Sunday, December 21, 2008
RZA
Digi Snacks
Koch Records
I’m biased. I’m from Staten Island, which is the land of Wu Tang known as Shaolin. So as many Staten Islanders, I will back anyone who makes it big from this rock no matter what or how they do so. With that said the Wu Tang can put out an album of them smoking marijuana and I’d buy it AND give it a good review. But I’ll try to be as impartial as possible here. RZA is the brains behind the Wu. I’ve always said he saved the best beats and rhymes for his own albums (Though GZA may be his right hand man in my opinion). This album is chock full of great soul and jazz hooks combined with only the way RZA can tell a story.
TOP TRACKS: Long Time Coming, Money Don’t Own Me, Creep, Drama, O Day (a tribute to the craziest motherfucker ever to lay down some rhymes..Old Dirty Bastard)
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: Its not the best of RZA’s work but its entertaining just the same. Killa Bees in the swarm!
IN THIS MOMENT
The Dream
Century Media
You want to know what drew me to In This Moment a few years back? It was their cover of Slayer’s Postmortem coupled with the fact a female singer was barking out vocals on par with Tom Araya. Not to mention said female singer is smoking hot and the band backing said singer is tighter than a virgin’s daughter on prom night. That lead singer’s name is Maria Brink. She’s been in Revolver’s Hottest Chicks in Metal issue forever it seems and for good reason… she’s stunning. I was pretty psyched when I received this album in the mail. ITM was one of the first bands who let me interview them for this site and I will always be a fan no matter what they put out. Which brings me to The Dream. If you were expecting something heavy like I was, you’ll be somewhat disappointed. It’s obvious they are branching into a different direction musically, tapping into a more radio friendly sound. Maybe they are, as many musicians claim to be, “maturing”.
TOP TRACKS: The Underworld (Her Kiss), Empires Fall and Rise Again (The Great Divide), Imagine (Violent Skies)
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: As much as it pains me to say, I just can’t get into The Dream. Maria does have a beautiful voice, and the band is absolutely talented, but I’m a big fan of their heavier sound. You don’t even hear a heavy riff till the sixth track and double bass till the ninth. But I tip my hat to a band who has worked extremely hard to achieve the position they are at. Kudos.
LAST OF THE BELIEVERS
Paper Ships Under a Burning Bridge
Adrenaline Music
Fast paced, hard driving hardcore. This five song EP is worth every penny of the five bucks I spent on it. Upbeat lyrics sang with both clean and heavy vocals that you don’t need a decoder ring to interpret. No they aren’t reinventing the wheel but they are doing something not many bands can say…they are putting out good music. Sidenote...the band is made up of ex-Rise Against from what I understand.
TOP TRACKS: All five of em!!!!
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: Somehow, someway I can foresee many cute chicks rocking out to Last of the Believers. No I’m not calling them a chick rock band, I welcome any band who can bring some broads into a scene dominated by sausage for as long as I can remember! Great EP, great old school feel. I can’t wait to actually see this band live.
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
Minority Rules
Fighting Records
Pop-punk goodness. They bill themselves as “Dirty South Punk Rock”. Hey, whatever gets you through the day fellas. Bottom line Minority Rules is a refreshing, fun, fast paced album that brings me back to the days of Face to Face, No Use For a Name and Less Than Jake. Musically they are fucking brilliant. Guitar, bass, drums...all top notch. To get that good of a sound out of a three-piece band is something not many bands can pull off. Oh yeah, if it’s worth mentioning at all, they’re a trio of black fellas. Last time I heard an all black punk band and was blown away? Bad Brains. Just sayin. Oh and the last three tracks sidetrack away from punk and lay down some pretty good hip hop tracks.
TOP TRACKS: Broke, Loud & Clear, Miss Perfection, No Future, Overrated, Feel Like Shit
GDEVIL’S VERDICT: I saw these guys for the first time opening up for Madball and Suicidal Tendencies and found myself in the pit not knowing any words to their songs or anything. They fucking rock and this album is brilliant. Its the most diverse punk band out there right now...they covered Slayer's Reign in Blood and Bone Crusher's Never Scared. How's that for a melting pot??
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