Finally, I feel like I'm catching up on things I wanted to listen to, actually getting to some albums that released this same month! While there are too many releases in a year to really listen to everything I want to, I feel like I've done well for 2020. Here's what I've played this time!
After enjoying many of the singles, I figured I had better squeeze in Kansas's latest effort before the end of the year. While I did enjoy their last album, The Prelude Implicit, I did feel if the members weren't feeling their age, as the album was a touch on the sluggish side. Here, they double-down the progressive side of their sound, now with Tom Brislin (Yes, Anderson/Stolt, The Sea Within) on the keyboards.
The result is an interesting album, featuring plenty of lush layers and noodly guitar and violin leads, and plenty of going back and forth between the instruments. The riffs felt particularly crunchy, and I do think they recaptured more of the classic sound this time around, though I also felt like there was a strong dose of Neal Morse in here as well with the very polished, uplifting prog rock style he's known for.
I liked most of it, with highlights being the title track and "Throwing Mountains," both of which show the band really going big and epic. "Propulsion 1" felt driven for a short instrumental, and "Animals on the Roof" is rather quirky. However, the proggiest track is the last one, "The Song the River Sang," as it starts off with this dramatic energy that builds up pretty well, before hitting a quieter section full of pokey notes that just loop in their own way. Very strange. Still, a fascinating album from a band with a long history of straddling the line between prog rock and hard rock.
If my previous remarks about how I enjoy both Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Twisted Sister's Christmas album, then it should be no surprise that I was pretty excited for this one. I mean, power metal telling a classic Christmas story? I couldn't wait!
And that's pretty much what they're going for: telling Dicken's A Christmas Carol with tons of double-kicking drums, symphonic theatrics, and high-speed riffing. Everything here has that extra layer of cheese that makes power metal so decisive. The extra twist they've done, though, is that they've worked in the melodies of several classic Christmas songs (or carols, if you will), ranging from "Deck the Halls," to "Joy to the World," making the album a bit more a delight than I expected.
For example, I did like the shifts in mood on "Ghost of Marley," and the interesting shift during "Ghost of Christmas to Come" from a kind of polka sound to an epic 6/8 section based on "Carol of the Bells" (one of my personal favorite carols). The story-telling does take center stage though, as is the nature of such a concept album, and as a consequence, I don't know if the songs really hold up as individual tracks. It may take a few more spins this season to really decide how I feel about it, but I'm glad this band took the time to do something that's pretty fun to listen to.
I can't believe they have another album out already. I was still digging the songs from their last one! Still, I'm not one to turn up my nose at more epic power metal, and Iron Savior seems to be a pretty consistent band at it.
If there are any differences from the last one, there's a bit more variety, as well as a few more symphonic touches, in my opinion. I wasn't sure if I heard them as much on Kill or Be Killed. Also, I don't think this on is as much of a concept album as their earlier ones, as they have all sorts of themes, from end of the world stuff, to werewolves, to a power ballad, to a song that's more fantasy (I guess even Iron Savior gets tired of military sci-fi!).
However, this doesn't mean there's any real deviation in style. It's still gritty, German-styled power metal, full of fist-pumping choruses, crunchy riffs, and Piet Sielck's iconic voice plowing through it all. I don't think this one is as strong as Kill or Be Killed overall, but there were a few standouts, such as "Skycrest" and "Hellbrearker" going epic in 6/8, the metal anthem "Raise the Flag," and the closer "Ode to the Brave." Despite only being familiar with their more recent stuff, I'm getting the impression that this band is a sure thing each time they come around.
This year's Top 5 is going to be very interesting, I must admit. I don't know if there's a real standout winner this time, like there was with Monkey3 in 2019. Still, 2020 was no slouch, and it will take some serious consideration to decide what was the best.
As for the rest of this year, I think I'll try to get in at least one more videos article before the end of the year. However, I'm already prepping for next year and the articles I have planned, which should be fun. Until then, rock on! \m/
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