40 Below Summer
- Invitation To The Dance
(London/Sire)
Much like their hometown brethren pete., 40 Below Summer stuck to their guns and landed a major label deal without compromising their style. However, unlike their counterparts, 40 Below are much heavier, wilder, and thoroughly unpredictable. And it is precisely these factors that make Invitation to the Dance so appealing. This adventurous album is a study in contradictions in which brutally intense riffs are mixed with beautiful melody lines. It’s a brazenly bold effort, filled with twists and turns, that begins with the in your face opener “We The People” and continues well past the psychotically insane musings of “Step Into The Sideshow.” The band's musical dexterity is especially evident in “Falling Down" – a track that sums up the quintet’s collective talents in about four minutes. The climax comes with the album's closer “Jonesin,” a lyrically disturbing tune that proves these Jersey boys mean business and don’t plan on disappearing any time soon. Dynamic, powerful, heavy, and brutal are just a few words that describe 40 Below Summer’s sound. To say the least, Invitation To The Dance is anything but dull. -NIN
Aborym
- Fire
Walk With Us
(Mercenary Musik/WW3)
1/2
This is some kind of weird, fucked up sounding
satanic disco music that manages to make my already ailing headache even
worse. What the fuck is this
shit? What kind of an idiot
would bother to produce, make or buy this product?
Better sounds come out of my ass after a long night of Mexican food
and
Agnostic
Front - Dead
Yuppies
(Epitaph)
Twenty-one years old, Agnostic Front still blitz through pissed off fury like sixteen-year olds on their third Epitaph album, Dead Yuppies. Hardcore heroes bombarding their way with lyrics like “breaking my back for a better way, it’s out of reach”, Agnostic Front still plays to the disenfranchised. “Give me liberty or give me death. Give me freedom until my very last breath”, is more poignant today than ever. Wall shaking and bone breaking, Agnostic Front rips on rock critics, club girls, politicians, and pedophiles. Eight songs or about fifteen minutes into Dead Yuppies, Agnostic Front professes “I love to be hated”, which is exactly what the aforementioned yuppies would feel if they even knew this music existed. True to hardcore form, Agnostic Front songs are played so fast they were generally over before I could form an opinion on any of them, though each and every song has a physical, visceral impact. -Brendan McMahon
As
Friends Rust - Won
(Dog
House Records)
Gainesville Florida’s Dog House recording artist, As Friends Rust has no dust on the chops it pops on their first full-length release, Won. Bursting with rage and searing guitars, AFR blows the roof off with woofer breaking bass lines and strep throat singing. Falling somewhere between hard core and hard rock, AFR plays it straight, loud, and fast from start to finish. The few and far between moments when As Friends Rust slows down, they approach interesting melodies with delicious results. Lead by singer Damien Moyal and guitarist Joe Simmons, As Friends Rust also features Floyd Beckham on guitar, Tom Rankine on bass and Zach Swain on drums. -Brendan McMahon
Bad
Religion -
The Process of Belief
(Epitaph)
1/2
Mr. Brett’s back and Bad
Religion’s got ‘im! Thank
God! As far as the kind of punk
rock quality we have all grown to expect from Bad Religion, The Process of
Belief pretty much takes over where Stranger Than Fiction
& Recipe For Hate left off, leaving
proof that co-founder Brett Gurewitz’s songwriting abilities were
sorely needed to sooth our punk rock souls.
Yeah, the bands’ last two releases on Atlantic Conglomerate Records
were bombs. The only thing that held them together was the familiar
trademark vocals of Greg Graffin, but that wasn’t enough.
Now with the boys all back together and their glorious return to
Epitaph, maybe there is still hope for the aging forefathers of what I like
to refer to as “the thinkin’ man’s punk rock”. The first single
“Sorrow” has been getting lots of airplay on
Bad Wizard - Free and Easy
(Tee Pee Records)
½
This is definitely in the vein of old time rock 'n' roll. Bad Wizard has a
way of just coming out and making you sit up and take notice. With their
bad ass rhythms and a groove all their own, I can see this band making a
mark for themselves. Their influences show in their music, but not enough to
get in the way of the fun hearted rock they are producing. “Tiger Tooth” is
a great song that just plain out kicks ass. –Spew
Beautiful
Creatures
(Warner Brothers)
3/4
The Beautiful Creatures’ self-titled major label debut sounds as if it was dug out of an 80’s Hair Metal time capsule. The group’s dated sound can be traced back to the members stints in various Hair Metal outfits back in the day when dudes who wore lipstick and spandex were cool (yeah, right). Vocalist Joe Leste once fronted Bang Tango and, if I remember correctly, even sported long blonde locks. Lead guitarist DJ Ashba paid his dues in the Bullet Boys, while Anthony Focx and the group's remaining members all played with a variety of Sunset Strip regulars. The sad thing is the members of Beautiful Creatures refuse to let go of the past. This refusal is displayed all throughout their debut, which is chock full of shriek along choruses, foot pounding rhythms, and hair-flippin' riffs. The album’s major obstacle is the standard cheesiness that seems to accompany this style of gutter sleaze rock. The boys even throw in a few obligatory "raise your lighter in the air" ballads (“Wish” & “Time and Time Again”). “Kickin’ for Days” is reminiscent of early Guns ‘n’ Roses complete with a replica of Axl’s signature wail, and “New Orleans” pairs Slash like guitars with Poison’s pretty song structure. On a positive note, Joe's vocals have improved since his days with Bang Tango. I say this because I couldn't even listen to half a second of a BT tune but I actually managed to make it through this disc without vomiting. So if you happen to be a closet 80’s metal fanatic, Beautiful Creatures’ self-titled effort will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (Note: There was a rumor that Warner dropped the Beautiful Creatures due to poor album sales.) -NIN
Bigwig
- An
Invitation to Tragedy
(Fearless
Records)
Bigwig’s An Invitation to Tragedy is further proof that some of the best punk can still be found in the deepest pits of the underground. This disc smokes past efforts out of the water. In An Invitation to Tragedy Bigwig deliver their fist-touting anthems at speeds so fast you’ll feel as if you’ve just been hit in the ass by steel-toed Doc Marten. If you're in the mood for an aggressive dose of East-Coast sarcasm, An Invitation to Tragedy delivers on all accounts. -NIN
Bionic
Jive - Armageddon
Through Your Speaker
(Interscope)
Yeah, yeah I know the last thing anyone wants to hear is another rap-rock band but since the genre is here to stay, Bionic Jive is at least a welcome addition to the playing field. In Armageddon Through Your Speaker this energetic unit provides some rather ingenious fusions of old and new techniques. The group’s rowdy rap-metal stylings are accentuated by heavy guitars and a pair of dynamic frontmen, Ako & Emery, who lay down some phat rhymes over a mix of hefty beats and monster rhythms. The delivery is smooth and the band's instrumentation is tight. If Linkin Park is too light and Limp Bizkit too wimpy then give Bionic Jive a test drive. Tracks like "Shoot 'Em Down," "Hands To The Rock," and "Break The Chains" will have you pushing the repeat button over and over. These are just a few reasons to check out Armageddon Through Your Speaker. The rest you’ll have to discover on your own. -NIN
The Booda Velvets - Headrush
(Gotham
Records)
“Can everyone just leave me alone? Get out of my room, okay? I just wanna have a rooftop chat with Felicity and listen to her new Booda Velvets CD! Somebody pass me a tissue, I'm sad!" "Do you think Dawson will let me borrow his Booda Velvets CD?" "Did you hear that the Booda Velvets are coming to Smallville?!!" Are you getting my drift? Turn on a teen drama and you're likely to find the Booda Velvets. They’ve essentially captured all the feelings and intensities of melodrama and infused it into a charming thirteen-track album. Some tracks attempt to be mysterious and deep, like “American,” while others like “Headrush” and “Solitaire” call for some insightful alone time. Lead singer Dan Cromie’s wandering voice projects into the inner crevices of my mind, making me want to hug my knees and rock back and forth. This CD should definitely be played during bosom buddy moments. It’s an album for the lonesome, disparaging few who watch the WB. -CW
Bouncing
Souls - How
I Spent My Summer Vacation
(Epitaph)
1/2
Listening to this, I think of how I spent my summer vacation. You remember the Warp tour. The concerts. The BBQ's with friends (OK, that didn't happen this year, but you get the idea). As always, Bouncing Souls deliver their brand of happy sing along punk. For some reason, it always puts a smile on my face, and I'm sure it will put one on yours as well. -J
Brand
New Immortals - Tragic
Show
(The
Music Company/Elektra)
1/2
I've heard BNI compared to the Black Crows (RIP) quite a bit -- mainly because their bass player was with the Black Crows. But...there's something else there. While straight-ahead rock for rock's sake isn't my thing, BNI plays it very, very well. Mix in a little funk and you have a nice, mainstream, clean CD. Perfectly appropriate for your 14 year old son or daughter -- not that they'd buy it on their own. It's clean like Cheer detergent. Clean like frat boys on a summer day. It screams beer and dancing in a field to the HORDE tour. Well, to paraphrase the quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald -- if you like this sort of thing, this is quite possibly the sort of thing you'll like. -J
Bush
- Golden
State
(Atlantic)
1/4
It’s sad to think that Bush may never reach the superstar status they achieved in the early 90’s. Unfortunately, over exposure and a force-feeding of the British rockers to the teen marketplace ended up doing more harm than good. Which is sad because if you can get past these handicaps you’ll discover that Bush really is a proficient guitar rock band with a singer who, despite his vocal limitations, has a strong delivery. It’s obvious that Bush is capable of penning some really great songs but, unfortunately, Golden State fails to reach that state of complete perfection. Tracks like "Speed Kills," "Hurricane," and "My Engine is With You," are good but not as catchy as past radio hits. Golden State is ripe with raw aggression, grungy guitars and Rossdale’s dark, semi-twisted riddles, but despite its overall warm melodic shimmer and full-on energy it still doesn't move mountains. -NIN
Cage – Astrology
(WWIII)
The chorus of "Final Solution" comes off as a bad rip off of Europe's “The
Final Countdown". This may have earned them the title of Best New Band in
1999 [Where?? -ed], but every song comes across in my mind as a rip
off of another more famous metal act. From Europe to Judas Priest to
Warrior, if you want to hear some of the best 80's music turned into a “new”
song then Cage is the band for you. –Spew
Capitol Eye - Mood Swingz2
(77
Records/Susan Blond PR)
Hmmmm...this sounds suspiciously like a re-release of their first self-released CD entitled Mood Swingz. And even more suspiciously, the track listings are almost identical! And even more fun - this CD is ranked #247,162 in sales on Amazon, while the previous one is at 172,332 (self released did BETTER than label released 5 months into it's re-release! Lesson time, kiddies, now listen up...). But this one sounds somehow...different. Cleaner. Like someone surgically cleaned off the tracks for re-release. And disturbed the dust. Which is a shame, since I gave this almost exact CD 4 stars last time. Now, it sounds like Eminem meets Cypress Hill. And I remember the last CD being more Sublime, this is more nu-rock. Jeez. I've got to check my brain. Or theirs. [Note: 77 Records hired super-expensive PR company Susan Blond to rep this! Funny, I remember the super-reasonable Fly PR doing a much better job last time around for a lot less $$. Ponder that...Class, the bell has now rung for recess.] -J
Katrina
Carlson - Apples
for Eve
(Kataphonic
Records/KSA)
I have a problem with solo female singers. There are so many of them it’s hard to tell them apart anymore! Unless they do something utterly outstanding, it’s hard to remember one voice to the next. Although Katrina Carlson might have a decent voice, her songs really don’t speak to anyone. Written like blurred dreams the lyrics are hard to sing along to. I could see tracks like “On the Radio” being part of a movie soundtrack, but other than the “adult contemporary” stations Carlson hopefully doesn’t have plans of branching out much farther. Overall, this is a very boring album. Not even a preppy cheerleader introduction to the track “Winning Everything” can boost the fun on this album. -Skye
Cell
Block 5 / White Trash Debutantes - What’s
It All About (Split CD)
(Orange
Peal Records)
(Cell Block 5)
(White Trash Debutantes)
Orange
Peal records has released the latest from Cell Block 5 and White Trash
Debutantes, an earnest split CD entitled What’s it All About.
Cell Block 5’s “Dead and Gone” reminds one of The Clash in the
chorus and Poison during the guitar solo.
“Sometimes” could be an unpolished Green Day track.
Otherwise while trying unsuccessfully to be Social Distortion, Cell
Block 5’s contribution to What’s it all About includes unoriginal,
straightforward pseudo punk rock. Cell
Block 5 features David Dalton lead vocals and guitars, John Fortin on lead
guitar and vocals, Shawn Noon on bass guitar and vocals and Jared Gardener
on drums and backing vocals.
Uh-oh, I think I need to take my pants off and shake my moneymaker! White Trash Debutantes, reminiscent of X, The Sex Pistols and early Pretenders, snap this disc into sexy shape with their first track, “Whipping Boy”. Double-timing the super fun, WTD exudes their experience with in-your-face punk rock ear toys like “Disobedience” and “Food Fight”. “2 for 1” proclaims the ballsy, “That bitch stole my tiara.” Stand up and shake in the presence of White Trash Debutantes’ Ginger Coyote on lead vocals, Jake Lush on guitar, Tonia Bodley on vocals, Johny Vile on drums and back up vocals, Rhiannon Pollock on vocals and Dan Humes on bass and back up vocals. -Brendan McMahon
Convergence - Jane Doe
(Equal Vision Records)
½
Oh my god. What is this shit?! “Contemporary Aggressive Music” is what they’re calling it, but it sounds like trash to me. The music is almost tolerable, but the vocals are just unintelligible screams. I don't care how influential they are, this sucks. -Spew
Corn
Doggy Dogg And The 1/2 LB. - Good
Clean Filth
(Long
Beach Records)
1/2
I personally love it when you can take what seems like an entire catalog of music from one artist that they've made over the last 4 years and put it onto one CD. Usually it's crap. Examples include the new Garbage record, the I'll-never-hear-it-but-it's-gotta-be-bad Guns 'N Roses next record, and then there's Corn Doggy Dogg. It's actually some Long Beach punk, Z-Man, who has had various band incarnations and rantings over the last few years. He mentions Hustler so much I hope he got paid or, at least, got a gift certificate to their store on the Sunset Strip - which, quite frankly, is more entertaining than Good Clean Filth. The juvenile in all of us will vomit at the lack of humor in turning John Cougar's "Hurt So Good" into "Pull Some Wood," or the need on a 22-song disc to include the same song in studio and live versions, or a couple of spoken word rants and answering machine message tapes that...god, this disc is an hour long. OK version of the Stooges' "Search And Destroy" is about all I can recommend, but that's only because I don't want to be a complete negative bitch. (But we like it when you’re a negative bitch. – BM) -Repojay
Cruevo
/ Brainoil (Split
CD
(Boredom
Noise / Unknown Controller)
According to the bio, Cruevo and Brainoil are comprised of “accomplished veterans” from the East Bay underground scene. Does this mean that both bands are great? Hardly. But I suppose if you’re heavily into stoner doom rock and sludge metal you might actually find this disc to be semi-decent. Cruevo’s sledgehammer stoner brand of doom metal makes me wonder if the members listen to anything other than Iron Maiden. Just picture Satan fronting Maiden and you’ll get an idea as to what this band is all about. Unfortunately, Brainoil isn’t much better. I guess one could blame it on the muddy production but, being that sludge metal is their “specialty”, I don’t think the producer is to blame. -NIN
The
Damned - Grave
Disorder
(Nitro
Records)
I fuckin' love Julian Cope. I really do. The latest release from the Damned has our fearless leader Dave Vanian sounding a hell of a lot like Saint Julian while still maintaining a dark unique tone that is all The Damned. Is anything as memorable as their early memorable work? Of course not. Would you expect it to be? It doesn't have to be. It just has to have that dark, twisted, crazy mood that will carry you into a dark day where your black eyeliner would run because the club was so damn hot from being packed. Why do Goths wear so much if you know the club is going to have poor ventilation? Extra points to The Damned for picking up Patricia Morrison (ex Sisters, Gun Club) for some deep, dank bass work that just adds extra dimensions of creepiness to the proceedings. Forgive the first few songs that almost sound like recent Misfits work (do a blind taste test if you don't believe) but dive into the rest of the work for some fine gothic trippin'! -Repojay
Days
of the New - Red
Album
(Outpost/Geffen)
Days of the New’s third release, simply referred to as the Red Album, is, without a doubt, a testament to Travis Meeks’ musical and vocal abilities. The Red Album combines the dark acoustic rock stylings of DOTN’s debut (Yellow Album) with the experimentalism of DOTN’s second release (Green Album). The result is a perfect balance of musical integrity that showcases an artistic maturity in the twenty-two year old musician that is well beyond his years. "Words" finds Meeks diving deep into the soul of Southern rock. On "Dirty Road" and "Dancing With The Wind” he utilizes the skills of the Burning River Symphony Orchestra to add a dramatic tone to the compositions. A flamenco influenced guitar solo enhances the mood of "Once Again," much like the Middle-Eastern tinges of "Giving In". All these little accents and compliments show that Meeks is well on his way to unlocking the door of greatness. The deliciously relaxed songs that make up the Red Album are extremely rich in melody and texture. This disc is a surging epic of passionate and powerful tunes that will move the mind and soul. -NIN
Destroyer666
-
(Renegade
Records)
100% pure tooth and nail style Australian speed metal done in the tradition of the early 90’s sound. Not sure if it’s because the Outback is at least ten years behind the times or if this band is determined to stick to their roots. Armed with cool names like KK Warslut, Bullet Eater, Shrapnel and Howitzer, the Destroyer offer up a non-stop onslaught of raw power and fury that’s a force to be reckoned with. Beer, babes and barbarianism all around! -Colin Bowel
Detroit Grand Pu Bahs - Funk Y'all
(Jive
Electro)
1/2
Do you like Funkadelic? I do. This CD is so derivative of Parliament that I just don't see the point. Maybe George Clinton for a new generation. A new generation that likes constantly repeated chorus' and not much imagination. Also, is it my imagination, or is this slow…? It's like a 45 rpm record being played at 33 1/3. -J
The Diablo Project -
Vol. 1
(E-Magine)
3/4
This
is Jai Diablo's solo project. Since I came into this review not
knowing any of Jai's other material, I was completely open minded.
What The Diablo Project brings to mind is the space-lounge experimental
sounds of the late 50's, early 60's. Think Esquivel (RIP) mixed with
Phillip Glass meets 70's porno soundtrack. Doesn't sound too bad,
right? Add rockabilly and rock and you get one completely uneven CD
that is ultimately disappointing because it showed promise. As the bio
says "The...listening experience is like the unpredictability of a
blind date..." And that's a good thing how, exactly? -J
Dirty
Rotten Imbeciles - Greatest Hits
(Deadline
Music)
I
have no real reason to get involved in a band's dirty laundry. Quite
frankly, the young punk in me is happy to see a bunch of tracks from
D.R.I.'s first 3 albums on a (short) CD. It's certainly not the band's
greatest hits as it really only comprises 1982-1987 and the band is still
touring so isn't there a lot more ground to cover? Well, who really
cares as they seemed to have gone more metal after 1987 ala Suicidal
Tendencies, which was not a wise move. After reliving those early
years on this new compilation, I'm not even sure why I liked the music that
much either. It's OK, but I think it was more a case of liking the
band's "skanking man" logo than the actual music, but such was the
case for many bands in that era. Does it all matter, though? Not
really, as the quartet is now in a bitter legal battle over the rights of
the music with their former manager. So I'm not even sure if this disc
is technically 100% legal. You
might want to snap it up simply because you may not find it again. But
is getting it for rarity value really enough? -Repojay
Dope - Life
(Flip/Epic)
1/4
What da’ fuck? The last thing I ever expected was for Dope to go Lincoln Park on our ass. Instead of screaming fuck tha police, Dope’s new album Life finds Edsel singing about love and relationships as seen in “With or Without You,” “Now or Never,” and “Jenny’s Cryin’." At first I didn’t know what to make of this disc, but perhaps with a new line up – Virus (guitar), Sloane Jentry (bass), and Sketchy Shay (drums) – comes a more radio friendly sound. This radio friendly offering is, without a doubt, a more polished effort than Felons and Revolutionaries. Perhaps a little too polished, as some of Dope’s edge seems to have been pushed to the curb. "Stop" and “Die Mutha Fucker Die” gives fans a taste of days past but both tunes quickly lose their appeal when the melodic choruses seep in. “Move it” will take you back to the glory days of 80's metal. Redemption finally comes in the last track, “March of Hope," which shows that Dope’s soul is not completely lost just buried underneath layers of high-tech production gloss. Overall, Life isn’t bad. It just takes time to digest. -NIN
The
Dragons - Rock
N Roll Kamikaze
(Junk
Records)
San
Diego’s The Dragon’s fourth Junk Records release, Rock N Roll Kamikaze
is a trashy, raspy, romp. With
Mario Escovedo on lead vocals and guitar, Ken Mochikoshi Horne on lead
guitar, Steve Rodriguez on Bass and Jarrod Lucas on drums, The Dragons are
very proficient musicians. Clearly
influenced by Kiss, they could have titled this album Rock N Roll Middle.
With nothing new and everything old, The Dragon’s don’t breathe
fire. As a matter of fact, they
should brush their teeth, as this release smells not like teen spirit, but
simply bad breath. On "I Say
Go", they momentarily remind one of what The Ramones and The Replacements
probably sounded like at their first rehearsal.
Yet, the rest of the record has such stimulating song titles as "Whoa
Yeah", "C’mon" and "Crying". There
is a place for The Dragons and that is in small dingy bars where the stage
is just three steps from the bar so that no one is sober enough to realize
that this music was done better in 1979. -Brendan
McMahon
Dredge - Leitmotif
(Interscope)
Dredge
is an unconventional rock band that will inspire you to think outside the
box. The rich tunes that make
up Leitmotif are artsy, experimental, thought provoking, complex, and
diverse and despite its complexity the album is easy on the ears thanks to
its soothing melodies and abstract textures.
Dredge’s sophisticated sense of rhythm and dynamics edges their
music towards a more experimental category.
The band has a unique ability to express moods and feelings through
music, and their talents shine all throughout this disc. -NIN
The
Electric Hellfire Club - Electronomicon
(Cleopatra)
3/4
The satanic agro-electro unit known as The Electric Hellfire Club continue to keep fans guessing with their latest offering Electronomicon. In an effort to spice up their sound The E.H.C. have added a little Black Metal to the mix, which is clearly displayed in “Wired in Blood,” “Hymn to the Fallen,” and "Broken Goetia". These tunes in addition to others add a nihilistic vibe to the album, which is occasionally interrupted by the band’s quirky nature as seen in the Celtic folklore influenced “Sons of the Serpent”. “Hypochristian” is a mass of pummeling mechanized beats that dishes out the band’s traditional apocalyptic keyboard menacings and metallic growl of shredding guitars. Overall, fans probably won’t rate Electronomicon as their all time favorite, but E.H.C. deserves credit for attempting to change and evolve their sound while still holding firmly to their roots. -NIN
Faith
and The Muse - Vera
Causa
(Metropolis)
This
two-disc set will please die-hard fans and spark the interests of those
who love darkwave sounds. Faith
and The Muse, comprised of William Faith and Monica Richards, has a knack
for weaving theatrical elements into their alluring compositions, which
beautifully pits Victorian soundscapes against Elizabethan melodies.
The group's bittersweet musical composure and dramatic sense of
romanticism comes alive in Vera Causa – an
album that spans the band’s illustrious career and features a mixture of
live tracks, remixes, covers, and coveted rarities.
These exquisite pieces are vivid enough to allow the listener to
paint their own interpretations within the mind when listening to this
disc. If you happen to be a
fan of Faith and The Muse’s work, you will be happy to know that
Metropolis will also be releasing the group’s first three albums –
Elyria, Annwyn, Beneath the Waves, and Evidence of Heaven – in the near
future. -NIN
Five Horse Johnson - The No. 6 Dance
(Small
Stone Records)
Once
upon a time, there was a band called Shooting Star (this is going in the
waaaay back machine). Five
Horse Johnson reminds me of them. A
bit of stoner rock mixed with a metal bent, and some serious hooks.
The vocalist sounds like a bad night out. I like their vibe quite a bit, but the lyrics kill it.
"The time has come tonight.
Don't you run. 'Cuz I'm here baby"
Wow. Deep.
And it just gets worse from there.
But what a slide guitar.
-J
Flaw - Through
The Eyes
(Republic/Universal)
Flaw has added their name to the roster of ear perking artists to emerge from Louisville Kentucky [What is it about frickin' Kentucky this issue? Swear a bunch of mine were from there too. -J]. This five-piece unit deliver strait-forward metallic rock that combines Staind’s rawness with Tool’s musical expressionism. On Through The Eyes, Flaw’s musical compositions are brought to life via thought provoking lyrics and solid, rhythms courtesy of dual seven string guitars and a five string bass. “Out of Whack,” is a melancholy piece in which stirring melodies are layered beneath Volz’s emotive vocals, and ”Payback” is a mighty tune that will win that band many fans. Unfortunately, not all the tracks will rock your socks off but, for the most part, Through The Eyes is an enjoyable experience. -NIN
Fracas - A New Host of Torment
(2001 Calendar of Death Records)
Misfits, Misfits, Misfits. That's exactly what Fracas sounds like. The lead and back up vocals, the guitar riffs, EVERYTHING. That's all I hear in this band. They did do a cover of DK's "Too Drunk to Fuck," which was not as good as the original but something to check out, to say the least. -R-Lo