We're Back! The BEST Hard Rock/Metal of 2013!

     Sorry that I've been away for so long, but what better way to return than with a summation of the year's best sonic slabs?! Here are my top 10 album releases (and/or songs from those releases) for 2013:
1. In my book, #1 has gotta be the insanely good, The Winery Dogs self-titled debut, an absolute must-own piece of music! Richie Kotzen, Billy Sheehan, and Mike Portnoy all combine to remind everyone just how good quality "album rock" is, meaning, start-to-finish, this disc flat out kills! A delicious combination of hard rock, blues, and soul, you don't need to release singles when you're entire album kicks so much ass! 

2. No.#2 should really be 1(A), because it's top-to-bottom as good as The Winery Dogs cd- Alice in Chains' 2nd cd of their triumphant return, "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here"! Absolutely love what singer/guitarist Will Duvall brings to this band, and the vocal harmonies are back to perfection, while Jerry Cantrell's riffs are still heavy enough to bulldoze a house!

3. Alter Bridge.. on an album of BRUTALLY heavy & amazing, tasty riffs, it's this melodic stuff that really grabs me. Here, guitarist Mark Tremonti (Creed) takes lead vocals, with the super-talented Myles Kennedy (also Slash's singer) on backing vox.. 

4. Black Sabbath, with Ozzy back in the band.. The GODFATHERS returned this year, and there is no way that anyone could've expected it to turn out this insanely good, even if they did borrow heavily from their debut album, some 40 years ago.. It still RULES.. 

  

5. Avenged Sevenfold.. new school sounding deliciously old school! I think they really are onto something with the melodic, grooving, hard rock sound they are pumping out now..

6. Megadeth.. I remember when everyone got all pissy when Metallica released, "Load", even though I loved the bluesy, hard rock "almost metal", direction they went in on that album. Well, Megadeth does it here, and I love this too.. Radio friendly, GREAT "driving fast" song! ..Not that I drive fast or anything..

7. Bullet For My Valentine.. Boy, did I screw up not paying attention to this band before.. Well, I'm paying attention now! Love this group, enough raucous thrash to not be classified as completely emo/screamo-metal..

8. Another band well-represented in my workout mix, this band had it's biggest release this year: Five Finger Death Punch..here with some help from the Metal God, Mr. Rob Halford!

9. Kill Devil Hill... Another new band I freakin' absolutely love, out of Texas, featuring Pantera's Rex Brown, it's got equal parts classic Sabbath, Pantera, and Alice in Chains.. Just sludgy riff awesomeness..

10. Volbeat.. Yet another band that seemed to pop outta nowhere, and really take off this year.. LOTS of good old-school Metallica riff influence here, and very original vocal sound too.. 

...OK, so there is my list of best new original hard rock & metal for this year, 2013.. Dream Theater had a new release, but other than a scattered few songs, didn't really blow my mind as much as these ten releases.. Cover albums by Anthrax & Adrenaline Mob were both BRILLIANTLY done, but I was sticking to new, original music for this list.. Hopefully, I turned even one person onto something they may have not even known was out there.. Happy New Year, everyone, and STAY LOUD!

Adrenaline Mob.. and Life After Dream Theater!

     Mike Portnoy doesn't miss a beat. His departure, or split, or whatever you wanna call it, from Dream Theater, was met with many cries of "The sky is falling!", especially in the metal community. But, as it turns out, this split now has given us TWO great bands, almost in the same vein that Dave Mustaine splitting from Metallica gave us the beast known as Megadeth. Dream Theater are doing just fine with the alien-"out of this universe"-level talent of Mike Mangini behind the drumkit (which I just personally witnessed at the Paramount in Huntington, NY last week), and thus, Mike Portnoy hooked up with Russell Allen of Symphony X (vocals), and the LETHAL guitar playing of Mike Orlando (I love John Petrucci, but Mike Orlando is equally as insane!) to form Adrenaline Mob and release the self-debut. Less prog, more bounce, and the best workout CD to come down the pike in awhile (besides Anthrax's latest), this music is perfectly summed up by the word "adrenaline" being in the band name! Ferocious, moshpit-ready tracks like "Undaunted", "Pyschosane", "Hittin' the Wall", and "Feelin' Me" are balanced nicely with melodic, more radio-accessible tracks like, "Indifferent", and the amazingly heartfelt semi-ballad, "All On the Line".. Not a bad song on this disc, it is start-to-finish INCREDIBLE. Grab it, put 300 lbs. on the bench, and get BUSY..

The Return of the KING! EDDIE VH & DIAMOND DAVE ARE BACK

Yes, it's THAT freakin' good...

    So, when radio stations started playing, "Tattoo", the first Van Halen single from the just-released-today, first new album in 28 years with David Lee Roth, "A Different Kind of Truth", I was a little disappointed. I thought that song was mediocre at best, very ho-hum. But then, fantastic little snippets of other songs started leaking onto the internet, and the great Eddie Trunk played a second song on his syndicated Q104.3 (NYC) radio show, titled, "The Trouble With Never", which kicked real ass. My hopes began to raise a bit, as everything I was hearing rocked exceptionally HARD, and truly bled that classic Van Halen sound, even without the incredible high harmonies of Michael Anthony! Don't get me wrong, I love, love, LOVE Sammy Hagar, but to me, Van Halen IS David Lee Roth on vocals, and I wanted nothing more than this new album to succeed and kick more ass than ever could be imagined from the return of two legendary musicians that, unfortunately, haven't gotten along for almost three decades. Well, to my pleasant surprised, iTunes downloaded my pre-ordered new release onto my iPhone at 9am, and, no joke, I haven't shut it off yet, and it's now 7pm. That includes driving around at work all day, driving home, and 45 minutes on the Stairmaster! Even without Michael Anthony in the band (sadly, there's still an issue there), this album is a BEAST. I honestly do not know what could possibly touch this in 2012--it kicks THAT much ass! No "Jump" keyboards, no "I'll Wait" ballads, very live in production, filled with fast rockers & medium tempo groovers, and Eddie slams on guitar (of course), giving a clinic that only he could do! Killer riffs, solos, & songwriting, and David Lee surprises with a great, beyond-solid vocal effort! There was worry that he wouldn't be able to muster the vocal power to sound like the glory days of Van Halen...Well, I gotta tell you, it's pretty damn close! No worries, my friends! And there's not a clunker on this album! "She's the Woman" knocks you for a loop, as it harkens back to "Mean Street", and will have you instantly bobbing your head and smiling with it's titanic groove (link to sample it is coming up in just a few more lines). "Chinatown", "Bullethead", & "Outta Space" are fast-tempo rockers that should give the satisfaction of classic monsters like "On Fire" and "Romeo Delight". "You & Your Blues" and "Stay Frosty", are fun, classic Diamond David-style bluesy rockers that satisfy like a Snickers bar, and the latter of the two should make you feel the whimsical playfulness of "Ice Cream Man". And, "The Trouble With Never", might be the funkiest-yet-hard-rockin' tune that this band has EVER done. Then there's "Big River", which to me, sounds like it shoulda' been on "Women & Children First", with its borderline rock perfection...

     I feel that I'm being perfectly honest here when I say that there's not a stumble or misstep on this album. The cliche of "All Killer, No Filler" definitely applies to the newest VH release. Go buy it, don't steal it like some asshole, and support the boys in their endeavor. After all, 28 years is a LONG time! Hello to Wolfie, and welcome back, EVH, Alex, & Diamond Dave. This new album was worth the wait..

ZAKK WYLDE Gets Roasted!

Some hilarity from the Guitar World Zakk Wylde Roast, from last night:

"How can they roast me? I'm a good Catholic boy," said Zakk Wylde after agreeing to be the guest of honor at the first-ever Guitar WorldRock and Roll Roast.

Last night, he got his answer.

Wylde may be one of the most beloved members of the guitar-playing community, but for two hours last night at The Grove in Anaheim, California, a dais of comedians, musicians -- and a wrestler -- gathered to roast the Wylde child.

On hand were comedians Jim Norton, Jim Florentine and Brian Posehn, as well as former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor, wrestler and Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian. The night also included video roasts from Steel Panther, the Ultimate Warrior, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Gus G, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford and even William Shatner.

"This is a celebrity roast," said roastmaster Sharon Osbourne to kick off the night, "but who forgot to put the word 'celebrity' in quotes?" And with that, the roast was on. And boy, did they let himhave it.

"Zakk, not only are you not a great guitarist, you're not even the best guitarist with a beard on this stage," quipped Norton, referring to fellow roaster Scott Ian. Zakk's guitar playing took a beating all night, with his replacement in Osbourne's band, Gus G, saying: "Zakk, I grew up learning all of your riffs and solos. Then I learned how to play real music."

Although now sober, Wylde couldn't get away from his younger days as a heavy drinker. "Zakk's guitar playing is way less diatonic and way more gin and tonic," said Scott Ian, who brought along some embarrassing photos of the guest of honor to go along with his roasting.

And who could be on stage roasting a man that looks like a modern-day Viking without taking a few shots at his looks. "I didn't know Asgard was a suburb in New Jersey," Taylor said.

But before all was said and done, the Wylde man got his shot at revenge. Before commencing to roast his roasters, Wylde took a moment to remind everyone to keep Tony Iommi in their thoughts as he battles lymphoma, as well as sending a shout-out to his late buddy, Dimebag Darrell. "If Brother Dime was here, this roast would be way more brutal than it already is," he said.

Then Wylde got down to business.

"There's a lot of faces up here, and Sharon's is probably the newest," he said, adding, "I'm kidding, Mom. You don't look a day over artificial."

The big man didn't show his fellow musicians any mercy, either, telling McKagan that he looks like "the white Danny Trejo."

Then it was Scott Ian's turn. Wylde joked with his longtime friend, "Scott's been playing lots of poker lately, and like Anthrax, they can both barely pull a full house,"

Taylor might have taken Wylde's best shot of the night, however, when Wylde said: "Corey Taylor was in a Tenacious D cover band called Pugnacious P. Now he's in a Nickelback cover band called Stone Sour."

As famed celebrity roaster Jeffrey Ross likes to say, "We only roast the ones we love," and last night was no exception. There were few people on the stage or in the room last night that didn't have a great Zakk Wylde memory, and in spite of all the vitriolic humor, there was nothing but love in the room for everyone's favorite Viking guitarist.

...OH HOW I WISH I WAS THERE. But I will definitely be getting that DVD when it comes out!

MERRY Christmas/KISSmas 2011!

Merry Christmas, Merry KISSmas, and Happy Holidays to you all! Here's some Christmas blues from Joe Bonamassa, and some classic Christmas metal from 220 Volt! And a lil' KISS too! ;)

A CHICKENFOOT Fetish!

     It's a huge understatement to say that I have been a longtime Sammy Hagar worshipper! His music, stemming from Montrose, to his solo years, to Van Halen, to right now, has been a constant source of fun & good times for me. And, uh, I happen to LOVE his Cabo Wabo tequila! Some of the most fun nights of my life have been seeing Sammy & the Waboritas live in concert, and my secret dream is to one day fly down to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and jam "Heavy Metal" with him. Yes, that IS my rock dream moment, right there! A future blog will absolutely deal with Sammy and his career of awesome music, but today I am talkin' about his latest project, Chickenfoot, the "supergroup" featuring classic Van Halen bandmate, Michael Anthony, and one of my favorite guitarists in the history of the instrument, the incomparable Joe Satriani. The latest release titled, "Chickenfoot III", continues where the first cd left off, and delivers an even stronger mix of bluesy, crunchy rockers that you'll find as addicting as a premium Cabo Wabo margerita (Waborita!). Slammin' riffs, beautiful guitar work, great song structure, and the fantastic vocal harmonies you've come to expect from Sammy & Michael singing together, are found all throughout this album. The chorus of the raucous opener, "Last Temptation" illustrates exactly that point. The first video, "Big Foot", is a grinding boogie-ing rocker, suitable for driving fast, or grilling your favorite meat, whichever you choose to do. "Lighten Up" might be my favorite track on the disc, starts with it's gospel-ish organ intro, then quickly punches you with a great, hard rockin' riff that has a little ZZ Top flavor in it. "Come Closer" is a great up-tempo, soulful, mellow song with fantastic lyrics, and "Something Gone Wrong" will serve as a reminder to anyone who thinks Joe Satriani is just a Shred-zilla. There's acoustic awesomeness, and incrediblly tasty bluesy leads all throughout this masterpiece. In fact, I take back what I said about "Lighten Up", this track is probably my favorite on the disc, complete with perfect singing by the 60+ year old rock phenom, Sammy. This new release is so worth being part of your collection, simply because it's a FUN rock project, as is just about everything Sammy Hagar involves himself with. Play it loud, and have yourself a margerita, watch the world's troubles disappear for a lil' bit..

Ed's Guest Spot: ANTHRAX = Still Relevant? Uh, More Like, Still DOMINANT!

"Worship at the altar of Anthrax"
Hey, Ed here, Thanks to Big Al for letting me guest on his blog.

     My musical tastes are pretty straight forward, fast-loud-aggressive. Sure, I’ll listen to some mellow stuff from time to time, hell I think Dean Martin is pretty f**kin’ awesome, but most of my CD collection is filled with punk, hard rock and metal.

     So, when word came that Joey Belladona had rejoined Anthrax I was excited. I had always preferred the Joey-era stuff to John Bush but, could they capture the sound and energy they had back in the 80’s? I was hopeful, but a bit worried. Anthrax has had more lead singers then Van Halen, and this could be a train wreck.

the bands latest release, starts with a mellow and moody instrumental. Strings lull you into a kind of daze with a creepiness that makes it feel like something might be hiding under your bed or around the next corner. Then ***BAM*** a punch right in the face, the first track starts viciously, heavy drums, and frantic guitars. Joey’s voice is strong, powerful and totally fitting the music. "Earth is on Hell" sets the stage for what is a beast of an album. Any doubts I had about the ability of these 80s thrashers to remain vital and relevant were crushed by Worship Music. The songs are fresh and as energetic as anything in Anthrax’s catalog. The production by Rob Caggiano (the bands lead guitarist) and Anthrax is superb. Better funded bands with bigger named producers haven’t had an album sound this good (Death Magnetic). Charlie Benante’s drums sound like their in the room with you. Rob’s solos scream and compliment the heaviness of the songs while Scott Ian and Frank Bello add depth and fullness to the sound.

     Worship Music...It’s tough to pick just a few tracks to check out but after "Earth is on Hell," "The Devil You Know," "In the End" (Big Al jumpin' in here. "In the End" is my personal fave...[video above].., as it crushes musically, and then the lyrics tell of love & respect for Dimebag & the always-legendary Ronnie James Dio! The riff destroys but the lyrics make the song goosebump-worthy!), and "Giant" are favorites of mine. I have to say I have been listening to this since its release in October and consider it to be the bands best work yet. The time apart from Joey seems to have worked. The maturity and richness of the songs never compromise the sheer aggression. The band has grown and it works. This isn’t 1988 Anthrax in "jams" shorts, but a band that is serious, hard and at the top of their game.