WILD SOULS "Queen Of My Heart"

(c) 2020 Lions Pride Music

1. Nothing But Loving You
2. Night Groove
3. Love Ain't No Lie
4. Ready To Rock
5. Queen Of My Heart
6. Sexcellent
7. I Remember You
8. Set Me Free
9. Snakebite
10. Hold Me Tight
11. Beyond The Stars
12. Street Eagles

George Nikolaou--Vocals

Kostas Tsiligiris--Guitars

Thanos Kalantzopoulos--Guitars

Leyteris Nasos--Bass

Michael Saroglou--Drums

Additional Musicians

Dimitris Kyriakidis--Guitars on "I Remember You"

Tasos Kalafatis--Keyboards on "Set Me Free" and "Hold Me Tight"

It has been three years since Wild Souls surprised me with their excellent sophomore album, Game Of Love, which found its way into the Glitter2Gutter Top10 of 2016, pretty much out of nowhere.  I had heard bits and pieces of the band's debut album, and while there was some obvious talent, I was in no way prepared for how good Game Of Love was (and still is)!  So, with their latest effort for Lions Pride Music, the Greeks really have their work cut out for them.

Retaining 3/4 of their previous line-up, changing drummers, and adding a second full-time guitarist, Wild Souls retains their melodic, hard rocking sound, with possibly even a bit more guitar flash and a somewhat fuller sound. Lead vocalist, George Nikolaou (man...I can't get enough of typing all these Greek names!!!) has a vocal approach and sound that at times sounds like Dave Meniketti of Y&T, while much of the time he takes on a bit of a David Coverdale sound, especially when he drops lower in his strong tenor range and adds a bit of smoke to the voice, such as on "Set Me Free".  Very smooth and very powerful, Nikolaou is every bit as impressive here as he was on Game Of Love, and his delivery has actually improved, I believe.  The man can definitely sing!

Likewise, the guitar tandem of Kostas Tsiligiris and Thanos Kalantzopoulos are an impressive pair, with strong rhythm playing and some soulful, expressive solos.  While I don't have a breakdown on who plays the solos in each song, suffice it to say there is plenty of melodic string-bending going on in numerous places here, and the harmonic pairing, such as on the mid-tempo rocker, "Queen Of My Heart", is top notch.  Nasos' bass gets plenty of breathing room in several songs here, and newcomer, Saroglou is a really solid, straight-forward drummer, showing flashes of speed here and there, but otherwise not overly flashy or distracting from the rest of the band.  

The album kicks off on a high note right away, with "Nothing But Loving You".  The guitars come roaring to life and vocalist George Nikolaou howls at the moon in a way that is very reminiscent of David Coverdale and Whitesnake's opening of "Bad Boys" from the 1987 self-titled record.  I can't help but feel this is done as an homage to that band, because there is going to be a lot of comparison between Wild Souls and Whitesnake, especially vocally, on this record.  That being said, Nikolaou is impressive in his own right here, as is the entire band on this catchy opener.  The twin guitars are a great touch here, and Saroglou's drums are impressive from the start, with a couple of high-speed bursts, and plenty of bottom end in the mix.  This is precisely the type of song that Wild Souls did so well on Game Of Love, and I am happy to hear that the band has retained much of what I really liked about that album.

"Night Groove" is up next, and anyone familiar with the band will notice right away the extra dimension that is added with the second guitar.  The sound is a bit fuller, and the tone on the rhythm guitars is a bit different...but in a good way.  The solo work here is still of a very high caliber, and the bass work from Nasos is very evident here.  A catchy, sing-along chorus adds to the fun here, and we are immediately two-for-two to kick off the new record.

"Love Ain't No Lie" starts off with some very 80s-sounding keyboards (think Bon Jovi's "Runaway"), but a thick rhythm section soon pushes those keys into the background a bit, and the guitars sweep in, escorting Nikolaou's deeper-range tenor into the mix.  This is a really good melodic rocker, and I am especially impressed by the execution of the guitar solo here, with both guitars actually getting into the action as they join forces to create a six-string tandem as the solo ends and the last vocal section kicks off.  Not really a full-force rocker, but a great song, nonetheless.  

"Ready To Rock" is the star of the show for the first half of the record, in my opinion, and features a definite Y&T feel to the music, and this is where Nikolaou's vocals take on that definite Meniketti sound, which I really dig as a fan of that band.  Even the big, gang-shouted vocals on the vocal bridge coming out of the solo fit the Y&T style perfectly.  If the production wasn't so crisp and the mix featured a bit less bottom end, this song could easily find its way onto Contagious or Ten in Y&T's catalog, which says a lot.  While I like pretty much everything this band has done on the last two records, I can't deny that I would LOVE to hear an album of exactly this style of hard rock, maybe even with a Y&T cover or two thrown in.  Wild Souls has this sound down pat!  Fun stuff here!

"Queen Of My Heart" slips into Whitesnake mode in a big way, as this song has everything that made that 1987 self-titled album so great.  A smokey intro that hints at this being a ballad is dismissed in favor of big, punchy guitars and a heavy rhythm section but still never really escalate past mid-tempo hard rock, in much the way "Cryin' In The Rain" worked for the 'Snake.  Not one, but two solos are featured in this track, the first being a fairly short interlude between verses, with the second one being a protracted venture with both guitarists getting a chance to shine, along with some harmonic interplay between the two.  Definitely one of the top 3 or 4 songs on this album, I usually hit repeat at least once when this song hits.

The first half of the album ends on a bit of a down not, although it is not a case of the musical or vocal performances being weak in any way, because that is simply not the case.  This band is tight and well-versed in their instruments, no doubt.  But the lyrics get a bit cheesy and overly cliche on the hard-rocking "Sexcellent", bringing the song down a notch from the majority of this album.  I mean, it doesn't take a genius to read past that title and know that the song is a lyrical deathtrap, which is too bad, because the song is very well written and a great hard rocker.  To be fair, this isn't uncommon with foreign bands for whom English is likely a second language, as I feel they sometimes try to get lyrically cute, but miss the nuances and subtleties that an American or British band might not.  (Note, I said "might not", because we all know there are a LOT of cheesy American lyrics out there, especially in this genre!)  I don't skip it, but I have to admit to chuckling when I put too much focus on the words being sung, rather than on the really strong guitar work and some of the most inventive drum work that Saroglou puts forth on this record.

"I Remember You" (not the Skid Row song) kicks off part two of the record, and the minor slip of "Sexcellent" is quickly forgotten.  I'm not a massive fan of the keyboard lead-in, but it is definitely the type of intro we heard a good deal of in the melodic rock 80s.  The guitars have a smooth build to them, and by the time Nikolaou hits the first verse, the keyboards are pretty much relegated to a supporting role.  The chorus here is especially strong, and Nikolaou smoothly works his way up and down the wheelhouse of his range throughout the track, although he never really hits a high-end peak.  A solid mid-tempo rocker with some flash and flair from the guitars on the solo.

"Set Me Free" starts off (and ends) with the hiss and pop of old vinyl, and Nikolaou's vocals have an analog sound to them until the entire band hits.  Once again in the Whitesnake vein, Wild Souls even incorporates some Hammond organ for effect, and I can't help but feel that this song would be easy to sandwich between "Fool For Your Lovin'" and "Love Ain't No Stranger".  The drum patterns have a familiar feel, and the guitar work here is definitely of a caliber that would have grabbed your attention in the 80s every bit as much as now.  It's fun to hear the Hammond get some solo time, as well, and Mr. Kalafatis has a real feel for that particular instrument.  (I think we've all heard when a Hammond is handled incorrectly in a song, and this is definitely NOT like that!)   

"Snakebite" has a nasty bump-and-grind rhythm to it with some gritty guitar work that would have absolutely held its own in the late 80s.  Definitely one of my top 3 songs on an overall excellent record, "Snakebite" has everything that you could want in a dirty rocker.  Once again, Nikolaou drops low into Whitesnake territory, delivering in a slightly raspy, bluesy style that really fits the groove and attitude of the track. (Wait...Whitesnake...Snakebite...you don't think...nahhh...)  Some punchy drums intro a rapid-fire guitar solo, and the whole song is just a lot of fun to listen to and is very nicely constructed.  Excellent stuff here!

"Hold Me Tight" intros with some nicely harmonized acapella vocals that are quickly betrayed by the guitars which snarl in a bit harder than one might initially expect.  But don't take that as a bad thing, because this is, once again, a very solid song with a strong hook and a very well-written chorus.  Nikolaou continues with his vocal dominance on this record, focusing mostly on the bottom end of his range, but climbing the scales a bit in the verse sections as the chorus approaches.  Likewise, on the second chorus he shows his ability to reach into the upper tenor range and to hold onto a note with little effort.  The guitar work on this track is some of the best on the record, with the finger-twisting solo perfectly complemented by the sharp rhythm guitars that run concurrent with the solo.  The keyboards used here are a perfect fill instrument and are used to support, rather than distract from rest of the song.  Really a good piece of music here. 

"Beyond The Stars" features more of those edgy rhythm guitars that I find myself really drawn to on this record, with plenty of attitude and energy.  Nikolaou runs the full length of his range here, working his way from the bottom to the top, again projecting solid power when a particular passage calls for a bit more.  The guitar solo is fast and furious, but perhaps a bit too short considering this is one of the most "metal" of the tracks here.  Nasos' bass is given a lot of work here, as are Saroglou's legs, as he breaks into a double-bass sprint to run through the last chorus in a head-long charge to the end of the track.

The album closes on a very high note with "Street Eagles", with Nikolaou channeling his lower-range inner-Coverdale on the verse sections, while stretching his range higher on the pre-chorus and chorus parts.  This is another really impressive track, with Nasos' rumbling bass powering the song toward the big, melodic, whammy bar-enriched solo, and once again, the rhythm guitars here are such a big part of this hard rocker.  This was the kind of music I was most drawn to in the 80s/early 90s, hook-filled, but also powerful, with richer, lower-ranged vocals that projected strength and emotion equally.  Think Keel, Baton Rouge, Y&T, of course Whitesnake, and even a band like Pretty Maids, as far as style and approach.  No, no, I'm not saying Wild Souls sounds exactly like any of those bands...and those bands don't really sound like each other, either.  But all possessed strong axe work, typically rocked harder than your average hair band, usually had more bottom end to the sound, and had lower-ranged vocalists with power on songs that leaned more toward the metal side and less toward the pop side of the hard rock genre.        

For my money, this is another great example of the high quality melodic rock that is coming out of Europe, and particularly southern Europe, that too many people are simply not aware of.  The production is very good, with a nice dose of bottom end and nice separation, especially with the guitars.  If you are looking for something new to add to your melodic hard rock collection, Wild Souls is an excellent band with a lot of musical talent and strong songwriting, and they deserve to be on your musical radar.

Rating: Queen Of My Heart is definitely a crankable record, and every bit as good as their previous effort.  Crank this to 9 and seek out Wild Souls now!

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JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE "Once Bitten Acoustic Bytes"

(c) 2020 Deadline Records

1. Lady Redlight
2. Gonna Getcha
3. Rock Me
4. All Over Now
5. Mistreater
6. Never Change Heart
7. Fast Road
8. Livin' On The Edge
9. Save Your Love
10. Babe (I'm Gonna Leave You)

Jack Russell--Lead Vocals

Robby Lochner--Guitars, Vocals

Tony Montana Cardenas--Guitars, Vocals

Dan McNay--Bass

Dicki Flisnar-Drums

Where does the time go?  I mean, seriously, how has it been 33 years since Once Bitten was released (or 32 years since it went Platinum for selling over a million copies)?  We danced to "Save Your Love" at my senior prom, for crying out loud!  And while I realize that I am dating myself with that last statement, it also serves to enhance my original question, which we all ask as we get older.  Where does the time go?

Now, I am fully aware of the fact that more people are familiar with Once Bitten's follow-up, ...Twice Shy, due almost solely to that record's cover of "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", but I will be the first to tell you that Once Bitten is the superior record, overall.  The breakthrough track, "Rock Me", is still one of the biggest and most requested songs the band has ever recorded, and the enormity of "Save Your Love" is indisputable, as it is one of the biggest power ballads of that time.  But, man, that record had so many great...GREAT...songs.  "Lady Redlight", "All Over Now", "On The Edge", and even deep cuts that only the most devoted fans likely know, such as "Fast Road" and "Never Change Heart" were solid tracks.  Outside of Hooked, Once Bitten is my favorite Great White record, followed closely by Shot In The Dark (my intro to the band), and the self-titled debut, with numerous other really good records following in the wake.  So, when Robby Lochner told me a couple years ago that Jack's version of the band (don't get me started down THAT road) was going to do an acoustic rendering of Once Bitten, I was definitely more than intrigued...and a little bit concerned.  I mean, let's be honest; the acoustic thing has been played out a bit, and quite frequently with tired, lifeless results.  So I had my reservations.  And when the release of the record was delayed by nearly a year (it was originally supposed to come out in July, 2019), I had some very real concerns.

Turns out, I was sweating it out about nothing.

Once Bitten Acoustic Bytes is the first release from Jack Russell's Great White since 2017's He Saw It Coming, and it is not only an acoustic record, it is a track-for-track remaking of the classic Once Bitten album, played in the exact same sequence.  To me, this is a huge point being made by the band, because so often, these acoustic albums become simply "best of" records, even when implying something different (ahem...Foreigner).  With Once Bitten Acoustic Bytes, you get the entire album, start to finish, in the same order that you first experienced it (unless you had the British version and ended up with the bizarre mish-mash of Once Bitten and Shot In The Dark tracks, or the international version which had "Rock Me" on side two, and both "Fast Road" and "Mistreater" on side one.  But...I doubt you had those...)

The new record, of course, kicks off with "Lady Redlight", and immediately the listener should know they are in for a treat.  As soon as Lochner starts fast-picking his way through that intro...but now on an acoustic guitar....it is obvious this is not going to be an album where the band just coasts along and hits the high points of the hits.  The bass is thick here and sets a nice bottom end groove, and the cool shuffle that the original had shows up in full effect here.  Jack soon comes gliding in, and the man is in top form from note one.  I have seen Great White in various line-up formations, both electric and acoustic, so many times I can't even count.  And to be honest, there have been a few shows where Jack wasn't in the best vocal form, for whatever reason.  That is absolutely not the case here!  Jack sounds fresh and inspired here, and the man soars to the highest peaks of this track with seemingly little effort, and I would be lying if I didn't admit to being impressed.  The backing vocals are light and simple, as they should be, only serving to add bits of enhancement to the lead vocals of one of the most underrated singers in the genre.            

"Gonna Getcha" has a good deal of punch to the bottom end, with more fast and furious finger work from Lochner all over the place on this track.  Jack's vocals nail the urgency and swagger of the track, and little inflections and improvisations here and there really add a live flair to the track, which actually happens in several places throughout the record.  The solo section is really cool, because the support instruments back way off to just a simple drum and bass line supporting Lochner's run that feels off-the-cuff fresh in the way he works it.  The rhythm guitar line is tight and the bass is full in this reworking of a track that I wish would get dusted off more in the live setting. 

One thing I really like here is the reworking of the classic tracks so that you aren't just getting the same old, same old minus the electricity.  This is especially evident on a track like "Rock Me", which is given a cool, bluesy feel with a big, rumbling bass line and some fun guitar rhythms, particularly in the chorus sections. The guitar solo that runs out the song is really something to hear, with some impressive intensity and fast, clean picking.  Jack sings the whole thing about half a step lower in octave than the original, and this is done solely for effect, as he proves throughout the record that he is more than capable of climbing the ladder to hit the high notes when he needs to.  The backing vocals are a bit subdued...intentionally so...and they are harmonized perfectly.  It should also be mentioned that Flisnar's drums are rock solid throughout the track (and record), which can be tricky when the drummer is kind of limited in what he can add to an acoustic track without overpowering the song.  Really cool stuff, here.

"All Over Now" is still sharp and sassy in the acoustic version, but it breathes a bit more, as you might expect.  Jack adds a snarling edge to his vocals in the verse sections, and the backing vocals on the verses are done very well.  The chorus is pretty much spot-on, as well, and I am really glad they kept the chorus the same as it is on record here, rather than the slightly altered approach taken when the song is done live sometimes.  There's no cowbell here, but there is some wood block thrown into the percussive mix here, which gives a bit more of an organic feel to the track.  Lochner tears through a rapid fire pick-fest of a solo here, with Jack encouraging him, "C'mon Robby, need little bit more!" about half way through, which only encourages the guy to do his best shred impersonation on acoustic strings.  Color me impressed!

"Mistreater" is given a heavy dose of the blues, especially with a brand new intro and some fast and furious picking in the chorus sections, along with a cool little run from the drums coming out of the choruses.  This is a perfect example of taking a song fans will be familiar with and giving it a musical makeover, respecting the original but having some fun and flexing some creative muscle in changing things up a bit.  The guitar solo here is awesome, once again featuring some really fast picking from Lochner, and there's a nice piano accompaniment from Cardenas (Montana) coming out of the solo section that leads into the final run through the chorus.  The guitar work throughout this song is simply amazing to hear, and Jack is very obviously having a blast with this Great White classic.

For me, one of the coolest parts about this total reworking of Once Bitten is that the album cuts get new life here.  Very few people could sing the lyrics to "Never Change Heart" or "Fast Road", but the band delivers on each of these as if they were the biggest songs the band has ever released.  "Never Change Heart", for example, is given a deep, dark groove for the rest of the song to work around, and Jack's clean, impassioned vocals stand out starkly against the backdrop.  There is one point where Jack's voice cracks ever so slightly in the first chorus, but rather than edit it out, the band just carries on and the "real" feel of the track is left intact.  I love this!  There's no need to carve out a single cracked word; this is what gives this album such a live feel.  To be honest, I expected applause to cascade over the outros of these songs, as the record really has a live setting feel throughout.  Fingers are flying on the solo here, once again, and forgive me if this offends, but I truly don't know if Mark Kendall could pull off the acoustic solos that Lochner drops here.  The man is a truly underappreciated talent, and this stripped down format only serves to prove that point more fully.

As far as the previously mentioned "Fast Road" goes, it's really more of the same as far as quality goes.  If you aren't familiar with the original, this is a pretty uptempo track in its original form, but I daresay it may be a bit faster here.  The music has a really cool chugging train feel to it, reminding me a lot of the bluegrass breakdowns you hear in some of the faster music of that genre, but we don't venture into that type of instrumentation.  The backing vocals here are spot-on, and Jack absolutely dominates the higher end of his range, holding out notes for long stretches with seemingly little effort.  The chugga-chugga-chug of the bass line is a really powerful driving force in this song, and the guitar solo is catchy and inventive.

"Living On The Edge" has long been one of my favorite tracks by Great White, and it is given new life...and new appreciation from me...in this acoustic setting.  Longtime, hardcore fans will likely notice the title change (I did), as the original doesn't have the word "Living" in it.  I asked Robby about this, and he said it was just a minor oversight and nothing that was done intentionally.  No biggie, as it is the music that matters, and it is done exceptionally well.  The bass line is thick, the drums are simple and straight forward, but still powerful, and the guitars are absolutely magnificent.  I really don't know what other word to use.  There is a rhythm guitar line running in the background that will likely remind the listener of the rhythm line used in Stevie Nicks' "Edge Of Seventeen", which is pretty cool, and I would imagine hard to maintain for a long stretch.  The handclaps that are added into the percussion mix here are a nice touch, adding a new quality to this classic track.  While it was never released as a single, I always felt it should have been, as it showcases what Great White did so well at that time, and the song is just catchy as heck. Once again, Jack completely owns the song, moving up and down his range with no problems and sounding fresh and powerful.  Maybe my favorite track here, although "Never Change Heart" is close.

As far as favorites go, a lot of people are likely to skip straight to the massive "Save Your Love", just to see how this track is handled.  In a word, it is handled "perfectly"  Jack doesn't miss a single note, delivering all the power and passion to this track that you have likely heard when the band performs this song live.  The bass is once again a very prominent part of this track, but outside of Jack's dominance, it has to be the amazing guitar solo from Lochner that is the focal point here.  He absolutely nails the solo here, delivering it as passionately as Jack does the vocals.  I probably still prefer the original, just because it is such an iconic track for the band, but man...this version does the song major service.  Absolutely exceptional work here.          

The album concludes with a bonus track in "Babe (I'm Gonna Leave You)", which has appeared on a couple of Great White albums and compilations through the years.  But, true to the record, even that classic Led Zeppelin cover has been completely re-recorded in acoustic fashion...and Jack has never sounded better.  In fact, his take on Robert Plant at this point is as good as I have ever heard, including on the Great White record, Great Zeppelin: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin.  The song is well-suited to be performed acoustically, I believe, and the band does not disappoint.  The acoustic guitars here are played to near perfection, and the percussion fits exceptionally well, not overpowering the quieter voices of the acoustic instruments, but delivering enough power to really push the song.  The big build moments are handled expertly, especially in the big section following the second chorus.  I asked Robby why this track was included, since it wasn't even a B-side or anything for this record.  He told me the record label had requested multiple bonus tracks, but the band gave them one.  And they gave them one helluva great one.  This may honestly be my favorite version of this track, and I simply can't say enough about how great Jack...and the entire band...sound on this cover.  It's a perfect close to an excellent record.

Produced and mixed by Lochner, the sound on this record is incredibly crisp and clean, with no annoying string squeaks from the guitars, and no instrument left silent in the mix.  The artwork is relatively simple, and has absolutely nothing to do with the original cover, but I think that's fine.  Besides, it looks better with the band's names scrawled all over it, don't you think?  There are no band photos or lyircs included in the tri-fold booklet, just a large thank-you section from each of the band members.

I have stated several times in many places that to me, this is the definitive version of the band, with Jack's voice being what drew so many people to Great White in the first place.  Robby Lochner is every bit the guitar player Mark Kendall was, and as I stated before, I think he pulls off work here that Mark couldn't even dream of playing today.  The rhythm section of McNay and Flisnar is rock solid, and Tony Montana's return solidified the line-up on rhythm guitars and keys, giving Jack Russell's Great White the truest sounding version of this splintered group, with Mark Kendall's version changing vocalists multiple times and, to be honest, coming off as rather tired-sounding and uninspired on their last effort, the relatively un-Great White Full Circle.  To compare the musicality of Jack Russell's Great White versus (Mark Kendall's) Great White is really not even a fair fight, as Jack's version is going to win every time.  Once Bitten Acoustic Bytes absolutely proves this point in spades.

Snag your own copy HERE and give this awesome album a listen with a new ear!  Now, while you do that, I need to transfer mine to a new jewel case (thank you post office!).

Rating:  Acoustically crankable!  I find practically zero flaws in this acoustic gem!  Crank this to 9.5!

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XIII MINUTES "Obsessed"

(c) 2019 Rottweiler Records

1. Sibling Rivalry
2. Victim-Less
3. Self Portrait
4. Machaira
5. Blue Flame
6. Obsessed
7. Fragile
8. This Life
9. Who Told You
10. Water Vice
11. Out Of Time
12. When You Have Suffered
13. Reckless Love

Michael Rowley--Vocals
Aaron Smith--Guitars
Thomas Wheat--Bass
Jamie Kucinski--Drums

Additional Musicians
Kyle Simpson--Piano, Keys, Programming
Jessica Wheat--Female Vocals

XIII Minutes.  (That's 13 Minutes for you non-Roman numerals folks.)  According to the band's bio page, every 13 minutes someone in America dies in a car wreck. Every 13 minutes an American commits suicide.  Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer.  It also says that 13 minutes is the time between when a tornado siren is sounded and the tornado hits.  I didn't do any independent research on those facts and figures, as I trust the band wouldn't put out a bunch of misinformation that someone would fact check them on.  Thirteen Minutes is also a surprisingly good independent movie about an actual assassination attempt on Hitler in 1939 (I'm a history teacher and a WWII buff...sue me!).  So with all of this information about 13, should it be any surprise that it took all of about 13 minutes for me to absolutely start to really dig this record?!  Well, it may not have taken even that long.

I have never denied the fact that I am a fan of metalcore...when it's good.  Personally, I LOVE big, stinking heavy breakdowns and hardcore vocals, especially if they are combined with clean vocals as well.  I also love big, fat, chugging rhythm guitar riffs and thunderous drums.  So, when I stumble across such a band being hyped as possessing such qualities, it is with great excitement that I usually dive headfirst into said band's album to see if they are worth the hype.  Let me tell you, XIII Minutes is worth it.

The album kicks off with "Sibling Rivalry", and immediately, it is evident to me that XIII Minutes is not your standard metalcore band, although that is what I have heard them categorized as.  For one, there is a smoothness to the riffing that belies a bit of the genre.  Guitarist Aaron Smith has a definite feel for this style of guitar work, and his rhythm riffs are tight and aggressive throughout the record, but they don't contain a lot of that distorted grind that a lot of metalcore bands seem to be incorporating lately.  That's a good thing on Smith's part!  The drums from Kucinski are also really good, punishing on the bottom end and not overly snare-happy, which some bands seem to be doing now.  Again, a good thing!  To me, there is definitely a modern hard rock style that is infused with metalcore elements, but if you are thinking that you will be getting old school Demon Hunter or a band like For Today, think again.  That is not what XIII Minutes is about.  On opener "Sibling Rivalry", all of the elements I previously noted come together really well musically, giving Rowley a solid foundation upon which to sing/snarl.  Rowley's strength is definitely in the ability he has to separate the growly/snarly side of his vocals, which are not dissimilar to what Demon Hunter uses, from his clean vocals, which are far better than what I hear from other bands; he never drifts into emo whining or anything like that.  As with a lot of modern hard rock/metal, the guitar solo isn't overly flashy, but it shows competence and understanding for the genre, with a lot of speed up and down the frets.  There are also some programmed effects in the mix here, but nothing that is overly obvious or overpowering.  Give it a listen here:

"Victim-Less" is an older song that had been previously released as a single, but XIII Minutes chose to incorporate it here.  Aggressive from the jump, "Victim-Less" is one of the more brutal songs on the track, with Rowley spending nearly as much time in full-growl mode as he does with his clean vocals.  There is a harsh breakdown with some tough, bottom-end rhythm riffing, then Smith goes off on one of his high-speed fret runs that pop up all over the place on this record.  Musically, XIII Minutes is very tight, and it really shows on a track like this, where the tempo changes and the stop-starts near the end can start to sound really sloppy if everyone isn't on the same page.  Fortunately, that is not the case here, and Kucinski's drums and Smith's bass are a big part of that crisp, razor sharp edge that is necessary to execute these tempo changes.

"Self Portrait" is an older track that was incorporated here, and while not a bad song, it definitely is not representative of XIII Minutes now.  The track starts off with a walking bass line, with the rest of the band joining in on a rhythm that really can only be described as "bouncy".  An odd effect is used on the first half of the guitar solo here, which makes it sound a bit like the guitar is being played underwater, and it doesn't really go with the track.  Rowley's vocals are exclusively of the harsh variety on this track, which seems almost comical when compared with the jangly nature of the track.  I've been told the band has moved on from this song in their set-lists, and to be honest, I can see why.  There is far superior music elsewhere on this album.

"Machaira" is another older song that also finds its way onto Obsessed.  Musically, the song is a bit more straight forward metal, albeit with a chunkier bottom end than most metal today.  Rowley's vocals again spend a lot of time in the harsher mode, although he does slip into his cleaner delivery in various spots.  One thing that is obviously different, at least to my ears, is the maturation of Kicinski's drumming on the newer material.  While definitely not bad, the drums on "Machaira" are pretty much just straight up rhythm-and-tempo time keepers and lack the flair that shows up in newer material, such as the next track, "Blue Flame".

"Blue Flame" is an example of a track where I really like the clean vocals that Rowley uses.  His clean voice takes on something of an alternative rock sound, while his growls remain in that Demon Hunter mode.  Heavy and chunky, the rhythm guitars are a big presence here, with a tight chugga-chug, chugga-chug tempo that is bolstered by the bass and drums, providing a really solid bedrock or the track to build upon.  Another rapid fire guitar solo scorches through the mid-section of the track, and overall I would have to say this is one of the best tracks here, and it is easy to see why this was chosen as a single, as it is also probably the most accessible for music programmers, as it will mix pretty well with just about any type of metal/metalcore.

If you are looking for something a bit faster, "Obsessed" is more your type of song.  A quick drum run opens the track and instantly the rhythm guitars charge to the front in one of the fastest songs on the album.  Right away the harsher vocals from Rowley are used, and they are the vocal choice for the verse sections, while he cleans up for the choruses, creating a nice interplay between vocal styles.  There is also a female voice that chimes in during the verse portions, which adds even more dynamic and dimension to the track, and there is a point near the finish of the track that Rowley really reaches down to death growl territory, countered by blackened screams that just show the full range of what this band can bring to a track.  Smith's fingers fly through a blistering solo, and the drums really kick in the speed and power on "Obsessed", which is probably my favorite song over all.

"Fragile" returns more to that mid-tempo metalcore stomp style and is the shortest track here, clocking in at 2:47.  Kucinski has some really nice patterns going on here, and as is the case with a lot of metalcore, he's not afraid to abuse his cymbals!  Smith tears through some big rhythm riffs, and Rowley again incorporates both clean and harsh vocals here.  Short and to the point, "Fragile" is definitely not a frail track, musically, and it features a pretty cool groove in the breakdown. 

"This Life" starts with an odd-sounding instrument...for all the world it sounds like muted electric ukulele to me!...but the punishing drums from Kucinski and the think, chunky rhythm riffs from Smith quickly blast you back from your distraction, and Rowley takes off from there.  Using a clean voice for most of the verses, he mixes death growls and blackened screams into the pre-chorus and chorus sections, again providing a really cool dynamic, and once again this is a track that I find myself really drawn to.  As with most of the record, "This Life" can't be labelled pure metalcore, especially with a breakdown section that includes strings, piano, and an atmospheric quality that kind of knocks me back and makes me go, "whoa".  Vicious drums and harshly barked vocals burst forth out of this section, before the song drifts back to this atmospheric style once more to close the track.  Musically brilliant, and again, one of my favorite tracks here, along with "Obsessed" and "Out Of Time", which I'll discuss in a moment.

"Who Told You" punches you in the jaw to snap you back to what XIII Minutes is for most of this record, and that is a tight, groove-laden modern, hard rock band with a metalcore edge.  I love the rhythm riff on this track a lot, and the bottom end is rock solid.  Much like "Blue Flame", there is an accessible quality about this track that should lend itself to being pushed as a single to places like ChristianRock.net and TheBlast.  Even Octane should be drooling all over itself to snag this track and shove it into rotation, as it really is that good.  Most of Rowley's vocals are of the clean variety here, although his aggressive snarl does make an appearance late in the track.

"Water Vice" is even more punishing than "Who Told You", and finds the band in full-speed mode here, pushing themselves as far into metalcore territory as they venture on this record.  A massive break-down section with those big, bowed guitar stretches is a lot of fun here, and Rowley is in fine form here, easily shifting vocal styles.  Wheat's bass is definitely a big part of "Water Vice", as well Once again, the drum patterns and the precision from Kucinski are superb, and with musical quality like this, I can't help but really find myself surprised that I haven't heard more about this band.  Where has XIII Minutes been and why haven't they been supported more or pushed harder?  I'm at a loss.

"Out Of Time" is the closest the band comes to a ballad, and it is a starkly different track than anything that has come before it.  From the moment Kyle Simpson's piano starts things off, it is clear that this song is a totally different type of monster.  Rowley's clean singing voice soon joins in, and most listeners would be excused for wondering if this track ended up on Obsessed by accident, as it sounds NOTHING like anything else XIII Minutes has done to this point.  In fact, forget the term "metalcore" for a moment, and just think "music".  Add in the gorgeous harmony vocals...and then lead vocals for verse two...from Jessica Wheat and you have a truly beautiful piece of music that should be all over ChristianRock.net and TheBlast!  This is potent, potent stuff!  And to make it even more amazing, I was told this was Wheat's first time recording.  What?!  Someone needs to take a trip to Oklahoma and see where she's been hiding and see if there are more like her, because this girl can sing!  Check her, and this excellent track, out below...

 

"When You Have Suffered" is an odd interlude here, and really doesn't fit the flow of the album, in my opinion.  Fortunately it is short (just over a minute), and if it really bugs you, I'm assuming you know how the skip button works.

The album closes with a cover of "Reckless Love", which has been done a couple of times, originally by Cory Asbury, and later by Barry Blair.  Basically a praise and worship song set to harder-edged rock, this is a nice end to the album.  Considerably harder here than in previous versions, the guitars are thicker with a punchier bottom end.  The group vocals on the chorus at the end are a nice touch here, and Rowley uses a clean vocal approach for the entirety of the track.

If modern hard rock with a good dose of groove, heavy chunks of corish vocals, and areas of surprising musicality sounds like it might be your style, XIII Minutes is definitely in your wheelhouse!  Just don't go in with an idea that you know what you are getting based solely on one song or one video, because this is a band that is seemingly throwing new elements at you, trying new things, and keeping the listener on their toes at all times.  Rowley's excellent clean/harsh separation is key here, as are the tight patterns and fills from Kucinski, and the guitar work from Smith, whether on rhythm, lead, or bass guitar, is of really good quality.  Color me impressed, especially on the new material here, which is top notch!

Available digitally from Bandcamp here.

Rating:  Surprisingly crankable!  Crank this to 7.5 as a whole, but I'd give this an 8.5 if based solely on tracks 1, 5-11, and the cover, track 13!

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BLISTER BRIGADE "Slugfest Supreme"

(c) 2020 Inverse Records

1. Slugfest Supreme
2. Ready To Crumble
3. Let's Storm The Walls
4. Arson
5. Through Murky Times
6. S.M.M.
7. Damaged Goods 
8. Disintegrate
9. Venomous Twister
10. Pounding The Deadbeat
11. Burn My World Alive

Gustav Lund--Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitars

Cristoffer Strand--Lead & Rhythm Guitars

Anders Gustavsson--Bass

Rickard Lundmark--Drums

Blister Brigade is a classic heavy metal band from Sweden that completely hearkens back to the type of metal I spent so much of the early-to-mid-80s listening to.  I'm not talking Hollywood Hair Metal here, as it wasn't in fashion yet. I'm talking classic heavy metal of bands Accept, Saxon, Judas Priest, Anvil, Scorpions, Virgin Steele, and the like.  The music here is gritty, very riff-driven, and generally pretty catchy. with strong guitar performances, really solid drums, bass that can actually be heard in the mix(!), and vocals that are incredibly reminiscent of that early-to-mid-80s era.  Heck, even the production on Slugfest Supreme sounds like it is straight out of the era, adding an extra layer of nostalgic charm to the record.

The album kicks off with the dreaded intro.  Why do bands do this?  If you think it's musically interesting enough to include, why not just make your intro part of a song?  At least "Slugfest Supreme" is less than 90 seconds long, and to be fair, it covers enough musical bases that I am not really sure why it wasn't expanded into its own song.  So many intros are quirky instrumental numbers, but this has everyone involved, including the lead singer, so...I begrudgingly give Blister Brigade a pass on this intro.

The album proper starts off with a metallic bang, as "Ready To Crumble" kicks things off in fine fashion.  Immediately I am drawn to the vocals of Gustav Lund, because he sounds so much like someone else that it is making my brain itch.  It took several listens before I figured it out, but he sounds a lot like David Reece when he was with Accept...and that is a dang good thing!  As for the song itself, there is a lot of fast rhythm guitar playing, some equally fleet-footed work on the double bass from Lundmark, and a steady bottom end rumble from Gustavsson, which really establishes the band as solidly  talented!  The second guitar is great to hear, although I can't honestly tell you who is playing lead and who is playing rhythm, as both Lund and Strand are listed as playing both, and I don't have a track-by-track breakdown.  I like this song a lot, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this point, as if I am being honest, I judged this band by its name and wasn't really expecting a lot from a band called Blister Brigade.  Sue me...

"Storm The Walls" continues in that early-to-mid-80s metal style, although I will say that the placement of this song right after "Ready To Crumble" feels disjointed, as the two songs have such different rhythms and tempos.  Regardless, the rhythm guitars here are top notch, and I really like the riff they have worked up here.   A double kick drum runs pretty much the length of the track, and some gang shouted, "hey, hey, heys" at the end of the track are a nice touch.  Not a huge stand-out track, but definitely a solid slab of old school metal.  Color me impressed at this point.

Things actually pick up from this point in the record, with "Arson", the second single from this record, making me really wish there was still a place to hear this kind of metal in the United States.  This is a mid-tempo rocker with a tough sounding bottom end with plenty of rumble from the bass.  The guitar solo is a great string-bender with plenty of power, even if there isn't a ton of flash, and Lund's vocals are in excellent Reecian form here!  Check out the video below:

"Through Murky Times" is an outlier here, in terms of style.  A much slower song than anything else on Slugfest Supreme, "Through Murky Times" is an acoustic-based, folky ballad, with an interesting musical presentation and a vocal style that is unlike anything on the record.  The acoustic guitars are really good, with a catchy riff  employed in the verse sections, accompanied by a piano and an excellent bass line.  The guitar solo that sears its way into the track is of the plugged-in variety, and it is played with a large dose of emotion and soul, as it should be due to the melancholy nature and structure of the song, overall.  The backing vocals are lower in register than the lead vocals, and they take on a semi-chanted style that is fairly common in heavy folk rock.  The track is really well done, but it is going to throw some people, I have a feeling.  The more I hear it, the more I like it and the higher it climbs on my list of songs that I really dig from this record.

"Through Murky Times" bleeds directly into "S.M.M.", which stands for Street Metal Mayhem, which is a pretty accurate description of this album as a whole.  Not overly flashy, but catchy and gritty, "S.M.M." builds the tempo until it hits a solid uptempo rhythm...that then speeds up even further with the short burst that is the guitar solo before a vocal bridge leading into the final run through the chorus.  Some galloping double-kick drums jump into the mix, and the lower-register guitar tones on the rhythm playing really add to the dirty feel of the track.  Not my favorite, but a solid rocker, nonetheless.

"Damaged Goods" has a sassy rhythm to it, bordering on boogie-woogie at times, but the deep, grumbling vocals Lund uses in part of the first verse keep things from getting too out of hand.  He drifts back into David Reece territory for the majority of the song, and it is in this range that Lund best operates, although it is impressive to hear the different ranges that he can work in.  A riffy solo section builds out of a brief moment of nothingness, soon accompanied by steadily building drums and gang-shouted "Damaged Goods!", before a final run through the chorus leads to the chug-chug-chugging end of the song.  Catchy stuff here.

"Disintegrate" drifts into a more late-60s/early 70s psychadelic rock feel at the outset, especially with Lund's vocal performance, but then blends in that classic heavy metal riffage from the rest of the album, giving the track an overall 70s classic rock feel that I can't help but really enjoy.  These guys know how to write a song, that is for sure!  The guitar work here is top notch, and while not flashy, the solo here...and pretty much everywhere on Slugfest Supreme...really fits the mood and groove of the song.

"Venomous Twister" comes storming out of "Disintegrate" at full-speed, with thrashy rhythm guitars and machine gun drums.  Released as a single from the album, "Venomous Twister" is Blister Brigade at their absolute best, I think, with Lund again sounding a lot like Accept-era Reese with the snarl and rasp of his vocals.  The guitar solo here has a bit of flash and flair not utilized in many other places, and the overall feel of the song is a bit like not-really-thrash-but-definite-speed-metal of early Helloween.  Definitely my favorite song out of a batch of really good material.

"Pounding The Deadbeat" as a rather humorous title, but the punishing groove and thunderous drums are nothing to laugh at here.  This song is thick, heavy, and rumbles deep along the bottom end, threatening to become a bit ponderous but never bogging down.  Lund adds a wicked sneer to his vocals here, and the quirky first-half of the guitar solo following the second chorus once again showcases the strong songwriting skills of the band.  This is another really well-crafted track that works in a musical style that nobody employs today.  Really, really good stuff.

The album closes on another higher-speed note with "Burn My World Alive".  Lundmark's drums continue to do a lot of heavy lifting here, as they have throughout the album, and he shows that he is fully capable of tempo, rhythm, and pattern changes at the drop of a hat.  The bass from Gustavsson is also given plenty of room to gallop here, and the twin guitars from Lund and Strand rip their way through this proto-speed metal romp that punctuates the album with a strong exclamation point. 

Some people are going to squabble about the production of the record, but if they do, they are missing the point.  This is not supposed to pristine, slick, polished melodic hard rock/metal.  This is heavy metal of the old school variety.  As such, the production here sounds like what we used to associate with metal back in the pre-hair days.  Its gritty, its edgy, heck, you can almost hear the hiss and pop of the vinyl that this would have been grooved into back in the day.  I can't help but smile when I hear the sound, and get that same feeling I used to get from the early metal records I discovered as a teen.  This is what I believe the band intended, and they pull it off so very well!

Do yourselves a favor, overlook the band name, and pick up Slugfest Supreme if you are like me and you hold fond memories of those pre-hair metal days.  Blister Brigade doesn't reinvent heavy metal, but they do a fine job of injecting a dose of a forgotten branch of the genre back into the scene.  If you can't find something to like on this record, I have to question how much of a fan of those early metal days you really are.  "Through Murky Times" and "Venomous Twister" alone should do plenty to earn the most ardent metalhead's approval!

Rating:  Nothing is earth-shattering here, but Slugfest Supreme still cranks!  Crank this to 7.5!

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STEELCITY "Mach II"

(c) 2020 Perris Records

1. Hearts On Fire
2. Dead Men
3. Steal Your Heart
4. Wasted Time
5. I Cry
6. A Little Love
7. Still Close To My Heart
8. Give It Back
9. Spotlight
10. Prayer For Love
11. Down To One

Roy Cathey--Lead Vocals

Mike Floros--Guitars

Jason Cornwell--Bass

Tony Stahl--Keys

BJ Zampa--Drums

What happens when you take something you are passionate about, build it up to a level that you maybe never dreamed you would get to, and then find yourself blowing the whole thing up, only to start again?  If you get the chance, ask Mike Floros; he probably has a story to tell you!

Following the critical, if not commercial, success of SteelCity's debut album, Fortress, Floros, the band's founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter, stripped everything back down to the most basic element...himself.  From there, he assembled the current version of the band, enlisting the monster vocals of Cold Sweat's Roy Cathey, the enormous talents of House Of Lords' drummer BJ Zampa, and two talented individuals I was not previously familiar with in Cornwell (Eric Martin Band) and Stahl (DeadRisen).  The end result is a true beast of a record that builds upon everything that was great about Fortress, combining an obvious affection for the power chords and Hammond sound of mid-to-late 70s classic rock and the bombast of 80s metal to create a sound that sets itself apart in the melodic rock world of 2020.

You need venture no further than the album's opener to hear the difference between the very good Fortress and the excellent Mach II, as almost immediately the amplitude of the talent is ramped up.  Cathey's higher-end shout of the "Heart's On Fire" chorus kicks things off, and Floros comes flying into the fray, fingers flying in a display of speed and dexterity that sets the stage for the rest of the record.  Stahl lays down a thick layer of Hammond and Cornwell's bass rumbles to life, partnering with Zampa to lay the bedrock for this massive song.  As I stated earlier, the band's love of that 70s power chord is obvious here, and when blended with Floros' thick riffs and searing solo runs that blast straight out of the 80s melodic metal scene, "Heart's On Fire" is pretty much the perfect opening for ANY album of this type!  One track in and I find myself reaching for my jaw, which has pretty much hit my desk.

A great drum intro launches "Dead Men", before Stahl and his true grasp on the power of the Hammond, accompanies by a fat groove from Cornwell, drive the track deeply into 70s classic rock territory.  Roy comes barreling in with his power delivery, and I am immediately hit with the similarities between Cathey's vocals and those of 80s/90s vocal powerhouse, Mike Lee, of Barren Cross.  Both have a truly remarkable mastery of the rich lower tenor/upper baritone delivery that they incorporate, with both able to elevate when necessary.  True vocal greatness is but a piece of this song, however, as this is a monster of a song with a hook that sticks with me for hours after listening to it, and a catchy chorus that begs to be sung along with.  The backing/counter vocals on the chorus are the perfect foil for Cathey's voice to stand out all that much more, and Floros flies through another tasty solo just prior to the last chorus run that ends with Cathy stretching the final note over several powerful seconds.  Great stuff here!

"Steal Your Heart" finds SteelCity firmly entrenched in mid-80s melodic metal territory, using more of an 80s-era sound for the keys, and relying more on the heavy riffs of the rhythm guitars and the bass to drive the track.  Zampa's tempo and pattern are also classic examples from that era, and everything comes together to form yet another vehicle for Cathey's vocal dominance to really burst forth.  Floros' solo here is excellent, once again, showcasing an understanding of not just the flash of the 80s "hair metal" solo, but also the harmonic depth of the "true metal" solo of the time.  This may be my favorite solo on the album...or one of the top two or three for sure, and that is saying something, as Floros is a big talent on the six string that not enough people have heard about.  Hopefully Mach II will change that!

"Wasted Time" drifts back to the Hammond-driven, Deep Purple-inspired 70s/early 80s groove, with another big, catchy, hooky chorus that is perfectly suited for Cathey's delivery style.  I really like the bass solo-becomes a drum fill-becomes a guitar solo that follows the second run through the chorus, and again, Floros goes off on a solo that both runs and soars, speeds then screams its way into the final verse section of the track.  It's a tough fight for any song to reach the top of the heap on this record, but I'd be lying (by omission) if I didn't say there was something about "Wasted Time" that drags me back to it time and time again.  This is a powerful mid-tempo rocker that just bridges that classic rock/classic metal gap so expertly that I find myself hitting repeat on it more than once.

"I Cry" starts off with some melodic guitar work that reminds me a lot of the way The Storm's excellent song, "You Keep Me Waiting" starts, but rather than launch into an 80's melodic rocker the way that "...Waiting" does, "I Cry" bleeds back into that thick bass-and-Hammond groove that plows forward behind Cathey's voice and Floros' guitars.  An interesting thing happens where it feels like the song is going to explode into another big guitar solo; the song instead takes on a bit of an atmospheric feel, with more 80s-esque keyboard usage and some big drums, with just a tiny-but-frantic guitar run taking the song into the final chorus.  It is as the chorus dies that Floros explodes and goes off on a big, song-ending run.  I really like the songwriting maturity here that shows that a song doesn't have to follow a specific, set pattern to still deliver in a big way.  Another one of my faves here.

"A Little Love" is just catchy as all get out and is a track that I think really and truly lets the listener know what SteelCity is all about, as all elements of the new band's sound are on display here.  While maybe a bit more lyrically cliche than some of the other tracks here, the musical performances are all top notch, with every player given a place, and each instrument being given a full voice.  If the world of radio were to still play music of this style, I would say "A Little Love" definitely has "radio single" written all over it.

The same can be said of "Still Close To My Heart", which has that "not a rocker-but not a ballad" style that seemed to hit so big in the mid-to-late-80s as far as crossing over from the rock arena to the Top 40 charts.  Catchy as heck and smoothly produced, this is pure ear candy through and through, from the big "ohhhs" of the backing vocals to the melodic bass line and the classy guitar sections.  As one familiar with Cathey's voice might expect, he is definitely in his element here, free to allow his voice to soar in spots, while also allowed to be a bit punchy in spots, as well.

"Give It Back" is another contender for song of the album for me, as this is just a monster track filled with powerful performances strung together, from dirty bass line that intros the song to the gritty rhythm guitars...to say nothing of that rapid-fire flourish after the tempo change in the opening minute of the track...to Zampa's snappy patterns and cadences.  The chorus is simple but catchy and likely to be stuck in your head for a good while after hearing it, and Cathey continues his vocal dominance here.  Floros' solo is, once again, one that really needs to be heard, and this is definitely one of the best on the record.  This is just a fun song that screams summertime with the top down.  Excellent stuff.

I like the vocal inflection that Cathey uses on the verses of "Spotlight", and the call-and-response of the chorus is perfect, with the backing vocals chanting "I want you!" before each line Cathey offers up, and later adding echoes of "Shine on" in response to Cathey declaring "you're in the spotlight!"  Floros lays into yet another great solo, albeit a shorter one that I thought he might tear through, and the rhythm section is rock solid here.  And, as is so often the case here, the supporting role of the Hammond/keys is expertly executed here, never dominating the track, but also never disappearing.  Short, sweet, and down and dirty, "Spotlight" is likely my personal favorite of the record, and is everything that is great about this genre of music all wrapped up in one track.  I can just see the big-haired, doe-eyed 80s vixen in the barely there outfit that would have been dominating this track had it been set to video in 1988!  Honestly, this song has Headbanger's Ball hit written all over it if it's released 30 years ago.  Love, love, love this song!           

If I had anything I would change here, I would probably drop the instrumental, "Prayer For Love", and that is not a judgement against that track.  No, it's more because it's 1:22 of time that the album isn't graced by the power of Cathey's voice and the scream of Floros' guitar.  Sure, it's a nice opportunity for Stahl to shine on piano, but gimme the whole enchilada when the rest of the meal has been this tasty.  Know what I mean? 

The album closes in excellent fashion with "Down To One".  Soft keys intro the track, kind of feeding off the piano of "Prayer...", leading Cathey's vocals in for one more run on the record.  Once again, the sheer power that he sings with is stunning to behold, and for the tenth time in eleven tracks, a lot of people are going to find themselves asking how this dude didn't become a household name!  The deep richness with which he sings is almost peerless in today's music scene, and if I was putting together a band and an album of this type of melodic hard rock/metal, I can't honestly think of anyone else I would sign on as my vocalist ahead of Cathey.  I am that impressed with his performance here.  Floros, as per usual here, rips through an excellent, high octane solo, but then attempts to one-up himself by dropping an emotive acoustic interlude into the track as well before finishing things off with another whammy-bending, string-melting, fret-smoking solo that brings this nearly-perfect record to an unfortunate close.  

Outside of the sheer musical talent found on Mach II, I would have to point to the higher level of songwriting on this album over its predecessor, which is really saying something.  Again, with Fortress, we're talking about a Top 10 album of 2018 for Glitter2Gutter, but everything that record did great, Mach II does better.  Add in spotless production and a gorgeous mix, and there is practically nothing to dislike about this record other than the fact that it eventually comes to an end.  Of course, that just gives the listener an excuse to start it all over again, which this listener has done repeatedly for the last couple of weeks.  

To predict that Mach II will end up in the Top 20 of 2020 doesn't require Carnac-like prescience, as this album is truly that great!  Hunt it down, pop it in, and see if you can manage to dislodge it from your disc player.  So far, I have not been able to...  Mach II is so, so close to musical perfection for me that I have no desire to replace it with anything else at this point.

Rating:  Absolute crankability here!  9.5 for Mach II!

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MONDAY SHOCK "Rude Awakenings"

(c) 2020 Burning Minds

1. Rude Awakenings
2. Blind
3. Your Side
4. Spirit Of Life

Alessandro Marchi--Vocals

Enrico Dabellani--Guitars

Nicola Iazzi--Bass

Alessandro Broggi--Keys

Fabiano Bolzoni--Drums

Monday Shock is something of a project band that was put together by well-known Italian producer, Oscar Burato, who not only produced this project, but also co-wrote the songs here.  The result is a catchy, fun EP that combines not only an obvious love for 80's melodic rock but also the bouncing tempos and rhythms of the 90s pop-punk sound.

"Rude Awakenings" is a throw-away intro that teases the listener into believing they are going to be getting some sort of 80's synthpop band here, which is 100% not the case.  An alarm clock sounds, and we hear the cover model yawn before the electronic drums and synthesizers kick in.  The joke is carried out very convincingly, I must admit, because for the first minute of this EP, I have to admit I was a bit concerned as to what I was getting here.  

"Blind" is the first real song here, and it is a good one.  Rhythm guitars and drums open the track, along with an obvious bass presence and just a hint of keyboards as a supporting instrument, which is generally how I like to hear them incorporated.  The song has a fun, bouncy tempo and a definite pop sensibility to the song structure, but this is definitely melodic hard rock.  Marchi's vocals kick in and instantly my mind goes to a young Klaus Meine as far as the tone that he uses and the accented-but-understandable lyrics.  The guitars here are really good, with Dabellani showing some flair in what sounds to be a largely tapped solo and some solid rhythm guitars throughout the track.  A promising musical start to this short 3 song EP (we won't be going back to that intro anytime soon.)  Check out the video for "Blind", the debut single, below.

"Your Side" is another catchy, uptempo rocker, with the pace and rhythm very much in line with a lot of the pop-punk songs of the 90s I mentioned at the outset, but once again, this is very much a melodic hard rock track with a really strong bass presence, tight drumming, and more guitar flash from Dabellani.  I did some research on Dabellani, and apparently the guy was basically just a session player and cover band guitarist before jumping on board here.  Also a songwriting contributor on this EP, I have to think someone is going to grab him up to play for them at some point if Monday Shock doesn't go forward from here, because his talent is unquestionable.  By the way, that bass presence I talked about previously comes from Nicola Iazzi, who may be familiar to some as the one-time bassist for bands such as Embryo, Firmo, and he worked for a brief time with Hardline.  This is a fun rocker that feels like summer, and I have no doubt it will be released as a single in Europe where music such as this still has something of a voice on the radio.

"Spirit Of Life" starts of with a soulful blues guitar intro blending into the full band as the EP closes with this very strong ballad.  Again, Marchi's vocals take on something of a younger Klaus Meine tone, and the whole song sounds very much like something the Scorpions may have tackled on their more recent releases.  The backing vocals are superbly done, and the music here, especially the guitar work, is pretty much spot-on.  An excellent close to a pretty strong debut EP from a project that I hope continues on.   

As one might expect, the production here is excellent, with Burato at the control board.  If you are at all familiar with the sound of bands on the Street Symphonies or Logic II Logic labels, then you have likely heard Burato's work, as he was the co-founder of both of those labels.  There is a level of polish to these tracks, but not so much that the guitars lack bite, the keyboards dominate the sound, or that the drums sound overly processed.  This is just a fun experiment that I feel deserves a chance to be explored further, just to see what happens.

Very, very short, especially when the evil-tease intro is thrown aside, Rude Awakenings is harmless fun that should mix well with just about any modern Euro-melodic rock you want to mix it with.  

Rating:  You really can't go wrong with this little effort, so crank it to 7 and let's see if anything further comes of Monday Shock!

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ADELLAIDE "New Horizons"

(c) 2019 Lion's Pride Music

1. Robotica
2. Time's Hotel
3. Nightfalls
4. Tonight (Once In A Lifetime)
5. Ring Of Saturn
6. Smile
7. It's Just A Matter Of Time
8. Oceania
9. Paradise Grace
10. Together Again

Daniel Vargas--Vocals

Vitor Balconi--Guitars

Cadu Yamazaki--Bass

Leandro Freitas--Keys

Herbert Loureiro--Drums

Adellaide is a Brazilian band that I only recently discovered when New Horizons showed up in my inbox.  Blending an obvious love for 80s melodic rock, AOR, and progressive rock, Adellaide is not really like any other band I have come across in some time.

For starters, as I mentioned, there is an obvious 80s element to the band, particularly in the song structures and the instrumentation.  But, I don't mean 80s as in "hair bands and Hollywood".  I mean 80s as in slickly-produced, Top 40 AOR stuff.  The band claims to be influenced by Journey, Survivor, Kansas, and Asia, and to be sure, there are elements of all of those bands on New Horizons.  But they come in small doses.  For example, on "Tonight (Once In A Lifetime)" there are times you can hear bits of Journey, particularly in certain guitar passages, but for the most part, and if you close your eyes and let your imagination run a bit, you can hear a bit of Kansas in the melodies and the way the vocals are applied to this piano-laden ballad.  The vocals are smooth, but heavily accented with some significant English pronunciation issues, but I can get around that, as this is not an uncommon issue with all the foreign bands I am exposed to.  No, my main issue is I feel like I need to visit my dentist after sitting through more than a handful of songs from Adellaide, as the music is just too slick, too sweet, too sugary for me to spend a lot of time with it.  And that's unfortunate, because there is obviously a lot of musical talent in this band, particularly in the guitar work of Balconi and the drums/percussion of Loureiro.  

The album starts off with a spoken work intro for the first track "Robotica".  From the get-go, I think this is supposed to be a concept record to some extent, but for the life of me, I can't figure the story line out.  Anyway, the actual music of this track starts about 35 seconds into the track, and to be honest, the music is rather catchy.  Vargas's voice joins the track and almost immediately I hear Klaus Meine of the Scorpions, both in the pronunciation of certain words and in the tone he sings with.  There are also some odd, Mr. Roboto-type vocal effects thrown into the chorus, which I can work around.  After the second chorus, Balconi goes on a really nice, melodic guitar run that has me thinking Adellaide might really be onto something.  I mean, this guy is good, and as I said, the song is catchy, even if it is overly polished.

But when "Time's Hotel" kicks in, the album starts a slow slide into 80s high school movie soundtrack territory.  You know what I'm talking about:  a band is playing in the background as the movie's main characters dance in some sort of climactic plot point, as camera's cut to the feathery-haired lead singer crooning to the guitarist who bending his strings in a highly melodic solo...just before the keytar player wanders across the stage, and we cut instantly back to Molly Moore or Demi Sheedy or Ally Ringwald (see what I did there??).  This song...and really, the majority of the album...is just so slick that it doesn't even feel like rock, regardless of the tempo or the instruments being played.  And I feel bad because I WANT to like it!  Again, Balconi has some serious talent on the guitar, and once again his skill is on display here in an excellent solo.  But the overall feel is just too slick, too pop-infused, and too danged sweet to really enjoy.  Plus, this is one song where Vargas's enunciation is noticeable to me, because he doesn't use the "h" in his "th" sounds, so when he sings "you are my therapy" he's instead singing "you are my terapy"...and it just drives me up the wall!!!

"Nightfalls" has some great percussion/drum work to it, sounding a bit like Phil Collins in places, a bit like Men At Work in others, and I think it's a really cool sound that Loureiro has going on here, with some interesting patterns and tempos.  The guitars are really good, and the bass work is tight, but there are WAY too many keys for my liking, and there are some really bizarre vocal accompaniment sounds (not really singing so much as...squawking, maybe?) that just do serious damage to the track.

As I previously mentioned, "Tonight (Once In A Lifetime)" is really a pretty good track...probably my favorite of the album, to be honest....with some solid mid-80s Top 40 guitar rock song writing.  The song it reminds me of a bit, however, actually comes from the mid-90s, as there is something here that really makes me think of Foreigner's "Until The End Of Time".  As I stated above, the guitar work here has a Journey quality to it at times, and the use of the piano, rather than keyboards, is a very good decision here.  I can imagine taking Tracy by the hand and escorting her to the dance floor at my high school prom, as she smiles sweetly at me as she most likely thinks to herself, "Why the heck did I tell this mohawked musclehead I'd go to prom with him...again?!"  Errrr....anywaaayyyy...

"Ring Of Saturn" is a pretty straight forward rocker with a progressive bent, and isn't as obnoxious as some of the tracks here.  Again, the song's title and apparent sci-fi significance makes me think I am supposed to be catching onto some grand story here, but I'm totally missing it.  It sounds like I'm on repeat here, but the guitar work is top notch, the rhythm section holds the line very well, the keys aren't overplayed, and the vocals are largely really good (some odd sounds again, however), but the production just feels like there is a layer of sugary glaze that drips down and around the song, pooling up around the base of it and oozing around your feet as you stop to admire the musicianship, only to find yourself stuck to the floor!

"Smile" is just...ah, heck...just read the last paragraph again...  

"It's Just A Matter Of Time" is my other favorite track here, and that is owed in large part to the fact that I absolutely loved the first two Asia records.  The keyboard intro alone throws me right back to that classic Asia debut record, with the greatness of  "Only Time Will Tell" and "Heat Of The Moment".  There is ZERO doubt that there has been some time spent listening to that band and that record here, as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" is a pure 80s melodic/prog rock track of the highest order.  Really, really good stuff that I wish popped up far more frequently style-wise on this record.  Now THAT would be a record I could fall in heavy like with!

"Oceania" again has be trying to figure out what the story of this album is...and again failing.  As far as the song itself goes, this one isn't all that bad, honestly.  The keyboard tone is a bit too pingy for me, but the rest of the track is pretty good.  A good rhythm section, a bit of an edge to Vargas's vocals, and...you guessed it...a really good guitar solo.  I'm kind of starting to wonder if the album was backloaded, because two of the best tracks are in the lower 40% of the record. 

"Paradise Grace" sounds like its going to return things to the sugary sweetness of most of the rest of the record, with far too much time spent on the keyboards that intro the track.  BUT...if you scan forward about 30 seconds or so, you get an 80s Journey-esque track, at least musically, although Vargas will never be confused with Steve Perry...or Steve Augeri...or Arnell-whatever-his-name-is. The rhythm guitars have a cool tone to them, the drums are very well done, and the backing vocals enhance what Vargas is trying to do.  The song itself isn't overly memorable, but its close to a standout on this record. 

The album (mercifully) closes with "Together Again", which starts off with some 80s video game soundtrack keyboards, but finds itself morphing into a fairly decent mid-tempo rock track.  Not metal, not hard rock, just rock.  The backing vocals are straight out of Up With People, but the guitar solo is nice, the Asia-styled synth solo tagged onto the end of the guitar run is pretty cool, and Vargas delivers one of his better overall performances here.  So to answer my own question from before, I would have to say that this album definitely IS backloaded, because all but one of the best songs come in the final four tracks here.  Now, I'm not saying they are great songs, because they are not.  They are, for the most part, pretty good to good, but still, that's an improvement over most of the first six tracks.

The thing is, I don't think this is the fault of the band, at all.  I think most of the problems here are due to the glossy layer of polish poured all over these songs.  I'm betting if you hear Adellaide live there will be more grit, more edge, more...ROCK...in several of these songs.  But with the heavy-handed approach utilized here, the rock is never able to grab a foothold because it slips off of whatever edge it tries to push off of, leaving it to hang on for dear life while the rest of the song slicks right on past.  And that's an odd thing for me, because the producer here is none other than Tito Falaschi.  Wait, you don't know who that is?  Well, I'm betting several readers know who his brother is, as Edu Falaschi was the lead vocalist for fellow Brazilian power/prog band Angra for a stretch of four albums including the excellent Rebirth.  You would think with that musical pedigree, Tito might have a bit more of an idea as to what melodic hard rock is supposed to sound like, but maybe he wasn't paying close enough attention, or perhaps he was trying to make sure that Adellaide DIDN'T sound like Angra.  Whatever the case, I honestly feel the production does serious damage to many of these songs and really brings down the album as a whole. 

Rating:  Just too much sugary goo to get through.  Rock this to a 5.5, but know there are a couple of really good songs, and some serious musical talent if you swim through the syrup to find it.

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GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, & MYRRH "GFM's Acoustic EP"

(c) 2019 Independent Release

1. On The Inside
2. Graveyard of Identities
3. Twisted Humanity
4. Give Me A Sign

CJ English--Vocals, Guitar

Maggie English--Bass, Vocals

Lulu English--Drums, Percussion, Vocals

Okay, for the most part, this whole stripped-down acoustic thing has run its course.  For the most part, all the listener is given is an EP or album filled with unplugged renditions of songs that the artist thinks they can safely pull off with very little thought or effort put into changing things up or putting consideration into how previously heavy material is going to come across in the acoustic setting.  But all of those things are "for the most part".  They are not the way Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh do things, thankfully.

The normally heavy, aggressive, often-harshly screamed music of GFM has been dumped on its head by the English sisters, and the result is a fabulously delicious mess.  Of particular note is the strength of the girls as musicians.  Acoustic music typically exposes weaknesses, in my experience, as you can't disguise a flub with more distortion or volume.  And, there are a few such flubs here, and the girls just blow through them.  For example, the lead vocals on "Graveyard Of Identities" stretch a bit too far in the second verse and come a bit off key at one point, but the girls just seem to shrug it off, seemingly owning their imperfections, and move on.  Musically, the skill exhibited by both CJ and Maggie on their stringed instruments is impressive, and hearing the girls all sing in clean vocals and HARMONIZE so well is a real treat.  I also really like the alternative percussion used by Lulu on a track like "Twisted Humanity" or "Give Me A Sign", both songs where she employs either congas, or perhaps tunable bongos, to deliver a rich tone that fits so well with the string work from her older sisters. 

Perhaps even more impressive to me is the rearrangement of these songs.  All four are tracks that have been released as singles at some point, so most listeners are already familiar with what they are hearing.  With that familiarity, there is often a tendency to stay safe and not challenge either the performers or the listeners to be open to something different.  That is NOT the case here, as all four songs have been reworked, with "Give Me A Sign" being particularly impressive to me.  The changes in vocal pitches, the way the backing "whoas" are still incorporated, but in a more haunting way, and the gentle incorporation of some piano (not sure who is playing that), really alters a song that is really aggressive in its usual form.  In all honesty, all four of these tracks are actually uptempo numbers and not songs that most bands would have chosen to rework, as there is a lot of change that was required to put these songs together in this new fashion.  Most bands would have played it safe with ballads, or at least more down-tempo numbers.  Not so with GFM.  Color me impressed.  And, lest you think the girls incapable of pulling this song off in the live setting, check the video below.

I have no way of knowing if these were done "live", or if they were all recorded in multiple takes over multiple sessions, but it matters little in the end.  The musical maturity shown by these three young ladies is worth noting, and GFM continues to prove that they are so much more than just a sister novelty act.  GFM is an act that deserves to be paid attention to, and they seemingly command that attention more with each release, including this little 4 song EP.  I genuinely hope that another acoustic effort is offered up by the girls at some point in the not-so-distant future, especially if it is anywhere near as good as this one. 

Rating:  It's an EP, it's acoustic, but it cranks!  Spin 'er up to 8!

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