“As I’ve mentioned around these parts before, I am first and foremost an emotional listener. Technical prowess means little to me if it doesn’t serve to elevate a certain subset of sensations. This explains a lot about my listening habits. Progressive metal, which frequently employs storytelling techniques to build towards crescendos of sentiment, is commonly my favorite subgenre.” Into the prog bog.
“I love that title. Absolutely. It’s so charming. So affirmative. The Golden Grass, too, which sounds like a chip off the old rural-prog block made famous by the likes of Jethro Tull (though with a more obvious weed connotation). But despite strong ’60s and ’70s rock influences, Tull this is not. Hailing from Brooklyn, Absolutely represents the third full-length release by these chaps. Is it good? Absolu… well, partly.” Grass or pass?
“No joke: the day I found out Death Alley’s new record was coming out, I was jamming hard to Captain Beyond and Blue Öyster Cult. It was as if my craving for some old-school rock reached across the ocean to the Netherlands. Not only did Death Alley hear my call, they answered it—with Superbia. Don’t get me wrong, I ain’t much for religious interventions or anything but, my god, I almost picked up the Bible after that.” It’s bible good!
“Finding myself with a little free time on my hands this past week, I decided to snag an extra promo from the sump and try my luck with some unknown acts. I got lucky enough with Last Days of Eden, so I doubled down and went back for more, grabbing a promo from Virginia’s Freedom Hawk, and wouldn’t you know it, I’m on a bit of a roll here..” Freedom rock.
“Axel Rudi Pell (heretofore abbreviated as ARP) and his gang of Westphalian rockers are a one-trick pony, and the whole world of hard rock and heavy metal well knows this. However, the eponymous band has maintained a solid reputation for consistency and quality amongst those who enjoy the stuff, and Axel himself is an old-fashioned fella whose 80’s mindset frequently comes across in more than just his music.” We Camelot!
“When we last saw California’s Gygax, the stalwart four-piece party encountered a cynical man-cat from the mountains of Blashyrkh, hoping to impress this grizzled wizard with Critical Hits, an album that sang the praises of Dungeons & Dragons with a sound that would make Phil Lynott proud.” They like big dice and they cannot lie.
“Welp, it’s official: I’ve finally joined the likes of Steel Druhm, El Cuervo and Huck n Rolll in AMG’s Dad Rock Review Squad. In my defense, this was a total accident. Oblivious’ debut record was mistakenly labeled “Doom Metal” when I found it at the bottom of the thoroughly-picked early February promo barrel, and while I suppose a reasonable line of logic can be traced between the House that Sabbath Built and Oblivious’ brand of fuzzed-up hard rock, it doesn’t do anything to leave me feeling emotionally trampled.” Dad’s do it better.
“There’re are few bands in the world that you can look at, or listen to, and say, ‘yeah, those dudes fucking know the road.’ And, while there aren’t many that would trump the almighty Motörhead, there’re those that share the punkish gonads, the old-school blues, and the electrifying energy of Lemmy & Co. Against the Grain know the road and dominate the Midwest.” The road is a grainy place.
“I am nothing if not a glutton for punishment, which is why I continue my dive into corners of the promo bin untrammeled by more self-respecting reviewers. While my last foray into the depths brought back a surprisingly good collection of alt-metal songs, today’s entree is a bit less appetizing. Marking their ground somewhere between bluesy hard rock and ’90s death doom, Chasing Ghosts don’t sound like many other bands.” Boo-urns.
“I’ve already waxed poetic about my deepening love for ’70s rock but the ’60s remain a relatively uncharted territory for me. I’m of the not-so-humble opinion that The Beatles are overrated (though unquestionably hugely influential) and I find the progressive developments and greater variety found in ’70s rock far more appealing to a decade whose bands who were still much simpler and overtly blues-based. Thus, the promise of ’60s rock with a heavier edge, professed on the promo sheet appealed—on what am I missing out? Can the ’60s interest me? Will I ever stop questioning myself? Answers to some of these questions might be found below.” Question self, question music.
