Do you still get that tingle of excitement
when it is announced that Iron Maiden is releasing a new album? Do you
still wait with anticipation for the album to arrive in the mail from
your pre-order weeks in advance? Do you crash into your local record
store as soon as they open the front doors on the day the album is
released, and get it home as quickly as possible to hear it in all of
its glory? I confess that I still do, no matter what my thoughts on the
previous album has been. Iron Maiden is still the standard bearer, the
one band that all others will be judged against, and the release of new
material only whets that appetite to see what they can produce this time
around. You know full well that it won't be the next Powerslave,
but you know that with the character and quality of the band members,
all legends of their craft, that it will be worth the wait.
The
opening track is a cracker. "If Eternity Should Fail" does all the right
things, moving along at a pace that Maiden's music deserves with
Bruce's vocals hitting all the right places, and enough places within
the song for each member to showcase their wares. Bruce has mentioned in
interviews that this song was written with a view to putting it on a
solo album of his, and it does have the feel of a Bruce Dickinson solo
type song. It has an easy flow throughout the song, from the
almost-spoken beginning into the starting verses and through the solo
sections. Unlike other songs on the album, it doesn't feel as long as
its eight and a half minutes suggests. It's a great track to open the
album.
"Speed of Light" follows, and was the first song released from
the album prior to it being released. It is one of two songs co-written
by Bruce and Adrian Smith on the album. It increases the tempo on the
album, playing on the words of the song title to speed along at a good
clip. "The Great Unknown" is perhaps too tied up in a similar sounding
riff and singing style through the first half of the song, where the
style gives off the impression of repetitiveness that isn't quite
accurate. This is redeemed by the solo section through the second half
of the song, where the musicianship again helps to paper over the small
cracks. Steve Harris'' "The Red and the Black" runs to over thirteen and
a half minutes, and as a result it would be easy to criticise it for
being overlong and perhaps losing its impact because of it. Here though
once you have taken the time to listen to the song a few times you can
take in the structure of the song, and not just hear the same repeating
rhythms of the core. It also has the in-built crowd anthem of Bruce
chanting "WHOA-OH-OH-WOAH-OH!" to raise the adrenaline. When I first got
the album I did have reservation about this song, but it has grown on
me through taking in all of the complexities within.
"When the River
Runs Deep" has the typical characteristics of a Harris and Smith
co-production. It starts off in a mid-tempo range as the start of the
song is built, before exploding through the middle of the song in the
faster chorus and then the solo bridge that has Nicko McBrain
alternating the speed of the song brilliantly by switching from a slower
emphasised 4/4 time to the quick and blinding 2/4, allowing the guitars
to do their piece over the top in synchronicity.
If there is a speed
hump on the album for me, it probably comes with the title track, "The
Book of Souls", and with the second song of the second disc in "Shadows
of the Valley". Both songs have their moments, where the music comes in
the right flavour, but for the majority I feel they are just average
songs without that kick to bring them up to a Maiden level. "The Book of
Souls" feels like many songs from Dance of Death with the keyboards holding out in the high ground such as "Dance of Death" and "Face in the Sand".
Sandwiched
between them is one of my favourite songs on the album, the second
Smith/Dickinson composition "Death or Glory". In interviews, Adrian was
quoted as saying that they deliberately tried to write shorter, faster
songs, to replicate songs that they had previously written together such
as "Can I Play With Madness?" and "2 Minutes to Midnight". It's a
no-win situation, but the style of both of these new songs is certainly
noticeable from everything else on the album, and do channel some of the
energy of their previous work. "Tears of a Clown" was apparently
written about Robin Williams, and no doubt others like him, and his sad
suicide through depression. Bruce emotes beautifully throughout the
song, and perfectly highlights the lyrics as written. The start of "The
Man of Sorrows" probably doesn't do this song justice, because once you
get into the heart of it, it is a triumph, though again not in a
traditional Maiden way, but of the new era, with the keyboards enhancing
the atmosphere created by the guitars and Bruce's vocals soaring in
harmony. It sounds wonderful, and though it won't please everyone the
unique style of the song shows off the progressive side of Maiden's
evolving music perfectly.
The closing track, apart from its length,
is one of the most un-Maiden songs to ever be released by the band. Of
course, this is a matured band now, as has already been mentioned, and
yes their musical style has become more progressive over recent years
I
guess it would be easy to be scared off by the piano and the violin, to
suggest that this is just too much change to be able to accept as a pat
of the Maiden sound. Strangely enough, these same thoughts were floated
around when the band introduced guitar synths with the Somewhere in Time
album, and it appears to most that that album was a success. Sure, this
is another step in a far reaching direction, but given that it is done
well there should be no cause for alarm. "Empire of the Clouds" is
written about the maiden voyage of the R101 airship and its disastrous
demise. Written by Bruce Dickinson, he has already shown a penchant to
be able to write and perform songs such as this in his solo works, with
songs like "Tears of the Dragon" and "Navigate the Seas of the Sun".
This is much more ambitious, and at over eighteen minutes in length if
it didn't work it would be seen as indulgent and perhaps even Spinal
Tap-ish. But there is nothing to fear. This is an amazing song, a
musical in itself. The piano and violin only add to the drama and
subtlety of the song. The middle section, where the band really comes to
life, is incredible, and topped off by the dramatic and superlative
drumming from Nicko throughout, never taking centre stage but almost the
key element. It will not surprise to find a big minority can't get this
song, and will not enjoy it, and will not rate it. I personally think
that in the modern Maiden era it showcases everything you need to know
about the band and where it stands.
Probably not for the first
time in Maiden's latter career, the album for the majority is carried by
Bruce Dickinson's vocal chords. This is Maiden's fifth album of the
millennium, from when both Bruce and Adrian re-joined the band after an
absence of some years, and whenever there have been soft spots, holes or
even chasms during that time, when there are songs that juts don't seem
to be of the highest calibre that the band wrote in the first half of
their career, you can always rely on just listening to Bruce singing,
and enjoy every moment of that. Trust me, it works. As I've said on
numerous occasions over the course of many years, and in countless
reviews, you can forgive practically anything the second Bruce Dickinson
opens his lungs and vocal chords and begins to sing. It takes a special
talent to be able to claim that, and Bruce is one of the few I've ever
encountered who can do it in any situation.
If you are going to
try and compare this album with the work that this band did through the
1980's then you are never going to accept the wonderful things on offer
in The Book of Souls. It is a false facade in doing so. Try comparing Black Sabbath's 13 to Paranoid. Try comparing Scorpions Return to Forever with Love at First Sting. Try comparing Redeemer of Souls to Painkiller.
Try comparing anything Metallica release in the next couple of years to
anything from that same 1980's era. Any album not from a band's 'great
era' will rarely stand up against them, and that is the way it should
be, and always will be. These are different men from 30 years ago. They
are older, and they have seen and experienced the world since then. For
lack of a better word, the music on this album shows a maturity that
comes with age and a comfortableness in their lives and with themselves
as songwriters. For the most part, the ferociousness may not be as
prevalent in their music anymore, but their style and formula is still
there to hear. Perhaps you won't jump around and headbang as much to
this album as you do some others, but I'm 30 years older too, and I can
appreciate what the band has written and recorded here. I put this album
on, and I am still carried away by "If Eternity Should Fail", "Death or
Glory", "Tears of a Clown", "The Man of Sorrows" and "Empire of the
Clouds" - in a different way than early Maiden did to me, absolutely,
but carried away nonetheless. Just to hear the way Nicko puts together
his drumming, the little things he adds that create so much of a song
but can be overlooked. To listen to the majesty of the guitars of Dave
Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers when they play in harmony, and then
split to create their own defining sound in their individual solo
pieces. To hear that rumbling bass from Steve Harris that is still the
lifeblood of the band. And of course, the magnificence that is Bruce
Dickinson, his vocals that still lift every song he is involved in, and
still sends shivers down my spine when I hear him soar in a way I can
only ever dream to repeat.
This is Iron Maiden. Rejoice in the past. Accept the present. It is more than worth it.
Rating: Waiting in line at the ending of time, if eternity should fail. 4/5
The resurgence of Stryper over the past
decade has been nothing if not remarkable. Not only have they stuck true
to their Christian values, they have continued to emphasise this
through their songs and lyrics. And yet, through the release of their
live album 7 Weeks: Live in America 2003, and the release of their covers album The Covering
where they channelled the bands that helped create their style, the
band has redefined their music, combining the catchiness of their
popular 1980's sound with a revitalised heavy sound that has brought
them into the new century with a purpose.
While the entire album
mightn't be out-and-out heavy metal, you can't help but be impressed
with the direction that Stryper has continued on with Fallen. As with their previous release No More Hell to Pay,
the metal has been injected into the songs. "Yahweh" starts off in a
flurry of drums, guitar and that ridiculous Michael Sweet high note.
Both "Fallen" and "Pride" follow in this same class. The heavy edge in
the music is noticeably infused, both through the hard hitting drumming
of Robert Sweet on each track, emphasising as it does the back beat and
tempo in tandem with the excellent riff work from both Michael Sweet and
Oz Fox. Their harmony guitars still sound as sweet as ever (no pun
intended) while their solo spots continue to be a highlight of every
song. "Big Screen Lies" can be added to this, while "Heaven" drops back a
peg without losing any of the wonderful musicianship of the earlier
tracks.
"Love You Like I Do" is perhaps the best example of how
Stryper has evolved on the album. A song that for all intents and
purposes I shouldn't like, I can't help but enjoy. Listen to Michael's
lyrics dominate, soaring into the clouds in harmony and encouraging you
to sing along. Robert's drumming is so simple, but the hard hitting beat
is perfect for the song, while the guitar break between Oz and Michael
is worth the wait. This is a terrific moment. Funnily enough, it is
followed by perhaps the most despondent for me, as "All Over Again" is
the perfect replication of the hair metal ballad, with slow pace,
acoustic guitar, and back up mood harmony vocals. Stereotypical much?
Wow. Here's a song for the skip button. Just to complete the irony, this
is then followed by the band's cover version of Black Sabbath's awesome
"After Forever", a song that Stryper has done a magnificent job on.
This Stryperised version is just brilliant, and Michael lets his voice
cry to the heavens as he progresses through it. Awesome.
"Till I Get
What I Need" then busts out of the speakers at a rollicking speed, with
Michael's vocals and Oz's guitar again dominating, reinvigorating the
tempo of the album and is supported by "Let There Be Light". What has
come before is perhaps let down a little by the final couple of tracks,
which don't match most of the rest of the album for the modern
excellence that has been achieved. Yeah, they are just a little annoying
in structure.
This is another excellent release from a band that
has made a resurgence in recent times, through staying true to their
beliefs, but also by staying true to the music they love, and improving
it to encompass the modern heavy metal sound. While not all of their
material will always appeal to all of the fans, there is again plenty
here to make even the casual fan prick their ears up in appreciation of
their work.
Rating: I want to show you the world I see. 3.5/5
When it comes to musical output, you
certainly can't accuse Stratovarius of dragging the chains and not
putting the hard yards in. With Eternal they have clocked up their fifteenth studio album, which is quite an achievement over a 25 years period.
Stratovarius
has been one of the flag bearers of European power metal for a quarter
of a century. No matter what direction the bands around them may have
taken, no matter what bands are turning up and which bands are
disbanding, when you put on a Stratovarius album you know what you are
getting.
Do you like power metal? Do you like keyboard and double
kick dominated songs? Do you enjoy piercing vocals? Do you also like
that bane of my existence, the power ballad? Then chances are you are
already listening to Stratovarius, and either have this album or would
love this album.
The best parts of the band are all in the first
three songs. All of them chug along at a good clip, driven by the drums
and keyboards. The harmony vocals of Timo Kotipelto hit all the right
heights, the guitar of Matias Kupiainen and keyboards of Jens Johannson
blend and duel together as well as they always have, while the rhythm of
Rolf Pilve's drums and the bass of Lauri Porra provide the perfect
backing throughout. "My Eternal Dream" is a great start to the album in
this fashion, followed by "Shine in the Dark" and "Rise Above It". "Lost
Without a Trace" draws things back into both tempo and energy, drawing
from the other aspects of the power metal genre, while "Feeding the
Fire" does try to pick things up again.
"In My Line of Work" is
arguably my favourite song on the album, perhaps not just because of the
upbeat tempo but the fact that the keyboards are downtoned throughout
the song, allowing the other instruments to give the strength to the
song.
The power ballad still haunts me, always coming in and either
slowing down the tempo of the album to the point that it draws away from
the strength that has come before it, or literally sucking the life
from an album and killing its mood completely. "Few Are Those" becomes
that track on this album, and while it only comes in as a 4/10 on the
album killer ranking, it does grind my gears.
The final track is an
epic, "The Lost Saga" coming in at a touch under twelve minutes. It
starts off slow, and initially you wonder if this is going to be how the
album concludes, on a slow strangled note. Eventually it kicks into
gear however, and the finishing flourish is much more pleasant and
appropriate that it appeared it was going to be.
Stratovarious
continue to be band that I struggle to rate, in the same way as Sonata
Arctica. The band sounds great, and they stay true to their art and the
musical genre. I would love to come out and give their albums - and this
one as well - a high rating, but while it sounds great and it well
written and the players are all excellent, the music continues to lose
me a fraction with the over-emphasis on the keyboards (sorry Jens), the
somewhat repetitive nature of the music, and the lack of a killer
element, such as guitar riffs that hold the song together in a slightly
heavier atmosphere. Like I said, that's not the style of what this band
does, and so we will (and have been) always be at opposite ends of that
spectrum.
Rating: Still the road goes on and on, we just have to play along. 3/5
It's been a long while between drinks for
metal legends Slayer, and a lot has happened in the interim. Since the
release of the at-times-brilliant, at-times-less-brilliant World Painted Blood,
Slayer has participated in a never-thought-seen Big 4 concert series
with fellow veterans Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax, had guitarist Jeff
Hanneman diagnosed with his flesh eating virus contracted from a
spider, drafting in Exodus' Gary Holt to fill his spot on numerous
tours, the forgoing of drummer Dave Lombardo once again, before Jeff's
saddening death of cirrhosis some two and a half years ago. One wondered
if we were ever going to see another Slayer album following all of
this, and the time that had passed since their previous effort.
Fortunately,
the band is made of harder stuff. Perhaps the most difficult part was
not replacing Jeff on guitar. Gary Holt has been in the position now for
a number of years, and he has always seemed to fit in perfectly with
the band and their music. He may not be Jeff Hanneman, but he is a
brilliant player, and the fans have welcomed him as one of their own
some time ago. No, the most difficult part was always going to be
replacing Jeff as a writer, because it is here that his contribution to
Slayer has been so enormous, so pivotal, so ground breaking. Kerry King
writes some great songs, but Jeff tends to be the hand that wrote the
immortal ones. Perhaps this worried me more than most as well, as the
one album where Kerry contributed the most to the writing, Christ Illusion,
is still a Slayer album that I have trouble finding the balance. In
regards to this album, I don't know whether Gary wanted to contribute to
the writing process. I guess I understand Kerry's reluctance to let
someone from the outside become a part of the Slayer sound for fear that
it is... compromised. That he was able to contribute some guitar solos
is at least a frank showing that he is considered a part of the band.
Don't
worry. This sounds like Slayer, right from the outset. The instrumental
opening "Delusions of Saviour" delivers straight into the aggressive
and raucous "Repentless", with Tom Araya immediately at the top of his
game vocally. In fact he spends most of the album in that top range and
at a pace that it virtually impossible to sing along with him. Paul
Bostaph returns to the band he served so well in the past, and flays
along in support, while the twin guitars of King and Holt do their
service to the music, providing the rhythm through the verses and their
string stretching wild ride during their solo pieces. Some of the songs,
such as "Repentless" and "Take Control" are obviously written with a
mind to remind you of the early days, to assure you that Slayer is still
Slayer, even with only half of the original staff still remaining.
Later songs such as "Implode" and "You Against You" are also the pick of
the tracks. It's also nice to have a song written by Jeff here, even if
in reality "Piano Wire" is the least spectacular of the songs on the
album.
Like a lot of the bands around of this vintage, what you hear
on the album sounds a lot like the band who is playing it, but it is
different. In other reviews I've used the word 'matured', but I'm not
sure you can use that in regards to Slayer. They have done so well over
four decades to remain true to themselves and to continue to produce
great songs and great albums, but how long can you continue to produce
that kind of aggression and intensity on an album? This is still a good
album, but when you travel through the middle of the album, with songs
such as "Vices" and "Cast the First Stone" and "When the Stillness
Comes" that are good songs but perhaps begin to lack the absolute fury
in the music and vocals that comes with the best of their material. It's
not a criticism, but a fact. Screaming vocals and rolling double kick
drum patterns don't disguise the differences in the songs. They don't
hide the subtle changes that, to be fair, have been coming over time.
And material from a band like Slayer is much more difficult to paper
over those subtleties than from a band like, for instance, Iron Maiden.
Repentless
may not be a masterpiece, but it is still a solid latter-day outing for
one of the greats of the genre. Enjoyable as it is, it will likely hold
your attention in the interim, before becoming a second-choice music
selection in the future behind those albums you already know and love.
Rating: No looking back, no regrets, no apologies, what you get is what you see. 3.5/5
This could be the longest goodbye
retirement farewell in the history of music, but Scorpions are still out
there doing their thing, and doing it their way. So they may have
reneged on their retirement announcement, and they may have reneged on
their final album quote. They may well be around forever, constantly
touring the globe without ever coming to Australia so that we could see
them live like practically every other place in the world has. Certainly
they have come across a slightly new and ingenious way to write and
record this new album, and while only time will tell if this party is
going to continue, there is no denying the fact that this band keeps
producing listenable albums after almost 50 years.
From all
reports, when this album was first mooted, it was actually going to
contain only material from the archives, culled from the numerous songs
written and recorded for previous albums, but never used mainly due to
the space and time restraints on vinyl records.. The majority of these
songs were to be from the 1980's and through into the early 1990's, so
the era that they were being drawn from was arguably the band's
greatest. However, when the band had come to its decision not to finish
up, and there was some more writing being done by the band, it was
decided to make the album a hybrid, mixing both new material and these
older unused songs and demos, with a little bit of spit and polish to
bring them up to speed.
Does it work? It's an individual's thing I
guess. The new songs written for the album have that Scorpions sound to
them. "Going Out With a Bang", "We Built This House" and "All For One"
all have that famous Scorpions hard rock sound and sing-along choruses,
and focus on the relationship of the band as a whole. "Rock My Car"
originates from the band's early days, and rocks along much like these
songs.
"House of Cards" falls in that slower, quieter, ballad section
that Scorpions always have, and admittedly always do well. Obviously
there are some songs that stand out better than others of this variety
from the past, and these songs here wouldn't make that. "Gypsy Life"
also goes down this path, though as it was written originally for the Acoustica album this is understandable. Both of these songs are okay, but not high on my list of favourites from the album.
"Rock 'n' Roll Band" and "Catch Your Luck and Play" are from the Savage Amusement
era, and both actually have the vibe of that album. Both are catchy and
pacier numbers that track along at a fast clip with prominent guitars
and again those choruses that are simple and as a result easy to sing
along with. "Eye of the Storm" finds itself somewhere in the middle of
all of this, a reasonable track that doesn't seem to be able to find its
niche within the album framework.
When Humanity - Hour I was released, it blew me away. It was an album that just enraptured me. Sting in the Tail was fine, but more back in an average type of Scorpions album. Return to Forever
ends up being in the same category. The idea of finding these songs
written in the past, in an era when they dominated the scene, and using
them now 30 years later isn't a bad one. There is good material here,
and the band sounds as good as ever, but perhaps in the long run this
does just sound a little too much like their standard songs without
having a real hook or a real thunderhead to grab your attention and hold
onto it. if you like the Scorpions, you will be able to put this on and
enjoy it for what it is. If you are looking for an album that will be
this year's balltearer, then you should be searching elsewhere.
Rating: We're going out with a bang. Well, we'll see about that... 3/5
As the twin release alongside From the Setting Sun... In Wacken, this album was recorded at the other end of the tour in Japan, and thus titled ...To the Rising Sun (In Tokyo).
Recorded some 18 months after the first concert, but of course released
at the same time as that album, it may be seen as an indulgence by a
band who is becoming renown for releasing live albums practically every
year, while the release of new material is becoming further and farther
between. For the enthusiast, it actually gives you the chance to compare
the difference in the band's performance at opposite ends of the tour.
Whether or not that is enough to retain your interest in this album is
probably open to question.
The setlist here is for the most part
the same as it was at the start of the tour, with a couple of minor
changes. The one biggie is the one that makes me shake my head the most.
"Apres Vous" from the latest album Now What?!
is the opening track, and I have no problem with that. The problem I
have is that it replaces "Highway Star", and it has in fact fallen all
the way off the setlist completely! Now, I find it impossible to believe
that Deep Purple can play a concert with "Highway Star". It just isn't
right. yes, it is my favourite Deep Purple song, but it is a main
attraction, a staple, a non-negotiable! This is just not on - at all. If
I ever went to a Deep Purple gig and they didn't play "Highway Star" I
would riot!
Anyway...
"Uncommon Man" from Now What?!
also makes an appearance here, another instrumental that is placed
between two others in "Contact Lost" and "The Well-Dressed Guitar",
which then lead into "The Mule" from Fireball,
in all its live glory with extended instrumental pieces including Ian
Paice's drumming spectacular. The remainder of the set remains as it did
on the earlier album release, because this was not at a festival like
Wacken the setlist goes longer than the first release.
As a
result, there is a slightly different feeling about the first half of
this release than there is on the first album. It isn't any less
spectacular, but for those who are more attracted to the older material
then this album probably isn't as enticing as the Wacken release. Apart
from my already-noted disbelief at the erasure of "Highway Star" this
album rates as highly as any other Deep Purple live album - at the top
of the tree.
Rating: Can you remember... remember my name? 5/5
