THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl records (Page 252 of 491)

VIC VERGAT – Down To The Bone

September 15, 2022 /

At the time of this album’s release in ’81 I was heavily into all things guitar and would buy anything I thought would have some great playing held within the grooves. When I saw the cover for this I was straight in. It’s quite telling that after this he would not release anything until 1988, and released an album with Marc Storace of Krokus. Sometimes you win and sometimes…..!!!

At the time I thought this album was sort of half and half. Half I liked and half I wasn’t too bothered with, but I’ve mellowed with age I guess and I rather like all of it. There is no doubt he can play the guitar. Check out the title track, which is my favourite, old Vic really lets it fly. Walk is all about the guitar and sounds a bit like a Ned Tangent. Hot Love is a short sharp blast  with a ripping solo. Most of the songs are based around old riffs and grooves from the rock and roll era, but when he veers away from that in I Believe In Love Music it has more of an impact. I believe he is still out there performing, good on ya Vic!

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SHOOTING STAR – s/t

September 14, 2022 /

Shooting Star was the first US band Virgin Records’ signed and when you consider what bands they had signed in the UK and Europe, this was a bit of a head turner. Journey were just becoming huge at the time and I guess all the record companies were scrambling around trying to sign the next Journey.

Now, if you haven’t heard of them before you should now have some idea of where they stand with their brand of aor/ melodic rock. The majority of tunes fall into that category with a fair sprinkling of ballads, but they do rock out. Tracks like opener You Got What I Need, Stranger with that great classic rock riff, and my favourite Bring It On which has a great groove and the middle section is awesome. They refined their sound more, and had some chart success in the US before they disappeared.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

IT BITES – The Big Lad In The Windmill

September 14, 2022 /

The general public were given a bit of a false impression of It Bites with the success of their second single Calling All The Heroes. With it being such a huge hit they were mistaken for a pop band of the time and they were lumped in with all the other frilly shirts and haircuts. In fact, they were anything but a pop band. They were the next in a long line of great Prog bands that Britain did so well. Yes, they had a great sense of melody and boy could they write a catchy hook and chorus, but then again so could Genesis.

The first track I Got You Eating Out Of My Hand lays it all in the table with the very catchy hook and chorus, and then the middle section goes all Prog with hints of fusion. It’s a great track! Just to show you how record companies have no idea how to market the bands they have, Virgin released All In Red as the lead single. Now, it’s a great song but was it a lead single? The answer is no it wasn’t, and it bombed. It’s a good thing they got it right with Calling All The Heroes or else It Bites could have died before they started.

Everything sort of revolved around frontman and guitarist Francis Dunnery, who has such a distinctive voice and was such a presence live, plus he is great guitar player. Mixed in with their brand of quirky pop/prog fusion are some epic tracks like You’ll Never Go To Heaven, and my favourite tune Screaming On The Beaches. Which is a wonderful song with a great hook and a quirky groove, but the chorus is so good. They would strike gold with their next album Once Around The World, but this is a great stepping stone for that one.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

PRIMAL FEAR – New Religion

September 13, 2022 /

I guess they will forever be compared to Judas Priest. I do get that, especially with Ralf’s incredible screams and vocal style, but there is so much more to their sound. They consistently put out great records, and in mainland Europe and Scandinavia they are huge and put on killer shows.

This a very nice looking reissue of the 2007 album, and the onslaught starts with Sign Of Fear – Ralf’s voice is just insane. No one can sing like that. The song has a killer riff and grooves along at a great pace. Face The Emptiness has a lot more of a euro metal vibe to it (especially the hook and melody), and the drums are epic. Everytime It Rains is an epic romp with a vocal duet with Simone Simmons. The title track is next and starts with a fat huge riff with the double kicks pounding, and you can see all of the hands in the air for this one. Fighting The Darkness opens up with a solo operatic vocal from Ralf and is very Eurovision – you even get this as a bonus track complete with orchestra. The Darkness follows and is an instrumental that starts off very dramatic before lots of guitars kick in. Blood On Your Hands is up next and is my favourite track. It has a huge monster riff with a great groove and beat, and Ralf is giving it the beans.

This whole album feels very epic and conceptual, and that continues with The Curse Of Sharon, but the band don’t lose sight of the melody and the groove which makes each song as catchy as Covid. Too Much Time starts with an epic harmonized vocal before the pedal is put too firmly to the metal. Psycho starts with an evil choppy riff, and this just makes you want to nod that head and stamp your feet. The main album proper closes with The Man (That I Don’t Know) and this is the one track that screams Judas Priest. Great riff and hook.

I love this band and the whole production on this record is killer. If you like your metal with huge riffs and great vocals, then do your speakers a favour.

9.5/10 from Th Grooveman.

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