THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 328 of 482)

JOURNEY – Frontiers

January 21, 2022 /
P

You think that when they have just released their most successful album and tour with Escape, that everything would be fine and dandy in the Journey household. Well, Steve Perry was having problems with his voice and was rumoured to have had surgery between these two records and upon his return for the recording of this album his voice was never the same as he sang in a lower register. The really high notes – that had become his trademark – were used more sparingly.

This was the bands eight studio album released in ’83 and is a worthy follow up to Escape. Even though the ballad count is up there, this was perceived at the time to be quite a heavy sounding album. Separate Ways, Chain Reaction, Edge Of The Blade, and Back Talk are all rockin’ tracks with Schon being the focus – as well as Perry’s vocals. Even though everybody thinks that Faithfully was the big single from this record, but it was the rockin’ Separate Ways that charted higher, reaching number 8.

If I’m pushed, I would say this is my favourite Journey album, although I flip flop between this and Escape. I don’t care if you like them or not, you have to admit they write great songs. With Perry they wrote many, and in Neal Schon they have one of rocks greatest players. Great band and a great album.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

HAMMERFALL – Dominion

January 20, 2022 /

This is album number 11 from Sweden’s finest exponents of traditional power heavy metal. Metal with a singer, not a growler or screamer. Twin guitar melodic guitar harmonies and double kicks all the way – that’s the recipe that HAMMERFALL have built their career on (much the same way Accept have) and it works just fine. I became more interested in the band when Pontus Norgren joined on guitar from The Poodles and Talisman – I am a big fan of his style.

Never Forgive Never Forget opens up as you would expect with double kicks blasting and big riffs. The title track is more of a Judas Priest riff fest. The overall vibe of the record is medieval from the imagery and lyrics on a few of the songs. Testify is a near mirror image from the opening track and has a very Metallica “die by my hand” vibe to the chorus. There is even an ode to fellow heavy metal bands and metal in general on We Make Sweden Rock. My favourite tracks are Scars Of A Generation, which really pounds along with some killer guitar, and the riff heavy Chain Of Command. A really great metal album.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

THE HOAX – Big City Blues

January 20, 2022 /

The Hoax are one of the best British blues bands to have ever existed. They released their first album, Sound Like This, in ’94 and after ’99’s Live Forever they would call it a day, until this comeback album in 2013. An absolute killer band led by vocalist Hugh Coleman, twin guitars of Jesse Davey and John Amor, and rhythm section with Robin Davey on bass and Mark Barrett on drums. They tread a line between modern blues and a more traditional sound and vibe.

Opening track, Hipslicker, is just superb with a great hook and groove, and some killer guitar playing. The title track has a more traditional feel, but grooves along great with a fast shuffle. The big fuzz of Let It Shine follows with a killer groove and hook. Stick Around is an evil sounding shuffle with a great vocal from Hugh Coltman – one of the best blues vocalists you will hear. The superb, Give Me A Drink, closes out Side 1 with a wonderful swing to the groove and some killer guitar from Jon and Jesse.

Two Steps Back is in the great tradition of blues story telling, a very slow blues with a really stunning vocal from Hugh. Keep Messin’ is more traditional in arrangement, and even complete with some great harp playing. A very dirty slow fuzzed up riff to Talk Is Cheap is next up, and that leads into the boogie of Can’t Do Right For Doing Wrong. The traditional shuffle of Roll On Up is next, and the album finishes with Tes Nuits Insolits, a slow jazz blues crossover sung in French. A really awesome band that deserved so much more than they got.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

TYGERS OF PAN TANG – Wildcat

January 19, 2022 /

Tygers are definitely one of the more influential bands from the NWOBHM. A lot of metal bands that came after, especially in America and Germany, call the Tygers a major influence. Metallica’s Lars and James especially love early Tygers and this album in particular. This is the only album to feature Jess Cox on vocals, as after this album he was replaced by John Devarall, and a second guitar player was added with John Sykes being brought in. The band’s label, MCA, heavily interfered after this release and it slowly went downhill after. Spellbound was the highlight after this album, and there is not one bad track on this record. From the opening riff of Euthanasia, to the close out of Insanity, this album encapsulates everything that was great about NWOBHM.

I remember buying the Don’t Touch Me There single and just loving the power and the riffs. My two favourite Tyger’s tracks are on this album: Slave To Freedom and Susie Smiled, which are both killer tunes with big riffs and a great groove. Tygers are still out there and still rockin’.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2025 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑