Seether: Poison The Parish (Canine Riot)
I like Seether I really do, but the last few albums have been a bit too lightweight moving away from their Nirvana-like grunge stylings they favoured in their early work. But with Poison The Parish they have said goodbye to the radio for a darker heavier approach, Mr Seether himself Shaun Morgan has said that this record will have "heavy guitars" and "loud drums" and he's right tracks such as Something Else has a grinding riff with the light and shade of Fragile but also features a reverb drenched solo with Morgan playing some of the best guitar of his career.
I'll Survive starts slow and gives way to the chunky riffs of its latter part and the creeping Let You Down makes things darker. However it's also got lighter moments with the anthemic Against The Wall and the angst ridden Let Me Heal both moving more towards the radio-friendly rhythms until the riffs lumber back in on angry Saviours. Shaun Morgan clearly hasn't chilled out at all with most of the songs rallying at something or another but for old school Seether fans this record takes them back to their heavy roots with Dale Stewart and John Humphrey the thick as steel engine room (see Nothing Left) they have added lead breaks to most of the songs to give them a more classic metal sound. After lingering in the doldrums of the alt rock seen for a while Seether are back, bigger, badder and more pissed off than ever. 8/10
Sabbath Assembly: Rites Of Passage (Svart Records)
So what do you think they sound like? This review could write itself really as Rites of Passage is the fifth album from psychedelic/doom band Sabbath Assembly and it once again has lighter end of Iommi and co stamped all over it with Kevin Hufnagel and Ron Varod riffing, David Christian (drums) and Johnny DeBlase (bass) contributing the low end to the slabs of heavy doom. The swirling psych touches really give a woozy feel to the album highlighted by Jamie Myers' bewitching vocals on the trippier tracks such as Angels Trumpets and I Must Be Gone. Its occult mystery from the get go on Rites Of Passage the band straddle the line between crushing doom and Hawkwind-loving space rock with lyrics from the book of Crowley. It's nothing new from the band but for those that ascribe to the alternate spiritualism Sabbath Assembly will soundtrack your next coven well. 7/10
Apocalypse Orchestra: The End Is Nigh (Despotz Records)
Never has a band had a more suitable name than Apocalypse Orchestra, their fusion of devastating doom metal and medieval folk, the 8 minute plus The Garden Of Earthly Delights opens the record with low bagpipes serving as a base layer and creating a discord for the rest of the song to build on, it's disconcerting stuff alright and it allows the band to build layers of bass, drums, guitars and other authentic medieval instruments such as cittern's, lutes, hurdy gurdy etc. The drama of the opening builds until the heavy doom riffs are unleashed halfway through, it's a mostly instrumental track but the low vocals do appear howling out the cries of anguish, Flagellant's Song is another creeping doom riff but with Latin chants, plenty of hurdy gurdy and a chamber feel, it's like Ghost if they were more morbid. Lyrically we're in HELL territory with Plague doctors, fire and brimstone but these Swedes forgo the NWOBHM for a doomier vibe but it's suits giving this record the feel of a soundtrack to Armageddon (no Aerosmith or Bruce Willis here). The End Is Nigh I hope is a starting point for this band (it is their debut after all) their folk metal sound is authentic and merges well with the lumbering doom making for an interesting listening experience. 7/10
Friday, 19 May 2017
Thursday, 18 May 2017
Reviews: Nad Sylvan, Nighon, End Of The Dream
Nad Sylvan: The Bride Said No (InsideOut)
Nad Sylvan's name may not be well known to those outside of the prog circles but his voice will be recognisable as the Gabriel in Steve Hackett's Genesis Revisited shows and on in it's live line up. The Swede is and interesting character affectionately known as a Vampirate his flowing locks and shirt put him in the 18th Century from looks alone and this is where his latest album is also set. Following on from the Vampire concept record Courting The Widow released in 2015 The Bride Said No is a continuation of the story line, albeit with a much broader musical scope, it's dramatic even cinematic at times having the feel of a Broadway musical (think Meatloaf) with Sylvan handling the keys, orchestration, programming and most of the guitars with Anders Wollbeck aiding with additional sound design, keys, programming and orchestration which gives this record it's unique sound.
There's Gothic tendencies, some pop flourishes and of course prog rock but it's all very understated with the songs able to speak for themselves. Obviously with Rolodex (old school folks) like Sylvan's he's calls upon some friends to help him out and they are high profile of course, What Have You Done features guest guitar solos from Steve Hackett and Guthrie Govan, most of the drums are performed by Nick D'Virgillo and bass from Jonas Reingold, however on three of the tracks most notably When The Music Dies, which is a tribute to all the stars we have lost recently, the bass is taken by Tony Levin who plays some dirty distorted Chapman Stick on this song in particular.
Other guests are Ronie Stolt (Flower Kings) on guitar and Jade Ell, Tania Doko and Sheona Urquhart on backing vocals with Jade duetting with Sylvan on What Have You Done and Urquhart providing sax on A French Kiss In An Italian Cafe. The Bride Said No is a fascinating record with rich musicality to it that is bolstered by the performances, Sylvan has a unique voice with a wide range that tells the story well with all of the performances on top form. It may be a bit overwhelming for those that prefer their music a bit simpler but for fans of complex, theatrical music this is excellent. 8/10
Nighon: The Somme (Inverse Records)
War huh? What is it good for? So asked Edwin Starr in 1970, well one answer would be nothing as Starr himself said but one thing war is good for is lyrical inspiration on metal albums, so many bands have covered war or wars as themes with Sabaton being the first name that comes to mind for most. War is also the theme of the second album of Finnish industrial metal band Nighon, not just any war though 'The Great War' the so called "war to end all wars" (complete bollocks of course) and in particular the battle of The Somme which one of the most famous and most bloody battles in all of human conflict.
The darkness and harrowing nature of this conflict is perfect for an industrial metal band as they can really mimic the relentless march of war machines on tracks such as the Blow Them All To Hell which has a grinding black metal riff backing the harsh vocals of Nico Häggblom, while Alva Sandström sails above the heaviness like an angel watching over the damned souls, see a tracks such as The Dirge and Lest We Forget which has her repeat the line "all hail the glorious dead" like a chant of regret.
The groovy down tuned riffs of this record flawless mix with the cinematic elements of the record the instrumental elements are really strong with a fist pumping heaviness that allows the duality of the vocals shine through. It's an impressive piece of work with excellent use of light and shade to really draw you into the album's darkness on Scharnhorst, Reclaiming Ravenpoint and I Fear For Tomorrow but adding the female vocals and orchestration for great effect. 8/10
End Of The Dream: Until You Break (Painted Bass)
Any band from The Netherlands that has a female singer will instantly draw comparisons to fellow Dutch acts Within Temptation, After Forever and Delain but it's whether or not the comparisons are complimentary or not is the real kicker. So with that in mind I put on the second album from End Of The Dream and I must say that this is happily in the former, it is quality female fronted metal that is nearer to Delain, Within Temptation and even The Gathering in terms of sound there are lots of synths that bring delicate orchestrations which adds to the records Gothic feel. It's the Gothicness of Erase Me that also puts them in a similar vein to Evanescence due to Micky Huijsmans vocal prowess and the emotive power of the song. On the other hand Wakeless and The Heart In Me both have the symphonic sounds of Sharon Den Adel and co.
The performances are slick and the production clear as you'd expect from Joost van den Broek (After Forever, Everything) with songwriting that knows its audience but doesn't do anything new, you can compare them favourably to their compatriots but much like Within Temptation and Delain have done they will need to tweak and advance their sound to survive in a very cramped genre. Still the talent shines through and End Of The Dream deliver a high quality second record that reaches it's peak on the incredible I Am Nothing in the middle of the record. 7/10
Nad Sylvan's name may not be well known to those outside of the prog circles but his voice will be recognisable as the Gabriel in Steve Hackett's Genesis Revisited shows and on in it's live line up. The Swede is and interesting character affectionately known as a Vampirate his flowing locks and shirt put him in the 18th Century from looks alone and this is where his latest album is also set. Following on from the Vampire concept record Courting The Widow released in 2015 The Bride Said No is a continuation of the story line, albeit with a much broader musical scope, it's dramatic even cinematic at times having the feel of a Broadway musical (think Meatloaf) with Sylvan handling the keys, orchestration, programming and most of the guitars with Anders Wollbeck aiding with additional sound design, keys, programming and orchestration which gives this record it's unique sound.
There's Gothic tendencies, some pop flourishes and of course prog rock but it's all very understated with the songs able to speak for themselves. Obviously with Rolodex (old school folks) like Sylvan's he's calls upon some friends to help him out and they are high profile of course, What Have You Done features guest guitar solos from Steve Hackett and Guthrie Govan, most of the drums are performed by Nick D'Virgillo and bass from Jonas Reingold, however on three of the tracks most notably When The Music Dies, which is a tribute to all the stars we have lost recently, the bass is taken by Tony Levin who plays some dirty distorted Chapman Stick on this song in particular.
Other guests are Ronie Stolt (Flower Kings) on guitar and Jade Ell, Tania Doko and Sheona Urquhart on backing vocals with Jade duetting with Sylvan on What Have You Done and Urquhart providing sax on A French Kiss In An Italian Cafe. The Bride Said No is a fascinating record with rich musicality to it that is bolstered by the performances, Sylvan has a unique voice with a wide range that tells the story well with all of the performances on top form. It may be a bit overwhelming for those that prefer their music a bit simpler but for fans of complex, theatrical music this is excellent. 8/10
Nighon: The Somme (Inverse Records)
War huh? What is it good for? So asked Edwin Starr in 1970, well one answer would be nothing as Starr himself said but one thing war is good for is lyrical inspiration on metal albums, so many bands have covered war or wars as themes with Sabaton being the first name that comes to mind for most. War is also the theme of the second album of Finnish industrial metal band Nighon, not just any war though 'The Great War' the so called "war to end all wars" (complete bollocks of course) and in particular the battle of The Somme which one of the most famous and most bloody battles in all of human conflict.
The darkness and harrowing nature of this conflict is perfect for an industrial metal band as they can really mimic the relentless march of war machines on tracks such as the Blow Them All To Hell which has a grinding black metal riff backing the harsh vocals of Nico Häggblom, while Alva Sandström sails above the heaviness like an angel watching over the damned souls, see a tracks such as The Dirge and Lest We Forget which has her repeat the line "all hail the glorious dead" like a chant of regret.
The groovy down tuned riffs of this record flawless mix with the cinematic elements of the record the instrumental elements are really strong with a fist pumping heaviness that allows the duality of the vocals shine through. It's an impressive piece of work with excellent use of light and shade to really draw you into the album's darkness on Scharnhorst, Reclaiming Ravenpoint and I Fear For Tomorrow but adding the female vocals and orchestration for great effect. 8/10
End Of The Dream: Until You Break (Painted Bass)
Any band from The Netherlands that has a female singer will instantly draw comparisons to fellow Dutch acts Within Temptation, After Forever and Delain but it's whether or not the comparisons are complimentary or not is the real kicker. So with that in mind I put on the second album from End Of The Dream and I must say that this is happily in the former, it is quality female fronted metal that is nearer to Delain, Within Temptation and even The Gathering in terms of sound there are lots of synths that bring delicate orchestrations which adds to the records Gothic feel. It's the Gothicness of Erase Me that also puts them in a similar vein to Evanescence due to Micky Huijsmans vocal prowess and the emotive power of the song. On the other hand Wakeless and The Heart In Me both have the symphonic sounds of Sharon Den Adel and co.
The performances are slick and the production clear as you'd expect from Joost van den Broek (After Forever, Everything) with songwriting that knows its audience but doesn't do anything new, you can compare them favourably to their compatriots but much like Within Temptation and Delain have done they will need to tweak and advance their sound to survive in a very cramped genre. Still the talent shines through and End Of The Dream deliver a high quality second record that reaches it's peak on the incredible I Am Nothing in the middle of the record. 7/10
Wednesday, 17 May 2017
Reviews: Below, Sideburn, My Regime The Ruins Of Beverast (Reviews By Paul)
Below: Upon A Pale Horse (Metal Blade Records)
Doom metal from Sweden? Hey, that's a new concept! Meet Below, a five piece from Nykoping whose second album Upon A Pale Horse was nearly mistaken for a new Candlemass release, such is the doom laden morbidity that crashed down from the first chords of Disappearing Into Nothing. Wave after wave of crushing riffs, pounding rhythms and the demonic screams of vocalist Zeb. If you enjoy the doom melancholic approach then this release will light your black candle. It's a solid, powerful opus which belies the relatively recent time the band have been together. Five years and two albums isn't that bad.
The Coven plods a little but the title track is a stunning ten minute epic complete with narrative intro and soaring vocals in the tradition of Johan Langqvist and Mats Leven. A little more pace with Suffer In Silence, a solid chugging track which allows Zeb to hit his best King Diamond operatic heights. It's good stuff. There is no let up with Hours Of Darkness and the magnificent 1000 Broken Bones dynamic and impressive and uncannily reminiscent of the late great Ronnie James Dio, the 7th anniversary of his untimely passing weirdly coinciding on the same day as the review. Powerful and creative. Closing track We Are All Slaves is another gargantuan piece, full of emotion and huge sound and a fantastic ending to a superb release. Upon A Pale Horse is essential listening. 9/10
Sideburn: #Eight (Fastball Music)
The world of rock and metal continues to present bands who have been plying their trade for decades with little appreciation from the wider world. Or that’s how it feels at times. When you come across a band like Sideburn, who have been chugging away for 20 years and are on album number eight, you begin to wonder who else you are missing out on. Anyway, Sideburn are one of those few bands who come from Switzerland (so not the Swedish outfit of the same name - Ed). #Eight is a dusty, rocky, blues soaked fuzzy guitar driven affair which follows the standard pattern of such legends as AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and Airbourne. In fact, I was convinced they were Aussies such is the swagger which is usually associated with those loveable antipodeans. (Or Countrymen Krokus - Ed)
Sunshine, beer and the faithful 4/4 beat, guitar riffs that ooze with sleazy pub rock, it’s all here. Roland Pierrehumbert not only has one of the best names in rock but a cigarette drawling voice which sits superbly with this type of music. The aptly named Mikael Riffart lays down the simple but efficient guitar work with axe partner Lawrence Lina whist the rhythm section of Nick Thornton and drummer Lionel Blanc are as reliable as the Williams/Rudd affiliation of old. Yes, this is good time rock ‘n’ roll, no frills but lots of thrills. The band kick it out for 45 minutes and include a routine cover of Motorhead’s No Class to bring a raucous release to a stomping finish. If you fancy something for a summer drive then grab the Sideburn. It’s good fun. 8/10
My Regime: Derranged Patterns (Scarlet Records)
Swedish metal output is currently in overdrive with the entire range of genres crossing the decks. Welcome to My Regime, a four piece thrash outfit who nail their colours to the mast from the opening salvo of the intro track for this, their second album in a year. It's a merger of Slayer, Anthrax and Testament rolled into a reasonable thrash bundle. It's certainly nothing new but if you feel that the crunching drive of Araya and co do it for you then you should enjoy it. Apart from the fact that vocalist Spice sounds exactly like the Slayer front man, there is also some heavy doomier elements ala Sabbath.
Check out the mid-section of Off To War which segues neatly from the obvious Slayer riffs which are everywhere on this release. As I said it's not at all new but there are certain tracks which move a little outside the blueprint. The Cage contains the clearest Slayer riff since World Painted Blood but also tries to add some subtle atmosphere and changes which I think works well. The band are tight, with some fine guitar from Marvin Kairenus whilst the engine of Alexander Sekulovski and Bob Ruben provide a concrete platform to thrash it up at full speed. Album closer Time Slipping Out Of Tune shifts to Testament's trademark rampant bass lines whilst retaining the all out Slayer thrashfest of old. Possibly the best Slayer album since, well, probably Repentless. 7/10
Doom metal from Sweden? Hey, that's a new concept! Meet Below, a five piece from Nykoping whose second album Upon A Pale Horse was nearly mistaken for a new Candlemass release, such is the doom laden morbidity that crashed down from the first chords of Disappearing Into Nothing. Wave after wave of crushing riffs, pounding rhythms and the demonic screams of vocalist Zeb. If you enjoy the doom melancholic approach then this release will light your black candle. It's a solid, powerful opus which belies the relatively recent time the band have been together. Five years and two albums isn't that bad.
The Coven plods a little but the title track is a stunning ten minute epic complete with narrative intro and soaring vocals in the tradition of Johan Langqvist and Mats Leven. A little more pace with Suffer In Silence, a solid chugging track which allows Zeb to hit his best King Diamond operatic heights. It's good stuff. There is no let up with Hours Of Darkness and the magnificent 1000 Broken Bones dynamic and impressive and uncannily reminiscent of the late great Ronnie James Dio, the 7th anniversary of his untimely passing weirdly coinciding on the same day as the review. Powerful and creative. Closing track We Are All Slaves is another gargantuan piece, full of emotion and huge sound and a fantastic ending to a superb release. Upon A Pale Horse is essential listening. 9/10
Sideburn: #Eight (Fastball Music)
The world of rock and metal continues to present bands who have been plying their trade for decades with little appreciation from the wider world. Or that’s how it feels at times. When you come across a band like Sideburn, who have been chugging away for 20 years and are on album number eight, you begin to wonder who else you are missing out on. Anyway, Sideburn are one of those few bands who come from Switzerland (so not the Swedish outfit of the same name - Ed). #Eight is a dusty, rocky, blues soaked fuzzy guitar driven affair which follows the standard pattern of such legends as AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and Airbourne. In fact, I was convinced they were Aussies such is the swagger which is usually associated with those loveable antipodeans. (Or Countrymen Krokus - Ed)
Sunshine, beer and the faithful 4/4 beat, guitar riffs that ooze with sleazy pub rock, it’s all here. Roland Pierrehumbert not only has one of the best names in rock but a cigarette drawling voice which sits superbly with this type of music. The aptly named Mikael Riffart lays down the simple but efficient guitar work with axe partner Lawrence Lina whist the rhythm section of Nick Thornton and drummer Lionel Blanc are as reliable as the Williams/Rudd affiliation of old. Yes, this is good time rock ‘n’ roll, no frills but lots of thrills. The band kick it out for 45 minutes and include a routine cover of Motorhead’s No Class to bring a raucous release to a stomping finish. If you fancy something for a summer drive then grab the Sideburn. It’s good fun. 8/10
My Regime: Derranged Patterns (Scarlet Records)
Swedish metal output is currently in overdrive with the entire range of genres crossing the decks. Welcome to My Regime, a four piece thrash outfit who nail their colours to the mast from the opening salvo of the intro track for this, their second album in a year. It's a merger of Slayer, Anthrax and Testament rolled into a reasonable thrash bundle. It's certainly nothing new but if you feel that the crunching drive of Araya and co do it for you then you should enjoy it. Apart from the fact that vocalist Spice sounds exactly like the Slayer front man, there is also some heavy doomier elements ala Sabbath.
Check out the mid-section of Off To War which segues neatly from the obvious Slayer riffs which are everywhere on this release. As I said it's not at all new but there are certain tracks which move a little outside the blueprint. The Cage contains the clearest Slayer riff since World Painted Blood but also tries to add some subtle atmosphere and changes which I think works well. The band are tight, with some fine guitar from Marvin Kairenus whilst the engine of Alexander Sekulovski and Bob Ruben provide a concrete platform to thrash it up at full speed. Album closer Time Slipping Out Of Tune shifts to Testament's trademark rampant bass lines whilst retaining the all out Slayer thrashfest of old. Possibly the best Slayer album since, well, probably Repentless. 7/10
The Ruins Of Beverast: Exuiva (Van Records)
Multi-instrumentalist Alexander Von Meilenwald’s project The Ruins Of Beverast return with album number five, the haunting and quite astonishing Exuiva. There are some bands where labels just don’t work and The Ruins Of Beverast is one such unit. Although Von Meilenwald is the sole performer, you would never believe this listening to this work. It is epic in its magnitude and ambition, a shimmering peaceful yet chaotic release which demands repeated plays to absorb. With black metal, doom and death metal juxtaposing comfortably throughout, the only difficulty is trying to determine the massive layered effects which occur in every track.
The title track kicks off with a 15-minute descent into madness before the most unbelievable Sutur Barbaar Maritime, a quite exceptionally evocative piece. The melancholic atmosphere combined with severe heaviness is almost overpowering on occasion, such as during Maere (On A Stillbirth’s Tomb) which meanders and then detonates with equal levels of sinister resolve. The choral echoes in the background merely embellish an already devilishly ominous sound. There are so many influences which ease in and out of this release.
You hear bands such as Finland’s Vainaja, the UK’s Fen and Winterfylleth and Norwegian Black Metal legends Darkthrone weave around you as the music does its work. The Pythia’s Pale Wolves, another magnificent 14 minute plus track even contains the eeriest bagpipes in the background. I cannot conceive of how this sound is created but it is just majestic in every respect. Cross the bridge between Agard and Midgard and enter The Ruins Of Beverast. A journey you cannot regret. 9/10
Tuesday, 16 May 2017
Reviews: Snakecharmer, Inglorious, The Picturebooks, Roguenoire (Reviews By Paul)
Snakecharmer: Second Skin (Frontiers Records)
Back in 2013 the debut album from the Blues soaked rock outfit Snakecharmer earned high praise here at the Musipedia with a 9/10. For those of us who loved old school Whitesnake, Snakecharmer were a delight. With Neil Murray and Micky Moody from Coverdale’s original line-up combining with Laurie Wisefield, Harry James, Adam Wakeman and the magnificent voice of Chris Ousey, the band filled a void and brought a modern touch to the sound that Whitesnake gave us in those halcyon days of the 1980s.
Well, Moody has moved on, replaced by Simon McBride (Solo Artist/Sweet Savage) and the band has released sophomore album Second Skin. On first listen I wasn’t over enthused, a couple of decent tracks, some superb blues guitar work underpinned by Wakeman’s reliable smooth keyboards and Ousey’s voice soaring in and out but several routine mid-paced tunes. And then I realised that this is never going to be full of innovative new music. Snakecharmer do what they do and they do it well. The two live shows I’ve seen from them have contained around 50% Whitesnake songs, so whilst they are now only 1/6 Whitesnake, they remain firmly rooted in the Snake history.
Second Skin isn’t going to change the world in any way, but it is a pleasant solid and well produced album that is enjoyable to listen to without being particularly memorable. Opening track Sounds Like A Plan kicks off proceedings with gusto, and the album then cruises without ever really hitting top gear, listen to tracks such as Punching Above My Weight, Follow Me Under and Forgive & Forget for examples. Ousey’s voice remains a delicious hybrid of Coverdale and Paul Rogers and he is given several opportunities to really let the lungs open up, especially on the slower pace of tracks like I’ll Take You As You Are.
Wisefield’s playing has always been a joy, melodic and measured and he doesn’t disappoint whilst McBride adds a new dimension to the formula. Harry James, who obviously doesn’t have enough to do in Thunder and Magnum must do this type of stuff in his sleep and demonstrates what a great drummer he is throughout. At 50 minutes long, it’s probably a little too long but given the four year interval the band are perfectly entitled to restate their musical chops. By all accounts their recent show at The Globe was beset by sound issues so maybe it’s as well I was unable to make it. A reasonable follow up by a collective who may have been expected to deliver slightly stronger. 7/10
Back in 2013 the debut album from the Blues soaked rock outfit Snakecharmer earned high praise here at the Musipedia with a 9/10. For those of us who loved old school Whitesnake, Snakecharmer were a delight. With Neil Murray and Micky Moody from Coverdale’s original line-up combining with Laurie Wisefield, Harry James, Adam Wakeman and the magnificent voice of Chris Ousey, the band filled a void and brought a modern touch to the sound that Whitesnake gave us in those halcyon days of the 1980s.
Well, Moody has moved on, replaced by Simon McBride (Solo Artist/Sweet Savage) and the band has released sophomore album Second Skin. On first listen I wasn’t over enthused, a couple of decent tracks, some superb blues guitar work underpinned by Wakeman’s reliable smooth keyboards and Ousey’s voice soaring in and out but several routine mid-paced tunes. And then I realised that this is never going to be full of innovative new music. Snakecharmer do what they do and they do it well. The two live shows I’ve seen from them have contained around 50% Whitesnake songs, so whilst they are now only 1/6 Whitesnake, they remain firmly rooted in the Snake history.
Second Skin isn’t going to change the world in any way, but it is a pleasant solid and well produced album that is enjoyable to listen to without being particularly memorable. Opening track Sounds Like A Plan kicks off proceedings with gusto, and the album then cruises without ever really hitting top gear, listen to tracks such as Punching Above My Weight, Follow Me Under and Forgive & Forget for examples. Ousey’s voice remains a delicious hybrid of Coverdale and Paul Rogers and he is given several opportunities to really let the lungs open up, especially on the slower pace of tracks like I’ll Take You As You Are.
Wisefield’s playing has always been a joy, melodic and measured and he doesn’t disappoint whilst McBride adds a new dimension to the formula. Harry James, who obviously doesn’t have enough to do in Thunder and Magnum must do this type of stuff in his sleep and demonstrates what a great drummer he is throughout. At 50 minutes long, it’s probably a little too long but given the four year interval the band are perfectly entitled to restate their musical chops. By all accounts their recent show at The Globe was beset by sound issues so maybe it’s as well I was unable to make it. A reasonable follow up by a collective who may have been expected to deliver slightly stronger. 7/10
Inglorious: II (Frontiers Records)
Inglorious are a band whose trajectory is certainly in the ascendancy. They have wowed all who have seen them since they broke on the UK rock scene around three years ago. Huge amounts of exposure from Planet Rock, impressive performances across the Country in the live arena and at festivals has cemented their status as a band to see. Last year’s debut release was well received and hot on the heels comes II. It's fair to say that Nathan James and band mates nail their colours firmly to the old-school rock sound mast of bands like Zeppelin, Purple, Bad Company and of course Whitesnake. If you haven’t heard this man sing, you could be forgiven for thinking it was David Coverdale (expect of course he won’t hit such notes these days). His voice is really something. Blues soaked rock n’ roll from start to finish, what Inglorious have in comparison to Snakecharmer is desire, stomp and a vibrancy that was absent for much of Second Skin.
I Don’t Need Your Loving, Taking The Blame and Tell Me Why are all strong songs which form the opening salvo. There is little original about II, it follows the hard rock blueprint which the legends laid down all those years ago. Produced by the legendary Kevin Shirley, it is exceptionally polished, has a huge sound and harks back to the days when bands created music organically in the same room, rather than the piecemeal approach of Pro Tools. With Wil Taylor having left the band after recording, original rhythm guitarist Drew Lowe has returned to the fold to work once more with lead guitarist Andreas Eriksson, bassist Colin Parkinson and drummer Phil Beaver. I don’t for one minute think that inglorious are the future of rock as a certain Planet Rock presenter has proclaimed but they have done is carved a niche for themselves in a market which has an insatiable appetite for the retro sound. II is a solid release and I look forward to seeing them in July as they perform on the top of the mountain at Steelhouse. 8/10
Inglorious are a band whose trajectory is certainly in the ascendancy. They have wowed all who have seen them since they broke on the UK rock scene around three years ago. Huge amounts of exposure from Planet Rock, impressive performances across the Country in the live arena and at festivals has cemented their status as a band to see. Last year’s debut release was well received and hot on the heels comes II. It's fair to say that Nathan James and band mates nail their colours firmly to the old-school rock sound mast of bands like Zeppelin, Purple, Bad Company and of course Whitesnake. If you haven’t heard this man sing, you could be forgiven for thinking it was David Coverdale (expect of course he won’t hit such notes these days). His voice is really something. Blues soaked rock n’ roll from start to finish, what Inglorious have in comparison to Snakecharmer is desire, stomp and a vibrancy that was absent for much of Second Skin.
I Don’t Need Your Loving, Taking The Blame and Tell Me Why are all strong songs which form the opening salvo. There is little original about II, it follows the hard rock blueprint which the legends laid down all those years ago. Produced by the legendary Kevin Shirley, it is exceptionally polished, has a huge sound and harks back to the days when bands created music organically in the same room, rather than the piecemeal approach of Pro Tools. With Wil Taylor having left the band after recording, original rhythm guitarist Drew Lowe has returned to the fold to work once more with lead guitarist Andreas Eriksson, bassist Colin Parkinson and drummer Phil Beaver. I don’t for one minute think that inglorious are the future of rock as a certain Planet Rock presenter has proclaimed but they have done is carved a niche for themselves in a market which has an insatiable appetite for the retro sound. II is a solid release and I look forward to seeing them in July as they perform on the top of the mountain at Steelhouse. 8/10
The Picturebooks: Home Is A Heartache (Another Century Records)
The latest in the alternative rock and blues duo, this time The Picturebooks from Gutersloh in Germany. Home Is A Heartache is 14 tracks which take Rival Sons, The White Stripes, The Graveltones, Royal Blood and The Record Company and mix it into a blast of angst driven blues and rock which is at times catchy and interesting and at other times a little dull. My problem with this … it’s just the same song 14 times over. Sure, there are subtle differences but this is drums and guitar echoing around the same format. Play track 2, Wardance and then play track 13 Heathen Love with its Zeppelin riff and it is the same thing all over again. I’m sure the good people at Planet Rock will think this is revolutionary. It’s just boring. 5/10
Rouge Noire: M.I.L.F. (Self Released)
Okay, I’m going to put this right out there. This is one of the most routine albums I’ve heard for years. It’s not rubbish, it’s just mundane. RougeNoire are a female outfit from Milan who have been kicking around for over 10 years and whose press is either poorly translated or hyped beyond belief. Hard rock it may be, but there is little here to suggest this is genuinely original or inventive. They can play and the songs are totally inoffensive. Half way through and I was yawning and searching for the next release to review. A Night Of Perdition may shade it as the best song on here but that’s not really saying much. Calling yourself Black Mamba, Hellcat and Foxy Lady doesn’t do you any favours either. Probably one to side-step if truth be told. 4/10
Rouge Noire: M.I.L.F. (Self Released)
Okay, I’m going to put this right out there. This is one of the most routine albums I’ve heard for years. It’s not rubbish, it’s just mundane. RougeNoire are a female outfit from Milan who have been kicking around for over 10 years and whose press is either poorly translated or hyped beyond belief. Hard rock it may be, but there is little here to suggest this is genuinely original or inventive. They can play and the songs are totally inoffensive. Half way through and I was yawning and searching for the next release to review. A Night Of Perdition may shade it as the best song on here but that’s not really saying much. Calling yourself Black Mamba, Hellcat and Foxy Lady doesn’t do you any favours either. Probably one to side-step if truth be told. 4/10
Monday, 15 May 2017
Reviews: The Night Flight Orchestra, Other View, Imperivm
The Night Flight Orchestra: Amber Galactic (Nuclear Blast)
Björn "Speed" Strid and David Andersson will probably be best known respectively as singer and guitarist of melodic death metal/metalcore Soilwork but in parallel they have experienced a fluffier career as the 80's loving AOR driven rocking of The Night Flight Orchestra. The album covers are spacey, neon drenched pieces that contain hard rocking numbers that you would hear on any mid 80's American rock album. This record opens with the keyboard friendly Midnight Flyer which is the sort of song Blackmore recorded with Graham Bonnet and Joe Lynn Turner with David Andersson and Richard Larsson taking the roles of Blackmore and Airey duelling in the solo sections.
I must say Speed's vocals are so suited to this music, he has always been a good vocalist in Soilwork but here he really shines, very Bonnet-like delivery on the soulful Gemini and the bluesy Sad State Of Affairs. The band also features Sharlee D'Angelo (Arch Enemy) on bass, Jonas Källsbäck on drums and Sebastian Forslund who plays congas, percussion and guitar so it's a bit of a Swedish supergroup that have come together to recapture the classic late 70's to mid 80's melodic-driven rock and they have done it very well.
This is their third album and once again it's at a very high level from the funkier stylings of Domino to the saccharine Josephine which continues the traditions of naming big ballads after women while Space Whisperer draws from their namesake ELO and Something Mysterious blatantly copies from Survivor. Amber Galactic would have been a million seller in 1985, with the music scene the way it is now that won't happen but you can indulge at hope in some of the best melodic rock of 2017 get on board with The Night Flight Orchestra it's a wild ride indeed. 9/10
Other View: When Daylight Is Gone (Self Released)
We're a bit like the Starship Enterprise (NCC-1701) here at MoM, we like to go boldly and seek out new bands from around the world, now there are hundreds of bands releasing albums every month from all over the globe and some are terrible but some are thankfully great. As many of you may have noticed I'm the progger in the group, if it's complicated and a little OTT I'm probably going to listen to it. Italian progressive metal band Other View are one such band, after a little digging I found that this the band's second full length record, their first was more straightforward power metal affair but this one takes their sound to exciting places.
Vantage the song that starts the record has synths to die for, they are really the lead instrument here relegating the guitars to the background. When The Daylight Is Gone is a very modern progressive album that sounds takes it's cues from Haken, Coheed & Cambria and Circus Maximus there's a lot of edm style electronics from Matteo Cidda on Dead, thick riffage from Van and Francesco Tuscano on Carnivore which is an ode to the lycanthrope and Lon Hawk's vocals are emotive and soar high with clarity and passion especially on Lightyears which is a superb 80's style rocker. In the outer reaches of the Milan music scene Other View are a band that you may not know but I urge you if you like concise but progressive metal with melodic touches this 8 song record will really get your blood flowing, live long and prosper Other View this is very good work. 8/10
Imperivm: Rome Burns (Virus Records)
As you can probably see Imperivm are a band that deal in Roman history, their name is in the Latin style (v's no u's). It's useful then that they come from Italy so this is their history and they can treat it with respect. Personally I love an album that deals with history and I'm especially drawn to the lyrics on this record as it deals with Ancient Rome, now I've got a degree in Classics so I always find it interesting to see how bands interpret the stories of the era into song, where as Ex Deo do this with blood gore and death metal, Imperivm take the Sabaton route of doing it with histrionic power metal.
This means guitar/keyboard duals galore, rampaging drums and galloping basslines throughout, the songs all deal with historical events, the opening salvo of Last Breath sounds like Helloween (the overarching sound of the band in general) and deals with the end of the Republic with the Ides Of March. The almost choral title track is built on big organ riffs with orchestrations, while Spartacus Never Dies is a rampaging rally against Pompey The Great. The vocals of Spartacus (yes the band use pseudonyms) are good suiting the power metal backing, he doesn't sky scrape but they are by no means gruff and his European pronunciation is endearing.
Mostly the band are versatile ably dealing with folk metal on Behind The Alps, the Maiden-like The Final War and the ballad No Wife No Queen with ease. Rome Burns is a great power metal album based on a subject I hold dear, I can see myself playing this album a lot and in our continuing journey to find new bands Italy's Imperivm really stand out. 8/10
Björn "Speed" Strid and David Andersson will probably be best known respectively as singer and guitarist of melodic death metal/metalcore Soilwork but in parallel they have experienced a fluffier career as the 80's loving AOR driven rocking of The Night Flight Orchestra. The album covers are spacey, neon drenched pieces that contain hard rocking numbers that you would hear on any mid 80's American rock album. This record opens with the keyboard friendly Midnight Flyer which is the sort of song Blackmore recorded with Graham Bonnet and Joe Lynn Turner with David Andersson and Richard Larsson taking the roles of Blackmore and Airey duelling in the solo sections.
I must say Speed's vocals are so suited to this music, he has always been a good vocalist in Soilwork but here he really shines, very Bonnet-like delivery on the soulful Gemini and the bluesy Sad State Of Affairs. The band also features Sharlee D'Angelo (Arch Enemy) on bass, Jonas Källsbäck on drums and Sebastian Forslund who plays congas, percussion and guitar so it's a bit of a Swedish supergroup that have come together to recapture the classic late 70's to mid 80's melodic-driven rock and they have done it very well.
This is their third album and once again it's at a very high level from the funkier stylings of Domino to the saccharine Josephine which continues the traditions of naming big ballads after women while Space Whisperer draws from their namesake ELO and Something Mysterious blatantly copies from Survivor. Amber Galactic would have been a million seller in 1985, with the music scene the way it is now that won't happen but you can indulge at hope in some of the best melodic rock of 2017 get on board with The Night Flight Orchestra it's a wild ride indeed. 9/10
Other View: When Daylight Is Gone (Self Released)
We're a bit like the Starship Enterprise (NCC-1701) here at MoM, we like to go boldly and seek out new bands from around the world, now there are hundreds of bands releasing albums every month from all over the globe and some are terrible but some are thankfully great. As many of you may have noticed I'm the progger in the group, if it's complicated and a little OTT I'm probably going to listen to it. Italian progressive metal band Other View are one such band, after a little digging I found that this the band's second full length record, their first was more straightforward power metal affair but this one takes their sound to exciting places.
Vantage the song that starts the record has synths to die for, they are really the lead instrument here relegating the guitars to the background. When The Daylight Is Gone is a very modern progressive album that sounds takes it's cues from Haken, Coheed & Cambria and Circus Maximus there's a lot of edm style electronics from Matteo Cidda on Dead, thick riffage from Van and Francesco Tuscano on Carnivore which is an ode to the lycanthrope and Lon Hawk's vocals are emotive and soar high with clarity and passion especially on Lightyears which is a superb 80's style rocker. In the outer reaches of the Milan music scene Other View are a band that you may not know but I urge you if you like concise but progressive metal with melodic touches this 8 song record will really get your blood flowing, live long and prosper Other View this is very good work. 8/10
Imperivm: Rome Burns (Virus Records)
As you can probably see Imperivm are a band that deal in Roman history, their name is in the Latin style (v's no u's). It's useful then that they come from Italy so this is their history and they can treat it with respect. Personally I love an album that deals with history and I'm especially drawn to the lyrics on this record as it deals with Ancient Rome, now I've got a degree in Classics so I always find it interesting to see how bands interpret the stories of the era into song, where as Ex Deo do this with blood gore and death metal, Imperivm take the Sabaton route of doing it with histrionic power metal.
This means guitar/keyboard duals galore, rampaging drums and galloping basslines throughout, the songs all deal with historical events, the opening salvo of Last Breath sounds like Helloween (the overarching sound of the band in general) and deals with the end of the Republic with the Ides Of March. The almost choral title track is built on big organ riffs with orchestrations, while Spartacus Never Dies is a rampaging rally against Pompey The Great. The vocals of Spartacus (yes the band use pseudonyms) are good suiting the power metal backing, he doesn't sky scrape but they are by no means gruff and his European pronunciation is endearing.
Mostly the band are versatile ably dealing with folk metal on Behind The Alps, the Maiden-like The Final War and the ballad No Wife No Queen with ease. Rome Burns is a great power metal album based on a subject I hold dear, I can see myself playing this album a lot and in our continuing journey to find new bands Italy's Imperivm really stand out. 8/10
Sunday, 14 May 2017
Reviews: The Lonely Robot, Selene, Revival
Lonely Robot: The Big Dream (InsideOut)
Musician/producer/writer all round Renaissance man John Mitchell has returned to his solo love affair that is the no rules, no boundaries Lonely Robot project. Since the release of the record Mitchell has been busy with Frost* touring and recording as well a his usual job of producing, mixing for other bands. In between all this he has managed to record another Lonely Robot album, once again there is a loose concept but whereas Please Come Home saw the astronaut isolated in the darkness of space, now he awakens in a surreal garden that Mitchell supposes "mirrors 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' [almost] a solipsistic haze" with the astronaut trapped inside his own mind this has allowed Mitchell to bring the album 'down to earth' so to speak allowing more organic textures to the songs. T
his has been helped that since the debut Lonely Robot have been established as a live band featuring Steve Vantsis (Fish/Tilt) on bass, Liam Holmes on keys and his Frost* bandmate Craig Blundell behind the skins. Blundell also contributes drums to the album with Mitchell pretty much playing everything else, although Nick Beggs adds some additional bass. The songs shine once again with the album having a texture of their own that are both different to the previous record but audibly continue the themes established. Pop, rock, prog, folk and many more are all covered here with the songs shorter more direct and at time softer, where as Sigma and Everglow are the heavy hitters of the record and will be the rock radio staples, the more subtle softer tunes like The Divine Art Of Being and the folky In Floral Green which features mystical backing vocals from Bonita McKinney.
Elsewhere the album pairs interesting musical soundscapes with spoken word narration from Lee Ingleby (Inspector George Gently/Line Of Duty). With two albums of uncompromising musical experimentation, a third on the way and more 'one-off' live shows planned to once again weave his musical tapestry John Mitchell has returned with another sterling release that will seal his position as one of the (usually) British musical polymath's in the realms of Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and more recently Steven Wilson. 10/10
Selene: The Ravages Of Time (Self Released)
I reviewed Selene's EP in 2014 but somehow missed out on reviewing their debut full length in 2015, the EP got a solid 7/10 and I mentioned that the band could diversify a little to really hit home in what is crowded genre. It looks as this is what the band have tried to do on this their second full length, the record is tighter, harsher and faster with guitarist/founder/songwriter John Connor describing it as "leaning more on our Power Metal roots" and while that is true it's still a record that sits comfortably in the symphonic metal genre due to the operatic vocals of Shonagh Lyons. I would say my review copy had scratchy production which detracted from the listening experience but The Ravages Of Time is a good enough album for fans of this style, there are risks but not too many to change anything drastically, still if operatic, orchestral backed metal is your bag this Irish band will be for you. 7/10
Revival: Demo Album (Self Released)
Welsh metal four piece Revival has wowed me twice when I've seen them onstage so when their demo album dropped in to MoM towers I put it on the decks of doom and cranked up the volume. The album is a mixture of their Madness demo and their newest unreleased demo named Season Of The Wizard as such the production is a bit all over the place and a couple of the tracks are repeated, it's the songs on the Season Of The Wizard that stand out in audio quality as they are produced by the legendary Chris Tsangarides. In terms of influence the sounds of Down, Orange Goblin, BLS all loom large with I Am God, Chains are heavyweight stoner riffs favoured by Down but the band add the BLS style shredding to Tap Out and Danger.
Obviously with these sort of influences to their sound they also have a huge shot of Sabbath on Season Of The Wizard and their cover of Paranoid is pretty good too. Limited to just 100 physical copies pick this album up as it's a snapshot of a band at the very inception of their career and it bodes well for the rest of their career, the songs are punchy, the performances mature and the overall package is presented with professionalism. Revival are definitely bringing back the rock. 8/10
Musician/producer/writer all round Renaissance man John Mitchell has returned to his solo love affair that is the no rules, no boundaries Lonely Robot project. Since the release of the record Mitchell has been busy with Frost* touring and recording as well a his usual job of producing, mixing for other bands. In between all this he has managed to record another Lonely Robot album, once again there is a loose concept but whereas Please Come Home saw the astronaut isolated in the darkness of space, now he awakens in a surreal garden that Mitchell supposes "mirrors 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' [almost] a solipsistic haze" with the astronaut trapped inside his own mind this has allowed Mitchell to bring the album 'down to earth' so to speak allowing more organic textures to the songs. T
his has been helped that since the debut Lonely Robot have been established as a live band featuring Steve Vantsis (Fish/Tilt) on bass, Liam Holmes on keys and his Frost* bandmate Craig Blundell behind the skins. Blundell also contributes drums to the album with Mitchell pretty much playing everything else, although Nick Beggs adds some additional bass. The songs shine once again with the album having a texture of their own that are both different to the previous record but audibly continue the themes established. Pop, rock, prog, folk and many more are all covered here with the songs shorter more direct and at time softer, where as Sigma and Everglow are the heavy hitters of the record and will be the rock radio staples, the more subtle softer tunes like The Divine Art Of Being and the folky In Floral Green which features mystical backing vocals from Bonita McKinney.
Elsewhere the album pairs interesting musical soundscapes with spoken word narration from Lee Ingleby (Inspector George Gently/Line Of Duty). With two albums of uncompromising musical experimentation, a third on the way and more 'one-off' live shows planned to once again weave his musical tapestry John Mitchell has returned with another sterling release that will seal his position as one of the (usually) British musical polymath's in the realms of Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and more recently Steven Wilson. 10/10
Selene: The Ravages Of Time (Self Released)
I reviewed Selene's EP in 2014 but somehow missed out on reviewing their debut full length in 2015, the EP got a solid 7/10 and I mentioned that the band could diversify a little to really hit home in what is crowded genre. It looks as this is what the band have tried to do on this their second full length, the record is tighter, harsher and faster with guitarist/founder/songwriter John Connor describing it as "leaning more on our Power Metal roots" and while that is true it's still a record that sits comfortably in the symphonic metal genre due to the operatic vocals of Shonagh Lyons. I would say my review copy had scratchy production which detracted from the listening experience but The Ravages Of Time is a good enough album for fans of this style, there are risks but not too many to change anything drastically, still if operatic, orchestral backed metal is your bag this Irish band will be for you. 7/10
Revival: Demo Album (Self Released)
Welsh metal four piece Revival has wowed me twice when I've seen them onstage so when their demo album dropped in to MoM towers I put it on the decks of doom and cranked up the volume. The album is a mixture of their Madness demo and their newest unreleased demo named Season Of The Wizard as such the production is a bit all over the place and a couple of the tracks are repeated, it's the songs on the Season Of The Wizard that stand out in audio quality as they are produced by the legendary Chris Tsangarides. In terms of influence the sounds of Down, Orange Goblin, BLS all loom large with I Am God, Chains are heavyweight stoner riffs favoured by Down but the band add the BLS style shredding to Tap Out and Danger.
Obviously with these sort of influences to their sound they also have a huge shot of Sabbath on Season Of The Wizard and their cover of Paranoid is pretty good too. Limited to just 100 physical copies pick this album up as it's a snapshot of a band at the very inception of their career and it bodes well for the rest of their career, the songs are punchy, the performances mature and the overall package is presented with professionalism. Revival are definitely bringing back the rock. 8/10
Friday, 12 May 2017
Reviews: Avatarium, Hawkwind, Woodhawk (Reviews By Paul)
Avatarium: Hurricanes And Halos (Nuclear Blast)
One of the hardest working men in metal is Leif Edling, bassist of doom godfathers Candlemass and about a billion other projects. We recently reviewed the fabulous doom laden debut from The Doomsday Kingdom and now Edling returns with the third full release from Avatarium, the band who formed in 2013. It's been two years since the sophomore Girl With The Raven Mask which was a superb follow up on the self titled debut. Hurricanes And Halos has a real 1970s Deep Purple feel throughout, and nowhere more so than the opening two tracks, especially the Hammond soaked opener Into The Storm. Carl Westholm's keyboards take centre stage as Into The Storm and The Starless Sleep both race at full pace. Jennie Ann Smith's unique blues soaked vocals come into their own on the blues rock tinge of Road To Jerusalem which contains some beautiful guitar work from Marcus Jidell. This track is quite a departure from the usual melancholic doom, featuring a slower paced acoustic approach that is one of the most atmospheric tracks the band has ever written. It's quite stunning. Medusa Child contains a skull crushing riff guaranteed to stove the cranium whilst the child vocal is both apt for the song and hauntingly scary.
The Sky At The Bottom Of The Sea is next, a super Dio era Rainbow tune, high paced and full of pomp and ceremony. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking this had been written by RJD and Ritchie Blackmore. More crunchy keys here, the highlight of the whole album for me being the way they underpin virtually every track. In additon, there is some brilliant Ian Paice jazz fused drumming thanks to the sterling efforts of Lars Skold. The pace slows right down on When Breath Turns To Air, a moody, measured beauty which would sit perfectly in a smoke filled cafe or bar. Jennie Ann Smith's soothing velvet tones supported by sublime keys, relaxed rhythm and delicate guitar work. It's an astonishingly good piece. Penultimate track A Kiss (From The End Of The World) starts with intricate flamenco style guitar before exploding into a massive doom laden riff which evolves majestically during the nine minute epic journey. Powerful and brooding, it slows but loses none of its strength. It is imperious. The album closes with the instrumental title track, a lone bass drum joined by deep resonating bass which then peaks before fading eerily into the distance. This is one of the best albums of the year, by a mile. Treat yourself to Hurricanes And Halos. It is fantastic. 10/10
Hawkwind: Into The Woods (Cherry Red Records)
Album number 30 for the sonic masters and it’s another fantastic release. Last year the band’s take on EM Forster’s dystopian novel The Machine Stops was just thrilling and the band show no sign of stopping. Beautifully paced and delivered, the combination of Dave Brock’s wisdom and guidance along with more recent additions to the band is evident. As with all Hawkwind releases, Into The Woods is a combination of driving space rock which is synonymous with the band and some more bizarre compositions. Tracks like Magic Mushrooms, Have You Seen Them and the trippy Space Ship Blues are ageless. The themes of nature and environment are up front and unapologetic. Vegan Lunch is just pure space boogie whilst the title track, Cottage In The Woods and the gorgeous melody of Wood Nymph all place nature in majesty. By now you’ll either get Hawkwind or dismiss them as aging hippies. For me the band remain rock’s consciousness about the state of the world around us, standing proud alongside the likes of Gojira and Crippled Black Phoenix. Prophetic as always, the band’s views are as accurate now as they were in the 1970s. As Dave Brock and co. Continue to deliver the goods, we should remain thankful. The Machine has not stopped yet. Long may they continue. 9/10
Woodhawk: Beyond The Sun (Self Released)
Straight forward fuzzed up stoner rock with a Sabbath riff coursing through every song. Welcome to Woodhawk, a power trio from the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. Beyond The Sun is a stomper of an album, albeit following a tried and trusted formula. Turner Mizdan plays a dirty mean guitar, Mike Badmington thunders the bass and Kevin Nelson hits seven shades out of the drums. If you like the sounds of The Sword, Mastodon, Clutch and the craft of RavenEye (A New Hope is especially reminiscent of the Milton Keynes trio) then you’ll dig this release. At just under 40 minutes it does the business and then heads off to the pub. Can’t fault it. 7/10
One of the hardest working men in metal is Leif Edling, bassist of doom godfathers Candlemass and about a billion other projects. We recently reviewed the fabulous doom laden debut from The Doomsday Kingdom and now Edling returns with the third full release from Avatarium, the band who formed in 2013. It's been two years since the sophomore Girl With The Raven Mask which was a superb follow up on the self titled debut. Hurricanes And Halos has a real 1970s Deep Purple feel throughout, and nowhere more so than the opening two tracks, especially the Hammond soaked opener Into The Storm. Carl Westholm's keyboards take centre stage as Into The Storm and The Starless Sleep both race at full pace. Jennie Ann Smith's unique blues soaked vocals come into their own on the blues rock tinge of Road To Jerusalem which contains some beautiful guitar work from Marcus Jidell. This track is quite a departure from the usual melancholic doom, featuring a slower paced acoustic approach that is one of the most atmospheric tracks the band has ever written. It's quite stunning. Medusa Child contains a skull crushing riff guaranteed to stove the cranium whilst the child vocal is both apt for the song and hauntingly scary.
The Sky At The Bottom Of The Sea is next, a super Dio era Rainbow tune, high paced and full of pomp and ceremony. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking this had been written by RJD and Ritchie Blackmore. More crunchy keys here, the highlight of the whole album for me being the way they underpin virtually every track. In additon, there is some brilliant Ian Paice jazz fused drumming thanks to the sterling efforts of Lars Skold. The pace slows right down on When Breath Turns To Air, a moody, measured beauty which would sit perfectly in a smoke filled cafe or bar. Jennie Ann Smith's soothing velvet tones supported by sublime keys, relaxed rhythm and delicate guitar work. It's an astonishingly good piece. Penultimate track A Kiss (From The End Of The World) starts with intricate flamenco style guitar before exploding into a massive doom laden riff which evolves majestically during the nine minute epic journey. Powerful and brooding, it slows but loses none of its strength. It is imperious. The album closes with the instrumental title track, a lone bass drum joined by deep resonating bass which then peaks before fading eerily into the distance. This is one of the best albums of the year, by a mile. Treat yourself to Hurricanes And Halos. It is fantastic. 10/10
Hawkwind: Into The Woods (Cherry Red Records)
Album number 30 for the sonic masters and it’s another fantastic release. Last year the band’s take on EM Forster’s dystopian novel The Machine Stops was just thrilling and the band show no sign of stopping. Beautifully paced and delivered, the combination of Dave Brock’s wisdom and guidance along with more recent additions to the band is evident. As with all Hawkwind releases, Into The Woods is a combination of driving space rock which is synonymous with the band and some more bizarre compositions. Tracks like Magic Mushrooms, Have You Seen Them and the trippy Space Ship Blues are ageless. The themes of nature and environment are up front and unapologetic. Vegan Lunch is just pure space boogie whilst the title track, Cottage In The Woods and the gorgeous melody of Wood Nymph all place nature in majesty. By now you’ll either get Hawkwind or dismiss them as aging hippies. For me the band remain rock’s consciousness about the state of the world around us, standing proud alongside the likes of Gojira and Crippled Black Phoenix. Prophetic as always, the band’s views are as accurate now as they were in the 1970s. As Dave Brock and co. Continue to deliver the goods, we should remain thankful. The Machine has not stopped yet. Long may they continue. 9/10
Woodhawk: Beyond The Sun (Self Released)
Straight forward fuzzed up stoner rock with a Sabbath riff coursing through every song. Welcome to Woodhawk, a power trio from the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. Beyond The Sun is a stomper of an album, albeit following a tried and trusted formula. Turner Mizdan plays a dirty mean guitar, Mike Badmington thunders the bass and Kevin Nelson hits seven shades out of the drums. If you like the sounds of The Sword, Mastodon, Clutch and the craft of RavenEye (A New Hope is especially reminiscent of the Milton Keynes trio) then you’ll dig this release. At just under 40 minutes it does the business and then heads off to the pub. Can’t fault it. 7/10
Reviews: Magenta, The Unity, Earth Witch
Magenta: We Are Legend (Tigermoth Records)
Magenta's new album should have been titled 'the prog returns' as it harks back to the band's first three records. With the three (yes three) songs on this record all having that progressive lushness that Revolutions, Seven and Home featured, along with the band also exploring new sounds and themes. Having heard the three tracks on this record at their recent live show I knew what to expect but hearing them laid down with the production and all the nuances of the music, the songs sounded amazing. Let's address the idea of a record having three songs and still calling it an album not an EP, well this is due to the track lengths opening number Trojan is nigh on 27 minutes long (that's one side of vinyl folks) with Colours and Legend both clocking in at over 10 minutes.
I'll try not to go into too much detail on every song as they need to be listened too to be fully appreciated but Trojan is staggering a masterpiece in composition and creating soundscapes the influences are clear Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield and pre-Duke Genesis, the core trio of Christina Booth (vocals), Chris Fry (guitar) and band leader Rob Reed (keys) are all at the peak of their powers Christina soars powerfully over the colossal synths and processed beats of Rob Reed, it's his mastery of the keys that drives this band much like bands such as Yes, Genesis and Marillion they are an integral vital part of the bands signature sound and hear they hold the entire band together propelling us through the 27 minutes with ease.
That's not to understate the contribution of the other band members Chris Fry has been there since the beginning and his guitar playing is deft, expressive and stunning his Gilmour-like solos are at times the only rest-bite in the elongated musical passages. The record also features a Herculean effort from new boys and Kinky Wizzard Jon 'Jiffy Griffiths (drums) and Dan Nelson (bass) who are a linchpin for so many of the songs just check out the percussive middle section of Trojan which uses tom-toms and a bass throb like Floyd do on Time. Colours is a more melodic piece with a slightly different sound to the opening song, it's got an almost paranoid quirkiness, it's about Van Gogh so that could be why, the classic prog sound is still there but it's a bit more relaxed, fluid and dramatic, while Legend finishes the album on huge high with more direct, darker song. Magenta are back folks, they are oft overlooked but if you are a fan of any progressive rock this is must buy. 10/10
The Unity: Unity (SPV)
Formed by two members of Gamma Ray, The Unity is the new project of Henjo Richter (guitar) and Michael Ehre (drums) with countless hours spent in the studio and on the live stage the duo found that they were creating music together that wouldn't fit into Gamma Ray sphere so they recruited talented writers and players in the shape of Italian Gianba Manenti (vocals), Stef E (guitarist), Jogi Sweers (bass) and keyboardist Sascha Onnen all of whom were in Ehre's previous band Love.Might.Kill. This album takes parts of the Love.Might.Kill sound bringing in a slick AOR stylings on the latter part of the album which suffers from ballad bloat while Never Forget is great others like the Always Just You is overblown, elsewhere it's prime melodic rock with the opening duo of Rise And Fall and No More Lies kicking the album off with a bang as tracks such as Firesign ramp up the heavy. The musicianship is of a high standard throughout with Richter and Stef playing up a storm, Manetti's vocals shine too principally on the bluesy The Wishing Well and the incredibly Whitesnake sounding Redeemer. The Unity's debut is full of powerful European melodic rock delivered at the level you'd expect from those involved. 7/10
Earth Witch: Out Of The Shallow (Self Released)
Urbana, Illinois is probably not that known for anything outside of agriculture and being the place HAL 9000 was made operational in 2001: A Space Odyssey. They don't have a particularly rich musical heritage but Earth Witch are looking to change that. This trio play the scuzzy type of metal that hails Sabbath and nods to Sleep, the hypnotic doom of Butterfly shows the band at their trippy best, but the rest of the album is thundering riffage, colossal instrumental sections on Mermaid that has swirling organs and a repetitive riff, gruff vocals shout the lyrics as the doom heaviness continues without abatement, this record apparently speeds things up since their debut EP and while that is true the band excel at bearded doom favoured by bands ranging from Earth to Electric Wizard. Out Of Shallow pairs formidable guitars with hefty use of synths in this trippy doom laden debut. 7/10
Magenta's new album should have been titled 'the prog returns' as it harks back to the band's first three records. With the three (yes three) songs on this record all having that progressive lushness that Revolutions, Seven and Home featured, along with the band also exploring new sounds and themes. Having heard the three tracks on this record at their recent live show I knew what to expect but hearing them laid down with the production and all the nuances of the music, the songs sounded amazing. Let's address the idea of a record having three songs and still calling it an album not an EP, well this is due to the track lengths opening number Trojan is nigh on 27 minutes long (that's one side of vinyl folks) with Colours and Legend both clocking in at over 10 minutes.
I'll try not to go into too much detail on every song as they need to be listened too to be fully appreciated but Trojan is staggering a masterpiece in composition and creating soundscapes the influences are clear Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield and pre-Duke Genesis, the core trio of Christina Booth (vocals), Chris Fry (guitar) and band leader Rob Reed (keys) are all at the peak of their powers Christina soars powerfully over the colossal synths and processed beats of Rob Reed, it's his mastery of the keys that drives this band much like bands such as Yes, Genesis and Marillion they are an integral vital part of the bands signature sound and hear they hold the entire band together propelling us through the 27 minutes with ease.
That's not to understate the contribution of the other band members Chris Fry has been there since the beginning and his guitar playing is deft, expressive and stunning his Gilmour-like solos are at times the only rest-bite in the elongated musical passages. The record also features a Herculean effort from new boys and Kinky Wizzard Jon 'Jiffy Griffiths (drums) and Dan Nelson (bass) who are a linchpin for so many of the songs just check out the percussive middle section of Trojan which uses tom-toms and a bass throb like Floyd do on Time. Colours is a more melodic piece with a slightly different sound to the opening song, it's got an almost paranoid quirkiness, it's about Van Gogh so that could be why, the classic prog sound is still there but it's a bit more relaxed, fluid and dramatic, while Legend finishes the album on huge high with more direct, darker song. Magenta are back folks, they are oft overlooked but if you are a fan of any progressive rock this is must buy. 10/10
The Unity: Unity (SPV)
Formed by two members of Gamma Ray, The Unity is the new project of Henjo Richter (guitar) and Michael Ehre (drums) with countless hours spent in the studio and on the live stage the duo found that they were creating music together that wouldn't fit into Gamma Ray sphere so they recruited talented writers and players in the shape of Italian Gianba Manenti (vocals), Stef E (guitarist), Jogi Sweers (bass) and keyboardist Sascha Onnen all of whom were in Ehre's previous band Love.Might.Kill. This album takes parts of the Love.Might.Kill sound bringing in a slick AOR stylings on the latter part of the album which suffers from ballad bloat while Never Forget is great others like the Always Just You is overblown, elsewhere it's prime melodic rock with the opening duo of Rise And Fall and No More Lies kicking the album off with a bang as tracks such as Firesign ramp up the heavy. The musicianship is of a high standard throughout with Richter and Stef playing up a storm, Manetti's vocals shine too principally on the bluesy The Wishing Well and the incredibly Whitesnake sounding Redeemer. The Unity's debut is full of powerful European melodic rock delivered at the level you'd expect from those involved. 7/10
Earth Witch: Out Of The Shallow (Self Released)
Urbana, Illinois is probably not that known for anything outside of agriculture and being the place HAL 9000 was made operational in 2001: A Space Odyssey. They don't have a particularly rich musical heritage but Earth Witch are looking to change that. This trio play the scuzzy type of metal that hails Sabbath and nods to Sleep, the hypnotic doom of Butterfly shows the band at their trippy best, but the rest of the album is thundering riffage, colossal instrumental sections on Mermaid that has swirling organs and a repetitive riff, gruff vocals shout the lyrics as the doom heaviness continues without abatement, this record apparently speeds things up since their debut EP and while that is true the band excel at bearded doom favoured by bands ranging from Earth to Electric Wizard. Out Of Shallow pairs formidable guitars with hefty use of synths in this trippy doom laden debut. 7/10
Thursday, 11 May 2017
A View From The Back Of The Room: Katatonia
Katatonia, Ghost Bath & The Great Discord, Marble Factory, Bristol
First gig in Bristol for a while and it was one I was anticipating was going to be good indeed, this was to be my first viewing Swedes Katatonia in the live arena (I think, my memory is going) and in a cosy venue it was going to be excellent to see them modest sized venue. In fact the only band I had seen was the main support Ghost Bath and that didn't bode well, but I digress, with my snapper/other half in tow we hit the venue and got ready for openers.
With a band dressed in all black they took to the stage in relative silence with the stage cloaked in darkness, then they started their set of thumping progressive alternative metal similar to djent bands but more melodic, the members carrying instruments played the riffs but the focus was on vocalist Fia Kempe who cuts an impressive figure on stage with her whitewashed face and feathered headdress she dramatically threw herself around the cramped stage, a visually arresting display the music was confident to carry her wild performance and strong vocals that were marred by technical problems with the microphone which kept cutting out intermittently until the last song where it gave up the ghost for most of the song. Still despite these issues the assembled throng reacted well to the The Great Discord (8) after the initial bemusement they managed to win around the audience with their accessible but almost post modern take on, definitely a band I'd see again as they were breath of fresh air as a opening act.
A reasonably short change over so as to accommodate three bands and next it was time for the only Americans on the tour, Dakota natives Ghost Bath (7) first woke us up at Bloodstock last year with blood curdling screams and little else, meaning that I didn't hold out much hope this time round. The bands name is derived from "the act of committing suicide by submerging in a body of water" so they are a cheery bunch but this time the were at least more audibly appealing, their depressive post metal is primarily instrumental based upon the five members (who all use Chinese symbol as their names) playing repeated heavy riffs backed by furious blast beats, but I guess I haven't addressed the screaming, well that comes from the frontman who uses his voice as an instrument squealing and screaming down the mic like someone in their death throes.
Now on the record due to the production techniques this is kept as part of the sonic landscape however live there is a tendency to ramp the mic up more than everything else, fine when there are lyrics but screeching not so much, this was the issue at Bloodstock but thankfully not here, the live mix in The Motion was much more balanced meaning that the vocals were at the same level as the instruments, this proved to be a much more enjoyable show because of it. The band played a well built set that climaxed brilliantly, unfortunately there was just a little bit too much tuning silence between the songs to really let you immerse yourself.
Another fast turn around and this was the moment I wanted to see the Swedish merchants of doom-laden, depressive heavy rock Katatonia (10) playing in a small venue almost close enough to touch, in the direct opposition too the openers there was very little fuss on stage, little movement with the exception of Jonas Renske who shuffled on his feet as he delivered his booming, resonant, emotive vocals as the set opened with Last Song Before The Fade the first of 6 tracks from their most recent record The Fall Of Hearts which led into the grinding Criminals from Viva Emptiness, it's one of my favourites from their back catalogue, its a bitter piece that set the stage well for a return to The Fall Of Hearts Serein.
Three heavy hitters first and the room slowed to one indistinguishable mass of hair and heads banging in unison, the crowd mesmerised by the bands hypnotic playing. Cheers of recognition came for riff friendly Dead Letters that to me echoes Opeth in composition and along with Buildings allowed Anders and Roger let loose on their guitars. Kudos again to the sound engineer as the band were powerful but not too heavy that everything was distorted, a crisp sound was bolstered by the expert use of backing tapes to let the songs sound as they were recorded while not distracting from the performance.
The songs moved and twist spellbinding those in attendance, with only a few breaks for thank you the attention level was high and the set list was strong although with only 1 song from Night Is The New Day (the admittedly epic Forsaker) and Last Fair Deal Gone Down which was Teargas which is as near as this band get to light, some may have complaints but personally having 6 tracks from your latest album and 5 from probably your most accomplished (The Great Cold Distance) your bound to get a great set and as it progressed we got Soils Song, in The White, Residual Leaders and Passer but in the encore they took things up another notch with My Twin, Lethean and perennial favourite July. Katatonia give a masterclass in performance, almost perfect sound, tight musicianship, honed performance and light and shade to draw you in, they are untouchable.
First gig in Bristol for a while and it was one I was anticipating was going to be good indeed, this was to be my first viewing Swedes Katatonia in the live arena (I think, my memory is going) and in a cosy venue it was going to be excellent to see them modest sized venue. In fact the only band I had seen was the main support Ghost Bath and that didn't bode well, but I digress, with my snapper/other half in tow we hit the venue and got ready for openers.
With a band dressed in all black they took to the stage in relative silence with the stage cloaked in darkness, then they started their set of thumping progressive alternative metal similar to djent bands but more melodic, the members carrying instruments played the riffs but the focus was on vocalist Fia Kempe who cuts an impressive figure on stage with her whitewashed face and feathered headdress she dramatically threw herself around the cramped stage, a visually arresting display the music was confident to carry her wild performance and strong vocals that were marred by technical problems with the microphone which kept cutting out intermittently until the last song where it gave up the ghost for most of the song. Still despite these issues the assembled throng reacted well to the The Great Discord (8) after the initial bemusement they managed to win around the audience with their accessible but almost post modern take on, definitely a band I'd see again as they were breath of fresh air as a opening act.
A reasonably short change over so as to accommodate three bands and next it was time for the only Americans on the tour, Dakota natives Ghost Bath (7) first woke us up at Bloodstock last year with blood curdling screams and little else, meaning that I didn't hold out much hope this time round. The bands name is derived from "the act of committing suicide by submerging in a body of water" so they are a cheery bunch but this time the were at least more audibly appealing, their depressive post metal is primarily instrumental based upon the five members (who all use Chinese symbol as their names) playing repeated heavy riffs backed by furious blast beats, but I guess I haven't addressed the screaming, well that comes from the frontman who uses his voice as an instrument squealing and screaming down the mic like someone in their death throes.
Now on the record due to the production techniques this is kept as part of the sonic landscape however live there is a tendency to ramp the mic up more than everything else, fine when there are lyrics but screeching not so much, this was the issue at Bloodstock but thankfully not here, the live mix in The Motion was much more balanced meaning that the vocals were at the same level as the instruments, this proved to be a much more enjoyable show because of it. The band played a well built set that climaxed brilliantly, unfortunately there was just a little bit too much tuning silence between the songs to really let you immerse yourself.
Another fast turn around and this was the moment I wanted to see the Swedish merchants of doom-laden, depressive heavy rock Katatonia (10) playing in a small venue almost close enough to touch, in the direct opposition too the openers there was very little fuss on stage, little movement with the exception of Jonas Renske who shuffled on his feet as he delivered his booming, resonant, emotive vocals as the set opened with Last Song Before The Fade the first of 6 tracks from their most recent record The Fall Of Hearts which led into the grinding Criminals from Viva Emptiness, it's one of my favourites from their back catalogue, its a bitter piece that set the stage well for a return to The Fall Of Hearts Serein.
Three heavy hitters first and the room slowed to one indistinguishable mass of hair and heads banging in unison, the crowd mesmerised by the bands hypnotic playing. Cheers of recognition came for riff friendly Dead Letters that to me echoes Opeth in composition and along with Buildings allowed Anders and Roger let loose on their guitars. Kudos again to the sound engineer as the band were powerful but not too heavy that everything was distorted, a crisp sound was bolstered by the expert use of backing tapes to let the songs sound as they were recorded while not distracting from the performance.
The songs moved and twist spellbinding those in attendance, with only a few breaks for thank you the attention level was high and the set list was strong although with only 1 song from Night Is The New Day (the admittedly epic Forsaker) and Last Fair Deal Gone Down which was Teargas which is as near as this band get to light, some may have complaints but personally having 6 tracks from your latest album and 5 from probably your most accomplished (The Great Cold Distance) your bound to get a great set and as it progressed we got Soils Song, in The White, Residual Leaders and Passer but in the encore they took things up another notch with My Twin, Lethean and perennial favourite July. Katatonia give a masterclass in performance, almost perfect sound, tight musicianship, honed performance and light and shade to draw you in, they are untouchable.
Wednesday, 10 May 2017
Reviews: Ancient Ascendant, Disbelief, Midnight Rider (Reviews By Rich)
Ancient Ascendant: Raise The Torch (Candlelight Records)
Ancient Ascendant are a band I used to see perform regularly several years ago with the band seemingly always landing a support slot on many extreme metal shows I attended. In the years since the band dropped off my radar but have seemingly kept active as Raise The Torch is their third record which has been released through Candlelight Records and boasts a production job by the legendary Dan Swanö. Ancient Ascendant always had a bit of a different take on the death metal sound and the music on Raise The Torch is no exception sounding like a cross between melodic death metal, black metal and death 'n' roll.
It's a winning formula generally with catchy melodies mixing with savage tremolo riffage and balls out rock 'n' roll swagger especially on songs such as Our Way, Scaling The Gods and Grasping The Torch. Also special mention must go to the more progressive leanings of Foreign Skies. Inconsistency is my main criticism of the album. The above mentioned songs are the definite highlights but the rest of the album generally does not reach the heights of these resulting in some forgettable songs. Where this album is good though it is very damn good indeed and I'm sure many of these songs will be amazing in a live environment. Ancient Ascendant have been pushing the boundaries of their death metal sound since day one and continue to do so with their third album. Let's just hope the next one has consistency to back it up as well. 7/10
Midnight Rider: Manifestation (Massacre Records)
The retro rock and metal movement seems to be in full swing in 2017 and the latest band to join the ranks are Germany's Midnight Rider with their debut album Manifestation released on Massacre Records. Midnight Rider have a retro sound harking back to the mid 1970's but taking major influence from two bands in particular - Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. The album comes across as if you mixed Black Sabbath's Master Of Reality and Judas Priest's Stained Class and the result is a triumphant batch of rifftastic heavy metal anthems.
The vocals by frontman Wayne sound like a cross between Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford and Robert Plant but with a bit of added grit and really compliment the sublime riffs, groovy bass and solid drumming. Highlights include the Judas Priest leaning Tears Of Your Temptation, the Black Sabbath-like Creature Of The Night and Led Zeppelin inspired Unknown Woman Of The Seine. The band have very clear influences which they wear a bit too much on their sleeves but with such strong influences as these and songwriting as good as it is on the record it's safe to say I'm won over. Retro bands can be a bit hit or miss with me but Midnight Rider definitely get my seal of approval. Unoriginal but insanely enjoyable. 8/10
Ancient Ascendant are a band I used to see perform regularly several years ago with the band seemingly always landing a support slot on many extreme metal shows I attended. In the years since the band dropped off my radar but have seemingly kept active as Raise The Torch is their third record which has been released through Candlelight Records and boasts a production job by the legendary Dan Swanö. Ancient Ascendant always had a bit of a different take on the death metal sound and the music on Raise The Torch is no exception sounding like a cross between melodic death metal, black metal and death 'n' roll.
It's a winning formula generally with catchy melodies mixing with savage tremolo riffage and balls out rock 'n' roll swagger especially on songs such as Our Way, Scaling The Gods and Grasping The Torch. Also special mention must go to the more progressive leanings of Foreign Skies. Inconsistency is my main criticism of the album. The above mentioned songs are the definite highlights but the rest of the album generally does not reach the heights of these resulting in some forgettable songs. Where this album is good though it is very damn good indeed and I'm sure many of these songs will be amazing in a live environment. Ancient Ascendant have been pushing the boundaries of their death metal sound since day one and continue to do so with their third album. Let's just hope the next one has consistency to back it up as well. 7/10
Disbelief: The Symbol Of Death (Listenable Records)
Long running German death groove bruisers Disbelief return after a seven year gap with their tenth album The Symbol Of Death. There have been some line-up changes in the band since 2010's Heal! with new guitarists and a new drummer. The line up changes and break between albums seems to have done the band the world of good as The Symbol Of Death is a ferocious album. The sound of the album is what we've come to expect of Disbelief with groove heavy death metal tunes with hints of melodic death metal.
What's different here is how recharged and re-energised the band sound with tracks such as Full Of Terrors, The Unsuspecting One and Rest In Peace positively bristling with energy and intensity. Similarly tracks such as One By One and Embrace The Blaze explore the bands more melodic side with some progressive rhythms going on as well. Unfortunately with a running length of 63 minutes the album does contain its fair amount of filler material especially towards the end of the album where you start to feel it has outstayed its welcome. With a few songs cut out and a reduced running time this album would have been perfect but as it stands it is a flawed but brilliant piece of groove laden death metal. 7/10
Long running German death groove bruisers Disbelief return after a seven year gap with their tenth album The Symbol Of Death. There have been some line-up changes in the band since 2010's Heal! with new guitarists and a new drummer. The line up changes and break between albums seems to have done the band the world of good as The Symbol Of Death is a ferocious album. The sound of the album is what we've come to expect of Disbelief with groove heavy death metal tunes with hints of melodic death metal.
What's different here is how recharged and re-energised the band sound with tracks such as Full Of Terrors, The Unsuspecting One and Rest In Peace positively bristling with energy and intensity. Similarly tracks such as One By One and Embrace The Blaze explore the bands more melodic side with some progressive rhythms going on as well. Unfortunately with a running length of 63 minutes the album does contain its fair amount of filler material especially towards the end of the album where you start to feel it has outstayed its welcome. With a few songs cut out and a reduced running time this album would have been perfect but as it stands it is a flawed but brilliant piece of groove laden death metal. 7/10
Midnight Rider: Manifestation (Massacre Records)
The retro rock and metal movement seems to be in full swing in 2017 and the latest band to join the ranks are Germany's Midnight Rider with their debut album Manifestation released on Massacre Records. Midnight Rider have a retro sound harking back to the mid 1970's but taking major influence from two bands in particular - Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. The album comes across as if you mixed Black Sabbath's Master Of Reality and Judas Priest's Stained Class and the result is a triumphant batch of rifftastic heavy metal anthems.
The vocals by frontman Wayne sound like a cross between Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford and Robert Plant but with a bit of added grit and really compliment the sublime riffs, groovy bass and solid drumming. Highlights include the Judas Priest leaning Tears Of Your Temptation, the Black Sabbath-like Creature Of The Night and Led Zeppelin inspired Unknown Woman Of The Seine. The band have very clear influences which they wear a bit too much on their sleeves but with such strong influences as these and songwriting as good as it is on the record it's safe to say I'm won over. Retro bands can be a bit hit or miss with me but Midnight Rider definitely get my seal of approval. Unoriginal but insanely enjoyable. 8/10
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