Quick Reviews: LA Guns & Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall

Disappointments abound! Let's not dwell too long on them.

LA Guns - Black Diamonds

There are a few bands out there whose continued existence I cannot comprehend. LA Guns is near the top of that list. I've heard all their recent albums, and each time I walk away wondering who in the world is still giving these people money. They clearly aren't spending it on making a record that sounds good, but they probably aren't spending any time on that task either, so that all fits together.

I don't even need to say anything about their lackluster songwriting, because the big thing is simply that this record is unacceptably terrible to listen to. The production is so bad, so muffled, they sound like a band playing in their garage.... in 1988. This is cassette tape level quality, but it's being put out by a band with a record deal in an age where we can all get really good guitar tones with a laptop an some free plugins. It's insulting for veterans, people who have been involved in music for decades, to think this is good enough. They goddamn know better how to make a record, or if they don't, they know people who could help them.

This record is no black diamond, it's a giant piece of coal. Burn it.

Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall - Hunt The Flame

I'm so tired of these kinds of albums, and there's a very specific reason why. Magnus proves this point better than just about anyone, so let's talk about it. I like Magnus, I own several albums he wrote the songs for, and he can be one of the best melodic metal writers out there. The thing is, however, that so much of the end result is reliant on the singer(s). He rarely steps outside of his narrow comfort zone (not a complaint, by the way), so the songs are often interchangeable between the various projects he's working on. And yet, the results couldn't be any more different.

When he put out the Allen/Olzon album last year, I was fully on board. It's fantastic, and I love that album. The songs on this new solo album aren't really any different, and yet I can't say I care about a single one of them. Why? Because this album features a whole host of singers, and none of them happen to 'do it' for me. A great record needs great songs, but it also needs a voice that speaks to you. Russell and Anette do that for me, this cast of characters doesn't. Or I should say most of them don't. There is at least one singer here I would love to hear more from, but that isn't going to happen.

We pinball from one singer to the next, not only destroying any sense of identity for the album, but also disrupting my attention. I find it hard to get invested in what I'm hearing when the next song isn't going to reward that energy. At least on an Avantasia record you have Tobi there on virtually every song to tie things together. This is more of a compilation, which also makes me wonder if these are the songs Magnus didn't think fit on the more proper projects he's hired to write. Are they the leftovers he gives to these singers just to see who is worth writing a whole album for?

I don't know, and I'm not all that interested in digging deeper to find out. This is pleasant melodic metal, it's enjoyable, but it leaves a sour taste in my mouth.