Music Discovery Monday – 8/17/15

Hard Rock Daddy presents Music Discovery Monday – 8/17/15.

Each week, the HRD team shares songs that fly below radio’s radar, ranging from lesser-known artists to deeper cuts from both up-and-coming and established artists.

In addition to exposing the Hard Rock Daddy audience to new music that isn’t getting the attention that it deserves from radio, Music Discovery Monday also features a segment called “Hard Rock Music Time Machine,” which showcases older songs (from the 70s to today) that hard rock music fans may have missed at the time of release.

In addition to appearing on the embedded YouTube playlists beneath each section, all songs featured on Music Discovery Monday can be listened to by clicking on the hyper-linked song titles.

 

 

 ADAM WALDMAN – (Publisher, Hard Rock Daddy)

SHINEDOWN – “Black Cadillac”

The release of Shinedown’s second single, “Black Cadillac,” came as something of a surprise given that the first single off of their upcoming album (“Cut The Cord”) rocketed up the charts and is still riding high.  Could this be a developing trend to build more hype around upcoming releases?  Time will tell, but either way, the release of “Black Cadillac” was a welcome one. Although some of frontman Brent Smith’s finest moments are born out of anger and frustration, this song falls more into the inspirational and motivational category.  As he often does, Smith uses poetic license to paint a mental picture on “Black Cadillac.”  Whereas “monkey on your back” and “withdrawals” both usually refer to a battle with drugs, in this case, the battle takes place from within to reach new heights and not be shackled by the past or your current situation.  The song has a cool, unique vibe, highlighted by Smith’s vocals, which bring every song to life.

 

SAINT ASONIA – “Let Me Live My Life”

Adam Gontier has always been able to capture an almost tortured angst in his music.  One of the reasons for his departure from Three Days Grace was a desire to focus more on writing with raw emotion from the heart than catering to a radio audience.  On “Better Place,” the first single from Saint Asonia’s debut album, he enjoyed the best of both worlds.  There was no letting up on the gas pedal with “Let Me Live My Life,” which is decidedly rawer than the debut single, both musically and lyrically…“Let me live my life, I can go get my knife or I can pull out the one that you stuck in my back. For my suffering, you’ve got nothing to gain…”  If you’re a fan of Gontier’s edginess, make sure to check this one out.

 

 

 

 JON LOVELESS – HRD Music Scout

CRAZY LIXX – “Hell Raising Women”

Sweden has been a bastion for the 80s rock/metal sound for the better part of the past two decades, but one of the leading bands in the genre is at a critical juncture after the exit of both guitarists in the same week.  Remaining members say that they are uncertain what the future of the band will be, but hopefully, they’ll find a satisfactory solution, as more music of this sort from them would be most welcome.

 

LEFT TURN CITY – “Upside Down”

Hard rock band from Toronto has been relatively quiet since the release of this track in the latter half of last year.  Hopefully, we’ll get something new from them soon, as they do a nice job of blending straight up hard rock without sounding anything but current.

 

 

 

ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout

W.A.S.P. – “Last Runaway”

Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P. are back, with the first single from their upcoming album, Golgotha.  Upbeat and brimming with melody, this is a promising peek into their first album in six years.  It was shortly after their last album that Lawless proclaimed a renewal of his religious faith, possibly taking the band in a new direction.  For example, they have announced that they will no longer be performing “Animal (F**k Like a Beast)”, their most lyrically controversial song.  So it’s likely that this album will focus more on themes of hope and redemption, and “Last Runaway” certainly fits that bill.  The band will be touring Europe at least into November, and hopefully will announce American tour dates for early next year.

 

LAST AUTUMN’S DREAM – “Made Of Stone”

Even through numerous lineup changes, Last Autumn’s Dream manages to release a new album every year.  They took a real hit when Europe re-formed, losing three out of their five members.  However, their trademark AOR sound endures, with some talented new additions, and with the same catchy songwriting and the always recognizable vocals of Michael Erlandsson.  Check out his soulful delivery on this beautiful piano ballad.

 

 

 

   CHRIS HERZEGOVITCH – HRD Music Scout

THE DARKNESS – “Open Fire”

The zany antics of The Darkness sometimes overshadow really well-performed rock/borderline metal of The Darkness.  “Open Fire” has less of the zaniness, and stays true to the good time music that they’ve always been about.  I can hear a little influence from The Cult on this one. from their latest album, Last of Our Kind.  Trivia note – Roger Taylor’s son (Rufus) plays drums for the band.

 

TANK – “Valley Of Tears”

Tank is an on-again/off-again band from England that showed much promise in the 80s, disbanded and came back in the 90s, then split into two versions of the band (since 2007).  Guitarists Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans’ version of the band loaded their line-up with former Dragonforce frontman ZP Theart (Vocals), Sodom’s Bobby Schottkowski (drums), and current Blind Guardian member – Barend Courbois (bass).  “Valley of Tears” is the title and lead track off their September 2015 release.  It is a great track that breaks out in a big way, and showcases all of the talent on their roster.
 

SUBMISSIONS

To be considered for Music Discovery Monday, please e-mail a link to the song being submitted on YouTube and an artist bio to – submissions@MusicDiscoveryMonday.com

 

 

HARD ROCK MUSIC TIME MACHINE

 ADAM WALDMAN

TRIUMPH – “Say Goodbye” (1981)

Back in 1981, shortly after the launch of MTV, Triumph released Allied Forces.  Like the band itself, the album was vastly underrated (although it did feature their biggest hit, “Magic Power”).  “Fight The Good Fight” also appears on the album, but the rest of Allied Forces is unknown to the masses for the most part.  “Say Goodbye” made some impact with the video, which is as campy as any 80s rock video ever filmed.  To fully appreciate the song, it is highly recommended that you check out the video.  After all, it isn’t every day that you see hard rock artists floating through space on an enormous Flying V guitar.  Although you wouldn’t know it by the incredibly catchy melody, or the lighthearted video, the song is actually about finding closure and resigning yourself to the fact that some things just aren’t meant to be.  Perhaps the upbeat feel has to do with the weight that is lifted when the decision to move on is finally made.

 

VAN HALEN – “5150” (1986)

Even casual Van Halen fans are aware of the album 5150, which marked the transition from David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar.  Though many Roth loyalists bemoaned the change to Hagar, the success of the album can’t be denied.  While five of the nine songs were hits, somehow the title track (which also happens to be one of the best songs on the album), never really got the recognition that it deserves.  Like the aforementioned Triumph track, “5150” features an infectious, upbeat hook, which contrasts with the meaning behind the song.  The chorus sums it up best…“Always one for more, you’re never satisfied, it’s never one for all, with you…it’s only one for me, oh why draw the line, and meet you half the way, if you don’t know what that means.”  Some people just can’t be pleased and aren’t open to compromise.  Of course, “5150” was inspired by a section of the California Welfare and Institutions Code that signifies an involuntary psychiatric hold, so it could also mean that the subject of the song is not in their right mind.

 

 

 

JON LOVELESS

SOIL – “Halo” (2001)

The lead single from this Chicago band’s sophomore album was a fair enough hit (reaching the Top 20 or so and drawing critical acclaim from a variety of sources).  Still, to me at least, now more than a decade old, it seems to get less attention than it deserves.  2001 was a year that rock was largely dominated by Staind and Nickelback, but this raw, energetic track holds up very well as a (much) heavier counterpart, and remains a solid listen despite the passage of time.

 

3 DOORS DOWN – “Duck And Run” (2001)

Maybe it’s a little unusual to think in terms of “discovering” a song that was a number one single from a triple platinum album, but certainly re-discovering this song might be fair.  On its own merit, the third straight chart-topping track from this Mississippi band needs little introduction if you were a fan of rock radio shortly after the new millennium arrived.  Due to the enormous success of the tracks that preceded it (“Kryptonite” and “Loser” ), it’s another example of a song that feels a little bit “lost” to me.

 

 

 

  ROB DELL’AQUILA

SHAMAN – “Fairy Tale” (2002)

Some captivating progressive metal has come from Brazil over the past couple decades, and when three members parted ways with mainstay Angra to form their own group, the result was two amazing bands with no loss of quality for either.  Shaman was the name the defectors gave their new band, emphasizing the mystical nuance that they would strive for in both the music and the lyrics.  In this epic track, vocalist Andre Matos releases those lyrics light as air in one verse, and in pounding, dizzying tempests in the next.  A vocal and symphonic tour de force.

 

ANDRE MATOS – “Face The End” (2007)

Talented Brazilian vocalist and pianist Andre Matos (ex-Viper, ex-Angra, ex-Shaman) has been devoting his time to his solo band since its debut album, Time To Be Free.  This power ballad from that album highlights the range and intensity that has made him such a sought-after singer.  It enters sullenly on stark piano notes, lifts up quickly as the other instruments join in, and turns into a flood of power with those incredible vocals.  Also check out “A New Moonlight,” a daring take on a Beethoven classic that will leave you breathless.

 

 

 

 CHRIS HERZEGOVITCH

KYUSS – “Green Machine” (1992)

California is home for stoner metalheads Kyuss (as they were known from 1991 to 1996 in between a bunch of name changes).  They are still around, and last known as Vista Chino. “Green Machine” is off the album Blues for the Red Sun, which received some critical acclaim.  The appeal of “Green Machine” is in the hard-driving, raw locomotion of the track, paired well with John Garcia’s gritty vocals.  Trivia note – Kyuss is named after an evil demigod from Dungeons and Dragons.

 

TREAT – “Paper Tiger” (2010)

Swedish melodic metal band Treat was active from ’83 -’93, broke up, and has been reunited since 2005.  “Paper Tiger” is from the album Coup de Grace (which was very successful for them).  It’s an inspirational track, which guitarist Anders Wikstrom wrote from a father and son scenario, based on childhood memories of his dad’s stories and words of wisdom (something that we don’t really ‘get’ till we grow up).  Really hit home for me as ‘that kid’ and ‘that dad.’