RIVETHEAD

There was a time when this sort of electro-industrial-metal sound was quite futuristic. But somewhere between Pantera and Fear Factory this became more of a standard style.

Nonetheless, most folks tend to screw it up. Perhaps a too-heavy reliance on keyboards or drum machines, or maybe a bit too much metallic sludge. The key is to stay nimble even while bringing the pain. Rivethead has it down.

In other words, these songs move with style. The beats are often dance-floor ready, but the guitars and bass blister with appropriate rage. The proportions are exceptional. Rivethead has an instinctive feel that translates into a most engaging album.

Indeed, this ought to appeal to old-school goth and industrial mavens in addition to folks who think that Cowboys from Hell was (by far) the best thing Pantera ever did. Feed the machine, boys.

Contact:
www: http://www.rivetheadonline.com

- A&A

There was a time when this sort of electro-industrial-metal sound was quite futuristic. But somewhere between Pantera and Fear Factory this became more of a standard style.

Nonetheless, most folks tend to screw it up. Perhaps a too-heavy reliance on keyboards or drum machines, or maybe a bit too much metallic sludge. The key is to stay nimble even while bringing the pain. Rivethead has it down.

In other words, these songs move with style. The beats are often dance-floor ready, but the guitars and bass blister with appropriate rage. The proportions are exceptional. Rivethead has an instinctive feel that translates into a most engaging album.

Indeed, this ought to appeal to old-school goth and industrial mavens in addition to folks who think that Cowboys from Hell was (by far) the best thing Pantera ever did. Feed the machine, boys.

Contact:
www: http://www.rivetheadonline.com

- A&A

Please click to see list - Multiple Sources

Dallas’ reigning Industrial Metal band drops their seventh CD this month, and Doomsday is their most devastating assault yet. No matter who you are, you’ve most likely heard Rivethead’s sounds, either at a sporting event, on the radio or XM, or at local rock venues that often spin their melodically pounding covers of Timberlake’s “Sexy Back” and Britney’s “Toxic.” Doomsday is aptly titled as it brings a darker and more dire seriousness to the band’s sound. If Trent Reznor took steroids and got really pissed off, he’s pen this album. From Steve Page’s throat tearing vocals on “Buried Another One” to the creepy District 9-like electronics on “Vampire”, R.H. again proves that the kings of the hill are not ready to step down anytime soon! (MB) - Lit Monthly

Friday night saw metal heads out in force at Deep Ellum’s Curtain Club for local boys RIVETHEAD. The band celebrated the release of their latest album, “Doomsday For Optimism” with a show consisting of friends THE RAZORBLADE DOLLS, THE FUNKY W, and more.

THE FUNKY W is a unique blend of rap, hip-hop and power chord rock that seems like it shouldn’t work but yet does. They had the crowd moshing and head banging and certainly got the evening kicked into high gear. Lead vocalist Charles Treadwell raps so quickly it can be a bit hard to catch the lyrics when played live but that doesn’t really matter. You will move to the beat whether you want to or not.

THE RAZORBLADE DOLLS were next and it was clear they are a local favorite. Metal combined with horror aspects you never know just what you’re going to get with this band visually or how far they’ll take things, but musically you know you’re going to get something amazing. And the band didn’t disappoint this night. Kicking it into high gear they built the momentum for RIVETHEAD’s set and brought in even more people from the streets outside Curtain Club.

RIVETHEAD knows how to do a CD release party and played their new album “Doomsday For Optimism” from start to finish in the same order as the tracks on the CD. With fourteen songs on the album it was a long set but definitely brought the house down. The new album is great and what people have come to expect from RIVETHEAD. Of course the new album alone wasn’t enough and they played a few of the fan favorites – including some of their covers of such songs as “Sexy Back” and “Du Hast”, plus “Difference” off their self titled album “Rivethead”. Not only was the band pumped up about their new album but Curtain Club also honored them by adding them to the band signs hung throughout the venue. RIVETHEAD fans not only were treated to the new CD but also told that the next one was already recorded and would be out in a few short months. There’s no doubt that RIVETHEAD is going strong and has a lot in store for us.

Check out Curtain Club’s website for upcoming shows and visit the bands’ websites for information on how to get their CDs and where they’ll be playing next. Be sure to check out Firebird Images for more photos from the show. - Examiner.com

Rivethead get's it done in a big way. What ever you do, don't miss out on this unique "Power House" of a band. Visit their web site and buy their CDs. http://www.rivetheadonline.com . - www.525PowerTracks.com

If you’re into Static-X – heavy drums, pounding guitar and intense lyrics – you need to familiarize yourself with RivetHead. Steve Page, Kevin Kerr, Derek James and Mark Halford have been killing it in Dallas for some time now – responsible for the kick-ass theme song behind the NHL’s Dallas Stars. They’ve also dropped seven friggin’ albums, including their latest: “Doomsday for Optimism”.

Lead singer Page says “This is our biggest, baddest release yet! Without wearing out the word ‘epic’, it really is massive. It goes from heavy to mellow to heavy to mellow to groovy and everything in between. This is a music lovers type of album. Pulling influences from Wayne Static, Rammstein, Pink Floyd, NIN and bands like Pantera and Metallica, this album is riff heavy and an emotional rollercoaster.” Head over towww.rivetheadonline.com now and sample some of these heavy adrenaline rushes for yourself – “borderline industrial, with heavy, heavy guitars and metal riffs accompanied by an extensive amount of electronics.” The best stuff. Pick up “Doomsday for Optimism” and keep reading for all the answers to the XXQ’s.
XXQs: RivetHead

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what do you feel makes you stand out over the others in your genre?

Steve Page: We’re a metal band that heavily uses electronics. We’re borderline industrial, with heavy, heavy guitars and metal riffs accompanied by an extensive amount of electronics. RIVETHEAD stands out because we craft songs like a metal band with the dance-ability and song structure of an electronic band. We’re the best bits of a Sepultura meets Pantera meets Orbital, NIN and The Prodigy in a car crash with Rammstein and Static-X.

PEV: Calling Dallas, Texas home, what kind of music where the members of the band into growing up? Do you remember your first concert?

SP: Texas is home, but I’m actually from the UK. All of that aside, we were all into Motley Crue, Ozzy and Metallica growing up, proceeded with a heavy dose of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Who and so forth. My first concert was Genesis. Still love that band! Phil Collins is and was fantastic!

PEV: What was it like trying to break into the music scene in your hometown, when you first started out as a band? What was your first show like together as a band?

SP: When we started playing the Dallas scene, Pantera was everything. They still are. We played The Basement, Dallas City Limits, Smokin’ Daves, On the Rocks – all of the big rock clubs in town, but when we started we were heavy. Most of the bands at that time were still fairly glam or going for that “alternative sound”. We were the guys playing heavy music that the heavy and glam bands liked alike.

PEV: What can fans expect from a live RivetHead show?

SP: ENERGY! We always put on a busy live show. The music will get you moving, or at least will get your girlfriend moving. You could hate us, but she won’t! : ) You can expect humor between tracks and a heavy dose of lasers, moving lights, fog, strobes and sometimes even black lights, as we cover ourselves in UV paint. We always bring our A-game to the stage!

PEV: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you step on stage?

SP: Please Lord, let us put on a great show! As the singer and one of the guitar players, the pressure is on me to get through a set, be it, 30 minutes or 4 hours, with a strong voice and plenty of energy. I always say a quick prayer before we get rocking and the rest comes natural!

PEV: What do you think of mainstream music today – as in what’s being played on the radio?

SP: Regulated radio is absolute boring. I’m not knocking the bands. They’re mostly very good, but the thrill of hearing new music has been absolutely silenced. Internet and satellite radio are still exciting. You can still hear unsigned bands and things that are fresh. I love Guns and Roses and Metallica, but when do some of those songs get moved to the classic rock section, allowing some new songs in. – by that I mean “November Rain” and songs like, “One.” Play the new stuff damnit!

PEV: What was the underlining inspiration for your music? Where do get your best ideas for songs?

SP: Our songs are from our experiences. Experiences that we believe our fans have also. They are true to our lives and struggles. We’re hard working every day regular kinda’ guys. Doing what we do and still paying the bills is nowhere near an easy task.

PEV: Thinking back to when you first started out do you ever look back at your career and think about your earlier days and how you’ve arrived where you are today?

SP: We’re very proud of our accomplishments: songs in film, TV and being able to share the stage with some of our favorite bands rocks! We’ve come a long, long way, but still have so far to go. There is little time to look back.

PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about the members of RivetHead?

SP: I used to get royalty checks for the Bare Naked Ladies (singer and I have the same name). Kevin and I are both ordained ministers. We can marry and have married people in Texas. I’m actually a Stormtrooper (TK-9727) and Derek is about to be one too. The entire band are absolute video game geeks and easily qualify as IT techs for a lot of jobs.

PEV: Your song is used as the theme for the Dallas Stars NHL hockey team. How did this come about and how pumped do you get when you see fans reacting to it?

SP: We’ve been huge fans since they came to Dallas. It was just persistence. We wrote music time and time again and kept bringing music to games. Eventually, Ty Wubker, the man in charge of the music a few years ago, started playing us… a lot… Jeff K, his successor kept it going for us and now Erik Jorgensen is spinning our tracks and my voice at games. When it gets quiet, you hear, “MAKE SOME NOSIE!!!” and that’s my voice… Also, when they go on a power play. That’s a song we wrote for them as well. We played at a game last year in April, 2011. 18,000 people! Our biggest crowd yet! We’re about to give them a new song as well for use at games! Can’t wait to hear it in the arena!



PEV: Tell us about your latest release, “Doomsday For Optimism”. What can fans expect from this work? What is the story behind the title?



SP: This is our biggest, baddest release yet! Without wearing out the word “epic”, it really is massive. It goes from heavy to mellow to heavy to mellow to groovy and everything in between. This is a music lovers type of album. Pulling influences from Wayne Static, Rammstein, Pink Floyd, NIN and bands like Pantera and Metallica, this album is riff heavy and an emotional rollercoaster.



PEV: What is the feeling you get after a song is complete and you can sit back and listen to it being played the way you envisioned?

SP: When the album is complete and you can crank it up in your car, it’s the best feeling in the world! It’s months of work come to fruition and the bit just before peak of the musical adventure. Having fans sing the songs back live is the peak!

PEV: With all your traveling is there one area you wish you could travel around and play that you have not yet?

SP: We’d love to play Europe. I spent 2 months in the UK last year and I did some networking with bands I’d love to play with like Forever Never, Obsessive Compulsive and Inertia. Of course, we’d love to play Japan as well. We know how much the Japanese fans love metal and we think we’d do well there!

PEV: How have all your friends and family reacted to your career? What’s it like when you get to play at your hometown?

SP: All of our friends, family and fans are extremely supportive of us. They are one in the same. If you support us, you’re part of our family and we appreciate every one of those people.

PEV: What can we find each of you doing in your spare time, aside from playing/writing music?

SP: Playing video games. Going to Dallas Stars hockey games. Building Stormtrooper kits and ultimately jamming because we love spending time in our rehearsal studio!

PEV: Name one present and past artist or group that would be your dream collaboration? Why?

SP: Definitely Trent Reznor. The man is a genius. He has the Midas touch and everything that man does in pure brilliance! We’d love to collaborate with him. Second options go to Katy Perry or Lady gag just because collaboration with either of them would be so HUGE!!!

PEV: Is there an up and coming band or artist you think we should all be looking out for now?

SP: Such a long list we could say here, but Madlife from Los Angeles. The Razorblade Dolls and The Funky W, and faded Grace from Dallas. Powderburn from Austin. Forever never, Inertia and Obsessive Compulsive from the UK.

PEV: If playing music wasn’t your life (or life’s goal) what do you think each of you would be your career?

SP: I’d be running trial support for a major law firm somewhere. I think the rest of the guys would be in some sort of business attire attending to someone’s computer network or observing bits and bolts on some sort of space station.

PEV: So, what is next for RivetHead?

SP: We’re aiming for more soundtracks and TV play. Hopefully we’ll get some serious tour support to come see some of our fans all over the world! I’ll buy the first round if we do!

RivetHead feature by Richie Frieman


- PensEyeView.com

The story of RivetHead is one best told through the tracks on Doomsday for Optimism. This veteran band has refined their sound over the course of the last few years, and comes to the opening strains of Super Zero with tremendous momentum. The band is able to insert tremendously catchy hooks deep in the psyche of anyone listening in. While each of the album’s fourteen cuts showcase a slightly different side for the band, there is a cohesion that is whipped up on tracks like Cricket Bat or Buried Another One that keeps listeners focused in.

The different influences and styles that tinge this composition represent the very terminuses of rock music. This allows RivetHead to create an unique sound that touches upon some of the most famed rock artists of all time, all while creating a sound that is larger than life. Doomsday for Optimism is one of those rare albums that avoid the late-disc doldrums. On this album, RivetHead kicks things into a high gear with two late cuts – Burn It Down and Echoes in a Padded Room.

While Burn It Down is more raw, stripped-down, and visceral, Echoes in a Padded Room acts as its opposite in many ways. The tempo is different, the overall arrangement of the band feels shifted, and Echoes feels to be a much more introspective effort than Burn It Down. Regardless, the presence of these two tracks on the latest registers of the CD makes Doomsday for Optimism start off at least as strong as it began. Check RivetHead out; pick up a copy of this album and check them out whenever they come to your neck of the woods!

Top Tracks: Super Zero, Buried Another One

Rating: 8.1/10

RivetHead – Doomsday for Optimism (CD) / 2012 Self / 14 Tracks /
- NeuFutur Magazine

http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=14803

They’ve been around for a number of years. Numerous placements on TV, film, commercials as well satellite radio and more. No strangers to the NHL’s Dallas Stars, who commissioned the band for their power play song. But for those who’s radar managed to miss the industrial metal band RivetHead, their latest full-length effort, Doomsday for Optimism is not a bad place to start.



The album doesn’t open as strong as I would’ve preferred. “Super Zero” is a solid track but doesn’t have that wow factor the band is known for. “Deaf Ears”, the second song, would’ve made a much better choice in my opinion. There are more things going on in that one to keep the listener tapped in.



RH fans will notice their current sound having more of that electronic industrial leaning heard on Zero Gravity’s title track from 2009. But to be clear, there isn’t any abandonment of the pure metal you’ve enjoyed from the rest of their catalog. They’re just reaching a little further this time, a little deeper, into their musical palette and repertoire. They even slow things down for the contemplative “Buried Another One”, an emotion-packed song dealing with loss as Steve Page sings, “Won’t someone please do something, I’m falling I’m not done yet. I’m counting back to zero.” These are lyrics that immediately remind me of many a Linkin Park chorus—not a bad thing, by the way.



“Breathe Me In” is by far, my favorite on here. It has that I need to punch someone in the face right now-vibe. “So sick of complacence. Don’t think I can take this.” Love it, love it, love it. “Dreaming of Reality” definitely has the most dynamics out of all the songs, with its eerie backdrop during the quiet verses, and then the high-energy chorus to wake you up.



I don’t know if I would go as far as to say Doomsday for Optimism is RivetHead’s best-to-date. I will say, however, there aren’t any fillers on here. This is a band that takes their music seriously. They’re not afraid to grow and expand their sound either, even to the point of including the cinematic soundscape of an instrumental, “Echoes in Padded Room”. The album ends with “Turn This Up”, a song telling us all that this is one band who’s relentless energy isn’t going anywhere any time soon. A solid album, indeed.

- Carlito's Music Reviews Blog

Get ready for a petal-to-the-metal, head-on assault that is Rivethead and their mission is ‘Doomsday For Optimism’. From the moment you push play all the way through to the end, Rivethead and their latest effort never let up on the gas. Aggressive, in-your-face music that will energize your senses and ring loud in your ears is what you will experience from ‘Doomsday For Optimism’.

Rivethead plays LOUD ‘n’ HEAVY music that is quite intense in texture but highly diverse in substance. No question about it that this band and this record is in the metal category but Rivethead seems to have a unique presence. I actually just watched a Nine Inch Nails concert for the first time the other night on my Blu-Ray Player and can’t help but notice the major influences here. That industrial metal sound mixed with dark, goth-like elements that NIN made so popular is also very evident on ‘Doomsday For Optimism’. Singer Steve Page, who is also on keys and guitar, was really reaching deep vocally as I could really sense his inner Trent Reznor trying to emerge here. Rivethead’s remaining members include: Kevin Kerr on guitar, D3B0 on bass and Mark Halford on drums. You definitely sense an overall NIN-type vibe going on that the entire band really brought to life.

Rivethead is no stranger to the spotlight as this gruesome foursome have already shared the stages with the likes of: Sevendust, Mushroomhead, Saliva, Crossfade, Powerman 5000, Drowning Pool, Trivium, Black Stone Cherry, BILE, A Dozen Furies, The Burden Brothers, Silvertide, Element Eighty, Green Jellÿ, Psychostick, Nashville Pussy, Earshot, Divide the Day and others. Not to mention every time the Dallas Stars score a power play a Rivethead song is penetrated throughout the American Airlines Center—how cool is that! Other accomplishments include being placed on Sirius XM Radio, songs featured on VH1 Classic, Spike TV, “Gene Simmons-Family Jewels” on A&E & “The Bussey Bunch” on Discovery/TLC. With this record being Rivethead’s seventh installment I’d say this group is well on its way!

Get ready to bang your head and scream at the top of your lungs just like Steve Page & company on ‘Doomsday For Optimism’. I completely respect the energy and brute force that Rivethead brings to the table here but just a little too much for my taste from a vocal standpoint. I feel that this band still has a lot to prove so get ready metal heads for RIVETHEAD and their monster sound!

By Jimmy Rae (jrae@skopemag.com)

- Skope Magazine

When I listen to a band for the first time, I always have some other band names popping up in my head. It is some kind of filter that I haveand it helps me to file the band and the music in my head.

During my first listening session of 'Rivethead' I thought of Faith No More during the opening track (because of the piano sound and the cool break), during the song 'Taking Over Me' the name Machine Head popped up, but most of the time band names like Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein, Prong and Marilyn Manson formed the reference for Rivethead's music. "Hmm, so what now?" I asked myself. And then I read the solution for the description of Rivethead's music in their biography: Rivethead = industrial rock from Dallas Texas . Aha, industrial rock it is.

And guess what, I am not the biggest industrial rock freak in this world, but if all those albums could be of a quality like this one, then the world would be a fine place. According to me, there is nothing wrong with this album. The bleeps and the effects are obviously present, but they are not too much. The songs have a good drive and they are sometimes really fast ('Time bomb') or aggressive ('Tearing Apart'). Okay, not all the songs are of the same quality ('Choose Your Weapon' has too much repeated parts and a 'Beautiful Disaster' is a bit too melodic) but in general I can say: this is a good album.

I also would like to give special credit for the production and the artwork of this album. 'Rivethead' is a self financed album, but it looks and sounds like a major releaseand for this the band gets some extra points.
- Lords of Metal

Dafür, dass RIVETHEAD keinem Label verpflichtet sind und ihre Musik bis jetzt in Eigenregie produzieren, kann sich der Viererpack aus Dallas wirklich hören lassen. Mit einer lupenreinen Promotion zu ihrem inzwischen dritten, gleichnamigen Album, das sich sowohl soundtechnisch, als auch optisch kaum von einer schicken Labelproduktion unterscheiden lässt, will man endlich im großen Stil auf sich aufmerksam machen.

RIVETHEAD machen im Grunde genommen genau diese Art von Musik, die man in diversen „coolen“ Soundtracks zu Filmen oder Videospielen verbraten kann, weshalb man deren Bemühungen, sich an solchen Produktionen zu beteiligen, durchaus verstehen kann. Der Stil liegt irgendwo hart am massentauglichen Limit zwischen modernem Rock und leichten Industrial Metal- Einflüssen, wobei allerdings nur in wenigen Songs durchgängige Industrialverbindungen sichtbar werden. Vielmehr spielt man ganz gerne mal einige Samples zwischendurch ein oder nutzt einen elektronischen Grundbeat als Intro.
Ein modernes Riffing mit etwas Elektroeinfluss trifft mal hart, mal weniger hart auf klassische Songkonzepte, wobei zugegebenermaßen für ausreichend Abwechslung gesorgt wird.
Die schnelleren Songs sind äußerst anspornend und eingängig, wie man es von gutem Industrialmaterial erwarten würde. Im Vordergrund stehen jedoch immer die verhältnismäßig starken Vocals des Hauptsängers. Gewagt kann man dessen Gesangsleistung als eine explosive und recht flotte Mischung aus PANTERAs Intensität, METALLICAs spontaner Frühphase und SEETHERs Ernsthaftigkeit beschreiben, obwohl diese sicher nicht an genannte Bands herankommt. Dadurch, dass zwei weitere Bandmitglieder sich ebenfalls am Gesang beteiligen entsteht ein vielfältiges und zumeist sauberes Gesamtbild, in dem es an typisch rockigen, eingängigen Wiederholungen nur so wimmelt.
Die Refrains entpuppen sich als Ohrwurmbatterien und auch die Strophen werden nicht gerade klein gehalten.
Etwas weniger gut weg kommen die langsameren Lieder, denen es gerade im schlechter gelaunten Bereich etwas an Elan zu mangeln scheint. Hier sehnt man sich manchmal nach mächtigen Keyboardhits, rumpelnden Drums und rockenden Gitarren. Eine geniale Ausnahme offenbart sich im abschließenden Ohrwurm „The last Word“, der sich einem SEETHER- Song gleich in die Seele bohrt.

Insgesamt überzeugt das Album allerdings trotz kleiner Schwächen durch die geladenen Songs, die ein leichtes, aber bockiges Hörvergnügen versprechen. Optimal zum reinhören sind der Kurzstreckenknüppler „RivetGun“, der Opener „Difference“, „Break You“ sowie der erwähnte, abschließende Track. - Blood Chamber

“RIVETHEAD, from merry, old England , was very entertaining. I had never seen a British metal band before- it was quite a treat. They seemed to spend more time developing their sound and increasing their talent than most bands from this side of the pond, but they don't lose any of the aggresiveness that makes metal... well, metal. ” - Fort Worth Music.com

RivetHead
13th Step
By Vix
(SugarBuzz Oklahoma City)
SugarBuzz Magazine

Hailing from Dallas Texas comes a band that has taken a teeny bit of mainstream, mixed it with edgy controversial metal and added some outrageous staging. Allow me to slap you in the face with Rivethead. Currently out on tour with their newest CD 13th Step, Rivethead is gathering a fan base nationwide that is unparalleled.

When you see the pictures of the band and hear the name Rivethead you tend to think 'cookie monster' vocals. So me being the sing along gal, I was as skeptical as the next person as to whether I would like it. However, again I was mistaken and I took a step out of my glam rock cocoon and gave the CD a listen.

First let me say that this band spared no expense to go to the best recording studio in Dallas, Nomad Studios. The CD its self is so well done you would never think it was a self released CD. The CD has 14 tracks and every song offers up a different side of this multifaceted band.

The CD open with "It". This song has an old school Nine Inch Nails sound to it. Steve's grainy voice is a great fit. One big point for them coming from me is that you can actually understand the lyrics. I can't sing them as fast as they do but hey at least I know they are actually saying something, right? The song "In This World Without You" is so moving and intense that you will listen to it over and over. I think one of my favorites on here is "Fear Me". Listen to the song and if you know me you will understand why. If you dont know me give it a listen and figure it out for yourself. I am not gonna do all your thinking for you fuckers. The CD is closed out with "Water" and all I can say is it is such a fucked up song its good. I know these guys so I think maybe there is an underlying thing going on with this song. Or I could be wrong, I'll find out tho lemme tell ya.

The coolest thing is that they have done a cover of the hit "Sexy Back". I hate the original release of this song. But their version kicks MAJOR ass.

Classified as an Industrial band Rivethead has played on bills with Mushroomhead, Saliva, Crossfade, Powerman 5000, Black Stone Cherry, A Dozen Furies, Trivium, The Burden Brothers, Silvertide and more. The band receives regular airplay on SQUIZZ XM Channel 48, The Lex and Terry Morning Radio Networkand more. RIVETHEAD's music has been played by the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines center for several years and the Oklahoma City Blazers hockey team recently started playing the band's music as well. Recently, National Geographic used RIVETHEAD's music as did the TLC reality show, "The Bussey Bunch", which featured our good friends at PCW Wrestling. 2008 is this band's year!!!

I love this band. The music is so cutting edge and right where it needs to be for the taste of the industry right now. And luckily Steve is so in tune he and the band can adjust the sound to meet the demands of the flakey ass music scene. But above anything else they are kick ass guys, very talented and genuinely alot of fun. Hopefully they will be able to get out more and away from the southwest to tour other states. But I can tell you, being in the southwest and having Rivethead so close WE are the lucky ones for once....na na na na na Hollywood!

RivetHead is
Steve Page: Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Programming, Sampling and Donkey Kicks
Kevin Kerr: Guitar and Vocals and Tourettes
Derek James: Bass, Vocals, Scaring small children and Llama training
Mark Halford: Drums and chair scooting
You can check them out and pick up any of the CD's here....
http://www.myspace.com/rivethead
http://www.rivetheadonline.com
- SugarBuzz Magazine

Dallas-based metal band Rivethead has long been a strong presence in the local metal scene, but with their newest album, The 13th Step, they've produced a truly impressive album that should be a fixture in the collection of any self-respecting fan of industrial metal. Combining the best elements from NIN, Rammstein, and a plethora of other powerful industrial bands --as well as the Hammer of Thor himself-- Rivethead has made an amazingly polished album for an unsigned band.

The 13th Step was produced at the band's own expense at Dallas' fine Nomad Studios, and the remarkable sound quality is evident from the first few seconds in. Too many metal bands rely on volume and distortion to cover their less-than-stellar musicianship, but thankfully Nomad is able to squeeze out a surprising amount of sound from just four musicians, while giving it great clarity at the same time. Remember the last time you heard a metal CD in which you could understand all the lyrics? If you're judging an album on sound quality and tight musicianship, this record is already way ahead of the curve.

The music itself is phenomenal. Never relying too long on the often-repetitive industrial electronic hooks and beats, Rivethead constantly changes things up in each and every one of the fourteen tracks on the album, powerfully mixing viciously pounding drum and bass with the authentic dark soul industrial metal needs.

From the start, this is one hell of an album: the first track on the album, 'It', is thunderously heavy industrial metal, gently assaulting the ear with pounding, driving bass/drum beats and lead singer Steve Page's scratchy-voiced singing. Rivethead follows up the opener with 'Stirring It Up' --again with the heavy stuff, including plenty of electronic sound effects layered underneath a barrage of hammer-metal, before wrapping it up with a chilling, darkly electronic finale.

They follow that with the Rammstein-esque (early Rammstein, before they went all California) 'Explosive': heavy bass and drums combined with haunting keyboard (also played by Page), again with the scratchy vocals over it all. The song is brilliantly produced and orchestrated, and if you haven't realized the sheer musicianship of guitarist Kevin Kerr, bassist Derek James and drummer Mark Halford by this point, you're listening to a different album.

'Explosive' is followed by yet another impressive display of Zombie-metal, 'I Knock You Down', a song which seems tailor-made to be played at Dallas Stars games, UFC bouts or generally anywhere where ass is about to be kicked and names about to be taken. Someone ought to tell Jere Lehtinen or Kimbo Slice about this track, so they can finally find that long-sought-after theme music.

After getting all worked up from the opening four songs, the next two stand out more than any others on the album. Song #5, 'Becoming', is a Trent Reznor-inspired slow and ponderous ballad, which picks up halfway through but is still far more subdued than the previous songs on the album. To be honest, I didn't care for it the first 2-3 times I listened to it, but it does grow on you. 'Becoming' is probably the closest Rivethead comes on this album to Radio-Friendly Heavy Pop.

The following song, 'In This World Without You', is even slower, an out-of-character lost-love ballad. When I found out it was about bassist Derek James' actual personal loss, I felt like a jerk for not liking it -- no doubt when Rivethead plays it live, there's probably not a dry eye in the house-- but there's nothing trickier than a metal band making a successful ballad. For every 'Nothing Else Matters', there's a million 'When the Children Cry': at any rate, the song is not a bad one, but it does stand apart from the rest of the album, and adds a little gravitas to the record.

The album gets right back into the good stuff with 'Not My Time', a brilliant piece mixing heavy metal with an amazingly catchy Middle Eastern-style guitar and drum hook. Folk metal isn't something you commonly hear from bands in the U.S., despite its ancient power and proven effectiveness. Great music is both felt and heard, and 'Not My Time' is one of the best songs on the album for just this reason.

Showing off their diversity of musicianship, Rivethead jumps from folk-metal and squarely back into KMFDM/Rammstein territory with the next two songs, 'Never' and 'Fear Me'. Both combine driving industrial metal with soaring vocals, and 'Fear Me', in particular, seems cut-and-ready for massive radio airplay. The fact that this band is getting play on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio, but not been signed by a major label, speaks volumes as to why the record industry is in so much trouble both artisitically and financially.

Rivethead changes it up once again with song #10, 'Electrik', which is straight-up industrial disco dance metal, super-catchy and right up there with anything you'll hear at a Marilyn Manson concert. The band once again changes it up with the following song, 'My Discord', which is excellent industrial metal with piano thrown over it for haunting gothic effect.

The single best song of the album, in my usually untrustworthy opinion, is the twelfth song on the album, 'Inside'. The song sways drunkenly between hyperactive and heavy, and is pleasantly punctuated by a engagingly robotic female vocal chorus. 'Inside' leads directly into the title track on the album, which is soaked in heavy guitar riffs and dripping with electronica, with even more Reznor-esque piano-and-melancholic-vocals interludes to bring the listener in.

The album wraps up with 'Water', which closes out the album with even more Eastern-style guitar picking, this time woven around a (hilarious) baritone voice-over explaining the geopolitical and foreign policy implications of water. Page once again does a great vocal bit in the choruses of the song, while the rest of the band performs beautifully.

The 13th Step is, without question, a monumental album, arguably the equal of any other record written and produced by the Dallas metal scene since Pantera imploded. Rivethead's aggressive-yet-beautiful brand of industrial metal is impressive. And their diversity of musical styles --while always remaining true to their heavy metal roots-- hopefully ensures that the band's distinctive sound will never get stale and predictable.
- Pegasus News

I am not one for real hard fisted /industrial/electro type metal musicand I pretty much stay away from reviewing such noise. But as I always tell my kids, “If you don’t try something you don’t think you like, you may never know if you will like it”.

I will also state I don’t like violent yelling, where you never understand the statement or the aggressionand that is in part why I shy away from reviewing this type of genre! RIVETHEAD a Dallas based heavy metal/industrial band, shines through all of the above.

Is it heavy? Fuck yea! Do they yell? Fuck Yea! Can you understand the vocals? A big Fuck yea! That is a firstand says a lot to me about a band. If you’re going to make a statement, make a statement and don’t hide behind talentless yells and bullshit riffs.

RIVETHEAD is a true example of what I am mean. The proof is in their CD “The 13th Step” Not only am I impressed with the vocals of Steve Page, but the band is tight, in your face, shut up and pay attention, full throttle kickass!

“ It” the first cut on the CD, totally rips!! Heavy solid guitar riffs, dirty vocals and blood pumping rhythms that immediately set your head right. The music is not the typical bullshit of what I expected from this genre. There are many interesting things happening in all of their songs, including great hooks, many twists and turns and even a “Charlie in the Box” (figure it out).”Explosive”, the 3rd cut on the CD has that element. Great vocal hooks, while nails are driven into your feet! All 14 tracks have something special.

RIVETHEAD comes up nothing short on this CD. The band has all the right Rivets in place. Kevin Kerr on guitar and vocals, Derek James- Bass, vocals, Mark Halford- drums and as mentioned before Steve Page on vocals keys, guitar and sampling. You won’t find any redundant riffs or weak lyrics that usually make a CD predictable. The “13th Step” is a gem for all you head bangers out there.

I listened, I liked! RIVETHEAD kicks major ass!

Rock On!

Joe
- Rockeyez

"These guys deliver exactly what you signed up for - rivethead music for rivethead people. Really well put together in all departments from the mesh of the drums and electronics to the guitars and the vocals. Great tension in the opening riff reminded me of the original "Assault On Precinct 13" movie somehow - and as you'd expect - the references to industrial metal are throughout. Great drops too. I hear fragments of the band i didn't sign from Chicago - Disturbed in there and would put these guys in an oxy-acetyline stand-off with Ministry any day.

- Martin Adkins, He was a member of Public Image Ltd and Killing Joke. He founded industrial supergroup Pigface, The Damage Manual, and Murder Inc., and has contributed to Nine Inch Nails and Ministry. He is the owner of Invisible Records and Mattress Factory Recording Studios (est. 1988). " - Broadjam.com