THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 418 of 487)

SKYHARBOR – Blinding White Noise

June 2, 2021 /

Hard to believe that this masterpiece will be 10 years old next year. Hailing from India, they are one of the high points of the djent bands that came out over 10 years ago. A very ambitious project for their first album as its huge conceptual piece of fours sides split into two parts: Illusion and Chaos. Illusion has Daniel Tompkins from Tesserract who had left the band at this point. Marty Friedman also makes a guest appearance on Catharsis.

Dots kicks things off in epic style and Tompkins voice fits the music perfectly. Order 66 is pure djent heaven as the tune flips from supreme heaviness to beauty in the flick of a guitar pick. Catharsis is next and starts with an epic drum pattern from Anup Sastry, who now bashes the skins for Monuments. Tompkins also shows the harder edge to his vocals as the song weaves its way through numerous phases. It drifts into the following piece, Night, with the beautiful refrain “When Will I Be Home Again”. Aurora is such a great piece of music, killer vocals and harmonies from Dan, and some really heavy chunk from Keshav Dhar on guitar. It flows into a very jazzy middle eight and the end screams of Everybody Dies. My favourite piece from Illusion is the next track, Celestial. I’m not sure I have the vocabulary to gush over this, it’s just an amazing piece that has everything. Absolute crushing guitar riffs and grooves, mixed with the beauty of Dan’s voice. Monster stuff. The first piece concludes with Maeva, a wonderful exercise in how to write a modern Prog/Marla epic. No Cookie Monster vocals in sight, just superb playing from all and the guitar solo here is other worldly.

Side 4 is given over to the second piece, Chaos, and Part 1 Trayus announces its arrival with crushingly heavy guitar and the return of the Cookie Monster with a change of vocalist in Sunneith Revankar. Aphasia starts with a very complex fast odd time groove, which carries the piece all the way through. Insurrection closes out the album and is as extreme as the title suggests. I’m at a loss to see how the drummer would still be alive after performing this live. Incredible drumming!

I do like the way they have split this up with different vocal styles that show a light and dark vibe. The other album I reviewed today was Manowar, and forty years apart there is no comparison. Metal has changed so much in that time it’s unrecognizable. I love this album heaps and it gets 10/10 from The Grooveman.

MANOWAR – Battle Hymns

June 2, 2021 /

“Death to false metal!” Anyone remember that mantra that the band used to peddle around at the time? They sure lived and breathed what they said, even though the music in the beginning was not that heavy and that metal if I’m honest…They hold the record for the world’s loudest band, which they have deemed “The Black Wind”. It’s really hard not to laugh out loud while I’m writing this, but the band were deadly serious about this way of life that they lived honouring the metal. When they toured Europe, they even openly encouraged women to be in their “harem” of sex slaves to tour with them. Ridiculous! Was it a PR stunt, or was it real?

Anyway, it’s the music what we are here for and opening track, Death Tone, is what the band were all about – both musically and lyrically. Pretty straightforward hard rock with a very metal singer. Metal Daze is next and it’s more of the same really. It’s worth pointing out that guitarist Ross The Boss came from the Dictators when they were a noise/punk hybrid band – they weren’t that metal at all. Fast Taker is quite an average tune. Last track on this Side, Shell Shock, is about war and the riff reminds me of one of Ross’s side project’s, the French band, Shaking Street – its an ok tune.

Side 2 starts off with the band’s theme song, Manowar, and it feels a bit Twisted Sister, which is quite ironic as they hated each other. Who remembers Dee Snider calling out Manowar for a fight outside Shades record store in London? It’s just a good hard rock song. The metal would be more evident later, especially with albums like Hail To England. Dark Avenger has the rather dulcet tones of Orson Welles as narrator, and is probably the most metal song here, both in sound and execution. Williams Tale is just a show off piece for bass player and band leader, Joey DeMaio. Final track is the title track, Battle Hymns, and we have waited for the best track on the album. Very medieval sounding, full of swords and sorcery – this is how the band garnered their reputation and image. The production is not that great as the band did it themselves, arrogantly thinking they knew best when a known producer would have given it the treatment it so needed. Not bad, but a fun listen anyway.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

AKIRA – Tusk Of Jaguar

June 1, 2021 /

Most commonly know for being the guitarist in Loudness, this is Akira Takasaki’s first solo album from ’82. I have been fortunate enough to see Akira play a solo show, and he is an amazing player that can play all styles. This album is firmly in the rock/metal universe with occasional trips to what the hell was that.

First track and the title track is a good old metal romp with lots of Akira ripping guitar. Second track, Steal Away, starts with a “what the hell was that moment”, before we enter Prog territory (reminds me of Yes), then a quick switch and it sounds like Blackmore era Deep Purple. The vocals are well dodgy, but luckily the guitar playing is exceptional. Macula is next up and starts with weird space noises that flow into a slow Brian May style traditional arrangement. Side 1 close out track, Ebony Eyes, sees a return to more familiar metal territory – but again – in true Uli Roth style, the vocals are pretty bad.

Side 2 starts off with the weirdest of instrumental duets with violin and guitar – it’s pretty pointless other than novelty value. Gunshots is next and is a fusion/metal crossover, and if there was more of this on the album I would be a happy bunny. A funky Mid Day Hunter is next and is an ok piece, but it feels as though it’s just a backing track for Akira to noodle. Show Me Something Good is the penultimate track and is just a bog standard plod rock track but with the not-so-good vocal. Last track Say What? closes out the album and is the best piece on the record with the best groove and playing.

The album has its moments but ultimately it’s not that great. His later albums are pretty good albums but this…meh!!!

6/10 from The Grooveman.

OUR OCEANS – While Time Disappears

June 1, 2021 /

I’ll admit to not knowing a whole bunch about these Prog metallers from the Netherlands, other than there are ex-members of Cynic and Pestilence in the band. I was totally blown away when I first heard this as I was not expecting the depth and beauty of the songs. Couple that with some amazing playing – this is one of my surprise finds of recent times.

The album begins with the epic Unravel which showcases the amazing talents of the band. Great playing, fantastic arrangements with crystal clear production, and some interesting chord and key changes – ladies and germs, we are on to a winner. Second track, Weeping Lead, reminds me of Radiohead at the beginning until the track opens out into another epic prog-tastic experience. Tymon Kruidenier’s vocals are sublime, and the feeling and emotion he puts into each piece is a joy to behold. The Hearts Whisper has a hint of Steven Wilson and a very singer/songwriter vibe at the beginning – until the power comes – and Tymon’s voice explodes with power and range. Motherly Flame starts with a slow off-time groove with picked chords and a very melancholy vibe – this is as good as modern Prog gets with an amazing middle section. Side 1 closes out with Passing By and it is a slow, very melancholic piece with bare instrumentation, and a very emotive vocal – until the switch gets flicked and the tune explodes and all emotions are laid bare. Such feeling in this genre is hard to express, but these guys do it so well.

Side 2 starts with the off-time up-tempo burst of Face Them – this will have the drummers amongst us working out what time the song is in. It sounds as though there are three songs being played at once – lots of dissonant guitar tones as well. Fantastic song! Your Night, My Dawn follows and starts with a great drum pattern with a very Muse style vibe with killer harmonies – this is one of my favourites on the album. You Take is one of the best love songs I have ever heard – it’s not your usual syrupy-schmoo. It feels as though it is written from the point of view of a stalker. Dark indeed! With Hands Torn Open closes out the album and what an epic groove to start proceedings…until the crunch of the opening chords and the off time beats are messing with your head again. Soaring vocals and melodies ensue, with the occasional chunk of heaviness interspersed with some monster playing. I love surprises and this was a great one. This is an album that keeps on giving.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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