Elles Bailey – Beneath The Neon Glow Reimagined (Cooking Vinyl) [Simon Black]
Bear with me a moment if you will please… You know the process of reviewing albums on sites such as this where we all work for the love of the music alone (and OK, the occasional free gig ticket) is complex. Having run one myself in the recent past I know how much stuff editors get sent from bands, labels and PR firms, all of whom seem to expect us to crank out reviews of the half a dozen releases they are working every month with no sweat.
They forget of course, that the other few hundred or so firms doing the same thing also have similar expectations, so editors can have easily over 500+ releases per month to try and cover (and way more than that if it’s one of the peak release cycles), but with only a handful of scribes who fit in what they can around whatever it is we all actually do for a living (by the way the Editor here puts us all to shame by covering about half of our review output himself, and yes, he has a full time job doing something completely different too)…
So basically, you have a situation where about a dozen of us all scramble for the same few big name releases each month, but then have to make do with whatever the other 498 items in the slush pile are, and frankly it’s daunting. So, of late, I’ve been asking for what we call in the trade the ‘lucky dip’, and let the editor make some selections on my behalf. To be fair, he’s actually quite good at picking stuff that he thinks I will appreciate, and so far I’ve discovered at least three new artistes that I will be listening to again that I may never have come across were it not for the luckiness or otherwise of the dip.
Which brings me to this next dip – Elles Bailey, who despite having quite a name for herself with ‘proper’ album charting (as opposed to the obscure sub-genre charts we all pretend are as important) but had not crossed my radar at all up until today. I have to say I raised my eyebrows when I saw it in my inbox, because it’s a leftfield choice for someone who knows my musical tastes so well. Turns out he was right again, so that’s four new artistes I will be following now, and it’s only the first week of May (and only about 450 items left to go in the slush pile if anyone else fancies a go at this reviewing lark).
This album is a complete reworking of an album only released last year. Whereas the original is pure melodic Bluesy Rock, with Bailey’s voice taking a more traditional clean rock sound (albeit with her distinctive smoky edge), this version sees her deliver a full on soulful vocal tone evoking Janis Joplin with way more range and accompanied mostly only by a piano. It’s incredibly effective, and having now listened to both back to back for me is way more effective than the original, and I completely see why it was released separately rather than as a second disk on a deluxe version that most people will have missed, on account of hardly anyone who puts albums onto ‘proper’ album charts does so by actually buying anything, or indeed listening to more than individual tracks.
It’s an incredibly moving and emotive record, which grabs and holds my attention throughout, which is no mean feat when the nature of the reimaging means you are really limiting your stylistic format to the ballad (and I’m normally the first to moan if a band sticks more than two ballads on a record). It’s also longer than the previous release by two whole new tracks, and just to throw existing fans off the scent, the running order is completely different too. The whole piece works brilliantly, and as a consequence I think it’s perfectly correct to treat this as a release in its own right, because it sure as hell is not a remix when the arrangements, tempo and delivery differ so radically to last year’s offering. Beautiful. 9/10
Paralyzed - Rumble & Roar (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]
I think it is too easy to just throw The Rolling Stones and The Doors out there when discussing the new record from the amazing Bamberg, Germany band Paralyzed, but it is inevitable that these legendary bands will be brought up when listening to their new record, number four overall and first for Ripple Music, Rumble & Roar.
Yes, there are a few riffs and passages that sound very much like The Stones. Yes, Michael Binder’s vocals can lean very much towards Mr. Morrison. There is so much more to the band than the influences they bring to the nine songs on Rumble & Roar, but they are there, so instead of pretending they are not let’s jump in and embrace the bands I mentioned and all of the other 70s inspired goodness from this record.
A wispy, bluesy feel opens up the record on Machine With A Soul, until the bass kicks in and we get some nice chunky riffs paired with organ and Binder’s Morrison but more gravelly vocals, which also reminds me of The Tea Party, which makes a lot of sense if you know that excellent Canadian band. We venture into an almost uncomfortably close to Satisfaction riff with Railroad, which is as close to a Stones tune as I have heard since Shake Your Money Maker came out. But like that classic record, this track kicks ass.
There is such a groove and soul to Paralyzed, and this song is such a perfect example. The one that sounds the most like The Doors, Rosie's Town, is next, and it is kind of scary how close it is to something you would hear on classic rock radio, but it also very much works. With the keys and that voice, good luck not thinking about you-know-what band, but boy does Paralyzed pull it off, especially with that bluesy guitar noodling. I love the heavy blues of Heavy Blues, a song title that is so very right on the nose there is not much more to say about it.
The Myth Of Love is an acoustic folky track that may seem a bit out of place until you listen to the record a few times and understand how it fits amongst the rest, as an interlude and a bridge to the second half, where White Paper starts it off and just gallops right into your soul. I love the bluey tempo change too, which brings some serious Zep vibes to this classic rock 70s party.
Did I mention the blues influences on Rumble & Roar? Well, there is no better example of how these Germans get it than Leave You. The guitar work is top notch on this one. I think Danzig would be proud of The Witch, something that I bet he would have loved to have on Danzig II. The biggest song on the record, Truth And Lie, closed it out, and hits on all the goodness that we have experience over the previous eight tracks, just in a grander form, and it is a glorious way to end this time machine trip.
It took me a few listens to get it, but once I did Rumble & Roar did just that. Paralyzed wears their influences on their sleeves and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Killer retro heavy blues with nods from all of your favourite 70s bands, and lots of organ. What more could you possibly want? 9/10
For The Pyres - At The Pyres Of Sin (Gruesome Records) [Mark Young]
May is officially here and with it comes the normal changeable weather conditions, bank holiday shop shutting leading to the bulk buy of milk and bread because Aldi is closed for a day as well as bringing you For The Pyres debut release via Gruesome Records. I think by now I have a somewhat love/hate relationship with melodic death metal.
It’s probably due to the fact I have listened to a lot of it and really nobody has topped At The Gates since they released Slaughter Of The Soul. Obviously, I’m sure that there are people out there who will disagree and (hopefully) point me in the direction of who is generally considered to be the top tier exponents of this genre but until that time I will continue to use ATG as the yardstick. So, with that out of the way, what is this rascal like?
Well, it possessed of an incredibly dense tone for the rhythm parts, which allows for the melodic lines to really punch through. Album opener, All Becomes None is exactly what is required to get the ball rolling, mixing in speed as well as having the necessary heaviness in place. That guitar tone I mentioned, it strikes a fine balance between being able to pick out the guitar parts and being incredibly heavy. Similarly, on Let Their Blood Colour Our Swords, speed and precision is the order of the day with some phenomenal tempos achieved.
There are some deft touches here and a lead break that does fine work, albeit in quick order. I still stand by my opening statement about ATG but based on these two tracks they have made inroads into taking this style and giving it their own unique stamp. It’s the little touches that you pick up on, such as the stop-start into blitzkrieg arrangement on Downfall (no falling into slow third song syndrome here).
Downfall is a corker, full of energy and a quickfire lead too (Step forward Toni Siira) and it ushers in its evil twin in Overture Of Demise who wants in on that face melting action. Now, I would argue that what we are hearing on this is not revolutionary in any way, but the way it is being deployed is the key. On Downfall and Overture there is a feeling of energy and joy in the songs as they unfold. At the halfway point we hit For The Dawn which is their opportunity to reduce those tempos a little and do a little chugging.
It gives them the chance to bring those melodic lines back into play and to be fair with Jesper Karvola and Toni both playing riffs that are both heavy and well-thought out it is a decent blast. It would be remiss of me to not mention the octopus on drums, Martin Latvala and on vocals it’s a guttural performance from Oannes Hagby who really nails it. This is the thing; you could have all the riffs and if the vocals aren’t right then it won’t matter. Oannes acquits himself admirably.
Enslave And Dominate could be my favourite track, a sub three-minute battering that comes in like it is on fire and is just the sort of explosive song that gives you a smack in the face and reminds you of why you love heavy metal. Void comes in firing, but with an eerie guitar line offset against the super-thick rhythm tone. Clocking in at 7minutes, it is a super tight trip that switches up speed whilst bringing some choice riffs. Its one of those songs that don’t feel as long as it is and is just a quality track. I’d go as far as to include it on my Songs of 2025 list as an indication of its strength.
Until Obedience is just straight forward pummelling upon which they bring a further walloping with Where Icons Turn To Dust. It’s quite the statement where they have two songs back-to-back that attack in such a striking manner and sound so well whilst doing it. So, we now reach the end of the road with At The Pyres Of Sin, and I’ll say it now that this is how you finish an album. It shares a common DNA with Void in terms of attack and how it’s put together but also in how expansive it feels. It’s all down to the way they put the riff lines together.
Everything that you hear on this is meant to be there, there is nothing extraneous or unnecessary anywhere on this album. So, where does it stand? Well, it is a well written, well produced blast of Swedish death metal. It is an explosive debut that understands the brief: Heavy, fast and fun. 9/10
Slumbering Sun - Starmony (Self-Released) [Matt Bladen]
Featuring two members of Monte Luna in vocalist James Clarke and bassist Garth Condit, two members of Destroyer Of Light in guitarist Kelsey Wilson and drummer Penny Turner, along with guitarist Kelsey Wilson of Temptress, Slumbering Sun are the newest band on the melodic doom scene, settling for a basis of the doom genre but layering it with a few other styles to shift them away from being "just another doom band".
Their sophomore album brings the finest type of Sabbath Worship on opening track Together Forever, like Mike Patron fronting The Sword, another Texan band who Slumbering Sun owe a debt to, this is the sort of grooving, psych-tinged doom I love. You can feel the heavy smoke of a bong fill the air when Together Forever slides into the organ driven middle section before that Iommi-like riff kicks back in.
On this one song alone I'm hooked, but Slumbering Sun don't just lay down their swords at the altar of Iommi, they are also inspired by grunge, shoegaze and Celtic folk, the emotive prog of Keep It A Secret comes from the songbook of the likes of Green Lung, full of freak out guitar solos and harmony vocals, the folk influences a definite highlight here. With Midsommar Night's Dream the band host some sounds of Seattle with woozy grunge fuzz, an atonal distortion that builds into a sonic haze.
Solar Bear shifts into the acoustic, used like a interlude to cleanse the palate for more tasty riffs. These appear again as Danse Macarbe brings back some psych dreaminess. I'm hooked on this record, it's got so many elements I love in the doom scene, a track such as The Tower adds strings to a comprehensive sonic orbit that culminates in some brilliant guitar solos.
The strings stay potent though the tribal, Mahavishnu Orchestra-esque Wanderlust, the euphoric way to close this second album. As soon as it was over I pressed play and dove in once again, Starmony is that's kind of album doom at its core but with delicious melodic trimmings. 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment