metalmaniac777

If you hate this band, there is absolutely no reason to check this new album out. It's the same sound/style as all their other albums, albeit a little bit better than their last one, in my opinion, more in line with "Ten Thousand Fists" or "Indestructible." But there's nothing on here that's going to change a hater from a lover. It's a really good album...but only if you already like Disturbed.

My review of the new Disturbed album, "The Lost Children," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Disturbed review In a word, better than their last effort and a must-own for any Disturbed fan. OK, that's 13 words, but whatever...

My review of the indie grunge rock/metal band Zombie Shaker Box (yeah, I know, I just lost 99.9% of you at the word "grunge") is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Zombie Shaker Box review For those who don't want to read 600 words, I'll narrow it down to one sentence: If you like Alice in Chains, you'll like this album.

So many funny things can be spun around that statement... We all have our regrets...just sayin'.

There's nothing wrong with me just because I don't care for Steel Panther's in-your-face (pun fully intended) raunch lyrics. I also don't like romantic comedies, polo shirts, brussel sprouts, or having a pinkie popped up my ass during sex...does my dislike for these things mean there is something wrong with me as well? No, it's called personal taste and it's totally subjective. If I had my way, Steel Panther would sing about non-pornographic love, rock, following your dreams, and Jesus Christ, but they do not, instead choosing to sing about cum & cunts & the myriad of nasty methods with which the two can be combined. If you like it, good for you--that is your personal taste. But I, and the others who don't enjoy sexually explicit lyrics are not pussies or skirt-wearers, we just have different taste. To each their own. Those who enjoy porn-populated parodic hair-metal have their Steel Panther...those of us who prefer things a little more tasteful have, as Geoff put it, ten billion other bands. Calling me a pussy for not liking Steel Panther's lyrics is no more fair than me calling you a misogynistic pervert for liking them. All together now, let's join hands and sing "Kumbayah." Or, at the very least, "We Are The World." C'mon, you know you want to... Now, can someone help me zip up this dress I'm wearing? And for the love of God, where the hell did I put my pantyhose??

You wouldn't hate it, and you might like it a little more than I did, but it just seemed to me like so many of the songs were "just OK" with the outright gems few & far between. Within the Talon discography, I would put this in 2nd place, behind the debut, but a slight improvement over the last one. But hey, I'm just one reviewer...what the hell do I know???

My review of Talon's 3rd album, the less-than-creatively titled "III," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Talon review Pretty much more of the same from Talon. Whether that is good or bad depends on your personal melodic rock proclivities.

Didn't read the review, did ya? Yes, in my opinion, it's significantly better than "The Blackening," in that it's far more accessible but doesn't sacrifice intensity & heaviness in the process. I expected little from the album and wound up rather impressed. Guilty as charged...no, I didn't read the review but I will right away. I always love your reviews, Mark. Even if it's something I wouldn't like you still write an interesting review. Why, thank you, my good man. I don't subscribe to the theory that music reviews must be a dry, boring litany of the facts. Instead, I try to deliver those facts in an entertaining way that's interesting to read. Whether or not I succeed is up to each individual reader to decide...

Didn't read the review, did ya? Yes, in my opinion, it's significantly better than "The Blackening," in that it's far more accessible but doesn't sacrifice intensity & heaviness in the process. I expected little from the album and wound up rather impressed.

While this won't appeal to most people here, my review of Machine Head's new album, "Unto the Locust," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Machine Head review If you have a taste for the modern heavy/thrash metal sound, this one is tough to beat.

My review of the new Bonfire live album, "Fireworks...Still Alive" is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Bonfire review I typically loathe live albums, but this is really good, sounding more like a re-recording of "Fireworks" than anything else. Upcoming reviews include: Machine Head: "Unto the Locust" Talon: "III" Nightvision: "Consequence of Sin"

Yep, same band. I'm liking what I'm hearing. Just checked out all the samples over on iTunes and as Glen said, there are some outright gems to be had on this album. Think I'll pull the trigger on this one.

Thanks for that review - that's pretty much made up my mind NOT to buy this record - I was one of the biggest critics of her debut for not rocking enough and if this is even less so, then I don't think I'll bother. If you didn't like the debut, no need to bother with this follow-up. Using songs from the debut for comparison, there's a lot more "River of Love" on this sophomore album than "I'm Alive," if you know what I mean.

My review of the new Issa album, "The Storm," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Issa review Little less anthemic and more straight-forward than the debut. You can decide for yourself whether or not that's a good thing.

My less-than-flattering review of the new Switchfoot album, "Vice Verses," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Switchfoot review Aside for one great song, I really disliked this one.

I actually read your review when I was doing my research on the band and didn't even realize you were the writer. Good write-up. Seems you were a little more impressed with them that I was, but they're definitely a solid entry in the raw, sleazy hard rock sweepstakes.

My review of indie retro-sleaze rockers Juliet's Vice new album, "d.g.a.f.," is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Juliet's Vice review Those who appreciate that early Guns 'N Roses sound will want to give these guys a listen. Upcoming reviews include: Issa: "The Storm" Switchfoot: "Vice Verses" Nightvision: "Consequence of Sin" Crowned By Fire: "Prone to Destroy"

I quite liked this as I enjoy modern metal. Agree his vocals have gone somewhat, and there are too many (mediocre) ballads on this thing. Otherwise not bad IMO.... Epic fail? Holy crap, man, I could not disagree more. Granted, I hoped it would be a little better, but it's still a pretty kickass heavy-hard rock album, and I thought Bach sounded damn good. Anyone expecting "Slave to the Grind Part Deux" is going to be a tad bit disappointed, but after "Angel Down" I don't think anyone had a right to expect that. "Hope for," maybe, but not "expect." And for the record, I really disliked "Wishin'." Disliked all the ballads, actually. All that said, if Bach wants to have someone like Chris Laney write some songs for him on the next go-round, I would not complain...

I agree, I didn't get the screaming complaints either. I loved "Angel Down." For the record, I personally was not complaining about the screaming in my review, merely pointing out how Bach's previous solo effort was received, because I like "Angel Down" and was perfectly content to hear Bach go in a heavier, more aggressive direction. Granted, it's not the kind of larynx-shredding screaming you hear from, say, Killswitch Engage, but it's certainly not pure melodic singing either when Bach goes into that aggressive vocal mode. That said, there's a little less of that on this newie, so folks who thought he screamed too much on "Angel Down" should be more content with this album.

I'd slot that song into the "good but not great" category. That said, Daughtry has not yet failed to impress, so consider me stoked for a new album. Does he have what it takes to end the 2011 modern rock stakes with a bang rather than a whimper? Time will soon tell...

Sebastian Bach is my all-time favorite vocalist. To read my review of his new solo album, "Kicking & Screaming," head over to Hardrock Haven by clicking the link below: Sebastian Bach review In short, better than "Angel Down" (which I liked), not quite as good as his Skid Row days, but still a damn good heavy-edged hard rock/metal album.

I really like the title track. Also Mark, you are starting to sound a bit like Blackadder with all these quotes! While not true fillers, per se, the songs that didn't grab me as much as the others are "How to Stop," "Let Go," "If It's To Be (It's Up To Me)," and "Summer Nights in Cabo." All the rest are excellent, including the title track. And as Tim mentioned, "Summer Nights in Cabo" features a world-class vocal performance (as does the whole album for that matter) from Hitchcock, but something about the chorus just leaves me going, "Meh." Glen, I must confess that the Blackadder reference missed the mark with me...who is Blackadder? And is it a good thing or a bad thing? I hate to think you gave me a good insult and it went over my head!

I agree, 7 plagues it way too much to ask. But seems to me just 1 plague would suffice in this situation. Something minor. Like locusts. "If thou is a jackass on Amazon, thou shalt suffer a plague of locusts within thy house, and they shall be ensnarled by the thousands in thy pubes."

My review of one of the finest melodic hard rock albums of the year, Toby Hitchcock: "Mercury's Down", is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Toby Hitchcock review Not quite as good as the hype would suggest, but still pretty damn good.

I know this band has limited appeal here at Heavy Harmonies, but for the handful who may be interested, my review of Trivium: "In Waves" is now available over at Hardrock Haven. Click the link below to check it out: Trivium review One of my favorite modern heavy/thrash bands and this album shows why. Upcoming reviews include: Toby Hitchcock: "Mercury's Down" Sebastian Bach: "Kicking & Screaming" Steel Panther: "Balls Out" Juliet's Vice: "D.G.A.F." Zombie Shaker Box: "Encrypted" Anchored: s/t