Hometown Proud

Summer is here!  This means festivals and concerts.  I have to say that I am hometown proud about this show, especially when it comes to the line up.  Riot Fest 2013 is in Chicago this year!!  For those readers who have not been to Chicago, I have this advice for you... if you've never been before, you should visit at least once.  This festival gives you a great excuse to do so.  The line up looks amazing as well, featuring acts like Blink 182, Fall Out Boy, AFI, and a truckload more.  The full line up and details can be found here.

Queens Of The Stone Age

I've been very lax in reporting the news end of things lately, and I apologize.  However, in my absence, I was happy to find out that Queens Of The Stone Age have been pretty busy in the last two weeks.  They have released a couple videos for songs from their upcoming album, Like Clockwork.  The first video, "If I Had A Tail" hit the web about two weeks ago. Closely following that is the song called "My God Is The Sun".  You can check out the video for that song courtesy of Revolver Magazine.

Hatebreed hasn't been in this blog since I covered their show more than a year ago.  Now they are back, and they have a brand new song for us too! "Honor Never Dies" comes to us from the album The Divinity of Purpose.  You can check that out here.

Last on the list for this post is another CD Review.  This one comes to us from a band called Madlife.  Based out of L.A, the band recently released their 4th album called 21st Century Megalomaniac.

Album Cover

They call themselves an "Industrial Rock" group, but in my opinion the only thing that makes this industrial is the techno-esque features... otherwise it's just an attempt at Swedish metal. The instrumentation is good, and the techno element is nice.  The biggest problem in my ears was the lead vocalist.  The best way I can think to describe it is by saying that they remind me of Quiet Riot, mixed with early Vince Niel of Motley Crue, but with more gravel.  IT'S ANNOYING! Bottom line.

I can certainly see these guys making the soundtrack of a Matrix sequel, or (God forbid) a third installment of the Mortal Kombat series.  My opinion aside, they do have some kind of fan base, so good luck... I guess.

You can check out the band for yourself, and formulate your own opinions by visiting their website.  You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Madlife

That's What Friends Are For

Sometimes you just can't keep friends away from each other.  That is the case when it comes a few bigger names in the industry right now.

Brian "Head" Welch

I wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't come from his own (digital) mouth, but Brian "Head" Welch has announced on Twitter that he is back in Korn.  There is no talk of him leaving or quitting his work with Love and Death, but he has rejoined Korn to work on their new album, and also play some tour dates.  Rolling Stone has more details about the album, and his work with Korn... but I can't just leave this alone either.

Personally, I have nothing against Korn, and certainly nothing against "Head".  He is a grown man and can make his own decisions.  But this move is slightly confusing considering his original reason for leaving the band.  One can only wonder what has changed since 2003 when he left.

What are your thoughts about Brian "Head" Welch's return?  Leave a comment below.

Exhale Cover Art

Now on to the group Stardog Champion.  Made up of Aaron Fink, Mark James, vocalist Nick Coyle,
of Breaking Benjamin success, and drummer Josh Karis.  Most of these guys have worked together in Lifer as well.

As far as this new EP, Exhale, goes... there is certainly a lot of Breaking Benjamin styling in there.  It's a bit "canned"sounding at times, but the riffs are clean, and the guitars are nice and chunky.

It's simple straight-forward rock for most of the disc.  Nothing really hits you over the head, but nothing really sticks out as amazing either.  There are some catchy choruses, and some well placed effects, but nothing really says, "Wow" to me. However, I will say that "The Switch" is a nice closing piece. It leaves you with a sense of hope.

You can find more from Stardog Champion on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

The Cure for the Summer Time Blues

Hello again to my small crowd of readers!

Summer is here!  I now hold a bachelor's degree, but don't worry...I'm still writing the same as ever.

Tim Lambesis

There has been a massive development in the Christian music industry that needs to be discussed before we get to the good stuff.  Recently, Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying fame, has been arrested for allegedly hiring a hitman to kill his wife.  Lambesis has always been very open about his faith in Christ, which I respected him for. But recently, he may have seemed to switch personalities. According to sources, he has denied his faith, and told his wife that he no longer loves her in a email.  I am not one to jump to conclusions about things, so I will wait until the verdict is read to make any statements.  For now, however, Lambesis has pled "Not Guilty" to the charges.  You can find out more details from this article.

Now that we've talked that over, let's move on to more positive things!

August Burns Red

August Burns Red (ABR) has released some details about their upcoming album called Rescue & Restore.  The album is set to come out on June 25 under the Tooth & Nail label.  A track listing has been provided by Alternative Press. I know I am anxious to hear some new stuff from ABR, how bout you?  If their last album, Leveler, was any indication of what to expect on this new one... I will most definitely be loving the review that I write for it.

Speaking of loving a review...here's a new one for you.

Dreaming Out Loud cover

Originally from Alabama, and relocating to Nashville in 2006, Keith Moody gave us a great musical offering in 2012 called Dreaming Out Loud.  This is his second album, and he is still touring on it. Not only are the songs fun and lively, but they have also been featured on TV shows like Jersey Shore.

I am genuinely surprised at this record. I was expecting more country than I got, which is good for me as I am not the biggest fan of country music.  Keith Moody is a good old fashioned rock kind of guy with influences of blues, classic rock, and country in his sound.  To be quite honest, his sound reminds me a little of the Gin Blossoms from the early 90's. It's just a lot of fun. Elements of country twang are present, but aren't so much in the forefront as to make me want to gag… I would say that he's more Americana than Country.

This is a great summer-time album, I can totally see myself playing this while cooking on the grill in the backyard on the 4th of July. It might even make a great road trip album.

He has some shades of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in his songs, but I'm okay with it, as his voice isn't as annoying as Tom Petty. This is perhaps due to the hints of Jakob Dylan of the The Wallflowers in his voice. The bluesy kind of songs such as "Red Line" and "Plastic Hearts" are awesome songs to just chill out and listen to on a nice summer night.  I love the Hammond B3 sounds, and the accidental chords that are used to pull at your heart strings.

All in all, I am genuinely impressed with this… Mr. Keith Moody, I wish you well, sir!

If you would like to find out more about this talented individual, be sure to check out his website, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Keith Moody

As always, I encourage conversation on this blog.  Got an opinion of the reviews?  Got something to say about the news?  Let's talk.

A Case Of Missing Identity

Have you ever had that feeling when you're checking out a new band, and they look really good from the cover?  Then you listen to them, and everything you thought you knew was wrong!  That was the case when I listened to XFactor1.

Famous.Last.Words cover

Their last album, Famous.Last.Words, started out as something promising, but failed to deliver in the end. What started out as something with an obvious influence of Taproot, and other sort of "canned" rock sounds; blended with subtle colors of Alice In Chains, soon became a free-fall in to the maturity level and stylings of Limp Bizkit.  Admittedly, some people get into this, but it's not for me.

The early 2000s Staind sound on the slower songs makes me think that the only people who could enjoy this band (and not get bored after the first 10 minutes) are high-school kids, and neo-goths with daddy issues.  Again... I've been wrong about things like this before.

A surprise cover of Billy Squier's "The Stroke" makes the album a little more bearable, but pretty much exists as a crowd song.

Overall, a major identity crisis happening on this record. Influences or shades of Alice In Chains on one song, Limp Bizkit on another, Godsmack on yet another, Rob Zombie in some spots, and Staind on the slower songs makes listening to this album in any sort of sequence really fatiguing. My advice: PICK 1 STYLE AND STAY WITH IT!!! Case in point: the closing song, "Miss Me Now", solidifies the identity issues as it is the only song on the entire list that has a major chord structure and might be considered a love song.  Where did this come from? Why is at the end?  I know it's not unheard of to put a slower number at the end. It leaves a nice "encore" feeling with the listener.  However, this was so drastically different that it honestly didn't even fit with the rest of the album.

Of course all of the above is simply my opinion on the record.  XFactor1 has met with success and do have a rather large fan base.  They have had 3 songs featured on the radio from Famous.Last.Words, including "The Stroke", "Bring It On" and most recently, "Parasite".  They will also be on our with Taproot this summer as part of the "Infest America" tour, and later on playing at "Rock On The Range".

Whether you agree or disagree with me and my opinions, I encourage you to formulate your own opinions on the band by checking them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Reverb Nation.

In fact, why not leave some comments?  Let's talk.

XFactor1 "Fisheye" style

A Blueprint For Winning

Hey everyone!  Things are getting crazy around here lately.  Concerts, festivals, and albums are all in the works, and we (meaning Pop Deflators and I) just might be there!

EP Cover

This time around, I have another review for you.  This band comes out of Jackson, TN and they call themselves One Less Reason.  I'm fascinated that these guys still remain independent after being around as long as they have - especially with such a great sound. However, this does not mean that they haven't met with success.  One Less Reason has made the Billboard Top 20, and most recently released their EP, A Blueprint Of Writhing, in December of last year.  It was sort of a late Christmas present.

Overall, the band has shades and colors of 12 Stones in their instrumentation and musical arranging. I also hear elements of Nickelback in the lead vocals.  In truth, the band almost has two different sounds. One is edgy rock, and the other is a brilliant acoustic sound. The edgy rock sound features biting guitar lines in the explosive parts of the songs that really add to the emotional aesthetic of the song. The acoustic sound is full of layers of strings, piano, distant drums, and even a surprise female vocal on "Uneasy". I really loved them both.

 If you listen to the EP with headphones on, you're in for treat.  There are a lot of little sonic subtleties to tickle your ears. Panning, and volume are the most used tools in this technique but it pays off, as these things aren't heard when listening over regular speakers.

I would definitely keep an eye on these guys!  Even if they remain independent they have a really bright future ahead of them.  You can check the guys out in all the usual places like their website, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

One Less Reason

The Good, The Bad, and the Absolutely Horrid!

Summer is coming!  Are you ready?

There's lots of stuff happening right now and in the near future.  Some of it has a lot of potential in the "Wow this is freakin' awesome" department.  Others... not so much.

We Will Miss You, Chi

Before I get started on all of the news-related items, I would like to take a quick second to send my condolences to the members of the Deftones.  For those who may not know yet, Deftones bassist, Chi Cheng, passed away on April 13th, at the age of 42. He had been in a four-year battle for his life following a car accident in 2008.  An article, posted by Loudwire, contains a message from Chi's mom that's very touching.  It also holds the following quote from Deftones frontman, Chino Moreno.

“When I was 17-years-old, I moved out of my parents’ house and moved in with him. We’ve been best friends most of my life. I’ll just be doing some random thing in my life and he’s always in my thoughts. The whole band feels very strongly about him and he’s always been a part of things.”

If you want to read the full article, you can find it here.

Now on to some of that "freakin' awesome" stuff...

Icon For Hire

My first exposure to the band, Icon For Hire, came with my connection to Pop Deflators.  I instantly liked their style and their sound.  I find them to be a lot like Paramore, but a little less emo. A recent headline has stated that Icon For Hire is currently back in the studio working on a new album! No real details have been released on this except that the album in set to come out later this year.  The group has posted a lot of pictures and sneak peeks on their Facebook though.

Also making the awesome list is the news about Tooth & Nail Records.  In case you missed it - the are officially independent!!  This is truly awesome when it comes to the music front.  Tooth & Nail has always put out some quality rock in it's day, and now that they have the freedom and flexibility that comes with independence, I'm sure that they will continue and improve on their sonic offerings.

On the flip side of that great news... The Almost has pushed back their release date for their new record, "The Fear Inside Our Bones".  The new date has been pushed back to June 11th, but they have made a metric ton of stuff available for pre-order.  Be sure to find out all the details by checking out their pre-release website, or by clicking on the link on Tooth & Nail's Facebook page.

Lastly, not making any list of awesomeness what-so-ever, is the new single from Skillet.  I saw this link on my Facebook page, and clicked on it.  Less than a minute later, I was ready to throw up or throw my computer across the room.  IT'S HORRIBLE!  I've been losing my taste for Skillet since they came out with Comatose.  This new single, called "American Noise", comes off their upcoming record Rise. It continues the sell-out streak that has become the essence of Skillet songs.  All they know how to do is appeal to the eyeliner-wearing emo crowd of 3 years ago (also known as the neo-goths).  Come guys, if you're going to do something, PLEASE go back to your original sound from the early 90s.  I liked the blend of techo-rock that you had.

Skillet - before they sold out

Stay close music fans!  I've got some CD reviews coming your way from bands like One Less Reason, XFactor1, and Madlife.

Eyeliner On The Run

Hello blogosphere!

This post is full of things that could potentially bring tears to your eyes.  The amount of crying depends on whether or not you are scared, sad, or joyful...it's your pick.

Bye Bye MCR

First up, (because I can't resist the urge to laugh) is the news that My Chemical Romance is officially calling it quits!  To the emo-crowd, this is sad news, but to the rest of us...meh.  The band has yet to give a rhyme or reason for the sudden split, but you can be sure that black eyeliner will be running in rivers after this news.  Cheer up emo-kid...it'll be okay.  You still have Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco to listen to while wearing your skinny jeans. If you care to know more about this split, check out this article.

Also in the break-up news section is the U.K-based band, Attack! Attack!.  Unlike MCR, these guys have given a reason for their departure, and have included some news of a farewell tour that will start in April.  You can find these details by checking out the article from our friends at Rocksound.

Disturbed 2.0

A while back, in a post called "Change On The Horizon", I talked about David Draiman's new band Device.  They recently released their first single "You Think You Know".  I was expecting something a little different based on what has been said, but I was disappointed in the result.  Device sounds almost exactly like Disturbed!  For those who are fans of Disturbed, you can rejoice. For those like me, who were expecting something a little more....original - sorry, not today!  The biggest problem I had from listening to the single, found here, is the lack of passion in the lead vocals.  Where's the fire? Where's the drive?  In any case, my opinion is my own.  You are entitled to yours.  Be sure to give it a listen and leave some comments for me.

A Sign of the Apocalypse

In keeping with the on-going theme of "Reunions That Shouldn't Happen", I have found a headline stating that Limp Bizkit is setting up a come-back.  The only question that anyone could ask in this is a glaring "WHY?".  The once-popular rebellious rock/rap group lost their "cool" in the late 90s, but somehow think that they can keep with that same style and gain popularity again.  They have released a single called "Ready To Go" - but trust me when I say they are in no way, shape, or form ready to go.  They still feature the classic "pre-pubescent" vocals and immature nature that they had back in the late 90's.  If you feel like destroying your I.Q a little bit, check out the song by clicking here.

In order to make up for that last headline, here a good band.  Like Vultures is a fairly new band, but they bring the rock in a big way.  They even did a really great cover of Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Getting Back Together".  Personally, I think this is the way the song should have been.  Check it out below. You can find more of Like Vultures on Facebook and BandCamp.

As always, you are free to comment on anything I report on... good or bad.  What are your thoughts on all of these "come backs"?  Is the music industry that lacking in talent, or are the artist just trying to pay the mortgage?