Hard Riot - Living On A Fast Lane

OK, a show of hands please!  How many remember these lyrics - “Get cha motor runnin’.  Head out on the highway!  Lookin’ for adventure.  And whatever comes our way…”  If you guessed Frankie Vali and the Four Seasons you’re wrong, as bad ass as they were.  But if that image of a custom chopper roaring down a backroad is stuck in your cranium then you’re in the right place.  First there was Riot.  Then along came Quiet Riot.  And RiotGod!  Now there’s Hard Riot.  None of them have much to do with each other but it sounds pretty fuckin’ cool for an intro anyway… eh?  Like I’ve done my homework.

Here’s the straight goods with German rock’n’roll outfit Hard Riot on the Pitch Black label.  They’re not going to find a cure for cancer or solve world hunger anytime soon, but like many hard rockin’, straight shootin’ rock’n’roll bands before them they are making an impact.  People eat this fundamental shit up!  You heard it here first.  To start with, they’re redefining life on the road with their debut album by “Living On A Fast Lane”.   I’ve heard of living IN the fast lane, but never ON.  I commend them for their machismo and bravery but you have to admit, it must be difficult dodging traffic.  Especially with a full compliment of furniture and dishware.  And I’m guessing they actually came up with a way cool German name for the band, but Hard Riot was the genius that Google translator spat out.

Nevertheless, this fearless Teutonic  four piece kicks it into gear, pulls the throttle back and thrusts the rock’n’roll carburetors wide open on this release.  It’s essentially a collection of infectious, high octane rockers and “hoist your lighters (and/or mobile devices) in the air” anthems.  If you like the big crunchy riffs and searing vox all underscored by a thundering rhythm section, you’ve come to the right place.  Buckle up!
The lads kick off the top of the disc with a straight up, no bullshit, balls out rocker called GET READY.  Like I said, they’re not reinventing the wheel here but the song still boasts gritty, in your face vocals, a solid bridge and chorus.  Get ready?  Get ready for what?  HELLFIRE ROCK, that’s what!  This smokin’ little ditty has a “call to arms” style verse along the same lines as what you often hear from Ireland’s The Answer.  The 60 watt incandescent over your melon will flicker on when the AC/DC  “Whole Lotta Rosie” scent wafts in on the stop riff during the reprieve.  The ghost of “Riff Raff” also haunts some of the chord choices.  They offer up a solid, but not surprising chorus, and studied guitarist Andreas Rockrohr (Rock Roar?!... cool name) peels off the first of many tight, tidy solos on the album!  Good, hard edged guitar tones abound on this number.

Just when you thought you were in like flint staring down a backstage laminate, the boys come roaring (Rockrohr-ing?) back with the lumbering, gutsy rock anthem DON’T NEED YOU!  Is that so?  Well, guess what guys?  I don’t need you… oh, wait – the boys seem to attract an uber abundance of Claudia Schiffer/Heidi Klum-like supermodels to their electric live shows (could it be the Hai Karate aftershave?!...).  I take it back!  I DO need you guys.  And all your contagious, up front, fist pumping vocals backed by heart wrenching harmonies that genetically perfect women quiver over.

The ol’ stylus then hops over to the powerful NO SURRENDER complete with duel leads at the beginning distantly reminiscent of the infamous Iron Maiden sonic attack.  It houses another “call to action” chorus soaked in a beer blasted, blue collar sensibility and garnished with yet another tasteful solo that fits nicely within the framework of the song.

TEARS IN THE RAIN is one of my favourite tunes on the entire album.  It’s houses a simple but great, plodding, memorable riff.  The song is ripe with smokin’, pulverant guitar tones, up front primal vocals and fist pumping crowd participation.  When I initially saw the song title my first thought was it was going to be a sappy ballad, but it was anything but!  The Scorpions influence is abundant here, but the Hard Riot boys draw it out, open it up and make it their own.  They do what many bands are afraid to do nowadays.  They give the almighty riff some breathing room and allow it to resonate.  There’s a reflective reprieve in the middle instrumentally, but the guttural vocals don’t quit.  Vocalist Michael Gildner simply refuses to back down.  And like true blue, bonafide rockers, they liberate the rock’n’roll carburetors once again near the end, drop it down a gear and throw the throttle wide open!

TURN ON THE LIGHTS (I dropped the KY) is a solid, chugging rocker with lots of meat on the bone.  More kick ass solos abound, pooled with a nice reflective reprieve in the middle.

NOTHING BUT YOU is a well constructed acoustic ballad.  Definitely one for the mass of Bic lighters at a live show.  The Germanic linguistic influence leaks through here and there in the vocals but not to the point where it’s distracting.  There’s also some pleasant vocal harmonies in this number.  Essentially, it’s a great song to seal that illusive first date with, if ya know what I mean (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

TAKE ME DOWN boasts a great dirty riff!  And yet another SA-WEET solo!  Tasty chord transition too.  HARD WAY DOWN is a no bullshit, straight shootin’ rocker.  BLACK WIDOW offers up a delectable drawn out, crunching riff tied to a great bridge.  What’s this?  ANOTHER crisp solo in a long line of them from Mr. Rockrohr!  This beast is a total live, in unison fist pumper.  The finisher ROCK’N’ROLL OUTLAW is a peppy little rocker that captures a Four Horsemen/Ramones-esque (odd combo, I know) flavour along the lines of my favourite band’s killer tune “Can’t Stop Rockin’”.

I have to tip my hat to Producer Vagelis Maranis at Maranis Studios in Backnang, Germany for doing a solid job on the recording, production and mix.  The vocals and guitar sit way out front through most of the tracks, but there’s still some nice instrumental separation.  It feels very clean despite all the brash guitar and vocal tones.  

Hard Riot are the kind of band that would get everybody’s attention if they played the side stage at Wacken.  Folks would haul ass to find out who’s tearing it up.  As a good buddy of mine once said, “AC/DC is the small block Chevy of kick ass rock’n’roll”.  If that’s true, then Hard Riot is the dual piston V-Twin of rock’n’roll!  Hard Riot is Michael Gildner on vocals, Andreas Rockrohr on guitars, Mario Kleindienst on bass and Carmine Jaucci on drums.

--Teeder

Free track download at http://www.pitchblackrecords.com

Mos Generator - Deluxe 10th Anniversary S/T Reissue

It was a dark and stormy night.  Inside an ominous castle situated atop the highest suitable perch in the Black Mountains of California a mad scientist was hard at work.  Frantic hammering along with high speed saws could be plainly heard above the angry growls of thunder.  Occasionally blinding light would burst forth from every window of the castle.  A careful observer would have been able to listen in to snippets of the scientist’s crazy ramblings.

“…take away my diplomas and honors, eh?  I’ll show them!”
“…call me crazy.  Me!?!?  After all that I’ve done…”
“…finish building this, my masterwork.  They’ll all have to believe…”
“…going to revolutionize everyone’s thoughts on the subject…”
“Mwahaha!”

Fast forward three months.  Fall was in full effect.  The 2011 California World Fair was scheduled to begin that very night with an elaborate ceremony that would be televised all over the world.  What no one knew was that the mad scientist Penfold planned to hijack the proceedings with the help of a select few hired hands.  After the sun had gone down and a capacity crowd had gathered in the Fair’s primary outdoor plaza the plan was set in motion.  When the Governor of California paused to take a breath following the first sentence of his welcoming speech, pyrotechnics exploded and the enormous black curtain concealing a large stage at the end of the plaza fell to the ground.  Standing in the center of said stage was a man wearing a startlingly white lab coat.  He raised both his arms, his palms pointed skyward, and began speaking into the microphone in front of him.

“Ladies and gentlemen!  Boys and girls!  Thank you for coming to my grand unveiling!  My name is Penfold.  I apologize if I startled any of you with those loud blasts.  I’m a showman at heart I’m afraid.”

“Now wait just a minute,” screamed the Governor from across the plaza.  “I don’t know who you are or what you think you’re doing here, but you have no idea what kind of trouble you’re…”  The Governor’s voice abruptly ceased after Penfold made a quick ‘cut his mike’ gesture to one of his team members.

“Thank you Governor, but your teleprompter reading services are no longer necessary.  Folks, I don’t wish to waste your time so allow me to cut to the chase.   I’m here today to show you my latest invention.”  He held up a small black box and proceeded to press the circular white button in its middle, raising a small podium beside him on stage to the level of his waist.  On top of the podium was an object covered by an opaque sheet.  “People, I ask you.  What is the number one concern of humanity going forward?  I’ll tell you.  It’s energy!  Clean, sustainable energy!  No one has been able to solve this perplexing riddle…until now.  With my new invention, I can harness the power of rock and roll to generate immense amounts of electricity.   Citizens of California, and everyone watching this around the world, I give you…the Mos Generator!”

Penfold quickly withdrew the sheet covering the object on the podium unveiling what appeared to be an old Victor Victrola machine.  The only noticeable difference was a thick cord running out of its back that disappeared through the floor of the stage.

“Judging by the amused looks on some of your faces, I can see that a demonstration is in order.  I completely concur.”  He reached inside of his lab coat and brought out a vinyl record.  “This is the debut album of the band whose name I borrowed for my invention.”  Penfold pulled the record from the sleeve, placed it on the turntable, and lowered the needle.  The music started.  Moments later countless machines whirred to life behind the stage and a wonderland of lights nearly succeeded in turning the night sky into day.  The crowd collectively gasped and gawked.  The mad scientist smiled so widely it nearly tore his face in half.

“Hahaha!  I guess none of you knew that there was a fully functional amusement park behind this stage.  Take a good look folks.  Everything you see is made possible by my Mos Generator.  I invite you to enjoy yourselves with the amusements on offer.  I assure you, I’ll be available to anyone who has a question for me, scientific or otherwise.”

And with that, Penfold walked confidently off the stage.

Waveriders please excuse me for a moment, because I’m going to break one of my cardinal rules.  If you have read any of my previous reviews you might have noticed that when it comes to language I like to keep my writing G rated.  Well…I’m afraid that I can’t contain myself this time.  Holy ****!  The debut album by Mos Generator is so ******* awesome I can hardly ******* stand it!  This thing is so ******* fantastic, it makes every other hard rock album I’m listening to (and I assure you that includes some very good albums right now) it’s *****!  ***** *****!  ******* ****, why did I not know about this album ten years ago when it first came out?  Palm meet forehead repeatedly.

Right, now that I've purged myself of the need to use coarse language let’s get down to business.  Mos Generator is a power trio out of Port Orchard, Washington.  The three titans of rock who make up the band are Tony Reed on guitar/vocals/keyboards, Shawn Johnson on drums, and Scooter Haslip on bass.  Yes that’s right, I said titans of rock and I meant it.  Mos Generator play rock and roll music.  They play hard rock music, the kind of hard rock that is clearly rooted in the 1970s.  That means their songs are built around tremor inducing guitar riffs coupled with a lock step rhythm section that is both backbone and harmonious support structure.  Yes the obvious go-to reference point is Black Sabbath.  That’s unavoidable but honestly, being a huge Sabbath fan myself, I never find myself listening to Mos Generator thinking boy, that sure sounds like that (fill in the blank) Sabbath song.  On reflection, that is one of the biggest compliments I can give this band.  Despite wearing their influences on their collective sleeve they are clearly their own band sonically.

My first actual exposure to Mos Generator came through a Facebook post made by one of my two bosses, Pope JTE, which allowed me to listen to one song from the debut album.  Waveriders, I played that song at moderate volume and I had to question whether or not I had just lived through an earthquake.  Shortly thereafter I heard the song “Sleeping Your Way To The Middle” and I knew I couldn’t live without a copy of this album any longer.  While I realize that all three band members had been making music with other acts before forming Mos Generator the quality level of this, their first album, is stunning!  Top to bottom it is smack you in the face, forehand and backhand good!  The original album is made up of seven songs that clock in at just over thirty minutes.  I know that may not seem like a lot of time but trust me, you won’t be left wanting.  This album is the very definition of ‘all killer, no filler’.  I guarantee that you’ll be hitting the play button again and again in record time.  Oh, and I suppose I should mention the bonus materials.  Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.

With this deluxe reissue not only do you get the bulletproof original album, you also get about two hours of extra music including unreleased studio demos, a half hour rehearsal jam, and all kinds of live tracks.  And waveriders let me tell you something.  Those live tracks, including one full show that saw limited release under the name Live At The Manette, are awe inspiring.  Yes there is plenty of energy in the studio recorded songs, but live Mos Generator sounds like a runaway train that’s about to derail itself!  I can’t imagine anyone attending one of their shows and remaining seated.  Well…unless they lack a pulse or they happen to be deaf.  Truly, when the band gets going it feels like they are performing a high wire routine with no safety net underneath, and it is intoxicating.  I would happily pay for these ‘bonus tracks’ separately no questions asked.  The amount of musical goodness contained within this reissue is positively absurd!

Let’s put a bow on this shall we?  You may have never heard of Mos Generator, or you may be a fan wanting to complete his or her collection.  The bottom line here is this waveriders.  If you are looking for an ultra-high quality 1970s inspired, ridiculously talented, musically inventive band your search has ended.  You know what, scratch that.  If you call yourself a hard rock fan you absolutely must own this album!  Believe it!

--Penfold

Buy Here- http://ripplemusic.bigcartel.com/product/mos-generator-10th-anniversary-deluxe-edition

The Bailey Hounds - Along the Gallows

I have a soft side, too. Catch me at the right time and I might even have a tear building up in one eye. I'm not just about those huge fuzzy riffs or deafening bass and drums. Sometimes I just wanna relax and forget about all my troubles - to drift away quietly and comfortably while acoustic guitars and a soothing voice tell me everything's gonna be okay. Don't you?

Lately when I want that part of my brain tickled, I've been reaching for Along the Gallows, the debut full-length album by The Bailey Hounds. Uh-huh. I like this one a lot. Ironically, I discovered this band via Pantera's Phil Anselmo, who shared a video of them playing an extremely unique cover of "The Great Southern Trendkill". Now I have another reason to thank Anselmo and I'm including the video here, along with an acoustic version of the title track from the album.

Philly's The Bailey Hounds have been called indie-folk or even alt-country, but I prefer 'cemetery blues', like the band members say. I think that describes them, and Along the Gallows, much better.

From their press kit: "The Bailey Hounds are an open grave in autumn or a dilapidated cabin in the dead of winter. Old sounds of Americana peak through their often melancholy & sometimes raucous collection of tunes stirring up images of withered cemeteries, lost love, and the devil Himself. The Bailey Hounds fall somewhere in the musical realm of Gothic Americana, playing folk & blues-inspired songs with lyrics of a melancholy and often macabre nature."

Ryan Pedrillo (vocals, guitar) is an accomplished songwriter/lyricist and has one of the most calming and reassuring voices I've ever heard. I say that even though I don't usually put a huge focus on vocals. Every once in a great while, though, a voice will touch me like no other and I'll be sure to let you know, just like I'm doing now. Ladies, you might even start to cream your jeans when you first hear this guy, so prepare yourselves.

"Along the Gallows is an album we've been waiting to make and release for a while," Pedrillo told me. "We worked on these songs and reworked them and explored opportunities in the studio and ended up with what we feel is a cohesive work, representative of the styles of music we enjoy writing and listening to. Americana is woven throughout, and there's some dirt and grit rubbed in there, too. Circus freaks and gravediggers. Ghosts of the Civil War and Satan. A few headstones pokin' through the grass here and there. Yeah, we're pleased it's finally out, and we've started working on our next batch of songs."

I'm happy it's out, too, and I can't wait for more. Honestly, I could tell I was gonna love their music when I first heard The Bailey Hounds play that Pantera cover. Along the Gallows might the only Americana-infused album on my portable music player, but that's okay with me. It's fulfilling enough.

Harmonica and a delicate drum beat greet me instantly on "Those Devils Don't Scare Me", a wonderful opening track, but like a lot of albums, one of my favorites ends up being the last song. "Devil Tree" is touching and sweet-sounding musically and gets kinda psychedelic near the end, but I think the lyrics are definitely some of the darkest on the album. I wanna climb that tree.

"Devil Tree was originally going to be a straightforward acoustic track, contrasting the Satanic imagery of the lyrics with a soft, melodious tone," Pedrillo said. "I think I had Lars von Trier's Antichrist in my head while writing this...along with 15 years of listening to Pantera, White Zombie, and Danzig, I suppose. Anyway, we started playing it as a band in the basement and it just progressed and developed into its own beast. Lyrically, there's a lot of personal stuff going on, but on the surface, you know, there's some Alighieri in there...with some Anton LaVey too, of course."

There isn't one song out of the 11 on Along the Gallows that I even think about skipping over, but a couple other standouts to me are "Malleus Maleficarum" and "Gold & Bones". I don't know exactly why, but these two touch me so deeply on an emotional level that I do end up wiping away a few tears, and I'm not bashful about admitting it. I 'm too lazy to look it up for myself, so I have to ask what the first one means.

"Malleus Maleficarum literally translates into "The Witches' Hammer", The Bailey Hounds frontman said. "The 'Malleus Maleficarum' was essentially a witch hunter's manual created by two inquisitors in the 15th century and was used for prosecution, persecution, and determining whether or not someone was, in fact, meddling in the dark arts. This is one of the earlier songs written for the album, but I recall giving it that title almost immediately after writing the first verse. I wrote this a few days before leaving for Scotland for a year. Anyway, witches & wolves...aye."

Aye, indeed. Now, I'll admit that I don't listen to a lot of music that's labeled 'Americana', and maybe you don't either. Maybe you've never listened to it. Well here's your chance, people, but once you let The Bailey Hounds sink their teeth into your emotions, you might not want them to ever let go. Don't say I didn't warn you.

You can stream and buy Along the Gallows at The Bailey Hounds site . They're also offering their Bob Dylan cover, "Don't Think Twice, It's All right", for free download. I highly recommend you get both the album and the single, and if they would've recorded that Pantera cover, I'd say get it, too.

Excuse me, but I have the sniffles now and I need to go blow my nose.

--Heddbuzz

http://thebaileyhounds.com/

http://facebook.com/thebaileyhounds

http://thebaileyhounds.com/album/dont-think-twice-its-all-right-single

Grifter's Critically-Hailed Self-Titled Album Out Now!

Captain Zen Beyond has called them "the best classic rock band around" and the album "brilliant without any weak points." The Obelisk says they "sound like fans of 70's rock creating their own riffs and grooves to universal appeal." Classic Rock Magazine has seen their brand of irreverent rock to be fitting enough for one of their cover-mounted compilation CD's. Grifter has taken the world by storm with their new self-titled album of gritty, blues-based biker rock and you need to know what the fuss is all about! Available now through the Ripple Music Store and available world-wide on October 3rd through Clearspot International in Europe and Code 7 Distribution in the UK, Grifter is the album that will fuel every high-octane weekend party and chase away the doldrums of everyday life!

This eleven track album is the band's first full-length effort with indie rock label Ripple Music, however, Grifter’s unique one-foot-in-the-gutter, sleaze rock sound first appeared on the Ripple roster with their dual contribution to the Heavy Ripples, Vol. 1 compilation released earlier this year. To fill out 2011, Grifter will be performing numerous shows throughout England, as well as preparing for a tour of UK and parts of Europe for 2012.


Confirmed live dates:

Sept 29th - The Rosr, Hounslow, London with Desert Storm, XII Boar and Strung Heavy
Sept 30th - The Purple Turtle, Camden, London with My Sleeping Karma and Steak. (London album launch)
October 7th - The Junction Underground, Plymouth with Stump Grinder and Guns Under The Table. (home town album launch)
December 2nd - The Unicorn, Camden, London with Doctor Cyclops, Stubb and one more TBA

RIPPLE MUSIC STORE

Also available at CDBaby, Amazon.com, Ebay, and All That Is Heavy.com

Iron Claw's Brand New Album is out Now!

Scotland’s Proto-Metal pioneers, Iron Claw, return with a long-awaited album of gritty, blues-based melodic heavy rock that is already garnering album of the year accolades from the press. The thirteen track album, A Different Game, is scheduled for UK release through Code 7 Distribution on October 3rd and world-wide release on October 4th, and is already available at the label’s web store.

To kick off the bands rampant live attack, they’ve volunteered their services to a charitable cause. On September 25th at 7:00pm, Iron Claw will perform at Comlongon Rocks, which will assist Cash For Kids and Cancer Research UK. This festival, which features and highlights local talent, will run from noon to midnight and will include 22 bands and 6 DJs . . . all for a mere £10! For more information, please follow the link: (http://www.comlongonrocks.com/)

Iron Claw will also be performing at the Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow, Scotland on October 5th, and will act as more than just a CD release event. The performance is sponsored by Governor Derek McGill to help show the prisoners that there are healthier alternatives to crime, such as playing and creating emotionally stimulating music.

A Different Game has been receiving airplay all over the globe, specifically the lead single, “What Love Left”. Huge supporters have come from the likes of Classic Rock Radio.eu, Get Ready To Rock! Radio, Planet Rock, SuperestacionMetal, and SineFM to name but a few, and Iron Claw are now one of the featured bands on the Screaming Singles, Vol. 1 compilation disc released through Nasty Casty Records.
 

Here’s what the press has to say:

"They have taken all their musical experience and rolled it up into an album which simply rocks. If you dig the roots of heavy metal, 70's hard rock and Southern Rock, you will indeed enjoy listening to these experienced masters of Rock N Roll." -- ThrashHead

“This is pure muscle at work and Iron Claw still has plenty of the natural juice in them to make this reunion endeavor soar . . . thankfully Iron Claw has given themselves the opportunity to say a thundering hello to the rock world, if not hijack it.”  --  Ray Van Horn, Jr., The Metal Minute

 "This is a solid, dynamic, vintage rock ‘n roll record, 13 tracks spanning 57 minutes yet hardly a dull moment to be found. A Different Game is more of the same—high quality heavy rock unearthed from the underground" -- Hellbound.ca

RIPPLE MUSIC STORE