THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: August 2022 (Page 5 of 10)

TESLA – Psychotic Supper

August 22, 2022 /

This is the band’s third album, released in the dark days of ’91 (well, at least for rock bands anyway). But that didn’t stop Tesla from releasing one of their best albums and going out and doing good business on tour. I mean, eventually it did have an effect on them as after the next album (Bust A Nut), they would not release an album until 2004. This is a 2016 reissue and it still has Man Out Of Time listed on the cover but crossed out.

The opener, Change In The Weather is a killer opening track with a very raw rock n’ roll vibe. Edison’s Medicine kicks off with some guitar histrionics and leads into one of the best on the album. What a killer tune, great hook and melody. Don’t De-Rock Me is a serious up tempo monster with an epic riff, and sees the band rocking faster than they ever have; it is my favourite on the album. That middle eight!!! Call It What You Want follows, and is a classic hair rock anthem. Song & Emotion is a tribute to their friend Def Leppard’s Steve Clark, and is quite a heartfelt piece. That twin guitar attack of Frank Hannon and Tommy Skeoch is one of the best in the business, and on Time they are giving it their inner Aerosmith with a superb dirty groover.

Government Personnel is a good old country/folk Americana piece. Freedom Slaves starts off real slow before that massive guitar hook kicks in. Had Enough has a very simple riff in the same vein as Judas Priest, but is a great fun tune. Another country infused track is next in What You Give, and just like Poison, every band knows that a little country goes a long way.

Onto the final side now, Stir It Up starts with a psychedelic vibe and as the volume goes up that little bit of country creeps in. Can’t Stop has a killer intro that just builds the anticipation into a great rock song and hats off to the wonderful middle section. The album closes out with Toke About It; again, that Aerosmith vibe is strong with a hint of funk thrown in. Tesla don’t make bad albums and it’s good to see them still cranking out great tunes.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

SAMSON – Survivors

August 22, 2022 /

One of the very earliest albums of the whole NWOBHM scene, released in the first part of ’79. Bruce Dickinson is credited on the album but doesn’t actually appear on the record, as he joined after the album was recorded. Guitarist Paul Samson handles all vocal duties, and there are guest appearances from Gillan’s John McCoy on bass and Colin Towns on keys. So, it’s not really heavy metal at all, and is really just a classic blues rock romp. They attached themselves (as did a lot of bands at the time) to NWOBHM to get themselves noticed.

There are a couple of tracks that lift themselves above the norm here and that’s the epic Tomorrow Or Yesterday, which starts off nice and slow, then builds into a really great track with a killer instrumental section. As well, the big ending number Wrong Side Of Time, which is the same format as Tomorrow with a killer middle section. But my favourite is the instrumental Koz, which grooves along nicely with a great riff and groove. I remember buying this when it first came out just like yesterday; they were such good times. Happy Days!

8/10 from The Grooveman.

BARONESS – Yellow & Green

August 20, 2022 /

I think it’s quite cool that the band name their albums after colours as the artwork becomes very striking and I really like artist, John Dyer Baizley’s covers. This is the band’s second album, released in 2012. They have been dubbed everything from sludge metal, to Prog metal, and all points in between. Although, I do get a strong Kyuss vibe from the band with the use of fuzz pedals.

The very delicate and ambient Yellow theme gets us under way before the huge stoner beast Take My Bones Away gets things under way for real.  A very delicate intro starts March To The Sea and a melody is added to the stoner vibe; a hint of Mastodon is in there also. Love the picked chords on Little Things and the beat and groove is awesome. Twinkler is a really cool acoustic piece with an almost medieval vibe. Cocainium is a freaking awesome track!!! Absolute monster tune with a great guitar intro before the main song starts with a superb harmony vocal and wicked groove. Then, the huge fat riff diverts your attention before the beauty returns. Epic stuff!!! Back Where I Belong follows and is a more delicate tune with a great melody. Sea Lungs follows and has a very indie style beat and groove. Eula closes out the Yellow album; it was released as the third single and it got a fair bit of airplay.

On to the Green album and opening piece Green Theme: a slow instrumental with an evil undercurrent to the main choral chord. Board Up The House is up next with a very quirky beat and main groove but the vocal harmony and melody are superb. MTNS follows and has a very indie vibe, it is my least favourite track. Foolsong is as close to the band get to a ballad. Collapse is quite a simple song compared to the rest of the record with just vocals, acoustic, drums, and some crazy sounds mixed in. Psalms Alive starts a bit like The Cure and stays that way for most of the song until the flume is increased. Stretchmarker is a laid back instrumental that leads into The Line Between and is the heaviest track on the Green album, and once again reminds me of Mastodon. The album closes out with another instrumental: If I Forget Thee, Low Country. My favourite track from the album is Take My Bones Away. They would have had a killer single album as there is a bit too much filler for me but that’s their schtick, doing these huge concept pieces.

8/10 from the Grooveman.

ARMORED SAINT – Delirious Nomad

August 20, 2022 /

Yet another one of the bands that shoulda, coulda, woulda, but never actually did. That’s not to say they weren’t a good band, in fact they were a bloody good band (especially live) but I guess they never quite had the songs.

This is their third release and came out in ’85 and was produced by Max Norman. First track in: Long Before I Die is a decent enough tune with not a bad riff. Nervous Man has the slow chugga riff, very reminiscent of the thrash bands of the day. Over The Edge has a nice evil riff, with a laid back vibe and a nice solo. The Laugh has a very NWOBHM riff and vibe to it. Conqueror is the best track on this side with a great riff and driving beat. For The Sake has a nice slow build up before a pretty standard chugga riff kicks in. Aftermath reminds me of Killing Machine era Judas Priest. In The Hole has a riff and groove that any hair band of the time (especially Dokken) would have been proud of (well, Max Norman did produce the thing). You’re Never Alone is just okay and nothing special, but then we get to my favourite and last track: Released. Now this baby sprints along at a great pace with a great riff and groove. I love their first album, March Of The Saint and their latest studio effort, Punching The Sky is awesome as well. This album however, is not their best.

7.5/10 from the Grooveman.

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