Author Archives: Odyssey

About Odyssey

I have had a life-long love of music, but from the first time I heard Kiss and Black Sabbath with my landlord's son in Nicholasville, KY in the mid 70's, I have been hooked on Hard Rock and Metal. While my tastes in music have done nothing but expand since then, Metal remains closest to my heart. In addition, I have played bass, still play guitar and have literally 1000's of CDs/MP3s, so my knowledge is long steeped and honest. I don't buy the whole splintered, sub-genres thing and choose to like bands and music based solely on individual merits. Obviously, this is always colored by my mood, what I need at any given point and time and what is generally pleasing to my ear. I also don't like to rip any music or band, instead having an open mind and ear for it all because I have a passion for it all. It is completely subjective and in a constant state of flux. Consider me a music "nerd" not a music "snob". As an extension of this love, I hope to share this passion with everyone here and learn from your passion as well! - Odyssey -

State Of The Art: Utah – Riksha

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*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*

This month’s State is Utah!

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Last Monday of November signals the end of our State of the Art: Utah series unfortunately. This may have been the easiest state to choose killer bands to cover since being brought on with MN. All varieties of Metal represented, from humorous, to Punk, Progressive Rock, straight Metal all the way to the harshest of the harsh; blasting out from an obviously healthy scene. Must be something in the water. This week, let me offer a band out of Salt Lake City who call themselves Riksha. I call them bad-ass!

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Once Human Releases Their Video For “Gravity”!

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Can’t wait for Evolution, the followup to 2015’s The Life I Remember, due to drop early next year?  Well, Once Human has just released their second video from the album for “Gravity”, which follows “Eye of Chaos” from last month.  Vocalist Lauren Hart, guitarists Logan Mader (Soulfly and Machine Head) and Skyler Howren, bassist Damien Rainaud and drummer Dillon Trollope continue their killing spree, putting out some of the most lyrically and aurally brutal music that can be found anywhere on the planet!  We are already anxiously chomping at the bit to get our copy for review as soon as these Metal monster finish recording this beast!  Stay tuned, because we are just as excited as you are!

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Review of Arcade Messiah’s “III”: The Status Quo Defied

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Artwork by Michael Kerbow (michaelkerbow.com)

Arcade Messiah is a solo project spearheaded by cult Hasting band, Kingbathmat frontman John Bassett who currently resides in Sligo, Ireland. Born in Walthamstow, London, Bassett was raised by his ex-convent nun mother and meter reading father, who fed and looked after him as long as they could. By sixteen, he quit school and left home with little more than the clothes on his back. This left his employment opportunities limited to dull and mundane tasks; guitar and songwriting being his primary source of solstice. His love of music developed at a young age after picking up an acoustic guitar in the family home. Once able to figure out and play along with a number of songs, he found a guitar teacher in Tottenham to assist with chording. What John discovered was that he was playing a right handed guitar left handed, even though he was, in fact, right handed. Playing backwards was simply more comfortable. With this straightened out and a proper, left handed guitar was purchased, chords became natural and progressed directly into songwriting that has evolved into a life long passion.

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State Of The Art: Utah – Principium

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*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*

This month’s State is Utah!

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Looking for good bands in Utah has been as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. The tough thing this month is not finding a good band, but taking the extra effort to find the right band. Here’s a good one. Crap, moved to another state. Hey, another one. Damn, they broke up. Such goes the search. Then I ran into Disforia. Whoa. Almost too good to be true. Yup. The band is on a semi (maybe) permanent hiatus, the members being usurped by other killer bands throughout the area. This one I will follow more deeply. Too much talent to land in anything less than spectacular. What I found was nothing short of that, because I was lead to Principium (taken from the Latin word meaning “fundamental principle”).

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Oni’s “Ironshore” Sets A New Standard For Technical Metal!

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Oni is:

Jake Oni – vocals

Martin Andres – guitars

Brandon White – guitars

Chase Bryant – bass

Joe Greulich – drums

Johnny D – Xylo-synth

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Oni is one of those rare bands that pulls you in with an iron grip and refuses to let go as you get more acquainted with the music that they offer. So heavy, so complex and so unbelievably well played by musicians that not only play, but are masters of their chosen instruments. Hearing only a couple songs off of their upcoming release of Ironshore on Metal Blade Records due out appropriately on Black Friday, November 25th, I was not even a little prepared for the musical spectacle awaiting me when Oni opened for Max and Igor Cavalera’s “Return to Roots Tour” a couple of months ago. Talk about being floored! There is simply no weakness in this band. As over-the-top complicated as their songwriting skills demand, these guys play unbelievably well together, sitting just outside the void of potential chaos lesser bands would yield to while remaining accessible to mere mortals like myself. Thus began my almost obsessive quest to take in all that Oni brings to bear. Now that I have had a pre-release copy of Ironshore for some time, I remain in absolute awe every single time I listen to it. Already hitting my list of best albums this year, here are my thoughts…

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Sonic Syndicate Takes a Different Turn With the Release of “Confessions”

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Sonic Syndicate is:

Nathan J. Biggs – Lead Vocals

Robin Sjunnesson – Guitars

Michael Bärzén – Bass

Sonic Syndicate has been around since 2005, when guitarist Robin Sjunnesson was only sixteen years old. Shortly thereafter, the band released its debut, Eden Fire on Pivotal Reckordings September 13, 2005. Two years later, after being picked up by Nuclear Blast records, they released Only Human on May 18, 2007. With solid backing, Sonic Syndicate was able to tour non-stop and sharing the stage with international sensations like Nightwish, In Flames, Soilwork and many, many others. As a result, they were awarded Best Newcomer by the Swedish Metal Awards and Bandit Rock Awards 2008 in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Evanescence And Sick Puppies Roll Over The St. Augustine Amphitheater

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November 10, 2016. Get off work late. Quickly change clothes. Try to get off at your exit and no one will let you over and get bypassed onto a side street. Get stuck in construction traffic on the way back to the freeway because the city just has to have every road project going on at the same time. Get back on the highway for what should be a 45 minute drive. Traffic stops for five miles just outside of town for no apparent reason. Finally clear the mess and speed towards St. Augustine to find traffic again stopped all the way through town after taking “the short cut”. Get parked and head into the venue just as the first band starts some two hours after leaving work. Frustrating, but such is life in metropolitan areas everywhere; especially when one is in a hurry.

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Interview With Legendary Drummer/Producer Carl Canedy

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The Rods, St. James, Kelakos and Canedy. What do these all have in common? Drummer and producer Carl Canedy, that’s what. It is not every day that we have the opportunity to interview someone that has been in the music for so long. His kind disposition, patience and depth of knowledge simply adds to the aura of this Rock legend. Here’s what he has to say about his many endeavors, new music and insight into his perspective on the current state of music and much more! Big thanks to Online Metal Promo!

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Metallica Unleashes “Now That We’re Dead” Official Video

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And so we continue with our all day (and likely) all night coverage of Metallica’s unprecedented video drop of every single song on their Hardwired…To Self Destruct album due out in two days. This time around, let us introduce “Now That We’re Dead” to you. This beast is directed by Herring and Herring, which represents the partnership of world renowned fashion photographers, Dimitri Scheblanov and Jesper Carlsen, and caters to celebrities from all walks of fame, including the Osbournes and Metallica’s own, Lars Ulrich. So far, there has not been one, even mediocre song in the bunch. This is the Metallica we all grew to love! Intense and intelligent; with their trademarked and brutally honest in-your-face attitude. Only Metallica can serve up this level of eardrum rupturing madness and have us consistently begging for more. Cannot wait to see what the hours ahead hold for Metalheadz all over the globe. Hold on tight, this regalia of bone crushing Thrash is nowhere near being finished yet!

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METALLICA Releases “ManUNkind” Official Video

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4PM means that we have yet another Metallica video to sink our fangs into in preparation for their much anticipated, November 18th release of Hardwired…To Self Destruct. This one was directed by Jonas Åkerlund and kills, like only Metallica can do! So far, the response from fans has been overwhelmingly positive as the video representations of this release unfolds before our eyes and ears. Being a fan for over thirty years, I could not be more thrilled with everything put forward so far. Stay tuned! There is much more to come as we are given the rare opportunity to hear the new album, in its entirety, before it is released! Loving this marketing strategy! Freakin’ genius!

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