982. Operation: Mindcrime / Resurrection. 2016. 1.5/5

I guess we can be brutally honest about this. There must be someone, somewhere out there, that thinks that what Geoff Tate is doing in his current musical field with his band Operation: Mindcrime is the equal of or better than what is happening in the Queensrÿche camp. I don’t know any of them mind you, but there must be fans out there who are enjoying this stuff. And what it shows is that the split between the two should have happened a long time ago, and let Geoff do this without dictating to others what should work best for them.

You can’t argue with his work ethic though. Albums keep coming forth on a regular basis, and he tours as he feels it necessary. The fact that he celebrated the final parting with Queensrÿche by christening his new ‘band’ by the title of its most famous album, and then engaged in writing and releasing a concept album trilogy, of which this is the second chapter, makes it even more thought-provoking as to why he stuck with it for so long. No doubt the name of the band was making more money.
And so on to Resurrection, which is Part Two of this story that apparently details virtual currencies, internet banking and stock trading. Honestly I haven’t listened to the lyrical side of the songs hard enough to garner that information out of them, I just found it on Wikipedia and threw it in here. And was it not for the addition of Spotify into my life, I am quite sure I would never have heard this album because the utilising of virtual currencies, internet banking or stock trading to purchase this album was out of the question given the two albums that preceded this. So I had no illusions going in. I was probably going to hate this.
Is hate too strong a word? Having now listened to this album in full on a number of occasions, it probably is. But is there anything likeable about it? Very little as you can probably imagine, and that is simply because it is nothing like any kind of music that I do like. It’s like asking me to review anything by Justin Bieber – I don’t like his music, so any review or rating is going to be coloured by that. Resurrection more or less takes up from where The Key leaves off. It is dreary. It’s like listening to the rain at the end of Queensrÿche's “Della Brown” and expecting to hear “Another Rainy Night” but instead getting “The Queue” from the previous album. Honestly, this album goes for over an hour, but it feels like an afternoon. There is little to distinguish between the songs, they all roll into one another. Geoff’s vocals all remain monotonic for great passages, even when layered on each other. There’s more synth than guitar or drums. It almost redefines a progressive rock genre into something far less, almost into easy listening. Most of it will lull you off to sleep if you allow it. It’s not that it is all terrible, but there are parts that cannot bring out any other adjective apart from that. 

“Taking on the World” is the closest this album has to a hard rock song, and having brought on Tim “Ripper” Owens and Blaze Bayley to take part as guest vocalists for this one song should make it the centrepiece of the album. The fact that it is, even though it doesn’t allow Ripper to actually unleash his powerhouse vocal (perhaps for fear that it would overshadow Tate’s degenerating vocal abilities) is a shame. This is the one song on the album I can almost get on board with, and I would be lying if I said it was for any reason except for Ripper and Blaze’s appearance.

The fact that Tate has struggled gain the Operation: Mindcrime name seems absurd given that the albums are practically still a two man show, with himself and Kelly Gray doing the bulk of the instrumentation. Why not just stay as Geoff Tate or The Geoff Tate Band? Is it so necessary to market himself based on his past with his other band? Despite this, the music will still be what he is judged on, and so I come back to the way I started this review. There must be people out there who like what Tate has been writing, both here and in the last ten years of his time with Queensrÿche. I’m just not sure who they are. This album is probably a little more interesting that The Key. That’s about the best I can say about it.

Rating:  One long monotone.   1.5/5

981. Megadeth / Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? 1986. 5/5

My introduction to Megadeth’s sophomore album was inevitably through the magic of music video, and their appearance on music shows such as Rage on ABCTV late on Friday and Saturday nights. Both videos for “Peace Sells” and “Wake Up Dead” were excellent, and the songs even better. My problem living in Australia in 1986 was that it was almost impossible to find this album. It wasn’t until I finally discovered Utopia Records in Sydney that this became easier. As it was, it was a miracle when I finally found this on vinyl in a rack at Wilson’s Records in Wollongong in early 1988, and I finally was able to experience the album of Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? rather than just the two songs I knew so well by that time.

Is there a finer opening song to an album than “Wake Up Dead”? It would be far too difficult to nail down an exact answer to that, but I have always felt that while there would be many songs that could be rated as an equal, certainly none is better than this. The needle would hit the vinyl, and then BANG, we are straight into the album, with Dave explaining to us about his sneak entry into his own house that evening. The difference between the opening thirty seconds of this song and everything that appeared on their debut opus is startling. That album was raw thrash just thrown out there, a wall of noise coming at you at a rush of speed. “Wake Up Dead” is heavy – fucking heavy – but refined in a way those early songs were not. The band is tight, the music is hammered together and the production is a hundred times better without stripping back any of the anger and fury that is pouring out of the speakers. This is a classic, and Dave being able to come up with songs about particular relationships was something that he can still draw on. “The Conjuring” is the follow up, and continues in a similar vein. However, though it is fast and heavy it doesn’t come across as frantic as the band’s earlier material. It is full of great riffs and fast and heavy material, but it is not in a frenzy. It is a real triumph as to how quickly the band matured in writing and playing, and about how better production can tighten songs that are pliable due to their strength.
“Peace Sells” is a classic in its simplicity, beautifully held together by Dave Ellefson’s wonderful bass line rumbling along underneath the simple by effective drum and guitar riff, while Mustaine stands on his soap box and pontificates on his vision of the world as he sees it. It also comes with the perfect lines for crowds to cry back at the band during concerts, an easy form of hero worship through the lyrics. The music video exacerbated this through its clever depiction of world events, and it spoke to the teenage generation at their hearts. Combine politics and anger in a song. It’s a winner. This then crashes straight into “Devil’s Island”, with Ellefson again flying along on bass guitar throughout while Mustaine and Chris Poland have a ball in their selected category. It’s amazing how fast a five minute song can go when it goes at this pace. Great stuff.
The opening to the second side of the album is “Good Mourning / Black Friday”. Good Mourning is just that, a slower mournful opening with Dave’s spoken feelings, before we suddenly fall downhill into Good Friday, which holds the torch for speed metal high and proud on this album. This flays along at what Dark Helmet in Spaceballs would call Ludicrous Speed. It is almost impossible for the listener to keep up with the song, and I can’t imagine how on earth Mustaine and Poland managed to pick their guitar strings at this speed. This is just awesomely fantastic, and even though it will rick your neck completely you can’t help but thrash along in time. Brilliant stuff. “Bad Omen” starts off in a similar vein to Good Mourning, but maintains a more attainable speed once the song starts, before careering over the edge as well in the final third of the song.
If there is an issue to be had, then it is with “I Ain’t Superstitious”, a cover version of the song originally recorded by blues artist Howlin’ Wolf. This version is (of course) a lot different from the original, but it is still noticeable that it doesn’t completely fit the vibe of the rest of this album. It is listenable, yes. And it must be said, even perfect albums can have a slight flaw in them (yes I know that is basically a contradiction, but I don’t care). Everything is forgiven by the closing track “My Last Words” which again starts with a slower riff before bursting into the heart of the song at speed, and Mustaine taking the bull by the horns and letting it charge. This is a terrific closing track, leaving you just as high and blazing as you are by the opening of the album. Just scintillating.

Apart from any reservations raised by “I Ain’t Superstitious”, it is practically impossible to find any weaknesses in this album. While Gar Samuelson’s drumming is sometimes criticised, his work here is solid and builds the basis for the other three musicians to weave their spell. Dave Ellefson is tremendous, and his bass guides throughout are a major component of what makes these songs so heavy in the bottom end. Chris Poland and Mustaine himself once again show a wonderful combination in their guitaring, and it is a disappointment that Poland was dismissed following this album (along with Samuelson) for excessive drug use as their partnership is just fantastic here. On top of all of this, Mustaine’s vocals continued to suit his songs, and with a deepening political and social bent in his lyrics the album ticks all of the boxes. Even as a stepping stone to further great albums to come, this still holds its own and stands the test of time some 30 years on.

Rating:  “I want to watch the news….. this IS the news!”  5/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

978. Serious Black / Mirrorworld. 2016. 2/5

I came into the first Serious Black album on the coattails of Roland Grapow being involved, and at the end of that first album I hoped for a follow up to judge the progress that could be made from that. That has come to pass with Mirrorworld, but without the continuing presence of Grapow who has moved on back to his other projects. Despite this, I was happy to go forth and give this its chance to grab my attention.

The first mystifying piece of this album is the two minute opening instrumental "Breaking the Silence". If you don't have your stereo up loud enough, you would imagine you have forgotten to press play. It's just a waste. Eventually we come into "As Long As I'm Alive", the opening play of reasonable power metal, driven by guest muso Alex Holzwarth from Rhapsody on drums and Urban Breed's vocals leading the way. Following this solid start comes "Castor Skies" that again leads off with the drums and vocals pushing the song along, before the twin guitar harmonies come within the middle. It's a harmless addition to the catalogue that doesn't raise to any great heights but doesn't offend either. "Heartbroken Soul" cartwheels into power ballad territory, a sure sign that by song three on the album they are already running out of ideas. "Dying Hearts" is probably a dead giveaway in the title, and while it remains on that track it does have a bit more oomph to it that the previous song. "You're Not Alone" creates new hope in the heart however, with a fast paced opening containing true melodic guitars over the double-kick drums and Breed's layered vocals throughout. This is far and away the best song on the album, and one that to me shows the true potential this band has when they do the good things right.
The title track "Mirrorworld" is catchy enough but it is pure AOR without pretense and if you love that style then you should enjoy this song- but for a power metal band I would have been hoping for a bit more grunt behind it. It's a similar story in "State of My Despair", where the drums may be trying liven things up as best they can (thanks Alex Holzwarth) but the rest of the song just sounds... weak. The vocals are almost in the background and certainly not making their presence felt at all, while the rest of the band barely seems to be making an effort. Disappointing. The final track "The Unborn Never Die" moves along a similar track, never really defining itself from the motley of other songs here that just seem to be missing the engine room. And then, almost before you know it, the album is over. And to be honest, it comes as a relief to find there is nothing more to follow.

For those that like their power metal really watered down to the point of being like weak tea, then you will probably get the most out of this album. And I really wanted to like this, because I think both this album and its predecessor has some good things about them. But in the long run, it just can't get past the fact that the vocals are fine but have no power, and the band just doesn't seem inspired enough to put down something with enough individuality to make this stand out from the crowd.

Rating:  "Too many die alone, don't die without a fight". Much like this unfortunately.   2/5

977. The Unity / The Unity. 2017. 3.5/5

It’s a tough gig when the leader of the band you are in decides to go off and do one of his side projects, and thus leave your band in limbo for that length of time. In essence that is what happened to new Gamma Ray drummer Michael Ehré, who found himself at a loose end when the reformed and expanded Helloween tour project was announced late in 2016. So what do you do? Well, you give a nudge to Gamma Ray guitar god Henjo Richter, get him to follow you, and with your own band The Unity decided to record and release your own album. And this is where we are today.

It was always important to go into this album remembering that this isn’t Gamma Ray. Two excellent musicians from that band have joined four other excellent musicians from other projects to form this band that is not Gamma Ray. Now, once you accept that fact, and also listen to this like it is an exciting new band playing Euro styled metal in the traditions of those bands, then you will have a better chance of appreciating it from the outset.
For the most part this is a pretty solid release. The first two singles released prior to the album coming out lead off the list, and both "Rise and Fall" and "No More Lies" hit all the right places. It is very much in the traditions of European power metal, but both opening tracks edge the power to a higher setting, led by the rising vocals of Gianba Manenti who proves from the outset he has a fair set of pipes on him. "No More Lies" did have to grow on me, but I now find I'm drawn to sing and play along with it. "God of Temptation" goes for a slower and heavier back track which they actually pull off really well, factoring in the chorus of vocals over the top. "Firesign" is one of a number of sings that has more than just a touch of Avantasia about it, and vocally it reaches the two pinnacles with what seems like a minimum of effort.
"Always Just You" is a plodder after the opening tracks, without much inspiration and just the basic guitar and drum tracks. This is overturned by "Close to Crazy" which picks things up a bit and adds a bit of individuality to the guitars and vocals. "The Wishing Well" and "Edens Fall" are middle of the road tracks for this genre, not bad songs but without inspiring anything out of the ordinary for the listener. "Redeemer" acts as a vehicle especially for Gianba's vocals, showing off his crooning abilities. The short and sweet guitar riff of "Super Distortion" sweeps straight into "Killer Instinct", before the closing track "Never Forget" ties off what is a very acceptable debut release.
Gianba Manenti on vocals is powerful, has a great range, and does an excellent job on this album. He finds the mark immediately and doesn’t hold back. The rhythm section of Jogi Sweers on bass, Sascha Onnen on keyboards and Ehré on drums is fantastic. They hold the songs together in admirable fashion given the power of the vocals and guitars that take centre stage for the most part. Stefan Ellerhorst is excellent on guitar, and in the company of Henjo throughout creates an brilliant dual guitar attack that makes the most of the written material to create the atmosphere required for enjoyable listening.
I won't lie that the album doesn't contain a lot of some of the aspects I would loved to have heard, that being some real speed, and some scintillating solo bursts from the guitarists. For the most part this settles nicely into the tempo you would expect and doesn't compete with the heavyweights of the genre such as Gamma Ray, Helloween or Blind Guardian. And fair enough too, because both Henjo and Michael made it clear early on that this band was looking to record the kind of music that the two of them enjoy that is separate from Gamma Ray's material. So going in I knew this would be the case. Still, one can only dream of what they could produce in that direction should they want to.

Given this sextet has signed a multi-year deal with their record company, you can only hope that if this succeeds then there will be more albums to come. How that all ties in with the members’ other projects remains to be seen, but it augers well for what will hopefully be a long term band rather than a one-off project.

Rating:  A debut worth a listen.  3.5/5

976. Europe / The Final Countdown. 1986. 3.5/5

Imagine if you will that you grew up through the 1980’s, those magical teenage years and high school years taking up the middle of that decade. Consider the music that purveyed most of that time – New Romantic, Pop, Post Pop. The influx of the synthesizer, the infusion of the saxophone. The many forms that the genre of heavy metal took in this time, from NWOBHN to thrash to hair. Now imagine that at a time when Bon Jovi had made their massive breakthrough into every corner of music listeners with their release of Slippery When Wet there was also another band that released an album that at the time was just as big with singles that produced just as much fervour as those from Bon Jovi. And now come back to the present, thirty years on, where while Slippery When Wet is still held in the highest regard amongst those of the generation and even of those generations that have come since, The Final Countdown is more often ridiculed by all. I’m here to tell you that it deserves the same amount of respect that Slippery When Wet has.

There is no comparison to the two albums, and I don’t want to do that, because that is unfair to both. Europe’s third studio release may have ridden on the back of the major single release that came to promote it, but that doesn’t make it a one trick pony. I also don’t want to pretend that the empathy and love I have of this album is not directly related to the memories it brings back of my final high school years every time I put it on to listen to it. But that is one of the greatest properties of music, and in this respect it has a heavy influence. No doubt there are thousands – probably millions - of people out there who loved this album when it was released who either find it so sappy or cheesy now that they can’t listen to it, or just don’t want to admit that they still find it entertaining. There’s no doubt it is rooted to its era. But that doesn’t make it bad.
Europe was one of the precursors to the European hard rock and heavy metal sound. The heavy influence of the synth and keyboards on this album can be directly related to bands such as Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica through the 1990’s and into the next century. The brilliant guitar of John Norum – which so often gets overlooked because ‘he plays in Europe’ – finds the perfect time in each song to make its influence felt to the maximum degree. Joey Tempest’s vocals are as clear and precise as you could hope for. The rest of the band - John Levén on bass, Mic Michaeli on keyboards and Ian Haugland on drums – are also superb. And the hair, the hair of 1986 just makes it all the more joyous.
No, this is not a perfect album, but I never suggested it was. Even back in 1986 I was struggling to get through the power ballads that bands would release, and would then gain radio airplay over and over again, driving you insane at the idea that the better and heavier songs could never gain that kind of radio exposure. “Carrie” of course is the major example. It is sugar syrupy sweet, and while it is an occupational hazard when listening to European metal bands of this type that you must put up with this kind of track, I would so much like not to. I can bear it because it brings back 1986, but that is all. Those that tend to turn their back on this album cite the title track, the mega-hit “The Final Countdown” as ‘too 80’s’. Well yes, that’s kind of the idea. But even though they may deny liking it, all of my kids know the song and the words, so it must be catchy, mustn’t it? And who doesn’t still air guitar to John Norum’s solo? Ditto with “Rock the Night”, a great follow up and still as toe tapping as it was in the day. “Danger on the Track”, “Ninja” and “Cherokee” all still have that simple pleasure that Europe could deliver. “Time Has Come” and “Heart of Stone” are mid-range rock songs, while “On the Loose” picks things up again before the album closes out with “Love Chaser”.

I won’t even pretend that people who grew up in the decades following the release of this album will mostly turn up their nose and wonder how it could ever have been as popular as it was when it was recorded. It was a different era and music changed quickly during those years. But if you ever hear one of these songs being played, take a look around at the people in the vicinity and check out which ones are tapping their foot or bobbing their head. They are the ones from my generation, from the heady days of 1986, when the world was still a simple place and and everyone still had hair.

Rating:  “We’re heading for Venus (‘Venus!’), and still we stand tall”.  3.5/5

975. Blaze Bayley / Endure and Survive (Infinite Entanglement Part II). 2017. 3.5/5

Taking on the second album in his Infinite Entanglement concept trilogy, Blaze Bayley returns in his quest to continue his relevance in the heavy metal field with Endure and Survive (Infinite Entanglement Part II). There is little doubt that Blaze has been a little bit hit and miss over recent releases. For me it has come from not having a solid backing band and writing conglomerate, but I could be completely mistaken. With the setting for his concept piece already in place and the same co-writers in place, it should have made the writing here a bit more solid.

Starting off with the title track “Endure and Survive” Blaze sets sail on his conceptual journey on the right note, his vocals soaring above the fast paced chorus and dual melodic guitars plying their trade throughout. “Escape Velocity” continues along this path with pleasing effects. “Blood” too moves along driven by the double kick of the drums, but it is the almost ritual chanting of the lyrics that tends to hold up this song. It feels a bit staged rather than comfortably going along with the flow of the music, it comes across as stop start. As the middle of the song becomes the story telling part played by the characters involved, it just makes it hard to fully enjoy. However, it is the end of the song that proves to be the real mover, and shows where the direction should have been all along.
“Eating Lies” slows the album back to a lesser tempo, giving a different emphasis on the band and showing off Blaze’s vocals in different scenario. I still don’t know if I like this song or not. For the most part it doesn’t grab me, yet I do like Blaze coming through the quagmire into the emotive highs he can show, and once again the excellent guitaring by Chris Appleton is showcased in another solo spot that is worth rating the song on alone. “Destroyer” follows a similar path, in a way that is difficult to describe. There doesn’t seem to be much that is brilliant here, but a snatch of vocals and the majority of the guitar solos are terrific and make it worthwhile listening to. The best song on the album is “Dawn of the Dead Son”, one where all of the band are best utilised, and the music and vocalist come together in their best possible light. Its power metal guitar leanings give it the best sound of any song on the album, and Blaze also gives us the soar of his vocals that seem to be missing for the most part on this album. Great song.
The acoustic solitude of “Remember” is enjoyable enough, twinning together his frequent collaborators for another crack after their efforts on the preceding album. The song does have enough energy in the vocals to not make you completely lose your focus on what has come before it, but really it is only forgivable in the sense that it is a part of the story being told for the concept album itself. “Fight Back” brings the album back to life with its double kick and hard strumming rhythm, allowing Blaze to control the song with his vocals, and leave the open air for the excellent solo to chime in towards the end. “The World Is Turning the Wrong Way” chugs along more than gathering momentum, and while it is more than listenable it just feels like it is missing something. “Together We Can Move the Sun” is Blaze’s attempt at the epic closer, clocking in at over 8 minutes and combining the emphatic and soulful vocals mixed with the intrinsic guitar solo, before moving to the quiet and reflective take for the second half of the song. More’s the pity with the constant repeating of certain lyrics over and over, which just ends up becoming annoying rather than definitive. And of course, there is the spoken word element to close out the track, setting the story up for its conclusion to come in the third album of this concept trilogy.

As I have probably mentioned in the review for the preceding album, I am all for Blaze coming out with this concept idea and pursuing it in his own way and with his own style. As an artist it is great to see him still in the market place and making great music. But the trilogy idea is a difficult one to keep on track, especially if it tends to water down the style of music that you have garnered your fans with. Listening to this album for the past couple of weeks, I have found my enjoyment for it growing over that time. The problem is, when I have switched to another album to compare it with, such as Silicon Messiah or The Man Who Would Not Die there has been no comparison. They just metal up harder and faster, and it’s that style of Blaze’s music that I’ve always loved. It isn’t as prevalent now as it was. That will continue to be a stumbling block for me no matter how much I admire the man and his music.

Rating:  It's no The Empire Strikes Back.   3.5/5

974. Iron Maiden / No Prayer for the Dying. 1990. 3.5/5

When the Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour ended on December 12, 1988, one wonders if Steve Harris and Iron Maiden thought to themselves of the quote from Hans Gruber in that year’s big movie hit “Die Hard” when he said “And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer”. For surely, that date is the pinnacle of Iron Maiden’s empire. By this time, they had released seven of the most amazing albums of all time, covering the decade of the 1980’s with their brilliance. They had conquered the span of the music world, selling out longer and larger tours with each passing album. There had been three personnel changes in that time, but each had appeared to solidify and grow the band into being stronger, and better. The songwriting improved and the musicianship did as well. By the completion of the quasi-concept album that was “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son”, they had the heavy music world in the palm of their hands. And the only question that was raised at that time was – what will they come up with for their next album, and how can they top what has come before it?
Before that though, the band agreed on a well deserved break, but it was this break that saw the seemingly non-existent cracks in the Iron Maiden wall make themselves noticeable for perhaps the first time. Adrian Smith went out and released what was for all intents and purposes a solo album under the name of Adrian Smith and Project, or ASaP for short. The album, “Silver and Gold”, was as big a departure from the style of music performed by Iron Maiden as you could imagine, and one that left fans in a state of ambivalence, and more importantly asking questions about just what this meant for the music of the main band. Bruce Dickinson was asked if he would like to write and perform a song for the soundtrack to the movie “A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child”. He asked his friend, former Gillan guitarist Jannick Gers to join him, and together they came up with “Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter”, and its success afforded Dickinson the opportunity to then write and record a solo album of his own with Gers on guitar again. Titled “Tattooed Millionaire” it was released in May 1990 to overwhelmingly positive reactions, though again the style of the songs on the album had fans of the main band wondering if their differences would affect the direction the next Iron Maiden album would take. All of this was food for thought for fans as news came through that Iron Maiden was reconvening to begin working on their next album. And then the roof caved in.
During the pre-production stages, Adrian Smith left the band due to differences with Steve Harris regarding the direction the band should be taking. Maiden’s previous two album had shown more progressive elements as well as delving into synth and keyboards for the first time, something Smith was a fan of. It had been the major focus of his solo project the previous year, and on returning to the Maiden camp and finding the focus of the music was actually moving to a more stripped down style, Adrian found he was not only uncomfortable with the direction the music was taking, but that as a result he had little to offer in regards to the writing process. No doubt he had seen and felt the writing had been on the wall for some time, as he has suggested in several interviews over the years that this was the culmination of many tings building to this point. Smith’s departure from the band was a huge moment, a bombshell for the fan base, and a huge blow to the writing partnerships that the band had built their success on over the previous eight years, let alone the serene and gorgeous guitaring that Smith offered the band as the offset to Dave Murray. It was like losing a brother.
Smith’s replacement did seem obvious from the outset, with Jannick Gers slotting in fairly swiftly to fill the void in the band’s life. Others had been mentioned in passing as being possible candidates, including Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen, both of whom would have brought songwriting along with their unquestioned guitaring ability, but Jannick was a known quantity and a friend of the band, and so he came to join the party. Given that the songs had already been all but completed, Gers did not receive a writing credit on the album, but has heavily contributed in the years since.
After the soaring highs of “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son”, Maiden was about to take its first steps not only with a new band member, but into the swirling evolving music world that was being created in the back half of 1990. Just how the band coped with the upheaval that had come in their own world over the previous 12 months along with what was happening outside their doors was soon to be resolved with the release of their eighth studio album titled “No Prayer for the Dying”.

The popular euphemism is that this is ‘stripped back’ and certainly the majority of the synths and keyboards that were a more major part of both of the previous albums are not as prevalent here. The keyboards that are used are played by Michael Kenney, who had done the job for the band live on tour. The drawing back of the musical style from a progressive metal theme to a more hard and gritty ‘basic’ sound also induced a change in vocal pattern from Dickinson on this album, with his vocals taking on a raspier style, a more layman’s style of vocal than his higher operatic style from the previous albums. The ‘air raid siren’ had been put in cotton wool and the vocals became more workmanlike. (Just an aside note here to say that that is a terrible description of the change in Bruce’s singing on this album, and of course is not accurate over the course of the album, but that’s what I’m running with).
Having settled on themes of the mythical seventh son of a seventh son for their previous album, and the space and time and sci-fi history themes of the two albums prior to that, this one became a different focus lyrically as well as musically. The greater writing focus on Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson without the third amigo in Adrian Smith brings a different lyrical aspect to these songs than those albums. The songwriting and songs as a whole have been pulled away from the centre by Adrian’s departure, an interesting development to look at from the outside, and one that would be pulled further away from that centre on the next album with the introduction of Jannick into that writing process.
A simplified version of a review of this album would be to say that the best tracks are great, as good as ever, while the differing mood of some tracks makes for an interesting experience. The opening salvo of “Tailgunner” comes at you with fire and speed, Bruce spitting his lyrics at you in a true historical sense, bringing back memories of “Aces High” in both its lyrical and even musical sense. Steve’s bassline is heavily involved from the outset and is the central force of the song – perhaps deliberately, to try and reclaim the focus of the album. Bruce’s vocals come to the fore instantly, with the extra emphasis on lines such as “In the black above by the cruel searchlight, men will die and men will fight, yeah! Who shot who and who fired first? Dripping death to whet the bloodthirst” bringing home the intensity of it all. Everything about the song is a winner, and it kick starts the album the way it should. Its follow up is “Holy Smoke”, and its humorous portrayal of serious events mirrors a number of other songs from the era that also gave their take on the evangelical sordidness that was occurring. Bruce hams it up nicely in his vocals, and the energy of the song continues the drive of the opening of the album.
The core of the album is where thoughts are raised about what is happening in the new decade of Iron Maiden. There are serious issues – political, worldly – being raised in the lyrics of the songs. This is not something that is completely foreign to the band, and still comes in the mix of those songs that the band usually writes, the ones based on movies or literature and the like. But there sounds like there is more serious tone about some of these songs, perhaps slightly more morbid than they usually are, and it’s the music that tends to drag it in that direction as well as the lyrical content. The title track “No Prayer for the Dying” I still sing along to today, but it did have the distinction of being the first ever Iron Maiden song that I would not automatically look at putting on a mixed tape if I was making one back in the day. Steve is putting himself out there in the short lyrical piece he has composed, and Bruce is drawing every emotional aspect out of them in his vocals. The music itself, until the solo break, also does this job as well, with the undertone keyboards offering the sealing of the deal. It is almost like two songs pressed into one here, the emotional beginning, to the almost speed metal middle and conclusion of the guitars. Beautiful and frantic in the same sentence. “Public Enema Number One” follows along in a similar aspect, with Bruce faux screaming about politicians and their individualistic greed, exhorting the everyday people to find a way to stand up and fight against the tyranny. Dave Murray offers his usual one co-write on this song and it is noticeable in the music and guitars, accentuating the points of the song that need it perfectly as he always seems to be able to do. Except that! Wait! Dave has ANOTHER co-write here on the album, on the very next song “Fates Warning”, and once again his contribution to the music especially here is wonderful. The guitars here are the essence and basis of the track, the terrific rise and fall through the song brings the heart and soul to the song. Lyrically it mirrors another Dave Murray track “Deja-Vu”, with “Fates Warning” discussing the relevance of determinism, whether the events in our lives are already pre-determined or if they are playing out as they occur, coincidence or not. Is it God, or fate? It’s a thinking person’s thesis, all sung beautifully by Bruce with the right amount of emphasis and rollicking soundtrack underneath.
Side Two starts with a harder, harsher journey both musically and vocally from Bruce. “The Assassin” juggles its momentum by sharp stops and starts and changes in pace throughout, which perhaps messes with its ability to be adoringly taken on board. Steve gives us a song here that begins to give us a peek into the future, with some of the techniques offered musically in this song developed further onto tracks of the Maiden albums that appeared in the 1990’s. The change in mood and timing throughout the song does also invoke a pattern mid-song that came from pieces on the previous album which in itself is worthy of study. “Run Silent Run Deep” for me is where the album rises to a higher plane. Certainly based on the 1958 war film of the same name starring Burt Lancaster and Clark Gable, Bruce feels like he’s back in the groove vocally, and the clear run of the music brings back that smooth transition that is required. On a side note, I wonder if Bruce felt like using some left-over lyrics from his song “Dive, Dive, Dive” from his “Tattooed Millionaire” solo album? Surely the temptation must have been there.
“Hooks in You” is a winner, and not just because it was Adrian’s sole contribution to the writing for the album before his departure. Another song to add to the Charlotte Saga, this is a fun song with double entendre and innuendo thrown around with Bruce obviously enjoying himself. Although there are many songs on this album that invoke strong opinions from Iron Maiden fans, this one seems to have more of those than any other. I’ve always loved this song from the first time I listened to the album, and on an album that is mostly drawn from more serious subject matter lyrically, this is a fun romp. Add to that the follow up, “Bring Your Daughter… to the Slaughter”, an anthem so strong it had to be banned, blocked and re-recorded to make it the hit it is. As mentioned earlier in this episode, Bruce had originally recorded it for the “A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child” soundtrack with Janick, and when Steve Harris heard it, he loved it so much that he had the original version suppressed so that Iron Maiden could re-record it and add it to this album. It’s loud, it’s fun and it has energy and drive. It may not be Maiden’s greatest song, but on this album it is the shining moment. The closing track “Mother Russia” is the epic finisher, drenched in the history of the changing face of politics through Europe. Written at a time when that political landscape was being rewritten, this offered the hope that the changing landscape could lead to prosperity and peace for all, invoking the wonderful history of the country and its own internal struggles as a nation. And as magnificent as this song is musically in capturing the mood and the majesty of the time - truly one of Steve Harris’s finest moments outside of the 1980’s albums - listening to it in today’s climate is as sad and tragic as it was hopeful and inspiring when it was released 35 years ago.

When this album was released, I bought it at the first available moment that I could. The Rock Factory at Shellharbour Square was my immediate destination to find this album, and then rush home to get it on my stereo as quickly as I possibly could. And I played it over and over and over. For months. I spent lunchtime at work sitting in my car listening to it. I drove home longer from places in order to fit it all in. I had it playing on my tape deck and my CD player. I taped it on both sides of a C90 cassette, so that I didn’t have to rewind it once I had listened to it, I could just turn it over and start again. It was Iron Maiden after all, and despite the changes to the music, I couldn’t get enough of it. Even then I knew it wasn’t the same as what had come before, but I literally didn’t care.
It probably wasn’t until the release of “Brave New World”, and the re-fusing of Adrian and Bruce back into the band, that I began to notice some flaws that this album has. On reflection over the years, it was the first Maiden album that I thought showed that no band can continue forever to produce albums of such spectacular material that you can rate it as nothing else but full marks. When this was written and recorded in 1990 music was changing, and even bands as huge and synonymous as Iron Maiden felt the need to adapt to what was happening. As I said on the podcast episode on “Brave New World” a couple of months ago – episode number 67 for those who are interested – to me “Brave New World” would have been the example of what the next progressive step for Iron Maiden should have been. But the 1990’s decade was to move all music in a different direction altogether, and as it turned out “No Prayer for the Dying” was probably a better interpretation of what was to come than anyone realised when it was released. But the release of “Brave New World” gave me pause on what I thought of “No Prayer for the Dying” ten years on, and that was that it was an okay album that I either over listened to or overrated at that time. My pure thought was that “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” was the end of the line of great Iron Maiden albums, that “No Prayer for the Dying” was an album that is better than most, because of the band and the writers and performers in the band, but compared to what had come before there was a slight dip in quality.
Beyond those years, I have listened to it intermittently – always when a new Iron Maiden album was released, and on occasions when I felt like a bit of nostalgia. I generally enjoyed the album whenever I chose to play it, but it was a one-off until the next time that feeling or event came along.
I have now had this album out for a fortnight. It is another of those albums that I knew I needed to give it the reigns and let it run as it saw fit. I wanted to know how much it could grab me. If I was tired of it after a few listens then I would know where it stood with me in 2025. If I kept allowing it to repeat as I once had in the car park of Glen Fulton Holden every lunchtime, then I also knew how I felt about it. And the response? It’s a decisive points victory to the “No Prayer for the Dying” album. I’ve had this on at least once a day for that time, and 20 times all the way through. And through the memories of 1990 and 1991 that it brings back, I’ve remembered how I felt about this album when I was listening to it at that time, the door of the car open, me sitting in the drivers seat eating my ham and cheese sandwich, and air drumming along to this album. Yes, as I have said often on recent episodes, there were a lot of albums that came out during this 2 month period, all of which had their chance to get repeated plays at the time. And this certainly got that. And those memories over the last two weeks have been terrific. And through that I have reignited by appreciation of this album. It has some flaws, certainly. It has some differences, ones that if comparing the album to the first seven albums means it can't compete with their greatness. But as an album of the time, with what was floating around in the music ether, it has its grounding here for what was about to occur.

973. Elton John / Too Low For Zero. 1983. 3/5

Back in 1983, in the middle of those years where pop and synth were ruling the airwaves of Australian radio, Elton John released this album, and my mother went out and bought it. It was unusual, as Mum didn’t buy many albums, and possibly none since the abomination (my mother’s words) that was Yoko Ono’s contribution to the Double Fantasy album in 1980. It was my first initiation to an Elton John album, as before this it was only the songs that were played on the radio that I knew, and here again the only reason that I sought it out and played it of my own volition was on the strength of the first two singles released that found airplay. It was an education, one that in later life had me searching for all of his albums.

The opening track wasn’t part of that reason. Listening to it didn’t auger well for what was to follow if it was going to follow along these lines. "Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)" is a dreadfully deadpan, boring opening to an album, one that has the potential to push away would-be listeners immediately. The opening of an album has to be a grabber, one where your attention is diverted immediately to it and drawn into its spell. This opener does almost the exact opposite, and is a disservice to album overall.
“I’m Still Standing” is still the song that punctuates the 80’s decade for Elton. It’s the upbeat, grandiose song that shines with positivity and ecstasy, a bright and breezy proclamation for both Elton himself, and as an anthem for those who wish to push it. You can’t help but like this song, no matter what your mood, as it drags out the bad and replaces it with the good.
The title track “Too Low for Zero” reaches for those same emotions but in a different way, expressing from the depressed side of the spectrum and garnering a slow and melancholic drip feed as a result. I always liked this song as a teenager, perhaps allowing it to feed on my own angsts of the time when they arose. Without those feelings 30+ years later, it probably doesn’t impact me as much. “Religion” is one of those Elton John songs that doesn’t come along too often, one where the piano doesn’t dominate. It’s the guitar, bass and drums that make the most impact here, though in that same mid tempo that the majority of his songs sit in. This has never been a favourite of mine, perhaps because of the lack of piano which is his signature, but it’s a combination of all lots of factors that pushes me away.
The first side ends with what I consider to be a classic, “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”, a beautifully paced song led by Elton’s piano throughout and sung just perfectly. I can’t explain why I have always loved this song so much. It is completely outside the box of what I would consider my usual style of song, but it grabbed from the start and has never left me. It is one of my three go-to karaoke songs whenever that particular urge grabs me, and although it sounds like I’m strangling a cat when I sing it, I don’t care.
The second side opens with the hybrid craze-induced “Krystal”. Musically it is as far away from a typical Elton John song as you could imagine, but it works. The constant back beat and bass line keeps the momentum flowing throughout, allowing the instruments to fade in and out where necessary, and leaves Elton to sing over the top, telling the story as he does. It is strangely effective, and though I don’t think it works as a radio single as it does become repetitive, on the album it fits in nicely.
This is followed by “Kiss the Bride”, the partner to “I’m Still Standing” in regards to the upbeat up tempo vibe that it provides, a perfect party song to bring out the happy spirits and encourage a singalong as well. It provides the same brightening of the album as its partner does on the first half of the album. The segue into the two works perfectly. It’s a mood lifter. “Whipping Boy” doesn’t quite contain the same energy, but it does maintain the momentum that the album has picked up along the way. It just feels a bit samey all the way through. “Saint” and “One More Arrow” are for me as disappointing as the opening song. For me they are limp and lifeless, and are always a signal to either restart the album (preferably without the first track) or change albums to the next in line. It is a somewhat disappointing finish to the album.

This is probably Elton's best album from the 80’s, and while it was an excellent decision to have Bernie Taupin return as ‘full time’ lyricist here, the songs are still mixed in quality. The best songs here are excellent, ones that you can still sing along with today. The not so good are completely forgettable, and harm the album as a whole when trying to look at it objectively.

Rating:   “And it won’t be long, before you and me run, to that place in our hearts, where we hide”.   3/5