THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 156 of 492)

SLEEZE BEEZ – Screwed Blued & Tattooed

July 25, 2023 /

Most people don’t seem to realize that these guys are from Holland and not the U.S. When you listen to the music you will know why.

This is album number two for the band, released back in ’89. You can’t deny that opener Rock In The Western World is a slam dunk of a track to open the album with. A superb uptempo groover that rocks your world from the get go. Definitely my favourite track. House Is On Fire is a hybrid AC/DC/Def Leppard riff fest. That simple groove and beat I’m always banging on about is a sure fire winner every time. The title track keeps the groove a rollin’ and this is the first track where you can say the music fits the name. Stranger Than Paradise was released as a single in the U.S. and it’s the most radio friendly song on the record. Side 1 close out track Damned If We Do Damned If We Don’t is a no nonsense Sunset Strip sing a long sleaze rifforama. Great first side!

Heroes Die Young has that big stomp drum sound that again reminds of Def Leppard. The second super radio friendly track is up next with This Time, and you’ll be very surprised with the Journey-style hook and chorus. Back to the four to floor rockin’ with the wonderfully titled When The Brains Go To The Balls, where those DC riffs hit the spot. Don’t Talk About Roses is more of the same with a great main riff. Last track is Girls Girls Nasty Nasty and it’s good to go out on Friday night party special.

An often overlooked album of the time, which is a shame as it’s a kick ass record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

JAMES LABRIE – Elements Of Persuasion

July 24, 2023 /

This is James’ first solo outing, although there were the two Mullmuzzler albums which preceded this. Elements Of Persuasion was originally released in 2005, although this reissue came out as part of RSD Black Friday in 2021. It’s got to be hard to release an album with your own identity when your are the vocalist for Prog metal’s shining stars, Dream Theater, especially when you’re plowing the same furrow with your solo project.

The first track Crucify could have been a DT track around the Train Of Thought period as the vibe and guitar tone is very similar. Alone however is different with a djenty nu metal groove, which sounds really cool. Freaks keeps that vibe going. Heavy down tuned guitar with quirky samples and keyboards. DT vibes return for my favourite track, Invisible. Dirty fat riffs are my favourite thing, and this one is deep, down, and dirty. Total vibe change for Lost, that main groove and keys are almost funky. Nice change! The heaviest and lowest of riffs open up Undecided. I love Matt Guillory’s guitar on this one. Again, a nice change of pace and groove for Smashed that gives LaBrie a chance to show that breathy style he is famous for.

More deep and heavy riifage for Pretender. I’m guessing old James likes the heavier side of life more than he lets on. Slightly Out Of Reach is as close as this album gets to smooth jazz/Prog. A nice laid back interlude. Nu metal vibes for Oblivious, that intro is almost Korn. In To Deep jumps between total all out modern metal, and his more Prog comfort zone. Drained closes out the album and I love that riff and guitar sound mixed with the melody of the keys.

So there you have it, a quite enjoyable Prog metal romp and it’s good to see old Jimbo outside the confines of DT, as let’s face it, he doesn’t contribute much lyrically to that band. Great album!

9/10 from The Grooveman.

AXXIS – Kingdom Of The Night

July 24, 2023 /

This is the first album from these German hard rockers, and it was (at the time) the best selling debut album by a hard rock band in Germany. They have consistently put out product since, culminating in 2020’s digital EP Virus Of A Modern Time. I’m not sure they made any headway outside of Europe, but I guess it don’t matter a whole bunch when all your releases chart.

The opening and track Living In A World is more of an AOR/pomp vibe than metal, but second track in and title track has the double kicks going and riffs a plenty. Never Say Never is very Eurovision (at least in the vocals and melody), the main riff however has a medieval feel to it. Great track though. Fire and Ice is a seriously cheesy sounding ballad that does nothing for me. Young Souls brings Side 1 to an end and it sounds like some late seventies pop tune.

For A Song opens up Side 2. The main groove sort of reminds of Status Quo and the vocals do begin to irritate after a while. The rest of the album just goes by until we get to the best track on the album: Kings Made Of Steel. It feels like a double kick shuffle is being played, but I like it.

This album hasn’t aged very well I’m afraid.

6/10 from The Grooveman.

WHITE WOLF – Standing Alone

July 22, 2023 /

This is the debut album from Canada’s White Wolf, released back in ’84 although they have been around since the mid 70’s. They did a comeback in 2007 after they split up in late ’86 and released a new album through Escape Music. As with a lot of Canadian rock bands, they have that something that separates them from their American counterparts. It’s hard to explain but it’s a sound and a vibe.

Vocalist Don Wilk reminds me of Graham Bonnet with his phrasing and tone. Headlines could have been an Alcatraz tune as the vocals and harmonies are so close. I would say that’s my favourite track. Other highlights are the Styx sounding Shadows Of The Night and the NWOBHM riffing of close out track Trust Me. They are like having two bands in one as they flip flop between the pomp and the straight up hard rock, which I think they are best at.

Not a bad album, although I do prefer their second album.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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