Reviews: Beth Hart, The Great Discord, Felskinn, Dan Patlansky (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Beth Hart - Tribute To Led Zeppelin (Provogue/Mascot Label Group)

So many bands have covered Led Zeppelin, they are an influence for probably thousands of bands around the world. So here's another set of Led Zeppelin tributes however unlike the recent record that effectively just re-recorded one album by The Rolling Stones, this album is a mixture of songs performed almost as if it was a 'best of' or a 'live set'. So already were on to a winner, but add to this that the songs are performed by the incredibly talented Beth Hart accompanied by a hotshot band and a string section. Something that has been done before by Heart but never as an entire album been done like this by a high profile performer. 

The idea came from producer Rob Cavallo and engineer Doug McKean when during the recording of Hart's previous album she performed a cover of Whole Lotta Love (which she has done for a while live) a light bulb went on to do an entire album. It didn't come to fruition until the lockdown with Hart in heavy frame of mind she recorded her vocals to the instrumentals created by Cavallo on guitar along with Tim Pierce. Chris Chaney on bass, Jamie Muhoberac on keys there's also Dorian Crozier and Matt Laug on drums with orchestral arrangements by David Campbell. 

Musically the compositions have that epic magic that Zep managed to bring to their music the heavy rock sound fusing well with the orchestral manoeuvres. They don't move away from how the originals sound because why would you? This is all about paying homage to the band as accurately as possible but with a cinematic scope and those incredible vocals from Beth Hart. She channels Percy's machismo and power throughout adding her own swagger to it. 

The opening trio are Whole Lotta Love, Kashmir and Stairway To Heaven, yeah they've been done millions of times and here they're just as good as you want them to be but this album really shines with the other 6 songs, The Crunge is a great choice, Good Times Bad Times is full of energy but the two medleys and the final song are where this record hangs it's hat. Dancing Days/When The Levee Breaks is a inspired both songs knitted together perfectly for maximum effect as No Quarter/Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is oozing with emotion. 

The finale is The Rain Song where we get the full effect of Zep and Beth Hart's collective power, Hart having always had the spirit of Zeppelin throughout her career. Yes it's a covers record but a good covers record with A-list performances all round. A must for Led Zeppelin and Beth Hart fans. 8/10

The Great Discord - Deam Morte (Pazuzu Recordings)

Deam Morte translates from Latin to "Goddess Of Death" and it's thrilling culmination of what Swedish avant-garde progressive metal band The Great Discord have been leading up to in this first phase of their career. Frontwoman Fia Kempe is the creative force behind the band and it's her eclectic vocals and Feminist lyrics that are the cornerstone of this new album, sounding pissed off one minute and broken the next, she evokes the Goddess Of Death throughout destroying on the modern progressive crush of Noonday Devil and Avarice. 

Now you could go on for hours trying to explain what genre this album falls into, however it would be futile as The Great Discord have always been so eclectic that really only the words progressive or experimental can cover. Wildfire is built around twitching electronics and some dreamy vocals from Kempe, Dies Irae brings industrial crushing whereas No Light has a uplifting Eurythmics meets Lady Gaga meets metal amalgamation, ending the record on a high. 

I'll be honest though having seen the band live on record you don't really come close to how terrifying and crushingly heavy they are on stage. Though personally I'd love to see the Gula played through a huge speakers. Yet more oddness from these Swedes that pleases and confuses. 7/10  

Felskinn - Enter The Light (ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records)

Swiss melodic metal band Felskinn come roaring back with their fourth album Enter The Light. Frontman Andy Portmann is again joined by bassist Beat Schaub and they have put together a new line up that features Martin Rauber (Wolfpakk) and Tom Graber (ex-Crystal Ball) on guitars, Ronnie Wolf (Lunatica) on drums, the two guitarists co-writing the album with Portman, while Rauber produces the record which is mixed/mastered by Jacob Hansen. 

Enter The Light is a really upbeat record, taking heavily from the Teutonic metal scene with a particular influence of a band such as Edguy, Freedom Call and Masterplan, the Edguy elements come from Andy Portmann's vocals which are brilliant while musically they have decent fusion of pumping melodic metal and raise your fist and yell hard rock. 

The PR that came with this record states that they consider their music upbeat, and with tracks such as Enter The Light, Your Life Is Mine and Driven they prove that they do prefer to keep the pace going. There also seems to be a bit of a Christian theme to the lyrics but not overly so. Enter The Light is Felskin revitalised after a 5 year gap since their last release. For melodic metal fans it's a treat. 7/10  

Dan Patlansky - Shelter Of Bones (Virgin Music Label)

Dan Patlansky keeps things classic in his blues, yeah there's modern twist as you'd want from this hotshot South African, but Shelter Of Bones sticks to the classic blues styles adding a few rock n roll flourishes for good measure on the strutting Selfish Lover, which not only showcases Dan's playing but also his soulful vocals. Shelter Of Bones was recorded over a three year period the pandemic helping him to craft the record the way he wanted without much worry of timescales. He also produced the album so it sounded just how he wanted it too. 

Accompanying him here are Dean Barrett and Tom Gatza on keys, the latter adding some extra emotion to the late night balladry of Lost. Andy Maritz takes up the drum stool and there are myriad of bassists plucking on this record. Shelter Of Bones is a blues record through and through with moody atmospheres on I'll Keep Trying and Sweet Memories Patlansky is in his element here, but it does sound as if he's emulating some of the bigger names in the game. There have been some killer blues records already this year and even though I appreciate what Patlansky is doing, for me this album does petter off a bit. 6/10