The Sword - "Lawless Lands" (2010)

The Sword's new album is Warp Riders and the standout track is "Lawless Lands." TS is a classic rock style metal band without the deafening screaming. I am not a self described "metal guy," but there are a few bands I dig and The Sword is at the top of the list. The guitar riffs are mind blowing on pretty much all their tracks, and "Lawless Lands" is no different. The slow build up in the beginning gets your fists pumping, and the lead singer/guitarist John D Cronise blazes through with his gritty and rustic tones....just..... arrrrgh! Yes! What is this? Am I flying on a WWII airplane through outer-space, with an animated amazonian woman who has ridiculous tits riding a dragon as my wingman? WOOOO! Let's rock!

Alberta Cross - Broken Side of Time (2009)

Alberta Cross was my favorite band that had never released a full length album. Now, that honor may belong to Magic & Fur, and Alberta Cross has become my favorite band to try and talk people into loving. The Thief and The Heartbreaker, Alberta Cross’ previously mentioned seven-song EP, in my mind, is one of the few albums released this decade that is virtually incapable of being overplayed. Trust me, I have tried. With the release of Broken Side of Time, Alberta Cross has made the jump to full length and it would shock me if their popularity did not jump with it. Oh, what a great album this is. They rock hard on tracks like “ATX,” “Taking Control,” and "Broken Side Of Time," while they rock slightly less hard on excellent new tracks like “Ghost Of City Life,” “Rise From The Shadow” and "City Walls." There are a few slightly modified oldies-but-goodies included in the likes of "Old Man Chicago," "Leave Us And Forgive Us," and "The Thief & The Heartbreaker" that round out the 10 track release. For classic rock fans, Alberta Cross shares blues and folk similarities with legends like Led Zeppelin and Neil Young, but truthfully their combination of hair-raising guitar rock, wailing vocals, and exceptional song writing are devilishly good in their own right. I highly recommend this album and all other music Alberta Cross has released.