Septempber has had a significant number of important records, but that's nothing compared to what October is going to have for us. I'm already feeling overwhelmed by the pile waiting for me, and that's with a few big ones still to arrive. So before I fall down the rabbit hole of those later albums, let's take a couple of minutes to talk about a few singles that have come out I think need some attention.
Ghost – Kiss the Go-Goat/Mary On A Cross
Is there a bigger band in the mainstream than Ghost right now? Since the next album is still in the early stages of development, we're given this two song release to tide us over. It hits on the good and the bad of Ghost. The good is that they can get away with just about anything, including presenting this as a lost, fifty year old recording. The bad is that they try some of this stuff, when it doesn't need to be done. "Kiss The Go-Goat", in particular, is the most gimmicky song they have done in a long time, and not coincidentally one of the weakest. "Mary On A Cross" is better, but this feels like a place-holder, like something they didn't put a lot of effort into. This doesn't detract from the last album, or hinder the next, but it does make this release a bit hollow and empty.
The Dark Element – Songs The Night Sings
The debut album from this project not only brought Anette Olzon back to people's attention, but it also turned out to be one of the best albums of that year. Now that they've seen the success of that record, and have had a couple years to figure out how they best fit together, my expectation would be for them to grow into an even better outfit for their second album. This first taste we're getting hints at the direction the record might go. This song is a continuation of the first, but still expertly written. With this as how they chose to introduce the record, I'm thinking we might be in line for something that adheres to the same structure, trying to step things up in terms of making the songs even stickier. It's mission accomplished for this track, as the bar has been set awfully high for one of the most anticipated records of the fall.
Fozzy – Nowhere To Run
I'm always surprised that Fozzy has become a genuinely successful rock band, not because of who Chris Jericho is, but because he's not really a very good singer. Like always, his voice here is watery, as though his throat somehow contains an echo effect. Is that charisma? Fozzy has also completely streamlines their sound, no longer trying to hide they are hit-seekers. They are a world away from when they used to facetiously claim to have written Priest and Maiden's hit songs. Like "Judas", they've also managed to nail the formula. This song is going to be a hit, and we're going to hear a lot of it. They can't deliver an entire album like this, but they've got the one song they need to keep their momentum going.
Dream State – Open Windows
I've already raved about the first two singles from their upcoming debut album, but let me do the same for this song. Dream State are on a roll leading up to the record, with all three of these songs being explosive numbers that explode in our heads. We hear a lot of songs that are clearly an artist pouring their pain into the music, but it's only in rare instances where we can hear them coming out the other side of the dark times. That's what these Dream State songs do. This isn't just sharing a universal feeling, it's a way to move past it, and there's a clear catharsis that comes when CJ starts shouting the chorus. It's pure bliss.
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