THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: April 16, 2021

HAKEN – Vector

April 16, 2021 /

They have been somewhat unfairly tagged as the Welsh Dream Theater, but they are definitely more than that. Formed back in 2007, this is their 5th full length album and an absolute monster it is too. Loosely linked to previous album Virus, this is a concept album about a doctor who has an evil interest in a patient of his.

After the twisted keyboard intro of Clear, we go straight into the Prog metal goodness that is The Good Doctor. The verse and musical interplay is fantastic. The slap bass groove is killer, and even though occupying the same musical landscape as Dream Theater, there is a lot more to Haken. In fact, they have more in common with Periphery than DT – even the Riph’s bass player, Nolly Getgood, is the producer here. The amazing Puzzle Box is next, and it’s one of the best tunes that Haken have done. There is so much going on to keep the listener engaged for an eternity. Everything sounds huge, but it doesn’t drown out anything, and has a crystal clear production. Veil starts with a beautiful piano intro before a soft vocal harmony fits over the top, and then BOOM we are into extreme Prog metal grooviness. Another outstanding track. Nil By Mouth follows with extreme heaviness to start things off, then we get a ripping riff and groove and stop start djentyness. All this and not even a sniff of a vocal. Host is the penultimate track and is a very laid back atmospheric piece. A really great tune to separate the grooves. The last track, A Cell Divides, arrives all too quickly, and man, what an opening – before we settle into some off time grooves.

A great album by a great young band. I have noticed people who follow me on Instagram, and who I have followed back, seem to like what I call “metal and rock by numbers”. It’s seems to be more about the likes than the music. May I suggest that you step out of your little eighties time capsule and try something new and expand your horizons?! Give this a try! If all your brain is used to is 4/4 then your groove muscle will thank you for this.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ANNIHILATOR – Alice In Hell

April 16, 2021 /

The first time I heard of the band was either in an edition of Kerrrap magazine, or on an episode of Headbangers Ball – or both – who knows? They were formed in my adopted home city of Ottawa in ’84, and it wasn’t until the recording of this album that the line up had stabilized somewhat. Fun fact – they are the most successful thrash group in Canadian history, having sold over three million albums! Although this sounds like a band, it’s just a vehicle for guitarist extraordinaire Jeff Waters to show his talents. Not only a great guitar player, but he writes a mean tune as well.

After the nice acoustic intro of Crystal Ann, we are introduced to the title track and what a blistering track it is. A great riff, thundering beat, and a cool chorus. This should keep you bouncing rounded the house until you play the next track, W.T.Y.D., which funnily enough, keeps the double kick seriously moving. It’s marked down as thrash, but it’s definitely speed metal in my book. The pace and riffs carry on into the awesome next track, Wicked Mystic. This track has a killer middle section. By now the dandruff should be loose and a neck brace required. Burns Like A Buzzsaw Blade is the last track on Side 1, and again, the pace does not drop and could be the most aggressive track yet.

Over to Side 2 we go with Word Salad, a more traditional paced metal song with a killer riff – until the pedals go to the metal and away we go again. The pace goes even faster on Schizo’s – it’s as though they have had the handbrake on until now. A very Metallica sounding Ligea is next, and is candidate for best track on the album. It goes from standard chuggas to super speed in a flick of a drumstick. So we get to the final track, Human Insecticide, and it’s as though we have to be home by ten, the pace is relentless.

I will change my mind about saying this was a speed metal album, this is most definitely a THRASH album and a bloody good one at that.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

CHICKENFOOT – III

April 16, 2021 /

I’ll admit to not being the world’s biggest Sam The Sham fan. Hell, I’d goe as far to say I positively hate the guy. He is one of the luckiest guys around, and has made his name by leeching off the talent of others. He has a half decent voice, and his lyrics are 12 year old school boy at best. So why did you buy this I hear you ask? Well, the band musically are killer, and live they were amazing – once I got past the aerobic keep fit nonsense from the singer. If you surround yourself with quality you can’t fail right? Joe Satriani on guitar, Chad Smith on drums and Michael Anthony on bass. That’s one hell of a line up to be in front of.

Last Temptation is a good solid opening track and rocks hard. Alright Alright is an ok tune, but the endless singing of the chorus gets a bit grating. Different Devil is next and is a typical Hagar solo tune. Up Next is…well err…Up Next, and is similar to the jam style tunes that were on the first record – it has a nice groove and some nice playing from Joe. Lighten Up closes out Side 1 and starts quite interesting with the Hammond effect on Joe’s guitar, but it turns into a straight up rock tune.

Side 2 kicks off with wimp ballad city with Come Closer. Three And A Half Letters was Hagar’s attempt at writing about the social climate and the economy. Big Foot was the lead off single and gets joint best track on the album award. A great riff from Joe, and the killer groove from Chad and Mike really drives this song along. Dubai Blues is next up and is the other great track on the album. Again, it has that loose jam feel to it which is when this band is cooking. Great playing all around. The last track, Something Going Wrong, is quite a chill ending to what is a fairly rocking album.

This record is not as good as the first album, which is a shame, as that was going in the right direction.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND – SAHB Stories

April 16, 2021 /

I’ll admit to The Harvey’s being one of my favourite bands since I was at school. Having their logo emblazoned on my school bag. They were formed in Glasgow in ’72 by bringing Alex together with the hard rocking band Tear Gas. It was a mix of theater and killer tunes. They were always painting pictures with the stories that were told. They were insultingly compared to Alice Cooper, as the journo’s could not pin them down, and he was the nearest visually to what they were doing.

Starting off with the excellent Dance To Your Daddy, then things move up a few gears with one of my favourite SAHB tunes, Amos Moses. Killer riff and epic groove, and Zal letting loose on the guitar. Worth the price of admission alone kiddies! Jungle Rub Out is next, and in typical SAHB fashion, we take a little left turn musically where Alex is doing his best lounge lizard impression before the heavy chorus kicks in. Side 1 ends with Sirocco, the most unusual track on the album, a slow middle eastern meets blues/jazz crossover.

Side 2 begins with the one SAHB track that everyone should have heard of, Boston Tea Party. Top 20 in the charts, and rightly so – it is a great track. It wasn’t their highest single chart placing – that would be a cover of Delilah. Sultans Choice is next up and a great riff from Zal announces its arrival. It’s just an old rock n roll tune updated somewhat. The rock funk of 25$ For A Massage slides on in, and is another killer tune with a great groove. The last track on the album would also be the heaviest track the band would put on record – the fantastic Dogs Of War. What an end to the album! That huge riff and the lyric about mercenaries.

Released in ’76, it still holds up well and I still play it often.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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