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Regretting The Past: Creed – Weathered

After a Diamond Certified selling album, some of the smelliest butts in butt-rock follow it up with a Weathered mess.

https://vimeo.com/127681940

Album Review: Faith No More – Sol Invictus

After 18 years, Faith No More return to the light and bring Sol Invictus.  Can the ingenious minds of yesteryear conquer the day once again?

https://vimeo.com/127382981

 

Text Review:

There is a line from “The Sandlot” that goes “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”  Back in 1989, Faith No More released their album The Real Thing which shook the music world with a huge awakening.  To this day, songs like Epic are still played on rock radio.

A band like Faith No More falls into a category like Primus, where they have such a unique identity that it is almost impossible to identify what sub genre they belong in because they are so singular, but they clearly are a staple of rock.

So, after 18 years from their most previous release Album of the Year, Faith No More decided that going on a reunion tour and playing for the crowd just wasn’t enough.  And after practicing and working back to the quality they are known for, they announced that “The Reunion Tour is over; in 2015 things are going to change.”

While I cannot speak for everyone, I think that many fans and listeners will go into Sol Invictus hoping that it captures even a fraction of the intensity and passion that they exuded in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  It’s very rare to recapture lightening in a bottle, and especially after doing it once already almost two decades earlier.  What we received this past March was the album’s first single Superhero.  With this superhero came a new hope for what was to come.

My excitement started when I heard the alternating screaming of “Go” from different voices.  It instantly had the sound and personality of Faith No More from years ago and quickly led to what is a great song both lyrically and musically.

The piano notes and hearing “Leader of Men” stands out so triumphantly in this song and it ends which the same madness and intensity as it begins.  Out of the ten tracks on this album, I don’t think they could have picked a better choice than Superhero to get people excited for what’s to come.

After listening to all of Sol Invictus a few times it dawned on me that this album was the creative work from truly brilliant minds waiting patiently to perform something special.  That perseverance paid off.  Songs like Separation Anxiety and Superhero bring in the volume while Rise of the Fall and Matador prove they can still bring in the melody.

Separation Anxiety is that dark and gritty style that features Mike Patton’s vocals beautifully while the bass and drums carry this song on a deep rhythm that sucks you into the song and puts you into a rage.   It’s eye-opening like many of the songs from Faith No More have come to be labeled as throughout the decades.

There will be many fans who are hoping for more of an “EPIC” style album, but in reality every song from a band like this is an individual entity.  This album carries the tradition of delivering a fearless intensity that was set many years ago, and prove that despite years of inactivity, you can still stand at the front of the game.

Say whatever jokes you want about age and rock needing a new youthful generation to revive the genre back to the top.  The truth is that it doesn’t matter what stage of life the musicians are in, so long as the music is good.  Faith No More just nailed that message into the wall.

Overall, anyone who at any point enjoyed listening to Faith No More will love Sol Invictus.  It sounds like Faith No More took their ability out of a time capsule and continued where they left off.  It’s something special, and something worth getting excited about.

Photos: WORLD GONE

My photos of World Gone at Welcome To Rockville!  All photos were taken by Luke Spencer in Jacksonville, FL on 4-25-2015.

Jacksonville’s own World Gone opened Welcome To Rockville and brought with them an elaborate apocalyptic setup.  Their masks were done by the same designer of Gwar’s gear.

Photos: IN FLAMES

My photos of In Flames at Welcome To Rockville!  All photos were taken by me in Jacksonville, FL on 4-26-15.

They blew everyone away…

Photos: ’68

My photos of ’68 at Welcome To Rockville!  All photos were taken by me in Jacksonville, FL on 4-26-2015.

’68 opened the Jack Daniels stage on day two of Rockville to the early crowd.  The performance included a fantastic tribute to At The Drive-In and telling the crowd they were AC/DC.

Interview: PERIPHERY

Matt, Misha, and Spencer stop by before a hurricane to talk about their new albums, playing video games, wearing banana hammocks, and showing Chris Jericho their privates!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xJiJ70_Zd8

https://vimeo.com/126875627

You can see my live photos of Periphery at Welcome To Rockville here = http://rockedreviews.net/photos-periphery/

Album Review: Anti-Flag – American Spring

Political activists and punk icons Anti-Flag deliver their ninth full album discussing wealth injustice, war, and a myriad of topics. After eight full albums over 20 years, how does American Spring deliver in 2015?

https://vimeo.com/126799913

 

Text Review:

Great rock n’ roll doesn’t have to be mindless and socially conscious tunes don’t have to be dull. That is the opening line to the press release for the ninth full album of Anti-Flag one of the most well known political activist bands in the world.

It can be very rewarding to listen to a band who has more of a message than tearing up hotel rooms with a woman you just met the night before. Music has been a form of expression, and in this case protest, for decades and Anti-Flag may be one of the longest lasting bands to wield is this style as an audible weapon.

American Spring highlights many of the current social ailments that are afflicting our society. Throughout fourteen tracks, Anti-Flag tackle modern polarizing topics such as class war, anti-poverty, drone strikes, and “corporatocracy”.

For many rock and punk fans from a generation ago Anti-Flag will instantly bring a wave of nostalgia, and for good reason. It is the lively and energetic volume behind a fast rhythm. American Spring continues that tradition over 20 years after the band’s inception.

I could go on for an hour about the past of Anti-Flag, their influences and accomplishments, but right now I want to look at 2015. American Spring, opening with the song Fabled World, proves that Anti-Flag have just as much focus and thought as they ever had.

Just from the opening line and guitar build you can tell this song was meant to be listened to loudly. The guitar riffs are clean and rhythmic and the combination of intensity and melody in Justin Sane’s voice carries this song as something to scream with loud enough for the neighbors to complain.

Outside of the music in Fabled World, I think the line “We live in a fabled world” greatly summarizes many of the themes in American Spring. With all the injustices and conflicting infrastructures in the world, it can be hard to fight when we are constantly told how “great” we have things.

Even though Anti-Flag is known for their energy and volatile presence, they are more than capable of bring down the mood. So much so that it’ll make you think much less about the music and more on what condition your own life is.

Hearing the line “I can’t get away from all of the poison, from all of the pain” can strike a chord in even the most unemotional and oblivious listener. The paradox is that it is placed in a faster pace than a line like this may be used to hearing. It is a welcome change in today’s rock scene and proof that punk is still a sub-genre that is as alive as it can be.

While some topics and songs may not be able to connect with each listener, it is undeniable that you can understand where the thought and concern is coming from in each track; just as it is undeniable that Anti-Flag are still capable of performing energetically in 2015.

There is nothing wrong with an album that is meant to be fun and celebrates life by describing how good a party was or destroying a house by rocking out to hard. But there is something to be appreciated when a band takes their time to spread awareness about issues that are severaly affecting lives. Anti-Flag may be some of the best at that format.

Overall, American Spring continues the legacy of Pennsylvania’s activist heroes. Whether you hear this album as a nostalgia trip from years back, or something to scream with, it’s difficult to deny the passion that is presented here in many different elements.

Interview: LIKE A STORM

After opening the Jack Daniel’s stage at Welcome To Rockville, Like A Storm talk about touring, bringing out the storm that caused 55,000 people to evacuate, and being confused with the singer of Puddle of Mudd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUmrYL2JEu0

https://vimeo.com/126708432

You can see my live photos of Like A Storm at Welcome To Rockville here = http://rockedreviews.net/photos-like-a-storm/

Photos: LIKE A STORM

My photos of Like A Storm at Welcome To Rockville!  All photos were taken by me in Jacksonville, FL on 4-25-2015.

Like A Storm opened the Jack Daniels stage on Day 1 of Rockville, starting with the didgeridoo and bringing on a storm.  Literally.  Everyone had to evacuate for two hours because the weather got so bad.

Photos: BUTCHER BABIES at Welcome To Rockville 2015

My photos of Butcher Babies at Welcome To Rockville!  All photos were taken by me in Jacksonville on 9-26-2015.