Top 5 of 2010!!

Fortunately, after the last article, I was able to pull this one together pretty quickly.  At this point, this really is just a Top 5 of whatever I've listened to in a given year.  Still, this one has some decent variety, this time around.  I did want to shout out The Showdown by Allen/Lande and Kamelot's Poetry for the Poisoned as honorable mentions.  They aren't the greatest albums, but they were decent, which is kind of a theme for this list.  Still, five had to be picked and this is what I came up with.

5. White Wizzard - Over the Top

I remember when metal sites were making a big deal about this band back in the day.  Their attempt at recreating the classic NWOBHM sound made them seem novel, and they were pretty good at it.  Their debut album features tons of catchy riffs and sing-along choruses, so it's easy to see why they excited metalheads back in the day.  Unfortunately, they ran into some serious problems, with lineup changes and getting dropped from their label, but like any classic metal band, they found a way to carry on.  In any case, their debut squeaks onto my list for just being a fun throwback to when metal wasn't dominated by breakdowns and harsh vocals.

4. Atlantean Kodex - The Golden Bough

When I listened to this again, I had a sneaking suspicion this might find itself here, but I wasn't immediately sure.  Despite its peculiar production, the atmosphere they create on this album is incredible, matching the ponderous style of doom metal with ancient myths and folklore.  Like White Wizzard, this is a band that I should have stuck with, and I will likely be following up on their next albums in the next few years.

3. Vega - Kiss of Life

I warned you this was gonna happen!  Drenched in 80s cheese and thick with synthesizers, this album is some very nostalgic, sentimental AOR, and that's why I love it.  While they're more recent albums see them mixing up their formula a little, they definitely started on the right foot with this one.  Full of catchy anthems and warm layers, Vega was on the right track from the beginning.

2. Sabaton - Coat of Arms

While this probably isn't their best album, it's certainly a decent one.  "Screaming Eagles" is clearly the highlight, but the title track and "White Death" are no slouches either.  I can see some folks arguing that Sabaton's albums feel a little interchangeable, but I simply see a lot of consistency.  I don't know if they have a great album in their catalog, but they certainly have some good ones, and this one is solid enough to find itself at #2.

1. Accept - Blood of the Nations

However, once I started putting this list together, the #1 choice was obvious.  Back when I reviewed it five years ago, I was blown away by the rich production, tight riffing, and straight-ahead, no-nonsense approach to songwriting.  While that has always been Accept's main focus, this comeback album came at the right time, punching everyone in the face with excellent traditional metal tracks.  In fact, this might be my favorite Accept album of all time!

Retro Reviews - November 2025!

This one took a little longer than I wanted, but there's a lot to cover here.  I'm still focused on my Top 5 articles, and so here's a bunch from 2010, though it's a little bit of everything, really.  I'm still hoping I can get through all these albums and articles before the end of the year, and maybe squeeze in a few more things, but it's looking tight.  In the meantime, here's a new handful of albums I've checked out, and I hope you do as well, as there's some great stuff here!

Atlantean Kodex - The Golden Bough (A Study in Magic and Religion)

I remember when this came out back in the day, with a lot of metal websites praising it.  I listened to it back then, thought it was good, but then never listened to it again!  I also feel like this band sorta disappeared off the face of the earth after their debut, but it seems they're still going with nearly the same lineup that recorded this album.  In an effort to get back into more epic doom metal (and as research for the upcoming Top 5 article), I figured I'd give this another go, treating it like a new listen as I remember very little of what's on this album.

Based on a book series that discusses mythology and religion, the songs dive deep into those themes as well.  The way the tracks transition from one to the next, using some sailing ambiance, gives this the feel of a concept album, like an epic quest.  There really isn't much doom and gloom so much as the dealings with magical and esoteric traditions, and the music does a great job of evoking those moods.  Many of the songs are long, include the first two both being over 10 minutes, and a 15 minute epic towards the end, but they never become boring or tedious.  Instead, they tap into this almost folky, ancient atmosphere that's easy to sink into, making for some very solid doom metal.  Markus Becker's vocals soar and harmonize very well, Manuel Trummer and Michael Koch provide great riffs and melodies on their guitars, and the rhythm section of drummer Mario Weiss and bassist Florian Kreuzer make sure things move along at a good pace.

If there is a problem with the album, it's that the production is a bit odd.  While it does provide a solid wall of sound, there are moments were it feels off, especially when the guitars stop playing.  The distortion effects are fine, but when they stop for a bit, the straight silence with no reverb that follows before they start playing again is so stark, it almost feels like a mistake, but it happens multiple times on the album, so it's a bit strange.  Their transitions can also be quite sudden, going from loud to quiet and back to loud with little-to-no build up or anticipation.  The drums might be a little too loud in the mix as well, as Becker does get a little buried at times.

Of course, these are just nitpicks.  In the end, we have a very engaging album full of mythic awe and wonder as the music epicly plods through its course.  I liked most of it, with the opener "Fountain of Nepenthe" setting the stage well, "The Atlantean Kodex" adding a nice dose of energy with more of an anthemic, 80s-metal sound, and the epic "A Prophet in the Forest" rounding out the journey  Fans of Candlemass and Sorcerer should find plenty to like, as long as they don't mind lyrics more inspired by Bulfinch's Mythology than the Book of Revelations.  

Vega - Kiss of Life

After enjoying their last handful of albums, I figured it was time I went back to their debut and checked out where they started.  Unsurprisingly, they have their 80s melodic rock style down right from the start.  These are songs full of cinematic touches, making them feel like part of the soundtrack of a melodramatic film from that aforementioned decade.

If there is one thing that stands out, it's the heavy use of 80s synths and keyboards, giving the band a bit more of a pop-band feel.  Sure, they rock out well enough, but some songs lean pretty hard into the synths, like "Staring at the Sun."  Still, this is some solid retro rock music, using a wall-of-sound-style production to make these songs sound anthemic and huge.  The title track and "Headlights" are two great examples of this, as the songs show the band's excellent use of dynamics.  Meanwhile, the opener "Into the Wild" and "Hearts of Glass" show the band's hard rock energy.  Overall, it's everything I loved about them when I discovered them with Only Human.  I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up in my Top 5 for 2010, as it holds up well and is pretty consistent in quality.

Allen/Lande - The Showdown

It's been quite a while since I last talked about this curious combo of crooners, but Allen/Lande, despite being a little generic in the songwriting, at least provides some fun symphonic metal.  This third album would be the last they would rely on Magnus Karlsson's talents in writing and arranging these songs before moving on to a dozen other projects.  Still, this one soars just like the other two albums.

What little experimentation there is mainly focuses on arrangements and instrumentation.  The two singers belt out the lyrics in epic fashion, and there is plenty of lush orchestrations and slick guitar melodies, as one would expect from these guys.  None of the songs are bad, though the lyrics on "Bloodlines" were a little strange.  Standouts include the title track, "Turn All to Gold," and "The Artist" for their symphonic power, while "The Guardian" was one of the better ones in the AOR style.  While there were no real surprises, it's still competent melodic metal with a flair for the dramatic, which is good enough for me.

Airbourne - No Guts, No Glory

Here's another one that's filling in a gap.  I enjoyed their debut album, and this follow up seems to lean even harder into their AC/DC influences.  Between the raucous vibe and raunchy lyrics, it's another rock party jam from top to bottom.

As usual, I tend to like the faster songs, though I will say the band does some anthemic stuff pretty well.  "Raise the Flag" and "Bottom of the Well" are perfect for fist-pumping self-affirmation, aside from being a pretty good time.  Unfortunately, like reviewing AC/DC albums, there really isn't much to say.  The production is solid, the riffs are crunchy, and the vibe is fun.  Overall, it's a decent time with plenty of headbang-worthy tracks, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily an improvement over their first.  However, there's nothing wrong with staying in cruise control sometimes, and these guys were pretty content to stay the course for this one.

Pathfinder - Beyond the Space, Beyond the Time

I came across this band the same way as I'm sure many others did, with their cover of Mike Oldfield's "Moonlight Shadow."  It was bombastic, even operatic at times, and a very energetic version of the song.  However, their name sat in the back of my memory like so many other bands, so I'm taking it upon myself to fix this and check out their debut album, which has some very over-the-top symphonic power metal, with all of its tropes.

While I've referenced Rhapsody of Fire many times before when discussion this kind of music, but if you had told me this was one of their albums and not a new band, I might have believed you!  While the high speed riffing certainly recalls DragonForce, and the singer Szymon Kostro does lean a little into Hansi Kürsch's style, but in the end, these Poles are clearly inspired by the aforementioned Italian band.  The result is some very fast songs, a few interludes, and some very complex arrangements, mixing the guitars and symphonics and choirs quite well (and throwing in Beethoven in for good measure).  These songs are often long as well, fitting in all kinds of cinematic sections.  While I wasn't able to find a lot of specifics, but I'm pretty sure this is a concept album, telling a high fantasy story involving a hero getting powers from the moon, rescuing his lover from cave dwellers, then facing the hordes of evil, and having a showdown between dragons that gets rather metaphysical.  I think.

This is an album that's going to need more than few listens to really unpack everything, as there are so many transitions and sections.  While it's done well, it does make the songs a little hard to follow at times.  "All the Mornings in the World" was pretty good, as that song felt the most focused, and "Sons of Immortal Fire" was a nice break from all the high-speed melodrama by being just a solid metal song.  The rest are enjoyable enough, but I'm not really sure if they're capable of coming out from under Rhapsody of Fire's shadow.  I know they have one other album, which I will get to a some point, but for now, it's a curious album that I wish was easier to get into somehow.

Last Played - 2023 Roundup!

Here's the problem: there are too many albums I want to listen to, and not enough time to listen to them all.  Maybe if this were a full-time job, I could do it, but I'm definitely not to that level at all.  Still, I wanted to at least give some time to all things I listened to, even if it wasn't as much attention as the albums in my regular Last Played articles, so here are a bunch of mini-reviews.  To be honest, it's a lot of bands carrying on their sound, resulting in a lot of albums that were good, but not amazing.  Here's the rest of what I listened to for 2023!

Vega - Battlelines

Vega has been an interesting band to follow.  I started with Only Human, which I loved for it's cheesy 80s anthemic rocking.  Grit Your Teeth saw the band keep their style but loosen up in a good way.  However, Anarchy and Unity felt like a shift into more 90s or 2000s alternative rock.  It wasn't bad, but certainly different.  So how is Battlelines?  It's pretty similar to Grit Your Teeth, honestly.  The production isn't as thick as it was on Only Human, but otherwise, it's another solid set of melodic hard rock.  The opener "Heroes and Zeroes," and "Embrace the Grey" have some good energy in particular.

DGM - Life

This is one I wish I could have given more time, as their last album was my number one choice for 2020.  However, it's hard to deny that Life isn't more of the same as what was on Tragic Separation.  Of course, this means more chunky, syncopated riffing in the guitars, more catchy, AOR-style choruses, and more great soaring vocals from Mark Basile.  This is clear from the beginning as they start with their lead single, and the rest of the tracks carry on just like that.  Sure, they shake it up here and there with some clean piano or an a cappella section, and they throw on some appropriate synths for "Neuromancer," but otherwise, they remain pretty consistent.  Unfortunately, there wasn't much that stood out compared to what I've heard them do before.

Sorcerer - Reign of the Reaper

After Lamenting of the Innocence blew me away a few years ago, I knew I had to keep an eye out for what Sorcerer would do next.  Once again, we are back into the weird blend of big doomy riffs and melodic shredding solos.  This time, I feel like there's an increase in classic metal (which maybe isn't a surprise after doing an EP of covers during the lockdown).  I continually got vibes of Judas Priest, Saxon, and Rainbow, which were blended very well into their wall-of-sound approach to doom.  Anders Engberg soars over everything, and Kristian Niemann and Peter Hallgren bring another excellent set of heavy riffs and shreddy solos.  If there is a difference, I feel like the songs are more uplifting and heroic.  It's not something across the album, but I did pick up on it here and there, and I found it pretty refreshing, actually.  While I don't think it's quite as good as Lamenting, it's about on par with The Crowning of the Fire King and is another solid release from a band who clearly has their own stamp on the epic doom genre.

Final Strike - Finding Pieces

This is the new project by Christian Eriksson, formerly of NorthTale and Twilight Force.  Bringing along a few mates from NorthTale, this group sets out to do power metal in a very classic way.  I know I enjoyed two of their singles, and I'm hearing everything from Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Edguy to even bits of Hammerfall and Stratovarius.  Eriksson sounds solid, and the guitarwork by Martin Floberg is full of noodly shredding and uptempo riffing.  While they do change things up, occasionally having a mid-tempo stomper, it's mostly high speed, double-bass-kicking anthems.  "Finding Pieces" and "Freedom" remain as good songs, and I also enjoyed the closer "Turn of the Tide."  However, this year has had some excellent power metal, so I will have to give it a few more listens to decide how well it stacks with the competition.

Eclipse - Megalomanium

Eclipse makes no major changes, but why fix what isn't broken?  While Paradigm remains my favorite of theirs, this is another solid set of rock songs, though they have pushed more in an anthemic direction (if a song simply named "Anthem" wasn't a clue already!).  However, in an effort to sound big, I think they've lost some of the meat, especially since the opening tracks do feel a little lackluster.  They even lean into pop punk a little with songs like "Got It" and "The Broken."  However, things pick up with "Children of the Night," starting with a riff that could have come from Bark at the Moon, and the second half of the album gets back into some solid rocking.  Overall, they haven't fallen into a slump as they continue to provide good, energetic tunes.

Tanith - Voyage

After enjoying two of the singles, this album is certainly a solid follow-up to their debut, carrying on their Thin-Lizzy-meets-Blue-Oyster-Cult style of rock.  However, some of Russ Tippins' NWOBHM background has slipped in, as I sometimes thought of Iron Maiden's Killers, with some galloping guitar rhythms.  Still, their of 70s fantasy lyrics powered by cosmic descriptions still makes them feel like something from another time.  Tippins provides plenty of old-school fretwork on his guitar, and Cindy Maynard continues her role of vocal counter point, though this album has a lot more of them singing together.  While a few songs get into some proggy or atmospheric sections, most of the album has a lot of solid, straight-on rock, making for a pretty consistent listen.  I don't know if this is better or worse than their debut, as it's close, but this certainly confirms what they started, making them a pretty unique band in the current rock music landscape.

New Videos - September 2023!

I'm catching up on other things, but I think the rest of my year might be a little busy.  We'll see what I have time to get to.  Still, I found quite the collection of new videos, ranging from prog rock to power metal, and a few things in between.  I'm definitely excited for the albums these ones are teasing!

Well, if I thought the first single of Trevor Rabin's new solo album was unique last month, this knocks it further from the norm!  Definitely leaning into some proggy sections and songwriting, this feels like some of the noodlier parts of Talk turned left somewhere and found itself deep in some other dimension!  The while piano runs make me think of "Endless Dream," and the ending falls into this bouncy, symphonic arrangement, making for a song that I had no idea where it was going for its entire run time, and I loved it!

After their last album, Vega seems to be back in the 80s anthemic rock vein, providing a catchy chorus and some solid, crunchy riffs.  While the last album wasn't bad, it did feel like a letdown compared to what I had heard from them before, so here's hoping the new album sees a return to what they do best.

After Christian Eriksson left NorthTale, I guess he ended up fronting this new band.  Naturally, it's classic European power metal, very much in the vein of Freedom Call and Helloween, so I'm all for it.  It's certainly on the cheesy side, but I'm definitely curious how the rest of their debut album will sound.

I featured this band a few years ago and liked their style, and now they have a new album out!  Definitely falling into the more dramatic style of power metal like Kamelot and Blind Guardian, this track has some good dynamics to go with their crunchy riffs.

Yup, even more power metal!  While having Ralf Scheepers is enough to get me curious, the band's own singer Carlos Zema is very good in his own right!  While it's a very high speed blend of heavy and power styles, much like Brainstorm, I had never heard of this group until now.  Definitely on my list!

I know I've liked DGM in the past, but here it sounds like they've really fused their AOR sensibilities with their proggy chops to create something really dynamic and sentimental without losing any of their technical heft, with Mark Basile's vocals soaring over everything.  A good start for their new album!

Last Played - December 2021 Part Three!

Merry Christmas!  Here's a handful of reviews for your present!  Seriously, though, this month has been a ride, catching up with all these albums.  Here we've got a good mix of pop, power, and heavy metal, along with Vega's new release.  Let's get into it!

Vega - Anarchy and Unity

Vega have been a pretty solid band when it comes to more melodic hard rock.  Only Human was solid 80s anthemic cheese that I loved.  Grit Your Teeth loosened things up a bit and let the band feel around a little more, which I liked, but Anarchy and Unity might have taken things a little too far.  While I liked the early singles, now that I've listened to the album, this band has shifted slightly.

It's definitely a little strange compared to the previous two, as the keyboards seem to take a backseat to a more guitar-and-vocal focused approach.  While the guitars are pretty thick and chunky, giving some great rock riffs, the song-writing and production felt much more modern.  The comparisons I kept making was to anthemic alternative rock bands of the 2000s, like Daughtry, The Calling, and the Goo Goo Dolls.

That being said, there's some solid stuff on here.  "Beautiful Lie" and "Sooner or Later" are a great start to the album, with big riffs and a great uptempo vibe.  I also liked "Bring the Riot," which had a bit of a punk rock vibe.  They also try to mix it up, such as the finger-snapping jazzy grove on "C'mon" and an interesting shift in the middle of "Live For Me," where it changes from a power ballad to a straight-up rocker for one very shreddy solo before dropping back into power ballad territory.  "2Die4" is also a strange one, trying a few different dynamics than I'm used to for these guys.  

To be honest, I think I'm a little disappointed.  After I loved the other two so much, I guess maybe I got my hopes up.  Perhaps I should take it as a sign that the band are trying to push themselves, and sometimes you have to stumble to really know what works and what doesn't.  It's still a decent album, with a lot of anthemic rockers, but this had less of an impact on me, overall.  

Victory - Gods of Tomorrow

Victory started in the mid-80s, and despite getting an international hit or two, generally got overshadowed by other German bands like Scorpions and Accept.  Herman Frank joined in 1986 and stayed with the band until they disbanded in the mid-90s.  However, they reunited in 2003 with Frank, and the lineup has generally changed around him since then, including a lot of members from Frank's solo band.  At first, I just thought he had joined a long-running band, but looking over the history, this has pretty much become another Herman Frank solo project in all but name.  As such, the music bears a lot of similarities to Frank's solo albums, and to much of the classic German metal sound established by bands like Accept and Sinner.  

Because of this, I was going in with the expectation of some solid riffing and rockin' vibe, and this album doesn't disappoint.  If there is any difference between this and Frank's recent solo works, I think this is a little closer to 80s rock rather than metal, but it's a pretty subtle difference.  Think AOR, but with a German metal vibe.

Honestly, though, it's not a major deal.  While the album is a little long and there really isn't anything particularly new or innovative going on, it rocks pretty well, occasionally pushing into faster territory with songs like "Gods of Tomorrow," "Rising Force," and "Into the Light."   "Love & Hate" and "On Fire" has a lot of classic Accept vibes, and the album never loses its classic metal energy.  I think I actually like this more than Herman Frank's own album from earlier in the year.  It will be interesting to compare the two as I prepare for my Top 5 of the year.

Crazy Lixx - Street Lethal

Crazy Lixx was one of the bands I discovered in 2019, quite enjoying their 80s pop metal style so much so that they crept into my Top 5 for that year!  While I anticipated this one pretty deeply, I expected to get more of the same, and they certainly haven't disappointed.

Once again, we're deep in the style that made household names out of Def Leppard, Dokken, and Whitesnake.  Full of big, cheesy anthems and arena rockers, these guys haven't lost a step in their 80s-drenched cinematic vibe.  As usual, the uptempo tracks stand out to me, such as "Rise Above,"  and "Street Lethal."  I also liked "Reach Out" and "One Fire - One Goal" with their AOR-heavy elements, and some tracks aren't afraid to get bluesy at times as well.  The album ends with some longer songs, with the closer being a 7-minute epic "Thief in the Night," which a decent mid-tempo rocker with a more dramatic tone.  I also noticed a greater presence of synthesizers on the album overall, though they're mostly used to give the tracks a bigger, AOR-like feel, a la Europe or Night Ranger.

While Forever Wild was a bit on the long side, this one is definitely tighter, with 2 of its 11 tracks being short instrumentals.  That being said, there's plenty of variety, which makes the album feel like it uses its time well.  I don't know if this one is better than the last one, but it's pretty dang close in quality.  However, just as I said about the last album, this one proves that the glam/pop metal style is still relevant and worth listening to!

NorthTale - Eternal Flame

After being reminded that this band exists and enjoying their first album so much, I was excited for their follow up.  While they retain their classic power metal style, they definitely shift their sound more, experimenting with a lot of different things.  However, they seem to be at their best when they build upon the styles of Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica.

Right off, the album kick starts with some high-speed power metal with the great opener "Only Human." From there, the band really starts to try some things.  "Wings of Salvation" has a symphonic tone in a 6/8 style, "Future Calls" features Kai Hansen and his son Tim so it has some strong Helloween elements, "The Land of Mystic Rites" pulls out some flutes and Latin folk vibes which made me think of classic Angra, and then "Midnight Bells" and "In the Name of God" were on the heavier side, the former making me think of Brainstorm or Primal Fear, and the latter having the bass-heavy grooves of Metalium.  The closer is a symphonic outro that doesn't feature metal at all.  It's a nice piece of music (making me think of symphonic Final Fantasy arrangements), but it is a bit of a strange ending.  The rest of the album, however, stays in the Stratovarius zone, and I found I enjoyed those songs most of all.

Like I mentioned on an earlier article, their new vocalist Guilherme Hirose sounds a lot like Timo Kotipelto, and I wonder if that was a deliberate choice.  The solos trade back and forth between the keyboards and the guitars, only strengthening the Stratovarius comparison.  That's a good thing though, as classic Stratovarius is some of my favorite power metal, so I'm pleased to hear a new band write these kinds of songs.  I think my favorite songs were "Future Calls" and "Only Human," and I thought the 11-minute epic "Nature's Revenge" was solid as well.  Overall, though, I don't know if this album is better than the first one.  I'd have to listen to them more to really decide.  That being said, if you're looking for quite the smorgasbord of power metal, this album certainly delivers.

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Well, that's the year wrapped up.  While I know I didn't get to everything I could have, I think I hit all the releases that I wanted to, so I don't have many regrets.  That being said, when I was looking over my charts, I found that I have listened to and reviewed 28 albums this year!  I don't know if I've ever listened to that much new music within a calendar year!  Figuring out my Top 5 is gonna be quite the challenge!  We'll see what I decide when that comes out at the end of January.

I plan on having on more article before the end of the year, catching up on some new videos.  Otherwise, I plan on having a cozy holiday week, and I hope you all have that as well.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - October 2021!

We're starting off a little different this month, as I've got a Last Player right here for you already to go!  After the power metal fest that was last month's article, I've decided to focus on more classic-rock-styled bands for this one.  Still, I got to hear some really great music on these.  Here's what I've been checking out lately.

Europe - Start from the Dark

So after Prisoners in Paradise was swallowed up in the grunge wave of the early 90s, Europe decided to call it a day.  However, after a few reunion shows in 2000, they decided to really give it another go in 2004 with this album. Bringing back John Norum who hadn't worked with the band since The Final Countdown, you'd think it would be a return of the 80s pop metal sound, but they decided to go in a darker direction.

Right up front, they've got a heavier, grittier guitar tone, likely something borrowed from the post-grunge sound of the time, and the song structures do feel like something out of the 2000s alt-rock playbook.  But then Joey Tempest comes in singing, and John Norum brings out some very classic guitar solos, and this odd mix of 80s pop metal and 2000s alt-rock sort of comes together.  Looking at some of the history, I get the impression the band felt like they were starting over again, so they wanted to prove to newer audiences they could still rock.

It's an odd combination, but it almost works at times.  Most of the tracks have some solid riffing, and Norum's solos are really nice.  However, the keyboards are pretty limited, often put pretty far back in the mix, letting the guitars do all the work.  I did like the title track, and "Wake Up Call" has a solid post-grunge vibe that I liked.  Unfortunately, the second half of the album kinda lags, and feels uninspired at times.  The fact that this isn't even on Spotify seems to indicate that it's a bit of a black sheep in the band's discography.  It's an interesting comeback, showing a darker, grittier side of the band.  However, I don't think this sound is where they really excel.

Vega - Grit Your Teeth

After enjoying Only Human a lot, I don't know why I didn't prioritize the follow-up last year.  Maybe there was just a lot to cover or I was distracted with something else.  With their new album Anarchy and Unity out already, I figured I should try to catch up real quick before I gave that a listen, and I'm glad I did.

Unsurprisingly, Vega brings more solid, 80s-inspired hard rock.  However, the first thing I noticed is the production, which feels a little looser and allows the band to have a few different tones and vibes.  Only Human had a solid sound, going for a thick, tight, anthemic style, but Grit Your Teeth feels more fun.  Everyone is on point, with great riffs, solid layers from the keyboards, and Nick Workman's vocals dominating center stage.  His voice is perfect for this kind of stuff.

As for stand out tracks, the first three are great!  "Blind," "(I Don't Need) Perfection"), and "Grit Your Teeth" come out swinging and set the expectations for the album very well.  "Save Me From Myself" and "How We Live" are some solid anthemic rockers, and I also quite liked "Consequence of Having a Heart," as it had a more mysterious vibe, making me think of the atmosphere in "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode, of all things!  To be honest, looking back over my top 5 for 2020, I think this might have squeezed out Primal Fear.  I honestly wished I had taken the time for this album last year, as it's a very solid set of melodic hard rock tracks!

Creed - Creed

I'm sure this is going to need some explanation.  This is not the well-known post-grunge band of the late 90s, but rather a completely different group from the late 70s, and they play some really solid southern-fried rock.  I admit I don't know a whole lot about this band, other than they're from Memphis, and they made this one album in 1978, but I'm honestly surprised they didn't go on, as they have a good sound.

What's interesting is that, while they're certainly in the same ballpark as bands like Molly Hatchet and Lynyrd Skynyrd, they have a simpler blues-rock sound, augmented with some interesting keyboards and synths, making them sound rather unique.  At first, they start with some solid rock tunes with "Keep On Rockin'" and "Tied Down," but then with tracks like "Firecracker" or "Just Can't Stop," they have these lush keyboards and synthesizers, like the kind you'd hear on a Styx or Kansas album from the same time period.  The rest of the album does pretty much keeps up the rock and roll, with lots of trading guitar riffs and some fun synths thrown in for good measure.  The final track "Time and Time Again" even dabbles in some space rock before kicking it into gear and shredding those frets.

Honestly, this feels like a weird mishmash of 70s rock ideas, but it's all in this fun southern-fried rock framework that ensures the things keep rockin'.  And I cannot stress enough how good the guitar work is here.  Lots of tasty licks, solid riffs, and electric solos!  This really is a solid, neat album that's worth listening to from top to bottom.  Fortunately, this album isn't completely buried, being available on sites like Spotify and Amazon, so you don't have any excuse.  Check this out!!

Yes - The Quest

The big one!  When your favorite band puts out a new album, you definitely pay attention to it.  After their last album Heaven & Earth was an underwhelming pile of slightly proggy soft rock, I was hoping they would follow up with something more driven.  As such, I've been cautiously anticipating this one ever since I was aware of it, and when "The Ice Bridge" (once the credit kerfuffle was sorted out) turned out to be a solid single with some great energy, my hopes rose a little.  Now, for their first album of new material in 7 years (not counting the From a Page tracks that Oliver pulled out for us), where does Yes stand now?  Unfortuntely, not much better.

Right off, I do think this is an improvement, and a lot of it has to do with the production and layering.  Much of this album reminded me of parts of Tales of Topographic Oceans or "Awaken," as they have a stronger sense of the mysterious.  However, the pace of these songs really do drag for me, as most tracks seem to start with a solo instrument before building up to a mid-tempo, soft rock atmosphere.  I'd still consider it prog, as the tracks do have some interesting shifts and movements, but the rock part is debatable.  Another problem I had is the vocals.  While Davison is a good singer, he doesn't seem to give anything a memorable quality.  It's more like his vocal lines are laid on top of the song at times.

That being said, there are parts I do like.  "The Ice Bridge" is a great opener and definitely the best track on the album, with some solid riffs, a great bassline, and nice solo/jam section at the end.  I can see that one doing well live, letting the band members rock out for a bit.  "Leave Well Alone" has some interesting segments as they shift from a funky groove to a more pastoral vibe with mandolins.  "Future Memories" has an interesting minimal approach, but I wish it went somewhere instead of just languishing in the mood it creates.  "Mystery Tour" is an amusing tribute the Beatles, but really isn't much more than a novelty.  Unfortunately, the rest of the album just passes in one ear and out the other.

Overall, I feel disappointed.  What happened to the drive from songs like "Yours Is No Disgrace" or "Roundabout"?  Even some of the later albums when Howe returned has some upbeat stuff, like "Lightning Strikes," "Finally," and "Spirit of Survival."  I know some of the main members aren't getting any younger, but I feel like there are bands just as old as they are and they're still cranking out some energized material.  Maybe as the years go by, I'll appreciate this album more, as the production makes this pretty listenable, but for now, this lineup of Yes only seems to show some slight improvements.  

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Well, that was an interesting mix of things.  Some of it was great, some of it kinda lackluster.  Still, I think it's worthwhile to go over all kinds of albums, as they broaden my perspective as to all the different ways people approach the concept of rock and what they want it to be.  In any case, I've still got plenty to listen to in these last few months of 2021.  Not only do I want to review things for the upcoming anniversary articles, but there are some major releases I need to pick up.  It's gonna be a busy fall!  At least there's a lot to look forward to.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Videos - September 2021!

Let's kick off September with some new videos, though I'm glad it's getting cooler.  Definitely a mix of different things here, with some prog rock, as well as traditional and power metal.  I swear, the end of this year is stacked with so much good music!  Anyways, check these videos out!

So I guess Victory has been around since the 80s, though I admit this is the first I've heard of them.  Still, this is some pretty solid, double-kicking straight-forward metal, and oh look, that's Herman Frank on guitars.  I guess he's been with the band near since it's inception (more or less).  No wonder I like it! 

More new Yes!  While the first single had a strong Asia vibe, this one seems to be sitting somewhere between Keystudio and Magnification, especially with the symphonic flourishes.  Still, both this one and "The Ice Bridge" show more energy and creativity than anything that was on Heaven & Earth.  Definitely feeling some promise for this new album.

Meanwhile, Vega just keeps killing it.  Some nice crunch in the guitars while Nick Workman's great vocals soar over it all.  Here's another album coming out that I should give attention to, as I've liked most of the singles from it.

Good grief, this Brainstorm album is going to be massive.  Another solid heavy/power offering that hits hard without losing any of its melodic power.  That Halford-esque scream at the beginning is particularly good, and the rhythms are quite tight.  Great stuff!

Spirit Adrift keep pushing on, still doing their particular blend of doom, stoner, and heavy metal, with a dash of 70s-style shred.  This song is really quite the ride, having a nice stompy tempo at first, then going into a softer section, before turning it back up again with a "Crazy Train" style rhythm.

While I know Iron Maiden just released a new album, Attick Demons are here to relive the iconic band's past.  However, as I've said before, this band definitely has the chops, and Almeida has the voice, so for those who want to go back to the days of Piece of Mind and Powerslave, this is some solid Maiden-worship.

New Videos - July 2021!

Sorry for the delay on more articles.  I guess the heat (along with a bunch of smoky haze) really ruined my motivation to get these done.  Still, I was eventually able to find some pretty awesome stuff, pulling this collection of great songs together!

Despite being a big post-grunge fan, Tantric isn't a band I'm very familiar with.  However, they seem to be carrying on pretty well, if this solid track is anything to go by.  Kind of standard for the genre, but it crunchy and has a solid chorus.

After listening to their last album, Paradigm, these guys are at the top of my AOR/Hard Rock watchlist now, and it looks like they have a new album coming soon.  This single is more of the same: straight-forward anthemic rock, with tons of energy.  Definitely looking forward to this!

Here's another barn-burner from Brainstorm.  I know I've listened to this band before, but I remember thinking they were just okay, but stuff is great!  Full of epicness and high speed crunch, their upcoming album is starting to sound like a must-hear for 2021!

Vega is just so good!  Their music always seems to have a lot of energy, and this one is no different.  Just another great, stomping straight-ahead rock song.  I mostly can't believe they're putting out another album already.  I feel like I can barely keep up with these guys!

Despite the ridiculous name, this is another side project that involves a few Yes folks, with singer/guitarist Craig Maher (who I've never heard of before).  They released one single before this one, which I found lackluster, but this one is definitely better, featuring a lot of Yes-isms, if you will.  There's certainly some promise here, but we'll have to see if a full album comes out of this (no announcements from them yet).

I admit I don't know anything about Flostam and Jetsam beyond the fact that's where Metallica got Jason Newstead, and I'm wondering if I've missed an interesting band.  This is some melodic thrash, much in the vein of Metal Church, but much more uptempo, as they really tear this one up!

New Videos - June 2020 Part Two!

I'm glad I was able to get this last one in at the end of June.  Things have been a little all over the place this month, but there's just so much to cover!  Anyways, a lot of artists make a comeback in this one, but when they keep cranking out the good stuff, how can I turn it down?!

This is One Desire's second single from their new album, and I'm impressed!  Here, we see them get a little darker in their sound, but they haven't abandoned what made them great: catchy melodies and André Linman's great vocals.  I should probably push their second album much higher on my "to listen" list!

Course of Fate apparently have been around for a while, but they've finally released their debut this year, and this single shows a lot of promise.  Featuring more of a contemplative sound than most other prog metal bands, they still keep things sounding melodic and epic, with some very solid and deliberate song-writing.

From another album I still need to listen to, Olzon takes the lead on this one, making a great piece of symphonic metal.  Backed by some more solid guitar work by Magnus Karlsson, this album doesn't seem to have any bad tracks!

I've featured Black Swan on here before, and this is just more of the same kind of stuff that puts a big smile on my face.  Robin McAuley's great vocals, backed by huge riffs, and and solid melodic solo from guitarist Reb Beach.  Another rocker from a band that seems to be full of them.

Yup, more from this band.  I really like this style of crunchy-but-melodic prog metal.  It's not too excessive, but still very creative and dynamic, all while providing an epic sound with soaring vocals and crunchy riffs.  I guess I'm just a sucker for this kind of stuff!  Anyways, good song!  Check it out!

Yeah, I did these guys last time as well, but they're just keep providing solid melodic rock.  These guys really have a iconic sound, even under all the 80s touches, and it's just straight-forward rock and roll.  Can't go wrong with that!!

New Videos - June 2020!

Good heavens!  It's been a while, hasn't it?  It's not like there wasn't good material released in the past few months, I just wasn't getting around to it like I normally do.  Excuses aside, here are some new tracks worth listening to!

Modern Kansas is not quite like the 70s material, but they do have moments where it comes together pretty nicely, and this definitely shows the promise of their new album.  Thoughtful, broad, with that violin which adds that nice touch that's made this band stand out all these years.

I admit I haven't followed DeYoung's career after he left Styx, but here we see him aiming for that classic sound.  Tons of vocal layers, some classic proggy synths, the build to the catchy chorus, it has a lot in common with the sound he forged with his band in the 70s.  It could use some crunchier guitars, though.

After being blown away by them back in February, here they are again with another great song.  It's pretty poppy and melodic, but retains the heavy, crunchy guitars of the other song, making for a pretty epic number.

Nice piece of melodic prog metal, in the vein of Dream Theater and Vanden Plas.  With some interesting syncopated riffing and great vocals, this band just released their debut and from this track, they seem to have a lot of promise!

You can always trust Vega to lay down a solid rock song with a big chorus.  This one is the title track of their latest album, and probably one I should go pick up.  I really liked Only Human, and this sounds like it's more of the same!

More melodic prog metal!  I was impressed by Noveria back in March, and this one is just as epic.  Italian prog seems to have this perfect balance of melody, drama, energy, and crunchiness that works for me, and this track is a prime example.

New Videos - January 2019 Part 2!

Hey, it's that time again.  Here's some more great rock music I've found floating around on YouTube!

First up is some really atmospheric prog rock/metal.  With some nice harmonies, ambient synths, and washed out guitars, this one gets my head banging the whole song, all while taking me on a unique journey.

Here's another one from the Neal Morse Band's upcoming album.  Here, we get to see Mike Portnoy do some lead vocals.  It's also a little heavier than the others, but it has the crew's expected melodic grooves and uplifting chorus.

Delain is a name I've seen around for a while, but never got to.  However, if this song is indicative of what they are, I've clearly been missing out!  Epic symphonic metal done very well!

More Dream Theater!  It definitely sounds like they're really bringing back the heaviness for this one, with some speedy licks, mood changes, and a nice, Hammond-y keyboard solo!  This is already sounding better than The Astonishing!

I know I've brought up Vega before on this blog, but their album can't be recommended enough!  Great 80s anthemic rock!

Let's wrap this up with some folk metal!  Granted, Tyr has always had a more progressive metal vibe to their epicness, but that doesn't make it any less awesome!!

Some quick videos

Sorry for not posting here.  Life has a funny way of messing with your priorities, and all my intentions for this blog were sidelined for a while.  Anyways, I just wanted to share some videos of new stuff out there that I wanted to recommend that people check out.

First of all, Apocalypse, the new Primal Fear album, is out!  While I don't think it was as good as the last one (Rulebreaker! \m/), it had some pretty good songs, including this one above.  Solid power metal for sure.

This is from a new band I had never heard of before.  It looks like they're a fusion of two bands from Texas.  The vocals seem a little low in the mix, but otherwise this is some very epic US prog/power metal!  They don't have a full-length album out, but you can find a few songs on their bandcamp page.

Meanwhile, Dee Snider decided to buck his glam past and go for a more modern sounding album with For The Love of Metal.  It's an interesting listen, but Snider acquits himself admirably to the new sound and makes it work.  Sounding somewhere between modern Disturbed and classic Testament/Metallica, it's a nice, heavy album with some satisfying crunches.

Getting into prog rock for a moment, this band In Continuum is actually the left overs from Sound of Contact (who's album Dimensionaut I loved!).  Basically, it's the same band without Simon Collins, so the vocals are different, but they remain very sci-fi focused.  I look forward to their first album when it comes out . . . . sometime.

Of course, my favorite band (or part of them) has been busy.  While Yes featuring ARW did release a live album earlier this year, this video was leaked as content for an upcoming album.  However, we haven't heard anything else, or even if it will be a full-length release!  Still, it's something to tide us over until we get more news.

Finally, let's do some 80s throwback stuff.  I decided to give Vega a chance and was blown away by just how anthemic they were.  If you miss the massive, wall-of-sound style of rock that dominated the end credits of epic 80s films, this is the band for you!

Anyways, that's it for me.  Sorry for not being more productive.  This is something I want to get more into again, but life has got me occupied elsewhere.  Still, I hope this wave of new material tides you over for now.

Until then, rock on!  \m/