Album Review: Allen/Olzon - Worlds Apart

We have seen in recent years a number of albums that pair two singers together, ostensibly as a way of trying to shoehorn two fan-bases into buying a single record. That's fine, but there's a simple fact that gets ignored by a lot of these things; a duet needs to have a purpose. One of two things has to happen for these albums to not be wastes of time. Either the two voices need to be different enough that one could not bring both elements to the music, or the songs need to be written from two perspectives. The latter never happens, so we'll focus on the former. There have been a lot of these records (Leone/Conti the most egregious) where the two voices were nearly indistinguishable, but even from the start of this mini-genre, it has been an issue.

Russell Allen and Jorn Lande's initial trilogy of albums paved the way for all of this, and while there is much to love about those records, I would be lying if I said they didn't fall victim to the same problem. Both are fantastic singers, but they are similar enough that either one of them could have sung the entirety of those records with practically no difference to us, the listeners. That's what makes this record so interesting to me, as Allen and songwriter Magnus Karlsson are paired with Anette Olzon, who brings a completely new and different sound to the songs. It's refreshing to hear duets that sound like duets again.

Magnus has written a lot of albums, and lately I will say I haven't been overly impressed by them. I think this is mostly due to the choices of singers, whether the guests on his solo albums, or the pairing with Ronnie Romero (who I find tries way too hard). Allen and Olzon are world-class vocalists, who both happen to have stronger appeal for me, so the melodies sparkle just a bit brighter with their voices. They don't try to push the aggression of the metal, letter Magnus' guitars do that, while they boost the melodic quotient. That's exactly how it should be.

What these two can do that a lot of these albums can't is blend their voices for the choruses. Both the title track and "What If I Live" do this, and the sound becomes deeper and more substantial for it. You can hear both of them, and the way they fill out the spectrum is one of the lost arts of metal. I absolutely love that sound, and those songs.

I have no trouble saying this is the best album Magnus has written in a long time. In fact, this is the first one in ages that reminds me of his glory days (the first two Allen/Lande records and Bob Catley's "Immortal"). It's beautiful, melodic metal at its absolute best. There's a sense of class to this that we don't always get. The cover artwork plays up the demon and angel theme, but that's not what this record is about. They are a yin and yang, but neither one is trying to bring us to the dark side. This entire record is centered on bringing us joy, lifting us up above the fray. That's exactly the sort of feeling we need right now, and damn if this doesn't deliver.

If I'm being honest, there is one criticism I would offer. The album's eleven songs only feature five in which the two singers share the stage. While their solo songs are just as good, I would have loved to have heard even more of them singing together.

When this record was announced, I was intrigued by the pairing. Now that I've heard it, I'm delighted by it. Allen/Olzon has more than lived up to the hype, giving us a fantastic melodic metal album, and if the world stays as it is, perhaps one of the best records 2020 will have to offer.

Bloody Good News: There's Self-Awareness, & Then There's Dave Mustaine

Our Top Story: Emmure vocalist Frankie Palmeri has addressed his own career in a moment of self-reflection, saying "I emotionally and spiritually reject almost every lyric I’ve ever written. It all stems from material pain, a fragile ego, a inability to cope. It’s unfortunate anyone has ever identified with any of what I’ve said in my music."

After that created confusion, he clarified that he doesn't regret writing any of his songs, but he no longer identifies with the person who wrote them, or the feelings captured within them. He went on to say that being around people who don't listen to metalcore (though this extends to much of metal as well) opened his eyes to the "unnecessary onslaught of bullshit emotions" it entails.

I don't think I've ever listened to an Emmure song, so my interest in this topic isn't about Frankie at all. I'm intrigued by the larger question; what do we make of music when it's rejected by the person who created it? We don't have a lot of examples of artists rejecting their own work, partly because many of them aren't self-aware enough to criticize themselves, but also because they don't want to do anything to impact the ability to sell the music.

Hearing someone you look up to telling you enjoying the music you've connected with is unhealthy is not something to be taken lightly. A lot of modern rock and metal is swamped in pain and anger, and there are serious questions that must be asked about how much we can absorb before it becomes dangerous. Music can be a catharsis, a means of getting the negativity out of us, but it can also reinforce it and drive it deeper. We, as listeners, have to know ourselves and be able to tell what the music is doing to us, and where the limits are. I'm not comfortable saying many people, myself included, can do that. It's one of the reasons I try to avoid music that is actively miserable. I didn't expect to hear that thinking mirrored by someone who made that sort of miserable music.

It's a rare moment of existential reasoning I didn't expect to come, and am rather shocked by. We don't get much deep thinking from heavy music, and even if I will never be swayed to listen to Emmure, I appreciate the attempt to start a deeper conversation surrounding the music we listen to. It's needed.

In Other News: The good news is that Dave Mustaine is doing better in his battle against cancer. The bad news is that means Dave is now going to start talking again. In some of his first comments since returning to the road, Dave has not only shoved his entire foot down his throat, but he has reinforced every reason I've considered him one of metal's biggest assholes.

Talking about an incident in 2012 where he accused President Obama of staging the Aurora massacre, among others, Mustaine excused his behavior by saying "I have no regrets. If you weren't there, you won't know what happened. We were in Asia and soon discovered that the guy doing our monitors really wasn't a monitor guy; the first two shows had been disastrous. We got a local guy to help us and it was a fucking mess. Naturally, I threw caution to the wind and we knew we couldn't take the gig too seriously."

Yes, Dave Mustaine is defending his false allegations that the President of the United States faked murders by saying he was upset his sound on stage wasn't good enough, and that he was just joking.

I don't say this lightly; Fuck Dave Mustaine.

Humor is subjective, sure, but there is nothing funny about accusing people of heinous acts, or even crimes. It is a sign of a severe personality disorder that Dave would consider that an appropriate response to a gig going poorly. He's deeply insulting on two fronts. First, his comments are an indication that he didn't give the people who paid good money to see him that night his best effort, which is insulting enough. Second, he passing the blame for his actions onto a member of the crew. No one made him say those things other than himself. No one planted the seeds of conspiracy theories in his head other than himself. No one told Dave to be an asshole, and a possibly racist asshole at that. He did it all on his own.

We aren't all going to agree on politics, but there's a world of difference between have a policy discussion and accusing those on the other side of committing ghastly crimes. But we know who Dave Mustaine is. He has a long history of saying deeply offensive things, making it quite easy to connect the dots between him and racism (he said he knew President Obama wasn't born in The United States - a racist statement), him and sexism, and various other issues. You would think that being nearly 60s years old, and having just faced his own mortality, Dave would have grown up at some point. But he hasn't.

Dave Mustaine is still the same as he ever was; a person too dumb to realize he's not smart. Every time he opens his mouth, he taints Megadeth's legacy even more than the last twenty years of albums have.

The Spider Accomplice Say, "Enough"

It's hard to find your path in these times. There are myriad ways of making your way, and there are no sign-posts anymore to guide you on which will get you to your destination, because at this point all roads lead where you want to go. They may not always be clear, and the footing may be precarious, but the world is now filled with wormholes allowing us to extend our reach anywhere and everywhere. That helps bands like The Spider Accomplice, who can make music free of the shackles that come with chasing the old way of doing things. Even their own old ways, it turns out.

For 2020, the band has a new edge and a new approach. I won't be reviewing an EP from them, because instead I can tell you what they're doing more regularly, with singles being released every so often to ride the crest of the wave. Today, we have the first of those songs, and given that it's an election year, we might all be saying, "Enough!" before too long. (The exclamation point was mine, obviously)

The band is leaning into the territory their last EP pointed us towards, a heavier sound that is a bit darker, and certainly heavier than the majority of what they have done so far. If you remember me raving about their song "Swallow", consider that the blueprint for what they are doing on "Enough", but with less sheen, and more of an influence from 90s rock and metal.

Arno's haunting guitar melody is reminiscent of HIM's "Wings Of A Butterfly", and when he dips into some shred coming out of the choruses, it's just enough (Bad pun, sorry) to flash that this is a new day for the band, without going over the top. Likewise, the piano that enters during the bridge is a moment I imagine being perfect for a Smashing Pumpkins-esque feeling. Every time out, The Spider Accomplice has given us something new and different, and that continues here.

We may not be living int he darkest timeline, but sometimes it feels that way, and "Enough" is a song to get us through that. VK has said that she writes depressing songs for Arno's happy music, but not the two of them are both watching the sun go down, and I have to say it hasn't changed the band's appeal to me. The dichotomy (What's with all the puns?) was wonderful, but so too is hearing VK belting out a song that's more searing, and needs more venom. I won't call it a coming out party, since she has delivered a lot of great performances, but it is something we haven't quite heard before. Her pink visage stands out even more against this musical backdrop.

Different can be scary, but it can also be good. The Spider Accomplice is spinning a new web now, but don't be afraid. It's more than enough. (Seriously? More puns? What's wrong with me?)

"Enough" will be available February 28th. Pre-save the track here.

Album Review: Demons & Wizards - III

It isn't often that dream scenarios come true, and when they do, it often turns into a debacle. The thing we don't always take note of is that just because two artists are great, and might wonder what they would sound like together, doesn't mean that the end result is going to be any good. In the case of Demons & Wizards, it was one of those occasions where everything did fall into place. That first record is one of the more important power metal records of its time, and it stands up as a great piece of work, a perfect fusion of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian. And for those of us like me, who don't like Matt Barlow's voice much, it was even more important.

Fifteen years after their second album, Jon Shaffer and Hansi Kursch have gotten back together for a new outing. Album number three comes after so much has happened to each of them that it's almost difficult to imagine what to expect from their collaboration. There's only one way to find out.

The album kicks off with "Diabolic", which was the first song released to whet our appetites. It stretches eight minutes, building slowly, falling back to the start just when it feels like the song is about to hit its climax. There's very much a prog vibe here, with the hook being subdued compared to the main guitar lead, and two minutes of atmospheric scene-setting tacked on to the end. It was an odd choice for a first single, and is a curious way to open the album. After fifteen years of waiting, I was expecting them to come out of the gates swinging, but that's not what the song is about.

What's interesting about the record is that it almost doesn't feel or sound anything like Demons & Wizards. Jon Schaffer's trademark chugging rhythms are used sparingly here, leaving most of the record to sound like Blind Guardian playing old-school classic rock. That has plenty of curiosity appeal to it, but it's not at all what I would have equated with this project. "Invincible" is a strong song, and Hansi delivers a suitably huge chorus, but there isn't a drop of power metal to be found in it, which is what this band was founded on. I know that people evolve with time, but given the gap between albums, there was no warning the shift would be so drastic.

The most striking feeling I get through the majority of the record is that it feels.... tired. Hansi tries to muster some anger in his delivery, but Schaffer's music doesn't give him much to work with. The rhythms are less intricate than before, the playing lacking a heavy right hand attack. And with the tempos slowing down, that gives the album a very plodding feeling that only plays further into the lack of energy throughout it. "Timeless Spirit" is trying to be an epic that builds from acoustic guitars into a massive wall of melody, but then it spends the last two minutes rehashing the coda in a way that doesn't add anything but frustration. The song hit its climax, but they insist on sticking around for far too long afterward, which weakens the power of what they had accomplished, which honestly wasn't that much. Hansi is more respected than Ripper Owens, but the song is a pale imitation of "The Clouding" from Iced Earth's "Framing Armageddon" album.

In fact, you could say this whole record is like a pale imitation of a Demons & Wizards album. The ingredients are there, but they don't come together whatsoever. The second album brought plenty of questions, but it still had strong songs. This album just doesn't. Schaffer's music is the blandest it's ever been, but Hansi's melodies aren't any better. It's so much a wash of backing vocals with no tune to them that it all fades into a gray fuzz as the hour drags on. Take away those layers upon layers of Hansi's voice, and this record would have nothing to offer.

I wish I could say something snappy here to sum things up, but it's hard to have much to say when the predominant experience an album gives you is boredom. There's your takeaway.

Album Review: Framing Hanley - Envy

It seems like there's a never-ending supply of bands getting back together after years apart, which surprises me, since it's harder than ever for bands to get attention and make money. I'm left wondering if they are regrouping because whatever issues they might have had are behind them, if starting new bands is too hard, of if they know they don't even need to work hard on new music to get their old fans to continue attending shows, which is where the real money is. It's hard to tell when intentions are good, and when something is merely the easiest path forward. I won't try to speculate which is true for Framing Hanley, but this is their first album since breaking up, which leaves me curious.

Listening to "Bubbles", what I'm hearing is a more guitar-based version of the current pop/rock sound. There is a slinky guitar riff in the verse, but the majority of the song is a repetitive attempt to be pop with overlapping vocals that don't really add up to a whole lot. Why that is the starting point of the record is confusing, since the following song, "Misery", has a similar build but a far stronger, bigger, and hookier chorus. If anything, I sort of hear a bit of "Songs About Jane" era Maroon 5 in it, especially the falsetto notes that dot the melody. It may not be the most current of songs, but it's good, which is more important.

Past that, the record settles into a groove where the songs combine slight djenty riffs with emotional vocals, and that results in a record that is able to sound dark and brooding without getting too dour to sit through. Being on the right side of that fine line is the difference between making a record that is weighty, and one that you can't wait to be over. There has to be a light at the end of the tunnel, or else there isn't any reason to keep going. I've heard more than enough bands that don't get that message, and turn their music into aural misery.

As the record unfolds, Framing Hanley brings to mind several bands from the past. There's the aforementioned Maroon 5, but there's also "Puzzle Pieces" and "The Way Down" with a definite aura of classic-era Fall Out Boy, and the closing "Counterfeit" and "Baggage Claim" that are pulled from the "Futures" era of Jimmy Eat World (one of the best, most underrated albums ever). They reach back into the past and pull out threads of sounds we don't get to hear anymore, as bands have moved on to newer and less interesting, directions. The record isn't a throwback, but there is a bit of nostalgia that comes through, at least for me.

Mainstream rock hasn't had much to offer in recent years, with tons of generic bands rehashing the same old thing again and again. Framing Hanley is different enough to stand out from that crowd, and there are some very good songs on this record. It's the sort of album that requires a second thought to understand the nuance of the approach. That might make it unlikely to catch fire in the mainstream, where first impressions are vitally important, but it means "Envy" is more interesting than whatever Theory Of A Deadman, or whatever they're calling themselves these days, is putting out. There's something here, that much I know.

Album Review: We Sell The Dead - Black Sleep

I grew up in the late 80s, so every weekend I was watching reruns of The A-Team, no matter how many times I had already seen them. I must have heard Hannibal Smith say, "I love it when a plan comes together" a thousand times. It's true, and that quip is what comes to mind when I think about We Sell The Dead's first album. No, not because it's true of it, but because it was the complete opposite. The band formed around a multimedia gimmick and songs about Jack The Ripper, which I found to be in poor taste, poorly executed, and rather a mess. The visuals were amateurish, and the songs weren't a lot better. It was biting off way too much for a new band that hadn't even figured out who they were yet.

So for album number two, all of the pretense has been stripped away, and or the better. As the singles were released, each one made me do a double-take, asking if this was really the same band. It is, but they are a completely different beast this time, and it's all for the better. By going back to the basics, We Sell The Dead have taken giant steps forward.

For this record, the band has stripped back their sound to be much more of a classic rock band, leaving behind the gimmick of their debut. This is for the best, as it plays into their strengths. Apollo Papathanasio is one of the best singers in hard rock/metal, and doing anything that distracts from him delivering strong hooks and melodies makes no sense to me. For the first time since leaving Firewind, he finally has a vehicle that puts him in the best light. Many of the projects he's been associated with either pushed him to be someone he wasn't, or didn't have the songs needed to be a true showcase. These men, coming together, have found a creative well.

The record kicks off with "Caravan", where the band is at their heaviest, with hints of plodding doom and middle-eastern melody. It's interesting that the songs biggest moment isn't the hookiest, which plays with out expectations in an unusual way. That song sets the stage for the three songs that were previewed prior to the album's release, "Across The Water", "Black Sleep", and "Carved In Stone". Those songs are three shining examples of melodic hard rock, with great guitar solos and harmonies, a massive blend of guitars and organs, and Apollo delivering unforgettable melodies. It's when he gets huge, catchy melodies that the breathiness of his voice is best used. He can make the stickiest hook still sound heavy, just by virtue of his tone. "Carved In Stone", in particular, might end up being one of the best songs of the year. It's that good. Seriously.

When we get to "Hour Of The Wolf", the groove of the guitar riff is pure In Flames (to be expected, since Niclas Engelin has spent time as a member), which gives us a neat window into an alternate world. Plenty of people complain about In Flames these days, me among them (not because of the change, but the lack of quality on certain records), and that song in particular is what In Flames has been trying to be all these years. Hearing it in this context, it's bloody great.

This album doesn't have the same drama or cheese factor that the "Dracula: Swing Of Death" record did five years ago, but I get a similar feeling listening to it. This is still music written about death and darkness, but it's done with lush melody and a sense of panache. How else do you describe the guitar figure that opens "Nightmare And Dream" that has a bit of The Munsters theme to it? In a way, We Sell The Dead are mining the same thematic territory as Ghost, but they do it with less obvious pop overtures. They are still a hard rock band through and through, but the appeal is the same. And similarly good, to boot.

I think this record is a good lesson that sometimes less is more. We Sell The Dead tried too hard on their first record, and now that they are focused on just writing great songs, the results are so much better. They have quickly shifted from being a curiosity to being a heck of a band. "Black Sleep" is a great record that is the best record of the month, and will be a contender at the end of the year. Make sure you give it a listen. I don't think you'll regret it.

Album Review: BRKN LOVE - BRKN LOVE

The complaints have been going on for almost as long as I can remember that rock is dying, and there isn't a new generation of bands coming up to carry on and sustain the genre. That's true, but for multiple reasons. There is a deficit of great new rock bands that have the kind of mainstream appeal to bring rock back, but the ones that do exist also can't get any traction because the old guard refuses to retire and go away. When you still have bands of guys near or in their 70s trying to act the part of rockers, the money all flows to them, and they make rock seem so much less cool than it really is. That's how Imagine Dragons gets to call itself rock. If the current, weak-ass form of The Who are rock, who says that hard pop can't be too?

So now we get yet another band trying to be the next rockers to break on through. Recorded live to tape, BRKN LOVE (spelling like that pisses me off) tries to find the balance between polished and edgy. That's a tall task to take on with a debut record.

I appreciate the sentiment of wanting to make a more old-school record, but not everything from the past is worth replicating. The guitar tones throughout the record are fuzzy, and often washed in the mix, leaving the record almost sounding like your ear is partially plugged up. The parts that are supposed to sound heavy don't, because the guitars have enough fizz on them that the notes blend and dissipate. I have never thought fuzz was heavy, and I still don't when I hear it here. These songs need more bite on the guitars.

"I See Red" sounds very much like it could be a Daughtry song, including Justin Benolo's vocal tone, except for the guitars sounding like they were ripped out of an early Queens Of The Stone Age record. I don't think they were going for a hazy, inebriated stoner sound, so softening the edges of their axes renders them Nerf. But it gets even worse on "Shot Down", where the guitars are so fuzzed-out and clipping in the mix that I turned it off right after the first chorus. That wasn't momentous enough to make it worth listening to more of that painful production. A digital recording can sound just as bad, but at least it would have given them more options for cleaning it up after the fact. That song is unacceptable. It's better than Baroness' "Gold & Grey" (the new standard for shit-sounding music), but not by much.

As the record keeps going, I'm struck with a feeling that I know exactly what the band is going for, and can't identify exactly why it fails. They want the ramshackle feeling of the first Foo Fighters record, but they don't have the charm and the songwriting to shine through the rough edges and make the investment worthwhile. Last year, we got a very similar feeling record from Feeder, except they had several gloriously memorable songs, and their scruffy production was warm and soft, whereas BRKN LOVE's is brittle and harsh. Instead of a fog wrapping around you on a chilly day, they are the cold slap of a wind chill when the mercury can barely be seen. It isn't pleasant.

There are some solid songs, and some indications that the group could get better in the future, but this record also tells me they have serious decision making issues that need to be addressed. I really like "Toxic Twin", and a couple other tracks, but when they have intentionally made the music so difficult to listen to, I can't help but take it personally, like they don't want me to listen to them. I can't think of any good reason otherwise to make a record that doesn't try to put its best foot forward.

So that's the story of BRKN LOVE. They have some good songs, but I just don't want to put myself through listening to this record, not with the alarms it sets off in my migraine-prone brain. This is probably a better record than I'm making it sound, or than it sounds to me, but I have to be honest.

Album Review: Archon Angel - Fallen

People have been clamoring for nearly two decades for Savatage to return, and I don't quite get why. I find their career to be way too inconsistent, but more than that, the main players are still out there doing their thing. John Oliva has put out plenty of records, and so too has Zach Stevens. What I can say, after hearing most of them, is that none of it points to a reunion of Savatage being great. Both sides have played out that style of music for so long they don't have much left in the tank. There have been highlights along the way, but neither side has shown any ability to follow through time and again.

Zach is someone I like as a singer, even though I shouldn't, and Circle II Circle does have three albums I think are fantastic. The problem is that they are interspersed with some epically boring ones, which makes it hard to be a fan. That band seems to be on hiatus, so Zach has started this project, where he makes the same sort of music with a few different people. If that doesn't sound exciting, it's not meant to.

Archon Angel recylces the same sounds Zach has been associated with all along, just repackaged under a new name. What has been true of Zach for as long as I've been listening to him is this; his voice is very flat, and because of that he needs songs with super-sized melodies or drama to compensate. At his best, he's able to ground melodramatic music with a darker sound. At his worst, he is the very embodiment of dullness.

This album falls somewhere in the middle. There are a few songs, like the title track and "Rise", where there is enough melody to buoy Zach's voice, and the results are crunchy and appealing. While he can be a polarizing singer, Zach works for me when the material is good, like those songs are. However, Zach's writers on this album don't give him enough of that. We also have plenty of songs like "Under The Spell", where there is practically no melody, which turns the song into a long slog that never goes anywhere.

I was afraid this album was going to mine the Savatage sound too much, but the real fear was in taking more cues from Circle II Circle, specifically their weaker material. Much of this record is lacking drama, or any real presence. They are standard metal songs written to make Zach comfortable, which feels to me too easy. There's no "Edge Of Thorns" on this record. Heck, there's no "Diamond Blade" either. Even though this is a new project with new players, this could easily be one of the Circle II Circle albums I don't care for. Everything about it has that sound and feeling, which also leaves me wondering why they needed to start a new band to make such similar music.

There's nothing here we haven't heard before. The question you have to ask yourself is whether you want to hear more second-rate Zach Stevens music. I'm holding out for his better work, so I think I have to keep waiting.

Album Review: Starbenders - Love Potions

We have heard a slew of bands over the last couple of years who are trying to bring back the 80s. For most of them, that means either adding too much reverb to their music, or throwing cheesy synths onto everything. Time only moves in one directions, so these attempts to bring back the past are merely a coat of paint atop music that doesn't need to be dressed up. If you're going to be diving back into some of those sounds, you need to do something fresh with them, which so few of them are able to. Starbenders are trying to do just that. The self-proclaimed glam-punks have heavy doses of latter-day synths, but there's a spirit about their music that feels unique among this wave.

We get a heavy dose of that on the first song, "Hangin' On Tonight", where the band sounds like they're having a blast, and Kimi Shelter's voice cuts through with the swagger and tone of Stevie Nicks. Glam punk does sound like an accurate description of the music, with the combination of synth atmospheres and slick melodies pulling a bit from both of those genres. When Starbenders are at their best, their music is bright, peppy, and charmingly fun. I suppose you could say they're an alternate-universe version of The Smiths, where a Morrissey who doesn't hate himself instead pointed his band towards a good time.

With "Precious", we get a combination of gritty guitars and essentially synthwave, but with a bouncier melody than my limited exposure to the sound is used to. But that's nothing compared to "Holy Mother", which is an earworm for sure. There's still nuance to the arrangement, but everything is focused on Kimi's gripping hook. It's the key to all great music; no matter what you want the listener to take away from your music, you have to give them a reason to keep listening. The point gets lost if no one is paying attention when you make it. Starbenders are about more than simple hooks, but those are what get you in the door.

"Bitches Be Witches" adds in some flavor from the occult rock wave, and Kimi's voice is a perfect fit for the style, with the slight grit and sinister tone playing so well against the big pop hook of the song. It's fantastic stuff.

Sure, with fourteen tracks on the record, there are a few that don't reach the same heights. "Never Gonna Die" is the least melodic song, and doesn't have nearly the same snap or sparkle the better tracks on the album do. I get what they were going for, but it does detract from the run of great songs the album builds up. Still, one misstep doesn't harm an album very much. I just wouldn't be an honest critic if I didn't mention it.

In the end, what Starbenders have give us with "Love Potions" is a record with a lot going for it. Throwing the past and present together, their sound is endearing, and their songwriting is strong. They could have polished this record to within an inch of its life, but that would have neutered the power that comes from something not being perfect. By being a bit messy, it's better. "Love Potions" is a fun record, and it's one I'm glad to have heard.

Album Review: Green Day - Father Of All....

We all know the music business is a business, and often a shitty one at that. Bands find themselves in record deals that suck the life and money out of them, and we're supposed to root for them when they finally get a chance to break free from the corporate shackles and forge their own path forward. I say 'supposed to', because that's not always possible. Let's take Green Day here, as an example. The rumors going around are that this is the last album of their current deal, and was mostly put together for the sake of getting out of that contract so they can start a new chapter of their career. So we should excuse them if this isn't all that great, right?

Well, no. It's one thing to screw over the record label on the way out the door, but there's also the audience to consider. If Green Day was putting out a half-assed album to get out of a contract, what does that say to the fans who have been following them for years? What does it say to the people who are still going to make sure this record is sitting in their mailboxes on release day? What does it say when the fans care more about a record than the band themselves?

I think the answer to those questions is simple; Green Day is playing a dangerous con with their fans. They might think the audience knows what's going on, and it's all wink-and-nod, but that's foolishness on their part. Too many people, both in the media and the audience, will take it at face value that this is a serious Green Day album. And considering the drug-fueled half-assery of their triolgy, this would make four of their last five albums that had little to no care put into making them as good as possible. I'm sorry, but punk or not, that attitude doesn't cut it anymore. Green Day can't coast on their good will, not when it's been so long since they have put in the effort. Inertia has stopped.

But more than that, I fail to see the reason why the band would want their name associated with this horrible collection of songs. Contractual loophole or not, these songs will now be a part of their legacy, and it baffles me why they would do that to themselves, further watering down their career highlights with even more weak filler material. Heck, the album Billie Joe Armstrong put out under the guise of The Longshot was miles better than anything on this 'record'.

"Father Of All..." is a record designed as a middle finger to everyone. It's a middle finger to the label, it's a middle finger to the press that will still give it rave reviews, and it's a middle finger to the fans. That's the one that bothers me the most. Notice that I haven't said much of anything about the music, and that's because I don't have to. Knowing the story behind this album, just saying it's bad should be enough to convince you not to waste your time on it. As a record, it's a bad joke born out of bitterness. It's half an hour of a band seeing how little work they have to put in to still be loved by their fans. It's like going to see an insult comic, but he doesn't know he's a comedian. It's insulting, but it's the mean kind, and it doesn't get better in context.

Green Day thinks it's fun to stick it to their audience. I think it's insulting, and I don't like Green Day enough to let them treat me like this.

Singles Roundup: Lucifer, Demons & Wizards, Creeper, and Allen/Olzon

January is often considered a wasteland of releases, and that isn't without some merit, but we're getting closer now to the start of bigger, more obviously quality releases being on the horizon. Here's a few new tracks pointing to what we can expect.

Lucifer - Ghosts

This band took a big step forward with their second album, leaving behind the slower doom for more classic rock elements. It's still got a sound that dirtier, and with hints of their occult roots, but they've managed to inject a lot more melody and energy into their writing. Johanna's voice has a detachment that works, because the music doesn't follow suit. There's contrast and interplay, and that makes all the difference. I think this is a strong sign that album number three should be similarly good.

Demons & Wizards - Midas Disease

But for every good, there is a bad. After fifteen years apart, and with Jon Schaffer running his own band into self-parody, I didn't expect a lot from the rebirth of this group. I'm not getting much. Single number two is slightly better than single number one, but mainly because it wastes two less minutes of my life. These power metal 'legends' are trying to be AC/DC for some reason, and the whole thing is rather tired, flat, and uninspired. This sounds like a band that should have stayed a memory.

Creeper - Annabelle

At this point, Creeper might be the album I'm anticipating the most this year. They sound fresh and vibrant, and are giving me something I don't hear from anyone else. "Born Cold" was a fabulous single, and I'll be honest and say this one is not at that level. That said, it's still a good song, and has a charm to it I find appealing. The spoken word bit takes me out of it a bit, not so much because I don't like it, but it sounds quite a bit like a section of a Brian Setzer song practically no one but me remembers. Still, all signs are pointing to an interesting, if not important, album.

Allen/Olzon - Worlds Apart

We get a lot of records with singers teamed up, and most of them don't need to exist, because there's a rule of duets that doesn't get followed (I'll talk about that when I review the record). This one is different, and the first song we've been graced with is a lovely example of how to do melodic metal well. Russell Allen and Anette Olzon are both great singers, but the real joy is in hearing their voices blend. There's something magical about that, and when you pair it up with a good song, it's hard to beat. This album has the potential to be one of the better releases of the first quarter.

Album Review: Blackguard - "Storm"

Glory of glories, the day we dared only dream of has finally arrived!

Studious readers of this page no doubt are aware of my longing for the next Blackguard album.  At the conclusion of every yearly conversation, Chris asks me what I’m looking forward to in the next year, and for every year since it was first announced in 2013, I have listed Blackguard’s “Storm” as one of the premier attraction of the subsequent twelve months.  Long have my hopes been dashed, and yet I kept the faith.

How we got here isn’t important.  What’s important is that we’re here now.

“Storm” is, in short, everything a Blackguard fan could want it to be.  It continues the band’s legacy by simultaneously fusing the farcical high-wire act of “Profugus Mortis,” with the down-and-dirty bulldozing of “Firefight,”  Cutting to the chase, the end product of “Storm” is a textbook in how symphonic death metal (just to mention two of the myriad styles it reflects,) should be executed in the modern era.

And yet, the band accomplishes this awesome feat by making only minor tweaks to their established formula.  Blackguard’s best strength has always been the ability to build atmosphere and strength, properly making a dramatic connection between the theme and pace of their music.  In the case of “Storm” this is most masterfully done during “Clouds,” which serves as a necessary interlude.  The album crashes ahead with the severity of a runaway freight train for the first measure, but “Clouds” is an etheric spacer that draws the listener back in to the gravitas of the album’s last three tracks, which by the by, might be the best sequence on the album.

Diving deeper, even within single tracks, Blackguard skillfully delineates the contrast between high and low tones.  “Visions (of Blood and Gold)” is constructed almost entirely on a foundation of juxtaposition between the arcing melody of a clean guitar and the thunderous rumble of the rhythm beneath.  It creates a depth of field that blends the best of power metal and death metal in a truly unique way.

Much of “Storm,” as we mentioned above, proceeds at a pace that can best be described as blistering, but the band is not afraid to change their pace as the mood suits.  Coming off the airy end of “In Dreams” (itself similar to the transition of “Clouds,”) we are launched into mosh pit fodder with the shambling, pounding gait of “Mourning Star.”  This is the flux point of the album, the end of the first act and commencement of the second, which tells two similar but different stories.

We’ve talked a lot about separation points and transitions for “Storm,” and while it’s true that those are the stand out moments on the record, it’s also true that those are the moment that stand out, if you take the double meaning.  “Storm,” for all its welcome revelations and refreshing breaths in the genre, does suffer from a degree of sameness.  Outside of the immediate, orchestral hook of album starter “By My Hand,” it can take several times listening through the album to really find the distinction between the tracks we haven’t talked about above.  It occasionally feels like the different flavors of guitar solo are the primary changes.

“Storm,” even with that, is a great way to start 2020 and in summation is an album that deserves the listener’s time and recognition.  Blackguard was a rising star upon the time of their hiatus and “Storm” represents the culmination of their evolution, even after a seven-year wait.

The only remaining question to keep fans up at night at this – this album was done years ago.  It took this long to wrest control of it from the label and release it unto the masses.  Will this be the end?  Does the band have an appetite for more?  We can only hope so.

Album Review: Delain - Apocalypse & Chill

I understand that at times it looks like the world around us is crumbling. Civility is at a low-point for our lifetimes, the fabric of democracy around the world is being stretched to its limits, and there isn't exactly much in the news to give us hope. But with that being the case, I don't see why there is so much dystopian entertainment out there. Maybe it seems timely, but who wants to look into an even bleaker future when things are already looking bleak in reality? Entertainment should be our escape, not a means to make us feel even worse.

And so we come to the new Delain album, a self-billed 'dystopian masterpiece', which is centered on human darkness and elements of inhuman synth-metal. Before we get into the music itself, I'll be honest and say the approach and themes Delain has picked are not what I want to hear at this particular time. Maybe you do.

With this record, Delain's sound becomes more modern, and perhaps heavier. The riffs chug along with low-tuned rhythms, which sound a bit too low for Charlotte Wessel's vocal range. Her tone is soft and sweet, and she floats a bit too far above the rest of the band. There's a disparity between the guitars and her voice that never quite gets sorted out. It sounds to my ear like the band either needed to tune up a bit to fit her voice more, or she needed to sing with more power. As it is, her gently layered vocals in the choruses of songs like "We Had Everything" as a bit too fluffy, a bit too disposable.

There have been a lot of bands in the last year or two who have taken a similar tact with their music, which makes Delain's shift in style feel more calculated than it might have actually been, but it also gives them a lot of competition in this space. Actually, we only have to look back a few weeks to see Temperance's "Viridian", which similarly doubled down on modernity at the expense of the more melodic and grandiose musical backdrops they used to have. The approach is the same, but the difference is that Temperance brought huge hooks to every song, while Delain isn't able to inject the necessary pop elements to make this sound sparkle. Without melody in the music, the vocal lines are even more important, and I just don't feel like Wessels delivers enough great ones.

My own personal dystopian hell is one where music exists without melody. We've been inching in that direction, especially in the pop world, but metal is following suit as bands like Delain keep moving to a far more rhythmic approach. "Apocalypse & Chill" is the sort of album that's fine to listen to, but soon after you realize most of it has gone in one ear and out the other. For trying to be big and bombastic, the end result is surprisingly tame and forgettable. Perhaps the 'chill' part of the title comes through a bit too much.

There's nothing really wrong with this record, but when I just heard a better version of it a couple of weeks ago, I'm not going to get excited. Delain gets respect for trying something new, but this version of their sound didn't really click with me. For what they're going for, I'd say go listen to Temperance instead.