Thunder on Thursday XVII

Back with some thunder and today it's Middle Class Rut
Middle Class Rut, also known as MC Rut is an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Zack Lopez and vocalist/drummer Sean Stockham. They were formed in Sacramento, California in December 2006. After several EP's, in 2010 they released their first full-length LP, No Name No Color which was a killer, especially the song "Busy Being Born" made me smile from ear to ear.
I think their songs are very dynamic and energetic, sometimes they sound a bit like Jane's Addiction. Incredible that a duo can make such a full sound... they know how to do that just like our T.O.T. band "Indian Handcrafts" MC Rut released a new song yesterday and today we can hear it on møpkemuziek, so here's "Aunt Betty". They are playing at SXSW this year. Their album "No Name No Color" is in full lenght on soundcloud, enjoy!

Thunder on Thursday XVI

Today it's Tremonti time!

Tremonti is the solo project of Mark Tremonti, grammy award winning talented guitar player from Creed and Alter Bridge. For his project he called in Eric Freedman (Creed) for guitar, Garret Whitlock (Submersed)drums and Wolfgang Vanhalen (yes the son of..) for the bass. In juli 2012 they released the album "All I Was".

Fasten seatbelts and let's take a look and have a listen to "You Waste Your Time". Mark is a master on guitar, I was really impressed by his playing skills in the song "Leave it Alone" for example. I also liked the solo in the song "Proof". Here's a version which I liked most (it differs from the album version). By the way 10 out of 12 tracks on the album contains solos :) We all need "Brains" so here it is for those who lack them ( I do sometimes ;)

And we end with "The things I've seen...my favourite

Thunder on Thursday XV

Time for some thunder, today it's up to Of Mice & Men to scream us awake.

Of Mice & Men is an American metalcore band from Costa Mesa, California. The group was founded by Austin Carlile and Jaxin Hall during mid-2009 after Carlile's departure from Attack Attack!. The name of the band is derived from John Steinbeck's novel of the same title. But a title or a name is just a title or a name so let's listen to the music, are you ready? ...fasten seatbelts...GO!

Did I mention they sound heavy and angry? The Depths is a song of the 2012 deluxe reissue of the album "The Flood" On that same album is the song "Still YDG'n" with a very nice chorus ..Sinking apologies, knowing you're leaving me on my own... And we end with an older song Carlile's tribute to his late mother, "Second and Sebring" (from the first album), the video has amassed over 3.2 million views on YouTube. Enjoy and if you want to experience them live you should go to SXSW in March.

Thunder on Thursday XIV

Today another Eurosonic Band, It's up to Kadavar to give us that nostalgic 70's feeling for this delayed Thunder on Thursday.

One thing is clear, it is impossible to overhear the Black Sabbath influence. Of course the impact of other great and important bands, such as Led Zeppelin, Hawkwind and Witchfinder General can also be heard in the music of this band. This can make you forget that you are actually listening to a contemporary trio from Berlin. Reading this you could get the impression, that listening to KADAVAR’s music could get boring quite fast, due to the fact that we’ve heard this kind of music before. The good thing about their music is that the sound is converted in such way that the audience notices that blood, sweat and tears have been shed during the process. It's al in the song "Black Sun" Music like this can only be played on such high level if one has been through the rough shit that live brings with it sometimes. As an audience we are automatically faced with long straight hair, minimum one mustache, a lot of rings on both hands, fur collars and flared trousers. The Ludwig- Drum set sounds amazingly dry, well it is a Ludwig. Bass and Guitar stand on either side of the stage, building a panorama view, which is great fun over headphones. On the left you get Grease, on the right Fuzz, everything pounds and booms, there’s the double space vocals. It’s easy to be blown away. By the way...the guys names are Lindemann, Mammut, and Tiger :) Here's the soundcloud link to another 3 songs from their self-named 6-track album released last year.. enjoy!

Best of 2012 Thunder on Thursday

And this year mostclicked thunderband is HONKY, here's the post of 4 oktober.

Today's thunder is for Honky

This Austin Superboogie trio was founded in 1996 by Butthole Surfer bassist JD Pinkus, Lance Farley (Thighmaster and Nipple 5) on the drums, and rounded out by Bobby Ed Landgraf (Gahdzilla Motor Company, Blowfly) on guitar. They recently released a new 11 track album called 421. 421 was recorded at Willie Nelson's famed Pedernales Studio in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Willie Nelson that country guy? Yeah that Willie. But this album sounds okay! You automatically screw up the volume after the first notes and you'll go on tapping, banging, shaking till the last note and then you're knackered. It's dangerous to play this in your car because you will surely drive over the speedlimit. On the other side there's no better place to play this cd than in a car (and not on those cramped Dutch roads but in the vast wide open landscape of Texas). Not only the guitar sounds dirty in a positive way the vocals are also worth listening and the album is going crescendo to the last song "Black Joe's Bitch". Unfortunately there are no soundcloud links or streams so I'm gonna link you to some old songs.

Thunder on Thursday XII

Today its a duo with scuzzy guitars, crashing drums, unabashed energy and depth of soul...it's

the Black Box Revelation

The Black Box Revelation is a garage rock duo which formed in Dilbeek, Belgium in 2005. The band consists of Jan Paternoster (vocals, guitar) and Dries Van Dijck (drums). They are like the Stones found new energy and rejuveniled in an original way. Take a look at this song "Never alone always together", it's from their album Set Your Head On Fire The Black Box Revelation started recording their album “Set Your Head On Fire” mid 2007. The album was produced by Triggerfinger drummer Mario Goossens, mixed in Los Angeles by Greg Gordon (who had previously worked with Wolfmother, Jet and Soulwax), and mastered in New York by Fred Kevorkian (Iggy Pop, U2, The White Stripes). Over 30,000 copies were downloaded in Belgium. The next song is from the limited edition heart-shaped Valentine's Day 7", "Lust Or Love". And here's a soundcloud stream with a selection of their best songs, enjoy!

Thunder on Thursday XI

Today we have some Japanese Thunder brought to you by
MUCC

MUCC or MUKKU is a japanese rock band formed in 1997. The band's name, was originally the name of a character from a Japanese children's program Ponkickies. The band is also known as "six-nine" from a play on words, since six-nine can be pronounced "muku" in Japanese. Members: Iwakami Tatsurou - vocals, Yaguchi Masaaki - guitar (and main songwriter) Fukuno Yusuke - bass, Takayasu Satoshi - drums and since then they released eleven studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, twenty eight singles and thirteen DVDs, some of which were also released in Europe. The last cd "Shangri La" was released november the 28th.
I love it, the combination of powerchords with synths/samples is overwhelming, listen for example to track no2 named "G.G." Their music is a nice variation of powersongs and brittle ballads. But now it is Thundersday so no sensitivity today here's the song "Ware, arubeki basho"

And here's the song "Gerbera" from the 2006 album "Gokusai" enjoy!

Thunder on Thursday X

This items getting more and more followers, nice to get some feedback. Today it's up to John Coffey to give us the raw and deafening noise we need on a thundersday.

John Coffey is a character from the Green Mile (you know, the big black guy) but it's also a Dutch punkrock/post-hardcoreband. John Coffey is influenced by bands such as Refused, Every Time I Die and The Ghost of a Thousand. In september this year their second album called "Bright Companions" was released by the German music label Redfield Records. And it's a killer! But first take a look at the beautiful video from the second single of this album "Featherless Redheads" On their album "Bright Companions" they start with "Announce" and it's a hard but nice way to get attention with such an announce :). By the way, they partly could make this album with the help of their fans, In 2011 they completed a fundraising campaign. Another nice way to get attention is the fact that the first 1000 editions of their debut album Vanity (2009) were pierced with a bullit...now thats what i like.

Here's the soundcloud link to the full "Bright Companions", enjoy this thundersday!

Thunder on Thursday IX

Today its "For Today" day :)

Metalcore band For Today is Mattie Montgomery (lead vocals) – Ryan Leitru (lead guitar, vocals) – Brandon Leitru (bass) - Michael Reynolds (rhythm guitar) – David Puckett (drums, percussion), they were formed in 2005 and origin from Sioux City, Iowa oh ...and they are a Christian group. Although I'm not religious, I am not a lyrics man but more a music man so it's okay by me. And their music is great and "Thundersday" worthy. They have a very dedicated and loyal fanbase, screaming or grunting every word from a to z. In may they released their fourth album called "Immortal" under the Razor and Tie label. Lets listen to the opening track(s) "The King" a very nice spooky violin combined with samples and nice soft guitarpicking, slowly building up to a crescendo and to the next song "Fearless" where they blow your socks off. okay so we are wake now? Then it's time for "Foundation" Here you can listen to the entire album, sorry it's a youtube link but soundcloud nor bandcamp has a stream to offer, still.. enjoy.

Thunder on Thursday VIII

Okay we're back and fasten your safety belts for METZ

Photo by Colin Medley

Metz is a French city with irritating one-way tracks so you can't reach the cathedral or center, luckily METZ is also a Toronto rock trio with Alex Edkins, Hayden Menzies and Chris Slorach. "They play like one brutally heavy instrument with three heads" is a phrase about them and its true. They have developed a reputation for head-splitting live performances and released the album "Metz" october this year. So..are you ready??? Here's their song "Wet Blanket" Warmed up enough? Then let's get on to the full album..here's Metz with Metz

Thunder on Thursday VII

"Do you wanna fight? Fight me!" Famous words Bruce Lee spoke and `Bruce Lee´ is the opening track of the new album
 "Civil Disobedience for Losers" from Indian Handcrafts

photo credit: Brad Conrad 
Indian Handcrafts is a Canadian (Toronto) Rockduo with drummer/vocalist Brandyn James Aikins and guitarist/vocalist Daniel Brandon Allen. The fresh released album (oct.30th) was recorded in Los Angeles last March with Toshi Kasai (Melvins, Big Business, Red Sparowes). Impressively, the press release explains that guitarist/vocalist Daniel Brandon Allen delivered the album's heavy riffery with a broken hand!!
"The doctor said if you go and record then it´s your problem if it gets worse," Allen said in a statement. "It was a little painful some days, but because of being there in the surroundings it was easy to get around that. It healed fine." If you ask me I don´t hear any modest or demure riff.. so be glad that his hand was injured otherwise our ears probably were :) Enjoy the complete album here and here´s some live footage from the duo that sounds like a hundred bands :) here´s the song (track 2) `Red Action´

Thunder on Thursday VI

Wake up because it's Thundersday with Resistor

Photo by: Kees van Mansom

Resistor (resistor [rɪˈzɪstə] < an electrical component designed to introduce a known value of resistance into a circuit >) is a Dutch band from Almere. Almere is the youngest city in the Netherlands, it is build in a former lake. This well planned, maybe too well, city with its repetitive city-blocks and mirrored office buildings inspires the band to go against all the planned paths and well thought efficiency based rules. “It was a necessity to create a loud voice that would stand up against all the planned paths that lay before us" They say on their website. Resistor are: Dick Roseboom (beatcreator), Wietze Vink (guitar) and Dennis Jansen (vocals). Their music is an explosive combination of rock, rap, electro, techno and punk, they like to call it Rave & Rock. Live they blow your socks off. They could be the offspring of The Prodigy and Rage against the machine. Here's a live gig video of the song "Trigger" to prove their skills they released a debut EP called "The Bastards Have Landed" in october 2011. The 6 track EP is released in a very nice Limited Edition 5'2 Floppy Disk Sleeve. And they are so nice to share the album with us via bandcamp, enjoy!

Thunder on Thursday V

Todays Thunder is for The Rival Sons

The Rival Sons is an American blues-rock band from New York and consists of Jay Buchanan - Vocals, Scott Holiday - Guitar, Robin Everhart - Bass, Mike Miley - Drums. They made a new album called Head Down and this song I want to share with you for this Thunder on thursday. It's rock with a motown soul. listen to The Heist And here's last years hit " Pressure and Time" And here are some soundcloud listening worth links, enjoy

Thunder on Thursday IV

Yes we got a new album of Danko Jones

Danko Jones is a Canadian rock band from Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Danko Jones (vocals/guitar), John 'JC' Calabrese (bass guitar) and Atom Willard (drums). And now they made a new album called "Rock and Roll is Black and Blue", and it's a worthy Thunder on Thursday. Check this track 4 "Just a Beautiful Day". The album is produced in full by Matt DeMatteo and was mixed by Mike Fraser, known for his work with AC/DC, Aerosmith, Franz Ferdinand and Elvis Costello to name a few. It is also the first album recorded with “new” drummer Atom Willard. The new album follows the June release of Bring On The Mountain – a two disc DVD featuring a 90 minute documentary, a short film, exclusive live clips from around the world and all the music videos they have ever done. And for a short timeframe you can listen to their full album via the Dutch website 3voor12

Thunder on Thursday III

Today's thunder is for Honky

This Austin Superboogie trio was founded in 1996 by Butthole Surfer bassist JD Pinkus, Lance Farley (Thighmaster and Nipple 5) on the drums, and rounded out by Bobby Ed Landgraf (Gahdzilla Motor Company, Blowfly) on guitar. They recently released a new 11 track album called 421. 421 was recorded at Willie Nelson's famed Pedernales Studio in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Willie Nelson that country guy? Yeah that Willie. But this album sounds okay! You automatically screw up the volume after the first notes and you'll go on tapping, banging, shaking till the last note and then you're knackered. It's dangerous to play this in your car because you will surely drive over the speedlimit. On the other side there's no better place to play this cd than in a car (and not on those cramped Dutch roads but in the vast wide open landscape of Texas). Not only the guitar sounds dirty in a positive way the vocals are also worth listening and the album is going crescendo to the last song "Black Joe's Bitch". Unfortunately there are no soundcloud links or streams so I'm gonna link you to some old songs.

Thunder on Thursday II

Todays thunder on thursday is for the American alternative rock trio the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

For those who don't know the JSBX here's some wiki info: They are formed in 1991 and based out of New York City, New York. The band consists of Judah Bauer on guitar, backing vocals, harmonica and occasional lead vocals, Russell Simins on drums and Jon Spencer on vocals, guitar and theremin. Their musical style is largely rooted in Rock and roll although it draws influences from punk, blues, garage, rockabilly, soul, noise rock, rhythm and blues and rap. They have released seven official studio albums, collaborative records with Dub Narcotic Sound System and R.L. Burnside as well as numerous singles, out-take albums, compilations, remix albums and, in 2010, a series of expanded reissues. Throughout the course of their career this experimental sound and occasionally unconventional recording techniques has allowed the band to work with a number of diverse artists including Elliott Smith, Beck, Solomon Burke, Steve Albini, Martina Topley-Bird and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys. Downside of the long existance of this group is their enormous inheritance. You already heard Bellbottoms, what about Wail from their great Orange(1994) album(Video directed by Weird Al by the way) Their latest album Meat & Bone is a killer, released a week ago (fresssshhhhh!!!!), So here's the video of the opening track Black Mold directed by the Belgium director photographer Toon Aerts Horribly funny! And here you can listen to 5 tracks of Meat and Bone

Thunder on Thursday 1

Okay we've been warmed up now, lets crank it up a little more and put some thunder back in Thursday , okay we could start with AC/DC but we all know that song so next candidate> Wallace Vanborn

Sounds like a singer songwriter but its a Belgian Rocktrio from Ghent, (also Ghent..what's going on there)?!?. They derive their name from a character out of the movie Pulp Fiction (Wallace Marcellus). Wallace Vanborn, Dries Hoof (base), Sylvester Vanborm (Drums) and Ian Clement (Vocals) made their first studio album "Free Blank Shots" in 2010 and it immediately caused a buzz in the Belgian rockscene (their participation on Humo's Rock Rally gave them also airplay on Studio Brussels). After that they were asked to be the supportact for the European tour of "Blood Red Shoes" and many more gigs followed. And this gigs are crushing, full of energy and overwhelming, so they were called Pletwallace (Plet is Dutch for crush). Their new album "LIONS, LIARS GUNS & GOD"

was made together with producer and Grammy collector David Bottrill..(Muse (Origin of Symmetry), Tool (Aenima/Lateralus), Placebo (Battle for The Sun) en dEUS (The Ideal Crash/Keep You Close) Do I have to say more? It was released in April'12 and in my opinion the second track "Found in LA" and the fourth track "cougars"are killers. So for the first Thunder on Thursday ...hit it!