Friday, 7 June 2024

Reviews: Evergrey, Huntsmen, Grand Slam, WyndRider (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Evergrey - Theories Of Emptiness (Napalm Records)

Tom S. Englund and his not so merry men celebrate nearly 30 years with their  brand new album Theories Of Emptiness. Their 14th studio album is the end of an era, the final recorded output from long term drummer Jona Ekdahl who moves on to pastures new and has been replaced by Simen Sandnes. He will have big boots to fill as Ekdahl's influence on the band is notable, especially when Evergrey do that heavy introspection they are the best at, represented best with To Become Someone Else, the steady chug of Englund, and Henrik Danhage merged with the organs of Rikard Zander. Zander's organs are also a major part of the chunky Say, as is Johan Niemann's bass. 

Evergrey are a band who put progression above all else, always striving to make more of their music, new nuances, different textures, added heaviness or more melody, they're progressive in the best sense. As a long term follower, I can say truthfully that the band have been on an absolute tear since 2014's Glorious Collison, reinvigorated and more creative than they ever have been since then they have released five albums, all of which are now celebrated and bring something different. 

Theories Of Emptiness does this too be it the electronic throb, piano and strings on Ghost Of Hero, which as a similar yearning and melancholy as Silent Skies, one of Englund's other projects. The balance of power and fragility of his voice on this track brought a  tear to my eye, but as this is Evergrey and one minute they're making you cry the next your head is banging, be it the Viking heaviness of We Are The North or pacey opener Falling From The Sun

The industrial Misfortune or the anthemic One Heart, a track that really does the production of Englund and Ekdahl justice the mix of Adam "Nolly" Getgood and mastering of Thomas “Plec” Johansson adding to the epic approach of this album as a whole. I spoke about progression but Evergrey are now and always were a progressive metal band and with a track such as The Night Within, where they play technical, fluid melodies and have a couple of time changes in a four minute song. 

I mentioned Englund's voice but I'll mention it as often as it takes to reiterate what a bloody good vocalist he is. Be it by himself or when duetting with the dulcet tones of Katatonia's Jonas Renkse on Cold Dreams, Tom's daughter Salina giving the ethereal backing. Cold Dreams is also the heaviest song here, putting in death growls which will be difficult to replicate live but suit the nature of this eclectic album, this is proven by the AOR-like Our Way Through Silence following Cold Dreams

It's no secret that I love Evergrey as a band, but Theories Of Emptiness is a stunning record that I'll be playing to death for the rest of the year. Riffing on a theme they established in 1995, Evergrey get existential and personal on their 14th album, with magnificent results. 10/10

Huntsmen - The Dry Land (Prosthetic Records) [Matt Bladen]

Chicago's Huntsmen have released plenty of music over the last few years but The Dry Land is only their third album. I guess the issue when you write long songs is that a three track EP often has a similar running time to a 6 track album.

Anyway I digress as on The Dry Land, Huntsmen traverse the plain between living and dead through all the hardships attracted over the past four years, band members dealing with chronic illness, isolation and mixed fortune, saw them coming together as almost a family unit to describe their pain through their music. Having always played with song writing that speaks to the living and the dead, this tribe of troubadours always struck me as a "Americana Metal" band, the kind of collaboration you'd expect from Baroness, Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks and Nick Cave (listen to Rain), brooding in the netherworld between folk tales and personal metaphors, they use country and folk music as a way to explore further reaches than their sludgy doom could ever.

On The Dry Land the spectral wanderings are stronger, brighter so too then is the extreme metal influence, glacial blasts of black metal cut like glass through the cavernous doom riffs. Another feature of this record is that Aimee Bueno-Knipe appears not only as a performer but as a full collaborative member, it means her voice and lyrics are integral to the album, creating some gorgeous harmonies on In Time, All Things and the sprawling Cruelly Dawns, a track which has black metal blasts from Ray Bueno-Knipe behind the kit.

This, Our Gospel again relies on the threating black metal anger, as Lean Times can give a slow build and cathartic release, the trio of guitarists Chris Kang, Gavin Cushman and Kirill Orlov (who is studio only) get to show their chops with lilting acoustics, jangling post rock or furious grooves. Marc Stranger-Najjar's bass catching the attention here as well.

If Crippled Black Phoenix were American they'd sound like this and that is the highest compliment I can give Huntsmen. 9/10

Grand Slam - Wheel Of Fortune (Silver Lining Music)

When you're a band founded by one of the most enigmatic, long remembered Rockstars of all time, it may be hard to shake off their legacy. Grand Slam was formed by Phil Lynott after Thin Lizzy's farewell tour in 1983, after Lynott's death and plenty of subsequent lawsuits, co-founding guitarist Laurence Archer and keyboardist Mark Stanway reformed Grand Slam in 2016, but as of 2018 Archer is the guiding force of the band, releasing an album in 2019, he's adamant that this is to be considered a different band. Doubling down by re-releasing 2019's Hit The Ground with a bit more refinement as the original consists of stolen demos. 

Though considering them as different band could be difficult when you hear There Goes My Heart which is the sort of Lizzy clone Black Star Riders used to deal in. But I can't blame them, much like BSR, if you have a legacy to call on why not do so, it will endear you to long term fans and increase recognition. That is so long as the songs are there. Well the production is very much there, the record is as sharp as a needle allowing you to hear every single Lynott-like vocal phrasing of Mike Dyer on tracks such as the strutting Come Together (In Harlem), his knack for telling a story or creating an image with a lyric is right out of Phil's playbook. 

Archer's song writing owes a lot to Lynott but his playing can come from a few places, Def Leppard, Whitesnake and others in that 80's rock scene, for example Feeling Is Strong (Jo's Song), Archer gets plenty of sumptuous solos and swaggering riffs to show off with, as Grand Slam 2024 are rounded out by Benjy Reid on drums and Rocky Newton on bass. The album is based on stories, be they death, history, the love of Jaguars (the car) or more intangible things, there's so many similarities to the band Lynott and Archer were trying to get off the ground as Lizzy met NWOBHM (Trail Of Tears) and AOR (Afterlife). With Spitfire and I Wanna Know! Dyer morphs into Blaze Bayley in prime Wolfsbane while they add a bit of folky mysticism on Pirate Song

Wheel Of Fortune continues the legacy of a band that never got the breaks it should have, with so many bumps in the road, it's Archer's resilience that is on display here. Life like the title track is a Wheel Of Fortune and it looks like Grand Slam are now enjoying their bonus round with classy, classic rock. 8/10

WyndRider – Revival (Electric Valley Records) [Matt Bladen]

It was fair to say I liked the debut album from East Tennessee’s WyndRider, comparing them favourably to Jefferson Airplane, they also remind me of Lucifer, Blood Ceremony and obviously have plenty of odes to Iommi, they even have a song called Remember The Sabbath. Since their 2022 debut they’ve played all over the pace, honing their riffs ready for the follow up entitled Revival. A natty play on words that beckons their return/revival but also links to the blood soaked, behind closed doors nature of the Southern Baptist history. 

Stoner doom that deals with fanatical devotion then? Same old same old but this Southern band were born into it, so Revival is a first-hand account of the evils carried out in the name of religion. It inspires the Appalachian doom of tracks such as Judas, Joshuwah Herald’s bass and Robbie Willis’ guitar soaked in fuzz for the main riff as Willis briefly expands into a solo before that riff comes crashing back. The low end crush continues with Devil’s DenRemember The Sabbath has creeping drums from Josh Brock, as The Wheel uses off time percussion to set up for the final groove. Chloe Gould’s echoed lamentations beckon you to the underbelly of their Southern home. 

Revival is WyndRider expanding on their debut with a sound that streamlines things a bit, it’s darker but somehow more harmonious. Play loud, praise Sabbath. 8/10 

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