REBEL ROAD – Lock & Load (CD)

When it comes to bands, even though we are a small country, Sweden offers a multitude of metal genres and subgenres. One genre that however is sadly under-represented is in your face down and dirty southern rock! There are only a few out there, one being the outstanding Killbilly 5ers, but apart from them, it’s very quiet. Well, hello Rebel Road! I actually knew of guitarist Ulrich Seppenen since his days in the highly underrated band Straightjackets. Here he also handles the vocals, proving he’s an excellent rough edged down and dirty southern style singer. His voice fits perfectly to the equally down and dirty, heavy and powerful southern rock riffing. Rebel Road fit in somewhere in-between today’s Texas Hippie Coalition and classic Blackfoot/Hatchet. It’s not too modern, yet doesn’t sound dated and they’ve still got the classic groove. A killer album, highly recommended!

Janne Stark

Year: 2014

Label: Rambo Music

Country: Sweden

SNAKE HEAD RITUAL - Snake Head Ritual (CD)

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Ok, I may be partial, but Grooveyard Records have a special knack for digging out outstanding bluesy, riff-oriented great bands! Blindstone, Gugun Power Trio, Tony Spinner, Plankton, the list goes on. Snake Head Ritual is another name to add to that list.This band taps on that good old vintage riff based southern rock vein of classic bands like Point Blank, Blackfoot and Molly Hatchet, witch a strong touch of vintage Cactus at times.  The riffage is unmistakeably seventies and the vocal delivery from Kevin Chez sounds like it could have been ripped from an old unreleased early seventiesrecording by Fanny Adams or Truk, back when the singer showed some true feeling in his vocal delivery. The riffs are timeless and the delivery is stellar. This band grooves, twists and turns and there’s no damn way I can sit still while listening. Ten great tracks is all it takes to make an album that makes you long for the next release. Montrose did it, Mountain did it, now Snake Head Ritual has done it!

Janne Stark

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Label: Grooveyard Records