So it looks like this December is going to be very similar to last year, where I blitzed through a bunch of albums in order to catch up on what had been released. I was kind of hoping to avoid doing that again, but I guess my attention was elsewhere for much of this year, I'm afraid. Nevertheless, I am glad to keep finding interesting rock and metal albums, and this time, I have a handful that I've been looking forward to all year. Let's get into it!
Iron Allies - Blood In Blood OutAs if having his own solo project and Victory weren't enough, Herman Frank teamed up with former Accept singer David Reece for this traditional metal project. Even though these two were never in that classic band at the same time, this project sounds like stereotypical German traditional metal, featuring plenty Frank's iconic guitar work.
So we know what it sounds like going in: big and gritty riffs, wailing vocals, an occasional shift between fast double-kick fests and slower, stompier songs, all buoyed by anthemic pomp. David Reece brings over his rhythm section, and they're as tight as they need to be for this stuff. Not having heard anything from David Reece himself before, he fits in well, as his voice carries each melody with confidence and power. However, I do feel like this album feels quite a bit like Herman Frank's albums. He definitely leaves his stamp on things with his riffing and solos, which are all quite solid.
It's easy to say "It's more of the same, therefore it's good," but I do think this sounds fresher than either of Herman Frank's efforts from last year. The title track, "Destroyers of the Night," and "Nightmares in my Mind" are great, mid-tempo anthems, while "Fear No Evil," "Blood of the Land," and "Truth Never Mattered" turn up the speed for some fierce, old-school shredding. Overall, the songs are consistent in quality all the way through, and fans of classic 80s metal will find plenty to love here.
Disturbed - DivisiveDisturbed is probably the most extreme band I'm willing to cover around here, as I feel like they still have some great melodies among their groove-centric alternative metal style. While I felt the last album was a little lackluster, this is very much a return to form, as observing the world over the past few years has inspired some pretty angry material.
Of course, these songs are very much in the same vein that they established with Ten Thousand Fists, with plenty of heavy, crushing riffs, David Draiman's off-beat vocal melodies, and anthemic choruses. However, there is a strong theme of contention and how it makes things worse, as if the cover didn't make that obvious. Their Believe logo being broken apart on the cover this album seems rather poignant. Otherwise, it's a lot of the same material they've covered before. They even do another somber ballad, this time a duet with Ann Wilson of Heart fame, and it's actually pretty decent.
Long time Disturbed fans will be happy with a return to the aggression after the ballad-heavy Evolution, but otherwise, it's a business as usual for the band. I find this style happens to scratch a particular hard rock itch for me, so I like it well enough. I don't expect them to be writing masterpieces, so I suppose my expectations were met. Still, it's good to see that the band still has some power left in them to put out another set of crushing melodic metal.
Dragonland - The Power of the NightstarAs I have reviewed every single Dragonland album on my blog, it has been interesting to watch them evolve and improve over their discography. However, after being quiet for so long, I assumed they had broken up, so I was quite surprised to discover they were working on a new album, and the singles were definitely sounded promising. Now that I'm finally sitting down with the album, I've found that Dragonland hasn't changed at all, continuing their tradition of bombastic, story-driven symphonic power metal.
As expected, the story covers the entire album, though they've gone for a science fiction tale, this time (if the cover didn't make that obvious). Of course, they've done sci-fi before, most notably on the album Astronomy, but this is their first, full-length concept album in that narrative genre. Their story starts with a civilization heading for the stars for a new world in an effort to leave behind a destructive past. However, upon arriving at the Nightstar and igniting it, they summon an enemy fleet eager to wipe them all out. Under-powered, the protagonist fleet resort to bringing out an ancient destructive technology they had hoped to leave behind them, but find they have to use it, despite the cost it brings. Lyrically, things haven't really changed much, swapping out the swords and knights for blasters and starships. Much of what they've done before is brought back here: soaring vocals and power metal riffing and solos, augmented by excellent orchestral arrangements. Seriously, this album is very lush and rich in how it's weaved together. The biggest difference I felt was the increase of more spacy synthesizers, not only providing extra ambient layers, but getting in on the noodly solos as well. However, they don't sound out of place at all with the sci-fi concept they're going with. I also noticed that many of the guitar solos weren't as shred-heavy as before, often focusing on more melodic phrasing.
While their story-driven style may not click with everyone, and I admit I sometimes struggle with it myself, they remain a unique band in the genre with their songwriting and orchestral flourishes. Some of the more narratively-driven songs aren't as catchy, but they don't feel like a waste either, as each song progresses the story, so it is definitely worth listening through from beginning to end. It goes through a lot of dramatic dynamics, from the hopeful "A Light in the Dark" to the ominous "A Threat from Beyond the Shadows," and the doomy "Journey's End." However the singles "Flight from Destruction" and "The Power of the Nightstar" are definitely the standouts, as individual songs go. It's kind of comforting to know that, despite an 11 year gap, Dragonland hasn't missed a beat, carrying on as if they had never left.
SheWolf - SheWolfRevolving around the voice of Angel Wolf-Black, SheWolf is a new female-fronted symphonic metal project, as if there weren't enough of those. While I could make easily comparisons to the likes of Nightwish or Xandria, I do think this outfit does set itself apart by having a different set of tones than the typical stuff one gets from the genre, focusing instead on a stronger sense of lightness and freedom.
Right off, the orchestrations are incredible. Not only are they lush and layered, but they do more than just provide atmosphere. Quite often, they have the melodies that carry the song forward, and Angel's voice seem like a part of the orchestra, instead of standing in front of it, which helps the songs feel more unified to their benefit. There were even times when I would get a little frustrated with the distorted guitars getting in the way of things. It's not like they're bad, but they are very standard, with some solid low chugging, and some noodly solos, but it's honestly nothing symphonic metal fans haven't heard before. However, Angel's voice fits the material well, shifting between long, dramatic notes and spritely moments with ease. If you're looking for another great female vocalist, she certainly has her own touch things.
Obviously, there is an emphasis on wolves with songs like "Welcome to the Pack," "Lone Wolf," and "Moonbound," but there are also topics of nature, independence, and love in the lyrics. While the sound does have some gothic elements, the band is less interested in darkness or epicness and more on romance and a rustic sense of folklore, with the occasional flute melody that brings some folkiness to it. There are even times where it's rather quite uplifting, with "Home" and "Thrill of the Chase" being examples, and some of the songs even have a bouncy feel, like modern pop music. However, given how rich the production is, and the cheerful nature of some of the songs, I could see this one growing on me.
Well, that's the first of many articles for this month. However, I really shouldn't complain. Taking the time to listen to all these albums is still quite fun and enjoyable, and I know I'm anticipating more than a few of the albums I have lined up ahead. That being said, I think I'll spring my Christmas surprise for my next article, which has also been an interesting journey to complete. Until then, rock on! \m/
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