WOMANIZER
BLACK LOTUS RECORDS
Can this be the new metal underground? I find it highly amusing that over 2 decades ago bands like Quiet Riot, Ratt and Twisted Sister were topping the charts with their corporate cheese-rock and today bands that are revitalizing that party-rock sound and image are now releasing albums on primarily underground metal-core/death-metal labels (see also Line Of Fire review). Go figure! With an album entitled Womanizer and song titles such as "High Heels And Fishnet Stockings," "Rough Love (Tender Heart)," and "Juicy Lucy" you know this band has got to raaaawk! And that my friends they certainly do. Hailing from Norway, Absolute Steel brings back the best of '80s anthem rock. The musicianship is solid as hell, the vocals are overwhelmingly powerful boasting bombastic vocal harmonies, and the production is thick and ballsy, in true arena-rock fashion. Hell, they even include the crafty power-ballad "Rough Love (Tender heart)" and, as you know, no '80s metal release was complete without that glorious power-ballad! Why waste your time tracking down jaded reformed bands from that era (with usually a fraction of it's original members) doing generally pathetic "reunion" tours when you got young, hungry bands like Absolute Steel who performs with 10 times the power and vigor. Whether you grew up in this era or not, if you like powerful party-rock anthems and your sick to death of over-hyped simpletons like Andrew W.K. than it's time you get your hands on Absolute Steel! Take the word of an old-school metal fan, when it comes to '80s-sounding party-metal this is the real deal. Once again, this release may be hard to track down since I believe it is only available on Greece import but it's only a matter of time before an American label picks up on this. For more information you can check out the label's website at www.black-lotus-recs.com.
RHAPSODY
LIVE IN CANADA 2005: THE DARK SECRET
MAGIC CIRCLE/SPV
Rhapsody's latest double-live disc (one audio CD + bonus DVD) comes courtesy of Manowar's Joey DeMaio's new venture label Magic Circle. I've always considered this 6-piece Italian neo-classical prog-metal band to be one of finest of this Euro-metal genre. This latest release proves that even live Rhapsody comes across with sheer, intense energy and vigor (which is confirmed after watching the DVD), unlike the many hugely popular prog-metal bands (i.e.: Dream Theater) who severely lack intensity live and come across sounding terribly sterile and mundane in concert. The audience response is quite fanatical as well (didn't know this band was so big in Canada) and the production is ambient and live sounding which truly affirms the perfection and magnitude of talent this band possess. Incredible guitar-work from Luca Turilli and Dominique Leurquin, precision drumming from Alex Holzwarth and impressive classical vocal choruses from Fabio Linone atop extraordinary keyboard flourishing are showcased on this incredible live CD. If you're a fan a prog-metal Rhapsody's Live In Canada 2005 is a must for your collection!
Shockwaves CD REVIEWS ISSUE 13 Page 12