Primal Fear

Meshuggah

Jorn

Firebrands

Eluveitie

A.O.T.W.

more interviews?

Band:Psychostick Album:The Flesh Eating Roller Skate Holiday Joyride Record Company:Rock Ridge Music Writer: Mark Carras Media: MySpace Click Album Cover To Buy Now

Now I am all up for a good Christmas parody cd. In fact, I used to try to buy at least one per year. Then after I bought every single cd in the Bob Rivers Twisted Christmas series, the Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics, & Ren And Stimpy's Crock O' Christmas, I couldn't find anything that interested me. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is ok, but you have to buy all the cds and then make a compilation with all the songs that have annoyingly traditional vocals cut out. It is getting rare that someone can make a decent Christmas cd that isn't annoyingly traditional. Since I despise tradition, especially when it comes to my religious holidays, I want stuff that makes fun of that which most people hold dear to their hearts. So when I saw this cd in the mail, I have to admit I was a little excited about the idea.

Sad thing is that it is everything that is wrong with metal today and everything that is wrong with comedy all in one. The band is the typical watered down mallcore from about ten years ago. Everything is about as flat as it gets, in a weak attempt at being brutal. The jokes are about as contrived as can be. Maybe my expectations were too high? The vocalist can't sing a note to save his life. It is just the standard flat metalcore vocals that come off like a bear on the mic. The guitar riffs are the same boring chugga, chugga, chugga that we have been fed since the mid 90's. On "Red Snow" he tries to sing, but it ends up sounding like a third rate Mudvayne.

So is this a total loss? No. I almost never say that any band is without hope. I think the lyrics would work well if the music was done better. The quality of the recording is pro all the way. It's a great mix and I can hear everything nicely. The drums and bass sound about as solid as it gets. The fills used are tastefully done. The title of the cd is pure genius and part of what made me excited about the whole thing when it first came in the mail. Like most 'local' band's, they are holding onto trends that are on the way out (or in this case a decade ago). So if the band went for sounds that were a little more natural, it would work better. If the vocalist could find a style that was halfway between his singing and his shouting it would improve things immensely. Did this Rock My Monkey? No, but I still hope the band continues to work hard and find their own place in heavy music.

Band:Psychostick Album:The Flesh Eating Roller Skate Holiday Joyride Record Company:Rock Ridge Music Writer: Mark Carras Media: MySpace Click Album Cover To Buy Now

To post comments CLICK HERE!

Submit this interview to one of the social networking sites below:
Stumble Upon	Heavy As Hell	Facebook	Technorati	Newsvine	Reddit	del.icio.us	Yahoo