THE DOWNSPIRAL TO HELL - The Advent Of Neurosis

THE DOWNSPIRAL TO HELL - The Advent Of Neurosis

Written by Branimir Lokner
Tuesday, 22 September 2009

THE DOWNSPIRAL TO HELL " The Advent Of Neurosis "
( CDG Records ) 2008.
CD - SPAIN
Death metal/crossover

A very interesting act comes out from Spain, whose line-up are consists of only 2 persons - Aneliria and Jose L. Miranda. The name of the band is The Downspiral To Hell, and its activities started out in first part of new millenium. Durng the 2004 year, a duo has recorded and released a " Thorn" issue.
With mentioned CDr, a group has introduced its unexpecting offerings to wider underground audience. During the previous, 2008 year, The Downspiral To Hell has recorded an actuelle full-length - " The Advent Of Neurosis", pressed by Scottish label " CDG records".
A Spanians has offered own original variant of extreme music/tendencies, where basically its sound circulate around death metal options/variations.
A guttural vocalizations and unexpecting often rhythm changes and transformations characterize its concept in general.But, pretty unusual arrangments offerings and agressive performing includings also describe its authors views. A Spanish act also in modern way recapitulate death metal as a genre, and their album materials are full of challengies.

Rating : 8 / 10
C / o : www.myspace.com/thedownspiral
www.cdgrecords.co.uk

LUST UNDER VIRGO - Both Sides Of The Dime

LUST UNDER VIRGO - Both Sides Of The Dime

Written by Branimir Lokner
Monday, 21 September 2009

LUST UNDER VIRGO " Both Sides Of The Dime "
( Self - released ) 2008.
CD
Glam rock - ITALY

Out of Milan, Italy, comes a band, maybe it's a better to say a project LUST UNDER VIRGO. A key person and brainchild of Lust Under Virgo concept, is Izzy Lust- composer, guitarist, singer . He formed a band, and with his instructions during the previous year, a group has released an album, entitled " Both Sides Of The Dime". Musically, Izzy's offerings balancing between 70's glam rock and hard rock, with pretty rawness realizations. His materials posses melodicity, but
realizations of present songs are different from case to case. I have to add that production isn' t inspirative, maybe is better to say that is wrongly thrathed, and some interesting ideas had to failed in final mix. In some cases, a present materials posses complexivities, and arrangments works were done with lotta' efforts. A band has also recorded Roxette hit - " The Look", but without too much recognizing qualities. Even that Izzy and his collaborators has showed some posibilities to " reconstruct" glam rock in own manner, final results aren' t satisfying .

Rating : 6 / 10
C / o : www.lustundervirgo.com
e-mail : mgmt@lustundervirgo.com

THE WHISKEY SAINTS - West

THE WHISKEY SAINTS - West

Written by Branimir Lokner
Friday, 18 September 2009

THE WHISKEY SAINTS - " West "
( Self - released ) 2008.
CD - USA
Rock/americana/alt.country

The Whiskey Saints are relatively newer name on USA indie scene. They comes out from L.A., and work as a quartet.A band has in its discography actuelle full-lentgth, entitled " West", but before that, a group announced its arrival with EP issue - "The Bootleg EP".
The Whiskey Saints delivers fine songwritings in the manner of rock/americana tradition with some alt.country traces as well. Its material posses evident melodicity, where some positive influental recognitions comes out from the 70's and 80's legacies as well. A group has offered a 12 mainly equalizing and radio friendly tunes, where basically simply, but pleasent vocalizations and similiar playings, characterize complete releasing materials. The Whiskey Saints has offered a more melodicity that the case is with many similiar acts, and that is their key weapon. Finally, "West" is a group's promising adut for future happenings.

Rating : 7,5/10
C / o : www.thewhiskeysaints.com
www.myspace.com/thewhiskeysaints

MOSAIK - Stille Nacht

MOSAIK - Stille Nacht

Written by Branimir Lokner
Friday, 18 September 2009

MOSAIK " Stille Nacht "
( Self - released ) 2008.
CD - GERMANY
Progressive metal/ progressive rock/crossover

Mosaik is German based band formed back in 2003 year. Till, now they have released a 2 CD's, a first one "Schiksal" in 2005, and actuelle one " Stille Nacht" during the previous 2008 year.A group work as a quartet, and its stylish option basically communicate with progressive tendencies.
But, they aren's a classical progressive metal, or progressive rock band, cos' in its musical offerings we can find many other crossing elements, as a art rock, folk rock, fusion.... Atmosphere in present songs is different from case to case, and generally a songs are different among them. Also we can find in its conceptions influences from various periods and musically a band has accepted 70's legacies, as same as 90's and newer standards.
"Still Nacht" comphrises some interesting ideas, even that offering materials aren' t easy to acceptables for avarage listener's ear.

Rating : 7 / 10
C / o : www.mosauk-band.de
www.myspace.com/mosaik1

TEMPESTA - Rivoglio Il Mio Futuro

TEMPESTA - Rivoglio Il Mio Futuro

Written by Branimir Lokner
Wednesday, 16 September 2009

TEMPESTA " Rivoglio Il Mio Futuro "
( Self - released ) 2009.
EP CD - ITALY
Heavy/speed/thrash metal

Italian act Tempesta isn't a new name on national underground metal scene. Their roots are in 1992 year, and they comes out from island of Grado, not far away from Gorizia. With actuelle one, a band has offered a 5 issue, so, we can sat that thay are discographically pretty relevant. Also a group shared a stage with acts such as a : Garden Wall, Vison Divine, Eldritch, Pino Scotto.... and till now they received a respectable attention in homeland metal circulation. Musically, a Italian trio has offered own variant of heavy/speed/thrash metal, with clear 80's and 90's influences, and same traces as well. I have to say that vocalizations in songs posses in some aspects a different performing level, and some comparazitions with punk and hard core
approaches comes to mind. They posses melodicity, but also its songs are done with evident rawness and similiar playing energy. They have offered a 5 tracks on its actuelle EP, and complete material are sung in Italian language. A possible most influental track could be a 4th song " Parole Come Fucili".

Rating: 7 / 10
C / o : www.tempestaband.it
www.myspace.com/tempestaband

RYDELL & QUICK - R.O.C.K.O.H.O.L.I.C.

RYDELL & QUICK - R.O.C.K.O.H.O.L.I.C.

Written by Branimir Lokner
Wednesday, 16 September 2009

RYDELL & QUICK
" R.O.C.K.O.H.O.L.I.C."
( RQ Records ) 2006.
CD - SWEDEN
Hard rock/melodic hard rock/rock

Rydell & Quick are Swedish band, consists of two persons - lead singer/guitarist Christer Rydell and saxophonist Malin Quick A mentioned rockers have a following musicians behind, and as a act, they are on special mission - to spread a rock message worldwide. They are constantly on
tour, and till now a band performed beleive or not on 3000 concerts/gigs. They are always ready and willin' for bikers meetings and similiar manifestations, but its music is also enough convinceble with one absolutely positive approach and same realization. They have offered a 10 songs on its album, which oriantation mainly apsorbs hard rock/rock and melodic hard rock elements as well. But, they are not a group with old-fashion manniristical intentions, their sound is pretty near to nowadays standards, and all other technical aspects from its album satisfies as well. " R.O.C.K.O.H.O.L.I.C." also comprises a radio friendly songs, equally acceptable for studio and concert usings/performings. For all followers of sincere and basicaly simply, but at the same time convinceble hard rock/rock, Rydell & Quick album is a real gift

Rating : 8,5 / 10
C/ o : www.rydellquick.se

PSYDOLL - 10 Spyglasses

PSYDOLL - 10 Spyglasses

Written by Branimir Lokner

Saturday, 12 September 2009

PSYDOLL

" 10 Spyglasses "

( Psydoll Products ) 2009.

CD - JAPAN

Industrial/goth/punk/crossover

Psydoll are trio from Tokyo, Japan, fronted by pretty interesting and charming female singer Nekoi. Other two persons responses for sound and vision are Ucchi and Loveless. A group is continiously active a respectable period, and also they did a lotta activities in promotional segments. A band also performs not so rare in Europe, and its works are noticed with attention in critical and audience circulation. " 10 Spyglasses" is its actuelle album offering, where we can find 10 various tracks, done with evident artistic approach and same realizations. Psydoll communicate with few genres forms as a industrial, goth and punk, but its stylish views also touches a few other elements. They are pretty original and in many aspects unique. Their songs and general present materials aren't easy to acceptable, but they have showed enough artistic challenges and few interesting ideas as well.

Rating : 7,5 /10

C / o : www.psydoll.com

www.myspace.com/psyberdoll

THE KRAIG GREFF GROUP - Hammond' Eggs

THE KRAIG GREFF GROUP - Hammond' Eggs

Written by Branimir Lokner
Friday, 11 September 2009

THE KREIG GREFF GROUP " Hammond' Eggs "
( Tonal Vision LLC ) 2008.
CD - USA
Jazz/blues/r'n'b/groove music

Kreig Greff is a skilful performer on Hammond B-3 instrument. He is also a longest period in a saddle, and his musical experience is really impressive.
With his 3 assistents, he has recorded a still actuelle album from previous year, entitled " Hammond' Eggs", where we can find 8 nicely done instrumental tracks. The Kreig Greff Group musically has offered a portion of keybord orientired amalgam of 60's flavoured jazz/blues/r'n'b, fulfield with strong groovy pastiche as well. A followers of keybord groovy instrumental works will surely find many interesting places in "Hammond' Eggs" materials. A production of album is modern and musicians have found an inspirative connective lines between 60's period and actuelle mentioned stylish tendencies. Some comparabilities logically could lead to Jimmy Smith and his legacies, but general Greff's performing approach sustein also many other different technical elements. " Hammond' Eggs" is also a pretty pleasent and enjoyable album for possible wider listeners population, and there's no doubt that Kreig Greff and his assistents has introduced themselves in respectable manner.

Rating : 8,5 / 10
C / o : www.kraiggreff.com