20 Bulls Each - Make Your Stand

Will appear in the December 2005 edition of SLAM PUNKZINE

What will go down as a classic punk metal album, Make Your Stand combine everything, refined, that emotes heavy. There is big beat metal, hardcore rantings, thrash moshes and Oi! sing outs. "Soapbox Growler" is, by all means, welcomed on any punk or metal stage, and at anyone's party. One of the first, and best of the irecore genre of terrific heavy music coming out of Ireland, 20 Bulls Each are at once raw, irish, punk, metal, hardcore and pissed, all in evidence on the grinding "Seperates", letting you completely hear the crossfade. At internet speed, 20 Bulls Each have managed to get their underground movement accross oceans. They follow this up hardcore style with "Out To Get Me", showing diversity and honoring the system of being honest to their homage. Ending the disc with "Make Your Stand", the band sets a standard for Oi!, by using metal guitar riffs blasting over chainsaw punk rock, and just a tad of three chord boogie, with the punks screaming the anthems, then they melt it all into a sabbath caldron at the end. That's as good as it gets son. Contact: gcummins@mater.ie, http://www.20bullseach.com

Will appear in the February 2006 edition of THE UNDERGROUND SOUND WEBZINE

Joshua Gabriel - 21st Century Blues

Every once in a while you get some shit that you know could be huge if the artist halfways has their shit together and isn't a complete psycho (like most of us are). Joshua Gabriel is that kinda shit. While true it isn't so friggin ground breaking that it'll stop the press, but it's the closest to that I've experienced in close to a year. You have to look over the drum machine in a few places, but otherwise this is some far out funky alternative vibe. This is like the stuff you get out when you're feelin', fud it, let's cruise. Blues, industrial, folk, hip hop and psychedelia all meet here. More fun than blast you down, Joshua Gabriel is like a good soul tonic, washin' it down with rock n roll. Someday, kids, if you got some friggin talent, you might be this cool. Contact: http://www.myspace.com/joshuagabriel, http://www.joshuagabriel.com, info@joshuagabriel.com, 347-512-0523

These reviews will appear in Slam Punkzine, December 2005

BOMB FACTORY - FAT BOOST

One of those discs that sounds good when you first listen to it, and after a few listens starts sounding great. This shows the band in full knockout mode, learning well and expanding upon punk legends such as Bad Relgion and Green Day, but doing it the Bomb Factory way. This 2002 release was followed by the album Discord (this mini plus maxi single Discord), gaining the band further international acclaim. Working off this release, and a career that spans back to 1994 with the first release "Explode A Bomb Shell", Bomb Factory have blistered the continent of Europe on tour and are in many minds Japan's finest punk band. Fat Boost will not let you down. Contact: Wenke Christine in Tokyo - wenke16@soleil.ocn.ne.jp tel: 81-3 34024702, http:// www.bombfactory.jp, http://www.limited-records.com, Monstar Records Japan 03-3568-2211


BOMB FACTORY - ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER LIFE

Expanding upon Bomb Factory's impressive talent and repertoire, Another Day, Another Life shows a still building creative force of original ideas within the band. Most bands after 10+ years get stuck in a rut, Bomb Factory just get that much better. The songwriting on Another Day, Another Life is exceptional, with backing vocals strong and soaring, verses driving, guitars cranking. Throughout the album there are elements of hardcore, metal, street punk & Oi! in strong evidence. Every song is a fist in the air scream-along. As this band hits the states in 2006, expect Bomb Factory to go over big, in fact demand it. I have no doubts this band will deliver the goods. Another Day, Another Life is one of the strongest releases of any band in the past two years. Contact: Wenke Christine in Tokyo - wenke16@soleil.ocn.ne.jp tel: 81-3 34024702, http:// www.bombfactory.jp, http://www.limited-records.com, Monstar Records Japan 03-3568-2211

ATRIUM - Free Falling

Appears in the December 2005 edition of Electroid

Great chill with strong r&b soul. Lots of underground house, hip hop and acid jazz overtones make the vocals of Nicolle Ross shimmer inside the syncopation. Kudos to songmaster Zimar who also produced this gem. This is the type of stuff you use to set the mood, and stoke the fire. Sultry, funky, & smooth. At times relaxing, always beautiful. Every late night dj needs this disc, so does every couple, for when the mood is right, through Atrium the spirits approach. One of the better r&b albums I've heard in a while. Yes, it is that good. Contact: Abstrakt Reality Records, 6958 Orion Ave. Van Nuys, CA http://www.abstraktreality.com

SAVING JANE - Girl Next Door
This review will appear in the January 2006 edition of Underground Sound

Strong, flowing alternapop, showcasing well relating streams of conciousness that many bands take many albums to develop. Saving Jane has a emotive feel to the music which undoubtfully is pressed closer by the professional delivery of singer Marti Dodson, whose voice seems to be just the ticket for the music. Lyrically the songwriting is excellent, never being too much, just always seemingly the right mix arrangement wise. There's no over the top blasting guitar solos, just tasty stuff. Opener "Who's Cryin' Now" and the title cut might be the strongest selections as singles. There is also possible alt-country crossover potential on things like "Reasons Why", and "Ordinary". There used to be more bands like this, ones you can go see and enjoy the whole show. Could be big things up ahead. Contact: http://savingjane.com/, Email - band@savingjane.com, Management - Mark Liggett, Alert Entertainment, 513-583-9607, mark@alertentertainment.com; Booking Info - Billy Messer, Union Artists Group, 864-427-6464, billy@unionartistsgroup.com, Record Label - Toucan Cove, info@toucancove.com