The Rockers Cabin

He is quite fast!

Formation Of Damnation
Testament

Release Date April 29 2008

1. For The Glory Of
2. More Than Meets The Eye
3. Evil Has Landed, The
4. Formation Of Damnation
5. Dangers Of The Faithless
6. Persecuted Won’t Forget, The
7. Henchman
8. Killing Season
9. Afterlife
10. F.E.A.R.
11. Leave Me Forever

Chuck Billy: Vocals
Alex Skolnick: Lead guitar
Eric Peterson: Rhythm, lead guitar
Greg Christian: Bass
Paul Bostaph: Drums

Genre: l Thrash Metal l Speed Metal
Label : Nuclear Blast

For those who are not familar with Testament here is their Wikipedia Page Testament

Thrash legends Testament have announced upcoming tour dates for 2008. The band will be touring to support their April 29 release of “The Formation of Damnation.” The album marks Testament’s Nuclear Blast debut, and it is the first new studio album from the band since 1999’s landmark “The Gathering.”

The Formation of Damnation features the classic lineup of Chuck Billy on vocals, Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick on guitar, and Greg Christian on bass…PLUS the venerable Paul Bostaph (Slayer, Testament, Forbidden) on drums. The band called on Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Trivium, Chimaira) who has been waiting nine years to engineer and mix the forthcoming album.

Testament is one of the most underrated classic bands out there. They should be looked at as one of the pioneers of the metal scene, right up there with Metallica and Slayer.

Far and away one of the most influential bands in all of modern metal. While other veteran acts soak up much of the spotlight with sing a-longs, Testament maintains the unsurpassed musicianship, integrity and brutality that continue to create an untouchable legacy.

The album is very traditional-sounding,” guitarist Eric Peterson recently told Decibel magazine. “The ideology of what we’re doing is like ‘The Legacy’ [1987]. But the musicianship’s a lot better, so it’s like ‘The Gathering’ [1999]. As most bands record their first, second and third albums, they’re developing, developing, developing… until they’ve got their sound. Then they get worse. As a rule, you get good when you’re starving and start slipping as soon as you’re eating well. We never really made it to the big time. But, then again, we didn’t fail. Because we’ve always been on that borderline, we’ve never had to make the kinds of compromises that end up killing so many bands. As we see it, we’re better off doing what we do best, especially since things seem to have turned full circle. Kids even have long hair again.

The 2nd track More Then Meets The Eye is explosive out of the gate. The drumline is awesome as hell.
The 3rd track The Evil Has Landed is another great tune with killer lyrics.
The 4th track The Formation Of Damnation said title track has more of a death metal style vocals but done in a Testament way will the said speed only they could do.
The 6th track Persecuted is super fast with great riffs and tempo changes like in the old Testament days.
The 7th track Killing Season  has a great tempo and rhythm changes as well as fantastic lyrics.
The 9th track Afterlife is another great tune with great vocals and some really great solo riffs on guitar.
The 10th track F.E.A.R. is another great tune and one of my favorites with speed metal solos out the ass.

Here is a vid of The Evil Had Landed
[youtube]39FfR2kox_U[/youtube]

Future Addict - Marty Friedman

Release Date April 2008 in the USA
Release Date March 12 2008 Japan

1. Barbie
2. Simple Mystery
3. Tornado of Souls
4. Burn the Ground
5. Where my fortune Lies
6. Breadline
7. The pit and the Pendulum
8. The killing Road
9. Static Rain
10. Secret of the Stars
11. Massive
12. Tears of an Angel

Genre l Progressive Rock | Metal | Virtuoso Guitar

For those who don’t know Marty Friedman and if you don’t what rock have you been under…lol.

Here is his Wikipedia page Marty

Ex-MEGADETH guitarist MARTY FRIEDMAN’s new album “features reworked, reconstructed, completely remade versions of some of the coolest songs from entire career”

This is his 7th solo album and I think one of his best. With the new singer on vocals this album rocks. Marty moved to Japan and a lot of his influence comes from that country.

Ex-MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman’s forthcoming album Future Addict, is due to be released in Japan on March 12th via Avex. This album features reworked, reconstructed, completely remade versions of some of the coolest songs from Marty’s entire career. According to his website, “everything from his first band, DEUCE, to his current Japanese stuff, it is all in there and all of it is on steroids. There are also three new songs including the first single. Vocals on the entire album are handled by none other than Marty’s longtime drummer, Jeremy Colson, making his worldwide vocal debut! This album is an amazing introduction to Marty`s illustrious career, as well as the beginning of an exciting new era of his music. US and Euro releases to follow, more info on that to come.”

More news from Friedman’s website reads as follows:

“Japan’s top entertainment magazine, Nikkei Entertainment, is releasing a book in mid-April titled, Ii-Jyan J-Pop! (Awesome J-Pop!). This book offers An in-depth and very unique insider`s view of the Japanese music scene as only Marty can see it. The book is culled from over a year of interviews with Marty and plenty of out-takes from his outspoken and often controversial popular monthly column in Nikkei Entertainment.

Marty produced, arranged and laid down all guitar and bass on the upcoming Sony single from Ruby Gloom, ‘Siren’ c/w ‘My Treasure’. Ruby is a animation character broadcast in several countries around the world. Nana Kitade plays the part of Ruby on this brilliant high energy single. Release date is March 25.

On the completely opposite side of the musical spectrum, down-tempo electronica pioneers THE SUPREME BEINGS OF LEISURE have a new album 11i on which Marty makes a guest appearance on the song ‘Oneness’. Marty is a huge fan of SBL and was honoured to play the track for them.

February 18 marks the industry premiere of the movie Gugudatte Neko Dearu in which Marty made his Japanese major motion picture debut. The movie is set for a fall release.

Simple mystery is a great tune with great riff changes and the sounds of old school Marty. Tornado Of Souls has great solos only like Marty could do as well as killer lyrics. Where My Fortune Lies is a bit different but has a catch bass line as well as lyrics. Breadline is by far my favorite of them all. It has the crunchy riffs and drum lines to die for. The Pit and the Pendulum has it all. Crunchy riffs, bass lines and drums galore. Killing Road is a very catchy tune with a great melody and lyrics that stick in your head. Secret of the Stone has a little rap like lyrics in it and not half bad.

Here is a video of Simple Mystery of said album
[youtube]cVAPBZIql3o&eurl=[/youtube]

So go and get a copy of this and give it a listen you will not be sorry.

Serpent - xGODx

Release Date March 23 2008 (Japan)

1. xGODx (1:25)
2. Cannibalistic Dream (4:34)
3. Devil In A Dream (5:46)
4. Plastic Arts (4:23)
5. Severance (5:28)
6. Baptism (4:19)
7. Slave (4:40)
8. Suicide Diary (6:15)
9. Clot (6:44)
10. Funeral Of Light (6:10)

Genre | Melodic Death Metal
Label : Soundholic

Ken (vocals)
Hiroki (guitar)
Hiro (bass)
Keija (drums, keyboards)

For those who have never heard of Serpent here is their website Serpent

This is their 5th studio release and very good I might add. Kens vocals have very much improved over his first ablum and Hiroki guitar play is almost God Like.
Cannaibalistic Dream title track is one of my favs off the album. Great double bass drum and riffs to die for.
Devil In A Dream is another good one off this album it has great riffs as well as vocals. The ending is to die for.
Severance is another fantastic tune of the album with great smooth riff changes throughout.
Baptism is by far my fav off the album. It has it all great bassline, drum tracks, riffs and vocals. Listen to this tune if you don’t listen to anything else off this album. You will be pleased.
Slave is another great tune with a fantastic beat line.
Finally Clot has one of the best guitar solos in it I have heard from Serpent in awhile. Hiroki does it like a God.

Here is their video single of
Cannibalistic Dream
[youtube]7udz_wguLU8[/youtube]

Children of Bodom - Blooddrunk

Release Date April 9th in the UK
April 15th in the USA

+ These tracks are on the UK release only

Genre: Speed | Thrash | Melodic Death Metal | Speed Metal
Label: Spinefarm

Alexi Laiho  Vocals,- Guitar
Roope Latvala - Guitar
Henkka T. “Blacksmith” - Bass
Janne Wirman - Keyboard
Jaska Raatikainen - Drums

01. Hellhounds On My Trail
02. Blooddrunk
03. LoBodomy
04. One Day You Will Cry
05. Smile Pretty For The Devil
06. Tie My Rope
07. Done With Everything, Die For Nothing
08. Banned From Heaven
09. Roadkill Morning
10. Ghost Riders In The Sky +
11. Lookin Out My Backdoor +

Spinefarm Records will also release a digipack version of CHILDREN OF BODOM’s new album, “Blooddrunk”, on April 9. The set will include a bonus DVD featuring the songs mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound, the “Blooddrunk” video, a “making-of-the-video” segment, and a photo gallery. In addition, the CD will feature CHILDREN OF BODOM’s cover of STAN JONES’ “Ghost Riders In The Sky” as a bonus track.

“Blooddrunk” digipack details:

CD:

01. Hellhounds On My Trail
02. Blooddrunk
03. LoBodomy
04. One Day You Will Cry
05. Smile Pretty For The Devil
06. Tie My Rope
07. Done With Everything, Die For Nothing
08. Banned From Heaven
09. Roadkill Morning
10. Ghost Riders In The Sky

DVD:

01. Blooddrunk (video)
02. Making of the Video
03. Hellhounds On My Trail (Surround Sound)
04. Blooddrunk (Surround Sound)
05. LoBodomy (Surround Sound)
06. One Day You Will Cry (Surround Sound)
07. Smile Pretty For The Devil (Surround Sound)
08. Tie My Rope (Surround Sound)
09. Done With Everything, Die For Nothing (Surround Sound)
10. Banned From Heaven (Surround Sound)
11. Roadkill Morning (Surround Sound)
12. Photo Gallery

Well I got my hands on a promo release of this and got to say this is the best yet. Blooddrunk was recorded and produced by Mikko Karmila at Petrax and Finnvox studios in Finland during October, November and December 2007, except vocals, which were recorded by Peter Tägtren, and keyboards, which were recorded by Janne Wirman at Petrax studios, Finland, during October, November and December 2007. The CD was mixed at Finnvox by Mikko Karmila in November 2007 and it was mastered at Finnvox by Mika Jussila in December 2007. A lot of fans were disappointed with their 2004 release, Are You Dead Yet?. The album was less thrashy and more modern sounding than their previous albums, you will be pleased to hear that the band found the edge and heaviness in Blooddrunk.

In August 2007 the band entered the Petrax-studios in the middle of the woods of Hollola, Finland. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, the band and their producer Mikko Karmila recordeding material for the album which was later dubbed “Blooddrunk”, a nine track killer of an album which shows Bodom at their heaviest and hardest yet.  Even more technical and more unforgiving than any of Children of Bodom’s earlier albums, Blooddrunk shows the raw side of Alexi Laiho. No mercy given, no easy routes chosen, the whole album is pure death, terror and murder from the beginning until its end. The title track of the album was shot into a video by German director Sandra Marschner, and the video displays the terrifying themes perfectly with a shot into the life of a dead, cold ghost town and its inhabitants.

One of the highlights on the album comes from track 5, Smile Pretty for the Devil. The last minute or so of the song features an excellent guitar and keyboard solo that makes you remember why you fell in love with the band in the first place. The albums token ballad is Banned From Heaven, a nice and heavy melodic number and is my favorite on the album. Other good tracks are Hellbounds On My Trail, which is reminiscent to past Bodom classics like Needled 24/7 and a good opening song to the album. There is also the title track Blooddrunk which is very melodic and heavy as well. There is also a HD video floating around of Blooddrunks title track and well worth a watch.

Here is the one on youtube but the HD is much clearer and full screen.
[youtube]usw42bkTK_E[/youtube]

Children of Bodom will head for tours next, starting their world domination from the States with theGigantour, and continuing towield their deadly scythe all over Europe, Japan. You can find out about it here GIGANTOUR 2008

I am going to the April 19th date in Kentucky. I will be taking with me a copy of this album with me to get Children of Bodom to sign.

So all you out there go and buy this CD I am telling you there is not really a bad track on this alblum. I give it a 9.5/10 stars.

Loudness
Metal Mad

Release Date Febuary 20 2008

This is a Import and is quite expensive about $40 US Dollars.

01. Fire Of Spirit
02. Metal Mad
03. High Flyer
04. Spellbound #9
05. Crimson Paradox
06. Black And White
07. Whatsoever
08. Call Of The Reaper
09. Can’t Find My Way
10. Gravity
11. Transformation

Genre: Metal | Speed Metal
Label: Tokuma Communications

Minoru Niihara (vocals)
Akira Takasaki (guitar)
Masayoshi Yamashita (bass)
Munetaka Higuchi (drums)

For those who have never heard of Loudness here is their myspace page
http://www.myspace.com/loudnessisback

Minoru Niihara is back for the vocals of this album after releasing a solo album as well as a album for XYZ-A. He has got a lot better in his english and his japan accent is hardly noticeable anymore. His vocals on this new album are awesome and well worth a listen to for any Loudness fan out there, as well as those who have never heard the band before. He has the metal sound down to include the highs and screams.

Akira Takasaki on guitar what needs to be said. He is considered as the Japanese Eddie Van Halen and well deserved of this title. Just listening to his riffs will bring a chill down your spine.

This album is by far one of the best by Loudness since Biosphere. It has all a metal fan could want from the loud crunching vocals and screams to the spine chilling riffs as well as the bass lines for a God. Drum play is also good as well. There is a lot of double bass playing in there.

The title track Metal Mad is one of the best tracks on there. Will be a metal classic one day. Spellbound#9 is my fav off this album it is kinda a hardcore genre with hardcore vocals, guitar riffs galore and drums out the ass. Black and White is a great as well. Whatsover is a great ballad with a sort of funk groove line in it. Can’t Find My Love starts off slow but gets heavy in the end. Gravity has it all the great riffs as well as vocals. The last track Transformation is good as well with great riffs in it. Actually there is not a song on here that I don’t like. Get a hold of this one and give it a listen you will be pleased.

Here is their lastest hit Metal Mad
[youtube]mjt3W3u1UKk[/youtube]

Zimmers Hole - When You Were Shouting at the Devil

Release Date March 11 2008

01 When You Were Shouting at the Devil.. 05:15
02 We Rule the flocking Land 03:51
03 Flight of the Knight Bat 02:41
04 1312 02:53
05 Devil’s Mouth 03:19
06 The Vowel Song 02:00
07 Fista Corpse 03:15
08 Anonymous Escophagus 03:00
09 Alright 03:11
10 Hair Doesn’t Grow on Steel 03:52
11 What’s My Name… Evil! 06:33

Genre: Speed | Thrash | Death Parody Metal
Label: Century Media

Chris Valagao - Vocals (session for The Berzerker)
Jed Simon - Guitar (Zimmer’s Hole,Strapping Young Lad, Tenet, Armoros, ex-Devin Townsend, ex-Front Line Assembly)
Chris Stanley - Guitar
Byron Stroud - Bass (Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory, ex-Devin Townsend, ex-Caustic Thought, ex-Unit: 187)
Gene Hoglan - Drums (Zimmer’s Hole,Dark Angel (US), Tenet, The Almighty Punchdrunk, Death, Testament, Devin Townsend, Old Man’s Child, Phantasm, Wargod, Daemon (Dnk), Just Cause, Naphobia, Meldrum, ex-Unearth, Dethklok)

For those who have never heard of Zimmers Hole here is their myspace page
http://www.myspace.com/zimmershole

I was never a big fan of Stapping Young Lad but this Band here is nothing like them although it has many of the members of same said band.

Started as a side project of Strapping Young Lad members Jed Simon and Byron Stroud. When SYL was put on ice in 2007 they decided to make Zimmer’s Hole their main band and signed with Century Media

Although THE HOLE was dug before the formation of Strapping Young Lad, this is the first time Simon and Stroud have had the time to devote all their attention to the band, resulting in a more focused, streamlined effort. The inherent insanity in a project like THE HOLE is still there, but traditional metal influences abound in the epic, fist-pumping feel of songs like “We Rule the flocking Land” and “Flight of the Knight Bat.”
The track the vowel song is very extra ordinary as they use the voice of Nathan Explosion of Dethklok reading a message about illiteracy if a very illiterate way, very funny and good.

I was well pleased with the album as a whole all track are great in their own. Give it a try all you metalheads out there this is their best album yet.

Sixx A.M.
The Heroin Diares

Release Date
08/21/2007

1.X-Mas
2.    Van Nuys
3.    Life Is Beautiful
4.    Pray For Me
5.    Tomorrow
6.    Accidents Can Happen
7.    Intermission
8.    Dead Man’s Ballet
9.    Heart Failure
10.    Girl With Golden Eyes
11.    Courtesy Call
12.    Permission
13.    Life After Death

Here is a first single release on YouTube
[youtube]MJDDxHIaaVk[/youtube]

Sixx:A.M. is a new band built around former Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx. Sixx wrote a book titled “The Heroin Diaries” (Amazon Link), and the album is actually a soundtrack which tightly follows the memoirs, with each track coinciding with a chapter from the book. Aside from Nikki, the lead singing and rhythm guitarist duties are handled by multi-platinum producer James Michael. Working with such artists as Motley Crue, Saliva, The Exies and the Scorpions, it is no surprise that the album is produced and mixed very well. The band also has a great musician in DJ Ashba. I personally had never heard of this guy before, but his first solo album, an instrumental ASHBA: Addiction to Friction earned 6 Best Guitar Player awards.

After listening to this, the first thing I did was go online and find out where I can see these guys play. Here was a response I found from Nikki himself:

We just formed the band. We didn’t plan on that. We didn’t plan on being on the radio, and at this point we’re really not planning on touring. I know we are planning on playing some television shows and maybe doing some intimate small stuff. There seems to be a lot of desire. It would have to be something quite spectacular. The idea of going out and playing clubs isn’t that exciting. It has to be more than that. There is more out there. With all these multi-media platforms and portals to creative stuff, it is very exciting. Opportunity, I’m sure will arise, and we’ll make a decision then.

So, apparently the band has no plans of touring at this point, which is a real shame. Check out the first single, Life is Beautiful:

Overall, as an album its very average, average not good. As a soundtrack, the lyrics become so much more powerful, pushing this album into the “good” level. The songs become moving and more meaningful. James Michael’s voice might not have the vocal range of some, but not to overuse the word, but it’s powerful. “Life is Beautiful” is clearly the best track, with all the essentials of a great song. I haven’t heard much radio play of this song which is a real shame.

The rest of the album really bounces all over the place, fitting many different sounds to the many different chapters of the book. On one hand, this is a good thing, it keeps the listener off-balance, not knowing what to expect. On the other hand, some of these different sounds come off cheesy or done. “Pray For Me” sounds like it comes off the latest Killers release, with your typical staccato chords over super-monotone vocals. The ballads on the album are many, and similar.

You must realize that this is not an album which tries to please the many. This is a brutally honest, exposing self-portrait painted by a man who almost died. Because of this, the songs may be bland in some sense, but retain their ability to move, as in “Tomorrow.” This, while not the best song, still moves the listener as Sixx describes how his past is catching up to him, how his bridges have been burned.

“Dead Man’s Ballet” got bad reviews as a song, some comparing it to Meatloaf (who I think James produced). However, I really dig this song. This is one of the few songs on the album that ebbs and flows. It builds nicely into the chorus, then transitions well out of it. Oh well, say what you will, I liked the song.

So, overall, this is definitely not the best song of the last year, but it’s worth a listen. I have read the book and it is outstanding, and together I bet they complement each other very nicely.

Deja Vu Decibel Disease
Release Date 01/18/2008

Here is their hompage http://www.dejavu-metal.de/

1. Under Fire 4:58
2. You Will Know My Name 3:38
3. Children Of The Eighties 4:36
4. Metalhead 4:20
5. Die For The Tyrant 4:06
6. Face Down In The Dirt 4:52
7. Decibel Disease 4:03
8. Here I Stand 4:50
9. Slave To The Gods 5:17
10. Never Get Away 4:38
11. On My Own 4:31
12. Walls Of Sleep 4:37

Werner Kerscher - vocals / guitars
Timo - guitars
Wolpo - bass
Stephan Morro - drums

This their second album. The first being Bullets to Spare released in 2006. Unlike that one this is a much harder and more speed in the riffs style of metal.

Little is know about this German Metal band. Their musical style is like Judas Priest and vocals that of the Bruce Dickerson style. I found this ablum very enjoyable to listen too. My favorite track on this album is Metalhead not only is the musical part very good but the lyrics as well speak to all metalheads out their. The next great listen is Slave To The Gods which is very heavy in the riffs. Also Decibel Disease the title track is a good listen as well. Give this album a turn on your playlist you will not be sorry.

Kingdom Of Sorrow Debut Album
Release Date 02/19/2008

Here is more info on the band
Jasta (HATEBREED, ICEPICK) and Windstein (DOWN, CROWBAR) came together some three years ago to create KINGDOM OF SORROW, and in that time put together an album’s worth of crushing American metal.

Here is their MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/kingdomofsorrow

01. Hear This Prayer
02. Grieve
03. Piece It All Back
04. Led Into Demise
05. Demon Eyes
06. With Unspoken Words
07. Free The Fall
08. World
09. Ghosts
10. Begging
11. Buried In Black

Kirk Windstein (DOWN, CROWBAR) – Vocals, Guitars
Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED, ICEPICK) - Vocals
Steve Gibb (CROWBAR, ex-BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) - Guitar
Derek Kerswill (SEEMLESS, UNEARTH) - Drums
Matthew Brunson - Bass

I can’t even begin to explain how excited I am about KINGDOM OF SORROW! There’s been two and a half years of questions, rumors and speculation surrounding this and finally it is here!

I can’t wait for the world to hear this record. It crushes!! The vocals and wrote and lyrics are totally different in the Down style that Kirk is from. Kirk has never sounded better! His tone is like a 747 filled with tar crashing into a lead mountain. I think everyone is going to be really surprised!

It seems they had a great time putting it together and you can tell just by listening to it from start to finish it is a masterpiece. Its super heavy, man, it just crushes! Everyone I play it for, their jaws drop. And after three years in the making, it feels good to know now everyone can hear it.

There is not a track on this ablum that I do not like. Most supergroups you like some songs but not all. This is an exception to the rule.