2004′s Thunderball and Holy from 1999 served as surprising, ass-kicking records in their own right. While U.D.O.’s last three LPs, Mastercutor, Dominator and the hilariously titled Mission N. X didn’t exactly blow the world over, the equally inanely titled Rev-Raptor does much to cure this fact, serving as the band’s best LP in years.

Perhaps it’s the fact that Dirkschneider’s former bandmates in Accept only recently released the album of their career in Blood of the Nations, or maybe these heavy, memorable and melodic song ideas have been kicking ’round the heads of Udo and Co. for some time now. Whatever the reason, Rev-Raptor practically sizzles with molten metal intensity, combining Accept’s proto-thrash attack with a heavy dose of Primal Fear/Judas Priest inspired traditionalism.

While Rev-Raptor plays things a little bit safe when compared to the glorious, life-affirming return to form which was Accept’s Blood f the Nations, this album proves that, without a shadow of doubt, Udo Dirkschneider certainly still has it in him to deliver the goods when he has his-get ready for it-balls to the wall. Ba-dum-dum.

Rating: B+

Written by MetalGeorge

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Bulldozer

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Bulldozer-Unexpected Fate (Scarlet)

Sometimes, respected bands just shouldn’t reform. The end results never justify the means, and we’re left with a heartless, soulless ‘comeback’ effort which just doesn’t do said band any justice.

Luckily for us, Italy’s Bulldozer are determined NOT to become a casualty of said scenario, instead providing us with Unexpected Fate; a blower effort which, while not necessarily capturing the relentless, reckless charm of the Italian band’s ridiculously OTT 80s efforts, more than suffices for a ‘fuck yeah, bring it on!’ comeback ass kicking. 

Bulldozer do certainly try their damnedest here on Unexpected Fate, delivering a tight-as-hell, extreme and super-heavy thrash assault which sounds frenetically modern in its attack. If anything, such an effort smacks more of latter day Bulldozer-think IX or Neurodeliri-than any of the sloppy and off-time Motorhead worship of the early 80s. It was those albums-1985′s Day of Wrath and 1986′s The Final Separation-which cemented Bulldozer as Italy’s answer to Venom and Sodom; an out of control, proto-black metal enigma which was rabidly violent and aggressive in its intent, and charmingly offensive in style.

These days, the band seems a bit more serious, and Unexpected Fate reflects this, displaying a more mature and capable outfit which seems a bit more focused on creating one heavy racket than indulging in past craziness. There’s still a slight tinge of classic Bulldozer groove within Unexpected Fate, however; a strong reason for fans of the band’s old school output to give this one a fighting shot.

Not bad…not bad, at all.

Rating: B

Written by MetalGeorge

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MetalGeorge’s Gems: Whiplash

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Also known as the ‘Three Tonys of Thrash”, New Jersey’s Whiplash fought the good 80s fight for the old school power trio, delivering high octane speed/thrash with raging, old school hardcore pride and an angle for hyper-aggressive riffing.

Led by guitarist/vocalist Tony Portaro Bassist Tony Bono and drummer Tony Scaglione, this working man’s thrash act recorded two of the genre’s most under-the-radar efforts in the form of 1985′s Power and Pain and 1987′s Ticket to Mayhem. These albums helped solidify Whiplash’s place within the 80s metal pantheon, turning heads and snapping necks left and right with their balls-out, large and in charge demeanor and catchy, memorable song structures.

It’s challenging to choose which of the LPs is sonically superior, given Portaro’s imminently sick guitar work and furious vocal patterns. While Ticket to Mayhem is probably the band’s heaviest and tightest musical moment-due mainly to the rock solid anchoring of the Bono/Scaglione rhythm section, as well as stone cold classic “The Burning of Atlanta”-it’s Power and Pain which presents the youthful, devil-may-care Whiplash to the masses, featuring such legit genre classics as “Nailed to the Cross,” “Stage Dive” and the still-incredible “Last Man Alive.”

The band would explore more technical pastures on 1990′s Insult to Injury, a solid album, but not quite the finishing blow many Whiplash desired. If anything, the addition of lead vocalist Glenn Hansen probably hurt the band more than anything else, soundly eliminating Whiplash’s “Three Tony” persona for fans. This trend would continue on 1996′s Cult of One and ’97′s Sit Stand Kneel Pray, an album which contained Portaro as the band’s sole remaining original member.

Following a successful reunion stint, however, Thrashback consisted of all three founders of Whiplash, and displayed some promise for the future. Sadly, it was not to be, as Bono would pass away from a heart attack in 2008 at the young age of 32. Bono would actually serve as founder for another well-regarded act, the post-hardcore group Into Another, who achieved more than moderate success during the early and mid 90s. A sad postscript for the life of a musician whose time was truly up too soon.

Despite this, however, Tony Portaro soldiers on as Whiplash, briefly reuniting once again with Scaglione-who actually played on Kreator’s Cause For Conflict in 1994-this year, before once again parting ways. Time will tell whether or not the band’s next effort will live up to their legacy.

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Satan’s Host

Monday, April 11th, 2011

Satan’s Host-By the Hands of the Devil (Moribund)

With a band name like that, one might justifiably assume that Satan’s Host blasts out some blasphemous black/death, right?

Yes….and no.

By the Hands of the Devil is a bit more than that, really, because this eighth(!) LP from the band signals the return of Jag Panzer’s Harry ‘The Tyrant’ Conklin to the ranks of Satan’s Host, more than twenty years after singing on the Midnight Wind and Metal From Hell efforts from the mid-80s.

Believe it or not, The Host actually has a history which goes back to the late seventies, although you’d be hard pressed to guess that fact based upon how solid and workmanlike By the Hands of the Devil is, overall.

While not exactly blowing younger, hungrier bands out of the water with their brand of traditional, Mercyful Fate-styled metal meets extreme devil worship, Satan’s Host presents an aesthetic unique enough-the blending of Patrick Evil’s tasteful guitar licks with The Tyrant’s ever-piercing wail-to earn them a spot, if not at the top of heap, among a select few creative souls out there trying their hands at something different.

Indeed, Satan’s Host is, at the very least, a unique entity at best; an aggressive, near-extreme power metal act with balls to spare and ideas which should earn them some respect points at the end of the day.

Rating: B-

Written by MetalGeorge

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Was Vince Neil Caught Driving Drunk Again?

Monday, December 13th, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXjhmGfDvnY&feature=player_embedded

Thanks to our pal AXL ROSENBERG over at MetalSucks, we find a great paparazzi clip of MOTLEY CRUE’s Vince Neil leaving ‘Boa’ in West Hollywood with a lady friend. He is appears to be suffering from Joe Leste syndrome and, at the end, pours himself into his car to drive the two of them home.

Hmmmmmmmm……………..

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VINCE NEIL Takes A Spill on ‘Skating with the Stars’

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1bv6P96AUk&feature=player_embedded

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