With the early heat wave engulfing SoCal I can feel summer getting close. Oh how I can't wait to ditch the wetsuit and hit the waves sportin' just a pair of board shorts and some sunglasses. But kids do remember to wear sunblock. And speaking of sunblock, which CD's are cool to kick it with on the iPod and which ones are burn victims.
The Ghost Lullaby
“Button Eyes”
www.theghostlullaby.com
Style (Indie / Alternative)
I’m all for people expressing themselves through some form of artistic representation, and I do believe art for the most part is created for the sake of making a little extra coin, and / or to inspire others, especially in the form of music, but this crap is worthless. If you’re a producer or a mixer you’re a work for hire person and I feel bad for the person who was hired to finish these tracks. And I definitely don’t fault them for falling off the wagon either. Since the name of the band has the word ghost in it I really hope they disappear. And take with them that god forsaken out of tune lullaby. Was there not a single person in the band or related to the band who had ever heard of vocal lessons?
Rating 0 (this is why so much live original music sucks and clubs are becoming a convoluted mess of competing tribute bands)
Neurotoxin
“V.S.L. EP”
www.myspace.com/neurotoxin
Style (Hardcore)
I rarely include EP’s in my CD reviews but sometimes one comes along that strikes a nerve. And this is one of those EP’s. Strong, aggressive, but not so aggressive you feel like someone is shoving a bag of gravel down your throat, filled with punch, and some cool thrash rhythms with groove making for some quality head banging. The vocals are in the mid to low range, and the drums have quite a few lightning double kicks. Of the four songs I dig the first three and feel these best highlight the bands sound. The fourth song lost me when the singer decided to toss in some pop rock singing. Just a thought, but if these songs are included in a full CD, drop the song “Ghostly Confessor” from the list or rework the song.
Rating 2 ½ (only because this was a 4 song EP)
The Militants
“One Nation Under Death”
www.myspace.com/themilitants
Style (Hardcore)
The sound I’d expect from a young hardcore metal band – straight forward blitz of thundering double kicks, the same crunchy fast chords played over and over, mid-range screamed vocals dragged across coarse 50 grit sand paper, and no frill CD packaging. A band like this, and its CD, can surely get lost in the plethora of hardcore music because there’s simply no separation or distinction from one song to the next, or from the bands choice of CD production and art. Just like Megadeth wrote “Peace Sells But Who’s Buying” there’s surely no end to youthful angst and promotion of death, pain, and destruction.
Rating 2
Testament
“The Formation of Damnation”
www.myspace.com/testamentlegions
Style (hardcore / metal)
25 years, and I think some 17 records (yes records were big when this band started), Testament has released their next disk proving with age comes maturity and that metal never dies. I’m not familiar with their musical progression and I don’t care how these 11 songs stacks up against their discology, but what I can say is this new CD kicks ass in a serious way. The best way I can describe the new CD is by saying to see these guys in a small club, or any club for that matter, you better be wearing some seriously tough body armor. The bone rattling amplification these songs posses will drive your pathetic sorry ass through the floor pummeling, pulverizing, and tenderizing your carcass within a typhoonal onslaught of metaldoom. Emo’s beware, this stuff will leave a permanent mark.
Rating 4
Julian Angel
“Choreography Sucks”
www.myspace.com/julianangelroxx
Style (Rock)
If I was cruising the CD racks at Amoeba and came across this I would immediately categorize it as a Sunset Strip poser street walking cheetah in tight leather pants, a frilly cheeseball cowboy hat, some worn out leather black boots, eye liner wearing piece of fodder. And based upon the low budget CD art photography and choice of looks I’d say I hit the nail on the head. But by not judging a book by its cover I’ve come across something a little more palatable than the cheap ass CD cover would suggest. The music has an 80's Sunset Strip bygone sound with some fun guitar riffs, raspy and sexy vocals, and some great hooks and grooves destined to make a few female backsides wiggle and shake. And hey, the mark of a good rock and roll show is based upon the number of chicks in tight cloths shakin’ it on the floor, right? However, I’m a little hesitant to see this guy live because his look gives the impression he’d be trying waaaay too hard.
Rating 3
