Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genre: Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal
Label: Roadrunner Records

Machine Head. Legends in their own ways, underground underdogs in others. It seems these guys couldn’t really catch a break. But then they released The Blackening, which tore down the doors to the Halls of Metal and MH took their places inside as metal masters, rather than great players who were accidentally left looking through the windows.
The album is thrash as fuck, with traces of Nü, punk, and traditional metal, showing Machine Head’s influences while in itself being influential. As an added bonus in being thrash, the songs are longer, the shortest song being “Beautiful Mourning” clocking at 4:46. Robb’s voice is vitriolic, the riffs as strong as a bulldozer to the head, and still catchy enough that you’re going to be air guitaring to the solos the day after.
The thing that makes this the Special Edition version of the album is that it includes two bonus cover songs (Iron Maiden’s “Hallowed Be Thy Name” and Metallica’s “Battery”) as well as a DVD that has enough stuff on it that it could have been marketed by itself as a stand-alone product. Live stuff, music videos, and the making of The Blackening are all here, adding intense amounts of awesome to an already killer album.
9 out of 10.

Machine Head on Facebook.
Machine Head Official Site.
Machine Head on MySpace.

Genres: Doom, Stoner Rock
Label: Napalm Records

It’s been a long time since I’ve listened to Monster Magnet. Ever since “Space Lord” was a hit video, really. And I’m glad I got the chance to check this new album out.
As it was back in the day, Monster Magnet is the perfect stoner’s guitar album. Riff after riff this album is solid, something heavy to always bang your head to. Lyrically, and vocally, Dave Wyndorf is in full form, displaying an interesting and strong voice, and one that sounds like no other in the industry. And damn can the man SING!
Each song seems strong enough that it can be a radio single, and I really would love to see videos made for each one, with Dave Wyndorf writing and directing them. But that would probably never happen, but one can dream, right?
My favorite song, “Gods and Punks”, is destined for greatness, getting played on the radio in ten, twenty, thirty years from now in the same pile as AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”, Metallica’s “Master of Puppets”, and Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid”.
The song after, “The Titan Who Cried Like a Baby”, reminds me of Danzig, while the title track has a flavor that only Monster Magnet could make; it’s the same flavor that many current rock bands on the radio are trying to cop, and not quite being as successful at. In fact, “The Titan…” is a total aural oddity compared to the rest of the album, as it’s the only song that sounds not quite like Monster Magnet. Everything else is a wha and reverb drenched rock ‘n’ roll extravaganza that takes you to a completely different plane of existance. Even the slower “Time Machine” sounds more like Monster Magnet.
In all, Mastermind is an achievement in both sound and look (the cover was done by the same folks who’ve worked with Wolfmother, Chris Cornell, Foo Fighters, and more), and it proves the hype that yes, in fact, the Space Lord is Back!
8.5 out of 10.

Record Marks Band’s First Full-length With Original Lineup In Over 25 Years

With a reputation forged in fire, brimstone and magic, Killing Joke have long been one of rock’s most iconic and influential outfits. Now, 30 years since first bonding in blood, the original lineup of Jaz Coleman (vocals), Geordie (guitar), Youth (bass) and Paul Ferguson (drums) are set to release their 13th studio album – the first fruits of a new worldwide deal with Spinefarm Records.

Set for release on November 16, 2010, Absolute Dissent found the aforementioned musicians sharing studio space for the first time in 27 years. The 12-track offering was engineered and mixed by Clive Goddard, and produced by the band. It will be released on various formats including CD, two-colored vinyl and a two-CD deluxe edition entitled Absolute Respect featuring a bonus disc with Killing Joke songs covered by Metallica, Amen, Helmet, Econoline Crush, Dead by April, Nine Inch Nails, The Mad Capsule Markets, Nouvelle Vague, Fear Factory, Foo Fighters and Kotiteollisuus.

Formed in London, England, in October 1978, Killing Joke was the brainchild of classically trained musician and vocalist Jeremy “Jaz” Coleman and drummer “Big” Paul Ferguson, who eagerly recruited two like-minded comrades in the form of guitarist Kevin “Geordie” Walker and bassist Martin “Youth” Glover and set about establishing a brand new and highly idiosyncratic manifesto for reinventing the rock ‘n’ roll wheel. Coming to life during what would become known as the “post-punk” era, Killing Joke were never willing to conform to the artistic restrictions of any particular scene or genre. Instead, they took a vast and bewildering array of influences and experience, and combined them to create something entirely unique and utterly timely that still stands up today.

Over the years, the band members have chosen to develop their talents in a variety of ways: Triple Grammy winner Jaz Coleman, for instance, has established an international reputation working with some of the world’s greatest symphony orchestras, while Martin “Youth” Glover has become one of the UK’s most celebrated producers, supervising albums from The Verve and Primal Scream among many others, as well as achieving major success as one half of highly-regarded duo, The Orb.

Covered by Metallica, Foo Fighters and so many others, Killing Joke’s apocalyptic post punk/industrial vision continues to draw praise from such high-profile supporters as Jimmy Page and Billy Corgan, and the band’s considerable musical legacy can be heard in the works of Nirvana, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and the like – artists whose rise to fame never saw them cutting ties with the underground/alternative scene.

Once described by Paul Ferguson as “the sound of the earth vomiting,” Killing Joke are now poised to take their music of resistance to a whole new level, both in the studio and on the road. Stay tuned…

Track Listing:
1. Absolute Dissent
2. The Great Cull
3. Fresh Fever From The Skies
4. In Excelsis
5. European Super State
6. This World Hell
7. Endgame
8. The Raven King
9. Honour The Fire
10. Depthcharge
11. Here Comes The Singularity
12. Ghosts Of Ladbroke Grove

Genre: Thrash
Label: Independent

Titan’s Eve’s first demo, Into the Fire, is a short little four song thing that just kicks ass. Thrashy, crunchy goodness that’s perfect to bang your head to.
Picture Trivium without the gloss and budget. Nice and heavy, with great riffs and hooks that bring you into the songs and make you join in rather than beat you over the head. Solos are blazing, blistering, and Metalgasmic. This CD is just awesome.
8 out of 10.

Titan’s Eve on MySpace.

Genre: Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Symphonic Power Metal
Label: AFM Records

Oh my, oh my. What to call this? Good, for one, that’s obvious. But really, genre wise, what should I say? It’s got a ton of Power Metal, some Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, and Progressive Metal. And I think there’s even some thrash elements smacking my eardrum here.
How about this: Neverland bring a Progressive Symphogoth Power Metal to the listener that hearkens to Judas Priest-meets-Lacuna Coil-through-Metallica-covering-Iced Earth. Sound fucked up enough for you? I assure you, skeptic, that it works. Wonderfully. I’m genuinely liking Neverland a lot, and their awesome sound on Ophidia. It’s got Metalgasmic solos, a stunning rhythm section, and some seriously awesome traditional metal vocals.
If you call yourself a metalhead, you’ll like this. If you worship at the Temple of Trad, you’ll love it.
7.5 out of 10.

Neverland on MySpace.