Wratfest '19 featuring Breaking Benjamin et.al.

My latest concert event was promoted by 105.5 WDHA and 95.9 WRAT and dubbed Wratfest 2019. It featured Breaking Benjamin with support from Chevelle, Three Days Grace, Dorothy, and Diamante. I had seen the top three bands before, but Chevelle and Breaking Benjamin are two of my all-time favorites so I was excited to see them again. I had also heard about Dorothy and Diamante from songs on SiriusXM's Octane channel, and so I was curious to see how they would be in a live setting. All the performers were really solid. This concert did not stick out for me as one of the best musically, but it will stand out for the unique experience that it was. First, I scored great seats about 10 rows from the stage. Further, the performance of Breaking Benjamin was special because lead singer Ben is from New Jersey and he really went out of the way to connect with the fans.

After a sizeable walk from lot 8, I was pleased that although the first band had started, I hadn't missed the entire set. In fact, when I got to amphitheater, Diamante was performing "Hear Me Now" which is actually a Bad Wolves song that features her singing.  Bad Wolves opened for Breaking Benjamin last year and had one of my top 10 albums of 2018.  Diamante Azzura Bovelli has been a solo artist since 2014, but I wasn't familiar with her until this single was heavily featured on Octane.  She has a strong voice and her blue hair looked awesome on stage.   She finished with Haunted which is one of her hardest rocking songs, which I enjoyed.

Next up was another band named for it's female lead singer, Dorothy.  Dorothy Martin has a more soulful style of singing, however, she also has power. The band blends blues, country, and rock with elements of a throw-back style made new. I was most familiar with the song "Raise Hell" from hearing it on Octane. Other standouts are current single, "Who Do You Love," 'Down to the Bottom', and "Flawless" which reminds me of the chorus to Train's "Calling All Angels" with a rock-country twist. A couple of songs into the set, Dorothy asked the crowd to stand. Most people obliged and I think it helped increase the energy for the band and the audience. Before the show I had watched a couple of her videos on YouTube and noticed that her hairstyle and color changes, but it is usually dark and wavy. To my surprise this night, it was a lighter shade of brown, long, and very straight. Dorothy also wore a wide brimmed hat for the entire performance. This is not my typical go-to music, but I like the bluesy roots and new rock attitude. This is a band to watch.

Three Days Grace was third. I could have sworn that I saw Three Days Grace at a festival years ago, but according to my concert list of 145 concerts attended, I have not seen them before. Three Days Grace blew up in 2003-2004 with their self-titled debut album with the singles "I Hate Everything About You," "Just Like You," and "Home." The 2006 follow up One-X, featured four singles "Animal I Have Become," "Pain," "Never Too Late" and "Riot." They played all of these along with "Break" and "The Good Life from 2009's Life Starts Now and "Infra-Red" from 2018's Outsider. Since 2013, Matt Walst, has been the lead singer. He had great energy on stage and the entire band sounded great with a 45 minute set full of hits.

Chevelle was in the penultimate position. They played about a 45 minute set also with a good mix of tunes off of seven of their eight studio albums. They opened with "Young Wicked" off their latest album The North Corridor. It's a good song, but I don't love it as an opener. They followed that up with the Clincher, which is one of my favorites. Pete messed up the lyrics a little bit, maybe because they don't play this one as much anymore. He apologized and said they'd have to come back and play it correctly. Then came "Jars", "Send the Pain Below", and "An Island" which are all headbangers. Then came two more from Corridor, "Door to Door Cannibals" and Joyride" and I thought it slowed down the set momentum. "Face to the Floor", "the Red," "Comfortable Liar," and "I Get It" rounded things out pretty well. Pete made a couple humorous comments about the age of some of their songs. Before they played "the Red" he said that they "just came out with it" and "I hope this one climbs the charts." It is in fact from 2002 and got a ton of radio and MTV airplay when it came out. Having seen them for the 9th time, I've seen a few more sets that excited me more, but Chevelle are great. They thanked the fans and thanked all the other bands on the tour.

Finally, Breaking Benjamin came out and played for an hour and a half. After a couple of songs they took a pause to invite a bunch of kids and their parents to join the VIPs on a set of risers on either side of the stage. Later Ben would go up to each one and play guitar with them. The other guys gave away guitar picks. They played 16 songs drawing from each of their 6 studio albums. The middle of the set also featured a medley of the Imperial March from Star Wars, Pantera's Cowboys From Hell, Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, Metallica's Enter Sandman, and Rage Against the Machine's Bulls on Parade. Not only was this a fun interlude, but what struck me most was how well Ben easily transitioned vocally from grunge to Freddie Mercury to rap. His Zach DeLaRocha impression was pretty awesome. You can find video of this on my FB page, but my iPhone 6 isn't going to do it justice. On a few other songs, Ben has his guitarists sing. Both of the other guys are quite capable, but Ben has such an amazing vocal range and tone that I, personally, don't want anyone else singing lead. The other major takeaway from this show was that Ben really connected with the audience. He talked about being born in Atlantic City and raised in Ocean County until he was 15. Besides the aforementioned interaction with the children, he also covered all parts of the stage and came out into the crowd more than I have ever seen him do. In fact, he played the last three songs off stage completely. He started to come up my aisle at one point and I was excited because on was on the end of the row, but people jammed the walkway and he couldn't come up to my row. Later he entered the crowd from the opposite aisle and was able to penetrate further. Then he worked his way across the row in front of me. He stopped in the middle of the seats to sing "Rain." You could tell he was getting emotional and tearing up a bit. After that he again thanked the crowd for supporting him, BB, the tour, and rock music in general. He thanked all the bands again (he had done it from the stage too). Then he made his way right by me and I thanked him and gave him a fist bump! Then he started singing "Diary of Jane" right in front of me and walked further up my aisle to finish. I caught a pick from the stage and my awesome time had come to a conclusion. I dare say they sounded tighter the other times I saw them, including headlining PNC last year, however, this was a special show and cemented them as one of my all time favorites.

See video on my YouTube page and please comment and share my blog post.  

Wisconsin Death Trip 20th Anniversary; Wayne Static tribute tour

The first concert I attended was Static-X with Dope and Powerman 5000.  That show, and Static-X in particular, would spark my interest in heavier music and attending live concerts.  My first and only appearance on television was with Static-X as they walked through the parking lot alongside patrons on line to the Family Values 2001 concert at Continental Airlines Arena.  143 shows later I attended Wayne Static's tribute tour, also celebrating 20 years since the release of their platinum album, Wisconsin Death Trip.  Some have criticized this tour as a cash grab, but I think the evidence shows that the band members are honoring Wayne with this tour.  First of all, they asked for the blessing of Wayne's family to do this.  Next, all three original members (Tony Campos, bassist; Koichi Fukuda, lead guitar; Ken Jay, drums) have all been in successful bands since, most notably Tony being in Soulfly, Fear Factory, and Ministry.  The lead singer for the current tour hasn't been named a permanent replacement, and in fact, hasn't been named at all.  He goes by the name Xer0, and wears a mask and big hair in the style of Wayne.  At first I thought it might be Dez (Devildriver, Coal Chamber) because he could pull off the vocals and it would be easy, though a demanding job, if he was already on tour with them.  The prevailing public theory is that it is Edsel Dope behind the mask, however, he doesn't have the same vocal range and Xer0 looks taller than Edsel.  Finally, I don't think it is just a reunion for money because an album, Project Regeneration, was planning to be released at the beginning of 2019 featuring several guest singers, but when more studio recordings of Wayne Static were uncovered, the band pushed back the release to late summer and rewrote songs to incorporate Wayne's vocals.  It seems as if they are doing everything they can to honor Wayne.  The future of the band is unclear.  Here's my recap of a special evening.

First up was a local, unsigned, New Jersey band called Gathering After Ashes.  They have three guitarists along with the bassist, drummer, and singer.  The multiple guitars gives them a full sound.  However, I didn't hear a shredding soloist, nor a dual or triple guitar attack like that in some heavy metal bands.  This band was straightforward hard rock.  They have some elements of blues, grunge, and modern rock.  The singer is solid, although I think at times he puts on a style which at times reminded me of Scott Stapp or Scott Weiland.  Their set got the crowd banging their heads and pumping their fists.  I would definitely see these guys again.

Next up was Raven Black, a dark metal theatrical band out of California that has been around since 2012.  Lead singer Raven is said to be half-human and half doll; she can croon and growl with equal command.  A Voodoo "Doctor," demon "Muppet," and guitarist "Stitches" round out the group.  They all have painted faces and certainly have the ability to command a stage.  They are seasoned and well produced, working with Grammy nominated producer Ulrich Wild since 2014.  I don't think their songs are as strong as female-fronted bands like Stitched Up Heart, nor are they as theatrical as In This Moment.  However, I was still entertained and they could remain a fun opening act or even get bigger if they work on song construction.

Third was Wednesday 13, featuring the eponymous lead singer, formerly of Murderdolls.  I have wanted to see Wednesday's solo band since the Murderdolls broke up.  I have also read reviews that spoke very highly of his shows.  The band looked and sounded great.  Wednesday was covered in black body paint with flourescent glow-in-the-dark face paint.  The set only lasted 20 minutes, though.  Before they finished up Wednesday apologized for the delay getting started saying "We had some issues getting the sound right; shit happens."

After another set change came Dope.  They were officially the first band that I ever saw live, at Roseland Ballroom on February 28, 2000.  That honor should have gone to Chevelle, but due to extremely long lines outside the venue, and security that moved us to the other side of the building after people started filling the streets, we missed the opener that night.  My friend warned me that Dope was "dirty, like, scuzzy dirty."  He wasn't wrong, but tongue-in-cheek songs like "Everything Sux" and their industrialized cover versions of "F**k tha Police and You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) were pretty fun.  I think their 2005 and 2009 albums were their heaviest and strongest.  Fast forward to 2019, and after several lineup changes, Edsel's twin, Simon, has not returned since 2002, but guitarists Acey Slade and Virus have returned.  This night they played several of their better known songs including Blood Money, 6-6-Sick, Addiction, and You Spin Me Round.

I had previously seen the co-headliners, Devildriver, on Ozzfest 2004 and 2007, however, that was a long time ago and in a much different setting.  Being in a small concert hall instead of an open air festival was awesome.  The band's power punches you in the face.  I remember them being good, but on this night I felt that they were truly something special.  Dez had his long locks dyed blond and looked like a rock God on stage as they ripped through their set.  In addition to some heavy hitters of their own, during their hour long set they also played "Loco" and "Fiend" to delight of the crowd and me.

Headliners Static-X played for over an hour, and while Wisconsin Death Trip was heavily featured in the set, they also included hits "Get to the Gone, Black and White, This Is Not, and Start A War."  As previously stated, the singer's identity has not been confirmed.  He definitely looked taller than either Dez or Edsel and in an interview he said he knew Wayne for about 15 years while Edsel would have known him for 20.  He certainly did a good job and sounded like a good fit.  I have to say that his voice didn't quite match the rasp and grit of Wayne's, and I definitely missed Wayne's mannerisms like the way he would strum his guitar or the way he would subtly tilt his head with the song melody.  The rest of the band is not very charismatic, although Tony and Koichi were smiling and gesturing to the crowd, and looked to be having a lot of fun.  Ken does not draw much attention to himself behind the kit, but the playing was solid.  The LED screens on stage flashed the band's insignia, lyrics, and several pictures of Wayne and the other band members.  Before the last song, Tony expressed his thanks for the crowd showing up and supporting them over the years.  He said that he missed Wayne and believes that he was with us in spirit and having fun watching us celebrate his life and music.

Personally, I was grateful to be able to see this tour, especially having just come back into the country after a trip to the Azores.  It brought back a lot of fond memories of my past concert experiences as well as adding to them.  I don't think Static-X should continue under that name.  It could be done tastefully if they keep all three remaining original members and unmask the lead singer.

Shred Till You're Dead and Episode III Tours

My first post in a few months brings you a review of my last two concert experiences and highlights some lesser-known hard rock bands.  Last night I went to Starland Ballroom to see Falling in Reverse, Ice Nine Kills, and From Ashes to New.  I had heard each of these bands on SiriusXM's Octane channel, but I didn't think FIR was big enough to headline.  I may have been mistaken as the show was nearly sold out and the venue was more packed than I have seen for a rock show in quite some time.  On April 13, I saw another show with a headliner I was less familiar with; the lineup included Alesana, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Veer Union, Avoid, Alive in Barcelona, and Cinema 23 all for $20 at One Center Square in Easton, Pa.

May 3 @ Starland
Some online sources said 7PM start and my ticket said 6PM, but since Starland doesn't always start on time and I was exhausted from the week, I decided to take a little nap before the show and ended up getting there just after 7.  Even though the show had started, it still took a few minutes to go through the line.  Ever since they started having people empty pockets and go through metal detectors, the check in process is so slow.  Unfortunately, I entered the venue right when the screen was coming down signaling the end of the set for New Year's Day.  I would have liked to see a little from them.  It was then I discovered that the beer prices have gone up again.  One $8 Guinness is all that I would have.  I'm not off to a great start.

From Ashes to New started with just drums and a rapper.  The beat was pretty hard and the rap had a good flow.  Then they were joined by a guitarist and another vocalist and the music started to rock.  The other vocalist, a blonde guy, stuck to "clean" singing.  The dark haired singer stuck to rap-style singing.  In that way they reminded me of Mike and Chester from Linkin Park.  Unfortunately, that's where the comparison ends.  They lacked the dynamic songwriting and raw emotion of Linkin Park.  They had good energy and the stage lighting was like that of a veteran band.  However, they came off a little hokey using every gimmick in the book including hand waving, asking for phones to be lit up, and even asking the crowd to get low and then jump up.  Pretty much everyone on the floor obliged, but I didn't think that the songs warranted that level of crowd participation.  I wanted to like them, and although they have talent and the stage presence was good, the songs didn't rock hard enough for me.  The drummer sometimes used an electronic drum pad, and when he did, the sound fell flat.  It added nothing.  He sounded good on the kit so I don't understand what the drum pad was necessary.  If I were giving them advice, I'd say lose the drum pad and add a bass player and maybe another guitar player.

Ice Nine Kills was up next.  They are heavily inspired by horror movies, so when the stage crew wore masks, a mic stand got a red "It" balloon, and the lead singer came out in a Freddy Krueger outfit I was thinking, now we're gonna see some stuff!  The band did not disappoint.  They had even better energy and musicianship than the previous band.  In fact, I was especially impressed with the strength of the backup and lead vocals.  The lead singer, Spencer Charnas, has a polished singing voice and great growls and screams mixed in.  Each of the guitar players also contribute vocals which lend harmonies or provide additional dynamics to the melodies.  Crowd surfers were pretty constant, including some females and children.  At various points Spencer wielded a broad sword and an ax.  When he was held up by the crowd I got the picture below which reminded me of a similar shot I took of Davey Havok (AFI) nearly two years prior.  This band could get big.  I'll have to check out some of their previous releases.  I suggest you start with their current album, the Silver Scream.  Standout tracks for me were "American Nightmare" and "A Grave Mistake."

An interlude which included somebody passing out and multiple guys getting kicked out for fighting reminded me of my early days of concert going.  Most of the crowd seemed cool and I liked that the people in the pit would hold up lost shoes, phones, and keys to help them find their rightful owners.  It felt like the venue switched from heat to air conditioning which was necessary due to the heat being released from all the bodies and equipment.  Finally, the closers Falling In Reverse came out.  Though I didn't know them well, a bunch of people in the crowd were singing along to songs like "I'm Not a Vampire" and "Bad Girls Club," including a bunch of female fans.  Lead singer, Ronnie Radke, was formerly the singer of Escape the Fate who, incidentally, I didn't learn of until after Ronnie was fired and they released their 2010 self titled album.  Falling in Reverse is not as hardcore.  Their songs are diverse and cover genres of rock, pop-punk, screamo, post-hardcore, hip-hop and electronica.  In fact, their latest single "Drugs" has several of these elements in one song.  Corey Taylor also contributes guest vocals on the album track and appears in the video.  The numerous lineup changes are likely part of the reason for the range of sounds, but it also appears that the driving force is Ronnie not wanting to be nailed down by any genre and just letting his artistry come out in various ways.  Last night he said that it meant a lot to him that the crowd was responding to the new band, and admitted he is doing different music and is a different person than he was in the past.  I enjoyed Ice Nine Kills' set better and I don't think Falling in Reverse will ever be one of my favorite bands, however, I think they are entertaining and are a legit player in today's evolving rock scene.

April 13 @ One Center Square
This was an early birthday present for my sister and the second time we both went to this venue in Bethlehem, PA.  It is a nice intimate venue with general admission standing.  There's kind of a rectangle shape floor space in front of the stage, going back to a raised level with a bar in the back, and then a second floor with a balcony and chain-link fence area where you can look down on the stage.  The upstairs is also where they host merchandise tables.  It is nice because each band is able to be spread out and lines are never an issue.  The downsides are that both times we went to One Center Square the floor was sticky from the opening act, and this time the sound man had issues that would be a recurring problem this night.

The first band up called themselves Cinema 23.  I got the impression that they were a local opener, but I can't confirm this since I can't find anything about them online.  They were a pop-punk band with two singers and two guitarists.  It was not a bad way to start, but they weren't anything special.  A couple of microphones were feeding back, especially inbetween songs.  This would be the beginning of the sound issues.  The second band was Alive in Barcelona.  They're from Spokane, WA and are more straight up rock.  I thought they were good.  They're pretty polished and tight.  The drummer's talent stood out to me, especially on a track called "Back to Life."  Their current single "Zombies" is pretty cool, but I think what they are lacking is raw emotion.  I hope they continue to get bigger and work on the songwriting and connecting with the audience.

The crowd was filling up and it looked mostly like college aged kids.  There were pretty much representatives from every "scene."  There was the emo kids, the nerds, the frat boys, the grunge kids, the ones with excessive tattoos and piercings, and a girl in a wheelchair.  Everyone had come out to play.  The next band, Avoid, definitely had the emotion that the previous band lacked.  They were also more hardcore, with heavier bass & guitars and screaming vocals.  They weren't bad, but it became comical when lead singer, Benny Scholls, kept yelling "let's open this shit up" when there were literally only two people slam dancing.  Shout out to the Asian dude with the long, silky locks.

Next up was one of the main bands I wanted to see, Veer Union.  I had previously seen them at Stanhope House where they rocked hard.  They were also great guys that signed all my merch.  They were having some issues with the sound monitors that delayed the start of the set.  Lead singer, Crispin Earl, said that their day had not been going well.  Earlier, they were stopped at a rest stop when a tractor trailer backed into their parked RV.  Thankfully nobody got hurt.  After the first song, which sounded pretty good, the guitars lost power.  Crispin filled time by asking if it was anyone's birthday and then we sang Happy Birthday, to some guy.  That's being a pro onstage and making the best out of the situation.  Once sound was restored they were able to play a few more songs in an abbreviated set.  They closed with a medley of Linkin Park songs, in dedication to Chester.  The crowd was into it and singing along so it was a cool moment.  An acoustic version of "Numb" can be found on the band's 2018 Decade II: Rock & Acoustic album.  After the set I went upstairs to the merch booth to buy a shirt, which for $40 also came with two discs and a poster.  I also got pictures with Crispin and drummer Ricardo, which was something I neglected to do in my excitement the first time I saw them.

Fifth up was Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, another band that I made the trip to see.  This was my third time seeing RJA.  The first was at a festival where their sound was crap and speakers kept going out.  Last time was at Stanhope House where they played their entire Don't You Fake It album for the 10 year anniversary.  That was spectacular.  This time they were also great and I got to hear a varied set list with some old and newer songs.  I didn't think the singer, Ronnie Winter, was on his best game, but he wasn't bad either.  The band sounded tight and I was especially impressed with the lead guitar work of Josh Burke.  He doesn't have a lot of solo opportunities in the songs of RJA, but when he does have his chance, he really shreds.  It sounded like he was doing some ad-libbing too.

The headliners were Alesana.  I didn't know much about them going int except that they were kind of post-hardcore hard rock.  They had a pretty rocking sound and the crowd was into it.  The singer mostly screamed, and while I don't mind that sometimes, I don't like when you can't understand the lyrics.  Furthermore, after a while all the songs sounded the same.  Not a bad band, but my sister and I didn't make it to the last song.  All in all, it was a worthwhile trip and a fun time out.  I hope they can work on the sound system and keep bringing in national rock acts at that venue.

Top 10 Hard Rock Albums of 2018

Last year was a lackluster year for new rock and left my list pretty diverse as I scrounged for 10 list-worthy albums.  This year it was a lot harder narrowing it down to my top 10 and figuring out the order.  The top two were a no brainer, but some surprises made the top 5 and some that I was highly anticipating didn't even make the cut.  That's a good problem to have if you are a rock fan!  Check out my top picks and then sink your teeth into the honorable mention category.  Let me know if you think I left something out.

1. Judas Priest - Firepower
2. Nonpoint - X
3. Tremonti - A Dying Machine
4. Devour the Day - Signals
5. Bad Wolves - Disobey
6. Slash - Living the Dream
7. Senses Fail - If There Is Light, It Will Find You
8. Palisades - Erase the Pain
9. Breaking Benjamin - Ember
10. Greta Van Fleet - Anthem of the Peaceful Army

Approaching their 50th anniversary, Judas Priest show that they've still got it.  They put out a killer album that shows their vintage sound on some songs along with some more modern metal interpretations within the 14 tracks of Firepower. Read more about my thoughts here.  Nonpoint continue to deliver some of the best alternative metal music of the new millenium and are also establishing their dominance with their 10th studio album.  My review of X-Deluxe.

Tremonti continues to be one of the most prolific hard rock guitarists and with his fourth solo album he delivers the goods again.  It may be his most dynamic solo effort to date with some driving songs (Bringer of War), some shredding solos (A Lot Like Sin, Desolation), and some more pop-oriented anthems (Trust, The First the Last).  One of the things I've noticed is that although his singing range is limited, the choruses have gotten bigger and make you want to sing along (From the Sky).  The drumming also impressed me on this album.  About the only thing I didn't like was the album closer which is an instrumental of mostly ambient noise.

Devour the Day is made up of a few former members of Egypt Central and a former drummer of Bury Your Dead. They are signed to Razor & Tie Records which has had an impressive list of artists and some of the best hard rock bands in recent years. The album, Signals, is the third release from Devour the Day and it just sounds to me like a fresh take on hard rock that is desperately needed these days. There's melody, there's meaningful lyrics, and there's tight musicianship in their songs. The vocals are mostly clean singing (so you can actually understand them), but there are enough screams and breakdowns that you can still release some pent-up crazy.  I hear interesting components reminiscent of of everything from Helmet to Trust Company to Pantera in their songs on this disc. Definitely check it out.

Bad Wolves is a supergroup with vocalist Tommy Vext (ex-Snot), drummer John Boecklin (ex-DevilDriver), lead guitarist Doc Coyle (ex-God Forbid), rhythm guitarist Chris Cain (ex-Bury Your Dead) and bassist Kyle Konkiel (ex-In This Moment, ex-Scar the Martyr, Vimic). They are managed by Zoltan Bathory of Five Finger Death Punch. They live up to the supergroup moniker by blending sounds influenced by punk, industrial, thrash, nu-metal, and even the Cranberries. Their cover of Zombie was supposed to feature Delores O'Riordan before her tragic death. The album delivers a lot more than that one song. If you like the crossover sound, it also features a song with Diamante. I saw them open for 5FDP and Breaking Benjamin and was really impressed with their live performance.

I previously reviewed Slash's latest album here and Breaking Benjamin's Ember here.


Honorable Mentions
AFI - The Missing Man - EP
Alice In Chains - Rainier Fog
All That Remains - Victim of the New Disease
Architects - Holy Hell
Atreyu - In Our Wake
Beartooth - Disease
Black Label Society - Grimmest Hits
Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
Dee Snider - For the Love of Metal
Disturbed - Evolution
Escape the Fate - I Am Human
Fever 333 - Made An America
Five Finger Death Punch - And Justice For None (Deluxe)
From Ashes to New - The Future
Ghost - Prequelle
Godsmack - When Legends Rise
Halestorm - Vicious
High on Fire - Electric Messiah
Ice Nine Kills - The Silver Scream
Immerse - Suffer
Jungle Rot - Jungle Rot
Light the Torch - Revival (Vocalist Howard Jones' new band)
Monster Truck - True Rockers
Ocean - Phenerozoic I: Palaeozoic
P.O.D. - Circles
Red Sun Rising - Thread

Saxon - Thunderbolt

Sevendust - All I See Is War

Sleep - The Sciences

Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1

Soulfly - Ritual

Turnstile - Time & Space

Blues Traveler is back

Blues Traveler - Hurry Up and Hang Around album review

Whoa, where did this come from?  I didn't hear anything about this album dropping.  Their last album was three years ago and was a weird assemblage of collaborations with pop artists.  The one before that was 2012's Suzie Cracks the Whip which had its moments, but sounded like Blues Traveler was caught between trying to find radio success and following their roots.  This new album that I randomly stumbled upon doing one of my iTunes browses is entitled Hurry Up and Hang Around and sounds like their best work since 1997's Straight On Till Morning.

First of all, this music is much more mellow than the things that normally are the subject of my blog posts.  However, I love me some blues rock, John Popper plays the hell out of the harmonica, and I'm sure some of my readers like this kind of music too.  I saw Blues Traveler only once in Montclair in 2011 and they were phenomenal.  These days John is much healthier than when he first had breakout success with "Runaround" and "Hook" in 1994.  The Princeton High School graduate and his bandmates are still putting out some great stuff.  Okay, here's my first take on the new tracks:

1. Accelerated Nation - as the name alludes to, this is the fastest song on the album and it's about the fast paced lifestyle of most Americans these days.  This song should have mass appeal despite it not sounding like most stuff on the radio.

2. She Becomes My Way - If Billy Joel and Keith Urban had a baby, and that baby possessed John Popper's voice and musicianship, it would make this song.  Just listen.  It's a romantic song.

3. The Touch She Has - This song has funky keyboard and bass reminiscent of 60's & 70's soul rock.  It also follows a classic story of a smitten kitten.

4. When You Fall Down - A fun, finger-snapping song about partying.

5. The Wolf is Bumpin' - a bluesy rock diddy with funky bass lines, some organ accents and harmonica.  It's about knocking boots, or at least trying to.

6. Daddy Went a Giggin - Based around the rhythm of "Froggy Went a Courtin" this is a fun song about fishing, slaying dragons, and other heroic daddy stuff.  It's mostly mellow except for faster tempo harmonica solos.

7. Tangle of Our Dreaming - a more straightforward pop-rock track that sounds like it is about a crush/love, but the lyrics are fairly open to interpretation as they are purposely vague.

8. More Than Truth - a slow jam driven by simple bass lines.  This sounds like it is about learning from a past relationship as John sings "In the end I see; lonelier than I had to be; much more than truth will set you free."

9. Prayer Upon the Wind - a faster tempo than the previous two songs, but with a very light singing style over a quickly strummed acoustic guitar.  I think this one is about moving on from a lost love.

10. Miss Olympus - a jazzy blues song about trying to tempt a woman who may be unattainable because she is in a relationship.

11. Phone Call From Leavenworth - a mid-tempo keyboard-centric song.  The most famous Leavenworth is in Kentucky where there is an army base, but there is also a Leavenworth in Indiana, Minnesota, and Washington.

12. Ode from the Aspect - this is a slower ballad, but one with power and drama (and some musical progressions) reminiscent of Adele's Someone Like You.  It's an interesting track and a unique one for Blues Traveler.  It marks the opposing pillar from the first track, bookending nicely.

True Rockers - some new releases Fall 2018

As Dee Snider says making a guest appearance on Monster Truck's "True Rocker," rock and roll is not dead.  It's true that it is much harder to find on the radio waves.  However, revenue from live concerts is up.  Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Guns N' Roses have experienced a twilight in nostalgia success.  U2 and Coldplay continue to be among the highest grossing tours.  Breaking Benjamin is commanding $50 a ticket at Starland Ballroom in December.  Wait a minute!  I just saw BB with Five Finger Death Punch, Nothing More, and Bad Wolves for that price.  Granted, the last time I saw BB in a small venue they blew my mind, but I don't know if I want to pay that much when the support acts aren't proven and it's on a weeknight to boot.

In any case, I wanted to highlight a few recent releases that prove that rock isn't dead.  First, the aforementioned Monster Truck.  They just dropped their third album last month entitled True Rockers.  This is a blues-based rock band from Ontario, Canada with incredible groove and a ridiculously talented singer.  The best aspects of their first two albums are highlighted on the new release.  "Undone" is a slower song with electric organ and background vocals reminiscent of great 70's rock.  "Thunderstruck" is an up-tempo jam and "Hurricane" is a toe-tapping sing-along monster.  In my opinion, these guys really blend classic rock of old with grunge rock of more recent times and bring it to the present with a freshness and furiosity that few bands have.

Also coming out last month was another solo album from Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators entitled Living the Dream.  Those who follow my posts know that I am in awe of Myles on the mic and on the guitar.  In addition, he has been one of the most prolific rock artists in the 2000s.  Songs like "Serve You Right" exemplify the powerful vocals of Myles that are able to carry the melody in between signature riffs from Slash.  On this album you'll find more straightforward rockers like "Read Between the Lines" and more ballady songs like "The One You Loved is Gone" and "The Great Pretender."  If you are a fan of songs like "Anastasia" I think you'll love this album too.

For some more modern metal tunes, you might like the new one from Beartooth called Disease.  This album seems more accessible to the masses than 2014's Disgusting and 2016's Aggressive.  Many will enjoy the more commercial appeal.  For me, the style of starting with slower melody clean singing building to a faster breakdown of increased intensity gets a little repetitive.  Still, I think this band is great and there are songs like "Manipulation" that make me bang my head.  "Fire" is a moshpit inducer.

Upcoming releases of interest:

10/12

Atreyu - In Our Wake 

10/19

Disturbed - Evolution

Greta Van Fleet - Anthem of the Peaceful Army

10/26
Chevelle - 12 Bloody Spies: B-sides and Rarities
Devour the Day - Signals

11/9
All That Remains - Victim of the New Disease
Architects - Holy Hell
Muse - Simulation Theory

11/16
Chris Cornelle (Deluxe edition)
P.O.D. - Circles
Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol.1

Nonpoint - X - Album Review

Nonpoint "X" (Spinefarm Records, August 24, 2018)

I've written about Nonpoint before and I've been a fan of them since my first listen to their major debut Statement back in 2000.  Since then I've seen them live 9 times and they've put out 9 more albums.  They are unquestionably one of my favorite bands.  Although only two original members remain, the current lineup has been together for a few years and is putting out some of the best music in their catalogue and living up to their killer reputation for live shows.

The tenth album is called "X" as it is their landmark tenth album.  This album delivers a diverse collection of 10 songs while still presenting a cohesive listen from start to finish.  The deluxe version offers another new song, Paralyzed, followed by acoustic versions of Fix This and a very good live version of Generation Idiot from their last album.  The Facebook fan group (361 All Things Nonpoint) can't come to a consensus of what the best tracks are, which just speaks to the diversity and artistry offered here.

Empty Batteries - The introduction makes it sound like a space exploration is about to happen and then the heaviness comes in rather abruptly with fast chugging guitars and pounding drums.  "I won't let you die like a suicidal battery..." Elias screams.  I think this song is about not giving up.  It is also a great opening song because right away you can see that Nonpoint is not messing around and shows no sign of slowing down 20 years into their career.

Chaos and Earthquakes -  This one is just a banger.  It's not the most original song, but Elias raps with skill in the verses and then there is an anthemic chorus that is easy to belt along to.  This was chosen as the first single.  The video is a performance video in a warehouse in front of a florescent lit X with a creepy girl who looks like she's been through a war making sporadic appearances.  It rocks.

Fix This - A poetic tale of regrets.  Elias paints a picture of someone who is battling some demons, but doesn't want to come to grips with what s/he could do to help fix the situation.  The style here is more straightforward with melodic chorus and a little guitar breakdown.  This song has grown on me with every listen.

Crashing - Elias' vocals start off with a yell-like verse before settling into a slower melodic chorus.  The theme here is again questioning course of action.  I'm not as fond of this song compared to the rest.

Passive Aggressive - A haunting gospel-like sound starts this one off before some heavy chugging bass lines come in and Elias rap-sings about someone we have all unfortunately dealt with, a passive aggressive pain in the ass.

Dodge Your Destiny - This is easily the heaviest track and my favorite on the album.  I love the speed and aggression.  I love the theme of not being able to get out of the way of your destiny.  I love the way everyone just kills it on this track, especially the way Elias attacks this song with a fury.

Dodge Your Destiny live @ Starland Ballroom 5/20/18

Wheel Against Will - This one jumps out first because of the drums.  There's nothing flashy here, just Robb pounding away.  Then we have the theme of fighting against the machine, not so subtly a metaphor for opposing the establishment that controls us.  Most impressive is BC's guitar solo.  It starts to shred and then he kind of pulls it back into the rhythm of the song, leaving the listener with just a taste of what he is capable of.

Milestone - This song comes in with some sludgy bass riffs soon juxtaposed by Elias' intense vocals.  In some ways this is classic Nonpoint and yet it feels fresh and different too.  Adam (bass) and Rasheed (rhythm guitar) show how they have taken Nonpoint to another level.

Feel The Way I Feel - A slower tempo emphasizes the emotional turmoil of a bad relationship.  Everyone can relate to this and it's hard not to sing along to the chorus.

Position One - This track closes the 10 song album with another slower tempo song on the verses, but then it picks up in the chorus.  "I'll never let you break me down inside, inside, inside," Elias sings.  Just when you think this song is only about feeling down, a Tom Morello-like solo kicks in.  The dynamic changes in this song really make it a good closer in that it leaves you wanting more.

Paralyzed (bonus) - Fortunately, the deluxe version of the album gives you that extra that you're craving.  This song is about being paralyzed by fear, again a pretty universal experience.  The cool thing about this track is that there is a high pitched guitar riff that almost sounds like keyboards.  The song is balanced by a driving drum beat and rock solid bass providing the foundation.  Paralyzed sounds like nothing Nonpoint have done before, yet I can hear it fitting in with stuff from the early 2000s, like Adema and Linkin Park, when Nonpoint first broke out.

The deluxe version of the album also has an acoustic version of Fix This and a very good live version of Generation Idiot from The Poison Red performed in St. Petersburg, Florida.

I give X four out of five stars and rank it behind Statement and The Poison Red.  CrypticRock rated it 5/5 and I'm Music rated it 9/10.  If you like hard rock, it is well worth checking out this album and, as always, if you like it buy it and support the artists.

For videos from my last Nonpoint show and other stuff, check out my Youtube channel