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DARK CASTLE - FLIGHT OF PEGASUS Like cold molasses man, it's just fast enough to let you know your mind is functioning. Right the minute you think it's some kind of stoner, it comes at you like a black cloud of destruction; grinding, death via sanction. But really, Dark Castle take the cake on cd jacket design, a better DIY effort I have not seen in years, and ranking with the best.... Hand crafted cardboard slabs with band stickers, put together, with a pouch and Velcro latch, by black tape, no doubt a true handjob. But enough with the mastery of the design...... The music throughout the whole album is great. Even out of tune sounds good in one spot of lengthy opener "Crystal Seas", almost like a built in fuddy-upp, which just sits fine with the grind. The music stretches its wings come "Growing Slow", ancient psychedelia mixes with the sabbath, contrite and disturbing, but comforting and flowing, right into "Flight". The groove snaking it's way into vibe. Really, it's a smooth ride the whole way in.....all the way to the epic "Sands Hold The Time". I can even applaud the remake of Zeppelin's "No Quarter", it's raw and sinister enough to stand side by side with the original. No a mere feat, especially when you do it wicked style like No Castle. Rock on. Not wasting time between numbers, the five here go by quick. Contact: http://www.myspace.com/darkcastlemetal

FUTURE DISORDER - SOUNDS OF CATASTROPHE Future Disorder manage to harness the power of metal, the rage of hardcore and the anarchy of "don't give a fuck" into something real and punishig. They manage to do this wihtout treading on ground too well worn, something of a feat, with all of today's remade over bullshit. Lots of killer stuff here, especially the namesake "The Future Disorder" and the following epic "The Storm" which sounds like it could have been lifted from some black shit out of Scandinavia. Riffs from hell, and meaning it too. Seatle has it's ways of producing intense bands, of many styles. For good thrash metal, Future Disorder represents the upper west coast well. "Tap The Veins" is underground metal that you hear at downtown clubs througout the US every weekend, it touches just enough on metalcore to keep a wide range of horn throwers raising their beers, screaming for more. METAL WILL NEVER DIE! Contact: http://futuredisorder.com/

{satellite-state} - s/t {satellite-state} carry forth the embedded tradition of fine english pop bands which really got big with the Beatles and continued on through Oasis and the lot. {satellite-state} has a smooth and deep sound, at times almost mellow, which cries of passion, need and remembrance. The guitars ultimately set the layers of entwined soundscape hues, with the vocals of Gary Nicks (who also provides great acoustic guitar work) putting the dark colors of persistence as the colors ebb and flow, the fade as each song climaxes, full of tension and emotion, setting the scene for another spatial encounter to follow. While they market this disc as a demo, it's definitely a great EP, with over half the numbers good singles. {satellite-state} are on to something, with a formula both proven and always new, if the artist is in fact talented. Which I find lots of evidence to the positive here. All the bands members are good musicians in their own right, but I must give extra kudos to guitarist Ciaran Stephens, he's one of the most creative and best from that group of islands they call the UK since The Edge. Plus I must also shout out to Will Gray, on piano and synths, his work is a foundation of color. And I don't give those compliments lightly. Play their cards right, these cats will soon be on the cover of magazines worldwide. Management and booking - Pete Cole +44(0) 7801-496455, http://myspace.com/satellitestatemusic, satellitestate.com

UNSPOKEN LOGIC - SUNSHINE BETWEEN THE LEAVES To start off with, this is some classic hardcore, reminding me of stuff, not in form but rather substance, that graced college radio 25 years ago and on the cool stations, the new stuf, like Unspoken Logic, still does today. No too much pretentious bullshit here, and just enough "flavoring" to where you can't tell if they hate the man, or are in fact the fucking man, which always makes for a good fight in the streets. The band are definitely fans of classic styles of rock music, because the opener mixes a loose psychedelic vibe (not unlike early UFO or Scorpions) with spoken work and screamo shots. Many of their songs blend a variable style, with parts of hard rock, punk and garage coming together making new art. The band is not afraid to tackle the issues of society (The Church sticks out) and are quite personal and reflective in their music and lyrics (Last Flight Back Home is excellent, as is My Personal Tragedy). Granted, being from Luxembourg will not make it easier for the band to get notice out in this overstocked fish pond, but they are doing some gigs in other European countries, and after I played this album on Live At Underground, I got a ton of people asking about the band. This is a great band. Contact: http://myspace.com/unspokenlogic, unspokenlogic@hotmail.com

THE JENSENS - s/t The Jensens are probably an acquired taste, being you gotta really dig the garaged out monotone prose to go beyond guitars so wrenched with distortion, further compression is probably out of the guestion. These Woodstock retro punkers are actually pretty good, even if the whole time you're just waiting for the drums to get lost somewhere, but they never do, and the bass lines are really pretty strong. I have to admit, there's a couple of college station singles here, "Safe And Sound" and "Half A Chance". There was a time many alternative bands sounded like this, before alternative came to mean punk and pop. That is good for The Jensens. Less on the playing field gives this band more room to shine. http://www.myspace.com/jensensmusic

PHANTOM NOISE - WIRES Snarling mid-tempo punk metal (formally known as grunge) with the screams thrown in for color, and one song here is not like the others. The band makes it far past brooding, and not quit into grind or ripping, not at idle but perhaps waiting for the green light. Too many references to be included, but more than enough to make them popular, should they reach the right market. Three songs here is just a taste with self titled "wires" and the riffed out "Bring You Fire" the best, just to wet the appetite. Maybe a complete meal will bring on the satisfaction. Dust Recordings POB 310, Morton, IL 61550, http://www.dustrecordings.com

THE MAY BEES - DROP LITTLE BOY Taking the heart of trends like europop with a smooth blend of straight riff has been a popular drink for a while, still a potent blend will set one apart from the other. The May Bees have just enough retro blood to pay homage, but their minds run off of soaring passages and rich texture. They get into jams and funks, raves and set-ups. Not a bad song on the disc more than a few hits if they've got the right street team. A few spots lay low, but generally the feedback will bring ya back. Highly recommended. A dutch smash (nat!) from the cats at Wampus Multimedia. Contact: themaybees.com

THE SHIVAS - WHERE HAVE YOU GONE TO? The Shivas groove smooth with a rich mix of blues, funk and rock n roll. Not quite your meandering jam band, The Shivas work more around tight song spreads with lots of lead guitar and the occassional led bongo (I ain't shittin'!). Moreso, The Shivas are like a cool midnight ride, gliding down a fog shrpouded coutnry road with the sky filled with stars and the moon laughing at your ass, and you laughin' back. A couple of tiems I almost gonna grab the board, the babe and head for the surf as the retro organ pumps and Dick Dale style guitar takes center stage. I can visualize cool chicks twisting to the music, bead, barefeet and lots of pretty, swirling colors. A time or two, damn if it's not Dylan gone electric with a mad circus of soundscape flooding the senses - it's all going down man! Another amazing thing about this band is the guys are young cats, who sound like grizzled veterans! This disc by the Shivas is one of the more overall enjoyable ones I've gotten in the past few months, and gets my vote for one of the best of the year. Contact: http://www.theshivas.com/

KEYHOLE - THE DOORWAY A conglomeration of styles, centering on darkwave and electronica, Keyhole do well by adding gothic overtones with heavy european inclinations. The songwriting is above par compared to many in the lot, and musicianship is a notch above that. A few spots Keyhole use guitars to good effect (If The World Should End, Beneath The Skin, and the riffing 11th hour) though I'd like to hear some lead, whch many bands of this genre, for whatever reason, seem to shy away from. Luckily, Keyhole spurn modern industrial cliches, which befall many a band wishing to be so much like Trent, they end up cartoons. Outside of their brooding pop tinged expressions, I prefer the experimental, such as the album closer Anesthetized, the most. contact: http://www.keyholeband.com