Alright! I got this in before the end of the year! I've definitely got a good mix of things for this last review article of the year, going from rock to metal and back again. Here's what I've been jamming to cap off 2022!
Alter Bridge - Pawns and KingsWhile I knew that Alter Bridge had a new album coming out, as I checked out the singles, none of them really impressed me too much. However, it did show that the album was going to be quite a bit darker than Walk the Sky which I enjoyed quite a bit, though I suppose "Last Rites" did tease this would be happening. In any case, their new album definitely shifts their sound into some darker and heavier territory, with some mixed results.
It's the production that really gives these guitars their weight as they slug their way through their riffs song after song. Mark Tremonti must have found some new heavy tones he likes because he certainly gets a lot of use out them. Sometimes the riffs are pretty catchy and groovy, such as with the first handful of tracks "This Is War," "Dead Among the Living," and "Silver Tongue." However, other songs have some pretty jarring riffs, like in "Holiday" and "Last Man Standing." They also include an 8-minute epic with "Fable of the Silent Son," which features all kinds of riffing, some of which feel a bit djenty at times. I'm sure fans of Tremonti's guitar work will find plenty to chew on, but it does give the album this strange tension. Sure, there are some lighter songs like "Stay" and "Season of Promise," but they almost feel like an after-thought compared to the heaviness of the rest of the album.
That isn't to say that I think the album is bad, it's just that I didn't immediately connect with it the way I did with their last one. Of course, given that I haven't really listened to all of Alter Bridge's albums, it is possible that they've been this dark and heavy before. In any case, there is still plenty to enjoy. Myles Kennedy is still singing his heart out, and Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips remain a solid rhythm section that isn't afraid to shift gears whenever the song calls for it. I think I enjoyed "Silver Tongue," "Sin After Sin," and "Fable of the Silent Son" the most from this album, but I do think it may take a few more listens to really unpack everything that the guitars are doing. This one could be a grower, in the end.
Whirlwind - 1714Sometimes you just need some straight-ahead metal about an 18th century conflict in Spain, right? Okay, maybe that's a little specific, but outside of this album's theme, this is some pretty solid traditional metal that's more about the energy and epicness than anything else. It might not be the cleanest or tightest performances, but the passion and momentum make this album a pretty fun listen.
The band seem to be going for a curious mix of US power metal and more Germanic metal like Accept or Running Wild. The songs go back and forth mid-song between high speed affairs and slower stompers, and they occasionally bring out some 6/8 to add another layer of epicness. The production feels a little muddy, sort of like a typical 80s metal release from a smaller band, but it seems to only add to the charm. The vocals do feel a little buried though, which is a bit of a shame because Héctor Llauradó is really giving his all and I kinda wish I could hear him a little more clearly, especially with those harmonies. The guitar work is solid, though, often providing some decent riffing and great, Maiden-like melodies, and most everything else is just a bit sloppy in a way that makes the performances feel so classic.
I don't know if much of the album stands out as it's generally pretty solid across the board. I did like "Rebels Arise!", "Echoes of Time," and "Gallows Tithe" quite a bit, but the opening intro track doesn't really add much. In any case, if you're looking for something that not only has a lot of the old-school style and energy, but adds an old-school production on top like it was recorded in 1985 (and I mean that in a good way), this album should be a high priority for you.
Fallen Sanctuary - TerranovaFeaturing the talents of Temperance and bringing in the vocal giant Georg Neuhauser from Serenity, Fallen Sanctuary's debut album seems to have the pieces in place for some excellent power metal. While there are some highlights, the album doesn't seem to maintain its momentum very well.
Starting off, the title track kicks right into high gear, giving me a strong classic era Sonata Arctica vibe, and works as a great opener. Later tracks "Destiny" and "No Rebirth" have some of the same energy. However, they don't keep that energy, instead shaking it up with some mid-tempo songs that feel more akin to AOR material. Songs like "Broken Dreams," "To the Top," and "Trail of Destruction" in particular have some of that melodic rock style, though there's enough metal underneath it that it doesn't feel completely out of place. There are also two tracks "I Can't Stay" and "Wait For Me" that are completely acoustic (though the first does have some piano), making them more like ballads to some extent. They aren't bad songs by any means, but compared to the high-speed opener, it does feel like they had three styles and couldn't decide which they preferred. Even if these style changes, the album does sound very samey towards the back half, where it feels like they're reusing a lot of the same vocal and riff rhythms.
For what it's worth, I do think the songs are well performed. Neuhauser gives a solid vocal performance, and I think the other band members come to provide some good harmonies. The guitar work from Marco Pastorino is decent as well, playing some good riffs and solos across the board. I think what happened is that, after being excited by the two singles, I got my hopes up. So when the album just kinda fizzled on me the more I listened to it, I felt underwhelmed. It's certainly not a bad effort, but in a genre that has so many talented bands, this one doesn't do as much as it could to stand out from the pack.
Black Swan - Generation MindWhen I finally got to Black Swan's debut album Shake the World, I though it was decent melodic hard rock, but outside of a few songs, it didn't really leave much of an impact on me. After I saw they were doing a follow-up, I was certainly curious, but when I heard the singles, they didn't feel like anything special. Still, I wanted to give this a fair shake, and now that I've sat down with the album, I'm surprised to discover just how much I like it!
Right off, I do think the songwriting is better across the board. The last album did have some weird extended outros and the songs did get a little samey, but here, I think they use their time much better, with some tighter arrangements and ideas. They also do a pretty good job shaking things up, sometimes pushing the tempo up, and other times letting it settle into a mid-tempo groove. While Robin McAuley still does a great job belting out the lyrics, I think it's guitarist Reb Beach who really steals the show this time. His solos are as solid as ever, and he's come up with some pretty interesting riffs, not only drawing upon his Whitesnake experience, but may have been inspired by the likes of Dio's work, as many of the songs lean into those anthemic qualities. I even thought of Van Halen and Herman Frank a few times! Just a lot of solid, hard rocking tunes!
While the opening intro track doesn't do much other than provide some ambience, things kick off quite well with "She Hides Behind." Following up is "Generation Mind" with more of a classic AOR style, and "Eagles Fly," which has a neat 6/8 groove and may be inspired by the classic sci-fi novel The War of the Worlds! Other stand out tracks include "Miracle" and "Long Way Down." I especially liked how "Long Way Down" suddenly sped up in the outro! Overall, this is definitely an improvement, with a lot of great songs that allow this talented group to really shine.
Sword - IIIAs I mentioned in my review of their second album, Sword is a band I just stumbled across and feel in love with. Now, after 34 years, Sword are back with their third album. After enjoying their first two singles, I admit I was eagerly anticipating the rest. While they still retain their iconic sound, starting off with some solid tracks, the album seems to lose a lot of steam in the back half, unfortunately.
The first three tracks set a very good tone, with "Bad Blood" bringing back all the staples of the band's sound. There's very punchy riff, backed by some good energy from the rhythm section, and Rick Hughes is just soaring over it all. "(I Am) In Kommand" carries that energy further, and "Dirty Pig" slows things down for a more stomping, chugging vibe. The production is solid as well, giving these guitars almost a thrashy feel, letting Mike Plant's guitar work really shine once again. I seriously think he has to be one of the most underappreciated guitarists still around!
However, at this point, the album loses a lot of its momentum. "Surfacing" is a curious instrumental track that features 90 seconds of guitar ambience. It's alright, but doesn't seem to do much, other than set up the next track "Unleashing Hell," which is a decent rocker but doesn't really hit the same level of quality as the earlier tracks. This is followed up by "Spread the Pain" and "Took My Chances," both of which were pretty underwhelming. While the riffing was still good and the vocals still soared, something about the songs felt a little empty or jarring, as they didn't really click for me. Fortunately, the album closes with a "Not Me, No Way," which brings back a lot of the energy from the beginning, using some interesting 7/4 sections to shake things up.
But this also brings me to another point: this album is short! While I wasn't expecting any kind of prog epics, this album barely gets going, and I kind of wish there were a few more tracks to it, especially now that the band doesn't have to work within the space limitations of vinyl records. Still, what's here is decent enough, especially those first three tracks, and I'm glad to see the guys are still together all these years and still know how to write a killer metal track or two. Maybe they can use this album to spur them on to do more work, as I'd love to see what they might do in the future.
Well, that wraps things up for the year, at least as articles are concerned. Now I gotta figure out my Top 5 for the year, so I'll be spending next month working that out. (I might even consider doing a Top 10! We'll have to see.)
I decided not to do a videos article for this month, as things did get kinda busy for me. However, I do plan on carrying on into the next year with more of the same things I've been doing, so look forward to that. Next year is already shaping up to have some pretty fascinating releases, such as a new Lovebites, another Rick Wakeman project, and Metallica of course! Until then, rock on! \m/
