martindavey87 'Remains Alive' by Fozzy was recorded live in Brisbane, Australia in 2005, shortly after the release of their third album, and their first as a "proper band". Having ditched the comedy covers gimmick, the group, fronted by wrestling superstar Chris Jericho, were touring to promote their 'All That Remains' album. Their first featuring only original compositions.

While the band are still relatively young here, it's apparent that they already have a penchant for live performances. Chris Jericho, thanks to years and years as a WWE performer, is a natural frontman. Confident on the mic and more than capable at engaging an audience, the few times he struggles vocally, he more than makes up for in charisma and stage presence.

Of course, being partnered up with members of rap metal pioneers Stuck Mojo means that this is definitely a band that was destined to excel when playing live. Guitarist Rich Ward and the rest of the guys are incredible performers, as well as incredible players. Ward has long been praised for his unmatched guitar tone, but at times things do sound a bit "sludgy" here.

Since this was recorded in the bands early days, the set does suffer a little. While all the songs here are bangers, Fozzy would go on to really adapt a feel in their music that was tailor-made for live settings. Having seen Fozzy a number of times, I can assure you their later material are live anthems, perfectly written to give audiences ample opportunities to get more involved with the music.

With that said, this isn't a bad album though, and like Stuck Mojo's 'HVY1' live release, the true joy of this recording is the energy and the banter between the songs. Jericho is a natural showman, and sometimes it's just fun to hear him talk and entertain. And all the bands early hits, including 'To Kill a Stranger', 'Crucify Yourself', 'Enemy', 'With the Fire' and 'Nameless Faceless' are played with pure enthusiasm and enjoyment. While this is certainly best saved for the absolute die-hard Fozzy fanatics, there's still some noteworthy things to listen to here, especially if you're a performing musician yourself.

Fozzy Fozzy Fozzy! Oi Oi! Oi!

martindavey87 Who would have ever imagined when Fozzy released their debut album back in 2000, that they'd still be going strong in 2017? It's crazy, right? They're called "Fozzy", and the main attraction of the band is that they're fronted by professional wrestling legend Chris Jericho. But amazingly, not only have the band stood the test of time and persevered, but with 2017's 'Judas', their seventh studio release, they've continued to ride a wave of upwards momentum that shows no sign of slowing down.

Continuing where they left off with previous release 'Do You Wanna Start a War', 'Judas' is full of massive-sounding, stadium rock anthems. The band really started to find their niche when they strayed from their original, more metal-oriented sound, and focused on a more simplified rock-based style, which isn't lacking in huge, sing-along choruses and plenty of keyboard/electronic elements for an added touch.

Vocalist Chris Jericho (the greatest of all time, you stupid idiot!) has really come into his own, and his abilities as a singer, and especially as a performer, have really helped elevate Fozzy over the years. Even more so when backed by Rich Wards thunderous guitar riffs, which has one of the best tones in rock today! While the members of the band have certainly never been known for their virtuoso musical prowess, it's the more stripped down and simplified approach they've taken over the years that has accentuated their strengths as songwriters.

Standout songs include the title track (which has gone on to become one of Fozzy's biggest and highest-charting singles), 'Drinking With Jesus', 'Elevator', 'Three Days in Jail', and the incredibly catchy and infectious 'Burn Me Out', which perfectly encapsulates the essence of what Rich Ward jokingly referred to as "detuned dance music".

'Judas' is a fantastic album, and demonstrates a band who, like a fine wine, improve with age. The amazing thing is, Fozzy haven't even peaked yet.

martindavey87 'Sin and Bones', released in 2012, was a huge breakthrough for American metal group Fozzy. While 2010's 'Chasing the Grail' came out to mostly rave reviews from critics, it flopped commercially, likely due to the fact that most people still couldn't take a band fronted by professional wrestler Chris Jericho seriously. However, relentless touring and an energetic live show helped the band endear to new fans, and so with 'Sin and Bones', an album brimming with anthems that were tailor-made for a live setting, did they really start to gain credibility as a legit band.

Either that, or they're like the annoying gnat of the rock world that just won't go away. But all that persistence was starting to pay off.

With a slick production and some of Rich Ward's most accessible guitar riffs (including one of the most killer tones in rock music today!), 'Sin and Bones' sees Fozzy ease up on the full-blown metal elements of their sound, and instead focus on the sleazy rock 'n' roll vibe. It sounds like it shouldn't work, but it totally suits them, especially when compared to the overall image and showmanship of the band.

Vocalist Chris Jericho (THE Chris Jericho... you stupid idiot!), shows that he is more than just a professional wrestler, but indeed a kickass front man! His vocals are incredible, and while he may struggle with them a bit when performing live, he more than makes up for it in energy, enthusiasm and showmanship.

'Spider in My Mouth', 'Blood Happens', 'Inside My Head', 'She's My Addiction' and the hit single 'Sandpaper' are all Fozzy classics that show a band who are constantly evolving and changing, yet never straying too far from the very essence that makes them who they are.

Indeed, Fozzy are huge rock stars!

martindavey87 They outlived the comedy covers band gimmick, and made it past the novelty of being a wrestler-fronted originals band. Now, after a five-year gap since their last album, Fozzy are back once again with a rip-roaring slice of metal goodness! Showing that they are a legit band with legit artistic credentials, 'Chasing the Grail' is a great record that boasts some of the bands best material.

With twelve tracks, clocking in at just over an hour, 'Chasing the Grail' may seem a little long-winded at times, but is brimming with enough variety in styles to stop it from seeming repetitive. Full of guitarist Rich Ward's tastiest riffs and Frank Fontsere's most solid drumming, the band have really bonded and grown over the five years since their previous album, which included various festivals and tours. Chris Jericho's vocals (which sound similar to Ozzy Osbourne) are stronger than before, showing a man who is still willing to learn and develop, and with all the charisma and showmanship of a multi-time world champion wrestler, you know that this is a band who more than delivers when taking these songs to the stage.

Featuring some of Fozzy's strongest work, there's anthemic rockers such as 'Martyr No More', 'Let the Madness Begin', 'God Pounds His Nails' and 'Watch Me Shine', there's the softer, more heartfelt moments in songs like 'New Day's Dawn' and 'Broken Soul', and then there's the bands all-out foray into progressive territory with the 14-minute epic, 'Wormwood'. It's a diverse album which shows a band who are constantly evolving.

Overall, a fantastic and very underrated album, 'Chasing the Grail', as is always the case with this band, is often overlooked due to the group's name or the gimmick of being "Chris Jericho's band". But those willing to dig deeper and give them a chance will find that this is a solid rock record that can hold its own with heavyweights of the genre.

"Now let the madness begin!"

martindavey87 "If I can be serious for a moment..."

After two albums consisting mostly of covers, Fozzy masterminds Rich Ward and Chris Jericho decided that for the band to continue and prosper, it was time to drop the comedy gimmicks and become a real band. Gone were the stage names, the wacky costumes, pig mascots (Arthur was actually a human being suffering from Swinus) and the "we were stuck in Japan for 20 years" shenanigans, and with 'All That Remains', a fresh and invigorated band arose.

Featuring ten original compositions (two of which are re-recorded tracks from Rich Wards Sick Speed project), Fozzy's sound is simple, hard rocking anthems. Nothing overly ambitious or challenging, but catchy radio rock that get heads banging. Sadly, having WWE superstar Chris Jericho as frontman meant that Fozzy were still a novelty act (though it's likely they'd never have had the success they've had without such novelty in the first place) which, coupled with the bands unusual choice of name, meant that they were a band people still refused to take seriously.

Their loss.

With tracks such as 'Nameless Faceless', 'The Test', 'It's a Lie' and one of the groups most memorable hits, 'Enemy', this album showed that, despite everything they have going against them, Fozzy is a band not to be taken lightly. Guest appearances by heavy hitters such as Marty Friedman and Zakk Wylde give 'All That Remains' some much-needed credibility, and with an energetic live show and a relentless touring schedule that saw them hit the Download Festival the year of this records release, it's a sure sign that while 'All That Remains' will never be Fozzy's best album, it's definitely an early sign of greatness that firmly establishes them as the real deal.

martindavey87 I’m totally unashamed about my love for this band and this DVD! Released in Fozzy’s early days when they were playing mostly covers, this is complete rock ‘n’ roll nonsense documenting how Fozzy created heavy metal and then signed a dodgy contract that left them stranded in Japan for twenty years!

The main documentary is hilarious. You can tell everyone is just having a blast filming it, and the added cameos from the likes of Zakk Wylde, Sebastian Bach and Mike Portnoy just add to this. And at barely a half an hour in duration, this main feature has plenty of replay value.

There’s an abundance of extras too, including more daft early Fozzy shenanigans as well as sincere and out-of-character footage too, showing that even in their early days this band possessed unlimited potential, but then, what would you expect when rap metal pioneers Stuck Mojo joined forces with wrestling icon Chris Jericho?