Quality Metal – for FREE. Reminds me mainly of Annihilator crashed into Alice In Chains, Nihil Quest delivered their debut full-length album with 11 groovy, but classic Metal tracks.
Nihil Quest was formed in the summer of 2006. The main idea was to play music inspired in first place by hard rock and metal classics (such as Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Slayer), but also they merging different influences and sounds from Blues to Industrial Rock.
Their first release was a three song EP entitled “0.9” and it was issued in late 2009. Two years later, a full-length, 11-tracks record was released. It was titled “1.1 Splendid Isolation” (released on 11.11.2011).
The band was not interested in cooperation with any record labels, as this would mean restrictions to the way the material is being distributed. The album was published via iTunes, Amazon MP3 store and other digital outlets. However it was also made available for free on Jamendo under Creative Commons license. This kind of licensing allows for playing the music without any fees and for non-commercial use in movies, computer games etc. Read more Nihil Quest – Splendid Isolation (2011)
alternative rock
Exilia – Decode (2012)
Merging the sound and approach of bands such as Guano Apes and Skunk Anansie, Exilia incorporated more Industrial elements and Nu Metal grooves and delivered a strong fifth full-length album.
Formed in 1993 in the classic city of fashion, Milan, (Italy) when singer Masha met guitarist Elio Alien, Exilia debuted with the album “Rightside Up” in 2000 and their following “Unleashed” which much heavier and more aggressive sound, released in May 2004, made to the Top 40 in the German charts.
The band’s biggest hit so far has been “Can’t Break me Down” released as CD single in 2005. They have played gigs with Oomph!, Guano Apes, H-Blockx, Clawfinger, HIM, Therapy?, In Extremo, Rammstein, God Forbid, Sanctorum and Ill Niño and singed to GUN Records, division of Sony BMG. Read more Exilia – Decode (2012)
Devianz – A Corps Interrompus (2012)
Formed in 2004, in Paris (France), Devianz, this five piece band, now delivering their long awaited second full-length album, “A Corps Interrompus” (With Interrupted Bodies). 13 tracks, one bonus and one top collaboration with Vincent Cavanagh of Anathema on the song called “Ton corps n’est qu’atome” (You’re Body is Nothing But Atoms), revels a wild, willing and extremely capable band which managed to blending sensitive, acoustic rooted European Rock with the energy, explosion and rawness of the American Indie and Post-Hardcore. But more further than another perfect sonic experiment, Guyom Pavesi, Benoît Blin, Pierre Labarbe, Vincent Rémon, and Charles-Vincent Lefèvre write and recorded 14 songs. Read more Devianz – A Corps Interrompus (2012)
Killing Joke – MMXII (2012)
If Ian Curtis wouldn’t committed suicide on 18 May 1980 and Joy Division would be still around and playing, “In Cythera”, the leading single of the fifteenth studio album by Killing Joke uploaded to the YouTube on 6 March it’s exactly the kind of music we are probably expected of Curtis. Although, this is a classic Killing Joke album with classic sound, and with the classic line-up: Jaz Coleman on vocals, Kevin “Geordie” Walker on guitar, Martin “Youth” Glover on bass, and Paul Ferguson on drums.
Out on April 2nd via Spinefarm/Universal, “MMXII” consist of 10 tracks which will definitively rock your world. Read more Killing Joke – MMXII (2012)
The Stranglers – Giants (2012)
Much more alive then most of the more or less musical products delivered by the nowadays not even fifteen minutes superstar kids, The Stranglers are kicking like a mule with their 17th studio album delivered in their 38 years of “constant success”. Just read it somewhere that the combined age of their current line-up totals 242 years, while Baz Warne (guitars, vocals) who joined the band in 2000 with his springing 47 years is the youngest of the band, while founder member, drummer Jet Black (born Brian John Duffy) is 73. And still, just as I said, this “old dudes” are fresher then many of plastic s*its the industry delivers on fake golden plates tagged and labeled as “best” of something. There is no auto-tuned screaming, no wobbling basses, no frequency oscillations, there is no make-up and no self-pity post-emo painted in black emotions, just four guys playing music. Simply, straight and for real. Read more The Stranglers – Giants (2012)
Poets Of The Fall – Temple Of Thought (2012)
Marko Saaresto sounds just like a fresh and young Ozzy Osbourne, while his band, Poets Of The Fall merging classic values of Rock and Metal with sometimes Pop-like melodies, some typical Scandinavian vibes and a very clean, stripped to the bone, but modern sound.
While the opening “Running Out of Time” is an almost classic Rock/Metal song, the following “Temple of Thought” is more a Nordic Pop song with guitars and hidden Symphonic Metal layers in the background. And Poets Of The Fall juggling through the album between being radio-friendly and staying Rock. This is – generally – a quite hazardous game because you might ended up falling between the two chairs. While “Cradled in Love” reminds me of the score of the Twin Peaks or a possible runner for Eurovision, on “The Distance” they bring back some riffs merged with modern electronic layers. Read more Poets Of The Fall – Temple Of Thought (2012)
Rehab – Gullibles Travels (2012)
In August 2008, a new radio-friendly remix of the single “Bartender Song (Sittin’ at a Bar)” was released by Universal, featuring Hank Williams Jr. singing the second verse. The song peaked at #60 on the country charts and was the band’s first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at #64. In all its versions, including a remix with Hank Williams Jr., the song has sold over 1 million copies to date. The single garnered them a CMT Music Award nomination for “Wide Open Country Video of the Year.” “Graffiti The World”, the band’s 2005’s third album would also go on to sell over 300,000 albums.
The story goes back to 1998 when Danny (Boone) Alexander and Jason Brooks (Brooks Buford,) both recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, met at a local rehab facility and connected over their love of music. Alexander and Brooks formed Rehab, originally as a trio, adding on Denny Campbell (Steaknife.) Soon after their self- released album, “To Whom It May Consume”, produced by Steaknife and Brooks Buford, Epic/Sony offered them a record deal. Steaknife was incarcerated before they signed the deal and the group continued on as a duo. Read more Rehab – Gullibles Travels (2012)
Apollo 440 – The Future’s What It Used to Be (2012)
I was waiting this one for quite a while. Their previous album, “Dude Descending a Staircase” was released in 2003, nine f*cking years is over an eternity in music industry nowadays. Kids of today probably have not even the memories of “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Dub” as probably they don’t have a clue who the fuck is Eddie Van Halen! Still and unsurprisingly, Apollo 440 (alternately known as Apollo Four Forty or @440) came back with a powerful and fresh album, the trendy dubstep frequency oscilation and bass wobblings are incorporated into their noisy electronics and rocking construction, and definitively they delivered – once again – a mandatory killer album. Read more Apollo 440 – The Future’s What It Used to Be (2012)
Therapy? – A Brief Crack Of Light (2012)
Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov, once describes life as “A brief crack of light between two eternities of darkness”. The forthcoming thirteenth studio album by Therapy? was entitled “A Brief Crack Of Light”, it was originally scheduled to be released in October 2011 , but delayed to be released on February 6, 2012.
The first single, “Living In The Shadow Of The Terrible Thing” is available for download since January 23rd and Therapy? have the same edge, sounds dirty and pounding.
The album was recorded in two separate sessions, the first from December 2010 to February 2011, and the second in June 2011 at Blast Studios, Newcastle, England, and it was produced by Adam Sinclair and Andy Cairns.
This is not the Therapy? of ’94, and this isn’t the follow up of “Troublegum”, probably they will not make it again to the Top of the Pops, but I still love them, and this is the logical follow up of their previous “Crooked Timber” (2009), a truly and deeply alternative rock album. Read more Therapy? – A Brief Crack Of Light (2012)
deepfield – Nothing Can Save Us Now (2011)
Currently based in Chicago, Illinois, deepfield (the “d” is always lower case) was formed in Charleston, SC in 2005 by singer Baxter Teal, guitarist Eric Bass (now the bassist for Shinedown), drummer Russell Lee (drums) and bass player J. King. After only shopping a 3 song demo the band found themselves playing a showcase in New York, where they were promptly signed by industry legend Bill McGathy to his new label, In De Goot Recordings.
“Archetypes and Repetition”, the 12 songs debut album produced by Paul Ebersold and Skidd Mills was released in the summer of 2007. The band toured the U.S. extensively from 2007-2009 with bands such as Shinedown, Chevelle, Puddle Of Mudd, Saliva, Saving Abel, Drowning Pool, Tantric, Nonpoint and The Exies.
Delivering a post-grunge flavored modern rock tied with solid hooks and pounding rock themes, deepfield sounds powerful, massive and mature, merging melodies and harmonies with energy and strength. Read more deepfield – Nothing Can Save Us Now (2011)
