Anniversary Series - 2009!!

I know I'm not posting these Anniversary Articles very consistently this year, but there were some pretty interesting albums I wanted to go over with this one, so it took some time to pull these together.  As always, there's more in the playlist below, so check that out, but for now, reviews!

Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know

I feel like the story behind this album is better known than the album itself.  The Dio-era lineup of Black Sabbath came back together in the mid-2000s for a compilation record that included three new songs (which are decent).  After touring together afterwards, they decided to release a new album of songs under the name Heaven & Hell, after the first Dio-led album.  I had heard it was to avoid complications with Sharon Osbourne, but other sources make it seem like Iommi's decision to avoid brand confusion.  In any case, this is, essentially, the fourth Dio Sabbath album, and it's darker and doomier than the other three.

Once again, there's significant a boost in production, making the songs feel thicker than their last album.  The song-writing is also a bit more adventurous, as the band focuses more on a classic sense of darkness from the early Ozzy years (perhaps feeling more relevant with the reunions of the classic lineup before all this).  They're definitely trying some things, but sometimes, it feels like the songs are slow for their own sake or seem to be not as well organized.  Of course, the lineup's performance remains as consistent as before, though Dio does sound a little weaker (understandable, given the circumstances) but he still sings his heart ou,t and Iommi's riffs are as crunchy and heavy as ever.  It's the band you know, but with more experience and heft.

It's a solid album, but not all of the songs work for me.  "Bible Black" is certainly a highlight, making me think of the classic Dio era, and both "Follow the Tears" and "Breaking Into Heaven" are great slabs of doom.  But then you have songs like "Fear," where the chorus is just weird, "Double the Pain," which doesn't quite come together, or "Rock and Roll Angel" which just drags along.  I don't think it's as good as their classic 80s albums, but it serves as a fine conclusion to this part of Sabbath's legacy.

Astra - The Weirding

Well, after enjoying Birth's debut album so much that it ended up in my Top 5 for that year, I figured it would be worth my time to dig into what some of these guys were doing before and listen to Astra's debut for this article.  Going with a very retro sound that it nearly hurts, they blend elements of psychedelic and progressive rock in ways that feel appropriate and adventurous without feeling derivative.

If I could describe their sound, I'd say they're close to the mellow side of King Crimson and Caravan, but with the occasional Black Sabbath riff thrown in, and more layers of keyboards.  The performances are solid, as they focus more on exploratory melodies than technical musicianship, but there is so much reverb on everything, I wondered if I wasn't listening to some third-generation re-recording of a radio broadcast.  However, the band is much more interested in creating a lot of atmosphere than focusing on any sense of orchestral arrangement like most other prog bands, so the reverb doesn't really ruin the experience, featuring plenty of nice melodies all over the album.  The wall of Mellotrons might be a bit much at times, but those who like that classic sound will find plenty to love here.  As a whole, it feels like it was made in mind for those looking for an album to just vibe with while doing something (or nothing) else.

The other issue is that the album is very long, nearly 80 minutes, with a lot of repetitive sections.  If this kind of mood-driven space rock is not your thing, your time is better spent elsewhere.  However, I was able to groove with the songs pretty well, sinking into their sound by the end.  I ended up liking the title track with its space jams, "Ouroboros," which made me think of Tales of Topographic Oceans at times, and the closer "Beyond to Slight the Maze" which felt more Pink Floyd.  While I wish the reverb wasn't quite so strong so that I could better hear the performances, I found this album to be a pretty satisfying experience.  

Herman Frank - Loyal to None

Despite being a mainstay in German metal since the 80s, Herman Frank's first solo album didn't come out until 2009.  I came across him a few years ago, being blown away by his fourth album, but feeling that his fifth (and latest) was a little lackluster.  Now this article gives me the chance to go back and see how things started for his solo efforts.  Unsurprisingly, it's another chunk of traditional metal, but not without issues.

The first major difference is Jioti Parcharidis on vocals, who I assume Herman Frank brought over from Victory.  He has a rougher voice than Rick Altzi (who takes over after this album), but he's still a good choice for this style of metal.  However, the production is a problem.  I'm not quite sure what's wrong, but Jioti feels buried at times, and the guitars don't feel as punchy as they should, sometimes sounding thin or muddy.  The song lyrics are a bit strange as well.  A few songs are about epic battles while others are fun-times 80s rockin'.  "Hero" feels like some kind of political statement for which I don't have the context, and "Father Buries Son" is weirdly upbeat for its somber topic.  While the music is pretty consistent, the lyrics don't quite match the songs the way you'd think.

Otherwise, it's Herman doing what he does best: providing plenty of chunky riffs and tight solos, with the rhythm section giving him a solid platform to work from.  The album starts well enough with "Moon II" and "7 Stars" being good energetic heavy/power metal songs, and "Down to the Valley" has a bit of an Iron Maiden feel.  However, the production and the weird lyrics bring this down for me.  Despite the experience on board for the songs, this album feels rough and under-cooked, but if you don't mind that, there's plenty of 80s-style metal to enjoy.

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Well, I suppose that will do for 2009.  As always, let me know what you think in the comments.  In the meantime, I should get to work on the next one if I want time to cover all that I want to!  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Releases - September 2024!

It's been a while!  I still kinda catching up on things, but I've worked out a plan that should get me back on track before the end of the year.  And for once, I'm not reviewing any metal!  All three of these albums are ones I have been looking forward to, each for their own reasons, but it is nice to see some older styles still be represented by artists both old and young.  Let's get this prog rock article started!

David Gilmour - Luck and Strange

So we finally have the latest from this guitar legend.  There's been some talk from him about maybe moving beyond Pink Floyd, and getting a producer who has no interesting in respecting Gilmour's past.  However, I don't think he can really escape it, especially with an album like this.  Once again, David takes us through another bluesy journey, this time with an emphasis on themes of aging and mortality.

Those looking for Pink Floyd vibes will certainly find them here and there.  The title track, which features a recording from Rick Wright as a basis, feels like it could have come off of Division Bell, and "Scattered" references some of the band's 70s ideas, including a heart beat and that reverby piano from "Echoes."  As for the rest, the album tends to drift between his last two.  "The Piper's Call," "Sings" and "Yes, I Have Ghosts" feel like a folky variation on the songs fom On An Island, while some of the darkness of Rattle That Lock shows up on "A Single Spark" and "Dark and Velvet Nights."  The latter one actually gets pretty funky.  If there's one that maybe feels like an odd duck out, it's "Between Two Points," which is sung by David's daughter Romany.  It's an interesting song, but the production feels much more modern, like a contemporary pop song.  I didn't mind it, but folks who like their Gilmour material to feel classic may find it jarring.

Of course, Gilmour hasn't lost a step in his guitar work.  He still has his tasty licks and legato-style solos, so fans will get their fill for sure.  However, I feel like this album was more focused on the song-writing than the solos, and I think it makes the album feel a little more whole.  I don't know if I can really compare it to his other albums too well; I'd have to really dig in deep to compare.  However, on it's own, it's a solid album that shows how well Gilmour is aging, despite what the lyrics might imply.

Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks - True

So the story goes that the Band Geeks were just a cover band who happened to include a lot of Yes covers.  When Jon Anderson joined up with them, fans were talking about how good they were at playing classic Yes stuff.  Then they announced an album, and despite that pretty terrible cover art, they did end up recording something that sounds like classic Yes.

While Jon Anderson's singing and lyrics give this a heavy Yes-like tone, I do wonder if maybe the rest of the band is trying a little too hard to be like Yes from multiple eras.  Obviously, there's some classic Yes stuff, mostly Tales of Topographic Oceans or Going For the One, but there elements of their 80s pop sound, especially on "Shine On," and even some symphonic flourishes making me think of Magnification.  The Band Geeks are due a lot of credit, as they're playing is definitely spot on.  They are eager to sound like the classic members of Yes, with keyboard runs like Wakeman, basslines like Squire, and guitar solos like Howe.  

I guess my main concern is whether this stands on its own as good music or if it's just reminding me of music I already love.  I know I struggled with Arc of Life's two albums, to say nothing of what Yes has been doing lately, for the same problem.  However, I can't deny that Jon and the Geeks have worked out the kinks and made something that really clicks with me here and there.  "Shine On" has a lot of good energy on it, "Build Me an Ocean" sounds like it comes from The Living Tree, and the 16-minute epic "Once Upon a Dream" sounds like a sequel to "Awaken."  I get the feeling that if I listen to this more, I'll start to come around on it, but for now, it's a solid collection of tracks that fans of classic prog will probably enjoy.

Monkey3 - Welcome to the Machine

After loving their last album so much that it was my album of the year for 2019 (and checking out their first), I was pretty excited to hear they had a new one in the works.  However, this came out back in February.  I didn't plan to set it aside for so long, but life happens.  In any case, I'm finally catching up.  Despite the five year gap, these guys haven't lost a step.

As if the title wasn't obvious, these guys have a very Pink Floyd influenced sound, mixing in elements of post-rock, stoner rock, and even some crushing, Tool-like segments.   However, they are able to weave this together so that it all flows really well.  Their tone remains intact, drifting between mysterious and uplifting as the songs build and breakdown.  There is a stronger mechanical feel in the songs (matching the title), but it's only sprinkled in here and there, adding another layer to their iconic wall of sound.  Another factor I love about this band is, while they are experts at creating a solid spacey atmosphere, they aren't afraid to jam it out for a bit, freeing up the band to let the guitars go wild for a while.  Playing this stuff live must feel liberating.

I'm not going to lie: this is a Top 5 contender for the year.  "Ignition" gets things started perfectly, "Collision" is a solid follow up with the mechanical bits, "Kali Yuga" dips pretty deep into their atmospheric side, "Rackman" builds up really well, and "Collapse" is a good closer with a lot of fun Pink Floyd references and excellent transitions and dynamics.  I don't know if it's quite as good as Sphere, but it's very close, and certainly a standout album for 2024.

Anniversary Series - 2004!

Yeah, this one is about a week and a half late, but better late than never!  2004 would naturally be another decent year full of power metal, but I decided I'd give a few new albums a chance instead of going over ones I've heard before.  However, of those, the major standout for me is Nightwish's Once, as that album was one of my favorites in my initial year as a metalhead.  The symphonic flourish of those songs was incredible, and convinced me to continue enjoying the genre.  Check out the playlist below for more highlights from the year.  As for this article, I admit I ended up just diving into some more power metal, but these were albums I've been wondering about for a while.  Let's get into it!

Twilightning - Plague-House Puppet Show

Speaking of my early metalhead years, I came across this band's debut album Delirium Veil and absolutely loved it.  Definitely inspired by fellow Finns Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica (with a bit of Europe for good measure), they took a much more synth-heavy approach to power metal and spiced it up with some interesting prog elements, like mixed-meter sections.  I thought it was novel at the time, but I never followed up on their later albums.  Fortunately, this article gives me the opportunity to check out their sophomore effort.

While much remains the same, the songwriting has taken a shift towards more of an 80s pop metal sound, much like what Edguy was doing in the later 2000s.  The proggy elements have also disappeared for some pretty straight forward songs.  However, what worked before still works here.  Ville Wallenius and Tommi Sartanen have tons of incredible fret work in both licks and solos, Mikko Naukkarinen is right there with them on the keys while also providing a solid synth ambience, Jussi Kainulainen and Juha Leskinen are solid enough as the rhythm section, and Heikki Pöyhiä belts out the lyrics with gusto.  If there is a problem, it's that most of the album kinda blends together more.  There are a few ballads to break things up, and they're not bad, but overall, this album mostly sticks to a rockin' feel outside of a few power metal-like sections.

I think I still like the first album more, as I think it's more ambitious and iconic.  While these songs aren't bad, the production is solid, and the album flows quite well, this just feels a bit lackluster compared to what came before.  I definitely liked the title track as an opener, "Fever Pitch" had a great build up in energy as the song went on, and the rest of the album is enjoyable enough.  I just wish there was more going on.

Dream Evil - The Book of Heavy Metal

So I've been listening to the title track of this album for years, but I haven't checked out the rest until now.  While I found their second album to be decent (though not as good as their first), I went into this third one with some high hopes.  For the most part, they've been met, as the band shifts into more of a traditional metal band with power metal moments.  

There are two main takeaways I have here.  First is that they really focused on having catchy hooks and riffs, making these songs really stick with you.  The second is the fact that Gus G. really goes hard on this album.  Sometimes, he's full of legato on the melodic solos, sometimes he's full speed shredding, and it's very front-and-center on this album.  However, the rest of the band is solid, as the band shifts from high-speed numbers, to anthemic pieces, to hard rock jams.  While "The Enemy" and "No Way" keep the power metal around, most of the album sticks to a mid-tempo groove of one kind or another.  Some of the songs like "Tired," "Unbreakable Chain," and "Only for the Night" make me think of Scorpions, actually, though that might be because vocalist Niklas Isfeldt reminds me of Klaus Meine sometimes.

I do wish there was more of the power metal from the first album, but the heavy metal and hard rock stuff is pretty fun.  The lyrics can be campy, so your mileage may vary with those, but overall, the album is never dull.  And that title track might be the best thing they've ever written.  Every time I put it on, you had better believe that I'm singing out the chorus as loud as I can!

Angra - Temple of Shadows

Yup, more Angra!  I promise this was the planned album for this article before I heard the band was going on hiatus, doing a quick tour of their homeland to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this album.  While the last album was a solid return to form with a new lineup, this one has them coming back with another concept album.  This one tells the story of an 11th century crusader being given a strange prophecy by a Jewish rabbi.  As events unfold, he finds himself questioning the teachings of his faith and finding the meaning of his life, while being given visions of the future.

The band is definitely going big with this one, really wearing their Dream Theater influences on their sleeve.  The album shifts between power metal triumph to somber acoustic ballads to technical riffing to jazzy songs like "Sprouts of Time."  "Spread Your Fire" is a firey opener (after the intro track), "Temple of Hate" gets neo-classical, while "Wishing Well" gets kinda folky and proggy, kinda like the Flower Kings. "Morning Star" really runs the gamut, going back and forth between heavy riffing and more somber, mysterious tones.  The lyrics themselves are mostly fine.  It feels a bit preachy here and there, but otherwise, they tell the story pretty well.  While it certainly is progressive metal, nothing feels confusing or jarring.  It's all well-arranged and performed, and the album flows well from song to song.

However, I don't know if I like it as much as their other albums.  I think this is one I will need to revisit a few times before I can really decide how I feel about it.  It has a lot of little bits I like, but the songs don't quite come together for me.  I guess maybe I went in thinking I'd get more power than prog, and this is definitely more on the prog side.  Still, it's undeniable Angra, maintaining an interesting balance between their influences while bringing in new ideas.