CYRIL LEPIZZERA – Servatis A Maleficum 2007
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For me, there are two types of great guitarists. Those I would classify in the category of technicians. Real pros of the six strings (or 12 …) that have a technical unstoppable. And then there are very large, you know, those who flirt with genius. And Cyril is LEPIZZERA thereof. The difference? The first play masterfully, but the compositions are often displays of pure technique. Do you remember “the man who plays faster than his shadow”? The latter have the same qualities guitaristic but they put their technology for a brilliant inspiration.
The sound is powerful, clear and always emotionally charged. Like what the guitar heroes are not just demonstrations which, apart from their pedagogical virtues quite razors, if I may … Cyril LEPIZZERA offers us an enchanting journey through the maze of his inspiration, always bright, despite a title of album that would not disgrace a CD of Death Metal … No, the metal of the Marseille artist is pure, bright and straight as a blade.
HOMICIDE BLACK – HOMICIDE BLACK 2012
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Homicide Black’s debut CD arrived with a business card slipped under the plastic shrink wrap. Nothing unusual about that, I thought. Then I looked a little closer. Underneath band name there’s a statement, ‘Salvation for an ailing metal world.’ Really? That’s a bold statement from this Pittsburgh power trio.
One clue to Homicide Black’s influences and sound comes from the one cover song on the album, Black Sabbath’s Fairies Were Boots. I always liked the song and the band does a decent job with it. This debut follows in that vein of traditional heavy metal, sometimes with touch of doom metal.
Continue reading HOMICIDE BLACK – HOMICIDE BLACK 2012 -->Nigel Dupree – Up to No Good 2012
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NIGEL DUPREE – son of JACKYL frontman Jesse James Dupree – will release his new album, Up To No Good.
In live news, catch The Nigel Dupree Band featuring Nigel on vocals and guitar, Alex Foretich on bass, David Buchanan on guitar, and Sebastian Anderson on drums at the following shows:
Continue reading Nigel Dupree – Up to No Good 2012 -->Filthy Angels – L.A.F.A. 2012
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Hailing from the North of Ireland Filthy Angels sound like they’ve been brought up on a heavy diet of heads down rock ‘n’ roll, drawing their influences from a plethora of ’80s rockers.  There is definitely a hint of The Wildhearts (‘Destroy’ era), some no nonsense hard rocking Almighty style here and there, as well as a smidgen of The Dogs D’amour to name but three influences heard on this here pledged album.
Continue reading Filthy Angels – L.A.F.A. 2012 -->Synful Ira – Between Hope & Fear 2012
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Synful Ira was born in April 2007 and features Fabio Balducci (Ancient Bards) on guitar and Marco Renzi (Absynth Aura) on drums. It all began as an Evanescence’s and Nightwish’s tribute band.
“Between Hope and Fear” was inspired by a true story. It is a mix of very different sounds: melodic parts with an extensive use of piano and acoustic guitar, symphonic parts with orchestral arrangements and heavy parts with strong guitar arrangements intertwined with very modern and attractive electronic keyboard riffs, in order to follow as a great soundtrack the unfolding of history.
Continue reading Synful Ira – Between Hope & Fear 2012 -->Brothers in Arms Band – What’s Life For 2012
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BROTHERS in ARMS BAND ‘Whats Life For” is the third release from band . The album is Heavy hitting rock in roll with southern roots. It’s what BROTHERS in ARMS BAND fans come to love about the music. Staying true to Rock in Roll…
Continue reading Brothers in Arms Band – What’s Life For 2012 -->thank you scientist – maps of non-existent places 2012
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If high scores were given for album art alone, New Jersey’s Thank You Scientist would score big for their first full-length album, Maps of Non-Existent Places. I love sci-fi art from the classic period, especially when it’s packaged in a format of early stereo records. Yet, what lies within? Something I couldn’t have expected.
Here’s a band of seven fellows, adept in many genres and very talented, playing about twenty different instruments, including cello, saxophone, and trumpet, to create ambitious progressive rock. I say ambitious when other words are also required. The arrangements are thick with complexity, significant mood and time changes, and individual showcase performances. There so much going on in every song, it takes several spins to wrap the arrangements around your head.
Continue reading thank you scientist – maps of non-existent places 2012 -->Bloodcargo – Muriel’s Dance 2012
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This quintet from Lillestrøm makes a clear and good debut album, “Muriel’s Dance” on Ovis Records. It is quite clear where the band puts the list, and should probably be something for everyone who likes a little sludge, metal and rock. The music itself is probably not as exciting for the seasoned, perhaps, but there are some things that pull up on the execution. Among others it has scope to Daniel (vocals), which makes up well for the album. The jump from a little more Phil Anselmo on the rock-sections, and second, maybe Dan Svanøe the softer, shows that it does well to have some experience in the field vocalist. I assume that this is something the singer (s) will continue to stay focused on, since it did well at several places during this album.
Continue reading Bloodcargo – Muriel’s Dance 2012 -->REPLOSION – Resting Place Of Illusion 2012
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On the ground italicize flag of U.S. school progressive metal (Dream Theater, Symphony X) seems to have taken root in a marked … only in the last period on our virtual desk will be landed at least ten discs falling within this genre! Futile statistics aside, also present here Replosion, quintet led by brothers Galletto (guitar and drums respectively), and orbital areas of Mantua in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia, may well be classified in the chaos of the kind mentioned above. What we believe can (and will increasingly) to this interesting group to emerge from the standard of the genre is a seemingly innate propensity to compose melodies well-aimed, that softened the difficulty and the high technical content of the songs and bring the proposal at levels more user friendly, allowing the band to avoid the trap of proposing mere exercises in style and technique. The latter is certainly present in all the work (the borrower guitarwork strongly the lesson of Romeo of Symphony X, blended with a drumming school Portnoy, amply demonstrate), but fortunately is not the only goal of the band, which seeks to move away from merely trying to put quotations in the overall sound a bit ‘of sound speed and strength drawn from the power metal (“Push Me Down”), and also some shots of elegant rock settantiano, which help to soften the
Continue reading REPLOSION – Resting Place Of Illusion 2012 -->Dave Sharman – Best of Dave Sharman, Vol. I and II
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Guitar like you’ve never heard before – A compilation of nine rock classics from Britain’s premier guitar maestro. If you like Van Halen, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai then you’ll love Dave Sharman.
Continue reading Dave Sharman – Best of Dave Sharman, Vol. I and II -->SPIRAL – MIND TRIP IN A MINOR 2012
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Wrapping your head around Spiral’s music isn’t all that difficult. But their vivid imagination, that could take some time and resolve. This prolific duo, which has released nine singles and seven albums since 2009, brings atmospheric and ethereal prog rock, near to early space rock. As for the stories or concepts, let’s just say that these guys think, well, differently.
At the very least, Aaron Frale (g,v) Chris Boat (b,k,v) are sci-fi geeks, or better imaginative fiction wonks. The story behind Mind Trip in A Minorcertainly flows from the latter. At the Bandcamp link, you can read more about a man traveling in his own mind, or not, finding a beast who eats his own heart, a snake that ‘takes half of what he gives,’ and girl who seems to save our hero, or not, from the same.
Continue reading SPIRAL – MIND TRIP IN A MINOR 2012 -->Oz – Vinyl Tracks 2012
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2012, OZ has always been one of the bands that only the underground metal movement coveted and hailed with swords high, but they never really caught on to a more level playing field of recognition. They made a splash with their 1983 album FIRE IN THE BRAIN, a New Wave Of British Heavy Metal-flavored energetic metal affair that won over critics and fans alike. The subsequent albums, however, failed to elicit the same response, and the band faded from worldwide view. Now the band is back with their latest album BURNING LEATHER and a new compilation of songs taken from III WARNING and DECIBEL STORM albums, and TURN THE CROSS UPSIDE DOWN- EP entitled VINYL TRACKS.
Continue reading Oz – Vinyl Tracks 2012 -->THE GIN ACT – CONFESS 2012 (EP)
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The Gin Act is the second shot for the Swedish sleaze band formed by singer John Elliot (their first being 2010’s Lights Out) and hell… this EP slips down well.
First on the rocks is “Divine 69” with its twin axe attack, gang vocals and contagious chorus. “Delightful Lies” opens with an ironically mournful riff before theMaidenesque “Flickorna Pa TV2” (surprisingly written by a member of Roxette!) makes life a little heavier, nastier and definitely darker. What hits me throughout The Gin Act is melody — and believe me it’s served up in double measures. Elliot‘s diction is perfect, his sleazy delivery definitely West Coast, whilst guitarists Daniel and Blomman trade spacey power chords and fills with restrained and beautifully constructed solos. The rhythm section is heavy but subtle, making these guys tight but loose — and I’m converted.