Album Review: The Black Keys - "El Camino"

HOLYYYYYYYY. The Black Keys never cease to amaze me. I've liked anything and everything they've put out, so I was going crazy waiting for this album to drop. They nail every single aspect of songwriting. These songs are catchy, sexy, driving, and extremely relatable. The guitars jam so well together they speak to you like nothing else you've heard this year. I could listen to every track over and over. I've gotta go with top 3 favorites this time instead of just one. "Lonely Boy," "Gold On The Ceiling," and "Mind Eraser." Definitely my favorite album of 2011 (tied with Black Veil Brides). 5 out of 5 stars!

Album Review: Chevelle - "Hats Off to the Bull"

I've always been a fan of Chevelle, but haven't listened to any of their albums in their entirety. I'm glad I did with this one. Every single song on this CD is worth owning. Overall, it has sort of a sultry feel and it's very cinematic. Perfect baby making music. Pete, the lead singer, wails like always, so there's a lot of deep feeling to his vocals. Plus it's hard to find an album that makes you want to move around as much as this one does. Track 11 was my favorite titled "Clones." 5 out of 5 stars, easily!

Album Review: Evanescence - "Evanescence"

I was sooo hoping for awesomeness from Evanescence after being obsessed with their "Fallen" CD in 2003. You can tell they went a little more mainstream on this one, but it's not a negative thing like I see in a lot of cases. They still include a ton of depth and layers to their music with countless instruments. Lots and lots of strings (as usual). Everything just sounds beautiful. This is a more mellow album and because of that, you're able to appreciate the elements brought into each track. "Oceans" was my favorite song by far. 5 out of 5 stars!

Album Review: Nickelback - "Here and Now"

Ok honestly, I didn't want to listen to this at all, but I decided to give Nickelback another chance. Nope, still not a big fan of them. Some songs sound like they went back to the 80s, tripped, thought they were writing genius music, but it really ended up not that awesome. The only good thing I can find out of this is that they've stuck with they're old sound. I like when bands do that. The only track I liked was #1, "This Means War." 1 out of 5 stars. Yikes.

Album Review: Black Veil Brides - "Set the World on Fire"

This album made me want to go apeshit. It's heavy, upbeat, even inspirational in a few ways. If I ever want to run a marathon, this is going to be my playlist. These guys bring a great mix of metal and punk together. There are some crazy guitar parts throughout the whole album, and the drums...well, they make me want to have a heart attack. There's only one ballad on this album (track 7) and it's phenomenal. Nothing I was expecting. Seriously, hands down one of the best CD's I've listened to in a long time. "Set the World on Fire," "God Bless You," and "Youth & Whisky" really stood out to me. Need new music? Here's 11 solid songs to add to your library. 5 out of 5 stars. Can't wait to hear more from these guys.

Album Review: Theory of a Deadman - "The Truth Is"

This album makes me really happy. Theory of a Deadman brought their old sound back with their new sound. And by old sound I mean their "Santa Monica" days. Songs are slower, deeper, prettier, and catchier. It's a great album to listen to during a break-up. So perfect it's scary. What I love about these guys is that they can be dicks while being funny at the same time (example: "Lowlife" and "Bitch Came Back"). I just realized that "Bitch Came Back" is based off the tune of the cartoon The Cat Came Back. Pretty creative. The best song on the album by far is "Hurricane." I give this 3 out of 5 stars!

Album Review: Kyng - "Trampled Sun"

Kyng brings a little more soul and blues back into rock on this album. Their style seems pretty basic, but with the vocal style and melodies, I get a Beatles feel occasionally. This is a great album to lay on your bed and listen to. If you're looking for a new twist in the rock genre, check this album out. I give it 2 out of 5 stars, just because I expected more depth to their songs. "Down On Me" is my favorite track!

Album Review: Anthrax - "Worship Music"

Holy crap I think my face has gone to liquid. This album is pure pissed-off-ness with the perfect mix of orchestral and drum solo tracks to tie in suspense between full songs. If I see anyone head banging in their car, I know that they're listening to this album. The way the guitars and drums mesh together is unbelievable. Plus, if you'd like to hear a 15 minute long song of mass chaos, this is what you need to listen to. My favorites were "Earth On Hell," "In the End," and "The Constant." 4 out of 5 stars!

Album Review: Awolnation - "Megalithic Symphony"

This entire album was a shock after only hearing "Sail" from Awolnation. If you want or need something brand new for your ears, this is it. They've created their own little niche of new sound. This album reminds me of Nine Inch Nails if they were on crack. Every song is packed with energy. The instrument usage through out the whole thing is so insane it's almost overwhelming. But in a good way. None of these songs are what you will expect, and it'll take a minute to realize what's buzzing in your ears, but I find this whole album to be refreshing. I just wish they drove the guitars a little harder! 3 out of 5 stars.

Album Review: Five Finger Death Punch - "American Capitalist"

This is one of the most anticipated albums of 2011 and to be honest, it's flawless. With the guitars and drums, it's like you're getting punched in the face. It's easy to love lyrically too. Every bit is relatable. The transitions from song to song are great. There's so many albums where you get the sh*t beat out of your ears (in a good way) then the next song starts and you want to cry because it's too slow. This is definitely an album you can leave in your CD player for days. Tracks 1, 3, and 9 are the best. My favorite has to be track 9, "Wicked Ways." 5 out of 5 stars!

Album Review: Bush - "The Sea of Memories"

I grew up listening to Bush's first album "Sixteen Stone," so when listening to "The Sea of Memories," I obviously compared the two. Bush definitely added some new elements to this album. there are vocal effects in almost every track and the guitars seemed to get raunchier. Their songs seem more mainstream, with some pop and blues licks here and there. I enjoyed the different spin they put on their music. A little bit of a revamp. Tracks 1, 8, 10, and 12 are the ones I liked best. 4 out of 5 stars for this album!

Album Review: Red - "Until We Have Faces"

This album made me admire Red more than I already do. This band just continues to grow with their sound with every album. This one however, is a little different from what I've been listening to lately. The mood is always changing, which is good because it's nice on the ears. The album starts with a giant punch to the face, then slows down, then picks back up with poppy drum fills and hard guitars. Plus the last track is pure beauty. Songs 7, 8, and 9 are my favorites. But song 7, "Watch You Crawl," takes the cake!

Album Review: Staind - "Staind"

If you're going through a bad break-up, this album if perfect for you through and through. Staind gets back to being dark with their heavy, deep, and driving guitars. Aaron Lewis's vocals and lyrics are so explosive you can feel his soul. There are more slower songs on the album than I expected, but they're attention grabbers. Tracks 3, 7 and 8 really stood out to me. Especially the track "Now." I give Staind 4 out of 5 stars!

Album Review: Crossfade - "We All Bleed"

Crossfade has revamped itself by adding another layer to their music. This album has INSANE guitar solos with added mixes of ambient sounds. The whole CD is really deep and dark in an amazing way. I found myself listening more to the instruments than to the words, and I'm a sucker for lyrics. Every single song makes this album worth buying. Check out the tracks "Prove You Wrong" and "Make Me a Believer." Pure masterpieces :)

Album Review: 3 Doors Down - "Time of My Life"

I haven't listened to a 3DD album in its entirety since "A Better Life" was released in 2000. I have to say this album shows that these boys have stuck to their roots. Their songs have the same feel that their old ones did and their lyrics are still so relatable. What's different about this album compared to any other is that every single song has an extremely catchy hook. I didn't find myself skipping through songs halfway through. That's really difficult for any band to achieve. As soon as you listen to this album you're going to want to see them live. My favorite tracks are "Time of My Life," "Round and Round," and "Believer." I recommend picking this album up if you need some new solid rock in your life. 5 out of 5 stars.

Album Review: Breaking Benjamin - "Shallow Bay"

This double disc CD pretty much encapsulates all of their biggest and most popular songs with rare recordings and cover songs mixed in. If you don't own the entire Breaking Benjamin library, this would be a great buy. The album is perfect to listen to when you're angry (it's my backup next to Underoath). And to no surprise, every single song, including the featured unreleased tracks, are 100% solid. This by far is Breaking Benjamin's best work. My favorite track has to be their cover of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence." You can hardly recognize Ben's voice and that's just the cool thing about it. He creates a sound SO much like the original. 5 out of 5 stars.

Album Review: Red Hot Chili Peppers - "I'm With You"

It seems like RHCP really didn't try very hard on this album. But, being the band's 10th release, maybe they're running out of material. The concept is cool, being inspired by a friend's acid trip, but I expected more weirdness and creativity to the album's sound. The lyrics are for sure weird (as always) but musically, this album doesn't really cut it for me. Makes me appreciate RHCP's old stuff. "I'm With You" made me envision playing video games with it on in the background, if that tells you how much it'll grab your attention. The best tracks are "Monarchy of Roses," "Did I Let You Know," and "Meet Me at the Corner." But don't expect any of them to blow you away.