Well I got to be honest here folks - 2002 was a pretty lame year as far as genuine Hard Rock/Metal was concerned! No too many KILLER releases graced our CD decks here at KILLAWATTS - there were a few that raised the pulse a little but overall the year was dismal in the CD department! I'm not going to name - names but nearly every Hard Rock/METAL publication has sold out to Nu-Metal because it sells more of their magazines etc. - a sad but true statement. We won't get into how TV and cabel networks totally ignored Hard Rock! One of the best bands in Hard Rock for 2002 was in-fact a fictional band, STEEL DRAGON from the movie ROCK STAR who's tracks including: LIVIN' THE LIFE, BLOOD POLLUTION & STAND UP from the soundtrack were some of the best HARD ROCK songs for the year - that in itself is pretty fuckin' sad!!! The BIG influx for the year seemed to be that nearly every band decided to release LIVE! (well supposedly - LIVE DVD's). Many were obviously touched up but a few actually were the 'REAL DEAL' - MOTLEY CRUE & QUEENSRYCHE being 2 of the geniune - LIVE DVD's! There were some real BIG disappointments over the last 12 months - there were 2 MAJOR contenders. Firstly - the return of the mighty ROSE TATTOO who's "PAIN" album promised so much but didn't deliver. Second - the first studio for TED NUGENT in 7 years the bland "CRAVEMAN" which also didn't deliver! The never ending saga of that petuclant peckerhead - W. AXL ROSE who has almost destroyed the good name that GUNS N' ROSES - once had with repeated NO SHOWS for the NOW abandoned US Tour as well as the constant rescheduling of the release of the long, overdue - "CHINESE DEMOCRACY"! Anyway enough of the babble - let's get down to business! |
| MERVIN TIPPING'S - YEAR IN REVIEW 2 0 0 2 |
| KILLERS: |
| BON JOVI - Bounce (CD) Hey - don't laugh! The pretty boys of Pop/Rock actually came up with a far better record than their last album, 'CRUSH' with a CD with more bite, more substance, better songs and a far, tougher sound! |
| WARRIOR - Code Of Life (CD) O.K. - I know it actually came out in 2001 - BUT the fact remains NOBODY - and I mean NOBODY came out with an album/CD in 2002 that rivals this METAL masterpiece! All the elements are here - Great songs, great production and talk about riffs!! The perfect Metal release! |
| MOTLEY CRUE - Lewd, Crude & Tattooed (DVD) Well, despite Tommy 'T-Bone' not being behind the kit (Samantha Maloney does an pretty good job) THE CRUE prove on this bona fide LIVE DVD that they still ROCK and put on one hell of a rock 'n' roll show! |
| QUEENSRYCHE - Live Evolution (DVD) The original SEATTLE band,QUEENSRYCHE (way before GRUNGE was even contemplated) prove that they are one of a kind with a style truly all their own! The sound, lights - the whole show is faultless and let's hope that now that they have signed to Sanctuary that they'll finally give us the kind of album we've all been waiting for??! |
| JUDAS PRIEST - Live In London (DVD) Despite the fact that this DVD has definitely been touched up a little, it doesn't detract from the fact that JUDAS PRIEST (with Ripper Owens) are a great fucking band! While Glenn & the boys look a little worse for wear (Hey it's been a long tour -O.K.) the band deliver on all fronts. My only gripe is where the hell was, YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMIN'?! |
| MIKE TRAMP - Recovering The Waysted Years (CD) While BON JOVI makes millions - poor ol' Mike Tramp is left in the pop/metal wilderness! It's a shame really because this CD has a great feel, good songs and if MIKE had the major record company backing like the New Jersey boys then he too could possibly, be a house hold name too?! Seriously, if you like Bon Jovi and their ilk then you should check out this album as it delivers with equally the same amount of substance! |
| THRILLERS: |
| MEGADETH - Rude Awakening (DVD) There's no denying, MEGADETH are a class act with balls, brains, great musicians, good songs and an attitude. Dave Munstaine's solo's are second to none - he really hammers them out and it's probably one of the reasons he's had to give up playing?! This is a fitting way to watch the band, with a crowd that goes nuts throughout this assault on your senses. It would of been better if they hadn't touched up Dave's vocals but you can't have evrything! |
| IRON MAIDEN - Rock In Rio (DVD) The six piece MAIDEN blast there way into your home with an over-the-top performance filmed in front of a massive crowd in Brazil. It's all here, lights, camera, action - and away we go with a band some would venture to say - are the best?! Yes, I do like MAIDEN and have loved most of their albums (well the first half a dozen were their best) but the editing on this DVD really let's it down with no time to actually tune in on any one scene long enough to see what's really happening. A real shame really! |
| FILLERS: |
| ROSE TATTOO - Pain (CD) There's probably alot of people who'll disagree with me but ROSE TATTOO's come back after 20 years was pretty disappointing. Long gone are the days of angst, aggresive songs, aggressive playing and those magic sing-a-long choruses - we all came to love. Sure, it's got a good sound, sure it has it's moments but to these ears (I saw the band in their peak: circa 1978 - 1981) just like AC/DC's last album - the TATTS CD just doesn't have what it takes to make it a killer album! |
| HALFORD - Crucible (CD) Halford's "Reserrection" was awesome! I'm sorry to say it but the second studio CD just doesn't make the grade with a shift in musical direction towards Nu-Metal and to me that's a COP OUT/SELL OUT - anyway you want to word it! Yes, there's some tough riffs - yes, at times it KICKS like a wounded bull but the bottom line here folks is this is the, METAL GOD - not the I'm gonna jump on the Nu-Metal bandwagon just to make money!! Remember Rob - you're the bozo who left one of the greatest METAL bands ever - in the first place! |
| Well, you might not agree with my views for the year 2002 but sorry I'm being honest - there wasn't a great deal to get excited about. I really do hope 2003 is a far better year for Hard Rock/Metal because if someone doesn't make a KILLER album, that reignites the whole genre - well, it's going to die and I for one don't want to ever see that happen! It really is up to the MAJOR bands to deliver like there's no tomorrow!! |
| L.A. GUNS - Waking The Dead (CD) Shit, I thought HALFORD, ROSE TATTOO and TED NUGENT's albums were pretty ordinary but this is the definitely the 'LEMON OF THE YEAR'! No wonder TraciI Gunns has jumped ship - talk about woefull!! |
| CREED - Weathered (CD) Yeah, I know - but the fact remains that CREED do what they do extremely well and to be honest they're not too many original rock bands around today who DELIVER THE GOODS!! CREED have great production, good songs, they definitely ROCK and despite their endless comparisons from some - they delivered a bona fide Hard Rock CD that none of the so-called 'legend' bands could come up with in the past 12 months - FACT! While some of you can easily dismiss CREED - they've sold 10 millions copies of "WEATHERED" - SOMETHING most Hard Rock acts with the exception of Metallica and AC/DC can't do anymore! Sales speak for themselves - if the so-called NAME bands were making good CD's then they too would be selling SHIT-LOADS of CD's but the sad fact is they're not making great CD's anymore - it's as simple as that! |
| PREDICTIONS for 2 0 0 3 METALLICA to return with a CD that will surprize veryone! Australian Hard Rockers TYRANT to release a new killer CD! I still truly believe before the year 2003 ends that Rob Halford and JUDAS PRIEST will reunite! Tommy Lee will return to MOTLEY CRUE for the farewell tour! Well, I'm not saying they'll all come true but I reckon I'd put my money on 50% of the above predictions. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see??! |
| TED NUGENT - Crave Man (CD) While British magazine 'Classic Rock' - wet their pants over this new NUGENT release, I couldn't believe how disappointing this release is. Like the recent - L. A. GUNS lemon, this folks isn't much better! One song here makes the grade - RAWDOGS WARTHOGS has 'classic' TED stamped all over it - the rest you can forget. If this is the best the once mighty TED NUGENT can up with in 7 years then maybe it's time he stopped playing with his guns and remembered how to ROCK! |
| HARDCORE SUPERSTAR - Thankyou For Letting Us Be Ourselves (CD) This overlooked second CD from HARDCORE SUPERSTAR proves that they know how to write good, catchy, pop-rock-metal songs. Far superior in every way than their debut - this CD crackles with life, zest and takes a good swipe at all the famous LA Rock bands who don't make good albums anymore! An album that WARRANT, L.A. GUNS and others only wish they could write nowadays! |
| OZZY OSBOURNE - Live At The Budokan (CD/DVD) Whether it was the DVD or CD this OZZY package was a winner in every way! Good cross section of tunes and ZAKK just rips!!- He may be getting long-in-the-tooth but the Double O proves he's still got it, with a band of musicians who play up a storm and without them well ... |
| SAXON - Killing Ground (CD) Even though it came out in late 2001 - It actually did get alot of airplay around the office and while it definitely kicks pretty well, there are ONLY 4 real standout tracks here! The bonus disc with the re-recorded 'CLASSICS' was far superior in everyway! |
| JUDAS PRIEST - Demolition (CD) Again another CD from late 2001 that got played heaps throughout 2002 but again, there are only 6 killer cuts here out of 13! - Way too many throwaways! Better than Jugulator - only saved by the leanings toward 'CLASSIC' styled Priest via: Machine Man, One On One, Devil Digger, Feed On Me, Subterfuge and the majestic standout Hell Is Home. The ballad - Lost & Found is o.k. but the rest suffer from too much happening and not enough thought! |
| AEROSMITH - Just Push Play (CD) Definitely an average album from Tyler & Co - way too many soppy love songs! Fuck! They're supposed to be a rock 'n' roll band, not the new GOO GOO Dolls?!! |
| BUCKCHERRY - Time Bomb (CD) I thought their debut was too good to be true and unfortunately I was right! Obviously they blew their bolt - TOO SOON as this their second CD has only 4 good songs the rest, are just filler! Such a shame really!! |
| ZAKK WYLDE - 1919 Eternal (CD) Yep, good ol' ZAKK keeps the riffs a comin' as only he can. One of the Hard Rock/Metal highlights of the year. There's plenty of meat and potatoes to keep most metal fans satisfied and even though he dabbles with a little cross over to Nu-Metal he never strays too far to the DARK SIDE! ZAKK - the force will always be with you. |
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| HARD ROCK SPECIALIST |