ROCKET REVIEW: THE AUTUMN OFFERING – Self-Titled (CD)

Daytona Beach, Florida’s THE AUTUMN OFFERING return with their fifth studio album to date. The act’s new self-titled collection of songs solidify this maniacal group as one of the best rising metal talents. For those not in the know on their 2010 lineup change, two members have been replaced: guitarist Jesse Nunn of SILENT CIVILIAN and SCUM OF THE EARTH takes over for Matt Johnson, and bassist Carl Bensley (formerly of INSTINCT OF AGGRESSION) replaces Mike Poggione. Vocalist Matt McChesney delivers one of the most punishing vocal performances of the year, sounding somewhere halfway between being possessed by the devil and having your ass lit on fire. He is most potent on the album’s hottest rippers “Born Dead” and “Fed To The Lions”, giving even LAMB OF GOD’s Randall Blythe reason to take notice. McChesney’s shrill screams are so disturbing at times when you listen to him that you would swear someone is being killed in the room next to you.

Track five’s “Hessian Blade” showcases the incredibly furious drumming of Brian Sculley and more killer guitar playing from oldest surviving member Tommy Church with newly added Nunn. You will not be disappointed on latter hard hitters “Viral” and Bloodlust”, because they simply blast you in the face until you feel you’re left with a head wound the size of a grapefruit. If you’re in the mood for urban combat, starting your own slam dance or even lifting weights to something that will motivate you, then I highly suggest you give THE AUTUMN OFFERING’s fundamental ass-kicker a try on for size.





ROCKET REVIEW:

THE AUTUMN OFFERING – Self-titled (CD)
(Victory Records/2010)

1. “Synapse”
2. “Born Dead”
3. “Exhale the Locusts”
4. “Fed to the Lions”
5. “Hessian Blade”
6. “Death Mask”
7. “Viral”
8. “Among Wolves”
9. “Bloodlust”
10. “Myriad Black”
11. “A Return to Ashes”

http://www.myspace.com/theautumnoffering

ROCKET REVIEW: INFERNAEON – “Genesis to Nemesis” (CD)

Genesis to Nemesis, the new studio album from Florida’s INFERNAEON starts off with an ominous opening synth-piano piece by Keyboardist Dave Stein, which perfectly sets you the listener up for the epic onslaught of heavy metal that you are about to experience. Track two’s purely sinister sounding “First of the Fallen”, with all of its rumblings of discontent, features a wicked as all hell guitar solo and is what really convinced me that I was now on one of the darker musical thrill rides in recent memory. Vocalist Brian Werner’s frightening death rasp is placed over some majestic blackened/death guitar work by Taylor Nordberg and Steven Harger on the most stalwart tracks “Lilith Ave. Satanas” and “Legacy of Kane”. The song which I feel is one of the best of them all is track five’s brilliantly crafted “Ziasudra”. I also really enjoyed the band’s cover of METALLICA’s “Creeping Death”. Drummer Jeramie Kling and bassist Kevin Gibbons shine here as they definitely do a stellar job holding the rhythm down flawlessly on such a sacred tune.

The album was produced by Brian Elliott at Erik Rutan’s Mana Recording studio, and his deft touch seems to have proven to be just the right thing. Track seven’s “The Scar of David” is the MVP of the whole entire collection of songs, in my opinion. It’s one of the most intense and complex musical structures I think I have heard all year. The album’s last few offerings “Immaculate Deception”, “Graven Image” and “Revelations” are equally as satisfying and will surely please the most extreme fans. If you enjoy the heavy, overtly bombastic approach of names like SLAYER, MORBID ANGEL and HATE ETERNAL, you will love INFERNAEON’s Genesis to Nemesis





ROCKET REVIEW:

INFERNAEON – “Genesis to Nemesis” (CD)
(Prosthetic Records/2010)

1. Into The N.O.X.
2. First of the Fallen
3. Lilith Ave. Satanas
4. Legacy of Kane
5. Ziasudra
6. Creeping Death
7. The Scar of David
8. Immaculate Deception
9. Graven Image
10. Revelations

http://www.myspace.com/infernaeonoracleofarmageddon

ROCKET REVIEW: IRON MAIDEN “The Final Frontier” (CD)

Legends of heavy metal IRON MAIDEN are back in 2010 with their fifteenth studio album entitled The Final Frontier and aside from vocalist Bruce Dickinson’s obvious drop off in vocal range, the ten song collection impressed this reviewer enough not to completely trash the outing, which I must frankly admit is positively boring in spots. The meandering opener “Satellite 15…..The Final Frontier” starts off tamer than Dickinson’s short “I’m a professional pilot now” haircut, but then thankfully kicks into high gear enough to bring the listener back to full interest.

What you’ve always loved about Maiden is still there: an explosive rhythm section, thanks to finger-picking bassist Steve Harris who still gallops like nobody’s business and the ever rocking drum work from Nicko McBrain. The guitar playing (Murray/Gers/Smith) on the ever potent tracks “El Dorado”, “Mother Of Mercy” and “Coming Home” definitely takes this old school Maiden fan back to the good ole days. I first saw this band live for the classic Number of The Beast… when I was only twelve years old, so I think I know what I’m talking about when I say this group of fifty year olds can still bring it. I would be the first one to admit this album totally sucks if it indeed did, but there’s moments of absolute brilliance on “The Alchemist” and “Isle Of Avalon” that amazingly takes the great act to new levels musically that I thought was not possible.

“Starblind” finds Maiden back in that perfectly epic sonic landscape that you found on earlier cuts like “Aces High” and “2 Minutes to Midnight” and even the most jaded critic will find themselves headbanging
at their speakers on track eight’s passionately written “The Talisman”. Dickinson here gets back to what he is the most famous for, super soaring vocals that would even give today’s twenty-something front man a serious run for their money. All in all, this is Maiden’s best album since 1988′s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. So up the irons and much respect to these mates for still hanging around.




ROCKET REVIEW:

IRON MAIDEN “The Final Frontier” (CD)
(Columbia/Legacy 2010)

1. Satellite 15…..The Final Frontier
2. El Dorado
3. Mother Of Mercy
4. Coming Home
5. The Alchemist
6. Isle Of Avalon
7. Starblind
8. The Talisman
9. The Man Who Would Be King
10. When The Wild Wind Blows

http://www.ironmaiden.com/

ROCKET REVIEW: BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – “Order of the Black” (CD)

Former OZZY OSBOURNE lead guitarist Zakk Wylde saddles up his six string guitar for a shot at musical redemption with the little band he fronts named BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. Did the new period of sobriety for Zakk do any good for the post-Ozz music he now creates? Unless you live under a rock, you know that Mr. Wylde’s got a bone to pick here on the group’s eighth studio offering entitled Order of the Black . From the opening riff-tastic crunch of “Crazy Horse”, this reviewer was grabbed by the cahones. I loved the positively sickening guitar solo Wylde shreds here too, which simply crushes at its peak. I also need to admit that the killer chugging groove employed all throughout worked my pulse up so much it made me want to ram my head through the nearest wall in sheer heavy metal bliss.

All one needs to hear is the first Sabbath-sounding strains of track two’s purely sensational “Overlord” to know that the man has come forth with his A-game on steroids and is here to take every single person that doubted his guitar playing talents to the school of Wylde. This music is so improved to what he’s done in recent years that it is frankly quite startling. The five star solo unleashed here is possibly better than anything Wylde has ever laid down… yes, I said it. Many fans felt Wylde’s par-for-the-course work on Ozzy’s “Black Rain” is what brought ole braided beard to this father-less point no matter if he was sick, too drunk or busted for kicking the neighbors cat. Ozzy felt Wylde made ‘Ozzy’s own music sound too much like BLS’. I guess that’s an argument that father and son are just going to ultimately have to iron out, though I can hardly see Zakk Wylde ever going back to playing at the old man’s side any time soon. Any way you look at it though… you the listener are in for a real treat. You can literally hear the vengeance coming out of your speakers from the scorned man-child on the perennial ass-kicker “Parade of The Dead”. Don’t get me wrong, all kidding aside… yes, this is an all grown up Zakk Wylde, sober and possibly ready to present to even your parents for the first time: “That’s my friend Zakk, mother and father… and he wants to rip your faces off with his Gibson Les Paul.”

Wylde is at his all-time best on the simply majestic “Black Sunday” and “Southern Dissolution”, showing everyone why he rocks harder now than ever before in his storied career. He flashes his phenomenal guitar brilliance in continual bursts on the latter song like his life depends on it. This reviewer believes Zakk Wylde is point blank the greatest living rock guitar player and fourth of all time, finishing behind only Jimi Hendrix, Randy Rhoads, and Dimebag Darrell Abbott. He is also simply heart wrenching on the piano during track seven’s “Time Waits For No One”, then takes you by the head and face plants you like only Zakk Wylde can with the most excellent “Godspeed Hellbound” that demonstrates his guitar wizardry like it was the 1990′s all over again.

It’s a shame that Ozzy and Sharon could not come to their senses and let Zakk just do his thing
on the lackluster Scream, because I truly feel – as most heavy metal fans already know – that
the soul of Ozzy’s band is indeed… a fierce ass guitar player named Zakk mother fucking Wylde.





ROCKET REVIEW:

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – “Order of The Black” (CD)
(E1 Music/2010)

1. Crazy Horse
2. Overlord
3. Parade of the Dead
4. Darkest Days
5. Black Sunday
6. Southern Dissolution
7.Time Waits for No One
8. Godspeed Hell Bound
9. War of Heaven
10. Shallow Grave
11. Chupacabra
12. Riders of the Damned
13. January

http://www.myspace.com/blacklabelsociety

ROCKET REVIEW: WARBEAST – “Krush The Enemy” (CD)

American thrash act WARBEAST are fronted by legendary RIGOR MORTIS vocalist Bruce Corbitt and with this highly anticipated debut collection of songs released via PANTERA/DOWN great Philip H. Anselmo’s own Housecore label, I found myself asking this important question going in: “Does Krush The Enemy actually live up to all the hype?” After listening to the album’s ten tracks, my answer is a resounding “Hell yes!”. Produced by Anselmo himself, the record starts off with the perfectly rampaging title track and some seriously hellacious guitar playing done by GAMMACIDE guitarists Rick Perry and Scott Shelby. These dudes are true thrash scene originals and they deliver on every level, churning out speeding riffs and guitar solos that sound like a serial killer trying to chase down his meth habit. Joined by GAMMACIDE/DEVILFIST bassist Alan Bovee, the lineup is extremely blessed to have DEMONSEED drummer Joe Gonzalez handling the unrelenting blast beat attack, because – in my humble opinion – this guy kicks as fast as anyone in the metal world, maybe even a notch faster.

Let me address the vocals by Corbitt. Where do I even begin? Let me first start out by saying, “I love them”. Working with Anselmo closely obviously paid off, because I hear a more pissed off and in charge Corbitt on Krush The Enemy than at any point ever in his career. He simply sounds possessed on the standout tracks “Self Will Run Riot”, “The Controller”, and “Stalker”. The lyrics that he’s written for the latter are simply classic too: “Making sweet love with my hands on your throat until your flesh turns blue”.

The best on Krush The Enemy, however, is saved for the very last track. “We Are The Vultures” is one of the sickest sounding thrash songs I’ve heard in the past decade. It’s got everything you could ever want, a killer ass groove, demonic vocals, and if you listen extra close, you can actually hear Anselmo doing the backup on the chorus. The lyrics here: “Torture it thrives in our culture, anal impalement on the Judas chair.” How could a metal fan not go crazy for this? All in all, Anselmo, Corbitt and company have issued one of the heaviest albums in 2010 with this all-out epic speed metal assault that is bound to leave you speechless due to its absolute sincerity in sonic abuse.




ROCKET REVIEW:

WARBEAST – “Krush The Enemy” (CD)
(Houscore Records/2010)

1. Krush The Enemy
2. Unleashed
3. Self Will Run Riot
4. The Plague At Hand
5. Blackened Heart
6. Scorched Earth Policy
7. Guardian Angel
8. The Controller
9. Stalker
10. We Are The Vultures

http://www.warbeast.org/

ROCKET REVIEW: THRODL – “No Honour In Exile” (CD)

Reading, PA’s THRODL has released their third full-length record entitled No Honour In Exile via DRP Records. Mixing elements of death/hardcore with old school punk and thrash, they’ve crafted a seriously wicked concept album that, get this, follows the life of a female serial killer named Lydia who “found a marriage in a blade”. Mixed by Mike Radka and DRP’s owner, Frank Phobia, the thirteen tracks offered up here tell the disturbing story in a highly effective manner through the lyrics. My favorite song is track four’s “Ruthless”, for the growling vocals from Brad Roche are as scary sounding as the thought of a woman stabbing a knife into the chest of a person. The rest of the explosive lineup features bassist Kevin Moyer, drummer Justin Skipper, along with guitarists Mike Fidler and Mike Ciotti. Track five’s “Measure of a Man” has a really cool chorus in it that shows singer Roche has more range than just a psychotic scream. THRODL is still growing and developing as a young band, but there are many moments on No Honour In Exile where you can’t deny the upside potential, and on other face rippers like “Devils & Slingshots” and “Satan’s Saliva”, you will be treated to an act that – unlike most of the trend following bands in music today – are successfully carving out their own identity in an experimental musical approach that at times sounds like SLAYER and EYEHATEGOD birthed a child… and named it THRODL. I am excited to see and hear how this unique five-piece develops in the next couple years. You would be doing yourself a major disservice by not listening to what these guys are doing. No Honour In Exile is one of the more visceral records you will hear in 2010.





ROCKET REVIEW:

THRODL – “No Honour In Exile” (CD)
(DRP Records/2010)

1. Graveyard Dirt
2. New A.I.J.
3. Fireantz
4. Ruthless
5. Measure of a Man
6. Lydia
7. Devils & Slingshots
8. Satan’s Saliva
9. Dance or Die
10. Gazer Delay
11. The Death at the Funeral Home
12. A Day At The Beach (Normandie)
13. Mob of Carthage

http://www.myspace.com/throdl

ROCKET REVIEW: CITY OF FIRE – “City of Fire” (CD)

CITY OF FIRE’s self-titled debut is one of rock’s best albums in 2010. The lineup features FEAR FACTORY vocalist Burton C. Bell, FF bassist Byron Stroud, guitarist Terry Murray, drummer Bob Wagner of ECONOLINE CRUSH, and guitarist Ian White. They’ve unloaded one melodic-crusher of a debut via Candlelight Records. This reviewer applauds Bell for his boldness in new musical creation. I have followed everything he has ever done, including GZR (with BLACK SABBATH’s Geezer Butler) from 1995 to his recent work in ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS. Is it just me or does this guy get about as diverse as a great rock vocalist can get? CITY OF FIRE is literal perfection in songwriting with eleven well written tunes that won’t be easy to shake. If you want music that’s extremely heavy, however, you are better off going with FF’s current ass kicker Mechanize to satisfy that thirst. With CITY OF FIRE, you get a much more mature Bell, yet the talented vocalist still manages to keep that gritty edge he’s so well known. You do definitely get a little bit of everything on this record though, from aggressive riffs to snarling post-punk. It gets rocking with “Carve Your Name”, and let me tell you, this is some of the best music I’ve heard from Bell ever. The music will at times sound totally serene and eerily close to Ireland’s U2 but then it ultimately takes you further down the road to a place that can be pretty damn dark. Like Bell’s FEAR FACTORY, what you get with CITY OF FIRE is a whole lot of musical invention. I have always felt Bell was one of the world’s scariest musical talents. Let’s face the facts, the dude can flat out sing his balls off. Recorded at Factory Studios in Vancouver during late 2008, COF offers a total of eleven tracks, including an impressive remake of THE CULT’s “Rain”. The chaotic, jack-hammer to the head you will get from “Coitus Interruptus” alone is worth the price of admission. The song shows off Bell’s pipes better than just about any other cut he’s ever been associated with. Other notable songs are the ‘GZR-FF’ sounding “Hanya” and the short but beautifully crafted acoustic “Emerald”, both of which left this reviewer in awe of their sheer beauty. If you can keep an open mind, a journey into Bell’s City of Fire is sure to win over even the most skeptical.





ROCKET REVIEW:

CITY OF FIRE – “City of Fire” (CD)
(Candlelight Records/2010)

1. Carve Your Name
2. Gravity
3. Rising
4. A Memory
5. Spirit Guide
6. Coitus Interruptus
7. Hanya
8. Emerald
9. Hollow Land
10. Dark Tides
11. Rain


http://www.myspace.com/thecityoffire

ROCKET REVIEW: DELIVER US FROM EVIL – “Still I Rise” (EP)

DELIVER US FROM EVIL have self-released three songs that are just as good as anything else I have heard from the game’s elite in 2010, including FEAR FACTORY. The powerful five piece from Evansville, Indiana (USA) has become what this reviewer feels is the baddest heavy metal act to emerge onto the scene in the past five years. How not one of the big labels in metal has set foot within one hundred feet of this band… is absolutely mind boggling to me. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. You are that out of touch that you can’t get even a whiff of their utter brilliance – all this time later? I first started writing about them FIVE YEARS AGO… at the world’s top metal news site! They are just as fierce as a young LAMB OF GOD, no – maybe even (dare I say) a step beyond that already and with track one’s straight up pummeling-of-your-head entitled “Still I Rise” you’re going to learn – whether you like it or not. You will listen to drummer Alex Morgan do his thing… and man, it’s just the kind of punishment ones ears truly need. You will hear ‘passion in riffs’ and a literally throat searing performance from vocalist Brent Vaughn that clearly outmatches anything else you’ll hear in heavy music today. Track two’s “Death Mortar” is hands down the best heavy metal song I have heard in all of 2010. I can’t even begin to describe how great these dudes are on this track. Morgan’s drum work here – in my opinion – puts him entirely in a league of his own, with his robotic like drumming that seems it’s taking eight legs to achieve the monster-like double-kick bass slaying he does on this song. Track three’s “Walk Into My Grave” does even more to prove what I am talking about. ‘Never give in’.. are the poignant lyrics Vaughn sings here… and I sure hope for the sake of metal’s future, that this talented group doesn’t ever give in.




ROCKET REVIEW:

DELIVER US FROM EVIL
“Still I Rise” – (EP)
(Self released/2010)

1.Still I Rise
2.Death Mortar
3.Walk Into My Grave

http://www.myspace.com/deliverusfromevil

ROCKET REVIEW: HELLYEAH – “Stampede” (CD)

American heavy metal super group HELLYEAH has unleashed a serious can of ‘whoop ass’ with their second album Stampede, which this reviewer must admit sounds positively punishing out the gate. The opening track “Cowboy Way” sets a fast, “aggressive” tone for the record. Definitely heavier than anything on the band’s highly successful debut. At points, yes, it sounds like ‘country mixed with metal’. “Hell of a Time” is something that might be hard for traditional metal heads to swallow, but I need to be honest… the track – like the rest of the songs on Stampede – still somehow finds a way to keep my interest all throughout. While I typically don’t fall for a catchy ballad, track five’s “Better Man” is that kind of guilty pleasure you just can’t say no to. The lineup, along with PANTERA great Vinnie Paul on drums, features MUDVAYNE’s Chad Gray on vocals and guitarist Greg Tribbett, along with NOTHINGFACE guitarist Tom Maxwell. DAMAGEPLAN’s Bob “Bobzilla” Kakaha replaces Jerry Montano on bass. They seem to have found a bit more chemistry on this material as this project now develops into the main band for each of its players. Track six’s “It’s On!: sounds like a powder keg that exploded in the middle of a Texas bar. It’s easily the heaviest and most grooving track on Stampede and a true sign that Paul and company – though promoting HELLYEAH as a fun, party act – can still throw it down as hard and mean as any other heavy act I hear going today. No, it’s not PANTERA, but on seriously steady rockers like “Pole Rider”, “Cold As A Stone”, and “Alive And Well” the guitar work will absolutely convince you this band has definite potential of becoming something pretty special as well. The last song “Order the Sun” is one of those tracks you will certainly keep going back to for more. I think if they can stay away from sounding ‘country’ and a wee bit more ass kicking ‘heavy metal’ in the future, we could soon get a “Vulgar Display of Power” for the ages from a band that most old school PANTERA fans have already written off. I am really interested to see where HELLYEAH goes next, because Stampede simply delivers.





ROCKET REVIEW:

HELLYEAH “Stampede” (CD)
(Epic Records/2010)

1. Cowboy Way
2. The Debt That All Men Pay
3. Hell of a Time
4. Stampede
5. Better Man
6. It’s On!
7. Pole Rider
8. Cold as a Stone
9. Stand or Walk Away
10. Alive and Well
11. Order the Sun

http://www.hellyeahband.com/

ROCKET REVIEW: FILTER – “The Trouble With Angels” (CD)

FILTER’s fifth studio album – The Trouble With Angels - is an absolute gem. Just when you think the hard rock world’s totally lost its nuts, Richard Patrick and company drop one of the year’s most sonically poetic albums. Patrick is joined by new lead guitarist Rob Patterson (Ex-OTEP, KORN), and has clearly returned to his ‘industrial metal’ roots. The album is produced by Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, SALIVA, ATREYU) and slams the listener first with the hot single, “The Inevitable Relapse”, offering a modernized Filter without losing that signature sound they became so famous for, along with plenty of Patrick’s dark sense of humor. In dealing with his own past vices, he sings: “Drink it, take it, snort it, smoke it… every little thing I love about it.” Looking back, industrial metal reached its commercial peak in the last half of the 1990′s and the band’s smashing 1995 debut Short Bus was definitely one of the reasons for that phenomenal success. In my opinion, “The Trouble With Angels” is the band’s greatest accomplishment to date.

Track two’s “Drug Boy” is Patterson bringing his ‘A game’, employing a monster riff that sounds like something KORN could have used on their new studio effort. “Absentee Father” is positively brilliant stuff, embarking on a dark ride via Patrick’s haunted voice. “No Love” storms into your head and then finds a perfect spot right into your heart. The listener will be taken to a place where you don’t always go with music today… a veritable musical utopia – because I feel so much of what’s played on the radio currently lacks a real ‘pulse’. Patrick not only returns to form, I feel he goes beyond that with this perfectly enchanting masterwork. I don’t hear near the passion from any other leading artist performing across the board in music, yet Filter remains that perfect underground band that plenty of people still have not heard about. There’s more than enough firepower on “The Trouble With Angels” to win over many new fans. If they can keep this new momentum going with more music that’s this good, Filter could get back to being quite the rock n roll entity.

ROCKET REVIEW:

FILTER “The Trouble With Angels” (CD)
(Rocket Science Records/2010)

1. The Inevitable Relapse
2. Drug Boy
3. Absentee Father
4. No Love
5. Fades Like A Photograph (Dead Angel)
6. Down with Me
7. Catch A Falling Knife
8. The Trouble With Angels
9. Clouds
10. No Re-Entry

http://www.officialfilter.com/

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