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NUTS, BOLTS & METAL SHAVINGS

by Diane DeMeter

METAL NEWS YOU CAN USE

The end of summer is always bittersweet. I’ve had my fill of humidity. I don’t ever remember having my eyelids sweat so much and it being too ghastly hot to swim. The lack of thunderstorms was a real bummer (my favorite thing about summer).

As usual, starting in the fall, new releases will be bombarding us, right through the holidays. Something to look forward to, while I’m waiting for an icy blast of winter wind and hopefully a blizzard.

It’s much better getting stuck in the house in the winter than in the summer!

ROADRUNNER RUNDOWN

Ill Nino will be unleashing, One Nation Underground, later this month, with the lead track being, “This Is War”. They are already on the road with Disturbed doing a mini tour. Take it from me, Ill Nino put on one hell of an energetic performance but they sure don’t like the “fan participation slackers”.

Obituary is back with more thrills and spills on their sixth recording, Frozen In Time. The last release was eight years ago, in 1997’s, Back From The Dead. Starting this month, they will be touring with Napalm Death. Killer combo, to say the least! Hope you caught their show…

RIP: Original Carnivore guitarist, Keith Alexander was killed in a bike accident in mid-July. He extensively toured North America and Scandinavia, while on a 3-year stint with Dee Snider/Twisted Sister. He also was known as a body piercer (since 1991) and had performed over 22,000 piercings and over 150 cuttings and brandings.

New solo CD by John 5, Songs For Sanity, on Shrapnel Records is available now. This is the follow-up to the critically applauded, Vertigo, which is still among Shrapnel’s present bestseller. Songs For Sanity, features Steve Vai and Albert Lee performing guest guitar solos.

Over the years, John 5 has axed with the likes of Rob Halford, David Lee Roth and Marilyn Manson. He most recently was a second stage headliner and played with Rob Zombie during Ozzfest.

Blast From The Past: Those punk/glam rockers, New York Dolls have recently been signed to Roadrunner. Two founding members are still on board – David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain – with Steve Conte, Sam Yaffa, Brian Delaney and Brian Koonin, rounding out the new incarnation.

The Dolls reunited and played the 2004 Meltdown Festival in the UK just before the sudden death of original drummer Jerry “Killer” Kane, and have since been doing sporadic festival dates around the globe, in between Johansen’s blues gigs, like his recent stop over in Chicago’s Grant Park to wail with his soulful Windy City heroes.

Can you imagine the Dolls on stage with NIN and Queens Of The Stone Age? Too sweet! In late July, New York Dolls headlined a show in NYC and the general admission was $105, (Ouch!) Expect brand spanking new material Spring 2006.

DEMETER’S TEASERS

SENTENCED

The Funeral Album – Century Media

This CD is aptly named, as it’s the band’s final release. What started out as a Finnish Death Metal band, during the first half of the ‘90s, has taken a tamer approach with guitar-oriented rock melodies. Heartfelt, serious lyrics compliment the “winter aura” and melancholy feelings associated with the end of the journey.

“There will not be a reunion, comeback or any other pathetic soap opera-esque circus”, sternly communicated by guitarist, Sami Lopakka.

I really enjoyed this CD, though not as heavy as I need, it is a great listen. Of course my fave cut five, “Where Waters Fall Frozen”, clocked in at only 56 seconds. It was a step back in time, to their Death Metal days. I swear it sounded live. I couldn’t help feeling like I was at their show, with my body pressed against the stage, taking it all in.

The last song, “End of the Road”, pretty much sums it up with the lyrics –– “Here we are, now lay the burden down, We’re coming to the end of our road, Sorrowful yet glorious somehow, To be humming this one last ode.”

BANE

The Note – Equal Vision Records

This is the first album in three years and the follow up to 2001’s, It All Comes Down To This, from this Massachusetts, old school hardcore band.

Bane stays true to its roots and isn’t sucked into the Metal Hardcore mainstream. Listening to, “Hoods Up” made me smile because of the resemblance of early Suicidal Tendencies and Anthrax. “My Therapy” struck a chord with the line, “There will always be a place, there will be a crowded room where I’m not all alone.”

The Note is a pretty good, dedicated effort.

SCENES

Call Us At A Number You Provide – Escapi Music BV

Man does this recording sound like Dokken and Queensryche. It felt like the late ‘80’s all over again. Progressive rock with loads of keyboards from this German band, that’s been together since 1995.

The production is awesome, thanks to the expertise of Tommy Newton (Victory, Halloween, Conception) doing the mixing and mastering. This is a very uplifting recording and would be best listened to when your feeling down. Good stuff!

Till Next time…ONE NATION UNDERGROUND!

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