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Dragpipe - Music For The Last Day Of Your Life

© Marianne Moro

Just when you thought the nu-metal craze was drawing to a close, when anything remotely resembling this overly saturated format was over, witness the new release by Interscope band Dragpipe. Music For The Last Day of Your Life might seem like yet another entry in the nu-metal sweepstakes upon a cursory listen, However, further inspection exposes it as an unabashed rock CD even older metal fans can appreciate. This New Jersey based band counts Jason Newsted and Twiggy Ramirez among its music biz friends. Motley Crue impresario Doc McGhee's company manages them. So why all the attention from big-wigs and a postive blurb in the Wall Street Journal?

Singer Jai Diablo's vocals tip the balance in favor of a fresh approach. Just when you think it's going to be another indecipherable screamfest, Diablo salvages it by not going too far overboard with vocal hysterics. One apt description of Dragpipe's sound (in addition to the band's own moniker "gasoline rock") is "stoner metal." The sound is too frenetic and thrashy to be mere "rock", but has the same stoner vibe. Diablo's off-stage antics include relieving himself in a centerpiece at Interscope's offices. (This bit of PR was culled from an official press release. It's hard to believe there was a time publicists tried to camouflage this type of frolic.) The bleak end of the world CD cover photograph, courtesy of and inner booklet photos of barren staircases and drainpipes. All the nu-metals boxes are checkmarked. However, it's evident from the blistering guitar of the first track Puller,that Dragpipe has more in common with undesignated metal brethren like Helmet than the slew of faceless, cookie-cutter nu metal bands big record companies are signing by the busload. Dragpipe are no rap hybrid. No sampling , namby-pamby keyboards or mixmaster within earshot. The band features three guitarists (Ritchie "Slick" Garcia, Gino "Sleevs" Dipinto, and Monty) Rounding out the line-up is the rhythm section of Pete Barrera on drums and Geno on bass. The standout track Simple-Minded is a good head-banging rock, no genre description needed.

Despite these compelling factors, there are a few cliches of the nu-metal genre are interspersed throughout Music For The Last Day of Your Life. Well, the title for one.

Unsigned Bands Of Note

Hailing from San Jose, Ca, Sonic Orange incorporates the straightforward pop-rock of bands like Third Eye Blind and Dishwalla in their self-titled EP.

Website: http://www.sonic-orange.com

Australia's Otherworld has the look and sound of a mid-70s hard rock band, kind of a Druid-rock version of Uriah Heep. Their album Monument To The End of Time is available through their website:

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