ForgedWithSteelRebirth

Halfway through Blade Runner the first track on the album, you start to learn why Beast in Black is so talked about, and at the end of Highway to Mars you already understand why Beast in Black is at its prime. Yannis has a legendary voice and brings it full front in Bella Donna from being calm and alluring to straight up masterful and it really showcases his range and the bands understanding of his capabilities and their own.  Beast in Black are true masters of their craft. Highway to Mars is oozing with catchiness and feelings of space and adventure, it also happens to be my favorite tune from the album. This is literally just the band vibing to their own music and sharing that vibe with all of us to enjoy. You can tell that everyone in Beast in Black is a student of Power and Prog Metal, little bit of Iron Savior, Bloodbound and even some Ayreon but what’s important is that Beast in Black has learned form them and made the genre of Power Metal their own and not only their own but elevated it as well that could be something entirely new. For those not fans of Heavy Metal and its many genres, it might not be easy to fully grasp the musical technical know-how in order to write a riff as groovy and fun as those on this album. It also takes guts to have a little bit of variance on the album and do something a little different but do it well. As an example, while different from the first several songs Dark New World takes me back to my first memories of hearing Power Metal and falling in love with it and what makes it special. One thing to note is that you should listen to the lyrics of this album, there’s some good lyrical fuckery going on that Yannis pulls and it just makes you smile. Overall, the production quality is excellent on the album and sounds good on low end devices like a cheap pair of headphones or higher-level headphones. I just want to applaud Beast in Black for this success.  Not only do they include more songs on an album when most albums these days only have 10 or so songs they also make the album a full hour, which is 15 minutes longer than most. It’s a really, well spent hour and I can’t wait for more. PS, Beast in Black…I care about you guys, good work.

Thank you Nuclear Blast once again!

Album out now!!

Perfected for tunnel visioned nights and restless sleep. OddFellas is a great feel good EP to help ease your worry, I get the vibe and it works really well. It’s your fathers 80’s garage band dream come to life reminiscing about the 70’s but made in late 2019. This group has a ton of heart and soul and the band will absolutely please those that listen to it. I encourage this band to move forward with the hard battles they seek to endure, they got what it takes.

Ps, please listen to Reason ;).

Blacktop Mojo is proof that Heavy Metal is still alive, well and continues to innovate, with a mix of blues, hardcore and heavy metal riff’s this new album is sure to energize even the most lethargic of the crowd. From rock ballads such as “It Won’t Last” and “Can’t Sleep” to heavy hitters such as “Keep” and “All Mine Now” the whole album is brimming with raw energy, vigor and talent. The solo’s are especially timeless and those listening years from now will be welcomed back with technical and competent solo’s on “The Void”,  “Come Get Your Coat” and “It Won’t Last”. Ryan Kiefer cements himself as a fantastic lead guitarist, worthy of touring and Matt James continues to have some of the best rock vocals around. Chuck Wepfer, Matt Curtis and Nathan Gillis continue to be excellent at keeping rhythm and the band blends its weird fusion of sound together in a wide-reaching but unique appeal. Nathan Gillis is especially noticeable as a calm, but aggressive drummer. Mixing the right amount of passion and tenacity with proper technical aptitude. Blacktop Mojo has so much technical competence and drive that they’re easily one of the best in the rock business today. I look forward to when Blacktop Mojo is touring and co-headlining with major arena bands and leading the charge for the next wave of modern Heavy Metal.

Sabaton flies high reaching new heights and delivers a very rhythmic and enthralling experience. The album The Great War is an enjoyable time with reasons to come back and listen again. This history lesson covers a lot of ground on the album as always. From The Red Barron to the Fields of Verdun we learn about history in one of the best ways possible! The album just continues to be a bulwark of love, my absolute two most favorite songs, soloing and beats on the whole album happen during “The Attack of the Dead Men” and “Devil Dogs” from the chorus, to the vocals of Joakim Brodén and everyone in the band as they ramp up to a crescendo and just keep on going. Of course, I genuinely enjoy every piece of music on this album. From the historical research to the technical skill of this album everything is well oiled, each note is with purpose, each sound with engagement and the quality of the album is an energetic lesson that transports you into a world crafted to teach as much as entertain. For the exceptionally nerdy of us, the history edition adds commentary before the regular tracks which really binds the strengths of the album together to create a truly unique experience.  Check out The Great War now! A very worthy album to spend time with.

 

Thank you Nuclear Blast!

Hey folks, been a while since I’ve written to the industry and about the industry and I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone that’s helped me out, helping make my little blog what it is. I mostly have no flow, and I just generally write what I want to write. My real passion is taking photos, and I’ve been slow at uploading them…something I’ve been trying to change, the most recent one’s are on my Instagram linked below. I probably would have a lot more followers by now if I kept up on posts and what not, but that’s not what my blog’s been about. It’s always been about Rock ‘n’ Roll and telling the story of Rock ‘n’ Roll in its many beautiful forms and a few deviations here and there. For the last several years, I’ve been caught up in technical perfection and obsession of my work and photos. As creatives, it’s something we care deeply about. I think a lot of you reading this will understand, but there’s a larger picture here I’ve been missing. You see? I’m just an awkward 30 year old living in a college dorm, finally almost done with my undergrad, doing my best trying to figure out life for the next few years.

My passion has always been taking photos. I hope to continue taking photos and telling the story of music and Rock ‘n’ Roll for the next generation. The generation, that argues with their parents over an album cover. Or help those who are bullied for being that outcast among their peers. When my grandfather passed away, I bought my first camera with some of the money he left me and my second one a few years later. Of course, this blog wouldn’t be were it was today without my mentor in this business The Hellion Rocks. I owe so much to him and the rest of those who have helped pay it forward. If my photos make one band member happy, or lead one person to a healthier, more fulfilling life in realizing that they look awesome on stage. Then I will have succeeded. This blog has always been more for the musicians that I love but it’s also for everyone. I hope to continue this blog. To so many who put up with me, from the publicist, to the bands and to my friends and fans. From the bottom of my heart, this is a deep thank you. I’m still a little rough around the edges, probably annoying and definitely stubborn but know that when I reach out to you, it’s because I believe in what you’re doing and your goal. For the labels that have reached out to me, publicist that encourage me you all fill me with joy. I am far from a perfect person, but my hope is that this work continues to make people happy.

 

https://www.instagram.com/arnet_photography/

Rise is the album I’ve wanted to hear for a long time, atmospherically it oozes with passion and creativity. Opening with a classic hard rock song bound to please many ears, Rise sets itself as the best album I’ve yet heard this year. Johnny Depp cements himself as an excellent musician in his own right along with the all-star cast of Alice Cooper, and Joe Perry…no strangers to excellent albums themselves. Perhaps for me, the best part about Rise is that it’s just a bunch of friends having fun. I think that’s something lost in music these days, a true jam session. Clearly the album does have a statement to make, but the music behind it and joyfulness that goes into it really helps solidify its staying power. I found myself coming back to it again, and again. The repeat and shuffle buttons were made for albums like this, when every song is awesome, and you can’t exactly pick a favorite because they’re all equal in integrity and love. Personally, I’ve chosen a few to talk about “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory” and “Git From Round Me” are absolutely heartfelt but for me, “Mr. Spider” is uniquely charismatic and Johnny’s playing really come alive here. “Congratulations” is also another amazing song/poem, it really conveys a sense of spatial awareness as if you’re in the room with them, the album yes…but this song especially. To everyone involved this is a wonderfully constructed album. This one’s got weight.

 

Thank you earMUSIC!

Glorious as ever, Gloryhammer once again stands tall and pushes through to bring you an album worthy of your attention, Legends from Beyond the Galactic Terrorvortex has it all! What’s to love most about Gloryhammer is that they go for it and put all their energy in it. The musical engine revs up to 11 and continues growing all the way through the album. Gloryhammer is technically competent, with well-timed breaks and proper use of varying vocals and riffs that hold everything together. Perhaps the songs that stand out the most on the album are The Land of Unicorns and The Fires of Ancient Cosmic Destiny, they’re headbangers with impressive crescendo’s which really help showcase the power Angus McFife XIII has as a front man. Not only that, the solos are used to enhance the tracks rather than overwhelm them and this allows for each musician to showcase their competence.

It wouldn’t be a proper review without mentioning the keyboards and fantastic rhythm section as well.  It should be said that after listening to The Fires of Ancient Cosmic Destiny you’ll absolutely want to watch Space Battleship Yamato and Babylon 5. You can tell that this band writes songs together and enjoys what they do. Everyone is riffing off each other and having the time of their life. This album stands with the best of the best from the genre and will hopefully serve to get even more fans into power metal. Finally, the Deluxe version has a symphonic version of the tracks which is perfect for any Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and amazing in its own right! Absolutely worth your time, now to play some Warcraft II.

Thank you to Napalm Records for this opportunity!

GLORYHAMMER – Hootsforce (Official Video) | Napalm Records