metalmaniac777

I don't actually state this in my review, but for what it's worth, I do think this is the best of the 3 Sunstorm albums.

I know it's being discussed on another thread, but my review of the new Sunstorm album, "Emotional Fire," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Sunstorm review In a nutshell, despite a drop off in quality during the second half, this is still a pretty solid piece of AOR/melodic rock.

Pete is a helluva guy and more than deserving of b-day wishes. Not so sure about this Bkue Charvel dude...something just seems off about him...

My review of the new upcoming Mad Max album, "Another Night of Passion," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Mad Max review In a nutshell, a very worthy companion piece to the band's classic "Night of Passion" album.

The sad part is, reading this thread is more entertaining than listening to their new album...

I dunno, Geoff...I enjoy watching a good rumble once in awhile. But I do agree that it should be over a band far better than Van Halen. Never have understood this band's appeal.

At last, someone talking some sense!

Can't order it anywhere yet...doesn't get released until March 16th. I do think a lot of folks around here are going to like this album. Chris Laney does an excellent production job as always, and while some of the songs are a little more subdued than I prefer, at least half the CD is made up of great tracks. Personally, I can't stop playing "Deliberately Wasted"; big, fat, sing-along anthem.

My review of the Swedish melodic hard rock band Casablanca's debut album, "Apocalyptic Youth," produced by Chris Laney, is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Casablanca review Lead vocalist reminds me a little bit of Davy Vain and it's produced by Chris Laney...what more do you need to know??

Well, at least you acknowledge the guitarist can shred, unlike that Tim bloke who dared to call the band talentless. I continue to disagree that they are still trying to merge metalcore with glam, because aside from a handful of screams/growls, this is a straight-up hair-metal album. Funny you should mention Reckless Love, as they are the band I think this new Blessed By A Broken Heart album most sounds like. As for which one is better...I'm not gonna call it, but I will say that I don't give a hoot about a band's looks, I only care about their music, and Blessed By A Broken Heart is cranking out some great pop-metal on this latest CD. Kind of seems like the band is being judged for what they did in the past rather than what they are doing now. If this was the debut of some new band on Frontiers Records, this thread would be lighting up with praise. I like RECKLESS LOVE but I don't like this cliched drivel. It's like they've hopped on the bandwagon of modern bands realising that Metalcore is now dead and trying to decide what they do next. Give up is what they should do. Or rather, learn to play with a bit of feeling and melody (the guitarist might be able to "shred", but having fast fingers doesn't make you talented). Their last album was mildly entertaining bubble-gum rock that worked for a couple of songs and then got boring quickly. Bands like ESCAPE THE FATE do this stuff a million times better, and last years FALLING IN REVERSE got the balance of 80's melody and modern production just about right. Even the last HINDER album saw them finally match enough hooks/melody with a powerful modern sound. And if those bands are too modern for you or you hate even the tiniest bits of screaming then just go listen to "Slave to the Grind" for the rest of your days... P.S. I realise these posts make me seem like a grumpy old git, but (and if you google this band you'll realise I'm far from on my own with this opinion) I just frankly think bands like this are a joke, and they emphasise the fact that you don't need to have much playing or songwriting ability to start a band and get signed. Reckless Love embrace every cliche of the '80s and do so in catchy fashion, which is why I like them, and that exact same thing is all Blessed By A Broken Heart is doing. I don't care if it's derivative or authentic or trend-hopping (really? releasing a hair-metal album is trendy? since when?), I only care if it sounds good, and thanks to BBABH's huge hooks/choruses/harmonies, that's exactly how they sound to my ears. Escape the Fate is a decent band, but BBABH no longer play that style; aside from a few negligible screams/growls, "Feel the Power" is a straight-up hair-metal album. Even their debut had a few smidgens of glam influence, then they went half-hair, half-metalcore on "Pedal to the Metal," so this newie is a very natural progression into a full-fledged '80s pop metal band. It's not trend-hopping, it's a pretty obvious and natural evolution; the band has never concealed their love of '80s poodle metal and now they have gone ahead and made an album full of it. As for the Google comment...sure, this band has its detractors, just like it has its fans, but that applies to any band out there. I could take all your favorite modern metal bands, even popular ones like Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, or Job For A Cowboy, and find plenty of people tearing 'em to shreds. Let's face it, Tim, anyone can find other people on the Internet who agree with their opinions. Does Killswitch Engage fellate camel dick simply because plenty of haters on the 'Net say they do? Bottom line, nobody is wrong and nobody is right--it's all subjective opinion. I think this album kicks ass, you think it sucks ass, and to each their own, my friend.

Just received my copies of Murder Bay & Rattleshake from Eonian today and while I haven't had a chance to listen to Rattleshake yet (other than the samples I was provided when I wrote the band's biography for the liner notes), I did give Murder Bay a front-to-back spin this evening and I can assure you plenty of people around these parts will be pleased to get their hands on this puppy.

When are the press promos going out? Must...hear...this...album. My editor is probably hogging the thing for himself...

Well, at least you acknowledge the guitarist can shred, unlike that Tim bloke who dared to call the band talentless. I continue to disagree that they are still trying to merge metalcore with glam, because aside from a handful of screams/growls, this is a straight-up hair-metal album. Funny you should mention Reckless Love, as they are the band I think this new Blessed By A Broken Heart album most sounds like. As for which one is better...I'm not gonna call it, but I will say that I don't give a hoot about a band's looks, I only care about their music, and Blessed By A Broken Heart is cranking out some great pop-metal on this latest CD. Kind of seems like the band is being judged for what they did in the past rather than what they are doing now. If this was the debut of some new band on Frontiers Records, this thread would be lighting up with praise.

Uh, Tim? "Feel the Power" IS their 3rd album, so you already lost that bet. And "talentless"? Heck, man, even this band's detractors acknowledge that the guitarist can shred like nobody's business. As far as I'm concerned, these guys are leaps & bounds ahead of Black Veil Brides, and that's coming from someone who likes Black Veil Brides. That said, if you don't appreciate the cheesy hair-metal of the '80s, then there's no way in hell you're going to like "Feel the Power." Please return to your death metal and scream-core and leave the fluffy pop-glam-metal to us less-serious minded folks.

Hmmmm...are we listening to the same album? This new CD is pure '80s hair-metal to these ears, with very minimal metalcore influence (some occasional screams here & there, but nothing major, used very sparingly). Yeah, their last album was a metalcore-glam hybrid (glam-core), but this is retro pop-metal served mostly straight up: shredding guitars, huge hooks, sing-along choruses, monster harmonies. As I mentioned in my review, I think they should get rid of those screams altogether, but any modern metal influence is overpowered and drowned by the hair-metal heroics. My stance is that any glam-metal fan that throws out this album because of a few modern metal touches is akin to a man kicking a nyphomaniacal Swedish supermodel out of his bed because she hada pimple on the sole of her foot.

I actually like "Daughters of Darkness" the best out of those 4 songs, but "Love Bites (So do I)" is a close runner-up. The other two aren't doing much for me.

My review of Canadian glam/hair/shred-metal mavericks Blessed By A Broken Heart's new album, "Feel the Power," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Blessed By A Broken Heart review All I'm gonna say is...I loved this album.

Yeah, their power metal is still pretty generic--good, but generic, though Chris Bay is a great vocalist--but the hard rock-influenced tracks sound pretty decent. For the power metal sound, check out "Age of the Phoenix" and "66 Warriors"; for pure heavy metal (and the best song on the album) you've got to give "Killer Gear" a listen; for the hard rock-oriented tracks, give "Rockstars," "Sun in the Dark," "Rockin' Radio," and "Power + Glory" a go.

Feel free to check out my review of the new Freedom Call album, "Land of the Crimson Dawn," over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to be promptly whisked there: Freedom Call review In a nutshell, bombastic melodic power metal mixed with some hard rock influence.

I have not heard a cat fart that sounded good for even 1 second, so you, sir, have an extraordinary feline.

Agree 100%. If Vain had released "No Respect" and "Enough Rope" on exactly the same day instead of 23 years apart, I think a lot more people would be claiming they were equal (and some of us, myself included, claiming "Enough Rope" is superior). "No Respect" has the benefit of having been spun by everyone for nearly a quarter-century...hard for "Enough Rope" to overcome it's "newcomer" status. As noted above, the Vain diehards are going to continue to fall to their knees and worship "No Respect," (personally, I don't get it...the album is good, but nothing more), while those of us who are more casual fans are apt to give "Enough Rope" equal--or better--footing. It's just the way it is and the way it will always be.

I agree. I love the debut but the last one I haven't played much. I can't even give it away on Ebay...okay, I could give it away but I wont! I thought "Bring the Thunder" was OK but nothing special, but I really like "Knock You Down." Speaking of which...Jarred, if you're looking for somewhere to dump your copy...well, let's just say I sent you an email.

Thou makest a fair point, my friend.

If you're interested in hearing about some pretty good modern hard rock, check out my review of Anchored: "Listen to This," now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to scope it out: Anchored review In a nutshell, if you enjoy that Nickelback-ish sound, you owe to yourself to give these guys a listen. And for the pervs out there, head over to their website (www.getanchored.com) and check out the "explicit/unrated" video for the band's new single "Savior," which features a Playboy model in various states of undress. And oh yeah, the song's pretty decent too.

If we do...it better match the carpet. Well, um, what if there isn't any carpet? Or just a landing stip? I feel like such a virgin, because I don't know what a "stip" is.