Deep Purple have got to that point where they have outlasted a number of their classic rock peers, some falling by the wayside before they got their second wind. The fact that its actually more of a surprise when they aren’t touring says a lot about this band, and about how high they are still regarded.
I’m not even going to attempt to run through line-ups, its redundant, boring and pointless. This is their 24th full length release, a trip that started with bouffant hair in 1968 and paisley shirts and despite members who are nearing 80, there is no sign of easing up just yet.
So, I won’t pretend to say I’ve like all of their stuff, like some I tend to gravitate towards In Rock, Fireball and Machine Head, which has some of their (and Rock’s) best moments. They were always different from Sabbath and Zeppelin, at least to me and their later stuff I felt didn’t have the same oomph to it and a lot could be attributed to band politics. Getting rid of Blackmore actually released them find that power again and despite losing Jon Lord, you would have thought that the line-up with Steve Morse in it would be it until they packed it in.
So, I won’t pretend to say I’ve like all of their stuff, like some I tend to gravitate towards In Rock, Fireball and Machine Head, which has some of their (and Rock’s) best moments. They were always different from Sabbath and Zeppelin, at least to me and their later stuff I felt didn’t have the same oomph to it and a lot could be attributed to band politics. Getting rid of Blackmore actually released them find that power again and despite losing Jon Lord, you would have thought that the line-up with Steve Morse in it would be it until they packed it in.
So when my lad (Hoy Alan!) announced that they were getting a new gunslinger I was surprised, and when this landed with me, I was really surprised at how hard it goes. This is a very good album from them, one that shows that when the handbrake is released, they can still motor. The voice that Gillan had is an echo on here, but its enough, everything that you associate with Deep Purple is present and correct on here; the musicality, the scorching leads, drums for days and lyrics that are well typical Gillan.
New guitarist, Simon McBride is stepping up into his role now and the songs are now manifesting a heavier edge, imbued with an energy that was missing previously. Take the opening track Arrogant Boy, this is classic Purple bounding forward and it sets the scene with some fiendish playing by McBride and Airey. And speaking of classic Purple, Diablo takes you back to the early 70s. They are infectious and joyful in their execution. Its an energy that stays in place right the way through and for me it’s the best thing they have done in an age.
It’s the fact that they have gone into the studio and just hammered out a banger, one that sounds like a band trying to make up for lost time and wants you to hear this. Its not the sound of a band who have settled here. Is it going to convert new fans, probably not. Its likely the name conjures up Grandad Rock with some; all I can say is that don’t let that the name or any preconceived ideas about them put you off. This is classic rock, executed at the highest level. It sounds great, delivered by a band that has got the winds at their backs.
It’s the fact that they have gone into the studio and just hammered out a banger, one that sounds like a band trying to make up for lost time and wants you to hear this. Its not the sound of a band who have settled here. Is it going to convert new fans, probably not. Its likely the name conjures up Grandad Rock with some; all I can say is that don’t let that the name or any preconceived ideas about them put you off. This is classic rock, executed at the highest level. It sounds great, delivered by a band that has got the winds at their backs.
They are touring the UK later this year and wholeheartedly recommend that you make every attempt to catch them live. 9/10
Todomal - Graveyards Of Joy (Season Of Mist) [Matt Bladen]
Harsh – Feels (Fireflash Records) [Cherie Curtis]
Harsh is a relatively new band from Paris who brings the velvety hooks and hard rocking, Glam Rock nostalgia from the 80s revamps it and delivers it with a clean, modern-day spin. A sentence like that may scare some people away, because why fix it when it isn’t broken? I agree, it's very hard to make Glam Rock better, and bringing it into the modern day doesn't make it better; it gives us more. That’s what Harsh is bringing with their newest Feels.
Every track within this album is punchy and electric; each one amps you up and is catchy enough for you to sing when the second chorus wraps around. Forever Yesterday is anthemic and passionate with western rock and roll feel. The heavy drums are pacing with clear fast riffs with dreamy reverbs, and the vocals are incredibly sharp and strong without being overpowering. Dancing Dancing is a sleazy banger, and I imagine it would have made it as a club classic 40 years ago.
Todomal - Graveyards Of Joy (Season Of Mist) [Matt Bladen]
If in 1980 Roger Waters hadn't left Pink Floyd and they had continued to go down the dark and bitter route he had taken them on from Animals onwards, I would like to think he would have been very interested in the developing doom scene that was happening in Europe during the late 80's and early 90's.
Especially when bands such as Anathema, Katatonia and even Paradise Lost all went tonight to include quite a lot of Floyd in their latter day incarnations, with Cathedral especially the influence of Waters et al had always been there through the elongated songs and psychedelic exploration.
Why are you talking about this? I hear you ask well for my money Anglo-Spanish band Todomal would be the result of Pink Floyd going doom, the complex song structures, a trio of vocals, pastoral moments, huge ominous passages and emotion over exhibition.
This is doom at its most beautifully atmospheric, the duo of composer/multi-instrumentalists Christopher B. Wildman and Javier Fernández Milla, forming the band in 202 after years in the Spanish underground. Their goal was to create music that was esoteric and ecclesiastical, more akin with cinema soundtracks (mainly Morricone) than with traditional metal.
A fusion of styles that brings together Spanish traditional instruments, string arrangements, and church organs to prog/psych rock and apocalyptic doom. They have already released two albums before this, with Graveyards Of Joy serving as a final part of a trilogy that deals with grief, isolation and tragedy.
Joining Wildman (vocals/guitar) and Milla (vocals/bass) in their live band Javier Félez (guitar), Javier "Bud" Martínez (drums) and Cecilia Tallo (keyboards/vocals), swelling the numbers on stage but in the studio the way this record is approached is the same it's always been, two instrumentalists playing everything with a few guests to join in.
Perhaps though having this live band has made them think a bit more about their music as Graveyards Of Joy is more expansive in and more melodic in tone, keeping their doom beginnings but bringing the melancholic metal that Katatonia, Soen and others have made their own.
I think I'm a little bit in love with this album, if this third record is what Todomal will sound like going forward, then absolutely count me in. 9/10
Especially when bands such as Anathema, Katatonia and even Paradise Lost all went tonight to include quite a lot of Floyd in their latter day incarnations, with Cathedral especially the influence of Waters et al had always been there through the elongated songs and psychedelic exploration.
Why are you talking about this? I hear you ask well for my money Anglo-Spanish band Todomal would be the result of Pink Floyd going doom, the complex song structures, a trio of vocals, pastoral moments, huge ominous passages and emotion over exhibition.
This is doom at its most beautifully atmospheric, the duo of composer/multi-instrumentalists Christopher B. Wildman and Javier Fernández Milla, forming the band in 202 after years in the Spanish underground. Their goal was to create music that was esoteric and ecclesiastical, more akin with cinema soundtracks (mainly Morricone) than with traditional metal.
A fusion of styles that brings together Spanish traditional instruments, string arrangements, and church organs to prog/psych rock and apocalyptic doom. They have already released two albums before this, with Graveyards Of Joy serving as a final part of a trilogy that deals with grief, isolation and tragedy.
Joining Wildman (vocals/guitar) and Milla (vocals/bass) in their live band Javier Félez (guitar), Javier "Bud" Martínez (drums) and Cecilia Tallo (keyboards/vocals), swelling the numbers on stage but in the studio the way this record is approached is the same it's always been, two instrumentalists playing everything with a few guests to join in.
Perhaps though having this live band has made them think a bit more about their music as Graveyards Of Joy is more expansive in and more melodic in tone, keeping their doom beginnings but bringing the melancholic metal that Katatonia, Soen and others have made their own.
I think I'm a little bit in love with this album, if this third record is what Todomal will sound like going forward, then absolutely count me in. 9/10
Harsh – Feels (Fireflash Records) [Cherie Curtis]
Harsh is a relatively new band from Paris who brings the velvety hooks and hard rocking, Glam Rock nostalgia from the 80s revamps it and delivers it with a clean, modern-day spin. A sentence like that may scare some people away, because why fix it when it isn’t broken? I agree, it's very hard to make Glam Rock better, and bringing it into the modern day doesn't make it better; it gives us more. That’s what Harsh is bringing with their newest Feels.
Every track within this album is punchy and electric; each one amps you up and is catchy enough for you to sing when the second chorus wraps around. Forever Yesterday is anthemic and passionate with western rock and roll feel. The heavy drums are pacing with clear fast riffs with dreamy reverbs, and the vocals are incredibly sharp and strong without being overpowering. Dancing Dancing is a sleazy banger, and I imagine it would have made it as a club classic 40 years ago.
However, the glistening jewel of Feels is Maniac, a high-speed thrilling cover. Its jam packed with the hard rock bells and whistles we love, with incredible texture and layering and leaves no breathing space, it’s loud with wonderful noise with a gut punching with a technical guitar solo and a vocal sustain Hall And Oats can only dream of and they do it all with ease. They singlehandedly took an 80s pop classic to the beer slick and dingy floor of a hard rock gig. This was a very nice surprise, and I'm glad it landed on my desk, I'm a sucker for a rock cover.
All in all, it's a very promising album. It has all the marks of traditional glam rock; electricity, power and an infectious amount of fun and refined it with the technology of today without stripping the soul and passion away. Harsh brings us voltage and maintains it as well as staying consistent with their sound and overall image without it feeling like a tired gimmick, which is a very real risk. As great as I think this album is, it’s not going to be for everyone.
All in all, it's a very promising album. It has all the marks of traditional glam rock; electricity, power and an infectious amount of fun and refined it with the technology of today without stripping the soul and passion away. Harsh brings us voltage and maintains it as well as staying consistent with their sound and overall image without it feeling like a tired gimmick, which is a very real risk. As great as I think this album is, it’s not going to be for everyone.
You must be a fan of the genre to really get a kick out of it otherwise it would sound unremarkable, like something you've heard many times before which is good for most but not for some but I think you should give it a listen anyway and have some fun. 7/10
Dichotomy - Lucifer Owns The Fence (Rottweiler Records) [Adz Redpath]
Jordan Varela the one man beast and multi instrumentalist behind this Charlotte, North Carolina based tech death project is a law unto himself and has quite the track record in the industry as I'll allow you to research yourself, not least being a member of the likes of legends of brutality, Lividity and Lust Of Decay.
Jordan Varela the one man beast and multi instrumentalist behind this Charlotte, North Carolina based tech death project is a law unto himself and has quite the track record in the industry as I'll allow you to research yourself, not least being a member of the likes of legends of brutality, Lividity and Lust Of Decay.
What we find here in Dichotomy is a true death metal project harking back to peak era Deicide, maybe lacking the level of refinement of the aforementioned overall but certainly at a high professional and musical level with ferocious and unyielding pace throughout.
Everything on show here is hitting hard, each track has clear intent and furious vision, the mix is executed well and holds the attention. however a slightly thicker guitar tone that's layered more heavily to fill the mix would probably help in future and a more forthright multi tracked vocal mix would help to really convey the aggression on show here.
Everything on show here is hitting hard, each track has clear intent and furious vision, the mix is executed well and holds the attention. however a slightly thicker guitar tone that's layered more heavily to fill the mix would probably help in future and a more forthright multi tracked vocal mix would help to really convey the aggression on show here.
That being said this is 90's era death metal that crushes and if it had been released during that period im certain it would have made waves in the scene especially as it is the vision and performance of just one individual it is to be highly commended.
An over use of pinched harmonics in the guitar work do distract by the time you're half way through this album and an overuse of certain time signatures and riff ideas do unfortunately distract from what is overall a very strong release overall.
An over use of pinched harmonics in the guitar work do distract by the time you're half way through this album and an overuse of certain time signatures and riff ideas do unfortunately distract from what is overall a very strong release overall.
If you're a fan of Deicide etc during the 90's you will probably find a lot to like about this album and it certainly holds nostalgia heavily in its tracks.
Some more fine tuning in the future and maybe working with a producer in depth on the overall songs as well as production will no doubt expand this project to being something that turns heads on the road ahead, not a game changer but well worth checking out. 6/10
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