On Wednesday, January 26, 2012, the metal world suffered a great loss. Mark Reale, the guitarist, founding member & driving force behind Riot, passed away due to complications from his life-long battle with Crohn’s disease. He had been in a coma for the past two weeks after suffering a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

An official statement from the surviving members of Riot (Tony Moore, Mike Flyntz, Don Van Stavern & Bobby Jarzombek):

“To friends and fans of Mark Reale and Riot, we are deeply saddened to confirm that Mark has lost his battle with a lifelong illness. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated by Mark’s family, friends, and bandmates at this difficult time.”

This is really shocking news to me. I was aware that Mark was suffering from Crohn’s disease and had been hospitalized, but I did not know he actually entered into a coma and had a brain hemorrhage.

His contributions to the world of hard rock & heavy metal are immeasurable in my opinion. Despite Riot’s line-up changes over the years, and the shift in styles from hard rock to NWOBHM to power metal to Celtic influences to southern hard rock to melodic rock, Mark was always the driving force and the one constant.

It was only in the last few years that I got into Riot but I was blown away once I started buying their albums and I quickly acquired the entire catalog. They never released a bad album. Riot’s constant shift in styles was a double-edge sword though. They did so well at playing numerous styles of rock/metal, and I enjoyed the variety, but it probably kept more casual fans at bay and prevented them from ever gaining a large following. Albums like Fire Down Under (universally agreed to be their best), Thundersteel, Born in America, Restless Breed and even last year’s Immortal Soul are absolute CLASSICS.

I do not know where Riot goes from here or if there even is anywhere for them to go. Mark & Riot have soldiered on through various line-up changes and styles since 1975. They’ve even had to deal with two previous deaths. Former vocalist Rhett Forester was killed during a carjacking in 1994 and original vocalist Guy Speranza died of cancer in 2003. With Mark’s passing, there are no more original Riot members left in the band. And to me, Mark was Riot.

Neither Reale nor Riot ever really got the credit or success they deserved. While the loss of Mark is a tragic tale for his fans, friends & family hopefully some good can come out of this and people will be compelled to look back into the Riot catalog and realize just how talented and consistent the man has been since the 1970s.

My condolences to all of Mark’s friends and family during this tough time. Rest in peace, brother. Your suffering is over and I thank you for all the years of great music you gave the world. You will be missed.

http://www.riotrockcity.com
http://www.facebook.com/riotrockcity
http://metalexcess.com/category/riot/ 

Metallica – Beyond Magnetic (2011, Warner Bros. Records)

1. “Hate Train” … 6:59
2. “Just A Bullet Away” … 7:11
3. “Hell and Back” … 6:57
4. “Rebel of Babylon” … 8:01

Band:
James Hetfield – Vocals, Guitar
Kirk Hammett – Guitar
Robert Trujillo – Bass
Lars Ulrich – Drums

Producer: Rick Rubin

Beyond Magnetic is a collection of the 4 songs that didn’t make it onto 2008′s Death Magnetic album. 14 songs were written for that album but only 10 made the cut. So, after debuting these songs live during one of their 30th Anniversary shows, Metallica originally released them to the world  through digital retailers (exclusive to iTunes in North America) on December 13, 2011. The E.P. is available in CD form as of January 31, 2012.

From what I understand, these are only rough mixes of the songs (I’m assuming final mixes do exist). I just hope they don’t try to pad out the next Metallica album by throwing completed versions of these songs on it and calling it a day.

As expected, reaction to this Beyond Magnetic has been mixed. I’ve read everything from “It’s worse than Death Magnetic!” to “Why the #&$% weren’t these songs on Death Magnetic?” to “It sucks!” to “They’re playing thrash again!” to “At least it isn’t Lulu!”

I’m not one of those “fans” that takes the stance that everything the band has done since …And Justice For All  (or the Black Album) sucks. I’ve talked about making the ultimate Load & Reload compilation in the past. And I quite liked Death Magnetic. I listened to it again recently and it still holds up. With the songs from DM still fresh in my mind, I’m in the camp that’s wondering why these songs weren’t included on the album. In fact, that album only had 10 tracks, what’s wrong with bumping it up to 14? Still, “Suicide & Redemption” and “The Judas Kiss” could’ve easily been left off DM to make room for at least “Just A Bullet Away” and “Hate Train”.

“Just A Bullet Away” comes the closest to sound like old school Metallica. I don’t really think we’ll ever see a true return to that era but this is about as close as these guys can get these days. So, yeah, your mileage may vary but I think this is a good little E.P. with on “Rebel of Babylon” kinda just wandering around for a bit.

If you’re a Metallica hater, you’ll probably hate Beyond Magnetic but that’s expected of you. As for anyone who actually enjoyed Death Magnetic, this is worth checking out.

The album art looks like a butterfly.

Highlights: “Hate Train”, “Just A Bullet Away”, “Hell and Back”

http://www.metallica.com
http://www.facebook.com/Metallica

Buy Beyond Magnetic [CD Edition] at Amazon.com

Wildstreet – Easy Does It (2012, self-released)

1. “Easy Does It” … 3:25

Band:
Eric Jayk – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Ian MacPherson – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Aaron Joos – Guitar, Vocals
Ali Hassan – Bass, Vocals
Brian Beck – Drums

“Easy Does It” is the new single from modern glam/sleaze rock ‘n’ rollers Wildstreet (set to be released through iTunes on January 24th). Though a Wildstreet III album is a ways off, the band wanted to give the people a taste of what’s in store once that third release does arrive.

I came across this band years ago while browsing Retrospective Records’ site and ordered the debut from there and loved it. The first album was very much inspired by the slick glam metal and Def Leppard sounds. The Wildstreet II E.P. was a bit of a departure that went for a more sleazy & raw sound that was influenced by AC/DC and High ‘n’ Dry.

“Easy Does It” continues Wildstreet’s path down the road of straight up no-frills rock ‘n’ roll. It’s easier to compare the song to Wildstreet II but as much as I liked that E.P., I think “Easy Does It” is even better and it gets me excited for the third release as the band continues to find their own rock ‘n’ roll identity.

If you’ve missed out on this band, track down their first two releases. You won’t be disappointed. Then, make your way to iTunes on 1/24/12 and purchase “Easy Does It” and watch out for the “Easy Does It” music video that will be premiering on January 30th.

www.wildstreetmusic.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Wildstreet/8342603261
www.youtube.com/wildstreet

Primal Fear – Unbreakable (2012, Frontiers Records)

1. Unbreakable (Part 1) … 1:37
2. Strike … 4:39
3. Give ‘Em Hell … 3:05
4. Bad Guys Wear Black … 3:31
5. And There Was Silence … 5:13
6. Metal Nation … 5:11
7. Where Angels Die … 8:09
8. Unbreakable (Part 2) … 6:05
9. Marching Again … 5:41
10. Born Again … 4:48
11. Blaze of Glory … 3:56
12. Conviction … 3:58

Band:
Ralf Scheepers – Lead Vocals
Magnus Karlsson – Guitar, Keyboards
Alexander Beyrodt – Guitar
Mat Sinner – Bass, Backing Vocals
Randy Black – Drums

Producer: Mat Sinner

Here’s a band I’ve known about for a very long time but never got around to buying an album of theirs until 2010 when I picked up Jaws of Death and Seven Seals. I like both of those album but I haven’t gotten around to reviewing them just yet. Anyway, Unbreakable is the band’s ninth studio album and their third studio release from Frontiers Records (who’ve branched beyond melodic rock/AOR and have started to pick up a number of quality hard rock/metal acts over the last few years).

It would be unfair of me to say where Unbreakable ranks in the Primal Fear catalog but what I can say about this album is that I think it compares favorably to Jaws of Death and Seven Seals. What’s good about this album is that it’s full of anthems. “Bad Guys Wear Black”, “Metal Nation”, “And Then There Was Silence” and “Where Angels Die” will get stuck in your head. And any song that isn’t a metal anthem is just powerfully heavy. “Strike” really rips from the get-go and was a great choice to open the album. Then there’s the album’s lone ballad “Born Again”. Another catchy number.

It’s not big revelation that Ralf Scheepers’ vocal work is reminiscent of Rob Halford (just ask Judas Priest themselves) but it’s on “Born Again” and “Conviction” that he really comes across as a younger version of the Metal God. “Conviction” is probably the most straight forward traditional sounding metal song on the whole album (with “Strike” coming in a close second) and it’s a true highlight. Very Priest-like.

Unbreakable is sure to please Primal Fear fans and should please anyone who has an interest in bands like Priest, Maiden and power metal. It’s a great album to kick off a new metal year in 2012!

Digipak pressing comes with the exclusive bonus track “Night of the Jumps”.

Highlights: “Strike”, “Bad Guys Wear Black”, “Metal Nation”, “Where Angels Die”, “Born Again”, “Conviction”

http://www.primalfear.de
http://www.facebook.com/PrimalFearOfficial

Buy ‘Unbreakable’ at Amazon.com

Elm Street – Barbed Wire Metal (2011, Massacre Records)

1. “Barbed Wire Metal” … 3:45
2. “The Devil’s Servants” … 4:00
3. “Elm St’s Children” … 5:41
4. “Heavy Metal Power” … 5:44
5. “King of Kings” … 4:50
6. “Leatherface” … 5:06
7. “Merciless Soldier” … 3:55
8. “Metal Is The Way”  … 6:14

Band:
Ben Batres – Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Aaron Adie – Lead Guitar
Brendan Farrugia – Bass Guitar
Tomislav Perkovic – Drums

Producer: Ermin Hamidovi

Melbourne, Australia’s Elm Street are a band that plays good old fashioned heavy metal and are proud to do so! At first glance of the cover art and logo (and knowing they are on the Massacre label), I thought maybe they were going to be a brutal-sounding thrash band but don’t let that artwork by the legendary Ed Repka fool you! Yes, this band does have some thrash moments (such as the relentless opening number) but they describe themselves as traditional heavy metal and also display a great sense of melody and New Wave of British Heavy Metal/traditional metal influence. The melody aspect is evidenced on the second track “The Devil’s Servants” and it also reminds me of Black Veil Brides. Don’t worry, it’s not metalcore.

Another thing that stands out about this band is that they are horror movie fans. I mean, the band’s name is Elm Street and they have songs called “Elm St’s Children” and “Leatherface”. These guys are all about delivering fun, powerful heavy metal — “Barbed Wire Metal”? “Heavy Metal Power”? “Metal Is The Way”? You betcha!

There’s lot of good solos and riffs throughout this album and singer Ben Batres has that necessary roughness that wells work with traditional metal. His voice reminds me of Mr. Lordi. I love the gang vocals, too, by the way!

The band knows their way around a melody but they are heavy and fast enough that you won’t think they are wimping out. So, if you want some fun and recent heavy metal to bang your head to Elm Street’s Barbed Wire Metal is just what you need!

File this under “Albums I Wish I Had Heard In 2011″!

Highlights: “Barbed Wire Metal”, “The Devil’s Servants”, “Elm St’s Children”, “King of Kings”, “Metal Is The Way”

www.metalelmstreet.com
www.facebook.com/metalelmstreet

Buy the album at Amazon.com

the Blame – Born (2011, self-released)

1. Another Stolen Life … 4:07
2. Guiding Light … 4:17
3. The Scarab … 4:34
4. Valley of Trade … 4:31
5. Lost in a Rabbit-Hole … 4:25
6. Beyond the Wind … 3:57
7. Deserted Nation … 4:59
8. Fading Day … 4:08
9. Sacred Souls … 3:25
10. Exile … 4:17
11. Made of Stone … 3:39

Band:
Enver C. Yılmaz – Vocals
Bahadır Sarp – Lead Guitar
Kaan Afacan – Rhythm Guitar
Onur Altınay – Bass / Fretless Bass
Berca B. Kantarcıoğlu – Drums

Born is the debut album from Istanbul’s the Blame. The band has a great assortment of influences such as Iron Maiden, Dio, Black Sabbath, Rush, Edguy, Rage, Testament and Nevermore. As such, this album is kind of a mash-up of heavy/thrash/melodic/progressive metal.

Lead vocalist Enver sings in a few different styles on the album. On “Guiding Light” he comes across as what the typical modern metal vocalist sounds like but on “The Scarab” he comes across as Bruce Dickinson or Edguy’s Tobias Sammet and then goes on to employ some growling metal vocals in the very same song!

It’s the fast & furious thrashers such as “Beyond the Wind” where the band really displays their powers though. The entire band is great and Berca’s drumming in exceptional. It’s in these fast pace environments that Enver’s vocals really shine best as well when he hits those higher notes. “Exile” is a great instrumental that brings to mind ’80s Metallica and this band is worth checking out for that song alone (no offense to Enver!). The album closes with the thrasher “Made of Stone” which again shows off the Maiden influence in terms of sound & vocals (even if there is still some more growling thrown in).

Born is a solid debut from these guys. Not a knockout punch but there are some gems to be found here and the band definitely has a future that has me thinking they might be better off focusing on the Maiden & thrash influence rather than bands like Rush & Nevermore. Of course, progressive metal has never really been my thing in general. I’m surprised these guys aren’t signed because they are a band that I think could easily fit on the Metal Blade label.

If you’re interested in checking this album out, you can head on over to the band’s website and download it for free (and make a donation to the band as you do it, if you’re feeling generous).

Highlights: ”Guiding Light”, “The Scarab”, “Beyond the Wind”, “Exile”, “Made of Stone”

http://www.theblamemetal.com/
http://www.facebook.com/theblame
http://www.youtube.com/user/theblamemetal

Vains of Jenna – We Can Never Die Vol. 2 (2011, RLS Records)

1. We Can Never Die … 3:39
2. Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead (2010 Mix) … 3:38
3. The Art Of Telling Lies (2010 Mix) … 5:24
4. Better Off Alone (2010 Mix) … 5:52
5. We Can Never Die [long play] … 5:06
6. Better Off Alone (2010 Mix) [radio edit] … 4:17
7. Josephine … 4:37
8. Hey Now … 5:21
9. Fuck You (Acoustic Version) … 3:18
10. She’s Not There (Acoustic Version) … 2:36
11. Jam Jam (Studio Outtakes) … 7:53

Band:
Jesse Forte – Vocals
Nicki Kin – Lead Guitar
JP White – Bass
Jacki Stone – Drums

This one totally escaped me in 2011. In 2010 the band released an six-song E.P. called We Can Never Die. That E.P. was meant to introduce fans to new vocalist Jesse Forte with a few re-recordings plus one new track (“We Can Never Die”). I remember that E.P. and remember not picking it up because I wasn’t really interested in re-recordings. In 2011, part two has arrived but instead of an E.P. it’s a full album featuring the We Can Never Die E.P. with five more tracks.

Preceding Reverse Tripped, “We Can Never Die” definitely shows a changed VOJ. It seems with Lizzy DeVine out of the picture, they’ve decided to drop the sleaze rock angle and are really going for more of a trippy/classic/alternative/modern rock mash-up. And I have to admit, it sounds good. Both versions of “We Can Never” sound very good. It’s a weird, trippy classic rock sounding kind of song with still retaining a modern touch.

I find it interesting that they didn’t re-record any of the songs from the Lit Up/Let Down debut but that album was pure sleaze and Forte doesn’t have the sleazy vocals that Lizzy did. According to a recent interview I read with Lizzy, he was the one in the band that was a fan of ’80s rock in the first place while the rest of the band was into ’90s alternative music, so it only makes sense that they are trying to expand their sound now that he’s gone. For the record, there’s nothing wrong with these newer versions, they just aren’t as sleazy and that all comes down to the vocals.

So that gets the original We Can Never Die E.P. out of the way and up next is “Josephine” & “Hey Now”, which are both new acoustic-based songs. Both are good songs that continue to show growth for the band and “Hey Now” reminds me of something Buckcherry might write. Then we have good acoustic versions of Cee Lo Green’s “Fuck You” and The Zombies’ “She’s Not There”. VOJ’s original cover versions of these two songs appeared on Reverse Tripped. Finally, the album wraps up with a collection of studio outtakes.

Not an essential album by any means but still a cool pick up for anyone who is a fan of Vains of Jenna. Despite their involvement with Bam Margera and Metal Sludge CEO/Tuff front man Stevie Rachelle, the band still seems to remain one of the unsung bands that is keeping that great classic rock vibe alive.

Hopefully in 2012 they’ll cease with the re-recordings and cover songs and give us a brand new studio album and they can pick up some of the buzz they originally had when the first hit the scene.

Highlights: “We Can Never Die”, “Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead (2010 Mix)”, “Better Off Alone (2010 Mix)”, “Hey Now”, “She’s Not There (Acoustic Version”

http://www.vainsofjenna.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/VAINS-OF-JENNA/77210915994
http://www.myspace.com/vainsofjenna
http://www.twitter.com/vainsofjenna

Buy ‘We Can Never Die Vol. 2′ at Amazon.com

Sin 4 Sin – Arrest Me! (2011, self-released)

1. “Take It Off”
2. “I Quit Drinking (Again)”
3. “My Girlfriend Always Gets Arrested”

Band:
Brandon Hayden – Vocals
Chuck Stilletto – Lead Guitar
Billy Williams – Rhythm Guitar
Chain Saw – Bass
Dan T – Drums

Self-described as “party rock”, these Baltimore guys pretty much hit the nail on the head with that description. Sin 4 Sin sound pretty much like what you’d imagine given their name — equal parts sleaze and glam, they are good time rock ‘n’ roll.

There’s been a lot of comparisons to the Skid Row of old and it’s not hard to see why — vocalist Brandon Hayden sounds a lot like Sebastian Bach. This is especially true on “Take It Off” but on the excellent “I Quit Drinking (Again)” I think he also sounds a lot like Kevin DuBrow. Brandon’s voice still fits the snotty attitude & vibe of most guys that sing sleaze rock but there’s more range and power there than with most sleaze vocalists.

“Take It Off” is pure sleaze goodness and “My Girlfriend Always Gets Arrested” drives home the comparison to Skid Row even more as it displays the punky side that Skid Row occasionally had. This 3-song E.P.’s real highlight is the in-your-face “I Quit Drinking (Again)”.

FINALLY! A great, young sleaze/glam band that isn’t European! Sin 4 Sin are definitely a band worth watching out for. They’ve already shared the stage with similar acts like L.A. Guns, Faster Pussycat, Vains of Jenna, The Last Vegas and Charm City Devils but I think they’re ready to get hooked up with an opening slot for bands like Motley Crue, Buckcherry, KISS, Hinder and Guns N’ Roses.

http://www.sin4sin.com
http://www.facebook.com/sin4sin
http://www.myspace.com/sin4sinband
http://www.reverbnation.com/sin4sin

Mollo/Martin – The Third Cage (2012, Frontiers Records)

1. Wicked World … 4:40
2. Cirque du Freak … 4:13
3. Oh My Soul … 5:13
4. One of the Few … 4:01
5. Still In Love With You … 4:21
6. Can’t Stay Here … 4:08
7. Wardance … 6:00
8. Don’t Know What It Is About You … 4:55
9. Blind Fury … 5:06
10. Violet Moon … 7:38

Musicians:
Tony Martin – Vocals
Dario Mollo – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Roberto Gualdi – Drums
Fulvio Gaslini – Bass
Dario Patti – Keyboards
Brian War – Keyboards

If you’ve been following this blog for any decent amount of time or have conversed with me on message boards or Facebook, you’ve probably realized that I’m a big fan of Tony Martin. I rank his run in Sabbath second only to the great Ronnie James Dio. That said, I haven’t heard any of his side-projects or guest spots on other albums and have only heard the latest of his two solo albums (leaving 1992′s Back Where I Belong on my bucket list).

Dario Mollo, on the other hand, I know next to nothing about this Italian guitarist. Looking at his official website and the Frontiers website, I can tell you that he was in a metal band in the ’80s called Crossbones and in 2000 & 2005 released albums under the Voodoo Hill name with the legendary Glenn Hughes on vocals (I really need to check those albums out). He also did a UK tour as a member of the “Graham Bonnet & Don Airey Band”.

Also during this time is when “The Cage” series of albums came to be. Dario recruited Tony Martin to sing on and write lyrics for 1999′s The Cage and they paired up again in 2004 for The Cage 2. I was made aware of both of these projects awhile back and while I’ve seen good reviews for them, I never picked them up because they are, unfortunately, out of print and very expensive (I think I’ll pass on spending $80-$140 for a CD!). Well, at least now I am able to listen to the latest Cage album!

The first thing I noticed is that Tony Martin has not lost a step over the years. He sounds just as good here as he did on The Eternal Idol or Headless Cross. Not that I expected anything less because he sounded excellent on Scream as well. As for Dario, well, if you’ve got Glenn Hughes, Tony Martin, Graham Bonnet and Don Airey willing and wanting to work with you — then you know you’re pretty good at what you do. Some very nice solos and riffing going on here.

Though the album starts off heavy with “Wicked World” , “Cirque Du Freak” & “Oh My Soul” (the last two sound like they could’ve come from a Sabbath album with Tony), there’s a variety of styles to be found on this album. “One of the Few”, “Can’t Stay Here” and “Don’t Know What It Is About You” are all melodic rockers, taking Tony back to his musical roots and still displaying him as being just as comfortable singing these types of songs as he is singing heavy metal. “Still In Love With You” is heavy with an epic Middle Eastern-flair to it. “Wardance” is probably my favorite track on the album with the tribal rhythm of the drums and it’s just too catchy (“WAR!…DANCE!”). “Blind Fury” may be the heaviest track on the album while “Violet Moon” is a beautiful, near-trippy ballad that closes out the album.

There’s really not a bad track on this album. With each spin (and there’s been quite a few of them) I’ve grown to appreciate each song more and more but “Still In Love With You”, “Can’t Stay Here”, “Wardance” and “Don’t Know What It Is About You” were the instant standouts when I first listened.

How does The Third Cage compare to the first two Mollo/Martin albums? Don’t ask me! But I do know that Dario & Tony have delivered a great blend of hard rock, metal and melodic rock that has me wanting to snatch up whatever else Dario has done and has me wishing for even more new Tony Martin music.

Highlights: ”Cirque Du Freak”, “One of the Few”, “Still In Love With You”, “Can’t Stay Here”, “Wardance”, “Don’t Know What It Is About You”, “Violet Moon”

Dario Mollo Official Website
Dario Mollo – Tony Martin The Cage Facebook Page
Tony Martin Facebook Page

Buy ‘The Third Cage’ at Amazon.com

M-pire of Evil – Creatures of the Black (2011, Scarlet Records)

1. “Exciter” … 5:12
2. “Motorhead” … 2:58
3. “Reptile” … 4:48
4. “God Of Thunder” … 5:10
5. “Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be” … 3:55
6. “Creatures Of The Black” … 5:15

Band:
Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan – Bass & Vocals
Jeff “Mantas” Dunn – Guitars
Anthony “Antton” Lant – Drums

*deep breath*

Black metal pioneers Venom have had quite a confusing shift in members over the years. The classic/best-selling/most influential version of the band consists of Conrad “Cronos” Lant (vocals/bass), Jeff “Mantas” Dunn (guitar) and Anthony “Abaddon” Bray (drums). Their run in Venom takes place from 1980-1986 and 1995-1999. All three members have come and gone over the years. At various times, one or two of the “classic” members would exit, leaving the remaining member(s) to carry on. After Mantas walked away in the late ’80s, Cronos & Abaddon tried Venom out as a four-piece before Cronos himself left the band (to start a solo career). Keeping the band a four-piece, Mantas rejoined along with new guitarist Al Barnes  (What, no nickname?) and new vocalist/bassist Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan, formerly of Atomkraft. This signaled a slight change in sound for the band as they went for a more traditional, competent & better produced thrash/speed metal sound as opposed to the raw, sloppy Satanic metal that had helped create entire metal sub-genres in the early ’80s.

Eventually, in 1993, the Dolan-era came to an end and the band laid dormant. In 1995, the classic Venom line-up of Cronos/Mantas/Abaddon was back. More changes occurred. Abaddon left in 2000 and the drummer’s seat was filled by Cronos’ brother Anthony “Antton” Lant. Even more changes were in store. Mantas left in 2005, Antton left in 2009. According to Mantas, none of the classic members are ever going to work together again, but we’ll see.

Enter Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan once more. In 2010, Mantas & Antton teamed up with Dolan to give us a new group called Prime Evil. No, wait… That’s what they were called. They ended up changing their name once they became aware that another band was already using that name. Now they are known as M-pire of Evil. Though this trio has never played on a Venom album together, Dolan & Mantas have worked in Venom together and the same can be said of Mantas & Antton (they also played together a metal band called Dryll). I find it interesting that Cronos’ brother would leave Venom and then later hook-up his old guitar player and the singer who once replaced him in order to form a new group that obviously borrows a lot from Venom. It’s like we’re getting two Venom groups these days. Another former Venom member, guitarist Mike “Mykus” Hickey was going to be involved in the band but had prior commitments though the band is open to working with him whenever he has the time.

BTW – Does anybody know where Abaddon went?

*exhale*

To be honest, I’ve become interested in Venom only in the last year or two. The album I chose to start with was Prime Evil (the debut of the Dolan-era) because I had read it was not as over-the-top with all the Satanic imagery and lyrics as previous Venom releases had mostly been. I ended up liking the album a lot and I would have bought the other three Dolan releases (Tear Your Soul Apart, Temples of Ice and The Waste Lands) if not for the fact that they are out of print and thus very expensive. So to find out that M-pire of Evil existed was very exciting to me. This band’s formation had totally slipped by me in 2010 when it was announced.

This is the band’s debut: a six song E.P. with four covers and two originals. I gotta say, the cover songs are excellent. Not only did they choose four excellent bands to cover (Judas Priest, Motorhead, KISS, AC/DC) but they bring a level of raw power and aggression to these songs that has not been heard before (well, except maybe for “Motorhead”). I especially like their covers of “Exciter” and “God of Thunder”. When someone covers “Exciter”, the singer usually doesn’t have a gruff deep voice like Dolan does. It’s different but that’s why it works.

As for the two original tracks, those are really cool too. It’s really nothing different than what you’d hear on Prime Evil. Two raw thrashy numbers. “Reptile” features some Satanic gibberish chanting that kind of takes points away from the song for me, but musically, it’s a good thrashing number. Had I not just days ago posted my list of favorites E.P.s, Creatures of the Black would’ve been on there.

It seems like a full studio album could be coming very soon in early 2012 and I’m definitely looking forward to it. Fans of the Dolan years of Venom and fans of raw heavy metal in general should pick up Creatures of the Black.

Highlights: “Exciter”, “God of Thunder”, “Creatures of the Black”

http://www.facebook.com/mpireofevil
http://www.mpireofevil.com/

Buy ‘Creatures of the Black’ at Amazon.com