Thursday, December 31, 2009

Kiss - Sonic Boom (2009: Kiss Records)

Bag of hammers dumb,
19th try shows that practice
doesn't make perfect.


http://kissonline.com/sonicboom/

Rush - Vapor Trails (2002: Atlantic)

Typical midrange
mid-tempo, middling Rush tracks;
fine excuse to tour.

http://www.rush.com/v4.html

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Isis - Wavering Radiant (2009: Ipecac)

Prefer art soundscape
moments to the gruff and growl;
Makes me think of Hum.

http://www.isistheband.com/#/releases/

Friday, December 25, 2009

Savage Circus - Of Doom and Death (2009: Dockyard 1)

Though some bemoan as
Blind Guardian tribute band,
damn fine songs throughout.


http://www.dockyard1.com/savagecircus/releases.asp

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

The Gathering - Always (1992: Foundation 2000)

Pre Anneke tracks
hodge-podge of bush league swings;
pales to what's to come
.

http://www.gathering.nl/discography/ (scroll down to Always)

Be'lakor - Stone's Reach (2009: self-released)

Melodic death
melds trebly synths with tech riffs;
Year end top ten? Yep.


http://www.myspace.com/belakor

Heorot - Ragnarök (2007: Stygian Crypt Productions)

To the last flute note
folk metal conformity;
Nothing new, sounds fine.


http://www.heorotband.com/history.html

Sting - If On a Winter's Night (2009: Deutsche Grammophon)

History buff Sting's
breathy vocals might be true
but blight the folk faire
.

http://stingwintersnight.com/music/

Bonus haiku:
Songs of winter! Not
Christmas! Late autumn release
reads quite cynic(s)al(e).

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Wolf - The Black Flame (2006: Prosthetic)

Honor the old guard,
young Swedes embrace metal's past;
Cheeze factor runs deep.

http://www.wolf.nu/

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Swashbuckle - Back to the Noose (2009: Nuclear Blast)

Grind to thrash pirate
tales with tongue firmly in cheek;
Could be worse/better.


http://www.swashbuckle.info/maindeck.html

Rhino Bucket - The Hardest Town (2009: Acetate)

Shameless Bon Scott blues
'n' groove worship rides again;
Decades pass? Same game.

http://www.acetate.com/bands/rhinobucket/index.html

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Saturday, December 12, 2009

the Gathering - Home (2006: The End)

Anneke's last with
band that spawned a thousand clones;
Lilith Fair goth pop.


http://www.gathering.nl/discography/

Ayreon - The Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer (2000: Inside Out)

Sci-fi concept with
galaxy of prog/Floyd leaps;
abort the mission.


http://www.ayreon.com/ayreon/ay_albums_um.html

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Trail of Tears - Bloodstained Endurance (2009: Napalm)

Tag-team clean/harsh tones
propel gothly black see-saw;
ride worth trip to park.

Nox Arcana - Blackthorn Asylum (2009: Monolith Graphics)

Dark soundscapes set mood
for Hammer film-ish spook show.
Same haunt on repeat.


http://www.noxarcana.com/blackthorn-history.html

Pelican - What We All Come to Need (2009: Southern Lord)

No vocals* for blends
of melodic, sludging, grooves;
like Sabbath-spawn jazz.


http://www.hydrahead.com/pelican/news.php

*one song sings
the rest stay wordless
no big change

Friday, December 4, 2009

Eluveitie - Evocation I: the Arcane Dominion (2009: Nuclear Blast)

Folk metal unplugged
lets the growl have a night off;
somber yet solid.


http://www.eluveitie.ch/img/evocation_detail.jpg

Billy Idol - Devil's Playground (2005: Sanctuary)

Departs past glories
but retains sneering image;
tame to today's ears.



(yes, I recognize that using a Wikipedia link is sad, but I found no discography page at the Billy Idol website to reference - Wiki or Amazon - take your pick...)

Korpiklaani - Karkelo (2009: Nuclear Blast)

Beer tents and Finn lore
via Marshall stacks at 10.
Mad love for this band.


http://www.korpiklaani.com/index2.html

Aerosmith - Night in the Ruts (1979: Columbia)

Drug-addled battles
be damned, blues grooves locked, loaded.
No hits? No worries.



Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Craig Goldy - Better Late Than Never (1995: Shrapnel)

Praise the spirit but
rue the product. Would Goldy
even listen thrice?


http://www.metal-archives.com/release.php?id=147088

Iron Savior - Dark Assault (2001: Noise)

Side project-itis
afflicts power metal pros;
lyrics trite to spew.


http://www.iron-savior.com/releases_2001_dark_assault.php

Octavia Sperati - Grace Submerged (2007: Candlelight)

Goth gal and guitars;
gritty yet pretty makes up
for blink-and-gone length.


http://www.myspace.com/octaviasperati

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Nashville Pussy - From Hell to Texas (2009: SPV)

Minor missteps but
road dogs' blooze n' sleaze wins out.
Ruyter still kicks ass.


http://www.nashvillepussy.com/discography?id=100

Friday, November 13, 2009

Imperia - Queen of Light (2007:Napalm)

When will Napalm learn?
Musical theater schleps
fail worse as rock stars.

http://www.helena-michaelsen.com/disco.html

Tim "Ripper" Owens - Play My Game (2009: SPV)

Not yet ready for
prime time throat-for-hire solos.
Got pedestrian?


http://www.timripperowens.com/

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Tesla - Into the Now (2004: Sanctuary)

Can't say it's good but
it's damn heartfelt album rock.
Still, '88's long past.

http://www.teslatheband.com/media/ts_ITN.php

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Demons & Wizards - S/T (2000: SPV)

Schaffer and Hansi
concoct top notch side project.
Massive vocals here.

http://www.demonsandwizards.de/albums.php

Type O Negative - Bloody Kisses (1993: Roadrunner)

Savvy choice singles
and cover tunes save this disc
from too cutesy whims.

http://www.typeonegative.net/discog.html (scroll down to 1993)






Valient Thorr - Immortalizer (2008: Volcom)

Biker bar house band
grooves, sneers, and needs a shower;
Lemmy would be proud.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Metallica - Some Kind of Monster (2004: Elektra)

Cash grab soundtrack disc,
live tracks stomp studio song
with St. Anger snare.


http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=3282

Friday, October 30, 2009