686. Bruce Dickinson / Skunkworks. 1996. 3/5

By the time Skunkworks came into being, there was a lull going on in the music being released around the world. Grunge was beginning to wind down, metalcore was starting to reel in some influence, power and speed metal was ramping up throughout Europe, and traditional heavy metal was diverging, not the least with Metallica's complete about-face with albums such as Load and Reload. Bruce Dickinson, having moved on from Iron Maiden, and now having lost his previous backing band that helped produce Balls to Picasso, pulled together three new musicians and wrote this album. His original process was to call the band Skunkworks, but the record label was having none of it and insisted it be released under his solo name.
Perhaps the label hadn't listened to the album, because the music here is nothing like anything Bruce had ever recorded and released before, and perhaps by doing it under a band name rather than his own it would have been received more favourably. As it turns out, the significant style change realised here was a difficult thing for many fans to accept.
Why? Because this is not heavy metal, which is what Bruce is best known for. Most fans were able to accept Tattooed Millionaire because the album was rooted in the hard rock of Dickinson's influences of the 1970's bands he grew up listening to, and because it was a fun album to listen to, as well as having terrific guitar and drumming. It 'rocked' so it fit okay. Balls to Picasso probably wasn't so much fun, but with Roy Z and the Tribe of Gypsies it still worked.

But here, Bruce and his band have slipped into very alternative territory. Songs like "Dreamstate" and "I Will Not Accept the Truth" from the middle of the album seem to be going for an emotional response, but come off as boring and perhaps a little self-indulging. These songs go for the slow drum beat, the bass almost non-existent, and the clean quiet guitar. In other songs, we have many of the lines in the choruses which are stretched out interminably (for example, "Back From the Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedge" and "Ineeeeerrrrtiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" and "Insiiiide the Machiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine"). And it isn't as if Bruce is really stretching his range either. I mean, here is a guy with one of the finest singing voices in ALL of music, not just the metal side of the business, and he hasn't really gotten out of second gear in these songs. Everything has been toned back from his most famous releases - the softer alternative approach, the narrower vocal range and stripped back simpler sound.
The tempo of the album rarely changes. Certainly the first half a dozen songs on the album appear to be closer to a hard rock feel, with some semblance of what most would expect of a Bruce Dickinson release. "Space Race" and "Back From the Edge" and "Inertia" start the album off on an even keel, even if while listening to them you feel as though there is something that is not quite there. The second half of the album though becomes even less inspiring, with the songs slipping further into this musical exploration which has been approached. The closing song "Strange Death in Paradise" just doesn't really gell. It has all of this thrown into the mix, and for me just doesn't work.

For me, it is not as though I hate this album, or that I even dislike it. It's just that at no time during this album, no matter when or where or how many times I listen to it, do I ever get excited about any of it. There isn't a song that makes me stop what I'm doing and sing along, or air guitar or air drum to - not a riff or a fill or a lyric. It just seems so bland, right across the board. There's no doubt that "alternative" material can be a bit that way, unless there is a hook that drags you in. In assessing it's impact, I imagined taking away the vocals. What are you left with? Some fairly formulaic, straight forward drums, bass and guitar. There are no hooks, no tantalising riffs to drag you into the song. It has a mellow Soundgarden or Pearl Jam kind of feeling to it, but without their characteristic moments that define their music and make it a familiar and comfortable experience, a burst of energy and innovation that creates defining moments in the music and the album. Skunkworks fails to deliver any of that. I hesitate greatly and for a long period before saying this, before I can no longer ignore the fact that, for the most part, this album is just plain boring.
Bruce is a brilliant artist, a fantastic singer, who has been at the forefront of music for a long time. This album is a real change from just about anything he has produced in his career, and while he should be applauded for trying something different, I can only say that in my opinion it was a flawed effort.
One can only wonder what may have happened if Roy Z had not reappeared on the scene and helped him back from the abyss. The fact that he also brought in another Maiden alumni who had had his own crushing attempts at trying to make it on his own with similar results (Adrian Smith) for this album's follow-up probably suggests he is most responsible reigniting both of their careers. But that's another review.

685. Skid Row / Skid Row. 1989. 4.5/5

Back at the end of the 1980's, when heavy metal bands were beginning to break through to some mainstream recognition, hard rock and hair metal bands were about to face some stiff competition from a new genre of music called grunge, there came a band and their debut album that crossed the genres, took the music scene by storm and sold hundreds of thousands of units, bought by teeny-boppers and headbangers alike, something that had been pioneered by Guns N' Roses with Appetite for Destruction a couple of years before. This however was very much more in the hair metal category.

This was an amazing album when it was released, alongside other well performed hair metal albums of 1989 such as Motley Crue's Dr Feelgood and Alice Cooper's Trash. But even though Skid Row was a debut album from the band, it more than holds it own against these established acts. The music is energetic and bouncy, the guitars squealing in all of the right places, and Sebastian Bach's high energy vocals make every song sound exciting. It comes out rocking hard from the start, the rock guitar riff of "Big Guns" extending into the fast paced "Sweet Little Sister". One thing Skid Row have done well here are repeatable and singable choruses, ones that everyone knows and can sing along to. The rhythm section on all of these songs is magnificent. Each song has its own timing and beat, which (while you are singing along) you can't help but find yourself banging away on the desk or table or knees in time. Rob Affuso's drumming is clean and clinical and lends itself to this kind of air drumming. I find this especially so in "Rattlesnake Shake" and of course "Youth Gone Wild", great songs to drum along to.
"Can't Stand the Heartache" is a mid-tempo song that transitions between the heavier and lighter songs. "Piece of Me", "Here I Am" and "Makin' a Mess" are great heavy songs, Seb's spitting lyrics wailing through over great guitar work. The closing song "Midnight" is awesome, perhaps a real insight as to what was to come on the band's follow up album a couple of years later.

The main winners on the album for the band in regards to radio play and singles sold are the two power ballads, "18 and Life" and "I Remember You", which dominated the airwaves during their release. Now as most of you who read my reviews are aware, I am no lover of power ballads. They invoke themselves to becoming a part of the hair metal and power metal genres, but unless they can bring something worthwhile to the table I believe all they do is suck the momentum and life out of an album at an inopportune time, and can damage said album irreparably. On Skid Row however, that is not (totally) the case. Both of these songs are driven dramatically by Seb Bach's amazing vocals, in such a way that you can't help but like the songs, and also sing along. "18 and Life" is not really a ballad in the sense of the word or in the way it is written anyway, but it is drafted into that category by many. It fits in nicely with the whole flow of the album. "I Remember You" is certainly a power ballad, but again it is performed so well vocally that it doesn't feel like a ballad. Bach's efforts on this song are sensational, and help to offset any sense of imbalance with the rest of the album.

I can totally understand if kids in 2013 put this album on and just want to tear shreds off it. It is most definitely tied to its era, when hair metal like the bands I've already mentioned alongside others such as Ratt and L.A Guns and W.A.S.P. were at their peak. Could a teenager in 2013 really get this? I was 19 when this was released, and it was one of those albums that really spoke to my youth and to my future, and as a result it will always be a part of my makeup. It could turn misery to joyousness in 40 minutes just by listening to it, and albums like that are very special. Too bad if you might sneer at a 44 year old jumping around the lounge room, singing "Youth Gone Wild" at the top of his lungs to his own kids. These songs still have this same meaning to me now, as much as Alice Cooper's "School's Out" and "Department of Youth" still do. While those that didn't grow up with this album might find it average or uninspiring, I can assure you that for me, and others like me, that it is still one of the best albums of our youth, and invokes the same joy today as it did all those years ago.

684. Guns N' Roses / Use Your Illusion I. 1991. 4/5

Following the enormity of Appetite for Destruction it was always going to be interesting scenario to see what Guns N' Roses would do in order to equal or top its popularity. It would be safe to say that it would have been difficult to predict that the response would be to write, record and release TWO albums, both on the same day. An impossible task, you would say, to do so and to be able to sell both in appropriate numbers. But they did, and for the most part they succeeded in doing so with both albums.
This is a real eclectic mix, showing that their music cannot be categorised in a single genre. But, they are able to mix it into a format here that, for the most part, makes the album a winner.
The good songs are terrific, top-shelf stuff. They are songs you can easily walk around singing in your head for days afterwards when you have thrown the album on for a whirl. The lesser songs on the album are, well, average at worst, and OK on most scales. The album survives on a whole because these songs - good, average, fast, slow, heavy, soft - all mix themselves in to the playlist such that whatever your tastes or likes of each song, you can be sure that it will be offset by the next song in order. It means that, even though some of these songs could be considered "skip" songs, you have no desire to do so, because it all seems to fit together rather nicely.

It kicks off with brilliant "Right Next Door to Hell", a breezy mix of lyrics and guitar shovelled in until it bursts through the speakers, a song that could easily have come from their debut opus. This is followed by "Dust N Bones" which slows the tempo down immediately and also introduces the piano into the mix as well.
The cover version of Wings' "Live and Let Die" is a real treat. It pays homage to the original but not straying too far from its formula, but it gives it a real hard rock edge, and the energy that comes out is just awesome. "Don't Cry" (this version being dubbed the "Original Version" rather than the "Alternate Lyrics" version on Use Your Illusion II) is tolerable without being anything above average. I feel as though this is this album's "Paradise City", a song that most others seem to love, but that I find quite average.
"Perfect Crime" is what I would consider the best type of Guns N' Roses song. It is short, sharp, taxing vocals, great riff and solo break and terrific drumming, all at a cracking pace. Great stuff all round. This is followed by "You Ain't the First", an acoustic song in the same style as what was done on G N' R Lies. Now, while that stuff was OK for an EP release, I don't really see the need to revisit it here on a new album a couple of years later. If you wanted to write this song, then do it at THAT time! Sure, that's just my opinion, but it did seem a little odd at this time of the album. "Bad Obsession" reinvigorates the piano here, as well as bringing in the harmonica, so that it has a real rockabilly feel to the song. Another song for me that isn't bad, but it doesn't appeal either. "Back Off Bitch" is a much more straight forward hard rock song, with typical Axl attitude. "Double Talkin' Jive" is a really subtle under toned kind of song, featuring Izzy Stradlin on vocals and an extended guitar solo from Slash that leads out the song.
"November Rain" was the overblown lengthy single, and the video it spawned is by all accounts one of the most expensive ever produced. To be honest, when I first listened to the song on the album I was less than excited about it, but, having had it played on the radio for six months straight, and having seen the video for the song a thousand times, it did begin to grow on me. Though I would never call it once of their greatest songs, I do now find myself enjoying it whenever it comes on. "The Garden" follows this, which features Alice Cooper on vocals on part of the song, and it is written in a very Alice Cooper-type way. You could easily mistake it for one of his songs, such is the mood and tempo it is played and sung at. "Garden of Eden" moves the album back into fourth gear, driving along at a frenetic pace that had been missing from the previous couple of songs.
"Don't Damn Me" starts off with a great rock riff and Axl at his best, spitting out lyrics in an incomprehensible tone and without taking a breath, which seems literally impossible if you try and sing along with him. It has a great solo from Slash and is one of my favourite songs on the album. I cannot understand why they have never played it live, it just feels like a great live song. "Bad Apples", dominated by the piano of Dizzy Reed, sounds as though it could be being played in an old western bar, the band in the corner playing while everyone around them sips whisky and plays poker. "Dead Horse" is of a similar vein, although there is not the dominating presence of the piano here that there was on "Bad Apples" it is much more driven by the guitars.
The album wraps up with the 10 minute sleeper, "Coma". In so many ways, certainly when I first got the album and listened to it, this song really did almost send me into a coma. It really dragged out the conclusion of the album, and on two occasions during the song it feels like it is finished, only to kick start again (no doubt much like a coma victim). In recent times I have come to enjoy it much more than I did in those days twenty years ago, though i still think it is dragged on far longer than is necessary.

I have always felt, probably like a majority of people, that if the band had just taken the best parts of both Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, and fused them together, they could have made one album that may have reached legendary status. As it turns out, both of them stand up on their own. Use Your Illusion I has something for just about everyone's musical taste, and all with a distinctive Guns N' Roses flavour about them, which is quite an achievement. To me, there are a lot of songs here that I like rather than love, and a numberof others I can tolerate rather than like. With an album so long and with so many songs of varying styles, you might be able to find a lot that you enjoy, but there will also through sheer volume be a few that you are ambivalent about. In an overall rating of the album, this is what costs it getting full marks.

683. Blind Guardian / Tales From the Twilight World. 1990. 4/5

Having started my introduction to Blind Guardian with a later album, and not having been able to really see what all the fuss was about, it wasn't until I started going backwards and hearing their earlier material that I began to discover what made this band tick. In particular, it was this album, Tales From the Twilight World that really began to make me see the great qualities that this band and their music contains.
I have always loved songs that are written about or based on books, stories, TV shows, movies... or all of these. They are perfect things to write about, because people then already have a reference point to the songs before they even know whether they like the music. Iron Maiden and Anthrax have been two bands who have done this with great success. It is an approach that Hansi Kursch has followed in writing the lyrics to this album, and which helped me to relate to the songs and music much more intently than I may otherwise have done.

The album kicks off with the pacey and double-kick driven "Traveler in Time", based on Frank Herbert's "Dune" series of science fiction novels. It is a great way to start the album, showcasing the fact that the band's heavy style is still prominent. This is followed by the song that got me into Blind Guardian, and still ranks as one of my favourites, "Welcome to Dying", a brilliantly energetic song, punctuated all the way through with the anthemic chorus with all hands on deck in regards to backing vocals. The solo break is also brilliant, and Hansi's vocals just perfect. This song was based around Peter Straub's great novel, "Floating Dragon" which I also love. this still gets played at high volume very often.
The short and unusual instrumental break of "Weird Dreams" follows, and we are then treated to the slow and acoustic ballad of "Lord of the Rings", combining gentle keyboards as well. Now power ballads are not my cup of tea, but this is not really one of those, it is a quieter, less loud version of Blind Guardian's song writing, and while it may not appear so on initial listenings, once you have heard this album a lot of times, it really does just seem to fit in, which surprised me as much as it would surprise anyone else.
From here we bust back into power metal mode with "Goodbye My Friend", a song based around the events of the film "E.T.". It reinvigorate the album, speeding along at a cracking pace. Another of the highlights of the album is next, with "Lost in the Twilight Hall". The lyrics here are based on what happened to Gandalf the Grey after defeating the Balrog in the mines of Moria before his reincarnation as Gandalf the White, as described in "The Two Towers". What really energises this song is guest musician Kai Hansen, of Helloween and Gamma Ray fame. Along with lending his vocals in both a lead vocal and backing vocal capacity, he also contributes a guitar solo to the song, which is instantly recognisable and brilliant. Great stuff.
The lyrics of both "Tommyknockers" and "Altair 4" are based on the Stephen King novel, "The Tommyknockers". Both songs are good, again driven along by Thomas' excellent drum work, but they are less memorable than those songs preceding them. I guess, in some ways, the songs are very similar which may account for this. "The Last Candle" completes the album, with another Kai Hansen guitar solo and appearance on backing vocals.

While I enjoyed both of the first two albums that Blind Guardian released, I think that this is the one that starts it all off for the band in the right direction. There are two or three songs here that can be considered as some of the best they have ever done, as well as being surrounded by more than credible other material. One of my favourite Blind Guardian releases.

682. Venom / Welcome to Hell. 1981. 4/5

In the last few weeks it has come to my attention that I may have missed a trick back in my late teenage years, something that when it comes to my music tastes I don't think happened too often. However, there are probably reasons why Venom slipped beneath my radar. Unless you were often frequenting specialist record stores in Australia, you would never find these albums, because the mainstream record stores would not have a bar of keeping such stuff. Of course, it's all different these days, what with the internet and online music stores and the ability to easily buy albums from overseas, but in the 1980's for us a lot of it was guesswork or becoming friendly with an overseas student who brought new music in your life. So in recent times I have done a lot of chasing down of bands from the early 80's that I had little knowledge of, and venom was on that list. this was the first album I bought, being their debut.

Reviewing this more than thirty years after its release is not easy. Because it's style is so familiar and recognisable, mainly because it so obviously inspired so many bands that came after them, I felt comfortable with the album from the first time I played it. It is different from most of the other NWOBHM bands of the time, most of whom looked for melodic guitars and more progressive elements in their music. This is heavier, generally faster, with a real emphasis on deeper and darker vocals and guitars. The production is only average, and there is little precision in any of the instruments (the myth has been raised that the band thought they were recording a demo when in fact it was what became Welcome to Hell), so it sometimes comes off as clunky and just a wall of noise rather than superb song recording. But in some ways that is the charm of the album. It's not perfect, and given that it was apparently all recorded in three days compared to some bands today taking two years to get every single note perfect... well, that's what is so different about music these days. But why would you want this to be any different? If you aren't as precise as Dream Theater when it come to your instruments, then you sure don't need to have high fidelity sound, and overall this has similar production values as other albums of the era.

The raucousness of "Son of Satan", the chugging guitar, rumbling bass and solid drum timekeeping of the title track "Welcome to Hell", the Motorhead-like rock 'n metal of "Poison", the awe-inspiring "Witching Hour" - the album has great songs coming at you one after the other. Like I said, it is great now, having only heard this album and band for the first time in the last six months. i can only imagine what it must have been like to the average punter when it was first released.

Had I discovered this album back in my high school years, I am willing to suggest that it could well be rated a whole lot higher than I have rated it today. Everything about it hits the right nerves in me when I listen to it, and if I had been playing it over and over for 25 or 30 years it would most likely be in a list of my all time classics. Despite this, Welcome to Hell is still a classic, a standard bearer to the thrash and black metal bands to come who obviously drew so much inspiration from it, and while it may seem a little tame in comparison to some of those bands today, that doesn't detract from how good this album was in the day, and still is in the present.

681. Night Ranger / Midnight Madness. 1983. 3.5/5

Following up the hard rocking debut of Dawn Patrol was always going to be a difficult task, and maintaining the balance on this album was also going to be a task in itself.

Opening with the American anthem "(You Can Still) Rock in America", as an International listener and buyer of the album this song still makes me annoyed even to this day. Yeah, sure, you are Americans who live in America, and can apparently still Rock in America. And the song itself sounds great, a fast rock track with plenty of scope for the guitars to turn their trade. But for those of us who aren't American, it makes it REALLY hard to sing along, because in the long run we aren't rocking in America! In the same way that John Mellencamp's "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A" annoyed the crap out of me when it was plastered over Australian radio for twelve months, this does for the same reason. Yes, it's a petty gripe, but one that non-Americans I'm sure can relate to. I mean, do Americans sing "I come from a land Down Under" with passion? Anyway, enough of this. A good song to open the album with.
"Rumours in the Air" is a softer, slower song than I would have expected in following up this opener. I never really understand what leads some bands to think that jumping between fast and slow songs on a album won't affect the 'listening pleasure' of those that buy the album. Having jumped into the album with a great hard rock number, this holds everything back again.
"Why Does Love Have to Change" follows similar themes, but back at a faster pace, with Jack's dominating vocals searing through over the top of the keyboards and guitars. While the solos again here are terrific, showing off the best that Brad and Jeff had to offer, the song would have been harder had the guitars not been turned down so much in the mix throughout the whole song, Apart from the solos it is the keyboards that  dominate most of the melody through the song, which to me is a shame.
The radio-friendly, rock power ballad hit "Sister Christian" is next. This is arguably Night Ranger's biggest single success, but is so far out of my sphere of love of music that it, for me, just stops the album in its tracks. Plenty of people were probably drawn to Night Ranger by this song, and I'd bet many of them would leave disappointed having heard the majority of their other songs, just because they all aren't like "Sister Christian". If you love the rock ballad you will probably love this. When I used to record this from vinyl to cassette, it was one song I would always omit.

After this slow and sullied end to Side One, Side Two kicks into gear straight away with the brilliant "Touch of Madness", easily the best song on the album. A punchy drum beat and guitar riff led by terrific vocals makes this the star of the album. This is the kind of song that, for me, would have made Night Ranger an even more formidable band if they had concentrated on this style. Singles success somewhat disproves this theory, but I know I would like to have heard more songs in this kind of genre. "Passion Play", while still a good song and more than listenable, bring the album back to that almost pop rock kind of style, one that works for Night Ranger through the sheer talent of the band's members. Moving on from this comes "When You Close Your Eyes", which I sort of like despite myself. It's a love song, no doubt, and its success as a single shows that it was certainly written as radio-friendly, but it is catchy, and you can't help yourself but sing through the chorus loudly. "Chippin' Away" continues along in this vein, not really jumping out of second gear, when it could really have been a guitar-driven hard rock song. Instead it is a serviceable song in the mood of this album. It is all concluded with the quiet, silent, acoustically harmony of "Let Him Run", which almost destroys and semblance of the hardness of the band and lets you drift off into a coma. While I would not be a fan of this song wherever it was placed on the Album, making it the last thing you hear before the needle comes off the vinyl seems a really strange decision.

I still like this album quite a bit, though I think it is a step down from their previous release. In a lot of ways this went just a little bit too much in the soft rock direction without actually falling into that category. It's hard to attribute that, with two such brilliant guitarists such as Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson in the band, that it is the keyboards that dominate most of the songs, apart from the small lead breaks both of them get. It's what probably made the band more accessible through the radio market, and held them back from moving into a more fully fledged metal market than hard rock. It also severely ties this album to the 1980's, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it does limit its full potential.

680. MullMuzzler / Keep It to Yourself. 1999. 3/5

MullMuzzler is the side project of Dream Theater's lead vocalist James Labrie, and this album was the first, released a couple of months before that band's Scenes From a Memory.

The opening song "His Voice" is reminiscent of the best parts of his Dream Theater influences, a prominent guitar riff that punctuates a keyboard-dominated melodic song, which suits Labrie's vocals perfectly. The guitar and drums do not dominate here, which probably highlights that the writers on this album are not those that are seen in his full time band. This theme continues in "Statued", where again it is the keyboard that dominate the song, along with major keyboard solo again but not so much from the guitar. In a way it is probably a good thing that Labrie and Mullmuzzler have tried to change things up from what you would normally here from the Dream Theater conglomerate, but although I do enjoy both of these opening songs on the album, I really feel it misses a real guitar and drum influence, to help balance out what is here. Perhaps that would bring too much heaviness to the music that the band was looking to avoid. I'm not sure. "Shores of Avalon" continues in this same vein, with Labrie's soaring vocals tending to paper over the oversights in the music itself. The keyboards in the middle of the song are very much front and centre here though, leaving the guitar to be almost an afterthought in the distant background.
None of that can prepare you for "Beelzebubba", the jazzy, swing tempo song that is all about the horns, trumpet, sax and trombone, mixed in with more subtle keys in a song that is so diverse and different from anything that has been heard before with his vocals attached to it that it is a real shock on first listen. Sadly, it really doesn't improve on subsequent listens to the album. It really is like a sore thumb, even sticking out amongst the different tones that are gathered together on Keep It to Yourself. This is certainly one way to garner attention to your music, but I would question as to whether it is a good thing.
The album's best song follows this hiccup. "Guardian Angel" raises itself to a better tempo, and is a more concentrated guitar and drums based song, though even here it is amazing that it the bass guitar is the main guitar in question, until we get to the guitar solo, which is the first on the album where it truly does dominate. The bass and keys also get a chance to shine on their own. A much better return than its predecessor.
"Sacrifice" is very much of the power ballad variety, with James crooning through, and even having the soft rock power guitar solo as a reference point. James sounds great, but when you are not a fan of these kinds of songs it would take a hell of a lot more to save it. "Lace" is probably my second favourite on the album, with several characteristic time changes and switching between guitar riff and keyboard riff as the headline act of the song, and even James singing with James in places with some excellent harmonies. "Slow Burn" returns to the power ballad genre, starting out slow and mournful with keyboards and guitar underneath Labrie's soaring vocals. The closing song "As a Man Thinks" is another abstract piece of music writing, one that really probably just drags on way too long. It is almost like a freeform jam, without any structure and relying on keys and computers as the lead instrumentals. It makes me think of Max Headroom for some reason, not always a pleasant thought. A very strange way to finish off.

There is a lot to like here, along with some stuff that you would have to be a fanatic to love. While it may not be to everyone's tastes, it is good to hear Labrie and his band experimenting with lots of different styles through the genre of the album, and not being locked into an album where all the songs sound the same and act the same. Mullmuzzler give you a chance to appreciate their talents through many mediums, and whether you like it will be up to the individuals taste. For me, I don't find it is an album I would drift back to very often, but when I do, as I have today, I am still mostly pleasantly surprised at the outcome. If I listen to it without "Beelzebubba" and "What a Man Thinks" I enjoy it a lot more, and would certainly rank it higher without them.

679. AC/DC / T.N.T. 1975. 4.5/5

Coming off a solid and satisfactory debut album, AC/DC return for their second opus, one that not only rates as one of the best ever Australian albums, but also as one of the best hard rock albums ever. T.N.T. is a literal hit factory, with great song followed by great song, and only a couple of moments during its 42 minutes that could be considered filler.

There would have to be very few people on the planet who could not at least cobble together a few words or hum the tune of the best known songs here. "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" is the biographical song of any band, and one that, perhaps ironically, managed to help get AC/DC to "the top". It sometimes goes unnoticed in this day and age, but the introduction of the bagpipes into a hard rock song, which actually enhances the middle bridge of the song, is quite an achievement. Less successful is Bon Scott mimed attempt to play them in the video clip of the song on the back of a flatbed truck going down Swanston Street in Melbourne. It is as popular today as it was when it was released. This is followed by the rocking beat of "Rock 'n' Roll Singer", which in a similar path to the opening track is a sort of biographical song about the path to becoming... well... a rock 'n' roll singer! By this stage of the album it is obvious that the band has got their ship in order, and know what formula they are going to follow - a solid pounding drum beat, supported by a rumbling bassline, with clear, crisp guitar riffs setting the foundations of each song, allowing Bon Scott to star on vocals and Angus Young to flail away when he feels the need to.
"The Jack" is the next song, with its simple drum and rhythm throughout the song, and its repeated chorus line making it a favourite among teenagers especially (I recall a school bus trip in high school where this album was played a lot, and this song got repeated playings joined by the chanting of the chorus by the entire population of the bus). Closing out the first side of the album is "Live Wire", which is one of my favourites. The somber opening of the bass and quiet guitar chords, then joined by the drums and eventually Bon's singing is just brilliant. The song builds wonderfully from the quiet into the pumping hard rock anthem. For me, it would be in my five best AC/DC songs. Extremely underrated.

Side Two opens up with the timeless anthem "T.N.T." which again does a marvellous job of getting the listener to join in singing the vocals. It's hard to resist singing the chorus at the top of your voice, no matter where you are when you are listening to it. "Rocker" could perhaps be classed as filler, if it wasn't for the energy shown by Bon Scott's vocals through the song. It almost feels like an on-stage jam between the band, with Bon coming up with lyrics just to fill the gaps. "Can I Sit Next To You, Girl" is a re-working of AC/DC's first ever single, back before Bon Scott was in the band. The original was sung by Dave Evans. It is patently clear that this is a much better version of the song, not only because Bon gives it a little bit more oomph than Evans, but because the band is sharper, cleaner and tighter.
"High Voltage" is a sister song to "T.N.T." and was inspired by the title of their first album. It was also the first single, released before this album came out, and as a result the single boosted the sale of High Voltage as many people thought that it was actually off that album. Good marketing and selling all round.
The final song on the album is "School Days', a cover of the Chuck Berry song. Now, while this may be an historically great song, and one can only assume that it was an influence on the band members in their youth, I feel it just muddies up the end of the album a little. "High Voltage" is really the best song to close with, letting it finish on a high. "School Days" doesn't tend to do that.

Despite a couple of moments that are a little lacklustre, this is a true classic album. It was the making of AC/DC and was followed by more great albums, a couple that even arguably match this. But for me, this is where it is all capture, in this bottle called T.N.T, the very best of everything this band can offer. The super rhythm section, the brilliant riffage from Angus and Malcolm Young, and the unique vocal capacity of Bon Scott. The complete package.

678. Gary Moore / Victims of the Future. 1983. 4/5

With solo success slowly finding an audience following albums such as Corridors of Power and Dirty Fingers, it is probably here with Victims of the Future that Gary Moore really lays down a platform for his work as both a guitarist and a vocalist, and though the style of that music is still quite varied on this release, some of his finest work can be found on this album. This is where he began to find the voice that he wanted to share, both lyrically and vocally.

Opening salvo "Victims of the Future" starts with a beautiful melodic guitar and vocal, lulling the listener in, before breaking into the heavy rock heart of the song, driving through with a great guitar riff, and driven by Ian Paice's drums and Gary's vocals. A terrific song that holds up as well today as it did thirty years ago.
"Teenage Idol" is really a bit of fluff rock, almost a pop song with ludicrous lyrics that feel like they belong in an 80's Rodney Dangerfield movie, punctuated by Gary's terrific guitar work. Honestly, if you just threw this song at me and got me to listen to it I would probably throw it back in your face. But, because I have been listening to this album since shortly after its release, and it is tied to those days, I find it to be one of those guilty please songs that you can't help but like, even though you know it really is just a little lame. Following this is an excellent cover of The Yardbirds song "Shapes of Things, where Gary really excels both vocally and on guitar.
The power ballad "Empty Rooms" is the kind of song that I really don't and shouldn't like, but Gary Moore has this way of making them unavoidably likeable, both through his excellent vocals but also the guitaring, perfectly soft and dominating in the same instance. His solo in this song is really one of his best, because it makes a soft rock ballad into a song that is more powerful than is usual for a song on this type. Just fantastic.
Side Two is kicked off by the magnificent "Murder in the Skies". The start of the song is introduced by a minute and a half of brilliant guitar shredding from Gary, showcasing his amazing talent with the instrument. It is the perfect intro before the song kicks into high gear, with a great smashing drum beat and high intensity vocals. Written about the Korean Airlines Flight 007 that was shot down by a U.S.S.R. fighter plane in September 1983, the tragedy is wonderfully highlighted by great lyrics, a terrific chorus and sensational guitaring by the man himself. This is without doubt one of his finest songs, and again shows that it is his 'protest' songs that really work the best, where he takes on a cause and memorialises it in song. One of my favourite all-time Gary Moore tracks.
It is a shame that the remainder of the album is unable to live up to this high quality song. "All I Want" reverts back to an average rock song without the sensational guitar riffs or song structure of other songs previous to this. "Hold Onto Love" feels like an attempt at a radio-friendly rock song, but lacks anything memorable in which to make it so. "Law of the Jungle" becomes a rather plodding finish to the album, a song that has both merit and potential, but seems to get bogged down with trying to be something it is not. It is not a complete loss, but it is one that more could have been done with.

Like a lot of Gary's albums, this again comes across as being a little uneven. There are the social issues songs that try to be hard hitting and as a result have the best lyrics and rhythmic heaviness, mixed with pop rock songs that seem to be looking for radio airplay. In attempting to rate this, I would say half of this is top shelf with the other half probably just average fare. Anyone listening to this for the first time in this day and age could be forgiven for dismissing it as another 80's rock album, but a more discerning listener will be able to hear what is so good about it, and why it should be classed as a much more important release than perhaps it appears on the surface. Gary's guitaring and vocals alone lift this above the average.

677. Accept / Balls to the Wall. 1983. 3.5/5

If you grew up in the 1980's, and you listened to heavy metal, then you know the song "Balls to the Wall" by Accept, because it was one of those songs that whenever they had heavy metal videos played on music video television, it was always one of the first songs played. Whether you knew anything else of this album is another question entirely. Many did not follow up knowing the single to checking out the album. I was not one of those people.

While for many who grew up with this album it has become an all-time classic, one which they will judge all other albums in history against, having first come into this album in the early 1990's I don't have the same stars in my eyes it regards to its attachment. There are unmistakable homage's to Judas Priest throughout, sometimes just a vocal or a guitar lick, but they are there nonetheless. You can also catch stretches of AC/DC both lyrically and musically, and given that Accept are of a similar vintage to both of these bands it shouldn't come as such a great surprise.
The album follows a solid hard rock/metal line in most of these songs. The anthemic qualities of "Balls to the Wall" have helped to make it a crowd favourite. This is similarly true of songs like "London Leatherboys" and "Fight It Back" and "Losing More Than You've Ever Had", where the double chorusing on vocals lends the song that air of singing along with fists pumping the air.
The terrific melodic lead breaks in the middle of "Turn Me On" really highlight that song. "Losers and Winners' is perhaps the paciest song of the album with a tracking drum beat and gunning guitars matched by Udo's vocals. "Guardian of the Night" returns the album to its normal service.
"Winter Dreams" for me is a very strange way to conclude the album. I am not a fan of the power ballad at the best of times, but I find it a bit strange to end an album with one. Sure, you can't slow the momentum of an album if there is nothing to come following that song, but you can kill the mood the album is giving you by doing so. Not a fan.

These kind of albums are the ones that, if you grew up when they were released and listened to them hundreds of times, over and over, you will rate at the top echelon of the scale, because they are catchy songs, which will inevitably remind you of those days. However, if you came into these kinds of albums after this stage of your life, you are more likely to think it is a solid album, but more in the mid-range kind of rating. In other words, the same album, but grabbing onto people at different times in their lives. I find for me this is especially true with Balls to the Wall. I can see myself loving this album to death had I been listening to it since 1983, However, having found it about a decade after this, I still think it is a great album for the era, one with a lot of positives, but my rating won't agree with the devotees of the band.

676. Metallica / Load. 1996. 2/5

It had been a long wait for Metallica fans between the time 1991's Metallica had faded from newness in the minds, and the time that it was announced that their next album Load was going to be released. Five years between albums chronologically, and for me probably a three year wait from the time I was ready for the next installment and the time we got it. In this time we had had the chance to digest the subtle changes that occurred with the Black album, and now I was ready to take on another full assault of the Metallica cannon.
What came next was as big a shock as my metal senses had ever had to absorb.

Part of the major outrage at Load from the long time Metallica fans was the huge change in musical direction this album took. Even given the changes that are obvious between ... And Justice For All and Metallica, even that could not possibly prepare the listener for the changes between that album and this. It is enormous, and I would think almost unprecedented in music, certainly in the heavy metal genre. There is no semblance of thrash metal nor speed metal on this album, but a lot of that had been watered down before we got to this point in time anyway. What really jumbles the pot here is that this isn't really a metal album of any description. This could be considered a hard rock album, mixing in a grunge element that by this release was beginning to fade out of existence anyway, and then some other unfamiliar elements as well. Call it anything else but Metallica, and you could probably sell it to some of the older fans. But this isn't Metallica. Barely a scrap of the music on this album is what anyone before this release would call Metallica. It might have been written and performed by the four members of the Metallica band, but it just isn't Metallica.
The tempo of the whole album is wrong for a start. I mean, you could pretty much fall asleep listening to this such is the flow. It's like a slow moving creek in a summer field, not the fierceness of a flood ravaged river bursting its banks. Songs start and end in a lull. There are very few song-defining solos shredding through the speakers, banging that head that will not bang. James' vocals have completely transformed to the lower, brooding variety, which no doubt he had to do to stop his voice blowing out again, but has taken away his energy from previous albums.
The crowning glory here in regards to change is that, six years previous to this release, Lars was hailed as the finest and most brilliant drummer on the planet, and with good reason. He was the innovator, the standard bearer, the one everyone was following. All kids playing drums were practising their arses off to be able to play the drums to his time changes and double kick on ... And Justice For All. Now, here on Load, it was simplified, untroubled 2/4 timing that a child could play with their eyes closed. It is the biggest and most audible change to Metallica's music, and one that does it no justice.

From the very beginning, this album lacks the energy and drive that all of its predecessors exuded. "Ain't My Bitch" might be a reasonable rock song, one that could almost find itself onto commercial radio, but it isn't anything like what you expect as an opening to a Metallica album. This is followed by "2 X 4", another simplified rock beat with repetitive lyrics. Already the album has signified a big shift in style, which continues to be enhanced by "The House Jack Built". The dreary and sludgy pace feels like walking through quicksand, it just never really kicks into a higher gear, even when James tries to lift the listeners impact in the chorus. It feels like a poor copy of a Soundgarden song, missing the ingredients that made that band one of the leaders of the Seattle sound.
"Until It Sleeps" was the first single, and for most people their first inkling of what was to come on Load. I still don't mind the song, most likely because it was imprinted in my mind before the album was released, and also it is a failsafe fallback having gotten three songs into this album without any great joy, this song comes in. "King Nothing" was the final single from the album, and one many fans enjoy, but it does nothing much for me (no pun intended). This is followed by another of the singles, "Hero of the Day", which to me is a really weak song. The slow, quiet casual build up at the start of the song just destroys it for, and even when it seems to build for about thirty seconds in the middle of the song, it falls back to the same style soon afterwards. It never fails to disappoint me when I hear it. What is then even more disparaging is that, for all intents and purposes, the best part of this album has now passed.
"Bleeding Me" is a long winded, overblown and frankly boring song, starting slow and soft and ending slow and soft. Is it emotive, or emotional? I don't know, because all it does for me is to wonder when it will ever finish. "Cure" goes on the same way, as with a number of songs on this album, as though it is one long jam session, and the song doesn't end until someone finally gives up, while James sprouts words over the top at random. "Poor Twisted Me" has a musical sound with a southern U.S.A twang, one which makes me almost expect to see rattlesnakes and banjos and slide guitars and people sitting on rockers on the front porch. "Wasting My Hate" must have been written knowing how this album was progressing, given that I'm probably wasting my dislike for this album on anyone in the band, because they obviously wanted to head in this direction. By this stage of the album I am really finding it hard to come to terms with the song and musical direction this Metallica album has taken. And, then, "Mama Said" turns up.
In the history of Metallica, we have progressed from "Fade to Black", a classic song that loses none of Metallica's metal roots, to "Nothing Else Matters", which to me was weak, radio-friendly fodder, to "Mama Said", this country-styled, steel guitar driven, vomit inducing spewfest.
I don't have a problem with bands and their members experimenting with their style of music, or in trying something different (no matter how different), or indulging in their passions. This whole album is a change of musical direction. But surely - SURELY - if James had wanted to do this, to write and perform what is nothing more or less than a country & western song, he could have put it on the B side of one of the singles from the album. Rather than creating a song that is so far from Metallica's fan base that it can only really drive a huge wedge between them and the band and putting it on their album, they could have indulged themselves with this, but put it somewhere where the real fans will still access it, but not be completely put off by it, because, (after all), it's just a B side song. No doubt they would say to me that it is their decision, and that they felt this was the right thing to do. I respectfully disagree.
"Thorn Within" is probably my favourite song on the album, but I have no basis on which to explain why it is. A combination of the groove and the rougher vocals from James probably lends itself to me more than the other songs on the album. Or perhaps it was always just the shock of "Mama Said" that any song following it HAD to be better...
"Ronnie" soon shoots any welling of good tidings through the heart. A return to the country rock vibe here is again as mystifying as it has been for most of the album. I truly begin to wonder where this complete change of musical direction occurred in Metallica. The album concludes with another monster freeform jam, "The Outlaw Torn", a song that mournfully drags itself out to almost ten minutes with nothing more than basically Lars play a simplified drum beat for the first seven minutes, James moaning out some lyrics, and Kirk and Jason almost rendered superfluous, until they appear to get a run in the back end of the song, but without any structure or orders to stop, so they just keep going until someone finally decides to fade them all out.

For all of the people who came into Metallica around this time, and grew up with this album, I still can't totally understand how they would love it and have trouble with how many people cannot "get" Load. In some ways I guess I wish I could enjoy this album the way they do. But for those of us who grew up with a different Metallica, this is such a quantum leap from what we knew of the band that it becomes impossible to digest it. It wasn't the last time I was lulled into buying a Metallica album in the hope of something brilliant only to be crushed in disappointment, but it is my most vivid.

675. Alice Cooper / Pretties For You. 1969. 2.5/5

This is where it all began for the Alice Cooper Band, and it is mostly unrecognisable from the material that made Alice Cooper famous. It is an interesting step back in time to listen to, hearing the kind of music that was prominent when Alice started back in 1968, to the material he then published through the various decades that followed.

This is a very psychedelic album, much as was the style in the late 1960's. Most of the album is almost Beatles-esque from that era, especially from the sound they were putting out with Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but it is also reminiscent of that era's Pink Floyd and Frank Zappa and other 'flower power' artists. It's a real effort to get through this album in a normal setting. It just isn't the kind of album you will put on for enjoyment value and listen to. Now, if you dropped a couple of tabs of acid beforehand, you would probably get a great deal more out of it! In general, with this kind of psychedelic mish-mash, it would have to be the norm. There is so much going on in all of the songs, and it doesn't always feel as though there is any rhyme or reason to what is being played. In some songs, such as "Sing Low, Sweet Cheerio" it feels like they are just doing a Spinal Tap free form jazz experimentation. It sounds just like a rehearsal room jam session which they ended up liking and putting on the album. Drums, guitars, bass, even the harmonica, all seem to be coming in and out as the musician pleases. That's not to say it's bad, but you really need to be in the right frame of mind to listen to it.

Of course, much of the experience of Alice Cooper, especially in these early days, was the stage show, and the antics that occurred during live performances. As a result this first studio album doesn't really convey to the listener what they would have been missing visually, and in this respect it would be easy to just write this off and dismiss it. But to do so would be hasty. Given an ability and desire to sit back and listen to the album a few times, you can find plenty to appreciate here. Once you are acquainted with the methodology of the structure of the album, it becomes easier to relate to, easier to accept the meshing of instruments in a random kind of noise, easier to come to terms with the fact that Alice sounds a little spookily like John Lennon in places ("Changing Arranging" especially), and easier to find where all of this develops from this starting point into what soon became a band that took hard rock by storm, with songs like "B.B. on Mars" and "Reflected" especially sounding this way. "Reflected" was eventually reworked and became re-recorded as "Elected' a few years later, so the roots of what the band became are certainly present here.

For those who are familiar with Alice Cooper's later work, listening to this for the first time would be like hopping into a different dimension. And though you may never come to really like this album, it is certainly worth listening to it if for no other reason than to see what progression was made through the years by this most enduring artist.

674. Sweet Savage / The Raid - The Ripper [EP]. 2005. 3.5/5

The songs on this single/EP/whatever you want to call it, were recorded back in 1980, when Sweet Savage had their core group together of Haller, Campbell, Fleming and Bates. Though rumours abound that it was released, or was supposed to be released, as a single back in 1984 or 1985, it had never been confirmed. this "EP" as it is called was released in 2005 with the original songs. Both of these songs, "The Raid" and "The Ripper" are the original 1980 versions, while a demo version of "The Raid" is tacked on as the third song to make it look like value (I guess). Before listening to this, I had visions of "The Ripper" being a cover version of the classic Judas Priest song, but it is in fact its own enjoyable version of the age old story.

Both songs here are as enjoyable as most of the smallish repertoire the band had prior to 1983, and if you enjoy those songs then you will certainly enjoy these as well. Perhaps you will also reflect as I often do as to how they were unable to make it with the talent they had in this band.

673. Sweet Savage / Caught in the Middle - Teaser [Single]. 1983. 4/5

Such is the scarcity of being able to drag up original material from Sweet Savage, given that the original incantation of the band was unable to break into the recording market, it has only been in very recent times that I have been able to track down a copy of this, their second single. More is the pity, because not only is it terrific, it brought with it some very enjoyable surprises.

Take "Straight Through the Heart". It starts off with a sensational riff, a riff that really gets you going straight away. The thing I knew instantly was that the riff had been written by lead guitarist Vivian Campbell. How did I know this? Well, if you listen to Dio's first album Holy Diver, released not too long after this single by Sweet Savage, and play a song called "Caught in the Middle", then you will be amazed that, yes... it is the same riff. Far from being disappointed, I think it's great. The song itself is completely different apart from that opening riff, and it kicks along terrifically. New lead singer Robert Casserly lends his lead vocals to both these tracks, and he shines, showing off a more pure vocal than Ray Haller, who did vocals on the first single. The B side to this single is "Teaser", and perhaps lends itself closer to a Def Leppard-type sound than earlier songs had, but it too is a good rocking song.

Campbell left the band apparently only a couple of weeks after recording this has been completed, and the band soon folded without him. Although they were revived in the 1990's, it is a shame that they were unable to make it work it this time period, given the strength of the material they had, which this single showcases nicely.

672. Sweet Savage / Take No Prisoners - Killing Time [Single]. 1981. 4/5

This is the first single release from Northern Ireland's Sweet Savage, which to all intents and purposes should have been the springboard to further success. For whatever reason may have eventuated, that success was never forthcoming, which I find remarkable.
"Take No Prisoners" is a smart song, led by the vocals of bass guitarist Ray Haller, and driven by the twin guitars of teenager Vivian Campbell and Trevor Fleming. This is backed by the B side "Killing Time", which also showcases the best of the band, with a speedy pace rocketing along with both guitars and drums. Both songs here are good, solid songs from the NWOBHM era, and perhaps this was drowned out by all of those bands who were clambering over each other at the time to try and 'make it big'.

Sweet Savage was never able to make it unfortunately, although this single did manage to influence others. Campbell eventually left to join Dio and later on Whitesnake and Def Leppard. Meanwhile, a young band called Metallica had discovered this band, and played "Killing Time" in their early rehearsal days, and some years and millions of record sales later, they recorded a cover version of the song for the B side of their "The Unforgiven" single in 1991. Recognition just a few years too late perhaps.

671. Sweet Savage / Demo 81 [EP]. 1981. 4/5

It can be a tough gig trying to nail down a recording contract as a band. No doubt there is a lot of luck, and of being in the right place at the right time, when it comes to actually making it in the music business. With this being the case, it is still an amazing thought that Sweet Savage was unable to crack it during their formative years between 1979-1984. There were a couple of singles, and this multi-track titled simply Demo 81 in which to enjoy their craft. There is conjecture over whether or not this actually ever existed, and that perhaps it is just a name under which someone threw together these songs when they themselves collected them. Whatever the case, this is the collection I have discovered and have collated it as such.

"Killing Time" has become the band's most famous song, simply through it being covered by Metallica as a B-side to their "The Unforgiven" single. Sweet Savage's original version more than holds up. The great thing to me is that, though this is a terrific song, it does not overshadow the others on this album. "Eye of the Storm" has always been another big favourite of mine, driven along by the fast pace of the song and Vivian Campbell's excellent licks. The other three songs here follow a similar vein. In fact, "Sweet Surrender" follows the song structure of "Killing Time" extremely closely, with different words and a slightly changed riff progression fitting in to all the same crevices. It slightly amusing to check out the first time, though eventually you get used to it actually being a different song. "Into the Night" and "Queens Vengeance" are also upbeat songs, all with what is that signature Sweet Savage guitar sound that Campbell and Trevor Fleming have cropped together.

I like all of the songs here, and it again makes me wonder why the band was unable to take that one further step into 'music career'. Despite that, this is still as enjoyable today as it would have been when it was first written and recorded over thirty years ago, which speaks volumes for its freshness and writing background.

670. Metallica / Soundwave Festival Sydney 24-2-2013 [LiveMetallica]. 2013. 5/5

This is another of the ever-popular releases by Metallica from their LiveMetallica conglomerate, where you can purchase every live show they do.
This one was from their headlining set at this year's Soundwave Festival in Sydney, which I attended. As it turned out however, I did not actually see Metallica that night. Apart from the ridiculous crush to get into the stadium, and the impossibility of finding a seat or even a standing room position in which to see them, I had decided that I should head out to the outer stages and check out some bands that I had not seen before. The only songs I actually heard that night were "Orion" (which sounded awesome) and "One", as I walked around the outside of ANZ Stadium on my way to my next 'gig'.

I got this anyway, as I like to collect gigs that bands have done in Sydney. And the setlist here is a virtual who's who of Metallica's best, with songs that Australian's haven't heard live from the band for a long time, such as "Hit the Lights", "Holier Than Thou", "Ride the Lightning", the aforementioned "Orion" and "Fight Fire With Fire". Terrific stuff. Throw in classics like "Master of Puppets", "Creeping Death", "Blackened" and "Fade to Black" and you have a great gig list. OK, so James mightn't be able to sing those songs like he used to, and Lars doesn't even pretend that he can play the drums on those songs like he used to, but it is still great to hear them live.

Am I disappointed I didn't actually get to see this set live? Yes and no. I'm glad I saw the bands I did at the time, and the fact I can listen to this now whenever I want makes up for that in my mind.

669. Queensrÿche / Queensrÿche. 2013. 3.5/5

12 months after the acrimonious split between band and lead singer, and twenty years after what appears to have become their theoretical peak, this album, the eponymous Queensrÿche can settle most of the arguments that have floated around for most of that time. There will still be two sides to the arguments, but no doubt one side will be more heavily populated with this release.
Led by new lead vocalist Todd Le Torre, a man whose own voice lends itself almost remarkably to his predecessor, this is the first album released by the Queensrÿche band in their new era. The lead break on the opening song makes it clear immediately that this is the real deal. This is just a part of what has been missing for so many years, and here on "Where Dreams Go to Die" you immediately open your eyes and say to yourself "There it is... THAT'S Queensrÿche!". There is more urgency in all of the songs, each one different from the next, but none allows the album to drift into an ineffective sleep, which has been a real bugbear of mine over recent releases. The strength comes from guitaring that exudes more energy, a drumkit that appears to have rejuvenated itself and begun to emit the kind of power drumming that it was once renown for, and a vocal capacity that is at the forefront of every song, be it slower and melodic or faster and powerful, and not reedy or seeping into the background.

In comparison to the album released by Geoff Tate under the Queensrÿche moniker, Frequency Unknown, it really is no contest. Put more succinctly, that album headed in the same direction as the previous three or four full Queensrÿche albums, albums that were written by Geoff and others outside the band, and are almost universally shunned by the majority of Queensrÿche fans. This album, written entirely by the band members including Le Torre, is much closer to what most Queensrÿche fans would relate to as a Queensrÿche album. The band SOUNDS like Queensrÿche again, and Le Torre's vocals are driving the songs, not halting them in their tracks. Want to really notice the difference? Play this back-to-back with Frequency Unknown or Dedicated to Chaos or American Soldier. The music doesn't lie. This album has energy bursting throughout, and compared to the dull and lifeless example of the other three albums mentioned there is no contest.

But here's the bottom line. This is a major recovery of sorts, and it is enjoyable to listen to and to realise that this band still has more to offer than the past decade or so has shown. But even having said that, there are no songs here that really make you sit forward in your chair when you hear them begin, ones that snap you to attention in anticipation of what is to come. From a personal point of view, this album is faithful to the progressive style of music that the band played on their early albums, but I think the opportunity for some more firepower in some of the songs was missed. That may well have been what the band was looking for. A song like "Vindication" is probably the fastest song on the album, but to me could have had a bit more grunt in it. Still, this is a small, personal taste conclusion. The song is still great, and is one of the pointers towards the two halves of the Queensrÿche play that has been going on. Another is "A World Without", one of the slower songs on the album, but executed with the real Queensrÿche presence so that it doesn't become a dreary ballad-type.

The more you listen to the album, the better it gets. I don't want to sound like a broken record (no pun intended) but this is the first time in a generation when I can honestly say I love listening to a Queensrÿche album. I didn't have to try hard to love it, and then failed. If anything, I was as hard on this during my first listens as any new album release in recent years, because to me the band had to prove that they really could produce something to show that the past twelve months, the past five years, the past fifteen years, was really worth it. And they HAVE done it. They have produced an album that not only shows they can still be a force in the music world, but that the future may even be brighter.

668. Megadeth / Super Collider. 2013. 2.5/5

With Dave Mustaine being the fairly opinionated guy that he is, one wonders what his response might have been if, back in 1983, before Megadeth had formed, he had been offered a copy of 2013's Super Collider and asked what his opinion of it was. I'm guessing that his response would have been in the negative, perhaps even a violent negative. I just can't see that the man who was about to write such classics as "Wake Up Dead" and "Hook in Mouth" would think that there was very much of virtue in the album that he had been asked to listen to.
Given this, I can really only agree with that opinion. I'm not sure what I expected from this album, given what I felt was the unevenness of the last few Megadeth albums. What I didn't expect was the almost total lack of grunt and power. I mean, Megadeth was at the forefront of thrash metal, wasn't it? You'd have a hard time convincing anyone of that if they had heard nothing of Megadeth except this album. Honestly, this would be like putting on what you thought was the new Foo Fighters album, but finding out it is actually the new Nickelback album. That is the difference between what I would consider Megadeth to be and what I found on Super Collider.

Is it bad? Well, no I guess not. But wow it is different. The opening song "Kingmaker" is OK, a decent riff and it moves along at a reasonable pace. "Super Collider" is a drifter, in that it never really kicks into gear, and Dave's vocal just wanders through the song with out ever gaining any momentum. "Burn!" almost sounds like a reject song from Countdown to Extinction or Youthanasia, one that didn't have enough to be considered for those albums... but it makes it here. The same could be said for "Built for War". Having made it this far into the album, you really begin to wonder what the motivation was for the band this time around. Sure, there are some reasonable licks and solos in the mix, but where is the energy and emotive moments, the ones that get up out of your chair and start pumping your fist in the air, or playing that air guitar or drum kit? They can't be found here. I mean, "Off the Edge" is a boring, repetitive hard rock song that goes nowhere musically or vocally. It is lifted by the solo break, but then it is back to monotony.

"Dance in the Rain" is OK, it too reminds you of those previously mentioned albums with Dave's monologue replacing singing for much of the song. "Forget to Remember" is my favourite song on the album, but I'm not really sure what attracts me to it. My next favourite would be "Cold Sweat", the Thin Lizzy cover that concludes the album. It really cements the whole experience as a very un-Megadeth release. There is basically no metal on here at all, it is a very hard-rock oriented album, albeit with that Megadeth sounding twist. And seriously, what the fuck is with the fiddle and other assorted instruments in the song "The Blackest Crow"?! That song really makes me question where this band is headed. I don't have anything against artists trying some innovation in their material, but I do question the setting. B-sides of singles, or one-off EP's between albums, would be the perfect place. Megadeth has already had its Risk and I'm not sure they need to go down that path again.

Whatever Dave was looking to achieve with this, I guess only he knows. It is Megadeth's highest charting album since Youthanasia which only goes to prove that good marketing can get people to buy almost anything. As for its musical direction, as a lifelong fan of the band almost since their inception, this album is the one that has caused me the most concern. Perhaps it is a one off, where some new things were attempted that will not be the case the next time around. Or perhaps this is the beginning of Megadeth's journey to commercial hard rock, and the attempt to pander to hard rock fans. Whatever the answer is, all I can suggest is that while this is not a complete dead loss, it has drifted into what I would term as "easy listening hard rock". It is up to the individual as to what they like, but for me, this isn't it.

667. Masterplan / Novum Initium. 2013. 3.5/5

Following on from what turned out to be the rather lukewarm previous album Time To Be King, Masterplan has again parted ways with lead vocalist Jorn Lande, which may well turn out to be a blessing in disguise, given that the band probably needs to find its own identity away from that of their oft-quoted and adored former singer. This brought on a real reformatting of the band, with Martin “Marthus” Skaroupka (drums), Rick Altzi (vocals) and Jari Kainulainen (bass) coming in for this album to join original members and writers Roland Grapow (guitar) and Axel Mackenrott (keyboards).

From the very beginning of the album, it is obvious that Masterplan has regained their mojo. It is immediately obvious in both the music and the singing. Rick Altzi sounds much like Jorn Lande without being a clone or copycat, and as such his vocals fit very snugly into the Masterplan edict. Songs such as "The Game", "Black Night of Magic" and "Return from Avalon" are top shelf songs, up with the best this band has produced.

So, if I stick to my usual power metal album checklist, I think you'll find that all the boxes are ticked.

1. Fantastic drumming throughout, punctuated by some at times superb double kick that really drives the songs along (kudos " Marthus")
2. Awesome European power metal vocals, reaching the heights and stretching my own singing beyond its limits as I try to sing along. I have not heard of anything else that Rick Altzi has done in his career, but he is the absolute perfect fit for Masterplan, and his work here is incredible. Take a bow.
3. The power ballad, laden with keyboards which dominate. Yep, we've got a couple, and yes for me they just slow the momentum of the album at the wrong times. Look, for power metal ballads the ones on this album aren't so bad and they are well done so I can forgive them a little.
4. Lots of guitar driven songs. Roland Grapow's magnificent guitaring and great soloing here continues to produce the goods.

Truth be told, I am surprised by how good this album is. It's not that I expected it to be awful, but with Masterplan they are always going to have the unenviable task of being compared to their first two album, which they are unlikely to be able to match. Their next two albums were good without ever touching those heights, and with a lot of the band moving on before this albums release... well... who was to know what would come. What HAS come has been the trademark Masterplan sound, excellent songs that showcase the best that this band has to offer. The new members all produce the goods, while Roland and Axel continue to lead this band into new territory. One of the best albums so far in 2013.

666. Iron Maiden / The Number of the Beast. 1982. 5/5

It may well be a little presumptuous to try and rate and review an album that is without doubt one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time, and also a stand out as one of the finest albums ever released of any genre of music. However, given that I have reached the magical number of 665 album reviews, then it is only fitting that my 666th album review should indeed be Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast.

A number of things fell into place for this album to become such a wonderful item. The introduction of Bruce Dickinson to replace Paul Di'Anno for one. Despite the great work that Di'Anno had done with the band on their first two albums, Bruce brought another dimension of possibilities to Iron Maiden, not only with his dynamic vocal range but his song writing capabilities. Also, with all of the band's previously written material having been exhausted in the recording of the first two albums, it now forced them to write all new material for this release, something that allowed them to stretch themselves with all they had learned in recent years.

"Invaders" is similar in structure to both "Prowler" and "Wrathchild", which were the opening songs on Iron Maiden and Killers respectively. It's a short sharp introduction, punctuated by the rifling Steve Harris bassline and those duelling guitars and machine gun drumming, along with Bruce's first strike on vocals, hitting those notes straight up to make this album immediately stand out from the first two releases. I've never really been sure why this song has been so maligned, even by members of the band itself. I think it is a great introduction into the album, showcasing in a historic way what the band could do well in the same way as the aforementioned two songs. It may not be an epic, as future album openers "Where Eagles Dare" and "Aces High" are, but I still think this is a great song, and more is the pity we haven't heard it in a live setting.
"Invaders" is followed by the amazing "Children of the Damned", a truly moody and magnificent song that is still one of the best this band has produced. This was certainly not a song they could have done with Di'Anno on vocals, it would never have worked. Bruce is truly magnificent here, crooning away at the start under the brooding and melodic guitars. The music almost perfectly reflects and remembers the story it is based on, and the following movie of the same name. The moody feel flows into the lead solo break where the song breaks ranks and returns to the fierce Maiden guitar/drum break that they are renown for, while Bruce returns in full force to conclude the song on an upswing. In recent times Bruce was quoted as saying that Black Sabbath's marvellous "Children of the Sea" also inspired this song, and it can actually be seen and heard in the song and its layout.
"The Prisoner" is an inspired song, derived from the classic British TV series, which begins with a monologue taken from that show, which leads straight into a terrific opening where Clive Burr's drums are featured over the short riffs of the guitars. Great start to the song, which then moves into a running guitar bridge which suits the songs lyrics down to the ground, making you fell as though you are "on the run", before launching into "not a Prisoner, I'm a free man!" The lead break again is just classic Maiden, underpinned by Burr's machine-like drumming. Great song.
Following on from two of my all-time favourite Iron Maiden songs comes a third, the brilliant "22 Acacia Avenue". The single guitar riff to start, with Bruce speaking over the top is just great, before busting into the song itself. An old Adrian Smith song from his Urchin days that was reformatted to become the 'next chapter' in the "Charlotte the Harlot" story, this is again highlighted (I believe) by Clive's brilliant drumming throughout the whole song - listen again and be amazed at its precision and power. The lead break cleverly remind you of the middle of the original "Charlotte the Harlot" before breaking ranks and finishing off the song in style.

The second half of the album (for those who are old enough to have owned this on vinyl of course) contains three of Maiden's best known and most beloved songs.
"The Number of the Beast" is the song that much of bible belt America decided was proof that the band was just a bunch of devil worshipping freaks. In reality of course, it was written by Steve Harris after he had watched that fine film, "Damien: Omen II", which tells the STORY of the devil's child. Anyway, pre-empted by a reading from the Book of Revelation from the New Testament, another of Maiden's memorable guitar intros launches the song, leading up to the anthemic calling of "Six! Six six! The number of the beast!". It is still a great song after all these years. This is followed by the song that almost everyone knows whether they are a metal fan or not. "Run to the Hills" spans the generations and the genres, and broke into mainstream radio back when it was released. This is another song that starts with Clive's rhythmic and precision drumming, a drum beat that drummers all over the world have learned at one stage or another, much in the same way all guitarists learn the riff of "Smoke on the Water". Along with the renown guitar riff, and Bruce's superb leading vocals throughout, but especially in the chorus, this has become the song everyone knows Maiden for, and everyone has had a go at hitting Bruce's heights with "Run to the hills, run FOR your LIFE!".
"Gangland" is the second maligned song on the album, and again I think that is unfortunate. The story goes that, when "Run to the Hills" was being prepared for release as the single before the album, a choice had to be made between "Gangland" and "Total Eclipse" as to which would be the B side of the single, with the other song going onto the album The Number of the Beast. It came to pass that "Total Eclipse" became the B side, though Steve Harris has said since that he thinks the wrong decision was made, and that the songs should have been reversed. I can't say I agree, though maybe because the fact is that "Gangland" IS on the album. I like "Total Eclipse", but I've always though of it as have 'B side qualities'. "Gangland" may well reside in the same laneways as "Quest For Fire" as 'forgotten' Maiden songs, but I still like it and think it holds its own here.
The album concludes with the song most of the band consider one of their best, "Hallowed Be Thy Name". It is an epic, in song structure, lyrically and in performance. It once again, as with so many songs just on this album alone, has a distinctive and unique opening to the song, a natural flow from the subtle to the heavy guitar, a brilliant range in the vocals that only Bruce could bring and an anthemic quality, this time into the conclusion of the song. It has been an enduring classic and one that has rarely been out of the band's live set since this album was released.

It is a difficult task to convey how truly magnificent this album is. Only by listening to it can you hear everything that one tries to explain in words, and fails to do to anyone's satisfaction. There are albums that I would place higher on a list of my all-time favourite albums, but that doesn't take away or detract from the fact that this is one of the best ever produced, and its legacy is heightened by the number of bands that have become huge in the past thirty years that this inspired.

665. Alice in Chains / The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. 2013. 2/5

It was great news for all that Alice in Chains was producing another album. After the excellent comeback of Black Gives Way to Blue there was plenty of cause to be excited at the prospect. There was also a whisper that the band was looking to produce a heavier album this time around. Now, it's all fine to come out and do a heavy album and really push that aspect. With my love of heavy metal, I encourage it from most bands. But heavy is not just tuning that guitar down to a guttural peak and play slow chunking riffs, it needs to have direction and variety, and a hook to grab you and drag you in. The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here really lacks that hook.

There is not the same emotion in the songs or the strength in the vocals. Not the same inspiration, nor the same drive. They seem to be dawdling along to their destination, not taking you along for the ride. The lyrical aspect here is almost nauseating, like reciting poetry in a monotone, uninflected voice. Everything seems to be playing in the same key, at exact the same tempo.
And I think that this is the main problem here. While it SOUNDS like an Alice in Chains album, it just doesn't have the energy and heart of an Alice in Chains album. It really just plods along, almost like an approaching migraine, grinding its way along at the same sort of pace and constant nagging, until you can really take no more. Yep, this is grunge, but almost to an excess, as if they were saying "These are our roots, rediscover them - to the MAX!"
"Voices" is the first song that really tugs at the memory strings. I can almost hear Layne's spirit coming in to harmonise along in the chorus. But even this song just misses a chance to show some power and reach out and grab you through your chest. Instead, it warbles along, like a stagnant stream searching for a surge of water behind it to push it along. That surge never seems to arrive.

Unlike it's predecessor, Black Gives Way to Blue, which had some great songs, the vocals here are pretty much just tracking together. There is no great duelling of voices between Jerry and Will, nor any great harmonising between them.
In the end this has come to a disappointing climax. There just isn't anything here that can lift this album above the average.
It's not that I hate this album, it's just that, overall, I don't like it either. It missed the mark, and it is missing some of the vital ingredients that made Alice in Chains a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps in a live environment these songs would come to life, but from my stereo speakers it sounds like a funeral, and the bell may be tolling for thee.