The Quireboys, Brant Bjork, Skold + More
Here are some of the albums that come out today:
The Quireboys – Amazing Disgrace
The band marks its 35 anniversary with what it is calling its most diverse album yet. I came to find out about them due to a sticker that came with an old Metal Hammer magazine I picked up around the time their debut album came out.
When I got back home to New Jersey I saw the same album cover but didn’t understand why the band was called the London Quireboys, then on an episode of Headbangers Ball, they explained what was up. Needless to say, it is a major milestone for any band to be around that long.
This marks the band’s sixth album in seven years, but they swear that it’s all quality over quantity. Recommended to anyone that’s into their brand of rock, a mix between the Stones, Aerosmith, with a hint of 80s sleaze.
Brant Bjork – Jacoozzi
Brant is a legend, we’ve documented that almost every time he’s released something new, and that’s been pretty frequently. At this point, very little needs to be said to intro this incredible musician or any of his many accolades.
This new album was recorded back in 2010, it started with him jamming on the drums, and then he proceeded to add all the additional instrumentation along the way. Brant admits to improving throughout this album, so there are varying styles of things you can hear, from jazz to funk, to that Brant Bjork’s signature Desert sound, mixed in with anything else that he felt like playing.
Maybe not the best way to introduce someone to Brant, but a must-have for a die-hard.
Skold – Never Is Now
Tim Tim, Tim Skold, or just plain old Skold. I’ve followed him since he was the bassist in Shotgun Messiah, through his solo work, MDKFM, Marilyn Manson, remixes, and more. For those that got stuck on the first two Shotgun Messiah albums, and forewent Violent New Breed, you’d probably miss out on the fact that Skold has focused almost primarily on industrial music since around 1993.
Never Is Now follows the path he has taken as a solo artist, evolving ever so slightly from album to album. If you’re into moody industrial music, this might be the album for you.
Periphery – Periphery IV: Hail Stan
This is Periphery’s first release for their newly formed 3DOT Recordings and having worked with them for several releases, I think their most varied release to date. The band said this was the first time they were afforded the chance to spend a full year writing, demoing, and recording which shines through in the finished album.
Animal Drive – Back To The Roots EP
Animal Drive is a Croatian hard rock band that has been gaining notoriety on the world stage these last few years. Much like Halestorm does in between new album releases, Animal Drive has decided to pay tribute to some tracks that have influenced them, the EP is full of covers from Warrant, Skid Row, Whitesnake, and Roxette.
Palehorse – Palehorse
I’ve only been able to hear the track featured below, but it really caught me off guard and grabbed me right away. Initially, it sounds like the band has been drinking from the well of Josh Homme, the track begins sounding like Kyuss, and morphs quickly into Queens Of The Stone Age, before the vocals kick in and are a mix of guttural vocals with the melodies you’ve come to know from a band like Baroness. New music doesn’t suck, it’s usually the people that aren’t willing to dive in and find something that’s new to them, in my case, Palehorse.
Here are some of the other albums that drop today:
Antropomorphia – Merciless Savagery
Eluveitie – Ategnatos
Exumer – Hostile Defiance
Sworn Enemy – Gamechanger
David Bowie – Spying Through A Keyhole
Don Felder – American Rock ‘n’ Roll
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia – Live At The Chicago Theatre
1349 – Dødskamp
SHVPES – Greater Than
Nirvana – Live At The Paramount Vinyl
Orange 9mm – Driver Not Included Vinyl
Within Temptation – The Silent Force Vinyl
Article by Victor M. Ruiz of Mars Attacks Radio & Podcast, and Galaxy Of Geeks Podcast. Connect with him on Twitter: @vmr907
