Need: Norchestrion - A Song For The End (Ikaros Records)
Some bands just get it. They understand exactly what they have to do to appeal to their fan base. Greek progressive metal band Need are a band that do this, very, very well. Taking musical cues from bands such as Dream Theater, Symphony X, Savatage and Nevermore their style of dark, melodic progressive metal is bewitching and exciting in equal measures. Their previous release, 2017's Hegaiamas: A Song For Freedom took the band to a different level to their previous releases, building their influences into a pretty much perfect progressive metal album full of virtuoso playing, sweeping symphonics, passionate vocals and a thematic link that was the band reaching a new level in their career. Thankfully after another long creation period, the same can be said of Norchestrion: A Song For The End, in fact it actually improves upon the near-perfection of its predecessor.
Some bands just get it. They understand exactly what they have to do to appeal to their fan base. Greek progressive metal band Need are a band that do this, very, very well. Taking musical cues from bands such as Dream Theater, Symphony X, Savatage and Nevermore their style of dark, melodic progressive metal is bewitching and exciting in equal measures. Their previous release, 2017's Hegaiamas: A Song For Freedom took the band to a different level to their previous releases, building their influences into a pretty much perfect progressive metal album full of virtuoso playing, sweeping symphonics, passionate vocals and a thematic link that was the band reaching a new level in their career. Thankfully after another long creation period, the same can be said of Norchestrion: A Song For The End, in fact it actually improves upon the near-perfection of its predecessor.
This fifth full length starts off with Avia a track which is chunky, off-kilter melodic riff that wouldn't sound wrong an Evergrey record, in fact the impassioned vocals of Jon Voyager here remind me of Tom S Englund giving a depth as the proggy riffs shift into some shimmering synth work from Anthony Hadjee. It's a slow burner of an opening but packs a huge amount of musicianship into just over 5 minutes, displaying the bands fifteen years of experience. Beckethead comes next with a yet again more dancey synths moving into a metallic riff from George Ravaya which is secured by the intricate basswork of Viktor Kouloubis and the frenetic/expressive drumming of Stelios Paschalis, Beckethead is very modern sounding with the orchestrations juxtaposed with the down-tuned riffs and widdly keys. For prog metal aficionados this will be the first properly 'prog' track on the album, 7 minutes of tone shifts and it's followed by possibly the heaviest Nemmortal which is a very dark, Nevermore sounding number which has Jon Voyager exhibiting how much his vocals have improved since the band's first album.
He leads the songs from the front with power and passion as he shouts "I've become so dark and sinister" repeatedly. Bloodlux continuing the heavy grooves of the record but it's followed by V.a.d.i.s. a spoken word piece with atmospherics at the back between two voices dealing with personality, artificial intelligence, existence and reality in a very philosophical debate. The title track brings the prog metal power back with the albums second longest piece with some muscular riffing. It leads into Circadian which takes a more textured approach with shouts out to bands like Haken or Karnivool the rippling synths behind the djenty phrasing. Next up is Ananke which really is the final music track of record (Kinward is more of spoken word poem) clocking in at a hefty nearly 19 minutes of glorious anthemic progressive noise. Norchestrion: A Song For The End is another incredible album from Need, it's going to take something pretty special to beat this as the prog metal album of the year! 10/10
When Primal Fear guitarist Alex Beyrodt teamed up with bassist Matt Sinner (Primal Fear/Sinner) and singer David Redman (Pink Cream 69 et al) to form Voodoo Circle a certain kind of magic happened. These three men with addition of drummer Markus Kullmann (Glenn Hughes) and then keyboardist Jimmy Kresic set out to create a neo-classical hard rock band that was to me should have been the successor to Whitesnake (if David Coverdale ever retires). Driven by the virtuoso playing of Beyrodt who draws from the greats such as Ritchie Blackmore, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page in his playing Voodoo Circles first three records are absolute classics that I revisit often. However the band did shift focus a little becoming more blues and AOR based as time wore on and with their previous album Raised On Rock Herbie Langhans took the mic and for me anyway the band lost something. However the thing about magic is that it can be rediscovered and on Locked & Loaded the bands sixth record the genie has been let out of the bottle as once again Redman and Kullmann return recreating the bands ‘classic’ line up.
The first three songs on this record: Flesh & Bone, Wasting Time and Magic Woman Chile all bring back those great memories of playing their self-titled record and Broken Heart Syndrome at full volume. They are all very heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin with some big orchestral sweeps and Eastern flourishes as Beyrodt cranks out the colossal riffs and explosive solos while Sinner and Kullmann drive the rhythms ready for the Plant-meets-Coverdale vocals of Redman. The blood is pumping from the opening moments Jacob Hansen’s production making things sound incredible as the blues returns on the tile track a 80’s style synth palate coming from Corvin Bahn, the record almost like a retrospective look back at the history of Voodoo Circle with Redman behind the mic.
Eyes Full Of Tears the albums massive ballad where they can bring back that Broken Heart Syndrome of their second record, Devil's Cross has that AOR feel to it, while Straight For The Heart has that 80’s ‘Snake attitude and the six string theatrics to match. A triumphant return to form from Voodoo Circle and hopefully this line up can be retained as the music they produce is top class hard rock! 9/10
Wedge: Like No Tomorrow (Heavy Psych Sounds)
The word vintage is thrown around a lot in reviews, any band that tries to recreate the bygone era of the late-60’s and 70’s where rock music ruled supreme are lumped into the vintage/retro pile, whether they are authentic or not. Berlin trio Wedge are very much authentic, relying on the locked in power trio format of vocalist/guitarist/harmonica player Kiryk Drewinski, bass/organ/electric/piano/mellotron player David Gotz and drummer/percussionist Holger ‘The Holg’ Grosser, Wedge take what I call the Grand Funk positions that have been replicated many times. Like Grand Funk, Blue Cheer, Humble Pie and even Wolfmother, Wedge use vintage instruments, production methods to create a genre bending amalgamation of psychedelic hard rock steeped in the blues and Americana, shifting away from the Lizzy/Wishbone Ash sounds of their previous record Killing Tongue, Like No Tomorrow embraces the Woodstock Generation in its huge Kaftan and long flowing locks.
Tracks like Soldier instilling a rebellious streak against oppression while Computer takes a swipe at the ever increasing reliance on digital technology with some tongue in cheek lyricism and a musical backing that moves from groovy riffs to freak outs faster than you can throw a peace sign in the air. I mentioned the vintage thing earlier and Wedge just sound vintage, even their riffs will give you déjà vu, like they’ve been recycled from somewhere else but it’s that nostalgia hit that does it when the woozy Cali sounds slither into some Allman Bros twin harmonies while the organs erupt from the rocky landscape. Like No Tomorrow is a shameless, joyous, celebration of the past just what 2021 needs. 8/10
Old Selves: Two Minds (Self Released)
Crawling out of Yorkshire with some groove heavy modern metal.metalcore Old Selves are angry, very angry indeed. Two Minds is their debut album and comes a place of furious self improvement, honing their sound during lockdown 1 (remember that?) with a much tighter sound that sprawls several sound styles, check out the dissonant post metal coda of the title track. Fusing aggression with emotion with bands such as While She Sleeps a definite influence, Old Minds go to different places adding more melodic sounds on the interlude Lost which cascades into the main single from this release, the powerful 444. However the powerful Population has an industrial tinge of Fear Factory to it as the final track Seat In The Hall has that distinctly modern, technical delivery with numerous arpeggios in the background. A debut EP with a lot of substance and ability, Old Selves have started 2021 off with an incendiary shot of modern metal. 7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment