THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: March 2021 (Page 7 of 14)

PERIPHERY – II This Time Its Personal

March 17, 2021 /

Ah, the difficult second album…that won’t be applicable gere. This album is monster huge and an absolute killer album. Call it Djent, Math Metal, Prog Metal -hell, you can even call it a jam sandwich if it’s this good. There is so much going on within the confines of one song, that it would give any normal metal band enough material for their entire careers.

The main difference between this and the first album is the introduction of new members Adam’ Nolly’ Getgood on bass, and Mark Holcomb on guitar. Also the production has gone up a notch. For a very nice change the vinyl has two extra tracks compared to the CD release. Spence’s vocals have also come on leaps and bounds on this release, he goes from beautiful cleans to the most gut wrenching growls in one note. Check out the track Have A Blast to emphasize this point, and Guthrie Govan lends an unreal solo to the tune.

I’m not going to do a track by track as the album is 10/10 material. I will just pick out the super epic moments. Facepalm Mute should be called Facepalm Melt – as that’s what it does – with an insane riff and unreal drumming from Matt Halpern. In the beast of an intro to Luck Is A Constant you ask yourself how the hell do they pull that off?! I ask myself quite a lot throughout this album. Also how the heck does Matt Halpern play that complicated stuff on a kit so tiny?! Ragnarock… I have no words. Make Total Destroy is just insane! There is so much happening and yet you can make it all out. Erased is just a beautiful piece and shows how great Spence is as a vocalist. Just to emphasize that they are fully paid up members of the djenty club, Mile Zero has it a plenty. The first bonus track, Far Out, is an awesome instrumental that is a guitar workout, and the second, The Hectic Anthem, is a great cover of a Slipknot tune.

I love this band, and I love this album so it’s a 10/10 from The Grooveman.

ACE FREHLEY – Frehley’s Comet

March 17, 2021 /

Ace is back and he told you so. Quite an apt lyric as this was Ace’s first attempt at going solo after his removal from Kiss. His battles with exotic substances have been well documented, especially by his former band mates who would use this as an excuse not to bring him back in to Kiss.

When you compare this album to what Kiss were doing at the same time – this holds up really well – and I would say it’s better. At least Ace is being honest with who writes the tunes – unlike his ex employers who would buy songs from outside writers and then put them down as Simmons/Stanley compositions. So the anthem that is Rock Soldiers get us underway, with it’s spoken lyrics by Ace – its very Kiss sounding. Breakout is next and is a great song and a nice track to follow on. The next song shows how weak Ace’s voice is, and it’s not that good of a tune if I’m honest – even though Ace plays a nice solo. Something Moved follows and is a better tune, and a typical hair rock track of the day – written and sang by Tod Howarth who would later join Dave Lee Roth’s band. Side closer, We Got Your Rock, is a typical 80’s stomper sing-a-long tune.

Over to side 2 we go and Love Me Right gets things underway with it’s semi funky riff and an Ace vocal. Calling To You starts off with a riff you have heard a million times before, and could have been any band of the time, but it’s an ok tune. Dolls is a quirky tune about Ace’s love of dolls. He doesn’t specify which type, but you get the drift. Stranger In A Strange Land is the penultimate track and is another typical stomper track. The final track is the instrumental, Fractured Too, not a bad tune – it just doesn’t do a whole lot and doesn’t go anywhere.

As I said earlier, it’s comparable with what Kiss were churning out, and in places it is really good. It sort of sums up Ace really.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SANTANA – Inner Secrets

March 16, 2021 /

Controversial comment approaching! In my humble opinion, this is the best Santana album. This was the tenth album that the band released, but was the first to angle the sound in a more commercial direction. Sure, lots of Latino rhythms and grooves abound, but this time they are mixed with a more Top 40 approach. Greg Walkers voice and melodies really worked for me, and there is almost a funky/soulful groove that runs through the album.

Opener Dealer/Spanish Rose is a fantastic tune that should have been a single, but was declined by the record company – it has plenty of groove and lots of Carlos. Next track, Move On, is funk gold and this just makes you want to dance. One Chain, which follows, was a single and rightly so. A great groove, perfect vocal, and a wicked chorus and harmonies. A definite nod to Motown, and a perfect song! Stormy closes out Side 1 and is pure soul straight of Philly.

Over to Side 2 we go with Well Alright – a more traditional Santana type of groove but still mixed with the new commercial approach. The one thing you do notice is how many of the songs are written by outside writers – an obvious strategy to make the band more commercially acceptable to a wider audience. Open Invitation is about as un-Santana as is possible – until the rocking ending. A cool song with a great chorus, and vocally it reminds me of Living Colour. Life Is A Lady/Holiday is next – a double instrumental piece quite laid back but really chill. The Facts Of Love follows and is another latin/funk/soul tune with a typically catchy chorus. Wham closes out the album, and is the only track on the album that would make you say “this is Santana”. From the salsa percussion in the beginning, to the latin grooves and instrumentation – this is unmistakably Santana and a killer track to boot.

If you like groove in your soul then this one is for you.

9/10 from The Grooveman.


WARRIOR – Fighting For The Earth

March 16, 2021 /

If I were asked by someone to describe mid-eighties glam metal in one album, I would play this. This is an absolute classic of the genre, they were even dressed as warriors on stage. Led by the amazing pipes of Paramore McCarty, who later joined Steve Stevens in his Atomic Playboys (another killer album). Cheesy image, great production, decent songs, and a killer guitar player – what more could you want?

To appreciate this fully, you have to transport yourself back to 1985 and remember how you first heard it. The title track kicks things off in epic style with a monster song, “we are warriors fighting for the earth!” yes indeed – cheese-a-rama but totally enjoyable. Next up is Only The Strong Survive – another good song with a sing-a-long chorus. Third song is Ruler, and reminds me of the mighty Priest as, let’s face it, that’s where Warrior’s influences firmly lie. Last track on Side 1 is Mind Over Matter, with its fast paced double kick drummer pounding you into submission, and plenty of chuggas to make that head bang.

Over to Side 2 and Defenders of Creation – another killer track to open with. The big production of the album, as it has a great beat and groove that builds really well. Day Of The Evil follows – another fast paced riff driven rocker with a great chorus and lots of widdly-diddly guitar. Cold Fire follows, and starts off a bit like Metallica before descending into ballad city – it’s the one track I don’t really care for. A very cheesy spoken word PTM1 is next, before album closer Welcome Aboard stomps its way into your brain.

It’s been ages since I played this, and I really enjoyed it.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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