Comments Off on Review: DRIVETRAIN – ‘Muscles Big’ [Album Stream]
The 70s and 80s were both staple decades in the evolution of rock that most consider as the “classic” era for rock bands. Killer riffs and heavy drums are what made the music, and Portland, Maine’s Drivetrain are continuing those great characteristics that made the 70s and 80s rock. Since forming the group in 2012, Drivetrain has decided to unleash their killer debut album, ‘Muscles Big.’ Taking inspiration on the traditional aspects of loud cars and even louder rock, this debut is one of my favorite first albums from a band. With Kevin Beling handling vocals and rhythm guitar, Alex Fabish beating the hell out of the drums, Butch Fabish tackling lead guitar duties, and Ben Philbrick on the thunderous bass, they have released this mayhem on January 21, 2019. Continue reading →
Comments Off on Album Review: KOSMIK BOOGIE TRIBE – We’re Not Here to Fu*k Spiders
Kosmik Boogie Tribe
We’re Not Here to Fu*k Spiders
Rural Rebel Rock/Tiger Records
Release Date: April 6, 2018
The third release from Norwegian quintet Kosmik Boogie Tribe, We’re Not Here to Fuck Spiders, is an incendiary slab of no-bullshit, gutbucket rock n’ roll. True to its title, it’s not here to fuck around, it’s here to get the job done, and that job just so happens to be whooping your ass. Eight songs in a shade over a half-hour, and it barely slows down to take a breath from sonically punching you repeatedly in the face and gut. No time is wasted on current events or social commentary, or hackneyed relationship analyses or sad-sack treatises on man’s inhumanity to man; instead, the primary themes here seem to be getting fucked up and fucking shit up. Raw-boned and roughly hewn, We’re Not Here to Fuck Spiders is the sound of a band for whom making a record and making a racket are the same damn thing.
Comments Off on Review: APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE – ‘From Gold To Ash’
Formed in 2004 by former The Gates Of Slumber drummer Chuck Brown, the band followed their 2008 ‘Sincerest Misery’ debut with “Last Sunrise” in 2010, then, in between two splits and a demo, released ‘Of Woe And Wounds’ in 2014, which also served as their first album for Italy’s Cruz Del Sur Music. Just in time, Apostle of Solitude greets the legions of doom in early 2018 with their fourth studio album, ‘From Gold To Ash.’ Continue reading →
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the state of the month*
This month’s state is Michigan!
The newly discovered beast called Bonehawk has escaped the confinement of the zoo. By zoo I mean Kalamazoo, Michigan. They are somewhat of a new band releasing their debut album in October of last year (2014) called “Albino Rhino”. One thing albino indicates is a rarity and that is what Bonehawk is. Every song has this simple yet complex arrangement. The first song I heard was ” Desert Sun” and I was hooked. I listened to it maybe 3 times before I moved on to another song. Vocalist Matt Helt sings with this overwhelming authority. It demands your attention but he makes it seem so natural at the same time. This is one of those bands that makes you want to kick your own ass for not knowing about them sooner. They released the debut album through Hornacious Wax Records, and it was recorded with Jim Diamond at Ghetto Recorders in Detroit, Michigan. You may be familiar with Jim Diamond as he worked with The White Stripes on their first two albums.
Bonehawk is a band that everyone should give a chance, I promise you will not be let down. They have this vibe and sound that crosses barriers from rock to metal to psychedelic and blues. The guitar harmonies just bring everything together. The vocal style has this sense of calmness to it that is hard to explain. Songs like “Sexy Beast” are perfect examples of how everything can come together in a song. I am not normally a fan of instrumental songs. However, the title track “Albino Rhino” may have changed my mind. When you don’t include vocals in a song you really have to bring something special and they have done just that. The song immediately grabs your attention with these Sabbath like bass licks leading into the song. Then the riffs kick in. The song is able to stand alone without lyrics, and that is a hard thing to do. We are hoping to catch these guys on the road soon if they come within a three state radius of us we will be there. We can’t wait to hear more of what they have to offer and I’m sure once you listen to them you will feel the same way.
Follow these guys on Facebook here! You can check them out on Bandcamp and buy the album here!
