Pictures of The Day...

No Shooting at This Road

Rusted - Live Wild & Free (High Energy Retro Hardrock 2016)

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Bitrate: 320
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At the dawn of 2017, can you name one rock'n'roll band, not from the 80s, who has the pretention and audace to release a Live Album? Hard Rock revivalists RUSTED from Canada are back with a 14 tracks album recorded in Montreal. We really wanted to capture the live energy of the band, the essence of RUSTED,the power and rawness of the live performance that many poeple would prefer to the studio album", said lead singer Tony Rust. 

So here it is, in the spirit of the greatest classic hard rock bands, RUSTED keeps the flame burning with a killer energitic album, featuring one bonus studio track.

RUSTED is a Hard Rock band from Montreal. They are bringing back the style, the energy and the music of the 80's hard Rock, 70's Glam rock era with powerfull catchy choruses, badass heavy metal guitars riffs and some loud pounding drums to bang your head to!

Review:
As I was interviewing Rusted guitarist ManiaK last month and listening to his answers to my questions, I couldn’t help but be a little embarrassed about silently agreeing with him. I had only had the opportunity to experience Rusted once in a live setting but those memories from that concert in the summer of 2014 still persist that I witnessed an absolutely amazing show from two of the best younger bands out there (Rusted and Hessler). Rusted exuded so much energy and their songs really came to life for me during that fateful night. As I was interviewing ManiaK, he mentioned that Rusted had noticed that their live energy was missing from their prior studio releases. I couldn’t agree more. ManiaK‘ went on to say that many Rusted fans would tell the band members that they loved Rusted live but never really listened to the group otherwise. I didn’t verbalize my agreement in that regard to ManiaK but yes, I was guilty of that myself. My memories of seeing Rusted live were still strong in my mind but I really didn’t listen to their studio albums Hit By and Rock Patrol that often (even though I do enjoy them). Why is that I wondered? The answer lies when I listened to Rusted‘s new live album Live Wild & Free.

Before I get into Live Wild & Free, the ultimate example in my mind of a band sounding completely different in a studio setting compared to a live one had always been early KISS. Both Alive! and Alive II are two of my favorite live albums hands down but listening to KISS‘ first six studio albums and especially the first three — KISS, Hotter Than Hell and Dressed To Kill — feels like listening to outdated slowed down, sometimes even boring, versions of what can be found on the shock rockers’ first two live records. The difference between the songs on Rusted‘s studio albums and new live record are definitely not as stark as the ones between KISS‘ first six studio albums and first two live records but there are definitely some similarities in that Rusted‘s infamous high “energy” finally comes through on Live Wild & Free. 

What has surprised me the most while listening to Rusted‘s live album is that the band truly possesses a lot of great songs and way more than their likely two most well known songs “Rock Patrol” and “Young Wild & Free.” Live Wild & Free boasts 14 live tracks plus one brand new studio track — the aptly named “Hittin’ The Road” — and frankly all of the songs stand up quite nicely. In other words, there are no songs that I think about skipping when listening to Live Wild & Free, which if you’ve read some of my past reviews is no easy feat. Just like when I saw Rusted live in the summer of 2014, lead singer Tony Rust warns the Montreal crowd after the first song on Live Wild & Free that they are going to get their asses kicked! When I had interviewed ManiaK last month, he also spoke about how Rusted live was a little dirty and not perfect, and I couldn’t agree more. Rusted‘s songs sound so much faster, heavier and simply better live and the glam rockers have now captured their magic on an album. Rust will not be mistaken as the next Rob Halford on Live Wild & Free but his singing has a lot of passion and enthusiasm to it which I really like. 

There are many little things on Live Wild & Free that I think make the album very special. You can feel that crowd interaction with the band during the live album. In addition, the background vocals are really good throughout the entire album. Given that Live Wild & Free was recorded in Montreal, which is in the mostly French speaking province of Quebec in Canada, Rust addresses the crowd in both English and French. Funny enough, Rust mostly addresses the crowd in English for the first half of the live album but eventually appears to switch mainly to French as the evening wears on. It turns out to be a good move as the Montreal crowd seems more responsive to his French banter. Given that I speak French, I understand all that Rust has to say but I wonder how a non-French speaking individual might appreciate the frontman’s French addresses to the crowd. I think that I would have some difficulties in fully appreciating a live album if I did not understand the band’s comments to the crowd.

Rusted offer one new bonus studio track called “Hittin’ The Road” at the end of Live Wild & Free. While I definitely enjoy the song, which is a bit heavier than the usual Rusted fare, I find it would have been actually better not to include the track as it is a bit anti-climatic after the rousing live finale of “Young Wild & Free.” I think I have always felt that way about the inclusion of studio tracks at the end of a live record because even though I find that there are some really good studio tracks such as “Rocket Ride” and “Larger Than Life” at the end of KISS‘ Alive II album, I have always found it a bit of downer to listen to those tracks after such a splendid live album.

It’s been more than two years since Rusted first launched their fund raising campaign for a live album so it definitely took longer than expected for Live Wild & Free to come out. 

That being said, good things are worth waiting for and Rusted‘s Live Wild & Free is a splendid live record that was totally worth the wait! All I know is that since obtaining a hard copy of Rusted‘s Live Wild & Free album last week, it has been getting played in my CD player pretty much all day while I’m working. 

When I had interviewed ManiaK last month, he indicated that Rusted wanted to have a live album like the great bands from the ’80s. I think that Rusted have come up with a live record in Live Wild & Free that stands up very well to all those great live albums from the ’80s.

♫ Tony Rust – lead vocals
♫ ManiaK – rhythm and lead guitar
♫ Tommy D. Eagle – lead guitar
♫ D. Izzy – drums
♫ Mark Shark – bass

01. Partners In Crime 04:21
02. Just A Dream 04:58
03. Two At A Time 03:46
04. Earthquake 04:26
05. Rock Patrol 03:49
06. Last Stand 04:38
07. Scream In The Night 04:20
08. Tsunami 05:34
09. Traveler 04:43
10. So Far So Strong 04:50
11. Wanted Man Boogie 03:44
12. Midnight Man 04:24
13. Summer Day 03:14
14. Young Wild & Free 05:49 
15. Hittin' The Road 03:05

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Kadavar - Berlin (Very Good Retro-Hardrock 2015)

Size: 111 MB
Bitrate: 320
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Berlin is the third studio album by German rock band Kadavar, released on 21 August 2015 by Nuclear Blast. It was the first album to fully feature new bassist Simon Bouteloup. 

After working for four months in the studio, the band finalized the production process of the new album on June 1, 2015, according to their Facebook page.

Drummer and producer Christoph "Tiger" Bartelt commented: "About 10 years ago, when we - independently of one another - moved to Berlin, we just wanted to break free from home and do something new. I thought it was comfortable, to blend in and just live from day to day. A lot of very long nights and so many completely different people at one place. Where there are opposites you can always ground yourself. We’re all different, come from different places but have managed to create something together we all like. I think the Berlin lifestyle has influenced our band very much and therefore fits perfectly as the album’s title."

The 11th and final track on the album, "Into the Night," was chosen by pro skateboarder Riley Hawk for his Scion AV compilation album Riley Hawk: Northwest Blow Out EP.

If there‘s one certainty KADAVAR have internalized for eternity, it‘s that success will run like sand through your fingers when you chicken out after suffering a setback. It was in 2013 in the heart of the USA of all places - where the desert sun preserves deeply-furrowed faces and rusty cars in a picture of Wild West-ish glory - that an infernal series of events kicked off which would make even Berlin‘s internationally most acclaimed rock band of today falter.

It started with the notorious US-American visa agency complicating the band‘s long-awaited first arrival to the United States. Subsequently, several thousand hard-earned dollars literally went up in smoke as the engine of a 1964 Ford Galaxy, specifically bought for the 'Come Back Life' video shoot, burst into flames after only a couple of miles on New Mexico‘s highways in blazing heat. And finally, when the guys had just shaken off California‘s dust from their jeans to seamlessly start into the biggest European tour in band history following their second album »Abra KADAVAR«, their bassist bailed out. Other bands would have packed it all in at this point. KADAVAR didn‘t.

From today‘s perspective, one can‘t rejoice enough at this decision, for once you‘re listening to the new tracks of their upcoming third record »Berlin« that‘ll be released on August 21, the temporary rough patch appears to be nothing more than a deep breath right before jumping across the gap. Or a deep drag on a cigarette - unhealthy but shamelessly pleasant. The key to the road out of the crisis: The piece of luck that helped vocalist Lupus Lindemann and drummer Tiger Bartelt complete their line-up again with just one phone call. French-born Simon “Dragon“ Bouteloup, who had previously played in AQUA NEBULA OSCILLATOR (the French combo KADAVAR recorded a split EP with in 2012) and had become a regular on KADAVAR‘s tour bus after moving to Berlin joined the pack. Subsequent to the call, it took the trio only four days to take the dragon to the air.

The enormous emotional energy that was unleashed show after show once the rough times were over and done with was witnessed by tens of thousands of fans over the course of the following tour with more than 200 shows in Europe, the US, Latin America and Australia played non-stop in one and a half years. 

Whether in front of 3,000 sweating Mexican souls, in a remote pub in the Macedonian mountains or facing huge European festival crowds - every single night, KADAVAR performed as furiously as a tremendous tempest hailing down on earth! It was a daredevil, ecstatic time on the road that saw KADAVAR not only cheered on zealously by their friends in THE SWORD and WOLFMOTHER, but also by some of the heroes of their youth such as MONSTER MAGNET‘s Dave Wyndorf and PENTAGRAM‘s Bobby Liebling.

It‘s these deeply imprinted, unforgettable memories and impressions of continuous touring one can feel on »Berlin« in every line and every strum. Though recorded live in the studio on the band‘s own analog gear again, it‘s distinctly audible that this time round the record turned out even deeper as far as songwriting and arrangements are concerned - and that Lindemann, Bartelt and Bouteloup have spent more time on the recordings than ever before. Tracks like 'Filthy Illusion' and 'See The World With Your Own Eyes' knock your socks off with their boisterous energy. 

'The Old Man' and 'Last Living Dinosaur' deliver post-modern madness at its finest. And vocalist Lupus Lindemann provides insights as personal as never before, like in 'Restless': “I never stay. I never pray. My life is meant to go along this endless road, it’s winding round and round.“ In 2015, KADAVAR‘s songs have evolved to become the ultimate reanimation of the seething primordial soup rock music has once emerged from. Explaining why the three-piece wanted to memorialize the city of Berlin and their roots in the album title, drummer Tiger states: “We‘re different people from different places but in this city, we‘ve somehow managed to create something we all love.“  For the restless trio - luckily alive and well - it‘ll be back on the road again shortly after the album release in autumn: The next world tour is calling.

♦ Christoph Lindemann – vocals, electric guitar
♦ Simon Bouteloup – bass
♦ Christoph Bartelt - drums, percussion, production, engineering, mixing

01."Lord of the Sky" 04:28
02."Last Living Dinosaur" 04:05
03."Thousand Miles Away From Home" 04:53
04."Filthy Illusion" 03:45
05."Pale Blue Eyes" 03:28
06."Stolen Dreams" 03:57
07."The Old Man" 04:05
08."Spanish Wild Rose" 04:30
09."See the World With Your Own Eyes" 04:07
10."Circles in My Mind" 03:47
11."Into the Night" 04:30

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The Ivory Elephant - Number 1 Pop Hit (Psychedelic Hardrock Australia 2017)

Size: 152 MB
Bitrate: 320
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Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
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Scraping out of the grit of Brunswick (Melbourne, Australia), The Ivory Elephant are a 3-piece playing Heavy Blues. Joining the Blues/Rock renaissance of bands such as The Black Keys and The White Stripes, and with a sound often likened to Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, The Ivory Elephant bring their own thing to the style.

From the depths of Melbourne’s underground, The Ivory Elephant exist in a space of late nights and loud sounds. Music that harks back to the greats of 70s rock n’roll, saturated with heavy psych and down-home delta blues.

Melbourne trio, The Ivory Elephant are releasing their first full-length LP Number 1 Pop Hit on Kozmik Artifactz (Child, Buried Feather, The Heavy Eyes, Ruby the Hatchet). 

Despite the name, the new album explores the darker side of blues-rock, and delves deep into three-piece psychedelia.

Recorded at Melbourne’s iconic Soundpark Studios (Paul Kelly, Clairy Browne, Dave Graney) Number 1 Pop Hit was tracked over three days on the bands usual shoe-string budget.

Opening with the title track, Number One Pop Hit, is what could best be described as “slackerpsych”, the album then shifts to a rootsy gear for “Ballad of Wild Bill” and “In My Pocket”, whilst experimenting with heavy hypnotic blues in “We’re Gonna Find You” and “Torn Up Chewed Out”, along with the all out psychedelic guitar onslaught of “Psych Jam” and “Let’s Do This Again”.

Having emerged from the depths of Melbourne's underground, The Ivory Elephant revels in late nights and loud sounds. The band's music harks back to the greats of '70s rock'n'roll, saturated with heavy psych and down-home delta blues vibes. Despite the title, this album explores the darker side of blues-rock and delves deep into three-piece psychedelia.

Link to their site: http://www.theivoryelephant.com/

The Band:
♣ Trent Sterling - Guitar 
♣ Arthur Witherby - Bass 
♣ Don Sargood - Drums

Album: Number 1 Pop Hit
01. Number 1 Pop Hit 02:54
02. Ballad of Wild Bill 03:09
03. Ivory Theme 2nd Movement in D minor 01:49
04. Ho Ha 03:26
05. We're Gonna Find You 03:17
06. Like a Dog 05:19
07. Psych Jam, Captured By Confusion 09:09
08. In My Pocket 02:38
09. Torn Up, Chewed Out 03:21
10. Let's Do This Again 05:23

Bonus Album: The Ivory Elephant EP
11. Election Blues 03:57
12. Taxi Driver 03:52
13. Like a Dog 04:29
14. What's Good For You 02:31
15. Here to Stay 04:33
16. Be Bad 03:42

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Kadavar - Selftitled (Outstanding 1st Album Retro-Rock 2012)

Size: 98.9
Bitrate: 320
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Hailing from Berlin, Germany, Kadavar is a trio of stubborn Rip Van Winkles who refuse to let go of their ‘70s proto-metal dreams. The credits on the band's eponymous debut for Teepee Records may read 2012, but it's always 1972 inside these timeless vinyl grooves -- no matter what digital format happens to be reproducing them. To quote Saint Vitus, these dudes were literally born too late. 

Too late, certainly, to have personally imbibed from the foreboding lysergic fountain of Black Sabbath, Leaf Hound, Pentagram, and other forefathers of their chosen musical blueprint; so the Kadavar boys obviously had to make do with the more recent chemical concoctions of neo-traditionalists like Witchcraft, Graveyard, and possibly Dead Meadow. 

These bands' heavy-handed but still Spartan attack and somnambulant daze definitely play a role in first half tracks like "All Our Thoughts," "Black Sun," and the roiling "Forgotten Past." But subsequent numbers like "Goddess of Dawn" and "Creature of the Demon" tap into a far more aggressive, head-banging energy, suggesting fret-board scorchers old and new -- think Buffalo, Captain Beyond, the Atomic Bitchwax -- also infiltrated Kadavar's iPod playlists. 

The LP's closing extended acid jam, "Purple Sage," throws Hawkwind's hypnotic, deep space dementia into the mix, and to cap off Kadavar's dual-decade influences, Wolf Lindemann's vocals blend the shamanistic charisma of a Bobby Liebling with the monochromatic slacker-isms of the Sword's J.D. Cronise -- go figure. 

All of which boils down to a consistently entertaining, nostalgia-inducing listen, and never mind the fact there's obviously very little originality involved. Don't forget though: it's actually 1972 in Kadavar's minds, and back then, this was cutting-edge stuff.

Steeped in the bluesy, brooding, bottom-heavy traditions of bands like Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, and Led Zeppelin, German psych-rock trio Kadavar spin '70s hard rock tropes into contemporary, stoner metal gold. Formed in Berlin by Christoph Lindemann (guitar, vocals), Simon Bouteloup (bass) and Christoph Bartelt (drums), the immaculately bearded retro-rockers released their eponymous, Teepee Records-issued debut in 2012. 

The band inked a deal with Nuclear Blast the following year, the home of like-minded acts Witchcraft and Graveyard, resulting in their sophomore long-player Abra Kadavar (2013) and chart-topping 2015 follow-up Berlin.

01. All Our Thoughts  04:35
02. Black Sun  06:13
03. Forgotten Past  05:38
04. Goddess Of Dawn  04:13
05. Creature Of The Demon  04:48
06. Purple Sage Theremin – Shazzula  08:12

Bonustrack
07. Living In Your Head  07:00

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Biters - The Future Ain't What It Used to Be (US Glamrock 2017)

Size: 87.2 MB
Bitrate: 320
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A band formed on the premise of reigniting authenticity, iconicism and style in today’s rock’n’roll scene, Biters have set themselves a pilgrimage to Mordor and back. However, their latest release cherry-picked from their upcoming album ‘The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be’ is a milestone on completing this journey. Boasting a deliciously arrogant, strutting guitar riff, tumbling rhythm and captivating vocal growls and howls, Stone Cold Love is a texturally intricate treat that indisputably echoes Marc Bolan’s T.Rex. Stone Cold Love is a worthy reward following the eye-roll inducing, rock’n’roll cliché opener Let It Roll that comprises lyrics salvaged straight from Def Leppard’s Let It Go: “let it rock and let it roll”.

Truth be told, for a band striving for authenticity, Biters wander dangerously close to the lyrical clichés that only Whitesnake can pull off. However, via recycling lyrical schematics whilst blurring the boundaries between pop rock, sleaze punk and glam rock, Biters have created an album wholly accessible to the musically ignorant and musically savvy. Despite its failings, such as the seemingly tokenistic ballads Hollywood and Goin’ Back To Georgia, ‘The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be’ is utterly anthemic such that listening to it through any means other than a Colosseum built entirely of Marshall speaker stacks oozes injustice.

Vulture City is a sure highlight, blending punk angst with a dusting of soft glam and a spoonful of vintage rock’n’roll that conjures a pre-millennial summer breeze amidst the eye of a rhythmic storm. Don’t Turn This Good Heart Bad was born for any jukebox-browsing chica possessing hip movements to rival a snake, whilst Callin’ You Home effortlessly intertwines an abundance of timbres that crescendos towards an earworm-summoning chorus. Even the most demure of rockers will struggle to resist a sudden public outcry of the chorus hooks ‘The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be’ offers up.

In a world where the golden gods of rock music are fast approaching extinction, the future definitely ain’t what it used to be. Could Biters get us back on track for the musical future we were promised in the seventies? Probably not. But they’re sure making a damned good attempt at it.

Presenting the brand new album from Georgia's most dangerous rock 'n' roll band, "The Future Ain't What It Used To Be"! Packaged in a deluxe digipak case containing a stunning fold out poster with lyrics to the whole album, complete with a printed booklet with liner notes and complete lyrics for the album.

Expanding upon the unmistakeable sound that made their full length debut, "Electric Blood", a top 10 Album Of The Year in Classic Rock and earning them a 'Best New Band' nomination at the Planet Rock awards last year, Biters' are blazing a trail across the world with their galvanizing live shows and growing in notoriety.

Loud and fiery but also unashamedly afraid of pop hooks and sweet harmonies, their modern twist on electrifying rock 'n' roll is paradoxically fresh and tinged with nostalgia, reminding us of times when bands looked like bands and acted like gangs. With a cynical lyrical social commentary on the state of the world and a knack for a catchy feel-good chorus, Biters are set to destroy and suggestions that rock 'n' roll is dead with their hunger for anarchy and partying hard!

The band were invited to open the Kerrang Tour 2016 with Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and pop-punk icons Sum 41, which saw them play to sold out crowds of over 18,000 over 8 raucous and memorable live performances across the UK. With a brand new 24-date European tour with Atlanta label mates Blackberry Smoke coming up this year, and many dates having already sold out months in advance, "The Future Ain't What It Used To Be" promises to firmly plant the flag of rock 'n' roll back on the map!

01. Let It Roll
02. Stone Cold Love
03. Callin' You Home
04. Don't Turn This Good Heart Bad
05. Gypsy Rose
06. No Stranger To Heartache
07. Vulture City
08. Hollywood
09. Chasin' The Feeling
10. Goin' Back To Georgia

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Golden Void - S/T (Good Rock Album, Oakland US 2012)

Size: 87.4 MB
Bitrate: 320
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Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
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Golden Void is led by Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless with Camilla Saufly-Mitchell (Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound), Justin Pinkerton, and Aaron Morgan. Golden Void is the new face of Bay Area psychedelic music, their songs firmly rooted in melody and not afraid of exploration. The band’s hooks get stuck in your head and their riffs transport you to the astral plane.  

The members of Golden Void have been connected musically off and on since they were teenagers. After playing in various bands together and apart throughout high school and the intervening years, Isaiah Mitchell (guitar/vocals, also of Earthless), Aaron Morgan (bass), and Justin Pinkerton (drums) coalesced as Golden Void after Mitchell’s move to the Bay Area in 2009. 

When the group realized they needed a keyboard player, the addition of Camilla Saufley-Mitchell seemed only natural. Listening to their self-titled debut album, the high level of musical kindredship that only comes from playing music together during those formative years is instantly apparent. In an age of the internet’s infinite mirror that rewards pointless novelty rather than substance, Golden Void has succeeded in creating a record that exists beyond bloggable tropes of the present and expands upon the traditions of the past. 

Golden Void explores the dichotomy of destruction and devotion. On the galloping opener “Art of Invading,” Mitchell describes the destructive acts of the “invader,” over raw, fuzzy guitars and Pinkerton’s steady 6/8 groove. On closer “Atlantis” Mitchell sings about rising seas cleansing the earth of people and culture while displaying some of the most impressive, and chillingly calm, vocal harmonies on the record. Conversely, “Jetsun Dolma” examines devotion through the use of Tibetan Buddhism’s 21 Taras, enchanced by Saufly-Mitchell’s otherworldly keyboard. Throughout, the album is driven and lifted by the stellar guitar work of Isaiah Mitchell. 

The album was recorded with Phil Manley at Lucky Cat Studios in San Francisco, and was recorded live to tape with few overdubs. It was mastered and cut from tape by Roger Seibal at SAE mastering. Although the songs drift into moody and dark territories, the prevailing sentiment is optimistic. Golden Void is a record of unpretentious, extremely well crafted, totally addictive rock and roll. Turn it up!

Shop: Golden Void's Shop

Members:
★ Isaiah Mitchell
★ Aaron Morgan
★ Justin Pinkerton
★ Camilla Saufley-Mitchell

01. Art of Invading 04:15
02. Virtue 05:23
03. Jetsun Dolma 05:19
04. Badlands 04:22
05. Shady Grove 04:31
06. The Curve 04:45
07. Atlantis 07:47

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Picture of The Day...

Salem's Bend - Salem's Bend (Classic Retro-Rock US 2016)

Size: 79.2 MB
Bitrate: 320
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Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
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Three dudes crawled into a garage-turned-studio and dug out some tracks from the nether realms of Sabbath, Priest, Toad, Zeppelin, and other '70s rockers. Infusing those with a multitude of other musical entities, they subsequently slithered out as Salem's Bend.

As Ozzy once famously said to Tony Iommi during one of the 1972 recording sessions for Black Sabbath's Vol. 4 album, "I've had enough drugs at the moment, thank you, just pass me the coconut water- and Bill, can you play that funky beat again? Oh and Geezer, pass me those fruit-shaped maracas, I have an idea." Shortly thereafter, true genius flowed onto tape and history was made. Of course, nothing like this was ever actually said, but these are the things that Los Angeles-based trio SALEM'S BEND likes to think about while sweating bullets in their garage-turned studio.

This heavy rock band has musical influences that run the gamut from '70s classic rockers to the modern heavy-hitters in the desert, doom, and stoner rock scene, along with any music from any decade or genre that grooves and/or rocks. Having cut their teeth in various bands around LA for the past 5 years, the time was right in mid-2014 to coalesce in the studio and start turning heavy riffs and beats into catchy tunes. Seven songs made the cut onto the self-titled debut album 'Salem's Bend', which was released on Bandcamp in the tail-end of December 2015. 

The album garnered some early praise at heavy music blogs, with one great reviewer commenting: "You want dynamics? Salem’s Bend is practically a liquid. 'Dynamics' is just a buzz word until it’s wielded by these sprightly upstarts." Another reviewer graciously wrote, "They have forged their own searing, raucous guitars; intense, deep bass; and athletic, punctuated stickwork around some of the most intelligently interesting melodies to float through the stonersphere in quite some time." 

Salem's Bend subsequently signed their debut album with Ripple Music, who will be giving it a world-wide release on multiple formants as well as pressing vinyl. In the actual words of Ian Gillan, "Buy real records in real shops, or I'll come round your house and scream at your mother."

Band:
♦ Bobby - Guitar and Vocals
♦ Kevin - Bass and vocals
♦ Zach - Drums 

01. Balshazzar  04:17
02. Queen of the Desert  04:15
03. Silverstruck  04:17
04. Losing Sleep  02:53
05. Sun and Mist  05:16
06. Mammoth Caravan  05:25
07. A Tip of Salem  06:05

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Age of Man - About Time (Great Retro Hardrock US 2015)

Size: 81.2 MB
Bitrate: 320
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Age of Man are an El Dorado-based rock trio comprised of Matt Benson on lead guitar and vocals, Brandon Borden on drums, and Eric Stone on bass. Their thick and muddy brand of blues-steeped guitar rock is reminiscent of a simpler time, stripped of modern musical conventions and cleverly re-imagined from its very core.

Taking us for a trip through electric-rock…and through their own catalogue as the revitalise and come out swinging with the updated production on the tunes from their Ebeneezer EP, released back in 2013. What a trip to be able to hear these tunes again with the tweaks and improvements…they might have a ‘garage-rock’ sound to them, but the overall tightness in About Time has certainly shown that they’ve spent a considerable amount of time in the studio too. Considering the name of the album…I’d say just on the border of ‘too much’ time for the El-Dorado based three-piece!

So maybe it all took a little longer to get recorded & put out than they would have liked…it’s here…About Time…and besides, isn’t it like that for all of us? AND…when the end result is getting something that captures the vision and sound of a band as you’ve always pictured it sounding in your heads…well…that’s worth waiting for right? From where Age Of Man started with Ebeneezer way back when, it was completely rad to hear them tighten the corners on their loose-feeling music and put out the record I can only imagine they’ve been wanting to all along.

Awesome it was, to head back into the live-sound of Age Of Man, recorded so strongly. It begins with the punched-up “Gimme A Sigh” – a tune that has single written all over it. Guitars cut through the air from every angle and the drums come out ready, willing and able to take on the complexity of this opening cut. It really is a confident sound created by Age Of Man – they own their badass & rad-rock completely.

The first of the new-tunes on About Time, “Blind” takes a slide guitar for a wicked run…you can just hear the strings all bending away perfectly finding their way to the right notes and riffing it up with outright passion overtop of this clever stop/start beat. The guitar sounds around the 2:15-2:20-ish mark are basically the musical form of the exact reason I do what I do – what a SOUND! I’m honestly not sure if it’s even repeatable…there might be a couple of terrifically happy accidents through the amazing tones that come from the guitar; personally I don’t care how they got there…I’m just glad they EXIST when it comes right down to it! First new song from Age Of Man has certainly got me excited for the others to follow – “Blind” has a wicked amount of crunch & deep, deep hooks to pull you into the sound.

Rolling back through their past & updating them into the present, the middle of About Time is largely filled-out with cuts from the Ebeneezer EP. Solid bass-tones fill “No Woman” to the brim around the crisp & clear guitar, styled-up vocals and steady beat. I’d say it’s a healthy mix between The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd… Keeping the bass rolling along, Eric Stone puts the smoothness into “You Sea” and really puts the blues influence into this rock music of Age Of Man. “You Sea” has that kind of wonderfully-loose feel to the way the lyrics come out…you can hear that this would be the perfect song for Benson to talk & sing-out anything on his mind in, pump-up the crowd…or maybe just not even sing at all at times and just let the solid groove take him where it may.

“I Found You,” at least for my ears…probably couldn’t have come out ANY better this time around. Not are the guitars from Matt Benson some of the craziest and best you’ll hear recorded this year, but the surrounding bass from Eric Stone and steady beat from Brandon Borden have really gelled this track perfectly together. Letting Benson wander wherever in the hell his guitar will take him, the approach and attack on this performance is astounding, straight-up. I know I’ve been on and on about the movie Frank in a recent review of the band TKO…but this is like the rock version of that band of my big-headed buddy. Both “I Found You” and “Whatchado” still manage to retain their looseness within very coordinated & complex parts. 

Like – listen to the amount of shifts & changes Stone makes as this cut rolls through! The last minute of “Whatchado” becomes a solid highlight with an extremely tight-solo bringing out the best in Benson at his most focused & controlled as opposed to the best of his psychedelic-influences taking hold of the massive solos in “I Found You.” In any event – these songs do end up sounding tighter, but not out of place in amongst the new tunes; they’ve updated them perfectly in production to match, and have four brand-new tunes that carry the vibe right on.

Here comes one of them now! “Been Stuck Blues” is a wicked run through a rock-blues style, more so than the rest as the title implies. Short & stuck right where they want to be, this track grooves & rocks with the blues-element running throughout but never fully giving in. For being ‘stuck’ anything, this track does nothing but MOVE ya! This is an absolutely killer addition to the new line-up of songs that make up the rest of About Time…I appreciate its shortness…but damn do I want MORE of this right away every time I hear it come on again!

I’m a big-fan of FUZZ. Honestly…I don’t have much of a choice…I’m covered in the stuff, so it was either learn to love it or be fully consumed by it slowly taking over my skin and hate life. But in this particular case, I’m talking about guitar-fuzz…and just LISTEN to the sound & tone that Benson gets going on in “Better Half.” Definitely one of the best of the new tunes; recorded, produced & performed as immaculately as you could ever hope for – the mini-explosion just before a-minute in that will repeat and come back later on as the instruments drift in and punch back…just an absolutely awesome idea carried out with flawless execution…NBD! Age Of Man have found themselves some real moments on About Time – another notable being the re-cut on “Needles In Hay.” 

I freakin love this tune…it sounds like Benson sitting atop of a tiny amplifier barely on and just riffing this one out for all to hear – only the mic is set up way across the room and just picks him up enough to get it in the mix. Really, really well done, smart recording on this tune; so radically different than the rest of the album that it can’t help but pull you in and creates a perfect set-up for the final tune & last new-song on the record, “Sun & Rain.”

Age Of Man creates a highly memorable ending by switching up the vibe just a little more on this final-cut. Incorporating a tinge of funk and grunge in amongst the blues, the rock, the psychedelic…”Sun & Rain” could easily be the titular synonym for ‘we just went ahead and added like, EVERY sound and everything we do RIGHT, we added the kitchen sink even.’ I’d also go as far as to say that this last song also really shows some growth, progression and passion – and that it’s still on the rise for Age Of Man as far as their career is concerned. It’s an awesome final dose of Age Of Man’s powerful new output with a collection of ten wild songs that will really hit the mark for blues-rock fans. About Time indeed!

♣ Bass Guitar, Organ, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Eric Stone
♣ Drums, Percussion – Brandon Borden
♣ Guitar, Vocals – Matt Benson 
♣ Mixed By, Mastered By – Jason Tedford

01. Gimme a Sigh  02:06
02. Blind  03:23
03. No Woman  03:51
04. You Sea  03:25
05. I Found You  04:51
06. Whatchado  04:35
07. Been Stuck Blues  01:53
08. Better Half  03:23
09. Needles in Hay  03:04
10. Sun & Rain  03:19

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