By BRENDAN TENAN
Staff Writer
Hello, fellow headbangers, and welcome back to another edition of “Bang Your Head with Brendan.” This is a (relatively) new column in The Chronicle dedicated to all music that rocks, be it classic rock, pop, arena, alternative, garage, indie, punk, or metal. A few weeks ago marked the premiere of this column, as I counted down my favorite songs to play for Halloween. This week, I’ve got a set of new albums to share with you and give my thoughts on.
The fall months are typically an important time of the year in the music industry, as many major artists customarily release their latest efforts just in time for fans to pick up or download for the holidays. The worlds of rock and metal music are no different. Both new artists and road-tested, veteran bands have been unleashing brand-new music on our eardrums. But are these new albums worth your time and, more importantly, your hard-earned money?
That’s where I come in, to try and help you determine what you should check out and what you should skip altogether. This week’s column features some of the veteran acts I’ve been listening to. All of these bands have been making music for at least twenty-five years or more, but do they still have the same magic that brought them fame and fortune to begin with?
Pearl Jam, Lightning Bolt:
One of the most influential and popular bands to come out of the Seattle grunge movement during the early 1990s, Pearl Jam has been making music and touring for over two decades. Their latest offering, Lightning Bolt, is an eclectic mix of the fuzzed distortion and hard-rocking tracks we’ve come to expect from the band (such as “Getaway,” and “Mind Your Manners”) as well as songs that are more mellow and contemplative (“Sleeping By Myself,” “Pendulum”). Perhaps this is due to the collaborative writing process that took place with this album. Regardless of what the reason is, there’s no denying the end result: an album that doesn’t sound overly produced and mixed, almost as if they were practicing and recording in garages again. Lightning Bolt showcases plenty of the hard rocking sound we expect from Eddie Vedder and Co., only without the heavy lyrical content. Personally, I find this to be a welcome change. I love the moody Pearl Jam classics as much as the next person, but sometimes it’s nice to just liven things up a bit and be, dare I say it, happy. 8.5/10
Motorhead, Aftershock:
With a catalog spanning across five different decades, Motorhead is not only the longest tenured band featured in this weeks’ column, it’s arguably the most prolific. Aftershock marks the bands’ 21st studio album in just under 40 years of existence, and the guys show few signs of slowing down. Over the last four decades, the godfathers of thrash metal have crafted a sound that is all their own, and fans have come to expect a certain mix of heaviness, speed, and groove in every album that they put out. Fortunately, the guys don’t disappoint, providing fourteen songs in the classic Motorhead template. Lead singer Lemmy Kilmister’s snarling voice and thunderous bass guitar are as powerful as ever; guitarist Phil Campbell shreds solos as well as almost anyone in the business; and Mikkey Dee pounds away on the drums in a sort of controlled frenzy. Listen to tracks like the riff-tastic “Heartbreaker” and straightforward rocker “Queen of the Damned,” to understand why so many metal bands name Motorhead as an influence. If you want to hear something a little bit out of left field from them, check out “Lost Woman Blues.” 9/10
Death Angel, The Dream Calls for Blood:
Speaking of thrash metal, Death Angel is among the original thrash metal bands that first burst onto the scene in the early and mid-1980s. Their latest album, The Dream Calls for Blood, marks in many ways a return to the original sound of the San Francisco Bay natives. Anchored by the band’s remaining founding members, singer Mark Osegueda and guitarist Rob Cavestany, Death Angel has created an album full of fast and exciting riffs, strong lyrics, and powerful vocal melodies. Osegueda sounds particularly strong, changing his delivery and approach at different points in the album. The occasional use of group or “gang” vocals in certain choruses adds more energy to the album, while Cavestany and fellow guitarist Ted Aguilar utilize acoustic guitars to help change the dynamics of songs like “Execution” and “Territorial Instinct/Bloodlust.” Other standout songs include the title track; “Left for Dead,” a strong opener played in the classic thrash template; and the slightly slower, more rhythm focused “Son of the Morning.” 8.5/10
Dream Theater, Dream Theater:
In a sub-genre that prides itself on musical prowess and complex orchestrations, few prog (short for progressive) metal bands have had the track record of combining great musicianship with catchy, crowd-pleasing riffs and melodies like Boston’s Dream Theater. Their latest album, which is eponymously titled, showcases the immense skills each member of the band has from the very beginning. Opening number “False Awakening Suite,” with its three distinct movements, sets the tone early and feels cinematic in its scope and grandeur. (Think of a classic John Williams score played by guitars and a synthesizer instead of an orchestra.) The rest of the album, from first single “The Enemy Inside” to “The Looking Glass” and “Behind the Veil” is filled with great riff structures, wailing solos from John Petrucci, frequent (but not unnecessary) changes in the time signature, and singer James LaBrie’s emphatic but smooth, clean vocals. And, in true Dream Theater fashion, the album features one truly epic song: the 22 minute long album closer “Illumination Theory.” In short, everything Dream Theater fans have loved about the band for over twenty-five years. 9/10
GWAR, Battle Maximus:
To quote Monty Python, “And now for something completely different.” From the intricate guitar riffs, soaring vocal melodies, and change in time signatures seen with Dream Theater, we now turn to the band of “intergalactic space warrior scumdogs” known as GWAR. Battle Maximus marks the band’s first album since the tragic death of guitarist Cory Smoot, better known to fans as Flattus Maximus. GWAR has since recruited former Cannibal Corpse guitarist Brent Purgason, aka Pustulus Maximus, to fill the void. If there were any concerns about how the band would carry on following the loss of Flattus, rest assured that the future looks bright for our favorite scumdogs. “Madness at the Core of Time” harkens back to the earlier sounds of GWAR, which had more punk tendencies. While not used often, the occasional utilization of melody by lead front-thing Oderus Urungus helps give variety to the album as a whole, especially on the tribute to their fallen band mate, “Fly Now.” Overall, Battle Maximus is another strong effort put out by GWAR. Hopefully the band will continue to grow and find more success after having to deal with losing a beloved member of the band. 8/10
That’s all for this week, folks. Be sure to check back in a week or two, as I’ll be giving my two cents on the latest albums from some newer, more popular bands.
If you want me to review a specific album or song, email me your idea at tenanb400@strose.edu. Until then, throw up those horns and keep rocking out to your favorite artists!
