Metal Assault: Album Reviews

By Andrew Bansal

Metal giants Megadeth have had an intriguing time over the last few years, between the largely sub-par ‘Super Collider’ album, half the band (guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover) quitting on the same day, and frontman Dave Mustaine often facing criticism and hatred for non music-related comments made in public, many perhaps taken out of context by sensationalist clickbait-driven media outlets. Megadeth enter the year of 2016 with Kiko Loureiro of Angra fame stepping up to fill the lead guitarist position, and Lamb Of God drummer Chris Adler having joined the ranks to record with the band in the studio and play shows subject to availability. Amidst all this, the fifteenth Megadeth studio full-length album ‘Dystopia’ hit stores worldwide on January 22nd, and as always, came with equal parts enthusiasm, expectation and skepticism typically associated with any modern-day Megadeth studio release. Continue reading “Megadeth – Dystopia”

By Lisa Burke

Madysin Hatter is a hard rock band with a balanced mix of influences ranging from ’70s classic rock, as in Led Zeppelin and early Aerosmith, to ’80s hard rock leaning towards the bluesier end of the spectrum. It’s rock with an attitude and while it could serve as a prime candidate for mainstream radio play, it also holds its own with a solid unique rock sound comparable in my mind to artists such as Melissa Ethridge, Sheryl Crow, and with some vocal stylings of Cindi Lauper in terms of artists with strong vocal presence over rock n roll with an attitude. Madysin Hatter is now promoting their new album entitled ‘Lose Your Mind’, released on January 8th, 2016 and it’s available on iTunes as well as for actual physical CD purchase on the Madysin Hatter website. Continue reading “Madysin Hatter – Lose Your Mind”

By Andrew Bansal

Based out of Ventura, California, Gygax features former Gypsyhawk frontman Eric Harris and guitarist Bryant Throckmorton, and was founded in 2015 on musical foundations similar to that of Gypsyhawk, and the band’s name, lyrics and imagery inspired by Gary Gygax and Dungeons & Dragons. Gygax continues from where Gypsyhawk left off with their breakup in 2014. Harris and Throckmorton found Ventura-based musicians Armand John Lizzy (guitar) and Justin Dempsey (drums) to complete the Gygax lineup, and after a handful of impressive live performances in California, they are now ready to release their debut album ‘Critical Hits’ via Creator-Destructor Records on January 22nd 2016. Continue reading “Gygax – Critical Hits”

By Andrew Bansal

Canadian classic metal trio Cauldron are ready to release their fourth full-length studio album ‘In Ruin’ on January 8th 2016, their first The End Records release and their first full-length since ‘Tomorrow’s Lost’ (2012). Modern-era old-school metal bands are typically compared to legends from the ’70s and ’80s that influenced them, but this Toronto group, in existence since 2006, stands out from the pack of contemporaries as through the past decade they’ve carved a very recognizable signature sound that’s all of their own, boasting of catchy vocal and guitar harmonies, galloping rhythms and a very warm snare drum sound. Cauldron do not divert from this style and instead focus on honing it further album after album, and to that effect, ‘In Ruin’ presents quintessential Cauldron at its finest. Continue reading “Cauldron – In Ruin”

By Lisa Burke

Carrera is a sleazy glam rock band from Los Angeles, CA featuring Ruby Carrera on guitar and Wendy Groovella on vocals. Ruby Carrera has been a fixture on the Sunset Strip since the ’80s with his various projects. They have a 4-track EP titled ‘Love At First Lick’ out on FnA records which is available wherever digital music is sold and also on Internet radio. The EP features the former singer of the band Josi Kat on vocals, and her powerful voice contains the perfect amount of sleaze and can be comparable to that of Joan Jett among others in this vain. Mix that with the sleazy rockin’ Ritchie Blackmore-inspired jamming on guitar with some solid track mastering skills and you walk out of the room with complete satisfaction. Continue reading “Carrera – Love At First Lick EP”

By Andrew Bansal

Based out of Los Angeles, Ironaut is a fledgling stoner rock group which comprises Erik Kluiber on bass and vocals, Patrick McHugh on guitar and Ivan Najor on drums. Having started out as an all-instrumental power trio and after playing a handful of shows in that incarnation, Ironaut added vocals to their sound, with Kluiber taking on the mantle himself, and performed live with success. In an attempt to recreate the same impact in the studio, Ironaut released their self-titled debut EP on November 19th 2015. Continue reading “Ironaut – Self-Titled EP”