Well, the heat hasn't quite faded off yet, so I still have plenty of reasons to stay indoors and jam to some new albums (among the several other reasons/excuses I use). In any case, got a trio of some pretty solid stuff here: two power metal epics sandwiching a really fascinating collection of psychedelic rock. Here's what I've been listening to lately!
While I've been working my way through Blind Guardian's discography, I admit I'm pretty ignorant of what the band has been doing lately. However, based on remarks around the web, this album seems to be a return to the 90s albums, so maybe I'm listening to this at the right time!
Once again, the bards are here to tells a bunch of stories, drawing inspiration from the Witcher and Stormlight Archives to Battlestar Galactica and the origins of the universe. As for the music, they retain much of the foundation the band has established, focusing on interesting riffs, quirky song structures, layered arrangements, and Kürsch's iconic vocals. However, I will say that much of this album definitely feels darker than most of what I've heard from the band. There doesn't seem to be any of the folksy whimsy that gave their sound that extra dash of fantasy, instead focusing on darker, heavier themes and moods.
That's not to say the album is bad by any means. There's plenty of great guitar work here, especially with the aggressive riffing on "Violent Secrets," "Architects of Doom," and "Blood of the Elves." However, I was quite surprised by the atmospheric "Life Beyond the Spheres" and how dynamic it was. Overall, it's a solid album from Blind Guardian, but I do think I need to listen to it some more to really dig into everything that's here.
I admit that my knowledge of psychedelic rock is pretty limited, outside of classic Pink Floyd or bands that sound like them, of course. So reviewing this might be a little out of my expertise, but I won't grow if I don't try, right? In any case, this band is something of a successor to another band called Astra, which I admit I haven't gotten to either. However, when Birth's debut album started popping up in my circles, and I heard some of it, I knew I had to make it a priority to listen to it!
With those big Hammond organs, comparisons to Pink Floyd are pretty easy to make, but I feel like they have dashes of early Yes (circa The Yes Album), Emerson Lake & Palmer, and even Deep Purple in here. "Descending Us" made me think of "Child of Time" in particular. However, I don't think the band leans on their influences too much, instead seeing them as an inspiration for the layering, songwriting, and production of their songs. "Born" starts things well, with lively organ and guitar playing. "For Yesterday," the longest track on the album, is definitely a fascinating journey through all kinds of layers and musicality. The bassist Trevor Mast is also on point with some very catchy, jazzy grooves, notably on "Born" and "Cosmic Tears." This is a very nice, rich set of jams that don't feel any need to rush things.
This style of retro rock is definitely aiming for a specific audience, and there's a good chance that most of that crowd has already heard this and written their own reviews. I think what sets this album apart from some of the others (like, say, Seven Planets or Monkey3) is a greater emphasis on lush prog rock orchestrations, and they work very well, taking the listener on a wild but familiar journey. I can definitely imagine this music would be great to hear live as the band and the audience just kind of vibe together. If those Astra albums are anything like this, I've clearly been missing out!
I'm quickly realizing that Hammer King is a band that, like Sabaton or their weapon compatriots HammerFall, you know what you're getting when you start a new album. Once again we are in the realm of hammers and kings and the combination thereof, and while I really enjoyed their self-titled last album, I was hoping their next offering would be just as good. Unfortunately, despite some solid songs, Kingdemonium doesn't have quite same level of energy.
There's still plenty here to recommend, though. The lyrics are completely cheesy, but they're delivered with gusto by Titan Fox V, as always. The guitar tone is pretty solid, with plenty of leads and riffs, though I do think the solos are a little less interesting. However, the bass playing of Günt von Schratenau really comes out on this album, which is nice to hear. I quite liked "Pariah Is My Name," "Kingdemonium," and "Guardians of the Realm,' as I felt they retained much of what worked last time. Most of the other songs generally stay at a mid-tempo pace. They're not bad, but don't quite retain my attention as much. The closing epic "Age of Urizen" with its 12/8 gallop ends the album pretty well, though.
Saying "It's more of the same" often comes across as a criticism, but sometimes it can be a good thing, and Hammer King clearly have something worked out, as their style still feels very fun and fresh. It's also pretty consistent in quality, so fans of the band and of power metal in general will find plenty to like. However, Kingdemonium doesn't have the same momentum as last year's album, so I do feel a little bit let down, overall.
Despite having heard more than a handful of albums for 2022, I don't know if I've got a clear #1 contender yet. There's been a bunch of solid stuff though, so I expect my Top 5 is going to be tough again, this year. I suppose that's not a bad thing, though.
Coming up, I've got another Anniversary Series article for 2007, which will mainly be reviewing another group of albums, as I haven't listened to much from that year, and the 2012 article will be the same, I'm afraid. Still, plenty to look forward to. Until then, rock on! \m/
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