THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: August 2022 (Page 9 of 10)

SCALE THE SUMMIT – Carving Desert Canyons

August 12, 2022 /

Progressive Technical Metal is a weird little sub-genre that popped up after Dream Theater became popular – then the media wanted a table to put all these bands in. This was released in 2009, and is the band’s second album, which I think was the same year that they appeared on Dream Theater’s Progessive Nation tour. I first heard of them a bit before when they were on a three band bill with Fair To Midland and Periphery.

I love heavy instrumental music the more technical the better and this ticks all the boxes for me. Opener, Bloom, is a wonderful exercise in how many riffs and grooves can we put into one song and keep it very melodic. Sargasso Sea is a lot more of a laid back tune and feels almost like a soundtrack to a movie. The Great Plains follows and has these huge sounding picked arpeggios that repeat over and over that slowly change and evolve into a more laid back vibe. Giants closes out Side 1 and is the heaviest piece yet with some killer drums from Pat Skeffington.

Age Of Tides kicks off Side 2 and has a very busy opening with the riffs and picked chords dominating everything. Glacial Planet starts with the most serene peaceful opening, and quickly turns heavy with a complete contrast. City In The Sky has the most normal riff and beat on the whole album, until they get bored and make it very complex. The album closes with Dunes, and it’s a return to the ever repeating picked notes that underpin the whole song, while differing melodies play over the top. I appreciate this is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I do get off on albums like this as I find them challenging and very rewarding.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP – s/t

August 12, 2022 /

Metal Mickey was at somewhat of a crossroads in his career. He had just left a very successful gig with UFO, who were at the height of their popularity after the release of their amazing live opus Strangers In The Night. His brother Rudolph, who seeing an opportunity to improve his own band, asked Michael to perform on the Scorpions Lovedrive album, with the hope he would join them. Fortunately for Michael, he decided to do his own thing, and put together this group under his own name (although, at the time, he said in interviews it may only be a one-off project).

Other than the Assault Attack album, this is the finest recorded work that Michael ever put out. I think he knew everything was on the line, and he pushed himself to prove everyone wrong. Absolute bonafide classic all the way through. There’s not a bad note played, and Gary Barden was a revelation (at least on record anyway – his performances were a bit ropey at times).  

Whether it be an instrumental track like Into The Arena, or a vocal track like Victim Of Illusion, the end result is the same – all are extremely well written and performed with a great production by Roger Glover – who knows a thing about putting great rock albums together. My favourite track is the absolute epic, Lost Horizons. It’s such a dramatic piece where Michael really lets fly and shows what a great player he is. We are in every home should have one territory.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

LONE STAR – Firing On All Six

August 11, 2022 /

This is the 2nd album by the Welsh rock/Prog combo released in ’77. Mainly of note for being the home for both future UFO guitarist, Tonka Chapman, and Uriah Heep vocalist, John Sloman. It’s very hard to pigeonhole this band, as they don’t sound like anyone else.

Opening number, The Bells Of Berlin, is a pomp rock tour de force with a huge arrangement and a very epic feel. On the other hand, The Ballad Of Crafty Jack is more straightforward at the beginning, then the huge vocal harmonies take over – as sort of a cross between Led Zeppelin and Styx. Time Lays Down is next, and the man riff of which is very funky, with John Sloman ding his best Robert Plant impression – I love the middle eight section. Side 1 closes out with Hypnotic Mover. which has an odd groove with a heavy vibe and some nice melodies.

Side 2 kicks off with Lovely Lubina – and another weird time signature that leans on the funk somewhat. Seasons In Your Eyes is a ballad – this was before they became a necessary evil on everyone’s albums. Rivers Overflowing is a glorious over the top groove fest with the band (again) turning to the funk with a great main riff – this is my favourite track on the album. The album closes out with All Of Us To All Of You, which is a really good track, but the main opening is a straight lift from Deep Purple.

I loved this band at the time after seeing them on Whistle Test.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

VANDENBERG – Alibi

August 11, 2022 /

This is the third and final of the original albums before Adrian would jump ship and join Whitesnake full time. The album failed to dent the charts in all major markets. It’s not a bad album, it’s just lacking that killer track.

Opener, All The Way, is a decent enough track with a nice riff and hook. Pedal To The Metal has quite a strange groove, but I really like it. Once In A Lifetime is quite a weak ballad. Voodoo has a riff that you will have heard in various forms on a million tracks before. Dressed To Kill is a great up-tempo groover and is my favourite track on the album. Fighting Against The World has quite a busy riff with a straight up 4/4 beat. Back to ballad city with How Long. A short classical acoustic instrumental follows, before the title track bursts into life, and its a straight up AOR melodic groover with a big hook and chorus. The album closes out with Kamikaze – a very keyboard heavy track with a nice chugga riff underneath. I

f you were to have only one Vandenberg album, then my choice would be their first self titled album.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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