THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: March 2023 (Page 8 of 11)

A THRU Z – s/t

March 15, 2023 /

What would expect to hear from two ex-members of Fates Warning? Well, if you think it’s the same Prog metal vibes that their ex-employers live in then you may be somewhat surprised, as this is one killer melodic rock record with huge hooks and melodies. Ray Alder has always been the owner of one hell of a set of pipes, and boy does he shine on this record.

Opener Trial By Fire is a monster opening tune with a massive hook and chorus, with added fat huge riffage. The Far Side Of The Horizon follows with a killer chugga riff passage opening it up. Superb melody and vocals, and the guitar of Joop Wolters is sublime. There are hints of Prog on this tune but in more of a classic sense than say, Fates. Machine Gunner is up next and kicks in with a very busy guitar pattern, and a huge up tempo groove. This track will blow your mind, awesome instrumental section and the vocals are killer, plus is my favourite track. The tempo and groove slows down for the next track, Rise Again. Huge Toto vibes from this one. Side 1 closes out with Window Panes, a very catchy, fat riff coupled with a monster vocal line that has hints of Journey. This track is huge!

Over to Side 2 we go and opening track Run Away. Those Toto vibes are hitting me hard on this one. Killer harmonies and melody, and the guitar reminds me so much of Steve Lukather. Stranded starts with a very groovy laid back vibe that opens up to a huge chord crunch, and man it’s those vocals that get you. The guitar solo is just pure joy, what a great tone. At The Waters Edge has a superb intro, and I love the main riff and groove, and that solo, jeez! Next up is Borrowed Time and this is the most Prog metal track on the album, with a huge killer riff plus a ripping guitar solo – and those vocals and harmonies are off the hook. Sadly it’s last track time with Sometimes, and those Toto vibes are very strong (at least at the intro). The guitar could be Lukather if you close your eyes.

This album was one of the surprises of last year for me, and if you only buy one album this year then go and treat yourself with this. You will not be disappointed.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

MEGADETH – Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?

March 15, 2023 /

This is Megadeth’s second album, released back in ’86, and the only surviving member is good ole’ Dave himself. He has fallen out with, or sacked nearly everyone who has ever been in the band so, if you were under any illusions that this was anything other than a dictatorship, then you must have missed the memo. The first three albums are the best, as the band had a sound and vibe that was all theirs and after So Far So What they were just another speed metal band. Of course, there were rumoured to be all sorts of chemical enhancements around the band at this time, and most of which were trying to kill them. Out of that environment though came the band’s best work, and this could just be their best.

Right from the opening crunch of Wake Up Dead Mr. Mustaine means business, angry words spat at the listener mixed with angry riffs crushing your brain, there is no let up. Devil’s Island has flashback moments to his previous outfit as he is taunting his ex-bandmates with the fact that he came up with most of their first two albums. There is even an old Willie Dixon blues cover with I Aint Superstitious, but it’s the riff and groove overload that is Bad Omens that is my favourite track. There are things going on in this track that took metal to places it hadn’t been at the time. Killer track and album.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

TANGIER – Stranded

March 14, 2023 /

This is Tangier’s third and final album, released in ’91. Hailing from the rock and roll capital of the world, Philadelphia (well not really), they suffered as did all the bands of time by the great grunge unpleasantness.

A kick-ass band, especially live, they open this opus up with Down The Line: a ripping hard rocking beast with some killer slide guitar, and this one sneaks it as my favourite. I love that slow pounding, slight funky groove to Caution To The Wind. The hook and chorus are huge, as is the production, which is stellar. I think we all know I like riff and a nice fat guitar, and they don’t let me down with You’re Not The Lovin’ Kind. There is a big old school Whitesnake vibe to this one. Since You’ve Been Gone feels like an old rock n’ roll sweetheart love me do tune. Takes Just A Little Time has a huge southern vibe with that slide “geetar.”

Excited gets Side 2 under way, and that riff and piano screams Nashville. Well, at least a blues bar in Nashville. Back In The Limelight kicks off with a great guitar break, these guys can write a great hook and melody. Sure, it’s nothing new and they are recycling riffs, but doesn’t everyone? It’s ballad time with the single Stranded, and this is where I switch off as this could be a song by any number of bands because it’s just a generic stock sound. It’s double entendres time next with Its Hard. Sorry to disappoint, but it’s just a good old Friday night party tune. The album closes out with If Ya Can’t Find Love – very reminiscent of Aerosmith around the Permanent Vacation period.

Good record with an epic production.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

JUDAS PRIEST – Painkiller

March 13, 2023 /

This would be Rob Halford’s last album with The Priest for nearly fifteen years. After this he went to play with his own projects Fight and Two, as he thought Priest were not heavy enough for him. Which, if you go and see them live now his raps about how metal Priest are is quite funny. But, I digress, as this album is a bit of a belter and probably the heaviest they had done up until this point.

I mean, Painkiller, the opening track is a monster of a tune. Right from Scott Travis’ pounding of the kit at the intro, you know this is gonna be a beaut. Halford is giving it the beans and that twin guitar onslaught is the best in the biz. When people mention their favourite Priest albums nearly everyone says Screaming For Vengeance, and it is one hell of an album, but Painkiller is very rarely mentioned at all and that astounds me as I think this pushes it all the way. It’s really hard to pick a favourite tune as I like it all, but today I will say it’s Night Crawler as it has a nod to old Priest as well as sounding all metallurgy and shiny.

A deserved…

10/10 from the Grooveman.

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