New Videos - February 2021!

Alright.  Time to get back into it!  After a quiet-ish January, I'm ready to start checking out some new stuff again.  I've got a good mix of rock and metal this time, so turn them up!

So Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood, and Jay Schellen of the current Yes lineup decided to start their own side project during all the lockdown, grabbing Jimmy Haun (who has done studio guitar work on previous Yes albums) and keyboardist Dave Kerzner, best known for Sound of Contact and In Continuum, resulting in a curious mix of prog and AOR.  Their first single was rather mediocre, but this is stronger material.  I can also hear Billy's iconic production on things, so I'm quite optimistic for this.

And Evergrey is back with their emotionally driven prog metal.  I like the little touches on this one, like the symphonic keys in the background.  Also a solid solo.  One of these days, I'll get into this band more, but until then, here's their latest single.

I can't believe I still haven't gotten around to these guys.  They're having a bit of a shake-up in their lineup, but if they keep making consistent power metal, I'll still be interested.  I'll admit this song might be a bit on the generic side, but it works as a foundation for Giada's great vocals, which is definitely the star for this piece.

Hey, another one from these guys!  This one might be better than the last one of theirs I shared.  It seems to have all the 80s metal cliches, from anthemic parts to chunky riffs to gritty thrashing, and everything in between.  Just gritty enough to make you think it's 1982 again, and I wasn't even alive back then!

Another returning artists!  Simulacrum really do have my attention.  Soaring vocals over some very technical riffing and drumming.  Like DGM and Symphony X, but about 20% more complex and chunky.  I'm definitely looking forward to their new album.

Let's end on some epic, cheesy power metal.  Bloodbound is probably a band that runs under the radar a little, compared to the bigger names in the genre, but they do have a solid grasp on the fundamentals and let them ring.  Anthemic choruses, melodic riffs, soaring vocals, they have it down and this track is just another example of their expertise.

New Videos - December 2020 Part Two

Well, I barely made it!  I wanted to get this one up before the end of the year.  I've got another interesting mix of bands, all of which seem to show that 2021 will be a promising year for rock and metal.  Check'em out!

Not sure where these guys were hiding, but they have this neat, bluesy hard rock with lots gritty vibes.  I'll have to check out more of their stuff if it's going to have these kinds of riffs and grooves.  Just real straight-forward, crunchy stuff.

Evergrey already has another album on the way, continuing their emotional and crunchy prog metal sound.  I admit I still haven't listened to much of these guys, despite liking their sound.  Maybe I can change that in the upcoming year, and them putting out another album doesn't leave me much room for excuse!

Despite this album's delays, I'm still looking forward to this sci-fi epic from Orden Ogan.  Crunchy riffs, soaring vocals (with neat little glitch effects), and a slick, polished atmosphere in their production.  It's not as strong as their last single, but pretty solid, nonetheless.  

I'm mostly familiar with Glass Hammer through their first two albums with Jon Davison, as I was curious about him when he joined Yes as their new singer.  This song is a rerecording of a track they wrote in the 90s for a special release on their website.  As expected, it has a lot of the qualities of 70s prog rock, notably Yes and ELP.  I know folks have given them a hard time for their kind of derivative sound, but I honestly don't think it's bad thing, and it sounds good here.

Let's finish with something that's clearly aiming for a classic sound.  Pounder is pretty straight-forward metal, calling to mind the likes of late 80s Iron Maiden or Metal Church.  What caught me off-guard was the nice vocal harmonies on the chorus, add an extra touch to some solid riffing.

New Videos - July 2020 Part Three!

How about that?  I was able to pull together another article before the end of the month!  I wasn't sure if I was going to make it.  This time, expect a lot of metal!  \m/

So this is a pretty neat little song.  Blind Guardian is a decent reference point, with the epic scope and crunchy guitars, but staying grounded.  It's also a touch on the long side, but I think it works for what they're going for here.

More Primal Fear is always a good thing!  Their Judas Priest inspired style of power metal is such a thrill, and you get the impression they love playing it as well!  As expected, this is full of big, crunchy guitars and Ralf Scheepers huge voice!

Orden Ogan is a name I've seen around and heard many good things about, but never got to them until just now.  Power metal, with some proggy touches, is the nature of this one, with some great riffs and a neat solo (once you get to it).  Not sure if I like all the lens flares, though.

I know I usually don't do live videos for these articles, but I had never heard of this band before.  Redemption is very much prog metal, in the vein of Dream Theater or Symphony X.  In fact, that's Tom Englund from Evergrey on the vocals!  Technical, but not too dense, with some nice solos.

Well, this is a blast of metal if I've ever heard one!  Palace play a very classic style of 80s metal that would make their German countrymen proud, full of crunchy riffs and a driving tempo often heard in the likes of Accept and Rage, and the shout-along chorus is the cherry on top!

After all that metal, let's finish with something mellow.  Pattern-Seeking Animals already has their second album out (I don't think I ever got around to listening to their first one completely!).  Nice, melodic, mood-driven prog rock that's refreshing and pleasant.

Last Played - February 2019

Yeah, I know it's March now, but I forgot to put this article together before the end of last month.  Cut me a break!  February is always short!  Anyways, here's the latest stuff I've been listening to.

Airborune - Breakin’ Outta Hell

When I first came across this band, I mostly dismissed them as an AC/DC clone, a comparison that is not hard to make, in all fairness.  However, when “It's All for Rock N' Roll” was used in a commercial, I was impressed and decided to check this album out.  First impressions were decent, but as I’ve listened to this album more and more on my iPod, I’ve really come to like it quite a bit!

For what it’s worth, I do think they add something extra to the AC/DC formula, mostly unbound energy.  These songs don’t just rock, they blow up in your face without remorse!  There’s an almost reckless drive to the whole thing that makes it very fun and exciting, nearly infectious, really.  Just one of those times where the more I listened, the more it clicked!  If you’re looking for some real straight-forward, fist-pumping rock music, pick this up!

Dragonland - The Battle of the Ivory Plains

I remember coming cross Dragonland when I first discovered power metal and was just checking out any band with fantasy elements. At the time, I didn’t think much of them, but liked a few of their songs, and then moved on to other bands.  It had been quite a while since I’d really listened to them, so I decided to revisit their first album.

And it’s pretty much what I remember it being: epic, cheesy, and clunky.  While the band clearly shows talent, with lightning fast guitars and a sweeping symphonic scope, the songwriting and lyrics never seem to find a good flow, which makes following the story and melodies difficult.  The songs require close attention to really piece it all together, but it rarely feels rewarding, resulting in an album that’s overall quite mediocre.

Evergrey - Glorious Collision

Another album I listened to once when it came out and then kind of forgot about.  However, watching these latest videos of theirs for their new album got me curious about them again, so I went back and gave this another listen.  

What Evergrey has going for them is mostly tone.  They really do a good job of creating an atmosphere of epic hopelessness, while still retaining the chops for progressive metal.  As a consequence, none of the songs really stand out, as they all sound very similar to each other, but as a whole, it holds together.  In any case, it makes me want to consider giving their new album a shot, though I don’t know when I’ll get to it.

Apocalyptica - Reflections

Apocalyptica is a pretty unique band, primarily consisting of cellos, and this album really shows it, providing a mix of driven metal and haunting ballads.  This was the first album of theirs I ever listened to, and I was really blown away by what a group of cellists could do.  I’m not sure if the ballads totally work, but when these guys decide to really kick it up, it’s some pretty good music.

It’s also worth noting that it’s their first album with a drummer, bringing in the legend that is Dave Lombardo for some of the tracks.  While their earlier albums were able to get away without having a drummer, it was mostly because they were covers.  When it came to their original music, it wasn’t quite a strong.  Here on this album, having a drummer really makes their original material shine, with songs like “No Education,” “Drive,” and “Toreador II” really standing out to me.

I get that Apocalyptica might not be for everyone, but I really like what they bring to the metal genre, making the most of the cello’s unique textures while still making some hard rocking music!

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Well, that's it for February.  Maybe this month I'll catch up on some of those new albums coming out.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Videos - January 2019 Part 3!

That's right!  January gets three parts!  But when there's just so much great music out there, I gotta keep sharing it!!  Anyways, let's see what I've come across this time!

Beast in Black certainly know how to lay it on thick!  Powered by huge 80s synths, epic guitars, and Yannis's vocals, this is cheese I can get behind!

More power and fury from Rhapsody of Fire!  What we get this time is an incredible thrust of speed, energy, and technical wizardry.  While it may be nothing new from these Italians, that isn't a bad thing here!

Well, this is a change of pace!  Here we have a very jazzy piece from Soen, stepping away from their Tool-esque chops for something a little more Pink Floyd (it's the keyboards, really).  Moody, mellow, and played with sincerity.

Uriah Heep is another band I know little about, unfortunately, but I like how this one rocks.  Very much a 70s metal vibe, with crunchy riffs and raging hammonds, it's proof that old rockers don't need new tricks to keep rocking!

Evergrey have another album coming out, and while I've listened to some of the other early singles, this is the first one I've liked.  Nice and moody, with some decent crunchy riffs.

Oh, look!  Another Herman Frank video!  I don't know if I like this one as much as the other two, but it's pretty solid.  This is probably the album I'm looking forward to the most at the moment!