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Click here for the Top 10 of 2005
Liberty n’ Justice
Soundtrack of a Soul
Band members- see below
Stand out tracks- Another Nail, Malice in Wonderland, Hope & Pray/Ballad of King David
Liberty n’ Justice -‘Soundtrack of a Soul’ is an ambitious, inspiring and unique Christian rock project put together by preacher Justin Murr. This CD consist of 16 tracks, featuring some of the most notorious hard rock performers of the last twenty years. Murr wrote this CD with many of the participating artist, which included Sebastian Bach formerly of Skid Row, Stephen Pearcy formerly of Ratt, Mark Slaughter of Slaughter & Pete Loran formerly of Trixter, Kerri Kelli, Phil Naro formerly of Talas and many others.
Usually a project of this nature lacks consistency, but not on this release. Every track has a powerful, positive and profound message and even with the different style of each artist there is a real flow to it. No artist phoned in their performance on this one. Sebastian Bach is impressive as he wails his way through the heavy, modern and intense “Another Nail.”
“Malice in Wonderland” is a beautiful, emotional torch ballad sung by Jamie Rowe of Guardian, and “Show Me the Way” is a fast pace rocker with gritty vocals by Oni Logan of the Lynch Mob.
One of the many highlights of this CD is the track “Hope & Pray/Ballad of King David” performed by Phil Naro. This track has a real Led Zeppelin ‘House of the Holy’ feel to it and is simply amazing. Naro has never sounded better and I’ve followed his career for over twenty years. I truly hope Naro’s next solo CD is in the style of this track.
This is an incredible CD, whether you’re in to Christian rock or not, you will find something worthwhile on this release. Pick up a copy, turn down the lights and put the headphones on and get ready to go on a musical journey for mind, spirit and soul.
Review by Thomas S. Orwat, Jr.
Rating out of 10: 9
More info at www.libertynjustice.net
Ironhead
“Livin Like We Wanna Die”
Band Line-up: Johnny Sonic-Lead vocals, guitar, percussion; Angela Foxx-bass, backing vocals; Mark Metal-Drums, percussion
Stand-out tracks: Hotwired, Ready to Kill, Take a Look, Cryin’ Shame
A three-piece outfit from Virginia Beach, VA that serves up a potent cocktail of one part punk, two parts early Nikki Sixx and Tracii Guns served on the Rocks (Hanoi, that is).
Johnny’s deep vocals are pretty consistent throughout, his range is a bit limited, however the femme fatale backing vocals of bassist Angela Foxx provide a nice contrast and liven things up a bit in the vocal dept. She also plucks a determined bass line too. “Out Drinkin Again” along with “Broken Heart, Broken Bones” will satisfy the drunken punk with multiple face piercings on any given Friday night, as both songs fit the punk standard of being played way too fast just inside of two minutes. You can identify the bands influences pretty easily on the majority of the songs, like “Heart Stealer” which sounds a bit like Brides of Destruction, but no blatant rip-off’s (a definite plus).
“Hard Man to Please” and “Take a Look” bring me back, musically speaking, to early L.A.Guns tunes and “Cryin’ Shame” has one extended guitar solo with a permeating scent of Tracii Guns, circa 1989, and I like it! The disk is worth a spin.
Rating out of 10: 6
Review by Tracey L. Band site www.myspace.com/ironhead
Fillmore Slim 
Glam Thug
Band: Vic Wayne – vocals, Michael Ashton Silas-guitar/bass/piano, Dave Blitz-bass, Dave Smith-drums.
Sounds like: Faster Pussycat, Motley Crue, L.A. Guns
Stand out tracks: Buck Naked ‘n Screamin,’ “Star Quality” “No Stranger” “Rock ‘n Roll Tragedy’
Yes, finally a good old fashion down n’ dirty, kick ass glam-metal CD!!! Fillmore Slim is a hard rockin’ quartet from Detroit MI, oozing with attitude and cock-sure swagger. They take no prisoners on their debut release ‘Glam Thug.’ This CD has the look, feel of Motley Crue’s ‘Too Fast for Love,’ and the sound of early Faster Pussycat, but with a noticeably sleazier edge.
‘Glam Thug’ kicks off with the “Intro,” which consists of my two favorite sounds in the world, a chick working up to orgasm and a Les Paul cranked through a Marshall. All of this debauchery going on while jet black hair, lead vocalist Vic Wayne emphatically chants ‘I like to fight, fuck and get fucked up. (Hey don’t the Erotics have a song called “Drink, Fight and Fuck.” Man, talk about having a lot in common) Anyways, “Intro” sets the tone for the remainder of this 11 track , 39:24 long release.
“Buck Naked n’ Screaming” is a fast pace song with a catchy chorus and party hard attitude filled with sliding Chuck Berry style power chords, complements of guitarists Michael Ashton Silas and Dave Blitz. “Dirty Dogs Blues” is loaded with infectious riffs and vocally Wayne sounds like Taime Downe’s younger brother. “Party of Three” and “Puss” are straight forward, gang bang chorus, rockers, with suggestive lyrics primed with explicit intent. “Rock n’ Roll Tragedy” is a dangerous, glittery, New York Dolls influenced track infused with 70’s glam style female cheerleader backing vocals.
“Star Quality” is one of the strongest songs. It’s a raw, sexy, nasty n’ dirty dity, in which our babe from “Intro” returns for another intense and entertaining climax. Who the fuck is this babe??? And like every good glam-metal release this CD also has a radio ready, if it was the year 1989, power ballad in “No Stranger.”
Fillmore Slim have the hooks and looks to help bring Glam-Metal music back for a new generation of fans to enjoy. This CD is a vast improvement over the bands previous demo release of 2004. The band has made a few personnel changes and have really matured into a cohesive rock n’ roll machine ready for success. And hell, if they don’t make it big they will sure bang a lot of hot chicks along the way. And isn’t that all that really matters?
Rating out of 10: 8.5
Review by Thomas S. Orwat, Jr.
Band site www.fillmoreslim.net
The Rot n’ Roll Horror Comp. from Hell
A T-Boner Records Compilation
Stand out tracks: “Driving Miss Zombie” “The Conqueror Worm”
A concept album that takes you on an evil little tour through unsigned hell. Of the twenty-four tracks, the main themes are necrophilia, murder and death. Ah yes, all the elements Alice Cooper would surely endorse. In fact, “Graveyard Romance” by Mockingbird Lane takes a page right out of the book of Coop with a ballad that parallels “Cold Ethyl.” Alice would also appreciate the tongue n’ cheek lyrics of “Charles Manson, He’s So Handsome” from DieMonsterDie.
Okay, on to The Creeping Cruds who contribute a track entitled “Driving Miss Zombie” which possesses (pun intended) an original mix of Georgia Satellites type grooves, a hearty and mean lead vocal all combined with high octave background vocals at the chorus. It’s really got to be heard to be appreciated.
Back to tongue and cheek lyrics, Dr. Daniel and the Rockabilly Vampires’ “I Wanna Kill You” is reminiscent of Chris Issacs’ “I Don’t Wanna Fall in Love” however, with lyrics like “I wanna kill you, I wanna stab you til your dead, I wanna cut off your ugly head,” I doubt they’ll get to make a sexy music video for this one (let alone one with a half-naked model on the beach covered in sand!)
Did someone say sand? Quite a few songs go heavy on the creepy “surf guitar” sound, especially “Nine Day Fall” by Gein and the Graverobbers, an instrumental that I recall hearing at a Munster’s Bar Mitzvah or something.
The Autumn Dead, other than having a cool name, also have a dark and decent sound and a singer that sounds like Pete Steele from Type-O Negative-a definite positive for this band.
Two other honorable mentions are “The Conqueror Worm” by The Order of the Fly-a meaty punk number and “FrankenFish Kill Kill” by T-Boner n’ the Blood Donors-an instrumental that fits the bill with some eerie sounding guitar effects.
Other than giving it a spin on Halloween, this CD would most likely gather dust on my shelf, unless I give it to my goth friend, Dawn (of the Dead) who would most certainly get some hours of enjoyment out of it.
Rating out of 10: 5
Review by:Tracey L.
www.t-boner.com
Kill Cheerleader
All Hail
Band Line-Up: Ethan Deth-vocals & bass; Tony’s War-vocals & guitar; Chad McKinnon- Lead guitar; Kriss Rites-drums
Stand-Out Tracks: “Go Away” “Don’t Call me Baby, Baby” “DeathBoy”
Old school punk meets Iron Maiden and slaps it in the face with a definite throw back to early Guns ‘n Roses. Especially on tracks “No Feeling” and “Bad Habit.” This CD runs on pure adrenaline, and is dominated by guitars, guitars, guitars!! My only complaint (other than the 49 second piano instrumental at the end that sounds like it was stolen during the rolling of credits after some lame chick flick) is that the vocals seem to get lost in the mix slightly, however, the drug-infested ballad “Go Away” allows the vocals to shine, and you can almost picture the smoke filled room, acoustic guitar and old Cheap Trick poster on the wall. If there is such a thing as melodic punk, this record is it, and it’s an invigorating sound when compared to the insipid crap that’s being crammed down our throats these days.
Hailing from the Great White North, these boys found their niche, and they are young. enough to enjoy all the fringe benefits that come along with being a Rockstar (or just playing one on stage). They’re already singing about it on tracks like “So Young.”
Raw and electric, unquestionably a band to keep an eye on, especially if your daughters in the room!
Rating out of 10: 7
Review by Tracey L. Band Site: www.killcheerleader.com
EUROPE
Live From The Dark DVD
It’s extremely unfortunate that Europe got lumped into the cheesy hair rock category. Let’s face it, they were probably in line behind Winger for the T-shirt that Stewart wore on the Beavis and Butthead series. I must admit I was never really into this band and haven’t followed their career much. At any rate, I was pleasantly surprised at the dedication and talent this band possesses. Releasing a DVD that contains a 4-hour combination of live concert footage, interviews and behind the scenes action, one doesn’t necessarily have to be a fan of the band to appreciate what they have to offer.
First off, singer Joey Tempest has aged well and has ditched the permed coiffure of yester year, (thank God!). He has also kept his pipes in top-notch form.
The band line-up of Joey Tempest -vocals, John Norum-guitar. Mic Michaeli-keyboards, Ian Haugland-drums and John Leven on bass has evolved musically and the 18-song performance, shot inside the Carling Apollo Hammersmith Theatre in London, is not just a trip to nostalgia, but a melodic dissection of the bands best work. It goes without saying that “Final Countdown,” “Carrie” and “Rock the Night,” being the recognizable hits, are the staples of the DVD however, the entire performance is filled with a more progressive sound and a serious concentration on quality. Norum’s playing is exceptional. Stripped of the poofy hair and the silky, frilled clothes, Europe has maintained a loyal following throughout the world-some of whom are interviewed in the bonus footage.
Speaking of bonus footage, one excerpt finds band members in a “Taxi Cab Confessions” type scenario as they ride through the streets of London. A lot of the dialogue is hard to make out (poor sound quality). You’ll have to watch it several times for the full effect.
The backstage footage is a tad contrived at times and is kind of boring, actually. If you’re gonna shoot backstage footage, there should be some interesting stuff for the eyes and ears. (Suggestion…you guys might wanna take some pointers from The Crue or Def Leppard).
Another bonus feature is on stage interviews with the band, during sound check, where the topic of discussion is equipment. All you musicians and gear heads out there will be stoked to watch widely respected guitarist, John Norum, grab one vintage six string after the next and explain every little detail from the tip of the head stock to the brand of pick-ups and the sound each produces.
As stated, this DVD is close to 4 hours long. So, if you have nothing going on this weekend, grab yourself a copy, make some jiffy-pop, kick back on the lazy-boy and
enjoy!
Rating out of 10: 7
Review By Tracey L
Hollywood Hairspray Vol.5
A Perris Records Compilation
Today’s lesson, boys and girls, will school us on the do’s and don’ts of Glam-Metal, as there are some unwritten, yet understood rules in regards to this genre of rock n’ roll.
In this latest release of Glam spattered tunes from around the world, we have a wide spectrum to explore ranging from bands that stuck with the formula and got it pretty close to some bands with potential and finally those few that missed the point entirely.
Let’s start with the “DON’TS.”
Alter Ego X (Netherlands) “Devil Woman”- Don’t have a vocalist that sounds like Kermit the Frog on speed! Not good for anyone (and Miss Piggy agrees).
The Deadthings (Australia) “Forever Damned” - Don’t count off the intro to your song with “One, Two, Fuck you…”it’s funny, but offensive to the listener. Also you may want to re-think the name of your band, not very glam, but your guitar player saves the day!
Backstreet Superstars (USA) “Love Story” - C.C. DeVille called, he wants his riff back! A Blatant rip-off of Poison’s Talk Dirty to Me.
Hollywood “Hearts On Fire”- Is that it? Couldn’t brainstorm a little more for a catchier band name?? Well, “Europe” has already covered everything you attempt to do here anyway.
Here’s some “DO’s”
Nice n’ Sleezy (UK) “Rock n’ Roll Addiction”, JackViper (UK) “Merry Go Round” and Dirty Rig (USA) “Suck It”-Some respectable guitar work is brought to the table by these bands. Dirty Rig isn’t exactly “glam,” being slightly heavier than the other bands on this record, they sport a heavy “Saliva” influence, which really kicks ass!
Gunshy(USA) “Hold On to Your Dreams Tonight”, RadioViper(Italy) “Pusher”-Both achieve the “nuts in a vice” vocal ability, a definite element of all things good and glammy.
Straight Fork (USA)-Classic rock lyrics with “Women, Whiskey, Weed & Lies” (What more could a man ever need to survive? Except maybe “Suck It” by Dirty Rig!!)
Silver Dirt (Switzerland)-Any band that works in the cowbell deserves an honorable mention!
High Honors go to:
Sweet Cheater (USA)- This band originated in the 80’s and recently reformed to deliver another round of rock n’ roll ala Ratt style. With a tight band, polished vocals, good production and sugar sweet name, they come the closest to having the “whole package,”
in my opinion.
Chris Laney (Sweden)-Killer axe master whose credentials include Zan Clan and Animal (a project with Randy Piper formerly of WASP). Obviously the most seasoned veteran of the bunch, I didn’t expect to be disappointed. He definitely paid attention in school…the school of rock, that is!
Rating out of 10: 5
Review by Tracey L. www.perrisrecords.com
CJ Sleez
Back from the Brink
Band: CJ Sleez –vocals, Stacy Stray-guitar, Chris Nova-drums, Robby Risk-bass
Stand out tracks: Blame Me, Dirty Girl
CJ Sleez is a raw, decadent glam/punk/rock four piece band that hails from the blue collar, hockey loving city of Hamilton Ont. The group is fronted by namesake, rock goddess in the waiting, CJ Sleez. This EP consists of six energetic, sleazy, power anthems, plus a hot and slutty video of the in-your-face, three chord, girls-gone-wild “Backdoor Tease.” They say that CJ’s style is a cross between Courtney Love, Joan Jett and the late, great Wendy O. Williams. I couldn’t agree more. This CD kicks off high gear with the first track ”Blame Me” and never lets up. And while there really isn’t anything particularly ground breaking on this release, CJ shows the world that she can scream with the best of them and look so damn good doing so. She’s nasty and dirty and she’ll make you rock hard. And what more could you ask for. Definitely a band to see live.
Rating out of 10:7
Review by:Thomas S. Orwat, Jr.
Band site: www.cjsleez.com
Naked Beggars
Spit It Out
Stand Out Tracks: “I Ain’t Your Mama” “What’s the Question” “Get It On” “Too Late”
Representing the band’s sophomore release, “Spit It Out” delivers a high energy, bar room rock n’ blues sound, yet mixes it up with an assortment of tempos and genres. Lead vocalist, Inga Brittingham, has a voice that rivals that of Canadian rocker Sass Jordan having a similar sound, minus the rasp. Musically it most easily compares to the Black Crowes, boasting an infectious hip shakin’ groove throughout the majority of the record.
The Cinderella sound has all but been abandoned except for maybe a few riffs here and there, and a touch does exist on the track “I Ain’t Your Mama,” a catchy little number that, lyrically, is every woman’s anthem and it’s most probable that it was penned during the height of an episode of PMS! Emotions continue to run rampant on a pair of wistful ballads that ooze with soul, “Too Late” and “What’s the Question,” where Kristine vaccinates the song with a haunting keyboard melody.
Appearing on a few tracks are some uncommon instruments not usually heard on most rock records. However, keyboardist Kristine Brasvell plays a mean fiddle, which is showcased on the tracks “Nothin’ But Trouble, “ and “Creep.” A fiddle you say? Hell yes. Now, you all know my opinion on mixing country with hard rock, because there aren’t many bands that I feel can pull this off, but Naked Beggars certainly deserves credit here. It just works. In fact, Kristine’s Dad complements his daughter’s abilities on a track entitled “Lullaby” courtesy of his cameo appearance on the mandolin.
So we got southern grits, now how bout some grime? Naked Beggars’ answer to that was recruiting guitarist Cheetah Chrome of the 70’s punk band, The Dead Boys’, to join them in the studio to record a cover of the Dead Boys “Caught with the Meat in Your Mouth,” for release on “Spit It Out.” No pun intended, well…maybe, (seeing as how the bands name is a synonym for strippers) whatever the case, this tune simply burns from beginning to end.
All said and done, this record is a well-balanced smorgasbord of sounds and styles. A 7-layer dip, if you will, of rock, blues, country, punk and perfectly placed keyboards and guitar solos. All topped off with a dash of attitude and the sexy, soulful vocals of Mrs. Brittingham.
And hey, if you don’t like it, you can always “Spit it Out,” but I highly doubt you’ll want to waste the taste here!
Rating out of 10: 8
Review by Tracey L.
www.nakedbeggars.net
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