RIOT V - "ARMOR OF LIGHT" (2018)

RIOT V - "ARMOR OF LIGHT"
(Running time: 55:30 minutes; 12 songs)
("Nuclear Blast Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, new load'n'dose is incoming aimed at and heading for you and this time it is or it probably will finally be another early morning post again (if I get it done now before heading off to work) and this here'n'now will be all About one hell of a brilliant and breathtaking, stunning and overwhelming album and I am talking about nothing else and nothing less which means none other album than the absolute smasher titled "ARMOR OF LIGHT" by/of the (al)mighty RIOT V released still pretty recently in this year of 2018 via the ominpresent "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" on CD and LP. RIOT V are in fact sort of the almighty RIOT in sort of their current reincarnation, so to say, and with "ARMOR OF LIGHT" they pretty much did what is maybe best described as (even maybe just pretty roughly or 'superficially') the "THUNDERSTEEL" of their new era as RIOT V and without copying this immortal'n'divine classick from back in the days (I did a tribute post to/on RIOT's "THUNDERSTEEL" as the "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - FEBRUARY 2018" edition earlier this year up here, yes, so read it if you are interested in it - and you should be interested in it, definitely) but instead having created and mastercrafted with their "ARMOR OF LIGHT" a totally superb masterpiece of an album massively in the tradition of their "THUNDERSTEEL" and with delivering a damn fresh, unique, and alive'n'lively load of it straight into 2018. This is high octane full throttle no holds barred no breaks using power metallic and by at the same time damn harsh sawing and sharp cutting yet very symphonic and catchy Speed Metal fueled (U.S.) American Heavy Metal of the most supreme kind and marked by fantastic songwriting that not only makes sure to provide massive amounts of highly explosive energy and highly ever movable'n'moving dynamics ongoingly all the time but that also shines and excels completly and all the time with a huge amount of great very fresh and highly exciting ideas and twists'n'turns all around the time and all along the ride down the road from start to finish and that grabs you with a very tight atmosphere and with an incredible high intensity non stopp so that this albums just kicks your ass, smashes your bones, grabs you by the throat and slaps and beats your face and head all the time from the opening tunes of "VICTORY" to the closing seconds of "RAINING FIRE" and this really over truly all the time and makes you enjoy every single speed fueled heavy power metallic hit you take second by second and enjoy this in every sense overwhelming beating really and to point it out one more time again all the damn time, yes, and RIOT V's "ARMOR OF LIGHT" is above all also a damn stunning heavy and harsh album, sharp cutting and precise aimed and yet also all the time so incredible symphonic, melodic and just damn catchy and filled with fantastic hooklines that it will only leave your mouth open while your breath is taken away and this all also only adds up to the 'highly atmospheric tightness' and the über-stunning intensity of this ultimate masterpiece of a damn brilliant and fucking fantastic album that's filled with all and everything and everyone overwhelming anthemic hymns from start to finish. All is then massively marked by a highly diverse and a (like also the whole songwriting in general) very multi-layered and multi-facetted guitar work that shines with brilliant riffs and a phenomenal arragened rhythm work in general while it then totally excels with loud and singing symphonic melody lines, catchy leads, and brilliant highly dynamic and energetic solos as well as absolutely amazing top-notch first-class highly charismatic and fantastic clear and clean and yet very powerful sung lead vokillz, while the massively powerful strutting and the place owning bass work and the devastating and also highly dynamic and multi-facetted drumming together with some very cool loud'n'proud 'doubled' backings really round it all up in a it all very much and strongly cultivating way. My personal favorite choices probably would be "VICTORY", "END OF THE WORLD", "MESSIAH", "ANGEL'S THUNDER, DEVIL'S REIGN", "BURN THE DAYLIGHT", "ARMOR OF LIGHT", "HEART OF A LION", "SAN ANTONIO", and "CAUGHT IN THE WITCHES EYE" but after the so far not mentioned "SET THE WORLD ALIGHT", "READY TO SHINE", and "RAINING FIRE" are in no way anyhow weaker attempts I can name them calmly as well, yes, simply because the whole album is filled from start to finish all the time with fantastic masterpieces of songs, point and fact. A drop-dead gorgeous artwork, strong lyrics, and a heavy bombing production-sound finally round it all up. So, okay, I think I've said enough and told you all you have and need to know and so before I now eat my breakfast and then drive to work let me close this record-review with saying that RIOT V's "ARMOR OF LIGHT" is an album you will definitely find in my personal best of 2018 list and if you are into the described musick and still don't know or own it then you should by any means finally change this as soon as possible. An amazing album, period.

(10 of 10 points)

http://www.areyoureadytoriot.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

RIOT V - "ANGEL'S THUNDER, DEVIL'S REIGN" (2018, "ARMOR OF LIGHT")

SUICIDE SILENCE - "SUICIDE SILENCE" (2017)

SUICIDE SILENCE  "SUICIDE SILENCE"
(Running time: 44:17 minutes; 10 songs)
("Nuclear Blast Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, next load is in-coming for you and this time it is a or better my record-review on a now slightly already a bit older release namely the so far still current self-titled SUICIDE SILENCE full-length-album released via "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" some time last year in 2017. I was never the biggest SUICIDE SILENCE fan even their damn strong "THE BLACK CROWN" from 2011 really ruled and still rules but other than that particular album all in all SUICIDE SILENCE never really were that far up high on my personal-faves-list, so to say, and this combined with the very mixed reactions this very one here, SUICIDE SILENCE's "SUICIDE SILENCE" received more or less everywhere last year I never felt that much of the need to get my hands on it. This changed just recently this year when I saw it for less than 5,00 Euros and then so finally took it with me because, to be honest, what could go wrong for a that low price. And now I have it here and am listening to it for… far too often… to get this record-review here finally done and... where to start and this all with keeping it short… Okay, SUICIDE SILENCE as one of the by any means biggest Deathcore acts outta there really wanted to change their game quite a bit, so to say, and this they anyhow anyway did. But... and I'll really try to keep it truly short this time… if this 'changing of the game' and this 'reinventing of your own identity' means nothing else and even less but that you deliver nothing but miserable and pitifull lukewarm together boiled infusions of what bands like (the fantastic) DEFTONES and (the in their glory days absolutely overwhelming) KORN did when they were sixteen and smoked up high and tight on weed in their daddy's garage and this all then rewarmed sort of over two decades later in 2017 in a lousy and dirty cooking pot that was used before to sizzle some garbage crystal meth together then, yes, then you surely missed the point of anything and everything what 'changing the game' and 'reinventing your own identity' could and should mean. Throw some late 1990's and early 2000's Nu Metal of the more (wanna-be) psychotic and dark, (also wanna-be) depressiv and sinister kind like imagine a mixture out of the DEFTONES, KORN, and SLIPKNOT (minus all identity, quality, and/or rousing ideas) together with some 201X's Deathcore and also Metalcore and pull off any focus or any related ideas or any real grapping or exciting songwriting and you have, yes, SUICIDE SILENCE's "SUICIDE SILENCE", an album marked by an unbelievable huge artificially inflated nothingness of all and everything and delivered via pseudo-proggy gadgetry wrapped in a terrible sterile and dull cardboard production-sound and with not much to, in all honesty, nothing else. Deathcore breakdowns and Nu Metal grooves in combination with a lot of pseudo-desperate and in self-pity bathing downpaced and pseudo-atmospheric parts, a truckload of dull struming guitars, terrible vocals that are by all the effects packed on them only even made far worse, and a lachrymatory uninspired scrubing rhythm-section then are the tools via which the… hm... ''songwriting-ideas'' are carried out. And self-pity is a good keyword beside some others that I have already used to describe the lyrics in a proper way, too. Anything positive to end this review on? Not really and not that much but "DYING IN A RED ROOM", "CONFORMITY", and "DON'T BE CAREFUL YOU MIGHT HURT YOURSELF" (minus the crappy outro) are pretty decent, okay to maybe good songs even maybe only or at least especially in the context of this total ass birth of an album and minus the lame bandphoto cover I like the whole artwok of the album quite a bit, yes, and then that's it. Incredible less that this album delivers despise the high-skilled musicians that gave birth to it. And so, yes, we finally got reminded one more time and this also in a pretty impressive way that sometimes even less than 5,00 Euros can be by far too much for an album…

(3 of 10 points)

http://www.suicidesilence.net/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

SUICIDE SILENCE - "DORIS" (2017, "SUICIDE SILENCE")

GATEKEEPER - "EAST OF SUN" (2018)

GATEKEEPER - "EAST OF SUN"
(Running time: 57:33 minutes; 10 songs)
("Cruz del Sur"; 2018; CD):

Back on track and up here at work again, yes, and to kick this very one here and now off let me begin with just one word, okay, and so now here it comes: Wow!!! Yes, and with that said let us now start this very one here properly: Hey guys, oh yeahr, this very one here totally overwhelmed me and it massively conquered me and, yes, it continues to do so again and again and time after time. GATEKEEPER - hailing from (then) Edmonton and (now) Vancouver over there up from Canada - were total unknown strangers before their "EAST OF SUN" album to me and this very one here, GATEKEEPER's mentioned "EAST OF SUN", is their- for all what I know- proper full-length-debutalbum, and it was released still pretty recently this year via the mighty "CRUZ DEL SUR" record-label like already mentioned in this very year of 2018. I'll try to keep it... hm... again (?) shorter this time... at least a bit or so... and so now enough of the introducing and smalltalking stuff and finally right and direct and straight into the action, yes, and so now one more time again let's roll: This is absolutely brilliant and fantastic Epic Heavy Metal of the absolute masterly supreme kind with a strong own character and identity born and bred through old/early SAVATAGE, old glory MANOWAR, a good dose of MANILLA ROAD, and OMEN and raised by these giants to become a very independently, stand-alone, and high skilled battle scarred Epic Heavy/Power Metal bastard that would make Conan massively proud and that would be the perfect soundtrack for riding axe-swinging over the wide fields and through the hot jungles of Cimmeria. This almighty album kicks off with the phenomenal harsh slashing and deadly sharp cutting through and through on purest Speed Metal raised "THE BLADE OF CIMMERIA" filled with and marked by an impressively intense and heavily stunning, massively tension-building and really huge and despise the precise and fast cutting and raging character of it nicely diverse and multi-layered guitar work delivering everything destroying riffs and all heads off-cutting rhythmic arrangements and, standing above all, singing and screaming leads and intoxicating solos, hell yeahr, and also filled to the max with and marked by powerful and clean, clear, and very sharp and still pretty harsh sung lead vocals that are cultivating it all, while bonesmashing and harsh thundering drumming and a grim and evil sawing powerful bass back it all up in a stunning and massive way. After this absolutely overwhelming kick-off of the album the ingredients pretty much stay the same even the Speed Metal gets sort of omitted and the really larger than life and by a breathtaking and goosepimples-non-stopp-giving dramaturgy marked Epic Metal or Epic Heavy Metal really takes the all and everything commanding lead, yes, but the stunning, high-skilled, diverse and multi-layered, very atmospheric and intense, sharp cutting and harsh slashing and above all really singing and with fantastic melody lines excelling guitar work, the highly charismatic and very forceful and very imploringly and urgently delivered air-raid-siren vocals, the brutal smashing and stunning drumming, and the massively heavy sawing bass still make and mark the songs and the musick and this in all the fucking right ways and for all the damn right reasons. And above all GATEKEEPER's "EAST OF SUN" is marked by diverse and very rich, due to many differents facets and layers nicely and in a damn high-skilled way very multi-layered and sort of ever changing songwriting with tremendous amounts of massively tension building drama and an incredible amount of really exciting moments and grapping, rousing changes and twists and turns in it all that conquer and overwhelm all and everything in a damn stunning and drastic and massive way, yes, and it is incredible how huge and how 'gloriosuly grapping' the tension arcs of each and every single one of the songs (that are also very often brilliantly enriched with amazing acoustic sprinklings) are, yes, really damn bloody fucking fantastic. This is, to get this straight and say this clear and precise, an absolute and total supreme masterpiece and a really larger than life and an outstanding album and it is one of the very best ones in and for 2018 and this without a single doubt, yes, and I can only and clearly and calmly recommend this to everyone outta there who's into the described musick and if you are in this target-group and really should not have or even know it so far then you should really and by any means change this as damn soon as only anyhow possible and best promptly right now and instantly. Absolutely fantastic lyrics, an outstanding fucking gorgeous artwork, a clear and still heavy and sharp cutting production-sound as well as two brilliant and phenomenal cover-tunes of the omnipotent mastepieces that are OMEN's "DEATH RIDER" and SAVATAGE's "HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING" finally round the supreme masterpiece that is GATEKEEPER's "EAST OF SUN" finally and in a perfect way up. Epic Metal in perfection. Get this immortal beast of an album, just get it. 

(10 of 10 points)

https://gatekeeper.bandcamp.com/ (-the link to the bandcamp site of the band)

GATEKEEPER - "BLADE OF CIMMERIA" (2018, "EAST OF SUN")

HEAVY LOAD - "STRONGER THAN EVIL" (2018; Re-Release)

HEAVY LOAD - "STRONGER THAN EVIL"
(Running time: 68:25 minutes; 14 songs)
("No Remorse Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, after my work day starts later this day I decided to try to come up with the next load for you already this morning (we will see if this will work out like planned) and this means here'n'now that here comes my record-review on the 2018 re-release of the HEAVY LOAD classick "STRONGER THAN EVIL" released via "NO REMORSE RECORDS" in a drop-dead-gorgeous and ultra-premium digi-pak-edition. HEAVY LOAD's "STRONGER THAN EVIL" was if I am now correct the 3rd full-length-album of this Heavy Metal Vikings from Sweden and was originally/primaly released in the October of 1983. I stumbled upon this release due to the gorgeous artwork that instantly draw my attention and finally led me to purchase it. HEAVY LOAD played a mixture out of Heavy Metal and (especially) Epic Metal with a strong battle-scarred spirit and a Conan & Cimmeria like vibe to it all and fueled by a often pretty strong and also pretty dark Hard Rock or Heavy Rock influence. The birth-date being in the 1980's and this also pretty early in this decade you surely regognize clearly but due to a nicely very own note'n'timbre and a pretty unique own tone of the guitars as well as of the nicely present and clearly to hear loud'n'proud strutting bass and a 'golden-hand' in arranging the vocal lines as well as the overall damn high quality of the musick HEAVY LOAD and especially here their "STRONGER THAN EVIL" absolutely holds its ground and remains damn relevant also today. This is also due to the very strong and also by today's standards still nicely fresh and especially damn alive-lively and asskicking songwriting that bridges a wide area of different approaches and directions from stunning and harsh power pumping, anthemic and fist-in-the-air Hard Rock/Heavy Rock slashers like "FREE" or especially the nearly divine "SATURDAY NIGHT" over escalating very intense drama-and-tension-rich highly emotional and atmospheric Epic Metal hymns like "STRONGER THAN EVIL" or "ROAR OF THE NORTH" to massively heavy hitting and hard onwards into battle stomping Heavy Metal thunderstrikes like "THE KING" or "SINGING SWORDS" and with "RUN WITH THE DEVIL" the album opens up with a prime example of the supreme Heavy Metal majesty HEAVY LOAD were able to create, and all is marked by intense and grapping and damn rousing songwriting that for damn sure still today in 2018 offers a lot of pure excitment for/to anyone into the described musick. All done by well-skilled musicians. Powerful clear sung and full lead vokillz, sharp cutting and harsh slashing guitars, a powerful bass, and thundering drums are the ingredients out of which HEAVY LOAD created their loud'n'proud and battle-scarred hymns of war. A big load of bonus tracks that really all totally conquer, a drop-dead-gorgeous and very 'nutritious' artwork, and a beautifully dirty and original 1980's production-sound as well as very strong lyrics then finally round it all up. Clearly recommended to anyone who's into Heavy Metal and Epic Metal as well as into heavy hitting and epic Hard Rock/Heavy Rock. Make sure to discover HEAVY LOAD's "STRONGER THAN EVIL", a really great masterpiece.

(9 of 10 points)

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Heavy_Load/113 (-the band @ the "Metal Archives")

HEAVY LOAD - "SINGING SWORDS" (1983/2018, "STRONGER THEN EVIL")

THE DEAD DAISIES - "BURN IT DOWN" (2018)

THE DEAD DAISIES - "BURN IT DOWN"
(Running time: 45:51 minutes; 11 songs)
("Spitfire Music"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, trust your eyes because here'n'now already the newest article/post is coming up here for you already (again) and this time it will be or respectively it is my record-review on the brandnew THE DEAD DAISIES full-length-album "BURN IT DOWN" released via "SPITFIRE MUSIC" very recently this year in 2018, hell yeahr, the 'supergrouped' Hard Rock Monsters from the States and the land Down Under are finally back again delivering us finally again one hell of a load of awesome and amazing through'n'through heavily by/with testosterone fueled, high octane, everything downtearing'n'demolishing, no prisoners taking, and no bullshit accepting, pure Hard Rock/Heavy Rock with any crappy 'fancy'n'trendy dingle-dangle' and this all  of the very damn highest grade of skills and qualities and with a very strong own timbre and note to it all that is here on full-length-album no. # four a bit more modern and with this also more slightly metallic than before. With incorporating a bit more of this modern metallic aspects into their very own sound'n'style THE DEAD DAISIES enrich and also cultivate their music even more than already before and so they also add a new and fresh facett to their music that's goes perfectly hand-in-hand with the strong Blues marks that for example and also especially shine very bright through in the phenomenal guitar work as well as with the stunning heavy fresh and organic/natural Rock & Roll grooves and the dustdry and boneshaking 'relentlessly' asskicking dirty Hard Rock Thunder pushing onwards without mercy. Any comparisions? Really? If you are into Hard Rock and you have missed out on THE DEAD DAISIES so far: Where the bloody hell did you spend your last years? A fresh, up to date, headsmashing heavy, absoultely alive/lively and totally stand-alone breed out of AC/DC, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, WHITESNAKE, THIN LIZZY, MOLLY HATCHET, and GUNS'N'ROSES should maybe tell you for the start quite a bit and the rest you should really finally discover by and for yourself, yes, and "BURN IT DOWN" is a perfect starting-point for doing so. Very independently and stand-alone, pretty diverse and multi-layered and especially very rich songwriting full of really, really high intensity and countless amounts of forceful pushing and punching high octane energy and really damn big dynamics that carry the songs forward and without any regrets down the dusty and dirty desert-highway that's massively studded with a lot of grapping curves, exciting variations of diverse and different paced sections, and grapping twists'n'turns all along the ride, hell yeahr, and all really excels with a very strong own and highly rousing character and with a all the time very hymnal and anthemic approach full of fresh and cool approaches and ideas, yes, that's how it should be done, point and fact. Here is really and truly anything'n'everything damn outstanding intense and so far away from anything only slightly boring or ordinary that it is nothing else and also and especially nothing less than sort of a pure nearly groundbreaking pleasure to listen to THE DEAD DAISIES' "BURN IT DOWN" time after time again and again. The smoky and crisp intoned, full and pretty heavy and yet all the time melodic and clean and just really outstanding sung lead vocals and the phenomenal and rich and really in all departments incredible excelling guitar work surely are the biggest trademarks of THE DEAD DAISIES and this also here on "BURN IT DOWN" but the loud and powerful mighty strutting bass playing and the very mighty and forceful thunderous punching drumming are in no way inferior. Strong'n'cool lyrics, a drop-dead-gorgeous artwork, a thundering production-sound, and a great "REVOLUTION" cover round it all up finally and perfectly up. Like the right before this one up here by me for you reviewed new BLACK STONE CHERRY masterpiece titled "FAMILY TREE" also the new THE DEAD DAISIES album "BURN IT DOWN" right here is also a damn fucking total masterpiece and it is not only another new milestone in the world of Rock & Roll, Rock and Hard Rock/Heavy Rock released this year in 2018 but also another one that will definitely end up very well-placed/well-ranked in my personal best of 2018 list and I'm pretty sure not only in my list. The whole album is definitely and absolutely purest platinum and so I spare me here'n'now any listening recommendations but instead of this I highly recommend THE DEAD DAISIES' "BURN IT DOWN" to you and by any means you should definitely make sure to get it and then play it damn fucking loud, again and again, period.

(10 of 10 points)

https://thedeaddaisies.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

THE DEAD DAISIES - "DEAD AND GONE" (2018, "BURN IT DOWN")

BLACK STONE CHERRY - "FAMILY TREE" (2018)

BLACK STONE CHERRY - "FAMILY TREE"
(Running time: 52:54 minutes; 13 songs)
("Mascot Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, already the next record-review is here and now aimed at you, yes, and this sort of like again after one more too sweaty and too heated night… hot time, summer in the city, I guess… and here and now you get my record-review on the (brand)new BLACK STONE CHERRY full-length-album titled "FAMILY TREE" released still sort of pretty recently this year in 2018 via "MASCOT RECORDS" on a beautiful desgined digi-pak CD (and pretty much also on LP I would guess). I discovered them sort of just last year or two years ago or so with their phenomenal 2016 full-length-album masterpiece "KENTUCKY" and so I was more than only a bit curious when I finally got aware of that "FAMILY TREE" was released and, oh hell yeahr, that huge curiosity of me, myself, and I was far more than justified because with "FAMILY TREE" BLACK STONE CHERRY in 2018 absolutely remained on the fantastic and incredible high level of skills and qualities they have reached and conquered with "KENTUCKY" and they even enriched and varied it all even more. Compared to/with "KENTUCKY" the first impression that you get from/of "FAMILY TREE" is that it's far more colourful and that it shines in a by far more warm(er) light (at least that was my first impression) and this first impression only grows stronger when you then finally listening to it. A real monster, a true beast of an album with a very huge own identity, filled with huge and big valuable loads of nutrious fresh ideas and that's massively bubbling over with life. The Classic Rock and/or Vintage Rock influences grew very big this time and are massively enriched with very strong (also sometimes tribalistic arranged) Soul marks and cultivated with very strong and damn cool and very present Gospel inspired (or so it seems to me) passages that give the songs and the whole album not only a very special and damn own and unique character and identity but also a pretty different and with that also a very colourful and soulful timbre and all is melted together by phenomenal songwriting full of exciting twists and turns and filled with tons of ironclad-like grapping moments and filled with very diverse arrangements and an in general highly multi-layered and multi-facetted compositorial approach of writing and delivering songs with a very 'rousing mind-set' and filled to the maximum with high octane energy and marked by very strong and alive-lively dynamics as well as the incredible huge ability to write and create with each and every song a through'n'through damn hymn and each as exciting, grapping, rousing, touching, and interesting as the other, oh boy, fantastic, and all done'n'delivered by masterly skilled musicians (as well as songwriters). All is marked by highly charismatic lead vocals, highly diverse and really bright and loud singing guitars, a warm and yet perwful and loud walkin'n'talkin' bass, really powerful punching drumming, and all is enriched by very intense and atmospheric backing choirs and brilliant keyboard and organ parts, various horns, and a breath-taking percussion section. It's just absolutely larger than life and damn groundbreaking and just a damn rich and a highly diverse total masterpiece of an album, one of the strongest of and in and for 2018 for sure, with a totally unique character so that any band comparisions are at the end of the day sort of nonsense, yes, but if you really need some other names then you can loosely find BLACK STONE CHERRY's "FAMILY TREE"  standing on a very independently position somewhere between LYNYRD SKYNYRD, the BLUES PILLS, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, and BRAND NEW SIN as well as we all probably won't get an album like "FAMILY TREE" that soon again with bringing Alterantive/Modern Rock and Classic/Vintage Rock so perfectly and easy flowing together so that fans of for example NICKELBACK will love it as well as also fans of for example LED ZEPPELIN will also love it anyhow, too. Nothing but an incredible fantastic and an absoultely outstanding album, an amazing one, yes, that's it what BLACK STONE CHERRY's "FAMILY TREE" is and all is then at the end of the day made round by great lyrics, a gorgeous artwork, and a perfect warm and earthy production-sound. This is 'highliest' recommended to any fan of true and real and just amazing and outstanding Rock/Rock &  Roll music outta there and if you are in that target-group you should know what you have to do by now and right now, point and fact.

(10 of 10 points)

http://www.blackstonecherry.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

BLACK STONE CHERRY - "SOUTHERN FRIED FRIDAY NIGHT" (2018, "FAMILY TREE")

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH - "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE" (2018)

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH - "AND JUSTICE FOR NOW"
(Running time: 47:20 minutes; 13 songs)
("Prospect Park"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, due to this incredible hot weather… god damn it, I'm sweating my inner organs out, day by day a bit more, I swear… I don't see a chance to sleep anytime soon this night… not that this would be any different to all the nights over the last weeks… and after this weather steals day by day also a lot of my energy and so I haven't done again far less up here the last days then I wanted I thought, yes, I'll now get at least this one here finish'n'ready done and bring this up as a late night post and so without any further ramblings here we go finally one more time again: Here and now you get my anyhow already too far long overdue record-review on the (brand)new FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH full-length-album "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE" released pretty to very recently via "PROSPECT PARK" in this year of 2018 on CD and also on limited CD (as well as on vinyl, too) but after I so far still only own the regular-CD-version my record-review here'n'now will be or better is solely on this one. I will spare me any words about all this… hm... hype'n'farce'n'stuff that's sort of always surrounding FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, yes, I like their musick, their songs and albums, so more and some less like mostly always, and live they totally convinced me and this is all I have to say and you need to know right here and right now. Their precursor release "GOT YOUR SIX" was still sort of okay but at the end of the day simply too dull, too constructed, too predictable, too forced-hard, and simply too flat and too one-dimensional, too boring to really be grapping for more than a few spins and this macho-like rebel-attitude simply too crappy delivered and too superficial done and too unauthentic embossed to be to anyone who's older than eighteen a serious 'thing'. In my book their by far weakest release to date. So I wasn't really that excited when I finally saw "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE" in my local media-store but due to a very 'consumer-friendly' price I finally anyway took it with me anyhow even without having that huge expectations. But, yes, the 'things' thankfully and finally changed again with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE", hell yeahr, because the guys created finally again a really good and a damn strong album that's very emotional, melodic, anthemic/hymnal, and in a sort of very often symphonic-melancholic way very heartfelt and soulful and this for all the right reasons and it's finally and thankfully again pretty to in parts also very multi-facetted and variation(s)-rich marked by strong and exciting and especially all in all really pretty grapping songwriting that takes you on an intense ride with a bulldozer-like onwards plowing pick-up-truck down a dirty and dusty highway through some desolate landscapes but with a bright and powerful shining red-flaming sun finally again dawning at the horizon with huge and honest emotions shaking you all the ride again and again, all pushed forwards by fantastic multi-facetted and really larger-than-life vokillz, brilliant done and very diverse guitar playing, and a stunning and heavy rhythm section, all driven forwards by very skilled musicians and songwriters in the driver-seat(s), yes, and so expect a very strong bastard-child born and bred in nearly equal parts by PANTERA, BRAND NEW SIN, and NICKELBACK, yes, some great cover-versions and suprisingly strong lyrics, a drop-dead-gorgeous artwork, and a broad and fat widescreen production-sound then round it all nicely up, yes, and I have clearly to say that I am really in love especially with the sort of more 'balladesk' tracks and so I would and do recommend you especially "SHAM PAIN", "BLOODY", "WHEN THE SEASONS CHANGE", "STUCK IN MY HEAD", and "WILL THE SUN EVER RISE" to you and also the more harder and harsher and heavier hitting "TOP OF THE WORLD" and "ROCK BOTTOM" really conquer massively and I have also to say that you won't find a real weaker or truly weak song on this album, yes, just that you know it. Okay, that's it, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH seem to be finally back on track again with "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE" and I can calmly and how-ever clearly recommend it to you, yes, and then that's it for now again.

(8 of 10 points)

https://fivefingerdeathpunch.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH - "BLOODY" (2018, "AND JUSTICE FOR NONE")

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JULY 2018: RINGWORM - "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JULY 2018:

RINGWORM - "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE" (2005)
(Running time: 27:47 minutes; 13 songs)
("Victory Records"; CD):

Tracklist:
(I.)      "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE"
(II.)     "NO ONE DIES ALONE"
(III.)    "SEEING THROUGH THESE EYES"
(IV.)    "HOUSE OF HELL"
(V.)      "DAY OF TRUTH"
(VI.)     "WHISKEY DRUNK"
(VII.)   "GOD EAT GOD"
(VIII.)  "GHOSTS OF THE PAST"
(IX.)     "THRIVE"
(X.)      "DEVIL'S KISS"
(XI.)    "DEATH IS NOT AN OPTION"
(XII.)   "NO MORE HEROES"
(XIII.)  "LIFE AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD"

Hey guys, yes, here it finally comes and this by still far sooner than (at least) the last two posts of/in this posting-series named the "CLASSICK(S) OF THE MONTH" and of course am I talking here and now about the "JULY 2018" edition and this is a tribute to one of the greatest albums and bands outta there and a true classick in my book: RINGWORM's "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE", released via "VICTORY RECORDS" back then in 2005 on CD (pretty sure on LP as well). And, just in case, if you ever wanted to know how authentic and honest pure hatred and heartfelt disgust for this godforsaken world would sound like, hell yeahr, don't look any further, yes, because here's your perfect answer, yes, here's the perfect definition. So, okay, now let us have a more precise and detailed look at RINGWORM and especially at their almighty masterpiece "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE".

RINGWORM were formed'n'founded back then in 1990 in Cleveland, Ohio/U.S.A. by their singer/vocalist (or better vokillist) James Bulloch (nicknamed "The Human Furnace"...) and their guitarist Frank Novinec (nicknamed "3 Gun"...) who should later on leave RINGWORM and then one day finally join TERROR and in 1991 they released their self-titled demo that should finally/eventually lead to their first record-deal with "INCISION RECORDS" via which in 1993 their full-length-debut "THE PROMISE" was released. But soon after this RINGWORM decided to went seperate ways before reuiniting in 1995 to playing finally some long awaited live shows over here in Europe before then finally in 1998 reuniting in a proper way again and still being very active also today. They hailed from Cleveland, like already mentioned above, and this in combination with the fact that they, that RINGWORM played'n'play nothing else and especially nothing less than damn fucking Hardcore should already tell you what RINGWORM deliver us, yes, exactly: Clevocore and this means at the end of the day harsh and devastating Metallic Hardcore of that very unique and special kind better known as the almighty Holy Terror Hardcore, oh yes, and RINGWORM own a very strongly leading role in the world of Hardcore in general and when it comes to Holy Terror Hardcore in particular they are only second to the almighty godfathers INTEGRITY themselves that are also known as the inventors of Holy Terror Hardcore. Devastating and crushing, blackened and thrashing Metal ingredients melted perfectly and fluently together with atomizing and brutal Hardcore and this in an 'accentuating-way' so that the Metal marks are always there in sort of an 'enriching-manner' but the Hardcore elements always strongly and clearly lead the way and to show you a first way to understand Clevocore and/or Holy Terror Hardcore you throw THE EXPLOTED, EXODUS, VENOM, POSSESSED, CELTIC FROST, DISCHARGE, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, and MOTÖRHEAD into the mix with diabolical and sinister and damn black and harsh aggressive Hardcore and you should have a pretty good first impression of what Clevocore and/or Holy Terror Hardcore at its very core was/is and on what/which especially INTEGRITY and RINGWORM ongoingly develop and build and create their very unique and massively enriched and cultivated very own style'n'sound. And RINGWORM's "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE" is only further proof for this what I've said so far here and now, yes, and here's why…

..."JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE" is marked by a massive straight forward pushing 'onslaughtering' approach of über-harsh and ultra-heavy done'n'delivered and arranged'n'composed songwriting that's under or maybe better beneath the straight'n'harsh'n'direct axe-swinging surface despise or in contrast of/to the fast paced, straight ahead thundering, slaying and thrashing, blackened and also Punk fueled direction of the songs incredible multi-facetted and diverse and highly atmospheric and above all incredible and breath-taking intense and that delivers from start to finish absolutely rich and all the time amazingly stunning, crushing and absolutely atomizing songs that totally kill non stopp and this without taking prisoners and/but instead of this only collecting trophies and that's one hell of an intense, exciting, and grapping ride all along the dusty and by bloody cadavers marked road. Hyper-aggressive screamed and shouted lead vocals, skull-cracking and bone-smashing über-brutal and ultra-intense guitar work, yes, and a bombing rhythm section are the rich'n'nutrious ingredients with which RINGWORM craft their truly apocalyptic anthems and this on a fucking damn high level of skills and quality and with an absoultely unique and stand-alone character. Any first-listening-recommendations? Ha, forget it, , yes, because all songs are purest platinum and, yes, absolutely timeless and today as fantastic, as intense, and as relevant as 13 years ago, if not even more. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, and very good lyrics, a gorgeous artwork, and a battle-scarred harsh and heavy production-sound then finally round RINGWORM's "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE" perfectly up. Anyone into really and truly honest, heartfelt, and authentic really intense, heavy, harsh, extreme, aggressive, and nicely clichée-free musick and surely especially with a faible for slaying Hardcore and also thrashing Metal with a real and true sinister, nihilistic, and apocalyptic mind-set definitely and desperately needs to know and hail RINGWORM and also needs to have and own RINGWORM's "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE" and this very one here is nothing but one of my all time favorites, point and fact. Enough said, yes, you should know what to do anyhow anyway, period. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

RINGWORM - "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE" (2005, "JUSTICE REPLACED BY REVENGE")

https://ringworm.bandcamp.com/ (-the link to the bandcamp site of the band)

PS: I've always thought that RINGWORM would be already featured up here, by the way as well as also ALL OUT WAR, yes, but, hm, it seems that not... maybe I really need to check all the older posts again... because I really could'n'would swear that in cases of both bands I already had them up here… we'll see, maybe, some day… or so.