New Videos - August 2022!

Man, it really feels like there is just too much good music to check out, and not enough time to listen to it all!  Once again, I've got a bunch of videos from bands with new albums that I haven't gotten to yet, but they sound great.  Lots of epic stuff this time, so check them out!

Let's kick things off with some more SheWolf.  This one has a folkier vibe, lilting around with its melodies.  Along with Angel Wolf-Black's vocals and the orchestrations backing them all, it's a pretty fun piece of symphonic metal.

It's actually impressive to see Peavy chugging along, now with an EP coming out soon, just after their album last year.  Once again, we get some pretty gritty traditional metal that plows through you like an oncoming train!  Why slow down when it sounds this good?

Another band I know very little about, Borealis is going for that kind of epic, melodic progressive metal, much in the same vein as Vanden Plas and DGM.  At first, it hits you with all the notes, then it goes into a very melodic chorus, but then the song builds into this epic, symphonic part before the guitar solo.  A blast to listen to!

Yup, more Hammer King.  Based on the singles so far, this next album is looking to simply carry on what they accomplished with their self-titled one, and I am ready for it!  I know it's out, and I'm planning on getting to it right away.  Maybe next month.

"So Quiet Here" is another one from the Allen/Olzon project, and it's definitely more in the vein of the first album, with some solid melodies and orchestrations.  What stands out on this one is how well the two vocalists sound when they sing together.  I'm definitely looking forward to listening to this album as well.

Last Played - May 2022! Now with EPs!

I'm starting to catch up on some newer releases, but one other thing I've decided to focus on is Extended Play releases.  To be honest, EPs are something that I've never really quite understood, but they remain a constant of the heavy metal scene.  I guess if you feel compelled to release something, I suppose it's better to release a handful of solid tracks instead of throwing on a bunch of filler tracks to fill an album.  However, reviewing them is still a bit odd.  With a full album, you can get a sense of what the band is thinking and feeling at the moment, but an EP just feels like a step or two up from a taste (which I guess would be singles, in this analogy?).

Nevertheless, as I began looking over bands' discographies and new releases, there are plenty EPs to discuss.  So I decided I would include them as little mini-reviews in my Last Played articles in between the main album reviews.  In any case, regardless of format, here's what I've listening to lately.

Eliminator - Ancient Light

After enjoying their single "Silent Stone" as a solid piece of Maiden worship, I figured I should give the rest of their latest album a listen.  Right out of the gates, these guys are clearly aiming for that early Iron Maiden era of Killers, Number of the Beast, and Piece of Mind.  Sometimes they lean into the NWOBHM side with a dash of rock, but other times, they turn up the epic, with decent results.

Of course, it's not completely like Iron Maiden, as there are a few tracks that feel closer to US power metal, like "Mercy" and the doomy "The Nightmare of Aeon," but honestly, that's a pretty subtle difference.  Regardless, this band certainly has the chops.  David Foster's vocals are very much like Dickinson's, and he's given plenty of opportunities to wail high above the music (though he does get a little buried on "Arrival").  Then there's the lead guitar work of Jack MacMichael and Matthew Thomas.  When they aren't chugging away at classic-styled riffs, they are often trading solos, or playing harmonized leads together, clearly reminiscent of Murray and Smith.  If it weren't for the modern production, this could easily make you feel like it's 1983 all over again.

If there is a problem, it's that there aren't a lot of surprises.  This album really feels the same from front-to-back.  Sure, they change up the tempo here and there, and there are a few segments were they break out the acoustic guitar, but it's usually in anticipation of some epic metal shift like "Foreverless," or in the bridge of a larger song like "Lord of Sleep, Dreamaster."  However, for those who can't get enough of that old-school Maiden sound and want to hear some guys who are pretty good at it, this is some solid classic metal.

Lovebites - Glory, Glory to the World (EP)

This release is probably a little bittersweet, as it was part of an announcement of an incoming hiatus caused by the leaving of their bassist, Miho.  While it retains much of the frenetic power metal they're known for, I don't think these songs are quite as good as what was on Electric Pentagram, which I loved.  "Paranoia" certainly shows the band's darker, more theatrical side, but otherwise, the songs are pretty standard fare for this band.  Expect plenty of high-speed shredding and catchy melodies, but nothing particularly earth-shattering.

Lionville - So Close to Heaven

After checking out their first album, I decided to give their latest a spin, and it's pretty surprising how little has changed in the 10 years between them.  While the production is a little richer and the guitars have a bit more crunch (and there are less ballads), this is still some pretty straight-forward, 80s-inspired melodic rock from top to bottom.  

Of course, it also makes it hard to review, as nothing really stands out too much.  I will say that the lyrics lean into the clichés quite a bit, but they're sung so sincerely you can't help but get caught up in the sentimentality of it all.  The music supports every word of it, with friendly, rockin' guitars and lush keyboards to make everything so warm and accessible.  It's a bit of a shorter album, but that only helps the pace feel brisk and not get bogged down.  Essentially, Lionville are the epitome of modern AOR, and it may not make many new fans, I generally enjoyed what I heard.

Greyhawk - Ride Out (EP)

Likely named after the classic D&D campaign setting, Greyhawk is very much in the vein of classic US power metal, a la Omen, Manilla Road, and Manowar.  I quite liked the vocals by Rev Taylor, and they were often harmonized, which added to the epicness.  Otherwise, it's some pretty straight-forward chugging old-school metal, with plenty of noodly guitars one expects from the style.  "The Abdication," and "Serpent King" stood out to me the most, with the former being quite epic, and the latter having some great energy.  This certainly is a solid taste of what this band has to offer, and I'm curious to listen to more, so I guess this EP did its job!

HammerFall - Hammer of Dawn

Let's wrap this up this article with finally getting caught up on HammerFall!  These power metal legends are still going, and while their sound hasn't changed much over the past decade, they still have a knack for some decent epic and melodic tracks.

Right off the bat, we get "Brotherhood" for the opener, providing a very classic HammerFall feel.  From there, it's mostly mid-tempo material, with a few change ups.  "Hammer of Dawn" and "Venerate Me" are probably the best of the stompy tracks, while "Live Free or Die," and the closer "No Mercy" do a good job to bring back the speed.  Supposedly King Diamond is on "Venerate Me," but I could never hear him (that's not a voice you can mistake; was he just part of the chorus?).  However, the really different track is "Not Today."  While it's not a ballad, it does have a more mellow rock vibe, with clean guitar tones throughout, except for the melodic choruses.  I don't recall them doing anything quite like this, but it's not bad.  A bit an experiment, I guess.

Overall, I think this is better than their last album Dominion, as I feel it's a little more consistent across the board.  However, I'm not sure how it would compare to the others.  The first five still loom large in my nostalgia goggles, and I don't think they've ever really reached those heights since.  Still, I'm glad they're carrying on, and Hammer of Dawn shows that they're aren't out of magic quite yet.

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Well, I hope you don't mind me throwing in a few EPs this time.  They broke things up a little, at least.  Looking ahead, I'm not sure where I'll go next.  I'm thinking of doing a Last Played purely on albums from 1997, as there are a bunch of big ones from that year that I haven't heard yet.  We'll see.  In the meantime, I've got another Anniversary Article coming up for 1987, and I'm finding more videos to share, so that should round out this month.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - February 2022!

Yup, it's time to get back into the videos again!  Certainly some interesting melodic metal right out of the gate, going from prog to power and back again.  Turn these up, as they certainly demand it!

This is an interesting piece of mid-tempo power metal.  It's got some good energy, making me think of some of the more anthemic Stratovarius songs like "Hunting High and Low."  Fabio is pretty over-the-top, but doesn't steal the spotlight, and his voice combines well with Giorgia Gueglio's.

Well, I suppose being from the same part of the world as Iron Maiden gives them a bit of authenticity!  This is definitely in the style of older Maiden, as it has a bit of a rock vibe, but the vocalist could easily be mistaken for Dickenson, which is probably intentional.  Still, a solid metal track.

I know the video has the hashtag for prog metal, but I get massive Yes vibes from this, mainly due to the vocalist Damian Wilson being right in Jon Anderson's range.  Getting the guitarist from DGM and the keyboardist from Dream Theater certainly helps lift the prog chops as well.  It's a neat little song, and I'll have to keep an eye out for more from these guys in the future!

Well, this is a solid piece of power metal.  Not really innovating anything, but it has good energy, and some interesting use of synthesizers, making me think of Twilightning, actually.  While this is just for an EP, I'll have to keep an eye on this band, going forward.

Now this sounds like classic HammerFall!  The extended guitar noodling makes me think of their early albums like Glory to the Brave and Legacy of Kings.  While "Hammer of Dawn" was decent, this one certainly has the band's various trademarks all at once!

Last Played - March 2021!

Hey, it's been a while since I've had one of these!  The start of the year has been a bit rough, as I've been dealing with some congestion in one of my ears.  However, that hasn't stopped me from listening to stuff, and this time we've got a theme of classic rock and metal sounds!

Pounder - Breaking the World

These guys definitely love their classic metal, as they sound like every metal album released from 1981 to 1985.  The high speed drumming of thrash meets the noodly solos of NWOBHM, making for an album that takes itself the right amount of seriously.  Cheesy, but not too melodramatic.  Anthemic, but with plenty of uptempo riffing and dual guitar solos.

It's also a very short album, at only 7 tracks for 35 minutes, but they still find ways to work in a decent amount of variety.  "Breaking the World" is more on the epic side with its 6/8 time signature, while "Never Forever" throws in some arpeggiating synths from the 80s pop band recording in the next studio over.  Meanwhile, "Deadly Eyes" is classic speed metal, and "Hard Road to Home" is a great anthemic track, probably the best on the album.

However, there really isn't much outside of 80s metal worship, and the vocals are almost too gritty for what they're going for.  These songs often go for a classic type of epicness, and they need someone like Eric Adams or Ronnie Atkins, but all they seem to have is someone who's smoked nearly as much as Lemmy.  They're not bad vocals, but not really great either.  Decent stuff, with a lot of great guitar work, but not really blowing me away.

Uriah Heep - Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble

Uriah Heep is another one of those bands that I've seen around, but never really listened to.  Supposedly having a foot in both the heavy metal and prog rock camps, I decided to give their first record a spin.  I understand they don't come into their own until a few albums later, but I like to start at the beginning as it makes following the band's narrative easier for me.

What stands out at first is of course the use of the rock organ.  They mentioned that Vanilla Fudge is one of their inspirations, and it's very clear on a lot of these songs.  Lots of midtempo rocking with plenty of gaps for licks and fills, and nice vocal harmonies.  David Byron is a very solid vocalist, with a slight operatic style, but still good for some of the album's more bluesy stuff.

"Dreammare" stands out to me the most, sounding more like an early Rainbow song, with the fantasy lyrics, and harder riffs.  The rest of the tracks are an odd mix of blues rock and jazz fusion, sitting somewhere between Vanilla Fudge, Caravan, and Grand Funk Railroad.  I don't know if I've heard anything amazing quite yet, but it's a decent start, and I'll be looking forward to the rest of this band's discography.

Black Sabbath - Mob Rules

I can't believe it's been nearly two years since I first listened to Heaven and Hell.  You'd think after hearing how good that one is I would have jumped right on this one, but evidentially not.  Anyways, the follow up definitely has more of the same sound and style as the first, but I will say that it's probably more consistent in quality, and probably a little shinier, but maybe not quite reaching the same heights as the previous one.

Dio is still Dio, to be sure, and the music does a great job setting up a stage for him to tell his dramatic stories.  Vinny Appice is the new drummer, and he plays well; his fills are especially good.  Iommi brings his trademark style as well, though I don't know if his riffs are quite as strong on this one.  They do some classic doomy stuff though, particularly on "The Sign of the Southern Cross" and "Over and Over."  I also liked the transitions from "The Sign of the Southern Cross," through "E5150," to "The Mob Rules."

However, I don't hear anything as strong or as epic as the first side of Heaven and Hell.  While "Turn Up the Night" is a solid opener, it's not as strong as "Neon Nights," and while "The Sign of the Southern Cross" does get close, it doesn't quite match the majesty of "Children of the Sea."  Still, a solid effort that mostly holds up in the second half as well.  I can see why some folks wished for this lineup to continue on from here, instead of breaking apart like they did.

Cirith Ungol - Frost and Fire

Let's round this article out with another old-school classic from a lesser known band.  Cirith Ungol is one I've heard talked about as being classic and inspirational US Power Metal, and given their album covers featuring classic fantasy art based on Elric of Melnibone, I figured I was in for some epic stuff.  However, I'm guessing that's on their later albums, as this album is a bizarre collection of songs.

The first few tracks are very much in the vein of 70s metal with strong elements of prog rock, making me think of the likes of Blue Oyster Cult or Rush circa Caress of Steel.  "I'm Alive" is the one that stands out the best for me, with a solid bass groove and some great dueling guitar leads.  However, as the album goes on, it takes some weird turns.  The second half of the album adds some rather cheesy synths, making me think of Billy Idol or The Knack.  New Wave stuff, but with darker, metal lyrics.  There's also a track that I guess was supposed to have lyrics, but they never got recorded, resulting in six minutes of decent, if generic, hard rock.

Overall, I have very mixed feelings after listening to this, especially since the beginning was so promising.  Tim Baker clearly has a great voice for this stuff, coming across as a more metal Arthur Brown, and the guitar work is solid and riffy.  It's like they have the components for a good metal band, but they were given the wrong songs somehow.  Hopefully, their later albums will bring the epicness I expect.

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I think I was pretty sluggish on listening to stuff at the beginning of last year.  Hopefully that isn't a trend!  I know that 2021 already has a bunch of promising bands and albums and we're not even a fourth of the way through!  Hopefully, I can catch up and get more of these out in the near future.  Until then, rock on!  \m/