Lordi-Deadache

Post #74
Lordi! The monster-mask wearing 80's-style metal enthusiasts from Finland follow-up their "Arockalypse" album with another monster & horror inspired album; "Deadache". This album does a good job of covering all the basic elements from their previous album. Although they don't seem to try anything new or experimental with this album, they do stick to their tried & true formula very well.

They sart off "Deadache" with another SCG-intro, but I don't find it as creative as SCG3 from "The Arockalypse". The rest of the music, however, rocks just as hard as before. Monsters, ghouls, and tales of hauntings lace every musical nook & cranny of "Deadache". Mr. Lordi sings as enthusiastic as ever with his incredibly raspy voice. Catchy guitar riffs and lead guitar melodies show off this band's genre of inspiration- 80's hair-metal. Eerie, mood-setting keyboards provide the essential nightmare-ish vibe that Lordi thrive on.

Feast your ears on this album for Halloween this year, or should I say, let it feast upon your ears?
Here are my recommended tracks:
-Girls Go Chopping
-Man Skin Boots
-The Ghosts of the Heceta Head
-Deadache
-The Devil Hides Behind Her Smile (This song pays tribute to another haunting story, as the keyboards play a musical theme from the musical "Phantom of the Opera")
-Missing Miss Charlene (Why is he missing Miss Charlene? Because a monster stole dear Charlene, of course...)

Alice In Chains-Black Gives Way To Blue

Post #73
After a long period of silence, one of the greatest bands from the grunge-era finally return. Alice In Chains have picked up their bones, filled some voids, and recorded some new music that is surprisingly reminiscent of their previous material. For a band to choose to continue their career after the death of a key member has to be a hard decision to make. For Alice In Chains, they took their time.

After several years of mourning the loss of original vocalist, Layne Staley, and much soul searching, the band decided to reunite. At first they just performed a couple of benefit shows, and had a variety of different performers fill the role of lead vocals. At some point, they called on William DuVall (who'd performed with Jerry Cantrell on his solo tour) to take the lead vocals part. What started as a last-go-around tribute to Layne Staley tour grew enough camaraderie among the band members that they decided to keep going.


DuVall has proven to be the defibrillator that jump-started Alice In Chains' black & blue heart. If you've heard any of the band's new music from Black Gives Way To Blue, then you know why. The first time I heard "Check My Brain" the similarity to Staley's unique voice sent chills down my spine. When I first played the album all the way through, almost every song did the same. There are some places where DuVall is singing solo that you can hear how his voice differs from Layne's, but in the next melody he'll slip into another instance of eerie resemblance.

William DuVall's voice is not exactly like Layne's, but it's damn close! Even more important, the 2-part harmonies between DuVall and Jerry Cantrell sound just like classic Alice In Chains. Casually listening to the music you probably couldn't tell it wasn't Layne. DuVall's performance on this album is the perfect compliment to Cantrell's songwriting. The reflective and cathartic nature of the lyrics depict the mournful mindset of this band at this point in time, sometimes with heartbreaking clarity. If you've ever been a fan of this band, you owe it to yourself and to them to give this album a listen.

Every song has a place on this album, and sounds like a perfect fit among the band's previous material. I will try to narrow down my recommendations, but do yourself the favor of listening to the complete recording.
My picks:
-All Secrets Known (First track- themed around a new beginning, without going back to the start. Sort of a mission statement for this album)
-Check My Brain (The first single, you can probably hear it now on your local radio station... great harmonies between William & Jerry, not to mention a classic AIC riff that sounds almost out of tune.)
-Last of My Kind (Maybe the heaviest song on this album. Great song to hear both similarities and uniqueness when comparing/contrasting DuVall and Layne Staley)
-Your Decision (An acoustic/clean guitar, mellow song. It does have a tone of melancholy, as do many songs on this album- hey, it's AIC!)
-When the Sun Rose Again (Another acoustic number. Pretty much like "Your Decision"...)
-Private Hell (All the elements of a classic AIC song, but one of their slow-tempo electric numbers. DuVall sings an echoing "Uh-huh" that weighs on your ears with heavy emotion.)
-Black Gives Way to Blue (A perfect closing track. The lyrics reflect on the sentiment surrounding Layne perhaps the most of any song here. Awesome guest appearance by Elton John on piano. Layne, we'll all remember you.... rest in peace.)

AC/DC-Back In Black

Post #72 Poll Winner: Favorite AC/DC album from the 80's
After suffering the loss of their original singer, Bon Scott, AC/DC came back with one of their greatest albums: Back In Black. Back In Black was a statement album. AC/DC showed the world that they were not done with rock n' roll. It was a new decade, they had a new singer, a new album, and a new mission to prove they could still rock.

After the first track on the album, Hells Bells, there was no need for any argument. Almost every track is a hard rock classic. Angus Young displays some of the best guitar work up to this point in the band's career. AC/DC rock as hard as ever and set themselves up for a new decade where the sky was the limit!


My favorites from Back In Black:
-Hells Bells
-Shoot to Thrill
-Back In Black
-Have a Drink on Me
and of course...
-You Shook Me All Night Long

...2 Years and Counting....

Post #71
Another year is in the books for this blog! I hope you've enjoyed reading the reviews I write. As always, I'm open to suggestions, so don't be shy when it comes to posting comments. I will try to keep up with new releases in rock & metal music as it comes out, but a little prodding might influence the direction of this blog, or even my taste & appreciation for different music artists.

My general plans for the future of this blog are pretty much the same. I think the routine I've established works well enough for me and my busy schedule. If there's something you think needs improvement, or you have a new idea of something you'd like to see or read about, again just let me know.

Here are some specific ideas/topics I'd like to review in the coming year:
1-More concert reviews. Weather its a show I've seen recently, or from several years ago, I enjoy the nostalgic revisiting of those events. Memories of those shows provide a great deal of specific music, emotions and events to be inspired by. I first started attending rock concerts in 1997, and I've seen my fair share of concerts over the years since then.

2-Little by little, I hope to finish reviewing the entire careers of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. I have only managed to cover the most recent work of these two heavy metal icons, and their level of influence in the genre merits an in-depth review. I'll probably work my way through this task in smaller segments, rather than one huge post spanning their whole career.

3-Catching up on the ever-growing list of "coming soon" topics. On this list you can see what I've been listening to lately, its just a matter of finding time to compose the reviews. I'll keep working on them, I promise! I do try to work from the top down, but I sometimes get on a good kick with a particular band or album & crank out the review much quicker.

Lastly let me ask all my readers to contact me with any poll ideas you may have. I'm trying keep on pace with the monthly polls, but new ideas are appreciated!

Heaven & Hell-The Devil You Know

Post #70
After Ozzy Osbourne left Black Sabbath in the late 70's the band has more or less had a revolving door of lead vocalists. While some lead singers lasted for only an album or two, others enjoyed stints of several years. The revolving door even let Ozzy back in briefly in '97-'98 when Black Sabbath headlined Ozzfest.

In 2006 Sabbath got back together with the singer who first replaced Ozzy back in 1980- Ronnie James Dio. Dio's first stint with Sabbath produced 2 solid studio albums (Heaven and Hell & Mob Rules) and the band's first double-live album (Live Evil). Thereafter Dio left Black Sabbath and started his namesake band, Dio, which was very successful in the 80's & early 90's. Ronnie again joined Black Sabbath for another album in 1992, Dehumanizer, only to go back to his solo project a couple years later.

With the '06 reunion, the intent appeared to be to record a couple new songs for the compilation album, Black Sabbath-The Dio Years. However since then, this version of the band has toured several times, and recorded a new full-length album, The Devil You Know.

The Devil You Know is both heavy and melodic, dark and ominous. In the same instant it captures the essence of classic Black Sabbath as well as the lyrical and thematic elements from Ronnie James Dio's previous work. The atmosphere of this album is as full of doom and gloom as any Black Sabbath album. It seems at this point that these veteran musicians have found a formula they are all comfortable with. Although the new music generally follows the same formula they developed in their previous periods of collaboration, The Devil You Know sounds like a more polished and refined effort.

Whether the songs are built around a slow, grinding heavy riff; a softer interplay between clean guitar and vocal melody; or a fast-tempo chord progression infused with blues-rock roots, they always seem like classic Black Sabbath (Dio-era). This time around however, they are calling themselves Heaven and Hell. Look for them when they come to your town.

In the meantime, check out these songs:
-Atom and Evil
-Fear
-Bible Black
-Eating the Cannibals
-Follow the Tears

(Cover art from heavenandhelllive.com)

Ozzy Osbourne-Blizzard of Ozz

Post #69-Poll Winner: Favorite Ozzy Osbourne album from the 80's
After leaving the ranks of Black Sabbath, frontman Ozzy Osbourne set out to start a career as a solo artist in the late 70's. After a couple years he'd gathered a band and written enough tunes for his solo debut. His first release as a solo artist was the memorable Blizzard of Ozz.

Blizzard of Ozz has become a classic album in the realm of heavy metal music. It is arguably the best of Ozzy's solo material to this day. Ozzy himself even considers it one of his favorites among his own work, and that is evident in his consistent use of many of the songs from this album in almost every concert he performs.
(revised 9-3-09: thoughts on the late Randy Rhoads)
Aside from this being one of Ozzy's greatest albums, it is probably also the best work of the late Randy Rhoads' too-short career in heavy metal. Lost in a tragic plane crash in 1982, Randy's career was still on the rise with Ozzy. Rhoads is famous for his use of layered guitar solos in the recording studio. Recording multiple takes of the exact same solo on top of each other, his solos have a very full and noisy sound. Who knows how far he could have gone? Rest in peace Randy!

Fellow headbangers, you have chosen Blizard of Ozz as your favorite Ozzy album from the 80's. Here are my suggested tracks from this classic album:
-I Don't Know
-CRAZY TRAIN (This song's guitar solo is probably Rhoads' best, if it's not Mr. Crowley... listen closely to hear the layered guitar tracks in the solo!)
-Goodbye to Romance
-Mr. Crowley
-Steal Away (the Night)

Iron Maiden in the New Millennium

Post #68
As the new millennium dawned in the year 2000, the Heavy Metal scene would be treated to perhaps the greatest band-reunion metal had ever seen: Bruce Dickinson returning to Iron Maiden. With Dickinson's creative genius reunited with that of Steve Harris, the formula from Maiden's golden era was reinstated, and great metal music was sure to be in store for us all...

With three studio albums and 2 double-live CD's (not to mention another Dickinson solo-album) released since this monumental reunion, the band has not disappointed. In fact they've probably raised their standard of quality beyond what it was in the mid-80's, as many songs from this new era show a grander ambition. However, Maiden are well equipped to deliver on such ambitious material, since along with Bruce Dickinson, guitarist Adrian Smith also rejoined the band, thus giving Iron Maiden a six-man lineup that includes three lead guitarists.

One might think that one band with such a surplus of talent and creativity would fall victim to personality clashes, but these are true veterans of heavy metal, and most of them have already traveled that road. With deep mutual respect at every corner of this heavy metal sextet, and a good ole' fashioned British attitude in their hearts, this band plows onward to further their already legendary legacy.

Brave New World ('00)
When I first heard this album, I instantly thought, "MASTERPIECE!", and today I still have no reason to withdraw that comment. With their first album back together, Maiden seem set to prove they are back, and ready to show the world of metal music that they haven't lost a beat. The album title begs to double as a mission statement of renewal. The songs on this album range from the fast-tempo thrashers, to melodic introspective pieces, to progressive-metal epics that rival the likes of Dream Theater. The three guitar attack of Murray/Smith/Gers translates so fluidly in the studio that you can hardly tell they're trading off from one solo to the next.
My recommended tracks:
-The Wicker Man
-Ghost of the Navigator
-Brave New World
-Dream of Mirrors
-The Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Rock In Rio (Live-'02)
With much enthusiasm over their successful reunion, both among the band and the fans, Iron Maiden took this opportunity to document their tour with a live album available in either audio or video format. With Rock In Rio as the chosen venue, the insane fanaticism of South American heavy metal fans is captured in vivid clarity. You can hear them singing along at every opportunity, both with the lyrics and the guitar riffs!
My recommended tracks:
-Blood Brothers (Bruce dedicates this song to all heavy metal fans at the beginning)
-Sign of the Cross (Originally sung by Blaze Bayley, now we hear Bruce's vocals on it. An improvement I think- no offense to Blaze or his fans)
-The Trooper (Always a classic, and one of my favorites!)
-The Clansman (Again, hearing Bruce sing one from the Blaze Bayley era is a special treat)
-Fear of the Dark (Great crowd participation on this one!)

Dance of Death ('03)
For their 2nd effort with this lineup, Iron Maiden seem more confident. Their song composition and content take a more conceptual approach, and the progressive elements of their music are strengthened even more. This album is a perfect follow-up to one of the greatest come-back albums in the history of heavy metal. At this point it is as clear as ever that Maiden are on a roll, and bring new meaning to the word consistency.
My recommended tracks:
-Rainmaker
-No More Lies
-New Frontier
-Paschendale

Death On The Road (Live-'05)
Again, Maiden wanted to capture the atmosphere of the supporting tour for "Dance of Death" with a live album (CD or DVD). Having watched this video, I'm very glad they did! They employed an elaborate stage set, an animatronic likeness of Eddie (of course!), and various props to enhance the theatrical elements of each song they performed. Bruce Dickinson frequently changes costumes to fit the context of different songs. If Rock in Rio was to display the commitment of Maiden's fans, then Death on the Road is the showcase for Maiden's performance and delivery at its most sophisticated!
My recommended tracks:
-Wrathchild (Again I'm drawn to the novelty of Bruce Dickinson singing a song he didn't voice the studio version of. He always does a great job.)
-Dance of Death (Bruce does some role-playing on stage during this number)
-Paschendale (Again, Bruce plays the role of a dying soldier in the battle of Paschendale. The recurring lead-guitar theme imitates Morse code. One of the most theatrical performances on this DVD)
-Hallowed Be Thy Name
-Iron Maiden (On the DVD, this is where the giant Eddie come out, pointing at the crowd while holding a sickle)

A Matter Of Life And Death ('06)
Do I dare say this is Iron Maiden's greatest album ever? Yes, I do! I know some of you might be saying I have the bias of this simply being their most recent work, but as much as I've listened to this album in almost 3 years since its release has only strengthened my stance on this opinion. I'm often skeptical of bands trying to outshine their own legacy when they seem to be past their prime, but believe me when I say that Iron Maiden are a true exception to the rule.

With A Matter of Life And Death, Iron Maiden give us a great concept-album that tackles the issues surrounding war. For the first time in a while, Maiden reflect on current events as an inspiration for many of the songs on this album. They manage to get several tough points across without having to be specific about international conflicts or political figures, but you can draw many of your own conclusions if you read between the lines. They also show a good variety of sounds throughout the album, but the prog elements are abundant once again.

A Matter of Life and Death is too good not to recommend the entire album! Here are the tracks:
-Different World
-These Colours Don't Run
-Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
-The Pilgrim
-The Longest Day (this one is my favorite from this album! It feels like I'm watching the opening of the film "Saving Private Ryan" every time I hear it.)
-Out of the Shadows
-The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
-For the Greater Good of God
-Lord of Light
-The Legacy

The Metal Masters Tour

Post #67
[This is a concert review of the perfomance in Tinley Park, IL on August 19th 2008]

In recent years I've taken up the tradition of attending at least one concert a year, usually in the summer, and often it is one of the multiple-band festival tours I manage to see. Since I'm also very budget conscious, I usually get Lawn Admission and save a few bucks, unless one of bands on the bill includes complimentary tickets with their new album (as many artists have done in recent years). Either way, these summer "fest" tours are a great deal; you get to see a dozen or so bands for about the same price you would pay to see 2 or 3 bands on a regular tour.

In the summer of 2008, I was lucky enough to see 2 shows. The first one (which I reviewed in a previous post), was Poison on their Live, Raw, & Uncut Tour. However, the one I looked forward to the most was The Metal Masters Tour. This show was on the smaller side for a "fest" format, only featuring 4 bands, but it was a powerful quartet: Testament, Motorhead, Heaven & Hell, and Judas Priest! Judas Priest included a code for a free ticket in their Nostradamus album, and I bought 2 copies so I'd have a pair of tickets to the show.

As with the Poison show, I attended this concert with my brother. He was familiar enough with some of the music of Motorhead & Judas Priest that he didn't mind going, although he didn't consider himself a huge fan of any of the bands. Hopefully the concert experience has swayed his opinion a bit, but that remains to be seen...

Upon our arrival, an interesting scenario developed. It seemed that the concert was undersold, and the venue staff were keeping the gates to the lawn area closed. A little aggravated, I asked one of them what was up. They replied that since the pavilion seating was severely undersold that anyone with lawn tickets could trade their ticket in for a free upgrade to pavilion seating!

So my brother & I got our upgraded tickets and got a bit of a closer view of the show. I was a little disappointed that the turnout wasn't better, but to see this show for the cost of Judas Priest's new album was well worth it. Before we even found our way to the upgraded seats, Testament came on-stage...

The 80's bay-area thrash movement went much deeper than some of today's new heavy metal fans realize. Sure almost everyone knows about Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, but there were plenty more bands where those came from. Testament was one of those lesser-know, but just as heavy, old-school thrashers. I couldn't tell what a few of their songs were (mostly because I hadn't yet heard their newest CD- The Formation of Damnation), but it was easy to jump right into the frenzied headbangin' madness that had ensued! After a couple songs, I finally recognized "Practice What You Preach", and the crowd got totally into it at that point. Clumps of fans could be seen shaking their long manes of headbangers' hair like it was still 1989!

Being the opening band, they had the shortest set. They focused on playing material from their new album, and were finished all too soon if you ask me. But the songs they played were great, and they got the crowd pumped for the next act... Motorhead!

Truthfully, neither of us had heard much of Motorhead's music. I knew some of their better known songs like Ace of Spades, and Damaged Case (thanks to Metallica covering it on Garage Inc.). My brother said he'd heard a couple songs on Monday Night Raw, since one wrestler always had a Motorhead song played for a theme song. However for the most part the majority of their set was a totally new experience for us.

Not being familiar with most of the lyrics, I found most songs difficult to follow. Lemmy Killmister's thick English accent didn't help much either, and his interludes between numbers wasn't any easier. However the one thing I have to give Motorhead credit for is their attitude and delivery. They really played with a 'go-for-the-kill' attitude. The vibe of their live set was like metal-meets-punk brawl. My personal favorite part of their show had to be the drum solo. That dude can drum fast!

Next up was Heaven And Hell, the Black Sabbath line-up that features Ronnie James Dio on vocals with Vinnie Appice on drums. This time around they are calling themselves Heaven And Hell and their set list was composed entirely from material on the Dio-recorded Black Sabbath albums. I knew this was their approach ahead of time, so I was hyped to hear such an era-focused collection of songs. Some may have been disappointed by the absence of any "classic" Black Sabbath songs, but beggars can't be choosers.

Their stage set up was pretty elaborate; hulking gargoyles flanked both sides of the stage with eyes that glowed red, and wrought-iron fencing lined parts of the stage. The show began with the instrumental "E5150" as an intro, slow buzzing notes from distorted guitar with a bit of volume-swell effect... When Tony Iommi's scheaching guitar burst forth with heavy riffs, we were off and rocking with Heaven & Hell!

"Mob Rules" was the first song and it got the crowd rolling. The rest of the set was no disappointment either, as they mainly played numbers from their 1st album together, Heaven & Hell, balanced by selections from Mob Rules & Dehumanizer plus one of their new songs from the Black Sabbath: The Dio Years collection. Most memorable moment had to be when the gargoyles' heads pivoted and spewed smoke during the song "Heaven and Hell".

As great as that set was, the best was yet to come, for Judas Priest was about come on stage...

With stage lights swirling about the darkened stage, "Dawn of Creation", the intro to Judas Priest's Nostradamus album, set the tone for the show while the band took their positions on-stage among the shadows. When the lights came on the band jumped straight into "Prophecy", also from the Nostradamus album. I was transfixed.
Here I was, finally seeing the legendary Judas Priest unleashing the best of their heavy metal glory! Only one thing had me perplexed.... Where the hell was Rob-Frickin'-Halford!?!? Glen Tipton, KK Downing, & Ian Hill were all on stage, chugging out their heavy riffs, and Scott Travis behind the drum kit (obviously), and I was hearing the Metal God's unmistakable voice narrating the essence of Nostradamus.... but where was he?!? For the first entire verse of the song I couldn't have told you where he was singing from. But then the Nostradamus 'statue' (which I thought was part of the stage-set), high on a platform stage-left, moved its staff about one foot to the left!

Draped in a golden cloak, Rob Halford continued singing as he slowly descended from the platform to the main level of the stage. Once there, he removed his hood as he continued belting out the lyrics of the song. What a master of stage-presence!!! Halford's voice has always been one of my favorites in metal music. Now I can truly consider him as one of the greatest front-men of all time. As the band delivered an awe-inspiring performance of Priest classic after classic I was banging my head and pumping my fists as never before! Tipton & Downing exhibited some of the best guitar soloing I'd ever seen live in concert, especially during 'Painkiller'-one of my all-time favorite Priest songs. Judas Priest are ever-deserving of their nick-name; The Metal Gods. Even on this night of The Metal Masters, they shone the brightest of them all!

Here are the set lists from this show. For the most part they are from my own memory and/or jotted notes during the show. I could be mistaken on some of the songs from the Testament & Motorhead segments, but these should be pretty close...

Testament

-Over The Wall
-Electric Crown
-Practice What You Preach
-More Than Meets The Eye
-Henchmen Ride
-Formation of Damnation
-Dog-Faced Gods

Motorhead
-Dr. Rock
-Stay Clean
-Be My Baby
-Killers
-Metropolis
-Over the Top
-In The Name of Tragedy
(drum solo)
-Just Cos' You Got the Power
-Killed by Death
-Ace of Spades
-Overkill

Heaven & Hell
-E5150
-Mob Rules
-Children of the Sea
-I
-Sign of the Southern Cross
(drum solo)
-Time Machine
-Falling Off the Edge of the World
-Ear in the Wall
-Die Young
-Heaven and Hell
-Neon Knights

JUDAS PRIEST
-Dawn of Creation
-Prophecy
-Metal Gods
-Eat Me Alive
-Between the Hammer and the Anvil
-Devil's Child
-Breaking the Law
-Hell Patrol
-Dissident Aggressor
-Angel
-The Hellion
-Electric Eye
-Rock Hard, Ride Free
-Painkiller
(encores)
-Hell Bent for Leather
-The Green Manalishi (With Two-Pronged Crown)
-You've Got Another Thing Coming

(image references: Testament from www.cloomisfotos.com; Motorhead from www.rollingstone.com; Heaven & Hell from musicaenprogreso.blogspot.com; Judas Priest from juniors-eyes.blogspot.com)

Metallica-Master of Puppets

Post #66 Poll Winner: Favorite Metallica album from the 80'sMaster of Puppets, Metallica's third studio album recorded in 1986, set a high standard for excellence in thrash metal. To this day many say this standard has yet to be eclipsed. Master of Puppets is such a complete realization of thrash-metal musicianship that it is constantly being referenced as an influence, inspiration, and a benchmark for the genre as a whole. Few heavy metal albums can even come close to this standard of excellence.

As a band, Metallica seemed to just be taking off at this point in their career. Master of Puppets was certainly the most focused effort of their first three albums, as they became an underground phenomenon in the world of heavy metal. It is also the last album written while legendary bassist Cliff Burton was still alive. His unique contributions to song-writing are perhaps most apparent on the instrumental "Orion".

Ever since this album's release it seems that Metallica have always been challenged to duplicate its level of creativity, musicianship and attitude. Other works may have achieved a greater commercial success, but many of Metallica's die-hard fans will always regard Master of Puppets as their greatest recording.

Master of Puppets is an excellent album, front to back. Therefor I recommend the whole thing! Here are the tracks:
-Battery
-Master of Puppets
-The Thing That Should Not Be
-Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
-Disposable Heroes
-Leper Messiah
-Orion
-Damage Inc.

Trivium-Ascendancy (Special Edition)

Post #65

I had many reasons to add Ascendancy, Trivium's second album, to my music collection besides the simple fact that they've become one of my new favorite bands. One, it was the album that first sparked praise from heavy metal veterans like Iron Maiden and Metallica. Two, I'll be seeing them this summer on Rock Star Energy Drink's Mayhem Festival! But probably the most influential reason I collected this album was that it was available in a special edition, with bonus tracks and a bonus DVD with videos and live performances!!!

With Ascendancy, "The End Of Everything" is only the beginning. It's a great mood-setting instrumental intro to the album... a subtle clean-guitar minor key progression overlayed with piano that nearly slips out of key in a semi-frantic rhythym. Just when the notes fall into place and reach their musical peak, the stage is set for "Rain".

"Rain" may be the heaviest song Trivium have written. It has a lot of 'crunch' in the guitar tones, like Metallica and Anthrax had back in their mid-80's prime. In fact, I'd probably say that Ascendany is the heaviest Trivium album of the 3 I've heard so far. Track after track, you're getting a good dose of classic thrash-guitar riffs. Heafy & Beaulieu enhance every song with their masterful guitar solos and duals.

This being the 3rd Trivium album I've added to my music collection, I still highly recommend it. Besides the guitar tones being very heavy, the vocal delivery on almost every song on this album is also very hard-core, as this album finds Matt Heafy employing metalcore screaming vocals in more abundance than on either The Crusade or Shogun. He still breaks into melodic singing segments in almost every song, but they are less common here than in Trivium's newer material. The one exception to this rule would be "Dying In Your Arms".

In sharp contrast to the rest of the album, "Dying In Your Arms" is very melodic, and perhaps the 'softest' song (at least as much as Trivium can write soft) in their entire recording history. Still, the song fits well on this album. It provides an essential element of Trivium's sound, and shows a different side of their potential, rounding out this album in fine fashion and begging Ascendancy to be called a masterpiece for such a young band.

As great as the album itself is, there's more good news for those of you willing to seek out the special edition as I did... The bonus material is well worth the couple extra dollars it may cost you. First; the album contains four bonus tracks, including Trivium's cover of Metallica's Master of Puppets, certainly a must-hear for any fan of either Trivium or Metallica (this is the perfect opportunity to hear exactly how close Heafy's voice is to Hetfield's!)

Second; this edition comes with a DVD of music videos AND live performances of each of the following songs: Like Light To The Flies, Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr, Dying In Your Arms, A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation, and Rain.

If you've enjoyed any of Trivium's other music, or liked any of my previous reviews or recommended tracks then go and find these too!
-Rain
-Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr
-Drowned And Torn Asunder
-Ascendancy
-Like Light To The Flies
-Dying In Your Arms
-Washing Away Me In The Tides
-Master Of Puppets

(Bonus material reviewed in Orange text)

Powerslave: Iron Maiden's 80's Masterpiece

Post #64 Poll Winner: Favorite Iron Maiden album from the 80's.
As the 1980's began, Iron Maiden embodied the (New) Wave of British Heavy Metal. The movement had begun a few years earlier with bands like Judas Priest & Diamond Head, but Iron Maiden seemed to symbolize the perfection of this metal style. Dave Murray & Adrian Smith, quickly became one of the tightest guitar tandems in heavy metal in the 1980's.

Maiden's '84 release, Powerslave, may be the apex of their golden years. After years of alternating guitar solos in one of the world's most popular heavy metal band, Murray & Smith are again at the top of their game on this album. This is, coincidentally, the last album Iron Maiden recorded without any accompaniment by keyboards or synthesised guitars. The World Slavery Tour that supported this album was the most extensive tour the band had done by this point. It resulted in their first live album, Live After Death.

This great album contains many songs that are both fan-favorites and concert staples. Here are my top picks from Powerslave:
-Aces High
-2 Minutes to Midnight
-Powerslave
-Flash of the Blade (This one is a bit more obscure than the first 3, but it's a personal favorite of mine, driven by a fast, lead guitar riff. This song was also recently covered by Avenged Sevenfold on their "Diamonds in the Rough" CD)
-Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Perhaps the greatest epic, progressive metal song Iron Maiden have ever written; this song parallels the story told in the classic epic poem of the same name. The riff that Steve Harris gives this story-turned-song masterpiece is one of the best on the whole album!)

PANTERA: The Full Review

Post #63
PANTERA: They were almost single-handedly responsible for the rise of hard-core heavy metal in the 90's. My discovering of their music represented a phase-shift in my taste in heavy metal at the time. I had heard a few of their songs hanging out with friends who were into them; "5 Minutes Alone" and "Cemetery Gates" were probably the first songs I ever heard. One day I was at a music store and I was pissed off for some reason, and I just grabbed "Far Beyond Driven" off the shelf and purchased it. Man, there's no better time to listen to a little Pantera than when you've got a bit of anger to unleash!

Ever since, Pantera has been an essential part of my collection of Metal music. I count myself as lucky to have had the chance to see them live in concert for 2 obvious reasons: first; because they eventually broke up; and second because Dimebag Darrell (lead guitarist) was brutally shot to death (December 8th, '04) by a deranged person claiming to be a "fan". Any great metal songs he may have gone on to write, or shows he would have performed with whatever band he chose to be in were senselessly stolen from us, the fans, by one violent person with a gun.

I'll try not to dwell on that depressing subject, but rather celebrate the glory of the excellent metal music that is Pantera!


Metal Magic ('83) I don't know much about this album, other than it exists and is hard to find since it was independently recorded. I mean to track it down someday, even though it is probably not nearly as good a recording as any of the albums to follow...



Projects in the Jungle ('84) Pantera's 2nd independent release. This is the earliest album that I have in my collection, and it's combined on a CD with the next album. It is apparent on this recording that Dimebag Darrell was allowing 80's metal bands like Van Halen to influence Pantera's music.

Tracks I recommend:
-Out For Blood
-Blue Light Turnin' Red (An instrumental that displays Dimebag's skills on lead guitar. Only drawback: it maybe sounds a little too close to Van Halen's "Eruption")
-Takin' My Life (This one is some sort of ballad, following the same formula as "Cemetery Gates" would a few years later...)


I Am The Night ('85) Again, more Hair-Metal influence is present here. The fledgling incarnation of Pantera have established a consistent sound with this album. However, the direction of their sound would soon begin to change...

My picks from this album:
-I Am The Night (A few songs on this album really start to sound like the material they would soon record for their major-label debut. This is one of those songs.)
-Down Below (Another great pre-CFH-era song, this one is subtly referenced in the lyrics of "Cowboys From Hell")
-Valhalla

Power Metal ('88) This album, though still independently produced, sees the debut of Phil Anselmo on lead vocals. The hair-metal influence has begun to fade, as the songs take on a harder edge than the previous material. It would not be long for Pantera to become a force in metal to be reckoned with...
My top songs from Power Metal:
-Rock The World
-Power Metal
-We'll Meet Again (The next step in the evolution of Pantera's ballads; this song improves on the elements from "Takin' My Life" and progresses to the point that it could have been "Cemetery Gates"... But with a record deal, the band was poised to write the metal music they were destined to)

Cowboys From Hell ('90) Pantera's major-label debut. This album is packed with shredding riffs and no-holds-barred lead guitar solos that truly establish "Diamond" Darrell as one of the best young guitarists in all of heavy metal. Anselmo blends dark melodies with tempered screams and guttural roars on vocals. As a band, they've begun to establish a new, heavier style of metal that in the next several years would become known as Nu-Metal.
The great songs you can't afford to miss:
-Cowboys From Hell (Undeniably the band's signature song, this is also their mission statement!)
-Cemetery Gates (A modern heavy metal classic, this is an essential song for any fan of metal!)
-Domination
-Clash With Reality
-The Art of Shredding (A title that embodies what Dimebag Darrell was to heavy metal...)


Vulgar Display of Power ('92) Regarded by many fans as their best album, Vulgar Display was the album that truly established Pantera as a titan in the world of heavy metal. They took the most aggressive elements from "Cowboys" to new heights of brutality with this album.
I recommend:
-Mouth For War
-Walk (As well know as any Pantera song-don't miss it!)
-F***ing Hostile
-This Love (Pantera's ballad becomes even more brutal...)
-Hollow (A surprisingly personal song of loss and mourning.)


Far Beyond Driven ('94) This album is where the planets truly aligned for Pantera: it became the first heavy metal album to debut at #1 on the Billboard charts. It is a non-stop display of relentless brutality that seems to never let up... until you reach the final track... a cover of Black Sabbath's head-trippy "Planet Caravan".
Possibly my favorite of all Pantera's albums, I have many favorite songs to recommend:
-Strength Beyond Strength
-Becoming
-I'm Broken
-Shedding Skin
-Use My Third Arm
-Planet Caravan (A cover of Black Sabbath's often overlooked melodic head-trip of a song)


The Great Southern Trendkill ('96) With this album Pantera kept rolling with their own style of metal, going against the trend of bending toward the alternative/punk-pop metal (like Metallica did?). However the irony of this album's title is that by this time, other bands had begun to follow Pantera's trend for the more extreme style of heavy metal. By this time you could say they were trend-setters, not trend-killers.
My favorite songs from this album:
-Drag The Waters
-10's
-Suicide Note Pt. I & Pt. II
-Floods


Official Live: 101 Proof ('97) Finally a live album from Pantera! This albums captures the band's live-performance energy at the peak of their success. It is also at this time in their career when I finally made it to see them in concert myself. I'll be sure to review that show in another post soon!
My top picks from this album:
-New Level
-5 Minutes Alone
-Cowboys From Hell
-Where You Come From (One of 2 new studio tracks)


Reinventing the Steel ('00) Pantera's final studio-album before they would part and go their separate ways... and fate would steal Dimebag from us all and end any chance of hearing this band play together again. The songs on this album may not be the best of Pantera's career, but they are consistent with what fans would expect from Pantera. There are plenty of good songs to hear on this album.
-Hellbound
-Goddamn Electric
-We'll Grind That Axe For A Long Time
-I'll Cast A Shadow

The Best from Judas Priest in the 80's...

Post #62 Poll Winner: Favorite Judas Priest album from the 80's.
The 1980's saw a rise in the popularity of heavy metal music. The genre diversified into Pop/Hair Metal on the more mainstream end of the spectrum, and Thrash and Death Metal at the other, more extreme end. For most of the 80's Judas Priest stayed right in the middle of the road, clinging to the fundamentals of heavy metal music.

One of the few (N)WOBHM bands to perservere throughout the decade, Priest stayed true to a classic style of heavy metal. Rob Halford's versatile voice gave them the freedom to write heavy metal songs of a broader variety than many of their peers. Many of their songs are credited as being the groundwork upon which thrash metal grew, while others seemed to sound like they were pushing for the mainstream of pop-metal.


Whether you like the harder edged music of Judas Priest, or the radio-friendly hits they created during this era, it is hard to argue against their consistency in the 1980's. The band seemed to grow more confident with each album. As a result, some of their best work can be found on these albums. When it came time for you to choose a favorite Judas Priest album from the 80's, the poll ended in a tie. Screaming For Vengeance and Defenders Of The Faith are both deserving of this award, so I'll recommend songs from them both!


Screaming For Vengeance:
-The Hellion/Electric Eye
-Riding on the Wind
-Screaming for Vengeance
-You've got Another Thing Coming
-Devil's Child


Defenders Of The Faith:
-Freewheel Burning
-Jawbreaker
-Eat Me Alive
-Love Bites
-The Sentinel