First Spin Impressions

[Geoff]

The Wedding - 'Polarity' ; this day has been really hard for me. I had a lot of hope for this CD and am in love with the debut. The Wedding and Anberlin both released two of 2005's highlights, but they've both delivered two of 2007's big disappointments. This album is not terrible, but like Anberlin's 'Cities' there is just a complete lack of killer cuts. The album plods along and ends without ever really making to take notice. Some nice riffs in there, but too few. Some decent songs... but I expected A LOT from this and it really let me down. Super disappointing.

 

It Dies Today - 'Siren' ; good album. I hate to say it, but this sound is a dime a dozen, but they do it well. Think Boy Sets Fire or A Static Lullaby or something like that. Screamo here and there, but melodic vocals included with good catchy and melodic choruses. I think I'll grow to like this a lot. Good solid album.

 

TNT - 'New Territory' ; This and The Wedding's 'Polarity' really ruined my day today. Please refer to my "review" in the topic for this album for my full thoughts, but basically this is a LeTekro solo or Vagabond album, the vocal arrangements are dreadful, songs just as bad... the whole thing is just a mess. Terrible album.

[Geoff]

Funeral For A Friend - 'Tales don't tell themselves' ; Easily my album of the year so far. I expected a lot and they didn't disappoint. Some may view this album as selling out because there are 9 potential singles here of 10 tracks, but I don't view it that way. Every song they've ever recorded is very melodic and "commercial" but in the past the metallic riffs and screaming may have kept them off radio. This album is a tad "lighter" and there is no screaming, but the rest is all FFAF. If you're looking for a surprise melodic gem this year, pick this one up. I'm in love with it.

[Geoff]

The Used - 'Lies for the Liars' ; good stuff. I have to admit that, IMO, it's probably their weakest album yet but I'm not at all disappointed. It's the best sounding one and the drums are killer... they lost the sort of "fragile" sound they had and this is a good solid hard rock album, with very hard rock orientated choruses. This won't win them new fans and I'd definitely recommend 'In love and death' before this one... but this is a good solid album with arguably my favourite song of the year so far on it - 'Earthquake'.

[Geoff]

Amber Pacific - 'Truth in Sincerity' ; Hmmm, hate to say it but I have to chalk this up as another disappointment. The album is not bad and there are a few awesome songs, namely 'Fall back into my life'. But of 12 tracks there are 10 songs and 2 "intrumentals". 3 of the songs are full-fledged punk tracks (two with big guitar solos) so there's only 7 potential good tracks. Of those 7, only about 4 are really good. Sad thing is, of those 3 punk tracks it sounds like they'd be highlights, especially 'Runaway' if played at a normal pace. Their debut EP 'Fading Days' and debut album 'Possibility and the promise' both had a lot of punk influence and maybe a few punk verses, but they generally ripped out a huge melodic chorus to save the day. This time it's sort of the other way round. A few cool verses but with write-off punk choruses. I do quite like the 7 tracks on display and I'm confident this album will grow on me just fine, but I have to put it in the Anberlin/The Wedding file of disappointments because I did expect a lot.

[Fat Freddy]

Megadeth -UNITED ABOMINATIONS

I haven't even made it thru the whole CD yet, just the first three or four tracks, but based on what I've heard so far, WHOOOOOLY CRAPAMOLEY, Dave Mustaine is BACK with a f**king VENGEANCE!! I can't wait to hear the rest!

[Geoff]

Wild August - s/t and '2' ; pretty cool band. Vocally reminds me of Tora Tora and Savannah sort of mixed together. Musically the 2nd set of songs are a bit ballsier (still pretty lite though), but they're all nice and commercial/melodic. Not ground-breaking, but solid melodic rock.

[Swazi]

Frederiksen/Denander - Baptism by Fire

 

SHIT, guys and girls !!!! This one is PHANTASTIC !! For me definitely the AOR highlight of this year !

[RichieZ]

The Red House - S/T

 

First spin impressions tell me this one SUCKS big time.

[Chris]

Pain Of Salvation- Scarsick. Kind of out there with the lyrics and music but like with the other albume, they take a while to digest. It does have great production.

[RichieZ]

Completely agree matey, although I haven't heard 'The Earth a Small Man' disc (must get that one). This was a lot better than I was expecting and there are some great tracks on here (the title track is one I especially like). I like the addition of the Live album and DVD in the package as well - value for money definately. OK, It won't set the world alight, but in this day of fewer and fewer quality AOR discs, this restores a little faith in the genre (Yet again the Old Boys show how it should be done!!!)

 

Jez, 'The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog...' CD is well worth getting, espcially for the song "The Heart Survives", one of REO's best tracks.

[TIM (2)]

Frederiksen/Denander - Baptism by Fire

 

SHIT, guys and girls !!!! This one is PHANTASTIC !! For me definitely the AOR highlight of this year !

 

That one came through the post this morning. It's very very similar to the last RADIOACTIVE album, but maybe even more keyboard-driven. After the first listen it's very polished & has some strong songs, though it does tail-off after a terrific first-half. Definitely recommended though....

[heaven&hell]

Poison- Poison'd

 

I was just able to listen to a few tracks before hitting the stop button.

What the f#@k happened to these guys? Will they ever be able to record anything worth a shit again?

 

 

Intense- As our Army Grows

 

Keef hooked me up with this one and I'm sure glad he did.

If you like Madien and Iced Earth then this band is for you.

Just awesome Power Metal with great vocals, guitars, and awesome time changes.

[Jez]

Didn't know Poison had recorded anything worth Shit in the first place (Sorry Geoff)

[heaven&hell]

Didn't know Poison had recorded anything worth Shit in the first place (Sorry Geoff)

 

 

Jez, I knew you'd say something like that.

 

If you don't watch it Geoff will unleash Cliff Richard upon you again.

[Fat Freddy]

The Cursed - ROOM FULL OF SINNERS

 

Not what I'd expect to hear from two thrash guys (Dan Lorenzo of Hades and Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth of Overkill) at all. Instead this is kinda sludgy, groovy Sabbath-meets-70s Aerosmith kinda stuff. Weird but still kinda cool. Interesting to hear Bobby use his voice for something other than screaming his ass off.

[Jez]

Didn't know Poison had recorded anything worth Shit in the first place (Sorry Geoff)

 

 

Jez, I knew you'd say something like that.

 

If you don't watch it Geoff will unleash Cliff Richard upon you again.

 

 

I'd rather Sir Cliff than Poison. Errr thinking about it, that's not quite right. Why not get them both together in the studio and whilst they are there take 'em out & get rid of one complete Tosser & one completely useless act in one hit. Any takers, I'll front the cash. (I'm not sorry this time Geoff )

[heaven&hell]

Didn't know Poison had recorded anything worth Shit in the first place (Sorry Geoff)

 

 

Jez, I knew you'd say something like that.

 

If you don't watch it Geoff will unleash Cliff Richard upon you again.

 

 

I'd rather Sir Cliff than Poison. Errr thinking about it, that's not quite right. Why not get them both together in the studio and whilst they are there take 'em out & get rid of one complete Tosser & one completely useless acts in one hit. Any takers, I'll front the cash. (I'm not sorry this time Geoff )

 

 

 

Cliff and Brett Michaels in the same room at the same time.

 

I'm not sure if the world could handle how bad that would be.

[Chris]

Didn't know Poison had recorded anything worth Shit in the first place (Sorry Geoff)

 

 

Jez, I knew you'd say something like that.

 

If you don't watch it Geoff will unleash Cliff Richard upon you again.

 

 

I'd rather Sir Cliff than Poison. Errr thinking about it, that's not quite right. Why not get them both together in the studio and whilst they are there take 'em out & get rid of one complete Tosser & one completely useless acts in one hit. Any takers, I'll front the cash. (I'm not sorry this time Geoff )

 

 

 

Cliff and Brett Michaels in the same room at the same time.

 

I'm not sure if the world could handle how bad that would be.

That's an awful lot of love for Jez in one room...

[Jez]

Didn't know Poison had recorded anything worth Shit in the first place (Sorry Geoff)

 

 

Jez, I knew you'd say something like that.

 

If you don't watch it Geoff will unleash Cliff Richard upon you again.

 

 

I'd rather Sir Cliff than Poison. Errr thinking about it, that's not quite right. Why not get them both together in the studio and whilst they are there take 'em out & get rid of one complete Tosser & one completely useless acts in one hit. Any takers, I'll front the cash. (I'm not sorry this time Geoff )

 

 

 

 

Cliff and Brett Michaels in the same room at the same time.

 

I'm not sure if the world could handle how bad that would be.

That's an awful lot of love for Jez in one room...

 

 

 

 

 

Cliff Richard and Poison two things that would go extremely well together. Wanker!!!!!

[Geoff]

"I made this pout especially for you, Jez."

 

A Change of Pace - 'An offer you can't refuse' ; okay, so I'm sort of cheating because I sort of spun a CDR of this briefly the other day, immediately shelved it and decided I needed the original. These guys are easily one of, if not my favourite recent discovery in modern rock. Awesome choruses, cool riffs... just love the whole vibe these guys put forth. As I said elsewhere, sort of like Cauterize mixed with Die Trying, and a bit of screamo in these release... just a bit. Loving these guys.

[Geoff]

Boys Like Girls - s/t ; I was after this one all year last year, but never got it. Finally got a copy and I love it. It's everything I love about modern rock in a lovely package. Killer sound, huge choruses and hooks. Love it. Awesome ballads too. For fans of SR-71, Hedley etc.

 

Eighteen Visions - 'Vanity' - Hmmm, not for me. 100% hardcore/screamo. The last track is a nice ballad and I'll keep it for the collection, but this is definitely not my scene. Raw, heavy and lots of screaming.

[Geoff]

Eighteen Visions - 'Obsession' ; Wow, amazing what a difference two years can make. Whereas the above-mentioned 'Vanity' was hardcore/screamo, this is good solid hard rock / metal. Only one or two screams on the whole CD, which really benefits these guys because this guy has one of the best voices in modern rock. As noted before, he reminds me of the dude in Vicious Mary. Anyway, this is a good prequel to the excellent s/t album in 2006. Great ballsy riffs and very strong songs. I really enjoyed this one. 11 songs, 35 mins. I like it.

[Fat Freddy]

Pownd - CIRCLE OF POWER -- first off, this band has one of the dumbest names I've come across in a while. (Intentional misspellings were SO metal in 1986 but they look stupid now.) As for the music, ehhh, they're OK I guess. They kinda sound like a mish mosh of Judas Priest, mid-period Metallica, a little Black Label Society here and there, etc., etc. The press info I got with the disc talks about how popular this band were in Kentucky (where they hail from) which prompted them to move to Detroit (?), where they've supposedly cultivated "thousands of fans"...all I can say about that is that I guess they must not have had much competition in either location. (In other words, it's easy to be the big fish in a small pond.) Not the worst thing I've heard lately but not the best either. Enjoyable enough in a generic sort of way.

 

Blood Tsunami, THRASH METAL - Now THERE's a real METAL band name eh?? Too bad I didn't dig this one at all. I like the sound of the mid 80s Slayer/Kreator/Destruction records as much as the next old fart, and these guys cop that sound very well here, but the vocals kill it for me. I never could stand the WOOOOOAAAARRRRRGH and I never will....

[aMetalhead1966]

Bloodbound-Book of the Dead...Don't know much about these

guys...Seems to be pretty cool Melodic Metal...some cool Riffs..

nothing stands out as of now....Vocalist is very good...

[Fat Freddy]

Autumn Black - BENEATH THE SHADOWS

 

Hmmm, sounds like this must be some'a that there "metalcore" or "emo" stuff the kids are so crazy about these days. Two vocalists (one clean singing guy, one WOOOOOARRRRGH guy) ranting and raving over a bunch of generic sorta-thrash riffs. 12 songs that couldn't end fast enough for me. One word review: Yuck.