Disproving the "three strikes and yer out" adage, Los Angeles' 3rd Strike is in fact just stepping up to the plate. With punishing riffs and palpable lyrics, this street-wise quintet raps, roars, and redeems long and loud on the fiery opening track "Flow Heat," melodicallyreflective...

At first listen I'd sum 'em up as a thinking man's Hard-Core -- carefully selected exceptions aside. Lyrically we're stuck in second gear with rants about discontent, discord, and insolence -- outside the lyrical lines, "Bathroom Floor" notwithstanding, is where the trip begins. ...

A lot of people think that Irish music begins and ends with U2. This is unfortunate; it insinuates that Irish musicians can't carry a tune and spend all of their time making nuisances of themselves engaging in besotted diatribes about third world debt forgiveness. Not so. Nor...

WIDE OPEN is an economy model CD. Equipped with a standard four-speed musical transmission: guitar, bass, drums, piano and enhanced by a high capacity vocal ignition system - Amy Jane! For an economy model CD, I was surprised at the ear-room. Co-produced ...

For anyone who missed the mellowing phase that was "Resonance 1," here's the second installment, featuring the darker side of Anathema -- their evil twin, born of blood, fire, and dark desire. For anyone new to the scene that began with "Resonance 1," and who ...

I grew up listening to surf music. This was back before it was even called surf music. I'm not talking about Jan and Dean, The Beach Boys, or the Rip Chords. No, I'm talking about surf music, dammit, mostly instrumental guitar-driven, jangly instrumentals by groups like The...

If the end result's any indication, here's hoping they take an extended break more often! "The Process Of Belief" is to an album what born-again Christianity is to a faith, and the invigorated results of their new collaboration are astounding! Recalling the ferocity of ...

I think what began as an unsuspecting side-project for the multi-directional acclaimed guitar player that began as Ozzy's latest guitar recruit has spiraled out of control and led to unforeseen success. Personally, I couldn't conceive of Zakk Wylde's post Pride & Glory routine as being...

While the rest of the world stood up and took notice years ago, North America still remains "blind" to the fact that Heavy Metal remains the most challenging and durable style of music ever developed. And development and commitment, something German bands in particular have...

Those multi-talented guys from Bracket, out to save the world from processed Punk prototypes, trot out five albums and two comps worth of weighty anthems on their first live piece, seventeen songs worth of driving Rock that'll crash right through your living room, you'll swear you ...