Review: Opeth, "Damnation"

It's not every day you get to invoke the name of James Taylor when talking about a death metal band, but I can think of no better comparison for Opeth's "Damnation." The companion piece to last year's moody masterwork "Deliverance" has more in common with the folksy singer-songwriters of the 1970s than Opeth's previous albums.

Unlike some of their counterparts, Opeth are no strangers to melody. For quite a while now, they've danced on the edge of an album like "Damnation" with dreamy acoustic passages and soft refrains. But they've never taken it quite as far as they do here.

Dark and moody, "Damnation" has no distorted vocals and very little distorted guitar. It's a bold album for a band associated with the more extreme subgenres of metal, and one that's likely to draw those dreaded cries of "sellout" from the hardcore stalwarts of death metal.

But a closer listen to the album will reveal the truth of things. It's a different approach, but the feel of the album is similar to "Deliverance." If anything, "Damnation" draws deeper emotions from the listener with its sparse arrangements and Mikael Akerfeldt's understated vocals.

Distorted guitars, one of the hallmarks of the metal genre, are used sparingly and only to provide depth, texture and ambience to the music on songs like "Closure." Other songs, like the powerful "Death Whispered a Lullaby" don't really need them at all. The dark lick under the Akerfeldt's crooning of "Sleep My Child" on the chorus are more than enough to get the mood across.

This album should silence critics that say extreme metal bands use distorted vocals and guitars to hide a lack of ability. While it may be true in some cases, it's certainly not in all - and especially not in the case of Opeth.

"Damnation" features some excellent guitar work and is as emotionally moving as any music being produced today. It may throw their fans for a loop, but those who listen with an open mind will find perhaps Opeth's best work to date.

Get "Damnation."

Review: Black Label Society, "The Blessed Hellride"

In a world where heavy rock bands are constantly trying to put a new spin on metal through the use of rap or techno elements, Zakk Wylde is a refreshing change of pace.

"The Blessed Hellride" is 11 tracks of Black Sabbath-fueled, straight ahead, no-nonsense heavy metal. Heavy riffs are punctuated by Wylde's trademark harmonic squeals on the rockers and his powerful voice takes over on the slower numbers.

Wylde's long-time metal mentor and partner in crime Ozzy Osbourne makes an appearance on "Stillborn," and Zakk himself has honed his Ozzy impersonation as evident on "We Live No More," which sounds as though it were originally written with the godfather of metal in mind.

And it's probably a good thing Zakk's tight with the Ozzman, otherwise he might have to pay some royalties on "Suffering Overdue," which is ripped straight from the Sabbath songbook. Put a young Ozzy on vocals, and it could have easily come off "Master of Reality" or "Sabotage."

Surprisingly, the real shining moments of the album are not the lightning fast rockers or the homages to Black Sabbath. Instead, they're the slower songs. The Southen rock twang of the title track and the dark and moody "Blackened Waters" really put the focus on one of Wylde's strongest attributes (after his guitar work, of course.) His gruff, soulful voice packs an incredible amount of emotion into the slower songs, making them, in many cases, outshine their heavier counterparts.

At the end of the day, though, BLS is all about metal, and they deliver it better than just about anyone out there right now. If you're longing for some no-nonsense metal grind, hop aboard "The Blessed Hellride."

Get "The Blessed Hellride."

Review: Godsmack, "Faceless"

Godsmack roared onto the nu-metal scene with their self-titled 1998 album, one of the most impressive debuts in recent memory. Their second effort "Awake" was a solid album, but lacked the individuality of the first. But with "Faceless," the band finally gives its fans a worthy follow-up to their debut.

Sound-wise, there's not much that's changed with Godsmack since 1998. They still blend the moody grind of Alice in Chains with the commercial crunch of Metallica's "Black Album," then throw in a little extra flavor of their own with singer Sully Erna's distinctive vocals. What makes "Faceless" superior to their last offering is the catchiness of the tunes.

"Faceless" is filled with solid rock grooves that will have listeners bobbing their heads and singing along. There are a number of strong performances, from "Releasing the Demons," with its funky bridge delivery, to the catchy riff of "Dead and Broken." Even though it got a little old last summer, "I Stand Alone" - originally from the "Scorpion King" soundtrack - is still a great song.

The vitriol-filled rant "I Fucking Hate You" will probably be soundly thrashed by critics, but it's a beautiful song to crank up after a rough day at work - and one of my favorites on the album.

The only disappointment on "Faceless" is the melancholy "Serenity," this album's answer to the band's hit "Voodoo." While "Serenity" is a good song, it lacks the mystique of the former.

Of all of the hard rockers to hit the scene in the late 1990s, very few have staying power for the long haul. "Faceless" proves that Godsmack is one of those.

Get "Faceless."

Interview: Gary Allan

Soccer moms can stay at home when country artist Gary Allan comes to town.

You see, Allan has a problem with the direction of country music today. He said he thinks there's too much fluff and not enough honesty, too much production and not enough real-life.

"I keep hearing this demographic that everybody goes after called soccer moms, and I know none of my heroes ever cared whether the soccer moms bought their album," he said. "I don't think country music was meant to be politically correct. There was always a cool factor and an honesty to it, and I try to do that with my records."

There's certainly not a lot of political correctness on Allan's most recent offering, "Alright Guy." It features the title track, an ironic ditty about a clueless jerk, and "What Would Willie Do?" a decidedly un-PC ode to country crooner Willie Nelson. Allan had the opportunity to play that one in front of the country legend shortly after he recorded it, when he played a string of dates with Nelson.

"He got a kick out of it," said Allan. "I'm a big fan of his."

Like Nelson, Allan's not your typical country singer. He grew up in California, surfing and listening to punk rock. But he always had one foot in country.

"My dad played country music, and so did my brothers, so I've played bars and been in country bands since I was 12," he said. "A lot of my heroes were those California guys, you know, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Lefty (Frizzell), Dwight Yoakam. Although, I was on the West Coast, I definitely grew up in the thick of country music."

Though many people associate country with the South or middle America, Allan said there's actually a thriving scene in California. But there's a difference between the music that comes from Nashville and the music that comes from out West.

"We always wrote music to play live in front of people in a bar, to take them through a night of drinking," Allan said. "When I first got to Nashville - which wasn't until I was like 26 - that was the first time I'd ever heard the word radio-friendly when I was writing a song. I think it's just a little more raw and a little less polished, the stuff that comes off the West Coast."

Allan hopes to advance the cause of West Coast country more with an upcoming album. He just finished recording his fifth album and is waiting for it to be mixed and mastered. He thinks it's some of his best work.

"I'm way fired up about it," he said. "We've got some good stuff. It's definitely got some edge to it, but it's definitely different. I think with each record, you just get a different piece of me."

Fans can expect to hear some of the new tunes in his live show. Allan said he's currently throwing four or five of them into the set each night.

While Allan still may not be a darling of Nashville, his albums continue to perform well. It's music that appeals to people who are tired of the pop influences that have invaded country music. While Allan doesn't know whether country music will return to what it once was, he has a clear idea of what he'd like it to be.

"The music, to me, should be rootsy and reflect the heritage of country music, but still be modern at the same time," he said. "To me, country music was always about what happened Monday through Friday, and pop was about what happened on the weekends."

Interview: Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot

They're the band that taught the world to "Bang Your Head." In 1983, Quiet Riot brought heavy metal to the mainstream with their U.S. debut "Metal Health," which became the first heavy metal album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Their cover of Slade's "Cum On Feel the Noize" from the album became one of the most enduring anthems of the decade.

But almost as quickly as they appeared on the scene, Quiet Riot faded into obscurity. Internal strife and management problems caused the band to self-destruct, perhaps stunting their potential. But two decades later, the band is back on the road, and lead singer Kevin DuBrow says their fans are responding.

"We love our fans," he said. "We get up there and we feel appreciated, and it's flattering. It's what you work years for, and it's a wonderful thing for us."

In an era when rock bands from the 1970s and '80s tour with only one or two original members, Quiet Riot is a rarity. They've got all four members from "Metal Health" in the fold - DuBrow, drummer Frankie Banali, guitarist Carlos Cavazo and bassist Rudy Sarzo. DuBrow said that makes the fans even more responsive.

"It shows a loyalty to each other that people respect," he said. "It's the public's favorite lineup, so it makes it fun for us."

But then, Quiet Riot has always been a little different. Their biggest hit, "Cum On Feel the Noize," was a song the band didn't want to record; they had to be convinced by their record company. (Later, band members would say they went so far as to play it as badly as they possibly could so it would get cut from the final album.)

DuBrow says Quiet Riot wasn't looking for the rocketship to fame that many of their 1980s counterparts sought and were reluctant to focus on hit singles. They wanted to be in it for the long haul.

"We were the one band from the '80s that didn't concern ourselves with writing hit singles," he said. "We wanted to be like the bands from the '70s that were album bands."

While things have changed since 1983, Quiet Riot is still alive and well, and judging by the crowds at their shows, still a guilty pleasure for many. They just celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Metal Health" in mid-March, but DuBrow said the band doesn't have any big plans for the occasion. Instead, they're just going to keep doing what they do best.

A new live DVD is set for April release, and DuBrow promises it will please fans.

"We're trying to make it the best we can, with a bunch of extra stuff besides just the concert," he said.

As for what the extra content will be, even DuBrow is not sure at this point. But it could feature some footage with original guitarist Randy Rhoads, who rose to fame as guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne before dying in a 1982 airplane crash.

"I know they filmed a lot of backstage stuff," DuBrow said. "They have a lot of footage from the '70s with Randy Rhoads, and they have a lot of stuff from the '80s. I don't know what they're using."

What DuBrow does know is that what you see on the DVD will be what you see any night of the week at their show. He said the band isn't going to doctor the performance.

"We didn't go in and fix anything," he said. "Every band in the world goes in and fixes errors and stuff they played badly. We kept it all live."

And that means a good time. During days where the news is usually dark, people may be seeking an escape. Quiet Riot is happy to oblige with fun songs like "Slick, Black Cadillac," "Party All Night" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now." DuBrow sums up a Quiet Riot show in three words.

"Fun, excitement and party-time."

So, "Bang Your Head."

Review: Ted Nugent, "Full Bluntal Nugity"

If you've never experienced Ted Nugent live, it's something any rock 'n' roll fan ought to see. Whether you agree with Uncle Nuge's political views or not, you can appreciate the raw, ripping chainsaw noise channeled from a Gibson Byrdland through amps cranked up to ear-bleeding levels. It's rock 'n' roll power in its purest form.

His latest DVD, "Full Bluntal Nugity," is the next best thing. The video is the companion piece to the album of the same name. The show was recorded live in his hometown of Detroit in August 2001 and features most fan favorites, and even a snippet of "My Baby Likes My Butter on Her Gritz," from his excellent 2002 album "Craveman," which was still a year away from release at the time.

While Nugent, at age 53, isn't the same wild man that he was on stage in his youth, there's still plenty of energy in his performances. While he's not climbing amps and swinging from vines anymore, he channels all of that into his playing now.

One of the most striking things about this DVD is Nuge himself. Despite the fact that we know he's played most of these songs a bazillion times, it's still obvious that he loves what he's doing. He loves being on stage and in command of the audience, but most of all, he loves playing his music. Just take a look at his face as he cranks out the opening riff of "Cat Scratch Fever."

As always with Nuge, there is that air of cocky self-confidence, bordering on conceit. For example, when he calls that same riff the "greatest guitar lick in the history of the world." I'm not sure if that's the case, but it is certainly one of the most recognizable.

The concert performance is cut with some quick scenes from Nugent's daily life from rehearsals to an afternoon on the shooting range to an inspired jam version of "Red House" at the wedding of his long-time manager Doug Banker.

In addition, on several songs, an icon pops up which allows you to access classic performances of the same songs from the 1970s and '80s, and even a stirring acoustic version of "Fred Bear" from his 2000 Whiplash Bash. These and other features on the DVD give you an overview of Nugent's career from a 1967 performance of "Journey to the Center of the Mind" with the Amboy Dukes, to the 2001 version of the right-wing anthem "Kiss My Ass," to his latest video for "Crave."

Get "Full Bluntal Nugity."

Review: Dream Evil, "Evilized"

Dream Evil's debut "DragonSlayer" was a collection of solid, if a bit unremarkable, retro power metal. It was easy and fun to listen to, but it didn't really stick with me.

I expected more of the same from "Evilized," but from the cutting riffs of the opening track "Break the Chains," the album sucked me in. With knife-edge guitar riffs and a nostalgia for the golden days of metal, this album will capture the hearts of old school metal devotees.

For those who catch the reference in the band's name, it will come as no surprise that there's a heavy Dio influence on songs like "Bad Dreams," "Fear the Night" and "Invisible." (I have to confess when I saw the title "Invisible" I was hoping for a cover of the Dio classic. Alas, I was disappointed, but it's still a great song.) But there are also shades of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Queensryche, Savatage and plenty of other classic bands.

Fast, heavy and melodic are the hallmarks of Dream Evil's music and they do those things as well as anyone out there. If you're one of those people who wonders why they don't make metal like they used to, then you'd do well to check out "Evilized."

Get "Evilized."

Interview: Tim Roth of Into Eternity

In the more extreme subgenres of metal, fans can be fiery and fickle. Bands that stray from the norm walk a fine line between adulation and anathema. The line has been widened recently by Canada's Into Eternity.

The hybrid band takes elements of the progressive rock of Rush, Dream Theater and Fates Warning, and blends them with the snarling, brutal sound of death metal. It's a mix that band members weren't sure would fly, but they knew it was what they wanted to do.

"When we originally did it, we weren't signed or anything, so we didn't have anything to lose," said vocalist Tim Roth. "We were doing it because that's what we wanted to hear in a band. That's just always how we were going to do it, no matter what."

So far, Into Eternity has been lucky. Their latest album "Dead or Dreaming," which was released in the U.S. last year, has created quite a buzz in the metal community for its marriage of soaring three-part harmonies and ethereal keys with fire-breathing growls and even the occasional blastbeat from drummer Jim Austin.

"People either like it or they don't," Roth said. "But the people who really dig it, they seem to be really hardcore into it, so that's pretty cool."

Into Eternity began with Roth, Austin and bassist Scott Krall in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The area didn't have a lot of opportunities for rock and metal musicians, so the band's task was difficult from the start.

"No bands ever came through our town - it just never happened," Roth said. "We weren't influenced like if we were living in L.A. and saw wicked metal bands everyday, but I guess that kind of worked for us."

Instead of working their way up through a club scene, Into Eternity self-financed their debut album and bombarded record labels and rock radio stations with it. Roth says there was a lot of interest, but no one was willing to offer a contract. Eventually, they signed with DVS Records in Holland to produce "Dead or Dreaming" and spent time building a fan base in Europe. When they returned home to Canada, Century Media signed them to a five album deal and released "Dead or Dreaming" in the United States.

This week, Into Eternity made the 40-hour drive to New Orleans to kick off their first ever U.S. tour, which will stop in 24 states over the next two months.

"I can't wait," says Roth. "I want to leave today. Just over the Internet, we've gotten e-mails from people in all of these states who like the album."

Roth expects the tour to be a bit more successful than the band's first U.S. date, the Milwaukee Metalfest this summer. Into Eternity drew a bad slot on that show, playing at the same time as thrash metal titans Exodus. Roth says there was no competition - even he wanted to see Exodus. Still there was a silver lining in the small crowd.

"There weren't a lot of people there," Roth says with a laugh. "We were playing next to Exodus, and I was so mad because Exodus was a band that I grew up on. But the people that were there, they dug it for sure."

Following the Valentine's Day opener in New Orleans, Into Eternity will criss-cross the country through March, then play dates across Canada on their way back to their hometown. There won't be a break after that. They're set to go back in the studio in April to record a new album, and possibly their first music video. The album should hit shelves in the summer, and then it's back on the road.

"As long as you're in the public eye, I think it's a good thing," Roth says. "You can only do so much over the Internet. We don't have videos and we're not on a ton of radio, so you've got to tour to build that fan base. We plan to tour as much as possible."

Interview: Hansi Kursch of Blind Guardian

In the 14 years since the release of their debut album, Germany's Blind Guardian has accomplished a lot. They've released six albums and risen to the top of the power metal crowd. They've conquered audiences all over the world, playing to sold out houses in Europe and Japan. But in all that time, they've never played a show in the United States.

That changed this month, when the band of J.R.R. Tolkien devotees launched a month-long assault on the States.

Singer and bassist Hansi Kursch says the band is glad to finally be able to play for its American fans.

"It's like a dream come true - a very fresh dream," he says in a phone interview from his native Germany. "About five years back, I did not even think about it, but ever since Century Media released our previous album, `Nightfall in Middle-Earth,' I'm really blown away. We've set up quite an impressive U.S. tour. It's a big deal for us."

Kursch says he realizes that the crowds here in the U.S. will be smaller than those they've played to in Europe, but the band is prepared for that.

"It's a challenge, but we are used to it," he says. "Some years back - let's say 10 or 12 years back - we had the same size crowds over here in Europe, so we are prepared. It's still something special."

The band is expecting good turnout for their first shows in the U.S., and Kursch says ticket presales are going well. He says Blind Guardian has a solid fan base in the States. Some are so devoted they'll even make the trip overseas to see the band.

"We've played several festivals over here in Europe, and you would be surprised at how many people from the States come over just to see us," he says.

For American fans who haven't seen the band live, Kursch says to expect some surprises. Many of Blind Guardian's songs are complex compositions that are difficult to perform live. For example, the 14-minute epic "And Then There Was Silence," from their latest album "A Night at the Opera," took four months and 128 tracks to record. But Kursch says fans will be surprised by what the band can do.

"Some of them are difficult, but we can minimize that in terms of focusing on the more important pieces in the song," he says. "On the album they appear impossible to play in a live situation, but skilled musicians can play them."

Blind Guardian may be best known for their connections with Tolkien. Their 1999 release "Nightfall in Middle-Earth" was a concept album based on Tolkien's tales, and they've written a number of individual songs based on his works. Kursch says it's something that evolved naturally.

"I got hooked on (Tolkien) as a kid and never really got it out of mind," he says. "When we started songwriting in Blind Guardian, we immediately figured out that we were all infected by that story, so parts of the music really went that direction in almost a natural way. When I started working on the lyrics, I had the impression that the music really demanded that type of lyric."

Kursch says a large number of people have discovered Blind Guardian through the Tolkien themes, but just as many metal fans have said they discovered Tolkien through Blind Guardian's music.

With the penchant for Tolkien-themed songs comes a segment of the band's fan base that wants them to write nothing but songs based on the "Lord of the Rings" writers' works. Kursch says that doesn't bother him, though.

"Not at all - I like to work on Tolkien topics, but I as well like to work on independent topics," he says. "I've been criticized for both, but I don't mind because I usually do what I think is best for the songs."

Before the U.S. leg of the tour began, Kursch also spent a few days with his friend Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth to work on a second album with their side project Demons & Wizards, which he hopes will be released some time next year.

But Kursch is really just ready to get out and play for the American crowds. He says after the long production schedule for their last album and extensive touring in Europe, the band is looking forward to the new experience and an injection of fresh enthusiasm.

"We're really longing to come to the U.S. and get some fresh energy - we're like vampires," he jokes. "It will be a blast."