Neal Smith
“Kill$mith Two”
Kachina Records
Producer: Neal Smith, Peter Catucci
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Kill$mith Two” is the second full length album put out by former Alice Cooper drummer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neal Smith. The album is the follow up to Smith’s previous release titled “Sexual Savior”. “Kill$mith Two” is being released via Kachina Records and features 12 original tracks that were produced by Smith and bassist Peter Catucci.

Take what you know or have heard about drummer Neal Smith and throw it entirely out the window. His latest album is nothing like anything you may have heard him play on before. Gone are the “School’s Out” type anthems that catapulted Neal and the Alice Cooper band to stardom in the early seventies. Instead Smith has stepped up to the microphone with guitar in hand and brought forth 12 tracks packed with interesting subject matter and industrial tinged instrumentation. Tracks such as “2000 Miles From Detroit”, “Kiss My Rock” and the catchy “Squeeze Like a Python” show a completely different side of Smith. Neal does play drums on this album as well as guitar but what really stands are his gritty straight forward vocal performances on each of the 12 tracks. Hardcore Alice Cooper fans may not be as quick to grab on to the album as it is a bit different and some songs are quite lengthy. However true fans of rock music will surely want “Kill$mith Two” in their collections.

Track Listing:
1.) 2000 Miles From Detroit
2.) Suicide Highway
3.) Cemetery of the Damned
4.) Evil Voodoo Moon
5.) Death by the Numbers
6.) Crimes of High Passion
7.) Legend of Viper Company
8.) Die For the Night
9.) Strip Down
10.) Kiss My Rock
11.) Anything
12.) Squeeze Like a Python

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ROD STEWART & STEVIE NICKS | HEART & SOUL TOUR
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 2012 | 7:30PM
AMWAY CENTER | ORLANDO, FLORIDA
ON SALE:     SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 | 10:00AM

ORLANDO, FLORIDA [February 23, 2012] – Legendary rockers Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks today announced plans to reunite this summer and reprise their highly acclaimed, co-headlining “Heart & Soul Tour.”

“I couldn’t be happier to be back on board with Stevie this summer,” Rod Stewart said. “We had fantastic fun on the road together last spring and I’m thrilled at the chance to bring it to new cities and fans this summer.”

Celebrated by both fans and critics alike, Rod and Stevie first joined forces in the spring of 2011 for their acclaimed “Heart & Soul Tour.”  The 18-concert arena tour was highlighted by two sold-out shows at both New York’s Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.  The 3+ hour show featured individual heart-pumping sets loaded with all of their biggest hits – opening with Stevie’s and closing with Rod’s – with a few rousing duets in the middle. US Weekly called the show “magical,” with a set list that “sparked non-stop cheers from the sold-out masses,” and the Boston Globe declared “Stewart & Nicks make a classic combination” delivering sold-out audiences a “hits-packed night of crystal visions and reasons to believe.”

In a career spanning five decades, Rod Stewart has amassed an estimated 250 million in album and single sales and an incredible 16 Grammy nominations.  In April, he will join the elite list of artists who are 2x Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees (as a solo artist and soon as a member of the seminal 60s rock band, the Faces). On March 24, he will return to Las Vegas for an 8-concert-run of “The Hits” – part of his immensely popular first residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Stevie Nicks is a multi-Grammy Award Winner as a solo artist and member of the legendary Fleetwood Mac and a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee.  Her new CD “In Your Dreams” debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and has received glowing reviews from numerous outlets, including US Magazine who declared it “the best album of Nicks’ four decade career.”

TICKETS:  $45, $85 & $145.  Buy tickets at amwaycenter.com, Amway Center box office, Ticketmaster retail locations, charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000 or at Ticketmaster.com.  All dates, act(s) and ticket prices are subject to change without notice.  All tickets are subject to applicable taxes, service, handling and facility fee charges.  For Amway Center box office and ticket information, visit amwaycenter.com (phone purchases are not available through the Amway Center box office).  The Amway Center is located at 400 West Church Street and the box office is located on the north side of the Amway Center, near the intersection of Church Street and Hughey Avenue. 

ABOUT AMWAY CENTER

The Orlando Magic served as the developer of the Amway Center, which hosts major national events, concerts and family shows.  Opened in the fall of 2010, the facility is owned and operated by the City of Orlando on behalf of the Central Florida community. The Amway Center was designed to reflect the character of the community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando. The building’s exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall along one facade. A 180-foot tall tower serves as a beacon amid the downtown skyline. At 875,000 square feet, the new arena is almost triple the size of the old Amway Arena (367,000 square feet). The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design and unmatched technology, featuring 1,100 digital monitors, the tallest high-definition video board in an NBA venue and multiple premium amenities available to all patrons in the building.  For more information about the Amway Center, visit www.amwaycenter.com.

Nils Lofgren
“Old School”
Vision Music Inc.
Produced by: Nils Lofgren, Brian Christian
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

“Old School” is the newest solo release from Neil Young/E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren. The album is the being released via Vision Music Inc. and features 12 new original songs produced by Nils Lofgren and Brian Christian.  As the follow up to Lofgren’s 2008 solo album titled “The Loner”, “Old School” seems to have a little bit of something for everyone. Though I found the album to be a touch different from his work with Bruce Springsteen this proved not to be a bad thing.

The album features a variety of styles such as rock; blues and country which I feel only broaden the overall appeal of this album. Each song showcased not only Lofgren’s guitar playing but also his singing. Tracks like “60 Is the New 18” and “Ain’t Too Many of Us Left” were definite standouts as they were more along the lines of Nils more familiar works. Those looking for a Springsteen album minus the Springsteen will not find it here. Lofgren shines with his own unique style and “Old School” is a perfect example of that style.

Track Listing:
1.)    Old School
2.)    60 Is the New 18
3.)    Miss You Ray
4.)    Love Stumbles On
5.)    Amy Joan Blues
6.)    Irish Angel
7.)    Ain’t Too Many of Us Left
8.)    When You Were Mine
9.)    Just Because You Love Me
10.)  Dream Big
11.)  Let Her Get Away
12.)  Why Me

Dropkick Murphys
“Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition”
Born and Bred Records
Producer: Ted Hutt
Live Recording: Michael Lapierre
Disc 1 / Tracks: 13
Disc 2 / Tracks: 18

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition” is the latest release from the Irish tinged punk rock band Dropkick Murphys. The album is being released via the groups own Born and Bred Records and is a special repackaging of the groups 2011 studio release “Going Out in Style”. The 2 disc album features new cover art, the 2011 studio album and a complete live show which was recorded over two nights at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.

Fans that may have picked up “Going Out In Style” when the album first was released last year may not find this album as appealing as I did. Disc 1 features the standard release of “Going Out in Style” which features 13 studio tracks and no additional content. Disc 2 is the live Fenway Park recording which features a variety of classic DKM tracks that were compiled from the bands 2 night performance at the historic baseball park. Songs such as “Tessie” and “The State of Massachusetts” were instant favorites as the live version of these songs seemed to have a bit more life than the studio takes. Midway through the show the band performs 3 acoustic tracks which I felt took away some of the overall energy. Personally I think it would have been nice to hear the electric version of “Boys on the Docks”. Though not a personal favorite of mine these acoustic performances were still stellar and packed full of traditional Celtic folk sounds.

Though both albums don’t feature any new material by the band “Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition” will be a great pick up for someone who attended the shows and or is a diehard Dropkick Murphy’s fan. The songs contained on these two discs should be more than enough to hold everyone over until the release of the bands new studio album.

Track Listing: Disc 1
1.) Hang ‘Em High
2.) Going Out In Style
3.) The Hardest Mile
4.) Cruel
5.) Memorial Day
6.) Climbing a Chair to Bed
7.) Broken Hymns
8.) Deeds Not Words
9.) Take ‘Em Down
10.) Sunday Hardcore Matinee
11.) 1953
12.) Peg O’ My Heart
13.) The Irish Rover

Track Listing: Disc 2
1.) Hang ‘Em High
2.) Sunday Hardcore Matinee
3.) Deeds Not Words
4.) Going Out in Style
5.) The Irish Rover
6.) Peg O’ My Heart
7.) Tessie
8.) Cruel
9.) Climbing a Chair to bed
10.) Take ‘Em Down
11.) Devil’s Brigade
12.) Boys on the Docks
13.) The Dirty Glass
14.) The State of Massachusetts
15.) Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced
16.) Time to Go
17.) I’m Shipping Up to Boston
18.) TNT

Caliban
“I Am Nemesis”
Century Media
Producer: Benny Richter, Marc Goertz
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“I Am Nemesis” is the 8^th studio album from heavy metal group Caliban. The group hails from the Ruhr area of Germany and consists of Andreas Doener- vocals, Marc Goertz- guitar, Patrick Grun- drums, Denis Schmidt- guitar/vocals and, Marco Schaller- bass. The album is being released via Century Media Records and features 12 tracks that were produced by Benny Richter and Marc Goertz.

The new album by Caliban grabs you by the face and just doesn’t let go. The album cuts directly to the core and picks up where the bands previous release titled “Say Hello to Tragedy” left off. Guest vocal performances by Mitch Luker of Suicide Silence and Marcus Bischoff of Heaven Shall Burn only add to the guttural attack of “I Am Nemesis”. Tracks like “Memorial” feature machine gun like double bass playing along with melodic choruses while tracks like “Broadcast To Damnation” and “Modern Warfare” go up one side of you and down the other. Producer Benny Richter and Co-Producer/Guitarist Marc Goertz did a great job creating a really heavy album. Each song on “I Am Nemesis” features a fairly straight forward arrangement which I felt made the songs quickly accessible. Personally I would have like to have heard more melodic choruses/break downs as I think this is a real strong point that the band does not utilize enough. Over I feel Caliban’s “I Am Nemesis” is sure to be hit among the head banging faithful.

Track Listing:
1.)    We Are The Many
2.)    The Bogeyman
3.)    Memorial
4.)    No Tomorrow
5.)    Edge Of Black
6.)    Davy Jones
7.)    Deadly Dream
8.)    Open Letter
9.)    Dein R3.ich
10.)   Broadcast To Damnation
11.)  This Oath
12.)  Modern Warfare

“A Different Kind of Truth Tour”
Van Halen, Kool & the Gang
Date: Friday, March 9th 2012
Venue: First Niagara Center Buffalo, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Van Halen made a stop at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY on March 9th as part of their “A Different Kind of Truth” tour. The tour is in support of the band’s latest album of the same name and, is the first studio recording to feature original vocalist David Lee Roth since 1984. The unlikely act of Kool & the Gang would kick off the show playing an hour long set that filled the arena with the bands own special blend of R&B. Fans present for the group’s performance seemed a little baffled as to why this style of band was opening for a rock act. This question has plagued the tour since the line ups initial announcement and it will mostly likely be noted as one of the more odd tour line ups.

Van Halen would take the stage after a brief intermission and seemed to catch the crowd off guard as the set was kicked off by Alex Van Halen blasting into the classic Kinks song “You Really got Me” all while the house lights were still up. Within seconds the rest of the band was on stage and the crowd was on their feet. A place they would remain their throughout the rest of the evening. Though the show did not appear to be a sellout fans in attendance were treated to classic Roth era hits such as “Everybody Wants Some!!”, “Dance the Night Away” and “Jump”. The set also featured several new tracks off the bands newly released album. The entire band sounded and looked great. Each member appeared to be in great spirits as there was a lot of interaction between the members. I felt the set list for the night could have featured a few more of the bands hits and, I think everyone in attendance would have really enjoyed Michael Anthony back on bass completing the bands classic original line-up. One could only hope that we see that reunion sooner than later.

Van Halen Set List:
1.) You Really Got Me
2.) Runnin’ With the Devil
3.) She’s the Woman
4.) Romeo Delight
5.) Tattoo
6.) Everybody Wants Some!!
7.) Somebody Get Me a Doctor
8.) China Town
9.) Hear About it Later
10.) Oh, Pretty Woman
11.) Drum Solo
12.) Unchained
13.) The Trouble with Never
14.) Dance the Night Away
15.) I’ll Wait
16.) Hot For Teacher
17.) Women in Love
18.) Girl Gone Bad
19.) Beautiful Girls
20.) Ice Cream Man
21.) Panama
22.) Guitar Solo
23.) Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
24.) Jump

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David Grimoire is one half of the writing duo behind Opera Diabolicus a concept album that combines elements of theater with progressive/heavy metal music.  Media Mikes had a chance to talk with David about the concept and the possibility of the album being turned into a live production.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some back ground on the project?
David Grimoire: The idea began about six years ago. I met lyricist Adrian de Crow at a stage performance of Umberto Eco’s book “The Name of the Rose”. By chance we ended up sitting next to each other and we started talking. We both had friends in common and through talking we seemed to have the same preference in music. We decided to meet up at a later time and discuss the possibility of working together.

AL: Was it hard to decide on a direction for the album?
DG: With my back ground in writing music I had a pretty good idea of where I wanted things to go. Prior to this I never really had the opportunity to go in that direction. When you are in a normal 5 piece band with one singer you are very limited. For this project we decided early on that we should not limit ourselves creatively. The music is something I always had in my head. With Adrian’s lyrics there was a story and we blended the two together. Everything was pretty well determined ahead of time.

AL: What do you feel was the hardest part of making the album?
DG: When to stop. (Laughs) This type of writing takes a lot of time and effort. There wasn’t one specific part that stuck out as being more difficult than another. Every part takes time to put together because you want to make it as good as possible.

AL: How did you go about selecting musicians for the album?
DG: I think that part was pretty easy. Depending on the material we knew which type of vocalists we wanted. We wanted Snowy Shaw. I think he is the best drummer in the world for this type of music. Snowy also has a lot of range vocally. Mats Leven has a very characteristic clean voice which I love. Niklas Isfeldt also provided vocals. We handpicked musicians who we thought could make the album happen.

AL: Is there a chance that we will see a stage performance of this material?
DG: Yes. We are in the planning stages right now. There is quite a bit of planning that goes into something of this size. There is going to be a lot of theater involved so we want to make it right. There are a lot of pieces in the puzzle.

AL: What other projects do you have currently in the works?
DG: Working on the stage production is one of the things. We shot a video about a month ago. That took some time but it is out now. We also have been planning for the next album. We have some material written however we don’t know when it will be released.

Norman Greenbaum is a singer/songwriter known for the classic rock staple “Spirit in the Sky”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Norman about the longevity of the song and his recent reemergence into the music scene.

Adam Lawton: What do you think keeps people listening to your song “Spirit in the Sky” some 40 years after its initial recording?
Norman Greenbaum: I truly believe it’s the beginning riff. That riff goes through you and stays with you. When you hear it you remember how much you liked the song when you originally heard it. The song hasn’t become tiresome like a lot of other older songs. Not to be too critical of myself but I think a lot of the older records sound a little empty and tinny. We recorded “Spirit in the Sky” on two inch tape with a machine that was bigger than your family. We used ancient microphones which I think had to do a lot with the sound of the song. Erik Jacobsen the producer did a wonderful job. I was there with a few little hints and the song really stands up. It still sends shivers down my spine and I wrote it. I also think that as people have gotten older the song has taken on more significance. I receive a lot of mail through my website where people are telling me about how they want the song played at their funeral no matter what! The song has also appeared in 48 different films. All of this amazes me and it just seems to be getting better.

AL: Are you still contacted when someone requests to use the song?
NG: Yes. Every place where it is used there is a network that has someone contact the publisher. In this particular case the same person who owns the rights to the song also owns the master recording as well.

AL: Can you tell us about the song appearing on the “Rock Band 2” video game?
NG: They approached us and I wouldn’t be surprised if a million other people hadn’t contacted them about including the song. They told us they were going to put the song out on the game and that thing has sold billions. I get a lot of good stories through my email and some of them are about how families are getting together and playing the song on “Rock Band”. The song has just taken on all these different lives and it really is so unexpected.

AL: Have you ever played the video game version of the song?
NG: I have not. I think I may have gone into a Sam’s Club once and tried the original version of the game that was on display. I tried to play along and just felt stupid because of all the kids watching. (Laughs)

AL: Can you tell us about the recent updates to your website?
NG: I have had a website for around 13 years. It was slightly stale and had some ramblings here and there. I had it redone and it looks a lot more modern. The site is a lot easier to navigate now. We also updated the store where we sell all the merchandise and music. There is a lot more to see and do on the site now. You can also play the sort of infamous Norman Goat game. (Laughs) My cat Oliver who people seem to love just as much as me also has a ton of photos on there.

AL: Can you tell us about your upcoming live performance?
NG: I have been getting back into playing lately. For awhile my heart just wasn’t in to performing. Now seems to be the right time to try and do some things. We are having somewhat of a reunion.  The Stovall Sisters who performed the original background vocals on the record will be joining me for three songs. We are part of someone else’s show but it’s a starting point. We had a rehearsal with the girls and it was like time never passed. We had a few more wrinkles and such but we sounded good.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects or plans you can tell us about?
NG: This show is going to be a slight gauge to see how well things go over. People really want to hear “Spirit in the Sky” and other songs by me right now! Something has changed but I don’t know what. It seems that it’s a good time to be looking into things. I am taking things one step at a time. In the back of my mind I am going over how I can go about doing everything. This upcoming show is going to be one of the major steps.

Sven “Svencho” de Caluwe is the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Aborted. The Belgium based band is preparing to release its 7^th full length studio record titled “Global Flatine”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Sven about the upcoming release and the tour plans for the album.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the bands upcoming release titled “Global Flatline”?
Sven De Caluwe: The album is scheduled to come out in a couple weeks. We recorded the album this past summer in Denmark between festivals. I think the album is the most strenuous and variant record the band has done thus far. We are pretty excited to get the album out there.

AL: Was it hard recording between playing various festivals?
SDC: We actually did the record prior to playing. We had about two weeks of practice prior to recording. The recording process took about three weeks and right after that we were out playing shows. We made sure that our record came first and that it was completed before we did any further shows.

AL: How do think this release compares to the bands first release from 1999 titled “The Purity of Perversion”?
SDC: Compared to our first album “Global Flatline” is way more professional. With having a budget we were able to take the album once it was all recorded to Denmark and have it mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen.

AL: What type of pre-production did the band do to prepare for the recording sessions?
SDC: We did pre-production for every song accept one. There were two other songs that we didn’t have enough time to complete.We may end up finishing those tracks and putting them out later this year. Everything was pretty standard with how we normally prepare to go into the studio.

AL: Were there any major changes from the demo versions of the songs to the recorded versions?
SDC: When we were demoing songs we used programmed drums. When you bring real drums into the picture they obviously make a big difference. The songs had a much better feel and we were a lot more creative. We added a few extra harmonies and guitar parts as we had some extra time to experiment with the songs. Other than that the main structure of the songs stayed fairly the same.

AL: Are there any songs from the new record that you and the rest of the band are looking forward to playing live?
SDC: We have already started playing the title track off the album “Global Flatline”. On the upcoming tour we are planning on playing “The Origin of Disease” as well as “Expurgation Euphoria”. It’s hard choosing songs as we like them all but, we just shot a video for “The Origin of Disease” and “Global Flatline” is the first single from the album. It’s an obvious choice to play songs that have already been released ahead of time so fans are familiar with them when they come see us live.

AL: What are the tour plans for the band this year?
SDC: We are going to be touring Brazil starting in a couple months. From there we go to Europe for a tour with Decapitated. We also have a bunch of other European festivals and headlining dates booked around that time as well. In April we plan to be touring the states. All the details on that should be released soon.

Russell Allen is best known for his work as the lead vocalist for the progressive metal group Symphony X. Russell is also the vocalist for the progressive metal super group Adrenaline Mob which along with Allen features Mike Orlando, John Moyer and former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. The group is set to release their first full length album titled “Omerta” in late February. Media Mikes had a chance to speak with Russell about the new album and the bands tour plans.

Adam Lawton: What was the idea behind putting this group together?
Russell Allen: I and Mike Orlando were working on some solo material I had while Symphony X was on break. We were kind of getting burned out on it and Orlando said he had some rock band type material lying around. He was helping me with my thing so I figured I would help him with his. I worked on a few tunes and we got immediate interest from a record company. They wanted to hear another song so we put together some more material and before we knew we had a record. Everything came together really fast. The music just happened. When it came time to put an actual band together I sent my friend Mike Portnoy the material and within 30 seconds he emailed back that he was in. The group really started with the 3 of us. I had already recorded all of the vocals and Portnoy came in and recorded his parts. From there we started looking for guys to put a touring group together.

AL: How does the material on the new album compare to what was on the previous EP?
RA: The stuff on the EP has more of a live/heavier feel. We didn’t put a lot of our melodic oriented material on that release as we saved it for the full length album. We also kept the singles off of that because we were waiting for a label to tell us what they wanted to do with those songs. When we did the EP the band was not even signed yet. The songs on the EP were where the band was at during that time. We needed some songs to go out on as we had a great opportunity to go on the road with Godsmack. “Omerta” is the full realization of the songs on the EP. Everything is mixed and produced the way they were meant to be.

AL: Did you take a different approach to this album as compared to your work with Symphony X?
RA: It’s a totally different approach. There was a way more organic and collaborative approach with myself and Orlando. We worked openly on everything. He and I really hit it off and we have great chemistry together. Symphony X is a different animal. The Symphony X arrangements are very intense. I generally will come in after a majority of the songs are laid out and try to make something out of it all. I always have been very lucky with Symphony X to be able to do that but it’s a challenge. It can be a very tedious process. The songs are very well crafted. Adrenaline Mob is an organic rock band that writes in the moment songs. Adrenalin Mob has been a much different experience.

AL: Is there a track off the album you are really looking forward to playing live?
RA: I am into the live feeling stuff. The song “Feelin’ Me” is one of my favorites.  That song is sort of like my soap box song. I get to jaw about how big brother is always fucking everyone over. That song seems to really get the audience going.

AL: What are the touring plans for the group?
RA: We are trying to put something together for the U.S. in the spring to support the album’s release. We currently do have some summer shows booked in Europe for late June. We obviously want to put together a solid late summer tour. We have also looked at trying to get on a U.S. festival tour. We really are still putting our schedule together and trying to find where we will best fit in.

John Moyer is the bassist for the platinum selling metal group Disturbed. John also is the bassist for the newly formed hard rock super group Adrenaline Mob. John took some time to talk with Media Mikes about joining the new group and his thoughts on the new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you got asked to join Adrenaline Mob?
John Moyer: Disturbed are taking an extended hiatus and I really wanted to stay creative and keep playing. Word had gotten to Mike Portnoy that I was going to be possibly available. Mike gave me a call to talk about the project and he had also sent me a couple tracks. I thought they sounded great. I flew out to Philadelphia to jam with the band and I loved it.

AL: What were your first thoughts on the material when you were listening to it?
JM: I was very impressed with how much it was in line with my style of playing. I’m not a progressive rock player as my previous work with Disturbed and Union Underground is more of a rock/metal fusion. I grew up listening to bands like Metallica and Guns n’ Roses. You put those two bands together and that has always been my style. I didn’t know what the tracks were going to sound like but when I finally heard them they were right up my alley.

AL: How much were you involved with the actual recording of the “Omerta” album?
JM: I did absolutely nothing for the recording. (Laughs) The only people who played on the recording were Russell, Mike O. and Mike P. the bass lines I am playing are the ones there were laid down by Mike Orlando. It’s great though because he is a super talented musician’s with a great feel. Any time I learn someone else’s material I really learn a lot. It makes my own playing style grow. The thing that’s cool though is what Mike put down on the record is pretty in-line with what I would have done anyways. It has been fun learning the new material.

AL: Were you allowed to add any of your own style to the tracks since the initial recording?
JM: They haven’t told me anything. I had seen Mike Orlando a week or so prior to jamming and I took him aside to ask him about one of the bass riffs. He looked at me and told me to just play whatever I wanted. I am a bit of a stickler when it comes to playing. I think what you do in the studio matters. There is a reason a song is played a certain way. That’s something that I don’t want to take anything away from. I will surely end up playing it my own way a little bit as that’s something I can’t help but, I am going to do my best to preserve what they did.

AL: Have you noticed any similarities between this band and Disturbed?
JM: We are definitely in the same genre. The other guys in the band all come from bands that are a part of the progressive rock genre. That genre is a bit different than that of where bands like Disturbed and Godsmack come from. However Adrenaline Mob fits right in with Disturbed and the other bands in the rock/metal genre. What the other guys in the band bring to the table makes in quite a bit different than what Disturbed does. Those guys are bringing their own flavor to the rock/metal genre.

AL: What have you liked most about playing the group?
JM: There is a freshness that you get when a new group of individuals get together. You don’t know where things are going so everyone is feeling things out. Part of that process is exciting. I have always said “Life’s a journey not a destination”. I know that sounds cliché but its great. When I joined Disturbed they were a very established band but, I still was able to see the band grow over the 8 years I was there. I like being a part of something that you can build. We are at the ground floor of something new and fresh. Just being able to grow and build Adrenaline Mob is very exciting.

AL: Has there been any talks of when Disturbed will return from its hiatus?
JM: There haven’t been any talks or deadlines established for the groups return. Right now I am putting everything I have into Adrenaline Mob. I am hoping lightning will strike again and this band will be as big as our previous groups. I am very committed to this project.

Once: The New Musical
Original Cast Recording
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Label: Masterworks Broadway
Tracks: 13
Running Time: 45 minutes

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Academy Award-winning film, “Once” is one of my favorite films. The music in the film is so amazing and in fact, I have had the soundtrack on my iPhone since the film was originally released. When I heard that the film was being brought to Broadway, I was both nervous and extremely happy. Well let me tell you I was extremely satisfied with this cast recording and it only makes me want to see this play more now. Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová from The Swell Season are two of my favorite artists, even with their solo albums. I am not sure how this is possible but they took one of my favorites albums ever and ACTUALLY made it better.

“When Your Mind’s Made Up” and “Falling Slowing (Reprise)” are honestly breathtaking songs on this album. Steve Kazee and Cristin Milioti plus backed by the rest of the cast in parts are simply show stopping!  I get chills listening to it every time and I can put these on repeat for hours, as can the whole album. The only issue I have with the album is that I am not truly fond of the two new songs, “Abandoned in Bandon” and Czech folk song “Ej Pada Pada Rosicka”. In fact I have the album on my iPhone and have taken off those songs. I also wanted to make a note about the track “The Moon”, which is performed by Will Connolly is also a treasure. I was originally taken back since it wasn’t performed by Steve but, holy crap!, I really dig it. Great chance they took and a wonderful payoff. Overall this album will be guaranteed to make my top albums of 2012 and I look forward to seeing this show.

Let me tell you Steve Kazee and Cristin Milioti are absolutely perfect on the recording. Glen Hansard’s vocal range is hard to match and Steve really nails it and improves certain areas as well. One thing I noticed from the moment this album started is that I felt like it was recording live from the stage not in a recording studio. I felt that due to that it makes you feel like you are there on stage with them. I definitely feel that this process enhances the Martin Lowe’s amazing orchestrations and really showcases the live stage production. I recommend this highly to all fans of The Swell Season and Broadway fans a like, been sure to buy this album. Also make sure you get a chance to experience this show live on stage, if it is anything like the album it is sure to be absolutely amazing.

Mike Portnoy is best known as one of the founding members and drummer of the progressive rock group Dream Theater. Portnoy’s latest project Adrenaline Mob which features members of Disturbed and Symphony X is set to release their first full length album on March 13^th. Media Mikes had a chance recently to talk with Mike about the group and the upcoming album.

Adam Lawton: How did you first get asked to be a part of Adrenaline Mob?
Mike Portnoy: I have known Russell Allen for many years. Our bands had toured together a couple times and we became very good friends. I have always admired his voice and I think his is one of the best in the business. He is someone that I have always wanted to work with. When my time with Avenged Sevenfold came to a close in 2010 Russell called me up to ask if I would be interested in checking out some material he had been working on with a guy by the name of Mike Orlando. At first I was sort of anticipating material along the lines of Symphony X and Dream Theater. Honestly I wasn’t interested in doing material like that as I wanted to go into some new musical places. I was pleasantly surprised when I hit play and heard the song “Undaunted”. It was exactly what I was looking for and I was instantly on board. It was the right band at the right time.

AL: Can you describe what the writing sessions were like?
MP: The writing happened before my involvement. Mike Orlando has this graveyard of songs and riffs that he has been just waiting for the right band to use them with. He had been working with Russell Allen probably a year or two before my involvement with the project. By the time they asked me to be involved I would say around 80% of the music had been written. I did some shaping and arranging but for the most part everything was there.

AL: How do you think you’re playing on this album differs from that on the Dream Theater and Avenged Sevenfold albums?
MP: I think this stuff is more in line with what I did with Avenged Sevenfold. This was the next natural step in the evolution of that kind of drumming in my life. With Avenged I was out on the Uproar Tour surrounded by bands like Disturbed, Hellyeah and Stone Sour. All these bands are very song oriented and they have a bounce to their grooves. I was very excited playing that kind of music. It’s fun and doesn’t require you to over think anything or play really technical parts. There is nothing wrong with doing that kind of playing but I was looking for a breather. This music definitely is the next step after my drumming on the “Nightmare” album. Having that bounce was the real priority to on “Omerta”. I still wanted it to have my personality and character which I think it does but, have it be restrained somewhat.

AL: Is there a track off the album you are really looking forward to playing live?
MP: At this point we have played everything live already. Every one of these songs comes alive on stage. They are all really energy driven. Songs like “Undaunted” and Psychosane” have a lot drive while the song “All on the Line” serves as a nice breather and a showcase for Russell’s melodic side. When we were playing with Godsmack that song got a great response every night. All the songs serve different purposes depending on what you are looking for.

AL: Where did the idea come from to cover a Duran Duran song?
MP: Mike Orlando and Russell presented that to me at the same time they were showing me all the other material. I had thought it was an original because I never heard the Duran Duran version before. I guess that said something for how well it adapted to the rest of the material. I don’t know which guy actually came up with the idea but it surely works with the rest of the material. Lzzy Hale’s vocals on that track are a whole other attraction. It’s amazing hearing her and Russell trading off together.

AL: What do you think will make this album stand out from others in the rock/metal genre?
MP: I think the thing with Adrenalin Mob is we are taking the song writing structure of bands like Disturbed and Godsmack while keeping with the shred factor. Mike Orlando is an incredible player along the lines of Zakk Wylde and Dimebag Darrell. Add my prog background in and you get something very different. Honestly we aren’t trying to break any new ground with the style of this group. We want to write some great tunes with great riffs and melodies. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel. We just wanted to make an album with great songs that are enjoyable to listen to.

Marco Machera
“One Time, Somewhere”
Innsbruck Records
Tracks: 9
Running Time: 34 minutes

Our Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Imagine an album that has elements of King Crimson, Tom Petty, Nirvana, Mike Oldfield, and – just for good measure – some Ennio Morricone. Got all that? Now imagine blending all of it together and somehow having it work. Italian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marco Manchea’s stunning debut disc, “One Time, Somewhere”, accomplishes this difficult feat and, while his influences can easily be discerned, he firmly makes the music his own and delivers one of the most impressive debut albums in recent memory.

Marco lulls the listener into “One Time, Somewhere” with the opening track, “Hello”. He starts simple and slowly adds layers to the song – including an array of percussive bleeps and blips courtesy of current King Crimson drummer, Pat Mastelotto – and then allows the song to blossom into a lush sonic landscape. It’s a wonderful song – but Machera’s got a wide array of styles to explore within the eight tracks that follow the lead-off cut. In fact, by the album’s final three cuts (which are presented as a multi-part instrumental), he’s taken us on a journey that stops off in so many starkly different lands that each warrants a stamp in a musical passport. The only disappointment is that after 34 minutes, the CD spins to a stop.

Machera’s managed to assemble some impressive players to help him out in this freshman effort including Mastelotto, Rob Fetters (The Bears), Francesco Zampai and multi-media savant Mark Kostabi. Despite this, none of the songs feel like they hinge on one musician’s performance as it all balances perfectly track after track after track – something that is aided by the album’s pristine production. It’s a great-sounding record that amply allows the wide range of atmospheric dynamics to ring throughout, be it in brash bassier moments or quiet ones in which Marco plays delicate instruments like a toy piano (I did mention Mike Oldfield, right?).

Given the rich density of “One Time, Somewhere”, it would be interesting to hear how its roster of songs would play live. There’s no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the arrangements Marco comes up with will work well within the context of a live performance. He’s a consummate musician with such a sharp sense of overall composition and minute detail that the material will likely shine Every Time, Everywhere.

Track Listing:
1. Hello
2. Stories Left Untold
3. Days of Summertime
4. Bright Lights Big Cities
5. El Muerto!
6. Down Below
7. Gotzen-Dammerung
8. Hire Her
9. Troubled Childhood

Adrenaline Mob is a heavy metal supergroup which consists of singer Russell Allen from Symphony X, guitarist Mike Orlando, bassist John Moyer from Disturbed and drummer Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater. The band only came together recently are are releasing their first full length studio album on March 13, 2012titled “Omertá”.

Media Mikes had a chance to chat with the entire band about their forming and also their first full length album “Omertá”. Let us know what you think and feel free to leave comments! Be sure to also check out our review of the album “Omertá” here.