Author: audioeclectica

BAND OF THE WEEK: CATRAT

Putting on live shows has its perks. Getting to see a plethora of great live bands is the best, especially when you see one of them that really grabs your attention. The other night at The Cobalt Presents and Audioeclectica June Showcase at Hotel Ziggy in Hollywood, we had 6 really great up and coming bands. One of which not only grabbed our attention but the entire venue itself.

CatRat is a name you should take note of. At only twelve and thirteen years old, Molly (drums/vocals) and Frances Macias (guitar/vocals), are roaring into venues and straight up slaying audiences. CatRat’s an alternative punk band that mixes garage rock, surf rock and a tinge of metal into their very infectious songs. Their live performance is controlled chaos at its best. Another great aspect is the amount of fun that is had not just on stage but in the crowd as well. Danger and fun have been missing from music and yet, these two sisters get it!

The two singles released “Running Over Kids” and “Lemons” could have easily been released in the mid 90’s. There’s a recognizable feeling that hits back but, feels fresh.

More bands like CatRat please! Be sure to see CatRat when you see their name on a show. You won’t regret it!

By: Brian Lacy

CatRat Online HERE

CatRat- Lemons/Running Over Kids:

https://catratband.bandcamp.com/album/lemons

CatRat- Live at Hotel Ziggy:

COLLABORATIONS: LIMP BIZKIT & SCOTT WEILAND- HOLD ON

Some bands have songs that your least expect to come from them. For many years when asked about Limp Bizkit, I’ve said, when they actually sat down to write a song, you know a real song, they have the ability to write really good deep cuts. Their first four albums have some tremendous songs that if you heard you’d scratch your head, second guessing that it was Limp Bizkit.

On Limp Bizkit’s third album, 2000’s Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water (one of the dumbest album titles ever), there’s one particular song amongst the singles we all know like “My Generation,” “Rollin,” “My Way” and “Boiler.” That song is found at track thirteen and it’s called “Hold On.” This song was lyrically written by both Fred Durst and Scott Weiland. When you hear this song it will definitely make you think, “wait, this is Limp Bizkit?!” This isn’t the first time Scott has helped out on a Limp Bizkit album. On their previous album Significant Other, you can hear Scott sing on the song “Nobody Like You.”

Give five minutes of your time to check out “Hold On.”

Limp Bizkit with Scott Weiland- Hold On:

ALBUM REVIEW: THE PRETTY RECKLESS- DEAR GOD

Rock music has always been about feeling. No matter the genre, the “feel” of the music propels you to hear things in a whole different way. When the music hits right and the words convey a thought that strikes the right chord, that magic is what keeps us all coming back. These days finding a real rock band that does that is quite difficult. So many bands have sounds that while are rooted in straight rock music, it’s a convoluted mess. The Pretty Reckless though, they’re the real deal. And on album number five, Dear God, that “feel” is what sends this record to the heavens.

The Pretty Reckless have put in a really solid amount of time to write an album that feels like a hard rock albums you’d find from the 1970’s mixed with the early 90’s. Taylor Momsen, Ben Philips, Mark Damon and Jaime Perkins have quite the chemistry on this album in a very deep way. Each song is a journal entry that comes to life through Taylor’s vocals. Songs like “For I Am Death,” “When I Wake Up,” “Love Me,” “About You” and “Dear God” are quite the rock songs packed with vigor and emotion. Then you get into a mid tempo territory that gets extremely raw the further it goes. Especially on songs like “Eye Of The Storm” and “Devil In Disguise (Michelle’s Song).”

Upon first listen, the album may seem front loaded but, it actually gets deeper the further you get into the record. There’s a lot of words within the lyrics, it all plays out in a journal come to life. Sure it’s something we all do but, to have someone who grew up in an industry that will eat you up and spit you out just as easily as it will make you feel like you’re the one, it’s quite introspective and revealing. The performance in Taylor Momsen’s vocals are full of every piss and gasoline. Its blues meets grunge and a tinge of goth. Making for a nice twist and turn as it is woven into the accompanying music. 

The Pretty Reckless absolutely won me over with their 2021 album Death By Rock And Roll. This is a really solid album and follow up. Definitely look forward to hearing these songs live.

Overall Rating: B

By: Brian Lacy

The Pretty Reckless- Dear God:

AUDIOECLECTICA RESEQUENCES: METALLICA- LOAD & RELOAD

NEW TOPIC ALERT!!!!

Audioeclectica and Sinister Reviews bring you a very exciting new topic all about, Resequncing The Album. We’ve all listened to albums that feel like songs are out of place or should be higher/lower in the track listing, even the way some songs start and end and what they go into. 

So with that in mind, Audioeclectica has joined up with Sinister Reviews to not just resequence but also combine Metallica’s albums Load and Reload. Both of us have spent a lot of time listening to these two underrated albums to bring you a definitive listening experience. This new version of the album is truly fantastic. It’s one of those that makes you realize if you’re hated on these two, you surely were missing out on great songs and music. 30 years for Load and 29 for Reload, have made them age like fine wine or scotch. The epic is even more epic now, and even the couple songs that people were not into, you’ll hear them differently now.

Without waiting anymore, enjoy the Audioeclectica Resequence of Load and Reload by Metallica. We like to call it…

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BEST ALBUMS OF 2026… SO FAR

2026 has been a really great year for new albums. Not just new albums but, bands returning and giving us new music that is just as good as their previous work, as well as a bunch of independent bands that are really coming into their own. This is one of my favorite posts of the year. It’s a great way to catch up on everything that’s come out that yo might have missed and check out something new. Audioeclectica, while mainly focused on rock music, is all about exploring new musical avenues. Why not start with these! Enjoy!

THIS LIST IS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER!!!

AUDIOECLECTICA’S BEST OF 2026… SO FAR:

01) Held- Grey
02) Puscifer- Normal Isn’t
03) Converge- Hum Of Hurt
04) Converge- Love Is Not Enough
05) Poison The Well- Peace In Place
06) Lamb Of God- Into Oblivion
07) Blackwater Holylight- Not Here Not Gone
08) The Owling- Intravenous Flow
09) Neurosis- An Undying Love For A Burning World
10) Failure- Location Lost
11) Monolord- Neverending
12) Corrosion Of Conformity- Good God/Baad Man
13) Nine Inch Noize- Nine Inch Noize
14) Sevendust- One
15) At The Gates- The Ghost Of A Future Dead
16) XCOMM- Time To Burn
17) Exodus- Goliath
18) Rob Zombie- The Great Satan
19) Genghis Tron- Signal Fire
20) A Place To Kill- A Place To Kill
21) Gaerea- Loss
22) Final Gasp- New Day Symptoms
23) Trauma Ray- Carnival
24) Carpenter Brut- Leather Temple
25) The Smashing Pumpkins- Zodeon At Crystal Hall

DISAPPOINTMENTS:
01) Megadeth- Megadeth

COVER SONG: 36 CRAZYFISTS (FAR)- MOTHER MARY

It’s quite fun when you’re in deep listening to a band and then you remember something else that another band did that links the two. That occurred the other evening while I was listening to the band Far. In the midst of listening to their album Water And Solutions, I remembered out of nowhere that the band 36 Crazyfists had covered “Mother Mary” by Far. It first appeared on a compilation album by Kerrang magazine and later as a bonus track off the Japanese version of their 2006 album, Rest Inside The Flames. On a side note, Apple Music has it listed as being part of 2004’s A Snow Capped Romance, as does YouTube. Listening back to the 36 Crazyfists version, there is no doubt that vocalist Brock Lindow could pull off the vocal aspect of Jonah Matranga. Both bands are sadly not together anymore. Hopefully one day Far can get together one more time!

36 Crazyfists (Far)- Mother Mary:

Far- Mother Mary:

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: GENGHIS TRON- SIGNAL FIRE

The element of surprise and evolution in music is one of the many things which makes people keep coming back to a band. For Genghis Tron, both of those qualities permeate through all of their songs and albums. Just as their 2021 return did with the atmospherically heavy Dream Weapon, the way in which Genghis Tron shape shifts through genres is stunning. Their new album Signal Fire, lights a very powerful path through the start of the band into a very intricate evolution that blooms to a vibrant and visceral sound.

Being a band that can weave melody and hooks into this style of music is an art form. Across the ten songs that make up Signal Fire, there is no letting up. While the atmospheric tension from Dream Weapon is apparent, the sharp left and right turns that blend into heavier experimental territory is very exciting. Signal Fire is an urgent record that calls to the now of a very fragile time.

Starting things off with the call to arms that is “I Am All,” truly sets this album off ablaze. Moving into the title track, you can feel and hear a plethora of treats as it plays out. “Future Worship” is a blast of a track. The playfulness lets you take it all in. “Like Fotochrom” is a great “calm before the storm” track that has a fun futuristic sound. “Tomorrow Mirage” is a burner! Just one listen will wake you up. “Nothing Blooms In The Hollow” is a banger of a song. The perfect mix of classic GT with all the new and a melodic cherry on top. “Without Form” is a subtle segue into the onslaught that is “Born Prey.” By the time you’re listening to this song, the sheer magnitude of volume should evoke auditory clarity! “A Love So Pure” is a great bit of departure from the heavy while still being heavy. The more post-hardcore vibe of the song makes it a great penultimate song. Closing out the album is “New Gods” one of the best end of album songs of 2026. The hypnotic sensibility of the song mixed with the electronics makes it a bit of a psychedelic sensation.

The core of Genghis Tron is Hamilton Jordan and Michael Sochynsky. The additions of vocalist Tony Wolski and drummer Nick Yacyshyn are impeccable as each adds their own distinctive character to these songs and makes Genghis Tron into the band that comes to life. The four of them have made Signal Fire one of the best albums of 2026. It’s interesting, when listening, if you are not familiar with the band, you might think something feels out of place but, it all makes perfect sense in the end. Personally I can’t wait for the tour. One can only imagine how much these songs will come to life in that setting.

Overall Rating: A

By: Brian Lacy

Genghis Tron- Signal Fire:

ALBUM RANK UPDATED: NEUROSIS

For over forty years now, Neurosis, has been a legendary heavy band. The amount of influence and inspiration this band has emitted is astounding. Their renowned albums have over time become profound art installations into an intoxicating and dark world. Twelve studio albums that all feel unique and intriguing. Ranking these is extremely hard to do but, I do believe I’ve found a very great way to put them in perspective. That’s not to say there is a bad album in the bunch. With that in mind here’s the definitive Audioeclectica album ranking of Neurosis.

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SONG OF THE WEEK: EMMA RUTH RUNDLE- POWERLESS

Artists that are truly artists, have the ability to convey even the simplest of concepts or words into a meaningful language that is poetic and creative. Then you add in the music, melody and the notes that make it all come together.

Throughout Emma Ruth Rundle’s solo career, she’s been able to weave her poetic prowess into deeply articulate songs that hit more in a modern art form mixed with music. The first single “Powerless” from her upcoming album, These Killing Times (out September 18), embodies the essence of the previous statements into a more sonically reactive sound. The album features drummer Jess Gowrie (Chelsea Wolfe, Mrs. Piss), long-time friend and collaborator Troy Zeigler, Patrick Shiroishi, Nick Reinhart (Tera Melos), Gina Gleason (Baroness), Marissa Nadler and more.

Emma is a force of nature and this is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s going to be another gem in her genre defying catalog.

Emma Ruth Rundle- Powerless:

MEMORABLE LIVE PERFORMANCES: LINKIN PARK- WITH YOU AT ROCK AM RING 2026

Twenty five years ago at the Rock Am Ring festival in Germany, Linkin Park stole the show. They began their set that day with the song “With You” and in their own way, lured the thousands in attendance to turn their attention to the stage with the way they kicked it off. This 2001 performance became one of those of monumental significance.

Now in 2026, Linkin Park returned to Rock Am Ring as headliners and celebrated that significant moment in grand fashion by opening their most recent set the same way. The intro that DJ Joe Hahn starts creates a wave of excitement then the rest of the band runs on stage and singer Emily Armstrong hits her scream into gear just like Chester Bennington did in 2001. To pay homage to the night as well, even her jacket resembled that of Chester’s.

“With You” is a gem in the bands catalog. It’s great they brought it into their new live sets. The rest of the setlist for the show is great. Enjoy this very memorable set!

Linkin Park- With You: Live At Rock Am Ring 2026:

Linkin Park- With You: Live At Rock Am Ring 2001: