Leadhead's Lounge

by Shane Copher

James House

DAYS GONE BY

Epic Records

Primarily known as a songwriter ("Ain't That Lonely Yet"/"What I Like About You"), James House shows his vocal talents on his first release since leaving MCA. By the time of this writing, the first single, "This is Me Missing You," has already shot up the charts.

The delivery here is smooth, without the heavy drawl and twang of his contemporaries. As you'd expect, the writing is superb, though the music is a bit pop for country. This is a much stronger album than he's ever recorded, and on the strength of the words alone, it should gain a lot of attention on country radio. A solid effort that'll satisfy most.

4862 M-99, Dimondale, MI 48821

From the opening chords of "Diseased," the power of this band is readily apparent. From there, it just gets better. This is a better offering than most headline metal acts' recent albums, and it's only the demo!! A local act that won't be local long, they've been keeping active in town lately, and trust me, you better catch them now; tomorrow, they could be long gone. I predict major label success for Skull Buzz, and I predict it soon. "Page One" and the brooding "Tripoli"... 5 killer cuts, NO FLUFF. Gobble this up.

DRIFT

MCA Records

Excellent, interesting songs, clean and powerful vocals, heavy handed rhythms with structure, and guitarwork to please the most particular in tastes. All wrapped up in a flawless production package that should make Flotsam & Jetsam the premiere metal act, period. This is a metal masterpiece and, as of this writing, my pick for THE BEST ALBUM OF 1995!!! BUY OR DIE.

BAD SEED

Rockworld

From the remains of New York's Mutilation sprouts Bad Seed, and this debut has no resemblance to their former band. This is closer to Soundgarden than anything else, and it's damn near as polished. A great David Krebs production flaunts a powerful, progressive unit with a strong collection of songs. "Block" and "24 Years" are the diamonds on an album full of gems.

CONTROL

P.O. Box 3265, D.E.P.S., Dartmouth, NS, Canada B2W 5G2

Hailing from Nova Scotia, this band falls somewhere between hardcore and speed metal, depending on the track. CONTROL contains a good mix of material, all of it hard as hell, and manages to retain an original sound despite the large number of bands on the heavy market at this time. Adrenalin is a four-piece, with tight arrangements, furious axework, and strong vocals. The recording quality, a cut above most demos, adds an extra edge to an already stout package. "Not My Problem" and the title track are the standout cuts.

EARTH

Pavement Music

From the opening bass kick of "Skinned," Crawl's power is apparent. Wickedly heavy rhythms set the stage for an impressive debut. "Earth" contains hardcore death metal with a lyrical upgrade. The songs are strong, the production is clean, and the performance is a cut above.