Roy Mayorga

TRACK ONE: SOULFLY- EYE FOR AN EYE

I’m sure for a lot of you starting the week off can be a bit of a struggle. Dragging ass is never a fun way to start the day or week off. This morning I was having one hell of a time just getting out of bed and a song popped in my head and then I put said song on and I was awake. If you haven’t heard Soulfly’s “Eye For An Eye” off of their debut self titled album, this one will surely wake you up. And as a track one, yeah this is a banger out of the gate! The first album is chock full of great songs and the rhythms are really what takes the album to different heights. Drummer Roy Mayorga and bassist Marcello Rapp, have instant musical chemistry right away. “Eye For An Eye” is one of those classic songs. Crazy too that it’s over 25 years old now! This song also features Dino Cazares of Fear Factory as well as former Fear Factory vocalist, Burton C. Bell. So start your day/week off with this hellblazer of a track one!

Soulfly- Eye For An Eye:

LIVE REVIEW: JERRY CANTRELL AT VENTURA THEATER

Going solo is never an easy thing but, when you are such a prolific songwriter and player, sometimes you need to go at it on your own to explore ideas that might not have fallen into the realm of the main band. For Jerry Cantrell the transition between being in Alice In Chains and his solo work carries over in such a way that you can still get a bit of the Alice touch but, the work on his own delves a bit deeper into the inspirations that have guided Jerry. When you listen to his latest album, I Want Blood, you can definitely hear the way Jerry lets those inspirations guide where the songs go and it’s quite the album and listening pleasure. So when the time came for this tour, it was an absolute necessity to go.

As the time hit 9:15 and the lights went down, the energy inside the musty and sweaty Ventura Theater got really going as Jerry Cantrell hit the stage and started things off with “Psychotic Break” from his wonderful second solo album, Degredation Trip. Then just as things were getting going… BAM, we get hit with “Them Bones.” Talk about a 1, 2 punch! From that point the audience was in the palm of Jerry and his band’s hands. The songs from I Want Blood seem to have taken quite the sip of blood as each song played had a ferociousness that kept growing as each song was played. Songs like “Villified,” “Afterglow,” “Off The Rails” really hit hard and vent straight for the veins. The songs from Brighten even hit in a different way than I remember giving them a bit more of an edgy turn. Even the older solo material played from Boggy Depot and Degredation Trip sounded fresh and full of gusto. Then there’s the handful of Alice In Chains songs that were played that still give me chills no matter how many times I’ve heard those songs or seen them played live. Getting to hear “Hate To Feel” live was beyond a treat. I’ve personally been waiting years to hear that song live and wow, what a performance it was.

I really must say that the live band that is accompanying Jerry on this tour is beyond fantastic. On drums you have one of my all time favorite drummers in Roy Mayorga. The way Roy plays is amazing. He hits so hard that you feel each drum beat pulsating through your body. And his style mixed with Jerry is a real treat. On bass Eliot Lorango held that low end down with precision and you could tell this guy was truly having fun up there. On second guitar with Jerry is Zach Throne. Zach is one hell of a player too and the way he approached these songs and plays off of Jerry is quite fun to watch and hear. Then you have Greg Puciato on vocals and I could seriously write a whole article on Greg (and one day I probably will). The way Greg sings and takes these songs on is exceptional. Being a giant Layne fan and a William DuVall fan, Greg really knows how to inhabit these songs and bring his style to them. Not to mention the sheer emotion he pours into them. Jerry and Greg’s voices together is something quite special just like how Jerry and Layne were magical and same with William. The sum of all these pieces make for one hell of a performance and band. It’s not Alice and it’s not supposed to be. This is Jerry solo and it’s got it’s own special charm.

Also playing this evening was Filter. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen Filter live and they delivered a really solid opening set. Their most recent album, The Algorithim is quite a good record and the couple songs from it that were performed this evening sounded great. Now when they got to playing “Jurrasitol” that’s when I could see the crowd start to get into the show. That song is one hell of a track and I’m glad it’s been a Filter staple for a long time. Though their set was short it was a very fun set that definitely set up the tone for the rest of the night. One other song that Filter played that I’ve always loved is “Welcome To The Fold.” That song and the riff is so damn good. And of course no Filter show is ever complete without “Hey Man Nice Shot.” No matter how many times I hear that song, I still love it.

What a night for rock music and on a rainy Wednesday night, this showed that rock is for sure not dead. The place was packed and full of people having a great night. I couldn’t help myself from singing along through most of the night. As a die hard Alice In Chains fan, getting to see Jerry do his thing solo is an absolute treat. He’s a legend for a reason and there’s no shortage of great songs that he has. I look forward to more Jerry and more from Alice In Chains. This show was one of those that I will look back on quite fondly and it’s also one of those shows that has left me inspired. So I thank Jerry, Greg, Roy, Zach and Eliot for that along with Filter. Do yourself a favor and go listen to Jerry’s solo albums if you haven’t. and go listen to Filter too!


Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

Jerry Cantrell Photos:

FILTER PICTURES:


JERRY CANTRELL SET LIST:

01) Psychotic Break
02) Them Bones
03) Vilified
04) Afterglow
05) Atone
06) Off The Rails
07) Held Your Tongue
08) Down In A Hole
09) Cut You In
10) My Song
11) I Want Blood
12) Man In The Box
13) Had To Know
14) Angel Eyes
15) Hate To Feel
16) Would

Encore
17) Let It Lie
18) Brighten
19) Rooster

FILTER SET LIST:
01) You Walk Away
02) The Drowning
03) For The Beaten
04) (Can’t You) Trip Like I Do
05) Jurrasitol
06) Take A Picture
07) Drug Boy
08) Welcome To The Fold
09) Hey Man Nice Shot

Live Review: Mark Morton, Light The Torch & Moon Tooth at The Roxy

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On a clear Monday night in Los Angeles, at the legendary Roxy on Sunset, three bands, each with their own style, left an imprint on this fabled street and venue. Those in attendance (and there were quite a few, especially on a Monday), were witness to one hell of an energetic evening of heavy music. Led by headliner Mark Morton along with Light The Torch and up and comers Moon Tooth, there was no stopping the train of heavy from decimating the Roxy.

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Opening up the evening was Moon Tooth. Ever since I heard of them a few months back, I’ve been highly intrigued by them. Their blend of heavy and psychedelia mixed with bits of prog and jazz makes them one of the most exciting new bands to come along in a while. Their second album Crux (which comes out Friday March 29), is one hell of a record and it most definitely will be at top ten album of the year. Every minute of their set was absolutely on fire. As they ripped through new songs like “Trust,” “Omega Days,” and “Awe At All Angles,” there was no question that these four gents are primed for something great. Each member from Nick Lee (Guitar/Vocals), John Carbone (Vocals), Ray Marte (Drums/Vocals), and Vin Romanelli (Bass), really gave it everything for each song. Personally I was kind of bummed their set ended. I really wanted more. Moon Tooth really got the crowd going and delivered a performance that when they are headlining their own shows, will be talked about for some time.

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The middle slot of the night belonged to Light The Torch (formerly Devil You Know) and they brought the thunder with them. As the lights dimmed down, the frenzied crowd lost their shit when singer Howard Jones took the stage. For the next hour, Light The Torch, riding high off their new album, Revival, Howard Jones along with Francisco Artusato (Guitar), Ryan Wombacher (Bass/Vocals) and Mike Sciulara (Drums) delivered a set that was inspiring and crushing. Playing songs like “Die Alone,” “Calm Before The Storm,” “The Bitter End,” “The God I Deserve,” and “The Safety Of Disbelief,” there was no doubt on anyone’s mind that Light The Torch are here to stay. One of the best parts of their performance was the interaction between Howard and the crowd. It’s clear that Howard is a favorite among many people. His time in Killswitch Engage was something special and getting Howard back doing what he is meant to do is just great. Light The Torch are primed for a take over and rightfully so.

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The main event of the evening belonged to Mark Morton of Lamb Of God. His debut solo album, Anesthetic, is a departure from what most fans of Lamb Of God are used to. This evening though showcased what a talented songwriter Mark is as well as solidifying his status as a modern day guitar hero. For this tour Mark recruited drummer Art Cruz (Prong, Winds Of Plague and Chris Adler’s fill in for Lamb Of God), guitarist Doc Coyle (God Forbid, Bad Wolves) and Sons Of Texas members Mark Morales on vocals (who also sang the song “Blur” on the record) and Nick Villarreal on bass. This lineup along with Mark on lead guitar stormed through their set with vigor and passion. The songs on the album feature a diverse style of songs ranging from super heavy like “The Truth Is Dead” and “The Never” to more rock styles like “Cross Off,” “Sworn Apart,” “Save Defiance,” “Blur,” and “Imaginary Days.” The best songs though are the total curve balls like “Axis” and “Reveal” which truly show how good Mark Morton really is. The performances of these songs were right on target. Mark Morales did a stellar job handling the vocal duties for all these songs. The tandem guitars of Morton and Coyle were spot on and the pounding and thunderous rhythm of Cruz and Villarreal was right in the pocket. They even had a couple special guests joining them on stage. Naeemah Maddox was brought up to sing her song “Reveal” as well as staying on stage to perform “The Truth Is Dead” with Roy Mayorga (Stone Sour, Soulfly, Abloom, etc) pounding the drums.

 
What a great night for every band on the bill. Each band was different and brought an energy that carried on to the next. It’s shows and tours like this that get people excited and want to go see live music. Not only was that a great show but, it was a great way to start the week. I know I’ll be replaying the show in my head for sometime, especially Moon Tooth. I can’t wait for them to come through town again. And a special shout out to Heavy Grass for making it happen for me to attend this great show!

 

Review and Shots By: Brian Lacy

(I was too into the show to take many pictures).

Live Review: Abloom

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When a band reunites after a long time, especially 10 years later, the expectations are very skeptical. But there are some instances when its as though the band never left. That’s exactly how it went down for the shows Abloom played this past weekend. Starting in Santa Barbara at Velvet Jones and then again at the Sunset Strip Music Festival, Abloom picked up right where they left off. The bands energy on stage mixed with the perfect setlist of their songs was awe inspiring. The dueling guitars of Levon Sultanian and Sonny Mayo (filling in for Mikey Doling) were beyond in sync. Roy Mayorga pounded away on his drums with authority while Marcello Dias’ bass thumped perfectly and Jasan Radfords vocals were top notch. When the band started playing, all the lyrics came back in my head as though it were 10 years ago. Those that remember them from way back really went all out during both shows. More on Abloom in a moment.

 

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Opening the show at Velvet Jones was The Broken Stems from San Diego. Their blend of indie rock, mixed with a laid back vibe fit perfectly against the back drop of Santa Barbara. Next up was the very fantastic With Our Arms To The Sun. Their sound encapsulates doom metal, sludge, and prog rock. These guys are beasts live. Think Tool meets Neurosis. The energy from their set radiated throughout the night. Their 35 minute set was smart and intriguing. They were the perfect band to be a part of the night. After them was Soma. They carried on with the energy of With Our Arms. All that momentum carried on to Abloom. The guys in Abloom came back with a vengeance. They don’t need much on stage since their repertoire of songs is unbeatable. Songs like “January 2nd,” “What You Came For,” “After That Quiet,” “So Softly,”  Blood Sweat and Tears,” and “Alone We Sing” have all been personal favorites of mine for years and they sounded great. Their sets at both Velvet Jones and Sunset Music Fest were on fire

It’s a breath of fresh air now that Abloom has returned. Now they can finish what the started properly. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Abloom Setlist:

1. January 2nd
2. What You Came For
3. Nothing Left To Do
4. After That Quiet
5. Burnt Offerings
6. So Softly
7. Blood, Sweat & Tears
8. Cover Up
9. Along We Sing

 

 

 

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: Abloom

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In 2004 there was a band that broke onto the Los Angeles music scene and turned it upside down. They had all the right elements of melody, heaviness, sultry sounds, and a live performance that rivaled any big name. Abloom was formed by Jasan Radford and Levon Sultanian of One Side Zero, Mikey Doling, Roy Mayorga and Marcello Dias (Who all played together in Soulfly amongst other bands). Now in 2014 they have returned in a revitalized form to decimate audiences. The first song they released back then was “What You Came For,” a great track with tons of emotion and intricacies. The other song released ” After That Quiet” has that genuine sensual melody mixed with sultry vocals, all the while still packing quite a punch. There are some other songs of theirs floating around the interweb, and its definitely worth searching out! During their time the first go around, I saw them at least a dozen times (I’m not kidding). They are that good!!

What  You Came For:

 

After That Quiet:

 

By: Brian Lacy