Alice Cooper Raise Your Fist and Yell Album Review

 

Alice Cooper - Raise Your Fist and Yell

QUICK FACTS:
Raise Your Fist and Yell is the tenth solo album by rock musician Alice Cooper released on September 5, 1987. It features the track “Prince of Darkness”, which is featured very briefly in the John Carpenter film of the same name, in which Cooper has a cameo as a murderous vagrant. The song can be heard on the Walkman of one of his victims. A music video was made for the song "Freedom", which also became the album's sole single. Raise Your Fist and Yell is the only Alice Cooper album to feature Ken K. Mary on drums and the second and last to feature Kip Winger on bass.

The album continues the slasher film trend created by Cooper’s previous album Constrictor. The track “Lock Me Up” features a guest appearance from Robert Englund, who portrayed Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series.

The album cover for Raise Your Fist and Yell was painted by artist Jim Warren.

THE REVIEW:
Growing up in Florida, finding good music was a bit of a challenge back in the day. Suuure, nowadays you have your fancy, schmancy Internet and can order any CD at anytime from anywhere, or stream anything you want from one of a bazillion streaming sites, but back then we didn’t have such luxeries (yeah, we walked to school uphill both ways, too).

In 7th grade, my friends and I discovered a heavenly like being – and that being was the BMG Music Club. No longer were the metal heads of geezerville limited to Target's shitty music selection, or the few actual record stores that stocked more than the crap on the radio – oh no horn flyers, for only a penny you could order 11 rockin’ cassettes. The cassettes were white, the inserts were usually missing, the cases were often cracked, and we could care less. When you first opened that box of 11 cassettes it was like Christmas for Headbangers.

One of the first 11 tapes I got from BMG was Alice Cooper’s Raise Your Fist and Yell (I also ordered Constrictor at the same time, that review will come later). What I knew about heavy music was from MTV, my friends, and my dad. MTV had introduced me to Motley Crue, my friends had introduced me to Metallica, but my dad’s record collection was the first place I had ever seen anything that was actually loud. to tell you the truth I didn’t even know much about Alice Cooper at the time – my friends and I would just scour the BMG catalog looking for the most creepy album covers, and order them. That’s how I discovered Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast, SOD’s Speak English or Die, and this one – Alice Cooper’s Raise Your Fist and Yell.

If you’re a fan of 80’s era rock and roll, this is a must own album. It’s got all the dementia of your average Cooper album, but the music is a far cry from his old stuff. The style on the album is more on par with other rock bands of the era – think Bulletboys or even Ratt for that matter (just a bit more twisted). This is the album before Trash (you might remember the single Poison, that review is coming as well), so if you’ve heard that you know roughly what you’re in store for, although Raise Your Fist is the edgier of the two albums. Of course, the music on the disc just serves as a vehicle for Alice Cooper’s madness, plenty of which is presented throughout the 10 song lineup.

The disc opens up with “Freedom,” a rousing anthem that demands that we get our “freedom to rock” and “freedom to talk”. The chorus also demands that we raise our fist and yell. Not some of his deepest lyrics, but it works great as an album opener.

“‘cuz I never walk away
from what I know is right
but I’m gonna turn my back on you … ” – Freedom

Many of the songs on the album could be considered filler. That doesn’t make them bad, just not great singles. Still, they’re all very singable and catchy. In “Not That Kind of Love,” Cooper sings about wanting to touch, feel, and taste a girl, and tacks on “don’t get ideas, this won’t last forever.” At one point he says “I won’t be calling you to go to the prom.” Can you imagine 60 year old Alice Cooper taking anyone to the prom? What a great visual. Instead of a flower he could wear a billion dollar baby pinned to his lapel. Ah shit, where was I?

Many of the songs on the album are anthems of sorts. There’s “Give the Radio Back” which talks about how he’s tired of being in school and how his friends are partying outside and he wants his radio back. Again, just thinking of Alice cramped up in one of those little school desks. “Mr Cooper, can you PLEASE take off that top hat! This is a school!” Another anthem is “Lock Me Up,” where Alice sings over and over “If you don’t like it you can lock me up, woah, oh oh oh, oooooh,” which is a message to his musical critics.

“Cover your eyes,
Cover your head,
You’ll never know what hit you
til’ you’re covered in red … ” – Lock Me Up

For all the fluff, Raise Your Fist and Yell has a couple of not only my favorite Alice Cooper songs, but some of my favorite songs of all time.

By far, a favorite song on the disc is “Chop, Chop, Chop.” If you know Alice Cooper, most of his songs are stories – this one just happens to be about a guy who performs a service for his town. Unfortunately for local prostitutes, that service is picking up local prostitutes and chopping them up, “keeping the city so clean.” I LOVE it!

“Chop, chop, chop, engine of destruction
Chop, chop, chop, a perfect killing machine
Chop, chop, chop, it’s symbiotic function
Chop, chop, chop, I keep the city so clean” – Chop, Chop, Chop

There are a couple of other classics on the disc as well. “Gail” is a song about a girl who has been dead and buried for quite sometime. As the “bugs serve time in her skeletal jail,” he wonders how the bugs remember Gail. Later in the song, a dog digs up a bone and wags his tail, and he wonders how the dog remembers Gail. Cool stuff. In “Roses on White Lace,” Cooper chops off the head of a former love who has betrayed him. “In my own way, I lovingly kiss the bride.” Ew.

Time To Kill is a song about a guy who’s been locked away in prison and is ready to kill when they let him out. Prince of Darkness is a song about Lucifer – not praising him, but more just the story about how he was cast out of Heaven and how he’s waiting for revenge. Of course this WAS the 80’s, so you had to have SOME Devil reference on your disc to get any sort of credibility.

I find most of Alice Cooper’s music from the 70’s to be a bit slow and an aquired taste (obvious classic exceptions excluded), and his new stuff to be just a little radio friendly, not that it's bad or anything, it is Alice Cooper after all. For one album though, I think he hit the nail right on the head. I’ve bought every other Alice Cooper CD over the years without any regret. Currently this is one of several Alice albums that are out of print, and it is pretty much a product of it's time, yet it serves as a fulcrum in his discography between his kinda chaotic output before and his more solidly consistent albums since. While not all the songs are heavy hitters, they’re all singable and just this side of “pop”py, even though they all maintain an evil streak running through them, thanks mostly to the edgy axe work of Kane Roberts (yeah, the guitarist who looked a bit like Rambo and had a machine gun guitar).

It’s especially a great CD for road trips. Even you might catch yourself singing “Chop chop chop!” while cruising down the road. The music on Alice Cooper’s Raise Your Fist and Yell may be dated in the 80’s, but the songs themes (especially about the Devil, killing prostitutes, cutting the head off of your first true love, and demanding the right to rock) are timeless.

SCORE: 4.5/5

Released September 5,1987
Recorded 1987
Length 36:53
Label MCA
Producer Michael Wagener

01. Freedom
02. Lock Me Up
03. Gave the Radio Back
04. Step on You
05. Not that Kind of Love
06. Prince of Darkness
07. Time to Kill
08. Chop, Chop, Chop
09. Gail
10. Roses on White Lace

PERSONNEL:

Alice Cooper - Vocals

Kane Roberts - Guitar, backing vocals

Kip Winger - Bass, backing vocals, keyboards on “Gail”

Paul Taylor - Keyboards

Ken K. Mary - Drums

AC/DC Back in Black Album Review

 AC/DC - Back in Black

I may as well start this one with my score, it's a solid 5/5 easily and an all time classic to the Nth degree. What can you say about it or the band who made it that hasn't been said before? This is simply one of those albums everyone must listen to at least once in their lives, it's just that good and representative of the genre it's in. But I will try to do this album justice through this review, so strap yourself in and let's do this....

When Sydney, Australia’s AC/DC released their fifth album Back In Black, it became an instant epic in the quintet’s discography. Yet the success was bittersweet, coming in the aftermath of the death of original lead singer Bon Scott, whose vocals on previous albums made songs like “Highway To Hell,” “TNT,” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” resonate with audiences around the world.

The band’s previous albums – High Voltage (1976), Let There Be Rock (1977), Powerage (1978), and Highway To Hell (1979) each found the band ascending to a new level. When Bon Scott died in 1980 after suffocating on his own vomit from a night of excessive drinking and falling asleep in his car with his head tilted back against the head rest, the remaining members were pressed to find a new lead singer. Through the grapevine of the music business, the members of AC/DC heard about a brute singer from Newcastle, England whose scraping vocal purveyance was similar to Scott. Enter Brian Johnson.

The album Back In Black was recorded in a studio in the Bahamas with producer John “Mutt Lange” (Cars, Def Leppard) and was to be released within six months after Scott’s death. The immortal title track would serve as a tribute to fallen leader Bon Scott.

The ten tracks on Back In Black are revved-up toe- tapping pulsations with roughly knotted edges strewn across them. The twin guitar turbines of the Young brothers, Malcolm and younger brother Angus, emblazon the songs with crunching riff-ola and roughshod cuts that bite, squeeze, scrape, and punch across the kicking rhythmic beats. The scratchy textures of Brian Johnson’s vocals project a soul torn in agony like going through an exorcism or some bone crushing ordeal. His coarse vocal scats rip and tear, snicker, screech and snarl through the songs. Bass player Cliff Williams and drummer Phil Rudd kept the beating hard and pounding solid. Their songs are odes to the loud, crude, rawness of rock, showing influences from Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, and Ike and Tina Turner. In fact, Brian Johnson’s first rehearsal with the band included a rendition of Ike and Tina’s song “Nutbush City Limits.”

The haunting convolutions of “Hells Bells” opens the album, as the band engraves a trail of speeding thrusts on “Shoot To Thrill” and charging choruses on “What Do You Do For Money Honey.” The bluesy rock axis holding up “Givin’ The Dog A Bone” is roped by head banging beats even branching the album on a more melodic scale. “Let Me Put My Love Into You” features cranked drum strikes and brawling contortions while the title track struts with a cool boogie groove. “You Shook Me All Night Long” is a foot stomping rowdy gambol. “Have A Drink On Me” delves into hard rock verses tweaked by ripping guitar hooks. “Shake A Leg” resounds as the harbinger to power-pop metal and “Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” bolsters blues/rock ridges along ruffled guitar gyrations.

Angus Young told VH-1 Classics that his older brother and former band producer George Young advised him during the recording of Back In Black to write songs as “if you were an unknown band, how would you want to attract an audience.” Mutt told them, “You gotta get that impression across that you’re presenting something new that nobody’s heard for the first time.”

But AC/DC have managed to hold up for fourth seven years since their inception in 1973 as Angus reveals, “If you want to make a record that’s gonna be around, you gotta aim for your fans, because they’re the ones that are always gonna be there.” He claims that his philosophy has kept them young and energetic and at 65 years old, he can still rock a schoolboy uniform on stage like nobody’s business.

Score: (See Top of Review)

Personnel:

Band:

Brian Johnson – lead vocals

Angus Young – lead guitar

Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals

Phil Rudd – drums

Production:

Robert John "Mutt" Lange – production

Tony Platt – assistant engineering

Benji Armbrister – assistant engineering

Jack Newber – assistant engineering

Brad Samuelsohn – mixing

Bob Ludwig – mastering (original LP)

Barry Diament – mastering (original CD releases)

Ted Jensen – remastering (EMI/Atco reissue)

George Marino – remastering (Epic reissue)

Bob Defrin – art direction

Robert Ellis – photography

Lizzy Borden Visual Lies Album Review

 

There are a few things one has to take into account to avoid an immediate bias against Lizzy Borden. For one, they were 'glam' in the sense that they wore big hair and trashy 80s metal gear like Kiss or Poison. Second, they were a very theatrical band, and they liked their women in leather with hair as big as their own. Third, Lizzy himself, the vocalist, has a voice which can sooth like a crystal scream or wail like a siren, an obstacle for some.

That being said, they are one of the best metal bands ever produced in the United States of America, with a pretty spotless discography. With all that hairspray, I didn't want to believe it either. Sitting at the peak of this body of work, alongside the rock opera of Master of Disguise, is the excellent Visual Lies. This record has a lot in common with Menace to Society or Love You to Pieces, but it's got a cleaner, accessible sound that in no way hinders the marvelous songwriting.

Every track on the album is loaded with memorable riffs and charming vocal melodies. The guitars are expertly crafted: every hook, every melody, every lead, no wasted notes. "Me Against the World" is power metal lite, deriving its energy from the constant, steady thump of its rhythm guitars and big NWOBHM chorus. In fact, Lizzy's entire style is like a beautiful dedication to the masters of NWOBHM who paved the road for 80s hard rock. "Shock" is another another mid paced track with the huge vocal hooks and delicate, memorable guitars. "Outcast" starts with a great riff, and slows for an emotional, acoustic verse. This verse alone has better vocals in it than many bands have on their entire records...and of course, another of those amazing chorus hooks that should have ensured this band would have dominated radio play if the $$ weren't changing hands for other bands to do so. "Den of Thieves" picks up speed at just the right time on the record, and the guitar work during the verse is simply stunning, with some kickass leads to boot. This is one of my hands-down favorite Lizzy tunes, and for the power metal's fans time and money, the one you want to hear the most on this album.

The title track "Visual Lies" uses some gentle melodic picking lines to create an incredible atmosphere before the swollen, glorious vocal hooks that could easily have given Cinderella or Def Leppard a run for their money. "Eyes of a Stranger" may not be the equal to Queensryche's track of the same name, but it's an excellent melodic mid paced fist pumper. "Lord of the Flies" once again picks up the pace for some more extremely memorable speed metal. It's almost a shame that so many of the songs on the album are slower, not that they're bad by any means, but it would have been a pleasure to hear an entire album where Gene Allen and Joe Holmes were allowed to just go off. "Voyeur (I'm Watching You)" also has some delightful licks but based off more of a blues hard rock vibe. The album ends with the great "Visions" and its swinging hooks and rollicking percussion.

Visual Lies is easily the best produced album of 1987 (having veteran producer Max Norman at the helm definitely made the difference), I don't hear many albums in the 21st century that come close to sounding this good. Every note is at the perfect level and no element of the music dominates another. With a vocalist this graceful and talented, that's not an easy feat. The guitarwork deserves an award for both its restraint and the sheer amount of quality found in every track. This album is a major achievement and it's a crime the band doesn't get the credit it deserves. While not as directly heavy, the material is easily as catchy as a Primal Fear or Hammerfall, in fact it's superior.

SCORE: 5/5

Released: September 5, 1987
Studio: Long View Farm
(North Brookfield, MA)
Genre: Heavy metal, glam metal
Length: 41:50
Label: Metal Blade

Players:
Lizzy Borden - Vocals

Gene Allen - Guitars

Mychal Davis - Bass

Joe Holmes - Guitars

Joey Scott - Drums

Produced by veteran metal producer Max Norman (Ozzy Osbourne, Savatage, etc.)

King Diamond The Eye Album Review

 

It has always surprised me a little to see King Diamond's solo albums praised more on the media review front than his work with Mercyful Fate, since the earlier band was arguably more influential for the metal scene, appearing as they did at the time when many of the more extreme subgenres were emerging. The solo work represents a slightly simpler, certainly catchier take on the free-flowing melodic metal genre, generally approaching the NWOBHM sound from the angle of Angel Witch or Satan and adding even more campy drama and lead guitar exuberance. This album is probably the least progressive and innovative of all the early albums featuring King, though it is widely attested as one of the best examples of pure heavy metal played with feel, flair, and instant appeal.

Now there is no denying the storytelling capabilities of Mr. Diamond but this album is a bit of a departure for him, I'll elaborate, his two prior concept albums (Them & Conspiracy) had been told from the perspective of the protagonists; this one is told from the view of a narrator. The themes of Christian atrocity with the persecution of alleged witches and sexual abuse against nuns are present.

The story starts off with an unnamed character finding a necklace called "The Eye", that allows him/her to see the events the necklace was witness for in the past. They see an accused witch named Jeanne Dibasson being tortured and burned at the stake. Next they see two little girls finding the necklace in the ashes at a stake, and what they see when they look in the eye kills them. Finally there is the story of Madeleine Bavent, a nun working in the Louviers convent, who finds the necklace and decides to put it on. After being raped by Father David, she uses the necklace to kill him by making him look into it. Shortly after, the new Chaplain, Father Picard, arrives and starts bringing everyone to communion. He winds up lacing their communion wine with some substance that lets him control their minds, and uses a group of nuns including Madeleine to ritually torture and kill children. In 1642 all are arrested and imprisoned.

The main parts of the stories told on this album are true, and took place during the French Inquisition, 1450–1670. All of the following characters are real and from that period of time:

-Nicolas de la Reynie (spelled "Nicholas de La Reymie" in the lyrics): Head investigator of the Christian Burning Court (Chambre Ardente), in Paris, France.

-Jeanne Dibasson: Supposed witch.

-Madeleine Bavent: 18-year-old French nun who entered the convent at Louviers in 1625, after having been seduced by a priest. Died in 1647 in prison.

-Father Pierre David: Chaplain of the convent at Louviers till his death in 1628.

-Father Mathurin Picard: Chaplain of the convent at Louviers from 1628 to his death in 1642.

As an album 'The Eye' is much more accessible after the tangled structures and longer songs of 'Conspiracy', which comes as a relief for me, having found that album somewhat of an impenetrable endurance test at times. 'The Eye' also improves on the conceptual oversight of '"Them"', which began to turn into pure theatre at the expense of the music. The concept for this album seems more apt for use as the storyline for a heavy metal record, the Inquisition having already the requisite sense of drama and savour of truth that the haunted house/ghastly family concept never achieved. What that means is that 'The Eye' serves as a good introduction to King Diamond's work and has the potential both to initiate newcomers and alienate older fans of the heavier, more knotty material. For me, it's a very pleasurable album to listen to, since it doesn't take any effort to appreciate, despite some of the old problems with this band's output.

In the first place, the guitars on this record sound wonderfully smooth, which isn't a compliment often thrown about in heavy metal. If one thinks of Dave Murray's (Iron Maiden) classic lead tone and glazes the surface of that tone with ambrosia, we get pretty close to what Andy LaRocque and Pete Blakk sound like here. There isn't really any crunch or grit to their riffs or leads, but they float and flash and scamper playfully over the top of Snowy Shaw's more decisive drums and the bass of Hal Patino, which is sometimes energetic, sometimes subdued. King is also less abrasive than some of the earlier albums displayed, showing almost a knack for subtlety (gasp!) and also using smoothness admirably to create some beautiful atmospheres and reflective moments, for example in the quieter parts of 'The Meetings'. He goes through all the voices and has a crack at narration in 'The Trial (Chambre Ardent)', though he sings in a notably measured way that complements the music slightly better than before. There are still moments of excess, such as the overdone keyboards on 'Two Little Girls', which doesn't contain much of musical merit, as well as Jeanne's voice in 'The Trial', which just sounds silly.

For the most part though, we are treated to an album full of feeling. The emotional range that this concept provides is welcome for those who tired quickly of the constant shocks and creepiness of the previous 4 albums, while the exceptional lead guitar work is a masterclass in melodic detail. I've always thought that LaRocque was slightly too reliant on effects for his solos on 'Abigail' and the likes, so it's great to see him and Blakk chill out a bit and paint with notes, rather than blitzing the listener with everything through the pedals. The swell and roll of a solo like that of '1642 Imprisonment' is gorgeous, particularly when balanced by King's varied vocal lines giving more pace and power to the gentle riffs. That word gentle might be a warning sign for some metal fans, though there are faster and heavier moments in 'Behind These Walls', 'Into the Convent', and 'Burn', which features one of the most appropriate combinations of guitar and violin in classic heavy metal. When this band get going, as with 'Behind These Walls', they sound like a force to be reckoned with, yet there is something slightly unsatisfactory about the preponderence of lighter sections, which makes the album feel almost relaxed at times. However, you can still turn the volume up, so...it's up to you really.

As I mentioned, I find this album very pleasant to listen to and it can suit many moods, but it's not quite gripping enough at times, subsisting at a comfortable medium between Mercyful Fate's raw heavy metal and the fluidity and timelessness of Iron Maiden's late 80s work. Therefore, despite addressing some of the cheesiness and lack of focus that beset King's earlier solo material, 'The Eye' allows itself to slide back by staying just a little too laidback and well-rounded. For me, I have nothing particular against this album, yet I can't exactly say I love it either, for me it does lack the punch of previous works because of all the digital additions (up front keyboards, digital drum pads, slightly sterile production). Thus, I can merely give it a warm recommendation and declare it a strong addition to the music of King Diamond's discography.

Score: 4/5

Released: 30 October 1990

Genre: Heavy Metal 

Length: 43:53

Label:Roadrunner

Producer: King Diamond

Players:

King Diamond - vocals, keyboards

Andy LaRocque - guitars

Pete Blakk - guitars

Hal Patino - bass

Snowy Shaw - drums

Roberto Falcao - keyboards

Sammy Hagar VOA Album Review

 SAMMY HAGAR - VOA

Released on July 23, 1984 (Geffen Records)

REVIEW:

My first experience with Sammy Hagar’s VOA album was in middle school courtesy of MTV with his "I Can't Drive 55" video, then there was the local rocker and his 70's Camero blasting music for the kids at the bus stop. My friends and I would be in awe as we saw this high school kid blast rock music from his car sitting in the parking lot around 6 a.m. before the bus showed up. We heard bands like Zeppelin, Queen, W.A.S.P,, and other hard rock albums, and could not wait until we got to high school, so we could do the same.

When Sammy joined Van Halen I was immediately far more interested in the band, at that point 1984 was the only Van Halen album I owned, and it was through the body of work with Sammy that I discovered and better appreciated Van Halen and David Lee Roth as a solo artist....so obviously I think Sammy was the better singer and songwriter compared to DLR, not everyone agrees....

Regardless of where people stand on the better Van Halen singer, Hagar’s VOA is a classic album. The cover of the release, with Hagar parachuting onto the Washington, D.C. yard in front of the White House, is one of the cooler covers in rock music. But does the album hold up after all these years?

There’s not much to say about the first track, Hagar’s most famous song, “I Can’t Drive 55,” that hasn’t been said before. The song has appeared in many movies, video games, and is a staple for car lovers. The fact that Hagar was writing the lyrics to the song, while he was getting written up for a speeding ticket, is a classic story alone. From napkins at restaurants, to waking up in the middle of the night writing songs, musicians find their inspirations in many ways. This is one of those great tales. The song is a catchy sing along song that demands to be cranked up when it’s heard, while driving down the highway. The song is still a classic song that does not sound outdated, no matter how many times it gets played. Overplayed at times? Yes, but there’s a reason for it; it’s a wonderful song that’s still loved by many.

“Swept Away,” brings a mystical, mid-tempo feel at first, but then cranks out during the choruses. The lyrics about the beach (which became a common theme for Hagar after this album in both his Van Halen and solo work), gives the dream-like feel that is complimented by the drumming of David Lauser. His fills throughout the song is fun to listen to, as a drummer myself.

“Rock Is In My Blood, “ is a keyboard heavy song, where Jesse Harms can be heard more than on the first two tracks. The song is a tribute to the love of music, especially hard rock, but with a different style to it. Many songs that celebrate rock usually incorporates a faster tempo, but not here, and does it without compromising the quality of the song and theme. The placing of the songs on this record (which sometimes is a complaint to me on releases) is wonderful throughout VOA. The song just stops at the end, without a repeating fade out of the chorus which is appealing for the song.

“Two Sides of Love” is one of my favorite all time Hagar songs. When I think of the album, I think of two songs immediately (and one isn’t “I Can’t Drive 55”). This is one of the songs I always think of when this release is discussed. This song was always being blared from the cars when I was waiting on the bus, which brings back good memories. I like the song because it has a pop , radio-friendly style to it. When I was first discovering Hagar’s music for the first time, I was still listening to the Top 40 hits at the time, and not harder music, so this was a great introduction for me to his work. The guitar solo appeals to the hard rockers and not just popular radio listeners like me. Some may forget that Sammy’s earlier songs, like “Plain Jane” and “I’ve Done Everything For You” (a hit for another one of my favorites in the 1980s growing up, Rick Springfield) had a radio friendly pop sound. Sammy just didn’t write great hard rock songs, and this song proves his songwriting skills in several genres. Interesting enough, the other song that I think of when someone mentions this song, comes in right after. “Dick In The Dirt” has a humorous style to the lyrics, although the solo is heavy along with the driving of the guitars on the song. This was a song that was constantly played by the older kids when we were waiting for the bus. I just liked this song and the chorus, which we would sing along to, even in my college years when I worked at a grocery store.

Track six, the title song, starts off with drum fills that reminds me of Zeppelin’s “Rock And Roll.” Please don’t misinterpret that I am stating that VOA holds up to the Zeppelin song, but it is similar to me with the opening, and with Sammy publically stating his influence by the band. It may not have been unintentional. VOA, an acronym for “Voice of America,” shows how album covers back in the day helped connect to a song on the album (usually the title track). Hagar has stated in interviews that it was inspired by the U.S.S.R pulling out of the 1984 Olympics, and other world events. It is not an overtly political song that could offend people, as opposed to some of the political statements made in today’s music.

Good music can be interpreted in different ways to the listener if done artistically, instead of being extremely blunt that it offends those that do not agree with the writer’s intended viewpoint. Just look at some of today’s acts who have alienated some of their fan base by getting overtly political in a world where everyone’s easily offended. I’m not going on a political rant, but certain songwriters can write about world events and make a cool song that doesn’t tick off listeners that may not agree with the opinions. Hagar succeeds with this track. The music video is an action packed show, with spies and a story that would be on the show The A-Team or in  a James Bond movie, which brings back the days when music videos were just plain entertaining. Regardless of whatever political statement Hagar was making (“Pro USA” or just an anthem uniting rockers), the track is a jam fest. It’s another continuation of exciting songs throughout the album.

The placement of “Don’t Make Me Wait” fits after “VOA.” The keyboards are heavy on this song, and even though the lyrics seem a little simple (compared to some of the others on the album), it still works well overall. From relationships, political statements, or just plain celebrating music, the album continues with every track as being a winner. I am not sure if Hagar had leftover songs from the release (or because of Ted Templeman‘s influence), but the songs picked to record here were expertly chosen.

The last track, “Burnin’ Down The City,” may be my least favorite of all the songs on the album, but it still has its finer points to it. The guitar solos are enjoyable to me on the track, and even though I like this song the least, it is not a bad song. I just did not enjoy it as much as the other seven songs (let’s face it, reviews are just opinions on what we do and do not like). The song, saluting street artists, is placed perfectly as the last track on the album. If it was placed elsewhere, I think (as a whole album), it would affect my thoughts on the record, but with it as the last song, makes the record more wonderful. The song does sneak in the F-word, but historically, this was before warning labels and the P.R.M.C., which changed music demands on releases with swearing and questionable content. Nonetheless, the song fits the overall tone of the whole record.

Sometimes people list Hagar’s work in the category of “Pre-Van Halen” and “Post-Van Halen.” Even though this was his last solo release before joining the band, it has been his most successful solo album, and with good reason. Even though I am not a major fan of the last song, the overall placement of the tracks, and the quality of the songs, holds up after all these years. I would be as bold to say that VOA is one of the best albums of the 1980s in ANY genre, when looking at every song being great, and again, wisely chosen to be on the record. The run time is rather short, without filler solos or extra stuff that is not needed. The musicianship is great as well. Sammy’s band on this record does not get the credit of being a complete unit, where everything fits where it should and compliments each other. VOA does not sound dated, and still is a go to album when I want to rock out. It is one of the releases that is as close to a perfect album as I could choose from the 1980s.

Track List:

01. I Can’t Drive 55

02. Swept Away

03. Rock Is In My Blood

04. Two Sides Of Love

05. Dick In The Dirt

06. VOA

07. Don’t Make Me Wait

08. Burning Down The City

Band Members:

Sammy Hagar – lead guitar, lead vocals

Gary Pihl – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Jesse Harms – keyboards, backing vocals

Bill Church – bass, backing vocals

David Lauser – drums, backing vocals

Additional Musicians:

Ted “Champagne” Templeman – percussion

Douglas Cocker – sound effects and background vocals 

Production:

Produced by Ted Templeman

Engineered by Jeff Hendrickson

Assistant Engineers: Tom Size, Gary Rindfuss, Eric Mohler and Terry Christian

Originally Mastered by Howard Weinberg

Production Coordinator: Joan Parker

SCORE: 5/5

STRYPER - EVEN THE DEVIL BELIEVES Album Review

 Stryper - “Even the Devil Believes” 

(Frontiers)

Stryper is comprised of original members Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar), Robert Sweet (drums), and Oz Fox (guitar), plus the addition of seasoned bassist Perry Richardson.

Visit: www.stryper.com

Iconic Christian rock band Stryper returns with its 13th studio album, Even the Devil Believes Available now wherever music is sold. Filled with the band’s signature riffs, harmony-laden melodies and positive themes, the 11-track project is Stryper’s first studio album with Perry Richardson (Firehouse) on bass and background vocals.

Even the devil, long reputed in some circles to be in league with rock ‘n’ roll, must believe by now that Stryper could well be God’s favorite band. The Christian heavy metal quartet is still slamming it so hard, fast and loud nearly 40 years later that they may have friends in the highest places.

Stryper came of age in the big melody-bigger hair ’80s, epitomizing the decade’s blend of harmony and hardness. It’s a sound they have led the way keeping alive; their twin guitar solos remain instantly identifiable, and singer Michael Sweet hasn’t lost anything off his vocal fastball.

The band over the course of its life has been the object of much ridicule and the butt of a ton of jokes, but one thing is for sure the band (whether you want to admit it or not) has had a tremendous influence on several subgenres of metal the most obvious would be power metal, from the leather lunged screams, twin guitar shred fests, and the over the top but very solid drumming this band was an obvious influence on the genre along side of pioneers like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Helloween....also the mainstream Christian music scene would never have been what it was if not for this band taking the risks it did.

As solid as any heavy hitter of the 80's, Stryper still covers all the bases to this day, hitting every note and welcome cliche' of the bands familiar repertoire, and exceeding all expectations with every release since their comeback album "Reborn" (an album admitted to be a Michael Sweet solo album at first) up to the newly released "Even the Devil Believes", this band just never disappoints. Now off to the review proper....

The band's new album, “Even the Devil Believes,” kicks off with a roar in “Blood from Above,” and it sets a breakneck pace right through the equally accelerated closer “Middle Finger Messiah,” a song about how many people turn their back on Jesus. These two tracks were apparently kicked around as to which one would open and close the album, and both would have served the positions well but "Blood from Above" was seen as the stronger song, and on this I can agree, it has an emphatic edge that the other track kinda lacks in comparison...but both tracks are excellent bookends for this album.

Sweet insists the provocatively titled “Make Love Great Again” isn’t a swipe at President Donald Trump, but rather a call to unite and embrace goodness and light — even though one of its verses speaks of “a culture that’s building walls.” They record, you decide, but I can believe the band on this one, especially since this wasn't the only suggested title for the track, even Robert piped in suggesting the track be called "Make God Great Again" which most likely garnered a look and a comment in the vein, "How can you make God any greater than he already is?".

“This I Pray” is Stryper’s own “Blaze of Glory,” in the same vein as the Bon Jovi classic, where the singer begs God for one more day of a life he hopes to turn around. And “Divider” could be the best song that Judas Priest never wrote, and this is no fanboy boast either, it contains every element that would make it fit into almost any Priest album, but then it's obvious that Priest was an influence on the band early on given how competently they covered "Breaking the Law" on their covers album "The Covering".

The track "Invitation Only" actually has its origins in the 80's as a track that was originally written in 1989 for the album "Against the Law", however main songwriter Michael Sweet was suffering a major "writer's block" in regards to the lyrics at the time so it was not included on the album at the time. It was summarily pulled from the shelf for this album with some tweaks and new lyrics...and in all honesty it was worth the wait, it is a great track that maintains that pseudo 80's feel that everyone loves, with a more modern twist.

All in all this is by far their best album since their seminal 80's album "To Hell with the Devil" (the album that made me a fan when it hit the streets, although I was curious before that because of a photo in a copy of metal edge magazine around the same time), it just hits all the right marks and evolves their sound in all the right ways, If this for some reason was their last album, it would be a great one to go out on, but these guys are still only just beginning, and I feel even better things coming from tihis band, count on it. If you like in your face Hard Rock and Heavy Metal then do yourself a favor and grab this one, if you have been on the fence about this group or you have always seen this band as a joke, give this album a try, you might just like it...I recommend it highly, in fact it is getting my highest score.

SCORE: 5/5

Raven - Stay Hard Album Review

 

RAVEN - STAY HARD

Released & Recorded in 1985
Recorded at: Pyramid Studios, 
Ithaca, New York, USA
Label: Atlantic
Producers: Raven, Michael Wagener, Tony Incigeri, Jon Zazula, Marsha Zazula

The Band:

John Gallagher - bass, vocals

Mark Gallagher - guitar

Rob Hunter - drums

Kicking out in '85, this album was a marked change for Raven, and some would say for the worse, but I'd disagree as the music on here alone speaks for its self. Now you can tell that Raven had changed quite abit since unleashing Rock Till You Drop 4 years earlier, and they were definitely hungry for that elusive popular acceptance, and break (and seeing it as a very real possibility), but even with this album taking a much more marketable sound, and mainstreamed feel Raven still didnt let up as far as musical creativity, and song writing talent goes. Actually, everything these guys did, no matter how mainstreamed was always totally Raven, and really thats what I love about this album so much. These guys had they're own schtick, they had they're own sound, and they, regardless of all else, had some real fucking talent. Anything else is purely subjective.

The guitar riffs are a bit all over, but stick to a particularly Raven esque sound. A heavy reliance on quick chorded rythms, done in a NWOBHM fashion, but with an amped up Speed Metalish feel, and classic anthem type Heavy Metal chorus'. They stick to a fairly genre typical song structure, but accent it nicely with each members unique characteristics of sound. The guitar tone is nothing short of killer (probably one of my favorites Raven ever had) and really helps drive the riffs onward. Also, there is a plentiful supply of leads, and solo's on here some of which are pretty impressive. Raven always delivered as far as riffs were concerned, and this album also showed a bit more variety than their previous efforts, but only in a more mainstreamed type way (check out "Pray For The Sun", and "Get It Right").

The vocals mix certain tones of the singers ability, from a some what normal kinda voice to that seemingly now forgotten 80's high toned wail, the singer totally ingrains that fighting 80's youthfull spirit of anger and all out partying. Droping all humorous aspects of the lyrical content aside, which is fairly obvious "Stay Hard, Stay Wet" amongst others (also the cover, showing what appears to be a man with a woman going down on him), you can really get a feel of the times in the simplistic yet strongly original words. The chorus arrangements are very catchy and in a very traditional rock based way (great bridges also, check out "On and On" for an awesome bridge chorus structure).

Overall, this album rocks. Even with its highly mainstreamed feel (Raven would soon go a tad bit too far in this direction on "The Pack Is Back", though), and pop appeal this album still packs enough killer, and less filler to warrant my praise. These guys had more individuality than countless others, and more talent, and drive too boot. Get this if you are a fan of the band, or style. I will however go on record and say they have done better before and since but this is one of those bands who's valley's are higher than most band's peaks, this is still a very worth your time album.

SCORE: 4/5

Under Midnight - Under Midnight Album Review

 

Under Midnight

by Under Midnight

1992, Wonderland

The Christian industrial music scene was quite vibrant in the early-to-mid ​‘90s, with artists like Mortal, Circle of Dust, globalWAVEsystem, Passafist, and Deitiphobia all releasing albums during the time period. This music tended to be a blend of metal and electronic sounds à la Ministry’s Psalm 69 and early Nine Inch Nails, i.e., fast n’ heavy riffage placed alongside programmed beats, copious samples (usually from classic sci-fi movies), and distorted vocals singing/​screaming about social decay, technological concerns, and spiritual angst.

The first two Circle of Dust albums are arguably the best examples of this industrial rock style, but another, often overlooked, example is the self-titled 1992 debut from the duo of Frankie (Caesar Kalinowski) and dB Allen (Mark Robertson), better known as Under Midnight.

Kalinowski and Robertson had roots in Christian rock circles well before Under Midnight’s inception. Kalinowski was a producer for some of Christendom’s most celebrated metal acts (e.g., Whitecross, Vengeance, Deliverance) while Robertson had played with The Stand, Altar Boys, and Mark Pogue. But Robertson had also become increasingly fascinated with bands like Einstürzende Neubauten, Test Dept, and Skinny Puppy, as well as cyberpunk fiction. Under Midnight was the logical end of those interests, particularly in its lyrics and storyline.

The concept album’s twelve songs spin a story set in a dystopic, not-too-distant future. A virtual reality technology called ​“Cybervision” has become increasingly popular despite allegations of mind control and links to a shadowy, cult-like organization called the New Way. The album’s point of view jumps back and forth between several characters: a boy (Johnny) from the wrong side of the tracks who’s trying to reveal the awful truth about Cybervision and the New Way; a former rich girl (Jamie) on the run from her dysfunctional life who falls in with the New Way; and Dr. Rubio, the Cybervision CEO himself.

It’s all a little on the nose, with no subtlety whatsoever; Under Midnight is arguably the most forthrightly evangelical album of Christian industrial’s ​‘90s wave. There’s even an altar call or two within the album’s narrative. But several things save Under Midnight. First and foremost is Kalinowski and Robertson’s dedication to their concept.

“Babylon USA” sets the stage with an onslaught of metal riffs and a laundry list of the world’s ills, from the rise of a one-world government and too-powerful corporations to global warming, war, and social collapse. In ​“Love, Pain, Truth, Fire,” Jamie (voiced by Beki Hemingway, who would later form This Train with Robertson) sings of the abuse (“Daddy use to beat me/​Daddy used to yell/​Sometimes he’d get friendly/​Make me promise not to tell”) that led her into the New Way’s ​“loving” embrace. Dr. Rubio appears in ​“New Way” to sneeringly sing the praises of his materialistic worldview (“No need for submission/​No god to obey/​You can write your own ticket/​Pave your own way… The only sin is the sin not to win”).

But arguably the album’s most interesting song is the haunting, atmospheric ballad ​“Two Worlds, One Cry,” which finds Johnny trying to convince Jamie to leave Cybervision and the New Way, and instead, find meaning and acceptance in God alone. At one point, she lashes out:

The God they preach on television seems to be a joke
The way they beg for money, you’d think that God was broke
He only loves the holy, He only loves the strong
He only loves the wealthy, it’s clear I don’t belong

By the song’s end, both protagonists join together in a single, heartfelt plea: ​“I have fears, can I trust you?/I want a better way/​I need to know what’s real/​Do I measure up?… I need love.”

Again, pretty on the nose stuff. But also kind of prophetic, if you think about it. The album’s tale of technology run amok, unchecked corporate greed and power, and people trying to find meaning through technological connections came out years before Google, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Furthermore, if you didn’t grow up in fundamentalist or evangelical circles, then I don’t know if you can fully appreciate the impact of lyrics that painted a less-than-squeaky clean picture of reality or expressed doubts and spiritual fears — albeit within the context of a cyberpunk concept album — on the hearts and minds of young, struggling listeners (like the one I was). That’s something I’ve come to appreciate more as I’ve grown older and consider the way such lyrics (and albums) have shaped my understanding of what it means to be an honest, faithful Christian.

As for Under Midnight’s music, it checks the necessary boxes. There’s an array of samples from sci-fi titles (e.g., RoboCop, The Twilight Zone, Blade Runner). There’s plenty of fiery guitar (e.g., ​“Die to Myself,” ​“Cybervision,” ​“Fear and Trembling”) courtesy of Kurt Bachman (the lead guitarist from Christian thrash metal band Believer). But there’s also some funk (“Yes, I Am”), the aforementioned cyber-balladry of ​“Two Worlds, One Cry,” and even a song that’s essentially a cover of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s ​“Blues From a Gun” (“Learning to Fly”).

Throughout it all, Kalinowski and Robertson’s production is topnotch, throwing in all manner of sonic details and flourishes, like the short vignettes that bolster the album’s narrative and world-building. (This expanded into the album’s liner notes, which included a libretto alongside the lyrics that fleshed out the storyline.)

When I write about Under Midnight, or any ​“classic” Christian industrial bands, I won’t pretend that nostalgia doesn’t factor in...with an album like this it's a given.

If you find yourself getting a bit skeptical at the album’s concept, I don’t blame you. I can’t deny that some of it hasn’t aged well (like the video for ​“Cybervision”). But nostalgia notwithstanding, the earnestness and ambition with which Kalinowski and Robertson made the album — in a 2014 interview, Kalinowski recalls getting inspiration from the pages of Wired while Robertson described the band as the ​“evangelical soundtrack to Blade Runner” — are still endearing, entertaining, and worth noting, even after nearly three decades.

SCORE: 4.5/5

Annihilator Ballistic, Sadistic Album Review

Annihilator - Ballistic, Sadistic (2020)

Factoid:

Annihilator has released 17 studio albums and has undergone many line-up changes. Waters is the only remaining original member left in the band, and usually assembles touring musicians to perform with him. Annihilator's first two studio albums—Alice in Hell (1989) and Never, Neverland (1990)—are considered to be influential Canadian heavy metal records. Many of their later albums also received high praise from critics, and enjoyed some success in Europe and Japan. Their 17th studio album, Ballistic, Sadistic, was released in 2020.

The Review:

Canadian thrash pioneer(s) Annihilator, in other words, Jeff Waters & Co. are back with what reportedly Jeff considers to be the band’s best album since Schizo Deluxe (2005); At least in the top 3 of their entire catalog. Quite an ambitious statement, coming from the mastermind behind classic records such as Alice In Hell (1989), Never Neverland (1990), and Set The World On Fire (1993), which many consider being their best albums. Furthermore, this is a record that is meant to hark back to those earlier classic records that are beloved by so many of their fans, including me. Today I’ll sink my teeth into whether or not I feel this statement can be backed and, as a fan, can either agree or disagree....Let's Do This!!!

First things first, this is the second album recorded with the line-up of Jeff on guitars and vocals, Rich Hinks on bass, Aaron Homma on Guitars, and Fabio Alessandrini on Drums. This is a tremendous feat for the band, considering that the line-up changes in the Annihilator’s history are quite vast. However, I will say that this current line-up is potent, and one that I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to if it ends up being the line-up for a good while. Jeff took back the role of lead vocals on 2015’s Suicide Society after longtime vocalist/guitarist Dave Padden’s departure and has manned the position ever since. While I do enjoy his vocals, especially on older records like King of the Kill (1994) and Refresh the Demon (1996), I do happen to miss Dave Padden’s versatility and ability to give Annihilator the modern edge they needed at the time he joined in 2003. That being said, on Ballistic, Sadistic, I find that Jeff has really stepped up his vocal game. I certainly admire his determination to get better and better, and it definitely shows he’s been putting in the time and hard work to improve. For instance, on leading single “Psycho Ward,” he’s stretching his ability and singing more melodic than his usual Mustaine/Hetfield combo snarl and gruff that he’s known for, specifically the bridge section.

Aside from the obvious vocal observation here, musically, I can say that Jeff is right in the sense that the guitar riffing is very reminiscent of some of the earlier records in terms of technicality and precision. It’s a huge part of what truly makes Jeff Waters one of the best guitarists in the genre. His ability to interweave between dissonance and melodicism is quite impressive, and one that I’ve always admired. This is best represented on songs such as “Out with the Garbage,” “The End of the Lie,” and “Dressed Up For Evil,” whereas songs like the opener “Armed to the Teeth,” and “I Am Warfare” are the band’s attempt to bring in even heavier and more extreme influences.

While I can dig the throwback vibes that are laced throughout the record, there’s one thing that I miss. The main thing that really sets Annihilator apart from a lot of other thrash metal bands is their undeniable versatility.  That aspect of the band has somewhat taken a back seat to having a collection of songs that, after a while, start to sound the same and lack variation. Some riffs in certain songs feel like they could be interchanged with each other, and even on previous albums. On top of the blatant recycling of songs like on “Psycho Ward” which sounds like a re-imagined “Stonewall” and also “Lip Service,” which is a clear revised version of “Knight Jumps Queen.”

This record has a lot of shining moments. It showcases some of Jeff’s most ambitious riffing since arguably 2001’s Carnival Diablos (a criminally underrated album!), and the personnel are delivering some really impressive work. What draws back Ballistic, Sadistic, is that some of the arrangements are a bit disjointed and schizophrenic. I suppose that’s somewhat the point and not too uncommon with the band’s earlier works, but they tend to lose focus every so often and then eventually come back to at least one more verse and chorus to complete the song. In other words, I feel like the constant changing of riffing styles without too much room for flow in the music comes off as the band simply trying too hard. I could’ve done without the obvious rehashing of beloved classics as well, and would much rather Jeff & Co. try to come up with something new and refreshing. While there’s a little bit of that ambition here with some of the more modern and extreme influences on a few tracks, I hope that on future records, they explore that a bit more while also letting the songwriting come more naturally. Moreover, the versatility that they’re known for is missing here, and an aspect of their sound that I feel really would have brought the record full circle. A good record overall, and most definitely a few steps above For the Demented (2017) and in the right direction, but I wouldn’t necessarily put it among the band’s best.

Score: 4.5/5

Onslaught Power From Hell Album Review

Onslaught - Power from Hell (1985)

Members:

Paul Mahoney – vocals

Nige Rockett – guitar

Jase Stallard – bass

Steve Grice – drums

Factoid:

Power from Hell is the debut studio album by English thrash metal band Onslaught, released in February 1985. Apparently confusion has arisen as to who coined the term Death Metal, as it was Onslaught who wrote their song 'Death Metal' in early 1984 and recorded the album version later in the same year, Possessed who recorded their song entitled "Death Metal" on their 1984 demo tape of the same name.  "Power from Hell" was reissued in 1996 by Powerage Records, again in 2005 by Blackend Records and received a full remaster by Jacob Hansen for the 2012 release on AFM Records; the 2012 release rectifies the track listing problem encountered on previous releases and has revamped artwork with liner notes by Steve Grice.

The Review:

It is normally almost impossible, but already the first official label output of Onslaught presented the band's first stylistic change. But definitely not their last. Anyway, let's speak about "Power from Hell". I just stumbled on this one around 1988 or so when I was looking for some new things to head bang to, and the cover caught my eye. When I went home with my bounty of new tunes and finally put this one in the cassette player I really didn't know what to make of it at first, it was so dirty sounding, kinda like a punk album, but it wasn't punk, it was thrash...I was compelled to dig a bit deeper into this album and into this band and what I discovered has made this one of my goto bands over the years, but let's just get into the slime and gunk that is, Power from Hell.... 

The debut offers a fine dose of death metal after their punk-orientated demos. Only "Thermonuclear Devastation", the opener of their first demo, holds the flag of punk-influenced metal high. The vast majority of the pieces can be allocated to the lethal sub genre. Yet one has to keep in mind that Onslaught deliver a very early form of death metal. Roughly 25 years after its release, the German magazine RockHard listed the album as one of 250 thrash metal albums that everyone should know. (But even the powerless "In Search of Sanity" showed up in this pretty questionable list.) From my present point of view, "Power from Hell" is a hybrid of black, thrash and death metal. But the British dudes called the sixth track "Death Metal" and therefore I do not see a basis for further discussions. I would just like to comment that the guitar lines and the verses of "The Devil's Legion" lie in close proximity to those of Exciter's "Saxons of the Fire", but only intimidated posers would classify this Canadian classic as death metal. Apart from this alarming similarity, "The Devil's Legion" belongs to the best tracks of "Power from Hell". Don't be fooled by its playful guitars at the beginning, this piece delivers pure, fast and dark heavy metal.

Although the above mentioned punk track does not square with the mega-satanic intro, Onslaught attempt to offer a stylistic mish-mash, but it doesn't always pan out. "Power from Hell" is not the most coherent album of the heavy metal history, but its relatively occult aura is more or less consistent. Of greater relevance is the fact that the band shows its talent for catchy compositions. The choruses of the title track, "Death Metal" or "Angels of Death" are very infectious earworms and will stick in your mind immediately. These tracks withstand the fairly adverse conditions. I freely admit that the full-length is not equipped with an excellent production. A small budget, a deaf producer or both? However, despite its certain dullness here and there, the guitars achieve an adequate level of vehemence. All in all, the sound is acceptable, at least for a debut.

Leaving the minor stylistic twists and turns out of consideration, Onslaught do not surprise with experiments. The song patterns avoid complications and the riffs don't flirt with non-metallic types of music. The carefree debutants do their job and they unveil their affinity for malignant sounds in a clever manner. The fact that the guys also present a certain degree of variety adds the finishing touch.

Is it authentic to modify the style at this early stage of development? I don't know. Perhaps it was an act of survival, because punk died a slow death and metal was in full bloom. But I do not want to speculate about the reasons of the new orientation, quite apart from the fact that the distance between punk and metal is not extremely great. Anyway, "Power from Hell" marked the first step of a remarkable career. The band was seemingly never free from inner conflicts, but this is exactly what makes it so exciting. Besides that, we may not forget that the majority of Onslaught's albums increased the reputation of the British metal scene in a significant way.

Score: 4/5

Top 10 albums of 2019

Well everyone has been putting their list out there for this so why should I be different? Here's the my list that nobody really asked for but you're getting it anyway....

MY TOP 10 RELEASES OF 2019...

1) Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind (August 9)

I was expecting a good one from this band but what I got was far better than what I expected. This is far and away a masterpiece that so few have achieved. The territory this album goes into sets an overall mood that must be heard to be believed.

2) Babymetal - Metal Galaxy (October 11)

What can you say about this divisive group, every release gets better. A broader mix of genres than the last one, plus a slew of guests. This is one fun listen, plus SuMetal(Suzuka Nakamoto) proves she has got the goods to hang with the best of the genre's top voices.

3) Rammstein - RAMMSTEIN (May 17th)

Til and the boys delivered the goods on this much long awaited album. Plenty of familiar tropes as well as a few new ones, from the first note to the last, this one will grab you by the balls and not let go....but it does tease it from time to time.

4) Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion (May 10)

Much hyped over the years but never arrived until this year and oh boy is this one worth it. As aggressive as ever and clearly not losing a single sonic step from its 3 predecessors (which we're all 80's albums). This is a truly vicious album, the only thing that really holds it back is the fact it doesn't really try anything new.

5) Tool - Fear Inoculum (August 30)

13 years of waiting came to a screeching halt this year, did it live up to all the hype 13 years built....no. But what arrived is a great and varied piece of audio art that only tool can make, and on that it was worth the wait.

6) Darkthrone - Old Star (May 31st)

Well, this was a stunner. Guess Fenriz got tired of writing the same old boring crust influenced crap black metal. This is more in line with Hate Them as an album as far as feel goes but it does try things that actually work like slowing the riffs down from time to time to create a feeling with the atmosphere which the later albums really lacked, and that is a good thing.

7) Overkill - The Wings Of War (February 22nd)

A band doing yet another 180 into what I see as a step back in the right direction after 2 fairly phoned in releases. This one is actually a good listen with some creative choices in songwriting that truly elevate the whole record.

8) Gloryhammer - Legends from Beyond the Galactic TerrorVortex (May 31st)

A relatively by the numbers power metal album on the surface, however once you start sifting through the layers here, there is an extremely good album laying in wait for you.

9) Sammy Hagar & The Circle - Space Between (May 10)

This is Sammy Hagar....this is going to be good regardless. Sammy created yet another collection of great music here that only ads to his legacy. Not much else can be said except, if you like anything Sammy has been involved with, you'll most likely dig this too.

10) Whitechapel - The Valley (March 27th)

Finally a Deathcore band that actually gets it, this band has showed potential but never really put in the time to reach that next level...finally they have, and it really shows. An album ripe with great ideas and good presentation which displays emotion for days, a choice that really elevates this album from more of the same up to excellent.