Not too much to say about either of these, so let's deal with them post haste.
Bon Jovi - Legendary
Who are we to tell someone when they should or shouldn't pack it in? That's a difficult subject to broach, but it's one that Bon Jovi has elicited from many people in recent years, as his vocal abilities have been, to be generous, in question. His struggles can't be ignored or papered over, and they impact this new record. If studio magic can't cover it up, that means it is decidedly serious.
I don't particularly think Bon Jovi has been making especially good records for a while either, so this one is a bit of an usual case. Jon is struggling, and his voice is kept in first gear for obvious reasons, but this record has better focus and better songs than several of his more recent efforts. The band doesn't sound like they're putting on an air and trying to be something other than they are, this is merely the older version of Bon Jovi. That means "Kiss The Bride" is schmaltz the likes of which will make some people gag, but it's to be expected, isn't it?
This record is better than I expected it to be, and is certainly better as a document of a singer struggling than the last Meat Loaf record was, which is what I feared from this. Jon better understands how to work around his limitations, and while a bit more energy would be welcome, he's shown that at least on record he still has something left in the tank. I won't comment on whether he'll be able to do even this little bit when on tour.
Axel Rudi Pell - Risen Symbol
When every album is pretty mcuh the same, you would think you already know what you're going to say after listening. That isn't always the case, though, as sometimes things are so similar the differences become striking. That's how I'm feeling about this latest Axel Rudi Pell album, which is the latest in a long line of albums that might excite Axel, but hardly anyone else.
This time around, Axel tries for a slightly heavier take on his usual melodic metal, and that is his downfall. Not only is it not all that melodic for being melodic metal, but his production choices to match are a disaster. The guitars buzz with odd tones, nothing actually sounds heavy, and the entire recording comes off sounding a bit cheap in comparison to his best work. There's a shocking lack of clarity to the guitars, which is hard for me to believe, since Axel is a guitarist. How does his think he sounds good here?
The band puts in the requisite effort, but there aren't enough good songs to make this worthwhile. Axel has done better before, and to be perfectly frank, even his better albums are still not all that captivating. The best thing about this record is the cover, which I'm sure will look good on a t-shirt. Otherwise, I'd say you can easily skip this one and not miss a thing.
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