Artist: Monster Magnet Title: “Monolithic Baby!” Label: SPV Records Release Date: 5/24/2004 Genre: Hard Rock Rating: 8/10
Bringing back a hard rocking sound that has been gone far too long is Monster Magnet with their release “Monolithic Baby!” There is nothing like a return to the 1970’s heavy rock vibe every now and again when you are sick and tired of DJ Mixes and raps in your Metal music. Sometimes it is just that you have grown bored with all the arias that are prevalent in the European stuff that has been coming out. If anything like that describes your predicament then this CD by Magnet is just the remedy for you woes. This is pure balls to the wall hard rock and roll delivered by “Dangerous” Dave Wyndorf and his fellow band mates. SPV Records seem to be the perfect label for this group as they offer a wide variety of musical flavors for fans of varied genres to enjoy. The CD begins in overdrive and very rarely slows down the mental assault you will get from the guitar work of Ed Mundell and Phil Caivano. The pair delivers very well under the vocal powers of Wyndorf. Lyrically this is a very smart record and also a lot of fun to listen to. Musically it sets the expectations you might have of it, and raises the bar just a little higher. Continue reading “Monolithic Baby” by Monster Magnet→
Artist: HIM Venue: Irving Plaza (New York, NY) Date: 11/15/2004 Opener: Monster Magnet & Melissa Auf De Maur Label: Sire Records
Having attended the previous evening’s performance for HIM I entered the venue tonight with my friends a little more relaxed and sporting some notes from the night before to reference against what would go on this evening. Since both of the performances had been long sold out I felt that I was I was lucky enough to be able to attend both nights of these shows and it was worth my doing so on behalf of the site readers. Tonight I would pay a little more attention to Melissa Auf De Maur who played what seemed to be a couple of different numbers this time around and was a little heavier than I remembered her being last night. I might have to look more into them as time allows. Monster Magnet was again tight but were doing the exact same set as the previous night. Even the introduction at the beginning by Dave Wyndorf, their singer, who was tossing cigarettes into the crowd in order to assist in the corruption of the youth was the same. However the band does Rock and are quite solid live. Wyndorf did bring on a dancing girl who did her thing during “Space Lord” which made it a little more interesting and fun. I hope to see a full Magnet set sometime soon as their music really rocks in a very 70’s sorta way. Continue reading HIM @ Irving Plaza (11/15/2004)→
Artist: HIM Venue: Irving Plaza (New York, NY) Date: 11/14/2004 Opener: Monster Magnet & Melissa Auf De Maur Label: Sire Records
H.I.M. has returned to the States for a short tour that once again brought them to New York City for two nights out of the 14 listed on the tee-shirts being sold. This time around the venue would be larger as well as the opening acts being a litte more known to a wider public. Monster Magnet would be on hand as well as Melissa Auf De Maur. Each one of these performers an interesting act which made the ticket price a good deal. The last time H.I.M. played the States the NYC Venue was the Bowery Ballroom where about 500 people got to see them in a very intimate venue (discussed HERE). Now this would be doubled by Irving Plaza and both shows were completely sold out. Continue reading HIM @ Irving Plaza (11/14/2004)→
