You like instrumental records from keyboard virtuosos featuring a whole host of fellow virtuoso guitarists? Great have we got one for you! I assume this was the discussion in the Inside Out Records office when this album was pitched. The latest solo record from Sons Of Apollo/Alice Cooper/ex-Dream Theater ivory tinkler Derek Sherinian. Vortex is his ninth solo record, a natural follow on from his 2020 record The Phoenix.
It comes with a cavalcade of guest guitarists all of whom are as instrumentally dexterous as the so called 'Caligula Of Keyboards". Coming from the rock/metal sphere but bringing their own styles it's again a fusion record where there's plenty of jazz rock on Scorpion, a big funk/blues hit on Key Lime Blues which has former band mate Joe Bonamassa and Toto's Steve Lukather and heavy proginess on the 11 minute Aurora Australis which features his Sons Of Apollo bandmate Bumblefoot on guitar. His core band are fretless bass hero Tony Franklin and drummer extraordinaire Simon Phillips who co-wrote and co-produced this album with Sherinian.
The explorative nature of this album means that you get to hear the very best from all concerned Bumblefoot especially shines on the final song. There's of course people Sherinian has shared bands with such as Steve Stevens (Alice Cooper) appearing on two tracks while he also brings in some legends in the game such as the king of funk metal Nuno Bettencourt on Fire Horse and the Mad Axe Man Michael Schenker on the MSG tinged Die Kobra where Zakk Wylde also lays down additional shredding. Vortex is not a record that is just musos stroking their beards, it's a very listenable musical journey with a menagerie of styles. Well worth investing in. 8/10
Victorius - Dinosaur Warfare Pt.2: The Great Ninja War (Napalm Records)
Guys...John Williams will want a word if he hears this album! Victorious Dinogods ends with that iconic Jurassic Park theme tune but seeing as it's yet another concept record that merges together the world's from their Dinosaur themed EP and their Ninja themed previous album. It's the sort of record you'd get if you fused Hammerfall, Edguy and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, just check out Triceps Ceratops if you think that's a weird influence, and you'll be hearing it in an Austrian accent, though Victorius are from Germany. There's an innate silliness to the record that will appeal to fans of the power metal bands that sing about Pirates, Vikings and the like but I mean this one has f*cking dinosaurs! And Ninjas! That makes it must better (I mean they probably don't have a private racist and misogynistic group chat like a certain band that will remain nameless).
Victorius - Dinosaur Warfare Pt.2: The Great Ninja War (Napalm Records)
Guys...John Williams will want a word if he hears this album! Victorious Dinogods ends with that iconic Jurassic Park theme tune but seeing as it's yet another concept record that merges together the world's from their Dinosaur themed EP and their Ninja themed previous album. It's the sort of record you'd get if you fused Hammerfall, Edguy and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, just check out Triceps Ceratops if you think that's a weird influence, and you'll be hearing it in an Austrian accent, though Victorius are from Germany. There's an innate silliness to the record that will appeal to fans of the power metal bands that sing about Pirates, Vikings and the like but I mean this one has f*cking dinosaurs! And Ninjas! That makes it must better (I mean they probably don't have a private racist and misogynistic group chat like a certain band that will remain nameless).
If you can't laugh and rock out at track such as Mighty Magic Mammoth, Dinos And Dragons, God Of Roar and Katana Kingdom Rising you must have a heart of stone. But they aren't playing for laughs, the music is really well delivered power metal that comes from the classic sounds of Hammerfall, Freedom Call and such with the blasting twin axes from bands such as Dragonforce who can be heard in the solos especially. With the Dinosaurs on our side those ninjas don't stand a chance, rampaging power metal at it's most joyous Dinosaur Warfare Pt.2: The Great Ninja War will keep you entertained for weeks, cinematic power metal with great lyrical content. 8/10
Hundred Year Old Man - Sleep In Light (Self Released)Leeds is grim, the UK, nay the world at the moment is in a grim state. Many of us when faced with the harsh reality of life go to music, whatever style it is. Musicians do the same but they create music rather than just listening to it. Hundred Year Old Man come from deepest darkest Leeds and they are p*ssed off. They have been this way for their whole career but on Sleep In Light they sound more disenfranchised and distraught than they have before. Their sludge/post-metal combination is crushing, fierce and visceral and it's cut through with glistening atmospheric ambiance that take an otherworldly turn.
Over 8 tracks, clocking in at 1 hour and 8 minutes in total. Sleep In Light visits the darkest depths and the highest highs, riffs dissonant and ominous one minute then chiming and euphoric the next. The album title comes from a Babylon 5 episode the themes of isolation and despair in that episode sitting well with what they wanted to reflect on the record. It is also dedicated to the memory of Owen Pegg who they lost in September 2021 while the band were in the middle of recording this album. He plays guitar here along with bass, vocals and synth his role as the heart and soul of Hundred Year Old Man very much felt on this record. Guitar partner Tom Wright is in perfect union, adding organs too, they are the core duo that deliver the Hundred Year Old Man have been associated with for so long.
David Ashley Duxbury's anguished vocals are joined by synth player Mark Howes' for a double shot of raging raw vocals. The recording line up of the band is rounded out by the powerhouse drummer Andy Barton and new bassist Helen Tytherleigh. Tom Arnold was drafted in as a guitarist so shows can continue, but this record is a fitting tribute to their fallen comrade, tracks such as the glacial I Caught A Glimpse Of Myself On Fire making the hair stand up on end with its primordial power as it slips into the droning noise of Seldom before the album builds up into despair on the organ drenched Honne. Come and Sleep In The Light just be aware of the dark that Hundred Year Old Man also dwell in. 8/10
Tailgunner - Crashdive EP (Self Released)
Firstly, let's just get it out there in the first sentence, Tailgunner owe their sound to Iron Maiden, in fact this debut EP shamelessly takes from the entire NWOBHM, which was a thing no matter what Paul Di'Anno says. With that gallop and twin ax attack on Shadows Of War we're firmly in the NWOBHM sound. The band formed due to a love of classic metal and the do a great job of recreating that classic sounds on Crashdive. Even done to having the stereo, dual speaker production technique where often the rhythm and vocals are in one ear and the guitars are in the other. An analogue production technique gives authenticity but wouldn't be anything without the excellent playing.
Happily tracks such as Guns For Hire are great example of doing classic metal well, shifting into the European speed metal scene of bands such as Helloween. Sam Caldwell (drums) and Tom Hewson (bass) laying down a fast pace rhythm that gets you head moving. Up front they have a distinctive vocalist in Craid Cairns who sounds a lot like Marc Hudson of DragonForce, on Revolution Scream he puts every facet of his vocal to good use as the impressive guitar playing of Zach Salvini & Patrick van der Völlering adds some sweet guitar solos.
With a full length album due out in Jan 2023, Crashdive works well as an introduction to what Tailgunner do. Classic metal sounds delivered well. 7/10
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