1277. Various Artists / We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year. 2008. 4/5

I’m sure that you, like me, have been bombarded each and every December with the same old Xmas carols that have been around for time immemorial. Sadly, in fact, due to the onset of social media and weird people’s obsessions, we now have their occurring in November as well! The decorating of the outside of the house and yard with Xmas lights and displays, the Xmas tree being put up in early November rather than a couple of weeks before Xmas Day, and the endless parade of Xmas carol CDs being played at home, at the workplace, and at shopping centres around the world. Honestly, even for a Grinch like me, it borders on what Australian cricketers used to call mental disintegration.
Now, I can’t stop the onward progression of Xmas light displays and my lovely wife wanting to put up decorations and the tree in September, but at least one part of this horrific confluence can be offset just a little, with the discovery some years ago now of a Xmas album that is designed especially for people like me. An album full of Xmas carols as performed and metallised by heavy metals finest artists.
In the years before this, the two Xmas CDs we had would come out every year in the mid-2000's, and our kids who were all under the age of 10 before I found this album, would sing along and know all the words. And then they would participate at the local Carols by Candlelight every year at Albion Park High School, with glow sticks and Santa hats and ‘come all ye faithfulling’. It was great to see all three having such a wonderful time. But it was a punish.
And then, this album came into my life. And it really was ‘joy to the world’ because now I could put on a CD of Xmas songs, and sing along with each and every one of them, and show the kids that GOOD versions of these songs DID exist!

The great thing about this album is that it contains versions of traditional Xmas carols, the ones everyone sings at Carols by Candlelight and other such events, as well as more current Xmas themed songs written and performed by other well known artists. The album was produced by Bob Kulick and Brett Chassen, who had been involved in several tribute albums over the past decade, putting together artists to cover other artists best songs. So once again here, they have done a terrific job in bringing together the great musicians of the genre to contribute to this album.
A very rocking version of “We Wish You a Merry Xmas” opens up the album, the spine of the track provided by brothers Bob and Bruce Kulick, along with Chris Wyse on bass and Ray Luzier on drums. The vocals are provided by the always excellent Jeff Scott Soto who gives the song the energy it needs. The Chuck Berry song “Run Rudolph Run” follows with the excellent triumvirate of Lemmy on bass and voclas, Billy Gibbons on guitar and Dave Grohl on drums. Lemmy is in a very Xmas spirit throughout, and it is an enjoyable version, surely better than Chuck Berry’s! Alice Cooper then lends his perfectly sinister vocals to a great rearrangement (slightly) of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, with Claus spelt CLAWS. John 5, Billy Sheehan and Vinny Appice offers their excellent contributions to this track as well.
Then, welcome to this well known doom metal Xmas favourite. The foursome of Simon Wright, Rudy Sarzo, Ronnie James Dio and Tony Iommi serve up the perfect doom anthem with their take on “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen”, and it is as surprising as it is fantastic. Who doesn’t want a bit of doom at Christmas time?! Haha. The tempo heats up again with “Silver Bells”, a great rocking version from Carlos Cavazo on guitar, James Lomenzo on bass and Ray Luzier again on drums, and Geoff Tate on vocals looking to reach for the ceiling. Carlos is the star of the track, with shredding rarely heard on any previous version of this song, certainly not the Burl Ives version. This is the longest song on the album, stretched to infinity by Geoff’s crooning and Carlos's riffing. Then comes “The Little Drummer Boy”, with the drumming handled by Simon Phillips, thoughit isn’t as inventive as it probably could have been made given the title of the song. Doug Pinnick’s vocals probably don’t inspire a great deal of entertainment either, Billy Sheehan is almost non-existent, and it isn’t until the 2.5-minute mark that George Lynch gets to unleash and mark his mark on the song. Oh well, I’ve never liked the song anyway so I guess that could also have some bearing on my feelings of this version. It just seemed like a missed opportunity to allow the drummer to really cut loose.
Given the biggest selling Xmas album of all time is “Elvis’s Christmas Album” then it seems a given a song would be chosen off it, and it is, with the opening track from that album “Santa Claus is Back in Town” given the true metal makeover with Steve Morse on guitar and Tim “Ripper” Owens on vocals, pulling out all the stops. Morse’s guitar work in particular is terrific here and makes the track, while Ripper always makes his songs interesting to hear where he is going to take you. And now that we’ve had doom metal, it's time for death metal with “Silent Night”, given the complete overhaul by Chuck Billy’s fully developed growling vocal, supported by Scott Ian and Jon Donais jumping around and having the time of their lives on guitars. Traditionalists will NOT enjoy this version of the Xmas classic, but it's a great version to put on when you are sitting around with the in-laws to scare the bejeezus out of them. “Deck the Halls” is a very 80’s metal involvement with Oni Logan on vocals and his Dio Disciples bandmate Craig Goldy on guitar with Tony Frankling and John Tempesta also adding their weight to the 80’s styled version.
The novelty Christmas track “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” doesn’t quite make the grade, which is a surprise given the freedom these artists surely had in recording these tracks. To be fair, it is probably a song that requires either a Tenacious D or a Stormtroopers of Death vibe about the artist to get the most out of it. I don’t know the original very well, but it seems as though, done well, it could have been a highlight of this album. Joe Lynn Turner then joins the backbone of the Kulick brothers, Rudy Sarzo and Simon Wright to offer a reasonable version of “Rockin’ Around the Xmas Tree”, though it did not seem as joyous as when you hear it in the iconic scene in the movie Home Alone. And covering any Beatles or Beatles-individual song is always a tough gig, and trying to do justice to John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” here seems a thankless task. It’s fine, Tommy Shaw, Steve Lukather and Kenny Aronoff offer the 70’s 80’s vibe it probably requires, but without the impact it needs to lift it above the pack.
There are four bonus tracks for those of you out there that are looking for even more Xmas for your buck, but the extra four songs are not a necessity. “O Christmas Tree” extends beyond its normal length, and while Doro does a great job on vocals, and Michael Schenker offers us a slight shred, it is a par for the course rendition. So too Girlschool’s shot at “Auld Lang Syne”. And the final two songs - “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” are also less exciting songs, though laughing at Lips from Anvil doing “Frosty the Snowman” is perhaps worth your while checking out.

As I may have mentioned earlier, I came across this album a few years ago, when it became obvious I couldn’t survive another Xmas listening to the same old Xmas songs CDs that we had, and have to put up with those old traditional songs, and listening to Burl Ives and Gene Autry and others of that vintage, along with the modern day must-listens such as “Last Christmas” by Wham and “Do They Know it's Christmas” by Band Aid... it's a tough ride. So I had to find something else, and I rather quickly came across this album which then came on to regular rotation during December at the dinner table. And it worked well, because my kids were old enough to know what kind of music I liked and so recognised it for what it was, and even my lovely wife felt some of the versions were good modern versions and updates.
I’ve listened to the album a couple of times today, a little ahead of schedule but in order to do this review, and I still find the first third of the album is really good. Jeff Scott Soto’s “We Wish You a Merry Xmas”, Lemmy’s “Run Rudolph Run”, Alice Cooper’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, Dio and Iommi’s “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and Geoff Tate’s “Silver Bells”. Add to those Ripper’s “Santa Claus is Back in Town” and Chuck Billy on “Silent Night” and you have a diverse and interesting Xmas addition to your collection.
Will you play it at any other time of the year? No. I doubt it. I don’t. Will you play it every December? My word you will. Will it make an appearance on Xmas Day as you have brunch or open presents? Wel, it damned well SHOULD!!!

1102. Northern Kings / Rethroned. 2008. 3.5/5

You never know... lightning might strike twice. Following the reasonable success of their first album together, the super-group conglomerate of Northern Kings obviously decided that it was worth a crack, and came together once again to record another album full of cover versions of songs from the past. It was a bold move, one that was always fraught with the danger that too much of a good thing would end up being the opposite. In the end, this was probably closer to the truth than the opening sentence of this review.

Rethroned brings together another eleven songs of mixed heritage to have new life breathed into them by this stellar array of vocalists and their supporting band. For me though, while I enjoyed the first album immensely, this time around I was not as enamoured. This has nothing to do with the musicianship or talents of the vocalists on show, indeed it has almost everything to do with the songs that were chosen to be covered. Whereas I knew and liked almost all of the songs on Reborn, here I knew about half the songs but didn’t necessarily enjoy the ones I knew. That made listening to this album a much more difficult process.
Four of the songs I was unaware of at all. I have of course heard the “Training Montage” before in the scene from Rocky IV where Stallone is getting ready to fight Ivan Drago, but I wouldn’t have recognised it in a million years. Being an instrumental it gave the band itself their time to shine to start the album off. “Strangelove” by Depeche Mode I don’t think I have ever heard, but the version here is listenable enough. “Killer” by Adamski and Seal I have no knowledge of at all, while "Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend" by Thin Lizzy I must have heard before, especially as it was the one album Gary Moore played on, but I simply don’t recall it at all. First rule of listening to a covers album is knowing all the songs recorded on it. Fail.
Five of the remaining seven songs are hit and miss, depending on your individual taste. Bon Jovi’s “Wanted: Dead or Alive” is a difficult song to cover well at the best of times, let alone by converting it to a faster tempo and trying to inject as much ‘power metal’ into it as you can. The vocal line itself is a tough one to carry off. I’m not sure it really works here. Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” from Batman Forever is another which is hard to do justice to, but on this occasion, I think they’ve done it. By remaining more faithful to the original, expressing the emotion in the vocal lines where it comes and using the energy from the song to make an up vibe and faster tempo track, I think they’ve produced a great version. It helps that all four vocalists were involved in the track as it certainly increases the power and melody of the vocals. Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” which was popularised by Sinead O’Connor, has not been a long-held favourite of mine, and the version here is serviceable. Much the same could be said of the cover of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”. Given the reverence it is held in it was an interesting choice to do here, but I have to say they did a good job of it without taking away from the original. On the other hand, there is very little reverence held for Kylie Minogue’s “I Should Be So Lucky” given its life as the poppiest of pop songs, so the dual attack of this cover version, which begins as a slow, low and deep rendition for most of the track before breaking out in the last third to a fast paced scream gives this the perfect way of honouring this song that everyone knows but no one can actually admit that they like or liked.
The two remaining songs are my favourites. Duran Duran’s “A View to a Kill” from the James Bond movie of the same name is excellent, again helped by having all four vocalists involved in the harmonies throughout. I don’t think it betters the original (though I have a soft spot for all of Duran Duran’s music) but it does mirror the emotion and power of their version. Then there is A-ha's “Take on Me”, which the Northern Kings nail here in a symphonic masterpiece of vocal harmonies that perfectly enhance the vocals from the original version. This is a beauty, the kind of cover version of a song that shows off the qualities of both the original and the remake.

I don’t think this matches the previous album, but that is more for the songs chosen than the quality of the musicianship and vocals. Each song here sounds fantastic and the singing is fabulous. This was the second and last release from this supergroup, and perhaps their creative flow together had been sated by the two releases. No matter what the reason, I for one am glad they made the effort.

Best songs: “Take on Me”, “A View to a Kill”, “Kiss from a Rose”.

Rating:  “Until we dance into the fire.”  3.5/5

1101. Judas Priest / Nostradamus. 2008. 3/5

I’m sure there were others like me out there that felt some disappointment in the offering produced by the reformed Judas Priest as their comeback album, Angel of Retribution. Over-excitement was definitely a factor in that. So, when the band announced they were going into the studio to record their follow up there was cause for further tingling of the senses. Surely this time they would not only find a way to hold true to the Judas Priest metal ideals, but would also eliminate those slight anomalies that were on the previous album and produce another masterpiece. It turns out that I ended up feeling slightly let down once again.

“Ambitious” is probably the word that best describes the whole Nostradamus concept from start to finish. From the time it was announced that the next album would be a concept album based on the life of the seer, a musical symphony or rock opera as such, and that it would span two discs, it felt like it was not only going to be overblown but also very un-Judas Priest-like. Certainly not what I considered the band and its music to be like. Even so, I reserved judgement until the album had arrived and I had put it on to listen to for the first time.
Did I have problems with it when it was released? Yes. Do I still have problems with it now? Yes. This is a complex album and one that is almost beyond just being able to put it on and listen to for pleasure. It isn’t like taking out Defenders of the Faith or Painkiller and knowing the songs and headbanging along in glee. This, like an opera, is an entire musical piece, one that is difficult to pick pieces out at random and just enjoy those tracks because in essence they all have to fit together. For me this is the most difficult part of the album. Even with Queensryche’s brilliant concept album Operation: Mindcrime you can enjoy the songs on their own as well as part of the whole album. Here on Nostradamus I find that almost impossible. And in essence that seems to be because the songs themselves as individual components just aren’t great, or inspiring, or energetic.
More than anything, it is just looooooooooong. Because of the fluctuations between the style of songs as each tries to tell another part of the story, and with the short instrumental interludes between songs that are used to connect these parts of the story, it feels as though it stretches out eternally. At almost 103 minutes in total, it is a long time to commit to get through from start to finish, especially when there are tracks that just don’t appeal my general music taste.
The opening of “Prophecy” and “Revelations” is enjoyable enough, mixed in as it is with the synths and keyboards and the symphonic sound that is incorporated throughout. The closing song of the first disc “Persecution” is probably the best song on the album because it sounds like the Priest songs that I love. “Alone” is different from that but in the course of the album is another I don’t mind, along with “War”. “Nostradamus” flows with an energetic burst towards the end of the second disc. To be honest, for me that is as much enthusiasm as I can raise for the individual tracks here, and even that is a stretch.

Is it a flawed masterpiece? I’m not sure. Certainly, the concept and the way it was written and recorded highlights that a lot of thought and work went in to this album, and the band had to know beforehand that because it was unlike anything they had ever done before that it was going to be a hard sell to the fans. As musicians and artists this must have been something they felt very strongly about recording, and I admire the fact that they went outside of their pigeon hole to produce it. I have spent the past couple of weeks reacquainting myself with it for this review and I believe that I appreciate it more now for what it is than I did when it was released. Actually, I’m sure of that. However, as an album to put on for the afternoon to listen to while having a couple of beers, this definitely isn’t the one you are going to grab off the shelves.

Best songs: “Prophecy”, “Revelations”, “Persecution”.

Rating:  “They will not eradicate me, break my will or suffocate me.”  3/5

1077. Motörhead / Motörizer. 2008. 3/5

Keeping up with their regimented routine of releasing new albums on an almost clockwork regularity, Motörhead brought forth the next album in their growing discography in Motörizer toward the end of the first decade of the new millennium. It is perhaps fair to say that this is about the only thing that is ‘new’ about it. Sure, it contains eleven new songs, and for the most part they are good songs, but there isn’t a lot that could be said to be new about them. As always, and especially with this band, that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them. It all just comes down to a matter of taste, and whether too much of something can end up being too much.

If you’ve listened to a Motörhead album sometime in the past forty years then there is a fair chance that you will recognise the way that most of these songs are set out. There is a formula that can be heard, a framework that sometimes gets stretched or moulded by rarely gets strayed from too far. As long as that is done well, and you can feel the energy flowing from the songs then there really is no problem because the music is what is important. This has been a constant throughout the band’s career, and perhaps most especially since the 1990’s when the band reverted back to the three piece it is on this album, and the line-up that has now been stable since that time. Of all of those album released since Sacrifice, there have been some really good albums, and then just some average albums. The level of intensity in the songs on those albums have been the difference, not the writing itself, as the template has rarely differed.
This is when I sit with Motörizer. That danger of doing album after album that in essence has the same formula with a couple of changes, is that there will be times when it doesn’t have enough inspiration of enough twist or turns to really attract either the new or old fans alike. And for me on this album, it has hit the point where I think I have heard better on more recent albums than this one. I make no secret of the fact that I prefer the songs that are faster and harder, whereas most of this album sits back in a more comfortable tempo that that, and as a result I think the energy doesn’t come flowing through as it does with other releases.
I’ve listened to the album more than half a dozen times over the last couple of days, the first time I have done so since its release ten years ago. I remember first getting the album and give it the mandatory number of listens that a new album gets before I can decide what level it goes to, one that will continue to get multiple spins or one that returns to the cabinet. At the time, it returned to the cabinet. Over the last few days, I can still appreciate it for what it is – a middle-of-the-road Motörhead album. “Runaround Man” and “Teach You How to Sing the Blues” open the album well enough, full of a solid drum beat and hard running guitar riff and grating vocals that always provide for enjoyment. After some average tracks “Buried Alive” brings it back to life by upping the tempo again and reinvigorating the energy levels of the album. “Rock Out” and “Heroes” are enjoyable enough songs, while “The Thousand Names of God” ends the album on a positive note.

The problem here is that there is nothing that is absolutely memorable, a song that immediately lights up the album and allows you to find a point to get into the whole tracklist. There are some good songs and there are some average songs. They are not bad, just average. And that is where this album sits with me now.

Rating:  “The war is never over”.  3/5

989. Metallica / Death Magnetic. 2008. 4/5

It had been a long hard road for Metallica the band. Not in regards to popularity, because they still sold out shows and had fans falling over themselves to see them. But the mixed reaction to their releases since 1991 must have caused questioning within the band and their management. Three studio albums that had their core fan base up in arms, a live album with a symphony in support, and a double album filled with cover songs was hardly the track record one would expect from a band of Metallica’s stature. One wondered if there would ever be an album again that could be embraced by the faithful.

In many ways, Death Magnetic was the ‘comeback’ album Metallica had to have.

I have no qualms in admitting that I had written off Metallica forever after the release of St Crapulous. The initial excitement of that album wore off so quickly once the realisation was that it sounded awful and was a completely depressing series of tracks. As a result I had decided I would not be buying the next album, and would have no problem if I never had to listen to it. And this may well have been the case if, at the time the album was released, I had not been working with a 19 year old fan boy who insisted on bringing the album to work and playing it, as well as demanding that I buy it and invest myself in it. From that point I slowly allowed myself to listen to snatches of songs, until eventually I did relent and purchased the disc. Because, as it turned out, Metallica seemed to have found themselves, even if it was in bits and pieces.
What was it that brought all of this on? Was it because on the St Crapulous tour they had begun playing more songs from their halcyon period, including songs from ...And Justice for All that they had abandoned for years, and as such realised not only how good those songs were but how much their fans appreciated them? Was it the introduction of Robert Trujillo to the studio for the first time in the writing and recording process? Was it the jettisoning of Bob Rock as producer for renown metal icon Rick Rubin to take the helm? Is it merely that the band realised the songs need guitar solos from Kirk, and for James to sing as he used to sing? Was it all of these things, or a conglomerate of pieces of them? I don’t know, but whatever it was, it was about bloody time!!!
Given that this is the case, I still think half of the songs are terrific, and the other half average or just above average. It goes without saying that writing and recording a song entitled “The Unforgiven III” is an unforgivable act. Honestly, was it just a bridge too far to expect that the band could completely sever their ties from the 1990’s and leave this behind them? The fact that this is also the most average song on the album is almost incomprehensible. Did Rubin not hear this and strongly advise the band to move in a different direction? They could have replaced this with any of the four songs they later released on Beyond Magnetic and the album would have been lifted. The other songs that I am less than enamoured with here could probably have been improved just by shortening them. The shortest song on the album is the final track at five minutes. The next is “Broken, Beat & Scarred” at 6:25 – one of the songs that would have been improved by a few cuts. “The Day That Never Comes” revisits those ugly days of the 1990’s in the way it sounds as well, and its eight minutes in length becomes unbearable about halfway through. “Cyanide” is better than these three mentioned songs, but both it and “The Judas Kiss” could have used a bit of refining.
The songs that light up the album are the ones that brought new hope for a brave new existence for Metallica fans. Opening with “That Was Just Your Life” and into “The End of the Line”, the album kicks off on the most positive note in years. It’s what first drags you in to the album. It certainly did for me. “All Nightmare Long” is my favourite song on the album, closely followed by the closer “My Apocalypse”, which mimics “Damage Inc” so closely that it has to be deliberate. There is also the instrumental track “Suicide & Redemption”, the band’s first since “To Live Is to Die”, which also is too much of a coincidence not to have been a planned reminder of past glories.

With so much bad blood having flowed under the bridge, it probably wouldn’t have taken a lot to put together an album that could be claimed to be ‘better’ than recent releases. Instead, there had been a major rethink, and the band has come through with the goods. No, it isn’t a return to their glory days. No it is not the next Master of Puppets. What this can claim is that it is a better than average metal record that would probably rate much higher with most people if it had been recorded by another band, but because it is Metallica it will always be judged against those halcyon albums. Put that aside, forgive the creaks that three or four songs offer here, and it is a very enjoyable metal album.

Rating:  “Hunt you down without mercy”.  4/5

931. Avantasia / The Scarecrow. 2008. 3.5/5

The appearance of a third album from the Tobias Sammet backed project Avantasia came as something of a surprise. The excellent vision and production of the original The Metal Opera album, and the follow up The Metal Opera Pt. II which concluded the story, was something that no one would have wanted to have tarnished. So when The Scarecrow was announced and then released, it was another album where my feelings were mixed completely - the desire to hear if this could continue with the excellence of the first two albums, and the fear that it would fall flat and not work at all.

This time around there are some changes to the whole concept. The musicians who performed on the original metal opera have been replaced, though guitarist Henjo Richter does make an appearance on several songs as a 'guest' lead guitar. Tobi Sammet takes on the bass playing duties himself, something he is quite comfortable with. Michael Rodenberg and Sascha Paeth, both of whom have been involved in a plethora of high profile European power metal bands, both playing and producing and engineering, fill the positions of keyboards and guitars respectively here, while Eric Singer came on board to provide the drums. Though Tobi still remained in charge of writing the songs for this album, it would be interesting to know whether the subtle change in music direction comes from him, or the period of time between the albums, or from the different personnel involved in recording.
Because there is a definite switch on The Scarecrow from the previous project. Whereas it was most definitely a metal opera, with songs firmly in the power metal genre and tied to an operatic feel in most places, this album progresses to a bit more rawness in the music, with riffs that are more of a traditional heavy metal sound and song arrangements that also drift that way as well. So certainly this is a concept album - which would eventually stretch to a concept trilogy - but we have moved on from the metal opera vision to simply creating an album exploring a theme, with many different players being involved. The story, which revolves around the central character trying to find themselves inner peace having suffered through unrequited love, and eventually facing somewhat the opposite, is played over the eleven tracks on the album.
"Twisted Mind" is an immediate heavy start on the album, with great duelling vocals between Tobi and Roy Khan. This floods into the lengthy tome of "The Scarecrow", where not only does Tobi show his great abilities, but we get the first efforts of Jorn Lande in the Avantasia universe, and it is spectacular. His vocal performance defies his usual pitch and range, and adds another dimension, really throwing his usual panache out the window and stretching himself into the role. The second half of this song is quite amazing, thanks in the main to Jorn's part. "Shelter From the Rain" keeps ripping up this part of the music landscape, through the remarkable efforts of returning duo Michael Kiske and Bob Catley. One wonders how Tobi was able to convince Kiske to return again to his music roots, given his reluctance in recent years to acknowledge his metal heritage. Here again, his distinctive vocals come in over the top of the music bridge and make the song his own. The extra pace and double kick and guitar riff through the song lifts the tempo nicely.
"Carry Me Over" slows the tempo down a touch, providing Tobi the opportunity to let his vocals soar, and put in a chorus that tends to be repetitive throughout. "What Kind of Love" shuttles in with Amanda Somerville lending support, in a real power ballad atmosphere that wreaks havoc with the senses for those that are so inclined. "Another Angel Down" cracks back in through the periphery, with Tobi and Jorn again lifting the intensity of the album supported by a faster paced tempo in the music. Both vocalists play off each other nicely and give a great performance on this track, while the duelling guitar solos in the middle of the song are blistering.
"The Toy Master" is written perfectly for Alice Cooper, and indeed could have easily been one of his own songs. The tempo comes back to suit his performance perfectly. This is followed by "Devil in the Belfry" which like "Another Angel Down" combines the vocal talents of Jorn and Tobi, and again impresses by the energy shown throughout the song. Somewhat disappointingly, this is then followed by another power ballad, "Cry Just a Little", which no matter how much it may be relevant to the story being told, just harms the output of the album. The penultimate song "I Don't Believe in Your Love" does pull back some of that, while the soft rock rendition of "Lost in Space" concludes the album.

Overall, The Scarecrow is more uneven than the predeceasing albums in musical content, and given that this is a concept album rather than a rock opera, I guess that can be seen. It has its holes, and places where for me it doesn't quite work. Even the songs if taken individually don't quite come up to the standard of what has gone before. But that's not to say that there isn't lots to like here, and the vocal performances of Michael Kiske and Jorn Lande in particular are just spectacular. It's still a very good album, despite the couple of places where I would have done things differently.

Rating:  "From the cradle to the madhouse, a twisted mind". 3.5/5

922. Edguy / Tinnitus Sanctus. 2008. 2.5/5

It's an interesting state of affairs when you compare Edguy releases during the 2000's, and the strengths and weaknesses they gain against Tobi's other project, Avantasia, and the albums it releases. I was not as enamoured with Edguy's previous release Rocket Ride as I had been with their two seminal albums that preceded it, and I admit I was expecting something bigger from this album, especially as it coincided with a third album in the Avantasia series of albums, The Scarecrow. Comparisons between all of these releases in the long run just confuses the issue even more.

Early in the decade Edguy had discovered a power to their music that really forced the band to the forefront of the power metal genre on the continent. It was this power that had gained my attention, and while I felt that the two albums in question, Mandrake and Hellfire Club were not perfect, they had enough of the elements that suggested to me that things would get even better as we moved into the following albums. The truth of the matter is that it wasn't forthcoming on Rocket Ride, and for the most part has not occurred here either. Even scarier, it was almost not existent on the following release, Age of the Joker. In the meantime, The Scarecrow was a bigger success and a more exemplary showcase of that progression in power, which was then completed two years later with the dual release of the Avantasia albums Angel of Babylon and The Wicked Symphony.
So the question needs to be asked - is the direction Edguy have gone in this period of their careers the band members decision, or has Tobi just directed his harder material to his other band, and retained his lighter stuff for Edguy? Tobi wrote all of the songs here, which suggests the latter is closer to the truth.
I'm not suggesting that this album is a complete lemon. I still enjoy the album whenever I put it on. There are plenty of songs I like a lot, and find catchy. The opening track "Ministry of Saints" and "Wake Up Dreaming Black" are the two best examples of the Edguy sound that I would reside with. "Pride of Creation" is another that i can get on board with.
It's just that overall, it lacks the depth and the strength within the songs to hold its own against other releases, and not just those mentioned above. Is it a commercial bent that has crept into the songs? I guess one could look at it that way, though I'm not sure of what the official response to that is. For the most part the songs have been smoothed over, the speed has been dropped back to a very mid-tempo range, there are few squealing solos or tricks amongst the rhythm section. The lyrics are sung well but without that kind of reach and gusto that appeared on earlier albums. "Dragonfly" could be used as an example here, though I don't want to be seen as simply picking on this song. It just plods along, at the same slow tempo, without anything happening, for almost five minutes, dragging out the middle of the album interminably when it really needs a kick along. "Thorn Without a Rose" is perhaps even less admirable, the real ballad-like song which to me has even less qualities than its predecessor.

Perhaps Edguy feel as though this is their best well-rounded album, showcasing all of their skills in a number of genres within the songs they have written. The fact that they have not been able to stick to the script, and to my ears have jumped the tracks and decided to go across the fields instead the direction they had been heading. To me that is more the pity. Lovers of Edguy, and lovers of the hard rock that was made accessible by bands such as Bon Jovi and Europe, are likely to find plenty here to like and enjoy. Those who like me had been hoping for a bit more in the speed and heavy departments will no doubt share my disappointment.

Rating:   "Tonight a thousand angels fall, heaven's up against the wall"   2.5/5

896. Yngwie J. Malmsteen / Perpetual Flame. 2008. 4/5

When I first heard that Tim Owens was going to be the lead vocalist on the new Yngwie Malmsteen album, it was the most excited I had been about a new Yngwie album since the release of Odyssey way back in 1988. I mean, how could it miss? Yngwie's guitaring and Ripper's amazing vocals? It had to be a win-win situation.
Of course, in most circumstances when I think things like this I am dreadfully disappointed in the long run.

Once again the album is a mix of songs with vocals and straight instrumentals. The instrumentals on this album are on a par as in recent times for Yngwie. As has started to become a regular thing, Yngwie plays all of the lead and rhythm guitars as well as the bass guitar on all tracks, as well as additional keyboards, also wrote and composed all of the tracks on the album. So, in essence, with the instrumental tracks, it is all Yngwie. So judge the material on the back of one man's effort and ability. As is almost always the case with this man, these are just fantastic. "Caprici di Diablo" is followed on the album by "Lament", with both instrumentals clocking in at four and a half minutes. "Caprici di Diablo" is the faster paced of the two, while "Lament" has that extra emotion played into it with a melancholy pace. "Heavy Heart" is an almost epic finale to the album, featuring the best of the undercurrent rhythm while Yngwie layers his guitars over the top in a cavalcade of crushing riffs and runs.
The album opens with a fierce flurry on the guitars and the predictable and punishing Ripper scream to start the album off on the right foot. "Death Dealer" and "Damnation Game" both rip along at the best Yngwie speed, rifling guitar matched by the keyboards and hard hitting drums. Live to Fight (Another Day) slows the tempo back to a slower, heavier undertone, allowing Ripper to wax lyrical over the top of the grunging beat in duality. "Red Devil" is saved from the average by Yngwie's solo break which is the highlight of the song. "Four Horsemen (of the Apocalypse)", "Priest of the Unholy" and "Careful What You Wish For" are all excellent combinations of Ripper's vocals and Yngwie's amazing guitar sound.
Just to mix things up, "Magic City" has only Yngwie providing lead and backing vocals on a lengthy 7+ minute track. The change in vocals is absolute. Not that there is anything wrong with Yngwie's singing, but it is a stark difference form the powerhouse that is Tim "Ripper" Owens. "Eleventh Hour" sees the return of Ripper to the microphone, before the concluding "Heavy Heart" puts a close on the album.
Is there a down side? If I was to be nit-picking, Ripper's vocals all seem to be on the one wave length. There is not the variety that he is capable of in both pitch and depth of character. For the most part of the album he retains a similar disposition, which could well be because of the way the songs were written rather than his personal preference. Everything still sounds brilliant, but perhaps a bit of variety in the vocals would have improved things even more. Like I said, nit-picking.

Overall it is another terrific album from Yngwie and his dwindling support staff. His return to form after a lacklustre decade during the 1990's is a welcome one. While he has had a number of people performing vocals for him throughout his career, Ripper also bring back a power to this side of the material that is both welcome and challenging.

Rating:  "Now the demon is here again, vengeance is burning in my soul".  4/5

822. Blaze Bayley / The Man Who Would Not Die. 2008, 3.5/5

Motoring his way well out of his Iron Maiden years, Blaze Bayley has been... well... blazing his own path since his split with the metal giants back in 1999. Perhaps his most important values to have come in his music since is that it all basically distances itself from anything he did in his two previous bands, Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden. Each of his solo band albums have become progressively more diverse from those bands' style of music, and he has forged his own way and style which is to be highly commended. The fact that he has consistently produced good albums and great songs helps that immensely.

Building on the progress that had been furthered on the previous album, The Man Who Would Not Die gallops out of the speakers at a blinding speed from the second you press the play button, surprising and delighting you in the same instant. The title track "The Man Who Would Not Die" is off before you know it, careering at a rate of knots that brings a smile to the face. Blaze is in great form here. This passes into "Blackmailer" and "Smile back at Death" which both continue the excellent start to this album. The new band assembled for this release all sound great, and given that there is apparently a great contribution from all members on this album it sounds as if they all have something invested in the outcome.
"While You Were Gone" slows the tempo down at the start of the song, before busting out through the middle section with gusto, and then heading into another ball tearer in "Samurai". This along with the opening track are probably my favourite two songs on the album. "A Crack in the System" and "Robot" follow, and are both good songs, if just a touch repetitive, both vocally and riff wise. Vocally, Blaze also sings these two just a little... robotically, as well, and with the same riff pretty much dominating throughout each of the songs, it can sometimes be too much.
"At the End of the Day" is probably the Blaze Bayley equivalent of a power ballad. Certainly it's not really a ballad as such, but its slowed down tempo and vocal style entices you to start thinking that it is. This problem is solved as we jump straight into "Waiting For My Life to Begin", fast-riffing out of the slow tempo of the previous song into speedy guitar picking here. The song also sounds better as the over-dominant double kick isn't in evidence, allowing the guitars to be the focus of attention and play their part . Great stuff. "Voices From the Past" again gives the guitars full reign during their solo break in the middle of the song, providing the highlight of the track. "The Truth is One" keeps the quick tempo running, while "Serpent Hearted Man" would have benefitted from this kind of tempo, as it is a good song, but just doesn't quite have the right feel about the music to make it the closer the album deserves.
If there is one minor flaw with the album, I guess you could argue that it does have a very familiar and similar sound most of the way through. This can lead to the album feeling as though it is a little too long, also due to the fact that the average song length is longer than a three and a half minute radio tune. At a couple of ticks over the hour mark, if you aren't a huge fan of the band you could certainly begin to feel it may outstay its welcome. It's a small detail, and not meant to be a criticism of the work as a whole, just as a pointer towards why some do not enjoy this all the way through. And yes, the double kick drum seems to be a constant throughout, and this also seems to include indulging in a similar rhythm riff for most of the album... sure, it wouldn't be hard to try and be picky if you were of a mind to do so. Thus it is important to note that these things are a part of the album. However, when you are in the album, these slight deficiencies melt away, leaving you with what is a very listenable and enjoyable range of songs.

This was to be the final album of Blaze Bayley as a band entity, before he became a true solo artists, and brought in session musicians or bands to help him record and perform. To be honest, this has perhaps hurt his future material, without collaborators around him that he trusts to bounce ideas off. Still, there is plenty here to like and enjoy, and admire the tenacity of the man who has built a career beyond the high profile bands he was once a part of.

Rating:  I have a noose around my neck, it is spun from my hopes and dreams.  3.5/5

817. Various Artists / Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden. 2008. 2.5/5

A tribute album, especially to a band that is so highly respected and loved through out the world, is a very touchy/feely subject to go into. It's a great thing that so many bands have been influenced over the years by another band. Especially bands from so wide a sphere of music. But when you have a band that is as huge as Iron Maiden is, and a band whose musicians are all thought of as some of the best in the world in what they do, can you honestly do a tribute album that will actually be worthy of the material that band has produced? And, to be honest, if you can't why would you do it?! OK sure, this was done by Kerrang! magazine, and they wanted to sell magazines, but there are at least a number of bands here who should have thought twice before accepting the invitation to contribute to this album.

Black Tide's cover of "Prowler", which starts the album, is fine. A good copy. Almost a perfect copy. Which somewhat defeats the purpose of doing it in the first place. But that would be unfair, given some of what follows. It may not be spectacular, but it doesn't do any damage to the legacy of the original. Metallica's cover of "Remember Tomorrow" is mixed with reverence to the original while still putting enough of Metallica into it to cast it away from the Maiden version. James sings this really well too, whilst the musicianship is top class. Quite probably the best version on this album. Avenged Sevenfold's version of "Flash of the Blade" is much like Black Tide's cover song. Musically it follows the original song almost perfectly. But in doing so, it doesn't have any individuality attached to it, and vocally it does come across a little flat. It's not a tragedy, but it is rather dull. Glamour of the Kill do their version of "2 Minutes to Midnight", which gives us a different mix with a psuedo-electronica undertone and singing in a different register as well. Kudos for changing up the song to make it a little individualistic, but again it comes across as a little dull. Coheed & Cambria took on the tough task to cover "The Trooper", and again, it follows the basic path of the original song, but just can't match it for intensity and excitement and drive.
DevilDriver's cover of "Wasted Years" is a travesty. Seriously, as much as everything is important in a song, "Wasted Years" is pretty much carried by Bruce Dickinson's vocals, and if you can't generate those kind of vocals, you shouldn't be attempting this song. Sorry to DevilDriver fans, but this doesn't work at all well. The version of "Run to the Hills" by Sign most certainly changes up the original, almost becoming a pop song than the charging metal leader it has always been. Again, personal taste will decide how much you enjoy it. Dream Theater's choice of covering the legendary "To Tame a Land" is to be applauded, but the fact that the keyboards replace one of the guitars throughout the song means that some of the power of the song is lost through the declining grunt the dual guitars give the song. The piano driven, softer and slower treatment of "Caught Somewhere in Time" by Medina Lake isn't really in my style of things, but I enjoyed the fact that they at least made an effort to impose their own imprint on the song. Gallows make a decent effort of turning "Wrathchild" into a punk song, which by definition isn't such a long bow to draw. Fightstar then drag out a fairly standard version of "Fear of the Dark" that fails to excite on any level (but that may also be because of my boredom with the song itself).
Machine Head take on the legendary "Hallowed Be Thy Name", and do not disappoint, and while they do not stray too far from the template they still bring the energy that the song emits and carry it throughout. Terrific. Trivium take on "Iron Maiden" with gusto. Year Long Disaster do a note-for-note translation of "Running Free" before Ghostlines do an interesting version of "Brave New World" to finish off the album.

So where does the real problem lie? Well, how do you improve on perfection? In most cases, if you can't make your guitars grunt and squeal, and you can't sing to a certain level, then you will never make these songs sound anywhere near as good as Maiden does. That's why "Remember Tomorrow" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name" are the best songs here, and the others are either just reasonable covers, or less than average covers. As with all covers/tribute albums, you will be able to get a few listens out of this albums, and some reasonable moments. In the long run though, all it will do is reinforce the fact that Iron Maiden can't be fought, and Iron Maiden can't be sought.

Rating:  Unchain the colours before my eyes.  2.5/5

752. Amon Amarth / Twilight of the Thunder God. 2008. 2.5/5

I came on to Amon Amarth later than most, though I originally heard this album upon its release, and pretty much rejected it out of hand almost instantly. It wasn't until a few years later that i had cause to revisit the band and thus this album as well. What I discovered was that it wasn't as bad a I originally imagined it to be, though perhaps my recollections were of parts of the album rather than the whole.

Much of the music on this album is terrific. It may not be super technical, but for the most part it is catchy as hell. Simple but effective drumming drives each song along at the required speed. It's a great example of how drumming doesn't have to be filled with huge time changes or distributing drumsticks along eleventy-two toms to be a distinctive component of the songs on show. Of course, there is then the threat that if it is all generally the same throughout the album (and that could well be argued to be the case here) that it takes away the individuality of each song and makes them of a similar ilk. There are some great riffs here too, once again nothing on the overly technical side, but again effective throughout. Some of the solo breaks too are excellent. Much like the drumming though, sometimes too much of a good thing can be at the cost of the album's evenness. What may work in some places may not work in others.
There are some standout songs here. The title track "Twilight of the Thunder God" is a ripper, emphasising the best that Amon Amarth can muster. It is the best song here, which can be disconcerting when it is the first track on the album. Next best for me is the second song, "Free Will Sacrifice". So too "Varyags of Miklagaard ". From here though, something is lost and not recaptured for the rest of the album.
This is highlighted by some songs that are on the middle ground, such as "Guardians of Asgaard", "Where is Your God?" and "Tattered Banners and Bloody Flags", where the simplicity of the music probably outstays its welcome, not making them poor songs but only average ones. Through to the album's conclusion, it feels as though the band has decided that the formula has worked, and by sticking to it they can keep the listeners interest. Well, no, not really. Those things that are impressive at the start - Johan's amazing deep throated vocals, catchy guitar riffs and accompanying drum kicks, just don't carry the same weight in the second half of the album.

In summing up the album, I think after a terrific start it does tend to drift into a similar pattern, which can make you feel you are hearing nothing different. And this is a real shame, because it opens up with such promise with energy and aggression, which just seems to seep away by the middle of the album into a normalcy that is difficult to sustain, especially in a death metal album. Perhaps it is just another of those "it's not you, it's me" moments, where big fans of the band will see this as absolute rubbish. I can accept that on this occasion, because no matter how many times I have had this album on, by the time I reach "Tattered Banners and Bloody Flags", my interest has waned to the point of looking for the next album to listen to.

Rating:  Ragnarök awaits.  2.5/5

720. Alice Cooper / Along Came a Spider. 2008. 3/5

Given his amazing ability to constantly produce albums with regularity, and the enormous amount stashed in his back catalogue, and the influence he has had throughout his career, it is not only difficult not to get carried away with another Alice Cooper album, but also difficult not to judge too swiftly or harshly as a result.
Perhaps it is old age. Perhaps it is that I don't/can't spend days/weeks listening to the same album over and over again as I did in my youth. Perhaps my tastes have changed lightly. perhaps (surely not) Alice just doesn't quite do albums as well as he used to. Or, as is possible, not every Alice Cooper album is an out and out classic. And this is true anyway, as there are some albums in his vast array of releases that never dd anything for me.

Along Came a Spider is another of Alice's concept album pieces, which is all and fine, though by being so it ties the whole album to that storyline, which can make it difficult as the listener if you don't find it enthralling. In the long run, you need to be able to find two or three songs in the mix that really grab you, because that will drag you into and through the rest of the album. And while I can put this on in the background and let it play away without a second though, if I really sit down and listen to it, I can't find much that really excites me. The opening stanza of "Vengeance Is Mine", "Wake the Dead" and "Catch Me If You Can" is probably my favourite part of the album, but most of the rest I can take or leave. "Salvation" is a case in point. The finale of the album and story, yet contains a barrage of choruses that just nag at you rather than encourage you to sing along, because it turns out that it is more annoying than anthemic.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad album. It just isn't a great album. Dirty Diamonds was a much better album all round. That was classic Alice. This is okay, but not on the top shelf.

693. Fucked Up / The Chemistry of Common Life. 2008. 3/5

My discovery of this band came at the Soundwave Festival in Sydney in February 2013, a chance discovery on an outer stage. The raw energy and enthusiasm of this band was not only completely refreshing, it brought me back to a genre of music that I hadn't really thought of in a very long time. I had listened to punk bands and hardcore bands in my youth, stuff like The Clash, Dead Kennedys and Misfits to name a few, but I hadn't sought out any new material in this genre for years.

When I first got this album and listened to it, it took me awhile to come to terms with it. The main reason for that was... well... it's not just a punk album, or a hardcore album. It's an eclectic mix of a whole range of things that, if taken singularly one at a time, makes for a very surreal and unusual experience. I mean seriously, what is with the freaked out, 60's flower power keyboard driven 'instrumental' "Golden Seal"? How do you come to terms with that following up a gangbusters start like "Son the Father" and "Magic Word"? Well, the truth is, once you have played this album about twenty times, it starts to blend into the landscape of the album, and you become much more used to it that if you just plucked that song out and played it on random on your iPod.
What gets me most about this album is that, apart from Pink Eyes unique vocal capacity, these guys are much closer to being an experimental band from the 1960's with a modern twist than a true punk or hardcore band. Take the vocals out of "No Epiphany" and you could easily mistake this for a hippy fest on a long freeform experimentation quest. And if that is what passes in this day and age for punk or hardcore then I am a very poor judge. But again, once you have listened to this album on a number of occasions, you cannot really just review it on a song-by-song basis, because as an album complete I think it works. Don't get me wrong, it is the true punk/hardcore songs on here that I like the most, when they just let themselves go, and you can imagine themselves jumping around the stage as they play.
So what is it about this that draws me to it? Perhaps the fact that it isn't what I expected when I first bought it. That at moments when it feels as though it might be drifting away from, rebounds back with a vengeance, like on "Twice Born". Maybe because it isn't just a high intensity, fully blown hardcore album that takes itself too seriously. Or perhaps it is something else that I can't place.

Look, am I going to be jumping out of my skin to grab this CD off the shelf and throw it on my stereo? Probably not. When it comes to listing my favourite albums of all time, is it one that will pop into my mind as a contender? Not likely. Neither of those things can deny the fact that this band has got something that draws me to them, and that this album, while flawed in some aspects on a song-by-song basis, as a package is a creeper.

559. The Cavalera Conspiracy / Inflikted. 2008. 2.5/5

I’m guessing a lot of people would have gone out of their way to check this out purely for the fact that the Cavalera boys had worked together again. Count me in as one of that crowd. Though I had never been a huge fan of Sepultura, I had listened to enough of their stuff, and seen them live twice, to make it worth my while to see what they had to offer now.

There is nothing new or startling on offer here, which is not to denigrate the album before I’ve started. This follows a formulaic theme, unlike Sepultura’s groundbreaking early material. But these guys were a part of that, so this shouldn’t be seen as being that kind of album. It is a reunion of sorts, and while I was able to take in a lot of this kind of material when I was 20, I can’t quite take it in large doses now that I’m 40. Actually – I’m not sure I could when I was 20 either. :)

“Inflikted”, “The Doom of All Fires”, "Bloodbrawl" and “Sanctuary” rate with me as the better tracks on the album. The fans of the lads will no doubt enjoy this immensely and play it ad nauseum. As I have done over the last couple of days, I can put it on and listen to it, but I have no desire for continued repeat listenings.

535. Michael Schenker Group / In The Midst of Beauty. 2008. 3/5.

With the return of Gary Barden to lead vocals and the good vibes of Michael Schenker’s recent releases, I was looking forward to hearing this album, and seeing what they could do together again. Would the result be a brilliant and revealing current sound? Or a trip down memory lane with a 70’s rock feel? As it turns out, it is the second option.

While I guess I was hoping for Michael Schenker album for the new(ish) century, these two have reverted to their comfort zones and put together an album that wouldn’t look out of place in the late 1970’s. While it is enjoyable enough to listen to, there is nothing new here. In fact, it does lack the blistering Schenker solos that highlighted the pair’s work together in the early 1980’s. Rather than extending themselves, they have put out a safe, almost AOR album, a far cry from the metal attack of earlier releases.
Despite this, it has its moments. While it may not be a peak, nor an album you would give someone for their first taste of MSG (no pun intended), if you are a fan you will get enough out of it to make the purchase worthwhile.

Rating: Nothing new here, but occasionally that's what you are looking for. 3 / 5.

534. Jorn / Lonely Are The Brave. 2008. 4/5.

After the age-old cliché response that he and former band Masterplan were parting ways through musical differences, this is Jorn’s first solo album following that decision. Given that he left Masterplan when he wanted to go in a more melodic direction away from their heavier direction there was a fair indication of what to expect here.

Surprisingly then, this is probably heavier than I expected. Jorn’s wonderful vocals are the centerpiece of every song, and while the songs here are structured differently from those of his Masterplan and Ark past, they somehow still suit him well. There is a nice mixture of faster material and slower material, but none of it lacks the metal element. You can easily pick up the Whitesnake influences in his songs (most obviously in the opening title track), but there is a whole lot more to it as well.
Having taken the step to go out on his own again, he has done a great job here, given that you not only have enjoyed his earlier material but like your music with a twist of Whitesnake and Dio, because that’s what this most reminds me of.

Favourites for me here include “Lonely Are The Brave”, “Night City”, “Promises”, “The Inner Road” and brilliant version of Deep Purple’s “Stormbringer”.

Rating: Surprisingly good, and though not at his Masterplan peak, still a worthy release. 4 /5.

533. Iced Earth / The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part 2). 2008. 1.5/5

Having been a fan of ‘Ripper’ Owens while he was in the band, I admit to being one of the faithful who thought that the return of Matt Barlow to the fold would be the right thing for Iced Earth. I also believed it would make The Crucible Of Man a stronger album than their previous effort. I guess all of this could have been true, except that one thing got forgotten – write some bloody decent songs!

Barlow is back, and his vocals cram themselves out of the speakers at you, but is there any real feeling or power there? Has he lost his touch? It’s difficult to say, but it really isn’t the same man who sang on Iced Earth albums ten years ago. However, he can only sing the material he has in front of him, and here it seems the band has slipped dramatically. Where have the heavy songs gone? Where is the intense riffing that once was so prevalent in their music? Have they left speed for good? This is where all the conflict is. You can’t have a good album without good material, and in trying to tell a story it appears that the music has been dealt a savage blow.

It is possible that this is such a massive disappointment because all of the talk leading up to it was the return of Barlow? Actually, no. The elements of Iced Earth are there, but they just feel watered down. Or are they just outdated? Surely the time has come to just go out and get back to the basics, and bring back what made Iced Earth such a formidable band. Big fans will probably still get enough out of this album. I did not.

Rating: If going back to the past is their ideal, then they need to go further back. 1.5 / 5

532. Queen + Paul Rodgers / The Cosmos Rocks. 2008. 2/5

No one who has heard anything of Queen + Paul Rodgers recently will have any thoughts that either party will reach the heights that they once did. While their coming together has been a good thing for them, allowing them to tour and play a whole variety of songs, they are a new band. In fact I would preferred to have seen them take a new name for the band, so as not sully what have been great careers to this point.

Anyway, the first release from this trio and their band partners is here, and it is a departure from what one would have liked to have heard, but is unsurprising that it is not. Gone is the innovation that is one of the hallmarks of Queen’s background, and gone are the strong vocals that Paul Rodgers has in his earlier incantations. What we have instead is a selection of songs that are disappointingly average. What ‘rock’ songs there are on the album tend very much toward the pop side of rock.
The presence of Brian May’s scintillating guitar is toned down into the wash, where it rarely comes into its own. Ditto Roger Taylor's drumming. The beauty of Queen’s album’s was that they were always interesting, and they always tried new ideas. It is the lack of anything outstanding or new here that drags it into the mire. It feels almost like a 70’s pop album.

So no. It doesn’t work, and that’s a shame. No doubt there are people out there who will enjoy this, but it just doesn’t feel right from the first time you put it on. There is no spark, there is no fire. As an easy listening album you might get marks, but for guys that have set the bar so high in years gone by, it ranks as a fizzer.

Rating: Disappointingly average. 2 / 5.

531. Guns N' Roses / Chinese Democracy. 2008. 1.5/5

It came as absolutely no surprise to me that this album was such a disappointment. Let’s face it – we were all waiting for it for so long, at least ten years. In fact, since the release of both of the Use You Illusion albums, we’ve been waiting for the follow up. Almost two decades later, and years of promises, and the day finally arrived. And after such a build-up, what could you possibly expect.

It doesn’t help that it also isn’t Guns N’ Roses – it’s Axl Rose and some other musicians. No disrespect to them, but Slash’s guitaring was as much G N’ R as the vocals ever were, and it does seem to be missing a bit in that respect.More than anything else, the songs are lame. Having been written and recorded over such a long period of time, the album is disconnected and for the most part tremendously boring. There is little hard or heavy, or even rock, about most of the songs on this album. Axl still wails where he finds it necessary, but has little in common with what the original band released back in its day.

For the record company’s sake, at least it has been released. The world can now stop worrying about whether it was ever going to happen, and move onto other matters.

Rating: Only what is to be expected, but not what was hoped for. 1.5 / 5

523. Iced Earth / I Walk Among You [Single]. 2008. 3.5/5

First taste of Iced Earth reunited with Matt Barlow as lead vocalist from the forthcoming album The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part 2).
The new song sounds good. Barlow’s vocals suit it nicely, and there is some power to the song. If this is an indication of the new album then bring it on.
Also here are two songs from Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) which have been redone with Barlow singing instead of Ripper Owens. Probably not the songs I would have chosen, if they were trying to prove anything. I still think Ripper’s versions sound better.

Rating: Is there better to come? 3.5/5