THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl community (Page 217 of 493)

ROUGH CUTT – s/t

January 16, 2023 /

Rough Cutt are another band that are more famous for the people that passed through, than the actual tunes they played. Jake E Lee, Craig Goldy, Parramore McCarty, and Jimmy Crespo to name but a few, but it was Paul Shortino’s voice that was the strong point here.

This album was released in ’85, the perfect time as rock was king in ’85. They had everything going in their favour, yet they never quite clicked. Could it be the tunes?

Well, the first track Take Her was co-written with Ronnie Dio, and is a killer opening to the record, laying down a cool heavy blues groove. Next, is a cover of Piece Of My Heart made famous by Janis Joplin, and it’s okay, but the vibe is quickly extinguished after the killer opening. Never Gonna Die sees the band diving in to aor territory with a soft melodic rocker, perfect for radio of the time. It’s power ballad time next with Dreamin’ Again and well, it’s just another ballad really, until the middle section when the twin guitars of Amir Derakh and Chris Hager let loose. Side 1 closes out with Cutt Your Heart Out, this is my favourite track. It’s a great uptempo rocker and they really are a different band when they put the pedal to the metal and just let those guitars loose.

Black Widow opens up Side 2 with a very awesome and dramatic intro that keeps going into a slow heavy groove. Ballad time again with You Keep Breaking My Heart. Kids Will Rock is a weird little track and takes a while to get into the main groove and the sing-a-long hook and chorus. Dressed To Kill is a standard LA strip glam rocker and so is the last track, She’s So Hot.

It’s a solid album, but it’s just missing that track to lift it.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SWORD – Metalized

January 10, 2023 /

Hailing from Quebec, Canada, Sword were only originally around for two albums, of which this was the first, released back in ’96. They reunited last year and released a third album. This pressing is a nice looking and sounding reissue from Aquarius.

Follow The Wheel kicks things off in fine style with a nice riff and pounding groove. Children Of Heaven is more of the same, but with a slight Maiden feel. Stoned Again starts with huge sounding guitars, a pounding drum groove, and a wild guitar break. Great track! Dare To Spit On My Grave has a fat huge chugga main riff, then the killer main song kicks in with superb riff and groove, with a killer instrumental section. Outta Control ends Side 1 and leads you into false sense of security with the strings lullaby intro then it’s pure thrash a go go!

Epic pounding drum intro to Side 2 opener The End Of The Night. This baby pounds along at a killer pace. Runaway is up next, and boy what an opening. A superb guitar and drums piece then BOOM… the main heaviness assaults your ears. This is definitely my favourite track. Where To Hide pounds on in  with a great fill and then it’s rock night special all the way. Stuck In Rock kicks in with a huge Metallica riff and groove. The guitar sound is massive on this track. Evil Spell closes out the album and after the eerie evil intro, the main riff is something straight out of the Sabbath handbook.

So, what happened, Sword? After a killer album like this you should have had a decent career at least. Shame!

9/10 from The Grooveman.

O.R.K. – Screamnasium

January 10, 2023 /

This O.R.K.’s fourth album and it continues the heavy Prog vibes from the band’s previous efforts. Coming out in the same years as Porcupine Tree’s album without Colin Edwin, I have to say this is a better sounding album. I think this band are the most underrated prog/metal band around. They make incredible albums that seem to pass people by and I’m at a loss as to why. With the amazing vocal talents of LEF this band should be huge. This guy is a star and if I’m pushed, I would say he is prog’s version of Chris Cornell.

I love every inch of this album its just superb, every song is a gem and the production is stellar. Just play Consequence with guest vocals from Elisa, it is so epic it’s a goosebumps moment, and is my favourite track. Don’t Call Me A Joke  is a wonderful odd time beast with some great harmonies. As I Leave reminds me of another great band, the Von Hertzen Brothers. Very similar vocal phrasing and feel, but with added punchy guitar. I would highly recommend this album.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

ARMORED SAINT – March Of The Saint

January 9, 2023 /

Whereas a lot of American kids at the time were tuning in to all things NWOBHM related, my group of friends were really interested in everything that was coming out of the US. I remember getting this album the week of its release and couldn’t wait to get home to play it. There was a huge buzz about this band and I had only read articles and seen pictures, they certainly looked the part and I was eager to hear the sounds they made.

The title track opens up the album and it sounds very NWOBHM with the main riff and the gang chorus, but with added melody. Can You Deliver has that classic metal riff that every band has used at some point. I love John Bush’s vocals on this track as he has that very sinister tone to his voice. Mad House is my favourite track on the album. Double kicks pounding away with a killer riff and this is what was awesome about the (then) US metal scene. Take A Turn is (I guess) a power ballad with the emphasis on the power, and Bush’s vocals sound huge. Seducer closes out Side 1 and the vibe I get from this is Judas Priest Killing Machine era.

Mutiny On The World is another of my favourite tracks off the album. A simple chugga riff and that groove that just makes you want to bang that head. Glory Hunter is up next with a very medieval sounding opening riff, and what is otherwise a straight up rocker. Nice drum groove and riff to Stricken By Fate to add a bit of flavour and variety, I love the middle section. It’s hands in the air anthem time with Envy, did Motley Crüe steal that riff and groove? Album close out track is False Alarm, and we are going out with a bang. Nice change of groove after the intro moving into a Maiden-style gallop, then back again.

Armored Saint should have been a whole lot bigger than they were, and maybe they should have spent more time in Europe as their sound is more akin to British bands of the time. Happy daze!

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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