Few words worth more then a couple of fancy, but meaningless phrases, so, Al Jourgensen – age fiftyfuckingthree years – is back with the twelfth studio album of Ministry and they are simply and straightly louder, faster and angrier then ever. And Mr. Jourgensen is not alone, he’s got serious back up from Mike Scaccia and Casey Orr of Rigor Mortis, Tommy Victor of Prong and Tony Campos of Static X. This time eventually they aren’t pushing the musical boundaries further, they doesn’t break any new ground, but definitively they delivered again the most murderous sonic sledgehammer and you can bang your head to it, get wasted or waste someone, or occupy the streets and markets of your city. Politically correct? The ulcers are gone and Bush is gone, the shit stays the same, the price of the gas goes upper everyday, but let’s stick for now to the music and to this 10 tracks and just bang on this for a while! Read more Ministry – Relapse (2012)
rock
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)
The Tape Disaster – A Voz do Fogo, EP (2012) free download!
Brasilia’s finest Progressive Rock outfit it’s back with a beautiful EP and through the experimental net label headed in the depths of São Paulo, Brazil, Sinewave the two track material it’s available for free download.
I listen The Tape Disaster last year, and wrote about them because I was quite impressed by their ability to merge smooth and nowadays Shoegaze called elements with the power and explosion of traditional Rock and the magic aromas of Brazilian music and percussion. Read more The Tape Disaster – A Voz do Fogo, EP (2012) free download!
Galactic – Carnivale Electricos (2012)
Although I listen and I really enjoy lot of Jazz music, I’m the first to admit, I’m not an “expert”, and by the way, generally speaking I’m not an “expert” and anyone who claims he (she) is one, he (she) is a pretender (and liar). Gee! 🙂
Now let’s get back to Galactic.
Originally formed in 1994 as an octet, under the name Galactic Prophylactic, they delivering a mixture of electric Rock, Funk, Blues and Jazz. I get to listen them because behind the drum kit it’s Stanton Moore, who played in Corrosion Of Conformity, knowned him from Garage A Trois, the Stanton Moore Trio, Midnite Disturbers, played with jazz-funk keyboardist Robert Walter, with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Boots Riley of the Coup on the project Street Sweeper Social Club, with Dragon Smoke and MG5. Read more Galactic – Carnivale Electricos (2012)
Corrosion Of Conformity – Corrosion Of Conformity (2012)
Ladies and gentlemen, Heavy Metal! After a hiatus of over five years, the eponymously-titled eighth studio album by Corrosion Of Conformity will be released on February 28, 2012 by Candlelight Records. It is their longest gap to date between studio albums – seven years, Reed Mullin is back behind the drum kit after 12 years, but also the first to not feature Pepper Keenan on vocals and guitar since 1989. Pepper joined Down in 1991, although it has been disputed whether Keenan has left the band or he is still officially member.
Formed in 1982, in Raleigh, North Carolina COC came a long way from crossover thrash and punk metal, through heavy metal down to Southern metal. And the three knight of metal, Woody Weatherman, Mike Dean and Reed Mullin delivered 11 solid tracks to go on further. Read more Corrosion Of Conformity – Corrosion Of Conformity (2012)
T.R.A.M. – Lingua Franca (2012)
Although “Lingua Franca” is their debut album, it would be a mistake to think this is a new band. True, the project were started last summer when Adrián Terrazas-González was introduced to Tosin Abasi, but a band made of exclusively well knowned and appreciated musicians like this definitively exclude the suspicion of some beginners. Terrazas (Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet, Percussion) might be familiar from bands such as The Mars Volta, Omar Rodríguez-López, Troker, etc. Javier Reyes and Tosin Abasi both are famous by their leading progressive metal band Animals As Leaders, while Eric Moore since 2008 is the drummer both for Suicidal Tendencies and Infectious Grooves. Read more T.R.A.M. – Lingua Franca (2012)
Van Halen – A Different Kind Of Truth (2012)
Ladies and gentlemen, put your seatbelts on, we’re in a time capsule and we’re gonna landing back right to the 80s just as you close your eyes and push play! Our guides for this precious ride are the Van Halen family, Eddie on guitar, Alex on drums and the young refreshment, Eddie’s son, Wolfgang on bass and not at least, the restless lead singer, Mr. David Lee Roth. Although the twelfth studio album by the band it’s the band’s first album of completely new material since 1998’s disastrous “Van Halen III” featuring ex-Extreme singer Gary Cherone, as well as the first since 1984’s to feature David Lee Roth on lead vocals, the long awaited new Van Halen album, “A Different Kind Of Truth” just right fits in between “Women and Children First” and “Fair Warning”.
I am the first to admit, I was 101 % skeptical about this reunion and album. Don’t misunderstand me, I love Lee Roth, some of his bluesy solo releases are absolutely killer cuts, but definitively the best moments of this band were with Sammy Hagar. And well, Hagar teamed up with guitar-God Joe Satriani, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and classic Halen bass player Michael Anthony to form Chickenfoot, one hell of a successful hard rock supergroup. So, “the other half” already proved vitality, the expectations were pretty high about this and the comparison – unfortunately for both sides – is almost unavoidable.
And “A Different Kind Of Truth” rocks like s*it, eventually this is one of the best Van Halen albums ever released. Read more Van Halen – A Different Kind Of Truth (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)
Los Disidentes del Sucio Mote vs Flashfalcon – East side story (2012)
After sharing stages and touring together, LOS DISIDENTES DEL SUCIO MOTEL and FLASHFALCON are now sharing the precious wax jewel called vinyl. “East side story” coming on a very limited edition, each band performs 3 brand new tracks and one cover of one of the other band’s song.
French stoner rock Los Disidentes del Sucio Mote and high energy rock n’roll demons Flashfalcon delivering a refreshing collection of songs, and 2 tracks are available for streaming on Deadlight Entertainment Bancdamp page. Read more Los Disidentes del Sucio Mote vs Flashfalcon – East side story (2012)
