metalmaniac777

I've loved--or at least liked--everything Kutless has ever released, but I will be the first to admit this is one of their weaker efforts. I still like it, but they are devolving from a Christian hard rock band into one of those contemporary Christian "worship rock" bands. Yeah, I know they tossed a few obligatory rockin' tracks on this newie, but in the end it's a pretty safe CD not all that far removed from the likes of Jeremy Camp or Casting Crowns. I find it hard to believe that out of all their albums, this is the one you have gloamed on to. I also don't think the Christian message is any more subdued than their previous albums. So they don't rock as hard as they used to and they're just as blatantly Christian, yet you like this album the best?? Color me confused. Happy that you're actually listening to a Kutless album, but befuddled that this is the album you chose. I'm really no expert on these guys, and I'd be lying if I said I was an expert on any of their other CDs, but I have given them a go and for whatever reason this was the only one that made me want to bother delving deeper. I dunno, maybe I need to look back at their discography? And yeah, maybe I was a little quick off the mark with the 'less christian lyrics' comment. Spinning it back the other night, it is actually pretty unbearable lyrically - and certainly not as subtle as I thought on (un-attentive?) first spin. BUT, I still stand by my comments about the quality of songs. I do think it is a very good album musically and song wise. So which previous album do you think is their best? I swear I heard their first 2 in full and then some disgraceful worship disc a year or two ago. I really feel as though this is the first one worthy of listening to... but please correct me. I still rate their sophomore album, "Sea of Faces," as their penultimate work, but "Hearts of the Innocent" comes in a close second, with "To Know That You're Alive" pulling up in 3rd place. After that, the band, while always retaining a rock edge, started delving deeper into the CCM sound, probably because their rock-worship albums and ballads were garnering them hit status on CCM radio. And for what it's worth, they are several notches better than most of the bands plaguing the CCM market, and I do still enjoy their music...I just don't enjoy it as much as I did when they were a hard rock band. Revisit the 3 I mentioned, avoid "Strong Tower" and "It is Well" (both are simply rock versions of old hymns), and then report back to me that you have come to your senses and no longer think "Believer" is the band's best work.

My review of "Awakening," the latest entry in the long-running Phenomena melodic rock supergroup project, is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Phenomena review Save for a song or two, nothing special.

I've loved--or at least liked--everything Kutless has ever released, but I will be the first to admit this is one of their weaker efforts. I still like it, but they are devolving from a Christian hard rock band into one of those contemporary Christian "worship rock" bands. Yeah, I know they tossed a few obligatory rockin' tracks on this newie, but in the end it's a pretty safe CD not all that far removed from the likes of Jeremy Camp or Casting Crowns. I find it hard to believe that out of all their albums, this is the one you have gloamed on to. I also don't think the Christian message is any more subdued than their previous albums. So they don't rock as hard as they used to and they're just as blatantly Christian, yet you like this album the best?? Color me confused. Happy that you're actually listening to a Kutless album, but befuddled that this is the album you chose.

My review of the hot new Swedish sleaze-metal band, Baby Jane: "In the Spotlight," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Baby Jane review Crashdiet & Crazy Lixx fans should eat this up.

Thank you, kind sir. Always nice to know someone other than family members and the people I force at gunpoint are reading my opinionated ramblings.

My review of female-fronted Finnish metal band Shear's new album, "Breaking the Stillness," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Shear review The band does a lot of things right within the framework of the genre, but they mostly miss the mark when it comes to writing memorable songs. Worth checking out if you enoy bands like Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Evanescence, etc.

Would it make you feel better to know that I could have had it 2 weeks ago and passed on it?

Just got this from the band today to review for Hardrock Haven and while I will post my formal review when it's done, I'm going to tell you right here & now that this is totally kickass stuff. Sweden has done it again, and any fan of Crashdiet, Crazy Lixx, Dynazty, etc. is going to be very impressed. It's only March, but I can just about guarantee this makes it on my 2012 Top Ten List at the end of the year...I had an ear-to-ear smile on my face as I listened to it. You think the new Dynazty is good? This album is even better...

Someone selling this for £16 on eBay, with free postage. I thought it was quite amusing to see this in the item description: "ONLY RELEASED IN SWEDEN! - Now get it at UK Prices." £16? UK prices for what? I never pay more than about £12 for new CDs these days. I think I'll be giving this one a wide berth, possibly downloading a couple of tracks if they appear on iTunes. For the record, yes, this album is on iTunes, so anyone who doesn't mind downloading can pick it up for $10.

Be very curious to know what you think once you check them out. As you know, I usually demand clean choruses in my "-core" metal, but I like this album despite the non-stop growls and screams. Don't expect Killswitch or AILD quality levels though...MyChildren MyBride are a little more standard-issue, though the beefy production certainly helps them sound pretty good.

This album will appeal to almost nobody here save for maybe Tim, but for what it's worth, my review of the new self-titled MyChildren MyBride album is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: MyChildren MyBride review Pretty solid stuff if you like screaming, growling metalcore...but I can already hear most of you making gagging noises (though in Geoff's case, it's because he's got man-meat stuck in his throat).

They call themselves a "ProMeRo" band (Progressive Metal-Rock). If only their music was as cool as that descriptor. My review of the new Crow 7 album, "Symphony of Souls," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Crow 7 review Impeccable production and a few decent moments, but in the end, nothing to crow about.

Yeah love that new Sunstorm, still holdin' up high for me there but then I'm not very familiar with the original version of those Bolton tracks, to be honest, so I think the rendition are pretty damn fine to these ears. For God sake, why has no-one heard the Bolton version?? Very surprising since it is such a CLASSIC song. Alot of people haven't because they associate him as being a 'Housewives Choice' singing soft ballads and forget that the guy had (and still has) one hell of a voice and actually used to rock. As witnessed here, The biggest ever case of one vocalist murdering another one. Move aside JLT. Sorry, I would have responded sooner, but I was too busy rolling on the floor with laughter at the thought of anyone believing Bolton is a better vocalist than Turner. And as far as I'm concerned, JLT/Sunstorm's version of "You Wouldn't Know Love" is the one doing the murdering, leaving Bolton's version a bleeding mess on the floor.

I have 1 song off the Miranda Lambert album. That's it. Makes you realize that one person's idea of "essential" is another person's idea of "excrement."

I definitely get that. This is one of those albums I would not necessarily "defend" my position, because I completely understand why some people would not like this release. There's just something about it that clicks with me, hence the favorable review. I AM totally shocked, however, to hear you praise "Troubadour," which I think is simply atrocious. But yeah, this is one of those albums that I like but I totally undestand why many people won't.

My review of the new solo album from ex-Babylon A.D. vocalist Derek Davis, entitled "Re-Volt," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Derek Davis review It's not the Babylon A.D. of old, instead hewing a little closer to the sound of "American Blitzkrieg." Since I was one of the few people that liked that album, I also happened to like this one, but I won't be surprised if there is disagreement with my review. And this time from more than just Tim...

Well, paint me impressed (preferably with edible fingerpaints wielded by hot Swedish supermodels). Best song Kissin' Dynamite has ever cranked out and hopefully an indication of the new album as a whole. As Matt said, definitely has a little Crashdiet vibe goin' on, but since Crashdiet are awesome, I'm OK with that!

I'm not the world's biggest Accept fan, though I certainly don't mind them, but I have to say, that was another damn fine article, my friend. Excellent writing.

I like the album, but it's not an essential purchase by any means. That said, given how badly bands usually flunk at this kind of album, the Scorpions really did a good job. Considering that "Sting in the Tail" was supposedly the last thing we would hear from the band, I'm just happy to have anything new. It's an unnecessary album, but not an unwelcome one.

My review of the latest offering from Scorpions, "Comeblack," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Scorpions review Half re-recordings of their hits, half covers, and while generally that sort of stuff doesn't work, I think the Scorps pulled it off quite nicely.

Tim, Tim, Tim...you gotta warn me when you're gonna post something like that. I damn near had a heart attack when I read those words!! Don't worry mate, am sure there'll be a new Destrophy album (or some other such garbage) that we'll disagree on pretty soon... God, I hope so...things just don't seem right with the world when you agree with my reviews.

Yeah, whether or not you rate the back half as fillers is all going to depend on what your ears like. This sort of AOR/melodic rock is not my forte--I prefer my music with a harder edge--but for the genre, this is very good stuff. I stand by my rating, but I completely understand why others will rate it higher.

It may not be the best show on TV, but it's the best ZOMBIE show on TV. And that "two guys in a bar" scene was a pitch-perfect exercise in escalating tension with a very nice cap-off (pun intended). I do agree, however, that Lori running off alone to go after the guys was as one of the dumber moves the series has pulled. It doesn't help that I am not a big fan of Lori's character anyway; she kind of annoys me. But again, it's the best (only) zombie show on TV, so that alone makes it worth watching. If I wasn't watching that, my wife would just be making me watch "The Real Housewives of Wherever the F*ck," so I'll take "Walking Dead" every time.

Tim, Tim, Tim...you gotta warn me when you're gonna post something like that. I damn near had a heart attack when I read those words!!

Well, to me, a filler is a song that isn't a dud by any means, but is nothing special either, and that's what those songs sound like to me. They just seem to pale in comparison to the excellency of the first half of the album. By the way, saying a song by Michael Bolton is better than the same song by Joe Lynn Turner is borderline blasphemy.