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CKY - 'Infiltrate, Destroy, Rebuild' (Island)
All I knew about this band before I put the disc on was that
they had something to do with the 'Jackass' show. Based on that, I wasn't
expecting much. Surprisingly, 'Infiltrate, Destroy, Rebuild' turns out to
be a pretty good album. It's hard to pin a label on CKY, which is a good
thing in my book. There's elements of metal, progressive, industrial, and
modern alternative rock on display, and the band shows a knack for writing
catchy hooks. The production is slick without being overbearing. The
results are sort of like a less bombastic Kings X with a hint of God Lives
Underwater. No showy playing, but the band is tight and do a good job
integrating electronic elements into their rock sound. Recommended for
those looking for something a little different. (Bob Ignizio)
Iron Savior – ‘Condition Red’ (Noise/Sanctuary) 
Power metal is all the rage in Europe. While I guess if I
had a choice between that and the Limp Bizkit clones infesting the U.S. I’d take
the former, its kind of like choosing between hanging or the guillotine. Sure,
a few bands like Gamma Ray and Jag Panzer are worth listening to, but most of
the stuff sounds like Iron Maiden on speed fronted by a singer with his nuts in
a vise grip. Although Iron Savior’s singer does thankfully sing in a lower
register, that’s not enough to salvage ‘Condition Red’. All the other power
metal clichés are present in full force. Showboat playing, gratuitous double
bass drumming, and lyrics about warriors, titans, and the like. And of course
it’s all very serious business. I have to think even for fans of the genre this
will be pretty boring, but what the hell do I know. (Bob Ignizio)
Orodruin - Orodruin (self
released)
Doom purists should love this band from New York. The
influences include all the usual suspects: Candlemass, Cathedral, Trouble, and
of course Sabbath. You know the drill; detuned minor key riffs, painfully
slow tempos, and mournful vocals. While the band's sound is pretty
standard for this genre, the songs are well written and arranged and the band
has definite talent. I especially liked the closing track, 'Epicurean
Mass', with its atmospheric organ outro. All in all this is a solid first
effort, and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see one of the better indie metal
labels pick it up for release. (Bob Ignizio)
The Pattern – ‘Real
Feelness’ (Lookout Records) 
The Pattern is largely
undistinguishable from many of the other modern garage rockers. For me this
whole scene peaked about six or seven years ago when bands like Teengenerate,
The Makers, and Delta 72 were all in there prime. As usual the mainstream
catches on a few years too late. Rock n Roll is back and it doesn’t really
suck, but it’s hardly revolutionary anymore. Chris Appelgren sings for the
Pattern. He used to be in the Peechees, which is band I liked a little bit, but
I think his voice fit in better with them than on this record. Nothing really
stands out. The band doesn’t really throw you any curves. They’re just content
to follow the (sorry) “pattern”. (Dave Ignizio)
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