Retro Reviews - July 2026 Part One!!

I have to concede that summer is the hardest time for me.  I was supposed to be through the year of 1986 at the end of May, but here we are, still reviewing stuff.  This time, I'm mainly wrapping up what I wanted to listen to for 1986 and moving on, as I do want to get through all these Top 5 lists I have planned!  It's a bit of a hodgepodge, mostly of glam metal, but it's what I've been listening to lately.

Ratt - Dancing Undercover

While their debut album Out of the Cellar was an excellent set of pop metal, and Invasion of Your Privacy was a solid follow up, the band decided to toughen up their image a little, dropping the attractive girl on the cover to black-and-white images of themselves.  However, the music is pretty much more of the same solid rockin' that they've rocked before.

There might be a few tweaks here and there in the production, but honestly, the differences are minimal at best.  This album is just straight-ahead 80s hard rock with that glam metal flair for the sensual.  Everyone performs their parts well, and there really isn't a weak track.  They also shake things up a little with a bluesy groove on a few songs, mostly on "7th Avenue" and "Take a Chance," but otherwise, this is peak MTV material.

There are a few standouts, like the singles "Dance" and "Body Talk," the latter of which had some interesting chord progressions in the chorus.  I also liked "One Good Lover" and "Looking for Love," mostly for being a little faster than the others.  I'm discovering that I really like this band, largely because they're so consistent, at least across their first three albums.  I read some reviews saying that this album was darker and heavier, like getting into thrash metal territory, but I don't really hear it.  I'll probably end up listening to all their albums eventually, so we'll see if they can stay strong as the years go on.

Cinderella - Nightsongs

Coming from Philadelphia, Cinderella was another glam metal band that was able to catch a quick road to success thanks to the 80s being the best time for this kind of music.  While they weren't the biggest of the decade, they were able to find decent success with this debut album, thanks to some strong singles.

While this is certainly a solid chunk of hard rock, I admit I was only familiar with the big songs.  Now that I'm digging into them, I'm hearing some interesting things.  First of all, singer Tom Keifer sounds a lot like AC/DC's Brian Johnson, and many of the songs feature bluesy riffs similar to the Australian band.  Combined with the glam metal, it gives the band this strong foundation to build on, making for some very catchy songs.  Another surprise was the little touches of Dio that I heard.  They would often show up in the chorus or in ways that Keifer would sing a line, and some of the lyrics had some 80s Dio attitude as well.  Overall, it's an interesting blend that takes the standard pop metal sound and elevates it a little.  The only real problem I had was that many of the songs' endings were very similar, often repeating the chorus into a fade-out.  It's not awful, but it did make some of the songs feel a little too formulaic at times.

As is typical for this era, the singles are the best songs.  "Nobody's Fool" is this slow-burning power ballad that put the band on the spot, "Somebody Save Me" gets a bit dramatic, and "Shake Me" has that AC/DC charm.  I also liked "Hell on Wheels" for its uptempo boogie style.  I understand it was hard for rock bands to stand out at this time, as glam metal and MTV were big business affairs, but I do think this debut showed a band that had a little more than just fashionable clothes to their name.

Victory - Don't Get Mad...Get Even

While I've enjoyed some of their later releases, I decided to dig back into their history and check out their earlier material.  Their debut album (which I didn't review) was a decent collection of 80s rock songs that featured some solid production but little originality.  However, the following year, they picked up Herman Frank on guitars.  He had left Accept and worked with a few other German bands, but in 1986, he joined Victory and stuck around for quite some time.

So to say that they sound a bit more like Accept is mostly true, however, they retain their pop metal sensibilities, especially with some very clean production.  Frank has brought some more metal-like chugging riffs, and his solos certainly add to his robust collection of excellent fret work.  The album starts with "The Check's in the Mail," featuring a rather AC/DC-like sardonic bite, and "Not Me" has this interesting, slower groove riff that tries to sound tough.  I don't think it quite succeeds, but it's a catchy song nonetheless.  "Arsonist of the Heart" is a very curious ballad, not really going for an anthemic height but something more subdued, "Hit and Run" picks up the double-kicking drums for a shred fest, "She's Back" is more more of a cinematic, AOR-style song, and the closer "Running Wild," while not a Judas Priest cover, definitely features a lot of their rockin' energy.  The album never feels like it's stuck in one idea without it feeling jarring or schizophrenic as it jams through its setlist.  

I do think this is quite the improvement over their first album, mostly with the songwriting having more meat to it.  However at the same time, I don't know if it really stands out from the rest of the year in terms of catchy, melodic metal.  This really won't blow anyone away, but at the same time, there really aren't any weaknesses, either.  Just solid, well-executed (and very shiny) heavy metal.

Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest for the Wicked

After the slump that was The Ulimate Sin, a duet with Lita Ford, and two years, it was time for another lineup change.  While bassist Bob Daisley rejoins as drummer Randy Castillo returns from the last album, this album would be the debut of Zakk Wylde.  He had gotten an audition tape to Ozzy who wasn't sure at first, but was later convinced to take him on board.  Helping to write every song, Wylde gave the band quite a strong shot in the arm, as this album has some very good energy.

Once again, Ozzy straddles the line between glam and traditional metal.  While the riffs and subject matter are often gritty, there are still plenty of poppy choruses and vocal harmonies to fit in with MTV and mainstream rock radio.  The production is a massive improvement over the last album, especially with Castillo's drumming which is powerful without being overwhelming.  Naturally, Wylde gets his moments to shine, playing some very electric solos (and his iconic pinch bends), and his riffs really push these songs forward.  John Sinclair's keyboards also provide some extra cinematic layers on the songs in a way that isn't  messy.  The album is not perfect, of course.  "Crazy Babies," which was one of the singles, has some strange riffs and this talk-style chorus, and "Fire in the Sky" is trying to be this somber ballad, but goes on for way too long.

Still, this is quite the improvement over The Ultimate Sin, largely because of how energized it feels.  They kick off with "Miracle Man" and "Devil's Daughter," starting the album with a lot of impact.  "Bloodbath in Paradise" is classic spooky Ozzy, talking about the Manson Family murders like they're a slasher film, and despite the subject matter, I can't deny that "Demon Alcohol" is a fun song.  Overall, I was surprised by how much of this I enjoyed.  Zakk Wylde's introduction to the world makes for a pretty entertaining Ozzy album!

New Releases - December 2024!

While this came a bit later than I wanted, I gotta just keep plowing ahead with what I can.  Catching up on the year has been kinda tough, as there's so much to choose from.  This one features a lot of heavy and doom metal, but I promise to get to other genres in the next few articles.  For now, here's what I've been checking out lately!

Stygian Crown - Funeral for a King

So as part of this catch-up period, I figured I should get back into some epic doom metal, after enjoying Smoulder's album last month.  As for this band, I think they were recommended by someone on YouTube (though I don't remember who), and they seemed solid when I sampled them, but then forgot I had this on my list until now.  Like Smoulder, they feature and excellent woman vocalist in Melissa Pinion, and bring the doom as well as anybody.

Understandably, they sound like Candlemass, with the big, slow riffing, the wailing, melodramatic vocals, and songs about the occult and mythology.  However, there is a more significant push into this haunted, ominous atmosphere that drenches the album from start to finish.  They also bring in some strings and pianos here and there, and sometimes some choirs in the back, making me think this album was a soundtrack from some classic gothic horror film.  "Blood Red Eyes" in particular has no guitars or drums, leaning hard into this haunted cinematic tone.  Another interesting twist this band uses is to have riffs and drumming similar to the death metal band Bolt Thrower, of all things.  (Though I guess it's not a stretch, as their fourth album was pretty doomy as well.)  At the very least, it livens up the songs with some double-kicking bass drumming, and gives the riffing some variation.

So it's a familiar doom metal recipe with some different spices, making it just unique enough to feel like it's own experience.  Things start off well with the doom-laden instrumental title track, with last songs "Scourge of the Seven Hills" and "Strait of Messina" as more sludgy, chuggy highlights.  The rest of the album is solid (though "Bushido" doesn't quite click with me), largely thanks to the production letting the band really lay out their thick, atmospheric sound.  It's not a perfect album, but it certainly has some interesting ideas that help it stand out.

Crypt Sermon - The Stygian Rose

Yup, more doom!  Though this time the reference to the river Styx is in the album title instead of the band name.  Pedantic silliness aside, this is another solid slab of doom metal, though with its own twists and turns.

While Candlemass (again) and Sorcerer are obvious reference points, this band leans into some NWOBHM elements, mostly in the riffing and Maiden-like guitar solos.  The songs are also much longer, going for the epic side of the genre, and the lyrics focus on more of an angels-and-devils style of dark fantasy.  The rough singing of Brooks Wilson works well for these haunted themes, Matt Knox, Steve Jansson, and Frank Chin plow their riffs or shredding solos through your ears in ways that match the songs' need, Tanner Anderson adds a lot of good atmosphere with his pianos and synths, and Enrique Sagarnaga puts in quite the performance in the drums, his fills adding to the tension and urgency of these songs.  Putting all the pieces together, this makes for some very theatrical songs, tapping into the grandiose scale of the horrors of hell.  The lyrics also made me wonder if this wasn't a concept album about someone trying to find their lover by making deals with demons, but I wasn't sure.

While it may be unfair, as I can tell Stygian Crown is doing their own thing, but I think I like what Crypt Sermon is doing here just a little more.  Stygian Crown probably has the more interesting atmosphere, but the classic metal riffing makes Crypt Sermon's album flow better for me.  I really liked "Thunder (Perfect Mind)" and "Heavy is the Crown of Bone" quite a bit for this, and the title track is an epic closer that really settles into some excellent epic doom metal.  I need to listen to it a few more times, but this just might squeak into my Top 5 for this year.

Victory - Circle of Life

Shifting away from doom metal and getting into some classic metal, Victory is about as classic as it gets.  I enjoyed their last album, as it was a nice, fun 80s metal romp, though perhaps a little long.  Their new album keeps things shorter with just 45 minutes of music, but otherwise they stick to the guns.

The lineup remains the same, which means Herman Frank is still the only long-time member.  However, his work is solid as usual, as his riffs are chunky and his solos are old-school guitar hero wizardry, and the rest of the band nail that 80s sound.  While it may be more of the same, there is something to be said for consistency, and those looking for traditional metal that leans more on the rock side will find plenty to like.    They do shake things up with the mystical "Unbelievable World," but otherwise, fans of Frank will be in very familiar territory.  The stand outs for me were the energetic "Count on Me" and "Money," and the sentimental rockin' of "Surrender My Heart."  Still, I don't think this was better than Gods of Tomorrow, as I enjoyed more songs on that one.  This isn't Top 5 of the Year material, but bands like this are more like comfort food, providing some decent headbanging fun.

Accept - Humanoid

After enjoying some of their more modern releases, I figured it was due time for me to give the latest one a shot as part of this end-of-year catch-up.  While the lineup has changed a bit since then, Mark Tornillo and Wolf Hoffmann keep it classic, as anyone would expect by now.

In all honesty, it's a pretty solid and consistent album of straight-ahead traditional metal.  Things do start a little weird with some reverby guitars and sitars for the opening track "Diving Into Sin," but the song soon shifts into a decent metal song, but it was definitely a curious place to start.  As for the rest, there it stays in pretty safe territory, not shifting much from mid-tempo stomping tracks.  "Man Up" and "Straight Up Jack" lean more into AC/DC territory with their bluesy rock riffs, while "Frankenstein" and "The Reckoning" are solid anthems.  The closer "Southside of Hell" jacks up the energy for a closer that's almost power metal with that neo-classical guitar playing.

However, this is pretty much business as usual.  It's fine while it's on, but not something I haven't heard better from them on previous albums.  And given that there's some pretty solid competition in the traditional metal department this year, I don't know if this has enough to get into my Top 5.  That being said, there is nothing wrong with being consistent, and Accept has yet to disappoint.

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/

New Videos - October 2021!

Sorry for the lack of posts.  This month ended up being busier than usual.  Still, late on Halloween, I was able to get this article of videos together.  I've got some great metal this time.  Also, I want to make a minor change to my Spotify playlists: I'm going to have them go by quarter than by month.  Anyway, let's get started!

Starting off with some more Manimal, this track has a ton of Judas Priest energy.  Not only do you have some nice mid-tempo riffing, but singer Sam Nyman really channels that Halford energy with some epic wails.  This one is real solid, fist-pumping kind of stuff.

More Firewind!  It looks like Gus G and folks have another neat single for us, and while it may not be anything they haven't done before, it's solid power metal.  Herbie Langhans really seems to fit well with the band, now that he's had an album with them under his belt.

Now that I'm aware that Herman Frank is a part of this band, each new single definitely gets my attention.  Here, we have a nice, mid-tempo rocker, giving me some AC/DC vibes along with the classic German metal sound.  Vocalist Gianni Pontillo really lets it hang out, and it's great stuff!

Oh, hey!  These guys are back!  Once again, they've taken melodic metal and added a powerful swing-step to it, making a pretty catchy and groovy track with some nice, crunchy riffs.  I guess they're preparing an album for next year, but it's nice to hear they're still rockin'!

Here's another band I hadn't heard of before.  I guess this is from an album that came out last year, but this video was pretty new.  It's kind of a mix of heavy and power metal, but it has a some catchy riffs and good melodies.

Yup, Sabaton is back and doing more World War One stuff.  Of course, given the subject matter, they've added a strong layer of symphonic elements, giving the track a Trans-Siberian Orchestra vibe, going for both somber and anthemic.  Say what you like about the band, they certainly don't do things half way.

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.