RAYSREALM

Ray's Top 10 Of 2010 Revealed!

2011-02-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

1. RESISTOR - "Rise" - A breathtaking blend of Zappa, Sabbath & Wishbone Ash built on super-original songs and topped with clever lyrics and a rich analog production. This album defines Raysrealm, and Steve Unruh has my undivided attention going forward.

2. ZUUL - "Out Of Time" - As metal as it gets, these guys deliver a tour de force of NWOBHM riffing, gorgeous harmony leads and songs to rival the best of Bible Of The Devil or Colossus. A staggering debut.

3. U.S. CHRISTMAS - "Run Thick In The Night" - Perennial Raysrealm favorites, North Carolina's USX do everything right on what's easily their finest hour so far. Dark, heavy and disturbing psych from the rural U.S.

4. CORSAIR - "Alpha Centauri" - Had this 5-track EP been longer, it would've possibly placed even higher in the list. You mix Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and Hawkwind in outer space and you've got yourself a helluva band. Full-length platter on the way!

5. LA OTRACINA - "Reality Has Got To Die" - Their name apparently has no definition but this Brooklyn bunch has music that means everything: NWOBHM, psychedelic rock & extended jams collide with "2001: A Space Odyssey." Screw reality, then!

6. GHOST - "Opus Eponymous" - From what I can tell online, these cats are either loved or hated. My opinion's well into the former. After all, how do you expect Ray to react to a cross between Mercyful Fate & mid-period BOC that also sports pop hooks?!

7. TAME IMPALA - "Innerspeaker" - I spent a couple weeks including buying an empty digipak for $27 trying to get this album. Full story in my review, but it was worth every penny and second as "Innerspeaker"'s sweet mix of low-fi psych/prog has spun the Realm-o-Matic as much as anything this year.

8. AGAINST NATURE - "Cross Street / Chasing Eagles" - Once again John, Bert & Steve (that lovable Baltimore trio!) has re-invented themselves with a top-shelf set of bluesy hard rock. Mr. Brenner continues to rival Billy Gibbons in 6-string tone usage.

9. SOUL MANIFEST - "White Season" - France has produced some awesome bands over the years, from politico/Bon Scott rockers Trust to prog-killers Eclat. SM throw their hats into the ring with a riveting take on psychedelic hard rock as a jam band.

10. SOUVENIRS YOUNG AMERICA - "The Name Of The Snake" - Tumbleweed dances across the windswept plains and forms a backdrop for what can only be described as dark, heavy Americana. Music that is beautifully foreboding occupies SYA's latest offering.

Readers Poll Results For 2010 Revealed!

2011-02-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

1. STONE AXE - "II" - STONE AXE is one of many proud moments in the early life of Ripple Music and not for any small reasons. You listen to these guys and your mind starts throwing names around like early Zep, the mighty Koss's Free and even things further into prog like Procol Harum and your talking serious stuff. Then, when names like Thin Lizzy get rising, you've got the cherry on top. This year, you guys elevated the band's "II" to the top spot in the Raysrealm Reader's Poll and I've gotta say, nicely done!

2. HYPNOS 69 - "Legacy"

3. MOTORPSYCHO - "Heavy Metal Fruit"

4. GHOST - "Opus Eponymous"

5. BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION - "Black Country Communion"

6. SANCTA SANCTORUM - "The Shining Darkness"

7. SPOCK'S BEARD - "X"

8. FORBIDDEN - "Omega Wave"

9. NEVERMORE - "The Obsidian Conspiracy"

10. ARMORED SAINT - "La Raza"

Grand Halls 53

2011-01-26T22:38:00.000-08:00

RESURRECTION BAND – “Colours” 1980 (Light, US) – Oh, I was a real know-it-all back then, thought I was so smart and such a bad-ass. I knew what was “heavy” alright, knew what was cool and what was lame. I had my copies of “Stained Class,” “Taken By Force” and “Hemispheres” at the ready in the ol’ ’70 Impala, ready to impress every woman I met with my great and exhaustive metal knowledge. Of course, how many women were actually interested in what this brazen 23 yr old self-appointed expert had to say remains at question, lost in the mists of time. It’s also a little sketchy how much I really knew, especially brought into focus by the day my buddy Doug called me with some…ahem…inside info.

“Hey Ray, you busy this afternoon?” he nearly whispered, with all the shrewd hushed tones of a street dealer.
“Not really,” I hedged warily, fully aware of some of Doug’s previous “great ideas.”
“Was just talking to Ed,” he continued conspiratorially, “You know how he’s into all that religious stuff, right? Well, he says there’s this little bible book store over in the Parkville Shopping Center. Anyway, he says they’ve got a rock record section and some of the stuff looks like it could be heavy. Just think you oughta check it out.”
“Why don’t you go?” I asked, not keen on spending the little left of my paycheck on what would turn out to be some wimpy Amy Grant record with a pseudo-rock backing band.
“You’ve got the car,” he reasoned.
And, it was with that logic that I finished lunch and drove the couple miles to the Parkville Shopping Center.

All the curious anticipation that had built up since I left home, parked and walked across the lot fizzled to a barely palpable ebb when I walked into the tiny religious bookstore. Now, don’t get me wrong. I may have distanced myself from my strictly Catholic upbringing but I still believe in a higher power. It’s just that, walking in that day and casting my eye on the rows of Crucifixes, the rosaries and the ultra-conservative-looking middle-aged woman behind the counter, my hopes of finding anything remotely heavy within these walls crumbled to dust. I have to admit that I actually felt awkward when the lady offered politely “Can I help you, son?” I was about to turn on my heel and pack it in when I saw the records, with a section labeled “Rock and Roll” about halfway through. I decided to hunker down and give it at least a cursory glance. I have to say that very few times in trolling through record bins have I ever felt so out of my element! From the “Various A’s” on, there wasn’t a single platter I recognized. As I’d suspected, a lot of the jackets were inhabited by pictures of fresh-faced youths who’s countenances bespoke looks that implied rapture more than butt-kicking, nice hair-cuts more than ragged long locks and somewhat inert acoustic guitars as opposed to Gibsons. The odd thing, and what kept me going, was that every so often I’d spot something that looked a little “too” interesting for it’s surroundings: guys with longer hair, pictures that included amps (the horror!) and songs that ranged beyond the 4 minute mark. Still, with all that, I hadn’t seen anything that caught me enough to make me want to plunk down cash. I was beginning to tire of the whole seemingly futile operation as I entered the “R’s” and was about to bolt for the heavier pastures of Record & Tape Traders when I was suddenly faced with an album entitled “Awaiting Your Reply” by RESURRECTION BAND. Now, this was definitely something that looked more native to the Planet Ray. Bunch of guys with long (not just long-ER) hair & beards, 2 guitar players, song titles not involving the word “Jesus” and a generally aggressive look. What’s more, they had 2 other records, all of which had the same vibe. In fact, the only thing that gave this young metal moron even the slightest pause was the fact that there was a girl in the band on vocals but then again, I reminded myself, what about Girlschool, The Runaways, etc.? All the records were priced $ 7.99 and with a $10 in my pocket, I had to make a decision so I went with the current year’s (1980) “Colours.” Almost sheepishly, I carried it to the counter where the smiling woman pleasantly rung up my purchase. Riding home, I couldn’t help feeling like I’d just thrown a ten spot in the trash. Little did I know I was about to have my musical world turned upside down.

It’s without the slightest hesitation that I label RESURRECTION BAND’s “Colours” as one of my Top 10 favourite albums of all time. This is the kind of greatness that makes every crappy album I took a misguided chance on worth the wasted buckage. Within about 5 seconds of the opening track, “Autograph,” I knew I’d found a diamond. Rush-like rhythms explode in a crystal-clear production job that cuts like a switchblade. First your sliced by the Lifeson-like 6-string razor of Glenn Kaiser and then his wife Wendi’s vocals take center-stage a la Geddy Lee. The rhythm in the latter part of this number is, like early Rush turn-on-dime-catchy and Stu Heiss explodes on lead axe, for the first of many times on the record. Showing their diversity, REZ (as they’d later come to be known) lay down a mega-catchy groove on the title song. Again the production is simply awesome here, vibrant and yet lethal, much in the way “Stained Class” was recorded. “N.Y.C.” absolutely kicks ass, nothing more needs to be said (but I will!). The part where Glenn (who splits lead vox duties with Wendi) intones “No twinkle, twinkle little star, no one to wonder who you are” is just massive and Stu Heiss’ soloing is ridiculous! Piercing, succinct and nasty as the dickens. It’s as if Angus Young & Glenn Tipton had a summit at the local ministry! It’s also probably a good time to at least briefly address the lyrical content of “Colours.” While over-zealous Bible-beating lyrics are something that always had me wary of so-called Christian rock before this discovery, RESURRECTION BAND show an insightful way to deliver a real-life message that’s powerful for just that reason. The topics they discuss indicate a religious way of life by discussing the world, it’s problems and a positive response to them…something we all can take to heart without feeling like we’re being preached to. “Hidden Man” & “Amazing” finish up Side One with a one-two punch that makes you realize you’ve really discovered something special. The energy level, not to mention the songwriting and…man, the guitars (!) are simply top shelf!.

Side Two’s can be a double-edged sword. Some bands tend to lose steam when it comes to the 2nd half of an album. Then again, the very best often even up the ante and you know that’s happening when “American Dream” blasts out of the speakers. This one takes the ass-busting quotient of “N.Y.C.” and fires an extra adrenalin shot into even that. The section that starts around 1:18 is just massive, recalling some of the best Downing/Tipton and Iommi riffery. “Benny & Sue” displays another mega-vocal performance by Wendy, lyrically highlights the trials and tribulations of a young couple and features a wicked double lead by Stu & Glenn, not to mention a great Uli Roth-type harmony line by the former. “City Streets” marries a riff Mr. Young coulda penned back in the “Let There Be Rock” days to a message roared by Glenn about the dangers of life on the streets while “Beggar In The Alleyway” allows for some more Rush-like experimentation. It also sports a climatic closing with a Stu Heiss guitar solo that raises the goose bumps. In great style, the band saves my favourite for last, “The Struggle.” Beginning hauntingly with ominous chord-strumming and cool cymbal work from drummer John Herrin, the song is quickly propelled into a godly “Stained Class”-like chug accompanying Glenn’s lyric, “I’m tired of this lingering winter.” Stu’s guitar solo here is as lyrical and gorgeous as any Glenn Tipton ever authored and it’s a perfect way to end “Colours.”

The truth of the matter is, RESURRECTION BAND would continue making albums up until 1997 and while some were excellent, none would equal “Colours.” I suppose that’s not really any surprise. Did Judas Priest ever equal “Stained Class?” Did Rush ever match “Hemispheres?” Not in my opinion. Most bands have their magnum opus and a handful produce something that can be considered iconic when they do so. This is one of those cases, and it’s one that’s buried perhaps even below the underground releases you’ve heard mentioned on metal sites ‘round the net. But don’t let being a teenage smart-ass keep you from checking it out! Godly Ray Dorsey

NOTE: “Colours” is available now on CD from the band’s label, Grrrr Records as well as many of their others. All of REZ’s albums up to 1982’s “DMZ” come recommended if you like this one. From that point on, the band did take a more “accessible/commercial” approach and their albums are not as heavy. However, ‘95’s “Lament” saw a dramatic return to form, with a disc that I like almost as much as “Colours” and one that, interestingly features a guest appearance from King’s X’s Ty Tabor who also produced it. It is a concept album that is just fantastic and will be the subject of a future Grand Halls piece on Raysrealm! Additionally well-worth it’s salt is the acoustic album with one of the most clever titles ever, “Ampendectomy” (1997).

http://www.resurrectionband.com/

http://www.grrrrecords.com/

You Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance...

2011-01-20T19:43:00.000-08:00

GHOST – “Opus Eponymous” CD ’10 (Rise Above, Swe) – I usually have a pretty even disposition but I have points where it doesn’t take a whole lot to piss me off, especially when it’s something friggin’ stupid. Case in point, a lot of the reaction I’m reading on this here internet thang about Sweden’s GHOST. Ok, I’d better stop to interject about something specific that gets my gonads in a bind: whining. I hate fucking whiners. Take my kids for example. They can fight with each other, basically stage another Tyson-Douglas bout in the middle of the living room and I barely register a reaction. But let them start that blessed whining! “Daaaaadddyy! (Insert kid name here) just took my PSPeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!” At that point, look out. Somebody’s gonna be wearing the damn PSP as a new nose ring and it ain’t gonna be me! But back to reality…I’m on the net, surfing around like a 16 year old and all I hear is this Goddamn infernal whining about GHOST. “Daaaaaaaaaaddyy! They don’t have a line-up listeeeeed!” “Daaaaaaaaaaddddyy! They came out of nowhereeeeeeeeeeeee!” “Daaaaaaaaaadddyyy! It’s not faaaaaaiiiirrr! I think they’re Devil’s Blood under another naaaaaaaaamme!”

Shut up! Shut the hell up! You want to know my take on it? Here it is! Shut up and stop the stinking whining! I don’t care if it comes out that the band is really composed of David Coverdale, Slash, Dave Mustaine, Geezer Butler and Jason Bonham! Look at me and read my lips…is the album good? Yes. Is the album great? Yes. Is the album amazing? YES!!! This is very simple people. I’ve been listening to music since the 1960’s and it doesn’t have to get complicated. You put on an album. If it’s good, it’s good. That’s it, that’s the bottom line. Don’t let it get out of the box on ya! The Count dude from Burzum is a murderer. However, if he makes good music, it’s good music. I don’t know Chad Kroeger but it’s possible that he may be a really cool guy, even if his music licks donkey balls. Do you get my point now? If the friggin’ record’s good, it’s good. And I really don’t think GHOST are murderers or include Whitesnake members. They just kick ass.

GHOST have done an awful lot of things very right on this debut disc and for that reason, I’ve probably played it 100 times since I first received it about a month ago and may double that total soon. I mean, wow, this sucker sounds like a cross between mid-period Blue Oyster Cult and Mercyful Fate. The vocals are melodic, a page right out of the Turner / Powell Wishbone Ash book and the guitars just kill with an analog sweetness that screams “Stained Class / Killing Machine.” Putting the icing on the cake is the most important factor of all, the songs. Each one is in the compact 3-4 minute range and laced with so much melody that you’ll be rushing to the ER after one spin to have multiple hooks removed from your brain. The thing that gives “Opus Eponymous” such an edge is the fact that these very same melodies are married to lyrics that are as militantly Satanic as any ever forged by the mighty King D. It’s not only an interesting dichotomy, but an idea that hasn’t been used with such cool-handed efficiency since Coven’s debut in 1969! Add in the fact that this beauty is the length of an album(!) (38 minutes) and not a typically-bloated, over-stuffed CD and what you have on your hands is an absolute bona fide winner. So do me a favour: don’t piss me off. Buy this SOB now. Don’t Be Scared Ray Dorsey

Damn, She's A Good Driver

2011-01-16T20:06:00.000-08:00

SOUL MANIFEST – “White Season” CD ’10 (Night Tripper, Fra) – Here’s an old joke. Guy’s hitchhiking and this devilishly hairy woman picks him up. I mean, just from what’s visible, she’s got the Sequoia National Forest growing on her, right? But hey, it’s a ride. Anyway, pretty soon they crest a hill and all the sudden there it comes…an 18-wheeler head-on at ‘em, full speed. There’s a car in the next lane over to the right and a guard rail to the left. Faced with his impending demise, he utters the first immortal words that come to his mind. “If you can get us out of this, I’ll eat every hair on your body!” With that she slams the wheel to the left, mounts the guard rail in best Starsky and Hutch fashion and sparks flying, rides the metal track on 2 wheels past the semi with an inch to spare. ‘Bout an hour later, the poor soul’s picked up on the roadside, shaking his head and spitting every time he mutters, “Damn, she’s a good driver.”

Which brings us to SOUL MANIFEST. Damn, this is a good album! Sometimes you just don’t see it coming. Review material comes in waves and there buried in the pile was a small white unassuming envelope from which would tumble this disc. Fresh out of France, these cats take the tried and true genre of ‘70’s-style hard rock and put a twist on it original enough that it becomes a keeper. Whether it’s the Purple-ish groove of “Dead Man,” the “Run Of The Mill”-like strumming of “Do We Have The Same View” or the massive Buffalo-style stomp of “White Season (Part I),” variety and flow are always front & center. It doesn’t stop there either. Move deeper into the 8-song disc and you’re met face-to-face with the blistering “All But My Dreams…,” sporting a hook Mick Box would die for. It all wraps up with a 10-minute heavy psych epic called “The Light” that holds it’s own with any of the big boys you want to name. Ratcheting up my reaction to this sweet 39 minutes are the cherries on top: the unexpected keyboard flourishes in “Dead Man,” the quirky songwriting (“White Season (Part II)” for example) and the deep, organic production. Damn, this is a good album! Rock & Roll Soul Ray Dorsey

http://www.reverbnation.com/soulmanifest/

Aquafresh

2011-01-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

ANGRA – “Aqua” CD ’10 (SPV, Brazil)- I remember ordering ANGRA’s first CD “Angels Cry” from an importer back in 1993. Having been intrigued by the early progressive metal “scene, I was impressed by this Brazilian unit’s insight even in the infancy of their career. As if they could foresee the sleep-inducing clone wars that would grip this bloating genre, led over the cliff by lemming pipers Dream Theater, ANGRA zigged when they zagged. Sure, there were stratospheric vocals and dual shred axe, not to mention a drummer who could’ve been Buddy Rich’s alien nephew on a heavy dose of Stanozolol. What stood out, however, were Andre’ Matos’ ability to actually sing and the surprisingly melodic runs authored by guitarists Rafael Bittencourt & Kiko Loureiro. Not content to rest on their laurels, the band then went on to produce an increasingly impressive line-up of albums, unfazed in the least by line-up changes that included Matos’ departure in 2000. In fact, the latter’s replacement, Edu Falaschi has proven to have an even more dynamic voice and has imprinted his pipes on 4 massive records, culminating (so far) in this year’s “Aqua.” But Falaschi’s sterling vocal delivery is only the beginning to why ANGRA stands head and shoulders above the rest of the “we’ve-got-long-haired-maestros-and-dragons-on-our-album-covers” crowd. I know it sounds like a broken record, but there’s nothing that can top good songs and that’s the most powerful weapon in this band’s arsenal. Check out “The Rage Of The Waters,” “Hollow” and “Spirit Of The Air.” Not only do these guys come up with some mega-catchy melodies but they also stamp a firmly original foot by including some tribal-like percussion and overtones of Brazilian folk. I also see “Aqua” as a sort of third in a trilogy (along with “Temple Of Shadows” ’04 and “Aurora Consurgens” ’06) in which Bittencourt and Loureiro have upped the ante in terms of guitar heaviness & distortion, putting themselves well ahead of the dearth of light-weight prog metal pansies. All in all, ANGRA is the king of this kinda music and all their CD’s deserve your cash. Scream For Me, Brazil Ray Dorsey

http://www.angra.net/

Grand Halls 52

2011-01-01T16:21:00.000-08:00

ZZ TOP – “Rio Grande Mud” (London, Texas) – I can clearly remember my name. It’s Ray Dorsey. I can also clearly remember the first time I heard ZZ TOP. It was a quiet evening that a 15 year old Ray Dorsey was dialing his little transistor across the FM band & happened to stop on what I figured was a blues station. A back-porch 3-chord strum and a drummer tickling the rim of a snare. Atop it, what could only be a 90 year old black man with the names “Blind” & “Lemon” somewhere in his moniker leered about a “home out on the range” where “they got a lot of nice girls.” So, there I was enjoying what I thought was a history lesson when suddenly a drum flourish from the Bill Ward songbook thundered in and the guitar morphed into an overdriven beast, mirroring the original lick in Herculean fashion. Let’s not even get into the fact that some 3 minutes later, the guitarist had put on a clinic of tone control soloing for the ages, running the gamut from neck pick-up creaminess to false harmonic squawking that Zakk Wylde could only dream of. I was hooked and the fishermen were 3 Texas white boys called ZZ TOP. I only add that because until later in the month when my allowance came in and I ran to buy “Tres Hombres,” I was convinced that the band must’ve had a age-wizened African American bluesman on vox.

I went on to learn many things about ZZ TOP. The first was that most of the vocals were handled also by the unassuming, short-haired (and, at that point, beardless) guy named Billy Gibbons…who also was the guitarist! I also determined that “Tres Hombres” was their 3rd album, having been preceded by the shockingly-titled debut “ZZ TOP’s First Album” (a subject of future Realm study) and “Rio Grande Mud.” It can often be a mistake to speak in terms of “best” of this and “greatest” that but I have no problem at all saying that along with The Allman Bros. “Fillmore East” opus, ZZ TOP’s sophomore effort is one of the two greatest blues rock guitar statements ever. “Rio Grande Mud” opens innocently enough with it’s most accessible track, the springy “Francine.” Loaded to the brim with catchy major chords and melodies, it also sees bassist Dusty Hill taking one of his 2 vocal spotlights on the record. I always have to laugh at the interview where Gibbons said Hill’s mom used to complain, “C’mon, let Dusty sing one!” Seriously though, the four-stringer best known for his crooning on “Tush” some years later acquits himself nicely on this one.

It’s with Track 2, “Just Got Paid,” however that the trio really gets cooking. Borne on an overdriven riff that just smokes, Billy G. not only takes over on the throat but uncorks a slide solo fit to peel paint off the walls…off we go! “Mushmouth Shoutin” takes us to the back step of the little shack in Texas, as certified blues tumbles out of the speakers and Gibbons unveils another talent, wicked harmonica. Then comes “Ko Ko Blue” and greatness is front & center. The heavy-assed, funky rhythm here is just devastating. While raw enough to slice you open and sporting a groove that could throw anybody’s back out, it serves as the foundation for Gibbons’ sleazy story about a Texas honey I’d love to meet. “Ice cream, you know what I mean. I’ll bet I’ve got a flavor you like!” Indeed. More shredding harmonica plus some Binks-like drumming from Frank Beard fuel this one and Billy G’s slide, highlighting the melody in the coda is a thing of beauty. Side One ends with a song covered a year or so later by another Texas trio, Stray Dog. The rocking “Chevrolet” features Dusty Hill’s smooth pipes as Gibbons adds a sweet solo on the neck pickup.

It’s without any hesitation that I say Side Two of “Rio Grande Mud” is one of the most dominant performances by a single guitarist/singer etched in wax. You wanna know why Billy F. Gibbons is one of my rawk heroes? Listen to these 5 songs. “Apologies To Pearly” opens this in instrumental style with Billy alternating between slide & lead in a blistering fast-blues work out. Up next is the tasty “Bar-B-Q,” a scorcher that has the Tone Master switchblading into a searing Les Paul bite and just tearing the house down. “On fire” is a term one could use with no reservation! Brilliantly shifting gears, the mood is taken down to a seething lament about a woman doing you wrong. Some 7 minutes in stride, “Sure Got Cold After The Rain Fell” is as powerful a slow blues as these ears have ever heard, the soloing gut-wrenching. Live, this must’ve been on the order of Hendrix’s “Red House.”

And then, Jesus! Here we come to the granddaddy of them all, one of my favorite songs ever, “Whisky’n Mama.” A scant 3:20, this mutha simply unleashes one of the most bad-assed riffs in the history of rock. I simply defy your silly ol’ ass to either sit still or NOT pick up your air guitar anywhere during the course of this nasty thang! I also wouldn’t blame you if you formed a new religion with the express purpose of worshipping this song forever! Christ, what a stomper! More raging slide present, of course, and if that weren’t enough, album closer “Down Brownie” is almost as good!

Don’t know what more to say, my friends, about the high point in the career of a band that’s had quite a few but “Rio Grande Mud” is surely a template for a lot of things that include words like “guitar,” “blues,” “kick ass” and “smokin’.” Billy Gibbons is crowned as a master of tone, control and ass-busting on this one and his supporting cast of Hill & Beard are Gods of their own domains. Now what was my name again? Hmm…after picking up my guitar, I know it sure ain’t Gibbons. I’ll bet I’ve Got A Tone You Like Ray Dorsey

Readers' Poll 2010

2011-01-01T16:20:00.001-08:00

Well folks, it's that time again! We're reaching the end of yet another year of music and with that in mind, it's time for us all to go on record & make fools of ourselves salivating over a handful of the better platters of '10. So, send in your Top Ten albums (CD's, albums, records, whatever you want to call 'em). The only requirement is that they were released in 2010 (I know there is sometimes a sticking point over the date on the back of disc... e.g., sometimes something is dated 2009 and actually isn't available until 2010. What we're looking for is things that became available during 2010...you know what I mean.) Anyhoo, send in your Top 10 list to my email: raysrealm@aol.com The cut-off date is Jan 31, 2011 for the simple reason that we give you till the end of the year and then a little time to get your thoughts in order. Then, right after Jan 31, I'll publish the results of the poll, plus my own Top 10 for those of you who give a dern. BE SURE TO INCLUED YOUR POSTAL MAILING ADDRESS IN YOUR EMAIL! Anyone who sends in a Top 10 by Jan 31, 2011 will receive a kewl surprise from me in the mail shortly thereafter! So, list away! Again, send the Top 10 and your mailing address to: raysrealm@aol.com

Reader's Poll 2010

2010-12-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Natural Born Killers

2010-12-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

AGAINST NATURE – “Cross Street / Chasing Eagles” CD ’10(Blandhand, US) – You know what, peeps, there are certain things that just float my boat. Finding a crumpled up $ 20 in my pants pocket in the wash, that’s one. Waking up on “Friday” morning, starting to get up and realizing that it is in fact Saturday…yes! And finding a brown envelope in my mailbox from John Brenner. The first 2 are self-explanatory, so if any of you need clarification there, you need more help than this holder of a measly B.A. in Psych can give you. I’ll try to point you in the right direction on #3, though. See John Brenner is the guitarist/singer for Baltimore heavy music legends AGAINST NATURE & REVELATION and the fact of the matter is, anything either of these bands do is the freaking business. I’m serious, children of The Realm, everything this man has mailed me over the past several years has ruled and so have the ones he’s handed me in person. “Cross Street / Chasing Eagles” is no exception and I’m here to tell you why.

A little secret of the trade (which is actually no real secret at all) is that AGAINST NATURE and REVELATION are actually comprised of the same 3 guys: John Brenner – guitar, vocals; Bert Hall, Jr. – bass; Steve Branagan – drums. While the REVELATION face of this dual-sided monster plies the trade of melodic doom metal, AGAINST NATURE is a little more experimental…but don’t let that throw you! When I say experimental, I’m not talking about a bunch of nerds sitting in front of a couple banks of keys making noises, stroking their beards and saying “Perhaps….” Oh hell no. I mean experimental in the way that these guys will gladly explore all avenues of where a 3-piece rock band can travel, from Van Der Graaf style prog to Trower-style jamming. That’s part of the real fun in getting a new AN disc from John, seeing what these 3 cats have decided to get into this time…and knowing that whatever route they’ve taken, it’s gonna be a sweet ride. In truth, nothing could have gone down better on these ears than what happened when I put in this disc and hit “play.” In fact, so good is it that I think there’s only one way it could’ve come into being. Here’s my theory: One day John, Bert & Steve were hanging around in their practice place and after doing a 35 minute jam that would’ve made The Allman’s hang their heads in resignation, they decided to see what would happen if they flipped on the time machine John had made out of an old Orange Amp. Next thing they knew, they were standing in an undisclosed backwoods locale in Texas, circa. 1970. Immediately to their left stood a ramshackle lean-to and, whoooaaa, that lean-to looked nasty! In fact the whole scene was kinda scary so they began to amble back up the tire-track path toward what they thought was civilization when suddenly a voice rang out in the muggy air: “Hey, y’all, c’mon back now!” Standing outside the shack, battered Les Paul in his hand was a young fella named Billy Gibbons. “Y’all look like you’re in a band,” Billy called out in his Tejas drawl, “I got a few boys over for a beer & bar-b-cue! Wanna jam? This is Duane. Over there’s Snuffy…Snuff, you like that one I wrote about the Chevy, don’t ya? And that’s Jimi, he’s kinda shy but once he starts playin’, whoo boy! And there’s ol’ man Johnson’s kid, Eric…the 2 of them were fightin’ over that Strat before. Ha ha, let’s play some boogie, boys!” This went on for maybe a moment, maybe a day, maybe a year…until finally the time machine just seemed to kick into reverse on it’s own, depositing John, Bert and Steve back into their practice space in the Year Of Our Lord, 2010. Without another word and with a resolution only born of the most sacred inspiration, they knocked out this stuff you’re listening to now. The truth of the matter is that “Cross Street / Chasing Eagles” is classic bluesy hard rock on such a high level of massive fucking coolness that it could have only been conceived by guys who have both a complete understanding of the best from the past and the drive to bring it to the now. Love, care and craftsmanship in both songwriting and playing like this, and across so many great songs is something that has rarely been heard since the ‘70’s. This is music that is honest, real and above all a flippin’ blast to listen to…any time. The whipped cream and cherry on top of this slice of musical gorgeousity is John Brenner’s guitar work. I know I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. This guy is possibly the premier tone-master working today. Not only is he a riff-machine of nearly Iommian proportions, but the feel and quality of his soloing is staggering for a player working in today’s jaded environment. As with guys like Gibbons, Rory Gallaher, Leslie West & Andy Powell, he understands tone better than most could dream. A subtle move from one pick-up to another, the Gibson bite, the Fender creaminess…all those and everything in between live in these “grooves” (ok, I’m old-school, it’s not a record, I know!) and display the man as a brilliant player. Of course, it must be mentioned that Bert’s rolling, Geezer-inflected lead bass and Steve’s hard-yet-jazzy conversational drumming style do way more than just underpin Brenner’s six-string masterworks.

Is there music more enjoyable on the market than what happens when a new AGAINST NATURE disc tumbles out of that brown envelope? Not that I know of. My CD Can Beat Up Your Eagle Scout Ray Dorsey

http://www.againstnature.us/

Put Me On Speakerphone

2010-12-05T22:27:00.000-08:00

TAME IMPALA – “Innerspeaker” CD ’10 (Modular, Australia) – You know, it’s funny. I had been thinking it’s been a little while since I had a good yarn to spin on here. And so, with that in mind the Fates aligned to give Ray some fodder for a story. So here’s how it went…settle in with your favourite adult beverage, get comfortable and prepare yourself for the long haul. Ok, I’ll try not to make it that long but we’ll see how it goes….

It was a few weeks ago that I was piddling around on that Internet thang when I ran across a comment from Corsair’s Marie stating that if there was one band she wished she could be in it was TAME IMPALA. Now here’s the thing: Marie is one of the guitarists in a kick-ass band who’ve authored one of the year’s most surprising records so I take her commentary seriously and the information was duly noted and filed away in my head. Of course it promptly pushed aside things like when my car insurance was due, the dates of my kids’ field trips, etc. but damn if I would forget to check this band out. Hit fast-forward maybe a week and I’m down in The Soundgarden in Fells Point, thumbing through the psych section when I hit the “Misc T-Z” card and I’m staring at TAME IMPALA’s disc, “Innerspeaker.” I have 3 reactions, all in a particular order: 1) Damn, there it is! A CD by the band Marie was talking about! 2) I wonder if this is their newest one? 3) Fuck, the disc is an Australian import and is $ 27.99. With this all in mind, I meandered up to the counter to ask the guy when the album came out. I have this funny thing, when I’m checking into a new band, that I like to hear their current release first then work back. I like to see where they are and then, how they got there. In this case, the super-pricey-sticker was making me hope this was an older album, which would pour a little cool water on the curiosity fire that was rising in me. Of course upon delving into his PC, the dude at the counter replied “May 2010…and no indication of it being released over here.” Shit. I really didn’t have $ 28. Well, I had $ 28, but not to spend on a CD that day. So in a state of stately resolution, I deposited said disc back in the rack and headed out the door into a brisk fall day and ‘round back to the parking lot. I opened the car door and as I sank into the seat to nestle amongst the fast-food debris and empty water bottles that typically litter my vehicle, I thought a little more and the little angel & devil on either of my shoulders began to argue: Devil says, “This shit is going to bother you all day, go back and buy the damn thing.” Angel replies, “Uh…ok.” With all that haggling out of the way, I ambled back into The Soundgarden, pulled out the $ 28 I’d need the next day for gas and minutes later was up headed up Boston Street. I was feeling pretty friggin’ good…got every light green and the first time I had to stop was up at the travel plaza. Sitting there, I took the time to take a peek at my loot. Man, the cover looked cool…sweet digipak with artwork of a killer autumn scene. Light’s still red, so I slit the shrink wrap to check out the booklet and when I opened the cover, my heart sank. You see, there in the plastic part with the little circular thing in the middle where the CD should rest was…nothing. There was no CD. THERE WAS NO FUCKING CD!!! It was empty. My immediate reaction was to do the irrational thing and pull the booklet out of the other side, thinking the disc may be in between it. Of course, I knew it wasn’t going to be there. I was incredulous. I was also going to be late for the next job but instead, swung uncomfortably close in front of an oncoming 18 wheeler and made a mad dash back to Soundgarden. I just knew they’d have another copy. Flying into the store, I explained my plight to the counter guy. “I think we’ve got another one upstairs,” he said promisingly. Of course, you probably already know the drill. A few minutes later, he returned from whence he came, eyes slightly downcast. “Sorry man, that was the last one. We should have it back in again next week.” He returned my cash and I set back toward home again, bitter and defeated.

So here we are again at The Soundgarden the next week and…you guessed it…I find “Innerspeaker” in the Psych Section once more. This time in a bit of mild paranoia, I carry it to the counter. The guy start’s to ring it up and I say, “Sounds kinda dumb man, but could you open that up to make sure the disc is in it?” He obliges, indicating he’d heard the story about the missing one and slit it open to find that IT HAD NO GODDAMN DISC IN IT AGAIN!!!” I was trembling at this point, sort of like David Bowman at the end of “2001: A Space Odyssey” when he’s in the hotel room. “Brother, I’m really sorry,” the dude consoled, “This must be the same digipak that they re-sealed. We’ll definitely be re-ordering it, though.” At this point I figured that at least a few months of therapy would probably get me to the point where I could come out of the house and go back to work again. And so we flash forward again….

Now we’re to last week and I’m helping my good bud and new Raysrealm writer Andre’ pick up a TV he’d bought downtown. We get the sumbitch loaded in the van, stop to grab something to eat and he asks me, “Man, if you aren’t in a rush can we stop by Soundgarden, they have a psych book I ordered?” To be honest, I wasn’t completely interested in a trip to the CD Joint At The Point. I didn’t have a lot of buckage on me and, coincidentally, I’d called the day before asking about the very same TAME IMPALA disc. I’d been told it was re-ordered and should be in within the next week but probably not the next couple days. But I figured ok, the store’s not that far from Andre’s abode and the poor guy has been really wanting that book. It was in that frame of mind that I trundled on down to Fells Point yet again. While Andre was grabbing his reading material, I idly flipped thru the metal section, then the psych section and was about to join him on the way out the front door when something…probably that little devil…made my hand flick thru the “Various T’s” in regular “Rock." First thing, right in front was “Innerspeaker!” This time, I could swear the thing felt heavier, like it definitely had a CD in it…same $ 27.99 price tag, mind you. Long story short, they slit the digipak open again and there it was: THE ACTUAL CD WAS PRESENT! So, rushing back out to the car to will together enough change to equal the $ 28, I left this time with the actual entire package in my hands…and a few extra bux because the guy there was totally cool and sympathetic to my previous ordeal and cut me a break (just another reason I love this Soundgarden store!).

By now, I’m sure that you all are saying, “Ray this has been absolutely ridiculous! You’ve outdone even yourself in wordy intros and stories and haven’t even begun the review yet.” But please, dear reader, don’t fret. Unless of course, you’re a guitarist and then it’s your job to fret. (Drum roll, please! Take my wife…PLEASE, take my wife!) This has all been for a great cosmic purpose, the purpose that sometimes things are worth it. They are worth a great and perilous journey. In this case, the answer comes back to you in spades and I’m not going to waste a whole lot more of your time. The bottom line is that Marie Landragin was right and this CD, this first full-length disc by TAME IMPALA was worth all the bullshit I had to endure to finally obtain it. The reason is that this album, created by Kevin Parker, Dom Simper and Jay Watson is fucking phenomenal. I had heard nothing by this band before inserting this crazily-difficult-to-obtain (for me!) disc in the Realm-o-Matic and now have probably listened to it 10 times over the last weekend. Call it psych, call it rock, I dunno. I just know that the mid-paced, simultaneously dreamy & driving music, overlain with Parker’s cavern/echo voice has put me in a helluva good mood. This music at once relaxes every fiber of my being and yet kicks my ass all at the same time. Examples? Man, the whole damn album but what about “Lucidity,” like the Beatles on “Revolver” being driven along by a Hawkwind power surge? How about the funk-laden back beat of “Solitude Is Bliss,” at once soothing your soul and throwing your back out with it’s rhythm. “Bold Arrow Of Time” surprises and paralyzes with it’s fuzzy, bluesy lead guitar insistence and the 7+ minute “Runway, Houses, City, Clouds” begins like an approaching train, rising from a whisper to a roar before ending in long, ethereal guitar exploration that could be Wishbone Ash on acid. This is one of those records that just takes my breath away…and every time a little more. There’s not a whole heckuva lot more I can say except that you need to get yourself a copy of “Innerspeaker” today. It probably won’t take you as long to actually come up with the damn disc as I did but even if it does, it’s worth every second! Time In A Bottle Ray Dorsey

What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?!

2010-12-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

AUTOPSY – “The Tomb Within” CD EP’10 (Peaceville, US) – We all grow. I mean, we start as babies, then become children, evolve into teenagers (although some may blanch at teenagers being any sort of evolution!), arrive at adulthood, etc. I suppose this is a process that applies to musical genres as well as people. And, as with all of these styles and niches, death metal is something that grew over time. We saw the infant puke all over everybody when Chuck & Kam set their 2-man assault crew loose on unsuspecting dive bars in Florida during the ‘80’s. And somehow, time passed…the infant grew up and eventually ended up in a suit and tie, swishing a dry wine around in it’s mouth at a dinner party as Opeth became a prog rock band. Only an occasional hoarse vocal indicated this visitor had lineage on the other side of the tracks and…well, to be honest, it kinda made me sad. Oh, there have been some decent attempts to take out the family photo album and remember that unruly kid but today I’m a happy man because the prodigal has finally come home. One of the true originals, California’s AUTOPSY has crashed the party and my, oh my are the rich folk gonna have some cleanin’ up to do! Let me explain something to you: “The Tomb Within” is not gonna be confused with anything progressive. It’s not gonna be mistaken for anything polished and it ain’t gonna be invited back anywhere that polite company is expected. This is 5 songs of pure, unadulterated violently heavy death metal that absolutely crushes everything in it’s path. Guitarists Danny Coralles and Eric Cutler put on blood-splattered clinic here, unleashing meat hook riffs that leave bodies splayed and gutted in every direction and leads that speak of a serial-killer level of insanity. From hardcore-fast to doom-thud, every speed is accounted for as Chris Reifert (drums/vocals) and Joe Trevisano (bass) hammer out rhythms designed not to impress but to kill. See, these guys (as they did on “Severed Survival,” way back in 1989) don’t seek to impress the musos as much as they aim to make sure no one is left alive by the end to tell the tale. From the title cut straight through to “Mutant Village,” this is 20 minutes that says everything you need to know about music that is right to the edge of being nearly too heavy and vile, something Reifert’s agonized growls make perfect every time he opens his virulent pipes on this puppy. While nowhere near as long in duration as some of 2010’s other notable releases, this one may be it’s most lethal. Only Death Is Real Ray Dorsey

http://www.autopsydeathmetal.com/

Rendezvous With Rama

2010-12-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

PRINCE RAMA – “Shadow Temple” CD ’10 (Paw Tracks, Swe) – Funny thing happened on the way to the “Psych” section…nobody seems to know what the term really means! And now I hear the sound of people descending on my front porch, pitchforks and torches high in hand as they object: “Ray, you got tired of beating the ‘what is prog’ dead horse, now you’ve left the ‘what is psych’ one out of the stable!” Hey, c’mon, I’m not such an argumentative guy, now am I? Thing is, I’m a person and I have feelings…I try to be calm, I try to be nice and peaceful. And then I hear someone spin a disc of half-baked QOTSA pseudo-stoner quiche with some joker making “space” noises over the top with a Magnus Chord Organ and call it “psych.” I’m sorry, but that’s when I lose it. It’s kinda like the people who call The Deftones metal. Ok, well it’s not that bad but you get my point. It’s a point that’s honed to a surgical sharpness when I get ahold of a record like PRINCE RAMA’s 3rd outing, “Shadow Temple” and hear psych the way it is supposed to be fucking done. See, a lot of people may think I go about some precise, systematic outline for reviewing an album and deciding whether said record is “the business” or not. You know, so many points for production, so many for guitar, so many for…well, no, that’s not what I do. To be honest, I have some real UN-scientific ways of deciding it something’s good shit or not. There are certain strange criteria the ol’ Rayman has and one of them is this: not every record alive, in fact, not many are suited to enter the Realm-o-Matic at the tail end of the night, fit to accompany this scribe’s drift off to dreamland. When I throw a disc in, slide the phones in and hunker down under the covers to relax, it’s a scant % of the play-pile that’ll join me. Lately, “Shadow Temple” has entered that rarified air. This is music that doesn’t seem to be shackled by time or space. The song titles are like mile markers but not boundaries…the music drifts with, if this is possible, an elegant urgency buoyed on washes of synth, guitars that ebb and flow like a tide and drums that are at once tribally insistent and pharmacologically hypnotic. Stretching thru the ether are strands of vocal melody bringing the listener a timeless feel of ecstatic exploration. So, if it seems like ol’ Ray has hauled out the thesaurus for that last little bit of description, please excuse his sad old sagging ass because he needed a little help this time. I sure don’t need any help in hitting “repeat” when this sucker ends, though as it’s a more satisfying listen every night. Fresh Prince Of Sweden Ray Dorsey

http://www.myspace.com/princeramaofayodhya/

Grand Halls 51

2010-12-01T11:07:00.001-08:00

MERCY – “Mercy” 1984 (Fingerprint, Swe) – Hey, I like Candlemass as much as the doom guy but there’s only one problem with that…MERCY was the band for whom Messiah Marcolin crooned previously and they were better! Blasphemy! Heresy! You cry “foul, man, foul!” and run for the tar and feathers, ready to ride ol’ Ray out of town on a rail. But let me tell you one thing man, please, let me express myself before you kill me: you need to get this sumbitch out of some dusty bin and spin it one time. Then you’ll know. Then you’ll testify, just like I’m doing right now. In the meantime, there are a few very important things that you’ll need to know about this first self-titled album from MERCY that’ll prove it rules. They are: 1) Messiah was young as shit when he committed the vocals to this bad boy. When you listen to “Dirty Love” & “Tyrant,” you’ll be hearing a mammoth metal vox-man wise beyond his years. 2) Andree Witchking had a serious-ass honking guitar tone...I mean, damn, you can damn near measure this shinola in thickness, almost like hot liquid tar being poured on that neighbor’s new driveway across the street. 3) There are seven (7) songs on the album. This may not seem like a biggie, but it is friggin’ huge. I can’t remember if I’ve dwelt on this topic before on these pages but think about the old days of vinyl. There is something about taking some bad-assed hoss out of the sleeve, looking at one side of the record and seeing 4 tracks. Then you turn it over and on the other side, there are only 3…that feeling you get when you look to the West..no seriously, that feeling…seeing those 3 tracks and knowing that there’s some multiple brain-bashing 5+ minute stuff going on here and knowing, rest-assured, it’s gonna be heavy as hell. You know what? I’m going off on a tangent and don’t care. I’m naming names: Buffalo – “Volcanic Rock,” Wishbone Ash – “Argus,” Budgie – “Never Turn Your Back On A Friend,” Stray Dog – “Stray Dog.” Ok, are you receiving me? Well, actually, that would be from Golden Earring’s “Moontan,” which only had 5 songs but you get my point. This is the power of SEVEN. That is what we are talking about. And if you aren’t immediately running out to your local MERCY AUDIO EMPORIUM SHOP-MART to obtain this truck, plus everything else Mr. Witchking and cohorts ever committed to any form of plastic, let me say one more thing to you: “Master Of Disaster” just may have one of the coolest and heaviest choruses ever. These guys also prove the same thing that Black Sabbath once did: You don’t always have to be slow as molasses to be kings of doom. That’s it, I’m out. I’ve run out of reasons, superlatives and praise. Either buy or die. Don’t Stop Heavy Guitar
Ray Dorsey
NOTE: The CD version of this put out by T.P.L. Records some years back also includes the “Swedish Metal” EP and 5 unreleased bonus trax. Not sure how easy it is to find, but do what you gotta.

Psychedelic Java

2010-11-22T21:32:00.000-08:00

FLARED – “Debuten” CD ’10 (Unique, Swe) – Psych is a funny genre. Well I didn’t mean humorous but, come to think of it, it actually can be that. I mean, think about it…there have been times, mostly in my deep and far-reaching past, that I may have had a chuckle or three as a so-called psychedelic album played. Was that a reflection on the quality of the music that emanated from the speakers during such a listening session? Probably not. Could it have resulted from the ingestion of some controlled substance at a time pursuant to said listening? Yes, it could. But none of that really matters because it’s not what I meant in the first damn place. Why do y’all have to try to confuse me like this?! NO! What I mean is that psych is a strange one…in a sense like our old storied friend, “prog,” it’s a slippery eel. What is it? Is it Hawkwind? Is it the Elevators? Is it Acid Mothers Temple? You see?! None of these sound the same and yet would anyone deny that any one of them is psych? What the hell long-winded and probably useless point is Ray trying to get to now???

Here’s the point, mofo. You can call psych anything you want or call anything you want psych. Just don’t call me late for dinner and don’t you ever dare say that FLARED’s initial effort “Debuten” isn’t a damn good representation of the genre. I like FLARED. I don’t necessarily like them because they were probably fucked up when they made this record, I like them because they were probably fucked up enough to make this thing groove like no tomorrow. Listen to the opening cut, “Coffee Break.” Now, seriously, how many people are going to write a song called “Coffee Break” (as in, “I need a……..) and have it’s maiden section sound like Chicago Transit Authority after dipping into the bad tabs. And, none of that stops it from completely shape-shifting part the way through and turning into a mind-erasing sonic landscape that would give Dave Brock pause. The next song “Figure Out” will have you saying, “Damn, I can’t figure these guys out,” because all the sudden we’re being battered about the ears by some seriously dirty hard rock. In case you hadn’t guessed, this kinda unfolding and wing-spreading is going to keep happening all thru your listen, with guests as unexpected as soul and jazz making visits along the way. I have to say, FLARED is really quite adept at all this morphing and changing and, yes, I think you will still recognize them when the last cut finishes and your player resets to Track 1. Still, if psych is going to continue to exist and push forward into the 21st Century, it’s a pretty nice feeling to know it’s safe in the hands of people like FLARED. Bell Bottom Blues, Don't Say Goodbye Ray Dorsey

http://www.myspace.com/flaredmusic/

Grand Halls 50

2010-11-19T17:59:00.000-08:00

SORTILEGE – “Larmes De Heros” (Madrigal / Steamhammer, 1986) – I know what I’m gonna sound like here but I’ve gotta go ahead and do it anyway. I’m going to sound like the proverbial politician who’s gotten caught red-handed and is backed into a corner, trying to weasel his way out. “See, this is how it was…there were reasons, Senator, I really didn’t…well, you know, I mean…they made me do it? Who? Well, my constituents, they made me…I know, I know, I didn’t really want to do anything wrong, but it was for the good of the country!” Ok, ok, what the hell am I talking about, you ask. Here goes. SORTILEGE was from France. I don’t know if they have crooked politicos in old Paris but they had one helluva lot of good metal back in the early ‘80’s. Trust, High Power, Attentat Rock, I could go on ad nauseum but what’s the point, there were a zillion Killers (ha ha, that’s another one, Killers) and SORTILEGE was top o’ the heap. I remember when their debut EP came out in ’83. The minute I saw it in the store, I knew it was a stone cold lock to rule. Hell, it was on Rave-On Records, the very same label that sported the debut Mercyful Fate mini-album a year before. No further endorsement needed there but like that dastardly Danish disc, the self-titled monster was filled to the brim with scorching melodic post-NWOBHM riffola, piled high with incendiary lead guitar from one Stephane Dumont, already being hailed as the French Hank Shermann! It was only one year later that the band would deliver their 2nd effort, the full-length “Metamorphose.” Expounding upon the aural lashing they’d delivered on the EP, SORTILEGE upped the ante with the vox of Christian Augustin soaring Halford-like into the stratosphere as Dumont set his fretboard aflame. A song like “Majeste” displayed a band who could pen a metal epic with any of their contemporaries and I can’t even count the times Andre’ and I cued back the needle to try and learn Dumont’s absolutely filthy solo in “Civilisation Perdue” (which much to our chagrin, did not end up meaning “Land Of The Chickens.”) Flash forward then, 2 whole years. In that time, for a lot of us, the musical landscape had shifted seismically. A few little names like Metallica, Exodus and Slayer had worked their way into the everyday vernacular. And so, it was with thoughts involving killing posers and raining blood that we walked into Brooklyn NY’s Zig Zag Records one day in 1986. It was one of our legendary record-buying trips, excursions upon which we would skip meals in favor of saving money to buy new metal. This was serious stuff, and so, when I looked up at the “New Metal Import” wall, I spied what could only be a new SORTILEGE album, “Larmes De Heros.” The cover looked cool, a drawing of some kind of Greek or Roman…wait for it…Hero crying. I was about to add this jewel to my “must-buy” pile when I turned the jacket over and felt my stomach turn even more. The pictures of the guys in the band looked HORRIBLE!!! I mean, you have to understand…I still loved traditional metal. The problem was, that cranky infant thrash had skewed my sensibilities just a bit and…well, let’s just say I expected my metal guys to look bad-assed! SORTILEGE looked distinctly UN-bad-assed on this sleeve, all nicely coiffed and rock-starr-ish clothes to the point where one of my buds, who shall remain nameless, looked over my shoulder and was heard to say, “Jesus, they look like pussies.” From that very point I, the sheep, yes Senator…I put “Larmes De Heros” back on the rack and never looked back. Until…

…Not sure how long it was exactly. Had to be years, I’m thinking sometime at least into the early-‘90’s. I was paging through some death metal mag when I spied a picture of Death’s Chuck Schuldiner (R.I.P.) onstage. Nothing odd about that…what was odd, however, was the man sporting a SORTILEGE – “Larmes De Heros” t-shirt. I looked. Then I looked again. I couldn’t figure it out. How could a guy who was in something so heavy, who had concocted riffs to things from “Zombie Ritual” to “The Philosopher” in any way sponsor or support something that had looked as fey as this?! (There’s a key word in that last sentence and you probably already know what it is). And then my mind began to work on scenarios: 1) He’d met the band, they gave him a shirt and he didn’t want to be rude and turn it down. 2) Someone gave him the shirt as a gift. 3) Chuck was a fool and didn’t really know anything about music. Ok, that was enough…time to get to the bottom of this. From the old days, I had kept in touch with Chuck and decided to give him a call. The conversation went something like this in abbreviated form: “Hey Ray, how’s it been going, man?” “Chuck, I’ve gotta ask you something. I saw a picture of you with a SORTILEGE – “Larmes De Heros” shirt on.” “Yeah, definitely.” “Why?” “Why not, man? That’s like the best French metal album ever!” Stunned silence on my end. “Ray, you there?” “Uh…yeah I’m here. I have to admit, I never heard it…they looked so….um…” “Yeah, on the cover, I know. But you’ve gotta hear it man, it completely rules! Stephane Dumont is just like crying, he’s screaming and killing, the leads are insane. Christian’s vocals are sick, he’s singing so good! And the songs are God. There are these 2 seven-minute epics that are…man, give me your address, I’ll record it for you.” True to form (wasn’t the first cassette…yes, I said “cassette” Chuck ever sent me) the package showed up in the mail a couple days later. Did I play that sumbitch constantly for about a year?! Can Geico really save you a couple hundred bux on your car insurance?!

To be honest, I really feel like I ought to just let “Evil” Chuck Schuldiner’s ringing endorsement stand as better than any review I could ever write about SORTILEGE’s 3rd and final recorded output. I will embellish a bit though, as I feel like I owe this band and album quite a bit in terms of the years and unfounded derision with which I showered it. Folks, this damn thing’s got it all…Ass-busting rockers like “La Hargne Des Tordus.” The towering twin epics of “Quand Un Aveugle Reve” and “Marchand d’Hommes.” Christian unveiling a vocal tour de force for the ages and Mr. Dumont setting himself in stone as one of the greatest metal guitarists of all-time. His soloing on “Chasse Le Dragon” and “Mourir Pour Une Princesse” reaches Akira-like levels in friction burn damage. Sadly, this brilliant album would be the last statement issued by SORTILEGE. I s’pose this was due to a combination of deadly errors: the always fickle musical scene, a questionable choice in clothes and hairstyle and possibly worse of all, a bunch of ignoramuses like myself who let those silly pics of the boys put me off from even hearing it. So, yes, Senator, I stand guilty as charged. The good news is, my constituents, you can still go free and enjoy. This bad boy has been re-issued at least twice on CD, so it's out there! Heroes End Ray Dorsey

No, It Ain't The Pink Floyd Album

2010-11-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

DWARR – “Animals” CD ‘86/’10 (Drag City, US) – Is anybody else reading this old enough to remember the tape trading days? That’s right, I said tape trading? I’m sure right now a couple of the young whippersnappers are scratching their heads, saying to themselves “Hmm, tape trading? What did y’all do, Ray, head on down to Office Depot and hang out in the 3M Aisle? Hey, I’ll give you a dispenser of double-sided adhesive for two rolls of half-inch masking? Boring days, eh, Ray?” Ok smart asses, enough. By tape trading, I’m not talking about a bunch of Staples groupies huffing Elmers. I’m pining for the times of waiting by the mailbox for a packet to emerge replete with the joys of a TDK-D90 loaded to the brim with 2 rare albums I could never hope to afford otherwise. But, slip that baby in the blaster and I was ushered into a world of…well, things like DWARR. One of my very favorite trading compatriots was a wonderful guy who, sadly is no longer with us, a buddy from Virginia named Nigel Fellers. Nigel had a vast library and knowledge of not only doom metal, but all things remotely associated with it, stretching the boundaries of hard rock, heavy prog, dark avant and whatever else. It was he who introduced me into the world of South Carolinian Duane Warr with one of those D-90’s labeled DWARR – “Starting Over” / “Animals.”

Now while it was true that “Starting Over” was the debut record released by Duane Warr, it became clear to me very quickly that the man’s sophomore effort “Animals” was definitely “the one.” Nigel, in fact, had even made a note in the package he’d sent that I remember like the day I got it those many years ago: “Ray, I know you love Paul Chain. Listen to ‘Animals!’” I did…and listened again…and again…and again. This is how it is, so listen closely people. “Animals” is without question, one of the most unique 40-some minutes of heavy music you’re ever going to hear. If you’re familiar with Italian doom monster Chain, you may have a point to jump from. So let’s just say our boy Paul C took a trip to the U.S. and found himself in some non-descript town in South Carolina in the ‘80’s. It’s fun to imagine that he wandered out of town, down some suburban street on the other side of the tracks and found himself in the last house on the left, surrounded by jacked-up Chevy Novas and some talk weeds…and some other…um…good weed, not to mention some other controlled materials. He was welcomed into the house by our friend Duane and was heard to comment, “Dang, son but your house is kinda listing to the one side there.” (Odd accent for an Italian guy, but help me out here, it makes this concocted story more fun). Mr. WARR was then heard to say, “Yeah, that’s true, it’s the weight of all the Marshalls in that room making it sag.” And without a further comment, PC was seen to vanish right back into thin air yet he left young Duane imbued with his spirit, wherein he really did become an otherworldly rawk demon called DWARR. He then proceeded to inscribe this dark unholy racket onto tape, these 13 texts of metallic horror that now inhabit the CD you’re holding. Now if all things hi-fi and hi-tech are your prerequisite for having a good time, I have two things to say: 1) my sympathies to your girlfriend 2) you ain’t gonna like this. This stuff sounds like it was recorded in a house…and a haunted one, for that matter. And that’s half the appeal. The ramshackle, backwoods production only serves to amplify the psychedelic frenzy and desperation of this music. And “desperation” is a key word. This album sounds as though it was made with every bit of Mr. WARR’s life on the line. This is metal in some sense, but not until it’s been run through something so dark, bizarre and utterly freaky that it will have the hairs standing up on the back of your neck. It’s not fast, it’s not thrash…it’s just harrowing. The cavernous vocals and, frankly, absolutely ripping lead guitar that makes many appearances only serve to deepen the darkness that just oozed from “Animals” collective soul. It’s a real snapshot of a guy who was exorcising SOMETHING or at least trying to. The fact that Duane completed this project on his own (with some session percussion from Ron Sparks) only makes it’s genuine passion that much more impressive.

Simply put, if you are a fan of heavy music and have a taste that runs toward the decidedly dark, deep and disturbing end of things, these are some “Animals” you’re going to need to track down. Some Kind Of Monster Ray Dorsey

NOTE: Word has it that after the recording of “Animals” Duane Warr became a very religious man. He continued to record music and produced at least 2 more DWARR releases, namely “Holy One” and “Times Of Terror.” I haven’t heard these 2 yet, but I’m thinking they’d be worth checking out. “Starting Over,” while not on the order of this mutha, surely is.

http://www.myspace.com/dwarrofficial/

Resist Or Die!

2010-11-14T20:52:00.000-08:00

RESISTOR – “Rise” CD ’10 (Private, US) – Well, howdya like them apples?! I mean, George Carlin’s wisdom notwithstanding, you just never know, do you? Here I am, going to the Day Of Prog in PA this past summer, witnessing slaying sets by the likes of Gravity & Syzygy and little did I know my biggest revelation would come on the ride home. Now granted, said ride would come in the wheels of legendary prog-rock-jockey Rick & Roll (Rickter Scale, Delicious Agony net radio), so you know you wouldn’t be listening to Lady GagHer. Still, I was sure not expecting to have my clock cleaned the way I did. It began subtly enough…Rick sticking a CD in the player prefaced only by the remark, “This is the new RESISTOR.” At that point however, everything changed. The first thing I noticed was the production, the guitar sound. Man alive, the glory days are back! A warm, analog-sounding heaviness with two distinct guitarists laying down wicked riffs, one in the left channel, one in the right…just like KK and Glenn in the ‘70’s! Do you hear me brothers and sisters! Let me testify to the Lord of rawk! But that’s not all! Cool mid-range vox that go from a Palumbo-ish smirk to Wishbone Ash-style harmonies. In fact, just in the 7-minute opener alone, I’m hearing what sounds like a midnight summit with Andy Powell, Ted Turner, John Palumbo, Frank Zappa with hmmm…let’s see, Chris Tsangrides sitting at the desk and maybe Tipton and Downing showing up fresh from doing “Sad Wings…!” Yeah, let’s make it clear that this is GUITAR prog! No army of keys here to throw a pall of wimpdom onto the proceedings, honcho! Whether it’s galloping proto-Celtic-metal of “Spaceghetti” or the volatile build-up of “Ether,” this is top-level stuff and when we get to the 16+ minute “Mimosa,” it’s like “Wow!” You’ve got a new favourite lead guitar duo and their names are Steve Unruh and Fran Turner. I’m not kidding when I say these guys are laying down a six-string clinic that’s on the par with the best of the aforementioned W.A. & J.P. guys, not to mention other gods like Thin Lizzy. This is the real deal! The jazzy guitar solo in “Mimosa” starting around 10:57 is like “Run Of The Mill" in a lysergic dream and as it ascends toward the end of the song, it is God!!!

You want some even better news, peeps? What I’ve discussed is only half of the album. Really. No shit. Because what follows “Mimosa” is a 39+ minute epic called “The Land Of No Groove.” Divided neatly into sub-sections a la the best Neil Peart opus, this one is best described as a metallic distant cousin of Zappa’s “Billy The Mountain.” If you are not completely entertained nor don’t have friction burns from air guitar by the time the “Groove Revolution” segment ends you are truly pathetic and massively incapable of RAWKING! I know I said this before…I’m not senile yet…but RESISTOR not only contains one of the very best 2-guitar teams I’ve ever heard, they have also released what has gotta be one of the hottest albums of 2010. Howdya like them apples?! The Land Of All Kinds Of Groove Ray Dorsey

Note: Seems Mr. Steve Unruh (guitars/vox) also has quite a lengthy prog/rock pedigree and has a ton of great stuff available, all of which I need to obtain asap!

http://www.steveunruh.com/

Let's Welcome Andre'!!!

2010-11-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

With his snappy review of the brand new masterpiece by LA OTRACINA directly below, I'd like to welcome a long-time cronie of mine, Mr. Andre' Wilson, to the Raysrealm fold. Andre' has been around nearly as long as your's truly (not sure this is something to be proud of! lol) and has a knowledge of music encapsuling genres as widely varied as thrash metal, old R&B, jazz and God-knows what else! Our good buddy Dr. Dre' has been advised to contribute more killer stuff in upcoming times or be beaten severely. We'll see if he complies...or furnishes a photo of himself.... Of course, there is always that Witness Protection Plan thing to consider.

Bring Me The Head Of Reality!

2010-11-12T13:30:00.000-08:00

LA OTRACINA – “Reality Has Got To Die” CD ’10 (Holy Mountain, US) – THIS CD UTTERLY DESTROYS!!! We’re talkin’ scorched earth destroys here! A very heavy blend of prog / psych / space / doom-ish metal with a garage feel to it, if that sounds believable. This is definitely one of the most uniquely heavy things I’ve heard in a damn while, Resistor notwithstanding. LA OTRACINA has a sort of Fu Manchu / Hawkwind / Hendrixy (the spacey side of Jimi) thing to ‘em in spots, with lots of excruciatingly heavy fuzz guitar, droning bass, relentless percussion, reverb, echo and presumably a large quantity of uncontrolled substances! “Crystal Wizards Of The Cosmic Weird” sounds like “2001: A Space Odyssey” on acid. The near-20-minute title track, “Reality Has Got To Die” has a middle section that’s reminiscent of “Third Stone From The Sun” on (more!) acid and lastly, “Mass Meteroic Mind” has a very original sound that’s hard (for me, anyway) to describe but if I had to try…a strange, spacey Mahogany Rush or a weirder Wolfmother…maybe and again, on acid! I’ve gotta hear more of their stuff! Tell me if the drummer doesn’t remind you of Mitch Mitchell? In my opinion, this is the album that should have been entitled “Heavy Metal Hippies.” Sorry Akira! Andre Wilson

http://www.myspace.com/laotracina/

Big Steven And His Disciples

2010-11-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

SANCTA SANCTORUM – “The Shining Darkness” CD ’10 (Black Widow, Ita) – I have a problem. It’s something that I’ve lived with for many years now and while I haven’t mentioned it a whole lot lately, it’s probably something that’s gonna have to come to the fore. The problem that I have is not one with drink, smoke nor any other ingestible mind-altering substance…. That is to say, unless you consider sound waves entering the ear canal “ingesting.” In a sense, I suppose it is. With that in mind, then, it’s incumbent upon me to reveal the nature of this…ahem…issue of mine. The bottom line is that if I hear the name “Steve Sylvester” mentioned in connection to any sort of sound recording, I immediately get a glazed look in my eye. Things like my children eating, paying the mortgage and going to work recede immediately to some back corner of my mind. I then am seized by a fierce and determined nature and, armed with this passionate verve, I arise from my easy chair, stride to the front door and embark upon my quest to obtain whatever recorded medium it is that bears the name of this underground Italian metal legend. No one is safe. I’ve been known to behead elderly women, throw small children to wolves and raze entire cities if need be in order to insert a new SYLVESTER or DEATH SS disc into the Realm-O-Matic and hit “Play.” So, when my age-old buddy Mass (Black Widow Records) emailed me and asked if I’d like to receive a review copy of the new SANCTA SANCTORUM CD, a band fronted by none other than Mr. SYLVESTER himself, I did what only a man named Ray Dorsey would do. I hunched o’er the keyboard, grimaced like the old Horned One himself and typed those fateful words, “Send it now or die.” Well, I really didn’t do that, I actually said something like “Damn right, bro, send it on over!” Either way, “The Shining Darkness” is now in my hands, in the player and the story is…

You need this! If you have any affiliation at all with hard rock/metal and like your crush-dom dark and evil, you don’t have a whole section of the Bible if this isn’t on your shelf. With SANCTA SANCTORUM, our good ol’ STEVE has assembled quite a line-up! On drums is none other than another legend of the underground Italian scene, former DEATH SS and Paul Chain sticksman Thomas Hand Chaste. Bass is handled by another old cronie bassist Danny Hughes, while keys get their pounding by John Di Lallo. Last but not least, that six-string thing is delivered by a guy with what must be one of the most amazing names of all time, Frederick Dope. (Really!) The result of this meeting of the Italian musical minds is a landmark in heavy doom rawk that has scarcely left my player since it’s arrived. While there is a close connection to the dark, sinister metal of SYLVESTER’s DSS days and his solo output, the sound here also (and quite to my great pleasure!) veers even further into the realm of ‘70’s heavy progressive rawk than STEVE has ever gone. Di Lallo’s keys have a lot to do with this. Never becoming over-bearing, they blend into the mixture like a wonderful secret ingredient being folded into a recipe at just the right time. The added depth is something to behold throughout the album. Moreover, Dope’s (man I love that!) guitar is a massive acid tractor from pillar to post. Taking a cue from Iommi, but more so from the FIRST Sabbath record than any other, his sound is vintage yet timeless and his soloing is nasty as hell. Clearly this young guy has studied at the feet of the masters! Tying it all together of course, is SYLVESTER himself. This is a man who’s voice could never be called a model of technical schooling and yet like most of the true ‘70’s gods, his insistent mid-range poses more of a palpable threat, an distinct evil, than any death metal growler you’ve ever entrusted your cochlea to. STEVE’s big secret? What makes him so great? Melody! It’s never complicated but it's always there, and the man once again displays a singular talent for incorporating melodies of nearly pop-like hook into music that is devastatingly heavy and frankly evil. He simply gets better with age.

In short, “The Shining Darkness” is clearly one of the best releases in the Black Widow labels’s storied history, and that’s saying something! Leave it to STEVE SYLVESTER to put his name on such a release, that’s really no surprise. It’s another of his wonderful works that just keeps flowering more & more each time I hear it. Shine On You Crazy Diamond

http://www.blackwidow.it/

Psych With Teeth

2010-11-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

BLACK LAND– “Extreme Heavy Psych” CD ’10 (Blood Rock, Ita) – Remember that song “The Way We Were?” Barbra Streisand, right? Hell, my dad loved Barbra Streisand…well, not in the Biblical sense, I s’pose my mom might have had a problem with that although I’m betting he’d have liked it but…damn, I’m ADHD-ing all over the place, now aren’t I? Thing is, that song started out with that line, “Memories, like the corners of my mind….” That’s what I was thinking when I started spinning this little piece of the pie that Mass from Black Widow Records sent me(BW is the exclusive distributor of Blood Rock Rec). (He sent me a ton of shit recently, and I’ll be getting to it all coming up, but stay patient…). See I started listening to this disc from Italy’s BLACK LAND and for some reason, I was hit with memories of a gigantic convention hall in King Of Prussia, PA. ‘twas there, some several years back that, in digging thru a box of dusty metal rekids on the floor, I came face to face with a hunk of vinyl from a British band called Mournblade. “Live Fast Die Young” was a cool find because it ended up being one of those quirky NWOBHM albums I love so much…the ones like Legend, Witchfinder General, Shiva, Split Crow, etc. that DID NOT sound like Judas Priest or Maiden. Now before you go getting your tighty whiteys in a bind, I’ve got nothing against those Metal Gods. Anybody who’s ever seen my shrine to “Stained Class” will attest to that. No, I just really had a fond place for the bands from that era who took a path-less-trodden than all the dual-lead, laser riffing monsters of the day and Mournblade was one. Kinda imagine a cross between Motorhead, Sabbath and some quite odd heavy-handed version of Hawkwind and you might be close.

So, imagine my surprise when I spun this new (and apparently 3rd) effort from BLACK LAND. Now to be fair, I’d say that BL has a lot more of the Sabbath end of the stick up their sleeves than the NWOBHM obscurities I described above but at the same time, my reaction was unmistakable…about three songs in and one word went thru my mind: Mournblade. That’s pretty damn cool and original…I mean, how many bands do you hear who remind you of friggin’ Mournblade?! I just love the style here…. Long songs to begin with, and you know how I like that! These guys will start with a heavy, Iommi-an lick, topped with some spacey electronic overlays and explore that for awhile. Then, just when you think you’ve got ‘em pegged, a rhythm shift snaps into action and your being dragged down the road on a Harley of a riff. Man, you can almost see Lemmy standing under his shower-level mike and nodding with a wart-ridden smile. The strength of this keeps up for an entire album, 8 songs including a triad of 9-minute behemoths that the word “truck” might suit quite nicely. Guitarist Willer steals the show here, not only with his simple-yet-effective riffs but more than once, this dude unleashes a wah-wah lead frenzy that completely takes u by surprise in it’s ferocity and peels some serious paint. Gotta say, as usual Black Widow delivers the goods, this time by distributing another bad-ass CD on the Blood Rock imprint. Just don’t get carried away and start putting out Babs Streisand stuff now, Mass! Extreme Heavy Sucker

http://www.myspace.com/blackland/

Forbidden Evil!

2010-11-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

FORBIDDEN – “Omega Wave” CD ’10 (Nuclear Blast, US) – You know what I’ve been thinking? This has been one helluva year for the SF Bay Area. I mean, think about it. The Giants just won the World Series. Now, as a baseball fan, had somebody told you on April 1 that they would be holding the title in November, would you have bought that over MLB’s nearly pre-ordained Yankees/Phillies match-up? Don’t think so. And, as an Oriole fan, I gotta say it was nice to see at least SOMEBODY wearing black and orange hoist that trophy since, even now in the “Buck Era,” the chances of the O’s doing it any time soon are slim and none. And as Chuck Thompson would say, slim just left town.

So, yeah, SF is atop the sports world right now and we haven’t even begun on music. To put it simply, 2010 has witnessed a hundred megaton explosion in the Bay Area thrash scene. It’s been a confluence of brutal greatness, seeing spectacular new releases from longtime luminaries like Exodus, Heathen, Death Angel and now, FORBIDDEN. Of course, it would be real easy for me to lie right here. I could say that I have been the biggest FORBIDDEN fan since the release of their first album, “Forbidden Evil” in 1988. However, there would be a problem with that. It wouldn’t be the truth. At all. Now let me make one thing perfectly clear: I haven’t had anything against these dudes. It’s not like I found out their albums were the carriers of some strange disease and, therefore, vowed to keep them from crossing my threshold for fear of contamination. It’s not that I have some personal grudge against any of the band members for running off with a wife or girlfriend or stealing any of my shit. I’m pretty sure none of them have ever done any of those things. No, there really is no explanation for it. Sometimes even a guy like me who tries to keep up with everything that goes on in the music scene whiffs on something entirely. I mean, hell, Columbus missed an entire continent when he thought he was in the West Indies and he got a holiday for it, so take it easy people! Thing is, I just never checked these guys out! I have no idea why. Probably was too busy listening to Natas rehearsal tapes or something. So, when I started hearing a lot of talk online, on Facebook and all, people going on about a new FORBIDDEN album, first one since 1997, I went “Hmm…” When the comments began alluding to the fact that this was on the order of a new Heathen release I was like, “Whoa, wait a minute Charlie, either these people are imbeciles or I need to be schooled.” I looked again at the names of said persons, realized they were decidedly not idiots and headed to class. Thus, a crash course ensued in ass-busting records like the aforementioned “…Evil,” and “Twisted Into Form” and with that thrash credo under my belt, I sauntered into Record And Tape Traders on Monday Oct 25 and plunked down $ 11 for “Omega Wave.” As it would turn out, choices don’t come a whole lot smarter than that.

Simply put, this record is an MMF. That is to say, my friends, it’s a monster-mother-fucker. It kicks ass…and then it kicks some more ass. Then it takes what’s left of your sorry butt, drags you behind the woodshed and gives you a fine, sound beating if you need one. And if you don’t, it gives you one anyway, in spades and like a red-headed stepchild. This sumbitch has simply got it all. It takes all the best aspects of the fresh and early thrash scene, ratchets it up with super unique ideas and riffs (pretty hard to do now some 30 years down the line from “Kill ‘Em All”) and laces it with wonderful dollops of cherry topping like great vocals and lead guitar work that will have your head spinning for days. Oh, and did I forget? Simply superb, memorable songs. Interestingly, “Omega Wave” is kind of a tale of two halves and I’ll explain what’s so cool about each. After the soaring intro called “Alpha Century,” filled with some dazzling guitar harmonies that would do Tipton & Downing proud, FORBIDDEN launches into a headlong thrash assault. Borne on smokers like “Forsaken At The Gates” (Why do I miss titles like this so much!) and “Adapt Or Die," this is the sound of a band that despite their…ahem…maturity…are sounding as hungry, pissed and lethal as it gets. Craig Locicero and Steve Smyth pull one nasty, saw-toothed riff after another out of their axes and surgically rivet your ass to the wall as Russ Anderson lashes out with vox that are at once raw, powerful and still way-tuneful. At this point comes a strange little 2-minute instrumental called “Chatter,” after which we go down the rabbit hole…and I mean that in the best possible way! While the first half of this album is a brutal thrash attack (adorned by some Voivod-like progressions in “Swine”) we really see the magical creativity of the band unfurl from “Dragging My Casket” on. Here, the songs begin to spread out, pushing closer (and into) the 6-minute range and the ideas flow like molten lava. Through “Hopenosis,” “Immortal Wounds” and “Behind The Mask,” the originality and light and shade continues to grow, peaking in awesome fashion with “Inhuman Race” and then tying everything together as the odd structures and thrash lasers come together perfectly in the scorching title cut. Matt Camacho (bass) and Mark Hernandez (drums) form a ten-ton foundation as atop their punishing blows, Locicero and Smyth weave guitar riffs and leads that will at once have your head Linda-Blair-ing and snagged by deep hooks at the same time. Anderson becomes a vocal chameleon here, laying down one of the most impressive performances I can remember in this kind of music. The guy can effuse gnarly power one minute and thoughtful melody the next and it all makes sense. Bringing everything into focus is the poitively scintillating production job courtesy of Locicero and Tim Narducci and the eye-popping cover art takes me back to a basic truth: Nothing looks better on the cover of a metal album than a big fucking skull! Remember that “Stained Class” jacket and put this baby in heavy rotation cause Frisco is the capital of heavy music once more! A Fresh Chalice Of Blood

http://www.myspace.com/forbiddenofficial/

The Pastoral Master

2010-11-02T11:55:00.000-07:00

PERSEPHONE’S DREAM – “Pan: An Urban Pastoral” CD ’10 (Progrock, US) – Yup, I know people, we’ve been through the whole “what the hell does ‘progressive’” discussion/argument/back-alley-fist-fight enough times around here. I mean, c’mon, I don’t have this bloody bent nose for nothing. I’ve stood my ground on my hard-assed stance that prog can mean a bunch of different things…and all correctly…over enough years that I can match wounds with Quint any day of the week. But that’s all kinda silly, you know, because what I have in my hands right now is this new disc by PERSEPHONE’S DREAM and there ain’t no doubt this one is a prog masterpiece. It’s interesting to note that a lot of concept albums over time have slipped easily into the so-called “prog” genre: “2112,” “Tales Of Topographic Oceans,” “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway,” the list goes on forever and it’s clear that “Pan…” takes a seat quite comfortably in the upper tiers of this well-populated theater. That’s not to say that this, PD’s 5th album blurs, non-descript, into a long hallway of similar releases. Sure, you’ll hear hints of things (a bit of a Kansas overtone in “Selene Rising,” some Yes rhythmic in “Youth’s Denial”) but these are only jumping-off-points at best. No, PD brings a lot to the table here…whether it’s Rowen Poole’s guitars, going everywhere from metallic to lush 12-string or Ashley Peer’s sensual, powerful vocal delivery, this is vibrant stuff. The thing that’s so great about it is the way the music incorporates so many lights & shades and yet still manages to flow with a smoothness that implies much thought and care. I’m also very impressed by the lyrical themes here. While I’m not going to spill any of the proverbial beans, I’ll say you’re in for quite a treat when you read the liner notes and lyric booklet. In all, you can call me Ray, you can call me Jay and you can call “prog” whatever you want. The fact remains that with “Pan…”, PERSEPHONE’S DREAMS pipes are calling you home! At The Gates Of Dawn

http://www.persephonesdream.com/
http://www.progrockrecords.com/

Grand Halls 49

2010-10-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

DIAMOND REO – “Dirty Diamonds” (Kama Sutra, 1976) – I remember when I moved into the house I’m currently living in. I mean, ok, we’re talking awhile back…like maybe 19 years and 2 wives ago. But that part of it’s my cross to bear, not your’s so I’ll stick with the basics here. I moved into this shell of a 1920’s home on my parents’ street after a stroke of luck (or maybe just a stroke) took the original owner, a delightfully eccentric old codger named Mr. Gus. Sheezus, bro, there was a lot of work to be done and I made a helluva lot of trips to the old hardware store (conveniently called “The Hardware Store”) on Philadelphia Road. The one time in particular my loot included a heavy-ass strain of paint remover. Funny thing is, had I thought a little bit I could’ve probably saved myself a couple bucks and just pulled this, the 2nd of 3 albums by Pittsburgh hard rock band DIAMOND REO off the shelf. Reason is, I doubt there’s anything made by man or beast that could strip the shellac like the unholy racket created by this fearsome foursome over the 30-some minutes etched into the vinyl of “Dirty Diamonds.” Truly, Frank Czuri, Warren King, Norm Nardini and Rob Franks were not going to confuse themselves in anybody’s mind with Rush or anything like that. I mean, there were no 10+ minute opuses about necromancers dwelling in the tracks of this ebon slab. No, DIAMOND REO instead went straight for the jugular with 3-4 minute sonic tree stumps, bar-room hard rock scalders with names like “Scratch My Back” and “Power.” The thing that really put these fuckers over the top, though, were the vocals of Czuri and Warren King’s guitar. The former comes at you like a steroid-ridden prize fighter, all punk attitude, nasty vox and a slathering dash of Bon Scott school boy leer, strapped together with a sense of melody that could pry back the top of a can of Iron City with one syllable. The guitar tone of King is absolutely ridiculous. It pure Gibson-through-Marshall crunch, drenched with a caustic, acetone volatility that would simply slice the flesh off a hippo. The force of this greatness is felt no better than in the opening volley, “All Over You,” truly one of the greatest, heaviest hard rock songs of all time. Truth be known, however, there isn’t a letdown anywhere throughout the course of this swaggering beast of a record. Could the same thing be said for the band’s debut, “Diamond Reo” or this sucker’s follow up, “Ruff Cuts?” Not really. I mean, they are decent heavy rock records and surely worth your attention but brothers and sisters, when that next job needs to be done & you need the industrial strength paint peeler? Look no further than “Dirty Diamonds.” Absolutely Filthy

No Dime Store Souvenir Here, Baby!

2010-10-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

SOUVENIR’S YOUNG AMERICA – “The Name Of The Snake” CD ’10 (Init, US) – I can picture it vividly…walking slowly through a forest, a draping canopy of leaves hanging tentatively over my head… the brisk autumn air has not yet gotten to these internal fronds and their summer green remains, only to have begun to feel the chill of the season. As that thought occupies my mind, I round a turn in the trail and I feel the shadows lift as the natural ceiling rises like the hand of a giant, fingers uncurling slowly and I stroll into the clearing. Sunlight bathes my optical reserve as the lush, layered colors of fall unfold in what seems to be both a moment and lifetime. The golden reds, yellows and browns stream into sharp relief on both sides of the gorge in front of me and I sit for a moment near the cliff’s edge, overtaken by both the majesty of the forest from which I've emerged, the magic-like transition and the spectacle now before me. All of this is the same kind of feeling I get when listening to the new record by Richmond VA’s SOUVENIR’S YOUNG AMERICA. Having been familiar (and quite inspired by) this band’s previous offering, 2007’s “An Ocean Without Water,” I was thrilled to find this little gem hiding in the “Various S’s” section of The Soundgarden in Baltimore the other night. I have to say that it was a $9 very well spent. SYA is a band composed of: Ken Rayher – guitars; Jonathan Lee – keyboards, electronics, organs, pianos; Graham Scala – guitars, electronics, acoustic guitar; Patrick DeWit – percussion; Noah Saval – harmonica. That’s pretty easy, to list the line-up and what instruments they play. What’s not so fucking easy is to explain what these cats sound like and that’s why I began this piece the way I did. This is an instrumental band that, through the 4 lengthy songs on this release are not as readily described through particular guitar riffs, snappy choruses or toe-tapping rhythms. More so, as with the landscape above, the vistas of SYA’s music are much easier to describe as layers of color and shaded, draped with melodies of power, beauty and heaviness. Think Pelican or, maybe even more, Across Tundras, replete with the kind of memorability and sign-posts often reserved for much more “accessible” stuff. Each of the 4 numbers here seems interconnected to the others, and yet they still somehow stand on their own, the record finishing incredibly strong with the acoustic-laden shimmer of “Dust (Erasing The Future)” and “Amnesia (A Victor’s History).” This is simply a fantastic and highly-original piece of work, harkening the listener to push “repeat” a shit-load of times without any threat of boredom. It is at once heavy, beautiful and overpowering. The inclusion of 3 additional numbers from the “September Songs” EP is only icing on the proverbial cake! Snakes Alive!

http://www.myspace.com/souvenirsyoungamerica/

Hang In There!

2010-10-07T17:54:00.001-07:00

Been beset with computer problems which may keep The Realm from being updated for a week or so, but we should be back up and running asap. Keep watching this spot!

ACCEPT WHAT WE DO!

2010-09-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

ACCEPT – “Blood Of The Nations” CD ’10 (Nuclear Blast, Ger) – I can remember some things vividly. The births of my children, the day I graduated from college, the first time I had sex, my first kiss…and the day my old buddy Doug told me he’d gotten a test-pressing of ACCEPT’s “Breaker” a month before it was to be released. Events like this stand out in sharp relief against the tapestry of time that forms our lives. I can see it just like it was yesterday: We were driving in my ’78 Malibu up Moravia Park Drive and all of the sudden, Doug (he who never lacked a flair for the dramatic) turned to me, his face awash with the emotion of a man who’d just witnessed a mass-mutilation. “Ray,” he began in a hushed tone… “I just got a test-pressing of the new ACCEPT album from the guy at Passport (Records)…. His words hung in the air and he tension was palpable. Then came the resolution, “It’s heavy as shit!!!” Now, you have to understand, this was important to know. The simple reason was that ACCEPT’s first record, released in 1979 was a monster…an electrifying debut, laced with nasty metallic riffs, nuclear whammy bar dive bombs and razor-blade vocals. Somehow, when their sophomore effort arrived in 1980 under the name “I’m A Rebel,” there had been a bit of a castration done to our Teutonic terrors. The production was far more sterile, the riffs were half-assed and the whole thing was eked down several notches (possibly due to Passport trying to mold their own AC/DC…and quite unsuccessfully). So this 3rd one, “Breaker,” was going to tell the real story and my God, it was quite a tale! From the slashing metallic stormers of “Starlight,” “Run If You Can” and the title cut, to the massive (and maybe greatest ever) metal ballad “Can’t Stand The Night” to the caustic slap at the industry, “Son Of A Bitch” this sucker flat-out bristled! And that was the bottom line. The album was a motherfucker and good ol’ Doug put the cherry on top (pun intended) by making his own cover for the white-label promo LP he’d gotten by gluing a “wide-open” shot of a lady from Hustler magazine to the cover.

From this point on, ACCEPT had a damn good run of metallic mayhem ahead of them with scorchers like “Restless & Wild,” “Balls To The Wall” and “Russian Roulette” to add to their collective resumes. Sadly, the band would fall from grace as the ‘80’s unfolded into the grunge-laden ‘90’s, slapped with the double whammy of an industry that just didn’t give a shit and their own creativity going in the dumper. Records like “Eat The Heat” and “Predator” were better off forgotten and truly, the once great German metal tank receded into my memory, their last record hitting the racks in 1996. That was until I saw a little piece online about a new ACCEPT record in 2010. I have to say, my reaction and what I feared led me to think of an old Agent Steel album title, “Skeptic’s Apocalypse.” Udo was no longer on vocals (replaced by Mark Tornillo of TT Quick), and drum god Stefan Kaufmann had given up the stool in favor of Stefan Schwarzmann. Was this going to be another disappointment, a reformation fans would wish never happened? The answer is…

NO!!! Now having listened to “Blood Of The Nations” a handful of times (and that takes awhile, as the 13 tracks clock in at over 70 minutes), I’m here to say “ACCEPT your fate, metallers, the German tank is back!” You’ll have no problem understanding the fact that the boys… Wolf Hoffmann – guitar, Herman Frank – guitar (wasn’t he a Cubs manager years ago?!) and Peter Baltes – bass…really are out for blood when the opening riff of “Beat The Bastards” hits your speakers. From there on, it’s over an hour on a roller coaster of metal thrills with fat, nasty distorted Flying V chords powering the likes of “Locked and Loaded,” “Pandemic” and “Bucketful Of Hate.” Elsewhere, the band once again shows their versatility with the melody and drama of “The Abyss,” “Shades Of Death” and “Time Machine.” Tornillo does a great job of stepping behind the mike and, while he can cut a mean Udo when he wants, his tone is still different and his own, providing a bit of vintage Brian Johnson and even a hint of Dan McCafferty as well. Star of the game has to be shared between the two guitarists, however, with Hoffmann & Frank man-handling their V’s all over the record! Whether it’s locking together in a crushing rhythm or sailing off into screaming solo-fests (many songs contain multiple leads!) this is simultaneously a metal guitarist’s clinic and a work of art to hang over the mantle.

You might remember the day your child was born. You might recall your wedding day (some of us may have more than one of these on file). All the same, I think you’re going to ACCEPT this one into your permanent brain cells too! Two Very Large Erect Flying V’s

http://www.acceptworldwide.com/

Looks Good On The Side Of A Van...Sounds Good Anywhere!

2010-09-15T04:46:00.000-07:00

ASTROVAN – “You Said It Man” CD EP ’10 (Private, US) – Remember back in the ‘90’s, when “Seattle” meant more than just the name of a city in the Pacific Northwest? It meant more than the place Ichiro plays baseball or more than the town that’s home field for a bald quarterback. No, “Seattle” was virtually synonymous with the birth of an entire genre of heavy music, it’s most famous son being of course the tragic figure of Kurt Cobain. Well, I sure as hell hope none of these ASTROVAN guys follows in Mr. C’s personal footsteps but with this nifty little disc, these 5 are trying to put their place of business back on the map. “You Said It Man” is nothing complicated. It’s nothing that’s going to make you sit back, scratch your head and say to yourself, “Jeez, I wonder what it is these artists are trying to say to me here?” No, there’ll be no time for that, honcho, because you’ll be too busy just rawking your ass off to even care. See, ASTROVAN are a 5-piece that takes a generous helping of ‘70’s riff-rock, a heaping dollup of metal and then just grooves like no tomorrow. You don’t have to go any further than opener “Too Proud” to get walloped by a back-breaker of a rhythm. The clear, top-level production job brings the powerful riffing into sharp relief and atop it, Deezer’s incisive, throaty vox and the wah-wah soloing of Sam Damage ride like a biker on a Harley. The boys mix it up nicely too, with a faster neck-snapper like “Twelve Gauge Promise” easing in nicely next to the laid-back-yet-seething pulse of “Every Change.” “You Said It Man” is a slab of high-test windows-down rawk and my only wish is that it were longer than 6 songs. Still, making the listener hungry for more ain’t a bad idea and it beats the hell out of some 68 minute disc that’s bloated with filler. That’s What I’m Talking About

http://www.myspace.com/astrovanner/

30 Years On And Still As Athletic As Hell!!! RAVEN Live At Sonar!

2010-09-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

I’ll be the first to say I’m in the middle of some pretty rough times right now, especially business-wise. The ol’ economy has hit me hard. Still, with all that, I managed to make my way down to Baltimore’s Sonar the other night and catch a real unique show, coupled with grabbing some good ol’ times with friends from the past & present. Truly going to these kinda metal shows is a very special thing. It’s kinda like a misfits high school reunion! This was a particularly great evening, being that it was a co-birthday celebration between former Grinder Mag publisher Jim Powell and master graphic artist Dave Wright. Besides them I also got to chew the fat with local metal luminaries like Metal Matt (Iron Boss, Rancid Decay) and Raven drummer himself, Pentagram-man Joe Hasselvander.

I only caught a few minutes of the opening act ACID QUEEN, but they went down real nice spinning a fine web of NWOBHM covers like “Wasted” by Leppard, “Princess Of The Night” (Saxon) and others as well as a scorching guitar-solo-laden original. Up next were my new favourite band, SHOKKHER! From Washington, D.C., this 5-piece have been doing a spectacular job of hiding from me up till now…because they fucking kick ass! Fronted by a killer vocalist who could’ve been Rex Smith’s brother (wouldn’t that make him Michael Lee Smith? Well, no but…!) these guys combined massive NWOBHM riffs, Thin Lizzy-styled harmony leads and a slight overtone of glam to sweep me into instant fan-dom. Most of all, I was smitten by the lead guitar work of the young-looking axe man at stage right, who looked like he was 18 and played like Michael Schenker. His melodic soloing at the beginning of “Lady Insane” was enough to raise goosebumps. Completely taken by these dudes, I picked up their debut disc (10 songs for only $ 5!). Expect a full report soon!

It was after SHOKKHER that “Athletic Rock” came barreling full-force into the club, as Mark & John Gallagher plus Joe H took the stage and set everything into a high-energy barrage that didn’t let up for their entire set. John proved he is still as crazy as ever, mauling his 4-string while unleashing high-pitched shrieks that would make Mr. Halford take note to this very day. Joe delivered a thundering cavalcade of drum-storm pillaging that not only cemented his own legendary reputation but also did proud the legacy of “Wacko.” Last but surely not least was Mark, who’s guitar sound was nothing short of nasty as fucking hell. I mean the cat had a snarling, honking sound that recalled Akira Takasaki at Jaxx a few years ago and his playing put him at the forefront of most NWOBHM guys, right up there with Pete Haworth and the Maiden bunch. This Gallagher brother was wrenching screaming harmonic squeals out of his axe when Zakk Wylde was still a gleam in someone’s eye and he was on it this night, through classics like “Break The Chains” and “Rock Until You Drop.”

All in all, you talk about a heavy-assed and fun night from stem to stern! This was it! Best show of 2010 to this point and one hell of a high school reunion!

Let Us Not Forget...

2010-09-11T05:51:00.001-07:00

On a day like today, while we music people revel in things like the RAVEN show last night, the new IRON MAIDEN album or new guys like SHOKKHER coming out of the woodwork, it's important that we all take a step back, just for a few minutes. We will never forget what happened that day so long (and...paradoxically, so recently) on 09/11/01 and will always remember all of those who lost their lives as well as those who came forth in great numbers to help with the rescue and aftermath.... Turn the Marshalls off for a moment and let's bow our heads to remember....

This LLAMA Is Spittin' Fire

2010-09-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

DALI'S LLAMA - "Howl Do You Do?" CD '10 (Private, US) - Well, the Realm may be strugglin' to life again here and there, but in doing so it's a lean, mean killing machine. So, besides just having nicked the title of one of Judas Priest's heaviest platters, I'm going to get right to the fuggin' point here! Over recent (hell, even way before recent!) times, the stoner genre has started to fold in on itself and become not only repetitive and derivative (a nod to Rick & Roll, who loves that "derivative" word!) but also just plain shitty. One band whom you can't lay that mantle on is DALI'S LLAMA and their latest, the cleverly monikered "Howl Do You Do?" really bears that out. Simply put, this crew takes that tried-&-true overdriven and distorted stoner vibe and draped over it some super-catchy old time rock & roll melodies that really grab me by the nads. Sheezus, it's almost as if Eddie Glass & Chuck Berry sat down and compared geetar playin' all across this shiny recordable medium and I'm a happier man for it. Only one question, friends...Howl Do I Get This Outta My CD Player?

http://www.dalisllamarecords.com/

JEFF ADAMS - FACE DANCER's Lead Guitarist Speaks In An Exclusive 2010 Interview!

2010-09-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

Getting into bands like Sabbath, Zeppelin, Grand Funk…that was a big part of my introduction to great music back in the day. First, it was going to the record store, buying albums by them, taking chances on lesser-knowns (who would become Gods to me) like Budgie, Cactus, etc. and going to big live shows at places like The Cap Center and Civic Center. A real turning point, however, was finding a local band that kicked ass right in my “back yard” and getting to see them a couple times a month, in the intimate setting of a club like Essex, Md’s Sea Gull Inn. The band in question was FACE DANCER. Between seeing them a million nights at the Sea Gull and then worshipping every second of their debut platter “This World,” I was a true fan, smitten with the works of this kick ass hard rock band. They constantly amazed me, at first with their ability to cover some of the best stuff of the day (The Who, Zeppelin, Jeff Beck, etc.) to their originals which ranged from pounding heavy rock to Beatle-esque melodies. Standing out above it all for a guy like me was the blazing lead guitar work of one Jeff Adams, the first local player who’s work I really studied and a player who stands among the best of the big shots. Not long ago, and after way too many years of not having done so, I tracked Jeff down and we rolled back the years to bring those great old days back to life. Here’s how it went, as Jeff Adams tells the story of his time in the area’s best hard rock band and how things have developed for him in recent years. (Jeff Adams photo - Teri Murphy)

Ray - One thing I’ve always found that’s a good place to start is the
beginning. Jeff, how early on in your life did you get involved in music?
Do you come from a musical family? What got you into playing guitar?

Jeff - WOW! NOW WE'RE GOIN BACK A WAYS! DID I TELL MY AGE?? WHEN I WAS 11, A BUDDY AND I ON OUR BIKES PULLED UP OUTSIDE OF A REC-CENTER DANCE ONE SATURDAY NIGHT. AS WE WATCHED THROUGH A WINDOW, I WAS INSTANTLY MESMERIZED BY THE BAND AND THE LIVE MUSIC THING. HOWEVER I ZEROED IN ON THE DRUMS. SO I WENT ON A MISSION TO BE A DRUMMER AND STUCK WITH IT INTO MY TEENS. AT AGE 15/16 MY DAD BOUGHT A NEW GUITAR(FOR HIMSELF) AND CLEVERLY HANDED ME HIS OLD ONE, ASKING IF I WANTED TO HANG IT ON THE WALL OR SOMETHING. I SAID SURE. WITHIN A WEEK I HAD FIGURED OUT ALL THE BASIC CHORDS, AS WELL AS 5 PATERNS(COVERING THE OCTAVE)OF BASIC SCALES IN 3 DIFFERENT MODES!
WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS I HAD SOLD MY DRUMS REPLACING THEM WITH GUITARS AND AMPS!

Ray - Who were your early influences as a guitar player? How has that
evolved any? What, if any, current players do you like?

Jeff - AS A YOUNG GUITAR ENTHUSIAST(SAY AROUND 1970), I IMMEDIATELY LATCHED ON TO BECK, PAGE, AND CLAPTON. I SPENT YEARS LEARNING EVERY LICK THEY WERE RECORDING, AND OF COURSE THEN STARTED LISTENING TO ALL THE GREAT PLAYERS OF THE TIME. FROM THE BEGINNING I WAS VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN WRITING MY OWN MUSIC, AND PLAYING MY OWN STYLE OF LEAD GUITAR. FOR EVERY HOUR(OR 5) I WOULD PUT IN COPYING OTHERS, I WOULD PUT IN AN HOUR(OR 5) OF AD-LIBBING TO RHYTHYM TRACKS. THE LATTER QUICKLY BECAME MY FAVORITE THING IN LIFE!

Ray - What were the beginnings of the FACE DANCER story? How did you get
involved, how far along the line was that in the history of the band?

Jeff - FACEDANCER HAD BEEN AROUND FOR A FEW YEARS WITH VARIOUS LINE-UPS BEFORE I MET THEM IN NOVEMBER OF 76. I WAS BUYING A PAIR OF JEANS IN THE WHEATON SHOPPING PLAZA(WHEATON, MD)WHEN THE GIRL AT THE REGISTER WHO I DIDN'T KNOW ASKED ME IF I WAS A GUITAR PLAYER!? SHE SAID HER BOYFRIEND'S BAND WAS LOOKING FOR A LEAD GUITARIST. ANYWAY I SAID YES, GAVE HER MY NUMBER, AND GOT A CALL FROM SCOTT MCGINN THAT AFTERNOON. I WENT OVER TO THE FD BAND HOUSE(RIGHT IN WHEATON)THE NEXT DAY, ACCEPTED THEIR INVITATION TO JOIN, AND DID MY FIRST SHOW WITH THE BAND THE NEXT NIGHT! WOW, WHAT A TRIP THAT WAS FOR ME, I WAS PLAYING IN FRONT OF A SEA OF PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME! I WAS PETRIFIED! I THINK IT TOOK ABOUT 2 MONTHS WITH THE BAND FOR ME TO EVEN LIFT MY HEAD AND LOOK OUT AT THE AUDIENCE!

Ray - What was the line-up of the band when you joined?

Jeff - WHEN I JOINED FACEDANCER IT WAS CAREY KRESS AS LEAD VOCAL FRONTING THE BAND, SCOTT MCGINN ON RYTHYM GUITAR, DJ LONG ON KEYS, BILLY TRAINER ON DRUMS, AND DALE MARKS ON BASS. SHORTLY AFTER, DJ HAD TO LEAVE THE BAND FOR AN OPERATION, AND DALE WAS MOVED OUT TO MAKE ROOM FOR DAVE UTTER(LAZY DAVE, MY BUDDY!). AT THIS POINT SCOTT PLAYED BASS AS WELL AS SOME KEYBOARDS.

Ray - When I first started to go see FACE DANCER, it was at the Sea Gull Inn
in Essex, Md., I’m thinking it was around ’76 or so, but age may have
dimmed my memory (lol). You guys played there a lot right, what was it
maybe every month or every other month? What other places were you
playing then? How many gigs a month were you doing at that point?

Jeff - WELL THAT WAS WHEN I WAS NEW WITH THE BAND, WE PLAYED JR'S INN, THE SEAGULL, THE ACT FOUR, THE BAYOU(IN DC), THE HOLLYWOOD PALACE, I'M SURE I'M FORGETTING A FEW, BUT IT WAS FULL TIME RIGHT FROM THE WEEK I JOINED THE BAND. LIKE MAYBE 3 TO 5 NIGHTS A WEEK.

Ray - What did you think of the Sea Gull, as far as clubs and crowds go? As
I recall (and, my memory may be better on this!), there were a lot of
really good looking women at those shows back then. That had to be pretty
cool, they tended to like lead guitarists, didn’t they, the guitar being a
phallic symbol & all that? (lol)

Jeff - THE SEAGULL INN WAS BY FAR MY FAVORITE! IT HAD A NICE SIZE STAGE(NOT TOO SMALL NOT TOO BIG) WHERE WE COULD LET OUT OUR SOUND AND LIGHTS, THE CROWD WAS NUTS, AND YES, THERE WERE A FEW YOUNG LADIES THAT WOULD COME AROUND ONCE IN A WHILE!(HAHA)

Ray - Those were some of the best nights I had, as a music fan, down there,
especially in the summer, going down there on a hot night, drinking some
beers and watching you guys. I still remember that one night we were
waiting to get in and you came walking up, noticed my homemade FD t-shirt
and were like, “Cool, man.” I went home & played guitar even more after
that. It was great, as a young guy into playing myself, to have a
semi-local guy who I could watch up close. I was into people like Leslie
West, Iommi, Duane Allman, etc. but you were right up there with ‘em in my
opinion and were not just some disembodied rock star a million miles away.
Did you realize you were influencing other guys like me who came &
watched you play?

Jeff - I ALWAYS APPRECIATED SEEING HOMEMADE FD GEAR, IT MEAN'T TO ME THAT MAYBE WE WERE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT! FROM TIME TO TIME I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT MY PLAYING HAD AN INFLUENCE, AND LET ME SAY THERE'S NOTHING IN WORLD MORE REWARDING!! I NEVER CONSIDERED MYSELF A GREAT PLAYER, JUST A GUY DOING WHAT HE LOVES TO DO.

Ray - You used to do a cover of the Stevie Wonder song (which had been
redone by Jeff Beck) called “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers.” That has a
tremendously emotional melody, which then both you and Beck extrapolated
on so well in your versions. This is the kind of thing I loved so much
about guitar players from the ‘70’s. There seemed to be so much more of a
lyrical, conversational sort of playing ability among you guys compared to
a lot of the note-per-second shred-type stuff nowadays. Any commentary
from Mr. Adams on this?

Jeff - YES! GREAT POINT! NOTES-PER-SECOND AND COMPETITION BETWEEN GUITAR PLAYERS NEVER MADE SENSE TO ME. FIRST OF ALL, PLAYING A GUITAR SOLO IS LIKE PAINTING A MASTERPIECE. IT'S A PERSONAL THING. IT CAN'T BE COMPARED TO THAT OF ANOTHER ARTIST(UNLESS SOMEONE IS COPYING), IT'S A CREATION THAT SHOULD COME FROM THE HEART AND SOUL. AND WHEN IT DOES, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT. 'CAUSE WE'VE ENDED AS LOVERS' IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. TOO MANY NOTES TOO FAST USUALLY JUST TAKES AWAY FROM THE FLAVOR.

Ray - I remember you guys during that period doing originals like “Cry Baby”
and “Change” as well as covers like “Dancing Days” & “Won’t Get Fooled
Again.” Again, not trying to rely on my faulty memory (except for the hot
women quotient!), what percentage originals & covers were you playing
then?

Jeff - WHEN I JOINED FD WE WERE DOING ROUGHLY 50/50 COVERS TO ORIGINALS. OVER MAYBE 6OR 8 MONTHS THE ORIGINALS GRADUALLY REACHED 80%(OR MORE) OF THE SHOW.

Ray - You guys used to set off a big flash pot right at the “scream” part
in “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” I used to make sure I was up at the front
for that and it would feel like I was going to get my fucking face blown
off for a second! Ah, the joys of youth! Great theatrical moment, how
come bands don’t do stuff like that anymore? Maybe afraid they’ll kill
somebody? Ever get hurt onstage? Stories, please!

Jeff - WOW! FLASH POTS! OUCH! I KNOW THEY LOOKED GOOD AND THE AUDIENCES LOVED THEM, BUT I HATED THEM, I COULDN'T BREATH AFTER THEY WENT OFF! AT THAT TIME THEY DIDN'T MAKE 'SAFE TO BREATH' FLASH POWDER, IT SUCKED! AS FAR AS INJURY, I NEVER GOT CAUGHT BY ONE, BUT CAREY KRESS DID! HE RAN TO THE WRONG SPOT ON STAGE AT THE WRONG TIME ONE NIGHT AND TOOK A DIRECT HIT! HE WASEN'T SERIOUSLY HURT, BUT BADLY SHAKEN UP!

Ray - In a related thought, Carey really had a theatrical way about
himself as a front man. Even on a relatively small stage like at The Sea
Gull, he had a way of making the whole thing feel like it was a much
bigger production. He’d come on and instantly have the crowd in the palm
of his hand. What was it like, working with that kind of singer?

Jeff - YES! CAREY HAD AN AMAZING PRESENCE! HAVING SUCH A GREAT TALENT
FRONTING THE BAND CERTAINLY MADE IT EASIER FOR THE REST OF US! I ALWAYS DESCRIBED THE MAGIC THAT WAS FACEDANCER AS FIVE MEDIOCRE SINGERS AND PLAYERS WITH AN INCREDIBLE ELECTRICITY THING THAT YOU JUST COULDN'T DEFINE.

Ray - When did you guys get the deal with Capitol Records. I know that “This
World” came out in 1979, but when did the process start with them. Tell
me about that, from when you signed up through the recording of the album
and it’s release. Be as wordy and long-winded as you’d like, you’ve got
my rapt attention.

Jeff - AT THE TIME I JOINED FD IN LATE 76, WE ALL SAT DOWN AND CLEARLY OUTLINED THE BAND'S GOALS. WE WOULD EITHER LAND A MAJOR RECORD DEAL WITHIN A YEAR AND A HALF, OR DISBAND. WE PRETTY MUCH MET THAT TIME LINE GOAL WITH THE CAPITOL DEAL. I BELIEVE IT WAS EARLY 78 WHEN WE ACCEPTED CAPITOL'S OFFER, AND BEGAN THE SEARCH FOR THE RIGHT PRODUCER. AFTER DECIDING ON RICHIE WISE, WE WENT INTO PRE-PRODUCTION THAT SUMMER. THE LOGISTICS WERE WORKED OUT FOR RECORDING TO BEGIN IN DECEMBER IN LOS ANGELES.

Ray - How much were you all involved with the production, mixing, etc. of
“This World?”

Jeff - ACTUALLY VERY LITTLE. WE PRETTY MUCH ALLOWED THOSE INVOLVED SUCH AS OUR PRODUCER, THE PROJECT MANAGER FROM CAPITOL, AND OUR MANAGEMENT, TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF US THE NAIVE YOUNG MUSICIANS. RICHIE WISE MIXED THE ALBUM ON HIS OWN, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE BUDGET DIDN'T ALLOW FOR THE BAND TO BE THERE. WE HAD TO LEAVE L.A. AND GET BACK TO WORK!

Ray - Don’t get me wrong, “This World” is one of my favorite hard rock
albums of all time. All the same, though, after having seen you guys live
so many times, the recording quality was kinda thin. Did you think it
gave a real indication of what your live show was like?

Jeff - YOU GOT IT RIGHT THERE, THE ALBUM SOUNDED TERRIBLE IN MY OPINION. WAY TOO THIN. I SURE DO LIKE THE ROCK CANDY RE-RELEASE(2008), THEY RE-MASTERED THE ALBUM GIVING IT THE BALLS IT WAS LACKING, WHICH IS CERTAINLY MORE LIKE THE WAY THE BAND SOUNDED LIVE.

Ray - One of my favorite things about “This World,” and FACE DANCER’s
original music in general is the diversity of the material. On one hand,
you’ve got something with a real catchy, poppy vibe like “Can’t Stand
Still” and then things much heavier like “The Sphinx” and “Cry Baby.”
Seems like bands back in that decade were more likely to be able to flow
between different styles and make it work, more so than now. Any
comments?

Jeff - RIGHT AGAIN, RAY! IN MY VIEW THAT WAS A KEY ELEMENT TO THE GREATNESS OF FD LIVE AND ON RECORD. GOTTA HAND IT TO SCOTT, HIS WRITING WAS VERY DYNAMIC. WE WOULD TAKE THE AUDIENCE ALL OVER THE PLACE WHICH LAYED THE GROUND WORK FOR A VERY ENTERTAINING VISUAL SHOW.

Ray - “Change” is an interesting song. It starts out with a section that’s
almost like a Beatles thing from “Sgt. Pepper’s…” or the white album and
then erupts into this runaway train metal kinda ending. Has to be fun
playing stuff like that, eh?

Jeff - AN ABSOLUTE BLAST! 'CHANGE' WAS ALLWAYS A FAVE OF MINE TO PERFORM! ANYTIME YOU CAN JOLT PEOPLE LIKE THAT, IT'S A LOT OF FUN. NOT JUST MUSICALLY BUT WE LAID IT ON THICK VISUALLY AS WELL.

Ray - “Cry Baby” was your sort of traditional closer, it just seemed like it
went on, just escalating and escalating, with this huge lead guitar
climax. That’s gotta be a blast to play, right, knowing you’re going to
get to go off like that at the end, I would think?

Jeff - 'GO OFF'? HAHA, YEA, THATS A GOOD WAY TO PUT IT! A BUNCH OF OUR MATERIAL GAVE ME THE PLATFORM TO 'GO OFF', BUT CRY BABY WAS ALWAYS A HIGHLIGHT. SOME HOW OVER TIME WE WORKED OUT THAT LENGTHY BUILDING THING THAT CERTAINLY DID WORK WELL LIVE!

Ray - Following “This World,” did Capitol set you up with any kind of
touring, supporting a bigger act, etc. to promote the album?

Jeff - NO, THEY OFFERED NO TOUR SUPPORT OR PROMOTIONAL BUDGET. AT THAT TIME CAPITOL WAS POURING ALL OF IT'S RECOURSES INTO THE KNACK. REMEMBER 'MY SHARONA'? THAT PIECE OF GARBAGE (IN MY OPINION) WAS THE DOWNFALL OF FACEDANCER AND OTHERS ON THE LABEL. THERE WAS LITTLE DOUBT THAT FD'S SUCCESS IN THE MARYLAND, DC AREA COULD HAVE BEEN DUPLICATED AROUND THE COUNTRY, LET'S JUST SAY IT WAS BAD TIMING FOR FD ON CAPITOL RECORDS. EVEN MCCARTNEY WAS AFFECTED BY THE KNACK PROJECT AND LEFT THE LABEL AT THAT TIME. FINALLY EMI, CAPITOL'S PARENT COMPANY, CAME IN AND CLEANED HOUSE AS THE KNACK PROJECT HAD PROVED TO BE A HUGE BLUNDER FOR THE LABEL. WE DID HOWEVER MANAGE TO HOLD ON TO OUR 2ND ALBUM DEAL, SO WE FELT WE STILL HAD A SHOT.

Ray - The next recorded work was “About Face.” What can you tell me about
the thoughts behind the writing and the making of that album. It was a
drastic change, a lot more keyboards and a lot more radio-accessible type
stuff. To be honest, as a fan, I didn’t like it nearly as much as it’s
predecessor. What are your thoughts on it now?

Jeff - YOU'RE RIGHT THAT WE WENT INTO A LIGHTER VEIN WITH MORE KEYBOARDS, BUT THAT ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE PERSONNEL CHANGE WE WENT THROUGH. AFTER 'THIS WORLD' CAME OUT, WE WERE, OF COURSE, WORKING TOWARDS THE NEXT ALBUM, AND STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH CAREY'S VOCALS ON NEW SONG DEMOS. I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS JUST PARTYING A BIT TOO MUCH OR WHAT, BUT HE WASN'T
SOUNDING GREAT, AND OUR PROJECT MANAGER FROM CAPITOL (MITCHELL SCHOENBOUM) WAS FREAKING OUT. WE WERE ALL CONCERNED. OUR SECOND ALBUM DEAL WAS AN OPTION FOR CAPITOL THAT WAS BEGINNING TO APPEAR FRAGILE AT BEST. ANYWAY, WITH TOTALLY DIFFERENT ISSUES GOING ON CONCERNING DAVE UTTER, WE MADE THE PAINFUL DECISION TO LET BOTH OF THEM GO! IT REALLY SUCKED! CAREY WAS SUCH A GREAT GUY AND GOOD FRIEND, AND THE SAME GOES FOR DAVE, MAN IT JUST SUCKED! AT THIS POINT WE STARTED THINKING ABOUT A MORE CONTEMPORARY EDGE TO OUR SOUND, MAYBE SOMETHING MORE ACCESSIBLE, AND DECIDED TO BRING IN ONLY ONE NEW MEMBER, A KEYBOARD PLAYER WITH STRONG VOCALS. ENTER MICHAEL
MILSAP.

Ray - What can you tell me about the time period following the release of
“About Face” and your eventual decision to leave the band. What
transpired with all that?

Jeff - AT THE TIME WE STARTED DIVING INTO 'ABOUT FACE', I WAS LOSING MORE AND MORE INTEREST IN THE BAND ALL THE TIME. THE BAND'S MANAGEMENT, BOB AISS, WAS,,,,, LET'S JUST SAY HE WAS DISTRACTED WITH HIS PERSONAL AGENDAS TO THE POINT WHERE I JUST COULDN'T STAND IT. I WAS A YOUNG GUY, NOT WELL EQUIPPED TO HANDLE STRESS, AND I WAS NOT HANDLING IT. IN FACT IT GOT SO BAD FOR ME THAT I BROKE OUT IN HIVES(CAUSED BY STRESS) WHILE IN LONDON RECORDING THE ALBUM. MAN I WAS MISERABLE! AT THE SAME TIME I WAS NOT GOING TO DEPRIVE MYSELF OF WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AT LEAST A CHANCE TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL ALBUM UNDER MY BELT TO MOVE ON WITH, SO I HUNG IN THERE UNTIL IT WAS CLEAR THAT CAPITOL WAS NOT GOING TO PROMOTE THE ALBUM, AND THE ALBUM WAS GOING NOWHERE. AT THAT POINT I SAID THANKS, IT'S BEEN ONE HELL OF A RIDE, BUT I'M OUT.

Ray - I know that you moved to Florida at some point and I believe, got
involved in working with real estate. How has that worked out for you,
pretty well? I guess the economy has played havoc with that of recent
years, like most things, eh?

Jeff - NEVER DABBLED IN REAL ESTATE(WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THAT?), BUT IN '97 I DID FIND MYSELF DOING THE SINGLE PARENT THING WITH TWO OF MY DAUGHTERS. TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP THE ROOF OVERHEAD, I GOT INTO INSURANCE SUBROGATION(DON'T ASK WHAT THAT IS, IT WOULD TAKE AN HOUR TO TELL YOU!). I BECAME QUITE GOOD AT IT($$$), AND STUCK WITH IT THROUGH '05. JEFF IN THE FULL TIME CORPORATE WORLD WAS DEFINITELY THE OLD SQUARE PEG IN THE ROUND HOLE, I'VE BEEN SELF EMPLOYED EVER SINCE(YES, I'M STILL A POOL PLAYER)!

Ray - During the time since you’ve been in Florida, I understand that you’ve
released several solo CD’s. How many have there been, what styles have
they involved and are there any copies available? (I really need to hear
this stuff!!!)

Jeff - ACTUALLY I'VE ONLY DONE TWO STUDIO ALBUMS SINCE FD, THE JEFF ADAMS BAND(1998) AND STARKEY DRIVE(2006). THE OTHER 3 OR 4 ALBUMS ARE REALLY JUST COLLECTIONS OF JEFF 'SONG DEMOS' RECORDED ON HOME STUDIO GEAR OVER SEVERAL YEARS, PLAYING ALL THE PARTS MYSELF. I SAY 'SONG DEMOS' BECAUSE THE PRODUCTIONS ARE DEFINITELY NOT WORTHY OF REPLICATION. ALTHOUGH I HAVE PACKAGED A FEW MYSELF AND SOLD THEM AT GIGS FROM TIME TO TIME, AND IF YOU TWIST MY ARM HARD ENOUGH I MIGHT SEND YOU SOMETHING. THE JEFF ADAMS BAND CD IS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH ME, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN IT OR THE STARKEY DRIVE ALBUM JUST FIRE AN E-MAIL AT ME> jeffsongs@tbi.net.

Ray – I’d read about the STARKEY DRIVE disc on the internet. I’ve since
obtained the disc thru CD Baby and really dug the melodic, Americana-type
style. What led you in this direction? What’s the status of that band?
Is it still going on? I think you played with that band at Ram’s Head
Tavern in Annapolis a few years ago. Any plans on a return there of any
kind?

Jeff - IT'S HARD TO SAY WHAT LED ME IN THIS DIRECTION, EXCEPT TO SAY I WAS NEVER REALLY A HEAVY ROCK GUY AT HEART. I'VE ALWAYS HAD A WIDE RANGE OF MUSICAL INTEREST, THE STARKEY DRIVE ALBUM IS MORE LIKE THE REAL JEFF, WHERE WITH FACEDANCER IT WAS JEFF PLAYING LEAD GUITAR TO SOMEONE ELSE'S MUSIC. STARKEY DRIVE WAS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME. SOMEHOW I HAD MANAGED TO GET TOGETHER 4 OF THE BEST MUSICIANS I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH, AND THEY WANTED TO PLAY MY STUFF! WOW, WHAT A DEAL! CONCEIVED IN '04, MY LONG TIME BUDDY STEVE BEHRENDT(DRUMS) AND I PUT THE ALBUM TOGETHER BEFORE WE EVEN HAD THE BAND'S LINE UP COMPLETE. WE ENDED UP WITH MAURICE BRULE'ON KEYS, JERRY MARTINEZ DOING LEAD VOCALS AND GUITAR, AND LOREN KRAFT ON BASS. WITH JERRY AND MAURICE COMMUTING IN TO MARYLAND FROM BOSTON, AND ME FROM FLORIDA, IT EVENTUALLY PROVED TO BE MORE THAN WE COULD HANDLE. WE RECORDED DRUMS, SOME OVERDUBS, AND MIXED THE ALBUM IN OUR PRODUCER'S(RUDY GUESS) STUDIO IN L.A., BUT DID MOST OF THE OVERDUBS IN STEVE'S HOME STUDIO IN MARYLAND. DURING THE 3 YEAR LIFE SPAN OF THE BAND WE ONLY DID 3 SHOWS. YES, THE RAMSHEAD TAVERN ANNAPOLIS, AND TWICE AT JAMMIN JAVA IN N.VIRGINIA. ANYWAY, WE HAD A
TOTAL BLAST, AND I WOULDN'T TRADE A MINUTE OF IT!

Ray - You became involved at a point with doing FACE DANCER reunion shows,
the latest of which I witnessed at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore (which was
smokin’, by the way!). How does it feel to get up there now and unleash
the old beasts? Brings back a lot of memories, I guess. I know it must
have been a very difficult thing for you guys with Carey’s passing, but
I’m sure he’d have been smiling from somewhere seeing what I did at Ram’s
Head several weeks ago!

Jeff - IT FEELS GREAT! YES, IT BRINGS BACK MEMORIES FROM A BIG PART OF MY LIFE. FOR ME IT'S NOT JUST THE REUNION OF FD BAND MATES, BUT THE REUNION OF FD FANS WHO ARE STILL MOTIVATED TO COME SEE US. IT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE DEAL TO REUNITE WITH FACES FROM THE FD HAY DAY. AND YES, IT IS A TON OF FUN TO CRANK THE MARSHALL AND BEND SOME STRINGS! I DON'T GET THE CHANCE TO DO THAT VERY OFTEN THESE DAYS. LOSING CAREY WAS A TERRIBLE BLOW TO ALL OF US, AND YOU BET HE IS BEING HONORED EVERY TIME FD GETS TOGETHER!

Ray - What’s in store for Jeff Adams in the future? What musical cards do
you have up your sleeve that fans of your guitar playing can look forward
to?

Jeff - THE COOL THING ABOUT MUSICAL CARDS UP THE SLEEVE IS THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE, INCLUDING ME. ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT CURRENTLY I'M PLAYING ACOUSTIC GUITAR MOST ALL THE TIME. IN FACT, MY WONDERFULLY TALENTED WIFE, KERRY AND I ARE WORKING ON AN ALBUM RIGHT NOW. WE'RE THINKING OF CALLING IT "NO BASS, NO DRUMS, NO WORRIES". IT'S A FUN COLLECTION OF CUTE STUFF, SOME SILLY STUFF, AND MAYBE A COUPLE OF LOVE SONGS. FD FANS THAT MIGHT HEAR THIS WILL DEFINITELY BE SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS SAYING "THIS IS THE JEFF ADAMS THAT I KNOW??" HAHA! AND WHO KNOWS MAYBE NEXT YEAR I'LL BE RECORDING WITH A ROCK BAND, WE'LL SEE!!

Ray - What do you think of the Guitar Hero video games? Do you have a
differing opinion on these from the standpoint of a guitarist or "layman"
or am I completely delusional about anyone even having an opinion on this? lol

Jeff - WELL YES, YOU ARE COMPLETELY DELUSIONAL, BUT THATS BESIDE THE POINT. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THESE GAMES, HOWEVER MY GUESS IS THEY ARE IN NO WAY 'MUSICAL'. I WOULD THOUGH RECOMMEND THEM OVER SOAP OPERAS!

Jeff - In the old Sea Gull days I remember you using a Les Paul almost exclusively. From what I saw at Ram's Head and in pictures from recent years, you seem to favor a STRAT now. What made you go this route?

Jeff - I GREW UP PLAYING GIBSONS AND ALLWAYS LOVED THE LES PAUL'S TONE THE BEST, BUT IN RECENT YEARS I'VE LEARNED TO LOVE THE LIGHT WEIGHT, EASY BALANCE, AND POSITION OF THE KNOBS ON THE STRAT. IT ALSO HAS A SMOOTHER CLEAN SOUND WHICH I SEEM TO USE MORE AND MORE THESE DAYS(HAHA). I DO USE HUMBUCKING PIC-UPS THAT DO SLIGHTLY SIMULATE THE LES PAUL SOUND.

Ray - In relation to the previous question, I found that (at the Ram's Head
show), regardless of what, you sound like Jeff Adams, which translates to
killer in my opinion. Even though it's 2010 you still somehow channel that
mid-late '70's hard rock guitar sound that's so lacking these days. With
that in mind, do you think your sound is something that comes more from
equipment or from your hands. Reason I say this is that I remember
hanging out years ago with this huge dude who (maybe not so coincidentally, considering
his size!) played with a sound very much like Leslie West, and he typically
used a Les Paul Jr. thru Marshalls. I don't have to tell you, he was a
lot better than me, but we were jamming one time and he picked up my Fender
Tele that I was playing thru a completely shitty Sears amp. Instantly, the
whole thing sounded like him again, complete LW tone and everything. I
mean, it wasn't exact, but it was close enough. Does that back up the
"player's hands" mean more theory? Comments?

Jeff - WELL THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS! I DON'T KNOW ABOUT OTHER PLAYERS, BUT I'M A 'WING IT' TYPE OF PLAYER. IF THAT FAT SUSTAINING SOUND ISN'T THERE, THEN I KINDA SHIFT INTO ANOTHER STYLE. IN FACT, I LOVE AND PLAY LOTS OF DIFFERENT STYLES, ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT RAP AND HEAVY METAL. AS FAR AS THE PLAYERS HANDS, YES, I BELIEVE THE INDIVIDUAL STYLE WILL ALLWAYS CARRY THROUGH.

Ray - Here’s one that’s always fun… In the time that you were in FACE
DANCER, those glory years back in the ‘70’s…regale us with a story of the
weirdest, craziest, most unusual or just plain dumb thing that happened in
the daily life of the band…could be in the studio, onstage, on the road,
etc. Use your imagination and be comfortable with the fact that very
little can offend, repulse or otherwise miff any of it’s readers!

Jeff - WELL, THERE WAS THIS GIRL THAT WOULD COME AROUND THAT THE ROAD CREW HAD NICK-NAMED "BOTTLE ROCKETS",,,, NEVER MIND, WE'LL FORGET THAT ONE..... HERE'S ONE I LIKE(I'M GOING TO KEEP THIS LIGHT!),, WE FLY OVER TO LONDON TO RECORD THE 2ND ALBUM, WHEN WE ENTER CUSTOMS AT HEATHROW AIRPORT, THE CUSTOMS GUY SINGLES ME OUT FOR A FULL STRIP SEARCH. MICHAEL MILSAP LAUGHS AT ME, THE CUSTOMS GUY THEN PASSES ME RIGHT THROUGH AND TAKES MICHAEL FOR THE STRIP SEARCH! HAHA! NOW ON THE WAY BACK WE FLY INTO DULLES. THE BAND IS GIGGLING AND MAKING FUN ONCE AGAIN ABOUT THE HEATHROW SEARCH EPISODE, THE CUSTOMS GUY ORDERS EVERYONE BUT ME IN FOR A STRIP SEARCH! MAN I LAUGHED MY ASS OFF AFTER THAT ONE!

Ray - Any final comments?

Jeff - YES! FACEDANCER MIGHT DO A GIZILLION MORE REUNIONS, OR IT MAY NEVER DO ANOTHER. IN ANY EVENT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO ANY OF YOU FD FANS WHO MIGHT BE READING THIS, THANKS! THANKS FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! THE 5 YEARS I SPENT WITH FACEDANCER WERE 5 OF THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE, AND YOU GUYS MADE IT ALL COME TOGETHER!

Wow, what a great time I had getting in touch with Jeff and going over all the old FACE DANCER days as well as seeing what this killer guitarist has been up to since then. If you’ve never heard FD’s “This World,” then the only thing I can tell you is that, as a fan of hard rock, your collection is woefully incomplete. Order it now from
http://www.rockcandyrecords.co.uk/Also, anyone into absolutely stellar Amerciana-type rock needs to go to Jeff directly and get the STARKEY DRIVE CD. It is great!!! jeffsongs@tbi.net

The Skykrakken Ascends...CORSAIR interview!!!

2010-05-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

Nobody likes anything more than a great surprise, right? Well, one of the biggest surprises of 2010 so far for this writer was the arrival of the “Alpha Centauri” CD EP from Virginia’s CORSAIR. Besides being packaged in one of the most killer DIY sleeves I’ve seen in a month of Sundays, this short-but-lethal slab of plastic kills! We’re talking references like Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Bowie & Valkyrie, so you know you need to read on to find out what makes this high-powered offense tick. Find out the skinny from Paul Sebring (guitar, vocals), Marie Landragin (guitar, vocals) and Jordan Brunk (bass, vocals). CORSAIR is completed by Aaron Lipscombe (drums). Leigh Ann Leary played drums on the EP.

Ray - My father was (and still is, at 83) a wise man, which is probably why a dope-ass like me has argued with him all the time. One thing this gnarled old dude has always told me is to start at the beginning. So, let’s do that. How did you get into music to begin with, who were your influences and how, in the great scheme of the cosmos did all this eventuate into the birth of the sonic beast we now know as CORSAIR?

Paul - I saw Mass Sabbath a year before I joined and there was this totally cool chick playing awesome solo's and she had a huge scary black mask with light up eyes (obviously homemade) and I turned to my girlfriend and said "Who's that?!?" and she said " That’s Marie Landragin the coolest girl in C-ville" and I said "Damn". Then a year later I got to be in Mass Sabbath and afterwards Marie asked in her hilariously cool Aussie accent " Hey pool ye wanna gitup an play gitaah someday?" and that was the day Corsair was born. After a few weeks Marie said she knew a girl who played drums, a shy girl named Leigh Ann Leary (the drummer on the record) whom Marie had known for years. She came by and we started playing some AC/DC jammers. Then a few weeks later we met a tall drink o’ water, with a smile big as the day is long, named Jordan Brunk who practiced with The Nice Jenkins in the house beside Marie's. He came over just to jam and he’s been with us ever since. Our first song was called "Electric Giant" which was played out only once before being scrapped. Though my voice is the only one on the record (except the chorus of “Black Ships”) we all sing in live situations and there are now several new songs where the main vocal is either Marie's or Jordan's. In the beginning I started singing simply because we didn’t have a vocalist (though there was talk of having a singer for a while as it felt like I was only singing to fill a space) but after a while I began to enjoy it and having Marie and Jordan sing as well has given it a much fuller sound, I believe.

Marie - Paul pretty much nailed it. I had played in different bands over the years but I wanted to do something more technical, more challenging, something more guitar driven involving imagery of the cosmic sort. When I met Paul though Mass Sabbath everything clicked between him and I musically, and from there the band sort of happened effortlessly. I was exposed to a lot of classical music (Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Mendlesohn) in my childhood and later, as a teenager, I connected with the hard rock greats (Black Sabbath, King Crimson, Yes, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Metallica). Thanks to my parents I was given a classical guitar, which spurned my desire to learn every sweet guitar riff I had heard!

Jordan - I studied music at UVA and had learned to play bass within my last year of college. I met some folks at school and started a band, The Nice Jenkins, in Charlottesville. One day I was unloading my equipment after playing a gig with my band and I overheard what sounded like two folks playing guitar hero and was drawn to their virtuosity. One afternoon, from across the fence Marie asked if I wanted to play bass with her and Paul. I couldn’t say no and found myself deep in the world of prog rock before I knew it. My musical influences stem from jazz fusion and 70’s funk but then Corsair led me to Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath giving a harder edge to my style. My schooling was put to the test when I was invited to join Mass Sabbath in 2008.

Ray - I can tell from some of the things on your Facebook that you’re into cars. I also believe that CORSAIR is some kind of car, isn’t it. Tie all this shit together for us, if you don’t mind and set our minds at ease as to how this band became known as CORSAIR.

Paul - Corsair is several things; a WW2 fighter gull wing airplane or 17th century French barbary pirate or an air filter company perhaps? We became so-called because of the first two. We felt it conveyed a sort of swagger and trick, as in the way we like to write in our music. Even just the taste of the word itself: a hard C, a soft O, tricky R into a slick S, the skyborne and dignified AIR bringing the word to gentle close, that’s why I guess.

Marie - I think there was a Corsair sedan made by Ford in England in the early 60’s and in Australia in the early 90’s. I was born and raised in Australia so anything Australian is a “go” especially the delicious breakfast spread, Vegemite. I also have a ’57 Ford, so any connection to automobile history is pertinent to me. In addition, the name seemed to fit well in our minds for several reasons; the freedom of flight and power in the sky, the French buccaneer (my dad is French), pirates are daring and bold and the name always stumps people when I say it… I think it is the fading accent.

Ray - I was given pause when I received your package in the mail. That is not to say that I suddenly had hands like as dog, as I said pause, not paws. In any event, it was an eye-catching packet to begin with and the contents, besides handing down an aural ass-whooping also were a nice little piece of eye-candy. In other words, looks great! Who came up with the concept, what were the thoughts behind it?

Marie - Firstly, we are artists, secondly we were on a non-existent budget and thirdly, we are friends of the environment. I sought out a manufacturer of CD cases that we could feel good about in terms of our consuming footprint. We went with Stumptown Printers out west who make 100% recycled CD packaging. I dabble a bit in multi media so I immediately thought we could silk screen each CD pack individually which would give us the freedom to experiment with different colours and textures. This angle has given our EP presentation a D.I.Y. look but I think it also shows that we care as much about the whole package as we do the music inside! In the spirit of recycling, the EP was wrapped up in paper that I have been hording for years with hopes in using on some art project or another. In the end, I managed to get out some creativity, reduce some of my mountains of art materials and garner some attention. I also really enjoy hand writing out addresses and sticking stamps on mail. We don’t do that much anymore.

Ray - When you write a song in CORSAIR, how does that process work? Does somebody bring in a riff and everybody else adds stuff? Who writes the lyrics, etc. Give us some insight into how this riff-monster from Virginia ticks!

Paul - Exactly how you said it; mostly a structure is brought in and we all add to it. Sometimes they are born out of jamming. In the beginning I used to write most of the lyrics however in the past two years it has been more of a collaborative effort. I actually wrote "Last Night on Earth" as a joke because Marie made a comment whilst holding her hand in the air one night by the full moon and singing a falsetto like Dio "We should write a song called LAST NIGHT ON UUUUUUUURRRRRRTTTTHHH!!!!!” So I went home and wrote it and they said it was good! Its funny how things work out like that.

Jordan - Marie and Paul bring the licks to table and I try to arrange it and make it flow from one part to the other. When we want things to get heavier Paul usually takes over and when we want things to get spacey, Marie takes over. In the new songs we have written things changed a little bit, I wrote two songs and some lyrics and Marie wrote a song and lyrics as well.

Marie - Paul is a writing machine, he comes up with awesome riffs all the time. Sometimes it is annoying because he is so good! Our song writing might start with one person’s idea or a jam and then we all put our cents in. Sometimes it is two cents, sometimes 80 cents, meaning one of us can add a lot or a just little to an idea. Generally, the songs grow over time and we try to work in parts to improve on it or take it over the edge. I take a lot longer to write than Paul but usually the result is worth it! Paul wrote most of the lyrics but in our newer songs both Jordan and I are writing lyrics and singing.

Ray - The song “Last Night On Earth” is an especially emotional one. Why, when I first played it, I cranked it to 11 and the old man next door ran outside with a rifle in his hand, yelling all sorts of curses and epithets into the air. Of course, it was 4:00 AM. See how the emotion is drawn out by that number?! Seriously, I get a real “Space Oddity” vibe from this one. Any comments?

Paul - It’s weird because just like my explanation of Ray Bradbury (see below), the song is more about the dying relationship than about the rocket and going to outer space; the protagonist is leaving forever. His woman will be nothing more than a sour memory and he knows the relationship is dead. It has been dead for a long time. She doesn’t care he’s going on a rocket on a mission or else she'd be awake sitting with him until he has to go. It’s a feeling we've all felt of a partnership being a husk and hollow except this guy is leaving the planet! I can’t decide if he sounds sad or happy in the song.

Marie - HA! I seriously dig on some Bowie. “Last Night on Earth” is a song full of lament and sorrow. When Paul mentioned above how the song was born, by me gazing at the moon and crying out like Dio, I really was taking it seriously, what would it be if tonight was your LAST night on earth? How would you feel about your time here, what you have accomplished etc.? The self-reflection that is forced on you due to circumstances out of your control is a heavy, heavy time.

Ray - RED LIGHT CHALLENGE: You can meet one of the following people for an hour…who and why:

a) Barack Obama

b) Tony Iommi

c) Charles Manson

d) Don Prudhomme

Paul - I know its expected but “b”. although most of the time would be spent just looking at the two fingers he cut off 40 years ago and avoiding making it look like that’s what I was looking at. Then after about 57 minutes of staring I would probably ask him if he wanted to meet Barack Obama. He would probably say "Who?" and then I would tell him that no one will play Iron Man in our Black Sabbath cover band. Then time would be up and he'd probably split leaving me with the tab. I’d probably pay it but I'd carry the grudge longer than I’ve been carrying this battle axe around. Whew...

Marie - Tony Iommi for sure! I would not stare at his fingers. My brother has half a finger so I am used to that. I would probably hope he would bring along an old SG of his so I could give it a little play. I would definitely ask him for some guitar riff secrets and talk about gear.

Ray - Gear nerd question! Gear nerd question! What guitars, amps and effex do you use? Do you believe that playing in tune is important? (What?!?!) Don’t pay attention to the interviewer behind the curtain.

Paul - I play an Ibanez Flying V through a Peavey Ultra Plus. My only pedals are a volume pedal and a tuner. Playing in tune is very important especially for dual harmony stuff. I guess my tone is more heavy metal than Marie's but she has all the cool effects!

Marie - 1976 Les Paul Custom through a 1972 Marshall 100w plexi head and an 80’s Marshall cab. On the floor I have an Akai Headrush, a digital delay/reverb, MXR Phase 100, Fulltone OCD and a LPB boost pedal. I really want to add to my pedal family and score a Memory Man and a MXR Carbon Copy. Oh! and I have recently started using these metal picks called Ice Picks, they are amazing.

Jordan - I play through an Ampeg SVT3 Pro and aternalte between a 1978 Gibson Ripper and a 90’s Rickenbacker. I also use a MXR Blowtorch occasionally a moded Rat pedal.

Ray - Tell us your deepest and darkest feelings about dual guitar harmonies. Really, when I first heard CORSAIR and you guys ripped into the first dual harmony, I thought of fellow Virginian’s Valkyrie. It wasn’t so much that I thought you ripped them off (that thought came later… no, JUST KIDDING!) but that you both had tapped into something really special and then spun it off into your own galaxy. What is so special about those dual leads and what’s the hardest thing about pulling ‘em off?

Paul - First off Valkyrie rules! Secondly, I fell in love when I heard the harmonies in the middle of Metallica's "Orion". I still can’t understand the fact that a harmony is two notes together with the frequencies intertwining and that can make you feel happy or sad or make you wanna put your fist in the air and shout! It gives the music a little more depth. In addition our bassist Jordan does some really cool counter melodies to what Marie and myself are harmonizing. It’s just super fun to write those and figure out a harmony that works.

Marie - Ahhh, harmonies. When the notes are in harmony, it sounds so pleasant, so soothing, there is something magical about it. I agree with Paul, when I first heard “Orion” I rewound that middle section ten times, yes it was on cassette! This is before I had heard Iron Maiden or anything like that. Of course, I immediately wanted to play like that but my classical guitar couldn’t bend strings as well as an electric! I participated in group classical guitar sessions at school where we all played different harmonies at the same time in various classical pieces but it was nothing like “Orion”. Paul has a phenomenal ear and can put together melodies and harmonies that are heart wrenching. I just pretend like I know what I am doing and follow suit (but maybe with a lot of delay or phase)!!

Ray - Obviously (or maybe not) you’re into sci-fi of some kind. Who’s your favourite writer? Why? What’s a better book, “2001: A Space Odyssey” or “The Mote In God’s Eye?” Or, hell, better yet, pick your own two and do a comparison. Shit, making you feel like you’re in English class in high school now, eh?

Paul - Ray Bradury is my favorite by far. Though he is not entirely a science fiction writer it pops up often and he sort of influenced the style in which we write our songs... each is a different story about different characters but they all feel like their connected somehow. His style is amazing. Even in the spacey novels, sci-fi takes a backseat to the more human emotion oriented side. Also, there are plenty of rockets and such. Martian chronicles, The Illustrated man, October Country...

Marie - I really liked English class but I am a bit of a nerd! Umm, on this side of the literature spectrum I am more of the fantasy reader. Authors like George R.R. Martin, Tad Williams, J.R.R. Tolkien and numerous Russian authors like Mikhail Bulgakov and Viktor Pelevin, though I also like Bradbury and Roald Dahl too! I really enjoy stories with fantastical twists and turns, mythical creatures, wizards, dragons and awesome landscapes.

Jordan - I liked reading Dune by Frank Herbert.

Ray - Any labels show any interest in the mighty CORSAIR since the release of the “Alpha Centauri” EP? In today’s world, how important actually do you believe it is for a band of your ilk to sign with a label as opposed to putting out your own stuff?

Jordan - Hellion Records in Germany is doing some online distribution of our EP, thanks to your review Ray! It is not really important to have a record label until you get to a larger level. If you can do it yourself to start off with then you will reap the benefits directly and be able to support studio time and traveling.

Marie - Being on a label is not at all as important as it used to be, say twenty years ago. I think if you are willing to put in the hard work and promote your band as much as possible, book tours and gigs, spend your own dough on recording and merch then you can avoid going in business with a middle man. With the web at your finger tips it is a lot easier to promote your music all over the world and sell CD’s. I think the best attribute of being on a label would be touring with bands of a similar genre and having someone else book your tours both here and abroad and maybe having some help printing CD packs! Though, I definitely would not turn my nose up if a record label has interest…

Ray - Do you guys gig much? How many local venues will have a skuzzy bunch like you come slithering in to deliver the goods on their premises?

Jordan - We gig about once a month or so, at least for the past year, it seems. I think we have found our spot in Charlottesville and our core of fans.

Marie - It would be sweet to get out and extend our mileage a little more but we need to get a band van! Unfortunately for Charlottesville there are not too many good, mid-sized rock venues. There used to be a couple of awesome venues but they have slowly evaporated over the past two years. There is definitely a vibrant, diverse music scene here which is great but not the right venues!

Ray - RED LIGHT CHALLENGE: A turkey or a bear? Which one could climb to the top of Leslie West faster? Use your damn imaginations!

Paul - I feel they’d be neck ‘n’ neck on this "mountain" of a man, however, when they reached the tangle of hair atop his head I feel the turkey may be able to navigate better.

Marie - [laughs out loud] Nice one Paul.

Ray - What’s next for the mighty CORSAIR? A full-length record? A gig in Baltimore? (Please?)

Marie - The gig in Baltimore would be first, then another EP. We are planning on getting our next six songs recorded and pressed by June… fingers crossed! Then I think we will venture into the full length galaxy. Maybe a concept album? Still feeling it out, I guess.

Ray - Always fun…in the long and storied history of CORSAIR, tell us a story that’s either funny, odd, disturbing or possibly just plain weird from the studio, the road, onstage, etc. Use your imagination and remember that Raysrealm is rated at least “R,” with a leaning toward “NC-17” when necessary.

Paul - Ok, perhaps this is just silly… so we played with this band from Richmond, Va called The Ten Commandments (Marie really likes them) at an underground DIY venue in our town. At the end of the night the TTC vocalist, who was pretty lit, asking me if he knew where the drugs were at and (I often quote this line) Marie said, in her funny accent “You know, you don’t need drugs to have a good time, man!” She was trying to be helpful but just sounded like a total dweeb. The guy sort of stared at her in astonishment, he seemed kinda whacked out already so I don’t think he minded the statement.

Ray - Any final comments?

Jordan - At its’ best music should take you outside of yourself and help you tap into something greater.

Marie - Thanks for all your hard work Ray in bringing the lesser known music scene to the forefront! We’ll let you know when we get that record deal!

Don’t wait for these guys to get a record deal, people, because you now have no excuse. Refer to the websites below and do what you know best: Support another band who deserves it!!!

http://www.skykrakkan.com/
http://www.myspace.com/skykrakken/

In The Meantime...

2010-04-30T20:08:00.001-07:00

In the meantime, I'm posting things on my Facebook page when I get a chance, so keep in touch over there! http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1224450917&ref=profile

Important Announcement

2010-04-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

I regret to announce that at this time, I'm going to have to take a step away from Raysrealm. I have some very serious, extenuating personal circumstances that have arisen that I need to devote my full time to. With that in mind, I realize that I cannot guarantee that I can do regular updates, nor would I be able to insure that my writing be up the the standards I hold. At this time, I am expecting 2 more interviews in that the participants have already given their time for and in courtesy to them, I will post these interviews as soon as they arrive. In the meantime I thank everyone for supporting this site. I apologize to any bands who have sent material which will not be able to be reviewed at this time and will do my best to pass it along to other sites who could give it a timely review. I do hold hope to see you all back here again in the future when I am able to once again devote the time required to do Raysrealm the justice it deserves. Sincerely, Ray Dorsey.

Pole Vault

2010-04-15T17:26:00.000-07:00

GALLOWS POLE – “Revolution” CD ’10 (Karthago, Austria) – If you’ll remember, back in February I talked at great length in Grand Halls 44 about a 1982 release by Austria’s GALLOWS POLE. That slice of metal greatness not only featured a stone-cold 10+ minute classic in it’s title cut, but was a non-stop butt-kicker from start to finish. As also reported (Christ, what am I Wolf Blitzer or something?!), the band is still in motion, having issued 3 records since that were ok but nothing on the level of that immaculate debut. What I also learned not long after posting the piece was that GP had just completed their 5th full-lengther and a copy was winging it’s way to me from across the pond. What would the results be? Let’s find out, as the package has landed….

There’s one thing I like about GALLOWS POLE that has nothing to do with their music. It’s their cover art. While some bands feel the need to tap into the tired, hackneyed, trite (any other words for this, Rick? lol) heavy metal thesaurus and slather their records with either demons or naked women, this Austrian bunch takes a different tack. Now before you get me wrong, let me explain. I’ve got nothing against demons. I mean, hey, I really like Demon from the NWOBHM. Perhaps far more importantly, I’ve got no problem with naked women. The more the better, especially when things like whipped cream are involved. Still, I prefer mine in the bedroom (ok, ok, my wife is reading over my shoulder…I just mean you, babe!) to album covers. No, GALLOWS POLE takes a very minimalistic route. In fact, up until this record, only the “We Wanna Come Home” album featured an actual drawing, the band preferring simple words and maybe a straight line or two (like the cross on “IRWT”). “Revolution” is a bit less reserved, with the image of a rose in the center and a fiery explosion radiating out from it. The point is that even still, the band avoids telling their whole story with the art, instead allowing a bit more of a timeless feel to grace their works.

The real question, of course, is the music and I wondered just how GALLOWS POLE were going to sound in 2010. The same as 1982? The answer is yes and no. And that is a cool thing. “You’re In My Way” opens proceedings and for a scant minute, I think I’m listening to a re-working of J. Geil’s “Centerfold,” with the “Na-na-na-na…” chorus. Thing is, while hard and driving, this is as catchy as hard rock can get without crossing over into an area called pop and you’ll probably have this doing laps in your mind for weeks. Immediately following are “Hell Again” and “Dirty Love,” each taking on a more decidedly AC/DC feel. They both remind me of what a band like Airbourne would be like if they actually had the talent to write riffs that were both hard AND infectious. Through each, main man Alois Martin Binder let’s his lower-mid-ranged pipes work with just enough swagger and ease to indicate the work of a guy who’s been around a long time but still wants to rock. Gotta admit, the opening line of the latter, “Wanna fuck you in the streets” cracks me up every time.

With the initial riff of “Falling Rain,” I’m transported back to the “IRWT” era with the hacking mid-paced riff and dark, sinister lead fills. Binder’s vox carry a threat here that is palpable without ever losing their intense emotion. The outro guitar soloing is vintage GALLOWS POLE: spare and economical but damn effective. “Always” dawns on the ears with a mellow acoustic intro, overlain by some plaintive soloing. As the song-proper comes in at 0:30, this one settles into a slow & doomy atmosphere. The lyrics tell a despair laden tale and again, the lead guitar is used, in many cases, to mirror the vocals and embellish their melodies. Up next is “For Lovers” and I’m lovin’ it. Man, I like the melodies in this one. Again keeping true to the doomy pace of it’s predecessor, this is a really unique song. The combination of the heavy guitars, Binder’s vocals and a melody that has an almost religious-hymnal texture is just excellent, as is the guitar solo that calls to mind a certain Leslie West.

For the final third of it’s 40-some minute length, “Revolution” picks up speed again with some more rawkin’ numbers. “Lonely Heart” has a “No Place To Run”-UFO taste, “Early Days” is like mid-period Rush in bed with The Church and “Baby Come On” marries latter day AC/DC to something I just can’t place but the “Hmmm…hmmm…hmmm” chorus is deceptively simple yet, once again, stuck in my brain.

For quite some time after getting it in the mail, I listened to “Revolution” and it reminded me of something, not so much in sound but in it’s downright basic coolness. Finally I figured it out. The NWOBHM’s very own hallmark band Diamond Head issued an album well into their career entitled “Death & Progress.” While not as raw or brutal as their legendary debut, it had a feel that on the surface didn’t seem especially epic but after a few listens began to reveal itself as something quite impressive. It was a superbly-written, massively catchy hard rock album, charged with a huge, killer production. Had they heard it, both the mechanic down in the garage and the exec in the corner office would both have been hard pressed not to crank it up. Say You Want A Revolution?...Not Always Necessary

Grand Halls 48

2010-04-09T09:14:00.001-07:00

BLACK HOLE – “Land Of Mystery” 1985 (City, Ita) – I remember when I first found a copy of this one several years back. I was always pulling it out, lowering the lights, putting on a black robe and lurking around the house, setting out candles and chanting. Ok, maybe not (well, at least only on weekends) but the point is it’s a very atmospheric record. If you try to comprehend Paul Chain, old Sabbath and throw in some left-field prog stuff like Amon Duul II, Asphalto or New Trolls around “Concerto Grosso II,” you may come up with BLACK HOLE. Just don’t forget to add in a pinch of “Last House On The Left,” because there is also a definite element of Grade B horror film hysteria involved, making me love it all the more. BLACK HOLE is the brainchild of one Robert Measles who, besides playing bass and a bevy of other instruments, sings in a voice that can only be described as wildly original. While these pipes may put some people off to a level where they can’t get into the album, I’d urge you to try as this is a record that makes most doomy music look like child’s play. Truthfully, if just a song like “Obscurity In The Ethereal House” doesn’t make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, you should probably go back to your “The Devil You Know” CD anyway because you’re a wuss. The same can be said for the brilliant title cut and, actually, every one of the 7 somber, ghastly tracks here. Lovers of the good old days of long songs that aren’t simply for length-sake will dig this too, as every song is over 6 minutes and while nothing here is fast, it’s anything but boring. “Land Of Mystery” isn’t the easiest thing in the world to track down but crazy and atmospheric as hell, it’s worth the search and price (there has been at least one CD re-issue). As an added note, BLACK HOLE recorded a 2nd album in 1988 called “Living Mask” that wasn’t released then, but was issued in 2000 and can be found on CD issue. A lot of people don’t like this sophomore effort as it’s even weirder and less metal, but I think it’s quite interesting and worth searching out as well. Mystery, Italian Style

Lips In The Hills...That Suck

2010-04-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

WHITE HILLS – “White Hills” CD ’10 (Thrill Jockey, US) – This new CD by WHITE HILLS (at least their 3rd, I believe) is put together in a really nice package. It’s one of those mini-LP sleeves, with the insert in one side and the CD in the other side, actually housed in a mini paper inner sleeve, just like an LP in the old days. The real shame of it all is that, for all this, the album sucks…and how. I did acid once in my life. One friggin’ time. On one hand, I didn’t see whirling cosmic spirals, become in touch with my inner “oneness” and hear Santana or Black Sabbath at 78 or any of those holy-grail-type trips everyone wanted at the time. On the other hand, I didn’t freak out and begin to eat my own hands or run naked into traffic either, nor did I experience years of nightmarish flashbacks. However, now having heard this self-titled release by WHITE HILLS, I think I may have my finger on the pulse of what a bad trip could be. This is basically an hour of distorted white noise that drifts in and out of coherence, albeit mostly out. It is bad music, played by even less-talented people and unfortunately a complete waste of time, hence the relatively short review. Beam Me Up, Scotty

http://www.myspace.com/whitehills/

Damn, My Fingers Are Stuck In The Strings

2010-04-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

JOE PERRY – “Have Guitar, Will Travel” CD ’09 (Roman, US) – One thing I’ll tell you right away, I’m no insider. I mean, hey, all the stuff going on with Aerosmith, Tyler being thrown out, you hear all kinds of stories. Magazines & blogs are full of all kinds of shit: Stephen’s been ousted because he relapsed and the rest of ‘em are squeaky clean; other members are using also; Perry’s girlfriend is running the band. Jesus, who even cares, you know, the last good album they put out was “Done With Mirrors,” right? So I’m hearing maybe this JOE PERRY solo record might be something and then I listen and realize that I’ve just gotta say something. This dude must be one of the most criminally OVER-rated guitar players of all time. Look at the picture of him on the cover! Damn, it looks like this dude is playing the lead at the end of “Three Mile Smile” there (but wasn’t that Jimmy Crespo, anyway, if you believe more of the stories?) Then you look at the back…more PERRY guitar hero poses. And every time you see this joker in a magazine, he’s all fashioned-out in the same heroin-chic duds he was sporting in 1977. Thing is, you then play this album and it sucks. Sounds like drum machines on the first song and a lame-ass speed-up part at the end to ape the live version of “Train….” 2nd song is a patched together one-ball take on the already-over-played classic rock staple, “Same Old Song & Dance.” Let’s see, what’s next? “Do You Wonder” is and now the song matches the clothes, a crappy try at replicating the Stones’ country-smack-genius on “Sticky Fingers.” Everywhere you turn, there’s just more mediocrity and, unfortunately a wealth of sloppy, lousy guitar playing. Cringe your way through “No Surprise.” The hideous talk-box slide here makes George Thoroughly-Bad sound like Brother Duane. Like I said, I don’t know what’s going on in the Aerosmith camp these days but then again, with one of it’s chief protagonists cranking out pablum like this, who the fuck cares. Have Guitar, Will Play It Badly

http://www.joeperry.com/

My Boy, Elroy

2010-04-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

ELOY – “Visionary” CD ’10 (The Laser’s Edge, Ger) – I walked into the record store awhile ago and came across this disc with some surprise, thumbing through the ELOY section (great to have a record store that would even have and “ELOY section,” but that’s another matter). I wasn’t even sure, despite the “2010” imprint, whether this was a new release or a re-issue of something from several years back, having lost touch with the German progressive band sometime during the late ‘80’s. I decided, “What the hell?” if this is in fact new, I’ll see what Frank Bornemann and company are up to these days. With that thought in mind, I approached the young lady at the counter and asked if she could look it up in their system. She took the CD from me, began typing in the name and, as God is my witness, said these words: “Let’s see, ‘Visionary’ by ELROY!” ELROY. Ok, I know. The girl was probably 20 years old and we’re talking about progressive rock band that opened for customers some 40 years ago. Still, ELROY! That’s fucking funny!

But anyway, that 40 year thing and the first ELOY album is something that’s always been a bit of an obstacle for me. See, ELOY’s debut in 1970 hit right in my wheelhouse at the time. By far the heaviest rock album the band ever would do, it featured that “Conny Plank” sound. Think Scorpion’s “Lonesome Crow” & the first Sabbath as references, or more obscurely, Nightsun’s “Mournin’.” So, with my heavy rock heart embracing this style, I was always liable to perhaps unfairly compare everything ELOY would do to follow with that blaster. The real truth is that this band (always the brainchild of guitarist Frank Bornemann) would develop a very consistent vibe, involving dreamy Floyd-like space explorations, strung together on Bornemann’s jazzy guitar and lush keyboard travels. Occasionally, Frank’s guitar would raise up to distorted levels, not as the destination but simply as one of the vehicles. And, this theme would carry the group through some simply superb records during their mid-period: “Inside,” “Floating,” “Ocean,” etc. which saw them achieve what most artists dream of. They were able to play music that they loved, under no pressures to change or conform from the outside and established a loyal fan base all the while. Even I, with my predilection for the more metalized debut, dug what Bornemann & crew were doing and I picked up nearly ever record they did, up to around “Metromania” in ’84, when my forays into thrash, death and the like saw me skew away from the more melodic stuff.

Which brings us to 2010 and “Visionary.” I may be handicapped in a sense, admittedly having not heard the 4 albums that came during the years 1988 – 1998. Still, even with that in mind, “Visionary” picks up very nicely where I left off with ELOY. Are there any massive surprises here? No. There are 7 lengthy cuts here, mostly in the 7 minute range and they all glide along at the Waters/Gilmour pace that implies no one is rushing to catch a train. Frank B. has enlisted some old ELOY names from the past to join him here: Klaus-Peter Matziol (bass), Michael Gerlach (keyboards), Bodo Schopf (drums) and Hannes Folberth (keys) as well as a handful of other assorted musicians. As is generally the case, none of them takes center stage for long, each simply becoming part of a tapestry that’s often dream-like. I’ve heard some say that they wish for more of Bornemann’s lengthy guitar solos, and that would be ok with me too, but in truth I never thought of the man as the next coming of Robin Trower. In fact, probably the most dominant single instrument on “Visionary” is Frank’s vocal delivery. Often considered an acquired taste, his somewhat reedy mid-range actually hits me on these tracks like meeting an old friend after a long absence and is quite welcome. While most of the cuts here blend, again, like the “Atom Heart…”-era Floyd work, I do find the within-the-album bookends of “The Secret” and it’s 9-minute sister, “Mystery (The Secret, Part 2)” to be highlights.

Bottom line? “Visionary” is not going to have most prog hounds frothing at the mouth, nor is it the album that will get your punk-only friend to set aside his Jay Reatard records to begin his new foray into progressive music. Still, for me, it’s been and continues to be a very nice listen and one that takes me back to some good old days with fresh tunes. That’s a cool thing. Frankly Good

http://www.eloy-legacy.com/

The Saints Come Marching In

2010-04-02T06:40:00.000-07:00

ARMORED SAINT – “La Raza” CD ’10 (Metal Blade, US) – All-timers are a tough thing to tussle with. I’m talking about the ones that occupy that special wing of the Grand Halls…the room with the extra security guard who used to be a Green Beret, the state-of-the-art system that monitors the levels of dust in the air to the millionth of a particle. And let’s not even talk about the inch-thick bullet-proof glass. Point is, for me, the names include things like “Stained Class,” “Vol. 4” and “Black Rose: A Rock Legend” and talking about them is often wordy, difficult and full of circular references. I suppose that’s because trying to encapsulate records that have had such a massive impact on me over time is a mammoth task, a bit akin to describing the Grand Canyon in a sentence. California metal band ARMORED SAINT was the author of another of the Raysrealm all-timers when they put their signatures on 1991’s “Symbol Of Salvation.” I can’t think of another record that has taken the leave-it-in-your-car-forever-roll-down-the-windows-and-crank-this-mutha-up factor to a higher level than this monster. Featuring a wealth of music previously penned by their fallen (to leukemia, sadly) guitarist Dave Pritchard, “Symbol…” delivers one bad-assed classic after another: “Reign Of Fire,” “Dropping Like Flies,” “Last Train Home,”…ok, the entire track listing. Since then, SAINT vocalist John Bush (once considered by Metallica as a frontman) has gone on to enjoy success in tenures with Anthrax, appearing on a couple quite decent albums like “Sound Of White Noise.” SAINT reconvened with the “Symbol…” line-up for 2000’s “Revelation,” a record that, while not nearly as good as it’s predecessor, still showed that some fire remained. Now, some 10 years later, we see the same line-up again come together to deliver another platter. The question is, is it the goods?

Part of the point of my lengthy (yeah, I know, typically Ray-like!) intro above is just that. Sometimes delivering the goods involves more than just a Judas Priest title. Sometimes it involves understanding that it’s never a good idea to try to replicate past glories. Too often, you end up with a…um…replication of past glories, that is, a lesser-than shadow of something that simply can’t be duplicated. In a sense, I think that’s what happened with ARMORED SAINT’s effort on “Revelation.” They tried, even if subconsciously, to do “Symbol’s” sequel. There seemed to be a feeling in that record of emulating Pritchard’s songwriting style and the result, while still decent (likely because A.S. is such a good band anyway) was not even nearly as fulfilling to the listener. Well, my friends, I think that ARMORED SAINT has found their lesson well learned with “La Raza.” The point is, you are not going to be hearing something that sounds like “Symbol Of Salvation II” when you press “play” on this thing. What you are going to find waiting for you is a record that is fresh, vital and ARMORED SAINT in 2010, comfortable in their own skin and better for it. You don’t have to wait any longer than “Loose Cannon.” Sure, John Bush’s vocals come roaring out of the box with the same throaty, mid-range swagger they’ve always had. But listen to that layering on the pre-chorus, the nifty little guitar fills that put a smile on my face. Different and I like it. Same with “Head On.” The organ (!!!) intro is something new and sets the mood perfectly and only makes the riffs of Phil Sandoval & Jeff Duncan that much heavier when they crash in. Bush sounds like he’s having the time of his life at the cool funky break (3:42) when he croons “Like an old dawg,” and when he hits the super-hook-laden chorus, he’s flying. Somehow this all merges as smooth as silk with the blistering guitar solo that dominates the middle of the song. And, sign-post moments like these abound. “Chilled” has a sort of old-Doobies-meets-metal vibe, massive chorus included and the title cut could almost be a clandestine meeting of SAINT with Santana circa. “No One To Depend On!”

The beauty of it all is that with “La Raza,” ARMORED SAINT have kept true to their metal roots while letting their sound breathe and grow. In the process, they’ve created what can only be described as a diverse and even panoramic rock album that nearly anyone you know, from underground to mainstream would dig. In addition, there is also a very nice thread of acknowledgement to some of the band members’ Hispanic culture and urban background and how it relates to the entire human race, lyrically as well as musically. In short, “La Raza” is an album that should be getting massive airplay on your local FM rock station right now. It’s great and if your next door neighbors heard it, they’d probably think so too. So, play the sumbitch for ‘em – now. Who Dat Gonna Beat Dem Saints

http://www.armoredsaint.com/

Who's Your Daddy

2010-03-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

JPT SCARE BAND -
"Sleeping Sickness" CD '09/'00 / “Rumdum Daddy” CD ’09 (Kung Bomar, US) – The late Phil Baker, record dealer and partner in Monster Records / King Klassic Magazine originally turned me on to JPT SCARE BAND. I remember him calling me up and frothing wildly at the mouth about some tapes that he’d recently received in the mail. Shit, this was back in the early ‘90’s sometime I guess, as memory has it. Now you must understand, frothing wildly at the mouth was something that Phil was wont to do but it was never without a singular, vital cause. Reasons that he’d had in the past before this unbridled enthusiasm had been names like Slauter Xstroyes, Winterhawk and Ordained Fate. So, you tended to listen. And, listen I did, especially back in those dark ages, when things arrived in the Realm-box in the form of TDK 90’s slapped with hand-written labels. Make a long story short (God, that was bad English…and I don’t mean the suck-ass Neal Schon debacle), JPT SCARE band ended up being a perfect fit for me. I remember the first time I heard their “Sleeping Sickness” disc back in 2000. My reaction was “Holy shit!” Here was a power trio in the tradition of Cream, Cactus and The Jimi Hendrix Experience who probably were on hand when the word “organic” was crafted into stone by the music gods of eternity. You had Paul Grigsby (bass, vocals) & Jeff Littrell (drums) laying down the business in a rhythm section that could have you in traction with it’s immense monster groove. Over top of it was the guitar of Terry Swope. I’ll say it again, the guitar of Terry Swope. That’s ‘cause it bears repeating. I’m now going to say some names to you: Leigh Stephens, Robin Trower, Jim McCarty, Leslie West, Tony Iommi. The big boys from “the day.” The first time I heard Mr. Swope administer the 6-string beating he does in the title cut, names like that came to mind. Of course, I’m not one to hand down immediate praise, so I listened to the rest of the album. And, the praise was forthcoming. This was the real deal. This cat not only could come up with groovy riffs that sounded like molten lava, he could then go off on 8, 9, 10 minute solos that would tell you a story…the story of how your ass had been kicked, motherfucker.

Which brings us some 10 releases down the line and the latest by JPT SCARE BAND (Got the name yet? Jeff – Paul – Terry? JPT?), “Rumdum Daddy.” You know what I love so much about this bunch? Well, I’ll tell you. One thing I love about ‘em is the fact that they sent me this seething, scorching ass-plastering vile of aural butt-kick after I’d already done my Top 10 for 2009. Reason I love that is, had I gotten it before I compiled that list, something on it would’ve had to go and, more than likely something near the top. Another thing that gives me a musical boner about this bunch is that, like all the absolute greats, they have evolved without compromising their roots in the least. I mean, dude…and I mean, DUDE!!! Check out the first 3 cuts here as the “Rumdum…” begins to flow. Right off the bat, we see the development of JPT SCARE. “You Don’t Wanna Know” has the kind of balladic emotions you remember from Zep classics like “The Rain Song,” fueled by Swope’s smooth, overlooked vocals. Listen then, at around 2:10 to how Terry begins to draw you in with his lyrical and gorgeous soloing. He begins it in such a melodic fashion and then somehow by around 4:00 is tearing your face off and you can’t figure out how he did it. “Rat Poison For The Soul,” besides having a simply bad-assed title throws down the hard-rock riff gauntlet to anything ever concocted by God-figures like West or Montrose. The title cut itself once again sees the band delving into new areas of overdubbed guitar lines, but similar to a master like Page on “Physical Graffiti,” rather than diluting the heaviness, an even richer and more expansive tapestry is woven.

And then, in glorious JPT SCARE style, we go down the rabbit hole! “Intro/E Minor Exploration/Theme From The Monster’s Holiday” weighing in at just under 14 minutes is jam-time supreme! This is Jeff, Paul and Terry taking it to your ears the way Bill, Geezer and Tony did on Side Two of “Black Sabbath.” It’s the way Pagey did every time he dove into the massive seas of “Dazed & Confused” live and it’s the way Trower had his “Daydream.” It also indicates just how these guys have evolved, the depth of their work, in the way they can slip back into their old clothes without ever skipping a beat and without ever disrupting their expansion as a group…move outward, think inward, it all works. And so follow the twin 9 ½ minute monsters, “I’ve Been Waiting” and “Bit Of A Minor Jamm” (clever muthas!), living & breathing epics of pure heavy psych nirvana. It all comes to a close in the short (5:43!!) “Bookends Jamm,” a keg-o-dynamite microcosm of all that has become JPT SCARE BAND to this day: lethal 3-piece smolder, segueing in and out of simply haunting layers of melody. Without any doubt, “Rumdum Daddy” is a mandatory piece of listening for anybody reading Raysrealm. And, so is the new re-issue of the should-be-legendary “Sleeping Sickness.” The choice is not your’s, I’ve made it for you. You simply must buy. Now. Scarey Good

http://www.jptscareband.com/

If Rock Is Wrong, They Don't Want To Be Right

2010-03-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

SUPERCHIEF – “Rock Music” CD EP ’09 (TFTC, US) – “Rock Music.” Me thinkin’ you’ve gotta have some pretty serious stones to call your record that. Let me see…Zep? A song called “Rock & Roll,” but no album called “Rock Music.” Stones? Well, it is only rock & roll and they liked it, but no “R.M.” in their discography. But you know what? While I’m not ready to anoint Iowa’s SC into either of those leagues, they’ve done a damn nice job of raising such a lofty flag. “Georgia Trucker Fun” gets things crankin’ right away with some mid-paced riffs that scream more ‘70’s than “stoner.” Hell, I can just imagine The Great Fatsby smiling at this one, Ricc Terranova’s wah-wah leads the perfect foil for JT Strang’s truck stop roar. “Sweat” opens with an open-chord march, almost as if Kashmir suddenly relocated south of the Mason-Dixon. It’s here you see these cats are more than a one trick pony. With “Amen,” Da CHIEF adopt the time-honored dynamics of Bourge / Iommi with a short acoustic segue before blasting into another seething boiler. “Rock N’ Roll Living” is like a Kentucky (make that Iowa) Fried “Starstruck” before “Bus Ride Messiah” brings it on home. This one takes the SC rock taffy and pulls it out over 6 minutes into a heavy psych landscape with a lyrical twist and sinuous leads from Terranova. Five songs, not a minute wasted and your butt kicked to boot. Sounds like “Rock Music” to me. Chuffed

http://www.superchiefband.com

Grand Halls 47

2010-03-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

OMEGA – “The Prophet” 1985 (Rock Machine, Eng) – I can say without hesitation that the NWOBHM produced some of the greatest metal ever. Never once before or after has one small geographical area given rise to such a humungous amount of great music in such a short period of time. And while it’s no knock at all against bands like Maiden, Tygers, Angel Witch, etc. my favourites from that era were always those acts who offered sounds that were a bit quirky and afield from the greater multitude. Names like Legend, Witchfinder General, Shiva, Saracen, Split Crow, Limelight and others issued records that ranged from ‘70’s doom to southern rock to progressive, all the while retaining a good hint of the feel of that magical movement. While certainly emerging far later than any of this stuff, OMEGA’s “The Prophet” has the distinct feel of one of these NWOBHM oddities while occasionally rising to even greater heights.

Released in 1985, “The Prophet” is, as far as I can determine, OMEGA’s only work. They are not to be confused with a prog/rock band, much more worldly-known, who put out several LP’s in th ‘70’s. The record features a jacket which just screams “RARE!,” the front cover bearing a spacey silhouette of a gunman on a hill and the back looking like it was almost typed up at somebody’s house! Basically, this album is a dream-come-true for anyone who likes heavy metal with progressive, epic songs, shredding lead guitar and commanding vocals. In fact, wile it doesn’t sound like either, I’d say that if you’re into Saracen’s “Heroes, Saints & Fools” or the Connecticut Legend’s “From The Fjords,” this one will clean your clock!

Side One of OMEGA’s lone effort contains only 3 songs. But what a trio! They are all fantastic, epic-type works, building up in a scale of grand melody and heaviness and each featuring lead guitar blow-outs by Steve Granger (also keys), who’s soloing reminds me a lot of vintage Gary Moore. The vocals of Nick Brent (who also handles rhythm guitar and is joined in the line-up by Graham Roberts on drums & Dave Robertson on bass) are sometimes reminiscent of Greg Lake. Hence, as with the American Legend and Saracen, I could see these guys being considered a sort of metal version of ELP (a mantle that would later be picked up by New York’s Mastermind). Even that description, however, does not do justice to something like the title cut here, a 9 minute epic work of gorgeous power that leaves me breathless every time I hear it. It's overwhelming and quite impressive that a record this obscure was produced so well in the studio. It’s a trait it shares with Winterhawk’s “Revival.”

Side Two of “The Prophet” opens with, yes, another epic killer, “Yesterday’s Children.” At this point, I have to wonder how many bands would die to be able to write one cut like this to use as the centerpiece of an album. Yet here are 4 in a row! The next two songs are sort of odd bedfellows to the rest of the platter. “Drive Me Crazy” and a cover of The Beatles’ “Day Tripper” are both cool, to-the-point rockers, striking me not as filler but more so a way to draw the casual listener into the web of the other material. Another thought: Could these 2 have been the substance of an even more obscure single? With a picture sleeve? Alright, I might be dreaming but if anybody has any info on this possibility, let me know! Finally tying the record together is “The Child,” another magnificent 9 minute opus, sort of the sister song to Side One’s title track. If you don’t have gooseflesh by the time this one ends, you probably have ice water flowing through your veins.

Yes, OMEGA’s “The Prophet” is a truly superior release and holds it’s own with the very top sacred obscurities: Winterhawk, Survivor, Slauter Xstroyes, Poobah, etc. Once you hear it, you’ll know what I mean. A Prophecy Fulfilled

NOTE: If I’m not mistaken, I’ve seen word on the internet about an LP and CD re-issue of this bad boy, so get a-huntin!

Grand Halls 46

2010-03-27T12:29:00.001-07:00

RELEASE – “A Requiem For The World” 1984 (Private, Denmark) – While probably the most well-known Danish metal export of 1984 was Mercyful Fate’s “Don’t Break The Oath,” the nation also produced several top-notch but obscure rippers that year. One, of course, is that dark and dastardly LP by Wasted, “Halloween…The Night Of….” Another is this very private, very primitive-looking (see inset) release by…RELEASE (Ok, I’m a smart-ass). My best description of “A Requiem…” would be a more hard-rock-based version of Pretty Maids’ “Red, Hot & Heavy” LP. Like that record, this one has nothing complicated, just lots of damn good riffs and one of those gut-level type singers, namely Charlie (that’s all they list!) who also reminds me of the dude in Bodine. Coupled with that are some rhythms that give a late ‘70’s hard rock vibe to cuts like the swaggering “Ghetto Child.” For the real gems, however, check out “You Don’t Care No More,” “Valley Of Witchcraft” and “The Damned Lake,” 6-7 minute epics that still never get too complicated for themselves. Some nice Schenker-ish lead axe work dominates the proceedings in these. Oh, and listen to “Killer Rabbit!” Hilarious! Dead But Not Forgotten

Banjo Power

2010-03-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

SEABROOK POWER PLANT – “Seabrook Power Plant” CD ’09 (Loyal, US) – Think about a power trio with bass, drums and…er…banjo. Ok, well you might say WHY think about that, right? Strictly speaking, I can see your hesitation but you may be changing your mind once you hear this quirky little disc coming at ya out of New York City. SPP is composed of two brothers, Brandon (banjo, guitar) & Jared Seabrook (drums) and Tom Blancarte (upright electric bass). Their record doesn’t begin so much as explodes with “Peter Dennis Blanford Townshend” (gee, who do you think that’s dedicated to?). Jared’s drum cacophony introduces Brother Brandon’s staccato banjo shredding, as Blancarte joins the fray with his wooden thud. A nearly immediate reaction from this listener is how in God’s name would I ever describe this stuff to somebody. A later, more thoughtful reaction from this writer is how in God’s name will I ever describe this stuff to somebody! Imagine an instrumental version of old Texas math-metal gods Watchtower running amok in a bluegrass music store. Something that really makes Brandon’s Banjo (sounds like an underground art film or something, doesn’t it?) stand out is the fact that the instrument, by nature, features zero sustain. This only serves to make his playing that much more cutting and edgy, something that continues into numbers like “Ho Chi Minh Trail” and the more lengthy “Waltz Of The Nuke Workers” (6:08). Stretching out even further toward the 8-minute mark, “Occupation 1977” plies a more pensive, yeah, kinda noodling feel until at around the 5 minute mark, something entirely more sinister begins to creep in. That dark demon can only be Brandon’s electric guitar, and loaded up with distortion as it is, adds a completely new feel to the proceedings, marching in like a riff that tumbled out of King Buzzo’s pocket. “Base Load Plant Theme” ups the avant-garde ante into Vernon Reid Decoding Society territory. A metal guy like me can’t help having a soft spot for “I Don’t Feel So Good,” however. If this doesn’t start like something from St. Vitus’ “Hallows Victim,” I don’t know what does, and the crazy lead guitar shredding is Iommi-on-acid. “Feedlot Polio” is another swath of Coltrane-banjo-etequitte until things come to a close with the feedback laden wasteland of the aptly titled “Doomsday Shroud.” Coming as a real left-field surprise to good old Ray, SEABROOK POWER PLANT’s eponymous debut comes off at first as one of those records that’s perfect for a certain kinda mood. Funny thing is, I’ve spun it quite a bit lately. Powerage

http://www.myspace.com/brandonseabrook

Heathen Song

2010-03-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

HEATHEN – “Evolution Of Chaos” CD ’10 (Mascot, US) – HEATHEN’s Russian-born guitarist Lee Altus once said something to me that made me truly understand the depth of his metal pedigree. We were speaking via phone back in the days of the band’s last album, “Victim Of Deception” and the topic rolled around about Ron Quintana’s Rampage Radio show. I had mentioned that Spon Q used to play all sorts of great stuff, everything from The Dead Boys to Return To Forever, from Mentors to Legend. And that’s when Lee spoke the words that would be immortal to me: “Oh yeah, he played Legend all the time! They were awesome, just awesome and he played them all the time.” Do you understand how important, how fucking vital a statement like that is? Legend (from the Channel Islands) were not only (in this writer’s estimation) the greatest NWOBHM band but one of the finest metal outfits of all time. Between Mike Lezala’s haunting vocals and Peter Haworth’s dazzling axe work and massive songs, they came over like a cross between Rush, Sabbath & Motorhead. The problem was that few people recognized this. The fact that Lee Altus understood it was enough to make me realize this guy knew his shit. The material on the first 2 HEATHEN albums only confirmed it.

To this day, HEATHEN is my favourite thrash metal band ever. Their ability to concoct ripping, killing riffs and strap them to intricate & memorable songwriting, face-melting lead guitar and throaty vocals that veer smoothly between NWOBHM-styled melody and gruffer aggression puts them in an elite level. The problem was, after 1991’s “Victim…,” they kinda went the way of the Edsel. I knew they’d reformed in some form or fashion in the early oughties but the only “new” material was some sorta recording of old stuff & with Altus’ permanent involvement in Exodus, I figured the Goblin’s Blade would never swing again. I was wrong. And motherfriggin’ how! Some 19 years on, HEATHEN has issued their 3rd album, “Evolution Of Chaos” and brother, it brings a tear of pride to my eye that I once had a magazine called Chaos after hearing this bitch! Let’s be plain about all this, shall we? The new HEATHEN album completely kicks ass. From beginning to end, Altus and new 6-string partner in crime Kragen Lum (Doug Piercy has been gone a long while) plant hacking thrash riffs everywhere like tank treads on your face. And that doesn’t even begin to get into the kind of lead guitar fury they unleash everywhere, shards of Bay Area axe death raining down in a sonic torrent. Are the songs long? Hell yeah, they probably average 7 minutes in length, with “No Stone Unturned” topping the 11 minute mark. Unlike some bands who trod that “proggy-thash” path, however, this crew makes every downstroke, every plundering riff worth it’s weight in gold. Add to that the vocals of David White, which have only gotten better and more emotional over the years and you’ve got an album that makes me feel like going out and knocking a couple poseurs (remember that word, old school people?!) around. The loud, semi-dry production is just what the doctor ordered as well, making it sound like this age-wizened bunch have dragged their Marshalls right into your living room.

Bottom line is this. HEATHEN kicks ass, pure and simple and with their 3rd album have succeeded in making themselves nothing short of a metal “legend.” That Lee guy sure as hell knew what he was talking about! Chaos Realm

http://www.myspace.com/heathenmetal

DEADLOCK Rules! All The Best, Gray & Doug!

2010-03-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

(Photo of Gray, Doug & Don-stage man for DEADLOCK courtesy of Ami Markle)

Over my relatively short (ahem!) span of 52 years, one thing has occurred to me as being more important than any other: family. True, I love music, as this blog and the zines before it have demonstrated but those things take a distant 2nd to the love of my wife and children, my parents, even my extended family. With that in mind, I feel the need to take time to talk about some people I’ve come in contact with this past year. Through Jennifer’s (my hot, sexy wife!) urging, I went to see local Maryland cover band DEADLOCK last July. Since then, I’ve gone to see them at least once a month. Sure, a lot of that is because of their music. Anybody who knows me also knows that I don’t suffer sucky bands well. DEADLOCK (along with Facedancer, in my younger days) is one of the very best cover bands I’ve ever seen. They absolutely nail numbers by Tool, Pantera, Sevendust, Metallica, etc.

It’s not just that, however, that’s drawn me to being a real fan of these guys. Interestingly, I discovered the first time I saw ‘em that drummer Chris Lembach (ex Mystic Force) is an old record store buddy of mine from back in the ‘80’s. Beyond even that, however, it was obvious to me very early on that these 5 guys are all just genuinely nice people. Unlike many standoffish musicians I’ve met, they’re all very warm & friendly and always have time for a conversation that can go well beyond music. This is a vibe that spreads in a couple directions as well. You see it in the way the band members (Jeff Caudle – vocals; Doug Guthrie – guitar; Steve Shaffer – guitar; Gray Manna – bass; Chris Lembach –drums) interact onstage, where their sound is defined by a super-organic connection, an understanding among a combo that’s quite uncommon. It’s in their obvious companionship off-stage as well. It’s also something that has branched outward, into the very people who come out and support them each time there’s a DEADLOCK show. Rather than disconnected individuals who happen to drift into the same place at the same time, you feel as though you’re part of…yes…a family who share what they love and really care about each other.

All of this brings me to news that is bittersweet. After DEADLOCK’s show at The Barn in Carney MD on April 16, Doug Guthrie & Gray Manna will be stepping down from DEADLOCK. The reasons are not the “typical” we’re so familiar with, “musical differences” or “personal clashes.” No, Doug & Gray both have young children and have decided that they need to take some time to be with them. What a lot of people who haven’t been around bands don’t realize is that it isn’t just the few hours onstage on a Saturday night once or twice a month. There are many, many more hours of practice during the week involved in raising your art to the level that you and your fans expect. Just as well, what a lot of people who aren’t new parents don’t realize is that you don’t get those years back if you miss ‘em. The reaction of the rest of the band to this comes in typical DEADLOCK fashion. “We’re brothers,” says Chris Lembach and rather than usher in a couple plug-in replacements, they’re laying the name down for now, with the grace & dignity of a knight resting his sword on the mantle. As Gray himself said, and I paraphrase, he's not hanging this stuff up for good. Somewhere down the line, I have a very strong feeling that DEADLOCK will take the stage again. But for now, let’s not rush anything like that. Let’s be grateful for the killer shows these guys have done and tip our hats to Doug & Gray for doing what they need to do. The DEADLOCK family will always be here.

NOTES: DEADLOCK’s last show, again, will be at The Barn in Carney, MD (I-695 Exit 31N), April 16, 2010. SHIFT (Jeff, Steve, Doug & Chris’ all-original metal band with Rich Davis on axe as well) are actually working on new material as a follow-up to 2006’s massive “Creating A Monster”). In addition, CORE (Jeff, Steve & Chris) will continue to do some shows. Their 3-piece format is excellent, culling material from the likes of Zeppelin, Hendrix, The Police, etc. and are playing next @ Reckless Rick’s in Glen Burnie, MD on March 26, 2010. As even more good news, Jeff Caudle & Steve Shaffer will also be doing more of their acoustic shows at venues around the Baltimore area.

http://www.myspace.com/deadlockmd
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=2361831622#!/group.php?gid=131421030392
SHIFT review on the Realm: http://raysrealm.blogspot.com/2009/09/montrous-discovery.html

Top 10 Discs Have Been Mailed Out!!!

2010-03-10T19:37:00.000-08:00

The Raysrealm 2009 CD has been mailed out to all of those who sent in a Top 10 and included their mailing address. You will see it in your mailbox presently, and the track listing is in the order below (which basically represents a track from each of my Top 10 albums of the year). Enjoy and explore! Let's see what we come up with for 2010! It's already started out good and there's still nearly 10 full months to go!!! I'm hoping to get more and more people interested in reading Raysrealm, so keep contacting bands and letting other's know about the site. Any questions you have, any comments or suggestions, just keep 'em coming in. This site is as much your's as it is mine, so I'm all ears...well, my nose is kinda big too.....

1. ADMIRAL OF BLACK – “High Noon” from “The Hand Of Chaos”

2. ANVIL CHORUS – “Man Made Machines” from “The Killing Sun”

3. THE CHURCH – “Deadman’s Hand” from “Untitled # 23”

4. RIPPER – “Driller” from “The Dead Have Rizen”

5. OSIBISA – “Ayioko” from “Osee Yee”

6. CORY CASE – “Dressed In White” from “Waiting On A Remedy”

7. MORGLBL – “The Monster Within Me” from “Jazz For The Deaf”

8. THE MISHAPS – “Thorr Hammer” from “The Mishaps”

9. THE GRAVIATORS – “Keep ‘Em Coming” from “The Graviators”

10. COLOSSUS – “The Mountain That Rides” from “Drunk On Blood”

Grand Halls 45

2010-03-07T18:37:00.000-08:00

C.I.A. – “Top Secret” 4-song 7” EP – (Fatdaddy, 1981) – Whoa! This is a small package, but man is it killer! When I heard “Top Secret,” I was floored, not only by the heaviness spewing out of the speakers but also by the super-obscurity of the piece itself. A little background is in order. Way back when, in the 1980-era, a Baltimore (hometown!) cover band called Rock-It ws slugging it out on the bar circuit. They featured blonde-haired guitarist Fred Vanover, bassist William Walker and drummer Rich Beavers. They were also fronted by a singer named John Bieski, who used to work at Record & Tape Collector, your’s truly’s former place of employment. Rock-It was a cover band and they did some totally jacked-up versions of great classics like “Wishing Well” and “Too Rolling Stoned.” The latter would go off on a 7-8 minute guitar solo by Fred that would make the hair (I actually had some then) stand up on end. The guy was a god and, although it’s almost 30 years back, those nights down at the Rocky Point Inn were special. Time went by and Rock-It seemed to fade from the scene but about a year later, word came down about a new band called C.I.A. with Vanover, Walker and Beavers being joined by a new vocalist. With very little warning, this group issued a 4-song EP and did at least a couple live shows, one that I luckily attended at Coast-To-Coast in West Baltimore.

Looking at the “Top Secret” EP, it’s amazing now, how rare it looks! To begin with, it comes in a 7” sleeve that is at least ¼ inch taller than the standard size. The thick cover is strangely made, in that it’s kind of hard to tell what is supposed to be the front and back. On the side where the opening faces the right (usually the “front”) is a black & white photo of the band members (plus some other dude!) sitting around a conference table and dressed in suits. They’re also sporting short haircuts, I guess to live up to the C.I.A. image. Below the photo is the title “Top Secret” in a rectangular box. Flip the cover over and there’s a large, round logo in blue. It’s a take-off on the official C.I.A. seal, with an eagle in the center clutching a guitar & bass and with a Ludwig drum logo emblazoned across it’s chest. This cover alone would make for a killer piece but reach inside and you’ll find a 10-page booklet revealing not only the lyrics to all 4 cuts, but great b/w photos of the band in the studio. Other pertinent information is listed as well, such as the name of the new vocalist, Randy Meadows.

Of course, the music is what counts however, so what’s the story there? The answer is GREAT! Side One kicks off with “Devil Cashes In.” This is a ripping, fast-paced assault, perfectly mirroring the NWOBHM that was flourishing across the pond at that very moment. Hacking riffs and searing lead runs merge with Meadow’s rough-yet-melodic vocals to mark one of the very few times true metal emerged from Baltimore at that time. After this 4-minute call to arms, C.I.A. finish off Side One of the EP with one of the most gut-level grinders you’ll ever hear, “Scramble Out Of Town.” The riff here is likely to peel the paint off most walls within a 100 mile radius. Side Two opens with “What Did I Do,” a more hard rock & roll number that, while probably the most uneventful cut on offer, is still head-and-shoulders above a lot of other tracks you’ll hear called “great.” But, as you may have guessed, C.I.A. saves the best for last with the 6+ minute “Heavy Box.” Telling an eerie tale about finding a buried Pandoran artifact, this one stands among some of the greatest doomy metal classics of all-time, right up there with the best of Legend, Pagan Altar and April 16th. Fred Vanover and Randy Meadows are godly on axe and vocals respectively and you will get guaranteed chills every time.

Sadly, C.I.A. faded into total obscurity after issuing this massive local private gem and doing maybe one handful of live shows (in which they actually played in business suits!). If anybody, anywhere knows of this band or their record or, better yet, has any contact info on band member, I’d really love to hear from you. As a rather sad (for me!) footnote, I also am in need of another copy of this masterpiece myself, as the one I’d kept became a victim of water damage a few years back. I Spy

A Prize In Every Box

2010-03-05T20:19:00.001-08:00

CORSAIR – “Alpha Centauri” CD EP ’10 (Private, US) – Funniest thing anybody ever mailed me anything in was a cereal box. And not just any old cereal box, mind you. It was a CD sent to me by a cat in Japan about 15 year ago. He’d packed that bad boy up in a single-serving-size box of whatever the Japanese version of Cocoa Puffs is. Here’s this yellow cardboard thing with an illustration of a bright-eyed Japanese child eating his wholesome breakfast doused in milk and on the inside was a recording of caustic black metal. Talk about false (but cool!) advertising! Anyway, it’s been awhile since a package gave me pause right as it came out of the mailbox. CORSAIR’s did. Now don’t get me wrong, this was no Oriental breakfast food, but when you’ve seen as many brown padded envelopes as this old soul has, it stood out. Basically it was a CD-sized object, but wrapped in green construction paper so bright I wasn’t sure if it was radioactive or just the product of an overzealous Irishman early for St. Paddy’s Day. Glued to the front was what seemed to be a purposely oddly-cut mailing label. My instincts immediately told me “These guys are different.”

Upon opening the striking parcel and playing it’s contents, I amended that prediction slightly: “These 3 guys and a lady are different.” CORSAIR are from Charlottesville, Virginia and are made up of: Paul Sebring – guitar & vox, Marie Landragin – guitar & vox, Jordan Brunk – bass & vox and Leigh Ann Leary –drums (Aaron Lipscombe took up the drum stool some time after this recording). The former 3 were members of a Black Sabbath tribute band called Mass Sabbath and being able to crank out the Tony-written riffs is surely a jumping-off-point. Believe me, however, that’s not the half of it.

“Alpha Centauri” opens with the instrumental “Skykrakken” and with it’s myriad changes, it serves as a sort of overture for what will follow. Beginning on a rawkin’ riff laced with harmony lead flourishes, it then segues into a groove worthy of Thin Lizzy’s “Don’t Believe A Word” before morphing to Sabbathy plunder just bathed in melody. Fellow VA natives Valkyrie come to mind in the rustic overtone here.

Without skipping a beat, CORSAIR advise us to “Beware, The Black Fleet.” This one starts on a heavy Southern rock-style crunch and throaty vocals that combine for an early Point Blank feel. Think “Free Man.” Yes, it’s that good. A way-cool rhythm shift points the way to a lead guitar trade-off where Sebring and Landragin each adopt clearly distinctive tones, just like Glenn & KK in the old Priest days.

If CORSAIR don’t have you hooked by this time, it’s now that they’re going to…and reel you in like the helpless metal mackerel you are! “Last Night On Earth” begins subtly, in the tradition of all the great dark metal ballads, with masterful acoustic work and vocals draped in feeling. A poignant tale about an astronaut bidding a final farewell to his home, it features a chorus so friggin’ emotional that the hairs will stand up on your arm. If that isn’t enough, however, the entry notes into the guitar solo are just beyond-ridiculous heavy and the lengthy lead itself gives a nod to the classic handed down by Tipton in “Beyond The Realms Of Death.”

Next comes “Space Is A Lonely Place,” obviously the next chapter in the concept of “Alpha Centauri.” Having it’s birth in a haunting, yes, spacey intro, it then explodes with a kick-ass Lizzy-styled riff, angling into a slower burn with more searing twin guitar harmonies. The individual soloing to follow is devastatingly plaintive, again alternating between a sharp Gibson bite and the sweet liquid tone of a Strat. Why am I thinking of Priest’s “Run Of The Mill?!”

CORSAIR bring their voyage to a close with the instrumental “Starcophagus.” Somehow, they manage to combine guitar lines that are both dazzlingly intricate and yet super catchy all in one impressive package. Again, I’m reminded of Valkyrie’s “Man Of Two Visions” here. The eerie spoken-word section at around 3:45 only serves to heighten the depth and mood.

Without a doubt, CORSAIR’s “Alpha Centauri” is the biggest out-of-left-field surprise of the year so far. But don’t think my admiration stops there. It may also be early 2010’s best overall. Now, where are those Cocoa Puffs? I’ve worked a hell of an appetite with this one! Highway Corsair

http://www.myspace.com/skykrakken

Rise Unto Martin

2010-03-05T20:04:00.000-08:00

BLINDSTONE – “Rise Above” CD ’10 (Grooveyard, Den) – I think I alluded to it before, but it bears repeating: there’s a helluva lot of “blindness” going on around The Realm these days. From the Blindside Blues Band to me being blindsided by the Gallows Pole LP to now, this newest release from Denmark’s BLINDSTONE, I’m starting to think about Laskik Surgery. Well, the fact of the matter is, it’s pretty clear that we’ve had some real visionaries lately and Martin J. Andersen (guitar, vocals) is no exception. (BLINDSTONE is completed by Jesper Bunk – bass & Anders Hvidtfeldt – drums).

See, (oh come on!) I’d love to say that the 3rd time’s the charm for BLINDSTONE but if you’ve read the reviews of their previous 2 records on this site (see November ’08 blog), you’ll know they hit the ground motoring. That’s not to say that “Rise Above” doesn’t see this trio continue to stoke the fires even higher, however. Put an ear to the title cut and see what I mean. It’s a smokin’ cross between classic Mountain and something a lot more current-day, and the meeting of the ages works wonders in it’s 10-ton riff. Plus, right off the bat, I love the fact that axeman Andersen is cool enough to let King’s X man Ty Tabor (who also mastered the disc) take the solo in the very first song. Ty’s laid-back lead action here smolders like a campfire at an Eagle Scout convention & opens the door for Martin, who let’s loose like mad on the rest of the disc.

“New Direction,” for instance, brings a stop-start Zep “Presence” groove to the table. And, like that one, “Sonic Motor King” fuses the styles of ‘70’s git-down blues-rock with a modern edge that speaks of melodic thumpers like King’s X and Galactic Cowboys. Even a song like “Horizontal Activity,” with it’s kinda sophomoric lyrics is rendered fresh and vital by the funked-up riffing and Strat-wah lead beating administered by Martin Andersen. And while some might criticize the inclusion of 3 covers on an 11-track album, I’ve got nothing but green lights for these. First off, The Isley’s “Climbing Up The Ladder” sees Martin just set his fretboard on fire…3 different times! Man, this cat can blow! Hendrix’s “House Burning Down” (a real bitch of a number to tackle, as any player will tell you!) sees M.A. teaming up with Paul Halberg to hand down the solo business and “He’s Calling” (Frank Marino) is a surprising AND wicked entry.

Tying the whole thing together are Andersen’s vocals which, while maybe not as devastating as his Strat destruction, are steeped in a rich, bluesy vibe. In conclusion, I can say that BLINDSTONE’s “Rise Above” is not only another 6-string salvo from the guns of Grooveyard but is also the brightest star so far in Martin Andersen’s rising universe. Buy it and “see” what I mean. Third Sight

http://www.grooveyardrecords.com/
http://www.myspace.com/blindstonedenmark

Priority: Re-Focus!

2010-03-05T19:57:00.000-08:00

PRIESTESS – “Prior To The Fire” CD ’09 (Indica, Can) – PRIESTESS kinda came flying in from the north and grabbed me by the balls in late ’05. Their “Hello Master” secured my Top Album spot at the 11th hour and in truth, it looked like there’d be no stopping ‘em from being perennial favourites. To say I was looking forward to Album #2 with baited breath was like saying our neighbors above the border are ok with Molson.

Change scenes quickly to my stepson’s community college. I drop him off there every day and the things that drive me crazy are the…um…traffic calming devices. That is, speed bumps. See, I understand why they have ‘em. Out of a couple gazillion people, a handful think they’re starring in “Death Race 2000” and so…speed bumps. And, my friends, that brings me back to PRIESTESS and their new CD. The point is, while I don’t think “Prior To The Fire” is an unmitigated disaster, it sort of reminds me of driving through that college campus. Every time PRIESTESS gets going, something comes along to slow the progress or send ‘em off course. With “Hello Master,” the band played to their effortless strength in concocting metal songs that were viscerally intense and yet disarmingly simple. It’s a combination that’s fueled some of the very best records since time immemorial – or at least since 1971 – and these guys’ unique blend of stoner/thrash put them in that elite. For some reason, though, with “Prior…,” the band are insistent on showing that they are somehow “progressive.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against some rippin’ prog. After all, I’m buddies with Rick & Roll and I haven’t found “Hemispheres” on a format I’m not in love with, even 8-track. Yet perhaps something PRIESTESS should understand is that just because you’re Canadian it doesn’t mean you’re Rush. So, instead of the hot, punchy classics like “Two Kids” and “Talk To Her” that Mikey Heppner and crew delivered the last time, we now have to sift our way thru overly ornate and frankly confusing fare such as “Communication Via-Eyes,” “It Baffles The Mind” (yes, it does) and the frankly bloated “The Gem” (7:59). An especially irritating thing about this album is the way some of the segues & rhythm changes seem lashed together clumsily with no flow whatsoever. Tony Iommi, for example, was a genius at stopping on a dime, heading off in another direction and still having it groove like mad. Go back to the fast part of “Snowblind” sometime to see what I mean. PRIESTESS try this several times and leave the listener confused by a case of audio whiplash.

That’s not to say that the album is a total failure. It fires up early on with a nice tandem of “Lady Killer” and “Racoon Eyes,” mirroring “Hello Master”s unwavering power. Only too soon, however, the whole thing opens up into a convoluted maze that, at times, disappears up it’s own ass, for lack of a more polite description. It’s puzzling to me why PRIESTESS has taken the route they have with this long-awaited sophomore album. I still believe they could right the ship if they just re-focus on writing good, memorable songs the next time out. If they don’t, however, the 3rd record might just as well be entitled “After The Crash & Burn.” Call For The Priest…Maybe

http://www.myspace.com/priestessband/

Top 10 Discs To Go Out Next Week - Finally!

2010-03-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know, I know. It's been over a month now since the results of the 2009 (and most successful yet) Ray's and Readers' Top 10 Poll came rolling in and now...finally...the "thank you's" I promised you all will FINALLY be going out in the mail next week. I thank all of you for not only taking part in the poll this year, but for your patience in waiting quietly by your mailbox for your gift to arrive. What you'll find in the packet will be a CD with one song each from my Top 10 albums of the year. Hopefully this will not only strike you as a pretty kick-ass listen but will also turn you onto some bands you may not have heard before and, in turn help everybody in the food chain! I'll publish a track-listing for the discs as soon as they hit the Post Office this coming week, so stay tuned...

Grand Halls 44

2010-02-28T18:42:00.000-08:00

GALLOWS POLE – “In Rock We Trust” 1982 (CBS, Austria) – Blind-sided. (Seems to be a theme around The Realm lately!). That’s what I was by this record. I had no idea of it’s existence until around 1997 when it showed up in my mailbox but since then I’ve probably played it a couple thousand times. It struck me, after the first few of those myriad listens, that my thoughts began to revolve around the notion that I had my all-time obscure Top 10 to do over again. I wasn’t sure what would get the ax, but I was pretty sure this one would knock something clear out of the Top 5 anyway. But enough of all that happy horseshit. Let’s get to the real deal. GALLOWS POLE was from Austria and they released their debut “In Rock We Trust” on CBS Records (out of Holland, catalog # 25009, for what it’s worth) in 1982. The first thing you’re probably thinking is “Ok, if this came out on CBS, why didn’t I see copies of it all over the place back then when metal imports were selling like hotcakes in the early ‘80’s?” Well, much like the exalted 1980 Brats LP (pre-Mercyful Fate, which saw issue on CBS as well), “major label” does not necessarily equal “large press.” In truth, while I don’t have exact numbers, it’s a fairly certain that this was one of those limited issues that the label never really got behind, was lost in the shuffle and probably got deleted quickly. Despite the great gatefold sleeve, the cover of the album provides a frustratingly meager amount of information. There are not even any band members listed! The following IS stated, however: “All songs written by A.M.B. Produced by GALLOWS POLE and R.S. Recorded at Workhouse Studios, London. Recording engineer: Laurie Latham.”

But what about the music itself, the very work that has made this record such a favourite of mine over the years since it’s arrival in my collection? Let’s take a tour. Side One starts with “I’m A Loser,” and the song certainly is not one either! Opening with an acoustic intro, the first thing that stands out is the singer’s voice. This guy does not have any kind of operatic, Geoff Tate-inspired tone. What he does possess, however, is just a killer mid-range, augmented by a rich European accent. Within seconds the band kicks in. The cut is sure as hell nothing complicated, merely comprised of straight-ahead chunky riffing. The lyrics tell a woe-be-gone story of being “drunk again” as the band powers through an immensely catchy 5 minutes, nicely appointed by some scorching albeit to-the-point lead guitar. We’re talking ‘70’s styled metal at it’s best. Up next is “Abyss.” This one begins in a totally doom-inflected manner, with the vocalist singing over a slow eerie riff. Lyrics about such things as the “banner with the sword” lend a very medieval feel to the proceedings and the band easily shifts back and forth between the aforementioned slow rhythm and an up-tempo one. The lead guitar work is burning in this 5 ½ minute classic. Make a careful note that when I say “burning” I don’t mean that in the sense of the “million notes a second” modern style. What I do mean is fewer but more meaningful notes, played with a passion and intensity that says a thousand words. “Whiskey” follows next. It’s a short one, at 3:13, but killer just the same, kind of a funk-metal riff with more great guitar work. Then, drawing Side One to a close is the awesome “Welcome Song.” Clocking in at 6:02, this is one of those magical ballads that, because of it’s atmospherics and deep, timeless feel is actually “heavier” than the hard-riffing cuts other bands produce. More intriguing lyrical themes dwell within this gem, delivered with pure feeling by a singer who’s talents seem to grow exponentially with every utterance. He’s like a lot of the great ‘70’s crooners who were not technically perfect but who made indelible marks the minute they opened their mouths.

The track that opens Side Two is not only the album’s tour de’ force but is, quite honestly, one of the greatest songs I have ever heard in my entire life. It makes me think of a description that Rudo Anvimeister, editor of the late/great ‘80’s metal zine Suck City used once when speaking about a big fave of his. Yes, “In Rock We Trust,” weighing in at 10:44 is an absolutely massive tree stump of genius. There it sits, a long, wide grizzled piece of art, sprawling half-way across Side Two, spreading twisted and gnarled roots into every area of pulverizing heaviness and melodic acoustic fare. I could try to break this number down into all it’s various components, going into detail about mellow sections, crushing riffdom, all the rhythm changes and so forth. However, I’ll boil it down to the “fist in the air” quotient, a stage that I am seldom taken to by things musical, especially these days. Somewhere around the halfway point, during which “I.R.W.T.” segues into one of it’s heavier riffs, the singer most forcefully intones “Hang ‘em from the highest tree, is all I’ve got to say!” As many times as I’ve heard this song, I cannot be present for this part without singing along, my fist pumping in the air. At 52 years old and with all the records/songs I’ve heard, it takes a lot to bring that out and this masterpiece has it in spades.

It would be a good guess that after a devastating presentation like “In Rock We Trust,” the rest of Side Two would probably come off like a humungous let-down. The truth is that while the remaining three cuts here are all short and to the point, they are all varied, interesting and great enough to supply a fittingly strong denouement. “Lonely Road” is the first to pick up the gauntlet laid down by it’s intimidating predecessor and it equals the charge by going in a totally different direction. This one is a short (2:51) hard rock boogie, driven on by it’s butt kicking guitar solo. The lead axe here reminds me a little of that by Andy Powell in Wishbone Ash’s “Blowin’ Free.” Following hot on it’s heels is “Only The Night,” a 3 ½ minute late ‘70’s styled goodie that could act as a sister song to Side One’s “Abyss.” Maybe not quite as doomy as the latter, it still displays a feel that is quite moody and heavy at once. The record is finally brought to a mighty conclusion with a pounding three minutes entitled “Memories.” The guitar soloing here is arguably the best on the record. In fact the point during the lead break where the backing rhythm changes from fast to grinding is one of those moments that raises the goose bumps every time. It’s a physiological effect that’s hastened on additionally by another frighteningly powerful vocal performance.

In summary, GALLOWS POLE’s “In Rock We Trust” is just “one of those albums.” Truthfully, it’s somewhat difficult to present a clear and fair description of it in the context of a review for one very good reason. You may have noticed that, throughout the course of my write-up, I didn’t give many comparisons to other bands or albums. It’s for the simple reason that I really can’t think of that many and that is about the highest compliment you can pay to any record – originality. In fact, creating music that is straight-forward enough in structure to be memorable, yet still highly unique may be the most difficult thing to do of all. GALLOWS POLE managed to do this in 1982 at the highest level of their art. The record is absolutely, completely and utterly indispensible for any hard rock and/or metal fan! Pole Axed Out And Burnt

NOTE: Of note is the fact that, during the period of 1989-2008, various line-ups of GALLOWS POLE produced 3 more albums, each of which was decent but nothing on the level of “In Rock We Trust.” However, the greater news is that 2010 is seeing the release of a brand new record, “Revolution,” which has reportedly brought back the style of the masterpiece above. If that’s the case, it would be awesome and I’m waiting for a copy of this with baited breath.

See what GALLOWS POLE has available for your purchase at:
http://www.myspace.com/gallowspolerockband/

Blindside...NOT The Movie

2010-02-26T18:59:00.000-08:00

BLINDSIDE BLUES BAND – “Raised On Rock” CD ’10 (Grooveyard, US) – There was a problem that I had as a teenager which I will now briefly discuss. It developed shortly after I began attempting to play guitar and continued on for quite a time. The gist of the issue was the fact that I wanted to be Leslie West. Now, don’t get me wrong. I was of a slight build back then and any effort I would have made to actually look like The Great Fatsby would’ve involved eating an entire additional human being. No, I wanted to play guitar like him and so, long summer afternoons were spent in my bedroom, studying a bootleg 8-track tape of “Flowers Of Evil” that I’d bought at Ocean City for $ 2. I hung on every squawking false harmonic, every blistering distorted rhythm, every bluesy lick and tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to emulate them. A shocking time came for me when Mountain fragmented in the early ‘70’s. Leslie & Corky Laing (drums) hooked up with ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce and I bought their ’72 debut “Why Dontcha” with some trepidation in Pappalardi’s absence. The trepidation vanished when I heard what would become one of my favourite tracks of all time, the monstrous “Love Is Worth The Blues.” It was a seething, heavy slow-paced crusher that, in truth, borrowed heavily from The Stones’ “Play With Fire” (enough that WBL would later do the song live using Mick’s lyrics). It’s caustic riff would also burst forth from my own guitar more than any other during 1972.

And so, that brings us to the BLINDSIDE BLUES BAND. You see, a quick gander at their new disc “Raised On Rock” will yield the knowledge that sitting at Track # 10 position is none other than a cover of “Love Is Worth The Blues.” What this does is instantly make me a fan of Mike Onesko (guitar, vocals and mastermind of this unit). Let’s just say that “L.I.W.T.B.” is not going to show up in the all-time top 10 of most-covered rock songs. Therefore, the fact that this cat understands what a motherfriggin’ beast it is made me want to buy a t-shirt with his visage emblazoned on the front before I even heard the record. But, I did put the CD in and instantly got my ass kicked by the title track. Ironically, the spectre of things Stone-ish raises it's head pronto with the “Can You Hear Me Knockin’” slide intro…and we’re off to the races. “Night Train” follows right behind with a mean, almost Montrose-kinda riff. Tasty lead fills abound all over the place, highlighting the powerful mid-range vocals belted out by Mr. Onesko. The dueling lead breaks by he and co-six-string conspirator Scott Johnson are lethal and Emery Ceo (drums) & Kier Staeheli (bass) are Church/Carmassi-solid. Listen to the section where they step to the fore around 3:39. That’s tight, bro! Through 12 cuts here the quartet builds on a solid blues base but mixes things up so as to produce a widely varied and immensely entertaining butt-kick of a listen. Check out the rambunctious & scorching “Bury The Axe.” Holy shit, Mike & Scott are ripping here. How ‘bout the grueling “War In The Streets” or “Take You Down,” where I’m hearing more vintage Montrose-styled riffing again. Still I can’t stop jamming on the 17+ minute climax of “Born With The Blues” (the guitarists both HAD to need treatment for friction burns after this one!) and the aforementioned “Love Is Worth The Blues.” Maybe I’ll get out my guitar again, cause after hearing this one, I think I want to be Mike Onesko…at least I won’t have to eat as much. Raised On Leslie

http://www.grooveyardrecords.com/
http://www.myspace.com/blindsidebluesband/
http://www.mikeoneskoband.com/

Grand Halls 43

2010-02-25T21:11:00.000-08:00

HELLTRAIN – “Rock ‘N’ Roll Devil” CD ’08 (Jimmy Franks, Swe) – What is it about some things? I knew a guy from New Orleans, ya know, it wasn’t Drew Brees or anything, but it was this dude and he seemed to have some kinda backwater, Cajun vibe. He told me “Ray, some things is just what they is. They’s got more than dem other things, yup?” That ain’t no double talk, honcho, that’s real and I know exactly what he meant. Some things almost take on a life of their own and this CD by Sweden’s HELLTRAIN is one of ‘em. Some of it involves Ray being a fucking idiot but then again, a lot of things involve that so pull up a chair, sit down and grab a brew. We’re gonna have us some fun tonight.

Sometime in the late spring of 2009, me, myself and a guy called I made one of our few pilgrimages to The Sound Garden in Fells Point, MD. Now don’t get me wrong. I love The Sound Garden but it’s not that close to where I live, the parking can be iffy if you can’t get on the lot and I have to set aside a good 2 or 3 hours when I go so I can look thru everything. Music-aholic here, you understand. I’m addicted to music-ahol. Ok, what-the-fuck-ever. Thing is, I’m in there, hunkering down over the “Metal” section. I can go fast, too, flipping CD’s like a demon and still seeing every one. But now I’m stopping and looking at this one: HELLTRAIN. Anything with “hell” in it is usually worth a 2nd look, right? Red & black, that’s their color scheme. And a picture of a goat! Goats are always cool, aren’t they? Just ask Cronos. So, I do the logical thing and…keep right on going and forget about HELLTRAIN. Next thing you know, I’m driving home and thinking to myself, “I read about that HELLTRAIN band somewhere…” So, the months roll on, the summer comes and goes, then there’s autumn with it’s chill in the air & swirling leaves…and another trip to The Sound Garden. Damn if I’m not brought up short by that same disc again and…damn if I don’t keep right on going again, this time picking up a few things from the “Psych” section, etc. “Gotta keep that HELLTRAIN in mind, though” I think. Now we flash forward to current times. I’m trolling around the net and suddenly find myself staring into the unblinking eye of a review of HELLTRAIN’s “Rock ‘N’ Roll Devil” on my buddy Racer’s Ripple Effect. THAT was where I’d seen that review and, dang but I must’ve had my thumb up my ass and all the way to my brain the first time I read it or I’d’ve had the sense to buy this sumbitch by now.

So, no problem, right? Now I know that daggone CD is good, I’ll just call Traders (about 10 miles closer to my house), see if they have a copy, put it on hold and grab it over the weekend. Um…one problem. I call over there and find out that “we don’t even think we can order that anymore.” Shit! All the sudden, it doesn’t seem to matter that I need to take a check to our tax people in Towson by 2:00 PM. All the sudden, it doesn’t matter that I have to pick up my son from school in Essex at 1:30. All the sudden, it doesn’t matter that the new High On Fire came out today and Best Buy has it for $ 7.99. Well, it does matter about the HOF, but that’ll be there…all 1,000 copies that BB Sales Associate Brittany just put up on the rack. Now, Ray is a man on a mission. I’ve been briefed! I’ve yet to even hear one note of HELLTRAIN’s repertoire but Racer has spoken. I’m convinced that the only copy of this fucking CD anywhere near my gnarled clutches is sitting on a shelf in Fells Point, MD and even as I speak, some clueless dolt is about to pick it up and buy it as a First Communion gift for his girlfriend’s nephew. I race back to the computer, desperate, and check Amazon. “Currently unavailable.” I look at my watch. I eye the door and my van in the driveway, teetering as it is without an exhaust system, ready to break down and riding on tires with the cords showing. “Why the hell not?!” I yell and race to the helm, armed with the knowledge that if I get every green light, watch for every cop, that I can make it down there, save this disc from a horrible fate of being bought by a non-deserving “layman” and still make my afternoon appointments by the skin of my pathetic ass.

Of course, you know the outcome, right? I made it. I FUCKING MADE IT!!! I got the CD, got home that night, threw it in the Realm-O-Matic and…fell fast asleep, exhausted from driving about 200 miles in an hour and a half in a minivan belching smoke and rubber. Now, it’s one night later and I’m awake…wide awake. I press “Play” and all is right with the world. HELLTRAIN don’t so much as come rawking out of the earbuds, they more so take a rusty dagger and plunge it into my ear canals, grinning like undertakers as they do. Pardon me while I digress, but have I ever told you about my dog? He’s a mixed breed, part Border Collie, part Shepherd, part…oh sod it, he’s just a dog and his name’s Kalle Metz. That is, he’s named after the original voice of one of Sweden’s greatest bands (and one of my all-time faves), Tenebre. My friends, the singer for HELLTRAIN sounds like Kalle Metz if he gargled rusty screws that fell out of the carburetor of an old Studebaker. The guitarists have all the subtlety of desperate men wielding chainsaws at a Baptist revival and the rhythm section play as though this is what keeps them from murdering on a regular basis. But you know what’s most amazing? From the title cut on, these 10 songs have all the melody and catchiness of the most engaging pop song you’ve ever heard. Taking a recipe of whiskey-soaked rawk, pouring a fifth of death metal all over it and then dousing it with a liberal dose of rock-a-billy hot sauce, HELLTRAIN have made THE best record of 2008 that I never even heard that year. From the very first knuckle-busting downstroke of that title song, through the gloriously-titled “Great Halls Of Fire,” coming down the homestretch with “I Am The Misfit” and finally slamming into the wall in a hail of broken glass, amps cranked to 11 and flames from a sonic meth lab explosion, this is pure genius. I guess I’ll pick up that High On Fire disc someday. A Real Rock & Roll Train, Angus
NOTE: Look at these guys’ myspace address below…Jesus, is that great or what?!

http://www.myspace.com/punkassrotnroll/

Irritation Factory

2010-02-25T19:21:00.000-08:00

FEAR FACTORY – “Mechanize” CD ’10 (Candlelight, US) – I’ll be the first to admit that I have very little history with FEAR FACTORY. In fact, it would not be incorrect to say that I knew nothing about them before hearing this disc. The descriptions I’d heard of them being very clinical, technical and well, yes, “mechanized” sounding had done little to inspire my interest. And so, finally 2010 has come along. I happened to read a pre-release review of this one and, learning that the band’s original guitarist had returned to the fold for what was to be a “real return to form” I suddenly had the urge to part with $ 9.99 at Best Buy and bought this. To this date, after 3 listens, I am convinced that I actually must’ve been confused, shuffled into The Home Depot and purchased some sort of power tool. “Mechanize” is, without question, one of the most aptly titled records I have ever heard in my entire life. From pillar to post I do not hear one note, one single iota of sound that indicates it has been produced by human beings. Every single song sounds so cold, emotionless and sucked dry of feeling that regardless of how “heavy” it is, it is completely devoid of impact except to be massively irritating. I defy anyone to sit and listen to this damn thing all the way through and then tell me truthfully that they enjoyed what they heard. Damn, Gene Hoglan (drums) was a god in Dark Angel and I absolutely loved “Darkness Descends.” And yet here…Christ, he is probably the most annoying thing of all, his ridiculously stupid drum histrionics sounding more like someone running a riveting machine than playing a musical instrument. If you like this band, for whatever reason, I’m sorry to have burst your bubble but after taking a chance and spending $ 10 on this unmitigated piece of shit I felt like I needed to get this off my chest. Can’t See Their Error

Grand Halls 42

2010-02-22T17:24:00.000-08:00

XCURSION – “Ready To Roll” 1984 (Rampage, US) – First of all, I have to preface this by saying that this is one of the odder rarities that has come my way over the years, but also surely a great one. If I said the name “Mark Slaughter” to you, what would come to mind? Probably the commercially-oriented hard rock band he fronted during the late ‘80’s who made quite a splash on MTV, right? So you’re saying “How does that fit in with the usual Grand Halls fare, Ray? What’s coming next, reviews of White Lion & Poison records?” My answer would be, if anybody in those bands has something like this hanging in their closet, I’ll sure as hell write about it too! Actually, XCURSION made their vinyl debut in 1983 with a self-titled EP (on the Rampage imprint) that was issued in a limited edition red wax format. The band includes: Mark Slaughter – guitar, vocals; Rex Rumley – bass, backing vocals; Anthony White – drums, vocals. The EP is composed of 4 cuts that are ok ‘80’s metal, nothing to write home about, with kind of a light guitar sound. It’s now still fairly common, going for small numbers in catalogs. I wouldn’t spend $20 or anything, but if you see it for a few bucks, it’s probably worth it for a cut like “Mouthful Of Steel.”

XCURSION went on, however, to issue the full-length album “Ready To Roll” in 1984 (once again on this Rampage label). The cover photo here is quite interesting in that it shows the band (same 3 guys) looking quite the prettied-up rock stars, in white suits and piles of hairspray. In fact, you’d probably be expecting the 2nd coming of Angel but there are no keyboards here. The title cut gets things going with some up-tempo riffing, plenty of melody and a chorus that reminds me of a bit more mellow version of Riot’s “Hot For Love.” The backing vocals here and throughout the album, pop-like mingled with hard rock guitar, remind me a lot of some of the vintage Sweet material, something I instantly like. “Until We Meet Again” is one of the only 2 real “commercial” cuts on offer, a bit rock-&-roll-ish but with quite a heavy pre-chorus riff. With “Too Fast,” however, all hell breaks loose! This is ripping power metal at it’s best, fast motorized riffing and a totally shredding lead guitar solo that kicks major butt. It’s amazing to know that this is Mark Slaughter, playing metal guitar like a madman…apparently most people only knew one side of this guy! “Over The Edge” continues this break-neck power assault with more scalding riffs and leads. Think back to Sweet cuts like “Sweet F.A.” and the like! Cool as hell. Side One comes to a close with “Ladies Of The Night,” kind of a cross between mid-period Priest and Starz around “Violation.” Slaughter goes off big time on the solo here and the bass work is not far behind.

Side Two of “Ready To Roll” opens with “Never Again.” It starts with a deceptive acoustic ballad-style intro then turns into an excellent melodic power metal gem. Next, XCURSION opens up the jets again and kicks into another butt-kicker, “Tear It Down.” Fast and furious, you look at the album cover again, then listen to this song and say “What the hell?!” “Solid As A Rock” is easily the most commercial song on the record and it’s kinda obvious that it, along with “Until We Meet…” were aimed at possible airplay. Not bad, just not killer. “Mind Over Matter,” however, is killer!!! This is my favourite cut on the album. It starts as a mid-paced chunker with a super catchy chorus, then midway it erupts into a hell-bent fast paced rhythm over which Slaughter lays down a completely wicked, ear-splitting guitar solo. At the end of his finger-frying run, the rhythm kicks back into the mid-paced grind and Mark continues to wail for awhile longer, proving just what an unknown fretsman he was. “Ridin’ High” brings the record to close and it reminds me of what it would’ve sounded like if Sweet had done a version of Priest’s “Steeler.” Really great stuff, I love it!

All in all, I must be honest in saying that if all you love is doom or death metal, this album is probably not going to be your cup of sunshine. But if you’re like me and love melodic power metal (among many other things, which is why I’m fucking broke!) XCURSION’s “Ready To Roll” is a real treat. Of course, as you might expect, this record is super rare and you can figure on paying in 3 figures for an original copy. On the other hand, there have been at least a couple re-issues (legitimate or not) that can be tracked down cheaper or, think about it this way: you could go out and buy 15 or 20 current-day CD’s and, in a lot of cases, have nothing but a pile of worthless plastic in your hands, know what I mean. High Roller, Baby, She Is

Power Soak

2010-02-20T17:27:00.000-08:00

MOUNTAIN OF POWER – “Volume Two” CD ’10 (Grooveyard, Swe) – “My mind rolls back the years, long time ago.” These were the words sung by Steve Walsh on Kansas’ plundering “Lonely Street” from 1975’s “Song For America” and they come to mind when thinking about this 2nd disc from MOUNTAIN OF POWER. Wanna know why? Wow, I thought you’d never ask! See, back in the mists of time…let’s say the late ‘70’s/early ‘80’s…I used to get together with the ol’ posse…Andre’, Doug & Dan…after a hard day of work in the record store. That day would typically have included eating a couple large pizzas, drinking 3 large Cokes and maybe 6 beers and trying to chat up the tight-jeaned, halter-top-wearing female metal fans who would wander in. Having been suitably exhausted by such a trying day, I’d ring up the other 3 musketeers and we’d go out cruising in the ’79 Malibu. Our search was simple: good-looking women and better-sounding music. We rarely found the former. Or should I say, we found them but they ignored us. Of course, when you consider the fact that we looked like a motley collection of a male version of Tracey Chapman, Dave Holland, the keyboardist from Quarterflash and some bit actor from an Italian western, it was no wonder. We did, on the other hand, occasionally find the latter. It came in haunts with names like The Seagull Inn, The Sandbar or Mack & Myers and took the form of bands like Deceiver, Rockit and Attack. These groups would man the boards with set-lists that included the heavy rock fare of the day, songs like “Hell Bent For Leather,” “Three Mile Smile” and “Highway To Hell.” What upped the ante was that every so often, once or twice a set, they’d reach back into what seemed like Ray’s own magic juke box and pull out a more obscure gem that would flatten our asses. Just knowing it was possible to witness the brilliant performance of an underground classic like Saxon’s “Dallas 1 P.M.” or Montrose’s “I Don’t Want It” was enough to keep our rapt attention. On the drive home, then, we’d relish those moments and then wonder what it would be like to find a cover band who did full sets of such wondrous non-mainstream crushdom. It’s now 2010 and MOUNTAIN OF POWER has risen to complete our Marshall-driven fantasy.

It’s not really fair to say that MOUNTAIN OF POWER has just shown up in 2010 as their eponymous disc hit the streets 4 years ago. Still, with this 2nd installment, the mountain is rising to epic proportions. MOP has it’s foundation in Janne Stark (guitar & bass) and TrumPeter Svensson (drums). Savvy rawkers will recognize Stark’s name from his tenures in brilliant bands like Overdrive & Locomotive Breath where his scalding guitar work has presided over albums like “Swords & Axes” and “Change Of Track.” Svensson also has served in Loco Breath, besides killing the skins in ‘80’s doom kings Mercy, Faith and a host of other drum summits. Along with James Collins (drums on 3 tracks here), the MOUNTAIN also brings to the table the talents of a host of guitarists & singers that read like a who’s-who of the heavy rawk elite. Crooners who lay down the business involve names like: Paul Shortino, Jarrod England, Martin J. Andersen and David Fremberg, among others. Some of the axe slingers who join Stark in solo frenzy include luminaries such as: Craig Erickson, Joe Romagnola, Ty Tabor & Clas Yngstrom. You’re getting the idea already, right? To quote David Byrne, this ain’t no disco. This ain’t no fooling around.

See folks, if just the axe-ripping, lung-busting line-up isn’t enough to send you scurrying for your wallet, wait until you take a gander at the list of bludgeon riffola these cats are rolling out as ambrosia for your kick-ass ears. Sure, some will be more apparent than others, especially to those who haven’t plied the deep underground. Sammy Hagar’s “Urban Guerilla” and the medleys of UFO’s “Reasons Love” / “This Kids” and Pat Travers’ “Makin’ Magic / Makes No Difference” probably bent the FM airwaves a time or 2 back in those late ‘70’s. The real joy for me, however, comes in the lesser-known stuff, handled with such wonderful care here by Stark and Co. “Checkin’ It Out / Sister Madness” by Ozz, Trigger’s “Deadly Weapon” and Uli Jon Roth’s “Indian Dawn.” Are you kidding me, this is fucking awesome! Add to that the phenomenal 11+ minute version of Blackfoot’s Southern opus “I Stand Alone” (the true father of “Highway Song”) that ends this disc and you have a hard rock collector like me in an orgasmic state that could barely be equaled by finding Jill Hennessy in my bed. (Easy, Jennifer, as Aldo Nova would say “Just a fantasy!”). Now of course, the musicianship is top-drawer, the vocals are brilliant throughout and the lead guitar work is something that would beat the word devastating like a red-headed stepchild. Still, the thing that makes this record such a positive joy to listen to time and time again is the way the songs are treated with such immense respect. Through every chord, every note you know that these guys feel the tunes and relate to them and their history with every fiber of their being. Listen to Yngstrom’s lyrical little slide at the beginning of the ZZ’s “Bedroom Thing.” Check out the way Stark & Erickson (among others) speak conversationally with their leads at the end of “I Stand Alone.” This is the pinnacle of obscure hard rock, written by the masters and played by the masters who have not only followed them but understood fully and taken the baton with the utmost reverence…and the desire to kick ass. Funny, but my only regret is that MOUNTAIN OF POWER didn’t lay down the business a lot earlier than they did. Instead of making all those mixed tapes for the car those nights I could’ve just brought “Volume Two” along for the ride. Then I’d’ve had more chance to chat up that blonde from the liquor store. Mountain Climbing
NOTE: Make sure you don’t pass up MOP’s debut release either, featuring some massive takes on cuts by bands you know like Budgie & Mountain not to mention some you may not (but should) like Marcus and Goddo!

http://www.grooveyardrecords.com/

http://www.mountainofpower.com/

Grand Halls 41

2010-02-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

FLATBACKER – “Senso” ’85 (Invitation, Jap) – If you’ve heard the mid-period Japanese Loudness CD’s like “Engine” & “Ghetto Machine,” you’ve heard “The Voice.” Find this baby and hear where he came from! “The Voice” is that of Masaki Yamada, easily one of the greatest metal vocalists of all-time. Like a twisted cross between early Klaus Meine and Udo Dirkschneider in his glory days, this guy combines power and emotion in one awesome package. FLATBACKER was Masaki’s band (before his tenure in Loudness and even before his American debut in E-Z-O, who were also quite good) and there was quite a wallop to them, even besides the man’s killer pipes. From the Motorhead-ish “Hard Blow” (sounds either great or painful, depending!) to the grueling “Banishment” to the Sortilege-like “Camouflage,” these Easterners kicked it. The overall sound is very much that of early ‘80’s Euro-metal and, for that reason alone it’s a winner in my book. On CD from Japan, this should be on the want-list of anyone into bands like H-Bomb, “Restless”-era Accept and yes, early Loudness. FLATBACKER’s 2nd effort, “Esa” is available also and equally kick-ass, so buy, buy, buy! Smoke This Senso

Watch Your Mailbox

2010-02-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

Well, as we spoke about below, 2009 is now in the rearview mirror and we've completed yet another edition of Rays Top 10 Albums and, most importantly, the Reader's Top 10 Albums of the year. As you'll remember, all of you who were so kind as to send in your Top 10's along with your mailing addresses will soon be receiving from me a special "gift" in the mail. This is to thank you all for your participation and interest as well as to spread the word of The Realm and, more importantly to get some exposure for music that may not otherwise receive it. Bear with me for a short time while I get these together and then keep an eye on the old mailbox for your's soon!

OSIBISA FORWARD EVER! The Interview...

2010-02-05T21:20:00.000-08:00

You know what is tremendous fun to me? Having my wife walk in and say, “You know, The Rock came into my work today and asked me out to lunch. But I told him I was married and that my husband is a lot better looking than him anyway. And by the way, I brought us home Ruth’s Chris steaks for dinner and, instead of getting my nails done after work I stopped by Traders and dug through all the bins to find you this copy of BTO’s ‘Street Action’ on CD.” That’s tremendous fun, right there, when that happens. But you know what else is? It’s when I realize I’m into a whole lot of different really good music and can reach into a bunch of different genres to get my jollies. Such is the fun I had when I found out the new OSIBISA album “Osee Yee” is as good as their old stuff. I was turned on, originally, to African music in general & OSIBISA in particular by my old buddy Andre’, and when he told me the latest one was more than a nod to the past, I was there. Brother let me tell you, he was right. The songs all have that insistent rhythmical structure that just makes you wanna jump out of your seat and git-down and the musicianship is right up there with the best, just like Santana did in back in “the day.” It was after grooving heavily on this, one of my favourite albums of 2009, that I decided to contact sax wizard Teddy Osei and get his take on the band, their past, present and future. Teddy proved to be a man of direct words and spirit, so let’s see how it went.

RAY - I’m going to play dumb here. Because, when it comes to the history of OSIBISA, I guess I really am! Am I correct that you’re originally from Africa and then moved to England? Could you give me a little background on yourself as well as how it all led to the formation of the band. Also, what is the origin of the name OSIBISA?

TEDDY – I’m originally from Ghana / West Africa. And so is Sol Amarfio (drums) and Mac Tontoh (trumpet). I was born in Kumasi (the garden city of Ghana). My interest in music started at an early age in school. In my late teens, I formed a highlife band (Comets). Comets recorded several highlife music hits from 1959 to 1962. Then I went to London, UK. I started working on fusion music with Sol and Mac, mixing highlife, jazz, rock, R&B and we were joined by 3 Caribbean musicians: Spartacus R., Wendell Richardson and Robert Bailey and then added Lasisi Amao (from Nigeria). The origin of the name OSIBISA is from Akan rhythm and a song, a tribe in Ghana… OSIBISABA.

RAY - I was turned on to the first 2 OSIBISA albums by a friend of mine and loved not only the songs but also the Santana-esque feel to some of it. Were Carlos & company an influence on you? Maybe you were an influence on them? Who are some of your influences from the past and who do you think is doing interesting music these days?

TEDDY – It’s really magical that SANTANA (US) and OSIBISA (UK) took the world music by storm at the same time. A lot of influences from jazz and rock musos plus the highlife greats.

RAY - For whatever reason, probably just my own stupidity (!) I lost track of OSIBISA for quite a long time. So, when I saw “Osee Yee” in the store earlier this year, it was like meeting an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. When I heard the disc, it sounded right in step with those first few albums. How do you see the progression of OSIBISA over the years? Do you feel that “Osee Yee” is a return to an older style, as some have called it?

TEDDY – “Osee Yee” is a continuation of the OSIBISOUNDS and more into world music as it’s originators.

RAY - Of it’s 14 tracks, 11 are originals. What can you tell us about the 3 that aren’t? (The 2 traditional pieces you arranged and the George Harrison cover, “My Sweet Lord.”) What made you choose those? What do you think an artist should bring to someone else’s song to make doing their own version worthwhile?

TEDDY – The traditional pieces are arranged as musical styles from Ghana. I have always loved the song “My Sweet Lord,” by George Harrison. As far as a cover goes, an artist should bring his own feel to someone’s music, to make a difference.

RAY - The songwriting credits on the originals show participation by many different people in the band besides yourself. How does it work? Is everyone free to contribute and then you pull all the ideas, including your own, together?

TEDDY – Everyone is free to contribute to the song writing. Then, it is all put together.

RAY - On of the things I love about OSIBISA is that while there is a wide variety of music, from laid back & melodic to extremely high-energy, there is such an overwhelmingly positive feeling all round. Do you feel that’s important in music? Why?

TEDDY – You really have to feel positive and love the music you are doing. That’s the best way your listener will enjoy the music.

RAY - Pick 3 of the originals from “Osee Yee” and tell us something about their lyrical themes. That is, if you don’t mind. I have met some songwriters who don’t like to explain their lyrics.

TEDDY – “Life Time.” You see, time waits for no one. “Osee Yee.” This is the Akan Dialect. It is the jubilation of a successful encounter. “Ayioko.” Well-done, the power and energy of the music to make you think of The Motherland.

RAY - I understand you guys have played with a lot of artists like Stevie Wonder and The Stones, to name a few. Who stood out as making the most unique impression musically?

TEDDY – Musically, I would say Stevie Wonder. He is an all-round music-man. He jammed with OSIBISA playing drums at a London college gig in 1970 and on keyboards at FESTAC in Lagos in 1977.

RAY - What kind of touring has OSIBISA done recently, in support of “Osee Yee?” Any chance of you guys ever getting to the Baltimore Maryland area? Is there a lot of opportunity for you guys to play in Africa?

TEDDY – In support of “The Best Of” and “Osee Yee,” OSIBISA did a tour of India in late 2009. This year we will start with a launch party of the 2 albums on February 27, 2010 at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and follow-up festivals in Germany. OSIBISA would like to have a show in Baltimore because the last time was in the ‘70’s. There are lots of opportunities for the band to play in Africa. African countries we’ve played in are: Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Gabon, South Africa, Senegal, Liberia and more.

RAY - Have you been able to make a living with OSIBISA or do you do other things to supplement your income as well?

TEDDY – My source of income is OSIBISA… live performances, performing, song writing and music publishing (Osibisounds Ltd.)

RAY - Big halls and crowds or small, intimate venue? What do you prefer as a performer and why?

TEDDY – For performances, I actually don’t have a preference, big halls or small…just to make the people happy.

RAY - What’s next for OSIBISA? Any new recordings on the agenda?

TEDDY – Let’s see how this new one goes. And see what the good Lord brings. OSIBISA FORWARD EVER.

I really love hearing the kind of focused, driven vision a guy like Teddy has for his music and his band that’s been treading the boards and working the studio for this long, having rubbed shoulders with people like Stevie W & The Stones and who is a contemporary of Carlos Santana. Believe me, you need to do yourself a favour and if you’ve never heard OSIBISA, go out tomorrow and buy the new album “Osee Yee,” the new “Best Of” and while you’re at it, the re-issued first 2 albums. Chances are, you’ll fall in love with a whole new genre of music. That’s tremendous fun!

http://www.osibisa.co.uk/

Thanks For The Reader's Poll Response!

2010-02-05T19:11:00.000-08:00

Well, as you can see, below are my choices for the Top 10 albums of 2009 and below them are the results of the lists you guys & gals sent in. Once again, as with each year, we've gained new readers and a bigger response to the poll. It's really encouraging to see and it's the kind of thing that makes me want to continue this. Of course, one thing I would definitely like to see more of, as we begin moving through the early months of a new year, is more commentary and interaction during the year. Agree with a review? Disagree? Use the "comment" feature after every entry. Have a hot tip on a band / artist you think would benefit from being reviewed on Raysrealm? Let me know. Anything and everything is fair game. Use the "followers" section at the top right to become a follower of Raysrealm. Tell more people about the site and encourage them to read and get involved. Here's hoping that 2010 will be another year of excellent music, shows and conversation. Let's RAWK!!!

Ray's Top 10 of 2009 Revealed!

2010-02-03T21:30:00.000-08:00

1. COLOSSUS – “Drunk On Blood” – A little over a year and a half ago, North Carolina’s COLOSSUS came flying out of Chapel Hill with a debut album that rocketed to #4 on the Raysrealm Top 10 of 2008. There were songs that hinted at the best of Mercyful Fate and Maiden. The vocals called to mind “Stained Class.” The lyrics spoke of a world of gnashing teeth, blood-ridden demons &…well, yes, “Ghost Fuckers.” And then, there were those guitars. 3 of them. They rode in together like the Dalton gang, sporting swaggering riffs, dizzying Lizzy-like harmonies and solos that are dreamed of where names like Downing, Tipton, Smith & Murray may even fear to tread. Then, this year, COLOSSUS went ahead and recorded 5 songs that even snowed that shit under. And they put it out on vinyl, yet. Case closed.

2. THE GRAVIATORS – “The Graviators” – Holy shit, this album kicks ass! Really, that’s my reaction every time I hear this relatively late entry that bulled it’s way up my 2009 list. See, THE GRAVIATORS have 3 things going for them: 1) While heavy as a rhino’s ballsack, they still throw a chockblock of melody into every song. 2) They plant surprises in just the right spots, from the Sir Lord Baltimore-style coda of “Keep ‘Em Coming” to the “Dreams Of Milk & Honey” style solo at the end of 9-minute epic “Planet Gone.” 3) They have an awesome, killer maniac guitarist who rips like a total axe God. This album is everything Sabbath’s “Devil You Know” piece of shit wasn’t.

3. THE MISHAPS – “The Mishaps” – How about treating yourselves to a combination of The Hellacopters and Blue Oyster Cult? Crazy, you say? Not so much, when all you’ve gotta do is throw in this little disc from my hometown’s (that’s Baltimore to you, honcho!) very own THE MISHAPS. Part of the gig of the year (them paired with Colossus at The Golden West Café in July), this band comes on with a hard rawkin’ sense of melody, not to mention a clever sense of humor and the panache to package this as a LP/CD combo. What a deal!

4. MORGLBL – “Jazz For The Deaf” – A recommendation from my bowling buddy Rick & Roll (The Rickter Scale show on Delicious Agony Radio), I was told their guitarist worshipped Dimebag & Coltrane in equal parts. Having to see / hear this for myself, I trundled out to see this trio at Orion Studios earlier in the year and after picking my jaw back up off the floor, I proceeded to buy not only this one but their entire back catalog. Oh yeah, I got a t-shirt too so either I’m a sucker or they’re really good. Hint: I only suck female parts and there’s no girls in this band.

5. CORY CASE – “Waiting On A Remedy” – When I used to sit up in that stifling bedroom on those long August afternoons and plunk out sour chords and reedy solos on my 4-pick-up (yes, 4!!!) Lafayette Electronics guitar, I was trying to be Leslie West. Or Mark Farner. Or Tony Iommi. Point is, I wasn’t about emulating the subtle crowd. Louder was better. Accept when I’d have a go at a couple of Jim Croce’s gems like “I’ve Got A Name” or “Time In A Bottle.” See, even for a true-blue rawker like me, there was something fresh and brutally honest about the late Mr. Croce’s soul-bearing laments. Such a shame that he was taken so young, and his loss left a gaping hole in the singer-songwriter camp that never was filled. Until now. CORY CASE has a wonderful gift and I’ve played this album enough times to know that.

6. OSIBISA – “Osee Yee” – I remember one day when I was a kid riding my bike back Dale Avenue and I passed a guy carrying a copy of the Carlos Santana / Buddy Miles “Live” album that had just come out. I remember how bad-assed-looking the cover was and thinking Santana looked like a long-haired version of my favourite ball player, Frank Robinson. I also wondered if anybody else had ever taken music from their own culture and made it groove like a bitch the way Carlos did. A few trips to the record store later and Africa’s OSIBISA had answered my question. Now it’s nearly 40 years later and they’ve released their best album since 1971. Frank Robinson hit 28 home runs that year.

7. RIPPER – “The Dead Have Rizen” – Having blithely walked past RIPPER’s “And The Dead Shall Rise” LP in 1986 with all the streetwise savvy of a rock, Ray actually finally got his act together one day. Suffice it to say, this miraculous happening wasn’t greeted by God mixing up the red matter and ending it all in shock, but he did settle for sending the Realmsman a few more brain cells on down. He rested and Ray, lo and behold recognized the long-awaited 2nd RIPPER album as the metal-banging motherfucker that it is and wrote a suitably kick-ass review about it that appears early on in 2009’s entries. And, all was good.

8. THE CHURCH – “Untitled # 23” – If I were a good liar I’d say, “Yeah man, I’m a big CHURCH fan, man, got all the unreleased stuff, a couple box sets…hey how ‘bout that show from Brisbane ’95 that’s been circulating, eh?” But the problem is I learned not to lie in my sophomore year of high school. That was when I failed 3 subjects, forged my parents signatures on the report card and…got caught within a week. So, I’ll come clean. I didn’t know diddlysquat about THE CHURCH until Bowling Rick asked me to go see ‘em live earlier this year. After being mesmerized by (for me, live performer of the year) Steve Kilbey, I immediately bought this and played it 10,000 times. If Wishbone Ash, Radiohead and David Gilmour had a baby, it might grow up like this.

9. ANVIL CHORUS – “The Killing Sun” – Back in the heyday of San Francisco’s thrash metal scene, clubs like The Old Waldorf and The Mabuhay Gardens were the stomping grounds of young whippersnappers like Metallica & Exodus. These guys discovered that if you combined the aggression of attacking the low e-string on your guitar like a rabid mongoose with the catchiness found in UFO & Diamond Head, you had the DNA of an exciting new genre. Funny thing was, ANVIL CHORUS was trodding the same boards but with a much different tactic… super-melodic, progressively structured songs, well-crooned vocals and guitar and keyboard work that would give Rush reason to question themselves. Sad fact of the matter was, the band never got anywhere and left the legacy of a couple massive demo tapes as their epitaph. Well, justice is sometimes served and in 2009, this slumbering giant awoke and recorded those songs again, this time in the form of an album that’s a blinder from start to finish.

10. ADMIRAL OF BLACK – “The Hand Of Chaos” – Thanks to the good people over at Peacedogman.com, this one bites the Top 10 hard at the last minute and just won’t let go. One of those rare near-perfect balances between hard rock & metal, Chicago’s ADMIRAL OF BLACK also finds a beautiful balance between in-your-face Panteraggressions and haunting pensive moments that would have Pearl Jam running jealous. You may also want to get the hell out of Dodge if you have any aversion to bad-assed guitar playing, because the solos here are nothing short of brutal. Check out the way their axe man let’s it rip so deftly over the rhythm changes, something the old guys used to do. Beards, long hair & Flying V’s rule!

RAYSREALM Readers' Poll For 2009 Revealed!

2010-02-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

1. ASTRA – “The Weirding” – This year, you guys dipped into the NWOPR (New Wave Of Prog Rock?) to select the debut from California band ASTRA as 2009’s top pick. What we have here are a bunch of young guys who are not afraid to take the word “Prog” to it’s extremes: long and involved song structures plus extended soloing and organic interwoven musicianship. It’s all fused together by a warm, analog-style production that brings about visions of 1971 without sounding dated, dusty or irrelevant. While a million guys take the Drek Theater route to Chop City, ASTRA prove there’s more to being progressive than winning the notes-per-second sweepstakes. Surprisingly heavy guitars are the icing on the cake of a release that surely hit my Top 20. Nice choice, people!

2. SIENA ROOT – “Different Realities”

3. COUNT RAVEN – “Mammon’s War”

4. ELECTRIC MARY – “Down To The Bone”

5. GOV’T MULE – “By A Thread”

6. BLACK BONZO – “Guillotine Drama”

7. ANVIL CHORUS – “The Killing Sun”

8. ARGUS – “Argus”

9. SLOUGH FEG – “Ape Uprising”

10. LITMUS – “Aurora”

Grand Halls 40

2010-02-02T19:53:00.000-08:00

ALBERTA CROSS – “The Thief & The Heartbreaker” CD ’07 (Geffen, US) – Having recently acquired the new, 2nd CD from New York band ALBERTA CROSS it might seem the most apt thing for me to get reviewing that one post haste. But you know what? Doing the most apt thing has never been a prerequisite here at The Realm and so I’ve decided to take a different tack. Let’s rewind then to two year’s prior and 2007’s EP, “The Thief & The Heartbreaker.” It sees the band composed of: Petter Ericson Stakee – vocals, guitar, Rhodes, piano & percussion; Terry Wolfers – bass, vocals, piano & percussion; John Alexander Ericson – organ, Rhodes & vocals; Sebastian Sternberg – drums. “The Thief & The Heartbreaker” takes wing on the insistent rhythm of it’s title song. An ethereal, respectful homage to Neil Young, it burns like “Down By The River” meets The Church. “Lucy Rider” is an echo-y alt.-rocker that could’ve been at home in Athens GA back in the ‘80’s and, in being so has an easy familiarity while still sounding fresh enough to be new for 20 some years down the line. The up-tempo “Hard Breaks” comes next and jaunts along on a sprightly Fogerty-style guitar figure. The spring-in-it’s-step feel comes as a nice dichotomy with the melancholy lyrical overtone of heartbreak / hard break. But as nice an opening trio as this record sports, it’s the final 4 numbers that really see ALBERTA CROSS elevate themselves into something unique. Petter Stakee’s vocals are just glorious in “Low Man.” There’s still the face of Neil smiling over the proceedings but it’s raised here to near-choral elegance. The acoustic chords strummed with measured control offer a sturdy base for the eloquent vox and the sweet Strat fills that bathe the ears. “I’ve Known For So Long” is another plaintive lament with a simply gorgeous chorus. Here’s a melody that could be sung anywhere from a cathedral to a corner bar and be equally at home. The CD is brought to a close by the double shot of “Old Man Chicago” and “The Devil’s All You Ever Had,” the latter’s 6-plus minutes a nearly orchestrated sounding piece belying the number of those in the band. With the follow-up to this disc, ALBERTA CROSS has added a few band members…and upped the ante even further. You’ll read about that one on this site soon enough but in the meantime, start here. Alberta Clipper

http://www.albertacross.net/

Grand Halls 39

2010-01-30T15:34:00.000-08:00

A EUPHONIOUS WAIL – “A Euphonious Wail” CD ’73 (Kapp/MCA, US) – You know what I’m going to do now, don’t you? “Yep, Ray” you say, “You’re going to launch into one of your patented 3-paragraph intros to this review, somehow interconnecting a story from your past with your acquisition of this album.” Well, I dunno, maybe you could consider it that. Really what I want to do is thank my ol’ bud Andre’ for turning me onto this one…and a bunch of other stuff over the course of the last few years. See, one of the things that has happened with me especially of late is that in my efforts to stay on top of what’s currently going on in the underground of music, I’ve tended to overlook my forays into the dusty bins for “new” old stuff. Thanks to my man, Dr. Dre’, I’ve been kept “in the know,” so to speak, with a host of gorgeous gems from the vaults. One of them is this eponymous (and only) effort from California-based quintet A EUPHONIOUS WAIL.

Composed of Doug Hoffmann (drums), Bart Libby (keys), Suzanne Rey (vocals), Steve Tracy (guitars, vocals) and Gary Violetti (bass), EW (unfortunate abbreviation, I know!) had a moniker that fit the bill. The reason I say that is, Suzanne Rey’s vocals are a major factor in this album from beginning to end. “Euphonious” means “pleasant to the ear” and when you put that together with “wail,” you get a real nice handle on Suzanne’s pipes. Ironically, opening song “Pony” doesn’t see her letting loose all that much. She and Tracy harmonize nicely as the song launches into a driving Purple rhythm topped with a Lordian Hammond-fest by Libby. Tracy’s hypnotic guitar figure completes this one. It’s with the 2nd cut, “We’ve Got The Chance” that Rey comes into her own. Set on a bubbling boiler and accompanied by some luscious organ swells, Suzanne lays down a sultry siren song that has probably made more than one man lose his concentration. The guitar fills by Steve T here are highly reminiscent of Bloodrock’s axe guru, Lee Pickens. After the heartfelt ballad “Did You Ever,” wherein Tracy’s Clapton-like vox go down smooth, the WAIL shift into a higher gear with the mega-original “When I Start To Live.” A Southern hard rock feel (that will occur more & more frequently) takes center stage., with the “Hallelujah” part of the vocal sporting a real cool Gospel vibe.

And now, folks, it’s time to get heavy! “F#” comes on like gang-busters with a nasty riff that reminds me of a brutal Point Blank song (think “Uncle Ned,” from “Second Seasons”). The lead guitar freak-out over top a neck-snapping stop-start rhythm at the end is awesome and I wish it had gone on a bit longer before the song fades out. To be honest with you, I’m not sure why somebody would name a song “Chicken” (especially a good one!) but this one is, and it picks up with the mauling lead guitar of Steve Tracy that ended it’s predecessor. A long instrumental section featuring a duel between heavy-ass 6-string bending and jabbing organ begins this mutha-clucker, draped over a fast-paced jazzy rhythm. Around 2:50, the band shift into a stomping “I’m-gonna-tell-you-what,-boy!” vocal tour de force from Suzanne Rey. This lady has a voice that lived halfway between Janis Joplin and Anne Wilson and I’m captivated, that’s for sure!

With the final 3 songs of the album, A EUPHONIOUS WAIL bring things home in fine flourish. “Night Out” slides in like a heavy Rory Gallagher blues. Man, Rey is just wailing here, what a set of lungs! Some of the best guitar on the album resides in these grooves, with the middle solo opening on slide, then slipping into a raucous lead paint peeler. The bottleneck returns for a killer nod to Brother Duane at the end. More smoldering bluesy smoke is on offer with “Love My Brother” before EW just “hit it” with the closing ballad, “I Want To Be A Star.” Here Rey and Tracy try to outdo each other, soaring vocals matching scalding axe leads note for note in a track wrung dry of all emotion by it’s end.

The unfortunate part of this story is that this self-titled record apparently fell on completely deaf ears at it’s time as it and it’s author’s fell deep into the realms of obscurity and were never heard from again. It’s for that reason I owe a big huge thanks to my buddy Dr. Dre’ for bringing this one to sit in it’s rightful place in The Grand Halls. Get out there and find yourselves a copy as this, my friends is the good stuff. A Wail Of An Album

NOTE: If anyone has any info on activity by any of A EUPHONIOUS WAIL’s band members beyond this record (especially vocalist Suzanne Rey) please let me know!
raysrealm@aol.com

Right In The Pocket

2010-01-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

ECHOES – “Nature Existence” CD ’10 (ProgRock, Venezuela) – "Amleto Monacelli." Those are the first words that come to my mind when I hear mention of the South American country, Venezuela. Now I would suspect that a goodly percentage of you are saying to yourselves, “Who the hell is Amleto Monacelli?” and this reaction is entirely understandable. In fact I would dare to say that, unless you’re like me and have actually purposely watched professional bowling finals on TV, you would truly have no idea who the hell Amleto Monacelli is. So, for what it’s worth Mr. Monacelli was one of the most kick-ass bowlers this lifetime 10-pin fan has ever seen. Taking off on the power game developed in the ‘70’s by Mark Roth, Amelto lit up the PBA Tour during the ‘80’s and ‘90’s with a devastating, hooking strike ball that seemed to make the pins explode. The only international pro bowler to be inducted into the PBA Hall Of Fame, Monacelli is from Venezuela. So is ECHOES.

Now I would suspect that a goodly percentage of you are saying to yourselves, “Who the hell is ECHOES?” and this reaction is entirely understandable. But, you know that after a typical, lengthy intro I’m going to explain all this…kinda like listening to a Metallica song, eh? Anyhoo…. ECHOES are a 6-piece band and the first thing that struck me when I looked at the insert for this CD was the fact that they had 3 guitar players. You must understand, my friends, that seeing 3 guitarists in a band’s line-up is always going to grab my fucking attention. Sorry to be coarse, but there are some things I get passionate about. Squire’s Pizza is one. A weekend alone with my beautiful wife is another. A triple axe attack is right up there as well. Colossus, early Lynyrd Skynyrd, that’s some pretty bad-assed stuff…so, ECHOES had my interest piqued from the outset. But, as we all know, you need a whole band as well as a clutch of fine ditties to make an album. And, folks, we got one here.

If I was going to hang a genre on ECHOES, I’d hesitate ‘cause I know what you’re all going to say when I utter “prog metal.” But before you get your knickers in a bind, let me explain. Sure, there are keys in this, sure there’s some left-turn kinda song structures, yes indeed. Thing is, this is one seriously good listen that will never bore you with some 18-minute yawn fest induced by a brace of Julliard grads trying to cram 64th notes up your ass. ECHOES take that metallic base and instead of trying to prove what great technicians they are, they infuse it with the kind of melody and soaring dynamics that permeates the folk music indigenous to their own land. Layers of guitars, both electric and acoustic from Javier Landaeta, Antonio Silva and Rafael Sequera build a metalized yet emotionally charged base for the band to top with glorious, memorable songs like “Leaf Motif” and “Rude Awakening.” Wonderfully, the soloing is breathtaking and vibrant, not overwrought with the genre-typical neo-classical shit that’s become so commonplace. Oddly, the album features the lead vocals of 4 different guests (Tobias Jansson, Nick Storr, Carl Webb and Pedro Castillo) and reading this before listening made me wonder how cohesive a listen it could be. I’m happy to say that the quartet, while each sounding different, fit perfectly into the rich sonic storm created by the band firing on all cylinders behind them.

ECHOES has produced a record with “Nature Existence” that is not only striking for a new band’s debut but one that would be a scorcher for a bunch of wily old veterans. I wonder if Amleto Monacelli has ever heard these guys? Ripping The Rack

http://www.myspace.com/echoesve/

Love Is Like Oxygen

2010-01-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

ADRIAN SHAW & ROD GOODWAY – “Oxygen Thieves” CD ’09 (September Gurls, Eng) – Well, to wildly paraphrase Three Dog Night, I have been to England. And I kinda like The Beatles. See, the ladies are insane…. Ok, well right, who doesn’t like The Beatles then, right? From their mop-top beginnings to the hyper-creative albeit fractured existence of “Abbey Road” and “Let It Be,” the Fab Four were just that. Not that I don’t love The Stones but their once-in-art-school-now-badass-chic always came up short to J, P, G & R who were an authentically roughneck bunch that honed nicely into a 20th Century icon.

With all that, I think Messr.’s SHAW & GOODWAY (of Bevis Frond and a multitude other UK psych legends) were no different from the rest of the rock & roll world in following The Beatles’ illustrious wake. The difference is, this pair have done one of the best jobs I’ve ever heard in gleaning their essence without lapsing into musical ape-ism. The period mostly on note, I believe is that magical one between “Revolver” and the “…Mystery Tour.” Right from the git-go, “Coloured Rain” positively comes alive with a wonderful blend of psych, pop and progressive elements, all distilled into 3:46 of gold through musical alchemy. It’s like “Tomorrow Never Knows” channeled through 2009. Elsewhere, the duo (GOODWAY – vocals, lyrics; SHAW – all instruments, music) stir up a swirling, trippy and catchy ambrosia in the form of “Stranger Things, the title cut and the “Grapevine” groove and modern humor of “Spammed Man.” Not content to be harnessed by the 3-minute radio formula, ROD & ADE often stretch things out to the 5 ½ - 6 minute mark but in keeping that as the max, none of the songs come close to dragging. What’s gotta be my fave though, comes 4 tracks in, in the form of “Dog Fight.” While not a total lift, this one shares a snatch of melody with one of the greatest pop/metal songs of all time, Crack The Sky’s “Hot Razors In My Heart” and thereby has endeared itself to me forever. The unpolished “real” production here is only the icing on the cake.

All in all, “Oxygen Thieves” has been a real surprise to me since it slid unceremoniously into my mailbox. More than that, it’s one of the most memorable and original albums in recent months. Well, I have been to England. And I kinda like ADRIAN SHAW & ROD GOODWAY. Stealing My Ears

http://www.myspace.com/rodgoodwayadrianshaw/

Root Boy Siena

2010-01-23T12:38:00.000-08:00

SIENA ROOT – “Different Realities” CD ’09 (Transubstans, Swe) – Does anybody remember Face Dancer? Hey, at least the Baltimore / Maryland readers should. They were a killer local hard rock band who had their heyday back in the ‘70’s and used to absolutely crush covers by everybody from The Who to Jeff Beck. Well, they also had a wealth of great originals that led to 2 psychotically-overlooked albums. In one of those gems, they made the point that “When the music starts, I can’t stand still.” That might be a great mantra for Sweden’s SIENA ROOT.

See, while a lot of bands are content to establish a style and then beat it into holy shit with each successive album, that’s not how the SR boys roll. Through their previous 3 records (and a single), they’ve begun with an early ‘70’s base of warm & heavy guitar and swirling organ, then dolloped it with vocals that effuse all kinds of soul (albeit, it seems, different singers on every release). From that, they’ve extrapolated into extended song structures and open-ended jamming, never knowing the meaning of resting on their laurels. This ever-moving tapestry positively explodes on “Different Realities.”

The new SIENA ROOT disc is composed of 2 lengthy pieces. (Not to fret, ye of oughties-little-patience, as they have bee sub-divided into shorter sections). The first of these, “We,” is surely grounded in hard rock but not so simply. Just take the opening section, “We Are Them” as an example. This 10+ minute opus begins with a building, upward spiraling movement that mirrors the rising of the sun over a panoramic landscape. The hues painted by the instruments invoke a dawn that detonates into day around the 4-minute mark. Heavy Strat chords that are at once Hendrixian and modern dance together and we’re off on a journey. It’s a voyage that passes through the pensive oasis of “In The Desert” and into the Truth-&-Janey-like riffs of “Over The Mountains” before coming to rest in the sweeping “As We Return,” a movement hinting as much to Amon Duul II as it does to the Zeps.

And now, my friends, the music has truly started and SIENA ROOT has some ants in their pants! To say that the album’s 2nd sprawling piece, “The Road To Agartha” is adventurous would be akin to calling Leif Erikson’s trip a jaunt across town. Heralded by the power of opening section “Bairagi,”The ROOT dive headlong into a deep exploration of Indian music. The hypnotic rhythms & traditional voicings of this instrumental vision may seem as though they’d be jarringly out-of-place but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, by the time we get to “Bhimpalasi” and the music has been distilled to merely percussion, you’re attention will be rapt. It’ll stay that way as the rest of the band rejoins the fray, through “Shree” and “Jog,” where heavy rock melds with the traditions of thousands of years in a stirring conclusion.

In all, “Different Realities” is surely everything the first word of it’s title defines and I’m certain there will be an element of past fans who find it “too much,” at least on first listen. My only hope is that those of you who don’t “get it” at first will at least give it a few shots. The rest of us already know: When the music starts, you can’t stand still. Masters Of Reality

http://www.sienaroot.com/
http://www.transubstans.com/

Blue Dreams

2010-01-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

ROGER POWELL – “Blue Note Ridge” CD ’09 (Unicorn Digital, UK) – I have to admit, I’m way out of my normal comfort zone on this one as reviewer. I mean, let’s face it, the things that most frequently pass across this desk are born of Marshall Amplification and ragged riffs. Yes, The Realm is also home to bedfellows as seemingly strange as Celtic folk and bluegrass, but these are genres I’ve delved into enough to know my way around. So when Utopia man ROGER POWELL’s collection of solo piano improvs fell out of the stout envelope of goodies from Unicorn Digital (more of which to be reviewed soon), I was in uncharted territory. Being the open-minded kinda guy I am, however, I threw the disc in and…hmm…found myself turning to it again and again. It’s usually been late in these winter evenings that I do so, letting the melodic-yet-exploratory tones of “Snowfall,” “Flint Hill” and “Path To The River” wash over me. As ROGER’s fingers caress the ivories, it’s as if all the stress and bullshit of the day is purged. There’s a palpable warmth to those and others, like “Shadow Of Pines” & “Valley Fog.” It’s a warmth that names the piano as what it really is, a string instrument with the same poignant emotions as an acoustic guitar. This, of course, is emphasized by the gentle command of Powell’s playing and his thoughtful, improvised melodies. Someone else may be able to tell you the technicalities of “Blue Note Ridge.” I just know I like it. Hittin’ That Note

http://www.unicorndigital.com/

Not Utah Jazz

2010-01-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

DETHRONE THE SOVEREIGN – “Dethrone The Sovereign” CD EP ’09 (Private, US) – I have to admit that my first impression upon hearing this 6-song effort from Utah’s DETHRONE THE SOVEREIGN was “What the hell?” The first track, “Carnival Of Horrors” struck me on first blush as an oddly slammed-together package of thrash guitar riffs, alternating black metal shrieks / death metal growls with a canopy of keyboards draped over the entire affair. This impression continued with “Acceptance” and my initial listen wasn’t gaining a whole lot of footing until the intro to “Legends Of The Hidden Temple” came up and took me by surprise. Here was an almost accessible opening, bathed with harmonies I hadn’t expected at all. And yes, it led into a math-like thrash attack, but one that seemed suddenly a lot more cohesive. It then progressed into a middle section that could be the soundtrack to a host of souls chanting in The Grand Hall Of Pandemonium. “UniBrain” and “Skin (w)horse” feature more well-crafted melodies among the prog-death tableau, including a positively soaring middle part in the latter. With “Sects,” DETHRONE THE SOVEREIGN save the best for last, a nearly all-instrumental cut that sees the band reach an apex around 1:50. Gorgeous melodies and the best guitar work on the disc dominate here, as they slow down on the neo-classical shred-fest and play with real emotion. In several listens to this EP, I think that DTS are quite possibly onto something unique here. As the disc unfolds, it sees a band who are not afraid to try something new and coupled with that, have a very strong command of melody. I’d like to see them accentuate that and smooth out a little more of the math-y stuff. That in mind, I’m looking forward to what they do next and in the meantime, I say check this one out. Ready To Ascend

http://www.myspace.com/dethronethesovereign/

Is Your Mama A Llama?

2010-01-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

DALI’S LLAMA – “Raw Is Real” CD ’09 (Dali’s Llama, US) – California’s DALI’S LLAMA released “Raw Is Real” late in 2009 and it is their eighth album. How do you like them apples?! 8 albums! Here is a band that, I’m willing to bet, a lot of readers have never heard and they have put out 8 damn records on their own label! That’s the kind of thing my mom has always called stick-to-itiveness. Of course, I hear you saying, “Hey, aren’t those guys stoner rock, Ray? So they put out 8 discs of “In Search Of…” / “Sky Valley” clones, am I supposed to be impressed?” Yes, smart-ass, you’re supposed to stick this little round thang in your player and be pretty friggin’ impressed. I know I was. Now I’ve gotta admit, I was expecting a little something because I dug the band’s last effort, ‘08’s “Full On Dunes.” But dang, this one’s even better…and by a good margin, actually. On the surface, there’s enough overdriven Laney-tone here from Zach Huskey and Joe Dillon to keep the local acoustic earplug factory in the black for awhile. But that’s where the days of stoner blasé end and the fun get’s going. DALI’S LLAMA (completed by Erica Huskey – standard & bowed electric bass & Jeff Howe – drums) raise the bar by writing songs that go well beyond the norm. “Theocracy” may be powered by thundering chords and Zach’s mid-range drawl, but it’s also buoyed by some layered guitar stylings that dwell in late ‘60’s psych land. “Grump” packs an energy wallop that nods toward D.C. hardcore and the deliberate pace and airy melodies of “Always” speak of an sort of Southern indie rock that goes down smooth as silk. The ‘70’s hard rawkin’ “Blackout” and “Fluids,” with it’s “Arc”-like Neil Young feedback complete what is not only a very ambitious but cohesive album. It’s, without question, DALI LLAMA’s best and one you should check out before they release another 8!

Real Damn Good

NOTE: DALI’S LLAMA also seem to put some real thought into their lyrics, addressing issues that are topically political and quite perceptive.

http://www.dalisllamarecords.com/

Follow RAYSREALM

2010-01-15T10:18:00.001-08:00

Keep up with all the latest news, reviews, interviews, polls, etc. by becoming a Follower Of The Realm. Click the Follow button to the right! And, as a reminder, for those of you who I haven't heard from yet... it's time for us all to go on record & make fools of ourselves salivating over a handful of the better platters of '09. So, send in your Top Ten albums (CD's, albums, records, whatever you want to call 'em). The only requirement is that they were released in 2009 (I know there is sometimes a sticking point over the date on the back of disc... e.g., sometimes something is dated 2008 and actually isn't available until 2009. What we're looking for is things that became available during 2009...you know what I mean. Anyhoo, send in your Top 10 list to my email: raysrealm@aol.com The cut-off date is Jan 31, 2010 for the simple reason that we give you till the end of the year and then a little time to get your thoughts in order. Then, right after Jan 31, I'll publish the results of the poll, plus my own Top 10 for those of you who give a dern. BE SURE TO INCLUED YOUR POSTAL MAILING ADDRESS IN YOUR EMAIL! Anyone who sends in a Top 10 by Jan 31, 2010 will receive a kewl surprise from me in the mail shortly thereafter! So, list away! Again, send the Top 10 and your mailing address to: raysrealm@aol.com

Virginia Freedom

2010-01-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

FREEDOM HAWK – “Freedom Hawk” CD ’09 (Meteor City, US) – Swagger. What is it? It’s when you can not only talk the talk but you can also walk the walk. That’s what Jimmy Johnson called it when he talked about ‘dem Cowboys. Judas Priest called it delivering the goods and Tidewater Virginia’s FREEDOM HAWK calls it their new self-titled disc and first on Meteor City.

Yeah man, from the minute the opening bass lines of “On The Other Side” kick in and T.R. Morton issues his call to arms “Go!” you know you’re in for an ass whoopin’ if you need one anyway! 7 songs, 30-some minutes and if you’re still standing after this prime belt of hard rock/metal, MMA may be in your future. See, FREEDOM HAWK soar way above the endless litany of most of today’s so-called “heavy” saviors by being so much more. Depth, not grease, is the word, baby. Rather than dabble in one-dimensional QOTSA quap, they reach back and grab a big handful of stick-to-your-ribs meat & potatoes like Zep and Free to stir into their pot of Gibsons and overdriven Marshalls. The results are a lot more than merely impressive. Just check out the aforementioned opener with it’s sudden smash-mouth rhythm shift part way through. Ride the high-octane beast called “Universal” down the dusty highway to riff heaven and then take a quick left onto “My Road” with it’s smartly-placed harmony leads. “Bad Man” sees the band in, yup, that full swagger as the doors swing open on a brazen riff. With “Hollow Caverns,” the boys let their full range show in flying colours with moody, ethereal intros & outros framing a goddamn epic of a song that, amazingly, reaches those proportions in a svelte 5:07. Through the course of this in-your-face & to-the-point disc, all 4 of the musicians excel. Morton & Matt Cave’s guitars lock together in heavy-as-shit rhythms, take some harmony flights and are always there with a blistering fuzz lead when called for. Mark Cave (bass) & Lenny Hines (drums) churn up a warm, organic rhythm but it’s T.R. Morton’s vocals that, aside from the excellent songs, set FREEDOM HAWK apart. With an upper range dripping in soul, he calls to mind vintage names like Plant & Ray Gillen and lends a timeless vibe to the whole affair.

Some might say it’s lacking in imagination to self-title any release other than a band’s debut, but with FREEDOM HAWK, it’s mighty appropriate. They’ve made an album that’s defined themselves in no uncertain terms. That’s swagger, baby. Their Road Or The Highway

http://www.freedomhawkband.com/
http://www.myspace.com/freedomhawk/

The Winter Of My Content

2010-01-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

IONA – “Mid-Winter Light” CD EP ’09 (Barnaby Productions, US) – Something you may notice about this disc by Virginia’s Celtic band IONA is that it would appear to be a “holiday” release. With that in mind, you may be thinking, “Dang, Ray, a little late on that one, eh?” And truth be known, I am. IONA was kind enough to drop this one in my mailbox several weeks back and yet here I sit, having just now fully digested it nearly halfway through January. And for just over 13 minutes, it’s a hearty treat.

The opening track sees the band take on a set from Derbyshire, Isle Of Man, Shetland Islands and Ireland. The infectious “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In” blends with “Three Little Boats Went Out To Sea” and “Christmas Day Ida Moarnin’.” It all segues nicely into the ripping “Christmas Eve Reel” for a melody and energy-laden 5 minutes. “The Wran” (Ireland) sees Jim Queen taking lead vocals, at first in a pensive, deliberate pace with flute accompaniment. The band then joins in for a commanding take on “Ballyhoo” and the “The Wran” comes in again, much faster. After a blistering fiddle/Irish hard shoe duel (Queen & Kathleen Larrick) we hear Queen rip through the vocals at light-speed, with female backing. Finally, Barbara Tresidder Ryan takes lead vox on “Gloucestershire Wassail/Can Wassel,” a piece just begging the listener to join in on. Through each number, the entire band fuses effortlessly, whether it be Ryan’s bodhran, Bernard Argent’s flutes & whistles or the bass guitar of Chuck Lawhorn.

The fact of the matter is this: “Mid-Winter Light” may on one hand be a 3-track EP with a decidedly holiday theme. On the other, it’s a powerful testament that IONA is one of the best Celtic bands out there…any day of the year! A Light In The Black

NOTE: All IONA’s releases come highly recommended!

www.ionamusic.com

Grand Halls 38

2010-01-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

RUSSIA – “Russia” LP/CD ’80/’08 (Warner Bros. / Wounded Bird, US) – They say controversy can be a good thing. You know, gets you attention, puts you in the spotlight. They also say timing is everything. And there can be instances where the 2 conspire to produce a virtually impossible situation. Enter Seattle band RUSSIA. Frankly, the idea of an American hard rock band calling themselves RUSSIA and issuing an album fronted with a bright red Soviet star during the height of the Cold War was controversial genius. Well…to me, anyway. Seems some other folks were not entertained and even with it’s release on a major, the album sank like a stone. The real shame of it was, it was brilliant…and it did garner a cult following. And thusly begins our tour of an album that, as far as most of the general public was concerned, might as well have shipped chiefly to Siberia.

RUSSIA was composed, at least for a brief moment in musical history, not of millions of citizens but of just 5 guys: Thomas Richard Brighton – guitars & vocals, Richard Allyn White – keyboards & vocals, Larry Tuttle – bass & vocals, Jeff Swisstack – drums and Griff Stevens – lead vocals, woodwinds & railroad springs (!!!). And as they launch into “Fight Back (Time After Time),” the listener has no idea about the interesting journey they’re about to embark upon. It’s a super-catchy pop-rock opener kinda like mid-period Queen meets The Knack. But hey, those background vocals at around 1:30 actually sound Russian (!) so maybe there’s more than meets the ear here. “Who Do You Think You Are?” is not a Deep Purple send-up but another slab of prime late ‘70’s FM ear candy that could’ve been a major hit. And then we take a left turn and go down the rabbit hole….

You know something different is afoot when “Gotta Get Away” opens with a 49 second bass solo from Larry Tuttle. In then, comes the song proper and we hear a much heavier, funky guitar rhythm reminiscent of Crack The Sky’s “Skin Deep” or “Techni Generation.” A manic chorus leads into a searing guitar solo by Thomas Brighton, fueled by a sharp biting tone very similar to Crack’s Rick Witkowski. I’ve heard very few bands (possibly City Boy at times) that I could ever reference to CTS and it’s a signpost of originality that will appear frequently with RUSSIA. “Nothing To Say” features a crazy syncopated rhythm in the verses and Jeff Swisstack’s drumming is wild here. There’s a Rundgren-esque (and yes, John Palumbo as well) feel to the humor in the lyrics of Griff Stevens. “Nobody has to know what you do, where you go. It’s your business, so let your curtains down and let your castles burn.” Stevens is beginning to emerge as quite the wordsmith and vocalist. Side One draws to a close as “Laughing (In The Face Of Fire)” finds it’s acoustic intro bleeding into a verse of ethereal chords. It’s an interesting dichotomy in that it has the feel of a Priest riff played by a space-rock band. The chorus in this one is just awesome, the amazing melody nestled atop heavy power-pop riffs. The soaring guitar solo is augmented with deep, resonating backing vox. Damn, they sound Russian too! Wow!

Side Two of “Russia” begins with “If I Were You” and, if I were you, I’d describe the rhythm here as almost like a vaudeville show tune played by a hard rock band. Picture Sparks’ Mael brothers playing CTS’s “A Night On The Town (With Snow White)” and you might have it. The axe solo is piercing in a Brian May sorta way and the coda is charging heavy swing! RUSSIA is really getting motoring now (if they weren’t already) and after a short vox/keys intro they erupt into “Out Of My Mind.” The melodies and harmony vocals are stunning as Stevens belts out lines like “I think it’s a crime, the way you drive me out of my mind. But don’t get me wrong, it’s only a song I’m singing.” All that, and lead guitar work as good as anybody! Next is one of those cool little segues bands used to do back in the day. The 1:30-ish of “Poignant Clams,” replete with acoustic guitars, flute (I hope I’m right here, it’s a woodwind of some kind) and keys, exits as a marching drum beat comes in. “Piece Of Ice” (another CTS reference?) opens with a militaristic rhythm and an authoritative guitar riff to match, the melodic verse and heavy chorus establishing more scorching dynamics. “Nice, so nice. You thought you’d found a piece of paradise, alright. You turn around and find it’s just a piece of ice, alright.” It all comes to a fantastic conclusion with “Outer Space Seeds.” Sporting a cool piano/drum verse, the guitars crash in at just the right times. Background vocals of near Beach Boys lushness wash in and the 6-string fills are magic. Then, out of nowhere, a horn piece comes in, accompanied by a repeating Fripp-like guitar figure. At around 3:40, the overall effect is downright Beatle-esque, with the vocals, horns & keys playing off each other like an orchestra.

I would like to say that this ultra-unique masterpiece of rock & pop went on to take the world by storm. Sadly, as you already know, it didn’t. Because of all those factors like timing, who knew who and the band’s provocative name, not many were “Russian” to buy it (ouch!!!) and it disappeared like a CIA agent at the Kremlin. 28 years later, this CD release saw the light of day and one year after that, I’ve told you all you need to know. Go forth with wallets open, Comrade! Songs Of Soviet Sons

NOTE: The same 5 guys who populated RUSSIA regrouped in 1981 under a new, slightly-less eye-catching name, FORCE 10 (apparently Warner Bros. refused to allow the band to issue any more material under the RUSSIA moniker). The fascinating result will be discussed in another upcoming episode of Grand Halls.

NOTE II: I have just learned that in the near future, I will be able to bring you an exclusive Raysrealm conversation with RUSSIA / FORCE 10 man Griff Stevens. Does that rule or what?!

www.myspace.com/outerspaceseeds

www.woundedbird.com

Happy New Year From Raysrealm! Welcome, 2010!

2009-12-31T19:50:00.000-08:00

Just a quick Happy New Year message from Raysrealm to all the readers out there who have supported me all year, in past years and even those who just stumbled upon the site today! 2009 produced some great music and here's hoping there's plenty more to come in 2010. Remember, get those Top 10 lists in to my email address... raysrealm@aol.com ... by Jan 31, 2010. See the details a couple posts back and, of course, I the paranoid delusionist will remind you again. I'm getting ready to sit down and start working on mine and I want to make sure everybody else has to pull their hair out the way I do. Not that I have very much left to pull out anyway, but hey, you know how that goes!!! Have fun, stay safe and rawk like a mutha!!!

Forecast: Reign!

2009-12-31T07:15:00.000-08:00

REIGN STORM – “Tomorrow’s Past” CD ’09 (Arkyen Steel, US) – Been an interesting 6 months or so on the Dorsey / Lembach Reunion front. See, here’s the thing. Back this past summer, in the realms of Facebook, I got friended up by an old record store buddy Jarrett Lembach. Within literally a couple of weeks of that, thanks to my wife Jennifer’s urging, I checked out awesome local metal cover band Deadlock. One of the discoveries I made about them, aside from the fact that they completely stomp ass and that they (in their alternate form, Shift) released a massive album in 2006, was that their drummer is Chris Lembach, brother of Jarrett. Chris, besides being another music store chum from the mists of time, also had manned the tubs for area prog institutions Mystic Force back in the day. So, the last several months have seen me catch up with Chris over a lot of old and new stories at Deadlock shows plus receive in the mail this nifty REIGN STORM CD from brother Jarrett. It’s a lengthy, 16 song collection spanning the life of his band over the years 1991 – 1998. Got all that?

Anyway, “Tomorrow’s Past” by REIGN STORM is a real breath of fresh air. For me, it brings back a feeling of metal that you just don’t hear that much anymore. When I say that, I’m talking about days when metallers had long hair, wore Iron Maiden shirts and didn’t feel the need to write every song about some pathetic loser committing suicide because his goth-girl had left him for another vampire. I’m also talking about the days when the words “progressive metal” didn’t make you feel the bile rising in your throat and have you running for the safety of your Blue Cheer albums. No, when I put on this disc and the opening title cut fires out of the Realm Blaster, I’m picturing guys in muscle shirts with “Mercyful Fate” on the front, Jackson V’s and hair swirling…and that’s a good thing. Yes, because much like our beloved Fate (and even Arch-era Fates Warning), these guys packed a helluva punch into their songs. Why, just in that title cut and “Chapter XXX,” guitarist Robb Peterson crams more riffs and harmony leads than Carter’s got liver pills. The best thing about this is that, like the classic MF duo of Shermann & Denner, he does it in songs that range mostly from 3-5 minutes…thus keeping the listener’s interest, not making everything a half-hour snore-a-thon. In fact, it’s notable that only 2 tracks out of the 16 here last beyond the 7 minute mark. Jarrett Lembach’s vocals are a real eye-opener for me throughout this disc. The guy has a range that goes from a pensive mid-range to stratospheric, all with an ease that references the best of the genre, like Mr. Diamond, Arch and John Stewart (Slauter Xstroyes). Listen to his work, for example, in “Road To Insanity.” That’s impressive! It’s also far more than notable that 9 of the 16 numbers here feature the drumming of brother Chris Lembach. As something like “Ruler Of Today” proves, he’s not only one of the premier sticksmen in the local area but of any I’ve seen. (Watch him nail the Tool covers in Deadlock, as well). The blinding bass work on most of the cuts is handled by John Barr.

Another neat thing about this CD is that it chronicles the band’s progress, from their 1989 demo through some live cuts (’91) and on to demos from ’97 and ’98 (some of which feature the contributions of other musicians as well, like Drew Mazurek, Mike Davis, Dwayne Adams, Charles Parker and Frank Starchak) . Unlike some such collections, where the listener finds him or herself blanching at hideous and wildly variable sound quality, the production values here are not just listenable but very high throughout. It all makes this something I have kept near the player since it’s arrival, the perfect antidote to those times I find myself in need of top-notch, first class pure metal. (Um...isn't that always, Ray?) The packaging is sterling, the sleeve notes describing the band’s history are exhaustive and the artwork is first-rate. The only drawback to the whole affair is that 1998 seemed to signal the end for the REIGN STORM story and I find myself sad that I never got to see these guys trod the boards. Still, that being said, this disc is a super chronicle of a band that any real metaller could hold to their heart. And, it’s a limited edition of 1000, so act now! Metal Storm

http://www.arkeynsteel.com/
info@arkeynsteel.com

Reminder! Raysrealm 2009 Reader's Poll Is Now Open!

2009-12-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

Well folks, it's that time again! We're reaching the end of yet another year of music and with that in mind, it's time for us all to go on record & make fools of ourselves salivating over a handful of the better platters of '09. So, send in your Top Ten albums (CD's, albums, records, whatever you want to call 'em). The only requirement is that they were released in 2009 (I know there is sometimes a sticking point over the date on the back of disc... e.g., sometimes something is dated 2008 and actually isn't available until 2009. What we're looking for is things that became available during 2009...you know what I mean.) Anyhoo, send in your Top 10 list to my email: raysrealm@aol.com The cut-off date is Jan 31, 2010 for the simple reason that we give you till the end of the year and then a little time to get your thoughts in order. Then, right after Jan 31, I'll publish the results of the poll, plus my own Top 10 for those of you who give a dern. BE SURE TO INCLUED YOUR POSTAL MAILING ADDRESS IN YOUR EMAIL! Anyone who sends in a Top 10 by Jan 31, 2010 will receive a kewl surprise from me in the mail shortly thereafter! So, list away! Again, send the Top 10 and your mailing address to: raysrealm@aol.com

Grand Halls 37

2009-12-16T11:16:00.000-08:00

SORCERY – “Sinister Soldiers” 2LP ’78 (Century, US) – The water. It’s got to be something in the water up there, that’s all I can figure. Oh, pardon me for my musings. I was just sitting here, trying to figure out why 3 of my favourite obscure hard rock bands of all-time happen to be from one single area of the United States called Chicago. I’m talking about Slauter Xstroyes, Winterhawk and SORCERY. Bear in mind, now, these were not all the product of some wondrous “scene” like happened in San Francisco in the ‘80’s wherein Metallica & Exodus set the tone and a bunch of others (some good, some not so much) jumped on the chugga-chugga train. No, these were 3 totally dissimilar bands who issued local vinyl during the period from 1978 thru 1985 without the benefit of mass media coverage. Their stuff was unknown except to a few like the late Phil Baker and Dennis Bergeron (Monster Records) who turned me onto all 3. SORCERY is the most mysterious of the bunch and this is what I know, so listen up.

In 1967, a guy in Illinois named Kirk Bryk (real name Brykowski) began playing guitar. In the next few years he got heavily into the emerging UK gods, Black Sabbath, and Tony Iommi influenced him to develop an extremely heavy style. This might not seem all that unusual, as around that time a lot of people who played guitar were probably bent on aping T.I. The only thing is, a lot of people didn’t actually become super players and go on to form SORCERY in 1974. Kirk Bryk did, however, and that’s the beginning of what would become a great band.

In the first couple years after SORCERY’s inception, the group was forced to do a lot of covers in order to get gigs. Some of the bands who’s material they did included Starz, Angel and of course, Sabbath, culling numbers from”Vol. 4,” “Sabbath, Blood Sabbath” and “Sabotage” for their live sets. Still, while all of this was going on, Mr. Kirk Bryk was a busy man. He was writing originals that were gradually being worked into the band’s repertoire, many of which not only held their own with the covers but stood right alongside them in terms of heaviness and writing panache. The band got a break when the local representative of 20th Century Records saw them, dug what they were about and decided to let them record an album for his own tiny label, aptly called Century. At that point, SORCERY consisted of: Kirk Bryk – lead guitar, vocals, bass, synthesizer and percussion; Tim Barrett – lead vocals; Paul Koster – guitar, vocals; Dave Maycroft – bass; Kieran Hoening – drums. The record they produced would be one of the most oddly original and yet overpoweringly great metal albums ever, not to mention one of the rarest.

“Sinister Soldiers” was issued in 1978, while most metallers at the time were checking out “Stained Class” and “Hemispheres” and praying that the Travolta era might soon end. The first thing you notice about SORCERY’s debut, of course, is the cover. Truthfully, the artwork by Janetta Lewis is fantastic and may represent one of the heaviest-looking album jackets ever. It would be pitiful to try to describe it on paper, so just look at the picture above. You’d have bought that sumbitch if you saw it sitting in the store, wouldn’t you?! ‘Nuff said. Secondly, you see that the thing is a 2 record set! Now, granted, it ends up being a fairly short one but still, before the days of 65 minute, spreading-the-butter-way-too-thin CD’s, double albums had the air of “epic-on-a-grand-scale” all over them. But of course, the proof is in the pudding and there’s to be music to back up the trappings. Let’s explore….

Side One of “Sinister Soldiers” opens with “Aracnid (The Dark King).” Immediately after the initial drum beats, the heaviness sets in, blasting riffs of tuned-down Sabbathy gruffness, sort of like “Supernaut” in a garage. In truth, the whole of this album features a very sparse, rugged, back-room raw production that I just love. It really adds to the heaviness and the kind of blast-furnace power erupts again in the second cut, “Fly The Sky.” I dig this song a whole lot, the power chords oozing like molten lead and Kirk Bryk cutting loose some hot Iommi-ish lead. The first real indication of ultimate godliness comes with Side One’s final cut, “Sugar Sweet Lady (Debbie’s Song).” It’s a melodic instrumental, sort of like a cross between Sabbath’s “Fluff” and Priest’s “Cavier And Meths” outro but the lead guitar tone is pure fuzz death! The combination is awesome and leaves you breathless for what will follow.

Side Two of “Sinister Soldiers” is simply one long, beautiful masterpiece. Clocking in at just under 13 minutes, “The Last Goodbye” is one of those cuts that automatically finds it’s way onto a comp of your all-time classics. It begins very mellow and painstakingly deliberate, yet soon forms a melody that reminds me of Priest’s early epics. Tim Barrett’s vocals are oddly (yet greatly!) reminiscent of Bow Wow’s Kyoji Yamamoto and when Bryk cuts on his fuzz machine midway through, it’s instant musical ecstasy. The guy’s tone here is like a chainsaw but it still retains haunting melody. Incredible, yes, but we’re only halfway through.

With Side Three, SORCERY step it up and really kick out the jams on “Slippin’ Away (for K.E.R.).” It’s a raucous garage-metal stomper, with Bryk taking over temporarily on vocals yet, in another twist of great songwriting, the number slows at the end into a wonderfully melodic coda replete with more nasty fuzz soloing. Seriously, the word “brutal” was invented to describe this guitar sound. Completing Side Three is the 9 ½ minute epic “Snowshit,” one of my favourite song titles and another masterpiece. The track opens with a crushing, haggard and up-tempo rhythm on top of which Bryk lays a smoldering run of lead guitar reminding me of Uli Roth in “Polar Nights.” Just when you think you’ve got SORCERY figured out, however, the last strains of distortion lift like a veil of early morning mist and the curtain rises on the song-proper. Yes, that was only an intro! This one is, again, extremely subtle, the semi-acoustic rhythm reminding me very much of Priest’s “Run Of The Mill.” Barrett is chilling here, his vocals telling that “death is surely winter’s snow,” but my favourite part comes when Bryk launches into the middle guitar solo (the 2nd of 3). Just before he picks the first note of the caustic fuzz lead, you clearly hear him kick on the distortion and feel the raw power wash over the last mellow chord he strummed. It might not seem like any big deal on paper, but the effect is so cool and vintage-early-‘70’s that it makes me ga-ga, as does the grinding solo that follows. An interesting sidelight about this song is the origin of it’s title. Seems that when SORCERY first started performing it live, it still had no name but was accompanied by snow-like confetti that wafted down from the ceiling to the stage. One night, a fan commented to the band that he “liked that song where all the snow shit comes down.” You gotta love it!

“Sinister Soldiers” finally comes down the home stretch on Side Four and, for some reason, the recording quality here dips almost too far into a murky drone. Still, while this kind of production might kill some material, it actually adds to the vibe of the three battering rams called “Airborne,” “Sorcerer” and “Schitzoid.” These go back to the short, direct attack of the album’s opening cuts and hit me like classic Sabbath and Motorhead brawling in a dank basement. I think “Schitzoid,” with it’s great B-movie references to being “instantly destroyed, forever trapped on the Planet Schitzoid” is my fave of the trio.

With “Sinister Soldiers,” SORCERY had produced a unique double album that, had it been released on a major label, would’ve had them revered in the same breath as Sabbath, Priest, Budgie, etc. In fact, through some sort of grapevine, the band acquired a following of sorts in L.A. and, sometime in 1978 journeyed to the Left Coast to do a club tour. Word has it that they played some shows with Survivor (the “Eye Of The Tiger” variety, who I’m sure they decimated) and actually headlined over Van Halen at one venue. It’s also rumored that on this excursion, they sold a very nicely made color SORCERY tour program. Find one of them for me and I’m liable to trade my home and property for it! Sadly, however, with only a limited supply of the album to sell (I’ve been told 1000 were made but try to find one now…it’s one of the rarest metal LP’s ever), SORCERY would remain infinitely obscure.

This was not the end of the story, however. After some soul-searching and a line-up change or so, Kirk Bryk and his band recorded and released a second LP in 1980, the single album “Tell Death Do We Part.” It is a good album musically but to be honest, not even close to the epic piece of art that is “Sinister Soldiers.” The songs are all fairly short (i.e. nothing like “The Last Goodbye” or “Snowshit”) and the vocals are not a patch on those done by Barrett, at points sounding like the most whiney ever conceived by Dave Mustaine. Of course, the caked-in-molten-lava guitar tone of Bryk is still rampant and cuts like “Ogre,” “Fly Away” and “Right To Survive” are quite good songs. So, “Till Death Do We Part” is surely worth hearing, although it’s awfully expensive if you can. In keeping with “Sinister Soldiers,” the 2nd SORCERY release did nothing to garner the band a household name in the metal world. Still, Kirk soldiered (ouch!) on and sometime in the early ‘80’s he recorded an album’s worth of solo material that was never laid to wax. I haven’t heard any of this stuff but I’m told it was eons more commercial than “Till Death….” Apparently a single was selected from this collection and a video recorded for it, which was actually shown several times on Ted Turner’s cable TV network rival to early MTV. Anybody remember seeing it?

From what I understand, Kirk Bryk kept playing music well into the ‘00’s and may still be to this day, continuing to extrapolate from the influences of bands like Sabbath, Motorhead and, interestingly enough, Witchfynde. If anyone reading this has any more information regarding the man’s later musical activities, please do me a favour and pass it along. In the meantime, if you’ve never been fortunate enough to hear “Sinister Soldiers,” do yourself a favour and try to do just that. While landing an original LP is completely out-of-sight, an internet foray may land you one of the various CD re-issues that have cropped up over the years. Hits You Like A Ton Of Bryks

NOTE: This Chicago SORCERY is not to be confused with another obscure Sorcery who also released a fantastic album called "Stunt Rock" within the same year as "Sinister Soldiers." But that's for another chapter of the Grand Halls....

Grand Halls 36

2009-12-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

SEVENDUST – “Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow” CD ’08 (7Bros, US) – Right about now what I suspect some readers are doing is looking at this, an album by SEVENDUST from 2008 reviewed under the Grand Halls section and thinking it’s a misprint or that I’ve lost my mind. Fear not, my friends, it makes complete sense and here’s why. Over the years, my musical journeys have taken me a lot of places, a lot of them far afield, into places like scraggly demos recorded by bands from North Dakota in the back of a farmhouse and released in microscopic runs of a couple hundred max. Therefore, in an odd sense, and yet one that’s just as true, something like this is what’s obscure, underground or unknown for me. Granted, there are a lot of reasons for people of discriminating tastes to avoid things more mainstream or the radio. All you have to do is take a quick scan of the dial and you’ll see why. By the same token, there are times when, tooling around in the mini-van (that of the broken CD player!) a mood will sweep over me that renders me sick and tired of the AM sports talk shows. And, when I do this and throw on something like 98 Rock in hopes of hearing the scant airing of “Run To The Hills” or “Metal Gods,” an interesting thing will happen: I’ll hear something else I’ll like…a lot. Now, I know, I know. What I’m “supposed to do” when this happens, by all the “True Metal” and “underground” standards is take a sheepish look around, convince myself that said song was really no good and forge an agreement with myself and I that this will never be spoken of again. But personally, I’ve never been one to fall for that kind of dead-end musical elitism and I’ve simply gotta find out whatever it was and check it out. This time, it was “Prodigal Son” by SEVENDUST.

Imagine my feelings of being out-of-the-loop when I went to Amazon and found out this band has not one, but a whole bunch of CD’s. Be that as it may, it took quick work to find out that the song I’d heard had come from their latest, the snappily entitled “Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow.” I slipped into Best Buy under cover of the night and purchased the disc, pulling my collar up around my face and looking over my shoulder as I cringed at the sticker proclaiming “features Chris Daughtry on one song.” (No, that scenario was just to give an uneasy laugh to all the holier-than-thou’s…well, maybe I did hesitate when I saw “Chris Daughtry” but….) So, down to business, I threw this in and was left to wonder what I’d get when the…wait for it…eerie intro started. Thing is, the first song “Inside” finally came roaring out of the speakers with vocalist Lajon Witherspoon announcing “Pleased to meet you, motherfucker!” and I thought I was listening to a lost Pantera track! Varying between down-tuned ass-mauling aggro verses and the kind of chorus Alice In Chains would give pause for, these guys had me impressed. “Enough” continued the proceedings and I’m understanding why people dig this shit. Catchy-as-hell, in-your-face riffs and production, yeah this is good stuff! I’m digging this and then, here comes the song with Chris Daughtry and I’m ready to hate it, ready to ask why the hell they decided to ruin what had the potential to be an excellent album by inviting some American I-Dull onboard and there’s only one problem…it’s a good song and the vocals completely fit. Sheezus, do I stand corrected, it’s not my fave song on the disc but it works. But I don’t really have time to think about all that because up next you’ve got the well-paced elephant gun of “Prodigal Son” wherein John Connolly lays down some seething wah-wah. Gotta say though, “Contradiction” is the star of the show. Holy shit, this song is heavy! The guitar solo overtop the “One”-like machine gun rhythm is a thing of beauty and the Amselmo-like vocals really add the cherry on top. This is the kind of album that’s a purely cathartic listen. Had a hard day? Open all the windows on the Camaro (you lucky people with not only a Camaro, but a car CD player that works!), throw this in on “11” and blast down the road. Aggressive, emotional and it sounds good too. Moral of the story? Sometimes good shit makes it through. No Misprint

http://www.sevendust.com/

Grand Halls 35

2009-12-15T05:16:00.000-08:00

ASIA – “Asia / Armed To The Teeth” – (Orginally private, ASI ’78 / ’80, Re-issued ’95, The Wild Places, US) – Melody, especially in hard rock, has always been important to me. Think of the best: Thin Lizzy, Riot, Winterhawk, Rush…. The melodies are so searing and deep that your brain is branded with them. In fact, I read an interview with Riot’s Mark Reale once in which he said “I can’t even listen to anything without melody.” Then listen to these 2 records by ASIA (and NOT the shitty pseudo prog group with John “I ruin every band I join” Wetton). This pair of beauties, which I learned about thanks to the CD re-issue in ’95 by the late Michael Piper, is the absolute king of this theory. I always hate using comparisons but ASIA reminds me of a cross between UFO and old Kansas! Or, for the more obscurely-inclined of you, how ‘bout chewing on a lunch of Full Moon, Winterhawk and Asbury. While the self-titled debut record is damn good, and verging on essential, I must say that “Armed To The Teeth” is nearly in the godly variety, up there with Rush’s “Fly By Night” and Winterhawk’s “Revival.” This is gorgeous progressive hard rock that is world class in everything except the level of acclaim that it received. The vocals of Michael English and Larry Galbraith are devastating and the guitar work of Mike Coates is beyond ridiculous. Listen to “Thunderrider” or “Genghis Kahn.” I mean, Jesus Christ, how do you top that?! Some people will say, “Well, Ray, it’s not that heavy.” Well, go listen to some Satan’s Penis death metal album then and leave me alone. The original LP’s are super rare and have been known to bring big dollars, but if you poke around online I’m sure you can find the nice CD package that includes both records. Carnivorous