Philadelphia rockers “Ratrod” have dropped their scorcher of an album “Light ‘Em Up” and are looking to melt faces. Featuring a very grass roots style of rock ranging from the Aussie yarl of AC/DC to the smooth delivery of Grand Funk Railroad and John Cougar….I think it’s needless to say it’s time to shut off WDVE and educate yourselves on some new rock n’ roll. With production that bears a live, on stage intensity and raw, yet crisp production…..it’s no wonder this band of Phili rockers are making waves and taking names. If originality is what you are looking for, you may find some disappointment here, but that’s not to say “Light Em’ Up” isn’t worth your time. It becomes very evident early on that the album is a reminiscence of sounds and songs that shaped these musicians as a unit…and a tight one at that. The band blaze, croon, and stomp through the album at mid-paced speed dropping rocker after rocker unapologetically. It’s inevitable that the band are going to escape the reference of AC/DC within the vocals and rythmn section especially, but if the shoe fits….lace that bad boy up and hit the ground running. The vocals alone are enough to even make Brian Johnson blush. As mentioned before the guitars broaden the spectrum a little further with its barrage of classic/grass roots riffage and stellar guitar leads that are littered throughout the album. Read More Reviews

Feeling like taking a shot of nostalgia based with a good dose of the blues? Pittsburgh rock group “Black Ridge” have recently dropped their newest batch of tunes aptly titled “Good Time To Go”. “Good Time to Go” serves as a pseudo-retro rock record of sorts. Crisp, clean production with just enough grit to drive the emotion home help cement the impact of this album. The band does a great job of paying tribute to their influences while still adding a fresh take to their style, ranging from classic rock to the blues and even hints of jazz and lounge in places. Stand out cuts include “Walk Out the Door”, “New Day”, and closer “Nothing at All”. In “Walk Out the Door” we see the band at the their rowdiest with a classic rock/Foo Fighters infused rocker. Great blues and alternative rock riffs lead the parade with a powerhouse of a vocal performance. “New Day” we see the band strip the track down to bare bones in a timid emotional atmosphere. Slow and smooth saxophones lead the way as they cry the blues. In “Nothing at All” we see the band work their best to bring the album to close in an epic finale. With an emotional backdrop of instrumentals and possibly the strongest vocal performance on the album, prepare to have chills sent down your spine.

Here is a video from Rock for Life 19’s Friday night line up. This video was taken by their bassist, Garry Simmons. For those of you who are not familiar with the band’s history between us and Amber Alexis,  They used to come to every Pennsylvania Rock Show broadcast and hang out and support the band. We love every opportunity that we get to support them. With that being said, check out the video below featuring their original songs Pushed Me and A Good Laugh.

Just over 23 hours ago, Xfactor1 was finishing their set on the Iselin Community Ball field and skell was back stage getting themselves ready to headline the show. As usual, skell came out and provided the people in the field with exactly what they wanted, METAL! This band never ceases to amaze us. We got to witness solos from Mikey Palone on guitar, Mike Ekis on bass, and Cam on the drums. We were provided with everything that we were expecting and then some things that we never imagined. At the end of their set, skell debuted 4 brand new songs. One was a tribute to Wally Wrights daughter called Stone. They followed that up with A track dedicated to their beloved former drummer Keith Kweder, and then finally a song that is dedicated to all those that have lost someone. This last track included the debut of Wally on keyboards with the band. Wait, you said 4 songs… the encore was a track called Sinister. Instead of trying to explain all of this to you, I’ve borrowed the video below that was shot by Reina Peli Art & Photography. Speaking of Reina, you can see her amazing photos of the event on her Facebook page.

On Saturday May 5, 2018, John Lane and I made our way out to the Latin American Club in Ford City, PA. Featuring a great line up of local talent and a deserving benefactor. 5:00- Steve n Jen (a common crown) 6:00- Dave Hipchen (Tilted Shadows) 7:00- Ezekiel 8:00- Sundog 9:00- Houseband 10:00- 2KD We arrived a tad bit late, but caught a couple of the songs that Steve and Jen played. They were on point, as was expected. They were followed by David Hipchen who played a great acoustic set and even covered the Foo Fighters (he looks like Dave Grohl so I found this to be funny). Up next was the high energy and first electric set of the evening for a relatively new act in our scene, Ezekiel. This is the second time that I have seen them perform and I thoroughly enjoyed their set. The band that drew me to this event was up next, sundog. I know,WHO? sundog was one of the first bands that I was introduced to in the scene. They played a one off reunion tonight in honor of their bass player’s father, Karlie Righi. I wouldn’t have missed this reunion for anything and my wish to hear their originals was accommodated. They played only one cover and nailed 2 of my favorites, Change in Me & Silverback. Their set wasn’t without issues, BJ’s guitar decided it didn’t want to participate part way through. The band persevered and made my weekend. After sundog, Houseband was up next. They played a great set of covers that filled my childhood and made me smile. This brings us to our last act, 2KD. 2KD is also cover band, that played a heavier set than Houseband and really covered the scope of my musical tastes with their set. They also had many musicians join in on the fun, including the American Hilljack. This night really brought me back to the beginning of my dealings with the local music scene. I was hanging out with members of bands such as Step 11, (kaj), Tooth and Nail, Hybrid, Stratega, sundog, and more! I left the LA Club in such a nostalgic mood and very pleased with my evening.

    Dieselbeast is a heavy metal band out of Denton, Tx – and when I say Heavy Metal, this is the unapologetic classic sound of Heavy Metal from the days when sorcery and metal mixed! Chris Morehead has the right kind of vocals to pull off the sound of their self titled CD, that mix of tones that brings in energy and the type alto vocals that it seems you don’t get to hear often these days. Don’t be mistaken, riffs from guitarist Jason Rochester and Wyatt Williams are as good as they come and the baritone backing vocals make the lyrics feel very full. This is exactly what you expect from a band who begins their bio with a tale from “Another world, another time…”       The Deilselbeast album tells tales, something I miss from much of the heavy metal music I hear today. “One Thousand Bloody Nights” is a great example of this. “They ride tonight, with fires burning bright, as they set ablaze the woods across the glen” tells the story of a warrior taking matters into his own hand to fight against the enemy. Driven by beats from Rogan Naples, that are simply on point, to bring this song from what could be just a dark tale to something that keeps you banging your head along with the story.      “When Madness Walks the Streets” displays the bass played by Carrek Coleman in an intense way, as well as an addition of the evil laughter that begins the story with elements of melody and screams. This was one of my favorites from the album. It starts slow but quickly changes and it was over before I was ready for it to be. It’s a full length song, I just enjoyed the “dance in the Chaos dream” too much to want it to stop.       A well put together album, I was impressed by the craft and imagery put into the songs. Often you hear bands talk of putting their stories and experience into the music but Dieselbeast creates a new world for their listeners, and escape from normal experience, weaving short stories and imagination into power chords and dangerous sounding riffs, filled with drums that don’t just keep a time but take us down a path through dark and glorious woods of fiction and mystery. It’s all about the journey and this one is filled with sorcery, heroes and gods. This is a world we all need to visit from time to time and I plan on going back. If you miss those bands of old whose theatrical stories kept you going, you need this in your life, and if you’re too young to remember those times… You need this in your life.       Check out the music yourself, as well as other goodies, at their Online Store and see what I mean. Meet me in the “Realm of the Space Queen” and heed the “Call of the Sorceress” along with those who already know them. If you’re anything like me, with a flair for the fun and fictional, you can also follow their story on Facebook to see what they’re coming up with next!   Love, Lady Jaye  

    Coming out of Lisbon Ohio, we have the trio three vultures with their new album “Rebirth”. Members Dustin Cutright (Lead vocals/Guitar), Austun Dunnington (Bass/Vocals), and John Lane (Drums/Vocals) have come up with a new way to bring you an old sound. The record is produced in a way that it sounds like a throwback to the days of Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains and the like with a heavy twist. Three vultures describes their sound as “The result of coming up in the angst filled small towns that litter the fallen Steel Valley. Dark and brooding, but vicious.” I’d have to say this album reflects that well.       The eight tracks begins with “Circus Clowns” and gives a real impression on the listener. The softer intro and raw vocals begins the ride through the roller coaster like ups and downs of their music. The entire CD is rather edgy, found in the guitar and in the sharp drum sound. I enjoy the sound of a drum that has almost an ammunition type of blast to it. It catches the heart between beats and takes it with the music.       The entire collection swings between harsh rock verging on a metal sound and a softer feel without losing the forward motion of music. “Black Mirror” begins really soft, and almost melodic in a sense, before rolling hard. I admit the song “Glass Houses” had me listening hard to the purposeful tin quality you might find in some Stone Temple Pilots songs because it’s not so often used but that was the part that stuck with me the most after hearing it. The song has a very rough quality to it that draws the listener in. It almost has a more live experience to it than I’m used to on most produced music but I was hooked by the second time I listened to it and it’s become one of my favorite songs off the CD.     As the final offerings are given they bring in a heavy acoustic in “Wasteland” that breaks up some of the heavier music before and “Ghosts of Enemies” begins the climb back up to heavy and hard in the same way fireworks begin to build to the end of the show. It leads well into “Rebirth”, which owns it’s dramatic qualities as well as tying the whole CD together with its varying sounds and separate feel.In all, this CD is certainly something that people who enjoy the grunge type of rock should check out. It’s got that old fashioned vibe in many ways that modern music doesn’t really bring to the table anymore and it’s really a raw and emotional collection that is also easy to listen to all the way through.       Check out more of Three Vultures on Facebook, don’t forget to hit the like button to show your support while you’re there, at https://www.facebook.com/threevultures and be sure to not only check out the CD but their live shows as well!

     Shattered, a hard rock band originating in Greensburg, PA, has been rocking the Pittsburgh area since 2006 and they have just released their EP “Blackout Sessions” and their influences of Alice In Chains, Godsmack and the like can be heard all through this release, including in the vocals of Josh Comp. His alto voice with a rough edge brings an interesting sense of originality and yet familiarity to the music for those of us who grew up on some of those fine bands of an era.       This CD is really smooth yet comes with a hard edged sound in the back, a comfortable vibe that still gets your head moving. On the first play they are good songs but after walking away you find that they are stuck in your mind enough to start the tracks over again. Nothing in your face, more a collection of fluid, well done, music that has the ability to be played anytime, anywhere while drawing you in to listen more closely and want to turn up the volume on a couple of your favorites. A quick look over the band’s page, https://www.facebook.com/shatteredrocks/, and I can say that they have stuck to their unique brand of music in a way that will make their fans proud and make new fans easily.       “Love/Hate/Obsession” has a comfortable 90’s feeling to start you off with an introduction to their sound and a slight intensity through the song. The drum beats of Kevin Dick are clear on this and tend to keep you attention through the song. “The Reckoning” is probably one of my favorites as I personally enjoy it when a band can bring in acoustics yet keep the feel of hard rock. A pleasant surprise to that song was the blend of vocal harmonies between Comp and fellow vocals of guitarists Erik Rhodes and Evan Schlege, who later came in with the electric guitars as well as bass from Tim Noel. “Martyr” had a darker sense to it with the low riffs adding to the overall feel but “Hellbent” was almost a melody with a deeper side that made me envision fans in front of the stage with lighters… or maybe the bright screen on their cell phones if I’m going to think modern. The final song “Catalyst” picked it all back up and put me back on my feet, a great way to end a CD.       If you haven’t had a chance to check this band out, do so. You’re going to be happy with what you find. They have an original take on the type of music people now look to as one of the best periods of modern rock. This is the stuff many of us grew up listening to and the sound we often search for still. Pick up a copy of “Blackout Sessions” today for your collection!   Music Review by: Lady Jaye