Summer 2017 concerts: Korn, Metallica, R&RHOF classics

I already wrote about AFI's Blood Tour here.  The next summer concert I went to was at the end of July called the Summer of Serenity Tour headlined by Korn with openers Ded, Yelawolf, Skillet, and Stone Sour.  I saw them in Camden at the recently renamed BB&T Pavilion.  It's a great venue, but they have exorbitant parking fees and you don't want to hang around the city after dark.

I had just purchased Ded's debut album and I was excited to see them live.  Fortunately, I made it for the 5PM start time.  They are a hard-hitting nu-metal band that formed in Arizona.  Rather than coming onto the scene 20 years late, I think they are here right on time.  There aren't a lot of bands out there anymore with this aggressive, heavy style and I think they are good enough to make some waves.  That being said, their best songs also have choruses that you can sing/scream along to.  Check out "Anti-Everything" to get a sense of their sound.

Yelawolf is a hip-hop artist and DJ that has been on Eminem's record label and worked with artists the likes of Kid Rock, Lil' John, Ed Sheeran, and Travis Barker.  His music wasn't really my style, but he was entertaining and his DJ stand like the front of an old muscle car decked out with chrome was cool.

This was my third time seeing Skillet and they put on a good live show.  Their female drummer, Jen contributes on vocals that adds dynamics juxtaposing frontman and bassist, John.  John's wife, Korey, fills out the sound on backing vocals while also holding down the rhythm on guitar or keyboards.  Newer songs like "Feel Invincible" work right in with other crowd favorites like "Rebirthing" and "Hero."

I have seen Slipknot a few times, but this was my first time seeing Stone Sour.  They also have new material out with Hydrograd that just came out in June.  Corey and the band sounded good, but I had high expectations and they didn't blow me away.  They basically played all their hits which represent a variety of styles.  Songs still resonated with the crowd as evidenced by the girl in front of me balling her eyes out during 2006's "Through Glass."  The next night was in PNC when Cory let his son sing "Song #3."

I've known about Korn since 1996 and I finally got to see them live for the first time in 2004 and they were great.  I have never been as big of a fan of them compared to some other bands in the genre.  I didn't love some of their recent albums either.  That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Korn this time around.  They sounded tight and as heavy as ever.  They played a lot of their hits and songs spanning their 20+ year career.

My personal summer concert series continued in Seattle, WA in August.  This is the first time I've ever been outside of NJ/NY/PA for a major label artist's concert.  First, up was Chevelle supported by Dinosaur Pickup and Black Map at a club called Showbox SODO just south of Safeco Field where the Mariners play.  The venue was converted into a concert hall from an old warehouse.  It has brick walls.  There is a long rectangular GA section in front of the stage and then a smaller raised area with a long bar and some table seating. I made friends with a couple that had some room at their table and grabbed a seat with a great sight line of the stage. Dinosaur Pickup was first and they were an enjoyable local group that sounded a bit like Nirvana and Smile Empty Soul.  Black Map was another similar rock act that wasn't bad, but I didn't think they had a very dynamic sound.  Songs started to blend together and I was anxious for their set to end.

Chevelle came out and did not disappoint.  Lead singer/guitar player, Pete, said this was their last show of the tour and he was pretty tired, but the band still sounded great.  This was my 8th time seeing them live and the first time since 2016's release The North Corridor from which they played Young Wicked, Joyride (Omen), and Door to Door Cannibals.  There was also a wickedly amazing run of songs including Clincher, Take Out the Gunman, Island, Vitamin R, and Get Some.  About halfway through the set an angry butch girl started causing problems by standing in front of people that had been there all night.  In order to avoid the killjoy and in attempt to resolve some conflict, I gave up my seat and went down to the floor.  I had to avoid spilled beer, but had a decent view still. Their encore consisted of four songs!  The Red, Comfortable Liar, Forfeit, and Send the Pain Below. I still listen to Chevelle fairly regularly and every time I see them live it reminds me of why they are one of my all-time favorite bands.

Another first happened this trip when I saw Metallica with Avenged Sevenfold and Gojira.  On some earlier dates, Volbeat played on this tour and I would have really liked to see them.  Still, I was excited for this show and I had heard a lot of great things about Gojira.  They were good.  Rather than speedy or melodic guitar work, they rely on heavy riffs and mostly screaming and gravely vocals.

A7X was also fun to see.  They had some pyrotechnics and played their hits, but I didn't think that their stage presence and energy was as big as CenturyLink field.  Maybe it was the open air aspect of the venue or maybe it was because they weren't headlining, but I expected a little bit more from a band that is as experienced as they are.  The sound was pretty loud even in the upper deck and I made use of my decibel reducing Earasers that still give good sound quality.

Metallica did not have a problem bringing the energy on stage.  Their stage presence and special effects were much bigger and definitely impressive.  They played 18 songs in 2.5 hours!  I thought the first half was a little slow, but then it picked up with Whiplash followed by Sad But True, One, Master of Puppets, Fade to Black, and Seek & Destroy.  The encore was Battery, Nothing Else Matters, and Enter Sandman.  I can finally check this one of my list and I'm glad I finally got to see them in person.

My final summer concert of 2017 was a Father's Day/Birthday present for my dad.  Neither of us had seen Deep Purple before and they were being supported by Edgar Winter and Alice Cooper.  Edgar Winter (who I had heard in the womb in 1980 and saw live last summer) played only four songs, but also included his live trick of scatting with his mouth and getting mirrored by his guitar player or drummer.  He also played multiple instruments including guitar, saxophone, drums, and keyboards. At 70, his energy and ability is impressive.

Alice Cooper is 69 and he too is continuing to rock audiences like a badass.  His latest album Paranormal was released at the end of July.  He was up there wielding his baton and popping balloons without missing a beat.  He still is doing a pretty big stage show that included a naughty nurse, a twisted ballerina, Frankenstein's monster, the guillotine, and multiple costume changes.  My dad appreciated classics like "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "Under My Wheels."  I've always been a fan of "Feed My Frankenstein, I'm Eighteen, and School's Out"

Deep Purple played about a dozen songs plus a drum solo and keyboard solo.  Things started off great with "Highway Star."  We got other classics "Knockin' At Your Backdoor, Perfect Strangers, Space Truckin', and Hush."  Some of the songs like newer tracks "The Surprising" and "Time for Bedlam" are a little bit too out there for my dad and my tastes.  We like them for the classic hard rock band that got them into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and I wish we would have gotten to hear "Woman From Tokyo."  They closed the night with one of the biggest rock songs ever, "Smoke on the Water."  I was happy to get that and even though there wasn't an encore, they closed with their best.  My dad and I had a good time and he really seemed to appreciate the gift.  That makes it all worth it.

Chester Bennington and my relationship to Linkin Park

So, it is kind of eerie that in my post about Chris Cornell I said the statement "another rocker is gone too soon" is "getting old real quick."  Sadly, Chester Bennington's suicide compels me to write another blog post about another rocker gone too soon.  Chester died by self-induced hanging on the anniversary of Cornell's birthday July 20, 2017.  As I posted on Facebook that day when I heard the news, I didn't like the direction Linkin Park's music was going, but there is no way I would have wished for this.  Some people are being very insensitive and spiteful online in their comments.  It is sad to see that side of humanity.  The fact is, 30 million records have been sold by Linkin Park and millions more concert tickets over the last 18 years or so.  Suicide is a real growing trend that most people have either considered or been affected by via family or friends.

• Every day, approximately 112 Americans take their own life.
• A person dies by suicide about every 12.8 minutes in the United States.
• ~90% of all people who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death

("Suicide facts" afsp.donordrive.com)

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts call 1-800-273-8255 and find more resource information at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

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My relationship with Linkin Park began in the fall of 2000.  I was a sophomore in college and a friend of mine who was responsible for introducing me to the likes of the Deftones, Staind, Papa Roach, POD, Cold, and many other bands told me about Linkin Park.  We listened to demos of what would become their debut album before it was released on October 24, 2000.  After a brief Baltimore road trip, as a part of my birthday weekend celebration, we went to see Linkin Park open for POD at Roseland Ballroom in NYC on November 10.  This was only my sixth concert ever and my second time at Roseland.  I have now been to about 120 concerts (double that if you include local bands) and I can say that this show was the first AND ONLY time that from the opening note of the opening band there was a moshpit.  The crowd didn't stop moving until the set was over.  Chester sang.  Mike rapped.  Brad and Phoenix plucked strings.  Rob beat the drums.  Mr. Han spun, scratched and sampled.  The energy was crazy.  The dual singers played off of each other expertly.  At that time there was one who played MC and one who could croon or scream and they pretty much stayed in their lanes.  Still, they had in my mind perfected the hybrid rap-rock better than anyone.  I would see them play live three more times at various festivals, but nothing will ever top the energy, excitement, and precision of that first set.  After a blistering 7 songs, they said they had to catch a plane so they wouldn't be hanging out all night, but they took the time to come down to the crowd to say hi to the fans.  I got to shake hands with each member except Mike who disappeared towards the back of the venue.  Phoenix even struck up a conversation with me about Papa Roach (whose t-shirt I was wearing) and I could barely formulate sentences because here I was talking to a rock star!

I'm not gonna break down each song on Hybrid Theory because chances are you own it and love it too.  If you haven't listened to it recently, I think it still holds up.  When it first came out I played it multiple times a day.  I bought it for everyone for Christmas.  I predicted it would go platinum.  I never thought it would reach 11x platinum and be certified diamond in the US.  That was unheard of for a rock act and hadn't happened since Dookie.  Singles "One Step Closer, Crawling, and In the End" blew up MTV and rock radio.  "In the End" was soon being played even on adult alternative and pop stations as well.  Linkin park got huge, seemingly out of nowhere.  Again, if you haven't given it a listen in a while, the deeper tracks are just as good.  "Papercut, With You, Pushing Me Away, A Place For My Head," etc. The only track I sometimes skip is the DJ scratch instrumental, "Cure for the Itch."  Not only was this rap-rock nu-metal sound resonating with me, the lyrics were deep, cathartic, and even poetic.  The band was also very appreciative of their fans and new found fame.  Linkin Park had become my favorite band and I even got the courage to dye my hair blue.  It was inspired by Mike Shinoda and also an attempt at getting attention from a girl, but the band helped me find the confidence to do something nobody that went to grade school with me would ever expect me to do.

This was also in the days of Napster so I started to snatch up live versions, demo versions and whatever Linkin Park stuff I could.  I even found an import cd in a record store in NYC that had tracks that weren't released in the US otherwise!  For college speech class, my first oral presentation was about my birthday weekend that culminated with meeting the guys in Linkin Park.  I had also gotten into reading magazines like Hit Parader, Metal Edge, and Revolver and tearing out posters to put on my wall.  Interviews and pictures of Linkin Park just fueled my fanaticism.   

In 2002 they released Reanimation which was an album that included a lot of remixes of songs from Hybrid Theory and songs from their EP and extras like "High Voltage" and "My December."  The remixes weren't necessarily my style, but it tided me over until a new record came out.  I listened to it quite a bit at the time and as a result it also broadened my horizons and gave me a better appreciation for hip-hop and electronica DJs.  Around this time they started the Projekt Revolution tour which included Cypress Hill, Adema, and Snoop Dogg.  Let's not underestimate the importance of this for introducing more rap and hip-hop fans to rock (and vice versa).  Though outsiders don't see it as such, metal has always been a pretty open community and we started seeing more brown people proudly representing metal artists and coming to rock shows, due in large part to Linkin Park's influence.  Later the band would go on to make the Collision Course album with Jay-Z further bridging the crossover of genres of music and cross sections of society.

2003 brought the much anticipated Meteora.  This album had a lot of different package options, most of which included a "making of" DVD and a booklet with tagging and graffiti-inspired photos and artwork.  Songs included more hip-hop beats and rapping on tracks like "Lying From You" and "Hit the Floor" as well as some of their hardest rock bangers like "Faint" and "Numb."  The latter was a great example of the power Chester has, even in his "clean" vocals.  Emotion pours out of him and evokes a guttural rasp.  As if it were somehow supernaturally guided, my iTunes just went from playing Meteora to a song called "Morning After" that Chester wrote and sang.  I forgot I had this.  It almost sounds like STP and I can hear shades of Scott Weiland for sure.  

Minutes to Midnight was released in May 2007 after many months of delay.  The band had many more songs written and recorded then could ever be used for an album (perhaps some of these will see the light of day soon) so you know that this track list was deliberately put together.  Being produced by Rick Rubin meant that a lot of thought and expertise had gone into the making of this disc.  I actually remember the experience on May 14 going to Best Buy to purchase this album, returning to my car and peeling off the cellophane as the 40-something year old guy with leather boots and a mustache was getting into his car next to me and unwrapping the same cd.  The cd booklet (yes, I read them) opens with some comments about the writing and producing process in which the band says they wanted to stay true to who they were, but also challenge themselves and break new ground.  This was an interesting disc. We were post-Hurricane Katrina and in the middle of 43rd president George W. Bush's 8 year term and these factors certainly affected some of the lyrics and tone of this album.  In a track like "Bleed It Out" we have some of Chester's harshest screams backed by rhythmic clapping in the background.  We have the fast tempo harsh vocals on "Given Up" followed by the slow and somber "Leave Out All the Rest."  The latter song pales in comparison to the much stronger ballad "Shadow of the Day" that has a ridiculously brilliant melody that makes it hard not to sing along and a crescendo building pace that pays off with a simple guitar solo.  The final song, "The Little Things Give You Away" was written after visiting New Orleans post-Katrina. "Hands Held High" is an emotional rap over pipe organ and marching snare that directly addresses displeasure with Bush, his leadership, and his war.  This is juxtaposed with the last minute of the song in which Chester sings about opening one's hands to the sky as the vast ocean "swallow[s] you."  The imagery really I think is meant to calm the listener and point out how the vastness of our world is so much bigger than our problems.

A Thousand Suns released in 2010 lost me.  While M2M had some pop songs it also had depth and raw emotion.  This new record was meant to be genre-busting, according to the band, but I could not connect with the sounds or lyrics.  I refused to buy it and never listen to it.  I didn't buy 2012's Living Things either.  "Burn it Down" was the lead single and was heralded by some as sounding like old Linkin Park, but I didn't feel that at all.  It was the Bud Light version of Linkin Park.  I almost didn't buy Hunting Party, but after hearing reviews about how it was their most rocking album since their debut, I eventually relented.  I like it too, but it is nowhere as good as the first two albums.  "Keys to the Kingdom" let me know they were back.  Brad delivers with the rock guitars, Mike hits a cutting verse, and throughout the majority of the track Chester screams his heart out. "War" is one of their most up-tempo songs ever and features some cool guitar work as well.

One More Light felt like a slap in the face to old-school fans.  I didn't get it.  I refused to buy it because it was pure pop sounding.  Gone are the guitar riffs and heavy breakdowns that I love.  Its more keyboards, synthesizers, and drum machines.  As a fan, I thought the first single being titled "Heavy" would be a return-to-form for the band.  While the song has a good hook, it isn't too hard to see why many fans would be disappointed from a song that is in no way guitar-heavy.  Heavy obviously refers to the weight of depression.  Listening and looking back in hindsight after the tragedy, almost the whole album reads like a suicide note with tracks like "Talking to Myself," "Good Goodbye," and "Nobody Can Save Me."  Curiously, Chester is only given writing credits on "Heavy" and "Halfway Right," however, so it can't be completely autobiographical.  The song "Invisible" is inspirational in nature and is said to have been written (by Mike Shinoda) about fatherhood.  "One More Light" is a song written by Shinoda and British songwriter Eg White about their friend that passed from cancer.  When Chester sang it he often dedicated it to Chris Cornell and had trouble performing it fully without getting very emotional.  Now "One More Light" and "Sorry For Now" about death seem oddly prophetic.  The album certainly is a work of art and only time will tell how it is ultimately evaluated.

The current tour has been cancelled and the future of the band is uncertain.  I think even though Chester was the last member added, and was always different, that it would be hard for the band to continue under the same name.  He became an integral part of their sound and, in many ways, the face of the band.  The loss of Chester will be difficult stylistically, sonically, and of course emotionally.  It is possible the core could stay together, given their long 20 year history together. However, I think it is more likely that the band dissolves and splinters apart with Mike being the most likely to have a successful solo career or new band.  In the wake of his death, some people are referring to Chester as the voice of a generation.  While hyperbole to some, there is no doubting that Chester could sing a variety of styles from angelic melody to blood-curdling screams.  He was dynamic and emotive and a charismatic front man.  To many, he was their introduction to metal or hard rock music.  To many more he sang the songs that spoke to the hearts of millions of people from various demographics.  He was the lead singer of one of the most successful bands out of the nu-metal era.  In 2009 his side project called Dead By Sunrise (with members of Orgy/Julien-K) released an album called Out of Ashes.  In 2013 Chester replaced Scott Weiland as the official lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots. They recorded an EP with Chester and he toured with them for about two years before returning his focus back to Linkin Park.  Again, only time will determine his ultimate place in music history, but his loss will leave a huge void in the music industry.

AFI - Blood Tour June 2017

June 18, 2017 @ Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ I saw AFI on the second leg of their Blood Tour promoting their latest release AFI (The Blood Album).  I first saw AFI on the Warped Tour back in 2001 and instantly became a fan.  I was in a bit of a punk phase, but it was Davey's stage presence that first drew me in.  They were one of the most energetic bands on the stage.  Davey had a charisma that was obvious and he interacted well with the crowd.  He also stood out by climbing the stage rigging and singing from 25 feet in the air.  When they played Totalimmortal I thought it was one of the coolest songs I had ever heard and I was hooked.

Through the years their sound has changed and evolved.  They still have roots in punk, hardcore, and goth, but they have become more mainstream in many ways.  That isn't to say that they haven't continued to experiment and evolve.  When I first heard Sing the Sorrow in 2003 I was a little turned off.  I was shocked how different the sound was from the fast-paced punk of just a couple years earlier.  I thought the slower melodies and the almost muted guitar tones was sacrilegious.  I didn't like it.  After I gave it a chance, the album became one of my favorites.  They would play four songs off this album this night, not even making the cut are huge songs Leaving Song Part 2 and Girl's Not Gray from this disc.  They would also make me happy by bringing out Totalimmortal (only played on less than 15% of the dates this year).  Before that, a few notes on the openers.

I love to get to the venue early enough to hear all the bands.  I want the full experience.  I want to learn about new bands.  Frequently, I have been fortunate to hear a lot of good music and to discover bands that would become part of my regular rotation.  Unfortunately, this was not one of those nights.  The music started with a band called Souvenirs.  They were on the young side and they were slow, sleepy, and depressing.  I joked with my friends that my pen got confiscated at the door during the pat down because the venue didn't want me to have an instrument to harm myself during their set.  The second band was called Nothing.  I heard a few good things about them online, but my note to myself during their set was "nothing to see here."  Another boring band that didn't connect with the punk, the emo, the goth, or the rock elements of AFI in my opinion.  In fact, in over 100 concerts attended, I can't think of a worse combination of openers.  I usually get at least one that I like.

Finally, AFI went on and as you can see from the set list below they played a good mix of old and new tracks drawing from 8 different albums.  They played songs from 1999-2017 and only three off the latest album.  The crowd was chanting "Through our bleeding, we are one" before they took the stage.  This is from the opening of the 1999 album Black Sails in the Sunset.  I don't know if this influenced any of the song choices during the set, but Davey said how New Jersey has always been a great place for AFI to play.  I like to think that we earned that second encore of Totalimmortal.  Davey twice during the night came out to sing in the audience, the most notable during that song when he spent a good amount of time being held up by fans and singing from the crowd.

Strength Through Wounding
This Celluloid Dream
So Beneath You
Beautiful Thieves
Malleus Maleficarum
Rabbits Are Roadkill on Rt. 37
The Lost Souls
Aurelia
The Leaving Song
Of Greetings and Goodbyes
Silver and Cold
I Hope You Suffer
The Days of the Phoenix
Snow Cats
Miss Murder
Encore
6 to 8
Paper Airplanes (Makeshift Wings)
Encore 2
Totalimmortal

Chris Cornell and some new releases

So another rocker has been lost too soon.  This sentence is getting old real quick.  Chris died late last Wednesday night (technically pronounced dead at 1:30AM Thursday morning 5/18/17) in his hotel room the night after playing a Soundgarden gig.  The cause of death was apparently self-inflicted hanging, but his wife seems to think Ativan or other drugs are to blame.  Regardless of the cause, Chris was one of the most talented rock vocalists to ever live and his music touched millions.  I never had the pleasure of seeing him live in concert and now I never will.

Soundgarden is without a doubt one of the leaders of the grunge movement that began from Seattle's alternative rock scene.  They are arguably the most successful bands of the genre (selling over 22 million albums worldwide) and one of the most popular.  They also have more crossover appeal and a wider influence than most grunge bands, including Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains.

I first remember hearing about them in 1991 when "Jesus Christ Pose," the first single from Badmotorfinger came out and soon after the video was banned by MTV because of controversial religious imagery.  Subsequent singles "Outshined" and "Rusty Cage" established that this band was not going to be a flash in the pan.  In fact, they still stand up as two of their best songs to date.  From 1991-1992 Soundgarden opened for Guns 'N Roses on the Use Your Illusion tour, Skid Row on the Slave to the Grind Tour, and played Lollapalooza with Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers gaining fans along the way.

It wasn't until 1994's Superunknown that I really fell in love with the band, cemented by the song Black Hole Sun.  For some reason it was an earworm of a song and I remember playing it over and over in my mind on the ski slopes that year.  The song wasn't their heaviest.  It was slower than I usually like.  The video was freaky.  The song just touched a nerve and had a great hook and great resonance.  Spoonman, The Day I Tried to Live, and Fell on Black Days are also phenomenal.

Recent Releases (May 12-19)

Linkin Park - One More Light
I knew Linkin Park before their major label debut, Hybrid Theory, hit the stores.  I fell in love with them when I saw them tour for that album and I got to shake hands with the guys after the concert.  In my opinion, they perfected the rap-rock-metal hybrid with that first album.  I knew they would be multi-platinum.  Sadly, they have been veering further from the sound that made them famous in recent years.  This latest album sounds nothing, and I mean NOTHING, like any of their previous albums.  It is straight up pop-rock.  I can't even make it through one song, let alone a chunk of the album.  Chester's voice still sounds good, but this is nothing that I can bear to listen to.  Given Chester's recent comments I won't be supporting them again anytime soon; not until they get back to their roots and what made millions love them in the beginning.

Paramore - After Laughter
Basically I have the same criticism as for Linkin Park except that Paramore were never hard rock or metal.  They were punk though.  This album sounds like 80s pop.  I hate most 80s music.  With the exception of some pop artists, like Cyndi Lauper, you can take this music and shove it.

Seether - Poison the Parish
Seether just released their 6th major full length album. If you like their previous work, you should like this. If you're unsure, but you think a South African hybrid of Nirvana and Shinedown sounds intriguing, you should definitely give it a listen. This isn't their heaviest nor poppiest album. There's a good mix of sounds and influences here with a few more screams than on a typical Seether album.  This is the first disc to be fully produced by the band which lets them be a little more unbridled.  Standout tracks to me include Stoke the Fire, Against the Wall, Saviours, and Nothing Left.  Stoke the Fire is heavy with medium tempo and thick distortion.  To me it exemplifies the evolution of Seether's music with elements of grunge and metal, what some have dubbed nu-grunge.  This track has a screaming breakdown and outro which I would like to hear more of from Shaun in the future. Betray and Degrade is reminiscent of Country Song in the verses, but with more rock distortion in the choruses.  Varied guitar sounds from chugging power chords, to simple strumming can be found on this disc.

Papa Roach - Crooked Teeth
By now you should know who these guys are and you either love them or hate them.  I have been a fan since Last Resort and I've seen them 9 times and met the guys from the band who were very cool in person. "Break the Fall" starts the album off uncharacteristically with only strings which are soon disrupted by Jacoby's rapping verses followed by singing choruses.  Papa Roach seem to be keeping with their patented mix of vocal stylings on most subsequent tracks. "Born for Greatness" is a little more hip-hop influenced, with some dup-step beats and a big sing along refrain, complete with some echo effects and synthesizer sounds.  Their are contributions from rapper Machine Gun Kelly and singer/songwriter Skylar Grey who has worked with Fort Minor and co-wrote "Love the Way You Lie" with Eminem.  The Roach boys come with another anti-suicide anthem called "Help" that is all the social commentary of Last Resort, but lacking any of the angsty grit.  I'd say this album is a more radio-friendly version of the Papa Roach than I prefer, but it will tide me over and it is worth checking out if you are a fan of theirs.  The deluxe version of the album comes with three additional studio tracks and a bunch of live recordings as well.

Not Dank Memes, But Danko Jones: Recent releases and some on the horizon

So I was perusing the new releases as well as some metal albums that were on sale.  Some of what I came across was no better than just a clever name, like SpoonEye and Anal Trump.  Still, some stuff was worth picking up including Volbeat and Wage War for $5.99 each.




Here I'll give my opinion on some recent releases. Again, some rocked and some sucked.

I was really looking forward to this as their album Locked & Loaded was one of my favorites from a few years ago. Unfortunately, they allowed Zardonic to produce and heavily influence this album. He's an EDM dude and as a result they used electronic drums and the sound is a lot less hard rock. It sounds like a completely different band. I hope this was a one-off experiment and not the future direction of the band.


Bush - Black and White Rainbows

Last year I heard some teasers from this album and I was intrigued, but not chomping at the bit for the release. It's finally out. The lead single is called Mad Love. It has a very catchy hook "Still got mad love for you baby," which sounds like it could be an olive branch extended to divorcee Gwen Stefani. That being said, it is a much poppier song than Bush fans may be used to. The slow songs and pop influence continues on songs PeaceS, Lost In You, Nurse, The Beat of Your Heart, etc. Dystopia is the closest track to their classic alternative sound, but even that fails to deliver the rock payoff.


Danko Jones - Wild Cat

Lead track I Gotta Rock has good energy, a driving rhythm, and a fresh take on a nostalgic feeling of letting loose and rocking out. The flavor continues with My Little RnR with a throwback rhythm and blues vibe with attitude. Going Out Tonight brings back the faster tempo. It literally is good music for getting amped before a night out. You Are My Woman sounds like it could be a Thin Lizzy song, partly because the guitar riff is almost a rip off of Jailbreak, but also because of the cool vibe. Title track Wild Cat has cool staccato verses. I prefer their 2012 album Rock and Roll is Black and Blue a little more, but this album is certainly a shot in the arm for the resurrection of rock.

Darkest Hour - Godless Prophets and the Migrant Flora

This has to be one of the most interesting album titles. The music is pretty brutal. It's melodic death metal. Given that DH are no longer contractually obligated to a record label and that they collaborated with former guitarist Kris Norris on some of the tracks, this may be the most pure they have sounded in a long time. If it wasn't constant screaming, I could listen to a full album in one go. But then again it wouldn't be death metal now would it?


Emmure - Look at Yourself

Emmure has more industrial and nu-metal influences than Darkest Hour. They're originally from Connecticut and now reside in Queens, New York. Vocals range from growls to blood-curdling screams. After 9 years and 6 albums with Victory Records, they released their new album with an indy label, SharpTone Records. The only original member is vocalist Frankie Palmeri. I'm no connoisseur of the genre, but I think they may have put out their best overall album with this one.

Eve to Adam - Odyssey

I was really looking forward to this as their album Locked & Loaded was one of my favorites from a few years ago. Unfortunately, they allowed Zardonic to produce and heavily influence this album. He's an EDM dude and as a result they used electronic drums and the sound is a lot less hard rock. It sounds like a completely different band. I hope this was a one-off experiment and not the future direction of the band.

Coming Soon

Art of Anarchy - The Madness; March 24

This is a rock supergroup made of twin brothers Jon and Vince Votta on guitar and drums respectively, bassist Jon Moyer of Disturbed, and former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Bumblefoot. Their first album had Scott Weiland on vocals... Looking to replace Scott they must've said to themselves, "Who can we get that is crazier?" The answer is Scott Stapp. You may remember a crazy story from 2015 where he disappeared from his home and basically held himself for ransom. He posted videos where he threatened harm to his family members. About a month later he claimed he was a CIA agent on a mission to kill president Obama. Scott has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is now apparently receiving treatment and is on the mend. I previewed four songs from the forthcoming album and I gotta say that they sound pretty good. There are definitely influences from Disturbed on Echo of a Scream. No Surrender sounds like it could be a Godsmack song and then there is a G'NR-esque guitar solo. On Changed Man Scott sings passionately "I had to crash and burn to finally see the light" and begs "will you take me as I am? I'm not who I used to be. Give me one more chance because I'm a changed man; your love is all I need."


Incubus - 8; April 21

I heard Nimble Bastard on the radio and I didn't recognize it was Incubus, but I was like, I gotta check these guys out and then the DJ said who it was. Glitterbomb is also available to preview on iTunes and while slower it sounds more like vintage Incubus. It has been a while since they put out an album and I am definitely interested in what the rest of it will sound like.


New Found Glory - Makes Me Sick; April 28

They are without their founding rhythm guitarist and primary lyricist, Steve Klein, on this one. Released track Happy Being Miserable would suggest they haven't lost much from their signature power pop sound.


At the Drive-In - Interalia; May 5

They are reunited again. Governed by the Contagions sounds very Mars Volta influenced to me. Incurably Innocent is more in line with their post-hardcore sound. I'm digging what I'm hearing. This one will be interesting.


Seether - Poison the Parish; May 12

Since they are one of my favorite bands, I'm sure to pick this one up. The only released track so far is Let You Down and it has the chugging guitar and raspy grunge-like vocals that sounds familiar for this band. It's not their most rocking track, but I still have high hopes for the rest.


Linkin Park - One More Light; May 19

The released tracks Heavy and Battle Symphony confirm that this band is nothing like they were before. I am all for evolving your sound, but these are straight up pop songs. There is barely any guitars audible on these tracks! It is a disgrace to their rock fans and I can only imagine it is an attempt to cash in with the fans of adult contemporary music. At this point, they've sold out more than Metallica.

Concerts I've attended 2000 - 2017

See a list of all the concerts I've been to here

Top 30 albums influencing my teens

This is a topic that I've seen shared on Facebook and thought would be serving the same purpose as the albums that "rocked my world" that I had been thinking about.  The following albums will be ones that were influential to me in my teens.  First of all, my teens were were Nov. 1993-Nov. 2000.  Most of the albums that most influenced me at this time will have been released during my teen years with a couple of older ones that I was discovering or playing a lot.  Further, influential means they had an impact on me and aren't necessarily the best ones of the decade.  Also, they're albums so they have to be more than two listenable tracks deep.  The older ones were most likely discovered by going through my dad's vinyl collection. The ones that were from the teen years were most likely purchased by me.  We had just gotten a cd player and I was snatching up cds via Columbia House!  I'm also going to stick to the rule of one album per artist for this list.

Here's my top 30 influences in my teens:

Cracked Rear View - Hootie & the Blowfish
Pinkerton - Weezer
Under the Table and Dreaming - Dave Matthews Band
Dookie - Green Day
American Standard - Seven Mary Three
Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette
Tragic Kingdom - No Doubt
Superunknown - Soundgarden
2001 - Dr. Dre
The Colour & the Shape - Foo Fighters
Innocent Man - Billy Joel
Get A Grip - Aerosmith
Stay Hungry - Twisted Sister
Sixteen Stone - Bush
Throwing Copper - Live
Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
Yourself or Someone Like You - Matchbox 20
Eve 6 - Eve 6
Sehnsucht - Rammstein
Straight On Till Morning - Blues Traveler
February Son - Oleander
Chamber Music - Coal Chamber
Make Yourself - Incubus
Enema of the State - Blink 182
Doggystyle - Snoop Doggy Dogg
Purple - Stone Temple Pilots
II - Boys II Men
Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life - Jay Z
Follow the Leader - Korn
Better Life - 3 Doors Down

All of these were influential for one reason or another and many of them I still play today.  If you want to know more about how they were influential or to share stories about bands on this list, please comment and let me know.  After my teens my music taste and library was expanding exponentially!  The two main reasons for this was Napster and my college friend Bill Bottino.  Bill introduced me to a lot of nu-metal bands like Deftones, Papa Roach, Staind, etc. and took me to my first concert.  After that I was hooked!  120 concerts later, I'm still going to a handful of shows a year.  Keep on rockin!