metalmaniac777

I think you all scared him away. Or maybe he's just too busy stealing--I mean, downloading--all that "free" music...

My brother bought this in a used CD shop (guess somebody ditched it fast) so I got a chance to hear it. While I would rate it as the best debut from any of the American Idol finalists (not that that's saying much), it still has that safe, formulaic, packaged feel to it, despite some solid modern rock hooks. I didn't hear anything I hated, but neither did I hear anything that made me want to rush out and grab a copy. A second-tier Bon Jovi, Nickelback, Hedley wanna-be sort of album. Then again, maybe I'm just still pissed that Constantine didn't win. As always, just my two cents' worth. Keep the faith. Mark

Latest acquisitions... HARDCORE SUPERSTAR: s/t WALTHAM: s/t HOSTAGE: "Poor and Famous" SHANNON: s/t NONPOINT: "To the Pain" QUOTA: "Stick to Your Guns" LIXX ARRAY: "Reality Playground" LILLIAN AXE: "Live 2002" RUDY WILD: "Wild One"

Only one new acquisition the last few days... MONDAY MORNING: "Fool's Paradise" Christian modern melodic/nu-breed in the vein of Hinder, Default, etc. Good stuff, and several of the songs are produced by John & Dino Elefante (those guys almost couldn't produce a bad album if they tried).

I agree with HSF (see, man? we can agree about something! )...this crap gets real old real fast. I've got nothing against 80sMetalCollector, but I am starting to wonder if he owns stock in Retrospect Records given how quickly he runs to the label's defense. Listen, it's simple: Retrospect Records sells CDRs. Deal with it. I don't care if Sam is your friend, brother, or lover--he's selling CDRs. Kudos to him for getting "rare" product out there to those who want it, but despite your protests to the contrary, there are tons of collectors out there who don't want CDRs. That's their right. Just like it's your right to collect a mountain of green-backed CDRs if that's what you want to do. Live and let live, people...isn't that the American way? Enough crap. Let's rock.

Been a slow week. All I added to the collection was... HINDER: "Extreme Behavior" (good stuff, BTW!)

Latest acquisitions... STUTTERFLY: "We are Bled of Color" MEADOW: "We All Collapse" AUDIOVISION: "The Calling"

Latest acquisitions... WHITECROSS: "Nineteen Eighty-Seven" BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE: "Hand of Blood" JADED HEART: "Helluva Time" SWEET KILLER: "Woman for Sale" WICKED KIN: "Born Killers" IRON CROSS: "Too Hot to Rock" AXXIS: "Matters of Survival" ROAD RATT: s/t XT: s/t ZAN CLAN: "Citizen of Wasteland" LUV HUNTER: s/t

Recent acquisitions... CRYSTAL BALL: "Timewalker" PRIMAL FEAR: "Seven Seals" SHAKRA: "Fall" CRASHDIET: "Rest in Sleaze" HOTSHOT: s/t SHINEDOWN: "Us and Them" BEGGAR'S PRIDE: s/t SCATTER CREEK: s/t I/O: s/t DEMON HUNTER: "The Triptych" DEFAULT: "One Thing Remains"

Nope, nothing wrong with that. Sounds just like me...well, except for the "fraudulent, deadbeat, piece of shit, no good, lying waste of space, air, and life" part.

"Supernatural" is definitely one of the best new shows this season. Personally, I like how the brothers aren't a couple of bunny-huggin' pansies interested in "understanding" the creatures, but are actually hunting the monsters and killing them (or at least sending them back to whatever plane of existence they came from). Oh yeah, and the music's cool too.

In the truck, it's NICKELBACK: "All the Right Reasons" In the apartment, it's SHY TIGER: "Feed the Kitty"

NICKELBACK: "All the Right Reasons" They finally knocked one out of the park!

In the apartment, it's SHY TIGER: "Tails Out" making me purr. In the truck, it's BON JOVI: "Have a Nice Day" making me, well, have a nice day!!

BON JOVI: "Have a Nice Day" (Jap.) Lemme tell ya, if you don't have the bonus track version (UK & Japan), then you're missing out on 2 great rock songs.

Even for a horror fan like me, "House of Wax" was a disappointment. Took way too long to get going, somewhat picked up the pace in the middle with some fairly graphic kills/gore, then proceeded to abolish what little good will it had established by delivering a retarded ending. Last movie I saw was "Nightwatch," a Russian film about psychic shapeshifters battling vampires for control of humanity. Super-stylish in a Blade-meets-Matrix-meets-Star Wars kind of way, but aside from the generic plot I just gave you, don't ask me to tell you what in Sam Hill was going on in this flick...

In the apartment, it's SHOUT: "Shout" making my new neighbors wonder if they made a mistake moving into the building. In the truck, it's SECOND HEAT: "Second Heat" giving me my melodic hard rock fix.

Latest acquisitions... SECOND HEAT: s/t SKILLET: "Alien Youth" HOT BOY: "Barely Legal" BLUE TEARS: "Mad, Bad, & Dangerous" CHINCHILLA: "Take no Prisoners" STRYPER: "Reborn"

Latest acquisitions... RA: "From One" RA: "Duality" BOYSVOICE: "Serenity" KICKSTART: "Your Life for Today" 7TH HEAVEN: "Sampler Volume 1" ASYLUM SUITE: s/t KIDS IN THE WAY: "Apparitions of Melody" MADSIDE: s/t BEN JACKSON GROUP: "All Over You" AMERICAN HI-FI: "Hearts on Parade" THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH: "The Art of Breaking"

Actually, Petra covered Russ Ballard's "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You" in 1984 on their "Beat the System" album. Being a Christian rock band, Petra changed the lyrics to reflect a more spiritual message.

Given that Koogs could've been far more blunt (such as, "Retrospect Records sells bullshit bootlegs") and nobody would have faulted him, since his reputation on HH is unsullied and Sam's is sullied beyond repair, I thought he handled the situation pretty well, politely stating that the Alyze he has up for auction is an original, not the Retrospect "reissue." The only thing rampant around here is Recordjnky's quick defense of his brother anytime someone dares implies he sells bootlegs. (Psssst...he does...pass it on.) Sorry, my friend, while your loyalty to your brother is admirable, it's also blind. Time to accept that he ain't a saint, he's a bootleg artist, pure and simple. As always, just my two cents' worth. Keep the faith. Mark

Latest acquisitions... SEVEN WISER: "Seven Wiser" BOMBAY BLACK: "Mercy"

Sebastian Bach. Most everyone else is voting for David Lee Roth, but while he was certainly dynamic, I find Skid Row to be a far better band than Van Halen and therefore am more entertained by watching Sebastian Bach on stage than DLR.

In the truck...SHOTZ: "Shotz" In the apartment...ROXX GANG: "Things You've Never Done Before"

That's because you have excellent taste! Well, except for being a Vain fan, that is...