Jason Charles Miller, "Uncountry"

Jason Charles Miller

Uncountry

Reviewed by Rob Acocella

Rating: 5/5

When you think of Jason Miller from Godhead, you probably don't think cowboy hats and Civil War memorabilia. However, as he explains in the album title track "Uncountry" there ain't nothin' uncountry about him. 

I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Country music, so the few bands and albums I do like have to really have that something special to make them stand out to me. Jason's version of Country isn't your Garth Brooks or Honkey-Tink this-or-that. Coming from a much heavier style of music, you are guaranteed it's going to have an edge, and an edge it has. I would liken Uncountry to Zakk Wylde's Pride and Glory. Even though Zakk was known as the monstrous young guitar player for Ozzy Osbourne, most fans were pleasantly surprised to hear what his softer, more, um, twangy song writing was like. The same goes for Jason Miller. You can hear shades of Pride and Glory on Uncountry, as well as moments that really reminded me of Vicious Cycle, which was my personal favorite Lynyrd Skynyrd album. You can hear Jason's signature Goth-Industrial vocals peering through at times, which is reassuring when the album goes a little deeper into the Country vibe.

There are a lot of stand out tracks, and my personal favorites are "Uncountry," "The River," "You Must Have Loved Me A Lot" and the stickiest song on the album, "The Devil." I dare you to listen to "The Devil" and not walk around singing or humming it to yourself all day. Hell, I haven't listened to the album in 2 days and this morning I woke up with it in my head out of nowhere. 

Megadeth, "TH1RT3EN"

Megadeth
TH1RT3EN
Reviewed by Rob Acocella
Rating: 5/5




Megadeth are back, and this time it's BIG. Not only is this their thirteenth studio album, but it's also the return of David Ellefson to the band. David has always been such a huge component of Megadeth's sound that the albums without him really fell slightly flat for me. I may be a bit biased, being a a bass player myself, but without David it just wasn't complete.

That said, it's not just enough to have the correct lineup, you have to also have great songs and there is no shortage of them on this album. "Sudden Death" leads it off, and is a familiar track for anyone who has been keeping up with the world of Megadeth, as it was included in a Guitar Hero installment, as well as getting released as a single back in 2010, and is the first studio recording of Ellefson with the band since 2002. It's not the only song that will sound familiar to die-hard fans of the band. "Black Swan", "Millennium of the Blind", and "New World Order" are also a part of the Megadeth legacy and go back different spans of time in each instance.

"Public Enemy No. 1" is one of my favorite tracks right alongside "New World Order" "Deadly Nightshade" and "Fast Lane". Personally, with all the fast, crushing riffs, and especially the reborn older material that has finally received a proper release to the public, this is one of the most perfect Megadeth albums to date. I'm from the school of people that thought Rust In Peace was their masterpiece, and with TH1RT3EN being released right on the heels of the anniversary of Rust, it's only fitting for it to be such a powerhouse of  a record.

Steve Bello Band, "Go Berzerk"

Steve Bello Band
Go Berzerk!
Reviewed by Rob Acocella
Rating: 5/5







Ibanez-endorsed instrumental guitarist Steve Bello is back with his fifth and most anticipated studio album yet, titled Go Berzerk! (yes, the "z" is intentional)

The album starts off with the very popular lead single "Surfing To Venus" which had a video to accompany it while it was still in demo stages. You can see the video below, or by clicking here.
Following "Surfing" is a a track called "To Be Human Again" which gets you tapping your toes and snapping your fingers to the groovy little funk-infused intro before jumping right into a chunky lead riff that will take most by complete surprise. The title track is one of the strongest on here which not only showcases Steve's incredible lead abilities but bass player Joe Demott really shines through with his intricate bass fills.

On "Sometimes Hidden" we get to hear the softer side of Steve Bello with this warm acoustic track. It goes without saying that just about every instrumental guitarist includes an acoustic track here or there, and Steve is no exception, but this track just has such a nice flow and melody that it avoids feeling cliché. "Throwing Away My Skin" is at the top of my list of favorites on this album with it's Slayer-like groove. The guitar really takes on an almost vocal personality on this track. On "Chomp" we again hear Joe's incredible bass abilities. It's gotta be one of the funkiest Funk-Metal tracks I've ever heard.

I can't give Go Berzerk! album any less than a 5/5. Steve's been working at this for about as long as we've been working at Paragon and every album is better than the last. This is truly a work of art, incorporating so many different flavors without ever sounding out-of-place. It's availabe on CDBaby.com or iTunes, and you can get a physical copy if you find him on Facebook and order direct.

Rammstein: Made In Germany 1995-2011

Rammstein
Made In Germany 1995-2011 (Deluxe Edition)

Reviewed by Lisa Selvaggio

      For longtime fans or those who are new to the band, this 2-disc best of compilation encompasses highlights from Rammstein’s entire career.  Starting off with “Engel” and including their newest single, “Mein Land,” Disc 1 has a little bit off every album.  From “Du Hast” to “Mein Teil” and “Links 2 3 4,” all the songs the band has become famous for over the last 16 years are on one disc, proving how they’ve been able to keep it hard and heavy, never losing their signature sound.  There are 16 tracks on this disc, so it is packed to the brim with your favorites. 

      Disc 2 is a CD of remixes created by everyone from Laibach (“Ohne Dich”) to Faith No More (“Du Riechst So Gut ‘98”) and Devin Townsend (“Rammlied”), to name a few.  The remixes are innovative and give these classics a brand new twist, as any good remix would.  But if you’re looking for the heaviness the band is known for, the remixes lighten it up, sometimes way up, or even change the songs almost completely.  Townsend’s remix includes a banjo that is completely out of place and annoying.  Westbam’s remix of “Links 2 3 4” could easily be played at a club filled with guidos in Jersey---who would’ve thought you could do that with a Rammstein tune?  “Feuer Frei,” though not on Disc 1, is remixed on Disc 2, and it’s pretty good although it loses the speed and aggression the song is known for.
        

      You can purchase this release in its standard format, which would give you just the best-of disc with the new single, the Deluxe Edition which has the two discs I’ve just described, or the limited Super Deluxe Edition which has the two discs plus three DVDs and a 240-page booklet.  In any format, it is worth adding this release to your Rammstein collection. 

Rating: 5 out of 5

Animals As Leaders: Weightless

Animals As Leaders
Weightless

Reviewed by Steve Bello


Tosin Abasi is, without question, the "it" guy for Ibanez 8-string guitar, and creating interesting textures where most players would just stick to Meshuggah-inspired riffing (nothing wrong with that, of course). Those who are familiar with Tosin know that he was once in a band called Reflux that musically was great but vocally was very distracting. When news broke out that Tosin was doing a purely instrumental project, fans of his fleet-fingered work were excited.

Weightless is the second album for AAL and while it is definitely very diverse and a great workout for both Tosin and the listener, something troubles me a bit. Every song virtually starts off the same, with a clean guitar intro, as if to say "This is a false sense of security, I am about to bludgeon you now." Tosin clearly studied Jazz and Progressive music, which is evident on tracks such as "Somnarium," "Isolated Incidents," and "Earth Departure" (the only track not to have a clean intro). One can hear influences as obvious as Yes, Rush, King Crimson, and some not-so apparent like Mahavishnu Orchestra. Utilizing the 8-string to its fullest potential, Tosin wrings out some intricate melodies that aren't contrived or give the sense of "I have heard this somewhere before." Tosin approaches the 8-string from a fresh perspective, not just for brutal guttural riffing (but when he does, he can give so-called "heavy" bands a good run for their money!)

For guys like Steve Vai to praise Tosin up and down, that's high praise indeed! I do recommend this album for anyone that wants to break from the "heavy-for-heavy sake" metal that is out there today. Tosin is clearly ahead of the curve and at the top of the game. Some of us should be so lucky.


Rating: 5/5


Steve Bello is one of NJ's most famous instrumental guitarists, known for his speed and dexterity. With his latest album, Go Berzerk, he is finding worldwide recognition for his hard work and dedication to his music. Check out our video interview with Steve here.

Puscifer: Conditions of My Parole

Puscifer
Conditions of My Parole
Reviewed by Lisa Selvaggio

From the opening track, it’s clear that Maynard James Keenan (TOOL, A Perfect Circle), has yet again given fans something that proves his immense talent, which he takes in a multitude of different directions on this album.  Puscifer has always been a project that is humorously experimental while at the same time containing lyrics that Maynard is known for: sometimes goofy, other times emotional or contemplative, and still other times puzzling.  In my opinion, each album is better than the one that came before, and, as such, this is my favorite of the three thus far released. 

Described as “danceable,” I cannot disagree (just listen to “Man Overboard” and tell me you don’t start moving).  “Horizons” even has a sort of Hip-Hop style beat to it.  “Oceans” is calming, soothing, somewhat in the same way as “The Humbling River” off of "C" Is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference Here).  One of my favorites, musically and lyrically, is “Monsoon,” a song about the dry desert calling for help from the sky, in fact asking it to cry its emotions down to quench the thirsty earth.  Switching it up, “Telling Ghosts” is heavier, more aggressive, drums leading, marching.  “Tiny Monsters,” the opening track, actually starts off with “Tumbleweed,” the final song, playing at a very low volume, making the album come full circle.  

This is the strongest Puscifer album thus far.  If you enjoyed the first two albums, you’ll like this one too, and if you weren’t really feeling the first two, give this one a chance anyway.

Rating: 5/5
                

System Syn: All Seasons Pass

System Syn 
All Seasons Pass
Reviewed by Mike Ventarola
      For those with a penchant for dark dance electronic music, you won’t need to look any further than System Syn’s latest album, All Seasons Pass, newly released through Metropolis Records. This is more than your bevy of tracks slated for eargasm club candy. The recording is a concept album based upon a true story and the last days of a young woman who went missing in 2006 only to be found four months later, after the winter’s thaw, with a gunshot to her head. These songs manage to encapsulate the last days of her life and the emotions of those around her.
      In a dark music scene that has gone somewhat static as of late, it is something quite bone-chilling to enjoy these tracks so much and, in the back of your head, realize the impetus behind their creation. Lyrics fraught with angst, fear and desperation are interspersed with infectious foot stomping beats. These aren’t just random lines of poetic lyrics as much as they are a tribute to a nameless victim whose short life somehow affected this band enough to pour through the case files behind this crime. The complete story can be found on the band’s web page at www.systemsyn.com 
      All of the tracks are constructed with detailed precision that, if one weren’t aware of the reason behind the songs, it would just appear as though the band had raised the bar on themselves to deliver the most comprehensive songwriting of their career. These really well written songs did not stoop to being overly mawkish and melodramatic, but aimed for introspection and psychological emotiveness. In less capable hands, the concept and lyrics could have easily veered into exploitive territory, but the band painstakingly avoided that from the collection we have on this CD.   
      Each song is enveloped with an otherworldly presence, clearly demarking this as a concerned and loving tribute to a young women none of us knew. The majority of these tightly crafted tracks will more than likely be in heavy rotation in your underground clubs across the globe. In essence, whenever we hear them on the dance floor, it will bring us back to ourselves to remember that life is precious and that a snapshot of someone’s life has been preserved eternally through this recording.

Rating: 5/5