THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: album review (Page 6 of 466)

WAR BABIES – S/T

January 19, 2025 /

Mr. Brad Sinsel, the nearly man of the Seattle music scene. TKO’s In Your Face album released back in ’84 but it was actually recorded in ’81, but they couldn’t get a deal. This is an album way ahead of the curve and one of my favourites from this time.

By the time it actually surfaced, hot shot guitarist Adam “Bomb” Brenner, who wrote all the songs with Sinsel, had left and even though they toured relentlessly momentum had disappeared. There was a third album but it didn’t do a whole bunch. Next up for Sinsel would be the Suicide Squad project that only released an EP on Music For Nations. Then, in ’92 up popped the War Babies project which originally featured Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam.

There is a demos album doing the rounds, but this was the only album they made. The vibe is sleaze/glam/grunge with a healthy dose of early Aerosmith thrown in there. Sinsel’s throaty rasp really suits this music and the tracks Sweetwater and Sea Of Madness are pure gold. This album is packed with quality tunes. Of the slower grungy tracks, Blue Tomorrow is an epic moody beast.

The record company dumped them after this, saying they were too glam for Seattle. I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Brad is still out there in a band called Angels Of Dresden with another Pearl Jammer Mike McCready.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

VANDENBERG – Sin

January 19, 2025 /

So, the first time around, Vandenberg only released three studio albums and one live album. Then, Adrian joined Whitesnake at their peak as a hired hand. He formed Manic Eden for one album, Moonkings for two albums, and then back to Vandenberg for two records, of which this is the latest.

This time we are joined by Mats Leven on vocals and I think this is as close to Whitesnake that they have ever sounded. Mats raspier tones really suite this music, especially on the Zeppelin influenced title track. There are a couple of really groovy rockin’ tunes that float my boat such as Light It Up, Walking On Water, and Burning Skies. Light It Up has a great swing to the groove and a killer heavier feel. Walking On Water reminds of a riff that George Lynch would come up with. Again, there is a great swing to the groove and the hook and chorus is very cool. Quite an odd sounding riff to Burning Skies but it flows quite well with that swing I keep harping in about.

If you love the bluesier bands from the late eighties then you will love this, and it’s a very solid album.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

NEW HORIZON – Conquerors

January 19, 2025 /

Now, this is very different from Jona Tee’s day job in H.E.A.T. Gone are the huge melodic rock/AOR tunes, they have been replaced by a power metal, symphonic metal, Viking metal, and any other appropriate metal term that fits. I wasn’t sure if this was a christian metal album because some of the lyrics are very bible inspired, but when I dug around a little, the songs on the album take on more of an historical theme where relevant events through history are taken as inspiration.

All original songs apart from one, which is a cover of the Iron Maiden track Alexander The Great. Since the departure of Eric Gronwall from the last album, a new vocalist was required for this one. Nils Molin is the chosen one for the vocal olympics which are required to match the over top everything else that goes along with this project.

I don’t dip my toe into this type of metal pond too often as I find it’s all a bit of the same, but hands up to Mr. Tee because he has conjured up quite an inspired record. Yup, there are lots of speedy metal blasts but there are also some great rifftastic moments. Shadow Warrior is just one of those with a drop down riff to die for and a beat that’s less than a 100metre sprint. Molin’s vocals are a revelation to me because the power and the melody he controls is mightily impressive. There are moments where you can hear Maiden’s influence like on Daimyo and Apollo, and I’m sure Helloween is on Mr/ Tee’s playlist as well.

Overall, this is an impressive album with bucketfuls of melody to go along with the epic metal moments.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

REVERTIGO – S/T

January 19, 2025 /

Revertigo are basically a duo of Mats Leven and his ex Treat bandmate, Anders Vikstrom. This album was released through Frontiers in 2018. Melodic hard rock is on the menu here, but not in a tried and trusted retro way, as this is music for the now. Lots of modern influences, especially with the production and of course, as you would expect with the pedigree of these two, there are big hooks, great choruses, and melodies by the mile. I’m not sure how much Frontiers got behind this release but I’d guess not enough. They should have been jumping all over this because this is a freakin’ awesome record.

Hoodwinked kicks things into gear and straight away the ground work is laid for the whole album. A great groove with a massive radio friendly hook and chorus. Sailing Stones is even better, more of the same but with added spice. You wonder how Mats keeps coming up with these vocal melodies because he has been in a squillion projects, and you’d think that the ideas may be wearing thin, but that is not the case as this one’s a doozy.

Just when you think the pinnacle has been reached, Symphony Of Fallen Angels makes contact with your ears. The groove and riff are super cool but that hook and chorus are just superb. The word anthem doesn’t do it justice. The Cause has more of a modern edge but has melody stamped all over it, and the guitar solo is well tasty. The main riff and groove to Luciferian Break Up is quite unusual with an almost funk vibe, and even hints of Prog, especially in the vocal. Great song!

Over to Side 2 we go and the track False Flag with a heavy U2 vibe to the intro, then that main heavy riff kicks in, and when that hook and chorus hit you it’s just sublime. Unobtainium is a ballad with a cool eastern vibe to the intro and shows the control, range, and power of Mats’ vocals. Gate Of The Gods gets the tempo moving with a cool synth driven tune and once again the hook and chorus are very cool. Joan of Arc is maybe the one song that doesn’t fit here because the vibe is a bit more metal. Good song with a strong hook and chorus, but it just has a different feel to the rest of the record.

Break Away is the most modern sounding track here, with a slight alternative vibe and groove. The guitars sound heavier and not your average rock n’ roll beat. The album closes out with In Revertigo, the heaviest sounding song here. The main riff is down in the low end and satisfyingly crunchy, I also love the middle eight.

I do hope there is another record because the quality of the material demands it. If you find one, grab it, and thank me later.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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