Music Discovery Monday – 11/14/16

Music Discovery Monday – 11/14/16

Music Discovery Monday shines a light on artists that are not getting the radio attention that they deserve, while also showcasing new singles by established bands that are likely to get airplay in the future.

This week, in a Hard Rock Daddy exclusive, Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy shares the story behind two songs from the band’s recently-released album, The Last Hero. 

In addition to appearing on the embedded YouTube playlist below, all songs featured on Music Discovery Monday can be listened to individually by clicking on the hyper-linked song titles above each review.
 

 

 

 ADAM WALDMAN – (Publisher, Hard Rock Daddy)

ALTER BRIDGE – “My Champion”

Much to the delight of many, Alter Bridge is back with a new album in 2016, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.  In a year of chaos, division and loss, it’s nice to know that you can count on AB to wash away the worries of the world and lift your spirits.

Unlike their previous album (2013’s Fortress) – which saw a wide gap between singles – this time around, the band has already released three singles.  This is following along with the current trend in rock where high-profile artists are literally overlapping singles in order to get the most traction and build excitement.

From the first notes of “My Champion,” you can feel the positivity flowing before the lyrics even kick in.  Not only is the vibe of the song uplifting, but the lyrics are as well.  Myles Kennedy’s vocals are stellar as usual, as he delivers a song of hope and inspiration (something that many people can use nowadays).  The riffs, the leads, the vocals, the harmonies, the lyrics.  Everything just works on “My Champion.”  It’s the kind of song that makes you feel better with each listen.

 

In an exclusive Hard Rock Daddy interview, Myles Kennedy shared the meaning and inspiration behind “My Champion”…

“The song was inspired by things that I would hear while growing up from role models, parents and whatnot.  I was a real late bloomer growing up.  Once my friends started to hit their teen years, they were starting to look like real men and women, and I looked like a child.  I look back on it now and it was kind of funny, but going through it was real challenging.  You don’t want to feel alienated and different than your peers.  You want to be able to keep up with your friends.  I would hear these words of wisdom to keep pushing forward.  Kind of like… “buck up little camper” (as they say), so I think that a lot of the lyrical content for ‘My Champion’ resonates that.”

 

 

ALTER BRIDGE – “Poison In Your Veins”

Along with “Show Me A Leader” and “My Champion,” Alter Bridge has also released a video for “Poison In Your Veins.”  The tone of this song is more along the lines “Addicted To Pain” (the lead single off of Fortress).

Like “My Champion,” the song is incredibly melodic, but a bit edgier to go along with the lyrics that delve into fear of loss.  The soaring vocals of Myles Kennedy, blended with beautiful harmonies and haunting moments, is exactly what you want from an Alter Bridge song.  Although Kennedy is also the voice of Slash’s solo work, when you listen to AB, you can hear a signature sound that is instantly recognizable.

 

During the Hard Rock Daddy exclusive interview with Myles Kennedy, he also shared the meaning behind “Poison In Your Veins”… 

“This is another song that has a certain amount of personal meaning.  I guess that you can look at it as any sort of fear, not wanting to take chances or risks and not believing in yourself at the end of the day.  It’s about looking into the psychology of that.  It’s a pretty common theme in a lot of our material, and I think that it probably always will be, because those concepts and mantras in songs like that end up becoming very useful in my own life.  It’s nice to know that it resonates with others, and that they can find inspiration from it as well.”
 

 

 

 ANDY CHEUNG – HRD Music Scout

SICK OF IT ALL – “Black Venom”

Sick Of It All just released their new album, When the Smoke Clears, and fans of the New York Hardcore genre should be as excited as I am.  “Black Venom” is classic Sick Of It All…heavy breakdowns, angst-filled lyrics and screams of Lou Koller all balled up into one huge mosh pit, slam dancing great time.  The band has been around since 1986, and is still going strong 30 years later!

 

SERPENTINE DOMINION – “On The Brink Of Devastation”

What do you get when you mix Cannibal Corpse and Killswitch Engage together?  You get Serpentine Dominion of course!  Adam D’s guitar work is phenomenal as always, but when combined with the death metal vocals of George Fisher, it becomes a great listen for fans of the technical death metal genre.  There’s even a semi-melodic chorus in the song (reminiscent of Killswitch Engage).  This album is a great example of why I love supergroups.
 

 

 

ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout

HAMMERFALL – “The Sacred Vow”

Swedish power metal giants Hammerfall have just released their tenth studio album, Built To Last.  As that title might suggest, they have a winning formula when it comes to this genre and they don’t stray from it.  This song tip-toes in on an acoustic guitar before exploding into galloping intensity.  The riffs are tight and memorable, there are poignant interludes to contrast with the speed and power, and the chorus layers in the vocals for deep harmony.

 

CIVIL WAR – “Tombstone”

I’ve reviewed Civil War twice before on Music Discovery Monday for songs from each of their previous albums.  The collaboration of vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson with ex-Sabaton members returns for a third album, The Last Full Measure, again marrying power metal to military and historical themes.  Here they tell the tale of the gunfight at the OK Corral, in Tombstone, New Mexico.

 

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