1030. Ozzy Osbourne / The Ultimate Sin. 1986. 5/5

At the beginning of 1980, Black Sabbath had fired Ozzy Osbourne as their singer, had replaced him with Ronnie James Dio, and was about to release an album that restored their reputation and standing in the heavy metal world with “Heaven and Hell”. Meanwhile Ozzy was putting together a new band to restart his own career in the business, with doubts floating around as to whether or not he would be able to do that. Flash forward six years, and Black Sabbath was a shadow of its former self, having just released an album called “Seventh Star”, reviewed here on this podcast just recently on episode 184. Ozzy Osbourne however had moved to the top of the metal world on the back of his first three albums released under his own name. It was quite the turnaround, and one that was probably not lost on Tony Iommi at the time. The rise to the top however had not been smooth behind the scenes, with the ruthless nature of the music business making sure that Ozzy Osbourne was seen as the untouchable frontman for whom everything he touched turned to gold, while those who had as much to do with the success being garnered were finding the rug being pulled from under them.
Songwriting as much as performance was the reason Ozzy had managed to make this remarkable comeback, and yet those musicians involved were finding it difficult to get their dues. Bob Daisley has as much to do with his revival as any other person involved in his career, including wife and manager Sharon, and yet his reward had been to have to fight for his royalties from the first two albums and having been left off from live tours. His on again, off again, relationship with the Osbournes has been a struggle. So too had guitarist Jake E. Lee found his situation. For the “Bark at the Moon” album, Daisley had accepted a writers buyout of his royalties, deciding that getting a lump sum up front was better than having to fight for his money down the track. Jake also found this out the hard way. In an interview with Eddie Trunk in 2014, Lee was quoted:
“But they promise me, 'You'll get what's coming.' And I keep asking because I'm getting really close to finishing all my stuff on the record, and finally, once I lay down the final track of my guitar playing, they said, 'Ah! We have the contract for you.' And in it, it says, specifically, 'Ozzy Osbourne wrote all the songs. You had nothing to do with any of the writing, you have no claim to publishing, and you cannot say so publicly.' And I looked at it. I'm looking at Sharon, and I said, 'This is not what you told me before.' And she says, 'No, it isn't.' 'Why do you think I'm gonna sign it?' And she says, 'Because if you don't, we'll give you a plane ticket, you go back home and you stand in line and you sue us. In the meantime, we have all your tracks, we'll get another guitar player, he'll redo your tracks, and you'll have nothing.'"
“Bark at the Moon” remains a ludicrous situation where it claims that ‘All songs composed by Ozzy Osbourne’ even though it is completely untrue. All for the sake of money. Thus, when it came to producing the follow up album, Jake steadfastly refused to do anything until he had a contract that stipulated that he would receive full writing credit for everything he composed. It was a tough way to learn his lesson. And of course, it probably also ultimately cost him his job.
On the other hand, Ozzy had had a short stay at the Betty Ford clinic, going in for substance abuse. On his release, he met up with Jake and Bob in London to hear what had started coming together. Jake had composed the majority of the music while Bob had contributed the majority of the lyrics. In an interview for the Bob Daisley website, Bob was quoted:
“Ozzy (or someone other than me) came up with the titles for all the songs on this album, including the title track. I had co-written a lot of the music with Jake E. Lee in Palm Springs while Ozzy was in The Betty Ford Clinic there. All the vocal melodies were Ozzy's and most likely the song titles. I was dismissed after a little tiff between Ozzy and me and then called back to write the lyrics for the album a month or so later, so things developed while I was gone. Bass player Phil Soussan used some of my bass lines on the album. But yes, I wrote all the lyrics for that album except for 'Shot in the Dark'”.
Randy Castillo had been brought in to play drums for the album, while the bass players spot was a revolving door. When Daisley had been sent packing, a little-known bass player named Ralph Hood from Grand Prix was brought in – a fascinating story that you can hear in full on my Patreon channel if you are interested. When he was dismissed, Greg Chaisson was hired, and just as quickly let go. Finally, it was Phil Soussan, formerly of the band Wildlife, who played on the album.
Thus were the circumstances of the pulling together of resources to create “The Ultimate Sin”, Ozzy’s fourth album, and one that has been a source of contention ever since its release.

The album opens up with the thumping of drums from Randy Castillo, drawing in the fading in of guitar and into the opening riff supported by the bass guitar, before Ozzy joins and begin his diatribe for the start of the title track “The Ultimate Sin”. The mid-tempo acts as a conductor to have the drums driving the heavier tone at the opening. The lyrics sung by Ozzy here are interesting, and I’ve always wondered if Daisley was giving us another subtle crack at the Osbournes in regards to the writing credits from the previous album, and how on this one both he and Jake get their deserved credit.
“Anyway I look at it now, the doors are closed and cannot be opened, bury your anger and bury your dead, or you'll be left with nothing and no one. There's no point in screaming, cause you won't be heard, now the tables have turned, it was the ultimate sin”. Probably not, but I don’t think that interpretation was too far from his mind when he wrote them. It’s a great start and an underrated opening track, which is energised through the middle by Jake’s solo. This moves straight into the guitar riffing beginning of “Secret Loser”, one of my favourite Ozzy tracks. The faster pace pulls you along in its wake, joining in as Ozzy serenades you with “Loser, I’m a secret loser!” The Jake solo is followed by a great breakdown in the middle of the song where Randy plays along on his toms along with the bass, with barely a ripple from the guitar while Ozzy sings over the top, only to crash back into the chorus through the guitar and bass riffing back in hard and heavy. Great stuff.
“Never Know Why” settles in the same mid-range tempo that most of this album resides in, with the heavy 2/4 beat on the drums allowing Ozzy to follow the tempo vocally over the top of Jake’s riff structure. It sounds simple enough as a song structure, but it is effective in that it allows the guitar solo to be hero of the song, while the rhythm holds forth prominently throughout. Jake’s solo to play out the track is the shining light of the song and gives it its moment in the sun. The anti-war song “Thank God for the Bomb” follows, and uses a similar technique in the middle of the song with the tom roll followed by the guitar solo, and is just as enjoyable. Bob’s lyrics offer a reversal of the typical anti-war song, openly suggesting that perhaps it is the proliferation of all of these countries nuclear arsenal that is stopping nuclear war from occurring? Ozzy sings: “War is just another game, tailor made for the insane, but make a threat of their annihilation, and nobody wants to play. If that's the only thing that keeps the peace, then thank God for the bomb”. True enough indeed at a time that this event was still thought to be an inevitability. “Never” rounds out the first side of the album – and really, who was doing the titles of these songs? “Never Know Why” closely followed by “Never”? Isn’t that confusing? “Never” continues on with the war theme of impending doom, with Bob’s lyrics asking questions that he was always so good at composing: “If the Messiah is coming will he be too late, to reconcile our fears with our hate, and the memory of freedom that imprisons our heart, as we're greeted by the cold hand of fate”. All of this is perpetuated by the on-rolling rhythm and Jake’s great riffing, bringing side one of the album to a satisfactory end.
The second half of the album is where the real money shots reside. It starts off with the excellent “Lightning Strikes” which is prefaced by a great entry guitar riff from Jake before Ozzy gives it all on vocals. This is a quintessential Ozzy song from the era, and anyone who has seen the video for it, with Ozzy in all his glory, will know it with the hair and the outfit that he struts around in on it. The lyrics sum it all up as well, with Ozzy pontificating: “I'm not apologizing, I am what I am, there is no compromising, I don't give a damn” and that Jake solo in the middle of the track is iconic and legendary. This is followed by what is arguably the best song on the album, “Killer of Giants”. The opening guitar, bass and keys sequence, followed by Ozzy’s perfect vocal for the lyrics, before crashing into the harder edge of the song itself, is one of the best moments in all of Ozzy’s solo material. The second anti-war song on the album also brings to notice the tension that was in the air around the world at this point in the decade, opening with the lyrics: “If none of us believe in war, then can you tell me, what the weapons for? Listen to me everyone, if the button is pushed, there'll be nowhere to run”. Another terrific song.
“Fool Like You” and “Shot in the Dark” complete the album in style. “Fool Like You” is highlighted by the terrific drumming from Castillo. It may a simplified 2/4 beat that sounds like it is just holding the rhythm of the song in time, but it is the solid beat that he produces along the way, with the addition of the occasional flourish, that make this sound so great. It is a great track to drum along to as a result. Jake’s guitar riff opening is the part that drags out in, and then to the heart of the rhythm riff as Ozzy chimes in hammers down on... well... the fool like you! With Ozzy singing “You think you know it, you think you know it all, but you don’t even have a clue, and control is still in view for a fool like you, that’s true. Is there a reason for the way that you are, or does it just come naturally, to have an idiosyncrasy to be a fool like you. That’s true.” And the bridge leading into Jake’s solo, the change in key and Ozzy singing “He’s hiding, residing, deep within the crowd, a hand out, he’ll pull you, down..” is fabulous, and Jake’s solo leads us through to the final conclusion and he plays us out again with a continuation of his guitaring genius. Following on from the previous two tracks on Side B it continues the renaissance of the album. Which is then concluded by “Shot in the Dark”. This song actually came from Phil Soussan’s previous band Wildfire, and was reworked with different lyrics (apart from the title of the song) and a different musical structure. On the album it is credited solely to Ozzy and Phil, which seems a slight aberration to the rest of that band who worked on the original track. Still, this is the Osbourne’s, and we have seen just how this story goes. The opening riff from Jake is sensational. As wonderful as the melody of Ozzy’s vocals are on this track, it is Jake who provides the real impetus, the real highlights throughout, the guitar riffing outstanding and his solo’s again iconic. It is a great way to complete the album.
In the years since its release, "The Ultimate Sin” has been harshly regarded by many, including two of the principals of the album, Ozzy and Bob Daisley. Daisley has often called it his least favourite Ozzy Osbourne album, suggesting it is weak and uninspiring. Ozzy himself would often go around calling it “The Ultimate Din” and lamenting that was poorly recorded and of a far lesser standard than his previous and future releases. His blame lay at the feet of producer Ron Nevison. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 2019 he was quoted: “Ron Nevison didn’t really do a great production job. The songs weren’t bad; they were just put down weird. Everything felt and sounded the fucking same. There was no imagination. If there was ever an album I’d like to remix and do better, it would be The Ultimate Sin”.

Ozzy Osbourne came into my music listening sphere quite early on in my heavy metal music awakening. Indeed, I knew and listened to Ozzy before I began listening to Black Sabbath. That tale can be found on an episode of my Patreon channel entitled “Let the Madness Begin” for anyone who is interested in further discussion and podcast listening. It is an interesting tale, but one too long to go over here once again.
This album was released at the very start of this metal awakening, which meant that it was front and centre of my listening at a time when I was devouring anything new. In essence, I had been binging Iron Maiden for about four months, so that when this album came into my peripheral vision, I climbed on pretty hard. It was pushed at the time by the music video for “Shot in the Dark”, and it was prevalent every weekend on the music video shows I watched, especially “Rage” late night on ABC TV. It was hard to miss, in the era it was recorded in, and Ozzy’s hair and fashion sense. He may or may not have been looking to draw in from the glam and hair metal scene, but some of those outfits he wore at the time sure LOOKED like he was aiming for it! So I pounded this album when I first got it, one of those first albums that my Heavy Metal Music Dealer recorded for me on a C90 cassette. And Ozzy’s vocals were the central defining point for me at that time, but Jake E. Lee’s guitaring was a close second. I loved everything he put out there on this album, and once we saw the video from this tour, released as ‘The Ultimate Ozzy’, watching him play live was enthralling.
So we flash forward to the modern day. My vinyl copy of this album was lost many years ago, and I have been patiently waiting for my pre-ordered copy of the new remastered vinyl release to be released and delivered to my door. Instead, I have been listening to my old and battered CD copy in the Metal Cavern, and as always, it has been great reliving an album I have loved for so long. And here is yet another album that I have reviewed for this podcast where my opinion does seem to differ from the mainstream fanbase, where it is regarded less highly than what I think of it. As mentioned earlier, both Ozzy and Bob both are less than excited with it. So I sat back and listened discerningly, looking for signs that I might normally wash over just because I have accepted this album for what it is and that I have that undying love for it. A couple of things do come to mind. I can perhaps hear why there might be concern over “Never Know Why” or “Secret Loser” or “Thank God for the Bomb”. Perhaps they aren’t as strong as the songs on Side B. Perhaps they are weaker. And perhaps fans coming into this album beyond the time it was recorded and released will judge it against the style and production of an album like “No More Tears”, which is a tough judgement to make. Would better production on this album – and it is noticeably unremarkable it must be said - bring through the great elements recorded here? The drums appear a bit muddy in places, along with the bass sound. I’m hoping this has been rectified on my new vinyl copy, so that is not something I can judge here now. All I can say is that, for me, from when I first got this album, I have enjoyed every part of it, so it may well be in a cocoon that cannot be penetrated when it comes to criticism.
But one of the main things I have noticed with this album compared to Ozzy’s first three albums, in the years since “The Ultimate Sin” was released and I grew to know Ozzy’s albums so well, is the bass lines on this album. Phil Soussan is a very good bass guitarist, and what he plays and what he chose to use within the framework of all of these songs sounds good. But he is not Bob Daisley, and it is the one album up to “No More Tears” that Bob Daisley does not play on. And so, it sounds to me like it is missing something, and for me that is what is the big missing piece of the album. It is like Black Sabbath albums without Geezer Butler. Bob was excellent on all of the albums he played on in adding his little runs, that add a bit to moments in the songs where they needed it, and gave the song a flavour that is obvious when it isn’t a part of the track. I believe, perhaps naively, that this album would have been better for having Bob Daisley play bass guitar on the tracks he helped to compose. Perhaps Ozzy picked up on this but has never wanted to admit it. We’ll never know now.
The question could well then be asked – why do I love this album so much when others will find its simplicity to be slightly boring and uninteresting? It’s a fair question, and the answer will reside in the fact that I grew up with the album from the time of its release. It was one that my friends and I lived off at the time, and it speaks as much about my youth as it does about whether the songs on the album are average or awesome. The simple answer I guess is, my personal taste is satisfied by what this album offers. I think it is a shame that Jake, Bob and Randy did not play together again, and Phil as well. Jake and Phil were moved on after the tour to promote this album, with the reasoning behind their dismissals never publicly made known. Jake’s refusal to write anything until he had a binding contract, and Phil’s refusal to sign over his rights to “Shot in the Dark”, most likely played a major part in that. Once again, money and the Osbournes seems to be a prickly pear at worst.
Music speaks to all of us in different ways. I still find this as enjoyable and entertaining as I did thirty five years ago. And as a snapshot of the era of heavy metal, it is still one that showcases much of the direction that existed in 1986. And it continues to bring back great memories for me of that time whenever I put it back on my stereo.

1029. Anthrax / Spreading the Disease. 1985. 5/5

The time period between the release of Anthrax’s debut album “Fistful of Metal” and the release of their second album was perhaps the busiest and most hectic time the band has ever endured. Despite the number of changes in band personnel that occurred prior to that debut album being recorded and released, there was just as much movement and tension in between the next album. Tensions between lead vocalist Neil Turbin and bass guitarist Dan Lilker eventually led to Turbin firing Lilker without even consulting the rest of the band. That’s a powerplay if ever you’ve heard of one, and as Pepper Brooks says in the movie Dodgeball, ‘it’s a bold strategy Cotton let’s see if it pays off for him’. The band then toured in support of the album, but it was becoming obvious that people’s opinion that the band respected was becoming a major player, and at the conclusion of the tour, it DIDN’T pay off for Turbin, who himself was also fired from the band. But not by himself, the band.
Anthrax had already hired, on drummer Charlie Benante and guitarist Scott Ian’s insistence, Charlie's nephew Frank Bello to replace Lilker on bass guitar, who had played with the band on that tour. Now however they had to go through the process of auditioning and hiring a new lead singer. Turbin was briefly replaced by singer Matt Fallon but this also didn’t work out, leaving the band in limbo.
During this time, the band was directed towards a singer by the name of Joey Belladonna, who taste in music did not align with the other members of the band, and yet his voice was compelling, and after playing a few gigs together towards the end of 1984 to assess how the combination would work, they found that it did indeed come together nicely, and Anthrax had their new lead singer. In order to introduce the new lineup to the fans, the band went into the studio and recorded an EP with a new song, called “Armed and Dangerous”, released in February of 1985, and the story on which you can find on Episode 20 of this podcast.
From here the band began to plan for their next album. Some material already existed from sessions with Turbin and Lilker, and more would be expanded as they entered the studio. In fact, those sessions went so well that at the conclusion of writing and recording the album, there was still spare days available that had been paid for at the studio. It was during this time that Benante, Ian and Lilker composed and recorded the album that became Stormtroopers of Death’s debut album “Speak English or Die”, which you can also check out on episode 114 of this podcast. So lots for you to go back and check out if you haven’t already done so! More importantly, the sessions had brought forth the sophomore album for Anthrax, one which would be a giant leap year step forward for the band with the release of the album titled “Spreading the Disease”.

Sometimes it is hard to believe that this album was only released in 1985, because it feels like it has been around for a lot longer than that. The tweaking to the band, with Joey Belladonna and Frankie Bello brought in to replace Neil Turbin and Danny Lilker respectively, acted to smooth out the rough edges of the thrash metal roots of the band and brought a whole dimension both musically and vocally to the group, without reneging on any of the aggression and power of the music. The result of this is blindingly obvious on this album, and that is even though Turbin and Lilker had a hand in the composition of a couple of the tracks prior to their departure. For some fans this is an obscure album, one that they know but without certainty. They know the tunes but not necessarily the song titles. It has its share of songs that have become classic Anthrax tracks through the years, but mostly contains songs that have not been played live since the heady days of the 1980’s and are known best by those that had the album on its release.
There are two songs on the album that were written by the original song writing team of the first album, that being Turbin, Lilker and Scott Ian, though they had minor upgrades from what was originally composed. They are “Armed and Dangerous” and “Gung-Ho”. Both are of the same intensity of the songs on “Fistful of Metal”, with the furiousness of the guitars and drums extending through the time pattern being kept. And both sound great on this album. The difference in the quality of the songs would come down to better production, but also the instrumentation being more studied and the vocals of Joey Belladonna rather than of Turbin, where Joey’s operatic-like range gives them a completely different sound to what they would have had with Turbin on vocals. “Armed and Dangerous” has the slower clear guitar beginning that works its way up in tempo and heavy feel, and while the instrumentation speeds up Joey’s vocals soar along to carry the song perfectly. In “Gung-Ho” we have a song that is not denying its roots, starting off on fire with guitar and drums, and simply not slowing down for anyone. In some ways it’s amazing that Joey can even keep up, because the pace that is set by Charlie, Frankie, Scott and Dan is exhilarating. It is a perfect counterpoint to the material of the previous album. This song has all of the same aspects, but is matured, better defined and supported by a great voice.
The base of the album is still rooted in the thrash metal elements that the band grew up with. From the start in “A.I.R.” the hard hitting drums drive the song along with Joey’s soaring vocals proving the defining improvement of the band from debut album to sophomore release. Scott Ian eventually wrote in his autobiography in 2014 that “A.I.R.” stood for “Adolescence in Red”, a byplay of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”. The faster pace back to the middle of the track is dictated by Charlie’s rhythmic drumming patterns, and the lift in tempo through the guitar solos to the end is fabulous. Then comes the amazing “Lone Justice”, one of the band’s most underrated tracks, kicking off with Frankie Bello’s brilliant bass riff opening with Charlie’s drum undercurrent, and then blazing into the song itself. With lyrics inspired by Stephen King’s “The Gunslinger”, the first book of his The Dark Tower series, Joey and the band take us on a monumental ride, and every part of it is fantastic. That great rhythm holds throughout the song, the guitars wail over the top and Joey delivers in spades, rising to the high pitched note to finish of the track in style. It’s a gem. One of the two best known songs of the album is the single “Madhouse”, which had a video filmed for the song but was largely ignored by most music video programs at the time. It remains one of the best known of Anthrax’s early catalogue, and is still a fun song to mosh around to. “S.S.C. / Stand or Fall” starts off with a very Dave Mustaine-ish Megadeth-like guitar riff before bursting out into a similar speed metal pace. The incorporation of Joey’s wonderful vocals alongside the support in the sing-along chorus from Scott and Frankie gives the song a great vibe. Dan Spitz on lead in this song is scintillating as the tempo reaches full crescendo by its conclusion. Another of the great underrated tracks on the album. “The Enemy” is at a more sedate pace for the most part of the song, a great mid-tempo that is dominated by the hard-hitting drums from Charlie, before the finale comes signalled by Joey’s scream. This a far more traditional heavy metal song, one that shows an ability of the band to reach into other areas of the metal realm and it still works a treat, and closes out the first side of the album with that perfect “Screams! In the night!” conclusion.
The second side of the album bursts to life with the track “Aftershock” that pummels away with the chanting back-ups from Scott and Frankie again, Charlie’s unrelenting drumming powering through the track and fierce guitar riffing throughout. Following the excellence that is still “Armed and Dangerous”, completely dominated by the vocal of Joey Belladonna, “Medusa” settles straight into the perfect rhythm from the start, and it too is brought to life by Joey’s amazing vocals throughout. Tat opening riff, and then Joey’s introductory burst, is still as amazing as it was on the day of the album’s release. Funnily enough, the highest note of the song, the word “Medusa!” in the chorus is taken on by Frankie Bello on backing vocals. “Medusa” remains as one of Anthrax’s best songs, producing the heavy emotional response that their best songs do. The album then concludes with “Gung-Ho!” and another wonderful vocal performance from Joey.
The most noticeable difference between this album and the following albums is that from this point there was a lot of forceful backing vocal chanting coming from Scott Ian and Frank Bello in future albums that isn’t as prevalent here at all. This is an album with songs that hold a typical pattern vocal wise. They appear here, but aren’t dominating the songs, they are supplementing the songs. This album focuses on Joey’s wonderful pipes, and why the hell wouldn’t it?

My introduction to Anthrax far later than it should have, which while it isn’t a lasting regret it is one that I occasionally think about when I am reminiscing on the past. Despite my introduction to the delights of the heavy metal genre through 1986 and 1987, Anthrax was one of those bands that did not come along until after that period of time. As it turned out, this was the album that acted as my entry point to the band, buying the cassette version of this album on a whim from Kiama Sight and Sound back in 1989, at a time that I had a few coins in my pocket and a desire to finally work out what this band Anthrax was all about after some years of seeing their albums but not having heard anything of them. The cover art was enough to have me curious as to what it may contain.
Those first few listens were enough to convince me that I had missed a trick by waiting this long. Everything about it was where I was happy to be, but it was the B side of the cassette, with “Aftershock”, “Armed and Dangerous”, “Gung-Ho” and the most majestic and amazing “Medusa” that dragged me in. I just couldn’t get enough of those four songs. The tempo, the moodiness, and the magnificence. It was just joyous. Though my memory isn’t perfect about those days, I do seem to remember listening to this side of the album, and then rewinding it to listen to it again a fair bit in the early days, before I finally gave in and allowed myself to also listen to the A side of the cassette, which of course I grew to love just as much in a very short space of time.
So lets fast forward to the present day, and once again the album returns to the stereo. The cassette version has long since died, and I own the CD, but in recent times I have picked up a 1985 pressing of the album on vinyl, and it is this that has graced the walls of the Metal Cavern with the volume turned up to somewhere near landing aeroplane levels. And I have loved every moment of it, which I know I say a bit on this podcast, but I really have. All the main players as outlined here still live up to the time when I first heard it. “Lone Justice” and “The Enemy” ride the waves, and the B side of the album still shines magnificently.
This is still an oft-forgotten gem amongst the Anthrax artillery. While the style of music that Anthrax produced continued to evolve over the coming albums, this is the one that perhaps best epitomises their thrash and speed metal roots while showcasing the great talent of all of the band members. Perhaps it isn’t considered in the same light as albums such as “Among the Living”, “State of Euphoria” and “Persistence of Time” but for me it is still a terrific album.

1028. Motörhead / Under Cöver. 2017. 4/5

With the demise of most of the band, and most importantly Lemmy himself, there was going to be few opportunities to cash in on the Motörhead name going forward. This collection of cover songs, collected from the past 25 years, is not something new. Most fans of the band will either already own these songs on other publications or will have heard them at some time. It is a chance to bring them all together in one album, though in this age of digital music and playlist most could have done it themselves if the mood had hit them. But enough of this negative stuff. It is a Motörhead album after all.

Even with this band, you would have to be hard pressed to believe that some of the songs that they perform here they could pull off in a manner that befits the original. Probably the best case in point is the first song on the disc, Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law”. There is no way Lemmy is going to match Rob in the vocal range. But what the band does, as it so often does, is make this into a quite serviceable hard rock song, with a slower but perfectly formed tempo, and the vocals dominating over the top. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but you can believe it is a simplified song done simply and well. The same applies with the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen”, where Mikkey Dee’s metronomic drumming takes centre stage, once again keeping a perfect tempo that Lemmy and Phil Campbell perfectly complement the song. It takes the furiously crazy original version and turns it into a perfectly good hard rock song with almost no effort whatsoever. Terrific. It’s a tougher gig taking on a David Bowie song, in a lot of ways but mostly vocally, but that doesn’t stop the trio taking on his “Heroes”. But the technique is used again, disposing of much of the 1970’s antiquity of the song and using the solid base of the Motörhead sound to recreate the song in their image. Okay, so maybe this doesn’t work as well as the first two songs, but this version does grow on you in time. That Lemmy and David passed away within two weeks of each other is perhaps the saddest part of all.
Rainbow’s “Starstruck” was recorded for the Ronnie James Dio tribute album Ronnie James Dio: This Is Your Life, and features Saxon’s Biff Byford on lead vocals. This is a rollicking version of the original track, with Lemmy providing the back-up vocals during the chorus. Neither is an RJD on vocals but it is a fun version all the same. Ted Nugent’s “Cat Scratch Fever” comes from the March ör Die album, and has never been a favourite of mine. I don’t particularly like the song which makes it hard to like this version at all. Then come two Rolling Stones favourites, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Sympathy For the Devil”. Both are done faithfully to the original versions though with that Motörhead twang.
“Hellraiser” has always been a fan favourite. Co-written by Lemmy with Zakk Wylde and Ozzy Osbourne, both did versions on their respective albums, March ör Die and No More Tears. Motörhead’s version is both different enough and original enough to hold its own against Ozzy’s version, and was also on the Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth - Movie Soundtrack. Both The Ramones cover of “Rockaway Beach” and the Twisted Sister cover “Shoot ‘Em Down” are serviceable without being anything but what they claim. The star attraction is the cover of Metallica’s “Whiplash”. What Motörhead did here with this cover was brilliant. They literally turned it into a Motörhead song, completed with Lemmy’s recognisable bass run and the changing of the lyrics in the final verse. It is a masterpiece and rivals the original version for magnificence. This is the one song every fan must hear if they haven’t because it truly defines who Motörhead is.

As with all albums that are full of cover versions of other bands’ songs, this is an interest piece, and your interest will wane over time. A week perhaps, or a month. Eventually you will want to go back to hearing the original versions of these songs, and this album will return to your collection and sit there for a very long time before it sees the light of day again. As a curiosity this is fine. As a long-term listener, it is not going to last in the end.

Rating:  “Never stop, never quit, we are Motörhead”.  4/5

1027. Lita Ford / Lita. 1988. 4/5

The 1980’s was where I grew up. It contained all of my teenage years and it was where I discovered heavy metal and the bands that became my lifeblood. It was a wonderful part of my growing up, enjoying finding new bands and new albums, and getting the most out of them. Of all of those bands and albums I discovered in that decade, it is difficult to pin down now, all those years later, what it was that attracted me to this album. There is every chance there were many factors, but surely only two are the real reasons. It was either the fact that Lita did a duet on this album with Ozzy Osbourne and I just had to hear what that was like… or more likely it was the music video for “Kiss Me Deadly” that drew in the hormones and sucked me into the abyss.

This was the first album I heard or owned of Lita Ford. I had vague knowledge of her time with The Runaways at the time, and that she had been mixed in with Joan Jett in those days. Everyone in the world knew Joan Jett from her “I Love Rock and Roll” hit a few years before, but Lita hadn’t had as much publicity in that time. Aside from the factors already mentioned, I had also read that Lita had collaborated in a failed project with Tony Iommi, so there were enough ties to the music I was listening to at the time to back up my purchasing of Lita. There was a fascination with hearing what a female guitar player and singer could produce, given that most of the music that I had been exposed to at that time was long haired male bands.
From the outset, the album settles into the genre that was making waves at the time, the hair metal sugar rock that was being proliferated by bands such as Bon Jovi, Poison, Ratt and others. It would probably border on soft metal, but Lita’s guitar and vocals keep it above that, showing off a flair that keeps the energy high and the momentum flowing. There is the usual proliferation of soft metal ballads of course, but for the most part they are done in a way that makes them enjoyable more than cringe worthy. This all comes as a matter of taste of course. If you come into this album thinking it is going to be highbrow lyrically and bombastic musically then you are in the wrong frame of mind. If you come into it openly realising that you are getting a genre that is forever going to be stuck in its era then you are a much better chance of enjoying it.
Most of the songs here are still able to swing their thing. The groove of “Back to the Cave” still drags you in from the outset, while the Lemmy Kilminster-penned “Can’t Catch Me” might be repetitive lyrically but it has the higher velocity tempo that picks up the pace of the album nicely. “Kiss Me Deadly” is the song that for me is synonymous with Lita’s career. It is upbeat, fun and allows Lita to show the best of her wares, singing at high volume and giving us a taste of her guitar skills over the top of the probably-too-prevalent keyboards in the mix. “Falling In and Out of Love” is surprisingly catchy given its obvious motivation. I still surprise myself when I find myself singing along to the song. The second side starts with the hard drumming and emotive “Fatal Passion” which again sets the right tone. “Broken Dreams” sets the template for the band Vixen that appeared at this time. It could have come straight from their debut album.
On the other side, “Blueberry” feels far too melodramatic both musically and vocally to get behind. I understand the motivation behind it and like the fact that it tries to get darker but overall I think it holds up the album. So too “Under the Gun”, which drops the tempo back a couple of notches and goes for the serious side of the music. Again both these songs are ok but not on the top shelf of the album.
The final song is the duet with Lita and Ozzy Osbourne. “Close My Eyes Forever” is no doubt the crossover song that encouraged many to at least give this album a try. It is very much a power ballad, and both Lita and Ozzy combine well within the song, topped off by a good solo from Lita as well. The video, along with the one for “Kiss Me Deadly”, got heavy rotation on music video programs at the time and no doubt drove the sales of the album. I wonder how many of those that bought the album on the back of this song actually listened to the album more than half a dozen times?

I have no problem in admitting that most of the reasons I still like this album is because I bought it upon its release, and it reminds me of those times and all the good things that happened then. And yes, I had the poster of Lita on the wall of my bedroom. Having had a couple of days of this album on constant rotation, I still find it so easy to listen to, and I find that I enjoy it now more than I really expected to. While Lita’s other albums of those days are ok without being great, this one still has the hooks that the commercially-friendly writing and recording afforded it. The Osbourne touch, both managerially and musically, is a helpful asset. I still enjoy this as much as any hair metal album of the era, which is the key. If you don’t enjoy that era of music, then this isn’t for you.

Rating:  “Late for my job and the traffic is bad, had to borrow ten bucks from my old man”.   4/5

1026. Serious Black / Magic. 2017. 3/5

It is somewhat out of the ordinary in this day and age for a band to be releasing new albums in consecutive years. Probably not so much from new young bands, whose first album comes out based on material they have been gigging around for years, and suddenly they find they have a mountain of songs they want to get down and get out to the masses. That was the ‘old’ way which rarely seems to reproduce itself in the current music industry. Such then is the surprise about Serious Black’s output since their formation in 2014, ostensibly a combination of musicians from several backgrounds and bands coming together to do some new material. With Magic the band has released their third album in as many years.

There is nothing ground breaking here. They aren’t reinventing the wheel of the power metal genre in any way. But I do think it is fun. I have had this on fairly constant rotation for the past week since its release, and I haven’t tired of it, which has happened to countless other albums of bands I have picked up along the years in this same musical category. Granted, there are times when I think I am listening to the same song over and over again such can be the similarity of the song structure or keyboard riff of vocal properties involved. Like I said, this isn’t the stuff that is meant to create the Next Big Thing in music. But it is harmless enough, and everything fits together nicely. The rhythm section of the wonderful Alex Holzwarth on drums, Mario Lochert on bass and Jan Vacik on keyboards provide the solid base on which the songs are formed. Any album that Alex plays on is automatically better for his presence, the crispness and perfection of his drumming is always a highlight. The dual guitars of Bob Katsionis and Dominik Sebastian are given their freedom to both harmonise together and then have their place with various solo spots throughout the songs, all of which are impressive enough to keep the songs heading in the right direction. Urban Breed’s vocals emit all of the right moves without being extraordinary, but they suit the songs the way they have been written.
So what is it that makes this album what it is? I know it has been bagged in some quarters of the reviews I have read, with some of those people feeling it is either selling out of too childish or without any template to make it a serious album (no pun intended). I would certainly say that if you don’t have a penchant for power metal then you will have trouble finding anything in this release, because not only does it have this in spades, but it also hails back in some way to the hair metal designs of the 1980’s scene, with touches of Europe and Def Leppard and Dokken and other such bands throughout. It’s not an acquired taste as such, more of an album that if you have a certain range of influences you will be able to get the most out of it. Without that correct range of musical tastes it will probably not appeal to you at all.
For what it is worth, I like this album. Since the first time I played it, I enjoyed it. I can have it on in the background to whatever I am doing, and I enjoy having it on. And I think that is where both the beauty and the problem of the album lies. Those going into it looking for majesty and brilliance of the highest levels are listening to the wrong album. This isn’t what this is purporting to be. And I think it is the kind of album that you either like immediately or dismiss immediately, because if it doesn’t catch you on those first couple of listens you are going to cast it aside and go looking for the next album in line. For me, I enjoyed it immediately, for all of those power metal basics that you either love or hate. Apart from Alex’s drumming, the guitar riffs are good, the solos are generally excellent and Breed’s vocals do their job. At an hour in length it is probably a bit long, exacerbated by the similarity of the tracks, and perhaps a more 1980’s album length of 45 minutes would have been appropriate.

In the long run, if you are looking for the next power packed album along the lines of Gamma Ray or Helloween, then you won’t find that here. On the other hand, if you are looking for an album that keeps you entertained for an hour while you are driving the car or at work or in the garden, then this should fit the bill. You might move on to those other bands rather quickly after listening to this, but listening to this won’t be a disappointment if you accept it for what it is.

Rating:  “Tell me now, am I taking it too far?”  3/5

1025. Masterplan / PumpKings. 2017. 4/5

The past can be a tough thing to break away from. The good memories are there, but so are the bad. In a music sense, this can be exactly the same path. The good memories of bands that you have been a part of in the past will always stay with you, but the ones that leave a bitter taste in your mouth will often also resurface. In deciding to revisit the majority of the songs that he either wrote outright or co-wrote when he was in Helloween, Roland Grapow has taken the plunge that he can convince everyone that these songs deserve a second outing, perhaps completely as he wanted them to be heard than as the band had done so originally. The fact that it comes at a time that Helloween are going out on a world tour with former members Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske, and he didn’t get an invite to join in, perhaps gives this more presence in that regard.

Roland was a member of Helloween for over a decade, and played on some of their better albums, and some of their most divisive. At least half of the songs here comes from albums that many fans have trouble even listening to any more, such as Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon. That in itself makes this album a brave move, because so many of the songs are not high profile Helloween songs. That in itself doesn’t mean they are bad songs or poor songs, and to be honest in trying to give them a second chance, a new lease of life away from the glaring drudgery of a couple of those original albums, perhaps there was a chance that they could find their own place without that anchor weighing them down. On the other hand, there is a greater danger of doing songs that are well liked and thought of in their original Helloween form, because then these versions are directly competing with those versions, and it would be a very difficult thing to compare the two.
So how does the album go? It is important to put out there from the start that Masterplan the band sounds fantastic once again. New drummer Kevin Kott does a great job, and is well supported by bass guitarist Jari Kainulainen in the rhythm section. Their groundwork is wonderfully solid. All of these songs have a heavier keyboard element in them that the Helloween versions do, which isn’t surprising given the masterplan sound does revolve heavily around founding band member Axel Mackenrott. Roland’s guitaring is as superb as ever, and he really brings it home in the songs off The Dark Ride, as it is where he is at his best both playing and writing. The toughest job falls to vocalist Rick Altzi who not only has to hold together his vocals in these songs, he will inevitably find himself compared against the two original vocalists on these songs, Michael Kiske and Andi Deris. No favours there at all.
The three songs that are drawn from Pink Bubbles Go Ape – “The Chance”, “Someone’s Crying” and “Mankind” – are different in nature. “The Chance” and “Mankind” are two of the better songs on that album, while I never really enjoyed “Someone’s Crying”. Masterplan’s version of “The Chance” here is a good one, and just as jaunty as the original. “Someone’s Crying” still lacks some heart, while “mankind” here suffers a little in the vocals compared to the original. It’s a similar story to the two songs that come from Chameleon – “Step Out of Hell” and “Music”. The version of “Music” actually works better here than the original, but that is perhaps because you couldn’t get much worse than the original version. It is still far too slow and drawn out to gather any momentum. “Step Out of Hell” here equals the original, with Rick getting the right amount of energy into the vocals that the songs deserves.
Into the power songs of the album, and we have three songs from Master of the Rings – “Mr. Ego (Take Me Down)”, “Still We Go” and “Take Me Home” – the title track from The Time of the Oath – “The Time of the Oath” – and two tracks from The Dark Ride – “Escalation 666” and “The Dark Ride”. Each of these versions are wonderful musically, but they all lack what Andi Deris brought to the vocals. There’s no shame in that, as he is fantastic, and Rick actually suits the music that Masterplan writes, but you can notice especially in songs such as “Mr. Ego (Take Me Down)”, “The Time of the Oath” and “The Dark Ride” that they just aren’t the same. Good versions, but just lacking slightly in detail.

So was the motivation for this album purely that Helloween are touring shortly without Roland and he wanted to show that he was also once part of the group, or was it an easy solution to cover the fact that Masterplan has not released a studio album in four years, or was it just a chance to try and put these songs that Roland was a part of in a new light? Whatever the reason was, this album is more than worth the effort for fans of either Masterplan or Helloween to grab and have a listen to. There is still a lot to like about this band, and most of the songs here are still great to listen to, and hearing them in a modern light is not a bad thing at all.

Rating:  “Take a spin on the dark ride, may too far from the other side”.  4/5

1024. AC/DC / Let There Be Rock. 1977. 4/5

Back in 1977, if you are to believe the reports and interviews of people in and around the band, AC/DC had some problems. Because they had been based in the UK for 18 months on tour, their Australian fans had begun to abandon them. There was some tension within the band between some of the members. And their record company was on the verge of dropping them entirely. So, if you are any other band, you probably fight on for a little while and then break up. If you are AC/DC? Well, you say ‘damn the man!’ And you come out and produce an album that, 45 years ago today, was released upon the world for the first time. An album that, in many people’s eyes and ears, could be considered arguably their finest moment and one of the greatest albums in Australian music history.

Looking back now, all of those long years ago, it is hard to believe that AC/DC had a period where they were not revered in all places of the world, and that in Australia they had begun to wane in popularity. For those of us who waited so long to see them live in concert, because they had refused to return to Australia because of the lack of attention they felt they were receiving at the time, the hurt and pain is still real.
The story of the period leading up to the recording in January 1977 still makes for interesting reading. Mick Wall wrote a terrific article on the Classic Rock website in 2016 titled “Let The Be Rock: The album that saved AC/DC’s career”, where he laid out the landscape that the band found themselves in at the time. They had gone to London for most of 1976 on the back of the international version release of “High Voltage”. However, on returning home just prior to Christmas expecting a triumphant reception, they found that the audience they had recruited through appearances on ABC’s ‘Countdown’ had moved on, to bands such as Skyhooks and Sherbet. They played a gig at Sydney’s Hordern Pavillion that was barely half-full, something that had the band seething. And while their album “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” had reached top five in Australia, overseas in the UK it hadn’t made the charts at all, and in the US… well… Atlantic Records there decided they hated the album, and wouldn’t release it, and were going to drop the band completely. With the soft rock sounds of artists such as The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and Elton John dominating the American radio stations, Atlantic saw no way that an Australian hard rock band could penetrate that market. Add to this that the band’s antics on and off the stage were causing friction, and that bass guitarist Mark Evans was not on the best terms with the Young brothers, and it can be seen that things did not look great for the still fledgling group.
So how did the band react to all of this? Probably as you’d expect. They were cranky – pissed off actually. And while the head of the UK section of Atlantic Records was able to convince the US parent company to retain the band, AC/DC retreated into the Alberts Sydney recording studio, where they spent two weeks writing, rehearsing and recording a new album with which to set things right. And that album became “Let There Be Rock”.

Certainly in those days, the band never went into the studio with anything written. They never did demo’s of songs. Everything was written and recorded in the studio, and rarely in any more time than two weeks. That’s how long it took this album to appear from start to finish. All of the rhythm and drum tracks were completed in the first week, while the vocals and lead guitar were completed in the second week. Malcolm and Angus came in during that first week and decided to just throw riff after riff after riff into the mix, looking to make “Let There Be Rock” a huge sounding guitar album. As the songs took shape, cassette versions were given to Bon, who then delved through his book of shorthand notes to compose the lyrics for the songs.
The description of how those songs were composed and recorded is absolutely insane. They were angry and fuelled by alcohol and drugs, and that’s how the album sounds from start to finish. As a way to stick it up those who they felt were against them, it was effective. Certainly, if their American record company thought they were going to soften their image in order to make themselves amenable to the US market, they were sorely mistaken.
There is definitely a heavier blues based rock in the rolling rhythm throughout most of the songs, highlighted immediately by the opening track “Go Down”, where the blues beat holds together the basis of the song, and allows Bon Scott initially to hold the reins on vocals, before Angus Young comes in to perpetuate his solo piece in the middle of the track. Bon and Angus trading vocals and guitar tweets through the second half of the song draws in the blues roots as well. It is a terrific opening track, which is followed by a better one in “Dog Eat Dog”. It settles into that hard rocking rhythm that Malcolm, Phil Rudd and Mark Evans play so well on these early albums, and again let Bon and Angus do their thing. And as great as Bon’s vocal is here, for me it is Phil’s drumming that hold this song together and makes it so great. The rhythm he keeps throughout is just magnificent, and by utilising a beat that focuses on the toms and bass drum with little hi hat or cymbal action at all it enhances everything. Just terrific.
And then there is the title track. We all know what a great song it is, how Bon’s lyrics are brilliant, how Malcolm and Mark’s rhythm riffs just dominate the track, and how brilliant Angus onlead is. But for me again Phil Rudd’s contribution gets overlooked. As Mick Wall wrote in the article I mentioned earlier… and I quote:
“Mark Evans said of “Let There Be Rock”, “Phil on that is just absolutely out of this world. We did two takes of it, and at the end of the first one I remember thinking: ‘That’s the end of Phil for a couple of hours’ But Phil said: ‘Let’s go again now.’ I thought the guy was gonna fucking explode. From my memory, I’m pretty sure they used the second take.” End quote. No click tracks, no drum machines. Just Phil Rudd playing the song back-to-back twice, and they get the take. Incredible.
“Bad Boy Boogie” inserts the lengthy and stretched out solo sections for the guitars to make their mark, much like the band would do in a live setting but here in the studio, an example of the ‘riffs and riffs’ idea of this album, and it ends the first side in style.
Depending on what version of the album you have, on the second side of the album you will either be enjoying a shortened version of “Problem Child” on the International version, which initially was released on ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’, or the song “Crabsody in Blue” which came on the initial and Australian release of the album. I personally like “Problem Child” better, despite its original place on Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. “Crabsody in Blue” seems to stifle the momentum of the album at its entry point, and is also drowning in the blues which may also be a bone of contention with me. The exchange of these two songs does make the international version of the album a better listen, but it is ironic given the US refused to release the “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” album, but had this song replace “Crabsody in Blue” because they felt the subject matter was not befitting their label. Please….
“Overdose” and “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be” also run along similar lines and patterns. “Overdose” has a similar pattern to “Live Wire” early on, but builds with its own momentum to reach its crescendo. “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be” has always been one of those underrated AC/DC songs, one that those that only listen to the singles never get to know. It again builds from a slowish start to find its own pace and strength, and it does all the right things for the fans. It’s another great track here.
So too is “Whole Lotta Rosie” which is still a live favourite today. Focusing on Bon’s meeting with a female ‘acquaintance’ back in the day, this is a rollicking track that is ecstatically explained by Bon, before Angus takes over and gives an extended solo piece to hold the middle of the song together. It is still one of the great AC/DC songs and it closes the album on a high note.

Like most people of my generation, I was aware of AC/DC before I became a fan. The occasional AC/DC song was played on the radio when I was growing up, but nothing like it is now, where you can get one every couple of hours. As a teenage boy growing up in Australia in the early 1980’s, AC/DC was one of those bands that you were expected to listen to and adhere to. But for those early 80’s years the only albums I knew were “TNT” and “Back in Black”.
Once out of high school, and having seen the band live at the start of 1988 on their first Australian tour in seven years, the ability to accumulate more albums came about, and I was able to eventually find my own copies of all of their back catalogue. And, like all of them, it’s terrific.
In the years since 1980, there has been that old story that AC/DC just keep producing the same album year after year, with the same rhythm beat and riff and keep churning out the tracks and albums. Perhaps there is an element of the ‘same’ about them, but that certainly wasn’t the case with “Let There Be Rock”. That rhythm is amazing, but Phil Rudd’s drumming is a star attraction, changing with the tempo of the track as set by the Young brothers, and utilising every piece of his kit in different tracks. And Angus’s solo pieces are electrifying. There is no doubt that the attitude and underlying frustration they all went into the studio with fuelled the way this album was written and played, and it is all the better because of that.


I truly love this album, still pull it out of its cover and throw it on the turntable almost every month of every year and enjoy all forty minutes. It is still as fresh today as it was on the day of its release… or so I assume. And I can assure you I have had it going around a lot over the last few days leading up to this podcast episode… right now as I record this in fact, in the background there. “Go Down”, “Dog Eat Dog”, “Overdose”, “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be”, “Let There Be Rock”, “Whole Lotta Rosie”… I mean really, what is there NOT to love about this album? It is a masterpiece, a slab of the greatest hard rocking genius that has ever been recorded – and I say that even considering that, two years ago when we were sent int our first covid lockdown, I went through the entire AC/DC catalogue, and ranked their albums from 16 to 1 (before their latest album Power Up came to be released), and even though I have fawned over this album… there is still one AC/DC album I ranked ahead of it… now I’m not going to name that, you can all have a bit of a guess between yourselves… because on day’s like today, I really believe that THIS is their best ever…

1023. Alice Cooper / Paranormal. 2017. 3/5

The time between albums may be beginning to stretch outwardly, but there’s little doubt that it still gives you a warm feeling when you hear Alice Cooper is bringing out some new material. And that’s not because you may think it is going to be amazingly groundbreaking or magnificently catchy, but because with Alice you now know what you are getting, and that is fun songs with enough of a kick to keep you entertained throughout. And once again that is what Alice has provided for us with Paranormal.

In recent years – what feels like forever – Alice and his co-writers have concentrated on concepts for his albums, where each song contributes to the story being told, and sometime that can be a bit restrictive. Here on Paranormal they have steered clear of this and just gone out and written songs, of varying genres it must be said, but effectively. How much you enjoy the switch between styles of music in the songs here is probably going to determine exactly how you feel about the album.
“Paranormal” combines the reflective and the faster paced, and I have found is a grower, in that it gets better each time you listen to it. Once you know the nuance of the song it is much more enjoyable. This is followed by “Dead Flies” that seems to reach right back into the past, with the stomping drums and Alice’s chanting vocals bringing back memories of past great moments. “Fireball” has a similar theme where the backbeat drives the song while Alice sings over the top. “Paranoiac Personality” is okay, but to me it’s a bit repetitive and doesn’t really break out of its mould at any time. From here we fall back in to some other realm of music, as though we had moved back in time, with a very ‘rock n’ roll’ feel to the songs. “Fallen in Love’ is the first of this genre, and is followed by “Dynamite Road” which has a very southern sound about it, highlighted by the drum beat throughout. It’s a beauty, but is another one that takes some time to let it grow on you.
The second half of the album doesn’t quite measure up to the first half. “Private Public Breakdown” plods along without any great energy or motivation, perhaps in essence like the title of the song. “Holy Water” is at least more upbeat in style but just seems to lack that real Alice Cooper twist to make it more likeable. “Rats” is okay, but again probably not up to the enjoyable level of earlier songs. “The Sound of A” is far too much in the genre of a Pink Floyd song, and given my reticence of that band it makes it a difficult song to get through. Oh well.
There is some fun on the second disc, where the first two songs are written and composed and played by the remains of the original Alice Cooper band. Both “Genuine American Girl” and “You and All Your Friends” are interesting for the fact that they sound like they are from the era immediately following the group’s break up. For nostalgia they serve their purpose.
The real kicker is the six live songs that are tacked on to the end of the release. Why so? Because for perhaps the first time on the whole album, you feel rejuvenated, you feel up and you feel excited about the music. Because these are the great tracks, the ones from different eras that are the best that Alice can produce. And even after all these years, these are the songs I love to sing – “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, “Under My Wheels”, “Billion Dollar Babies”, “Feed My Frankenstein”, “Only Women Bleed” and “School’s Out”.

Are there truly any bad Alice Cooper albums? Well, I guess the answer is yes, but certainly since the mid-1980’s I think that while the quality overall may be different from album to album, overall all of them are eminently listenable. This may well never become a classic album and it will never be as highly regarded as those albums from other eras of his career, but it comes down to how much do you like to sit down and listen to an Alice Cooper album. I enjoy it, quite a bit, and thus can find enough here to like and listen to.

Rating:  “And your phone knows more about you than your daddy or your mother”.   3/5

1022. Unisonic / Live in Wacken. 2017. 5/5

It was a busy little schedule at Wacken 2016 for Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen. Both were involved in the Hansen & Friends project, Kai as the instigator and Miki as guest on a number of songs, which played at the festival and released a live album of their own entitled Thank You Wacken: Live just a couple of weeks before this album was released. As well as that, then there was Unisonic, the band that Miki sings for and Kai guitars for, who also played on that weekend and which was recorded and packaged for this release, Live in Wacken.

It has been quite the journey, most notably for Kiske himself, who had so publicly slagged off heavy metal in the years after his departure from Helloween, and has now come (almost) full circle through the support of his part to play in the Avantasia project and through other friends in Roland Grapow (Masterplan) and Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray). The Unisonic band has progressed from an initial side project for all of the artists to one that has now released two albums and now this live recording, which ultimately goes to prove that the talents of the collective are quite high, and that they can do justice to their material in the live setting.
This is a cracking set list. I could not have chosen better if I had been given the job of choosing it. Every one of the best songs from their two albums makes an appearance here, along with the usual mix of older material from the number one vocalist. Opening up with “For the Kingdom” and “Exceptional” from the Light of Dawn album, the band exudes the energy you would expect from such an experienced and talented group. This is followed by “My Sanctuary” and “King For a Day” from the debut album, and both also have that energy you would expect. The joy that is “Your Time Has Come”, where Michi’s amazing vocals soar as well as they ever have, along with the twin guitar solos throughout the middle of the song between Kai and Mandy, and the double time rhythm from both Ward and Zafiriou makes for a terrific live version of this song.
Even the slower, less emphatic songs such as “When the Deed is Done” and “Star Rider” still have their moments here, even in their more melodic and less aggressive or fast arrangements. “Throne of the Dawn” is also an improvement on the studio version, and allows Kiske in particular to find a groove for the song that improves it in the live setting.
If you ever had any doubts about Miki’s vocal range… well, no… why would you… but my goodness, if you did, then listening to the two Helloween covers here would right that ship immediately. His own “A Little Time” is just perfect here, but it is possibly the interlude in the middle of this song will erase any doubt from your head forever. By incorporating a piece of Judas Priest’s classic “Victim of Changes” in the middle of this song, not only does it fit perfectly musically, but Kiske’s vocals are just magnificent, hitting every note in the lower scale and the upper echelons, as living proof he still has everything in his corner. Then the cover of Kai’s “March of Time”, which still ranks as one of my favourite Helloween songs ever, is just a piercing and harmonic and beautiful throughout. It is a masterpiece. Then album then concludes with “Unisonic” on overdrive, providing the perfect end to what is a sensational live gig and album.

It’s a fine line to tread when you have a project like Unisonic, where all the members have obligations in other projects, in order to make it work. Despite the range in music genres between the members of this band, it is terrific to hear it working so well in the live medium, which after all is where it all matters in the long run.

Rating:  “Chuggin like a monster, buzzing like a hive, everything is set to overdrive”.   5/5

1021. Hansen & Friends / Thank You Wacken: Live. 2017. 5/5

When Kai Hansen announced he was doing this project, obsequiously to memorialise over thirty years in the metal music business, as a fan I was as always interested in what it would produce. The album XXX: Three Decades in Metal I felt was excellent, and allowed him to explore other avenues that he couldn’t do in his other bands. With so much going on in his music life it was not surprising that he wanted to play this new material live, even if it could not be in a long form tour. Performing at Wacken in 2016, this album is the result of recording that gig.

Now, the one major problem this gig faced was this. The album was not released until September of 2016. The Wacken festival took place, as always, in early August, which meant that all of the material off the new album that was played at this gig had never been heard by the fans. In retrospect, as an Australian fan, it hasn’t been a problem for me, as I have had that album since its release, and I have had this recording since its release just a few weeks ago. But is there anything worse than turning up at a concert and not knowing half the songs? As a fan, it is the most difficult thing imaginable. You can’t throw yourself full belt into the gig, because you don’t know half the material. It could be rubbish, and you are left there with your arms folded. Waiting for the good stuff to come on. As I said, that didn’t affect my enjoyment of this album because I know all the songs, but I wonder just how the reaction really went over on the day (it looked positive on the DVD of the gig, don’t get me wrong).
It all sounds fantastic. Kai’s band that recorded the studio album is all here, except for drummer Dan Wilding who was off touring with Carcass, and so Gamma Ray’s custodian Michael Ehre fills in here with aplomb. Eike Freese on guitar and Alex Deitz on bass and backing vocals both show off their excellent skills and confirm why Kai was happy to collaborate with them in the first place. While all of the special guests who were a part of the original recording do not make an appearance here, there are a few who return to make their contributions to the “Hansen & Friends” concept.
If you haven’t listened to the album, then you will no doubt be just as confused as I imagine the crowd at Wacken were with all of the new material, but those who do know it will be happy and impressed with the live versions presented here. As on that album, the starring roles go to “Born Free”, “Contract Song” and “Follow the Sun”, where the rage that they have in the studio is replicated and enhanced here in the live setting. ”Burning Bridges” also sounds great live here. “All or Nothing” and “Fire and Ice” both sound terrific as well, with Clémentine Delauney enjoying her chance to sing these duets with Kai on stage. She has quite the presence.
Of the older Helloween material here, none of it can be faulted. It is kick started by what is still one of the greatest songs ever in “Ride the Sky”, through both the vocals and the duelling guitar solos in the middle. I still get chills listening to the song. Frank Beck, supporting vocalist here and now a member of Gamma Ray, produces a stunning version of “Victim of Fate”. It is always a pleasure to hear this song with full power and aggression. Michael Kiske comes out for his starring role in the Helloween staples “I Want Out” and “Future World”, while the set closer is the very underrated “Save Us”, where the ensemble gives the gig the finish it deserves, with both Frank and Clémentine lending serious support to this terrific song.

As live albums go, you won’t be disappointed with this offering. Even if you don’t know the newer material, the Helloween songs alone are worth the price of the album. Give the newer material a chance and you might be surprised as well. Once again, Kai Hansen seals his destiny as one of the finest and most influential musicians in the history of heavy metal.

Rating:  “In permanent madness we live, no time for life and for love”.   5/5

1020. Europe / The Final Countdown 30th Anniversary Show - Live at the Roundhouse [Live]. 2017. 3.5/5

A live album can only ever be as good as the band who plays on it, and the material they play. There are lots of good reasons why you would record a live album. Generally it is to celebrate a particularly successful tour by having it recorded for posterity, and allowing fans all over the world the opportunity to be a part of it if they haven’t been able to attend, or remember it fondly if they were able to see it. There is also the opportunity to make more money from something that hasn’t required a lot of creative effort. It is quite possible that this album was produced with both of these mindsets in place.

For many people who grew up in the 1980’s, Europe started and finished with the album The Final Countdown. To be honest, those that moved beyond it to the next release, Out of This World sometimes wished they’d stopped at the previous album. It was a perfect moment in time, with not only the title track of the album charting worldwide, but also a couple of the other singles managed to work their way into the psyche. The band of course had released albums before it, and has done so since they reformed after a long break back in 2003. For many though, they only know the one album, and not all of that album either. So when the 30th anniversary of the release of that album came around, no doubt it was in everyone’s best interests to go down that track of bringing it back to the present and performing it in its entirety in a live setting. I get that. And when you perform a concert, you need to have other songs in around this so that it lasts for more than an hour. So what does the band do? Well, as well as performing The Final Countdown in its entirety from start to finish, Europe decide to play their current album, War of Kings also in its entirety. Not quite in order, but the whole album nonetheless.
Is this a good move? That comes back to the original premise behind alive album. Do the punters want to see that whole album played? In reality, do they love that album enough to want to see it all done live? I can’t speak for those that went to the gig itself, but I would have had a few problems with it. First, I’d like to day that War of Kings is a terrific, entertaining album. I’d like to say that, but I’d be lying. There are some fair moments on this album, but overall it is quite drab. For a band that was so outrageous in 80’s fashion and music in their heyday, it just doesn’t feel right that most of the music on that album feels so washed out and lacking in energy. Having said that, you would like to think that this would be different in a live setting. Unfortunately, no. You only have to notice the lack of crowd involvement throughout the live set to understand that there just isn’t the same emotion in the new album as there could be. They band sounds great, of that there is no doubt. But the material just isn’t there.
The mood changes significantly once they move into The Final Countdown. The response from the crowd is immediate, and the music automatically livens up as well. That’s where the change is, and perhaps something Europe should be looking at. That also could be seen to be unfair, as I can freely admit that at this time I haven’t listened to anything they have recorded beyond 1988 apart from their latest album, so perhaps there is more there than I know. But once you hear the band and the crowd in songs such as “The Final Countdown”, ‘Rock the Night”, “Carrie”, “Danger on the Track”, “Ninja” and “On the Loose”, you know where the gold lies. Sure, Joey Tempest doesn’t hit those freakish higher notes anymore, and John Norum doesn’t quite rip it up the same way as he used to, but you can still hear the band circa 1986 trying to rip its way out of its 2016 bodies.

In the end we are left with that age old question, love of material over love of performance. This doesn’t provide you with anything new. It’s a nostalgia trip, one you can probably go on without the live album. It also probably won’t take you long to only play the second disc of the album. And then it probably won’t take you long to put this back in the rack and go back to the studio album itself.

Rating:  “Tell me the story, tell me the legend, tell me the tales of war”.  3.5/5

1019. Kiss / Kiss. 1974. 4/5

As all good Kiss fans know, the origin of the band can be traced back to a band called Wicked Lester, a New York City–based rock band led by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley that recorded one album, which was shelved by their record company, at which point both Stanley and Simmons decided to move on and start a new band, which became Kiss. Following an ad placed by drummer Peter Criss in a magazine and having gone to see him play in his band (and indeed, legend has it that it was his singing ability that impressed them the most), he auditioned and got the job as drummer. A few months later, the band added lead guitarist Ace Frehley to the group, and the original foursome was complete.
The band was immediately focused on producing a harder style of rock than their previous bands had done, and they were also experimenting with their stage image, utilising makeup and trying out different outfits along the way.
The band’s first live performance took place on January 30, 1973, for an audience of fewer than ten people at a club in Queens that Gene Simmons had cold called and convincing them to hire the band for a three-night performance, despite never having played together before. The band was apparently paid $50 for performing two sets on that first evening. For those first three gigs, January 30 to February 1, they wore makeup, but not in the form that the world was soon to know them. Their iconic character designs that everyone now associates with Kiss made their debuts a month later.
The band recorded a demo early on, but it was on the back of constant gigging that the band got itself to be known, and through constant self-promotion. While the band entered the studio for the first time in October 1973, their affairs were still coming together. Firstly, they secured manager Bill Aucoin, apparently on the condition set by the band that he had to get them a record contract within two weeks. This came to pass in early November when they were signed by Casablanca Records. After spending six weeks in the studio, Kiss was ready to unleash itself on the world with its self-titled debut album, and the world would never be the same again.

There are some things in life that really make you feel your age. The fact that this album is now 50 years old, only four years younger than myself, really does remind you of your mortality in some respects. It’s a long time to be out there on-stage wearing makeup, that’s for sure. And it is on stage that Kiss make the magic happen, not just with the stage show, but with the energy of their performance. This is where their drive is at its best, and in some ways, this is what is missing from their debut album. Yes, it was a different age in regard to recording, but first impressions of the songs here should make this a monster. That it wasn’t on its initial release is part of that mystery.
Now, the ‘no energy’ phrase is not completely fair, but again on one hand I think it stands to reason. Listening to this album today, and then listening to the frenzied madness that comes from the same songs on the “Alive!” album, released just 18 months later and after another two studio albums – (and that is just...wow!) - and you can hear what they are missing from the recorded studio versions here. Where’s that bottom end? Where’s the blazing guitars? Where’s the high energy vocals? For the most part, that isn’t here. That doesn’t mean that, in retrospect, this isn’t a great album. It just means that it feels like the songs here have had their legs cut off at the knees compared to the live versions as they are played. You could use the same argument with other albums of the era of course, and you would be correct. It just seems a bit more noticeable here because of what Kiss became, and if you happened to listen to “Alive!” before you listened to this album, which was the case for a lot of people, you would wonder the same.
If you are a Kiss fan, you already know where the strengths of this album lie. If you aren’t a big fan, you still know the important songs off this album. There are still the strange moments. I know that the band was brought back into the studio to record the cover version of “Kissin’ Time” some three months after the album was initially released and not doing as well as they all hoped. But seriously, a Bobby Rydell cover? Did they really think this was going to lift their sales? Did they just record it because of the title? I don’t know. I do know that it is a bit of a misnomer on the album, and the band weren’t overly happy about it. I do wish I had one of those initial pressings of the album that doesn’t have it. But then you can add to that the instrumental piece “Love Theme from Kiss” which just seems out of place and unnecessary to the whole scheme of the album. Is it a time filler? Did the band really like it? Judge for yourself.
The rest of the album speaks for itself. “Nothin’ to Lose” has that 60’s rockabilly sound about it that can get a bit annoying depending on your mood and how often you are listening to it. Did Kiss really need piano in a song in the direction they were heading? The lyrics are also extremely dodgy, but perhaps that is just my old age showing. Anyway. “Firehouse” is a good song that just doesn’t have the energy and fire it should have. The plodding style of this studio recorded version, both musically and vocally from Gene, just holds back its potential. Of course when played live this is where Gene would breathe fire, so maybe that’s why the studio version is a very slight disappointment in this regard. The same can be said for “Let Me Know”, a re-recorded version of a Wicked Lester track, though there is no live version to compare it to. It sounds better when Paul is singing rather than Gene. It should be remembered that these are small and insignificant criticisms on my behalf. Again, it comes to the age of the recording rather than the quality. I’d just like to hear more grunt in them. You can’t change time though.
In some ways you could argue the same about the remainder of the songs here too, but they are the classics and it is hard to go past them. The awesome opening song “Strutter” continues to be a radiant gem after all these years, and still holds its brilliance to this day. Add to this “Deuce”, which could be considered to be the twin of “Strutter” such is their importance to the Kiss lineage of greatness. “Cold Gin” has become a staple of live cover bands all over the world. Anthrax, Skid Row and hundreds of other bands have all done their version, none as good as listening to Gene sing this original version. Along with “100,000 Years” and the album closer “Black Diamond”, these were the songs that built the palace that Kiss became in a short space of time, and these for me still hold the foundations for my love of the band.

For those of you who have listened to the other episodes on this podcast that relate to Kiss, you already know that my first experience with the band was through my cousin David, who at one stage was living with my grandmother, and had his room covered in Kiss memorabilia and played Kiss loud whenever we visited. Then I had those 80’s albums that many people stick their nose up at but which I still love to this day. This album I didn’t hear until I started going back to pick up the band’s back catalogue, and as I mentioned earlier, I knew many of the songs from the greatest hits compilation I had along with the “Alive!” album, which also cruelled my first experience with the studio versions of the songs.
That didn’t last long though. A number of listens back to back soon found those comparisons eradicated, and I just accepted the album for what it is. And overall, it’s a ripper. Sure, I would dispose of a couple of songs if I was editing it now, but for a debut album it is still an album that has everything you are looking for. I’ve had this spinning around again for the last 2-3 weeks, and enjoyed every moment of it. As soon as songs like “Strutter” and “Cold Gin” and “Deuce” come on, the mood lightens, the strut comes out with Ace’s guitar, and the vocals come out loud. And the strange looks from my family arrive not long after – except for my 16 year old son, who sings along heartily.
Kiss has not always managed to make great albums. They have had their ups and downs, and in many ways a lot depends on how you take the band and how seriously you want to take some of the lyrical content which they tend to throw up as to whether you enjoy their music or not. Some fans swear by the first four albums as the only ones you ever need. Others, myself included, find just as much joy in some of the work from the 1980’s as their early material. One thing that is for certain is that if you haven’t heard this album, then you have missed out on something terrific, because this is where it all began, and in particular the five ‘foundation’ songs here are the basis of what became the monster.

1018. Sonata Arctica / Reckoning Night. 2004. 4.5/5

My goodness I have tried hard to love Sonata Arctica unconditionally. From the first time I discovered them, I really wanted this to be a love affairs. Their obvious talents were too great for them to be considered an average band with average albums. With their three previous albums, I had always found great songs and wonderful pieces to take away from each, without ever being completely sold on the album as a whole. Much of that comes with the territory of the power ballad that tend to find their way on such bands’ albums. So I was always searching for more, for that perfect mix of power metal with just a bit of a heavier edge, while being able to combine each members instrument to the highest quality. And then along came Reckoning Night.

From the outset, the band is on fire, and the writing is strong and purposeful. New keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg comes up trumps, and absolutely gives a different flavour on the keys than had been prevalent on the earlier albums. Drummer Tommy Portimo has another cracking album, perfectly synchronised and smack bang on in every way, speed and proficiency. So too Marko Paasikoski on bass guitar, dialling right in to Portimo’s drums and locking in perfectly. Guitarist Jani Liimatainen again showcases the best he has to offer, and his duels throughout with Klingernberg’s keyboard is fantastic. Out the front Tony Kakko again inspires with his vocals, and given he again wrote almost the entire album (Jani wrote “My Selene”) shows he has some major ticker in regards to his music.

“Misplaced” is without a doubt my favourite Sonata Arctica song ever. It has the perfect balance between energy, fast tempo, guitar and keyboard riffs, double kick drum and superb vocals. It is the song that should be this band’s template, simply because it contains everything that is magnificent about this band at the top of their form. This is the killer song of their genre, and it rarely fails to send shivers down my spine whenever I listen to it. “Blinded No More” has those great Tony Kakko vocals and a chugging guitar riff throughout, and while the tempo may have dropped from the opening song once it settles into its groove you can’t help but like what has been produced, and singing along in some semblance of tune (not easy in the slightest). “Ain’t Your Fairytale” kicks straight back in to that up tempo theme with flailing guitar and keys and double kick. What comes through best in this song is that while the power metal theme holds its course, the guitar comes in with a heavier sound, dragging this into a more formidable music ground. The hard core rhythm still keeps the song in motion while all of the parts meld together brilliantly. THIS is what I’ve been waiting for from this band. Power by name but also strength and bottom end in the music.
The gentleness of the instrumental “Reckoning Day, Reckoning Night…” only serves as an interlude to “Don’t Say a Word” which begins in a similar way to “Blinded No More” where the tempo doesn’t start quite so fast but is offset by the strength and power of Tony’ vocals which drive the song to the heights it deserves. Before long the pace of the music itself builds back into that pleasing middle ground. The heavier edge to the guitar and drums through the second half of the song again echoes “Ain’t Your Fairytale”, and it ends on a superior note . Top shelf stuff.
“The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Real Puppet” settles back into the mid-tempo range and is much of a power metal song, slower and softer than what has come before it, with the keyboards dominating more thoroughly than had been the case earlier in the album. There are touches of Symphony X along the way, before finishing with a hard guitar riff. Pleasing. “My Selene” returns to the upmarket uptempo highs of the best on the album, mixing the keys and guitars superbly into the jaws of Tony’s vocals and his supports on backups, combining into the best aspects of the power metal genre, with the fast paced drums being drawn along by the dominant keyboards in a merry music melody.
“Wildfire” cracks out of the starting gates like its name, and rages along in fine style. There is some real extreme vocals that come through on this track as well, giving it a real intensity that, frankly, is so out of character for this band that it is tremendously exhilarating. “White Pearl, Black Oceans...” could best be summed up here as the epic power metal song of the album, combining chorus and choirs along with the quieter periods of keyboards and acoustically driven guitar, building to a that epic that bands look for. At almost nine minutes it is the longest song on the album. Finally, to close out the album we have “Shamandalie”, which, somewhat regrettably, is probably the least enjoyable song on the album. After everything that has come before it, the album deserved a real killer of a finishing track, and to be honest this isn’t it. It’s okay, it’s fine, but it isn’t up to the standard of everything else on this album, and that is a shame.

This is the album I had been waiting for from Sonata Arctica. It is a power metal album with that added grunt that gives it that heavier sound that not only helps to bring out the best in all of the band members’ chosen instrument, but drives each song to those heights that their talent deserved. The one small problem that followed it was that the band then had to write and record a follow up album that could get somewhere near as good as this is. So far, many years on, they haven’t been able to do that.

Rating:  “Taken for granted again, too weak a man to say it is over”.  4.5/5