947. Various Artists / Ronnie James Dio: This is Your Life. 2014. 5/5

Tribute albums are a tricky business, as I'm sure I have mentioned here sometime before. They are even trickier when it comes to someone who is quite outstanding on their instrument of choice, because to fall down in that area will then bring apart the whole concept of the album itself. When it comes to sending out a tribute to one of the greatest vocalists of all time, it could easily become a nightmare. Unless it is done by the very best in the business, and is held in the highest regards by those behind the project and the artists who become involved.

This album, to the lasting memory of Ronnie James Dio, shows all sides of this conundrum. The main one of course is that no one can sing like Ronnie, or could hope to reproduce his songs in the same style as he does. The best you can do is play with enthusiasm and sing within your realm of expertise, and don't try and oversell yourself. For the most part that has been done with this collection of songs and artists. The 'fan boys' and 'fan girls' are out in force here.
In one group, we have the bands who have set out to be completely faithful to the original songs, and have played their hearts out in doing so. Anthrax's version of "Neon Knights" that opens the album is perhaps the best example of that here. Joey's vocals are on song, and the band nails its version here. Terrific stuff. So too is Scorpions version of Rainbow's "Temple of the King", with Klaus Meine doing a great job on a difficult vocal. Adrenaline Mob's "The Mob Rules" ticks all the boxes, while Corey Taylor and his conglomerate of musicians also doing a fair job of "Rainbow in the Dark".
It's also great to hear two female vocalists given their reign. Doro's version of "Egypt (The Chains Are On) has been around for awhile, and appeared on other tribute albums, but it still sounds just as good as ever. Halestorm's "Straight Through the Heart" is a ripping version, and Lzzy Hale's vocal is a beauty.
The three generations of the Dio band are also to be found. The majority of the Dio Disciples group - Craig Goldy, Rudy Sarzo, Scott Warren and Simon Wright - join with legend Glenn Hughes to perform "Catch the Rainbow", the Dio Disciples vocalist Oni Logan is joined by Jimmy Bain, Rowan Robertson and Brian Tichy to perform a rousing version of Black Sabbath's "I", while Doug Aldrich, Vinny Appice, Jeff Pilson and Scott Warren are joined by another legend in Rob Halford for Rainbow's "Man on the Silver Mountain"
Glenn Hughes and Rob Halford's vocals are perhaps the best examples of why Ronnie is so hard to copy. Halford's vocals have always been superb, but age has tested his vocal chords, and in recent years he has had to modify how he sings Priest songs, let alone "Man on theSilver Mountain". Sure it still sounds fine, but it is a completely different register, and it is noticeably different and less energetic as a result. Glenn has always been The Voice of Rock, but even his version here of "Catch the Rainbow" just proves how magnificent Ronnie's voice was, and his original version of the song.
Motörhead, Kilswitch Engage, Tenacious D and Metallica lend their own uniqueness to their versions. Motörhead is joined by Saxon's Biff Byford for a pleasingly 70's hard rock carousel of "Starstruck". Kilswitch Engage's version of "Holy Diver" has also been around for awhile, but their uniquely played version is still always a hit. The D's rollicking version of "The Last in Line" won Best Metal Performance at the Grammy Awards in 2015, and not only has Jack Black's fantastically approving vocals, but a recorder solo in place of the original guitar solo that brings the house down wherever and whenever I play it. A true tribute. Metallica, no doubt mainly through Lars Ulrich's influence, put together a medley of his Rainbow songs that sounds terrific in their updated way, while James Hetfield ensures he isn't trying to compete with Dio's vocal chords. Combining four great songs, "A Light in the Black", "Tarot Woman", "Stargazer" and "Kill the King", this is a fitting way to add to their historic treatment of the bands that influenced their own career.
The final song is Dio's own "This Is Your Life", the name of this tribute album, and taken from Dio's somewhat disastrous 'Angry Machines' album. It is a quiet reflection on his own career from the time, and if nothing else again showcases his amazing vocal quality.

This is probably the best Dio tribute collection that has been released, if only for the fact that the majority of the vocals on this album do not denigrate Ronnie's own from the originals. They may not quite approach his brilliance, but no one expects them to. Every song here exudes the love of this great man, and while once again a tribute album only goes to proves just how brilliant the original versions of all of these songs are with the originals bands, it does a great service to the man who conjured them, and allows them to pay tribute to him. As a tribute album, it couldn't have been much better.

Rating:  "This is your life, this is your fate".  5/5

943. Iron Savior / Rise of the Hero. 2014. 4/5

While other bands out there in the musicverse seem to get a little soft in the middle regions as they get a little older or a little more comfortable, there are bands like Iron Savior. While there have been a couple of moments on their previous two albums where one could begin to believe that the above malady had begun to creep into their work ethic (and it should be mentioned that it was really only the odd moment), it appears that the band has had an epiphany. Maybe not a complete one, but the result here on Rise of the Hero is an album that feels closer to the best values that Iron Savior based their success on - speed, fire, and raise your fist and yell. It's not all M&M's and Skittles, but in general the power settles firmly throughout.

The first half of the album is what gets your blood pumping with enthusiasm for the cause. The songs all have Piet Sielck's vocals at their most energetic, climbing above the music in chorus and becoming the front half of each song, dominating with his powerful intent. This is when he sounds at his best, and when that occurs the songs can only benefit. The other pieces of the puzzle fall into place as well. It's the double kick drumming, combined with the 2/4 timing and well formed drum rolls that help to set the pace of the music, and drive it along such that it feels like that atypical power metal speed. Thomas Nack has a... well... a knack... of making this happen, and his precision is as impressive as always here in being the driving force of the music. Add to this the excellent underscored bass work from Jan-Sören Eckert, who again manages to run up and down the neck of his instrument in such a way that it improves the bottom end sensationally without over imposing itself, and the rhythm section holds together each song wonderfully well. And, as always, the duelling and harmonising guitars of Sielck and Joachim "Piesel" Küstner fill the air with that power metal magic combination.
The instrumental "Ascendence" into "Last Hero" is naturally anthemic, encouraging you to sing along with the chorus with gusto. In fact, I just did again as it was playing for this review. This is followed by "Revenge of the Bride", utilising that part of Iron Savior that I enjoy immensely, with Piet singing over just the drums and bass during the start of the verse, before the guitars bust in and help raise the roof into the solo section. Great stuff. And then by god they fly into "From Far Beyond Time", hardly stopping for breath. The mix of excess speed and standard speed in this song (yeah, that's hard to describe, but let's just say that there is a two different levels of fast power metal speed in there) is perfect, and the band shifts gears without any hiccups along the way. "Burning Heart" moves concurrently into "Thunder From the Mountains" and into the power anthem "Iron Warrior", with all songs utilising the same great techniques as the songs that came before them.
Given the excellence of the first half of the album, what comes afterwards may not be of quite the same standard, but is mostly forgivable in the whole scheme of the album. "Dragon King" isn't terribly ordinary, but the strength of the earlier tracks doesn't filter through here. The slower tempo and what sounds like a formula driven lyrical and vocal set up does tend to halt the momentum that has been created to this point. The cover of Swedish pop band song Mando Diao's "Dance With Somebody" is an... interesting piece. I don't know the original at all, but you can notice the difference between this song and the others on the album. I wouldn't say it is a favourite, but I do find myself tapping along with it whenever it comes on. "The Demon" is as close to a ballad as the band comes to on this album, and in its way it is perhaps only the first half of the song that tends this way. Still, me and power ballads... not a good combination. However, the songs directly before and after this are great. "Firestorm" rips along and is fired up by Piet's vocals, dragging the back half of the album up with its ferocity, while album closer "Fistraiser" again invokes the call to heavy metal both vocally and musically, and finishes off the band's latest work on the front foot.

Quite honestly, Iron Savior is a band whose albums I can, at any time, grab and put on the stereo, and enjoy whether loud and cranking and singing at the top of my lungs, or in the background while talking with others around. While their work would not make any "Best Albums Of All Time" lists I might make, as a collected works they would rank very highly, and this album continues that trend. Perhaps more importantly, I don't consider that they have any dud albums, and that is quite a task. If you like their earlier work, you will enjoy this thoroughly.

Rating:   "Raise your fist and set your spirit free, Heavy metal is our deal".  4/5

916. Sonata Arctica / Pariah's Child. 2014. 2.5/5

If you have followed my reviews of albums over the past ten to fifteen years, you will be fully aware of my fascination and frustration with Sonata Arctica, as a band and of the music they play. When I first discovered them all those years ago, I was amazed at their talent, their ability on their instruments, and the excellence of their vocal ability. More than anything else, all of this is perfectly portrayed in the cover versions of songs such as Scorpions "Still Loving You" and Iron Maiden's "Die With Your Boots On", which are the reason I started following this band. The fact that they have never lived up to those expectations of mine is eternally annoying to me.

Here on Pariah's Child, I am met with the same old problems and prejudices that I have met on most of the previous albums Sonata Arctica has released. About half of the album works on a level that is good enough for me. And I don't pretend that isn't an unfair comment, just for the fact that I would like them to be a bit more traditionally heavy, and have less reliance on the keyboards. But that is the way I have felt about their music for some time. Songs such as "The Wolves Die Young" and "Running Lights" are very good songs, and both of these are an excellent way to open the album. But what I wouldn't give to hear just a bit more grunt in them. I guess the best way I can describe them is that they are 'harmless', good songs with great musicianship that are easy to listen to, without creating great spasms of brilliance within you.
The middle of the album employs some different musical techniques that will either stun you or lose your interest entirely. I'm not sure what the middle of "Take One Breath" was looking to achieve with it's lullaby keyboard sound, but it just messes up the song for mine. "Cloud Factory" and "Blood" are on a par with the opening two songs, creating the solid core of the Sonata Artica sound. "What Did You Do in the War, Dad" is a very melancholic style, and while not a unique sounding song is a mix of ranges and emotions within the song itself, and is the most difficult song on the album to categorise, and to determine whether I like it or dislike it. While it settles in the ballad like style, it has enough force and momentum behind it to bring it up a notch in its estimation.
"Half a Marathon Man" is my favourite song on the album, because it does all of the things I like most about the band in the best possible way - it's a fast paced song, the vocals have some grunt behind them, the guitar and keys flow together perfectly and showcase the best of their abilities, it doesn't take itself too seriously, and you can drum along with it and sing along with it without any bad convictions. More of this please!!
"X Marks the Spot" isn't a bad follow up, combining a lightened lyrical base ala Helloween and Gamma Ray but without the dominance in music that those two bands inject. "Love" is sterile. Not necessarily the emotion, but this song is. Truly, as I say in any review of this type, the power ballad is a blight on music, and this song is no exception. The closing song "Larger Than Life" extends to almost ten minutes, which probably outstays its welcome by some margin.

I've said it all before when it comes to Sonata Arctica. I keep coming back to them every new album because I still harbour hope that they can harness their obvious talent and produce that album that really takes my breath away, grabs me around the throat and knocks some sense into me. Once again, that hasn't happened here. Pariah's Child is another solid release from a very good power metal band, with some good material and some average material. The fans of this genre of music should find more than enough to satisfy them on this album, but there will be the others who, like me, will again leave this somewhat disappointed.

Rating:  "You look like a really nice guy, but can you keep up with me?"  2.5/5

794. Red Dragon Cartel / Red Dragon Cartel. 2014. 3/5

Any one who grew up listening to Ozzy Osbourne's albums Bark at the Moon and The Ultimate Sin knows that as good as Ozzy is, the star of those two albums is the guitarist, one Jake E. Lee. Despite a problem in acknowledging exactly who did write the majority of the material on those two albums, it is obvious that Jake was an overwhelming influence over the music and direction of the material, and his guitar playing is superb throughout, with signature solos that resonate through the ages. Upon his dismissal from the band he went on to form Badlands, another gem of a band whose first two albums are touched by brilliance. Despite the animosity between himself and lead singer Ray Gillen before he sadly passed away, both Badlands and Voodoo Highway are solid albums. And then Jake just seemed to disappear from the face of the music world.

Fast forward to 2014, and a sudden announcement comes to me of a new band bringing out their debut album. The band's name is Red Dragon Cartel, and is helmed by the one and only Jake E. Lee! How did this creep up on me so suddenly? No matter, I have to get this album. I have find out just what this person whom I so admired in my youth is going to produce 20-odd years after the last new material I heard him play. As could probably be expected, it's a bit of a mixture.
The album starts off on a positive cracking note, with a ripping guitar riff starting off "Deceived". Fast paced and heavy, this has all the elements to make the listener immediately stand up and take notice. "Shout It Out" follows with a slower paced hard drum sound, and vocalist Darren Smith testing both ends of his vocal range. This is very much in the alternative metal genre. "Feeder" features the vocal talents of Cheap Trick's Robin Zander, and reverts to a much natural hard rock themed tune. It is a good song, but perhaps rests on the laurels of the known vocalist than anything especially brilliant musically about it. "Fall From the Sky (Seagull)" is somewhat of a letdown, with the tuning back of all pretence of speed or rock, while Smith's vocals do struggle to sing in a register that makes it feel halfway suitable. Probably an opportunity to have someone else sing this song if it was going to work well. Which is amusing that it then leads into "Wasted" which has Paul Di'Anno bringing his rough and roughshod vocals into the mix, which sounds good but was also perhaps a lost opportunity to really add more metal to this track to also make it as promising as it could be.
"Slave" is possibly the heaviest song on the album, with a gutteral guitar riff and fast paced drums set off along with some great vocals from Smith, probably his best of the album. "Big Mouth" features Maria Brink from In This Moment, and is a slow paced heavy monster reminiscent of Godsmack. This is a real impact song from the band, very unlike Jake's typical style of song with slamming drums and amazing guitar work from Jake himself, while Maria's vocals set it all off perfectly. This was a real surprise packet. "War Machine" has a real Black Sabbath feel to it, both musically and vocally. It's a real stomping beat, and Smith even sings it in a way that is reminiscent of Ozzy in his Sabbath days (albeit in a much lower register). Great stuff. "Redeem Me" with Sass Jordan on vocals is a serviceable enough hard rock song, though without the fire and guitar hooks of previous songs. "Exquisite Tenderness" completes the album, and is a piano piece featuring just Jake playing, a mellow piece to finish the album with a reminder than he is not just a guitarist.

Though the use of guest vocalists along the way can tend to deceive you on how you feel about an album, this one holds up pretty well all the way through. It may not be perfect, but it is a joy to hear Jake E. Lee playing once again in a band situation. Hopefully it won't be the last.

Rating:  Bodies burning the whole world is turning insane.  3/5

790. Judas Priest / Redeemer of Souls. 2014. 4/5

To say that I was a little hesitant when it came to approaching the new album from Judas Priest would be an understatement. I tried hard to like Angel of Retribution and I failed to get much out of the rock opera that was Nostradamus. Both albums for the most part were a huge disappointment, given the initial excitement of Rob Halford returning to the fold. Then we had the retirement of K.K. Downing and the 'last tour' stories, which as with most of these kinds of stories has instead extended itself to further tours and a new album. Throw it all together like that, and there was a lot of pointers to the possibility of further disappointment.

Right from the get-go, this album allays most of those fears. Here is that famous Judas Priest dual-guitar attack, here is Scott Travis and his more renown double kick, here is Ian Hill and that solid-as-a-rock bass sound, and here is Halford sounding loud and strong. "Dragonaught" comes at you with the cannons firing, and continues with "Redeemer of Souls" and the excellent "Halls of Valhalla", which races along at a satisfying speed and heavy ratio. "Sword of Damocles" is a ripper, tearing it up and showcasing the best that the Priest can perform.
"Hell & Back" is a more moody offering, sitting in a placating lounge chair with Rob serving up molten chocolate vocals as Glenn and Richie play their comforting fireside solos. It is a strong song despite not accessing any speed or screams. This follows up with "Cold Blooded" which follows a similar path, a slower side to the Priest beast without forgoing any of the power.
"Metalizer" indicates a rise in the tempo by the name alone, though it is probably only Scott's double kick that indicates a rise in speed as such. "Battle Cry" is a beauty, charging along with that typical guitar riffing solidly backed by the double kick drum and rising vocals. it can't all be golden I guess, and I have problems with the album closer, "Beginning of the End". Is this trying to be another "Beyond the Realms of Death"? Or "Loch Ness"? Because I hated "Loch Ness". Why end an album with such a slow, reflective, mournful-like song? It just sucks out all of the great feelings that have been built up beforehand. This song is a mistake, perhaps the only one made on the album, but a mistake nonetheless.

Say what you like about Judas Priest in the modern age, but you have to admire their stamina. Richie Faulkner has injected some youth into the line-up, and perhaps even influenced the song writing to the positive, given the improvement overall in this album over other recent releases. The band themselves still has it, and sound fantastic. Any discussion will as a matter of course refer to Halford's vocal capacity in the modern age, and certainly age has caught up with him. Long gone now are the days when he could reach those notes that defined the first two-thirds of his career as a vocalist, and punctuated Judas Priest's greatest songs. He literally cannot do that anymore - but that does not mean he has lost his capability to sing. Everyone who listens to this album can pick the places where a young Halford would have unleashed an ear-splitting scream, where now he substitutes it for a different line and pitch. Anyone who didn't know Rob Halford's singing abilities would not even notice the change, because now he is singing in the range that he is capable of doing, and it sounds great. Every great singer has had to make sacrifices and changes as they get older. Rob's singing here is terrific. Those that mourn the lack of his historic abilities should just get over it.

"The Priest is back!!" can be shouted on stage for this album's tour with gusto, because it rings as true now as for anytime over the past twenty-five years. If this is to be their final album then it is a fitting way to conclude their magnificent career. If there is still more to come, it is a positive indicator that while their greatest albums may be in the past, it doesn't mean that there cannot be more great albums to come.

Rating:  There's no holding him back, the ransom announces his deeds.  4/5

Listen to full album here

773. Yngwie J. Malmsteen / Spellbound: Live in Tampa. 2014. 2.5/5

You would think that a live album - correction, a double live album - featuring Yngwie Malmsteen, arguably the most celebrated guitarist of our time, should be a no brainer. We already know he pretty much plays live what he does in the studio because he is such a stickler for his instrument, so you know that they guitaring will be superb. Then we know he has an extensive catalogue of songs, both with vocals, and just instrumentals, so that he will surely choose a set list that will have everyone jumping. And even though he played almost every instrument on his last album Spellbound, including the sparse vocals that were required, we know he has had a brilliant array of vocalists through the years, so no matter who he employed to sing on this would be terrific.
Well, most of that doesn't really come to pass at all on this live album, Spellbound: Live in Tampa.

The majority of this double album is made up of instrumental numbers. Now, that's not such a big deal when Yngwie is involved, but no matter how far you want to go with this argument, this many instrumentals can only engender boredom and repetition whether you are watching it, or just listening to it. As brilliant as Yngwie is, his guitaring can only hold your complete attention in an instrumental for a certain length of time. So count them up. There are 30 songs on this release, and of those 30, there are 19 instrumentals, of varying lengths. Once again, don't get me wrong, Yngwie is a genius and brilliant to listen to, but when it's all guitar for too much of the time, well it just becomes too much. Even when you throw in stuff like "Far Beyond the Sun" and "Black Star" that are still as brilliant today as they were 30 years ago.
So, with a majority of instrumental tracks, no doubt Yngwie decided that forking out for a lead vocalist was a bit of a waste of time, given that he would be rendered superfluous for at least half of the set. So, what do you do? Well, you get your keyboardist Nick Marino to do a double shift, and sing lead vocals when necessary as well as fill out the keys necessary for the night. Great money saving idea. Except that Marino's vocals are despicable. Not terrible, but just not right. They don't fit the songs at all, and when he has to do any amount of vocal chord stretching (and given that he's trying to sing songs done by Jeff Scott Soto, Joe Lynn Turner, Doogie White and Tim Owens, that is a LOT!) he is found out noticeably. And it would be a false statement to say that it doesn't detract from the songs at all, because it really does. Overall the current band line up is good. Everyone does their job well, and leaves it to Yngwie to be the show. It does get very tiresome as Marino keeps telling the crowd "Let's hear it for the maestro!!" You know how good he is, we know how good he is, and Yngwie knows how good he is. Surely neither party needs to be encouraged to give praise.

This actually turns out to be a rather depressing release. The vocals on the songs that require them are just dreadful, and suck any enjoyment out of them immediately. The songs that don't require vocals are either brilliant (see above mentioned two songs as examples) or just a little overplayed to enjoy. No one can doubt Yngwie still has it, he plays like a demon. If he had taken Ripper out on vocals for this, it probably rates a 4 or 4.5 out of five, even despite the average song list. Put the average song list and the average vocals together, and you have a rather unhappy result.

Rating:  I can see the moment of some kind of truth.  2.5/5

762. AC/DC / Rock or Bust. 2014. 3.5/5

Releasing just their fourth album in the past 24 years hasn't affected AC/DC's popularity worldwide, nor has it changed their style. As always, this either bothers you to the point that you can't listen to what is on the album, or it makes you feel warm and fuzzy, and you sink into it like a comfortable pair of shoes. There is a change of some description however. It's old man's easy listening rock now. The real trademark energy that used to punctuate their songs and performances has now settled back into stuff these guys could be playing in dressing gowns and armchairs.
That's not meant to be a cheap shot either - I mean, they ARE all old now, and you can't keep doing what you used to forever. Malcolm Young's retirement due to illness is the best indication of that.

But there used to be riffs and solos from Angus that transcended songs and albums, ones that immediately made you recognise the song as soon as you heard it. There's none of that here. The songs are tight and held together by the infinite and endless 4/4 beat on Phil Rudd's drums along with Cliff Williams' bass guitar. Stevie Young does a serviceable job on rhythm guitar, filling in his uncle's shoes. Brian Johnson's vocals are as recognisable as ever, with lyrics that cover the usual AC/DC song subjects. There is nothing out of place here, but there is nothing that is a breakout song, busting out of the speakers to take a hold of you. It isn't as though there is a lack of energy here, it's just that it is a slow fissure that is spread throughout the whole album, not changing all the way through. In the past there would be explosions of energy, making you look up and take notice of the song or riff or solo. Here it is more of a levelling situation, letting that tempo sit all the way through the album, hardly missing a beat along the way.

This album sits comfortably between the way I feel about Blow Up Your Video and The Razors Edge. Both of those albums start off with the money shots, the singles that was the momentum to those albums' sales. But whereas with Blow Up Your Video the rest of the album disappointed me and left me feeling unfulfilled, there are some great other tracks on The Razors Edge that keep me coming back for more. Here on Rock or Bust, there is no doubt that the opening two songs are where the promotion of the album comes to. "Rock or Bust"  is the title track and second single to be released, which followed the initial release of the second song on the album "Play Ball" which preceded the release of the album proper. Both are catchy enough to have already been used in sports promotions worldwide, so you know you are getting good album coverage when that occurs. Following these two songs, you have a collection of songs that follow the same formula as AC/DC songs do. Sometimes, as on Blow Up Your Video they don't really work, unable to keep the interest of the listener. For me at least, the remainder of Rock or Bust is closer to The Razor's Edge. There is enough here to keep you listening and rocking along, even if it is in an easy listening kind of atmosphere. They may not be outstanding, and they may not be memorable for anything out of the ordinary, but as a package they are still great to listen to.

There is every chance that this will be AC/DC's final album. But then again I've probably thought that of their last three or four albums. If it does become their last release, we can at least be happy that they ended it on their own terms, delivering an album that does very little different to what they have in the last two or three decades, and still delivering songs that have that foot-tapping, head-bobbing capability.

Rating:  Listen, drinks all around I'm in the mood.  3.5/5

761. HammerFall / (r)Evolution. 2014. 2.5/5

Over the years the evolving nature of HammerFall's music has slowly taken shape, from the speed driven power metal of their early albums to the more mid-range tempo selection of writing almost in deference to contemporary heavy metal in recent times. One may even suggest that their music has "matured" over the years, from the brash young speed based band that began during the 1990's to the better produced, planned and involved writing and recording that is prominent throughout (r)Evolution. Indeed, the music has evolved light years since those first albums to what has been presented here. Whether it also involved a revolution is of course open to interpretation.
I admit that I have had some problems with HammerFall's recent albums. Well, let's face it, after Renegade I could pretty much have given every album a miss. But I keep coming back, as I do with other bands of this ilk, in the hope that they will surprise and produce another album that will sit comfortably up there with their best. You know, Glory to the Brave on speed with modern production. Surely that's not too much to ask, is it? But you aren't going to get that, because they have moved into this aforementioned mid-tempo music, which can work at its best here, but isn't what lured me into HammerFall in the first place.

There are some good tunes here. I have been putting this album on and letting it play through about a dozen times now, and it hasn't annoyed me to the point that I have to stop it or skip along songs. However, nor have I found anything on here so outstanding that I replay a song three or four times because it is so enjoyable. I enjoy the opening track "Hector's Hymn", and parts of "Live Life Loud". "Ex Inferis" is just so slow, a plodding track that just isn't heavy or imposing enough to carry the way it is played. The tempo feels so wrong when it still wants to sound like a power metal song. Two styles that don't mix, without a hook to make it impressive. "Winter is Coming" wants to be a ballad and therefore stabs at my heart with a dagger. On the plus side are the faster paced "We Won't Back Down" and "Origins" which come closer to their older work than most songs on this album do.

The musicianship is polished, clean and continues to improve as it morphs into this same-but-different direction. Joacim Cans vocals continue to impress. He is still the shining light of this band, and no matter what the song may be like, his vocals improve it. Unfortunately, the writing partnership between himself and guitarist Oscar Dronjak has again failed to find enough hooks and catches to make this album stand out significantly from their past five albums. The positive I guess is that this is more listenable than those recent albums, but after 15 years of waiting for their next big effort, I do believe that it is time to accept that this is the best we can expect from the modern HammerFall, and to either accept that fact or move on.

Rating:  We're haunted by fire, our spirit is now set to burn  2.5/5

751. Adrenaline Mob / Men of Honor. 2014. 2/5

I don't really know what happened between the time that the initial discussions into forming the band Adrenaline Mob took place, to the first album Omertá being recorded, until this second album being written and recorded occurred, but surely the musical direction that has been taken in that time is completely different from that which the fans expected things to go.
When this band first came together, I was excited for what they were going to produce. Surely Russell Allen and Mike Portnoy could put their heads together and produce some brilliant heavy metal songs. Two years later and Portnoy had moved on from another band again, and Twisted Sister's AJ Pero arrived. Unfortunately, the musical direction that the band has been taken in has moved from those initial hopes, and we find ourselves mired in a nu-metal sound that tends to prevail the airwaves of any radio station that deems a form of heavy metal is able to be played.

I am a fan of Russell Allen. I love his work around Symphony X and his other projects. But his vocals here are a real change from his usual style, and I think it is a step too far. He may well enjoy it, but here it feels as though he is trying make the songs sound heavier by his vocals alone, which shouldn't be the case. Take "Feel the Adrenaline" for instance, where he sings in his atypical register, before dropping down to a guttural almost-growl in the chorus that for me just doesn't suit him - or the song for that matter. It's not the only instance on the album that his vocals are out of character, and while there is nothing necessarily wrong with a change in direction, it isn't working here. There is further juggling of vocal registers in a song like "Men of Honour". It just doesn't gel well. Then there is the guitar solos, which apart from being stuttery and trying to be just a little too clever, are allowed to punctuate songs in the strangest places, completely out of character with a sensibly structured song. Many just appear to be a hodge-podge and mish-mash of drum fills and guitar riffs, which may appeal to some of those fans out there, but to me just make it extremely difficult to take it all in.
The similarity to other artists material is perhaps just a bit too close for comfort. For instance, "Judgement Day" and  "Mob is Back" could easily have been featured on a Five Finger Death Punch album, such is the similarity in the vocals and music. "Feel the Adrenaline" crosses the line a little too close to comfort with Hellyeah. And don't get me wrong, I like some of what bands like Hellyeah and Five Finger Death Punch are doing. But it feels as though this is a deliberate ploy to duplicate that sound entirely, and I really thought these guys were better than that. It doesn't make them bad songs, but is it plagiarism?
Worse yet, "Behind the Eyes" may as well be a Nickelback knockoff, and I couldn't possibly begin to tell you how much I despise Nickelback. Add to that the power ballad "Crystal Clear", which feels like a cop out. Why make hardcore songs on what appears to be a nu-metal hardcore album, and then throw in songs such as these two? Who on earth is going to enjoy both sides of these genres? Perhaps a better question is who is going to enjoy either side?

I really like a lot of their debut album, but as a follow up this is very disappointing. Perhaps I have been a little harsh, but the uncharacteristic vocals, the rather average guitaring that sounds as though it thinks it is better than it actually is, and the whole confusing direction of the music itself makes this a difficult album to recommend.

Rating:  I'm feeling like a bastard son - yeah.  2/5

750. Ace Frehley / Space Invader. 2014. 2.5/5

Following up his previous album Anomaly from five years ago, Ace Frehley has again written and performed the majority of this himself, which while it sounds great in theory does tend to narrow its ability to surprise. He might be a talented - and legendary - guitarist, but sometimes it helps to have a bit of input from other people in regards to the other parts of the process.

The first half of the album is listenable but suffers from the lack of a really good lead vocalist out front to make the most of what has been written. "Space Invader" is a good hard rock song, with a singable chorus and a great solo spot from Ace, but the change in timing between verses and the lead break is a little mystifying. "Gimme A Feelin'" is more characteristic of that other band Ace was once in, and pull the right strings in most departments. "Change", "Toys" and "What Every Girl Wants" all favour that simple hard rock theme of basic back beat and vocals, shove in a guitar solo, and move on to the next one. Some songs are less inspiring, such as "Immortal Pleasures" and "Inside the Vortex".

The thing that sets this apart from the KISS albums and various other solo projects is this - whereas Paul Stanley can write a great song, and sing them just as well. Ace does what he does well (ie play guitar), but he doesn't write songs as good as Paul's. Like the majority of work Ace has done in his years since KISS, this is hampered by some mediocre song writing, and lackluster vocals, because let's face it, Ace is not a lead singer. But what it does have is Ace's guitar, and while he may not be the best ever, his is a signature guitar sound, and his solos still hold enough to make you listen and say, "Yeah, Ace can still play". For the most part though, the songs are stereotypical harder rock songs that survive on a blues based drum and bass beat that sticks to a similar timing all through each song of the album. Added over the top of this are Ace's monotone vocals that barely raise any enthusiasm throughout, and certainly do not inspire any excitement or heart thumping. In between these comes Ace's guitar, which during the basis of the songs barely makes an impression, before breaking out for short sharp solo breaks that remind you, "Hey this is Ace Frehley!"
Seriously, "Reckless" could have been an eight second short piece that was then placed on a loop and repeated twenty times, because it doesn't seem to change a whole lot during that 4+ minutes. Then there is the cover of "The Joker". Really? Is this necessary? Is it an album filler? Or did Ace just want to do a cover of this song? It's real problem is that it doesn't bring anything new to the song at all, apart from Ace's interpretation of the solo break. the rest is just business as usual. Drab. "Starship" is the instrumental closer, which is more of an opportunity for Ace to express himself on his guitar, but again this seems to just drift into stratosphere without direction, and its length overplays itself, and almost feels as though it is just long for the sake of it, rather than because there is something to listen to or enjoy. It's not bad, it just isn't overly interesting.

There is enough here for fans of Ace to enjoy, and perhaps rate higher than I have. I find myself troubled by the flaws more than I am impressed by the good spots on the album, which dominates my enjoyment of the album overall. It's not a complete loss, but I just get the feeling it could have been a lot better by adding a couple of components and losing a couple of others at the same time.

Rating:  When I play with you there is a chemical reaction.  2.5/5

744. Unisonic / Light of Day. 2014. 4/5

Light of Dawn is the second album for Unisonic, the group that marked the return of Michael Kiske to a band of a genre resembling power metal. The band is a gathering of friends from past collaborations, with a slightly different writing crew this time around, which means a slightly different album in the offering.

After the instrumental opening of "Venite 2.0", the opening track "Your Time Has Come" gallops along at a cracking pace in the best traditions of German power metal, with Kiske's voice invoking memories of his best from past ventures. This is followed by the self-describing "Exceptional", another terrific track where Kiske's vocals are... exceptional.
Guitarists Kai Hansen and Mandy Meyer trade riffs and solos like they have been doing it all their lives. "For the Kingdom" is a perfect example of this, with both playing off each other spectacularly and with speed. They are the highlight of this song. "Not Gonna Take Anymore" and "Night of the Long Knives" continue the excellent voyage of this album, both being mid-range tempo songs which are built on the solid rhythm section blasting along with Kiske riding in the high range of his vocals.
The drumming of Kosta Zafiriou drives along the best songs in brilliant fashion, especially on "Find Shelter", where an otherwise possibly ordinary song is brought to life by his drum work. "Find Shelter" actually combines both fast pace and a slower mid-section surprisingly well, while band leader Dennis Ward's bass lines tie everything together.
"Throne of the Dawn" is energised by Kiske's soaring vocals and the brilliant solo break from Hansen and Meyer again, while "Manhunter" feels like an old 70's rock song reheated and rehashed for the market in 2014, until the harmonic guitars suddenly burst into their individual solos, which busts this song apart for about 45 seconds.

Not everything can be roses and chocolates, and there are songs here that don't meet my complete approval. "Blood" is the kind of song I think Kiske started drifting towards during the mid-1990's, and while you can hear his enjoyment of the song in his vocals (it is also co-written by himself and Sandro Giampietro) it's not one of my favourites. The same can be said for the following track "When the Deed is Done". Both are too much in the power ballad style for my liking, with patented power ballad guitar solo attached. This is also true of the track that closes out the album, "You and I". For me these are the most average songs on the album, the ones that change the tide. As always, there are many people out there who love a good power ballad, and I'm sure they would think these are terrific. On an album that is not great, they just bring it down another notch. On an album I love I can tolerate them. 

Whereas Unisonic felt a little uneven and uncertain of itself, with different styles of songs and song writing trying to piece themselves together to make a cohesive album, Light of Dawn has been helmed almost entirely by Dennis Ward, who wrote the lyrics and music for every song apart from the two Kiske/Giampietro songs "Blood" and "Manhunter". On Unisonic, Kai Hansen was involved in writing about half of the album, and the two differing styles which both seem to be trying to appease their lead vocalist didn't gel in the way they would like them to. Here, with Ward shouldering the burden of the actual song writing, but allowing Hansen and Meyer to interpret their solos as they wish, it allows the song structure to flow without bumps, while still showcasing the great talents of these two guitarists. While I may well have enjoyed certain songs from the debut album more (not surprisingly, the one's that Kai wrote), I am positive that this album as a whole is much better than their first effort. As a band, they have produced a much better effort here. The hope from this is that they can continue to do so, because if they can reproduce this improvement again on a subsequent third release, they may well have the formula intact.

Rating:  You've made the world your stage, and you know your time has come.  4/5

733. Metallica / Lords of Summer (First Pass Version) [Single]. 2014. 2/5

In the absence of any new material for the last six years (if you choose to ignore Lulu, which I most definitely choose to do!), this single was released in the middle of 2014, as a portent to the possible sessions that were going on in regards to possibly putting together material for a possible new album. Possibly. So, like very other poor sap out there, I plonked down my hard earned to have a listen to what Metallica circa 2014 sounds like.
I am somewhat at a loss as to why the song that was written and released had to be over 8 minutes in length. I mean, it comes across as though they just had about six different riffs out there, so if we throw them all together in varying parts of this, then extend them as long as we possibly can, then we will have something we can sell the public on. Oh, and it's over 8 minutes long, so you know it must be quality.

Really? I mean... really?!

I don't hate this. Let's get that out there. It has merit. Or at least, pieces of it have merit. I can hear some good things in here, but I can't hear anything that really makes me want to sing, or headbang, or even vaguely tap finger-drumsticks on the table. And why the time changes? I thought they had gotten all of this out of their system long ago. In the past they fit, now we go from frenetic shredding to slow strumming then back to mid-tempo, all within about 60 seconds. That annoys me. So do Hetfield's vocals when he goes into his "St. Anger" high pitched wailing. Enough James, St. Anger sucked, let's go back to singing in mid range.

Is it the drumming that annoys me the most about this? I think so, even more so than James' vocals. Seriously, if Lars makes his drumkit any smaller he'll be playing the bones instead of the drums. And you really notice it here. It is simplified stuff, because he simply doesn't have any variety in his kit anymore to do anything else! Check out the thousands of drummers in metal bands around the world right now - the ones Lars inspired back in the 80's when he was the out and out king of drumming. They have toms galore to play rolls on. They play their double kicks at lightning speed, because Lars did it. Every drummer in the world is now more powerful and more proficient in music because of Lars... except Lars himself. He is now denigrating his own music, because he wants to play on a box and a piece of tin. I don't get it. This song is not as full sounding as it should be because Lars does not have a drumkit to play onto make it sound that way.
And the solo mid-section just goes on way too long.
Anyway...

If this song makes the next album, then beware the rest, because they need to work a bit harder if they are going to make something that captures the public's attention for the right reasons. This isn't it.

Rating:  Lords of summer have returned... to mediocrity perhaps... 2/5