Music Discovery Monday – 12/26/16
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.
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)
W.A.S.P. – “Scream”
As 2016 comes to an end, and the year-end top song list is being worked on, I thought that I would take the opportunity to shine a light on some songs from 2015 that may have flown beneath the radar of many hard rock fans.
W.A.S.P. has been a personal favorite band of mine dating back to the ‘80s, due in large part to Blackie Lawless, the band’s larger-than-life founder and frontman who boasts one of the most unique voices in rock or metal. In my youth, I was also drawn to Lawless’ over-the-top persona, and lyrics that would make biker gangs blush.
Like many artists who have managed to survive all of the changes to the rock genre, Lawless has evolved, although his evolution is more of the personal variety than musical. If you loved W.A.S.P. back in the day, there is nothing to stop you from feeling the same way about the current sound. The main difference is that Lawless has found religion as a born again Christian, which has shifted the lyrical focus of his songs away from the shocking debauchery of yesteryear.
“Scream” is the lead track on W.A.S.P.’s 15th studio album, Golgotha, and album that was years in the making, marking the longest gap between albums in the band’s history. If you missed out on this album, make sure to go back and check it out.
FATE’S RIGHT BAND – “My World Is Falling”
Although I am constantly in “music discovery mode,” there is simply too much music out there these days to find everything in a timely manner. Such is the case with a recent discovery, Fate’s Right Band, a 5-piece Swedish rock act that boasts two sets of brothers. Other than that interesting tidbit, there is very little information available about the band on their site or their Facebook page, but it doesn’t matter. Great music is great music.
“My World Is Falling” is an upbeat, melodic rocker with a driving rhythm. The song opens with subdued vocals in the first verse that are in the same vein as David Bowie’s “Heroes,” before launching into pure power metal vocals and shredding guitars throughout. Listening to this song, you might think that you’ve stumbled upon a basement tape from the ‘80s, when power metal was all the rage (at least in America). Europe has always had an appreciation for the genre, so this band is more likely to gain traction in their homeland than in the U.S., but that’s more a condemnation of the American rock market than the band itself.
ANDY CHEUNG – HRD Music Scout
SEPULTURA – “I Am The Enemy”
It is refreshing to see older bands continue to perform and record new material. Case in point, Brazil’s Sepultura. This longtime running thrash metal band has been going strong since 1984 (minus the original founding members Max and Igor Cavalera). Even with the departure of founding members, the band has continued their brand of fast-paced, aggressive thrash metal with the vocals of Derrick Green. From their anticipated 14th new release, Machine Messiah, “I Am The Enemy” is the epitome of Sepultura…political, nihilistic, and aggressive. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the album.
DEATH ANGEL – “Lost”
In my opinion, one of the best albums of 2016 was Death Angel’s The Evil Divide. It’s one of those albums that you can listen to over and over again. “Lost” shows the genius of Death Angel. Musicianship, lyrics, delivery…Death Angel excels at all of these and more. This song almost has a Dio feel, with Mark Oseguada’s vocals soaring over the heavy riffs of Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar and the thunderous rhythm section of Will Carroll and Damien Sisson. This Bay Area band has been around since 1982. They are one of the top thrash bands that have helped to shape the genre over the years. Their latest album proves that they are still on top of their game.
ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout
FIREWIND – “Ode To Leonidas”
Greek power metal giants Firewind return in 2017 with their newest album, Immortal (due out January 20th). From the early releases, they appear to have crafted another album with the heavy harmonies and blistering guitars that made them famous. In this epic piece, they pay homage to Leonidas, the Spartan warrior king who fell at Thermopylae, celebrated in tales told through the ages and more recently in popular culture in the movie 300. To Leonidas, the Immortals were the elite guard of the Persian army – though the album title more likely refers instead to him and his fellow Spartans.
RAVENIA – “We All Died For Honor”
Three years ago, vocalist Armi Päivinen and guitarist Samuli Reinikainen formed the Finnish symphonic metal band Ravenia. In 2014, the band released the two-track EP, Wingless. Shortly thereafter, they decided that they wanted to do something more than traditional symphonic metal; they chose to combine their brand of metal with film score music. The result is their first full-length album, the stirring and haunting Beyond The Walls of Death.
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
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