Fore - Skin (yes, you read that right)

On June 23^rd, 2023 Florida extreme punk band FORE unleashed their sophomore album “Skin” upon the world (and if you missed the play on words here, you don’t deserve to listen to this record). Their debut album smacked the world in 2020, and we have been collectively holding our breath ever since, in anticipation of what was to come next.

The band has undergone some changes over the last few years, and is now a 3 piece, featuring Brian Stephson (Unbilicus) on vocals & bass, Jeramie Kling (Inhuman Condition, Venom Inc) on drums, and Taylor Nordberg (Inhuman Condition, Deicide) on guitar. 

This is no Green-Day pop/punk appeal to airplay and Spotify playlists.  It’s a punk record in every meaning of the word.  From the frenetic pace of each track to the face-smacking riffs to the harmonious melodies, the sound is a beat-you-up metal/punk that’s extremely entertaining and aggressive.  There’s not a song on the record over 3 minutes in length, and the entire 14 track compilation comes in just shy of a half hour in overall length.

The record gives us a quick indoctrination into the sarcasm and cynicism we can expect with a spoken word intro that mocks the “no talking during movie” message in theaters and quickly moves into a societal statement before kicking into the onslaught of the first single released from the album, “Wild Out.”  This is a high-speed sing-along, and was a great first bite of what we could expect of the entire release.

The ass-kicking continues track after track. The fifth song on the record is also the most recent single, “Welcome To My Ted Talk,” which is a speed-metal/punk blend in all the best ways. The band tackles a number of social issues and the anything-for-profit culture we live in today in an angry and aggressive mosh-pit-inducing 2 minute 27 second song.

Between these two single releases the band also dropped “Nothing Means Nothing.” This one is a tribute to pro-wrestler Randy Savage and draws many of the lyrics from the Macho Man rants leading up to his fights. This is a great track!

I think Full Hard Swing might be my favorite on the whole album.  It features both tenderness and anger with beautiful harmonies and a riffing that could cause WWIII. I just love listening to this track as loud as my neighbors can handle.

With that said that’s actually how I like listening to the entire record!  As I mentioned earlier, this record is fast & loud – a bully to your ears. If you need a new work-out mix, this record is it! It’ll keep your blood pumping and your adrenaline glands working overtime for a solid half-hour work out. If your neighborhood noise ordinances will allow it pull out the huge old-school speakers and play it loud! If not, put in your AirPods and crank it up! Either way, you’re going to be grateful for the punk metal beating you’re about to endure. You’re welcome.

Seize This Record! - Out Of Darkness - Seize The Day

What happens when a long-time drummer in the heavy metal world decides he wants to start a new band he can build from scratch?  In this case, the answer is a dynamic new project with an enticing debut 7-track (well, let’s call it a 6¼-track) release that leaves us in giddy anticipation of the next one.

Imagine my excitement when I learned that my front door is a mere 2 hours away from where this band calls home!  I simply can’t wait to hear them do this live, but for now let’s talk about the record.

In 2019, long-time skin-smasher for the venerable Iced Earth, Brent “Deadly” Smedley, while taking a break from his “day job” on the metal scene decided he wanted to build a band from the ground up. After hearing the powerful and diverse vocal talents of Eric Barrios, Out Of Darkness was born.

Their first CD, "Seize The Day," which dropped 3/26/21 on Curtain Call Records, showcases an impressive range of style and talent, from melodic and harmonic to heavy and thrashy, this energetic compilation is simply a blast to consume.

The opening track, “Oh My,” is the first release from the record. Drums, bass, and down-tuned guitar kick you in the face as soon as you hit “play.” A tribute to the world we all experienced in the pandemic of 2020, the song bounces from a haunting melody to guttural growls, just like we all did over the past year+. It musically captures our fear, uncertainty, anticipation, and every twist of emotion, and hurls it out of your speakers at top volume. It’s a kick-ass way to open an album.

Just when you are prepared for an in-your-face experience, they mood abruptly changes to a light and musical 30-second “Through The Light” that transitions smoothly into “I Surrender,” a rock-ballad cover of vocal-virtuoso Celine Deion. A melancholy, melodic track, this one showcases the soaring, imploring vocal capability of Barrios, then builds to a crescendo mosh-pit session, before dropping back for another verse, and building again.  With harmonies that evoke thoughts of Freddy Mercury and Queen, the track wraps up with an emotional finish that highlights the vocal flexibility and range that earned Eric the gig.

From there, the title track takes all the emotion from the previous track and spews it back at us. “Seize The Day” kicks you in the face with a heavy guitar/bass riff and machine-gun double kick rhythm. It drops to a pillow-soft verse, builds quickly to a heavy growl, and then back again.  The intensity briefly ebbs & flows as it builds to a frantic guitar solo, followed by the mosh-like bridge. Though melodic, this is the heaviest track on the record, and is probably my favorite.

Nearing the end of the album, KNTRL shows another side of the band, with a dynamic, rhythmically interesting cadence. Soaring vocals & deep growls float easily on the machine-gun drums, and heavy guitars laced with harmonic squeals.  The song floats gracefully, then beats on you for a minute, and then does it all over again. This track displays expert composition and showcases amazing talent as it toys with your emotions.

“Freedom To Be Free” takes us in a different direction. The acoustic intro slides into a gentle, questioning track, in which we can feel the longing of the song-writer to determine the course of his own life. The anthemic chorus evokes pre-pandemic images of an arena filled with lighters and fists held high as the entire crowd sings along. The song-writer's personal confidence builds as the song progresses and intensity builds. By the end, you can feel the decisive determination in his devotion to his own destiny.

The last song on a record needs to wrap up the whole thing in a bow, and “Think Again” does just that.  It’s a driving-tempo rocker that’s heavy and musical. You need, at least once, to listen through this track just for the drums alone. Smedley’s experience and expertise provide an amazing foundation for an excellent hard-rock track. Intricate guitar-work and sing-along powerhouse vocals complete the experience, as the final song on the record comes to an abrupt finish.

Overall, I’m more than a little excited about this first release from Out Of Darkness, and it has little to do with the fact that they are local for me.  This CD has become one of my favorites to crank up, and it’s always over far too soon.  Give it a listen, and then keep your eye out for the opportunity to see them do this on stage along the East coast throughout 2021. I can’t wait!

Kick Ass Metal Punk Stuff - American Terror - Influencer

   Sometimes when musicians get together to form a project, the results can be...shall we say...interesting. Other times, it becomes something totally above our expectations.  Enter American Terror.  This new supergroup is metal, punk, and yet something beyond a genre definition. The band consists of Grayson Manor singer Brad Cox and guitarist Pat Valley, and sometimes even bassist GK Via, Sugar Ray founding bass player Murphy Karges, current Skid Row drummer Rob Hammersmith, and don’t forget DJ Soulman from Phunk Junkeez.  This ragtag group of rockers just put out their debut effort, a 10-track release that will fill your ears for only 32 minutes – but oh, what a 32 minutes. They call it “Influencer.”

     Let’s check It out:

1. The first track, and the first glimpse we got of this disc just a couple months ago, is called “Judgement”. Our 32 minutes begins with a marching band snare intro, and then launches into a profanity-laden angry single, with just the right tempo for an excellent mosh pit, and a vibe that calls to mind your favorite Rage Against The Machine track.
2. “Denial”, an up-tempo blend of punk & metal, shows us that American Terror understands old-school. The chorus is rife with punk harmonies and a hooky melody.  They flip easily back and forth from musical to angry screams. I pick up a little classic Anthrax / S.O.D. sound here as well.
3. “How Do You Like Me Now” is very heavy metal, with a sort of creepy Marilyn Manson vocal intro, straight up heavy metal throughout, and they close it out with a moshy break-down.
4. “Retribution” reveals yet another aspect of the band.  It’s a speed-punk, in-your-face track. My favorite line is “Welcome to my funhouse. I’ve got lots of games” Spikey-haired punk rockers will be happy with this authority-challenging, anthemic call to action.
5. The band goes old-school skate-punk on the song “People”. I’m sure it’s no accident that it is also the shortest track on the record. This one is sung from a teen-age world view, and is, frankly, a very fun song!
6. The second release from the disc (and my personal favorite) is “She’s A Bitch.”  As you can probably guess, it’s about a dysfunctional-relationship with the psycho-girlfriend you just can’t live without. It’s kind of a heavy pop-punk track, like if Blink 182 decided to go metal.
7. The intro to “The Threat” shows us a heavier side of the band. This song is a rally-cry, state-of-the-union statement piece, looking at what’s going on in the world.  It’s anti-authority punk attitude crammed into a heavy metal song. “The real threat is here and we’re the majority!”
8. “Prophet For Profit” comes in light, with 80’s style alternative vocals, and then sways between light and heavy and back again. The heavier parts make this a definite headbanger. Lyrically, this track calls out some of the sins found in the worst of organized religion, most notably greed (obviously).
9. “Break Free” is sort of like a blend of Limp Bizkit and Suicidal Tendencies. We get rap and metal, with both cadence and melody, and it works. It works very well. As catchy as this track is, I think it should be their next single off the record.
10. The band saved their angriest anthem for the end. “PC Me” is an all-out metal assault with a decidedly Nirvana vibe.  This track kicks ass, and the chorus is destined to make it a fists-in-the-air rock-festival favorite.

     Cox says "We formed American Terror to do something new. It's classic punk attitude with metal grooves and a modern attack. It's the punch in the throat that music is missing.”* Listening to the record, I think they hit the mark. There’s a little something for everyone here. It’s Rage meets Manson meets Guns N’ Roses meets Nirvana meets Anthrax, and so on and so on and so on.

     In short, if you like your music loud and full of attitude, you need to give “Influencer” a spin. It’s out now on EMP Label Group, and it’s worth the investment. Now I can’t wait until we can go to live shows again! This is gonna be awesome!



* Brad Cox – Blabbermouth (https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/skid-row-grayson-manor-members-join-forces-in-american-terror/)

Metal-Fried Country-Rock - Ron Keel Band - South X South Dakota

     Before I start this review, let me give you full disclosure. I grew up in the 80’s listening to Keel albums & tapes. My best friend at the time might have been an even bigger Keel fan than I was, so we listened to “The Right To Rock” and “The Final Frontier” a LOT! I’m not much of a country boy, but I definitely love me some Southern Rock. The combination of one of my childhood heroes with one of my favorite music genres is a dream come true on so many levels – especially when that hero is covering some of the very songs that blasted from my bedroom speakers while I grew up.

     April 24th, 2020 the Ron Keel Band released the album South X South Dakota. This album was years in the making, without the band even knowing it. These were the songs that were early influences for the members of the band and they jammed to them in the recording studio while recording their last album, “Fight Like A Band.” Tapes were rolling the whole time, and listening back, the concept for this record was born. 

     Some of these songs are very true to the original, while others have definitely been Keeled up for this release. Ron probably describes it best. “Toughness meets twang as Metal and Country collide on sacred southern ground.”

     Let’s check out the tracks:

• A fantastically recognizable harmonica jam opens the album, as Ron and the boys launch into a hard-hitting Southern-rock track that is a perfect fit for RKB’s country/metal sound. “Train Train” is one of my personal favorite tracks to sing, and these guys do it total justice, with excellent slide-guitar work and a strong vocal performance. The spirit of the original Blackfoot release is alive and well in this new rendition.
• The members of .38 Special must be very proud of the cover on this record of “Rockin’ Into The Night.” Ron & company kept this one very true. Fans of the 1980 hit will be cranking this one up and singing along.
• Teaming up with vocal legend Jasmine Cain, “Don’t Misunderstand Me” is a fantastic duet, giving more than a tip of the hat to the original by the Rossington-Collins Band. Ron’s metal voice and Jasmine’s rasp combine to give us a track that could be a hit on its own, independent of the storied history of the song (and the band) that rose from the ashes of tragedy.
• Things slow down a bit with the first single to be released from this record. “Red, White & Blue,” happens to be Ron’s all-time favorite Skynyrd tune and his affinity for the song is evident. The emotion in the lyrics come through on this cover as if Ron wrote the song himself.
• RKB jumps right into a harder rockin’ track from another band from my new home state, Molly Hatchet. Their rendition of “Flirtin’ With Disaster” starts slightly more country than the original, then quickly builds to the balls-to-the-wall energy of the original. This one is probably second only to the album-opener in terms of my favorites.
• As metal as RKB is, I’m amazed at the reproduction they pull off for the Allman Brothers classic “Ramblin’ Man.” Their version is slightly more edgy, as you would expect from Ron Keel, but with exactly the harmonies that made this song son influential when it was first recorded. RKB even kept the same fuzz-pedal guitar sound for the solo.
• Country and Southern rock fans alike will instantly recognize the Marshall Tucker Band classic “Fire On The Mountain.” This song showcases the skills Ron brings over from his time on the country music charts and is easily the most country song on the album. That’s a big claim, given what track is next.
• You don’t get much more country than Willie & Waylon, and their time-worn classic “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.” Ron allows his Georgia twang to come through heavily in the vocals, but this is definitely a Keelized rendition of the country anthem. Electric guitars with heavy distortion ride over rocked up drums. Excellent rock tribute to the country staple.
• The next song isn’t a new one for the Ron Keel Band. Back in 2017 they released an Atlanta Rhythm Section cover for “Homesick,” and it found its way onto this record (rightfully so). Soaring Southern-sounding guitar soloing and a solid hard-country rhythm pervade the track.
• Back in 2015, Ron fired up a project called “The Badlands House Band” in Sioux Falls, SD. The band debuted on stage immediately after a horrendous thunderstorm with a star-studded show that included Paul Stanley and Jack Blades. Somehow, I missed their 2nd performance the next night, about 3 miles from my front door in Mankato, MN. In any case, this Keel-fronted band yielded the next track on the record. I can only imagine watching them rock out the old Johnny Cash classic “Ghost Riders In The Sky” in the immediate aftermath of a major storm. It must have been a true Blues Brothers 2000 moment. This rock & roll version of the Cash classic is easily one of my favorite renditions.
• The record wraps up with a seven-and-a-half-minute medley of Creedence Clearwater Revival songs, with just a little more metal edge than the originals. They kick off with Born On The Bayou, rolling into Bad Moon Rising, and then sliding into Fortunate Son. If CCR had been a heavy metal band, these songs would still be classics, based on the sound of this album finale. These are songs that have held up over the years and across multiple genres, and RKB does them total justice.

     In the end, this is a collection of songs that were played over, providing the soundtrack to the childhoods of many of us across the country – from my new home town in Ocala, Florida to my old home town in LeSueur, Minnesota, and from Atlanta, Georgia to Sacramento, California. RKB put together an outstanding collection of classics and performs them in glorious fashion. If you’re a Southern rock and/or country fan, and like your music on the grittier side, you need this record.

     To close out this review, a little more personal disclosure. In March of 2018, RKB played a little show in a little venue above a little bar downtown Mankato, MN. It was an event put together by David Ellefson of Megadeth. This was my first introduction to what Ron had been doing since the days of The Final Frontier. I had the opportunity to meet (and be mock-strangled by) Ron and spend just a couple minutes saying hello. The experience overall was memorable for me, and I was thoroughly impressed by the new band. Rock & roll has gone through changes and challenges over the decades, and the good ones know how to ride the tide. Ron Keel and RKB have done just that. If you haven’t checked out “Fight Like A Band,” last year's album of original material, I encourage you to pick that one up as well. It’s a good one.

The Justice League of Rock - Black Swan - Shake The World

     When an 80’s rocker like me hears of four heavy metal heroes coming together to form a Justice-League of musicians, my attention is instantly arrested. When I then hear a track or two, and it totally blows past all expectations I may have had, I can’t help but to jump aboard. When the album comes out and is such a solid piece of work, start to finish, I have to write about it.

     Bass guitar champion Jeff Pilson (Dokken, The End Machine, Dio, Foreigner, etc.) and the president of the Frontiers record label kick-started the union, based on their shared vision of a dynamic project featuring the powerful vocals of Robin McAuley (MSG, Survivor). They brought together what can only be called an all-star cast, adding the shredding skills of Reb Beach (Winger, Dokken, Whitesnake, Alice Cooper) and the intricate skin-pounding of Matt Starr (Mr Big, Ace Frehley).  When brought together, the world is truly blessed to have Black Swan.

     The album that results is an amazing fusion of talent.  The entire “Shake The World” disc (recorded in Pilson’s personal studio) is cohesive and potent from start to finish. It is driven by prominent and intricate bass lines and drum-tracks, which lay down a phenomenal bed for the complex guitar work of Beach, and the compelling vocals of McAuley.

     Let’s take a look at the tracks:

• The record opens with thunderous drums (you can actually envision the curtain coming up, as the title track kicks off the disc. “Shake The World” is a high-speed and intense rock-anthem, and definitely lets the listener know that this is an album to be enjoyed at high-volume.
• “Big Disaster” launches with a prominent, and very bluesy bass line. The track is 100% attitude and swagger. Big harmonies (no surprise, with 2 former Dokken members playing the strings, and a drummer who has been a lead-singer) raise the chorus you’ll be singing in your head all day long.
• “Johnny Came Marching” features a plodding, marching rhythm, and carries a guitar riff that almost speaks with a voice of its own. It’s a musical tribute to victims of PTSD, and the lyrics give voice to the daily internal struggle faced by young soldiers who have seen far too much by the time they return from the front lines.
• A hard and heavy bass riff introduces us to “Immortal Souls,” before giving way to one of the most vocally intense tracks on the record. McAuley’s voice soars, and harmonies abound on this forceful bass-driven symphony.
• The fifth track on the album is the 3rd single, and the rock-ballad of the disc.  “Make It There” is a mournful, contemplative admission that relationships are hard, and sometimes we don’t have what it takes to make them work. Heavy with vocal slides and minor-key harmonies, this is a musical piece of art.
• Immediately following the softest track on the record is probably the heaviest. “She’s On To Us” kicks off with a metal guitar riff that is thick with grit and gravel. The edge is carried into the vocal track – of course, the Dokken-esque harmonies punctuate the tune well.
• The most anthemic song on the record has to be “The Rock That Rolled Away.” This is an up-tempo, fist-pumper that will get every ass in the arena up off the seats and rocking along. Coming on the back-side of the track-list, this is the song that tells you the record is far from over.  Keep listening!
• Reb Beach launches “Long Road To Nowhere” with Van Halen-esque pinch harmonics, and then presses right into the hard-driving track, charged with electricity. This is another powerhouse head-banger, heavy on harmonies and melodic-metal guitar.
• “Sacred Place” slides in with a blues guitar riff, and then launches into a mid-tempo melody, with more than a nod to 80’s rock. This song is begging mercilessly for a music video shot walking in the rain.
• As we approach the end of the album, “Unless We Change” opens with the soft sounds of violins, and then proceeds to jump back and forth between high-voltage up-tempo hard-rock and ethereal prog-rock. The track is driven forward by an all-out assault from Pilson’s bass guitar, as the mood of the song slides as if bi-polar from pounding rock to contemplative and back again.
• “Divided/United” was influenced mightily by Queen (you can’t miss it). The 6-minute symphony is more like 2 songs in one. The “Divided” first half opens with piano and vocals (you could almost imagine Freddy Mercury singing), before guitar joins in a minute later, and the drums/harmonies hit after another 30 seconds. Half-way through the song, we get the evil-twin “United.” The band kicks it in the ass, with an entirely different energy, giving us an anthemic finish to the record. We get almost 2 full minutes of heavy-metal shredding by Beach, before the disc fades out, and the curtain comes back down.

    Driven mightily by Pilson and Starr from start to finish, with some of the best work I have heard from Beach over the years, and topped with the phenomenal vocals of McAuley, “Shake The World” is one of my favorite new albums in years. Fans of rock & roll from the 80’s to today are in for a treat when they crank up this disc. I’ll let you decide who is Superman on the record, but one thing is certain; these songs are going to be a treat to hear in the Hall Of Justice – and arenas across the globe.

Some information sourced from Blabbermouth

Thrash Album Of The Year? - Annihilator - Ballistic, Sadistic

It was bound to happen.  One of the “Big 4” thrash bands of old has hung up their chains.  Slayer  bid their final farewell (unless they follow the example of Kiss, and have encore tours upon encore tours), leaving us with the “Big 3” of Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax.  It was a sad day for us old-school metal-heads.

Enter Annihilator with their latest LP, just released January 24^th of 2020. These guys have been around since the 80’s as well, and Ballistic, Sadistic (Neverland Music) puts them squarely in contention to fill that open spot on the ticket.

Jeff Waters, the lone remaining founding member of the band, holds down not only lead guitar but also lead vocals on the last 2 records. While the band has been prolific in both recording and performing over the last 35 years, it’s not hard to argue that the recent efforts represent a huge resurgence. Jeff says he is approaching his writing differently, and with little regard for commercial appeal. Rather than ensuring his choruses are filled with memorable hooks, he is allowing the aggression and fury to flow through the entire track. After listening several times through Ballistic, Sadistic, I am of the opinion that it works.

The album starts off with an explosion. "Armed To The Teeth" is armed with all the tools necessary for a classic thrasher. Mustaine-esque vocals embedded in crushing distorted guitar and lightning double-kick drums.

                "The Attitude" is, indeed, a track filled with attitude. There is a punk-rock influence woven through the thrash.

                Of all the songs on the album, "Psycho Ward" may be the most commercial song of the bunch. While it does have a catchy chorus repeatedly laced throughout, it also feels like a thrasher from days gone by.

                "I Am Warfare" showcases just how tight the band is, and once again carries a Megadeth vibe, ala So Far So Good… So What. War sounds punctuated by tight staccato machine-gun metal, with all instruments as ammunition, mark the aggression of the track.

                The brutality continues through "Out With The Garbage," "Dressed Up For Evil" (perhaps my favorite track on the album), and "Riot," with fantastic, lightning fast guitar solos.

"Lip Service" brings a touch of tongue-in-cheek (pun intended) double-entendre humor to the record, with more than just inuendo. It’s a fun romp through the sexuality of 80’s rock, laid upon a bed of classic heavy metal.

                For all the power of Ballistic, Sadistic, "The End Of The Lie" is definitely the crescendo to finish the collection.

                Listening from front to back, Ballistic, Sadistic has everything it needs, and makes a solid argument to be the best thrash album of the year. There is a lot of 2020 to come, and we are expecting some great new heavy music over the next 11 months, but this effort is a great way to start the year. If anything surpasses the new Annihilator album, it will, indeed, be a solid record!

                Now we have the makings of another Big 4 tour!