So another month, another release involving Neil Morse and Mike Portnoy, who seem to be on a two-man mission to be on every other Progressive Rock album released this year (at last count they have no less than four project bands on the go). So much so that they are able to run their own Festival for heaven’s sake (I kid you not – Morsefest is a thing). This album follows this supergroup’s usual strategy of following each studio release with a live set, and again with the obligatory DVD release, which will no doubt be a consolation for anyone holding a now useless ticket for a show this year.
It’s a two disk affair, so plenty of material for followers to get their teeth into and to my mind feels somewhat flatter that other live offerings I’ve reviewed recently. Track wise there are plenty of material from the most recent studio release, but then when you are as prolific as this it’s less likely for the artists to get pulled into playing their greatest hits with a token couple of newbies. I’ve not followed this project before, but in general have to say despite the superb musicianship, that I much prefer it when these two take a harder more metal edge to the style. The audience engagement also really does feel a bit flat and again misses the whole point that a live release, which needs to capture some of that enthusiasm - which is not easy of the audience mikes are way down in the mix. The standout track for me was More, where Portnoy in particular kicks up a level and the overall energy picks up and also elicits more enthusiasm from the crowd, although it has to be said that the album closers The Storm and Mask Machine bring some much needed energy to the piece too.
Flying Colours is perhaps too mainstream for my tastes although I have to say the song writing is pretty strong, and the technical prowess is much more restrained than other projects. Perhaps there lies the challenge for me personally, in that the more technically proficient aspects are the parts I am missing. Nonetheless a competent, if not exactly vibrant offering for Morse/Portnoy devotees. 6/10
NoN: III (Crusader Records) Bob Shoesmith]
Drawing facts from the self-penned hyperbole that bands (particularly American bands) like to indulge in, in their bio’s is a useful exercise for reviewers. There is an understandable urge to ramp up the old CV with superlatives for your new release/line-up as quite often it just gets repeated within the review itself by lazy writers, so worth a punt! What I can say about NoN is that they are formerly known as ‘Now or Never’ and given that a cursory internet search will throw up a plethora of bands with the same name, probably a name-change was a shrewd move. Also, it’s a vehicle for Denmark’s ex Pretty Maids guitarist Ricky Marx. As any self-respecting melodic rock aficionado will know, Pretty Maids are an often underrated but much venerated, expert exponents of their genre, all spandex, shaggy perm, tight harmonies of gentlemen of a certain age, perpetuating the classic 80’s based power/melodic idiom. They are however, worshipped by the melodic rock faithful and knowledgeable fan at festivals such as Firefest, Rockingham and Hellfest and in fairness, are great musicians and probably one of the best providers of that particular brand of high gloss, Europe, FM-esque rock commerciality.
In 2012, Marx has left the Maids and gathered together some like-minded European musicians and formed Now or Never (now, NoN) to produce this, their third offering III not exactly hot on the heels of their 2016 release, called (unsurprisingly) II, but for the uninitiated and those expecting a Whitesnake/early Europe sing-a-long you will be pleasantly (or unpleasantly if that’s what you were hoping for) surprised. Of course, there’s some of the stock, ever present, melodic rock ingredients but, to use a food analogy, they’ve definitely upped the beef and reduced the cheese. I’ll be honest, there’s a short instrumental keyboard intro right out of the European power rock playbook, so I was half dreading stock fare. However, the first track Two Worlds Away rips into a fast paced riff-fest which bodes well for upping their ante of their past influences. The excellent growly, whiskey-soaked vocal of Steph Honde keeps the vibe far more earthy and the thick processed guitar riffs steer the ship away from anything resembling high gloss on tracks like Woman In The Dark, Point Of No Return and Circle Of Pain and the best tracks are all very reminiscent of Alter Bridge (in a good way) not to mention a great cover of Duran Duran's Ordinary World.
NoN don’t entirely let go of some of the more well-known melodic rock tropes though. There’s the rather unnecessary seven-minute power blues ballad of cliché ridden Eyes Of A Child (which could be Whitesnake’s Mistreated reprised for 2020). The harmonies are on point, there are the big stadium choruses and in truth while all tracks are exceptionally well crafted and played and a great representation of 21st century rock classic rock with Honde putting in an excellent vocal shift, there is a bit of sameness that occasionally creeps in the song writing structure and there’s no escaping the Alter Bridge comparisons on tracks like Another Story and Afterlife and throughout. That said, all “new” rock music is inevitably going to be recycled from its predecessors in some way and fans of their particular genre will always want the warm familiarity of hearing the legacy.
III is a belting, wonderfully produced rock album that a lot of my rock DJ friends will revel in. No awards for originality but I’ve enjoyed my listens and it will probably slide into my playlists for a few more. 8/10
Derek Sherinian: Phoenix (Inside Out Records) [Alex Swift]
I’ve noted in past reviews how I’m selective when it comes to instrumental music. I believe that music itself can be incredibly effective in inspiring moods or even telling a story through the melodic and instrumental alterations. A great instrumental doesn’t need words to grant passage to the listener’s imagination and send them into a whirlwind of poignant mental imagery. And hey, I’m sure we’ve all heard songs whose lyrics have been as callous and clumsy as to execute any hope the listener might have of lending their own interpretation. Importantly, going into The Phoenix, I aimed to keep an open mind. Remember, Derek Sherinian has provided keyboards for the likes of Alice Cooper, Dream Theater, and is currently the player for Sons Of Apollo – these are acts who for all their talent, would not be the same without those soaring, transcendental key and synth textures.
I’ve noted in past reviews how I’m selective when it comes to instrumental music. I believe that music itself can be incredibly effective in inspiring moods or even telling a story through the melodic and instrumental alterations. A great instrumental doesn’t need words to grant passage to the listener’s imagination and send them into a whirlwind of poignant mental imagery. And hey, I’m sure we’ve all heard songs whose lyrics have been as callous and clumsy as to execute any hope the listener might have of lending their own interpretation. Importantly, going into The Phoenix, I aimed to keep an open mind. Remember, Derek Sherinian has provided keyboards for the likes of Alice Cooper, Dream Theater, and is currently the player for Sons Of Apollo – these are acts who for all their talent, would not be the same without those soaring, transcendental key and synth textures.
Although, I may have hinted at my skepticism right there. ‘for all their talent’ – while his skills are undoubtedly impressive, how do they fare on a soundscape led by the musician? Well, here’s the crux. Is this album full of the complex keyboard structures which define his work in some of his most notable projects? Absolutely. Is the record also self-indulgent and more focussed on technical proficiency, than emotion or storytelling? Oh my word, yes. Dear reader, there is nothing to this album beyond showcasing the megalithic magnitude of Sherinians' skill. I was not taken on a journey by a single progression. There were definitely some moments scattered throughout that would have worked in a more considered and affecting song, yet I felt absolutely nothing. Our player's skill is striking yet counts for very little in the context of his solo album, especially considering that I can’t remember anything after frankly more listens than a piece with so little dramatic caliber deserves.
Whatsmore, these are always the hardest pieces to grade ‘cause while you can’t fault them on technical ability, you are left with a void of oblivion to comment or pass judgment on. For that reason, my score is based purely on the little amount of enjoyment I gained sitting through this work, with only a dying ember of hope for what could have been. 2/10
Holy sh**ting f**k!!! Colombia’s Eshtadur are not messing around (well maybe a little bit, but we’ll get to that) with their new album From the Abyss. Not messing about in their flagrant worship (and maybe just a little bit of plagiarism?) of bands like Dimmu Borgir, SepticFlesh and Arch Enemy. Right from the start with opener Lowborn Bastard, Eshtadur wear their influences on their sleeve. A harsh Dimmu-esque riff leading into some melo-death that sounds so much like Arch Enemy you’ll be checking to see if you have the right record on, straight into a SepticFlesh orchestral arrangement. All within the first two minutes! It’s like someone has thrown all three bands into a blender and pressed a CD from the vile substance that was left.
What separates Eshtadur from the rest of the pack is how well they actually manage to pull this off. Tight song writing, and excellent production exemplifies From The Abyss. The Adverse Side, The Red Door, The Fall every track speeds along with melodic hooks aplenty, Daniel Erlandsson style drumming and some inventive black metal-into-death metal riffing. The monolithic She the Void proving they can slow the tempo down when required and change the mood with evil synths and all out black metal tremolo riffing. Then for some random reason, in the middle of it all Eshtadur deemed it a cracking idea to throw in a cover version of Firehouse’s 80’s hair metal classic All She Wrote. It isn’t that this is ill-conceived. For what it is it is a very good cover. But sitting in the middle of a record of wall to wall bangers just doesn’t make sense.
It breaks the flow and makes you question if you’ve actually just heard that?! Maybe a decent bonus track for the Japanese release? Ultimately though it doesn’t prevent From The Abyss from being a great piece of melodic death and black metal. This is seriously amazing stuff. Is it original? Absolutely f**king not… not in the slightest, but Christ on a bike! It is brilliant! If you don’t bang your head to this, then you are dead inside. 9/10
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