One Bad Pig - "Swine Flew"

One Bad Pig - Swine Flew
1991, Myrrh

1. See Me Sweat
2. Altar Ego
3. Hey Punk
4. Red River
5. Bowl of Wrath
6. Big Stomach
7. Christmas Time
8. Judas' Kiss
9. Desperation
10. Thrash Against Sin
11. Swine Flew
12. When Your Love Died
13. We Want You

Wow... talk about a mislabeled band. One Bad Pig were billed as punk by pretty much everyone who had no idea what punk was. Sure they had the whole skating/punkish image going on and the music has some occasional punk leanings but it's really hard rock that sometimes straddles the line between metal. Oh... one reason it's not punk is that the guitar is way too awesome. There's some awesome riffs and leads that'll make your jaw drop. The Pig also pulls off some really melodic songs like "Red River" and "When Your Love Died." "Judas' Kiss" is a cool metal cover of the original Petra song. Carey Womack's vocals may take some getting used to because they're sort of a cross between the guy from The Clash and a stuck pig.

Useless Fact: The band got their name when one of the members saw a drawing of a pig on someone's hat or shirt or something and said, "Whoa, that's one bad pig!"

Klank - "Still Suffering"

Klank - Still Suffering

1996, Tooth & Nail

1. Time

2. Downside

3. Burning

4. Scarified

5. Deceived

6. Animosity

7. Fall

8. Disease

9. Leave

10. Woodensoul

Klank sounds like a more guitar-centric version of Circle of Dust. Not surprising since Klank played guitar for Circle of Dust during their concerts. I like it just fine. It's got Scott Albert's fingerprints all over it right down to the sound effects. Basically, if you like Circle of Dust, you'll probably like this too. And as you can tell by the song titles this is a bright and cheery album about rainbows and puppies and enjoying life..... NOT!

Useless Fact: The man known as Klank is also known as Dred on the Argyle Park album.

Firehouse - "Firehouse"

Firehouse - Firehouse
1990, CBS

1. Rock on the Radio
2. All She Wrote
3. Shake & Tumble
4. Don't Treat Me Bad
5. Oughta Be a Law
6. Lover's Lane
7. Home is Where the Heart Is
8. Don't Walk Away
9. Seasons of Change
10. Overnight Sensation
11. Love of a Lifetime
12. Helpless

If Europe was an example of everything that was wrong with 80's rock n' roll, then Firehouse is an example of everything that was right. Each and every song rocks the house with a monster hook. The band is technically proficient as well. In fact this whole album is a great compromise between commercial appeal and technical playing. Though I will say that "All She Wrote" sounds a little too similar to Ratt's "Round and Round."

Useless Fact: Firehouse went on to make three more albums. Not much of a fact I know but I couldn't really think of anything better. Sorry.

Fearful Symmetry - "This Sad Veil of Tears"

Fearful Symmetry - This Sad Veil of Tears
2003, Retroactive

1. White
2. Binah (The 3rd World)
3. Lead Us
4. Slipping
5. Sighs
6. Middle of Nowhere
7. Reinvent the World
8. The Law
9. Black (In the Alone)

Fearful Symmetry is a side project of Jimmy Brown from Deliverance. Instead of metal, however, this is a mix of rock, industrial, and electronica. "Lead Us" reminds me a little of Nine Inch Nails "Closer" but only because of the puffing/hissing backbeat. "Sighs" though seems like it could have been a track on Deliverance's Assimilation. I gave this CD glowing reviews the first time I wrote about it but I confess that I don't listen to this one nearly as much. I like it but I think I have to be in the right mood for it.

Useless Fact: This was originally supposed to be the new Deliverance album after Assimilation. However, I spoke with Jimmy personally and advised him that maybe he should release this under the Fearful Symmetry so as not to alienate D fans. Okay... I didn't personally talk to Jimmy Brown, I just mentioned in my pre-release review (for the old D website) that he might want to release this under the Fearful Symmetry name. It wasn't long after that that he did change it. So... I'm totally taking credit for it and you can't stop me!

Fear Not - "Fear Not"

Fear Not - Fear Not

1993, Pakaderm

1. Give It Up

2. We Have a God

3. Mr. Compromise

4. Till the End of My Days

5. Suicide Sunshine

6. Money Money

7. Easy Come Easy Go

8. There is Love

9. Mad World

10. Take Hold

Man... Fear Not missed fame by a mere three years. If this had come out in '89 or '90 Fear Not would have had a longer career. The band is basically the Christian version of Skid Row, but man, they do it well. All the guys have talent and the songs have hooks you could catch Leviathan in! I will say the songs title are kind of dumb. It's like they were trying to pick the most cliche song titles they could. "Easy Come Easy Go?" "Money Money?" Um.... "Till the End of My Days?" Yeah... pick up any rock album from the 80's and you'll see one of those titles.

Useless Fact: Fear Not used to be called Love Life and released an album called Goodbye Lady Jane. It was on Blond Vinyl records which was better known for indie post-punk bands.

Evanescence - "The Open Door"

Evanescence - The Open Door
2006, Wind-Up

1. Sweet Sacrifice
2. Call Me When You're Sober
3. Weight of the World
4. Lithium
5. Cloud Nine
6. Snow White Queen
7. Lacrymosa
8. Like You
9. Lose Control
10. The Only One
11. Your Star
12. All That I'm Living For
13. Good Enough

I like this one better than the debut. There's a little bit more variety and the sound is more mature. I like some of the intricate guitar parts in "Like You" and some of the industrial leanings in "Lose Control." "Good Enough" is a piano ballad that has... get this... MAJOR CHORDS! Man, I hope Amy Lee doesn't become all happy because then these Evanescence albums will probably suck. Another positive - every song on this disc isn't tailor made for the radio. One good thing about Ben Moody leaving was that it freed up Amy Lee to be a lot more creative and The Open Door is a lot more compelling as a result.

Useless Fact: "Snow White Queen" is about Amy Lee's experience with a stalker.

Evanescence - "Fallen"

Evanescence - Fallen
2003, Wind-Up

1. Going Under
2. Bring Me To Life (feat. Paul McCoy of 12 Stones)
3. Everybody's Fool
4. My Immortal
5. Haunted
6. Tourniquet
7. Imaginary
8. Taking Over Me
9. Hello
10. My Last Breath
11. Whisper

I remember a friend letting me borrow this CD in college because it was this new band that he discovered. Upon first listen I was really impressed. It's actually pretty heavy and Amy Lee's vocals are great as well. There's a lot of good riffs in here - I don't care if it's "commercial" or whatever - I like it! How many rock bands can pull of a girl singer AND piano? I rest my case.

Okay... now for something totally different. They have "Bring Me To Life," a pretty Christian sounding song with Paul McCoy from 12 Stones (a Christian band). Then they have "Tourniquet" which is a song from Rocky Gray's band Soul Embraced - also Christian. Then they get some fame and all of a sudden Ben Moody is saying things like "Why do people think we're Christian?" Well... that's because you WERE Christian, at least long enough to get some fame. That kind of crap annoys me. It's one thing to cross over. It's another to completely deny where you came from. Oh well... still a good album! Rant mode: off.

Useless Fact: "Everybody's Fool" is about pop princesses like Britney Spears. Amy Lee was upset that her younger sister liked them.