2018’s Elements was the tenth album by the metalcore veterans. I gave it a 7/10 in these pages and whilst metalcore remains a challenge for my aural equipment, the mercifully short release was decent. The Germans are back for their 11th album, sung in their native tongue which I have to say is a seamless fit and ramps up the intensity a level or two.
The urgent vocals of Andreas Dörner work effortlessly with the battering riffs and melodic harmonies. For a band that are rapidly approaching their 25th anniversary, they remain remarkably fresh. Zeitgeister isn’t new in terms of songs though, with seven tracks given a reworking, along with new track nICHts, a cheery track about despair and hopelessness.
This is where it gets difficult, because I’m not familiar with the originals sung in English and had no intention of spending ages hunting down the tracks on a streaming platform to compare. What I will say is that these versions contain plenty of power, spirit and energy. Trauma features Matthi from Nasty. The huge breakdowns on Ausbruch Nach Innen (Tyranny Of Small Misery) gives the song a massive feel, and one that would work perfectly in a huge arena, festival stage or sweaty club. Likewise, the impact of Feuer, Zieh' Mit Mir (Between The Worlds) is akin to the collision of planets. It’s blisteringly fast, aggressive, and explosive.
And that’s really the overall experience of this record. Chunky riffs, sonic beatings combine with raw vocals and clean, harmonies. It’s all a bit in your face and then rubbed down with a shammy leather. I’ve certainly spent worse half hours in my life. 7/10
Kayak – Out Of This World (InsideOut Music) [Alex Swift]
Decidedly complex and bombastic, Kayak make complex use of keys to command their sense of theatrical majesty. It hugely grounded in traditional prog in one sense and drawing on a range of sounds independent of genre constraints in another, making Out Of This World a deeply immersive and atmospheric listening experience that occasionally enthrals yet frequently alienates. Indeed, this album is at its best when it's making every effort to be epic and commanding – opening title track rejoices in the swirling effects which it layers on top of each other with a neoclassical sense of dexterity and skill. There’s an operatic presence to this anthem which makes for a great opener. This sense of atmospheric immersion is reinforced greatly by the beautiful yet constantly climbing Under A Scar where the strings and synths swell to lofty heights of cosmic exquisiteness. Critical Mass contrasts dark with light, employing encircling orchestrals and an enchanting mix of hopeful tones, keeping the listeners emotions in a state of balance, poised for the next movement.
Equally, A Writers Tale, allows you to picture the imagination of the protagonist spiralling out of control as the colourful harmonies cascade and inspire, creating a rich vivid sense of detail to marvel at. Its these moments that make you see why Kayak have such a rich legacy within their genre, demonstrating progressive music at its most convincing and heartfelt. However, there are many moments when Out Of This World fails to achieve that level of impressiveness. Waiting takes cues from dance, and is largely terrible as a result, the beat being far too slow to compel anyone to move and the lyrics proving incredibly cliché. Whatsmore, there are many moments across this albums one hour and ten minutes run length when its desire to be ambitious drags the experience down to becoming a slow and monotonous slog. Take the instrumental Kaja which tries to be uplifting and hopeful yet fails on both counts.
On a similar note, Mystery stands out as well-intentioned yet infuriatingly dull as the act repeat a range of classic rock tropes. Rather than serving to inspire reminiscence, these quickly become dull, contributing to a forgettable experience overall. It’s the same with Traitors Gate, One By One and Cary. These contain none of the multifaceted, textured elements of the greatest tracks. Rather, they make an already long listening experience feel even longer. Some fans of this accessible-albeit complex keyboard led sound might find some of these songs more fulfilling. Personally though, I find many of them tedious and repetitive. Overall, I found this a deeply mixed experience composed of failures and successes alike. What can’t be doubted is Kayak’s passion for their craft. I might not always be engaged by their particular brand of prog, and its true that much of their writing fails to move me. That said, the skill of these musicians is undeniable and for that, this album deserves respect. 5/10
Robin McAuley - Standing On The Edge (Frontiers Music) [Matt Bladen]
Irish rock vocalist Robin McAuley, will be known to many as the voice of Michael Schenker Group, Grand Prix, Michael Schenker Fest, Survivor and rock supergroup Black Swan. Standing On The Edge is his second solo album, the first coming from 1999. He spent the last half of 2020 working on this record, combining his background in melodic rock and AOR for a radio-friendly journey through slick, emotional rock music. Co-written and produced by bassist/keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio, there are also contributions from Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep keyboardist), Tommy Denander and Howard Leese (of Bad Company, ex-Heart), who plays a mean bluesy solo on Supposed To Do Now. All of them adding their particular talents to the record.
Robin McAuley - Standing On The Edge (Frontiers Music) [Matt Bladen]
Irish rock vocalist Robin McAuley, will be known to many as the voice of Michael Schenker Group, Grand Prix, Michael Schenker Fest, Survivor and rock supergroup Black Swan. Standing On The Edge is his second solo album, the first coming from 1999. He spent the last half of 2020 working on this record, combining his background in melodic rock and AOR for a radio-friendly journey through slick, emotional rock music. Co-written and produced by bassist/keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio, there are also contributions from Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep keyboardist), Tommy Denander and Howard Leese (of Bad Company, ex-Heart), who plays a mean bluesy solo on Supposed To Do Now. All of them adding their particular talents to the record.
Music-wise we've got some powerful rocking on Say Goodbye, slinkiness on Chosen Few and opener Thy Will Be Done and of course there are some ballads with Run Away the most overwrought with it's delicate strings and acoustic guitars, Wanna Take A Ride is probably the poppiest track here, reminding me of Mike & The Mechanics. Vocally McAuley is on top form, his bluesy pipes working well across the songs, what I also noticed is unlike many melodic rock records most of the songs here are upbeat rockers rather than the normal glut of ballads, final track Running Out Of Time is one of the best with a real MSG sound to it. Robin McAuley is a very experienced vocalist who has featured on countless albums but this solo record is the most authentically McAuley release in his back catalogue. 7/10
Todd Michael Hall - Sonic Healing (Rat Pak Records) [Matt Bladen]
Todd Michael Hall appeared on The Voice where he was selected by Judge Blake Shelton, on the back of the this the current vocalist of Riot V began to play with the idea of a solo album mainly due to the global pandemic. He teamed up with Metal Church guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof to record Sonic Healing it's a jukebox record in the truest sense Hall bringing in all of his influences, it's an homage that occasionally veers too close, a track such as Running After You is a little too close to Rush for my liking. But songs like Overdrive and All On The Line both have a driving rock style of Saxon.
Todd Michael Hall - Sonic Healing (Rat Pak Records) [Matt Bladen]
Todd Michael Hall appeared on The Voice where he was selected by Judge Blake Shelton, on the back of the this the current vocalist of Riot V began to play with the idea of a solo album mainly due to the global pandemic. He teamed up with Metal Church guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof to record Sonic Healing it's a jukebox record in the truest sense Hall bringing in all of his influences, it's an homage that occasionally veers too close, a track such as Running After You is a little too close to Rush for my liking. But songs like Overdrive and All On The Line both have a driving rock style of Saxon.
Though the major influences here are American FM Radio rockers such as Foreigner, Styx and REO Speedwagon, moving away from the thrash of his day job, the slick guitar skill of Vanderhoof means he cranks out the riffs with aplomb. He's a perfect foil for Hall's versatile, multi-faceted voice, he seems to suit any kind of style whether it's the bluesy Love Rain Down, the propulsive Like No Other and even the Lizzy-like Long Lost Rock & Rollers. If you put away the notion of this being a self-indulgent project for Hall and take it as it is then Sonic Healing is decent, highly listenable hard rock record from two talented performers. 7/10
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