Beasto Blanco

Calgon couldn't take me away.  And, of all things, neither could my very own cowbell. I was running out of options to take away my frustrations and writer blues.  So I called a friend. 

What he suggested:  Beasto Blanco, a band with awesome rock with tight melodies and great lyrics. They're that way because Chuck Garric, a former bassist for Alice Cooper, as the lead vocalist, and Chris Latham on lead guitar, are two make up this band that has rich old-school roots.



What it was to me:  Something that could do more than what Calgon is capable of, and in a shorter amount of time.  It did more than just take me away.  It took me back to a time when I was much younger than I am now, that anything was possible, that the sky was the limit to anything I could do.

What I would like to do:  Give you, the reader, a "sales pitch" in three songs, all of which can be heard on Reverbnation.

Though I'm more than twice the age I was when I listened for hours on end to all of the rock music I could stand, I am glad all of that listening has gone to good use.  That was my thought when I heard "California".  I know all of you will get it when I refer to "Mojo rising" and "Lizard King."  Guys, you had me at song one; this was it.  It was more than enough to "Light My Fire."

Pretty soon, and for a long time, I was able to put aside my realities and fantasize about being a totally different person, one with no limits or boundaries, and throw caution to the wind.  I got into that mindset when I heard "Vegas Baby Vegas."

Lastly, there is "Beasto Blanco."  Needless to say, those of you who appreciate the music from the '70s will be all over this one simply because of the title.  But it doesn't end there.  How about a Crue-esque guitar riff, and KISS-esque drums (I heard "Strutter"? Speaking of the former glam rock reference, you've got to be motivated and inspired by the "living fast" phrase.  And to boot, I think it's about time for country music to give that "hell, yeah" back to us rockers.   

In a nutshell:  Solid rock music with tight melodies, which by no means let up; killer guitar riffs and drums, which only make you want to hear this music over and over again; and music replete with classic rock sounds.

Are you sold?  I hope so.

Bullet Boys, Elefante

It never ceases to amaze me that the rock bands I knew of in the late 80s/early 90s are back and have new CDs.  They include but certainly are not limited to Autograph, Faster Pussycat, W. A. S. P., and Enuff Z 'Nuff.

Then, in spite of many changes in band members in that same span of time, we still have the Bullet Boys.

One thing is for sure:  Marq Torien nails it in showing the rock music world he still has it. His voice maintains the steadiness and strength in all of the eleven songs of Elefante.



The first thing I had to do is not think--and I am relaying this message to you--about the Bullet Boys we knew back in the day.  Expect a different sound.

The CD starts off with a great rocker called "Rollover."  I can wallow around all day in that old school-style rock.  What a great start to the CD!

Where I really felt the Bullet Boys vibe was in "The Villain."  The bass especially kept the song going.  So a big kudos to Chad MacDonald for that.

There is a bit of humility and sentimentality in their music--right in the middle, to be exact.  Where is it found?  In "Kin Folk."  What makes it great?  The soulful backup vocals.

"Symphony" starts off with a pop sound that is too strong for my taste. With the alternating pop and rock sounds, it left me confused.  It wasn't its own symphony to my ears.  However, the backup vocals saved the song.

Where I felt like they were gravitating toward the pop end of things was in "As Dumb As." Aside from the title possessing the same cadence as Was Not Was, the tone of the song made it sound like today's Top 40 music.

The Bullet Boys sound has always been compared to AC/DC and Van Halen.  I will add another one to that list:  Slaughter.  When I heard the end of "Tsunami" and "Drop Your Weapon," I couldn't help thinking of such hits as "Eye to Eye," "Up All Night" and "Out for Love."  Guys,please consider this a compliment, because when I hear their albums, I hear new things each time in those absolutely wild intros and outros.

How I would describe Elefante, in a nutshell:  Some great rock moments, some great pop moments. It's more or less hit and miss.  In time, I know this CD will grow on me.  If it happened to me when I first heard Heart's Little Queen, from hearing Bad Animals back around 1987, I know the same will happen when it comes to Elefante.

Scent of Remains

Yesterday was the first of February.  Scent of Remains had other firsts, themselves, last night.  It was their first show of the year--and with their new lead guitarist, Brian Roark (formerly of Reign Like Rain).

And to boot, they were the first band to play for the band many loyal thrash fans love to see: Battlecross.  Scent of Remains never let up in giving the audience strong melodics, not the least of which the vocals, the guitars...and the drums.  As for the latter, he contributed so much energy was so strong, someone in the audience shouted, "Killer drums!".

To that end, I say:  Killer band for a killer show.