As far as music goes, this year has been slow. There's a lot of new music out there but lets just say the music industry isn't exactly striving for a quality product. My aim is to expose bands new albums when they are exceptional. There have been few of them in 2009. I know what you are thinking, "how about the new Timberlake album?" Well lets just say that if your listening to JT or J Lo for that matter you are about as far removed from the real music scene than David Dukes from the equal rights movement. As far as I am concerned there is nothing worth a damn on the radio, and thats exactly how the music industry wants it. Their aim is to focus on selling advertising with a little background music thrown in to make you think its you they are speaking to. With that said I thought I would just bring some new music to your attention. So here goes, If you havent heard anything from Tom Peloso you really need to. Tom has had a long and impressive career in the music world, from his time with King Sour, to bluegrass bands Chigger,and the Hakensaw Boys, to Modest Mouse and beyond. Tom plays a variety of instruments including, guitar, bass, piano, banjo, and a few horns. His new triumphs have paired him with Austin fitch, Mike Bishop (formerly of Gwar and Kepone) , Darrell Hyden , Stuart Gunter and Matt Rissler. Let me just say that there are no weak links in this band. It is a who's-who of musical genius. Each player is casted in a masterful way thereby creating a collage of interesting and yet cohesive music that can only be described as groundbreaking. The Band is called Tom Peloso and the Virginia Sheiks and its a must hear for anyone who truly loves music. Enjoy this eclectic mix of "something for everyone music" that is both interesting and rocking all at once. Warning if you like Creed you will not like this! But we still have hope for you. Step away from the radio!

Stone Axe Breaks The Mold......

"Stoner rock" bands come and go. Most are searching for that "seventies" sound the likes of Cream, Free, Deep Pruple, and Black Sabbath. Few, if any, actually capture the real feel of these bands. The sound gets too metal or just ends up sounding like Eye Hate God (which is a totally different sound altogether). Very rarely do I hear that genre represented with the same riff quality and originality as the bands aforementioned. However, that all ended a couple of months ago when I was enjoying a cocktail at MacCormicks Irish Pub in Richmond,VA and I came across a band called STONE AXE. I was surprised right away at the sheer force of the guitar riffs and the honed talent of the lead singer in this band. I was immediately transported back to the days when music was more important than record sales and bands were signed because of their talent rather than their "sellability". STONE AXE brought the rock with a style and smoothness that sets you back on your heels and makes you think; " is there really a band like this out there?" The answer is yes! I have no idea who booked this band, although, I would guess it was Eric Larson (former drummer for Avail, guitar player for Alabama Thunder Pussy). STONE AXE hails from Port Orchard,WA, invariably breaking the mold of the usual style we expect to hear from this region ( not that it really exemplifies the true sound in that area). STONE AXE gives you a little of everything from melodic riffs indicative of Deep Purple and Sabbath to silky smooth stuff more in the vein of Bad Company and Thin Lizzy. The vocals are powerful and seasoned. You wont hear any rookie stuff here vocalist DRU BRINKERHOFF is no slouch, his vocals have their own flashes of brilliance with a hint of Paul Rodgers thrown in for good measure. The riffs are equally powerful. TONY REED's guitar riffs are well thought out and flow like water from verse, to chorus, to bridge, to breakdown, to lead. The songwriting is the key. There are few falters in the arrangement. This stuff keeps your interest from beginning to end especially the more power oriented songs like "Riders of the night". But dont expect it all to sound this way. STONE AXE ventures into an ocassional string oriented jam that harkens back to "Black Water" by The Doobie Brothers. This show of versatility makes STONE AXE credible on so many different levels... This is a great band and if you havent heard them you should check it out. http://www.myspace.com/stoneaxe

PW LONG "God Bless The Drunkards Dog"

PW LONG.... What can you really say about one of the most prolific yet under appreciated musicians of all time. GOD BLESS THE DRUNKARDS DOG is an absolutely outstanding record! Once again this true American treasure of an artist delivers what we all long for...A cry for help. If you aren't familiar with this artist I don't know what to tell you except listen to anything and everything you can get your hands on and you too will be a fan. From his bands WIG and MULE to PW LONG'S REELFOOT there is a tremendous body of work that has (for reasons that baffle the imagination) gone relatively unnoticed. His bluesy, hillbilly slash Americana sound is the stuff that launched a great deal of what exists of the Alt-Country movement. But PW is no country performer his music is based in rock. Yet the way he delivers his unique sound reflects so much more. Country, Blues, Rock, and Americana all make their appearances in his music. Still his sound is really quite indescribable and very unique. GOD BLESS THE DRUNKARDS DOG is a return to classic PW style. Songs about heart breaks, drugs, and drinking find a place on this record as well as a glimpse into the heart of a troubled man who has fallen victim to every lust this world has to offer and yet has somehow found solace once again in his greatest love of all, Music. The lyrics are sweet poetic justice to the fallen and downtrodden amongst us. CRAZY TONIGHThttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2KouFf2QiI is like a reservoir dogs sountrack song with rolling drums, methodical guitars and lyrics that seem a little scary to say the least. NOGALAS ROSE is my favorite song on this record with lyrics that boast that "Pain ain't nothin but a telegram from hell"... Epic songs from an epic musician...http://www.southern.net/southern/band/PWLON/sounds/BDX01-10_Nogales_Rose.mp3

RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER.....Thrash Surprise

It took me approximately a minute and thirty seconds to get past this bands name. RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER is a mammoth group with a sound that touches on so many different levels of " fast " metal. LIVING FOR DEATH, DESTROYING THE REST IS a record that incorporates several different sounds to achieve a solid and unique sound. The first track NOTHING DEFEATS THE SKULL starts out with almost a downtown style groove that is reminiscent of BIOHAZARD. GRAVEYARD VANDALIZATION on the other hand is more SLAYER-ESQ in its guitar approach. From here on this record surprises again and again. Some of the riffs are more rockin than metal which is a nice departure from the norm to be quite honest. This album has everything from ACDC type rock riffs to sheer metal mania. However, all of these attributes are incorporated in a way that really holds up. These guys do a nice job staying in context with their sound especially with the thrashier stuff on this record which seems to be their sound base. SPYBORG is pure thrash thru and thru as is BEWARE THE THRASH BRIGADE. When I hear this record I hear ANTHRAX, SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, COC, METALLICA, BLOOD FOR BLOOD, BIOHAZARD, and even brief glimpses of IRON MAIDEN. And to be fair this band puts it all together in a sound that is truly their own. This is a Metal Masterpiece....The new video @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFoKzI9WPUA

Zepplin Returns in the form of a Mars Volta!!!

When I think of Led Zeppelin I think of Robert Plant first off. However, in the circles of those who experienced the Sixties and Seventies there is no mistake that Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones were more influential during their run than Plant. The musical talent of these three men is unmatched in today's pop fluff influenced and creedulated musical atmosphere save one band whose music may reach a new pinnacle not yet achieved. The Mars Volta is an enigma wrapped in a riddle. But don't be scared off by their musical triumphs. Do not allow your inability to connect them to that three minute ditty you just heard on the radio deter you from seeing them for who they really are. The modern day Zeppelin! That's correct. You heard right. I said that the Mars Volta is the modern day Led Zeppelin. Surprised? Think I have lost It? Well as for the latter you would be right but I am certain of my findings. The Mars Volta is the most ahead of their time,influential, musically talented band I have seen in the last ten years. Their first band At the Drive Inn was a great band don't get me wrong. But The Mars Volta is just pure genius. On the 23rd they will release yet another musical masterpiece called Octahedron which is probably their most prolific album to date and steps into a musical realm that few dare tread. It is truly an atmospheric free fall from the rest of the pack. This record lays the ground work for a movement into the future of music as we know it. It is just a matter of time until we start hearing bands who were influenced by these guys on our radios. The horrible thing is that if we listen to the radio we probably wont hear The Mars Volta. Which is equivalent to never having heard Iron Maiden get radio play but ten years later having bands like Lincoln Park stealing their riffs and wearing their T-shirts. Octahedron is a ground breaker full of eclectic riff -age and a superfluous rhythm, and purchasing this record may be a look into the future of music as we know it. Be a fortune teller and pick up a copy of this record. And remember when you are blown away its just a "bustle in your hedgerow"... http://music.yahoo.com/track/15684238

A Musical Orgasm....Stinking Lizaveta!!!!

I strongly believe that there are special musical entities that can capture the human sexual experience through their expressive methods. Philadelphia based Stinking Lizaveta is one of those entities. Math-rock doesnt begin to express the wealth of experience and talent inherent in Stinking Liz's music which can only be personafied as a total orgasmic explosion! Its hard to listen without being drawn in, and even when you are completely disinterested or distracted they descend once again into frenzied chaos taking hold of their listener and pulling them back into their music. Its as if they know you are not listening. Has Yanni (guitar) found some secret method of songwriting that plays on and manipulates the attention span of the average person? I wouldnt at all be surprised if the answer was emphatically yes! Perhaps through their travels Stinking Liz has realized some hidden secret to modifying the human mind? Most people tend to pull away from bands lacking a singer. With Stinking Liz you are drawn closer, effectively breaking the typical musical mold. Their music can only be described as Art Metal, and art is exactly what Yanni,Cheshire,and Alexi deliver to their audience. "Sacrifice And Bliss" is more of a musical movement than a rock record by any stretch of the imagination. The drums on this record are masterful and electric. The bass is puonding and deafening and the guitars are a musical Orgasm!!! http://www.stinkinglizaveta.com/bLOG/

Blood Meridian And The Last Pale Light In The West.

Not since the seventies has a successful and respectable theme album been put on the table by any band, with the exception of possibly Queensryches "Operation Mindcrime" which was more of a rock circus than a serious attempt at respectability. However, Lucero frontman and respected solo artist Ben Nichols has been infected by the Theme album fever and the result "The Last Pale Light In The West" is a musical journey through the character setting of "Blood Meridian" by author Cormac McCarthy. This record is a true jewel delivered to us by a prolific songwriter and genius minded icon of alt-country-punk. Ben Nichols creates a musical backdrop on this record that screams of tumbleweeds and dust devil driven windstorms creating a tone that drives the whole record from creative beginning to dark embittered end. There are true glimpses of brilliance on this record. Mysterious juxtapositions and devilish darkness is unveiled in this novel and Nichols captures the mood by lending his sad murky vocal stylings along side a moody 1800's western movie soundtrack. This record could have ended up being a stretch for Nichols. Undertaking a theme albulm has proved destructive for many an ambitious artist. There are hundreds of fall on their face attempts at this endeavor; Including huge artists such as KISS, Micheal Jackson(whose thriller album broke from the intended purpose of being a theme album), to Black Sabbath's "Technical Ecstasy". This record captures the true spirit of what a theme album should encompass and also solidifies Ben Nichols as a true Artist and songwriter of our time. http://rcrdlbl.com/artists/Ben_Nichols/music#The_Last_Pale_Light_in_the_West

Lamb Of Gods Wrath....

Sometimes when we write reviews we have to think carefully about how we word our descriptions of what a band sounds like so as to avoid pissing someone off. Fortunately this band is an exception. Lamb Of God sounds like Lamb Of God. Now that we have that out of the way lets tackle their new album Wrath. Back in the day before Lamb Of God was LOG they were called Burn The Priest, but these were simpler times when living was rough and playing in a band was a luxury. Who would've thought that ten years would go by and I would be writing reviews on a blog post and Lamb of God would be ripping up the whole world? Me! The simple fact of the matter is that LOG never sacrificed a damn thing when it came to their music. The stuff on Wrath is more hard hitting and pure to form than anything they did in the early days with one exception. Its harder, better, faster. Did I say better?Wrath is a bombastic journey through hell and back as told by LOG. Randy is more voracious on this record than I have heard him in past. He brings his vocal attack seemingly without conscious thought and it comes off as punishing and immortal. The guitars are flawless to the note and the drums follow suit. This record is their best ever and the anger felt here is almost palpable. I am astounded that these guys can bring such a demonstrative flurry of musical punishment to the table this late in the game. Most bands have softened and "refined" their sound by now. Lamb Of God has not lost a step. Immortal, Immortal Gods Of Metal....Lamb Of God!!!!

RUBE

Lets get one thing straight right off the bat; These guys are not beginners. In all truth they should be ready for retirement but hang on, Adam Kravitz, John Bullen, Pat "oliver" Caine, and Ryan Kent are not quite finished. Bringing back a style is hard to do. You have to have three primary components to deliver an older style to a new audience, relevance, creativity, and originality. Rube delivers on all three fronts. I heard early recordings of this band and thought, " the riffs are great but the singer stinks". I could not have been more wrong! Ryan Kent delivers vocals like a sniper rifle from a clock tower with the door barricaded and thousands of would be victims down below running for their lives. The lyrical offsets create an atmosphere of discombobulated chaos while the drums and bass keep a bound for hell pace indicative of a Panzer division moving across an Austrian woodland about to perform a Blitzkreig. I know, the German war thing is played out but I really cant describe it any other way. I wanted to scream "stop Pummeling me" as I listened. This recording really puts a groove in your head. The rhythm section of Pat Caine (drums) and Big John Bullen (bass) is that strong. I seriously thought of Pantera when I heard the consistent barrage of drums and bass lines. Now, I have to admit I have been saving the guitars for last. I have always thought that Adam Kravitz was a great guitar player. But its been a while since I last heard him so I was interested to see what he would throw down next. I got my answer in the form of an angry, disturbing, tremor of pure metal gold, coupled with some pure rock fury. Adam You have done it again! The guitar tracks are just plain evil to say the least. I was doing my best to remain seated during this attack of Eyehategod meets, The Melvins, meets Electric Wizard, meets Death. This is a must have if you love Metal. Best of all these guys will soon be touring and we all might just get a chance at catching them live.. Buy Buy Buy!!! If you can//? Check out the site at Myspace and Facebook..http://www.myspace.com/ruberva