Kiss – Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham
The Kiss Army descended on the Second City in their droves for what turned out to be the fabulous night of absolute over the top hard rock pantomime. This was the band’s first UK tour since 2010’s Sonic Boom Over Europe and unsurprisingly the streets around the Barclaycard Arena were a sea of Kiss t-shirts, with a liberal smattering of face painted fans.
The disappointment of not having Musipedia favourites RavenEye opening proceedings, unlike the mainland leg of the European tour was brought into focus when the UK support act, The Dives (6) kicked off the night with their insipid brand of Americana/rock/pop. The band are fronted by Evan Stanley, son of the Kiss main man so no real surprises for their inclusion in the short UK run. The band were certainly polished and they had great enthusiasm, pulling out a sharp 35-minute set which earnt them an enthusiastic response from the crowd. Far away from the sound of the headliners, their inclusion warmed the audience without ever igniting the fire.
As the sound of Zeppelin’s Rock N Roll blasted out of the PA, it was hairs on the neck time. The huge black curtain emblazoned with the KISS logo covered the front of the stage and as the search lights raced around the arena, that opening salvo screamed out the legendary words that have opened thousands of Kiss shows: “Alright Birmingham. You wanted the best and you got the best. The hottest band in the world, KISS!!!!” That riff kicked in, the curtain fell and there they were. Kiss (10) blasted out Deuce. Yes, the band who’ve built an entire empire out of an astonishing show which features some of the most simplistic songs ever written proceeded to deliver the most bombastic, theatrical experience that many will have ever seen.
More pyro than Rammstein, more effects than Alice Cooper and a damn brilliant show. Shout It Out Loud followed, the first of four tracks from Destroyer before Paul Stanley took to the microphone to request a minute’s silence for the victims of the Manchester bombing. Unfortunately, the first few seconds were marred by some real idiots, and maybe it’s time to follow football’s lead and opt for a minute’s applause or as Skunk Anansie decided, thirty seconds of crazy. It was a decent touch by the band, whose gig at Manchester has been cancelled due to the arena remaining a crime scene.
Stanley then launched into the first of his audience participation sessions, asking how many of the ladies in the audience liked to be “licked”. Coming across as part pantomime dame, part drag queen, Stanley’s New York drawl has now been replaced with a camp, Lily Savage meets Dame Edna delivery. Quite bizarre. Lick It Up followed, before the first heavy hitter of the night with I Love It Loud, Gene Simmons now joining in on the audience participation as he prowled the stage, every opportunity to ”tongue” the cameras taken. If you’ve never seen Kiss, you really can’t appreciate just how big this show is. A huge screen at the rear and one either side of the stage allows everyone a view, the lighting is astonishing and the smoke pots and lasers something else.
After Firehouse, which was a little tamer than expected, it was time to turn the microphone over to Tommy Thayer, who delivered a fine Shock Me, before a solo that at least didn’t go on for too long. Thayer is a fine guitarist, and live, it’s him and drummer Eric Singer who keep the band moving, their vocals and playing a cut above that of Stanley and Simmons. However, despite Thayer’s slick axe work, most of the attention remains on the original driving force. A rarish outing for Flaming Youth, the final track on Destroyer followed, a poor choice in my opinion as it is a weak song, but that was instantly forgotten as the temperature increased dramatically. The bass solo followed, full of drama, dry ice and the blood capsules that cascade down Simmons face as he played his evil notes before flying up to the platform high above the stage. God Of Thunder, always immense, was just epic.
Whilst I’ve always loved Kiss, their music can be quite ghastly and nothing epitomises this more than the horrible Crazy Crazy Nights. Unfortunately, I appeared to be in the minority of two (along with the Ed) as the rest of the arena lost their shit. Luckily for us, the crushingly War Machine, from Creatures Of The Night followed and order was restored. Simmons delivers the better, heavier songs for me and whilst Stanley is the show man, it’s Simmons who tended to grab my attention. He never stands still, striding around the stage in those ridiculous boots and armour, showing a fitness which belies his advancing years. Indeed, the whole band demonstrate a level of energy far more than expected for men of their age. Paul Stanley took the spotlight for the sing-a-long Say Yeah, the sole inclusion from Sonic Boom, before he climbed aboard his trip wire that catapulted him to the centre of the arena and a revolving platform. Simple but oh so effective.
Psycho Circus followed, another weak song but one that fits so well with the gargantuan effects exploding all around us. As Stanley flew back to the stage, Eric Singer took lead vocals on Black Diamond, possibly the most fluent vocal performance of the evening. The band then ended the main set in the only way possible, a massive Rock N Roll All Nite, with ticker tape pouring onto the crowd, pyro lighting up the stage and Simmons and Thayer soaring above the audience on hydraulic arms. Stunning stuff!
The disco-fused I Was Made For Loving You is another of their dreadful collection but as the band launched into it as the first encore, a crushingly heavy riff transformed it from appalling to a solid hard rock track, complete with a thundering solo from Thayer. As the lights went into overdrive, it was suddenly time for the final song, the mighty Detroit Rock City, an anthem which has few equals. A quite amazing evening of super theatre and so worth seeing. For all their faults, this was a show which was worth every penny. Kiss are a class apart in this arena.
Wednesday, 31 May 2017
Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Reviews: Beneath The Divine, Wind Rose, Ravage
Beneath The Divine: The Wicked Resurrection (Fat Trucker Records)
Straight out of Chepstow with a sledgehammer blow are four piece Beneath The Divine, they are bassist Tim, drummer Barney, guitarist Kev and vocalist Jason and their music is a tidy mix of stoner, doom and classic heavy metal Odin's Law gives you exactly what you'd expect the heavy riffs, thundering drums and bellow vocals bringing to mind Orange Goblin, COC, Monster Magnet et al. Swamp King is sludgier with lumbering heaviness but what endears the band to me are the sung vocals which serve as an antithesis to the normal shouted vocals you get from this style of music.
There's a melody to the vocals that works well with the powerful riffage beneath it, swathes of doom comes creeping in on Broken Man which shifts from a hazy psych start into a rumbling bounce at the end of it's 7 odd minute run time. Broken Man bleeds into Walking With The Witch which is the opposite to it's predecessor by starting out with chunky guitar licks but moving into slow, deliberate fuzziness built on Tim's basslines as Kev plays a melodic dextrous solo. Tim, Barney and Kev really play a blinder here the songs are power packed punches to the guts the Sabbath style Dear Father a pick for anyone who worships the Birmingham masters of metal. The Wicked Resurrection is a very strong debut record with a lot of influences it's metallic, it's heavy, it's heavy metal at it's primal best. 8/10
Wind Rose: Stonehymn (Inner Wound Records)
Stonehymn is the third full length record from Wind Rose who sound Nordic or Germanic but actually hail from the barren wastelands of...Italy. Their sound is not in anyway Italian, no Rhapsody or Labyrinth here, it;s the kind of music Blind Guardian, Falconer and Turisas make, folk infused metal with big chorus choirs, drums that rumble like a cavalry charge and razor blade riffs that play in unison with folk instruments. Dance Of Fire and Under The Stone both are deeply entrenched in the Blind Guardian speed metal meets cinematic folk especially Under The Stone which puts the orchestral additions of Frederico Meranda forthright.
The Blind Guardian influence is at it's most audible on To Erebor which is the bands follow up to The Breed Of Durin from their last album and continues the tail of JRR Tolkien's dwarfs, who also influence the band's style just check out their press pictures and it's Tolkien/Warhammer all the way. The deep vocals of Francesco Cavalieri boom on the epic songs such as The Eyes Of The Mountain which rounds out the album in fine style, Wind Rose are laying claim to the Iron Throne of their German and Nordic brethren and they have firmly staked their claim with this record. 8/10
Ravage: Return Of The Spectral Rider (Self Released)
Ravage are a power/thrash metal band from Malden, Massachusetts, I remember being a fan of their second album The End Of Tomorrow released all the way back in 2009 so for their first album they have gone forward and released an album of brand new... wait...that's not right. Return Of The Spectral Rider is a re-recorded, remastered version of their debut album called The Spectral Rider, obviously unless you are really up on your American power metal this record will be all new to you anyway so really you can't judge it a re-recording more a new album in it's own right and as such that's how I'm going to review it.
Al Ravage's vocals are first and foremost what immediately strike you about the band, they are low and powerful carrying off the metal god histrionics well as the rest of the band shred like bastards on Spectral Rider, The Wicked Way and Whyvern maintaining a balancing act between classic heavy metal and power metal. It's standard stuff yes, obligatory dual guitars a tough rhythm section and songs of warriors and horror themes (Wake The Dead) but it bangs the head and brings a smile to that face. The Spectral Rider has returned and on his back wheels are Ravage ready to bring the metal again. 7/10
Straight out of Chepstow with a sledgehammer blow are four piece Beneath The Divine, they are bassist Tim, drummer Barney, guitarist Kev and vocalist Jason and their music is a tidy mix of stoner, doom and classic heavy metal Odin's Law gives you exactly what you'd expect the heavy riffs, thundering drums and bellow vocals bringing to mind Orange Goblin, COC, Monster Magnet et al. Swamp King is sludgier with lumbering heaviness but what endears the band to me are the sung vocals which serve as an antithesis to the normal shouted vocals you get from this style of music.
There's a melody to the vocals that works well with the powerful riffage beneath it, swathes of doom comes creeping in on Broken Man which shifts from a hazy psych start into a rumbling bounce at the end of it's 7 odd minute run time. Broken Man bleeds into Walking With The Witch which is the opposite to it's predecessor by starting out with chunky guitar licks but moving into slow, deliberate fuzziness built on Tim's basslines as Kev plays a melodic dextrous solo. Tim, Barney and Kev really play a blinder here the songs are power packed punches to the guts the Sabbath style Dear Father a pick for anyone who worships the Birmingham masters of metal. The Wicked Resurrection is a very strong debut record with a lot of influences it's metallic, it's heavy, it's heavy metal at it's primal best. 8/10
Wind Rose: Stonehymn (Inner Wound Records)
Stonehymn is the third full length record from Wind Rose who sound Nordic or Germanic but actually hail from the barren wastelands of...Italy. Their sound is not in anyway Italian, no Rhapsody or Labyrinth here, it;s the kind of music Blind Guardian, Falconer and Turisas make, folk infused metal with big chorus choirs, drums that rumble like a cavalry charge and razor blade riffs that play in unison with folk instruments. Dance Of Fire and Under The Stone both are deeply entrenched in the Blind Guardian speed metal meets cinematic folk especially Under The Stone which puts the orchestral additions of Frederico Meranda forthright.
The Blind Guardian influence is at it's most audible on To Erebor which is the bands follow up to The Breed Of Durin from their last album and continues the tail of JRR Tolkien's dwarfs, who also influence the band's style just check out their press pictures and it's Tolkien/Warhammer all the way. The deep vocals of Francesco Cavalieri boom on the epic songs such as The Eyes Of The Mountain which rounds out the album in fine style, Wind Rose are laying claim to the Iron Throne of their German and Nordic brethren and they have firmly staked their claim with this record. 8/10
Ravage: Return Of The Spectral Rider (Self Released)
Ravage are a power/thrash metal band from Malden, Massachusetts, I remember being a fan of their second album The End Of Tomorrow released all the way back in 2009 so for their first album they have gone forward and released an album of brand new... wait...that's not right. Return Of The Spectral Rider is a re-recorded, remastered version of their debut album called The Spectral Rider, obviously unless you are really up on your American power metal this record will be all new to you anyway so really you can't judge it a re-recording more a new album in it's own right and as such that's how I'm going to review it.
Al Ravage's vocals are first and foremost what immediately strike you about the band, they are low and powerful carrying off the metal god histrionics well as the rest of the band shred like bastards on Spectral Rider, The Wicked Way and Whyvern maintaining a balancing act between classic heavy metal and power metal. It's standard stuff yes, obligatory dual guitars a tough rhythm section and songs of warriors and horror themes (Wake The Dead) but it bangs the head and brings a smile to that face. The Spectral Rider has returned and on his back wheels are Ravage ready to bring the metal again. 7/10
Monday, 29 May 2017
A View From The Back Of The Room: Skunk Anansie (Live Reviews By Paul)
Skunk Anansie – O2 Academy, Bristol
On a blisteringly hot evening one of the UK’s seminal bands demonstrated once again, that 23 years on nothing can beat the power of a good rock show. The 02 was baking from the day’s heat and the capacity crowd by the time Skunk Anansie (10) hit the stage just after 9pm. By the time that we filed out into the welcome cool of the evening two hours later even those of us who had the foresight to get to the slightly cooler balcony were rather moist.
If you’ve never seen Skunk Anansie then you’ve really missed out. The band draw a hugely eclectic crowd with shaved headed females standing shoulder to shoulder with long haired bearded metallers, couples of all persuasions alongside singles and even family groups. The Skunk music is a true leveller. For pure energy, there are few bands that can match the raw power of the band in full flow. They have a killer catalogue with massive songs full of crushing riffs as well as the ability to drop it down to the acoustic level to ease the pressure.
This evening was one of a select few following on from their earlier European and UK tour is support of 2016’s excellent Anarchytecture. The tracks from the new release stood comfortably alongside the older material with Death To The Lovers and Without You particularly impressive. The older material still grabs you by the hair and slams your head into the concrete at times but in the most magical way. Intellectualise My Blackness hit hard early on with Skin having already completed the first of three crowd surfs. The striking voice of the band is just a human dynamo, bouncing across the stage with limitless energy, her leggy Doc Marten booted stride mesmerising.
Skunk hadn’t played in Bristol since March 2013 and the eager crowd were in full voice, keen to maximise the opportunity. With sing-a-longs during almost every song, the Skunk Army demonstrated that they are amongst the most loyal of fan bases. Weak and Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good) were fantastic, Skin conducting the faithful choir with effortless ease. She is the consummate front woman, quelling a punch up in the audience quickly and commanding respect from the audience when she dived in amongst them. Alongside her, the relaxed yet brilliant Cass laid down the casual bass lines, his face moving from concentrated frown to wide grin as the evening moved on.
To his right, Mark Richardson’s huge frame pounded the drums with ease. He had an opportunity to refer to his Music Support charity, urging fans to contribute if possible to an organisation that has helped to support the crew and musicians of Ariana Grande after the dreadful Manchester bombing. Great work. Riffs a plenty during the evening, supplied courtesy of the superb guitarist Ace whose quiet unassuming manner belied the chaos he was unleashing. The band now have Richardson’s wife, Erika Footman on keys, percussion and backing vocals to add some additional layers and she joined Skin front of stage for a couple of magical songs.
Most relevant song of the evening? Possibly Yes It’s Fucking Political, which was just stunning, whilst Charlie Big Potato and a beautiful Cheap Honesty also stood out. As the band left the stage after a deserved second encore, Skin thanked the breathless crowd and with the final words “Don’t vote Tory” perfectly concluded a quite fabulous evening. Next time don’t miss them.
On a blisteringly hot evening one of the UK’s seminal bands demonstrated once again, that 23 years on nothing can beat the power of a good rock show. The 02 was baking from the day’s heat and the capacity crowd by the time Skunk Anansie (10) hit the stage just after 9pm. By the time that we filed out into the welcome cool of the evening two hours later even those of us who had the foresight to get to the slightly cooler balcony were rather moist.
If you’ve never seen Skunk Anansie then you’ve really missed out. The band draw a hugely eclectic crowd with shaved headed females standing shoulder to shoulder with long haired bearded metallers, couples of all persuasions alongside singles and even family groups. The Skunk music is a true leveller. For pure energy, there are few bands that can match the raw power of the band in full flow. They have a killer catalogue with massive songs full of crushing riffs as well as the ability to drop it down to the acoustic level to ease the pressure.
This evening was one of a select few following on from their earlier European and UK tour is support of 2016’s excellent Anarchytecture. The tracks from the new release stood comfortably alongside the older material with Death To The Lovers and Without You particularly impressive. The older material still grabs you by the hair and slams your head into the concrete at times but in the most magical way. Intellectualise My Blackness hit hard early on with Skin having already completed the first of three crowd surfs. The striking voice of the band is just a human dynamo, bouncing across the stage with limitless energy, her leggy Doc Marten booted stride mesmerising.
Skunk hadn’t played in Bristol since March 2013 and the eager crowd were in full voice, keen to maximise the opportunity. With sing-a-longs during almost every song, the Skunk Army demonstrated that they are amongst the most loyal of fan bases. Weak and Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good) were fantastic, Skin conducting the faithful choir with effortless ease. She is the consummate front woman, quelling a punch up in the audience quickly and commanding respect from the audience when she dived in amongst them. Alongside her, the relaxed yet brilliant Cass laid down the casual bass lines, his face moving from concentrated frown to wide grin as the evening moved on.
To his right, Mark Richardson’s huge frame pounded the drums with ease. He had an opportunity to refer to his Music Support charity, urging fans to contribute if possible to an organisation that has helped to support the crew and musicians of Ariana Grande after the dreadful Manchester bombing. Great work. Riffs a plenty during the evening, supplied courtesy of the superb guitarist Ace whose quiet unassuming manner belied the chaos he was unleashing. The band now have Richardson’s wife, Erika Footman on keys, percussion and backing vocals to add some additional layers and she joined Skin front of stage for a couple of magical songs.
Most relevant song of the evening? Possibly Yes It’s Fucking Political, which was just stunning, whilst Charlie Big Potato and a beautiful Cheap Honesty also stood out. As the band left the stage after a deserved second encore, Skin thanked the breathless crowd and with the final words “Don’t vote Tory” perfectly concluded a quite fabulous evening. Next time don’t miss them.
Reviews: Motionless In White, Voyager, Sea (Reviews By Paul)
Motionless In White: Graveyard Shift (Roadrunner)
Voyager: Ghost Mile (Self Released)
Although they have been around since 1999 progressive metallers Voyager are a band that I'd not discovered until recently. Unlike the majority of bar room rock 'n' roll boogie or out and out thrash bands, this Australian outfit are a much more complex outfit. Time changes and polyrhythmic sequences about throughout Ghost Mile, album number six in their catalogue. Unlike many of their contemporaries Voyager don't over extend their songs, preferring, on this album anyway to keep matters under the five minute mark in all but a couple of tracks.
Whilst I'm not the biggest fan of the djent style choppy bass and staccato chord changes, this is an album that I really enjoyed. I'm sure that this is in part because the strong clean vocals of Danny Estrin, founder member and also the keyboard player in the band. It's relatively complex at times with intricate compositions that demand attention. Give it the attention it deserves, however, and this is a thoroughly rewarding release. 8/10
Sea: The Gift Of Time (Mighty Music)
Danish oufit Sea certainly pack a big noise. The Gift Of Time is their sophomore album and it’s a solid affair. Opener Rust is delivered with the aplomb of a band finishing a headline set at Wembley Stadium, bombastic and Anders Brink. Check out Once We Were Dead and Shout for the evidence. Brink also adds to the quality of the release with his excellent vocals. Whether it’s on the rampaging opening track, the melodic No Dawn which has a melancholic feel or the stomping Sing For Your Right, his smoky blues centred delivery adds to each song and whilst I’m not convinced of the Cornell/Coverdale comparisons, his voice is certainly in the same ball park. With a polished production having captured the live sound of the band, I’d certainly recommend Sea as a band to watch out for. 8/10
Whilst I'm not the biggest fan of the djent style choppy bass and staccato chord changes, this is an album that I really enjoyed. I'm sure that this is in part because the strong clean vocals of Danny Estrin, founder member and also the keyboard player in the band. It's relatively complex at times with intricate compositions that demand attention. Give it the attention it deserves, however, and this is a thoroughly rewarding release. 8/10
Sea: The Gift Of Time (Mighty Music)
Danish oufit Sea certainly pack a big noise. The Gift Of Time is their sophomore album and it’s a solid affair. Opener Rust is delivered with the aplomb of a band finishing a headline set at Wembley Stadium, bombastic and Anders Brink. Check out Once We Were Dead and Shout for the evidence. Brink also adds to the quality of the release with his excellent vocals. Whether it’s on the rampaging opening track, the melodic No Dawn which has a melancholic feel or the stomping Sing For Your Right, his smoky blues centred delivery adds to each song and whilst I’m not convinced of the Cornell/Coverdale comparisons, his voice is certainly in the same ball park. With a polished production having captured the live sound of the band, I’d certainly recommend Sea as a band to watch out for. 8/10
Saturday, 27 May 2017
Reviews: Helker, Junkyard, Morass Of Molasses
Helker: Firesoul (AFM)
Helker are probably one of Argentina's top metal acts, although kudos if you can name another without Google. Firesoul is their fifth full length album and it's been released on AFM records meaning that it will open the band up to bigger audiences on this side of the world. They are a band that do need to be heard by a wider section of the metal world, mainly due to the similarities in style and sound to the Dio's solo outings. It's ironic that I listened to this record on the anniversary of the great man's death and if you close your eyes and listen hard Diego Valdez could be RJD in another body, his raspy but soul driven vocals are perfectly suited to the fist pumping heavy metal witnessed on the melodic Stay Away, the stomping Where You Belong and the organ friendly The One all of which are so reminiscent of the Holy Diver/Sacred Heart era.
The record was produced by the uber-talented Mat Sinner and the thick production technique means the guitars of Mariano and Leo can bring tough riffs on Break Your Chains while the thunderous rhythm section of Christian and Hernan batter you on the title track. This record gets very heavy towards it's latter part and at 14 tracks that means that the final third of the record holds your attention as grinding Rise Or Fall adds the Black Sabbath tones to the Dio-worship before the transformation is complete with their spot on cover of Neon Knights. At 14 tracks it takes lot of patience but it is rewarded with classic heavy metal riffs and a instantly identifiable vocal style, pick up this album if you're sick of the two bands trading on Dio's legacy, Helker are doing no such thing and they are more authentic than any of the 'tributes'. As an extra buy the special edition that comes with the album recorded in Spanish which makes is equally as good. 8/10
Junkyard: High Water (Acertate Music)
Junkyard fromed in Los Angeles in 1987, the band featured former members of Minor Threat, The Big Boys, Decry and Dag Nasty and their punk fuelled rock n roll was enough to get them signed to Geffen Records at the same time as Guns N Roses drawing comparisons between the two back in the day. High Water is their first length album in 26 years and it opens with the snarling punk of Walk Away a short sharp shock of attitude that's followed by Faded which is Bon Scott AC/DC when they had a bit of danger about them. This musical trend continues throughout the record with a mix of bar room rock n roll, aggressive punk and a sleazy Los Angeles sound that has only really been replicated outside of the USA by The Quireboys, The Wildhearts and Danko Jones. Styrofoam Cup sees the band trying their hand at Country and they do it well especially on Till The Wheels Fall Off which was written by Blackberry Smoke's Charlie Starr.
David Roach's vocals are battle scarred he wails and sneers on tracks such as the swaggering Hellbound. In fact his vocals maybe the deal breaker for some as it is a very punk sounding voice. Underneath him guitarists Tim Mosher and Jimmy James are backed by Pat Muzingo (drums) and Todd Muscat (bass). Like I said this record has quite myriad of influences to it but with a country swagger, a punk rock grunt and a heaving load of rock n roll High Water is a strong return to the breech by these Sunset Strip survivors. 7/10
Morass Of Molasses: These Paths We Tread (HeviSike Records)
Lumbering into view like a Godzilla stomping through tar Morass Of Molasses are the audio equivalent of their namesake it's sludgy, angry and discordant and from the beginning of My Leviathan the band set out their stall with creeping riff, barked vocals and a woozy psychedelia, this is washed away with the thick stoner grooves of So They Work. This UK three piece marry sledgehammer heaviness with slow moving doom on Serpentine which slithers along like a cold blooded reptile and they bring bluesy elements to Centralia. With a melting pot of drug induced sounds Morass Of Molasses have foreboding sound that whispers one minute and shouts the next. Having seen the band live this power is translated to the record, if you love your metal with a hefty dose of ear splitting volume then Morass Of Molasses will be your new sweetness. 7/10
Helker are probably one of Argentina's top metal acts, although kudos if you can name another without Google. Firesoul is their fifth full length album and it's been released on AFM records meaning that it will open the band up to bigger audiences on this side of the world. They are a band that do need to be heard by a wider section of the metal world, mainly due to the similarities in style and sound to the Dio's solo outings. It's ironic that I listened to this record on the anniversary of the great man's death and if you close your eyes and listen hard Diego Valdez could be RJD in another body, his raspy but soul driven vocals are perfectly suited to the fist pumping heavy metal witnessed on the melodic Stay Away, the stomping Where You Belong and the organ friendly The One all of which are so reminiscent of the Holy Diver/Sacred Heart era.
The record was produced by the uber-talented Mat Sinner and the thick production technique means the guitars of Mariano and Leo can bring tough riffs on Break Your Chains while the thunderous rhythm section of Christian and Hernan batter you on the title track. This record gets very heavy towards it's latter part and at 14 tracks that means that the final third of the record holds your attention as grinding Rise Or Fall adds the Black Sabbath tones to the Dio-worship before the transformation is complete with their spot on cover of Neon Knights. At 14 tracks it takes lot of patience but it is rewarded with classic heavy metal riffs and a instantly identifiable vocal style, pick up this album if you're sick of the two bands trading on Dio's legacy, Helker are doing no such thing and they are more authentic than any of the 'tributes'. As an extra buy the special edition that comes with the album recorded in Spanish which makes is equally as good. 8/10
Junkyard: High Water (Acertate Music)
Junkyard fromed in Los Angeles in 1987, the band featured former members of Minor Threat, The Big Boys, Decry and Dag Nasty and their punk fuelled rock n roll was enough to get them signed to Geffen Records at the same time as Guns N Roses drawing comparisons between the two back in the day. High Water is their first length album in 26 years and it opens with the snarling punk of Walk Away a short sharp shock of attitude that's followed by Faded which is Bon Scott AC/DC when they had a bit of danger about them. This musical trend continues throughout the record with a mix of bar room rock n roll, aggressive punk and a sleazy Los Angeles sound that has only really been replicated outside of the USA by The Quireboys, The Wildhearts and Danko Jones. Styrofoam Cup sees the band trying their hand at Country and they do it well especially on Till The Wheels Fall Off which was written by Blackberry Smoke's Charlie Starr.
David Roach's vocals are battle scarred he wails and sneers on tracks such as the swaggering Hellbound. In fact his vocals maybe the deal breaker for some as it is a very punk sounding voice. Underneath him guitarists Tim Mosher and Jimmy James are backed by Pat Muzingo (drums) and Todd Muscat (bass). Like I said this record has quite myriad of influences to it but with a country swagger, a punk rock grunt and a heaving load of rock n roll High Water is a strong return to the breech by these Sunset Strip survivors. 7/10
Morass Of Molasses: These Paths We Tread (HeviSike Records)
Lumbering into view like a Godzilla stomping through tar Morass Of Molasses are the audio equivalent of their namesake it's sludgy, angry and discordant and from the beginning of My Leviathan the band set out their stall with creeping riff, barked vocals and a woozy psychedelia, this is washed away with the thick stoner grooves of So They Work. This UK three piece marry sledgehammer heaviness with slow moving doom on Serpentine which slithers along like a cold blooded reptile and they bring bluesy elements to Centralia. With a melting pot of drug induced sounds Morass Of Molasses have foreboding sound that whispers one minute and shouts the next. Having seen the band live this power is translated to the record, if you love your metal with a hefty dose of ear splitting volume then Morass Of Molasses will be your new sweetness. 7/10
Friday, 26 May 2017
A View From The Back Of The Room: Iron Maiden (Review By Paul)
Iron Maiden - Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
There was no getting away from the shadow of Manchester. An arena gig in the capital of Wales, two nights after the atrocities meant that everyone was on heightened sense of alert. However, in the words of the mighty Maiden, these colours don't run and arriving in the Capital four hours before the Irons hit the stage, those colours were everywhere. Iron Maiden shirts flooded the City Centre as Welsh metal heads joined forces with English, Scottish, Polish and Brazilian in a show of love and metal. Arriving at Fuel for the pre-Maiden Trooper session, Womanby Street was rammed with Maiden fans from across the globe, united in their love of one of the most iconic bands ever to have graced the planet.
To be fair to Maiden, the band were on fire, with Bruce flying across the stage, Steve Harris mouthing all the words as his rampaged from monitor to monitor, whilst Nicko McBrain just batters the shit out of his huge kit. The three pronged guitar attack of messrs Gers, Murray and Smith were muffled due to the notoriously poor sound in this shed of a venue. Backed by their always impressive stage set and enormous lighting show, the Maiden gig is always pure pantomime. Bruce never still, constantly urging the crowd to "scream for me, Cardiff". The arrival of the Mayan Eddie during The Book Of Souls, the usual Union Jack waving during The Trooper and a huge Eddie at the back of the stage as the main set closed All added to the show.
The triple encore saw a storming Number Of The Beast giving the old school something to get stuck into, whilst the impassioned speech from Bruce before Blood Brothers was well received, even if I couldn't hear half of it. Final encore Wasted Years was over in a flash and with a puff of smoke the band were gone. An amazing show as always, even if the set list wasn't as exciting as it could have been. Whether we ever see the band on a Welsh soil again is questionable but this is a band who ensure that Wales is included in their UK tour. A great evening. Up the Irons.
There was no getting away from the shadow of Manchester. An arena gig in the capital of Wales, two nights after the atrocities meant that everyone was on heightened sense of alert. However, in the words of the mighty Maiden, these colours don't run and arriving in the Capital four hours before the Irons hit the stage, those colours were everywhere. Iron Maiden shirts flooded the City Centre as Welsh metal heads joined forces with English, Scottish, Polish and Brazilian in a show of love and metal. Arriving at Fuel for the pre-Maiden Trooper session, Womanby Street was rammed with Maiden fans from across the globe, united in their love of one of the most iconic bands ever to have graced the planet.
I've seen Shinedown sufficient times to avoid most of their 45 minute set, arriving only to catch frontman Brent Smith urging the crowd to "jump up" on the count of three. After an impassioned plea to unite against terror, the band closed their set with their anthem, Sound Of Madness which at least raised the ante somewhat.
Matt - *Having seen all of the Shinedown (7) set, the whole thing was laced with their big hitters such as Devour, Cut The Cord, Diamond Eyes and mega ballad Second Chance it was hard to criticise the music, yes they use taped segments and audio enhancements to bolster Brent's vocals but we've said this before about the band so maybe it's time to just accept it as part of their show.
What put me off was the large breaks in the set to talk to the audience, the aforementioned jump up section had been preceded by Smith, splitting the crowd, giving a rambling explanation and talk trying to psych the audience up like a high school football coach. This section could have been cut for another song or two but I find this to be an all too frequent occurrence with American bands. Still the performance was energetic from all four members of the bound but it was dogged by the large gaps and the muddy at time painful sound mix.*
Matt - *Having seen all of the Shinedown (7) set, the whole thing was laced with their big hitters such as Devour, Cut The Cord, Diamond Eyes and mega ballad Second Chance it was hard to criticise the music, yes they use taped segments and audio enhancements to bolster Brent's vocals but we've said this before about the band so maybe it's time to just accept it as part of their show.
What put me off was the large breaks in the set to talk to the audience, the aforementioned jump up section had been preceded by Smith, splitting the crowd, giving a rambling explanation and talk trying to psych the audience up like a high school football coach. This section could have been cut for another song or two but I find this to be an all too frequent occurrence with American bands. Still the performance was energetic from all four members of the bound but it was dogged by the large gaps and the muddy at time painful sound mix.*
Forty minutes later and the strains of Michael Schenker and Phil Mogg filled the arena. Doctor Doctor has always heralded the arrival of the Irons and it remains not only one of the finest UFO songs of all time but also one that gets hairs standing on the back of my neck. And then there was Bruce, crouching over a steaming cauldron as the opening to If Eternity Should Fail commenced.
What followed was the predictable metal theatre that we've come to expect from Maiden (9). The lengthy tracks from The Book Of Souls balanced with a few old school classics, including Wrathchild, Children Of The Damned and a ball busting Powerslave. The newer material has weight and complexity but fails to captivate the audience in the same way that The Trooper always has. The older stuff just grabs the fans more aggressively. A ponderous Red And The Black was a typical example. Still, the Maiden outfit is a pretty strong beast and the double whammy of Fear Of The Dark and Iron Maiden brought a solid and spectacular show to a close.
What followed was the predictable metal theatre that we've come to expect from Maiden (9). The lengthy tracks from The Book Of Souls balanced with a few old school classics, including Wrathchild, Children Of The Damned and a ball busting Powerslave. The newer material has weight and complexity but fails to captivate the audience in the same way that The Trooper always has. The older stuff just grabs the fans more aggressively. A ponderous Red And The Black was a typical example. Still, the Maiden outfit is a pretty strong beast and the double whammy of Fear Of The Dark and Iron Maiden brought a solid and spectacular show to a close.
To be fair to Maiden, the band were on fire, with Bruce flying across the stage, Steve Harris mouthing all the words as his rampaged from monitor to monitor, whilst Nicko McBrain just batters the shit out of his huge kit. The three pronged guitar attack of messrs Gers, Murray and Smith were muffled due to the notoriously poor sound in this shed of a venue. Backed by their always impressive stage set and enormous lighting show, the Maiden gig is always pure pantomime. Bruce never still, constantly urging the crowd to "scream for me, Cardiff". The arrival of the Mayan Eddie during The Book Of Souls, the usual Union Jack waving during The Trooper and a huge Eddie at the back of the stage as the main set closed All added to the show.
The triple encore saw a storming Number Of The Beast giving the old school something to get stuck into, whilst the impassioned speech from Bruce before Blood Brothers was well received, even if I couldn't hear half of it. Final encore Wasted Years was over in a flash and with a puff of smoke the band were gone. An amazing show as always, even if the set list wasn't as exciting as it could have been. Whether we ever see the band on a Welsh soil again is questionable but this is a band who ensure that Wales is included in their UK tour. A great evening. Up the Irons.
Thursday, 25 May 2017
Reviews: Ursinne, Earth Electric, Running Death (Reviews By Paul)
Ursinne: Swim With The Leviathan (Transcending Obscurity)
What happens when you allow two death metal legends to combine on a project? Absolute brutality and one of the best old school death metal releases of the year, that’s what. Dave Ingram (Hail Of Bullets, Bolt Thrower and Benediction) has joined forces with Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath, SYN:DROM, Ashcloud) are Ursinne and Swim With The Leviathan is their debut release. It is, as you’d expect, crushingly heavy, huge swathes of bludgeoning riffs smash down relentlessly, with Ingram’s guttural delivery essential to the sinister sound.
From opener Talons to the absolute raging The Chimes At Midnight, this is vital listening. A monster of an album, with the bonus of some of the best curved ball covers I’ve ever heard. Death metal versions of The Osmonds’ Crazy Horses, QOTSA’s Monsters In The Parasol are brilliant but when you get to The Vapors Turning Japanese I defy you not to lose your shit. Throw in Siouxsie And The Banshees’ Spellbound and you pretty much have the ultimate death metal party album. Blisteringly heavy. Thoroughly brilliant. 9/10
Earth Electric: Vol 1 – Solar (Seasons Of Mist)
The combination of Norwegian guitarist Rune Eriksen and an Italian stable consisting the impressive operatic voice of Carmen Simoes, Alexander Ribeiro on bass and Ricardo Martins ferocious drumming has delivered an intriguingly and enchanting debut release. Full of driving psychedelic hard rock, interspersed with dramatic time changes and the keyboard wizardry of Messenger’s Dan Knight, this is a breath-taking piece of work. At only 35 minutes it must get its message across sharpish which it really does.
There is no pause for breath as the tracks whirl by. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the manic yet perfectly controlled Solar, which envelopes into a cascade of trippy guitar work. It’s not all hippy shit though with some of Eriksen’s guitar work mesmerising. Simoes’ vocals are haunting, eerie and yet compelling at the same time. The stomp of Sabbatical Moons, enhanced by some chunky keys and retro guitar work challenges you to get involved; it’s irresistible. Quite a fantastic release. Well worth your time. 8/10
Running Death: DressAge (Punishment 18 Records)
What happens when you allow two death metal legends to combine on a project? Absolute brutality and one of the best old school death metal releases of the year, that’s what. Dave Ingram (Hail Of Bullets, Bolt Thrower and Benediction) has joined forces with Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath, SYN:DROM, Ashcloud) are Ursinne and Swim With The Leviathan is their debut release. It is, as you’d expect, crushingly heavy, huge swathes of bludgeoning riffs smash down relentlessly, with Ingram’s guttural delivery essential to the sinister sound.
From opener Talons to the absolute raging The Chimes At Midnight, this is vital listening. A monster of an album, with the bonus of some of the best curved ball covers I’ve ever heard. Death metal versions of The Osmonds’ Crazy Horses, QOTSA’s Monsters In The Parasol are brilliant but when you get to The Vapors Turning Japanese I defy you not to lose your shit. Throw in Siouxsie And The Banshees’ Spellbound and you pretty much have the ultimate death metal party album. Blisteringly heavy. Thoroughly brilliant. 9/10
Earth Electric: Vol 1 – Solar (Seasons Of Mist)
The combination of Norwegian guitarist Rune Eriksen and an Italian stable consisting the impressive operatic voice of Carmen Simoes, Alexander Ribeiro on bass and Ricardo Martins ferocious drumming has delivered an intriguingly and enchanting debut release. Full of driving psychedelic hard rock, interspersed with dramatic time changes and the keyboard wizardry of Messenger’s Dan Knight, this is a breath-taking piece of work. At only 35 minutes it must get its message across sharpish which it really does.
There is no pause for breath as the tracks whirl by. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the manic yet perfectly controlled Solar, which envelopes into a cascade of trippy guitar work. It’s not all hippy shit though with some of Eriksen’s guitar work mesmerising. Simoes’ vocals are haunting, eerie and yet compelling at the same time. The stomp of Sabbatical Moons, enhanced by some chunky keys and retro guitar work challenges you to get involved; it’s irresistible. Quite a fantastic release. Well worth your time. 8/10
Running Death: DressAge (Punishment 18 Records)
Running Death are a no-nonsense thrash outfit from Kaufbeuran, Bavaria. DressAge is their second release, following on from their 2015 debut Overdrive. It’s functional thrash, with chunky fat riffs cascading over the usual pummelling drums and hyperactive bass lines. What is apparent from opening track Courageous Minds is that whilst guitarist/vocalist Simon Bihlmayer and Daniel Baar can shred, Bihlmayer really can’t hold a note.
Unfortunately, this distracts from the overall songs because I couldn’t get past the cat wailing that soars over each song. It’s not too bad on the Megadeth style of Delusive Silence, but when there is more focus on the vocal, such as the bizarre DressAge, then it’s oh so evident. It’s clear from the off that Running Death are influenced by Dave Mustaine’s lot alongside Testament and other heavy weights such as Annihilator. They just are not as good and the album cover, oh my god. What were you thinking? 5/10
Unfortunately, this distracts from the overall songs because I couldn’t get past the cat wailing that soars over each song. It’s not too bad on the Megadeth style of Delusive Silence, but when there is more focus on the vocal, such as the bizarre DressAge, then it’s oh so evident. It’s clear from the off that Running Death are influenced by Dave Mustaine’s lot alongside Testament and other heavy weights such as Annihilator. They just are not as good and the album cover, oh my god. What were you thinking? 5/10
Wednesday, 24 May 2017
Reviews: Hate, Vandroya, Gurt (Reviews By Rich)
Hate: Tremendum (Napalm Records)
Hate are a long running Polish death metal band who formed back in 1990. They are a band I know about but am not too familiar with so with the release of their tenth album Tremendum it was my first proper exposure to the band having only previously heard odd songs here and there. On Tremendum Hate play a mix of death metal and black metal perfectly mixing brutality with atmosphere and with a nice mix of songs that range from blast beat riddled assault of Indestructible Pillar and Fidelis Ad Mortem to slower brooding numbers such as Svarog's Mountain and Numinosum.
Frontman and guitarist Adam Buszko puts in a stellar performance with throat ripping vocals and some very tasty lead guitar work whilst drummer Pavulon puts in a tight and furious performance. With Tremendum being the first entire Hate album I have listened to the band have certainly impressed me and I shall be busy catching up on the bands extensive back catalogue. A fantastic album that combines the best elements of death and black metal in well crafted and memorable package. 8/10
Vandroya: Beyond The Human Mind (InnerWound Recordings)
There are also a couple of ballads (one of which works, one of which doesn't) whilst the progressive elements come to the fore in the lengthy title track. Their sound is ably assisted by the immensely powerful vocals of frontwoman Daísa Munhoz and the fretboard wizardry of guitarists Marco Lambert and Rodolfo Pagotto. Beyond The Human Mind is a fantastic power metal album which combines all the best elements from the classics of the genre with elements from the more progressive end. If you are a fan of power metal or melodic metal in general this album is highly recommended. 8/10
Gurt: Skullossus (When Planets Collide)
Gurt: Skullossus (When Planets Collide)
Sometimes as a fan of heavy music you just want to be hit face first by a barrage of riffage. Gurt are the band for the job especially with their third album Skullossus out now on When Planets Collide. Gurt play absolutely filthy riff drenched sludge metal mixing in elements from doom metal, hardcore punk, classic rock and extreme metal. The music throughout the album is dense, malicious and should come with some sort of warning sticker but there's a tongue in cheek/sense of humour approach also running throughout the songs.
The album is also nicely varied with stomping crushing riff barrages such as Battlepants, Double Barrelled Shot-Pun and Meowing At The Fridge to the short sharp hardcore fury of Broken Heart Heroin Man and the funky jam of Existence Is Pain which sounds a lot like Primus. This isn't a groundbreaking album by any means but if you are after something to crank up with some friends and a shedload of beers on a weekend then Skullossus will do the job admirably. An unessential but immeasurably fun album. 8/10
The Big Story: Iron Maiden - Choices Of The Beast (By Paul)
Iron Maiden – The Choices Of The Beast
With the Maiden juggernaut about to hit South Wales for the first time in six years and reports of their live shows thrilling audiences around the UK and Europe, I thought it might be a bit of a fun to add to the anticipation and plough through the Maiden catalogue and pull out my favourite track from each one. Iron Maiden – Running Free
The raw, punk edged debut which saw Maiden crash on the UK and World metal scene in 1980 contained several tracks that would remain staples for years and includes the anthemic Iron Maiden, the perpetual set closer for the band. However, I’ve plumped for the mighty Running Free. A song that encapsulated the wild spirit of a band blasting into orbit. The gritty riff, the drumming of Clive Burr alongside the galloping trademark bass of Steve Harris, the duel guitar work of Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton and of course, the voice of Paul Di’Anno. Featured on several compilations in the early 1980s, Running Free demonstrated the clear potential of the band.
Killers - Killers
The first Iron Maiden that I bought, or in fact was bought for me by my dear father who returned from the record store in Pontypridd where he worked with a couple of vinyl’s for me every other week. Amongst the precious early releases that Dad brought home were Motorhead’s Ace Of Spades and Love Gun by Kiss, but it was Killers caught the eye immediately with the sinister cover of Eddie having killed in the East End under the burning street lamp. The album, produced by Martin Birch, marked the arrival of Adrian Smith from Urchin and was a much more polished affair but retained the gritty punk attitude of the debut release. There are many great tracks on Killers but for me the title track stands out. The razor-sharp guitar riffs, electric solo work and the sheer pace of the track were just incredible at the time, capturing all the atmosphere and menace that was intended. Di’Anno’s performance is incredible, haunting and malevolent. It remains my all-time favourite Iron Maiden song.
The Number Of The Beast – Gangland
You may be surprised why Gangland is my choice on an album filled with killer Maiden tracks. The departure of Di’Anno had shocked many in the metal world at the time but the choice of Bruce Bruce (as he was known) from Samson was felt to be a good move. Now, I had a few discs by Samson, including the great Head On and Shock Tactics, which was the last to feature Dickinson so I was familiar with him. However, it was something of a shock when during my usual Friday night ritual of listening to the Friday Night Rock Show with the legendary Tommy Vance Gangland arrived out of nowhere. I can still recall the thundering drum intro, similar to Motorhead’s Overkill, the slicing guitars and the driving bass before Bruce opened the air raid siren for the first time in Maiden. It was a jaw dropping moment and I can still remember sitting there at 12 years of age going “fucking hell, that is something else”.
Piece Of Mind – Where Eagles Dare
May 15th 1983. Front row of the balcony, St David’s Hall, Cardiff. The lights dimmed and out of the PA came the main theme to the 1968 movie of Alastair MacLean’s Where Eagles Dare, starring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure and Ingrid Pitt. Minutes later Iron Maiden burst into view and the place went crazy. Having been forced to miss their Cardiff date on The Number Of The Beast tour due to the collapse of Sophia Gardens Hall roof, this was the first chance the hordes of Maiden fans had to see the hottest property in UK metal since their 1980 appearance at the Top Rank Club. Where Eagles Dare not only opens Piece Of Mind but is just a stonking tune, all six minutes 14 seconds of it and it set the bar for an album that I would say is better than Beast.
Powerslave – Powerslave
1984 and album number five, the Egyptian themed Powerslave and no sign of the band slowing down. Indeed, the tempo continued to increase with the double opening of Aces High and Two Minutes To Midnight, both absolute blistering tracks. However, it was the ambitious closing duo of Powerslave and the Coleridge inspired Rime Of The Ancient Mariner that caught the attention, mainly due to the length and complexity of each track. Mariner clocks in at over 16 minutes, and seeing that live on the World Slavery Tour, complete with moving mast lighting rig was something special. However, once again the title track takes my vote, mainly because it is such a rampant blast of heavy metal combined with the progressive elements that have now become traditional components of the Maiden sound. Once again, the duelling Smith and Murray provided the unique guitar style copied by many whilst Bruce was by now in full flow. Meanwhile the drumming of Nicko McBrain, now firmly ensconced in the engine room is massively underrated but incredibly skilful and Steve Harris was winning bassist of the year awards for fun.
Somewhere In Time – Wasted Years
By 1986 Maiden were the band to see and tickets to catch them on the Somewhere In Time tour were like gold. On October 6th 1986 St David’s Hall once again played host to the Irons and this time it was the theme to Blade Runner that opened proceedings. The cyborg Eddie which adorned the cover of Time was one of Derek Riggs’ best creations and the album maintained the high level of previous releases. The album contained one of Maiden’s anthems, the Adrian Smith penned Wasted Years. It has everything; squealing guitars, driving bass, Smith delivering harmonies on the chorus and sing-a-long parts for all. It’s also the only track on the album not to feature synthesizers. It is just an essential Maiden and no wonder it features in the set to this day. If you fancy hearing it acoustically, check out Daniel Cavanagh’s version on his covers album Memory And Meaning.
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son – The Clairvoyant
Album number seven arrived in 1988 and yet again it was difficult to be disappointed. Moonchild, Infinite Dreams, The Evil That Men Do, the title track and Can I Play With Madness, with its video filmed at the majestic Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley, are all goodies that most bands would be proud of. The arrival of the synths that Steve Harris had begun to experiment with didn’t go down so well with the purists but most of the fan based lapped it up. I’ve chosen one of the less well known tracks on the album, the rampaging The Clairvoyant which did feature in their set at their first appearance in Newport Centre in 1988. It’s another strong track with the synths underpinning the melody which surges through the song. Double guitars remain at the forefront and Dickinson still hits those ridiculously high notes.
No Prayer For The Dying – Tailgunner
For the first time in several years the Maiden waggon began to wobble. Adrian Smith left the band after expressing his discontent with the direction the band were heading, to be replaced by Janick Gers, who I’d enjoyed very much in his time with Gillan as well as Tattooed Millionaire, which Gers co-wrote with Dickinson. There was a sparser collection of notable tracks on the album, but Tailgunner continued the Maiden tradition of a pacey opening track with the usual formula hitting all the right spots. Their live show in Newport remained a fantastic spectacle and the exposure of Bring Your Daughter … To The Slaughter ensured that Maiden remained in the field of vision.
Fear Of The Dark - Afraid To Shoot Strangers
With grunge and Indie taking hold Maiden released their final album with Bruce until his return seven years later. Fear Of The Dark is a curious album, with some superb tracks, such as the anthemic title track which remains almost untouchable on the tour set list and the powerful Be Quick Or Be Dead which opens the album. Fear Is The Key with its almost middle Eastern stomp and Gillan-like performance from Dickinson was a statement about the fear created by AIDs whilst one of my favourites is the penultimate track, the observation of football hooliganism in Weekend Warrior. The style of writing being influenced more by Gers, who co-wrote five of the 12 tracks. I’ve picked Afraid To Shoot Strangers mainly because it is a bit different to many of the other tracks on the album with a calmer, melodic element before it picks up. It’s written by Steve Harris and has the political theme from the first Gulf War. Obviously, most would plump for the title track but its overplayed and I detest it when the crowd sing it live (although I’ll no doubt be humming along this time around despite all that!).
The X Factor – Blood On The World’s Hands
Despite the panning that this release received from much of the metal media and a substantial number of the Maiden fan base, I find it to be one of the most consistent and reliable Maiden albums. Blaze Bayley’s voice is suited to the tracks and whilst it was clear when Bruce re-joined that they could transfer with ease to the returning frontman, the calmer, more paced and yet dark subject matter continues to please on every listen. Blood On The World’s Hands is a six minute track that contains all the traditional hallmarks of a Steve Harris composition. Alongside Sign Of The Cross, Lord Of The Flies, Man On The Edge and Fortunes Of War, Blood On The World’s Hands proved that there was much life left in the band.
Virtual XI – Futureal
Whilst The X Factor contained a lot of good stuff I found Virtual XI a more difficult release to deal with. Fewer memorable songs, less pace and more padding and Bayley’s vocal limitations were becoming apparent. He just isn’t as strong a singer as Bruce. Aside from The Clansman and The Angel And The Gambler, the strongest track on the album was Futureal, a three-minute belter that opens the album in style. It’s still a favourite of mine, hence my choice here.
Brave New World – The Wicker Man
The return of Bruce in 1999 was welcomed across the metal world. Anticipation was high for the first release which also included Adrian Smith’s return and the band’s expansion to a six-piece with a three-pronged guitar attack. Brave New World proved a real return to form with a much-needed increase in tempo, a more bombastic approach and a return to the older classic era. Regardless of what much of the media felt, this was a superb album with Blood Brothers becoming a staple in the live set. The title track is impressively powerful but it’s the Smith/Harris/Dickinson composition The Wicker Man with its killer opening riff which gets my vote. After eight years, the upturn in energy was evident for all to see. A great track.
Dance Of Death – Paschendale
Three years later and album number 13 Dance Of Death delivered just short of 70 minutes of Maiden metal. There was only one track I could select on here, despite my fondness for Rainmaker, and that is the epic eight minute Paschendale. Majestic, mighty and quite astonishingly good, Paschendale is superbly crafted with light and dark, soft and heavy sections and guitar interplay par excellence. Dickinson’s performance is exceptional, his story telling delivery chilling. The pure riff half way through screamed essence of Maiden. Another classic crafted by Harris and Smith, there isn’t a better track in the entire Maiden catalogue.
A Matter Of Life And Death – The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg
Maiden created some controversy with this album by taking it on the road and playing it in full. The hardcore fans loved it but many of the lightweights moaned like bitches when the band limited the number of classics to three. It was a brave move but I think it worked. A strong album with some great songs including These Colours Don’t Run and Different World, The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg is a thumping good tune, a killer opening which then smoulders before igniting into a classic Maiden paced gallop which builds to a crescendo. The irony of the internet furore about the identity of Breeg was brought home when it was revealed that the character was fictional.
The Final Frontier – Isle Of Avalon
I love this album. The ethereal feel of being lost in space oozes through the tracks and songs such as El Dorado, Coming Home and The Man Who Would Be King are memorable. There was much speculation about the title and whether it would be the swansong but the band soon put that to bed. Isle Of Avalon is my favourite song on the album. A nine-minute piece which has some magical hooks, melody and scintillating playing. Dickinson’s performance is brilliant whilst the bass runs of Steve Harris are incredible. The track ebbs and flows, climbing and diving at speed. It’s great. Only four tracks featured in their live show at the Motorpoint on 1st August 2011, the last time the band played in Cardiff or Wales.
The Book Of Souls – The Book Of Souls
The final piece in this jigsaw and what a way to end. The double album which stormed to No.1 in 2015 and swept up the awards for best album in the rock and metal worlds. A highly ambitious release, with several of the tracks real heavy weights on an album that is over 92 minutes duration. When I reviewed this behemoth for the Musipedia in September 2015 I stated that it was ‘a quite breath taking piece of work and one that demands repeated listens to really grasp its full scope and breadth’. I haven’t changed my mind. It is still as epic 18 months later. The title track for me demonstrates that far from being a bloated dinosaur, Maiden can still rock out with the best and their whole approach is to give one big finger to the establishment. My review said ‘Title track The Book of Souls is one of two Gers/Harris penned tracks on the album and it is another beast of a track. Using keyboards to underpin the Maiden sound has been a standard approach since the late 1980s and the Seventh Son album and once again it works most impressively. Weighing in at over 10 minutes and telling the history of the Mayan people, The Book of Souls, like all Maiden epics builds and builds, a solid pace to start with Dickinson’s vocals soaring the heights, before, at over halfway into the track things kick off with McBrain leading the charge with his battering ram of drumming, closely followed by the traditional guitar work and Harris’ bass powering away. It is once again classic Maiden and top quality heavy metal. Interestingly, unlike several of Maiden’s previous lengthy pieces, Dickinson remains involved throughout, adding verses as the track races to its conclusion’.
Come 24th May, the Motorpoint will be filled to the brim with fans, some who will be there for the first time, some like me will have been there since the early days and will be well into double figures and some will no doubt be in the hundreds. It will be an astonishing show and one of the highlights of the metal calendar. When Iron Maiden are in town, it’s always worth the effort. Thanks for reading and enjoy the show.
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
A View From The Back Of The Room: Riverside (Live Review By Paul)
Riverside: The Marble Factory, Bristol
Few could have imagined the horror that Riverside would go through in 2016. Back in October 2015 we watched as the band, well into their 14th year together, glided effortlessly through a magnificent set at The Marble Factory in support of their recent beautiful Love, Fear And The Time Machine album. We now know, all too painfully, how on 21 February 2016 Piotr Grudzinski would pass suddenly and the band were sent spiralling into the depths of despair and grief. The outpouring of support for the band was so heartfelt that the band decided, in time, to continue as a trio. The release of Eye Of The Soundscape and the emotional live album Lost 'N' Found - Live In Tilburg earlier this year has no doubt helped.
Few could have imagined the horror that Riverside would go through in 2016. Back in October 2015 we watched as the band, well into their 14th year together, glided effortlessly through a magnificent set at The Marble Factory in support of their recent beautiful Love, Fear And The Time Machine album. We now know, all too painfully, how on 21 February 2016 Piotr Grudzinski would pass suddenly and the band were sent spiralling into the depths of despair and grief. The outpouring of support for the band was so heartfelt that the band decided, in time, to continue as a trio. The release of Eye Of The Soundscape and the emotional live album Lost 'N' Found - Live In Tilburg earlier this year has no doubt helped.
The tour, 19 European dates as well as a few select gigs on home soil has been entitled Towards The Blue Horizon. No support act, just two hours of the band. Just before 8pm the trio entered the stage. Led as always by Mariuz Duda, flanked by drummer Piotr Kozieradski and keyboard player Michal Lapaj, the band stood unflinching whilst Duda explained. 2016 had been a disaster for the band, but they had finally decided to continue as a trio. The evening, and the tour, was intended as a cathartic experience for not only the band but for the fans as well. Two hours of music, descending into darkness at times before hopefully climbing into the light and allowing everyone to leave with a smile. Simple, yet oh so challenging. Duda introduced Maciej Meller, touring guitarist and long time friend of the band, who has actually recorded with Duda in the past.
What followed was nothing short of spectacular. Opening with a stripped down version of Coda, and backed by a clever light show, Riverside (10) delivered a stunning performance. well paced, with tracks carefully chosen to allow maximum expression, the majority of the audience (much larger than their last appearance) stood in genuine awe as the evening progressed. Second Skin Syndrome, Conceiving You and Caterpillar And The Barbed Wire were magnificent, with Meller fitting in perfectly, nothing flashy and totally at one with the rest of the band. I've raved about their exceptional musicianship before in these pages but it bears repeating that Riverside are masters of their art. The jam session at the end of The Depth Of Self Delusion allowed them to unleash their inner rock. One of many highlights from the evening was the semi-acoustic version of the opening track from Time Machine, a hear stopping Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By A Hat?), slightly spoilt by some very noisy punters at the rear of the venue whose conversation was clearly much more interesting that watching the sublime performance of one of the best progressive bands around. Fools.
As the set headed towards its conclusion, Duda's voice showed no signs of cracking. His delivery is impressive, as is his bass playing, wild and yet fully controlled. Lapaj's keyboard work is almost wizardry, such is his movement and depth of playing. Meller's guitar work was exceptional and the whole thing is in the steady hands (and feet) of the Slayer shirted Kozieradski. The extended Escalator Shrine and Before closed the set before the emotional encore arrived. Duda commented on 2016 before the band launched into Towards The Blue Horizon, which had me on the verge of tears. the lyrical content of a song written before Grudzinski's death is so poignant, and so sadly apt. Watching the band you could see them calling on inner strength to get through and the audience willing them to do so. They did, and with a huge thank you concluded the evening with a different version of Coda. The audience provided an enormous ovation thoroughly deserved. It's going to be a tough ride for this band but they have the strength and support to get through it. A quite breath taking performance from one of the most important bands in rock today.
What followed was nothing short of spectacular. Opening with a stripped down version of Coda, and backed by a clever light show, Riverside (10) delivered a stunning performance. well paced, with tracks carefully chosen to allow maximum expression, the majority of the audience (much larger than their last appearance) stood in genuine awe as the evening progressed. Second Skin Syndrome, Conceiving You and Caterpillar And The Barbed Wire were magnificent, with Meller fitting in perfectly, nothing flashy and totally at one with the rest of the band. I've raved about their exceptional musicianship before in these pages but it bears repeating that Riverside are masters of their art. The jam session at the end of The Depth Of Self Delusion allowed them to unleash their inner rock. One of many highlights from the evening was the semi-acoustic version of the opening track from Time Machine, a hear stopping Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By A Hat?), slightly spoilt by some very noisy punters at the rear of the venue whose conversation was clearly much more interesting that watching the sublime performance of one of the best progressive bands around. Fools.
As the set headed towards its conclusion, Duda's voice showed no signs of cracking. His delivery is impressive, as is his bass playing, wild and yet fully controlled. Lapaj's keyboard work is almost wizardry, such is his movement and depth of playing. Meller's guitar work was exceptional and the whole thing is in the steady hands (and feet) of the Slayer shirted Kozieradski. The extended Escalator Shrine and Before closed the set before the emotional encore arrived. Duda commented on 2016 before the band launched into Towards The Blue Horizon, which had me on the verge of tears. the lyrical content of a song written before Grudzinski's death is so poignant, and so sadly apt. Watching the band you could see them calling on inner strength to get through and the audience willing them to do so. They did, and with a huge thank you concluded the evening with a different version of Coda. The audience provided an enormous ovation thoroughly deserved. It's going to be a tough ride for this band but they have the strength and support to get through it. A quite breath taking performance from one of the most important bands in rock today.
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