Featuring Female Member issue for reviews @ Absolute Zero Media
Brave-Monuments-CD (Self Released)
Michelle and Scott Loose have returned to the Prog rock/Metal realm after 4 long years. This is much less metal and very much a very Heavy Progressive Rock release. That focuses around very tasty guitar and bass melodies with a fantastic layer of synths and strings that is completely rounded out by a drummer that know were to get bombastic but still can hold back when the passage calls for it. Michelle's voice is as powerful and emotionally stirring as ever. I would even say there is a very Post Rock elements of bands like Rachels, The Changelings and Gathering going on in the music much more then in there ep back in 2004. Scott's guitars sound best in a cleaner and more fuzzed out tone then when they try to get so metallic. Michelle has a lot in common with a vocalist called Lana Lane and Heart to ears which works so well here. Monuments is a classic in the making. I hope the band self released by choice as labels like Inside Out or Napalm would be fools for not picking up Brave and showing the world what a band with the chops and masterful talent as this are filling stadiums.
http://www.bravemusic.com/
Girlschool-Legacy-CD (Wacken/Spv Records)
For 30 years now this all female powerhouse has been creating hard rock much to match any of the bands of the days gone by. Motorhead, Def Leppard, Guns n Roses and Skid Row. Girlschool with The Runnaway and later (Joan Jett, Lita Ford and Doro Pesh) have shown the world Heavy rock music wasn't just a boy's game and with Legacy in 2008 this shows you again were current bands like The Donna's and Paramore come from. Lets not forget to mention the guest appearances of members of Dio, Twister sister, Motorhead and Black Sabbath on this Juggernaut of powerful guitar work and leads, driving bass and a back beat to bludgeon one into submission. If you remember or loved the days of Blistering Arena Rock , Then do not miss out on Girlschool in 2008..
http://wackenrecords.com/
Abigail Williams - In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns -CD (Candlelight USA)
Abigail Williams are an interesting force all there own. Forming out of the ashes of Vehemence a fallen Death metal force that were on Metal Blade. Abigail William was born as a Symphonic Black / Death force very much more in common with Emperor, Dimmu Borgir and Old Mans Child. The moved from Arizonia and seem to have made a home in NYC now. There original female synth/piano mistress Ashley "Ellyllon" Jurgemeyer has rejoined the fold as the other female member has now because a full time part of Winds of Plague. This is there 1st proper full length and its full of majestic orchestral movements mix with blasting drums, guitar and bass and those grim blackened/ Clean operatic sung vocals you would have come to love with the bands above mentioned. The production as is needed with bands like this is second to none. Though its not groundbreaking material its brilliantly performed and crafted and that is all you need my friends. Abigail Williams is a force to be matched.
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com/
What we have here is a failure to communicate anything feeling other then despair , pain and sadness in other words a crushing goddamn Doom metal release with the Southern Sludge vibe to warm my blackened soul. If you have any love for bands like Grief, Eyehategod, Esoteric or Dusk (USA) then this is a must listen for your ears. 4 tracks none under 10 minutes in length of slow twisting and turning guitar and thunderous bass line and a drumming that really only needs a kick, snare and cymbal to make you feel his voodoo spell. The vocals come at you like a man possessed by addiction and madness and for what its worth on this release they have one bad ass female guitarist named Renata Castagna who seems to have left which is a damn shame as she has her chops down!!!. Much like Liz of 13 or Sourvein Fame. With each release 20 buck spin impresses me all the more. If your a Doom fan this is a must have!!!
http://www.20buckspin.com/
Forever Slave- Tales for bad girls-CD (Wacken/Spv Records)
What the fuck is this its bad goth synth pop with hard rock over done guitars. The vocalist is just horrible in vocal style, lyrical content and image. She is a cross between avril lavigne and marylin manison you could not polish this voice with all the effects on the board in any studio. Those synths are so happy and electro there down right annoying and the synth drums makes it sound like all those sad ass metropolis bands. Why would SPV put their money into a band that I can see Napalm records would have said too "come on kids pull it together before you send us a demo??" Maybe this shit fly's in Europe but man you can smell the stink of studio band with some goth girl fronting it . Wacken this is the 1st strike on an otherwise amazing track record.
http://wackenrecords.com/
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