SLIPKNOT IS BACK
Here are some of today’s new releases.
Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind
This is the band’s sixth studio album, their first in four years, since .5: The Gray Chapter. The odd thing here is that they released a song called “We Are Not Your Kind” a few months back, which you would think would be the title track off of the album, but much like Dokken did with the track Back For The Attack, which was on the Dream Warriors single, it never made it on to the album until it was re-released years later.
In any event, the band has released three singles before the release of the new album, and all of them have sounded cool to me. The word that most critics seem to be throwing around for this album is experimental, but to me, it seems to be a natural progression for the band.
Although others may not have liked some of the more Pink Floydish moments of the last two albums, to me it has always been a band looking to grow within their confines. If you look back at their previous releases there isn’t a flat-out clunker, although they have always evolved, they’ve never released a Lulu, where they’ve veered so far off course that you lose complete faith in them. This album is still Slipknot, and it still pushes things forward.
Spread Eagle – Subway To The Stars
The New York City “Street Metal” band returns with their first album since 1992’s Open To The Public. I have always been a fan of this band, still have their self-titled debut on Cassette, and have always played songs off of that and Open To The Public as well.
Songs like “Suzy Suicide”, and “If I Can’t Have You” have always made it onto my iPods, phones, or mix CDs back in the day. I also have Ray West’s solo album, All Points West, his voice has always been unique to me, it just sounds different, and stands out from the pack.
Definitely, a band that made it onto the airwaves a few years too late to be huge, but at the same time, that kind of allowed them to do what they wanted, and not forced to have four schlocky ballads per album, or at least is seems that way to me. In any event Subway To The Stars is a solid album top to bottom, I’ve been listening to it for roughly a month now, and am just happy to have new music from the band.
From a musical standpoint, this album is on par with their previous two albums, the vocals are slightly different but still great. What I mean by different is you don’t have the screamy elements that you had on the first two, or some of the more intense moments find on tracks off of the first two releases.
But then again West has never been a one-trick pony, so it is cool to see him bust out yet another facet of his vocal prowess. And also, how many vocalists can maintain their voice exactly the same for 30 years? If you’re a fan of the band, you know you’re going to check this album out.
Roxy Blue – Roxy Blue
The Memphis band who will be performing at this weekend’s ROCKNPOD Expo returns with their first album of new material in close to thirty years. The album has heavier overtones than the original, obviously, back in 92, bands like Warrant (Jani Lane helped them get their original record deal), Poison, and the such were all over the airwaves, right before stations started shunning these very bands.
Call it bad timing, but it is what it is, the new album has songs like mix everything from 70s hard rock to elements of what came after them in the 90s, to what made them a known entity, to begin with. If You’re a fan, you’ll no doubt check this new album out.
Here are some other new releases that may interest you.
Destruction – Born To Perish
Suicidal Angels – Years Of Aggression
Tau Cross – Messengers Of Deception
Phobia – Generation Coward
Ardours – Last Place On Earth
The Contortionist – Our Bones EP
Soleil Moon – Warrior
Unruly Child – Big Blue World
Sparrows – Failed Gods
Lord Of The Lost – Till Death Us Do Part
Filter – Title Of Record 20th Anniversary Edition
Touché Amoré – …To The Beat Of A Dead Horse 10th Anniversary Edition Vinyl
Ulver – Bergtatt – Et Eeventyr I 5 Capitler Vinyl
Ulver – Kveldssanger Vinyl
Ulver – Nattens Madrigal – Aatte Hymne Til Ulven I Manden Vinyl
Article by Victor M. Ruiz of Mars Attacks Radio & Podcast, and Galaxy Of Geeks Podcast. Connect with him on Twitter: @vmr907
