My current mood in this sweltering room relates to The Black
Halos “Alive Without Control,” in that with every drop of
sweat that rolls irks me even more to tear through these walls and
leather.
To everyone who has flipped me off, fucked me over, turned me on then
turned me down; to anyone who has discouraged me, or has improvised
my art; fed me lies out of their bloated mouths; overlooked my words
without feeling my heart; I hope you wind up as influence for songs
on any of The Halos albums.
Whether your ultimate goal in life is to become a toothless barfly,
or a regular corner creep, The Black Halos will be on the barstool
next to you mimicking your life so uninspired. Give 'em four more
years and they’ll find you still on the outside looking in, afraid
to execute for the dreams that mean the most to you. They’ll mock
your blunders with just a tune of a key, and kick you upside your
head with glam-tread boots blacked out. And rightfully polished on
this greedy little label, we’ll find more sneering glam tramps excelling
from Liquor & Poker.
If your time is left to waste and ruin, The Black Halos
will be there with thirteen tracks to capture you in your drunken
stupor. Unlike me, Billy Hopeless knows not how it
feels to have premenstrual cramping, yet knows how to bleed his heart
out through his vocals. Adam Halo might not be sitting
around in a wife beater pissed off at the Detroit electric center,
but he feels the heat yearning from inside his fans, friends, and
fellow rock critics.
Vancouver are going to wish they never inspired unruly kids to master
their destiny using only their fingers,because now double stacks are
set on volumes high enough to blast through the rest of The United
Stinks and Canada. And you all are going to be sorry if you let this
album slip out of your fingers, because it’s the best thing you slimy
hookworms had coming. Get hooked or stay boring! It feeds their gas
and guitar pedals all the more to get flooring.
CHART
ATTACK
Vancouver's Black Halos may have a new guitarist
and bassist, but they've maintained the gritty old-school punk sound
that's kept them popular. This time around, there are some sweet backup
harmonies to compliment Billy Hopeless's tortured
yelps (especially on "Three Sheets To The Wind")
and drummer Rob Zgaljic's tightly frenetic rhythms.
Even when they slow things down a notch on "Mirrorman,"
the result isn't some pussy power ballad — it's a dark, sludgy tune
well-suited to both fist-pumping and lighter-waving. All the poseurs
better watch out — the Halos are back and ready to take their rightful
place as Canada's eyeliner-smeared kings of punk rock.
Halos
Demonstrate Longevity in Rock with 'Control'
It may have only been just a little over four years since the world
was treated to an album by Vancouver punks The Black Halos,
but it sure seems like a lifetime. After suffering a break up largely
in part because of the departure of guitarist and primary songwriter
Rich Jones (who went on to join, then abruptly leave,
the horrendous Amen) one of the best bands of the last ten years have
regrouped and come firing back with yet another stellar tribute to
all that is dirty, snotty and defiant about rock 'n' roll. Mixing
the glam of the New York Dolls with the filthy swagger
of Johnny Thunders and wicked attitude of the Dead
Boys, the Black Halos offer up a sonic cocktail
that will intoxicate you well beyond the legal limit.
The first thing that should be noted about Alive Without Control
is that the absence of Jones doesn't impact the record
at all. The songs are as great as anything the Halos have ever written
but this time they are performed with an extra dose of angst and passion
to let everyone who wrote them off long ago know that they were dead
wrong. They are back and determined to rock fans and spectators harder
than ever before. TheBlack Halos don't need Rich
Jones to rock hard; they do just fine without him on their
newest effort, Alive Without Control.
Take a listen to the middle-finger anthem, the opener, "Three
Sheets to the Wind" to get an idea of the band's attitude.
"We don't care what the scenesters say / Don't like the
stupid games they play / We're on the outside looking in / Our lives
three sheets to the wind," Billy Hopeless
snarls -- and listeners better believe they mean every word of it.
What's always made the Black Halos such a terrific
band is they never cared about trends or comments from the naysayers,
but just kept kicking out jam after glorious jam. The aid of longtime
producer Jack Endino (who worked with Nirvana)
adds a lot to the record, be it the accentuation of brilliant DGeneration
style leads ("Darkest Corners") or the
addition of a wicked piano ("Alive Without Control").
Everything Endino does on this record enhances already
great tunes.This is probably the most aggressive Halos
record to date with some truly intense and urgent songs (including
a high voltage cover of Tom Petty's "I
Need to Know") that have the ability to bring rock 'n'
roll back to its depraved glory.
Verdict: The Black Halos aren't going anywhere, ladies
and gentlemen, so crank up the stereos and enjoy the ride.
Over the course of the last decade, Vancouver's Black Halos
have evolved from a second-rate Dead Boys homage
to…a first-rate Dead Boys homage. OK, that's unfair,
as the band definitely grew beyond its humble beginnings on its last
album, the ravenous but melodic The Violent Years.
Alive Without Control, the quintet's new disk after
a hiatus and lineup shuffle, recaptures some of the old Stiv Bators-like
chaos, while continuing the development of tunesmithery. "Broken"
and "Third World U.S.A." rip like hell,
with Billy Hopeless' very Stiv-like rasp leading
the way, while "Exit Stagefright" and the
surprisingly soulful ballad "Mirrorman"
boast melodies bordering on power pop. The band splits the difference
on "Last Call At the Toothless Saloon,"
"Three Sheets to the Wind" and the title
track, cutting the hooks with enough sleazy aggression to make the
Streetwalkin' Cheetahs smile. (No wonder the Cheetahs'
Frank Meyer is a fan.) The record closes with an
ass-murdering cover of Tom Petty's "I Need to Know"
that would probably leave the toothy one goggle-eyed. Pure rock &
roll, 100 proof. [buy it]
"Retro World," from the Black
Halos' debut, remains rock's most relevant self-critique
six years after it was released. In it, grubby-voiced Billy
Hopeless croaks, "Here it comes, baby, there it goes/It's
getting harder to shoot my load/Nothing's really dangerous, just a
retro world." Here was an anti-nostalgia anthem rendered in perfect
shades of 1977 -- talk about serious irony. Nothing on Alive
Without Control, the Vancouver quintet's third album, is
quite as astute as "Retro World," but the
song collection makes its case for unwavering nostalgia. By now, the
band's Dead Boys/Heartbreakers glam-punk has been
raked through the hipster mill and even appropriated by Juliette
Lewis, but few have done it so indelibly. The guitars are
meaty and infectious, the tunes straightforward, with a granite rhythm
section, and, aside from a pounded piano in the raving title track,
a familiar palette. The lowlife paean "Darkest Corners"
is the best lyric, but "Unchanged" is the
most apt: "They go through phases, like we go through
cocktail glasses/The more they change it, the more I feel the same
about it."
Taking their cues from 1970s artists like The New York Dolls
and The Dead Boys, the guys in The Black Halos play
loud rock and roll music with determined attitude. These bad boys
look extremely unhealthy. Their skin is pale, their hair dark and
messy, and they have vacant stares that recall Sid Vicious
and Johnny Thunders. These guys are more than a mere
image band, however. They can really play. On Alive Without
Control the band slams out thirteen hard rockers that are
forceful and intense. The guitars are loud as holy hell and the vocals
are pumped full of snotty attitude. This is a good album for folks
who simply wanna turn up the volume and rock out. There is one problem
however...some of the arena rock/overdone layered backup vocals detract
from many of the tunes. A simpler vocal approach would do wonders
for this band. Good loud rock, pure and simple. (Rating: 4+++)
Rock 'n' Roll isn't just a primal form of aggressive musical expression;
it's a distinct, insanely depraved way of life from cradle to grave.
And The Black Halos seem to be living it to the absolute fullest! Alive Without Control is the Vancouver quintet's
third full-length offering and their first since reforming after an
unfortunate band implosion in 2002. Not very many bands could successfully
regroup with such renewed vigor and then furiously unleash their strongest,
most enduring recorded effort yet. As produced by Jack Endino,
Alive Without Control is a trashy, boozed-up strut
through the seedy underbelly of Rock 'n' Roll with a dash of Glam
and a fistful of Punk thrown in for extra sleaze-ridden effect.
Indeed, The Black Halos have torn a page out of the
book of New York Dolls, Dead Boys, Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers,
and D-Generation, doused it
in lighter fluid, and set it afire with the utmost of snarling passion.
Since the fierce and thundering magnificence of Rock 'n' Roll has
obviously arrived via The Black Halos, I'm left wondering
who's gonna supply the sex and the drugs. (CD)
-Roger Moser
ThreeOhSix
When the Halos unleashed The Violent Years
in 2001, it almost served as an answered prayer within a musical landscape
which had disowned the glammed-up punk rock n’ roll that Billy Hopeless
and his cohorts had cut their teeth on. Now that Rock is currently
undergoing a "resurgence" which, to be honest, has nothing
more to offer than boring and derivative Stooges
wannabes, we should feel blessed to have the Halos reassembled and
eager to give the entire music industry a swift and well deserved
kick in the teeth.
Truth be told, the ardent fan might have been willing to forgive the
Vancouver quintet in the event of a less than stellar comeback album
- what with the original line-up having pulled a Hard Core
Logo in late 2001 and the fact that The Violent Years
still stands among the best punk rock albums ever released by anyone.
Luckily, Hopeless and the Halos
have utilized the unfortunate substantiation of their claim that they
have always been fucked from the start to craft another album of concrete
evidence that the spirit of punk rock still lives on.
Sure, Alive Without Control may not be as instantly
catchy as their two previous albums (it needs about three listens)
but, whereas the self-titled was propelled by the romanticism of the
sick boy lifestyle and The Violent Years by a loving
infatuation with eras past, this new 13 track collection finds its
fuel in equal parts cynical rage ("Studio Suffering",
"Last Call At The Toothless Saloon") and jubilation
("Darkest Corners", "Alive Without Control").
Past traditions are also faithfully honoured: The mid-tempo account
of the perils of hardship ("Mirrorman"),
the obligatory cover song (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’
"I Need To Know"), and the sure-to-have-you-pumping-your-fists-into-the-air-of-a-sparsely-populated-barroom
chants ("Three Sheets To The Wind", "Third
World U.S.A.") are all present, accounted for, and guaranteed
to leave you baffled as to how the Halos have so long remained Canada’s
best kept secret.
There are scarcely few bands with half the heart or a fraction of
the raw talent of The Black Halos. Alive Without Control
stands shoulder to shoulder with their entire back catalogue - which,
of course, means it stands to prove to be the best rock album you’ll
be able to find this year and should prove to be regarded as a classic
in years to come. Anyone who boasts an affinity for pure punk rock
should either pick this album up or give up the charade.
If worn-in leather pants, messed up teased hair and smudgy black
eyeliner made a sound of their own, it would definitely be something
akin to the noise emitted by the Black Halos.
The Vancouver band is back with new members after imploding in 2002.
These are the first recordings since that time - and their dirty,
wild-style of glam-punk rock 'n' roll is sounding better than ever.
It also fits perfectly into the current rock 'n' roll landscape. You'll
find no part time, trend-hopping rockers here - combining the Hanoi
Rocks/Dogs D'Amour style '80s, the Cleveland/Detroit/NYC
punk rock of the '70s, and the west-coast grunge sound of the '90s,
these guys are into all the best tunes and profess to live the decadent
life 24 hours a day!
Trashy, junkie-physiqued boys sing almost pretty gang backups contrasting
the Lemmy-meets-David Johansen hoarseness of Billy
Hopeless's vocals.
Thirteen good tracks make up the record, including a Tom Petty
cover to cap things off.
HorrorwoodBabbleOn
Dyed black hair, leather pants and REAL, un-corporate punky rock and
roll. The Black Halos must have a new release!! More
Thunders and Bators worship and
a fucking ripping version of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers'
song "I Need Know" (it never sounded so DAMAGED
before).
Yeah, I'm already a big fan. 2002's release The Violent Years
had me from the get go. All the broken heroes you could name wrapped
up into one Billy Hopeless leads his Canadian hit
squad into rock WAR baby!! These songs are about being in pain but
really not giving a fuck. Not like these sobby goth MTV rockers that
are sniveling about how bad it is!!! SUCK IT UP BITCH!!! It takes
PAIN to be a rock and roll man. Hell yeah! If it was as easy as that
every pussy would have a band and tour in a sweaty van all over the
freakin' planet and pour their hearts out on top of broken glass for
eleven people on a Tuesday evening!! Your fuckin right it's hard.
But goddamn it, life don't get any better!! When you don't have to
suck corporate cock and can play exactly what you want to, play something
with some real heart to it. In the case of BH it is some of the finest
flamethrower rock going today.
From the opening songs "Three Sheets To The Wind"
and "Last Call At The Toothless Saloon"
right through the closers "Unchanged" and
the above mentioned "I Need To Know" every song a winner
and every chord a punch in the face to mundane complacency. So take
one on the chin for some real rock and roll and catch these guys live.
I tried! Drove all the way to Iowa from the Twin Cities only to find
out that Billy has some spinal infection and is layed out in the hospital
for awhile (must be from rolling around on that broken glass) but
believe me you can't keep a good man down or a good dog off your leg...
or something like that.
All
Music Guide
Vancouver's dirty white boys, the Black Halos, return
after a four-year recording sabbatical with a reconstructed lineup
(that now counts guitarist Adam Becvare and bassist
Denyss McKnight) and what is arguably their strongest
record, Alive Without Control. Although they've eased off of the punk
influences a bit in favor of glam, frontman Billy Hopeless
still gets paid to bow at the altar of the Dead Boys' Stiv
Bators and Johnny Thunders. Worshipers of aggressive rock
& roll will relish in Alive Without Control.
The production of Jack Endino is as constant as it
is scuzzy on nicotine-stained juggernauts like "Last
Call at the Toothless Saloon" and "Broken."
The latter is one of several tunes that enforce Hopeless' aforementioned
influences, and if the Halos show poor judgment in covers, mauling
Tom Petty's "I Need to Know," the band
does succeed when it changes gears, making the heartfelt ballad "Mirrorman"
a pleasant diversion among the sneering chaos.
-by John D. Luerssen, ALL
MUSIC GUIDE
HardrockHaven Comments: Punk rockers through and through, Vancouver’s
The Black Halos are as sick as they look but can
write and perform a solid punk song with the best of them. Their newest
release Alive without Control, is a solid effort.
The music is written well and the guitars are louder and heavier than
most bands in the genre. They are also very well played and a little
more complex than just the ordinary basic old school style punk guitar
chords.
Several of the first few songs may remind you of the Ramones’
genius of more than 20 years ago, a very good sign. Self-described
live fast/die young lyrics are solid throughout, but the guitar work
of Becvare and Millette is unreal
and steals the show. With that kind of talent, these boys could play
virtually any genre they wanted to. These assholes really know how
to rip and shred a solo or two or three, well you get the picture.
The vocals of Billy Hopeless are as good as punk
has heard in ages, especially on “Studio Suffering”
and “Three Sheets to the Wind.” “Tight”
is the best song on the album, as it has it all heavy guitars great
vocals and more starts and stops then the subway at rush hour. The
songwriting is great, all the speedy punk rock riffing is supported
by great drum work of Rob Zgaljic and excellently
spewed vocals, even throw in top flight bass guitar from Dennis
McKnight and you have a really a complete package.
This cd is a huge breath of fresh air. If you are looking for something
different than the usual American Idol bullshit or
pop drivel found on the radio or TV, buy this cd, which is bereft
of any pretension and just rocks and rocks and rocks! You just push
play and the rotten bastards do all the work for you. In five minutes,
you’ll tear down any broad’s panties to give her, the hard English
Ass Spanking she so heartedly deserves. Great fucking record Black
Halos, great record.
Vancouver
Province 7/12/05 The Halos didn't destroy themselves, after all. Most
bands patterned after Dead Boys, Stooges or the Dolls
do, but the Black Halos have resurfaced and are stronger
for enduring. The reconstituted band has absorbed the influences that
were so obvious at the start and were probably a distraction. Now,
there is an energetic, bracing punk and glam-inspired attack that
is holistic rather than derivative. The group thunders along recklessly,
aptly living up to the album's title and suggesting the underlying
theme of survival. ........B
AMAZON
!!! NICELY EXECUTED, DESPITE LINEUP CHANGE !!!, July 7, 2005 THE BLACK HALOS CONTINUE THEIR LEGACY WITHOUT RICH
JONES, AND LET ME SAY, YOU CANT TELL THE DIFFERENCE. THEIR
NEW CD, ALIVE WITHOUT CONTROL IS WORTH THE PRICE
JUST FOR THE CASE IT COMES IN, CONTAING A BONUS LABEL SAMPLER, STICKER,
AND NICE LAYOUT. THE ALBUM ITSELF IS NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING! ALMOST
EVERY SONG IS CLASSIC HALOS, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A TWIST. THE BEST
SONGS ON THE ALBUM, DARKEST CORNERS, STUDIO SUFFERING, TIGHT,
BROKEN, AND BURNING TRASH. IF YOUR A FAN OF OLD SCHOOL PUNK
ROCK, THIS CD IS FOR YOU. FANS ON DEAD BOYS, AND
RAMONES WILL REVEL IN THIS CDS BEAUTY. AN INSTANT
CLASSIC! (ANYONE WHO LIKES THIS BAND AND HASNT SEEN THEM LIVE, TRUST
ME, YOU SHOULD!)
Abrasive
Rock
Right away this band reminded me of a cross between something like
L.A. Guns, Amen, Faster Pussycat, and a local punk
band called Jackmove. For those of you that have only heard about
half of those bands, The Black Halos have a sound
that mixes the rock and roll decadence of some of the more fun obsessed
80's glam bands and the attitude of some of the more rock and roll
party style punk rock. So if you always thought that glam would have
been better if it had a rotten attitude and drank its whiskey straight
from the bottle, then this band is for you. The vocalist sounds about
as pretty as Lemmy's wart on a good day and the hooks
will make you want to sing along (if you could understand the words).
The one drawback the band has is that the singer sounds like he has
a marble in his mouth. Just enough of the words come through so that
the hook works, but not enough so that you can sing along. A few enunciation
classes with a vocal coach would do wonders for this band. There is
tons of talent here and I would love to see what would happen if people
could understand the guy. The production here is everything it should
be. Not too over glossed, but all the instruments can be heard clearly.
The song writing skills are top notch for this style. This band blows
away all the "The" bands that rock radio are raving about.
The Hives, The Vines, The Strokes, The Killers, and
all the rest of them better watch out...here comes The Black Halos!
This band will appeal to many different fan bases. As much as 'cross
promoting' pisses me off, this is a band that it would truly work
on. If you liked the 80's glam thing, this band is
for you. If you liked the Clash and The Sex
Pistols, this band is for you. If you like The Hives,
The Vines, The Strokes, and The Killers, this band is for
you. Hell, you might even like this band if you are into Motorhead.
I guess the band has been around for awhile and has two other albums
out, so I might check those out as well.
I thought they'd be another 40-something glam rock band from LA that
wears too much eyeliner, but it turns out they're a 40-something glam
rock band from LA that wears too much eyeliner AND play surprisingly
fast and fun catchy-as-fuck singalong punk rock with vocals reminiscent
of Dee Dee Ramone. This is a super-strong punk n' roll album with
background whoa-oh-oh's and vocal lines as memorable as any Johnny
Thunders song. They're also glammy and gritty without the sleazy strut,
which is a rare feat. Any fan of '77 punk rock, which should be anyone
into punk rock, should check this out. Definitely one of the better
straight-up punk albums to come out in a long, long while.
Ion
Magazine
Our boys in black are back, and not four years between albums, two
new members entering the fold, or a back injury sustained by leader
Billy Hopeless in the line of duty, can stop the juggernaut from firing
on all cylinders. It seems the time away has only strengthened the
group, making them leaner and meaner than ever before. "Three
Sheets to the Wind" kickstarts the whole mess with guitars a-blazin'
in the hands of Jay Millette and Adam Becvare as they confidently
hoist their middle fingers to everyone and everything that stands
in the way of good times. Ignoring "Last Call at the Toothless
Saloon" by responding with a call to arms gang vocal chorus,
the group barrels out the swinging doors to face the uncertainty of
the night ahead to the tune of some honky-tonk piano while still feeling
"Alive Without Control". Not without a reflective moment
or three, the band ponders the ill effects of excess on "Mirrorman,"
what the camera can or can't hide from the eyes of it's watchers in
"Studio Suffering", and how the weight of the world's problems
shouldn't fall on one man's shoulders as sung in "Third World
USA", all featuring Billy's acerbic, yet brutally honest vocal
delivery. Shakin' themselves loose of heavy baggage like that is what
they need from "Tight", a barely over two minute blast of
fun locked down with a cool bass groove courtesy of Denyss Mcknight,
and drummer Rob Zgaljic's solid as the rock of friggin' Gibralter
stick work get's kudos all around and keeps things in control, just
when you think they're headed for disaster. Things end with a cover
of Tom Petty's "I Need to Know" that sounds more like Guns
N' Roses than Stones N' Bryds, and with that The Halos have firmly
planets the boot to the face of the non-believers and the choice is
up to you: get hip or get lost! 5/5
-Bryce Dunn, ION MAGAZINE
NY
Waste
“Alive Without Control” is the latest from THE
BLACK HALOS. Throaty pipes and a lust for life, smash rock
that delivers – great tunes, no bullshit. Order up a fresh round of
drinks no one’s going home tonight.
-http://nywaste.com/nyw_main/music/StarrTucker/SUMMER05.html
EctoMag
There is nothing hotter than having a bunch of hot tattooed guys in
eyeliner and tight pants licking you all over. That’s exactly what
it feels like when you’re listening to The Black Halos Alive Without
Control. Trashy decadent rock and roll inspired by Johnny Thunders
and reminiscent of the New York Dolls or The Dead Boys seeps into
you with their live fast, die young and leave a hot corpse lyrics
and killer guitar riffs. Darkest Corners and Exit Stagefright are
definitely tracks that will get your attention; Alive Without Control
is definitely disc that will get your party going.
CTNOW
News of the Black Halos' demise has been greatly exaggerated. On the
band's first CD since 2001's "The Violent Years," they come
out swinging and deliver another shot of the high-octane, punk-damaged
rock 'n' roll that has made them one of the more exciting underground
bands around.
In fact, it's as if they never left. "Alive Without Control"
positively burns with an exuberant, defy-the-naysayers attitude. On
"Last Call At The Toothless Saloon," singer Billy Hopeless
rasps "Don't count me out/Don't call me history/I'm not dead,
don't bury me." He delivers the lines with the verve of someone
who's still very much alive and vital. But that's not all.
Opening track "Three Sheets To The Wind" makes the band's
intentions very clear: they're hitting the booze tonight, and hitting
it hard. "Mirrorman" offers some barroom introspection a
la Johnny Thunders, and Hopeless takes a good long look at himself
on the punk-rock ballad, which makes for an interesting change of
pace.
Jack Endino's production gives the record a raw, ragged feel. It's
a perfect fit for the band's scrappy three-chord anthems, and the
intentional lack of polish hits you right in the gut, just the way
it should.
AstroPOP!
Your monthly imaginary horoscope told in album reviews! LEO -
Some people have earned their pride—and this is a good month to fan
your flames among all the poseurs, Leo. Some might consider your spirit
hubris, but The Black Halos know you got to walk it like you talk
it, and they do on Alive Without Control. rough trade-produced in
the studio by Mr. Endino (ironically, as they leave Sub Pop). This
is the soundtrack to those nights of doing some business from uptown
to downtown (title track), despite your poverty ("Third World
USA"), and the weak minds of those who oppose your rock and roll
confidence ("Burning Trash.") Some may only see the sleaze
in your Gotham-juiced hellfire club anthems, but there's an underlying
optimism and tenacity to live that will get you through the sweltering
city this summer (e.g., "Last Call at the Toothless Saloon"—this
isn't some band's first firecracker record?).
Finally! New tunes from the should-be-legendary Black Halos! Staying
true to their loud and trashy form of kicking ass via rock 'n' roll,
the Halos are back and better than ever. Is it glam rock? Is it punk?
Is it an excuse to get drunk? The answer is a big YES to all three
of those questions. This album can only be listened to at loud volumes.
Anything less would just be wrong.
The entire album will make the blood of any Halos fan race with excitement.
With Billy Hopeless delivering a vocal performance that continues
to make you wonder if he smokes too much and if there's really something
wrong with this dude (the answer, again, is yes to both), our dearest
Billy leads the band through an album of songs that are made to party
to. Guitars in the tradition of that old punk sound rip through each
and every song, with shots of Jager lingering in the air. The drums
also continue in true Halo style, with Rob pounding the hell out of
his kit, resulting in a sound that seems far too loud, but strangely
shouldn't be any other way. It's perfect.
I was really struck by the song “Mirrorman”, which doesn't sound like
the typical Halo anthem. A slower, epic sound with vocals that are
reminiscent of Leonard Cohen if he were, well, a loveable and crazy
motherfucker like Billy Hopeless. Lyrics take a much more serious
tone, showing a totally different side to the band, fitted with a
guitar lick almost sounding like it's done by Slash. This is the band’s
version of "November Rain", done ala Black Halo. The mood
is quickly brightened up again, followed closely by another rager,
but this one song really hit me. Listening to the album for the first
time, it was the last thing I expected, and an amazing piece of work.
Cheers to the boys for having the balls for that one!
If this is your first experience with the Halos, don’t be afraid.
The band haven't strayed from their sneering sound, and you'll have
more albums to pick up and fall in love with after this one. And any
old fans can safely put this album on without any shock. It's a perfect
Black Halos album, it's full of good times, and I now have an urge
to go and buy some Jager.
NEW YORK WASTE Oct 2005 by Thomas Goze
Five years after the release of their critically acclaimed Violent
Years, Vancouver Glam Punks the Black Halos are finally back and on
tour to promote their third and new album Alive Without Control on
Liquor&Poker/Century Media.
Don't be mistaken, this isn't a come back but a true second birth.
The album was written and recorded shortly after the bands Can/Am
tour last November 2004 with new guitarist Adam Becvare and bassist
Denyss McKnight who joined original Halos front man Billy Hopeless,
drummer Rob Zgaljic, and guitarist Jay Millette.
The band is currently traveling across the USA on the Old Skars and
Upstarts Tour presented by Juice Magazine and skate and punk legend,
Duane Peters.
Just before embarking on this new tour the Black Halos shot a video
in Los Angeles with Shane Drake (Fallout Boy, River City Rebels, Hawthorne
Heights) for the first track on the album ". The video will be
serviced to MTV, FUSE and regional music programs.
A couple of weeks ago, Alive Without Control hit Europe on the People
Like You label and a Euro tour can be expected in early 2006.
As for myself, I was able to catch the Black Halos on their two NYC
nights before they headed up South.
Front man Billy Hopeless was now completely healed from literally
breaking his back on the previous tour. Billy went through a very
tough period in his life and spent a long time in hospital under heavy
medication. But as worried as all his fans were, we all knew that
he'd be back and better than ever.and if you've seen the Halos on
the Old Skars Tour, you already know we were right.
The Black Halos played two wicked shows in the Big Apple and were
beyond awesome.
They tore the joints apart in a pure guerilla-style, like a R'nR time-bomb
thrown in a furnace.
Unbeatable.
Have you ever wondered what makes so many different people, lost
souls, freaks and outcasts find a home in the anonymity of a dark
club? Did you ever ask yourself what was the reason for that guy leaning
against the bar next to you to be there? Where that girl came from?
What was the meaning behind a tattoo?
You'll find an answer to those questions and more in the new Black
Halos album.
With its amazing music and brilliant lyrics, Alive Without Control
could well be the soundtrack to the movie of life.
Rock'n Roll frustration, hope and despair.a craving to exist. to make
it happen.
Reality in its very essence, fire running through your veins. In a
world where everything is make-believe, rarely an album ever reached
such a level of honesty .
It's their life, its my life, and it's yours as well.that's what ties
us all altogether.
AWC is the story of all those nights you could not find sleep, the
times you felt like giving up and when you kept your chin up. It was
made with your tears and your laughter, with the things you wanted
and the ones you got. It's the truth behind the lies you told or were
told, a reason for the unreasonable.
You know what they say, you have to live the blues to play the blues.Punk
is the same, and the Black Halos play it like they live it.
Alive Without Control is to the Black Halos what Young Loud &
Snotty was to the Dead Boys, it features as many classics-to-be as
the New York Dolls first album, and puts to shame any rock/punk album
released in the past 5 years.
Written, recorded and performed live with blood, guts and sweat, the
Black Halos new songs are as real and strong as a heartbeat lost in
humanity's insane roller coaster.
The band succeeds at the tour de force of putting in their music a
little bit of all the bands who influenced them, and yet staying completely
original and new.
Both musically speaking and lyric-wise, the Halos deliver a unique
13 tracks masterpiece produced by a true magician, Jack Endino (Nirvana,
Mudhoney, etc).
If you look back in time, you'll realize that every decade -or couple
of decades- a band shows up and saves rock'n roll by redefining it,
and influencing everyone that comes after.
I strongly believe that the Black Halos is THAT band.
So when everybody finally says it. just remember that you read it
here first.
The world needed a wake up call, and the Black Halos are phoning it
in.
With Alive Without Control, it's a brand new page of Rock'n Roll history
that has just been written.
ALIVE
WITHOUT CONTROL -THE REVIEWS
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