Flashlight [A Closer Look]

Corey Crowder

This guy is the real deal. His brand of singer/songwriter/country/southern rock is all his own, though he references some legendary influences on his media pages—Bob Dylan, Hank Williams and the Rolling Stones. With thoughtful lyricism, ingenius songwriting and a heart so vibrant you can almost feel it pulsing through the speakers on your stereo, I can honestly stamp a prediction of important things in this man’s future. Corey had this to say about his upcoming 2008 release on Tooth & Nail, which was produced by hit maker extraordinaire Aaron Sprinkle (Jeremy Camp, Kutless, Hawk Nelson): “It took some growing up personally and musically to get to the point where I was ready to present an album like this. I grew up on country music and southern rock, and that is where I feel at home. I have poured my life into this album, and I hope that people will feel that when they listen.”

Though you will have to wait just a little longer to get your hands on this new disc, his previous material is worth getting your hands on right away. A special edition of his previous two discs, Starting Over and Learning to Let Go, are both available for modest prices online via myspace.com/coreycrowder. For an uplifting, insightful and worshipful experience I urge you to check him out right away.

Remove the Veil

I dig beards, swinging hair and southern riffs. If you do too, Remove the Veil will put a big smile on your face. You can feel the sweat and dirt of their city—Bi Birmingham, Alabama—in each sludgy, down-home moment of their new release, Another Way Home. The thing I love about this southern movement of heavy metal/rock & roll is that it isn’t so morose that it lacks humor or a sense that the guys behind the tunes wouldn’t be a great conversation on your next fishing trip or pit bar b que. This is tongue n’ cheek heavy music for those who enjoy a little sugar in their tea, a little Waffle House on a Sunday morning after a heated sermon. Check these guys out at myspace.com/removetheveil.

Bless the Fall

Phoenix’s Bless the Fall is one of a very small number of bands who are becoming known as the industry elite in underground heavy music. The band’s MySpace boasts over 7 million plays. It’s known for packing out general market clubs across the nation when headlining and is now about to begin one of the biggest underground tours of the year: the “Taste of Chaos Tour” with Avenged Sevenfold, Atreyu and Bullet For My Valentine. Though Bless The Fall’s MySpace profile lists “Healing and Easy Listening” as one of its genres, I doubt most will find anything soothing about the band’s sound. Metallic breakdowns and menacing growls contrast with some very interesting singing and harmonizing. Though you may be able to place them in that melcore/screamo category that is all but a ghost now, Bless The Fall has found a way to make it fresh. You can check out the latest record, His Last Walk, studio updates and tour dates at myspace.com/blessthefall.