"And now the end is near...and so I face the final curtain" the first line of Frank Sinatra's iconic song My Way (in fact the whole song really) is an apt way of describing both Under Stars and John Mitchell's Lonely Robot project as a whole. He has definitely done it his way writing, recording, producing and playing nearly everything on these records alongside Craig Blundell on drums, and here for the first time touring bassist Steve Vantsis. There are very few people that have enough creative juice to get a fully solo project off the ground, nevermind having a solo project with an overriding concept and storyline, hidden messages throughout each album linking to the other parts all while playing in numerous other bands, guesting on a few and producing more.
Mitchell clearly is a man that doesn't need sleep but at least he won't have to focus on the Lonely Robot part of his career again for a while as Under Starts is the culmination of the Lonely Robot storyline started on The Big Dream in 2015, a politically/culturally aware storyline with a lot of mystery around it. There's no massive deviation as you'd probably expect as John Mitchell has his own style musically that pairs his progressive rock background with electronics and synthwave pop sensibilities. Tracks such as the emotive Icarus, Authorship Of Our Lives sit side by side, with moodier more direct tracks such as The Only Time I Don't Belong, the heavier When Gravity Fails and the haunting title track which has a beautiful guitar solo that uses feeling more than flash. Mitchell used this album to delve into his 80's synth obsession which really adds to the otherworldly space sounds this album requires.
Under Stars feels a lot more melancholic than the two previous efforts which could be due to element of closure that it has about it, still the record is a cinematic, arresting album that will bring about a satisfying conclusion to this trio of albums while adding extra depth by raising more questions with some of the ambiguity left around it, especially with final track An Ending repeating the "Please Come Home Lonely Robot" mantra that has been present through the entire triumvirate. Under Stars is another neo-prog masterclass from John Mitchell who we should really be classing as his own genre now surely? 9/10
Redshift: Cataclysm (Self Released)
Bath three-piece Redshift say that their influences are Between The Buried & Me, Rush and Dream Theater, so you could say they piqued my interest (not the BTBAM bit though). What that actually means in practice is that this band play melodic progressive death metal so the band have off-time riffs, constant pitch and time changes and clean/harsh vocals added into their more savage style of metal. Cataclysm is their debut album and it's a solid chunk of music with seven tracks culminating in a 14 minute and an 18 minute epic, actually that's quite a good word for it as Cataclysm is a release that is ambitious beyond what you'd expect for a debut album. Starting out with an instrumental, Overture (Something In The Sky) which moves between latter day Dream Theater and Iron Maiden setting you up for what is to come.
It's mind-blowing that this level of instrumentation comes from just three guys Liam Fear (vocals, keyboards, bass), Joshua Boniface (guitar) and Jack Camp (drums). When first proper song Invasion opens the album, you understand why there is the Rush influence as Liam is trying to ape the Geddy Lee nasal vocals before dropping into the growls, on a track that runs to over 8 minutes and frequently changes sound I was trying to explain the band to one of my colleagues here at MoM and I said it sounds like Bloodshot Dawn and Amon Amarth playing Rush songs. Now to some of you that might sound like heresy but it does work.
On Call To Arms things turn more into Dream Theater as Liam's voice grows on you, it gets better as the album goes on turning more into that unique James LaBrie sound. It's this element of the record that will decide whether you enjoy this album, as musically I can't fault them or their virtuosity. Promises sits as just a echoed piano number that gives the listener a chance to catch their breath and prepare themselves for yet another prog metal assault, a bell tolls the synths phaze in and once again blast-beats batter you on Fire, Smoke And Thunder which has more of the barked vocals taking things in the Opeth direction. From here on out Cataclysm gets better and better, seriously, I've not heard this level of musicianship from a young band in a long while and as May Fate Rest Upon You and Last Stand gives you the final 30 odd minutes of this album you can step back and take in this progressive, conceptual record for what it is. 8/10
Facing Fear: Ana Jansen (Roadie Metal) [Paul H]
Full of pulsing riffs and classic heavy metal, the debut album from Brazilians Facing Fear is something of a conundrum. At times the musicianship is excellent, reminiscent of a faster early era Iron Maiden, with the punkish guitar sound of Iron Maiden and Killers. The NWOBHM and NOWTHM feel is the main flavour that runs through the album and when the band go for it this is catchy, old school metal. And then we get to the ridiculously named Terry Painkiller, also vocalist of Steel Wölf. He possesses an enormous range and pitch. Veering from King Diamond to Udo Dirkschneider, with a bit of Bobby Ellsworth thrown in for good measure, it is hard to work out where he is trying to get to. Unlike the King, whose vocals follow an operatic pattern, Painkiller appears to career out of control as the songs rampage along, often to the detriment of the overall track.
This is a shame as underneath his soaring shrieks, the rest of Facing Fear are competent musicians. The Maiden laced Until The End and the Accept style I Wanna Play The Sound are examples of solid if unspectacular heavy metal. The title track, sung in Portuguese, closes the album and tells the tale of Ana Jansen, a nineteenth century businesswoman and politician from Brazil, whose penance for cruelty to her slaves was for her spirit to be condemned to wander the streets of St. Louis in a ghostly carriage for eternity. This explains the album cover, which closely resembles King Diamond’s Abigail. 6/10
Danko Jones: A Rock Supreme (Indica Records) [Paul H]
Danko Jones is one of those acts that I’ve always flirted around with no real intention of ever getting past first base. Occasional tracks grab the attention, but I can’t say I’ve tried very hard to follow up on that initial encounter. Last year I saw the band support Skindred at Brixton Academy and entertaining they were too. But once more I wasn’t enticed to seek out their catalogue with any great urgency or depth. A Rock Supreme is the band’s ninth album; a fair return for a band now in their 23rd year and it’s not bad at all. A Rock Supreme contains variety in the styles on show, from the disco-based Dance Dance Dance (which would be a perfect Skindred song, by the way), the autobiographical I’m In A Band, That Girl - a dead ringer for the kind of tunes Thin Lizzy played and the punk rock lilt of Fists Up High, there is something for most here. Maybe the variety and throw away style of Danko Jones’ music is the reason why I haven’t pushed my interest further in the past and why that situation is unlikely to change. Overall this is a very pleasing album, with some very solid hard rock but it’s probably one that will only be lapped up by the diehards. 6/10
Danko Jones: A Rock Supreme (Indica Records) [Paul H]
Danko Jones is one of those acts that I’ve always flirted around with no real intention of ever getting past first base. Occasional tracks grab the attention, but I can’t say I’ve tried very hard to follow up on that initial encounter. Last year I saw the band support Skindred at Brixton Academy and entertaining they were too. But once more I wasn’t enticed to seek out their catalogue with any great urgency or depth. A Rock Supreme is the band’s ninth album; a fair return for a band now in their 23rd year and it’s not bad at all. A Rock Supreme contains variety in the styles on show, from the disco-based Dance Dance Dance (which would be a perfect Skindred song, by the way), the autobiographical I’m In A Band, That Girl - a dead ringer for the kind of tunes Thin Lizzy played and the punk rock lilt of Fists Up High, there is something for most here. Maybe the variety and throw away style of Danko Jones’ music is the reason why I haven’t pushed my interest further in the past and why that situation is unlikely to change. Overall this is a very pleasing album, with some very solid hard rock but it’s probably one that will only be lapped up by the diehards. 6/10
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