Showing posts with label Album Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Album Reviews. Show all posts
Friday, January 2, 2015
Monday, December 1, 2014
At The Gates - At War With Reality
By Kris Martens
Band:At The Gates
Album:At War With Reality
Date Released:Oct 27 2014
Tracks:
El Altar Del Dios Desconocido
Death And The Labyrinth
At War With Reality
The Circular Ruins
Heroes And Tombs
The Conspiracy Of The Blind
Order From Chaos
The Book Of Sand (The Abomination)
The Head Of The Hydra
City Of Mirrors
Eater Of Gods
Upon Pillars Of Dust
The Night Eternal
Band Members:
Tomas Lindberg - Vocals
Anders Björler - Guitars
Jonas Björler - Bass
Martin Larsson - Guitars
Adrian Erlandsson - Drums
Formed:1990
Genre:Death Metal
Label:Century Media Records
Quality & Originality:At the Gates are the original melodic death metal band. They are the
originators of the Swedish melodic death metal sound. At war with
reality picks up where the band left off when they disbanded in 1996.
This album is amazing. The quality of the tracks is very high. Heavy as
hell but highly melodic at the same time. This album is a thick slab of
metal and one of the most anticipated metal albums of the year.
AWWR is an amazing follow up to the genre defining Slaughter of the Soul.
My Opinion:I have always felt that At the Gates were way ahead of their time. They are as relevant as ever and At War with Reality fits into the modern metal category. Bjorler's riffs are fantastic! The album ranges from really aggressive material to absolutely mind numbingly beautiful. The heavy riffs match well with the avant garde stuff and the leads are the best to date. I have always loved the contrast in styles that AtG play. Erlandson always seems to play the right beat for the tune. Lindberg is in top form and sounds like a possessed beast! You can really hear the passion he brings to the band.
Overall & Favorites:The circular ruins, At war with reality, the night eternal. I'm gonna rate this album at a 9/10. It is a great follow up to Slaughter of the Soul and as an old fan it is very satisfying.
Contact:www.atthegates.se www.facebook.com/AtTheGatesOfficial
Bailey - Long Way Down
Band:Bailey
Album:Long Way Down
Date Released:Dec 5 2014
Tracks:
Feed The Flames
In The Name Of The King
Dirty Little Secret
Bad Reputation
Stay
Somewhere In Oslo
Long Way Down
Spend The Night
Love Falls Down
Ticket To Yesterday
Dirty Angel
Band Members:
Nigel Bailey
Mario Percudani
Alessandro Mori
Alessandro Del Vecchio
Genre: AOR/Melodic Rock/Hard Rock
Label:Frontiers
Quality & Originality:Nigel Bailey is back with a impressive debut of his new band. This is a bit harder when what we are use to with his other band (THREE LIONS). Bailey handles vocals, bass and guitars on this release with Alessandro Del Vecchio taking on production and keys and background vocals. The production is warm and well balanced with a pure natural sound that wins all the way. The music is well written and again well balanced with a great old school British Rock sound that fans have loved for many years.
My Opinion:Long Way Down is a great listen with such great hooks and a great almost blues feel at times. The album almost takes us back to the Survivor era of music but with a fresh feel. I really can see fans of everything from classic rock to prog and AOR fans to really embrace this as a instant classic. Baily has taken his experience and put to good use from the song writing to the production but my personal favorite is his singing style and how he comes across on this Long Way Down!!!
Overall & Favorites:Long Way Down, Feed The Flames, Ticket To Yesterday. I give Bailey and company a solid 8/10 for such a great ride!!!
Contact:www.facebook.com/baileyaor/timeline
Dimension - Revolution
Band:Dimension
Album:Revolution
Date Released:Nov 18 2014
Tracks:
Album I
The Source
Pale Horse
The Waltz Of Death
New Day
Tears And Blood
Resistance
Welcome To American
Bonus Song
Eleanor Rigby
Album II
Angel
Human Device
The End Of All Things
War Dream
Bonus Song
Immigrant Song
Band Members:
Davie Quicho
Mane Cabrales
Edgar Allan
Label:Nightmare
Genre:Prog Metal
Location:Denver Colorado
Quality & Originality:Revolution is Dimension's third release that really comes out swinging. The lyrics or messages behind the music is about as serious as can be from taking a close look about War, Life, Religion and the mind behind it all. The music is top notch and same with production with a great mastering. The over all song writing on this album is some of the best I have heard this year with so many dimensions and emotions wrapped up into a great massive release. My only even remote wish on the album is the vocals was a bit louder but besides that this really is a technical album mixed with so many styles from the best styles of European prog and American Metal.
My Opinion:Dimension is not new to the music scene in there travels they have graced the stages with heavy hitters Evergrey, Anthrax, Pagan's Mind and so many more. It is amazing that they pull off as much as a trio as most bands do with a five or six many line up. This is a real ambitious album for them with two discs and two bonus cover songs that even the most seasoned band would not be able to pull off that this band does much justice to. Dimension really takes that European feel and mixes it with the American attitude and comes out with a Revolution that is damn amazing!!
Overall & Favorites:The Source, Tears and Blood, War Dream. I give this amazing Revolution a solid 8.5/10 for giving me another great Dimension to love there music!!!
Contact:www.dimensionband.com
www.facebook.com/Dimensionband/timeline
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Allen/Lande - The Great Divide
Band: Allen Lande
Date Released:Oct 17th 2014
Tracks:
Come Dream With Me
Down From The Mountain
In The Hands Of Time
Solid Ground
Lady Of Winter
Dream About Tomorrow
The Hymn To The Fallen
The Great Divide
Reaching For The Stars
Bitter Sweet
Band Members:
Jorn Lande: vocals
Russell Allen: vocals
Timo Tolkki: guitars, bass, keyboards
Jami Huovinen: drums
Genre:Melodic Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Influences: Primal Fear, Masterplan, Symphony X, Timo Tolkki's Avalon
Label:Frontiers Records
Quality & Originality:Allen/Lande is back with ''The Great Divide'' that has some major changes since the last album with Timo Tolkki handling song writing and production duties. The band from start to finish is veteran muscians from Jorn (Masterplan, Solo) Russell (Symphony X), Timo ( Stratovarius, Timo Tolkki's Avalon) Jami (Ring Of Fire, Sentiment). This is a bit different then the previous albums but in such a great way. The depth and song writing is simply amazing. Russel and Jorn are in top form making this one of the best albums I have had come across my desk this year. Timo has brought the very best out of each artist and produced one of the greatest prog metal albums this year!!
My Opinion:There have been some amazing super groups in the years but this is hands down one of my very favorites. I have been a fan of Allen/Lande since day one. This album is a new direction but in such a metaltastic awesome way. I would put this album up against any rock or metal album that has come out this year cause every song is a masterpiece in its own right. The guitars are fresh and brilliant the keys are bold the drums are full and distinct the bass is solid and bold and the vocals are seriously out of this damn world!!!!! It is rare that I give out perfect masterpiece but The Great Divide delivers in every aspect!!!!!!
Overall & Favorites:Down From The Mountain, The Great Divide, Reaching For The Stars. I give this album a 10 for being so damn brilliant and bold with a team of musicians that are the top of there game on every song!!
Contact:www.facebook.com/pages/AllenLande/19550548398?sk=timeline
Emil Bulls - Sacrifice To Venus
Band:Emil Bulls
Album:Sacrifice To Venus
Date Released:Sept 30th 2014
Tracks:
The Grave
Hearteater
Pants Down
I Wanna Feel You
Rainbows And Butterflies
The Way Of The Warrior
The Reckoning
The Age Of Revolution
Sacrifice To Venus
Gone Baby Gone
Man Or Mouse
Keep On Dreaming
Behind The Sun
Band Members:
Christoph v. Freydorf
Stephan ''Moik'' Karl
James Richardson
Andy Bock
Genre: Alternative Metal
Label:AFM Records
Quality & Originality:Sacrifice To Venus is a bit of a change then the band has done in its long 19 year run. The music on this album is very original and being called alternative metal is really a miss cause this band is all over the place but in such a kick ass way. They are heavy almost hardcore then split into a great symphonic sound then back into a great hard rock then back over to the land of prog. The song writing is some of the best to date this band has done. The production is amazing the album was produced by Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Young Guns, Bury Tomorrow) Mixed by Florian Nowak (DailyHero Studios Berlin) Mastered by Alex Kloss (Time Tools Mastering Studios Hannover).
My Opinion:Emil Bulls is a band I have had so much respect for cause of how they sound like no one. The veteran rockers have been beating out the metal for 19 years now and have a massive following from there native land of Germany. This album is a must for you that love it heavy but also are in the mood for something you will never hear anywhere else. This emotion on this album is intense and bringing in the mix of so many styles of music wraps this band into a masterful bow that will please even the most critical heavy metal fan!!!
Overall & Favorites:The Way Of The Warrior, Hearteater, The Age Of Revolution. I give this album a solid 8 cause of the metal journey that really drags your heard and soul into so many directions!!!
Contact:www.facebook.com/EmilBullsOfficial
http://www.emilbulls.com/
Work Of Art - Framework
Band:Work Of Art
Album:Framework
Date Released:Sept 19th 2014
Tracks:
Time To Let Go
How Will I know
Shout Till You Wake Up
Can't Let Go
How Do you Sleep At Night
Over The Line
The Machine
Hold On To Love
Natalie
The Turning Point
My Waking Dream
Band Members:
Lars Säfsund – vocals
Robert Säll – guitars, keyboards
Herman Furin - drums
Located: Stockholm Sweden
Formed:1992
Genre:AOR Melodic Rock
Influences:Toto, Journey, Giant, Big Money
Label:Frontiers Music
Quality & Originality:Framework is a great melodic rock album that has such great overtones of bands like Toto and Journey. Work Of Art spent roughly a year and a half on this album and it shows in the magical passionate songs that are so well produced and written. The Swedish band has put together such unforgettable songs with soaring melodies that AOR fans will find this to be a must have album to rock out with.
My Opinion:Work Of Art really hit big with there third release bringing back that old school melodic rock that fans have loved since the mid 80's. Since there first 2008 release ''Artwork'' the band have grown and matured so much and it shows in the amazing song writing on the new album. Framework will please soft rock, AOR, and melodic rock fans alike.
Overall & Favorites:Hold On To Love, Time To Let Go, My Waking Dream. I give Framework a solid 7 for such a melodic passionate album that lifts the soul and pleases the ears!!
Contact:www.facebook.com/musicofworkofart/timeline
www.woa.se
Stryper - Live At The Whisky
Band:Stryper
Album:Live At The Whisky
Date Released:Sept 19th 2004
Tracks:
Legacy
Marching Into Battle
You Know What To Do
Loud And Clear
Reach Out
Calling On You
Free
More Than A Man
The Rock That Makes Me Roll
No More Hell To Pay
Jesus Is Just Alright
All For One
The Way
To Hell With The Devil
Soldiers Under Command
Band Members:
Michael Sweet: Lead vocals, guitar
Oz Fox: Vocals, guitars
Tim Gaines: Bass, vocals
Robert Sweet: drums
Formed:July 1983
Genre:Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
Label:Frontiers Records
Quality & Originality:Stryper is alive and well with a new live album that shows that this band is not just a studio band. Stryper is about as original as a band can be but have always graced us with more of a christian spiritual metal that is like a gift from God himself. This is a great live album that makes you feel you are in the front seat watching the band. So many live albums are cold and stale but Stryper made sure to give the fans the best of the best from all sides.
My Opinion:For the die hard fans this goes hand in hand with a DVD (I have it on order). Stryper has always gone against the grain and done things there way. Most bands in the metal community that are open about being christian usually get sunk to the bottom of the sea but Stryper has always had a massive following that realizes that there music is about as metal as any band on the block. This is such a great album that will rock and roll the soul and remind us why we fell in love with the band back in the 80's. Having the original band playing on this live album is a show of strength cause not many bands can roll 30 plus years and then have the same gang rocking them black and yellow instruments. I love the cover they do of ''Jesus Is Just Alright'' Stryper pays tribute but adds that flair they do to any song!!!!
Overall & Favorites:No More Hell To Pay, The Rock That Makes Me Roll, To Hell With The Devil. I give this christian bands live album a full on 9 for giving us a long set list of the best rocking songs ever made!!!
Contact:www.facebook.com/Stryper/timeline
www.stryper.com
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Moon Land Featuring Lenna Kuurmaa
Band:Moon Land
Album:Moon Land
Date Released:Sept 19 2004
Tracks:
Heaven Is To Be Close To You
Open Your Heart
Crime Of Love
Poison Angel
When Love Is Gone
Out Of Reach
Live And Let Go
Cold As Ice
Over Me
Heart Made Of Steel
Look At Us Now
Another Day In Paradise
Band Members:
Lenna Kuurmaa- Lead Vocals
Alessandro Del Vecchio- Keys, Percussion, Backing vocals
Francesco Marras- Guitars
Bruce Gaitsch- Nylon Guitar
Anna Portalupi- Bass
Alessandro Polifrone- Drums
Genre:Rock/Metal/Symphonic
Label:Frontiers
Quality & Originality:Moon Land blew my doors off with such a great original multi genre release. This is Rock, Symphonic, Metal, Pop, Prog all wrapped up into a great album. These songs are amazing, original and very powerful. I can tell these songs were written for Lenna's vocal range cause she totally nails every part of this album. The band that is backing that beautiful voice and the song writing is stellar and well structured from top to bottom.
My Opinion:Since Vinalla Ninja went on hiatus Jenna has kept herself busy with many projects including acting. She really has hit a whole new height with Moon Land and shows that she is not just a one trick singer with the styles of these songs that take us all on a magical journey with powerful song writing. This album really has a lot of emotion built into it with ballads like ''Live and Let Go'' and I can see fans of almost all genre's loving part or all of this release. Kudos really need to also go to the entire band cause they all did such a killer job cause a great voice is only as good as the band and writing that backs them.
Overall & Favorites:Out Of Reach, Heaven Is To Be Close To You, Live And Let Go. I am a sucker for such a powerful singer and a fan of Vanilla Ninja and Lenna won me over with a solid 9/10 on this album.
Contact:www.facebook.com/pages/Moon-Land/770915106281279?sk=timeline
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Damnations Day - Invisible, the Dead
Band:Damnations Day
Album:Invisible, the Dead
Date Released:Sept 13 2013
Tracks:
Invisible The Dead
The Meaning
I Am
Reaper
A Ghost In Me
Lucid Dreaming
Reflections
Carried Above The Sun
A World To Come
Band Members:
Mark Kennedy: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Jon King: Lead Guitar
Luke Vinken: Bass
Dean Kennedy: Drums
Formed:2005
Genre:Prog Metal
Location:Melbourne Australia
Label:Nightmare Records
Quality & Originality:Invisible, The Dead is was written by the bands singer Mark Kennedy and produced by Teramaze's Dean Wells. This thrashy metal infused prog metal masterpiece blends the best of both of them genre's. I love how high octane this album is almost expecting more of a rough voice and then these almost Rob Halford style voicals come screaming out at times is simply mind blowing. This is such a well put together and produced album that is so original that it almost deserves its own genre.
My Opinion:To say I was blown away on this album is the understatement of the century. Damnations Day is a serious heavy band with such a balance that fans of everything from Metal Curch and Accept to Hammerfall and Nightmare will all have a blast rocking and headbanging to this melodic masterpiece of bad ass metal. This is one of them bands where you are already itching to get another album from cause you cannot wait to see where they are going to go from here!! If you have not heard this band I can promise you that you will!!!
Overall & Favorites:The Meaning, Invisible The Dead, Reflections. I give this album a 9/10 cause my arm was to tired from fist pumping the air to aim it even higher. This is a headbangers paradise album!!!!
Contact:http://damnationsday.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Damnations-Day/121332311238696?sk=timelineMegasonic - Intense
Band:Megasonic
Album:Intense
Date Released:Sept 24 2014
Tracks:
Sonic Tension
Bombs Away
Demon's Lust
Witches Brew
Future Shock
Love Lost Love
Crash and Burn
Run for Cover
Raging Heart
Eye of the Storm
Man in the Moon
Downto Mexico
Does You Mother Know
Band Members:
Dimitri Verhoeven
Jeroen De Bock
Lieven De Wolf
Formed:2012
Genre:Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Label:Mausoleum Records
Promotion:Rock N Growl
Quality & Originality:Megasonic is such a gifted band and Intense is a huge ball of Rock, Metal, 80'S Metal, Prog, Power. It is almost impossible to stick them into any genre cause they have broke the mold on what a ''Normal'' band should be and are doing it there way. They are extremely unique but have so many influence from the past and present bands out there. The album was mixed by Jeroen De Bock and mastered by the bands own Dimitri Verhoeven. I am such a huge fan of the riffs on this album they are all over but in such a killer metal way. This is a band you will not forget.
My Opinion:When I first put in Intense I thought I had the band figured out and each song I realized I was wrong, It made me want to hear more and more. Just when you think they are just more of a high fueled band they up and do a massive ballad entitled Man in the Moon to just show how impressive the song writing is. Megasonic will appeal to such a wide audience from your Symphony X to Savatage fans to your Anthrax and Hammerfall fans. I think it really helps that the band is not just a band but are all multi instrument players and have been close friends for a many years. It is a headbanging riff heavy monster balanced full bore real deal kick ass album!!!!!!!!
Overall & Favorites:Future Shock, Bombs Away, Eye of the Storm. I give this multi riff way killer massive album a solid 8/10 for making it a extreme enjoyable listen!!!!
Contact: www.facebook.com/pages/Megasonic/529664683730091?sk=timeline
www.megasonic.be
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