New Releases - September 2024!

It's been a while!  I still kinda catching up on things, but I've worked out a plan that should get me back on track before the end of the year.  And for once, I'm not reviewing any metal!  All three of these albums are ones I have been looking forward to, each for their own reasons, but it is nice to see some older styles still be represented by artists both old and young.  Let's get this prog rock article started!

David Gilmour - Luck and Strange

So we finally have the latest from this guitar legend.  There's been some talk from him about maybe moving beyond Pink Floyd, and getting a producer who has no interesting in respecting Gilmour's past.  However, I don't think he can really escape it, especially with an album like this.  Once again, David takes us through another bluesy journey, this time with an emphasis on themes of aging and mortality.

Those looking for Pink Floyd vibes will certainly find them here and there.  The title track, which features a recording from Rick Wright as a basis, feels like it could have come off of Division Bell, and "Scattered" references some of the band's 70s ideas, including a heart beat and that reverby piano from "Echoes."  As for the rest, the album tends to drift between his last two.  "The Piper's Call," "Sings" and "Yes, I Have Ghosts" feel like a folky variation on the songs fom On An Island, while some of the darkness of Rattle That Lock shows up on "A Single Spark" and "Dark and Velvet Nights."  The latter one actually gets pretty funky.  If there's one that maybe feels like an odd duck out, it's "Between Two Points," which is sung by David's daughter Romany.  It's an interesting song, but the production feels much more modern, like a contemporary pop song.  I didn't mind it, but folks who like their Gilmour material to feel classic may find it jarring.

Of course, Gilmour hasn't lost a step in his guitar work.  He still has his tasty licks and legato-style solos, so fans will get their fill for sure.  However, I feel like this album was more focused on the song-writing than the solos, and I think it makes the album feel a little more whole.  I don't know if I can really compare it to his other albums too well; I'd have to really dig in deep to compare.  However, on it's own, it's a solid album that shows how well Gilmour is aging, despite what the lyrics might imply.

Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks - True

So the story goes that the Band Geeks were just a cover band who happened to include a lot of Yes covers.  When Jon Anderson joined up with them, fans were talking about how good they were at playing classic Yes stuff.  Then they announced an album, and despite that pretty terrible cover art, they did end up recording something that sounds like classic Yes.

While Jon Anderson's singing and lyrics give this a heavy Yes-like tone, I do wonder if maybe the rest of the band is trying a little too hard to be like Yes from multiple eras.  Obviously, there's some classic Yes stuff, mostly Tales of Topographic Oceans or Going For the One, but there elements of their 80s pop sound, especially on "Shine On," and even some symphonic flourishes making me think of Magnification.  The Band Geeks are due a lot of credit, as they're playing is definitely spot on.  They are eager to sound like the classic members of Yes, with keyboard runs like Wakeman, basslines like Squire, and guitar solos like Howe.  

I guess my main concern is whether this stands on its own as good music or if it's just reminding me of music I already love.  I know I struggled with Arc of Life's two albums, to say nothing of what Yes has been doing lately, for the same problem.  However, I can't deny that Jon and the Geeks have worked out the kinks and made something that really clicks with me here and there.  "Shine On" has a lot of good energy on it, "Build Me an Ocean" sounds like it comes from The Living Tree, and the 16-minute epic "Once Upon a Dream" sounds like a sequel to "Awaken."  I get the feeling that if I listen to this more, I'll start to come around on it, but for now, it's a solid collection of tracks that fans of classic prog will probably enjoy.

Monkey3 - Welcome to the Machine

After loving their last album so much that it was my album of the year for 2019 (and checking out their first), I was pretty excited to hear they had a new one in the works.  However, this came out back in February.  I didn't plan to set it aside for so long, but life happens.  In any case, I'm finally catching up.  Despite the five year gap, these guys haven't lost a step.

As if the title wasn't obvious, these guys have a very Pink Floyd influenced sound, mixing in elements of post-rock, stoner rock, and even some crushing, Tool-like segments.   However, they are able to weave this together so that it all flows really well.  Their tone remains intact, drifting between mysterious and uplifting as the songs build and breakdown.  There is a stronger mechanical feel in the songs (matching the title), but it's only sprinkled in here and there, adding another layer to their iconic wall of sound.  Another factor I love about this band is, while they are experts at creating a solid spacey atmosphere, they aren't afraid to jam it out for a bit, freeing up the band to let the guitars go wild for a while.  Playing this stuff live must feel liberating.

I'm not going to lie: this is a Top 5 contender for the year.  "Ignition" gets things started perfectly, "Collision" is a solid follow up with the mechanical bits, "Kali Yuga" dips pretty deep into their atmospheric side, "Rackman" builds up really well, and "Collapse" is a good closer with a lot of fun Pink Floyd references and excellent transitions and dynamics.  I don't know if it's quite as good as Sphere, but it's very close, and certainly a standout album for 2024.

Anniversary Series - 2004!

Yeah, this one is about a week and a half late, but better late than never!  2004 would naturally be another decent year full of power metal, but I decided I'd give a few new albums a chance instead of going over ones I've heard before.  However, of those, the major standout for me is Nightwish's Once, as that album was one of my favorites in my initial year as a metalhead.  The symphonic flourish of those songs was incredible, and convinced me to continue enjoying the genre.  Check out the playlist below for more highlights from the year.  As for this article, I admit I ended up just diving into some more power metal, but these were albums I've been wondering about for a while.  Let's get into it!

Twilightning - Plague-House Puppet Show

Speaking of my early metalhead years, I came across this band's debut album Delirium Veil and absolutely loved it.  Definitely inspired by fellow Finns Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica (with a bit of Europe for good measure), they took a much more synth-heavy approach to power metal and spiced it up with some interesting prog elements, like mixed-meter sections.  I thought it was novel at the time, but I never followed up on their later albums.  Fortunately, this article gives me the opportunity to check out their sophomore effort.

While much remains the same, the songwriting has taken a shift towards more of an 80s pop metal sound, much like what Edguy was doing in the later 2000s.  The proggy elements have also disappeared for some pretty straight forward songs.  However, what worked before still works here.  Ville Wallenius and Tommi Sartanen have tons of incredible fret work in both licks and solos, Mikko Naukkarinen is right there with them on the keys while also providing a solid synth ambience, Jussi Kainulainen and Juha Leskinen are solid enough as the rhythm section, and Heikki Pöyhiä belts out the lyrics with gusto.  If there is a problem, it's that most of the album kinda blends together more.  There are a few ballads to break things up, and they're not bad, but overall, this album mostly sticks to a rockin' feel outside of a few power metal-like sections.

I think I still like the first album more, as I think it's more ambitious and iconic.  While these songs aren't bad, the production is solid, and the album flows quite well, this just feels a bit lackluster compared to what came before.  I definitely liked the title track as an opener, "Fever Pitch" had a great build up in energy as the song went on, and the rest of the album is enjoyable enough.  I just wish there was more going on.

Dream Evil - The Book of Heavy Metal

So I've been listening to the title track of this album for years, but I haven't checked out the rest until now.  While I found their second album to be decent (though not as good as their first), I went into this third one with some high hopes.  For the most part, they've been met, as the band shifts into more of a traditional metal band with power metal moments.  

There are two main takeaways I have here.  First is that they really focused on having catchy hooks and riffs, making these songs really stick with you.  The second is the fact that Gus G. really goes hard on this album.  Sometimes, he's full of legato on the melodic solos, sometimes he's full speed shredding, and it's very front-and-center on this album.  However, the rest of the band is solid, as the band shifts from high-speed numbers, to anthemic pieces, to hard rock jams.  While "The Enemy" and "No Way" keep the power metal around, most of the album sticks to a mid-tempo groove of one kind or another.  Some of the songs like "Tired," "Unbreakable Chain," and "Only for the Night" make me think of Scorpions, actually, though that might be because vocalist Niklas Isfeldt reminds me of Klaus Meine sometimes.

I do wish there was more of the power metal from the first album, but the heavy metal and hard rock stuff is pretty fun.  The lyrics can be campy, so your mileage may vary with those, but overall, the album is never dull.  And that title track might be the best thing they've ever written.  Every time I put it on, you had better believe that I'm singing out the chorus as loud as I can!

Angra - Temple of Shadows

Yup, more Angra!  I promise this was the planned album for this article before I heard the band was going on hiatus, doing a quick tour of their homeland to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this album.  While the last album was a solid return to form with a new lineup, this one has them coming back with another concept album.  This one tells the story of an 11th century crusader being given a strange prophecy by a Jewish rabbi.  As events unfold, he finds himself questioning the teachings of his faith and finding the meaning of his life, while being given visions of the future.

The band is definitely going big with this one, really wearing their Dream Theater influences on their sleeve.  The album shifts between power metal triumph to somber acoustic ballads to technical riffing to jazzy songs like "Sprouts of Time."  "Spread Your Fire" is a firey opener (after the intro track), "Temple of Hate" gets neo-classical, while "Wishing Well" gets kinda folky and proggy, kinda like the Flower Kings. "Morning Star" really runs the gamut, going back and forth between heavy riffing and more somber, mysterious tones.  The lyrics themselves are mostly fine.  It feels a bit preachy here and there, but otherwise, they tell the story pretty well.  While it certainly is progressive metal, nothing feels confusing or jarring.  It's all well-arranged and performed, and the album flows well from song to song.

However, I don't know if I like it as much as their other albums.  I think this is one I will need to revisit a few times before I can really decide how I feel about it.  It has a lot of little bits I like, but the songs don't quite come together for me.  I guess maybe I went in thinking I'd get more power than prog, and this is definitely more on the prog side.  Still, it's undeniable Angra, maintaining an interesting balance between their influences while bringing in new ideas.

Retro Reviews - August 2024!

Wow, where did the time go?  I was on a good schedule and then fell behind somehow!  I'll work on getting back on track, but I will admit that the next Anniversary Article is gonna be late as well because that's going to be another stack of reviews.  I'll keep trucking along, but for now, here's what I've been checking out lately.

David Gilmour - Rattle That Lock

With a new album coming out next month, I figured I should catch up on this legendary guitarist's solo discography.  I've already reviewed his first three albums, so this is the last one left.  While On An Island was very chill and pastoral, Rattle That Lock goes for a darker tone.

While we're not in Pink Floyd territory (though bits will feel that way with his guitar solos and some of the layering of strings and synths), this definitely feels like a more personal darkness.  The songs end up feeling a bit long with all these slow tempos, but if you can get into the somber headspace it's creating, the time flies pretty quickly.  Gilmour's solos are still beautiful, emotional, and majestic, but his voice sounds a little rougher this time around, but he makes it work.  The songwriting is interesting as well, leaning often into cinematic ambience and some jazzy sections here and there.

The album also flows well, but the songs shake things up here and there.  I did connect with some of the emotions on "In Any Tongue," and I felt that "A Boat Lies Waiting" is the closest to his previous album.  "Dancing Right In Front of Me," gave me some Dire Straits vibe, and the instrumental "Beauty" starts of pretty ambient before getting into some Pink Floyd territory, and I liked both halves.  "Today" was a jarring shift, going from a church hymn to this 80s alt pop thing.  It made me think it should have been on About Face instead of this album, given how upbeat it was.  Overall, I enjoyed a lot of this, and might considering it my favorite of his solo stuff (though I'd have to listen to the others more to really say).  It's a shame I didn't listen to this when it came out, as I did know about it, but I guess hearing it now means I get to share my thoughts with you here, for what they're worth.  Anyway, I certainly recommend this one as I think it's very accessible and easy to get into.

Iron Savior - Interlude

As I continue my quest through Iron Savior's discography, I'm a little baffled that this is considered an EP when it's over 50 minutes long.  Sure, half of it is live stuff, but it's really pushing the limits of "extended."  Then again, Sonata Arctica sorta did that with Successor, so maybe there's precedent.  In any case, this release carries on the story of the Atlantean super-computer with another chunk of power metal.

The live stuff is good enough.  Performances are tight, and there is a bit of stage banter in German with a crowd excited to be there.  The new tracks seem to lean more toward traditional metal, and capping it off with a Judas Priest cover really cements it.  The production seems a little weird, like the bass has been turned up, but without consideration of how it affects everything else.  However, that's just a nitpick for what is a handful of decent tracks.  "Controtions of Time" has some interesting gritty riffing and "The Hatchet of War" feels very Gamma Ray (though with Kai still on board, that's not a surprise).  I don't know if this is really a substantial release, but as an Interlude, it provides a solid collection of songs before the next chapter of the saga.

Angra - Rebirth

While I found their third album underwhelming, the band went through a pretty big change after recording it.  The vocalist, drummer, and bassist all left, so guitarists Loureiro and Bittencourt had to pull together a new band, thus the album title Rebirth.  As far as I could tell, it's not a concept album, but it's still a solid set of progressive power metal songs.

The balance of Helloween and Dream Theater continues on, but some synthisized strings give them a touch of Rhapsody of Fire, provided by Günter Werno on loan from Vanden Plas for this album.  He even gets a few noodly solos along with the guitars.  New singer Edu Falaschi feels like a cross between James LaBrie and Fabio Lione, so he fits in pretty easily.  Aquiles Priester and Felipe Andreoli are the new drummer and bassist, and they keep pace pretty well, while still squeezing in a few tribal beats for some of the more groovy sections.  The songs themselves are an interesting blend of ideas, going from soft to hard, slow to fast, sometimes even within the songs.  For what it's worth, I'm not saying that Angra is a copy-cat; they definitely have their own sound, and it's pretty iconic.

This album just seems to take the best of what worked before and polish it with more modern production for the time.  I remember hearing "Nova Era" a long time ago, and it's still a great power metal track, while "Running Alone" is an interesting blend of power and prog.  The rest is solid, though maybe a bit ballady at times.  They're not bad, but the energy does kinda go up and down across the album, ending on a piece of Chopin that sorta feels like the album deflating.  Overall, there's a lot to like, though, as it's pretty similar to Holy Land, and about as good.

New Releases - August 2024!

Time to get back on track with some new releases.  I've got another trio of power metal albums, featuring some pretty big bands.  I promise I'll get to other genres as the year goes one, but these took priority for the summer, so here we are.  Raise your hammers, cast your spells, face all comers, and check out these reviews!

HammerFall - Avenge the Fallen

I have admit that doing the Retrospective article got me pretty hyped to hear the new album.  While I do think the band has changed, I do like their newer albums quite a bit.  They always provide a good, epic, fun time, and Avenge the Fallen is no different.  It may seem like more of the same, but there is something to be said for consistency.

Things start off well with the title track, with gang vocals on the chorus.  In fact, this whole album has a lot more gang vocals this time around.  I'm sure fans will be singing those parts when they play these songs live.  The album carries on well enough, with "The End Justifies" starting with some riffing that wouldn't be out of place on some of their first albums, before going to a spacy section that shifts into a different chorus-like part.  I also liked "Hail to the King," with it's slow, 6/8 groove, and both "Burn It Down" and "Capture the Dream" had some interesting ideas.  The ballad "Hope Springs Eternal" isn't the worst, though it does overstay it's welcome a bit, things get understandably dark with "Rise of Evil," and the closer "Time Immemorial" has a bit of an odd style, chugging under the verse, but dropping to a somber tone for the chorus.

Perhaps a bit of a mixed bag, but honestly it's pretty solid all the way through.  None of the songs feel particularly terrible (even the ballad), and their fans have plenty of more anthems to shout to.  I'm not immediately sure how it compares to their other recent albums; I'll probably have to listen to this one a few times to really decide.  However, I'd say they met my expectations pretty well, making another solid chunk of heavy/power metal.

Rhapsody of Fire - Challenge the Wind

The Nephilim's Empire Saga continues as Kreel learns more about his origin and faces a new rival known as the Black Wizard!  Rhapsody of Fire carries on with their majestic style of symphonic power metal, for better or worse.

To be honest, I really struggle to review this band.  I know I have a few times before, but it honestly ends up being a lot of the same: great orchestrations, bombastic style, noodly guitar solos, fantasy lyrics.  And it's still good, but I really struggle to feel invested in what they're doing.  For what it's worth, they do have a bit of a change-up, adding in some raspy black metal vocals, which I think are done by singer Giacomo Voli (there are no other vocal credits, so I think he's doing both).  Still, it only feels like another layer within the bombast.  Even their storytelling feels lackluster, often taking too long to get to where they're going.  They even have a 16-minute song in the middle called "Vanquished by Shadows," that could have been cut in half, as it has a lot of repeating sections.  And then they repeat them again for "Mastered by the Dark."  It's like they just cut out a section of the long song, made it a new track, and called it a day.  

That's not to say I hate what's going on.  There are some good moments.  I liked "Kreel's Magic Staff," and "A Brave New Hope," even if they did have some jarring time-signature shifts, and "Diamond Claws" brought back some folky elements.  Otherwise, I feel like the album just kinds goes in one ear and out the other.  I know Rhapsody of Fire are a pillar in the world of power metal, but I just can't seem to click with them, and their latest album is no different.

New Horizon - Conquerors

After loving their debut album so much that it was my #1 album two years ago, I was very excited to hear what these guys from H.E.A.T. have to offer for their sophomore effort.  I enjoyed their blend of Gamma Ray style power metal and AOR, but they've definitely picked up more symphonic elements, wandering towards the likes of Dragonland, and Twilight Force.

Another major shift is with the lyrics, pulling a page from Saxon's old worn playbook by focusing on a bunch of historical topics for this album instead of typical topics fantasy and triumph (squeezing in Iron Maiden's "Alexander the Great" for good measure).  As a result, the songs feel like history lessons based on quickly reading the associated Wikipedia pages, which has mixed results.  Still, all the shiny production and tight performances are back, and Nils Molin sings his guts out, sounding great.  There are more synths this time around, but they're just another layer among all the orchestrations going on here.  It's solid stuff, but compared to the first album, it does come across as an awkward turn.

I don't necessarily want to be down on a band who wants to expand to new horizons (pun intended), but this album was not an immediate hit like their first one was.  I liked the great opener "Against All Odds," the Kamelot vibes on "Messenger of the Stars," the heavy AOR crunch on "Edge of Insanity," and there's plenty of story-telling here, but I think I need to listen to this one a few more times to really decide how I feel about it.

Anniversary Series - 1999!

This article should be better than the last one, even if it means I gush about power metal most of the time, but it was great year for that genre.  After HammerFall had opened the gates, tons of new bands got signed, making it a ripe year for fans of the style.  However, I promise I'll talk a little bit about other genres, and we'll kick things off with some hard rock.

The big album of the year was definitely Creed's Human Clay.  Between the Matrix cameras in the music video and the anthemic post-grunge sound, this was when Creed cracked into the mainstream and became a big name.  I remember hearing "Higher" on the radio and thinking I needed more of this band.  I ended up loving them so much, they ended up being my first band retrospective article three years ago (the fact that they had such a small discography certainly helped as well.)

Other rock highlights include a few bands coming back in one form or another.  Def Leppard got back to their classic sound with Euphoria, Styx tried to make another concept album for Brave New World, and Santana teamed-up with Rob Thomas to give us "Smooth."  Classic rock might not have been the charting success it once was, but they still had plenty of good ideas and fun music.

I've delayed it long enough, though.  Power metal was really strong this year, with plenty of options to pick up.  Primal Fear came back with Jaws of Death, Gamma Ray and Iron Savior carried on their space crusade (which I reviewed earlier this month), Kamelot went into their Fourth Legacy now with epic vocalist Roy Khan helping with the songwriting, Edguy criticized the Theater of Salvation., and Helloween pulled out a Metal Jukebox for some interesting covers.

There were some solid debuts.  Freedom Call started their happy style of metal with Stairway to Fairyland, Metalium rang in the year with Millennium Metal, and Sonata Arctica blew everyone away with their debut Ecliptica.  With magnificent songs like "Kingdom for a Heart" and "Unopened," it was clear they were poised to become a champion of the second wave of power metal.

Of course, prog was making good stuff as well.  Dream Theater would reach a creative peak with their psychodrama Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, Alan Parsons would check out The Time Machine, and Yes would blow my teenage mind away with The Ladder.  I've gushed about this album before.  Despite being 25 years old now, I still sing along to every word and note and beat whenever I put it on.  Honestly a modern prog rock masterpiece in my opinion.

So there's my thoughts on a pretty dang good year of rock and metal.  As always, check out the playlist below for more, recommend what I missed in the comments, and try to stay cool out there!  August is looking to be a hot and busy month for me, as I have a lot of album reviews planned, so keep an eye out for those.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Retro Reviews - July 2024!

I know I've complained about the heat of summer in years past on the blog, but this summer seems to be especially brutal.  Fortunately, I've been staying in doors and listening to music.  Once again, I've got some Anniversary Article inspired reviews.  After this month, though, I want to get back to listening to some new stuff.  In the meantime, here's what I've been listening to lately!

Asia - Aria

Continuing my journey through Asia's discography, this album is full-on AOR.  While they've always had it as a part of their sound, it had been increasing since Astra, and has reached full transition for Aria.  I'm not surprised, really, but it does mean I need to shift my analysis and comparisons.  As it is, it's a nice album of soft rock with lush layering, but doesn't really aspire to be much more that.

Most of what was good about their last album, Aqua, carries over to here, mainly the nice melodic phrasing and broad production.  The biggest shift is the lyrical focus on relationships and emotions, making them feel more like a typical melodic rock band.  While the production is very 90s, the songwriting and synths definitely reach back to the 80s.  As for the performances, they're fine.  John Payne is a solid singer for this kind of material, Michael Sturgis holds down the rhythm well enough, and Al Pitrelli gives some nice melodic solos (though he would leave after this album to join Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra).  Honestly, if it weren't for Geoff Downes' banks of synthesizers (which sound great, by the way), it wouldn't feel like Asia at all.

There are a few interesting flourishes.  "Don't Cut the Wire (Brother)" has a decent shift from cinematic storytelling to anthemic rocking, and "Feels Like Love" also has a mid-song transition to a bigger cinematic sound.  In fact the whole album feels like songs that wouldn't feel out of place in some 80s movie.  As for the more standard rock songs, "Are You Big Enough" has a catchy chorus with tons of reverb on the vocals and "Military Man" probably has the strongest classic Asia sound.  In the end, it's not a bad album, but certainly a far cry from their first two in terms of songwriting and scale (though that may just be my nostalgia talking).

Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory

I can't believe it's been two years since I last reviewed a Dream Theater album.  While they've ever really blown me away, they certainly are a fascinating band, eager to push into prog metal when both prog and metal had fallen out of the mainstream for good.  This album brings in Jordan Rudess on the keys, and it's their first concept album, picking up from where Part 1 left off from Images and Words.

The story is kind of convoluted, focusing on a man named Nicholas who has been haunted by past.  Trying to make sense of them, he goes to a therapist who uses hypnotism to figure out what happened, only to learn that, in a past life, he was a woman named Victoria caught up in a tragic love triangle between two brothers.  However, once Nicholas thinks he's got it figured out, the album introduces some new twists that makes things worse than initially thought.  All of this is told pretty well, as the band switches tones, tempos, and even sometimes genres, exploring all these themes.  While I don't think it's their best album, it is certainly a peak of creativity for them, and I can see why this is celebrated among prog and metal communities.

(Funny story: I actually listened to this album once back in high school.  I borrowed the CD from a friend and while I don't remember much of the music, I do remember feeling pretty unnerved by it all.  I wasn't really into metal yet, and as certainly not prepared for the complex song-writing or psychodrama they were going for.  Listening to it again brought nothing back, which is interesting, but now that I'm more familiar with the band, and metal as a whole, I can now appreciate it for what it is.)

All the Dream Theater staples are here: weird rhythms, call backs to older prog ideas, dramatic shifts in tone and tempo, and plenty of technical wizardry from all the playing members.  I'm not necessarily a big fan of the story, but it allows them to push their songwriting and technical chops, matching the blending of narrative elements with musical ones.  One thing I will say is that this album flows very well from song to song, making this an album that easy to lose time to as it moves from part to part.  Highlights for me were "Strange Deja Vu," "Fatal Tragedy," of course the impressive instrumental "Dance of Eternity."  If nothing else, this album proves why Dream Theater are at the top of the list for progressive metal.

Gamma Ray - Power Plant

Speaking of being two years since the last review, it's time for another pair from Kai Hansen.  I decided to do Gamma Ray first, even though it came out two months after the Iron Savior album.  While I enjoyed their previous album well enough, Power Plant is a serious step in my opinion.

Gamma Ray have never been too shy about their influences, but this album seems quite transparent with many of their songs.  Things start off with a deliberate Iron Maiden reference with "Anywhere in the Galaxy."  Then later on, "Short As Hell" sounds like it could come from Metallica's Black Album, "Heavy Metal Universe" is their take on Manowar's style, and they dip into Queen again for the epic closer "Armageddon."  I felt like I heard some influences from their contemporaries like Blind Guardian and HammerFall as well, and they even have two covers, one of Rainbow and one of the Pet Shop Boys, of all things.  The covers are kind of basic, but the original songs are so good that they work as Gamma Ray songs anyway.  However, I think the biggest sound I heard was Kai Hansen's own classic Helloween chops coming back.  I really do think this album is the most Helloween they've ever sounded.  (Not that I'm complaining, of course!)

But how is it as an album?  Quite good, honestly!  This is probably my favorite album of theirs now, as I feel like every track works.  Even the weaker ones are solid enough.  Stand out songs include the opener "Anywhere in the Galaxy," the very catchy "Send Me a Sign," the grittier "Strangers in the Night," and the energetic riffing on "Wings of Destiny."  I've always loved the original "It's a Sin" from the Pet Shop Boys, but Gamma Ray's cover is pretty fun.  Overall, a very satisfying album, full of power metal staples, but using them well to create some very interesting songs.  I hope Kai Hansen can get some things together soon, as I've love to hear what a modern Gamma Ray album would sound like!

Iron Savior - Unification

And here's the other one.  Following up from their sorta concept album from two years prior (which I thought was decent if a bit clunky), Kai Hansen and company carried their sci-fi storytelling forward for another solid slab of power metal.

The concept picks up from the last album: Atlanteans who escaped destruction travel the stars, only to come back home to see that their Iron Savior (who was supposed to protect them) has taken over earth.  So they have to unify with the remaining people of earth, revive a long-sleeping Atlantean, and work together to take on this rogue AI that seems to be developing ideas of its own.  Perhaps typical for this band, but it has inspired some very good power metal that drifts between speedy and heavy in a very satisfying way.  Whatever problems the songwriting had last time seem to have been smoothed over, as Kai and Piet work great together, not only on the vocals, but their guitar leads are very on point and downright satisfying. (The covers at the end are fun, and there's an extra track by another band called Excelsis that won a contest. Their song is an okay piece of fantasy-based heavy/power metal, though the vocalist is quite gritty.)

The album starts off well with the one-two punch of "Coming Home" and "Starborn," and carries the high energy narrative through "Forces of Rage," "Prisoner of the Void" and "Unchained," and the rest of the album is consistent in it's heavy/power storytelling.  If it weren't for the slightly dated production, this would sound just like their recent albums that I've been loving so much lately.  This band is quickly becoming a new favorite for me, as their style of power metal is exactly what I seem to want right now.

HammerFall Retrospective!

In the mid 2000s, just when I was about to start college, I didn't have much knowledge about heavy metal and its various subgenres.  I had heard of a few bands and kinda knew what was out there, but certainly hadn't taken the time learn.  I had ended up making a friend who was a big metalhead, and he decided to send me a bunch of burned CDs of the stuff to try and get me into it.  One band out of the bunch caught my attention: HammerFall.  From this friend, I had gotten copies of the first four of their albums, and with titles like Legacy of Kings and Crimson Thunder, I could tell this one wasn't going to have dark and angry lyrics or style I would have expected at the time.  And I was absolutely right.

Technically, I had a few Stratovarius songs (which I liked) before I picked up HammerFall, but it was this Swedish band that opened my heart to power metal, and I have not looked back since.  Melodic vocals, chugging riffs, pounding rhythms, fantasy lyrics, and an epic soundscape, this band filled a gap in my soul I didn't know I had, and I've been thankful ever since.

Yes, it's time for another retrospective, this time for the band that turned me into a metalhead.  It's also been fun to review all these albums in anticipation of their next album, Avenge the Fallen, which comes out next month.  Once again, I'll be going over their studio and live albums in chronological order.  Let's get this crusade started!

Anniversary Series - 1994!

This year is certainly a tough one to write about.  While there was plenty going on in rock and metal, it was mostly in genres I generally don't cover on this blog (like pop punk or death metal).  That being said, I think I've got enough to scrape a few paragraphs together to try and cover the year without resorting to a handful of reviews.

Naturally, grunge was still big.  Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden put out some reelases to their diehard fans, with Soundgarden in particular having a massive hit with "Black Hole Sun."  However, this year would also serve the biggest blow with the death of Kurt Cobain.  Almost acting like a turning point for the genre, more radio friendly bands like Bush and Our Lady Peace would move the genre into the post-grunge era.

Prog would end up having an interesting year as well.  Classic bands like Yes and ELP (among others) would put out albums, showing they still have what it takes, while Pink Floyd released Division Bell, marking the end of an era (as it was the last album for them for many years).  Progressive metal was picking up, however, with Dream Theater leading the charge with Awake, their celebrated follow-up to Images and Words.  With newcomers like Vanden Plas and Symphony X following in their wake, prog metal was clearly on the way up.

Meanwhile, power metal was starting to come together.  Stratovarius would be in a state of transition with Dreamspace, but the big story was the comeback of Helloween.  Picking up new singer Andi Deris, the band returned to their speedy, melodic roots with Master of the Rings, one of my favorite albums of theirs.  Finally getting past their experimental phase, they laid out epic tracks like "Sole Survivor" and "Where the Rain Grows," anticipating the explosion of power metal that would soon follow.

So it's not much, but it's something, and there's certainly more in the playlist below, so check that out.  If I've missed something, let me know in the comments below.  Meanwhile, I'll keep carrying on, putting out articles as often as time permits.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Releases - June 2024!

I'm slowly catching up on some power metal, and looking ahead, there's only going to be more!  There's just a lot of big power metal albums this year, so apologize if it feels like I've become the Power Metal Champion lately.  Still, here are the newest releases that I've been checking out!

Scanner - The Cosmic Race

Like I said when I included their lead single in a New Videos article last year, I vaguely knew of Scanner, but I hadn't listened to them before.  Unsurprisingly, they're another solid blend of heavy and power metal styles that are so typical of their homeland of Germany.  But that just means there's a lot of competition, and based on this album, they seem to fall into the crowd.

Of course, this isn't a bad album, and they do have some decent variety.  The faster stuff seems to channel bands like Gamma Ray and Primal Fear, while their mid-tempo songs feel more like Judas Priest.  Singer Efthimios Ioannidis has a solid grit to his voice that goes well with the songs, though the lyrics can be a little clunky in their delivery.  There aren't really any surprises if you've heard any other band like this, but Scanner knows their way around the style pretty well.  

Based on the songs, I wondered if this was a concept album about people leaving an environmentally ruined Earth, travelling through space until they eventually get to a new planet, promising to take care of it better than their homeworld. "Scanner's Law" is the best track on the album, finding that blend of high energy and mid-tempo epicness, "Space Battalion" was interesting bit of Painkiller inspired metal, especially with that switch to 6/8 in the bridge, and "The Earth Song" sets the tone for the album pretty well.  I don't know if this will rank well at the end of the year, especially with so many other big power metal releases, but it's a solid slab of sci-fi-inspired music.

Hammer King - König und Kaiser

After enjoying their fourth, self-titled album, and feeling that Kingdemonium was a decent, if slightly underwhelming, follow-up, Hammer King carry on their crusade to sing about hammers and kings and the clashes between the two.  In all seriousness, they remain pretty consistent, even if they dip into a bit more silliness than usual.

With pretty much the same lineup as before, they pound on through another stack of heavy/power metal songs with plenty of gusto.  Things start off well with "Hailed by the Hammer," with its stompy riffing.  Their campaign continues with "War Hammer" and "Divided We Shall Fall," providing some crunchy riffs and epic choruses.  "Future King" and "I Want Chaos" turn up the speed and "Gates of Atlantia" is an epic closer to the main album.

If there is a concern, it's that the lyrics are starting to wander into the farcical, like PowerWolf.  The reference to Back to the Future on the time-travel song feels weird, and "The Devil I Will" is based on a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  While I don't want bands to feel like they have to be locked in to a style or lyrical theme, I admit I take my power metal pretty seriously as a fun style of dramatic and/or epic storytelling, so when these sorts of tongue-in-cheek songs happen, I have a hard time with them.  Still, this is a solid album of entertaining songs, and fit well with everything Hammer King has done before.  

Firewind - Stand United

While I felt a little underwhelmed by their last album, it was by no means bad.  Herbie Langhans was a solid addition, giving the band an extra layer of melodic grit.  Now, four years later, the same lineup is back for more, and I think I'm getting into it now.

Last time, I felt they were channeling traditional metal much like Herman Frank's recent solo output.  However, because I guess I was more prepared for that, I've ended up really liking it!  Sure, there are some power metal flourishes here and there, and Gus G. is still doing what he does best: playing great, melodic, noodly solos, but this is definitely leaning more on the classic heavy metal side.  I think what's working for me here is that the song-writing feels tight, with fun, crunchy riffs and choruses that are easy to sing along with.  If there is one thing I noticed that was different was a greater use of synthesizers.  It wasn't much, just enough to add a little flavor, but it was on most of the songs, giving them a touch of old-school charm.  

Honestly a lot of this is pretty consistent, with songs just trucking along one after the other, but I can't deny I enjoyed it.  Things start off well with "Salvation Day" and the title track.  "The Power Lies Within" is a very uplifting, traditional metal styled anthem, things get a little gritty on "Land of Chaos," and I even liked their cover of "Talking In Your Sleep"!  I admit it's not an amazing album, but there is nothing wrong with keeping things straight-ahead, especially when it's done this well!

Retro Reviews - June 2024!

Unsurprisingly, the Anniversary Articles are dominating my listening lately.  At least, with this one, I'm starting to get ahead again.  I've also got quite the variety here, going from 80s pop rock to grunge to prog and back.  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

Steve Perry - Street Talk

I admit I mostly threw this on for a lark.  At a time of Journey's peak success, Steve Perry sought to have a go on his own, ending up with something much more pop than rock.  Still, powered by his iconic voice, it has some nice, nostalgic charm, even if the album came out before I was born!

While the big song "Oh Sherrie" shares a lot with his band's melodic sensibilities, the rest of the album seems to drift between soul and pop, with dashes of funk here and there.  It feels like a 70s album with 80s production, if that makes sense, perhaps as a consequence of bringing some of his pre-Journey work into the mix.  "It's Only Love" was a nice, upbeat tune (even if it did have the James Bond chord progression in parts), and the other tracks flow pretty well.  While I think it's missing the hard rock crunch that Neal Schon provides, it's a nice collection of soft rock tunes that let Steve what he does best.

Rush - Presto

So after nearly a decade of synth-driven rock, the trio takes a break, then comes back together with a more guitar focused album, marking another turn in this historic band's history.  However, as I enjoy a lot of it, I feel like there's still something missing.

While the synthesizers have taken a backseat, Alex Lifeson retains his thin, jangly guitars, making the album feel more like 80s pop rock, like if U2 covered Rush.  Still, it's not like these are bad songs.  Neil Peart gives the album his regular blend of complex lyrics and drum patterns, ensuring the songs never feel flat.  This is also a more sing-songy album, as there are a lot of catchy melodic lines for Geddy to sing.  I also noticed that the choruses on these songs tend to be softer than the verses, making for some strange dynamics.  I guess when I heard this was going to be different that the ones before, I was expecting more than just a shift in which layers get the attention. 

Again, I don't think this is a bad album. (In fact, I'm getting the impression that Rush has no bad albums.)  Taking it as it is, Rush carries on their legacy of interesting songs, full of clever lyrics and interludes, while letting each member shine.  As before, I may need to listen to this a few times to really wrap my head around it, but first impressions leave me a little underwhelmed.

Rush - Sixteen Stone

Starting up just as the grunge wave was peaking, Bush's debut album was definitely the right album at the right time to go big.  While I never listened to it at the time, I remember a lot of kids in school talking about this band, and since then I've always been mildly curious.   Finally getting around to it, it definitely sounds like pretty typical mid-90s alternative rock, and not much more.

At the time, critics bashed the band for sounding too much like Nirvana, and I admit I have to agree.  Not only are the guitar tones, vocal melodies, and song dynamics similar, the angst-filled lyrics on alienation and drug addiction are pretty standard for the genre.  However, I do think there is more going on than just copying a popular band.  Gavin Rossdale is more of a singer, almost crooning at times, and there is more of a musical touch, giving them a bit of a Pearl Jam vibe, especially as many of the songs escalate towards the end.  It's hard to know if they have anything to themselves, though "Alien" feels like it wanders into post-rock or shoegaze.  Still, considering all the songs, I can hear the transition to post-grunge, as I'm hearing ideas I'd hear from later bands, like Nickelback and Our Lady Peace.

Coming out at the end of a rough year for grunge, I guess folks flocked to it, despite it's reputation, as the album sold quite well on release, thanks to a handful of big singles like "Comedown" and the cinematic "Glycerine."  I also liked "Little Things" and "Machine Head." Overall, it's some pretty typical grunge for the time, but I think there are signs of the band's potential, which, as it seems, carrying them well into the future.

Anniversary Series - 1989!

Another month, another Anniversary Article!  1989 is an interesting year, as rock was in the middle of a lot of transition.  Grunge and alternative rock was slowly growing, pop metal was as big as ever, thrash and death metal were finding their audiences, and other genres were bubbling up.  Here's how this year went!

The year starts of with a number of big hits, as Skid Row and Warrant release their debut albums.  The former provided "18 to Life," "Youth Gone Wild," and the big ballad "I Remember You," while Warrant was about the "Down Boys" and "Heaven."  Great White would soon follow with ...Twice Shy, and the sort of title track cover song "Once Bitten Twice Shy."

However, the beginning of the year, saw other iconic releases, such as Doro's Force Majeure, her first album on her own, Metal Church picking up Mike Howe for Blessing in Disguise, and Dream Theater released their debut with When Dream and Day Unite, carving a small niche for progressive metal that they would widen later.  Meanwhile, Seattle was getting a taste of the future with Nirvana's debut Bleach and Soundgarden's Louder than Love.  In the midst of all this, Jon Anderson would leave Yes and form a group with former Yes members called Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe.  Their self-titled album would be a unique prog rock highlight for the year.

As the year goes on, we get more epic hits, with Mötley Crüe's Dr. Feelgood being a massive single factory, including the title track, "Kickstart My Heart," and "Same Ol' Situation."  Alice Cooper would comeback with his own take on the genre with "Poison," John Sykes would form Blue Murder and record their debut album, while his former bandmates Whitesnake would carry on with Slip of the Tongue, featuring "Judgment Day."  

However, in my opinion, the winner of the year is Candlemass.  Their fourth album Tales of Creation is peak doom metal, in my opinion.  I know I don't talk much about the genre on the blog, but this album is my standard for what a good doom metal album sounds like.  From the epic riff on "Under the Oak," to the atmospheric plodding on "Dark Revelations" and "The Edge of Heaven," and even the sudden high-speed instrumental "In the Unfathomed Tower" are all highlights.  A favorite album of mine, from any year.

Wrapping things up, we see Blind Guardian's follow up Follow the Blind, featuring their classic closer "Valhalla" with Kai Hansen showing up with some vocals of his own.  Stratovarius released their debut Fright Night, being more of a speed metal group before they became power metal titans.  Guitar legend Michael Schenker teamed up with Robin McAuley and release Save Yourself, a unique team up that probably should have lasted longer.  Finally, Savatage would really lean into a Queen-like theatrical style with Gutter Ballet, definitely showing signs of where they would end up, to say nothing of their Christmas-themed spin-off.

So that's another year wrapped up again.  Once again, check out the playlist below for more, and let me know in the comments what else stands out to you from this year.  In the meantime, I've got some more albums to listen to, so keep an eye out for more reviews.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Retro Reviews - May 2024!

This may be a bit different, doing a bunch of albums after the Anniversary article, but there were a handful on my 1984 list that I wanted to get to for various reasons.  While I didn't exactly love two of these albums, they certainly reflect the variety of rock sounds available at the time.  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

David Gilmour - About Face

After enjoying Gilmour's first solo album for being pretty chill, I expected more of the same with his second.  Wrapping up the tense Final Cut sessions, he wanted to pull together a bunch of talent for his next effort, eventually tapping into the talents of Pete Townsend of the Who and Jon Lord of Deep Purple.  The result, however, is something very 80s, like somewhere between Bryan Adams and Dire Straits.

To be clear, this is still Gilmour, with his guitar licks and vocal harmonies, but the songwriting goes for more of an 80s movie soundtrack vibe, mixing in walls of synths and some funk sections here and there.  It definitely feels like David wanted to branch out and explore some other ideas instead of the moody epic art rock he had been doing.  While the results are certainly varied, they're definitely not boring, as the songs shift around in tone.  From the hard rockin' of "All Lovers are Deranged" to the cinematic flair of songs like "Until We Sleep," and "You Know I'm Right."  Meanwhile, "Blue Light" gets very funky, "Cruise" throws in some reggae at the end, and "Murder" brings back the Pink Floyd vibes, starting as a folky acoustic ballad only to build into something like the angry side of "Comfortably Numb."  Unfortunately, "Let's Get Metaphysical" features no Olivia Newton John, but is another cinematic piece as Gilmour plays a slow, melodic solo over a piano and some strings.

In short, it's a weird album with some interesting stuff.  Perhaps this effort in more diverse music helped expand Gilmour's songwriting, as I can certainly hear how this evolves into the sound we got on A Momentary Lapse of Reason.  I may have to listen to it a few more times to really decide how I feel about it, but it certainly has plenty worth listening to.

Helstar - Burning Star

Despite being a classic US power metal band, I haven't really listened to them before now.  However, I've always been curious and have heard plenty of good things, so I figured I should check out their debut.  Unfortunately, it's some of the most average metal I've heard.

To be clear, they don't really make any mistakes.  The production is clear enough, but just kinda flat.  The songs aren't awful, but seem to lack the energy of other metal releases at the time.  The performances are fairly tight, and there's some good guitar noodling, but nothing really sticks with me once the songs are done.  Even vocalist James Rivera sounds pretty good, though he does tend to wail too much.

In the end, it ends up feeling like just another 80s metal album.  While I do think "Run with the Pack" did have some interesting ideas, especially the uptempo section at the end, not much else sticks out to me here.  I did notice that the lineup changes quite a bit after this, so maybe it took a bit before the band found their sound.  I'll try to get to their other albums at some point, but I think I won't be coming back to this one anytime soon.

Marillion - Fugazi

These guys continue to be a fascinating band with their second album, despite what are some mixed feelings.  After picking up a new drummer, they carried one with Fish's iconic lyrics and their unique blend of sounds, as they still lean into Genesis and Pink Floyd territory here and there.  It's just so unfortunate that the album can't seem to balance the lyrics with the music very well.

Maybe it was just the mood I was in when I listened to it, but I'm really struggling with Fish's lyrics here.  Many of the songs seem to be about relationships (both with friends and lovers) and how they go sour.  While there's some interesting wordplay here and there, I couldn't shake the feeling that all the flowery words and purple prose were just to cover up the fact that he was whining.  It may be a mistake to conflate the voice of the lyrics with the creator, but it did make me wonder what Fish was going through at this time to compel him to write all these things.

Which is such a shame because the rest of the band is doing pretty well.  They sound tight and energized, with Trewavas and newcomer Mosely holding down the rhythm well, while guitarist Rothery and keyboardist Kelly provide great riffs, licks, and solos.  The production is clearer and the songs flow so much better than their first album.  I really do want to like this album as it's much stronger musically than their debut, and maybe it will grow on me with time, but the lyrics make me think of the kind of people who cannot acknowledge that the problem is with them and just want to complain how everyone else is inconveniencing them like it's a grand tragedy.  Fish certainly has a flair for the dramatic, but here, it just comes across as alienating.

Anniversary Series - 1984!

I have to tell you that this is probably one of my favorite years.  So many good albums came out this year that it will be tough to condense it down into one article, but I've tried.  Metal is really growing, not only with the popularity with the pop stuff, but thrash also slowly building in the background.  Meanwhile, rock music was taking a bit of a backseat, but there were still some very good releases this year.

Things start off massive with Van Halen's 1984, dominating the charts with songs like "Panama," "Jump," and "I'll Wait."  It may have startled some fans with the synth riffs, but the songs won pretty much everyone over.  And right after that, Judas Priest shows up with Defenders of the Faith, a solid follow up to the massive Screaming For Vengeance.  Other big albums at the start of the year include Whitesnake's Slide It In, Saxon's Crusader, Europe's Wings of Tomorrow, and Scorpions' Love at First Sting, with the titanic hits "Rock You Like a Hurricane," and "Big City Nights."

This year would also feature a lot of debut albums, with some albums being better than others.  Bon Jovi's self-titled debut only shows hints of their future successes, Grave Digger's Heavy Metal Breakdown barely holds together, and even celebrated thrashers Anthrax started with the uneven Fistful of Metal.  However, the good debuts include Lee Aaron's Metal Queen, Savatage's The Dungeons Are Calling, Queensrÿche's The Warning, Autograph's Sign in Please, and Ratt's Out of the Cellar, blowing up radios with their big hit "Round and Round."  The rest of that album is quite good, too.

Metal continues to evolve as the year goes on.  We have some early efforts in doom metal with Trouble's Pslam 9, and Saint Vitus' debut, ensuring that Sabbath-y slow, ominous riffs wouldn't go out of style.  Cirith Ungol would have their own take on epicness with King of the Dead.  Yngwie J. Malmsteen, after trying to make it with Steeler and Alcatrazz, introduces the world to neo-classical metal with Rising Force.  Of course, the big winner is thrash metal, featuring two massive albums: Metal Church's self-titled debut, and Metallica's Ride the Lightning.  Both are excellent examples of blending melody with aggression, making them some of my favorites.

Metal would continue to dominate the year as it goes on.  Twisted Sister told us "We're Not Gonna Take It" on Stay Hungry, Dio would sing about the Last in Line, and Iron Maiden would cement their metal supremacy with Powerslave, going on a massive world tour.  Manowar would end up releasing two albums this year: Hail to England and Sign of the Hammer.  Towards the end of the year, Dokken put out Tooth and Nail, expanding their sound into their own brand of pop metal.

With all this metal going on, what about rock?  Well, like I said, it was in the background, occasionally popping out with some good songs.  .38 Special started the year with Tour de Force, Queen got experimental with The Works, Rush continued their synth-based sound on Grace Under Pressure, Steve Perry went solo with Street Talk, and Bill Squier showed Signs of Life.  The big story, however, was Deep Purple's Mark II reunion, recording Perfect Strangers, which is an interesting blend of 70s and 80s styles.  

As the year came to a close, there were more big albums.  The Alan Parsons Project would release two this year, Ammonia Avenue and Vulture Culture, which would be their last two efforts to follow the mainstream popularity of Eye in the Sky.  Then, at the very end, Foreigner would come back with Agent Provocateur and the big ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is." While rock may have been fading at the time, it certainly wasn't going out without a fight!

As you can see, this was a massive year.  Be sure to check out the playlist below for more awesome music, and if you think there's still something I may have missed, let me know in the comments below.  I know 1984 is a year I keep coming back to, and maybe when I come around on these Anniversary Articles again, I'll have even more to talk about!  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Retro Reviews - April 2024!

I'm finally getting around to releasing some articles again, and it feels good.  This will be the first of the Retro Reviews, focusing on older albums and leaving the New Releases as their own things.  This time, we're definitely getting into some classics, and while they may not have been incredible, they all had their stamp on rock and metal for their time.

Lee Aaron - Metal Queen

Declaring herself to be metal royalty might be pretty bold, especially with Lita Ford and Doro probably being better known, but maybe it's one of those first-come-first-serve things.  In any case, this Canadian rocker sought to plant her flag in the growing metal scene of the 80s with this album and succeeded to some degree.  I admit I didn't know what I was getting into with this, as I checked it out kind of on a whim, but it turned out to be a pretty nice, if average, chunk of radio-friendly metal.

It's biggest problem is that the songwriting is kind of generic, with lots of metal clichés, and a big, poppy production much like the glam metal of the day.  The guitar work is solid, but nothing really outstanding.  The album really does hang on Lee Aaron's vocals, and fortunately, she's pretty good.  She's got a nice bit of grit, and has this Dio style of reaching for those epic notes and wails.  "Lady of the Darkest Night" and "Deceiver" are solid rockers, while "Got to Be the One" and "Steal Away Your Love" have a slower, more dramatic feel.  However, "Shake It Up" is pretty cheesy, trying to be a danceable metal song, and the closer "We Will Be Rockin' " isn't much better.  While I've definitely heard worse from the decade, and it certainly has its charm, it's hard to feel like this isn't much more than a novelty at best.

Motörhead - Bomber

Motorhead is one of those bands that was really influential, but never really got a ton of attention or massive success like their contemporaries.  While I've enjoyed some of their songs, I admit I haven't spent much time with their albums.  So here I am, picking up their third, as I've listened to the first two before.  Unsurprisingly, it's a pretty consistent chunk of rock and metal, though it does have a few rough spots.

The album starts off well with "Dead Men Tell No Tales," an anti-drug song that has some good energy and chugging.  However, the album kinda drags after that.  The songs aren't bad, but they don't really have much beyond the Motörhead grit.  Things pick up again with "Stone Dead Forever," featuring a fun rock jam at the end, "Step Down" is a mean bluesy piece with guitarist Eddie Clark doing the singing, and "Bomber" is an energetic rocker that closes the album well.  Motörhead really does have their distinct style, one they've never felt the need for change.  Basically, what I'm saying is that you know what you'll get with this band when you pick up one of their albums (much like with AC/DC), and there's something to be said for a band that's honest with itself and its fans.

Saxon - Saxon

Going from their latest to their first is quite the jump, I must say!  However, in an effort to flesh out my Anniversary Article from last month, I figured I should check out some classic NWOBHM metal.  While I've enjoyed Saxon's stuff here and there, I have never checked out their debut.  While it's a little rough around the edges, and has a stronger 70s rock vibe, the band definitely started off well with some catchy songs.  

Things start off well with "Rainbow Theme" being an instrumental start to "Frozen Rainbow," an epic that teases the grandeur the band would reach for throughout their career.  However, the rest of the album is definitely more rock 'n' roll focused, with plenty of 70s energy.  "Big Teaser" and "Still Fit to Boogie" fall into a kind of AC/DC, party rock vibes, "Judgement Day" has some solid riffing, and "Militia Guard" ends on another epic, though it's weirdly upbeat for the tragic story it's telling.  Biff Byford's singing is iconic from the start, despite how young he sounds here, and the rest of the band were clearly ready to push themselves into the new wave of metal they were in.

While it may not be a strong album (and quite short at under 30 minutes!), looking back on it now, it's hard not to see it representing the shift in rock music at the time.  Still retaining the bluesiness of the 70s, but stepping into the chugging metal of the 80s, it's very much a time capsule of what was going on and where things would be going.  On its own, it's a solid collection of rock songs

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I'm gonna try and step things up more for this blog, as there are a lot of albums I want to listen to, especially classic ones, so keep an eye out for more of these Retro Reviews.  I've got another Anniversary Article coming at the end of this month, featuring one of my favorite years for rock and metal.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Releases - April 2024!

Finally, here's the first of the New Release review articles, now that I've split them from the classic ones.  Hopefully, this will help keep things more organized as I move forward.  Starting this off this year was a solid trio of classic heavy metal by bands who have been there since near the beginning.

Saxon - Hell, Fire and Damnation

While part of me wants to debate the need for an Oxford comma in the title, it is very impressive that this is Saxon's 25th studio album, and by the sounds of it, nothing can stop them, because this album just plows ahead without looking back!  These Brits have started the year with some excellent traditional metal.

Despite the religious imagery in the cover art and title, most of this album focuses on a number of historical topics, ranging from the Battle of Hastings, through the travels of Marco Polo, up to pirate radio stations off the coast of England.  With such diverse topics, the music keeps things pretty safe and formulaic, but when the formula is this solid, why mess with what works?  The album is chock full of chunky riffs, anthemic choruses, and pure NWOBHM power.  The title track stands out, setting the tone for the album, as well as "Fire and Steel," "Kubla Khan and the Merchant of Venice," "1066," and "Super Charger," which is a solid closer.  While not all the tracks are great, the album is very consistent across its run time.  Honestly, if you're a fan of classic, old-school metal, and you somehow haven't checked out Saxon, I recommend you fix that immediately!

The Rods - Rattle the Cage

Here's a band that's been around as long as Saxon, though they took a considerable break from the late 80s to 2010.  Despite their long history, this is only their 10th album, not that it matters all that much, as they're clearly keeping things old-school.  While I've featured them before on the blog, this is my first time really sitting down and jamming one of their albums.  

While I was expecting classic metal, I was surprised to hear a good chunk of 70s blues rock as well.  Much of the album takes things at mid-tempo, focusing on solid, simple riffs and straight-forward lyrics.  The album does start a little sluggish, but things pick up with songs like the title track, "Metal Highways," and "Shockwave," with "Cry Out Loud" being a good mid-tempo epic,with an anthemic chorus.  Freddy Villano may be the new guy in the band, but his bass tone is definitely chunky, providing some excellent bottom-end to these songs.  David "Rock" Feinstein's solos turn out to be melodic and typical, but they serve the songs well, and honestly fit right in with what they're doing.

Which ends up being a bit of a double-edged sword.  While these songs are catchy and have some good grooves, they really don't seem to be pushing themselves, instead of settling in for their own brand of cruise control.  Naturally, these guys aren't going for something big and innovative, aiming for a spot between British-Steel-era Priest, Motorhead, and Deep Purple (especially when those organs kick in).  However, part of me of me feels like it's going to get lost by the competition.  Not all the songs hold up, but it's decent, and you'll be headbanging through most of it, like I did.

Judas Priest - Invincible Shield

Let's finish things off with the titans themselves.  I can't believe it's been six years since Firepower, which was a pretty solid album, if maybe a little long.  However, it definitely retained much of the Painkiller spirit, and made for a highlight of 2018.  As for this new one, I get the feeling that they're aiming for a stronger 80s vibe, with the bright colors and synths.  While I enjoyed the first two singles, later ones left me a little lukewarm.  Now that I've listened to the album as a whole, they really are carrying on where they left off, continuing their ironclad legacy.

Honestly, this album is pretty consistent.  While some songs stand out more than others, these veterans just plow on through, riff after riff, wail after wail, and there are no low points.  The highlights for me was the opener "Panic Attack" with the synths and mixed meter, the title track with the strong energy and a nod to the classic song "Sinner," "Trial By Fire" with the anthemic 6/8 groove, and "Sons of Thunder" that's a short and sweet burst of classic metal power.  If there is a problem, it's that the album might be a bit too long and some of the songs might blend together in the mind (especially with the Deluxe Edition, as those three songs don't add much).  Still, the standard of quality makes this a massive album, and while I know it's early, I could see this squeaking in to my Top 5 for this year!

Anniversary Series - 1979!

Wow, this has been a rough month!  I wanted to get some articles out before now, but I guess life had other plans.  Still, I am determined to do these Anniversary Articles, as they provide a fun summary to write up.  As it turns out, 1979 is a pretty solid year.  Melodic rock was really starting to take off, and we have the early signs of NWOBHM movement.  Let's get into it!

The year starts off strong with a lot of big names.  Scorpions was "Loving You Sunday Morning," Journey gave us some "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," Van Halen wanted to "Dance the Night Away," and Supertramp was having Breakfast in America.  That album was a big one for them, as the title track, "The Logical Song," "Goodbye Stranger," and "Take the Long Way Home" would be big hits for them.

Heavy metal gets some interesting releases this year, featuring the debut albums of both Accept and Saxon, as well as Motorhead's iconic double-bass kicking on Overkill.  Judas Priest released a classic live album with Unleashed in the East, Iron Maiden was working on their Soundhouse Tapes, and Motorhead would return later in the year with Bomber.  While I do think the next year would be where metal really takes off, this year was certainly a sign of things to come.

Meanwhile, the summer really heated up with a lot of massive hits.  The Electric Light Orchestra released "Don't Bring Me Down," Foreigner sang about "Head Games," Rainbow switched out Dio for Graham Bonnet to get Down to Earth, the Eagles went for The Long Run, and AC/DC drove down the Highway to Hell, which is easily the best album they did with Bon Scott.

As the year winded down, some of the high points included Styx's ballad "Babe," Molly Hatchet's "Flirtin' with Disaster," ZZ Top's "Cheap Sunglasses," and .38 Special's "Rockin' Into the Night."  However, the big album that would cap the year off is Pink Floyd's The Wall.  Powered by iconic hits like "Another Brick in the Wall Part Two," "Run Like Hell," and "Comfortably Numb," this psychological rock opera would put Pink Floyd back on top of the world, despite the band falling apart inside.  

That wraps up another year.  Check out the playlist below for more tracks, and let me know in the comments below if you think I've missed something.  I'll certainly do better next month for articles, as I've slowly been pulling some things together.  Until then, rock on!  \m/