Times Like These...are for rock

So I've been long overdue for a new blog post.  I moved again which took up my whole August vacation.  Then I had to get adjusted to a new job and if that wasn't enough I kept my Saturday job and added two college classes teaching a Senior Seminar in Biology.  Even though the first major grading deadline is rapidly approaching and I should be grading lab reports and writing student comments I find myself compelled to write about music instead.  Two main reasons: one is the sadness over the Paris shootings @ Bataclan on November 13, and the subsequent tour cancellations.  Second, I continue to find reasons to believe that rock is alive and well.

My music blog isn't the forum to get political about the aftermath of the tragedy in Paris.  I just want to say that, first of all, my heart goes out to all those that lost their lives or lost loved ones due to the senseless violence.  89 people were killed at the concert!  Second, though the major events took place in a country I've never been to and have no familial ties to, this one hit home because it was an American rock band, the Eagles of Death Metal, that were playing when the terrorists struck.  Contrary to the name, the band does not actually play death metal music.  That doesn't really matter though.  Nobody deserves to be the target of deadly attacks and especially not people that were peacefully gathering for a concert.  Third, there has been a largely inspiring swell of support for the victims and the citizens of Paris.  

Ok, so what is happening as a result?  Some bands on tour in Europe immediately suspended shows in the days and weeks after the attack.  Some did so out of fear, others out of respect; some had no choice because the venue or city chose for them.  Other bands continued to play shows where they could.  Sadly, now there have been more terroristic threats that are shutting down tours from the likes of Papa Roach/FFDP, Lamb of God, and many more - even in places like Germany and the UK.  Bands want to be there as an outlet for fans and it is a huge hassel and financial loss to cancel, but they can't risk the safety of band members, crew, and fans.

Now for the positives.  First, the ever-so-lovable Foo Fighters have just released a free EP of new songs.  That's right, free music!  It is called Saint Cecilia and is available through distributors at foofighters.com  The band is suggesting donations to the victims of the Paris attacks instead of paying for the songs.  They are pretty rocking tracks too.  They remind me of their There is Nothing Left to Lose days circa 1999.  Just when you thought Dave Grohl couldn't get any cooler, he plays shows with a broken leg and then releases new tunes for free and it is better than Sonic Highways.


Last but not least, some evidence of the continued revival of rock and some music suggestions:

A Skylit Drive - ASD:  They continue to reinvent themselves and impress me with their versatility and edge on this one.  At times they sound like Issues, Atreyu, and Bring Me the Horizon in the same song!

Black Tide - Chasing Shadows:  Like Burn Halo on crack.  Clean singing, riffs, and solos for days!  Do your self a favor and look them up.

Bullet For My Valentine - Venom:  Their sound changes every album, but it is always in your face.  This may be their most complete album.

Buried in Verona - Vultures Above, Lions Below:  My new favorite heavy band.  No other commentary necessary.

Burn Halo - Wolves of War:  Their hardest hitting release yet.

Clutch - Psychic Warfare:  Old band sounds revived and relevant . . . and gets back to rocking out!

Five Finger Death Punch - Get Your 6: They continue to carry the torch for heavy music and despite the prolifery, they haven't lost anything.

Sleepwave - Broken Compass:  Ex-Underoath singer brings elements of post-hardcore and post-numetal with energy and passion.

Finger Eleven and Five Crooked Lines

The first time I heard "First Time" and "Drag You Down" by Finger Eleven I was floored.  I got The Greyest of Blue Skies album and instantly connected with it.  After the hard rocking openers I fell in love with the emotion in "My Carousel, Sick of It All, For the Ocean, Broken Words, Suffocate, Bones & Joints, Famous, Walking In My Shoes, and Stay and Drown."   I had found a new great band.  I went back and got Tip, and although it didn't move me as much, it was respectable.  In 2001, I got to see them live and it was a magical night.  In only my eighth concert experience, I got to see Drowning Pool who were just about to blow up with the mosh anthem "Bodies," and I got to meet the charismatic and humble Dave Williams.  I got to see Stereomud who were a solid hard rock band with a good singer.  I got to see Boy Hits Car and be blown away with their stage presence and "LoveCore" energy.  Headlining that night was Finger Eleven.  While it was hard to top what BHC had just done, Finger Eleven were great.  They had the songs and the musicianship to keep me there all night even though I had an organic chemistry exam the next day.  The exam didn't go well, but in my opinion it was worth it. 

Fast forward to early 2004 and I saw Finger Eleven again.  This time they were touring in support of their self titled release that featured "One Thing," their best known single.  Even though they were gaining popularity, they were opening for Smile Empty Soul and Trapt.  All the bands were great, but I left even more impressed with Finger Eleven.  The guitarist had this cool bodiless guitar that looked like nothing more than a rod iron skeleton with strings.  Singer Scott Anderson had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand and yet he was appreciative and grateful.  He said we made his day and his week!  In 2007 they released Them vs. You vs. Me and while I felt let down that they went in a more pop direction, it brought the catchy and creative "Paralyzer" that brought the band an even bigger audience.  I bought an album of demos and re-releases called Us. vs. Then vs. Now which I enjoyed and then I kind of slept on them and missed the fact that they put out a record in 2010 called Life Turns Electric.

I had been curious about their 2015 release, but honestly I wasn't getting my hopes up too much.  I previewed it and I immediately had to buy it.  It turns out it is a damn good effort.  The album is called Five Crooked Lines and it has elements of Finger Eleven from all the previous albums, but it is also fresh and very rock and roll.  "Gods of Speed" kicks it off with a fast driving beat and even a little Queens of the Stone Age kind of sound.  "Criminal" sounds like a throwback to their earlier discs.  "Save Your Breath" is the most raw and gritty they have shown in a while.  "Wolves and Doors" has the funky disco beat reminiscent of "Paralyzer" and might be the lead single because I found a video for it that features part band performance and part bleeding skulls, body paint, and stalking wolf imagery.  Usually when the album title track is buried in the middle of the album it is a let down, but that is far from the case with "Five Crooked Lines."  With its distorted bass and straight up rock drumming, that song rips!  Welcome back F11.

Dark Before Dawn

So this week Breaking Benjamin topped the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Dark Before Dawn that was released on Tuesday, June 23.  Some online music news publications have been declaring this a sign that rock still lives.  Critics say that Breaking Benjamin is "too pop" or won't top the charts for long.  Regardless, I see this as a victory for rock music and the band itself.  First, the #1 album is not from Taylor Swift or Fetty Wap or the Pitch Perfect soundtrack or whatever else.  It is a bona fide rock band.  Only Muse has accomplished this recently.  Second, this is sort of a comeback album after the band was on hiatus after 2009's Dear Agony (which debuted at #4).  There has been barely any publicity about this album's release and only die hard fans were really poised to pick it up its first week.  This makes it even more surprising that the album launched as good as it did, selling over 140,000 copies. Quietly, their greatest hits album Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin topped the Hard Rock Albums chart for three consecutive years, from 2011 to 2013! Despite this, somehow this band never gets mentioned in mainstream media.  Third, it is remarkable that the band has survived legal trouble, a lineup overhaul, and the severe medical issues of the lead singer, lead song writer, and guitar player, Benjamin Burnley, to come back on top.

Burnley has been suffering from an unknown illness since 2007.  Symptoms and severity vary, but include muscle pain, joint pain, dizziness, severe headaches, and chronic fatigue.  The new lineup includes lead guitarist Jasen Rauch from RED, ex-Adelita's Way guitarist Keith Wallen on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, bassist Aaron Bruch, and drummer Shaun Foist from Picture Me Broken.  The group will also be touring throughout the remainder of the summer at least until October.

While the new album is not breaking any new ground, I am generally in the camp of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."  The group could have easily went in a different direction and fans could have been alienated and written off the new additions to the band.  Instead, they made a record that sounds like Breaking Benjamin.  Highlights include Breaking the Silence, Great Divide, and Bury Me Alive.

I admit I have been a fan of this band since I first heard Polyamorous in 2002.  I still think their debut, Saturate, is one of the best and most complete hard rock albums of all time.  They became one of my favorite bands after I saw them at the Crocodile Rock in Pennsylvania in August of 2004.  It was a small club that was oversold and, to boot, they had no air conditioning.  Did I mention it was August?  They were routinely hosing off the crowd so that we wouldn't pass out.  The opening bands weren't bad, but the only thing that saved this night from a complete bust was Breaking Benjamin.  They played with tremendous energy, engaged the crowd, and completely commanded the stage and rocked their asses off.  They have had more commercial success since then and continued to be consistent in turning out the hits.  Singles So Cold, Sooner or Later, and Diary of Jane all hit #2 on the Mainstream Rock chart.  Phobia reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and Top Internet albums charts thanks to songs like The Diary of Jane, Breath, Evil Angel, and Until the End.  The bottom line is that if you are fans of Breaking Benjamin, this is worth picking up.  If you don't know much about them, but are fans of 3 Doors Down, Seether, Red, Three Days Grace, Theory of a Deadman, etc. you definitely wanna check it out too.  I also suggest going deeper into their back catalogue.

Breaking Benjamin 2015 via Wikipedia

Twisted Sister AJ Pero Tribute

Twisted Sister - A Concert to Honor AJ Pero.  Starland Ballroom June 13, 2015

Almost every metal fan has an "a-ha" moment - a song, an album, a concert that turns them on to metal music.  It is like a gateway into metal.  For me that was "We're Not Gonna Take It" from Stay Hungry by Twisted Sister.  You see, my dad had a habit of putting on his records and blasting some of his favorite tunes through the stereo, usually on weekends.  One day he plays this record and from the boom, click of the drums it caught my ear.  Then comes this in your face anthem.  I was amped.  Later, I got in the habit of coming home from school and putting on my dad's records.  When I listened to all of Stay Hungry I fell even more in love with the band.  This concerned my mom a bit, but she knew I was a good kid and not to worry too much.  So it was, that Twisted Sister was the first metal band that I hooked in with and this opened up my musical tastes to a whole new genre.

It was a dream come true when I was able to see them for the first time with my dad at WDHA's Rock the Park 2005 at Montclair State University's Yogi Berra Stadium.  Dee was in full costume and makeup and the others, except Mark Mendoza, had their glam makeup on as well.  The attitude that they played with and the incomparable stage presence of Dee Snider made this a concert to remember.  Of most note was him asking for the stadium lights to be turned on because the small stage rigging wasn't cutting it and "we got dressed up all pretty for the people."  It was a fantastic end to a rocking show that also featured Queen V (a local NJ talent contest winner), Sebastian Bach (of Skid Row), and .38 Special.  The most memorable songs from Twisted that night were "What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)" that they opened with, and "S.M.F." that they closed with.  Interestingly, they played "We're Not Gonna Take It" in the middle of the set.  Dee said he knew that a lot of people in the audience just came for that song and had to go home and relieve the babysitter so he'd get it out of the way, haha.

Now to last night's show.  The concert is part of a small series of shows entitled "The Sound of Thunder Tour" to honor former drummer AJ Pero who died of a heart attack at the age of 55 on March 20 of this year.  The night began with a band called Billy Mira & The Hitmen.  They played mostly big band covers like "Rock This Town" by the Stray Cats and "Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies.  It was kind of a weird opener, but apparently AJ had been playing shows with these guys.  The lead singer is definitely a performer and in between songs he entertained the crowd with impressions including Tony Soprano, Ozzy Osbourne, David Lee Roth, and a "metal" Tom Jones.

The next band was Four by Fate which featured bassist John Regan and guitarist/keyboardist/singer Tod Howarth formerly of Frehley's Comet.  Rounding them out is guitarist Patrick James (Pound/Flywheel) and drummer Rob Affuso (Skid Row).  AJ Pero had been recording with Four by Fate and the band said they may have the last studio recordings with AJ.  Tod has an amazing voice, and he played a guitar with no headstock which I had never seen before.  The sound of this band was much more appropriate as an opener for Twisted Sister and they really rocked. 

Four By Fate, Starland Ballroom 6/13/15

After the set change two of AJ's children came out to thank the crowd.  Also one of the roadies said that he took away 4 things about AJ:  He loved music, his family, his fans, and the Mets.

Finally, Twisted Sister with Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater/Adrenaline Mob/Winery Dogs) on drums took the stage.  Though there was no makeup except for some blue eyeshadow on Dee, they grabbed the crowd in traditional form by beginning with "What You Don't Know (Sure Can Hurt You)."  They then played what amounted to as a greatest hits setlist including all of their fan-favorite songs except for Captain Howdy.  Below you can see the setlist where it was scratched.  The only error is that instead of "Come Out and Play," which only played over the PA as they came back on stage for an encore, they decided to keep the blacked out "Tear It Loose" which is from their debut studio album Under the Blade.  They rocked it!  The set contained multiple breakdowns where Dee would talk to the crowd or prime us for singing along.  I liked that he talked about "I Am (I'm Me)" as being the song he is most proud of lyrically.  That song made its mark on me when I first heard it and it continues to be inspiring.  Dee said that "The Price" was written about the internal conflicts he felt about being on the road and away from his family.  This was interesting to me because the lyrics might lead one to think it was about suicide, but he said it wasn't about giving up on life, but giving up on the career in music.  I guess just like the song "Under the Blade" that brought them much criticism from the government, you never know what the artist is thinking when they pen the words and they are always up for interpretation.  During Senate hearings in 1985, Dee said this song wasn't about knife violence, but about undergoing surgery.

There were, of course, multiple mentions of AJ Pero by Dee and guitarist Jay Jay French as well.  They cited him as being "the nice one in the group" and the one who helped push the band to play out and play hard.  Dee said that the upcoming "Forty and Fuck It" leg of the tour would be the band's last.  This is partly due to the loss of AJ as well as the fact that the band doesn't want to continue to play until they fade away (in popularity or in skill).  Until he died, AJ had been playing and recording with a number of bands and was on tour with Adrenaline Mob.  Jay Jay said that he asked AJ why he kept playing and how he could keep up with the demands of touring at his age and he replied "because the fire still burns" which led to the song of the same name.  The songs that stood out to me as great on this night were "Shoot 'Em Down," "We're Not Gonna Take It," and "Burn In Hell."  In the middle of "Burn in Hell" the screen dropped down in front of the stage and video of an AJ Pero drum solo from a Twisted show from last year played.  It didn't sound like a recording so I suspect that Portnoy was playing along live behind the screen, but I can't confirm that.  I don't think "I Wanna Rock" was tight sounding, but the crowd really got into it and nearly blew the roof off singing along.  I wish I knew what the decibel level was during the performance.  My ears are still ringing from it.  The pictures posted below are my own except for the setlist which was posted by Eddie Trunk (who I still have yet to run into).  I didn't take many photos because I wanted to enjoy the show and also because a bunch of people around me were taking pics and video that were much higher quality and I'm hoping they will show up on the internet.  If you have any pics you wouldn't mind sharing, please send them my way.  Overall, the concert was well worth the price of admission.  Moreover, there may not be another Twisted Sister concert in New Jersey again and I wanted to be able to say I was there.  I am so glad I went and my SMF spirit was reignited.  RIP AJ.  Long live TS.

Twisted Sister w/ Mike Portnoy, Starland Ballroom 6/13/15

Coal Chamber Comeback

I first heard about Coal Chamber around the time of their major label self-titled debut in 1997.  It was really an accident that I discovered them at this time.  I was in high school and I was just starting to expand my musical tastes.  This was a time when I was really into Dave Matthews Band and Hootie & the Blowfish.  About the hardest rock you could hear on the radio was Third Eye Blind (whose debut I also really liked).  I was a member of Columbia House (remember them?) and had been buying up CDs like crazy.  I saw a picture of Coal Chamber in the catalog and decided to take a chance on them.  Their goth look spoke to me for some reason even though I was a nerdy, preppy kind of kid.  The songs Loco, Bradley, and Big Truck turned me on to a new style of music and a new type of emotional connection with music.  I could turn it up loud and scream along to release some pent up rage or I could just bang my head to the rhythmic beats and simple choruses.  They were a little more accessible than the Deftones and not as creepy as early Korn.  I feel that although their songs are far from complicated, that they are underrated as a band that helped bring heavy music into the public during the nu-metal explosion.

I liked them so much I bought Chamber Music in 1999 and although I thought they took a step backward in terms of heaviness and rawness, I still invested in Dark Days when it came out in 2002.  This was their heaviest record and saw the return of simple sing-along choruses on tracks such as Fiend, Watershed, and Something Told Me.  After their breakup at the end of 2002 I basically forgot about them until Dez reemerged in DevilDriver.

I finally got my chance to see the reunited Coal Chamber April 3, 2015.  But first a few notes about the openers.  The Starland Ballroom show began with Saint Ridley.  I had never heard of this band before.  They are a local metal band who did a decent job energizing the crowd.  Their music was nothing too noteworthy except that I thought it was interesting that their drummer was positioned sideways ala Stryper and Nonpoint.  The second band CombiChrist was noteworthy.  They came out guns blazing with strobe lights and a lead singer with a mask full of red LED lights obscuring his face.  Their sound is a hybrid of industrial, electronica, and metal.  They had a keyboard player and DJ along with the traditional rock instruments.  Their drummer also played sideways and he played with a lot of passion.  Reading some Facebook comments afterwards, the crowd was pretty divided about them.  In the moment, the crowd seemed into them and I would know since I moved from my spot by the side bar down to the front middle of the floor to get a closer look and mosh a little.  The song that probably stood out the most was "Can't Control" from their most recent release We Love You.  After American Head Charge unexpectedly dropped off the tour without explanation, Filter rounded out the opening acts.  This was my second time seeing Filter and they were well received by the crowd.  They didn't play their hit "Take My Picture" as Richard Patrick said "we'll play that next time."  They chose to stick to a more rocking set which included newer songs like "Take That Knife Outta My Back" and classics like "Hey Man, Nice Shot."  Before the latter, Patrick talked about the inspiration for the song and added that the band has played it for the troops for many years.  He added "We don't need to be in Iraq.  We don't need to be in Afghanistan...You wouldn't catch Rihanna speaking the truth like this!"  If you think Filter are a one-hit wonder or are washed up, I dare you to pick up their latest album, or better yet, go see them in concert.

5 Above photos: Combichrist @ Starland 4/3/15

Filter @ Starland 4/3/15

At last it was time for Coal Chamber.  The reunited lineup of Mike Cox on drums, "Meegs" Rascon on guitar, and the sexy Nadja Peulen on bass joined lead singer Dez Fafara for their comeback tour before the release of the forthcoming Rivals due out in May.  They opened with "Loco" followed it up with "Big Truck" and it only got crazier from there.  The band sounded great and the energy on stage and in the crowd was insane.  By this time I had retreated back to the side of the room, but I was still surrounded by people pumping their fists, jumping up and down, and flailing around in dance.  They played a good mix of songs from their three releases as well as the heavy title track from their latest effort.  The band chemistry seemed renewed.  They looked locked in and excited to be playing together.  Dez promises that DevilDriver hasn't gone away, but I think he is enjoying the second life of Coal Chamber at the moment.  We'll see how long it lasts.  I for one hope that both bands can continue successfully.

Coal Chamber "Big Truck" @ Starland 4/3/15

F.E.A.R.

A mythology professor once told me that "fear" stood for "future events appearing real."  It makes sense because we are often afraid of what we think is going to happen or what might happen and the fact that the future isn't certain is sometimes scary.  If you ask Papa Roach, "fear" stands for "Face Everything and Rise."  It kind of goes with their attitude of Viva La Cucaracha from back in the day and their new positive outlook on life given their current sobriety and continued success.

Papa Roach has been a band since 1993 and blew up with 2000's album Infest and the popularity of the song "Last Resort."  Though the band has matured and evolved a lot since then, they still usually close their live show with their first hit.  In fact, when I saw them on 1/17/15 with Seether, Kyng, and Islander at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair they played a mix of new and old songs including Broken Home, Between Angels and Insects, and Infest off the debut album before closing the night with arguably the most famous anti-suicide song Last Resort.

Islander opened the night.  They have been on some people's lists for album of the year "XX" or song of the year with "Coconut Dracula."  They are an alternative metal band with some nu-metal tendencies.  They are a good new band, but I am not sold yet on their sound or that they are the best new band to break out.  Kyng played second and they were a lot more interesting.  They are more of a groove and riff metal band with heavy blues undertones and some songs reminiscent of old school Alice and Chains, Soundgarden, and Corrosion of Conformity.  Before they came on I ran into Jose Mangin from SiriusXM radio.  He was friendly and when I told him I met him at Ozzfest 2007, without missing a beat he goes, "Two of the guys from Kyng played in the band Ankla at that time...remember them?"  I recognized the name, but hadn't seen their set.  I later realized that this was a Latin metal band that used to tour with the likes of Nonpoint and ill Nino.  They were good, but Kyng are better.  Apparently Jose has been a big promoter for their music - here's an example.  I thought that Seether had top billing on this show and they definitely could have headlined after coming off of a big tour with Godsmack and having a new album that is charting.  They have never disappointed me and played a good mix of songs, listed here  However, this was definitely a Papa Roach crowd and they had the Wellmont about as electric as I have seen it.

I have been a fan of P-Roach since the beginning and I have seen them 9 times, more than any other band.  I was seeing them so much I almost got burned out.  It wasn't special anymore - even though Jacoby always brought mad energy to the shows.  I still kept up with their music and with 2010's Time for Annihilation and 2012's The Connection I knew they weren't going away and certainly were still a great hard rock band.  After seeing them recently for the first time in about five years they have cemented themselves as one of my all time favorites.  The new songs rock and they are still one of the best live bands out there.  I even got my first real battle wounds in this mosh pit and I have survived the likes of Slipknot and Hatebreed with fewer black and blue marks.

The album title track and opener Face Everything and Rise is an energetic and inspiring song in the vain of what we've heard from Papa Roach in recent years.  What gets me even more excited is some of the deeper cuts like Falling Apart, Love Me Till It Hurts, and Gravity.  The former two are hard rocking, but melodic.  They are emotional, but not in a whiny or self loathing way.  The sound production on this album is incredible and I think these songs are really taking Papa Roach's sound in a new direction.  Gravity harkens back to the rap-rock days as Jacoby raps over a beat and piano track at the beginning of the song and then it opens up with a melodic chorus that features vocals from Maria Brink of In This Moment as sort of a duet.  If you have been a fan before or think you might be given what I mentioned above, do yourself a favor and pick up F.E.A.R.  What do you have to be afraid of?

Papa Roach rocking the Wellmont 1/17/15