Although they may mix elements of hip-hop and alternative rock into their repertoire, the North Mississippi Allstars are really at their best when they blow out the rust on the kind of Mississippi folk-blues numbers they learned first hand from the likes of R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Othar Turner. The lead track here, a blisteringly ragged version of Charley Patton's "Mississippi Boll Weevil Blues," is a case in point. Stripped down and raw, it thunders along on Cody Dickinson's drums, throwing dynamics to the wind until the end, when it breaks down to just washboard and drums, then rises back up into a furious, marching stomp rhythm, before winding wistfully away on Luther Dickinson's slide guitar work……

Recorded in 1975-76 and initially out on the short-lived Joliet logo (later Alligator picked it up; it's now out on HighTone), this collection wasn't quite the masterpiece that its predecessor was ("Breakin' Up Somebody's Home" and "Part Time Love" were hardly inspired cover choices), the set does have its moments — the uncompromising title track and "Beaumont Blues, " to cite a couple.

At the end of 1997, several members left the band, leaving their ranks decimated. But the remaining members brought in new blood, regrouped, and opened up their musical outlook to start auditioning new material (rather than just covering old standards and obscure items), and 1998 saw the new Roomful of Blues hit the racks and the road…….

Germany is the cradle of a hard core of thrash metal bands. Naturally we instantly think of bands such as Destruction, Tankard and Sodom. In second division bands like Paragon and Torment operate. Torment has been around for 25 years and they celebrate this memorable feat!

We open with 'Tsunami'. A lovely fast sequence and rhythm combination storm out of a short atmospheric introduction. More rhythm is added and I defy anyone to keep their body still. Through all these wonderful syncopations soars an uplifting but also laser sharp melody on the guitar. There are many changes of pace as well as regrouping of the drums and sequences as we go along. Awesome!