THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: July 2023 (Page 8 of 10)

IMPELLITTERI – Pedal To The Metal

July 12, 2023 /

This is a reissue of the band’s thirteenth album, released back in 2004. It seems to have a different running order to the CD.

Opening track Writings On The Wall is a crushing speed metal masterpiece, with Chris flying out the neo- classical runs that are so impressive. Crushing Daze owes more to modern metal with a deep, heavy, killer groove. Destruction is a more normal Impellitteri tune; a heavy Dio vibe mixed with Malmsteen style riffing, and killer solos. Dance With The Devil has an awesome, eerie, evil intro and then explodes into life with killer double kicks pounding along with some great riffing. Huge riffage opens up Hurricane, and I have to say this is my favourite. I’m a sucker for a big heavy riff with matching groove, and this one delivers. Judgement Day just slays from the off. One big classical speed metal romp. Playing is off the charts.

That’s Side 1 done and Side 2 opens up with The Iceman Cometh. Another modern metal heavy groove and riff that sounds cool. The solo also sounds killer. Punk is next up and err… I don’t mind the main riff and groove but the jury’s out on the main verse. Propaganda Mind follows and I like the melody to this one. Fat, simple riff, chunky groove, and some wild guitar… what’s not to like!? Next up is Stay Tonight, and that initial riff sounds so familiar I would say this is the most melodic tune on the album. We close out the album with The Fall Of Titus. Straight to the action with this one. Killer riff and double kicks a plenty.

One of the most underrated bands around, and Chris has been doing this since his first EP in ’87.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

NIGHT RANGER – ATBPO

July 11, 2023 /

This is album number thirteen for San Fran’s finest melodic rockers, released  in 2021. They have gone though a few personnel changes since the good old days, and Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy are the only originals left, although Jack Blades has only missed playing on one album.

Opener track Coming For You has quite an aggressive riff and groove that powers the song along in quite a non-Night Ranger away. Then that is followed by a more melodic and radio friendly tune in Bring It All Hime To Me. This is the blueprint for most of the album, a hard rocker followed by a more melodic tune. Only one ballad to report with The Hardest Road, and I’ll give them that one. The rest of the album is a very classy Night Ranger album, my favourite song of which is Monkey. A good old, kick ass, rock n’ roller. With customary big hook and chorus and lots of guitar.

This is a Frontiers pressing and it is so quiet that I have to really crank it more than should be necessary. It’s good to know that Night Ranger still pump out great records.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

VENOM – Black Metal

July 10, 2023 /

It’s really hard to get your head around the fact that Venom were responsible for a whole movement if you witnessed their birth. I was never sure if this was just done for shits and giggles. If you listen to the end of At War With Satan there is a track called AAARRGH!! It’s basically just them thrashing around with Cronos singing the word “aaarrgh” over the top until near the end when he pronounces “more aaarrgh than the last time”. That moment alone told me they were just having fun. Sure, it got more evil when they found out the kids started to love it all.

I digress, they appeared at the end of the original burst of NWOBHM bands. The production is raw to say the least, and it was recorded at Neat Records Impulse studios HQ in Newcastle. Musically, it’s not all death metal as that wasn’t a thing just yet. Opener and title track is a speedy thrash that lives up to the image they were trying to create. However, the more subtle tracks like Buried Alive have far more of an eerie evil feel than the all out speed assault. Teachers Pet is a sped up punk blast. My favourite however is Down Burn The Witch, a straight up NWOBHM stomper with THAT riff.

This was a bit like punk for me, yeah it was fun for five minutes then normal service was soon resumed.

6.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ROYAL HUNT – Collision Course

July 8, 2023 /

Album number ten from these Danish Progressive metallers, although they do have a very Classic Rock element in what they do. This album is a follow up conceptually to album four, Paradox where the same themes are revisited.

Opener and introductory piece Principles Of Paradox is a gargantuan keyboard extravaganza that brings the epic atmosphere to the proceedings. The First Rock has Mark Boals stretching his larynx to reach notes that only Yngwie visits. Seriously though, it’s a killer track with all the pomp and Prog you would expect with a pounding groove all the way through.

The words Rock and Opera keep entering my mind while listening. I actually think this would be killer if performed in that way. Every song has a touch of the epic and grandiose about them. It’s quite hard to pick a favourite as they all feel as though they are building to an ending. but I’m going for the thunderous Divide And Reign. Alan Sorensen is pounding away at that kit as though his life depended on it. Maximum metal pounding and guitars are wailing to match. I can only describe this as majestic.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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