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Seeing Rik Emmett had me excited. I was always a big Triumph fan, and here he was playing the intimate House Of Blues venue in Chicago. The catch: I would have to spend my time anticipating Emmett's set while enduring a band called The Last Vegas. Little did I know that I would be floored by the band.
As the curtain opened on this band of young and wiry rockers, it was like the whole place was set ablaze. No, not like Great White or anything we're talking a musical firestorm of hungry musicians that are heavy hitters. The band would get a 45 minute set that was crafted into something viral and potent. Doing several songs from their latest "Seal The Deal" disc, there were very few bands in the world that were tighter than this one. As the band reared back to deliver perfectly synchronized, crushing blows of musical fury, we all knew we were in the presence of something very special.
The Last Vegas is your classic American hard rock band; a group of five hungry upstarts with uncompromising chops and some startling similarities to a youthful Aerosmith or Guns 'N' Roses. They have a sound that is full of attitude and punch. The boogie woogie rhythms, the big growling guitar riffs, and the fever pitched vocals also brought The Black Crowes to mind. The band has received critical acclaim from almost every media outlet imaginable, ranging from the local radio stations to NBC Sports, to MTV. Their latest disc, "Seal The Deal," is selling worldwide and the band has been touring extensively throughout Europe and North America. Much of this attention is drawn from the fact that they are featured in the blockbuster videogame "Guitar Hero II." Their single, "Raw Dog," beat out thousands of other bands to become the "Be a Guitar Hero" contest winner and be added to the soundtrack of the game.
I saw two great guitar players the night I saw Rik Emmett. I also saw a rock solid rhythm section with an incredibly tight and physical drummer; along with a strong, charismatic singer to front all of it. And that was all before Emmett even took the stage.
MySpace profile: www.myspace.com/thelastvegas
Official website: www.thelastvegas.com
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Emerging from the Green Mountain state of Vermont, Cellblock One is a band that dishes out a basic hard rock formula something that is long overdue on the music scene. This band will really whet the appetite of the Black Sabbath or Corrosion Of Conformity fan. Songs like "Love My Hate" and "Thieves," from the band's third and self-titled CD, cater to those particular sounds, while other influences peek through here as well. One listen to "Revolution" or "Gravedigger" had me thinking Iron Maiden, while songs like "Bleed In (Dying From Within)" and "Twisted World" sent my ears on more of a Godsmack path. The song that initially captured my attention was "War Inside My Head," which I had heard on an internet radio program called "Axecaliber," a show dedicated to heavy, guitar driven music. No matter which style is in the forefront, CB1 does each with a sharp confidence.
Cellblock One has been featured in the independent film "The Spread Eagles" and they are currently working with A&R Select, an independent A&R firm based in Hollywood, California that should help the band obtain their self-proclaimed goal of being "the biggest rock band in the world."
MySpace profile: www.myspace.com/cellblockone
Official website: www.cellblockone.com
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What happens when you take a Death Metal band and you affix a high tenor, classic Metal vocalist to the front of it? Well, besides causing plaster walls to crumble, you create something truly original. This is a crossover sound that unites all Metal fans under one flag, and Bavmorda would be the band pictured on that flag.
It started with a band called Christpuncher in 2002. The bass player at that time, Tariq, presented some instrumental demos to co-worker/friend named Albert Rybka. The tracks were to have a growling vocal added to them, but Rybka envisioned something a little more melodic. He asked Tariq about working on the songs in the more classic metal context, but the concept was shot down by other members of Christpuncher when Tariq presented it to his bandmates. They wanted to stay brutally heavy, and had fears of becoming "pussy metal." The concept was put on hold. It wasn't until two and a half years later, at a local gig in February 2005, when Tariq and Rybka would revisit the idea. With Christpuncher's vocalist on hiatus, and Tariq's Christpuncher bandmates now exploring the vast avenues of more melodic and progressive metal, it was a perfect time to experiment. They decided to keep the same songs and musicians, while infusing Rybka's lyrics and melodic vocals. It was then decided that a second band be formed. As this second band became a more serious venture and Christpuncher started to dissolve, Bavmorda was born.
The sound created by Bavmorda is reminiscent to early progressive metal acts like Fates Warning, but also packs the fury of thunderous double bass drums and insanely fast guitar work that might be heard in more of a speed metal genre. Hearing songs like "Your Own Choice," I picture drummer Phil DiCicco having four legs and eight arms, but I also think of Dream Theater's James LaBrie fronting Slayer - yes, something you have to hear to fully appreciate. This is truly original stuff, and these guys make it really something special to hear.
At the time of this article, the band is in the pre-production stages of recording their first full length record, and they plan to have the album done in the fall of 2007
MySpace profile: www.myspace.com/bavmordarocks