Alice Cooper - Poison

The purpose of this entry is to talk a bit about one of the most famous Alice Cooper's song: "Poison", which became a massive hit from his 1989's melodic hard rock album "Thrash", his biggest selling album worldwide.

The thing is, this was one of my first rock/metal tracks that I ever heard, along with couple others (Iron Maiden, Metallica, Queen, Guns and Roses, etc.), and which instantly got me hooked!! It was in a radio cassette that my friend David gave me, when we were in 8th grade, more or less. Every now and then, it has been always in my head. This does not mean that I am a really hardcore Alice Cooper fan.

But, when I found out about The Iron Maidens, I looked around the Internet to find out who this Nita Strauss was. A hot chick and a bad ass metal guitar player, you know... came out that she was playing in the Alice Cooper band.

And, for my (and your) pleasure, the video of how to play the track, by Nita herself. Enjoy!

Fear Factory - Powershifter

Ultra destroying, heavy pounding, tornado wise track 'Powershifter'. Heard it after long time I lost track of Fear Factory. Posting lyrics as well:



POWERSHIFTER
Feared your control and excessive greed
Abuse of your power disgraced me
You want war
You got war
More than you bargained for

Always question authority, control my own destiny
Forcing change, breaking free
From the gears of the machine
Changing my world so I can live
Execution powershift

I will forge my place in this time
Contention is sharply refined
I will expose you and force your demise
To take control of what is truly mine

The Rock side of Cypress Hill

Well is known by now that hip hop band Cypress Hill have some pretty good influences from rock and metal world, which we can witness in some of their tracks, old and new ones. Being active since the late 80's (with some setbacks as well), current members are B-Real (lead vocals), Sen Dog (vocals), DJ Muggs (turntables, production) and Eric Bobo (drums and percussion).

I am posting some examples, which by the way, are some of my favourites. They are not very sophisticated tracks, musically speaking, but no doubt they have their unique signature on them. Hope you enjoy!!

Cypress Hill - 'Trouble'


Cypress Hill - 'Can't Get the Best of Me'


Cypress Hill - 'Rise Up'

Trivium live at Chapman Studios

Trivium plays all the tracklist from the album 'In Waves' (2011) live at Chapman Studios, including my favourites 'Watch the World Burn', 'Black' and 'Built to Fall'. Enjoy!!

Fight - War of Words

While I was in high school, Toni, a friend of mine, handed me a cassette with loads of tracks from different bands which I had the chance to discover from that tape: Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Mötley Crüe, and many more.

One of them was Fight, with two tracks: "Nailed to the Gun" and "War of Words", from their album of the same name, "War of Words". Just a couple of weeks ago, I searched for those tracks in Grooveshark, and looking for some more info in the net, found out that:

"Fight was an American heavy metal band assembled by Judas Priest frontman, Rob Halford, after his departure from that band in 1992. He took with him from Judas Priest and Racer X drummer Scott Travis, though Travis also continued to drum for Judas Priest. The line-up was completed by Russ Parrish on guitar, Brian Tilse on guitar and keyboards and Jack "Jay Jay" Brown on bass guitar." - taken from Wikipedia.

No wonder why I liked the singer`s voice so much, hehehe. Check out the album: War of Words

Anthrax - Worship Music

I wanted to write this post earlier, but never made the effort to do it. It is quite important for me because, being a great thrash metal fan since the beginning of my musical taste development, is strange that I never got into one of the undeniable Big 4 from the birth of thrash metal Anthrax!! Also, couple of months ago, I went out with my wife and some friends and they liked the music a lot when I asked the DJ a track from their latest album at full blast!!!

But I found their video from the track "The Devil That You Know", from their latest album "Worship Music", and the sound was fresh, strong and vigorous!! So, obviously, I wanted to listen the rest of the songs.

The tracklist is as follows:
1. Worship - 1:41 
2. Earth on Hell - 3:11 
3. The Devil You Know - 4:46 
4. Fight 'Em 'Till You Can't - 5:48 
5. I'm Alive - 5:37 
6. Hymn 1 - 0:38 
7. In The End - 6:46 
8. The Giant - 3:47 
9. Hymn 2 - 0:44 
10. Judas Priest - 6:24 
11. Crawl - 5:29 
12. The Constant - 5:21 
13. Revolution Screams - 5:01

Check out their video, wicked!!!

Ewan Dobson

Hi there!!! Well, I haven't touched the guitar for ages now. I really don't have any excuse, but would like to say that I am up to other things right now. If I would like to start the workout, would have to do it from scratch... once again :( That doesn't mean I don't like the guitar anymore, no way!!!!

As I usually do, I want to put this video, which I find amazing, to keep the inspiration flowing. It's from guitarist Ewan Dobson, master of classical and acoustic guitar, which I got from my little brother ;) Hope you all enjoy:

 

Take care!!!

Rapid-Fire Hard Rock Licks

Metallica - St Anger studio rehearsal

How to play Thrash Metal

Wicked video I found out from guitar player Martin Goulding, where he explains some guitar techniques from such bands as Anthrax, Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth. Hope it teaches you some tips, and enjoy!!



More guitar lessons on his website!!!

Time Warp - Metallica

Yesterday I saw this TV Show on Discovery Max and I wanted to share with you. The TV Show is called "Time Warp", and basically, they record almost any kind of stuff and show it in "slow-mo", increasing the frame rate per second.

After announcing it on TV everyday, they were going to do the same thing with Metallica members. They mix some other shootings in between, but you can Fast Forward, which I couldn't do :P Enjoy!

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:

Angelus Apatrida

Angelus Apatrida have released their latest album "The Call" with label Century Media. It has been recorded in Moita, Portugal, at the Ultrasound Studios with producer Daniel Cardoso (Anneke van Giersbergen, Anathema, etc.). The tracklist is the following:

1. You Are Next
2. At the Gates of Hell
3. Violent Dawn
4. Its Rising!
5. Blood On The Snow
6. Killer Instinct
7. The Hope Is Gone
8. Fresh Pleasure
9. Still Corrupt
10. Reborn
11. Hell Patrol (bonus track)
12. Free Your Soul (bonus track)

Actually, they have become the maximum exponent of Spanish and European thrash metal. The band was founded in 2000 at the city of Albacete. Current members are: Guillermo Izquierdo (rythm and lead guitar, vocals), David G. Álvarez (rythm and lead guitar, chorus), José J. Izquierdo (bass guitar and chorus) and Víctor Valera (drums and chorus).

I got to know them through my friends from "La Cuerda de Carradine" and already knew their previous work. It is quite noticeable in this album how they have taken it further. Also, they have done some wicked versions of classics such as "Be Quick or Be Dead" from Iron Maiden, or "Domination" from Pantera. Here is an interview from Spanish radio channel Radio3, where they talk about their album, their personal experience with their new gained fame and success, sharing stage with Slayer and Megadeth, etc. (it's in Spanish though, sorry!):

• A la carta
• > Radio
• > Radio 3
• > El vuelo del Fénix
• > El vuelo del Fénix - Entrevista eléctrica a Ángelus Apátrida - 21/04/12

Finally, a guitar lesson by Guillermo on how to play "You Are Next". Enjoy!!:

Sepultura - Under Siege

Sepultura Live at Barcelona 1991:

Overkill

Overkill is an American thrash metal band from New Jersey, formed in 1980. Considered the real pioneers of thrash metal, they have released 16 studio albums, 2 EPs, 2 live albums and a "covers" album. Through their career, they have experimented many ins and outs of several band members, being the current line-up: Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (lead vocal and founder member), Derek "The Skull" Tailer (rythm guitar and backing vocals), Dave Linsk (lead guitar and backing vocals), D. D. Verni (bass guitar, backing vocals and founder member) and Ron Lipnicki (drums).

I had the chance of watching them perform live at 2003's Metalmania Festival, and, although I hadn't heard much of their material, I quite enjoyed the gig! Now, I've been checking out their latest work, their sixteenth studio album called "The Electric Age", released on March 27th, 2012 in the U.S. on E1 Music and in Europe three days later on Nuclear Blast. They keep their singular style, pure and finest thrash metal (what they do best!), although some will find it repetitive. But at the same time, they deliver fresh riffs and direct to the point, and technically, its just great! I consider they should be along with the "Big 4" in the Thrash scene. My favourite tracks are "Come And Get It", "Old Wounds, New Scars", "Good Night", and of course, "Electric Rattlesnake":



And some "Behind The Scenes":

Pantera - Behind The Music