Rock Fist Reviews

Review of Wake of the Titan’s “Goodnight Cold Earth” Album
~ Kris Melton

Sample if you like: 30 Seconds to Mars, Deftones, Muse, Tool
Location: Atlanta, GA

The album begins with an instrumental intro that sounds ideal for building anticipation at a live show. Beginning with a squealing guitar, it gains heavy momentum as the song progresses. This is followed by “Goodnight Cold Earth”, which was a good choice as a title track, considering the marketable sound similar to 30 Seconds to Mars. The repetitive high-pitched guitar is paired with a pulsating drum and whispering vocals, then picks up intensity once it reaches the chorus. In this song as well as others the back-up vocals have a notable harmony that compliments the lead vocals. The hammer-ons and pull-offs paired with the distortion in the guitar solo is an engaging way to lead into to the finale. “Forward Motion” demonstrates a more progressive sound with a dark guitar and bass to help set the mood. The listener can also get a better grasp of Jake’s vocal range. “If We’re Quiet” is a bit bi-polar as there’s a dramatic difference between the soft verses and the stronger chorus. We hear screaming vocals for the first time on the album. The guitar solo really offsets the bridge into the chorus at the end. “Maybe Tomorrow” has a more generic sound with lyrics listeners can relate to. “The Cycle” has ambient melodies in its verses, with changes that seem to come in waves or a cycle much like its title. Very rarely can a singer be compared to Tool’s lead vocalist Maynard, but there is certainly some resemblance in parts of this song. They’re next scheduled show is in Alpharetta, GA on Friday, September 25th at Uptown Loft.

RFR Rating:
Rock Fist Up
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Wake of the Titan is:
Lead Vocals/ Guitars- Jake
Guitars/ Vocals- Blue
Drums/ Vocals- Daniel
Bass/ Vocals- Moss

Wake of the Titan MySpace: www.myspace.com/wakeofthetitanband

Don’t miss The Bastard Suns’ next Atlanta appearance at The Masquerade on 9/25. This is the kick-off show for their first coast-to-coast tour.

The cover is $10 but you can get tickets in advance for $8 through ticket master or by contacting the band directly on their myspace: www.myspace.com/thebastardsuns

Dates, cities, and showtimes are listed below:

Review of Martians See Red CD Release Party 6.19.09 Performance
~Kris Melton

Location: Atlanta, GA
Sample if you like: Weezer, Sonic Youth, Elliott Smith, Pixies

Photo by Lance Eubanks

After months of writing new material and laying tracks in the studio, Martians See Red released their new CD “Godot” on June 19th. The guys kicked off their promotional tour with a CD release party in Masquerade’s Hell. This was ironic as the overwhelming heat that swept through the venue that night gave everyone an idea of what hell might actually feel like. Despite the heat, both the bands and the fans had their game faces on.

The Drownout warmed up the crowd prior, and most of the floor was filled as MSR opened with “Skeleton”, a mellow song with a slower, dramatic, dark edge to it. As Kenny laid into the first solo, I could read the intensity on his face and tell the guys were starting to feed into the moment. They played some oldies from their prior release “When All Seems Lost”. “Drunks Awake” is about unrequited love and has bittersweet guitar with a heavier bridge. “Open Words” was a crowd favorite, and most of them knew the words and sang along. This would be the band’s power ballad. “Everything is Falling into Place” has a 90’s flavor to add to its poetic lyrics. The guys sounded really tight during this song and received a great response from the audience.
One of the great things about Martians See Red is that they can combine beautiful lyrics that relate to the soul with a rock edge so as not to come across too sappy. They kept this tradition alive with the songs off their new album. “Vilena” starts off slow and sweet, and then kicks into gear with high energy and at times vocals that squeal. “Places My Flesh Used to Be” featured a deep bass you could feel in your throat during the bridge, and a sweet guitar to balance it out. “Heartbomb” reminds me of Adam Sandler’s demented love song in the movie The Wedding Singer. The verses tend to be hard hitting, while the chorus is light and carefree. “Traffic” is catchy and repetitive, with a touch of pop, and a heavy twist. “Chi” is a song about moving on and gives off a pop-rock sound that intensifies as it reaches its chorus.

Photo by Lance Eubanks

If any criticism could be offered, it would partially go to the sound, which is more or less the venue’s problem, not the bands. During several songs, Kenny’s vocals seemed to get lost in the music instead of being distinctive enough to distinguish. The other would be the band’s consistent level of enthusiasm. Most of the time they were feeding off each other and the crowd, but either due to heat, exhaustion, or both there were times when the energy was lost. With the immense heat consuming the place, it can definitely be forgiven this time.

The guys will be touring around Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama in the near future. For more details on Martians See Red’s future plans check out Rock Fist’s video interview from the night of the show (coming soon). “Godot” is now available for purchase online.

RFR Rating:
Both Rock Fists Up
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Martians See Red is:
Guitar/ Vocals- Kenny Brown
Bass- Gerr
Guitar- Justin Mewborn
Drums- Troy Wolf

www.myspace.com/martiansseered

Review of Chris Unck & The Black Roses’ “Ridiculous! Ridiculous!” Album
~ Kris Melton

 Sample if you like: The Beatles, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, The White Stripes

Label: Lower 40 Records
Location: Atlanta, GA

Chris Unck’s latest project “Ridiculous! Ridiculous!” is far from the typical sound generated in the Southern Rock music scene. Music combines classic rock flavor with indie, country, and a pinch of pop. The album features singer/ songwriter and musician extraordinaire Chris Unck mainly on an acoustic guitar, with instruments such as piano, harmonica, and even a ukulele to compliment. The album was released on iTunes August 18th, and a music video for “Turning Knives Into Steam” is available as well (see RFR’s Video’s column).

The album starts strong with “Ruby with Them Eyes” which has a country/ folk feel and a bounce that makes your feet tap. The edgy lyrics, defining piano, and harmonica really make the song both likeable and memorable. “My Bonnie Young Lass” has a bluesy sound with a piano that sounds straight out of a saloon. “Little Hummingbird” is slow and sweet with lyrics that can be described as poetry in motion. “Durty Kuntry Girls” is a mix of country, pop, and soul. The chorus is playful and induces singing along, clapping, foot tapping, or all three. “Love Is Not A Jinx” has a unique indie sound that is light and thoughtful. “Rosalina” switches things up a bit. You can really hear the pain behind his voice making this broken-hearted song both personal and relatable. “Tear Me Down Pt. 1” is soft and delicate. Lyrics like “love is a song, sung best in the rain”, the accenting guitar with a country flare, and the piano create a depressed, yet beautiful song. The song chosen for a music video, “Turning Knives Into Steam” is a delightful addition, and quite possibly the best off the album. The melody is extremely catchy, the lyrics are relatable, and the sweet easy-going flow really makes it jump out at the listener.

“Ridiculous! Ridiculous!” is a 13-track masterpiece and a one-of-a-kind addition to your music collection. The only thing better than listening to the album, is catching Chris Unck and The Black Roses live. Keep an eye on the band’s Myspace page (listed below) for future dates in your area. You can also found Rock Fist Review’s interview with Chris Unck and the “Turning Knives Into Steam” music video under our Videos column.

NEW Album “Ridiculous Ridiculous” available now on iTunes.

RFR Rating:
Both Rock Fists Up
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Chris Unck & The Black Roses are:
Chris Unck: vocals, guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, harmonica

Regular Guest Appearances include:
Joe Marlow: guitar, bass, vocals
Matt Cahil: drums, harmonica, banjo, vocals
Brent Sandel: keys, vocals
Blair Crimmins: guitar, accordion, ukulele, banjo, vocals
Brad Thomas: saxophones
Andy Kilinski: pedal steel
Andy Asuit: vocals, guitar

Chris Unck MySpace: www.myspace.com/chrisunck
Lower 40 Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=chris+unck+%26+The+black+roses&init=quick#/group.php?gid=55070663965
Lower 40 MySpace: www.myspace.com/lower40

5.20.09 Interview with Speed X: The (almost) Lost Interview
~Kris Melton

I filmed my first video interview with Speed X on May 20, 2009. It was days before their first performance, and their first official interview. So why were these videos almost lost, and not seen until now? Let’s just say technical difficulties. So enjoy the guys talking about their new project and live footage from their rehearsal!

Speed X is made up of some familiar names who have been in some very familiar bands:
Nick Catanese- Black Label Society
Mike Stone- Queensryche
Mike Froedge- Double Drive
Joshua Sattler- Double Drive
Jason Fowler

Speed X Links:
Myspace: www.myspace.com/speedxband
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=Speed+X&init=quick#/group.php?gid=63543055791

Intro:

Interview Pt. 1

Interview Pt. 2

Interview Pt. 3

On the way to Rehearsal!

Rehearsal: Song 1

Rehearsal: Song 2

Name: Tim Daust
Company Name: Reelmind Studios
Profession: Producer, Director, DoP, Editor / Digital Film Production Company
Location: Atlanta, GA
Picture and Company Logo:

Contact:
timdaust@reelmindstudios.com
www.reelmindstudios.com
www.myspace.com/reelmindstudios
www.facebook.com/reelmindstudios
www.twitter.com/reelmindstudios

Bio & Goals:
In 2002 when owner Tim Daust decided to start Reelmind Studios he had only one goal in mind. That goal was to entertain people through the medium of motion pictures. Tim’s love for music jump started his career while building reputations with Atlanta’s most talented and admired musicians. Tim teamed up with Atlanta music producer Chris Unck. The duo started working together when a last minute idea presented itself to make a live DVD for Injected, which turned out to be a success with the band’s fans. In 2004 Reelmind Studios completed production on a second live DVD for the band Injected before the band left Island Def Jam Records just a short time later. A year later Reelmind Studios completed production on a live DVD for the band The Tom Collins, shortly after the group disbanded and the project was shelved. With two projects dead in the water Tim continued to bring to fruition his dream of being a film maker. He produced a television pilot in 2007 and directed another live DVD for home town hero Butch Walker entitled: Leavin’ the Game on Luckie St. This DVD was released on Power Ballad Recordings in early 2008. The latter half of 2008 was spent researching Tim’s first feature film and early this year Tim directed Chris Unck’s debut video “Turning Knives into Steam” for his new record “Ridiculous! Ridiculous!”

What to expect in the future:
Tim’s first feature film is currently in pre-production. The film is based off of a novel about alien abduction and is set to shoot a 7-10 minute snippet of the film in October 2009. This snippet will be used to spark interest in the film while production is completed on the feature. Reelmind Studios is currently in post production for a second DVD for The Tom Collins. The DVD was filmed at their 10 year reunion show in August. In late 2009 Tim will also be producing a documentary for the band Injected not yet titled and will hopefully be released early next year.

Why he rocks: Why does anybody rock? It’s in your soul. (Usually us folks at Rock Fist like to add our own two cents here, but we LOVED his answer!)

Some previous work:
1) Butch Walker – Leavin’ the Game on Luckie St. DVD
2) www.youtube.com/reelmindstudios
3) Stay tuned to the website for never released DVDs for INJECTED to become available.

8.21.09 Interview with Chris Unck
~Kris Melton

Rock Fist Reviews spoke with Chris Unck of Chris Unck & The Black Roses on his new album “Ridiculous Ridiculous”, his “Turning Knives into Steam” music video, touring plans, and more!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3