The son of a Greek father and a Spanish mother, Danny Kiranos, aka Amigo The Devil draws influence from both of his heritages as well as the darker fringes of Country/Americana to create smouldering murder ballads, dark romance and haunting acoustic music which features Danny’s intense and dramatic vocals stylings and stripped back compositions.
Featuring mainly acoustic guitars, banjo and percussion on It’s All Gone, but branches out into locomotive western themes, shimmering electric guitars from song writing partner David Talley and choirs on the frenzied I’m Going To Heaven. Inspired by Johnny Cash, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Shooter Jennings, Nathaniel Rateliff but also Ennio Morricone and Danny Elfman, it’s got broad musical vision brought forth with layered instrumentation but sometimes space and vastness.
Yours Until The War Is Over comes from a love affair between Ernest Hemingway and his nurse Agnes von Kurowsky, that only lasted until the last days of WWI, the rejection devastating Hemmingway. This introspective outlook runs through the album, the good guys don’t always win, love is not always forever but there’s ways to cope, legal or otherwise. All the Kiranos’ songwriting tells stories of survival, the human condition and wears its heart on its sleeve this record the first entirely recorded produced and engineered in his basement studio along with Talley, both of them experimenting to create soundscapes that chill, excite and linger long after you’ve listened.
Mick Mars - The Other Side Of Mars (1313/MRI) [Rich Piva]
Two legendary hard/rock metal guitarists releasing a solo album on the same day, and both are good! Who would have thought it. My opinions on the new Ace Frehley album can be found here, but I am here to talk about the new one from Mick Mars, the most talented and least clown-like member of Motley Crue, who was unceremoniously dropped from the dumpster fire that is today’s Crue which might turn out to be for the best for both his legacy and for his fans, given the quality of his first solo record, The Other Side Of Mars. Mick put together a solid band, including lead singer Jacob Burton, who has worked with everyone from Mariah Carey to Steven Tyler and sang for G n’ R drummer Steven Adler’s band amongst other things. Burton does the album justice and proves to be a nice partner to Mars and his trademark style.
This could have gone a couple of ways, but the direction The Other Side Of Mars went was exactly where it should have. This is a way darker record than what you here with the clown Crue and is pretty damn heavy as well. The opener, Loyal To The Lie is a dark, up-tempo ripper with great guitar work and the vocals work perfectly with Mars’ and the overall vibe. Speaking of heavy, Broken On The Inside rips; it is a nice little three-minute blast of energy that will pull you even further away from Mick’s work with his former band.
These guys can’t help themselves, but at least the ballad is somewhat heavy too, as Alone fills that spot and highlights Burton’s vocals. The other ballad, Memories, I could do without to be honest. Killing Breed is more of the heavy, with an almost industrial feel with Right Side Of Wrong giving off the same vibe. Ready To Roll has a nice chunky riff that Mick rarely got to really do in Crue and LA Noir is a fun instrumental with some bluely feel to close it out. The album is far from perfect, as it is way too overproduced (not unexpected), has some generic songs and could have been 3-4 tracks shorter, but the good outweighs the bad on The Other Side Of Mars.
Given what this could have been, Mick Mars solo album must be considered a success. His band sounds great, he is free to shred as he likes, and there is nothing on here that would be considered an embarrassment (see Ace’s Constantly Cute). If you are a Mick fan or a fan of heavy but radio friendly rock, The Other Side Of Mars is worth your time to check out. 7/10
Saffire - For the Greater Good - Redux (ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records) [Matt Bladen]
Saffire released a great EP Starhunter last year in preparation for this reissue of their 2015 album For The Greater Good, it introduced me to the band so I was excited to hear more. This isn’t just a re-issue it’s been re-mixed so they sound more like ‘them’, now I haven’t heard the original so I don’t know what to compare it too but For The Greater Good has the bold, retro sound of Rainbow, Spiritual Beggars or Jorn, underlined by modern techniques, giving it a an audio facelift and making it more in keeping with the rest of their records.
There is nothing wrong with any of the songs on The Detail Is In The Devil, it’s just their southern rock-tinged hard rock stylings just don’t connect with me. Every song sounds like it has been done before, and in many cases, done better. Light The Fuse is a fine song, just nothing I need to hear again. Turn This Tide is a track on every single hard rock band’s album. The same song, over and over. The lyrics are a bit cringy, take What’s A Man Supposed To Do for an example.
Sons Of Liberty’s new one is just there, existing, and doing nothing for me. The Detail Is In The Devil is harmless, but you can listen to better southern tinged hard rock for sure. 4/10
Yours Until The War Is Over comes from a love affair between Ernest Hemingway and his nurse Agnes von Kurowsky, that only lasted until the last days of WWI, the rejection devastating Hemmingway. This introspective outlook runs through the album, the good guys don’t always win, love is not always forever but there’s ways to cope, legal or otherwise. All the Kiranos’ songwriting tells stories of survival, the human condition and wears its heart on its sleeve this record the first entirely recorded produced and engineered in his basement studio along with Talley, both of them experimenting to create soundscapes that chill, excite and linger long after you’ve listened.
With the heist tale of Once Upon A Time In Texaco Pt. 1, through short instrumental interludes, we’re brought to the second half of the record opening in with creepy repetition Cannibal Within, the regretful Virtue And Vitriol but the gospel stomp and clap adds definition to the brilliant Stray Dog as it’s the spoken word finale of Closer that will leave you in reflective devastation. Heavy but not loud, Amigo The Devil is more potent than many metal bands claim to be, your pain is his pain, until the song is over. 9/10
Mick Mars - The Other Side Of Mars (1313/MRI) [Rich Piva]
Two legendary hard/rock metal guitarists releasing a solo album on the same day, and both are good! Who would have thought it. My opinions on the new Ace Frehley album can be found here, but I am here to talk about the new one from Mick Mars, the most talented and least clown-like member of Motley Crue, who was unceremoniously dropped from the dumpster fire that is today’s Crue which might turn out to be for the best for both his legacy and for his fans, given the quality of his first solo record, The Other Side Of Mars. Mick put together a solid band, including lead singer Jacob Burton, who has worked with everyone from Mariah Carey to Steven Tyler and sang for G n’ R drummer Steven Adler’s band amongst other things. Burton does the album justice and proves to be a nice partner to Mars and his trademark style.
This could have gone a couple of ways, but the direction The Other Side Of Mars went was exactly where it should have. This is a way darker record than what you here with the clown Crue and is pretty damn heavy as well. The opener, Loyal To The Lie is a dark, up-tempo ripper with great guitar work and the vocals work perfectly with Mars’ and the overall vibe. Speaking of heavy, Broken On The Inside rips; it is a nice little three-minute blast of energy that will pull you even further away from Mick’s work with his former band.
These guys can’t help themselves, but at least the ballad is somewhat heavy too, as Alone fills that spot and highlights Burton’s vocals. The other ballad, Memories, I could do without to be honest. Killing Breed is more of the heavy, with an almost industrial feel with Right Side Of Wrong giving off the same vibe. Ready To Roll has a nice chunky riff that Mick rarely got to really do in Crue and LA Noir is a fun instrumental with some bluely feel to close it out. The album is far from perfect, as it is way too overproduced (not unexpected), has some generic songs and could have been 3-4 tracks shorter, but the good outweighs the bad on The Other Side Of Mars.
Given what this could have been, Mick Mars solo album must be considered a success. His band sounds great, he is free to shred as he likes, and there is nothing on here that would be considered an embarrassment (see Ace’s Constantly Cute). If you are a Mick fan or a fan of heavy but radio friendly rock, The Other Side Of Mars is worth your time to check out. 7/10
Saffire - For the Greater Good - Redux (ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records) [Matt Bladen]
Saffire released a great EP Starhunter last year in preparation for this reissue of their 2015 album For The Greater Good, it introduced me to the band so I was excited to hear more. This isn’t just a re-issue it’s been re-mixed so they sound more like ‘them’, now I haven’t heard the original so I don’t know what to compare it too but For The Greater Good has the bold, retro sound of Rainbow, Spiritual Beggars or Jorn, underlined by modern techniques, giving it a an audio facelift and making it more in keeping with the rest of their records.
The interplay between guitarist Victor Olsson and keyboardist Dino Zuzic on the title track and across the 11 rejigged tracks is stellar, like classic Blackmore and Lord in full flight. Magnus Carlsson’s bass grooves and Anton Roos muscly drumming brings some power to Dandelion’s Shame and leads on Shadowland. For me though it’s Tobias Jansson’s vocals which are the best thing about Saffire, he sounds like Apollo Papathanasio at his best, able to soulfully croon over the big propulsive rockers but also add drama to tracks such as Wake Up The World and As Promises Burn.
For The Greater Good is a record packed with big heavy rock guitar/keyboard riffs, aimed at lovers of Rainbow, Deep Purple or anything with Hammond’s or a bit of Swedish retroism. The re-mix gives it a bigger audio quality hopefully winning over new fans and appeasing old ones. 8/10
Sons Of Liberty - The Detail Is In The Devil (Self Released) [Rich Piva]
Given that I am in the US, a band called Sons Of Liberty triggers me, and I can only imagine what I am going to be getting myself into, considering that asshat from Iced Earth had a band of the same name. Alas, these Sons are a UK based hard rock band that have not an ounce of politics in their music, just straight-ahead rock and roll. In this case, what I mean by straight-ahead is generic, because the eleven tracks on their new record, The Detail Is In The Devil, are just there. There is no ground being broken or really, for me, even a memorable chorus or song that sticks.
Sons Of Liberty - The Detail Is In The Devil (Self Released) [Rich Piva]
Given that I am in the US, a band called Sons Of Liberty triggers me, and I can only imagine what I am going to be getting myself into, considering that asshat from Iced Earth had a band of the same name. Alas, these Sons are a UK based hard rock band that have not an ounce of politics in their music, just straight-ahead rock and roll. In this case, what I mean by straight-ahead is generic, because the eleven tracks on their new record, The Detail Is In The Devil, are just there. There is no ground being broken or really, for me, even a memorable chorus or song that sticks.
There is nothing wrong with any of the songs on The Detail Is In The Devil, it’s just their southern rock-tinged hard rock stylings just don’t connect with me. Every song sounds like it has been done before, and in many cases, done better. Light The Fuse is a fine song, just nothing I need to hear again. Turn This Tide is a track on every single hard rock band’s album. The same song, over and over. The lyrics are a bit cringy, take What’s A Man Supposed To Do for an example.
The guys can play, but seem to want to play it safe, with nothing that challenges the listener. Maybe some people don’t want to be constantly challenged, but I’ve Got The Sky is like eating a Hershey’s Chocolate bar. Yeah, it’s candy, and candy is great, but it is the worst candy, so do I really want to waste all my sugar intake on that candy bar when there are things like Twix and Krackel out there.
Sons Of Liberty’s new one is just there, existing, and doing nothing for me. The Detail Is In The Devil is harmless, but you can listen to better southern tinged hard rock for sure. 4/10
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