THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 186 of 492)

EARTHLESS – From The Ages

April 17, 2023 /

This is Earthless’ third full-length album, released back in 2013. They are a killer band, playing long instrumentals inspired by 70’s bands like Sabbath and Zeppelin. This is a double album and there are only four songs. It feels like you are present at one big jam session where the band just plays within a basic structure, but goes off and wails, grooves, and at the required point come back to the main riff. This is my type of wet dream album as I love listening to musicians just going for it like this.

Violence Of The Red Sea is 14:46 minutes of just that, with the groove speeding up and slowing down as and when. Killer stuff! Uluru Rock is 14:08 minutes of pure joy. The main guitar sound is awesome. Just close your eyes, lay back, and let it soak in. At 5:42 minutes Equus October is a tad more concise and to the point. A killer syncopated beat with one hell of a groove and fuzz pedals a go go. The title track is all about the rhythm section, adding different grooves and rhythms throughout with the guitar just feeding back over the top for over half of the song, then the guitars join in with the insanity, and 30 minutes later it’s all over.

I get this is not everyone’s cup of tea, but to me it’s freakin awesome.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK SABBATH – Sabotage

April 15, 2023 /

There’s a reason that these early Sabbath records are rightfully called classics boys and girls, because not only are they genre defining, they were genre inventing. Sure, we can argue about who first coined the term “heavy metal” and who had louder guitars, blah blah blah, but all the metal bands around today would not be anything if it wasn’t for Sabbath.

This was Black Sabbath’s fifth album, and we are only at 1973. They crammed so much into a short space of time, it’s insane to think of that happening today. If this album only had Symptom Of The Universe it would still be a classic. Such a killer riff and groove, Ozzy’s deranged wailing vocal, plus the crazy instrumental, and then the trippy outro, make this high on the list of everyone’s favourite rock and metal tunes.

Megalomania has to be one of the longest songs the band did. It goes from tripped out hippy psych fest, to killer max riffing Sabbath classic. This album doesn’t seem to high up on peoples’ fave Sabbath albums, but I really like it as there is so much going on outside of the usual Sabbath heavy riffing.

Of course, I’m going with Symptom Of The Universe as my favourite track because that riff is undeniable, but I could easily have gone for Thrill Of It All.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION – High In The Saddle

April 14, 2023 /

The Discogs randomizer seems to be throwing up a lot of these dirty, alcohol-soaked, stripped back rock albums just lately, and I am a partial to some kick ass rock n’ roll.

This is Texas Hippie Coalition’s sixth album, released back in 2019. Led by the gravelly vocal tones of Big Dad Rich this album was produced Uber producer Bob Marlette, and I have to say the sound is clear and HUGE!

The kick-ass single Moonshine opens up the album in fine style with a nice n’ dirty riff and groove. Also a single release was next track, Dirty Finger. It has the same kind of vibe and feel, but with added slide geetar! Bring It Baby starts with a killer, dirty, slow, almost hip hop groove then Big Dad Rich opens up that voice as he screams the hook line. Ride Or Die is (I think) an homage to fallen friends and the music has a fitting melancholy vibe. Side 1 ends with Tongue Like A Devil, a simple slowed down heavy groover.

Why Aren’t You Listening is the opening track on Side 2. The hook and chorus are huge, and maybe this should have been a single, it also sneaks the favourite track award for me. Great tune! Stevie Nicks is a huge, monster, southern fried, rifftastic beast. Bullseye had me singing Blaze Of Glory, and there are parts that are very similar, but Rich’s vocals are totally different. Tell It From The Ground has a low down, evil sounding riff and groove to match. The album closes out with Blue Lights On, a nifty little ditty about the boys in blue.

This is the bands first album on a major label, and hopefully there are many more to come.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ROYAL HUNT – Fear

April 13, 2023 /

This is Royal Hunt’s fifth album and the first to feature John West on vocals, it was released back in ’99. Keyboardist and leader Andre Anderson wrote everything on the album, and there is a big keyboard presence as there is with the majority of the band’s albums. It’s only seven tracks, but boy do they fit a lot into them.

The album kicks off with the title track and a majestic intro sequence that leads into an epic tune. West has such control over that huge voice, from soft cleans to max overdrive. Killer opening! Faces Of War follows, it opens with a great bass line with some killer keyboard and guitar riffage, and double kicks pounding underneath, definitely my favourite. It has huge classical vibes, and that word epic comes to mind again. Cold City Lights is the most accessible track on the album. It’s a very commercial sounding melody with a killer hook and chorus.

Side 2 kicks in with the fat huge riff of Lies and the accompanying classical intro to go with it. That choppy guitar in the verse gives me huge Saga vibes, but this is euro metal at its finest. Monster ballad time next with Follow Me, emphasis on the monster. Voices follows and again, it’s an another huge majestic intro with the keys set to orchestra mode. Killer harmonies! Onto the last track: Sea Of Time. Superb echo and repeat guitar intro, I love the vocal harmonies.

Really good record!

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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