Guns N’ Roses – “Chinese Democracy” (2008) April 19, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2008, Guns N' Roses.2 comments
Written by Andrew Hart
Try as much as you want, you can’t avoid having heard of Chinese Democracy, the Guns N’ Roses album 14 years in the making that had the musical world raving every time it was brought up in conversation. Tracks leaked, band members left, Axl Rose cut his hair, it seemed as though a true Guns N’ Roses album would never see the light of day again. Axl Rose, the only member remaining of the original group, finally announced the release of the album in early 2008, and at long last it came to fruition. 14 years of work had better produce a damn good collection of songs however, so the question in everyone’s mind is, does the album stand up to it’s legacy?
Welcome to “Chinese Democracy,” a devilishly addictive opening title track with plenty of bells and whistles to show off the new GNR, from Axl’s screechy vocals to some furious fretwork from Robin Finck. It’s abundantly clear immediately that this isn’t your daddy’s GNR, but a more industrial and inventive group. Yes I said it, inventive. The material on Chinese Democracy is ingenious and unique, unlike anything the band had produced previously, even on their acclaimed debut Appetite For Destruction. “Shackler’s Revenge” continues this showcase with an attention-snagging riff and a multi-toned Rose, who’s voice jumps more on this song alone than many other voices ever will. The chorus will drill it’s way into your head too, if given the chance.
A light dose of Rose introduces “Better”, arguably the most straightforward rock track on the album. It’s rock and roll at it’s best, something Axl has always tackled with relative ease. The repetition of the chorus will fixate your mind on the track and make it a surefire good listen from the album. “If The World” has a great chorus as well, supported by some even better instrumental work that gets better if you focus on only that aspect of the song. There’s a lot of hidden brilliance deep in this album, little tweaks of the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and overall mixing that makes every song a unique experience. “Madagascar” stands out with it’s empowered climax, with a Buckethead driven solo over top quotes from the great Martin Luther King Jr. If you think it sounds odd than you are certainly in the right, but the spoken word pulls the song together marvelously, and alongside the intense solo provides the best moments of the album.
I did mention that this was one unique experience and I stand by that thought, but it also serves up the biggest flaws of the disc. Some of the tracks like “I.R.S.” and “Madagascar” are far and away better than most songs because of the inventive tweaks to the songs, but many tracks like “Riad N’ The Bedouins” and “Street of Dreams” aren’t memorable time in and time out because these gambles don’t pay off. While they do not hinder the listening experience of the album, they’ll never stand out, so oftentimes you’ll be jumping from track to track to listen to the true gems of the album. This CD also lacks a great deal of cohesiveness. Every song has it’s own personality from “Shackler’s Revenge” to the impassioned ballad “This I Love” but because of this there is no real flow to the experience. Those who are okay with greatest hits style compilations will be okay with this, but people who love a little smoothness in their listening will be disappointed.
After 14 years it is not hard to believe that Chinese Democracy would be a disappointment, but truth be told it’s not. This is not the Guns N’ Roses the world used to know, that brought us “Paradise City” and “Welcome To The Jungle”, and in all honesty it’s not really GNR anymore. Axl Rose has, however, written a truly wonderful album, with lots of standout moments and plenty of unique experiences. Those expecting Appetite For Destruction Part 2 will be disappointed, but those with an open mind will find plenty to love in Chinese Democracy.
8 out of 10 – Download “Madagascar”
Guns N’ Roses is | Axl Rose – Vocals, Guitar | Robin Finck – Guitar | Ron “Bumblefoot” Thai – Guitar | Buckethead – Guitar | Paul Tobias – Guitar | Richard Fortus – Guitar | Tommy Stinson – Bass | Bryan Mantia – Drums | Frank Ferrer – Drums | Dizzy Reed – Keyboards
The Veer Union – “Against The Grain” (2009) April 14, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, The Veer Union.1 comment so far
Written by Andrew Hart
For all of it’s strengths, surprises, disappointments, and memorable songs, 2009 to this point is seriously lacking some fresh blood in the rock music scene. Fear not though, The Veer Union is on the case, bringing the wave of hard rock back to the airwaves and dropping their major label debut, Against The Grain. The five-some has already begun to take the nation by storm with lead-off single “Seasons” swimming in radio play and becoming the official theme song of WWE’s newest big event. The attention is deserved too, as several of the members already have musical experience, working with everyone from Tommy Lee to Forty Foot Echo. The experience shows in Against The Grain.
The opening trifecta of songs is probably the strongest showing on the album, starting with the straightforward and explosive “Seasons” before transitioning to hook-laden “Youth of Yesterday” and the emotionally driven “Over Me.” “Seasons” is a great choice as far as singles are concerned, led by a powerful vocal performance and a fantastic recurring riff. “Youth of Yesterday” commands attention with the instrumental cutaway that builds the chorus higher than the previous song. “Over Me” begins to show off the multiple dimensions of vocal use, using a distant and distorted vocal line to burst into the chorus at full force. All three songs will be jammed in your mind for ages, thanks to their addictive choruses, which quickly become the recurring theme of Against The Grain.
From there, the album’s biggest weakness becomes apparent but barely bothersome. Many of The Veer Union’s tracks will feel blended together and far too similar the first few times through, but each track will make a name for itself with repeated listens. Whether it’s the low intro and commanding outro of “Darker Side of Me”, the hard-hitting “Your Love Kills Me”, or slow building album closer “What Have We Done”, it will become obvious soon that each song has it’s own personality and distinctions. Really the biggest faults are the so and so power ballads “I’m Sorry” and “Breathing In”. Each has a decent amount of hooks, but neither fully commits to the emotion of the song, leaving both feeling rather dull and skipable.
The Veer Union meshes remarkably well time and time again though. Frontman Crispin Earl has the perfect sounding voice for the band, a real hard rock tone with grunge twang. The backup vocals match each song perfectly, and nearly every track has an inventive and catchy riff on guitar or bass, so props are due to Schraeder, Roots and Fiddler for that. The drums while not as consistant, are still more than addictive enough on songs like “Final Moment” and “Youth of Yesterday” and are never boring. Lyrically, The Veer Union is fairly standard, but the emotion of the songs brings forth what the lyrics don’t necessarily address.
Against The Grain is a promising break into the mainstream for The Veer Union, who deserves credit for a rock album that grows more and more with each listen. Those who take the time to sit back and listen will constantly find subtle nuances about their craft, like the affinity for instrument cutaways to give the vocals and lyrics a second or two to shine. It’s that kind of technique that creates great hooks and memorable tunes, and that’s evidently something that The Veer Union has a firm grasp on, as Against The Grain is an album you’ll keep coming back to time and time again.
8.5 out of 10 – Download “Over Me”
The Veer Union is | Crispin Earl – Vocals | Eric Schraeder – Guitar, Backing Vocals | James Fiddler – Guitar | Mark Roots – Bass | Neil Beaton – Drums
Theory of a Deadman – “Scars and Souvenirs” (2008) April 13, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2008, Theory of a Deadman.1 comment so far
Written by Andrew Hart
Theory of a Deadman’s been riding the recent resurgence of party rock from bands that newcomers like Rev Theory, Hinder, and Saving Abel have gotten increasingly popular for. For all intents and purposes though, they were here first. Making their debut in 2002, Theory has finally recieved a fair bit of attention for their most recent album, thanks to several hit songs that many people have already heard. But hits do not a good album make, so does the rest of Theory of a Deadman’s Scars and Souvenirs stack up to these popular songs?
Well the first of those songs will be the first one to establish itself on this record. “So Happy” is upbeat and headstrong, cramming itself into your brain with an aggressive chorus and Tyler Connolly’s vocal twang. If you’ve been needing a song to kick someone out of the house to, you’ll find no more killer tune than “So Happy.” “By The Way” is a powerful scorcher of a track with a similar theme to its predecessor, but with less rock and roll and more flat out emotion. The back up vocals from Chris Daughtry provide an epic outro as the chorus repeats itself for the final time late in the song. “Got It Made” will have you singing along by the first minute, and the same can be said for “Crutch” and the ridiculously raunchy and well-known “Bad Girlfriend.” Meanwhile power ballads like “Not Meant To Be” and “All Or Nothing” stand out despite their cliched lyrics.
Theory of a Deadman consistantly draws comparison to Nickelback for their relatively juvenille lyrics and style of catchy rock and roll. Where the comparison needs to end is the vocal prowess of Tyler Connolly, who stretches out his range and lung capacity with the incredibly fast moving “Bad Girlfriend.” It can’t be easy to sing that song, especially while playing its infectious guitar riff, yet Connolly pulls it off in stride. On top of that, Theory of a Deadman knocks every song out of the park with unique and diverse hooks, evident by the uplifting “Heaven (Little By Little)” or the anthemic “Hate My Life.” The contagious drumming and strumming of each song will pull out the air instrument in anyone.
Those previously pointed out cons are certainly a factor though. Songs like “Hate My Life” are an embarassment to songwriters ever. I don’t care how catchy the song may be after ten listens, a verse like “So sick of the hobos always begging for change, I don’t like how I gotta work and they just sit around and get paid,” is absolutely inexcusable. As noted, many of the lyrics are cliche and are near the bottom of the barrel even compared to most other modern rock bands. It’s also worth pointing out that none of the members of the band seem to be incredibly proficient with their instruments, as each song contains mostly basic beats and riffs. Still, each song fits well, so it’s hard to complain about a major lack of experimentation.
Scars and Souvenirs is at the end of the day, a rock record and that’s about it. There’s some shining moments, and there’s some rather groan-worthy ones. As a whole the album is a nice disc to throw on while driving around town or rocking out with some friends, but it’s not going to impress any music savants or really stand out amongst some other records. It’s just fun, addictive rock and roll, and that was probably what Theory of a Deadman was shooting for anyway.
7 out of 10 – Download “By The Way”
Theory of a Deadman is | Tyler Connolly – Vocals, Lead Guitar | Dave Brenner – Rhythm Guitar | Dean Back – Bass | Joey Dandeneau – Drums
Papa Roach – “Metamorphosis” (2009) April 8, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, Papa Roach.5 comments
Written by Andrew Hart
In 2000 Papa Roach burst onto the scene with Infest, an album that quickly thrust them into the rap-rock revolution. 2002′s Lovehatetragedy was Papa Roach’s way of proving they had staying power. With 2004′s Getting Away With Murder, the band established their ability to evolve to a more straight rock sound. In 2006, they put out their most complete work, the addictive and attention-grabbing The Paramour Sessions. So what does Papa Roach prove with their 2009 release Metamorphosis? Sometimes, everyone is due for a disappointment.
Don’t get me wrong, Metamorphosis starts off promisingly with “Change or Die” (following a meaningless intro track), a hard rocking battle cry that swings to the beat of “Alive N’ Out of Control” or “Blood (Empty Promises)” before it. It’s modern Papa Roach at it’s finest, full of overpowering guitar and the hard-edged trademark vocals of Jacoby Shaddix. It follows up with one of the lead-off singles, the frighteningly catchy “Hollywood Whore,” which lives to throw cheap shots at Paris Hilton or anyone who floats in that same boat. Aside from Jacoby’s odd cackling of “Don’t let the door hit you where the good lord split you honey,” the track is wonderfully executed, and doesn’t lose much from this cheesy misstep. Where does Papa Roach go wrong then, after starting off so promisingly? The simple answer: everywhere else.
“I Almost Told You That I Loved You” is the first sign of imminent danger, it’s written like a Buckcherry b-side without any of the hooks the aforementioned use to tote their signature style of raunchy rock. Instead, you’re met with mind-numbing, not-even-close-to-standout guitar the entire song, and the chorus couldn’t be less catchy if it was covered in butter sauce. The other big single “Lifeline” feels very watered down, and while less of a lyrical offender than it’s predecessor, is still very easy to bypass without a second thought. Had I not already heard the song several times on radio prior to the album’s release, I’d never have taken a moment to step out and listen, aside from a fairly decent riff that carries the song as far as it could possibly hope to. “Had Enough” has a promising sound but the wheels come off in the chorus, and other songs such as “March Out Of Darkness” and “Into The Light” are simply not noticeable.
It’s clear by this point in the album that Papa Roach has done something wrong. None of the songs stand out anymore. There’s no hidden gems on the album like Getting Away With Murder’s “Stop Looking Start Seeing” or “No More Secrets” from Paramour Sessions. Instead, once you surpass the promising beginning, Metamorphosis has literally nothing worth hearing until it’s way too little too late. The album’s closer “State of Emergency” is a breath of fresh air thanks to it’s simple instrumentation and an explosive chorus that will grip you the very first time you hear it. I can’t be sure you’ll make it to that point on most listens though, not with boring wannabe ballads like “Nights of Love” or “Carry Me”.
There’s no one to blame but the entirety of Papa Roach for this mess. Shaddix sounds as good vocally as he ever has, and the instrumentation of the band is roughly the same as it’s been the last few albums. The songwriting is the biggest thing to call out, as none of the song have the cohesion of previous endeavors, and most feel like jam sessions as opposed to organized music. There are no hooks to support the relatively carbon copy lyrics, which may have been the only thing holding Papa Roach above the others of the hard rock scene.
It’s hard to say one way or another if Papa Roach’s writing has really gotten worse, or if perhaps their style is finally beginning to wear thin nearly a decade into the careers. It seems, however, the group needs to pull a page out of this below average album’s playbook. As Shaddix screams out early in the album, “You’ve gotta change or die,” I can’t help but thinking he was staring into the group’s future. Simply put, if Papa Roach doesn’t continue their trademark evolutions and settle for what they’ve offered on Metamorphosis, they won’t make it another decade. They’ll be lucky to make it through another album.
4.5 out of 10 – Download “Change or Die”
Papa Roach is | Jacoby Shaddix – Vocals | Jerry Horton – Guitar, Backing Vocals | Tobin Esperace – Bass, Backing Vocals | Tony Palermo – Drums, Backing Vocals
Halestorm – “Halestorm” (2009) April 3, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, Halestorm.2 comments
Written by Andrew Hart
Let’s face it dudes and dudettes, there is a serious lack of great female-fronted rock these days. Even more so, so many of them are focused on something other than just out straight up party rock, the kind of crap that gets everyone at a party or concert on their feet. In an era filled with Buckcherrys, Hinders and Rev Theorys to bring the noise to the masses, isn’t it about time the females of the world got a band fronted by one of their own to do the same thing? Look no further my estrogen-filled friends, here comes Halestorm to rock your world and blow your mind.
Front(wo)man Lzzy (not a typo) Hale wastes no time getting your attention on the self-titled debut of this Pennsylvania foursome, screaming out “I’m in love with somebody, found someone who completes me, I’m in love with somebody, and it’s not you,” right as the album opens. First track “It’s Not You” is ripe with angst and intense vocals from Miss Hale, and has a powerful raucous chorus to bring your attention straight to the jams in your ear. This song is as catchy as anything you’ll hear all year, and Halestorm is only beginning. The next song “I Get Off” is exactly the kind of dirty rock that Hinder makes their money on. The lyrics describe the experience of being watched while, ahem, doing things. It’s family friendly in that there’s no explicit language, but make no mistake, Halestorm is not writing this stuff for the kids.
Oh, did I mention that Hale’s voice is perfect for this band? It’s true, she’s got a crisp and clear voice with fantastic range, and just enough of a grungy sound to pull off the themes that Halestorm sings about, and the instrumental style of the band. Her voice is on perfect display on “Innocence,” especially towards the songs end when she raises the pitch for the chorus’ opening line for an attention grabbing hook into the song’s outro. “I’m Not An Angel” later demonstrates Hale’s vocal qualities very well also. The song is a wonderful slow down from the album’s frantic pace, and the chorus is an emotional thrill ride driven by Hale’s impassioned vocals. The chorus of “What Were You Expecting” is similarly brilliant.
Instrumentally, every other member of the band is more than capable. While Halestorm doesn’t blow your mind with crazy guitar solos, there’s a hook to every song that’s really well-written, because it’s incredibly obvious when the track changes. It’s rarely more noticeable when a song changes than on this album. Even those who find themselves spacing out frequently when listening to an album will find it hard to miss the thrilling opening screech of “What Were You Expecting” or the repetitive lead up to the insane chorus of “Love/Hate Heartbreak.” Though much of the album is driven by Hale’s vocals, she’d be nowhere if not for the well-written hooks and beats of the rest of the band, and that much needs to be stated.
Halestorm’s biggest weakness now would have to be the lyrical content of the music, or the overall length. I’ve already touched on the former, and the latter is noticeable when you listen to the CD repeatedly. The eleven tracks of the disc clock in at about 37 minutes, just over three minutes a song. Only one song (“Familiar Taste of Poison”) clocks in at over four minutes, and most are under three and a half. Every song is enjoyable, but you’ll wish they were longer, especially when songs like “Innocence” pull you in to that big final chorus and the fun is over no more than 20 or 30 seconds later. Lyrically, Halestorm is pretty much a female-fronted Hinder, so those bothered by the absurd raunchiness of that band will probably not be fond of Halestorm either.
Beyond those small faults however, Halestorm’s debut is a ridiculously catchy and fun endeavor for any listener. It’s incredibly difficult not to be drawn in by the powerful voice of Lzzy Hale, and it’s even harder to escape the well-written riffs that build each song. Even those bothered by absurd lyrics will likely get dragged in by a few of Halestorm’s songs, and enjoy them enough to be humming them for the rest of the week. In the end, you can’t ask much more out of a band than that.
9 out of 10 – Download “Innocence”
Halestorm is | Lzzy Hale – Vocals, Guitar | Joe Hottinger – Guitar | Josh Smith – Bass | Arejay Hale – Drums
Blue October – “Approaching Normal” (2009) March 29, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, Blue October.2 comments
Written by Andrew Hart
I’ll admit right now that I’ve never listened to Blue October, at least not beyond the band’s recent success in their single “Hate Me.” I couldn’t help but be intrigued however, by the roughly pieced ballad with growling vocals and when word traveled to me that a new Blue October album was springing it’s way towards me, I decided it was time to give this band a shot. The results are certainly fascinating, and definitely against what the album title will have you believe. As much as Blue October may want us to think so, they are not anywhere close to Approaching Normal with this effort. That is not necessarily a bad thing however.
“Weight of the World” strikes me as an odd album opener every time I listen to it, but after listening to Approaching Normal enough times, I’ve accepted there’s few other choices. This is the song that’ll get you used to Justin Furstenfeld’s unconventional vocals, a mixture of singing and ranting in a generally rough demeanor. Those used to the clean and crisp vocals of other bands may have to take some time to get used to this, which sounds as though Furstenfeld’s been swallowing rocks since he was born. It kind of fits the band style though, a real 90′s vibe which mixes light alternative with grudge influence to make for a fascinating sound. “Weight of the World” won’t grip you though, despite a strong lyrical showing, which I assume is why “Say It” follows closely after.
The aforementioned carries over more of the rant/sing style but has a damn catchy chorus which’ll you have singing along by it’s second go-round. It’s not commonplace on this album to have something so deliciously addictive, but it’s hard not to get caught up in the repeteating chants of “I don’t want to hear you say say say say say say say say it, now you’re messing with my pride,” and the raw emotion shown in some of the other parts of the song. Don’t get used to it though, Blue October’s newest effort is a mixed bag and every song has it’s own personality. Lead single “Dirt Room” is a little more upbeat in style and uses a great drum beat to pull you in to more lyrical twists and turns. Writing is Blue October’s strongest suit and it’s showing in grand style throughout the entire CD. A lot of it’s angsty, so it’ll be great for the grunge enthusiasts still weeping over the late Cobains and Staley’s of the world.
There’s not a bunch more to comment on here, individually speaking. Nearly every song on Blue October’s endeavor into “normality” is completely different than the one before it, making this not so much of a cohesive effort, but more of a collection of interesting songs. “Been Down” has some pretty catchy moments for those who fell in love with “Say It,” though the chorus packs more of an emotional punch to be sure. “Kangaroo Cry” is an oddball in title, but doesn’t really stand out otherwise, as one of the weaker efforts on the album. Not a bad thing necessarily, it’s still very listenable, it just won’t be coming back to you as much as the others. “Jump Rope” is the biggest problem on the album. The strings arrangement that follows the track is incredibly strange and the overall sound of the song seems so out of place on this relatively downbeat collection. I almost broke out laughing when Furstenfeld enthusiastically sings “Up down, up down, up down….life’s like a jump rope.” The metaphor there might be worth paying attention to, but it sounds so absurd it’s really hard to enjoy the track at all.
Instrumentally speaking, Blue October’s not very special on anything. It’s rare to notice anything outside of those trademark vocals, but everything the band does works cohesively. Never does anything seem too out of place (except on “Jump Rope”) and every song really fits together well. Arguably the best track is one you’ll get with the explicit version only, the bonus effort “The End.” Strongly reminiscent of Eminem’s classic “Kim” or the more genre-related “A Little Piece of Heaven” of Avenged Sevenfold fame, the song reeks of violent revenge on a loved one. It’s a little insane, it might scare some people, and it might get a minority of those people really pissed off at Blue October, but the raw passion and emotion of the song will chill anyone who listens. Really, that’s what Blue October does best throughout all of Approaching Normal, and I won’t be one to fault them for it. There’s not a lot about the album that’ll jump at you, but it’s work sticking around for a few listens to see if it’s your cup of tea.
8.5 out of 10 – Download “Say It”
Blue October is | Justin Furstenfeld – Vocals, Rhythm Guitar | Jeremy Furstenfeld – Drums | Ryan Delahoussaye – Violin, Viola, Piano, Backing Vocals | C.B. Hudson – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals | Matt Noveskey – Bass, Backing Vocals
Reality Addiction – “Maybe Now You’ll Listen” (2008) March 24, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2008, Reality Addiction.add a comment
Written by Andrew Hart
I was a bit of a latecomer to the fad of piano rock, not really learning of it’s potential greatness until introduced to Dropping Daylight’s unique brand in 2006 (look ‘em up, this review isn’t about them). Since then however, it’s been easy for me to develop an appreciation for the craft, which typically adds much-loved melodies to hard rock tunes. So when I stumbled across Reality Addiction and discovered their penchant for piano playing, I was immediately intrigued. Intriguing was most certainly what I ended up with too, once I gave their debut album Maybe Now You’ll Listen a spin.
Reality Addiction picked a damn good opener with “People Die Building Bridges.” The opening riff is unique and sure to grasp your attention just as much as the crisp vocals and great lyrical content. Anyone who says rock and roll is all about sex, drugs and women forgot to tell Reality Addiction, who go out of their way to fill songs with meaningful content. Sure there’s still a lot of sappy songs of love lost or found, but at least they make an effort to have it sound unique. As it stands the lyrics are definitely one of the highlights of Maybe Now You’ll Listen.
This is even more evident on the follow-up track “The Story of You and I,” which stands out as one of the most complete songs on the album even despite some cheesy vocal harmonies at the end. It works as a really powerful early album ballad, and becomes a formula Reality Addiction will attempt to repeat multiple times throughout the album. The exactly-what-it-claims-it-is “A Sad Song” is the first example of this which really gives it the proper twang of emotion thanks to some beautiful piano playing, though the vocals are lacking the best range to truly throw some passion into the song.
Maybe it’s because of that fact that so many of the album’s songs fall flat when it appears they shouldn’t. The best work on the disc is no doubt the unique drumming of Ben Antelis and the perfect backdrop of the piano from Max Green. Neither one is overpowering at any point on the album, but both really move each song along and get it as close to its potential as it can go. The problem is that despite Dustin Widofsky’s crystal clear voice, his range isn’t very big, and his inability to really nail some higher notes makes a lot of the songs fall flat even when the other instruments are playing out of this world. This combination sadly leaves a lot of unmemorable tracks on the CD, from “Smokescreen” to “Bleeding Through.”
There’s a lot of good stuff going on with Reality Addiction though. The band is relatively new and has the potential to make a big splash thanks to some great song-writing and brilliant incorporation of piano and keyboards. As a mostly soft album, songs like “A Little Light Please” and “Almost Beautiful” are really wonderful sounding songs with proper use of the piano, and every song on the album sounds good. Really though, sounding good will only get you so far, and the lack of memorable hooks and varied vocals push Reality Addiction closer to the bottom of the barrel than they probably deserve. Maybe Now You’ll Listen is a solid debut effort, but Reality Addiction will want to refine a little more before their next disc drops.
6 out of 10 – Download “The Story of You and I”
Reality Addiction is | Dustin Widofsky – Vocals and Guitar | Robby Tal – Lead Guitar | Jonathan “Sheep” Schevelowitz – Bass | Ben Antelis – Drums | Max Green – Piano, Keyboard
Skillet – “Comatose” (2006) March 18, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2006, Skillet.4 comments
Written by Andrew Hart
There’s catchy music, and then there’s damn catchy music, and just one listen to the Christian rockers known as Skillet, and you’ll have a pretty good idea which side of that line they fall on. Followers of the band since it’s inception in 1996 will be the first to admit the band has come a long way too, evolving more than most bands do in their decade of activity leading up to their seventh studio album, Comatose. Perfecting the art of crafting truly compelling songs can’t be easy, but all of Skillet’s hard work is paying off, as they’re more than happy to demonstrate.
Comatose opens with strings and a blistering guitar intro known as “Rebirthing.” This track is perfect for those either getting their first taste of Skillet, or those eager to see where the band’s evolution has taken them this time. The combination of keyboard, strings, male/female vocals, and memorable riffs is incredibly unique and makes “Rebirthing” an insane feat as it stands. One listen to it and you’ll already be thinking it’s one of the best songs you’ve heard in a while, but Skillet isn’t content to give you just one. Stepping right into “The Last Night,” a song about saving a young girl from suicide, you’re introduced to the same kind of material in an entirely different pattern. The uplifting message of the songs is matched by Skillet’s intensity in everything they do.
“Yours To Hold” is next on the agenda, a power ballad that’s quick to show off the singing chops of John Cooper. His voice carries a rough tone, while still being crystal clear. It doesn’t immediately strike you as a powerful and recognizable voice, but you’ll be noticing it quicker than you expect when Skillet pops up on shuffle in your music library. “Yours To Hold” is the easiest way to distinguish his voice, as being of the ballad persuasion, it has a little less of the epic instrumentation. Fans of the first two songs need not fret though; not only is “Yours To Hold” beautiful and attention-grabbing in it’s own right, but Skillet will put you right back on track with songs like “Comatose” and “Whispers In The Dark.”
Getting too attached to “Yours To Hold” though? Fear not, Skillet backs it up with “Say Goodbye,” which is the slowest song on the album but retains much of the positive vibes provided by the former. Looking to rock a little harder? Look no further than “Better Than Drugs” or “Falling Inside The Black,” songs that focus more on just flat out rocking than combining with Skillet’s many unique qualities. Through the first ten tracks Skillet pretty much has a twosome for all of your needs as a slave to rock and roll, and whether you’re a devout Christian or just a rocker in need of a pick-me-up, the uplifting messages in each song are fantastic. Skillet doesn’t push their message in most of the songs, so it’s easy to love the lyrical content of each song no matter your religion.
“Looking For Angels” closes the CD with something you haven’t heard yet, an Everlast style spoken word number with a sung chorus. It’s almost like a rap in execution, and although it may sound scary in concept, it’s just as ridiculously catchy and easy to love as the rest of Comatose. In fact, if you haven’t figured it out yet, the whole album is going to be stuck in your head for days. John Cooper’s vocals push forward with great passion in each song, and his wife Korey provides some great backing vocals to really turn up the heat on numbers like “Comatose” and “The Last Night.” Ben Kasica proves more than capable to throw down some great riffs, and former drummer Lori Peters has a great high-energy drumming style (don’t worry, new drummer Jen Ledger is pretty learned as well judging by the live DVD).
When trying to recommend Skillet to someone, going off this last disc, I have merely one question to ask of them. How do you feel about really catchy, well-written, uplifting, rock and roll? If you say you hate the stuff, I probably wouldn’t give you a copy of Comatose (not to mention advise you to steer clear of my reviews). However, were you to say yes, I’d say Skillet is exactly the band you’re looking for. Honestly, this band has all their bases covered, and from start to finish Comatose is a unique and varied experience, unlike anything else you’ve heard. For Christians and non-believers alike, I whole-heartedly recommend this album.
10 out of 10
Download This – “Rebirthing”
Hoobastank – “For(N)ever” (2009) March 11, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, Hoobastank.2 comments
Written by Andrew Hart
Alright mainstream music fans, time to test your chops. Remember Hoobastank and their 2004 breakout hit “The Reason”? Good for you! Now forget that song every existed and think about what else you know about this four piece California-based band. Nothing you say? I thought so. Now reward yourself with a snack while I break down exactly what these guys have been up to for the last five years, and where exactly this largely mediocre band stands with their newest release, the confusingly titled For(N)ever.
Were I nothing more than a casual radio listener, I would call Hoobastank brilliant. The great singles from their first two albums are numerous, but the rest of each album was sadly forgettable. Even more so, their 2006 release “Every Man For Himself” was entirely unnoticeable on most fans’ radars, and I was honestly surprised to ever see this band again. Yet here they are, showing me who’s who with their addictive new single “My Turn.” It’s mainstream radio rock at it’s finest, mind-numbingly simple, but brilliantly orchestrated with lyrics like “When’s it gonna be my turn,” to turn into a huge concert anthem. Okay, granted, I knew this band could produce decent singles, and I fully expected this album to do exactly what all their others had. Turns out, it’s Hoobastank’s turn indeed, as this album is the best they’ve put together yet.
“I Don’t Think I Love You” is the next track, and is set up nicely to be the next single. As I expected again, it’s simple and catchy, and the lyrics are even a bit more meaningful this time. It’s great hard rock that should get a fair amount of radio play. Then the surprise kicks in with “So Close, So Far,” which puts frontman Doug Robb’s surprisingly passionate falsetto voice out for all to hear at key moments. It’s not there for long, but it serves as the only hook the song needs. Turns out, that’s the kind of formula Hoobastank has decided to work with this time around. Good ole’ rock and roll hooks, whether it be by voice or vibration, are ever-present on For(N)ever, and slowly but surely, you’ll start enjoying this offering.
The heavy hitters are no doubt tracks like “All About You,” “Gone Gone Gone,” and “Sick of Hanging On.” Each one contains Hoobastank’s usual jam session type sound, but this time around are filled with far more punch and hook (left or right? Get it, it’s a boxing joke). Then there’s the power ballad type numbers such as “The Letter” which begins with a haunting and addictive progression that almost completely makes up for the rest of a relatively uneventful track. There’s the weakness here though. Even though Hoobastank got most of their fame out of the super slow “The Reason,” their attempts to replicate it with more ballads comes up mostly flat, as “You Need To Be Here” and “You’re The One” are not only cliche and bland, but easily the worst tracks on the disc.
Hoobastank’s general flaws are still out for all to see. There’s a general lack of passion in some of the songs, while others just don’t have any sort of hook or memorable moment. The instrumentation is rather blah-worthy at times, and Robb’s voice is not enough for him to carry the album on his own. For all the praise I slapped down at Hoobastank, there’s still plenty of room to pick up the pieces (Hoobastank fans will get that one) and get a really solid album out the door. As it stands, For(N)ever is a surprisingly solid release with a lot of great qualities for casual listeners. It’s easy to sit back and enjoy this album, and many people will. Once more however, Hoobastank lacks enough of anything special to make this album stand out.
7 out of 10
Download This – “I Don’t Think I Love You”
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Hurt – “Goodbye To The Machine” (2009) March 6, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, Hurt.3 comments
Written by Andrew Hart
It took me an unusually long time to crank out the review of Hurt’s new album Goodbye To The Machine. The unique entity known as Hurt has put out three full albums prior to this, each one with enough diversity and difference from other modern rock to stand it’s ground as a completely unique offering. Hurt’s latest is no different in this sense. The music is deep and each song is it’s own super-special rare gem of a track. However, it’s because of this I had to make sure every track felt right, that I got the message of every song and truly felt each one before delving into this review. Now that I’ve gotten through this CD a good 20 times, it’s time to drop a bomb I was already sure of after one playthrough. This album is awesome.
“If I don’t get out of here, I’m gonna kill someone,” are the empowered opening words of “Got Jealous,” a track which describes almost exactly what it sounds like it would. Frontman J. Loren sings with the intense passion fans of Hurt will be familiar with, and alongside him in the powerful chorus is a nice harmonizing of the phrase “I think I got jealous.” The opening song may be the catchiest and most relatable on the disc, as many will know of the overwhelming theme of jealousy and wanting to lay your hands on someone over it. Don’t get too worked up in the theme of one song however, as “Pandora” will be sure to trip you up with it’s distorted faraway vocals and fantastic riffs from guitar and bass alike. Bassist Rek Mohr begins proving his worth at this point in the record.
Allow me to go on though, we’re nowhere near the end of this wonderland. If you though “Got Jealous” was intense, you’re not even close to ready for “Wars,” the first single from the disc. It’s a classic crescendo song, starting with nothing more than Loren and a piano. The song slowly jumps to it’s peak with the introduction of Paul Spatola’s guitar work, and an ever present, simple drum beat from Louie Sciancalepore. Every instrument intensifies as the song reaches it’s thrilling conclusion, Loren screaming into your ears “There was never a day that went by that’s a good day to die, won’t you please close your eyes.” Shivers? You bet. Feel free to hold on to those too, as the next track “World Ain’t Right” is a slow jam featuring Seether’s Shaun Morgan on guest vocals. The lyrics are mezmerizing and will lure you right into this haunting song.
Three paragraphs and only four songs? Clearly I’m rambling, let’s condense. “Sweet Delilah” is another slower song that compliments “World Ain’t Right” very well, then slips into “1331″ with a slightly faster tone, then furthermore into “Role Martyr X”. The latter of the three is perhaps the most fist pumping song on the disc, with it’s intense fretwork and awesome vocal ending. Yes, as the song concludes, Loren chants “I am the most humble, I am the most humble man in the world.” The irony is delicious. “Well” is fantastic with it’s bass-heavy intro and Loren’s low, fast-talking vocals previously seen a lot on past Hurt albums. That is, until he raises it for the chorus, which turns this into a catchy number for sure.
There may be a radio hit in “Pills,” which follows soon after, which sounds uplifting enough but lyrically is more depressing than anything. Drug reliance is certainly a fun topic for a rock band to touch on though, and Hurt’s take on the matter is unique for sure. “Dreams Away” and “Fighting Tao” close the album as hard-rockers, with excellent violining on the latter, and “That (Such A Thing)” is a slow track with production in the same vein as a live acoustic performance, serving it’s purpose as a very chill album closer. Stay tuned for a fairly funny bonus track too, the words “We’re all gonna die,” see a lot of use.
How do I love Hurt? Let me count the ways. There’s great muscianship, every instrument is absolutely masterful in it’s use. Never are you drowning in a frantic guitar stretch, nor driven mad by a repetitive drum beat. Every song is put together masterfully to emphasize each of Hurt’s great parts. The lyrics are some of the best in rock today, and the song structure is unique, breaking the typical formula of other songs. There’s no flaw in this CD, and I never once for a second thought there was. Everything is put into place as best as can be, and Goodbye To The Machine is twelve tracks that anyone should be able to enjoy.
10 out of 10
Download This – “Pills”
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