Ethan Brosh joins 'Drum Wars'

Young guitarist picked to play with Appice brothers

Burgeoning heavy-metal guitar hero Ethan Brosh is about to get in the middle of a spectacular musical battle royal called Drum Wars.

Guitarist Ethan Brosh playing live

Chosen for his extraordinary technical brilliance, Brosh will join legendary sibling drummers Carmine and Vinny Appice on stage for two Drum Wars extravaganzas in New York, including dates in Poughkeepsie on June 20 and two shows the next night at New York City's famed Iridium venue.

All this coming on the heels of a CD release event for Brosh's remarkable new instrumental album "Live the Dream" on May 31 at The Hard Rock Cafe in Boston.

"I am honored to be joining two of the biggest drumming legends for a few shows!" exclaims Brosh. "Carmine and Vinny Appice have been in some of rock's biggest groups. Both have influenced generations of drummers. I've been to one Drum Wars concert and loved the intensity and craziness that goes on throughout the whole show!"

Brosh is thrilled at the prospect of playing alongside a vast assemblage of supremely skilled musicians and tackling material he's loved for years. And there's another reason why these shows are important for him.

"It is all backed up by a never-ending amount of talent on stage," says Brosh. "Lots of my favorite songs by Ozzy, Dio and more are played in a very cool way! I will be joining Carmine and Vinny in New York City and Poughkeepsie, NY, close to where I was born. To me, these shows will be very special. I can't wait to play these songs onstage with two of the greatest drummers in the world! I would urge anyone in the New York area not to miss these awesome shows!"

For his part, Carmine Appice is thrilled to get a chance to play with Brosh.  "Ethan is one of the best young guitar slingers of today," says Carmine. "His style techniques are awesome. Not many can play like him!" Check out Brosh's video for the song "Space Invaders" below:

Here are the Drum Wars dates:

June 20, 2014 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance

June 21, 2014 - New York City - The Iridium (two shows)

Indeed, Brosh is uniquely blessed with astounding musical gifts. Not only is he a uniquely talented performer, but Brosh is also building a reputation as a first-rate songwriter, as evidenced by his newest recording, "Live the Dream." He's chomping at the bit for the world to hear it.

"Finally, on May 31st, the CD release show for 'Live the Dream' will take place at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston!" declared Brosh. "I'm very much looking forward to having such a special show in my home town of Boston! It's been five years since my last album. I can't wait to be back on stage with my instrumental band at the Hard Rock and play this new material to some of my fans and friends so close to home! This will be a real fun night to everyone who will show up. My instrumental band is the most powerful band I've ever been in. People can expect a very intense show on the 31st! Bringing HARD ROCK back to the HARD ROCK!!!"

The buzz continues to build for Brosh, and it will undoubtedly only grow stronger with a brand new video filmed for "Space Invaders," one of the many standout tracks on "Live the Dream." Brosh's fiery shredding is on display in the clip below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfYp4VdBzk4&feature=youtu.be

As Brosh explains, "A music video is something that has to go hand-in-hand with the music that it's associated with. It is part of the art as a whole. It is the image that will stay in the minds of the listeners for as long as they listen to that particular musical piece. When I have a music video done, I take the process almost as seriously as I take my music. A lot of time, energy and attention to detail gets into play when we shoot or edit a video."

Talking about the video's director, Seth C. Brown, Brosh was effusive in his praise.  "This video was made by Seth C. Brown, who can turn around any rushed, impossible to shoot scene with bad lighting into a beautiful work of art! I'm very proud of the new video for 'Space Invaders' and can't wait to make more videos for this record!" states Brosh.

Mixed by Max Norman (Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth) and featuring the talents of world-class bassist Dave Ellefson, as well as the mastering expertise of Bob Ludwig (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden), "Live the Dream" is Brosh's most exciting and ambitious project to date. And the album cover painting by Joe Petagno (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd) is also sure to turn heads. 

Issued by Carmine Appice's label Rocker Records LLC, "Live the Dream" is available for purchase via these links:

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/live-the-dream/id816347755

Amazon 

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Dream-Ethan-Brosh/dp/B00HZMRX0Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393806359&sr=8-1&keywords=ethan+brosh

For more information, visit www.ethanbrosh.com

CD/DVD Review: Dio – Live in London: Hammersmith Apollo 1993

CD/DVD Review: Dio – Live in London: Hammersmith Apollo 1993

Eagle Rock Entertainment

All Access Rating: A-

Dio - Live In London: Hammersmith
Apollo 1993

Four years after the death of Ronnie James Dio left the heavy metal community in a state of profound mourning comes "Live in London: Hammersmith Apollo 1993," the first-ever video release of a professionally shot classic concert from, what was at the time, a newly reconfigured Dio touring the Strange Highways album.

Looked at by some as the start of a downward spiral for Dio and applauded by others as a much-needed change of lyrical scenery, Strange Highways was made with new parts, as the legendary singer and longtime collaborator Vinny Appice, having left Black Sabbath after Dehumanizer, revived Dio with former Dokken bassist Jeff Pilson, new guitar slinger Tracy G and Warrant keyboardist Scott Warren in tow.

Gone were the trappings of medieval fantasy that had fired his imagination in the beginning, as Dio started exploring matters of a more contemporary nature. Not everyone was onboard with the shift in emphasis, but at the Hammersmith Apollo on this December 12, 1993 evening, Dio made amends to those who accused him of heresy. Raining down fire and brimstone as only he can with his extraordinary vocal firepower, Dio led the band on a blazing march through his gloriously sinister past and a defiant charge into the band's then-current material, breathing fresh life into the churning title track, the dark and impossibly heavy "Hollywood Black" and a ferocious version of "Jesus, Mary & the Holy Ghost."

Without the distractions of mechanical dragons and castle ruins cluttering up the stage, Dio brawls with favorites from his Sabbath days, attacking "The Mob Rules," "Children of the Sea" and "Heaven and Hell" with vim and vigor. The heightened drama of "The Last in Line" soars, while the powerhouse anthems "We Rock" and "Stand Up and Shout" throws their fists in the air and race recklessly ahead. Mystical and melodic, "Don't Talk to Strangers" is both pretty and poisonous, while the gnarled hooks and animalistic growls of "Holy Diver" and "Rainbow in the Dark" raise the dead.

More than capable as a guitar shredder, Tracy G rips through hot-wired solos and wrenches tough, smoldering riffs from his instrument, as Pilson and Appice pound away rhythmically, their teamwork during Appice's drum solo causing seismic tremors. Edited to capture the breathtaking pace and excitement of a band playing with urgency, passion and energy, the crystal-clear "Live in London: Hammersmith Apollo 1993" boasts stellar camera work, shooting from a wide range of angles and with an innate sense of when to go close on Dio and his talented henchmen and when to pull back and gauge the crowd's reactions. Add a vintage "Hanging with the Band" featurette that provides an enjoyable glimpse into life backstage before and after the performance, and the package becomes even more vital.

Available on DVD, Blu-ray and as a two-CD set from Eagle Rock Entertainment, "Live in London: Hammersmith Apollo 1993" is also impressive sonically, a fitting tribute to an artist whose work will live on well after his passing.
– Peter Lindblad

CD/DVD Review: Dio – Finding the Sacred Heart – Live in Philly 1986

CD/DVD Review: Dio – Finding the Sacred Heart – Live in Philly 1986

Eagle Rock Entertainment

All Access Rating: A-

Dio - Finding the Sacred Heart -
Live in Philly 1986 2013

Trying to recreate Stonehenge onstage didn’t work out all that well for Spinal Tap. Undeterred by such a brutally funny cautionary tale, Dio had something bigger and more impressive in mind for the spectacular staging of 1986’s “Sacred Heart” tour, and he got the math right.

Under the watchful gaze of a massive, animatronic dragon, Dio frolicked night after night among medieval ruins, a steady barrage of pyrotechnics and state-of-the-art laser displays, with drummer Vinny Appice perched dangerously atop a thick, 15-to 20-foot column of fake stone. A crystal ball with a hologram of Dio talking of magic, rainbow bridges and epic quests appears just before they start the dramatic journey through “Sacred Heart.” And when that portion of the show arrives where the dearly departed Ronnie James Dio, light sword in hand, does battle with the mechanical beast, opening its chest to reveal a heart made of lasers, even Nigel Tufnel, Derek Smalls and David St. Hubbins would have to bow to the creator of this theatrical monstrosity.

Philadelphia was one of the stops on the tour’s second leg, the one where guitarist Craig Goldy replaced Vivian Campbell, who played such an integral role in the making of Holy Diver and The Last in Line. Having already formed a bond with Dio and his wife, Wendy, from his days in Rough Cutt, Goldy was the ideal fill-in. He knew the songs backwards and forwards and the juggernaut known as Dio, having lost none of its potency, invaded the Spectrum on June 17, 1986 looking to once again conquer a territory that had always loved him and become its king of rock ‘n’ roll – with the cameras rolling, of course.

The original film of his coronation has been faithfully restored, and considering its age, the visuals are remarkably vivid, warm and visceral, preserved in a package of treasures titled “Finding the Sacred Heart – Live in Philly 1986.” This riveting performance is out on DVD, Blu-ray, CD and as a double LP, released via Eagle Rock Entertainment, and seeing a younger Dio energized and full of life is at once terrifically inspiring and emotionally crushing. Ever the showman, his clarion voice is melodic and passionate, cutting like a razor through smoke, walls of power chords, pounding drums and swinging rhythms. And he draws blood in this performance, as does the band.

Drawing from his days in Black Sabbath and Rainbow, as well as the first three Dio albums, the set list is a movable feast of classic metal. Dio, Appice, Goldy, bassist Jimmy Bain and keyboardist Claude Schnell breathe fire as they tear through medleys of “The Last in Line,” “Children of the Sea” and “Holy Diver,” as well as one consisting of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Children,” “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll” and a particularly combustible, full-throttle drive through “Man on the Silver Mountain,” with venomous glee. Closing the night with a violent rendering of “We Rock,” Dio was just as relentless in attacking “King of Rock & Roll” and “Like the Beat of a Heart,” while taking pains to emphasize the sweet pop-metal hooks of “Hungry for Heaven” and the dark beauty of “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” just before it transitions into a blazing inferno of rock. And they kick out the jams in “Heaven and Hell,” turning it from a slow-building dirge into something more aggressive and angry. 

Flashier than Campbell and out to prove something to a fan base that wasn’t all that accepting of him initially, the confident Goldy plays with a chip on his shoulder, and his ingenious, scissoring solos and torrential, serrated riffing are electrifying. Appice is a locomotive on drums, and Bain, always the glue of this outfit, tenaciously holds down that low end like a smiling pit bull, while Schnell combines the muscular thrust of Jon Lord with the synthesizer swirls of a Keith Emerson in galvanizing flourishes. Aside from Bain, they all take a solo turn, and while Schnell’s is somewhat less compelling, the others are dynamic and thrilling.

Add in an informative featurette, narrated by Dio, on the elaborate stage show,  the original video of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Children,” two thoughtful interviews with late singer – one from the Sacred Heart period and one of more recent vintage – and in-depth, Malcolm Dome-penned liner notes and the fully loaded “Finding the Sacred Heart – Live in Philly 1986” becomes a comprehensive look at one of the most ambitious tours in metal history. 

 – Peter Lindblad

CD / DVD Review: Heaven & Hell "Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell"

CD / DVD Review: Heaven & Hell "Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell"

Eagle Vision/Armoury Records

All Access Review: A-

Ozzy Osbourne was gone, and this time, he wasn’t coming back, at least not until the “all is forgotten” reunions that would, perhaps inevitably, come years later. Black Sabbath had moved on with Ronnie James Dio, but not everyone was ready to welcome the new vocal sorcerer with open arms.

As Dio remembers it, in an interview included with the new Heaven & Hell live DVD, crowds that came to the first shows featuring the reconstituted Sabbath lineup greeted him not with a pleasant “hello,” but with middle fingers pointed straight at him. Acceptance would come grudgingly, as fans started to realize that it was Dio who was helping usher in a period of restoration for Sabbath, the 1981 classic, fire-and-brimstone LP Heaven & Hell letting all know that a slumbering heavy-metal giant, wracked by substance abuse, personal problems and creative dissension, had awakened.

The world of metal is still in mourning Dio’s death, having lost one of its most spellbinding voices and imaginative lyricists earlier this year. On July 30, 2009, the Dio-period Sabbath, now christened Heaven & Hell, performed at the famed Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany, still riding high on the warm reception, from fans and critics alike, given their deliciously evil 2008 comeback album The Devil You Know. They had lost none of that old black magic, as the new “Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell” DVD and its companion CD so poignantly bears out.

Time stood still that night as Heaven & Hell, consisting of Dio, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Vinny Appice, bulldozed and bludgeoned its way through a set of well-chosen numbers from their glorious, and somewhat underappreciated, past. From the opening instrumental “E5150,” only on the DVD version, Heaven & Hell crash headlong into the violent brutality of “Mob Rules,” before steering their ship straight into the massive rogue wave of riffs and melodic undertow that is “Children of the Sea,” making it sound as epic and majestic as ever, and coming out the other end on the shores of some distant land as rampaging marauders in an especially mean version of “I.”

It’s a breathless beginning, and it only gets better from there. A punishing “Bible Black” is followed by an even heavier “Time Machine” and their latest crushing missive from the depths of hell, “Fear,” with Dio giving it his all and Iommi roaming his way through a tight, fluid little solo that packs a big punch. All of this is captured in crystal-clear video and rich sound, cameras sweeping over and around the action like fighter jets, providing wide views of both the colorfully lit stage – with a giant fiery cow’s skull above the fray – and the endless throng of people gathered at Wacken to get a glimpse of a band that was not at all ready for the grave. The editing is smooth and seamless, putting to good use the wonderful variety of camera angles to emphasize the band’s still potent musicianship – Appice’s thundering drum solo and the beautifully framed close-ups on Iommi and Butler blazing away are not be taken lightly, especially true with the mesmerizing sonic adventure Iommi takes listeners on prior to the raging “Die Young” – and its flair for the dramatic.

As an epitaph, this is as good as it gets, even if it’s difficult to make out what Dio is saying between songs and you can’t help but miss perhaps the greatest achievement of this Sabbath lineup, “Sign of the Southern Cross.” They make up for it, though, with a soaring “Heaven & Hell” that stampedes to a wonderfully chaotic meltdown.

Choosing between the two, the DVD – and its 13 songs, compared to 11 on CD, both including a nice color booklet with a few photos and a well-written history of Dio’s time with Sabbath – is the way to go here, though the CD is an aurally magnificent recording. Actually seeing onscreen this timeless foursome, still breathing fire, live again and enjoying the moment, is priceless, and 30^th anniversary interviews with all four members, conducted by venerable metal media king Eddie Trunk, are full of great behind-the-scenes war stories from the past and the kind of wry humor that always comes as a surprise from four men known for some of the gloomiest, most horrifically doom-laden music ever conceived.

-Peter Lindblad

A Tribute to Ronnie James Dio from Vinny Appice

Famed drummer also unveils new Kill Devil Hill project and reveals what’s in his memorabilia collection


By Peter Lindblad

Tributes for Ronnie James Dio have been pouring in since the iconic heavy metal singer’s death back in May. The sense of loss throughout the metal community is still palpable, and even now, one of his closest friends and musical conspirators can hardly believe he’s gone.

“He was a leader, a father figure, a brother, musician … it was like he was going to live forever,” said Vinny Appice, who served as drummer for Black Sabbath during the Dio years and subsequently followed Dio when the singer left Sabbath in the acrimonious aftermath of Live Evil to form his own project, the hugely successful fantasy-metal outfit Dio.

Sabbath was in a state of flux when Vinny Appice joined the band in 1980. One year earlier, following the unceremonious dismissal of Ozzy Osbourne, Dio was plugged in to replace the legendary wild man as the band’s singer. Beset with personal problems of his own, bassist Geezer Butler exiled himself from Sabbath during the lion’s share of the writing sessions for Heaven and Hell, the band’s first album with Dio, with Geoff Nicholls of Quartz at the ready just in case Butler wasn’t coming back – he would eventually become Sabbath’s keyboardist, however. And then there’s the fuzzy evidence of the involvement of former Elf and Rainbow bassist Craig Gruber in Sabbath during the whole Heaven and Hell period; he left when Butler returned.

As for Appice, he had to fill the shoes of none other than Bill Ward as Sabbath’s drummer in the middle of the band’s tour backing Heaven and Hell. He had to learn the songs on the fly as Sabbath was preparing for a huge outdoor show in Hawaii. As time went on, Appice and Dio grew close, understandable considering their similar East Coast backgrounds.

“We’d always say, ‘I’ll kick you in the ass.’ He’d kick me in the ass onstage. We had the same New York attitude,” said Appice.

On the other hand, Butler and Iommi were British, born and bred. And when arguments erupted over the making of Live Evil, it was Iommi and Butler on one side and the Americans, Appice and Dio, on the other. So, when Dio left Sabbath, it was only natural that Appice would go with him, even though, according to Appice, he didn’t really take sides in the dispute and had gotten along with everybody in Sabbath.

In Dio, Appice saw something special, and it wasn’t just that magnificent voice.

“First of all, it’s just the way he sang, you know,” said Appice, when asked what it was that made Dio such a unique talent. “I’ve never been around anybody who sang like that – just soul and heart, you know. The way he sounded, the sound of his voice, and then he was just totally into his music – totally loved it. And it was just nice to be around somebody so strong. He was a great leader, and just an incredible voice. It made you feel secure. You know, if I stay with this guy, nothing’s going to happen. That’s why his death was a shock. Man, this is one of the strongest persons I’ve ever met in my life. He was a leader, a father figure, a brother, musician … it was like he was going to live forever. Or if he got sick, he’ll beat it. And that’s why it’s a shock. Man, he went down. He had so many qualities. It was so easy to be drawn to him.”

As so many people were, be they fans or fellow musicians who idolized Dio. Not surprisingly, Appice has wonderful memories of his days with Sabbath, Dio and Heaven and Hell. And, as expected, over the years, Appice has accumulated many prized mementos from those halcyon days.

“Obviously, I got gold and platinum records,” said Appice. “And then I got different things that were given to the band, one from Madison Square Garden in 1980 [that marked how the band] sold a million dollars worth of tickets, cool stuff. Years ago, you used to get a lot of swag; there were Black Sabbath bags that only the band had, Black Sabbath robes … it was like that kind of stuff, some old posters, not a lot. And Dio, I got a lot of the same kind of stuff, plaques and different things like that. There are some pictures, but that’s about it. Not a whole bunch of stuff.”

What are the pieces that mean the most to him?

“Well, all the gold records,” says Appice. “So, all the gold records and platinum records; those are priceless."

As has been reported recently, Appice has a new project going called Kill Devil Hill with former Pantera bassist Rex Brown “ … and two unknown guys – Dewey Bragg on vocals and Mark Zavon on guitar. And this stuff kicks butt. Right now it’s called Kill Devil Hill, but we might change the name, so we’re working on that right at this moment and it’ll be out next year. So there’s a lot more stuff coming along.”

And Appice isn’t closing the door on his days with Sabbath’s survivors. “We might continue. Who knows?”

Official Website Vinny Appice