Black Fate - Between Visions & Lies (2014)

I like a challenging, or even frustrating listen once in a while.  I like for a release to give me something other than what I was expecting, even if it's not what I wanted.  We need to be challenged in life from time to time, or we don't grow and learn from our own insular, and often myopic perspectives.  To be able to glean something new from something you thought you already knew is a sign of maturity.  I can safely say that Black Fate's "Between Visions & Lies" was not what I was expecting, or even hoping for.

Truth be told, I was only mildly excited for this release.  Ulterium Records hasn't really let me down yet, though a couple releases haven't quite met expectations (I'm looking at you, Ivory Moon and End of September).  For that reason, even with a band like Black Fate, who I had not heard of, prior to seeing "coming soon" posts on the Ulterium Records Facebook page, I had to be at least a little excited, if not just intrigued.  After all, this is the label that brought us Harmony's "Chapter II: The Aftermath" (one of my favorite power metal albums EVER), Theocracy, and a slew of other great bands and releases over the last several years.  That said, Black Fate challenged me more than I wanted, but it's my own fault: sometimes I get in my own way a bit too much.  Having only heard the teaser stuff, I was expecting a middle-of-the-road metal album with hard rock influence, some power metal influence, and perhaps a hint of prog metal for good measure.  What I got was nothing like that.

Because I've not heard any Black Fate material prior to this, their 4th album, I have no reference as to the sound or quality of their earlier albums.  If they're anything like this, however, I'd describe them as vaguely Savatage-inspired prog/power metal with a penchant for vocal harmonies.  The first few spins of the album were uneventful, because I thought maybe it was going to be faster, perhaps a touch heavier, and was expecting the vocals to be a bit more "soaring" than what Vasilis brings to the table.  Truth be told, I had already made my mind up as to what the album was likely going to sound like, so when it didn't grab me right away, I kind of dismissed it as perhaps less than what it was.  I count that as a mistake, however, because after about 10 or 12 listens, something started to click with me, and I started to hear this album for what it actually was: a solid, semi-progressive metal album with some power metal stylings injected in, and a fair bit of personality under the hood.

Musically speaking, this is solid stuff.  Guitars, provided by Gus Drax (briefly a part of metal legends Paradox) are driving and interesting.  He provides a riff-oriented style that is melodic enough without losing its edge, but not so intent on "chugging" that variety is sacrificed.  "Lines In the Sand" is a good example where it's not all bar chords and chugging.  It's a combination of that and alternate chording, providing a nice balance between an aggressive, heavy feel, and a melodic base that keeps the songs listenable beneath the surface.  There are a few nice touches here and there, like a couple pinch harmonics, some good solo work that isn't too flashy and retains tunefulness.  Bass guitar is provided by Vasilis Liakos.  His work isn't overly audible in the mix, but it's present and serves more as a driving force underneath the guitar to help propel the sound.  What I'm hearing sounds good, though it's nothing groundbreaking.  Still, it sounds good alongside the guitar work.  Drumming by Nikos Tsintzilonis is quite good, with a good sense of when to speed up and go nuts, and when to slow down and let the song breathe.  Very seldom does Nikos go full-bore with double-bass and fast rhythms, however, because the material's more medium-pace doesn't call for that much.  Instead, he keeps time, injects the occasional fill, and creates interest in subtle ways.  He does a fine job matching the material's feel and level of aggression well.

Vocalist Vasilis Georgiou is not what I was expecting.  Generally, with Ulterium bands fronted by a man, you get a fairly powerful male voice with highs, occasional lows, and a fair sense of drama.  Not that I was expecting a clone of any of the label's other vocalists, but for some reason, Vasilis' voice just struck me funny after listening to the record the first time.  It took me a bit to warm up to his voice for some strange reason.  He's a talented singer with a sense of dynamics, he makes good use of vibrato here and there, has a good tone, and uses inflection in places where it fits.  I'm not sure what my hang-up was initially, but I like what he's bringing to the table here, even if he doesn't have the presence of some of his label-mates.

My biggest issue with the album is that, while the songs are all well-constructed, and reasonably memorable, they still took a long time to take hold for me.  Yes, part of this may be my issue, but still, I'm looking for something a touch more immediate in a band of this type.  I'd prefer the band pull a bit of a "bait and switch" and give me a meaty, anthemic opening song to get my attention, and then weave the more complex songs in as the album goes along to help solidify what's going on.  It all sounds good while it's playing, but other than the chorus of "Call of the Wild", or bits of "Lines in the Sand", I'm not humming these songs after listening to them.  When I play the album 3 or 4 times in a row, I expect to have some of the material stuck in my head several hours afterward.  I'm not getting that here, and it speaks somewhat to the material itself.  It's not vanilla, by any means, but it's not something that has stuck with me at all.

Mileage on a release like this is going to vary.  If you're a big fan of the semi-progressive latter Savatage material, you'll probably get a big kick out of this record.  At the very least, you'll appreciate the musicianship at work, like I did.  If you prefer your progressive metal a bit more grand, you'll find this lacking.  Either way, I would encourage the members of Black Fate to tighten up their songwriting so that the next album has a stronger batch of material with more of an immediacy to it.  That will help the songs grab hold much faster, and get ingrained in the listener's consciousness that much more effectively.  As it stands, they've crafted a solid, highly listenable, and enjoyable release that just misses the mark in the songwriting department.  I'll tentatively recommend this to prog metal diehards who have to have everything in the genre, or Ulterium Records devotees like myself who have enjoyed everything the label has done thus far.

75/100

Persuader - The Fiction Maze (2013)

There are times when a band is labeled as a copycat, for better or worse.  Sometimes they deserve such labeling, and sometimes they make enough of their own mark that such branding is unfair.  Either way, being called a clone can often bring attention to a band they may not have garnered otherwise.  If the band is truly a knock-off, this extra attention is usually short-lived, unless they continue to push the envelope of carbon copying.  If not, and the band has made its own mark, then typically those accusations melt away and the group can win its own acclaim.

Such is the case with Persuader, who at times have been labeled as a bit of a Blind Guardian clone.  Truth be told, Persuader was probably not seen as much of a BG clone as vocalist Jens Carlsson's other (former) project Savage Circus, given that band's debut including former BG drummer Thomen Stauch, and Jens' vocals sounding a lot like BG crooner Hansi Kürsch.  In fact, at times, Jens sounds like Hansi so much that it's uncanny.  Nevertheless, Persuader has paved its own path upon the power metal landscape, and are deserving of their own accolades due to the strength of their material.  Their latest album, "The Fiction Maze" shows just why that's the case.

While the band's debut "The Hunter" was a tad raw and rough around the edges, it showed a hungry band with energy that was trying to make their mark.  "Evolution Purgatory" cleaned up the production and tightened the sound, and "When Eden Burns" pumped up the power and intensity a bit while honing the songwriting skills.  In the 8-year interim, these guys haven't lost one ounce of ability, power, or panache.  The band's 4th album, "The Fiction Maze", takes the elements of the previous album and tempers the sound ever so slightly while increasing the melodicism and making a fairly memorable set of songs.  As far as I'm concerned, this is their best album yet.

The album starts out very strong with a triumvirate of songs that play to the strengths they display throughout the album: memorable melodies, hard-hitting lyrics that take the usual fantasy fair of the power metal style into a darker, grittier place, and an absolutely tight presentation.  In the weeks leading up to writing this review, I've had "One Lifetime" running through my head off and on at random.  The chorus' indelible melody will etch itself into your subconscious if you let it.  "War" keeps things rolling with another solid and melodious tune, and "The Fiction Maze" really ups the ante with the band's trademark combo of growled vocals mixed with Jens' gritty tone and excellent range, as well as a relatively epic sound.  "Deep in the Dark" also weighs in with a successful formula for the more "power ballad" approach that doesn't sink into endless cheese.  The rest of the material follows suit, creating a dynamic and full album experience that doesn't quite reach the heights of Blind Guardian's most lauded material, but still earns a place among the best albums of the last 3 or 4 years, and certainly the best of their career thus far.

As with the previous release, the guitar sound Daniel Sundbom and Emil Norberg bring to the mix is thick, hard-hitting, and crunchy.  There are times when the sound is a bit less heavy than you'd expect, but for most of the record, they bring the heavy and then some.  The guys have a knack for writing riffs that combine catchiness and rhythmic energy in a way that doesn't take away from the power of the sound.  As well the solo work, when present, is skillfully played and melodically inclined, and never sounds like they're just wantonly throwing notes out there.  That doesn't mean they don't have flair or style; far from it.  Bass work by Fredrik Hedström is also skilled, with him keeping pace with Daniel and Emil and sometimes adding that extra layer of emphasis underneath things.  His bass occasionally gets lost in the heavier moments, but his low end is a welcome addition here.  Efraim Juntunen is a talented drummer, able to transition seamlessly between drumming in a groove and belting out lightning fast double-bass and faster rhythms and fills.  His drumming fits the material very well, and never feels like he is trying to steal the spotlight or overdo it.  I'm not sure who provides 

As mentioned before, Jens Carlsson bears more than a passing resemblance to Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian.  This is both a good and bad thing for the band, as it immediately gives listeners a reference point, but may be distracting for some.  Personally, I don't think it's a problem, as Jens uses a grittier approach than what Hansi has used in years, and the band's overall sound is heavier and more aggressive than what BG has done of late.  In addition, not everything these guys do is of the level of "epic" that Hasni and his cohorts put out, so to some fans who tire of Blind Guardian's overly bombastic approach, this album's mild refrain from that tendency may be a welcome approach.  Since there's no indication anywhere that he doesn't provide them, I can only assume Jens handles the growled vocals as well, which is both impressive and shows his vocal ability and stamina being able to move back and forth between the two styles.

Ultimately, if you're a fan of Persuader's material thus far, you'll enjoy this album as much as what came before, perhaps even more due to the increase in songwriting ability and quality of material here.  If you're not, this may not convert you, unless you felt like the band's ability to write songs was somewhat limited, in which case, I would recommend giving this album a listen.  For those who think all power metal falls into the "flower metal" category, this album is one that should change that impression somewhat, because nothing here sounds overly happy or cheerful, and the overall tone of the album is darker and more foreboding than much of the power metal out there.  It's certainly heavier than a lot of other bands of the style.  A few more tweaks to the songwriting and even catchier melodies in the songs and these guys could be considered to be on the top shelf of the style alongside the aforementioned Blind Guardian, Rhapsody et al, Sonata Arctica, Primal Fear, etc.  In the meantime, I'd highly recommend this fantastic slab of driving metal.

88/100

Deliverance - Hear What I Say! (2013)

Bands break up all the time.  Some burn out from touring, some have inter-personal conflicts and can't sustain friendships enough to maintain the band, some just get tired of doing "the band thing".  Some bands break up because the style of music they've been playing has fallen out of favor, and rather than dragging fans through a shift to something they might not be on board for, they change the name or break up and reform under a different moniker.  Other times, the motivation for carrying on just isn't there, and artistic integrity demands that a stopping point be chosen.  Whatever the case may be, we're all human, and we can't carry on making music forever.

When a band decides not to change the name as a stylistic change is afoot, sometimes fans feel slighted.  Anyone making music, unless it's absolutely devoid of artistic pursuit or merit, has to be satisfied, at some level, with the art they've created, or it becomes a hollow pursuit.  When the artist chooses to do what feels right from an artistic perspective rather than perpetuate the machine that may please fans more, there's usually a backlash.  Such is the case with Deliverance, forever in the shadow of the 1st 2 albums they recorded, their eponymous debut and "Weapons Of Our Warfare", a high watermark of tuneful thrash/speed metal and a fan favorite.  When band leader and chief songwriter Jimmy P. Brown II decided to begin moving away from that style and guitarist George Ochoa wasn't keen on doing so, the resulting 3rd album "What a Joke" demonstrated that artistic conflict doesn't always make great records like it did with The Beatles.  Once Jimmy was back at the helm 100% of the time with George's departure, he took the band in a number of different directions over the next few years, and created several excellent albums.  The entire "D" fan base wasn't on board with the move away from thrash, because let's be honest - most thrash fans are a kind of picky.

I'm of the mind that while the band's 1st 2 albums are awesome, they're not the be-all, end-all of the Deliverance musical canon.  I happen to quite like some of their non-thrash material as much as those 1st 2 records.  In particular, "River Disturbance" and "Camelot in Smithereens" are both top-shelf albums that any band should be proud of.  I never felt like a full-on return to a thrash metal sound was warranted, and I believe the band proved me right with 2007's "As Above, So Below".  Granted, it was as much a groove metal album as it was thrash, but it didn't sound as vital as it should have, had largely forgettable riffs, and just didn't grab me the way much of their discography had.  I had the same experience with the band's "Learn" album, though repeated listens has given me a much greater appreciation of that record.  I still don't have much to say about AASB, because it still doesn't do much for me.  Now that "Hear What I Say!" is out, and is reportedly the band's last album (again), does it fare any better?  I'll answer that with a resounding "YES!" this time around.

Where the previous album was hampered by largely forgettable songs, this album is far tighter and more interesting, in part because Jimmy and company aren't attempting a halfhearted recapture of the "glory days" of thrash .  Instead, they wisely choose to provide a sort of stylistic retrospective of the Deliverance catalog via a new set of songs.  This works pretty well since the tracks are interesting, the production is much improved, and the whole thing just feels like a concerted effort to make a good album.  The album is a bit slight in terms of content, since you have an intro track that segues into 1 of only 7 new original songs, followed by a cover of Iron Maiden's "Where Eagles Dare", and "Entgiftung", which is a German-language version of "Detox".  Despite the somewhat slim pickings here, it still has enough meat on the bones to satisfy.

The guitar sound is improved here over "As Above, So Below".  Not so much because it's heavier (it's not), but because it has a crisper feel to it.  The production helps that somewhat, but both Jimmy and Mike have a guitar sound that is just tighter and snappier than before.  I think it hearkens back to an earlier time for the band, and that's a good thing, because the production of AASB was just a bit heavy-handed, with its 90's groove metal sound and wall of sound bass.  I'm all for a heavier sound, but when it doesn't enhance the songs or make them sound better, it falls into the "more is just more" category.  I'm happy to report that both Jimmy and Mike sound great here, with a meaty tone that doesn't sacrifice clarity or definition.  In addition, the guitar solos here have a nice wail and bite to them, where they appear.  Acoustic & clean guitars sound great, too, in the songs they're utilized, with that hint of reverb that helps them ring out a bit.  Bass is provided again by long-time Deliverance bass guitarist Manny Morales, who has played on more "D" studio albums than any previous bassist.  It's only fitting that he would play on the final album.  His bass guitar is loud and clear this time around, and is nicely placed in the mix where it provides both an audible companion to the guitar and drums, but also provides necessary weight to the sound.  Drumming on this final album is provided by none other than renowned skins man Jayson Sherlock, who many will know from his time in Mortification, Paramaecium (and later InExordium), as well as his prog metal band Altera Enigma and one-off black metal band Horde.  While it would have been cool to have Jeff Mason behind the kit again to echo the Deliverance power trio days, Jayson's drumming here is powerful, dynamic, and spot on for what this album needed to really take it to the next level.

Vocally, Jimmy sounds as good as ever, and in my opinion, a bit more focused and on-point than he was on AASB.  Jimmy's David Bowie-esque wail has become a signature of his style since he really started singing, and he uses that to great effect here, but there is a bit of variety as well with some shouted vocals, a bit of grit now and again, and a nice rapid delivery vocal in "Angst" that has a bit of a "tunnel" effect on it.  Anyone who has been listening to Deliverance for years knows that Jimmy isn't the world's best singer, but he uses his voice as effectively as he is able to get the lyrics out there, and that's what you get here.  The slower passages and more mid-tempo bits have the best vocal work, as is par for the course with Deliverance material, and in some of those sections he sounds really well honed.  He does some nice dual-layer/multi-octave vocals like in "Hope Lies Beyond", and of course the chorus of "Detox" where there's the mid-range vocal for the melody, and a bass vocal underneath.

In terms of the songs, the new material here is stronger than that of AASB.  Firstly, the intro track ties into the album nicely, giving a hint of the main riff in "The Annals of Subterfuge".  There's no 11-minute aimless instrumental, no tracks that go on longer than they ought to, and really no filler to speak of.  This is a lean album, clocking in at just over 41 minutes.  "The Annals of Subterfuge" destroys any of the thrashier or speedier tracks on AASB, and "Angst" pretty well trounces the previous album's material as well.  Beyond those 1st 2 major songs, you get a lot of variety in a short time.  "Hope Lies Beyond" is a lot of atmosphere with a little riff, and "Detox" is a major groove-fest with a heavy riff and catchy chorus.  "Nude" is a mid-tempo song that echoes the band's more progressive outings with its vocal layering, interesting riff, and different melodic structure.  "Pass" returns to a bit more of the groove metal sound, but with a melodic riff and more interesting presentation than most groove metal can hope to boast.  Rounding out the new songs is "A Perfect Sky", which echoes the balladry on "Camelot in Smithereens" somewhat, with its somber yet buoyant melody, gentle acoustic guitar and spirited vocal from Jimmy.  The cover of "Where Eagles Dare" sounds good, with its chunky guitar, Jayson giving Nicko a run for his money, and Jimmy straining a bit to hit a handful of the notes.  He really does have a bit of that Bruce Dickinson vibe to his voice, and it's a wonder Deliverance hasn't done a Maiden cover before.  And of course the German-language version of "Detox", "Entgiftung" is fun to listen to, especially if you don't speak German, because it's interesting to hear the lyrics of the song delivered in a different language.

If you're going to go out with a bang that leaves fans mostly satisfied but still wanting more, this is the way to do it.  You're not giving them so much material to chew on that they'll be analyzing the album for years to come, but enough that they don't feel slighted that you ended on such an abrupt note.  This 40+ minutes of music is just about right because it gives that retrospective look at the career with quality songs, doesn't overstay its welcome, and encourages repeat listens through memorable melodies, excellent production, and great performances.  Though it's sad to see a band go when their music has been a steady companion for so long, it's nice to see it happen on the band's terms, and to go out on a high note like this.  I would recommend this to all fans of Deliverance, and especially those who like the bulk of the band's catalog.  Anyone else who is open minded where their metal is concerned would do well to look into the album as well.

87/100

Theocracy - Theocracy re-issue (2013)

Anyone who has read through a number of posts on this blog over the last few years knows I'm a big Theocracy fan.  Their last 2 albums, "As the World Bleeds" and "Mirror of Souls" are both excellent examples of progressive power metal, and I own both the CD and vinyl issues of both, as well as the 7" vinyl release for the "Wages of Sin" single.  Needless to say, I'm a fan.  That wasn't always the case, however, as I didn't discover them right away when Matt Smith debuted the project a decade ago.  And after I did listen to samples online and heard some of the material, I wasn't immediately taken with it like some were.  I bought the debut, listened to it and shelved it, having been somewhat unsatisfied with Matt's vocal performance and the lack of overly memorable material.  2008's "Mirror of Souls" was a completely different story, as it hit me hard when it came out, and was exactly what I wanted to hear.

Now that Matt and company have established themselves as one of the front runners of the power/prog scene in the US and abroad, Ulterium records has seen fit to re-issue the debut and give it a bit of a proper release.  On the original, the mix was a bit weak, and didn't give the material enough weight.  In addition, Matt used a drum machine for all the drum parts, which didn't really bother me, but compared with what followed, it sounded quite out of place.  This re-issue seeks to fix that by doing 3 things.  First, drummer Shawn Benson re-recorded the drum tracks so the album could have proper drums.  Second, the whole thing has been remixed so that the instruments sound better alongside and in conjunction with one another.  And third, the remaster has given the whole thing a more "full" and "big" sound compared to the original.

For those who were fans of the original, this is going to be a treat.  There are albums that are "remastered" and re-issued to cash in on fan fervor, but often those fall into the "make it louder" category where no real tidying takes place, only volume levels are adjusted.  Some remix/remaster projects legitimately improve the release on multiple levels, and I believe this is a good example of what a little TLC can do to really improve upon something without taking away from what the original was or was trying to accomplish.  When listening to the original and this re-issue back to back, I immediately noticed how much cleaner the mix was in this new version, and you notice a lot of background flourishes, like acoustic guitars, symphonic bits, and keyboard backgrounds that you may not have heard before unless you cranked it up full blast.  In addition, though Matt's vocals are still the original recordings, they sound a lot more like the Matt Smith that Theocracy fans have come to enjoy.

The guitars don't crunch as much as latter Theocracy material, but there's a lot going on here, as the album is a bit more layered because it was just Matt writing, recording, and performing everything on his own, so he could afford to go all out.  Bass guitar is present, but still not very noticeable in the mix, so aside from the low rumble you hear under the guitar and keyboards, you don't get much of that coming through outside of parts where there is no guitar (like during an early portion of "Twist of Fate").  There is a lot of keyboard work on the album, which is more prominent than the 2 albums that followed, and Matt makes good use of the instrument here.  There are a lot of keyboard layers going on, and he makes use of all kinds of effects like bells, a harpsichord sound, and various other symphonic instrument sounds to try and flesh out the sound of the record.  And of course Shawn's drumming on the album is far superior to the original drum machine parts, and makes the album sound so much more vital than it did in its original incarnation.

I'm going to be in the minority here and say that I don't think this is Matt's best work for a number of reasons.  Matt was still developing as a vocalist here, and there are spots where he doesn't show as much control over his vocals as he came to demonstrate on this album's follow-up.  The songs all sound great to me, and the melodies are nice, but I don't feel as though they're quite as catchy or memorable as those on either of the next 2 records.  I liken it to the "Wages of Sin" single - that is a good song, but I understand why it was left off "Mirror of Souls" because it's not as memorable as any of the songs on the album and may have come across as merely filler.  The guitars don't have the authority or presence they ought to, and that takes away slightly from the power the record should have based on the style and sound of the music.  Not to say they don't sound good, but when I crank this album up loud compared with the other 2, it just doesn't hit me as hard.  Even with the remix/remaster, which sounds a lot better than the original, I feel as though the mix is still the tiniest bit claustrophobic at times, in that there are bits that should have a bit more separation.  I know I'm nitpicking here, but Matt set the bar pretty high with "Mirror of Souls" and this re-release still hasn't met that, even though it's still exceedingly good.

Ultimately, fans of Theocracy like myself are going to want to have this in their collection, especially those who missed out on the original CD release and aren't willing to pay a premium on eBay for the original release.  I would say that's a smart move, because this just sounds so much better than the original version.  Folks just discovering Theocracy would do well to wait on this and give either of the band's other 2 albums a listen first, as I feel those records better represent what Theocracy has become as a full band effort.  There's no denying that 10 years on, however, this is still a powerful album that deserves much of the praise lauded upon it.  I just don't personally feel that it's the absolute apex of the style as some fans have tried to assert.  Your mileage may vary, but I still recommend this highly to anyone looking for a quality prog/power metal album.

85/100

ReinXeed - A New World (2013)

So here we are with a new ReinXeed album, the 6th release in so many years.  You'd think, with all band-leader Tommy Johansson is involved in, he'd eventually run out of ideas, but apparently that's not the case, at least not yet.  The last 2 ReinXeed albums have been very strong, thematically speaking, as well as both being musical high points for the band.  This new release returns to a bit more of a traditional approach, that being self-contained songs that aren't part of a larger concept or cohesive theme.  After all the grandeur of an album about the sinking of the Titanic, followed by an album celebrating the movie theater experience with references to comic book characters, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and the like, how will a more "hum drum" approach stack up?  Pretty well, all things considered.

Tommy and company have always had a knack for catchy melodies, and as was eluded to none so subtly via the "Swedish Hitz Goes Metal" CD, Tommy has received much inspiration from pop song craft masters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the 2 B's in pop superstars ABBA).  This does not come as a detriment to the band, however, as this kind of buoyant melodic approach is part of what gives ReinXeed a reasonably fresh sound in contrast to many of their neoclassical and power metal peers.  While many bands have a "too cool for school" vibe and try to be "dark" when they're really not, Tommy embraces the more major chord melodic bent, generally to great effect.  That's not to say their sound is one-dimensional.  As anyone who has listened to several ABBA albums in their entirety can attest, there's more to things than what the radio singles tell you.  Such is the case with ReinXeed, whose more "happy metal" approach is more layered and nuanced than may be evident at first blush.

As with the last several ReinXeed albums, the music here is brimming with energy, with mid-tempo and galloping numbers leading the charge.  The guitar sound is essentially the same as you've heard on the last 2-3 ReinXeed albums - it's not discernibly heavier, but has about the same amount of sufficient crunch as before.  The heaviness quotient is near perfect for an album of this type - plenty of distortion so there's no question this is metal, but clean and crisp enough so that it doesn't distract from the quality of the overall production.  Tommy, Mattias Johansson, and Calle Sundberg all provide an excellent guitar foundation for the music here.  Of note also is Tommy's keyboard work, which adds a nice touch here and there.  He's no Eddie Vedder on the ol' ivories (insert "Jump" joke here), but the occasional melodic bits and flourishes help give a little more dimension to the sound.  Bass is provided competently by Christopher Davidsson, and is audible in the mix.  He's not doing anything spectacular here, but he provides that good rhythmic propulsion along with drummer Alfred Fridhagen.  Alfred plays well here, providing the usual double bass and snappy snare drum sound that one expects from an album of this type.  In other words, you've heard this all before, but it's well executed and generally well written.

Vocally, I think Tommy is nearing that apex where he can't improve much more, but I do believe with each of the last 3 albums he continues to sound better and better.  I hear less improvement from "Welcome to the Theater" to "A New World" as I did between "Majestic" and "1912", but he's definitely achieved greater control of his instrument, and has branched out a bit here to be perhaps more expressive at times than on past albums.  As for the lyrics, since these don't follow a cohesive theme, we have the typical metal themes of fantasy and magic, as well as songs about being a rock star and a Guitar Hero (or not one, if you're playing the game of the same name, as the song decries).  It's all "business as usual" from a metal lyrics perspective, so for those who enjoyed the more focused direction of the previous 2 albums like I did, this will be a bit of a letdown, as there are more cliches present here than I'd like to see after such quality work.  Still, none of the lyrics are painfully cheesy, and they can be overlooked if you're so inclined.

By the time the album's 49 minutes and change are up, it seems like the album came and went quickly, which is always a plus.  Rather than dragging on for that time, "A New World" doesn't overstay its welcome.  My biggest gripes with the album are from the perspective of what the music is and does, versus what Tommy says about the style of ReinXeed.  He describes it as "symphonic, OST inspired melodic power metal" which sounds fine at the core, until you realize that Rhapsody (pick your version) has been doing that since 1997 with their so-named brand of "Epic Hollywood Fantasy Metal".  ReinXeed are considerably less "epic" sounding than Rhapsody et al., and that's okay, but it seems to me that the music should be more epic than what is presented here, much like what was on "1912" and "Welcome to the Theater".  Personally, I think Tommy should perhaps explore a more story-based approach on future albums and save the one-off type songs for EP's, singles, and his work with Golden Resurrection.  Don't get me wrong; the material here is of high quality, is very listenable and enjoyable, and over the 25-30 times I spun this in preparation for the review, I've enjoyed that time quite a bit.  But the album's melodies, lyrical approach, and overall presentation isn't as memorable as the previous 2 releases, and for that, I have to factor in that where ratings are concerned.  I'd like to see Tommy explore more story-based work and keep with a theme or concept based approach, because his best work thus far has been in that realm.  That caveat aside, if you've heard and enjoyed ReinXeed in the past, you'll likely get the same kick out of this.  Recommended.

83/100

New Post Series - Deserted Island 500!

There's an old question that gets tossed around a lot, regarding the 'one thing' you would take to a deserted island with you if you were banished to such a place.  Now, given that this is a fantasy scenario, folks generally choose either some kind of 'creature comfort' (despite the general lack of electricity on deserted islands), or as is the case with my post, the question arises about which CD or album you would take with you to a deserted island if it was the last one you'd ever be able to listen to.  Given the size of my CD, cassette, digital, and vinyl collection as of this writing (somewhere in the 3000+ items range), there's NO WAY ON EARTH I could possibly narrow it down to one, especially given the diversity of my tastes.  Thus, I have decided that if I had a stereo setup or at the very least a digital music player with proper capacity and unlimited battery life (this IS a fantasy scenario after all, right?), I couldn't narrow the field any smaller than around 500 albums I would consider "essential" to my own existence on said island paradise.

This island comes with satellite TV and free WiFi, right?

As such, I will be penning a series of posts about around 500 albums in my collection I would consider "essential", releases that I wouldn't sell or trade off unless I was in dire straights.  Each of these posts won't be a proper "album review", but more a short treatise on each album and why I consider it part of the list.  This will differ from my "Album of the Moment" series as well, in that each of these releases has had some kind of emotional impact on me, apart from just enjoying them as pieces of art.  Through this process, I hope to better understand my own connection to my music collection, but also to impart some of that knowledge to others to help them see my perspective on some underrated gems and proven classics.  I would love to see a few unknown albums get a bit more exposure through this process for sure.

Back when my CD collection was a mere 600, I sold off about a third of what I had to pay a bill I was desperately behind on in order to save myself the embarrassment of having to fix the problem later with the company I owed money to.  Now that my collection has grown so large, I could afford to be a bit more judicious with what I have, though I generally don't let go of something once I have it.  That's the burden of the collector, really: you buy stuff that sits on a shelf and doesn't see much daylight, but you wouldn't have it any other way.  I do, however, listen to my music collection as much as time allows, and there are a large number of albums I wouldn't want to part with unless I was facing total destitution, especially since some of them are a bit more rare and would cost considerably more than I originally paid to re-acquire them.  In any event, I hope everyone will enjoy this new series and be inspired to consider their own music collections and what they have to offer.

Vinyl Confessions - Grave Robber releases

I love vinyl albums.  I love the large-scale artwork, the spinning of the album on the platter, and the sound that emanates from my speakers when a record is playing.  I also love the collect-ability of vinyl and how limited edition releases can enhance an artist or band's discography beyond just standard CD's, digital releases, or even cassettes.  Vinyl is the traditional collector's choice of format, despite the arrival of the 21st century and the Internet Age.  While vinyl never went away (the underground rock, punk and hardcore scenes still thrive on this), the mainstream has now embraced vinyl once again.  The problem with this is that most current mainstream vinyl releases are of the "audiophile" variety, i.e. they are overly expensive 180-gram vinyl that costs 2-3 times as much as either a CD or digital release would cost.  Now, I'm all for high-fidelity audio, but I don't think most folks who listen to Nirvana or Metallica are the proud owners of $5,000+ audio systems with $2,000 turntables that contain diamond styli.  I'm certainly not in that camp, and I suspect I'm not alone by a long shot.


So it is with great joy that a vinyl lover like myself can find great deals on classic albums (via thrift stores or second-hand record shops), as well as when current artists release new music on vinyl, whether those releases are included in the original "run" of an album, or whether they are a special or limited edition situation that happens some time later.  Even more fun is when a band puts out a vinyl release that has that extra something special that makes it either more fun, more collectible, or just more desirable to own.  Hand numbering, free digital downloads included, CD-R copies of the release as a bonus, etc.  These are all great features of a modern vinyl release.  But at the end of the day, the vinyl lover has to be satisfied with the purchase of the vinyl album, since the amount of physical space that record takes up has to be worth sacrificing to own it.

Awesomesauce.

Thankfully, the recently issued triumvirate of Grave Robber albums are worth the space on your shelf.  Kudos to Vinyl Remains for flying the indie vinyl release flag, and for issuing these 3 beauties.  Grave Robber's debut album, "Be Afraid" checks in first with new cover art, as well as a delicious golden see-through vinyl.  The band's 2nd album "Inner Sanctum" is released as well, and despite having the same artwork as the CD release, looks great at that size and sports a snazzy see-through red platter.  And finally, the recent compilation "Exhumed" is here, also with original artwork, but in a wonderful bright green see-through record that ties in nicely with the green logo on the front.  In addition, each release includes a 2-sided semi-gloss print that has artwork and album credits printed on them.


The albums sound great in vinyl form, though I am biased because I already enjoy the music contained therein.  My audio setup I usually use (at my office) isn't high-end by any stretch - I have a table-top "retro" stereo unit w/ a top-side turntable and then have a nice set of Logitech speakers plugged into that with great frequency range and response, and a nice subwoofer included in the package.  So while a bit of the "vinyl hiss" is present due to my somewhat lacking configuration, it still sounds great while it's spinning.  The music comes across sufficiently loud like the original CDs do, with no additional mastering evident.  From a sound perspective, these things don't disappoint.  The see-through colored vinyl albums are a treat, and though most indie vinyl re-issues or special editions are released in either colored see-through or the sort of opaque "tie-dye" style nowadays, I am still giddy like a school boy when I see the bright colored records slide out of the sleeves.  The retro graphics styling on the vinyl center portion is also great, giving it that sort of late 50's, early 60's feel.

Don't they just look tasty?!

Here are the few (minor) negative things.  First, they're not numbered.  Yeah, that's a small quibble, but with the indie vinyl market being a specialized as it is, it's always a treat to have them numbered, even if they're not individually so by hand, but if the sleeve mentions how many copies were pressed.  Secondly, there are no lyrics.  Why include nice semi-gloss printout sheets if you're not going to include the lyrics?  It's true that Grave Robber's lyrics are pretty easy to hear and make out, but I still think including lyrics would have been a nice touch.  Third, there's no download option.  This is also a very small issue, but one that should be noted.  If you're going to purchase the full album in vinyl format, it's a good idea to provide a download of the item.  This doesn't affect me personally, because I already own all 3 of these on CD (the 1st and 3rd of which I own in multiple versions), but for vinyl lovers looking for their fix, in today's world, it's also a good idea to include something they can throw on their chosen media player.  I don't consider the exclusion of the band's cover of "Children of the Grave" to be an issue (available on the CD version of "Inner Sanctum") because the vinyl probably wouldn't have had enough space to include it.


Despite my minor complaints, these are a MUST for Grave Robber fans who are also fans of vinyl.  If you already have these albums in either digital or CD format, and you're not a collector or vinyl fan, they're probably not an essential purchase, especially if you don't own a turntable to play them on.  The exception to that rule is if you're purchasing them again to help support the band, to which I say bravo.  Vinyl needs to stay alive for more than just the collector's market (and nerds like me), and this band is too important not to support.  Their message is important, their approach is unique, and everything about their music is done right.  Highly recommended.