Sevendust has arrived! On their ninth album, "Black Out The Sun", Sevendust has produced a complete work of art that demonstrates everything that makes the band great. Stellar lead and background vocals, powerful rhythms, and killer guitar riffs. The songs shift tempo and mood, all the while dropping more hooks than a pier fisherman. From breathtaking subtlety to bombastic ecstasy, the vocals and melodies complement each other and demand repeated listening. This album is proof positive that a band that writes together can continue to improve and push each other to new heights. With "Black Out The Sun", Sevendust has crafted an album that matches the intense excellence of their live shows.

Red Line Chemistry named their latest album "Tug Of War" to represent the process of recording heavy and melodic material. It could also refer to the struggle between writing commercial, mainstream songs and writing creative, artistic songs. The album opens with 3 short, generic rock radio songs, including the best of the lot, 'Paralyzed', a worthy first single. However, the album truly begins with track four, 'The Fighter'. I wish record companies had the cajones to put out an original song like this, rather than something that sounds like everything else on the radio. I am concerned that this album will be lost in the crowd, and it needs to be heard. From this point on, the album is longer songs with dynamic sounds and textures. Singer Brett Ditgen has a voice reminiscent of 80's British synth-pop, which combines beautifully with a band that ranges from the hypnotic trance of Alice In Chains to the frantic urgency of System Of A Down or Tool. I highly recommend listening to the entire album and letting Red Line Chemistry pull you under their spell.

Frequency Unknown is the first album from vocalist Geoff Tate and his all-star version of Queensryche. The album consists of 10 new songs, and re-recordings of four classics: 'I Don't Believe In Love', 'Empire', 'Jet City Woman' and 'Silent Lucidity'. There are some very strong songs here, particularly those on what would have been called "Side 2", such as 'Life Without You', 'Fallen' and 'Weight Of The World'. The guest musicians contribute some excellent guitar solos. There are several musical styles present, resulting in a lack of cohesion. Each song stands on its own and the listener will decide which ones they enjoy listening to. Finally, we have the record company-ordered remakes, which was about as good of an idea as having Greedo shoot first. Overall, it still sounds more like a Geoff Tate album, rather than a Queensryche album. If you are a fan of Geoff Tate's amazing voice, it is worth checking out to see which tunes cut it for you.

Finally, something I can listen to and just crash on my couch on a Sunday! Hometown boys Dropping Sully always seem to come through! My only problem with Unvarnished is that some of the songs seem to drag out. But hey, if you're crashing on the couch on a lazy Sunday, that's a different story. Chris Wojtal's voice is just...well, it's just plain great. One of those voices you know you can keep listening to. The only word I can think of to describe it is, 'natural.' The songs are catchy. Good tunes, if you ask me. I'd have chosen somewhere other than The 8x10 to record, but hey, to each his own.