THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl records (Page 301 of 491)

ANNIHILATOR – Never Neverland

May 2, 2022 /

Fun fact alert! Annihilator are (along with Voivod) the best selling Canadian thrash band having sold over 3 million records.

This is the follow up to the band’s super successful debut album, Alice In Hell. I remember buying it when it first came out and being blown away at how good it was. So the pressure was on for this follow up, if anything, this is even better.

The opening track, Fun Palace, is killer with a great hook and groove with Jeff Waters giving it plenty on the guitar. Road To Ruin is old school thrash heaven as this baby moves along at a fair lick, with some nice key changes to keep it interesting and groovy. Man, I forgot how good this record was, and this MOV reissue is superb sounding.

Killer opening to Sixes And Sevens – very intricate to keep the tech metaller’s happy – there are more riffs and grooves in this track that would keep Slayer going for 40 albums. The main riff of Stonewall reminds me of an Exodus track, and has more of a hard rock feel to the rest of the song with a monster solo. Side 1 closes out with the title track, and we get lots of over the top guitar wailing until the main riff kicks in. This track is quite an adventure with the light and shade elements to the music.

Over we go to Side 2 and my favourite track Imperiled Eyes. There is so much happening in the first few bars with so many different sounds and pace changes – its as though you are listening to 5 different songs in one. Kraf Dinner is next, and I guess the only reason they didn’t get sued was that they left off the T. If you were a kid brought up in North America, you know all about the delights of the aforementioned product and I’m guessing this is a tongue-in-cheek homage to said delight.

Superb opening to Phantasmagoria, with the fast chuggas and double kicks ripping along at a speed that kills. Reduced To Ash is even faster and screams past in a blur of fretboard wizardry from Waters. The album closes out with I Am In Command, and the riff and dissonant chords are killer – we are flat out to the finish here boys and girls. A superb record and definitely one of the highlights of the whole thrash genre.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

TWISTED SISTER – You Can’t Stop Rock N Roll

May 2, 2022 /

Their first album, Under The Blade, is their best, as they had been slogging around the bars and clubs of the east coast of the US for years without making too much of an impression. So when the opportunity came, they grabbed it with both hands and went for it mirroring what was going on in Europe at the time, and for them, it was quite a heavy record.

This record is not as heavy, but they found a formula that would be super successful for them after this album with the success of the single I Am (I’m Me). With that track, they figured out that sing-a-long anthems was what the kids paid attention to, so started to reel them off like a production line.

This record still has its heavy moments, and they make the best tracks. Like A Knife In The Back, and Ride To Live show what a great hard rock band they were. Anthems (and there are a few of them) take up the rest of the album, and I guess if you were a 13 yr old kid at the time, it’s easy to see how these would appeal. The best of them would be the close out track, You Can’t Stop Rock n Roll, with the AC/DC riff and groove, and Snider roaring out the chorus.

It’s a fun listen to pull out occasionally when you need a lift.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN- Truth and Lies

April 30, 2022 /

This is the band’s third album released in 2019. I’m a big fan, and loved the first two records – the first thing I notice right from the first track, Shock & Awe, is the tone is a lot heavier and a tad retro. It has a killer riff and wicked slow groove, and I really dig the hook and chorus. On To The Next is superb! A really dirty funkyish vibe with an almost spoken vocal. Ride brings the blues to proceedings with some killer fuzz guitar. Shape I’m In has a very country blues vibe with a great vocal from Tyler and is a very emotive tune. The retro vibe is strong in Eye To Eye with a very evil main riff and this track just smokes. Panic Button has a superb off-groove with a big hook and chorus. Side 1 closes out with Judgement Day and it’s a return to the country blues.

Side 2 explodes into life with Drive Me Mad – a turbo charged rocker. Without You has a killer main riff and then slows down with a very atmospheric slide playing underneath, which leads into the superb hook and chorus. Trouble is next up with a very dirty country blues groove, and some killer slide. Out There is just one man, and what sounds like a resonator, until the end anyway – a beautiful piece. Cry Wolf has a very modern rock vibe with that hint of retro. The album closes out with Couldn’t See The Fire, a slow brooding beast of a tune, the highlight is Tyler’s superb vocal and killer guitar. A great record by a great band.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

TEMPLE BALLS – Pyromide

April 30, 2022 /

Before we start with the tunes – a quick mention on the band’s name. I mean, a quick huddle down the pub over a pint, and putting a H where the B is would have made the name a tad more mysterious don’t you think?

Anyhoo, that doesn’t detract away from what is a really great hard rockin’ melodic record. The eighties never went out of style in Finland apparently, and band’s like this are cranking out great records. Every song feels like an anthem with huge monster melodies and hooks.

Thunder From The North is a superb opener with a great riff and pounds along. Long Ways, Long Lies has the big anthem style groove. T.O.T.C  is a sleazy beast of a tune with killer hook and groove – it feels like a speeded up Monkey Business. Fallen Youth has a Dokken style chugga riff and another huge hook and chorus. Bad Bad Bad has a modern pop feel to the whole thing – but in a good way. Side 1 closes with the up-tempo beat of What Is Dead Never Dies.

A monster sounding riff and groove announce the arrival of Side 2 opener, Unholy Night. This track sounds huge and the production is epic. Heart Of A Warrior starts with another killer sounding riff – the chorus and hook remind me of so many 80’s bands – I can’t pin it down. You Better Run follows and it’s more of the same, big riff, big hook, and killer chorus. If Only I Could is the power ballad I’ve been dreading, but these guys make it tolerable with a great solo and massive melodies. Something To Die For closes out the album with a huge riff and groove with a Bon Jovi style chorus.

This is the band’s third album, and I guess you are like me and had never heard of them. Great record!

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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