Album Review, 3D In Your Face: Lost in the Volume

Loud! Make it Loud!

Turn it up make it 
LOUD AS HELL!!!

2 years ago, I had the privilege of  getting to know Omaha, Nebraska's rock and roll pride and joy, 3D In Your Face. I interviewed them several times, and I reviewed their album, Midnight Devils. It is a glam metal masterpiece. When bass player, Sam 'Spade' Morris contacted me, telling me that they were recording a new album, I wondered if they could have a repeat performance of awesomeness. Well, they did. Their new album, Lost in the Volume is a perfect followup to Midnight Devils. It shows the continued maturation and growth of a band that was already firing on all cylinders. 

Spade

The first song, 2 Miles Down starts off with a hard and heavy lick from guitar virtuoso, Chris 'Sniper' Hineline, with the band joining in. Singer, Alan 'Hot Rod' King dips deep into his vast vocal range and gets low. The song has a catchy chorus that's perfect for sing along audience participation. And, not to mention a blistering guitar solo from Sniper. The band has changed drummers a couple times since I first came into contact with them, but they seem to have hit the jackpot with John 'The Hammer' Lovings. That's a very appropriate nickname as his sound is heavy and turns the bands low punch from about 8 up to 11. He and Spade combine to knock you into your back seat, and loosen your fillings.

Hammer

The band explores several different genres on Lost in the Volume, including punk with the song Moscow Queen. But it's punk with 80's glam flashy guitar that isn't there in most punk music. Its a unique and awesome fusion of 2 genres. My favorite song on the album is Loud. Its a metal anthem that grabs you with a Randy Rhoads/ George Lynch inspired hook riff. Once again, Hot Rod explores the lower reaches of his vocal range, but he's all over it in this song. 

Hot Rod

I'm going to stop saying that Sniper is an incredible guitarist on every song. I'm going to put this here, and you need to remember it. Sniper is a phenomenal guitarist who belongs in the same conversation with people like Rhoads, Lynch, and others. His solos are blistering, and his rhythms are catchy yet intricate. He even has a couple unaccompanied breaks in Memphis Mile, rocky/bluesy jam. On Sound of Recklessness, he is simply brutal. 

Sniper

Lost in the Volume has all of the things that made Midnight Devils a masterpiece. Great songs, a few anthems, a ballad, (Show Me How To Love Again) astounding musicianship, and a production that sounds better than the majority of the music on rock radio stations...even back in the 80's when stellar production was a must. But as I mentioned before, it also shows growth as a band. They seem even tighter and more comfortable together than before, if that's even possible. The radio needs to be 'Baptized by 3D In Your Face.' (A play on the title of track 8, Baptized by the Radio) The song, Static Renegade has a clip of one of their songs being played on the radio. It needs to happen nationwide. Their shows are high energy, and their fans follow them the way New York fans did for Twisted Sister before they got signed. They go to all the shows, and are blown away every time. And, they are getting notoriety too. They've played many festivals with big name bands, such as Rocklahoma. 3D In Your Face delivers 110% both in digital, and on stage.

Lost in the Volume joins Midnight Devils on my cell phone in its entirety. I've been wearing it out, and you will too.If you love the arena sound of 80's metal, this is a must. I've said it before, and I'll say it again..If 3D In Your Face had been around in 1985, they would have headlined arena tours and had platinum albums.

Buy it NOW, and play it LOUD!!!!!

3D In Your Face's links:

Facebook 

Their Website  

Buy the CD

iTunes (This has all their albums) 

Swedish Glam Metal Band: 'Confess' and Their Album, 'Jail'

In a recurring theme on this blog, the best music in the world is being made in Europe. It is predominately progressive or power metal, but this band is not. They are genuine glam metal, as in the heavy, driving style of the first two Skid Row albums. However, Sweden's Confess do not sound like Skid Row. They have a style of their own. When Skid Row came out, it was toward the end of glam era. However, there were few bands around other than them who had such raw and gritty power in their music, and complimented by amazing talent. It could have been a new sub genre of glam, but unfortunately, the record companies decided that it was time to let all the people who only knew 3 chords get famous.

But, the music machine across the ocean from the US continued to create great music, and in 2008, a Swedish singer named John Elliot put together this crew of extremely talented metalheads. They began to make demos, and play shows. And, as they did, they quickly gained notoriety wherever they went. They released their first independent EP called 'The Gin Act,'  which was a hot commodity. They toured with the EP for a couple years, then went into the studio to record their debut album with SG Records, Jail.

Drums: Samael, Vocals: John Elliot, Bass: Lucky, Guitar: Denver, Guitar: Bloman

As I mentioned, the band has the heavy style of Skid Row, but has their own sound. Its gritty, raw, and powerful. This is not glam rock in the sense of Poison. Its down and dirty heavy metal, with a hint of punk influence that would scare Poison and Bon Jovi off the tour. The lyrics are raunchy and sometimes mean. They aren't trying to fool anyone with lyrics about being a tender and loving teddy bear. With lines like "Why don't you lay down and die?"  "This is the end of our relationshit," and a seemingly sweet ballad, with the line "Show her love..with a bullet," and titles like Relationshit, Intervention, Cardiac Arrest, and 'Pay Before I Go,' I think you can figure out what they are all about. 

But it wasn't the lyrics that made me dig this band. As an 80's metalhead musician myself, I noticed the talent of the band. The music is great, and Confess are more talented than Poison, and others. There are twin guitar attacks that would make Tipton and Downing smile, along with stout and brutal rhythm that will give you a bloody nose if you look at it the wrong way. Basically, the band is made up of 5 gifted musicians who together make epic music. I can't help but think what a tour with Confess and Skid Row would be like.

Since I can't really say anymore about their talent without sounding redundant, I'll tell you a little about a few of the songs.

First of all, there wasn't a song on the entire album that I didn't like. I bugged the crap out of my wife for 2 days straight blasting this album. I think my favorites are Relationshit, which is a hard driving assault that perfectly sums up the feeling of kicking an unwanted girl to the curb. Scream, is a rhythm section driven song that makes you want to slam into something. I think my favorite song on the album is Pay Before I Go. It could easily be a hit in the US, with its catchy and heavy hooks, and harmony vocals. Setting Sails, I swear I've heard before. It has that type of vibe that makes you believe you've heard it before, even though you haven't. I can't explain it. The song doesn't remind me of anything because the band has their own style, and aren't copying anyone. But, for some reason, it sounds familiar. Cardiac Arrest is simply a badass tune.

This is the announcement that the band released on their website upon the release of their album:

Confess are proud to announce that we've decided to sign our debut album JAIL on SG-Records. This bad assed son of a bitch will be released world wide on the 4th of april and will contain 13 dirty tracks of Swedish hard-ons at its best SPREAD THE NEWS!!!

They were not exaggerating at all.

Here are 2 of their videos: Relationshit and Scream.

Other songs that deserve notice (they all do) are Intervention (Sin and Tonic pt 2) and a cover of Tina Turner's What's Love Got To Do With It? The first is a lesson in progressive metal. The band pulls no punches here, and gives us a heavy metal masterpiece. The second is a very good version of a classic. Honestly, as a metalhead, I like this version better. Lots of bands have done covers of songs that weren't metal. Some are good, some are bad. This one is DAMN good. I never liked the original song much, but I really like Confess's version.

These guys should be playing arenas in the USA!

I could have just posted those 2 videos, and said "Watch this if you like badass glam metal that is sleazy, raunchy, and heavy!" But, that would have been lazy, and I've never been accused of being lazy. But, Confess kicks ass, and there really isn't much more to say about them. If you are an 80's metalhead, grab this album. You will swear it was released during that decade. Even though it wasn't, this band has it right. Sex, drugs, and METAL!!!

I would be ecstatic if this band charted in the US. It would mean that everyone here woke up and remembered what real music was. BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

Amazon Google Play Confess Facebook Page