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Latest Review Summary
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| Dario Mollo & Tony Martin Third Cage | Frontiers Records FRCD539 |
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I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the previous Mollo/Martin (The Cage) records until I gave this a few blasts. Italian guitarist Dario Mollo has updated the sound of past Cage records here, going for the darker, heavier and more contemporary vibe, but what hasn't changed is the quality of the performances and the menacing melodic metal tone that vocalist Tony Martin brings to the party. This took a few listens to get to know; with the initial heaviness mellowing a little once the melodies within became known. This is a 10 track, 50 minute “get to the point' album, with perhaps only one filler (I can't seem to warm to the mid-album track Can't Stay Here). Other than that, the album delivers some quality traditional melodic metal like the opening intensity of Wicked World and the darker Cirque Du Freak. Oh My Soul has the feel of an epic while One Of The Few offers up the album's most commercial moment. Still In Love With You is classic Black Sabbath and Don't Know What It Is About You is also pretty commercial. The album ends in a 8 minute, slow metal epic.
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| Primal Fear Unbreakable | Frontiers Records FRCD540 |
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No surprises in the style of old school melodic metal that Primal Fear is delivering. Screaming high pitch vocals and fast riffing with the obligatory overuse of double kick drums. Bruce Dickinson and Iron Maiden do it so well and get the most publicity for it, yet bands like Primal Fear do it equally as well – if not better – and achieve a lot of popularity in their German homeland. But internationally the band is still a rising force, despite being around 15 years. This new album sees them doing what they do best and exactly what is expected of them. Furious riffing, machine gun drumming and that big booming voice of Ralf Scheepers. I find myself short on words to describe this as it just doesn't need it. You already know what's in the box. All that is needed to be known is – are the songs any good and is it well produced. Yes and yes! This is a relentless onslaught of melodic metal and brazing vocals and solos that spans just on an hour, with only a couple of pauses in tempo. Metal Nation and Where Angels Die are both very commercial songs in relation to the rest of the album and Born Again is the album's big metal ballad. The rest is rifftastic.
The addition of guitarist Magnus Karlsson has boosted the sound further and metal fans are already well familiar with Ralf's big voice. Another winner for Primal Fear without doing anything too different from previous efforts.
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| Beyond The Bridge The Old Man And The Spirit | Frontiers Records FRCD541 |
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This German outfit are 100% progressive hard rock/metal. Not much in the way of straight up melodic rock here, despite being on Frontiers. But the label hasn't made an error here – this is a high quality piece of progressive (and sometimes melodic) metal. The complex 11 track album (in 2 parts) clocks in around 70 minutes and maybe only 30 of that is spent with vocals. They are spread throughout the album, but the extended instrumental muscle flexing and complex progressive arrangements don't really leave much time for the usual verse/chorus type stuff here. And to be honest, I miss that. I miss it more so because there is some really impressive music in action here and the album sounds impeccably produced. This is a real hodgepodge of sounds. It is all over the show and doesn't make much sense on the first few listens (or anytime after that really!). I'm not seeing a lot of individual songs here to highlight. You have gruff male vocals (accented), sweet female vocals, spoken word male voices… But the music and performances really are excellent.
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| Paradise Inc. Time | Avenue Of Allies Music |
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I was contemplating signing these guys to MRR initially. I think they have something special and I think with time, they can grow into one of the bands of this scene. The band is from Brazil, with the exception of well-known German vocalist Carsten “Lizard” Schulz as their frontman. In adding Carsten into the mix, the band's natural style has been tweaked, bringing Schulz' Evidence One sound to the band's own – which I think strongly aligns with former Colorado rockers Guild Of Ages. So if those names bring a smile to your face, Paradise Inc. is for you. Add in the fact that Eden's Curse bassist and songwriter Paul Logue is involved with writing and production, the reasons for buying this continue to climb. With all those elements written about, it's down to the songs. And Time does not disappoint. It is a very strong debut album, with a great collection of powerful tunes mixing guitar and keyboards, plus layers and layers of harmony vocals. This is a very moody record, with a certain dark vibe, but not limited to that style. The songs are quite commercial and certainly very catchy. Highlights include (but not limited to); Time (storming opening with big beat); Who's Fooling Who (highly catchy commercial melodic rock); I Will Wait (dark and brooding ballad); No More Mistakes (Guild Of Ages indeed!); Set Me Free (catchy, anthemic); Not In Paradise (rocker featuring Doogie White).
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| Angeline Disconnected | Avenue Of Allies |
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Angeline is yet another Swedish AOR outfit, following up their independently released debut, which definitely raised some attention. Their new album sees them pick up where the debut left off – and improving on all facets of their game to deliver this engaging and enjoyable record. The guys have toughened up their sound a little – moving more into melodic rock territory and a little less of their AOR sound. The album is also more consistent than the debut and showcases a band on the rise. I'm enjoying many of the tracks on here – the album has that kind of feel that the Harem Scarem debut did. It's just consistent, mid-to-up tempo tracks with good hooks and likable vocals. Highlights are many – from the brilliant When The Lights Go Down to the more intense Falling Into You and the modern rock infused Take A Little Time. Elsewhere Run Run Run has a faster tempo; the ballad Found has a very contemporary radio friendly sound; Solid Ground is a feel good melodic rock gem. The last couple of tracks I am not into so much, but prior to those, there isn't a single note out of place.
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| Soul Seller Back To Life | Avenue Of Allies Music |
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Good stuff this for fans of European traditional style melodic rock and AOR. The band is Italian, but don't suffer from any regional accent issues or sound provincial. They just sound like a decent melodic rock band – which of course they are. I won't say the material is anything overly original or unfamiliar to fans of these kinds of bands – the ones that work hard, make strong records, believe in their craft….but also ultimately don't have the name power to break outside this scene we are all part of. That means their sales potential is limited, but we are a loyal group of music lovers and these guys deserve your attention. This is very melodic 80s friendly rock without sounding dated, with a strong production (courtesy of Alessandro Del Vecchio once again!) and some catchy tunes like the opening Wings Of Freedom; the anthemic All I Can Promise; the uptempo Keep On Moving (duet with Oliver Hartmann); the rocking Back To Life again; the Bon Jovi-esque ballad Hell Of Tears; and the epic 6 minute rock n roll close out Beautiful Heretic's Dreams. 57 minutes and 12 tracks is maybe about 10 minutes too long (most of the track here are 5 minutes plus in length). A little editing to bring them in around 4 minutes might have made for a tighter album overall. But there is a lot to like here for fans of easy going melodic rock. |
| Iain Ashley Hersey Vintage Love: Best Of | Avenue Of Allies |
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This 15 track Best Of gathers tracks from Iain's first 3 albums. I compare Iain's album to that of Stuart Smith's Heaven And Earth releases – classic blues influenced Deep Purple/Rainbow style melodic hard rock with plenty of guitar accompanied by a plethora of guest stars (vocalists and musicians) to make up each album. Except that each release hasn't been as good as the H&E releases. The production isn't in the same league and the songs aren't as memorable. Even with this 'best of' there are a few fillers. But to be fair – Iain is a fine guitarist and he just needs to improve on a few elements to become competitive in the market place of 2012. |
| Doogie White As Yet Untitled | Metal Mind Productions |
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Now this is a great traditional melodic hard rock record. Doogie White has been sitting on this for a little while waiting for the right opportunity to release it. Finally the time has come and fans can be treated to some high energy Doogie style (oo-er!), Deep Purple hard rocking brilliance. An all-star line-up of Pontus Norgren, Marcus Jidell, Neil Murray, Paul Logue, Derek Sherinian and Patrick Johanson gather to deliver a terrific set of songs that are basically broken into two styles. The first is the typical Doogie style hard rock that mirrors his involvement in Rainbow – deep churning hard rock with that powerhouse energy as displayed on the double time opener Come Taste The Band; the moody and heavy Dreams Lie Down And Die, the brilliant Times Like These and fun hard rock of Living On The Cheap In Style. Then there are a few tracks that seem to channel classic AC/DC, like Time Machine, Catz Got Your Tongue and Lonely – all three tracks I'm sure AC/DC would be proud to call their own. So there's a little back and forth style wise here, but the whole album is marvelously intense and engaging and totally in your face. Doogie sounds amazing and the production is crisp and powerful. |
| Coastland Ride On Top Of The world | Avenue Of Allies Music |
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One word comes to mind on listening to Coastland Ride. Pleasant. Now that could be the kiss of death or the kind of word that gets your attention. These Swedish lads perform a style of laid back Westcoast pop/AOR that could only be described as pleasant. It isn't challenging in any way and it doesn't get any heavier than rock-lite (the kind of Westcoast/AOR as delivered by Tim Feehan, Joseph Williams or Mark Spiro). This is very laid back for the most part. It's very well played, but the style is going to have to appeal for this album to suit. The guys mix guitars with keyboards and organ, adding in some brass on occasion and additional percussion. Where the album sounds best to me is when it picks up the pace a little on proper AOR tracks like the opening Act Of Faith; the Tommy Denander-ish Strange Confusion; and the Spiro-like Wait. The rest is Westcoast pop and to be honest – not the best example of it that I've heard in recent times. The album has taken some 9 years since the band's debut, and to be honest I expected better. Just a little too soft and too polite. |
| Roxx Gang Boxx of Roxx | FnA Records |
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Roxx Gang is another one of those cult US rock bands that never quite made it, despite having the ability. A few years too late perhaps, as the 80s boat had certainly sailed once the Roxx Gang sophomore release hit the streets in 1995 following their slow-burn debut in 1988. But the band managed to make 5 studio albums in total, with the duo of Kevin Steele (vocals) and Stacey Blades (guitar) racking up a legion of fans. This release is a really nice collector's piece for established fans of the band. Disc 1 is a 'best of' collection in great audio quality, while Disc 2 is a rare “official bootleg” from a Dallas show in 1989. Not too shabby audio for its age and thoroughly energetic and over the top. The third Disc is a DVD of the band's clips – 7 in total. All of this is packaged in a double jewel case with a full booklet including new liner notes written by Malcolm Dome. It's a very nice package and I think will be of great appeal to anyone that followed the band then or now. |
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Royal Blood Thanks Seattle...For Killing My Band And My Dreams |
FnA Records |
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Royal Blood was yet another band killed off by Seattle, and as the album title suggests, the band hasn't forgotten about it. This archive release was the band's production demos that were recorded in 1992 ready to shop to the world, only to discover that the grunge scurge had neutered all the A&R reps at major labels over the USA. So the album was shelved and the band disappeared. Featuring singer Eric E. Golbach; bassist Rocky Newton (MSG) and shred guitar star Alex Masi, the 16 songs here show what the band had in mind and I think they were unlucky not to get that shot. Just that little bit too late to the party sadly, thanks to a saturated market of releases. There are some fine songs here and some wonderful shred/solo/riffing from Masi. It fits the raspy power vocals of Golbach. And upon reflection, the songs here were pretty contemporary for the time. They could have slipped in as a band mixing the old (80s) with the new (90s), but really…at that time no one got a chance. A solid collection of songs here and one for fans of the style of music Juliet, Kix and the like were turning out. |
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| Lee Small Jamaica Inn | Ecsape Music ESM235 |
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Well this is different! Not what I was expecting after Lee's wonderful performance on the latest/last Shy album. His booming Glenn Hughes vocals were perfect for that album, and now, with a strange coincidence, Lee continues his Hughes-like voyage with a blues and soul filled solo album. Much in the vein of Hughes' own deviations on such albums as Feel and Soul Mover. Small really has a huge voice and again matches the passion of Hughes with some soul (The Captain's Quarters) and funk (Black Bess) as well as a little boogie rock n roll (Walk The Plank). Dead Man Walking is perhaps the pick of the album, with a soulful vocal to die for a nice little melodic riff running alongside it. What I hear here is a mix of Richie Kotzen, Paul Rodgers, Jeff Paris (his latter, non AOR material), Stevie Salas and of course, a huge dose of Glenn Hughes. The album features Martin Kronlund on guitars (Gypsy Rose), proving he can adjust to any style necessary as well as Imre Daun on drums (Don Patrol, Gypsy Rose) and Paul Bradder on keyboards (Saracen). This is not a hard rock, AOR or melodic rock album. It is a bluesy, soulful solo album of relatively laid back compositions, but all sung with passion and charisma. Not for all fans of this site, but if the above artists are of interest, then I have no doubt that Lee's album can find a place in your heart also. |
| Fiona Unbroken | Indie/Cargo |
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Great to hear Fiona back for the first time in way too long. Her comeback album sees her teamed up with Tommy Denander, who delivers his usual guitar/programming style to compliment Fiona's powerhouse vocals. And then there's input from the magic pairing of Robin Beck and James Christian. James helps produce and Robin joins in on a duet for the classy ballad This Heart. I've always been a fan of Fiona's tone and it's great to hear that again on some new material. The album is a little varied. It takes in traditional melodic rock in most places, but also pushes into a more contemporary sound in other areas. Loved Along The Way is almost a House Of Lords style track, especially with backing vocals, mixed with Fiona's traditional vocal. Broken is heavier and a little more contemporary; I've Released You has a feel good grove and killer chorus; the reworking of Shadows Of The Night is as good as the original aside from the production perhaps. The only songs I'm not sold on is Get Yer Kix and the annoying, whining vocal on Salt On My Wings. I Love You But Shut Up is a bit of fun and you could hear Shania Twain doing that justice; the ballad Everything You Are closes out the album in grand classic melodic rock style. My only issue – the varying style of the production. Some tracks are full band, some are too obviously programmed (Mr. Denander's trademark) and overall the whole album sounds a little rough compared to some others out there this year. I don't think the quality of production gives the songs their best chance of shining, but it is still a recommended release for Fiona fans and Robin Beck fans etc… |
| Mitch Malloy II | Indie |
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Mitch Malloy has done everything possible to recreate his debut album here and one minute of I'm The One and you know he's on the right path. In fact, this is almost a remake of Anything At All. And so it continues. Falling To Pieces is an uptempo rocker worthy of the debut; Carry On is a great commercial rock ballad; Love Song is a great rocker with the unmistakable guitar work of Keith Scott (Bryan Adams). Love that tone! The updated sound and style of Shine is gone, but there is still a slight country vibe reflecting Mitch's home town of Nashville. The album features a bunch of guests like CJ Vanston, Phil Collen, Hugh McDonald, Leo Lioni, Pete Lesperance to name a few. This really is a solid album of upbeat tunes and the closest thing to Mitch's debut album that I have heard from him. Production is in that raw/live vibe, which contains a lot of energy, but perhaps not so much of the finesse we are used to hearing from Mitch. But, great vocals and great songs – I can't see anything here to complain about. Essential for all fans of Mr. Malloy. |
| Magnum Evolution | SPV |
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Evolution is another re-recording project – this time taking the best of recent work since reforming and giving it a better production than was affordable at the time. Good idea I guess, but for me, the weakness in some of Magnum's more recent material was not with the production, but rather the songwriting. They were just not the Magnum of old. So this collection gathers songs I already think were among the best of the last several years and needlessly improves them. That's still a cool thing I guess and this is a great little collection, but what it does is gives me a strong compilation to play instead of wading through three separate albums that I found faults with. What I think is absolutely worth the price of admission here is the two brand new songs. They are simply fabulous and really hint back to the classic Magnum pomp and melody we all love. The band's last album The Visitation was superb and now these tracks just make me want Tony Carkin to get busy and keep writing in this style for the next album hopefully in 2012? The Fall is a gloriously melodic pompish feel good mid-tempo anthem and Do You Know Who You Are? is a complex 7 minute track of varied pace that again captures the attention of this long time fan. |
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| Beggars & Thieves We Are The Broken Hearted | Frontiers FRCD536 |
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Beggars & Thieves were the untimely victims of the horrid grunge scurge that wiped away so many bands that deserved better. The debut album remains one of the truly epic melodic rock albums of its time (1990) and the ditched second album (later eventually released by MTM in the late 90s) was also impressive. The band lives on its emotions and the skilled songwriting of Ron Mancuso and the passionate vocals of Louie Merlino. They weave this emotive style of delivery around epic melodic rock songs that were destined to be stadium killers. Then there was grunge… Thankfully the duo of Ron and Louie remained friends and lived in close proximity. A later release The Grey Album didn't hold the spark of the band's first two. Then there is that horrible decade long gap, but after I made contact with Louie while working on plans for Angelmilk Records, we managed to get the guys to the UK for a guest spot at Firefest where I first heard new demos the guys were working on. They were very modern and I had some fear of how fans would accept an updated Beggars & Thieves. But why shouldn't a band update themselves from a sound now 20 years in the past? It's that old 'thin line' conundrum. How updated is too modern and how much should a band play on their classic sound? For all bands still pondering the answer – Loverboy's Just Getting Started is one album you need to hear. And perhaps this is another. My first couple of spins of this new album and I was left disappointed. I missed those anthems. But this is why I never rush my reviews. The benefit of letting time pass is that you get to know that an album can yield a completely different result from first impressions – as evidenced in the case of We Are The Brokenhearted. A few tunes immediately stood out as great, but the rest I thought was too similar and to slow. But there was that magic ingredient again – something that kept making me want to put the CD on day after day. And the listener is rewarded for doing so. Yes, this is a fairly mellow album and the tempo is very similar throughout and the anthems really aren't anthems in the traditional sense. But there is so much to listen to here and at the heart of this album is some very intelligent songwriting and complex arrangements. The way We Come Undone starts sums up the album. That unmistakable tension that Beggars & Thieves songs contain is right there and it builds as if it's ready to explode, but rather just holds out a little and simply kicks into mid-tempo pace. This is still a classic B&T anthem, with the emotion and mood clear to all. Louis has a voice I could listen to all day long. This is B&T 2011 and I am happy as hell to hear them back. Again, as if to lay the foundation for a mellower album than expected, the second track Oil & Water is a slow, super intense 6 minute song that feels out of place after the anthemic opener. But the quality of the song is unquestionable. Subtle, but catchy and a great moody vocal over the top of a lot of instrumentation. Innocence picks up the tempo a little. It's modern and it's intense and the short and its intense and the chorus grows on you top of a lot of instrumentation. quality of the song is unquestionable. The chorus grows on you. There is so much going on within the song, it really does take several listens to get into. But again, class always shines through. Back to slow and moody again for Never Gonna See You Again, a song that defines the term moody. It is unmistakably B&T, but at the same time you can hear modern pop/rock influences like U2/Coldplay etc in there. A mix of electric and acoustic guitars are threaded through the song. Beautiful Losers is another very modern song with no real stand out chorus, requiring more listening to absorb it in full. An extended guitar solo wails slowly in the background. The melodies are there – they just take time. Seven Seconds is dark, moody and modern again. It is a confronting song – a little more uptempo, but no anthem here – just in your face guitars and vocals. It actually reminded me of the modern vibe of Rick Springfield's Venus In Overdrive album – the song 3 Warning Shots in particular. Not before time is a return to the more classic B&T sound. Stranded is one of just 3 or 4 tunes that could have been lifted from any prior B&T album. I love it – a great melodic verse and a cool chorus. It works alongside the other material as it provides a break in the intensity. Wash Away is a slow acoustic ballad with a terrific vocal and a memorable chorus too. Midnight Blue heads back into modern rock territory, with production effects and a dark, uptempo, almost punkish feel to it. More musical diversity in play! Great chorus though and lots going on again. We Are The Brokenhearted closes the album as it started – with a classic B&T anthem, filled with emotion, angst and a big killer chorus…compete with a singalong.
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| Royal Hunt Show Me How To Live | Frontiers FRCD535 |
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Neoclassical/prog/pomp/melodic metal outfit Royal Hunt are a little hit or miss for me. They have delivered some genre defining masterpieces in their past (Moving Target, Paradox, The Mission) and just some straight up cool music (Eye Witness, Paper Blood). But in between is the odd album that just didn't work. Their last album X failed to get a wide release after it was initially launched in Japan only. But this time much loved vocalist DC Cooper returns to the fold, which I was really looking forward to hearing. Now, after considerable playback and with enough time to absorb everything that is thrown into a Royal Hunt album, I can declare that after all this, I'm a little disappointed. To the positives – DC sounds amazing as hoped. The production is of the usual high standard for all Royal Hunt releases. The performances are as musically impressive as usual. The downside – the lack of songs. Before I even played this for the first time, I thought seven new songs was below a pass mark for an important album such as this. And after living with the album for a few weeks, there are at least a couple of fillers on here, leaving 4 or 5 songs only as strong enough to stand out in the band's catalogue. The opening epic is one of them. Big, bombastic and completely over the top as expected. Another Man Down is another winner – a melodic verse and then a driving rhythm that blows up the chorus. Hard Rain's Coming is a really intense metaller and then the best track of the album comes in the 10 minute masterpiece Show Me How To Live. Despite the length, the epic holds listener interest while it weaves in and out of itself, culminating in a really solid chorus. Angel's Gone is solid without being a killer.
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| Alfonzetti Here Comes The Night | AOR Heaven |
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Vocalist Matti Alfonzetti has one of those voices that is just born for melodic rock. He carries this wonderful smooth, melodic tone, but always with that edge that brings that extra bit of punch to the material. It's been a while since his last solo album Machine arrived to disappoint fans with its more modern theme. But I for one thought he tackled the move to modern rock very well. The album is underrated. Still, his killer debut solo album Ready remains the fan favourite and I'm pleased to say that Here Comes The Night is back to that album's pure commercial, classic melodic rock feel. In short, this is a great album. I'm impressed with all aspects. The album is a grower. I wasn't sold first few listens, but there was something that kept drawing me back in and that is what quality songwriting is all about. Not to mention those warm, edgy vocals. Matti just nails them. And the songs – while needing that extra time to absorb, really sink their teeth in and I find myself with any number of different tracks stuck in my head afterwards. Losing You is a hard edged rocker to kick things off and Here Comes The Night and I'll Wait For You are just melodic bliss – delivering lush choruses after the intense start. Heartbreaker is pure AOR with a killer chorus, albeit a fairly subtle one, much like the album itself. It's subtle rather than in your face with its melodies, but once they unfold, they are stuck there for good. Don't Listen To Your Heart is a great uptempo rocker, while Why Can't You Love Me could easily have come from the Ready album. Lay Your Love On Me is another melodic gem; while Rock N Roll Heart goes into overdrive for the album's fastest number. The finale comes with the piano ballad Set Me Free that packs a punch and the hard edged rocker I Will Never Let You Fall which finishes things off exactly how they started – rocking.
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| Fate Ghosts From The Past | AOR Heaven |
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Danish rockers Fate return for another try after the utterly horrendous “metal/modern rock” album V, which upon release prompted almost no interest in the band. And as if to prove that point - this is an almost entirely new line-up! The bio doesn't make things overly clear who is left. This may as well be a debut album. So, treating it as such Ghosts From The Past is a far superior record to the last "Fate" record and more aligned with material released under band's name in the early days – strong melodic hard rock. Gone (with the line-up) is the down-tuned overly heavy guitars and screaming vocals and back comes a tough, but appealing guitar sound and some very sweet melodic vocals. The guys can still rock hard – as evidenced by the wonderful opener Children Of The Night and the alarmingly titled Seeds Of Terror. Likewise for Fear Of The Stranger and Murder plus the mid-tempo closer The Other Side. In the middle of the album however, is totally devoted to classic Scandi-melodic rock and that's where I think the most appeal of the album is. It starts with the uptempo, but less intense At The End Of The Day; then the 80s soft-anthem of All That I Want and the big keyboard friendly ballad Follow Your Heart, where the guys really return to some of their best early work. The wonderfully commercial Daddy´s Girl is another great uptempo rocker; while Moving On takes a bit more to get into, the quality is still there. The Last Time is an urgent feeling rocker with a melodic heart and I Believe in Rock N Roll is a just a good fun anthem. The intense and heavy – yet melodic – The Other Side closes this quality album – a true return to form for the guys.
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| Strangeways Age Of Reason | Indie |
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Strageways return in quick time – proving a) they are a force to be reckoned with, or b) trying to bury the memory of the dismal Perfect World album. The former it would seem, as despite promising this to be “a classic Strangeways affair”, what I hear is a true sequel to the crappy Perfect World. It may be a little better produced, but Age of Reason is yet another hour-long plod fest of droning guitar. There has to be something pretty special in play for a 10 track album to run close to an hour long. In this case there isn't. The songs are simply too slow, too long and too boring. There is potential here – some promising melodies can be found – but it is all simply so slow and plodding, it becomes a chore to listen to. Had a few of the tunes been lifted out of first gear into 2nd or maybe even 3rd gear, it could have been far more enjoyable to listen to. In order to review this, I've been playing this record every day for the best part of 2 weeks, but each time I simply didn't look forward to putting it on. The only memorable thing from this entire record is a few of Terry Brock's vocal hooks. He tried his very best to lift things, but is constantly drowned out by this droning guitar sound that was also present on the last album. There is no stand out riff or hook; it all just meshes into an indiscernible noise. The only thing that differs is the occasional guitar solo and the drum beat. And of course Terry's vocals. But he alone can only create so much melody. The songs of Age Of Reason are either slow, or slower. Kicking off is The Sentinel, a very slow moving track with a new age feel, a solid vocal, but an annoying chorus that goes nowhere. Then Run – a decent 3 minute AOR track that is mercilessly flogged for nearly 7 minutes of plodding nothingness. It starts with a promising vocal bridge, before falling into that droning lifeless chorus style that new Strangeways 2010/11 seems to have adopted. It runs out of life at about 3.30 but then continues on and on and on and on. Playing It Over is slower still….almost at a standstill in fact. It may infact be the slowest AOR track in history. And it runs along for 5 minutes. Credit due - the vocal is wonderfully soulful and the almost-catchy chorus manages to raise a little life, but only just. If only the tune had been up-tempo'd. As We Fall is another ultra-slow and dark ballad running over 6 minutes. Terry does his best, but the guitar sound is just annoying. Call is yet another ultra-slow 5 minute+ song with a catchy enough chorus line, but it's all just so painfully slow. Would it kill these guys to wake up a little? End Of The Day is almost mid-tempo and a more poppy sound and Alive Again is finally genuinely mid-tempo. Could there be life here after all? A decent proper AOR track, but I still don't like the guitar sound. Ok, so that's it for the 'uptempo' stuff. Two is enough! We wouldn't want the album to get out of control now. Silver Moon is a 7 minute plus droning slow ballad that never gets out of first gear. This new age Enya stuff just doesn't suit the band at all. Then – OMG – a hard edged guitar riff – and an uptempo drum beat! Frozen comes way too late to save this record and that guitar sound is just horrible still. The chorus fails to deliver so in the end, the song is no savior here. And Long Road is of course a slow ballad to close out this really boring album.
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| Chickenfoot III | E1 / Eagle Rock |
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Sammy Hagar stated that this new (second) Chickenfoot album was so good after their debut, that it should be named “3”. While I will never question Sammy's logic (!), I will suggest that this album to me sounds more like a debut than a sophomore album – it could almost go before the first. While most bands start somewhere and get tighter, this feels a lot looser and is somewhat softer than the jam-filled hard grooves of the debut. Whatever you think of that silly point, the fact is that Chickenfoot 3 is another highly accomplished album for the supergroup. This is a more structured album of quality songwriting. However – in my humble opinion, the band has the track listing all ass-backwards and the flow of the album isn't half as smooth as it could have been with an alternative running order. Plus the bonus track that only appears on some additions is – I think – one of the highlights and the album is greatly enhanced by its inclusion. Meaning that folks without that song are definitely missing something. I think the band has naturally bonded, which is to be expected after touring and the songwriting is more natural. They aren't trying to be too heavy or too anything. It just feels…well, natural. It really is a joy listening to Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani together – both of them needed each other. Joe a vocalist for his virtuosity and Sammy a big-time class A guitarist to bring the best out in him. And what an absolute joy it is to groove along with Michael Anthony on bass and that snappy drum beating of Chad Smith (without the silliness of Chilli Peppers music! Sorry RHCP fans!) That's showcased in the opening track Last Temptation, a song that has a groove, but isn't dominated by it. Some fine guitar playing and vocals there and a good chorus, but perhaps a song without the punch expected of an opening number. Alright is a fun grooving track – a simple classic rock track with a 70s groove and snappy drum rhythm for the chorus. But again on the placement – I would have had this mid-album. Different Devil is the big melodic rock anthem the last album missed and what Sammy does best – feel good stadium rock. Great chorus and a simple happy go lucky feel. Love it. Up Next turns back to the solid blues groove of the debut with a slamming drum track and even a little EVH flair on the guitar from Joe. I think this track would have been better following on from Alright. Lighten Up is a dark and intense hard rocker with that classic rock feel again. Sammy sounds great and the boys groove along effortlessly. Come Closer is one of the albums marvels. An intensely personal vocal is one of Sammy Hagar's best in years and the song itself is moody and personal and lyrically brilliant. I can't believe the aggressive and unique Three And A Half Letters is way back here in the album. Featuring a spoken word vocal over a Mike Anthony groove, the song explodes come chorus time with an absolutely slamming groove and one of those trademark screaming Hagar vocals. Just love it! Big Foot is perhaps my pick for album opener. I love this track – simple, groove filled and very familiar to the debut musically. It really shouldn't be back here at the closing portion of the album. Good fun track to break the intensity of the last track. Dubai Blues is just that – a smoldering hard rocker with a bluesy edge and some hard edged guitar riffs. Another great vocal from Sammy too. Something Gone Wrong is another beautifully haunting song, with Satch on acoustic guitars and Sammy again delivering with a great vocal. The song bursts to life for the chorus before sliding back into remission for the verse. Smooth, effective, melodic and beautiful. But not an album closer. For those lucky enough, the hidden bonus track is the slamming blues rocker No Change, with a feel similar to the harder edge debut. Biting socially aware lyrics and some trademark Michael Anthony backing vocals, this is a really great song.
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| Grand Illusion Prince Of Paupers | AOR Heaven |
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At the very least, Sweden's Grand Illusion are extremely consistent – they always deliver. If last's year's Brand New World wasn't impressive enough, they return in quick time with the even better Prince Of Paupers. One can ask nothing more of a band to deliver a quality release and then turn around and back it up with more a short time later. Bands do not need to take 5 years to record new albums! Take a lesson from these guys! And what gets me about this album is that the production is even better again. This album is in Grand Illusion's usual style of pompous, over the top, symphonic melodic rock and AOR. There is simply layers upon layers of guitars, keyboards, lead and backing vocals, harmonies too. The band may be an acquired taste for some, but those that get it are really treated to some superb musicianship and songwriting here. Gates Of Fire is over the top rock intensity; Better Believe It is melodic bliss; Prince Of Paupers is all over the place with pomp and groove, but a big chorus pulls it together; So Far Away is a mellower melodic ballad with almost operatic harmonies and St. Teresa's Love is more uptempo pomp madness. And all this is just the first half. Elsewhere on the album is the utterly magic anthemic pomp of Through This War; the urgent Gone; the big ballad/big chorus Believe In Miracles and after a couple of fillers, closes on a high with more pomp glory in Winds Of Change. In short – essential for Grand Illusion fans and those with a taste for flair, pomp and Styx-like progressive AOR. Beautifully recorded and more dominated by guitars than ever before. More great stuff from the Swedish pomp kings. |
| Serpentine Living And Dying In High Definition | AOR Heaven |
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It's taken me far too long to review this and I have to ask myself why? And I think I've found the answer – God forbid, but I think I'm all Tony Mills'd out! The prominent vocalist has been everywhere in the last few years with a half-dozen releases/projects to his name and I think I just wasn't ready for another one. His voice can be as smooth as they come, but you have to be a fan of the higher pitch to truly appreciate. While I am that – I just think I've heard enough for now. Now, this view shouldn't reflect badly upon Tony (who as usual does sing his heart out), Serpentine or this album. It is in fact, everything you could ask from a young band on their second outing. It's better than the debut, the production is stronger and the songs have a better bond. Ok, so put that aside – the album is pure British AOR, with a ton of swirling keyboards, harmony vocals up the wazoo and plenty of melodic hooks. The downside is many of the songs sound very familiar. I think there is a certain pattern to both Serpentine's albums – the choruses are hard to pick out due to the uptempo AOR style of the band and Mills. It takes more time to appreciate and some may not have the patience. These are long songs too. Highlights include the opening uptempo Deep Down; the big ballad Love Is Blue, where there is no trouble finding the chorus at all; Where Do I Go From Here and the stand out AOR of Best Days Of Our Lives. But I'm simply not as excited about this release as I should be. Maybe because it sounds almost identical to the debut, even if still is an improvement overall. But – for fans of the debut, this is a solid follow up and a fine example of British keyboard driven AOR. |
| MeatLoaf Hell In A Handbasket | Legacy/Sony AU |
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MeatLoaf is a confusing and inconsistent artist at times, but regardless of that, he always puts in 100% effort. When you don't write any of the music though, the wrong direction or collaborators can cause confusion for the audience with material or direction choices that don't gel. This is one of those cases. I went from hating this album, to quite liking it and now I've fallen back to where I will stay - somewhere in between. Meat called it his most personal record to date – I can see the theme of the world gone crazy fits a message he's passionate about, but some of the decisions taken on this record are just strange. This album is a different beast than the strong and consistent Hang Cool Teddy Bear. A completely different team is behind him here but the modern sound of the last record is continued. The album opens with a wonderfully heartfelt modern rocker All Of Me followed by another equally passionate track Fall From Grace – two of the best tunes I've heard from Meat. Really passionate and melodic. And the Giving Tree is a pretty decent rocker too. The Tom Cochrane cover Mad Mad World works pretty well too. But where it turns into a rap song at 2.25 is something I either skip or kinda uncomfortably like….depending on my mood. Party Of One is a take it or leave it almost-punk rocker that sounds like 3 different songs inside of 4 minutes; Live Or Die is a country hard rocker (yes indeed); California Dreaming is horrible (always hated that song and completely out of place here); Another Day is a killer ballad; Forty Days turns back to that out of place rockin' country vibe again and isn't overly appealing; Our Love & Our Souls is a cool enough ballad; Stand In The Storm is his rocking Celebrity Apprentice inspired duet with Lil John, John Rich and Mark McGrath and Blue Sky is a 3 minute very personal ballad to close the album. Basically the album is just far too much all over the place! There are some strange musical choices made and the rap has to go, but in other places there are some knockout tunes. Half killer, half filler basically. Enough for the die-hards to enjoy, but enough for others to steer clear of. |
| Sencelled Sencelled | Sound Pollution |
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I've heard this album referred to as cheesy and little lame lyrically, but I'm quite prepared to ignore both comments and just soak up the melodic pop goodness that this slick Scandi pop/AOR album provides. The album has an uplifting feel and is a mix of modern pop and classic AOR, delivered as only the Swedes can deliver. Produced by Ricky Delin, with guests such as Tommy Denader, Kristoffer Lagerstrom and Mats Olausson, one should get a clear idea of what these guys deliver. There's a little H.E.A.T., a little Prisoner, Radioactive and some Reckless Love. It may be light going and there may not be a lot of variation on the album as a whole, but it is still a largely uptempo and anthemic album. This is definitely worth checking out if you are a member of the pink and fluffy fan club (Scandi-branch). |
| Chasing Magic Chasing Magic | Kivel Records |
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It isn't really fair that one of the most deserving guys in the business is finally given a chance by Kivel Records, yet the album will rank as one of the worst sounding of the Kivel catalogue. The man behind Chasing Magic is Jason Pawlak – a talented songwriter who has been sending me demos of his songs for nearly a decade now. And he's a truly great guy – and songwriter at that. And these are his babies. The label and the artist were both at pains to have me understand that these songs were recorded on no budget and really are demos to give the songs some life. Jace says he doesn't see himself as a singer or a producer, but more a writer and I accept that 100%. But that doesn't make this release any easier to listen to. The production is indeed pretty bad – these are demos in the true sense of the word and some of the vocals aren't always easy on the ears either. But some of the songs are pretty catchy and it is nice to see Jace get his chance in the sun. Highlights are the anthemic World Is Wide; the mid-tempo AOR track The Corners Of My Mind; the feel good uptempo Angelina; the sentimental ballad The Edge Of Goodbye and the harder hitting Have It All. But if there is to be a second Chasing Magic album, some money has to be invested in the production/recording process. Fans might not give the guys a second chance here. I know Jace is continuing on in his writing endevours and has delivered some apparently great songs for future Kivel releases – I'll certainly look forward to hearing those contributions. I feel bad I can't be more generous in this particular case, but the quality just isn't there. |
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| Chris Ousey Rhyme & Reason | Escape Music ESM233 |
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It has been such a phenomenal year, so naturally you'd expect a lull in the closing weeks of 2011. Not so. There are still more great releases coming your way, probably none better than this, the debut Chris Ousey solo album. The voice of Heartland and The Distance teams up with producer/guitarist extraordinaire Mike Slamer and journeyman guitarist/songwriter Tommy Denander, along with legendary rhythm providers Gregg Bisonette (drums) and Neil Murray (bass). To round out the line-up is backing vocalists Billy Trudel and Kristoffer Lagerström (Spin Gallery). The album was produced and mixed by Slamer and co-produced by Denander. With pedigree like that – what could possibly go wrong? In this case – nothing! This is yet another case of absolute melodic rock bliss. Easily one of the best albums I've ever heard Chris Ousey sing on – and that includes the classic Virginia Wolf debut; the Heartland debut and their also brilliant Move On record. As expected, Mike Slamer is all over this with his trademark guitars, keyboards and big bombastic production. As is Tommy Denander – his sound is blended nicely with that of Slamer and his and Ousey's songwriting partnership has delivered some of the best songs of either artist's careers. This is a powerful pull no punches, hard rocking affair with a monster sound and most importantly, so great hook to grab on to, while also diversifying into some left-field time changes and song quirks that Slamer is best known for delivering. As is the case with a lot of Chris Ousey's work and Slamer's also – the album features so much music and complex melodies to wrap your ears around, it is several listens in before it all starts to make proper sense. Buy boy, does it pay off big time. Biggest surprise – the absolute monster groove this record has. Track By Track: Mother Of Invention is a monster to start the album, with a solid groove and Tommy Denander's guitars never sounding so good. A swaggering song with a big chorus and a heavier than expected guitar approach. Motivation has an even bigger groove and smolders along before it gets faster as it runs through an urgent upbeat chorus. To Break A Heart may start quietly, but erupts into a flurry of guitars, riffs and drum beats. There's so much going on within this song. Another dominant chorus and thunderous rhythm section keeps the song intensity on high throughout. Bleeding Heart is a more urgent and flowing uptempo rocker with a fast moving, but effective chorus and again – beats and grooves all over the place. The mid-tempo swagger of A Chemical High is filled with production effects and has a completely different vibe than the other 4 songs on the album's first half. A Rick Springfield style guitar riff, some keyboards and an immediately catchy verse hook. Then there is the chorus – wow. Something new and cool for Chris, but this works so well. An absolute instant gem. Give Me Shelter blasts things back into full overdrive. The fastest and heaviest rocker of the album thus far, this song simply blasts through the speakers. And it features a monster chorus and huge vocals. Another highlight – not that any track isn't brilliant. The Reason Why isn't quite as fast, but the groove is back. This is a less intense melodic rock song with a big commercial catchy chorus. Any Other Day starts with a little restraint, but throws that off while moving through the bridge to the chorus – which is another big groove filled, urgent anthemic blast. Another killer fast paced song. Don't Wanna Dance has this sampled beat to kick it off, before the groove of Denander's guitars kicks in. The song has attitude and swagger – much like the record as a whole. Yet again a melodic bridge buffers the verse from the chorus – another big hook. Watch This Space is a funny, twisting rocker with a lot going on within it. Swirling guitars and keyboards – it's not an instant track by any means, but the keyboards help bring the melodies out. An interesting track. Love the keyboards that drive the uptempo rocker By Any Other Name. And what a song, the keyboard might dominate the verse, but the chorus is a freeking monster and the pace just further adds to the vibe of the whole record. Intense! This is a hard rocking album from start till almost finish. The album closes with the one solitary ballad included – the soulful and emotional A Natural Law. It's a passionate vocal here from Chris and a pretty heavy track for a ballad, but the soaring chorus leaves no confusion.
This is also the best release I think I have heard from Escape Music. World class.
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| The Magnificent The Magnificent | Frontiers Records FRCD |
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I guess the name says it all! Yet another Swedish gem for melodic rock fans. Masterclass vocalist Michael Eriksen (Circus Maximus) and Leverage guitarist/songwriter/producer Torsti Spoof join forces to deliver a melodic rock project for their own change of pace. These two guys are unquestionably good at what they do and it was merely a case of just how good this album would be. And for fans of Scandi melodic rock with swirling keyboards, pounding drums and hard edged guitar riffs – this is another essential purchase. Eriksen has a voice that mixes Joey Tempest with Goran Edman – in other words – glorious higher pitch vocals perfect for this style. And the songs don't disappoint. Glorious anthemic AOR and melodic rock from start to finish. The album fits nicely between Brother Firetribe and H.E.A.T. with the intensity of Leverage and they keyboards of Work Of Art. The opening rocker Holding On To Your Love should impress, but the anthemic bliss of Cheated By Love will seal the deal. Awesome. Then there is Memories, which might just be the poppiest melodic rock anthem since Brother Firetribe's last album. Utterly glorious and a chorus which is completely over the top and filled with harmonies. Angel starts slow, but blooms into a monster ballad with soaring vocals and all the required bells and whistles for a AOR lovers wet dream. Elsewhere on the album you have Love`s On The Line is another Brother Firetribe kind of anthem; while Bullets features a pretty unique (but short) chorus; the breezy harmony filled AOR anthem Smoke & Fire; the big sentimental ballad If It Takes All Night; the fast paced rocker Lost – with its instant chorus; and the melancholy Harvest Moon to close the album.
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| Talon III | Escape Music ESM234 |
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US rockers Talon return with their third album, on their third label, with their third singer. While that short summary doesn't sound overly inspiring, the guys really haven't had the best of luck along the way. But the rest of the band has remained intact (with the addition of Eric Ragno on keyboards – him again?!) and changes in singers and labels hasn't stopped them delivering consistently enjoyable records in the traditional no frills style of American 80s hard rock. On this occasion, the band's vocalist is Shawn Pelata of Line Of Fire fame. For Talon, Shawn takes his voice into a rougher, less high pitch style than the Perry-esque Line Of Fire. It suits the band well. On the first couple of spins I wasn't convinced by this album at all. I thought maybe it was going to be a stumbling block for the band. But time has given me a better perspective and the songs have grown on me, as I expect they will with other listeners. They are definitely back into the same groove as the killer debut. A couple of points however – there are some terrific catchy hard rockers on here that Talon fans will eat up. And the production lacks punch, which could have lifted the energy of this record up even further. It feels a little laid back in places because of this. And there is a mid-album lull with the ballad Maybe One Day and the Jeff Scott Soto sung Take You All The Way. Yes, I'm also amazed I just said that, but the song just doesn't fit as well and with the dominating voice of JSS, it throws the balance of the album out for me. Where the band does deliver the goods is where they stick to what they are best at - on the rocking Crying To Me, The Last Time and Did You Have To Say….then jump back to full strength again with You Don't Know Me At All and the frantic Walk Away. This is where the band delivers their best work. Gritty, uptempo guitar driven hard rock. The last few songs are pretty consistent without being the band's best – but still enjoyable. The last track is a cover of the Starship rocker Jane – it works pretty well in this gritty setting. Shawn gets to use his falsetto voice a little more here.
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| Mecca Undeniable | Frontiers Records FRCD538 |
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This is such a crazy good record on so many levels, I just hope I can aptly explain just why it deserves such praise and describe, at least in part, someone of the many complexities within this record – and just why it all works so well. It is not easy writing reviews like this. You want to convey the brilliance of the music without going too over the top, yet the emotion of the record leaves you at its mercy. It appears I have written a bit of a novel here. Never intended to, but that's what good music does to you. The big question – how could this album possibly be worth the wait? How could it match the brilliant (and perfect score achieving) debut? Nine years since the debut album; 6 years in the making; 2 previous versions of the album scrapped; a Mecca 1 lawsuit; line-up changes; the death of the studio engineer and friend to everyone; and personal turmoil for the band's main man Joe Vana. What we have here is an absolute rarity. Mecca II is one of the few records ever that has gone through all of the above, only to finally appear….and deliver! This really is an AOR masterpiece. Mecca II is a finely crafted AOR album, with touches of high-tech 80s, Westcoast pop and a whole swathe of production effects that should make this record timeless in years to come. Obviously the length of time I have lived with tracks helps and some I have had for several years now! But for all the demos and alternative takes, the final versions here just blow them all away. Getting the final mix of this album and then the final mastered version some months back was a revelation. And time has only helped firm my resolve in these songs. This album is anything but AOR by numbers. In a scene that complains about lack of creativity and originality, of stale projects and drum machines – this album is the exact opposite. This is an album that takes time to grow and reveal itself. It is composite of years of studio time, precise and analytical rewriting of songs until perfect and absolutely beautiful performances by all those involved in the record. And the production and mix are just glorious. This album has so much room to breathe. No wall of volume here. Crank it up and it's loud – but still perfectly in balance. This is a truly organic record and is just so inspiring to listen to. The arrangements within are selective and intelligent. The structure of the songs is never dull nor predictable. And the record should be showcased as an example of how to do things right. How to achieve sonic nirvana in this AOR world. Credit to the production team of Joe Vana, Chuck Macak and Mark Alano. It was Chuck who mixed the album. The Mecca debut was perfect in its own right. I still love that record to this day. But Mecca II is a different beast. They are vastly different albums, but still related to each other by Joe Vana's natural writing ability and moody AOR style. I think the debut was, in many ways, seen as Jim Peterik's vehicle. And there was a definite question mark over Joe and if he could deliver anything of the quality of the debut without any of the other team involved. Well….he's not only done that, but he's grown in leaps and bounds since then and has delivered what I will say now as an even better record. This is 100% Joe's baby and together with songwriting partners Tommy Denander and Christian Wolff, the pressure of the countless delays and high fan expectation can be laid to rest. Joe Vana is now a force to be reckoned with on his own. And of all things here, I'm most happy with the fact that Joe hasn't sacrificed himself with hesitations over whether his vocals would be enough to carry the album. There were times where the album was to again be split between two vocalists (Bobby Kimball was one nominee) such as the debut was with Fergie Frederiksen. Thank God Joe did not do this and I for one pushed him not to behind the scenes. As his voice is so engaging, so crucial to the success of this album. And he has added so much to his range since the debut. And the songs....the songwriting is just amazing. Joe Vana found the perfect writign partner in Tommy Denander, and together they bring out the best in each other. They wrote most of the album together. Track By Track: Perfect World opens the album in absolutely blistering AOR form. The very first thing you notice is how crisp and crystal clear the keyboard and bass sound. Tony Levin supplies bass on this track, so it's no wonder why. The drums (Rick Vitek) snap in and the guitar work is beautiful. Tommy Denander has never sounded better and I mean that. Everything just sounds so organically placed. The song flows with such ease and such precision. This song and this album as a whole is like a high performance vehicle. Everything on the surface seems so effortless, yet the work done to design the car and get it to this point and the power 'under the hood' is simply unexplainable. Joe Vana has grown in maturity and in skill as a vocalist since the Mecca debut and he sounds like a seasoned veteran here. The vocals are so easy to listen to. Perfect World has an instant chorus and some fine soulful harmonies. The lead break following the chorus gives the song the same musical intensity and integrity as luminaries such as Mr. Mister and Toto. The guitar solo is sublime and a joy to hear. Closing Time kicks off with another set of keyboard/programming before the drums kick into gear. A tougher track then the opener, but equally impressive with its technical prowess and the chorus grows with each listen. Again there is so much to listen to that one or even three listens is not enough. The Toto style soloing is again brilliant. 10life (or Ten Lifetimes) is a terrifically moody and complex AOR track with a mix of Westcoast in the keyboards and the smooth vocals. Mr. Mister would be proud to call this their own. A punchy chorus breaks the Westcoast spell. And just as you were getting comfortable with the track, it breaks into a haunting instrumental passage half way through the song. It slows things way down, before building them back again with a flurry of guitar (Brian Moritz, Christian Wolff and Tommy Denander) and percussion parts. You simply cannot teach this kind of intelligent songwriting (Vana & Wolff). It has to come naturally. Life's Too Short is another moody number that features a classic retro keyboard sound, some funky bass and believe it or not, a spoken word verse! The chorus is simple yet catchy as, surrounded by some fine guitar playing (Wolff & Denander), contrasting brilliantly with the complex verse and bridge structures. Drums courtesy of Pat Mastello don't hurt either! Joe Vana manages to add so much more to his vocals this time around. I loved the raw emotion of his voice on the debut, but this album is so far ahead from that. I Know features some amazing lead vocals from Joe. Some high notes that really surprise and raise the song into another level. The whole song has a rich texture of complex keyboard parts (from Brian Moritz) and layered harmonies and a fabulous chorus of chorus. Tommy Denander and Christian Wolff turn this into a 'lost' Toto classic and Joe makes it an AOR home run with those vocals. The album's bass star is Wally Hustin – surely a new name that will make a huge mark thanks to this. Did It For Love is a 6 minute AOR masterclass in how to write brilliant AOR. Soft and subtle to start, with piano, keyboards and subtle guitars all working together in unison. But the vocals are simply brilliant. Joe carries the mod of the song here, through the verse and into the bombastic chorus. Brian Moritz' keyboard parts are again brilliant too. So much to listen to here. Thank God the guys got the mix just right. The song takes a left turn mid-way through into a nice mid-song break/guitar solo before returning to where it all started – a sparse musical arrangement. From The Start is another one of those tracks where you think, just how did they write this? The moody and feel comes straight out of the Mr. Mister/prog AOR handbook, yet it is so original at the same time. Technical brilliance, diverse arrangements and classy guitar work (Joey Vana and Tommy Denander strike again). Tony Levin grooves again on bass. Another pretty long song, the instrumental passage mid-song stretches out into another killer solo. As if I haven't gushed enough, then comes Deceptive Cadence which is simply stunning. The haunting Westcoast/pop/AOR ballad with an engaging, warm and sultry lead vocal builds slowly into an orchestral chorus that builds the mood. And at 3.30, this 6 minute track does an absolute left turn – turning sultry up to a new high and delving into a complex slow burning instrumental with Tony Levin (bass) and Pat Mastelotto (drums) going to town. AOR by numbers this sure is not. And the keyboards (Paul Prociotto & Denander) are killer. As if sensing that the album could use a shift in tempo and mood, W2W (Wire To Wire) bursts to life, bringing a more urgent and rocking affair to break up the mood. This is catchy as hell in its own right and is really well placed within the structure of the album. Again, it seems simple enough, but there is a lot of music to digest in the background. And there's that killer guitar solo too! Undeniable is yet another perfect mood track. The haunting vision of the album is back with a softly sung vocal gliding over keyboards (this time from Mr. Perfect Keys, Eric Ragno). Then the chorus – the song bursts to life with passion and power. A big big ballad and some soaring lead vocals from Joe. What could possibly conclude this album in a way it deserves? A way that would leave its own mark in an already crowded album of classic songs? The answer is As I Walk Alone – one of the most brutally emotional lead vocals I have heard in years. Joe bares all emotionally as he sings with only the accompaniment of a piano (Brian Moritz) and then later in the song, a simple, perfect slow guitar solo (Wolff). It really is a fine and classy way to close a perfect album and due to the impact of the song, it stands out as a highlight – for the album and for the year.
I've been debating the score needed for this for weeks now. In conclusion I realized that it was just that good an album that anything less than a perfect rating would be doing it a disservice. In a year of truly staggering quality releases, why should I not give out another perfect score, when it clearly matches the quality of the other 3 killer albums awarded such a score this year. It's vastly different in style to those, but every bit just as classic a record.
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| Tora Tora Revolution Day | FnA Records 247365-036-2 |
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Interesting album this. Like many bands, Tora Tora were victims of the grunge movement, sweeping them aside for the dreaded flannel wearing wave of bands that cursed the 90s. But they were unlucky to be eraddicated with the other bands of their time, as Tora Tora were nothing like any other band out there and really kinda had their own unique sound that could easily have been accepted as part of the new wave of hard rock appearing at the time. They disappeared after their brilliant second album Wild America was released, with an unreleased album still in waiting. That album became somewhat mythical, as it never leaked out in any way, unlike so many other lost albums of the time. Finally FnA Records came along and relieved fans of their long held anxieties. The treasured Revolution Day album has found its way into existence. And now it's out there, it seems even stranger that it got left on the rack back in the 90s. To me this album is a very good blend of what Tora Tora was all about on Wild America, mixed with a more contemporary groove that suited the 90s sound. That, and the fact the album is almost entirely retro in its groove and far more bluesy than the band previously displayed. But one thing hasn't changed – that unmistakable twang of vocalist Anthony Corder. One unique voice that's for sure. Song wise we have a very diverse set of tunes here, from the Zeppelin-esque classic rock blues of Revolution Day; to the flat out double-time barroom blues of Mississippi Voodoo Child; the acoustic retro ballad Candle And The Stone and Shelter From The Rain; hard rock groove of Blues Come Home To You; the brass accompaniment on the swaggering Memphis Soul and the 7 minute epic instrumental that closes the album.
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| Kimball / Jamison Kimball / Jamison | Frontiers Records FRCD530 |
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I really wasn't convinced this album would work when originally announced. Not because I doubted either singer, but purely for these kinds of things to work, you need chemistry. Two AOR legends together is always an appealing idea, but these two have quite different voices and styles. Jimi Jamison – the former voice of Survivor and Bobby Kimball – the former voice of Toto. Both have been around for decades and both have sung each other's songs in the past due to performing togetrher with Voices Of Classic Rock. But, would it work on record? Neither had a hand in writing on playing on this record, giving it that dreaded “project” tag, but in the end it really all comes down to the songs. And I have to say that the songs here are for the most part, first rate. You've got man of the moment Erik Martennson co-writing 3; his W.E.T. partner Robert Sall behind 2; two Richard Page (Mr. Mister) compositions; a Jim Peterik gem plus 3 from the songwriting team of Henrik Wikstrom/Niklas Edberger/Randy Goodrum. There are also style differences between the writers, so the energy of the tracks does vary, giving the album a slightly jumbled feel and emphasizing that this is a project rather than a band. But the performances of Jamison and Kimball smooth over any cracks. Their smooth, authorative and familiar vocals really do work well together. It is Jimi Jamison that takes the front foot on most songs, with Kimball acting in a secondary role, but his lines punctuate the songs perfectly and the duo harmonizing during choruses is a joy to listen to. The two lead tracks (and videos) Worth Fighting For and Can't Wait For Love are both Hanif Sabzevari/Robert Säll compositions and are perhaps the strongest AOR anthems of the album and sound the best fit stylistically for the duo. This is as natural as it gets. The mid-paced Richard Page/John Lang composition Sail Away is a lot smoother and almost Westcoast in style before the “classic” Jim Peterik penned Chasing Euphoria rocks things up. This song has Peterik written all over it and could have come from the Crossroad Moments sessions or the last Pride Of Lions record. Find Another Way (Henrik Wikstrom/ Niklas Edberger/Randy Goodrum) is a monster sentimental piano ballad that kicks into high gear mid-song. It's a mighty ballad, but I'm not sure Bobby Kimball tackles the high notes so well. Not when compared to Jimi at least. Get Back In The Game and I Did Everything Wrong are Erik Mårtensson/Miqael Persson songs and give the album another twist in style. Both fit the record well and both are really engaging tracks – the first a typical W.E.T./Eclipse melodic rocker and the latter a mid-tempo sentimental anthem. Shadows Of Love is the very same track from the latest John Waite solo album, written by John with Jeff Kent & Norman Mershon. I prefer the JW solo version and this is probably the most out of place song here. Hearts Beat Again is a terrific melodic rock anthem written by Auras' Gui Oliver with Ferpa Lacerda & Filipe Beyer. Not to make another point of it, but the song has its own feel and vibe. We Gotta Believe (Richard Page/John Lang/Robert Page) is another smoother AOR track and coupled with the last track divert the album from the more consistent sound of the first half. The pumped up and intense rocker Kicking And Screaming (Erik Mårtensson/Miqael Persson) is completely out of place, but is so fabulously catchy that it demands inclusion. This is another classic Martensson track in the best tradition of the Toby Hitchcock album, not to mention W.E.T. and Eclipse. Your Photograph (Wikstrom/Edberger/Goodrum) is an ok (non-offensive) way to complete the album.
Together these guys have done an amazing job. The production is fabulous and the performances energetic and powerful and match the vocalists perfectly. They have made an interesting alternative to the Dennis Ward production/music team that normally forms the basis of these project releases. Good enough to rate it as essential to fans of Jamison and Kimball and also highly recommended to all fans of powerful, immaculately performed melodic rock.
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| Fergie Frederiksen Happiness Is The Road | Frontiers Records FRCD531 |
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Interesting that I should make mention of the Dennis Ward production team in the Kimball/Jamison review, as they are the very guys in place for Fergie Frederiksen's brand new (long awaited) solo album. Its kind of strange that both albums arrive the same day, as they are almost carbon copy “projects”, just featuring a different production team and vocalist. As on past project albums, the singer in question takes almost no part in writing any material – appearing for one co-write only (with longtime friend and past collaborator Jim Peterik) – instead relying on others to submit songs. Fergie in this case, along with Frontiers then pick out the best suited tracks to record. And once again, we have some of the same names popping up! This time it's Robert Sall (W.E.T./Work Of Art) on two; Jim Peterik on 3; one for Gui Oliver (Auras); Mark Baker (House Of Lords, Signal) on two and David Roberts on two. Plus a Joe Vana (Mecca)/Christian Wolff track – the first time Fergie and Joe have crossed paths since the Mecca debut. Both are terrific releases and probably belong on 'must buy' lists for all melodic rock fans, especially if you already follow these artists (then I'd upgrade these to essential), but there is something about this album that runs a little more smoothly than the Kimball/Jamison. The songs within this album are a little more consistent as far as how they sound as a cohesive collection of tracks that make up an album. They really sound as if they belong together. I'm not sure who should get the credit for that – probably Dennis Ward and Fergie Frederiksen for ensuing the songs were delivered in a consistent and continuous manner. I'm a long, long time fan of Fergie. There was a stage where I feared this would be his last album ever, but thankfully his health has improved vastly and we can look forward to many more to come. His voice has changed a little over the last few years, but essentially he remains the very recognizable voice of that legendary Toto album Isolation. This is a more rocking affair than his last solo album Equilibrium and a more balanced album than the Frederiksen/Denander record. The album has that unmistakable super slick Dennis Ward feel and the songs flow easily from one to another. Angel, Alaine and First To Cry (yes, the same song just used by House Of Lords) all roll effortlessly together, with some fine harmonies and strong choruses in play. The haunting piano ballad Follow Your Heart (Jim Peterik) is perfect for Fergie's voice and really hits home. Then comes the uplifting melodic rock anthem Happiness Is The Road (Fergie & Jim Peterik), which matches the vibe of Kelly Keagy's The Journey (also co-written by Peterik). An album highlight making me wish Fergie had a hand in writing more. I Still Believe (David Roberts) is another high class memorable AOR track; while Lyin' Eyes (Gui Oliver) is as smooth as it comes. Love Waits For No One (Roberts) is an ok track, but probably my least favourite of the album. Jim Peterik goes into high gear again on Writing On The Wall, which has that familiar Peterik/Survivor sound. The Future Ain't What It Used To Be is another Mark Baker track, previously demoed by Mark Free (brilliantly) and now covered with equal passion from Fergie. It fits the album very well and still sounds great. The One (Joe Vana/Christian Wolff) sounds like Foreigner meets Toto and is very 80s. Perfect for this record and another classic song from the pair of writers. A strong chorus is made even better by some great lead vocals and big harmonies. I could hear Mecca doing this easily. The Savior closes the album on an uptempo note. Not the best track on here, but typical enough of the rest of the material. Dennis Ward (with Dirk and Nathan on drums and guitars as usual) does a wonderful production job here, keeping things engaging and consistent and Fergie sings his heart out as expected. But you know who the unsung hero of the day is here? Keyboardist Eric Ragno. This is without question some of his best and more challenging work. It lies just under the surface a lot of the time, but if you focus on the keyboards, you realize just how strong and dominant their presence is on this record. Without Eric, a huge chasm would be missing from the songs. And these are not your usual dated/80s keyboards. He keeps things contemporary with a variety of different sounds throughout.
Long time no hear Fergie – let's not make it so long until the next record please.
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| Issa The Storm | Frontiers Records FRCD529 |
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Norwegian vocalist Issa is a talent – no doubting that. But there are two things that are bothering me – first is the whole 'sex-kitten' marketing angle that I just don't think suits. The lead video for Looking For Love really didn't portray the great song that it is, nor the class of the singer behind it. Then there is a press release stating that on the debut album Issa was “compared to such music stars as Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne and Amy Lee.” Not sure who (if anyone) actually said that, but I don't agree. What Issa is – is a powerful female lead vocalist with a solid band behind her, performing memorable melodic hard rock. Nothing I review here is ever going to be compared to anything like Celine Dion (thank God)! Yes, there is a modern edge to the album – mainly in the guitar tone and production – but Issa makes the songs more classic in style with her very likable, melodic vocals. The songs – once again (yes, three for three this month from Frontiers) – have a selection of songs not penned by the artist – this album featuring compositions from Robert Sall (again), Erik Martensson (again), Randy Goodrum (again), being joined here by Magnus Karlsson and a few others. Now may not be the place to make a point – as there are some great songs on here as usual – but how long can these guys keep delivering great songs!! It's amazing…and a little freaky, but there seems no end to the song writing talent of Martensson, Sall and co. I would just hate to see them over used on albums outside their own projects. That's where they need to be concentrating on. I am pleased to say though, that Issa co-writes 3 tracks with the always classy Martin Brothers (James Martin is now married to Issa). Two of those are album highlights. For me the debut Issa album was very impressive and this follows a very similar path. More or less the same energy, the same powerful vocals and a good dose of melodic hard rock with some modern production tweaks. Perhaps a little more contemporary with some heavy guitars in the background. The songs are a mostly impressive bunch, but I think the debut album had a couple more killers, making that the better album by a touch. Here the real stand outs are – the super catchy and hook filled Looking For Love; the monster power ballad Invincible; the heavy anthem Black Clouds (written by Daniel Flores); the very melodic Gonna Stand By You (great chorus); the other album ballad Too Late For Love (another hit from Erik Martensson with his usual writing partner Miquel Persson) and the closing hard rocker The Storm. The others tend to blend in more and aren't of the same class as these mentioned tunes.
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| Shy Shy | Escape Music ESM232 |
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This album was a long time coming and for a period, there was some back and forth over who would sing on it. In the end, it wasn't Shy's most used vocalist Tony Mills in the hot seat, but rather Lee Small (Phenomena/Surveillance) that took the helm – and I for one and really pleased he did. This is a considerably more rocked up album from the British melodic rockers. This album is perhaps the heaviest of their career and I'm loving the choice of direction. Lee Small has a voice not too far off that of Glenn Hughes/Goran Edman – melodic, yet authorative and powerful. His deeper tone suits the heavier edge that this album carries. There is a lot going on here. The album is most obviously guitar driven, but keyboards play a big part also, swirling away in the background, while a power packed rhythm section keeps songs pumping. The trio of songs that lead the album barely stop to take a breath. It's a truly energetic start. The memorable rock ballad Breathe only slows things down temporarily, while Blood On The Line lifts the tempo back with a dose of Europe style melodic rock. Pray is a super cool, fast tempo'd urgent little rocker, with a catchy keyboard backdrop that is as immediate as it is catchy. And Only For The Night sounds like Goran Edman at his best, so you know folks are going to love this. Over You is pure AOR bliss, wrapped in a slightly heavier beat. The keyboards here are front and center. The album closes with another highlight – the uptempo and rocking, yet very melodic Union Of Souls, featuring a great vocal and a tight overall band performance.
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| Grand Design Idolizer | AOR Heaven 00065 |
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I can't imagine a single review of this album not mentioning Def Leppard. The two are inexplicably mixed due to Grand Design's sound being almost entirely influenced or derivative of Def Leppard's trademark high-tech melodic rock style. The band's debut album showed that the guys were big fans of the Leppard sound and production style. But on album number two, they blow the debut out of the water and further blur the lines between the two bands. The good news for fans of the debut is that this album is better in every way – with tougher sound, tighter production and even more layers than last time. There is a very fine line between paying tribute to one band's sound and ripping it off entirely. And after careful deliberation and a couple of months of listening time, I have to say that Grand Design fall on the right side of this line – just – coming closer to the classic Def Leppard sound than even those guys do these days. For fans wishing a return to the 'classic' Leppard sound of Pyromania and Hysteria, this album is for you. The production is quite superb, offering layer upon layer of….well, just about everything! Vocals, guitars, harmonies, keyboards…you name it. From one song to the next we hear the best parts of Def Leppard's Pyromania guitar sound reproduced with Hysteria's layered production and Grand Design's own blend of Scandinavian melodic rock twisted around it. Get On With The Action matches parts of Armageddon It; Change Me Up has a little Foolin' in there; OughtoGraph is a quirky multi-layered hard rocker with an instant chorus; the cool moody mid-tempo Your Love's A Runaway is more or less a mix of Hysteria and Animal; Stealin' My Love is Too Late For Love/Die Hard The Hunter; Let's Rawk The Nite (no clichés there!) is an ok rocker; the slower Addiction For Love is Love Bites; Idolize Me is another good stand-alone rocker with layered chorus; Rock Back To The 80s has one of the most anthemic choruses of the whole album and is more a Let's Get Rocked kind of vibe; You're Gonna Dig On It is a heavier, moodier track that closes the album well, leaving no time for any fillers.
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| Gary John Barden Eleventh Hour | Escape Music ESM233 |
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British hard rock vocalist Gary Barden is a pretty consistent guy, whether he is singing for MSG, Statetrooper or his own solo albums such as this one. This is a pretty uncompromising record, but ultimately a disappointing one. It has a pretty fierce approach, rocking from the outset and features no slower tracks and certainly no ballads. It has a raw sounding production – a little too raw if you ask me, it does appear muddy in places. And the songs speak of tough times, conflict and battle. There are choruses, yes….but don't look to this album to provide any uplifting anthems. Only Fallen By The Wayside and What You Wanna Do offers anything approaching a big hook. The rest is tough and gritty and darker than usual. Yes, it's a musical statement and a state of mind and fans of Barden's heavier work might appreciate more than some others. I don't mind the sound and style, but I do have an issue with the songs. I just don't think there are enough tracks on here that match prior work from Barden. The songs – no matter the style – just don't have the same quality and several just plod along with no real destination - Shine A Light On Me and the 8 minute Before The Eyes Of The World being the two worst offenders. Also missing the mark are Child Of Sorrow, Easy Does It and Don't Take Me For A Loser.
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| Saracen Marilyn | Escape Music ESM230 |
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This is not an easy album to get into or to learn to appreciate in the first few spins. But then again, what concept album is? This one revolves around the life of Marilyn Monroe – which as a subject matter doesn't interest me one iota. Her legend is something that is already completely overdone. But, pushing aside that prejudice for the music on hand, we have a complex album that tells a story while dishing up a few melodic rock gems in the process. The opening Sax-infused instrumental rocker Norma Jeane is about as pompous as it gets and leads into the dramatic rocker Whither the Wind Blows, laced with female harmonies. Hold On is a ballad that blossoms, featuring lead vocals from Issa. Possibly the best track on the album is the barnstorming straight up rocker Make This Body Work, featuring Robin Beck going right over the top. Who Am I slows things down, with Beck joined in duet by Steve Overland. The make a good pairing actually, with the song going into overdrive half way through for a spell. Love Like A Razorblade is a semi-instrumental which leads into the rocker Break the Spell. The vocals of the Sacaren guys sadly don't match that of the guest stars. Not For Sure is a slow sultry acoustic Robin Beck sung track, followed by another Beck track in the big impressive ballad Like Going Home. Closing the album and the story arc is a metallic pomp rocker/instrumental/spoken word track Unfinished Life (the required concept album's arty concept piece) and the big dramatic finale Marilyn sung by Robin Beck again.
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| John Farnham The Acoustic Chapel Sessions | Sony Music AU 88697969872 |
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Australian pop/rock legend John Farnham turns out his latest release – again likely to only find traction in his homeland, remaining ignored by the rest of the world – despite a large appreciation for the vocalist he is. But at 60+, careers don't blossom, they fade. Not Farnham's voice though – this guy could out-sing any 20 year old you put in front of him. The power is just phenomenal. This acoustic album sees John retread 11 classic hits, so at least the song quality missing over the last few albums is guaranteed. The only thing I didn't want to hear was John mellowing out the old classics into the same 'old-man tempo' of his recent output. And two songs in I was cringing. The classics Pressure Down and Reasons were pretty lifeless and slowed down from their upbeat originals. Thankfully Chain Reaction kicked the album into high gear and what followed – Playing To Win, You're The Voice, That's Freedom and Talk Of The Town sparkled with energy and refreshed enthusiasm. Throw in a couple of sultry tunes like the timeless brilliance of Age Of Reason and the soulful Simple Life and the balance between acoustic ambience and electricity was reached. And Farnham himself sounds amazing. The simple, stripped back format allows his voice to shine and blaze through on a few of the bigger songs. Amazing still to this day. A worthy addition to any John Farnham fans' collections, and for those that enjoy these kind of stripped down releases. Newbies might even be impressed enough to delve back into his career for some pop/AOR gems. It's nice to be able to give John a positive review for a change. |
| House Of Lords Big Money | Frontiers Records FRCD528 |
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This is House Of Lords's fourth album since James Christian took over the band with his own line-up and as vindication for his move, the band has remained constant for the first time in their turbulent history. Big Money is another very fine release in this series that started in 2007. Each release has traded upon the band's core sound, albeit with a slight twist each time. Fan appreciation has been largely universal, with some favoring one release over another and this time will be no different. Big Money contains a really great set of songs – possibly the best and most consistent set of tunes since World Upside Down. What I really appreciate here is the band returns in part to their debut/Demons Down sound, with more pomp, more keyboards and more tempo variation than any of the four latest albums. A rawer and rougher production might be the only issue to some. The sound is more in your face this time around and a little muddy in places, especially with the guitar sound. But I am so enamored with the songs, I can see past this as the rawness in some ways adds to the energy of the record. Big Money is a big stomping mid-tempo anthem in the vein of Shoot (from Sahara); while One Man Down is possibly the best House Of Lords song in a decade, a match in mood and style to the wonderful title track from Demons Down. First To Cry is another cover of a Mark Free demo, but is written by Mark Baker, who again joins James Christian to write most of this album's material – just as he did with Cartesian Dreams. The song suits the band well. Someday When is a monster keyboard-drenched pomp rocker with another great chorus – co-written by Baker, Christian and Tommy Denander; Searchin' goes back to mid-tempo pomp; while Living In A Dream World is more urgent and has a certain attitude to it. The Next Time I Hold You is another Denander co-write and is the only ballad of the whole album. And they make it count with big sentiment and an even bigger chorus. Run is brilliant – urgent, uptempo and bathed in keyboards; and Hologram is even better – faster, heavier and featuring a killer chorus. Seven continues a late album flurry of fast paced rockers, which includes Once, Twice also. These last three tracks are storming melodic hard rockers with some of the best HOL riffs to date. I absolutely love the chorus to Once, Twice. The album closes with Blood, a darker, heavier pompish hard rocker that cements this album as a real rocking affair.
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| Sebastian Bach Kicking And Screaming | Frontiers FRCD518 |
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I didn't get into the last Sebastian album at all. Angel Down just didn't work for me. In fact, when thinking about it – nothing since Slave To The Grind has actually done it for me. But that album did it big time. I love that album and to this day rate it as one of the best hard rock albums to come out of the USA. The debut Skid Row was pretty tidy also. You have to hand it to Sebastian – he has the attitude and the passion and that shines through here. And he has a kick ass band too – the protégé Nick Sterling on guitars and bass; plus powerhouse drummer Bobby Jarzombek. I hope they stick around. The sound of this album continues the modern vibe of Angel Down – more modern than I would have liked, but as Bach always says, he doesn't live in the past. Pity… This is a supper heavy modern rock album, which really does sound top notch thanks to the always brilliant production work from Bob Marlette. Guitars kick, the rhythm section is monstrous and the songs are a big improvement over his previous efforts. The best since his time in Skid Row for sure. The only thing I don't really dig here is Sebastian's vocals. Strange to point him out as a weak spot within this album, but his higher register vocals on here just don't sound as natural as his raspier, darker Skid Row voice. I miss the growl. His really sings high on this record and for me it just doesn't fit. Songwise there are some fillers here, but some absolute monsters too. The trio of Kicking & Screaming, Dance On Your Grave and My Own Worst Enemy is brilliant melodic metal. As Long As I Got The Music is a good mid-tempo rocker with a melodic edge, but again, the vocals are just too high. I don't rate I'm Alive or Caught In The Dream as highly, nor Dirty Power or even Live The Life. Dream Forever on the other hand is a more classic Sebastian style moody track and One Good Reason rockers with attitude. Lost In The Light is about as heavy and as intense as it gets and the closing track Wishin' features a great vocal and more melody.
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| White Widdow Serenade | AOR Heaven 00064 |
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Australian AOR stars White Widdow made a name for themselves with a strong debut, but it is with Serenade that they will establish a legacy. This is simply one of the finest 80s keyboard albums I have heard in a long time. The mood, the tone, the style and the delivery all ooze class. When I say keyboard album, that might just be selling guitarist Enzo Almanzi short. He is all over the record with riffs and solos that keep most guitar fans happy. But it is the lush Giuffria style keyboards that drive the album along with vocalist Jules Millis. Think Giuffria's Silk & Steel, White Sister, Aviator and the debut Danger Danger album. That's what is going on here, coupled with 10 really memorable AOR songs, all delivered with a moody passion that should find this album very highly acclaimed. You just don't get better than Cry Wolf, Strangers In The Night and the Def Leppard-esque ballad Do You Remember. And the title track Serenade is simply glorious old-school AOR, harmonies, chorus hooks and keyboards galore. The album brings memories of not only a few artists, but a whole genre, such as on Show Your Cards, another classic song. And Patiently sounds like it came straight from an Aldo Nova record circa 1983. Closing out the album is the feel good Love Won't Wait, another catchy track to prove this album is all killer, no filler.
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| Xorigin State Of The Art | Frontiers Records FRCD526 |
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Of all the fine melodic rock releases that have appeared in this remarkable year of 2011, this is one that might just fall through the cracks, being that it was released the same day as Work Of Art and Toby Hitchcock. Strangely enough, it stylistically probably falls somewhere in between those two albums – the sweet keyboard AOR of Work Of Art and the harder more urgent melodic rock of Toby's release. Xorigin are another Swedish band (yes, every band in that country has a record deal). The band featured Daniel Flores (Mind's Eye, Murder Of My Sweet, Novak) on drums and founding members Johannes Stole (vocals) and Daniel Palmqvist (guitar). What do Xorigin deliver? Their own brand of 80s AOR, mixing guitar and keyboards evenly, with some strong vocals and plenty of harmonies. The largely uptempo album offers plenty of classic AOR moments, but I think it takes a couple of songs to really get going. The openers are good – but not classic. That changes with track 3 - In The Blink Of An Eye sounds like Chicago on AOR-steroids; Too Late is so filled with harmonies and keyboards that Work Of Art would be impressed. Gina doesn't impress, but This Is It is a far better tune. The One For Me is sugary sweet and pretty catchy; Said And Done is a re-make of the Novak track made exclusively for MRCD3 some years back. With Daniel Flores on drums, the track matches the Novak sound, as does the track Mend My Heart, which is another Novak song (a big ballad). What Loves Is All About has a big hitting rhythm to it, yet a perfectly AOR chorus again in the vein of Work Of Art.
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| Foreigner Feels Like The First Time | Razor & Tie |
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I'm generally not a fan of re-recording old material, but in this case, I'll let my prejudice slide. As instead of the original Foreigner covering themselves, we have Mick Jones and his 2011 line-up doing so, and that means more killer Kelly Hansen vocals! Titled Feels Like The First Time for the US and Acoustique + More for Europe, this 2CD/1DVD set is value for all. Acoustique sees the band take 9 classics and 2 new songs and strip them back into raw acoustic style. And they sound great! There is a real energy here that the Tesla album didn't have and I love the slightly tweaked arrangements. The production is crystal clear – gloriously so. Kelly Hansen puts his own stamp on proceedings, taking over both the rockers and the ballads effortlessly. The new tracks are The Flame Still Burns – a haunting ballad written originally for the 1998 cult rock movie, Still Crazy, where it was performed by Jimmy Nail. (Mick won the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for that song and if you haven't seen the movie – get it!) The other track is a (kinda pointless) honky old Elvis tune That's Alright, sung in true Vegas fashion by Hansen. Juke Box Heroes is the hits rolled out yet again, this time given the full band electric treatment. One new track is presented – the very slick and smooth AOR anthem Save Me, which is every bit as good as the material from Can't Slow Down. The 11 other tracks are all hits and are reproduced faithfully here, with Hansen really inhibiting the spirit of Lou Gramm's classic original vocals. The DVD portion is a 2010 Live In Chicago show and shows the band in their natural setting – quite the formidable live band they are too. I've seen them live and the new energy that they have is clear for all to see here on the DVD. The sound is immaculate and the picture/footage is engaging. |
| John Parr Letter To America | John Parr Music |
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This is a really good fun release. The 2CD set Letter To America highlights the very best of John Parr throughout his career – from hit singles, to classic album cuts to the missing pieces from various soundtrack contributions. Most of it is all here – compiled into two different releases. The first being a full band “greatest hits live” and the second being an all-acoustic singer/songwriter live disc. I love John's music – I love his passion and his big vocals. I truly do. And I love that so many soundtrack themes are included here (no less than 5 on the electric disc). He really has some monster anthems to his name. Man With A Vision, Two Hearts, Somebody Stole My Thunder, St. Elmo's Fire, Steal You Away – all utter classics. However, there is something that takes away from the overall quality and impact of this set - the songs rule, but at the same time, I can't quite make sense of this release. The crowd fades in and out between tracks (I hate that) and many of the tunes sound exactly as they did originally – as in the same vocals and same saxophone sound etc. I mean exactly. Either there was additional “aid” when performing these live, or the originals tracks are in use here, with crowd noise added in. Perhaps a way for John to get around licensing his own material (which he shouldn't have to of course) for a “hits” compilation of his own doing? There is no mention anywhere of where or when these recordings were made, but safe to say…something strange is afoot. It bugs me a little, but as stated, at the heart of this album is a stack of killer songs in the one place for the first time, so whatever… The acoustic CD is similar – some have crowd noise and some don't. I'll get past trying to work out the origins of the performances, but great performances they are indeed. John is an underrated guitarist based on the acoustic strumming going on here. The songs are a little more obscure, but that doesn't diminish the appeal. And the acoustic St. Elmo's Fire is breathtaking. Despite a question mark or two, this set is essential to all fans of John Parr and his music. |
| 7th heaven Pop Media | NTD Records |
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These guys rule. They really can't put a foot wrong and Pop Media is yet another classy notch in their ever expanding musical belt. Quite simply put – they write some of the very best contemporary pop/rock tunes of any band out of the USA today. The band is a songwriting machine and you are always guaranteed another set of classic songs with each release. That said – they aren't infallible and my prior issue of the band over-delivering remains true here. There are no less than 22 songs here. Astonishing! That comes on top of the 30 track Silver release; the 18 track USA-UK and the 500+ song Jukebox box set! Holy crap! So Pop Media is another set overflowing with songs. I've talked to the band about this – I'd rather see them control their material a little more and perhaps edit their albums to 12 songs and keep fans waiting for more, rather than having so many new songs to learn in one hit. And with 22 songs, not every one of them can match the quality of the album's best. There are several fillers here. Not necessarily bad tunes…it's just that the lead songs are so utterly unbelievable, that it would be impossible to keep up that quality of songwriting for so many tracks. Pop Media is what is says on the box – these are a far more pop sounding set of tunes than the melodic rock of Silver or even USA-UK. Very pop….but very very catchy and very melodic of course. The summarize briefly – Sing – utter pop perfect. Billboard #1 hit single stuff. Go For A Ride – another absolute pop gem. She Should Have Been An Angel – moody pop ballad with another killer hook. World Gone Mad – 7th Heaven doing The Cars better than The Cars! Beyond Beautiful – lush sentimental ballad. Turn Up The Radio – commercial pop brilliance. Dance Of A Lifetime – catchy dance song, great beat and chorus. I Did Not Sign Up For This – filler. Get Up On The Floor – lots of beats, but great melodies but not essential. Snapshots In Time At The Speed Of Light – fast and rocking and cool chorus. Love Or Hate – fast, but dark and moody, good change of tempo. Animals – another classic chorus. Wouldn't Change A Thing – ok ballad. Photographs – good solid pop song, not essential. What's My Name – swagger and charm. Possible hit. Perfect Girl – more melodic rock, but not as big a chorus. Change The World – more aggressive, but not as good either. Should I Stay – mellow, good vocal. Not bad. Stuck In A Moment – filler. Living In A Mystery – good chorus. Could have had more work done on it to make great. Loving You – acoustic driven pop. Filler. Life Goes On – familiar sound to the first half of the record. Good song. Moody. Fans of 7th heaven need this as they need everything else. Pop/rock/modern pop fans need this also. There are some wonderfully catchy and harmonious tracks here and several more classics to add to the band's already full vault. |
| Elevener Symmetry In Motion | AOR Heaven 00055 |
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Yet another Swedish band with yet another highly enjoyable melodic rock/AOR release. But in a year of AOR perfection, these albums have a massive risk of not standing out enough to fans that already have a wealth of strong albums to pick from. Those familiar with the band will recall their strong debut, filled with catchy commercial AOR with an 80s feel and an updated production. There are more very good songs here – the opening salvo of Just A Thought and Hypnotized are catchy as anything from the debut; Written In Your Eyes has a really nice feel to it while Dare To Love is a pleasant ballad. The uptempo Never Would has one of the albums better hooks. The next few songs however kind of run past without standing out until the slower ballad For The Time We Share shines through. Next the piano driven You Got What It Takes offers another highlight and closing track Modern Times steps up the tempo and the guitar assault, but with no major chorus fails to end the album on a high. This is a grower and with a little time, stands out as yet another album that requires AOR fans take a good listen. Essential for anyone with the debut album and for others, if you can so afford, this is a nice album of European style AOR. |
| Bulletboys Rocked And Ripped | Cleopatra Records |
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Bulletboys should have included a cover of Whitesnake's Cheap And Nasty here, as that song would sum up this release nicely. Cleopatra Records have already established themselves as the worst record label in history, and with this release they further cement that reputation and bring Bulletboys down with them. This is cheap – the recording budget is questionable at best. The production is horrible. Muddy tone, bad mix and seemingly one-take performances that do nothing to add to the legacy of the Bulletboys name. There is one nice thing I can say about this – the band has great taste in songs. The album includes covers from Eddie Money, Motley Crue, Journey, Styx, Pink, Giant and Bon Jovi. It's just a pity most of the songs are murdered by an out-of-his-depth Marq Torein. I am a fan of the Bulletboys debut album and I like Marq's attitude and swagger. But for most of this record he sounds like shit. He quite simply is attempting to cover legendary songs and some legendary lead vocals without the tools to do so. Dr. Feelgood and Livin' On A Prayer are rough; Take Me Home Tonight is simply out of this band's league and the closing strands of Journey's mega-ballad Faithfully has Marq sounding like a cat being castrated. Free Falling is painful to the ears (with a shiteous drum sound) as is Fuckin' Perfect. Giant's mega-classic I'll See You In My Dreams is utterly horrendous - murdered, revived and murdered again for good measure. It's possibly the worst cover of all time and if you have heard Bulletboys doing American Pie, you know how bad things can get. I cannot understand how any record label or band even would want something as utterly atrocious as this in a public domain. Not only the vocals, but the song sounds like a demo of a demo. Broken Wings and Tiny Dancer are no better. Awful. And covering Amy Winehouse? No comment. I can't recall the last great covers album, but I can remember how many bad ones there are out there. But even then, this putrid release sets a new low that I doubt any band will be able to reach. This is a lesson in how not to do….everything. |
| Tesla Twisted Wires | Tesla Electric Co. |
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I love Tesla, I love just about every album they have released and rate them as one of the most consistent bands of the genre. And their Five Man Acoustical Jam live release is perhaps the best ever acoustic release I have heard. Certainly it is the most played album of that style I own. So I was looking forward to this immensely. Which is why I am disappointed in the result. It's not that Tesla has done anything wrong, the arrangements are great, the vocals are strong and the song selection is pretty good too. But there is something in the overall vibe of the release that is missing - an audience. I think with Tesla's more famous release, the energy of the performance came from the relationship between the band on stage and the audience who lapped it up, sang along and in turn egged the band on further. This is a studio recording and is seems to lack that extra life that a concert setting adds. There is more time to think about things, time to tweak and re-record parts and some of the honesty is lost in the process. Others have done well with a studio recorded acoustic album, but unfortunately Tesla has a prior classic to compare themselves to. This is an enjoyable record that is still done quite well, but it isn't something I am going to play to death like I did with Five Man Acoustic Jam. |
| Uriah Heep Live In Armenia | Frontiers Records FRCD527 |
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How many live releases can you put out in quick succession? I think this is 5 now. While some of the other releases have been independently done, this one finds itself onto Frontiers Records – a 2CD/1DVD package that is value for money – but is it quality for money? Well, yes. This recording is far better than the band's own official bootleg releases that have been released this year. In fact, it is a very good recording – 100% live and a little raw, but that's how it should be. Over the course of the 2CDs, the band takes in 15 tracks. The DVD carries the same full set list. So this is a fans only release – die-hard fans at that – but it does come out on top as far as sound quality, so ditch the official bootlegs and stick with this if you are looking for a current Uriah Heep live record. |
| Oliver Weers Evil's Back | Metal Heaven 00089 |
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This is the second album for Danish hard rock vocalist Oliver Weers. Fans of the debut album would have purchased this already. I think overall it might just be an improvement sonically on the debut (itself a pretty strong release), but perhaps not as catchy in the songwriting department. It's also a heavier album. To those that don't know of the singer – he has a gruff, dark tone that is part Ozzy, part darker Paul Stanley. The album is European hard rock/melodic metal with modern production effects and a hard hitting sound. It's a big sound – well produced album, but the material is largely mid-tempo and isn't one to scream obvious hooks and melodies. The most instant tracks are probably the opening Evil's Back and then the fast paced Hero and the slightly slower Need It Bad, both mid-album tracks. |
| David Mark Pearce Strange Angels | AOR Heaven 00059 |
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British guitarist David Mark Pearce (Oliver Wakeman Band) has his solo debut released here, with vocals supplied by none other than the great Goran Edman. John Payne of Asia fame also appears on one track. The album features a familiar hard rock sound that fans of Goran will be comfortable with. Mix a little Deep Purple with Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum and Vindictiv (drummer Mikael appears here) and you'll have a fair idea of what it is all about. And you know what – there are some really fine songs on here. Alone I Cry and Shelter Me From The Rain are two killers, while the Payne sung Tell Me Why will appeal to his fans. There's an Yngwie styled instrumental and more Goran sung tunes that could have come from Geff, or Norum's Total Control. The only problem – a pretty lousy production. Compared with some of the bigger sounding records that have dominated this year, this comes out a long way back as far as production quality. And that's a shame, as the performances on here are worthy of much better. |
| Hell In The Club Let The Games Begin | Avenue Of Allies Music 11 04 0024 |
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Hell In The Club are another Italian rock band hitting the circuit, formed from the line-ups of Secret Sphere and Elvenking. This is one of those 'big attitude, big riffs' kind of hard rock record. A European spin on Skid Row, Motley Crue, Tesla and Kiss. You know the style… And I think they are pretty good at it too. This is a pretty good sounding record. Big guitars and big drums (as mentioned), good production and a vocalist who can scream it up with the best of them. The material may not be award winning poetry, the subject matter and songs are all very familiar, but at least they deliver them like they mean it. One big surprise for me were the songs On The Road and Since You're Not Here, where the band tone it down a little and deliver really sweet sounding melodic rock tracks. It was here that I felt the band shine more than on the harder material. I'd like to hear that explored more. And on Another Saturday Night the guys sound like prime time Tesla. Really quite good. The rest of the time, the band spends kicking ass. Not for all, but fans of no-BS European hard rock will enjoy. |
| Ilium Genetic Memory | Escape Music ESM229 |
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Illium is an Australian metal outfit, with vocals from American Riot singer Mike DiMeo, shipped in from his New York studio. All tracks were mixed and mastered by Martin Kronlund in Sweden. This is the band's second album and sees them pick up where they left off – gruff, melodic metal with a splattering of keyboards, but dominated by big riffs and a rhythm section that spends most of the album working at double speed. Not really my type of album this. It's brash, brazen and heavy – as in heavy metal. Not too much of the melodic stuff going on here. But if you liked the debut album, you'll be pleased to hear that this is a better album – from songs to production and should inspire loyalty in the band. Fans of DiMeo will be familiar with his half scream/half sing vocals and should appreciate his efforts here. Others I would recommend to look elsewhere. |
| Lechery In Fire | Metal Heaven 00092 |
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Not too hard to review this one. Strictly for metal heads only and even then, strictly for those metal heads that like European old school NWOBHM style metal. The Swedish mettalers deliver a good sounding record here, with double kicks drums constantly at work and big raspy vocals riding over the numerous furious guitar riffs. It's all very dramatic, it's all very serious and it's all very in your face. But at the same time – it's pretty good. It may not win any originality awards and certainly isn't recommended towards the melodic crowd, but if old school Iron Maiden and classic heavy metal floats your boat, then take a look at these guys. |
| Kingdom Come Rendered Waters | SPV |
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I general hate remake albums and I have come to passionately dislike all recent Kingdom Come output. So mix the two together and you get a pretty useless release. That may sound harsh, but I really dig Lenny Wolf and his Kingdom Come releases generally. The debut was a classic and there is some gold in amongst his other releases too. But the last few albums all plod along with the same pace and tempo and every song sounds the same. So here we have Lenny looking back over his catalogue and bringing past glories into the now. In other words, now he is even taking past great songs and slowing them down into a monotonous plod. Nothing here is recorded as well as it was originally and the pace is again plodding to the point of comatose. Bring in some outside help Lenny and stick to what you do best…..sing. |
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| John Wetton Raised In Captivity | Frontiers Records FRCD522 |
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Asia frontman John Wetton turns tough guy for his newest solo album Raised In Captivity. Gone is the fluffy and relaxed vibe of recent Wetton/Downes and Asia projects, as a tougher and more contemporary sound takes over. You could also swap the 'contemporary' description for 'rough and raw'. The guitar is more in your face and the production is darker and a little more progressive in places. I welcome the aggression from Wetton, but I feel the whole package is just a little forgettable. I think I have Wetton-fatigue. There has been so many Wetton related releases in the last few years that I just can't find myself enthused to hear more material. Perhaps that attitude would be different is the songs had jumped out at me. But they haven't. There are some interesting tracks here with some quite intricate progressive noodlings, not to mention a plethora of special guests. But once the record is over, I have no desire to go back to it and repeated plays for this review haven't changed that fact.
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| Far Cry Optimism | Kivel Records |
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Farcry's debut High Gear was a solid slice of melodic rock with pretty slick production. The band's new album Optimism is a step forward in all departments. The sound is a little tougher again, with the album being one of the better sounding releases from Kivel Records and the songs are very consistent throughout the album. The band has their own sound, mostly driven by the vocals of Mark Giovi, who I have a hard time pigeon-holing. Guitarist Pete Fry is the anchor of the band, having a hand in co-writing most of the album's tracks, several with UK AOR star Steve Newman. The sound is tight and is led by guitar riffs, but the guest slot for keyboardist Eric Ragno is an essential element in bringing added melody to the songs. This is a punchy rock record. Punchy American melodic rock that is best described as 80s influenced with a more contemporary production. Satisfaction impresses as the album opener, even if it sounds a little subdued. The class ballad Better Than This is moody and intense with a low, almost growling vocal that suits the tone of the song. Love At First Sight has a good riff and strong hook; while Now That It's Over is one of the album's toughest tracks. And I must nominate the anthemic rocker Free with its dagger through the heart lyric and soaring vocal as the album's best track…along with the next track Best Of Me, which is another anthemic track with a knockout chorus. And When The Lights Go Down continues the albums solid run of melodies.
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| Jamie Allen The Storyteller | Indie |
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Ok, so let's sum up Jamie Allen's sound in one easy passage. Jamie is a singer/songwriter/guitarist who fronts a Poison tribute band. He therefore sounds uncannily like Bret Michaels. His album is produced by, features guitar, bass and keyboards by and is co-written by Johnny Lima, who himself has that Poison/Bon Jovi sound down pat. So this album sounds like Johnny Lima meets Bret Michaels. It's easy going melodic rock with all the much loved Johnny Lima sounds and production effects, not to mention that snappy guitar sound. Then you have the warm and friendly vocals of Jamie Allen, all wrapped up in a pretty tight package (no jokes about that wording please…) The Storyteller is a very catchy and easy to like record. 12 very consistent songs, ranging from melodic hard rock (That's Rock N Roll, Let It Go), melodic rock (The Way I Roll, Back In The Day), 80s anthems (Superman, Ghost Of My Hometown), to hands in the air ballads (Reminiscin'). And even the Bret Michaels styled acoustic pop/rock (Time Alone). There are a few tracks here that could be lifted off any Bret Michaels release – except done better than anything Bret has done in recent years. There are also a few tracks that could easily be mistaken for Johnny Lima solo tracks.
My best point whoever, is that if you are awaiting a new Johnny Lima album or a Bret Michaels album that is actually listenable – this is as close as you'll possibly get in 2011.
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| M.ill.ion Sane & Insanity | Metal Heaven 00091 |
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Swedish hard rockers M.ill.ion are back with album number seven – believe it or not. Time flies. My fear is that these guys are still flying under the radar. They should be bigger and they really deserve more accolades. I guess this review being 4 months late isn't helping that matter. But if you are into crunchy Scandinavian hard rock and all things Swedish, then stop whatever you are doing (after you read this review at least) and grab this baby and M.ill.ion (gee that's a bugger to type out each time) might just have delivered their best album yet here. Production is great – doe at the hands of the underrated master Martin Kronlund in his studio. Crunchy, big, tight mix…and great songs, driven by big riffing guitars and Ulrich Carlsson's easy to appreciate vocals. Highlights include the thumping Deep Purple styled Everyday Hero; the more melodic Tomorrow Never Dies; the driving I Raise My Glass; the piano infused Sane And Insanity and the fast and furious Under Your Wings. To slow things down a little, there is also a really powerful and somewhat symphonic ballad Fuel To My Heart. And the Purple-esque fury of Drama Queens is also hard to pass up. A storming hard rocker. Seize The Day and Hate are two more storming rockers to close this very powerful slice of hard rock/melodic metal.
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| Airrace Back To The Start | Frontiers Records FRCD519 |
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UK rockers Airrace return to the scene after releasing just one studio album – Shaft Of Light back in 1984! The band then featured Jason Bonham on drums and the album became another of this genre's cult classics – keyboard friendly, guitar driven AOR with that distinct sound of the times and the higher pitch vocals of Keith Murrell. Now they return. And Back To The Start could not be a more apt title for their new studio album. This sounds as if they have picked up exactly where they left off. In fact, this album could have been released in 1985 and fit right in. The sound and style is unmistakable. The production is a little better of course, so this doesn't sound dated as such, but the music is squarely right out of the mid-80s British AOR scene. I think fans of the genre will like this. The vocals are higher pitched, but likeable and there are a lot of added harmonies to speak of. Plus the songs, quite simply, are very likable. The pomp and energy of Two Of A Kind, Keep On Going and Call Me Anytime (touches of ELO here) are infectious. So Long sounds a little like mid-80s Magnum as does the title track. There are a couple of fillers (Just One Kiss, Enough Of Your Lovin', What More Do You Want From Me?), while there is the harder rocking Wrong Way Out and One Step Ahead to toughen up the album.
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| Toby Hitchcock Mercury's Down | Frontiers Records FRCD525 |
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This may be Chicago born Toby Hitchcock's debut album, but to those who follow this scene, Toby is an old hand, already fronting the 3 studio Pride Of Lions album as well as select live dates and a live album and some other guest vocal appearances for other projects. Toby is one hell of a vocalist. His pipes are about as powerful as it gets and over the course of this album, he threatens to blow apart the speakers on several occasions. The man behind the music on this occasion is also in no need of an introduction. Erik Martensson, the Swedish melodic rock guru behind the band Eclipse and W.E.T. strikes again, with another massive dose of hard hitting, power melodic rock. Everything about this album is big. I mean BIG. Big guitars, big rhythm section, big choruses, big emotions and monstrous vocals. It's a lot heavier than I expected too. The overall tempo of the album is big big BIG. For a melodic rock album, this thing rocks at a furious pace, with only a couple of points where it slows momentarily. This is one of my most played albums of the year. I have had the album for a few months now and several demos for more than a year. So I know this album inside out. And yes, it's an absolute classic in every sense. Fans of W.E.T. and Eclipse and Erik's work in general are going to devour this. Absolutely eat it alive. So why not 100%? It was a very fine line…a very close call. But in my opinion the only thing in the way of a perfect score is the track sequencing. This album is so intense, so emotionally charged and gives the listener a real ride. But I don't think the running order supports that fully, leaving some of the album's best and biggest tracks in the second half of the album and the only slower numbers in the first half. The balance hasn't quite been achieved here and a rearranged track sequence could have given the album better flow and an even greater emotional impact. To go along with that sentiment, Toby's vocals are at 10 for the whole record. There isn't any let up in intensity and because of that, the sequence of the songs needs to be precise to best portray the individual energy of these songs. Track By Track: The album opens up with an absolute barnstormer – the hugely powerful and utterly infectious This Is The Moment. Massive drums power this track along, with a killer chorus, swirling guitars and keyboards and a booming lead vocal from Toby. And this is where the guys should have gone for the jugular, maintaining a frantic tempo with the songs featured on the second half of the record. But rather, the next few songs are the most commercial tracks on the album. No less fantastic by the way. Just maybe better positioned elsewhere. Strong Enough is a killer feel good uptempo anthem with another monster drum beat and rifftastic guitar sound plus a feel good chorus. How To Stop is a slightly less intense track to start. One that builds to a monster chorus and some huge vocals and singalong harmonies. Toby seriously knows how to sing. Let Go is a slightly slower paced and somewhat moodier track that reminds me of both Survivor and W.E.T. One Day I'll Stop Loving You is the only big ballad of the album and when I say big, I mean gigantinormous. This is the power ballad of the year here folks. What a monster. The chorus is ear damaging in intensity and the vocals just through the roof. Now this point marks the passage into the second and more intense half of the album. If you ate feeling exhausted already, you had better pause for the second half, as tracks 6 through 12 don't let up for a second. I Should Have Said is just classic. Utterly classic. Crunchy guitars, ultra moody, super intense and rather heavy, but filled with melody and passion. Toby sings like a man possessed and throws down one of the best vocals of recent times. The chorus is instant and completely over the top. If It's To Be continues on the tempo. It's fast, furious and even more melodic. This is a happy go lucky anthem with a monster chorus. Love it! And it just gets better… Just Say Goodbye continues the intensity and the vocals are huge again. The chorus is brilliant. Total singalong… “break my heart like you mean it…” Oh yeah! Some Journeyeseque vocals here too. Could totally hear this as a Journey rocker. Then it's time for a little let up on the emotional roller coaster. Summer Nights In Cabo is another big anthemic rocker, but more of a feel good tune this time around, with harmonies and layers upon layers of vocals. And I hear a lot of Journey again in this track – very similar to the W.E.T. track If I Fall, very cool. And as amazing as it seems, two of the best tracks of the album are right here at track 10 and 11. Tear Down The Barricades is super heavy. Double kick drums, furious guitar riffs and booming vocals. It's filled with angst and when the chorus hits, hang on to your ears folks! And it just gets bigger as the song goes… Then A Different Drum hits, another monster melodic rocker. It builds from the start, to the chorus which goes completely over the top. Moody moody moody! And the title track closes the album, Mercury's Down is another heavy hitter, with a big guitar riff and a dark punishing vocal. It closes the album with the same energy as it started with. And if you aren't exhausted by the end of this album, I'm not sure it was loud enough. Try again…
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