Dean Roberts From Leatherwolf on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 441 - Leatherwolf

This week we welcome Dean “Drum Machine” Roberts from Huntington Beaches own Leatherwolf to the show. The band has a new vocalist and new music in the works plus it’s the 30th anniversary of their classic 1989 release “Street Ready”. So plenty to talk to Dean about this week.

Here's a clip of the first single of "Street Ready"



Just a quick heads up you only have a few more days to take part in A Sound of Thunders latest Kickstarter campaign for the 10th anniversary album "Parallel Eternity" Head over to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/asoundofthunder/parallel-eternity-the-10th-anniversary-album

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always
Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Leather Leone Returns to Focus on Metal This Week.

Episode 381 - Leather

Yep I know we're a day early. Consider this a rare Tuesday release.

So yes leather is one the most metal of fabrics (along with denim) but it’s also Leather Leone, one of FoMs most frequent guests. Once again this week we welcome Leather to the show and this time its to talk about her second solo release “II”. We’ve only been waiting 29 years for another solo release from her but Leather has delivered the goods. 

Also this week we indulge in a bit of music discovery so besides the great tracks from leather we also has selections from Trillium, Lizzy Borden, Lords of Black and Sunstorm.

If that wasn’t enough for ya we also have a track of the week from A Sound of Thunder’s latest release “It Was Metal”.

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, EarPeeler.com or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always

Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Review - A Sound of Thunder "It Was Metal" (Mad Neptune Records)

A Sound of Thunder's seventh studio release "It Was Metal" is due to drop on June 15th. These guys will probably never have a release qualified with the statement "long awaited". The way these guys write their next one is written and probably the one after that too. Detractors would say that being that prolific leads to less than stellar output but in the case of A Sound of Thunder they would be very very f#%king wrong.

According to guitarist Josh Schwartz, "the mission statement was to write fast, heavy, catchy songs that are fun to play and fun to listen to. I Think we've accomplished that goal and then some. This is an album meant to be blasted in your car while you speed down the highway at 100mph singing at the top of your lungs." Interestingly, that pretty much matches up with one of my litmus tests for a good metal album. And it's exactly what I was doing while listening to it. So does that mean "It Was Metal" aces the test? In a word, yes but not without at least one speed bump.

So the last few releases have shown a good chunk of the prog metal side of this band (not counting the covers album) with a healthy dose of humor from vocalist Nina Osegueda but on this one they go for those fast punchy songs that leave the hook in your brain. I gotta say I've been waiting to hear this side of ASOT again and I wasn't disappointed. This, for the most part, is their version of classic hard rock and metal and they're wearing their influences on their sleeves. I've been cranking this one for about ten days now so I think I've had a good chance to absorb the whole deal.


So let's dig in...

11 tracks with a running time of 59 minutes. So a bit longer than a classic LP but still in the ballpark. Most of the songs come in around 5 minutes so again I'm a happy camper on that score.
A cool note on this is that the mix is awesome. Rather than go with the current trends of massive low end this sounds like both the album and the digital media may actually be mixed very similar. It's quite possible that this vinyl like mix brings the old school vibe of the album on on a subconscious level.


"It Was Metal" kicks off with Phantom Flight. Great 80's style intro that hooks you right in. This is the perfect opening track. Super hooky chorus that gets stuck in your skull. And if that wasn't enough it also feature Accept singer Mark Tornillo trading vocals with Nina. So right out of the gate you're in classic metal heaven.

From there we head to Lifebringer. Again impeccable sequencing. This is a one-two opening salvo. Opening hook just screams Maiden and the segues to a sweet galloping rhythm. About halfway through we get treated to some Theremin and some classic ASOT atmosphere. Not sure how they're gonna pull this one of live, there's a lot of stuff going on in this break. Not even mentioning all the Nina vocal tracks here. I used to be amazed at how Brad Delp of Boston could track against himself but I think Nina takes it to a new level. We also get some tight soloing from Josh at the tail end of the tune too.

Track three is Atlacatl. The rhythm section of Jesse Keen on bass and Chris Haren on drums are the all stars of this song. Let's just say tribal rhythms with a sheen of crunchy guitar. So far this puppy is hitting on all cylinders.

Track four is The Crossroads Deal. It's a quick swampy bluesy intro to the title track. With a final harmonica whimper and a scream from Nina the title track It Was Metal blazes from your speakers. This is a tune that coulda been on any of the classic Dio albums. It's got the Vinnie Appice drum swagger from Chris and right before the break Jesse steps in for a little solo bass grooving. Speaking of that solo, dunno why but it's one of my favorites from Josh. This is another tune that will stick in your head for days. I think it's an unqualified metal anthem. It's even got a brief appearance from the Thunder Choir.

So five tracks in and it's all going really freaking well and then there's that speed bump. Track six Obsidian & Gold just ain't doin' it for me. At over 9 minutes long it's already got a big strike against it. This album should be all about the get in get out, next song please. Don't get me wrong the playing is top notch. There's some great Hammond going on that just says Deep Purple. There's also some great bass that really benefits from the great mix since it sits perfectly in there. Besides Nina's always impeccable vocals we've also got former Rainbow player Tony Carey dropping by to lend some keyboard prowess too. And the guitar is solid too but i'm just just not connecting to it. I think between the length and the overall slower tempo it would be a great song on The Lesser Key of Solomon but it just doesn't sit well on this one.

I like to think of it as a palette cleanser to prepare for what I like to think of as side two. Second Lives kicks off slow and moody and builds to a nice tempo. More great Hammond in here and another one with a Rainbow/Purple vibe. Not a bad thing in my book. But this one is just a runway to get to track 8 Els Segadors (The Reapers). Yes this one's slower but it's got a killer anthemic feel. Probably cuz it's a defacto legit national anthem for Catalonia (if your keeping score at home). If any band can pull off a metal version of a national anthem its A Sound of Thunder. This track has been an international success for them and deservedly so.

Back to the more uptempo with Tomyris. Been really trying to think what it is about this track that connects with me and I thinks its because it reminds me so much of their sound on Out of The Darkness blended with an extra flavor shot of classic metal. So now we're on the backside of this puppy with two more tracks to go.

I instantly liked Charles II. It's a four and half minute run through a bit of history. I could totally see Maiden covering this one. This one is a great example of the versatility of Nina's voice as she voices multiple characters and tonalities. Great soloing from Josh backed by some solid rhythmic backing. on this too.

Sadly this bring us to track 11 Fortress of The Future Race. I'm surprised that Mark Tornillo isn't on this one as it sounds like modern Accept meets ASOT with some fine contributions from the Thunder Choir.

So what's the score on this one? 10 tracks that I can give a solid 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘 out of five and one that although it's a 🤘🤘 I'm still not totally seeing it fit on this release. Most of the tracks meet Josh's stated mission. They are catchy and you'll find yourself singing them once they are trapped in your skull. We get Mark Tornillo guesting. The mix is top notch and really adds to the depth of the album and goddamn this really has some sweet classic metal vibes going on. I should also mention the stellar artwork from Dusan Markovic too.

The only real downside besides track 6 is that there's no Nina evil freak out song on here. I've always looked forward to the next "Kill That Bitch" or "Hello Nurse".

So my final takeaway? Buy this thing!!! If you're already an ASOT fan it'll be an instant classic for you. Otherwise it's the perfect gateway to discovering this killer band. Nina has stated that she can't wait to play this stuff live. Well Nina, bring it on cuz I for one can't wait to hear it live.

"It Was Metal" is currently available for preorder at all the usual spots plus you can get special formats including vinyl and  the "It Was Metal" comic at asoundofthunderband.com




Tracklist:
1. Phantom Flight (featuring Mark Tornillo)
2. Lifebringer
3. Atlacatl
4. The Crossroads Deal
5. It Was Metal
6. Obsidian & Gold (Desdinova Returns) (featuring Tony Carey)
7. Second Lives
8. Els Segadors (The Reapers)
9. Tomyris
10. Charles II
11. Fortress of the Future Race

Total running time: 59 minutes

       Vocals: Nina Osegueda
       Guitars & Keyboards: Josh Schwartz
       Bass & Keyboards: Jesse Keen
       Drums & Percussion: Chris Haren

  Produced by Kevin '131' Gutierrez
  Recorded at Assembly Line Studios

Website: www.asoundofthunderband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder
Twitter: @asotband
Instagram: @asotband

A Sound of Thunder reveals new album details, launches crowd-funding campaign

Heavy metallers A SOUND OF THUNDER will release their new album, "Who Do You Think We Are?" on Friday, December 16.  

The covers album will include 11 versions of metal classics originally by artists Alice Cooper, Rainbow, Mercyful Fate, Manowar, Tool, Black Sabbath, Wrathchild USA, Dio, Dan Fogelberg, and Deep Purple.

A crowd-funding campaign for the new album and an animated video was launched on the Kickstarter platform on September 2.  The initial $12,000 funding goal was reached in under 4 hours, and the campaign went on to raise over $17,000 in the first 24 hours. The band is offering fans an opportunity to have their likenesses animated into the new video, as well as a host of other exclusive offerings.  The campaign runs through October 10.  "Who Do You Think We Are?" is currently only available through the campaign.

Per the campaign description:

"We put every bit of effort into this full-blown studio album as we do into our original albums, and churned out some Thunderized versions of classics by Alice Cooper, Rainbow, Mercyful Fate, Manowar, Tool, Kansas, Black Sabbath, Wrathchild USA, Dio, Dan Fogelberg, and Deep Purple!"  

"Production was once again handled by the platinum awarded Kevin '131' Gutierrez (Shinedown, Raven, While Heaven Wept) at Assembly Line Studios, so you can expect the same punchy modern production as our previous albums but beefed up with even heavier guitars and some of the best performances we've ever captured."

"Recording is complete and was partially funded by "The Lesser Key of Solomon" Kickstarter campaign from 2013.  Funds from this new campaign will be used for manufacturing CDs & vinyl, paying the legally required licensing fees for the cover songs, and for new cover art from ASoT painter extraordinaire Dusan Markovic!  We expect a late-November or early-December release for this album!"

"Excess funds will be used on several projects that are currently in the works.  The most frequent demand we get from fans is to bring Udoroth back!  Well, we've started to do just that!  Animation is an expensive process, but we feel we have a video script that will be quite simply one of the most metal videos of all time, and that will hopefully allow us to turn Udoroth and the Queen of Hell into an ongoing series."

"The "Udoroth" music video is by far the most popular project we've ever done, with over 300,000 views and gaining about 1,000 views daily even 2 years after its release.  We have a killer expanded story revolving around Udoroth and the Queen of Hell that we are dying to share, and are ready to start bringing it to you.   But on top of just putting out something cool, the animation helps grow our fanbase which will make it possible for us to tour more and come play for all of you! The current financial reality is that we lose money if we travel any significant distance to play a show.  Therefore we can't afford to come to many of the places that you have asked us to play.  The expanded Udoroth and Queen of Hell story and universe can be the vehicle to get us out on the road to play for you, and if it happens, we'll promise you'll have some of the most badass, most metal animation every created!"

A SOUND OF THUNDER released their previous album "Tales from the Deadside" on September 25, 2015.  The concept album based on Valiant Entertainment's SHADOWMAN comic book series reached #16 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums Chart, #8 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart, and #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers - South Atlantic Chart.

Crowd-funding campaign link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/asoundofthunder/covers-album-and-udoroths-return

Web: http://www.asoundofthunderband.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/asotband

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asotband/

New video from A Sound of Thunder released.

The official video for A SOUND OF THUNDER's self-titled song "A Sound of Thunder" can be seen below.  The song is taken  from the album Out of the Darkness which was released by Nightmare Records in 2012.  Live footage was shot at Empire Nightclub (formerly the legendary Jaxx Nightclub) on September 19, 2014.

Out of the Darkness is available now at Amazon, iTunes and all other digital outlets.  A full album stream is now available at Bandcamp.

A SOUND OF THUNDER's most recent album Tales from the Deadside was released on September 25, 2015, entering the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart at #8 and entering the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart at #16 with approximately 1800 copies sold.  Tales from the Deadside is a concept album based on Valiant Entertainment's popular SHADOWMAN comic book series. The album was produced by Kevin '131' Gutierrez (Shinedown, While Heaven Wept, Raven).

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XGnASM_RcM

Web: http://www.asoundofthunderband.com

Store: http://www.bigcartel.asoundofthunder.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/asotband

Bandcamp: https://asot.bandcamp.com/

Just posted, Focus on Metal Episode 265

Episode 265 - OMP Music Special

I thought we would start 2016 with another music discovery episode and what better way to do that than to feature some great bands from the compilation disc "Metal of Oz" we did late last year with Online Metal Promotions and Maric Media. So this week we have fifteen great tracks off that compilation for you to check out as well as an extra bonus track that's not on there but I just felt like spinning it. Big thanks to Ben over at OMP and Chris Maric from Maric Media for bringing this all together. If you want to download your own free copy of the disc head to http://focusonmetal.net/ and click the big banner ad or go to http://focusonmetal.blogspot.com/ and click the ad in the right hand pane.

Check out what Maric Media has to offer at http://www.maricmedia.com.au/ and you can find OMP at http://www.onlinemetalpromo.com/

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes.

You can hear us on demand everyday on Platinum Rock Radio by going to this link

You can hear us every Wednesday on these great stations:
Pure Rock Radio & Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

Focus on Metal is damn proud to be part of The Blast Syndicate. You can get this show as well as many other kick ass metal podcasts by clicking the link below.

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Joel Hoekstra Guests on Episode 253 of Focus on Metal

Episode 253 - Joel Hoekstra

Night Ranger, T.S.O., Whitesnake and now a killer new solo album guitarist Joel Hoekstra http://www.joelhoekstra.com/ continues to notch up some impressive career credits. This week Joel hooks up with Focus on Metal to talk about hie new album "Dying to Live". Which also has a solid rhythm section in the form of Vinny Appice and Tony Franklin and some vocals courtesy of Jeff Scott Soto and Russell Allen. Of course while we had him on the line Richie couldn't help throwing out some Whitesnake questions too. 

Also this week we feature a track of the week from Frontiers artist Voodoo Hill http://www.dariomollo.com/ which has the not too shabby Glenn Hughes on board. 

We round it off with a special treat from our friends in A Sound of Thunder http://www.asoundofthunderband.com/ . They gave us the green light to roll another track from "Tales of The Deadside" for you. All in all, a pretty packed episode this week.

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes.

You can hear us Tuesdays on Platinum Rock Radio and be sure to check their schedule because we usually get a repeat run during the week.

You can hear us every Wednesday on these great stations:
Pure Rock Radio & Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Review - "Tales From The Deadside" A Sound of Thunder (Mad Neptune 2015)

"A narcotic stew of vocal pyrotechnics, massive melodies and a haunting storyline combine to intoxicate and invigorate. A righteous way to binge on metal"

That's right on September 25th A Sound of Thunder  unleashed their fifth full length album on an unsuspecting metal public. Yep I said album, this puppy is available on blessed vinyl too.

Although the last few albums had some type of storyline to them this is their first true concept album and it's based upon Valiant Entertainment's "Shadowman" comic series. Now I've never been a huge fan of the concept album, an exception being made for Rush's 2112, but this one definitely has my ear. I'm not sure how they managed to pull off being epic and approachable at the same time but damn they have certainly served up something tasty once again.

Let's dig in to "Tales From The Deadside"

The opener is "Children of The Dark" a sprawling 7+ minute song. Although it starts slow at about 1:24 Josh's guitar starts a nice hypnotic groove that just grabs you followed closely behind by some powerful double track vocals from Nina. This track some stellar interplay between the guitar and drums in an almost call and response fashion. It clearly shows the level of fun that Josh and drummer Chris Haren had in making this. Also of note is some tasty bass lines from Jesse Keen. Toss in the prog break a little past the four minute mark and this one's a home run. 

"Sandria" is up next. Initially i thought this was going to be a straight up rocker. It starts off with a killer riff complete with classic Iommi style trills but it transitions to an almost avant garde freeform jazz deal. Kudos to Nina for being able to roll over the top of it with a solid melody line. That's followed by the solid rocker I was initially expecting. But the bridge reminded me a bit too much of White Wedding but maybe that's just me. Either way this one is still a thumbs up.

Whoa jazz organ warning on track three. Someone has broken out the Hammond. Not to worry it's all very tasteful. All in all this is a great tune and the guitar solo has a really cool classic almost Blackmore vibe to it. I realize that Hammond plus Blackmore equals Purple but I assure this track is far from Purple. How many times can i praise the vocals? Dunno but here I go again. Nina does a fantastic job on this one. If it was shorter "Can't Go Back" might be a great radio single…if radio had any taste.

Okay track four "Deadside" had me worried. It had a bit too much Doors flavor (ala The End) but by about the three minute mark this thing was sickly hypnotic. Nina and the boys have fed the Lizard King his own balls. As slow as this one starts by the end it's a runaway freight train. Hello big labels have you actually listened to this band? It slays all the pablum you push out. Simply Awesome.  

Track five "Tower of Souls", REALLY!!! I've run out of adjectives. From the first note this one grabs you. How many songs can do that with a narrator talking? Cannot stop listening to this track and you won't be able to either.

"Losing Control" is a real sleeper track. It's one of those tracks that slowly grows on you and it took me a few runs but I figured it out. It's the bass. Jesse has done a superb job on the bass work for this track and Kevin Gutierrez has masterfully mixed it such that rather than be blatant it's insidious in it's infection of your ear holes. Amazing stuff. Nice classic seventies inspired harmony solo from Josh on this one too.

Every ASOT release is not complete without the "Nina" song. Punk Mambo is that song. If King Diamond formed a punk band this would be their first single. Oh yeah cool jazz sax break anyone? Yeah it's in there.

I'm not gonna name names but I know that someone in ASOT does like country and track 8 Alyssa definitely has that kinda vibe. I honestly think it could be successfully played on a modern country station. I'm not a country fan but I'll admit it's a well crafted song and it's a nice showcase for yet another facet of Nina's abilities. I don't think we'll ver stop discovering what that woman can do with her voice.

Of we could ever have the privilege of hearing the almighty Dio sing a ASOT song I would pick track 9 "Tremble". Scenario number two would be to have Nina, Veronica Freeman and Leather Leone share vocal duties on this one. Ladies please make this small metal dream come true. Alright back to reality. If had to play just one track off the album to convince someone to buy it THIS is the track. Tower of Souls is a close second but this my friends is five minutes of pure blissful metal majesty.

This band really knows what it's doing. Concept discs can be a sequencing nightmare with sometimes less than stellar transitions but the closing track "End of Times" picks right up from Tremble and loses none of the power and majesty of the prior track. Although it's got many movements in it's seven minutes it's a great closer and clearly leaves you wanting more.

So how do I sum this up? Well the first thing I'll say is that A Sound of Thunder has shown they are fearless in their approach to writing. They don't follow trends they follow their instincts and the results are phenomenal. For me I've had the pleasure of living with an album that has nine tracks that earn such high marks that even the one country tinged track can't spoil it. Proof of that is that although I could hit skip I just keep it rolling.

If you haven't already figured it out…GO BUY  THIS!!! I know I know it's a concept album but it's not one of those tedious concept deals. This makes you feel alive even while being sucked into the Deadside. And you better hurry because I can assure that A Sound of Thunder is already brewing up another batch of insanely infectious music to steal your soul.

Nina Osegueda - vocals

Josh Schwartz - guitars/keys

Jesse Keen - guitars/keys

Chris Haren - drums

www.asoundofthunderband.com 

www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder 

www.reverbnation.com/asoundofthunder 

http://asot.bandcamp.com 

https://twitter.com/asotband

A Sound of Thunder returns to Focus on Metal This Week

Episode 246 - Tales From The Deadside

I do believe that A Sound Of Thunder may have the most appearances on this show and this week they solidify that by dropping by once again. Yep our favorite band from Virginia is once again deep into another Kickstarter campaign in order to continue to bring the music to heavy metal music. Their latest project is Shadowman: Tales From The Deadside. It's their first true concept album and it is shaping up to be one hell of a release. So join me this week as I talk with Josh, Jesse and Chris from ASOT. Did I mention we have some exclusive content from the new album? Yes. Yes we do.

Get all your ASOT info and merch at http://www.asoundofthunderband.com/

You have until August 17th to get in on the Shadowman campaign at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/asoundofthunder/shadowman-tales-from-the-deadside

Here's some classic ASOT from their Out of The Darkness release

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes.

You can hear us Tuesdays on Platinum Rock Radio and be sure to check their schedule because we usually get repeat run during the week.

You can hear us every Wednesday on these great stations:
Pure Rock Radio, Metal World Radio,  and now on The Indie Authority

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

A SOUND OF THUNDER has landed on the Billboard Heatseekers albums chart this week

Heavy metal band A SOUND OF THUNDER has landed on the Billboard Heatseekers albums chart this week with their new release "The Lesser Key of Solomon".  The album landed at #39 and is the band's first ever Billboard-charting release.  "The Lesser Key of Solomon" was released on the band's own Mad Neptune Records on September 9th, and was produced by Kevin '131' Gutierrez (Shinedown, While Heaven Wept, Raven).

"We're very proud to be on the charts and very thankful to our fans who put us there," commented guitarist Josh Schwartz.  "More importantly, charting with a crowd-funded album, with no label backing, is a great sign for metal and all independent music, and shows that the fans themselves have the power to keep the music they love alive!"

"The Lesser Key of Solomon" running time of 61 minutes, features 10 of A Sound of Thunder's most intense yet nuanced songs, exploring territory which is simultaneously heavier and more atmospheric than ever before. The steel-armored wail of prodigal vocalist Nina Osegueda (called by some "the lovechild of Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson") tops off deft performances by a band that knows how to deliver the goods. From the demonic fire of "Udoroth", to the crushing Dio-esque "Master of Pain", to the sweeping scope and dark theatricality of "Elijah", A Sound of Thunder delivers a timeless album full of metal classics.

“The Lesser Key Of Solomon” available as a digital download, compact disc, and limited deluxe vinyl-book format.

tracklisting includes:

Nexus Of Realities, Udoroth, Fortune Teller, The Boy Who Could Fly, Elijah, Master Of Pain, Blood From The Mummy’s Tomb, Black Secrets, One Empty Grave, House Of Bones 

Weblinks:

Album pre-order: http://asoundofthunder.bigcartel.com/category/the-lesser-key-of-solomon

Website: http://www.asoundofthunderband.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder

Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/asoundofthunder

BandCamp: http://asot.bandcamp.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/asotband

Management/Booking: asoundofthunderband@gmail.com

A Sound Of Thunder:

Nina Osegueda- vocals

Josh Schwartz- guitars/ keyboards

Jesse Keen- guitars/ keyboards

Chris Haren- drums/ percussion

A SOUND OF THUNDER unveiled the official video for "Udoroth"

Heavy metal band A SOUND OF THUNDER has unveiled the official video for "Udoroth".  The fully animated video premiered on Bravewords on September 3rd. 

Bravewords Link:  http://bravewords.com/exclusives/videos/a-sound-of-thunder-release-new-udoroth-animated-video

Direct Video Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yetRJ9aAyvc 

The track comes off the band's new album "The Lesser Key of Solomon", released September 9th on Mad Neptune Records.  The album was produced by RIAA multi-platinum-awarded producer Kevin '131' Gutierrez (While Heaven Wept, Raven, Shinedown).

The fully-animated clip was produced by Powerhouse Animation, which has produced animation for Disney and DC Universe Online. The video is based on a story developed by A Sound of Thunder and character designs by band artist Dusan Markovic and comic artist Paulina Ganucheau. "Udoroth" fleshes out the band's Queen Of Hell mythology, which first appeared in the fan-favorite song "Queen of Hell", and sets Udoroth up as the Queen's nemesis, leaving the door open for more stories in the future.

A SOUND OF THUNDER's heavy riff-laden songs are complex yet instantly catchy, featuring razor-sharp musicianship and the lung-busting performances of powerhouse classically-trained vocalist Nina Osegueda.

"If your erection lasts longer than four hours, you probably listened to our new album. Also, you're welcome", jokes Osegueda. "On a serious note, this album is our best work to date. The songwriting and performances from the band are on another level. The album was a joy to make and that comes through in the final recording."

Hot off the 2013 release of Time's Arrow, their best-selling and best reviewed release to date, A Sound Of Thunder was brimming with confidence and eager to get back into the recording studio. With too many musical ideas for just one album, the band selected only its darkest and most atmospheric material for The Lesser Key of Solomon. The result is an ominous collection of songs united by supernatural themes. The album represents the fulfillment of a promise to A Sound Of Thunder's fans, known as the "Legion of Thunder", who funded the album via the Kickstarter crowd-funding platform in the autumn of 2013, raising over $23,000.

The Lesser Key Of Solomon running time of 61 minutes, features 10 of A Sound Of Thunder's most intense yet nuanced songs, exploring territory which is simultaneously heavier and more atmospheric than ever before. The steel-armored wail of prodigal vocalist Nina Osegueda (called by some "the lovechild of Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson") tops off deft performances by a band that knows how to deliver the goods. From the demonic fire of "Udoroth", to the crushing Dio-esque "Master Of Pain", to the sweeping scope and dark theatricality of "Elijah", A Sound Of Thunder delivers a timeless album full of metal classics.

The Lesser Key Of Solomon will be available as a digital download, compact disc, and limited deluxe vinyl-book.

Weblinks:

www.asoundofthunderband.com

www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder

www.reverbnation.com/asoundofthunder

http://asot.bandcamp.com

https://twitter.com/asotband

A Sound of Thunder on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 199 - A Sound of Awesome

This week A Sound of Thunder release their latest slab of awesome "The Lesser Key of Solomon" like Solomon you would be wise to grab yourself copy of this one. To get the word out Josh, Chris and Jesse make a return appearance on the show this week to talk about all things ASOT as well as give you damn good idea of how much you need to get this release.

Want more ASOT? Head to http://www.asoundofthunderband.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/ASoundOfThunder or https://twitter.com/asotband

Grab it now from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed or on iTunes

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

A Sound Of Thunder- Releases "Elijah" Lyric Video

The Metal Underground premiered the lyric video on Monday for "Elijah" from ASOT's latest release.  

The song is from the band's insanely great forthcoming album "The Lesser Key of Solomon", due out September 9th worldwide on Mad Neptune Records. 

The album was produced by RIAA multi-platinum-awarded producer Kevin '131' Gutierrez (While Heaven Wept, Raven, Shinedown). 

The video can be seen here:

http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=105634

The direct link for the lyric video is:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG6pO8lvE6A 

"The Lesser Key of Solomon" features 10 of A Sound of Thunder's most intense yet nuanced songs, exploring territory which is simultaneously heavier and more atmospheric than ever before. A review of the album can be found right here at Focus on Metal.

Tracklisting:

1. Nexus of Realities

2. Udoroth

3. Fortuneteller

4. The Boy Who Could Fly

5. Elijah

6. Master of Pain

7. Blood From the Mummy's Tomb

8. Black Secrets

9. One Empty Grave

10. House of Bones

Total running time: 61 minutes

"The Lesser Key of Solomon" will be available as a digital download, compact disc, and in a limited deluxe vinyl-book format.

A Sound of Thunder's previous album "Time's Arrow" was released worldwide via Mad Neptune Records on June 4th, 2013 and featured a guest appearance by ex-Iron Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley.

Links/Contact

Album pre-order: http://asoundofthunder.bigcartel.com/category/the-lesser-key-of-solomon

Website: http://www.asoundofthunderband.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder

Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/asoundofthunder

BandCamp: http://asot.bandcamp.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/asotband

Review - A Sound of Thunder "The Lesser Key of Solomon" (Neptune)

When ya write a review of an album that first sentence is always a bitch. More so when the album has soundly kicked your ass for the last 48 hours. That's the case with "The Lesser Key of Solomon", A Sound of Thunder's fourth release.

As always in the interest of full disclosure I am a longtime supporter of this band but I feel that I can still maintain a fair outlook on their musical output and I believe that the album will speak for itself.

The album drops on September 9th but I have been given a rare PHYSICAL advance copy. That has allowed me to listen to this not only with headphones but also cranked on my car system. And I will tell you I have taken maximum advantage of this situation. Each way of listening yields a different experience and it's nice to be able to have at both ways. With some nice headphones on (not those crappy ear buds) you can really hear all the nuances in the tracks while on the car system you get to revel in the sheer power of the tunes.

So the cast of characters hasn't changed since "Time's Arrow". Chris Haren on drums, Jesse Keen and Josh Schwartz doing guitars and keys and of course the amazing vocals of Nina Osegueda. I should also note that once again Kevin Gutierrez has the production reigns. This is like old school metal with a band sticking with a producer for album after album only in this case they don't get complacent they just get better.

As a Kickstarter supporter for this album I have gotten small glimpses of the work in progress but those snippets clearly did not represent what these guys have rolled out on this one. First off sonically it's incredible. The bass sound is superb. It's the tone that I think bass players aspire to. The drums are equally clear and present and those two elements just anchor everything else so solidly. And there's plenty to anchor. One thing that struck me was the increased use of keyboards but they never sound forced or out of place. I would characterize the B3 parts as the best use of that sound since Deep Purple. As usual the guitar parts are set in that nice midrange that allows them room to breathe and compliment the vocals. And the vocals, well I've never made any bones about the fact that Nina is one of my favorite vocalists out there and the performance here does nothing to diminish that.

With all that out of the way let's dig in.

The album kicks off with "Nexus of Realities" more an intro than an actual track it does set the mood nicely. Now the ensuing "Udoroth" is another thing entirely. This is classic ASOT. Fast and in your face with unrelenting vocals and their trademarks spiraling guitar lines. This track cannot and should not be ignored. Clearly this could easily be the single off the disc and a killer opening track for a live set. That one transitions to "Fortuneteller" a mid tempo track featuring some nicely woven guitars over a straightforward keyboard pad. Later in the track they make use of the B3 for a very cool breakdown. This track reminds me  what it would sound like if you combined DIo era Sabbath with Deep Purple MK2.

Next up is "The Boy Who Could Fly". This one is probably the most commercial sounding track I have ever heard Nina sing. This could easily sit well on terrestrial radio (I'm still working out if that's good or bad). Clearly though there's a depth and a story behind the lyrics and that in my opinion is what sets this one apart from the normal commercial song. I did i mention that Josh throws down one of the tastiest solos I have ever heard from him on this too.

Track 5 "Elijah" is a near ten minute epic clocking in at 9:30. Talk about deep themes this really hits it out of the park. Cleverly Nina never lays it out fully and leaves just enough to your imagination to come up with your own interpretation about what is really going on in this one. It definitely ups the eerie factor. This is also one of those tracks where Nina takes you on a journey by essentially speaking in each characters voice which creates almost a mini rock opera. Instrumentation on this is also excellent with a metric shit ton of stuff going on.

After three "lighter" tracks ASOT turns back to the heavy with "Master of Pain". A soon as I saw the title I knew this was going to go places and I'm pretty damn sure that Nina had a blast writing this one. If this one doesn't create a legion of S&M devotees I don't know what will. Nina has clearly mined the thin line between ecstasy and agony and put it to words in an undeniably effective way. If you don't listen to the lyrics on this one you are denying yourself a very cool experience. The lyrics on this will blow the mind of any of those sheltered housewives out there that are so enamored by "Fifty Shades of Grey". This one also contains another killer wah inflected Josh solo on it. One of the best tracks on the disc in my opinion.

From this point on Nina goes full on Mercyful Fate/King Diamond and that's a good thing. First up is "Blood From The Mummy's Tomb" a way cool tune about revenge from the grave. The double bass wok on this one is so freaking tight but it doesn't hit you in the face because they didn't go for that booming cannon bass sound it just sits there nicely in the mix. If you ever wanted to hear Josh do some Floyd-like soling this is where he does it. Nice B3 riffing on this one too. And I gotta say that some bands would have probably gone overboard on the Egyptian thing and made a campy mess not so with these guys. ASOT has made a horror classic with this one.

"Black Secrets" is pure classic hard rock riffing. What to not like about that? Solid hooky riffs. B3 in the breakdown. Even a tiny drum solo in there. Great mid tempo track with a classic 70's vibe. 

Track 9 "One Empty Grave" starts out with some very stripped down backing and it lets Nina's vocals and the subject matter shine. The absence of stuff really lends to the ghostly nature of the subject. One thing that drives me nuts on this one is the backing vocals. There's another voice in there and I have no idea who it is. Perhaps it's Veronica Freeman but there's nothing on the advance copy about it. Why does it matter? Cuz the voices sound so greasing good together that it'll make the hairs on your arms go up. Update: Josh gave me a shout out and assured me that Nina is the only female voice on the album.  Once again proving how versatile Nina is. So it's a more down tempo tune but the mood created is so inescapable that you just have to listen.

The disc wraps up with "House of Bones" clocking in at 8:39 it initially seems like a long tune however the first 1:15 is an intro piece. It almost a reprise of some of the themes heard in track one. That transition to a cool almost proggy bass line. There's a real jazz fusion element n this one between the bass and the guitar. Reminded me a bit of Jaco meets Blow by Blow era Jeff Beck for a good chunk of it however they bring the metal about three minutes in along with a nice bluesy vocal line from Nina.

ASOT has taken ten tracks of heavy and supernatural themed songs and created another killer release with "The Lesser Key of Solomon" Listening to all of it just enforces the notion that this band is still growing and that they haven't become complacent or predictable. If this is your first ASOT experience I would urge you to go back and explore the prior release too. Each one has a unique tone and experience.

So what's the FoM score on this one? With ten tracks and a max score of 1 point per track I'm going with 9.5 out of 10. "The Boy Who Could Fly" leaned a little too commercial for my tastes but the solo and the lyrical depth gave it a half point. This one's another release that I think is well worth your wharf earned cash from an independent band that continues to do things on their own terms. The fact that the fans continue to heavily support everything they do should be a clear indication that these guys are the real deal.

Find out more about ASOT and order up the release at:

www.asoundofthunderband.com

www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder

www.reverbnation.com/asoundofthunder

http://asot.bandcamp.com

https://twitter.com/asotband

A SOUND OF THUNDER Confirmed for Warriors Of Metal Fest VII

If you were still undecided about going to Warriors of Metal this year this single announcement should make the decision for you.

February 11, 2014  Cincinnati, Ohio --The Warriors of Metal, Inc. non-profit organization is happy to announce that one of the most active Washington DC area female-fronted powerm etal bands, A SOUND OF THUNDER, has been confirmed to give an exclusive  Midwest performance at the 7th annual Warriors Of Metal Fest to be held at O'Sheckys LIVE Bar & Grill on June 27th and 28th in Columbus, Ohio.

Band vocalist Nina Osegueda states: "Playing at Warriors of Metal is a dream come true! I've wanted to play this fest for years, so I'm hella-excited to finally be able to not just play with these bands, but see them too!"

The song "My Disease," featuring Blaze Bayley, from their last release Times Arrow has been posted at this location. 

Bands confirmed for Pre-Fest Showcase on Thursday, June 26 at O'Sheckeys Live Bar & Grill include:  ETERNAL LEGACY (headliner) AUTOMATON, DEADIRON, LOWER 13, DETHRATS, , GRAVE ROBBER,  SPLIT THE ABYSS and WINTERHYMN. 

Warriors Of Metal Fest VII confirmed bands thus far for the main Fest on Friday, June 27 & Saturday June 28 include: ARMORY, A SOUND OF THUNDER, A TORTURED SOUL, BEYOND FALLEN, BURNING SHADOWS, CELLADOR, CRUSADER, FLESH ENGINE, LORDS OF THE TRIDENT, MITHRIDIUM, RESISTANCE,  RESTLESS BREED, and SHALLOW GROUND.

Keep up-to-date with all of the developments such as band announcements and ticket information for next year's show through the Warrior's of Metal Fest's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/warriorsofmetal

A SOUND OF THUNDER Fans to Choose Cover Songs

American heavy metal band A SOUND OF THUNDER is offering fans a chance to choose the songs for an upcoming covers album.

The band recently announced details of its new album "The Lesser Key of Solomon" via a crowd-funding campaign, launching the project on Friday, October 25 with a $10,000 fund-raising goal.  The goal was passed in less than five days, and pledges have now exceeded $18,000.  The campaign ends on Monday, November 25th.  The band has decreed that if the campaign reaches $20,000 in pledges, they will record a covers album and give fans the opportunity to vote on which songs the band will cover.

"This is really just a way to thank the fans for the incredible and unexpected surge of support we've received," says guitarist Josh Schwartz.  "We've got a list of great songs for the fans to choose from, ranging from Deep Purple and Kansas to Devin Townsend and Tool!  There will definitely be some surprises on the list."  In addition to the fan-chosen songs, the album will also include the band's previously announced cover of "Pleasure Slave" by MANOWAR, and several songs yet to be announced.

A SOUND OF THUNDER's most recent album "Time's Arrow" was released on June 4, 2013 via Mad Neptune Records and features a guest appearance by Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE).  Their previous album "Out of the Darkness" was released on March 27, 2012 via Nightmare Records, and features a guest appearance by John Gallagher (RAVEN).  Both albums were recorded at Assembly Line Studios and produced by Kevin '131' Gutierrez (While Heaven Wept, Deceased, Shinedown).

For more information, visit:

Website: http://www.asoundofthunderband.com

Facbook: http://www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder

Twitter: @asotband

Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/asoundofthunder/a-sound-of-thunder-the-lesser-key-of-solomon

A Sound of Thunder Announces New Album, Smashes Crowd-Funding Goal in Four Days

Fans of American metal act A SOUND OF THUNDER have exceeded the crowd-funding goal for the band's new album in less than five days.  The band announced details of its new album "The Lesser Key of Solomon" via the 30-day campaign on Friday, October 25, launching the project at 12:03pm EST with a $10,000 fund-raising goal.  The goal was passed less than five days later at 9:26pm EST on Tuesday, October 29. 

A SOUND OF THUNDER began recording its fourth album "The Lesser Key of Solomon" in July at Assembly Line Studios.  Kevin '131' Gutierrez (Raven, While Heaven Wept, Deceased) is once again handling production duties for the band.  With the success of the crowd-funding campaign, the 10 track album is scheduled to be completed in late 2013 for a summer 2014 release. 

In addition to recording costs, the crowd-funding campaign will also fund the production of extensive album artwork and a large-format book to accompany the album.  The book will be 12" x 12" and will feature original paintings by artist Dušan Marković for each of the 10 songs, lyrics, photos, comments from the band members, and more.  The book will be available in both paperback and deluxe hardcover slipcase editions.  Both versions of the book, as well as the album and an array of additional items can be pre-ordered via the crowd-funding campaign.  The campaign runs until November 25th on the popular crowd-funding site Kickstarter and can be found here.

A SOUND OF THUNDER is embarking on an east coast US tour in November to promote its latest album "Time's Arrow".   

"Time's Arrow" was released on June 4, 2013 via the band's own labelMad Neptune Records.  The album was recorded at Assembly Line Studios and produced by Kevin '131' Gutierrez.

For more information, visit:
Website: http://www.asoundofthunderband.com
Facbook: http://www.facebook.com/asoundofthunder
Twitter: @asotband
Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/asoundofthunder/a-sound-of-thunder-the-lesser-key-of-solomon

Review - A Sound of Thunder Time's Arrow

Okay in the interest of full disclosure I do have to confess that I have been a long standing supporter of this band. I own every piece of recorded output I can buy from them and this new release is no different. I may have a free digital preview of the new release but you can be damn sure I've already preordered a physical copy long before I ever heard a note of this.

Alright let's get to the meat of this review.

Time's Arrow is the latest release from A Sound of Thunder. Their last,  2012's Out of The Darkness was completely brilliant and I couldn't imagine being able to follow it up. The incredible progression in just three albums is amazing. This is a band that has been able to mix old school sensibilities with some of the newer sonics to create a sound that is so damn approachable.

One of those old school sensibilities is sequencing an album. They don't write filler so they spend time figuring out how to sequence the songs. Even more so on this release since you can also get it on vinyl.

Another bit of old school is their attention to the artwork. Check out the cover art above. They have labored over every detail of the regular CD and the box set. Essentially they take all this on themselves. There's not some huge staff behind them. 

Let's go through the tracks:

Power Play - This is clearly the grab you by the nut sack opening track. Remember the first time you heard Steve Harris's bass? Power Play opens with this killer bass line from Jesse Keen that will take you back to that feeling. A few bars in and Josh Schwartz opens up with a killer dual guitar harmony. It's clear these guys have come to rip. Chris Haren keeps a nice tidy drum part behind it all just gluing it all together. At the 23 second mark they just shift gears and take it to a whole other level. It not until the 41 second mark that the mighty vocals of Nina Osegueda enter the picture. 41 seconds in and I'm already glued to the speakers. Once Nina hits it's all done. She has one of the best set of pipes in metal today and this release is a veritable showcase for her talents.

In this case her vocals hits strong and clean with just a touch of that raspiness she can inject at will. Adding to that is some great gang vocals when needed. Again some old school sensibilities in that regard. This track is so damn good. Great lyrics. Tasty solo. Hooks that will infect your brain and we are only one track in.

Time's Arrow- The title track as track two. A long time tradition carried on by ASOT. Okay my first impression was F*%K it's almost ten minutes long. Long time listeners know I have an issue with long songs. Personal bias, I know but that just how I'm wired. Alright let's dive in on this one.

So there's about two minutes of instrumental lead in. It's massive sounding and very well orchestrated. As I'm listening to it I'm just staring at the cover art trying to put the music with the artwork. Once the vocals kick in the first thing I notice is how tight the guitar melody and the vocal melody are. It really draws you in. There was also something else there. It took a bit but at almost 10 freaking minutes I had time to figure it out. There's almost this seventies vibe to the overall feel to this one. That's not a bad thing it just the vibe I got. All totaled even at ten minutes this is a great track. The amount of work that had to have gone into recording this song had to be huge. There's a lot going on and in true ASOT from the mix lets everything have it's moment to shine. It may not be my go to song on this one but I have a shit ton of respect for what they did on it.

I Will Not Break - A smoldering churning chunk of metal. Think of the tempo of Priest' Grinder. That's where this one sits. THe lyrics on this one are classic no B.S. from Nina. The choice line "I won't be silent but I might be violent". The guitar tone on the fills on is this just killer. Clean and searing. You can't ignore it. That's followed up by a solo with this cool middle eastern vibe in this nice copping of George Lynch's style. This whole track just says POWER in a very forceful way. The real secret on this one is the infectious lines that the rhythm section puts down in the background.

Broken Bridge - This one starts of slow and just lulls you into thinking that you are getting a bit of a respite. NOPE!! About 30 seconds in it kicks into a nice mid tempo rocker. I say this as a compliment, I can just hear Ronnie James Dio doing this song. With that in mind it just made Nina's vocals that much cooler. I don't know how Josh gets that thick massive guitar tone but I do intend to ask him about it. It's just this huge solid slab of tone behind the whole song. If that wasn't enough the wah infused breakdown four minutes in further solidified his axe cred. Once again that section with the classic keyboard pads behind it really beefed up that RJD vibe. To top it off a lesser band would have rode out on that but not ASOT they went back to a pastoral piano part to end the song.

Queen of Hell - I bought the Queen of Hell EP on both vinyl and CD and this song is just killer. I have had this cranked so loud in my car that you could hear it blocks away. The build up on this is freaking insane. Listen to the drums. They are just so pounding and yet Chris throws in these tiny accents on the brass when you don't expect them. The guitar is screaming and Jesse is just barely holding it all together with his bass line. What is truly cool about this build up is that once you have heard the song once the expectation of what's coming will just make it that much cooler. No shit, the hair on my arms go up when I hear the opening of this one. Why? Because this track shows Nina in all her vocal glory. She goes from sweet to evil in the space of four bars. Just insane. If you dig this one do yourself a favor and get the version with Veronica Freeman on it too.

One of my favorite tracks on the album and watch out for the roller coaster drop when it comes time for the bridge. 

Let's Start A Fire - Hooks upon hooks upon hooks. This one's another mid tempo rocker. Probably the most straight forward track on the album. Three minutes long and just put together nicely. My piece of advice on this one is listen to the lyrics. Nina has created some solid imagery hear so don't get distracted by the musicianship surrounding it. Even in what seems like a simple song Nina has crafted some choice lyrics. I also like the bit of amp sound at the tail end of the song. I'm glad they didn't gate it out it sounds perfect there.

I'll Walk With You - So this one has some shades of "One" to it. At this point I guess if you combine acoustic arpeggios on top of a snare cadence you get comparisons to Metallica and I guess I'm guilty  of doing it too. All that washes away when Nina opens her mouth. Anyone who has just considered her a "metal" singer will get schooled with this one. She displays a whole different facet to her abilities and I was blown away. This one the sleeper track of the disc. Besides the vocals Josh's guitar work on this is impeccable. He does some tasty acoustic interludes between the verses that are top notch. What makes them even better is that most people would have just blazed on electric on those spots but his abilities on the acoustic actually makes those parts sound heavier. It isn't until around 4 minutes in that he fires up the electric and just smokes. Interestingly I actually hear shades of Pat Methany in his solo here. Pat who? Yeah I know Pat Methany isn't often spoken of in metal circles since he's a jazzer and unlike someone like Chris Poland I don't think he would ever cross into metal territory but nonetheless guitarists can learn some cool phrasing from him.

My Disease - Spanish guitar. Monks chanting, WTF? Never mind, 30 seconds in and in comes a snaking bass line from Jesse followed by a crunchy doubling on guitar and then drums. Okay I'm not nervous anymore. Nice vocals. Okay I'm digging this one. Hey, who's the guy on vocals? Enter Blaze Bayley. This is a nice concept and it works well. The extra bonus here is Nina's lyrics. She clearly had a lot of fun with the words on this one. They may not be as over the top as Kill that Bitch or Hello Nurse but they rank right up there. The very English sounding breakdown around the three minute mark work so well with Blaze's voice. Jesse is also able to throw in some nice Geezer like lines in there while Chris pops in some very Bill Ward like brass work. That transitions to a very Dio era Sabbath sounding part. If that wasn't enough Josh then manages to transition into a classic ASOT sound before the vocals kick back in again.

Wastelands - If there is one thing ASOT is guilty of is never following a format. No long intro here. Josh does the riff and BAM Nina just launches in and the vocals don't stop for the next two and a half minutes. Then this jazz infused double stop section comes in. Who expect that? Even have a touch of Hammond B3 going on. Just some cool arranging here and ASOT has shown some big stones on this one. And yes after the jazzy part it does kick back in and just burns through the rest of the track.

End of The Road - Back to the mid tempo groove. This one has that slinky feel ala AC/DC's Nightcrawler. Honestly this one could almost qualify as a crossover tune into modern country. Even the very Tele sounding solo points it in that direction. Once again the playing is solid and even with the country feel it's a cool track. I also like the reverb ring out at the end.

Reign of The Hawklords - Those of us that were Kickstarter supporters got this one as a preview track months ago so I have a bit of time with this one. First point, there's Theramin on this one. Somehow Theramin always sounds cool on a track. This one definitely has a triply psychedelic vibe to it. When I first heard it I my first thought was crap I hope the whole thing doesn't sound like this. Then I heard the QoH EP and I knew that very cool shit was on the horizon. I applaud the fact that they were smart enough to put this as the last track. I think they knew that to toss this into the middle of everything else would be a buzz kill for most of their fans. I take this track for what it is. Another example of the breadth of ASOT's songwriting abilities.

So what's the score? 11 tracks and 9 solid metal tunes. A cool crossover that stand solid on it's own and one that comes in as more of a cool excursion but one that might get skipped on repeated plays. 

In metal terms that's a solid steel two horns up.

So once again ASOT has made an album on their own terms and delivered us one hell of a good album. I cannot wait to experience the physical copy at maximum volume. This a band you can feel good getting behind. They work their asses off. They give a shit about their fans. They are very approachable and are a blast to interview. AND they write some of the best new music out there.

To get you own copy head to http://asoundofthunder.bigcartel.com/category/cds while your there you really should pick up your own copy of the Queen of Hell CD too.