CD Review: "Love Is Gone" For Dommin Debut

Earlier this year, Goth-rockers Dommin released “Love Is Gone”, their first full-length album on Roadrunner Records. The band is finding success with the album’s lead-off single “My Heart, Your Hands” with its hard rock sound and deep lyrics. Six of the album's fifteen songs were taken from the band’s independent debut “Mend Your Misery.” Songs like “Tonight, “Without End” and “One Feeling” benefited from being remixed or re-recorded for the new album. The song “Dark Holiday” shows off the band’s playful side with a cabaret-type piano leading up to a pounding chorus and screaming vocals. Lead singer and songwriter Kristofer Dommin shows his pain in the songs “Closure” and “Making The Most.” The album closes with the powerful ballad “Remember” produced and mixed by Dutch DJ Junkie XL

Dommin are currently on tour in the northeast in support of H.I.M. They will head over to Europe at the beginning of June to perform at the Rock Am Ring and the Download Festival. Their new album “Love Is Gone” is available now. For more information, please visit the band’s website www.dommin.com and their record label’s site www.roadrunnerrecords.com.

CD Review: The Slants Provide "Chinatown Dance Rock"

The Slants have gained notoriety along the west coast with their brand of music described as “Chinatown Dance Rock”. The band’s name came from their Asian American heritage, but their sound came from the modern rock of 70’s & 80’s.

Their new album entitled “The Pageantry” starts with one of the group’s edgiest rockers “Every Chance I Get”. The buzzing guitars, pounding drums and shout out loud lyrics draw references to punk rockers Green Day, but that’s where the similarities end. The rest of the album dives back to the band’s comfort zone of “dance hall rock.” The pulsating bass and drums of “You Make Me Alive” and “Who Shot The Radio?” are and invitation to remix the songs for a club atmosphere. The songwriting has improved as their rock sound became simplified as on “Astoria” and “How The Wicked Live.” The album’s grittier, darker lyrics show another side to The Slants’ synthesizer songs of the past.

The Slants currently have some live dates lined up along the west coast. Their new album is available now, for more information on this Oregon-based band, check out www.theslants.com.

CD Review: Take A Trip Back To Pandora

The biggest box office hit of all-time is finally released on Blu-ray and DVD, but that’s not all, don’t forget the music that helps bring this movie to life. The soundtrack to the movie Avatar is like being sent once again to the world of Pandora. Composer James Horner, who also worked with director James Cameron on the blockbuster Titanic, beautifully brings the sounds of Avatar to life. His craftsmanship begins as Jake enters the world of Pandora with subtle horns on “Pure spirits of the forest.” Horner makes you feel the excitement of “Jake’s first flight” and the sad “destruction of Hometree.” The epic sounds of “War” will shake your speakers with the pounding of drums. One thing that James Horner does masterfully on this soundtrack is the use of voices as an instrument. Leona Lewis lends her voice to the theme song “I See You (Theme from Avatar).” The song is a great addition to this mostly instrumental soundtrack.

If you can’t get enough of Avatar or just feel like revisiting the world of Pandora, put this soundtrack on with a pair of headphones and escape. The soundtrack to Avatar is available on Atlantic Records. For more information, please visit www.avatarmovie.com.

CD Review: Babylon Saints Have The Perfect Summer Recipe

Don't judge a book (or CD) by its cover. Upon first view of the band, Babylon Saints, I did not expect this type of music to come from these four guys. Their self-titled album is available now on Citation Records and is one of the perfect summer albums to have on-hand.

The singles "Day To Day" and "Burn On" are unstoppable after one listen. The band's reggae/rock beat and catchy chorus takes the listener on a trip to the tropics and leaves them there for the next hour. The music of "Buck Up" and "Can't Ever Tell" put a positive spin on some difficult lyrics. The beat slows down in the song "Follow", but only for a moment as the album closes with a cover of Bob Marley's "Positive Vibration".

Babylon Saints will be performing shows in California over the next few months, but check back to the band's Myspace page (www.myspace.com/babylonsaints) for more dates. Their album is available through the Citation Records website - www.citationrecords.com and look for their new album to arrive soon.

CD Review: Horse Feathers Stir Up Sounds Of "Spring"

With two solid albums under his belt, Justin Ringle knew he had his band Horse Feathers heading in the right direction and their latest release, “Thistled Spring” is a sure sign of it.

Right from the opening piano chords, “Thistled Spring” is a new beginning for the band. The gentleness felt at the beginning of the album is like a breath of fresh spring air. The album’s unorthodox instrumentation is what makes this album so interesting. The combination of violins, tambourines and banjos in “Starving Robins” keeps the listener guessing what Horse Feathers has to offer. Singer/songwriter Justin Ringle displays is harmonizing proudly on the track “Belly of June”. The dark lyrics to some of the songs gets heightened by the eerie sounds pouring from an array of instruments as shown in the song “Cascades”. The album reaches a pinnacle with the song “This Bed” highlighted by swaying violins and banjo strumming. Ringle finds the strength in his voice to belt out feelings to the lyrics of the song “The Drought”. Horse Feathers brings out the blues in the song “As A Ghost” with searing violins and piano keys filling the empty spaces. The album closes with the grim, but powerful “Heaven’s No Place”.

“Thistled Spring” was released in April on Kill Rock Records. Horse Feathers are just wrapping up the eastern part of their latest tour before heading out west. Their tour concludes at the Hillside Festival in Canada on July 23rd, 24th and 25th. For more information on this new release and tour dates, please visit www.myspace.com/horsefeathersmusic.