Top 10 Live shows of 2011: 5-1

Here is my top five live shows of 2011;

5. Jenna's Revenge @ The Joiners; Southampton 13/11/2011

This particular gig marked the long awaited return from Gosport hard rockers Jenna's Revenge; after Simon 'Sic' McLaren left the band in March this year it took the rest of Jenna's months to find a new vocalist. However Sic decided he missed Jenna's so much that he decided to make a return; me and best friend Becca were so excited for this that she made them a welcome back cake that I carried. Although note to self; think about transportation of the cake before hand. It was a fantastic show none the less; Sic's energetic stage antics, some classic rock and a very tasty cake made the evening perfect for the return of one of the southern coasts greatest rock bands. 

Find Jenna's Revenge on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

4. Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry and Theory Of A Deadman @ Wembley Arena; London 29/11/2011

Three of the greatest grunge bands from across the pond playing under one roof for one night was one of the greatest gigs I have seen this year; all three of them performed fantastic sets. Will have to try and get the DVD of that gig; so many cameras were there to capture one of the most anticipated gigs of 2011. Unfortunately I lost mine at that gig but I will still have the fantastic memories of being part of the crowd.

Find Alter Bridge on Facebook, Twitter and their official website
Find Black Stone Cherry on Facebook, Twitter and their official website
Find Theory Of A Deadman on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

3. Heaven's Basement and Jettblack @ The Talking Heads; Southampton 19/5/2011

This for me was definitely one of the most anticipating local gigs I had been waiting since I bought the ticket a few months in advance; two of my new favourite bands of last year coming together to co-headline a UK tour. The venue was packed full of Southampton's rockers young and old, the bands all performing fantastic live sets and the general atmosphere was incredible. I would certainly say this was one of the best gigs of 2011.

Find Heaven's Basement on Facebook, Twitter and their official website
Find Jettblack on Facebook

2. Turisas @ Southampton University 15/11/2011

It was incredibly tricky to choose a top two gigs but I have placed Turisas second place; it was such an incredible experience to become one with all the metal heads of Southampton that very evening and Turisas performed a fantastic live set that got the crowd pumping with excitement. Support acts Kiaus and Chtonic also performed well; possibly the best night of metal took place in Southampton and I enjoyed every second of it.

Find Turisas on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

1. The Treatment @ The Joiners; Southampton 11/12/2011

The Treatment's performance at The Joiners easily had to be my best live show of 2011; purely because their presence on stage was full of energy and passion, the atmosphere was exciting and interviewing them was one of the most amazing experiences of my music journalling so far. The Treatment certainly know how to please the crowd and they sound incredible live. They were all so friendly and they made me laugh; cannot wait to see them live again next year with Jettblack and Reckless Love.

Find The Treatment on Facebook

Here's to more fantastic live shows in the new year; there you have my top ten shows of 2011.

Top 10 Albums of 2011 - Part 2

Now it was a very tricky choosing the top five for this year but I have made the decision to cast these albums below as the top five.

5. The Treatment - This Might Hurt

Now I love this album a lot; the catchy guitar riffs, lead singer Matt Jones sounding like a dead ringer of Aerosmith legend Steve Tyler and some smashing tunes are the reasons why this album has made it into my top five. The Treatment as a band have been another highlight in my musical findings this year; first coming across them in Kerrang! and their music influences are what got me interested. Full of sexy husky vocals, slick guitar solos and songs you could just listen to again and again this album definitely has the whole package of a great rock album.

Purchase the album now on iTunes or Amazon

4. My Darkest Days - My Darkest Days

First hearing these guys via the song Porn Star Dancing featuring Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger on vocals and guitar god Zakk Wylde playing a sick guitar solo I thought I'd have a listen to the album. It was much better than I was expecting; I did not see myself get drawn into their upbeat, catchy songs as quickly as I did for this album. It is an album I can listen and dance to again and again for sure.

Purchase the album now on iTunes or Amazon

3. Theory Of A Deadman - The Truth Is...

When I heard Canadian rockers Theory Of A Deadman were to produce a new album for this year I was very excited; I loved their previous album Scars and Souvenirs so was very eager to find out what this album had to offer. I had very high hopes for the album when the single Lowlife was introduced, the song was on four to five times a day on my iPod when it was released. Was very happy with the final outcome of the album as the songs were just as amazing as Lowlife; including personal favourites Bitch Came Back and Hurricane. Looking forward to seeing them live again next year.

Purchase the album now on iTunes or Amazon

2. Within Temptation - The Unforgiving

Dutch symphonic metallers did not surprise with a majestic new album that was released this year; I loved all the songs on this album and Sharon den Adel's voice is still very charming. They are also known for creating a variety of songs and this album is no exception; from the upbeat Faster to the heartfelt Lost. I still listen to this album again and again now, it really has made 2011 a great year. There's rumours of a film in the creating process from the band too; keep your eyes peeled.

Purchase the album now on iTunes or Amazon

1. Nightwish - Imaginareum

The build up to this phenomenon has been incredible; for two years this album has been in the making process and I can definitely say that the hard work has payed of immensely. This is the fourth time I have listened to since I got in the post this week and I love every second of it; I also love how it is set up like you were watching a film. The closing track Imaginareum acts as an overture for the closing credits and you can just imagine each song as different scenes; there is a film to be released soon as the final step. All I can say is Well Done Nightwish you have really worked hard to produce this spectacular masterpiece known as Imaginareum. Possibly their best album to date; being why it is my album of 2011.

Purchase the album now on iTunes or Amazon

Well there you have my top ten albums of 2011; there have been some truly remarkable works here and I only hope for more as good as these in the new year.

Alter Bridge @ Wembley Arena; London 29/11/2011

I had been eagerly waiting for this gig since I bought the tickets back in June and I found out it was definitely worth the wait. Entering Wembley Village it was a very well set up with a number of restaurants and shops; I was also impressed with the very colourful lights that highlighted the fountain beautifully. My main purpose for the evening was to see three of my favourite rock bands that hail from the USA and Canada; they were Theory Of A Deadman, Black Stone Cherry and headliners Alter Bridge. Before I describe my experience at the gig I want to say there will be no photos for a while since I did loose my camera at the Arena; a bit of a nuisance but life must go on.

Anyways; the first act to appear on the stage that night were Canadian rockers Theory Of A Deadman. I have loved this band since I heard them in the shop Underground Clothing and I never looked back. They gave a top notch performance from start to finish performing a wide collection of songs from So Happy to brand new album material such as my personal favourite Bitch Came Back. It was great how frontman Tyler Connolly threw out guitar picks to the audience and how he introduced each song; overall I think Theory Of A Deadman were a great choice to open up the night of hard rock that was to fall on me that night. So I was happy to hear they will be touring the UK again next year.

Find Theory Of A Deadman on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

Black Stone Cherry were next to play; I was happy to be reminded of how good they are when giving a live performance. I had seen them twice before that night and I remembered how energetic these Kentucky rockers were. It was amazing how guitarist Ben Wells and bassist Jon Lawhon make use of the space on stage with such energy and passion. I liked the selection of songs they chose to play too; everything from first album material such as personal favourite Rain Wizard to brand new songs such as White Trash Millionaire. I was very happy to hear they will be touring the UK and coming to Southampton on my birthday.

Find Black Stone Cherry on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

Alter Bridge had only recently come into my life and I have grown a great likeness for them. Their live performance last night only boosted my respect for the band as they really pulled off a great live show; the lights went down and the intro to Slip Into The Void was heard on the sound system and there was Myles Kennedy in the spotlight singing the first line. What an incredible introduction it was. They got better and better as the show progressed but because of the heat inside the arena it made me feel very uneasy so I decided to step outside. That did not for one second stop me enjoying there show since I could hear it through the wall and I liked their live sound. Their acoustic rendition of Wonderful Life was remarkable, Ties That Bind cheered me up as I was frantically looking around for my camera and from what I saw they had great theatrical stage props. Such as pyrotechnics, grand stage lighting and a lot of confetti; I would definitely love to see Alter Bridge live again, probably next time I won't be close to feinting.

Find Alter Bridge on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

Overall despite feeling a bit poorly and loosing my camera I did enjoy myself; all the bands performed fantastically well and the atmosphere was incredible. 

Tuomaslotte rates:  TTTTT  

Top 5 Music videos of 2011

Well here are my top five music videos of 2011;

5. Theory Of A Deadman - Lowlife

This video was a fantastic one to show the bands return after three years; I love how the video matches with the concept of the song and I think that what we see in my top five videos. Like frontman Tyler Conolly mentions in this interview how the term has a negative connotation but the song is about how being a lowlife can be fun and there is a lowlife in all of us. This video demonstrates that perfectly; it starts with a man living in his trailer and it's obvious he doesn't care what people think of him, I particularly love the caravan exploding at the end with this man and the band walking away.

Find Theory Of A Deadman on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

4. Within Temptation - Where Is The Edge

Another band that quite a triumphant return via this song and video; the concept is a little bit darker this time however. The clip is taken from the film Me and Mr Jones which looks at the story from the aftermath of a young girl who was reported missing in Aruba five years. This song matches the mood of this video; intense, a fantastic comeback from Dutch Symphonic metallers I think.

Find Within Temptation on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

3. In Darklight - The Human Race

This music video from Andover alternative rockers is in my top three is because it is their first one and they pulled it off quite well. I like the structure of this video is simple but effective; I hope they make more music videos in 2012, you can also check out their brilliant cover of The Police classic Message In A Bottle.

Find In Darklight on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

2. Black Veil Brides - Fallen Angels

You either love them or you hate them but with two successful albums and many sold out shows Black Veil Brides have really done well in the music industry. Their music video for their popular song Fallen Angels to speak to everyone on so many levels; to me it shows people coming together to show us who they really are and this song does refer to them as Fallen Angels so I do think this video is a highlight of their career.

Find Black Veil Brides on Facebook, Twitter and their official website


1. Dommin - Closure

Now this music video is my top music video for 2011 because the concept of the song matches the video and Los Angeles goth rockers Dommin portrayed this in such a unique way. Getting the fans to send photos and videos of them showing their idea of what Closure is; I remember back in October last year frontman Kristopher Dommin asking for the fans help for the latest music video and I just thought what a fantastic way to get your fans involved. Especially when the final outcome of the video looked incredible; it was put together really well with footage of the band and the fans.

Find Dommin on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

Theory Of A Deadman - Bitch Came Back video

Hello everyone; it has been a while. I have finally moved to my new house for university and I am settling in well; I am much closer to the action in Southampton and it is such a relief. I found the link on my Facebook wall today promoting the brand new video from Theory Of A Deadman; it's for my personal favourite song off the album Bitch Came Back. I find the song incredibly amusing; I love how the lyrics describe how guys see the girls sometimes. The video I found to be hilarious since it shows in a comical way how far fans can go when their band does something that doesn't please them (i.e. posting negative comments on YouTube and hatemail) in this video this particular fan goes as far as killing the band. I like how the woman crosses of each band member on her arm when she kills each member and how lead singer Tyler finds body bags with his band members names on them. A perfect video to reflect the title of the song. You can watch the video now by clicking here.

Find Theory Of A Deadman on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

How Do You Like To See Live Music?

This question came up on Roadrunner Records that I was more than happy to answer. One of the aspects of music I love is live concerts; I just love the buzz from a great performance from your favourite or the best upcoming bands. I picked in a tiny underground club in answer to the question; those gigs are often intimate, the best upcoming bands start at these kinds of venues. You also get to talk to the bands after the show. I would have also picked in an arena and a massive day long outdoor festival; all of those generate a great atmosphere too.

Click here to access the poll now, I now leave you with a video by a band from this epic record label.

Theory Of A Deadman - The Truth Is....

Have been waiting for this for quite some time; eagerly opening the packaging of the CD I was beaming for joy as it was the new Theory Of A Deadman album. I loved their previous album Scars and Souvenirs, I also know that personal favourite song Lowlife was on the album too. Anyways the album starts of with Lowlife; no suprise there, but still a great song. After the album gets better and better; with such songs as Bitch Came Back and The Truth Is...(I Lied About Everything); what I found about Theory Of A Deadman is that they are brilliant at producing a versatile selection of songs. As well as the really bouncy up beat tunage we also hear some very heartfelt ballads such as Head Above Water and Out Of My Head. The track Hurricane stood out to me; it had a very epic instrumental.

Overall a fantastic album from the Canadian rockers; this album marks why I cannot wait to see them live on tour in November with fellow rockers Alter Bridge and Black Stone Cherry. I can imagine some of these tracks sounding amazing live.

Stand Out Tracks:  Bitch Came Back, Out Of My Head and Hurricane

Find Theory Of A Deadman on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and their official website

New Theory Of A Deadman album; release date announced

Just heard today that Vancouver rockers Theory Of A Deadman shall be releasing a brand new album on 12th July; I personally cannot wait for this. After their extraordinary Scars and Souvenirs, which I reviewed in I think December that includes songs Bad Girlfriend (below), So Happy and Little Smirk,  I would love to see what new material they have produced; they will be releasing a new song from it next month.

Click here to read more info from the band's record label Roadrunner Records

Find Theory Of A Deadman on their official website, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube

Theory Of A Deadman - Scars and Souvenirs

I had been meaning to listen to this band for quite a while since they seem to appear on the 'You May Like' section on any music website under a Nickelback page, I adore Nickelback so I definately wanted to check them out. Listening to a bit of Theory Of A Deadman in the shop Underground Clothing so I decided to buy this album since it had the song Bad Girlfriend on it. Being that was the song I heard in Underground Clothing, loved it so much. Frontman Tyler Connolly sounds so much Chad Kroger (Nickelback frontman), the first two songs had me gripped immediately being due to the fact two very different contrasting songs opened up this awesome album. So Happy being a very upbeat track and By The Way being quite mellow; in this album I heard a great variety of songs. Songs like Got It Made and Bad Girlfriend being very energetic that make you want to jump around like crazy then you have the tearjerkers like Not Meant To Be; this particular had a big impact on me since I am getting through a heartache at the moment so the song did bring a tear to my eye. This album will definately be a highlight of this year even though it's official realease was a couple of years ago, I hope they release more stuff. In the meantime I shall definately give their older stuff a listen. 

Stand out tracks:  Bad Girlfriend, So Happy and Little Smirk