TIM (2)

I have to say this album has really grown on me. First few listens I never really liked "Breaking the Silence" much (killer guitar solo though) and the last 2 tracks, nor did I like "Falling Down" that much. Of course everything else was killer. I'm still not really enjoying those last 2 tracks as much as the rest, but they do add some variety and this is a great spin if you play it all. My early criticism of no stand-out tracks is probably harsh as "Better off Alone" and "Living on the Run" are obviously sensational, so is "The One and Only" (am a sucker for a cheesy ballad). Yeah, pretty damn fantastic stuff. On a par with Shinedown for my fave of 2012...

This morning's awesome mix... HEAT - Address The Nation Halestorm - A Strange Case Of.... Destine - Illuminate Under a Burning Body - Red White & Green

There's the cantankerous Tim we know and love. Looks like the Apocalypse has been averted... I thought about writing more, but that comment really just summed-up my feelings! I have an album called "Stick Your Neck Out" or something equally daft, and it's a great big turd of an album.

A pretty fair review, and agree about the production and great guitar work (and tone). Weak vocals though, they're mostly just flat, and sooooo many fillers. For me a 7/10 album is worth getting, and I don't think it is worth getting (if you can download "Tattoos and Misery") so would give it slightly less...

Shinedown is far from filler free IMO....well by filler, I mean not a track I would necessarily skip, but of definite lower quality. At least 6 killer tracks, granted, but at least 4 or 5 which dip below a top standard as well. Nice to finally hear some great modern rock though, and I also love the Safetysuit and Ryan Star discs so some quality stuff in that genre... backed on that...although not heard Ryan Star...or even heard of him to be honest?? Worth checking out, or will I hate it lol ??! Go to Youtube and check out "Last Train Home" or "Breathe"....

Shinedown is far from filler free IMO....well by filler, I mean not a track I would necessarily skip, but of definite lower quality. At least 6 killer tracks, granted, but at least 4 or 5 which dip below a top standard as well. Well I only really skip the opener, otherwise there's nothing I don't love. And I only rate it higher than the Destine because of personal taste around the style/sound of the band. Nice to finally hear some great modern rock though, and I also love the Safetysuit and Ryan Star discs so some quality stuff in that genre...

Yeah this is better than Safetysuit. It's pretty much filler-free. It's not quite topping Shinedown for me, to be honest, but those two and H.E.A.T are all great discs. Funny, I expected Trixter and Tyketto to be taking some honours this year, but they pale compared to these the above albums...

TRIXTER - New Audio Machine My first impressions on this were generous. Nice guitars, but rough vocals (what happened to this guy?) and some fucking horrible songs. Honestly, Frontiers what were you thinking signing them up? A nostalgia trip? Stuff like "Physical Attraction", "Get On It" and "Dirty Love" is just total shit. "Tattoos and Misery" is the only song that would've made it onto their first two albums (even though it's a more modern sounding tune), everything else would've been chucked in the bin. The worst album I've bought in 3 years.

I'm pleased people are enjoying them, but not for me. Quantity is not the same as quality. I'd rather remember Tyketto and Trixter for what they used to be (good) rather than what they are now (average, or worse in Trixter's case). The new Overkill is okay, but their previous disc was better IMO. Frankly some of these bands should just release stuff under different names to avoid people getting their expectations raised...

If next week Bayern play the way they played yesterday they might even have a chance to get to the finals. For me this would be sensational, of course, as I live in Munich. Madrid v Barcelona already took place three times this year and Barca won every time. Not sure how much of a spectacle that will be. Bayern need to stabilize their defence and use the many chances they are given in the front (Gomez). Could well be Chelsea vs Munich after last night ! One step closer......... Cracking game last night...Chelsea rode their luck but their defensive performance was amazing. & the Torres goal at the end just made me laugh....his mistake left him further up field than he should have been and when the ball broke he was 40 yards clear lol !! Could nt make it up. Yeah that was classic. Good finish though, even if his all-round game is (as it always was) terrible. Chelsea need to play him as an out-and-out striker who plays on the last defender and doesn't have to track-back, then he'll get goals. Barcelona were frankly pretty predictable and don't have enough pace in their play to stretch the game. Means they're always liable to a defeat if a team is well organised or lucky enough (not many are!) I reckon Chelsea versus Madrid...

I think they're a good band. The trouble was the last singer was shite (and he was a dick who took himself too seriously). They've got some talent and can write good tunes. I will check the new one out...

It is the best song. The acoustic bonus track is probably the 2nd best song. Says it all.

TRIXTER - New Audio Machine Wow, what a let-down. I kinda hoped this would be somewhere between "Hear" and 40FT RINGO/RA-style modern rock. Or even similar to one or other of those styles. It's not. Well, "Tattoos and Misery" (the first single) is. It's ultra catchy modern rock with a killer chorus. The rest is largely 80's hard rock, but very little of it has the melodic-edge they had on "Hear". In fact, all of the first 3 songs are so ordinary I'll be very surprised if I play them again. A few decent tunes, and one killer tune, does not a great album make. It's not bad at all, but just an ordinary disc IMO.

This band suck.

I'm genuinely amazed you don't like it. It's much more melodic and hooky than the last disc, though it obviously lacks that 80's sound of the heavier hard-rock songs from that disc (like "Devour"). But killer melodic tunes like "Unity" and "For My Sake" are better IMO. I'm one of those that hyped-it-up but only because I genuinely love the whole thing. More so than Young Guns () and Safetysuit, though Destine and Ryan Star are close for top Modern Rock disc. Hopefully you'll enjoy the repeat spins more...

half of it is pretty average, but half of it is classic IMO. Destine is better tho ;-) I'm 100% sure Destine will destroy it. Most the modern rock CDs I've heard this year already do, to be honest. And I had such high hopes for it. Sound of Madness was/is phenomenal! Well I like the Shinedown more than the Destine! Both are pretty damn killer, but the Shinedown is pretty much filler-free for me and is the best Modern Rock disc I've heard since "Sound of Madness" came out... P.s. Am never really sure how to categorise Destine. I guess they are modern pop/rock, but it's very melodic...

HALESTORM - The Strange Case of Digipack (odd album title, but decent stuff nonetheless )

DESTINE - Illuminate JOB FOR A COWBOY - Demonocracy THE VEER UNION - Divide the Blackened Sky

This sounds very cool. My copy is on order too..

Great review, agree totally. No filler, back-to-back great modern rockers. Love the title-track especially. Bit more of a raw sound from the last disc and without a really big ballad, but who cares when the songs are as consistently good as this? Killer stuff.

Is a shame but in this climate not too much of a surprise. I guess charging subscriptions to the main site is the only last-resort thing to do, which may help? I'd be prepared to pay regularly for full access....

A selection from my fave discs of the year... RYAN STAR - 23:59 SHINEDOWN - Amaryllis UPON A BURNING BODY - Red White & Green H.E.A.T - Address the Nation

RYAN STAR - 11:59 Pretty decent modern pop/rock this. It's laid-back stuff but he's a good vocalist and really brings the songs to life. It's like a less mainstream David Cook, but with more variety in the songwriting. The disc is slightly hit & miss, but songs like "Last Train Home" and "Breathe" are pretty killer. If you like the gentler side of modern rock this is well worth checking out IMO...

Stick with it mate. Is slightly heavier (and the production is pretty raw) but it's consistent and there's hardly a weak track. I thought the last disc tailed-off a lot. This one just misses a big commercial stand-out track IMO...

I haven't got my copy yet, but am getting a bit irritated waiting for it to be delivered! I would definitely given the title-track a 10...