Asia - Astra
_front_cover.jpg)
So Astra. With Howe leaving, this album definitely doesn't carry as much of a prog vibe as the first two (though Alpha was already showing signs of streamlining). With Krokus guitarist Mandy Meyer filling in, the band is now fully embracing an arena rock sound, leaving behind the flourishes that made their debut so vibrant. The result is some pretty stereotypical 80s AOR.
That's not to say the album is bad. "Too Late" and "After the War" are the two closest in style to the earlier albums, "Go" is a great rocker, and "Rock and Roll Dream" shows some interesting dynamics with the help of a symphony orchestra. Geoff Downes' keyboards really take up a lot of space on the album, providing the songs his trademark richness in the tones and textures. It's also curious to hear a cameo of THX's Deep Note at the beginning of "Countdown to Zero."
Reading up on some of the background on the recording, it's clear that they were going for more pop radio success, and it shows. Songs are cleaner, bigger, but not necessarily stronger. I'm sure if I give it more time, I'll find more to like about it, but for now, it's just kinda okay.
After reviewing Sigh No More more than a year ago, I've finally come back to this band and their discography. Their first two albums were okay, definitely a part of the early transition out of 80s speed metal, but very few songs really stood out. Here, we see Gamma Ray starting to break out and try some things, on their way to their iconic power metal sound.
Still, there are a few quirks to shake out. A few songs, namely "No Return" and "18 Years" still have a strong Helloween sound, though I suppose that's just Kai Hansen at this point. "The Cave Principle" and " Heal Me" have strong progressive metal elements, with that latter song even showcasing a small mellow moment a la Pink Floyd, and a bit of theatrical touches towards the end. "Gamma Ray," despite being a cover, fits their sound to a T, with a very catchy chorus. "Last Before the Storm," however, is very much a glimpse into the future for this band and for power metal as a whole! It's easy to hear in this song the rest of German power metal that would be created in the decades to come.
As it would turn out, this is the last album with Ralf Scheepers, and it's obvious that he's really grown as a singer. We start to hear many of his iconic style that would become an integral part of his later band Primal Fear. His performance on "The Cave Principle" really showcases this. Otherwise, it's just okay as an album. Like I said, they seem to be in transition, shaking out the last of the 80s cliches and trying to identify what they should be in the 90s by exploring a few different ideas. I understand Land of the Free is when the band really takes off, and when I get around to it, I'll let you know!
Here's yet another band whose discography I have yet to really get into. I remember getting their first album, mostly from the momentum of wanting to follow up with the Creed guys after they broke up in 2004, and while I thought it was pretty good, very little of it stuck with me. However, after spending a large part of last year being blown away by their singles for this album, I finally decided to put it on and hear where Tremonti, Kennedy, Marshall, and Phillips are up to these days.
First of all, this album sounds just plain huge! Of course, the big riffs and crunchy guitars were not a surprise, but it's the subtle symphonic or synthy touches that really kick this one into a higher gear. And in between it all, there are little, intricate guitar parts that help the songs sound very rich and varied. Sometimes they turn up the crunch and sometimes they break out the acoustic guitar for something softer. However, it never feels inconsistent, mostly because the melodies and vocal lines tie everything together so well. In contrast, the lyrics are simple and very straight-forward, though they certainly aren't cliched. Miles Kennedy, however, sings them with such sincerity that it makes them so much more than just their word count. He really puts on a great performance here.
Of course, with this many songs, it would be difficult for everything to be at the same level of quality, and I do feel like the songs start to blend together after "Pay No Mind." Also, "Indoctrination" is a bit of a weirder one as it tries to go for something darker and more dramatic, but I don't know if it works all the way through. Nothing horrible, but a few road bumps in the album's flow.
Still, there was plenty to like, that's for sure, with the standout tracks being "In the Deep," "Take the Crown," "The Bitter End," and "Pay No Mind." Honestly, I feel a bit ashamed that I didn't get to this one sooner (though it certainly would have made my Top 5 of 2019 much harder!). It's great to hear the band still providing triumphant epics in a genre that often doesn't have them. Really solid stuff.
As you can see, my article output has really stayed consistent so far this year, and I admit I'm pretty pleased! Things may change in the future, but for now, I'd like to keep at this pace for as long as I can. There certainly isn't a shortage of great material to cover, that's for sure!
Until then, rock on! \m/
No comments:
Post a Comment