album reviews

So I’ve been keeping my eye on something. In the last six months to a year, there has been considerable movement in the growth of a sect of music on the outside of metal. It consists largely of bands trying to straddle the gap between rock and metal, attempting to create a unique sound while catering to both audiences. Bands like Burn Halo, Black Stone Cherry, The Veer Union, Sick Puppies, Halestorm (who I saw live the other night and was suitably impressed,) and a host of others, are getting some moderate metal billing while maintaining a more solidly rock sound.

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Frequent readers of my little corner of the universe will remember that I have been campaigning for the emergence of a new American thrash metal band for months now. Also recall that when I saw Soilwork live back in February, I spoke at some length about the up and coming band Warbringer. I encouraged everyone to look into their forthcoming album “Waking Into Nightmares” and said we’d reconvene upon its release in the spring.

Hey there ladies and gents. You might remember a couple weeks back, I spoke about a young up and coming back called "The Veer Union," and how their live show was full of energy and potential. Well, their album has been released, and I was curious to see if they could capture that kind of energy in recorded form.

The answer is both yes and no. "Against the Grain" does contain glimmering pieces of the potential that the band showcased during their on-stage performance. The sin here is that the consistency is lacking.

I didn't want to do this. I wanted to let it go by and never speak of it again.

I just couldn't leave well enough alone. I had to review Chris Cornell's new album "Scream."

Now I'm the last guy who should be charged with the reviewing of an RnB album. My knowledge of R n B begins and ends with Motown, and that's about it. It's not something I get, not something I pretend to understand, not something that captivates my attention.