Honestly, I did not know German band Rogash yet. Apparently, they did record a demo in 2010 (entitled Rogan Era) and that’s it, so I do not need to feel guilty. But apparently they are quite promising, for Dan Swanö was so kind to do the final mix and mastering for Rogash’s debut full length Supremacy Undone. This gets translated, of course, by means of the monumental sound of this debut full length record.
Austrian act Rauhnåcht was put to life by Stefan ‘Dreamlord’ Traunmüller, who’s (currently and previously) known, as musician, for bands and projects like Golden Dawn, Apeiron, Wallachia, Sternenstaub or Alastor, and who’s very active as producer / master / mixer / engineer for tens of (mainly Austrian) Metal acts too.
Italy’s Profezia are a Black Misanthropic Elite (hehe, got it???) which I do like a lot. The band is now on the roster of Moribund, which isn’t that strange at all, for the ‘musical’ approach is very much moribundish in different aspects: song writing, lyrical approach and sound.
Monolith are a very young act from Germany that recorded a four-track demo in 2011/2012. The trio (Ralf Brummerloh-b, v; André Dittmann-d; Ron Osenbrück-g) started working on their debut full length in Summer 2013, and they joined Final Gate Records’ roster, which will release Monolith’s debut.
The Canadian Million Dollar Fix is yet another one of those classic stoner rock bands that is neither great nor terrible. While MDF pull of reasonably decent up tempo groovin’ matched with a very crunchy rhythm section, it's the vocals that entirely ruin it for me. Now if the music was more remarkable, I might be able to force myself to tone out the vocals, but unfortunately, the 4-track EP is only so-so and singing is too much at the forefront.
I guess it's a fair assumption to state that any artist is into what he does for the appreciation he might get, and generally speaking you'll find 'em pleased to be tagged a certain way, being categorized as belonging to a certain genre or sub-genre. I mean, it's quite “human nature” to “belong” (or appeal) to a certain group of people, right? History however, has shown us that sóme individuals will walk another road, developing artistic styles outside the “norm”...individuals which later gain followers, and which are then seen as pioneers!
Kuolemanlaakso from the city of Kuopio, Finland were formed in 2010. And as from the very beginning of their existence, they did surprise me enormously. The band’s 2012-debut on Svart Records, Uljas Uusi Maailma, was a truly satisfying aural experience, and one of the best Death Metal albums that very same year (though, can one label this material just as ‘Death Metal’?).
Now this gets me exited. A collaboration that makes your jaw drop and where I have been waiting on for so long since I found out these guys were in the studio. Greg Puciato - Vocals/Guitar (The Dillinger Escape Plan), Max Cavalera - Vocals/Guitar
It took me a few tracks and some minor attitude adjustments to get on the same page as Jackson Firebird, but after careful deliberation, I found myself liking the band. Jackson Firebird is good bluesy rock'n'roll about fast women, fast cars and fast music. If you like down to earth, kick-ass down under rock'n'roll that sounds best played live at your local titties bar, then this is right up your crotch. The high energy of Cock rockin’ that may not be big on originality is cool, infectious, raunchy and hand- clappingly in every other way.
Great White has pleasantly surprised me with this album. Not only does it contain 3 songs of their own, among them ‘Once Bitten, Twice Shy’ and ‘Rock Me’, but it also gives us 12 covers of other bands, the one even more famous than the other. To my opinion, but who am I, there is ons song too many though, and that’s the last one ‘Blue Christmas’ a song originally sung by Elvis Presley.
