THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: album review (Page 66 of 479)

WARRIORS – The Warriors

June 2, 2024 /

These guys are a sort of one and they’re done band. Originally formed in Yugoslavia in ’82, they recorded a self titled EP. After a few line up changes including the introduction of Canadian guitarist Doug Platt, they again recorded a self titled album. They then relocated to Canada and again recorded “this” self titled album which was released on Attic records.

They play aor/melodic rock and I bought this purely because of the cheesy cover. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, and this album isn’t that great. I think the problem is they needed a decent producer to to help them with the songs as the some of the basic ideas are good. Also, I’m not a fan of the vocalist Niko. If you’re playing this type of music you need a singer that can pull it off and I’m afraid I find his vocal style annoying. The only track that I really like is Diana. It has a nice fat guitar sound and the groove is cool.

I would not recommend you buy this album.

5/10 from The Grooveman.

LED ZEPPELIN – 1

June 2, 2024 /

I’m sure everyone who will be reading this will have heard this album before, and with all the tracks still be being played on classic rock stations everywhere it doesn’t feel like a record that was released way back in 1969. That’s right Led Zeppelin 1 is 55 years old.

Where blues meets rock. I know the Stones had been doing the blues and putting out as their own but Zeppelin were adapting it to create their own sound. Sure, there are a couple of blues standards here but tracks like Good Times Bad Times, Dazed And Confused, Communication Breakdown, and Your Time is Gonna Come were taking the blues into a whole different universe. My favourite tune is the photo metal riffage of Communication Breakdown.

Did Zeppelin ever get better after the first two albums? We can debate that one forever and a day.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

IRON MAIDEN – Powerslave

June 2, 2024 /

I remember buying this back in the day and was somewhat disappointed. I love the first two albums, with that raw energy, but by the time this album came out all that raw energy and power had been replaced by a much more slicker sound. This is a 2014 remaster and they don’t even sound like a metal band to my ears, as it’s been polished so  much.

They were always good at doing a single and 2 Minutes To Midnight is the big one on this album, although that main riff was lifted from another NWOBHM outfit. (Bonus points for guessing who and what song.) I’m a sucker for a big sprawling centrepiece track and Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is my favourite tune on the record. Steve Harris is a genius at coming up with these type of tunes and I guess that’s comes from his love of old school Prog. In fact, maybe this should be classed as a Prog album instead of metal as it has much more in common with the Prog handle.

Do I like it anymore than when I first heard it? Well, yes I do and that’s because I accept it more as what it is than what I wanted it to be.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACKLACE – Unlaced

May 27, 2024 /

Released on Mausoleum records back in ’84 this was Blacklace’s first album. They would release another a year later, then they were done. The band was built around brothers Anthony and Carlo Fragnito on bass and guitar respectively. The main focus however was female vocalist Maryann Scandiffo. At the time you could count on one hand the amount of bands that had contained ladies in their ranks.

The band were from New York and got some attention as three of the songs here were co-produced by Manowar’s Ross The Boss. The majority of the songs here are thrash influenced or just straight up metal, and opener March Of The Black Witch/Call Of The Wild is a full on speed fest that would hold its own with the bands around at the time. On The Attack has Iron Maiden influences and is my favourite of the metal tunes.

Mixed in there with the metal are a couple of tracks that would be aimed more at a hair metal audience namely Hots For You and Damn Cheater. Now, Damn Cheater is a really good tune and could be by a different band with a great riff and hook. Ironically after the split, half of the band reformed as Damn Cheater to give it a go as a hair band.

The highlight of the whole album do me is guitarist Carlo Fragnito, who is definitely a fretboard gymnast who rips in wherever he can.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

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