Reviews: Bruce Dickinson, Agropelter, Mass Deception, KillJoy (Matt Bladen)

Bruce Dickinson - More Balls To Picasso (BMG)

Bruce Dickinson released one solo album (Tattooed Millionaire) before be left Iron Maiden, but it was really his second album that cemented him as a voice that could exist away from the Maiden Motherhship. Named Balls To Picasso, it was a record where the clever play on words in the title, his a record of what have become some of Dickinson's most well known tracks including Tears Of The Dragon which made waves internationally after the original albums release. Recorded with Roy Z and his Band Of Gypsies, the record was good but the production of Shay Baby didn't quite pack the punch latter records did due to the technology of the time.

So now we get to More Balls To Picasso, while mixing his solo catalogue into Dolby Atmos, Dickinson decided to reinvent his second album, giving it more! Shay Baby provided notes to remixer Brendan Duffey to give it a modern 'louder' mix but that's not all as these songs are reinvented, the vocals haven't changed or been altered in any way it's the Air Raid Siren in fine mid 90's from but there's bigger guitars riffs, coming from Philip Naslund, adding layers to the rhythms and Adassi Addasi joins Tears Of The Dragon.

The remix and the added guitars means that these heavy rockers such as Hell No, 1000 Points Of Light and Gods Of War, get heavier but they also get much more dynamic. Brazilian Antonio Teoli is brought in to compose some orchestral arrangements to further heighten the listening experience of this revitalised record, adding indigenous instruments on Gods Of War as Shoot All The Clowns gets the horn section from Berklee College Of Music.

The quality of the songs are undeniable even a ballad Change Of Heart becomes more full, though it's Tears Of The Dragon that steals the show once again. It's a risk to try to change something that has been around for a long time but this experiment in sound has paid off in droves, the songs were always there but now they sound like they should have back then, amazing what time, money and technology can do isn't it?

If you see Dickinson on his up coming tour I'd assume there's safe bet a few of these songs will be played so More Balls To Picasso is this legendary singer reclaiming his history and repainting his first masterpiece. 9/10

Agropelter - The Book Of Hours (The Lasers Edge)

Proggy, very proggy. Like Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Camel, Gabriel Genesis proggy. Though there's a piano section that comes from a Meat Loaf's Objects In The Rearview Mirror, but I digress as the rest of the album is the creation and creative outlet for of Kay Olsen who plays guitars, bass guitar, Hammond organ, ARP synthesizers, church organ, the analogue sounds of Minimoog's, Taurus bass pedals, searing single chord guitar solos and much more coming from Kay who formed but band.

There's additional skill from White Willow's Mattias Olsson (percussion, overdubs, Mellotron, atmosphere), The Flower King's Jonas Reingold on fretless bass and Umpfel's Andreas Skorpe Sjøen on drums along with a whole host of classical musicians playing everything from alto flute, to harpsichord, duduk to double bass. So it's a pretty virtuoso line up playing multi-layered progressive rock, three main tracks with a four part suite to end.

It's that final suite where the record really gets into it's prog grooves, a flowing, journey through the ethereal as all the players combine their skills the crossover between traditional rock instruments and the classical ones, that are so often a part of the Scandi prog scene, is brilliant the mix and mastering of Jacob Holm-Lupo giving it all a brightness and warmth of the vinyl era. The Book Of Hours is a record that progs on every page. 7/10

Mass Deception - Resurrections (Gruesome Records) [Matt Bladen]

10 years into playing thrash metal and Mass Deception have gone through plenty of members but have also managed to deliver three previous albums with Resurrections being their fourth full length release as they has an EP in 2022.

This new album is fourth chapter of a saga that stared with their debut and it's a snarling, slab of thrash metal which reminded a me a lot of Megadeth (Menticide) and Testament, the latter on Ruins Of Domination or Blue Flame Of Anger, the NWOBHM influence cutting through on 1984. Now this record is 14 songs long but they use some interludes and short songs that take them further into the hardcore side of thrash.

Members hail from bands such as like Asphyx, God Dethroned, Cirith Gorgor, and Inhume, so there's a veteran amount of talent here as Mass Deception is a way for them to play some unabashed heavy metal, no technical wizardry or studio trickery, just making metal. Druids Descendents takes it into folk realms really making a left turn form the rest of the album but mostly were in thrash territory.

For fans of Megadeth, Slayer, Testament, Resurrections brings thrash back loud and lairy. 7/10

KillJoy - Dream and Violence (Mottow Soundz)

Brussels duo KillJoy release their debut album Dream And Violence on Mottow Soundz, they're comprised of guitarist Kilian Naofs and drummer Joachim Poitevin and look to create music that clashes and connects. 

Using music as a method for catharsis, fusing the emotion of screamo, with plenty of electro on Violence Cookie, some rapid fire rap vocals on My Defender, psychedelic quirkiness on Poker With God or Darkness, this record is a mish-mash of styles though none of them really catch me.

I don't mind this record, there's talent in these two men that comes through by the varied styles on the record, but it's not for me. 5/10