No Stopping the Chrome Demon: Demon Chrome releases their first album

The new (and first) EP from Providence’s Demon Chrome, tilted Burned By Love is a must listen. This four-song album brings the fury and the fire with their perfect blend of ’70s hard rock and British heavy metal stylings. The attack is flawless — amazingly executed solos and tasty riffs are only rivaled by strong lyrical content delivered with clean vocals.

This album is a non-stop party from start to finish with killer singalong parts for those of us cast under the spell of rock and roll. The first song, titled “Tactile Response Deployment,” starts with a somber acoustic intro and jumps right into a heavy hitting view of our days to come … for a doomsday apocalypse seems to be on the horizon. While this song’s lyrics may not sent you to your happy place, the unrelenting beat will have you checking your speedometer.

“Half past Midnight” is the album’s second and very relatable track. It describes that all-too-familiar feeling of staring at the clock with its tick tock to remind you that you are alone.

Song three is the title track, “Burned by Love,” and it speaks to me. This song is delivered with all the appropriate feeling it should be approached with.

“Chrome Demon” is the final track and my favorite on this four-song banger. It’s a song about running free and letting nothing stand in the way of your right to stand up and shout. It’s a fast-driven call for freedom — the freedom to rock!

I give this welcomed addition to my musical arsenal a big horns up. Give it a listen on demonchrome.bandcamp.com or better yet, get your hands on a hard copy of this release and do not miss any chance to see these guys live. Follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/demonchromepvd

Hail, Hail Rock ‘n’ Roll! Prom in July

From Punk to Funk to Hard Rock at Dusk

Here’s where it’s at, kids! The Gentleman Sound System is presenting their second Prom Show, and this year it’s a little different. This year, DJs Tom Butts, Miles (aka Skunk), Suicide King and a couple TBA guest DJs will be spinning a vast collection of hits spanning more than just the ’80s music scene they usually cover. This year they will cover everything from punk, metal, OI!, funk ‘hard rock’ ska, and rap to everything in between.

But on top of this amazing group of DJs killing it as usual, also performing is Nailer, a multi-level slash textured sleaze band from RI with a couple of twists. Sleaze rock is the bastard child of heavy metal, a musical genre that has almost as much to do with attitude as music. The music itself is rebellious, aggressive and downright nasty. The PMRC hates it, as do your parents. They are at the top of their game when playing incredibly loud, abusing drugs and alcohol, and having sex with your daughters or wives. Their long hair that looks like it’s been washed with used motorcycle oil, black leather jackets and tight pants, and tattoos proudly displayed from head to toe are all trademarks of Nailer. They truly are the outlaws of rock ‘n’ roll.

Manning the engine room on drums is Brutus Gash, a longtime gun for hire in the New England music scene with a backbeat that combines the best of Krupa, Bonham and Aldridge. His favorite pastimes are Bud Light and Marlboro Reds. Bringing the Thunderous Bottom End is Marky RÖkker. This dude knows what time it is and the time calls for some serious rhythm. Coming from the Dirty South of RI, he’s looking for some cheap thrills and fast ladies. The Riffmaster General (aka Big Bad John) wailing on the lead guitar while providing some sweet backup vocals hails from the sleazy bordertown of Attleboro, Mass.. To get the true ’80s metal sound, you need an axemaster from that time period and he is the perfect time capsule! Fearless leadership is provided by the formidable Adam Bomb, bringing the outrageousness straight outta South Central Los Angeles. This tattooed wildman is a combination of David Lee Roth, Jim Dandy and Paul Stanley. With that wicked Flying V of his, he leads Nailer to slaying the New England crowds.

NAILER played their last show on August 6, 2013, and will reunite annually to decimate the crowds and show all the lesser bands how to RAWK! So clear your calenders, because on July 31, Nailer and Gentleman Sound System invade Dusk on 301 Harris Ave. in Providence to ensure that everyone who is in attendance leaves with their minds blown and a longing for the return of Gentleman Sound System and the almighty Nailer. Prepare thyself!

HxC: Adrenochrome Live

Adrenochrome is a new band that has been generating a lot of buzz in a short amount of time. The metal group consists of guitarist Evan Barone (ex–Usual Suspects), veteran drummer Rob Cinami (ex-Rhythmafia, Usual Suspects, Gut Bucket, Over-Fiend), and newcomers guitarist Tayte Leigh and vocalist Josh Watkins. All the bands performing the night I went to see them were great (Mechanical Process/Overwith/Scourge), but you could feel the anticipation for Adrenochrome as they took the stage at Simon’s. These guys were so pumped they almost started playing before the soundmen had a chance to do a level check! And then it begins, pushed back by the sheer force, the band rips into two songs back-to-back style –“Bleed The Myth,” a fast-paced headbanger and the sonically brutal “Natural Restoration.” The crowd’s reaction to the onslaught of rhythmic aggression was met with a roar of applause, screams and shock. Vocalist Josh is very humble in his response, “Thank you, thank you guys so much. You guys are awesome,” immediately followed by another two-song barrage: the groove-laden “Consumed/Destroyed” and the death-thrash number “Game Of Life.” Adrenochrome is still very musical in their abundant tempo shifts. It kind of reminds me of old school Candiria meets Morbid Angel mixed with Slayer. Somehow they pull it off in a good blend of new meets old. Then came another two songs in rapid fire mode, this time with the title track from their December 2013 EP. “New World Slaughter” was obviously a crowd favorite, but the politically charged “Corporate Insurgents” seemed to raise the bar. The band briefly paused to thank the bands, club and patrons again and to hop some free swag to the club goers, and then closed the set with possibly their heaviest track of the night “Dead Breed,” a no nonsense pummeling of the senses. Guitarists Tayte and Evan oozed pure anger in their riffs while Rob laid down weirdly monstrous beats. Josh’s guttural vocals spit lyrical bile upon the Simon’s crowd like lava. And then it ends, like the abrupt jerking motion of a car crash. The onlookers explode in appreciation, guitars thunder with feedback and the drummer violently throws his sticks down and turns his back like a fighter after a flash knockout. Adrenochrome left the stage. Now that’s rock ‘n’ roll, my friends! You can download Adrenochrome’s A New World Slaughter EP free at adrenochrome1.bandcamp.com

HxC: Mariachi El Bronx

Hardcore Punk Meets Mariachi

I usually talk about shows I’ve been to, but this time I’m telling you about a show I’ll be attending in the very near future. Friday, March 28, you will find me Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel located on 79 Washington street in Downcity Providence.

“Well that’s not too out of the ordinary,” those of you who know me might say. True, because I work there. This night might be just a little different though, because I will be enjoying a side project (gone big) of one of my favorite bands.

That’s right, I’m talking about Mariachi El Bronx! This band is made up of all the members of The Bronx plus a couple more musicians to make for a full mariachi sound and experience.

The Bronx has been around since 2002, but this mariachi version didn’t come about till 2008 and their first album did not get released until 2009. The awesome thing about this version is that it is far different in sound and approach than The Bronx or any of singer Matt Caughthran’s other bands or side projects. While it combines the authenticity of traditional mariachi music in soul and passion, by being sung in English it lends itself to be heard and embraced by those of us (like me) who are not fortunate enough to have learned how to speak or understand Spanish. I find it brave for a band to try to push the so-called boundaries and limits of music in what I think to be a very closed-minded market.

Not only did they push boundaries, they busted them wide open out of the gates, and are having great success with what started out as a fun side project that they were not even sure would be accepted.

So if you like great song writing and super talented musicians who can transport you into the song while making you dance without a care of who’s watching, then I suggest you get down to Lupo’s early for this one. They will be going on at 8pm sharp, so don’t miss it!

And if you haven’t already, check out The Bronx, Bullet Treatment and The Drips.

See you at the show! Cheers.

HXC: Bad Swimmers 10″ Record Release Party

I was skateboarding in the South Attleboro Kmart parking lot with a couple friends of mine. It was about 10 pm and that’s what we did at night if we didn’t have a show to go to or decided not to venture to the beach for some late night boogie boarding. The year was 1995 and skating up comes a younger boy who wanted to skate with us. This younger kid was Sean Murphy, who was a very shy dude at that age. After skating and talking for a while, we took Sean home to grab his guitar. That night, practice started in my basement in Cumberland and that was the start of Nowhere Fast. I didn’t really have any part in the band, but it was fun to watch as we killed time that summer.

I’ve known Sean for a long time, and have watched him transform from some shy skater kid into the great musician, singer and Bad Swimmers front man that he is today.

Flash forward to December 2, 2013. Another Friday night and another show at AS220. It was the Bad Swimmers 10″ record release party, and the first 50 purchased were on limited edition white vinyl.

There were a couple of other bands on the bill that night, but I spent most of my time in the bar portion of AS220. That night, all the bands set up and played their sets from different parts of the floor in the crowd. I’ve always liked when bands such as Lightning Bolt and 401 Quartet do that. It really makes you feel part of something.

Bad Swimmers hit the stage (floor) a bit after midnight. Yes — on the floor like the other bands in the lineup that night, with Sean playing guitar and singing. They kicked off the set withe the first track off of See You, “Forcing Something.” Although it is a song with limited lyrics, it seems to convey a message of longing for what could have been and time’s inability to be kind enough to stand still for anyone.

“Wash Away” was up next, which really stood out to me. Now I’m sure no one wants to hear my interpretation of someone else’s words, so I’ll just give you the rest of the set list and urge you to go check them out. The set list was “Forcing Something,” “Wash Away,” “Shiny Things,” “City Glow,” “Beautiful Picture,” “Scrape For What You Need,” “Last Time” and the set ended with a new instrumental.

Now I know most of you are more familiar with a heavier, more direct delivery from Sean’s long run as front man for Verse, but I assure you these words hit just as hard with a very different approach. This new endeavor has a much more 90s feel to it with a lot of strummy chords and a happier, upbeat sound to it. It’s like the music and lyrics once had a power struggle and finally realized that they needed each other, and accepted the fact that there would be no happiness if we had never known sadness.

So give Bad Swimmers’ See You a listen. This world deserves it. Cheers.

Party Pigs, Kids, Party Pigs!

So I finally got a Friday off, and decided to go see Melt Banana at AS220 on Empire Street. If you’ve never been to AS220, it’s half art gallery and half bar, with artists lofts upstairs. The bar has a great selection of beers and booze.

Enough about their watering hole, and on with the music …

As much as I wanted to see Melt Banana, I was happy to find The Party Pigs were in the line-up. Friday night and Party Pigs sounds fun, right? Well indeed it was. Party Pigs music is just that — party music. Now I know some of you may think of party music as strobe lights, glow sticks and stuffed animal backpacks with pacifiers attached. If you do, this is not your band! With songs such as “LetsGit!”, “Cut the Cord” and “Back of My Head,” you know you are in for a treat. Party Pigs consist of two guys from Providence. Well, Chris is from New York, but has been in Providence long enough to be called one of our own. They are a blend of rock, noise and seemingly studied chaos. This two-piece consisted of drums and a guitarist. Matt Trap is on drums and vocals and Chris Annunziato is on guitar and vocals. So after their set, I grabbed Chris for a beer and a shot. He prefers Guinness and whiskey or silver tequila, if you are out and want to buy him a shot. The two of them have played together for a little over three years, and there have been special guests here and there, but nothing steady.

When asked how they came up with their songs, I was told the process was very laid back and drama- free. These two guys get together for beers and practice twice a week no matter what. And yes, sometimes it is more beers than practice but hey, a nice cold one can get the party juices flowing, or so I’m told.

Everybody in the room seemed to be there for the same reason — to rock out and enjoy some music with some great Providence people. And the energy was pulsating. While this show did sell out, you will have plenty of chances to enjoy the Party Pigs in action. If you like it a little heavy, a little sweaty, and a little local, Party Pigs will not disappoint.

Keep local music alive and support your scene. You can give it a listen yourself at PartyPigBandcamp.com.