I saw Death Angel for the first time (and
quite possibly for the only time) last year on their tour of Australia
in promotion of their album The Dream Calls for Blood.
It was a brilliant concert, allowing me to see them perform songs that I
had been waiting most of my adult life to see. Every part of it was
sensational, and you could barely have asked for a better setlist. So
when I discovered that the band was releasing a new live album I was
excited for what it would produce.
So lets face it. No matter
what was placed on this album, you know it would sound good. And it
does. The band is in brilliant form here, and they have been honestly
captured on this album. Sensational songs such as "Left For Dead" which
opens the album in style, "The Dream Callas For Blood", and "Detonate".
Every track here is superb and at its peak performance.
There is a
downside, that has nothing to do with the quality of the recording or
the performance of the band. While I support the decision of the band or
record company or whoever is in charge of the decision to choose the
songs that go on such an album, surely it could have been prudent to
have added a few songs that weren't from just the previous two albums? I
mean, if I only wanted to listen to The Dream Calls for Blood
then I would have put that album on! Seven of the ten songs here are
from that album, and like I've said they sound great, but what about
some of those greats? Is it just me? Or has a trick been missed here? No
"Seemingly Endless Time"? No "Thrown to the Wolves"? No "A Room With a
View"? No "Road Mutants"? And that's just a starter. The album is great,
but it feels like short shrift to have a Death Angel live album without
those songs being a part of it.
The fans will love this album
for the material that is here. It is a terrific performance. However, as
ranted above, to make a top notch live album you have to have the best
of your recent material, mixed with the best of your other material. The
job here is half done.
Rating: You buried the hope but you can't kill the man. 4/5
Way back in 1988, while wandering through
record stores in the local area, I was perusing the massed basket of
cheap cassettes at the front of one of these stores, and came across the
live Deep Purple album Nobody's Perfect which had been recorded on The House of Blue Light
tour the previous year. Brilliant! I didn't often buy cassettes, but I
hadn't seen this anywhere on vinyl so I bought it. And it was brilliant,
covering lots of great stuff from that album and Perfect Strangers that I hadn't heard live, as well as all the greats from the past.
After
thousands of revolutions this copy died as all cassettes were wont to
do, and I went searching for the album on CD. Unfortunately, the only
version available at that time was one that had several songs removed in
order to fit it on the one CD. While I still bought it, I had been
disappointed and unfulfilled every time I listened to it, mourning the
editing and lost tracks. Thankfully, in the early 00's, I came across
this bootleg album. In all respects this is NOT a bootleg album. It is
just a restoration of the original recordings as I remembered them, as
well as adding other songs that were not a part of that original
cassette I had bought, adding further great songs from that reformation
era of the Mark II line up. So, in essence, it was an even better
discovery than that original one back in the day!
Recorded live at
Irvine Meadows in California on May 23, 1987, this album showcases
everything that is great about Deep Purple in their live environment.
You get the banter between songs between Ian Gillan and the audience,
and Ian Gillan and his bandmates. You have Ritchie Blackmore play-acting
throughout, throwing in his own flicks and flails whenever he feels in
the mood. You have the places where he is allowed to express himself
away from the basis of the song. You have Jon Lord doing a similar thing
during his solo break. You have a great variety of songs from the two
albums of the new era of Deep Purple, which all sound brilliant here.
Songs such as "Perfect Strangers", "Nobody's Home", "Under the Gun" and
"Knocking At Your Back Door" from the Perfect Strangers album are marvellous, and the selection from the touring album The House of Blue Light
are just as terrific, with great versions of "The Unwritten Law", "Dead
or Alive", "Hard Lovin' Woman" and "Bad Attitude". These are all mixed
in with the living legends such as "Highway Star", "Strange Kind of
Woman", "Child in Time", "Lazy", "Black Night", "Woman From Tokyo" and
"Smoke on the Water". There's also the bonus that came on the original Nobody's Perfect album of the re-recorded version of "Hush" with Gillan on vocals, which I have always loved since its release.
As groundbreaking and timeless as Made in Japan
is as a live album, I love this album just as much. It covers an era
that is somewhat forgotten and bypassed in regards to Deep Purple. It
was the reformation, and the band is on fire during this performance,
covering both the first half and the second half of the great Mark II
era. This records a significant moment in the history of the band. It
was for all intents and purposes the end of this era, despite one final
fling with The Battle Rages On... after Joe Lynn Turner's cameo for Slaves and Masters, and it is great to have this as a keepsake and memento of the greatness of this line up.
Rating: Are you dead... or alive... 5/5
The tendency to look for new music for me
often comes down to either mates insisting that I must check out this
band because they are awesome, or by following artists when they change
bands or do a solo project, or, in this case, a side project away from
their major band of occupation. Most tend to be a one-off proposition,
which of course hampers the chase for new music to the odd album.
Whether or not that becomes the case for Serious Black is yet to be
seen, but this debut effort does offer the possibility that it could
lead to further releases.
I found Serious Black through
guitarist/vocalist Roland Grapow. Roland had first joined Helloween to
replace Kai Hansen, which was where I first encountered him. After
several good album, of which he contributed to along the way, he moved
on to co-found Masterplan, the band he is still the leader of to this
day, and whose initial albums are still legendary. So when I read an
article that he had become a piece of this so-called 'supergroup' I went
out of my way to track it down.
The one thing I can say with
certainty is that you won't find anything new here. That doesn't make it
poor, it just means that all of those elements that make a typical
power metal album are all here. In effect, if you enjoy power metal, you
are more than likely going to enjoy this album. If you do not enjoy
power metal, then nothing here will likely change your view on it.
As
always, the faster paced, drum and guitar packed songs are the ones I
enjoy most here. The opening tracks "I Seek No Other Life" and "High and
Low" express the best of this kind of music. They are fast, significant
drumming from veteran Thomen Stauch, the keyboards from Jan Vacik
prominent but not overbearing, while the guitaring of Roland is just
superb. "Sealing My Fate" doesn't quite live up to the opening
expectations, before the instrumental "Temple of the Sun" returns to a
better innovation within the album. "Akhenaton" features the best of
Urban Breed's vocals (yep, that's his name...), they really soar here
and showcase his great range and power. "My Mystic Mind" draws its roots
from Roland's writing, as it sounds like it could be a Masterplan song.
Once again, it's fast and powerful with amazing vocals. "Trail of
Murder" follows a familiar path with the keyboards taking centre stage
on this shift.
You can take it to the bank that the title track for
me is a complete album killer. Power ballads, they are just the bane of
my existence, and "As Daylight Breaks" fits right in that category of
the massive mood killers. Everything has been going so well, fast paced
power metal in the best sense, and then we throw this track into the
mix. Well, there's no power here, just quietly spoken lyrics over
keyboards, before progressing to the powderpuff heart of the song. Ugh
ugh ugh.
"Setting Fire to the Earth" returns us back to middle
ground, the pace reels itself back up a notch, though it is the synth
and harmony vocals that dominate this song rather than the guitars of
Dominik Sebastian and Roland and the drums of Thomen. "Listen to the
Storm" sails a bit too close to going down that ballad track for me to
be completely at ease with it, while the closing track "Older and Wiser"
regains any lost ground, ending the album on a high note.
Overall,
apart from any misgivings about the ballad styled tracks deposited
here, this is an impressive debut for this gathering of musicians. As
mentioned earlier, whether or not this becomes a group that produces
multiple releases will be for the future to decide, but the debut effort
gives every confidence that if they did, they could only improve on the
base they have created here.
Rating: When all the seasons come undone, I shall rise again. 3.5/5
Despite my following of hair metal bands
such as L.A. Guns, Ratt and Motley Crue to mention a few, as well as
fleeting interest through my late teens with Poison and Cinderella, I
never really cottoned on to Warrant in their prime. My main musical
interest was in a heavier direction, so that unless I had friends who
were pushing bands onto me I didn't immediately chase down every new
band that came our way. So it wasn't until I read an article a few years
later, proclaiming that Warrant had a bad rap in the metal community
and that people should dig deeper than the surface of their singles,
that I decided to follow up on them. The obvious first step was Cherry Pie.
"Cherry
Pie" was the famously 'written to be a hit song in fifteen minutes' by
Jani Lane, after the album was completed but the record company wanted
an 'anthem' added to the mix. I'm not sure how you would feel about this
song - happy that you were able to write a hit song in fifteen minutes,
or pissed off because of the time you spent on the other tracks of the
album that then became far less well known than the one you did in a
coffee shop on a break. The music video, and subsequent massive rotation
on video programs, certainly helped to raise its profile and popularity
and no doubt raised album sales. For me though it turned me off buying
the album until many years later, given I guessed that the single would
reflect the album. The song that was supposed to carry the title of the
album was "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which follows on from this as a rocking
number to complement the opening salvo. This is a hard rock song that
could have led Warrant into harder section of the rock community had it
been the focus point of the album. To complete that circle however is "I
Saw Red", which is an atypical sugar coated piano/synth based ballad,
complemented by the soaring vocals and standard soft rock guitar solo to
top it off. Like many albums of this genre, this is where the kicker
is, the place where you divide fans loyalties immediately. For me as
usual, the opening to the album is shot down in flames by the change of
parity in the songs, destroys the momentum and makes a meal of the good
feelings the opening tracks had produced. but this is just me, and I've
been down this track before.
"Bed of Roses" is a standard hair-pop
metal rock song. In fact, vocally it even begins to sound like Jon Bon
Jovi singing, which is a bit scary because this really could be a Bon
Jovi song... no, not the one of the same name. Better is to come in
"Sure Feels Good to Me" which has a more enjoyable, up-tempo style that
shows off the faster heavier side of the band nicely, which guitar riffs
and licks to match. "Love in Stereo" is of a similar vein, utilising a
bit of boogie-woogie keyboard in an old rock-n-roll fashion with
memories of Jerry Lee Lewis.
The segue trilogy comes up next,
interpreting itself as almost the same song in three parts, in three
different moods. "Blind Faith" reverts back to the stock standard
acoustic guitar based ballad that plagued the airwaves around this time.
There must be plenty of fans out there who love this style of formula
driven ballad drivel, and on the few occasions in history when it has
been done with an original bent then I guess you can enjoy it, but when
it just comes across the same as every other song like that then you can
only shake your head. "Song and Dance Man" segues straight out of this,
and finds itself moving out of this bland ballad state to a place in
soft metal purgatory, neither ballad nor rock. Finally the third piece
of the trilogy is "You're the Only Hell Your Mother Ever Raised", which
is a standard soft metal rock piece, moving a bit harder and faster,
along with that rock soloing to help drag the song into a harder
territory.
"Mr Rainmaker" is one of my favourite songs on the album,
introduced with a great riff and harmony throughout, and Jani's vocals
being the driving force while the imported outside help guitar solo
section proves its worth here. "Train Train" dials it back to the
average, while the "Ode to Tipper Gore" which is just a bunch of
swearing pieced together from a live gig is an amusing ditty, but
overall perhaps not the ending to the album I would have been looking
for.
Cherry Pie
is an album I can put on and listen to in most casual situations. My
lack of interest in ballads does mean that almost half of this album is
an annoyance rather than a joy, but there a couple of diamonds within
the framework, such as "Uncle Tom's Cabin", "Love in Stereo" and "Mr
Rainmaker". No doubt those with more of a fetish for the soft metal
ballad will have a field day with this album. For me it will always be a
comfortable reminder of the early 1990's, with just enough harder stuff
to make it at least somewhat enjoyable.
Rating: Where they say it got no bottom say it take you down to Hell. 3/5
I love a live album. A good live album. One
that emits energy and shines like a beacon amongst the music being
played elsewhere. The kind that brings out the best in those songs that
have been written and recorded in a studio, where they have been
polished to a sheen and not allowed any rough edges to show. Where
perhaps the performance is not perfect, but the enthusiasm of the band
outweighs any imperfections. That's a good live album. Unfortunately for
One Night at Budokan, most of that doesn't apply here.
I
don't want to sound unfair here, because the little things have been
done right. The song list contains a great selection from both albums to
this time, The Michael Schenker Group and MSG.
The band plays well, the songs are given reasonable justice. There's
even the requisite UFO number thrown in, Schenker's almost-signature
tune in "Doctor Doctor". So what is it that hurts this album? Well, the
production isn't terrific. Levels of instruments just don't seem to
work, and at different times the bass and keyboards and even drums get
lost in the mix. I mean, how on earth could Cozy Powell's drums ever get
lost in a mix? But it happens here. This results in the songs sounding
tinny, without that real solid loud rhythm section which would provide a
base for the live sound. Schenker's guitar is always there, but because
the rhythm at times seems non-existent it can't make that full sound
that is needed in a live concert. His guitaring is still great, but
because he either has to take on the rhythm himself or play lead with
nothing underneath it really does destroy the impact of some of the
songs. And the limitations of Gary Barden's vocals has been discussed
for 35 years. While he doesn't crack under the pressure of a live
performance here, and does for the most part hit all the right notes,
his vocals still come across reedy and wispy at times, without the power
needed to make the performance his own. Again, the mix didn't help
this.
There are some great songs here, but the versions just don't do
justice to them. "Armed and Ready", "Attack of the Mad Axeman", "Into
the Arena", "On and On" and "Are You Ready To Rock" are great songs that
should smoke live, but they just don't hold it together on this album.
More
than anything else, these limitation end up making the album overdrawn
to the point of boring, and it really shouldn't be that way at all. Live
albums down the track with better production brought many of these
songs to life, but here, One Night at Budokan simply becomes an album with a great concept that sits gathering dust on a shelf due to a lack of foresight.
Rating: On and on and on and on and on. 3/5
He initially started out in a little band
called the Scorpions with his brother, before moving on to big things as
a part of the English group UFO, with whom he spent a large part of the
decade of the 1970's. After 'guesting' on Scorpions Lovedrive
album in 1979, Michael Schenker then decided to form his own project
and release his own material. Teaming up with vocalist Gary Barden, The
Michael Schenker Group was born, and this was their eponymously titled
first album.
It was hardly a group when this was put together.
Session musicians filled out the recording of this album, with Schenker
and Barden writing all of the material between themselves.
There is a
lot to like about this first album from M.S.G. The ready-made classic
"Armed and Ready" opens up the album, setting off on the right foot.
With the right mix of sing-along lyrics, guitar, drums and keyboard,
this has the perfect beat to draw you into the album, while still
allowing Schenker to show off his skills through the middle of the
songs. Still as terrific today as it was on its release. "Cry for the
Nations" utilises the same visions, allowing Schenker's guitar to
explore its way through the song while Barden warbles on over the top.
"Victim of Illusion" doesn't quite come up to this degree of excellence,
in fact it is a fairly drab song that changes little throughout the
length of the track. Almost filler, one would suspect. "Feels Like a
Good Thing" sounds like it is played with more purpose, certainly Barden
sound more invested in the song from a vocalists point of view.
The
two instrumentals on the album come from different creatures. "Bijou
Pleasurette" is played in a more classical guitar form, combining a
middle ages keyboard and guitar sound much like a harpsichord and a
sitar, in a refined and quiet atmosphere. "Into the Arena" on the other
hand is much more hard rock, with Schenker taking control of the track
and letting his guitar do the talking, while allowing the keyboards to
duel along the way. Great stuff, and one that has stood the test of
time.
"Looking Out From Nowhere" and "Tales of Mystery" again come
from opposite sides of the saddle, both giving Schenker the opportunity
to prove his all round ability on his instrument. The final song "Lost
Horizons" for the most part channels the 1970's method of songs that
lengthen themselves beyond the norm with a freeform guitar extravaganza
while the rest of the band plays on until it comes to a natural
conclusion. While sometimes this can be overdone, here it allows
Schenker again to do what he does best, which is play the guitar and
make fascinating and brilliant tunes from it. It may well be a pointer
to the past, but it also promises to continue in a stronger direction in
the future.
This album is a great starting point for a band that
Schenker has moved around in different shapes and forms over the past
35 years. An argument could be made that these songs would sound even
better with a stronger vocalist, and indeed in a live setting that has
probably proven to be the case. There is also a case that can be made
that this has dated somewhat since its release. Again you can only take
that on face value. In the main this is a good album, one that takes a
step away from Schenker's work in UFO and allows him to begin to put his
own stamp on the metal scene in his own capacity.
Rating: Are you high tonight, are you feeling right, cos I need you now, like I never did before 3.5/5
Megadeth had been a bit wonky for awhile,
with mixed reviews and feelings from their fans over their albums in the
years from the late 1990's to the early 2000's. It was not all bad, but
they were certainly uneven. In many ways, United Abominations
started to set that right, and made the fans feel more comfortable
about the direction the band was heading in once again. That job could
almost be said to have been complete with the release of Endgame.
In
the main, previous albums had spent an amount of time in
experimentation, changing things up a bit and moving away from the
formula that had been the band's hallmark for its first decade. It was
far from awful, not like another band of its generation that could be
mentioned, but it had alienated some of the fan base, and it was
suggested that perhaps they had strayed too far from the template.
Whatever may have been the misgivings, there can be little bad said
about this album if you wanted something like a return to the band's
glory days. of course, this is NOT a return to that, but it has its
basis in that, and brings it forward to add a modern, polished sound to
the music.
The album opening is a pointer to how the renewed
direction of the band has come. "Dialectic Chaos" is a great
instrumental, acting as the prelude into "This Day We Fight!", where the
music comes at a speed that has been severely lacking in Megadeth's
music for some time. It obviously has been a determined effort to infuse
this through the majority of the album, because there is barely time to
catch your breath at any point during the course of the 45 minutes it
takes from start to finish. "44 Minutes" dials it back just a touch
without losing the heavy attitude, before zeroing in to "1,320", where
the double time and energy of the song is focused on the lyrical content
of pace and energy, embellished by the brilliant soloing which is speed
personified. "Bite the Hand" and "Bodies" both continue the flow of
excellence, concentrating on the heavier aspect of the guitar riffs than
the speed metal aspect of the earlier tracks. The title track "Endgame"
is a ripper.
The only real compromise to the sound of the album
comes on "The Hardest Part of Letting Go... Sealed With A Kiss", which
necessitates the remorseful parts at the beginning and the conclusion of
the song, punctuated in the middle by a much more atypical blazing
guitar sound. This is obliterated by the unadulterated smashing of drums
and guitars from the outset of "Headcrusher", the most refined
speed/thrash metal song on the album. If not for the clarity in the
sound it could be believed it had come from 1985 rather than 2009. "How
the Story Ends" takes up from here with a more traditional metal feel,
while the final track "The Right to Go Insane" chugs along in comfort.
Everything
here is big, fast and loud. Shawn Drover has got his drum kit into gear
on this album, as not only does it have a great booming precise sound
to it, he has to move between the standard timing and speed to the
overpaced radical technique required when the songs reach the peak of
their speed. It may not be the most technical he has ever had to play,
but he has to be precise which is what he does extremely well. James
LoMenzo's bass work is as solid as ever, providing the perfect undertone
to the songs which are dominated by the other instruments. Dave
Mustaine and Chris Broderick on guitars put in an awesome performance.
For a guy who was going to retire because he wasn't going to be able to
play guitar anymore, Mustaine does some fabulous stuff on this album. He
is matched by Broderick all the way through. Not only do their duelling
guitars come across in perfect harmony, Broderick's solo's are
blistering in places, fully justifying his elevation to the band on the
previous tour.
As a fan you would have to say that Megadeth has
earned redemption for any past wrongs with this album. While the first
half of the album probably outweighs the majority of the second half,
this really does get back to the band's roots by incorporating both
heavy riffs and speed solos, all with the typical Mustaine lyrics
commenting on a varied amounts of topics close to his heart. Anyone who
has steered clear of the band following past inaccuracies will certainly
find better material here should they wish to return to the fold,
whereas those that have continued to stick by the band will be rewarded
for their patience here.
Rating: It doesn't get any better than this, it just feeds my need for speed 4.5/5
Having dived in feet first when I first discovered Psycho Motel's first album State of Mind, I was slightly more cautious when it came to finding this second album, Welcome to the World.
For a start I couldn't be sure which way the music direction would go
after the varied account the first album gave of itself. There was also a
change of lead vocalist, which could have led to problems in itself. So
it was a much more solidified response I gave to this album on my
introduction to it.
Andy Makin came aboard as the new lead
vocalist, and his voice helps to shape this album into more of an easy
listening rock album, not dissimilar to Riverdogs debut album or Shadow King's
only release as well. One advantage is that his voice and Adrian
Smith's suited each other nicely, so the back up and harmonies work well
on this album. The grunge era aspect of the last album have been
modified to the point where it now sounds more like Pearl Jam in places,
while suitably low-key music make up the majority of the verses,
allowing Makin to impose his vocal style over the songs. While this
style most definitely tones down any heaviness becoming a part of this
music, its mid-range progressive rock style will appeal to a greater
variety of music listeners as a result. Whether or not they are
satisfied by the result is another question entirely.
Some of the
songs here rise to a ranking of... okay. "The Last Chain" opens up the
album well enough, showing a bit of enthusiasm in the mix. "A Quarter to
Heaven " can be placed in a similar bracket, but the final two minutes
is filled with the same line being repeated over and over again, and
unnecessarily. There is promise in the title track "Welcome to the
World", but it then just drags out far longer than it should, and after
the start it does peter out into an overblown artist trap. I always had
hope for the song "With You Again", if only for the fact that it
featured guitar by Dave Murray, but it doesn't lift it beyond the
mediocre.
While I consider this to be a likeable album, I think it is
tied down fast to the era it comes from. In the places where the band -
and Adrian himself - are allowed to break out and make something more
of what has been written it comes across with that bit of energy and
inspiration that is needed to make it rise above the average.
Unfortunately this is far too random an event to make this much more
than it is. There is a real mellowness about this release that mocks at
the kind of material we know Adrian is capable of playing. A song like
"Innocence" is far too Pearl Jam for anyone's liking, there is no energy
and it's melodramatic crawl through the landscape is almost
cringe-worthy. Feel free to add "Hypocrisy" to that as well.
Taking
the two Psycho Motel album's along with the A.S.a.P. album, it is
interesting to see and hear the other side of the man who has written or
co-written so many of the great songs from that other international
metal band he is a part of. There is none of that here, in fact the
guitar is such a small part of the writing process here you sometimes
wonder if he was involved at all. I tried to like this album, but came
away feeling uninspired and more than anything else, downright bored.
The only bright side here really is that it was the end of the 1990's
exploration for Adrian, who moved into Bruce Dickinson's band after
this, and hasn't looked back since.
Rating: And now my highs just bring me down, I try to scream but I can't make a sound. 2.5/5
The disappearance of Adrian Smith from the
music scene troubled me a lot during the first half of the 1990's. His
abrupt (or so it seemed to me from this distance) relocation from Iron
Maiden during 1989, along with the release of what proved to be a whole
different concept in A.S.a.P's Silver and Gold
album, was followed by almost total silence, which seemed like a
complete waste of his talent. So it was with some relief, and not a
little trepidation, that I did discover that Adrian was returning to the
recording world in the form of a band he formed called Psycho Motel,
and this debut effort entitled State of Mind.
One
thing I had enjoyed of Adrian's previous project was that he sang lead
vocals on the album. That was not to be the case in Psycho Motel, but on
this album it certainly appears to be the right decision. Hans-Olav
Solli puts in an excellent performance throughout this album, in a role
that is varied throughout. Different songs require him to modify his
performance along the way, something he does admirably.
So what about
the album itself. Well, it is a mixture of interesting stuff and some
dull, overblown stuff. The violin and cello in "Psycho Motel" and
"Western Shore" can be said to be superfluous and perhaps a little
cheesy. There is some good material in "State of Mind", "World's on
Fire" and "Rage". The rhythm section of Gary Leideman on bass and Mike
Sturgis on drums do a serviceable job with the material they have. "Time
is a Hunter" is very progressive in nature, with those long winded,
almost-whining vocals cast over Adrian's slowly serving guitar solo
riff, in a style that many people would enjoy in that environment, but
for me just ends up boring me to the point of skipping the song. "Money
to Burn" has the slow chugging guitar riff over a solid drum beat that
is fine for the circumstances, but doesn't come across as an exciting
piece of music designed to draw in fans. "City of Light" is an
improvement, and makes for a better comparison than some of the tracks
presented here.
It's almost very designer hard rock, trying to
utilise some characteristics of grunge without acknowledging that it is,
and basing the rest around a non-threatening rock sound with some scope
for hearing a little bit of that old Adrian Smith scripted guitar
soloing, albeit without the energy and drive that highlighted his other
band. The mixed feelings I get here about this album probably stem from
the fact that there is such a mixture of styles. There's no doubt that
some of these songs step out and make you notice them, and make you
think, "Yes, there's something here in this". yet there are others that
drag their feet, and make you feel that something has been left behind
in the writing and recording.
The amount that you like or dislike
this album is likely to be tied almost directly to how much you like
Adrian Smith and his music. Adrian's fingers are all over the composing
of this album, so it's not as if he is just a hired gun here. the music
is most definitely of the hard rock variety, and while some of it is
certainly credible there are places where it feels and sounds uninspired
and tired. But this was the marketplace of the mid-1990's. It was a
mishmash of styles, all trying to cope with the upsurge and then
downturn in the grunge movement, and wondering what was going to be the
direction from that point. While it may sound as if I'm denigrating this
album, it is closer to the truth that I do enjoy most of what is
produced here - it's just that I expect so much more from Adrian that
what he has given here fails to completely satisfy me.
Rating: I'm in a rage, I can't contain, someone free from the endless pain. 3/5.
Following on from the success of the first
album, Chickenfoot came back together to record the follow up, titled
for whatever reason you may like to come up with as Chickenfoot III.
The initial album and subsequent tour had gone well, and that success
and enjoyment of the four members together enticed them to see if the
lightning could be captured in the bottle twice.
In the long run,
this album is more of the same that was produced on the first album
without a lot of change in the vibe or the style or the songs, but
occasionally just enough to make you wonder just what was going on. I
honestly thought the opening track "Last Temptation" was a Soundgarden
song. Not only the music, but Sammy even sing the first few bars in a
very Chris Cornell register. Not a bad song but just not what was
expected. "Alright Alright" gets a little repetitive, while "Different
Devil" settles comfortably in that soft rock genre, where you can almost
be lulled into believing you are listening to a Van Halen song from
Sammy and Michael's final days in the band.
The songs follow a
simplified path, with a tendency to throw in a more bluesy feel in some
places than was necessarily the case on the debut album. "Big Foot" and
"Dubai Blues" show the biggest influence in that regards. "Something
Going Wrong" is the token soft rock ballad of the album, tapping into
that almost country rock feeling with harmony vocals over the top of the
guitar. Heading very close to Bob Segar country, which is a little
disturbing. If this was the closing number on the album it would be
somewhat of a travesty. Fortunately, the 'Hidden Bonus Track' entitled
"No Change" is the closer in most aspects, and its up tempo high energy
collateral helps to wipe the bad taste from the mouth and end the album
on a much better and deserved note.
While I enjoyed Chickenfoot for what it was without ever really developing a great love for it, I have found with Chickenfoot III
that I am unable to find the same level of harmony. While the band
obviously has the talent and the people to make some really top shelf
albums, their style just hasn't grabbed me. It's funny that the final
track on the album is the one I find the most love for, and it was
supposed to be a hidden track. Those that enjoy this style of hard rock
will find plenty here to like. Others like me who were looking for more
would probably do best to give this a miss.
Rating: They lied, on high about YOU and ME, baby! 2/5
Every so often a so-called "super group"
will come along that sparks excitement and curiosity in the music world
and everyday pundits alike. The relative interest in such groups will
generally intensify up until that initial album release, and once it is
out in the open they tend to fall back to the level of interest shown in
just how good their material is. In recent times none was shown more
interest than Chickenfoot, and this is the debut album from the star
studded quartet.
Anyone who came in looking for similarities to
the Hagar-era Van Halen or Satriani solo material or Chili Peppers
funkiness can leave the room now, because that's not what this is about
at all. Sure, the initial buzz you get from anticipating what a foursome
that includes Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Chad Smith
is that this should be a sure thing, an album that ticks every box and
produces a masterpiece in a fusion of all of their styles of music.
Well, as you will have guessed, that is exactly what we didn't get.
Instead, we have a solid hard rock album that combines a little from a
lot of music styles, but I guess mostly centring around Hagar's more
recent Cabo Wabo style. In essence we have an interesting album that
doesn't produce anything groundbreaking or outstanding like you have
hoped they would. Instead they have stayed within the parameters of
comfort, not breaking new ground but not disturbing the old ground
either. Certainly the more outlandish of the musicians here, Satriani
and Smith, stay remarkably cool and don't break the constraints of the
song structure. That's not to say they aren't given their moment in the
sun throughout the course of the album, but they are much more
restrained in their output compared to their other day jobs, which is
probably where this sometimes feels a little too structured. Sure, Joe
gets to break out on a solo around the place, and Chad even breaks out
of that 2/4 rhythm every now and then to lay on a roll or two, but then
they are reigned back in to follow the basic hard rock song formula. And
that's merging of the two real styles of the two halves of the band.
While Sammy and Michael have played together for a long time in Van
Halen, they have made these kind of songs their own, and the style just
rolls off their instruments with ease.
The more you listen to the
album, the more natural it feels, and you can't help but be impressed by
what they have achieved. It will appeal to hard rock fans more than the
heavy metal brigade, if only because of songs such as "Learning to
Fall" which draw from the soft rock ballads heart, a follow-the-numbers
track that covers every required aspect of that type of song. Those that
enjoy ballads will be satisfied. Those that do not will question their
reasons for buying this album. There are plenty of good hard rock tracks
here though where the real roots of the quartet come to the fore, such
as "Sexy Little Thing" and "Runnin' Out" and "Get It Up". The
musicianship is superb, and Sammy and Michael's vocals are as good as
ever. Satch's trademark guitaring still breaks out enough in places to
steal the show, such as in "Turnin' Left", while Chad's wonderful drum
sound is still up there with the best in the business.
Chickenfoot
might be a dreadful name for a band, and it mightn't be the first thing
I reach for when I'm looking for a album to put on in most
circumstances, but I can say with certainty that having listen to it
again over the past few days in order to write this review, it's one
that I won't put to the back of my mind in the future. It is an album
that is better than it first appears once you get past the old "super
group" analogy.
Rating: Stand up or be degraded, some things are simply overrated. 3/5
Another band that is seen as one of the
early trailblazers of metal, but that I did not find until much later
on, is Saxon. Though I was much later on this than I should have been, I
have found the best of the band to be mighty impressive. This album, Saxon, is their debut, and like many debuts is a bit uneven in content and drive.
The
opening tracks can immediately be placed in the era they were written
and recorded, the sound and music being a dead giveaway. Much like
Praying Mantis and Tygers of Pan Tang and Def Leppard of this era, this
album sits somewhat unevenly in the realm between a hard rock or glam
rock sound, and a true heavy metal sound. Over the course of their next
couple of albums Saxon found their place and their sound, and as such
their own place in the growing movement of the time. While this may
cause some awkwardness, there is still enough to take away from this
first album for the casual fan.
Looking back from this far in the
future I can see how this appears to be the case. The opening of
"Rainbow Theme" and "Frozen Rainbow" is an interesting start to the
album, but perhaps just a bit too similar to what other bands were
producing at the same time. A song like "Big Teaser" has more to do with
the glam rock side of music than the emerging heavy metal side of the
industry. In many ways it sounds like an early AC/DC song, and even
Biff's vocals sound a bit like the Bon Scott of that era.
"Judgement
Day" even moves off in an experimental way more in line with a Led
Zeppelin song, not really gaining any momentum until not long before the
conclusion of the song. There's a nice showcasing of the guitar
virtuoso skills of Graham Oliver and Paul Quinn, but as to anything else
there doesn't seem to have been much going on.
Perhaps the first
semblance of Saxon as a harder proposition comes with the Side 2 opening
track "Stallions of the Highway", and the band's first genuflecting
towards motorcycles and those who ride them. As such, the track moves
along at a faster pace emulating riding on one of the beasts, and
provides an opportunity t see the real Saxon in action for the first
time. This energy continues through with "Backs to the Wall", where the
tempo is kept high, the rhythm section of Pete Gill on drums and Steve
Dawson on bass keep tight and fast, while Biff Byford takes on the lead
role with distinction, crying forth with his vocals in a way that now
sounds like he means it, unlike what transpired on the first half of the
album. "Still Fit to Boogie" reverts back to that early AC/DC sound in
both music and vocals, which works fine enough but is slightly
disappointing after the progress made in the previous two songs. The
album finishes with "Militia Guard", which again comes closer to a more
unified Saxon sound.
It would be unfair to disparage this album from
such a different era, given what grew from the seed planted here. To
have been able to cotton on to the band at the time this was released
would no doubt have made this an album I feel much more strongly about.
As it is, it is an average album which shows the signs of what was to
come further down the line.
Rating: Switchblade's gleamin', engine screamin', I'm laughin' at fate, I'm living to hate. 2.5/5
The past two Symphony X albums have
somewhat divided the band's loyal fanbase, with many of the long term
fans believing that they had moved away from their core sound of
progressive metal, and had transgressed into a much heavier sound that
did not suit their music. Others on the other hand believed that this
transfer to a heavier sound in fact enhanced their music, and was a real
step forward. Well, the fans from the first category can rejoice, as
the new album Underworld makes a concerted effort to reincorporate the progressive side of Symphony X.
There is no doubt that the musical progression in Paradise Lost and Iconoclast
was to a heavier sound than the band had done previous to this, and
while that is still prevalent here on the new album, it does sound as
though the band was conscious of allowing a bit more of their
progressive nature to seep back into the songs here. And that's
terrific. You can't argue with the music this band has made over the
years, and by ensuring they are keeping their roots as a part of their
music in the current day is a terrific thing. Everything you expect from
the band is still here, if slightly modified from those two previous
albums.
The band has once again composed another fantastic opening
instrumental piece, starting the album off with rising anticipation.
This immediately crashes into "Nevermore", which races along at an
impressive speed from all involved. The chorus reminds me eerily of a
Fear Factory chorus, though with significant differences in vocal
technique, but the similarity is there all the same. From "Nevermore"
the album moves into the title track "Underworld", which mixes moments
of heaviness with moments such as Russell Allen singing a bridge across
Michael Pinnella's keyboards that brings goosebumps, closely followed by
Michael Romeo's scintillating guitar solo. Here is where the true
coming together of the two halves occurs, progressive and pure metal in
the same song, co-habitating in idyllic conditions. This is offset by
the almost serene start to "Without You", one of the two power ballads
which find their way into the mix of the album. The keyboards in the
middle remind me of the start of UFO's "Love to Love", before it falls
back into the chorus, ringing through in melody. Then, just to show
there can be no real rhyme or reason to track listing sometimes, the
heavy guitar, bass and drums thump back into gear with "Kiss of Fire", a
song at the complete other end of the spectrum from "Without You".
terrific song, but somewhat out of character with the previous song.
"Charon"
kicks off with that awesome Michael Romeo guitar riffing followed by
Russell's brilliant vocal work rising through the atmosphere... but then
does it just lose its focus a little? Probably not, and certainly once
you reach the solo break it switches back into gear, but for a moment it
seems to sail along with gathering any momentum at all. "To Hell and
Back" is the longest song on the album and one that doesn't scrimp on
the solo work, and doesn't overly compromise on the song structure.
Russell's vocals shine here in a situation where he can utilise his
magnificent vocal range through the different phases of the song. Truly
magnificent.
"In My Darkest Hour" is perhaps the most obvious
heaviest song on the song, mixing hard nosed vocals with the speed and
hard-hitting drums of Jason Rullo and the rumbling undercurrent of
Michael Lepond's bass guitar.
"Run With the Devil" really has
elements of Foreigner or Journey thrown into the mix - not as obviously
as allowing the whole song to be dictated by them, but certainly through
the chorus those similarities because much more obvious. Then of course
it crashes back into the verse or the solo break and those similarities
sink into the mire.
"Swansong" is the Symphony X version of a power
ballad, and if you have to have a power ballad in your arsenal (and
let's face it, you either love them or hate them) then it may as well be
one like this. Michael Pinnella's keyboards come noticeably to the
forefront in this song, the pace slows down, and the vocals begin to
soar in harmony rather than with power and authority. It sounds great,
but my stance on the power ballad hasn't changed. This then molds its
way into the album closer "Legend", which completes the album in fine
style.
Underworld
is yet another fantastic album from a band that has a proven track
record in regards to its album releases. This should be able to satisfy
both halves of the Symphony X fan base, with the mix between pure heavy
and progressive metal done so well that it fits together seamlessly. Now
all that needs to happen is to have the damn band tour Australia!
Rating: I was my own worst enemy, still hellish memories remain. 5/5
I regret not knowing about nor being able
to buy and hear this album when it was initially released. There's no
guarantee that I would have liked it then I guess, despite my deep
deference to Queen, but it would have been nice to have had the
opportunity. Of course in that different age, not all information or
releases about bands and musicians filtered down to my neck of the world
in Australia, and so it wasn't until very recently that I was even
aware of The Cross as a band, or the albums they released.
The
leader and architect of The Cross is Queen drummer Roger Taylor, who was
looking for a band with which to record and tour with. Following the
tour promoting the A Kind of Magic
album, Taylor recorded the majority of this on his own before other
musicians had been recruited for the project, much as he had done for
his previous solo albums. Several versions of the album exist, with two
completely different track list orders for the UK release and the US
release. The version I have is the US version, where "Love Lies Bleeding
(She Was a Wicked, Wily Waitress)" is the first song on the album
rather than the penultimate.
While pieces of this album drew me in at
an early stage, it did take some time for this to catch on with me. Its
style is similar but different from Roger's other albums. This combines
a lot of the kind of improvisation and experimentalising that his
previous solo work had done, as well as tricks and techniques drawn from
his Queen recordings. he also utilised his band mates in places, more
so than he had done in the past. Certainly, playing this material live
would have been an interesting task, given the places where it almost
appears as though sampling has been done. The title track itself would
have been a task live at least.
So yes, there are some songs here
that grew on me the more I listened to this album, some of them
unexpectedly so. The title track "Shove It" was one of those.
Interspersed with snatches of Freddie Mercury's "Yeah!" and Brian
May-like guitar flicks and other sampled effects, and an unusual song
structure throughout, this was a song that I felt I would never actually
enjoy or get used to. Shows how much I know. It may have taken a while,
but the song grew on me and I now enjoy its unorthodoxy. Another was
"Stand Up For Love", which initially annoyed me for the over-repeated
title throughout the song, almost to the point of carnage. It too won me
over, much in the way some of Brian May's solo songs did. "Love on a
Tightrope (Like an Animal)" I initially felt was just too basic, hardly
changing its programmed feel throughout. Nope, it soon got me too, and
probably when the undercurrent values raised their heads, allowing me to
hear the multi-layered parts of the song as it flowed along.
Other
songs were not so tough. It's easy when you already know one of them.
"Heaven For Everyone" was re-recorded by Queen for their Made in Heaven
album after Freddie's death. The vocals he provided here were used on
Queen's version as well. as it turns out, there are two versions of this
song for The Cross as well, one with Freddie providing lead vocals, and
one with Roger providing lead vocals. Both provide interesting currents
and flows. "Love Lies Bleeding (She Was a Wicked, Wily Waitress)" is a
terrific number, featuring Brian May's lead guitar, but it allows Roger
to establish the song through his vocals as a starting point.
It's
interesting that this failed to chart on the UK albums charts at least.
It was a time that was still dominated by pop, and the Stock, Aitken
and Waterman stables was providing the path for the hits factory for
several artists and saturating the airwaves. Even for someone as well
known and respected as Roger Taylor, it was a tough market to crack.
This album is quirky and off-centre, and hardly the easiest to promote
in any market. But that's what I like about it most. It isn't a copy of
material he has released before, and it isn't trying to glean off his
more famous band. It is an album that doesn't grab you instantly, but
grows on you gradually, such that you don't really know you like it
until you HAVE for some time.
Rating: She was a rebel without a cause, she was a girl who needed applause. 3.5/5
After a rather lacklustre debut album, Anvil strike back harder here with their follow-up, Metal on Metal.
For an album that has garnered historical significance over the years,
there are still moments here that seem 'unworthy' of such praise, and
yet there is enough here to make you wonder just what the fuss had been
all about around the time of its release.
This is all pretty
straight forward harder material, led by the eponymous title track
"Metal on Metal", which opens the album with a headswinging stoush of
drum beat and riff. At least on this album, the title appears to be more
relevant than it did on the debut release. "Mothra" sets off at a much
faster pace than the opening track, and a lengthier one at that. "Stop
Me" tends to drag along, especially given the extended length of the
song. Lips seems to be moaning most of the way through rather than
singing, but perhaps that is because the track makes you feel that way
inclined. "March of the Crabs" is a beauty, an instrumental that is
untainted by vocals and travels at a speed that enhances the track.
Especially prominent is Robb Reiner's drumming, it is great on this
song. the speed is retained into "Jackhammer", which is possibly my
favourite song on the album. These tracks are where it is easy to see
Anvil gaining a heavy audience.
"Tag Team" soldiers along in its very
structured mid range beat. Then comes the surprisingly catchy
"Scenery", which channels Dio and Vivian Campbell in its simplistic yet
enjoyable riff and melody chain. "Tease Me, Please Me" continues the
reverting back a little to the lyrical chaste of the first album, before
the bombardment of "666" concludes the album.
As always, it is a
difficult thing to try and rate and review an album at a time subsequent
to its initial release. I don't mind this album, but I have only heard
and owned it in recent years. It will never be one that I love, and to
be honest that could well have been the case if I had gotten this on its
release, because despite the good tidings it receives from many
influential bands since this, to me it is just an average plod through
the park. The album begins without any major hooks or anything overly
special in the riffs throughout the songs. Lips' vocals are good enough,
but the background singers tend to detract from the overall effort
rather than enhance it. As with all of Anvil's albums, I think Robb
Reiner's drum work is terrific, and the middle section of the album is
where its magic lies, with the songs moving along at a faster pace and
the guitars and drums doing their best work.
Metal on Metal
came along at a time when metal was beginning to find its place in the
world market. While this album gives some indication as to why the band
was well thought of at that time, it also tends to underline why they
perhaps didn't go as far they could possibly have done so. There are
moments here that shine, but just not bright enough to make up for those
moments that are rather average.
Rating: Nothin' to say but you said a lot, and in the end that's what you got. 3/5.
Up until the mid-1990's I was unaware that
Roger Taylor had done his own solo albums away from his presence in
Queen. It was only when his controversial song "Nazis 1994" made waves
in the media during that time that I found out he was doing stuff since
Queen's demise, but that he had also done stuff before that! Despite
that knowledge it still wasn't until very recently that I was able to
discover this music, via a box set containing all of his material. Fun in Space is the first of those albums.
This
was released all the way back in 1981, and is as far removed from
Queen's material as you can be given the contributions of all four
members to that band. Here Roger not only takes on the lead vocals, he
plays all of the instruments himself. A pretty fair way to showcase your
ability.There is plenty of experimentation with the keyboards, and very
little of the rock-infused music his other band is renown for. It's
probably a bit too retro and funky and psychedelic and even rockabilly
for my liking, but it is fun to hear this side of Roger's music
uninhibited by outside influences. "No Violins" is a rock based opening.
"Laugh or Cry", "Future Management" and "Let's Get Crazy" are fun
enough pop rock songs in their own way. "My Country I & II" goes on
too long in that kind of experimental freeform jam kind of way. "Good
Times Are Now" settles back to some sort of normality, but is replaced
by "Magic is Loose", which sounds like it is supposed to be a Broadway
musical number on acid in space, like an early David Bowie song.
"Interlude in Constantinople" continues in that vein with its keyboard
dominated experimenting, before "Airheads' and "Fun in Space" complete
the album.
What this does show is the amazing talent and versatility
of Roger Taylor. His vocals here are terrific, and while he had done
songs on his own in Queen here we are blessed with an album of Roger on
lead vocals. as always, his drumming is terrific, but it is also great
to hear him on those other instruments - the guitar, the bass, the
piano. But then to not only play all of the instruments on the album,
but to have written it all himself as well. It's quite extraordinary.
This
album has helped me understand Queen's HOT SPACE album a lot more,
because it came after this, and now I understand a little of how it came
out the way it did. And just because you like Queen doesn't mean you
will like this. In essence this isn't an album I would jump at to put on
at a party or in a crowd of people. For me the main interest I had in
it was to listen to what Roger can do in a solo place, and I enjoy it
for its technical differences than perhaps the music itself. I wouldn't
say that about many albums in a similar vein, but Roger Taylor is so
obviously brilliantly multi-talented that just hearing him do his stuff
is reward enough.
Rating: Red light warning, break down coming. 2.5/5
I enjoyed music from a young age, and
remember it quite often from at home and especially in the car on long
trips. My mother would often make mixed tapes from songs recorded off
the radio onto cassettes, that would then be played over and over. I
reckon I could still name a lot of those songs that she had on those
tapes. There was also the tapes done by bands, and in particular
greatest hits compilations, that also came into the mix. Despite my own
musical tastes branching out into a different stratosphere from all of
these early influences since then, most of that music stayed with me, to
the point where some of those bands still became favourites for me. The
Eagles is one of those bands. I eventually came around to owning all of
their albums myself, and this was their debut release.
What
becomes glaringly obvious on this first album is that this was when the
band was truly a combination of musicians where everyone contributed to
all parts of the recording. All four members contributed to writing the
songs on the album, along with others from outside of the band such as
Jackson Browne, Gene Clark and Jack Tempchin. All four members not only
contribute harmony vocals in back up, they all take a turn as lead
vocalist on separate songs. It is a true collective effort, and while
sometimes that can be to the detriment of the end result, here it works
really well. Certainly there is little doubt about where the strongest
elements are, but as a whole this album works well within these
confines.
The lesser known songs here, the ones that were not
released as singles, all hold their own strength in the framework of the
album. Glenn Frey's "Chug All Night" does just what the title
indicates, and chugs along much like the opening track, with the country
guitar taking prominence. "Most of Us Are Sad" was written by Glenn but
sung by Randy Meisner. Like many of the songs Randy sings, the tempo is
slowed down and he has the harmony vocal behind him, which always helps
emphasise the emotion behind the tune. this then segues straight into
"Nightingale", which was the song contributed by Jackson Browne, and was
sung by Don Henley. The tempo picks up noticeably, and while the
previous song was sweet and gentle due to Randy's vocals, here the song
is immediately more in your face with Don's harder edged (for country
rock) yet brilliant vocals.
"Train Leaves Here This Morning" was sung
by Bernie Leadon, and co-written with Gene Clark, and also settles on
the easy listening side of the Eagles catalogue, concentrating on the
softly sung vocals and harmonising backing. "Take the Devil" was
performed by Randy, whose vocals really come to the fore here over
Glenn's country rock guitar. There's nothing gentle in the vocals here
like in "Most of Us Are Sad", and while the song itself flows from calm
to loud, Randy's vocals are the dominating influence. Te mood changes
again, with bird tweeting and Bernie's banjo leading us into "Earlybird"
which is a co-production from Bernie and Randy with Bernie taking on
the lead vocal as well. There's a nice switching between the banjo and
Glenn's guitar on this song, with the banjo giving the song an uplifting
feel. "Tryin'" was the second song Randy wrote and sang, and is the
closing song on the album. This is the rockiest song that Randy sings on
this album. In fact, his three songs seem to span the entire range of
the Eagles album. Don has a more rock beat to his drums, and the guitars
are allowed to indulge themselves a little more than they have on other
songs. A great way to finish the album.
The three singles are the
best known songs off the album, and are dominant figures of the band's
early recordings. "Take It Easy" is sung by Glenn and co-written with
Jackson, and is still one of my favourite Eagles tracks. This is
followed by "Witchy Woman", written by Don and Bernie, and sung by Don.
Surprisingly it is the only song on the album that is credited to Don
Henley. Those gravelly vocals still make this song a beauty. "Peaceful
Easy Feeling" also flows on like it's title, sung by Glenn and written
by frequent co-writer Jack Tempchin. The lyrics mirror the music here,
as the whole song conjures up a peaceful easy feeling when you are
listening to it. There is a real country twang both in the vocals and in
the guitar, and Don's gentle drum beat.
This is still a terrific
album, a much more country influenced album than they were to morph
into as the albums progressed. It is very much an easy listening album,
with few moments that really make you sit up and consider rocking out
to. But that doesn't detract from the fact that the songs are strong and
well written, and those vocal harmonies are still the star of the show.
Rating: "Raven hair and ruby lips, sparks fly from her finger tips" 4/5
Back in 1999, when the idea was still
slightly new and unbroken, Helloween found a way to break up the gap
between tours and albums and keep their fans happy by releasing an album
of cover versions of songs by other bands. This they then titled Metal Jukebox,
which is a very strange thing to call it. Of course, I got excited by
it, because I thought it would contain a dozen top shelf metal songs
from other bands re-done by Helloween in their own style, a concept that
was rather enticing. When I finally received my copy of the CD in the
mail, what I saw on the back cover made me think my original decision to
buy the album may have been an error.
The song list is a mixture
of traditional heavy songs and some rock and pop hits along with some
songs and artists of which I had no idea of. A metal jukebox, or my idea
of a metal jukebox, it certainly is not.
As mentioned, there are
songs here that I don't know - ones I have never heard of before this,
and only perhaps heard since. "Juggernaut" is a beauty, flying along
with guitars and drums and vocals. It is a cover of a Frank Marino
cover, someone I've never heard of nor listened to his material, but I
have thought ever since buying this album and hearing this song that if
this is indicative of what he has written and performed that I should
get around to listening to some of his work. "Hocus Pocus" is by a Dutch
rock band called Focus, and is pretty much an a six and a half minute
instrumental with a bit of 'hey-diddle-diddle' every so often that masks
as a chorus. It's strange choice here, and one I rarely thought of
until the original version was used as the basis of the Nike 2010
Football World Cup ad, and was played ad nauseum for weeks leading up to
and during that tournament. It's still a strange choice. "Mexican" is a
cover of a Babe Ruth song, an English band rooted in the 1970's, and it
too has made me think I should track down some of their material.
Helloween's version here is excellent. "Faith Healer" by Alex Harvey is a
seven minute monster that, perhaps like the original which I don't know
at all, is a little overblown and long winded. This and "Hocus Pocus"
are out of place for my liking.
Of the songs here I know, some work
great while others fall flat. I have never been a Jethro Tull fan, so
the version of "Locomotive Breath" is in my opinion much better than the
original, but still fails to light any fires in me. The cover of
Scorpions "He's a Woman, She's a Man" is excellent and worthy of
addition on this album, but it doesn't match the original. The same can
be said for their version of "From Out of Nowhere" by Faith No More -
Helloween's version here is excellent, but it lacks that vital element
that the original versions have that makes the song special. There's no
shame in that, the same can be said of cover versions made of Helloween
songs. Ditto on David Bowie's "Space Oddity". It sounds just brilliant
here, and Andi's vocals are quite superb. The speeded up and more
belligerent version of The Beatles' "All My Loving" is okay without
being super. I guess there is always that risk in trying to cove their
songs. However, the band does a cracking version of Cream's "White
Room", it is every bit as good as the original version, while the
uptempo version of ABBA's "Lay All Your Love On Me" is also worth the
price of admission.
I've said it before, and I guess I'll say it
again. These types of albums are a novelty. You by them, you listen to
them for awhile, and then you put them back on the shelf. From there,
they may get a run occasionally, but in most cases you are more likely
to either put on a real Helloween album, or go for an album that has an
original version of these songs. The musicianship here is as you would
expect from Helloween, and their versions of all of these songs is
generally excellent. But eventually I'm going to go for their own albums
when I want a taste of Helloween.
Rating: "All my loving, I will send to you". 4/5
If ever the power of MTV in the early to
mid-1980's could be proven, it would have to be in the success garnered
by Quiet Riot's breakout album Metal Health.
Having released two albums, both of which were only initially released
in Japan, and then lost members to other projects and in essence having
broken up, surely no one could have foreseen the amazing success this
album had in the American charts, subsequently becoming the first album
of heavy metal origin to get to Number One. And surely all from a couple
of music videos.
My initiation of this phenomenon didn't come
until a couple of years after the album's release. I knew the single,
the Slade cover "Cum on Feel the Noize" because it had been plastered
over Australian radio for a short burst back in the last year, but I
wasn't overly aware of the music videos for both it and "Metal Health"
until the mid-1980's when music video shows began to become more
popularised in Australia. But once you saw them you had them ingrained
in you. They featured the over-the-top music of the band playing on
stage and gallivanting around, mixed in with the story happening
throughout, all in vibrant colours, music and action. You can see why it
dragged people in - hell, it helped to drag me in! Both of those videos
became popular viewing, and thus translated to buying the album and
playing it ad nauseum as well.
The question to be posed, both now and
retrospectively back to 1983 is this - is this album really very good? I
mean, being popular at the time is fine, and drawing in fans through
the use of clever music videos is also something that is excellent for
the bottom line. But in the long run, whether it be six months down the
track or 30+ years in the future, can you really say that this is an
album full of good songs, or just an album built on the promise of a
couple of tracks?
Let's go with the nostalgia factor first, because
that would appear to be the most redeeming feature at this point in
time. Now, I may still listen to this album, and I may well sing "METAL
HEALTH WILL DRIVE YOU MAD!!!" and "WE'LL GET WILD, WILD WILD!!!" at the
top of my voice whenever I hear it and I'm in the mood for that kind of
thing. Well, those angles still work, because my pre-teenage kids will
sing along with these songs now too, so the residual effect is still
there in those tracks. But for me it's the feeling of nostalgia I get
from these songs that makes me still like them rather than from any true
brilliance of the tracks themselves. Similarly with "Slick Black
Cadillac", a re-recording of the same track from Quiet Riot II.
I now it and sing along with it, but I'm never really sure if I like
it, or whether it is just because I know it so well. So kudos on those
three songs.
But what about the rest? "Don't Wanna Let You Go" is a
barren track with the clear guitar sound throughout the song and the
stark, dead-sounding drum beat all combining to make it feel as though
it was recorded in a big empty room. After the energy and bounce that is
present in the opening two songs, this is a very strange inclusion.
"Love's a Bitch", "Breathless" and "Run For Cover" are all
run-of-the-mill, average hard rock tunes done in a Quiet Riot flavour.
"Battle Axe" is an guitar instrumental that gives Carlos Cavazo the
chance to showcase his wares. "Let's Get Crazy" is a slightly less
raucous twin brother of "Metal Health", with a similar riff rock tune
and vocal structure in place. "Thunderbird" was written and posthumously
dedicated to former Quiet Riot guitarist Randy Rhoads, who had died in
the tragic plane crash the previous year. It could have used a bit more
grunt or even speed as a fair tribute to him, as it tends to just wail
out the end of the album in an ineffective and somewhat less appealing
manner.
In attempting to answer the question I posed myself
earlier, I have been unable to come up with a definitive response. I
find that much of the album to me appears less than stellar, that it is
made up of songs that are of a simple hard rock method without enormous
redeeming features that would combine to make a great album. And yet,
despite this, I can't help but enjoy the album each and every time I put
it on to listen to. It's a ridiculous notion, but the pull of great
memories seems to outweigh the swing of average pandering. And as it
turns out, just like in that famous single, "I don't know why... I don't
know why..."
Rating: "Got no brains, I'm insane". 3/5
What do you do when you decide it is time
to take a long and well deserved break from touring and writing, in
order to keep your fans remembering that you are still out there, but
just on a sabbatical? Well, you release a box set containing the
majority of your back catalogue firstly, and then you release a double
album packed full of some of your greatest hits, with some remixing on
some tracks and some remastering on some tracks, and put it out into the
public sphere to feast upon.
As always, greatest hits packages
are a subjective argument. There will always be songs included and songs
that are left out that will be debated by fans as to whether it was
warranted. This is no exception. Depending upon whether you rate one era
of Blind Guardian over another, this could be seen to be somewhat of a
furphy. I think the toughest part of picking out songs for a best of for
Blind Guardian is the fact that all of the songs intertwine with the
others on their album, making them a part of the fabric of that album,
thus meaning to hear them individually sometimes doesn't work because
you are expecting to hear them with their other songs around them. In
time they work fine in that respect, as is obvious through the songs
that make the live set list each tour, but initially that can be a bit
more difficult that you would expect.
Certainly this double album is
packed full of great songs, with many of my favourites here, such as
"Nightfall", "Traveller in Time", "Follow the Blind", "Sacred Worlds",
"Valhalla" and "Mirror Mirror". None of the entries can be questioned,
and as a soundtrack to the career of Blind Guardian it serves its
purpose if being used as an introduction point for the uninitiated.
So
let's just say that I enjoy this collection, and it has some terrific
songs on it. If I had been in charge of the track list it would have
been quite different from this one - I mean really, where the hell is
"Welcome to Dying" for a start?!? And the fact that these songs have had
a makeover also improves the release.
Rating: Best-of in competition. 4/5
Growing up during my formative teenage
heavy metal years, I had always been aware of the band Mercyful Fate,
when searching furtively through the record racks at places like Utopia
Records in Sydney. However, despite the knowledge of their existence, I
had never heard any of their material, and knew no one who had either,
and so they were always one of those bands that were on my 'maybe' list
that was never actioned. More is the pity it took me so long to
eventually buy and listen to this album.
It eventually took Metallica to make me walk down the path, with the release of their Garage Inc.
album, and their tribute to their friends with the song "Mercyful
Fate", a medley of tracks all meshed into one quite brilliant song. this
cover finally pushed me to go out an buy some Mercyful Fate albums,
which (by fate?) had just been remastered and re-released on CD when I
went searching. Good timing all round.
You can hear immediately what
drew people to this band in those early days. Great guitar riffs set
against some melodramatic and atmospheric instrumentalisation, and the
unusual but effective vocals of King Diamond himself. That to me was the
most difficult thing to get past in order to gain an appreciation for
this band, and this album in particular. The vocal style of King Diamond
can be a huge barrier for some who listen to this album with me. In
essence, they can't get past the enormous change in range of the vocals
as they are sung. Initially for me as well, when I first bought this
album. However, it really didn't take long to be able to move past that,
such that I only notice it now when I am trying to sing along to the
songs, and realising I just can't reach those kind of pitches.
The
album starts off with the brilliant "Evil", which drags you in
immediately with its brilliant guitar riff and rolling drum beat. From
the very beginning you are banging your head along in time with the
music. This is a super song, set off by the brilliant music but also
King's brilliant vocals, the surge between normal register and then the
almost-comical over exerted high pitched melody. Not to forget those
guitar solo sections, that just blaze along with real spirit and
passion. Just a brilliant opening to the album. This is followed by
"Curse of the Pharaohs" which again has a very distinctive introduction
and a great riff underlying King's vocals. Once again though its the
solo guitar section that not only provides a highlight for the song, but
indicates the quality of the band and its members. The solos here again
are terrific, ones that make you want to pick up a guitar (generally an
air one) and play along. "Into the Coven" starts off with a melodic
guitar piece courtesy of Hank Shermann before breaking into the song
proper, with King's high soaring vocals over the mandatory low growl
heavy metal riff, with an atmospheric break in the middle of the song
that sounds terrific before charging off again into the guitar solos. It
is bombastic and bloody, and lyrically the kind of stuff that draws in
teenage boys because it will more than likely offend their adult
parents, and musically the stuff that draws them in because it is guitar
and drums and loud and fast.
"At the Sound of the Demon Bell"
continues down the same track, with a solid guitar riff anchoring the
song throughout and following a similar theme as those songs that have
gone before. "Black Funeral" rumbles along in triplet time, and ends
abruptly almost mid-song without warning. Did they not have a way to end
the song, and just thought 'bugger it, we'll just stop and see how it
turns out'? It still amuses me.
"Satan's Fall" stretched for an
interesting eleven minutes, which isn't so surprising when you take in
to count that it sounds like there are about ten different short songs
all meshed together to become one long song. The riffs change, the tempo
and mood changes, and the next part of the song takes place, until it
all seems to start again. Sometimes it is that the song almost stops,
and allows you to have a direct correlation between each 'act' of the
song, but sometimes it just flows into the next 'act' without pause. It
must have been quite something to record, and then learn in order to
play live. No matter how many times you listen to this song, you can
pick up new things along the way. I don't thin it ever becomes boring,
in fact I think it is a triumph. later progressive bands such as Dream
Theater have written songs in 'acts', and the songs draw on for up to 25
minutes in this way. Mercyful Fate here became a pioneer of that kind
of recording, and though the acts aren't individually titled, you can
pick them out yourself as you listen to the song. Awesome.
The album
concludes with the eponymous title track, which for me probably slightly
halts the momentum of the album given its radical change in the tempo
and style, but that doesn't make it any less impressive in the fact that
the band continues to show diversity and the ability to surprise.
I
still think, even today, anyone picking up this album and giving it a
fair hearing will find a lot to like about it. It's influence is out
there in the metal world, and has been showcased by some of the biggest
bands of the 80's and 90's. The songs are great, but dig deeper, and
listen to the fabulous drumming of Kim Ruzz, the rumbling bass work of
Timi Hansen, and the amazing dual guitaring of Hank Shermann and Michael
Denner. The musicianship here is superb, and is what keeps drawing me
back to this album in particular. And, of course, the vocals of King
Diamond. Combined, this makes Melissa an album that is worthy of your attention and of your undying obedience.
Rating: I was born in the cemetery, under the sign of the moon, raised from my grave, by the dead. 4.5/5
