The News Review:

- Diamonds in the Rough 01.09.09: Hed PE
- Eye Remain’s heavy metal helps ease malignant tension
- Epicurean Mantic Ritual and Rotting Christ Live at BBKings 01/08 …

Diamonds in the Rough 01.09.09: Hed PE
411mania.com TX 
After making some noise on the range County scene (literally and figuratively) Hed PE were courted by Jive Records and signed with the primarily hip hop label in 1996. They went on to release their self titled major label debut in 1997. The album (and the band) was considered to be rhythmically looser and funkier than the contemporary rap metal bands of the day. Hed PE even drew comparisons to Rage against The Machine but admittedly Hed PE’s music was unfocused and still very raw but the band did get props for its raw aggression and showed potential. Unfortunately for this band of misfits Hed PE came off to a bad start with Jive records. You see Jive records was used to dealing with Hip Hop and R & B acts but were intrigued enough by Hed PE’s unique brand of G-Punk that they decided to take a chance on tapping into the Nu-Metal movement that was about to take America by storm. The problem was they did not know how to promote a band like Hed PE and because of this album sales suffered and due to contractual obligations Hed PE found themselves unable to repay the cash advances given to them by Jive.

Eye Remain’s heavy metal helps ease malignant tension
Battle Creek Enquirer MI 
Lett said his band hopes to re-popularize a genre he called “a little black sheep of music” so both the musicians and their listeners can work through pent-up aggression. Eye Remain plays heavy metal music: Thick chunky guitars; minor key melodies; fast-paced guitar solos and low-end vocals. It’s a sound that rose with Black Sabbath and bands of that ilk against the soft rock craze of the 1970s. Its popularity peaked in the late-1980s early-1990s with bands like Pantera. In recent years it has faded from radio play replaced by a softer more pop-driven alternative sound. “We remain 1988″ quipped bassist Joe Walsh.

Epicurean Mantic Ritual and Rotting Christ Live at BBKings 01/08 …
FANGRIA 
King Blues Club & Grill in New York City. The notorious Times Square venue hosted a trio of metal bands which heated up The Big Apple with their hellish lyrics and aggressive music. King?s stage was Rotting Christ who came all the way from Greece Mantic Ritual hailing from Pennsylvania and Minnesota?s metal masters Epicurean. All three forces converged onto one stage in New York City to show us how diverse metal can be.
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