Man, I love power metal. It’s a sub-genre that really doesn’t seem to go over too well here in America, and I don’t know why. I’ve heard people say its cheesy, but really, like we don’t have any other cheesy things here? Or sometimes I’ll hear that it’s too “over the top”, but have you ever watched WWE or any of that shit? Power metal seems like it would be made for Americans, but most American metal fans just don’t seem to get it. Europeans, though, absolutely lose their minds over this stuff.
Which brings us to the subject at hand, the latest release from a band called Stormzone. Zero To Rage is the album and it is very well done. All the necessary components are there. Big anthemic songs, check. Singer with a range that makes you say, “How does he do that?”, check. Songs about heroes, fighting, monsters, check, check and check. And songs about jesters. How come only European bands write songs about jesters?
Opening song “Where We Belong” sets the tone for the entire album, so if you hear that song and you can’t get into it you might as well just not put any more time in. But if you stick with it you will be rewarded with some very good stuff. One of the things I really dig about power metal is that there is always good, melodic music going on, and always good musicianship as well. It is probably the only form of metal that really focuses on melody and there is nothing wrong with that. There are technical forms of metal that have musicianship to spare, but often the music sounds soulless. Power metal will never be accused of that.
The standout tracks for me on this album are “Jester’s Laughter”, “Last Man Fighting”, “Voice Inside My Head”, and “Hail The Brave”. There are all fine examples of really good power metal, although the entire album is full of good tunes. The lyrics all tell a story, and because of the clean vocals you can actually hear the story and understand it. I like the production of the album as well, all of the various instruments are well placed in the mix and you can easily hear what each one is doing. Sometimes this kind of thing gets taken for granted, but with more and more music being shabbily recorded and dumped into the market place, the good stuff stands out more easily.
I really only have one quibble with this album. It has 12 tracks and clocks in over 72 minutes. That’s an average of 6 minutes a track and it does make for a very long listen. I once heard it said that just because you can fit 80 minutes onto a CD it doesn’t mean you should, and there can be too much sometimes. As much as I love this genre this album is almost at the point of being too much, but barely saves itself. So check it out if you like power metal, this release is worth spending some time with.
Late last night I found myself once again behind my bar’s well-worn counter. Three individuals, a man who appeared to be in his 60s, a woman I’d guess to be around 35, and a young man definitely still in his 20s walked through the door one after the other and sat down. Each of them looked downtrodden. While I thought it was unlikely they were family, they clearly knew each other. After a few moments the older of the two men called me over.
“Good evening folks. Would you mind if I ask what’s troubling you? All three of you seem upset.” “Oh, it’s nothing really,” said the older man. “I’m just angry that no one makes music with the same spirit of what they created when I was a kid back in the 60s and 70s.” “I see. What about you ma’am?” “I’m troubled that none of the new rock music I hear nowadays is any fun. I remember in the 80s when hard rock bands were having a good time.” “And you young man? Care to share what’s on your mind?” “Well, I grew up in the 90s and I miss the bottom heavy, groovy hard rock with clean vocals that dominated the charts. All the yelling and screaming nowadays leaves me cold.” “Ah, I see. Excuse me a moment, I’ll be right back.” I went to the end of bar and took a few CDs from my hidden cache. When I returned I placed a CD in front of each of my customers. “What’s this?” asked the older man. “That sir, is a copy of Dan Miraldi’s newest EP. That is music written with exactly the spirit you’re looking for.” I directed my attention at the woman. “Ma’am this is an EP by Dansewolf, a band that would feel right at home in the 1980s. You’re going to have fun listening to this, I promise.” Finally I turned to the young man. “My friend I feel your pain, and without a doubt this EP from Charetta is going to knock your socks off! You’ll find it’s so hot, it’s going to scorch your eardrums.” “What kind of bar is this?!?”
Dan Miraldi Rock N Roll Band!
Waveriders, when I learned that Dan Miraldi had a new EP out and that I would get to listen to it, I got excited. I loved his last EP Tease thanks to its three wonderful, retro-tastic songs. Needless to say my expectations for this new music were high, and I’m very happy to report that Mr. Miraldi’s new release picks up right where Tease left off. Vintage rock/pop fans rejoice!
Rock N Roll Band! offers up five terrific songs that evoke all the same feelings you get from listening to classic rock and pop from the 60s and 70s. There are newer influences at work as well, especially in EP opener “We Both Know”, but overall there is an undeniable innocence and genuine purity on display that is notably absent in a lot of modern music. These songs are upbeat and fun to listen to both musically and lyrically. My personal favorite track is “You’ve Got To Hurry”, an upbeat bouncy number with good vibes to spare. The title track is a very entertaining excursion into Mr. Miraldi’s recent musical history. EP closer “Give & Take” is a rollicking version of the classic guy wants girl who wants different guy storyline featuring some very clever and witty lyrics such as ‘why should we go to a party when you only use my heart for karate’. Ha! Love it!
The only problem (and I do mean the only problem) is that this EP ends way too quickly! Seriously, every time I listen to Rock N Roll Band! I look expectantly at the speakers in silent entreaty for more musical goodness after it ends. Alas, the speakers never answer and I’m forced to hit the play button again. Waveriders, do yourselves a favor and check out Dan Miraldi. I guarantee your days will be lighter and brighter when you hear this music.
Dansewolf Smoke -N- Mirrors
Question. Do you want to know what it would sound like if Gwen Stefani sang in front of a synthesizer-equipped hair metal band? Answer. Of course you do! Why? Because it’s fun, that’s why! And because you just don’t hear many bands taking this approach nowadays. Seriously, listening to this EP makes me wish I had long hair, a full time makeup artist, and an androgynous wardrobe. Okay maybe that was a bit of an overstatement, but I think you get the point. The playful spirit of 80s rock is alive and well for every second of the twenty two minute runtime of this EP.
If I could, I’d like to make one thing clear. I think this is a very good band that writes songs filled with great and memorable hooks, but in my humble opinion this music really revolves around vocalist Juls D. Her melodious voice effortlessly takes center stage in each composition, and her level of charisma is off the charts! Again, I don’t want to take anything away from the rest of the band (Andy Lagomarsino and Grant Webb), but these songs would simply not be the same without Juls D’s singing.
Musically speaking the six songs offered on Smoke -N- Mirrors cover all the bases. You have your guitar heavy rockers like opener “In L.A.”. You have your power ballad “Shut You Down”. There’s the bluesy-groover “Smoke N Mirrors”, the feel good closer “Like A Ghost”, and the infectious power pop of “I Think Maybe”. All great songs, but my favorite has to be “Love Hate Heartbreak”. Fantastic! Waveriders, take a listen to Dansewolf and inject some fun into your listening life.
Charetta - A Nation Distracted
Attention waveriders. Do you enjoy heavy post-grunge 90s-era alternative rock? Do you think you would get a kick out of hearing “Alannis Morrisette punching Chevelle in the face” (the band’s own words)? If so, boy do I have a band for you! Their name is Charetta and they have a new EP entitled A Nation Distracted that’s been made just for you.
Charetta is a five piece band out of New York, NY. Bass player Richard Mollo and drummer Adonis Sanchez lock together to lay down some wickedly solid grooves. Guitarists Pablo LaFrossia and Chris Fullam take every opportunity to bludgeon the listener with immense, monstrous riffs. Last but not least we have the group’s gifted vocalist Angelina DelCarmen, who puts her powerful voice at the forefront of every song. The most impressive thing about Ms. DelCarmen’s voice is that it can easily blow the front door of your house down, yet she never resorts to actually yelling / screaming her vocals. Impressive stuff!
The EP is made up of a short introduction and four proper songs. My ears agree most with the first two songs, “Distraction” and my personal favorite “Lights Out”. Both songs get my head banging rather easily. That said I don’t mean to imply the final two songs, “Fighting Blind” and “Bully”, are inferior in some way. They are quite good in fact and the full EP does its job rather well. I want to hear more from Charetta…right about now. I think you waveriders might as well. Mission Accomplished!
Although the modern mouth organ was invented in the early 1820's in Vienna, Austria, it wasn't until 1857 when Matthias Hohner shipped one of his creations to relatives in the United States that the blues harp began to evolve. It is said that it was so portable and such a hit that even Abraham Lincoln carried one in his pocket. It became the Civil War soldier's portable orchestra and was known to be played out west by lawman Wyatt Earp and outlaw Billy the Kid.
Harmonicas were first recorded in the 1920's on "race records" - music intended for African Americans. These recordings memorialized great blues harp players such as Walter Horton and Sonny Terry. The second great wave of American blues pocket piano players came in the 1950's with such notables as Sonny Boy Williamson, II, Little Walter, Big Walter Horton and Howlin' Wolf. This was the era when the mouth harp met the microphone which allowed the instrument to be heard above the electric guitar and drums. The sound became integral to the bump and grind music of the day. It is this era, the 1950's-early 60's, that Bob Corritore and Friends recapture on Harmonica Blues.
The disk is a 15 track compendium of recordings from 1989 through 2009 of Corritore with some of the greatest blues musicians of the 1950's and early 1960's. Only one song, "1815 West Roosevelt," was written by Corritore. It is an instrumental named after the address for a long gone blues joint called "Club Alex" on the West Side of Chicago that use to feature Muddy Waters. The remainder of the album is comprised of blues music written and performed by the creme de la creme of early Delta and Chicago blues artists.
For 20 years Corritore has been the host of Arizona radio station KJZZ's weekly radio show "Those Lowdown Blues" a show that brings the music of, and interviews with, bluesmasters to the desert airwaves. Corritore also books all of the entertainment for his nightclub the Rhythm Room (Phoenix's top spot for national touring blues talent.) As you hear on this record he is also a world class blues harmonica player. As a result Corritore was able to assemble a veritable Who's Who list of artists to play with him on "Harmonica Blues."
The album features the late Koko Taylor singing her song "What Kind Of Man Is This?" with Muddy Waters' guitarist Bob Margolin and drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Legendary Louisiana Red sings his wife's song "Tell Me 'Bout It." Dave Riley, probably best known as the engineer for the Parliament-Funkadelic bands, warbles delta blues harmonica immortal Frank Frost's "Things You Do." The late Nappy Brown wails on the late Texas country blues legend Andrew "Smokey" Hogg's "Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes." Robert Lockwood, Jr. performs the immortal Jimmy Rogers' "That's All Right." Big Pete Pearson, known as Arizona's King of the Blues, tackles the late Bob Geddins' "Tin Pan Alley." Tomcat Courtney, a San Diego blues guitarist who didn't release his first album until he was 78 years old, belts out his blues "Sundown San Diego." Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater, a Chicago blues legend and contemporary of Magic Sam, Otis Rush and Freddie King, shreds on vocals and guitar on his blues anthem "That's My Baby." Howlin' Wolf's main piano player until 1968, Henry Gray, sings his song "Things Have Changed" with the late great Chico Chism, Howlin' Wolf's last drummer, on drums. Chism also joins the inimitable and seemingly ageless Pinetop Perkins on Perkins' tune "Big Fat Mama." Chief Schabuttie Gilliame, a local Phoenix blues legend, performs his blues "No More Doggin'." Dave "Honeyboy" Edwards who, along with Pinetop Perkins are the oldest Delta blues players still touring the US, sings the blues of legendary Memphis Minnie McCoy's called "Bumble Bee." Lafayette, Louisiana's Carol Fran plays her song "I Need To Be Be'd With" while the late Chism again sets the pace on drums. The album ends with the late Little Milton singing his "6 Bits In Your Dollar" accompanied by Henry Gray and Chism. Throughout it all Corritore blows a mean harp as an accompaniment to the work of these blues legends.
This is a special album. It contains what may be some of the very last recordings made by some of the greatest blues artists and sidemen of the 20th Century. To be able to bring them all together in one album on which they play with such joy, abandon and soul is a thing of beauty. The album itself is a graduate level class in the harmonica blues given by a master instructor surrounded by the originals who pioneered the genre.
If you love Delta and Chicago harmonica blues this recording is a must have for your collection.
Time for another journey (a two-parter this time) through the hallowed basements, bedrooms, and home studios of some of the most interesting D.I.Y. projects to grace the Ripple mailbag. Just like before, our hat gets tipped to the D.I.Y. musician, producing and creating when a whole world of naysayers may be standng before him (or her). All for the love of music. And what a varied set we have for you waveriders today.
The Photons - Glory! EP
A while back when perenial Ripple favorites, Grand Atlantic, were touring the US for the first time, me and the Mrs Racer set out to Hotel Utah in the City to watch our boys tear the place apart. And they did. But before them there was an entirely too long list of opening bands, most of which verged beyond the annoying. At one point, me and the Mrs were going to step outside to let our ears rest before Grand Atlantic came on, but something about the band taking the stage made us stick around and check them out. And good thing we did.
The second The Photons plugged in those little hairs on the back of my neck stood up to pay attention. Mixing an eclectic, quirk pop atmosphere, like the Decemberists with some charming guitar-based jangle rock, The Photons took immediate control of the stage and all 200 of the ears packed into that tiny club. A seven piece, multi-racial, multi-gendered outfit, The Photons threw every thing into the mix besides guitar, bass and drums, including bassoon, clarient, glockenspiel, bells, toy piano, gang chants and I believe a xylophone. And somehow they manage to do this without ever swamping the sound in excess or noise pop, always maintaining the meat of the melody. "Glory!" the title song off their self-released EP is a dynamite example of how quirk-pop can be engaging without losing itself up the butt of the PolyphonicSpree. "Where Were You Last Night" follows suit, both songs carried by the energetic, near-frenetic vocals of James Parrish. Both of these songs are impeccably crafted slices of quirk-pop perfection. Can't-miss winners.
And talk about a cool D.I.Y product, each copy of the Glory! EP comes complete with an indy black and white comic book, "We Are the Photons," drawn by bassist/drummer Calvin Liu.
Fun and engaging, The Photons were for real. Unfortunately, their webpage says that they've gone out on indefinite hiatus, but we'll keep our fingers crossed for more Photons to come our way. In the meantime, you can download a couple of free tracks from the band at www.wearephotons.com.
45-70 - Get Ready to Bleed
In case you need a reference, this minimally produced, self-manufactured disc comes complete with a photo of a gun chamber loaded with 45-70 shells. Combine that with the tell-all title, Get Ready to Bleed, and you'll get a good idea what your ears are in for with this little retro-metal treat. Rocking on like the '90's and all of nu-metal had never happened, 45-70 take their licks from the pages of early (still cool) Motely Crue, rough and tumble Metallica. Toss in another chamber full of NWOBHM spit, venom and bile, plus the desire to pound their heads against any hard surface within reach, and we got the formula decoded.
I can't really remember where these cats hail from, but I think it's someplace way up in Michigan or such, far away from civilization, culture and non-fur covered women. As such, the boys banded together to create what all men lost to the world need: music to vent out all your testosterone and chest-beating manhood. And do they ever.
45-70 have studied their lessons well and can take command of a riff like a general taking control of his troops. Each track pounds with elemental NWOBHM guitar fury. Drums explode with the frequency of blind man walking through a mindfield. Bass is heavy and pummeling while the vocals add just the right amount of Vince Neil squeal. The album kicks off with a fury. Opening cuts "Under," and "Honesty" just may be as good D.I.Y. metal as we've heard around here in some time. "Under" opens with a particularly nasty guitar riff, tearing right into a true "face melting" guitar solo. The opening wailing scream leaves something to be desired, but once the verse drops in the vocals work out just fine. Bass rules through the verses propelling things along like a tank cruising a battlefield. Listening to this track reminds me of all the ballsy excitement that reigned through the record store when the NWOBHM was new and in full flight. Each new release just brimmed with a punky-D.I.Y excitement. You never knew what you were gonna get, but it was all done with passion. That's what 45-70 got going here. An undeniable passion for their metal freakout.
"Honesty" ups the stakes a bit, showing some strong songwriting chops. Yeah, sure the drum sound needs to be beefed up, but remember these cats recorded this album in their tundra cabin between deer and moose hunts. You can almost taste that moose flesh here, as the song slinks and trods along to the raver of chorus.
From there the album doesn't let up. Raw and bare D.I.Y. metal that's definitely worth the effort.
