October 28th, 2009 § § permalink
Are we nearly there yet?
L.A. Guns - Waking The Dead
It wasn’t until 2005 that my band at the time, Little Monkeys, opened for L.A. Guns in Camden, and by that time Tracii Guns had split away to form his own lineup also called L.A. Guns (at this time there are two bands with the same name presumably playing the same back catalogue…) but this album was the last one to feature both Tracii and singer Phil Lewis (as well as original drummer Steve Riley), and it shows that when these guys can stand to work together they can really pull out something great. Though by this time the glory and glamour of the stadium gigs of the 80s was long gone – signed to Spitfire in this country, a pretty budget label, as evidenced by the misspelled “Psycopathic Eyes” on the sleeve – they still managed to really get a massive sound here, probably owing largely to having the legendary Andy Johns as producer. I really hoped that this would signal a return to form for L.A. Guns, but since the divergence into two competing lineups, both have suffered. The 2005 followup Tales From The Strip was shite.
Standout tracks: Lost In The City Of Angels, OK Let’s Roll, Don’t Look At Me That Way
You’ll like this if you like: Mötley Crüe, Skid Row, Whitesnake
October 28th, 2009 § § permalink
Come on then, let’s have you…
Korpiklaani - Karkelo
WODKA! Yes, it’s another folk-metal album kids, and we’re off to Finland this time. Where many folk metal bands started out as metal and then dipped into the histories and legends of their countries to find sources of inspiration, Korpiklaani were originally a folk outfit that later added guitars. I absolutely fucking love these guys. The combination of heavy metal guitars, accordion and lyrics (mostly in Finnish) about drinking just never fails to raise a smile. I find I don’t need to understand what Jonne is singing about most of the time, and that’s a good thing, since only 2 of the 11 songs on this album are in English. Whatever the words actually, it all sounds like jolly good fun, and I love it.
Standout tracks: Vodka, Bring Us Pints Of Beer (If You Don’t Drink You Can Leave), Erämaan Ärjyt (Men of the Wild)
You’ll like this if you like: Týr, Turisas, Iron Maiden
October 28th, 2009 § § permalink
Yeah yeah, I know…
Backyard Babies - Making Enemies Is Good
In about 2003 or so I had a real hard rock renaissance. Having survived for about ten years on a diet of old Skid Row, GnR and Crüe albums, I suddenly discovered Buckcherry, Beautiful Creatures, and Backyard Babies – the trinity of B, if you will. This was the album that woke me up to the existence of Backyard Babies, and it’s a cracker. On the slightly punkier edge of hard rock, this bunch recently released their 6th studio album, but it was this – their 3rd – that broke them out of the ranks of demo bands, with two hits (“The Clash” and “Brand New Hate”) co-written by Ginger of the Wildhearts and some slick but not too glossy production. Rock on.
Standout tracks: Brand New Hate, Colours, Payback
You’ll like this if you like: Mötley Crüe, Buckcherry, Guns N Roses
October 23rd, 2009 § § permalink
Should be caught up today… just in time to fall behind again at the weekend!
Megadeth - Youthanasia
Many will point at 1990′s Rust In Peace as the highpoint of Mustaine & Co’s discography, many more will nod to 1992′s sublime Countdown To Extinction, and in that they may be right. This was the album after that one though, and it continued with the slightly more commercial production style of Countdown. Mustaine’s trademark snarl-and-grimace vocals are as good as ever on this record and Friedman’s angular off-the-wall soloing is perfectly placed throughout. For me some of the songs on this album are better crafted than many of the tracks on Countdown, though there is the occasional filler. “A Tout Le Monde” is one of the best slow metal/ballady songs you’ll ever run through your lugs, and I reckon it makes up for the shite closing track “Killing Road”. Nice.
Standout tracks: Train Of Conseqeuences, A Tout Le Monde, Reckoning Day
You’ll like this if you like: Metallica, Anthrax, Iron Maiden
October 22nd, 2009 § § permalink
Al…most…caught…up…(gasp)
DragonForce - Inhuman Rampage
Like quite a few people, my first exposure to the music of DragonForce occurred when I completed Guitar Hero III, and the credit rolled, allowing me to play “Through The Fire And Flames”, which is the opening track to Inhuman Rampage. For the first minute or two, in between the frantic button mashing, I was inwardly wincing at what I was hearing, but that soon changed to intrigue then interest, and by the time I’d got to the end I was looking them up on Last.fm to hear more. One thing I will say about DF – they’re an acquired taste. We’re talking about speed metal, with cliched metal vocals, the most wildly over-the-top guitar solos possible, and general musical wanking off in every quarter. But it all somehow manages at the same time as being completely po-faced, to somehow convery a sense of fun. Perhaps it’s the ever-present Nintendo-style guitar themes that Herman Li injects into most of the tracks that save this from just being yet another soldiers-of-metal band, marching off into the distance, drowning in a torrent of notes. I’m not sure. But I know I do like me some DragonForce, and for me this is the best album they’ve made yet.
Standout tracks: Through The Fire And Flames, Operation Ground And Pound, Body Breakdown.
You’ll like this if you like: Um…. not sure really. Speed/power metal with awesome guitar work!
October 21st, 2009 § § permalink
Nearly caught up! Might get there tomorrow!
Josh Todd - You Made Me
I’ve been a big Buckcherry fan since the moment I first heard them in about 2003 or so, and Josh Todd’s voice and charisma are a big part of what makes Buckcherry work, so when they disbanded it was natural for him to branch out with a solo album. Surprisingly though, this sounds very little like Buckcherry, and I think it works as a great rock album in its own right. The guitar sounds are much edgier, the production is much rougher and the songs are much heavier than any of BC’s albums, and the overall sound has more to do with the “Nu” metal sound that was so popular at the time, but with Todd’s trademark yell over the top binding it all together. It’s more baggy jeans and chains than leather trousers and belts, if you get me. I gathered at the time that BC fans hated this album, most likely because they wanted to hear more Buckcherry, and wouldn’t accept anything else. Shame, as it’s a fucking corker.
Standout tracks: Flowers & Cages, Mind Infection, Straight Jacket.
You’ll like this if you like: Buckcherry, Velvet Revolver, Powerman 5000.
October 21st, 2009 § § permalink
Still catching up…
Devin Townsend - Infinity
Few people can combine heavy with melodic in quite the way Devin Townsend can. I first became aware of him, as did many of friends, when he landed the lead singer role on Steve Vai’s 1993 album Sex & Religion. He was only 21 at the time, and frankly initially seemed a but out of place in the superband Vai had assembled – I say initially, because that impression vanished the moment he opened his mouth and the unholy sound came out. It was obvious from that point that he was a special talent vocally, but it wasn’t until I saw Vai on tour that year that I discovered what a prodigious guitarist he is as well. Fast forward a few years, and a friend played me this album, and I was floored. Devin is not only a massive talent on the guitar and vocally, but his production chops are nowadays pretty legendary too. In some ways it’s a shame that Phil Spector took the term “wall of sound” back in the 60s, because it leaves no sufficient phrase to describe what comes storming at you out of the speakers when you listen to some of Devin’s albums. Panzer Division of Sound, perhaps? It does feel a little like being invaded, overrun and conquered by force. This album – written just after Townsend had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, something that comes across in the sometimes contrasting styles of his music – in particular does it for me, but his entire catalogue is marvellous.
Standout tracks: Christeen, Bad Devil, Dynamics
You’ll like this if you like: Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Steve Vai.
October 20th, 2009 § § permalink
Still playing catchup here – hope to be up to speed by the end of the week. 
Crashdïet - Rest In Sleaze
This was another one of those albums that rekindled my faith in hard rock music as a whole. About a year ago I discovered a slew of bands I’d previously been unaware of – Voodoo Six, Gemini Five, Black Stone Cherry, Stone Gods, and Crashdïet among them – and of this was definitely one of the best albums to come out of that discovery phase. Released in 2005, Crashdïet came barrelling out of the crowded Stockholm glam scene and managed to shoulder themselves some space and get ahead of the pack by simply being awesome. Listening to this album feels like listening to the first Skid Row album, but crucially it feels like listening to that album felt in 1989 – fresh, raw, snarling and full of swagger. The songs are all intelligently put together along the glam mould, with interesting key changes and melodic guitar breaks keeping the arrangements interesting, and singer Dave Lepard’s screech nailing everything together beautifully. Sadly, in 2006 Dave lost a secret battle with depression and killed himself, so this is the only chance you’ll ever get to hear him wail. I advise you do, if you like your rock with whiskey and hairspray, as this is a truly great record.
Standout tracks: Breakin The Chainz, Riot In Everyone, It’s A Miracle
You’ll like this if you like: Mötley Crüe, Skid Row, Buckcherry