Every so often you run into someone who makes a positive impact on you. Robert Sarzo is one of those people. I was fortunate to meet him after a Queensryche show recently. He was extremely gracious to everyone he met and was genuine about it. That, my friends, is class. He recently released a solo record call After The Storm. Robert was kind enough to give me phone call and chat about his new record and music. Enjoy it right here:
1. War Dance
2. Don’t Change Your Love
3. Lace, Pearls and Fire
4. Innocent Girl
5. Not Yet
6. Los Canbios De Amore
7. Heilo Y Fuego
8. Angelita
9. Backbeat
Robert Sarzo is one of the worlds outstanding guitarists. I was fortunate to meet him and his brother Rudy at a recent Queensryche show. His playing and showmanship was outstanding.
Robert Sarzo on fire!
Now Robert has released After The Storm. I picked it up yesterday and haven’t stopped listening to it. Full of tribal sounds, Latin rhythms and full on metal licks, there is something here for everyone.
After The Storm opens with the tribal inspired instrumental “War Dance”. Great drum beat backed with ethereal sounds make up this track. “Don’t Change Your Love” is a straight on rocker full of great riffs and smoking vocals. Pure rocking at its finest. “Lace, Pearls, And Fire” is one my stand out tracks on this record. Catchy hooks and dirty blues based rock make this a do NOT miss song. “Innocent Girl” slows the pace a bit but loses nothing in that. Opening with beautiful guitars, it leads into a “raise your lighter to the sky” type of ballad full of emotion and melody another stand out track for sure. “Not Yet” is a great sing along track that will get your blood pumping and head nodding in time to the hook, another favorite. “Los Canbios De Amore” is the kickass Spanish version of “Don’t Change Your Love”. “Heilo Y Fuego” is the awesome Spanish version of “Lace, Pearls, And Fire”. “Angelita” is the Spanish version of “Innocent Girl” . “Backbeat” closes out this wonderful record with another rocking tune that fills the ears with joy.
Willie Adler’s “Destructional” Guitar Lesson Available Now
Premier online music community and media company AllAxess.com have partnered with multi Grammy-nominated guitarist Willie Adler to launch the first of their Platinum Series Music Instruction Series.
All Axess have continued to make their mark on the music and media world with the addition of the Platinum Series which offer an intimate and insightful look into the approach and playing of some of the world’s top musicians. The Platinum Series contains the most interactive and personal music lessons ever and not only feature never-before audio and video content, but chances for the fans to interact and communicate with their favorite artists.
All Axess Co-founder and DevilDriver guitarist Jeff Kendrick comments about the release of the Platinum Series lessons:
“I am extremely pleased to not only offer the first of All Axess’s Platinum series instructional lessons, but to bring you the playing techniques and insights of one of the most respected heavy metal guitarists in the world. Cannot wait for all of you to enjoy it.”
Willie Adler’s “Destructional” Lesson will be the inaugural video lesson released by All Axess and will contain all aspects of his guitar playing and musicianship. The lesson will encompass the following:
1.) A complete insight into Willie’s guitar playing and will include warm-up routines, left and right-handed exercises, riffs and melodies that Willie has crafted over many years of playing.
2.) New, never before heard six“jam tracks” and audio loops produced solely by Willie for this lesson. Tracks include guitar and drum parts.
3.) Jam tracks will also be made available as session files and audio stems for the fans.
4.) Multi-camera angles that capture the riffs and techniques that have made Willie one of the most respected guitarists in the world.
5.) A unique user name and password that gives the user “Axess” to follow-up question and answer sessions with Willie.
6.) Corresponding lesson tablature to follow along and learn from.
7.) User’s will have opportunities in the future to upload and share ideas with other players and enter contests to win prizes.
How much would you guess this lesson costs? $80.00?… $100.00? We are offering a limited time only discounted rate of $7.99 for the next 30 days! The lesson will retail for $19.95 after the pre-sale! Hurry up and purchase yours today!
All Axess will be bringing you a ton more lessons and new surprises, please stay tuned to AllAxess.com.
ABOUT ALLAXESS.COM:
Founded in 2011 by DevilDriver guitarists Jeff Kendrick and Mike Spreitzer, AllAxess.com quickly became a pioneering music media community online. In addition to its main hub site with exclusive lessons and video from the world’s top musicians, the company encompasses a myriad of official sites for individual players. These include Willie Adler (Lamb of God), Chris Kael (Five Finger Death Punch), PaoloGregoletto (Trivium) and more. The brand also boasts a series of individual lesson videos, personal merchandising, official social media pages, and more. AllAxess.com has been profiled in Forbes,MetalHammer, and ARTISTdirect.com as well as numerous other media.
THESE HEARTS has returned with the release of their sophomore album, Yours To Take. THESE HEARTSteamed up with Joey Sturgis (ASKING ALEXANDRIA) and Andrew Wade (A DAY TO REMEMBER) to create the perfect soundtrack to your summer. THESE HEARTS‘ sound is a combination of honest, refreshing, and spirited choruses with stellar guest appearances from vocalists Mattie Montgomery (FOR TODAY) and Bert Poncet (CHUNK! NO, CAPTAIN CHUNK), Yours To Take boasts a balanced collection of both heavy and emotive anthems. New Noise Magazine agrees, calling the album “everything you could want from THESE HEARTS and more” and “proof that they can succeed at writing and playing any style they chose”.
We brought you A DAY TO REMEMBER and TAKING BACK SUNDAY, if you liked those bands you will loveTHESE HEARTS. Order your copy of Yours To Take at VictoryMerch.com or download the album at iTunes /AmazonMP3 and see why Huffington Post awarded it “5 out of 5 stars”. The album is also available at Best Buy for $7.99, FYE, Hastings and independent retailers.
The album release tour begins July 18th in Joliet, IL. See a full list of tour dates here.
Tour Dates:
7/18 – Joliet, IL @ Mojoe’s
7/19 – South Bend, IN @ Generic
7/20 – Kalkaska, MI @ The Fairgrounds
7/21 – Chesterfield, MI @ NYNY
7/24 – Newport, KY @ Thompson House
7/25 – Indianapolis, IN @ Irving Theater
7/26 – Terre Haute, IN @ THMV
7/27 – St. Louis, MO @ Fubar
Who says hard work and perseverance doesn’t pay off. Rob has been a friend of mine for quite a while now and this news come with great joy to me. Rob truly deserves this endorsement. Rob has been a staple in the music industry for years. He has championed the local music scenes in everywhere he has called home. He lends his valued experience to so many people. I know he loves PRS guitars and he definitely knows his way around them. What’s cool about Rob is that he has his own distinct sound. With his bands Voice Of December and Darken The Day he will put this endorsement to great use.
Sky Rock 2013 was a blast! Mrs. Hellion and I picked up daughter Hellion and then made a trek to grab Charlie “MF” Owens and headed out towards Acoma NM. We had an interview scheduled with Dave “The Snake” Sabo from Skid Row and were trying to coordinate interviews with Dokken and LA Guns. We enjoyed some rock n’ roll conversations along the way, good times with great people. We made it to Acoma and and worked out the details to get our press credentials and were treated with not only photo passes but all access as well.
We then hiked the back forty up the hill to the concert area and waited for entry into the amphitheater. We immediately ran into local openers Morbid Justice. We hung out and talked them for a bit before getting to work on covering the show.
Morbid Justice with Charlie “MF” Owens.
Morbid Justice and the Hellion
Morbid Justice put on a brutal set. With hints of early Pantera, Megadeth, and Metallica they came and they kicked ass. The crowd gave them a mighty reception and the band fed off the audience making their set even better. Great job Morbid Justice!!!
Morbid Justice
Morbid Justice
Morbid Justice
Morbid Justice
LA Guns hit the stage running playing a mix of well known classics mixed in with tracks from their new release Hollywood Forever. Phil Lewis had no trouble hitting all of his notes and his voice was spot on. Steve Riley still has the chops behind the kit and Scott Griffin kept the bottom end in check. Newcomer Michael Grant showed some serious talent on the six string. It was great to hear the songs that were part of the heyday of the Sunset Strip!
Dokken brought out the hits we all know and love. Coupled with a few new tracks they laid down a solid set giving the fans what they were waiting to hear. Don Dokken was clear and on his game. Mick Brown drums, Sean McNabb on bass, and John Levin on guitar. Great players one and all. Unfortunately we had to cut it short on watching the Dokken set as we had an interview to film with Skid Row.
We Set up and did our interview with Dave “The Snake” Sabo amidst the hustle and bustle and craziness that was the backstage area. We only had a few minutes with Dave so we made the best of it and pounded out a great interview. Check it out right here:
Skid Row owned the show without a doubt. Tight, fun, and full of energy Skid Row was a joy to watch. Johnny Solinger drew the audience in with his magnetic personality. Engaging the crowd and delivering powerful vocals. The twin guitar assault of Dave Sabo and Scotti Hill was amazing to say the least. Rachel Bolan’s bass thundered throughout the nearby hills, he even treated us to vocals on “Psychotherapy”. Rob Hammersmith provided the beat that kept them all in time. They performed the classic songs to perfection and intermingled songs off of their new EP United World Rebellion (which is an amazing piece of work). Skid Row definitely owned the night.
All in all a successful evening of ROCK N’ ROLL!!! Thank you Morbid Justice, LA Guns, Dokken, and Skid Row for the music!!!
The lead off single from the new DAMC record does NOT disappoint, 2 minutes and 49 seconds of pure aggression. This track opens as if someone is impatiently knocking at your door and then just decides to kick it in and come right in. Once they’re in, look out, some serious shit’s about to go down. The groove sets in and you almost find yourself involuntarily banging your head in time with the music. When the vocals kick in you are not sure if Dave has just gargled with some whiskey laced with razor blades and is ready to kick some ass, and you quickly feel his passion. You definitely do NOT want to be the subject of this song. It will get your blood flowing, fist pumping, and fill you full of adrenaline. You wont need an energy drink after listening to this, in fact, if you listen to this track every morning when you get up you will have all the energy you need for the day! Gang vocals, pounding drum beat, throbbing bass, and dirty guitars make “Bow Down” a hell of a good single to introduce us to The Outlaw Chronicles. ARE YOU READY?
DEATH ALLEY MOTOR CULT IS
Death Alley Dave – Vocals and Lead Guitar
Zero-G – Rhythm Guitar and backing Vox
The Falcon – Bass and backing vox
The Banker – Drums
It is with great pride and excitement that Machine Head announce Jared MacEachern as their new bass player. Jared has already begun rehearsals for the upcoming Rockstar Mayhem U.S. summer festival tour and will soon relocate from North Carolina to Northern California to begin pre-production for Machine Head’s upcoming 8th studio release.
Some fans might remember MacEachern from 2007’s The Black Tyranny Tour, playing with his previous band Sanctity. Machine Head, challenged to find a fill-in bass player for the North American tour after an injury sidelined their then-4-stringer, also found themselves in need of someone to sing harmony with singer/guitarist Robb Flynn. Flynn remembers, “We had locked in Brandon Sigmund of local boys Hostility to play bass on that tour, but we soon realized we’d need someone to hit the high harmonies. Our A&R guy Monte Conner recommended Jared since he was already on the tour, and that ended up being a great call. Jared flew out a few days before the tour and rehearsed with us and did great. What was most impressive about the whole thing was that he was doing double duty – opening for Machine Head with his band at the time Sanctity, and then later singing with us. He would stay sober until after our set, and often get in the van and drive all night. His seriousness and dedication was awesome to see and it stuck with us”.
Earlier this year, Machine Head conducted an extensive search for candidates through various channels, the most fruitful of which proved to be video submissions. Sifting through more than 400 videos, the band personally reviewed and evaluated everyone’s performances, including MacEachern, who made the short list without a second thought. Lead guitarist Phil Demmel recalls, “There were dozens of amazing players, and it was interesting to watch each one take on our tunes. One of our biggest criteria for this gig was to be able to sing the high harmonies. That was our litmus test. And Jared passed with flying colors.”
After reviewing all of the submissions, the band narrowed down the 400+ candidates to a short list of 7, each of whom took a trip to Oakland to perform a handful of songs in person and spend the day hanging with the band. Remembers Drummer Dave McClain, “Jared came in to the audition and just killed it! Besides being able to nail the bass and vocal harmonies, he also had the vibe and personality to make it feel like we were a BAND again. It was a great feeling and we all knew he was the guy.”
MacEachern first picked up concert bass at 12 and around the same time, discovered metal. Jared recalls, “I heard the song ‘Unforgiven’ and really liked it. The next day my friend gave me ‘Kill ‘Em All’ and it was over. I became completely enamored with all the metal bands of that time; Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Pantera, but when it came to bass, it was all about Cliff Burton, he was, and is my dude.” With a brief stint at the Brevard School for Music Performance, Jared has consistently played bass for the past 22 years, most notably in Sanctity, where oddly enough, the band needed a guitar player. “That was purely out of necessity” he explains, “I’d been a bass player, but that gig opened up and I gave it a shot on the 6-stringer.”
After extensive global touring with Sanctity and the birth of his daughter in 2007, the band’s release from their label ignited Jared’s sense of responsibility and he quit the band to focus on her. But music stayed a part of his life and he continued to jam locally throughout the south with death metal bands From A Dig and Telic, until he saw Machine Head were in need and thought he’d try out.
Frontman Robb Flynn reflects, “We really wanted a guy that was hungry for this, someone who could live and breathe this with us. Dave would joke around that we didn’t want to get someone too green that’d be like ‘oh my god, is this a dressing room?!’, but we also didn’t want someone who was too jaded by the whole thing and ‘been there done that’. We thought the perfect guy would be someone who’d paid some dues, who had done 9 or 10 crummy van tours, and wasn’t broken by that, but inspired to keep going and play music, and in many ways that was Jared. I mean hell, the guy’s only rode in a bus for two nights, one of which was with us! It brings a really cool level of appreciation to the table, and it shows where his heart’s at”
Jared enthuses, “I’m ready to get to work! This tour is going to kick ass and the new tunes are heavy as shit! I’m SO looking forward to making good music with good dudes!”
Death Alley Motor Cult is a band that I really have come to love over the past year. I was privileged enough to have been allowed to listen and review their new CD prior to its release. “The Outlaw Chronicles” burns through your ears with sonic fire. This CD is already a contender for my list of top 10 releases for 2013.
“The Outlaw Chronicles”
1. She Wants
2. Sex Parade
3. Bow Down
4. Funk You
5. I’m Not Dead
6. Robot Bride
7. Bad Ass Mutha
8. One More For The Road
That is the initial track listing for the advance copy I have.
I’ve been asked several times who Death Alley Motor Cult sounds like. Well, they sound like Death Alley Motor Cult. Raw, brutal, in your face unabashed rock n’ roll. This new CD carries on with this sound, it makes your heart race and gets your passions all fired up. Solid production added to accomplished song writing plus outstanding musicians make this Death Alley Motor Cult CD a MUST have. Stand out tracks for me are the lead off single “Bow Down”, “Funk You”, I’m Not Dead”, and “Bad Ass Mutha”. Death Alley Motor Cult definitely delivers with “The Outlaw Chronicles” and then some. Like some group of antiheroes DAMC has four distinct characters: Death Alley Dave – Vocals and Lead Guitar, Zero-G – Rhythm Guitar and backing Vox
The Falcon – Bass and backing vox, and The Banker – Drums. Dark, dirty, and dangerous , are words that describe a live performance by Death Alley Motor Cult and this new CD captures that vibe to the T. Don’t miss a chance to see them live, and make it a PRIORITY to pick up “The Outlaw Chronicles” by Death Alley Motor Cult when it drops this summer. I WILL be doing a feature length interview with DAMC to discuss this CD at length in the very near future!
Well, I’m back! Took some time off from the site to go to Vegas and celebrate Mrs. Hellion’s birthday and our 25th wedding anniversary.
After a relatively easy bit of Sunday traveling we arrived at the Monte Carlo, checked in and started out our Vegas excursion by hitting up Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina for an early dinner. I had some extremely good pork carnitas with a nice heffeweisen beer, while Mrs. Hellion (a steak fajita connoisseur) had steak fajitas (which she said were some of the best she has ever had) yummy dinner indeed!
We were then off to The Mirage to see The Beatles LOVE Cirque Du Soleil show.
WOW!!! This was an amazing show! I was completely impressed with the way they put this show together. The energy of the performers combined with the state of the art scenery, and the INCREDIBLE music of The Beatles lent to an amazing evening. Everywhere you looked there was something going on, dancing, trapeze, lights, and music. The highlight of the show for me was when several actors were on a poster bed and a silken cloth came from beneath the bed and grew and grew until it enveloped the lower level audience and it appeared that the bed was floating on it. Then, like magic, it was sucked back underneath the bed in an instant. This is a show that is a MUST see.
We hopped a cab back to the Monte Carlo and rested up for another assault of Vegas. We spent the next day roaming about seeing the sights and enjoying the company of each other. We did a little bit of gambling (no luck) and just had a great time.
After a wonderful day went back to the Monte Carlo to clean up and get ready to head to the Las Vegas Hotel for Raiding The Rock Vault! Thanks to my lovely wife she scored us VIP to the show!!!
We had a quick dinner at Tatuado Vince Neil Cantina where we saw vocalist Paul Shortino having dinner with his family (Paul and I shared a wave and a nod).
RAIDING THE ROCK VAULT!!! We got early admittance to the venue and were ushered into the green room to meet the guys from the show. Tracii Guns, John Payne, Paul Shortino, Andrew Freeman, Robin Mc Auley, Jay Schellen, Michael T. Ross, and Jason Boyleston came in and were very gracious and friendly to us and the other four people that were there. My wife (Dani) and Tracii had a fun discussion: my wife: Hi, I’m Dani.” Tracii: “Ha ha you have a boys name” pause “Ha ha I have a girls name.” Paul Shortino gave me a hug and we took some photos. We chatted for a few then it was off to our seats.
Our seats were KILLER! Second row right in front of Tracii Guns. There was a pretty cool story line to the show. It was based around it being the future and scientists finding a time capsule from earths past. Upon opening it the rock n’ roll poured out to the delight of the audience.
The show took us on a Rock journey from the 60’2 to the 80’s. These world class musicians played the familiar songs to perfection. They had funplaying off of each other. Paul Shortino, John Payne, Robin Mc Auley, and Andrew Freeman all shared lead vocal duties as well as guitars and bass (Andrew and John). Tracii Guns and Jason Boyleston traded smoking guitar licks back and forth through the entire show. Jay Schellen provided perfect timing behind the drums. Michael T. Ross added the right touch of keyboards to the mix.
Andrew Freeman
John Payne
Tracii Guns
Jason Boyleston
Robin Mc Auley
Paul Shortino
Jay Schellen
Michael T. Ross
This show exceeded all of my expectations and then some. Classic, iconic songs performed oustandingly! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
The rest of the time in Vegas is ours and we had fun!
the Hellion Rocks 