We’re getting into the dog days of August, and the releases are heating up…
Have you ever wanted a symphonic metal version of the Spice Girls? No? You either? Napalm Records really seems to have a formula, don’t they? Put a hot chick (in this case 4) add some goofy music and voila! You have a new release! Exit Eden is releasing Rhapsodies In Black and boy howdy, this is utter crap. I mean there are 4 female vocalists (all hailing from different countries, “yet stemming from the world of rock”) and this birdbrain is having a hard time not pecking his own ear drums out. On to the music, huh? Imagine 4 made up women in corsets singing over symphonic “metal” versions of pop songs from the last 20 years or so. Wow, you know that one hot chick you’d like to ask out to a concert but she doesn’t like metal? Even she’d hate this… because it’s just bad. This is pap. Lady Gaga and Backstreet Boys covers mixed with distortion does not a metal record make.
0 Fucking Pecks
So this one is going to be tough… Warbeast is releasing their third and possibly last effort, Enter The Arena, on Housecore. I say possibly last because singer Bruce Corbitt has announced that he has esophageal cancer and the future of the band hasn’t been announced (to my knowledge, anyway). This is Warbeast and sounds like it, the music is tight and precise. Warbeast has always had a little thrash and a little hardcore mixed in their sound and while this remains, there’s definitely more of an Exhorder/Pantera influence here that hasn’t been as present as it has in the past. ETA is probably their most different effort, but it’s not weak at all. Soooo… I guess I’ll give this 6 Fucking Pecks.
Wow, I’m really blowing it this week… I’m not sure what to make of this… First of all, how could I NOT review a band called Damn Freaks? I was really hoping for something different, but this is LA sunset strip metal fronted by former Tygers Of Pan Tang vocalist Jack Meille, and his performance here is definitely the shining point of this release. This is hard rockin’ music and isn’t bad, but seems a little uninspired, albeit fun. So, I kinda like this, but to say that this is the best hard rock release is a bit of a stretch. If this type of thing is in your birdcage, pick up Damn Freaks by Damn Freaks and cruise the Sunset Strip. 5 Fucking Pecks.
Just a side note, Wake from Canada will be releasing a new record, and although I’ve heard it (it’s awesome) I can’t share it, but check them out here. Same thing goes for WVRM from South Carolina. You’re really missing out if you don’t check this stuff out.
