Album Review: Cerebral Ballzy - "Cerebral Ballzy"

There's something to be said about a band who just rock up into the studio, put down some three chord hardcore punk songs and then fuck off to the pub to drink beer, pick up girls and eat pizza. That's what Brooklyn's Cerebral Ballzy have done with their self titled debut, a fast furious blast of balls out punk rock.

With the twelve tracks clocking in at a commute friendly nineteen and a half minutes (only two songs even make it to 2 minutes), it seems silly to go off on a long winded review. Instead, all I'll say is that this is hardcore punk done well by a bunch of guys who are having fun doing what they do.

Bands like Sick of it All and Trash Talk (stay tuned for a review of their new EP) may have been doing it longer and louder, but Cerebral Ballzy are a welcome addition to the hardcore punk ranks.

*** 1/2

Watch: "Don't Tell Me What To Do"

Album Review: Skeletonwitch - "Forever Abomination"

"Forever Abomination" is the fourth album from Ohio thrash/black metal journeymen Skeletonwitch, who return with their unique hybrid style after a two year break. A brutal assault to the senses, "Forever Abomination" is loud, brash, and everything you would expect from Skeletonwitch.

The first thing that you notice about the album is the sheer strength of the drumming compared to the band's earlier output. New drummer Dustin Boltjes, who replaced Derrick "Mullet Chad" Nau at the tail end of 2010, is a more powerful and consistant drummer than his predecessor, and the songs benefit from this added power. Opening track "This Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill)" is the finest song of the band's career to date, and sets the album up perfectly.

Unfortunately though, from there on it all gets a little predictable. There is very little variety over the ten tracks that follow, and only the 32 minute running time stops the record from becoming boring and repetitive.

"Forever Abomination" is Skeltonwitch's tightest sounding and most powerful album so far, a little variety would have helped it be their absolute best.

***

Watch: "This Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill)"

Album Review: Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa - "Don't Explain"

When you hear that one of the greatest guitar players in the world is making a collabarative album with one of the best rock singers currently around, your ears perk up. Joe Bonamassa (on what is remarkably his third studio album of the year following his solo "Dust Bowl" and Black Country Communion's "2") and Beth Hart do not disappoint on this collection of soul covers, which will sit atop the blues charts for quite some time.

"Don't Explain" sees Hart take lead vocals, while Bonamassa handles guitar duties. Simple concept, the singer sings and the guitarist plays guitar, but the outcome is truly fantastic. Bonamassa's soaring and intricate guitar sits behind Hart's rich, soulful voice and the two melt together into a marriage made in heaven. "I'll Take Care of You" somehow manages to be an even more incredible recording than Gil Scott-Heron's previous definitive version of Brook Benton's classic, Bonamassa's guitar solo on the track is one of his personal finest. And when Joe makes his solo vocal contribution, on a duet of "Well, Well" it makes your crave for another collabaration between these two.

It's so often the case when two highly talented musicians come together that the results are a disappointment. "Don't Explain" shuns the egos and focuses on the songs. Truly outstanding.

**** 1/2

Watch: "I'll Take Care Of You (live)"

Album Review: Machine Head - "Unto the Locust"

Following up "The Blackening" was never going to be an easy task. When you've defined a genre and released one of the greatest albums of all time, the follow up could quite simply pale in comparison. A four year touring cycle could stall things further. We needn't have worried. "Unto the Locust" is another modern metal masterpiece from Machine Head, a band who can seemingly do nothing wrong these days.

Opening the album with Rob Flynn multi-tracking himself singing in Latin is a bold, bold way to open any album. But this is no gimmick. The three part "I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)" - the longest of the album's seven tracks at a modest eight and a half minutes - is a straight up thrash metal blast, with depth that most other bands can only dream of. And that's only the start. Throughout it's 49 minutes, "Unto the Locust" throws up complex song structures, carefully thought out lyrics, and the kind of guitar duelling that we've now come to expect from Flynn and Phil Demmel. (The album's liner notes even specify which guitarist plays each part of the solos).

And the songs. The advance single "Locust" is even more powerful in the context of the album, "This Is the End" is classic Machine Head, and the closing track "Who We Are" takes another bold step by featuring a childrens choir. Which is promptly taken over by thundering drums and guitars. But the centrpiece of the album is the simply exquisite "Darkness Within". This is this album's "Halo" or "Descend the Shades of Night" and is quite possibly the best song the band have ever recorded (and the acoustic version, contained as a bonus track on the digital version of the album is even more haunting).

I will admit to being nervous about "Unto the Locust" before release. But there really was nothing to be nervous about. It may not have been as instant as "The Blackening", but a few listens in, it's clear just how deep this record is. The can't keep topping themselves like this. Can they?

*****

Watch: "Darkness Within (Acoustic)"

Album Review: Iced Earth - "Dystopia"

Matt Barlow has once again left, so welcome Canadian, former Into Eternity singer Stu Block as Iced Earth's fifth lead vocalist for "Dystopia" the tenth studio album from American have metal troopers Iced Earth. "Dystopia" is everything you would expect from an Iced Earth release, with Block's vocal range bringing the band into territory that they've never quite reached before. Block doesn't sound unlike Barlow, but his voice is much more powerful, with a bigger range, and brings a new sound to a band who have been accused of stagnating in the past.

Not to say that "Dystopia" is a wild departure for Iced Earth though, as even on a first casual listen, it's very obvious who you are listening. But again, that's no bad thing - no-one wants to hear Iced Earth do a black metal album for example - as the songs feel instantly familiar, and there are tracks on this album which sound like they could be live staples for years to come.

"Anthem" is just that, an anthemic heavy metal song reminiscent of the original "Something Wicked..." album (the "Something Wicked" saga continues on the album's opening and closong tracks if anyone's keeping score by the way) while "End of Innocence", a song written by Block about his terminally ill mother, has all the hallmarks of a classic Iced Earth metal ballad in the vein of "I Died For You" and "Watching Over Me". In fact, Block's lyrical contributions to eight of the twelve (on the special edition) songs on the album give another songwriting dimension to the band whose lyrics have been dominated by Jon Schaffer's (admittedly very strong) contributions over the years.

"Dystopia" is not a perfect album, but well over 20 years since their first release, it is highly impressive and inspiring to see this band still producing material of this quality. The members may be a revolving door, but the music never seems to suffer.

****

Watch: "Dystopia"

Album Review: The Civil Wars - "Barton Hollow"

Singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John-Paul White met in a Nashville recording studio in 2008. "Barton Hollow", their debut album sticks lightly to their Nashville roots, but offers up so much more than the country that would be expected, in a forty minute acoustic journey of emotion and harmony.

Plucked from obscurity to appear on "Greys Anatomy" and "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in the States, The Civil Wars first album, released independently, and sparsely produced by Grammy winner Charlie Peacock has sold over 100,000 copies. Listening to it, it's not hard to see why. The folksy vocals, alternative country instrumentation, and delightful two-part harmonies light up any speakers that play it.

From the gorgeous opener, "20 Years", through the outstanding title track, to the sombre closer in "Birds of a Feather", Williams and White offer up beauty, grace and raw emotion from start to finish. An unexpected acoustic delight.

****

Watch: "Barton Hollow"

Album Review: Reckless Love - "Animal Attraction"

Reckless Love wish it was 1985. On their sophmore album, "Animal Attraction" they make this fact very clear. Channeling the spirit of early Def Leppard and Motley Crue, this record is not only every bit as fun as their self titled debut set from last year, it is an all round more balanced body of work and shows off a band highly comfortable with what they're doing.

And what they're doing is making rock music straight out of the mid 1980s. Clearly influenced by bands such as Def Leppard - they even did a fantastic acoustic cover of "Hysteria" as a b-side last year - the opening three tracks genuinely would not sound out of place on "Pyromania" or "Hysteria", the seminal 80s classics from the Leppard. Yet Reckless Love are so much more than a simple tribute act. Songs like lead single "Hot" and the painfully infectious "Dirty Dreams" are just fun, high enrgy singalongs, while the band aren't afraid to go more introspective with "Born to Break Your Heart" and the glorious five minute epic "Fantasy". It doesn't seem to matter if they're going at 100 miles per hour, or cruising in the slow lane, the music is good, and you're having fun listening.

"Animal Attraction" is never going to win any awards for originality, that's a given, but listening to the quality of the music produced on the album, it's certainly no crime that this isn't breaking any ground. Reckless Love know thier audience and they know what their audience likes. Exactly what they like themselves. And that's exactly what they give.

****

Watch: "Hot"