Coming of age, means either getting matured ,vintage, more prolific or getting tired and repeating yourself. SABATON with album number 11, succeed to keep the flame alive without repeating themselves to the maximum. The Swedes are among the few bands responsible for rejuvenating European power metal almost as much as HELLOWWEN did with their all men reunion. They have their issues with the history, military dress up etc, but i like that Swedes are so much into military history and more close to reality,than lets say MANOWAR and ancient history/mythology. At least SABATON sings about history inspired themes and remembers to write decent songs after 11 albums, something MANIOWAR have forgot to do for decades.
Back to the "Legends', it is definitely not a legendary album. It has the casual, usual SABATON elements, chorus backing vocals, anthemic feeling, razor edged guitars plus some more modern beats at a A Tiger Among Dragons one of my favorites as it stand sout with its different almost "dance beat".Templars", "Hordes of Khan" and "Crossing the Rubicon" are as heavy,melodic and anthemic as someone would expect from SABATON. "I, Emperor" is the stand out track in my not so humble opinion with Joakim Brodén giving a great performance,delivering its line with passion and emotion.The albums has the Swedish moment "Till seger", the in your face feeling songs "Maid of Steel" , "Impaler". "The Duelist" and a highly polished production to add more depth to the epic feeling.
It may not change the world of music ,but represent a band at its peak with some nice new songs that would be great additions to their live playlist. Prepare your guns for the attack,SABATON are coming.
Udo Dirkschneider comes with a bunch of old friends to prove to us he is made of metal. He may add some nice female vocals, slow down the beat in a few tracks, but the metal heart is still alive and pounding at its best. So for those of you who love the ACCEPT sound of "Metal heart" and the first U.D.O albums, this one is a winner.Twin teutonci nourished metal guitars thanks tocStefan Kaufmann Guitars, Vocals (backing) and Mathias "Don" Dieth Guitars, Vocals (backing) , a rhythm section tighter then J.Lo ass feat Sven Dirkschneider Drums, Vocals (backing)and Peter Baltes Bass, Vocals, Vocals (backing) an a band writing anthemic songs,what more can you ask for? Add to the top of all those Manuela "Ella" Bibert Vocals, Vocals (backing) who's vocals gives extra depth and a more modern metal touch and you have a clear winner.
The variety is almost typical of an 80s metal album, hellraisers like the AC/DC,ACCEPT inspired "Hell breaker", metal anthems i.e "Metal songs", mid tempo caterpillars "Babylon" and the ballad with the female vocals giving the extra mile 'Strangers in paradise", the dark mid tempo "Propaganda", the in your face "The Law of a Madman" and " Batter the Power", lean, mean ,miron fists,, the epic closer "Beyond the End of Time" along with the icebreaker "Two to tango", the essence of this collaboration, where Udo,female vocals and the old gang relive the past glories in future tense,intense and successful.Sometimes you don't have to change the recipe when it is successful.
Udo, keeps the best collaborators, he could just add Wolf Hoffman to have an ACCEPT reunion, add a powerhouse in the face of Manuela "Ella" Bibert on Vocals, keep the twin guitar attack, the anthemic backing vocals and show everyone where bands like SABATON got their first inspiration. A hell of an album, the old men rule.
Finnish metalers come out of the darkness and the clouds with another diversified album. Metal, goth and psychedelic melodies combined with Northern folk elements create an amalgam hard to resist at.
"Bones" is a dark, heavy song,reminiscent of dancing shadows invading your world with atmospheric vocals that lead to an epic, Goth influenced, metal track. On "Fog To Fog," we have the Finnish folk elements, A tribute to their past and the days of "My Cantele", while at "Tempest," the song has a cinematic point of view, filled with the essence of the North,the Viking heritage and grandiose arrangements. AMORPHIS keep the epic pace as they move in to "Light And Shadow," an up tempo, majestic track driven by great riffs and unforgettable melodies.The title track is a heavy song, heavier and less melodic then its predecessors with a tasty mix of brutal and clean vocals, up tempo and vigorous. If you get the special edition you ll have the chance to listen to ""Rowan And The Cloud", a psychedelic metal song where THE DOORS influences at the keyboards draw all attention.
As usual AMORPHIS have their own sound, this time balancing between the folk influences and the more gothic/metal sound of the later years. Tomi Joutsen does a great job at lead vocals, while the guitar duo of Holopainen and Koivusaari are riff productive machines plus the ever present with its tasteful contribution, Keyboard player Santeri Kallio
For those of you who are in to the Fins dark, melodic, metal, their new work won't disappoint, on the contrary based on tits strong melodies will gain more fans to the friend of the Northern melodic, Metal sound.
FM keeps on rockin 'and rollin. New album "Brotherhood" has all the ingredients that made the British band sustainable in time and musical style changes and succesful. A deep love for FM Rock, Soul,MOTOWN,STAX but also STYX along with excellent guitars and strong melodies.
They move easily from the sugar coated AOR/FM rock to groovy hard rock and Soul infused radio rock,They re always on target with Steve Overland proving constantly and repeatedly that he is the most underrated Blues/soul influenced signer of his generation and a great successor to Paul Rodgers along with Luke Moprley/Danny Bowes of THUNDER. A touch of the melodic hand of STYX, and the deep groove of STAX along the FM sensitivities, create another winner for the British melodic rock band.
"Do you mean it" is a groovy , piano led blues rockler with Jeff Healy touches all over it."Time waits for no one", is a strong FM rock song in the vein of FOREIGNER,"Raised on the wrong side: has the MOTOWN/STAX influences ,a soul groove and a remarkable guitar solo at the end of the song, uplifting and inspired.Stand out track is definitely "Living on the run" with its 80s influences, that makes it the perfect vehicle for free care listening."Don't call it love" is an up tempo muscular rocker in the vein of early Bryan Adams "Because of you" is also a rocker but with the 80s stamp all over it.The inner THUNDER/B.Adams ballad man comes out in "Just walk away" a mid tempo, sentimental piece of music.'"Chasing freedom" has the Tom Petty freedom, uplifting feeling of songs like "Learning to fly" "The name within" closes the album with a more modern melodic rock approach, bringing to the FM sound, influences from the 90s and the alternative scene,showing everybody the complexity and versatility of the band.In conclusion,
FM have another winner under the belt and we have another album, that deserves our attention and love.Catch them live whenever you can, they are even better than the studio.
Hot on his "My years with UFO' tour Michael Schenker returned with another hard (most of the time) rocking album with as he efers in his last albums, more than one singer.Erik Grönwall is the main lead man here but we have participation by the usual suspects Michael Voss (he also handles the production next to MS himself),Robin McAuley, Dimitri “Lia” Liapakis plus as usual Bodo Schopf (drums), Barend Courbois (bass), and Steve Mann (guitar, keys).
The album opens with "Don’t Sell Your Soul"a classic up tempo rocker,and first "single' reminding a bit of his 70s work with UFO."Danger Zone" has a more 80s FM rock feeling, MSG is well known from the McAuley years on their AOR achievements.Next comes "Eye of the storm" , an up tempo Hard rocker that winks at the best MSG album ever ,yes "Assault attack"and then we have the first disappointment with "Janey the Fox", a groovy,creepy track with streetwise feeling that never manages to take off or be too sensational and atmospheric., a blank one Michael., "I Can’t Stand Waiting' on the other hand is the perfect blend of Scandinavian melodic rock and Schenker melodic feeling and is a definite winner."Sign of the Times" is melodic heavy rock ,loaded with commericality , quite interesting but not standing out., with "its you" a real tribute to his UFO days." Six String Shotgun" is a fast paced rocker, but we could leave without it while "Flesh and Bone" has the twelve bar rock n roll sing all over it , and a feeling of up beatness, an interesting choice for Schenker's repertoire.
The result is another melodic,heavy rock album, with outstanding melodic lines by Schneker and interesting songwriting, although as at most of his later works, he seems undecided on the direction he wants to take as songwriter.But is always Michael Schenker and he knows how to rocks.
Prog in the way 70s used to call it, VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR, FOCUS, KAMEL are all here in a mid tempo, slow burning prog alum, that let Lucassen shows another side of him, that AYREON didn't let him expose in full. Melodic, sentimental, shoe gazing (sometimes) compositions are always well crafted from a man who lives and breathes for progressive rock. Along with Mikael Akerfeldt of OPETH and Steven Wilson of PORCUPINE TREE, these three musicians are the epitome of progressive rock aficionados of the 70s in the 21st century. Arjen just pays tribute to his idols and influences, never getting bored ,to slow down and let simplicity and emotions take over technical proficiency and complexity. Note that the album is a pop album. It has the melancholy and time absence that albums by KAMEL, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD, dare to challenge time duration and song structure, all in order to create the right feeling for the listener. As the Bandcamp page notes "This is the soundtrack to humanity’s final days – chaos, humor, and raw emotion collide!Experience a guitar-driven, modern, and more prog-oriented sound, evoking the energy and feeling of his earlier Ayreon work while maintaining a tight, conceptually focused narrative!" .
The help of a number of musicians that usually won't appear in a traditional progressive metal orr metal album like Ben Mathot – Violin, Jeroen Goossens – Flute, Jurriaan Westerveld – Cello plus Koen Herfst – Drums,Irene Jansen – Vocals, Joost van den Broek – Hammond and Mike Mills – Narration. Lucassen takes over Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Keyboards to accomplish his target. A concept album that creates atmosphere and focuses on melodies and lyrics, beyond orchestration and complex time keeping. He has the additional help of Floor Jansen – Vocals, - Robert Soeterboek – Vocals, - Marcela Bovio – Vocals, Peter Daltrey – Spoken Word/Narration, Patty Gurdy – Hurdy-Gurdy creating the perfect blend between AYREON, NIGHTWISH and his personal vision.
"Goddamn Conspiracy" is progressive rock of the 70s with metal influences,, KANSAS and CITIES with violin take over in reminiscent in "Our Final Song" , an epic song lasting 14 minutes and a tribute to his influences,the 70s and his artistic journey,with echoes of QUEEN, female and male vocals duelling and mesmerizing, a multi layer, epic, stand out track."We'll Never Know"feat. Floor Jansen is another mid tempo, powerful prog rock elegy with Jansesn taking the emotional lead."The Universe Has Other Plans","Dr. Slumber's Blue Bus","Just Not Today" are all small 70s inspired progressive rock masterpieces, elegant, mid tempo and trippy. An album that is more a personal tribute and testimony of an artist living in a collapsing world who decides to be outvert with innerversion to his influences and past, in the most articulate way. A must for the 70s prog rock fans of JETHRO TULL, KANSAS,CITIES, FOCUS and of course early AYREON.
Sweden's latest all female metal band returns with an album that oozes love for Dio,METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST. Strong, guitar driven metal hymns, with the melodic edge of early Dio and the riff homage that made METALLICA famous is what the fuss is all about.
The vocal delivery from Laura Guldemond is as always top notch and songs like "High priestess of the night" and the"Burn in hell" are great examples that the band is improving in sogworting from album to album, knowing not only to keep the metal flame alive but bringing above average songwriting to the front.
Twin guitar attack delivered by Romana Kalkuhl and Courtney Cox owes a lot to MAIDEN,DIO and modern metal riff masters,creating highly explosive guitar sections that drive the songs to metal frenzy.The steady and groovy rhythm section of Jay Grob/Bass and Lala Frischknecht/ Drums provides the solid base for the band to write, heavy and memorable songs.
So check their new work if you like European, guitar driven heavy metal, with love and dedication for big ,fat riffs and a strong urge for metalic melody.
Old rockers never retire, they just keep on, playing, headbanging and writing tuies abotu rocjk, metal, open roads and freedom. So if you're familiar with late days THE RODS you know that MOTORHEAD, DIO, 80s metal are all in good measures in their music.
Heavy guitars and stripped down metal voice courtesy of David “Rock” Feinstein. , strong, solid and groovy rhythm section with human mountain Carl Canedy – drums and time keeper Freddy Villano – bass guitar , Their latest work is as cliche as it can be with titles like "Rock ‘n’ Roll Fever"and "Time to Rock" but if you're in to 80s metal, then this could be a pro more than a con. Don't expect double bass drums,triggering, low tune guitars and complicated timing. If your idea of good music has among its best albums, the 82-86 IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, Ted Nugent ,PICTURE albums,. the latest effort from THE RODS will reward you.
Songs like"Eyes of a Dreamer","Wild Dogs Unchained", "Make Me a Believer" are Cobra Kai material, new metal songs to drive you through the memory lane. If you can skip the lyric cliche this is an album that will bang your head listening to it.
Another work from prolific guitarist/Vocalsit Phil Vincent, a more concept in the loose sense of term album, with treason being the main idea. Phil has read by heart and knows how to imply the songwriting book of Marg Magnold and DRIVE SHE SAID/TOUCH.
'The melodic, monster riffs he comes with and have Vince O’Regan bringing them to life are edgy, raw and still silk, a combination of high addictiveness, melody and guitar driven power.In addition to his own songs we have two covers of" Do it Good" (by TYGERS OF PAN TANG) from their much acclaimed 'Wild nights" album, in a more Radio oriented, still guitar driven rendition and "Theme from a Summer Place", written by Max Steiner, an unusual choice,that shows another more emotional side of Phil.
Song after song we follow the treason stories, traitorous, betrayals all dressed up in some well crafted melodic Hard rock, that cries out to be played at FM radio and arenas. Stand outs are "Betrayer","Nobody's Fault" and"Now, You Know", to name but a few. With a slick production and a tight band supporting this new project,
Phil is once more hitting bullseye, waiting for the wider recognition to bang his door, rather than left betrayed ,but still the excellent songs and music will remain.
A great, yet underrated guitar player, versatile, melodic, jazzy and heavy when he feels the composition needs it. Andy Timmons was the guitar player for DANGER DANGER but has a strong body of solo works in the last decades. In this his latest effort he continues to mix guitar shredding, jazz complexity, melodic rock and a love for the 90s maestros, especially Macalpine and Satriani and a sweet tooth for Michale Schenker and his taste for melody.. His personal sound has strong influences from melodic guitarists like Schenker, Roth and Macalpine but has a more US approach to the whole sound.
'Recovery ' covers a lot of territories from laid back jazz, soundtrack music to shredding but is most of all a healing album, letting the listener go with the flow.As Timmons himself states , “Healing is a constant we all navigate. And of course, music is the key to all this: It has been my safe place to express and heal throughout my life.”. This phrase, represents the spirit of the album
Timmons reconvened with the players who contributed to Electric Truth in 2021 for the Recovery sessions: Lemar Carter (Joe Bonamassa) on drums, Travis Carlton (Robben Ford, Steve Gadd, Larry Carlton) on bass, Deron Johnson (Miles Davis, Stanley Clarke, Alanis Morrissette) on keyboards and Jeff Babko (Steve Lukather, Larry Carlton, Jimmy Kimmel Show) on keyboards.
He moves swiftly from opening jazzy "Elegy For Jeff" to "Recovery" with its Middle East influences and the Macalpine tone . His sound is versatile depending on the feeling and his purpose, never letting the listener distract. He even has a song with vocals to spice things up a bit in".Something Good’s Gonna Come" a slow melodic rock tune with CHEAP TRICK and pop rock, written all over it.
"Love > Hate" is a tune with cinematic climax and a strong main melody, "Where Did You Go" has an Italian aroma, "Between Brothers' is an up tempo, high speed fusion rock tune, then some fingerpicking on "Lost In This World" a mid tempo ballad, groove and swing at "It Doesn’t Mean Anything", slow jazz moves at "Why Must It Be So", a tribute to Schneker at the epic "Almost Home" and for the closing,a slow pace cinematic instrumental, "Arizona Sunset" with a killer vibrato.
If you are aware of his work, just listen to the new album, you know his high standards. If you don't know this guitar player extraordinaire and you are into melodic rock and jazz /fusion guitar playing get a grip on him, you won't be disappointed.
These guys live and breathe for the DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW of the golden days and they know how to write more than decent songs.Up tempo hard rockers that could be easily at "Burn", "Stormbringer" or 'Down to earth" albums by a band that love the 70s and prove it in evernote they play.Graham Bonnet and his sound has been a driver for the band, who doesn't imitate but create new, exceptional tunes.
Following three acclaimed studio albums and recording sessions in iconic locations like Abbey Road, NIGHTHAWK return in 2025 with their latest album, “Six Three O” It was captured at the legendary Rockfield Studios in Wales - where classics by Queen and Oasis were once born - and once again brings together a stellar lineup of Swedish rock powerhouses.
Led by Robert Majd (Captain Black Beard, Metalite) on guitars, NIGHTHAWK features Björn Strid (Soilwork, The Night Flight Orchestra) on vocals, John Lönnmyr (The Night Flight Orchestra) on keyboards, Rasmus Ehrnborn (Soilwork, The Night Flight Orchestra) on bass, and Magnus Ulfstedt (Black Paisley) on drums. The album was produced by Sverker Widgren (Portal, October Tide), continuing the trusted collaboration that shaped their previous Mighty Music release “Prowler” (2023).
Opener track "Hard Rock Warrior" is exactly what the title describes, a stormy Graham Bonnet era, hard rocker, an in your face punch "Wrong Side Of Desire" is like RAINBOW get themselves Jon Lord to fill their sound with his organ playing, while at "Home Tonight" DEEP PURPLE meets the Scandinavian melodic rock school to give birth to an epic sound tune."Angel Of Mine" has the fire of 'Burn" an up tempo, hard rocker that takes no prisoners.while the pace slows at "Can’t Say Goodbye" a mid tempo, epic, emotional mid tempo ballad.After that small moment of rest comes another gatecrasher in the face of "I Am The Night" with some furious Hammond playing..
Overall the album is a living tribute to the DEEP PURPLE/RAINBOW days through new and powerful, memoprable compositions. Add to this a cover of " Man On The Silver Mountain" by RAINBOIW and you have one of the best retro/non retro,70s inspired/Scandinavian born and raised, Hard rock album of 2025 with Björn Strid proving how versatile , vocal powerhouse is in another unforgettable delivery.
US power metal reigns supreme as long as Geoff Thorpe manages to find the suitable singer. New album for VR, their 14th and they do what they know best. Deliver fast, furious yet melodic US power metal. At the end of the day VICIOUS RUMORS are among the pioneers of the genre along with SAVATAGE, LIEGE LORD, LIZZY BORDEN, ARMORED SAINT, METAL CHURCH.
They still keep going strong and with an insatiable appetite they write songs like"Dogs of war" ( a song about today's world in flames condition , with painful lyrics, at last musicians who talk about today's issues.), "High hell hammer"and "" Wrong Side of Love" that will stand the test of time. You will find a bit more complex, melodic elements like prime time QUEENSRYCHE a t" Dogs of War" or a bit more "commercial" or shall I say crowd pleasing moments at "Wrong Side of Love" but then the core of VR is power metal influenced by the 80s mega bands and delivered in true metalic fashion.How many bands can you mention that start their album with an iron fist like "Bloodbath" and keep the pace at the same uptempo with songs like "Crack the Sky in Half," "In Blood We Trust", "The Devil's Asylum", with foot on the pedal till the end of the album, like a bunch of 20 years old metal heads, at their first album recoring.Larry Howe ,thundering drumming help to support the aggressiveness of their new work.New singer Chalice shines as also the great guitar work of Thorpe and Cooper with their trademark harmonies and exchange of licks.
For those who like the aforementioned bands and also LETHAL, LEATHERWOLF and the great US power metal scene of the 90s , waste your time looking for copies of the old albus.VICIOUS RUMORS are still holding the torch and showing the way, playing US power metal with intensity, technical proficiency and most and above all ,down to earth, a wrecking ball that demolishes everything.
Greek folk-traditional/metal band P.I.P. returns with their latest effort. While musically they continue to play heavy metal in the vein of the 80s/90S Classic sound,they continue to surpise adding elements from the Greek folk scene and make their own great rendition of Greek folk (Rembetiko) song of "Kaixi".
Their tendency to add more and more melody, folk,traditional elements and guitars, create unique examples such as "How to breathe" where Gary Moore will smile from up in the skies. Their passion is all over the album and one of their strongest elements, the vocals of Yolanna Galani who have a distinctive color of their own, makes P.I.P. a unique experience. While songs like "How to breathe" show another face with 90s alternative influences reminiscent of another great Greek 90s alternative band MAKE BELIEVE. They have their own distinctive sound, in the same way SKYCLAD used to carry the folk metal torch in the 90s.'Erase me" is a song with strong Celtic influences, with pipes etc. "Amnesia"is an epic song with folk influences and still a great heavy metal tune, a combination of the two worlds that P.I.P.stands for.
They won't imitate, but on the contrary incorporate elements from the musicians they have been influenced by and are vital part of their sound, melting them with the characteristic voice of. Galani."Sirens call" has incorporated musical elements of Pontos , Pontian lyra etc creating a unique atmosphere. Stand out tracks like "Kaixi", "Erase me", "How to Breathe" are proof of P.I.P. musical vision, a unique, metal but not conventional result.
]
The album is closing with "Mothers lament" a song that stands out not only musical but also for its lyrics,a story of uncertainty, of life in our troubled times,having to raise children, in times of war and desperation, showing that P.I.P. are more than just another metal band. They are a bunch of musicians who have strong feelings, anguish, fear and doubts for today's world status and wont fear to talk about it.
Sometimes the band's name is self explanatory on what you are going to listen to.(Hope wont have to remind anyone,the classic JUDAS PRIEST album, that lend band its name) So if you're in to the 80s JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, early HELLOWEEN, this is the album for you. A side project of THERION has the high level of musicianship and also the fan feeling all over the album.
From the opening, in your face, all gun blazing heavy metal thunder "Heavy Metal Shakedown", to the more "I'm in love with my car-QUEEN' I in its metal version "I'm in Love with My Tank" with clever lyrics and twin guitars ,they play Heavy metal. More complex, or epic as in " The Time Machine" or just plain, simple and heavy, ready for stadium sing along as in " Darkside Brigade" and "Intruder", DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH enjoy this album as a tribute to the artists taht made them ,what they are. It is touching to see well known musicians ,paying tribute to their musical heroes and genres by not covering but rewriting musical history, with new tunes ,that step on the marks of the metal Giants of the 80s. As the album title says, Odes to the Gods written and sung by their most loyal, faithful Defenders of their faith.
For those of you who have seen THERION and Thomas Vikstrom ending their shows with covers, you know the man's incredible voice and versatility. Here he shines once more in songs tailormade for one of the most charismatic metal singers in Scandinavia. As for Christofer Johnsson, his love for the golden days of 80S metal, JUDAS PRIEST AND IRON MAIDEN is undeniable, so add a bit of ACCEPT to the recipe and you have an album for the those of you who still cant get off the 80s and want it new, heavy and fast.
When the brand is Swedish and the genre is melodic hard rock, you know it's guaranteed success, most of the time. In 'Chasing Danger' CBB chased the success and hit bullseye. With hooks and choruses that are more addictive than sweat in the summer heat in Europe, the band delivers first class melodic rock.
You have the BON JOVI influences of the first three albums, the West Coast influences, bands like TOUCH,DRIVE SHE SAID, but also HARDLINE, SIGNAL, TYKETTO, the classic melodies of STYX,LOVERBOY , some real 80s pop/Italo Disco injections to mellow the whole thing with groove and most and above all the songwriting of CBB.
In modern AOR you have hit single machines like ECLIPSE and also bands like CBB who know how to develop a melodic riff to a more than decent tune. With standout tracks "When It's Over", "Piece Of Paradise" , and "Can't You See", "Chasing Danger" is an exercise in melodic rock and good taste. It might be their seventh album,and first with new singer Fredrik Vahlgren but they deliver with passion and fire. Check them out if you don't have them until now.
Album number two for the collaboration of one of the most underrated voices in Hard rock music, Jeff Scott Soto and ex MEGADETH bass player Ellefson. The combination may look awkward in the paper, but in reality it serves a lot the heaviest side of Soto. Don't forget his work with"Biker Mice from Mars", "SOUL SirkUS", his solo SOTO works and Malmsteen.
The album is a killer of ,heavy riff, modern metal music (owes a lot to PANTERA,FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) ,monster where the aggressiveness in the songwriting meets a more modern, low tuned, heavy riffing letting Sotto deliver his inner metal fan. There are stand out songs like "SOAB" and "Shout", up tempo but also with the Sotto pomp element combined with the more metalic edge of Ellefson and also some support from other artists at the vocal department in "Poison Tears" (featuring Laura Guldemond ofBURNING WITCHES) and "Vengeance" (featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens of KK’s Priest) ,the last as a double bass drum waterfall that crashes everything along its way."Snakes And Bastards" are among the stand out tracks, heavy,aggressive and grandiose, thanks to Sotto's melodic delivery, while "It’s Over When I Say It’s Over", has a catchy and dominating chorus.
The duo Ellefson-Soto is joined by Italian guitarist Andy Martongelli and Paolo Caridi on drums , a modern, stripped down production to create a modern heavy metal album with an in your face feeling.
For those of you who follow Soto alla around his career and have in mind the "Vacation in the underworld", this album comes as a colorful and meaningful addition to Soto's vast discography, showing his musical diversity and metal origin.
Daron Malakiαn and the SCARS ON BROADWAY-"Addicted to violence'
Nothing more, nothing less, than the always diversifying and experimenting Malakian, from the aggressive opener "Killing Spree", to the SOAD alike "Done me wrong" , with its eastern scales,with the more mid pace "Satan Husein" always chick in tongue, he proves old habits die hard.
But as usual Daron challenges himself with a mid tempo, almost darkwave epic and one of the stand out tracks "The shame game" shows the man and his band has no limits when it comes to create music as they envisaged it, beyond borders and genre limitations. A mesmerizing track that ooze fear and revenge."Destroy the Power" has an intense political message, sharp riffs and middle Eastern feeling, another winner, that grows slowly as does the main,middle East melody, covered in spikes. Malakian has an opinion and the courage to express it in a world that tries to shut up ,free spirits, talking about the power and the abuse of the mass regimes."Your lives burn" has a punk rock feeling and equally "disturbing" lyrics. "Imposter" has that metal feeling that had the work of Biafra with D.O.A, heavy ,staccato riffs, that are blended with the funky, rhythmic parts that SOAD incorporate to make metal a bit more "different" for the average fan, a unique blend that captivates the ear and make the listener , gaze with surprise,on what diversity, really means, in the days of plastic music.leaving the lyrics as the final blow.
Suddenly "You destroy you", a MOR song, that has nothing to do with the rest of the musical context of the previous songs, but has the violence (introvert this time) as a common denominator, giving a reason to let your hair down before the next act of violence. "Watch That Girl" moves in the same direction, more up tempo but with a 90s alternative feeling in it, a warning to lethal relationships and girlfriends. The tenth song of the album is "Addicted To The Violence", a self explanatory hand grenade that blows the rest of the listener to pieces, in an epic grandiose way, that reminds SOAD and FNM, in a mid pace, escalating paean.
An album that has its heart upon its sleeve, speaking Daron's truth with no fear or prejudice and becomes even more vital after the assassination of Charlie Kirk
80s hair metal alive and well. Musicians like Brazilian (world traveler) Danny Veras are not reviving a bygone era, they breath fresh air to the genre, writing from the start, new songs, feeling the ulse and rocking the good old,fashion LA way.he new album ‘Can’t stop the Rock” is his 3rd solo effort, that also was co- written and produced by Paul Sabu. Sabus collaboration explains easily, the style and the album direction, into melodic, guitar driven, 80s hard rock The title track was co-written with the late Frankie Banali. On board are Linkan Andersson on guitar (Secret Society, Methods of Mayhem, Tony Mills), Barry Sparks on bass (Dokken, Michael Schenker, UFO…Yngwie).
"Playin with fire" is a track straight out of the 80s songbook with a nice guitar solo , and additional heaviness on the chorus, so you can't call it plain aor. Can't Stop the Rock is an in your face , anthemic rocker, that could use some extra vocal power in the chorus , POISON is written as main influence all over the "I want you forever" ballad, a song that has all the elements, acoustic guitars, piercing solo and honey dripped melody. 'Keep the faith" goes the same direction, with some decent influence from Bon Jovi solo works, western,country and classic rock, up tempo and rocking.
"Devil's garden" has a VOODOO X aroma , a mid tempo , dark rocker that stands out ."its crazy" has the JOURNEY school of melodic rock stamp all over it ,while "Darlin" is another 80s ,honey soaked tyle mid tempo ballad."Misery" is another melodi rock mid tempo, while "Rich woman" gets a bit more uptempo, a twelve bar inspired rocker,that chorus reminds of 80s and for some reason Ian Gillan Band "Woman from Tokyo".
At the end of the day, Veras.is true to his musical beliefs and although the production could be a bit crunchier, he gives us an album full of 80s inspired US melodic rock/AOR, that you listen to with no regret.
Joe Stump’s Tower of Babel – Days of Thunder (Silver Lining Music)
US neoclassical maestro Joe Stump followed the steps of Malmsteen, Impellitteri and now is a vital member of ALCATRAZZ. At the same time he presents his new solo work, where he continues what he does best. Speed up versions of RAINBOW inspired songs, with excellent guitar parts and much aggressiveness.
"Days of thunder' is an excellent piece of neoclassical metal with Graham Bonnet overtones at the voice of the gifted Jo Amore, a typical,yet substantial neo classical thunder.He gathered a band of seasoned and capable musicians who know how to perform speed, melodic,neoclassical metal without losing the feeling, Jo Amore on vocals , Mark Cross (drums, backing
vocals), Mistheria (keyboards), Nic Angileri (bass). “Blind Are Your Eyes” has a WHITESNAKE /VIRGIN STEELE feeling at their more passionate, slow burning times and its a nice deviation from the fast speed, fretwork of Stump, giving his band a chance to loosen up and be more atmospheric. "Alone in the desert" has the famous middle east sentiment that was introduced to us by Mr Blackmore and Stump knows how to strip it down to its basic, more dark and metallic form, a slow,mid tempo, scorpion who waits for the right moment to sting you. Next song "In the heat of the night" is a fine example of how melodic rock tries to be bit catchy, reminding Impellitteri ,especially at the vocal harmonies, of the chorus, a nice attempt to be "commercial" with a catchy riff.
Sacrifice" is an in your face, neoclassical metal song, nothing to remember, nothing to forget, a decent in your face attack."Trust me" is a slow, monstrous, in the vein of "Mistreated", with a crawling, blood thirsty riff and a groovy rhythm section, delivering a heavy rock cornerstone for the album.Closing track, is another 70s (RAINBOW infused) hard rocker with some great Hammond addition and a nice up tempo ace that gives Stump another chance to deploy his guitar shredding talents.
Overall , a recommended album for fans of RAINBOW, IMPELLITTERI, ALCATRAZZ, Malmsteen and neoclassical metal in general, with nice, memorable compositions and solid performances.
Magic Power: All Star Tribute to Triumph (Round Hill records)
Tributes most of the time is a clever way for the remaining record companies to milk the love of the fans ,for bands not active any more,adding some of the most curious names in the metal genre usually who sing from Sinatra to SLAYER with the same ease and apathy for the final result. In our youtube days where this kind of collaboration especially after the Covid lockdown made it familiar to a wider audience, tribute album seem to fade as a tactic. But here we have a tribute album for one of the best Canadian hard rock bands and definitely along with Pat Travers and Frank Marino among the most underrated. So is this tribute worth listening and investing in? I'm saying yes from the start. Despite who sings what, the songs stand the time and the different kind,style, range of vocalists who all , i must admit try the best to present a decent result It is the quality of TRIUMPHs songwriting that helps the singers and musicians to just give a more contemporary, metal sometimes feeling in these classic tunes.
The opener brief intro of “24 Hours A Day” which appropriately segues into “Rock And Roll Machine”. Both sung by Sebastian Bach, who gives a more metalic edge to the song accompanied by another underrated guitar player, Bumblefoot who knows how to fill in for Rik Emmett's enormous shoes.“In Magic Power” who find another familiar face in AOR,melodic rock covers, although in his day job he is more thrashy, Mr is l. Joey Belladonna from ANTHRAX who makes a captivating high note performance. Other participants include Starship‘s Mickey Thomas singing the rocking “Spellbound”. with Phil X on guitars and backing vocals . Dee Snider is convincing handling the lead vocals for “Lay It On The Line” while Paul Gilbert gets his own interpretation of the guitar parts. Next in line is Lawrence Govan ( STYX), with “Somebody’s Out There”,with REO SPEEDWAGON’s Dave Amato covers the lead guitar parts in a more pop oriented song that fits them both as a glove.
“Never Surrender” one of my personal favorites ,has Deen Castronovo’s (JOURNEY) vocal delivery, Tony Franklin’s funky bass, Brooks Wackerman on drums, and Justin Derrico’s on guitar getting the pop rock feeling of the 80s in the best sense.A climaxing groove song that culminates on the chorus. Jeff Keith (TESLA) another unusual choice is singing “Hold On” with a more down to earth approach.CHICAGO 's Jason Scheff takes his turn on “Just One Night”, a mid tempo 80s ballad, delivered straight for the MTV audience. I “I Live For The Weekend” with Slash is t Nita Strauss, and Phil X on rhythm guitars. has Dorothy and Tyler Connolly on the vocals in a ZZ TOP ed version of one of my favorite TRIUMPH songs, less anthemic, more guitar driven, it's all a matter of choice and perception.
Then we hit one of the most unexpected arrangements of the beloved “Fight The Good Fight” featuring Nancy Wilson (HEART) on lead vocals. It has a moody feeling, a laid back 70s comfortness, that suits their rendition of the song."Follow your heart" with Jack Blades on vocals and Reb Beach on guitars., is a perfect tribute in the glory AOR 80s days, anthemic and heavier than the original, still missing the original's crushing vocal harmonies. Allied Forces” with Phil X, is ok, we could live without it, and didn't regret listening to it.
ENVY OF NONE's take on “Blinding Light Show” is among the real attempts to cover an 80s band by some modern musicians and the result is an interesting, modern, seductive,hazy, different and interesting point of view to a classic melodic hard rock tune. The end of the album includes a bonus
track , “Fight The Good Fight” , featuring Dino Jelusick on lead vocals in a more rockier, heavier and in my opinion, more attractive to ears, version of the song that Wislon covered earlier.
Overall, this tribute is a collective proof of the immensity, the musicality and the everlasting power of TRIUMPH songs, through different performers and arrangements,even heavier, showing the artistic value and the nature of the songs and the bands caliber. a tribute fit to the legendary status of the band ,that finally gets the recognition it deserves among its peers
