ALBUM REVIEWS

RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS

  • VOODOO HIGHWAY – Broken Uncle’s Inn

    Throwback hard rock with this Italian act. Voodoo Highway love the deep organs, Blackmore-infused guitar licks and bluesy vocals all around with these 10 songs. Recording an EP in 2010, they quickly move into full length ranks and certainly promote their affection for Deep Purple circa early to mid 70’s on standouts like “The Fire…

  • VIRTUAL MIND – Shattered Silence

    Without reading any background information about this progressive metal quintet before pressing play, something didn’t strike me right about “Shattered Silence”. All the components are there for appeal – a dynamic, forceful singer in Titta Tani (ex-DGM, ex-Astra, Ashent), the requisite guitar maestro in Francesco Fareri, and songwriting that moves between darker, heavier moments like…

  • DYING FETUS – History Repeats…

    It seems that it’s gone sports in releasing EPs/albums containing cover songs only. Exhumed has done it, Caliban has done that, now Dying Fetus does it. The EP is called "History Repeats …" and includes a self-composed song in addition to 6 cover songs of famous bands such as Cannibal Corpse, Pestilence, Bolt Thrower, Broken…

  • POWERWOLF – Blood Of The Saints

    Dark, epic power metal gains little fanfare in my native North American landscape. I struggle to understand why, as Powerwolf possess much of what I desire and have long been into for my heavy tastes – emotionally charged vocals with a classical, traditional base, guitars that deliver jaw dropping hook riffs and solos that sometimes…

  • WHITESNAKE – Live At Donington 1990 DVD

    If I had to give out two grades for this live performance, the rating would be higher on the actual song output versus the video production values. There are too many late 80’s/early 90’s effect tricks employed (slow motion, black and white shots, too many individual close ups from odd camera angles) that render the…

  • ABHOR – Ab Luna Lucenti, Ab Noctua Protecti

    Italian act Abhor play a strange brand of Black Metal. While the drums, guitars and vocals are pretty conventional in BM terms, there is a heavy reliance on keyboards, including synths and clean piano, which are used to provide key melodies while the guitars are lay down a backing rhythm. It is an approach that…

  • DEEP PURPLE – Phoenix Rising (CD/DVD)

    No one can deny the influence of Deep Purple on the music scene. “Smoke On The Water” contains the most recognizable riff in the history of rock. Think of all the great vocalists. Jon Lord’s insane keyboard and organ escapades. “Phoenix Rising” captures the live aspect of the final Mark IV lineup in 1975 when…

  • AURA – Deliverance

    We’ve seen it coming for a few years. Record label models are changing as fast as the weather. Physical product sales are becoming arcane and more of a collector’s market. The newest generation of music followers prefers instant connection and desire music in digital formats – portable for access anywhere they are in their lives.…

  • MANILLA ROAD – Playground Of The Damned

    I’ve been fortunate to gain the chance to see a lot of the early pioneers in the metal business through the years. Especially when you are willing to trek to other parts of the country for 2-3 day festivals such as Powermad or the Classic Metal Festival as I did in the late 90’s and…

  • ABIGOR – Channelling The Quintessence Of Satan 2011

    The band has rearranged the original tracks, recorded new bass and laid new vocal arrangements on this 2011 version of the 1999 album. The lyrics are revised. I do rarely like rereleases. Rerecordings are really not my cup of tea. That the 2011 version of "Channelling…" is a mix of both is not favourable either.…

  • MASSIMO IZZIZZARI – Electrifying

    “Electrifying” is the second full length instrumental album from Italian guitarist Massimo Izzizzari. Backed by bassist Mario Mazzenga and drummer Azeglio Izzizzari, these 9 songs alternate between a hard rock and jazz/fusion foundation. Keyboards and electronic effect enhance material like “Lithosphere” and the funky “Funny Walk” among others – and overall Massimo’s technique keeps each…

  • MORBUS CHRON – Sleepers In The Rift

    From Kungsängen/Stockholm, Sweden hails Morbus Chron. The band, which got together only in 2007, consists of four angry youngsters and they’ve just released their debut album, "Sleepers In The Rift" on Pulverised Records. Their style is quite close to what Death sounded like in the "Leprosy" era, with a bit of Autopsy-ish doom elements. But…

  • PASADENA NAPALM DIVISION – P. N. D. EP

    For someone who has been recording since 1983, Kurt Brecht has relatively few releases to his name. He hasn’t recorded a DRI album since 1995 and other than an appearance on Dave Grohl’s Probot in 2004, we haven’t heard a thing from him. Last year he got back into the studio with half of Texan…

  • MALEFICE – Awaken The Tides

    No rest for the modern metal brigade. The model to succeed in 2011 is much like it was pre-video era: tour, tour…and possibly tour some more. Make sure you are able to offer various merchandise opportunities. Connect with your fans frequently and as deeply as possible. Keep the new music coming at regular 18-24 month…

  • ARCTIC FLAME – Guardian At The Gate

    Early in a band’s career, you forgive musicians for lacking experience or money in many departments as they develop their way. As the years tick away though, a sense of professionalism needs to enter or artists will remain on the proverbial sidelines as newer upstarts willing to learn and grow ascend the ranks. Power metal…

  • MALEVOLENTIA – Ex Oblivion

    French lyrics rarely do the trick for me. Not that I give a shit about understand the words, but it’s more a question of the sound of the words, related to extreme metal. The grimness that in example English possesses is more my cup of black tea. Language aside, Malevoentia’s orchestral/symphonic black metal is of…

  • SOLITUDE AETURNUS – In Times Of Solitude

    A re-release of their 1988 “Justice For All” EP along with 4 bonus tracks, Texas’ Solitude Aeturnus are another doom metal institution. In these early days, songs like “Into Battle” and “Transcending Sentinels” actually had more of a power metal gallop. It’s nice to hear how the band have evolved in their 24 year career.…

  • NASTY TENDENCY – Hello Suckers!

    Normally to go through 10 member changes in 4 years doesn’t bode well for career longevity. Doing a little research on Italy’s Nasty Tendency, I felt it was necessary to hear their debut album “Wild And Nasty” from 2009 before my analysis of the follow up “Hello Suckers!”. The main difference one will think of…

  • KOTTAK – Attack

    Scorpions’ drummer James Kottak isn’t resting on his laurels with the impending retirement of his main act. “Attack” is Kottak’s fourth solo album and proves James has a great punk rock meets alternative pop songwriting philosophy – short, to the point and hooks galore. His voice has a Social Distortion meets Green Day delivery, and…

  • DENIAL FIEND – Horror Holocaust

    Denial Fiend are quite a proposition when you look at it – Terry Butler of Death/Massacre/Six Feet Under/Obituary on bass, DRI’s Rob Rampy on drums, Sean Williams of Massacre on guitar and best of all, Blaine Cook (ex-Accüsed) on vocals. The sound is pretty much what you’d expect given the lineup: mid-paced hardcore-tinged thrash/death based…

  • DR. LIVING DEAD! – Dr. Living Dead!

    16 songs in 36 minutes? Crossover thrash with a decidedly American slant for this quartet from Sweden. Gang vocals straight from the old Anthrax school, musically songs like “Slime From Above”, “Dead End Life” and “Feeding The Cyco” blend the best of Nuclear Assault, Suicidal Tendencies and Slayer into quick hitting 1:19 to 3 minute…

  • JAMES BYRD’S ATLANTIS RISING – Beyond The Pillars

    Right up there with Liege Lord during the “Master Control” era and Riot with Tony Moore for “Thundersteel”, Washington’s Fifth Angel with their self-titled debut album really shaped my power metal ears for the better. Ted Pilot’s piercing vocals and the dual axe action from James Byrd and Ed Archer peeling off classics like “In…

  • ARACHNES – A New Day

    Helloween light. That’s perhaps a bit too easy, or as the band/label definitely will claim: unserious. But what I hear is what I hear, and any new day I will claim exactly the same when we speak about the Italian’s sixth full-lenght album. The sound is too thin, and the vocalist has a hard time…

  • TESLA – Twisted Words & The Acoustic Sessions

    This American hard rock institution haven’t lost any appeal from their out of the gate 80’s success to their current stretch of studio recordings and sold out tours. So I’m not surprised to see a follow up to 1990’s blockbuster “Five Man Acoustical Jam”, this time put together with 2 separate studio sojourns – 6…

  • WINDBRUCH – Collision Of The Worlds

    Windbruch is a one man act hailing from Russia, fronted by I.O. Musically, we are talking shoegazing/depressing black metal here, based around a concept of seven songs linked to seven days with a bonus track cover of an Akira Yamaoka piece. Given that there is no lyric sheet, I can’t tell you any more about…

  • TORNADO – Amsterdamn, Hellsinki

    For all of the people who take thrash seriously, you may want to run for cover at this European/American trans-Atlantic outfit. To the others who love a keen, sharp sense of humor lyrically when being pummeled with their speed riffs, stops and starts and gang vocals – Tornado are your next mandatory listening with their…

  • END OF LEVEL BOSS – Eklectric

    London’s End Of Level Boss throw down a punk laced stoner rock sound with a modicum progressive element on this third full length. Vocally in the Chris Cornell camp, musically songs like “Senescence” and “This Is Not The Way It Was” pour out Voi Vod insane rhythms against a Kyuss-like guitar backdrop. Factor in a…

  • JOHN WETTON – Raised In Captivity

    Between all of the touring and recording commitments for Asia these days, it’s quite appealing to know John Wetton still has the zest and fire in his soul for rock music. One of the all time greats in the progressive rock and AOR field, his work with King Crimson, Roxy Music, U.K., and Asia is…

  • THE BLACK DAHILA MURDER – Ritual

    Melodic death metal, metal-core, death-core: call it what you will, the groundswell of support from sales and the live front propels the youth, and at the same time has seen bands like The Black Dahila Murder not only achieve chart action on Billboard, but also sell out small theater venues. Their latest album “Ritual” rips…

  • VINTERSORG – Jordpuls

    I had given up on Vintersorg years ago. I definitely didn’t think he would release anything even remotely comparable to his first albums ever again. I know that his last album "Solens Røtter" was hailed by some reviewers as the band’s comeback to their folk roots. These reviewers must either be too young to even…