By ALYSSA HOLCOMB

When it comes to psychedelic Euro-pop, Denmark-based ensemble The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
infuse hallucinogenic visuals and planetary musicality to create a space-aged sound all their own. Their
latest effort, “Out of Frequency”, is no exception.

Vocalist/co-founder Mette Lindberg, with a pixie blonde stature reminiscent of model Heidi
Klum and The Sounds’ Maja Ivarsson, is acutely energetic in each track. Her spirited singing ranges from
bouncy and upbeat (“Heart Attack”, the first single) to slightly soulful with a jazzy twinge (“Out of
Frequency”). In addition to looking like Ivarsson, her voice punctuates the music with high-energy yells
reminiscent of the other singer’s style, especially on tracks like “Fantasy Friend Forever”. Also, on tracks
like “Ghost in My Head”, Lindberg’s rhythmic accents resemble the attitude and fun of No Doubt’s Gwen
Stefani.

Lindberg’s high-pitched voice is a constant beam of light in each track, emphasized by basic
backbeats and the occasional 70s-themed jazz flute. With six musicians behind her, including two
saxophone players, the songs are tinged with big band flavor. Particularly on “Cloak and Dagger”,
the horns and Iversen’s sultry sliding bass line resemble a mixture of 1960s cheekiness and the
contemporary catchiness of bands like MGMT and the aforementioned Sounds. “Suburban Space
Invader”, with its simple yet lively hook and soft gang vocals, seems to resemble the indie music formula
that bands like Foster the People are also making popular.

Another throwback to the “retro” music age, the album is peppered with brief interludes,
ranging in styles but remaining consistent with the record’s overall spacey theme. For example, “Arrival
of the Empress Prelude” consists of sliding keys that could be right off of the Space Mountain ride at
Disney World with the men of the band overlaying with melodic humming. These transitions are more
like a connecting feature of the songs themselves rather than separate musical entities.

This sophomore effort is coming three years after the release of their debut, Fruit, in 2009. The
album was produced and released on the group’s own record label, Small Giants. After the initial
release, the band gained notoriety from a variety of mainstream mediums. This included tracks featured
on popular programs including “Gossip Girl” and “CSI: Miami”, as well as in documentaries like “The
September Issue”. Most notably, their song “Around the Bend” was used for an Apple iPod Touch
advertisement, and “The Golden Age” is currently the backing track of a Heineken commercial.

Currently touring the US northeast, AGT is poised to transmit their futuristic throwbacks to
eager crowds old and new.

BY ALYSSA HOLCOMB

From beginning to end, the guttural screams and thrashing guitars on Lamb of God’s latest
release, “Resolution”, mark familiar territory for the hardcore metal act. Starting with “Straight for the
Sun”, it is piercing from the get-go, with a cacophony of low-octave yells and cymbals crashing at the
speed of light. Just about every track after is exploding with the hard-hitting, red-blooded energy that
makes this metal outfit so consistent.

Tracks like “The Undertow” show both the intensity of the band and their musicality. Drummer
Chris Adler, well known in the metal community for his skills, is relentless on the kit. Guitarists Willie
Adler and Mark Morton differentiate between crashing riffs and simple yet speedy solos. Some tracks,
like “The Number Six”, have semblances of more musical choruses, vocalist Randy Blythe accenting his
vicious vocals with simple melodies and the occasional spoken omen.

Other songs like “Barbarosa” start off slow, the occasional pick of an acoustic guitar highlighted
with electric slides, serving as a kind of interlude, promising a prolonged musical punch in tracks to
come. Following suit, “Invictus” is another example of completely maniacal playing mixed with fighting
words and gut-wrenching screams.

The record closes with the eerily epic “King Me”, full of the doom and gloom only fit for metal.
The entire album is fourteen tracks of hard-hitting , pure thrash. It is yet another representation of what
Lamb of God is known for the most – the heaviest sounds they can play mixed with catastrophic cries of
anarchy.