Tag Archives: nigel rojas

Features, Interviews

Music Luminaries Share Their New Year’s Metal Resolutions for 2012: Part 1

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new year's music resolutions

With Christmas now out of the way and Chanukah pretty close to ending as well our minds gets focused on the plans for the coming new year. We seem to always strive to change something in ourselves or do things a little differently from before when a new year begins and this got me to thinking a little bit. I wondered aloud about what the New Years Metal Resolutions for 2012 might be for some of the talented people that I have been fortunate enough to meet or communicate with in my role as founder of the PiercingMetal.com website. With that in mind I put the question out there and asked them to complete the sentence “My New Year’s Metal Resolution for 2012 Is….”

The first few responses are below and I’ll be adding a new post each day as 2011 counts down toward its close. I hope you enjoy them.

Carmine Appice (legendary drummer of Cactus, Vanilla Fudge, King Kobra, Blue Murder (whew…): My New Year’s Musical Resolution for 2012 Is to play with an even wider variety of artists and musicians.

Zak Stevens (lead vocals for Circle II Circle): My New Year’s Metal Resolution is to bring my music to as many fans in the world as possible this year. This is one of those “be careful what you asked for” years….Even though the task is daunting, it’s time to bring things to a new level in 2012! Horns up and pierce the world with metal!!

Brian Tatler (lead guitar for Diamondhead): My New Years Metal Resolution is… to keep looking out for new and interesting bands and to keep the Diamond Head flag flying for as long as possible. Thanks.
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Events, Reviews

Presenting Orange Sky & “PiercingRap” (well, not really….)

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Logo - Orange Sky

No dear readers we are not changing the way we do things so please don’t be alarmed by the title of this musings post. We have no intention of disappointing the PiercingLegions by shifting musical gears in such a dramatic fashion but the title is based on the events of the most recent evening of attempted Rocking and Rolling. It began very simply enough with the appearance of a band called Orange Sky who were set to play a club called The Annex this past Sunday. I had caught them perform once before when they were direct support for Yngwie Malmsteen back in late 2005 and with the group hailing from Trinidad and Tobago, they don’t exactly get around to these parts all that often. I liked what I saw that first time around and the band was playing most of their debut album “Upstairs” for that show. Since that time they have delivered “Dat Iz Voodoo” and while I had only recieved the CD a day or so before and hence not absorbed it yet, I did get to hear samples online that made me realize it was heavier than the previous effort. This was surely something that will appeal to those who enjoyed them in the first place and could also possibly generate additional interest in those who are just learning about them. We have provided some links for you to snare their albums should that interest you. So please have at it……
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Events, Reviews

Yngwie J. Malmsteen @ B.B. King Blues Club (12/1/2005)

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Logo - Yngwie Malmsteen

Artist: Yngwie Malmsteen
Venue: B.B. King Blues Club – NYC
Opener: Orange Sky
Date: 12/1/2005
Label: Spitfire Records

Yngwie Malmsteen is a legend in the halls of Rock guitar and as I have enjoyed his music for many years this was set to be a very cool memory to my concert coverage. As this was his first solo tour in some years there was something special about seeing his name up on the B.B. King marquee. When I shot my photo of this site I realized that while a fan of his playing that it would be the first time that I would see Yngwie perform in over 15 years. Outside of appearances on the G3 Tours, he did not perform solo shows very often. In 2005; Yngwie found a return to his classic style with his CD release “Unleash The Fury” and he would also make available his “Concierto For Electric Guitar” DVD. Both of these killer products came to the public care of Eagle Rock Entertainment and Spitfire Records. These added to the general Yngwie buzz and when announcements for the solo touring became news the shows sold out in minutes. If you were not on top of things you would sadly be one of those who missed out on a great evening of music.
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Music, Reviews

“Upstairs” by Orange Sky

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Artist: Orange Sky
Title: “Upstairs”
Label: Granite Records
Release Date: 9/27/2005
Genre: Ethnic/Hard Rock
Rating: 7.5/10

The Orange Sky is definitely one of the more unique groups to come across my listeners queue in a long time. I can honestly say that I come to this conclusion based on the methods in which they deliver their music to the listener. Bands that blend elements of their home countries traditional melodies with their Rock are no longer strange to those who have been exposed to the Folks Metal/Rock stylings of Finntroll or Korpiklaani but when it came to the Orange Sky there was yet another avenue of approach. The band who hails from Trinidad and Tobago have taken a largely Caribbean feel and tapered it rich guitar melodies and vocal harmonies. The result is quite the tasty brand of Rock and Roll. Overall the record is very accessible and the songs have moments when they truly Rock and other times when there is a subtlety that works for the particular track. Tracks that rock from start to finish are evident in “Escape” which is a quick paced number that you will find yourself tapping and playing a little air guitar along to. “Tug Of War” is perhaps the heaviest of the songs and runs a nice rhythm pattern at the main verses. “Alone” is an interesting track which breaks into an almost Bare-Naked Ladies segment which works and also comes across perfectly in the live sense. These songs and “Beautiful Day” seemed to be my most favored of the record and like anything else you need to give this album more than a cursory listen because after your first take you might not catch it. As your second listen begins the band wins you over. Cat Stevens classic “Peace Train” gets a pretty straightforward cover on the record and I found it to be pretty good as well. The band is made up of Nigel Rojas (vocals, guitar), Nicholas Rojas (bass), Adam Murray (rhythm guitar), Obasi Springer (drums), and Richard Hall (keyboard) and together this quintet brings something a little different to the mix.
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