Chip ‘n Dale anybody? 😆 No, seriously, this is heavy, heavy Rock, Rescue Rangers reminds me of Kyuss/Queens of the Stone Age, Helmet, Clutch, Black Label Society, and some Grunge and Post-Grunge outfits as Stone Temple Pilots, modern Rock – and Post-Rock – bands such as Tool. Although, “Why So Serious” definitively reminds me of Alice In Chains, and their glowing shadow is pulsing discretely throughout in their music.
“Manitoba” it’s a dark, intense, perfectly build-up and biting Rock album, and almost surprisingly, although they are from Marseille, France, it’s sound very American. Pascal Mascheroni – Vocals & Guitars, Christophe Fresard – Bass, and Pierre Roulois – Drums, find that killer fat sound and write the most addictive riffs and grooves which make that kind of Rock kicking. Read more Rescue Rangers – Manitoba (2012)
2012
Subsource – Generation Doom, EP (2012)
“Tales From the Doombox”, their 2010’s debut album was huge as a 10 tones punch right in the face. These guys from London just nailed the essence of wobbling noises filled Dubstep, the nerve and anger of Punk and the heaviness of Metal acts and merged everything into their own flavored music. Few artists can mash up different styles so smoothly and coherently as they did. Get Sex Pistols, Skrillex and Slipknot in the same room and make them bleed out the most intense possible s*it they can deliver, and then, eventually, you will come near to what Subsource sounds like. It’s dangerous and ferocious. Banger! This is the best result if someone ever trying to merge The Prodigy with Rage Against the Machine.
Liam Howlett of The Prodigy said: “These boy have a big, nasty sound. Dangerous to my ears” – and he definitively knows what he’s talking about.
Punkstep? Well, no label might match more appropriate!! Read more Subsource – Generation Doom, EP (2012)
Inside-Project – A History of Violence (2012)
Pounding drums and murderous tempos, cutting till the bone riffs, bloody howling/deadly screaming vocals, “get the hell out of my way” attitude, merging the Death and Thrash Metal rooted with the intensity and energy of the Hardcore, Inside-Project are back!
Three years after “Alone facing death” and after playing more than 100 gigs across Europe, shredding the stage with bands such as Motorhead, Suicidal Tendencies, Agnostic Front, Gojira, Entombed, Tagada Jones, Paradise Lost, L’Esprit du Clan, This Is Hell, Ultra Vomit, Mass Hysteria, The Arrs, Eluveitie, “A History of Violence” consist of 11 merciless, the Alpha and Omega of modern Metal brutality. Read more Inside-Project – A History of Violence (2012)
Noh Mercy – Noh Mercy (2012)
“No answering machines. No computers. No internet. No cordless phones (much less cell phones). No color Xerox. Only DayGlo colored paper for posters. Graphics meticulously cut and pasted out of magazines, newspapers, or clear plastic rub-on letters. All Super 8 movies on film or the new ‘video’ were very expensive to process and you needed to be rich or have access to a school to use the equipment. All photography was either Polaroid or else you needed to have access to a darkroom.
We communicated with posters on telephone poles, sympathetic radio stations, and word of mouth. We visited each other’s homes to draw, paint, and listen to records. We wrote and received letters sent through the mail. We discussed politics, art, music, and philosophy in person.” – confessed Esmerelda, the singer half of the band Noh Mercy.
Meanwhile we are totally alienated and disorientated. And full of Caucasian guilt. Read more Noh Mercy – Noh Mercy (2012)
EndAnd – Adventures of Fi in Space (2012)
This is Garage Rock, with one leg back to the 70’s and the other kicking into the future, merging Noise and Alternative Rock influences, blinking with an eye to Psychedelia, but adding some Punk attitude and “no future” easiness, they delivering raw, biting, but definitively tasty and smartly layered mixture of Garage/Punk Rock where gentle melodies, smoothly played chords are make an efficient pair with the overdrives and driving, energetic riffs, pounding drums and buzzing basses.
Resulting from merging two EP’s, “Adventures of Hi-Fi in Space”, and “Adventures of Lo-Fi in Space”, both released in June 2012, this LP consist of quite different recordings, from polished studio quality works to all sort of DIY style recordings, including digital 4 track, analog 4 track, live recording, and minimal pro tools editing. Still the album sounds compact, every piece fits right in. And if you are into real Underground, truly experimental Rock, edge cutting stuffs, not only on the surface, but diving deep, EndAnd worth at least a chance.
And for orientation, think of Cloud Nothings, The Ramones, Helmet, Polvo, Jay Reatard, Gang of Four, Wavves, The Pixies, Guided By Voices, The Melvins, Nirvana, etc. Read more EndAnd – Adventures of Fi in Space (2012)
Dub Pistols – Worshipping The Dollar (2012)
No sex, but dub!! Still, quite addictive and possible, contagious!
Formed and surfaced in London, in 1996, by ex-club promoter, producer, vocalist, DJ, Barry Ashworth, busted out declaring “There’s Gonna Be A Riot”. While their incendiary live show ensured a solid worldwide following through relentless touring, the records took their own path, moving swiftly on from initial Big Beat Whoopee into celebrations of two lifetimes of musical obsessions, the Reggae-Punk implications of the Dub Pistols moniker just the launch-pad. Merging melodious Pop with edge-cutting Dub and not loosing for a single second the biting tooth of Punk, Dub Pistols grown into a murderous entertaining machine bringing serious social issues to the dance floor. Read more Dub Pistols – Worshipping The Dollar (2012)
Pussy Riot
Democracy? Are you joking, don’t you? What an old-fashioned concept! Dictators are highly appreciated characters by the so-called civilized West, it’s enough to think of Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi who not so long time ago was at least the best friend of most of the European leaders and presidents, it’s enough to look closer what a friendly and respectful relation is between all the – once again – so-called Capitalist and democratic world, the Occident, and Vladimir Vladimirovici Putin, or how little dictators as Victor Orban of Hungary or Traian Basescu of Romania are encouraged and supported by the leaders of the European Union – and even by Uncle Sam – and things are pretty clear for anybody who really want to see. But the fact is, nobody want to see, to hear, to give a s*it. The best interest of the West is to keep in office strong leaders (dictators) who are capable by any mean to keep masses under control. Nobody need a second opinion on anything. This is the new age and a new, pervert form of global colonization.
The so-called “free world” Read more Pussy Riot
Richard Cheese – Back In Black Tie (2012)
I’m sucker for this guy!! If I have a bad day, and dam it, I have my share of bad days, Richard Cheese can make the s*it go away. He’s first four albums – “Lounge Against the Machine” (2000), “Tuxicity” (2002), “I’d Like a Virgin” (2004), and “Aperitif for Destruction” (2005) – re absolutely murderous releases, Richard (Mark Jonathan Davis, age 46) fronts Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine, a Los Angeles based cover band and comedy act, performing popular songs in a lounge/swing style reminiscent of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett. They are specialize in playing lounge-style arrangements of recent popular rock, metal, rap and hip hop songs, sung in a croony traditional swing vocal style, contrasting an elegant jazz treatment of the music with often profane and ribald lyrics to create a humorous dissonance. The band gained exposure after their cover of Disturbed’s “Down with the Sickness” was featured in the 2004 remake (directed by Snyder), Dawn of the Dead. They have some absolutely killer covers of some famous songs such as “Creep”, “Only Happy When It Rains”, “Nookie”, “Bullet the Blue Sky”, “Fight for Your Right”, “Smack My Bitch Up”, “She Hates Me”, “Chop Suey!”, “Material Girl”, “Me So Horny”, “People = Shit”, “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “Enter Sandman”, etc.
Last year I wrote about two of his latest releases, “A Lounge Supreme” and “Live At The Royal Wedding” , now it’s the turn of this most recent “Back In Black Tie”. Read more Richard Cheese – Back In Black Tie (2012)
Monks of Mellonwah – Neurogenesis, EP (2012)
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Monks of Mellonwah are a four-piece Alternative Rock band, and their latest, second, ad deadly EP, “Neurogenesis”, was released on 24th May, 2012. MoM reminds me mostly of the British band Bush, they are selling on the same dark shaded seas of Post-Grunge/Alternative Rock, building-up their unique sound by blending different elements, having strong roots back to Classic Blues & Rock, to artists such as Hendrix, Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd, but also incorporating influences from Red Hot Chili Peppers and more recently from Muse.
Their first E.P., “Stars Are Out”, has been highly praised since its release in 2010.
Thei are winner of the award for “Best Indie Rock Band” at the 2012 Artists In Music Awards and nominated for Best International Act at the LA Music Awards, the Monks of Mellonwah are entering some very exciting times. Dean Cramer of the influential blog Kings of A & R recently listed the Monks in his “Top 8 Emerging Artists”, and CMJ featured their track “Neverending Spirit” on their trendsetting mixtape series.
Blood God – No Brain, But Balls! (2012)
Huge fan of AC/DC? Blood God will knock your balls out!! 😆 This is the newborn monster of Thomas Gurrath of Debauchery. Their last year released debut album, “Germany’s Next Death Metal” made it to my list of favorite albums of 2011 with it’s explosive mixture of good old fashioned Rock grooves and Death Metal rawness. Now Thomas chose the more conventional path of AC/DC to set on fire your little headbanger parties and make the girls to take off – at least – their shirts. This is more AC/DC then AC/DC. Still, bonus for the Death Metal community, the second CD contains the whole album with „Debauchery style“ grunts, pretty strange and fun that blood spitting kind of vocals on those 101% AC/DC riffs, but taste is not an issue to discuss now. I prefer the first CD, but “No Brain, But Balls!” it’s the record you need for a murderous party, and this is the only thing which really matters! Read more Blood God – No Brain, But Balls! (2012)
