#asgardradio

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@lambofgod in Raleigh NC @asgardradio #metal #metalguitarist #metalgods #lambofgod #asgardradio (at Red Hat Amphitheater)

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@lambofgod in Raleigh NC @asgardradio #metal #lambofgod #metalguitar #metalguitarist #asgardradio (at Red Hat Amphitheater)

[outwithambler-blog]

@lambofgod in Raleigh NC @asgardradio #lambofgod #metal #metalgods #asgardradio (at Red Hat Amphitheater)

[outwithambler-blog]

@lambofgod in Raleigh NC @asgardradio #lambofgod #asgardradio #metal #metalgods (at Red Hat Amphitheater)

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@lambofgod @asgardradio #lambofgod #randyblyth #metal #metalgods #raleighnc #asgardradio (at Red Hat Amphitheater)

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@lambofgod @asgardradio Raleigh NC #metal #metaldrummer #heavymetal #asgardradio #lambofgod (at Red Hat Amphitheater)

[bloodrockmediareviews-blog]

Sianvar - Stay Lost

Sianvar, a conglomeration of members from Dance Gavin Dance, Hail the Sun, Stolas, and A lot Like Birds, released their debut full length album, Stay Lost on August 5th.   If you aren’t familiar with Sianvar, let me introduce you; they are a super progressive/post-hardcore group made up of uber talented members Donovan Melero (vocals), Will Swan (guitar), Sergio Medina (guitar), Joseph Arrington (drums), and Michael Franzino (bass).  Their 2014 self-titled EP, Sianvar, is straight up fire and should definitely be given a listen.

Now back to Stay Lost, “Omniphobia”, the first single was blowing my mind, I blasted that shit more times than I care to admit.  With almost hallucinogenic guitars, Swan and Medina hold nothing back, and the result is mind blowing. Then “Psychosis Succumbing” debut and again, muy caliente, I was still hooked to the infectious groove of “Omniphobia” but “Psychosis Succumbing” was still damn good.  These two tracks had me salivating with anticipation of Stay Lost.

Finally, the day I’ve been waiting for, August 5th, the wait is finally over.   I’m sitting at my desk, palms sweating profusely (okay that may be an exaggeration), and I hit play.  The first track, “Stay Lost” comes on and it’s pretty good, but next up is my jam, “Omniphobia”, with riffs so dope and bass lines so funky, everything is a blur for a bit. So much so that I somehow made it to the seventh track, “Coordinate Love”, before realizing I had missed “Psychosis Succumbing”, so I have to rewind.  “Coordinate Love” and “1100 Days” are definite bangers, boasting upbeat grooves galore.

And that’s where it ends, not the album, there are still two more songs on Stay Lost, but they seem to be, quite honestly, filler. A bit disappointing, particularly when you know what a band of this caliber is capable of, that they underwhelm.  Stay Lost wasn’t a bad experience or even a less than good one, it just felt like an experience. To quote Batman’s young ward Robin “Overwhelmed, underwhelmed, nobody is ever just whelmed.” Well Boy Wonder, this guy was just whelmed.

Written by Ken Bowden for Bloodrock Media on August 15, 2016

[bloodrockmediareviews-blog]

Single Mothers - Meltdown

Single Mothers is one of those noisy punk bands that just grabs you, despite the silly ass name, the music is no fuckin’ joke. In their latest release Meltdown, Single Mothers return to form, bringing in your face attitude, lyrics as catchy as they are biting, and the growling yet groovy punk rock they’ve come to be loved for.

The title track and opener, “Meltdown”, starts things off with a bang, the guitar crunches and kicks, and the drums are a-blasting. By the time it ends you’re hyped up and ready for the rest of the ride this EP is about to take you on. One of the best things about “Meltdown” is it takes you back to yesteryear of punk rock, the days of The Refused, Quicksand, early Glassjaw without sounding dated or stale.

Did they reinvent punk rock with these five killer tracks? Nope. Did they prove that punk is still alive and well outside of the trendy pop punk bopper set? You bet your sweet ass they did.

The only real downside of Meltdown is the length (that’s what she said), while EPs are typically short and Single Mothers is no strangers to fast and furious EPs, it is a bit of a buzzkill to hear these five amazing tracks and 15 short minutes later it is over. The silver lining, and of course there always has to be a silver lining, is that there’s almost always a repeat button on most music playing devices and for that we are thankful. So if you’re feigning for more, you can press repeat OR snatch up Wild Party (2010), S/T (2011), or their full length album Negative Qualities (2014) to get your fix. That being said Meltdown is DEFINITELY a must listen for anyone who likes music that gets the adrenaline pumping.

Written by Ken Bowden on August 26, 2016 for Bloodrock Media