alternative rock

(8/10) It's hard to describe The New Black's sound. The guys describe themselfs as a mixture of the Black Label Society with some Nickelback and Pantera embedded. I think it describes the new album pretty well.

"A Monster's Life" is the bands fourth album and it's the first one that doesn't follow the numbering mentioned in the title. No "IV" mentioned, it's just "A Monster's Life".

This time the Southern Rock influences got a bit more into the forefront, like in "Send in the Clowns" or rocking "Buddha Belly".

The New Black also show their sense of humor - yes, German do have humor - looking on song titles such as "The Beer of No Return". The name could be from Tankard but the alternative metal, reflected by this tune, is pure The New Black with some Zakk Wylde cross-references.

In general the album doesn't come with a real downer. Each of the ten tracks reveals it's own beauty even though I must say that I like it most when the guys decide to play heavy like in "Better". The mighty guitars are a real treat for your ears while the melodic vocals give the tune a certain catchiness.

The New Black's fourth strike is containing well done alternative metal that is spot-on. Cool.

(8/10)

Tracklist:

1. Long Time Coming
2. Blockbuster Life
3. Win a Grin
4. Send in the Clowns
5. Dead in the Water
6. Buddha Belly
7. The Beer of No Return
8. A Pill Named Ting
9. Better
10. That's Your Poison Not Mine

Label: AFM

Genre: Alternative Metal

Release Date EU: February 29th, 2016

Long Distance Calling from Muenster, Germany posted the artwork for the upcoming album. This time it's an artwork teaser video that can be watch via the link below.

"Trips" will be published on April 29th, 2016 and comes via InsideOut. This is the tracklist:

1. Getaway
2. Reconnect
3. Rewind
4. Trauma
5. Lines
6. Presence
7. Momentum
8. Plans
9. Flux

To promote the new album the guys will be on tour too. Check out the dates:

28th April – Skater’s Palace, Münster, Germany
29th April – Uebel & Gefährlich, Hamburg, Germany
30th April – Mau Club, Rostock, Germany
2nd May – UT Connewitz, Leipzig, Germany
3rd May – Musik & Frieden, Berlin, Germany
4th May – Kulturkirche, Köln, Germany
5th May – Backstage Halle, München, Germany
6th May – Substage, Karlsruhe, Germany
7th May – KiFF, Aarau, Switzerland
9th May – 013, Tilburg, Netherlands
10th May – Boston Music Room, London, UK
11th May – Exchange, Bristol, UK
12th May – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, UK
13th May – Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes, UK

With their mindmelting eighth epos, Cult Of Luna & Julie Christams brings you to the outer rim of the ever expanding boundaries of the cosmos - where the rules of man is not applicable and the cold, dark nothing envelops the harsh realities of the universe.

Grammy Award nominees 3 Doors Down will release a new album on March 11th. "Us and the Night", this is the title of the disc. "In the Dark" is one track on this longplayer and the tune is available for download already.

Tracklist:

1. The Broken
2. In The Dark
3. Still Alive
4. Believe It
5. Living In Your Hell
6. Inside Of Me
7. I Don’t Wanna Know
8. Pieces of Me
9. Love Is A Lie
10. Us And The Night
11. Fell From The Moon​

Anti-Flag comes to Europe during summer. Here are four festival dates the band will perform during June/July.

24.June SOUTHSIDE FESTIVAL - Neuhausen ob Eck

25.June HURRICANE FESTIVAL - Scheessel

02.July VAINSTREAM ROCKFEST - Münster

03.July WITH FULL FORCE - Leipzig

Filter stands for industrial alternative rock from the US of A. The band will release their seventh album "Crazy Eyes" on April 8th via Spinefarm Records and the guys are looking back in time. The new record is an homage to the bands debut "Short Bus" which leads to less walls of guitars and a wider, gloomy industrial sound.

(7/10) Sanguine are from Exeter, UK and the band's passion is modern metal. The guys started around 2004 and after some demos the debut is locked and loaded.

"Black Sheep" stands for modern metal that reminded me to Italian Lacuna Coil. Heavy guitar riffs, melodic female vocals with some additional male screams and a grooving songstructure are the red thread throughout this longplayer.

The whole thing doesn't sound bad, but it's also not really a new sound we get from the quartet. However, it's the unleashed power that is the benefit of this release.

The wildest tune on the album is "Social Decay". It's an angry number build on a heavy modern riff that is pretty cool. And it's a song that brings singer Tarin to her limits, and maybe even beyond. Her sreams are almost like the ones from The Great KAT (if you still can remember her) and I think it's a bit overdone. There are better moments on the album even though I like the raw punky energy of this highspeed tune.

Cool rockin' songs on "Black Sheep" are "Empty" that combines wildness with catchy melodies and the weird grooving "Save Me".

But Tarin Kerrey is far better when she's singing. The ballad "The Blue" fits far better to her voice and it's interesting enough that the band put two more silent tracks at the end. The closer "Whole World" is another ballad. A bit more powerful than "The Blue" but still a ballad.

The sound of "Black Sheep" is dynamic and forceful, but drums and bass sometimes come across too undifferenciated.

To sum up: Sanguine's new album is solid and energetic. Fans of female fronted modern metal can check out this album.

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Breaking Out
2. Pretty Girl
3. Empty
4. Save Me
5. Carousel
6. Breathe Out
7. Black Sheep
8. Social Decay
9. The Blue
10. Whole World

Label: OMN Label Services

Genre: Alternative Metal

Release Date EU: January 29th, 2016

(8/10) Time flies if you have fun. German alternative metal band Emil Bulls is in business already since 20 years which is a great moment to celebrate all achievements. And the guys from Munich do celebrate this anniversary.

The quintet took a look back in time on their discography that includes nine longplayers. The guys took the most important tracks from the various periods and re-arranged them. Songs like "Leaving You With This" from 2000 release "Monogamy" up to "Hearteater" from "Sacrifice to Venus" have been turned into soulful acoustic tunes that show the band from a totally new angle.

It was in November last year when the band took those numbers and went on a tour which they called the "Candlelight and Hellfire tour". The acoustic set was played in various cities all over Germany, supplemented by some 'Hellfire'-shows in some bigger cities like Hamburg. The latter have been the plugged-in gigs that included basically the same setlist, just with full power.

With "XX" it's almost the same. The core package is build on the acoustic versions of Emil Bull's highlights. CD 2 (available only in the digipak) instead contains the original version with full force.

All in all "XX" is a cool idea for celebrating the 20th anniversary. It's a carefully done retrospective of the last two decades of Emil Bulls. Happy Birthday.

(8/10)

Tracklist:

1. Here Comes the Fire
2. The Jaws of Oblivion
3. The Way of the Warrior
4. Hearteater
5. The Most Evil Speech
6. Close to the Wind
7. Worlds Apart
8. Nothing in This World
9. Gone Baby Gone
10. Not Tonight Josephine
11. When God Was Sleeping
12. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
13. Dear Sadness
14. Dancing on the Moon
15. All For You

Label: AFM Records

Genre: Alternative Metal

Release date EU: Januray 29th, 2016

(7/10) Inlegend had a cool Christmas-/New Year present which you might missed. The guys had a few songs from the "Stones Of Goliath" session which they wanted to share with the fans. The result is an EP that's called "Goliath's End". It contains six tunes that the band made available for free download. An official CD release will follow in February. A nice idea and a nice gift for the fans.

The piano is again the center for Inlegends music. Like on the last album there aren't any guitars on this EP which makes it acutally to a very nice one, considering the more silent holiday period.

I also have to say that the tunes are a bit more relaxed than what ended up on "Stones of Goliath". "Reason", as one example, is a pure ballad and also "Wide Awake" is a tasty quiet tune without any hard elements.

A counterpart to those numbers is the rocking "No More Weddings" and the opener - tunes that are showing the powerful side of a pianobased sound.

Inlegend's new EP is far away from metal, but the guys write good songs that are catchy without being cheesy. Music for fans of Meat Loaf and Coldplay.

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Waifs'n'Strays
2. Reason
3. Arabesque
4. Maybe
5. Wide Awake
6. No More Weddings

Label: Eat The Beat

Genre: Rock

Release Date EU: February 19th, 2016

Anti-Flag has released an acoustic album that was recorded during the Punk Rock Bowling Festival in Las Vegas this year. 

"The Songs on American Spring pushed us into territory uncharted," says Anti-Flad bassist Chris No. 2. "I felt immense struggle for personal self-worth and self-identity writing these songs. Making the moment of its release something incredibly scary and nerve wracking. This show at 11th Street Records was not only us unveiling the record for the first time but of us playing these songs for people other than ourselves for the first time. The importance of independent record stores like 11th Street cannot be understated — a forum where ideas can be shared, where outsiders of the status quo can find solace. The dissemination of information outside of pop culture. To partner with this shop in Las Vegas and have attendees of Punk Rock Bowling from all over the globe made this one of the coolest and powerful moments in our bands life. This collection of songs is a document of that moment."

Tracklist:

1. "Fabled World"

2. "This Is the End"

3. "Broken Bones"

4. "Brandenburg Gate"

5. "1915"

6. "One Trillion Dollars"

7. "Without End"

8. "Turncoat"

9. "Die for the Government"

(7/10) The Mænsion describes their music as FutuRock. If we will hear more of the band in the future is something time will tell. Therefor let's stay focussed for the moment on the here and now.

The facts are that Mænsion have their starting moment back in 2008, but things became more tangible around 2013 when mainman Mark Mænsion moved to California. While producing other acts Mark also started to write the tunes that are now published on "Ævolution".

I would describe the bands sound as alternative rock, that also comes with some prog influences. The first single called "Chrysalis" is one of the numbers that reflects all this best. It brings back Tool to my memories while the end is more modern metal. The fact that Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst has a guest appearance on this tune emphasises the closeness to this genre.

The more silent moments are e.g. "Fetus' Thoughts". The song starts quite and fragile. Towards the end it builds up a bit but doesn't twist into a real outburst. It's more the electronically supported soundscapes that are in the forefront.

The Mænsion serves a melange of the mentioned genres; something that leads to nice songs that are produced very well. The album isn't rocket science but it's a solid piece of modern rock music. 

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Silence
2. Freak
3. Absolution
4. Chrysalis (feat. Fred Durst)
5. Fetus' Thoughts
6. Retrospection
7. Labyrinth
8. Into the Dark
9. The Riddle With No Answer

Label: Take Those Trip To The Mars Records

Genre: Alternative Metal/Rock

Release Date EU: October 2nd, 2015

(7/10) I knew about Sons Of Anarchy, but Sons Of Texas? Is it a chapter of the motorcycle club. No, it's not.

"Baptized in the Rio Grande" is the debut album of the band from Mc Allen, Texas. The first signs of life are dated back in 2013 and 1,5 years later the first longplayer is available in the record shops.

It was in spring 2015 when the disc was released in North America and now it also get's a proper release in Europe via Razor & Tie.

Sons Of Texas have created their own style that is build on alternative metal that reminds a bit to Alter Bridge, but there are also southern rock elements present. And if this wouldn't be enough also bands like Pantera have been played quite often in Mc Allen. The opener at least shows some cross-references that are well packaged and the same goes for "Drag the Blade"

The opposite of all this is called "Breathing Through My Wounds" - the ballad. It's a beautiful slower song that isn't something new, but comes with chart potential.

Talking about charts. The debut scored already some chart successes in the US and I'm curious if this also goes for Europe.

In the end I think that Sons Of Texas is a band that is build on a solid base. What I miss is a bit of what they stand for. There are too many different styles and inspirations involved in the songs. But what are the trademarks of Sons Of Texas? I bit more focus would fit very well.

Besides that, all good on "Baptized in the Rio Grande".

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Never Bury the Hachet
2. Pull It and Fire
3. Baptized in the Rio Grande
4. Nothing King
5. The Vestyman
6. Blameshift
7. Breathing Through My Wounds
8. Morals of the Helpless Kind
9. Drag the Blade
10. September
11. Texas Trim

Label: Razor & Tie

Genre: Alternative Metal

Release Date EU: November 6th, 2015

(7/10) "Skeletons" is the name of Glenn Danzig's tenth studio record. It's a new release even though the singer with the unique voice worked on it already since many years. "Skeletons" isn't a regular studio album with new Danzig songs. Instead of it's a collection of cover song arranged the Danzig-way.

The variety of tunes the muscle man recorded is wide and open to many directions. Elvis Presley's "Let Yourself Go" got a new appeal and the same goes for "Crying in the Rain" from The Everly Brothers. But it's not only those classics that were turned into a dark Danzig sound. Also the mighty "N.I.B." from Black Sabbath has been newly interpreted.

These are the song that are Danzig's musical skeleton and the iconic singer finally had a chance to record them and press them on a new album.

But Danzig wouldn't be Danzig if there would be no link to 'horror' and 'satan' on the album. That's why, next to rock'n'roll idol Elvis Presley, also songs like "Satan" from Satans Sadists and "Devil's Angel" from Roger Corman's biker movie with the same title found a spot on the tracklist.

I was quite happy to hear 'new' material from Danzig and in the end the album became an OK one. It's not as thrilling as I hoped but it contains some really good covers. However, none of those new arranged versions (I'm not talking about the originals here) gets close to Danzig classics such as "Mother", "Sinistas" or the irresistable "Dirty Black Summer".

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Devil's Angels
2. Satan from Satans
3. Let Yourself Go
4. NIB
5. Lord of the Thighs
6. Action Woman
7. Rough Boy
8. With a Girl Like You
9. Find Somebody
10. Crying in the Rain

Label: AFM

Genre: Dark Metal

Release Date EU: November 27th, 2015

(8/10) If you want to mix an excellent drink you need the right in incrediences and the right way how to put them together. The new Skindred album reminded me very much to this metaphor.

Skindred's crossover isn't new, at least the idea isn't something new. The guys combine the heavy riffs of metal with hiphop, rap and dub. There have been quite some bands that did such a thing already earlier in time. However, Skindred finds their own niche in this genre and the result is an album that comes with a lot of groove.

"Volume" is the title of the record and it fits. Turn it on - the volume. Those tracks demand to be listen to on 10.

"Under Attack" is the first level in this 14 level experience. A little bit of Rage Against The Machine that comes with this tune, but only as inspiration for the riff and not as a boring copy. The song was already released earlier as an appetizer for the new longplayer and it belongs to the best ones on the album.

What was Rage Against The Machine for the opener is Faith No More for the title song. Here and there Mike Patton and dudes come up to surface, but just as one incredience in a whole set of things.

What gives "Volume" a certain ease are the three intermezzos', simly called "I", "II" and "III". Those short bridges add a tropical reggae vibe, in three variations. Pretty good.

"Volume" is an entertaining release. Skindred proves that crossover isn't dead. You just have to know how to combine stuff, find the right mixture and do it with dedication - like with a drink. Prost.

(8/10) 

Tracklist:

1. Under attack
2. Volume
3. Hit the Ground
4. Shut ya Mouth
5. I
6. The Healing
7. Sound the Siren
8. Saying it Now
9. II
10. Straight Jacket
11. III
12. No Justice
13. Stand Up
14. Three Words

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: Crossover

Release Date EU: October 30st, 2015