Hard Rock Daddy presents Music Discovery Monday – 12/1/14.
Each week, the HRD team shares songs that fly below radio’s radar, ranging from lesser-known artists to deeper cuts from up-and-coming and established artists.
In addition to exposing the Hard Rock Daddy audience to new music that isn’t getting the attention that it deserves from radio, Music Discovery Monday also features a segment called “Hard Rock Music Time Machine,” which showcases older songs (from the 70s to today) that hard rock music fans may have missed the first time around.
All of the songs featured on Music Discovery Monday can be heard on the embedded YouTube playlists beneath each section.
This week, Music Discovery Monday features an interview with Paul Fernandez of British newcomers, Us Amongst The Rest.
**Click on any hyperlinked song titles to read extended Hard Rock Daddy reviews.**
ADAM WALDMAN – (Publisher, Hard Rock Daddy)
US AMONGST THE REST – “Fields Of Fray”
Shortly after the debut of Music Discovery Monday, Hard Rock Daddy received this submission directly from Paul Fernandez, drummer of Us Amongst The Rest. The video for “Fields Of Fray” just debuted this past Friday. Fans of Asking Alexandria and The Family Ruin will be instant fans of these fellow UK hard rockers. This is definitely a band to keep on your radar, as they are “amongst” the outstanding next wave of British hard rock acts.
In our recent discussion, Paul Fernandez shared how the band discovered this new feature, the meaning behind “Fields Of Fray,” and how the band came together…
“The Family Ruin are good friends of ours from the York (United Kingdom) scene. We were glad to see them finally receiving the recognition that they deserve, when they were featured on Music Discovery Monday. God knows, they have worked for it! We have grown to love the band as peers and friends, and go back a long way. One of my first live gigs as an audience member was seeing Johnny and Langley’s old band, Lynchpin. Amazing days!
We have all been in bands, playing the circuit extensively, since we were around 15-16yrs old. Us Amongst The Rest formed in 2012. I suppose that you could say that we ‘discovered’ music at a very early age by listening to our mum and dad’s favorite bands. I grew up listening to The Beatles, ZZ Top and Elvis Presley (which is quite an eclectic mix).
As far as ‘Fields Of Fray’ is concerned, the video was just released within the last week. The song is about being in a violent relationship, and wanting to break away from it, but finding it hard to do so.”
BLACK STAR RIDERS – “Bound For Glory”
Described as “the next step in the evolution of the Thin Lizzy story,” Black Star Riders was created by the members of Thin Lizzy to record new music. Out of respect to legendary vocalist, Phil Lynott, and the legacy that he created, the band decided not to record new music under the Thin Lizzy moniker. Given the value of the Thin Lizzy name, and the fact that Irishman, Ricky Warwick, bears an eerie vocal resemblance to Lynott, choosing this path was a noble one. If you didn’t know any better, you would swear that Lynott was reincarnated to record the band’s first album, All Hell Breaks Loose, which features the classic Thin Lizzy sound on “Bound For Glory.” The band’s follow-up album, The Killer Instinct, will be released in 2015. If you like Thin Lizzy, don’t miss Black Star Riders!
JON LOVELESS – HRD Music Scout
STONE GLORY – “Rise”
Out of the Sunshine State of Florida comes a shining example of a hard rock song that was worthy of being a genuine hit, but just didn’t seem to catch the break that it needed. Vocalist Jeff Shields (ex-Stereoside) stands out here, with a performance that harkens back to the strong singers of 80s melodic rock; his new bandmates match him, and provide the heavy end of one of the better debut efforts in recent years.
ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE – “Booze & Cigarettes”
When two members of “The Big Four” join forces, something interesting is almost bound to happen, so it was somewhat surprising that the collaboration of Megadeth bassist, Dave Ellefson, and Anthrax bassist, Frankie Bello, didn’t draw a relatively bright spotlight. Bello’s vocals, and work on lead guitar, give this a more hard rock than metal feel, but it’s a bit of grimy goodness that deserved more attention.
ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout
VANISHING POINT – “Let The River Run”
“Let The River Run” starts with an a cappella intro, with the haunting vocals of Silvio Massaro, before guitars and keyboards join in for a progressive metal piece rich with feeling and yearning. From Australian power metal band Vanishing Point’s fifth album, Distant Is The Sun, this track stands out on an album loaded with amazing music and deep lyrics.
HEAVEN AND EARTH – “I Don’t Know What Love Is Anymore”
One of the best ballads of 2013, “I Don’t Know What Love Is Anymore” drips with emotion as it builds to breathtaking vocal harmonies, all the while showcasing the guitar of Ritchie Blackmore protégé, Stuart Smith. Heaven And Earth’s entire album, Dig, is recommended, but this standout track is not to be missed! (see Hard Rock Daddy Album Review)
TOM KEIFER – “Cold Day In Hell”
“Cold Day in Hell” launches with an addictive riff that will draw you right into this anti-love song filled with hooks and attitude. From Tom Keifer’s 2013 solo album, The Way Life Goes, this song is the most reminiscent of his days with 80s rock giant, Cinderella, and is sure to have your head nodding and your toes tapping. (see Hard Rock Daddy Album Review)
CHRIS HERZEGOVITCH – HRD Music Scout
POP EVIL – “Behind Closed Doors”
Pop Evil is not an underrated band, but this album cut off of Onyx is a personal favorite. “Behind Closed Doors” is a calm-before-the-storm track that delivers plenty of passion. Leigh Kakaty’s vocals are the highlight of this great, dynamic tune that combines driving metal with head-banging grungy overtones.
ELYSION – “Someplace Better”
Some solid, straight-forward, alternative metal here from the Greek band, Elysion. Their lead singer, Christianna, grabs your attention with her Lzzy Hale-like delivery. “Someplace Better” features a hard sound that isn’t at all muddled, which can be challenging at times in this genre.
DEVICE (featuring LZZY HALE) – “Close My Eyes Forever”
Originally performed by Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford, “Close My Eyes Forever” is reborn, as it is infused with elements of Disturbed, Filter and Halestorm. The end-result is a worthy cover that breathes some different life into a great song. David Draiman (Disturbed) and Lzzy Hale pair well together. This live version of this song is every bit as good as the studio recording.
HARD ROCK MUSIC TIME MACHINE
ADAM WALDMAN
MILLION DOLLAR RELOAD – “Bullets In The Sky” (2012)
These Irish rockers were featured on Hard Rock Daddy a few weeks after the site launched (on St. Patrick’s Day) with “Bullets In The Sky.” The band is currently working on their new album (slated for a 2015 release). In a recent discussion with their fans on Facebook, someone asked why they don’t get the radio play that they deserve. The simple answer was that they don’t have the budget for radio pluggers that other bands have. This is exactly why Music Discovery Monday was launched, to put great bands like Million Dollar Reload on equal footing with big-budget bands. If you are a fan of bands like AC/DC, Jackyl, Lynch Mob and the like, you will love this track, which is cut from the same cloth as the songs that made the 80s the greatest decade ever for hard rock.
THUNDER – “Love Walked In” (1990)
Keeping with the European picks this week, is a classic power ballad by British rockers, Thunder. The band is another in a long line of bands who probably would have been a lot bigger if they had launched five years earlier, comfortably buffered from the grunge revolution. “Love Walked In” is everything that you want in a power ballad, a beautiful guitar picking intro building into a huge, melodic chorus. Though vastly underrated, the band is about to release their 10th album, Wonder Days, in February of 2015. This will be their first release since 2008. The new album was recorded without guitarist, Ben Matthews, who has been battling cancer, but will be returning to the band.
JON LOVELESS
HELL IN THE CLUB – “Rock Down This Place” (2011)
The sleazy side of rock n’ roll still lives and breathes in Europe, and the debut album from these Italian rockers is among the sleaziest things I’ve heard in years … and I mean that as a compliment. The combination of NSFW (not safe for work) lyrics, and a video filmed in a strip club, only heightens the pleasure of “Rock Down This Place,” a song that brings to mind bands like Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns and other sleaze rock mainstays.
ROB DELL’AQUILA
LABYRINTH – “Malcolm Grey” (2005)
From their 2005 album, Freeman, “Malcolm Grey” is an ambitious track from Italian power metal band, Labyrinth. They lean progressive here, with a haunting piano line, and it adds the kind of depth to the music that you might hope for in a song about a murderer, horrified to discover that he craves doing it again.
LORDI – “Hard Rock Hallelujah” (2006)
They dress on stage like “GWAR-style” monsters, but Lordi has some crazy catchy music. “Hard Rock Hallelujah” from their 2006 album, The Arockalypse, just might be the catchiest of them all. The only Finnish entry ever to win the annual Eurovision Song Contest, this song features screaming vocals, pounding instruments and pure fun!
CHRIS HERZEGOVITCH
MAJESTIC – “I’ll Shoot The Moon” (2001)
Speeding metal, with great percussion and vocals by Apollo Papathanasio (Firewind). Precision guitar playing, impressive tempo changes and fast, articulated riffs highlight “I’ll Shoot The Moon.” Sadly, Majestic only made two albums together, but their members have gone on to germinate other projects and groups.
KOTIPELTO – “Reasons” (2004)
Timo Kotipelto keeps himself busy when he’s not fronting Stratovarius. From his 2004 album, Coldness, “Reasons” offers quality melodic power metal with his usual polished vocals and fine production value.
SUBMISSIONS
To be considered for Music Discovery Monday, please e-mail a link to the song being submitted on YouTube and an artist bio to…
submissions@MusicDiscoveryMonday.com
