Album Review: Rammstein: Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da

Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da

Rammstein

Universal Music/Vagrant Records

• The Bottom Line
• More Teutonic madness from hybrid metal/industrial band.

• Pros
• Vintage Rammstein sound that combines elements of metal and industrial music.

Till Lindemann's vocals are consistently powerful and interesting.

• Cons

The band might be trying for a cheap publicity bump with the song "Pu--y."

• Description

Released October 22 by Vagrant Records.
Rammstein formed in Berlin, Germany in 1994.
Sehnsucht received gold status in the United States.

Guide Review - Rammstein - 'Liebe Ist Für Alle Da'

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Nope, I don’t understand a single word of German outside of Beck’s. But that hasn’t stopped me from listening to Rammstein and attending their pyrotechnic-enhanced shows. The Teutonic rockers have always produced music that worked for both headbangers and Goths on an industrial dance floor. While the latest album Liebe Ist Für Alle Da shows little musical growth from previous efforts it’s vintage Rammstein nonetheless: beefy power chords; precise keyboards and vocalist Till Lindemann’s mesmerizing trill and Germanic bark.

Rammstein is one of the few German metal acts besides The Scorpions and Accept to find any sort of mainstream acceptance in the United States. The only issue is that fame was primarily for the single "Du Hast," a radio regular and a staple in spinning classes to this day. Many listeners missed out on what Rammstein produced in the years after Sehnsucht, including their excellent album Mutter. Hopefully this album will get Rammstein back in the mix as there are several tracks that deserve attention and would entice mainstream listeners. “Waidmanns Heil” marches like a modern barbarian anthem and “Wiener Blut” has Lindemann’s voice trading between shouts and monologues with overpowering guitars and synths.

The track guaranteed to get the band the most attention is “P—sy,” which features English lyrics that appear transcribed from a bathroom wall on the Jersey Turnpike. The gist is that the band can’t get laid in Germany (unlikely) and needs someone to help them “do it quick.” The X-rated video also includes the band indulging in live sex acts. It’s hard to tell if this is genuine artistic statement or calculated publicity stunt. I suspect the latter. As for the song? It’s not the best track on the album, but is catchy, if puerile. It might detract from the other good songs but help Rammstein sell albums. And plenty of bands won’t be able to call themselves transgressive when Rammstein engaged in pornography to help promote an album.

Rammstein will always be best experienced live, where band members play with fire as a fierce backbeat rages. But Liebe Ist Für Alle Da shows a still energized band that's unafraid to push their music past the boundaries of acceptability.

Credits: Justin M. Norton,

Concert Review: Rob Zombie (Kansas City Show)

Review :Rob Zombie

TIMOTHY FINN TFINN@KCSTAR.COM
 
The best live shows help us express deep emotions, or they help us escape our troubles. As much as anyone’s, a Rob Zombie show is an extravagant flight from reality into the imagination of its creator. If you can’t set aside your troubles at a Zombie show, your problems may be bigger than you thought.
Saturday night, the rock star/film creator/screenwriter born Robert Cummings drew a maxed-out sell-out crowd to the Uptown Theater. The line to the downstairs men’s room was 20 deep at one point; the bars were backed up like they were giving away the beer.
Zombie brought with him the usual array of visual stimulants: a video show rife with clips from sci-fi horror movies; footage of some soft-core topless go-go dancers; and lots of lights and animation. He brought some props, too, including a glowing 10-foot robot monster. As usual, Zombie and his band were a sight, dressed in several variations of zombie apparel.
Great visuals alone won’t carry a show; the music has to bear at least equal weight. Zombie’s style is thunderous, primordial metal that you can shake a fist at or dance to: industrial disco with claws and fangs. It’s loud and uproarious, but it flashes some melody and never shakes its groove.
The 95-minute set included old songs, like “Superbeast” and “Dragula,” and something brand new: “Sick Bubble Gum” and “What?” from “Hellbilly Deluxe 2.”
Zombie’s music and the presentation are always entertaining, but the ace up his sleeve is his personality, which is an appealing mix of sincerity, sarcasm and deadpan wit. He’s funny and doesn’t take himself seriously, but he respects his fans and he shows it.
He respects his ace band, too, and he gave a nice chunks of the spotlight to his guitarist, John 5 (John Lowery), and his drummer, Tommy Clufetos, both of whom delivered brief but very entertaining solos. Lowery used his time to flash some classic-rock riffs (including the James Gang’s “Funk No. 49”) and ignite a verse and chorus to “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” — the version made famous by his former boss, Marilyn Manson.
The evening ended with “Dragula,” which aroused the kind of response that Ozzy gets for “Crazy Train.” If Zombie has a hit, it’s this irresistible song.
By the time they’d taken their final bows, midnight had passed and it was early Sunday morning, which felt appropriate for a show that hyperbolizes the dark side and things ungodly.
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Set list: What Lurks on Channel X?; Superbeast; Super-Charger Heaven; Living Dead Girl; Demon Speed; More Human Than Human; Sick Bubblegum; House of 1,000 Corpses; Never Gonna Stop; Scum of the Earth; What?; American Witch; Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This); Thunder Kiss ’65. Encore: Werewolf Women of the S.S.; The Lords of Salem; Dragula.
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This pretty much sums up the St. Louis show from last night at The Pageant in Delmar Loop - My only review is that Rob Zombie really knows how to put on a good show and I can not wait for him to come back to the Mid West. Show of the year, hands down.
 
Credit: Kansas City Star

Rob Zombie: Hellbilly Deluxe 2

Rob Zombie used horror to make a life after metal. Now he's returning to the hard rock that made him a commodity, following a stint directing Hollywood major-studio B-movies The Devil's Rejects and the Halloween reboot. In the '90s, both White Zombie LPs went double-platinum before Zombie traded the group for his solo career, which started as a light retread of the band's big riffs and bigger beats and then trailed off through the curiously tepid rock of 2006's Educated Horses. Presumably, he'll get back to basics on the forthcoming Hellbilly Deluxe 2. The sequel to his solo debut has been pushed to next year after a surprising defection from his longtime label home, Geffen, to Roadrunner Records, whose roster includes Nickelback and Slipknot. For this tour, expect Zombie's greatest hits and his eye-popping first foray into the era of giant video-screen stage shows.

The Hellbilly Deluxe 2 track listing is as follows:
1. Jesus Frankenstein
2. Sick Bubblegum
3. What?
4. Mars Needs Women
5. Werewolf, Baby!
6. Virgin Witch
7. Death and Destiny Inside The Dream Factory
8. Burn
9. Cease to Exist
10. Werewolf Women of the SS
11. The Man Who Laughs
 
 
 
 
Visit http://www.robzombie.com/ or www.myspace.com/robzombie for Hellbilly Deluxe 2 World Tour updates, including the official blog, Twitter  feed, photos, and videos directly from the road. Hellbilly Deluxe 2 World Tour tickets are on sale now!!
 
Credits: RFT: D.X. Ferris Official Website Sleaze Roxx

Whats on my iPod: Stone Sour - Come What(ever) May

Ive been in an "oldies" kind of mood lately, autumn is almost here and the change in seasons always gets me thinking. Today I woke in the mood for something old, yet familiar. I remember first buying this CD, the first day it came out August 1, 2006. I popped it into my car stereo, at that time I was rocking a Red 98 Grand Am GT! (Oh boy!) but I remember driving down the road, windows down, wind blowing through my hair and not thinking about anything except the lyrics coming from Corey Taylor (vocals). It's truly an amazing album and I refuse to think otherwise! So take a step back & dust off this album, it's a great one!

Track Listing:
1. 30/30-150
2. Come What(ever) May
3. Hell & Consequences
4. sillyworld
5. Made Of Scars
6. Reborn
7. Your God
8. Through Glass
9. Socio
10. 1st Person
11. Cardiff
12. Zzyzx Rd

Band Bio:

Early days(1992 - 1997)
Stone Sour was founded by Corey Taylor, vocalist of Slipknot, and former drummer Joel Ekman. Taylor's long time friend, Shawn Economaki, also of Slipknot fame, joined shortly after, and filled in as the bass player. The band had played clubs and bars with different guitarists - often filling the position for just one show. This time, Stone Sour recorded 2 demo tapes, in 1992 and 1994. Shortly after, in 1995, James Root - who is now also part of Slipknot with Taylor - joined the band. The group was complete, and in 1996 recorded another demo tape, and songs from which would later be used in 2002 on their self titled debut album, Stone Sour. The band was named after an alcoholic drink that consists of one part whiskey, one part orange juice, with a splash of sour mix.

In 1997 the band went on hiatus when Taylor and Root spent most of their time with Slipknot, who were another up-and-coming act in Des Moines at the time who were to soon earn a record deal. Root also joined the band a year later, and Economaki went on to become their stage manager. Ekman stayed in Des Moines, and formed a family.


Debut album(2002 - 2003)
After Josh Rand joined the band, the band recorded their debut self-titled album in Cedar Falls, Iowa, which was released on 31 July 2002 in the UK, and on the 1st of August in the US. Aided by the song "Bother" which was featured on the Spider-Man soundtrack (credited only to Taylor), the album went on to become Gold. The band toured for six months with label mates Sinch and Chevelle before going on a temporary hiatus as Taylor and Root went back to join Slipknot for another album and tour.


Come What(ever) May, live album, and another hiatus(2005 - 2007)
The band came back in 2006 to release their second studio album, Come What(ever) May. They parted ways with drummer Joel Ekman who left to take care of his cancer stricken son, and later recruited current drummer, Roy Mayorga of Soulfly. The track 30/30-150 was recorded with Godsmack drummer Shannon Larkin. The album was released on August 1, 2006. It was met with great reviews from critics, and sold 80,000 copies in the first week, allowing it to debut at number four on the Billboard 200. The band toured for the next year and a half, releasing the Live in Moscow album exclusively to iTunes on August 14, 2007. Corey Taylor and James Root returned to Slipknot to record their fourth full length studio album, All Hope Is Gone. Mayorga is now performing with the band Black President. While on the road with Slipknot, Taylor and Root are said to be writing for the next Stone Sour album. Currently, on the main website, there is a strange count-up that seemingly counts up to 60 days and starts over. No report on what this is for yet.


3rd Album (2009 and Beyond)
Corey Taylor talked to Rock Sound magazine about the future of Stone Sour. "We are already started to put together demos for Stone Sour. Our new stuff sounds real melodic but real dark, it is way darker than the first two albums and way more cohesive. I don't know what it is, I'm still flushing shit out."

Concert Announce: Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie is coming to the Pageant, along with comedian Bo Burnham.

– Hellbilly Deluxe Tour 2 with Rob Zombie, Nekromantix, Captian Clegg, 8 p.m. Nov. 15, $35, on sale Friday 9/25.
Other Just Announced Concerts @ The Pageant:
– Fake ID Tour with Bo Burnham, 8 p.m. Nov. 14, $23-$25. Buy three tickets for week of sales and get one free, on sale Friday.

– Lou Barlow and the Missing Men have been added to the Oct. 14 Dinosaur Jr. show. Tickets are $22-$25, on sale now.

Tickets are at Ticketmaster outlets, http://www.ticketmaster.com/, 800-745-8000, and at the venue.

Album Review: War is the Answer - Five finger Death Punch

The 411: From top to bottom, this is a really solid album. The work of Moody and Hook (Moody Hook would've made for a better band name, by the way) is absolute class and a treat for the ears. The lyrics are the only real weakness that exposes these guys as a band that aren't that much different from all of the rest in their genre. But they actually do have the potential to separate themselves from the pack as this record shows. While there's room for improvement, this is definitely enough to be getting on with.
Final Score: 8.0 [ Very Good ] Review from 411mania.com written by David Wilcox

check out the review here.

[u]Band Members of Five Finger Death Punch:[/u]

Ivan Moody – vocals

Jason Hook – guitar

Zoltan Bathony – guitar

Matt Snell – bass

Jeremy Spencer - drums

Track listing:

1. Dying Breed

2. Hard to See
3. Bulletproof

4. No One Gets Left Behind

5. Crossing Over

6. Burn It Down

7. Far From Home

8. Falling in Hate

9. My Own Hell

10. Walk Away

11. Canto 34

12. Bad Company

13. War is the Answer

Check out Five Finger Death Punches Website!! Please support this band by buying their album on iTunes and purchasing tickets to support them live in concert!