Shezma's Reviews
Very interesting release, I kinda get the black metal vibe but I get more of a space vibe. But than against, what is space but the most black? I am really surprised that this is not a style done more often as it does really fit well. This is a genuine innovative and fascinating record. After doing a bit more of a dive into things I know this isn't the first of it's kind but it's not like there's a line out the door of bands trying this. I should hope to get a chance to dive deeper into this style as it's something new that I was unaware of before and believe it could be done better but this is still a unique perspective that I want more of.
I like this album. I don't love this album. When he goes all out with his guitar you can call it metal, otherwise this is glam rock at most. I don't mind his singing here, but if it wasn't for those special riffs this would just fall in this mix of late 80's early 90's rock. Looking again at the release year of '92 I realize this is a bit late where so many other bands have already been doing this hard rock with explosive riffs that this just doesn't hit the mark that's already been done so it's nothing as new and aww inspirings as his debut Trilogy which I should give another spin for reference. This is just solid, good, above average Yngwie. I won't remember anything on this but it is by no means bad, just unremarkable amongst a sea of other neoclassical metal.
This is it. This album has been on repeat since I first heard it about a week ago and I just keep going back to it. It sounds nothing like others of it's genre, the "Atmospheric Sludge" genre. This album is absolutely beautiful and could possibly be up there for one of my all time favorite albums, still early but I haven't listened to anything on literal repeat in a while. I listen to other albums and I go back to this one. Every time I get this vibe that I'm in someone's basement studio after a long day and it's now 2 am in the morning and we're all just lounging around relaxing with some easy jams. The guitarist is playing his favorite lick for a bit, and the drummer just casually hits his favorite melody, and every once in a while they get in a groove and go hard for a moment and rock out then slowly ease back out and just relax again. It's such a meditative listen for me, listened on walks and while I can't quite go to sleep with it on it definitely relieves stress for some reason. I was almost out of this challenge for the Infinite but this kept me back in.
This album doesn't have that "sludge" element that I don't like where it really is just wading in dirty grimy melodies that I don't enjoy, while it can be darker it's much brighter and airier then the other albums I've been listening to. This has a meditative open airy jam session feel unlike anything else I've heard in a while if ever. The first song, (on Spotify is named "Sink Your Teeth In" by Disco Ensemble and i'm not sure why) but I found other recordings and track listed as Wormwood is an interesting start that I do like with the Dark Jazz element referenced elsewhere more here than throughout the album I feel is a great introduction while not entirely adheres to the expectations I had on the rest of the album. I really wanted to point out the first song for the odd discrepancy that Spotify has and the extra Jazz work but the rest of the album all have their own formula of slow jams that ramp up into a more explosive near headbanging experience and then slow down that just works so smoothly I can't get enough. If you like the more atmospheric of the sludge but not so much sludge, this is the album for you. I want to and will recommend this to more even though that aren't into metal. Even the more metal screamed vocals, what few there are, really do just add to the enjoyable explosion of sounds for me. This is an underrated gem that I think more people need to be aware of.
I'm late to this February '24 Infinite feature. Listened to it once, didn't think of much of it then here I am listening to it again today a month later. It is not sticking with me, and it didn't on my first listen either. I have never heard of this band before until the feature and I am doing my best at keeping up with these but this one isn't sticking with me to have much to write about. The production definitely feels 90's, the thrash elements feels early 90's so it's not in it's best form but still has very bright moments. I'm not a big fan of the vocals but I also wonder if that has to do with the production and mix. This isn't a bad album either by any means and when it does go, the guitars really do have a place. The progressive elements are here, but I almost had to look for them or otherwise they were so blatant that it did take away from the overall piece. Maybe they just didn't lean into the prog elements enough here. Maybe someday I'll check into the rest of the discography because I do hear some cool bits here but overall still not super impressed. The cover is more memorable than what's on the album.
After multiple tries to listen to this, trying and making it through about the first half 3 or 4 times and the second half a few tries as well I forced myself to listen to this all in one go. Most definitions of the word sludge comes to pretty much be summed up as mud, and this album does feel in a sense "muddy" as does this genre and though I know I feel I repeat myself and try to reword my reviews of this style, I'm still not a fan but will dredge myself through it because I am starting to accept the beauty more and more. I am not enjoying my time listening to the beautiful atmospheric post-rock/metal instrumentals just to be interrupted by an enjoyable heavier measure. I enjoy, for the most part, the different styles that hit here it just doesn't mix well like oil and water for me. Maybe this is what bothers me of this style and I am doing a person journey to better explain why I would rather not be listening to this style of music.
The beautiful moments though and the riffs, really had me for those not-so-brief moments where it was just a good atmospheric chill time until the distortion really kicked in and it went heavy for a moment. Wills Dislove started off beautiful, Syndic Calls was around the middle, and then the end of the last song in Grinning Mouths entrapped me into the moment and I enjoyed myself. I could hear those riffs again and be happy, but the fact that the rest of the song did a mood change for me that went off the path in a way that while I didn't hate I wanted to keep on the path that I was already going down. I could metaphor all day about this, and it sucks because while like I said I enjoyed both parts I can't keep them separate in the songs to enjoy it as a full sandwich and would rather have them as separate parts to enjoy individually.
This is such an album of two halves. First of all it's 2 hours long. Can't say I've ever enjoyed an album completely for 2 hours+, most aren't good past 1. The first half is a generic atmospheric sludge album. The second is a one hour long title track that I fell completely for. It's not as sludge, but maybe a bit more of the drone style. I'm not really well versed in drone but I always appreciated it when I heard it. There's just so much music that I have yet to listen to. My rating is entirely for the song, the hour long song that is the length of the album. I debated on whether to average out my rating for both halves but since the Wings of Lead Over Dormant Seas is so long and definitely worth checking out I decided to lean towards the higher rating. The first half was uninteresting to me and as I've said many times, the atmospheric sludge metal genre is not my forte and I think I would've given it a 2 star as it really was the most boring in the challenge yet that I've listened to. However, I am very glad I stuck with it and gave the second half my full attention.
Wings of Lead Over Dormant Seas the track is solid as hell. It's atmospheric, and while it is an hour long it doesn't feel like it. The sludge elements are muted and the drone takes over. However, I usually think of drone to be slower and heavier and this isn't quite that. This isn't a stoner metal song, but I couldn't help but get some Sleep vibes off of it from it's long drawn out sequences with repetitive melodies that never really get old and you really could just take a big bong hit and live in the moment. On that note, I really think if I tried that one first half of this album I would be taken so far out of it that my anxieties would take over but not here in this title track. It never goes to a dull moment, but also never really tries to hype itself up at all here where I don't think there's any harsh vocals at all. There is a bit of vocals throughout, mainly at the beginning and end of the track in a very emotional poem that is beyond my understanding even looking and reading the lyrics myself I still don't quiet follow. (Though I'm not great at understanding poems unless they are really face value). It's hauntingly beautiful and would recommend. But really only the title track, and not the rest of this album. 2 hours is way too long anyway, if you do listen to this you should break it up in 2 halves to better let it sit with you. I tried multiple times but could not do a single full listen, but I can listen to this song all the way through and enjoy it.
Generic Atmospheric Sludge, back to the basics on this one versus the other albums i've listened to. There are instrumental bits that are more post-rock over post-metal that I do like that remind me of something that Godspeed You! Black Emperor would do and I do like that, but the interesting relaxing spots are interrupted by the sludge harsh vocals that aren't bad but I just have no interest in hearing. A style that I just keep talking about is not my cup of tea. This isn't terrible, but I also see that nobody has even rated this album yet so maybe this isn't as much of a classic. There just really isn't anything of note that I could find to try get anything out of and I really am trying with this genre, but this is as cookie-cutter of an atmospheric sludge that i've heard. Just entirely middle of the pack.
This is on the right track for my ears. Though, I'm not sure if this is true Atmospheric Sludge metal. I do hear it in here, but I definitely hear a more progressive almost Opeth-esque style that I do love. I did have to make sure when I started this album that this was the right one because the first song, "In The Woods" is a decent enough acoustic song that did a terrible job starting the album. Terrible opener in my opinion, not a bad song but did not do a good job at all of setting a foundation for this album in my opinion.
Because right after it goes heavy with really great growls in the "Clawmaster." I do wish the screamed vocals were around more throughout the album because it goes back to clean singing soon after and his voice gets the job done well. Not the best cleans I've heard but it does fit the acoustics moments. The screams on the other hand are really where this shines and if there was more of the clean/scream within a song and play off each other more like my aforementioned Opeth, I could see this being an all-timer record for me. However it loses alot when it calms itself down then ramps back up again. Oddly enough too, the songs while disconnected by intensity are still connected.
There was a disconnect in the songs but overall I really did enjoy this album. This one just clicked for me in a way I wasn't expecting, but also doesn't sound like other albums I've heard so far. Definitely a recommend from me as an album to get you into the genre if you are more into the progressive style of metal.
This was the first album that I listened to on my journey and Atmospheric Sludge Metal challenge, and I've listened to this multiple times now. Sometimes finishing it, other times just starting it and just not wanting to spend my time with it. After these multiple sessions I'm just bored, I've found interesting bits that I try to hold onto like what I believe is sax early on in the album that makes me feel like a little more jazz could spice it up a bit. Later on the vocals feel straight out of 90's Seattle Washington grunge music and the instrumentation even feels like it just slowed and sludged up the style but all it did for me was have me go back and listen to early Mudhoney and have a much better time. This just isn't for me, and I feel bad giving this such a low rating, but I can't justify giving it a good one since I was so bored by it and know there are others out there like me who could use a view on the other side of the river. I am learning more and more this is just not my type of music but for me this is definitely not the direction of sludge or slower metal that I want to listen to but I know this is just a fork in the road for me where I found other music here similar that's more akin to what I want to hear and this is the prime example of what I don't want to hear. I can't say this is inherently bad and know this isn't what I want but I would also recommend this to someone who asks about this style and I would gladly show this record to them and I would be sincere knowing they would like it and not just a complete joke of an album for us to all laugh at.
I feel like I'll be repeating myself a bunch on these reviews; I am trying, I really am to get into Atmospheric Sludge through the challenge laid out for me. Cult of Luna may be my introduction into the genre all those years ago back when I was in high school really getting into more extreme music and I know I had tried to listen to this back then around release. This is still not my thing and for my own personal listening enjoyment this should be a lower score because I won't be coming back to this again. I still didn't "enjoy" putting this on, not that it was grating or anything just doesn't hit what I want to listen to. I can try to be subjective as possible and know that there is something here for those that are into this style. There are many moments that I consider more post-rock that I did like. The instrumentally slow and rocking moments I like, but the more muddy or "sludge" is uninteresting for me. At this point I just want to say I gave it the 'ol college try but sometimes it's just not for everyone and this isn't for me.
I've listened to this again. A few times now to try to review this. This is what it is, a post-metal and sludge record. Not my thing, and I don't get much out of it. I've known and listened to Amenra for years, and every time I leave wondering why I spent my time with it. However I do keep coming back so maybe there's something to it. I don't go back time and time again, just every time I hear about these guys in one of my many social media feeds they tend to show up. If I sat down with this one and their entire discography I could probably pinpoint the differences between them if I wanted to but I don't really want to keep going back to these any more. I have tried, and I know whenever they release their next album eventually I'll listen to it too.
I'm on a journey (for the Infinite) to get into Atmospheric Sludge Metal. I understand why this album is considered so, but also it really doesn't fit the mold of other ASM that I've heard. Most sludge I do not like but I am trying to give them a chance and it's been a rough go at it. This album on the other hand had the slower, darker, more emotional sounds that I didn't know that I wanted. If there are more in the genre like this I am back in. This is my first album in the challenge that I am rating and I'll see after listening to a few more if it's worth continuing forward because I don't feel I can give the genre justice as it's just not my type of tea. This album however, I can absolutely see why other fans of the genre may shy away from caring too much about. It's darker and more emotional, I want to listen to this again already but it hit my emotions too hard on first listen to want to go back and give another spin immediately.
There are quiet droning moments with bombastic metal screams and explosions of guitar and drum melodies. It is a rollercoaster of emotions, that I truly fell into and maybe enjoy is not the right term but I connected to it and had an experience. Her singing is incredible, and screams too. It may not be the most catchy or melodic album but it's like watching that movie that's not particularly good but leaves a lasting impression on you. Maybe on repeat listens the "sludgier" aspects of this will creep in and I won't be as invested but the emotional ambience is what's lingering.
This is a classic album. The single's are great, "No More Tears" and "Mama, I'm Coming Home" are solid ballads. Zack Wylde does some of his best guitar work on this album in my opinion where he never over shadows Ozzy but still has some sick riffs and melodies throughout. The bad songs like Zombie Stomp have just enough cheese to be decent enough for a play through of this album. I would skip it on repeats but it doesn't feel out of place in general. I wouldn't say anything else really sticks out as bad and most are ok to good besides the aforementioned singles which are great. I would need another go around with Ozzy but this is up there for his best solo works.
This is the catchiest "metal" record I've ever heard. It's got just enough shred to be considered metal for me, but otherwise it's very on the cusp. I've never really gone into their back catalog before too much but I am definitely aware of their hits as most are. I love a good cheese, and they do it really really well here even if at times it does get a bit repetitive at times, songs like the title track "Thunder and Lightning", "The Sun Goes Down", "Baby Please Don't Go" have very memorable rhythm guitar lines that hit into my soul just enough where it almost gets annoying how long they go with same 3-4 measures of notes get played throughout the song. I wouldn't say I found any song on here to be bad but many do just hit that 10 seconds too long but for the 4 minutes-ish before that they are very enjoyable. I actually found those aforementioned songs to be my favorites plus Bad Habits that I got an early pop punk vibe from. Even Heart Attack is a solid enough closer to the album, but by the time that it gets to that point in the album the cheese gets to be a bit much for me. It's barely a 40 minute album and I can't say there's really a bunch of extra fat on this to be cut out but I do think there is some bits and bobs that could to make this an even better just fun quick bop that's in and out and you get your full on this pop metal sound. Really enjoyable overall for me though.
First thought listening to this album was, I wish I was driving because this feels like a solid road trip album. Unfortunately it's too damn cold and icy at the moment for the full experience but I may have to try again with this once it warms up to try it out. I had a good time, but unfortunately nothing stood out to me. I feel this is more of a 3.75 record, but not quite a 4 star so.. 3.5 it gets. I see the love, but it just feels like a good time. Not one of those I'm going to keep coming back to this party but I will have have nothing negative to say about it when trying to reminisce but also won't have any specific moments to reflect back on for me. The hooks are fun, good solos, good dance-able headbanging beats, and I even enjoy his unique voice but even listening again for something to stick out to talk about positive or negative I just really can't find specifics. I feel if I listened to this enough I would be able to sing along to every song while I am on that aforementioned road trip and then immediately forget the lyrics as soon as it ended until I turned it on again.
Anyone else have those albums, that you've listened to more than you realize but when trying to explain or talk about the album it just completely leaves your thoughts until it shows up in your playlist or disc collection to be put on again to then just be put back in it's sleeve for the next spring cleaning? I have a few that unless you pointed out and we agreed to put it on I would have forgotten what it even is. I've listened to Saxon a handful of times over their near 45 year discography and still have that positive emotional reaction but couldn't tell you anything they've done. Sorry guys, too much metal but this is still a good time.
Not sure why I never got around to listening to Satan, they're really good. Some very juicy fun riffs to really head bang to. The guitar solos were the best part. I really enjoyed No Turning Back and The Ritual and put both on my metal playlist. If I did have a complaint I would say the vocals are pushed back in the mix so I can't hear them as strongly. I do listen on spotify streaming so maybe that could be a reason for it but oddly after listening to the full release it actually ended up adding to the charm. I don't think there was a bad song on the joint, and for an '83 release this should definitely be talked about in early metal releases that led to heavier and inspirational music. Definitely need to check more of these guys out.
I felt like this may be one of those albums where I really get a "You had to be there" vibe. I think my teenage self would have loved to hear this, however I wasn't born until 5 years after this album released. It just has that teen angst vibe to it to me. The lyrics are a bit on the immature side, (Fuck Like A Beast anyone?) but they're not overly cheesy and can totally see someone who grew up with this album have that bit of nostalgia for it. I definitely do from some of my more emo music of the 2000s that's more cringe than this. The guitars are heavy for the glam metal of it's era and never feels out of place. Maybe akin to a heavier Kiss. I don't really have much to say otherwise, each song really felt simple with no overly memorable riffs or melodies but I can't say I had a bad time with this one. Though I wasn't a fan of their cover of Paint It Black, didn't suit them.
Ok, I am done. I have been listening to this off and on for a few weeks being saved in my library and I have had problems listening to this every time. I just finished the album in it's entirely as of starting to write this review. I could not figure out why this album was so difficult for me to put on and listen to until I turned it on today and with no distractions while I cleaned my place and took it all in. I do not have a problem with King Diamonds vocals, I think they are a unique and powerful tool for this band and I think for the most part the instrumentation accompanies it well. The guitars and drumming on this album can be absolutely supreme with some of the best riffs I've heard of the early years and with King Diamond's succinct screams they can be mesmerizing. However, my problem with this album that I never noticed before is the abrupt tone changes. They happen so frequently, I first noticed in Nightmare when I was really enjoying one passage then the drums suddenly slowed down but then one of the guitars stayed it's same pace while the other did a mini solo for about 20 seconds then it would subtly go back to a resemblance of the same melody I was enjoying before but I was already snapped out of it again. I call it the anti-breakdown, because there were plenty of times where a solid breakdown could've taken the place of these frustrating moments for me and it would've done nicely. Now I understand that a breakdown was not something that was really a thing in '84 but whatever you call what they were doing didn't work for me and it made for a very difficult listen. I couldn't just put this on and want to listen to it, even before I noticed what was happening when I would have it in the background over the years. I always debated that I think King Diamond is revolutionary to show different vocal styles that work but I still had it in the back of my mind was that he really didn't fit, but all these listens later and I can't just take the whiplash that these songs give me. It's hard to continue to like something I get really invested in and headbang to and it transitions out of it so unexpectedly then I just get angry cause I won't more of that. I lose my interest and I don't think I will listen to this again.
2-star because I can't deny that when it is really good, it's great in the small doses before the changes in song but I almost think that is too high for me but that's where I stand.
This is a good record, I don't really know Manowar too well. Know them really only for their man yelling at clouds album covers, it's a joke but many of their album covers have the shirtless guy about to go on a raid or something. I know these guys as the epic battle hymns to pump you up to go to war. Hail To England is no different. This has all that but as I have read and agree with, my listen to this record really had a weaker production then I would have liked and the song writing doesn't quite hit to where I expect the potential is there. I love a good war anthem, and after listening to this album a few times and have a good time it's not really all that memorable. It does start of solid with a great intro of Blood Of My Enemies but then the song slows down where It could be a heady hitter, even though I enjoy the chorus it just again feels like lack of potential and needs a bit more power to it. This may be the best of the "US Power Metal" albums that I've listened to because there is some very catchy choruses amongst the lack of true powerful feeling that I would want from a record like this. I do feel the production has more to do it, because I can tell they are playing their instruments well and the singing is good but also in the mix it just feels muddy and nothing really gets to shine even when I'm enjoying my catchier chorus that I do sing-along to and get stuck in my head.
I was going to review this album a few times and every time I come here and I see that 2.9 or even a 2.8 clan rating and I have to go back and listen again if I missed something. So fun, this is the most underrated album on this site that I've listened to yet. Especially for the clan challenges. This isn't a perfect record, no but man did this vibe with me. Most of the heavy metal releases of this time had a very particular high pitched near power metal vocals that don't work with me. In 84 we got Powerslave, Metal Church, Last In Line by Dio, Jag Panzer, Mercyful Fate, and so much more so there was definitely a plethora of other releases that are known much better and though I've heard these guys before I am more impressed. The vocals are different from those other bands, and it has the speed.
Prisoners of our Time may be my favorite song, it's so catchy and I find myself singing it all the time. I could just list all the songs though they're all so good. I have a good time with this album and glad I found this one. I know that these guys have gone full power metal at times and even pirate concept so eventually i'll be doing a deeper dive and I hope I enjoy the others as well.
I don't like this, and I'm having a hard time explaining why This has a very sing-a-long vibe to me with this album. Swords and Tequila has a catchy chorus, but I don't find wanting to listen to it again. Outlaw is the stand out especially after listening again because it has some killer underlying rhythm guitar and solo at the end but there's too much extra noise going on that takes away from the really interesting and fun riffs. I don't feel like it knows what it wants to be. The guitars and drums are a bit too heavy for the pop vibes it gives off. Like a Van Halen trying to be metal which feels disjointed. Don't Bring Me Down is where I really got a heavy Van Halen, and then on Don't Hold Back I get an odd Jerry Was A Race Car Driver by Primus sound. Please tell me it's not just me, but I just can't this album more serious because I keep hearing derivatives too other things in a more "metal" package. Don't Hold Back reminds me of Ace of Spades structurally? Run For Your Life is like a Run To The Hills demo . Every one of these songs just makes me hear something else and I just can't get into them. Also what is Flashbacks, an unnecessary flash back snippets of their tour? It's like a bad advertisement to come see their show which doesn't work for me. Maybe if I actually came to a show and felt a bit nostalgic but this is just extra fluff.
All of this is to say that maybe if I heard this first in the 80's on release I could like it more but I feel like my music memory really kills any listening enjoyment of this album. I don't feel like this is a bad album by any means, but I can't give it more than 2 stars because this is a really tough listen for me since I'm constantly just hearing other songs in a less enjoyable manner.
I just always have such a good time listening to this. I just get lost in the riffs. I can put this on and forget myself for a short 33 minutes. I almost want more on this album but at a cool 6 songs, none of which are bad and each have their place here, it's a near perfect mix. This will always be a solid listen for a good short time, about the time of an extended sitcom episode but still one of the shortest full length albums I've heard in a while. I personally think the sweet spot is between 40-45 minutes, and if this had one more great song it may actually break my opinion on this. I think I do like it more because it's so short, since I have less time to dedicate to it so it can finish before I get too distracted and move on to busying myself with life. I always catch myself tapping my foot, nodding my head, or even singing along especially to Startstruck and A Light In The Black.
I do find myself falling out near the end of Tarot Woman or in the middle of Do You Close Your Eyes, but then the next riff pulls me back in and I enjoy myself again. Still very short songs considering, I had to look and see that A Light In The Black is 8 minutes and it doesn't feel like it because I think that's my favorite song on the album. You can't go wrong with this album, and definitely can spare the 30 minutes to give it a chance on a short drive or walk and have a great time.
December 2023 Feature of the month for The North. Happy it was, because this is great black metal. It's listed under War Metal, and I have still yet to truly understand what that means. This is the perfect music to sleep too for me, now hear me out here. Not sure how many people need white noise or similar to sleep, but this is definitely the white noise of metal or black metal if you will. The beats are pretty consistent throughout while many albums have moments of dipping in BPM or multiple time signatures or overtly catchy riffs that keep my mind racing in thought. Also helps that I don't understand the vocals at all, I am not the best at understanding lyrics in songs but I can tend to words screamed or growled here and there especially on multiple listen throughs. I'm not sure if they are in English, but if so I might be able to figure out something here and there but this album is so easy to turn my brain off and relax too. I doubt what that's what they were going for, but it truly allows me to just turn off and meditate to. There is something calming behind the dark black metal guitars and drumming. This never gets boring either, while I did easily wind down to this I also could tell some interesting riffs and melodies made it even easier to fall back into. I don't want to give it a full 5 star until I live with this album longer but after my initial reactions it's only because of how I did lose attention so much so to this album and I do wonder on multiple relistens will it still have the same affect or if it's not one that can be listened to on repeat but a great one to put on once in a while.
I haven't listened to this album all the way through in so long, and now I remember why. Starts off solid with I Don't Know and Crazy Train that I can and will listen to any time and even Goodbye to Romance is still solid but then the rest (besides classic Mr. Crowley) is really rough to listen to nowadays. The rest comes off as bland to bad. Randy Rhodes' guitar work while impeccable feels disconnected to the songs and Ozzy's delivery. Anyone else get a heavy Aerosmith vibe in Steal Away and You Looking At Me? Like these are not the worst songs, but they don't feel like they are fit for the Prince of Darkness. Even after all these years Crazy Train and Mr. Crowley are still amazing songs, but the rest here doesn't fit the same vibe. I do give full respect to this album and Ozzy's efforts for leaving Black Sabbath and still come out with the most memorable songs that will be sung in stadiums for years (or at least the intro of Crazy Train)
I think I can concur with almost everyone else's review of this and don't really have much more to add. It's a solid release, that I can't say I've ever heard of before. I am a bit surprised that this has never come up before in any of my discovery playlists of any kind. It has all the elements of an early heavy metal release with folk-ish elements that I enjoy. I love a good battle theme and song battle cry is good. Doesn't quite hit the spot for some reason. Only thing I can think of is that it just didn't have the high spots or epic feeling on this record I was looking for. I know it's not stated on metal academy, but they've been marked as US Power Metal and I'm coming to a personal realization that whatever the US version is, I definitely prefer European power metal's speed and epicness. Only songs like The Axeman and Dragon's Breath here really stick with me.
I have an old relationship with Metal Church, hearing this when I was younger and a few more times over the years and again for this review a few times. It never has stuck with me, and I know it never will. This time around I couldn't help but think this had a demo tape feel. Not sure entirely how to explain it, but certain moments didn't feel fully imagined. I really enjoyed the darker bits, but also I think that's part of the problem here. When the album does use it's "church" imagery I get a bit more invested for a moment but they're so small and not thought through enough for me. The riffs are awesome and I do catch myself headbanging, but unfortunately some get too repetitive for me like in Gods of Wrath, and (My Favorite) Nightmare. Hitman had a really good solo, and In The Blood may be my favorite song on here.
This is more of a 3 3/4 record, but it's Motörhead and the Ace Of Spades song is legendary. Anyone of the Guitar Hero age played this religiously and had fun doing it. However, as a whole it almost starts of too hype with this song because after it kinda levels out. I love the chorus and always makes me smile, but "Love me like a reptile" is a bit slower than I remember listening to this again (also I swear I heard this one in a Tony Hawk game or something but can't for the life of me recall correctly and can't find it but I know Ace of Spades was on there but for sure I've heard Love me somewhere in a game or something as well). Alas, the other songs do go balls to the wall just don't have the same feel as their earlier records. I got a more proto-punk MC5 vibe off of this like Lemmy always wanted. The speed works well in Fast and Loose, The Roadcrew, Fire Fire, and even in Dance. Jailbait is awkward, leave it at that. The Hammer is a good ending, but it almost sounds too similar too Ace of Spades with a very similar cadence.
This will be sacrilegious I am aware, and I will preface this with saying I could only find the 2021 remaster and not the original recording to listen, but I found this to be less appealing then the 2020 remake. The 2020 remake felt more fun the way I want my heavy metal. I've gone back and forth with these versions, and the remastered version is the weaker one. I wonder if it really is the upscaling of the production that gives off too clean of a vibe for what they were originally going for but it doesn't work for me here. Lighting To The Nations and Am I Evil are both on the next album Borrowed Time and while I think Am I Evil sounds better there with it's more darker ominous sound, I actually love the brightened more danceable Lightning on the 2020 album. Hearing a more original form of Borrowed Time makes me wonder if the original Lighting to the Nations album did have a darker sounds that would be more fitting, I do like my heavy metal fun and upbeat where I felt like the 2020 version actually felt like the band was having fun again in the recording. The "Lost Original Mix" versions that's on the remaster are also different enough to be mentioned but you can tell they're remastered of what they were. It's hard to recommend this album without knowing how it originally sounded but with all the remasters and revisions it's usually the original recordings that do the best job of getting the intended experience.
Very fun and solid Speed Metal release. Accept has never been the biggest or most well known band to me, their biggest hit and album on their following album after this one (Balls To The Wall), but are after a bit of line-up changes still release music today. They're fine and fully acceptable heavy metal, innovative and influential style that's not named Motorhead or Venom. I can absolutely hear the influences of later bands like the big four of Thrash, and German Thrash. I can hear Neon Nights in future Metallica songs, using a slower riff to bring a powerful mood into it.
Manilla Road is a band I like but always just on the outlier of artists that I've delved into. This may be a turning point on that since this was so good and catchy. Crystal Logic is still in my head, and i'm definitely looking for me. This isn't quite as epic as other heavy metal of the era but it has a slightly darker tone to it which is a nice change of pace. It still has the memorable chorus to sing with and guitar solos to imitate with your favorite air guitar but there's just a bit of a more serious or devious tone to it. Not quite sure what it is about this record that gives me that vibe, but maybe its from listening to other more high octave and energy and this not quite hitting those similar levels. Absolutely worth the listen especially if you're tired of the more bigger hits of the early generation of metal.
This was truly heavy, and head bangable. Nothing extraordinary though, just metal. Better than generic, but also not overly rememberable. This isn't a bad thing, as I had a truly good time listening to this however it's not going to be a go-to album. There's some really heavy moments and I can even hear some thrash and speed in here. If anything, i get a good opener feel here where it gets me hyped up to listen to the next band or album like Maiden or Dio. Some really fun riffs, and good songwriting here.
Doing my general Iron Maiden playthrough, after listening and enjoying my time with Powerslave I needed more Maiden. Went back to this gem. Solid album through and through, however I don't get lost into the music like I did on Powerslave. Did a little toe tapping and head bobbing with a bit of sing-a-long. This may be the best of Iron Maiden when it comes to the singing along with, though nobody can match Bruce. You can't help but go 6. 6. 6 or RUNNN TO THE HILLS. But otherwise this one doesn't stand out, it might be because it may be my most listened to Maiden album and the hits are some of my most listened to songs and it doesn't hit the same now. Still great and will continue to put it on when I'm in the mood but it will be a further back choice than it used to be. Still great and any metal nerd should still listen to this and get those guitar riffs stuck in their head all day.
