Heaven The Axe Is Ready To Invade The US

Australia has given the world of music some pretty amazing bands and artists such as Men at Work, INXS, Crowded House and AC/DC. Well, get ready to add another name to that list; Heaven the Axe. Lead by the stunning Phoebe Pinnock, the band was once described as Cyndi Lauper gone metal. They deliver a powerful punch and their new single "Good Things Come To Those Who Hate" finds the band exploring new territory. You can read my interview with Phoebe for Rock Revolt Magazine here:

http://rockrevoltmagazine.com/interview-heaven-the-axe/

Mark Tremonti Reveals Big Plans For Alter Bridge

I got the opportunity to sit down with guitar great and Alter Bridge member Mark Tremonti right before the guys took off for Europe. It was shortly after their epic new album Fortress  was released. You can read all about it on page 16 of the new Rock Revolt Magazine:

http://rockrevoltmagazine.com/rockrevolt-magazine-issue-7/

Stryper Return With Epic New Album

 
The yellow and black attack is back with what many are calling their best album ever. Stryper recently released No More Hell To Pay recently and I sat down with lead singer Michael Sweet to talk about it. You can read my interview with him on page 36 of Rock Revolt Magazine:

http://rockrevoltmagazine.com/rockrevolt-magazine-issue-7/

Talking Rock And Roll With Lita Ford

There aren't many times when I get giddy as I am about to interview an artist, but I have to admit that I was that way right before my interview with the iconic Lita Ford. We talked about her last album Living Like A Runaway, new live album and her reuniting with Cherie Curry. You can check it out on page 22 of Rock Revolt Magazine:

http://rockrevoltmagazine.com/rockrevolt-magazine-issue-7/

There's Nothing QuiteLike A Chat With Uncle Ted

The only thing for certain when sitting down to talk to Ted Nugent is that you are definitely in for a treat. I had a chance to sit down with this icon in music and it was one of the most entertaining conversations that I think I have ever had. Check it out and see for yourself on page 40 of Rock Revolt Magazine:

http://rockrevoltmagazine.com/

Butcher Babies Release A Monster In Goliath

How many times have you looked through a magazine or on the internet and saw a band fronted by a sexy female and automatically went into Beavis and Butthead mode? Well, a hot chick and boobs will only get your band so far in the industry. The Butcher Babies have been fighting this stigma since their inception in. They know that the true talent tends to rise to the top and develop legs to help maintain a long career in music. Their debut album debut album Goliath is about to be unleashed on the world. Will it be a step in the right direction in the development of those legs? Let’s take a look, or should I say listen and see.

Lead singers Carla Harvey and Heidi Shepherd did garner a lot of attention early in the career of the Butcher Babies for their nipple tape and outrageous stage shows, but these two ladies have the brains to back up their beauty. Their self-titled EP was released in 2012 and word began to spread. The last six to eight months have seen several keys pieces of the puzzle of their career come together as they signed with Century Media and began work on their debut album as well being picked by Marilyn Manson himself to open dates on his tour earlier this year. The buzz really started to grow for this new album as the band announced that they would be performing on this year’s Rockstar Mayhem festival.

The album opens with “I Smell a Massacre” and goes from 0 to 80 in about three seconds as the riff starts and is accompanied by a huge scream that grabs you  by the throat lets you know you are about to get served. It’s a great lead-off track that sets the bar for what lies ahead.  “Magnolia Blvd.” is another healthy dose of in your face attitude and features a crazy mix of vocals that run the gauntlet from screaming to clean vocals to a bit of spoken as well. It also contains some pretty insane double kick drum from Chris Warner as well.

“C8H18 (Gasoline)” is one of my favorite tracks on the album as it brings together all the elements for the musical perfect storm. The riff is big chugs along and the chorus is catchy as hell with its use of clean vocals.  Another track that stands out is “Dead Poet” with its unusual arrangement, which begins and ends with sounds of a storm. In between those moments, the tempo goes from full throttle in your face to almost a complete stop with a short spoken passage before slamming the pedal to the floor again. It’s a very clever and unique arrangement that really makes this track standout. “Axe Wound” will also throw you completely off track with its acoustic guitar intro before tearing into some massive riffs.

Overall, I think the band delivers in a major way with this album. It’s intense, aggressive, and heavy and the riffs, provided by Henry Flury, are catchy and plentiful without sounding redundant. Carla and Heidi take the dual lead vocalist to a different level with their creative mix of screams and clean vocals. The rhythm section of Chris Warner on drums and bassist Jason Klein provide a strong, underlying layer to the Butcher Babies sound that may go under appreciated by some due to the two dynamic ladies garnering so much attention. Warner and Klein lay the foundation to which this might house of metal is built on.

This album was one of the most anticipated for the summer of 2013 and I think it delivers in a major way. I do admit that I wish “Mr. Slowdeath” would have been included on it. Hopefully, some of the haters out there or those with pre-conceived notions of the band will give this album a listen with an open mind; I think many will be converted over if they do. Then again, I don’t think the band really cares because as long as there are haters out there, then you know that you are definitely doing something right.

Pillbuster Bring The Noise To Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach, Virginia may not spring to mind when you think about cities with awesome music, but all that's about to change. Most of Pillbuster may have relocated to that city, but they brought a wealth of musical expertise with them. Their self-titled album was recently released and I interviewed them for Rock Revolt Magazine:

http://rockrevoltmagazine.com/interview-pillbuster/