Album Review: Darkwater - Human

Time waits for no man, at least that's what they say. Darkwater is a name I remember from my nascent days typing up thoughts about music. They were new on the progressive metal scene, and had released a debut album, "Calling The Earth To Witness", that I enjoyed. They followed that up shortly with "Where Stories End", which was a more fitting title than they had envisioned, because that was the last we had heard from them, until now. While Seventh Wonder and Vanden Plas were earning plaudits, while Haken was growing ever larger, and while Dream Theater stumbled so badly they left a crater in the genre, Darkwater was silent. And if we're being honest here, I had almost forgotten about them when news of this album broke.

I make no secret that the traditional form of prog metal (that sounds weird, right?) often fails to capture my interest. There is absolutely a formula to the genre, and it's one that puts an emphasis on the aspects of songwriting I find the least important. Darkwater, though, is one of the bands that puts their focus on melodies and hooks right at the forefront. They can be musically challenging, and they can stretch on with lengthy songs, but they make sure to ground things with a layer of accessibility.

That was illustrated by the first single from the record, "Alive (Part II)", which spans seven-and-a-half minutes of twisting guitar lines, and circles around to a bouncing chorus that begs to be sung along with. It's the kind of music prog metal often isn't; deep but also attractive on first blush, hevy and intricate but also thrilling and fun. It's a difficult task to make a seventy-eight minute record, where the only track shorter than six-and-a-half minutes is the short segue "Alive (Part I)", accessible to people who aren't already hardcore prog fans. Darkwater delivers us a lot of music, in long chunks, and it demands a lot of attention to absorb the entirety of the record at once.

In many ways, "Human" is a similar album to Seventh Wonder's "Tiara" from last year. They are both highly melodic prog metal bands coming back after a lengthy absence. The main difference is where expectations were set. Seventh Wonder had just released two amazing albums, and in the meantime Tommy Karevik had become a big name in the melodic metal world. Everyone was expecting a stunning album, so when we got one that was simply good to very good, it was a disappointment. Darkwater doesn't carry those expectations, so even though you could argue they have just made another Darkwater album, it feels more welcome.

When the band is more focused, the results are great. "Alive (Part II)" is easily the best song here, but "Insomnia" is similar in how it blends progressive music with a great hook (one that actually sounds a lot like Seventh Wonder). That's the sound I remember liking so much on their debut, and it works better to my ears than when they run-on for nearly eleven minutes for "Reflection Of A Mind". That track has so many ideas thrown in that it wanders away from the point a bit too long, and when it does come back the nature of the music doesn't allow the hook to stick as sharply. "Burdens" is great, and it's already eight-and-a-half minutes long. Adding two more minutes of instrumental passages wouldn't make it a better song in any way. To my ears, doing so would only dilute the effect.

So once we spend our time digesting "Human", here's where we stand; Darkwater is an impressive prog metal band, and they have made an album that does what the genre needs more of. "Human" shows you can make a complex album that doesn't require a music degree to enjoy, and prog metal doesn't have to be only for the initiated. That said, it's still a difficult album that will require your effort. If you give it, you're rewarded with a very strong record that will make up for some recent disappointments.

Album Review: Reason Define - In Memory

I know I repeat myself on these pages, but let me do it again. In recent years, I have found myself gravitating towards catchy rock sun by strong women. That was highlighted by the album "Road To Nowhere" by Shiverburn, which came within a whisker of winning Album Of The Year. Since then, and since their disappearance, I have been very happy to see the long string of bands playing the same style of music. It is encouraging from a social aspect, but it has also been pleasing because many of them have been very good, and have released some records I have greatly enjoyed. Today, we get another contender throwing their hat into the ring, in the form of Reason Define, a group of ladies who are more than ready to rock us.

They ease us into that, however. After setting the stage with an intro, "Waves" is a tense song that uses timely swells of the band to play with dynamics. It isn't the hard and fast punch to the face a lot of bands will use to kick off an album, but that's fitting, since Reason Define is a more nuanced band than one who simply play loud and heavy. That's something I greatly appreciate.

But make no mistake, they can definitely rock. "Innocent" kicks off with a deep, heavy riff that sets the stage for a song featuring a gang chorus that is the band at their most aggressive. The song stands out because it isn't surrounded by similar tracks, where they would all blend together and we would get numb to the energy. That is why pacing a record is so important, and it pays off here.

With their commitment to being a rather heavy rock band, and Paolina Massaro's anti-waif vocals, they remind me strongly of A Light Divided, who put out a fantastic record last year. Like them, Reason Define is able to combine guitars that are heavier than you might be expecting for the genre, along with melodic vocals that are catchy without being a pop band. "Reaper" could be reworked to be a great pop song, but with those thrashing guitars, it is anything but as it currently exists. And I love it for that.

Track after track, the band shows their consistency. There aren't highs and lows, just a level of quality you can depend on. Throw a dart at the track listing, and you're going to land on a good song. Whether it's an aggressive track like "The Hunter (The Hunted)", or the piano ballad "Mirrors", the band never falters. Their songwriting is not a brief flash of inspiration. They've put in the work to know what they're doing all the time.

In the end, if you're a fan of these kinds of bands, there's no reason not to check out Reason Define. They show, throughout this album, they're very good at what they do. And if you sometimes think women don't rock enough, give this group a chance, because they might change your mind. Well done, Reason Define. "In Memory" is a very enjoyable record, and hopefully the sign of even better things to come.

Album Review: Sanhedrin - The Poisoner

Sanhedrin fancy themselves as "pure metal alchemists". I don't like that description, since alchemy was a psuedo-science that set humanity back as people who could have been doing good were fooled into chasing after a treasure that could never be created. Great music can be created, regardless of the elements used, so I think the description carries a negative connotation that isn't necessary. Doom and classic metal can certainly be combined without the need for black magic. You could say Candlemass has been doing it their entire career, but let's not bother bringing them up unless we have to.

Maybe a better way to describe Sanhedrin would be along the lines of 'foreboding classic metal'. There is an ominous feeling to the buildup of the opening "Meditation (All My Gods Are Gone)" you wouldn't get from a band playing traditional metal, but the gallop in the verses, and the melody of the chorus, are right out of that playbook. What you get from them is part The Oath, part Argus, and just unique enough to stand out on its own.

The feeling of the record, as it should be, is a bit rough around the edges. The guitars have a wash of fuzz that has become timeless in doom, while Erica Stoltz' vocals aren't a polished take. She is cut from the same mold as Johanna Sadonis of The Oath/Lucifer, meaning she has that echoing tone that sounds just a hair other-worldly. If you're playing dark and dirty music, it's the right approach. She wouldn't work as well on cleaner music, and the music wouldn't work as well with a 'better' singer. They fit together.

Songs like "Wind On The Storm" and "Blood From A Stone" sound a fair bit like darker, slower takes on early Iron Maiden material. Their riffs don't plod, and there's enough of a hook to invite you to raise your horns. That's when the band is at their best. They need the energy that a bit of pace gives them. When they slow down for the title track, that's when things slip. That track is seven minutes trying to find an epic tone, but it doesn't feel weighty enough to last that long, and each part the song is built from isn't as sharp as their shorter numbers. It feels like it almost belongs to a different band than the majority of the record.

There's even some Dio influence that comes through on tracks like "The Getaway' and "Saints And Sinners", which are among the best the record has to offer. They are a mixture of 80s traditional metal and more of the modern occult rock sound, and they show it to be a potent combination. The former can be too cheesy, and the latter no fun, but together they make a sound that has real potential. And for most of the record, the band is able to hit that sweet spot between the two. They only veer off course when they try to stretch the songs to the seven minute mark. They work better in shorter bursts.

But overall, "The Poisoner" is a good record that makes the darker side of traditional metal sound fun. They don't have the ear for melody Ghost did even on their debut, and the riffs aren't as memorable as Trouble is famous for, but it works as a pretty good package.

Album Review: West Bound - Volume I

The music business is tough these days. It's very easy for even good musicians to get lost in the fray, to get swallowed up by the never-ending churn of releases. And with seemingly everyone needing to be in multiple bands to make a go of it, even names you remember... you can't really remember. West Bound, the band we're here to talk about, is the new collaboration between Roy Z (who produced a lot of great records a decade ago), and Chas West. I don't say this to be insensitive, but I knew I had heard Chas' name before, but I had to do some searching to remember who Resurrection Kings (his other band) are. That was him playing with the re-animated corpse of "Dream Evil" era Dio, so the hope is a more lively combination can have better results.

"Never Surrender" was the first song we got to hear, and it immediately told me two things; 1) This band has potential, and 2) It's the worst sounding Roy Z album I can remember. When Roy was making albums with Bruce Dickinson and Halford, they were tight and sharp, with dry but crunchy guitars. The guitar on "Never Surrender" sounds like an 80s record played through an extra delay pedal. The sound is so watery and soft there's no bite to it whatsoever. It has a feel to it I sometimes describe as sounding underwater. It's awful, which is a shame, because the song is good.

That production also doesn't make much sense, because this isn't an 80s rock record. The songwriting is far more in tune with the hard rock of the 70s, with hints of blues groove powering the riffs. This is far more Jimmy Page than Eddie Van Halen. The songs are simple, and designed to deliver the only two things good rock needs; a riff and a strong vocal. It mostly achieves those things, though there are often too many effects on Chas' voice that limit how much credit I can give him.

Both "Beautiful Dream" and "Nothing" are solid songs with balladic tendencies, like the nice addition of piano in the background of the latter, but they can't sound sincere when the emotion of Chas' voice is buried under echo and delay. We need to hear him feel the music, and instead we get the producer thinking they're clever by putting their choices at the forefront the recording. Let the damn music be.

If we focus on the songwriting, West Bound delivers a good record. It's not as good as the similar record Inglorious released in January, but it does find the right approach to classic hard rock. And if you compare it to Resurrection Kings, it's world's better. Songs like "On My Own" have a Whitesnake feel, but without the sleaziness David Coverdale grew to embrace. When the band is delivering material like this, I quite like what they're doing.

The problem is that no matter how good the record is, I have trouble looking past the production. The issue isn't that it isn't polished and perfect, it's that the choices made are distracting. You can make gritty and raw records that still sound good, but all the echo, reverb, and delay slathered all over this record are too much. At a certain point, my ears hurt from hearing sounds that are so unnatural. A good record is ruined by not letting the music speak for itself.

Geoff Tate's version of Queensryche put out a terrible sounding record in "Frequency Unknown", and then they realized their mistake and put out a version that sounded great (and then another that was bad again, but let's forget that). West Bound needs to do the same thing. "Volume I" is a good record that I want to like, but I just can't, because I hear the production instead of the music. With a few different choices, I would be happily recommending West Bound as a welcome addition to the ranks of new classic hard rock bands. But that's not the world we live in, and I don't see me subjecting myself to the uncomfortable experience of listening to these tones very often. What a shame.

Album Review: Spirits Of Fire - Spirits Of Fire

As a critic, one of the hardest things I have to deal with is the question of fairness. I try my best to go into every record I listen to with open ears, optimistic the music will be good, and ready to look for the positive side. I have to write negative reviews, but I don't want to. I would love it if every record was at least good, but that is impossible, and I also get accused of having standards that are too high. Fairness is even harder when a band like Spirits Of Fire comes along. How does one be fair to a record when you know without hearing a note it won't be good?

The combination of Ripper Owens and Chris Caffery is one that told me everything I needed to know before I listened to the music. Ripper has been in a string of bands, and has never shown any ability to write a memorable song. Caffery is known from his time playing Jon Oliva's songs in Savatage as they were taking on water, and then has spent most of the time since then playing Christmas music on stage, while making records no one knows exists. Combined, this band has no one who has ever written a song I truly enjoy, so the odds of them doing it now was next to zero.

And they haven't beaten them.

Things don't start off well. "Light Speed Marching" wants to be "Painkiller", but it clearly isn't. The production is absolutely awful. Ripper alternates between being buried in the mix and being so high his track clips. The guitars are sort of heavy, but the main harmony sounds like the Casio keyboard I had in 1989. Considering Roy Z had a hand in this record, I'm shocked. He produced unbelievable albums with Bruce Dickinson, and now he's turning out something like this that sounds as if it was recorded in a bedroom studio.

The big problem, though, is exactly what I knew it would be; the songwriting isn't very good. Caffery comes up with a riff or two that are decent, but Ripper doesn't offer up a single melody on this entire record I would want to remember, even if I could. As time has gone by, and his time in Judas Priest has been all but erased, he seems hell-bent on reclaiming it. That means he forgoes actually singing, which he can do well, and instead apes Halford at every turn. Most of his lines here are barked staccato rhythms, or high-pitched wailing. His time with Iced Earth proved he's a good vocalist when he's given the right material, and the rest of his career proves he doesn't have the ability to give it to himself, or pick the right people to provide it for him.

The only appeal of this record is if you are such a die-hard Judas Priest fan that you miss the days of "Jugulator". Like that record, this one is a miscalculation that doesn't play to anyone's strengths, and thinks being heavy is a substitute for knowing what you're doing. Yes, this record is heavy, but it's heavy in the sense it sounds like someone cranked the volume too loud, and you're suffering from mild hearing loss. I don't want to be harsh, but the sound of the record is simply unacceptable. I have heard far, far, far better productions that have come from a laptop.

Even if the sonics were better, Spirits Of Fire don't have anything to say. They are recycling a sound that plenty of others already do, and do much better. This might sound mean, but there's a reason why both Ripper and Caffery had the time available to put this group together.

The most interesting thing about this record is the competition it creates. Ripper has already been part of The Three Tremors, which was an awful and unlistenable album this year. Now, in just two months, he has probably landed two records on the eventual list of the worst of the year. That's actually rather impressive. And it will likely be the only reason I remember this record exists. Seriously, please do yourself a favor and avoid this.

Album Review: Dream Theater - Distance Over Time

When you've essentially defined a genre for twenty-five years, there is a tug of war that happens between carrying on as you have established the genre, or trying to continually push the boundaries of it, and yourself. Dream Theater has been caught in the middle, trying out new things, but returning to their roots when they venture a step too far. Myself, I am one of those who like when they stick with their identity. "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" was my #1 album in 2011, while their foray into conceptual musicals, "The Astonishing", was a massive disappointment. So seeing the track listing of this new record, and hearing them saying they wanted to make a traditional Dream Theater album, was music to my ears.

That is exactly what we got from the lead-off track, and first single, "Untethered Angel". It very much recalls "A Dramatic Turn Of Events". The intro has the same feeling "On The Backs Of Angels" did, while the first verse borrows the rhythm from "Outcry". The heavier riffs that pop in and out give the song a hint of groove, and bring in elements of "Train Of Thought" we haven't heard since then. Even though their self-titled album was supposed to be the encapsulation of everything Dream Theater is, that phrasing might better describe this record.

This is the first record of theirs in ages that doesn't have moments where they let being a progressive band overtake their songwriting. With no tracks stretching past ten minutes, they reign themselves in to a degree that maintains the integrity of the songs, while still giving everyone room to showcase their virtuoso abilities. There are no moments here like "Outcry", where even though I love the song, the instrumental section sounded as if it had been airlifted in from somewhere else, and replacing it with a similar section from another song wouldn't have made it any different. The limitations of time have focused their songwriting, which is a definite plus.

The solo in "Fall Into The Light" is a great example of this. It takes up a sizeable part of the second half of the song, but it is a richly melodic and deeply emotional piece of music that is essential to making the song work as a whole. Petrucci does what a solo is supposed to, and elevates the song with his playing. It's his best playing since the stunning solo from "Breaking All Illusions".

"Barstool Warrior" is a cringe-worthy title, but a thoroughly interesting song. We get some evocative playing from Petrucci in the first minute, with some searing lead work, and the body of the song is the best mixture of heavy guitar and sweet melody that the band has perhaps ever done. It's genuinely new territory for them, and is something I would love to hear more of. They so often go for their traditional soaring choruses that hearing something warmer like this is refreshing.

You could say "Distance Over Time" is another Dream Theater album, and you wouldn't be wrong. It certainly is Dream Theater going back to the basics of who they are, but that's what makes it work. They aren't putting on a veneer of being something other than Dream Theater, which has cropped up as an issue from time to time. This is the kind of album you should enjoy if you've ever liked Dream Theater. There are hints of every incarnation of the band's history in here, balanced against their core. "Distance Over Time" is a spiritual successor to "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", and it's easily their best record since then. Dream Theater has more than redeemed themselves. "Distance Over Time" is excellent.

Album Review: Last In Line - II

I have been hard on every one of the groups put together from different combinations of the ashes left after Dio's passing. None of them have come close to matching even the worst records Ronnie put out, and they all seem to me to exist for no reason other than to use his popularity to reinvigorate careers that would otherwise be over. Before these bands started popping up, no one was clamoring for new Vivian Campbell and Craig Goldy records. Certainly, no one wanted to hear them putting out records they tried to tie to Dio's legacy. Given the acrimony between them, Last In Line with Vivian Campbell was the least welcome of them all. Their first record was a crashing disappointment to me, and the fact they have come back with the ultra-clever title of "II" is not inspiring any new confidence.

Things get off to an uninspiring start with "Blackout The Sun", which is four minutes of two note blues that fails to establish any kind of groove, hook, or melody. Andrew Freeman is a good singer, but he offers up nothing on the song. It's the kind of songwriting that relies entirely on charisma to get over, and these guys don't have that kind of presence. Ronnie did, and perhaps he would have been able to salvage it, but I doubt it. The same thing is true of "Year Of The Gun", one of the pre-release singles. The band goes through the motions, and then throws out a chorus that has no melody to it at all. They shout the title a few times, which is lazy songwriting.

The other single, "Landslide", was actually pretty good. It had more of an identity, and more of a melody to it. I found myself enjoying it, but then I was left scratching my head when the aforementioned second single came out and was so different. We do get a few more tracks in this mold, though. "Gods And Tyrants" is another good one that tells me the band could be much better than they currently are, if they applied themselves a bit more.

What baffles me most, though, is what the purpose of Last In Line is. The group was put together for the original Dio lineup to play together again, which I didn't like, but I understood. Now, with only Vivian and Vinny Apice left, the group sounds nothing like Dio at all. They are far closer to Vivian's other band, Riverdogs. This record is bluesy rock, and not the metallic thunder he played alongside the legend. If anything, hearing this as the kind of music Vivian comes up with on his own makes it clear his leaving Dio was not one of the great 'what ifs' of rock history. Dio never sang anything like this, so their separation now seems natural, even without the business disagreements.

I'm not sure whether or not that approach is better than Goldy finding a singer who can appropriately imitate Ronnie, and putting out an album that sounded just like a later Dio record. They both are questionable in their own way. But I can leave that behind for the sake of talking about these songs on their own, because they don't do anything to make me question my doubts. This record is rather dull (from a production standpoint), and I'm just not buying into the heavy blues lean in most of the songs.

It's not as bad a record as I was fearing. In addition to the songs I've already mentioned, "Give Up The Ghost" and "Love And War" are also solid tracks that could be part of a good record. There's enough here to lift the record up above things that are truly terrible, like The Three Tremors record from January. That said, there's also stuff like "Electrified", which sounds like a middle aged person trying to recapture the energy of their youth. It doesn't work at all.

So what Last In Line leaves us with is another frustrating album that hints as good things, and then buries them under the weight of disappointment. Maybe I would be a bit more open to this if it wasn't tied to Dio's legacy, but even then I doubt I would be able to say this is a record worth searching out. At this stage of the game, half-and-half records aren't enough to keep my interest.

Album Review: Candlemass - The Door To Doom

Here we sit with a new Candlemass album, the first one with singer Johan Langqvist since their ground-breaking debut, and there's only one thing floating around in my mind; this shouldn't be happening. I remember quite vividly sitting down to write my review of "Psalms For The Dead", which was promised to be the end of their recording career. Here we sit seven years later, and Candlemass joins the long line of bands over the years who have outright lied to my face. Here's the thing about that; I'm sick and tired of it. We know bands never retire until they physically can't perform anymore, and even then they still try everything they can to keep the machine rolling. All Candlemass had to do was say they were stepping away, that they didn't know if anything would ever happen again. Instead, they lied to garner sympathy and good reviews, and now they want me to embrace this record with open arms. I'm not that forgiving.

So while I'm admitting I hate the very existence of this record, let's try to be fair to the music. Frankly, Candlemass left us on a rather weak note. "Psalms For The Dead" was the worst record of that last era, and "Death Magic Doom" had been frustratingly inconsistent. Leif Edling is capable of writing some great stuff, but he seldom delivers entire records without filling them with boring doom that lacks spark.

The big difference with "The Door To Doom" is that, intentional or not, the return to their beginnings includes a production that is raw and not far off the retro occult-rock bands that are all over the place now. The guitars don't have their usual big, fuzzy doom sound. That choice does leave the record not sounding as big or as heavy as what doom has become known for. It's in line with where the band started, but I find that rather cynical. They have their original singer, so they also reverted to their original production sound. This album almost pretends the last twenty-plus years of evolution didn't happen.

The good news is that Johan sounds great. He's able to hit the same qualities Rob Lowe did, but with extra old-school grit. His voice is capable of doing everything Candlemass could ask, which is why it's sad he is saddled with music that doesn't give him anything interesting to sing. Over the years, Leif had been adding more and more melody to the songs, to the point where the last two records were at points hybrids of doom and sing-alongs. That's why I loved "The Bleeding Baroness", and there isn't anything on this record that holds a candle to that one.

Maybe we could excuse the reversion in approach if the riffs were delivering in epic fashion, but that's not happening either. There's no "Of Stars And Smoke" here. The riffs are standard Candlemass, but without the snap and hook they're capable of. The cruel way of putting it is to say the guitar work on this record is like if the producer challenged Tony Iommi to throw out all of his good riffs, and replace them live as they were recording. Speaking of Tony, he contributes a solo to "Astorolus - The Great Octopus", one of the dumbest titled songs I can recall in recent memory.

The main problem with this record is that there isn't anything memorable about it. After seven years, and with the reunion as a catalyst, I expected far better than this. Avatarium's albums have been far more interesting, perhaps because they forced Leif out of his comfort zone. "The Door Of Doom" is Candlemass by-the-numbers, which might be what some people want to hear, but it walks back the interesting developments over the years. They strip things back so far all we have is the stone in the middle of the fruit. It might be able to sprout in time, but it doesn't nourish right now.

My issues with the band aside, "The Door To Doom" just isn't very good. It certainly wasn't worth resurrecting the band for.

EP Review: Marlene Oak - Silver Moon

We often lose perspective when we talk about music. For those of us who listen to a lot of rock and metal, the mythos of a band begins to take over, and somehow we get lost in the weeds talking about amps and riffs, solos and technique. At the heart of music is songwriting, and the building block of everything we listen to are singer/songwriters. Sometimes we look down at them for how simple the music can be, how it lacks the big sounds and layers of ornaments that we get from ensembles. But when you really think about it, there's the old adage that any good song can be played on just an acoustic guitar, or piano, and a vocal; that if you need anything else for the song to work, it's not actually a good song.

Marlene Oak is an up and coming singer/songwriter who brings to mind Norah Jones. "Come Home" kicks off the EP with softly distorted guitars strumming a few chords, while her voice is given the spotlight. Her instrument has a breathy quality to it that makes her music sound melancholy, no matter the subject. It's a tone I happen to be quite fond of. And whereas Norah Jones seldom rises to crescendo, this song builds to a stronger hook where Marlene uses the power in her voice to drive the message home. It's still laid-back and relaxed, but it's also engaging, and a very lovely way to introduce herself.

"Silver Moon" follows, and is more of a blues song, mixed with some horns out of a spaghetti western soundtrack. It's an interesting addition to the track, and it does give some needed color to what would otherwise be a very somber ballad. That is contrasted with "Everyone", which is the most upbeat and 'pop' song here. Trade the guitar for a piano, and it wouldn't have been out of place when artists like Cobie Callait were popular. It's a lovely sunny day type of song, but there is an issue where the vocal recording is slightly distorted, which makes her delivery a bit difficult to understand. I'm a bit of a stickler on enunciating.

"In The Evening" could be an old torch ballad, both because of the timeless sense of the composition, but also in the recording, which bristles like an old vinyl record. It almost sounds like Marlene's voice is too much for the groove to hold, which isn't something we're used to hearing anymore from music that isn't a wall of noise. There's more than one way to be a throwback, we must remember. The EP then finishes with "Gone", once again keeping the pace a gentle trot. We leave as we came.

When all is said and done, here's where I stand with this EP; it's good music, and a promising start from an appealing new voice, but it also has a few flaws. I would like to hear her voice more clearly through the production, because it's a shame to do anything to cover it up. I would also like the music to be a hair more vibrant. These are all good songs, but I fear an entire album that is mostly her balladic side would be too easily construed as boring. Mixing in a few more upbeat moments could go a long way. That said, there is a lot of promise here. Marlene Oak is a name to keep an eye on.

Album Review: Beast In Black - From Hell With Love

A few years ago, Battle Beast splintered, as bands sometimes do. Most of the band carried on, putting out a good record without their former main songwriter, while he started Beast In Black to continue his vision of slightly cheesy, 80s heavy melodic metal. Both albums had their merits, and I'm not here to compare them. What was most notable to me, about the two bands, was the singer chosen to front Beast In Black. He single-handedly dragged down a record that could have been even better than it was. There were moments I didn't realize there wasn't a female guest singer, and others where he sang like fondue. I grew up with Meat Loaf being my first musical love, so believe me, I don't mind some cheese. Beast In Black was a bit much, even for me.

That brings us to album number two, where we hope the band finds their voice and lays down the marker of who they are going to be. That voice is still dependent on Yannis Papadopoulos, who is a polarizing singer. From the very first notes he belts in "Cry Out For A Hero", his high-pitched wailing is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. Myself, I never have been able to get into those kinds of vocals, and I can't say I am this time either. When he does reign in the volume and sing softer parts, like through the verses of the title track, I like the guy, but the siren impression is too much for me. Thankfully, it is used sparingly once we get through this opener.

Speaking of that title track, it continues the trend I keep seeing of bands paying massive homage to the 80s. I don't get the appeal, to be honest. The synths are that super-fake sound we remember, and there's even a short drum roll leading into the choruses that is a pure electronic kit, and wants to be a new version of "In The Air Tonight". It's a moment that sounds out of place, and draws my focus away from the hook. That shouldn't happen, because it's actually a great song. The band knows how to write cheesy pop metal, and when they focus on doing that without the glitter and smoke machines, they're a less lycanthropic spin on what Powerwolf has been doing. "Sweet True Lies" could easily be a song from that band, which is a big compliment.

The sense I get from the album, though, is the same one I got from the debut; namely that Beast In Black haven't figured out who they are. Yannis tries on at least three or four different voices through the track list, while the songs veer from 80s pop to pure power metal. There's diversity, and then there's wandering. I'm afraid the band is doing a bit more of the latter than they should. That diversion, "Repentless", is too stock-in-trade to be as interesting as the bulk of the record, and because of that it stands out like a sore thumb among the better material.

So let's focus on the good here for a minute. Beast In Black writes great pop metal, which is what they do for almost all of this record. If you remember the early Lordi records, it's that kind of silly fun, but without the gimmick of being monsters. I hear so much music that is a drag, something that is purely fun is always welcome. That's what Beast In Black is; fun. From "Sweet True Lies" to "Unlimited Sin", Beast In Black has stepped up their game on their second album. Look, I would rather forget the 80s ever existed, but it doesn't seem I'm going to be allowed to. Of all the bands that are doing 80s worship, Beast In Black has the right attitude about it. They use in tongue-in-cheek to make something we can laugh and smile at (ok, the laughter might not be intentional). I appreciate that.

"From Hell With Love" is a good time.

Album Review: Avantasia - Moonglow

At this stage, every Avantasia album is an event. With them, we get the best collection of talent in the melodic metal world assembled under the care of one of its best songwriters. Between Edguy and Avantasia, Tobias Sammet has a lengthy catalog of music that has rarely let me down. I find it hard to believe that with as many albums as he has put out, there have been so few I don't regularly go back to. And considering that "Ghostlights" was one of his absolute best as a songwriter, the expectations for "Moonglow" are as high as they can be. Tobi wasted no time getting us ready, teasing us with the eleven-minute "The Raven Child" as the lead single. Was that a signal that Avantasia was doubling-down on being the epic force they are capable of? Or was it just a way of compensating for the more hard-core metal fans not enjoying the Meat Loaf worshiping "Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose" the way I did? That is what the album answers.

That flower once again opens this album, as does Tobi's shared love of Jim Steinman. This time, though, it's in the form of a ten-minute mini-epic that more fully integrates the angelic choirs into the melodic metal attack, rather than sounding like someone else's song turned into an Avantasia track. And Tobi takes a lesson to this song I remember hearing from Dave Grohl when "Wasting Light" was being released. "Ghost In The Moon" builds to a great hook, but then Tobi says he can do better, and throws in an even bigger one, just because he can. By the time we get to the true apex of the track, it is absolutely massive. Think "The Seven Angels", but with even more power. What's interesting is how this song, like "The Raven Child", don't feel the need to return to some of the great hooks when you would expect, they are that confidently written. This album takes no prisoners, right from the start.

Things don't let up with "Book Of Shallows", which is one of the heaviest songs Tobi has ever written. It thrashes along relentlessly, and somehow these five minutes are able to fit Hansi Kursch, Mille Petrozza, Ronnie Atkins, and Jorn Lande all alongside Tobi. And we get a nod and wink, with the bridge evoking the same feelings as Blind Guardian. If the opener upped the ante from the previous album, this song is an amped up brother to "Master Of The Pendulum".

I don't know what got into Tobi, but the whole album is heavier and more snarling than ever before. Even the title track, which would be an assumed ballad between Tobi and Candice Night, features some nasty, down-tuned riffing come the bridge. It sounds to me like Tobi breaking free of what Avantasia has become. While the project has evolved as it has moved along, certain tropes had become almost expected, and the name is big enough now to take whatever chances Tobi can conjure up. That's an attitude you have to respect.

But "Moonglow" is about so much more than that. It's one thing to take chances, it's another to make them count. Tobi is shifting Avantasia to new territory yet again, and it has revitalized him. The music sounds more energetic and lively than before, with the heavy attitude reflected in the songwriting. Tobi is punching like a heavyweight in a slug-fest, not holding anything back, as though he's fighting for his life. Avantasia has always been big, bold, and colorful. This album is darker and more single-minded, which in a way makes it sound even bigger. If some of the previous records were prisms reflecting the entire spectrum, "Moonglow" is a laser you can feel burning against your skin.

There's a line in "Lavender" where it's sung, "I see a magical world in sepia," which is rather fitting. There is something gritty about this album that eschews the technicolor we got from "The Scarecrow". As much of an achievement as "Ghostlights" was, "Moonglow" makes an even stronger statement. I don't know if it's the beginning of a new chapter, or an experiment that will be a one-off, but right now it stands alone in the Avantasia canon. "Moonglow" is another epic statement that no one does this better than Tobias Sammet, and he is still at the top of his game. "Moonglow" exceeds all expectations, and will surely be one of the best records of 2019.

Let's just forget that cover of the 80s song "Maniac" is even here, ok?

Singles Roundup: Kim Jennette, Forever Still, Yours Truly, & Madame Mayhem

February is going to be a crazy month, so before I get saddled with a ton of albums to fill my every waking moment, I want to take the opportunity to talk about a few singles that have caught my ear lately, all of which share a particular theme.

Kim Jennette - Love Like Suicide

This was the best song of January, for me. I found it through a recommendation from a recommendation, and it's bits of luck like that which reaffirm the fun of the chase. This song captured my attention from the first seconds I heard it. Kim's voice transitions from soft to loud, with the perfect amount of grit to wring the emotion from the song. When she belts those notes in the chorus, it's absolutely perfect. As the first taste of a solo career, I can't think of anything better. An awesome track.

Forever Still - Rewind

The first single from the band's sophomore album treats us to more of what's great about Forever Still. They are able to play that dark style of modern rock, but do so with melodies that offer hope to play against the guitars. Maja's vocals are powerful, clear, and the catalyst that makes the sound spark. I was a big fan of their debut, and they haven't missed a beat with this song. They will be providing one of the highlights of March.

Yours Truly - Circles

With my favorite band of this style quietly broken up, Yours Truly can take over that mantle if their upcoming EP is as good as their previous one. This song says it damn sure will be. They fill the gap that now exists, since Paramore and those bands have turned to 80s synth-pop. This is ultra melodic pop/punk or alt/rock, whichever you want to call it, and it's a musical sugar rush. The band has a knack for writing songs that burrow in your head and rewire your brain to demand a smile. Crunchy guitars, massive hooks, and feisty vocals. What isn't there to like?

Madame Mayhem - Broken

I remember listening to Madame Mayhem's last album and coming away from it unsure. The record had the right modern rock sound, and her vocals were great, but none of the songs stood out to me. This single changes that perception in three minutes. The guitar work is more interesting, and the melody is stickier than what I remember from their previous work. It does a good job of straddling the line between having attitude and being accessible. If this is a harbinger of something to come, I'm down for that.