Baroness: Yellow & Green (Relapse)
Having only recently got into Baroness (shame on me I know). I quickly bought their first two albums in preparation for this their third. Both of those albums are fantastic but no preparation at all for the aural experience of Yellow & Green. Split into two discs (Yellow and Green surprisingly) both feature 9 distinctly different songs that encompasses hard rock , Stoner metal see Take My Bones Away, folk, country, blues all wrapped in a psychedelic bow mainly on Yellow's Cocainium. The band have always been hard to classify in terms of genre and this is a good thing as the band keep it fresh on every track. There are reasons for why the band have been compared to Mastodon as singer/multi-instrumentalist John Baizley sounds astoundingly like Brent Hinds when he shouts but to make this comparison is lazy as Baroness have a far more melodic and varied musical palate than the Atlantan madmen. With their Red Album and their Blue Record they have set the bar high but on Yellow & Green they have created a magnum opus. Fantastic 9/10
The Gaslight Anthem: Handwritten (Mercury)
New Jersey's The Gaslight Anthem prove that there is more to the state than its well publicised shore. The band have continued with their mix of punk rock, merging the working man's heroes of Springsteen (see Mae as an example) and Tom Petty's discography. Brian Fallon has continued his tradition of strong title tracks with Handwritten being one of the strongest tracks on the album with Keepsake being pure Heartbreaker territory and the rest of the album just as strong. Fallon's voice is still brilliantly raw and heartfelt, the rest of the band are very skilful and bring authenticity to the bands modern retro sound, which is aided by Brendan O' Brien's superbly organic production. Yes the songs are very similar to that of their influences but they are performed with such exuberance and professionalism that they sound fresh. Another very strong rock album from a band that will soon be a global phenomenon. Mark my words 8/10
Shooter Jennings: Family Man (Entertainment One)
After his brief flirtation with pure hard rock on his previous album (albeit under the guise of Hierophant) Shooter Jennings has returned with a new album of 'pure' country and a new backing band called the 'The Triple Crown' (his previous outfit 'The .357's are now Hierophant) this album features a link between all of the songs this link being the country staple of family. First track The Real Me features the opening lyric "I wake up with my children, Right around the crack of noon" and from here Jennings spins his home-grown wisdom over ten tracks and the quality of the album rarely dips with all the songs great country yarns filled with regret, love and tales from both sides of the American Dream. The production is good considering this is Jennings’s first self-produced album it is rich and warm. Jennings will probably never achieve the success he has in America over here (due to country's stigma over here) but until then he will remain one of the top country acts that nobody knows. 8/10
Thursday, 26 July 2012
Monday, 23 July 2012
Reviews: Tremonti, Hellyeah, Periphery
Tremonti: All I Was (FRET12)
We all know how good the Alter Bridge/Creed guitarist is when it comes to six strings as he is both the main creative force behind both bands and also gives them the stunning riffs that the bands are famous for. However what becomes evident from his first solo album is that he is also a great singer as well as a guitar genius. This album has come at a time when Alter Bridge singer Myles is currently touring with the Slash and Creed singer Scott Stapp is also touring as a solo artist so it make sense for Tremonti to release this album now to exorcise some of the thrash and speed metal influences that were slowly creeping into Alter Bridge. This album starts off simple enough with Leave It Alone which is a Tremonti standard heavy anthemic track with some great solo's that would have fitted nicely on ABIII. However it is from here that the album puts its foot on the gas as the next few tracks pick up the pace by a huge margin with So You're Afraid, Wish You Well and Brains becoming full on thrash tracks filled with razor sharp riffs and face melting solo's. The middle of the album becomes more like Alter Bridge with a New Way Out which is a bombastic ballad on a par with Creed's One Last Breath before the metal kicks in again with Giving Up. This is heavier than both of Tremonti's day jobs and with the help of drummer Garrett Whitlock (who provides some serious blast beats) and Creed rhythm guitarist Eric Friedman (who plays both guitar and bass) Tremonti has created a beast of an album that shows why he is revered among guitarists (and also now surely among singers as well!) 8/10
Hellyeah: Band Of Brothers (ElevenSeven)
Hellyeah are and will always be the band of Vinnie Paul Abbot and because of that it will always be touched with a little bit of what might have been. But on the last two albums Hellyeah have been developed their own unique aggressive Southern Metal sound with songs based on hard living, southern bonhomie and good ol' rock n roll. On this third album very little has changed since Stampede the band still infuse the Pantera groove metal with country and blues, however this album does seem to up the volume and heaviness to Pantera/Damageplan levels. Guitarists Gregg Tribbett (of Mudvayne) and Tomcat bring the heavy riffs and solo's to the proceedings but it's the sledgehammer drumming of Vinnie and the groove laden bass of (Ex-Damageplan and Ozzy) bassman Bobzilla that bring the signature sound that Vinnie helped to create. As for the songs Rage/Burn has a heavy Walk-like riff before turning into a machine gun crescendo. The title track is a heavy tribute the bond this band and Drink Drank Drunk show that no-one can out do a Southerner at their favourite pastime. Chad Grey (also of Mudvayne) brings the anger in his vocals changing from a country croon on Between You And Nowhere to a snarl on Dig Myself A Hole. This is a solid album that doesn't do the band any harm as it continues to plough the furrow they have created but it doesn't do much new either. Grab a beer (or a Black Tooth Grin) and listen loud. 7/10
Periphery: Periphery II This Time It's Personal (Roadrunner)
Seeing as they are one of the originators of the Djent genre I was anticipating what Periphery would do next. I did think that their debut was a bit of a music explosion not taking it's foot off the gas until the middle of the album and there is really only so much down tuned palm muting and technical riffage that you can listen before it all gets a bit too much. On this album they have exercised one key ingredient: restraint. This is not their debut the songs are more structured the playing while technical is not oppressive and they now have some excellent melody as well (touring with Dream Theater must have paid off). They have also moved away from the whole Djent tag as they are no longer Mesuggah copyists but a fully-fledged progressive metal band in their own right. Mainman guitarist Misha Mansoor provides his technical playing on every song (he really is a genius) as well adding the superb programming and syths aided by his guitarist partner in crime Jake Bowen. With third guitarist Mark Holcomb the band have thick guitar sound that is well suited to the technical style of the band. The production from Masoor and bassist Adam Getgood is modern clean and provides the album with its technical edge. Spencer Soleto's vocals have improved and range from clean crooning to powerful scream. This album also has numerous guests with the most high profile being John Pertucci on Erised and Guthrie Govan providing his jazz licks to Have A Blast. This a good album and one that has lifted Periphery out of their Djent tag for good. 8/10
We all know how good the Alter Bridge/Creed guitarist is when it comes to six strings as he is both the main creative force behind both bands and also gives them the stunning riffs that the bands are famous for. However what becomes evident from his first solo album is that he is also a great singer as well as a guitar genius. This album has come at a time when Alter Bridge singer Myles is currently touring with the Slash and Creed singer Scott Stapp is also touring as a solo artist so it make sense for Tremonti to release this album now to exorcise some of the thrash and speed metal influences that were slowly creeping into Alter Bridge. This album starts off simple enough with Leave It Alone which is a Tremonti standard heavy anthemic track with some great solo's that would have fitted nicely on ABIII. However it is from here that the album puts its foot on the gas as the next few tracks pick up the pace by a huge margin with So You're Afraid, Wish You Well and Brains becoming full on thrash tracks filled with razor sharp riffs and face melting solo's. The middle of the album becomes more like Alter Bridge with a New Way Out which is a bombastic ballad on a par with Creed's One Last Breath before the metal kicks in again with Giving Up. This is heavier than both of Tremonti's day jobs and with the help of drummer Garrett Whitlock (who provides some serious blast beats) and Creed rhythm guitarist Eric Friedman (who plays both guitar and bass) Tremonti has created a beast of an album that shows why he is revered among guitarists (and also now surely among singers as well!) 8/10
Hellyeah: Band Of Brothers (ElevenSeven)
Hellyeah are and will always be the band of Vinnie Paul Abbot and because of that it will always be touched with a little bit of what might have been. But on the last two albums Hellyeah have been developed their own unique aggressive Southern Metal sound with songs based on hard living, southern bonhomie and good ol' rock n roll. On this third album very little has changed since Stampede the band still infuse the Pantera groove metal with country and blues, however this album does seem to up the volume and heaviness to Pantera/Damageplan levels. Guitarists Gregg Tribbett (of Mudvayne) and Tomcat bring the heavy riffs and solo's to the proceedings but it's the sledgehammer drumming of Vinnie and the groove laden bass of (Ex-Damageplan and Ozzy) bassman Bobzilla that bring the signature sound that Vinnie helped to create. As for the songs Rage/Burn has a heavy Walk-like riff before turning into a machine gun crescendo. The title track is a heavy tribute the bond this band and Drink Drank Drunk show that no-one can out do a Southerner at their favourite pastime. Chad Grey (also of Mudvayne) brings the anger in his vocals changing from a country croon on Between You And Nowhere to a snarl on Dig Myself A Hole. This is a solid album that doesn't do the band any harm as it continues to plough the furrow they have created but it doesn't do much new either. Grab a beer (or a Black Tooth Grin) and listen loud. 7/10
Periphery: Periphery II This Time It's Personal (Roadrunner)
Seeing as they are one of the originators of the Djent genre I was anticipating what Periphery would do next. I did think that their debut was a bit of a music explosion not taking it's foot off the gas until the middle of the album and there is really only so much down tuned palm muting and technical riffage that you can listen before it all gets a bit too much. On this album they have exercised one key ingredient: restraint. This is not their debut the songs are more structured the playing while technical is not oppressive and they now have some excellent melody as well (touring with Dream Theater must have paid off). They have also moved away from the whole Djent tag as they are no longer Mesuggah copyists but a fully-fledged progressive metal band in their own right. Mainman guitarist Misha Mansoor provides his technical playing on every song (he really is a genius) as well adding the superb programming and syths aided by his guitarist partner in crime Jake Bowen. With third guitarist Mark Holcomb the band have thick guitar sound that is well suited to the technical style of the band. The production from Masoor and bassist Adam Getgood is modern clean and provides the album with its technical edge. Spencer Soleto's vocals have improved and range from clean crooning to powerful scream. This album also has numerous guests with the most high profile being John Pertucci on Erised and Guthrie Govan providing his jazz licks to Have A Blast. This a good album and one that has lifted Periphery out of their Djent tag for good. 8/10
Friday, 13 July 2012
Reviews: Ginger Wildheart, Million Dollar Reload, Panic Room
Ginger Wildheart: 100% (Round Records)
The Wildheart's mainman was going to pack it all in after his success with collaborating with Michael Monroe on still one of the best albums of last year. However this new album was funded entirely by fans through PledgeMusic. What resulted was a three disc album called 555% which was the completed collected work of this fan funded package and was only sold to those who pledged for it. This album is a single disc compilation of the 'best' songs from the project chosen by the pledgers themselves. Due to the fact that this is culled from a triple disc compilation means that the genres shift throughout but the majority is the amalgamation of punk, metal and glam rock filled with huge pop hooks. Internal Radio is a rapid assault that is an ode to his creativity, You're The One... is a techno pop Queen song, Taste Aversion is a twisted, jazzy, progressive masterpiece that features the immortal refrain "Fucked From Behind". Ginger himself plays most of the instruments as well as using his unmistakeable vocals and clever lyrics to spin excellent tales of Rock N Roll mayhem. As for highlights the aforementioned Taste Aversion, the RHCP disco bass sounding Just Another Spinning Fucking Rainbow which explodes into an electro country chorus and the epic carcophony of sound that is the final track Time that builds it's finale over the chimes of Big Ben. However to be very honest most of the album is full of highlights with every track brimming with creativity and Ginger's sense of overriding fun. This is a great album full of excellent tracks and its well worth the investment that the fans made. 9/10
Million Dollar Reload: A Sinner's Saints (Frontiers)
Belfast's Million Dollar Reload return with their second album of no frills balls out Rock 'N F'N Roll mixing the swagger of the Stones, with the brass balls of AC/DC and some modern sleaze of Buckcherry. The album has big hooky choruses see Bullets In The Sky, killer guitar licks from B.A.M and Andy Mack and the fantastically gruff vocals of frontman Phil Conalane who evokes the spirit of Bon Scott from AC/DC and Dan McCafferty of Nazareth. Can't Tie Me Down has a distinctly Slashesque guitar solo and a massive shout-along chorus. The band seem to have expanded their palate a little on this album especially with super ballad Broken which has more than a whiff of Aerosmith about it and breaks up the rocking perfectly, before being followed by rocking I Am The Rapture which will kill in live arena. This is a great second album for fans of proper full on ROCK! 8/10
Panic Room: SKIN (Esoteric Antenna)
The most eclectic rock band in Britain rise again during the Mostly Autumn off season to release their third album and this stretches their musical palate even further adding electronica (Screens) and a classical quartet that features on most of the album, to their plethora of genres. They still have the very acoustic backing heavily featured on Chances on which guitarist Paul Davies gives a superb performance. other tracks like Tightrope Walking and the latter half of Chameleon both have a middle-eastern influences with other tracks like Nocturnal having more of a Celtic feel mixed with the Prog rock staple of a Floydian crescendo. This menagerie of styles couldn't be managed if the band were not supremely talented so it is a good job they are with the aforementioned Davies merging brilliantly with the keys and synths of John Edwards Gavin John Griffiths' drums and Yatim Halimi's bass cannot be overlooked either anchoring all of the songs (and showing off their jazz licks on Freefalling). It is the vocals of chanteuse front woman Anne-Marie Helder that is the bands major selling point (she is also the co-writer of nearly all the songs with Edwards) as her range is magnificent she is equally adept at breathlessly seductive as she is glass-shatteringly powerful. This is an album that despite all its stylistic changes seems less progressive than their last two albums, making this one seem far more accessible to non-rock fans. The intelligent lyrics and virtuostic playing meld to create a fantastic album of well-crafted music. 9/10
The Wildheart's mainman was going to pack it all in after his success with collaborating with Michael Monroe on still one of the best albums of last year. However this new album was funded entirely by fans through PledgeMusic. What resulted was a three disc album called 555% which was the completed collected work of this fan funded package and was only sold to those who pledged for it. This album is a single disc compilation of the 'best' songs from the project chosen by the pledgers themselves. Due to the fact that this is culled from a triple disc compilation means that the genres shift throughout but the majority is the amalgamation of punk, metal and glam rock filled with huge pop hooks. Internal Radio is a rapid assault that is an ode to his creativity, You're The One... is a techno pop Queen song, Taste Aversion is a twisted, jazzy, progressive masterpiece that features the immortal refrain "Fucked From Behind". Ginger himself plays most of the instruments as well as using his unmistakeable vocals and clever lyrics to spin excellent tales of Rock N Roll mayhem. As for highlights the aforementioned Taste Aversion, the RHCP disco bass sounding Just Another Spinning Fucking Rainbow which explodes into an electro country chorus and the epic carcophony of sound that is the final track Time that builds it's finale over the chimes of Big Ben. However to be very honest most of the album is full of highlights with every track brimming with creativity and Ginger's sense of overriding fun. This is a great album full of excellent tracks and its well worth the investment that the fans made. 9/10
Million Dollar Reload: A Sinner's Saints (Frontiers)
Belfast's Million Dollar Reload return with their second album of no frills balls out Rock 'N F'N Roll mixing the swagger of the Stones, with the brass balls of AC/DC and some modern sleaze of Buckcherry. The album has big hooky choruses see Bullets In The Sky, killer guitar licks from B.A.M and Andy Mack and the fantastically gruff vocals of frontman Phil Conalane who evokes the spirit of Bon Scott from AC/DC and Dan McCafferty of Nazareth. Can't Tie Me Down has a distinctly Slashesque guitar solo and a massive shout-along chorus. The band seem to have expanded their palate a little on this album especially with super ballad Broken which has more than a whiff of Aerosmith about it and breaks up the rocking perfectly, before being followed by rocking I Am The Rapture which will kill in live arena. This is a great second album for fans of proper full on ROCK! 8/10
Panic Room: SKIN (Esoteric Antenna)
The most eclectic rock band in Britain rise again during the Mostly Autumn off season to release their third album and this stretches their musical palate even further adding electronica (Screens) and a classical quartet that features on most of the album, to their plethora of genres. They still have the very acoustic backing heavily featured on Chances on which guitarist Paul Davies gives a superb performance. other tracks like Tightrope Walking and the latter half of Chameleon both have a middle-eastern influences with other tracks like Nocturnal having more of a Celtic feel mixed with the Prog rock staple of a Floydian crescendo. This menagerie of styles couldn't be managed if the band were not supremely talented so it is a good job they are with the aforementioned Davies merging brilliantly with the keys and synths of John Edwards Gavin John Griffiths' drums and Yatim Halimi's bass cannot be overlooked either anchoring all of the songs (and showing off their jazz licks on Freefalling). It is the vocals of chanteuse front woman Anne-Marie Helder that is the bands major selling point (she is also the co-writer of nearly all the songs with Edwards) as her range is magnificent she is equally adept at breathlessly seductive as she is glass-shatteringly powerful. This is an album that despite all its stylistic changes seems less progressive than their last two albums, making this one seem far more accessible to non-rock fans. The intelligent lyrics and virtuostic playing meld to create a fantastic album of well-crafted music. 9/10
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Out Of The Beyond 20
Jayce Lewis: S/T
The Welsh former drummer of an alternative rock band releases an industrial metal album and sells out arenas in India? Sounds like a film script doesn’t it? Well it’s actually the career of Jayce Lewis the former of drummer of Losing Sun who shot to stardom in India with this solo album and you can see why. He seamlessly blends fantastic electronica with metal riffage, every track is based upon heavy percussive metal with huge electronic loops and synths that would be at home on an early Rammstein album, and this is mixed with razor sharp guitar playing and Lewis' great melodic vocals. This is a solo album in the truest sense as Lewis plays all of the instruments and also co-produced the album. In terms of the songs Solitaire is a cracking opener mixing metal and electronica perfectly, Electric Medicine is a fully electronic track that is heavy as any metal song. Icon is one of the best tracks on the album (and the one that made him huge in India) however it is not all full on power throughout the album as Eratone is an introspective acoustic track that’s shows off Lewis' vocals and adds another string to his already huge bow. This is a great album from an artist that is nowhere near as well recognised here and perhaps he should be. 9/10
Onslaught: Sounds Of Violence
UK Thrash band Onslaught has had a ragged history having a massive album before splitting and re-uniting in 2007. This is the second album they released since their resurrection and it's a stormer full of blitzkrieg thrash metal riffage from Andy Rosser-Davies and Nige Rockett, schizophrenic blast beat drumming and all topped by the snarling vocals of Sy Keeler who delivers a sterling performance. Kicking things off with a percussive militaristic intro before breaking into the ear-bashing Born For War which has some truly great drumming. This album has all the hallmarks of classic thrash metal on Rest In Pieces with some added modern touches especially in the production department, everything is crisp and bright bringing tracks like the chugging Code Black to glorious life. The album also has a great cover of Motorhead's Bomber which features Phil Campbell on guitar and Tom Angelripper on guest vocals and may be more aggressive than the original. This is a great album by a band that is certainly re-invigorated and I hope they produce more albums of this standard. 8/10
Oli Brown: Open Road
Young Oli Brown is a something of a blues maestro this is his debut and was released when he was just 19 and it shows why he has gone on to become one of the biggest blues/rock artists in Britain. He has all the trappings of blues greats such as Rory Gallagher, some Eric Clapton and lashings of Jimi Hendrix especially on soulful Can't Get Next To You. However the biggest comparison is Joe Bonamassa, Brow has the same chops as Joey Bones he plays the guitar with the same technical ferocity this is shown on Stone Cold and opener Psycho. Unlike most of the newer Bonamassa albums however this is far more blues than rock with the classic 12 bars weaved into every single track. This album is a competent debut full of great tracks (although another cover of Black Betty is not needed) that is a great starting point to discover Oli Brown. 7/10
The Welsh former drummer of an alternative rock band releases an industrial metal album and sells out arenas in India? Sounds like a film script doesn’t it? Well it’s actually the career of Jayce Lewis the former of drummer of Losing Sun who shot to stardom in India with this solo album and you can see why. He seamlessly blends fantastic electronica with metal riffage, every track is based upon heavy percussive metal with huge electronic loops and synths that would be at home on an early Rammstein album, and this is mixed with razor sharp guitar playing and Lewis' great melodic vocals. This is a solo album in the truest sense as Lewis plays all of the instruments and also co-produced the album. In terms of the songs Solitaire is a cracking opener mixing metal and electronica perfectly, Electric Medicine is a fully electronic track that is heavy as any metal song. Icon is one of the best tracks on the album (and the one that made him huge in India) however it is not all full on power throughout the album as Eratone is an introspective acoustic track that’s shows off Lewis' vocals and adds another string to his already huge bow. This is a great album from an artist that is nowhere near as well recognised here and perhaps he should be. 9/10
Onslaught: Sounds Of Violence
UK Thrash band Onslaught has had a ragged history having a massive album before splitting and re-uniting in 2007. This is the second album they released since their resurrection and it's a stormer full of blitzkrieg thrash metal riffage from Andy Rosser-Davies and Nige Rockett, schizophrenic blast beat drumming and all topped by the snarling vocals of Sy Keeler who delivers a sterling performance. Kicking things off with a percussive militaristic intro before breaking into the ear-bashing Born For War which has some truly great drumming. This album has all the hallmarks of classic thrash metal on Rest In Pieces with some added modern touches especially in the production department, everything is crisp and bright bringing tracks like the chugging Code Black to glorious life. The album also has a great cover of Motorhead's Bomber which features Phil Campbell on guitar and Tom Angelripper on guest vocals and may be more aggressive than the original. This is a great album by a band that is certainly re-invigorated and I hope they produce more albums of this standard. 8/10
Oli Brown: Open Road
Young Oli Brown is a something of a blues maestro this is his debut and was released when he was just 19 and it shows why he has gone on to become one of the biggest blues/rock artists in Britain. He has all the trappings of blues greats such as Rory Gallagher, some Eric Clapton and lashings of Jimi Hendrix especially on soulful Can't Get Next To You. However the biggest comparison is Joe Bonamassa, Brow has the same chops as Joey Bones he plays the guitar with the same technical ferocity this is shown on Stone Cold and opener Psycho. Unlike most of the newer Bonamassa albums however this is far more blues than rock with the classic 12 bars weaved into every single track. This album is a competent debut full of great tracks (although another cover of Black Betty is not needed) that is a great starting point to discover Oli Brown. 7/10
Monday, 2 July 2012
Reviews: Herman Frank, Heart Of A Coward, Ten Cent Toy
Herman Frank: Right In The Guts
The Accept guitarist releases his second solo album and it picks up where the bombastic debut Loyal To None left off bringing more of a Teutonic, speed metal attack than in his day job. The guitar playing on is fantastic but it's the song writing that is more of a surprise as Frank can still write great heavy metal songs. He kicks things off with the one-two punch of Roaring Thunder and the title track (which has some great riffage that makes up for some very dodgy lyrics). This album does feature a different vocalist (At Vance's Rick Altzi) than the debut (not that you can notice as they do sound very similar) they both have a voice not too dissimilar to Firewind's Apollo. This is a great metal album that also features the galloping bass of Running Wild's Peter Pichl which is very prevalent on So They Run and Kings Call. Mr Frank now has two cracking bands to take up his time and obvious expertise. However how much this band will be able to tour due to Franks commitment to the re-activated Accept, Pichl's to the also re-activated Running Wild and Altzi's commitment to At Vance remains to be seen. 8/10
Heart Of A Coward: Hope And Hindrance (Self-released)
A metalcore band that like to push the boundaries Heart Of A Coward have come as something of a revelation to me. I'm not usually a metalcore fan but they bring the off-kilter riffage of djent with the melody of Architects. The guitar playing is superb and both guitarists bring technical riffage that is buoyed by the tough heavy bass and smashing drums. The vocals are also great, mainly because I have liked Jamie Graham's work since he was in Sylosis. However HOAC do not sound like Graham's previous band as they do have more of a metalcore with Graham's vocals ranging from a clean sing, to a hardcore growl and then finally a guttural roar. The production brings to mind the wall of sound and with some great tracks like the battering-ram Around A Girl (In 80 Days) (which features a great guitar melody in the middle), the dreamy and melancholic Light which segues neatly into the heavy as rocks Shade and the progressive Break These Chains (Which may win a record for longest breakdown). This great album for those who like ferocity mixed with some great musicianship and a little experimentation. 8/10
Ten Cent Toy: Off The Grid (Self-Released)
Hailing from the forgotten wastes of Newport Ten Cent Toy have a distinctly futuristic flavour that sounds like a soundtrack to a Mad-Max movie. The band meld different kinds of modern metal to create an album of incredibly technical, mechanical, explosive metal. The band have some djent influences with the palm-muting of Jayu. They also have elements of sludge with the down-tuned riffage of Drone as well as a whole host of influences ranging from thrash (Contemptible) to industrial (Time In Memorial). The industrial is one of the most prevalent influences as the band have a distinct Fear Factory sound due to frontman Kev's vocals as well as the machine gun drumming from Fingerz. All of the guitars (including the bass) are also brilliantly technical and show great flair on all the tracks (there is also a cracking Bass intro on Last Word). In a word the band sound out from another time by fusing all of today’s modern sounds into one album. My only criticism is that the production does sound a little D.I.Y in places. This aside TCT are band of the future as they are playing the sounds of tomorrow today. 7/10
The Accept guitarist releases his second solo album and it picks up where the bombastic debut Loyal To None left off bringing more of a Teutonic, speed metal attack than in his day job. The guitar playing on is fantastic but it's the song writing that is more of a surprise as Frank can still write great heavy metal songs. He kicks things off with the one-two punch of Roaring Thunder and the title track (which has some great riffage that makes up for some very dodgy lyrics). This album does feature a different vocalist (At Vance's Rick Altzi) than the debut (not that you can notice as they do sound very similar) they both have a voice not too dissimilar to Firewind's Apollo. This is a great metal album that also features the galloping bass of Running Wild's Peter Pichl which is very prevalent on So They Run and Kings Call. Mr Frank now has two cracking bands to take up his time and obvious expertise. However how much this band will be able to tour due to Franks commitment to the re-activated Accept, Pichl's to the also re-activated Running Wild and Altzi's commitment to At Vance remains to be seen. 8/10
Heart Of A Coward: Hope And Hindrance (Self-released)
A metalcore band that like to push the boundaries Heart Of A Coward have come as something of a revelation to me. I'm not usually a metalcore fan but they bring the off-kilter riffage of djent with the melody of Architects. The guitar playing is superb and both guitarists bring technical riffage that is buoyed by the tough heavy bass and smashing drums. The vocals are also great, mainly because I have liked Jamie Graham's work since he was in Sylosis. However HOAC do not sound like Graham's previous band as they do have more of a metalcore with Graham's vocals ranging from a clean sing, to a hardcore growl and then finally a guttural roar. The production brings to mind the wall of sound and with some great tracks like the battering-ram Around A Girl (In 80 Days) (which features a great guitar melody in the middle), the dreamy and melancholic Light which segues neatly into the heavy as rocks Shade and the progressive Break These Chains (Which may win a record for longest breakdown). This great album for those who like ferocity mixed with some great musicianship and a little experimentation. 8/10
Ten Cent Toy: Off The Grid (Self-Released)
Hailing from the forgotten wastes of Newport Ten Cent Toy have a distinctly futuristic flavour that sounds like a soundtrack to a Mad-Max movie. The band meld different kinds of modern metal to create an album of incredibly technical, mechanical, explosive metal. The band have some djent influences with the palm-muting of Jayu. They also have elements of sludge with the down-tuned riffage of Drone as well as a whole host of influences ranging from thrash (Contemptible) to industrial (Time In Memorial). The industrial is one of the most prevalent influences as the band have a distinct Fear Factory sound due to frontman Kev's vocals as well as the machine gun drumming from Fingerz. All of the guitars (including the bass) are also brilliantly technical and show great flair on all the tracks (there is also a cracking Bass intro on Last Word). In a word the band sound out from another time by fusing all of today’s modern sounds into one album. My only criticism is that the production does sound a little D.I.Y in places. This aside TCT are band of the future as they are playing the sounds of tomorrow today. 7/10
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Live & Dangerous: Black Stone Cherry, Revoker
Black Stone Cherry & Revoker: Cardiff Solus 26/06/2012
Once again the Kentucky rockers returned to Cardiff (this time because of the cancellation of Sonisphere) and yet again they managed to rock Cardiff to the ground.
Revoker
Openers Revoker are local boys that have been steadily climbing the ladder to success for ages and with the release of their debut album they have become one of the go-to support bands. They do what they do very well and because of that I have no real complaint about their set except for one. The set compiled featured their signature songs like Psychoville, Stay Down and Time To Die but despite the ferocity and power in these future metal anthems the band just seem (to me) to be a bit generic (a problem I had with their album as well) they sound like an amalgamation of nearly all the bands on Roadrunner mixed with some Bullet For My Valentine. Whether a future release will change this I don't know but for now they do seem to be a band stuck in a (very lucrative) rut. 7/10
Black Stone Cherry
So then Black Stone Cherry hit the stage with Maybe Someday from their first album before kicking into Yeah Man meaning that the both the bands power and melody was shown right from the outset. The pace didn't let up with Blind Man, Change and the sing-along rocker Soul Creek. The band held the crowd in its palm for the entire gig meaning that every word was shouted back with aplomb. For a band so young Blacks Stone Cherry have both terrific stage presence and a catalogue of great songs. This is bolstered by the playing of the band and the vocals of frontman Chris Robertson which are always flawless. The band seemed to be at ease indulging a bit of guess the intro in the middle of the set. As well as bringing heavy rockers like Rain Wizard, Lonely Train and the bouncy Blame it On The Boom Boom, the band also have a penchant for big ballads bringing In My Blood, Things My Father Said and the rarely played Peace Is Free (which was rescued by the crowd after a small hiccup with the lyrics) all of which got the sell-out crowd in fine voice. The band was far looser than on previous occasions bringing a cover of Muddy Waters' Hoochie Coochie Man that segued into Rehab by Amy Winehouse. This signalled the end of the gig with the aforementioned Blame It On The Boom Boom and the near classic Lonely Train. This was another great gig from a band that could easily (and will be) headlining arenas, they were consistently brilliant. 9/10
Once again the Kentucky rockers returned to Cardiff (this time because of the cancellation of Sonisphere) and yet again they managed to rock Cardiff to the ground.
Revoker
Openers Revoker are local boys that have been steadily climbing the ladder to success for ages and with the release of their debut album they have become one of the go-to support bands. They do what they do very well and because of that I have no real complaint about their set except for one. The set compiled featured their signature songs like Psychoville, Stay Down and Time To Die but despite the ferocity and power in these future metal anthems the band just seem (to me) to be a bit generic (a problem I had with their album as well) they sound like an amalgamation of nearly all the bands on Roadrunner mixed with some Bullet For My Valentine. Whether a future release will change this I don't know but for now they do seem to be a band stuck in a (very lucrative) rut. 7/10
Black Stone Cherry
So then Black Stone Cherry hit the stage with Maybe Someday from their first album before kicking into Yeah Man meaning that the both the bands power and melody was shown right from the outset. The pace didn't let up with Blind Man, Change and the sing-along rocker Soul Creek. The band held the crowd in its palm for the entire gig meaning that every word was shouted back with aplomb. For a band so young Blacks Stone Cherry have both terrific stage presence and a catalogue of great songs. This is bolstered by the playing of the band and the vocals of frontman Chris Robertson which are always flawless. The band seemed to be at ease indulging a bit of guess the intro in the middle of the set. As well as bringing heavy rockers like Rain Wizard, Lonely Train and the bouncy Blame it On The Boom Boom, the band also have a penchant for big ballads bringing In My Blood, Things My Father Said and the rarely played Peace Is Free (which was rescued by the crowd after a small hiccup with the lyrics) all of which got the sell-out crowd in fine voice. The band was far looser than on previous occasions bringing a cover of Muddy Waters' Hoochie Coochie Man that segued into Rehab by Amy Winehouse. This signalled the end of the gig with the aforementioned Blame It On The Boom Boom and the near classic Lonely Train. This was another great gig from a band that could easily (and will be) headlining arenas, they were consistently brilliant. 9/10
Sunday, 24 June 2012
Live & Dangerous: Anthrax, Butcher Babies, Collapse
Anthrax, Butcher Babies & Collapse: Cardiff Coal Exchange 12th June 2012
Coming into one of my favourite locations for gigs I settled in to get another look at Collapse who were pretty good the last couple of times I have seen them so I was looking forward to them.
Collapse
Unfortunately for these semi-local lads the sound was not good at all so their groove metal assault was less effective than it had been previously, this meant that the guitars were murky and the vocals were barely audible meaning that they were less enjoyable than the last couple of times I've seen them. Sorry guys. 5/10
Butcher Babies
Tits (and not in a good way) 2/10
Anthrax
After two somewhat disappointing support acts the main event needed to deliver and deliver they did. Kicking things off with two tracks from their renaissance album Worship Music they sounded on top form Belladonna lungs were as powerful as ever (he even knew where he was), Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano shredded up a storm with Caggiano's soloing given ample time. Frank Bello ran across the stage and gurned like a maniac and Charlie Benante smashed his drum kit like he hated it. The set was primarily newer tracks mixed with classics in the form of Caught In A Mosh, Medusa, Among The Living and the evergreen Madhouse. However what did trouble me slightly was the amount of covers present, yes Got The Time and Antisocial are pretty much Anthrax songs now but they are still covers from a band with an expansive back catalogue, (They could have even thrown in the odd John Bush-era song). This was bolstered by putting a cover of Neon Nights in their encore which although perfectly executed was a little bit of overkill on the cover front and also meant that Metal Thrashing Mad was not played still the band ended with the classic I Am The Law which left the crowd hungry for more (something they had not been during Indians which meant Ian had to restart the War dance). A good show performed by a band back to their prime, but playing a set too set on covers. 8/10
Coming into one of my favourite locations for gigs I settled in to get another look at Collapse who were pretty good the last couple of times I have seen them so I was looking forward to them.
Collapse
Unfortunately for these semi-local lads the sound was not good at all so their groove metal assault was less effective than it had been previously, this meant that the guitars were murky and the vocals were barely audible meaning that they were less enjoyable than the last couple of times I've seen them. Sorry guys. 5/10
Butcher Babies
Tits (and not in a good way) 2/10
Anthrax
After two somewhat disappointing support acts the main event needed to deliver and deliver they did. Kicking things off with two tracks from their renaissance album Worship Music they sounded on top form Belladonna lungs were as powerful as ever (he even knew where he was), Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano shredded up a storm with Caggiano's soloing given ample time. Frank Bello ran across the stage and gurned like a maniac and Charlie Benante smashed his drum kit like he hated it. The set was primarily newer tracks mixed with classics in the form of Caught In A Mosh, Medusa, Among The Living and the evergreen Madhouse. However what did trouble me slightly was the amount of covers present, yes Got The Time and Antisocial are pretty much Anthrax songs now but they are still covers from a band with an expansive back catalogue, (They could have even thrown in the odd John Bush-era song). This was bolstered by putting a cover of Neon Nights in their encore which although perfectly executed was a little bit of overkill on the cover front and also meant that Metal Thrashing Mad was not played still the band ended with the classic I Am The Law which left the crowd hungry for more (something they had not been during Indians which meant Ian had to restart the War dance). A good show performed by a band back to their prime, but playing a set too set on covers. 8/10
Friday, 22 June 2012
Reviews: Manowar, Jettblack, Royal Thunder
Manowar: Lord Of Steel (Magic Circle Music)
The Warriors Of The World are once again united and ready to destroy false metal. The now Sylvester Stallone indorsed heavy metal legends are back with their 12th studio album. Gone is the symphonic backing from Gods Of War and back is the head destroying metal sound pioneered by band albeit with crisp modern production. Two tracks have already been released prior to the album's release, one is the rampaging El Gringo which has the galloping riffage and *shudder* a bass solo. Eric Adam's vocals are still staggeringly good with Karl Logan's guitars also on great. However there is one question I asked myself about this album right from the opening title track. The question was: "WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THE BASS SOUND!" Seriously it sounds like it's going through a crap speaker with a huge amount of fuzz; this is ok for one song but not for the whole album as it is here! This is another Manowar album full of lyrical clichés and lots of heavy metal posturing as for tracks very few are worth listening to these are the title track, the aforementioned El Gringo, the actually pretty good Black List and ballad Righteous Glory. The rest of the album ranges from bad, the Sly Stallone influenced Expendable to the downright shit, the truly awfully titled Manowarriors (possessor of the worst Manowar lyrics ever) Hail, Kill And Die (which is just a list of Manowar album and song titles). So what should have been more of the same from metal's defenders is ruined in part by some awful writing but mostly by the unlistenable fuzzy disco bass. Shame. 5/10
Jettblack: Raining Rock (Spinefarm)
The British sleaze merchants released their first 80's homage in 2010 and the have now released their second album proper and they really haven't progressed that much since the advent of the first album. That's to say the album isn't good if you like macho, faintly misogynist hard rock with metal tendencies. What immediately strikes me is that the album is probably three tracks too long, Soppy ballad Black Gold, the too poppy Sunshine and the bonus track of the title track featuring Udo Dirkschneider could all be killed. As far as good songs the title track is good as is the sleazily titled Less Torque, More Thrust and the electric version of The Sweet And The Brave (which originally featured acoustically on their Slip It On E.P). These tracks prove that Jettblack are at their best when they are playing fast, hard rocking songs filled with lyrics about love and sex. However they will need to improve their song writing, break some boundaries, and make their next album more concise if they want to progress in future. 7/10
Royal Thunder: CVI (Relapse)
Maybe it's because they are on Relapse but I knew what to expect from Royal Thunder from the outset, heavy blues riffage with added metallic doom and a heavy acid drop of psych. What I didn't predict was how good it actually was going to be. Hailing from Atlanta the band is the brain child of guitarist Josh Weaver and bassist/vocalist MLny Parsonz. Together they have created a stunning journey through dark musical madness that can be claustrophobic (on South Of Somewhere and Sleeping Witch), dripping with malice (No Good) and a mirror to the rumbling heaviness of bands like Mastodon (Whispering World). However what lifts them out of the normal Stoner rock category are the distinctly alternative smoky and scarred vocals of MLny who is equally adept to a strained shout and a dark croon see: Drown. For a full distillation of their sound check out the epic Shake And Shift which is 9 minutes plus and journeys through the band's light and shade. This is a great album for fans of dark, trippy, heavy rock with a distinct blues edge that is bolstered by the bands playing (Weaver is one hell of a guitar player) and the fine production job. 9/10
The Warriors Of The World are once again united and ready to destroy false metal. The now Sylvester Stallone indorsed heavy metal legends are back with their 12th studio album. Gone is the symphonic backing from Gods Of War and back is the head destroying metal sound pioneered by band albeit with crisp modern production. Two tracks have already been released prior to the album's release, one is the rampaging El Gringo which has the galloping riffage and *shudder* a bass solo. Eric Adam's vocals are still staggeringly good with Karl Logan's guitars also on great. However there is one question I asked myself about this album right from the opening title track. The question was: "WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THE BASS SOUND!" Seriously it sounds like it's going through a crap speaker with a huge amount of fuzz; this is ok for one song but not for the whole album as it is here! This is another Manowar album full of lyrical clichés and lots of heavy metal posturing as for tracks very few are worth listening to these are the title track, the aforementioned El Gringo, the actually pretty good Black List and ballad Righteous Glory. The rest of the album ranges from bad, the Sly Stallone influenced Expendable to the downright shit, the truly awfully titled Manowarriors (possessor of the worst Manowar lyrics ever) Hail, Kill And Die (which is just a list of Manowar album and song titles). So what should have been more of the same from metal's defenders is ruined in part by some awful writing but mostly by the unlistenable fuzzy disco bass. Shame. 5/10
Jettblack: Raining Rock (Spinefarm)
The British sleaze merchants released their first 80's homage in 2010 and the have now released their second album proper and they really haven't progressed that much since the advent of the first album. That's to say the album isn't good if you like macho, faintly misogynist hard rock with metal tendencies. What immediately strikes me is that the album is probably three tracks too long, Soppy ballad Black Gold, the too poppy Sunshine and the bonus track of the title track featuring Udo Dirkschneider could all be killed. As far as good songs the title track is good as is the sleazily titled Less Torque, More Thrust and the electric version of The Sweet And The Brave (which originally featured acoustically on their Slip It On E.P). These tracks prove that Jettblack are at their best when they are playing fast, hard rocking songs filled with lyrics about love and sex. However they will need to improve their song writing, break some boundaries, and make their next album more concise if they want to progress in future. 7/10
Royal Thunder: CVI (Relapse)
Maybe it's because they are on Relapse but I knew what to expect from Royal Thunder from the outset, heavy blues riffage with added metallic doom and a heavy acid drop of psych. What I didn't predict was how good it actually was going to be. Hailing from Atlanta the band is the brain child of guitarist Josh Weaver and bassist/vocalist MLny Parsonz. Together they have created a stunning journey through dark musical madness that can be claustrophobic (on South Of Somewhere and Sleeping Witch), dripping with malice (No Good) and a mirror to the rumbling heaviness of bands like Mastodon (Whispering World). However what lifts them out of the normal Stoner rock category are the distinctly alternative smoky and scarred vocals of MLny who is equally adept to a strained shout and a dark croon see: Drown. For a full distillation of their sound check out the epic Shake And Shift which is 9 minutes plus and journeys through the band's light and shade. This is a great album for fans of dark, trippy, heavy rock with a distinct blues edge that is bolstered by the bands playing (Weaver is one hell of a guitar player) and the fine production job. 9/10
Monday, 18 June 2012
Reviews: Rush, Gojira, Architects
Rush: Clockwork Angels (Roadrunner)
So the Canadian three-piece return with their new (20th) album and it's something of a corker as it has all the right elements of classic Rush downplaying the acoustic even folky passages from previous release Snakes And Arrows. The album kicks off with the busy Caravan which has a classic Alex Lifeson riff backed by Neil Peart phenomenal drumming and a funky bass lick from Geddy Lee. This segues into the oriental Bu2b which has Kashmir feel to it. As the musicianship is almost not worth commenting on as this is Rush, but they even seem to outdo themselves on this release the title track and following track The Anarchist have all the hallmarks of classic Rush with shifting time signatures and rocking playing, the latter is also a soaring epic with some great orchestration. The first single Headlong Flight is a propulsive rocker that clocks in at over 7 minutes and Halo Effect is a majestic, acoustic ballad that has some striking heartfelt playing. The Garden ends the album in grandiose fashion. This possibly one of the best albums Rush has released to date and it will re-affirm them as the founders of prog-rock. This is another excellent album from Canada's best band. 9/10
Gojira: L’Enfant Sauvage (Roadrunner)
The Duplantier brothers return for another slice of progressive metal and they haven't missed a beat. Kicking things off with the bone crushingly heavy Explosiva which immediately hits you with a slow and steady sledgehammer riffage. On this album (which translates to The Wild Child) the band seems almost inhuman with layered vocals, electronic backing and impossibly tight playing. Liquid Fire and its instrumental follow up The Wild Healer are examples of the former with Planned Obsolescence an off-time example of the latter. There are elements of modern progressive death metal like Cynic but also there is a Strapping Young Lad sound to the album, probably due to Joe's vocals and also the soundscapes present on many of the songs. From a technical perspective this album is flawless the riffage are razor sharp and the drumming of Mario Duplantier is superb especially on The Gift Of Guilt this album is Gojira in full flight with all the songs having focussing on responsibility (or so Joe Duplantier says) and the band deliver them in the technical style we have come accustomed to. A cracking album for those who like their metal to be intelligent and heavy as hell! 9/10
Architects: Daybreaker (Century media)
The future of British metal is secure as Architects return with their new album. Daybreaker shares many similarities with its predecessor The Here And Now. There are clean euphoric choruses, technical playing and great vocals/screaming from Sam Carter whose vocals are still one of the main selling points of the band. What is also still (thankfully) present is the sonic experimentation with some electronic elements in the intro track The Bitter End and on Behind The Throne and progressive elements with InMe being a particular inspiration on Truth Be Told which features some intense guitar harmonies. This album is however much heavier than its predecessor with tracks like Even If You Win, You're Still A Rat (featuring Bring Me The Horizon's Olli Sykes), These Colours Don't Run and first single Devil's Island. This is a great album that melds heavyweight playing with great melodies. 8/10
So the Canadian three-piece return with their new (20th) album and it's something of a corker as it has all the right elements of classic Rush downplaying the acoustic even folky passages from previous release Snakes And Arrows. The album kicks off with the busy Caravan which has a classic Alex Lifeson riff backed by Neil Peart phenomenal drumming and a funky bass lick from Geddy Lee. This segues into the oriental Bu2b which has Kashmir feel to it. As the musicianship is almost not worth commenting on as this is Rush, but they even seem to outdo themselves on this release the title track and following track The Anarchist have all the hallmarks of classic Rush with shifting time signatures and rocking playing, the latter is also a soaring epic with some great orchestration. The first single Headlong Flight is a propulsive rocker that clocks in at over 7 minutes and Halo Effect is a majestic, acoustic ballad that has some striking heartfelt playing. The Garden ends the album in grandiose fashion. This possibly one of the best albums Rush has released to date and it will re-affirm them as the founders of prog-rock. This is another excellent album from Canada's best band. 9/10
Gojira: L’Enfant Sauvage (Roadrunner)
The Duplantier brothers return for another slice of progressive metal and they haven't missed a beat. Kicking things off with the bone crushingly heavy Explosiva which immediately hits you with a slow and steady sledgehammer riffage. On this album (which translates to The Wild Child) the band seems almost inhuman with layered vocals, electronic backing and impossibly tight playing. Liquid Fire and its instrumental follow up The Wild Healer are examples of the former with Planned Obsolescence an off-time example of the latter. There are elements of modern progressive death metal like Cynic but also there is a Strapping Young Lad sound to the album, probably due to Joe's vocals and also the soundscapes present on many of the songs. From a technical perspective this album is flawless the riffage are razor sharp and the drumming of Mario Duplantier is superb especially on The Gift Of Guilt this album is Gojira in full flight with all the songs having focussing on responsibility (or so Joe Duplantier says) and the band deliver them in the technical style we have come accustomed to. A cracking album for those who like their metal to be intelligent and heavy as hell! 9/10
Architects: Daybreaker (Century media)
The future of British metal is secure as Architects return with their new album. Daybreaker shares many similarities with its predecessor The Here And Now. There are clean euphoric choruses, technical playing and great vocals/screaming from Sam Carter whose vocals are still one of the main selling points of the band. What is also still (thankfully) present is the sonic experimentation with some electronic elements in the intro track The Bitter End and on Behind The Throne and progressive elements with InMe being a particular inspiration on Truth Be Told which features some intense guitar harmonies. This album is however much heavier than its predecessor with tracks like Even If You Win, You're Still A Rat (featuring Bring Me The Horizon's Olli Sykes), These Colours Don't Run and first single Devil's Island. This is a great album that melds heavyweight playing with great melodies. 8/10
Friday, 15 June 2012
Live & Dangerous: Download Day 3
Download Day 3
Bathed in glorious sunshine this was the final day on Donington's hallowed turf and with a wide spectrum of bands to see I set off early
Devildriver
A very early morning wakeup call from Dez showed that even at this time of day people will still kill each other in the pit. This was another lesson in brutality and destruction from Devildriver with Dead To Rights, Not All Who Wander... and the favourite Clouds Over California all given and airing. It's the same as always but Devildriver always bring the noise. 7/10
Something slightly less noisy now
Reckless Love
Much like Steel Panther Reckless Love *heart* the 80's and in particular Def Leppard and Van Halen. Unlike Panther these guys are younger, prettier and have the tongue slightly out of their cheeks. This is good time party music kicking off with the Def Leppard sounding Animal Attraction and then moving through big 80's style (would have been) hits with front man Olli doing his best David Lee Roth simultaneously being feminine in his looks and masculine in his moves. A band worth watching just for the exuberance of Olli and the EVH-style shredding of guitarist Pepe. 7/10
Edguy
One of my favourite bands Edguy were given a 30 minute slot which meant that motor-mouth singer Tobias Sammet had to shut up and sing. Which is what he did, mixing cuts from the latest album with classics such as Superheroes, Lavatory Love Machine and King Of Fools. Short concise but nowhere near enough time for Sammet to tell his jokes and exude the bonhomie that he usually does. 7/10
Black Label Society
Something a bit heavier now with Zakk Wylde ripping Download a new one with Crazy Horse two more ballsy anthems followed and then a ten minute guitar solo, filled with squealing and feedback. This ruined the entire set, Zakk could have played more songs in this time but proceeded to show off at festival which let's face it should be hits or GTFO. Even Stillborn couldn't save the set from this miss-judged flight of fancy. 4/10
Lamb Of God
This is more like it! Delivering another crushing blow and wiping away the dreamy cobwebs caused by Zakk's noodling. The Virginian bruisers caused extreme violence with opener Desolation and following up with another newbie in Ghost Walking. From then on it was all out classics ending with the break neck Black Label which was obviously not homage to the band of the same name. 8/10
Shinedown
What I said earlier about hits obviously rings true with Shinedown as they played a set that consisted entirely of songs from their last two breakthrough albums. Sound Of Madness opened proceedings Devour adding a snarl before it was lighters-in-the-air time for Second Chance and the end came with the incredibly poppy Bully. An excellent band performing a crowd-pleasing set. 8/10
Back to the tent (and the front) for
Firewind
...from Greece. Another balls-out speed metal assault with Gus G's playing being as stellar as usual. Apollo's vocals keep improving as well but the live focal point was Bob Kastanosis who manages to provide rhythm guitar and keyboards at the same time. The band drew heavily from their last three albums with the only classic coming in the form of Falling To Pieces which ended the set. My only complaint would be the brevity of the set and the sound quality meaning that hardly any of Gus' playing could be heard. Oh well roll on the headlining tour in September. 8/10
Ghost
With fans such as James Hetfield and Phil Anselmo Ghost really should be something else when it comes to the live arena. Thankfully they are and after their haunting intro set the atmosphere Papa Emeritus came on to the stage with his incense flanked by the 'Nameless ghouls' that form the band. Playing a set of tracks from their one and only album those who have seen them before will know the songs but it's the presentation that changes. Every move is choreographed to perfection, between song banter is kept to a minimum, props are used sparingly all to evoke this nature of a cult religion with Papa Emeritus as its leader. His voice fits the 70's occult rock sound that his expertly drilled band provide, this is what BOC must have sounded like in their prime albeit with all their faces visible. However it is this mystery that makes Ghost more than just another retro flavoured band. There is a genuine air of excitement around them that is palpable whenever they play. With set bookmarked by Con Clavi Con Dio and Ritual there was no time to breathe because how expertly the entire package was delivered. This performance shows why Ghost are fully deserving of their star-studded fan club. 9/10
Black Sabbath
After being fully brought over to the dark side it was time for the godfathers of the occult to show their skill. Without the visual aids of Metallica four men came to the stage and played their respective instruments, however what they did bring was a catalogue of the finest heavy metal songs ever created most of which have been copied in some form to this day (I'm looking at you doom/stoner/death metal).
They kicked off with their namesake track which still sends shivers down the spine from the intro on, this was followed in quick succession by The Wizard, Behind The Wall Of Sleep and N.I.B this was pure metal history unfolding in front of us. Ozzy's generally hit-and-miss voice was on top form belting out the tracks like it was the 70's again. The Iron Man Tony Iommi showed no signs of his cancer treatment and his legendary riffs thundered across the Donington night, Geezer Butler still stood toe-to-toe with Iommi and matched him riff-for-riff and they were aided brilliantly by the drumming of Tommy Clufetos who was more than an adequate stand in for the absent Bill Ward. Mixing classics with fan favourites the set was guaranteed to please everyone, Under The Sun was aired just before the triple threat of Snowblind, War Pigs and Sweet Leaf. By the time the crushing strum of Iron Man hit the crowed were fully sucked in Ozzy had them eating out of the palm of his hand and with the last double of Dirty Women and Children Of The Grave a collective exhale was heard as the interval hit, then came the encore the opening riff from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath into the radio-friendly Paranoid (a song so famous even your mum knows it) before finally saying goodbye to the now completely decimated crowd. This wasn't like any other gig; this was a collective thank you from us to them and visa-versa because we all knew that this was the band that started it all. Simply stunning. 10/10
Bathed in glorious sunshine this was the final day on Donington's hallowed turf and with a wide spectrum of bands to see I set off early
Devildriver
A very early morning wakeup call from Dez showed that even at this time of day people will still kill each other in the pit. This was another lesson in brutality and destruction from Devildriver with Dead To Rights, Not All Who Wander... and the favourite Clouds Over California all given and airing. It's the same as always but Devildriver always bring the noise. 7/10
Something slightly less noisy now
Reckless Love
Much like Steel Panther Reckless Love *heart* the 80's and in particular Def Leppard and Van Halen. Unlike Panther these guys are younger, prettier and have the tongue slightly out of their cheeks. This is good time party music kicking off with the Def Leppard sounding Animal Attraction and then moving through big 80's style (would have been) hits with front man Olli doing his best David Lee Roth simultaneously being feminine in his looks and masculine in his moves. A band worth watching just for the exuberance of Olli and the EVH-style shredding of guitarist Pepe. 7/10
Edguy
One of my favourite bands Edguy were given a 30 minute slot which meant that motor-mouth singer Tobias Sammet had to shut up and sing. Which is what he did, mixing cuts from the latest album with classics such as Superheroes, Lavatory Love Machine and King Of Fools. Short concise but nowhere near enough time for Sammet to tell his jokes and exude the bonhomie that he usually does. 7/10
Black Label Society
Something a bit heavier now with Zakk Wylde ripping Download a new one with Crazy Horse two more ballsy anthems followed and then a ten minute guitar solo, filled with squealing and feedback. This ruined the entire set, Zakk could have played more songs in this time but proceeded to show off at festival which let's face it should be hits or GTFO. Even Stillborn couldn't save the set from this miss-judged flight of fancy. 4/10
Lamb Of God
This is more like it! Delivering another crushing blow and wiping away the dreamy cobwebs caused by Zakk's noodling. The Virginian bruisers caused extreme violence with opener Desolation and following up with another newbie in Ghost Walking. From then on it was all out classics ending with the break neck Black Label which was obviously not homage to the band of the same name. 8/10
Shinedown
What I said earlier about hits obviously rings true with Shinedown as they played a set that consisted entirely of songs from their last two breakthrough albums. Sound Of Madness opened proceedings Devour adding a snarl before it was lighters-in-the-air time for Second Chance and the end came with the incredibly poppy Bully. An excellent band performing a crowd-pleasing set. 8/10
Back to the tent (and the front) for
Firewind
...from Greece. Another balls-out speed metal assault with Gus G's playing being as stellar as usual. Apollo's vocals keep improving as well but the live focal point was Bob Kastanosis who manages to provide rhythm guitar and keyboards at the same time. The band drew heavily from their last three albums with the only classic coming in the form of Falling To Pieces which ended the set. My only complaint would be the brevity of the set and the sound quality meaning that hardly any of Gus' playing could be heard. Oh well roll on the headlining tour in September. 8/10
Ghost
With fans such as James Hetfield and Phil Anselmo Ghost really should be something else when it comes to the live arena. Thankfully they are and after their haunting intro set the atmosphere Papa Emeritus came on to the stage with his incense flanked by the 'Nameless ghouls' that form the band. Playing a set of tracks from their one and only album those who have seen them before will know the songs but it's the presentation that changes. Every move is choreographed to perfection, between song banter is kept to a minimum, props are used sparingly all to evoke this nature of a cult religion with Papa Emeritus as its leader. His voice fits the 70's occult rock sound that his expertly drilled band provide, this is what BOC must have sounded like in their prime albeit with all their faces visible. However it is this mystery that makes Ghost more than just another retro flavoured band. There is a genuine air of excitement around them that is palpable whenever they play. With set bookmarked by Con Clavi Con Dio and Ritual there was no time to breathe because how expertly the entire package was delivered. This performance shows why Ghost are fully deserving of their star-studded fan club. 9/10
Black Sabbath
After being fully brought over to the dark side it was time for the godfathers of the occult to show their skill. Without the visual aids of Metallica four men came to the stage and played their respective instruments, however what they did bring was a catalogue of the finest heavy metal songs ever created most of which have been copied in some form to this day (I'm looking at you doom/stoner/death metal).
They kicked off with their namesake track which still sends shivers down the spine from the intro on, this was followed in quick succession by The Wizard, Behind The Wall Of Sleep and N.I.B this was pure metal history unfolding in front of us. Ozzy's generally hit-and-miss voice was on top form belting out the tracks like it was the 70's again. The Iron Man Tony Iommi showed no signs of his cancer treatment and his legendary riffs thundered across the Donington night, Geezer Butler still stood toe-to-toe with Iommi and matched him riff-for-riff and they were aided brilliantly by the drumming of Tommy Clufetos who was more than an adequate stand in for the absent Bill Ward. Mixing classics with fan favourites the set was guaranteed to please everyone, Under The Sun was aired just before the triple threat of Snowblind, War Pigs and Sweet Leaf. By the time the crushing strum of Iron Man hit the crowed were fully sucked in Ozzy had them eating out of the palm of his hand and with the last double of Dirty Women and Children Of The Grave a collective exhale was heard as the interval hit, then came the encore the opening riff from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath into the radio-friendly Paranoid (a song so famous even your mum knows it) before finally saying goodbye to the now completely decimated crowd. This wasn't like any other gig; this was a collective thank you from us to them and visa-versa because we all knew that this was the band that started it all. Simply stunning. 10/10
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