Avantasia: O2 Forum, London
So a few months back I heard the news that Tobias and his crew would be sending one of the greatest projects in metal on tour again, supporting their new album Ghostlights. What's more, they would be bringing their tour to the UK for only the second time in almost 20 years. This news led to a “take my money!” scramble on my phone to secure tickets, even though a trip to London was in the offing, this was after all... Avantasia.
Arriving in the forum fifteen minutes before the advertised time all fuelled and fed we made our way near to the front of stage right where we found a perfect view of the dimly lit set which had been dressed as the ruins of a castle, with a haunting backdrop of the mascot of the Ghostlights album the atmosphere was set. Before we could make ourselves comfortable the lights dipped and the music kicked in ten minutes ahead of schedule, shortly after the familiar faces of Sascha Paeth, Felix Bohnke, Oliver Hartmann and Amanda Somerville entered the stage to a loud applause... as the opening riff for Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose kicked in; Tobias appeared and proceeded to flawlessly deliver the opening song of what was to be three hours and ten minutes of pure operatic metal at its finest.
Jumping about the stage costume clad and energetic I was amazed to see that Sammet didn't drop a note, a high standard to set but with so long left, I was intrigued to see whether his voice would last, as although brilliant, Sammet's voice is unique and highly pitched and can at times easily be strained. With little hesitation the band smoothly transitioned into Ghostlights and before the man himself had the chance to appear the crowd erupted into applause and screams as this meant only one thing... it was time for the mighty Kiske. Cooley strolling on the elevated backdrop of the stage, dressed in his usual leather biker jacket and jeans, he had a cheeky smile on his face (who could blame him with such a welcome) and delivered the opening verse of the song with the smooth high pitched tone that Kiske has made his own throughout his career. To me this man is up there with the best in music, let alone metal. Tobias and Kiske led the anthemic song with great aplomb, involving the crowd and messing about as they usually do, its clear to these guys are great friends. Leaving the stage Tobias spoke a few brief words thanking the crowd for coming and for the success of the album, before being joined on stage by Ronnie Atkins to produce the best live version of one of my favourite Avantasia tracks; Invoke The Machine.
Atkins has always impressed me with his versatile voice, switching between his rough, torn almost screaming vocals to his smooth Roy Khan like clean vocals... a blind man would not think they were the same person. Both sides of his vocals however compliment this track brilliantly, in Atkins Tobias has found another great his voice collaborates with perfectly. Remaining on stage Kiske returned to another generous applause and the trio proceeded to break out Unchain The Light, the presence of three such vocalists on the stage blew me away, but little did I know what I was to expect later. For the next tow tracks Tobias was joined on stage by a British legend and Musipedia favourite; Bob Catley. No matter his age (103?) or how silver his hair gets Catley will never lose his voice till the day he passes. With his edgy voice yet smooth delivery A Restless Heart and The Great Mystery were presented with sheer professionalism that we expect from Catley. The crowd joining in loudly to Catley's surprise at times... although these songs are ballads they are just as good as the heavy stuff, and they clearly mean a lot to the Avantasia fans, especially when offered to us by such a great.
Moving on to the next track and possibly the loudest part of the entire night... the appearance of Jorn Lande as the jigworthy opening of fan favourite The Scarecrow kicked in. There are few if no words to describe the quality of Lande's voice and the ease in which he delivers it, throughout the whole of The Scarecrow and Lucifer he flawlessly hit every note high to low with the passion and emotion the each word demanded, why this man doesn't preform live more often I'll never know, this though was a treat.
The Watchmakers Dream, one of the shorter Avantasia tracks was next. This time Tobias supported by guitarist Oliver Hartmann on vocals saw one of the weaker tracks from The Mystery Of Time album given some live zest, however for me, Hartmann's vocals although tuneful, were simply just too weak to compete with Tobias or any of the other vocalists on display tonight, which was a shame. Considering the plethora of talent on offer, this seemed like an odd move. Moving swiftly on, next came one of my all time favourite songs by this project; What's Left Of Me. This ballad is purely beautiful in every sense, from the lyrics and the choice of artist to preform it... Eric Martin. As the lights rose upon the stage we found Eric sat on the steps cutting a lonely figure, but he proceeded to dazzle the crowd with his heartfelt and powerful delivery of this amazing song. The crowd stood in silence taking in the song and only voiced their delight as the song hit its crescendo and Tobias once again joined in for the climax of the track... wow! Another of the industries greatest voices on display at its finest. Eric remained on stage for the next behemoth of a song The Wicked Symphony, which saw Tobias make a timely exit. Fourteen minutes long this was a testament of what Avantasia is all about. Kiske, Lande, Martin, Atkins, Somerville and Langhans all on stage bellowing out this symphonic masterpiece supported majestically by Paeth, Hartmann and Bohnke on their instruments, this one the crowd did not want to end... and I agreed! Chills running down my spine, this track is truly what Avantasia is all about, and what music should be about, damn!
Draconian Love with Herbie Langhans returning was next on the agenda, this song has always been the weakest on Ghostlights, to the point that I would almost go as far to say that I do not like it. However Langhans display of a deep devilish almost Barry White like depths of tone at times, really did put a new angle on this song live. I still don't rate this song brilliantly, but live it did the trick nicely. Soon the entire cast returned to the stage once more to serve us a Wicked Symphony standard version of Farewell, Somerville of course taking the lead and demonstrating once again why there are only a few ladies in the game that can match or surpass her. The crowd swaying their arms and mobiles arisen... Farewell is always a crowd pleaser and clearly a track that the band take pleasure in providing to us too.
Now the Mighty Catley returns to the stage (presumably after a nap?) to pound out The Story Ain't Over, which in itself is a Magnumeque track, clearly written with Catley in mind. Joining him on stage Kiske and Tobias return and mix their vocal talents to supply us with a thunderous version of Shelter From The Rain; Kiske's voice again on ridiculous form here. Next the moment that Matt and I had joked about all night and what I eluded to earlier, Lande entered the stage and broke out in to Let The Storm Decend Upon You. Giving it his all the crowd memorized by his voice, when suddenly Kiske appeared and continued the track. Surely this is too much talent on one stage... the mere thought of these two greats singing together was almost a health risk in itself, alas we did not get this. Handing the baton back and forth, Kiske and Lande clearly engaging in a mini vocal battle, that completed the duo of Let The Storm and Promised Land with sheer brilliance to leave the crowd singing to an empty stage begging for more.
The encore now and Tobias and Kiske were reunited while belting out the anthems that are Reach Out For The Light and Avantasia. The crowd singing and jumping along with delight, taking in evry last note. Three hours were bearing down upon us but the energy level had only dropped a small amount, its amazing what music can give you in the form of energy. Two of the final three tracks saw Eric Martin return to the stage euphoric, high or both, as he rambled on for a few minutes about anything and everything, much to the crowds amusement. Leading Tobias to tell his to shut the f*ck up. Martin played his apart in tracks that he isn't usually involved in, however you wouldn't have realised it with the performance he gave. Twisted Mind and Dying For An Angel were given to us in smooth style, Dying For An Angel showcasing Martins voice and really making me want a Mr Big reunion too... hmph!
The finale was a brilliant mix of Sign Of The Cross and The Seven Angels, which saw a reversal of the band taking in the crowd. Wandering about the stage singing, taking snaps with their cameras and phones, while still emphatically nailing this symphonic end to a show that was not just a show of what music can do for the crowd, but what the crowd can do to the artists too. Talent like this clearly humbled can only involve themselves in such a project for the love of the music and the fans, as I can see very little financial gain for these guys at the ticket prices offered. To be honest this was proven in the way every artist filled every lyric and note with pure passion and live to make this without doubt one of, if not the greatest concert I have had the privilege of attending in my 27 years on this planet. Musically Avantasia and brilliant, many different styles spread across the symphonic genre on show. However for me tonight was about the vocal talent on show, and f*ck me were we treated to some of the greats, on top for their game... all in one place. If I could give this more than 10 I would, I really would however the powers of the Musipedia have spoken which leaves me nothing left to say (I could actually go on) but... 10/10.
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Tuesday, 15 March 2016
A View From The Back Of The Room: Sabaton (Live Review By Paul)
Sabaton, Alestorm & Bloodbound Tramshed Cardiff
Earlier in the day I'd been reading with interest a discussion on social media between a number of Northern Irish metal fans who were airing various views about the atmosphere at the Machine Head gig at The Limelight the night before. Whilst some of those engaged in the debate were insistent that you go to a gig to watch the band (true) and not the crowd, the counter argument was that a good gig is often fuelled by the enthusiasm of the crowd. A decent crowd can make an average band impressive whilst a flat audience can wipe even the best bands.
So, what's my rambling introduction got to do with a Sabaton review? Well, to put it simply, the crowd at one of the first real metal gigs at the very impressive Tramshed absolutely made the evening.
Arriving around 7.20, I found Swedish power metalled Bloodbound (6) were already getting stuck into their set and with a large percentage of the ticket holders also hitting the venue early, the atmosphere was impressive. There were burgeoning pits that increased in size and ferocity as the evening wore on, much fist pumping and a decent number of the crowd clearly familiar with the material from Bloodbound's six albums. Whilst their brand of power metal was pretty generic they were certainly mildly entertaining and in their role as opening band did a sterling job of increasing the temperature although the disappointing “scream for me Cardiff” from singer Patrik Johansson drew a similar response to that of Wisdom, who opened for Sabaton on their 2012 visit to Cardiff and who threw in a poor cover of Wasted Years. At least there was no Maiden cover in the Bloodbound set to drop them further points. The band certainly appeared genuine in their appreciation of the reaction and the band left the stage to a strong reception.
There was certainly a fair number of folk dressed in pirate garb in anticipation of the next band and it is fair to say that Alestorm (6) whipped up an absolute storm. With the venue close to capacity the temperature noticeably increased as the Perth lads hit the stage. With the crowd in quite frenzied mood, this was probably one of the easiest gigs Alestorm has ever had. I think they could have farted and the audience would have jumped up and down. I just don't get this band. What the fuck is pirate metal? Songs about pirates but yet you don't dress like pirates? What's that all about? Having seen them several times I'm always amazed by the intensity they create amongst the crowd. To me they appear very much a one trick pony; Keelhauled, Ship Wrecked, Walk The Plank, Nancy The Tavern Wench. They all sound exactly the same with the sea shanty sound of Elliot Vernon’s (good pirate name there) ludicrously positioned keyboard and the keytar of Christopher Barnes grating after a few songs. Still, As I said, Alestorm generated a fervour rarely seen in these parts and the crowd responded wholeheartedly.
Having a co-headline tour means that the last band on doesn't get the full set length to ply their trade. Luckily, with a band like Sabaton (8) that doesn't really matter as the fly through their songs at speed anyway. There was a noticeable thinning of the numbers in the Tramshed by the time The Final Countdown blasted through the PA. Why the band insist on using this godawful song is beyond me but it really gets the crowd pumped. Crash, bang, lights, smoke and it was “Good evening Cardiff. We are Sabaton, we play heavy metal … and this … is …” and Ghost Division kicks in as the place went bat shit crazy. If ever a band is stuck with the same opener for life, it is Sabaton.
When the band changed two thirds of the line-up back in 2012, there were fears that the cohesive unit that existed and provides the driving energy within the band would dissipate. Not a chance and this slimmed down outfit are now on top form. Joakim Broden remains the main focal point but the band are really stepping up to the plate now. Few other outfits would ditch their singer to sing a song in their native tongue but yes, they did on Gott Mit Uns. Some of the banter and interplay is cheesy, but the crowd love it; never a chance they wouldn't play Swedish Pagans though the buoyancy of the crowd and the constant singing and chanting played its part in the skit.
No real surprises in the set list, apart from a bemusing bit of Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, but some blistering renditions of old favourites like Midway, Uprising, The Art Of War and Attero Dominatus which maintained the pace throughout and linked well with newer material from Heroes including a blistering Resist And Bite and Soldier Of 3 Armies. It's easy to forget that underneath all the comedy and foolery Sabaton are actually a fine heavy metal band. The twin guitars of Chris Rorland and Thobbe Englund slice and shred whilst founder member Par Sundstrom (who never stops grinning) and drummer Hannes Van dahl provide a solid spine. It's also frightening to realise that these guys are only in their early to mid thirties. They've achieved a huge amount already.
One of the highlights of the evening was undoubtedly Carolus Rex which really had the crowd singing and demonstrating there devotion to the band. They closed with the same three as they did at BOA last summer; Night Witches, Primo Victoria and Metal Crue and brought a good evening to a close. With the band clearly amazed at the energy and excitement in the venue on a Monday evening, I was heartened that maybe the metal scene in South Wales does have a heartbeat after all. Well done to all who attended and put the effort in. It made the evening.
Footnote: one chap had made a huge amount of effort to look like Joachim. Camouflage trousers, kevlar waistcoat, sunglasses and even the haircut. He then proceeded to spend the entire evening at the back and unfortunately became a fascinating sight throughout the Sabaton set.. This was because at no point did he smile, applaud, sing or even raise an arm. I make no judgement …
Earlier in the day I'd been reading with interest a discussion on social media between a number of Northern Irish metal fans who were airing various views about the atmosphere at the Machine Head gig at The Limelight the night before. Whilst some of those engaged in the debate were insistent that you go to a gig to watch the band (true) and not the crowd, the counter argument was that a good gig is often fuelled by the enthusiasm of the crowd. A decent crowd can make an average band impressive whilst a flat audience can wipe even the best bands.
So, what's my rambling introduction got to do with a Sabaton review? Well, to put it simply, the crowd at one of the first real metal gigs at the very impressive Tramshed absolutely made the evening.
Arriving around 7.20, I found Swedish power metalled Bloodbound (6) were already getting stuck into their set and with a large percentage of the ticket holders also hitting the venue early, the atmosphere was impressive. There were burgeoning pits that increased in size and ferocity as the evening wore on, much fist pumping and a decent number of the crowd clearly familiar with the material from Bloodbound's six albums. Whilst their brand of power metal was pretty generic they were certainly mildly entertaining and in their role as opening band did a sterling job of increasing the temperature although the disappointing “scream for me Cardiff” from singer Patrik Johansson drew a similar response to that of Wisdom, who opened for Sabaton on their 2012 visit to Cardiff and who threw in a poor cover of Wasted Years. At least there was no Maiden cover in the Bloodbound set to drop them further points. The band certainly appeared genuine in their appreciation of the reaction and the band left the stage to a strong reception.
There was certainly a fair number of folk dressed in pirate garb in anticipation of the next band and it is fair to say that Alestorm (6) whipped up an absolute storm. With the venue close to capacity the temperature noticeably increased as the Perth lads hit the stage. With the crowd in quite frenzied mood, this was probably one of the easiest gigs Alestorm has ever had. I think they could have farted and the audience would have jumped up and down. I just don't get this band. What the fuck is pirate metal? Songs about pirates but yet you don't dress like pirates? What's that all about? Having seen them several times I'm always amazed by the intensity they create amongst the crowd. To me they appear very much a one trick pony; Keelhauled, Ship Wrecked, Walk The Plank, Nancy The Tavern Wench. They all sound exactly the same with the sea shanty sound of Elliot Vernon’s (good pirate name there) ludicrously positioned keyboard and the keytar of Christopher Barnes grating after a few songs. Still, As I said, Alestorm generated a fervour rarely seen in these parts and the crowd responded wholeheartedly.
Having a co-headline tour means that the last band on doesn't get the full set length to ply their trade. Luckily, with a band like Sabaton (8) that doesn't really matter as the fly through their songs at speed anyway. There was a noticeable thinning of the numbers in the Tramshed by the time The Final Countdown blasted through the PA. Why the band insist on using this godawful song is beyond me but it really gets the crowd pumped. Crash, bang, lights, smoke and it was “Good evening Cardiff. We are Sabaton, we play heavy metal … and this … is …” and Ghost Division kicks in as the place went bat shit crazy. If ever a band is stuck with the same opener for life, it is Sabaton.
When the band changed two thirds of the line-up back in 2012, there were fears that the cohesive unit that existed and provides the driving energy within the band would dissipate. Not a chance and this slimmed down outfit are now on top form. Joakim Broden remains the main focal point but the band are really stepping up to the plate now. Few other outfits would ditch their singer to sing a song in their native tongue but yes, they did on Gott Mit Uns. Some of the banter and interplay is cheesy, but the crowd love it; never a chance they wouldn't play Swedish Pagans though the buoyancy of the crowd and the constant singing and chanting played its part in the skit.
No real surprises in the set list, apart from a bemusing bit of Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, but some blistering renditions of old favourites like Midway, Uprising, The Art Of War and Attero Dominatus which maintained the pace throughout and linked well with newer material from Heroes including a blistering Resist And Bite and Soldier Of 3 Armies. It's easy to forget that underneath all the comedy and foolery Sabaton are actually a fine heavy metal band. The twin guitars of Chris Rorland and Thobbe Englund slice and shred whilst founder member Par Sundstrom (who never stops grinning) and drummer Hannes Van dahl provide a solid spine. It's also frightening to realise that these guys are only in their early to mid thirties. They've achieved a huge amount already.
One of the highlights of the evening was undoubtedly Carolus Rex which really had the crowd singing and demonstrating there devotion to the band. They closed with the same three as they did at BOA last summer; Night Witches, Primo Victoria and Metal Crue and brought a good evening to a close. With the band clearly amazed at the energy and excitement in the venue on a Monday evening, I was heartened that maybe the metal scene in South Wales does have a heartbeat after all. Well done to all who attended and put the effort in. It made the evening.
Footnote: one chap had made a huge amount of effort to look like Joachim. Camouflage trousers, kevlar waistcoat, sunglasses and even the haircut. He then proceeded to spend the entire evening at the back and unfortunately became a fascinating sight throughout the Sabaton set.. This was because at no point did he smile, applaud, sing or even raise an arm. I make no judgement …
Monday, 14 March 2016
Reviews: Billion Dollar Babies, Church Of Misery, Oceans Of Slumber
Billion Dollar Babies: Chemical God (Metalville)
Billion Dollar Babies are from Sweden and they have made their name with incendiary live shows full of dramatic theatrics, blockbuster visuals and most importantly hard rocking songs. With influences that come from KISS, WASP, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie and of course Alice Cooper (just see the sexy nun on the cover that could apply to any of these artists) BDB have made their name peddling sleazy, schlocky rock music with a metallic edge that cuts through like a butcher knife. Chemical God is their second album and since their debut they have really ramped things up, the three piece of Pat Kramer and Max Lander on guitars and Frankie Rich on vocals work together flawlessly on every track, Rich's vocals especially have an air of twisted ringmaster about them as he moulds his vocal style to fit every devilish twist change I Want To See You Burn opens things up with big riffs and creepy synths that immediately tell you what to expect, Everyone's In Love With A Chemical God continues fusing Manson with Zombie with a pummeling bassline, more synths on the sleazy Junkies Ball will get heads banging in the chorus.
BDB's are not trying to be a shameless rip off they are drawing on their influences to create something very modern sounding, One slows the pace but President Payne once again pummels you with a Zombie-like stomp rich with B-Movie cuts. There is barely a dull moment on this record all the songs a forged in with skill they will all be live anthems getting fists in the air and heads banging. When The Light Goes Out is like a mix of Frantic and Backstreet's Back (this is no bad thing) and The Nightmare Began and the bizarre melodramatic House Of Dreams are two tracks on this record that Mr Cooper would be proud of. Naming your band after Alice Cooper's most famous album is a risk but Swedes have managed to do their namesake justice, this is filthy, horror-based metallic hard rock is just what the (mad) doctor ordered; Catchy tunes and dirty thrills all round. 8/10
Church Of Misery: And Then There Were None (Rise Above Records)
Church Of Misery have always been Japan's and indeed one of the Doom Stoner scenes most revered and unique bands. Sticking to writing purely about serial killers since their 2001 full length debut their latest and fifth (sixth if you count Vol:1) follows a familiar pattern comprising six songs based on serial killers, this time we have The Bender Family, Harold Shipman, Arthur Shawcross, Heaven's Gate Cult but we have the same bludgeoning, stoner doom with huge slabs of riff driven doom led by Tatsu Mikami's excellent bass work, on this record Mikami is the only remaining original member of the band with the rest of the band leaving before this record was recorded, this maybe the influence for the title of the album, but despite the lack of members Mikami has managed to employ the talents of Eric Riddle who adds the percussive concussion to this record, Dave Szulkin has the grinding fuzzy guitars that makes Make Them Die Slowly so harsh.
Finally rounding out this new era of Church Of Misery, Repulsions Scott Carson adds the biting growls. With the hazy Doctor Death tells of Shipman one does get the odd feeling that you are essentially reliving these horrible crimes through music but hey serial killers and crimes in general make interesting topics and have been a source of inspiration for many musicians and media (see Netflix's Making A Murder). River Demon is Vol.4 era Sabbath by another name with it's almost tribal drumming and clean guitar line, before Confessions Of An Embittered Soul slows things down to a heavy crawl. The songs on this record are all over the five minute mark except for Suicide Journey which is almost a psychedelic warm up for the last track the 8 minute slow burn of Murderfreak Blues. It's a case of all change in Church Of Misery however the song remains the same, mind bending, drug-fuelled doom is still the order of the day. 7/10
Oceans Of Slumber: Winter (Century Media)
Oceans Of Slumber are all about one thing...atmosphere, their progressive nature means that they can effortlessly move from jazz, to rock, to extreme metal in an instant, the Houston natives are very much progressive in the traditional sense that they do not stick to traditional melodies and rhythms. A lot has changed since their debut album, most notably they have a new singer in the beguiling guise of Cammie Gilbert who has devastatingly beautiful vocals that move from graceful, soulful quietness to booming power at the flick of a chord change. On their last EP Blue they came to many people's attention due to their excellent covers of Candlemass' Solitude, Zeppelin's Kashmir and Pink Floyd's On The Turning Away, however on this their major label debut the focus is purely on their own songs, yes there is a cover, The Moody Blues' Nights In White Satin, but it's a little surplus to requirements, but slots in well to the album, although there will be a few purists that will despise it.
Thankfully their own songs stack up the title track has the same feel as a Katatonia or an Opeth track, building and building into it's dark brooding middle section with guitarist Sean Gary taking the guttural vocals as a direct counterpoint to Gilbert's soaring clean vocals. I've mentioned about the atmosphere of this album and much of it is the work of Sean Gary and drummer Dobber Beverly who are the albums main writers that approach every song with the idea of doing whatever they want, from furious black metal blast beats on Devout which also has Gary and Anthony Contreras shredding like hell underpinned by Keegan Kelly's jazz-like bass playing and the extra layers of added by Uaeb Yelsaeb.
Lullaby is one of the best songs to show the beauty of Cammie's vocals with just her vocals taking centre stage leading up to the haunting Laid To Rest which serves as a precursor to the album's most accessible track the groove filled Suffer The Last Bridge. The band mix full length tracks with little inserts that serve as intros and outros for the next phases of this musical journey. At times the sheer force of the emotion on offer here can be a little overwhelming but with the right mix of technical prowess and songwriting ability the band's affecting, impassioned music does a lot to draw you in to the world Oceans Of Slumber have created. These Texans are as big and bold as their home state and they have the same take no shit attitude that means that this record lurches wildly between genres which can be jarring but never fails to be interesting. 8/10
Billion Dollar Babies are from Sweden and they have made their name with incendiary live shows full of dramatic theatrics, blockbuster visuals and most importantly hard rocking songs. With influences that come from KISS, WASP, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie and of course Alice Cooper (just see the sexy nun on the cover that could apply to any of these artists) BDB have made their name peddling sleazy, schlocky rock music with a metallic edge that cuts through like a butcher knife. Chemical God is their second album and since their debut they have really ramped things up, the three piece of Pat Kramer and Max Lander on guitars and Frankie Rich on vocals work together flawlessly on every track, Rich's vocals especially have an air of twisted ringmaster about them as he moulds his vocal style to fit every devilish twist change I Want To See You Burn opens things up with big riffs and creepy synths that immediately tell you what to expect, Everyone's In Love With A Chemical God continues fusing Manson with Zombie with a pummeling bassline, more synths on the sleazy Junkies Ball will get heads banging in the chorus.
BDB's are not trying to be a shameless rip off they are drawing on their influences to create something very modern sounding, One slows the pace but President Payne once again pummels you with a Zombie-like stomp rich with B-Movie cuts. There is barely a dull moment on this record all the songs a forged in with skill they will all be live anthems getting fists in the air and heads banging. When The Light Goes Out is like a mix of Frantic and Backstreet's Back (this is no bad thing) and The Nightmare Began and the bizarre melodramatic House Of Dreams are two tracks on this record that Mr Cooper would be proud of. Naming your band after Alice Cooper's most famous album is a risk but Swedes have managed to do their namesake justice, this is filthy, horror-based metallic hard rock is just what the (mad) doctor ordered; Catchy tunes and dirty thrills all round. 8/10
Church Of Misery: And Then There Were None (Rise Above Records)
Church Of Misery have always been Japan's and indeed one of the Doom Stoner scenes most revered and unique bands. Sticking to writing purely about serial killers since their 2001 full length debut their latest and fifth (sixth if you count Vol:1) follows a familiar pattern comprising six songs based on serial killers, this time we have The Bender Family, Harold Shipman, Arthur Shawcross, Heaven's Gate Cult but we have the same bludgeoning, stoner doom with huge slabs of riff driven doom led by Tatsu Mikami's excellent bass work, on this record Mikami is the only remaining original member of the band with the rest of the band leaving before this record was recorded, this maybe the influence for the title of the album, but despite the lack of members Mikami has managed to employ the talents of Eric Riddle who adds the percussive concussion to this record, Dave Szulkin has the grinding fuzzy guitars that makes Make Them Die Slowly so harsh.
Finally rounding out this new era of Church Of Misery, Repulsions Scott Carson adds the biting growls. With the hazy Doctor Death tells of Shipman one does get the odd feeling that you are essentially reliving these horrible crimes through music but hey serial killers and crimes in general make interesting topics and have been a source of inspiration for many musicians and media (see Netflix's Making A Murder). River Demon is Vol.4 era Sabbath by another name with it's almost tribal drumming and clean guitar line, before Confessions Of An Embittered Soul slows things down to a heavy crawl. The songs on this record are all over the five minute mark except for Suicide Journey which is almost a psychedelic warm up for the last track the 8 minute slow burn of Murderfreak Blues. It's a case of all change in Church Of Misery however the song remains the same, mind bending, drug-fuelled doom is still the order of the day. 7/10
Oceans Of Slumber: Winter (Century Media)
Oceans Of Slumber are all about one thing...atmosphere, their progressive nature means that they can effortlessly move from jazz, to rock, to extreme metal in an instant, the Houston natives are very much progressive in the traditional sense that they do not stick to traditional melodies and rhythms. A lot has changed since their debut album, most notably they have a new singer in the beguiling guise of Cammie Gilbert who has devastatingly beautiful vocals that move from graceful, soulful quietness to booming power at the flick of a chord change. On their last EP Blue they came to many people's attention due to their excellent covers of Candlemass' Solitude, Zeppelin's Kashmir and Pink Floyd's On The Turning Away, however on this their major label debut the focus is purely on their own songs, yes there is a cover, The Moody Blues' Nights In White Satin, but it's a little surplus to requirements, but slots in well to the album, although there will be a few purists that will despise it.
Thankfully their own songs stack up the title track has the same feel as a Katatonia or an Opeth track, building and building into it's dark brooding middle section with guitarist Sean Gary taking the guttural vocals as a direct counterpoint to Gilbert's soaring clean vocals. I've mentioned about the atmosphere of this album and much of it is the work of Sean Gary and drummer Dobber Beverly who are the albums main writers that approach every song with the idea of doing whatever they want, from furious black metal blast beats on Devout which also has Gary and Anthony Contreras shredding like hell underpinned by Keegan Kelly's jazz-like bass playing and the extra layers of added by Uaeb Yelsaeb.
Lullaby is one of the best songs to show the beauty of Cammie's vocals with just her vocals taking centre stage leading up to the haunting Laid To Rest which serves as a precursor to the album's most accessible track the groove filled Suffer The Last Bridge. The band mix full length tracks with little inserts that serve as intros and outros for the next phases of this musical journey. At times the sheer force of the emotion on offer here can be a little overwhelming but with the right mix of technical prowess and songwriting ability the band's affecting, impassioned music does a lot to draw you in to the world Oceans Of Slumber have created. These Texans are as big and bold as their home state and they have the same take no shit attitude that means that this record lurches wildly between genres which can be jarring but never fails to be interesting. 8/10
Sunday, 13 March 2016
Reviews: Headspace, Reckless Love, The New Roses
Headspace: All That You Fear Is Gone (InsideOut)
When looking back at the numerous (1,000 +) albums we have reviewed here it's always interesting to see which albums I keep coming back to. One of these is Headspace's 2012 full length debut I Am Anonymous which continues to get better every time I listen to it, each play reveals deeper meaning and more complex parts that I hadn't heard on previous listens. Now as many will know from these reviews I'm a bit of a prog fan so to have what is essentially a prog supergroup playing complex, intelligent, heavy music with an overarching high concept lyrical content that deals with the Kübler-Ross model of dealing with grief is an interesting and emotional prospect. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw that Headspace were on the verge of releasing their second album which deals with the on going journey of the first albums protagonist (the listener) who has cast off their obedience to experience their own life independently, becoming in frontman Damian Wilson's words "Free thinking, fighting against natural grouping, what appears as destructive rebellion is in fact evolution. Written to make the listener think, whilst capturing the ear with complexity and simplicity combined." So more high concept stuff combined with technically gifted performances drawing from various stylistic influences but filtered into superior songwriting so the album never feels totally inaccessible.
The gestation period of this album has been five years but this time has meant that the band have had time to properly craft this record in the way they see fit, with all but drummer Richard Brook returning from the debut record, his drumstool has been taken by noted session man Adam Falkner but the quality is still here in droves. Once again the trio of guitarist Pete Rinaldi, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and bassist Lee Pomeroy are the bands' musical soul, Rinaldi especially has really left his mark on this record, his guitar playing is technically impressive and along with Pomeroy gives the record it's heaviness however he can also do more than riff and solo, going into acoustic blues on Polluted Alcohol and even some classical guitar on the beautiful title track.
Pomeroy's bass playing is not relegated to just rhythm though it slinks under the surface adding flourishes whenever possible rooting all of the music's dense riffage and time signature changes along with Adam Falkner's expressive drumming. This allows Rinaldi to soar and Wakeman to do as his father has done before him and add swathes of luscious melodies that create an atmosphere that is hard to ignore drawing you in especially when combined with the majestic vocal prowess of Wilson who soars with same power and fragility that he shows in his own band Threshold. All That You Fear Is Gone is yet more proof that Headspace are the best kind of 'supergroup' one that relies on the talent of the members more than notability and history of them. 9/10
Reckless Love: InVader (Spinefarm)
"Marty! We've got to go back!!" these iconic words from Back To The Future couldn't be more apt for the 80's-tastic Reckless Love that have always gleefully reveled in being an amalgamation of Def Leppard and Van Halen wrapped up in one band. However InVader is a deliberate step away from the retro pomp metal sound of their first two records, this change has been coming since their previous release Spirit where the band toyed with electronica and more pop-like sounds, this influence seems to be what has carried over to this fourth album on tracks like Child Of The Sun which is pure synth pop, as is the saccharine Scandinavian Girls which is ludicrously throw away. As well as the more synth-led aspects they have also added a huge amount of modern radio rock on the opening We Are The Weekend which sounds a lot like many of younger bands around such as All Time Low with it's huge sing along chorus, a trick they repeat on the Euro-Pop metal Pretty Boy Swagger.
Things get a little tougher on Monster which is more like fellow Finns Lordi although the band still have the ability to sound like they come from the Sunset Strip with Bullettime and the filthy Hands both having the sordid hard rock of Ratt, Poison or Van Halen. The band are by no means amateur's everything is delivered with style and wrapped in the thickness of production that means everything sparkles brightly, with all of the progression on this album it does mean the whole thing may be a bit too slick for a lot of people. This is a well made, produced and played album but the band are on dangerous ground moving away from their hard rock history towards a much more mainstream sound. Only time will tell whether this pays off but for now it may take some getting used to. 6/10
The New Roses: Dead Man's Voice (Napalm)
The resurgence of bluesy hard rock seems to be gathering pace every year with The Brits, Americans and The Swedes leading the way with The Answer, The Temperance Movement, Rival Sons, Scorpion Child, Bonafide and Free Fall all coming from that legacy of great hard rock bands, channeling Zeppelin, Free, The Black Crowes, hell even old Whitesnake. Well all the way from Germany comes a new band you can add to the list of blues based hard rock booty shakers, The New Roses are more 80's/90's than 70's styled with shaking blues base mixed with a lot of the sleaze of the strip, in a as far as influences go they are firmly in the American/Australian sound with Black Crowes & AC/DC overarching added to a big heaving load of Cinderella mainly due to frontman Timmy Rough's vocals which are rough by name and rough by nature, sounding like he smokes 50-a-day his vocals are gritty and raspy but also have a soul that is a rarity these days. The band have garnered a lot of experience having supported ZZ Top , Black Stone Cherry, Joe Bonamassa, Die Toten Hosen, Blackfoot and Molly Hatchet in their native Germany they have gained bags of exposure, which has bolstered and honed their skills since their debut full length record Without A Trace (the title track featured in trailers for Sons Of Anarchy on German TV).
This experience is evident from the off as Dead Man's Voice kicks things off with a punch to the nuts on Heads Or Tails which has muscular backbeat from drummer Urban Berz and bassist Hardy that makes it similar to a Quireboys track albeit it a little heavier than that band will ever get. The bluesy swagger continues on the slide guitar filled Thirsty which due to some dirty riffs from Norman Bites and Rough sounds a lot like Rose Tattoo with Rough taking up the mantle of Angry Anderson. There's a distinctly modern sound too on Partner In Crime which could be a Soundgarden track, a style that abates on the quiet-loud dynamic of the country tinged neolithic title track which is built on huge guitar riffs and thundering drums. The sheer heaviness of this record is to it's benefit it makes the songs seem fresh. The rampaging I Believe is a showcase for the gag vocals on an Alter Bridge rhythm, while Ride With Me is more Black Stone Cherry with a huge chorus. Rough and Bites' riffage is awesome with the two trading solos throughout most noticeably on the explosive Try (And You Know Why).
The sublime songwriting continues on the Black Crowes-alike Hurt Me Once (Love Me Twice) and the impressive ballad What If It Was You which could have been a number one back in the 80's with ease. The final track is the monstrous From Guns & Shovels before we get four bonus tracks (two coming from the band's debut). Make no mistake with big riffs, big choruses, more cowbell (The Secret) and an album full of hip shaking rock and roll The New Roses are a true hard rock revelation. If you love true honest hard rock with a sizable portion of the blues that is distinctly modern ala The Answer,The Temperance Movement or The Black Crowes, then pick up Dead Man's Voice, grab a bourbon, a pack of smokes and turn it up loud, you will not be disappointed! 9/10
When looking back at the numerous (1,000 +) albums we have reviewed here it's always interesting to see which albums I keep coming back to. One of these is Headspace's 2012 full length debut I Am Anonymous which continues to get better every time I listen to it, each play reveals deeper meaning and more complex parts that I hadn't heard on previous listens. Now as many will know from these reviews I'm a bit of a prog fan so to have what is essentially a prog supergroup playing complex, intelligent, heavy music with an overarching high concept lyrical content that deals with the Kübler-Ross model of dealing with grief is an interesting and emotional prospect. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw that Headspace were on the verge of releasing their second album which deals with the on going journey of the first albums protagonist (the listener) who has cast off their obedience to experience their own life independently, becoming in frontman Damian Wilson's words "Free thinking, fighting against natural grouping, what appears as destructive rebellion is in fact evolution. Written to make the listener think, whilst capturing the ear with complexity and simplicity combined." So more high concept stuff combined with technically gifted performances drawing from various stylistic influences but filtered into superior songwriting so the album never feels totally inaccessible.
The gestation period of this album has been five years but this time has meant that the band have had time to properly craft this record in the way they see fit, with all but drummer Richard Brook returning from the debut record, his drumstool has been taken by noted session man Adam Falkner but the quality is still here in droves. Once again the trio of guitarist Pete Rinaldi, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and bassist Lee Pomeroy are the bands' musical soul, Rinaldi especially has really left his mark on this record, his guitar playing is technically impressive and along with Pomeroy gives the record it's heaviness however he can also do more than riff and solo, going into acoustic blues on Polluted Alcohol and even some classical guitar on the beautiful title track.
Pomeroy's bass playing is not relegated to just rhythm though it slinks under the surface adding flourishes whenever possible rooting all of the music's dense riffage and time signature changes along with Adam Falkner's expressive drumming. This allows Rinaldi to soar and Wakeman to do as his father has done before him and add swathes of luscious melodies that create an atmosphere that is hard to ignore drawing you in especially when combined with the majestic vocal prowess of Wilson who soars with same power and fragility that he shows in his own band Threshold. All That You Fear Is Gone is yet more proof that Headspace are the best kind of 'supergroup' one that relies on the talent of the members more than notability and history of them. 9/10
Reckless Love: InVader (Spinefarm)
"Marty! We've got to go back!!" these iconic words from Back To The Future couldn't be more apt for the 80's-tastic Reckless Love that have always gleefully reveled in being an amalgamation of Def Leppard and Van Halen wrapped up in one band. However InVader is a deliberate step away from the retro pomp metal sound of their first two records, this change has been coming since their previous release Spirit where the band toyed with electronica and more pop-like sounds, this influence seems to be what has carried over to this fourth album on tracks like Child Of The Sun which is pure synth pop, as is the saccharine Scandinavian Girls which is ludicrously throw away. As well as the more synth-led aspects they have also added a huge amount of modern radio rock on the opening We Are The Weekend which sounds a lot like many of younger bands around such as All Time Low with it's huge sing along chorus, a trick they repeat on the Euro-Pop metal Pretty Boy Swagger.
Things get a little tougher on Monster which is more like fellow Finns Lordi although the band still have the ability to sound like they come from the Sunset Strip with Bullettime and the filthy Hands both having the sordid hard rock of Ratt, Poison or Van Halen. The band are by no means amateur's everything is delivered with style and wrapped in the thickness of production that means everything sparkles brightly, with all of the progression on this album it does mean the whole thing may be a bit too slick for a lot of people. This is a well made, produced and played album but the band are on dangerous ground moving away from their hard rock history towards a much more mainstream sound. Only time will tell whether this pays off but for now it may take some getting used to. 6/10
The New Roses: Dead Man's Voice (Napalm)
The resurgence of bluesy hard rock seems to be gathering pace every year with The Brits, Americans and The Swedes leading the way with The Answer, The Temperance Movement, Rival Sons, Scorpion Child, Bonafide and Free Fall all coming from that legacy of great hard rock bands, channeling Zeppelin, Free, The Black Crowes, hell even old Whitesnake. Well all the way from Germany comes a new band you can add to the list of blues based hard rock booty shakers, The New Roses are more 80's/90's than 70's styled with shaking blues base mixed with a lot of the sleaze of the strip, in a as far as influences go they are firmly in the American/Australian sound with Black Crowes & AC/DC overarching added to a big heaving load of Cinderella mainly due to frontman Timmy Rough's vocals which are rough by name and rough by nature, sounding like he smokes 50-a-day his vocals are gritty and raspy but also have a soul that is a rarity these days. The band have garnered a lot of experience having supported ZZ Top , Black Stone Cherry, Joe Bonamassa, Die Toten Hosen, Blackfoot and Molly Hatchet in their native Germany they have gained bags of exposure, which has bolstered and honed their skills since their debut full length record Without A Trace (the title track featured in trailers for Sons Of Anarchy on German TV).
This experience is evident from the off as Dead Man's Voice kicks things off with a punch to the nuts on Heads Or Tails which has muscular backbeat from drummer Urban Berz and bassist Hardy that makes it similar to a Quireboys track albeit it a little heavier than that band will ever get. The bluesy swagger continues on the slide guitar filled Thirsty which due to some dirty riffs from Norman Bites and Rough sounds a lot like Rose Tattoo with Rough taking up the mantle of Angry Anderson. There's a distinctly modern sound too on Partner In Crime which could be a Soundgarden track, a style that abates on the quiet-loud dynamic of the country tinged neolithic title track which is built on huge guitar riffs and thundering drums. The sheer heaviness of this record is to it's benefit it makes the songs seem fresh. The rampaging I Believe is a showcase for the gag vocals on an Alter Bridge rhythm, while Ride With Me is more Black Stone Cherry with a huge chorus. Rough and Bites' riffage is awesome with the two trading solos throughout most noticeably on the explosive Try (And You Know Why).
The sublime songwriting continues on the Black Crowes-alike Hurt Me Once (Love Me Twice) and the impressive ballad What If It Was You which could have been a number one back in the 80's with ease. The final track is the monstrous From Guns & Shovels before we get four bonus tracks (two coming from the band's debut). Make no mistake with big riffs, big choruses, more cowbell (The Secret) and an album full of hip shaking rock and roll The New Roses are a true hard rock revelation. If you love true honest hard rock with a sizable portion of the blues that is distinctly modern ala The Answer,The Temperance Movement or The Black Crowes, then pick up Dead Man's Voice, grab a bourbon, a pack of smokes and turn it up loud, you will not be disappointed! 9/10
Saturday, 12 March 2016
Reviews: Magnum, Onslaught, Entombed A.D (Reviews By Paul)
Magnum: Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies (SPV)
I have a massive soft spot for Magnum. Steeped in history, Magnum is a true story of resilience and determination; a band that has experienced the highs and lows of the music industry over a marathon 40+ years. For the uninitiated, the band’s roots can be traced back to the West Midlands in the early 1970s where the two main members, guitarist Tony Clarkin and vocalist Bob Catley grafted the clubs and pubs. Their first release came in 1978 with greater commercial success arriving in 1982 with the quite brilliant (and still an all-time favourite of mine) Chase The Dragon. Their success was maintained with high quality releases The Eleventh Hour and then On A Storyteller’s Night which spawned the hit single Just Like An Arrow and I was fortunate enough to catch the band at the long defunct New Ocean Club on Rover Way in Cardiff on that tour. I still have the pin badge. Wings Of Heaven provided their biggest hit with Start Talkin’ Love and the band reached their peak with arena shows throughout the UK. Having split in 1995, the band reformed in 2001 and have continued to produce albums on a regular basis. Magnum are an iconic band who have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the past few years. The last time I saw them was at the Steelhouse Festival in 2013.
Since then they’ve released the excellent Escape From The Shadow Garden and now Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies. The title track opens the album; if you could describe a track that summarises this band then Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies would be it. Some excellent guitar work courtesy of Clarkin who delivers magnificently throughout the album, the majestic vocals of Bob Catley, the softer keyboards of Mark Stanway and the solid rhythm section of Harry James and bassist Al Barrow. The orchestral pomp of a band who are masters of their craft follows on Crazy Old Mothers, Catley belying his 68 years whilst Stanway's keyboards expertly underpin the track. Magnum has always been a melodic rock band, never sitting comfortably in the heavy metal category. The keyboards have always been an integral part of the band’s sound, although Clarkin can throw down the riffs with the best. Gypsy Queen demonstrates this fantastically, with Catley soloing during the verses supported by some understated keyboards before the chorus crashes in, complete the harmonies. Clarkin, a veteran these days at 69 teases out a wonderfully constructed solo as the track steadily increases in pace. Princess In Rags (The Cult) follows, a superb melodic rock song, combing the storytelling approach that Catley often adopts, with a huge hook and some stunning melodies; this is one to get the crowd moving (okay, shuffling these days).
Of course, being Magnum, there is always the odd ballad type tucked away and Your Dreams Won’t Die arrives right on cue, supported by some pleasant strings and heavy emphasis on the keyboards. The anthemic chorus will not doubt get the lighters in the air (Am I showing my age now?). If you are looking for heavy metal action, you won’t find it on this release or indeed any of Magnum’s previous 18 albums. What you will find is perfectly crafted rock, sometimes dramatic: Afraid Of The Night; sometimes delicate and emotional before stomping along to a cracking singalong chorus: A Forgotten Conversation and sometimes just plain old quality rock music: Quiet Rhapsody. Don’t Cry Baby brings the album to a close, possibly the weakest track on an album that oozes quality. Their gig at the Tramshed in May will be epic, I have not doubt. I’m gutted that I’m likely to be working away for that entire week. Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies is possibly the best melodic rock release of the year. I highly recommend giving this classic British band an hour of your time. Quite super stuff. 9/10
Onslaught: Live At The Slaughterhouse (AFM)
We don’t often review live releases here at MoM Towers but when this quite frankly fantastic slab of UK thrash arrived on the desk, well, it would have been fucking rude not to. When you discuss the thrash movement of the 1980s, Bristol’s Onslaught are often overlooked. They really are one of the most underrated UK thrash outfits of all time. If you’ve never seen these boys live then you’ve missed out on a real treat whilst some of their studio offerings really kick you in the nuts such is their power. Having split in 1991, the band reformed in 2004 and have been active ever since. Live At The Slaughterhouse is a record of their 2014 UK tour, mainly recorded in London and it truly captures the essence of Onslaught.
If you ever doubted that this band can thrash with the best of them, then the evidence is nicely presented with some of their heaviest and most powerful works on display. One of the many highlights is the quite blistering In Search of Insanity, title track of their 1989 album which features vocalist Sy Keeler giving it his all (as he does throughout) whilst the battering ram drumming of Mike Hourihan absolutely destroys. To be fair, the whole release is excellent, and it really is a reminder of how bloody heavy Onslaught actually are. This is top quality UK thrash, with the twin guitar attack of Nige Rockett and the now departed Leigh Chambers shredding and riffing at 150mph. Jeff Williams demonic bass lines combine with Hourihan's quite incredible drumming to drive the whole thing forward without respite. The quality never dips, with classics such as Fight With The Beast and Metal Forces mixing comfortably with the newer tracks from 2013’s superb VI; including the haunting Children Of The Sand and the all-out attack of 66 Fucking 6. My only complaint is that the crowd noise appears muted, giving the impression of a small turnout and slightly taking the shine off what was a quite stunning set. Onslaught have never really reached the heights that they should have and this is a shame. If you love thrash metal, then this is an essential listen. If you have never heard Onslaught, then this is the introduction you need. “Let’s have a muthafucking pit out here” snarls Sy before Onslaught (Power From Hell) kicks in. “Let’s have some good violent friendly violent fun”. Well, exactly. Thrash ‘til death indeed. 8/10
Entombed AD: Dead Dawn (Century Media)
Back in 2014 Entombed AD emerged from the ashes of Entombed with a powerful debut release, the impressive Back To Front. Less than two years later and the band return with another hard hitting release, Dead Dawn. In a similar vein to its predecessor, Dead Dawn is 40 minutes of melodic death with some really impressive changes in pace. The title track for example retains the dark cutting guitar work of Nico Elgstrand and the relentless drumming of Olle Dhalstedt but doesn’t do what many of the genre do and go flat out. Down To Mars To Ride builds slowly but when it goes then hold on as this is a runaway beast. However, it’s still not 110mph, but an Anthrax style chug which gets the head vigorously nodding very quickly. With an abundancy of chunky riffage this is a storming release. As always, the gruff yet distinguishable vocals of Lars-Göran Petrov are at the forefront with Elgstrand’s fretwork impressive as always. In some ways the band has moved slightly away from the death metal tag they have carried for a long time but just when you think they might have mellowed they hit straight back with a slab of brutal all-out power; see Total Death and Silent Assassin for evidence of this. Entombed AD has also built real atmosphere into many of their tracks, creating a real oppressive deathly vision on the foreboding behemoth Hubris Fall and album closer Not What It Seems. This is another solid release from a band who show pretty intense resilience. Well worth a listen. 7/10
Since then they’ve released the excellent Escape From The Shadow Garden and now Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies. The title track opens the album; if you could describe a track that summarises this band then Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies would be it. Some excellent guitar work courtesy of Clarkin who delivers magnificently throughout the album, the majestic vocals of Bob Catley, the softer keyboards of Mark Stanway and the solid rhythm section of Harry James and bassist Al Barrow. The orchestral pomp of a band who are masters of their craft follows on Crazy Old Mothers, Catley belying his 68 years whilst Stanway's keyboards expertly underpin the track. Magnum has always been a melodic rock band, never sitting comfortably in the heavy metal category. The keyboards have always been an integral part of the band’s sound, although Clarkin can throw down the riffs with the best. Gypsy Queen demonstrates this fantastically, with Catley soloing during the verses supported by some understated keyboards before the chorus crashes in, complete the harmonies. Clarkin, a veteran these days at 69 teases out a wonderfully constructed solo as the track steadily increases in pace. Princess In Rags (The Cult) follows, a superb melodic rock song, combing the storytelling approach that Catley often adopts, with a huge hook and some stunning melodies; this is one to get the crowd moving (okay, shuffling these days).
Of course, being Magnum, there is always the odd ballad type tucked away and Your Dreams Won’t Die arrives right on cue, supported by some pleasant strings and heavy emphasis on the keyboards. The anthemic chorus will not doubt get the lighters in the air (Am I showing my age now?). If you are looking for heavy metal action, you won’t find it on this release or indeed any of Magnum’s previous 18 albums. What you will find is perfectly crafted rock, sometimes dramatic: Afraid Of The Night; sometimes delicate and emotional before stomping along to a cracking singalong chorus: A Forgotten Conversation and sometimes just plain old quality rock music: Quiet Rhapsody. Don’t Cry Baby brings the album to a close, possibly the weakest track on an album that oozes quality. Their gig at the Tramshed in May will be epic, I have not doubt. I’m gutted that I’m likely to be working away for that entire week. Sacred Blood “Divine” Lies is possibly the best melodic rock release of the year. I highly recommend giving this classic British band an hour of your time. Quite super stuff. 9/10
Onslaught: Live At The Slaughterhouse (AFM)
We don’t often review live releases here at MoM Towers but when this quite frankly fantastic slab of UK thrash arrived on the desk, well, it would have been fucking rude not to. When you discuss the thrash movement of the 1980s, Bristol’s Onslaught are often overlooked. They really are one of the most underrated UK thrash outfits of all time. If you’ve never seen these boys live then you’ve missed out on a real treat whilst some of their studio offerings really kick you in the nuts such is their power. Having split in 1991, the band reformed in 2004 and have been active ever since. Live At The Slaughterhouse is a record of their 2014 UK tour, mainly recorded in London and it truly captures the essence of Onslaught.
If you ever doubted that this band can thrash with the best of them, then the evidence is nicely presented with some of their heaviest and most powerful works on display. One of the many highlights is the quite blistering In Search of Insanity, title track of their 1989 album which features vocalist Sy Keeler giving it his all (as he does throughout) whilst the battering ram drumming of Mike Hourihan absolutely destroys. To be fair, the whole release is excellent, and it really is a reminder of how bloody heavy Onslaught actually are. This is top quality UK thrash, with the twin guitar attack of Nige Rockett and the now departed Leigh Chambers shredding and riffing at 150mph. Jeff Williams demonic bass lines combine with Hourihan's quite incredible drumming to drive the whole thing forward without respite. The quality never dips, with classics such as Fight With The Beast and Metal Forces mixing comfortably with the newer tracks from 2013’s superb VI; including the haunting Children Of The Sand and the all-out attack of 66 Fucking 6. My only complaint is that the crowd noise appears muted, giving the impression of a small turnout and slightly taking the shine off what was a quite stunning set. Onslaught have never really reached the heights that they should have and this is a shame. If you love thrash metal, then this is an essential listen. If you have never heard Onslaught, then this is the introduction you need. “Let’s have a muthafucking pit out here” snarls Sy before Onslaught (Power From Hell) kicks in. “Let’s have some good violent friendly violent fun”. Well, exactly. Thrash ‘til death indeed. 8/10
Entombed AD: Dead Dawn (Century Media)
Back in 2014 Entombed AD emerged from the ashes of Entombed with a powerful debut release, the impressive Back To Front. Less than two years later and the band return with another hard hitting release, Dead Dawn. In a similar vein to its predecessor, Dead Dawn is 40 minutes of melodic death with some really impressive changes in pace. The title track for example retains the dark cutting guitar work of Nico Elgstrand and the relentless drumming of Olle Dhalstedt but doesn’t do what many of the genre do and go flat out. Down To Mars To Ride builds slowly but when it goes then hold on as this is a runaway beast. However, it’s still not 110mph, but an Anthrax style chug which gets the head vigorously nodding very quickly. With an abundancy of chunky riffage this is a storming release. As always, the gruff yet distinguishable vocals of Lars-Göran Petrov are at the forefront with Elgstrand’s fretwork impressive as always. In some ways the band has moved slightly away from the death metal tag they have carried for a long time but just when you think they might have mellowed they hit straight back with a slab of brutal all-out power; see Total Death and Silent Assassin for evidence of this. Entombed AD has also built real atmosphere into many of their tracks, creating a real oppressive deathly vision on the foreboding behemoth Hubris Fall and album closer Not What It Seems. This is another solid release from a band who show pretty intense resilience. Well worth a listen. 7/10
Thursday, 10 March 2016
Reviews: Supersonic Blues Machine, Wild Rose, Texas Chainsaw Dust Lovers
Supersonic Blues Machine: West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco (Mascot Records)
Supersonic Blues Machine are built around the triumvirate of accomplished Texan Guitarist/Vocalist Lance Lopez, ace session drummer Kenny Aronoff and Italian born bassist/producer/engineer/lyricist Fabrizio Grossi who has a Rolodex full of the best and brightest in blues and rock, something is also possessed by his band mates, which means that the album is full of guests that I will elaborate on later. The album has numerous stylistic influences but everything is rooted in the spirit of the blues. The Bayou baiting Miracle Man has twanging guitar, parping mouth harp, hand claps, a gospel choir and Lopez's whiskey drenched, blues howl starting you off on this virtuosic blues journey. West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco is SBM's debut album but the talent build up over all three's careers is evident from the off. With a sound that's akin to Tedeschi Trucks Band and Royal Southern Brotherhood the base of the blues is mixed with funk, soul with I Ain't Fallin' Again, country and good ole' rock n roll on Bone Bucket Blues and Runnin' Whiskey which features The Rev. Billy Gibbons and has that fuzzy ZZ Top sound too it.
The Rev is one of the high profile guests that are on this record with Gov't Mule man Warren Haynes adding his soulful six string and vocals to Remedy, Texan guitarist Chris Duarte pops up on That's My Way, blues shredder Eric Gales rocks out on guitar fest Nightmares And Dreams, Robben Ford on the emotion filled final track Back In Town and miracle man himself Walter Trout on the prophetic old school blues of Everything's Going To Be Alright (hopefully this is the case with Trout now). The songs on this record are bristling with power, bolstered by the performance of all concerned and Grossi's sublime production. Lopez's guitar shines on their cover of Ain't No Love (In The Heart Of the City), while Grossi and Arnoff's rhythm section is thick and funky driving the groove on these 12 tracks meaning that this debut album has some truly excellent music on it, for any fan of blues based rock Supersonic Blues Machine will be a revelation as it has a basic three piece are immensely talented enough but when the guests are added this album is taken to another level again. Superb! 8/10
Wild Rose: 4 (Lions Pride Music)
In July 1981 4 was released on an unsuspecting world and with such mega-hits as Urgent with it's slinky sax, the hands in the air sing along of Juke Box Hero and the show stopping radio ballad of I've Been Waiting For A Girl Like You it became one of the biggest selling album of that year in America holding the #1 position on the Billboard chart for 10 weeks. It was the album that launched Foreigner's career as a massive musical force and has gone down along with it's follow up Agent Provocateur, as one of the best AOR records ever made. Now that is an awful lot for Greek AOR band Wild Rose to live up to on their fourth album which is also called 4, however just by looking at the logo and the cover of the album you know that you might be on to a winner with the crisp white colouring and silhouettes of beautiful women moving away from the street style, sleazier early album covers and adding a more demure side to the band.
I reviewed Wild Rose's previous album Hit 'N' Run and I said that "they are pure AOR with huge keyboard hooks, melodic guitars and strong emotional vocals" and this statement is still true now, although a lot has changed since that album as vocalist David A Saylor and guitarist Tiny Karpo have left but they have been replaced by original singer George Bitzios and his brother original guitarist John, they also have a new bassist in Panos Barkoutsos, however the main unit of Andy Rock's rhythm guitar/keys, Dirty Haris' main keys and Dimos Thomaidis' drums are still all present and correct. They are the basis of Wild Rose's radio bothering melodic rock that relies on huge choruses, rocking hooks, show stopping ballads and more layers of sweetness than Mary Berry could handle.
Key to this huge sound is Andy Rock's production work that makes everything all warm and fuzzy with the rich guitar tones, the huge swathes of keys and big chorus vocals all making an appearance bringing the mind aptly to Foreigner at their most bombastic, this is the sort of music that takes right back the time of pastel suits and lingering sunsets. Desperate Heart has luscious keyboard part that opens proceedings as you let the love in, what is immediately obvious is that George's vocals fit right in, slightly gruff but soulful in all the right places. Things rock up on Love Can Change You which has great guitar part and the breezy Summer Girl and Time After Time are cheesier than a basket full of brie. Wild Rose's 4 will probably not be as huge as Foreigner's masterpiece but it is Wild Rose's most accomplished album to date. If you love solid, honest AOR then Wild Rose's 4 will be your newest aural fixation. 8/10
Texas Chainsaw Dust Lovers: Me And The Devil (Besta Records) (Review By Paul)
Badged as a rock ‘n’ roll band with a ‘spaghetti Western vibe’, Texas Chainsaw Dust Lovers (TCDL) have been around since 2011. Hailing from Paris, the band consist of Clement Collot (vocals and rhythm guitar, Nagui Mehany (Lead guitar and harmonica), drummer Christophe Hogommat and Etienne Collot on bass. Me And The Devil consists 36 minutes of rockabilly tinged rock, with a plethora of influences as varied as The Stray Cats through to Beastmilk with the slightest hint of Volbeat and a large splash of country to boot. An indie tinged title track opens proceedings with some rolling guitar and drum work and Celement’s hauntingly gothic style vocals adding to the eclectic feel. The album changes style and direction in virtually every track, keeping the listener both entertained and intrigued; My Lover Of The Moon has an almost Sisters of Mercy stamp to it, well-paced tempo building to an all-out explosion as the band hit their peak. Summer Spleen rocks out with the best of them, powering along with some quite excellent old school Shadows style guitar work. It’s great stuff. Me And The Devil is a real ‘grower’ of a release, getting better on every listen. Gothic overtones merge with a deep rock ‘n’ roll flavour on The Sleepwalker whilst That Town Under The Sun screams movie score. It isn’t anything new but yet it feels fresh, original and totally enjoyable. Technically excellent, the sum of TCDL combine to provide a pretty fantastic release which oozes quality and screams fun. Well worth a listen. 8/10
Supersonic Blues Machine are built around the triumvirate of accomplished Texan Guitarist/Vocalist Lance Lopez, ace session drummer Kenny Aronoff and Italian born bassist/producer/engineer/lyricist Fabrizio Grossi who has a Rolodex full of the best and brightest in blues and rock, something is also possessed by his band mates, which means that the album is full of guests that I will elaborate on later. The album has numerous stylistic influences but everything is rooted in the spirit of the blues. The Bayou baiting Miracle Man has twanging guitar, parping mouth harp, hand claps, a gospel choir and Lopez's whiskey drenched, blues howl starting you off on this virtuosic blues journey. West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco is SBM's debut album but the talent build up over all three's careers is evident from the off. With a sound that's akin to Tedeschi Trucks Band and Royal Southern Brotherhood the base of the blues is mixed with funk, soul with I Ain't Fallin' Again, country and good ole' rock n roll on Bone Bucket Blues and Runnin' Whiskey which features The Rev. Billy Gibbons and has that fuzzy ZZ Top sound too it.
The Rev is one of the high profile guests that are on this record with Gov't Mule man Warren Haynes adding his soulful six string and vocals to Remedy, Texan guitarist Chris Duarte pops up on That's My Way, blues shredder Eric Gales rocks out on guitar fest Nightmares And Dreams, Robben Ford on the emotion filled final track Back In Town and miracle man himself Walter Trout on the prophetic old school blues of Everything's Going To Be Alright (hopefully this is the case with Trout now). The songs on this record are bristling with power, bolstered by the performance of all concerned and Grossi's sublime production. Lopez's guitar shines on their cover of Ain't No Love (In The Heart Of the City), while Grossi and Arnoff's rhythm section is thick and funky driving the groove on these 12 tracks meaning that this debut album has some truly excellent music on it, for any fan of blues based rock Supersonic Blues Machine will be a revelation as it has a basic three piece are immensely talented enough but when the guests are added this album is taken to another level again. Superb! 8/10
Wild Rose: 4 (Lions Pride Music)
In July 1981 4 was released on an unsuspecting world and with such mega-hits as Urgent with it's slinky sax, the hands in the air sing along of Juke Box Hero and the show stopping radio ballad of I've Been Waiting For A Girl Like You it became one of the biggest selling album of that year in America holding the #1 position on the Billboard chart for 10 weeks. It was the album that launched Foreigner's career as a massive musical force and has gone down along with it's follow up Agent Provocateur, as one of the best AOR records ever made. Now that is an awful lot for Greek AOR band Wild Rose to live up to on their fourth album which is also called 4, however just by looking at the logo and the cover of the album you know that you might be on to a winner with the crisp white colouring and silhouettes of beautiful women moving away from the street style, sleazier early album covers and adding a more demure side to the band.
I reviewed Wild Rose's previous album Hit 'N' Run and I said that "they are pure AOR with huge keyboard hooks, melodic guitars and strong emotional vocals" and this statement is still true now, although a lot has changed since that album as vocalist David A Saylor and guitarist Tiny Karpo have left but they have been replaced by original singer George Bitzios and his brother original guitarist John, they also have a new bassist in Panos Barkoutsos, however the main unit of Andy Rock's rhythm guitar/keys, Dirty Haris' main keys and Dimos Thomaidis' drums are still all present and correct. They are the basis of Wild Rose's radio bothering melodic rock that relies on huge choruses, rocking hooks, show stopping ballads and more layers of sweetness than Mary Berry could handle.
Key to this huge sound is Andy Rock's production work that makes everything all warm and fuzzy with the rich guitar tones, the huge swathes of keys and big chorus vocals all making an appearance bringing the mind aptly to Foreigner at their most bombastic, this is the sort of music that takes right back the time of pastel suits and lingering sunsets. Desperate Heart has luscious keyboard part that opens proceedings as you let the love in, what is immediately obvious is that George's vocals fit right in, slightly gruff but soulful in all the right places. Things rock up on Love Can Change You which has great guitar part and the breezy Summer Girl and Time After Time are cheesier than a basket full of brie. Wild Rose's 4 will probably not be as huge as Foreigner's masterpiece but it is Wild Rose's most accomplished album to date. If you love solid, honest AOR then Wild Rose's 4 will be your newest aural fixation. 8/10
Texas Chainsaw Dust Lovers: Me And The Devil (Besta Records) (Review By Paul)
Badged as a rock ‘n’ roll band with a ‘spaghetti Western vibe’, Texas Chainsaw Dust Lovers (TCDL) have been around since 2011. Hailing from Paris, the band consist of Clement Collot (vocals and rhythm guitar, Nagui Mehany (Lead guitar and harmonica), drummer Christophe Hogommat and Etienne Collot on bass. Me And The Devil consists 36 minutes of rockabilly tinged rock, with a plethora of influences as varied as The Stray Cats through to Beastmilk with the slightest hint of Volbeat and a large splash of country to boot. An indie tinged title track opens proceedings with some rolling guitar and drum work and Celement’s hauntingly gothic style vocals adding to the eclectic feel. The album changes style and direction in virtually every track, keeping the listener both entertained and intrigued; My Lover Of The Moon has an almost Sisters of Mercy stamp to it, well-paced tempo building to an all-out explosion as the band hit their peak. Summer Spleen rocks out with the best of them, powering along with some quite excellent old school Shadows style guitar work. It’s great stuff. Me And The Devil is a real ‘grower’ of a release, getting better on every listen. Gothic overtones merge with a deep rock ‘n’ roll flavour on The Sleepwalker whilst That Town Under The Sun screams movie score. It isn’t anything new but yet it feels fresh, original and totally enjoyable. Technically excellent, the sum of TCDL combine to provide a pretty fantastic release which oozes quality and screams fun. Well worth a listen. 8/10
Tuesday, 8 March 2016
Reviews: Beholder, Ricky Warwick, Eric Bell
Beholder: Reflections (Razorline Music)
British metal bruisers Beholder have once again returned with a new set of heavy anthems to unleash. The West Midlands four-piece have followed up their 2013 record The Order Of Chaos with an album that should go on to define them, their previous two records have shifted their sound and have featured some experimentation with sounds, Reflections sees everything coming together sound wise meaning that Beholder sound louder, angrier and more accomplished than ever before. The band have knowingly tried to replicate their ball breaking live sound on this record and personally I think they've done a damn good job, there is a new meanness to this record that seems to have invigorated proceedings, the propulsive djent-like Frozen Steps Of Utoya sees Scott Taylor's guitar and Si Fielding's bass combining for the riff fuelled assault while Chris Bentley's percussive barrage explodes relentlessly. I,Machine is more classic metal with a head banging groove reminiscent of Lamb Of God. Before we go back to more palm muted technicality on Heal My Wounds. Beholder have always had a huge social conscience, the songs on Reflections still deal with the band's discontent with politicians, big business and human beings as a whole and their rage is delivered in the shape of 10 fists-in-the-air metal anthems, with My Revolution it's climatic rallying cry.
Led by the heavy riffage and destructive drumming, Reflections once again has Simon Hall's excellent vocals topping things off, one minute they give a bellowing emotive delivery and the next a bile filled roar. Dance Macabre slows things down with grungy low down riff before everything once again speeds up with more powerful modern metal on Breathe On Silence, in fact the modern metal sound has infected this record more so than on previous albums which contributes to it's ferocity, with tracks like Army Of One blowing you away with its sheer percussive force, although the progressive nature of the band is still telling on much of the record, with Speak To Me seeing them calling on a more melodic approach to end the record. Reflections sees Beholder getting more accomplished and more aggressive with every release, these tracks are going to be impressive live that's a given but as for the record it's one to play LOUD!! 8/10
Ricky Warwick: When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)/ Hearts On Trees (Nuclear Blast)
This double album from Black Star Riders/Thin Lizzy/ex-Almighty frontman is actually two albums in one. The first album When Patsy Cline... is the electric record released through PledgeMusic in 2014 but amped up a bit for this major label (we can call Nuclear Blast major label now right?) that fuses the hard rock and Celtic influences of Lizzy/BSR albeit with a biting punk snarl of Warwick's earlier bands. Hearts On Trees however is a more stripped back, acoustic affair built on the tours Warwick has done with Damon Johnston who appears on both records along with Joe Elliot (Def Leppard), Andy Cairins (Therapy?), Billy Morrison (Billy Idol), Nathan Connolly (Snow Patrol), Richard Fotus (GNR, Dead Daisies, Thin Lizzy), Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) and Ginger Wildheart (The Wildhearts, Solo) who also contribute to this recording as part of Warwick's solo band The Fighting Hearts. This entire project has a air of Ginger (Wildheart not the root) about it, with punky Celtic rock n roll the songs move between salutes to excess on Celebrating Sinking, folky storytelling on Johnny Ringo's Last Ride and working class anthems that tell the tale of his Irish upbringing on the title track and the rumbling Toffee Town (which may or may not be about Everton FC).
Along with Ginger there's nods to Springsteen, Dylan and even The Clash on this record, there is a lot of musical variation but most of it stays true to the roots that Warwick has laid down on his past works. That's Where The Story Ends is prime Johnny Cash with a parping brass section fleshing it out. The rock disc is the better of the two but Hearts On Trees has it's moments with Tank McCullough Saturdays telling the tale of Billy 'The Tank' McCullough a former footballer that played for Northern Ireland and Glentoran (Warwick's favourite team), while Psycho is a deeply unsettling and dark track with a melodic edge to it, before things go a bit Flogging Molly on the title track Hearts On Trees. Ricky Warwick has perfectly distilled both his influences and his own style on theses two discs, his songwriting and vocals are top notch and if you area a fan of anything he has been involved in then you will lap this up, it's a bit Lizzy, a bit BSR a bit Almighty with heap of influences thrown in, for everyone that is not familiar with Warwick I urge you to seek out the record as will, find that this solo record is full of strong, rootsy rock music that in places stirs the soul and brings Warwick as a performer outside of the Lizzy/BSR mothership back into the spotlight. 8/10
Eric Bell: Exile (Of The Edge)
From current Lizzy to former Lizzy alumnus, with the most recent album from founding guitarist Eric Bell. Since the Lizzy days Eric Bell has been chugging away with his solo band since the early 80's and he has be treading a blues groove that was key to Lizzy's sound on their first three albums. This sound translates well to this most recent solo album which sees Bell playing everything except drums which are added by Joe Oakes, the songs are layered affairs having the same kind of clean, acoustic based sound that Mark Knopfler has always favored in Dire Straits. The first track Deep In Your Heart is the ideal example of this sound with some fluid guitar playing, a layered sound and Bell's Belfast accent coming through on the vocals, the stuttering guitar of Don't Love Me No More is more traditional blues with a lament of women being the theme, while Gotta Say Bye Bye is heart breaker of a ballad. There are some great tracks on this record Vote For Me is very prevalent in these times of politicians that are all style no substance with the title track a Celtic styled lament to past mistakes. As I've said the playing on this album is subtle and nuanced Bell let's the songs breathe, it's only on Song For Gary (a tribute to Gary Moore) that he really lets rip on his axe, giving the overall experience a relaxing feel (something that can be welcomed here at MoM towers) Exile is not an album that is meant to garner attention, it's not Lizzy, it's not supposed to be but it is the sound of a man doing things his own way and not compromising his roots. 7/10
British metal bruisers Beholder have once again returned with a new set of heavy anthems to unleash. The West Midlands four-piece have followed up their 2013 record The Order Of Chaos with an album that should go on to define them, their previous two records have shifted their sound and have featured some experimentation with sounds, Reflections sees everything coming together sound wise meaning that Beholder sound louder, angrier and more accomplished than ever before. The band have knowingly tried to replicate their ball breaking live sound on this record and personally I think they've done a damn good job, there is a new meanness to this record that seems to have invigorated proceedings, the propulsive djent-like Frozen Steps Of Utoya sees Scott Taylor's guitar and Si Fielding's bass combining for the riff fuelled assault while Chris Bentley's percussive barrage explodes relentlessly. I,Machine is more classic metal with a head banging groove reminiscent of Lamb Of God. Before we go back to more palm muted technicality on Heal My Wounds. Beholder have always had a huge social conscience, the songs on Reflections still deal with the band's discontent with politicians, big business and human beings as a whole and their rage is delivered in the shape of 10 fists-in-the-air metal anthems, with My Revolution it's climatic rallying cry.
Led by the heavy riffage and destructive drumming, Reflections once again has Simon Hall's excellent vocals topping things off, one minute they give a bellowing emotive delivery and the next a bile filled roar. Dance Macabre slows things down with grungy low down riff before everything once again speeds up with more powerful modern metal on Breathe On Silence, in fact the modern metal sound has infected this record more so than on previous albums which contributes to it's ferocity, with tracks like Army Of One blowing you away with its sheer percussive force, although the progressive nature of the band is still telling on much of the record, with Speak To Me seeing them calling on a more melodic approach to end the record. Reflections sees Beholder getting more accomplished and more aggressive with every release, these tracks are going to be impressive live that's a given but as for the record it's one to play LOUD!! 8/10
Ricky Warwick: When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)/ Hearts On Trees (Nuclear Blast)
This double album from Black Star Riders/Thin Lizzy/ex-Almighty frontman is actually two albums in one. The first album When Patsy Cline... is the electric record released through PledgeMusic in 2014 but amped up a bit for this major label (we can call Nuclear Blast major label now right?) that fuses the hard rock and Celtic influences of Lizzy/BSR albeit with a biting punk snarl of Warwick's earlier bands. Hearts On Trees however is a more stripped back, acoustic affair built on the tours Warwick has done with Damon Johnston who appears on both records along with Joe Elliot (Def Leppard), Andy Cairins (Therapy?), Billy Morrison (Billy Idol), Nathan Connolly (Snow Patrol), Richard Fotus (GNR, Dead Daisies, Thin Lizzy), Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) and Ginger Wildheart (The Wildhearts, Solo) who also contribute to this recording as part of Warwick's solo band The Fighting Hearts. This entire project has a air of Ginger (Wildheart not the root) about it, with punky Celtic rock n roll the songs move between salutes to excess on Celebrating Sinking, folky storytelling on Johnny Ringo's Last Ride and working class anthems that tell the tale of his Irish upbringing on the title track and the rumbling Toffee Town (which may or may not be about Everton FC).
Along with Ginger there's nods to Springsteen, Dylan and even The Clash on this record, there is a lot of musical variation but most of it stays true to the roots that Warwick has laid down on his past works. That's Where The Story Ends is prime Johnny Cash with a parping brass section fleshing it out. The rock disc is the better of the two but Hearts On Trees has it's moments with Tank McCullough Saturdays telling the tale of Billy 'The Tank' McCullough a former footballer that played for Northern Ireland and Glentoran (Warwick's favourite team), while Psycho is a deeply unsettling and dark track with a melodic edge to it, before things go a bit Flogging Molly on the title track Hearts On Trees. Ricky Warwick has perfectly distilled both his influences and his own style on theses two discs, his songwriting and vocals are top notch and if you area a fan of anything he has been involved in then you will lap this up, it's a bit Lizzy, a bit BSR a bit Almighty with heap of influences thrown in, for everyone that is not familiar with Warwick I urge you to seek out the record as will, find that this solo record is full of strong, rootsy rock music that in places stirs the soul and brings Warwick as a performer outside of the Lizzy/BSR mothership back into the spotlight. 8/10
Eric Bell: Exile (Of The Edge)
From current Lizzy to former Lizzy alumnus, with the most recent album from founding guitarist Eric Bell. Since the Lizzy days Eric Bell has been chugging away with his solo band since the early 80's and he has be treading a blues groove that was key to Lizzy's sound on their first three albums. This sound translates well to this most recent solo album which sees Bell playing everything except drums which are added by Joe Oakes, the songs are layered affairs having the same kind of clean, acoustic based sound that Mark Knopfler has always favored in Dire Straits. The first track Deep In Your Heart is the ideal example of this sound with some fluid guitar playing, a layered sound and Bell's Belfast accent coming through on the vocals, the stuttering guitar of Don't Love Me No More is more traditional blues with a lament of women being the theme, while Gotta Say Bye Bye is heart breaker of a ballad. There are some great tracks on this record Vote For Me is very prevalent in these times of politicians that are all style no substance with the title track a Celtic styled lament to past mistakes. As I've said the playing on this album is subtle and nuanced Bell let's the songs breathe, it's only on Song For Gary (a tribute to Gary Moore) that he really lets rip on his axe, giving the overall experience a relaxing feel (something that can be welcomed here at MoM towers) Exile is not an album that is meant to garner attention, it's not Lizzy, it's not supposed to be but it is the sound of a man doing things his own way and not compromising his roots. 7/10
Monday, 7 March 2016
Reviews: Subsignal, Karybdis, To Wither (Reviews By Paul)
Subsignal: The Beacons Of Somewhere Sometime (Golden Age Records)
Released late in October 2015, Subsignal’s fourth full release oozes quality. The band who were formed in Munich in 2007 deliver high quality progressive rock with an innovative edge. Perfectly clean vocals with the harmonies of 1980s Yes combine with intricate time changes and songs that soar and sweep as the album develops. Arno Menses is the vocalist and one of the founder members of the band, and he possesses a quite excellent voice; strong and powerful with full control. The album opens with the short instrumental Calm, which segues neatly into Tempest, a seven-minute epic with some quite beautiful playing, a rocky underbelly hidden in amongst the swathes of synths and layered construction. Tempest is followed by A Time Out Of Joint which opens with a killer riff before a more melodic, almost pop feel takes over with a sing-a-long chorus and a quite delicious hook. The track evolves in a very measured way, moving through a progressive keyboard solo and some stunningly delicate guitar work from Markus Steffen, the other co-founder of the band.
With all bar one track extending over the six-minute mark, this is not an album which can be rushed. Indeed, at over 65 minutes in length, this is a piece of work which needs to be savoured. The Beacons Of Somewhere Sometime contains a real mix of styles. And The Rain Will Wash It All Away had elements of the best melodic outfits around with a hint of Magnum and more than a nod to Gabriel era Genesis. A relaxing middle section contains a saxophone and classical guitar face off before the harmonies kick back in. Ashes of Summer has real shades of Yes but with a slightly heavier AOR emphasis whilst shortest song on the album, A Myth Written On Water is the most reserved track, with Menses’ vocals combining with some orchestral strings and Steffen’s simple classical guitar work before the song opens into a perfect melodic rock track, subtle keyboards, clear melody and harmonies and a dynamic lead guitar solo and then closes in similar fashion to how it began.
Everything Is Lost features a colossal riff which matches the acoustic work whilst the composition has more than a passing nod to elements of What About Love by Heart. The drum work is solid yet not overpowering whilst once again the keyboards intertwine perfectly with the other sounds. At over eight minutes long this is the lengthiest track on the album and as it climbs you can at times hear sections of classic Dream Theater. The middle break slows the pace completely with military style drumming before more string work introduces a heavier style break, complete with rocking guitar solo. The album closes with a four part working of the title track which features Maelstrom, The Path, In This Blinding Light and A Canopy Of Stars. The four parts link together to form a progressive epic, moving through a range of melodic and progressive rock elements which build towards a gloriously triumphant crescendo in A Canopy Of Stars which contains elements of early Hogarth era Marillion as well as some mid 2000s Coheed And Cambria. Subsignal are not going to be to the taste of all; in fact, the regular resemblance to Yes and Jon Anderson in particular may put some people off. Regardless, this is a classy release which sits in the upper echelons of a very crowded league. 8/10
Karybdis: Samsara (Beasting Records)
Released late in October 2015, Subsignal’s fourth full release oozes quality. The band who were formed in Munich in 2007 deliver high quality progressive rock with an innovative edge. Perfectly clean vocals with the harmonies of 1980s Yes combine with intricate time changes and songs that soar and sweep as the album develops. Arno Menses is the vocalist and one of the founder members of the band, and he possesses a quite excellent voice; strong and powerful with full control. The album opens with the short instrumental Calm, which segues neatly into Tempest, a seven-minute epic with some quite beautiful playing, a rocky underbelly hidden in amongst the swathes of synths and layered construction. Tempest is followed by A Time Out Of Joint which opens with a killer riff before a more melodic, almost pop feel takes over with a sing-a-long chorus and a quite delicious hook. The track evolves in a very measured way, moving through a progressive keyboard solo and some stunningly delicate guitar work from Markus Steffen, the other co-founder of the band.
With all bar one track extending over the six-minute mark, this is not an album which can be rushed. Indeed, at over 65 minutes in length, this is a piece of work which needs to be savoured. The Beacons Of Somewhere Sometime contains a real mix of styles. And The Rain Will Wash It All Away had elements of the best melodic outfits around with a hint of Magnum and more than a nod to Gabriel era Genesis. A relaxing middle section contains a saxophone and classical guitar face off before the harmonies kick back in. Ashes of Summer has real shades of Yes but with a slightly heavier AOR emphasis whilst shortest song on the album, A Myth Written On Water is the most reserved track, with Menses’ vocals combining with some orchestral strings and Steffen’s simple classical guitar work before the song opens into a perfect melodic rock track, subtle keyboards, clear melody and harmonies and a dynamic lead guitar solo and then closes in similar fashion to how it began.
Everything Is Lost features a colossal riff which matches the acoustic work whilst the composition has more than a passing nod to elements of What About Love by Heart. The drum work is solid yet not overpowering whilst once again the keyboards intertwine perfectly with the other sounds. At over eight minutes long this is the lengthiest track on the album and as it climbs you can at times hear sections of classic Dream Theater. The middle break slows the pace completely with military style drumming before more string work introduces a heavier style break, complete with rocking guitar solo. The album closes with a four part working of the title track which features Maelstrom, The Path, In This Blinding Light and A Canopy Of Stars. The four parts link together to form a progressive epic, moving through a range of melodic and progressive rock elements which build towards a gloriously triumphant crescendo in A Canopy Of Stars which contains elements of early Hogarth era Marillion as well as some mid 2000s Coheed And Cambria. Subsignal are not going to be to the taste of all; in fact, the regular resemblance to Yes and Jon Anderson in particular may put some people off. Regardless, this is a classy release which sits in the upper echelons of a very crowded league. 8/10
Karybdis: Samsara (Beasting Records)
London death metallers Karybdis have been around since 2009 with a steady line-up. Their second release Samsara is a no-holds barred melodic death metal monster which mixes elements of the death metal sound with the aggression of the metal-core movement. Samsara opens with Roshach, a fully in your face all guns blazing track which immediately acquaints you with Rich O’Donnell’s gruff vocal delivery; a real mix of Parkway Drive and In Flames. Forsaken picks up the baton with a battering ram of drumming from Mitch McGugan and the melodic yet killer duel guitar work of Pierre Dujardin and Harsha Dasari as well as O’Donnell’s throat shredding screams. Although Samsara feels a little repetitive at times, the band has made large strides to incorporate some differences in their sound with orchestral arrangements on Constellations and an atmospheric introduction to start Ascendency.
A sedate opening lulls you into a false sense of security during Mermaids before the concrete heavy riffs and speed drumming smash you over the head. Summon the Tides is one of the stand out tracks on this sophomore release with orchestral and choral backing moving the band into Fleshgod Apocalypse and Septicflesh territory. This is a powerful release which leaves you in absolutely no doubt about the band’s direction. Superb drumming, hugely heavy riffs and brutal singing ensures that if you like a mix of the metal core and melodic death this is a release you need to hear. 7/10
To Wither: Dreamfall
Mix the melancholic of Katatonia and Swallow the Sun with the introspective approach of Alcest and elements of Wintersun and you have To Wither. A two-man project from Nordland, Norway, Simon Larsen (Guitar, Synth and Bass) and Isak Hetzler (Drums, Vocals) have produced a pretty decent 40 minutes of progressive metal. With lyrical themes of the human mind, dark thoughts and sorrow you should be able to establish the sound that the band aim for; Passionate drumming, intricate time changes and fragile but clean vocals and harmonic guitar work. With more than a passing nod to progressive rock giants Opeth (especially on Winter which ebbs and flows in a similar vein to some of the Swedes more intricate work) the emotion and passion that To Wither include in their work is impressive. The time changes are as familiar as an old friend and yet have a freshness about them that is captivating. Worth checking out. 7/10
A sedate opening lulls you into a false sense of security during Mermaids before the concrete heavy riffs and speed drumming smash you over the head. Summon the Tides is one of the stand out tracks on this sophomore release with orchestral and choral backing moving the band into Fleshgod Apocalypse and Septicflesh territory. This is a powerful release which leaves you in absolutely no doubt about the band’s direction. Superb drumming, hugely heavy riffs and brutal singing ensures that if you like a mix of the metal core and melodic death this is a release you need to hear. 7/10
To Wither: Dreamfall
Mix the melancholic of Katatonia and Swallow the Sun with the introspective approach of Alcest and elements of Wintersun and you have To Wither. A two-man project from Nordland, Norway, Simon Larsen (Guitar, Synth and Bass) and Isak Hetzler (Drums, Vocals) have produced a pretty decent 40 minutes of progressive metal. With lyrical themes of the human mind, dark thoughts and sorrow you should be able to establish the sound that the band aim for; Passionate drumming, intricate time changes and fragile but clean vocals and harmonic guitar work. With more than a passing nod to progressive rock giants Opeth (especially on Winter which ebbs and flows in a similar vein to some of the Swedes more intricate work) the emotion and passion that To Wither include in their work is impressive. The time changes are as familiar as an old friend and yet have a freshness about them that is captivating. Worth checking out. 7/10
Sunday, 6 March 2016
Reviews: Monster Truck, Anvil, Ancient Spell (Reviews By Paul)
Monster Truck: Sittin’ Heavy (Mascot Records)
2013’s stonking debut Ferocity saw Canadians Monster Truck crash into our world with all the subtlety of well, a monster truck rally. A blistering collection of foot stomping good time boogie rockers with a large serving of fun, Ferocity was welcomed by MoM towers and obtained an 8 rating back in June 2013 with the Ed declaring ‘one of the best southern bands I've heard for ages’. They were bloody excellent live at Bristol’s Exchange later that year too. Two and a half years later and the Truck are back with another slab of heavy rock. Sittin’ Heavy maintains the direction that the band were heading. A really fine honest effort, with the extra touring adding a sharpness to the songs. Opener Why Are You Not Rocking? sets the tone, fuzzy dirty guitars courtesy of Jeremy Widerman, solid drumming from Steve Kiely, Brandon Bliss’ excellent keyboards and the superb vocal of bassist Jon Harvey.
There is rarely a let up in pace throughout, with first single Don't Tell Me How To Live maintaining and increasing momentum. With a sound that mixes the harder bits of Black Stone Cherry, Massive and more than a nod to Clutch and Lionize, it's unsurprising that tunes such as She's A Witch are catchy as hell. It's not all heads down party mind, with the atmospheric calm of Black Forest (first time I've ever seen an ode to 70s dessert) slowing things down before the toe tapping of Another Man’s Shoes picks up the speedometer again. This track contains some excellent southern laced keyboards which ebb and flow throughout. Things Get Better has a toe dipped in the River Mersey with its Beatles style riff whilst the honesty of sing-a-long tune The Enforcer and the haunting and emotive To The Flame once again demonstrate a depth that might not have been so evident on Ferocity. Sittin’ Heavy is a fine follow up to Ferocity and I am looking forward to their Sunday set at Download immensely. 8/10
Anvil: Anvil Is Anvil (SPV)
Where the hell do you start with Toronto nutters Anvil? Formed in 1978, nearly men in the early 1980s, kept alive by the bizarre tastes of the German metal fraternity during the 1990s, reborn after the hilarious yet upsetting rockumentary in 2008 and yes, still using that fucking dildo to solo with when playing live! It would be fair to say that with the exception of Metal On Metal, a true metal anthem, Anvil has always been a mid-table league one team. Solid, with the occasional foray towards the higher levels, but usually drawing a few thousand and rarely creating a stir. Ignoring all trends and changes, Anvil’s sound is distinctive, resilient and totally insulated against any change. Anvil Is Anvil is probably the most appropriate title ever written. Anvil Is Anvil is album number 16 for the band that with the exception of bass player has reminded consistent from day 1. There is much to applaud about a band that has stuck to its guns, no matter what. Lemmy would approve (indeed there is a well travelled rumour that Lips was approached to replace Fast Eddie in Motörhead but that he turned it down). So what about the most important thing in all this. Oh yeah, the music. Well, let's be fair. Lips, that's Steve Kudlow to you and his drum partner Rob Reiner know how to write a meat and two veg no frills metal track. Runaway Train, Up, Down, Sideways, Ambushed and It’s Your Move are all meaty hooked no-nonsense rockers which contain the most excellent drumming from maybe the most underrated drummer in metal. Reiner doesn't let up throughout the album, double bass pedals constantly battering away. Meanwhile newish bassist Chris Robertson delivers some deadly bass lines which fire in low.
Anvil don't shy away from a bit of social commentary either; Die For A Lie goes in hard on religion whilst Gun Control is a poignant and relevant social commentary about their American cousins addiction to their right to bear arms. As usual with Anvil, Lips’ guitar work is great, face melting solos and huge riffs add the heavy to heavy metal. And there is always a couple of totally dire tracks. Opener Daggers And Rum has a chorus that rhymes “scurvy scum” with ”Daggers and Rum”, ridiculous lyrics and Zombie Apocalypse is just dreadful. Heavy metal by numbers. But set aside some minor gripes and Anvil is Anvil is actually a perfectly listenable release and one which you can't help but grow to enjoy, even if it is only because in the background you have two guys who have literally sold their souls to Rock ‘n’ Roll, as documented in the final two tracks, Never Going To Stop and You Don't Know What It's Like. A true homage to their dedication and commitment to a genre which is cruel and merciless. I've seen Anvil live several times and they do entertain to a point. With this release, their world is unlikely to change but supported by an excellent production Anvil is Anvil maintains their relentless output and contains some incredible drumming. God bless ‘em. 8/10
Ancient Spell: Forever In Hell (Minotauro Records)
Los Angeles, California is not a part of the USA readily associated with the heavy doom rock of bands like Ancient Spell. Formed in 2012, Forever In Hell is their second release, following 2013’s self-titled debut. Unfortunately, the production on this is unbelievably poor, muffled and distorted to the point where I thought it was recorded in the bathroom on a submarine whilst the recording equipment was still on the shore. Struggling through the mix, Ancient Spell did little for me. Whilst the music was solid, with lots of meaty riffs, the vocals of Donnie Marhefka leave a lot to be desired. There is screaming and growling a plenty in metal, and to the outsider there is probably little difference between the guttural delivery of Bolt Thrower’s Karl Willet’s and Bloodbath's Nick Holmes. However, if the vocals take away from the crushing power of the music, then all is lost and I’m afraid that’s what’s happened on Forever In Hell. Despite the poor (and I mean rubbish) sound, underneath it all Ancient Spell have a decent 70s heavy rock sound which is just destroyed every time Marhefka opens his mouth. Beyond The Gates is probably the best example of this, with a brooding atmospheric track promising much and then being trashed by such poor delivery. Disappointing. 4/10
2013’s stonking debut Ferocity saw Canadians Monster Truck crash into our world with all the subtlety of well, a monster truck rally. A blistering collection of foot stomping good time boogie rockers with a large serving of fun, Ferocity was welcomed by MoM towers and obtained an 8 rating back in June 2013 with the Ed declaring ‘one of the best southern bands I've heard for ages’. They were bloody excellent live at Bristol’s Exchange later that year too. Two and a half years later and the Truck are back with another slab of heavy rock. Sittin’ Heavy maintains the direction that the band were heading. A really fine honest effort, with the extra touring adding a sharpness to the songs. Opener Why Are You Not Rocking? sets the tone, fuzzy dirty guitars courtesy of Jeremy Widerman, solid drumming from Steve Kiely, Brandon Bliss’ excellent keyboards and the superb vocal of bassist Jon Harvey.
There is rarely a let up in pace throughout, with first single Don't Tell Me How To Live maintaining and increasing momentum. With a sound that mixes the harder bits of Black Stone Cherry, Massive and more than a nod to Clutch and Lionize, it's unsurprising that tunes such as She's A Witch are catchy as hell. It's not all heads down party mind, with the atmospheric calm of Black Forest (first time I've ever seen an ode to 70s dessert) slowing things down before the toe tapping of Another Man’s Shoes picks up the speedometer again. This track contains some excellent southern laced keyboards which ebb and flow throughout. Things Get Better has a toe dipped in the River Mersey with its Beatles style riff whilst the honesty of sing-a-long tune The Enforcer and the haunting and emotive To The Flame once again demonstrate a depth that might not have been so evident on Ferocity. Sittin’ Heavy is a fine follow up to Ferocity and I am looking forward to their Sunday set at Download immensely. 8/10
Anvil: Anvil Is Anvil (SPV)
Where the hell do you start with Toronto nutters Anvil? Formed in 1978, nearly men in the early 1980s, kept alive by the bizarre tastes of the German metal fraternity during the 1990s, reborn after the hilarious yet upsetting rockumentary in 2008 and yes, still using that fucking dildo to solo with when playing live! It would be fair to say that with the exception of Metal On Metal, a true metal anthem, Anvil has always been a mid-table league one team. Solid, with the occasional foray towards the higher levels, but usually drawing a few thousand and rarely creating a stir. Ignoring all trends and changes, Anvil’s sound is distinctive, resilient and totally insulated against any change. Anvil Is Anvil is probably the most appropriate title ever written. Anvil Is Anvil is album number 16 for the band that with the exception of bass player has reminded consistent from day 1. There is much to applaud about a band that has stuck to its guns, no matter what. Lemmy would approve (indeed there is a well travelled rumour that Lips was approached to replace Fast Eddie in Motörhead but that he turned it down). So what about the most important thing in all this. Oh yeah, the music. Well, let's be fair. Lips, that's Steve Kudlow to you and his drum partner Rob Reiner know how to write a meat and two veg no frills metal track. Runaway Train, Up, Down, Sideways, Ambushed and It’s Your Move are all meaty hooked no-nonsense rockers which contain the most excellent drumming from maybe the most underrated drummer in metal. Reiner doesn't let up throughout the album, double bass pedals constantly battering away. Meanwhile newish bassist Chris Robertson delivers some deadly bass lines which fire in low.
Anvil don't shy away from a bit of social commentary either; Die For A Lie goes in hard on religion whilst Gun Control is a poignant and relevant social commentary about their American cousins addiction to their right to bear arms. As usual with Anvil, Lips’ guitar work is great, face melting solos and huge riffs add the heavy to heavy metal. And there is always a couple of totally dire tracks. Opener Daggers And Rum has a chorus that rhymes “scurvy scum” with ”Daggers and Rum”, ridiculous lyrics and Zombie Apocalypse is just dreadful. Heavy metal by numbers. But set aside some minor gripes and Anvil is Anvil is actually a perfectly listenable release and one which you can't help but grow to enjoy, even if it is only because in the background you have two guys who have literally sold their souls to Rock ‘n’ Roll, as documented in the final two tracks, Never Going To Stop and You Don't Know What It's Like. A true homage to their dedication and commitment to a genre which is cruel and merciless. I've seen Anvil live several times and they do entertain to a point. With this release, their world is unlikely to change but supported by an excellent production Anvil is Anvil maintains their relentless output and contains some incredible drumming. God bless ‘em. 8/10
Ancient Spell: Forever In Hell (Minotauro Records)
Los Angeles, California is not a part of the USA readily associated with the heavy doom rock of bands like Ancient Spell. Formed in 2012, Forever In Hell is their second release, following 2013’s self-titled debut. Unfortunately, the production on this is unbelievably poor, muffled and distorted to the point where I thought it was recorded in the bathroom on a submarine whilst the recording equipment was still on the shore. Struggling through the mix, Ancient Spell did little for me. Whilst the music was solid, with lots of meaty riffs, the vocals of Donnie Marhefka leave a lot to be desired. There is screaming and growling a plenty in metal, and to the outsider there is probably little difference between the guttural delivery of Bolt Thrower’s Karl Willet’s and Bloodbath's Nick Holmes. However, if the vocals take away from the crushing power of the music, then all is lost and I’m afraid that’s what’s happened on Forever In Hell. Despite the poor (and I mean rubbish) sound, underneath it all Ancient Spell have a decent 70s heavy rock sound which is just destroyed every time Marhefka opens his mouth. Beyond The Gates is probably the best example of this, with a brooding atmospheric track promising much and then being trashed by such poor delivery. Disappointing. 4/10
Saturday, 5 March 2016
Reviews: Redemption, Now Or Never, Blackhour
Redemption: The Art Of Loss (Metal Blade)
The sixth album from Progressive metal supergroup Redemption goes some way to recapture the glorious sounds of the bands' fourth album Snowfall On Judgement Day this record is the bands' yard stick, 2011's This Mortal Coil was a more deeply personal album and because of this it was introspective in scope, that isn't to say that it wasn't good it just wasn't as good as Snowfall. The Art Of Loss the bands first record for Metal Blade, steps things up a gear or two, harking back to the earlier more grandiose sound the band favoured. Yet again the album is a showcase for Nick Van Dyk who is the primary songwriter, guitarist and adds some keys, he creates the scores featured on this record that are delivered with a talent par excellence by the rest of the band, particular kudos go to guitarist Bernie Versailles, drummer Chris Quirarte and of course the stunning vocals of Fate's Warning's Ray Alder who really does have the perfect voice for this sort of emotive progressive music, able to convey heartbreak and hope in equal measure. The album also has a couple of high profile guests with ex-Megadeth men Chris Poland, Chris Broderick and Marty Friedman all adding some six sting wizardry and Armored Saint shouter John Bush contributing vocals to somewhat superfluous cover of The Who's Love Reign O'er Me.
The one thing I would say about this record and indeed any of Redemption's work, is that it does carry an emotional punch, at times it can be all consuming but for the most part the dark lyrical content is balanced by the soaring melodies and outright heaviness in the musical compositions. When I say songs I mean that, yes there is a lot of showing off it is prog after all, but Redemption have always relied on creating a song first then adding the more technical parts and musical posturing afterwards. Still at 75 minutes long it can all feel a little overwhelming at times especially when after 53 minutes of intricate, thought provoking music including the 10 minute Hope Dies Last, you are faced with the 22 minute final track At Day's End many will despair or lose interest but I implore you to stick with it as the final track is surely the albums magnum opus. The Art Of Loss is a step in the right direction for Redemption with personal troubles of the bands leader hopefully now a thing of the past they can focus on moving forward, one criticism would be that the record could be a few songs shorter but other than that The Art Of Loss is and album that excite and enthrall those that love Prog metal and one that will see Redemption finding their feet again in style. 8/10
Now Or Never: II (Mighty Music)
Multi-National metal mob Now Or Never have taken three years to release their second album the aptly named II but despite the gap the song indeed remains the same with brawny, muscle-bound metal being the order of the day. The band was formed by Ex-Pretty Maids men Ricky Marx (guitar) and Kenn Jackson (bass) and with it's broad but mostly European membership (Denmark/France/Switzerland) you'd be forgiven for thinking the band will sound like so many other Euro-metal bands but Now Or Never have a distinctly American sound with monstrous dirty riffs from Marx and Jackson combined with the rugged Russell Allen-like vocals from Joe Amore evoking US Metal legends Manilla Road, early Manowar, Iced Earth and latter day Symphony X. II rides the fine line between traditional/power metal and hard rock which means there is quite a bit of variation to be had on the tracks and means that the record doesn't get repetitive. Songs such as the opening rager The Voice Inside and the heavyweight crunch of King For A Day are very good, in fact this writer was surprised just how good this band are, II is an album that doesn't really slow down with the first four tracks battering you into submission, mainly due to albums sparkling production that makes everything sound very loud. I'll Be Waiting starts slow but turns into a huge mountain top ballad with thunderous drums from Ranzo, before the power ramps back up again in the second part of the album. Before this record I hadn't really heard of Now Or Never but I'm glad I have now, they are a great band that have two albums full of metal anthems. 7/10
Blackhour: Sins Remain (Transcending Obscurity India)
Asia seems to be the new frontier for metal at the moment with hundreds of bands breaking out of the continent playing music that can be seen as counter-culture and in certain countries even illegal or Satanic. Adding their name to an ever expanding list of bands willing to go against the norm are Pakistan's Blackhour who play the kind of NWOBHM that launched the careers of Maiden and Priest and was forbear for the thrash explosion in California. In fact the 8 tracks on this record split their sound between that of early Iron Maiden and early Metallica, the similarities are uncanny in places meaning that a few of the songs on this record move into the realm of a cover band, even though they are playing their own songs. Saying this the band are all accomplished players and the songs themselves are well constructed metal songs with some technical flourishes and changes in time and pace giving them a progressive edge. However the one thing that lets this record down is the production, it's scratchy and yes retro but it sounds more like a cassette than an vinyl, I will admit it does add to the D.I.Y spirit of the NWOBHM era but there are ways to get this sound while still sounding good. Still this really the only gripe, yes the songs are a little samey and as I've said its a little too near cover band territory at times but it's a fun metal album that adds another band rebelling against the social norm, which really is the point of heavy metal. 7/10
The sixth album from Progressive metal supergroup Redemption goes some way to recapture the glorious sounds of the bands' fourth album Snowfall On Judgement Day this record is the bands' yard stick, 2011's This Mortal Coil was a more deeply personal album and because of this it was introspective in scope, that isn't to say that it wasn't good it just wasn't as good as Snowfall. The Art Of Loss the bands first record for Metal Blade, steps things up a gear or two, harking back to the earlier more grandiose sound the band favoured. Yet again the album is a showcase for Nick Van Dyk who is the primary songwriter, guitarist and adds some keys, he creates the scores featured on this record that are delivered with a talent par excellence by the rest of the band, particular kudos go to guitarist Bernie Versailles, drummer Chris Quirarte and of course the stunning vocals of Fate's Warning's Ray Alder who really does have the perfect voice for this sort of emotive progressive music, able to convey heartbreak and hope in equal measure. The album also has a couple of high profile guests with ex-Megadeth men Chris Poland, Chris Broderick and Marty Friedman all adding some six sting wizardry and Armored Saint shouter John Bush contributing vocals to somewhat superfluous cover of The Who's Love Reign O'er Me.
The one thing I would say about this record and indeed any of Redemption's work, is that it does carry an emotional punch, at times it can be all consuming but for the most part the dark lyrical content is balanced by the soaring melodies and outright heaviness in the musical compositions. When I say songs I mean that, yes there is a lot of showing off it is prog after all, but Redemption have always relied on creating a song first then adding the more technical parts and musical posturing afterwards. Still at 75 minutes long it can all feel a little overwhelming at times especially when after 53 minutes of intricate, thought provoking music including the 10 minute Hope Dies Last, you are faced with the 22 minute final track At Day's End many will despair or lose interest but I implore you to stick with it as the final track is surely the albums magnum opus. The Art Of Loss is a step in the right direction for Redemption with personal troubles of the bands leader hopefully now a thing of the past they can focus on moving forward, one criticism would be that the record could be a few songs shorter but other than that The Art Of Loss is and album that excite and enthrall those that love Prog metal and one that will see Redemption finding their feet again in style. 8/10
Now Or Never: II (Mighty Music)
Multi-National metal mob Now Or Never have taken three years to release their second album the aptly named II but despite the gap the song indeed remains the same with brawny, muscle-bound metal being the order of the day. The band was formed by Ex-Pretty Maids men Ricky Marx (guitar) and Kenn Jackson (bass) and with it's broad but mostly European membership (Denmark/France/Switzerland) you'd be forgiven for thinking the band will sound like so many other Euro-metal bands but Now Or Never have a distinctly American sound with monstrous dirty riffs from Marx and Jackson combined with the rugged Russell Allen-like vocals from Joe Amore evoking US Metal legends Manilla Road, early Manowar, Iced Earth and latter day Symphony X. II rides the fine line between traditional/power metal and hard rock which means there is quite a bit of variation to be had on the tracks and means that the record doesn't get repetitive. Songs such as the opening rager The Voice Inside and the heavyweight crunch of King For A Day are very good, in fact this writer was surprised just how good this band are, II is an album that doesn't really slow down with the first four tracks battering you into submission, mainly due to albums sparkling production that makes everything sound very loud. I'll Be Waiting starts slow but turns into a huge mountain top ballad with thunderous drums from Ranzo, before the power ramps back up again in the second part of the album. Before this record I hadn't really heard of Now Or Never but I'm glad I have now, they are a great band that have two albums full of metal anthems. 7/10
Blackhour: Sins Remain (Transcending Obscurity India)
Asia seems to be the new frontier for metal at the moment with hundreds of bands breaking out of the continent playing music that can be seen as counter-culture and in certain countries even illegal or Satanic. Adding their name to an ever expanding list of bands willing to go against the norm are Pakistan's Blackhour who play the kind of NWOBHM that launched the careers of Maiden and Priest and was forbear for the thrash explosion in California. In fact the 8 tracks on this record split their sound between that of early Iron Maiden and early Metallica, the similarities are uncanny in places meaning that a few of the songs on this record move into the realm of a cover band, even though they are playing their own songs. Saying this the band are all accomplished players and the songs themselves are well constructed metal songs with some technical flourishes and changes in time and pace giving them a progressive edge. However the one thing that lets this record down is the production, it's scratchy and yes retro but it sounds more like a cassette than an vinyl, I will admit it does add to the D.I.Y spirit of the NWOBHM era but there are ways to get this sound while still sounding good. Still this really the only gripe, yes the songs are a little samey and as I've said its a little too near cover band territory at times but it's a fun metal album that adds another band rebelling against the social norm, which really is the point of heavy metal. 7/10
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