Customer Reviews

Slave to the System

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Dear Slave to the System,

Thank you for creating an album worth listening to! I have grown SO tired of the mindless, dull, and boring "new rock" sound that the past decade has produced.

Finally, a band enters the scene with nothing to lose and they have won, musically. In their self-titled debut, Slave to the System has produced an album worthy of industry award recognition. From the opening riff of Stigmata to the ghostly melody of Walk the Line, Slave to the System has found a sound that is both unique and modern. They have harnessed a multitude of styles and talents and blended them into something original this reviewer has not heard in years.

Damon Johnson is the quintessential rock n' roll frontman and he shares the microphone with stage counterpart, Kelly Gray, who wails a mean (and by mean, I mean great) voice on Cruise Out of Control and Ragdoll. This album is like a playground for lovers of great rock n' roll.

Slave to the System's debut album has left this reviewer wanting more. I hear a follow up album is already near completion...and I can't wait to pick it up!

received this disc by mistake. Knowing i'm a Queensryche fan my son oredered this off of their website a few x-mas's ago.I listened to two songs, realized it was not Queensryche and popped it back out dissappointed.About two weeks later i put it in my car stereo and it stayed there for weeks the more i listened to it the better it got. A great album, period! Great vocals great guitars, great rythym, and most of all a great variety of songs as opposed to all sounding alike.This is the first time i've found it on sale,if you have just discovered this to, buy it, it rocks!

First of all'The Moaner' is just plain crazy!!! (They obviously do not know a good thing when they hear it!!!) This cd (which has actually been out since 2001 independently) is one of the BEST releases in Rock for 2006! STRAIGHT FORWARD ROCK AND ROLL!! Damon Johnson (Brother Cane) is just phenomenal in what he does with the guitar and his vocals are amazing! Besides being one of the best producers out there, Kelly Gray likewise, is also great on guitar. Add Queensryche's Scott Rockenfield doing what he does best on the drums and Brother Cane's/Jackyl Roman Glick on bass and you have SLAVE TO THE SYSTEM!!! This is by far one of my favorite cds to listen to! Oh yeah! If you havn't caugh this band live...you're totally missing out. Their performance LIVE is one you will not forget anytime soon...so catch them on tour this summer. Besides being the highlight of my year, Slave to the System is definately one band that I hope to see around for a long time!!! AAA++++

...and what Damon does is record good stuff. If you are familiar with Brother Cane, this disc will come as no surprise. If you are not familiar with Brother Cane and you like this disc, then I HIGHLY recommend you check them out (especially Wishpool and Seeds).

Regarding this disc, it's excellent. If you like good rock, look no further.

Worth buying for: Abyss, Walk the Line, Ruby Wednesday, Will you be there
Icing on the cake: Stigmata, Slave to the System, Ragdoll, Leaves, Cruze Out of Control, Live this Life
Could have done without: Disinfected

Or should I say "Sleeper SuperGroup"! These guys deliver the goods! You have the driving force behind Brother Cane (vocals & guitar) Damon Johnson and on bass Roman Glick. The drums from Queensryche Scott Rockenfield. A famous producer who also plays some guitar/vocals Kelly Gray. Put it together and you have a true SUPERGROUP. This is good from begining to end. It's got a heavy 70's feel (Zepplin, Skynyrd) with some 80's guitar punch, some 90's Metal/Grundge drive (Soundgarden, Guns n Roses) and still sounding fresh with 2k bands (Velvet Revolver, Audioslave, Nickelback). If you liked Brother Cane just infuse some metal punch to it and you have "Slave to the System. If that sounds good don't pass this up!

First, a few corrections for the previous reviewer. The original album was released independently by the band itself, not on Virgin/EMI. YES, these guys are all extremely talented, and they have already written and recorded new material for the next album. Spitfire Records recently signed STTS to a deal and had the album properly mastered, thus the re-release. Why limit the collection of songs here to a very small demographic when Spitfire Records can properly promote the release and make it available worldwide? A second album is already in the works. How about rating the album fairly on what you hear, not on the red tape of the music industry? Thanks.

That said, I found the album to be very listenable and intense. I've been familiar with Damon Johnson's songwriting, singing, and performing for years (we played in the same clubs way back), and have always been a fan. He never disappoints. The rest of the band is tight, very adept, and the differences in influences and styles meshes very well. An extra big round of appluse to Kelly Gray as well, who recorded and mixed the album. His outstanding production techniques often go unrecognized. All I can say is if you're a fan of great songs and hard rock with metal overtones, then get this album! You won't be disappointed.

I've never heard (or heard of) either of the bands that contribute members to STTS, but I figured I'd give this CD a try. This is one of those stories about a mystical used Cd shop, and grabbing the album by complete chance.

With a name like Slave to the System, I figured I couldn't go wrong. So when I saw the CD sitting there at a tiny used cd store by the seaside(it was in Gloucester), I decided to mooch of my mom and get her to pay for it. She broke, and spent six dollars on it. I was so happy!

When I got home, I immediately opened it and...well, the case broke. But after that, I put it in my Cd player, and started to listen to Stigmata...

I was blown away. I usually don't even like this kind of heavy rock Audioslave-meets-Institute sort of thing, that doesn't have any screaming or anything. But Slave to the System is just so good at what they do, they didn't need to scream.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable, pure rock-out Cd that is just as good for fans of the old bands (Queensryche and Brother Cane) as it is for new fans like myself. Go out and get it!

Just purchased the album and it is amazing! My favorite song is "Will You Be There." While the more upbeat songs seem to be receiving the greatest industry attention, in my opinion "Will You Be There" is Slave to the System's sleeper hit. I single this song out only to give it the individual props it deserves. However, the entire album is equally consistent and every song, start to finish, is fantastic.

Slave to the System's self-titled debut album has made this reviewer a fan for life and I look forward to the next release.

This album is the kind that gets better and better the more you listen to it. Don't get me wrong, it was great on the first spin. But the more you listen, the more depth you realize is there. Slave to the System's self-titled debut has more layers and intricacies to explore than most bands these days. Perhaps it is a testament to their pure professionalism that excels this album past the clutter of everyday music. I honestly cannot pick a favorite song on this album because they all have their place.

Although some metalheads might complain that there are too many slower "ballads" on this CD, there is plenty of in-your-face rock to balance each listener's needs. The beauty of this album is its mass appeal, which shouldn't be confused with selling out. Every song on this album is fantastic. Don't be surprised if this becomes your favorite album in your collection. It has quickly become mine.

When I first heard about the joining of forces of members of Brother Cane and Queensryche, I was skeptical. Don't get me wrong, I am a longtime fan of both groups for the originality each of them possesses. But I couldn't help but wonder what kind of sound they would produce. Let me assure you, it is refreshing, modern, and truly music to my ears.

Damon Johnson's vocals on this album will absolutely blow you away, as will the hard hitting drums of Scott Rockenfield. From the opening guitar riff of Stigmata to the final moments of Walk the Line, Slave to the System will grab you by your manhood and won't let go until you have taken a musical journey through an original sound expedition you don't often hear in new music anymore. This is THE best album I have heard in years! I highly recommend it.