Death Angel-The Dream Calls For Blood ©2013 Nuclear Blast Records
When looking for some more traditional thrash metal, Death Angel is always one of those bands that come to mind for me. The band's latest album in terms of thrash is pretty pure. Good old school stuff with great licks and a frenzied tempo. Musically, this album ranges from medium tempo to explosive with most of the music leaning towards the latter. Thinking back to some of the great classic thrash albums of the late 80's including some of Death Angel's earlier stuff, one realizes that this new album is on par with some of the best. Very solid thrash effort with a lot of consistency. Recommended!
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Dave Sharman-Evolution Machine ©2013 City of Hope Music Limited
One of the things I like about Dave Sharman's music is that even though he is very proficient as a guitarist, it doesn't become an obsessed shredfest. There are elements to his music and on his latest album that make it a very enjoyable listen. 'Evolution Machine' has a great groove running through it. A few of the tracks are very catchy making them instantly memorable. So while we get the usual guitar goods, there is a bit more to this album and this is what fan's of Sharman have come to expect with each of his great releases. If you are looking for great playing with some good groove, grab this album!
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The Infinite Staircase-No Amends ©2013 Vanity Music Group
Maybe a bit more unknown to the more mainstream crowd but just as relevant is The Infinite Staircase. The band's music to me has a bit more modern sound with a lot of melody to it. It's worth mentioning that this band has garnered interest from a lot of other veteran musicians and got plenty of assistance with this record. Zakk Wylde helps out as does Kevin Martin, Chris Caffery and many more. It's pretty impressive and the results to me are equally impressive. There are 7 tracks in total with 'The Pride' being previously released, but added here as a bonus. It's consistent, melodic, and worth your time.
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Kill Devil Hill-Revolution Rise ©2013 Century Media Records
Jumped in as a fan of this band after catching the band on tour with Alice Cooper. There was a definite veteran presence on stage with Rex Brown, Vinny Appice and Mark Zavon and a definite solid frontman in Dewey Bragg. The music on the new record is a natural progression from the band's first effort. The music is a bit dark and heavy, but at times has a finesse about it. I find Bragg's vocals a perfect fit from an almost Layne Staley type of feel. It all blends well to offer the listener a pretty solid listen. This disc will definitely be getting some repeated listens. If you like it dark and heavy, check this out!
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Trouble Circus-Ain't Shit ©2012 Union Records
Every now and then a punk styled band grabs my attention. The latest is Norway's Trouble Circus. I wouldn't classify this as a pure punk record as there are some definite rock elements in the music. The guitar work is where the more rock oriented sound comes from and vocally in my opinion is the punkish sound. It's a good mix and the album overall has a decent flow. Each track has enough appeal for the listener to enjoy a complete listen without the need to skip tracks. It's not overly aggressive in terms of tempo. Definitely a band that is worth keeping an eye on. Decent effort!
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