Hirax El Rostro De La Muerte Album Review

Hirax - El Rostro de la Muerte (2009)

Members:

Katon W. De Pena - Vocals

Glenn Rogers - Guitar

Lance Harrison - Guitar

Steve Harrison - Bass

Jorge Iacobellis - Drums

El Rostro de la Muerte (Spanish for "The Face of Death") is the fourth album by thrash metal band Hirax, released on November 16, 2009. It is the first full length album to feature the brothers Steve Harrison (bass) and Lance Harrison (guitar) and the last with Glenn Rogers.

(NOTE: The very first album/ep with Steve and Lance was Assassins of war 2006 .. and then the ep chaos and brutality in 2007)

First Impressions:

Things got more interesting with the Harrison brothers...and even harsher.

Hirax is a band that not every metalhead has heard of. They are a very DIY bay area thrash outfit with a very consistent yet somewhat unique feel and sound. These thrashers started in the early 80's and took some breaks (some longer than others) from time to time, but everything they released along the way was better than the previous release, and their fans eat it all up. Their 4th album is another exercise in aggression with a new twist...The Harrison brothers, Lance and Steve make their on album debut here (Steve replacing the departed Angelo Espino on bass), and seeing as they are filling crucial rolls in any thrash band, this performance could make an album or wreck it, in my 30+ years of experience in the industry as a musician and studio technician I've seen both happen. But which one is it here? Well let's claw this monster apart track by track and find out...Let's Do This!!

1."Baptized by Fire" 4:18

The start of this one is an audio clip then it just cranks in with a furious riff and brutal rhythm section...Katon just screams over it all with his usual style but very much a thrash vocal style none the less. This track is a beauty of brutal precision and executed with neck breaking perfection. An unsung thrash classic being provided here, and should be recognized as such.

2."Flesh and Blood" 5:46

Another audio sample...there seems to be a theme here so far. A nice bass line and chaotic tremolo dive bombs fill the void between the sample and a very mosh friendly riff. This is definitely a pit tune, it's relentless and never lets you rest even for a moment. Can't complain about this one, it's what this band has done best for many many years. This one eventually devolves a bit and ends in a firm close.

3."Eradicate Mankind" 3:39

This just starts with a big riff that I feel goes on for a measure too long for my picky tastes but it still works. This is still an exercise in pushing the boundaries of thrash while still not crossing the line into death metal...the mid riff helps that a bit by being a nice call back to typical old school thrash. This is another good one on here...however it does feel a bit rehashed, but in this genre that's to be expected.

4."Chaos and Brutality" 3:38

Nice firm start on this one, but much like the last one the intro into the main riff went on a bit too long for my taste...but it is effective. More Katon screams in this one and the riff has a bit of a Celtic Frost feel in places...not a bad thing. It is a bit of this bands hallmark by wearing their influences on their sleeve, and the Celtic Frost thing is to be expected, Tom G. Warrior did design their logo.

5."El Rostro de la Muerte (The Face of Death)" 6:22

The title track is supposed to be the best on the album by old school logic...and it starts strong with a nice plodding riff that reminds me a bit of early Nuclear Assault. The chorus has an Overkill feel to it as well...Hirax is just a genre blender, and I can appreciate all the hints of other bands, it serves to unify the genre more than any other sub genre of metal...thrash has always been among the tightest of brotherhoods in metal. This track is a nice representation of it. I dig it.

6."Blind Faith" 2:49

Why do I get a bit of a S.O.D. vibe here? It is a chaotic track musically but it has its own unified feel even though it does give off vibes of a lot of other thrash bands. It may be because this is a formula song done in their own way, that isn't a bad thing.

7."Horrified" 2:52

This starts off with a bit more chaos and it just sinks its teeth in hard. The riff here would be at home on a Rigor Mortis album and to me that's just awesome. At this point I am sold on Lance and Steve...this is a hulk of a track...just wish it was longer.

8."Battle of the North" (Instrumental) 1:33

An instrumental that does what an instrumental is supposed to do...fill time and sound great doing it. No complaints with this short little masterpiece...it leads off well into the feel of the next track...

9."The Laws of Temptation" 4:39

This starts off with a rhythmic section that would make Overkill jealous...then it just ramps up into another bit of fury. This is another pit song that would test even the most conditioned of moshers. The chaos this track presents is just awe inspiring in every way. Every thrash fan should hear this one.

10."Death Militia" 1:51

A feedback build with the whammy bar starts this thing, random sounding drums enter in for a while...then out of nowhere it just takes off. This is a nice short one that fills a need for the album but doesn't overstay its welcome. Feels a bit like an old school punk song done by competent thrash musicians...which at its core, it is.

11."Broken Neck" 2:01

A track that received a video and to be honest one of my favorites on this album, and another one that I wish was a bit longer but alas it is not. Great heavy riff throughout and awesome vocals by Katon. Love the execution and the lyrics of this one, in my book this is a perfect thrash track...any songs that mention bodies, broken necks, and crushing roaches is a winner in my book.

12."Violent Assault" 3:32

Another sound clip starts this one, then a guitar intro that could easily shame Slayer....this is a very nicely written track and sounds quite menacing. When it kicks in it just goes full chaos and never lets up...it does keep a bit of a slayer vibe but does it far better in my honest opinion.

13."Cuando Cae la Oscuridad (When Darkness Falls)" (Instrumental) 1:57

Huh? Piano and organ? Well this was a bit unexpected. After the initial shock wears off it's actually not all that bad. No complaints, just a bit surprised.

14."Satan's Fall"6:24

Another clippy intro to this one, which is not a Mercyful Fate cover. This is an original track that is just as brutal as practically everything else on this album. It offers a nice set of complementary riffs, tight drumming, a good bass line that you can actually hear really well in the mix, and a huge vocal barrage to send it home. This is a great way to close out an album and it leaves an impression.

Conclusion:

This album is definitely an old school thrash love letter. It rages from beginning to end and in all honesty kinda puts to shame a lot of the new school thrashers. This album however isn't without its faults and one of those is typical of the genre...it can feel a touch repetitive. That's the nature of this genre and is what tends to turn some people off a bit. My feeling on this one is, it is another progression for this band and it maintains a track record of this band just getting better with each release. It's not perfect but it is worth the time invested in it and should be in any thrash fans library....so what are you waiting for, GO GET IT!!!

Score: 4/5

Rob Halford -Celestial Album Reveiw

Rob Halford - Celestial (2019)

Players:

Rob Halford - Vocals

*(The rest of the players are covered in the review)

Celestial marks the first Halford solo effort since 2010's Halford IV: Made of Metal. He has released two albums with Judas Priest since that time, 2014's Redeemer of Souls and 2018's Firepower.

First Impression:

More holiday cheer from the Metal God...I'm up for that.

Anyone who knows me knows that I hate most Christmas music (I am a sucker for "Winter Wonderland" though). It's trite and boring and usually kinda pisses me off. However there are those "Special" albums that come along that take those songs and turn them on their head and reinterprets them in a different style. Being a metalhead, metal versions of these tired old holiday classics are a mixed bag but when Rob Halford released his "Winter Songs" album in 2009 I finally had a collection of these songs reinterpreted in a style that I loved plus a couple new ones to boot. Now in 2019 Rob released a new collection of more reimagined classics plus 4 new songs with the help of real family and friends. Rob assembled a lineup of family and friends for this release. Halford's brother Nigel plays drums, while his nephew Alex — who is the son of Judas Priest's Ian Hill — rounds out the rhythm section on bass. Additionally, Robert Jones and Jon Blakely play guitars. And finally, Halford's sister "plays the bells." If it wasn't obvious enough already, "Celestial" is intended to be a very fun album, and to be honest it really is...but how fun is it you ask? Well let's ready the sleigh and trample through this one track by track and find out....Let's Do This!!!

01. Celestial [new song] 1:32

The album's intro, not much more than that. Sets a good tone though and treats this album like a concept album...which leads to....

02. Donner and Blitzen [new song] 3:31

The pitched first single that was out before the album. It's a good mid tempo track about 2 of Santa's reindeer. To be honest this track is just pure magical fun packed into 3 minutes and is a joy to listen to, plus it doesn't get boring at all.

03. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 2:46

A ramped up arrangement of a traditional droner. This one keeps up the tempo and keeps you throwing up your fists in pure joy and rocking fun. This is an energetic one that I really like, even if the arrangement sounds a bit like early OZZY...maybe he should make a holiday album too.

04. Away In A Manger 4:03

A traditional slower track....Rob arranged this one to sound like a western/bluesy type track...a kinda "Blaze of Glory" type song. This choice really makes this one pop a bit more than the original and makes it far more listenable.. I really like this one, it really conveys a feeling and makes a boring old traditional song sound far more interesting.

05. Morning Star [new song] 4:14

This is a slower track with a bit of a Eagles feeling. Kinda poppy but not in a bad way, it is pleasant sounding and would be easily enjoyed on a cold winter day with a nice hot coco. It makes me smile just listening to it.

06. Deck The Halls 5:03

Well....let's get heavy again....and this does. This is one of those traditional songs that has been covered by all types of musicians over the decades to some very polarizing mixed results but Rob pulls it off here. It is a well presented and executed high tempo (but not too fast) metal arrangement. The guitars are the stars here though, great riffs and killer solos...and of course Rob's stellar vocals. No complaints about this one at all.

07. Joy To The World 2:48

Well...a Queen sounding guitar intro starts this one off nicely, that flows into a mid tempo arrangement. It's a basic track with more Brian May sounding guitar flair in it. It isn't a bad track at all, just a bit short...great solo in it though. It does directly connect to the next track.

08. O Little Town Of Bethlehem 5:31

A slower track that continues off the end of the last track. A bit of a moody yet oddly hopeful sounding piece which traditionally is a monotone bore fest of a song. Rob brings a bit of life and emotional context to this one, it is executed very well and is as tight as any song can be. This version makes me like it alot, especially around the 3:40 mark when it ramps up in power a bit and really drives things home, only to slow down a bit to wrap this one up...very nice arrangement on this one.

09. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 2:06

A slightly pop punk arrangement of this traditional song...not a bad choice in my opinion and serves the album as a whole pretty well...I have no complaints about this one.

10. The First Noel 4:24

A traditional slow droner and pretty much my most hated traditional Christmas song, It's just so boring. Rob didn't up the tempo on this one but he did infuse more vocal power and character in this one, the background singing isn't overbearing and kept at a distance. It is a faithful arrangement but it has more feeling than the original. I can say this is not a bad version of a song I truly can't stand, I can listen to this version and feel some peace. I hate this song, but not this version...it's very pleasant.

11. Good King Wenceslas 7:28

Get comfy....this is a long one. This is a song I had to solo in elementary school in the 4th grade Christmas show...ugh. Thankfully my version wasn't this long...but this version has an intro on it to build an environment for it to reside in. It has a middle eastern type feeling to it but not an obnoxious one. Rob's voice does a good job here with the phrasing he applies to the traditional lyrics. It picks up around the 4 minute mark which adds a nice dynamic to the song that keeps it from feeling stale. Over all this is another well executed arrangement of an annoying traditional holiday classic. 

12. Protected By The Light [new song] 1:48

The closer to the album, the accordion ads a nice touch to the end of the album...this is a sweet little song that leaves you with a smile. Nice closer to a spectacular album.

Conclusion:

Well Rob did it again. Another great holiday themed album that can serve as a companion piece to his 2009 release "Winter Songs". In all honesty Rob Halford has made me enjoy Christmas songs much more with his arrangements of these stale old songs. He breathes new life into these songs and even adds new classics to the songbook. Over all I really enjoyed this one as much as his aforementioned 2009 album. Guess a jaded old metalhead like myself can do a Grinch too and change my outlook on all things Christmas with the proper motivation...and Rob's holiday offerings is that motivation. Do yourself a favor and get this one in your collection, it's worth every penny and then some.

Score: 5/5

Halford - Halford 3: Winter Songs Album Reveiw

Halford - Halford 3: Winter Songs (2009)

Members:

Rob Halford – vocals

Roy Z – guitar

Metal Mike Chlasciak – guitar

Mike Davis – bass

Bobby Jarzombek – drums

Additional performer

Ed Roth – keyboards

Halford III: Winter Songs is the third studio album by the heavy metal band Halford. It was released on 3 November 2009 in the United States, 9 November 2009 in Europe and 13 November 2009 in Germany.[4] It was written, arranged and recorded between 2008 to 2009.[5] The album is Christmas themed consisting of traditional holiday favorites made into heavy metal fashion along with a few original arrangements by Rob Halford and producer/guitarist Roy Z.

First Impressions:

A whole album of Metal Christmas songs? This could be fun.

Christmas songs are the bane of this overly commercialized holiday season, a holiday full of busy stores, cranky people, and the hollow drone of holiday standard music playing in so many forms practically everywhere you go. In 2009 Rob Halford tried to change that for the better (yes Twisted Sister did it in 2006, but that album is kinda satirical at times). His band Halford released their 3rd album, this one being a holiday themed release called "Winter Songs", produced by Roy Z. I remember getting this album when it came out in November of 2009 at Canterbury records in old town Pasadena, the stark blue cover and calm Rob photo made me really curious. I wasn't a huge fan of the 2006 Twisted Sister holiday album, but being a fan of Rob Halford and all of his bands made me want to listen. Can this album spice up the dismal history of holiday albums? Let's dig in and find out track by track....Let's Do This!!

1."Get Into the Spirit" 5:26

We open with a nice heavy riff from one of the NEW track on this one, and what a track it is. This is how a metal holiday album should sound. The drums are a powerful fury of hard beats, a great keyboard part in the middle, and a great bit of guitar work throughout. Then we have Ron's voice, banshee screams and great clean sound as well. Amazing song to start a great album.

2."We Three Kings" 4:06

An arrangement of a traditional Christmas song that we are all familiar with....but cranked up a bit. Rob using his best Priest voice and keeping it kinda level but still firm. The piano is a nice touch and fills this arrangement out well. The guitar work is great and the rhythm section is tight but not overbearing...I'm not a fan of the traditional version but I like this one....quite a bit really.

3."Oh Come, O Come, Emanuel"4:38

Another traditional song redone by Rob and the guys, and it's also a good one as well. Sonically it does have a Iron Maiden type gallop in its rhythm but for this track it works really well. I enjoyed this one and I have to admit it has been on my Rob Halford/Judas Priest playlist for quite a while now...it really a nice arrangement and is very gratifying to listen to.

4."Winter Song"5:38

This is another of the NEW songs for this album and it is a more somber piece from the mind of The Metal God. It really evokes a bit of emotion and thought from deep inside at times. It is a moving song in a lot of ways, and it brings a bit of much needed peace to a metal heart, and serves as a rest point to this album and that is a nice thing.

5."What Child Is This?" 4:27

This traditional Christmas song received a real nice arrangement as well. It is normal a trademark song used for the holidays in everything from films to store sale commercials. This one maintains its original slower structure but has a more medieval type of feel. It is well executed and sounds very good.

6."Christmas for Everyone"3:06

NEW track number 3 on this album, and it's a nice mid tempo rock song, that starts with church and sleigh bells. This one has an arrangement that reminds me of the song writing style of Alice Cooper. Pure traditional rock n roll with Rob's usual flair...a song that should be added to everyone's Christmas playlist.

7."I Don't Care"3:14

The 4th of 5 new tracks recorded for this album and it doesn't disappoint. It's another straight ahead rocker with fun lyrics and a really earwormy riff in it. It's a good listen, although it does have a phrasing section in the vocals that reminds me of "Smugglers Blues"...odd but cool.

8."Light of the World" 4:13

Number 5 of 5 new tracks, another somber track that musically sounds a bit like a cross between Pink Floyd and The Beatles...and that isn't a bad thing. It's a nice little track that brings about good feelings and even brought back a few good memories of past Christmases to this old headbanger...thanks Rob.

9."Oh Holy Night" 4:09

A traditional song done in a traditional way...well in Rob's version of traditional. It is a normally droning song that when given Rob Halford's treatment is a great version that I can listen to over and over. It maintains its normal emotional delivery but adds a lot of power, but not so much that it's a parody of itself, a tasteful version of a decent traditional holiday song.

10."Come All Ye Faithful" 2:27

I have heard a ton of versions of this song over my life and some were ok and some were abysmal...Rob did what he could with this one as well, it has a more regal feel here and feels musically like an attempt at a Queen song in places. It's a good version that deserves to be heard but it really serves to close out this album and in that it does a great job.

Conclusion:

When this album first hit my ears in 2009 I was a bit thrown off, mostly because I wasn't expecting a Christmas metal album to be this good and well thought out (especially with my experience with the 2006 Twisted Sister disaster). This album has a permanent place on my playlist all year around, it's just that good and it is also my defacto holiday album when I throw any Christmas gatherings. I can't say enough good things about this release and honestly if you are a metal fan, and you don't have this beast in your collection I have one question for you....WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU???!! Rob and the guys did an excellent job with this one and it will always have a special place in my heart. Well done guys....well done.

Score: 5/5

Twisted Sister - A Twisted Christmas Album Review

Twisted Sister - A Twisted Christmas (2006)

Members:

Dee Snider – lead vocals

Jay Jay French – guitars, backing vocals

Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda – guitars, backing vocals

Mark "The Animal" Mendoza – bass, backing vocals

A. J. Pero – drums, backing vocals

Additional Musicians

Lita Ford – co-lead vocals on "I'll Be Home for Christmas"

Doro Pesch – backing vocals on "White Christmas"

A Twisted Christmas is the seventh and final studio album by the American heavy metal group Twisted Sister, with the band releasing it on October 17, 2006. The album features classic Christmas songs performed in metal versions, often featuring lyrical changes.

Production:

Jay Jay French – executive producer

Mark "The Animal" Mendoza – producer, mixing, mastering

Denny McNerney – engineer, mixing, mastering

George Marshall – assistant engineer

First Impressions:

Huh? A Twisted Sister Christmas album?

The name Twisted Sister brings about nostalgia for the 80's MTV metal scene. This band was one of the darlings of that era and they always bring about memories of oddball lyrics and cheesy videos. This band was one that very few ever took completely seriously. The had a habit of breaking up and then reuniting a ton all through the 90's and it resulted in a very discordant discography...this 2006 Christmas album proved to be their last one ever released officially so far and it is a mixed bag of things all tied together by a mixed up holiday theme. Now I admit, back in the day I loved this band but they haven't aged well in my collection, I still listen to the odd track or album from time to time, but they aren't a favorite of mine, I still respect what they did for metal and hard rock as a whole, but I usually pass on them now if given a choice. Now then, is this Christmas album worth the time invested in listening to it? Or does it need to lay off the spiked egg nog? Let's dig in and find out track by track...Let's Do This!!!

1."Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" 4:48

Well this is kinda rough to listen to. Sounds like an off the cuff holiday hootinanny....at first anyway. It gets a bit harder with the standard TS sound profile that we are used to. However this particular traditional Christmas song is not really geared to their kinda off kilter arrangement....this is a tough track to rearrange well anyway but they did kinda ok with it by the end.

2."Oh Come All Ye Faithful" 4:40

The "We're not gonna take it" arrangement for this one? Honestly, that's a lazy attempt at being clever with this one. Not really good in all honesty.

3."White Christmas" 3:56

A hard galloping riff for a traditional ballad song. It really doesn't fit all that well. It seems forced to me and honestly could be done far better by this band. The only redeeming part of this one is Doro Pesch doing backing vocals, which I wish were brought forward a bit more.

4."I'll Be Home for Christmas" 4:08

The Dee Snider/Lita Ford duet...well it's another forced sounding track. It just doesn't sound that great to me, and to be honest, I've never been a fan of Lita Ford anyway. This is another track that could have been handled much better by this band.

5."Silver Bells"5:05

This one just "rings" of AC/DC sonically. It's a bit better than the previous 4 tracks but the gang vocals take away from it a bit, all in all so far this band has been pretty bad with this offering.

6."I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"3:39

Well, this one sounds a bit better musically, but Dee sounds a bit out of his range and phrasing style. Sounds like he's struggling a bit. This is still one of the better ones on this album and I can deal with its odd shortcomings.

7."Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow"3:09

Well another forced sounding riff, almost Black Sabbath like...just not a good. The meter of this one is a bit problematic and the gang vocals are kinda iffy and out of place sounding. Not thrilled by this one.

8."Deck the Halls"2:52

A standard of TS riffage and more unneeded gang vocals. The riff is good and the break in the middle is pretty cool so this one gets a moderate pass from me based on the musicality alone.

9."The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" 3:40

A standard Co-Written by one of my favorite crooners, Mel Torme. This one is a pretty bad interpretation of this one. Can't say much else without ranting...so I won't....moving on.

10."Heavy Metal Christmas (The Twelve Days of Christmas)" 5:14

How many screwy versions of this one are there? This is an awful one...skip this thing.

11."We Wish You a Twisted Christmas" (hidden track)0:36

Dumb...dumb...dumb.

Conclusion:

Well this album is a loss, and gives a proof why this band ended when it did. It's an uneven mess of a holiday album. Christmas albums are supposed to be fun and the like but honestly this one isn't really fun at all. It's a dumpster fire that just won't burn itself out on so many levels in both execution and production. It could have been done better by this band, who's track record proves they can do and have done much better than this, the best parts are the guitar solos. If this is your goto holiday album, that's fine....but to this reviewer this Christmas album is just a Christmess. In my collection this album really ranks as a 'meh' album at best, and a near audio abortion at worst.

Score: 2/5