Heavy Bones - Heavy Bones (1992)

How is it that one of the best glam metal albums of all time (if not the best ever?) has yet to get a review 'round the blogosphere? A crying shame I say, but all the more reason to give it a proper spotlight here.

The story of sleazemeisters Heavy Bones is an interesting one, if not all that surprising: Warner Bros wanted to form a "supergroup" around guitar prodigy Gary Hoey (a studio favorite of some random guy named Ozzy Osbourne. Maybe you've heard of him, lol) and ended up surrounding him with a surprising cast of faces, including W.A.S.P and Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali and an obscure but extremely talented singer named Joel Ellis, who kind of sounds like Axl Rose but with a lot more range and versatility. Dude had one helluva snarl to go with his unconventionally diverse range, but that's just more to the listener's benefit.

Still, 1992 was far too late in the game for a major play at the radio. No matter how great the songs might be, something this consummately 80's was bound to hit a wall in light of all the "hair" metal backlash. After lead single (and what an awesome single it was I might add) '4:AM T.M.' flopped commercially despite a brief rotation on the Headbanger's Ball, Warner dropped Heavy Bones like a sack of manure and everyone involved went their separate ways. The hard truth that stellar music doesn't always lead to success is a difficult pill to swallow, but take these guys as a prime real world example even before the advent of the digital age in the grunge era.

These facts aside, this is splendid music by any measure, a cool 40+ minutes of explosive fun with a tantalizing hint of "something more" that distinguishes this production's methodology from others in the same territory. Listen to the opening Crue-esqe 'Hand That Feeds', that breakdown in the second half of the previously mentioned 4:AM T.M. or the off-the-wall slammin' on 'Where The Livin' Is Easy'....this is an album that knows exactly what it wants to do and manages to outclass most of its more commercially successful brethren with frightening ease. 

The real kicker is just how much diversity is packed in here amidst the obvious headbangers though, with the obvious elephant-in-the-room being the epic Led Zeppelin/Aerosmith throwback 'Where Eagles Fly'. For those of you familiar with the big epic sound of John Sykes' Blue Murder album from 1990 or his work with Whitesnake, this song is throttling around in that arena. Songs starts off in an acoustic frame of mind before erupting like a volcano about midway through into something compellingly fierce and awe inspiring. Probably Ellis's best performance on the whole recording too, and that's quite a feat considering how on dead-on he is on all the other songs too. Dude's a freak in the best way a frontman can be.

From my perspective, heavy metal is general is more interesting when the songs display a spark of dynamism that doesn't get them all caught in the same time signature or a uniform pacing that dominates the entire running time. We can pick and choose our favorite numbers for our streaming playlists, personal collections, IPod playlists, etc...but the album experience when it comes to metal almost always benefits when there's the perfect blend of consistency, energy and variety, with all the peaks and valleys that come with it. Heavy Bones not only has a lot of great songs, but as an album it flows better and hits harder than most could hope to, and even when they slow down they're still top notch.

If you enjoy heavy metal with some sleaze, some polish and a whole lot of personality...well, that's between you and the Gods Of Metal. I say just get it and enjoy. :) 

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Originally Reviewed Over On My MusicBanter Journal - Click Here To See My Original Review! 

REVIEW: Queensrÿche - Queensrÿche (2013)

It's official folks: after what feels like centuries, one of progressive metal's pioneers are finally back on track! And I'll be damned if it's not one of the best comeback albums I've ever had the pleasure to listen to, much less own. No more drama, no more Geoff Tate....just a great bunch of guys doing the music they know and love.

But I digress: I just got this sucker not too long ago in the mail, but I've spun it enough to say with 1000% confidence that it's the best album these guys have done since 1994's Promised Land, possibly even Empire.

And speaking of Empire, that's the album that came to mind most when listening through this new self-titled (the cover art being a nod to it as well): Michael Wilton (the founding guitarist alongside Chris DeGarmo) was a big factor in that particular album's more anthemic cuts like 'Resistance' and the title track, and he's gotten to stretch his riffage muscles more here than he's gotten to in ages! Furthermore, Scott Rockenfield, guitarist Parker Lundgren, Eddie Jackson and drummer-turned vocal powerhouse Todd La Torre have a chemistry that rivals anything we've had since '91...and that's not something you can say about just any ol' comeback record!

Despite lacking a bit of the diverse, nuanced touches of variety that DeGarmo brought to the QR table with his more classic pop/rock tastes back in the late 80's/early 90's, there's a helluva lot to like here: a great deal of it might even work on radio (the Rage For Order-ish 'Don't Look Back', Operation: Mindcrime-reminiscent stomper 'Redemption' and the blistering 'Fallout' being my three main picks) but you also, surprisingly enough, get a foray into power metal with the sizzling 'Vindication' and two really snappy, cinematic mid-tempo hair raisers in the form of 'A World Without' and closing number 'Open Road'. Nothing overstays its welcome...hell, you might find yourself salivating for more as the last notes fade out.

Going back to Todd for a moment: this is his debut album as a vocalist, and he really brings the bacon here. Others have likened him more to original Crimson Glory frontman Midnight (R.I.P.!) and a younger Bruce Dickinson more than Tate as far as intonation and delivery goes, and after you've spent some time with the album, you'll probably find yourself in agreement. He's got a lot of range and power, but he isn't emulating anyone in particular: if anything, he's a chameleon of sorts, an amalgamate of every great 80's metal pioneer and then some. Any of today's heavier outfits would be lucky to have him: we're just doubly fortunate that he happens to be in Queensrÿche's present!

In conclusion: there was no way that this album was going to please everyone, but it really is interesting to hear, for the first time in fifteen years or more, QR actually sound alive, vital and most importantly, relevent in today's musicscape. They've brought everything we loved sonically from the EP through Promised Land and spiced things up with some 2000's melodic metal sensibilities. What more could you want really, especially when the QR brand itself is at stake in November?

PS: For those of you who will undoubtedly complain about the short running length....the band is already at work on the next record. Which will, according to them, have longer material that they couldn't finish in time for the self-titled. Definitely looking forward to that!!

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Cαndlemαss - Psαlms For The Deαd (2012)

With one weathered hand full of graveyard soil, you squeeze your nails into it's palm til' blood starts dripping down your arm. This record is such a rite in and of itself, full of ravenous tunes that bring glorious little blisters to eardrums aplenty. It is also a corpse ridden-boat being cast off into the great river of closure, a farewell to arms for the band that exemplified the golden age of 80's doom metal. The very least you can do is salute as your speakers spew some glorious riffage from the boys who did it best of all.

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Tнrεshold - Woundεd Laиd (1993)

Merry old England's ecologically-minded answer to Dream Theater's Images & Words, and even in retrospect I find it a rather entertaining beginning for one of the world's mainstray progressive metal giants. The keyboards aren't pushed into the forefront quite as much as some of their contemporaries were prone to, and the guitar work here is wonderfully thrashy even at its most melodic.

Cult classic anyone?

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Rεdεmption - Thε Origiиs Of Ruiи (2007)

A minor progressive metal masterpiece from the best Fates Warning offshoot of the 2000's. Typical instrumental setup, but with a delicious, layered sense of execution that proves more interesting than anything Dream Theater has cooked up since Images & Words all the way back in 1992.

Oh, and that's Ray Alder at the mic. How 'bout dem apples?

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REVIEW: Suspyre - Suspyre (2012)

Few bands in the progressive metal spectrum showed as much promise as Suspyre did when they stormed the world with 2005's The Silvery Image. That particular debut was a brilliant monstrosity, off kilter whilst remaining nigh-classical in its curious contortions and motifs. They drew favorable comparisons with everyone from Dream Theater to Meshuggah, and have since continued to refine and reinvent themselves as an entity beyond that crop of colleagues.

Thus, we come to their self-titled here in 2012, and in doing so have not only shattered expectations, but have gone far, far beyond their peers into places mostly unexplored in a metal subtext, bringing in everything from bossa nova elements to beach pop...hell, even smooth jazz. The riffs dazzle, the keyboards accentuate the instrumental crossfires, and vocalist Clay Barton has evolved into a real wonder over the last seven years, a soaring talent capable of handling everything from radio-friendly melodic material ('Divided Son', the beach-metal 'Cancun') to more challenging blitzkriegs that harken back to the over-technical velocity that turned these boys into a household name in the first place ('Tranquility And Stress', 'The Man Made Of Stone').

All in all, these songs prove to be some of the coolest and catchiest Suspyre have put to posterity as of the present, and the whole album thrills the senses even at its strangest, unmetallish moments. I honestly can't recommend it enough!

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Tнoυgнt Cнαmbεr - Angυlαr Pεrcεptions (2007)

As far as technically proficient genre exercises go, progressive metal supergroups tend to be quite the treat if the proceedings gel at just the right temperature. Talented vocalists matrimonially paired via label dictation or otherwise with hotshot guitarists and other high-profile specialists at their weapon of choice (drumkit, keyboards, etc.)...what more could you be looking for at this end of the spectrum?

In the case of this fantastic little project, you have Enchant's leading man Ted Leonard gliding amidst the furious finesse of Arch Rival guitarist Michael Harris, who masterminded the whole shebang. And if there's one thing I know about guitarists, its that they tend to write pretty good songs: 'Sacred Treasure' is a vintage stab at Dream Theater circa 1992, complete with synth-guitar counterpoint and some Flamenco sweeps. Some cuts are downright infectious as far as pop-metal sensibility goes though, with kudos to the Eastern scaled 'A Legend`s Avalon' and 'God Of Oblique', a song that Ray Alder would have sacrificed babies for to have written himself.

A lot of 90's and early 00's progressive metal hasn't aged quite as well as some would have you believe, but Angular Perceptions is an underrated curio from the latter part of this time period which falls into a far rarer camp than most: a release which was drowned out during a year when the market was suffocated by Fates Warning and Symphony X soundalikes, but in retrospect was a cut above every last one them in execution. You can't go wrong with this sucker!

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Aτoмα - Sкyligнτ (2012)

Sweden is no stranger to great metal from a variety of disciplines, but this is a sheer dose of layered magnificence from a band nobody saw coming. Think Devin Townsend circa Ocean Machine: Biomech with a heavy dose of classic early 90's Dream Theater and you've got nigh-quantum perfection in the fabled year of 2012. Eat 'er up while she's hot!

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Iи Flαмεs - Souиds Of A Plαygяouиd Fαdiиg (2011)

A top-notch melodic death metal band who have, slowly but surely, transformed into an eclectic and more diverse group with the passing of years, Iи Flαмεs turned many a head last year with 10th studio outing Sounds Of A Plαygяound Fαding, and I'd say it was well worth the three year wait for many a metalhead.

Although their first record without founding guitarist Jesper Stromblad in tow, the songwriting and performances don't suffer even a smidgen from what fans and newcomers alike would expect. Immaculate slices of fun like the labyrinthine thrasher 'A New Dawn' and more mid-tempo stompers along the lines of 'Ropes' and the electroclash'd 'Deliver Us' rattle and blaze in throat-curling glory, balancing edge and accessibility in a way that few bands in this vein can do.

My verdict: Catchier than the measles (although cleaner than past releases), cunningly complicated, entertaining and polished to a fault. Recommended in large doses at loud volume!

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Icεd Eαяτн - Dysτopiα (2011)

Much to many a metalhead's delight, one of the 90's best thrash acts returned like a bloody hellstorm last year with death and vengeance upon their teeth in the form of Dysτopiα, and in this mere blogger's opinion it was one of those triumphant comebacks which could have easily made my Top 11, but didn't due to how things ended up being ordered.

Along with boasting some of the nicest balance production-wise I've heard from any metal act this side of Grand Magus, this is also Icεd Eαяτн's most melodic record I think anyone will have the pleasure of hearing since their explosive career beginnings: in particular, the galloping 'Iron Will' and soon-to-be metal classic title track hit you like a bullet train from the first spin onward, and even the more paced-out tickers ('Dark City', 'Anguish Of Youth') are pure dynamic pleasures in and of themselves. And if that's not the mark of a fine modern metal record, I don't know what is.

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Aτнεisτ - Elεмεиτs (1993)

Although recorded hastily and begrudgingly at the behest of contractual record label obligations, this final album from the unfortunately short-lived classic career of Aτнεisτ (until 2010 atleast) is about as good as jazzy death metal got two decades ago, and thus could be considered something of a landmark at the time of it's release.

Befitting of it's namesake, Elεмεиτs serves as both a primal exercise in harsh-bled melody and a dissection of the various primordial components that formulate this band's sonic DNA. Fascinating stuff even in moments of obtuse clarity: the drumming proves jazzy and unbelievably flexible whether it's gliding along a mercurial groove or pummeling your skull to jelly, whilst the guitar work of then-newcomer Frank Emmi is a razorbacked swine that runs you down with unbridled belligerence, cutting through the mix with precise yet vital abandon in tandem with the mindboggling bass work courtesy of Tony Choy.

Although not an accessible record by any means, Elεмεиτs is still the friendliest and most approachable serpent of the snakepit that is the aural realm of Aτнεisτ, and is essential listening for anyone who claims to be a fan of technical metal in the first place.

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Tнε Goυяisнαиkαя - Closε Gяip (2008)

Although this is something a number of you are aware of, some of the most fascinating music on the planet seems to be coming out of Russia and Eastern Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall back in prehistoric times, with a number of artists being able to break the language barrier and reach international audiences on the sheer talent their recorded material represents.

This, of course, includes the oft-maligned genre known as progressive rock. In the space of two meager records, Tнε Goυяisнαиkαя have not only demonstrated that they are at the absolute pinnacle of creativity when it comes to this sort of music, but are creating a brand of art-rock that defies all and any categorization known to criticdom.

Metal, jazz-fusion, 80's synth washes and an assortment of trip-hop stylings and techno clubbery are but a few of the wondrous elements at play here on 2008's Closε Gяip, and the conjunction of these diverse sounds and how they collide and interact with one another in a melodic context is magnificent to behold. The Geddy Lee-esque vocals of MJ Whiner and the overall production style are reminiscent of Rush circa Hold Your Fire, but that particular ensemble would never do anything as audacious as throw in free-jazz saxophone solos ('Insomnia') or Gregorian choral chant interludes coupled with ominous piano ambience ('Autumn Frost') and still retain memorable songwriting progression. That's pretty goddamn brilliant!

Bizarre, addictive, peerless in ambition and blindingly schizophrenic in ways that defy expectation, I cannot lay enough accolades upon these guys and their output, because none of it does the music justice. It stands on its own merits and resembles nothing else.

In closing, albums like this one are why I started blogging in the first place. Do yourselves a favor and pick it up.

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Noktuяиαl Moяtuм - Голос стαиi (2009)

Ukraine for me might as well be the other side of the goddamn moon for all the connection I have with the country, but what bands do tend to rear their heads out of that National Socialist haven (such as black-folk metal masqueraders Noktuяиαl Moяtuм) tend to have a knack for spinning you upside the ankle and knocking us feeble outside audiences on our collective asses.

This record is a sheer majesty in the art of pummeling your fucking mind to peanut brittle and then reviving whatever corpse remains into the likeness of a cream clad Seraphim. The keyboards sound in waves, and the onslaught of acoustics is a gorgeous, striking contrast ('The Sky Of Sorrowful Nights') to the madness and mercury of 'Valkiriya' and other +10 minute monstrosities.

A certain frame of mind is needed, but this may just be the best freakin' black metal album you'll ever sit through.

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Bяothεя Apε - Shαngяi-Lα (2006)

Swedish power-progressive-pop-trio (big mouthful there) Bяothεя Apε are one of the more interesting bands to come out of Sweden in the last several decades, if for nothing else than that they don't quite sound like any other group in the vast multitude of scenes and pantheons that constitutes the independent musicale uncommercial worldwide. Echoes of Yes, Rush and Kaipa are all over the arrangements, guitar work and songwriting, but the execution here on 2006's Shαngяi-Lα comes across as a oft-ignored individual in a world full of people trying to sound and act like one another.

Jazzy, knotty and at times strikingly magnificent, this band could rule the world if the world would simply give a damn in turn.

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Subsigиαl - Toucнsτonεs (2011)

It's been quite some time since German prog. metalers Subsigиαl emerged from the broken remnants of the legendary Sieges Even and stormed onto the Top 10 lists of music moguls everywhere with 2009's nefarious yet excellent Beautiful & Monstrous (which I actually posted up HERE back in April). Question is, could they outdo that masterpiece in a mere two years?

I respond to that inquiry, ladies and gents, with a plane-shattered, world resounding YES!!!!!

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Kαмεloτ - Gнoѕτ Opεяα (2007)

One of the best prog. metal/power metal hybrid records to come out in recent years, which is a real surprise considering several notable commercial leanings present within. The culprit for why this works? The fact that Roy Khan and his uncanny talent to bring out ridiculous vocal power at the drop of a hat carries the singles and filler alike with ease, and the rest of the band ain't no slouch either.

I'll let the following preview speak for itself, but I really can't recommend this band (and, in the context of this post, Gнoѕτ Opεяα) enough. This band got big for a damn good reason.

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Faτεs Waяиiиg - Iиsidε Ouτ (1994)

An idiom like "progressive" metal has always seemed rather silly to me, if for nothing else than I've run across more innovative metal albums without that sort of label than those bearing it. Excessive technicality doesn't always lend itself to solid songwriting nor give you a backstage pass to compelling atmosphere, so why bother puffing out your chest as if it were some kind of war medal?

That being said, "progressive" metal wouldn't exist without this particular ensemble, for better or for worse. Unlike the stream of inevitable imitators that followed in the 90's though, they've never cut a metal record since 1983 that has been anything less than listenable. In particular, I consider this 1994 release the hallmark recording of their second decade and an exciting taste of what Ray Adler and co. could do in a more melodic, less-thrashy context. Every track is a smorgasborg of blistering guitar, punctuated drumming and killer leads on both the vocal and bass fronts, and a few cuts have even become melodic metal classics as time's gone on ('Island In The Stream', 'Monument').

Immersive and surprisingly unpretentious, Iиsidε Ouτ is a gem best not forgotten in the winding annals of metaldom.

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Dεαth SS - ...Iи Dεαth Of Stεvε Sylvεstεr (1988)

More classic thrash/doom metal courtesy of Satan and his demonic cohorts. Features a mindbogglingly great cover of Black Widow's classic dark prog. suite 'In Ancient Days'.

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Ciяith Uиgol - Onε Foot Iи Hεll (1986)

Iron Maiden meets L.A. glam with some good old fashioned sword n' sorcery pulp to fill in the gaps. The fact you can actually hear those monstrous baselines roar through your speakers (unlike a lot of heavy metal from yonder) make this late 80's masterpiece an even sweeter deal than you'd believe possible. Don't waste my kindness here!

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X Japαn - Jεαlousy (1991)

Speed metal mixed with pompous classical arrangements, loaded with ballads, blistering guitar work and a strange mix of pop yet punk sensibility? Sounds like another great day in the world of early Visual Kei to me!

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