MartinDavey87's Reviews
It’s crazy to think, but when Limp Bizkit’s second full-length album, ‘Significant Other’, was released way back in 1999, not only was it a huge hit, but gradually built up to the Florida five-piece becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet. For all the angst, attitude and cheesiness, it’s exactly what people, in particular, the youth of the world, needed back then.
Bizkit’s sound is heavily influenced by a combination of 90’s alternative metal and hip-hop, building upon the style established by bands like Korn, and in particular, Stuck Mojo. Some tracks here are all-out metal, while some sway more towards hip-hop, with more focus being on vocalist Fred Durst rapping. Both work well for the band, with Durst effortlessly being able to blend clean singing, aggressive shouting, and rapid-fire rapping. And his vocals fit perfectly with guitarist Wes Borland’s creative and interesting guitar playing.
And if you’re into this sort of thing, there’s a few appearances from some noteworthy vocalists, including Jonathan Davis from Korn, Aaron Lewis from Staind, Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots, Les Claypool of Primus fame, and the one that probably had the most impact, Wu Tang Clan’s Method Man. His duet with Fred on hit single ‘N 2 Gether Now’ likely helped the band gain more mainstream recognition, as well as appeal more to hip-hop audiences.
‘Significant Other’ features an abundance of great tracks, such as heavy hitters ‘Nookie’, ‘Trust?’ and ‘Just Like This’, huge hit ‘Re-Arranged’, which shows the bands melodic abilities, and rap-inspired tracks such as ‘Show Me What You Got’ and the aforementioned ‘N 2 Gether Now’. Then of course, there’s one of the biggest nu metal anthems ever, ‘Break Stuff’. If you don’t get pumped up at the sound of those opening chords and Fred Durst proclaiming that ‘It’s just one of those days…’ then you really need to stop taking it all too seriously.
Overall, ‘Significant Other’ is a great album that still holds up well today. It came out at just the right time that people needed aggression in their music, but also enough catchy hooks that mainstream audiences were able to get involved too. It’s a huge step up from their debut, and shows a band who are heading on to greater things.
Having already laid down the foundations for their post-nu metal career with 2005’s ‘Ten Thousand Fists’, Disturbed have finally shed the stigma that came with the subgenre, and established themselves as a legit and credible metal band with 2008’s ‘Indestructible’.
The band has managed to take the groove-laden guitar style of the aforementioned subgenre whilst blending it effortlessly with an old-school metal mentality and vibe. As a result, ‘Indestructible’ is an album brimming with hooks, choruses and intense guitar work that can appeal to metal fans old and new alike, as well as more casual listeners too.
David Draiman’s melodic vocals work fantastically, his unique style has always given Disturbed their own sound. And they work in complete synergy with Dan Donegan’s guitar riffs, which perfectly capture the essence of traditional metal with the styling of nu metal. Donegan really lets rip a number of times on this album, and shows that he’s more than capable of shredding up the guitar when necessary, but can also show restraint when it’s needed.
Highlights from this release include ‘Indestructible’, ‘Inside the Fire’, ‘Perfect Insanity’, ‘The Night’, ‘Criminal’, ‘Divide’ and ‘The Curse’. The first three tracks in particular were all downloadable content for the incredibly popular 2007 video game ‘Rock Band’, which no doubt helped boost the bands popularity to no end around the time of this albums release.
With a number of stand-out tracks and an outlet for a whole new audience, ‘Indestructible’ is another strong outing by Disturbed, who have so far gone from strength-to-strength since the demise of nu metal, and have firmly cemented themselves as one of the standout metal bands of the 2000’s.
The first time I heard of Blind Guardian was in 2002, when I'd bought Iced Earth's 'Dark Genesis' collection and they were mentioned a number of times in the biography section. It wasn't too long after that I was in a music shop, coincidently in the bands home country of Germany, where I saw a double pack of 'Battalions of Fear' and it's follow-up album 'Follow the Blind' pretty cheap. Didn't even have to think about what to do.
By this point, I was no longer the young, metal whippersnapper that I was when I'd first heard of Blind Guardian. I had a good sense of what I was into, and, to be blunt, I found this album to be pretty boring and dull.
Fast-forward a couple more years, and MySpace is suddenly booming and it's easier than ever to discover bands. THAT'S when I really got into Blind Guardian! I can't remember which song I heard, but it was big! It was epic! It was bombastic! It was full of metal riffs and glorious orchestrations... it was incredible! How did I not get into this band the first time around?!
I swiftly snapped up most of the groups back-catalogue, then set to work familiarizing myself with their discography...
And that leads me right back to square one; this album is still pretty bland.
There's just nothing really exciting going on here... y'know what I mean? 'Majesty' is an okay song, but most of the tracks are pretty basic power/speed metal. The production leaves the music feeling empty of life, and a lot of the melodies, both musical and lyrical, are just boring and uninteresting.
It's not a terrible album, but if you're looking for some generic and bland 80's power metal, there's much better stuff out there.
I’m not the biggest fan of Black Sabbath. Admittedly, I got into metal around the end of the 90’s, and by that time Sabbath seemed a bit dated to me. I was all about the rising nu metal scene, as well as the thrash metal bands which were still hanging in there (just about). Of course, I gave Sabbath a chance, and in fairness, I don’t dislike them, but ‘Paranoid’, supposedly THE greatest metal album of all time, just doesn’t quite work for me.
None of the guitar riffs, which are meant to be some of the greatest guitar riffs ever, or so I’ve heard, don’t really do anything for me. Maybe it’s the production of the time, but they just seem kind of dull and flat, lacking the audible punch that later bands would have. Ditto for the vocals.
Maybe it’s just a product of its era, but then, I listen to a lot of other music from different eras, so surely that can’t be it. Maybe it’s just been so overhyped over the decades that there was no way it could live up to my personal expectations. Maybe there’s something wrong with me. I don’t know. It’s got the likes of ‘Paranoid’, ‘Iron Man’ and ‘War Pigs’, which, again, are meant to be some of the most iconic metal songs ever, but I can’t really think anything more of them than “they’re okay”.
Heavy metal was still a fledgling and evolving genre at this point. How could it be possible to really create such a classic’s classic in such early days? An important and inspirational album? Yes. A pivotal moment in metal history? Sure. But being better than anything that’s come since? Really? Maybe bands joke about it, but perhaps the adage that “Black Sabbath created metal, [insert band name here] perfected it” isn’t too far off.
I don’t totally dislike Black Sabbath though, and I think over time they do go on to produce far better works than this. But I just can’t get into this. No matter how much I love my rock and metal, ‘Paranoid’, arguably one of the most highly revered and beloved metal albums of all time, just doesn’t quite do it for me.
Considered by fans to be one of Dream Theater's best songs, 'A Change of Seasons' is the bands first venture into an old prog standard; the 20-minute epic! Clocking in at 23 minutes long, the title track of this release was originally intended for the 'Images and Words' album, but left off due to time restrictions.
No problem! Chuck a few live covers in there, and here we have arguably one of the greatest EP's of all time.
With such a lengthy track, you know that each musician will get the chance to show off their skills, and indeed they do! All five members (including newcomer Derek Sherinian on the keyboards), flawlessly show their mastery of their respective departments, with the song twisting and turning through all kinds of time signatures and dynamic changes, crafting a wonderful tale that takes us on a journey through life and reminds us of how quickly it passes by.
As for the other "half" of this EP, there are four live covers that I don't mind, but are kind of hit-or-miss for me. Covering Elton John, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and a medley consisting of Kansas, Queen, Journey and Genesis, none of them are terrible, but in fairness none of them are overly memorable either. Blatant filler.
As a whole, it's a great record, and an absolute must-have for fans of Dream Theater, and whilst the title track itself is entirely worth hearing, it's the covers that prevent this from getting a five-star rating. Still, it's as essential to your collection as any of the bands studio albums.
It's 2001 and I'm 14 years-old, new to the world of metal, and a huge Megadeth fan (or so I thought...). They'd just released their album 'The World Needs a Hero', in which they went "back to their metal roots" (every band goes through this phase). Tuning into Kerrang TV, they were midway through a video that, for whatever reason, I suspected it may have been Megadeth's video for 'Moto Psycho'. It was heavy, it was aggressive, and I was headbanging to it with my measly one inch of hair which I couldn't wait to grow longer. I also couldn't wait to get the new Megadeth album because this song kicked ass!
Except, it was Metallica's 'One'.
2001 was an exciting year for a 14 year-old metal fan living in the UK. With the nu metal scene having completely taken over the world, no doubt with huge thanks to the few channels that had popped up on TV dedicated to rock music, the genre was rife with bands such as Linkin Park, Korn, Slipknot and Limp Bizkit. However, despite all the bands that were tearing up the charts, it was Metallica's '...And Justice For All' that I was seriously digging. I loved the ten-minute songs with two-minute intros. I loved the complex arrangements with constant shifts in dynamics. I loved the guitar harmonies. I loved it all!
There's no denying the influence this had on me around that period of my life. Eventually leading me to progressive metal, a genre this album arguably had a huge hand in influencing in its infancy, bands like Dream Theater and Symphony X just seemed like the next logical step from here. Intricately crafted guitar riffs, harmonies and solos, with some of Lars Ulrich's most challenging drumming (which, fair play to the guy, he may have a rather limited skill set, but he sure busts his chops on this one), make this Metallica's most ambitious album, with the band themselves often citing how this was the most complex stuff they'd done.
The production is often criticized, but I was too young to care about such trivial things when I first got this record, so I find myself unfazed by it now. In fact, I find the sound, which comes across as very dry and gritty, sets the mood perfectly for this incredibly dark and bleak album. And with songs like 'One', 'Blackened', 'Harvester of Sorrow', 'Dyers Eve' and 'The Frayed Ends of Sanity', this is an absolute classic that belongs in the collection of any metal fan.
Symphony X are back with their second album and a sound that will quickly distinguish them as one of the top prog metal bands in the world.
The differences between this and their self-titled debut are noticeable immediately. Besides the addition of powerhouse vocalist Russell Allen, who's incredible voice can easily switch between both melodic and aggressive styles, the production has been vastly improved and the songwriting is a lot more confident and refined.
The songs on 'The Damnation Game' flow so much fluidly than before. Michael Romeo's intense riffs and exotic solos are much more tasteful, and Michael Pinella's keyboards never sounded this beautiful on 'Symphony X'. While this is far from the bands most ambitious work, it's still a solid blueprint which the New Jersey quintet would build upon with future releases.
Featuring highlights such as 'The Edge of Forever', 'A Winter's Dream', 'The Haunting' and the title track, the reason this only gets a three-star rating is because, despite being a really good record, honestly, it just pales in comparison to what's to come. Such is the strength of the bands later output that I find myself very rarely listening to this one. Still, if you're a fan of Symphony X, then this is definitely an album worth owning!
This is a fairly decent debut album by Kamelot, who at the time were nothing more than a generic power metal band. Progressive elements seen in later albums are rare and discreet, and the band are yet to develop a lot of the more exotic flavours heard in their later songs. But overall, there are still some great compositions on this record.
There are very few keyboard parts and the musicianship is nowhere near that of most prog/power metal bands, but that doesn't prevent a few memorable riffs popping up, such as 'Eternity' and 'The Gleeman', and 'Etude Jongleur is a nice, though short, melodic passage.
There isn't really much else to say about this album to be honest. If you're a fan of Kamelot then it's worth getting, and I think it's generally worth picking up for anyone if you can find it cheap somewhere. Kamelot didn't really hit their stride until keyboards became a more primary instrument and with the addition of vocalist of Roy Khan (who, if you're already a Kamelot fan prior to buying this album, you'll definitely notice his absence), but this still holds up well as a look at a young band who will definitely go on to better things.
Power metal has always been the ginger-haired stepchild of heavy metal. It's cheesy. It's repetitive. And sometimes it's Sonata Arctica, in which case, it kicks ass!
Sonata Arctica's debut album burst onto the scene with such gusto and youthful enthusiasm, it's hard not to like it. There's fast-paced neoclassical speed metal guitar shredding, and lots of cheesy 90's keyboard harpsichord sounds. The lyrics focus on the usual themes of fantasy, love, kingdoms and over nonsensical topics we're not really bothered about, because it comes with the territory, and above all else though, it really is 100% cheese, and that's what we love about the genre!
I first came across this band when I heard 'Replica' on a compilation CD. I loved it! I was completely blown away by how awesome this band sounded and to this day, that is still one of my favourite songs (and I still have no idea what it's about, either). I rushed out to get 'Ecliptica' and was not disappointed. 'Kingdom for a Heart', 'Full Moon', 'Letter to Dana', 'Mary Lou' and 'Picturing the Past' are all fine examples of why power metal should never be so easily dismissed. Oh, and 'Replica' too!!!. This album is worth it for that song alone.
I've been stuck for ages writing this review, struggling to think of anything clever or witty to say. The truth is, this is a typical power metal album, and if you're not a fan of the genre, you won't notice any difference here between Sonata Arctica and any other band. But there's just some sort of charm about this record that makes it fresh and exciting, and definitely worth trying out.
After his 1994 solo release, guitarist Michael Romeo was met with a proposal from a record label to form a band and record an album in the similar vein to his solo material. "Sure, why not?"... and thus was born one of progressive metals most popular and influential bands.
Borrowing heavily upon the neoclassical style of shred made famous by Yngwie Malmsteen, Symphony X's self-titled debut release is a humble album that shows a band with the potential for big things, with the only major setback being the rather subpar production. While it's certainly not terrible, it just lacks that little bit of punch that the music really needs. It's a punch that would be added to future releases, and the difference is immediately noticeable.
As for the music itself, it's nowhere near as ambitious as the bands later releases, which would go on to utilize massive orchestrations, but it's still pretty good, and lays down a solid foundation upon which the band would establish their defining sound. As expected, Michael Romeo's guitar playing is the star of the show here, with his neoclassical virtuosity matched perfectly by keyboardist Michael Pinella, both displaying enough talents to secure their careers in a post-grunge metal scene. Vocalist Rod Tyler does a good job, and is vastly underrated for his work on this album, but it's his only appearance with the group and he will soon be overshadowed by his replacement, powerhouse singer Russell Allen.
'Symphony X' overall is a good debut, with early signs of greatness evident. 'Masquerade', 'The Raging Seasons', 'Premonition', 'Thorns of Sorrow' and the ballad 'Shades of Grey' are all notable reasons why this should be in your collection, and if you're a collector like me, it's certainly not one you'll regret having to own.
‘Master of Puppets’ is without a doubt one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. Taking what they started on ‘Ride the Lightning’ and pumping it full of steroids, this takes all the best elements of Metallica's previous album and magnifies it a thousand times over, firmly placing Metallica amongst metal's royalty.
A nice combination of heavy and melodic, ‘Master of Puppets’ mirrors its predecessor very closely, but at the same time it manages to maintain its own identity. Opening track ‘Battery’ is very similar to ‘Fight Fire with Fire’, starting with a nice clean guitar harmony, followed by riffs of complete chaos that'll destroy all your senses. ‘Welcome Home (Sanitarium)’ takes the ballad concept started on ‘Fade to Black’ and pushes it further than anyone thought possible, and ‘Orion’ is a nice eight minute instrumental that can go toe to toe against ‘The Call of Ktulu’ any day.
Despite the similarities, ‘Master of Puppets’ shows a band becoming more mature with each release. The lyrics are even more grim and darker than before, and the song-writing, especially on tracks like ‘Master of Puppets’ and ‘Welcome Home’, shows a band that has developed closer over the years to become as tight as they can be, with Hetfield and Hammett's guitars working in perfect harmony with Burton's bass-lines and Ulrich's (somewhat limited) drum skills.
Often cited as the single greatest metal album in history, it’d be hard to disagree.
Red Circuit are back with 2009's 'Homeland', which follows in the same vein as their 2006 debut, with the only notable difference (though not entirely noticeable) being a new guitarist, a new bassist, and a much more polished sound in both songwriting and production.
What we have here is some high-quality melodic metal. Sometimes referred to as progressive metal, Red Circuit's music lacks the over-ambitiousness often associated with the genre, and instead focuses on hooks and catchy choruses. Full of breathtaking guitar work and tasty keyboard melodies, 'Homeland' is an incredible album that demonstrates why progressive metal doesn't always need to be 20-minute songs with 16/9 polyrhythmic time changes.
As on their previous album, despite overflowing with excellent musicianship, the main focus of the album is vocalist Chity Somapala, who's powerful and soaring voice really gives the band its own identity. And with only one song exceeding the five-minute mark (and only by mere seconds), each track here is short and sweet, without needing the repeated number of listens progressive metal songs usually require. This is best evidenced in songs like 'Homeland', 'Absinth', 'See the Light' and 'Canonize Your Sins'.
'Homeland' is a strong sequel to a strong debut. Catchy, heavy, and not a filler song in sight. A must-have for any metal fan looking for that hidden gem that never gets the recognition it deserves.
‘Seventh Son of a Seventh Son’, the seventh studio album by metal legends Iron Maiden, has been on my playlist for well over a year by now. Not sure what to score it, it’s been an album I’ve constantly come back to over and over. It’s good. Sometimes it’s really good. But sometimes it’s regarded as one of Iron Maiden’s best releases, and I think that’s where it hasn’t quite met my expectations.
It’s famously referred to as the album where Maiden went more progressive and experimental, not only in song structure but by the use of keyboards. But for me, I don’t know. I just can’t get into this as easily as I could ‘Powerslave’ or ‘Somewhere in Time’. The commonly referenced keyboards are really nothing more than some backing chords over the guitar harmonies.
Regardless of that however, the musicianship is still of a high standard, and as always, praise goes to Bruce Dickinson’s soaring vocals. Despite my thoughts on the album as a whole, there are still some bangers here. In particular, ‘Infinite Dreams’, ‘The Clairvoyant’, ‘The Evil That Men Do’ and closing track ‘Only the Good Die Young’ are all classic Maiden tracks.
And at barely 45 minutes in length, it’s an easy enough album to listen to in one sitting. It’s just really not the album I’d choose to listen to in the first place. Sorry Maiden fans. I love the band, and I DO like this album, just not as much as I feel I’m supposed to.
With their fourth album, 'Tales from the Punchbowl', Primus have finally managed to channel all their talent into something somewhat akin to a cohesive rock album. Taking their unusual style of offbeat, alternative funk rock and applying it in a more traditional rock setting, Primus have managed to produce a record that is more accessible to the mainstream public, without having to compromise their own distinct sound.
There's no other band that embodies the term "acquired taste" better than Primus, and even on a release that features some of the bands most radio-friendly material, there's plenty of their obscure (and somewhat self-indulgent) weirdness, that doesn't follow any type of traditional songwriting trait, and features an almost monotone spoken-word dialogue.
But yet, unlike previous albums, I seem to be able to tolerate it here. The odd music, the random, yet interesting lyrics, the humour... everything here just seems to work on some artistic level or another. It's like a car crash, an ugly mess but you just can't look away.
The highlights for me are 'Professor Nutbutters House of Treats', 'Mrs Blaileen', 'Southbound Pachyderm', 'Over the Electric Grapevine', and of course, the band's biggest hit, 'Wynona's Big Brown Beaver' (which is for me, like so many others, the song that introduced me to Primus). But the album flows so smoothly that even small, comedic, filler tracks such as 'Space Farm' and 'De Anza Jag' are infectious and notable in their own right.
As interesting as it is unique, Primus truly aren't to everyone's tastes (including my own), but 'Tales from the Punchbowl' is just a straight-up good album, and serves as a great starting point if you're new to the band.
Not these guys again...
There was a time in my youth when I'd have loved the quirkiness of a band like Primus. With their obscure sense of humour and their blend of rock and funk, there's truly no other band like them. But what makes them so unique is also what pretty much puts so many people off of them.
And to put it bluntly, it's mostly boring self-indulgence.
While the musicians themselves are all incredibly talented, and certainly adept at thinking outside the box, the music itself is very hard to follow, and definitely requires the listener to be equally open-minded. There's very little singing, with vocalist Les Claypool preferring more of a spoken-word type of vocal style, and a lot of the music itself tends to plod along with no real memorable melodies that stick out. As a whole, it's just a complete mess.
If I had to pick out some highlights, it'd have to be 'Tommy the Cat' and 'Jerry Was a Race Car Driver', most probably because these are the notable singles from the album, and while they do have some infectious grooves in the music, as per usual with this band, the spoken babble that is the lyrics kind of ruins them.
I'm sure there was a time when I loved this band, especially as I seem to recall asking for some of their albums as Christmas and Birthday presents in my early twenties. But I listen to 'Sailing the Seas of Cheese' now and it bores the life out of me. Primus really are in a league all of their own when it comes to "keeping an open mind", sadly, it's just not a very good one.
It would be an absolute understatement to say that Primus is an acquired taste. Their music is incredibly obscure, with some of the most random musical passages and the most quirky lyrics you could think of. And so it is, that their debut album is a convoluted mess of ideas thrown together with no real sense of direction, other than being random for random’s sake.
While the musical ability between all the members is of a high calibre, especially bassist, singer and all-round main man Les Claypool (story goes that he was once turned down to join Metallica for being "too good"), the general compositions seem rather unfocused and boring. Nothing really stands out in this 52-minute smorgasbord of random guitar riffs and vocal melodies, which usually are delivered via something more akin to talking or just completely random noises.
If I really had to pick out any notable highlights, 'John the Fisherman', 'Too Many Puppies' and 'To Defy the Laws of Tradition' could be considered alright, but honestly, this album as a whole just gets rather boring and repetitive fast. I'm sure there are people that love songs that randomly go into renditions of 'Humpty Dumpty', but to me, it's just not cool, it's not funny, and it's not really all that clever either.
I feel like I often have to preface all my Iced Earth reviews with an explanation of how they’re a band I genuinely love, but find their discography to be very, very inconsistent. For every absolute banger that they release, there’s a dud. Albums like ‘Iced Earth’, ‘Night of the Stormrider’, ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ and ‘The Glorious Burden’ all rank among some of my all-time favourite power metal albums. But then, as seems to be the pattern, here we have, what I feel is a bit of a dud.
With ‘Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Pt. 1’, Jon Schaffer and co. revisit their most popular release, with a two-part concept album that builds upon 1998’s ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’. Which is all fine in theory, but something about this just doesn’t resonate with me.
And it’s a huge shame, because predecessor ‘The Glorious Burden’, which saw the debut of powerhouse vocalist Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, was a stellar release, and really put Iced Earth back on track, only to, as always, take another step back. And why? There’s nothing overly wrong with this album, but then, there’s just not really anything memorable about it, either. Other than a few snippets here and there, the only song that really sticks out is the albums lead single, ‘Ten Thousand Strong’, a short, punchy track that delivers power metal greatness in four minutes.
Other than that, the playing is of a high standard as always, and Tim Owens’ vocals are always a pleasure to listen to, but overall, I just find myself zoning out every time I try to get into this album. Perhaps it’s the rehashing of the ‘Something Wicked’ storyline (which, for the record, I have no inkling what any of it is about!), but this album just doesn’t work for me.
Sorry, Iced Earth.
I originally came across this band after hearing and falling in love with the song 'Transmigration of Souls', and upon finding out that their singer was none other than Enchant's Ted Leonard, I just knew I had to have this album.
One word: Wow.
After a two minute instrumental opening track, the song 'Sacred Treasure' completely blew me away, with its intro full of random guitar/keyboard/bass licks and solos, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. So many instruments playing so many different things at once. Interestingly layered melodies and harmonies make this an instant classic in my eyes.
The typical prog metal cliche is that this is very 'Dream Theater inspired', and whilst I'm not denying that, Thought Chamber have a very cool exotic style and mixture of elements which make this a truly unique group. The amazing playing and songwriting style could easily stand toe-to-toe against the genre's pioneers, and songs like 'Sacred Treasure', 'Balance of One', 'God of Oblique' or any of the instrumentals justify this.
At times Leonard's vocals seem a little thin for this style of music, but hey, I'm not complaining, it still sounds awesome. In fact, there is nothing to complain about, this is one hell of a debut, and deserves a place in every Prog fans collection.
Yngwie Malmsteen’s 1984 debut, ‘Rising Force’, is the album that inspired a whole generation to grab a guitar and learn how to play it really, really fast, as well as giving birth to what’s known as the neoclassical subgenre, a hybrid of metal guitar playing with classical music themes. It’s a highly influential album. But does it hold up well today?
Not really.
I went into this album with some intrigue. The outspoken Malmsteen has never been too modest to tell us underlings of his superior musical abilities, so I was interested to see what the fuss was about. And to be honest, I find it pretty boring. Don’t get me wrong, he plays with absolute precision and intensity, and no doubt in 1984 this was groundbreaking stuff. But by today’s standards, it just sounds like the same recycled classical lick played over and over.
There are a few songs with vocals which aren’t too bad, ‘Now Your Ships Are Burned’ and ‘As Above, So Below’, and in this aspect Malmsteen’s playing suits the music well. But for the most part, I just find this album dull, with all the songs serving as a self-indulgent excuse to play the same guitar scales as fast as possible.
Except for one song; ‘Icarus’ Dream Suite Op. 4’.
Wow! Where did this come from?! I can tolerate mindless shredding here, because the melodies when the song slows down are incredible. The clean guitar playing, the keyboards, everything here just comes together perfectly! This song itself is pretty damn amazing, and while ‘Rising Force’ generally bores the hell out of me, this song alone is enough for me to at least come back for more and see what else the master of men can conjure up.
No doubt this is highly regarded by fans, and in particular, by other guitarists, as a classic. But it just doesn’t work for me.
First impressions are everything. They can determine whether people like you or hate you, and while opinions can always change over time, there’s nothing quite like a memorable first impression. So how did Guns N’ Roses make theirs? They thought it’d be a great idea to release one of the most legendary, iconic and recognizable albums of all time.
Not a bad start, eh?
Released in 1987 (the same year as yours truly), hair and glam metal was in full swing, with countless rock bands living up the 80’s, prancing around with more makeup and hairspray than an L.A. hooker. And while there were some with the odd hit or memorable album here or there, the scene really lacked that one band that would transcend the genre and make their mark in music history. Enter Guns N’ Roses.
Instantly recognizable for Axl Roses impossibly high and powerful vocals, with their sleazy, spite-filled lyrics, and iconic top hat-wearing guitarist Slash’s fast and frantic blues-inspired riffs, ‘Appetite for Destruction’ has a solid production that really brings the music to life and gives the album nonstop energy and attitude. While it has a distinctive 80’s vibe, it’s still manage to age incredibly well, and even today is a very easy record to listen to, regardless of what music you’re into.
With its legendary front cover (I’m referring to the cross and skulls one which it is most widely known for), ‘Appetite...’ contains some of rocks most greatest moments, including ‘Paradise City’, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘My Michelle’, ‘Mr. Brownstone’, ‘Out Ta Get Me’, ‘It’s So Easy’, ‘Rocket Queen’ and the monstrously huge megahit, ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’. It took me a while to get around to really giving this record a proper chance, but now that I did, I can confirm that it does live up to its reputation.
An all-time classic, ‘Appetite for Destruction’ is one of those absolutely essential albums that should be in every music collection.
After a fairly lackluster debut, Stratovarius are back!... with another fairly lackluster album.
Now, I like Stratovarius. I really, really like Stratovarius! They're a great band with some very catchy and memorable songs. But that doesn't really show in these early releases. Two major factors that are missing from these early days are prominent keyboards, which serve on 'Twilight Time' as nothing more than the odd sound effect or embellishment here and there, and powerhouse vocalist Timo Kotipelto. Because before that, we have guitarist, songwriter and band leader Timo Tolkki singing! And while he's alright, his voice does get a little grating after a while.
There are a couple of notable moments however. Opening track 'Break the Ice' is fairly good, and tracks like 'The Hands of Time' and 'The Hills Have Eyes' are tolerable, if you can see past the cheesy power metal melodies that they're built around. The music is fast and furious, with some very tight playing and nice, shred guitar solos, but overall, these songs are mostly forgettable, especially when compared to the bands later material.
'Twilight Time' has a few things going for it that stop it from getting a one-star rating, but it’s really best to leave this to the die-hard fans.
'Violated' is a six-song EP by rap metal band Stuck Mojo, released prior to the groups second album, 'Pigwalk', and originally intended only for European audiences.
The disc consists of four studio recordings, including early versions of 'Violated' and 'Back in the Saddle' (titled 'U.B.Otch' here), which would go on to appear on the 'Pigwalk' and 'Rising' albums respectively, (and much-improved, I might add). A Black Sabbath cover, and EP exclusive 'Pizza Man' are also included, and these are probably the only reasons to own this disc. Especially the latter, which is actually a really cool song, despite only being just over two minutes long!
Then there's two live tracks. Personally, I'm always sceptical about early rock releases like this with "live" songs. The quality is very raw, and the audience sound pretty fake, but either way, they're not really songs I'm bothered about.
Stuck Mojo are easily one of my all-time favourite bands, and guitarist Rich Ward is one of my absolute heroes as a musician, but overall, this release is one for the die-hard fans (and surely I'm not the only one!). The music is rough and gritty and the attitude and energy is easily apparent, but there's not really anything here that is either relevant or not improved-upon with later recordings.
2007’s ‘Paradise Lost’ is, in my opinion, one of the heaviest albums of all time, and having developed their sound over the years from a neo-classical progressive metal act to an extremely heavy, almost power metal-sounding band, it seems Symphony X have settled on a style that suits them perfectly, as ‘Iconoclast’, the bands eighth studio album, released in 2011, follows on from its predecessor as a possible candidate for one of the heaviest albums you’ll ever hear.
What makes Symphony X so heavy, you ask? While people measure heaviness in different ways, in my opinion, it’s the “weight” of the music. The production and the sound, and in this case, the massive and beefy-as-hell guitar riffs. ‘Iconoclast’ is like a ten-ton hammer crushing a thousand skulls at once, and incredibly, despite the sheer intensity and brutality, the album is full of wondrous and beautiful melodies too.
Taking the energy of power metal and the songwriting arrangements of progressive metal, Symphony X’s music is very upbeat and ambitious. With complex orchestrations and masterful musicianship, these guys are at the top of their game, and on par with the genres finest musicians. In particular, guitarist Michael Romeo and vocalist Russell Allen have an absolute synergy rarely seen these days, with Allen’s incredibly versatile range being a perfect match for the guitar riffs.
Released on two discs, or as a one-disc edition for people not willing to spend too much dollar (I wonder how many people actually bought that one), ‘Iconoclast’ is an incredible album with very few flaws. With absolute monstrous beasts such as ‘Electric Messiah’, ‘The End of Innocence’, ‘Bastards of the Machine’, ‘Dehumanized’, ‘Children of a Faceless God’ and ‘Reign in Madness’, this shows that, while Symphony X may not feel inclined to do many classically-inspired prog epics these days, they’ve refused to relent with age, instead, getting heavier and constantly finding ways to update their sound and remain relevant.
‘Iconoclast’ belongs in every metal fans collection. Simple.
Released in 1987, ‘Introduce Yourself’ is the second album by alternative metal outfit Faith No More. It follows on closely to the sound and style of its predecessor, only a slightly better production sets them apart.
I wasn’t overly keen on 1985’s ‘We Care a Lot’, and honestly, I kind of struggled with this one too! The band were certainly something different and unique at the time, and their song-writing is becoming more confident, but, like many later fans, I guess I just tend to dismiss these early, Chuck Mosley releases.
Chuck Mosley, of course, is the vocalist who would be replaced after this album by powerhouse front man Mike Patton of the band Mr. Bungle. Mosley’s rap-like style worked fine, but, I guess it kind of put a limit on what the band could do, and if any band were to thrive without any limitations, it would be Faith No More.
Clutching at straws, but if I had to pick out any notable songs, there’s ‘Chinese Arithmetic’, ‘Anne’s Song’, ‘Blood’, and in particular, a re-recorded version of ‘We Care a Lot’, which is probably the only song I really care to come back to, if ever. It’s a shame, and I certainly don’t mean any disrespect to Chuck Mosley, but with this album out of the way, Faith No More can really move on to becoming the metal heavyweights that they are, while ‘Introduce…’ and ‘We Care…’ can both slip away into obscurity, at least for me, anyway.
‘Celestial Entrance’ is the second album by Norwegian progressive metal band Pagan’s Mind. Released in 2002, it sees a vast improvement upon the groups 2000 debut, with song-writing, instrumentation and vocals all taking a huge step up in quality.
I first got into Pagan’s Mind by stumbling upon some of their music videos on YouTube, and found myself instantly digging their sound. So when my first album experience of theirs was their debut, 2000’s ‘Infinity Divine’, I was slightly disappointed. I just felt like the music wasn’t very inspired, and that vocalist Nils K. Rue (who is absolutely fantastic, by the way!), maybe hadn’t quite found his niche in the band.
That all changes with ‘Celestial Entrance’.
The band really hit their stride here, with a sound a bit more their own. With some fantastic compositions, excellent musicianship, including some remarkable interplay between the guitars and keyboards, and of course, the aforementioned Nils K. Rue, who’s vocals are incredible, and has really found their place in the music.
While a couple of the tracks are still fairly hit-or-miss, there is plenty to enjoy here. ‘Aegean Shores’, ‘…Of Epic Questions’ and ‘Back to the Magic of Childhood’ are all great tracks that are well worth repeated listens. But the true gems are ‘Approaching/Through Osiris Eyes’ and ‘Dreamscape Lucidity’. Both songs are absolute masterpieces, and the album is worth checking out for these alone. Then there’s the closing track which horribly rips off Dream Theater’s ‘Leaning to Live’, in key, melody, even the lyrics are almost identical. It’s a weirdly hilarious but forgivable way to end the album.
Overall, Pagan’s Mind will go on to release much stronger albums than this, but this is a solid follow-up to their debut, and a highly recommended addition to the collection of any progressive or power metal fan.
‘Skills in Pills’ in the 2015 debut album of Lindemann, the self-titled project of Rammstein vocalist Till Lindemann. Teaming up with Peter Tägtgren of the band Pain, this album feels like a heavier, more keyboard-driven and overall more ridiculous version of the aforementioned Rammstein.
The most noticeable element on ‘Skills…’ is, not only the outrageously ludicrous lyrics, but the fact that Lindemann is singing in English. Something he only did a brief few times with his main band. But the lyrics… oh my! Clearly Lindemann was somewhat filtered in his main project, because here, it’s like anything goes. Literally, there are no filters here. From drugs to abortion, and sexual fetishes involving obesity to being urinated on, absolutely nothing is off-limits.
The thing is though, I like it. It’s ridiculous and shouldn’t work, but it does. Lindemann can pull this kind of thing off, and with some incredibly heavy and ballsy music backing him, it just kind of works for him. And the musical side, all covered by Tägtgren, is incredible. Heavy and atmospheric, with some proper pumping and energetic performances, it suits the lyrics and baritone voice of his partner in crime perfectly.
With highlights including the pounding ‘Fish On’, ‘Ladyboy’ and ‘Cowboy’, the disgustingly offensive ‘Fat’, ‘Praise Abort’ and ‘Golden Shower’, or the hauntingly beautiful ‘Home Sweet Home’, this album is a flurry of utter nonsense, but well-written and down-right brilliant nonsense. Obviously this won’t appeal to everyone, but if you enjoy Rammstein and aren’t easily squeamish or offended, then this is most certainly an album worth checking out!
Released in 2003, ‘Epica’ is the sixth studio album by symphonic power metal band Kamelot. It follows very closely to its predecessor, 2001’s ‘Karma’, with more focus on symphonic elements and orchestrations, as well as a stronger sense of melody and more polished song-writing, stepping away more and more from the traditional power metal style of their early albums, and into something a lot more epic and grandiose.
With a similar sound and production as before, ‘Epica’ sounds as rich and lavish as ‘Karma’. The musicianship is tight, with everyone performing to a high standard, and in particular, praise goes to vocalist Roy Khan for his powerful and emotional performances.
With highlights including ‘The Edge of Paradise’, ‘Center of the Universe’, ‘Lost and Damned’, ‘A Feast For the Vain’ and the beautiful ‘Wander’, there’s an abundance of great tracks here, and if you liked ‘Karma’, there’s no reason you won’t like this. And ultimately, this will lead to the next album, because if you like the direction Kamelot are heading in here, then you’ll certainly love what’s to come…
I’m sure I’m not the only one who spent years believing ‘Cowboys From Hell’ was the bands first release, but alas, here we are, 1983’s ‘Metal Magic’, the true debut of glam metal/future groove metal legends Pantera.
Turns out, before becoming one of the biggest metal bands on the planet, Pantera had released four independent albums, although, unlike the heavy, gritty and downright dirty sound of their 90’s output, these were more on the glam side of things, so expect spandex, songs about partying, “Diamond Darrell”, and dare I say it… keyboards!
But despite being generally reviled by fans and even the band themselves, the truth is, these albums aren’t that bad. ‘Metal Magic’, while not exactly innovating new sounds or breaking down barriers, still has a couple of nice little rockers on it. ‘Tell Me If You Want It’, ‘Ride My Rocket’, ‘Widowmaker’ and ‘Biggest Part of Me’ are all pretty decent hair metal anthems, and considering how young the members were at this time (Dimebag was only 16!), it’s really hard to not be a little impressed.
Just a shame about the naff production.
Overall, this album won’t change your life, and my God, this is completely different from the Pantera which sold millions and millions of albums in the 90’s, so if that’s what you’re expecting then don’t bother. But ultimately this is an interesting listen to see how the band changed and evolved to become what they are, and you may even find yourself liking it.
Considered to be somewhat of a "supergroup", Red Circuit comprises of various musicians and producers who aren't really big names in themselves, but are members or have worked with bands that people might be familiar with, for example, such as Firewind, Elegy, Adagio and Vanden Plas. The results are surprisingly good, as this is a heavy, grooving, adrenaline-fueled album, full of tasty riffs and powerful vocals.
Despite often being referred to as "prog metal", Red Circuit's song arrangements are nowhere near the complexity often associated with the genre. However, they definitely have a sound to their music that prog metal fans should appreciate. That being heavy, crunchy guitars often backed by melodic keyboard melodies, and with Sri-Lanken powerhouse Chity Somapala on vocals, this is a band that have a perfect sound to appeal to fans of most styles of heavy metal.
With ten potential anthems to choose from, there really isn't a shortage of hooks on this album. Opener 'Under the Sun' is easily one of the highlights of the album, and instantly kicks things off with ass-kicking mode turned all the way up to eleven. Other stand-out tracks include 'So Hard to be Like God', 'Search for Your Soul' and the title track 'Trance State', all choc-full of headbanging grooves to get the blood flowing.
For a progressive metal record that won't require a billion listens to become familiar with, Red Circuit's 'Trance State' really is a treat for fans of the genre.
The riffs just really aren’t that exciting, the production sounds "tinny", and the vocals are really annoying. I don't mind high-pitched singing, but this guys inaudible voice is just irritating.
On a positive note, there are a few reasonably catchy chorus’s, and although they help me find a bit of stability in a song that I'm probably not paying much attention to, it’s really not worth listening through a few minutes of generic riffs and uninspired songwriting for the sake of a chorus.
The sad thing is, I actually quite like Elegy. But this album is just so boring and bland. There's countless progressive power metal bands out there, and there's other boring and bland albums that are better than this one. An underrated band, but you wouldn't guess it from hearing 'Lost'.
It’s 2004, and one of the biggest rock bands on the planet, Linkin Park, have collaborated with one of the biggest rappers on the planet, Jay-Z, to produce one of the most shameless and pointless cash-grabs on the planet, ‘Collision Course’.
I mean, I like both artists, and this EP, which basically takes music and lyrics from both artists repertoire and mashes them together, does work at times, but honestly, it is just a shameless attempt to make some dollar, and given the choice I’d much rather just listen to each respective artists work.
But for what it’s worth, since Linkin Park’s music is already fairly rap-oriented, this really is just Linkin Park with a second rapper. Simple. At times the music and lyrics blend well and it’s interesting to hear what amalgamation the musicians have come up with, but at other times, it’s cringe-inducing and cheesy. But as I said before, I’d rather just listen to some actual Linkin Park music, given the choice.
I’m glad it’s not a full-length album, that’s for sure. At 22 minutes in duration (and a “making of” DVD in some cases) it’s a harmless enough EP, but overall this is just a novelty item for fans of either artist.
By 2002, nu metal had peaked. With world domination accomplished, the only way forward was down, and with that, so many bands that were “on top of the world” found themselves quickly discarded and back down from massive festivals to small clubs. And while a handful of groups, most notably Linkin Park, were able to outlive the subgenre, one of the bigger casualties was Californian quartet, Papa Roach.
The Roach’s 2000 major label debut, ‘Infest’, saw the band at the forefront of the scene, with a number of major hit singles, in particular, ‘Last Resort’, transcend the metal genre and branch out to casual radio listeners. In 2000, Papa Roach were arguably one of the biggest bands on the planet. But by the time they released 2002’s follow-up, ‘Lovehatetragedy’, nu metal was in decline, and unfortunately so was the group’s popularity.
Which is a shame, because ‘Lovehatetragedy’ isn’t a bad album, but it’s a clear reflection of where the subgenre was headed. There’s just something about the record that doesn’t quite have the same punch as before. It’s like ‘Infest’ made a huge statement, and now they’re just coasting the waves. Perhaps all the lyrical themes were already passé, or the lack of rapping and more focus on radio-friendly rock took away some of the edge of what originally made the band stand out?
Still, for what it’s worth, this release has its merits. There’s some catchy, hook-laden tracks, and vocalist Jacoby Shaddix has improved as a singer, especially with more melodic-based vocal lines. There's some nice guitar work too, though metal fans quickly tired of nu metals repetitive, de-tuned riffs, I personally think there’s some nice, tight playing here. Songs like ‘Black Clouds’, ‘She Loves Me Not’, ‘Time and Time Again’, ‘Life is a Bullet’, ‘Born With Nothing, Die With Everything’ and ‘M-80 (Explosive Energy Movement)’ are all decent tracks that show that the subgenre still had lots of potential left, even in its dying days.
And while Papa Roach will never reach the same heights they did in 2000, this album shows that they’re actually not as bad as most people will make them out to be.
Celebrating 25 years of arguably their best and most important album, as well as THE album that set the blueprint for all of progressive metal to follow, Dream Theater played the entire ‘Images and Words’ album throughout 2017, and as recorded and released here, this was the performance in Japan, a country which has been very kind to the band over their careers.
With that said, I don’t really know what to make of this. ‘Images and Words’ is without doubt, my favourite album of all time. It changed my life when I first stumbled across it back in 2003 at the age of sixteen, and to this day I still consider every track an absolute masterpiece. And yet, this particular release doesn’t really do anything for me.
I mean, there are some obvious detriments, for one thing, James LaBrie absolutely struggles to sing a lot of this now. Age, and a well-documented vocal incident in the 90’s, hasn’t helped. Of course, being a live recording means that the sound isn’t as polished and clear as the studio album either. Then there’s just the general question… why? Why bother releasing this at all?
The answer is simple. Because there are prog nerds such as myself that would snap this up in an instant, if for no other reason than because it’s another Dream Theater CD! But it’s not all bad, for what it’s worth, ‘Images and Words’ IS indeed an absolute classic, and the band have added a few small touches here and there. It makes the album listenable, but only just.
So with that said, buy it, don’t buy it. Whatever. This is one for the die-hard fans. By all means, if you don’t have ‘Images and Words’ then why are you even reading this? Get the bloody thing! It’s only one of the greatest albums ever! But ‘Images and Words – Live in Japan’… it’s basically what it says it is, and not worth owning unless you’re a nerdy collector like me, who must own everything, then proceeds to never listen to it.
After 2019’s self-titled/untitled album, Rammstein were well and truly one of the biggest metal acts on the planet, joining the elite few that made it out of the arenas and into stadiums. With their stage show known for its huge spectacle, they were on top of the world.
Then COVID happened, and the world came to a standstill, and with nothing to do but write and rehearse (socially distanced, I’m sure), it meant that the German industrialists were quick to release a follow-up to their previous album, and that brings us to 2022’s ‘Zeit’.
With huge amounts of hype, its speculative, cryptic name and controversial music videos (so, all the usual Rammstein traits then), ‘Zeit’ is, admittedly, a pretty average affair. I mean, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad album, but it’s quite a mixed bag, with a fair number of tracks sounding like the band are just on autopilot.
But the good songs? Oh boy… When they get it right, they sound incredibly focused and on point. With their classic blend of heavy, crushing guitars, bright keyboard melodies, humorous lyrics and vocalist Till Lindemann’s deep, baritone voice, the band show that they are indeed still the same Rammstein we all know and love.
While ‘Zeit’ isn’t likely to be anyone’s favourite Rammstein record, tracks like ‘Angst’, ‘Dicke Titten’, ‘Armee Der Tristen’, ‘OK’ and the melancholic closing track, ‘Adieu’ are all good enough reasons to own this album, and ultimately, fans of the band will enjoy the album regardless.
When it comes to the “big four” of thrash metal, I’ve always been a huge fan of Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax, yet, for reasons unexplainable, I’ve never been able to get into Slayer. 1986’s ‘Reign in Blood’ is often hailed as one of the all-time greatest metal albums, though, other than it’s absolutely killer opening and closing tracks, I find the record to be mindless drivel (ooh, controversial...).
Yet here we are; 1988’s ‘South of Heaven’, the album where the band infamously “slowed down”. Admittedly, the songs are a bit more polished here, and the riffs are more than just open-string chugging away. Although the album as a whole is still pretty repetitive, and doesn’t sound any different than anything the band have done before.
Still, I’ll give Slayer their due. ‘South of Heaven’ is better than anything they had released beforehand, and if vocalist Tom Ayara could somehow implement just a little bit of melody in his singing, they could really be onto something. Instead, as always, while the musicianship is of a high standard, I find the vocals tend to just sit on top of the riffs, without really fitting in too well.
If I had to pick any highlights out, I’d say the title track, as well as ‘Silent Scream’, ‘Live Undead’ and ‘Mandatory Suicide’ are all decent enough, and there’s ‘Behind the Crooked Cross’, which I instantly recognized due to its use in 8-bit midi glory in the video game ‘Doom’ (a game I played religiously in my childhood, years before I should have been allowed to). But as is always the case with Slayer, I’m just not that big a fan, and would much rather listen to any other member of the big four.
Formed by former Angra frontman Andre Matos, Shaman is another one of those typical power/progressive metal bands that are pretty unknown and only have small, cult followings to go by. I’d seen ‘Ritual’, their 2002 debut album, pop up on a number of websites such as Amazon and eBay, where it was being compared to prog metal pioneers Dream Theater, and while I was never under any illusion that they were as good or prominent, it just seemed like they were a bit of a cult band that had something special to offer.
Unfortunately they’re not really anything out of the ordinary when it comes to this kind of music.
That’s not to say they’re bad, in fact, ‘Ritual’ took quite a few listens to get used to, but it’s actually a pretty decent album. It’s not overly “progressive”, but is definitely a typical power metal record with fast, upbeat songs (with an almost “happy vibe”), incredible musicianship, and in fairness, Matos vocals are damn impressive too. The tracks are all well produced, and with solid songwriting that takes influences from Brazilian music, it’s an interesting enough debut, if not generic, but still pretty good none-the-less.
Tracks like ‘For Tomorrow’, ‘Distant Thunder’, ‘Time Will Come’, ‘Here I Am’ and the title track are all pretty good songs that are definitely worth a listen if you’re into this kind of thing. While most of them employ the usual traits of the genre, there are a few moments that do make Shaman stand out. ‘For Tomorrow’ has a very nice, tribal sound, with some interesting vocals and guitar work, while ‘Time Will Come’ has some very tasty, speed metal-inspired riffs.
Shaman aren’t anything particularly unique or innovative, and while it took a fair amount of time to get into, I’m glad I stuck it out, because ‘Ritual’ is a pretty solid debut that shows a band that certainly has potential to improve.
Power metal has always been the ginger-haired stepchild of metal. It’s cheesy, and full of corny lyrics about mythical lands and beings going on wondrous adventures. Lame, right? But occasionally, a band comes along who does away with the speed-metal roots and wailing vocals of the genre, and releases something with a bit more depth and substance.
Enter Kamelot, with their fifth studio album, 2001’s ‘Karma’, the group have really hit their stride, with a refined sound and more polished song writing, this is where the band truly begin a streak of strong releases that establishes them as one of symphonic metals true champions.
Building upon what they’d started with 1999’s ‘The Forth Legacy’, ‘Karma’ has a very rich sound that gives the band an amazingly fantastical feel. Brimming with lavish orchestrations and exotic musical influences, Kamelot have slowly stepped away from the medieval themes of past albums and gone for a more varied, worldly sound, and it works well with their upbeat and energetic performances. Special mention must go to vocalist Roy Khan, who’s incredible voice works very well with the music and gives it a warm and wholesome sound.
With highlights such as ‘Forever’, ‘Across the Highlands’, ‘Wings of Despair’, all three parts of a trilogy entitled ‘Elizabeth’, and the beautifully emotional ‘Don’t You Cry’, it’s clear that here is a band who, after a few albums tweaking their sound, have finally found their identity and established a style befitting a band named after the home of the legendary King Arthur. Kamelot may not be for everyone’s tastes, but if you’re okay with a bit of fantasy and majesty in your music, then this is definitely worth checking out.
Who would have ever imagined when Fozzy released their debut album back in 2000, that they'd still be going strong in 2017? It's crazy, right? They're called "Fozzy", and the main attraction of the band is that they're fronted by professional wrestling legend Chris Jericho. But amazingly, not only have the band stood the test of time and persevered, but with 2017's 'Judas', their seventh studio release, they've continued to ride a wave of upwards momentum that shows no sign of slowing down.
Continuing where they left off with previous release 'Do You Wanna Start a War', 'Judas' is full of massive-sounding, stadium rock anthems. The band really started to find their niche when they strayed from their original, more metal-oriented sound, and focused on a more simplified rock-based style, which isn't lacking in huge, sing-along choruses and plenty of keyboard/electronic elements for an added touch.
Vocalist Chris Jericho (the greatest of all time, you stupid idiot!) has really come into his own, and his abilities as a singer, and especially as a performer, have really helped elevate Fozzy over the years. Even more so when backed by Rich Wards thunderous guitar riffs, which has one of the best tones in rock today! While the members of the band have certainly never been known for their virtuoso musical prowess, it's the more stripped down and simplified approach they've taken over the years that has accentuated their strengths as songwriters.
Standout songs include the title track (which has gone on to become one of Fozzy's biggest and highest-charting singles), 'Drinking With Jesus', 'Elevator', 'Three Days in Jail', and the incredibly catchy and infectious 'Burn Me Out', which perfectly encapsulates the essence of what Rich Ward jokingly referred to as "detuned dance music".
'Judas' is a fantastic album, and demonstrates a band who, like a fine wine, improve with age. The amazing thing is, Fozzy haven't even peaked yet.
As a long-time fan of progressive metal, Opeth was a band name that kept popping up. I knew the day would come that I'd have to give them a shot, so where better to start than what seems to be one of their more highly-praised albums; 'Blackwater Park'.
Now, the whole doom and gloom death metal shouting has never really been my cup of tea. I can tolerate it in small doses, and when used in certain contexts it can be very effective, but too much of it is, well, too much! And Opeth have a lot of it!
But if I need to, I can look past that. And in this case, I can (just about) tolerate it, because Opeth have some incredible guitar acrobatics going on! The guitar riffs are so complex and intricate, there's a lot of things going on but at no point does any of it become overbearing. It sounds dark and gritty, but there's some really intelligent riffs going on here.
There are times when vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt sings cleans, and these are some of the more stand-out moments for me. And with some pretty amazing musicianship displayed in pieces like 'Bleak', 'The Funeral Portrait' and 'Harvest', there are some songs worth coming back to. Even if the singing is nothing more than unintelligible gibberish.
Opeth will never be my favourite band, and 'Blackwater Park' won't be an album I intend to go back to very often. But for what it is, it hasn't deterred me from sticking with the Swedish band for a while longer.
After the ridiculously ambitious albums 'Nightfall in Middle Earth' and 'A Night at the Opera', I think it's fair to say that Blind Guardian deserved a bit of a break, and so here we have 'A Twist in the Myth', a release that saw the band break away from the ten-minute songs brimming with multiple vocal harmonies and orchestrations, to instead, focus on more easily accessible compositions, that still maintain the bands signature sound.
Blind Guardian's trademark take on power and progressive metal is in full effect here, not being diminished by the more stripped-down and laid back approach. There's still plenty of guitar harmonies and epic vocal performances, and the evident folk influences gives this record a more upbeat and energetic feel than previous releases. It's a good starting point for those who are deterred by serious, Tolkien-inspired concept albums.
There's a couple of filler songs that prevent this from getting five stars, but otherwise it's an all-round solid effort. Songs like 'Another Stranger Me', 'Fly', 'Turn the Page', 'This Will Never End' and 'Straight Through the Mirror' are all great tracks that can easily go next to any of the bands bigger pieces without seeming out of place. However, ambitious, over-the-top epics is where Blind Guardian really flourish, and as it is, while 'A Twist in the Myth' is a great album, it'll never be their best.