CD REVIEWS FOR APRIL 2014

YOUNG RUST 
by Mile Marker Zero
(Mile Marker Zero)

Connecticut-based progressive rock band Mile Marker Zero are an amazing band, and the band's latest release, 'Young Rust' is an amazing piece of art. The musicianship and tightness in the group is mind-boggling. Mile Marker Zero is, Dave Alley - Vocals, John Tuohy - Guitar, Mark Focarile - Piano, Key boards , Tim Rykoski - Bass and Doug Alley - Drums. Their Ep has a great diversity of moods, which is something that really spices it up. "The Great Unknown" is a high energy mover. "Where I Want You" will definitely stimulate your senses." Bound" is heavily melancholic and powerful. "Trick of the Tongue" is the most powerful track on the album. This song is incredibly moving. The last two tracks, "Toughest Love" and "Between The Lines" are equally impressive. Really, all of the tracks stand out on here.  As a whole, the general public may not be able to take Mile Marker Zero in one sitting. They are complex musicians and their ideas are complex. Some of us like to think, and if we get a headache we can just take an aspirin. Mile Marker Zero are unique and heavy enough, while melodic enough, to be pleasing to many an ear. If your up for something adventurous that challenges your expectations, try this out. And if you know any music fans who are sick of commercial music, point them in Mile Marker Zero's direction. Chances are, they won't be disappointed. And neither will you. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine

LET'S GET SERIOUS 
by Outloud
(AOR Heaven Records)

AOR rockers from Greece Outloud return with their highly anticipated third release, 'Let's Get Serious'. The band is, guitarist, Bob Katsionis (Firewind) and American singer Chandler Mogel along with Sverd on bass and George Kollias from Nile on drums as a special guest.The band's sound this time around is more guitar oriented compared to their previous outings.  A good mixture of melodic hard rock and AOR with superbly crafted songs that are loaded with plenty of guitar hooks , good dosages of melodic and heavier riffs, that get stuck in your head instantly. some astonishing solos and a tight rhythm section that make for one intense and memorable listening experience!  Chandler Mogel turns in a powerful vocal performance. Bob Katsioni is killer on guitar. Highlights include the opening track "Death Rock", the melodic gems, "I Was So Blind" and "One More Time" the memorable melodies of "Bury The Knife" and "Like A Dream". Then sounding the heaviest I heard them, the band serve up the massive rocker "Toy Soldier" featuring Adrenaline Mob guitarist, Mike Orlando. The band also cover OMD’s "Enola Gay", giving the song a dose adrenaline. Outloud have always had a winning combination, and 'Let's Get Serious' is more proof of that. And as always, not even a hint of a filler or anything less than a great song. Overall, 'Let's Get Serious' is a very strong melodic rock / AOR album with top-rate musicianship, accessible songs and enough hooks for everyone. When compared to the debut, the new release sounds superior and also flows better as a whole. This is an album that will be loved by both AOR and melodic rock fans, while it will surely be respected by open minded metal fans as well. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine

S/T by Villains Of Vaudeville
(Stardog Media)

Kenny Kweens bassist from Beautiful Creatures along with long time friend and producer Tracey Swider unveils their new project Villains Of Vaudeville.  Villains Of Vaudeville finds Kweens stepping up to the mic as the band's lead singer. Their self titled debut release is a monster loaded with crunchy riffs,  from beginning to end. The album was recorded at Silver Cloud Studios in Redondo Beach, California by Joe Floyd (Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford).  A Molotov cocktail of hard rock, heavy metal and industrial music. There are plenty of hooks here that will strike a familiar chord to anyone who has listened to a lot of heavy metal, yet a skillful avoidance of worn out cliches and a good variety of tempos. Digesting this album was like going on a rollercoaster ride; intense, frightening, and exhiliarating. Some of the songs like "The Devil Is Waiting", "Eat Your Heart Out", "Dead Man's Masquerade" and "Motor Psycho" are very memorable. The remaining tracks are strong and will leave your Psyche completely feeling violated! To those of us who love extremes, and can appreciate plunging to the dark depths as much as soaring the pristine heights, such intense music is very therapeutic. We all have a dark side, and Villains Of Vaudeville tread into it unapologetically. Serving up a sound that is hard-hitting sonic brilliance, its dark, yet strangely-illuminating imagery, as well as its cleverly inventive style. This debut release from Villains Of Vaudeville is truly an amazing and intense auditory experience. I highly recommend Villains Of Vaudeville to those who like this kind of music, or to the curious who can be very open-minded. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
  
SWEET TALK INTERVENTION 
by Mach22
(Independent Release)

The highly anticipated debut release, 'Sweet Talk Intervention' by Philadelphia, PA based rockers Mach22 is 100% grade A hard rock music that goes for the throat and pulls no punches! The album was recorded at Sound Dragon Studios in Nashville, TN, engineered by Ronnie Honeycutt, and produced by Jeff Labar.  Mach22 is made up of Lamont Caldwell- vocals, Sebastian LaBar-guitar, Ted Merrill -guitar, Jaron Gulino - bass and Damian MonteCarlo-drums.  'Sweet Talk Intervention' is completely satisfying from beginning to end. It's  all killer and no filler. The album has a good pace and never runs out of steam or looses momentum.  It's quite diverse and incredibly successful in all the areas which it explores. Hard rock anthems like the opening rocker, "Constant Denier" and the lead off single, "Go Ahead" as well as "Don't You Give Me", "Backslider", and "Made To Love" will make you just want to get up and sing along with Lamont Caldwell. While a tracks like "Stone Rose" and "One Trick Pony are sure to move you. Sebastian LaBar and Ted Merrill are killer combo on the guitars. Jaron Gulino rocks the bass along with Damian Monte Carlo pounding insane beats that round out a great rythm section that backs LaBar and Merrill perfectly! Good music is hard to come across and these five Philadelphians totally hit the nail on the head. With as much variety as these rockers serve up, it's hard to go wrong. Mach22 is a pure rock and roll band. They were chosen by Slash to win the Grand Prize in Guitar Center’s Onstage with Slash contest. After listening to what band serve up on 'Sweet Talk Intervention', I can hear why. With appreciation for the music from our rock legends such as Guns N Roses, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin, these talented musicians are writing their own chapter in the the book of rock. Not retro nor alternative...a sound simply titled MACH22! - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine

THIRTEEN TALES FROM URBAN BOHEMIA (LIVE AT THE WONDER) 
by The Dandy Warhols  
(The End Records)

The Dandy Warhols release their first ever live recording ,'Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia Live At The Wonder'. Recorded live in their hometown at The Wonder Ballroom during the band's 13th anniversary tour of breakthrough album 'Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia'. If you're a Dandy Warhols fan, this is an essential pick up. Hearing the whole thing played, track for track Live, gives an old favorite a more real feel. It's like hearing from an old friend you hadn't heard from in awhile. The performance itself is a fine live recording, if you own the studio record, you know what to expect (if you don't, get it right away). Sonically, it all sounds quite nice, the album is creative, but it pulls upon a wealth of great influences. The opening, "Godless" has that Bacharach vibe to it and sounds great live. The next track, "Mohammed", has Beatles influence written all over it. Then there is, "Country Leavers" definitely Led Zep influenced, you can hear Iggy Pop and The Velvet Underground on "Shakin'". The classic album sound is mimicked to perfection, with a warm, bass-heavy sound, luscious guitar overdubs, beautiful vocal harmonies. Taylor-Taylor's chameleon like voice is the real star here. His vocals never sounded better and the band is just phenomenal. Hearing 'Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia' done live gives the experience an extra boost. Also included are two bonus studio tracks, "Genius" and "Pete International Airport/Boys Better".  I'm just mesmerized by how good The Dandy Warhols sound live. Any fan of The Dandy Warhols should own this.- Highly Recommended
Tony @The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine


LONG STICK GOES BOOM: LIVE FROM DA HOUSE OF RUST 
by Krokus
(The End Records)

Swiss-based rock legends KROKUS return with a live recording, 'Long Stick Goes Boom: Live From Da House of Rust'. The band recorded 20 shows for release consideration, eventually deciding on their last sold out show, recorded in their hometown at the House of Rust on August 30th 2013. In the 21st Century Krokus is powered by Marc Storace on lead vocals, Fernando Von Arb on guitar, Mandy Meyer on guitar, Mark Kohler on guitar, Chris Von Rohr on bass and Flavio Mezzodi on drums,  The band serve upon 13 sticks of hard rock TNT going through a barrage of songs featuring classics like, "Tokyo Nights", "Fire", "Bedside Radio", "Heatstrokes" from 'Metal Rendezvous', "Screaming In The Night" from 'Headhunter' and the show opener, "Long Stick Goes Boom". Other songs performed are "Hallelujah Rock'n'Roll" and "Go Baby Go" from 'Dirty Dynamite', "AM Woman", Rock City Betta Than Sex Dog (Song Medley), "Hellraiser", "Easy Rocker", "Live For The Action" and "Hoodoo Woman". Even if you are not a fan of "live" CD's, this one is a must for all true Krokus fans. In the past Krokus has been critisized for being AC/DC copy cats but I always felt the band had their own unique sound. The sound quality of 'Long Stick Goes Boom: Live From Da House of Rust' is excellent, with Marc Storace's vocals upfront and the guitar army that is, Fernando Von Arb, Mandy Meyer and Mark Kohler are smoking hot! Sure Marc Storace and Fernando Von Arb are older but they haven't lost a bit of the spark. One thing that really impressed is how this show is captured and how crowd participation plays a big role the band is firing on all eight cylinders here and they sound so tight and fresh you can tell the crowd was feeling it 100%. Krokus is simply a working man's band. They always give it all they've got and on that August night Krokus delivered the goods! 'Long Stick Goes Boom: Live From Da House of Rust' is proof of that. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine


EUPHORIA & LOVESICK BLUES 
by Stone River
(Gypsy Soul Records/Fontana North)

Canadian southern rockers Stone River return with their sophomore release, 'Euphoria & Lovesick Blues'. Stone River are,  Renan Yildizdogan - Lead Vocals/Guitar, Darren Flower -Guitar/Vocals, Jeff Desilets - Guitar , Jay Macedo - Bass/Vocals and Sasha Siegel - Drums. Mellow is the key word to this describe this album. It's subtle with the emphasis on songwriting and the feel-good vibe. Musically, the album could be compared to the likes of Tom Petty's 'Wildflowers', Poco's 'Legend' or Neil Young's 'Harvest'. That's sort of the vibe I got here. Mid-tempo songs performed with a touch of smooth rock and southern rock influence. There's a bit of instrumental jamming within some of the songs, which just adds to the retro feel of the album. I think this is a damn fine album.  It's a good one to put on when you're feeling mellow and just want something soothing, but with a good groove to listen to. Stone River do an amazing job of starting out mellow and building the energy in their songs to a frenzied level, especially in songs such as "Hard Road" and the Beatles vibe of, "Better Days To Come" Other songs, such as the stimulating "Rivers We Crossed", "So It Goes" and "Euphoria" will put a smile on your face with their upbeat and smooth sound. The band closes the album with the powerful, "Hanging in the Bowline", the blazing guitar display that closes out the song is mind blowing! In all, this album has the elements of greatness. This is true roots rock n roll, sung with heart and soul. Stone River's 'Euphoria & Lovesick Blues' is an amazing album and it is unlikely to disappoint if you give it a chance. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine


SUM OF WHO WE ARE 
by Framing Hanley
(Imagen Records)

Nashville, Tennessee's rockers Framing Hanley come out swinging for the fences with their third release, 'Sum Of Who We Are'. Kenneth Nixon: vocals, piano, guitar, Ryan Belcher: guitar, piano, backing vocals, Brandon Wootten: guitar, backing vocals, Jonathan Stoye: bass guitar and Chris Vest: drums. Even though 'Sum Of Who We Are', May sound a bit darker than the band's two previous releases, there's messages of hope in the album.  What the band has done is managed to put an album together comprised of great rock songs. And the best part is that none of them sound alike. None of them run into each other. There are some albums that one can just listen to over and over again, and still lose your place. There are some that you could re shuffle the track listing entirely, and no one would be able to tell it was changed around. Here, not just one or two tracks stand out from the rest. Every track can stand on its own. The band begins the album with the lead off single, "Criminal", a heavy track and does a good job kicking off the album to a great start. The following song "Twisted Halo" a pulsing rock song with a fist pumping chorus. The adrenaline keeps going with "Collide" and "Crooked Smiles". From there it's one great song after another, the mid tempo mover, "Simple Life",  "Rollercoaster", featuring Lindsey Stamey from The Few, "Science" "Streetlights and Silhouettes" and the haunting, "Castaway", that closes the album are other note worthy tracks. 'Sum Of Who We Are' by Framing Hanley is a must own album for all music lovers. Open up your mind, pop this album into your CD player and let is play a few times through and you won't be able to take it out! - Highly Recommended
Tony @The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine



UNPLUGGED 
by John Corabi
(Rat Pak Records)

In 1991 I was watching MTV' s 'Headbanger's Ball', and this video.comes on by a band called The Scream. The song was, "Man On The Moon". Two things expressed me about the band. One, how great the band sounded. Two, the band's frontman, John Corabi. It was something about how his voice that had my undivided attention. I've been a fan ever since. John Corabi has one of those distinctive voices in rock music and it you hear it, it will blows your mind. On, 'Unplugged' John Corabi takes his vocal prowess to a whole new level. Stripped down to nothing but a few acoustic guitars, acoustic bass, light percussion, and some sweet as molasses harmony vocals. Every song on 'Unplugged' is like taking a road trip late in the day when the summer sun is laying low in the sky, limitless in possibility and perfectly intimate all at the same time. The whole album is great listening experience, but these tracks stood out the most from me, "Love (I Don't Need It Anymore)", "Father, Mother, Son", "If I Had A Dime", of course the classic and my personal favorite, "Man in the Moon", "Hooligans Holiday", "Crash", "Loveshine" and "I Never Loved Her Anyway". This collection of songs are all substance and light, with just a little bit of gravel and ground. John Corabi has the knack of making you really feel the emotion in all his songs. His voice creates a cradle for your soul.  For me 'Unplugged' by John Corabi is just good solid music. After all there are times when an artist releases something that transcends genres and speaks to everyone. This my friend is one of those albums. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine