VampCora RLE FE 2 xtremesaint's blog: "Bands/Artists I Like"

Stone Temple Pilots were able to make alternative rock into stadium rock; naturally, they became the most critically despised band of their era. Accused by many critics of being nothing more than rip-off artists, pilfering from Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains, the band nevertheless became major stars in 1993. And the influences of those bands are apparent in their music, but Stone Temple Pilots do manage to change things around a bit. STP are more concerned with tight song structure and riffs than punk rage. Their closest antecedents are not the Sex Pistols or Hüsker Dü; instead the band resembles arena rock acts from the '70s -- it's popular hard rock that sounds good on the radio and in concert. No matter what the critics might say, Stone Temple Pilots have undeniably catchy riffs and production; there's a reason why over three million people bought their debut album, Core, and why their second album, Purple, shot to number one when it was released. Following the success of Purple and its accompanying tour, the band took some time off, during which the group's lead singer, Scott Weiland, developed a heroin addiction. In the spring of 1995, he was arrested for possession of heroin and cocaine, and was sentenced to a rehabilitation program. Following his completion of the program, Stone Temple Pilots recorded their third album. Released in the spring of 1996, Tiny Music...Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop, entered the charts at number four. Shortly after its release, Stone Temple Pilots announced that Weiland had relapsed and entered a drug rehabilitation facility, thereby canceling the group's plans for a summer tour. Weiland's drug problems and the group's inability to support Tiny Music with a tour meant that the album couldn't replicate the success of its predecessors -- by the end of the summer, it had fallen out the Top 50 and had stalled at platinum, which was considerably less than what the group's two previous albums achieved. Still battling his personal demons, Weiland recorded a 1998 solo album, 12 Bar Blues, while the remaining members of STP recruited vocalist Dave Coutts to record a self-titled LP under the name Talk Show. To the surprise of many onlookers, Stone Temple Pilots then reunited, although shortly after completing 1999's No. 4 Weiland was sentenced to a year in a Los Angeles county jail for violating his probation stemming from an earlier conviction for heroin possession. A newly rejuvenated Stone Temple Pilots and a sober Weiland emerged stronger than ever during the new millennium. The band got back to basics on Shangri-La Dee Da, released in summer 2001. Two years later, STP issued the ambitious greatest-hits package Thank You. The audio-only edition featured 15 tracks -- 13 hits spanning the group's entire career, an acoustic version of "Plush" dating from 1992, and the new track "All in the Suit That You Wear." Thank You also appeared in a CD/DVD format that included three hours of videos, live performances, and behind-the-scenes footage. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Written by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Wicked Garden

After falling out with mentor Ozzy Osbourne following the recording sessions for 1995's Ozzmosis, guitarist Zakk Wylde struck out on his own with his first solo album, Book of Shadows, in 1996. When it failed to score any mainstream success, the six-stringer took an extended break before resurfacing with a new album and band called Black Label Society in 1999, featuring Wylde on vocals, guitar, and bass and drummer Phil Ondich. A number of different musicians would sift through the band's ranks during the convoluted tour which followed, but Ondich was back on the drum stool by the time Black Label Society recorded 2000's Stronger Than Death album for new label Spitfire Records. The subsequent tour included a slot on the second stage of his old boss' Ozzfest tour, and yielded the live Alcohol Fulede Brewtality album in 2001. The band returned to Ozzfest the following year (this time on the main stage) in support of the 1919 Eternal LP. Blessed Hellride appeared in 2003, and Hangover Music Vol. VI followed a year later. Mafia, Black Label Society's seventh album, was released in spring 2005. The following October, Spitfire Records issued the Wylde work compilation Kings of Damnation: Era 1998-2004. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide Written by Ed Rivadavia In This River

BSC hails from Edmonton, a small town in south-central Kentucky that’s in the middle of a dry (alcohol-prohibited) county, where there is very little to do. For many, including the members of BSC, music was their escape. And there was a lot of music around. “There’s lots of great bluegrass and southern gospel groups which we all love,” says Ben. Given all this music, it’s no shock that the four members of BSC have a rich musical tradition in their own families, handed down from their grandparents, through their parents, to the band themselves. John Fred’s father Richard is a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning Kentucky Headhunters, while Jon’s Great-Uncle was a jazz drummer. Chris received his first guitar from his grandfather, who built instruments by hand, and learned his first chords from his dad. And it wasn’t just their family that encouraged them to play: whenever Chris got into trouble at school, he wound up in the principal’s office, jamming with the principal himself. Surrounded by music and support down in Edmonton, Black Stone Cherry was able develop far away from the mainstream. “When you’re from an area where you don’t have the competition to be playing the same kind of music, you create your own style of music,” explains John Fred. Robertson agrees: “being down here, in the middle of nowhere, you kind of have to come up with your own thing just to entertain yourself.” Chris and John Fred began playing together while they were still teenagers in high school, with Jon and Ben joining them soon afterward, officially forming on June 4, 2001. Black Stone Cherry took over a century-old practice house that had been the territory of the Kentucky Headhunters since 1968 and rehearsed relentlessly. There was a special vibe in that practice house that emanated from the walls plastered with decades of rock memorabilia – posters, flyers, album covers. “We grew up looking at these posters and visualizing ourselves being on kids bedrooms,” explains John Fred. “It pushed us to try to create something up to that level.” While there are echoes of the past in their music – their fluid musicality recalls Zeppelin and they have an honesty often associated with bands like Skynyrd and the Black Crowes – it merely acts as a foundation for their music. Black Stone Cherry is a full-throttle modern rock band, with guitars that rage and a shuddering rhythmic attack. They sound as earthy and raw as Soundgarden, as heavy and fun as AC/DC, yet there’s a higher level of musicianship to their performances and songwriting that makes them like no one else. They can grind out an intense, bluesy riff that’s equal parts Guns N Roses and Alice In Chains on “Lonely Train,” a gripping song about how war effects the families left behind when a soldier goes off to war. There’s an intensity to “Lonely Train” that cuts to the bone. They also can conjure up spooky, cinematic drama as they do on “Rain Wizard,” a tune based on a local legend about mysterious wisemen that could bring about rain at a time of drought and famine. And with the rampaging “Backwoods Gold,” BSC proves they’re master storytellers, too, with a tale about a local man who ran moonshine out of the hardware store in the heart of town. This variety is unusual in a young band, and John Fred says that was the intention: “We wanted to dig deep into the well and pull something out that was totally different from what was going on. We wanted to make music that people could really latch onto -- something that was still totally different from what was going on today but reminded people of the great rock icons of yesteryear.” That’s what happened in Edmonton – everybody from eight to eighty embraced Black Stone Cherry. “People heard about these kids taking over these old-time music clubs and we turned them into rock & roll parties,” remembers Ben. Soon, there wasn’t a soul in town who didn’t love the band. Once recording was finished, the band played a homecoming concert, and 1500 people packed into the local middle school gym – the same school where Chris used to jam away with the principal. It was that principal who invited the group back for a concert to celebrate their debut album on In De Goot/Roadrunner Records. Pulling into town, the roads were covered with signs welcoming the band back home – even the digital construction signs hailed their return, trumpeting “BSC TONIGHT at the Middle School” – a sure sign of how beloved this band is in Edmonton. Now, with their debut album released, America at large will soon love Black Stone Cherry too. Appropriately, the debut was recorded at home in Kentucky, with friends and family: John Fred's father along with engineer wiz David Barrick produced the album. Kevin Shirley of Aerosmith's "Nine Lives" and Led Zeppelin's "How the West was Won", mixed the record at the Palm's Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chris says, “We went in and recorded it like they did in the old days. It’s really human, it’s not robotic or anything.” “It’s all about the groove,” says Jon, the way it makes people move.” This album captures the kinetic energy and force of the band’s live show and it is proof that Black Stone Cherry are true southern originals. Or as Ben puts it: “We’re a straight-ahead, in-your-face rock & roll band that tells the truth and sometimes stretches it beyond the imagination.” Written by Record Label Hell & High Water

Did they invent heavy metal? Well, while it would be unfair to blame them for something as dreadful as, say, Motley Crue, they were certainly responsible for the trappings, images, and even the excesses that came to be known as that much-revered and much-hated musical form. The difference is they generally made it sound good...and often great, taking the white boy blues originally perpetuated by Cream and the Yardbirds to its wildest extremes. Actually, Led Zeppelin rose from the ashes of the Yardbirds. Guitarist Jimmy Page had been leading a post-Jeff Beck unit called the New Yardbirds, which he disbanded in 1968 to create his dream "psychedelic blues" band. Recruiting his friend, bassist John Paul Jones (who'd played numerous sessions with artists, ranging from Donovan to Herman's Hermits and Petula Clark, along with Page throughout the '60s), Page found two talented novices in singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham. Who drummer Keith Moon reportedly gave the group its moniker when, after hearing their demo tapes, he predicted how the group would go over--but the Zeppelin seemed to take off immediately, eventually becoming one of the most popular bands in rock history. Their appeal never seemed to wane until after they disbanded, following Bonham's death from overindulgence in 1980. Perhaps more than any other group before or since, Zeppelin was responsible for taking the blues-ish boast of "I'm A Man," originally a boast of black pride, and transforming it into a cry of sometimes sexist penile power. They were also notorious for stealing music from their forebears and putting their own names on it (lawsuits were eventually filed by many, ranging from Willie Dixon to the family of Ritchie Valens, who figured that "Boogie With Stu" was a direct rip-off of their relative's "Ooo, My Soul"). Nevertheless, they always made it sound--stolen or not--like no one but Led Zeppelin. As the band fell more into addictions and excess, they eventually also fell into musical formula, but unlike their progeny, they remained eclectic in their choice of musical styles for a very long time, pushing the envelope consistently early in their career. And when they were good... Written by Bill Holdship Black Dog Black Dog

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Old-school hip-hop, traditional classic rock, and spooling electronic vibes were the initial factors behind the building of the alternative metal quintet, Linkin Park. The band's southern Californian musical roots were also an underlying basis, for drummer Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, and MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda formed a tight friendship while still in high school. Shortly after graduation, art student and DJ Joseph Hahn hooked up with bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and Shinoda for the band, Xero. Hybrid Theory came later, but the band opted on the name Linkin Park when singer Chester Bennington was the last piece added to the band in 1999. Soon the band became a noticeable face at the Whisky as well as favorites in and around Los Angeles. Zomba Music's Jeff Blue was one of the few who didn't turn the band down for a contract at the turn of the millennium - Linkin Park signed to Warner Bros. after being turned down three times in late 1999 and got to work on their debut album. Taking a piece from their past, they named the album Hybrid Theory. It was released in fall 2000 and it showcased their likes for fellow alternative acts such as the Deftones, the Roots, Aphex Twin, and Nine Inch Nails. The Dust Brothers also collaborated on the record, as well as producer Don Gilmore (Pearl Jam, Eve 6, Tracy Bonham). Singles such as "Crawling" and "One Step Closer" were massive radio hits and video favorites among the TRL crowd on MTV. Joint tours with Family Values and the Project: Revolution Tour with Cypress Hill led the band to play 324 shows in 2001. Linkin Park was in demand. Come January 2002, Hybrid Theory received three Grammy nominations for "Best Rock Album" and "Best New Artist." A month later, Linkin Park walked away with an award for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for "Crawling." They spent the remainder of the year hold up in the studio, again working with Gillmore, recording a follow-up to their eight times platinum debut Hybrid Theory. Linkin Park's sophomore effort Meteora was released in March 2003; the first single "Somewhere I Belong" was an instant hit. The second annual Projekt Revolution tour got underway in spring 2003 with Linkin Park joining Mudvayne, Xzibit and Blindside; Summer Sanitarium dates with Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne and the Deftones followed in July and August. Results of the latter appeared by the end of the year on Live in Texas. In late 2004, Linkin Park embarked on their most ambitious project yet: Collision Course, a collaboration with king-of-the-mountain rapper Jay-Z which introduced the commercial world to the concept of mash-ups (remixes that sample heavily from at least two popular songs). ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide Written by MacKenzie Wilson What I've Done Linkin Park - What I've Done

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Formed in 1973, the British hard rock outfit Bad Company was a supergroup comprised of ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell, former Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, and singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, both previous members of Free. Powered by Rodgers' muscular vocals and Ralphs' blues-based guitar work, Bad Company was the first group signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song vanity label. Bad Company's eponymous 1974 debut was an international hit, topping the U.S. album charts and scoring with the number one single "Can't Get Enough of Your Love." Straight Shooter, issued the following year, was another major success, notching the hit "Feel Like Makin' Love," while 1976's Run With the Pack was Bad Company's third consecutive million-selling record. After 1977's Burnin' Sky, Bad Company recorded 1979's Desolation Angels, which embellished the group's sound with synthesizers and strings; a three-year hiatus followed before the release of Rough Diamonds, the group's final LP in its original incarnation. In 1986, Ralphs and Kirke resurrected the Bad Company name, enlisting former Ted Nugent vocalist Brian Howe to replace Rodgers. The reconfigured unit's debut, Fame & Fortune, was a commercial failure, but 1988's Dangerous Age became a minor hit. Released in 1990, Holy Water fared even better, as the power ballad "If You Needed Somebody" became a Top 20 success. Here Comes Trouble, issued in 1992, achieved platinum status, and earned another Top 40 hit with "How About That." On their 20th anniversary, Bad Company expanded into a quintet with the addition of bassist Rick Wills and rhythm guitarist Dave Colwell, and released the live retrospective The Best of Bad Company Live...What You Hear Is What You Get. Two more LPs -- 1995's The Company of Strangers and the next year's Stories Told and Untold -- followed, and in 1998 the original lineup of Rodgers, Ralphs, Kirke, and Burrell reunited to record a handful of new tracks that surfaced alongside past material early the following year on The Original Bad Company Anthology. A reunion tour followed that spring. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide Written by Jason Ankeny Rock And Roll Fantasy Rock n Roll Fantasy

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After he left Metallica in 1983, guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine formed the thrash metal quartet Megadeth. Though Megadeth followed the basic blueprint of Metallica's relentless attack, Mustaine's group distinguished themselves from his earlier band by lessening the progressive rock influences, adding an emphasis on instrumental skills, speeding the tempo up slightly, and making the instrumental attack harsher. By streamlining the classic thrash metal approach and making the music more threatening, as well as making the lyrics more nihilistic, Megadeth became one of the leading bands of the genre during the mid-'80s and late '80s. Each album they released went at least gold, and they continually sold out arenas across America, in addition to developing a strong following overseas. By the early '90s, they had toned their music down slightly, yet that simply increased their following; all of their proper '90s albums debuted in the Top Ten. Throughout Megadeth's many lineup changes, the two core members were bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine (b. September 13, 1961), who was the band's official leader. Mustaine grew up in the suburbs of Southern California, where he was raised by his mother in a broken home; frequently, his mother left him to be raised by aunts and uncles, who never encouraged his musical inclinations and often belittled him for his fondness for heavy metal. In 1981, he formed Metallica with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Mustaine spent two years with Metallica, developing a strong cult following in California's underground metal scene, before he was kicked out of the group in 1983, allegedly over his substance abuse. Immediately following his firing, he formed Megadeth with Ellefson, Slayer guitarist Kerry King, and drummer Lee Rauch. This lineup was extremely short-lived, and Mustaine and Ellefson soon recruited guitarist Chris Poland and drummer Gar Samuelson. For the next few years, Megadeth toured and gained a following, signing with the independent label Combat in late 1984. The following year, the group released their debut, Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!, which received strong reviews, not only in metal-oriented publications, but also in mainstream music magazines. The album sold very well for an independent release, which attracted the attention of major record labels. By the end of the year, the group had signed with Capitol. Megadeth's first major-label album, Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?, was released in the fall of 1986. Like its predecessor, Peace Sells was greeted by strong reviews and sales; it eventually went platinum. Although the band's fortunes were on the upswing, Mustaine was beginning to sink deeper into drug abuse, specifically heroin. Soon, his addictions began to affect his work. Many stories concerning his erratic behavior were circulating within the metal community, and they seemed to be proven correct when he fired both Poland and Samuelson before the recording of the band's third album; they were replaced by Jeff Young and Chuck Behler, respectively. The new lineup debuted on So Far, So Good...So What!, released early in 1988. So Far, So Good peaked at number 28 on the charts and also eventually went platinum (despite less enthusiastic reviews); it also featured a notorious cover of the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK," with incorrect lyrics. In the years immediately following the release of So Far, So Good...So What!, Mustaine was impaired by his drug addictions. In early 1990, he was arrested for driving under the influence and entered a rehabilitation program. By the end of the year, he was not only sober, but he had reconvened the band; firing Young and Behler and replacing them with guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. This lineup recorded Megadeth's fourth and most progressive album, Rust in Peace. The record peaked at number 23 on the American charts and went platinum. 1991 saw Metallica break through to the mainstream, and sensing the possibility for similar success, Mustaine followed suit in stripping down the band's sound, though it remained as technically perfectionistic as Rust in Peace. The result, Countdown to Extinction, was released in 1992, entering the charts at number two; the record went double-platinum and became the band's biggest hit, confirming that they had retained their audience in the wake of grunge. Now one of the most popular metal bands in the world, Megadeth moved farther toward the mainstream with Youthanasia in 1994, which entered the charts at number four and, like its predecessor, went platinum. The following year, the group released Hidden Treasures, a rarities collection which featured some of the soundtrack tunes that had helped expand the group's MTV audience in the early '90s. 1997's Cryptic Writings found Megadeth fully embraced by album rock radio, which formerly would never have touched the band. Ex-Suicidal Tendencies drummer Jimmy DeGrasso signed on in 1998, in time for the following year's Risk. In 2000, following the release of the best-of Capitol Punishment, Marty Friedman followed Nick Menza out the door; he was replaced by former Savatage and Alice Cooper guitarist Al Pitrelli. After signing with the BMG subsidiary Sanctuary, Megadeth debuted its new lineup on 2001's The World Needs a Hero. While on break from touring, Mustaine suffered a serious injury in January 2002 while staying in Texas. He was diagnosed with having radial neuropathy shortly thereafter, a condition that prevented him from playing guitar. The compressed radial nerves in his left arm and hand were strained, leaving Megadeth little recourse but to disband in April 2002, after almost 20 years in the music industry. During his time off, Mustaine prepared an elaborate reissue campaign, remastering each album and reissuing them all with bonus material. This campaign set the stage for a Megadeth revival, which came in 2004-2005 with a surprising comeback album, The System Has Failed, and some heavy touring. Capitol released a new best-of, simply titled Greatest Hits, just as Megadeth hit the summer concert circuit, headlining Mustaine's own Gigantour festival. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Written by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Forming in Finland in the midst of 1995, H.I.M. (His Infernal Majesty) portrays a true quest for the reinvention of goth rock. Setting as their main artistic ambition the creation of songs in the similar path of bands such as Sisters Of Mercy and the Mission U.K., H.I.M. uses a distinct compound of scowling melodies and mystical love stories' inspired lyrics to mark their musical ground. Vocalist and songwriter Ville Hermani Vallo was the band's founding member, alongside Migé Amour (bass), Lily Lazer (guitar), Gas Lipstick (drums), and Zoltan Pluto (keyboards). The EP 666 Ways To Love, the group's first recording, showed up in late 1996, attaining considerable praise within the Scandinavian market. One year later, Greatest Love Songs, Vol. 666 solidified their cult status throughout the region and celebrated the band's cover of "Wicked Game," a Chris Isaak original. It was at that time that the group gained a rising fan base all across Europe, entering an enduring and extensive touring season to even more wide-ranging acclaim. Three years later, Razorblade Romance, H.I.M.'s second album, hit record stores, again achieving substantial results and strengthening their indubitable recognition. With production credits featuring John Fryer, who previously worked with crews like White Zombie and Nine Inch Nails, the record substantiated the squad's better acclaim all across Europe. H.I.M. then suffered its first lineup change when Pluto left, later being replaced by Emerson Burton. Deep Shadows And Brilliant Highlights, the band's third full-length disc, arrived in late 2001, confirming the Finnish crew's better recognition and strengthening the band's growing legion of fans. Written by All Music Guide Vampire Heart (set to Blade) Blade's War

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The Boston-based alternative metal group Godsmack originally comprised vocalist Sully Erna (a devout Wiccan), guitarist Tony Rambola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Tommy Stewart. After debuting in 1997 with All Wound Up, Godsmack signed with Universal, which in 1998 reissued the LP as a self-titled effort with a handful of new tracks; at that point Stewart -- who'd left the group in mid-1997 and was replaced by drummer Joe d'Arco -- returned to the lineup on a permanent basis. The band's audience built slowly but surely, and Godsmack was certified gold in 1999, the same year the group was invited to join the Ozzfest tour; by the next year, it had sold over three million copies, thanks to hit singles like "Whatever" and "Keep Away." In 2000, the group again played Ozzfest, and released their second proper album, Awake, that fall. In January 2001, Awake earned the band a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for the song "Vampires," and by March, it had sold two million copies. Hot on the heels of their continuing success, their single "I Stand Alone" propelled the hype of the movie The Scorpion King in March 2002. As the single maintained Godsmack's strong presence at modern rock radio into the summer, founding member Tommy Stewart left the band in June. The David Bottrill-produced (Peter Gabriel, Tool, Mudvayne) album Faceless appeared in April 2003. It also marked the debut of ex-Amen drummer Shannon Larkin. The all-acoustic Other Side arrived in spring 2004. In 2006, Erna stepped behind the board to helm IV, a collection of new material that reached number one while both retaining the group's trademark heft and expanding their sonic palette. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide Written by Jason Ankeny Bad Religion

Heavy metal band Disturbed came together through the matching of a band with a singer. Long-time friends Dan Donegan (guitar), Mike Wengren (drums), and Fuzz (bass) played together in Chicago for some time before hooking up with singer David Draiman around 1997. Draiman had grown up in a religious family from which he rebelled, being expelled from five boarding schools in his adolescence. His anger found an outlet in the thrashing sound of Disturbed, and the band built up a following on Chicago's South Side before a demo tape led to their signing to Giant Records, which released their debut album, The Sickness, in March 2000. The band gained more fans and exposure playing the main stage of the 2001 Ozz Fest, then breaking away to do their own self-described "victory lap" around the U.S. that fall. Also during this period, they managed to record a vicious new version of wrestler Steve Austin's theme song that was so good it managed to receive radio play, and was one of the many bands announced to work on a high profile Faith No More tribute album. The band stepped into the studio after stepping off of the road and began work on a new disc that would reflect their growth as a band. Feeling experimental, the group worked with producer Johnny K. and mixer Andy Wallace in order to create an album that could compare to other classic metal records they admired. Amplifying their fondness for groups like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Pantera, and Soundgarden, Believe was released in the fall of 2002 and was recognized as a heavier, more varied, and ultimately superior record to their debut, ultimately reaching the top of the Billboard 200. The tour document Music as a Weapon II appeared in 2004, and the ambitious studio full-length Ten Thousand Fists in September 2005. ~ William Ruhlmann and Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide Written by William Ruhlmann Down With The Sickness