1106. Beast in Black / Berserker. 2017. 3/5

Power metal has never been more pop metal than what Battle Beast has released since their inception, and while too much of a good thing can be too much, it has been a solid career for that band in that genre. As such, the departure of Anton Kabanen from Battle Beast over that old chestnut of ‘musical direction’ is an interesting one, as the subsequent albums released by both don’t really reveal too much difference, because they both still have the same musical quality as those original Battle Beast albums. What it does reveal is that Anton has a singular style of music running through his head, and it continues on that path here on his new band’s debut release Berserker.

So, there’s no real surprise that this sounds like a Battle Beast album, and it is all the better for it. It starts off with a bang, showing off all of those qualities that those who enjoy his previous band were in it for. It is fast paced with that pop tinge, great drums dictating the flow, solid base rhythms undertowing each song, hard guitar riffs and soling mixed in with the inevitable synths and keyboards, and soaring vocals that keep their anthemic qualities throughout.
More than anything else, it’s fun! The music is heavily borrowing from the 1980’s new wave pop genre, with foot-tapping and head-nodding uplifting tracks that would fit in perfectly in a retro dance club. In fact some of the songs would hardly skip a beat if they were thrown on in just such clubs. It’s the synths and keyboards that give it this era-defining quality and while that won’t suit all people’s tastes it does separate Beats in Black’s debut from other power metal albums that are being released. On some tracks it gets a bit much - “Crazy, Mad, Insane” for one just goes too far in that direction with its almost techno-like influences, moving too far beyond the blurred line to enjoy as a metal song and not just a retro track. This has all the sampling and other tricks of the trade from the worst pop songs of the 1980’s and kills off most of the enjoyment for me at least – I don’t mind 80’s pop as I grew up in that era, but it doesn’t make the bad stuff any more likeable. “Ghost in the Rain”, the closing track on the album, is another piece of deadwood, draining all of the energy from the album in a limp and disappointing finish to an album that deserved a better fate this this.
Within this framework are some really fun and energetic songs. The title song “Berzerker” opens the album up nicely, and is followed by “Blind and Frozen” and “Blood of a Lion” where vocalist Yannis Papadopoulos really fires up and shows off his pipes, and a real metal riff blazes throughout. “Born Again” does the same, while “Zodd the Immortal” brings a nice tangent to these tracks with a deeper vocal and a change in riffage along the way.

Is this the greatest form of metal music? No, that’s not what I’m able to say. Is it enjoyable and a mood changer when you put it on? My word yes, it certainly is. There are some really good songs here and then there are others that just vary too much to hold the interest all the way through. The first half of the album is high quality in my opinion, but it doesn’t finish off with the same flourish.

Best songs: “Blind and Frozen” “Blood of a Lion”, “Born Again”, “Zodd the Immortal”.

Rating:  “I will wait for tomorrow, that may never come.”   3/5

1031. Operation: Mindcrime / The New Reality. 2017. 1.5/5

I did promise I was going to steer clear of listening to future releases from Geoff Tate, a number of times actually. And I then also promised that I would stop reviewing those albums, mainly because it would give them an unfair skew giving that each time I listen to a new release it is poles apart from what I like. But here I am again, being sucked into the vortex, because there is always that chance that what I hear may again please me like Geoff’s original band pleased me back in the day.

The New Reality completes the trilogy concept plan that Geoff promised to deliver on the creation of his new band and name, which will apparently be mothballed once the tour behind this album is completed. Those that have listened to the first two albums – The Key and Resurrection – will therefore know what is coming on this album. I did too, but I still had to complete the journey just so I could say I gave it all a fair shake. So if you have listened to those two albums and you enjoy what has been offered then you can approach this album with open arms. If you found that the first albums were much of a muchness, and more tedious than experimental, then you can also steer clear of this album.
There are the odd moments when the Tate vocals come back into play, such as about halfway through “All For What?” where he sounds as though he means what he is singing and gives it some oomph. But for the majority of the album the songs crawl along in way that sounds like it should be 1970’s progressive rock, but without the rock part involved. The synthesizers dominate, and Tate’s saxophone becomes prominent in a number of songs, while Kelly Gray is back to offer some guitar and more producing of the album.
Yes, I assume there is more of the storyline that has been offered throughout, but as I’m sure I have suggested on reviews for the previous two outings, I just don’t have the inclination to find out exactly what it is about and what is happening. The story doesn’t matter a fig if the music drags you in, which is exactly what happened with the album that carries this project’s name. Unfortunately here, the music and songs do nothing to inspire me to search out what is happening within the lyrical content.

So I have satisfied my curiosity by wallowing through this release, and reached the end of what is the great Geoff Tate Trilogy following his exit from his previous band. Though none of it has tickled my fancy in the slightest, at least it is done. The next question will be, what is the next move by Tate, and will I feel as though I must continue to follow his music on the extraordinarily long off chance that he produces something that will rekindle his lacklustre appeal.

Rating:  There's light at the end of the tunnel.   1.5/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1025. Masterplan / PumpKings. 2017. 4/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1015. Edguy / Monuments. 2017. 4/5

Given the enormous amount of jumping between his two major projects that goes on, one wonders when Tobi Sammet has time to sit back and take a collective look at life itself. To be honest, does he start to spread himself a little thin? My argument for some time is that it is almost impossible to push yourself so hard between your day band – Edguy – and your guilty pleasure – Avantasia – and not spread yourself or your material a little thin. Thus, and I may be alone in this thinking, I believe that the past couple of Edguy albums have suffered from the fact that the best of Tobi’s creative juices have been flowing into Avantasia material rather than Edguy songs. Whether or not that is the case, when it came time to put together this album together to celebrate 25 years of Edguy’s existence, I think maybe it could be held as a reminder as to the power of some the earlier material of the band compared to the latter day songs.

So here is Monuments, the five disc and 160 page book collated from their entire career, consisting of two CDs which constitutes a greatest hits package, a DVD of a live performance from the Hellfire Club tour as well as other video clips, and two CDs of that live performance. It is a ripping collection, one that all fans of the band will love. As a true standing of ‘greatest hits’… well, everyone will have a different opinion on what that consists of.
The five new songs start off the collection, and I think they are great. In fact, comparing those five songs - “Ravenback”, “Wrestle the Devil”, “Open Sesame”, “Landmarks” and “The Mountaineer” – to the next three songs on the album, “9-2-9” from Tinnitus Sanctus, “Defenders of the Crown” from Space Police: Defenders of the Crown and “Save Me” from Rocket Ride, and I think you have a fair comparison to what I was saying earlier about the Edguy/Avantasia conundrum. The new songs have that sparkle back, whereas the three songs from those three albums (albums which I wholly admit didn’t tickle my fancy) seems to be missing vital elements. Good news for the new songs, and perhaps some justification for my feelings otherwise.
The other choices for the remainder of the first CD though are top shelf. Anything from Hellfire Club gets top votes from me, and the addition of “Ministry of Saints” and the masterful “Tears of a Mandrake” makes for fantastic listening. The second CD opens with the wonderful “Mysteria” and “Vain Glory Opera”, and then mixes in some older stuff, some less well known stuff and a bit more of the latter day material as well. That they managed to find a place for one song off Age of the Joker, the average “Rock of Cashel”, was surely more for appearances than for being a truly ‘great’ hit. Honestly, how a song like “We Don’t Need a Hero” doesn’t make the collection in front of at least half of these tracks is beyond me. But that comes back again to an individual’s taste.

Fans like me already have all of the albums, so buying this comes down to the five new unreleased songs (worth it), and the live CDs and DVD (worth it). 25 years is a fair journey for this band to have gone on. It has been a fun journey at that. The good news is that I don’t think the journey is over yet.

Rating:  "Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the freak show!"  4/5

1010. Blind Guardian / Live Beyond the Spheres [Live]. 2017. 4.5/5

Sometimes you can forget how long Blind Guardian have been around. And it stretches into decades now, which is quite remarkable. Not only is it almost 30 years since the release of Battalions of Fear, they have also previously released two live compilations in Tokyo Tales and Live. So when you come in to deciding on a new live album, you know you have to bring your A game to the table.
Anyone who has listened to Blind Guardian knows how much works goes into their studio albums, and the way the songs are layered over each other with amazing and complex vocal harmonies supported by brilliant musicianship.

Like most of Blind Guardian’s stuff does, this album blew me away. It all sounds amazing. You can appreciate how good the older material still stands up today and how well the band plays it and how much the crowds appreciate it. But it’s the material off the last two studio albums that stands out here. Those albums have gone even further in complexity when it comes to instrumentation and the mixture of layers throughout, which sounds magnificent on the studio versions, but how on earth could you transfer that to the live setting? In this band’s case, with magnificent ease. The live versions are not just note perfect copies of the studio versions, they are fantastically produced versions where the band just hammers away at you, while Hansi melds and morphs the vocals into a form which he and his fellow vocalists can pull off live without affecting the magnificence of each track. It’s quite a feat, and one that I think they pull off spectacularly. The brilliance of songs such as “The Ninth Wave”, “Sacred Worlds”, “Wheel of Time” and “Tanelorn” loses nothing here in the live setting. Hansi’s vocal line in the chorus of “Sacred Worlds” is still as powerful, as different as it is without the choir of voices behind him that drives the studio version. Just brilliant.
This is a real package, with three discs stretching to almost 160 minutes, so very little is missed (though that is open to opinion). You have the faster, energetic favourites such as “Banish From Sanctuary”, “Lost in the Twilight Hall”, “Into the Storm”, “Majesty” and the ever ready encore of “Mirror Mirror” mixed in with “The Last Candle”, “A Past and Future Secret” and “The Bard’s Song (In the Forest)” all without compromising the flow of the album. Mostly of course this is because Blind guardian has always been able to do this. And yes, if I had been insisting on a song list it would have included favourites of mine such as “Welcome to Dying” and “Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)”, but those have appeared on the previous live albums so I guess you can’t have everything.
The band as ever is just bloody brilliant. Mi Schüren’s keyboards are vital in the mix and they are terrific here. As always, Frederik Ehmke’s drumming is superb, and is locked in wonderfully with Barend Courbois’ bass guitar. That rhythm is rock solid and driving throughout. The twin guitars of Marcus Siepen and André Olbrich are wonderful, creating an atmosphere that is the basis of a great live album, flowing freely and with energy, while the magic vocals of Hansi Kürsch continue to amaze, such is their strength and power.

Into their fourth decade, and Blind Guardian continue to show not only that they are still relevant in the metal world, but are still one of the leaders of the power metal genre. This live album is perhaps not the place I would start if I was looking to find my way into the musicology of this band, but it would definitely be on the path.

Rating:  “Let’s get crazy for the last time…”.  4.5/5

1009. Riverdogs / California. 2017. 2.5/5

The band Riverdogs’ debut album of the same name was one that I only sought out because of Vivian Campbell. It was his influence in any band at the time that had me searching for their music. As I wrote in my review of that album, although it wasn’t the style of music that I was most enamoured with, it did have its moments and the album as a whole became an important one to me. Flash forward to 2017, and once again the only reason I have sought this album out is to hear what the four piece can do some 27 years later, and whether that lightning could strike twice.

When an album is marketed at the AOR scene, then surprisingly enough this is exactly what it is going to sound like. In interviews to promote the album both Vivian and lead vocalist Rob Lamothe said that they had been charged by the record company of creating an album that came from the same spirit as that debut album all those years ago. Fair enough too, as there was enough support around for that album when it was released to try and revisit it, especially with the higher profile and workload of Vivian, who now mixes his work with Def Leppard with his other band Last in Line, where he revisited another of his old bands with some success.
In the long run I guess what you need to ask yourself is whether or not the music is still relevant. With every conceivable extension of music genres being represented out there, is there still a niche for what equates to an almost easy listening AOR sound that resides, mainly in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Because this is where this album is heavily anchored. And I can’t hide from the fact that I would prefer to hear more grunt in the music, and a bit more energy in the songs. Give me more solos from Vivian such as he plays in “American Dream” and “Catalina” and let’s extend the songs from those! Instead, we get the much more reflective type of song that allows Rob to serenade you rather than rock you, and there is no doubt if you enjoy these types of songs you find plenty here to like.
What cannot be faulted is the musicianship of the band. Rob Lamothe’s vocals are as honeyed as ever, and smoothly run their way through each song as though being poured from a spoon. The rhythm section of
Nick Brophy on bass guitar along with drummer Marc Danzeisen hold everything together in a comfortable and pleasing atmosphere. My bias is obvious, and when Vivian breaks out in a solo, this is when the album really soars, giving California the kick in the pants it needs. I still never get tired of hearing him play his guitar.

What probably nags me most about this is that I have a very real feeling of having heard all of this before. In many ways the band has done too good a job of trying to reproduce the atmosphere of that first album. In many ways, they have done so unerringly accurately, and that is what irks me slightly. After 27 years – and that really is an inordinately long length of time – you would hope to hear a progression, something that is an extension even. But what I hear is more a modernisation than a progression. I find myself willing the band to break out, to really get this train moving and hear what they can do when they unshackle the carriages and just let the engine fire up. But that doesn’t happen. They stick to their groove, and they do it well. They sound fantastic. But a bit more rock than AOR would have made this a much more superior album and a more listenable experience.

Rating:   If only to hear Vivian on guitar more.  2.5/5

1005. Iced Earth / Incorruptible. 2017. 3.5/5

I’m probably going to go down that same old street that I usually do when it comes to Iced Earth and their albums. It’s not a deliberate thing I assure you, but as with any band out there, you will have fans who can ignore the obvious, fans who will embrace the obvious, and fans who will be turned away by the obvious. Those factors will promulgate your feelings on this and every album by the band according to which sector you fall in to. So, for me, this is another Iced Earth album that has all of the qualities that can make it a great album, and album that old fans and new fans alike can gather around and love for all the right reasons. In many ways it dials back into the best days of the band. When the songs are motoring along, this is when the album is at its best.

“Great Heathen Army” starts off with the Iced Earth gallop, and Stu Block’s vocals rocket out of the speakers with the double kick accentuating and the hard line riffing of the guitars. “Black Flag” continues in a similar direction, again focusing on the tough rhythm of the song and Stu’ vocals. There is some real old school Iced Earth in the mix. “Raven Wing” is a perfect example of this, because not only does it musically come from the that era, but Stu’s vocals really come in with an amazing similarity to former vocalist Matt Barlow’s vocal tones. This could have been a poor rehash, but the heavy influence of the drums and heavy guitar riff rather than softening it back like Schaeffer often does makes this a beauty of a track, that perfectly references the past in the current band setting. I think it gets better with every listen. I can even forgive the following song “The Veil” because of it. This is where the tempo gets dialled back, accessing those tendencies of a power ballad without actually being one, but it just softens and slows back a notch too far for my liking. These are the kind of songs that I believe sometimes holds Iced Earth back. Too much of a reflective side.
“Seven Headed Whore” rights the ship with immediate impact, the flying double kick and Stu’s faster higher vocals coming to save the show. When he combines those two shades of vocals in a song it sounds amazing. Terrific song. “The Relic (Part 1)” doesn’t quite retain that vitality and seems caught between two vibes that don’t gel too well. The pseudo-instrumental “Ghost Dance (Awaken the Ancestors)” is fine, apart from the fact that it does just sound like any other Iced Earth song waiting for lyrics, with one big long rhythm piece, rather than the music speaking for itself. It’s no “Losfer Words” or “Orion”. “Brothers” too has a similar way about it, and tends towards the boring more than anything else. It lacks the quality listeners are looking for.
“Defiance” returns to the harder and faster tempo of the earlier songs on the album with more power in the vocals as well. Closing out the album is the almost-ten minute epic “Clear the Way (December 13, 1862)”, which winds its way through periods of quiet building to heavy guitar and drums, and is a pertinent way to conclude the album.

And so once again I have come to the end of an Iced Earth album, and once again I find myself sitting on the edge of the precipice. Depending on which way I fall I can love this album or be disappointed by this album, and once again I find that I cannot fall either way. There is much to like about the first half of the album, but there is much to be slightly disappointed in the second half of the album. I would suspect that the huge fans of the band will think this album is a triumph and be spectacularly happy with it. For me, as I hinted at during the start of this review, I find the album enjoyable to listen to without being able to rid myself of that feeling that with just a bit of a spit and polish it could really be terrific.

Rating:  “I am fates magician, I'll strip you of your doubt”.  3.5/5

998. Primal Fear / Angels of Mercy - Live in Germany [Live]. 2017. 3.5/5

The expectation when you go to a live album is that you will get (hopefully) an authentic live experience from the band. One that hits you with a set list that is worthy of the band touring with, and then worthy of recording for the rest of us to listen to. In many ways then the live album is at the mercy of the album the band is touring on, and the selection of songs that has made up the rest of that tour. If the album is a good one then you expect the live album to be as well. If it is only average… well… you may have a problem.

Angels of Mercy - Live in Germany is a live album that I have listened to now for the two weeks since its release, and I can’t help thinking that there is something missing. I have not seen the DVD and am not judging it on that. It just isn’t working perfectly for me, and I can’t help but wonder whether this is as live as it is suggested. Is it overdubbed? I can’t be certain. But there are a few things that aren’t quite at the top of the game nonetheless. The relative sameness of Primal Fear’s recent material (as related in other reviews) mean that if you only concentrate on that double kick keeping time throughout it can get somewhat monotonous. That’s not what you are looking for on any album let alone a live release. There are also periods where Ralf Scheepers vocal range is beginning to require a bit of a tinker, and that can be slightly distracting when listen to songs for the first time in a live setting. It’s only in a couple of places where it is noticeable, and the use of delay tries to mask that, but most fans will pick it up. And yes there are places where I’m sure a little bit of doctoring has gone on in post-production. Perhaps I’m mistaken.
The songs you love sound great hear, and the ones you don’t at least sound good. “Final Embrace” and “In Metal We Trust” open the album in style. “The Sky is Burning” is just as annoying here as it is on the studio album.

Fans will get this album no matter what and will digest it as they always do. I know that we have been spoiled by the great live albums from other bands, and that not all live albums need to be judged against them. But it comes down to needing the live sound to be transferred faithfully to your preferred format, and for the songlist to be worthy of that live environment. This is a good live album of this band. It just isn’t completely brilliant.

Rating:  “In metal we trust”.  3.5/5

997. Danzig / Black Laden Crown. 2017. 3/5

Is there any use trying to compare Danzig albums against each other? The man himself has been around now for decades, and he has been a torch bearer and an influential player as much as he has been a crazy loon and a faller upon bad times musically. The revolving door of members of the band has been used more often as the years go by such that the name Danzig now almost literally mean the one and only Glenn Danzig. Whether that has been a problem with the albums the band has released is an individual assessment, as will the enjoyment of the songs brought forth. Perhaps sadly, other factors must also be considered.

The title track “Black Laden Crown” opens up the album and is an enjoyable start. Following this I must ask a question. Don’t you just love the rhythm of “Eyes Ripping Fire”? I do. This is what brings out the best in Danzig’s music. You’re head bounces along with the drum beat and riff, Glenn’s vocals do their best work in this environment, and you also get to insert a guitar solo to impress the mob as well. This is the format of song that I think brings out the best in the band’s work. “Devil on Hwy 9” goes in the same direction with the same qualities. “Last Ride” infuses the much slower maudlin pace that Danzig often sit on, but because of the energy of Glenn’s vocals it makes it a classic Danzig tune rather than a dull and bonded track that would be the case if anyone else attempted it. The problem with latter tracks such as “The Witching Hour” and so forth is that there isn’t that same energy in the vocal track, and this the songs begin to fall flat because of it. “But a Nightmare” seems to have guitar level problems but more importantly a guitar and drums riff that doesn’t change for the whole second half of the song makes it feel as though it drags on forever. “Skulls & Daisies” could have been improved greatly with the same enthusiasm in Glenn’s vocals as he gave in “Last Ride”. “Blackness Falls” sounds like the same song, with the same lack of drive. And “Pull the Sun” has that reasonable Danzig croon within but it somehow feels a bit like too little too late.
So now we can address some simple issues. Why spend three years over recording nine songs, with five different drummers? And the production is a mess, if not non-existent. You can hear the difference between tracks, where some come across as a normal sounding environment, and others sound like they are demos being recorded on an old four track in the lounge room or garage. Is this a thing? A rebellion against the fact everyone can sound like a pro now with a laptop and a microphone, so we must make this sound like it’s B grade as a two fingered salute to the amateurs of the world? I don’t know, but there’s a difference between ‘stripped back’ and ‘poor production’. This is generally the latter, and it doesn’t improve the album as a result. It also suffers from not having a band as such together to record the album. Along with the five drummers, of which Glenn himself was one, the rest of the guitars are recorded by Glenn along with Tommy Victor. As such, there’s not a lot of individuality there to help influence the tracks in a positive way. It cried out for players of the stature of former band members Johnny Christ and Eerie Von to make their instrumental pieces their own and add their own flavour to the tracks. Because this is basically the same two musicians on all the instruments, that flavour doesn’t tend to seep through.

I started off by asking should we compare Danzig albums from different eras. Mainly I guess that this questions comes across because the early music this band released was and is so impressively awesome that it becomes a difficult thing to equal. While I don’t think this is a bad album, I think the arguments as set out above do not allow it to break free and be as enjoyable as I feel it could be given the basics of the music. While not wanting to hark back on the band’s past, I think a dose of the inspiration of those albums would have spruced this up nicely.

Rating:  “Deep down the sound of a bloody song never ends”.  3/5

996. Jorn / Life on Death Road. 2017. 3.5/5

There’s little doubt that Jorn Lande is a marvellous singer. He has a voice that can croon just about anything, and he works it hard too, with barely a year passing without him having released an album on one of his projects, whether it be his own band as it is here or any of the many others he has participated in. It’s an interesting move for this album, as Jorn has teamed up with Mat Sinner, who apart from many other bands he is involved in is the founder and bass guitarist of Primal Fear, Alex Beyrodt, who is also the guitarist for Primal Fear, and drummer Francesco Jovino, who also played on Jorn’s last album and is now currently drumming for… you guessed it… Primal Fear! Given their track record (certainly in my opinion) you would have to think even before going in that it had the makings of a good album.

What we want from Jorn is songs like the opening title track “Life on Death Road”. This flows along beautifully, set up not only by Jorn’s amazing vocals but the twin guitar and double kick drumming. This is a brilliant heavy metal song, the kind I could settle for every single day from Jorn. It is followed by two other excellent tracks in “Hammered to the Cross (The Business)” and “Love is the Remedy” which both also showcase the excellent partnering these musicians have made.
“Dreamwalker” dials the tempo back to a dangerous moment. Jorn and the band still sounds great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s the style of the song that holds me back. No, it isn’t that horrid power ballad kind of style. Not exactly anyway. It is a change in mood from the opening tracks though, and while Jorn does love to sing in this style in his many different projects I often wish he did less of it. Fortunately we immediately forge out of that valley with “Fire to the Sun” which settles into an atypical hard rock template with guitar solo spots put in at no extra cost.
Not to put too fine a point to it, but the middle of the album does tend to go in the same direction as most of Jorn’s catalogue. That isn’t to say it is terrible, but to be honest it just gets a little boring and/or repetitive. You’ve heard it all before, and I guess that is the danger if you are putting albums on a very regular basis, for your own band or any other projects you may be a part of. Jorn’s vocals are wonderful, he has an amazing voice, but it does have that tendency to become a little bit the same if it isn’t regulated. This is why when he has done stuff for Avantasia or for Allen/Lande it doesn’t always come across that way because someone else is writing the sings and looking for a certain vocal. In “Insoluable Maze (Dreams in the Blindness)” he seems to be channelling Ronnie James Dio while in “I Walked Away” he is reaching for his inner David Coverdale. “The Slippery Slope (Hangman’s Rope)” picks up the pace in a much more pleasing fashion, with Beyrodt’s guitaring once again a pleasing facet. “Devil You Can Drive”, “The Optimist”, “Man of the 80’s” all settle in the middle ground. “Blackbirds” completes the album, and is dominated by the firing guitar of Beyrodt which keeps the song going with interest with his fast paced and single shot solo pieces punctuating the song throughout.

What is for me the most interesting part of this album is the fact that my favourite parts are actually the fantastic musicianship of the band. When Alex Beyrodt lets fly on that guitar, as he does in competition with himself in the opening track and at other moments throughout, and combined with the great rhythm of the bass and drums, this album really cooks. And that none of that has anything to do with Jorn’s vocals is as positive a moment as I can garner from this album. It’s not all peaches and ice cream, but most people will find enough here to like, be it vocally or musically or a combination of the two.

Rating:  “And I remember the day that Elvis passed away”.   3.5/5

993. Adrenaline Mob / We the People. 2017. 4/5

Adrenaline Mob’s sound is different from what the individuals in the band have done before with the other bands they are a part of. Here there is a real heavy groove about the guitars, the drums thump along in rhythm and the vocals are overall in a lower register with the attitude turned up to eleven. This was what the project was striving for when it was first conceived, to have these individuals come together to do a traditional heavy metal album rather than the various styles of the other bands they were a part of. I thought the first album was terrific not just because of the people involved in the project but because they pushed themselves and produced an album that was indeed different from their other bands. The follow up album I was less enthusiastic about because it felt like they were trying too hard. Here on We the People though it feels like they have that right balance back again, and the difference again rises to the top.

Russell Allen and Mike Orlando have this time brought in bassist David Zablidowsky and drummer Jordan Cannata to join them, and both are impressive here. As are the opening three tracks to the album. “King of the Ring” is a solid opener, and followed by the hard hitting title track “We the People” and the mid-tempo but surprisingly catchy “The Killer’s Inside” these three songs happily set the record straight on the direction the album is heading.
“Bleeding Hands” may not technically be a ballad, but it certainly covers that territory both lyrically and musically for the most part. I’m sure I could be argued about this falling into that genre, but peel back the thin outer layer of harder drums and guitar solo and what you have here is a rock ballad, and you just aren’t going to drag me in playing material like this. It’s a shame to have the album hijacked after a solid beginning. “Chasing Dragons” is a redeemer following it, with a much more pleasing vocal remedy from Russell, driven along by those double kick drums and solid rhythm from the guitar and bass.
The run of songs through the middle of the album are where the strength of this band lies in my opinion, and especially where this album shows off its worth. “Til the Head Explodes”, “What You’re Made Of” and “Raise ‘Em Up” all have that Orlando groove that he likes to perpetuate, but both the drums and the bass are stylistically able to individualise themselves so that they are noteworthy and relevant. While “Til the Head Explodes” sits into its mid-tempo, “What You’re Made Of “ busts out at a pleasingly faster pace without compromising the heavy sound (this is a ripper), and “Raise “Em Up” wants to be the anthem track of the album. Then in “Ignorance & Greed” Russell really utilises every part of his vocal range that he can, starting off as a deep growl, into his normal mid-range vocals before then reaching for the heights (but not the limits) of his higher range capacity. The rhythm track is low end and a really heavy thump to it, before coming to the final minute of the track where it slows to a hard and heavy hand while Mike Orlando solo’s over the top. Terrific song.
Whereas “Bleeding Hands” acts as the front bookend to these great middle album tracks, “Blind Leading the Blind” acts as the end bookend. Like the first track it is not what you would consider an out-and-out ballad, with the heavy drum parts morphing well with Russell’s hard edged vocals rather than a ballad-like soft vocal track, but it does have a slower feel to the song that evokes those kind of emotions listening to the track, and a solo that could almost fit into those types of tracks that you know I’m talking about – though it is also a bit edgier than those would be. As I said, I think those two songs frame the better part of the album with what comes between them.
“Violent State of Mind” returns to the heavier equation, and is the site of some indulgence from Orlando at the end of the song. “Lords of Thunder” almost feels like two styles of tracks sewn together, with the heavier chunking in the chorus lightening up during the verses. This gives the song two distinct sounds, one where the verses appear to be driven by Russell’s vocals in the same way he does for other bands with that beautiful soaring voice, into the heavier harder sound he generally uses with Adrenaline Mob tracks. I love Orlando’s solo here too. Another great track.
It wouldn’t be Adrenaline Mob without a cover song somewhere in the mix, and this time they have taken on Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell” with gusto. Now while you are never likely to find anyone who can replicate the awesome energy of Billy Idol’s vocals and Stevie Stevens’ guitar on the original version, this is a fun and raucous version that ends the album on an upward note, and is worthy of the praise of ‘tribute’.

This is a terrific return to form for the band. The sound here again has been refined and matured before letting it loose and seeing what it can produce. The band sounds fantastic, and Russell’s vocals top it off. Welcome back Adrenaline Mob, it’s good to hear you out and about again.

Rating:  “You look surprised as hell to see this ugly face”.  4/5

992. Foo Fighters / Run [Single]. 2017. 4/5

So, 20-odd years on from Foo Fighters entering the music scene, what can we surmise from the release of this single. Is this a taste of what is to come from the next album, that is in the process of being recorded and for which a release may well be imminent? Or is this a one-off single, taking advantage of their schedule to remind everyone that they are still out there and working together?

Whatever is the case, it is an interesting single. In many ways it harks back to Dave’s early influences. It starts off in a quiet fashion, before Taylor’s drums jump in, followed by some very punk rock oriented guitar, and even more fashionably those famed screaming vocals from Dave himself that haven’t appeared as often in recent times. Can you, like me, hear bits and pieces of that old Seattle sound in there? Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden. I can hear them all. The fact that this tends to hail back to those grunge and punk roots more than the hard rock and even soft rock that has been the staple of recent years is interesting to me because I admit I would like to hear an album based around this kind of writing and performing. I don’t believe we’ll get it, but I know that Taylor is hitting those drums and cymbals bloody hard, and the three guitars distorted riffing together with Nate’s familiar bass line running underneath beautifully also mix well with the keyboards that are beginning to find their way into the band’s music.

Is Dave writing a metal/punk Foo Fighters album? Again, I’m guessing not. But this song is an enjoyable thought in the process.

980. The Raven Age / Darkness Will Rise. 2017. 3/5

Twelve months ago I had the pleasure of seeing Iron Maiden live in Sydney once again, and their support band on this leg was The Raven Age, a band that all I knew about was that Steve Harris' son George was one of the guitarists. They played, and it turned out that they weren't one of the worst support acts I've seen. So when they announced that their debut album was coming out I felt it prudent to seek it out and see what they had to offer.

From the very beginning, for a debut album, it is long. That's a risky thing, given you are trying to grab people's attention. You don't want to the album to feel as though it is dragging on too long or you are going to lose people. Not only that, the songs are long, the shortest being five minutes. It's the same principle surely, if you start to lose your fans interest, where do you go from there?
My problem with this album lies in the same areas as I have with other bands of a similar ilk. The vocals of lead singer Michael Burrough are of that type that sound the same in every single damn song. The range doesn't change, and they just seem to hammer across the melody of the guitars. That's not to say they are poor vocals, but I feel like I'm listening to the same song all the time because that's just how the singing sounds - different lyrics but the same pattern all the time. If it is done well enough this becomes less noticeable, and this is also true of the more you listen to and get used to an album. But you have to be able to work past that if you are going to get the most out of this album, and that's not an easy thing.
There is also a very formulaic feel about the song writing. Despite the twin guitars in the band, there is very little break out soloing that takes centre stage of the song. The solos are there, but they just don't stand out from the rest of the song. The musicianship is fine, like clockwork really, but it is just the fact that it doesn't break away from the metronome type of feeling that there is some issue in finding something to grab onto, something that makes this album click.
All of this probably makes it sound like I don't like the album, and that's not completely true. What I did find was that I liked SECTIONS of songs without necessarily enjoying all of the song. Half the time that is solved with time and repeated playings, as the songs become more familiar, and to a certain extent that has happened here. The opening salvo of "Promised Land", "Age of the Raven", "The Death March" and "Salem's Fate"all grew on me over time, even if they have never become good friends. Their characteristics are similar and if not ignored would become a burden, but time has improved their edges.
"The Merciful One" breaks out of the sludgy mold that many of the songs have been cast from, and driven by the excellent rhythm drum and bass of Jai Patel and Matt Cox this became one of my immediate favourites on the album - at least until the middle of the song, where inexplicably it goes quiet leading into a mournful section again. OK, so by this time I have to accept that this is the band's style and genre, and that I'm not going to hear what I might consider would be that ultimate break out moment. "Eye Among the Blind" also comes from their debut EP, and it is noticeable that there is some difference in the song writing between the releases, except for where we again seem to stop mid-song once again, go into quiet vocal mode, before bursting back to complete the song in mourning again. Really? It's the same format, one song after the other.
"Winds of Change" and "Trapped Within the Shadows" for me are the best on the album, showcasing the best of the undertow of the band and also allowing Harris and Dan Wright the room to show their skills on guitar. "My Revenge", "The Dying Embers of Life", "Angel in Disgrace" and "Behind the Mask" are all off that same conveyor belt of the start of the album, and without trying to repeat myself, will be songs you either learn to like or will dispose of forever.

As a summary, I can only convey that I enjoy the album. It goes in a different direction song-wise than I would have imagined, and both the length of the songs and the length of the album is probably too long. A tightening somewhere along the way would probably have improved its impact. Still, as an opening effort it is a good listen once you have sanded those dull edges.

Rating:   "Destroy all you've ever known and hide the lies of your purity".  3/5

979. Deep Purple / inFinite. 2017. 3.5/5

There is still a sense of awe and wonder every time it is announced that a new Deep Purple album is being released. Not simply because of the longevity of the band but because they can still come up with new material that is enjoyable to both old fans and new. And just like other bands of a similar longevity such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, as long as you aren't expecting an album that sounds like their halcyon period then you won't be disappointed.

"Time for Bedlam" leads off the album with hard hitting drums from Ian Paice leading the charge for the frenzy in the middle of the song of Don Airey's keyboards and Steve Morse's guitar to highlight the best parts of Deep Purple's legacy. There's more than a touch of the Perfect Strangers song "Under the Gun" in this song and I love the way it starts the album. This is followed by "Hip Boots" where Ian Gillan does a little bit of an Elvis Presley impersonation early in his vocals. The start of the song does throw me, even now after many listens, but once Morse's guitar envelopes the middle of the song everything is forgiven. There is a melding of the old and new on this song as well, but it is the new groove that dominates, with Gillan's vocals now settled in his middle age comfort zone, having dispensed with the high pitched notes and screams of his youth. "All I Got Is You" is led along by the beautiful sonding bass of Roger Glover, which effortlessly dominates the early half of the song underneath Gillan's vocals. It might be easy listening material, but it is quintessential Deep Purple even if it isn't the high energy hard rock of forty years ago. This song is the best example of it. There's nothing overtly hard rock about it musically, but it touches all of those same mood areas that this band always has for me.
"One Night in Vegas" continues with the same easy rhythm throughout. "Get Me Outta Here" does too, and it is perhaps these two songs that begin to bog the album down a bit. The middle here is just a bit too similar and simple tones, the 2/4 drumming and blues-like bass and guitar at an almost morbid pace drag out the middle section. "The Surprising" is a more mellowish played song that I would have expected. Is that why it is called The Surprising? "Johnny's Band" and "On Top of the World" again pull into the left lane and move along at just under the speed limit in type the previous few songs. There is however a magnificent mood throughout "Birds of Prey", led by Steve Morse's magnificent guitar work layered over the underlying rhythm of the organ, bass and drums. The finale of the song soars in a wonderful harmony that is a fitting send off for the album

Do you want me to be picky? OK, well as much as I admire Don Airey and his wonderful work with several bands throughout his career, his Hammond key work doesn't gel into the music as a seamless transition as Jon Lord's did. And yes, I know that's because Lord was a driving force in the band and no doubt Airey has to find his way even now after more than a decade. I just don't think it is as inspired as the organ normally sounds in Deep Purple. It's a small criticism, but one that still scratches my skin when I listen to the album.
It also has to do with the fact that this is a less raucous band now and the music is not as hard or heavy as it was in their youth, so the play off between guitar and organ that Blackmore and Lord had is not the same duel that Morse and Airey have in their music. They almost try to complement each other, whereas Blackmore and Lord pretty much tried to outdo each other.
Also, why the cover version of "Roadhouse Blues"? Is it just because they all love the song? Did they need to fill in time? Sure it sounds fine, but it is a very... tame... version of the song. There's just not a lot of energy coming from it, and for me it takes away from "Birds of Prey" as a closing number. It doesn't offer anything new, and it doesn't seem to serve any purpose.

After fifty years of music you can't help but admire this band and its members. Though they have ridden the wave of their own music, where at times they have been groundbreaking, the music they are writing now in the twilight of their career may not be the hard crashing amplifier thrashing stuff of their heyday, nor the mature hard rock of their middle age, but it is undeniably Deep Purple. And for those that have loved Deep Purple through their life, they will find enough familiar territory here to enjoy this for what it is. The musicianship is still absolutely outstanding, and Gillan's voice is still enough to make you smile in contentment. It's not going to break down barriers, but it will give you enjoyment nonetheless.

Rating:  "Bad news travels at the speed of flight, good news not at all".   3.5/5