STACK J#165 Jul 2018

MUSIC REVIEWS

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Five Finger Death Punch And Justice For None With the public meltdown of vocalist Ivan L. Moody and the ongoing issues with their now ex-label behind them, Five Finger Death Punch are back, with a new album titled And Justice For None . For better or worse, Five Finger Death Punch seem to polarise, so you'll either love them or hate them – which is kind of cool, that the band elicits such a reaction. And Justice For None is unashamedly aimed directly at the group's fanbase, and that base will undoutedly will love it. 16 tracks is definitely overdoing it to the point of exhaustion, but in this day and age, anything worth doing

Megadeth Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good: The Final Kill Released in 1985, Megadeth's debut was a statement of intent. It was manic, cutting edge, and above all, dangerous. Dave Mustaine formed the band after being fired from Metallica and that energy courses throughout the album. For many, Killing... fell short due to the poor production. It never bothered me, but if it bothered you, then you'll love this reissue. The album has been remixed and remastered, features new vocals by Mustaine on These Boots , boasts new artwork and liner notes, and includes seven live audio tracks from VHS tapes that Mustaine found in his attic, as well as the band's 1984 Skull Beneath The Skin demo! Phew. Killing... remains an iconic album and has lost none of its ferocity. (Century Media/EMI) Simon Lukic

High Tension Purge

Unsurprisingly, High Tension’s third album is full of rage. From the opening chords of Red White Shame , frontwoman Karina Utomo’s wrath is present: “We would butcher both hands, to gain back control/ Break every bone, shred every vein you own,” she rumbles before the first

monstrous breakdown of the album. Spurred by the Indonesian genocide (perpetrated by the Indonesian government as well as anti-communist vigilantes) in the '60s, Utomo has described the record as “the centre of [her] repressed rage.” Musically, the group have been slowly shifting their sound from thrash to metal since sophomore album Death Beat ; Purge is the complete evolution, and it’s their strongest effort to date. Veil will trigger horrific ASMR via its deathly pig squeals, The Legacy will break necks, The Stench is a tortured plea, and while Surrender offers reprieve from a seemingly endless onslaught of aggression, closer Rise 's menacing, atmospheric tones will creep all over your skin just like the nine tracks that precede it. (Double Cross/CookingVinyl)Tim Lambert

is worth overdoing, right? (Eleven Seven Music) Simon Lukic

The Milk Carton Kids All The Things That I Did And All The Things That I Didn't Do 'Two guys and two guitars playing Americana folk' is an easy description of Californian duo The Milk Carton Kids. But what Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale do isn't simple – it's exceptional. Magical harmonies and beautifully entwined acoustic guitar playing teamed with stunning songs sets them apart. Often compared to Simon & Garfunkel, they’ve a bit more of a Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings vibe. Stepping out of their comfort zone on their fourth album, they have for the first time added the accompaniment of some of the best session musicians around, and producer Joe Henry. Expanding and experimenting their sound has highlighted the uniqueness of just how special two guys and two guitars can be. (ANTI-/Cooking Vinyl) Denise Hylands

Judith Durham So Much More

Lloyd Spiegel Backroads For his latest release, Lloyd Spiegel has put his acoustic guitar back in the rack for what could be the best blues/rock album of his distinguished career. Most of these songs relate to the often used theme of emotional wins and losses – mostly losses – of a musician on the road. What is definitely not formulaic are the varied arrangements Spiegel brings to each track. Lisa Baird's trombone and backing vocals on Betcha Bottom Dollar , and Lyn Bowtell's harmony and lead vocals on Christina , are perfectly placed. So too are Spiegel's tasteful solos on Man On Fire and the album's instrumental closing track Emerald City Sky , where he channels Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing . (Only Blues) Billy Pinnell

Joe Bonamassa British Blues Explosion Live Blues/rock guitar virtuoso Joe Bonamassa's biggest influences are British musicians, rather than the blues masters who inspired them. With that in mind it was no surprise that his latest release, two CDs and a DVD, would feature a bunch of songs he performed live in concert with his band in 2016, that were previously recorded by the Big Three of British blues guitar. Eric Clapton is represented by covers of Motherless Children , Cream's SWLABR , and John Mayalls Bluesbreakers' Little Girl . His salute to Jimmy Page includes rearrangements of Led Zeppelin classics Boogie With Stu , How Many More Times , and I Can't Quit You Baby . FromThe Jeff Beck Group setlist he chose, among others, Beck's Bolero and Let Me Love You Baby . (Only Blues) Billy Pinnell

Judith Durham turned 75 on the third of July, but her voice is ageless. This new solo album showcases her vocal purity and heartfelt songwriting. Remarkably, 56 years after they started working together, this collection features Durham’s first songwriting collaboration with fellow Seeker Keith Potger – the aptly titled We’re Back Together Again . The album also features an unlikely collaboration: Durham with Chocolate Starfish’s Adam Thompson. But the result, You Are My Star , is beautiful. Durham also wrote four songs with the album’s executive producer, Mark Holden, who says: “Judith remains one of the world’s great voices.” Yep, she’s a national treasure. (Decca/Universal) Jeff Jenkins

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JULY 2018

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