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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 ...

Bewilderment consumes me as I set for the surprisingly tuneful melodies cruising freely about, consuming the last remnants of air space in this isolationist listening room. The sound isn't quite the stuff of bare knuckle brawling but rather playfully lighthearted with plenty o' open chording ...

I won't live the lie, will you? Neither will they. But they'll bitch about it more than you can possibly imagine on this ripping new release wrought with technically trained aggression. In the finest Skolnick speed-killing tradition, they churn through fourteen bruising, low ...

"Play With Your Head's" a titillating combination of light-hearted Pop melodies delivered with adult sincerity and child-like exuberance making for a complete record bred of spontaneous eccentricities, sharp angle turns and adult contemporary staying power. The handiwork of Mike Viola, singer, songwriter, sleep deprived performer ...

"Gore Obsessed." like that's news? What can be said about Cannibal Corpse that hasn't been said over and again? Leaders in the Death community for ten years strong, their brand of unholy, uncompromising and unparalleled filth have led the charge for generations of evil ...

Does the world need another girl-pop icon in the age of Britney, Christina, Jessica and Mandy? MCA Records certainly thought they had found one in Dublin born Carly Hennessy. At the age of nine Carly was playing Cossette in Les Miserables in Europe and had signed with ...

I'd heard of Craving Theo before. Don't know when exactly, but it's a tough name to forget. They're a bit darker than I expected. For some reason I'm expecting Dishwalla or Three Doors Down or something but this is a pleasant surprise. Hard Rock ...

The Mondo Melodia label specializes in what is known only in the United States, and in parts of England, as "world music." I have a problem with the classification --- I mean, the United States is a part of the world, so all music is by definition ...

Like most Progressive/Power Metalists ever to put pen to paper, music to tape, Edenbridge is not without their talents and inspiration. "Arcana" is a sweeping example of such. Led by soaring, swooning and ultimately soulful female vocals of Sabine Edelsbacher, the music proves as timeless ...

If not for musical evolution, Jerry Cantrell may have never discovered the acoustic guitar and Alice In Chains would never have released two incredible EPs in the early 1990’s. Instead, the band would have stagnated, dug deeper into their 80’s hair metal roots and become a band ...

The more things change, the more they really change! Anyone who'd ever known Dave King and the work he did with the likes of Fastway and various assorted Rock-based projects couldn't have conceived what he'd go on to do with this festive gathering known as Flogging ...

Flowing Tears has the potential to become one of the bigger sensations in the Goth/Metal circle -- a radiant circle that's grown in leaps and bounds in recent years and become more receptive to the advent of female fronted vocals. Flowing Tears is sad and enchanting ...

In a music world where popularity is based by hard looks and rough exteriors, The Gorillaz come across like the Monty Python of Popular music. They're an animated fun loving four-character crew bursting with personality, break beats and pun. "G-Sides" is a nine track ...

Give me something, anything to "Fill The Void." That "void" that's been missing for so long in Hard Rock circles -- the one where you're all eager for that extra inch of musicianship, maybe a fill here, a solo there, another few feet of harmonic enhancement ...

I hate to say it but I am in danger of becoming a butt-boy for Maverick Records. It started when I noticed that I was turning on VH-1 at odd times (usually during commercials on FNC) hoping to catch Madonna's "Don't Tell Me" video. About a year ...

You either get The Ramones or you don't. If you don't, you've got maybe one of their CDs, purchased because you wondered what the fuss was all about, and you haven't played it more than once or twice, pissed off about throwing 15 bucks down the drain. ...