Once again, I haven't been to active around here, as I admit I've been focused on other things lately. However, these Anniversary Articles are always priority, as I enjoy going back through the past. For this one, I actually did consider doing a regular article, as I probably had enough to talk about, but there were some albums I wanted to check out from this year, so I decided to focus on reviews again. Still, this is a great year for rock and metal, as you can see in the playlist below.
Well, this takes me back! Nearly five years ago, I stumbled across a song from this album, and was impressed by what I heard. While I didn't jump into them right away, once their next album came along, I fell right in love with it. Since then, I've reviewed both their first and their latest albums (as well as an EP), making this the last full-length album I need to hear to have heard them all, and it really feels like things have come full circle. As for the music, it's more bombastic power metal.
Honestly, these gals are very consistent. This album is just like their others, with plenty of energy and high-speed fretwork, each member performing admirably. As usual, they try a few things to break up the flow and keep things interesting. "Empty Daydream," "Mastermind 01," and "Journey to the Otherside" have a bit more of a rockin' vibe, with "Mastermind 01" being especially fun. Things get a little thrashy with "M.D.O." while "Epilogue" is a nice piano ballad that goes full symphonic metal towards the end. All of this is bookended by some very solid power metal, with "Rising" having some Helloween vibes, "The Final Collision" making me think of Stratovarius a little, and of course "Pledge to the Saviour" still being excellent, five years later.
I am hard-pressed to think of a new power metal band that's come out in the last 5-8 years that has impressed me as much as Lovebites have. Sure, new bands have shown up and given some good performances, but this Japanese band has been incredibly consistent, starting off with great shredding melodies and carrying on with their unique blend of power metal and J-pop. While I still think Electric Pentagram is their best, they certainly established an incredible foundation, one that will hopefully result in a long career with many more great albums to look forward to.
Gygax's first album of old-school tabletop RPG madness came out in 2016, and was a solid debut, featuring some very 70s metal, with some Thin Lizzy thrown in for good measure. However, I didn't follow up with their later releases so this article gives me a pretty good excuse to catch up them. Naturally, much like any campaign, they shake it up a little, but not too much.
While the first album was very much polished in a classic metal style, this album sticks much closer to the blues rock harmonies of the aforementioned Thin Lizzy. I also think there is a stronger "live" quality to the album's production, like they're recording the instruments simultaneously instead individually, and there is some count-ins and weird shouts in the background sometimes. Fans of blues rock will find plenty more licks to enjoy, I wonder if they might be turned off by the overt D&D-inspired lyrics. Even with "Pure Hearts," it takes what seems like a song about falling in love and fills it with references to spells and towers. They do shake up their sound with the nice instrumental "O'Ryant - Nocturne of Negligence" and some horns here and there, but otherwise, it's fantasy and blues-rock all the way through.
Ultimately, they're aiming for a very specific cross-section of old-school rockers and old-school tabletop gamers. Growing up both classic rock and my dad's 1st Edition D&D books, you'd think I'd fall right in. While it does have some fun little grooves, I generally prefer more escapism in my fantasy-driven music. The first album did that in a way, but this second album leans more into the fun vibes of their sound, leaving the fantasy to their (admittedly clever) lyrics. It's certainly not a bad album, as "Dice Throwers and Rock 'n' Rollers" starts things with a strong groove, "Song of the Silverhands" is fun a tribute to the Harpers from the Forgotten Realms setting, and "Second Wind" is a great energetic closer. It would just be hard to recommend to anyone who doesn't fall into the particular slice of nostalgia they're aiming for.
This is another band like Lovebites were I stumbled on them, liked them, but didn't immediately follow up, so I'm definitely taking the opportunity to get back into this band and their brand of epic heavy metal. Referencing all kinds of pop culture fantasy, they provide another slab of fist-pumping anthems.
While it may seem like much of the same as their debut, there are some differences. First is the production, as they've gone for a bit of a cleaner, crisper sound, making me think of Gygax or Tanith. This certainly allows for all the excellent guitar harmonies to stand out, but they've lost some of their "wall of sound" epicness as a result. The other thing is that these songs are a little more straight forward, without the transitions mid-song into a different mood or tone. That doesn't mean the songs are bad, but maybe not as story-driven or proggy as they were on the first album.
Still, this is some solid stuff. Jake Rogers's vocals sail excellently over everything, and he is often boosted by great harmonies. They also shake it up, really bringing the rockin' on "Salt City" and "Warrior Queen," while the epicness of "Traitor's Gate" is titanic, and "Hammerforged" certainly evokes elements of other hammer-themed metal bands I love. The title track wraps things up with another doomy epic with a great 6/8 gallop and plenty of guitar solos. While I don't know if this really surpasses The Revenant King, it certainly stands next to it with confidence.
And that's the last Anniversary Article for this year. Check the playlist below and if there is anything you think is missing, let me know in the comments. Until then, rock on! \m/
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