CD Review: Black Sabbath – 13

CD Review: Black Sabbath – 13
Universal Republic
All Access Rating: A-

Black Sabbath - 13 2013
13 is a matter of life and death for Black Sabbath. The harsh truth of the matter is the godfathers of heavy metal may not be long for this world. 

Tony Iommi’s cancer scare has certainly given them pause to consider their own mortality, and if Iommi is to be believed, it was his health concerns that led Sabbath to move on without original drummer Bill Ward and get 13 made with someone else – namely, Brad Wilk, of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave fame. Time waits for no one, not even Black Sabbath.

The grim reaper hasn’t come knocking on their doors just yet, however. As 13 proves, Sabbath is, thankfully, still alive and kicking up a monstrous racket of doom-laden metal that’s reminiscent of that haunting and truly unsettling first album that signaled such a turbulent sea change in rock music back in 1970. Rife with meditations on dying and the afterlife, as well as existential thoughts on whether the Almighty still has a pulse, 13 is the heaviest, blackest tar Sabbath has stirred in decades, just as producer Rick Rubin intended. And yet, some of that sludge Sabbath is so famous for has been washed off. Cleaned off somewhat, the snarling, brass-knuckled sound of 13 is bone-crushing, as that serrated edge to Iommi’s crunching, growling riffs and his intensely focused solos saws through steel, throwing sparks into the air.

Inhabiting both heaven and hell, with sympathy for the devil and his Maker, the lurching 8:52 first single “God is Dead” seems to move in slow motion – as if sizing up its prey – right up to the bridge, which twists and swings like a bridge during an earthquake. Surging with energy, as Iommi’s guitar slashes like a broadsword, it seems as if Sabbath has discovered an ancient and evil groove, pulled out of the ground by its roots by Geezer Butler’s brawny bass lines and reanimated for the garment-rending, circling menace of “Live Forever.” That survival instinct is kicking in, although the grave doesn’t seem like such a bad option on 13.

Stretching out long past seven minutes, as most tracks on 13 do, the gnarled psychedelic-blues of “Damaged Soul” ponderously crawls through the wreckage of a life in ruins, while “Dear Father” is a slow, steady climb up a mountain of emotional garbage – the remains of a broken relationship with a not-so loving parent. And “Loner” is almost as depressing, as Iommi stacks cement blocks of riffs to create a movable wall of thick, impenetrable sound – the kind the subject of the song might build internally to shut out the outside world.

Mangled guitars, writhing bass lines and crashing drums surround Ozzy Osbourne’s rather dour vocals, which fits 13’s downtrodden mood like a velvet glove. Shifts in tempo and melodic current occur, but they are not abrupt. Sabbath flows easily from detour to detour, never needing a GPS to find their way back to the main road – although it’s easy to get lost in the lush, mysterious “Zeitgeist,” the snaky conga drums and brushed acoustic guitars bringing to mind “Planet Caravan.” Sabbath’s past is omnipresent on 13, which makes the whole musical direction of the record seem calculated and not as naturally or organically inspired as perhaps it should appear.

Nevertheless, 13 is a lucky number for Sabbath. With its tenacious hooks, the album bearing those numerals has given them their first No. 1 record in 43 years. Maybe God isn’t dead after all. http://www.republicrecords.com/
    Peter Lindblad

DVD Review: The Rolling Stones – Crossfire Hurricane

DVD Review: The Rolling Stones – Crossfire Hurricane
Eagle Rock Entertainment
All Access Rating: B+

The Rolling Stones - Crossfire Hurricane 2013
Wherever Keith Richards goes musically, Charlie Watts is sure to follow. As bassist Bill Wyman explains in the documentary film “Crossfire Hurricane,” Watts has always played slightly behind Richards and Wyman would go out ahead of both of them, a style which gave the Rollings Stones’ gloriously ragged brand of rock ‘n’ roll a bit of a “wobble,” as he calls it. 

To Wyman, it’s this magical interplay that makes it seem as if the Stones, at their most shambolic, are constantly on the edge of falling completely apart.

That’s what made the Stones dangerous. It wasn’t necessarily the drugs, the villainous excess, their uninhibited sexuality or their supposed affinity for Satan, although that’s what the world outside the band’s inner sanctum thought. Internally, at least to Wyman, they teetered on the brink of utter chaos musically; that was what made them exciting and wild. A whole generation picked up on this barely controlled vibe, and they wanted to riot. The Rolling Stones lit the fuse.

If nothing else, “Crossfire Hurricane,” the newest career-spanning documentary (on DVD and Blu-ray from Eagle Rock Entertainment) on these pop-culture icons and rock ‘n’ roll revolutionaries, rather artfully captures the explosive zeitgeist of the Rolling Stones’ formative years and their Marquee Club meltdowns, when the band, for all intents and purposes, expected to be attacked nightly onstage by fans – causing concerts to end abruptly. And it segues seamlessly into the late ‘60s, establishing a somewhat tenuous, but undeniable, link between the Stones and the social upheaval of the time, with raw footage from “The Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus” thick with a heavy voodoo-like atmosphere while the band runs through “Sympathy for the Devil” – this island of feverish, hypnotically tribal rumblings surrounded by scenes of unrest, violence and fan worship.

And so goes “Crossfire Hurricane,” wandering through the last days of Brian Jones and his fading relevance into the Hyde Park triumph – that “baptism of fire” for Mick Taylor, as Richards puts it. From there, it moves on to Altamont and then to the Stones fleeing England for France for tax reasons and Richards’ heroin problem, before vaulting into the Stones’ metamorphosis from sinister miscreants to stadium-rocking party machine and it does so in a lithe, but ultimately superficial, manner, as if afraid to get bogged down in one subject or another. There appears to be a schedule to keep, and there’s no time to dilly-dally or study any particular period in Stones’ history with any sort of depth. Director Brett Morgen is running behind.

Current interviews with the Stones provide an oral history that speaks over the top of a mesmerizing, wonderfully arranged collage of vintage candid images and film footage of live performances, TV interviews, and behind-the-scenes peeks of the hedonistic Stones at play and at rest that seem positively voyeuristic. Some of it is familiar, like the “Dick Cavatt Show” intro, and some of it is has never been seen before, and the way it is all pieced together, “Crossfire Hurricane” puts the viewer right in the center of the Stones’ maelstrom, whether it’s taking place onstage, backstage or in the streets. And you get swept up in the current of it. There’s no sense trying to swim your way out of it. You’ll just drown in the fast-paced carousel of visual stimuli that spins away on screen.

Like the Stones themselves, “Crossfire Hurricane” is often on the verge of crumbling into mayhem, and that’s what makes it magnetic, the charisma and ennui of the Stones spilling out over each frame. Still, it does, as other reviewers have said, leave one wanting. To the filmmakers, the only Stones’ history worth exploring is everything that happened from Tattoo You backward, and maybe they’re right, but it the film does trail off without a real definite conclusion. And while everything up to and including Altamont is covered fairly extensively, that which happens afterward gets short shrift.

More than that, the commentary from members of the Stones that drives the narrative rarely offers much in the way of fresh perspective or revelation. They’re sorry for how things unraveled with Jones, but what were they to do? Drugs had left him a shell of his former self. Taxes in England were killing their bottom line, so they exiled themselves. Mick Taylor departed, taking the rest of the band aback. But, here comes Ronnie Wood, who was a better fit socially at least. That’s the level of discourse here, at least for the second half of the film, where “Crossfire Hurricane” runs out of steam and fails to latch onto anything of vital interest.

It’s worth watching – just for the scintillating live stuff alone, as a variety of spirited archival concert performances from the mid-‘60s are tacked on as bonus features and packaged with entertaining liner notes. Don’t expect, however, many new answers to nagging questions observers have always had about the Stones. 
– Peter Lindblad

Ethan Brosh is 'Living the Dream'

Young guitarist reflects on tour with Yngwie Malmsteen, talks new record
By Peter Lindblad

Ethan Brosh recently toured
with Yngwie Malmsteen
In a duel reminiscent of the Old West, only without the bullets and the threat of imminent death, a brash young guitar slinger named Ethan Brosh recently challenged one of the fastest draws in metal history, Yngwie Malmsteen. It was a shredding showdown for the ages, with both players going down every night in a blaze of glory on a recent tour together.

Throughout April and May, fans of intricate guitar architecture, sheer technical brilliance and face-melting soloing were treated to awesome exhibitions of mind-blowing guitar work from both men, one an up-and-coming six-string dynamo seeking respect and the other a master of the instrument always pushing himself to greater heights. For Brosh, it was a coming-out party, a chance to show a whole new audience what he was capable of, and the sky is the limit for the Berklee College of Music graduate, who grew up in Israel learning classical music and is now a teacher at the school.

And the rest of 2013 has more excitement in store for Brosh, who will be releasing his second all-instrumental album, Live the Dream. He had help from a number of metal luminaries, as the album was mixed by Max Norman, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and Megadeth, and mastered by Bob Ludwig, whose work has pumped life into the recordings of Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi. And speaking of Megadeth, none other than Dave Ellefson plays bass on the record.

This isn’t the first time Brosh and Ellefson have teamed up. They were in the band Angels of Babylon together, along with drummer Rhino, although Brosh has since left to concentrate on his solo work and his other band, the melodic-metal upstarts Burning Heat.

Live the Dream promises to build off Brosh’s first record, 2009’s Out of Oblivion. A few stars of metal came out for that one, as well. Most notably, Brosh traded licks on the record with ex-Dokken guitarist George Lynch and former Michael Jackson guitarist Greg Howe, while Derek Riggs, the man behind all those great Iron Maiden covers, provided the art work.

Indeed, Brosh has been blessed, but he’s earned the respect of his peers. Whether Brosh is blazing away on his electric guitar or working out some complex acoustic patterns, his talent and dedication to his craft is impossible to ignore, and those who’ve seen him opening for the likes of Michael Schenker, Lynch Mob, Danger Danger and Enuff Z’nuff would undoubtedly echo those sentiments.

Brosh recently took time out after the Malmsteen tour to talk by e-mail about his education, watching the great Yngwie in action, his admiration for Lynch and Ellefson and other projects he has on the horizon in this interview:

How was the tour with Yngwie Malmsteen? Has your material been well received?
Ethan Brosch: Finally got back home! The tour has been amazing … it really was. Of course it was difficult on some levels, but overall it was an incredible experience. Actually, the crowd reaction to our material was the best part. Going into it I had no idea how Yngwie’s fans would react to my playing and if I’d be playing in front of many jealous guitar players who would boo me … I was very pleasantly surprised how warm and appreciative people were throughout the whole tour since the very first night in Cleveland.

In what ways has seeing him play live inspired you?
EB: In many ways. I would find some time during Yngwie’s set to be on the side of the stage watching him tearing it up very closely. Seeing the focused look in his eyes every night and seeing how things differ from one night to another and seeing how he deals with it had taught me a lot. I had also asked him about it. I also found it inspiring seeing him always moving onstage 100 percent of the time on every show without getting tired and discouraged at any point. It was a reminder for me to always give it my all regardless of how I feel on a particular night or venue. Also just listening to his amazing phrasing on a nightly basis and seeing how much he improvises is something that I’d like to incorporate more into my own music.

What led to you joining the Malmsteen tour?
EB: My great manager and years of hard work basically. Doing things like this in the music business is a long process with many factors involved.

What’s been your favorite moment on the tour so far?
EB: I can recall a few. Some of them are just random moments onstage where I was realizing all of a sudden what was happening. Seeing people responding so well to songs I wrote in my basement or some which I wrote when I was a teenager was a great feeling. Being back home in Boston as part of the tour and seeing my friends in the crowd was a very good feeling. Also having Yngwie tell me I was a great guitar player after he heard me play on a whole tour is something that will stay with me forever.

Ethan Brosh in action live
You went to the Berklee College of Music. What were your expectations going in, and in the end, was it everything you thought it would be?
EB: We’re talking about something that happened a long time ago. I do remember not knowing what to expect from Berklee at all. But coming out of it I thought it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I absolutely love Berklee – the teachers, the students, the never-ending music and the beautiful location in Boston. It’s one of the main reasons why I still live here in Boston. Being back at Berklee as a teacher in the summers is something I really enjoy doing.

How did that experience impact Out of Oblivion?
EB: Some of the material on Out of Oblivion was written as songwriting projects at Berklee. Also just growing as a musician and understanding more of what I was doing and composition ideas really helped develop Out of Oblivion. I also meet Mike Mangini at Berklee and that helped kick start the whole record to begin with actually.

Tell me about the making of Out of Oblivion. What pleased you the most about how it turned out?
EB: This was a two-and-a-half year project that took everything out of me. What pleased me is the result considering I had no idea what I was doing as far as making a record when I first gotten into it. Listening to George Lynch and Greg Howe playing on it still gives me the chills nowadays! My tune the “Hit Man” will probably forever be the tune people recognize me for. And having my guitar mentor Eyal Freeman playing bass on some of these tunes personally means a lot to me. And, of course, Derek Riggs, whose paintings got me into my first love, Iron Maiden, doing my first album’s art was a huge thing! I guess looking back I feel very proud of this record, and it was well worth all the work I put into it.

Explain if you can how the song “Downward Spiral” came about?
EB: I just remember me sitting in the dark on a hot summer night in my bedroom in Israel many years ago messing with my Washburn EC-29 guitar (It’s the guitar on the “Ancient Land” video that everyone’s always asking me about). I remember coming up with the two main riffs. It was only years later when I was recording Out of Oblivion that I came up with more sections and solos to complete it and be ready to record it. Then I had the idea of trying to approach George Lynch to play on it. I feel very lucky he did. He gave that tune a unique feel that only George can bring. He’s always been one of my biggest influences and a guy I respect so much. I’m very proud to call him a friend now. Working on the video of “Downward Spiral” was such a pleasure and will forever be a great memory. I’ll always be grateful to George for helping me out like that. What a great guy.

You’ve worked with George Lynch quite a bit. What do you admire most about his playing and what is it about working with him that you enjoy the most?
EB: What I admire about him is that George is a very artistic person. His whole look, persona, and playing is very different and just so colorful. I think he is the best metal player who ever lived. His attack on the strings is the coolest and most aggressive I’ve heard. It’s aggressive but with so much style. George is also a player who works 100 percent on instinct and has a true rock ‘n’ roll approach. His phrasing is so musical, different and beautiful. Not to mention his never-ending search for the perfect tone and how great it always sounded over the years. These are the type of things I’m trying to take away from these great players and bring to the new generation instead of just ripping off all the shred licks from these guys.

Ethan Brosh playing at Berklee
Now that you are off the road, what are your plans? Will you be heading into the studio again? What will the material be like, if you have indeed started on it already?
EB: Well I just finished my second instrumental record which will be released later on this year. I’ve been working on it for the past two years. It’s called Live the Dream. I had pre-release copies available on the Yngwie tour exclusively. I’m very happy to have had Dave Ellefson from Megadeth play bass on some of the record – having the greatest mastering guy of all-time, Bob Ludwig, master it. And convincing the great Max Norman to come out of retirement and mix the record! Max produced the first three Ozzy records and all the classic Megadeth records. We had a great time working together! I feel like Live the Dream takes things to the next level after Out of Oblivion. Many more things to come, the full length record of Burning Heat we’re working on. Maybe some instructional DVDs, more touring and hopefully me finally being the guitar player of one of the biggest 80s metal groups I grew up on. That’s something that I really want to do and I’m ready to go!

Is there any news on Angels of Babylon?
EB: Angels of Babylon will be releasing its second record soon on Scarlet records in Italy. I played lead guitar and nylon strings guitar on that record. I feel like it’s some of my best lead work to date. I have recently parted ways with AOB on good terms to focus more on my solo career and Burning Heat.

What was the studio experience like with Angels of Babylon? How different was it from the recording of Out of Oblivion?
EB: The Angels of Babylon records were very different than Out of Oblivion and Live the Dream. On the AOB stuff all I did was play just lead guitar and nylon strings guitar. Everything else was taken care of by Rhino pretty much. With my instrumental records all the writing, producing, recordings, etc. etc., was on me, so of course, it was a lot more work. Either way I like all these records.

Talk about working with Dave Ellefson.
EB: I love working with Dave Ellefson. There are very few bass players that I feel really understand the style and have the right approach, not to mention the tone. Dave is a legend without a doubt and it’s always a pleasure working with him. We were in Angels of Babylon together. I played a solo on one of his F5 band’s songs. He just recently played on my record Live the Dream. I hope to continue and do lots more work with Dave ‘cause I think we can do some really great things together. I also love how professional he is as far as communicating and working. There’s no BS with him, and I love that because that’s what I aspire to be like myself. I’m also learning a lot from him about the business … great guy and a great friend.

What were your favorite songs on the Kingdom of Evil album?
EB: Kingdom of Evil has a lot of great songs on it – “Oh How the Mighty had Fallen,” “Conspiracy Theory,” “Tear Out My Heart” and the title track are some of the obvious ones. I think all the songs are great on that record honestly.

Can we expect an “Ethan Brosh Yngwie Malmsteen” collaboration down the road?

EB : Only time will tell, All I can say is I hope so! I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all my fans because I love them all. I’d like to thank anyone who took the time to read this interview and check out my music. That’s what it’s all about for me. 

CD Review: The Resistance – Scars

CD Review: The Resistance – Scars
Armoury Records
All Access Rating: A-

The Resistance- Scars 2013
Yelling out, “Fire in the hole” right before “Clearing the Slate” erupts into all-out war Marco Aro has sufficiently warned all who enter Scars, the debut full-length album cut by Swedish death-metal butchers The Resistance, that they do so at their own risk. Their lawyers might make everyone sign a waiver as well, because the brute-force intensity of Scars isn’t good for anybody with a heart condition.

Seething with white-hot rage, The Resistance’s fire-starter gives Hatebreed’s Divinity of Purpose a run for its money as 2013’s fiercest metal-core conflagration. Made up of ex-In Flames guitarists Jesper Stromblad and Glenn Ljungstrom, drummer Chris Barkensjo (formerly of Kaamos and Repugnant) and Facedown’s growling Aro, the one-time vocal flamethrower for The Haunted, The Resistance traffics in blistering speed, tight hooks, crunching riffs, bullet-proof production and frenzied dynamics on Scars.

Smashing through the door like a renegade swat team, “Clearing the Slate” and “Your Demise” are fast and furious attacks that leave no survivors, and “To the Death” – lasting only 1:25 – is even more frantic, the battling elements of double kick-drum beatings and Aro’s guttural bellow lending a black urgency to a hard-hitting song that beckons and gurgles for last rites. And just when it seems that The Resistance is ready to go heavy and slow things down on “Expand the Empire,” as they do in the track’s menacing intro, they suddenly fire up the engine and open the throttle again to see what this clean-running machine can really do.

Surgical in its precision and shockingly brutal, Scars has more going for it than raw horsepower and violent lyrics. There’s not a wasted note on the record, and there’s nothing uncertain or hesitant about how The Resistance goes about their business. It’s not often that they change tempos, but when they do, the sleight of hand is almost imperceptible – except in the case of the epic, if somewhat heavy-handed, closer “(I Will) Die Alone,” the most melodic and emotionally affecting of Scars’ infernos. Even when “Warmonger” and “Eye for an Eye” – maybe the weightiest songs on Scars – downshift into more of a prowling tempo and stalking movements, there are reasons for doing so. They are setting you up for the kill, which comes quickly in the overdriven title track, continuing the relentless ferocity that threatens to consume Scars.

Influenced by Entombed, Dismember and Grave, Scars is the aural equivalent of sticking your head in a blast furnace at full heat. On the blood-red cover is a collection of skulls. Those are probably the skeletal remains of those who couldn’t handle the extreme nature of The Resistance’s sonic onslaught. http://www.eagle-rock.com/

-           Peter Lindblad

CD Review: Styx – The Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight Live

CD Review: Styx – The Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight Live
Eagle Rock Entertainment
All Access Rating: C

Styx - The Grand Illusion/Pieces
of Eight Live 2013
Styx came into its own in the late 1970s, having stumbled upon the right mix of soaring progressive-rock bombast and the more down-to-earth, guitar-driven AOR anthems – like “Renegade” – that punched a clock, wore a hard hat and paid union dues.

Finding a middle ground proved difficult for Styx, as Tommy Shaw, feeling his oats, pushed for a direction that was tougher and more down-to-earth, while Dennis DeYoung favored power ballads and heady theatrics. That creative tension, when properly harnessed, as it was for 1977’s The Grand Illusion and 1978’s Pieces of Eight, produced magic, even if the critics scoffed. They didn’t understand, but the people did. That’s who Styx was speaking to anyway.

This is not the same band. It’s a shell of its former self, the dramatic flourish of DeYoung’s soaring vocals being missed most of all, as James “JY” Young and Tommy Shaw try to carry on with a newer lineup and the occasional appearance of original bassist Chuck Panozzo. What Styx has become is a Vegas act, living off its past and trading glitz and glamour for true grit. Or at least it would seem that way from the double CD The Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight Live they have recently released.

A rather limp document of Styx playing both records cover to cover at the fabled Orpheum Theater in Memphis on November 9, 2010, The Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight Live sucks the sneering venom out of “Miss America,” meanders its way through “Man in the Wilderness” like a clueless tourist, and sleepwalks it way through “Superstars.” Concerned more with being a genial master of ceremonies than singing the material with appropriate panache and vitality, lead vocalist/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan – his delivery pretentious and forced – bears much of the blame, but Young and Shaw are in for the lion’s share of it.

For whatever reason, they don’t feel the need to assert themselves or their instruments here, making for a record that sounds flabby and weak-willed, even if the melodic grandeur of “Come Sail Away” is as wondrous as ever, the winning earnestness of “Angry Young Man” comes shining through, and the pomp and circumstance of title track to The Grand Illusion rises to the level of that which is more often reserved for royalty. A glossy lacquer of synthesizers certainly suffocates their guitars, but more than that, they seem satisfied to remain in the shadows, content to make pretty sonic filament and beautiful harmonies, but nothing of real substance.

The hope is that Styx would rally during the Pieces of Eight portion of the evening, and they do to some extent, the lilting, progressive-folk gold of “Sing for the Day” glowing warmly and “Great White Hope” rocking with more vigor and hunger, thanks to Todd Sucherman’s rolling avalanche of drums. A bigger test remains, however, with “Blue Collar Man” and “Renegade,” and Styx falls flat on the former, playing as if they’re pulling an anchor behind them, before recovering slightly for a more rambunctious, but still somewhat impotent, version of the latter.

“Queen of Spades” is where Styx finally seizes the day, the guitars sharper and more biting, the rhythms more menacing and the synths adding color and texture rather than fighting for supremacy. And they traverse more diverse and sonically interesting territory in “Lords of the Ring” with more purpose, their collective vocals a glorious choir. It’s too little, too late, though, as Styx appears to be satisfied with reheating old leftovers rather than presenting its best material in fresh and invigorating ways. http://www.eagle-rock.com/ 
– 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



Kingdom Come to 'Get It On' again with 'Outlier'

Lenny Wolf’s maturity shines on diverse new album
By Peter Lindblad

Kingdom Come's Lenny Wolf - 2013
Even now, after all these years, the furor over “Get It On,” that mysterious single leaked to radio in 1988 that was thought to be the work of the mighty Led Zeppelin, leaves Lenny Wolf with mixed feelings.

It all unraveled so fast for Kingdom Come. A year earlier, Wolf, having signed to Polydor Records, had recruited all the band’s original members. They’d hit the studio with producer Bob Rock, who would later work with the likes of Metallica and Bon Jovi, to record their debut LP.

Out of nowhere, the swaggering single “Get It On” made its way onto radio stations across the United States, but there was a great deal of uncertainty as to where it came from, even though it sounded remarkably like Zeppelin – heavy and bluesy, even Wolf’s vocals were eerily similar to those of Robert Plant.

And everybody wanted so badly to see the return of Led Zeppelin, who had been dormant since the 1980 death of John Bonham, that they seized upon the idea that it actually was Zeppelin. 

But it was somebody else that made “Get It On.” It was Kingdom Come.

At first, Wolf loved the comparisons, although he was a bit befuddled by them. And the meteoric AOR success of “Get It On” fueled sales of Kingdom Come’s self-titled debut album, which was afforded gold status upon it being shipped and eventually rose all the way to No. 12 on the U.S. album charts.

“In the beginning, it was a blessing, because people took notice who had never heard of us, and of course, we were flattered and hallelujah,” said Wolf, who has once again revived the Kingdom Come machine for his most recent album Outlier, released on May 7 via Steamhammer/SPV. “And being a big Zeppelin fan myself, I thought, ‘What the hell they were talking about.’ But hey, what do I care? Thank you very much. It’s nice to be compared to them, and it gives you a good amount of adrenaline, so I thought, ‘Okay.’”

Everything was more than just okay for Kingdom Come in the immediate aftermath. Comprised of guitarists Danny Stag and Rick Steier, drummer James Kottack, and Johnny B. Frank on keyboards and bass, Kingdom Come was tapped for the North American Monsters of Rock tour in 1988, opening for such legends as The Scorpions, Van Halen, Metallica and Dokken. Up to that point, Wolf had played guitar in all the bands he’d been in. He gave it up for Kingdom Come.

“Oh, God, it was so beautiful,” said Wolf. “It was just an unbelievably strong concentration of – not just beautiful ding-dongs – but beautiful and nice people in general – like before the show, after the show, etc. Because it was such a big production that we carried around, we very often had two or three days off before the next show. So we’d get into the town a day or two in advance, and we just hung out, and because there was some big press stuff going on – Yay! The Monsters of Rock are here for our big stadium tour – people were recognizing us and inviting us to all kinds of things.”

Wolf once got a birds-eye view of the whole Monsters of Rock experience away from the stage.

Lenny Wolf enjoyed the
Monsters of Rock experience. 
“I mean, taking a helicopter around for a tour of the town and leaving a trail of people on the ground, which was a very big f- -king concept for a guy who likes breaking all the laws in the town. That was fun,” Wolf laughed. “I mean, I wasn’t flying around with the sheriff (laughs). But he actually took us to a fairly big home and was so sweet – I mean, all over the States, whether we’re talking Pittsburgh or wherever, it was great. That’s why I can’t point out one particular thing, it was just an overall fantastic experience and one I’m very grateful for.”

Although, Wolf would have appreciated a later time slot for Kingdom Come. They usually went on a little early for his liking.

“It was almost like a secondary thing at the end, because we’d only play 45 minutes, but travel around with the whole circus for … well, I don’t know, how long did it last? I don’t know, four weeks or something?” said Wolf. “We had a lot of time on our hands, you know. So, yeah, I wasn’t too thrilled about having to sing my ass off at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. I had to learn our catalog on the plane in, because I’m a night owl, and I only start functioning at 7 p.m. So that was hard, singing the blues at that time. But hey, no complaints … it is what it is, and hallelujah.” 

Up to that point, Wolf had played guitar in every band he’d been in, but he gave it up for Kingdom Come. Still, Wolf had a great deal of influence on the musical direction of Kingdom Come, as did Rock.

“The bottom line was, he was not one of those control freaks who are going to make it theirs or make it their mission,” said Wolf, referring to the acclaimed producer. “It was mainly, ‘How can I get the best out of them and finding their uniqueness, their tone – just improving it, and like I said, getting the best out of you in terms of character and just the way we got along, it was fantastic. I mean, I would love to work with him anytime again – very professional, very nice, very cool. It is like, why do you love a particular woman, rather than any other adult? It is hard to put your finger on it sometimes – one can cook and the other will give you something else, but in the end, you love her. But he was one of those guys ... I just thank God for having met him and worked with him, just like he actually made Metallica. Otherwise, they do not become as huge as they are.

Kingdom Come had its time in the sun, too, although it ended all too quicklyWhile Wolf and Kingdom Come were having the time of their lives with the Monsters of Rock, their reputations were taking a beating in the press. Critics were lining up to bash their first record as a slavish rehash of everything Led Zeppelin had already done. And one of Wolf’s heroes was adding his voice to chorus of jeers directed at Kingdom Come.

Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page was quoted in 1988 as saying, “Obviously it can get to the point where it gets past being a compliment, and it can be rather annoying, when you’ve got things like Kingdom Come, actually ripping riffs right off, that’s a different thing altogether.”

Hearing Page call out Kingdom Come and accuse them of theft was difficult for Wolf.

“What made me very sad is that one of my biggest idols, namely Jimmy Page … I was kind of disillusioned by a living legend,” Wolf said. “To even be annoyed by mentioning it, I thought that was very sad, because he should be above it all and just smile at the whole blah, blah, blah blowing up, if you know what I mean. That was what Robert Plant did when I saw Robert Plant in London. He was joking. He was just like goofing around. He didn’t care. He was like, ‘No, I’m a living legend. Who the hell is Kingdom Come?’ And it was like, ‘Okay, yeah. You’re right.’”

Had everybody in Kingdom Come taken the criticism leveled at them in stride, perhaps it all would have blown over. Understandably though, they got defensive when bombarded with questions about whether they had, indeed, stolen their sound from Led Zeppelin.

“In the end, unfortunately, [that was] due to a mistaken remark from Denny Stag, our former guitar player, who was so annoyed by being confronted with that question all the time, and at a coffee shop said, ‘Who’s Jimmy Page?’” said Wolf. “Of course, it was an ironical statement, but some writer overhead it and they made a big fuss over it. The majority of the press was jumping on the same train as he did and basically wrote the same bullshit without even knowing what was going on. But then, of course, people get like, ‘Well, holy Zeppelin … how can you?’ And blah, blah, blah … everybody who has seen Kingdom Come from long ago knows that I am one of the biggest Zeppelin fans around.”

Accused of heresy, Kingdom Come began experiencing darker times. Although their second single, the power ballad “What Love Can Be,” received a great deal of airplay and their first album reached platinum status, the growing backlash from “Get It On” was hitting them full in the face. And even though they were chosen to be the support act on The Scorpions’ “Savage Amusement” tour after their Monsters of Rock triumph, Kingdom Come was about to get a dose of reality.

Their second album, 1989’s In Your Face, didn’t even go gold. Later that year, Kingdom Come, as they
Kingdom Come - Outlier 2013
were originally configured, was no more, having disbanded due to personal reasons. Left to his own devices, Wolf kept Kingdom Come alive, releasing 11 albums in the years between In Your Face and Outlier.


The name of Kingdom Come’s latest record holds special significance for Wolf. It was a suggestion from a family member.

“I was thinking back to my childhood, and now musically, once again, taking a different route stylistically, it just made perfect sense,” said Wolf. “So I fell in love with it.”

Rather gloomy and atmospheric, Outlier is, nonetheless, a fully realized Kingdom Come record, with big, flowing melodies, well-constructed, powerful songs ensconced in a variety of sonic moods and textures, and even some rich electronic flourishes to flesh out pieces like “Rough Ryde Rally.”

“Actually, there was no master plan,” said Wolf, referring to creative process that resulted in Outlier. “When I get in the studio, I’m like a 5-year-old sitting in a candy store, like plucking at a guitar chord, hoping to get a hot line to the almighty – or the cosmos or whatever you want to call it – and just trying to pick up something more interesting or cool.”

A track like “Skip the Cover and Feel,” with its raucous, blues-driven stomp and ‘70s classic-rock architecture, wouldn’t sound out of place on Kingdom Come’s debut LP, however.

“That song, ‘Skip the Cover and Feel,’ offers something different from the rest of the songs [on Outlier],” said Wolf. “It was one of the songs I definitely could have written in ’88 or whatever, definitely. And that shows once again that I’m still attached to some of the good old vibes Kingdom Come used to offer and still do, but then at the same time, I’m trying to build a bridge [between the old Kingdom Come and the new one]. The hardest part about the two songs you mentioned was not to overproduce them, which is difficult to do when you’re in the studio and you get very creative, you know what I mean? So just leaving them alone and rocking out was the main mission, and I think we did it.”

And if the skies of Outlier don’t exactly seem sunny, that just reflects Wolf’s personality.

“I think that’s just basically me, but I’m glad you brought it up,” explained Wolf, a native of Hamburg, Germany. “It’s a big part of me. No, seriously, I’m a guy from the streets. Growing up in the big city, you get a little bit of that street-wise guy attitude. It’s hard to put into words. But certainly, I’m more into the heartfelt, dark side of moody, emotional … blah, blah, output, you know? Kingdom Come is not really a party band. There’s nothing like ‘Cherry Pie,’ let’s party, let’s all get wasted … blah, blah, blah. It’s something to do at the right time, but it’s not exactly what Kingdom Come is all about, even though we do have a few songs which simply rock out and you can have a good time. But that’s not exactly my musical fulfillment. I like the deep shit (laughs), and I’m just hoping to do enough to get at people’s emotions and their hearts, and hoping for them to enjoy the ride.”

There’s plenty of philosophical musings on Outlier, the successor to 2009’s Magnified, to placate intellectuals – “God Does Not Sing Our Song,” for one, is a sharply worded treatise on the all-too-human failings of organized religion. An epic in every sense of the word, it’s indicative of the fresh, revitalized approach Wolf took to making Outlier. With the exception of a few guitar solos by Eric Forester, Wolf recorded all the instruments himself at his Hamburg studio, dubbed the Two Square Noise Factory, and produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the new record completely on his own. For all intents and purposes, this is who Wolf is as an artist.

“I’m not stuck in the past, you want to put it that way,” said Wolf. “I do love ‘60s and ‘70s hard rock, with The Beatles, Hendrix, Zeppelin, AC/DC – of course, I love that stuff. I still listen to it a lot, but I also get like a second heart beating in me which is stuck very much in new sound elements, if you want to put it this way. I mean, our hearing habits have changed over the years. Once again, we don’t have any master plan or commercial interests or whatever. It’s just that we’re bloody kids at work hoping something cool comes out.”

Outlier is cool, and it’s different. The songwriting is mature, producing epic songs that are dark, deeply personal and gripping in ways that the old Kingdom Come could never imagine, even if some of the past seeps into Outlier and reminds everyone why “Get It On” found such a receptive audience. And it wasn’t just the Zeppelin-esque sound.

“I can’t really change my vocal cords, so the basic tone, the basic height is still there,” said Wolf. “I started realizing, about 12 years ago, that my vocal cords had gotten a bit rougher, which I actually like. We all have done some maturing. It’s called growing up, I guess. So I think you can hear that right away when compared to the old records. There are some parts where it sounds rather cute and not like rocking or whatever, but that’s just part of growing up. I think the basic emotional output, to put it this way, it still kind of remains the same, but the packaging, of course, is what makes a product different, especially when it comes to any changes in audio packaging. You know, basically, it’s just like building frequencies and like gluing them together, and it can go from very poppy to a little bit aggressive; it could be good. And I think we’ve reached a much, much more mature approach now than we had like in the early ‘80s, not like when you’re 22 and the hormones are really getting in the way.”

Having sown his wild oats a long time ago, that’s no longer a problem for Wolf. 

DVD Review: Judas Priest – Epitaph

DVD Review: Judas Priest – Epitaph
Legacy Recordings
All Access Rating: A+

Judas Priest - Epitaph 2013
It’s the end of the line for Judas Priest, or so they say. Their days of grinding it out for long stretches on the road are reportedly over. No more massive, globe-trotting tours, like the 50-week “Epitaph World Tour,” which started in the summer of 2011 and lasted well into 2012. 

Having reached a certain age, as most of the men of Priest have, the hours spent traveling and then performing for hours on end can be extremely hard on the body – even if on “Epitaph,” the blazing new live DVD from Priest, they seem just as full of piss and vinegar as they were in their youth.

No gold watches were handed out at this retirement party, as “Epitaph” – available on DVD and Blu-ray – captures in breathtaking fashion Priest’s final concert from that worldwide death march, a 23-song slog through their mountainous catalog at London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo on May 26, 2012 that scorches the earth they have trod for years. Well aware of the historical significance of this show, Priest takes off on a cattle drive across a set list that includes a song from every one of their 14 studio albums and they attack them all with equal intensity and fervor.

Amid shooting plumes of smoke and fire, with a stage awash in vivid, colorful lighting and backed by a wide projection screen, Priest goes for broke, aggressively charging into killer classics like “Painkiller,” “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” and “Electric Eye” with utter abandon. Working in tandem with exuberant new guitarist Richie Faulkner, whose volcanic shredding make for simply scintillating entertainment, Glenn Tipton’s staggering riffs and searing leads are positively rabid, as “Night Crawler” – from the Painkiller LP – and “Never Satisfied,” off 1974’s Rocka Rolla, growl with primal menace. That magnificent wail of Rob Halford’s shows no sign of wear, as he nails the famous scream at the end of “Beyond the Realms of Death,” from Stained Class, with deadly accuracy. And with the crowd in a lather, Priest races through “Turbo Lover,” exhorting an energized fan base to fill the venue with their full-throated roar – as they do on “Breaking the Law,” where Halford turns over the vocals to the people and lets them have their day.

Punishingly heavy, “The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)” and the bulldozing “Prophesy” – the mammoth centerpiece of 2008’s Nostradamus – still surge with unrelenting power long after the band expends a great deal of energy plowing through Painkiller’s “Battle Hymn” and British Steel’s “Rapid Fire” and “Metal Gods” at the start of the evening. Priest is tireless, and although K.K. Downing is missed, Faulkner’s vibrancy is incredibly infectious. And when Halford, stalking the stage with purpose and looking every bit the Metal God he purports to be, brings the Harley onstage for “Hell Bent for Leather,” as is the custom with Priest, the place predictably goes ballistic, making it all the more sad that this may be it for them as a touring beast.

What a spectacular sendoff “Epitaph” is, though, exciting from beginning to end and amazingly filmed. Shot from a seemingly endless variety of angles and edited sharply, the visuals are stunning, making the pace of the two-hour show somehow faster and more thrilling than it ought to be, thanks to Alex Walker’s smart, dynamic direction. It’s not a stretch to say this might be one of the finest live concert movies ever, as evidenced by a willingness to actually have it shown in movie theaters.

At the fiery conclusion of the show closer “Living after Midnight,” Halford waves goodbye, and it’s a wistful moment. Faulkner, on the other hand, raises his guitar in triumph, as the band persuades Halford to come back for one last bow. Nobody wants it to end, but it must. For one night, however, they raged against the dying of the light and beat it back. http://www.legacyrecordings.com/a/#/home/
– Peter Lindblad

CD Review: dUg Pinnick – Naked


dUg Pinnick – Naked
RockArmy Records/MVD
All Access Review: B+

dUg Pinnick - Naked 2013
Going into deep self-analysis, dUg Pinnick, the heart and soul of King’s X, takes stock of his life on Naked, his latest solo album. A record with such a title would imply that its author is willing to leave himself vulnerable, exposed, and his defenses are down on Naked. Laying his soul bare, Pinnick has penned some of the most relatable and intensely therapeutic lyrics of his career, and they are couched in angry, downcast music that seems born of dark days, indeed.

Slaying those inner demons, an edgy Pinnick – who wrote everything on Naked, played everything on Naked, recorded it himself and produced it all by his lonesome at his own dUgtone Studio – unleashes gnarly heavy-metal storms like “That Great Big Thing,” the bruised, yet mellifluous, “I Hope I Don’t Lose My Mind,” and the ponderous, grunge-like stomp of “What You Gonna Do” that release powerful, bottled-up emotions. These are somewhat depressing, suffocating sonic environments – dreary motel rooms, where bottles of pills and booze are strewn about, but there’s a Bible on the nightstand and hope for a better life cutting through the gloom of the drug-sick psychedelia of “The Point,” one of the strangest tracks on Naked.

And there are some odd passages on Naked, including the shambolic breakdown of “I’m Not Going to Freak Out” and the stuttering “Take Me Away From You,” with its ill-conceived proggy keyboards providing a distracting kaleidoscopic background. More soulful, with a thick guitar roar, “Courage” growls at  and then mauls to death whatever fears it confronts, while “Ain’t That the Truth” rolls out satisfying, hard funk grooves and the urgent “Heart Attack” tears the newspaper off the windows, letting some radiant guitars, optimism and the will to carry on into what has been a dank, dirty basement of a record up to this point.

Possibly the most affecting track on Naked is “If You Fuk Up,” a heartfelt, slow-building ode to self-reliance in the face of crushing doubt and despair that artfully weaves together different voice threads that carry Pinnick’s pleas for salvation and his semi-formed survival plan. Less reliant on whimsical Beatlesesque harmonies and the melodic ingenuity of King’s X’s greatest achievements, although not so different from their early work, Naked is spiritual in its own way, but it has a tough skin and a serious aspect. It’s a crumbling old church in a bad neighborhood with an idealistic priest who tries valiantly to shepherd his flock, despite the temptations and desperate hardships its congregation faces every day. Pinnick will clothe himself and fight on, shouldering his burdens and seeking redemption wherever he can find it. Maybe Naked will convince others to do the same. www.seeofsound.com
-        – Peter Lindblad

CD Review: Kingdom Come – Outlier


Kingdom Come – Outlier
Steamhammer/SPV
All Access Review: B+

Kingdom Come - Outlier 2013
He is, in essence, now a lone Wolf – that’s Lenny Wolf, as in the mastermind behind Kingdom Come. As in the band that was first mistaken for Led Zeppelin in 1988 and then savaged by critics for sounding a little too much like them on the single “Get it On,” as well as on the self-titled debut album from whence came the track in question. As in the band that some waggish scribes dubbed “Kingdom Clone” and was taken to task by none other than Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page as rip-off artists and forgers.

That was a quarter century ago, and while they still unapologetically wear their ‘70s hard-rock influences on the project’s tattered sleeves, Kingdom Come – basically, a solo project for Wolf these days, seeing as how he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered Outlier, in addition to playing all the instruments, with the exception of Eric Forster’s guitar solos – isn’t inextricably bound to them. Wolf has come into his own as a recording artist, becoming more assured as a songwriter and sonic architect. And his designs are more dramatic and impactful than ever.

Dark and moody, with Wolf often looking inward for lyrical inspiration and his passionate, slightly worn voice a blazing beacon, the sprawling Outlier – out now on Steamhammer/SPV – is awash in murky atmospherics, its expansive soundscapes stretching out far and wide on “Don’t Want You to Wait” and “When Colors Break the Grey.” The sweeping epic “Rough Ride Rallye” practically lives in Wolf’s shadowy synthesizers before growing in a full-blown supernova. Another silvery, cinematic production, with tendrils of distortion floating through the air, “God Does Not Sing Our Song” is similarly cast, enveloped in billowing guitar blackness and angelic melodies. Far more rugged, though just as starry and cosmic, “Running High Distortion” drives on through the night with drums bashing away and guitars flashing like lightning. These are beautiful sonic constellations, almost divine in their own way.

However, there is no God in “Let the Silence Talk” or the slow-burning, ballad-like “Holy Curtain,” both of them constructed according to more standard, earthbound metal blueprints. And with “Skip the Cover and Feel,” Wolf decides he can no longer keep his love for Zeppelin hidden, turning a gritty blues riffs inside-out, much as Jimmy Page once did, before a melodic flood rushes in. Outlier is a stylish album – even heavy, hook-filled hitters like “Such a Shame” and “The Trap is Alive” have their moments of dreamy transcendence, although the verses of the latter are somewhat clumsy in their movements.

Solidly built and ambitious, Outlier has a smoky quality and pulse-quickening tempos that make it perfect for moonlit caravans in fast convertibles. In the harsh light of day, few of its tracks beat their chests and demand to be singled out, but Outlier certainly is pretty and full of meaningful reflections on life and love. The echoes of past criticisms aimed at Kingdom Come are starting to fade. http://www.spv.de/
-        – Peter Lindblad 

CD Review: Rob Zombie – Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor


Rob Zombie – Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor
Zodiac Swan Records/T-Boy Productions/UMe
All Access Rating: A-

Rob Zombie - Venomous Rat
Regeneration Vendor 2013
Translated from some weird lost language that only Rob Zombie understands, “Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga” probably has some fiendishly obscene meaning, especially considering that in the pummeling chaos of the track – off his latest album, the awesomely titled Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor – he’s heard exhorting anyone within earshot to “rally round the girl with the skull on her ass.” Either that or Zombie has suddenly begun speaking in tongues.

Another seething, all-consuming cauldron of mind-bending heavy metal riffage, dizzying dance beats, industrial brutality, electronic unease and Zombie’s demented fantasies all mashed together, Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor might be his most visceral and entertaining album to date. Amplified by massive, full-throated production values, it’s an aural carnival of cartoonish horror and rip-roaring debauchery, with mean, explosive rock ’n’ roll freak shows like “Behold, the Pretty Filthy Creatures!,” “White Trash Freaks,” “Lucifer Rising”  and “Trade in Your Guns for a Coffin” getting right up in your face and spitting in it. They roar out of the speakers like runaway freight trains. At the controls, Zombie is the mad conductor, but it’s his equally demented assistant, that clever boy John 5, who churns out riff after heady riff, each one more insanely dynamic and unexpectedly potent than the last and seemingly packed with enough dynamite to blow a mile-wide hole in a mountain of rock.

While Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor is capable of generating awesome power, Zombie and his evil henchmen aren't satisfied with simply throwing their impressive weight around, even though the stomping opener “Teenage Nosferatu Pussy” is one of the heaviest tracks ever committed to a Zombie record. Updating The Doors’ “The Wasp (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)” for the new millennium, the swinging “Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown” – thrown around by swirling organ and crushed under the heel of Five’s grinding guitars – swaggers like a drunken cad, spilling his drink and eyeing up easy girls. And then there’s something insidiously infectious sweeping through “Rock and Roll (in a Black Hole)” like a full-on pandemic, the spare electronic beats giving way to a raging, head-spinning cyclone of raucous metal energy.

Again, Zombie loves to draw the most ludicrously evil images with words, including this little nugget of wisdom from “White Trash Freaks”: “She’s a Warhol painting heading west/I love Ringo across her breast/covering a nasty pitbull scar/life ain’t shit/if you ain’t a star.” And he relishes taking on absurd new identities, like “dirty pig alley Dan” and “King Kong raisin bran” in “Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga.” A literary Salvador Dali, Zombie’s writings often sound as if they are the product of terrifying acid trips. He does come down to sleepwalk his way through a rather nondescript and tepid reading of Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re an American Band,” but the rest of Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor is a delicious descent into madness, a hell ride of crazed, breathtaking intensity and almost manic mood swings. Buy a ticket to the show. You won’t ask for a refund. (universalmusicenterprises.com)
– Peter Lindblad