Sixx:A.M - Prayers For The Blessed Vol.2 (2016)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative / modern Rock

Label - Eleven Seven Music

Track listing:

01. Barbarians (Prayers For The Blessed)
02. We Will Not Go Quietly
03. Wolf At Your Door
04. Maybe It's Time
05. The Devil's Coming
06. Catacombs
07. That's Gonna Leave A Scar
08. Without You
09. Suffocate
10. Riot In My Head
11. Helicopters

SIXX: A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx along with guitarist DJ Ashba and vocalist James Michael release the second half of their 2-part blazing hard rock albums, Prayers For The Blessed Vol.2.
“Vol. 1, Prayers For The Damned” and “Vol. 2, Prayers For The Blessed” were both written and recorded at the same time, they are companion pieces carefully structured to kick the bands own sound print upstairs to its fullest tilt and it brings the demand to the fans of Nikki Sixx.
You can not ask for much more hard rock swagger from the heart and soul to the fans than this. Sixx et al deliver. Coming off their 2015 tour Nikki Sixx had stated that being onstage really influenced the way they connect and write, and you can really hear the effects throughout the two albums, having a much more solid consistent and band sound to them than the bands previous releases.

This monster album kicks off with “Barbarians (Prayers for the Blessed)” a fist pumping anthemic track that sets the tone for the rest; big vocals and a blistering lead really make this track stand out. “We Will Not Go Quietly” is next up. There is more of a groove on this one. It hits hard, but the melody continues to be the focus.
Stepping into the grooving motion of “That's Gonna Leave A Scar” to the 'rockpertic' show of “Maybe It's Time” showcases the diversity that lives and breathes deep within the talents of Nikki Sixx.
“Wolf At My Door” has some dirt and grit breathed in, while the heartfelt ballad “Maybe It's Time” strikes the emotive. Guitarist Ashba really delivers his skills on “Catacombs” and the hardest rock sound to come from the album falls on track, “The Devils Coming.” Opening acoustically “Suffocate” leads to a hailing crunch when the chorus kicks in.

The songs are brilliant, the production is excellent, bringing the best out of each song, and the band are performing at the peak of the talents, Go and buy it now. Simply A Must

Rating: 10/10

SIXX A.M. - Prayers For The Damned Vol.1 (2016)

Genre - Hard Rock / Modern Rock

Label - Eleven Seven Music (Warner)

Track listing:

01 - Rise
02 - You Have Come To The Right Place
03 - I'm Sick
04 - Prayers For The Damned
05 - Better Man
06 - Can't Stop
07 - When We Were Gods
08 - Belly Of The Beast
09 - Everything Went To Hell
10 - The Last Time (My Heart Will Hit The Ground)
11 - Rise Of The Melancholy Empire

Again this album has been out about a month or so, but again what an album it is. Now Sixx:A.M. are a strange beast for me. I found their debut, The Heroine Diaries to be okay, a few really good tracks but nothing that really held my attention. Then we had the acoustic mini album 7, which I thought was amazing. That was followed by the album that really did catch my attention, This Is Gonna Hurt, an album that really blew me away. But I then found its follow up, Modern Vintage, once again didn't really ,match up to its predecessor and struggled to hold my attention. Therefore I felt a little trepidation as I faced listening to the bands latest offering, Prayers For The Damned Vol.1, But I needn't have worried, its a cracking album, and quite possibly the most rounded and fulfilling album that the band have released to date!
Prayers For The Damned Vol.1 represents the band most complete and ambitious work. They have been together for seven years and the sound gets tighter and tighter, with the album including some of the heavier songs this band ever released, musically and lyrically, but also darn catchy rocking melodies.
There simply is not a bad track on this album! The opener "Rise", also chosen to be the first single, is an ultra cool rocker with a heavy guitar riff and a murderous groove.  The title song is a mid pace one, a tune with a kind of a sad vibe, "Belly of the Beast" has nothing to do with the Anthrax song, having the same title. Instead of, Sixx:A.M. create a song that belongs to the craziest ones on this long player. It is a dark creepy number, that is simply brilliant. "Better Man" isn't really the ballad you might expect, instead a great rocker built upon the acoustic guitars, seriously this song is huge!
"Everything Went to Hell" a mighty  rocker of a track built around a great riff. The final song on the album "The Rise of the Melancholy Empire" is an anthem of defiance, of overcoming adversity, saying ‘fuck you’ and with a promise to return.

Prayers For The Damned Vol.1 is the best album Sixx:A.M. have produced to date and very, very highly recommended!

Rating: 10/10

Hell Yeah - Blood For Blood

Genre - Heavy Metal / Groove Metal

Label - Eleven Seven Music

Track listing:

01. Sangre por Sangre (Blood for Blood)

02. Demons in the Dirt

03. Soul Killer

04. Moth

05. Cross to Bier (Cradle of Bones)

06. Dmf

07. Gift

08. Hush

09. Say When

10. Black December

11. Feast or Famine

12. Hush (Acoustic Version)

Blood For Blood is the forth album from Hellyeah, the post Pantera project of Vinnie Paul, and to my ears the best so far. The new Hellyeah album is much more focused and concise than the previous three records. The metallic assault of ‘Sangre Por Sangre (Blood For Blood)’, ‘Demons In The Dirt’ and ‘Say When’ really manage to bring the message home. Those songs come pretty close in intensity to Pantera songs like Strength Beyond Strength and The Great Southern Trendkill whilst having enough melody to make them commercial enough for the passing listener to get hooked on. With Moth, Hush and Black December adding even more melodic moments truly making Blood For Blood the most balanced and complete album from Hellyeah so far.

Rating - 9/10