Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova made some waves in 2002 not only with the song “Not Gonna Get Us”, but also with all the controversial discussions about that they are lesbians – or not. Later, in 2004, Katina then stated: “He (producer Ivan Shapovalov) made us out to BE lesbians when we were just singing FOR lesbians. We wanted people to understand them and not judge them. That they are as free as anyone else.” And Volkova stated: “He spends his time thinking up scandals instead of planning our artistic work. I’m sure our fans would rather hear new songs and new albums than new scandals.” The band’s name – t.A.T.u. – “Тату”, refers to a shortened version of the Russian “Та любит Ту (Ta lyubit Tu)”, meaning “She loves her” and it was the idea of the producer Ivan Shapovalov. The first single was completed in Autumn 2000, entitled “Ya Soshla S Uma” released in English as “All The Things She Said”. Their first album, “200 Po Vstrechnoy” was released on May 21, 2001 and the English version of the album was released one year later, entitled “200 km/h in the Wrong Lane”. In May 2003, t.A.T.u. represented Russia at Eurovision Song Contest 2003, where they placed third. In 2003, the act released the first compilation CD of remixes, titled “Remixes”. In early 2004, t.A.T.u. legally broke their contract with Ivan Shapovalov and soon after announce their split. Read more t.A.T.u. – Waste Management Remixes (2011)
Yearly Archives: 2011
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light (2011)
I never was excited by Dave Grohl after Nirvana’s band, Foo Fighters. It was too fluffy, too pop for my taste, too mainfuckingstream, too radio friendly and actually I have no taste for Dave’s funny approach and kind of parodies. If I wanna have fun listening music, I prefer Dennis Leary, The Bloodhound Gang or Richard Cheese. “The Pretender” directly pissing me off because I actually think that Dave is exactly that kind of pop star millionaire he make fun of it. Well, maybe I’m a wrong judge of characters, but he’s star and a millionaire for sure. Irony? Probably. On the other hand I’m convinced that Dave is also very talented. It may be a paradox, but that’s a fact. And Dave proved us this not once. He’s a great drummer, a great musician, a great songwriter. “All My Life” – the opening track of the 2002 album “One by One” – is a huge rock anthem. So, I didn’t really expected from Dave nothing this time, but “Wasting Light” actually it’s a great rock album. Read more Foo Fighters – Wasting Light (2011)
Between The Buried And Me – The Parallax Hypersleep Dialogues (2011)
Expected to be released on April 12, 2011, through the band’s new label, Metal Blade Records, “The Parallax Hypersleep Dialogues” consist of three brand new songs and the material is over 30 minutes, so this extended play will mainly satisfy all the band’s fans for the two years of waiting. It’s true, meanwhile Tommy Giles Rogers Jr.- the lead singer and founder – of the band released his brilliant second solo album “Pulse” earlier this year, in February, also through Metal Blade.
Thomas and his band mates – Dan Briggs – bass guitar, Blake Richardson – drums, percussion, Paul Waggoner – lead guitars and Dustie Waring – rhythm guitars – made the conscious decision to preclude a studio album with an extended play in addition to being part of a concept album series, so probably we will hear other new materials from them pretty soon. Read more Between The Buried And Me – The Parallax Hypersleep Dialogues (2011)
Thomas Giles – Pulse (2011)
“Pulse” is one of the most wonderful and exciting records I had the pleasure to listen this year and I admit it, it was a huge surprise. Tommy Giles Rogers Jr. is the lead singer and founder of the band Between the Buried and Me, one of the leaders of the new – twisted – metal wave, a powerful and extremely creative band wich show a new direction and proved once again: metal is not dead.
“Pulse” is actually the second solo album by Tommy, the first was released back in 2004 under the name Giles. The new material is extremely colorful, impossible to label, crammed in some particular box. And about the influences and different musical roots of Tommy we can get an idea by listening the cover collection released in 2006 under the title “The Anatomy of” by Between the Buried and Me where we have songs by Metallica, Sepultura, Depeche Mode , Queen, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Earth Crises, Blind Melon, Counting Crows, Soundgarden, Faith No More, Motley Crue, Pantera, and Smashing Pumpkins. Read more Thomas Giles – Pulse (2011)
Hollywood Undead – American Tragedy (2011)
If you know them, you wait for their second album for quit a long time, if you never heard of Hollywood Undead, you probably were out on some other planet when they smash off MySpace with their song called „The Kids†in 2005 wich reach over 8 million hits till the end of 2006 and made them the most wanted unsigned band of the moment. They finally singed for MySpace Records, but they left the label after the label tried to censor their first album. They moved to A&M/Octone Records and “Swan Songs” was released on September 2, 2008 and reached #22 on the Billboard 200 in its first week of release, selling 21,000 copies.
All of the band members use pseudonyms and wear their own unique mask, most of which are based on the common hockey goaltender design. Do you remember Raven? – the English heavy metal band – or you may though about Slipknot as well. The band members currently consist of Charlie Scene, Da Kurlzz, Danny, Funny Man, J-Dog, and Johnny 3 Tears after in early 2010, the band’s singer, Deuce, was voted out of the group and was replaced by touring member and long-time friend Daniel Murillo (Danny), who was an American Idol contestant in its ninth season and was the lead singer for the band called Lorene Drive. Read more Hollywood Undead – American Tragedy (2011)
lights and fractals – a trip into abstract
What we see it’s really what it is? I mean, blue is really blue, a wall it’s really a wall or the sky is above or… beyond? What we can see, smell and touch, this world and this reality it’s the only “real thing”? Well, I don’t have a scientific answer, but I’m not so sure. Maybe everything if it comes down to zeros and ones may look different. And maybe there’s an unseen, parallel universe. Or two. 😀
“Messing up” pictures it’s a fun full activity at least. Digitally speaking, there’s infinite possibilities and options, variable experiments and million of effects can be used. There’s one of my trips into a parallel universe build from actually ordinary images. Have fun! 🙂 Read more lights and fractals – a trip into abstract
Guano Apes – Bel Air (2011)
Guano Apes are back! This is the good news. Guano Apes are softer than ever. This is not so good news. “She’s A Killer” it’s pretty intense and they still have some nerve, but there’s no more real skater anthems. The reunited Guano Apes left behind the nu metal and in gender the metal roots and they have some kind of indie rock approach with electronic spices. It’s not that bad, but somehow they didn’t manage to write rememberable tunes, sticky choruses, this collection of 12 brand new songs are kind of similar and linear. They have a few better moments, “Trust” is another better song for example, but still, something is missing. They last real release, “Walking On A Thin Line” came out eight years ago and a decade it’s like eternity this times, and “Bel Air” it’s sort of thin for a come back. They original fan base probably put their skates up in the attic and till now have a family and other worries. Generally this are not too good times for the entertainment business. The economical depression, the piracy and all that things makes everything ten times harder… Read more Guano Apes – Bel Air (2011)
MindFlow – With Bare Hands (2011)
The voice of Danilo Herbert reminds me somehow of John Bush (ex-Armored Saint, ex-Anthrax). It’s powerful and classy. MindFlow was founded in 2003 in Brazil and they play a color and powerful kind of modern, progressive metal. Quality stuff, a rare feature now days. You can attach to them a few labels, mostly using the fancy “post” attribute, but actually you can not put them in a specific box and – I believe – it’s another absolutely positive characteristic. In one moment they sound like Anthrax, next minute they sound like Tool or some post-grunge band and they shifting from one thing to another very naturally, it’s enough to listen the title track of this new album and you will understand exactly what I’m talking about. Read more MindFlow – With Bare Hands (2011)
Truth Corroded – Worship The Bled (2011)
Truth Corroded are an extreme thrash metal band from Adelaide, South Australia and since 2003, the band has recorded three albums, “Our Enemy Is The Weapon” in 2005, “Upon The Warlords Crawl” in 2008 – mixed and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren of Scar Symmetry – and in 2010 they recorded their third material, this newly released “Worship The Bled”. On the new album features Daath drummer Kevin Talley, who has also performed with bands such as Chimaria, Misery Index and Dying Fetus. The band has once again worked with Jonas Kjellgren, who mixed, mastered and contributed a lead guitar solo to the albums opening song ‘ Knives of the Betrayed ‘. The album features artwork from Killustrations who has provided art for bands such as Dew-Scented, Zyklon, Sodom, Aborted and One Man Army.
Truth Corroded give us 10 new tracks of classic, intense thrash metal with some death and metalcore infusions. Read more Truth Corroded – Worship The Bled (2011)
Saliva – Under Your Skin (2011)
“Badass” reminds me instantly of “American Badass” by Kid Rock, well, one of his better moments in deed, but somehow it sounds pretty strange from Saliva this hardcore/hip hop approach, on the other hand, “Badass” is much better than they radio friendly ballad like tunes such as “Never Should’ve Let You Go” for instance. And “Under Your Skin”, the band’s seventh studio album it’s pretty colorful, if not quiet eclectic, there’s something for everybody, maybe they try a little bit to hard to satisfy a too large audience. Or the media. But – really – Billboard it’s not everything.
Still, Josey Scott and his band mates managed to write a few good new themes and songs. “Burn It Up” it’s another piece with hardcore roots and rapping leads shifted with clean choruses, it have burning grooves and heavy guitars. Read more Saliva – Under Your Skin (2011)
