New Videos - August 2021 Part Two!

Sorry for the delay on this one, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for the last article of August.  Eventually, this one won out, mostly by the fact that it got done first.  In any case, there's plenty to check out, mostly power metal.  Turn it up!

I'm always surprised by how many new bands just keep coming out with new stuff, but I guess these guys have been kicking around Sweden for more than a few years, now.  I don't know if having those pulsing bass synths is normal, but it does push this metal track to the next level of epic, sitting next to the likes of Beast in Black and Primal Fear in style.

While the band is doing some more cross-promotion with a video game, I can't deny Sabaton can still put out fun stuff.  Going back to their well-tread ground of tanks (get it?), they offer another catchy, upbeat stomper.  I kinda wish the music wasn't drowned out by the explosions and tankfire, though.

Speaking of reliable bands, Eclipse keeps bringing the rock!  They seem to have really mastered writing these massive, anthemic, upbeat rockers (this time with a little Beethoven).  Their last album had a bunch of them, and it seems this next one won't be any different.  Incredible stuff.

Rage is another band that's a gap for me.  These German metallers have been going since the 80s, and are often cited for being a part of the early shift into power metal.  However, here, we have something that's more like melodic thrash, making me think of bands like Metal Church and Savage Messiah.  Huge, crunchy riffs, and plenty of energy prove that the band leader Peavy hasn't slowed down.

Hey, remember these guys?  I still never got around to their debut album, but this new video they threw together serves as a good reminder for me to get back to them.  Full of neo-classical energy a la Stratovarius, these guys had some great power metal chops.

Metalium has actually been broken up for nearly 10 years now, but when their founded and bassist Lars Ratz passed away, the remaining members got together to write this song in tribute to him.  To be expected, it's a pretty solid power metal track that balances the crunch with the epic.  I know I'd like to hear them come back, but for now, this is a nice tribute to one of the underdogs of metal.

Last Played - August 2021!

Hey, it's time for some more album reviews!  I'm trying to get back to writing shorter ones, but we'll see how long that lasts.  At least I had room to squeeze four into this one so expect some good variety!  Here's what I've heard recently:

Electric Light Orchestra - Zoom

Probably not an obvious choice for this blog, what with all the hard rock and heavy metal, but ELO's Out of the Blue is very much a part of my childhood.  Lately, I had been thinking about the Zoom album, partially because I'm doing the 2001 Anniversary article this month, but also because I had actually heard this album before.  My dad picked it up when it came out, and I remember listening to it and liking it, but all this time later, I realized that I remembered nothing about it.  So I put it on to see if I recognized anything, but it might as well have been my first time, as nothing sounded familiar.

Still, what we have is some pretty decent pop/rock songs.  While it doesn't have the dynamic orchestrations all the way through like OotB did, we still have Jeff Lynne's iconic vocal harmonies, and some of the spacy synths and vocoders. Jeff Lynne pretty much does most of everything himself on this one, though he does bring in a few guests, including a few former Beatles.  As a result, it has a lot of ELO's hallmarks, but in a more streamlined version.  The songs are quite short, but don't feel like they're missing anything, resulting in an album that just goes down smoothly.  There are some interesting riffs and licks, but it mostly just coasts along with a lot of mid-tempo grooves.  "Alright" is a decent opener, and "In My Own Time" brings some of the orchestrations back, supporting a nice, moody, bluesy 6/8 swing of a ballad.  The production also deserves a mention, at it really retains a lot of the classic 70s vibe, which only solidifies the classic feeling of these songs.  Overall, it's a nice listen, but mostly goes in one ear and out the other.

Seven Planets - Flight of the Ostrich

I was feeling ill one evening, so I wanted something I could just kinda space out to, and remembered I had come across this band on YouTube and decided to give their first album a spin.  Very much in the vein of desert rock, this is some seriously groovy stuff, expanding blues rock riffs with jazzy interludes and licks.  It's also rather short, but that's probably not a bad thing here.

I've talked before about how instrumental albums can sometimes be a struggle, as the meanderings can make it hard to focus.  However, the point of this stuff is to meander, but it doesn't really waste time, either.  The band builds solid dynamics up and down the intensity chart without taking a lot of time between these shifts, and they sound tight all the way through.  The guitars get some tasty licks in, and the rhythm section is on point, with the drummer getting plenty of opportunities for exciting fills.  Overall, they know how to balance each track between the song itself and their improvisations.  Of course, with something like this, there really isn't a track that stands out, as it's meant to be more of a "put it on and tune out" kind of thing, and I have to admit, this flows quite well.  It definitely feels like a jam session between Led Zeppelin and ZZ Top, making it a solid listen.

Herman Frank - Two For A Lie

After Herman Frank's last album Fight the Fear was such a solid slab of traditional metal, I knew I had to give his follow up my attention.  However, the singles had left me a little lukewarm, so I started this album with a bit of trepidation.  Fortunately, he's kept his straight-forward metal approach without any real deviation, with plenty of crunchy riffs and noodly solos, providing plenty of headbang-worth material.

However, I do things are a little darker and grittier this time around, especially with the lyrics.  Still, Rick Altzi remains a great vocalist for this kind of material, having the right mix of grit and grandiosity.  If there is a problem, it's that none of the tracks really stood out.  While they're all generally solid and driven, it didn't have anything like the anthemic "Hail and Row" or the speedy freedom of "Wings of Destiny."  That being said, it's also a short album, so it's not like there's any filler either.  Just consistent metal, all the way through.  Fans of classic metal will find plenty to like, but this does feel like a bit of a step down for me.

Queen - Sheer Heart Attack

After listening to their first two albums back in 2019, I've gotten back to my journey through Queen's albums by listening to their third one.  This is definitely a jump in quality, I think, as the material is stronger overall.

Of course, there are a couple of classics.  "Killer Queen" remains a staple of Queen's sound, full of vocal and guitar harmonies so tight that they sparkle.  And then there's "Stone Cold Crazy," a high speed shredder that seems that feels like metal before metal.  It really is fascinating to hear something like this being recorded that far back.  It must have mind-blowing to hear something so aggressive back then. 

There are a few other good tracks as well.  "Brighton Rock" is a narrative song that lets Brian May get all kind of bluesy licks, and features a section of May on a delay pedal soloing around, as if he's doing a duet with himself.  "Flick of the Wrist," despite being part of a medley on the album, stands out with its thumping chorus.  And then there's "Now I'm Here," a live highlight using some illusions to make it seem like Freddie Mercury is in multiple places at once, but the song itself is some solid glam rock.

However, the back half of the album really struggles, but certainly not for a lack of trying.  Bouncing between all the piano ballads, honky tonk, moody acoustic numbers, and other threatics, it's very eclectic, and Queen is nothing if not confident.  I don't know if any other band could have pulled these off without coming across as insincere.  However, these songs aren't as memorable or consistent in quality as the well-known classics from the album.

Still, I do agree with other critics that this is where the band really comes into their own.  While the earlier albums showed a lot of promise of where the band was going, here on Sheer Heart Attack, they've finally arrived.  Finding that right mix of hard rock and pop theatrics, Queen would really pick up from here, turning them into an arena filler for the rest of the decade.  Certainly a classic album for all the right reasons.

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Well, there's all that squared away.  I know I need to catch up on newer releases, as I know there are just going to be more of them before the year ends.  I'm hoping these shorter reviews will help me cover them in an more timely manner.  Still, it's fun to go back through some older stuff, especially the classics.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 2001!

The middle of the month means another anniversary article!  Once again, I'll mostly be relying one what I've listened to instead of being a comprehensive look at the year.  Fortunately, I have a lot for 2001, so let's get into it!

Once again, power metal comes up big, with some great albums from bands that would go on to do big things.  Let's start with Kamelot and their album Karma, which is a great follow up to their previous album, pushing the band to even bigger heights with songs like "Forever," "Wings of Despair," and the title track.  They even start to push their concept-based songwriting with a three part epic called "Elizabeth."

Speaking of storytelling, 2001 would give us the debut of Tobias Sammet's Avantasia with The Metal Opera.  While only having the first part of the story, it would kick start a run of albums telling all kinds of stories over the years, and their first is an excellent one, featuring tracks like "Breaking Away" and "The Glory of Rome."  We'd also get great power metal from Edguy's Mandrake (highlights include "Tears of the Mandrake," "Golden Dawn" and "Nailed to the Wheel) and from Sonata Arctica's Silence (which has "Weballergy" and "Wolf & Raven").  Just a great year for power metal.

The other big genre would be post-grunge, with two of its biggest acts releasing big albums.  Creed provided Weathered, and album that I think brings their gritting side with their radio-friendly side together very well, something I covered in that retrospective I wrote earlier this year.  The other big release came from Nickelback, with their breakout album Silver Side Up, which provided big hits like "How You Remind Me" and "Too Bad," though I think their deeper cut "Money Bought" is just as good.  Another kind of big album was the debut of Andrew W.K., I Get Wet, ensuring that Parties would always be Hard from then on.

Finally, I just want to bring up Yes's Magnification.  It's an interesting album because instead of having a keyboardist (as is standard for the band), they went with a full-on orchestra.  The songs have some fascinating variety, and it's probably the closest they have come to recapturing the majesty of their 70s material.

So that's 2001.  Kind of dedicated to some specific genres, but it's what I'm familiar with from this year, and definitely worth checking out.  As always, if there's something I've missed let me know.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - August 2021!

This summer hasn't relented, with the heat and the smoke making things miserable.  Lets see if we can blow it all away with some epic metal!

So many new albums to listen to, and this one is near the top of the list.  Dee Snider's solo career has really turned into something nice and crunchy.  Also, a cat gets rescued, which is nice.  Seriously, though, Dee's voice is as powerful as ever, and it's great to hear him bellow it out over heavy riffs like this.

Speaking of albums I need to listen to!  In the meantime, enjoy this mid-tempo rocker from these power metal giants.  They're definitely having fun with this one, going the "Rock 'n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" theme, and I can't disagree with that!  This is a solid track, for sure!

More Italian Prog Metal!  This one really has a lot in it, despite being just under six minutes.  With the syncopated groove, wild synth runs, and tonal shifts, this is a kind of mini epic.  Kind of a lot to process, but none of it feels disjointed, as it flows pretty well.  

Another great piece of melodic thrash from this classic band.  I clearly need to catch up with these guys if they consistently sound this good.  Nice, crushing riffs, solid vocals, and even some dynamics with a softer section in the middle that then builds back to the thrashing!

Well this is a little different.  After a moody intro, it kicks into gear somewhere between Painkiller-era Priest and Paragon.  The singer has a nice grit to his voice, and the guitars have some nice, noodly leads, all driven by some serious double-kicking rhythms!

Let's finish with something epic!  And Finnish!  Antti Martikainen started off doing cinematic music, like Two Steps from Hell.  However in 2017, he picked up some guitars and released Northern Steel, nearly two hours of epic instrumental folk metal.  I guess he has done a few more albums since then, including this one, which falls more into symphonic power metal territory, but is no less epic!