CD REVIEW: MOMENTUM by TwentyDarkSeven

MOMENTUM by TwentyDarkSeven 
(Metropolis Records)

Founded by former PUMP singer and founder Marcus Jürgens (also ex-Brainstorm) and guitar wizard Peter Wagner (ex-Wicked Temptation, Piledriver) in January 2013. TwentyDarkSeven return with their sophomore effort, 'Momentum'. The band is completed by Marcel "Selly" Bernhardt on guitar, Christoph Renner on bass and Markus Herzog on drums. Just like their debut, 'Roar', this new album packs one hell of a punch.  The music on this album is first rate pure ball busting hard rock with heavy metal tendencies. The band pulls no punches. Great riffs and melody to be had here. Not a bad song in the bunch highlighted by tracks like, "Stranger Than Fiction", "The Devil's Doom Delight", "Shadows On The Sun" and  "Spoke In The Wheel", will get your head banging and heart racing. 'Momentum', will take you back to the days when metal ruled the world, Accept, Dokken, Judas Priest and Scorpions, yeah those days. Though the band may echo the aforementioned bands. Make no mistake, TwentyDarkSeven bring their own vibe to the table. Clearly the band are invigorated and excited about what they have done and with what the future holds for them, and so they should be. This album is a massive slab of pure hard rock/ heavy metal the kind of album that forces you to crank up the volume and have a blast. If you like to bang your head, you'll definitely have a sore neck blasting this album. 
 - Highly Recommended

• Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: MEDIOCRE by The Diamond Man Clan

MEDIOCRE 
by The Diamond Man Clan
(GAIN Music)

Swedish based rock band, The Diamond Man Clan return with their sophomore effort, 'Mediocre'. For those new to the band , they have with one foot in the American South, influenced by both blues and bluegrass, and the other foot in Gothenburg, Sweden’s world famous rock lineage. The band is comprised of Paul Bäcklin - lead vocals and guitar, Johan "Weaver" Weber - guitar and backing vocals, Olof Gadd - bass, Anton Södersten on percussion and Felix Hjortstam on drums. Having impressed me with their debut, 'What Sweden Needs', with their blues rock meets bluegrass swagger, I was eager to hear what the band would come up with next?  After a few  listens so far I am really finding this a very enjoyable listen. A many faceted album that has depth and resonance. Is it a change of direction? I wouldn't even say that. More of an expansion of their range. First go around, I was concerned after half a dozen songs that there wasn't enough to stand out. That changed from "Sweet Carolina" closely followed by,  the brooding "Numbing The Brain", the catchy reggae sway of, "Wade", which are all excellent. From then on the album proved it's worth and I have happily listened to it over and over since, with the opening tracks getting stronger on repeat listening. Powerful music with the right punctuated dynamic range to keep it interesting. Varied songs, yet a cohesive album. Right balance between vocals and instruments.  When a band takes steps in a new direction I have to applaud the effort. It doesn't always work out and it's going to divide some fans, but for me in the case of TDMC it works. 'Mediocre' may not appeal to all music fans , but for those willing to give up preconceived notions of what a particular band "should" sound like will almost certainly be won over.
 - Highly Recommended

Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

ROCK INTO SPRING, THE HOTTEST ROCK FESTIVAL OF THE SPRING!

ROCK INTO SPRING, THE HOTTEST ROCK FESTIVAL OF THE SPRING!

M Resort Spa Casino partnered with Gangster have announced that Heineken, FIJI Water and Findlay Chevrolet have been added to the list of sponsors forRock Into Spring, a three-day rock n’ roll music festival taking place April 28 – 30, 2017 at M Resort’s pool. In addition, famed rockers Buckcherry andAdelitas Way have been added to the already stellar line-up.

Heineken, the world’s most international brewer has signed on to sponsor the three-day pool party with their legendary brand of beer. Local Chevy dealershipFindlay Chevrolet will be giving away a brand new car on Sunday, April 30thduring the event.

Shakespeare Vodka, No Cover Magazine, Presidential Limousine, SB Craft Jerky and Fest Pop have also come on board to be part of this extraordinary experience.

Other band additions include: Never Say Die, Alive in Barcelona, State of Mineand contest winner Reclaim the Sky.

Howard Weiss, M Resort’s Vice President of Entertainment, Daylife and Nightlife, commented “We are very excited to partner up with Gangster on this venture that is sure to be a huge success. The Rock Into Spring Festival is a great example of the new level of entertainment that M Resort plans to bring to our stunning property.”

Chris Crane, CEO of Gangster, commented, “We are so proud and excited to be hosting Rock Into Spring at M Resort. The resort offers a phenomenal festival ground, pool areas and amenities.”

The festival is hosted by Cranked Up Live, Yourlisten.com, The Rocking Comedy Show and Radio Vegas Rocks and will feature live performances from over 18 bands, including: Art of Anarchy, Sick Puppies, Trapt, DJ Lethal from Limp Bizkit, Alien Ant Farm, Eve To Adam, Bobaflex, 9 Electric, Another Lost Year, Shallow Side, Blacklite District, VYCES, Behind the Fallen, Artifas, Lola Black, The Broken Thumbs, QUOR, Silent Theory and more.

Rock Into Spring will consist of three days of festivities, beginning on Friday, April 28 with a concert at M Pool featuring DJ Lethal, Buckcherry, DJ Josh Todd, Alien Ant Farm, 9Electric, Never Say Die, State of Mine, Reclaim the Skyand much more.

Rock Into Spring will also have 20 Top Tattoo Artists on deck that you can set up appointments with during the event including: Ink Master’s Randy Vollink, James Francis, Cleen Rock One, and King Rock, as well as MTV’s Drama Diablo plus many more.

This is a 21 and over event. Valid state or federal ID is required for entry.

Tickets are on sale now at: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1429987?utm_medium=bks

VIP Packages are available and feature access to the main M Pool and DayDream, the Pool Club at M Resort: http://rockintospring.com/vip-experience/.

For Sponsorship Opportunities and/or if you would like to be a food or merch vendor at Rock Into Spring, please visit http://rockintospring.com/contact/ for the appropriate applications and contact information.

For M Resort Spa and Casino room reservations, please call: 1.877.673.7678.

CD REVIEW: TEQUILA SUICIDE by Sinner

TEQUILA SUICIDE by Sinner
(AFM Records)

While Mats Sinner has been busy rocking out with the likes of Primal Fear and Voodoo Circle, he always finds the time to crank out rocking albums with his band, Sinner. The band's latest release, 'Tequila Suicide' is another solid release and is classic powerhouse Sinner! It's in your face hard rock with attitude in the vein of Saxon, Thin Lizzy and a heavier version of Black Star Riders, which any way you slice it, is awesome!
'Tequila Suicide" combines great songwriting with a powerhouse sound. The album also features guest musicians (Gus G of Ozzy Osbourne & Firewind, Ricky Warwick (The Almighty, Black Star Riders), Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear) and Pete Lincoln (Sailor, Sweet)). All the tracks are Sinner at their very best. "Go Down Fighting", the title track, "Battle Hill" and "Gypsy Rebels" stand out but there are no 'fillers' here. So many 'well-known' rock and metal bands these days are still going strong and turning out good to decent stuff, a bit like the same old menu at that restaurant that needs a facelift and a new chef. Sinner? With, 'Tequila Suicide' they serve up perfectly cooked steak without any need for a special sauce or salad. Sinner have surpassed my expectations ,they have always put out strong albums for the most part since the mid 90's, this album exceeds that. 'Tequila Suicide' is arguably their best release to date.
 - Highly Recommended

Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: SCATTERBRAIN by KXM

SCATTERBRAIN by KXM
(Rat Pak Records)

KXM, the supergroup comprised Of dUg Pinnick (King’s X), George Lynch (Lynch Mob/Dokken) and Ray Luzier return with their highly anticipated sophomore effort, 'Scatterbrain'. Just like their self titled debut, this new album is a MONSTER!  A strong follow up with even more variety than the first time around. The songs are groove based, George Lynch serving up some in your face riffs, Dug Pinnick sings with soulful and unbridled power to the heavens and Ray Luzier's drumming is out of this world insane. Demonstrating once again a uniqueness and chemistry that works and makes this power trio much greater than just the admittedly formidable sum of its talented parts. Highlights: The title track, "Breakout", "Big Sky Country", "Noises In The Sky", "It's Never Enough" and "Angel". That is after one listen. The whole listening experience is an all out attack on your senses, that left me comfortably numb. This trio are just a perfect storm of great rock music. Strong hooks and high energy. It's obvious they enjoy making music together, that enjoyment really shines through in every track. 'Scatterbrain' is powerhouse , but probably destined to be a little underrated among fans of more straight-ahead rock music. That's just how it goes. The band pushed themselves to a higher plane of songwriting, and some listeners will get left behind. Stick with it, though, because once you do "get it", wow!!!! It will blow your mind. By the end it's one you'll want to start over again immediately and dig into more. 
 - Highly Recommended

Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: MONUMENTUM by Eclipse

MONUMENTUM by Eclipse
(Frontier Records)

Melodic hard rock heavies, Eclipse are back with their latest, 'Monumentum'. Erik Mårtensson (vocals, guitar), Magnus Henriksson (guitar), Magnus Ulfstedt (bass) and Philip Crusner (drums). I have to say after the band's two previous outings, this new album is loaded with guitar driven melodic rock that begs to be played loud. There is a real energy that underlines most tracks that reminds me a bit of Dare's 'Blood From Stone" or a heavier version of Asia. From the moment the opening track, "Vertigo" blast out of your speakers, it's an exhilarating melodic rock listening experience that grabs you by the short hairs and won't let go.  'Monumentum' doesn’t let up on the intensity, with "Never Look Back", "Killing Me" and "The Downfall Of Eden"pausing for a breath only on the powerful ballad "Hurt", which carries its own musical weight. Revving things back up again with , "Born To Lead", "Night Comes Crawling" and the album closing, "Black Rain". While there are bands in the hard melodic genre who tend to experiment by mixing in some mid-tempo numbers and adding power ballads and fall short. Eclipse have come up with a winning formula by cranking up the guitars, keeping the pedal to the floor foot and given the melodic rock genre a big sock in the jaw that would make Connor McGregor proud!
 - Highly Recommended

Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society