Death Angel Reissues!

 

As thrash was resurrected and reinvented over the past five or six years, no band has been the beneficiary of this resurgence more than Death Angel, a band who was marginalized during the halcyon days of thrash but has reunited and come back with a considerable vengeance in the last ten years.

To help new listeners get acclimated to what has come before, Metal Blade records has taken it upon themselves to re-issue two of the band’s first iteration recordings, 1988’s “Frolic Through the Park” and 1990’s live album “Fall From Grace.”  Both are restored with presented with roughly the original packaging and imagery which more or less authenticates the entire experience.

The production here is re-crafted but artfully done, so that all the thin crunch of the original recording, limited by both the technology of the time and the resources available, remains intact as an edifice to the Way Things Used To Be.  “Frolic Through the Park,” to that end, does not disappoint – the album still pulses with the youth of a band yet untamed; the writing is bursting with vitriol and righteous inquisition of the world, while the choruses are repeated and simple, perfect for banging a fist or a skull.

The inclusion of “Fall From Grace” is a more curious examination, as the live record was released more or less without the band’s permission way back in 1990 (thus the conspicuous absence of Death Angel’s customary artwork.)  To see it restored and re-presented is a strange sensation, as the album generated buzz at the time, but was the source of much consternation in the same stroke.  As far as the music is concerned however, the album boasts a more full experience and thicker sound than “Frolic,” both as an extension of the band’s more mature playing and the underpinnings of technology.  From a purely aural standpoint, “Fall From Grace” is the superior of these two releases.

If your introduction to Death Angel has only come since the band’s new millennium reconstitution, then be forewarned that these two releases from a bygone era are extremely rough around the edges by comparison.  However, they are, for different reasons, important parts of the band’s history, and if you’re a completist, an avid fan and historian, or someone who thought they outgrew these albums but wants to hear them again, you’re in luck.  Metal Blade has done these albums a fine service by bringing them out of the vault and back into the light.

Album Review: Elton John - Wonderful Crazy Night

One of the things I respect as much as can be is when a veteran artist, who has no need to make new music anymore, continues to produce records because of an inner need to be creative. Maybe they aren't always great, and they will surely never capture the public's attention the way their earlier work did, but I love the idea of someone staying creative and writing songs because it's what they love to do. Despite not having a hit on the radio in ages, Elton John has never stopped making new albums. He had a down period on the 90s, but he came roaring back to life in the new millennium, stripping down his sound to find his muse again. Together, he and Bernie Taupin made a very good record in "Peachtree Road", and then topped it with what I consider the best Elton John record of them all; "The Captain And The Kid".

That record is one that I have listened to countless times, one that sits in my list of favorite albums. It'sa pure distillation of how when you strip away the facade of Elton John, there is massive talent underneath. The more mature approach Elton has taken was a welcome development, one that let his songs breathe on their own. Unfortunately, he took that approach to the extreme with "The Diving Board", a record that was so slow and turgid that it was rightly ignored.

"Wonderful Crazy Night" is a step back in the right direction, a celebration of the joy you can have playing music. It's a record that's intended to be upbeat, lively, and a good time. If that's the aim, it surely hits the mark.

The title track gets things off to a rollicking start, with a bouncing beat carried by the bass, and Elton's piano's and organs serving as support to the ruckus the band has kicked up. It's the most energetic number Elton has penned in several album cycles, and sounds remarkably fresh coming from a man who is nearly seventy. You can hear how much he's enjoying the process as "In The Name Of You" plays, with the kind of swagger you can't help but nod your head along with. The organ swells are lovely, and then the short guitar solo sounds exactly like it was played in 1975. But it's not nostalgic music, it's people from the old guard doing what they do best.

"Wonderful Crazy Night" is the warmest, most upbeat album Elton has made in God knows how long, and that shift in tone makes all the difference. While there are scatterings of horns and accordions, and even a bit of sinister country that pop up, there's nothing radical or new going on here. These songs are in line with the best of what Elton has been doing since dropping off of pop radio, but for the first time he sounds content to be making music that would have been hits back in the day. While he's spent the last few records making music that was always aimed at fulfilling some other creative need, this is a purely pop record that could rightly be called the mature evolution of his Rocket Man persona. Even if the songs aren't going to be recognized as hits anymore, he's still writing them, and sounding as confident in the material as ever.

"Blue Wonderful" is one of those songs that should be heralded as a modern classic. It has Elton's trademark melodies, wrapping around Bernie Taupin's words to form a perfect nugget of what pop music used to be. Not to disparage the past, but there's no reason to deny that this is as good, if not better, than a lot of the concert staples.

That feeling keeps creeping into my thoughts throughout the record. As songs like "I've Got 2 Wings", "A Good Heart", and "Guilty Pleasure" pass by, they're all beautifully melodic songs that I can't help but find myself swaying to in my chair. No, this isn't flamboyant in the way the backward-looking among us can't see past, but it can't be. That kind of music can't come from someone who isn't in the throws of raging youth, but this record is what that songwriter would have turned into with a few decades of life experience to draw from. These aren't songs based on and performed by characters and cliches, these are songs that cut closer to the bone.

When "Wonderful Crazy Night" is over, I find myself wanting to hit play again, to revisit these songs, because they do something I think is immensely important in music; they endear themselves. I get inundated with so much music that is made by miserable people, for miserable people, that sounds miserable, that hearing a record that reflects the unabashed joy music can create is cathartic beyond words. I'm not going to sit here and try to say that "Wonderful Crazy Night" is the second coming of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", but I will say that it's a record that deserves far better than it will get. Elton isn't going to score any hits with this, but that only underscores the fickleness of the pop audience. This is a great record that can speak to a wide audience, if only their ears were open. "Wonderful Crazy Night" is indeed wonderful.

Album Review: Prong - "X - No Absolutes"

Over nearly thirty years, Tommy Victor and Prong have dictated the pace and evolution of groove metal from raw experiment to raw art.  The innovator that seemingly launched a thousand bands, Prong has always suffered the fate of having their disciples attain more fame than the originator, the living shadow of headline acts like Korn and Nine Inch Nails.  Never to be slowed though, Prong returns in 2016 with “X – No Absolutes,” the band’s third full-length record in as many years and fourth since 2012.

So what to expect from “X”?  Well, in base terms, more of the same, but in a good way.  Victor and company are still writhing deep in the traditional muck of groove metal, fuzzing out their amps and carving cavernous swaths with full, thumping tones.  To hear Prong is to hear the birth of groove metal over and over again – the genre in its unadulterated, original form.

There is, then, a certain familiarity when listening to “X,” regardless of the fact that these are entirely new compositions.  “X” echoes with many of the same tones that have followed the genre through a hundred different permutations, whether the blues-based thunder of Clutch, the distorted wail of Corrosion of Conformity or the hammering downbeat of White Zombie.  Even just the opener, “Ultimate Authority” brings back gleeful memories of the late 90s, when it was still possible for a band to be incredibly heavy and also rhythmic and melodic at the same time.

What separates “X – No Absolutes” from other albums in the genre, and even from other Prong albums, is the maturity and emotional context of the content.  Victor plays a diverse hand for this record, whether he’s crushing out ripping grooves for “Without Words” or plaintively reaching out for the surprisingly powerful “Do Nothing.”

It is the latter of these pieces which requires greater inspection, as it is one of a handful of songs on “X” that really pushes the Prong formula more toward a melodic appeal and adds a new dimension that the youthful virility of “Beg to Differ” didn’t offer.  That doesn’t make “Beg to Differ” a worse album in retrospect, but it does make “X” a more versatile and intelligent animal, as Victor succeeds in making the listener take stock of his words and not just his tone.  “With Dignity” is in much the same vein, using a heavy but marginally less dense guitar tone to accentuate the feeling that This Song Is About Something.  It’s a side of Prong we don’t get to see all that often, but is an excellent complement to the band’s tried-and-true formula of head-nodding rampages.

Speaking of, there’s plenty of those, too.  “Cut and Dry” slams out measures upon measures of drop-tuned sludge, the art of which was seemingly lost in time except to a privileged few.  There is a similarly punctuated affect for “Worth Pursuing” and the title cut, which are no less great a listening experience for the fact that we’ve discussed them less here.  What strikes is the vein of quasi-punk chanting vocal delivery and giant sing-along choruses that runs through much of the album and while not entirely unexpected is a welcome addition into the fold.

The only nit worth even thinking about picking here is that amidst the affirmations and encouragements and doubts of Victor’s messages, he occasionally crosses a wire, as “In Spite of Hindrances” tells us to ‘walk right through the door / with dignity,’ while “With Dignity” tells us to ‘walk away / with dignity.’  Just an observation.

“X – No Absolutes” is a lot of things; a groove metal record with giant punk choruses and a wonderfully uncomprised old-school feel.   This kind of metal has sadly all but left for dead, and yet here stands Prong, single-handedly injecting life into the method by the simple action of creating a kick-ass album with remarkable conviction.  For a real long time Prong has both talked the talk and walked the walk.  Nothing about that has changed.

An Angel Uncamouflaged: Talking With Dilana

Despite getting her greatest exposure on the reality show "Rockstar: Supernova", Dilana has proven herself to be an artist's artist, following her instincts to carve our a career that is entirely her own. She has traveled the world, played countless shows, and left an indelible impact on the lives of her fans. That is a fact I can attest to, as both a fan and a critic. Since the first time I heard her voice, she has been my favorite singer. And as a critic, her last album, "Beautiful Monster", was named my Album Of The Year in 2013, memorialized in this review I wrote.

Dilana is now gearing up for the release of a new album (a review of which should be upcoming), a collection of the songs she wrote and recorded for the movie "Angel Camouflaged", which she starred in. Leading up to the release, I was fortunate enough to have the chance to speak with her.

Your new album is made up of the songs you wrote and performed for the movie "Angel Camouflaged".  How did you get involved in acting, and is it something you're looking to doing more of in the future?

The director for the film first saw me on CBS when I was performing a song on a TV show called Rockstar Supernova. He met with me right after the series ended and offered me the lead role for his' film. At first, I was just interested in writing the music for the film and didn't even take the acting part seriously because I never thought it would really happen. To my surprise it did!  I loved it, and yes, I would love to be in more acting roles.

Was it difficult to create songs that had to fit the content and intent of the movie, instead of reflecting your own experiences?

Partially yes but for the most part I still wrote the lyrics based on personal feelings and experience. The hard part was making it happy LOL.  The song, Slaves was and is very, very true and real to me.

Sexaholic definitely reflects my sex addiction which seems to have disappeared since I've become a mother LOL. SuperSoul was already written, the producers picked it because they liked it for a specific scene. We re-recorded it to update the production a little.  Ice, which is the theme song for the film, was also pre-written by myself and a good friend in Holland, Jeff Zwart in the late 90s.  We also re-recorded this track and on this album it is a much shorter version, as it is the actual film version.  The title for the film, Angel Camouflaged is taken from lyrics in this song.  The lyrics for Airplane, Everywhere and Maybe just a little, were written straight from my broken heart at that time. They definitely reflect a moment in time for me. I was going through a very hard time with my personal relationship and these lyrics just flowed out of me like a river.

I know many artists are their own worst critics, myself included.  Are you someone who can sit down and listen to your own songs, or do you find it hard to listen to your own voice?

Most of the time yes. But there are certain recordings of my voice, that I really dig. You will never catch me sitting and listening to my own CDs, ever… LOL. I do however have the ability to listen to recordings objectively for the best possible release.

You made a record before "Rockstar: Supernova" called "Wonderfool".  It's not what someone who is just now hearing you would expect, but how do you look back at that record, both the music and the experience?

I totally agree with that one! The experience in itself was bittersweet. It was my first solo deal with a major record label in Europe. I was young and I was very excited and inexperienced. So all I wanted, was to record my first solo album. At the same time, I felt trapped because I had no real say in how I wanted to deliver anything, both musically and vocally. I was also really insecure and felt that if I were to speak up, I would be laughed at. So I shut up, I sucked it up and just sang the way the producer wanted me to.  About the songs, I think many of those songs are great songs. If I could do it over, I would record them completely differently.

It took a long time for your next record, "InsideOut", to come to fruition.  Were there ever any times during that process where you were discouraged enough to think about scrapping the idea?

The recording process lasted almost 2 months. It was a great working environment and process and we were in the studio six out of seven days a week. I loved and enjoyed every note and every beat. The sad part was, the label in the UK went down before the record even was released. So it set on the shelf in London collecting dust for close to two years. A private investor eventually bought the Masters from the label and released it on iTunes. During that time I was very discouraged and depressed. It is such a great album, it deserved so much more attention. Songs like Holiday, Somebody Else, Loud Silence,Falling Apart and Solid Gold are hits, plain and simple. But the cd never got the exposure, no super marketing or promotion campaigns etc...What a shame… This still really makes my heart hurt when I think about it. That was when I decided never to sign a major label deal again.

How do you avoid letting the setbacks become overwhelming?

Oh they're overwhelming alright. I cannot avoid my feelings. In fact, my feelings are my inspiration. But I feel them, I grieve and breathe them, and then I do my best to let them go and move on. 

"InsideOut" covers a lot of ground musically.  Is that reflective of your own tastes and personality?  Do you think it's important for you to avoid being categorized for a singular sound?

Yes for sure, on both points. Inside out is a reflection of a lot of various tastes and for sure, my up-and-down, crazy personality. But it still doesn't cover everything.I would probably need at least five new albums to reflect all of me. There is no way I could be categorized for a singular sound. I have so many different loves of music and sound. Hopefully I will live long enough to explore all these genres.

"Beautiful Monster" was funded by a Kickstarter campaign.  How much does it mean to you that your fans care enough about you and your music to contribute money to make it possible?

I say it over and over, I have the best and most loyal and loving fans on the planet. There's not a day that passes by, when I don't think about how fortunate and how loved I am. To know that there are all these people around the world, who love my music, Who are moved and connected to my lyrics, and who believe in me, is priceless! 

Why do you think your fans are so dedicated to you, not just as an artist, but as a person?

I think in part because of the lyrics that I write. They are words that come from a deep and true place. A place of pain and salvation, a place of knowing and experience. I know that many of my songs have helped people with so many real life issues. Also, I know that people appreciate it when artists like myself, give them love and attention. I get such a warmth inside, when I give a fan a heartfelt hug and see the joy and surprise in their eyes. Or when I take a moment to ask how they are doing and I call them by their name. I truly believe that we are all equal. My gift is just that, a gift, to share with others, to make others feel emotion and feel relief, to help them find answers. I also realize that I would never have my life and career without the love and support from my beautiful fans. And I will never take this for granted.

I love learning about the creative process.  How did you go about the songwriting process, and choosing the songs that made the final cut?

Each song is different. Sometimes it's a small idea which starts in a dream. Other times it's a melody that pops into my head while I'm driving. Sometimes it's seeing the actions of others, war, pain, fear, love… That sparks an idea. Usually, for me, I start with the lyrics but that's not always the case. My favorite way of writing is to sit in a room with a cowriter. There is nothing more fun than collaborating on ideas. To see the seed growing and finally picking that flower, is so exciting and so fulfilling as a writer. The best reward is playing it live and seeing the audience and the fans reacting!

"Falling Apart" is possibly my favorite song ever.  Is there a story behind it, and how did you come to record two different versions of it?

Thank you! I too, I love that song.  This was a cowrite at 4am in New York City with a perfect stranger & amazing co writing partner in a studio.  I was in another (lol) very broken and painful, long distance relationship with another artist who lives in Iceland. These lyrics also just poured out of me. It was kind of easy writing this one…

All of your music is incredibly emotional.  Is making records, and performing these songs live, as cathartic an experience for you as it is for the audience?

Without a doubt. There are many moments on stage, when I can't even do a song which is on the set list because I'm too emotional. There've also been many times when I just immerse myself into the song so deeply that I can barely make it through the song without crying. I used to care about that, I used to think it made me look weak. Nowadays, I don't give a sh*t what I look like or what people think. I've learned over the past years that showing emotion and showing fear and pain is in fact a very powerful thing to do.

Do you have any exciting projects coming up? Is there anything else you want to tell the readers?

There are so many exciting things going on I don't even know where to begin. I'm about to embark on a five week tour with my all-girls band (SHÍ is DILANA) from Europe. It'll be their first time in the USA so I am beyond excited for them. This band really rocks and is extremely musical and very inspiring for me to perform with. Another exciting thing is the Rock Against Trafficking project!  I was chosen as the only "unknown" artist to record a song by Sting or Police, for this album and live show in LA. Other artists also involved are Stevie wonder, Anne Wilson, Alanis Morissette, Slash, Fergie, Nickelback, Rob Thomas and MANY more!!

2016 looks to be very promising. I'm also heading back to Europe again for a bunch of awesome festivals and cool shows.

For more information on Dilana, including how to purchase a copy of her new album of songs from "Angel Camouflaged", visit her Facebook page, or Dilanarocks.com

Album Review: Walking With Giants - "Worlds Unknown"

Walking With Giants is the epithet of Gary Noon, multi-instrumentalist and hard rock songwriter, a man who lays down his own brand of rock while at the same time being publicly indebted to his favorite musicians.  His debut full-length album “Worlds Unknown,” allows those two lines to cross, as the album is idiomatically the work of Noon, but assisted by contributions of musicians from some of Noon’s idols, Sevendust and Alter Bridge

The thrust of this new album is that Noon once again wants to give his listeners a record of accessible rock that is pleasantly free of pretense and the lowest common denominator.  As a bonus, Walking With Giants is trying to uplift the mood of those around them, asking the listener to shut out all the negative influence he or she is surrounded by and instead take inspiration from within to forge a better tomorrow.  It sounds a little melodramatic, but in a world where popular rock radio suffered a mighty blow with the coming of Nickelback’s drivel and the meandered yelping of that band’s associated musical army, it’s a refreshing twist to see someone make hard rock have another message again.

What strikes most on the positive side of the ledger for “Walking With Giants” is that the album is expertly arranged and presented, particularly for a debut.  Noon is clearly taking his time and making sure that the product is properly rendered to his satisfaction, which denotes an admirable attention to detail.  From the very opening of “World Unknown Part 1” and into “Broken Truth,” there is a logical flow of the pieces that speaks to craft and patience.  All of these songs from first to last are free of shortcuts and layer the music in a way that appeals to the ear.

Walking With Giants hits all the necessary check marks that one expects, but where it stops is in going beyond those check marks.  “Worlds Unknown” to turn a phrase, never punches the listener in the face or displays an immediacy that would lend the experience a tangible edge.  “Back to Life” would have benefited greatly from an unbridled emotional push and the song could have accomplished this without abandoning the confines of this style of music.  The guitar of “Guilty One” is layered with a potentially tasty riff, but it lacks in bite, never reaching beyond the threshold to get into the listener’s kitchen.  Anyone hoping for a touch of righteous aggression from the fairly articulate Walking With Giants will be listening for a long while.

So what we really have here is a perfectly acceptable hard rock record that satisfies all the necessary requirements of same and is an easy, pleasant listen.  The other side of that same coin is that Walking With Giants does not challenge the listener and does not endeavor to push the envelope in any special direction.  “Worlds Unknown” doesn’t have to do that as a prerequisite for being enjoyable, but a little more urgency might have gone a long way.

Album Review: Tarot - Reflections

As I get older, I notice that one of the things I most appreciate in the music I listen to is authenticity. I like knowing that the music I hear is as it actually is, and isn't the creation of a host of computers messing with the natural order. There is something about hearing a sound that is so identifiable as what a guitar plugged into an amp should sound like that is hard to explain. It's why I've been so happy about the growing roster of bands that are embracing the vintage sounds of the 70s, even if most of them are still lacking in their results. Anything that moves us closer to having music go back to sounding like music is good with me.

Tarot is an Australian band that fits into that mold, playing a style of hard rock that lifts straight out of the days of Deep Purple and Rainbow. And like the records of yesteryear, they make their initial statement in a sprightly thirty-four minutes, resisting the urge to stay past their welcome.

We're ushered in with "Autumn Conjuration", which spends its first minute with a beautifully picked acoustic guitar, before things kick up with wonderfully vintage guitar tones and organ swells that warm my heart. The song makes good use of those dynamics, weaving between softer and heavier moments, with some lovely lead guitar thrown in. The only thing holding the song back is the vocal delivery, which reminds me of Manilla Road, a comparison that isn't one to celebrate. The vocals are thin and weak, which does detract from what is really a fun song.

As "Heed The Call" follows, we figure out more that Tarot is going for a feeling as much as anything else. They do an effective job of setting a slightly dark, laid-back tone that I can't immediately name-check with any other bands. There is clearly an appreciation for occult rock in the sound, but it's played without a commitment to the theater that sounds normally requires. Tarot is using it as a means of playing what I can only describe as relaxing hard rock.

Here's what I mean by that; if you're looking for an album to make you pump your fist, filled with songs that will capture your mind, this isn't that album. What "Reflections" is can more accurately be described as an album to put on late at night, with the lights turned low, when you want to drift away from reality. For those purposes, it's a perfect album.

Take "Strange Dimensions", for example. As it approaches the end, it reaches what should be a huge crescendo. I can hear the bits having been written, but the delivery lacks the power to make that moment pop out from the rest of the song. It could have been amazing, but the circumstances leave it as being merely good. It's the same thing with "Cloak And Dagger", which is my favorite track here. There's a solid hook that was written, but the delivery doesn't drive it home the way I would like it to.

Ultimately, "Reflections" is one of those albums that is promise waiting to be fulfilled. I love the sound and atmosphere that Tarot has created, and there are riffs and hooks in here that show me that they can be something really good, but the execution here isn't up to the level of what I sense they're capable of. They need more power and conviction, and a better vocal delivery would help. If they found that, "Reflections" can be the first chapter in a very good career. It's still a good album, and I enjoyed my time listening to it, but it sounds like an unrefined, unfinished product. The good news is that there very well could be a diamond in there, once the polishing is done.

Quick Takes: Dream Theater and Megadeth

Dream Theater - The Astonishing

When word came down that Dream Theater was going to be releasing a 34 track, 2+ hour sci-fi concept album, whatever affection I have for the band was thoroughly deflated. Despite releasing my #1 album of 2011 ("A Dramatic Turn Of Events"), I struggled with the premise of this new record. I was fearful, and it turns out that was for good reason.

"The Astonishing" is, to speak frankly, too epic for its own good. The story is, like almost all concept albums, under-developed, while the length makes it nearly impossible to sit through as one piece of music, as intended. I had my complaints about Iron Maiden's double album from last year, but this is another half an hour on top of that, which is simply too much music. Dream Theater are not masters of variety, and over the course of this many tracks, and this much time, it all begins to blend together into one incoherent mass of music. There are good moments, because they're a good band, but there isn't enough here to justify the length.

With all of the interludes and vignettes, the band is asking us to spend a lot of time listening to them build the world for their cliched story. A proper album of this sort would be able to show us all of that through the music itself, but that is Dream Theater by-the-numbers. I can't even judge this properly, because I don't know how it can be considered an album, when it is clearly aiming to be a stage production or a movie.

Megadeth - Dystopia

Megadeth is in the running for the most overrated band in metal history. They have been coasting on the success that came with being in the right place at the right time for decades, and have very little music to their name that is essential. "Rust In Peace" is fantastic, and I have always been a big fan of "The System Has Failed", but that's not much to speak of in a thirty year career. And for the last decade, they have been putting out albums that switch from melodic rock to thrash and back again, shamelessly pandering to whatever Dave Mustaine thinks will sell the most records that year.

"Dystopia" returns the band to thrash again, which seems to coincide with lineup changes. This time around, Dave's thrash sounds even weaker than before, partly because he's shown he has no connection to it anymore, and partly because it's more of less the exact same record as "Endgame". If you've heard that record, you know everything you're going to get here, except for the even more extreme bent of the political lyrics, which Dave does not have enough of a grasp of the issues to write in a potent, powerful way.

What you get with "Dystopia" is an album that panders to his musical base and his political base, feeling forced at every turn. Of course it's better than the career embarrassments that were "Thirteen" (I refuse to spell it in the childish manner Dave did) and "Super Collider". Those records were disastrously bad. This one is just bland and forgettable.

Album Review: Serenity - Codex Atlanticus

Let's start with a moment of honesty; symphonic metal has never been a genre that I'm a big fan of. For the most part, when I listen to that kind of music, I hear songwriters who are so in love with the ability to layer a dozen instruments on top of one another that they don't always write the sharpest songs. While the ear-candy is often interesting, there's nothing holding up the layers of frosting. Serenity is one of the few bands that has done a better job of striking a balance. I genuinely liked their album "Fallen Sanctuary" when it came out, thinking that it had just the right amount of pomp to go along with the sticky melody. But then they started moving further into the outskirts of artistic metal, which made me abandon ship. There were two amazing tracks on "Death & Legacy", but the album as a whole didn't work for me, and I think I completely skipped the dual vocalist approach they took on "War Of Ages". But being as this is a new year, and Serenity has taken steps to be more of their old selves, I figured I would give their new album a chance.

As expected, things get underway with a symphonic introductory piece, which doesn't really do a lot to set the stage. "Follow Me" opens the proper album with a few twinkling piano notes before the rest of the band makes it clear that this is still going to be a metal album. The song is pretty much exactly what you would expect from Serenity, with something interesting happening in the background at all times, and Georg Neuhauser's vocals dominating the song. It's a perfectly solid song, but as an opener it wouldn't have gotten me as excited as "Iniquity" did when it was released as a single.

Before we can get to that track, we have "Sprouts Of Terror", which speeds along like a Blind Guardian song of old. We get voices playing characters, and when the song slows down for the orchestral swell before the chorus, it's one of those moments that illustrates what symphonic music can be. It's a very simple moment, and it doesn't last, but it's beautiful and emotional in a way that metal can't often be. That track leads into the aforementioned "Iniquity", which is such a strong track that it convinced me I needed to give the full album a listen. The strings here are massive and heavy, dripping with drama, while the song ebbs and flows through quiet moments and epic bombast, culminating in one of those melodies Neuhauser can write that sweep you up. It's utterly fantastic, and if Serenity could ever bottle that spirit and use it to infuse an entire album, they could produce a masterpiece.

After that, however, the album reverts back to comfortable form. There's nothing wrong with tracks like "Reason" and "My Final Chapter", but they lack the spark that makes "Iniquity" so good. The symphonic parts don't hit as hard, and the melodies don't latch on as easily. They're good tracks, but when you've just heard something amazing, they come across as a bit disappointing.

Maybe a part of the problem is the odd choice to use very few backing vocals in the choruses. For an album as lush as this, that decision makes little sense, and the fact that Neuhauser is singing by himself most of the time, no matter how good his voice is, means that the choruses have nothing to separate themselves from the verses. I think upping the ante, making them feel even larger, would have gone a long way to solving that issue.

Overall, "Codex Atlanticus" is an album that fits in with my preconceptions of Serentity; they're a band with plenty of promise, but they only write one or two songs on each album that really hook me. "Codex Atlanticus" is a good album, but for all the layers and orchestrations it contains, it's also a bit bland. "Iniquity" is going to wind up one of the best songs of the year, but the album as a whole is going to be in the large pack of good records that I won't be able to distinguish it from.

Album Review: Primal Fear - Rulebreaker

I've been listening to, if not writing about, power metal for at least a decade now. In that time, I've gone through binges where I was soaking up as much of the stuff as I possibly could, and fallow periods where I wonder if the genre has anything left to offer. What's odd, now that I think about it, is that I've never gotten around to writing down any thoughts about Primal Fear, considering their stature in the genre. They are as big as just about anyone in power metal, and yet I can only say that I've heard one of their albums in full. For whatever reason, they have slipped past my attention most of the time, which makes "Rulebreaker" interesting. I can look at this long-running band from reasonably fresh eyes.

The knock I've always heard about Primal Fear is that they're more or less a Judas Priest clone, and it's hard to to agree with that as "Angels Of Mercy" plays. The song has the same driving, chugging riffs, and Ralf Sheepers' howl and phrasing are straight out of the Halford playbook. He goes for more high notes and shrieks than I prefer, but the song is an energetic bit of metal as we know it, so I can't criticize it too harshly.

"Bullets & Tears" is everything that works about this kind of metal. The riff chugs, but isn't concerne about hitting the lowest notes possible all the time, and then the chorus makes the best use yet of Sheeper's voice, giving him a solid melody to sing, rather than the simple barking he did through the first two tracks. He dips a bit too far into Udo Dirkshneider territory, where his voice sounds a bit cartoonish, but the song is wonderfully catchy and heavy, so it can be forgiven.

After another really good track, we get treated to "In Metal We Trust", which once again provides evidence to support my theory that anyone who isn't Dio who writes songs about how metal they are do so because they aren't the least bit metal. Metal is a terrible subject to write songs about, and this doesn't do anything to change my opinion. It's completely cookie-cutter in every way, and while it isn't offensively bad, it also doesn't make a case for ever being listened to more than once.

And after half an album of driving heavy metal, we get a ten minute mini-epic in the form of "We Walk Without Fear". It's a good track, albeit longer than it needs to be, but it serves as an awkward dividing line on an album that has two nearly identical halves. The placement is odd, is what I'm saying.

Essantially, "Rulebreaker" is an album that confuses me. In the band's ranks are Mat Sinner and Magnus Karlsson, who have written countless great melodic rock and metal songs for various bands and projects, and yet in their own band they tie their own hands to a generic retreading of what 'traditional' metal is supposed to be. If they were to combine their forces with the power of Sheepers' voice, they could write some truly remarkable melodic metal. Unfortunately, they skimp on the melodies here, which is a shame. The songs like "At War With The World", where they embrace their melodic roots, are fantastic. But there are only a few such tracks on the record, while the rest are simple metal pandering.

What Primal Fear sounds like to me is a band that has two creative forces that want to move in different directions, who split the duties to please everyone. That doesn't do either side any favors, and it makes "Rulebreaker" less than it should have been. There are some great tracks here, and Primal Fear is a talented band, but they don't make great albums, and this is no exception.

Lunden Is Reigning: Talking To Lunden Reign

One of the great surprises of 2015 was discovering Lunden Reign, and their album, "American Stranger". After blindly giving the record a try, I was met with a sound that resonated with the best attributes of classic rock, updated for the modern times. It stuck with my throughout the year, earning itself a spot on my list of the Top Ten Albums Of 2015.


To celebrate the record, I had the chance to interview Nikki and Laura from the band, to find out what makes Lunden Reign work, how "American Stranger" came together, and what's next for their promising band.

Start by talking a bit about how Lunden Reign came about.

Nikki: I had moved to LA in fall of 2012 to attend Musicians Institute, straight outta the woods from Iowa. The​following spring I met Laura at a jam session in the San Fernando Valley and connected shortly after over the phone. After telling my story about leaving home, starting over, knowing no one here and my need to connect with the LGBT community, she invited me to come hang around for a rehearsal at her studio in the valley. We were pretty much inseparable from the start – I guess you could say I never really left! Becoming part of her band quickly evolved into Lunden Reign within a matter of… hmm. 3-4 months maybe? Now here we are, already celebrating 3 years together as musical, business and life partners and grow stronger as a team every day.

When did you realize you wanted to make a concept record?

Nikki: About 1/3 or halfway into writing the album? I think we started to realize it was kind of turning into that on it’s own. We really tuned into that and started developing the rest of the songs to be cohesive that way. We had to remember to look through the eyes of our protagonist when writing lyrics.

Were you worried that a concept record might be a difficult statement for a debut?

Nikki: It certainly is risky! But the way the parts of the story are told individually, the songs can be broken up and still be relatable and stand on their own. We get a mixed bag of “my favorite song is                              ” depending on how it effects a person emotionally – we’ve heard that fill in the blank statement for every song on “American Stranger” and we can only hope the next record will have the same impact on our listeners.

Can you explain a bit the concept of "American Stranger", and how it fits your band's identity?

Nikki: A lot of the things expressed​lyrically throughout the album came from personal experience. Laura and I are both members of the LGBT community. We both have been victims of bullying, discrimination and so many of the ugly things that seem to accompany being a minority. We’ve had too many friends who have fallen victim to vicious and preventable hate crimes. This kind of stuff happens all too frequently in this world - this is one way of taking a stance and fighting back with a positive action.

Your sound recalls Led Zeppelin and Heart. What other influences do you have that might not be as apparent?

Laura: I’m definitely a big fan of Jimmy Page​, Kurt Cobain,​ George Harrison​, Richie Edwards, Paul Simon, David Bowie (who is so sadly missed), Steely Dan and Muse. However,​Lunden Reign's sound is equally the work of our producer and music co-writer, Luis Maldonado. So if there is a primary influence for me today, it would be Luis, he's a master of the craft and a true musical genius.

Nikki: I grew up listening and singing to what my Mom loved. The Carpenters, Mamas & Papas, early Bette Midler vinyl’s. I think that gritty, down and dirty style from Bette Midler’s early records is infused in my blood. Mix that in with what I was listening to as a teenager – Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette, Radiohead, Alice In Chains, No Doubt, I think there are flavors of all those artists that have developed my palate.

However, having been in LA and working with this team, my biggest influences are Laura and our producer, Luis Maldonado. Luis has taught me things I never thought I could do with my voice. I call him “The Wizard” because of that. Both Laura and Luis push me, which forces me to stretch my boundaries and deliver the best performances possible. They are the most important of all my influences as they are who helped me define my voice to be my own in every way.

Did your sound come together right away, or did it take time to develop your identity?

Nikki: That’s a great question. Laura and Luis had been working together prior to my arrival and had been developing a writing style together that has really grown it’s own wings. There was a shift in the wind when I came along that put a whole different perspective on things, bringing forth a whole new set of goals.

I really had to work hard at muffling my Midwest roots to be believable as a gutsy alt-rock front woman - I had to own it. I’ve come a long way from the little folk singer hiding behind a gigantic acoustic guitar, that’s for sure! Luis worked with me a lot on imagery and developing a character for each song, which gradually came natural – I’ve become the character now. Laura has taught me to write (lyrically) with more purpose. We’ve created a truly original sound for Lunden Reign and a powerful writing team between the 3 of us in the process.

When you're putting songs together, how does the creative process work?

Nikki: Our writing team is made up of Laura, Luis and myself. Usually Laura will come up with a solid riff and start recording right from the beginning. She adds to it until she’s happy with the progressions, transitions and basic structure. At that point, we’ve been talking about a topic and I’ll have been listening to her build the scratch enough to come up with a rough melody. I’ll just kind of “la la” through, maybe throw in some lyrics here and there on a vocal track, add some harmonies, then we bounce it off to Luis. We’ll be working on lyrics while Luis dissects it, and does that wizard thing he does – “Luis-isms” that we love so much. After that, we tweak it until the song tells us it’s finished.

What strikes me about the record is the strong balance between guitar riffs and vocal melodies. How do you find the right mix?

Nikki: Laura is a firm believer in the singer being out front, not being squashed by solos or too much instrumentation. These songs are about a story and delivering a message - not face-melting guitar leads or frilly over-kill vocal runs. In my opinion, too much of that stuff distracts from the message. You’ve got have just enough of “this” not too much of “that” – the perfect blend of ingredients to make a song memorable. I think we find the “right mix” because we all feel that way.

There's quite a bit of diversity to the music, both in the writing and the guitar tones. How important was it to make a well-rounded record, and not produce the same song ten times?

Nikki: Being that “American Stranger” is a concept album, each song defines different emotions at different stages of “Mary’s” life. The record span’s across the spectrum of emotions - none of which feel the same nor should they sound the same. I think it’s only natural the songs came out the way they did – the important thing acknowledge is not that these songs are different from each other, but that they belong with each other.

The vocals on the record are wonderfully rock and roll, when there are very few female singers doing that these days. Was that a conscious decision, or did it come naturally?

Nikki: I’ve always been a power singer so I’d say that’s just how I sing anyhow! But when I started working with Luis on defining my “character” we really shaped some things to make them unique to my style, giving me more of an edge than ever before. These songs call for a powerful rock voice that can be gritty and vulnerable at the same time – I’m damn lucky that I have one of those and grateful that we’ve all found each other so I get to sing these incredible songs!

Everyone will have their favorites, me included. What songs are your favorites on the record? Which mean the most to you?

Nikki: My obvious answer is “It’s About Time” as it’s my story of leaving my home in Iowa to move to L.A. and hoping to hell not to be swallowed whole! But I absolutely LOVE performing “American Stranger” and “Savage Line” – I dig into those 3 the most emotionally.

Laura: The title track "American Stranger" is important to me because it's a lot about how I felt and sometimes still feel in our society. "Hear Me" is more personal for me, trying to explain to my family and others who I am.
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How has the response to the record been? Are you surprised people have been embracing it?

Laura: The response to the record is what I had hoped for. Once people took the time to listen to it as an album, they were hooked.  So many people said they not only played it end-to-end which they rarely did, but it remains in their car or home cd player. Regarding being surprised? Of course because you never know how anyone will react to something you create, so you always just hope for the best.​

"American Stranger" is a great start, so where does your career go from here? What are your plans for the future?

Laura: ​We are currently in production of our second album, "Confessions" and teaming once again with Luis Maldonado. We have recorded six songs so far and our biased opinion is they are as big or bigger than the songs on "American Stranger." Our plan is to finish the album, but before it is released we are scheduling meetings with A&R reps at the major labels to see who would be interested in partnering with us and helping to market and distribute "Confessions."  We also hope to be invited to bigger festivals this summer and maybe open for a major act here on the west coast.

Is there anything else we should know about Lunden Reign?

Laura: I would only add that those who appreciate lyrics with social importance and a deeper meaning (other than "I love/want/hate or will leave you)​" along with a unique original big beat melodic and rockin' sound will take the time to listen to us. We are incredibly grateful for music writers like you who are willing to go beyond the radio airwaves, review and share the music of bands like Lunden Reign.  It gives us great hope that we are not alone in the search for songs that touch the soul as well as the heart and the mind.

For more on Lunden Reign, including how to purchase your copy of "American Stranger", visit their website,
or their Facebook page.