CD Review: Pop Music Finds Its Youth With Young London

From Boston, MA comes the new pop duo Young London with their new self-titled debut album on Fugitive Records. Performers Matt and Sarah find the right combination of Katy Perry and Bruno Mars, and then add a bit of electro-dance flair to their original sound.

The album’s lead-off single “New Reputation” is very addicting with its repetitive chorus and top 40 beats that just get carried through the entire album. Every song sounds like a radio hit, including “Let Me Go” and “Dangerous.” The song “Whipped” is one of the highlights of the album that fully displays the talents of these two musical artists. Sarah’s vocals on “The Good Stuff” and “U Got Me” can be compared to some of today’s pop divas as she may, one day, become the newest member to this club.

For information on Young London, including song samples, videos, tour dates and more, check out their facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/younglondonmusic).

CD Review: Coldworker Answers "The Doomsayer's Call"

From Sweden comes death metal band Coldworker with a new release entitled "The Doomsayer's Call." The new album has been two years in the making and will be out on February 14 through Listenable Records.

The album opens with "A New Era," which is actually one of the slower songs on the album. It features one of many great, but all too quick guitar solos by Anders Bertilsson. Then, the songs on the album take-off with neck-breaking speed and lyrics about the occult. The band lets up for a moment with "The Pessimist" which doesn't just go for speed but, changes the tempo slightly to keep the song fresh. Coldworker continue their attack with the aggressive vocals of "Living Is Suffering" and machine-gun drumming of "Violent Society." The album closes with the song "The Phantom Carriage," which may be the most accessible song on the album for those not familiar with Coldworker's music.

The band has one show scheduled at the moment at Neurotic Deathfest 2012. For more information on Coldworker and their new album, check out coldworker.com.

CD Review: Virus Cycle Remix "Zombieland"

From Boston, MA comes the latest form Industrial, Techno band Virus Cycle. The band's music revolves around a location called "Zombieland" as their sound mixes elements of Nine Inch Nails with ingredients from the band Prodigy, highlighted by the darkness of Bauhaus.

The new album entitled "Return to Zombieland" features 12 remixes of past songs along with 2 brand new tracks. The album begins with a marching club beat of "Bring You Down (Forever)" with its deep, dark, haunting vocals supplied by Johnny Virum. The other new song, "City of The Dead" is a more powerful piece of music with its creeping vocals and repetitive background beat. The rest of the songs on this release are newly created remixes of other songs by Virus Cycle. Some of the better ones are the keyboard driven "The Last Man On Earth (Blutaenasche Mix)" and "Alice In Zombieland (Re-Interpretation by Devil-M) which has a great tribal beat that carries the song.

For more information on Virus Cycle and their new release, please visit their facebook page (facebook.com/viruscycle).

CD Review: Nightwish Release Their "Imaginaerum"

Finish metal band Nightwish have just released a new album entitled “Imaginaerum.” Their sound is different from the normal, head-banging heavy metal sound, as they incorporate a heavy symphonic blast of music on their albums. The band’s last album “Dark Passion Play” cracked the Top 100 on the Billboard US album charts and hit #1 in five other countries. Their new album was released January 10 on Roadrunner Records and it is considered a concept album about an old composer reminiscing about his youth while on his deathbed.

The album’s first single “Storytime,” sets the stage for a musical adventure with a hard-hitting drumbeat and soaring vocals supplied by lead singer Anette Olzon. The hard sound of “Ghost River” is balanced by the fragileness of “Slow, Love, Slow.” If you think that violins can’t be used in heavy metal, then take a listen to “I Want My Tears Back,” as solos are traded back and forth. The song “Scaretale” is concept song within itself as it features a load of tempo changes and aggressive, storied lyrics. Olzon’s voice gets beautifully highlighted with the acoustics in “Turn Loose The Mermaids,”before returning with the heaviness of “Rest Calm.” All these songs lead us to the thirteen-and-a-half minute epic climax of “Song of Myself” which shows us the full potential of this band’s symphonic metal sound.

The new album was released earlier in their home country of Finland and sold over 50,000 copies in one day. The band is beginning their tour in Finland in March before heading over to Europe in April. Visit the band’s website (nightwish.com) for a complete list of tour dates, as well as information on the new album.

Concert Review: Gigantour Hits Connecticut With Second Tour Stop

The Gigantour is a Heavy Metal festival that began in 2005 by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine. He said that he originally chose the bands as way to "put together a festival that consisted of positive bands that play heavy music in a high energy environment." After a three year hiatus, the Gigantour festival returned this year with the band's Megadeth, Motorhead, Volbeat, and Lacuna Coil. The festival made its appearance at the Mohegan Sun arena Friday night.

The saying goes that "if it's too loud, then you're too old." Well, I must be showing my age if I say that the band Motorhead plays loud. The three piece band revolves around leader/singer/bassist Lemmy Kilmister, who is considered a legend in the heavy metal community. The alarmed sounded which signaled the beginning of an attack on your eardrums as the band blasted away with "Bomber" and "Damage Case." Phil Campbell's guitar blazed a path with songs "I Know How to Die" and "Over The Top," as mosh pits broke out at the beginning of every song. Mikkey Dee's drum solo during the song "The One To Sing The Blues" turned up the volume as the rest of the band rejoined him on stage. The audience was out of control with crowd surfing during fan favorites "Killed By Death" and "Ace of Spades" as Lemmy stated that "we are Motorhead and we play rock 'n' roll." The band finished with an all too quick version of "Overkill" as the audience was hoping for an encore that never came. But not to worry, headliners Megadeth were still to come.

Megadeth are touring behind a brand new, top twenty album and will be celebrating their 30th anniversary next year, so they were ready to blow away the crowd. The only problem was that they had to follow Motorhead who have become the masters of getting a crowd rocking. As the curtain dropped, lead singer/guitarist Dave Mustaine walked onstage with his double-neck, Flying-V guitar singing the first words to the 1997 single "Trust." Mustaine's vocals seemed lost in the mix as his voice has gotten deeper and not as powerful as they once have been. He and his bandmates did get the crowd moving with the popular song "Sweating Bullets," but that was one of the only a few highlights from their short one hour set. New songs "Public Enemy No. 1," "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)," and "Guns, Drugs & Money" seemed to fit in perfectly with older songs "Angry Again" and "Symphony of Destruction." Mustaine invited Lacuna Coil singer Cristina Scabbia to sing on the 1995 single "A Tout le Monde," but it did not draw as much attention as their biggest hit "Peace Sells." Demanding more, the audience was treated to an encore of "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" which left the band's performance on a high note, but it was not one of the best performances that evening.

The night began with a 25-minute aggressive set from Lacuna Coil which featured songs from their new album "Dark Adrenaline." Then a 50-minute set from Volbeat blew the audience away with their blend of punk, rockabilly and heavy metal. Songs like "Sad Man's Tongue" and "Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza" won over new fans as they got the adrenaline flowing for Motorhead.

Motorhead Setlist: Bomber, Damage Case, I Know How To Die, Metropolis, Over The Top, The Chase Is Better Than The Catch, The One To Sing The Blues, Killed By Death, Ace of Spades, Overkill

Megadeth Setlist: Trust, Wake Up Dead, Hanger 18, Sweating Bullets, Angry Again, Poison Was The Cure, Dawn Patrol, Public Enemy No. 1, Whose Life (Is Is Anyway?), Guns Drugs & Money, A Tout le Monde, Symphony of Destruction, Peace Sells, Holy Wars...The Punishment Due