MORAL DECAY - TO BUILD AN END

What an absolute gem of resurfaced 1989 Canadian thrash this one is, Supreme Echo on a metal tear lately, reissuing the only recorded material from Victoria's Moral Decay here.

Opener “When I Die” is as good as thrash gets, smart, slightly tech, totally rocking, and moving in a way that few thrash bands managed to be. Musically, Sacrifice definitely comes to mind, but there's way more of a crossover/punk vibe as well, The Accüsed being a strong reference point. But what makes it a cut above are the vocals of Dave Wenger, who went on to be in some very great but very non-metal bands like Breakwater, M Blanket, Ache Hour Credo, and Daddy's Hands.

No doubt the late Wenger was an artist, and he put his all into all his projects, as the vocal performance on “This God” (which rules but certainly could have some fat trimmed at 8:59) proves, Moral Decay delivering thrash with passion, ambition hinting at prime-era Metallica pretty hard here. There's five songs in half an hour on this LP, and they're all great, the amount of potential—and maturity, shocking considering their youthfulness—this band had sort of tragic, but it makes what's left behind all the more special; “Winds Of Death” is the best example of the band's smarts beyond their years, musically and lyrically.





There's a booklet with interviews and photos, and this comes with a sticker too, so it's hard to find any reason to pass up this excellent, unsung piece of Canuck metal history.

MORAL DECAY - TO BUILD AN END



Greg Pratt

Rating: 8.5

ANTHRAX - FAN-FILMED VIDEO OF ENTIRE KATOWICE, POLAND SHOW AVAILABLE

Anthrax are currently on their 2024 European Tour with Kreator, and special guests Testament. On December 11th they played at Spodek in Katowice, Poland. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.

Setlist:

"A.I.R."
"Got the Time" (Joe Jackson)
"Caught in a Mosh"
"Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't"
"Madhouse"
"Metal Thrashing Mad"
"Be All, End All"
"I Am the Law"
"Medusa"
"Antisocial" (Trust)
"Indians"
"Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)"

ARAPACIS - NUCLEUS OF CHAOS

ARAPACIS - NUCLEUS OF CHAOS

December 6, 2024, a day ago
(BONGO BEAT)

Larry Toering

Rating: 8.0

review hard rock arapacis



I have done my share of publicity on this band from Montreal, CA, but Nucleus Of Chaos takes all things a step beyond, with some seriously down and dirty stuff to reckon with. Killer guitar riffs and solos from Jerry Fielden, excellent keyboards, and a more varied vocal performance from the Scottish born Michelle Macpherson. These eight solid tracks are among the best in their catalog, which features guest heavyweight artists such as Don Airey and others.

This is my first AraPacis review with Gillan Macpherson-Briggs on keyboards, as it is his first album with the band on keys, but the last one I covered did feature Derek Sherinian, who returns for this opening track. But the point about Gillan Macpherson-Briggs, is that he is the 13-year-old son of the singer and guitarist in this family affair (named after Ian Gillan of Deep Purple). And what an effort he put into the songs, as well as Sherinian turning in some world class touches on the first (already released) single "Let It Love feat. Derek Sherinian." This song alone takes some of the cake before the rest is even served up.

Next up is "The Park," which is the second single, as the acoustic intro plays through (guitar and piano), but things quickly go in another direction with a sweet vocal refrain over a very proggy backing with keyboard progression and galloping guitars that eventually go through some keyboard complimented breaks. This song is blistering at every turn, as the guitars and keys spar throughout with some interesting percussion. Worth the price of admission alone.

HAVOK - NEW EYES

New Eyes is a taster of new music for Havok as they crash the road with Exodus on their North American tour. This is their first bit of new tunes since 2020’s V and vocalist/guitarist David Sanchez leads the Denver group alongside drummer Pete Webber, bassist Nick Schendzielos, and guitarist Reece Scruggs.

The two new tracks explores different ground, but it’s still Havok through and through. They put aside the political lyrics for scientific ground and thermodynamics in opener “Death Is An Illusion”. Havok opts for a punkier approach to their songwriting and quick-hitting vocals and guitars. The energy has a hardcore aspect and fits in well – as does the title track “New Eyes” that dives deeper into a punkish blaze that reminds of Overkill’s “I Hate You”.

Two covers round out the EP with the surprising rendition of Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Commotion” as Havok gives a mid-paced, abrasive vibe to it. Last track consists of Metallica’s “Eye Of The Beholder”. Smart move to pick an underused tune from …And Justice For All and they properly cover it with that mid-paced bite and snarl.

MÖTLEY CRÜE – DR. FEELGOOD (35TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE BOX SET)

Dr. Feelgood has been reissued and remastered several times, 1999 on Mötley Records with demos etc., 2003, 2009 20th anniversary with live songs, and a European two disc set with live tracks not included here for the box set. This 35th anniversary set (CD and vinyl also individually available) includes both the previously released demos and live songs (but not the Euro ones), a 24 page booklet, a reimagined poster of the album artwork, replica backstage pass, patch, guitar pick, tour itinerary, and a couple more items.

On to the music, I compared the previous remaster of the album, and to the original CD when it was first issued in 1989, on a stereo system with big speakers. There is a difference, the original CD still sounds fine; Bob Rock always brought a big massive crunchy punchy mix and production to hard rock and heavy metal, i.e.; Metallica's Black Album. Instantly, with the opening title track the difference is noticeable, with this 2024 BMG remaster, the bottom end and bass is a bit overpowering, but doesn't lose the drums and cymbal crashes. Other than that, the remaster is bright and not muddy or muffled. The live tracks appear to have been taken from the previously released Live Entertainment Or Death and sound fine.

IRON MAIDEN ANNOUNCE NEW DRUMMER - "A NAME FAMILIAR TO MANY OF OUR FANS"

Legendary Iron Maiden drummer, Nicko McBrain, has announced that he is stepping away from touring. He played his final show with the band last night (December 7) at at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil.

The band have now announced their new drummer with the following message:

"As The Future Past Tour concludes after 81 shows to over 1.4 million fans, from Ljubljana to the Coachella Valley and from Western Australia to Sao Paulo, Iron Maiden are delighted to announce that stepping in behind the kit for 2025 is a name familiar to many of our fans – Simon Dawson, a former session drummer and Steve’s rhythm section partner of the past 12 years with British Lion.



"A native of Suffolk, England, Simon first teamed up with Steve Harris back in 2012. He debuted on three tracks on the first British Lion album and all of the second critically acclaimed The Burning, plus the many subsequent tours in the US, UK, Europe, Australia, Japan, New Zealand &, most recently, both Mexico and South America.

"Iron Maiden celebrate their 50th Anniversary next year with The Run For Your Lives Tour starting in Budapest on May 27th."



Find Iron Maiden's Run For Your Lives World Tour itinerary here.

In between performing "Stranger In A Strange Land" and "The Writing On The Wall", last night (December 7) at at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil, frontman Bruce Dickinson addressed the crowd, saying "For 42 years Nicko's been in this band. He was a drummer before I was a singer, he was a pilot before I was a pilot, and now he's not leaving the band, but he's just not playing live with us anymore. So, we have a lot more music to get to tonight, and I want the rest of the night to be a celebration of Nick, a celebration of the joy that he's brought to everybody around the world, not just here in Brazil."

Check out Dickinson's speech below, as well as McBrain's final moments on stage with the band.





McBrain issued the following statement regarding his departure before the show:

"After much consideration, it is with both sorrow and joy, I announce my decision to take a step back from the grind of the extensive touring lifestyle. Today, Sat, Dec 7th, Sao Paulo will be my final gig with Iron Maiden. I wish the band much success moving forward.

I will, however, remain firmly part of the Iron Maiden family working on a variety of projects, my long time managers, Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor, have in mind for me. I’ll also be working on a variety of different personal projects and focusing on my existing businesses and ventures, including The British Drum Company, Nicko McBrain’s Drum One, Titanium Tart, and of course, Rock-N-Roll Ribs!

What can I say? Touring with Maiden the last 42 years has been an incredible journey! To my devoted fan base, you made it all worthwhile and I love you! To my devoted wife, Rebecca, you made it infinitely easier and I love you! To my kids, Justin and Nicholas, thank you for understanding the absences and I love you! To my friends that are always there for me, I love you! To my bandmates, you made it a dream come true and I love you!

I look into the future with much excitement and great hope! I’ll be seeing you soon, may God bless you all, and, of course, “Up the Irons!”

Manager Rod Smallwood on behalf of Iron Maiden:

“And we all love you too!!

Thank you for being an irrepressible force behind the drum kit for Maiden for 42 years and my friend for even longer. I speak on behalf of all the band when I say we will miss you immensely!

Ever since Rock in Rio in 1985 we have had a special relationship with Brazil so to bow out of touring in front of 90,000 fans here in Sao Paulo over 2 nights is poetic and you are deserving of all the accolades I am sure these marvellous fans will give you on this last show.

Phantom look forward to many more years of working with you on the projects you mentioned and I am sure we can find a few more special ones around the Maiden family and FC!

The band and I all have a thousand great memories of the past 42 years, great gigs, copious platinum and gold discs and awards, love from the fans and one beer too many on too many occasions! Such a bond is forever! And, as Steve Harris says, ‘Nicko is and will always be part of the Maiden family’." - Rod, Andy, Steve, Bruce, Davey, Adrian & Jan

Myles Kennedy: Living To Deliver

Photo Credit: Chuck Brueckmann



Accomplished solo artist, award winning frontman, hand picked by SLASH, MYLES KENNEDY has already made an immeasurable impact on the world of music and continues to do so into his almost forty year tenure in the business. His third solo album entitled The Art Of Letting Go maintains his heartfelt and personal approach and appropriately details his current outlook on life.



“It’s something I’ve been trying to integrate into my being now for the last six or seven years. Just learning to go with the flow and be more present. I felt like that phrase was just really appropriate for where I am now and that it would make a good album title. Part of the allure of doing these solo records is that you can write about things you connect with and things you’ve been through which resonate with you to some degree. I tend not to write in the third person as much as I do with the likes of my work with SLASH. With that I tend to tell more stories, Anastasia for example, that’s very much a story. I’ve never been running from the law! With the solo stuff I try to keep it more personal and these songs address kind of where I’m at right now in my journey. The final track How The Story Ends was inspired by the film Speak No Evil. I found the moral of that story applied a lot to my current outlook on life and the idea of standing up for myself more and not being so passive. I felt it was important for me to write about that subject just as a reminder, as with most of the messages in these songs, reminding me to continue evolving as a person.”

With the stage in mind, The Art Of Letting Go opts for a more riff-driven approach in comparison to his previous solo endeavours. “The style of the music, to some degree, came out of a conversation with our drum tech. When we were touring The Ides Of March he made a comment about how he really liked how we rearranged the songs to be able to play them live,” explains Myles. “That material and even the Year Of The Tiger material which was acoustic in the recorded realm were made a bit more ‘rocked out’ live. He mentioned about us re-recording those songs in the rearranged states and off the back of that I thought well what if we just made a whole new record that was made to play the way it was recorded? That was the genesis of it all when I started writing last year. I had all these riffs coming out of my guitar and it became pretty obvious which way it was heading.”

It provides an intriguing prospect seeing an accomplished musician as a collective venture down the solo route, like you’re getting a glimpse into their core influences and what inspires them as an individual. MYLES KENNEDY particularly relishes this opportunity. “One thing that draws me to writing solo records is the challenge of it because you have to rely on your own instincts and cultivate the ideas that come to you. The trick for me isn’t so much coming up with the starting point of a song, that’s the fun and easy part. It’s knowing whether a song is worth chasing down and finishing. It’s nice to have collective discussions but with a solo record it all feels very intentional and it helps me strengthen my own editing skills before I present anything to the rest of the band.”

He continues, “this way also means I feel like I’m putting my best foot forward as opposed to just handing over a bunch of garbage. I’ve really developed my sense of quality control. The lead single Say What You Will is a great example of that. The intro riff definitely passed the quality control but originally I had a whole different verse, pre-chorus, and bridge but they weren’t measuring up. I had to be honest with myself and not just settle with what I had. I’m gonna be the guy who goes out and plays these songs for a year or more and if I don’t like some parts of it then the song doesn’t serve its purpose. I’m pretty hard on myself and I think that’s an appropriate way to be when you’re writing.”

For every song that gets released into the public domain, there are probably hundreds which sit on a hard drive or as a soundbyte on someone’s phone, potentially never seeing the light of day. There are instances however, when your next release may very well be staring you in the face. “I wrote the genesis for Miss You When You’re Gone during the Year Of The Tiger sessions and it just didn’t fit the mood. I thought it might have a home somewhere down the line and it was hard to shelve that idea at the time as I had a special feeling about it but I had to be honest and not try and put a square peg into a round hole. Sometimes you’ll have these parts hanging around, Me and Mark do this a lot in ALTER BRIDGE, and it’s such a great feeling when you know you have an existing part which will fit perfectly with what you’re trying to achieve, it’s quite magical.”


His iconic vocal work is known far and wide and whilst he’s spent a lot of his storied career surrounded by some of the greatest musicians to ever pick up a guitar he can more than hold his own on an instrumental front. “I freaking love the guitar and it’s funny because I like to sit around and play so much guitar. I don’t sit around and sing a lot unless I’m writing or rehearsing. I play guitar for a few hours a day and getting my own signature guitar was a real ‘pinch me’ moment. If someone told the 14 year old Myles that one day he was going to get his own signature guitar with PRS of all companies, it’s hard to fathom.