MUSIC DISCOVERY MONDAY – 5/8/17
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/Editor, Hard Rock Daddy)
WARRANT – “Devil Dancer”
Warrant is known for being an ‘80s hair metal band, but if you listened to them for the first time in 2017, you’d never know it. Their upcoming release Louder, Harder, Faster (which comes out on May 12th) takes them in a heavier, blues rock direction. This long-awaited album, which comes six years after their last release, is the second with Robert Mason at the helm on vocals.
Mason has certainly put his stamp on the band that he has been fronting for nearly a decade now this time around. The album title came from something that he said during the dead air between songs during a concert years ago. He is also the one who pushed the band to go in a heavier direction with the songwriting…
“I talked with Joey (Allen) early on, and I’m like ‘dude, I just want this thing to crush. We’re not getting any younger. How many more years can we do a real serious rock record before it’s comical because we’re 70?”
In an interview with That Drummer Guy, guitarist Erik Turner discussed the direction of the band’s latest release…
“I think we’re wearing our influences on our sleeves more than ever with this new record. It’s more analog sounding, more organic, a little more rough around the edges. When we were 12, 13, 14 years old, we were listening to Bad Company, Zeppelin, Aerosmith and bands like that. I think that this record has more of that sound, that ‘70s classic rock sound that we grew up on.”
Warrant definitely captured the bluesy rock sound of the ‘70s with “Devil Dancer,” and blended it with an ‘80s hard rock sound and the more aggressive vibe of early Skid Row. The heavy bottom and more sinister sounding riffs are ideally complemented by Mason’s soaring vocals. Warrant’s new music is as good as anything that they ever recorded during the pinnacle of hair metal.
JORN – “Man Of The ‘80s”
“Man Of The ‘80s” may be a nostalgic, autobiographical walk down memory lane for Jorn Lande, but it could very well be the theme song for every male Gen X rock music fan. Being the same age as Lande, this brilliant song, with its poignant lyrics and melodic shredding guitars, took me back in time in a bittersweet way. It made me long for the simple days of my youth, while reminding me that those days are much further in the rearview mirror than I like to admit. Musically, Lande brings the story to life with his soulful, passionate vocal delivery, beautifully accompanied by bright vocal harmonies. If a movie was made about Gen X rockers, this song should be first on the soundtrack.
ANDY CHEUNG – HRD Music Scout
NIGHT DEMON – “Welcome To The Night”
Fans of old-school, classic heavy metal will dig the new album by California’s Night Demon. Bringing back the writing style and melodies of yesteryear, their new album, Darkness Remains, conjures up the spirit of ‘80s metal with more modern production value. Conjuring the likes of Iron maiden, Dio and probably a slew of NWOBHM bands, Night Demon’s music reflects heavily on all these influences. Black leather jackets, galloping riffs, and high soaring vocals. This trio is set to bring old school metal back to the masses.
SIX FEET UNDER – “Torment”
Returning with their twelfth studio album, Torment, Six Feet Under continues their carnage of horror-driven, groove-filled death metal. The band was originally a side project with Obituary/Cannibal Corpse founder Chris Barnes. This re-imagined death metal sound features less blast beats and speed driven riffs, in favor of more heavy grooves and slower tempos, while keeping the death metal lyrical content of gore, violence and death. Along with Barnes’ growling, low vocal style, Six Feet Under is a band set apart from others in the genre. Fans of groove death metal will not be disappointed.
ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout
ASTRAL DOORS – “We Cry Out”
Swedish power metal band Astral Doors returns with Black Eyed Children, their eighth studio album. Lead singer Nils Patrik Johansson has been a busy man, lending his powerful voice to Lion’s Share, Wuthering Heights, and (until a few months ago) Civil War. But his most renowned work continues to be with Astral Doors, where booming riffs and thunderous rhythms ably support his towering vocals.
SECRET SPHERE – “The Calling”
Italian band Secret Sphere produces a complex and layered blend of power and symphonic metal. Formed 20 years ago by guitarist Aldo Lonobile, this is their fifth year with vocalist Michele Luppi (formerly of Vision Divine and Los Angeles). His distinctive voice continues to mesh magically with the band’s distinctive sound. The new album, The Nature of Time, is due out June 2nd.
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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