Tuesday, March 3, 2009
GHOST OF MAINE
EP & THE HEALER SINGLE
UNSIGNED
What grabbed me first about these guys is the name of the band. First off, they aren't from Maine. They are in fact, an up and coming blend of music and brutality from lil ol Indiana. Secondly, after first listen, you totally forget what the band is called and are lost on a beautiful arrangement of technical metal goodness. Its not math rock by any means but you can tell these guys know how to play and aren't just killing time between weekends playing in backyards. Why aren't these guys signed yet? I have no clue. I imagine it won't be too long before someone gobbles them up. Alas, if only we had a label...
TOP TRACKS: The EP is absolutely incredible. Most notable are "Isn't That Right Mr. Scream?" and We All Float Down Here (Stephen King's It made me afraid of clowns forever). Their more recent release is a single entitled The Healer which is also pretty killer.
GDEVIL'S VERDICT: You should download everything by this band as I did. Do it now so when they do cruise through a town close to you as an opener who steals the show you look like you know your shit by singing along to who is one of the best unsigned metal bands I've head in a while.
DEADLOCK
Manifesto
Lifeforce Records
Sig heil for Deadlock! German metal marauders have been around for quite some time, ever evolving into the melodic metal-core fusion we have today. Deadlock has written the book on diversity with Manifesto. The melodic chants of Sabine Weniger are perfectly complimented with the furious death barking of Johannes Prem throughout the album. The samples and keyboards add to the diversity of the album.
TOP TRACKS: Martyr to Science, The Brave/Agony Applause, Dying Breed
GDEVIL'S VERDICT: Diversity is good for many things. Like your 401k plan. I'm all about trying new sounds out in metal but sometimes its just a bit much. At times I feel Deadlock is trying to do too much on Manifesto. I mean, I'm all for keyboards and saxophones but I could do without the hip hop guest vocals (unknown artist) at the end of Deathrace. Metal is metal in my book. I have to see this band live in order to see some metalheads start boppin their head to rhymes. Top notch.
BLACK TIDE
Light From Above
Interscope Records
Yes its a year old. Forgive me for not being on top of everything that is rock and roll. And that my friends is exactly what the Black Tide are! Rock and fucking roll!!! This album made me want to dig out my Iron Maiden dungaree jacket and give the middle finger to the local authorities. This kids are obviously influenced by old schoolers such as maiden, Manowar and Metallica (OLD Metallica!). I say kids because the average age of the members is around 16-17 years old. What do a bunch of kids know about good, old school metal? Who knows. maybe they had cool older brothers to show em the way like I did.
TOP TRACKS: Shockwave, Warriors of Time, Shout, Light From Above, and yes...the cover of Metallica's Hit The Lights rips it up.
GDEVIL'S VERDICT: New? No. Refreshing? Yes. It's good to know some people know their roots. Is it a marketing ploy? Who cares. Black Tide pulls it off perfectly and will have you bangin your head for hours.
**GDEVIL**
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