Dirty Habit - Mental Execution

Genre - Hard Rock / Garage
Label - Dirty Records

Track listing -

01 - Hell
02 - Sick Of You
03 - Place To Be
04 - Down Below
05 - Alcohol
06 - Car Wreck
07 - Verge Of Insanity
08 - Daddy's Little Girl
09 - Gold Digger
10 - Make Things Right
11 - Dirty Little Habit
12 - Go Hard Or Go Home

UK 3 piece rocker's Dirty Habit, Scarlette Sin (Vocals and Bass), Dan (Guitars) and Toby (Drums)  deliver up Mental Execution an filled of raw edged attitude filled gems. Dans Guitar work is stunning throughout, Scarlette's vocals are a perfect match and the raw production suites the songs and dare I say the band perfectly.
Add some crowd noises and I think this album is a pretty close match to how the band sound live, which must be an experience with the band and songs displaying so much energy here!
Stand out tracks for me would have to include, Sick Of You, Verge Of Insanity and Daddy's Little Girl.
A very promising band, definetley one to watch in the future!

Website - Dirty Habit
Rating - 9/10

POLAR FOR THE MASSES - SILENCE

Genre - rock / punk / garage / experimental / indie

Label - Black Nutria Independent Label / Cargo

Track listing -
01. Consequences 

02. Rust 
03. DIsmembered 
04. Sailing Away 
05. U.T.W.
06. The Last Man 
07. Ignorance 
08. Guilty

"This Italian trio have been a band since 2003, pursuing an essential and minimal “ice cold” approach to their music: an eclectic and unpredictable brand of post-punk that doesn't overlook the genre’s minimal approach and essence."
With a stripped down sound, and some fairly solid songs, Polar For The Masses pretty much acheive their goal with Silence. With an almost idie grunge feel  with a punk / post punk approach these guys do offer something a little different, and rather enjoyable. All the songs are pretty solid, with Sailing Away, The Last Man and Guilty really standing out to my ears. With comparisons being made to Placebo, Brian Molko, Foo Fighters and Dave Grhol the band are getting alot of relavent attention. Silence is the bands third album, and their experience shows in the tightness of the band, but I feel the production is just a little too flat for me, robbing the songs of some of their attitude and agression.
On a whole not a bad album, worth checking out, but I would love to see what the guys could come up with, by enlisting the aid of a top producer!

Website - Polar For The Masses
rating - 8/10 

Ashtones - Mainline Rockets

Imagine what would happen if you crossed Motorhead, The Almighty and The Sex Pistols, well you might just get Ashtones!

Basically its straight forward garage rock with a great punk ethos and mentality, and a great ear for a tune, hailing from France.
Songs like 'She Goes Commando', 'That Greasy Spell', 'Ace of Slut' (which I guess is a kind of ballad!), 'The Biggest Prick' and 'Shit in My Blood' are great representations of what the band are all about. This album contains two covers, 'So Bored With The USA' and an excellent version of the Demolition 23 classic 'Hammersmith Palais'.
The songs have so much energy and passion that seeing these guys live must really be an experience
If you like your rock loud, dirty and proud then I see no reasons why you shouldn't love this cd!

Highly reconmended!
Website - http://www.myspace.com/ashtonesfrance



rating 10/10

(All My Friends Are) Dead - 5 Songs Ep

Formed in 2006 (All My Friends Are) Dead are an Italian punk / rock / Rockabilly 5 piece band, with some great raw energetic songs. They have a real punk quality to them, usually short and snappy tracks with a raw passionate vocal. The longest song on this Ep clocks in at just over 3 minutes and that's just perfect.

The song titles pretty much give you an idea of what your letting yourself in for, songs like, 'What Madonna You Want', Piss In A Bottle','Charles Bronson','Beware Of The Totem' and 'December of 62'.
All of the songs are very strong with the band managing to find the right balance between angst and melody. This Ep is really enjoyable, well worth checking out

Web site - http://www.myspace.com/amfadead



rating 8/10

The Boys and Crash-3 Track Demo

Hailing from Utrecht (Netherlands) this four piece count NOFX, Descendents, Motorhead, Ignite, Useless I.D., Beerbong, Bad Religion,and The Bouncing Souls amongst their influences. The deliver a bluesy punk / garage sound with quick short blasts for their songs, and I mean short, the longest of the three songs here is only just over two minuets long with the other two clocking in at around a minute and a half. The songs are OK, pretty much what you'd expect from a band with the said influences. Id like to see them give the songs a better production, but that's a mute point. These guys seem to have a great sense of humour judging from their lyrics and must be a blast live!




Rating 8/10

Embers Flame - She Said

Debut single from the this new rock 'n' roll band hailing from Helsinki, Finland. Includes a rare song a Rock'n Roll Conspiracy as the b-side both songs are of a great quality. She Said gives a similar vibe to the songs found on Michael Monroe solo album, whilst Rock N Roll Conspiracy has a familar feel which I just cant place.Musically the guys keep thing fairly simple, the backing vocals are well just there, but not over complicated and the production is just enough, not too much, and as this single is the result of the new bands firth recording session you cant be impressed. Im liking what Im hearing and am curious to hear more. Bring on the next single or even the album!


rating 8/10

Maeven - Girl In Blue

The Sheffield girls return with their new one track single, Girl In Blue, their first release with the new line up. The sounds heavy, a little chaotic in places, but great at the same time. Loving the sound, live these girls must be awesome. They do sound familiar but i just cant put my finger on why, but that's probably a good thing! Maeven are playing a kind of Gothicy heavy but melodic garage rock and I'm loving it. I Cant wait to hear the new album when its completed sometime in 2010!

rating 9/10

Japanese Voyeurs - Sicking & Creaming EP

London based 5 peice Japanese Voyeurs offer up their Sicking & creaming EP, "a bunch of old demo's which the band were told they should release by an Yaqui Indian Shaman, who came to them in a dream....."
Sicking and Creaming’ EP is as honest and raw an introduction to a band as your likely to find today.
You’re So Cool’ and ‘X-Ray Ted’ are great rock ‘n’ roll tunes with big riffs and great groove but it’s the stand out track ‘Dumb’ that marks these guys out as ones to watch for the future,
.Fronted by the charismatic Romily Alice whom has a very unique voice, the band display have a raw energy that just blasts its way through each song.

Rating 8/10

Lucky Bastardz - Hated For Who We Are

Lucky Bastardz are an Italian band very much in the vein of the mighty Motorhead, and this their debut album is not a bad effort. Unfortunately they lack the experience and song writing gift of Lemmy and Co! I found the vocals just a lil too shouty, and although the songs are pretty decent at times, the vocals and the everyone louder than everyone else mentality kinda spoils things.
Live these guys are sure to be pretty awesome, I just think they need to learn a little restraint in the studio, and maybe get the guidance of a great producer.
Don't get me wrong, this is bar no means a bad album, its more than decent especially for a debut release, I guess its just not my cup of tea. Sorry

Give it a spin if you like garage rock and motorhead you may love it!

rating 6/10

Black Page Turns - Simplest Of Tools Single

Leicesters Black Page Turns are back with new two track single Simplest of Tools, which is backed by “Bang! Bang! Assassin” as its B-Side.
Having already played 200+ UK gigs under his previous band The Authentics,lead singer-songwriter Mike A launches his new band, which almost a garage punk nu metal band. Rather listenable, Simplest of Tools is cool enough and filled with energy, but its Bang Bang Assassin that steals the limelight here, with its bruisingly vicious riffs and great melodies throughout!

Rating 8/10

The Kingcrows - A Murder Most Foul Review

Punk, Rock, glam, Garage band The Kingcrows return with their new 7 track Ep, A Murder Most Foul and instantly you can see the improvement from the last release, and an bonus is that the CD just grows with listen-ability with each new spin!
'Stiletto Groove' is cleverly written withan almost chaotic sound with so much going on that it almost threatens to fall apart, but the band pull it off and the song is just great!
'Sex, Oui' is quite a funky song, showing that band aren't one trick pony's by any means. To be honest I could list all seven tracks, as they all bring something to the plate, which is another plus.
If Garage rock with a punk edge (ala The Yo yo's) is your thing then you should love these guys

Rating 8/10

The Barbarellatones - The Break Up Ghost Review

'High quality trash. Sleaze-Glam with Sleazy Chords, Sleazy Lyrics and even some Sleazy Tuning on their Sleazy Guitars. The Drums are...Sleazy' is what CD Baby says of the new release from The Barbarellatones.
Album opener 'Get Your Freak On' comes across as a moody beach Boys track, and 'Gothic City' just continues the moody feel. Its a beautiful soundscape, with some great chilled out sounds yet somehow maintains that moody meanacing feeling.
The Barbarellatones list themselves as a Glam/Garage/Gothic band and thats a great honest description, imagine a cross between say Poison, Motley Crue and Type O Negative! They sound great!
The only fault I can think of on this album is that they never really rock up the tempo, the songs are all excellent, performed/delivered to perfection, but not one of them gets above mid tempo, instead opting to maintain a dark mood instead, but always maintaining that sleazy edge.
I was suprised at just how much I enjoyed this album!
stand out tracks included, ' Gothic City', 'Grab Your Ankles' (just check out the lyrics lol), 'The Raven' which is just a beautiful song, and 'Unfaithful Lover'.
This album is still a tour d force even if it could do with a fast song or two!

Rating 9/10

Paalmer - Old School review

Paalmer are a French Punk rock band that blend blend old school punk rock with modern 21st century rock, and tell you what it works really well.
Musically they're a blistering punk band with developed rock edge, coming across as a beffed up Ramones at times, and the vocals are very reminicent of Warrior Souls Kory Klarke in places.

The songs are high energy and very well crafted, loving 'Punkrocker' and 'I Believe'. 'Sleep with U' is a great bit of punk fun and Ramones Fever is a brilliant tribute to their punk legends.

A Highly reconmended ep, cant wait to hear the full album,

Rating 9/10

7inch Giants Demo Review

7inch Giants are a four piece metal/rock band hailing from Bargoed, Wales. The Giants were formed in 2004 when Jim, Matt, Greg got together with bassist Elliot with a mission in mind to play the music that they wanted to play. Thank God they did!
7inch Giants already have one 4 track self financed Ep to their name,'Empty Stage', and this demo represents the newer songs I Guess.
The songs on offer here are, 'Same', Song 54', Parasite','Mistake' and 'Hello'. Where as the bands sound does sound familiar, I honestly cant think of anyone that they sound like! They count Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Metallica, Incubus, Police, Chilli Peppers, Glen Miller and his Orchestra amongst their influences influences and this might go some way to explaining the high quality of their song writing.(with such an eclectic inspirational pool to draw from).
What you get here are some razor sharp melodies, blistering guitars and a 'thumping back line'.
The stand out songs here are 'Parasite' and 'Hello', but it really is hard to choose stand outs as they're all of such great quality!

Apparently these guys are amazing live, full of energy and talent, and maybe that's the best way to describe this demo/Ep.

You should definitely check these guys out, I'm so glad that I did!!

rating 9/10 (with tons of promise!)

Baz