THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 111 of 492)

Maltese Falcon – Metal Rush

January 9, 2024 /

Named after the Bogart movie of the same name, this little piece of metal history first saw the light of day back in ’84 but by ’86 it was all but a memory. There haven’t been too many Danish metal bands that have made it. Other than Merciful Fate/King Diamond, Pretty Maids, and maybe Volbeat, I can’t think of many more. This album is okay, but it was never gonna conquer the world.  

It’s pretty standard heavy metal for the time and sarcastically I’m going for Mammas In Town as my favourite track as it possesses yet another version of THAT riff.  Heavy N’ Loud is a close second with a hybrid Ozzy/Metallica mash up.

It’s amazing how far metal has come since these innocent pioneering days and although it’s not the greatest metal album in the world it’s still a fun listen.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

ELEGY – Manifestation Of Fear

January 9, 2024 /

Elegy were formed in Holland in ’86 and this is their sixth album. It was released back in ’98 and they seemed to call it a day after 2002’s Principle Of Pain, but I heard a little whisper that they are getting back together to record a new album.

Although a Dutch band, they have had British singer Ian Parry on vocals since ’96. The Prog/power metal genre is so overcrowded with bands vying for your attention that if you don’t have that magic ingredient you will disappear as soon as you surface. Elegy managed to survive by releasing classy albums and touring the euro circuit while the rest of the world was only aware of them in small pockets.

This is a double vinyl reissue on Night Of The Vinyl Dead and it’s a really nice pressing, as most of theirs are. Parry’s vocals do have a hint of the Dio’s at times, although in a slightly higher register. That, coupled with Henk Van der Laars’ ripping leads and huge riffage make this a great record. Of the twelve tracks on offer here my highlights are the fat riffage of Savage Grace, the epic Master Of Deception, and the totally awesome title track (and my personal fave) Metamorphosis.

A huge chunk of DT-style riffing always goes down well with me. I hope they get it together to put out another record but if not, they have left behind a fine body of work.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

VAN HALEN – S/T (Mo-Fi)

January 9, 2024 /

I originally reviewed this album nearly three years ago, and it is one of the best albums ever recorded. So, why revisit it I hear you cry? Well, Mobile Fidelity have decided to give the first six Van Halen albums the one step treatment and this beauty is the first to be released. Hands on heart, I didn’t think the Bernie Grundman remaster could be beat, but this is in another league all together.

The separation and clarity is outstanding, you could be in the room with them. Ted Templeman and Don Landee did such a good job capturing the original recordings. Word of warning, these are expensive babies to buy and unless you are playing your records on a half decent set up then I would save your money. I guess the only way to release this again would be in surround sound, and I hope they do that at some point but until then… man this is soooo good. My favourite tack… all of them baby.

10,000/10 from The Grooveman.

DREAM THEATER – S/T

January 1, 2024 /

This was album number twelve and the second to feature Mike Mangini on drums. “The emphasis is on shorter more concise songs.” Really?! llumination Theory is twenty two minutes long! Not that I’m complaining, I’m a big lover of the DT that write songs that leave and don’t comeback for days.

Nice cinematic intro with the False Awakening Suite and the two more commercial efforts The Enemy Inside and The Looking Glass. Enigma Machine is my favourite track on the album (did they channel their inner Inspector Gadget when composing the main riff?). It’s what DT do best: lots of widdle and intricacies but in a more concise way.

Illumination Theory is the centre piece of the whole album. It’s about what things people will live, die, or kill for. It’s a well written and performed piece with a full orchestra inserted, but it does feel as though I’ve heard it before. To be honest, the latter day albums do all feel like that, apart from The Astonishing (which I didn’t like at all).

DT are a great band, they just need invigorating and hopefully the return of MP will give them a boost.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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