Album Reviews

[binnie]

Bronx – IV (2013)

The Bronx must be one of the best bands in the world in any genre. Put simply, over the course of 4 albums they have yet to show any chink in their musical armour, delivering pure, unadulturated and righteously life-affirming punk rock that manages to be simultaneously relentlessly enjoyable and challenging. ‘IV’ is a little more upbeat than the band’s first three records, adding a dash more pure rock ‘n’ roll into punk rock fury which tempers the aggression with groove and ‘fuck you’ cool. As ever, the songs are as punchy as they are impactful: ‘The Unholy Land’ provides an incendiary blast to mundane existence – ‘Are you the anti-Christ or the Holy Ghost?/ Do you wanna die or get real close?’; ‘Style Over Everything’ serves up hook after hook without ever tempering the fury; whilst ‘Torches’ is the way The Gaslight Anthem would sound if they had something to say. What makes the Bronx so special is that they are not a hipster band. They’re cool, certainly. But they’re not affected. It is a sign of considerable songwriting skills when you can build such distinctive songs from very simple ingredients, and that the Bronx also make an uncomplicated rock vocabulary so impactful is, put simply, genius.

The band’s songs have always possessed a cinematic quality: they’re certainly aggressive and abrasive, but they’re more sweeping than that. Hence the storytelling of ‘Youth Wasted’ and ‘Public Light’, bittersweet globules of hard-strewn wisdom light-years beyond anything which the 20 year old kids with $100 haircuts into the scensters bands are capable of producing. Still managing to be incredibly intense without ever coming close to being overwhelming, the Bronx continue to stagger in their ability to drop anthems with the ease that a hooker drops her pants. We’re only a third of the way in, but it will be a very special band indeed that knocks this off the ‘Album of the Year’ spot in 2013.

[binnie]

An awesome tune with a favorite singer of mine. Poor Ray sounded like he did this while he wasn't doing so well. Would've been great to hear a disc of George and Ray together.

Ray Gillen is easily one of my favourite singers. I'd go as far as to say he's as good as anyone who has ever sung hard rock (although he never got a chance to sing the material that the greats had). 'Seasons' on the first Badlands records is a ridiculously good vocal (check out my review of that record on page 1 [I think] of this thread).

[binnie]

Voivod – Target Earth (2013)

Voivod were making progressive metal 25 years before it was fashionable. Existing on the avant guarde end of the thrash spectrum – where extreme metal, punk, Killing Joke and industrial are forged into one unwholly powerful amalgam – these Canadians have been one of heavy music’s most reliably brilliant bands almost as long as this reviewer has been alive. Longevity in itself is no cause for a prize – but when its coupled with consistent quality, it should breed admiration. On ‘Target Earth’ – the band’s first record without founding guitar player Piggy (R.I.P) – that consistency continues.

Serving up their unique brand of compulsive angularity once again – the songs are jolted together from multiple parts in a way equalled perhaps only by Faith No More – Voivod do show some changes from recent years this time out. Where their last 2 records moved away from the progressive thrash that they’d become famous for in the ‘80s and ‘90s in favour of more ‘simple’ – or at least direct – songs, ‘Target Earth’ balances both aspects of the band’s past. The epic twists and turns of ‘Mechanical Animals’ should satiate those who thought that their heyday was behind them. The title-track is an unorthodox anthem, a brew of epic creepy jack metal as unnerving as it is heavy, smashing Prong crunch into Killing Joke-esque dystopian grandeur. In contrast, the direct power of ‘Kluskap O’Kom’s punkish fury channels something primal and perennial which perfectly matches the subject of its lyrics – alongside the eerie paranoia of ‘Kaleidos’, it is the album’s classic in the making. As always, what makes this album special is that Voivod have always known that being aggressive is not enough to make metal utterly compelling. There is something ethereal and eerie in the band’s sound – ‘Warchaic’ rumbles along on a cacophony of rhythms you’d expect from a post-punk band in the early ‘80s, a hypnotic din which circles and circles to a biting conclusion.

At it’s best, ‘Target Earth’ is stunning. Not everything here is a winner – ‘Corps Et Ranger’ runs out of ideas and ‘Artefact’ is overlong – but you can forgive the band that in the face of power on display here. How do you replace a guitar player as distinctive as Piggy? You don’t. New guy David Mongrain stands respectfully beside his mentor’s shoes, delivering free-flowing riffage which has an eye on the band’s past whilst adding a looser, jammed feel to proceedings. The future is bright for Voivod, and somewhere Piggy is smiling.

[TFM_Dale]

Hey Binnie, have you listened to Dead Sara (self titled debut) yet? Bought the album last week, I think it is pretty kick ass and you might enjoy it. If you already reviewed it and I missed it I apologize. They also have a older EP with two of the current members on it, haven't been able to get my hands on that yet.

[binnie]

Hey Binnie, have you listened to Dead Sara (self titled debut) yet? Bought the album last week, I think it is pretty kick ass and you might enjoy it. If you already reviewed it and I missed it I apologize. They also have a older EP with two of the current members on it, haven't been able to get my hands on that yet.

Nope, but cheers for the heads up - I'll look out for it!

[binnie]

Death Angel – Relentless Retribution (2010)

In many respects, Death Angel were always more interesting than their thrash peers. Not only because they were so young when they first started making records, but because they genuinely seemed willing to expand and explore the parameters of the genre and not feel the need to become engaged in the puerile ‘we’re faster/heavier/more bonehead than all the other bands’ machismo which ultimately saw the genre fall on its ass in the early ‘90s. Indeed, by album number 2 – ‘Act III’ – they were already showing that they could be progressive, and prepared to explore slower and more melodic aspects of their sound. ‘Relentless Retribution’ is the third of their 00 ‘reunion’ records, and easily the best of them. Whilst the first two – ‘The Art of Dying’ (2004) and ‘Killing Season’ (2008) - contained plenty of highlights, they also saw the band’s love of experimentation overcome them and leave them with one foot in thrash and another in search of a ‘relevant’ sound. On ‘Relentless Retribution’ they’ve manage to produce a record true to their thrashtastic roots which nevertheless is far from an exercise in pointless nostalgia. It is, simply, a damn fine heavy metal record and one which has floated under the radar in the three years since its release.

Put simply, there is some stunning stuff on display here. The title-track is a slow-burning, mid-paced crunching bruiser of an anthem; ‘Truce’ has a rhythmic snap like a bat to the ribcage, a more muscular Maiden set on ‘kill’ mode; and the uber-thrash of ‘This Hate’ is as good as anything they’ve ever done. Ripping solos and a chiselled granite guitar tone from Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar ensure a precision power and surging energy, whilst Will Carroll’s drumming is authoritative, but never overpowering the music with needless complexity: both ensure that rippers like ‘Claws In So Deep’ and ‘Where They Lay’ easily wipe the floor with any of thrash’s younger pretenders. Mark Osegueda’s vocals, however, continue to be the band’s secret weapon. Recognizing that singing – as opposed to growling – can add depth and aggression to this branch of weapon, Osegueda teases out the band’s traditional love of melody and complements an approach which was always more thoughtful than their peers. Epic Spanish guitar interludes, progressive elements and a certain poise amidst the aggression ensure that on material like the incredible ‘Death Of The Meek’ thrash does not have to puerile, and ‘mature’ does not have to be a synonym for ‘boring’.

There are certainly negatives. A ‘less is more’ policy might have benefitted the whole – the likes of ‘River of Rapture’ and ‘Absence of Light’ are unnecessary additions. But ‘Relentless Retribution’ would be a worthy addition to any metalhead’s collection. On balance, you would have to say that for all the merits of recent records by Death Angel, Exodus and Forbidden (amongst others) the rejuventation of the German ‘Big Three’ of thrash – Sodom, Destruction and Kreator – has been far more convincing and made metal of a far higher calibre than the US bands. ‘Relentless Retribution’ does little to change that trend – but it’s a damn fine thrash record on its own merits, and one perhaps with the musical intelligence to appeal to those for whom the more extreme aspects of metal are unusual rather than frequent territory.

BANG THY HEAD MOTHERTRUCKERS!

[binnie]

From the vaults: In Flames – Come Clarity (2006)

Alongside fellow Swedes Dark Tranquility, In Flames pioneered a sound which changed the way which metal sounded in the post ‘Nu’ era – a sound which, it must be added, has been shamelessly ripped off by far more commercially successful American metalcore bands. Taking the pummelling rhythms and riffage of extreme metal and harnessing them to lighter textures, gothic melodies and hooks you could hang Ophra Winfrey from, In Flames and their peers showed that heavy music could have life in the ‘90s and ‘00s and over a series of superb records delivered a type of thrash that was at once familiar and refreshing. They then changed things up a bit. Beginning with ‘Soundtrack To Your Escape’ (2004) and continuing with ‘Come Clarity’ the band’s sound became rooted in simpler, more traditionally structured songs, cleaner vocals and industrial elements. Songs which you could imagine being played on rock radio, and which were ‘girl friendly’ and, perhaps, palatable to a broader audience. Whether that change came from artistic experimentation or a cynical desire to sell more records is a moot point if the resulting product is good music. In the case of In Flames, the jury has long been out – and the metal community will probably never comes to consensus.
It must be admitted from the off that ‘Come Clarity’ is a far superior record to its predecessor – more focussed and confident, you get the feel of a band a little happier in its new, more shiny, skin. And you would also have to admit that there are some very good songs here, too. ‘Take This Life’ is the perfect amalgam of extreme metal with pop elements, and is propelled by a huge, Korn-esque chorus. ‘Dead End’ is at once abrasive and emotive. And the punchy anthem ‘Scream’ is 3 minutes of pure fun, whether it was calculated for airplay or not. Even the newer sounds like the acoustic balladry of the title-track has plenty of merit – recalling HIM or The Sister Of Mercy in its melodies, this tenderness done with power. In moments like this, In Flames demonstrate that they have the songwriting chops to leap into the big league that they so clearly crave. The problem, is that they’re just not quite convincing. Songs like ‘Versus Terminus’ and ‘Our Infinite Struggle’ hint at the heavier In Flames of old, but although they rip out of the speakers, they’re by-the-numbers and forgettable. Moreover, sat alongside the band’s newer sound they make the whole feel unbalanced.

‘Come Clarity’, then, saw In Flames change from metal messiahs to an ‘entry level’ band. The sort of band that the uninitiated kid might use as a gateway into the nutty world of modern heavy metal. In that, the band will always ensure that they have a warm place in the genre’s heart. And whilst they’re still producing world class tunes – even amidst a sea of mediocrity – they’ll be worth checking out. But trying to branch the old and the new, In Flames ultimately satisfied neither on ‘Come Clarity’. Their harshest critics would suggest that it’s been the same ever since.

[binnie]

Union – The World Is Yours (2013)

Anyone disappointed that The Union are not Thunder #2 have surely gotten over it by now. Luke Morely’s decision to opt for a bluesier, less sex ‘n’ drugs brand of rock has – despite some early naysayers – reaped glowing rewards and on this – album number 3 – the band shows little sign of peaking. More varied than the band’s first two records, here the sonic brew of blues, Americana, gospel and country is blended together more neatly, and the band’s capacity to switch from electric to acoustic is at its most convincing – thus the swampy blues of the title track, the out-and-out hard rock of ‘The Perfect Crime’ and ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ (which sounds like Robert Plant’s solo material) and the acoustic balladry of ‘Lost To The World’ do seem out of place when placed side by side. The Union’s not-so-secret weapon is, of course, vocalist Pete Shoulder, whose voice would have earnt him worldwide superstardom if he’d been born 4 decades earlier – gravely, husky and soulful, when the band lays back to allow him to shine on the likes of ‘Fading Out Of Love’ and ‘To Say Godddbye’ it pays dividends. Perhaps a song or two overlong, and certainly a little plodding in its adherence to being mid-paced, this is nevertheless a rewarding album for those who like music played without histrionics.

One day, they may serve up a classic.

[binnie]

From the vaults: Doro – Doro (1990)

If ever proof were needed that the Sunset Strip sound needed to die then this – the second solo record from Doro Pesch – was surely it. Much respect must be given to Doro. Her services to heavy music over the past 30 years are immense, and she has one of the best voices in metal. But what ‘Doro’ shows is that when a sound becomes so dominant record labels will do anything to force artists to adopt it, even if it does not sit comfortably. Produced by Gene Simmons at a time when he was trying to expand into production/label management, ‘Doro’ saw the final disbanding of Warlock – the power metal band Doro had fronted over the course of 4 excellent albums in the ‘80s – and the launching of her solo career proper. Aided by Tommy Thayer (ex Black ‘N’ Blue and current Kiss axeman) and an array of hired help, the result is less of a ‘band’ than a product – a singer moulded into the big rock, slick-produced, reverb happy sound of the late ‘80s via a series of songs written to garner airplay in the US. Served up through sultry photos of Doro less as ‘metal queen’ and more as Lee Aaron, you get the feel of an album designed by committee (i.e. Simmons) to sell in a sort of ‘metal meets Debbie Gibson’ kinda way.

There are certainly enjoyable moments. By-the-number anthems like ‘Rock On’ and ‘Alive’ may plod a little, but they were meant to be played live; and ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ is fun in a sort of latter-day Alice Cooper epic kind of way, a stomping, schlock filled, shock rock soft/heavy orgasm of cheese that can’t help but raise a smile. But elsewhere it all feels a little thin on ideas and heavy of over-production. ‘Broken’ is mid-80s Ozzy (melodrama and no bite); ‘Only You’ is Journey without the finesse; and ‘I Had Too Much To Dream’ is the sound of two styles – pop balladry and metal – being forced together. At least the brooding opener ‘Unholy Love’ provides a genuine moment of class. And it is hard to deny that Doro herself takes these songs up more than a notch or two solely by the sheer quality of the smokey depths of her vocals.

The best was yet to come for Doro. Thank God that the Sunset sound died to allow artists the space to be themselves.

[binnie]

Ill – Gotten Gains (2012)

That the cover art of this record is an angry mongrel is apt, for ‘Ill’ are a furious amalgam of all kinds of rock music. Punk, funk, blues and ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll are blended together in a sonic brew which incessantly and instantaneously fun with plenty of added bite. And it is a glorious, glorious album that should be begged, stolen or borrowed (and never returned). ‘One Time’ is propelled by a sweet bass riff that you want to see pretty girls dance to, a stoner-tinged number swaying with a hulk of funk. ‘A’ is the coolest heavy rock this reviewer has heard since the epic grooves of The Workhorse Movement 15 year ago (check ‘em out!), like Little Richard being produced by a jive-talking Prince; whilst ‘There Are Worse Things Than Being Alone’ re-arranged the vocabulary of rock ‘n’ roll into a unique synthesis to provide an intelligently bitter take on heartache kicking your ass. You can hear aspects of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The Queens Of The Stone Age, but in truth no-one sounds quite like this – and few are quite as captivating. On the sparse and spartan ‘Christine’, the band real back to a creeping pace to deliver a Nick Cave-esque darkened blues melancholia. Played within an inch of the band’s life, guitars scream, synths wail, and drums thunder, but it never feels too much because the whole thing is locked into what is so often lacking in modern rock ‘n’ roll: groove. If this band’s gain really are ill gotten, who on earth could begrudge them it when they sound like this?

[binnie]

Hell – Human Remains (2011)

This debut album is a third of a century in the making. Yep, you read that correctly. A third of a century. Originally part of the NWOBHM movement Hell struggled to get a record deal in the early ‘80s, despite having some very prominent fans (namely Lars Ulrich). Original singer Dave Halliday’s suicide in 1987 seemed to have cemented the band’s failure to see the light of day and were it not for the help of metal uber-producer Andy Sneap (who plays guitar here) we would never have gotten to hear it at all. And that would have been a terrible shame because, as is rarely the case, ‘Human Remains’ is more than worth the wait. This is what those scratchy old NWOBHM records would have sounded like if they’d been made with a production budget – huge, glorious, and - like all good metal – a little bit silly. You get the melodrama of Maiden or Dio, but also the sheer histrionics of Mercyful Fate and sense of theatricality that old horror films possessed. None of this would matter, of course, if the songs weren’t any good, but what staggers most is the variety at work here: whilst ‘The Quest’ is a punchy anthem, ‘The Devil’s Deadly Weapon’ is a 10 minute epic. Both fit snuggly into an oeuvre held together by atmospherics and (faux) Satantic aesthetics. David Bower’s vocals will be an acquired taste – imagine Alan Rickman fronting a metal band – but for those who get it they will only add to a sense of escapism which is akin to a ‘50s horror B movie.

Perhaps ‘Saves Us From Those Who Would Save Us’ – about a paedophile priest – is too genuinely dark to be macabre, but overall ‘Human Remains’ is an epic heavy metal served up through crunching production and a lavish artwork package. All of this tells us that this is truly a labour of love, and in an age that loves narratives Hell’s story is one which is bound to provide added appeal to the music. But do not be fooled into thinking it’s all polish. After 30 years, these songs have been twisted and honed into perfection by musicians evidently at the top of their game. Played within an inch of their life, and served up on a bed of sheer joyous operatic pomp, Hell are a must for those who wish that metal still sounded like it did in 1982.

[ELVIS]

They look like it took a full century...

[binnie]

Apparently they put on a ***cough*** hell ***cough*** of a live show.

[binnie]

Royal Southern Brotherhood – Royal Southern Brotherhood (2012)

That RSB play da blooze should come as little surprise. Featuring quite a familial lineage in the form of Cyril Neville, Devin Allman and Mike Zito, this heady brew of southern music makes for quite a smooth ride. Blues with an added pinch of soul and easy on the rock, that the pulse comes from the rhythm section of Charlie Wooton and Yonnoco Scott ensures that this is not just another needless guitar work out. Indeed, when the guitars of Allman and Zito do take the stage, it is sass rather than sensation. No-one is breaking new ground here; but sometimes treading furrows worn smooth feels good. The likes of the trippy, Sanatana-esque dreamscapes of ‘Fired Up’, the storytelling heart-string tug of ‘Ways About You’ and the smooth blues of ‘Moonlight Over The Mississippi’ make for rewarding listen. You know the moves, and on the likes of the trite ‘Hurt My Heart’ and the flat ‘Gotta Keep Rockin’’ they come up short. But for those who can’t get enough blues to kick back to, RSB are well worth your time.

[binnie]

Sister Sin – Now & Forever (2012)

Put simply: this record will kick your ass! From the first note to the last, there’s not an ounce of fat on these songs, or any let-up in their delivery. Essentially sounding like a heavier version of ‘80s metal with an added dose of scuzzy punk fury and celebrating hedonism from the get-go. Sure, there’s nothing you’ve not heard before – Sister Sin drip in clichés and are coated in corny sauce. But, really, who cares when it’s this much fun? Opener ‘End of The Line’ is snotty, snarly punk fuelled rock ‘n’ roll with – what’s that? – is it, a bonafide chorus? Sweet Jesus, you don’t hear many of those in rock bands today, and ‘Now & Forever’ is packed full of ‘em. ‘Fight Song’ is boneheaded metal – no-one, least of all Sister Sin, is denying that. But who can’t identify with wanting to pop someone in the mouth? ‘God forgives…………I don’t’. Hell yeah! Add in the sticky hooks of ‘The Chosen Few’ and ‘In It For Life’ – delivered by the gravely larynx of Liv (think a female Blackie Lawless) – and you’ve got quite a record.

Cameron Webb’s crisp mix makes everything bigger and RAUCOUS, complementing performances which drip with conviction and passion to make a record which grabs you by the short and curlies and not letting go until you lose your shit. Dropping anthem after anthem like a crack-fuelled Ratt or Krokus, the songs on this record hit you quick like a series of back alley fucks: cheap and satisfying. This may be the 4th record from this Swedish band to sound pretty much exactly like this, but it is by far the best. They’re lightyears better than bands who get far more press coverage ***cough*** Airbourne ***cough***. It’s loud. It’s rude. It’s dirty. It’s mean. And it is unapologetically heavy metal.