KISS Crazy Nights Album Review

KISS - Crazy Nights (1987)

Members:

Paul Stanley – rhythm guitar, vocals, keyboards

Gene Simmons – bass guitar, vocals

Eric Carr – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Bruce Kulick – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals; bass guitar on "Hell or High Water"

Additional Recording Personnel:

Phil Ashley – keyboards

Tom Kelly – backing vocals

Crazy Nights is the 14th studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, recorded from March to June 1987 and released on September 21, 1987 by Mercury and Vertigo in Europe. This was the second album to feature the new line-up of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Bruce Kulick, and Eric Carr.

Producer:

Ron Nevison

First Impressions:

WOW!!!

Post make-up KISS was a weird time for the band all around but it did show off a more musically flexible band when they weren't attempting to ride the Hair Metal coat tails of other more notable bands of the period. Crazy Nights is admittedly a favorite of mine because it feels great to listen to, even today. Now also admittedly, it hasn't aged all that well, it feels like a child of the 80's with all its cliches and tropes of the time. Now we all know KISS is no stranger to radio friendly albums, they were doing that since the beginning to various points and really made a career out of it since 1978's "Dynasty" with all of its production tricks and more approachable songs, including their disco based hit "I Was Made For Loving You". This band unmasked in 1983 on MTV at the release of their "Lick It Up" album and that ushered in a more musically driven band that for all intents and purposes experimented a lot more, and at times hit the target...other times however, not so much. However, after a couple line up changes and a couple of good attempts at creating a great 80's KISS album, we come to 1987's "Crazy Nights". From the start this album felt like a whole band effort (despite all the outside co-writers on the songs), it didn't feel slapped together with an obvious single dimension to it (Paul did most of the song writing and played other parts on the previous 2 records since Gene was too busy trying to be a Hollywood star at the time). This album is a much better attempt at a great KISS album, although it has it's detractors....but just how good is it now? Let's strap on our waders and slog through all the 80's tropes track by track and see what's what....Let's Do This!!

1."Crazy Crazy Nights"3:47

We start with the title track of this on and it kicks off actually pretty nice...a healthy "Wooo!!" from Paul then a little spoken dedication to the audience who is listening. Paul is great at throwing in banter on studio tracks as if this was always live, it really helps immerse you in their music. The lyrics are of the semi defiant anthemic variety and they do feel good. The pace is mid tempo power pop style hard rock. This track reeks of radio play fodder but it holds its integrity with the excellent musicianship throughout. This is a great track that still holds its own today. The video is cool too.

2."I'll Fight Hell to Hold You"4:10

One of those KISS songs that has a sense of grandeur and urgency in the main riff. Another somewhat anthemic price of lyric writing in this one but centered around a couple and not a group. This is another well executed song in every way that matters and still would hold up well today in any tangible way. It hits all the right chords for a hard rock song, and the solo from Bruce at the end is absolutely great.

3."Bang Bang You" 3:53

Now we start with what I would call filler to a degree. This is a typical KISS track that plays out in a very tongue in cheek way. Full of innuendo and double meanings within its kinda trite lyrics. However even saying all that it's a well played piece of fun...it's just not as moving as a lot of other track on this album, and if it disappeared from the album, it probably wouldn't be noticed.

4."No, No, No"4:19

Nice guitar work starts this track, which traditions into a sort of Van Halen rip off type of song. It's a Gene piece, and that is usually hit or miss....and this one is a miss in all ways. As far as I am concerned the title of this one is the same as my feelings for it...No, No, No indeed.

5."Hell or High Water" 3:28

Nice 80's KISS riffing on this one, another Gene track but this one fares much better in my opinion. The lyrics are a bit trite but all in all It's not a bad track at all. I like the feel of the song as a whole and the chorus backing vocals are mixed in well. The Bruce solo is solid as well...all in all this is a really good deep track and deserves a serious listen.

6."My Way"3:58

This screams 80's movie sound track...but it was not ever used as one. This is a track loaded with commercial radio friendly tropes. It's weighed down with keyboards and trite lyrics that would fit in a Karate Kid film...this is a massively commercial track, but like everything else it was done well and fits in this album as a whole. I do like this song but this is one that didn't age as well as others...it is definitely from the 80's.

7."When Your Walls Come Down" 3:25

Interesting short intro into a "Let's Go!"...another in remarkable song that just exists on this album. It isn't pretentiously pop, it isn't really crap either....it's just there. If anything could be a definition of filler, it would be this one. It's a 'meh' song. Not bad, not great, just there.

8."Reason to Live" 4:00

A video and radio hit....I live this track. The power ballad was a staple of the hair metal genre and a pretty big constant of the late 70's and 80's hard rock genres. KISS did this type of track very well from the beginning. This is no exception, tight performances and solid lyrics, this track just screams classic from the first note...it sounds like a product of the 80's but in this case, it helps it that much more.

9."Good Girl Gone Bad" 4:35

A typical chugging KISS riff starts this Gene song and it isn't that bad either...it's not mind blowing either but it serves the album. Gene doesn't do too bad vocally on this one either. It's structurally sound and Gene's bass isn't mixed too deep into it so you can hear some of that Paul McCartney type style he has...this is a competent deep track, not one I would seek out but if it came up on shuffle I wouldn't skip it either.

10."Turn On the Night"3:18

Another video single...this one is loaded with keyboards and pop rock feel. However those things work for the track making it a fun little track that brings a smile to your face and imbues you with some energy...it kinda makes you have fun with it. Can't argue that reaction either, especially with how well it was performed...it's just so polished, from Paul's vocals to the gang chorus to Bruce's guitar solos...it's just so good.

11."Thief in the Night" 4:07

The closer to the album and it is another Gene track...this one has a few good ideas in it and what it does, it does well, but this is a filler track. It seems a bit out of place on this album as a whole, it doesn't share the same vibe as the rest of the album, it would fit better on one of the 2 previous albums they released "Animalized" or "Asylum"...it just sounds like this albums. Not awful...but not right either.

*12. "Time Traveler" 4:57

Normally I don't do demo things here but this is an exception...this was recorded for this record session. Since it was released on the Box Set I decided I would covet it here. What we have is a track heavy on percussion and an adventurous feeling...it's got a good vibe and in all honesty this would have made a great closer to the album. The demo is well performed and Paul's vocals are absolutely great here. I just love this track and it should have been on this album proper...it fits the album completely and could have even been a reasonably successful single as well...why it's not on the record, I don't honestly know...but it is a great song.

*The song "Time Traveler" was recorded during these sessions and later released on the 2001 KISS Box Set.

Another song of note that was recorded for the album but not included was a song called " Sword and Stone" which was written by Bruce Kulick, Desmond Child(a long time KISS collaborator), and Paul Stanley, but did not manage to get on the album because producer Ron Nevison was not thrilled with the song. The song was offered to Canadian rock band Loverboy, and was re-recorded by their lead guitarist Paul Dean on his 1988 album "Hard Core". The song was also recorded by German heavy metal band Bonfire for a Wes Craven movie, Shocker.

Conclusion:

An album that divides the fandom but really doesn't deserve that stigma. Yes it's over produced and as commercial as all hell but its not a bad album by any stretch. It hasn't aged all that well in parts since it is an 80's album but those quirks kinda add to it's charm. When this album came out I bought it as quick as I could and I still stand by my claim that this is one of my favorite KISS albums...it's got a lot going for it which makes it an enjoyable listen and that is what I want from ANY KISS album. This shows a band who has gotten past their mid 80's problems and actually worked together to make a great album. I honestly have no real complaints aside from the couple obvious filler tracks but even those aren't too bad (except "No,No,No!!"). This album will continue to have a place in my top list and I think if anyone wants a good 80's era KISS album to listen to, this is a good one to start with. It has a great feel to it over all and is really fun to listen to.

Score: 4.5/5

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

Mass Insanity - Maveth Album Reveiw

Mass Insanity - Maveth (2019)

Members:

Hector - Drums

Rafał -Guitars

Mały - Vocals

Viehu- Guitars

Tolas- Bass

MASS INSANITY was formed in October 2003. Maveth is their 3rd full legnth album and was recorded at Antihuman Studio in spring 2018, and mixed and mastered at 666Studio in Ostróda (2018).

Discography:

"In Deadly Silence" Demo - 2004

"99% Rehearsal Promo" Demo - 2006

"Language Of The Dead" Demo - 2007

"Silent Language" Compilation - 2007

"The Hypochrist" LP - 2011

"Antihuman" LP - 2015

"Maveth" LP - 2019

First Impressions:

Never heard of them....but I appreciate what I hear.

When it comes to death metal I have to change my approach to reviewing it. The track by track approach really doesn't work well for this and other deathy and grindy bands, as their music doesn't modulate the same track to track as other genres. So These reviews will be simple and traditional with highlights and subtle critiques on the album as a whole. So with all that said....Let's Do This!!!

Maveth is a modern take on death metal when comes to playing music, which in this case is a mix of brutal and groove oriented death metal songs based on a few interesting riffs in each song, good enough riffs to remember them in the short term but not much else, structurally these songs aren't earworm material. However when the band finds its winning formula it is quite the showstopper, and this album has a few moments of that hiding in here, some of theese stand outs on this are "Control / Manipulate" (intense and powerful guitar work), "Determined To Survive" (aggressive and confrontational guitar passages in the style of Malevolent Creation), and one of the heaviest and most atmospheric tracks on this album is "Cleanseation Course" which contains a heavy use of keyboards to achieve its somewhat brooding atmosphere. And last but not least – in tracks like "Maveth" and "Supported Pathology", the band`s devotion moves towards more traditional and faster death metal styles, focusing more on strong guitar rhythms and classic death metal shreds. The track "When Darkness Cover the World" is a song that can easily identify with the music of Decapitated and there are more moments in this album that remind me of this band as well as a few others. Vocals and drumming on the record sound pretty solid, the guitars and the rhythm section are also well done and don't really dominate the mix, far too many bands in this genre fall prey to far too heavy bottom end mixes. Production of the album is quite good and delivers a realm of death metal at its sonically finest and delivers a sonic landscape that is really a combination of Polish and Swedish death metal sounds.

Track Listing:

Legal Racism 4:43

Maveth 4:47

Control / Manipulate 3:14

Supported Pathology 4:38

When Darkness Cover the World 4:42

Cynical Worms 3:18

Determined to Survive 4:34

Cleansation Course 5:38

Conclusion:

Maveth is an album that definitely deserves to be put in the spotlight, and Mass Insanity as a band certainly need to be recognized and get the attention of the death metal fans everywhere with such good album for this genre. However for me this praise also carries a caveot, even though this album has its high points in song writing and production, in this genre of metal too many comparisons to other bands can make the album sound a bit too similar to far too many other albums out there. Death metal has a big fault because of its extremity, and that is a bad thing. Too many bands release things that sound too much alike, and this one falls in the same trap, it's a nice attempt but in the end its general lack of originality takes it down a couple notches. It's not awful, and most fans of this stuff should hear it, but it's also more of the same.

Score: 3.5/5

Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time Album Review

Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time (1986)

Members:

Bruce Dickinson – vocals

Dave Murray – guitars, guitar synthesizer

Adrian Smith – guitars, guitar synthesizer, backing vocals

Steve Harris – bass, bass synthesizer

Nicko McBrain – drums

Somewhere in Time is the sixth studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 September 1986 on EMI in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records in North America. (It was re-released by Sanctuary/Columbia Records in the United States in 1998.) It was the band's first album to feature guitar synthesisers.

Producer:

Martin "Masa" Birch – producer, engineer, mixing, tape operator

First Impressions:

Classic maiden with a twist.

When I was a kid and I was getting into metal music my parents created a list of bands that were not allowed in the house, among those bands was Iron Maiden. However in 1986 my dad decided to go against that list and he bought me this album from our local Albertson's grocery store. He knew I really wanted this one and he couldn't say no. My dad was always good at breaking mom's rules for my sake(he was the one who took me to my first KISS concert after all which mom never knew about). He told me to never say anything and he took me to McDonald's for lunch and we both listened to it. I have always loved this album and this review will show that, I'll try to be as nonbiased as I can but with this one it will be very difficult...but enough of this stroll down memory lane, let's just dig into this thing track by track and see what the boys have for us....Let's Do This!!!

1."Caught Somewhere in Time" 7:22

We start here with a fitting intro and a feeling that this isn't going to be "yet another" maiden album. Although all the tropes are there to be one, Bruce is as great as always, Steve is galloping away on the bass, Dave and Adrian are synced up and playing well, and Nicko is playing as tightly as always on the kit. The addition of the guitar synth really adds a spacy touch to this whole album and this track sets this up perfectly. The solos are beautiful and the over all presentation on this one is flawless. Even at over 7 minutes this one flies by leaving you wanting more. A very well done track that never gets old.

2."Wasted Years" 5:06

The first single off the album and the reason I wanted this album. This track made me a life long maiden fan. The intro to the track is as classic as you can get and you instantly know the track from it. The lyrics are great and the over all feeling is just a kinetic rush. This is one of those tracks you catch yourself singing with in front of total strangers when it comes on. It is just so infectious and fun. The message is pretty good too, don't forgo the present by living in the past. It's just another great and classic maiden song that never feels tired....and I love the solo on it, one of the first solos I ever learned on guitar...love it.

3."Sea of Madness" 5:42

Iron maiden is very good at changing the mood of an album without changing the over all consistency of the quality within it. This song kinda departs a bit from the over all feeling of the album as a whole...but somehow it still fits. The chorus is an earworm and will infiltrate your life at odd moments. This is a great track with good production and excellent execution. Can't really complain about this one at all, and the calm mid break is just so cool...even though it does feel very 80's.

4."Heaven Can Wait" 7:24

Another long one from the masters of long songs...this starts with a synth drone as the other sections of the track slowly fill in the open space. Another track that came off as initially unexpected but not uncharacteristically Iron Maiden. Nice pacing, great vocals by Bruce as always and tight musicianship. This is a nice rollercoaster ride of a track that starts slow, ramps up, then trods along in mid tempo chanting, the 80's flourishes are all here sounding a bit like new wave at times, then the track picks right back up. Anyone that accuses Maiden of going piggy with their more recent albums obviously really hasn't been paying attention...this track is proggy, just not artsy proggy.

5."The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" 6:31

I'll admit, I really didn't like this track at first. As I got older and more exposed to other types of music did I start to appreciate it a lot more. This is not designed to be accessible to everyone. It utilizes classic maiden tropes to make it familliar...but it does do a few things that make it more like an experiment in song writing. What this song did back in 86 has become a trope in more current releases. I have really grown to enjoy what this track has to offer, and what it offers they did very well.

6."Stranger in a Strange Land" 5:43

The second single from this album and another favorite of mine. Steve's bass work is the true standout on this one, the rest of the band really add texture to his foundation. Nicko gives this one a great technical groove, and the twin synth guitars of Dave and Adrian just solidify this thing. Bruce tells a great story and gives it a huge feel. But under it all is Steve Harris, giving the track melody, pace, and a direction that just pulls you along with it. An excellent track and among the best this band has ever made.

7."Deja-Vu" 4:55

Another track that took a few listens to really appreciate, but eventually I did. This is a really well executed track that has a good pace and a good over all feel to it. The lyrics convey the definition and the experience of the songs title. It is another very well executed track that I have no real complaints about, and not much else to say...it just is an enjoyable track that leads well to the plus that closes this one out.

8."Alexander the Great" 8:35

"My son, ask for thyself another kingdom, for that which I leave is too small for thee"...a great start for a long track that is pretty much a history lesson set to music...something this band does a lot and does it very well. I can honestly say Maiden is the band that got me interested in history, mythology, and literature...they do it in such a way that really sparks your curiosity. This track goes through the history of this once great conqueror and does it with a great pacing and multifaceted musical changes within that pace. It's one of their best long songs, it is a bit proggy as well but in a very good way, this has always been one of my favorite long tracks. Great production, excellent solos and layering, top notch lyrics, and a rock solid rhythm section all through this beast. It doesn't get much better than this one.

Conclusion:

What more can be said about this album that hasn't already been said in the 33 years of it's existence. It was a daring album that set the stage for the next album, the very ambitious "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son". Somewhere in time birthed another iconic representation of their long time mascot Eddie and it contained a collection of iconic songs that may not have aged as well as others but they are still as relevant as everything else in their vast catalogue. This is the definition of classic and it still elicits good memories from a time when metal was a uniformed social class and not a collection of elitist crybabies that have a hard time accepting the original concept of Heavy Metal as a whole. Up The Irons!!

Score: 5/5

https://ironmaiden.com/

Hirax -Immortal Legacy Album Review

Hirax - Immortal Legacy (2014)

Members:

Katon W. de Pena - vocals

Lance Harrison - guitars

Steve Harrison - bass

Jorge Iacobellis - drums

Additional musicians:

Juan Garcia - guitars on "Hellion Rising"

Jim Durkin - guitars

Rocky George - guitars

Fabricio Ravelli - drums

Immortal Legacy is the fifth studio album released by thrash metal band Hirax on February 24, 2014. It is the first since the 1980s to feature a 4-piece band. It is also the last with Jorge Iacobellis on drums.

Produced by:

Bill Metoyer - Recording, Mixing, Mastering, & Producer

First Impressions:

Solid effort that only improves on their legacy.

Hirax is one of those bands that started in the 80's but kinda got lost in the shuffle and to be honest wasn't the best thrash band out there. They released 2 full length albums in the 80's Raging Violence (1985) & Hate, Fear and Power (1986) which were both good thrash albums but they were buried by many of their better selling contemporaries like Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer. They didn't release anything aside from a compilation Not Dead Yet (1987), a split album with the band Spazz in 1997 and a couple E.P.'s (El Diablo Negro (2000) & Barrage of Noise (2001))..however they eventually resurfaced and released the full legnth album The New Age of Terror (2004), followed by El Rostro de la Muerte (2009) (with a few more splits and E.P.'s between them). However, this reviewer doesn't really deal with splits, live albums, and E.P. length albums so even though this band really never truly stopped they have only released 5 full length albums over their whole career. My history with this band started at their 2nd album Hate,Fear, & Power...I bought it at my local Camelot records in 1988 after my 17th birthday when everyone gave me money and I was doing pretty good 1 year into my music career, having recently played my first decent paying gig at a place called Janus Landing. I bought a ton of cassettes and that Hirax album was among them. When I finally listened to it I really have to say I was impressed, but there were some things that kept it from my pantheon of great albums...most notably was the vocal presentation...I wasn't quite used to the tambor and shifts that Katon offered and I found it a bit off putting, but I was 17 and musically stupid. Later I found myself listening to that album even more but for the life of me I could be be get a hold of anything else of theirs. The digital age came in eventually and I can say it helped me with my collection immensely, it allowed me to listen to albums that I could not find. Which brings me to the album I will be looking at here the 2014 album Immortal Legacy. Will this album make me an even bigger fan? Or will it make me hate the genre completely? Well let's find out as we dig into the digital release track by track and see what crawls out from the wreckage...Let's Do This!!

1."Black Smoke" 4:35

Well the budgie like intro was fun then comes the aggression, wasting no time in bludgeoning your ears. Katon's vocals are much better now than they were earlier in his career. They cut through the guitar chaos with a rage and force that is not hard to listen to at all. Sound like he took phrasing lessons from Bobby Blitz Ellsworth though...not a bad thing. This is a very tight track and sounds great. Excellent start to this album.

2."Hellion Rising" 4:05

The video single to this album, and a beast of a tune...nothing bad to say about this one. But commenting on Katon on this one, he offers a couple other techniques that resemble other notable voices of thrash...those being Steve Zetro Souza and Eric A.K.. The guitars are vicious here too, and do not get me going on the rhythm section here...this track just pummeles you like a tank...it's glorious.

3."Victims of the Dead" 3:07

Dramatic intro that would be great entrance music for a wrestler. This is a mid tempo type of thrash in the vein of Metallica's four horsemen. It is heavy and very accurately played, chugging all over your gray matter and really setting a great pace for a large circle pit...good track, no real complaints...could be a touch longer but it does what it does, and it does it well.

4."Thunder Roar, the Conquest, La boca de la bestia - The Mouth of the Beast" 4:54

Well, this is interesting. Arpeggios into a very hungry riff. I would love to hear this thing live. This track lyrically is more of an anthem style track, the way it includes the words we and they. This is simply put a fun track and really worth the 4:54 invested in it. It is full of classic thrash metal tropes but done in some unique ways...the solos are frantic and the drums are relentless. Everything that makes a good thrash track.

5."Earthshaker" (Instrumental)0:44

Well....it's an instrumental, it's short, and it's pretty cool for a guitar only kinda thing.

6."Tied to the Gallows Pole"4:05

Well, this sounds dramatic. The riff is pretty cool, sounds like a Sodom meets Heathen kinda thing. It's heavy and sounds like a theme song to a war. The lyrics are cool and not cliche' at all. This track has a lot of mood in it too, it flows in feeling from rage to almost melancholy in a way...It's a neat track and by far a favorite of mine. It's just so well done.

7."Deceiver"3:42

This starts off sounding like something from Metallica's Ride the Lightning...but it soon turns into it's own thing. Katon is pulling off his best Bobby Blitz impression again, and that is not a bad thing. This track is amazing in its execution and tightness. I really dig this one.

8."Immortal Legacy"4:40

The title track of this one, and by history supposedly the best track on the album...does this one fit that? Well, yes it does. This track is a thrash bulldog, it's got teeth for days, a slobbering beast that just trampled you in every way it can. The rhythm section is like a machine gun nest, the guitars are just relentless and Katon soars above it all like a WWII bomber...it's a thing to experience. I adore this one...a whole album full of stuff like this would make me very happy.

9."S.O.W." (Instrumental) 0:57

Another instrumental, just as good as the last one...just more band members.

10."Violence of Action" 3:36

Love the intro to this thing...the message samples are great. This is another favorite one...it's got a Sacred Reich kinda feel and I like that. This track is more of the same quality and aggression that this album excels at and not much more can be said about it. It's a moshers delight and brutal as hell.

11."Atlantis (Journey to Atlantis)" (Instrumental) 1:30

A third instrumental? But bass oriented this time...these are more like interludes. This is still cool though.

12."The World Will Burn" 2:07

The title alone sells this one to me. But aurally this one sells itself as a plodder and a great pit track. I can picture a group of combat boot wearing thrashers stomping around the pit  to this one. Not as blast heavy as others here but it's good and doesn't overstay its welcome.

13."Mephistopheles"(Digital Edition Bonus Track) 5:16

This is the bonus track on the digital edition, the vinyl got a different track called "Mass Hysteria"...but at 5:16 this is a much more substantial track. [I won't be reviewing the vinyl track until I have a vinyl release and can do it justice...I'll update this review when I do.]. This one starts with a film sample then moves into a very Metallica sounding intro riff before shedding that and moving into a pure rage strewn sonic tapestry. This is just as ferocious as many other tracks on this one, but that comes with a caveat, this one sounds a bit like more of the same all mashed together. However, this track is far from filler, it just suffers from what a lot of thrash does....repetitious soundscapes. Some bands grew past that and incorporated a few more influences and techniques to mixed results. However for this band, it is among their top tier songs and does offer some great neckbreaking opportunities. This is Hirax and this is who they are.

Conclusion:

This album for all its quirks and inconsistencies is still a fun listen. It offers a classic thrash metal soundscape that is fast, aggressive, and forceful. Katon's vocals have gotten so much better over the years and he isn't ashamed to wear his influences on his sleeve. The guitars are  well done and aggressive as hell, but I wouldn't expect any less from Lance, he is an amazing and under appreciated guitarist. Steve and Jorge fill out the rhythm section very tightly and very heavily...even the additional musicians offered up a great mix of feels. All in all this is a well executed traditional thrash album with good production. I have no real complaints and can in all honesty recommend it to any headbanger who needs a good recent thrash fix. One thing however still bothers me....for all my years listening to this band, why don't I own at least a patch for my battle vest?

Score: 4.5/5