THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: album review (Page 105 of 472)

DREAM THEATER – Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence

November 21, 2023 /

This is the album where Dream Theater pushed everything as far as they could. The main album is just five songs, and the second disc is all one song split into eight parts. I hope they go back to this type of record now that Portnoy is back in the family.

I have seen this band more than any other live. I remember the release of this album very well and the tour that followed, I hope that they can rekindle a bit of that fire. The Glass Prison is one of the heaviest tunes that the band have ever done and it’s one of favourites. It as a lot of D-tuned riffing and heavy grooves to keep the die hard metal fan happy while pushing that progressive boundary. The title track is just freakin’ epic, and it’s hard to comprehend that it’s just one song.

In their day, no one could touch them. They have done a few 10/10 records, and this is one. Ytsejam forever!

10/10 from The Grooveman.

CROBOT – Rat Child

November 21, 2023 /

This four track EP was released as part of RSD Black Friday in 2021. All the tunes are on Side 1 and Side 2 is a dreaded etched abomination. I’m just saying that some live tunes would have been great, thanks.

Mountain has Frank Bello from Anthrax guesting, and what a killer groovy beast it is. It’s an awesome chunk of modern, heavy rock n’ roll. Kiss It Goodbye starts like a heavy monster has just riffed in your ears. This one has a guest spot from Howard Jones. These guys know how to groove! What a beast of a song!

Everyone Dies features Styx Zadinia from everyone’s favourite joke, Steel Panther. It’s one big power ballad. It all comes to an end so quickly with the title track Rat Child which has a vibe and groove from way back, with a heavy dose of today.

Great band, and Brandon Yeagley is an amazing vocalist/frontman.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

THE POLICE – Synchronicity

November 20, 2023 /

I used to look on this album as The Police’s weakest record, but over time I have grown to really love it. Stewart Copeland’s contribution to the band often gets overlooked but his stamp and grooves are all over this record. Right from the off with the heavy groove of the title track (which is one of the best songs the band did), it has Stewart’s DNA everywhere.

The production is superb and Hugh Padgham should take a huge credit here. The only down point is Mother. I get that Andy wanted his songs on the album but sometimes you just have to take a back seat. It stands out so much because everything else is so damn good. The rest of the record is just the best and some of the best pop tunes laid to wax. I’m going for Synchronicity, that opens the album, as my favourite tune. It’s just a beast of a tune, and just consumes you with joy as it speeds on by.

The album would have been a nailed in 10 if it wasn’t for Mother.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

VENGEANCE – We Have Ways To Make You Rock

November 20, 2023 /

This is album number two for one of Holland’s best hard rock exports. It was released back in ’86. Vengeance were a big deal in Holland and other parts of mainland Europe, but they seemed to struggle with the rest of the world.

They do remind me a bit of Saxon in their heyday, especially on songs like Dreamworld where singer Leon Goewie does a fine impression of Biff Byford. Power Of The Rock is one of my favourite tunes by the band as its NWOBHM influences are easy to spot, and the speedy riff and groove help.  

They don’t take themselves too seriously and the music is not gonna change the world, but that’s what good old hard rock and metal was all about in the eighties. It was something you could escape to after a hard days grind, and this is a perfect album to do just that. My favourite tune goes to Second To None, a fun uptempo rocker with a great riff and some killer guitar.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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