23 consecutive weeks on the US Billboard 200, “Becoming X”, the debut effort by the project Sneaker Pimps released on August 19, 1996, still, after 15 years, sounds fresh and percussive. Hits like “6 Underground”, “Spin Spin Sugar” or “Tesko Suicide” have some particular charm, their vibe still breathing. Chris Corner and Liam Howe find a particular blending of Downtempo and Dub, Trip-Hop and Electronica, mysterious textures and bursting Rock explosions, combined hard beats and glitching samples with cutting Rock guitars, smooth Jazz pianos and floating girl vocals. Sometimes Gothic, other times gloomy, slow, but alive and dynamic, quite hypnotic, but striking, Sneaker Pimps and their debut album is another mandatory piece to collect. This is a trip, take care who you’ll become. Read more Sneaker Pimps – Becoming X (1996)
Monthly Archives: August 2011
The Defiled – Grave Times (2011)
Rocksound call them “The saviours of UK alternative metal!” while Kerrang!! consider them “An explosive mangle of Manson stage craft and middle finger metal!”. When the media praise an artist unanimously, I’ve become suspicious and precocious.
Good to know: “We are not some American band who will write a love song just to appeal to teenagers” said vocalist Stitch D, and listen to their songs, this 5-piece London based metal band delivering some kind of aggressive, wicked metal, something which might be described as the collision of Murderdolls with Static-X, a deadly mixture of Nu and Groove Metal. Brit-Metal or not, they sounds more American-like than similar to Iron Maiden or Bullet for My Valentine and find a loud, powerful way to put their riffs and noises in the right place and afterward punch them right in your face.
So, kicking all my skepticism and prejudices considering everything labeled “metalcore” lately away, The Defiled – almost surprisingly – are absolutely worth to listen. Probably if Pantera would form today they might sound pretty close to what The Defiled deliver. Also Slipknot fans might find this album highly inflammable!!! Read more The Defiled – Grave Times (2011)
Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (1986)
Like it or not, this is also a classic. A big one of the 80’s just like U2’s “The Joshua Tree”, Ozzy’s “Diary of a Madman”, Queen’s “A Kind of Magic”, Van Halen’s “Women and Children First”, etc. After all the 80’s weren’t that bad, isn’t it? Actually sometimes I miss my vinyls collection, the CDs just not the same, not to mention the mp3s.
Their previous two albums, “Bon Jovi” (1984) and “7800° Fahrenheit” (1985) didn’t sold bad and the band toured with bands such as Scorpions and Ratt in the US and Kiss in Europe and make appearances at the Texas Jam and Castle Donnington’s Monsters of Rock. The debut album peaked at #43 on the Billboard 200 album chart in U.S. and a year after its release it was certified Gold while “…Fahrenheit” peaked at #37 on Billboard 200 and certified Gold in U.S., but Bon Jovi had much higher commercial ambitions.
Paul Stanley recommended Desmond Child to help them out with the songwriting – Desmond being responsible for one of the biggest Kiss hits: “I Was Made for Loving You” – and the result was three songs “You Give Love a Bad Name”, “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Without Love”. Ironically, Jon Bon Jovi was initially reluctant to include “Livin’ on a Prayer” on the album, believing that it was not a good enough song and it became one of the band’s most popular and well-known songs.
It was a play to win situation, and 25 years ago, these guys made it through, the 10 songs of “Slippery When Wet” quite rocks. But you can’t start a fire without a spark, isn’t it? “Slippery When Wet” was the best-selling album of 1987 in the United States, and eventually reached Diamond certification by the RIAA and current sales stand at 12 million copies, making it the 48th best-selling album in the United States. Read more Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (1986)
Victorian Halls – Charlatan (2011)
This isn’t Metal, but I love its vibe and it’s noisy enough. But if you ask me, “Burn Me Up Like a Wax-Kissed Letter” it’s heavier than most of the so-called “alternative metal anthems” the media try so hard to sell us day after day. And when a band labeled “Pop” becomes heavier than bands labeled “Metal”, it’s something very wrong with this world we’re pissing on.
Juggling between Noisecore and Power/Dance Pop, this Chicago four-piece band find an exciting crack on the music pallet to breaking through at and “Charlatan”, the band’s debut album comes crushing like a hurricane with songs as “A Crush Is A Crush”, the retro dizziness of “Lucky 16” or the bursting energy of “It All Started In The Hall” and won’t let you (sit) down for a second, leave no space to take even a breath.
This is the future sound of the dancefloor and it’s definitively makes you jump off your shoes and do some crazy things. Read more Victorian Halls – Charlatan (2011)
Type O Negative – Bloody Kisses (1993)
Third in line, but actually the truly second album by Brooklyn’s finest Dark/Gothic Metalers, released 18 years ago, on 17th August 1993. I love this one. From the gloomy grooves of the mysterious “Christian Woman” to the magic vibe of the Seals and Crofts cover “Summer Breeze” through the organ-driven “Set Me On Fire” with its vintage charm to the shifts of tone and moods in “Too Late: Frozen”, Peter Steele, Josh Silver, Kenny Hickey and Sal Abruscato delivered a masterpiece.
“Bloody Kisses” was the first record for Roadrunner to reach certified Gold and later Platinum status in the US and the unexpected success of Type O Negative only raised the pressure from the record label on the band to deliver more radio-friendly materials further. Former member and drummer Sal Abruscato left the band and joined Life Of Agony and later was replaced by the band’s drum technician, Johnny Kelly.
And well, after “Bloody Kisses”, Peter quit his day job at the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation… Read more Type O Negative – Bloody Kisses (1993)
Psychostick – Space Vampires vs Zombie Dinosaurs In 3D (2011)
The third strike of this so-called “Humorcore” band from Tempe, Arizona, will be released on August 16, 2011 and the band also made available the first two singles, “Political Bum” and “Beacuse Boobs” as free downloads on their web site in order to promote the album.
Quoting from their official bio: “a breath of fresh air has come for those who need a break from the standard angry rock or metal band. While many fans love the rush of loud and heavy music, it usually comes bundled with negative lyrics and attitudes”, Psychostick brings humor in Metal, adds dumb and funny lyrics to cutting riffs, pounding drums and the pulsing bass, reminds me somehow of Green Jellÿ, they add spices to classy Metal and sometimes full of shit life and boring, cliche-full (mainstream) music.
Read more Psychostick – Space Vampires vs Zombie Dinosaurs In 3D (2011)
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Mother’s Milk (1989)
Between naked punks with only socks on their cocks and (funk) rock superstars with “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”, the transitional album was this “Mother’s Milk” from 1989, released on 16th August 22 years ago. Just as curiosity, “Freaky Styley”, their second album was released also on 16th August, but four years earlier, in 1985.
Kiedis, Frusciante, Flea and Smith delivered a nervous, high energy material where funk and punk collided into groovy and pulsing music. “Mother’s Milk” also contains guitarist Hillel Slovak last recording, a cover version of The Jimi Hendrix Experience song “Fire”. Slovak died on June 25, 1988 due to a heroin overdose. The record also contains another cover, Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground”.
“Higher Ground”, “Knock Me Down”, “Taste the Pain” and “Pretty Little Ditty” are the more funky – and radio-friendly tracks – while “Magic Johnson”, “Stone Cold Bush”, “Fire” and “Punk Rock Classic” were kept the energy and rawness of punk and the other songs were blendings of both direction.
Read more Red Hot Chili Peppers – Mother’s Milk (1989)
Media Blitz – A Voice Of Our Own (2011)
It’s been eight years since Wattie Buchan and his buddies released their eighth studio album, “Fuck the System” and I actually miss a little bit of anarchy and I miss The Exploited quite a lot. I love their raging Punk since the mid 80s.
And this phrase: “Riot starting, bouncer bashing, cop baiting, hotel trashing, foul talking, noise making, chaos causing, venue wrecking, government hating, rule breaking, piss taking, unrelenting, punk rocking. Clearly we’re not talking about Pepsi adverts here!” (excerpt from The Exploited History page) somehow quite fits right here as I’m listing Media Blitz, a quartet from Orange County, California, formed by Jason Schwartz – vocals, Eddie Oropeza – guitar, Jeff Salisbury – drums and Ryan Blank – bass.
Read more Media Blitz – A Voice Of Our Own (2011)
Garbage – Garbage (1995)
Today I’m gonna take you back only 16 years. 😀
The self-titled debut album by Garbage released on August 15, 1995 was considered innovative for its fusion of Pop melodies with Alternative Rock, Trip-Hop and Electronica genres and its use of loops and sampling. 6 songs out of 12 became successful singles. “Garbage” spent over a year on both the US and UK charts, reaching the top 20 on charts worldwide and receiving multi-platinum certification in numerous territories. The album’s success was helped by the band promoting it on a year-long tour, including playing on the European festival circuit and supporting the Smashing Pumpkins throughout 1996, as well as by a run of increasingly successful singles culminating with “Stupid Girl” which in 1997 was nominated for Grammy Awards for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. Read more Garbage – Garbage (1995)
Diamond Plate – Generation Why? (2011)
Absolutely classy Thrash Metal, fans of Testament, Overkill, eventually Metal Church will be positively surprised by this new Bay Area quartet released by Earache Records. And well, their album title is quite a good question nowadays: generation why? Don’t bother answer it, it’s quite obvious: for sport shoes, iPads and big screen TV sets. Nothing else matters anymore. But once again, not quite to everybody.
Konrad Kupiec – lead and rhythm Gguitars, Jon Macak – vocals and bass guitar, Jim Nicademus – drums and Mario Cianci – rhythm guitars gave us a hell of a trip back to the end of the 80s, beginning of the 90s through their debut album, and this full retro taste-like Thrash album somehow feels absolutely fair and alright. Read more Diamond Plate – Generation Why? (2011)
