AVOLITION - IDES OF MARCH / OOPS! DELETED TEMP FILES

Los Angeles band Avolition's two demo's compiled into one here show the band constructing a solid base of garage over which to strut their neo-punk gander. Be it even though they start out smoothly gliding along the back path with "pride", the dissonant minor is only a thought away. The giddy-up goes quite magnificently at times, probably mottled in the curse. West Coast wanking it may seem, still relations are quite hyperbolic, definite sun-rise jam. Even as the moon comes up. Beautiful disaster. Contact: www.myspace.com/avolitionband

DRAGONWYCK - BORN INTO MADNESS

This band keep the proven fires of top-notch metal coming out of Ohio alive and fierce. Dragonwyck give kudos to all the past and future greats - Ozzy, Testament, Alice in Chains, Metallica - taking quess from these bands styles and giving us solid, heavy, introspective songs, screaming leads, with battle tank perfection. Classic heavy metal blasts from songs like Things Remembered, which recalls the genre's heyday era, and songs like Empty, which takes a huge riff and layers melodic vocals, masterfully, over the top. The band is made strong by the knowledge of metal's fabric by the individual players, working seamlessly like a well oiled machine. Mosts songs have three or more parts, something the best true metal always has (this usually separates it from alternametal, which leans more towards pop), which Metallica recently rediscovered on their new album. There is a chance Dragonwyck could be holding themselves back a tad with so much emulation, just a tad more progression would do them well. You can glimpse that in the band's arrangement on Neurotica, it gives a good direction. Overall it's a great ride throughout Born Into Madness, somewhere, Layne Stayley is smiling. Contact: Dragonwyckrocks.com / myspace.com/dragonwyckrocks

APOLLO - THIS IS MY TOWN

I'm immediately taken into a world back in time when Petty and Henley ruled the radio, then the next tune sounds like something off the Eagles In The Long Run. Retro doesn't necessarily make a band that lives in the past though, Apollo's 11 song cd is thoroughly enjoyable listening wise, with compact, tight song structures, great guitar work throughout and good vocal work. It is hard to get above the obvious lift from The Edge on songs like "Forget It", which could be that band from Ireland, if the singing didn't give it away. Apollo being an English band, I suppose it's in the genes somewhere. Maybe that's not a bad thing, yet when Hendrix shows up with the opening riff to "Lay Dormant", you start to wonder if more parts of the picture couldn't have been more the band's own, which would probably have served them well. That notwithstanding, their fan base seems to be in a grown spurt. Contact: Damage Productions Limited http://www.damagemanmage.com

WILL BLACK - DANCING WITH THE DEAD

Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea if they've never experienced great original music that is the sum of parts of so many things classic, so retro yet original and refreshing to deserve the credit bestowed upon it. You can hear traditional rock here - Faraway - proudly displayed, making for a fine mix of listening enjoyment. His sense of riff shows in almost all his songs - listen to the parts to Senorita Ballerina...... Will Black has no problem with taking the best parts of lyrical songwriting, in it's own special simplicity, and combining it with nice melody, chorus, and powerchord, to create great pop (for the kids, pop music is rock music intensified through the chorus, choice of phrasing, and melodic theme) . He has a definite Americana sound, which calls back to Born To Run Springsteen, or the better Jackson Brown. He does well with letting the guitar lead in most of his compositions. Honestly, this is the first I've heard of this artist, and it's very impressive. He needs the prefect rocker to set it off. Contact: WillBlack.com

BEYOND AGONY - LOADED PISTOL cd single

CD single from a new album which I am yet to hear in its completed form. This cd single though shows the band keeping it modern metal thickness, and possibly extending the full member into a contender. Their previous EP a couple of years ago, The Last of a Dying Breed, was compresso fantastico! This time around with the new stuff, Loaded Pistol pulls the trigger and One Day Closer has the rough interior of leaded glass, like the metal that leeches outta your pipes, it's undeniable. Crank it up! Contact: http://beyondagony.com

MINDWALK BOULEVARD - PAINT THE SECONDS

Though the disc starts off slowly, with good intentions on the sparse Beside Me, song two brings on one of the band's better songs and bigger hits, Sometimes. It connects on every level a good alternative rock song should, basic heavy rock encased with great melody and just the right repetition. The band makes a few more choice moves, such as the bite and breakdown of Patriot. They can be held guilty of laying the smaltz on Crimson Sunset, but luckily they return to the solid roots of big beat blues rock to close out the disc with Step Down. This is a younger band, with overflowing potential. Looking and hoping there is a full length release soon from this band. Contact: www.myspace.com/mindwalkblvd