Honeycreeper – (Local)
www.honeycreeper.net
www.myspace.com/honeycreeper
Review based on songs from Frequalizer (2005) off of their myspace
Now here is a band with a chick that actually has balls!!!  Ya know, it’s funny, I just started listening to some old Fishbone recently, and as soon as I started listening to Honeycreeper, all I could think of was, “Holy Fishbone!”  Now I’m not saying that they rip off Fishbone or anything, but what they have is that raw, heavy, funky energy that Fishbone had.  Sure as shit, I scrolled down their myspace page, and Fishbone was their 1st listed influence.  What ever though, that shit doesn’t matter. In reality these guys and gal really have their own thing going on.  Now I know this album is 5 years old, but this is what they had up on their myspace, and by God that is what I was going to review!!!
I started my virgin Honeycreeper experience with the track “Five Degrees of Me.”  Man, what a fucking cool chorus on this tune!!!  Reminds me of the good old early 90’s baby!!  Mandy Beck is lead singer and Sax player, and she truly sings from the heart.  You see, unlike other area bands such as Ten Year Vamp (who are a glorified fucking cover band by the way) the female singer of Honeycreeper has a voice that, no matter who you are, man, woman, transgender, whatever, you can rock out to it.  Kind of like Nancy Wilson and fucking Patti Smith back in the day.  You see, Mandy Beck can actually sing, and doesn’t just rely on her womanhood as a shtick for the band.  And, when Mandy plays the sax, it actually has a role in the scheme of the music.  It’s actually really cool.
“Landmind” is a slower ska tune, cool as well.  “The Man” is another tune that rocks, ska style.  In fact, all of their songs are cool, and are filled with a true energy!  The bass player is funky and good, and knows when to play and what to play.  Drumming on this album is solid, and El Mustango also has good taste in when and what to play on his instrument.  According to Honeycreepers myspace, they are currently working on a new album.  Honeycreeper is also opening up for Chicago Celt-punkers the Tossers on March 9th at Albany’s local shithole, Valentines.  I think it’s worth braving your way down to the ghetto to check out the Creepers of Honey. -The Kapitol Overlord

Slick Fitty – (Local)
www.myspace.com/slickfitty
Review based on songs from their myspace
I decided to review these guys because I have heard their name around town a lot, and realized that I knew absolutely nothing about their music.  Being the perpetual pessimist, I have to admit that I expected these guys to blow.  Not the case at all.  First off, I had no fucking idea that Slick Fitty played groovy 50’s style music, with an attitude.  This is definitely cool party music.  The best way to describe it is as basically kick ass rockabilly that you can dance to.  See kids, you don’t have to be a cover band to get people to dance in Albany!!!  Secondly, I had no idea that Slick Fitty is a band made up of some old school veterans of the trade.  The band is fronted by Crazy Joe Domingo, an ex marine turned musician.  He used to be in the band Treaty, a heavy as fuck band from back in the day that featured local drum god Dan Schleicher. J-Man is on the Sax, and he is another local vet who played in another legendary local ska band by the name of Can’t Say.  Drummer Mickey King has had an interesting career, doing everything from grave digging to working for Ticketmaster, to playing in the Erotics.  Affe Monkey Bri Bri Two Hammers (what the fuck kind of name is that?) is on the bass, and he did time in the band F-Timmi. Guitarist Million $ Bill may not be a veteran to the area, but he has jammed with the likes of Johnny Rabb, The Staynz, and the Sidewinders.
Slick Fitty has a few notable shows coming up.  They are playing the Palace Theater on February 11th for the Hearts for Haiti Partners in Health.  They will also be at P4th in Troy on February 13th, and it seems that Slick Fitty will be the house band for the upcoming Albany All Stars Roller Derby team, as they are playing 4 bouts in a row at the Washington Avenue Armory, beginning on February 20th.  Check their myspace for more info. – The Secret Shitmaster

The Nightlife – (Local)
www.myspace.com/thenightlife
Review based on songs from their myspace
First off, I don’t mean to be a total prick, but upon listening to many of the riffs in these guys songs, they have a striking similarity to the Viking.  Upon checking out their myspace, I was able to deduce that these guys play with the Viking a lot and are probably friends with them.  This is just an observation though.  I actually really like these guys, for an Albany band.  The Nightlife plays that new style of metal, with some hints of that Clutch/COC sound.  I am not going to go song by song with these guys, but I will tell you what I like and don’t like about them.  First, what I like:  Singer Noah Lee can sing pretty good, and there seems to be more of that good singing in their music than that stupid metalcore fake screaming shit.  Also, these guys have good heavy riffs, and they actually have some sense of groove and melody.  They even do some cool jamming, such as on the song “Blood, Sweat, and Beers.”  Now what I don’t like: Noah Lee’s screaming.  Listen, I’ve said it before.  Phil Anselmo had a good scream.  Fuck, even Mike Pattons crazy screaming rocked, when he did scream.  Noah, here’s a little free advice for you, and I’m only giving it because I like what you guys are about and I think you guys have a potential to bust out of this shithole.  Stop trying to imitate the screamo fags.  Find YOUR voice.  Don’t do that posed screaming just to do it.  You have a good voice; use it on your terms.  Other than that, I think these guys have some good, genuine, heavy songs that are interesting and rock.  Check out their myspace, they have a pretty good schedule of shows coming up. – The Kapitol Overlord

Ashes of Atrocity – (Local)
www.myspace.com/ashesofatrocity
Review based on the two songs that they have on their myspace
Ashes of Atrocity plays that million-riff-packed music that is basically ripped off from old school Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, all topped off with some stupid screaming and  guttural death metal growling.  Oh, and I forgot to include the predictable breakdowns.    This music does nothing for me, and I am a fan of heavy music.  Yes, these guys are obviously talented at physically playing their instruments, but they obviously have no idea how to write a song, regardless of genre.  I can’t get any kind of real emotion from their songs.  This obviously isn’t music to get laid to.  I can’t groove to it, because the riffs change every 2 seconds to something completely unrelated to the part before it.  These guys should go on tour with Lamb Of God (this is not a compliment, see the Metallica live review). -The Kapitol Overlord

The Charlie Watts Riots
www.myspace.com/thecharliewattsriots
Review based on songs from their myspace
What the Charlie Watts Riots does is play “Powerpop.”  On their myspace, the band describes themselves as sounding like “The Beatles Meet Nirvana, only better and more important.”  I think they are joking, actually I hope they are joking.  The Beatles and Nirvana were interesting to listen to.  The Charlie Watts Riots play generic, boring songs that I could easily fall asleep to.  The music is basically bland and cookie cutter pop rock.
YAWN!  Funny, these guys are always in the Metroland for one reason or another.  I wonder why?  Could it be because Metroland photographer Joe Putrock is the drummer?  Ahh, yet another reason to boycott that bullshit, self serving pile of shit fag rag.  That’s right, let’s support the shitty bands that our staffers are in instead of actually going out into the community and finding out who’s really rocking around here.  So fucking gay.  This is precisely why Metroland has a very limited time left in its frustrating history of ignoring everything and everyone that does not serve to its agenda.  Time to hang it up Stephen Leon! - The Kapitol Overlord

Charred Walls of the Damned – (National)
“Charred Walls of the Damned”
Metal Blade Records
Released February 2, 2010
By Johnny Schifoso

Tim “Ripper” Owens – vocals
Richard Christy – drums
Jason Suecof – guitars
Steve DiGiorgio – bass
www.myspace.com/charredwallsofthedamned

I want to begin this and all of my subsequent reviews with one caveat: all of my reviews are based on the music alone – as it stands by itself, regardless of genre, hype surrounding the band (myspace / facebook friends, or if one of the members is on some stupid ass reality show, etc.), its listenability, and its ability to STAND THE TEST OF TIME! Yes, it is my firm belief that if I listen to something and I ask myself, “Can I listen to this 5 years from now, on the shitter, and find it pleasing to my ears?”, that the body of work comprising this album is good.
On to the review. This is drummer / founder Richard Christy’s debut album. Yes, you may know Christy from such bands as Death, Iced Earth, or from The Howard Stern Show. Charred Walls of the Damned also boasts notable members Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth), Jason Suecof (Trivium, Capharnaum), and Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Testament).

Richard Christy (left), Drummer getting gay with Sal Governale (right) on the Howard Stern Show

The entire album showcases the top-notch musicianship of the group. I’m no fan of the heavy / speed metal genre, but let’s face it, you have to respect the ability of these boys. In my opinion however, CWOTD actually showcases the necessary chops needed for this genre of music. The music has precision, speed, intensity, and MELODY all wrapped up in a, believe it or not, GROOVING thunderball of metal!
To back this up, I let the ole-lady listen to this in the car on a recent trip to the sex-toy store & Stewarts to pick up a 24 inch black dildo and some Crisco. She hates heavy metal. She likes Justin Timberlake. Anyways, I popped this on the radio and lo and behold, she dug it! I believe that
with Owens’ vocal ability and range, it propels the music beyond the typical “chorus sing-along” with “Cookie Monster” verse/bridge/breakdown formula that currently plagues metal.
Suecof’s guitar ability is demonstrated on each track. Christy’s drumming is superb. Yes, there are other metal drummers out there now that have probably comparable or even better chops, but they lack groove and taste. Christy demonstrates an uncanny knack of tastefully integrating technical and blazingly fast beats within the CWOTD package.
The one downside of this album: lack of bass! The album mix just lacks
DiGiorgio’s bass.
Standout tracks:
Ghost Town
Blood on Wood
In a World So Cruel
To sum this one up: CWOTD has put out a standout debut release which should appeal to a wide range of listeners. Listen to this album at the gym, pre-gaming before going out on a poon / pole hunt, or post hunt as a sound track to get you through knocking the boots with that war pig you just
brought home!