The Redneck
Manifesto is a 5 piece instrumental band from Ireland that rose from the ashes
of four hardcore bands. Their sound is similar to other post-hardcore groups,
with its jazz meets indie rock blend. Think Minus The Bear without the vocals.
Though I'm not sure the name will do them justice, the CD definitely does. If
you dig upbeat jazz beats, melodic guitar noodling, and cinematic instrumental
soundscapes, then ‘I Am Brazil’ should suit you just fine. (Eddie Fleisher)
Vic Bondi
(Articles of Faith), J. Robbins (Jawbox) and Darren Zentek (Kerosene 454) come
together to form a post-punk supergroup of sorts on this debut release from
Report Suspicious Activity. Musically this reminds me a lot of nineties bands
like Helmet, Jawbox, Fugazi, and the like. Sure, there’s a fair amount of punk
rock power, but it’s tempered with wise use of dynamics, creative musicianship,
and solid songwriting. Lyrically, though, this reminds me more of the eighties
when the Reagan administration influenced a steady stream of dissatisfied punks
to put pen to paper. A lot of the lyrics deal with post 9-11 politics (it’s a
safe bet these guys didn’t vote for Bush), but the band eschews blunt
sloganeering in favor of a more poetic approach. You’ll get the message, but it
doesn’t feel like the band is browbeating the listener into agreeing with them.
Very good stuff. (Bob Ignizio)
Sargeist – ‘Disciple of the Heinous
Path’ (Moribund)
Cold...grim...evil...these
three words are what Moribund Cult uses to describe it's roster. The band that
best typifies these words is Sargeist, and they're back with a manically
pulsing, doom-leaden chill fest that's sure to be on many extreme metal fans'
"best of" lists for this year. Very few do stripped-down black metal as well as
Sargeist, and if you liked 2003's ‘Satanic Black Devotion’ then you'll love
‘Disciple of the Heinous Path’! This is black-metal with no frills...no
orchestra, no legion of female singers...and yet it works so well that one can't
help but be impressed. The band can rip when they like, but they also know when
to slow down and build the tension. This is an unholy statement of gleeful
blasphemy, wrapped in a web of first-rate musicianship and throbbing riffs that
should send any black metal fan into ecstasy. Sargeist has done it again, and
it's sure to place high on my list of favorites this year. The Heathen Hippy
gives it five agonizing screams. (Taliesin A. Govannon)
Taking their cues
from bands like Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, and Skid Row, the Sex Slaves bring us
their own take on raw and raunchy (but still commercial) hard rock. Now
personally, I like GNR and a fair portion of the Crue’s body of work, but do we
really need another band vying for “also ran” status in this genre? Didn’t
Faster Pussycat and L.A. Guns already fill that dubious need? But I digress.
The Sex Slaves would probably have done okay for themselves if this album had
been released in 1987 or so. It has a touch of punk rock attitude (ooh, they
covered “Search and Destroy”, how daring) but also enough power ballads to win
over the Aquanet ladies auxiliary of the commercial metal fanbase. If it were
the late eighties, these guys would probably have landed the opening slot on
Motley Crue’s ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ tour and scored regular rotation on the
‘Headbanger’s Ball’ with at least two videos. Their debut album would have gone
at least gold. And like the other late eighties also-rans like the
aforementioned Faster Pussycat and L.A. Guns, they’d be largely forgotten by
now. This is reasonably rocking and has some okay hooks, but the band never
really distinguishes themselves. Personally I’ll stick with ‘Appetite For
Destruction’ and ‘Dr. Feelgood’. (Bob Ignizio)
The Redneck
Manifesto is a 5 piece instrumental band from Ireland that rose from the ashes
of four hardcore bands. Their sound is similar to other post-hardcore groups,
with its jazz meets indie rock blend. Think Minus The Bear without the vocals.
Though I'm not sure the name will do them justice, the CD definitely does. If
you dig upbeat jazz beats, melodic guitar noodling, and cinematic instrumental
soundscapes, then ‘I Am Brazil’ should suit you just fine. (Eddie Fleisher)
Vic Bondi
(Articles of Faith), J. Robbins (Jawbox) and Darren Zentek (Kerosene 454) come
together to form a post-punk supergroup of sorts on this debut release from
Report Suspicious Activity. Musically this reminds me a lot of nineties bands
like Helmet, Jawbox, Fugazi, and the like. Sure, there’s a fair amount of punk
rock power, but it’s tempered with wise use of dynamics, creative musicianship,
and solid songwriting. Lyrically, though, this reminds me more of the eighties
when the Reagan administration influenced a steady stream of dissatisfied punks
to put pen to paper. A lot of the lyrics deal with post 9-11 politics (it’s a
safe bet these guys didn’t vote for Bush), but the band eschews blunt
sloganeering in favor of a more poetic approach. You’ll get the message, but it
doesn’t feel like the band is browbeating the listener into agreeing with them.
Very good stuff. (Bob Ignizio)
Cold...grim...evil...these
three words are what Moribund Cult uses to describe it's roster. The band that
best typifies these words is Sargeist, and they're back with a manically
pulsing, doom-leaden chill fest that's sure to be on many extreme metal fans'
"best of" lists for this year. Very few do stripped-down black metal as well as
Sargeist, and if you liked 2003's ‘Satanic Black Devotion’ then you'll love
‘Disciple of the Heinous Path’! This is black-metal with no frills...no
orchestra, no legion of female singers...and yet it works so well that one can't
help but be impressed. The band can rip when they like, but they also know when
to slow down and build the tension. This is an unholy statement of gleeful
blasphemy, wrapped in a web of first-rate musicianship and throbbing riffs that
should send any black metal fan into ecstasy. Sargeist has done it again, and
it's sure to place high on my list of favorites this year. The Heathen Hippy
gives it five agonizing screams. (Taliesin A. Govannon)
Taking their cues
from bands like Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, and Skid Row, the Sex Slaves bring us
their own take on raw and raunchy (but still commercial) hard rock. Now
personally, I like GNR and a fair portion of the Crue’s body of work, but do we
really need another band vying for “also ran” status in this genre? Didn’t
Faster Pussycat and L.A. Guns already fill that dubious need? But I digress.
The Sex Slaves would probably have done okay for themselves if this album had
been released in 1987 or so. It has a touch of punk rock attitude (ooh, they
covered “Search and Destroy”, how daring) but also enough power ballads to win
over the Aquanet ladies auxiliary of the commercial metal fanbase. If it were
the late eighties, these guys would probably have landed the opening slot on
Motley Crue’s ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ tour and scored regular rotation on the
‘Headbanger’s Ball’ with at least two videos. Their debut album would have gone
at least gold. And like the other late eighties also-rans like the
aforementioned Faster Pussycat and L.A. Guns, they’d be largely forgotten by
now. This is reasonably rocking and has some okay hooks, but the band never
really distinguishes themselves. Personally I’ll stick with ‘Appetite For
Destruction’ and ‘Dr. Feelgood’. (Bob Ignizio)