THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 260 of 492)

TESTAMENT – The Formation Of Damnation

August 25, 2022 /

This is Testament’s 10th studio outing and it also sees the return of guitarist, Alex Skolnick, who left the band after 92’s The Ritual. The album was produced by Andy Sneap who always gets a killer guitar sound on all albums he produces. This is a 2021 reissue as a double album, but Side 4 gets three tracks from the Alcatraz sessions, The New Order, Practice What You Preach, and Souls Of Black – all classic Testament songs. This is one of the best sounding metal albums I have heard.

Opening track, For The Glory Of, is just freaking awesome and is my favourite on the album. More Than Meets The Eye is a monster tune with killer riffage and epic grooves. The Evil Has Landed has a wonderful groove and riffage – this band knows what makes killer metal. Keepin’ it groovy! The Formation Of Damnation will melt your face off – this is one hell of a heavy tune with beats and grooves just blasting with maximum heavy riffage. Dangers Of The Faithless has some Metallica-esque guitar to the opening with huge chuggas.

One of the fastest songs the band have ever done is next with, The Persecuted Wont Forget. A killer tune with epic guitar. Henchman Ride gallops along at a killer pace with a killer groovy riff. Killing Season has a very old school feel to the main riff. Superb track. Afterlife has the vibe and groove that makes you want to bounce off walls – great stuff! F.E.A.R is next up and this is classic Testament – just listen to the drums! Leave Me Forever closes out the album proper, and has more light and shade than any other track on the album.

This is a great sounding album, and a very cool looking pressing. I love Testament – they wipe the floor with Slayer.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

XYZ – s/t

August 25, 2022 /

The band started out in France but moved to LA in ’84, but it wasn’t until ’89 that they were signed to Enigma and put out their self titled debut. The only name that some of you maybe familiar with is singer, Terry Illous, who sang with a version of Great White for a while. A very classy melodic rock band that play well written and composed tunes with big hooks and great riffs.

Maggy gets things underway, and it’s a great tune with great harmonies and a killer solo. Next Up is Inside Out, a slow groover with a great hook and riff, and a sing-a-long chorus. What Keeps Me Loving You follows, and as the title may give away, is a ballad. Very reminiscent of Journey around the Frontiers period, and Illous’ voice really shines in this song – a big shout out to axeman Marc Richard Diglio for a very tasty solo. Take What You Can mosey’s on in with guitar gymnastics and a huge monster riff – it’s the fastest tune so far. Follow The Night has the blues at its heart with a slow deep groove. Come On N Love Me is my favourite track on the album. It starts with a nice tapped guitar, and leads into a great riff and sleazy groove. Souvenirs is ballad number two. Tied Up has a very nice chugga style riff with a nice hook and groove. Nice Day To Die is next up and the riff and groove is an Iron Maiden style gallop. The album closes out with After The Rain, and it’s ballad number three – that’s one too many. A really good band with a great production by Don Dokken, but too many ballads.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

PINK FLOYD – Wish You Were Here

August 24, 2022 /

Is this a Pink Floyd’s finest moment? They sure were on a roll – it started with Meddle, then DSOTM, and then this – you can add Animals to that as well – as these four albums were what Floyd were all about. This album still gives me goosebumps after all these years, and I bought it on its first week of release. Sonically superb, and this 2016 remaster sounds wonderful. Weirdly enough, original Floyd frontman, Syd Barrett, turned up to the sessions for this album and his physical appearance shocked the band.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond is dedicated to Sid and opens up the album – it’s my favourite track. It’s a superb recorded work – from the drawn out opening with Gilmour’s haunting guitar, and the groovy middle section with that epic sax solo – it’s one of the best pieces of music ever recorded. That’s just the first part, as it returns to play out the album on Side 2. Welcome To The Machine is just incredible with (what was at the time) basic synth effects to create that huge mechanical sound of the machine. Have A Cigar is the only somewhat normal tune on the album, as it still has normal strong structure.

It would have been really cool if they got Sid to say a line on the title track – it’s a track that barks back to old Floyd. Band’s just don’t get the time to conjure up something as deep as this today, as we want everything three weeks before it’s created. A genuine masterpiece.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

BRITNY FOX – Boys In Heat

August 24, 2022 /

This is the band’s second album that came out in ’89. Very similar in style to Cinderella, and that is mainly due to the gravelly vocal style of Tom Keifer and Dizzy Dean Davidson. In fact, Dizzy Dean would leave the band after this album to form Blackeyed Susan.

On to the tunes, and this album is a step up from their self titled debut. Opening track, In Motion, is a killer tune with a great groove and riff, and is slam-glam-thank-you-man. Standing In The Shadows follows and is more of the same with a cool hook and chorus. Hair Of The Dog is a cover of the Nazareth classic, and it’s pretty hard to cover a classic like that and improve on it – the original is better. Livin’ On A Dream is up next, and a deep heavy blues vibe starts things off before they sleaze things up nicely. She’s So Lonely has a sleazy main riff and a great hook and chorus, and if you close your eyes you’d think this was Cinderella. Dream On has the same vibe as Poison’s Every Rose, mainly due to the acoustic guitar. Long Way From Home closes out Side 1, and if anyone’s counting, that’s 7 tracks on Side 1. Short and to the point my friends. Very Bon Jovi in vibe and would have made a great single.

Side 2 rolls in with Plenty Of Love – a great fat riff and groove and it’s hair metal 101. Great track! Stevie is the second of two tracks that Dizzy Dean shares writing duties, and it’s quite a simple riff but heavy on the sleaze. Shine On starts with huge chords and has a slow vibe and groove. Angel In My Heart has monster chords, and they are trying their best to channel their inner Springsteen. Left Me Stray is AC/DC homage time, and then the album closes out with Longroad – it’s ballad time with that hint of country thrown in.

My favourite track is opening tune, In Motion. Don’t think Britny Fox got the credit they deserved, and things would change after this album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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