Disc Reviews
by Max Ink Staff Writers
Pantera - Official Live Pantera
Pantera
Album Title: Official Live Pantera
By Aaron Manogue
Posted: Dec 2010
Label: Elektra
(1948) Page Views
Anyone who has ever been a fan of live music knows it’s hard to hear a band live and have them come across as crisp and intense as they sound on any given album. Pantera does just that and so much more.
The album kicks off with thousands of screaming fans chanting “Pantera! Pantera! Pantera!” If you close your eyes, you can truly picture yourself among the masses ready to explode into maniacal metal madness. “New Level” announces the band’s presence loud and clear with drummer Vinney Paul’s signature hellish beats and vocalist Phil Anselmo’s demonic growls.
Next up on the Pantera ass kicking machine is “Walk.” One of their most recognizable songs, Dimebag absolutely destroys the solo. You know you have a truly all-time great guitarist when he can take an iconic guitar solo, play it EXACTLY how we all remember, and at the same time put twists on it on the fly that flow with perfect harmony with the rest of the solo.
Basically every single iconic Pantera song is on the album and the guys absolutely kill each and every song. “5 Minutes Alone,” “This Love,” “I’m Broken,” “Cowboys from Hell,” “Cemetery Gates,” and “Hostile.” There truly isn’t a single spot on the live album that anyone could say, “Oh, there’s a mess up.” Being able to crank out this high quality metal live with great sound and intensity is truly a gift the guys of Pantera were really blessed with, and also showcases Vinnie and Dimebag’s production skills, as they produced this masterpiece.
Then there was something that is perhaps the most lasting and impressing aspect of this live album. Anselmo quiets the audience after they play “Sandblasted Skin” and speaks, “You know what the experts are telling you? That heavy music is dead and gone. Ya’ll do me a favor and ya’ll turn around and look at each other right now. And obviously somebody’s wanting to hear something that these experts are telling you ain’t supposed to be here.” This my friends is pure, unblemished metal. The way it was meant to be played.
Pantera Online
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Ozzy Osbourne - Scream
Ozzy Osbourne
Album Title: Scream
By Aaron Manogue
Posted: Oct 2010
Label: Epic Records
(2515) Page Views
After 40 years of screaming his black heart out, most would think Ozzy’s vocal transmissions would have faded, but The Prince of Darkness has managed to keep his trademark sound alive and well in his 10th album, “Scream.”
Opening with a touch of Ozzy’s past swagger in “Let It Die,” silky guitar riffs accompany tenacious double-kick drums to launch this musical missile on the right path. In “Diggin’ Me Down,” Ozzy kidnaps you and takes you on a melodic journey that starts with a deceiving yet pleasing acoustic intro, and then erupts into a combination of ravishing guitar riffs and drum beats. “I Want It More” puts the ass kicking stamp on the record, with catchy lyrics and thick riffs.
The most notable change in the new album is the absence of legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde. When Ozzy stated that he “wanted a change,” fans were skeptical of the quality of guitar play that would follow. New guitarist Gus G falls far short of a change, as his riffs and solos on “Scream” sound reminiscent of Wylde’s style and unique shredding, since much of Wylde’s writing remained on the album.
No one can deny his uncanny ability to surround himself with musical talent that boasts the best support for his timeless vocals. “Scream” is a solid statement by Ozzy that his vocal talents will live on in rock n’ roll eternity.
Ozzy Osbourne Online
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Hellyeah - Stampede
Hellyeah
Album Title: Stampede
By Aaron Manogue
Posted: Oct 2010
Label: Epic Records
(2696) Page Views
Supergroup Hellyeah is back with sophomore album “Stampede” and their patented main course of southern rock with a gritty side of ass kicking that fans are used to from lead man Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett’s main poison, Mudvayne. Rounding out your four course meal of metal is Vinnie Paul of Pantera, Tom Maxwell of Nothingface and Bob Zilla of Damageplan, leaving any metal fan asking for seconds.
“Cowboy Way” serves as the delectable appetizer. With its monstrous southern metal sound it sets the tone for the rest of the record. The task of incorporating each sound of the supergroup’s members is done perfectly throughout; gritty guitars, smooth as silk drums, in your face vocals and a bass line that runs right through the heart of the album.
Mudvayne fans will love “It’s On!” as it could easily fit on any Mudvayne album of the past, present and future. The same can be said for Pantera fans in the track titled “Order the Sun.” Vinnie Paul’s influence is extremely evident in this track. Despite whether you are a fan of the member’s past bands or not, if you enjoy immense musical talent that’s blended together perfectly to make a metal lover’s concoction, you’re in for a treat.
Hellyeah Online
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Jayke Orvis - It’s All Been Said
Jayke Orvis
Album Title: It’s All Been Said
By Kaleb Bronson
Posted: Oct 2010
Label: Farmageddon Records
(3785) Page Views
With a fully loaded arsenal of musically arranged chaos, Jayke Orvis has dropped the .357 String Band and the Goddamn Gallows for a brief moment to release his first fiasco-filled album, “It’s All Been Said.”
His mandolin power impeccably smashes through beginning of the record, combined with a wide array of stringed harmonious beasts to flavor the entire album like a stuck pig ready for roast. From the ghastly, ghoul-soaked
intro of the record, Orvis sets the listener up for a dark and doom filled dose of reality.
The men of true country past as well as the rowdy cow-punks of the present day are sure to feel the aesthetic of this record. Whether the calming “Feelings Like This” carry the listener into a whiskey-doused rocking chair moment of relaxation, or the “Empty Bottles on the Shelf” offer the picturesque road song for all who have traveled the highways and byways of the world, Orvis offers a realm of true living.
Orvis lets the toe-tapping record gather speed throughout. “Thunderbolts and Lighting” can twist the blade in that soft spot of the heart and with the added flare of James Honnicutt’s quick hand, the track mellows the mind with temperament.
Orvis’ liking for a good horror film is spread throughout the record in miniature samples, adding a dark trail to follow and an appealing one for fans of the nebulous side of country music.
Many aspects of the record speak of rough relationships as well as the loves of Orvis’ life, including “Shady Grove Gypsy Moon” which designs a perfect dance around the fire and howl at the moon track of cultivation.
“No one wants to go to jail for things,” introduces the track “Dreadful Sinner,” A high octane and vivid look into the realm of living above the law and the battles of people’s demons. The lyrical ride of this track is intensely fanatical, creating a chanting atmosphere in the listeners head.
Throughout this entire record Jayke Orvis shows that whether he rides with a crew of rough and rugged musicians with only to road ahead of them, or if he takes his own personal touch and pouring a shot for everyone to swallow, he has what is takes to be recognized with “It’s All Been Said.”
Jayke Orvis Online
Sara Bareilles - Kaleidoscope Heart
Sara Bareilles
Album Title: Kaleidoscope Heart
By Troy Johnson
Posted: Oct 2010
Label: Epic Records
(2902) Page Views
Sara Bareilles attacks the piano like a pestle and mortar, pounding pop songs out and adding original lyrics that turn frustration into music. In her much anticipated second studio album “Kaleidoscope Heart,” released this past September, Bareilles shows that she is not just the girl who recorded “Love Song” but a musician with a long career ahead of her.
Judging by her online following females are her predominant fan base but as far as mainstream pop music is concerned I feel not just comfortable but hip when I bump her tunes in front of other people. “Machine Gun” is an instant hit with me even though it’s clearly from a female perspective. “Maybe nobody loved you when you were young/Maybe, boy, when you cry nobody ever comes.” She has the ability to take sad ideas and lyrics and mix them with energetic music that you can dashboard drum to.
The album is produced by Neal Avron who is a musician that has made his way in the industry by making chart topping albums for bands such as Linkin’ Park, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, and Yellowcard. When listened to in its’ entirety it is difficult to predict which songs are going to be radio singles off of Kaleidoscope Heart. “King of Anything” is already getting a lot of play time on radio stations and is prototypical of her catchy style. She is also witty and full of meritorious quotes on her Facebook and twitter pages.
Bareilles is touring this fall and plays at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee on November 5, 2010.
Sara Bareilles Online
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Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Album Title: Paranoid
By Fender Sexton
Posted: Sep 2010
Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment
(2669) Page Views
The Classic Albums series uncovers the facts and examines the myths behind famous albums, recounting the experiences behind the board and in the studio through every chord. After releasing definitive DVD documents of albums from The Doors, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Nirvana, Meat Loaf, and Bob Marley, the series now looks at Black Sabbath’s 1970 album, Paranoid. Throughout the 97 minutes of this documentary, original members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, along with the album’s engineer, deliver the story behind the making of Paranoid. This great documentary is essentially a collection of interviews, demonstrations, archive videos, and live cuts of songs like “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” and “Black Sabbath.” The forty minutes of bonus features are worth a look as well.
Black Sabbath Online
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Anna Givens - SkyLark
Anna Givens
Album Title: SkyLark
By Sal Serio
Posted: Sep 2010
Label: Galena Street Music
(2748) Page Views
If you long for the sad, sultry torch songs that were the trademark of all the great women jazz singers of the classic era - Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan – than boy, have I got a CD for you. The only singer currently performing that comes anywhere close to capturing this sincere an essence of pure jazz is perhaps Norah Jones, but I’d still place all bets on Anna Givens.
SkyLark is Givens’ solo debut, highlighted by her silky and emotive crooning with only piano and occasional bass as accompaniment. Of significant note is the pianist, Claude Black, who shares history with some of the all-time jazz greats, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, and Wes Montgomery. The SkyLark sessions were recorded “in the moment” without any overdubs.
While Givens is perhaps best known in the Midwest as she is based out of Ohio and gigs often in Detroit, her name may also ring a bell in the Rocky Mountain region. Recently Anna had been a member of blues guitarist Eddie Turner’s band. Husband and producer David Givens, who guests on bass, was a member of the classic psychedelic era band Zephyr. Don’t expect to hear any rock or blues here though - this one is strictly for the jazz cats.
Anna Givens Online
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Nonpoint - Miracle
Nonpoint
Album Title: Miracle
By Aaron Manogue
Posted: Sep 2010
Label: Rocket Science Ventures
(2681) Page Views
It seems like every time someone talks about any rock n’ roll artist or band these days, there is an underlying and ridiculous urge to place them in some generalized category. Whether it’s soft rock, alternative rock, heavy metal, death metal, or any amalgamation of rock n’ roll genres that some self-proclaimed music junky decides to make up for a certain band, people feel the need to stereotype a band’s sound. For the boys of Nonpoint it’s never been about fitting into some cliché music genre or writing records to make the charts, it’s simply been about one thing and one thing only; writing genuine, pure Nonpoint music.
Formed in 1997, this Florida-based band has gone on to create their own form of rock n’ roll…metal…whatever you wish to call it. I call it authentic, genuine, in your face, “you’ll go home to tell your friends about us” music. Currently the band still boasts three of the original band members, Drummer Robb Rivera, vocalist Elias Soriano and bassist Ken “KB” MacMillan, while adding axeman Zach Broderick in 2008. Building their name through their distinguished live act, Nonpoint has spread the word loud and clear that they’re here to stay.
Anyone who’s ever been to a Nonpoint concert can agree that their enthralling stage presence is something every concert enthusiast needs to experience. This is the energy most Nonpoint fans have been begging of the band to bring to their albums. And with their latest album release Miracle, they bring their ass kicking off the stage and into your home. They have transitioned into a harder, grittier sound for this album which serves as a perfect weapon for them to launch their music into listener’s eardrums.
From the opening song “Shadow,” guitarist Zach Broderick, who replaced Andrew Goldman as the bands lead guitarist, brings a much thicker hard rock sound to Nonpoint in comparison to Goldman’s previous recordings with the band.The thick riffs accompany vocalist Elias Soriano’s smooth-as-silk chords perfectly and drummer Robb Rivera’s beats carry the heart beat of the album triumphantly throughout. Nonpoint’s trademark energy stays in orbit with the title track “Miracle” which features guest vocals by Mudvayne/HELLYEAH frontman Chad Gray who produced the album along with guitarist Greg Tribett, also of Mudvaye/HELLYEAH.
The next few songs tap the breaks a bit on the train that is Miracle, transitioning into a middle of the tracks pace with “Crazy” and a song dedicated to our honorable and beloved troops “Frontlines.” One of the bright spots along the way in this album is the inclusion of Nonpoint’s cover of the mighty Pantera’s “5 Minutes Alone” which the band originally recorded as an online bonus track for legendary shredder “Dimebag” Darrel Abbott’s Tribute Album.
The absolute epitome of Nonpoint’s ass kicking is in the intensity they portray in the song “Dangerous Waters.” Warning: Head banging is required when listening to this song. There’s even a short yet extremely addictive solo in the song, which just adds to the mystique that Broderick presents in his first album with Nonpoint, something that is for the most part non-existent in pre-Broderick Nonpoint music. The song seems to serve as Broderick’s introduction to us all and his stamp on the band is heard loud and clear.
Traditional Nonpoint fans won’t be begging for their old Nonpoint back, because it’s still clearly evident in the new album. Self proclaimed Nonpoint critics will have to do their best to resist the burning urge to tip their caps to the band for their new efforts and ass kicking they’ll experience once they hear Miracle. It’ll be a Miracle if the same critics can also resist the urge to go buy the album.
Nonpoint has continued to write, play and produce the only genre they know how to spit out; genuine, pure Nonpoint music.
This labor day weekend, Nonpoint once again graces the Madison area with their renowned stage presence, live at Taste of Madison on Sunday, September 5th. They’ll hit the WJJO stage along with the Deaf Pedestrians and Caroline’s Spine.
Nonpoint Online
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A Minute Jack Forum - Traction Blip
A Minute Jack Forum
Album Title: Traction Blip
By John Noyd
Posted: Sep 2010
Label: self-release
(2387) Page Views
Neatly assembled among bickering riffs, crackling beats and enigmatic lyrics, “Traction Blip,” swings from old school guitar duels to post-ironic wordplay to serve up richly literate, alt-rock honky-tonk decked out in strangled twang, syncopated jangle and barbed harmonies. A fairly recent band bolstered by years of collective experience, gallant mavericks A Minute Jack Forum beautifully brew a broiling stew of bronco blues and rousing frontier rock, shape-shifting earnest uncertainty and insatiable hungers between surfing turbulence, ballerina ballistics and cunning, coyote counsel. Motoring through finely-tuned grooves intercepting scrambled frequencies, the coiled quartet straddle savvy maps; charting cagey chords, howling catharsis and casual swagger in a welcome storm of contemplative complications, piecing together jigsaw dialectics and redneck intellect gathered from weighty fates, redemptive tensions and restless messages.
A Minute Jack Forum Online
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The New Czars - Doomsday Revolution
The New Czars
Album Title: Doomsday Revolution
By Sal Serio
Posted: Sep 2010
Label: Samson Records
(3378) Page Views
The New Czars are a heavy prog Euro-American rock group assembling the talents of singer/songwriter/guitarist Greg Hampton and drummer David Moreno, with former Pink and Juliette & The Licks bass player Paul Ill. Rounding out the sound are sonic contributions by sax/keyboardist Steffen Presley, and King Crimson guitar whiz Adrian Belew.
Doomsday Revolution loosely resembles a Todd Rundgren project, with it’s multi-layered big studio sound offset by a mixture of basic pop rock sensibilities. The songs are quite a lot to absorb in a single sitting. To say there’s a ton of ideas at play in these 16 tracks would be a massive understatement.
To illustrate this point: “Don’t Watch Me” features a modern processed guitar workout and intense vocal delivery. It’s beautiful contradiction is the marriage of technological studio sounds with raw primitive emotion. “Brush With The Devil” etches a gothic metal streak into a club-style dance beat.
Some of my favorite moments are the instrumentals colored by Hampton and Belew’s stylistic soloing. “Abstract Prague” may have the most overt Crimson influence, via Belew’s signature overdriven free-flight guitar genius. The “Funky Detour”/”Crotch Critters” opus displays stretched out jamming, with the two guitarists intertwining their effects laden fretwork.
The New Czars Online
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Various Artists - Mister Bolin’s Late Night Revival
Various Artists
Album Title: Mister Bolin’s Late Night Revival
By Sal Serio
Posted: Sep 2010
Label: Rainbow Foundation
(4376) Page Views
At the time of Tommy Bolin’s tragic late 1976 drug overdose, the musician had a large cache of new songs recorded as demos. The new “Mister Bolin’s Late Night Revival” compilation asks “What If”… The concept is: “What if the guitar hotshot sought help for his addictions, and lived to release this material in full ensemble album form?” Not coincidentally, some of the proceeds from this project will go to Jackson Recovery Center, a rehab facility in Bolin’s hometown of Sioux City, Iowa.
An overwhelming early 80’s poppy metal sound hangs on many of the performances, which perhaps is appropriate. Had Bolin lived to complete a couple more album releases, he’d have been staring at a musical future in the 80s decade, when metal poofed up it’s hair, added synthesizers, and huge pop choruses. Considering that vocalists from Rainbow, Foreigner, and Mr. Big are featured on the CD, the 80s connection is apparent. However, appearances by several Christian rock artists is not as obvious an association.
One standout track is “Evening Rain” by Christina Sanchez, featuring a flamenco sounding guitar solo reminiscent of Bolin’s own “Savannah Woman” or “Gypsy Soul”. Another is “Slow Driver” with smokin’ hot lead guitar provided by Bolin’s contemporary John Bartle, and sung with conviction by Boston’s Kimberley Dahme.
Various Artists Online
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Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Pictures At An Exhibition - Special Edition
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Album Title: Pictures At An Exhibition - Special Edition
By Gregory Harutunian
Posted: Sep 2010
Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment
(2139) Page Views
With a debut at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, ELP (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer) cemented the start of their legacy and disposition for adapting classical pieces, with a dizzying version of Mussorgsy’s “Pictures At an Exhibition.” A live album was quickly released, along with a video filmed at London’s Lyceum in December 1970. The film has gone through several incarnations including a road show movie “Rock n’ Roll Your Eyes” as part of a drive-in double bill in the 1980’s.
This special edition of “Pictures at an Exhibition” brings to DVD the most complete version of the concert possible, a tremendous upgrade from collectors’ version, which have been floating around for years. although, it does lack the opening tune, “The Barbarian,” the rest is mint picture and sound. Eagle rock entertainment has been releasing ELP material over the last year, and this is truly an exception for classic rock history. The picture of “Pictures” is stunning.but the original 1970’s special effects does distract with its cartoon superheroes pages and effects from whatever was being smoked in the control room that was felt to add to the music…(it’s minimal, though.)
These guys were at the dawn of their career and this captures the time perfectly (look at Emerson’s outfit…eek.) The Lyceum film also includes a raging version of “Rondo,” complete with the knife-throwing emerson plunging daggers into the keyboard, showing he was the Hendrix of the ivories. As an aside, Hendrix and ELP actually rehearsed together initially when ELP formed, to perform as a group (HELP), but emerson wasn’t keen to work with a guitar player—-so he stuck with Lake.
As a bonus, the band’s appearance on Belgium’s “Pop Shop” from early 1971 is also included here, for the first time, in complete form with all the songs. “Nutrocker,” “Knife Edge” and another “Rondo” are the highlights. All in all, a satisfying package, if you are inclined to hear these guys in their prime.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer Online
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