Kittie – Fire (Sumerian Records) [Matt Bladen]
Are Kittie Nu-Metal? If you’ve only heard 1999’s Spit then you may say yes, but you’d be wrong, the Canadian metal act have been moving toward a heavier, louder style with every resulting album. That’s not to say they don’t have that groove, or that radio readiness, Kittie just got angrier and paired massive choruses with screaming vocals and more evil sounding riffs. That is until 2011’s I’ve Failed You where after touring the record they went into the dreaded ‘indefinite hiatus’, in that time there was very little activity but 13 years later this cat comes clawing and hissing back to life with their seventh album Fire.
The renewed interest in the band after their documentary, resulted in shows in 2022 and 2023, including the Sold Out Sick New World Festival and this convinced band founders Morgan (vocals/guitar) and Mercedes (drums/vocals) Lander to damn the hiatus and jump into the studio with guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivy Vujic to revive Kittie for 2024. What a revival it is as Fire, is an incendiary groove/modern metal album, massive comparisons can be made to bands such as Machine Head, Korn, Slipknot and even bands such as Lamb Of God, most of whom are contemporaries to Kittie but criminally more recognised than they were.It’s time to change that now though as Fire is just as aggressive, violent and brutal as any of those bands, more so than a few of their recent efforts. The thick bass grooves and riffs of the Nu metal sound are there on the title track and We Are Shadows, but there’s also some duelling solo sections, savage vocals and huge melodic hooks in the chorus. There’s an industrial edge to Falter as I Still Wear This Crown has a defiant chorus, Vultures and Wound add thrashing rage.
Where Hawxx, Jinjer, Infected Rain and even Halestorm (listen to One Foot In The Grave) have followed Kittie led, and now they are back to show everyone how it’s done. Still wearing the crown, it will take a lot to usurp them. 8/10
Portrait – The Host (Metal Blade Records) [Paul Hutchings]
Back in 2021 I gave Portrait’s fifth album, At One With None a splendid 9/10. As they continue to evolve with their own unique metal style, the Swedes return with The Host, a 74-minute opus that certainly took a few listens to get involved with.
The Host is album number six, and the first to feature guitarist Karl Gustafsson. He joins vocalist Per Lengstedt, fellow axeman Christian Lindell and the powerful engine room of Frederik Petersson on bass and Anders Persson on drums.
Described by Lindell as “an occult tale of sword and sorcery, accompanied by some of the most passionate heavy metal ever recorded. The Host is our first concept album. The story takes place in 17th century era Sweden and revolves around an unnamed protagonist who, because of his experiences with the injustice and hypocrisy of this world, decides to seek truth and strength through its’ Adversary.”
A true heavy metal album, there are plenty of influences in evidence, but it’s the ability of Portrait to craft their own classic sound that really works here. The flowing bursts of rapid drumming and melodious riffage, combined with Lengstedt’s vocals, a cross between King Diamond and Bruce Dickinson really work as he tells the story throughout the songs. Musically it’s perfect, very much in the high-end classic metal crossed with power metal, and songs like The Blood Covenant and Treachery work as well on their own as they do weaved into the storyline.
Having been in the business for close to two decades, it may be unsurprising that Portrait can craft such majestic and imposing music, but that doesn’t take away anything from the quality on offer. A serious blend of groove, merged with a delightfully upbeat tempo, and with a richness of style that sets its root back nearly four decades.
You do need to invest time though. Whilst the explosive style of Sound The Horn can certainly be standalone tracks, you pick up much more from a long, engaged sweep of the whole album. However you wish to listen to this album though, you should find it works. They may be approaching veteran stage, but this band is quite unique. Another fine addition to the catalogue. 8/10
Greenleaf - The Head & The Habit (Magnetic Eye Records) [Rich Piva]
Do I get my stoner rock fan club membership revoked if I say that I prefer Greenleaf to Dozer overall? (I don't think that's a thing - Ed) We can all agree that Greenleaf is not a side project anymore given that their new album, The Head & The Habit, is album number nine, right? Don’t get me wrong, I love both of these bands and the other bands connected to the current and former members of Greenleaf, but for whatever reason, especially over the past decade, my go to out of almost any band in the genre seems to be Greenleaf.
If you are not familiar with the band it has included members of the already mentioned Dozer, Lowrider, and Demon Cleaner, which is an obvious huge reason why this band is so awesome right off the bat. The last Greenleaf record, Echoes From A Mass, was just excellent and a top 10 album for me in 2021. So excited is an understatement for a new Greenleaf record. So how does The Head & The Habit stack up to that album, the rest of their output, and just overall? Well to me 2024 Greenleaf is as good, or better than anything they have done before and cements the Swedish band as one of the best out there today.
I mention that Greenleaf has been one of my main go to bands, especially their material from the past decade or so. There is no coincidence that this is when Arvid Hällagård joined as vocalist. Hällagård is one of my favourite singers for any band, and this run continues on The Head & The Habit as that voice just works perfectly with the heavy stoner excellence that Greenleaf brings. Breathe, Breathe Out is the perfect opener, with that trademark tone, killer riff, ear candy catchiness, and those vocals. Sebastian Olsson’s drums shine on The Head & The Habit. Avalanche gets all riffy and chunky led by Tommi Holappa’s fuzzy dominance of his guitar and I love the multiple tempo changes in this one.
I mention that Greenleaf has been one of my main go to bands, especially their material from the past decade or so. There is no coincidence that this is when Arvid Hällagård joined as vocalist. Hällagård is one of my favourite singers for any band, and this run continues on The Head & The Habit as that voice just works perfectly with the heavy stoner excellence that Greenleaf brings. Breathe, Breathe Out is the perfect opener, with that trademark tone, killer riff, ear candy catchiness, and those vocals. Sebastian Olsson’s drums shine on The Head & The Habit. Avalanche gets all riffy and chunky led by Tommi Holappa’s fuzzy dominance of his guitar and I love the multiple tempo changes in this one.
Different Horses has some of those QOTSA vibes they will leverage while building their own Greenleaf sound. This one rips while the chorus part embeds in your brain. A Wolf In My Mind is in a similar vein while highlighting the killer rhythm section of Olsson’s drumming and Hans Fröhlich on bass. That Obsidian Grin is a bluesy little interlude highlighting the lower end of Hällagård’s vocal range and acts as a great bridge to the second half of The Head & The Habit, led by The Siren Sound that includes all the best of what Greenleaf brings and Oh Dandelion leverages the band’s heavy blues side I mentioned earlier, partnered perfectly with their perfected heavy stoner sound.
The record closed extremely strong, with The Tricking Tree and An Alabastrine Smile anchoring the nine tracks expertly, the former, an epic eight-minute plus track that mid song includes a killer bluesy solo until the mountains crash down at the end, while the latter is a two-minute chill out to bring us down nicely from previous 40 or so minutes of heavy rock excellence.
Greenleaf simply rules and should be looked at as on of the best bands out there today. The Head & The Habit cements them as in the top echelon of the genre for sure. These nine tracks are exactly what a fan of this band would expect and more. Another amazing entry into the legend that Greenleaf continues to create. A top 20 album of the year for sure. 9/10
Maverick – Silver Tongue (Metalapolis Records) [Paul Scoble]
Hailing from Belfast in Northern Ireland, Maverick shares a name with the lead character from Top Gun, and the band do seem to be obsessed with music from the mid to late eighties, a time that the film Top Gun defined. This is because Maverick play a style of rock that is more late eighties than any band I can think of, as Maverick play Eighties glam rock, that to my ears sounds like Motley Crüe crossed with Skid Row.
The five piece is made up of brothers Ryan Sabastian Balfour on guitar and backing vocals and Dave Balfour on lead vocals, they are joined by Mike Ross on drums, Richie Diver on bass and Ric Cardwell also on guitar. Maverick have been together since 2012 and in that time have made four albums before Silver Tongue, Quid Pro Quo in 2014, Big Red in 2016, Cold Star Dancer was released in 2018 and the bands last album was called Ethereality in 2021, Silver Tongue is the bands fifth album.
As Silver Tongue is a glam/hard rock album the 12 songs are split into rockers with great riffing, screaming vocals and widdly guitar solos, and Power Ballads full of emotion and fervent vocals.
Let’s start with the rockers, Daywalker is a cracking piece of stomping glam rock, it reminds me a little of Motley Crüe’s song Wild Side, has some really great riffs, really good backing vocals and a great guitar solo. Puppet Show has a pounding chorus, powerful vocals, lots of great WhooOOO Oooooh Yeaaaah’s in the backing vocals and a chorus that rhymes Maniac with Hell And Back, what more could you want?
Halfway To Heaven is fast melodic rock with another great vocal performance, another awesome chorus and the song manages to be fast and driving, whilst still being melodic and tuneful. Another great rocker is the track Bloody Mary which stomps along at a great pace. The song has a huge chorus and a smaller verse section, the chorus is a great sing along and the song is filled with a great energy.
No glam rock album would be complete without power ballads, and Silver Tongue has some great ones!
Lorelei is a great doesn’t mess about with the formula for a great ballad. The verse is clean guitar and fervent vocals, the chorus is bigger with a bit of distortion on the guitars, and lashings of big emotion in the vocals and, man, it feels like being strait back to 1987 and as the wonderfully emotive guitar solo kicks in you wonder if this could be any better.
Greenleaf simply rules and should be looked at as on of the best bands out there today. The Head & The Habit cements them as in the top echelon of the genre for sure. These nine tracks are exactly what a fan of this band would expect and more. Another amazing entry into the legend that Greenleaf continues to create. A top 20 album of the year for sure. 9/10
Maverick – Silver Tongue (Metalapolis Records) [Paul Scoble]
Hailing from Belfast in Northern Ireland, Maverick shares a name with the lead character from Top Gun, and the band do seem to be obsessed with music from the mid to late eighties, a time that the film Top Gun defined. This is because Maverick play a style of rock that is more late eighties than any band I can think of, as Maverick play Eighties glam rock, that to my ears sounds like Motley Crüe crossed with Skid Row.
The five piece is made up of brothers Ryan Sabastian Balfour on guitar and backing vocals and Dave Balfour on lead vocals, they are joined by Mike Ross on drums, Richie Diver on bass and Ric Cardwell also on guitar. Maverick have been together since 2012 and in that time have made four albums before Silver Tongue, Quid Pro Quo in 2014, Big Red in 2016, Cold Star Dancer was released in 2018 and the bands last album was called Ethereality in 2021, Silver Tongue is the bands fifth album.
As Silver Tongue is a glam/hard rock album the 12 songs are split into rockers with great riffing, screaming vocals and widdly guitar solos, and Power Ballads full of emotion and fervent vocals.
Let’s start with the rockers, Daywalker is a cracking piece of stomping glam rock, it reminds me a little of Motley Crüe’s song Wild Side, has some really great riffs, really good backing vocals and a great guitar solo. Puppet Show has a pounding chorus, powerful vocals, lots of great WhooOOO Oooooh Yeaaaah’s in the backing vocals and a chorus that rhymes Maniac with Hell And Back, what more could you want?
Halfway To Heaven is fast melodic rock with another great vocal performance, another awesome chorus and the song manages to be fast and driving, whilst still being melodic and tuneful. Another great rocker is the track Bloody Mary which stomps along at a great pace. The song has a huge chorus and a smaller verse section, the chorus is a great sing along and the song is filled with a great energy.
No glam rock album would be complete without power ballads, and Silver Tongue has some great ones!
Lorelei is a great doesn’t mess about with the formula for a great ballad. The verse is clean guitar and fervent vocals, the chorus is bigger with a bit of distortion on the guitars, and lashings of big emotion in the vocals and, man, it feels like being strait back to 1987 and as the wonderfully emotive guitar solo kicks in you wonder if this could be any better.
Evenfall is another ballad but with a bit more heaviness than Lorelei. Again, the verse is softer than the big emotional chorus and it all works so well; Big Power Ballad, Big Emotions. The track Time manages to fall into both camps as it feels both a little ballady and a bit of a rocker. The verse is measured and minimal whilst the chorus is bigger and feels emotional. The song also boasts a really great guitar solo.
The last song on the album We All Die Young is a bit different from the other material on the album, it’s much more like stoner rock rather than glam/hard rock. It has a great chorus, is melodic and tuneful and has some great vocal harmonies. It’s a little different from the other material, but when it is as good as We All Die Young I don’t really care that it’s a little different.
Silver Tongue is a great piece of hard/glam rock. Everything you could possibly want from a glam rock album is on here, and done so well, the quality is off the charts. Yes, it does sound like it was recorded in 1987, but these days with music streaming all eras are available to people to listen to so the idea of things being out of date, is now, well, out of date.
The most important thing is are the songs good, and on that count Silver Tongue is superb, if this album had been released in 1987 Maverick would have been a huge band. Glam rock is meant to be fun and this album is an absolute blast! 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment