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BUZZ/REVIEWS:
| BUZZ NOTES: * Produced debut album w/ Tadpole at Johnny K's Groovemaster Studios (Disturbed/Soil/Mushroomhead/Drowning Pool/Finger Eleven) * Extensive touring to support current cd release: "Come To Life" * AML has been featured on the nationally syndicated radio show HARD DRIVE w/ Lou Brutus * Consistent spins on 94.7 Zone (Chicago), Q101 (Chicago), WRBR "The Bear" (Indiana), and X103 (Indianapolis) |
| REVIEWS: "IF BOURBON WAS MUSIC, THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD SOUND LIKE. NO BULLSHIT, STRAIGHT UP ROCK....SOME OF THE BEST CHICAGO HAS TO OFFER." -James VanOsdol, Music Director, 94.7 Zone Chicago |
| “DIMENSIONS AND DYNAMICS SMOLDERING SLEDGEHAMMER HEAVINESS” -Music Connection Magazine |
| “...A DASH OF LYNYRD SKYNYRD WITH ABOUT A HALF A POUND OF ALICE IN CHAINS SIMMERED SLOWLY OVER VINTAGE BLACK SABBATH.” -Ernie Thomas, Music Journalist |
| “A STRAIGHT FORWARD AMERICAN ROCK BAND THAT BRINGS THE SHIT! THE NAMES SAYS IT ALL!" -Chris Payne, Local Music Director, Q101 Chicago |
| "You're missing out if you
don't own this CD. The band has an awesome sound, great vocals and
incredible instrumentals. Very talented group! Won't be long before
they make it big. I'm shocked they haven't already." -Donnell Shoffner - USA |
| "These guys are the next big thing. If you've not heard them yet, you don't know what you are missing." -Joe Schulz - USA |
| "Great - hard 'n' heavy,
yet melodic CD with excellent vocals. Very good production. Highly
recommended. If given the exposure, this band should be huge." -Baz - England |
| "These guys are old-school
to the hilt. I think the best way to describe them is that they've got
a certain swagger about them that seems very emblematic of the American
bands that followed in the wake of Led Zeppelin. A little KISS, a
little AC/DC, maybe even a bit of earlier solo Sammy Hagar, if you can
believe it. And they even have a superfluous keyboardist, making the
late 70's tag fit even more. That said, they've definitely tapped into
a current of people who long for that sound, not exactly classic rock
fans, but just, again, "old-school" rock fans. On some level, you could
draw lines to more recent bands like Soundgarden, but I think the more
accurate way to look at it is that American Motherload is influenced by
the same kinds of bands that influenced Soundgarden and the like." -Quote From notabbott.com |
| "Some want big choruses,
others want strong melodies and then there’s the group of people that
want non compromising dynamite hard rock where the chorus isn’t such an
important part of the song-it’s the riffs and the power of the
performance that matters. Thank God for bands like American Motherload
from Chicago who don’t give a shit about numetal, hardcore or emo (even
if I like many of those modern sounding bands) -there’s nothing like a
good old classic guitar riff with lots of vibes of the 70´s!
Dropbox made an impressive debut this year and this quintet American
Motherload doesn’t have to be ashamed of anything, their amplifiers are
burning and the drums echo all the way to Jericho. Singer Ben Loop has
voice similar to John Corabi and Paul Shortino, it was raised on
whiskey and cigars.....well probably not but it sounds that way, he
could easily scare away most people in a dark alley with his powerful
voice." -Kaj - Melodic.net |
| "It's a mistake NOT to own this album......" "American Motherload combines power, aggression, taste, and everything else that is GOOD QUALITY AMERICAN ROCK MUSIC. Cunning lyrics, heavy sound, and catchy hooks make this an album to have NOW. Pick it up now. Beat the rush!! Be able to say you had the album before the band hit the mainstream and before the "bandwagon" folks jumped in. You will not be disappointed...." -James Cole - Florida |
| "You say you like your
rock modern and heavy, but do not dig the army of Korn wannabes that
have been flooding the market? Then buy, borrow or steal "Come To
Life," because this album ROCKS! The band's sound falls comfortably
between that of Black Sabbath and Soundgarden. It's a balance of old
school and new school flavored by both crunchy blues and grunge
overtones. Ben Loop with his raspy tones and slight snarl is the
perfect singer for this groove-laden bunch. Personal favorites here are
original rockers "Mud to Dust" and "Suckerpunch," along with their
stripped-down and rocked-up cover of the 1976 Cliff Richard pop hit,
"Devil Woman." But their acoustic number, "Holy One," also is a
standout! A winning collection from start to finish that is finding
favor with radio folks across the nation." -Tom Lounges - Midwst Beat Magazine Indiana |
| "A great example of the
twenty-first century's amalgamated metal sound that seamlessly crosses
everything from Black Sabbath to modern stoner rock and even the (few)
good parts of nu-metal, this five-piece's "Come to Life" reveals an
extremely polished band. Loaded with heavy tracks infused with the
bounce of a radio-friendly single, American Motherload made a record
that's not nearly violent enough for the "extreme crowd," but still too
loud and straightforward for most. In other words, it's just a touch to
the side of the mainstream, exactly where a bulk of the record-buying
public likes it. Vocalist Ben Loop possesses a voice for the ages, a
little scratchy, bursting with energy and able to carry an arching note
or burst with a furious scream. AML is an absolute aberration from the
music normally produced by the cultish Chicago music scene, but that's
not a bad thing." -Dave Chamberlain - Newcity Chicago |
| "American Motherload is a
Chicago based five piece groovy Hard Rockin' band ready to break every
single bone in your body. These guys absolutely give a damn about all
the nowadays modern trends (I agree with that!) and want to bring their
own hard hitting, in your face form of Rock. AML has been walking
several stages of many venues in Chicago since 1999. It must be a hell
of a wild experience standing in the front row while these rockers hit
the stage. The man behind the mic, Ben Loop, has a powerful; very
original and unique voice capable of doing the most excellent things
with such a throat. Besides singing, Ben also shows he can handle an
acoustic guitar like a real pro. Ray Rokicki is the man that brings all
the other guitar works with talents and awesome skills in the vein of
Zakk Wylde. Ray is armed with an electric axe that makes the floor
start to rumble while hitting the strings. Next musician Aaron Esquitin
pounds hard, I mean real hard, and is driven by the extreme forces of
hell. Geoff Jania plays bass guitar and he can arrange an earthquake
with his tool for sure. Last but surely not least Gary Kessler is in
charge of all the incredible keyboard parts. Well, as I told you before
American Motherload means quality Hard Rock and Rollin' music with a
late seventies / early eighties vibe and some stoner influences.
Totally old school inspired, and that's my favorite cup of tea you
know. Piece by piece great musicians make "Come To Life" nothing but a
very impressive album made up of 14 brilliant US styled Rock songs with
anthems like "Suckerpunch", "Holy One" and "Sometimes Blind". The album
has wonderful production and a very good mix due to the great works
delivered by Tadpole, of Johnny K’s Groovemaster Studios (Machine Head,
Disturbed, Soil). 70s / 80s / Stoner / Hard Rockin' - iron horse road
racers or maniacs with the heart in the right place, this is what ya'll
are looking for. Buying is the only way out, no excuses allowed. Guitar
fueled red hot boiling American Hard Rock with style!" -Stefan Sileghem - Metal To Infinity UK |
| "If you are like me, and
have been spending the last couple of years desperately searching for
the next powerfully visceral rock album, then you need not look further
than American Motherload's "Come To Life". It is the perfect CD to rock
out to during the morning commute, on your way to a concert, or even
during passionate love-making. Rarely do I get excited about
up-and-coming bands, but this one lives up to the excitement, the hype,
the buzz about them, and then some! With this album under their belts,
Chicago’s hardest working band could catapult to the top at any given
moment. The release, from budding Indiana-based Zant Records, is impressive as a virgin full-length production effort for the band. This collection delivers a hit with each track, starting off with their signature in-your-face anthem “Sucker Punch”. If the bold sonic assault of this song does not get your attention, nothing will. "Mud to Dust" growls with the frustrations we've all felt as we're pummeled with the repetitive annoyances of relationships and life in general, constantly being questioned and restricted. Radio-ready "Holy One" is both lovely and haunting in its message about losing someone to suicide. Lines like "pieces of you still stain the wall" and "a life that is over is a life that's begun” are perfectly contradictory (as suicide itself is) in their beautiful remembrance, yet obviously disturbing violence. I can't help but empathize with the self-inflicted desperation of "Drown". The flowing, progressive melody of this song also lends itself to singing along at the top of your lungs. "Come To Life" is the perfect song to also reflect the title of this debut album. It is a statement about being steadfast and strong in who they are, and making no apologies for the bold stand they take as humans and as a band. AML breathes new life into and offers a much harder edge to Cliff Richard's pop rock/disco sounding "Devil Woman". The soulful guitar sound of "Home" make it the perfect steamy love-making song, as it offers hope and shelter at the end of a troubled journey. Each song is uniquely passionate and can easily stand alone, yet they all fit nicely together as a collection of hard rock anthems. While American Motherload is a guitar-driven quartet, each instrument is given an opportunity to leave its mark on the album. The guitars riffs are both solid and explosive yet provide a new, fresher twist compared to other current rock groups. The bass drives deeply into one’s subconscious and kind of makes you want to grind your hips a little deeper and sexier to their songs. I only wish that dirty bass sound was a little more prevalent in a few songs where it is drowned out by the big guitar sound. The drum beats are not overly complicated--but in a good way, inviting listeners to bob their heads or shake a fist along to each song. The keyboards are generally subtle. They add layers of intricacy, nuance, and mood to each song, like no other instrument can. The inclusion of a live keyboardist sets AML apart from the more typical four-piece rock bands and bands that hide the fact that they use recorded synthesizer tracks in place of a real musician. It would be a treat to see AML offer a song or two where the keys are more predominant and have a chance to shine in the spotlight for a few moments. On this album, "Devil Woman" is the best example of bass and keys carrying the song, with guitar providing the tonal accents. And of course the raw powerhouse vocals, signature to AML, deliver the cathartic message of each song with a punch. As a Critic trained to scrutinize visual arts, I of course paid close attention to the cover design and packaging as well. Part of American Motherload's appeal is their all-American, iconic, good-time rock sensibility. Their logo, a flashy take on the American flag, carries out this idea and is cleverly painted on the CD itself. As a fan of alchemy and Leonard da Vinci, I found the interior art and photography especially fascinating. I won't try to get deeply philosophical about what "coming to life" may mean and how that translates in the front cover art. But the screaming face perhaps in pain or agony or ecstasy, clearly implies that this experiment will not be silenced. The dramatically lit, yet light-hearted outtake of the band mates on the credits page is much more captivating than most of the stale "I'm too serious to smile" publicity photos bands typically offer. Kudos to whomever made this photo edit! “Come To Life” offers a medley of palatable rock tunes all music fans can appreciate. They have the melodic appeal rock chicks desire, and the gritty attitude metal heads admire. The lyrics perfectly reflect feelings we’ve all experienced—rage, lust, deceit, anger, betrayal, regret, greed, love lost--with a huge arena-rock style sound. American Motherlaod is no secret to the Midwest’s rock scene. Their momentum and fan base keeps swelling as a result of each electrifying show they play. Their CD is the next logical step in sharing their music with a larger audience. Most bands shine as either live performers or recorded artists, but rarely is a rock band able to execute the challenges of both, delivering quality entertainment with the energy, musicianship, and solidarity these guys bring to both efforts. Whether you choose to see them live or give their CD a spin, you will be in for a hard rock treat!" -Brigette Sullivan - Strawberry Star Productions, Chicago |
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