Last Played - November 2021 Part Two!

I think I'm going to end up spending a lot of this holiday season catching up on this year's releases.  I know there are a lot of albums I want to get to, but I'm also starting to wonder how on earth I'm going to decide my Top 5.  While I don't know if I've heard any obvious winners, there has been a good chunk of great music this year, and this article is gonna go over some of them.  Here's what I've been checking out lately!

Dream Theater - A View from the Top of the World

After the band stumbled with The Astonishing, they set out to recenter themselves with Distance Over Time, and largely succeeded.  I felt that the album was adequate, with not much really standing out to me.  Now we have their follow up with this album, and their stated intentions to start exploring again, this time with some heavier, 8-string guitars, which I think helped their songs sound very dramatic and broad in their scope.

Of course, Dream Theater going for heavy isn't necessarily anything new (Train of Thought comes to mind), but I think goal here was to expand their dynamics and tones, which has mostly worked.  Right off, the album starts with some very chunky metal riffs, with "The Alien" and "Answering the Call," setting the tone for the rest of the album, with later tracks adding some interesting symphonic elements.  "Transcending Time" is a curious outlier, surprisingly having a lot of AOR rock energy, and I can't deny that I rather liked it.  However, the center piece is clear the 20 minute epic at the end of the album that has the band really flexing their songwriting muscles.  They really explore a lot of moods on that one, shifting from fast to slow, heavy to light, and back again.  (Par for the course, really.)

Overall, I think this is slightly better than their last one.  The heaviness seems to have brought some energy along with it, and the band do some interesting balancing between heavier and lighter sections.  "Answering the Call" and "Awaken the Master" are probably the best tracks, as I feel they make great use of the heaviness without letting the songs go off the rails too much.  That being said, this is still very Dream Theater, and will likely not appeal to anyone who isn't already a fan.  I admit I'm not a huge fan of them, myself, so take my words with a grain of salt.  Nevertheless, it's a solid showing, proving that this band still have a lot of creative energy in the tank.

Beast in Black - Dark Connection

After enjoying their first two albums, I was pretty keen on hearing what Beast in Black had in store this year.  When the singles landed, the clear switch to a very 80s cyberpunk aesthetic was a bit of a surprise, as they dived deeper into their sonic inspirations.  However, the result is clearly more of the same, for better or worse.

The album has a great opener in "Blade Runner," with some great energy and crunchy riffs.  However, from there, it starts to feel like a repeat of previous efforts.  Some songs are poppy, some are more metal, but all stay within the range the band has covered before.  "One Night in Tokyo" is one of the better ones on the poppy side, "To the Last Drop of Blood" is probably the one that balances the two styles the best, and "Revengeance Machine" has a great "Painkiller" vibe that's kinda ruined by some awkward, profanity-laden narration at the start.  There's a general shift toward more mature, suggestive lyrics as well, so your mileage may vary with that.  The band continues to maintain their solid production and tight performances, however, with Yannis Papadopoulos flexing his dynamic vocals once again.  He gets plenty of opportunities to shift between his lighter and aggressive styles.  Oh, and that Manowar cover is pretty fun.

While it's easy to criticize this as being more of the same, I'm reluctant to do so, as I feel this band is still the best as this fusion of 80s pop and heavy metal (which I have dubbed "synth metal").  I know I certainly don't want them to stop.  However, I do think this is a bit of a step down from the previous albums.  In their attempt to shift the content from fantasy to sci-fi, they tried to be more sophisticated with their lyrics and presentation, with mixed results.  While it's nice to have some epic cyberpunk anthems, it's hard to feel like the band is really stretching themselves.  In the end, it's a decent album, with a few great songs, but not as engaging as their previous efforts.

NorthTale - Welcome to Paradise

So this is a bit of catchup before I do their 2021 release, as I wanted to go into NorthTale's new album with some context of what they had done here.  Honestly, I loved what I had heard from the singles, but then the band just kinda fell off my radar somehow.  To be honest, I feel bad about it, as it's clearly the kind of power metal I love, being very influenced by the styles of Helloween and Stratovarius.

Right off, we start with some high speed, double-kicking power metal, and it doesn't really let up.  Oh, sure, there are power ballads in the middle with "Way of the Light" and at the end with "Even When," but they're kinda forgettable (which is also quite like Stratovarius; I love that band, but I could never get into their ballads).  "Everyone's a Star" is also a bit different, a kind of satirical piece of pop metal.

But everything else is excellent power metal.  I loved hearing a bunch of the singles again, like "Higher," "Shape Your Reality," "Siren's Fall," and "Bring Down the Mountain."  As for rest, "Follow Me," "Time to Rise," and "If Angels Are Real" stood out to me.  Vocalist Christian Eriksson is quite good, providing some epic held-notes, and making me think of Jonas Heidgert of Dragonland.  The guitar solos are incredible, with Bill Hudson throwing in some neo-classical chops here and there, and the keyboards by Jimmy Pitts are right there with him, noodling along like Jens Johansson.

Honestly, this could have been a Top 5 contender for 2019.  This is the kind of power metal that bands should be making more of, in my opinion.  I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but I know it's not the over-the-top style of DragonForce nor the heavier power metal of Iron Savior or Primal Fear.  It's that middle ground where Helloween, Freedom Call, and Stratovarius live, and now we have NorthTale representing the style, and doing it very well!  Great stuff!

The Dust Coda - Mojo Skyline

Hey, remember these guys?  I was digging a lot of their singles earlier in the year, and I've finally taken the time to listen to their new album.  While a lot of retro rock bands lean on the styles of Zeppelin or Sabbath, these guys are going for more of an Aerosmith vibe, and do it well!

This album has three things going for it: First, is the meaty riffs.  Clearly leaning on 70s rock clichés, the production gives them a good amount of heft and power.  They also have a good balance of being catchy and simple.  They won't win any shredding awards, but with hooks this good, my head was bobbing all the way through this record.  Second, their vocalist John Drake really lets it all hang out.  He's got a great, straight-forward rock sound, with just the right amount of grit.  He's as subtle as a brick and it's perfect!  Third, these songs have a ton of energy!  Even though it's mostly settled in a nice, mid-tempo rock groove, these are not passive tunes.  I can see them jumping around all over the stage in my mind as they play these songs.

Basically, I'm saying that I really like this album.  I was a little afraid it would get repetitive, but it really doesn't.  They know how to shake it up a little with some different moods, with things shifting even during the song sometimes.  "Breakdown" is a really good example of this, starting at a mid-tempo groove before going full-on hard rock at the end.  Other stand outs include "Limbo Man," the anthemic "Dream Alright," "Best Believe It," and that super heavy riff on "I've Been Waiting."  Overall, it's a plain straight-up rocking album from start to finish, with no brakes to slow things down.

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Well, that was certainly a fun mix of music!  I have one more article coming before the end of the month, and it's gonna be a bunch of videos, so keep a look out for that.  I don't have much else to say, so until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - May 2021!

It's been a minute since I've done one of these!  Mostly catching up on some older albums from some favorite bands, this one is full of melodic metal!  Here's what I've been banging my head to lately.

Symphony X - Twilight in Olympus

As I was listening to different bands, I was suddenly in the mood for something more shreddy, and I knew Symphony X was a band I wanted to get into more, so I threw on their 1998 album.  I definitely got what I wanted, as the band has a very distinct mix of neo-classical shredding, epic soundscapes, and technical proficiency.

Right off, you get some pretty good songs.  "Smoke and Mirrors" sets the stage by opening with a lightning fast guitar run before getting into some powerprog pyrotechnics.  Russell Allen sounds good, as always, though there are a few moments where I think he's maybe forcing the drama a little.  Still, it's a minor gripe about an incredible voice.

From there, the rest of the album lurches around, with some tracks working better than others.  "Church of the Machine" and "The Relic" have strong Dream Theater vibes, as well as the epic of the album "Through the Looking Glass."  It's not bad, but does feel clunky, as if the technical side took over the songwriting, resulting in a song that doesn't quite have its pieces together.  "In the Dragon's Den" was a pretty solid piece of powerprog, featuring a dual solo with guitars and synths that made me think of classic Stratovarius!  Overall, I enjoyed it, but then the band has always been pretty reliable, at least on the few albums I've heard, so it met my expectations pretty well.

Beast in Black - From Hell With Love

When I reviewed their first album, I said I was kinda down on the songs in the second half, but as I've listened to them more, they've grown on me.  That first album was quite solid, in the end.  In 2019, they followed up with this one, and while I enjoyed the singles from it, I didn't get around to the album until now.  I probably should have listened to it sooner, as it has some great stuff on here.

First of all, this really is more of the same: power metal mixed with 80s synth pop and even touches of Italo Disco.  The thing is, they aren't the only ones doing this anymore, as a number of bands have jumped on the 80s nostalgia train and added synth riffs and arrangements to their metal songs, and I admit it doesn't always work.  However, Beast in Black seem to have it down, as I found myself enjoying this album as much as the last one.  Yannis Papadopoulos remains a great singer, using both is lighter and heavier vocal styles to expand the range of emotions on these songs.  The riffs remain catchy and the synths ease their way in and out of the songs, never feeling forced or overdone, in my opinion.

Stand out tracks are the awesome opener "Cry Out for a Hero," the title track, the anthemic "True Beleiver," and "No Surrender," which sounds a bit more Judas Priest than some of the other stuff on here.  "Oceandeep," is an interesting ballad, going for more of a symphonic, Nightwish flavor.  The other songs didn't seem as strong, but they could grow on me like the first album did.  Still, a great follow up to what was a great album, and I look forward to more of their unique brand of energetic metal in the future.

Sabaton - Carolus Rex

Despite enjoy most of Sabaton, there are a few albums I still haven't gotten to.  This one is a little unique in that the subject matter focuses on a much older war than the band usually covers, that of the Thirty Years War and the Great Northern War of the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly from the Swedish perspective under the rule of King Charles XII, and his crack unit, the Caroleans.  It's a neat bit of history that few outside of Europe would know much about, which makes it pretty novel.

From there, the album proceeds to follow the standard Sabaton progression: epic power metal, sometimes fast and triumphant as they talk about the battles, sometimes anthemic and mournful for the heroes that fall and lives that are lost.  As for songs that stand out, I liked "The Lion from the North" and "Poltava," as they were the more energized tracks.  And their cover of Amon Amarth's "Twilight of the Thunder God" is a lot of fun!

As always, one knows what to expect when listening to a Sabaton album, for better or worse.  While I do enjoy their anthemic style, it does feel like there's some leaning on a formula here.  Still, it's a decent album, and it gets to show that the band has more interests than just World War II.

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It's been kind of an up-and-down year for me so far.  I'm actually rather thankful that I get to listen to music while I work, as it's helped me cope with a lot of things.  (Nothing serious, just the tedium and tension of working at home during lockdown.)  Fortunately, I have no shortage of stuff to listen to!  I'll try to get back on the new releases soon, but until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - February 2020 Part Two!

It's that time again!  This one's definitely all over the place, genre-wise, but it's all great stuff, I promise!  Here's what I've come across this time.

Let's start off with another Beast in Black song to rock your face off!  They really have found that magic balance between power metal epicness and synth-pop energy, each side supporting the other.  Just plain huge!

Yup, another one from Archon Angel.  I'm really feeling the Trans-Siberian Orchestra vibes on this one, making for another epic entry in this week's list.  Zak Stevens really is an underrated singer!

Well, this was a surprise!  When the song started, I thought I know what the first riff was gonna sound like, so when they laid out that swing-step riff, I was totally caught off guard!  Sticking with the groove and keeping things heavy, Dynazty provides something that feels very fresh indeed!

Candlemass find themselves with a new EP and a new singer!  Actually, they've brought back the singer from their very first album, Johan Längqvist, and he sounds great!  Backed by the band's iconic riffs, they sound as huge as ever!  I should really listen to more of this band!

H.E.A.T. provides another great 80s rocker!  This one is definitely more metal than "Rise," giving me some really strong Dokken or Europe vibes.  Solid riffs and vocals, without sacrificing any of the melody, this one demands to be turned up to 11!

Let's end with another rocker from a bunch of 80s masters.  Black Swan really come out swinging with this one, making the classic metal riffs sound fresh and energetic.  I certainly wish this style of much could "shake the world!"

Last Played - June 2019!

Even if I slow down, I'm moving forward.  Lately, I've been in a pretty big metal mood, and this set of Last Played proves that.   Let's get started!

Beast in Black - Berserker

Bringing together the cheese of power metal with the cheese of 80s synth pop, Beast in Black really made their stamp on the rock world when they released their debut album 2 years ago.  Full of pomp and drama, this album really sells its cinematic flourishes, with stand out songs like “Blind and Frozen,” “Blood of a Lion,” and “Zodd the Immortal.”

Part of what makes this work is the vocal range of the singer Yannis Papadopoulos, not only providing high screams and low growls, but even his light soft voice gives a different angle on the songs, providing a lot of dramatic variety.  It’s a shame the lyrics don’t have that same breadth.  Not to say that they’re bad, as they are mainly inspired by the grim-and-gritty fantasy manga series Berserk, but one can’t help but wonder if the lines on “Hell For All Eternity,” “Eternal Fire,” and “Go To Hell” weren’t written on the same afternoon.

Still, it’s a very good album, with the 80s synthesizers bringing the unique touch that knows when to take center stage and when to sit back and augment the guitars.  While it may not be the most dedicated metal sound, with “Crazy, Mad, Insane” wandering into Italo Disco territory (not a bad thing, in my opinion), it certainly has a lot to offer for fans of melodic metal that don’t take things too seriously and are willing to let the fun take over.

Angra - Holy Land

The recent death of vocalist André Matos made me realize just how much of a hole I have in my power metal knowledge.  While I have heard and liked a few Angra songs, I’ve never sat down and listened to one of their albums, so I thought I’d correct that by listening to this one.

What we have here is a very interesting mix of symphonic power and progressive metal, with a few touches of folk and even classical music influences.  Given that this is an album about the colonization of Brazil, a meeting of European and native Brazilian cultures, it does make sense, and it all comes together very well.  Between the speed-riffing guitars and flaring trumpets, we have a band with an iconic sound that I really have been missing out on!

A lot of it has to do with the talented members of the band.  André Matos voice is very strong and powerful, especially on songs like “Make Believe” and “Deep Blue,” while the guitar work from Loureiro and Bittencourt are electric in their speed and melodies, all of which stand up to the best of the likes of Stratovarius and Rhapsody of Fire.  With stand-out tracks like “Nothing to Say,” “Carolina IV,” and “The Shaman,” this album really is a power metal powerhouse!!

Dream Theater - Distance Over Time

Let me first explain my knowledge of Dream Theater.  Basically, I’ve listened to their first three albums, which were pretty good.  Then I listened to The Astonishing, which was a weird experiment that really didn’t work.  Ambitious, but strange all the same.  So that’s what I have to work with going into their newest album.

Right off, we see the band really flexing their skills, with the technical leads and complex songwriting often overwhelming the lyrics, but that’s par for the course with Dream Theater.  I found I really like Rudress’s hammondy solos, mostly showing up on “Fall Into The Light” and “Viper King,” the latter of which has a very interesting Deep Purple vibe, like they tried to write their own fun version of “Highway Star.”

The rest of the album maintain’s Dream Theater’s penchant for unusual song structures and instrumental digressions, most of which are pretty entertaining.  “Barstool Warrior” and “Out of Reach” are a pair of curious ballads (or at least as close as to a ballad as one can get with prog metal), and “Room 137” has a curious, psychedelic groove.

Of course, with this kind of music, it’s going to take more than a few spins to really get into it, but first impressions are strong.  Lots of neat little melodies and solos, anchored by LaBrie’s vocals to keep the tracks from wandering too far.  I know many have said this is more of a return to form after The Astonishing, and I have to admit I kind of agree.  Not mind-blowing, but pretty good.

Eidolon - Zero Hour

Eidolon is a band I think I stumbled across once back when MySpace was a major hub for finding music online.  I remember liking what I heard, giving a few of their albums a listen, and then forgetting about them.  Sifting through some of this kind of older stuff in my music library, I decided to give their first album another spin.

While progressive metal is their main goal here, we have a curious mix of sounds that carries little bits of thrash and even grunge.  The mix is quite clear, but the guitars have that iconic 90s crunch that sits somewhere between early Dream Theater and Alice in Chains, with a dash of Megadeth in there for good measure.  (That Megadeth comparison might be a little cheeky, though, as drummer Shawn Drover and guitarist Glen Drover would end up joining Mustaine in the mid 2000s.)

Still, it’s some pretty neat stuff.  While nothing really stands out on a song-writing level, it all has very good guitar work, including some rather nice acoustic guitar moments.  Brian Soulard also does good work on the vocals when he can, coming off like a heavier James LeBrie or Geoff Tate, but the guitars and drums are definitely the focus for this album.  A talented showing, if nothing else.

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I admit things having been as busy as I would like, but I'll keep working on these articles.  I know there is plenty of music out there that needs to be heard and shared, but my energy and time have been directed to other things as of late.

I'll just keep chugging along.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Videos - February 2019 Part 2!

The world of rock doesn't sleep cuz I've got more videos for ya!  Time for another mix of what's coming out!

Let's start off this list with some nice and crunchy AOR.  Hardline has been around the block for some time, so they know how to make some melodic hooks.  You might want to "Take a Chance" on this one.  (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

We got another video from TÝR full of epic folk metal.  Can I say that I really like Gunnar's vocals?  He really brings the epicness to the music in a way no other band does!  Oh, and playing in cave is pretty cool, too.

Talk about 80s AOR!  This doesn't even sound new, and I mean that in a good way!  I guess this is a comeback of some kind for this band, but I get massive Journey and Asia vibes.  This sounds amazing!

Oh, look who's back!  Here we get some more solid epic space opera power metal that Iron Savior is known for.  With a fist-pumping chorus and some great riffing, it might be more of the same, but that's not a bad thing at all!

Visigoth keep things old-school.  Like brothers-in-arms Manowar, Omen, and Manilla Road, we have here some classic traditional metal full of fantasy and bluster.  Singer Jake Rogers really has a great voice for this kind of stuff!

Let's close this one out with another video from Beast in Black.  They really have forged their own sound, sitting somewhere between power metal and synthwave!  In any case, here's one more dose of that 80s cheese turned up to 11!

New Videos - January 2019 Part 3!

That's right!  January gets three parts!  But when there's just so much great music out there, I gotta keep sharing it!!  Anyways, let's see what I've come across this time!

Beast in Black certainly know how to lay it on thick!  Powered by huge 80s synths, epic guitars, and Yannis's vocals, this is cheese I can get behind!

More power and fury from Rhapsody of Fire!  What we get this time is an incredible thrust of speed, energy, and technical wizardry.  While it may be nothing new from these Italians, that isn't a bad thing here!

Well, this is a change of pace!  Here we have a very jazzy piece from Soen, stepping away from their Tool-esque chops for something a little more Pink Floyd (it's the keyboards, really).  Moody, mellow, and played with sincerity.

Uriah Heep is another band I know little about, unfortunately, but I like how this one rocks.  Very much a 70s metal vibe, with crunchy riffs and raging hammonds, it's proof that old rockers don't need new tricks to keep rocking!

Evergrey have another album coming out, and while I've listened to some of the other early singles, this is the first one I've liked.  Nice and moody, with some decent crunchy riffs.

Oh, look!  Another Herman Frank video!  I don't know if I like this one as much as the other two, but it's pretty solid.  This is probably the album I'm looking forward to the most at the moment!