STONE SOUR: HOUSE OF GOLD & BONES PART 1 REVIEW

 Stone Sour's fourth album is part one of the House Of Gold & Bones storyline. 

  The story follows a character simply called "The Human" who awakens in a strange world. He must find the house of gold and bones and complete the conflagration ritual to either save or damn him. He is met by the good spirited Peckinpah, the antagonistic Black John, and the malevolent but mysterious guide Allen. There's also the cult like group of citizens called the numbers, who are led by Black John. (The full summary is best found on the Wikipedia page). 

  Lyrically, the story is murky without reading about it. However, these songs still evoke the dreary and nihilistic feeling of the world by themselves. While a good portion of the lyrics show the band's maturity ,especially their first two records, there are still moments where they're borderline hard to listen to. 

 Musically is where this band shines here.  Corey's vocal work is heightened by being able from conveying the anger of some characters to the melancholic nature of others. The guitar work here is both memorable and appropriate for the part of the story happening. 

  However, the latter half of the album gets tiresome with some of the songs. Even though they are crucial to the plot, there is a couple that are fitting when listening to the album all the way through but not by themselves. It does close on a fairly good note with the fast paced "Last Of The Real". 

  While this album could be better told as a novel instead of a record, it's still highly addictive. It is a great example of what a concept and a double album should be. 

  Rating: 8 out of 10

  Notable Tracks: 

    "Gone Sovereign"

    "Absolute Zero"

    "My Name Is Allen"

  

THE REANIMATED: THE NECRO FILES REVIEW

  While most people think of horror punk as a bunch of goth kids ripping off the misfits, it's always nice to see a band that'll prove them wrong. Cincinnati based band The Reanimated are that band. 

  The vocal work of James Bondage (hah get it) is soaring and melodic while delving into a more metal style of growling when the time calls for it. He creates his own murderous hellscape to add a sense of believability to the lyrics. 

  Opening up is the catchy "Ghouls In The Mortuary" which has a fast paced sound that creates the vibe of being chased by a killer. Following that however is "LV-426" which is the biggest misstep on the record being boring and repetitive. After the crunching "Slit Your Throat" is the title track. That song really shows off not only the vocal talent but also the songwriting abilities of the band. It closes off with a cover of The Sonics' "The Witch" which has a very different feel than the rest of the record. 

  If you dig horror films, punk rock, and a decent singer this EP is definitely the place to start. 

  Rating: 4 out of 5

  Notable Track:

    "The Necro Files"

OVERKILL: WHITE DEVIL ARMORY REVIEW

  34 years and seventeen albums in, it's good to see that New Jersey thrashers Overkill are still waving the metal flag proud. 

  Following up on their recent string of high quality albums comes "White Devil Armory". Barely breaching the 50 minute mark, almost all of the 11 tracks are quick bursts of thrash. Opening up with the intro"XDM" then coming right out of the gate with "Armorist" which has one of the best chorus' on the record. The stampede of adrenaline based riffs continue throughout the entire record without even having a mid tempo song. 

  The vocal delivery of Bobby Blitz is the same as it has always been which I really enjoy. However, I know a lot of people who are turned off by this band because of his voice.  Despite his age though, his snarl is still up and kicking in full form. 

  The instruments here are incredible. Especially thanks to (bassist) D. D. Verni. The biggest drawback here is the lyrical content. It's full of macho man bravado and aggression but it comes off as cheesy as a Hulk Hogan movie. 

  This album is repetitive and isn't as strong as their past slew of releases but it is still a fun, fast beat down that should be in amy thrasher's collection. If you're a fan of this band, buy it. You'll enjoy it. If you're trying to check them out for the first time, this may not be the best starting point. 

  Rating: 7 out of 10

  Notable Tracks:

    "Armorist"

    "PIG"

    "King Of The Rat Bastards"

    

SEVEN KINGDOMS: THE FIRE IS MINE REVIEW

  Every so often an album will come along, completely out of the blue, and remind me of why I love metal as much as I do. This third record by the Floridian Power Metallers is one such album. I discovered this on pandora radio ( my Kamelot station I believe it was) and I felt a shiver run down my spine.   

  What makes this album so different is the vocal work of Sabrina Valentine. Her voice is grandiose and melodic without delving into the over saturated opera stylings of most of her female peers. The melodies she creates are both memorable and unique as she breathes life into the songs. However some notes she hits do occasionally get obnoxious. This is especially apparent on the chorus of "Symphony Of Stars". Her voice really shows what it can do on the ballad "Kardia". It slows the record down enough for a quick break and some emotional depth. 

  The lyrics here are definitely game of thrones worship with the first song (after the intro) being about Bran Stark. A moment here that made me all to excited was the title track, which is about Khaleesi. It feels as if she is singing it herself to her deceased husband (read/watch the damn series). They even go so far as to have a spoken segment based on the series which is the albums biggest misstep as it adds a good amount of pm cheese to the record. 

  Instrumentally, the songs rarely distinguish themselves from one another but there is a thrash/power vibe akin to Iced Earth to add some much needed heaviness to it. They are all very good at the or instruments and surprisingly enough, all get time to demonstrate their abilities. 

  Honestly, I'd recommend this to any metal head to at least check out but definitely to any fan of PM. Hell, for the Game Of Thrones fan in us all its worth a listen or two...or twelve. It's been far to long since a record has hit me like this.  

  Rating: 9 out of 10

  Notable Tracks:

    "After The Fall"

    "The Fire Is Mine"

    "In The Twisted Twilight"

CAPTAIN BLOOD: FOR SAIL REVIEW

  "For Sail" is the first album (and only so far") by Denver based horror punks Captain Blood. 

  The record opens up with the energetic but overly long intro "Glow N The Dark" then goes into the more gothic feeling "Last Ride. Continuing through the record is very similar to a haunted house in the sense that it's a fun ride drenched in the blood of all things horror. Although the album does slow down for the almost love song "Dawn Of The Dead" which is as close to a ballad as you're gonna get. 

  Musically, it's punk stirred up in a cauldron of surf rock and the riffs similar of Calabrese. The stand out part here is due to (frontman) Markula. He forgoes the cliche swoon of Danzig for a more melodic style similar to that of Michale Graves. You'll definitely find yourself singing out loud.  

  One thing that they do right is capture the fun and humor of the genre. With songs such as "Where Are My Bones", the tale of a ghost that comes back to his  grave only to find his bones have been taken, to the purrfect "Black Cat". Plus, there's a song about The Toxic Avenger and c'mon, how can you not love that. 

  Are you looking for something to add to your Halloween playlist? Maybe something to tide you over while you wait for the Misfits to release something that doesn't suck (cough Devil's Rain cough)?  Then look no further. "For Sail" is available on iTunes for those outside of the Denver area. 

  Rating: 8 out of 10

  Notable Tracks:

    "Where Are My Bones"

    "Hangman"

    "Come Alive"

KAMELOT: SILVERTHORN REVIEW

  "Silverthorn" is the tenth album and first to feature (Seventh Wonder frontman) Tommy Karevik. 

   The album opens with "Sacrimony" which features (Arch Enemy vocalist) Alyssa White-Gluz playing one of the lead roles. Following that is "Ashes To Ashes" and " Torn" which continue the high paced feel of it. The record slows down with "Song For Jolee" which showcases the emotional qualities of Karevik's voice. Only to pick back up for the rest of the album. The last half is along the same lines with each track having memorable choruses and verses alike. The only track that is forgettable is the epic close "Prodigal Son". 

  Musically, the record follows the same lines as the past three with its keyboard driven riffs. The major change here is the guitars are both more prominent and heavier than there past recordings. 

  Vocally is where this record really shines. Tommy Karevik (once again, fangirl moment) has his own distinctive qualities while maintaining the style by previous singer Roy Khan. Truth be told, one who doesn't know the band's history would assume that Roy is still with the band. Tommy's voice is very polished and really holds the gothic feel akin to "The Black Halo". The melodies he creates remain in your head for days keeping each song unique and memorable. 

  The lyrics here are well written and very poetic. To me lyrics are a huge factor of making a band go from good to great and in this aspect, they are great. The story is about a rich family who loses their only daughter In an accident. It portrays the bereavement, guilt, and the lies told by Jolee's family. The problem is the story feels anti climatic especially for a band of this caliber. The saving grace is each song stands on it's own rather than needing to be listened to at one listen unlike most other concept albums. 

  My personal opinion is this is Kamelot's best record and certainly their first great record since the aforementioned "The Black Halo". Anyone who has enjoyed their previous records must listen to this one. It is also a great starting point for a new fan. After buying both the (deluxe edition of the) CD and the (double disc, blue) vinyl, I'd highly recommend the latter. 

  Rating: 9 out of 10

  Notable Tracks:

    "Ashes To Ashes"

    "Song For Jolee"

    "Falling Like The Fahrenheit"

ANTI-MORTEM: NEW SOUTHERN REVIEW

  The south will rise again! The debut record by Oklahoma metallers Anti-Mortem comes In fairly strong. 

  The opening track "Words Of Wisdom" pretty much sets the mood of pissed the fuck off that continues through much of the record. The groove laden tracks that follow have a mix of metal and southern rock obviously influenced by Pantera and Texas Hippie Coalition with Lynyrd Skynyrd thrown into the mix. The best way i can describe it is a heavier version of Blackberry Smoke. One of the best tracks of the album is "Black Heartbeat" which is definitely the most melodic of the album. It feels like a Saving Abel song but enjoyable. The following ("I Get Along With The Devil") sounds almost identical to a Mudvayne, or more accurately a Hellyeah song. 

  The latter half of the album is fun but pretty run of the mill until it gets to "Stagnant Water" where it picks back up.  "Truck Stop Special" has a more country feel to it, definitely bringing the southern vibe to the forefront. Closing it out is a cover of Mr. Big's "A Little Too Loose" most likely based due to it's setting I'm Oklahoma City, which is a good rendition but definitely a filler track. 

  What stands out here are the vocals. When,frontman Larado Romo, doesn't feel the need to be purely aggressive without any trace of melody it is incredibly effective. 

  While this may not be a record of the year, it is a hell of a debut. It does show promise and I'm excited for album two.  However, it is more for fans of southern rock more so than metal. Yee Haw!

  On a side note, look at that cover. It's the Grim Reaper riding through the civil war. That's fucking metal. 

  Rating: 7 out of 10

  Notable Tracks:

    "Black Heartbeat"

    "Stagnant Water"

    "Truck Stop Special"