BRAINSTORM "Midnight Ghost"

(c) 2018 AFM Records

1. Devil's Eye
2. Revealing The Darkness
3. Ravenous Minds
4. The Pyre
5. Jeanne Boulet (1764)
6. Divine Inner Ghost
7. When Pain Becomes Real
8. Four Blessings
9. Haunting Voices
10. The Path

Andy B. Franck--Lead Vocals

Torsten Ihlenfeld--Guitars

Milan Loncaric--Guitars

Antonio Ieva--Bass

Dieter Bernert--Drums

Since I first discovered this German power metal band on their 2001 album Metus Mortis, Brainstorm has probably been the most consistent power metal band that I have followed.  I suppose this can be attributed, at least in part, to the consistency of the line-up, which has remained 4/5 steady since Franck came on board in 2000, with bassist Ieva being the "newbie" of the group, not coming on board until 2007.  So, if you are doing the quick math, that means this current version of Brainstorm has been together for a full 12 years, which is a rather considerable time for a band to stay together these days.

Of course, consistency in a line-up means very little if the musicianship is not in top form, which has never been an issue for Brainstorm.  Combining the underappreciated vocals of Franck with the blistering fret speed of Ihlenfeld and Loncaric would be enough to bolster any metal band's line-up, but when you take in the sprinter-speed footwork of Bernert on the drums, and the galloping bass approach that Ieva brings, you have a nearly unstoppable force, musically.  And with top-of-the-heap songwriting, Brainstorm has long been one of the two or three standard bearers of power metal, in my opinion.

As is typical of the band, Midnight Ghost is filled with breakneck speed, incredibly thick note density, an impeccable sense of melody, and huge...HUGE...hooks, both vocally and musically.  Fast, heavy, and aggressive, Midnight Ghost actually manages to take the band to a new level of excellence, a statement that I thought might not be possible following the greatness that was 2014's Firesoul...or 2005's Liquid Monster, which many fans point to as the previous pinnacle for the band.  

From the very first drum kicks of "Devil's Eye", there is an aggression to Midnight Ghost that may have been at least somewhat lacking on the last couple of albums.  Bernert is a sheer heart attack waiting with the pace he sets on this track (and throughout the record), but the tandem of Ihlenfeld and Loncaric are equal to the task here, which is a rather amazing statement to make, honestly.  And its not just the sheer speed that Bernert plays with, it is the interesting and change of tempos and rhythms that he mixes into each track that really provides the heartbeat for this band.     

But its not just blazing speed that makes Brainstorm the great band that it is.  You need look no further than the second track, "Revealing The Darkness" to find a haunting intro featuring piano and strings that bleeds into a guitar riff that carries on throughout the track, weaving an intricate melodic thread throughout the song.  Franck's vocals range from a thick, rich baritone to a somewhat higher ranged tenor, never straying into territory where his power and command are lost.

"Ravenous Minds" is a crushing, metallic assault, not so much in tempo as much as in heaviness and crunch.  I'm not a huge fan of the effects used on Franck's vocals on the chorus that intros the song, but fortunately those effects are a one-time thing, and it is just clean vocals utilized for the rest of the track.  Big, chunky rhythm guitars are buoyed by a current of keys that tinkle just below the surface, adding a nice melodic contrast, and Ieva's bass work is especially present here.  The twin guitar riffing on the solo is especially enticing, and the sharp snare and thunderous kicks from Bernert keep me absolutely riveted upon repeated listens.

Two tracks really boil down the greatness of this album for me, although everything here is of excellent quality.  But the album's epic track, "Jeanne Boulet (1764)", which clocks in at nearly eight minutes, may be the show-stealer.  A thunderstorm, a haunting church bell, and a snarling narrative from Franck lead in this song that would seem to be about a true-to-life French girl who, in 1764, was among a number of teen-aged children and women who were killed by a "horrible beast", believed to be a large wolf (or possibly a pack of wolves) in the region during a stretch of time from 1762-1767.  (Sorry...the history teacher in me had to do some research!)  The telling of the story seems to be a bit erroneous in the song, however, as this Jeanne Boulet is apparently being sacrificed for some unknown crime...in the same year as the ACTUAL Jeanne Boulet.  Hmmmm....  Regardless of the historical accuracy, the tale told in the song is an excellent one and performed in fine fashion, with Franck masterfully manipulating his voice to fit the emotion of the song, especially when he dramatically intones "sacrifice her!", while the guitar playing is powerful, melodic, and chock full of hooks.  Tempo changes, multiple guitar solos, huge drums...this track has it all!  Don't believe me?  Feast your ears below...

The other track I would steer you to as an example of the band's greatness would be the penultimate track on Midnight Ghost, "Haunting Voices".  The chug-chugga-chug rhythm guitars, the raspiness that Franck adds to his voice in sections of the verses (think Mike Howe of Metal Church, for comparison), the big, harmonious, layered chorus sections, and the hook-laden melody of the guitars is, for me, exactly what I think of when I think of Brainstorm.  The change in drum patterns from verse to chorus are spot-on perfection, and the deep, snarling vocal bridge before the guitar solo, only add to the greatness of the track.

The album closes on another great song, with "The Path", a track that upon first listen reminds me a bit of something Demons & Wizards may have put together, with the more melodic approach of Blind Guardian interspersed with heavy, thunderous Iced Earth moments.  Again, thick layers of backing vocals support Franck on the chorus, only adding the the raw power that he possesses.  I truly feel he is one of the best vocalists in all of metal today (and, really, for the past fifteen or so years), and his perfect handling of the heavy, simple-yet-deadly riffs that Ihlenfeld and Loncaric attack each song with is merely more proof of that greatness.

And, while mentioning greatness, I contend that Dieter Bernert is quite possibly the most talented, and certainly the most interesting, drummer in power metal today.  I find myself focusing so much on his performance on this record (and on most of Brainstorm's albums, really), that I have to restart songs sometimes to get the full effect of the track.  That is saying something, my friends, for I would say I am generally a vocalist-first, rhythm guitar-second, drums-third listener, with lead guitars, bass, and then keys following in that order (I think a killer rhythm guitar can cover up a good deal of weakness in lead guitars...see Iced Earth as an example...).  That is not the case here, as Bernert captivates me with his originality, force, and speed nearly every time I put in an album by the band.

The production here is really good overall, with generally great separation of instruments, although there are a couple of spots where I felt the bass could have possibly been brought forward just a tad.  There is no muddiness at all, however, and my one minor complaint could also be the result of my copy of the album being presented in mp3 format, which as we all know tends to compress things to varying degrees (depending upon the quality of the files).  I would expect that when I receive my physical CD of Midnight Ghost, any misgivings I may have had will slip away.

If Midnight Ghost is not the absolute best record in a string of really good-to-excellent records from this German powerhouse band, it is absolutely in the top three of their 12 album catalog.  Today, perhaps due to an excitement about new material, I would have to say Midnight Ghost is my new favorite from the band, but only time will tell if that impression remains.  And who knows...maybe the next Brainstorm album will knock all contenders from the ranks!

Rating:  A brilliantly crankable 9.0 masterpiece!

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GODSMACK "When Legends Rise"

(c) 2018 BMG

1. When Legends Rise
2. Bulletproof
3. Unforgettable
4. Every Part Of Me
5. Take It To The Edge
6. Under Your Scars
7. Someday
8. Just One Time
9. Say My Name
10. Let It Out
11. Eye Of The Storm

Sully Erna--Lead Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Tony Rombola--Lead Guitars, Backing Vocals
Robbie Merrill--Bass, Backing Vocals
Shannon Larkin--Drums

Additional Musicians
The Gilbert H. Hood and West Running Brook Choir--Chorus Vocals on "Unforgettable"
Zvezdelina Haltakova--Violin on "Under Your Scars"
Irina Chirkova--Cello on "Under Your Scars"

From the very first track on the new Godsmack album, it is obvious something is different about this record...and, indeed, about the band.  Sure, vocalist Sully Erna uses the word "baby" as often as Rob Zombie snarls, "yeah", but musically there's a shift here...sometimes subtle, sometimes not so much.  Just looking at the information above should give you an immediate clue about these changes.  I mean, violin and cello on a Godsmack album?  A choir (which turns out to be a children's choir, no less...)?  What the heck has been going on in the four years since 1000HP?

From the outset in the lead-up to this album, Erna had made it clear that he was looking to take the band in a new direction, aiming for a more modern hard rock sound than the modern metal the band had previously employed.  Don't take that to mean that the heaviness of the band is gone, because that is not true; there are still plenty of heavy moments on When Legends Rise.  However, the metallic bite is not the main focus of the record now, with melody, song structure, and musicianship at a higher premium than sheer aggression, darkness, and anger.

The opening six songs on this album are probably as good as any six songs I have heard in succession on a record in years.  Not kidding, the first 20 or so minutes here is just about perfection for a hard rock record.  The album starts out in fairly comfortable territory, with the album's second single, the anthemic title track, "When Legends Rise".  Big drums pull a distorted guitar line behind them to intro the song before the entire band kicks in and Erna snarls his way into the opening verse.  But it's when you get to the chorus that the new feel of Godsmack kicks in, and if you really listen to the lyrics of the chorus, it seems the band is announcing the alteration of the course of their musical journey, burning down their past and forging a new future:  "It's burning down, It's burning high, When ashes fall, Legends Rise!"  Still featuring the typical driving guitars and catchy drum patterns of old, "...Legends..." sands off some of the rougher musical edges, and leaves behind a really nice slice of modern hard rock that feels like Godsmack, even if it doesn't sound 100% like the band that delivered "I Stand Alone" or "Whiskey Hangover".

"Bulletproof", the album's lead single, is pure rock ear candy, with even my 6 year old son latching onto the uber-catchy, echoing chorus as he rocks out in the back seat!  Definitely more radio friendly than just about anything the band has released since "Voodoo", "Bulletproof" is the perfect song to test the waters with for fans of the band, as Erna's vocals are still instantly recognizable, and the guitars still buzz with edgy life, but there are now hints of synth drawn into the mix, and a slightly reined-in bottom end that doesn't try to overpower your speakers with every drum hit or bass thump.

"Unforgettable" is just that, especially with the use of a children's choir on the second half of the song's choruses, with the interplay between Erna's deeper, edgier vocals being copied by the children word-for-word (including a huge, "whoa-oh-OH-oh-oh"...), while "Take It To The Edge" is a huge, ballsy chant-along rocker that will have fists thrusting into the air in a live setting, as the chorus just begs for Erna to have fans scream along as he taunts them, "I take it to the edge <EDGE!> of life <LIFE!>...".   The punchy, "Every Part Of Me" is sandwiched in there, as well, but should not be overlooked with the grit in the guitars and the thump of the rhythm section driving one of the harder rockers of the first half of the record.

The real curve ball on this album for longtime fans is going to be the beautiful, emotional piano ballad, "Under Your Scars", complete with the previously mentioned strings.  A lyrically raw and vulnerable track, "Under Your Scars" is Godsmack's "November Rain" moment, no question, and if it is not released as a single to massive crossover appeal, I think I may lose any shred of faith I may still have in the music industry, as this is a song unlike any other I have heard in the past few years from a band that was built upon angst and bleakness in so many of their biggest songs.  This song is a huge step for the band and one that really showcases the songwriting of Erna, his ability to structure a song such as this, and his willingness to put himself out there, fully exposed as a lyricist and vocalist.

There are still moments on the record where you can hear elements of Godsmack V 1.0, mostly toward the end, and specifically on the hard-charging "Say My Name", and album closer, "Eye Of The Storm", which seems to straddle the territory between the two sounds of the band while mixing in some thunderstorm effects.  Both are excellent, guitar-driven tracks that allow the band to cut loose a bit more than on other places on the record, and their inclusion actually serves to give the album a completeness that may have been lacking, otherwise. 

Even if the only good songs on this album were the first six, this would be a great effort.  But when all eleven tracks range from really good to excellent, you have a pretty special album on your hands.  When Legends Rise has to be in contention for album of the year when all is said and done in 2018, it is simply that good.  To say otherwise is to simply hold onto any previous biases that listeners may have from the Godsmack of old.

Rating: No way around it, this album is crankable to the extreme.  Crank this to 9.5!

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NECRONOMICON "Unleashed Bastards"

(c) 2018 El Puerto Records

1. Burn And Fall
2. Leave The Lights On
3. Total Rejection
4. Malevolent
5. We Did We Do
6. Imperial Hunger
7. My Name Is Vengeance
8. Forbid Me From Living
9. Unleashed
10. Religion Live Fast
11. Personal Enemy
12. The Nightmare Continues

Freddy--Vocals, Guitars

Mike--Guitar, Backing Vocals

Marco--Bass, Backing Vocals

Chris--Drums

There was a time where I was into anything and everything thrash.  I had grown weary with the cookie-cutter hair bands and was looking for something more aggressive...a lot more aggressive, especially for when I was in the gym.  Sure, I knew of Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer (the latter of whom I can't stand...AT ALL), and Megadeth, and I had dabbled in Overkill, Testament and Metal Church (the latter two being personal favorites for me, even to this day...)...as well as Christian thrashers Deliverance (another fave), Vengeance, Sacrament, Tourniquet, etc....but I was always on the lookout for more.  And, as with my previous obsession with finding bands that few had heard of, I found myself seeking out foreign bands to fill my new thrash passion.  After doing some trading with a couple of metal friends overseas, I was introduced to the semi-underground German thrash band, Necronomicon.  I say "semi-underground" because if you were European...and especially if you were German...you knew full well who Necronomicon was.  But here, in the States, the band was definitely not a part of the known thrash scene, and I was stoked with my discovery!

Well, here it is, 2018, and thrash continues to survive...even somewhat thrive, in places...and Necronomicon is still alive, as well.  I had kind of lost track of the band, and didn't realize that they had released a couple of records in the 2000s, and with only vocalist Freddy still around from the original version of the band, I was curisous if the band still retains the high-energy speed and aggression of the band I came to know in the late-80s.  The answer, much to my delight, is a resounding yes, but with the added bonus of hints of power metal being incorporated into the mix in several tracks!  

"Burn And Fall" kicks the album off in fine form, with heavy drums and chugging rhythm guitars, reminding me a lot of the more power thrash approach utilized by Metal Church, before they break out into a high-speed, aggressive pattern that is more reminiscent of bands such as Exodus or fellow Germans, Destruction.    

People seeking pure speed don't have to wait long, as the next two tracks, "Leave The Lights On" and "Total Rejection" are absolutely blistering in their pace and approach, from the insanely fast drumming to the over-the-top fret-melting of the rhythm guitars, especially on "Leave The Lights On", which is absolutely fantastic!  Marco's fingers have to be nothing but leather-thick callouses with the way he abuses his bass, and the lead solo on "...Lights" is a screaming joy to behold.  "Total Rejection" doesn't slow down or let up, either, although there is a bit more of a melodic approach in places on this track, again reminding me of Metal Church or some of Testament's 80s output.

"Malevolent" slides right out of "Total Rejection" and takes on a decidedly slower, more melodic style, again very much in that American power thrash style of Metal Church, which is just brilliant!  Thick, heavy, dark, aggressive..."Malevolent" is a six minute long slab of some of the best metal of this style I have heard in a couple of years, at least.  Definitely the song of the album for me, and that is saying quite a bit, because there is so much thrashy goodness here!

"We Did We Do" has a cool differentiation between the break-neck riffing of the verses and the slower, more melodic approach of the chorus, and is a lot of fun to listen to.  "My Name Is Vengeance" speeds things back up for its entirety, with "Imperial Hunger" jumping right back to what "We Did We Do" does so well, alternating seizure-inducing speed with "Creeping Death" bridge-styled chorus sections.  Dizzyingly fast solos rip through each of these slabs of molten metal, as Freddy grates his raspy, menacing vocals across every verse and every chorus, supported by some surprisingly strong backing vocals from Mike and Marco.  

"My Name Is Vengeance" and the quasi-title track, "Unleashed" are both high speed numbers, with "Unleashed" sounding a bit like what Accept was doing when many people claim that band was starting what we now know as thrash, as it combines elements of straight up heavy metal with Euro-thrash.  

"Forbid Me From Living" is a darker, heavier track that features a 50 second long  music box and piano intro that is battered and bruised by heavy drums and melodic-yet-crunchy guitars that carry on for another full minute before Freddy's vocals even enter the fray.  This is a musical stretch by this band that not a lot of other thrashers today would likely consider attempting, and the album is the better for it.  Again incorporating so much of what I love about Metal Church...the power thrash approach, the melodic solo, the chunky bass colliding with the drums...Necronomicon prove that there is far more to the thrash scene than just blazing riffage and machine gun drumming.  Excellent stuff here!

 "Religion Live Fast" starts off hard and heavy, again utilizing a more classic heavy metal approach to the brief intro before pure adrenaline-fueled speed is unleashed as the verses kick in.  "Personal Enemy"slows things down a bit, again having a definite "Creeping Death" feel to the nearly-minute long lead in, before it melts into something more akin to "Damage, Inc.", as far as speed goes, although "Personal Enemy" has a quirky, off-kilter pattern to the chorus section that sets it apart from pretty much anything else on the record.  The album then comes to a close with "The Nightmare Continues", a high-speed, high-aggression track that has dollops of of 80s-era Overkill ladled generously across chunky pieces of Kreator-esque meat and bone.  Freddy sounds great here, whether he is scraping the rafters with his high-end screams or snarling his way through the verses.

Man, I am fired up, to say the least!  This is probably the best metal record I have listened to since...well, since Testament's Brotherhood Of The Snake or Metal Church's XI...both of which came out over two years ago...or possibly Deliverance's The Subversive Kind!  Fast, furious, fun...Necronomicon have set the bar extremely high for any metal act that follows in 2018, and blasts the last quarter of this year into the first half of next with an absolute sonic feast!  To say I am impressed would be an understatement, and Unleashed Bastards will definitely be in the conversation for album of the year in just a couple of months!

The production is great, the musicality is top-shelf, and the aggression-meets-melody of numerous tracks is pretty much unmatched in any metal album that has crossed my desk or wormed its way into my ears.  If you have any love for thrash at all, forget picking up the last Metallica album you have been hemming and hawing over (and it is a good record, don't get me wrong...), and grab Necronomicon's Unleashed Bastards instead.  If you though Metallica's "Spit Out The Bone" was top-notch thrash, you need to hear "Leave The Lights On"...and that song isn't even the best on this record!

Rating:  No question, this is a crank-fest!  Crank it to 8.5!

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LOVE STALLION "Unforgettable Ride"

(c) 2018 Independent Release

1. Slow Release
2. Ignite The Night
3. Big Rock Radio
4. Lazy Summer Dream
5. Hide Me Away
6. Tinker Toys
7. Valentine
8. High Time
9. Trans Am

Aaron Hart--Lead Vocals, Guitars, Keys, Bass

Robert McLemore--Guitars, Keys

Dax Hunter Jordan--Drums

Additional Musicians
Rachel King--Guest Vocalsn on "High Time"
Ona Reed--Guest Vocals on "Valentine"

I know what some of you are thinking.  I get it.  I did the same thing.  I saw the band's name, which caused me to think of Wyld Stallyns from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure...and then I saw the album's title, Unforgettable Ride, and my mind drifted to Steel Panther.  Just put all of that to an end right now.  This group from Denver is a REAL band, and the tongue-in-cheek humor of the album title is as close to the potty-mouthed juvenile humor as the band gets.  And while the style and sound of the band is straight from the glam and arena sounds of the late 70s and 80s, Love Stallion is not a tribute band or a cover act.  With their debut album, Love Stallion is out to show that their belief in, and dedication to, their craft is the real thing.  All they are asking for is a chance to convince you.

"Slow Release" kicks things off with a riff that reminds me of Deep Purple's "Woman From Tokyo", but quickly slides into a more glam-sounding mid-tempo rocker.  Aaron Hart's vocals are in the upper tenor range here, and despite my fears that he might try to slide up into a Darkness-styled falsetto, Hart maintains a strong, unwavering grip on his performance on the track.  Some nice backing vocals really support the sound here, and a solid, straight-forward rhythm section serves the track well.  McLemore lays a nice, simple guitar solo into the mix here, not coming off as overly flashy and sticking with the style and spirit of the song.

"Ignite The Night" is up next, and what retro-styled album would be complete without the cowbell intro to at least one track?  "Ignite The Night" is that song for Love Stallion.  Also featuring some cool bass work, "Ignite The Night" is another example of a 70s-inspired glam rock track given just enough of a modern update to keep it from sounding dated.  Once again, strong backing vocals are utilized on this track, and McLemore breaks free just a bit more on his solo here, but still doesn't give the impression he is trying to steal the spotlight here, rather feeding into the overall approach of the song itself.

"Big Rock Radio" is the song that got Love Stallion started, according to the band's press kit.  Apparently the song was written outside of a concert hall clear back in 2013, and it finally sees the light of day here.  Reminding me a bit of The Darkness, but with FAR MORE tolerable vocals, "Big Rock Radio" is a smooth listen, with a catchy guitar line and a straight-ahead rock groove, that feels very much like the type of glam rock that was transitioning the 70s into the 80s.  There's a bit of a fret run in the solo here, which is longer and more involved than most of the solos on the album, and while it's not overly flashy, it is definitely a fun listen, overall, and is a song that I am guessing gets a nice response from fans who are familiar with the band.

"Lazy Summer Dream" is pretty laid back and it's at this point that the album kind of bogs down a bit.  The songs aren't bad, but the tempos are all very similar, ranging from balladry to slower-pace mid-tempo rock.  "Hide Me Away" doesn't move a whole lot more than "Lazy Summer Dream" does, nor does "Tinker Toys", although both are strong retro-styled radio rock tracks that lean heavily on a more melodic approach, with not a whole lot of edge or bite to them, overall.  "Valentine" is also pretty slow, and really the album needs a kick in the pants by this time, just to shake things up.  Fortunately, both "High Time" and "Trans Am" pack more punch than just about anything else on this record.  "High Time" has some fantastic guitar work, which I really wish we had heard more of on this record, and "Trans Am" ends things with a bang, offering up solid reason to believe that only good things lie ahead for this band.  

The production is a bit thick sounding in places...not muddy, but lacking much in the way of sparkle or polish.  I'm okay with it, especially after several listens, and producer Steve Avedis certainly has a pedigree in the industry, so I can only surmise that the sound here is intentional and not the result of financial limitations or something like that.  I guess I was just expecting the overall sound to be a bit brighter.  In the end, it matters very little, because the songwriting here is strong enough, and the musicianship is accomplished enough that Unforgettable Ride is still an enjoyable debut from a band that really sneaked up on me despite the fact that I live in the same relative geographical region as the band and am fairly in-tune with the regional music scene.  I hope to get the chance to catch the band live at some point, as I have heard their shows are definitely a party you want to be involved in.

While an adjustment to the tracking order might have made for a more balanced listen, Unforgettable Ride is an above average debut, especially when you consider the style the band is working in.  Not an outright 70s classic rock guitar record, nor a mid-to-late-80s hair metal affair, Unforgettable Ride carves out a niche in the smoother, more laid back guitar rock of the 1979-1983 range that was so much a part of my youth.  Hart has an obvious passion and talent for this type of music, as it is extremely well-written and his vocals are spot-on for the style.  Similarly, McLemore has a knack for incorporating just enough guitar into these songs to keep them from drifting away, while also not giving in to the temptation to drop multiple masturbatory solos into songs that are not designed for excessive whammy-bar wankery.

Rating:  Not a perfect album, but still good rocking fun.  Give this a 6.5!

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**RETRO REVIEW** TATTOO RODEO "Rode Hard, Put Away Wet"

(c) 1991 Atlantic Records

1. Strung Out
2. Sweet Little Vikki
3. Been Your Fool
4. Everybody Wants What She's Got
5. Ain't No Reason Why
6. Let Me Be The One
7. Blonde Ambition
8. Love Shuffle
9. Shotgun Johnny
10. Tell Me Why
11. One Way Love
12. Down
13. Hard Like A Rock

Dennis Churchill-Dries--Lead Vocals, Bass

Rick Chadock--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Michael Lord--Keyboards, Hammond B3, Backing Vocals

Rich Wright--Drums

Additional Musicians

Ron Bloom--Guitars, Keyboards

Paul Sabu--Backing Vocals

By 1991, the Hollywood Hair Scene was in full swing, and preparing to be in free-fall.  Labels were going out of their way to sign anyone and everyone who had the big hair look, often times overlooking the fact that they weren't particularly good musicians or songwriters.  It became increasingly hard to find original sounding bands, as everyone was looking for that next big radio hit, which meant that next big paycheck.  But with Atlantic Records' signing of Tattoo Rodeo, they got a band that had the look...even the pedigree, to a certain extent...but instead of getting a carbon-copy sounding hair band, the label got a southern rock-tinged hard rock band that sounded very little like most of their contemporaries on the radio.  And that, my friends, is a GREAT thing...

For the uninitiated, Tattoo Rodeo was formed from the remnants of a semi-successful hair band known as White Sister.  That band managed to place songs on multiple move soundtracks, and seemed poised to potentially break big with a couple of solo records.  As was often the case at the time, however, things didn't go the band's way, and Churchill-Dries, Chadock, and Wright moved on from that failed effort and formed Tattoo Rodeo.

Altering their sound to a pretty large degree, Tattoo Rodeo left behind the mid-80s Hollywood sound and incorporated a lot of southern rock and bluesy classic rock into their sound, which set them apart from much of the rest of the hair scene.  Sounding more like a harder-edged Black Crowes than Ratt or Poison, Tattoo Rodeo kicked things off in their own way immediately, as a steel guitar led in the opening track, the punchy rocker, "Strung Out" which finds Churchill-Dries affecting a gritty, bluesy lower tenor range and supported by strong backing vocals...and continued all the way through to the end, with "Hard Like A Rock" starting off much like "Strung Out" does, with an acoustic steel guitar leading the way and Churchill-Dries dripping southern swagger all over the blues-stomp barroom rocker.  And as good as these two songs are, they are merely bookends on an excellent, at-the-time-original sounding record, as the shoulda-been-huge, bluesy-smooth ballad "Been Your Fool", and the catchy rocker "Everybody Wants What She's Got", are two of the stand-outs of the record.  "Ain't No Reason Why" is a fun, foot-stomping rock number with a easy to sing chorus, nice gang backing vocals, and solid bass line, and "Love Shuffle" is a rollicking drinking song that utilizes a saloon-styled piano and simple-yet-snappy drum line to move things along nicely.  "Tell Me Why" is a bit more contemporary-sounding...yet no-less effective...power ballad, and "Shotgun Johnny" is the band's southern-fried homage to Zeppelin, with some of the album's best bass and drum work and a big "Kashmir"-styled guitar hook.  Good, good stuff.

At 13 tracks, the record does get a tiny bit bloated, and I would have cut a couple of songs here...perhaps saved for the band's second (and final) effort, Skin N Bones (later repackaged as just Skin).  "Down" just doesn't work as well for me as most of the material here, and "Blonde Ambition" feels something like a redo of "Everybody Wants What She's Got" lyrically, but in a less-fun, less-catchy way.  Again, definitely not a horrible song, but not really necessary with so many other good things going on with the rest of the album.

The production is really good, overall, especially when considering this album is now 27 years old, and the style is so different from what most people were playing at the time.  The tone and sound of the guitars is especially strong here, and Chruchill-Dries has an excellent voice for this style of music, and I wish desperately that this band had managed to be bigger than they were.  

This CD is one that is a constant go-to for me, and is so painfully easy to find for under $10 that I don't know why more people don't know of it or own it.  If you are a fan of the era...and especially if you are into early Black Crowes or Bon Jovi's Blaze Of Glory stuff... but are looking for something that falls outside of the typical, I'd strongly recommend Tattoo Rodeo and Rode Hard, Put Away Wet, which is going to be much easier to track down than their later effort.  

Rating:  Still crankable all these years later!  A definite 8.5 for me!

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ROYAL BLISS "Live @ Rigby Road"

(c) 2017 Air Castle Records

1. Goin' To Hell
2. Forever Young
3. Into The Night
4. Fire Within
5. Racin'
6. These Days
7. Sweet Rosie
8. Crazy
9. Cry Sister
10. I Was Drunk
11. Fine Wine

Neal Middleton--Vocals

Taylor Richards--Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals

Memphis Hennesy--Acoustic Guitars, Lap Steel, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals

Jake Smith--Drums, Percussion

Dwayne Crawford--Bass, Backing Vocals

Additional Musicians

Rob Moffitt--Percussion

Walker Gibson--Banjo, Piano, Keyboards, Accordian

Utah's favorite rockers, Royal Bliss, treated some lucky fans to an up-close-and-personal, mostly-acoustic live show...and were kind enough to record it for the rest of their fans to hear.  Live @ Rigby Road was recorded in April of 2017 at Rigby Road Studios in Salt Lake City, and while I don't know the exact number of people in attendance at the show, the sound of the live crowd would seem to indicate no more than 50 people, likely, although I could be way off on that number, as the crowd is not mic'ed at all.  The song selection for this live set is an interesting one, as it forgoes some of the band's better known songs in favor of older material, cover songs, and a couple of singles.  

The album opens with a brief intro from the show's emcee, before Middleton welcomes the crowd and the band launches into the rollicking acoustic rocker, "Goin' To Hell" from the band's last studio release, The Truth.  A high-speed picking affair, "Goin' To Hell" is the perfect song selection here, as it not only serves to showcase the tightness of this band as well as the power of Neal Middleton's vocals.  No studio trickery here, no overdubs, no vocal enhancements, just the band and their voices and all acoustic instruments for this particular song, and they pull things off expertly here.  Of particular note is the clean picking from Hennesy on the solo here.

Up next is a cover of Rod Stewart's classic hit, "Forever Young".  The theme song of hundreds of elementary, middle-school,and high school graduations for three decades, "Forever Young" is a great cover for this band in this setting, as it affords them the opportunity to stretch out past their country-tinged, hard rock sound into a more pop-centered style, which the crowd obviously enjoyed.  Middleton sounds excellent here, choosing to stay within his own particular range and style, forgoing the temptation to try to add unnecessary rasp or a higher tenor to his vocals.  The piano from Walker Gibson is a perfect complement to the song, as well, and really helps to pull things together.  

"Into The Night" is one of my favorite songs on this record, as it really represents how the band has been incorporating a bit more rocking country to their sound.  An insanely catchy chorus and "I know I've heard this before" songwriting give this track a fun, uptempo energy that is just infectious.  I truly hope to get the opportunity to hear this song live at some point, as you can just hear...no, feel...how much the band is enjoying themselves here.  While taken from a different acoustic show, this video for "Into The Night" captures that same magic that I am talking about on this record.

  "Fire Within", I believe, is a brand new song recorded just for this live album, and it is a good one.  Foregoing the countryesque sound of some of their other songs here, "Fire Within" is more of a modern alternative rock song.  Once again, strong vocal command from the underappreciated Middleton is really showcased here, as well as on the next song, "Racin'", another track from The Truth EP.  Don't let the title fool you, if you are not familiar with the song, as "Racin'" is anything but a high-speed affair.  Rather, the song is a poignant ballad about the loneliness of the road and the desire for the song's protagonist to get home to his loved ones.  I was somewhat surprised the studio version of this song was not released to country radio/video outlets, as I thought it would have crossed over nicely.  

Middleton tells the crowd that "These Days" was released as a single "about a month ago", which it was as a digital single.  One of the more "electrified" tracks here, "These Days" has a definite modern-Nashville feel to the hook, but Middleton's vocals have so much more soul than pretty much anything coming out of the Country Capitol...ahem...these days...that the song really wouldn't fit in with the country scene now.  The studio version of this track can be found below...

The band digs into their catalog a bit for the next two tracks, as "Sweet Rosie" comes from the band's 2006 effort,  After The Chaos II.  A stark ballad that is basically Middleton, Hennesy, and the accordian of Gibson (along with some assorted percussion), this track features some excellent Spanish guitar work from Hennesy and the always powerful, soulful, and gritty voice of Middleton.  An excellent deep cuts track from the band, which leads nicely into one of the first tracks I ever heard from Royal Bliss, in "Crazy".  Found in two different versions on my favorite album from the band, Waiting Out The Storm, this version of "Crazy" stays true to the original, but is perhaps given a bit more urgency in the acoustic setting of this record.  Once again, the piano from Gibson is an excellent addition here, and Smith's drums pack a confident punch as it teams with Crawford's bass to provide a backbone for the rest of the song to flesh itself out across.  

Another single, "Cry Sister", from Chasing The Sun, follows next.  Starkly different than the hard-hitting rock of the studio version, this live effort has a haunting feel to it, especially with the acoustic strumming, the urgent piano line in the background, and the strong support from some great backing vocals.  Kudos to the band for not playing it safe with this one, and a big hats off to Hennesy for an inspired, powerful acoustic guitar solo here.  

Fan favorite and a single from 2008, "I Was Drunk" finds its way onto the live record next, as Middleton introduces the guest musicians and the crew, the band's sponsors, and then toasts the crowd.  Taken from the band's 2009 studio effort, Life In-Between, this track has become a staple of the band's live shows, acoustic or electric, and is generally a raucous affair live, with the crowd providing much of the backing vocals on the chorus, which they are encouraged by Middleton to do here.

More conversation from Middleton and the band members brings about a brief break before the band breaks into "Fine Wine", which Hennesy tells the crowd is the "oldest song we still play".  It is given a decidedly countrified facelift on this live acoustic record, and while the band sounds like it is having fun with it, the crowd doesn't seem to indicate it is overly familiar with it, as there isn't really any crowd interaction with the song at all.  

A hidden track, "Home" closes the record, and is basically Middleton...and the crowd...singing along to a tamborine, an acoustic guitar, and an accordian.  A fun number, it is likely "hidden", as there is really no musical quality to this song at all, as everyone seems to have enjoyed their fair share of liquid entertainment by this point, and are simply wrapping things up with the band they love.

Nothing fancy, no frills, but a lot of fun and pretty entertaining, Live @ Rigby Road captures the talent and passion of a band that more people should appreciate...and likely would appreciate, if they could get any kind of consistent label support or airplay.  I've had the opportunity to meet and interact with the guys, as well as hear them perform live, and they are incredibly talented and extremely personable and friendly with their fans.  While not really a representation of what you will hear at most Royal Bliss shows, which are generally fairly hard-edged, high-energy rock shows, Live @ Rigby Road is a nice introduction to several older songs and really gives the new fan an indication of the talent of the band and Middleton's amazing voice.

The packaging here is about as simple as it can get without being a slipcase, as this is an outside/inside cover digipack with pictures of the musicians featured on the recording, and a group photo of the band and their guests, along with some thank yous to their sponsors and some recording info.  Were my scanner not on the fritz, you would see that my copy is signed by the band, which is a cool touch. You can get YOUR OWN signed copy here, if you would like.

Rating:  I have a hard time ranking live albums, especially intimate affairs such as this one, which aren't necessarily designed to be commercial releases...but what the heck.  Crank it to 7, just to have some fun.  

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LUKE EASTER "The Pop Disaster"

(c) 2018 Luke Easter

1. Life Goes On
2. How To Die Alone And Broken
3. Sideways
4. As Damaged As You Are
5. After I'm Gone
6. Misspent
7. Sleep

Luke Easter--Vocals

Kris Kanoho-Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars

Josiah Prince--Lead Guitar

David Bach--Bass

Jesse Sprinkle--Drums

Additional Musicians

Timothy Gaines--Bass on 1

Odalis Mandereau--Backing Vocals on 3

Phil Piserchid--Backing Vocals on 3

Jesse Roman--Bass on 6

Chris Cortez--Drums on 6

Caleb Whang--Lead Guitar on 6

Katherine Lu--Violin on 7

Rebecca Roudman--Cello on 7

I'll admit to it; I am ALWAYS a bit wary of lead singers that leave their band behind and set off into solo album land.  I mean, this site is littered with singers who have stepped away from the band they are associated with...sometimes by choice, sometimes not...and have released solo efforts with varying degrees of success.  For every Ron Keel (Keel), there's an Austin John (Hinder), for each Tom Kiefer (Cinderella), there is also a Steven Tyler (Aerosmith).  It's a total roll of the dice, really.  Do I get Donnie Vie (Enuff Z'Nuff) or do I get Chip Z'Nuff (Enuff Z'Nuff)?  As I said before, I was skeptical.

Turns out, I had no reason to fret here.  Luke Easter more than successfully surgically excises himself from his position as the twenty-plus year frontman for prog/thrash legends, Tourniquet, and seemingly effortlessly transplants himself into a band of friends willing to allow him to explore the music that is more in line with where he has stated his heart lies.  No, there is no metal to be found on The Pop Disaster...and I mean NONE AT ALL...but there is plenty of expertly crafted, hook-laden rock that ranges from the poppier edges to the harder-yet-melodic fringes of the genre.

Enlisting some pals from such well-known Christian rock and metal bands as Guardian (Bach), Disciple (Prince), Demon Hunter (Sprinkle), and Stryper (Gaines), as well as his longtime friend, Kanoho, Easter finds himself able to express his personal musical vision, rather than the collective vision of a band.  Additionally, Easter changes his vocal approach to great degree and effect on this ELP (too long for an EP, too short for an LP...), sounding a bit like Sebastian Bach on the album's opener, "Life Goes On", while regularly utilizing a more Mike Tramp-ish style for most of the record.  To say I was surprised, and pleasantly so, would be an understatement.

The album starts off with the previously mentioned "Life Goes On", which intros with a catchy riff from Mr. Prince, and a solid hard rock rhythm driven by Sprinkle and Gaines.  Again, I was pretty surprised by the style and sound of the track when it kicks off, but not nearly as surprised as I was when I first heard Easter's edgy-yet-melodic tenor slide into the first chorus.  As I said above, his approach here is very reminiscent of Sebastian Bach here, although the performance and production is a bit poppier than anything Bach has done with Skids or as a solo artist.  The last song written for this album, "Life Goes On" is a catchy, upbeat tune with a tasty little guitar solo before the final chorus, and is one of those songs that I just seem to keep returning to time and time again.

"How To Die Alone And Broken" follows up with a fun, snarky attitude delivered by that raspy-Bach-esque vocal style atop a pop-punk rhythm that finds Sprinkle and bassist, Bach, thumping away from start to finish on easily the fastest song on the release.  I used the word "snarky" to describe the attitude of this song, which Easter describes as being about people that "choose not to be good people.  They take their loved ones for granted, they mistreat and abuse people, and eventually they end up bitter and lonely."  I think this is perfectly summed up in the excellent lyrical approach used here, with such humorous-yet-dead-on passages as:

"If I came back in a million years, Chances are you'd still be sitting here, Collecting thoughts and crafting clever speeches, Ready to pontificate at anyone who'll lend a willing ear"...

...or...

"Reality is not your strong suit, You think that if you say so, the sun won't rise.  The ones you're supposed to love the most, You turned into the victims of your self-serving lies."

"Sideways" slows things down quite a bit, utilizing Kanoho's acoustic guitar as the foundation for this mid-tempo number that finds Easter removing a bit of the snarl from his voice and drifting more into Tramp territory, and doing it exceptionally well.  I keep going back and forth on which song is my favorite on this effort, and "Sideways" is always in the top two or three.  Poignantly touching on the subject of a broken relationship, this track also finds Prince delivering an great 80s-styled guitar solo that would have felt right at home on just about any melodic rock album of the era.  This is strong songwriting at its best, incorporating both electric and acoustic elements, powerful vocals, and great production to excellent effect.  If I said this track wasn't my favorite today, ask me again tomorrow, because it very likely would be then.  I just love this song.

"As Damaged As You Are" speeds things right back up in fine fashion.  Again, far poppier than anything that Easter has ever been associated with in the past, this is a shining example of what happens when an artist finds his groove.  Confidence oozes from Easter's higher-end tenor vocals on this track, and once again, Prince delivers another retro-styled solo that is almost as far-removed from his work with Disciple as Easter's vocals are removed from Tourniquet...but it works so amazingly well!  This is the sound of a group of guys having fun in the studio, and it is exactly what I feel has been missing from the last handful of Tourniquet records, in my opinion:  fun. 

"After I'm Gone" is another guitar-driven rocker, more in an 80s radio rock vein than anything else, which is pretty cool to hear, honestly, as the song just is what it is.  No pretension clouds the song at all, its just a fun, top rolled back rock song with a cool guitar riff and a straight-forward rock rhythm.  Vocally, Easter retains that slightly raspy mid-to-upper range tenor, and echoes of Bon Jovi can be heard all across the track.  While not my favorite song, perhaps "After I'm Gone" is the one song that best represents where the project is as a whole, sitting pretty squarely in the middle of the styles and tempos of everything here.      

"Misspent" and "Sleep" are songs that Easter has carried with him for several years that finally get to see the light of day on The Pop Disaster.  "Misspent" could very easily be a later-era White Lion song and is another contender for song-of-the-album.  Much like "Sideways", "Misspent" features a lot of acoustic guitar, but the pace is definitely more uptempo than the one "Sideways" utilizes.  A wistful song about youth, "Misspent" has the best lyrics of the record, for my money, with the line "I really haven't got a clue about where the time went, There are no ready answers, but I hope that it wasn't misspent" being one that I think all of us can relate to as we move along in life, hoping that we did all we could and lived with no regrets.

"Sleep" is the most stark departure from Easter's previous gig, as the big, sweeping ballad incorporates both violin and cello in place of drums and bass...and works to great effect!  Demoed originally as a full-band mid-tempo rocker, the version of "Sleep" that finds its way onto The Pop Disaster is a thoughtful piece about putting the past behind, allowing yourself to breathe, and finding peace, and hopefully, a bit of rest...a bit of sleep.  It is a marvelous close to an overall pleasantly surprising effort.

If you go into this project expecting a bunch of medical terminology and technically over-the-top progressive thrash like early Tourniquet, or punchy, metallic crunch like later-era material from the band, you are going to be sorely disappointed.  As I stated previously, this is NOT a metal album, so if that is what you are after, steer clear.  But if you are open-minded and willing to go where Luke wants to take you, I can pretty much guarantee that The Pop Disaster is going to show you something you are going to want to return for again and again.  Do not be surprised to see this ELP in Best of 2018 lists here at Glitter2Gutter, as I fully believe it has a chance to be there come December.   

If you have a few minutes, jump over and check out an interview I did with Luke a few weeks ago, and get even more insight into the songs, the album, where he's coming from, and where he wants to go RIGHT HERE.

And the winner for most incorrectly titled album of 2018?  No question, The Pop Disaster from Luke Easter has to be RIGHT up there, as there is absolutely nothing disastrous about this effort.  A+ songwriting, a name-dropping backing band, and excellent production surround Easter on his debut solo effort, giving the former metal barker an amazing platform on which to showcase where his musical heart lies.  Here's to more...much more...from the talented vocalist and his friends!

Rating:  Definitely a cranker!  Twist 'er up to 9! 

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ENUFF Z'NUFF "Diamond Boy"

(c) 2018 Frontiers Records

1. Transcendence
2. Diamond Boy
3. Where Did You Go
4. We're All The Same
5. Fire & Ice
6. Down On Luck
7. Metalheart
8. Love Is On The Line
9. Faith, Hope, And Luv
10. Dopesick
11. Imaginary Man

Chip Z'Nuff--Lead Vocals, Bass

Tony Fennell--Guitars

Tory Stoffregen--Guitars

Dan Hill--Drums, Percussion

We all do it.  We all try to take a good thing and make it last as long as we possibly can.  Whether its an athlete trying to squeeze another season out of their aging body, a guy trying to get another washing out of that favorite t-shirt that is so threadbare you can count chest hairs through it, or a kid trying to get just a couple more hours in the pool before applying more sunblock.  If something is good, why not keep it going, right?  Bands are composed of people, and as such, are subject to human nature as well.  And, because of this, some bands....MANY bands...try to hang on too long and end up doing more harm than good to their legacy.  To me, Enuff Z'Nuff is one of those bands.

The band's first two albums are excellent collections of power pop/glam rock and are both must-haves for anyone who is a fan of that scene from the late 80s/early 90s.  But, for my money, Enuff Z'Nuff has released only one really good album since their best effort, Strength, and that would be their third record, Animals With Human Intelligence.  2010's release, Dissonance is an outlier in the band's career, as it is actually a surprisingly good record, even if it doesn't quite reach the greatness level that those first couple of records do.  But in between, there have been a lot of 50/50 albums, and a couple of real bombs, and the vast majority of the material without Donnie Vie at the microphone has left me rather disappointed.  Unfortunately, Diamond Boy does much the same as most of those other albums.

When you are a band who has now released 14 studio albums (not counting their quirky, but decent covers album, Covered In Gold) it is not a good thing when you can really only count the number of really good-to-great albums on one hand, but that is where Enuff Z'Nuff falls for me.  Unfortunately Diamond Boy doesn't move the band onto hand two.  There are a few songs here that are worth considering for the live set, most notably the uptempo, poppy, "We're All The Same", the trippy, psychedelic "Where Did You Go", which really has that classic EzN sound and feel, and probably the hardest-rocking track on the album, "Faith, Hope & Luv", which I find myself really liking, especially with its great, gritty guitar solo and killer groove.  "Fire & Ice" is pretty good, too, and has a definite Beatles-esque quality to it, especially with the nicely layered vocals, and the bluesy, groove-heavy "Metalheart" (don't let the title fool you...it ain't metal), is good...not great...but good and worth a listen.

But on an album that is 11 tracks long, you need more than 4 pretty good songs...and one really good one...to carry it.  Obviously the intro "Transcendence" is a throw-away track, and the title track is absolutely stupid, lyrically, and I can't bring myself to listen to it, especially with the overly processed vocals used by Chip.  Yeah, it sounds like the band is trying to channel its inner Cheap Trick, but it fails.  "Down On Luck" is just so ploddingly slow that I find myself almost lulled to sleep.  The same can be said of the tired-sounding shuffle of "Love Is On The Line", which references falling asleep a couple of times in the first verse, which just seems to be a tease, if you ask me.  "Dopesick" has a little more oomph...a little...but its just as boring as the others mentioned here, and the album's closer, "Imaginary Man", makes little to no effort to pick up the pace or mood of the record. 

It's not that Diamond Boy is horrible; in fact it has a few pretty good spots, as I mentioned above.  But overall, the album is too slow and bogs down all the time.  I mean, its not a good sign when a mid-tempo number is considered fast compared to most of the songs on an album, and of the two uptempo songs here, one of them is just stupid (the title track).  If there were a couple more nice rockers like "Faith, Hope & Luv" in place of a couple of the multiple 60s lullabies on the record, Enuff Z'Nuff might have something to work with.  Alas, there aren't and the band doesn't.  Additionally, Chip Z'Nuff is simply not Donnie Vie on the microphone, and all the processing and filtering in the world won't change that fact.  I also think Vie's writing contributions are seriously missed throughout most of this record.  Diamond Boy is an okay record, but again, it does nothing to advance the band, in my mind, and really gives the impression of a band just playing off of the name and recording so they have something to sell at shows. 

Maybe its time to stop trying to stretch out this good thing, Enuff Z'Nuff... 

Rating:  A decent EP is not a great album, but that is what Diamond Boy is, at best...a decent EP with a lot of subpar stuff surrounding it.  Rock this at a 5.

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JUDAS PRIEST "Firepower"

(c) 2018 Epic Records

1. Firepower
2. Lightning Strike
3. Evil Never Sleeps
4. Never The Heroes
5. Necromancer
6. Children Of The Sun
7. Guardians
8. Rising From Ruins
9. Flame Thrower
10. Spectre
11. Traitors' Gate
12. No Surrender
13. Lone Wolf
14. Sea Of Red

Rob Halford--The Voice

Glenn Tipton--Guitars

Richie Faulkner--Guitars

Ian Hill--Bass

Scott Travis--Drums

Judas Priest and I have two things in common.  We are both 48 years old...and we both still have metal in our veins!  Lest anyone think that the years have robbed Judas Priest of anything, they come roaring back with their 18th studio album, Firepower.  Yes, I know that Judas Priest has released three other albums since Rob Halford's return, and while all three had their moments, not Angel Of Redemption, not Nostradamus, and not Redeemer Of Souls have had the full complement of crushing drums, rumbling bass, screaming twin guitars, and...that voice!  Yes, they had elements of legendary Judas Priest, and yes they each had some great Judas Priest songs.  But for me, you have to go back to 1990's metallic must-have, Painkiller, to find such a perfect mix of speed, power, intensity, and musicianship as is found on Firepower.  This...is...Judas Priest, my friends!  This is EXCELLENCE!

Rather than break down the album by songs, I chose to break it down by individual performances, largely because there are are absolutely ZERO songs here that I don't either really like or absolutely love, much like I felt about Painkiller.  I don't even dislike the instrumental, "Guardians", which says quite a bit.  So, if you are going to talk about Judas Priest, the most obvious place to start is with the Metal God, himself, Rob Halford.

I think it would be fair to say that Halford has not sounded this powerful or this on-point since his first Halford album, Resurrection, which is the best Judas Priest album the band never made, in my estimation, or possibly Crucible, the 2002 follow-up, which suffers in comparison to Resurrection in the songwriting department.  Again, yes, Halford had some great vocals on the last few Priest records, but not since those two solo albums has Halford really unleashed the metal demon that fuels him.  Combining his absolutely precise enunciation with his expert range control, Halford absolutely punishes the microphone on this album.  I have read a few interviews with him where he states that he hasn't had to do this much studio work, perhaps EVER, but all that hard work clearly pays off here.  And while he doesn't unleash shrieking metal hell as often as he used to, it is still definitely in him to do so.  From the way he lays into the chorus of "Evil Never Sleeps",  or the sonic blast found on "Flamethrower", Halford fully earns his legendary nickname and reaffirms his seat upon the throne as the king of metal voices.  And it's not just the screams, either.  The emotion he packs into his performances here is about as good as he has ever put on record.  No, he doesn't shatter glass as often as he once did, but the ominously powerful vocals he applies to songs like "Children Of The Sun", the album's huge, sweeping ballads, "Sea Of Red" and my personal favorite, "Rising From Ruins", or the creepily sneering "Spectre", should serve to remind the doubters that few can so fully master their range and delivery as this living legend.

Jumping to the bass work of Ian Hill, it is amazing to me how much his instrument continues to drive the train after all these years.  Always consistent, always pulsing through the veins of each of the band's previous album, Hill sounds refreshed here, his bass more energetic than on albums past.  Perhaps that is due in large part to the meatier, crunchier songwriting that is employed on this record, with shorter, punchier songs for the most part, as only three songs here stretch out to beyond the five minute mark.  As the lone remaining founder of this legendary band, one could excuse Hill for phoning it in if he so chose, but that is not the case here, as his presence is felt all over this record.

Hill's rhythm section partner, Scott Travis, returns to the kit for his seventh album with the band.  The playing from Travis has, like Hill, always been steady, but has never really jumped out at me.  And while he doesn't rip into any thundering solos or blast through some bizarre sort of drum fill, his presence is definitely noted here, especially with his cymbal crashes and big kick drum sound.  Perhaps it is due to the extra bursts of speed on this album, which were frequently lacking on the previous couple of records, that really draw the drums out, as you can't help but appreciate the skill required to play at such a pace and keep perfect rhythm.  At least that's the case with me.

The real question for a lot of people was whether or not the guitar tandem of Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner would manage to step up and bring out a sense of power and melody not really heard from the band since Painkiller, in my estimation.  A lot of people point to the 2011 retirement of K.K. Downing as the moment when the Judas Priest guitar stylings really changed.  I get that to a point, as Downing is a legend in his own right.  However, I don't think the band has really had that big, full, metallic Judas Priest sound to their guitars since Painkiller, especially with the change in tuning and approach found on the Ripper-fronted albums, Jugulator and Demolition, both of which found the band abandoning their classic metal sound for thrashier, and at times, more nu-metal guitar parts and song structures.  That can't be blamed on Faulkner, as he was not even around at that time.  The same can be said of the last three Halford-fronted releases, which I felt got a bit long-winded, drawn out, and plodding in places, with the guitars frequently sounding bogged down.  That is not the case here, not at all.  Despite the implications by Downing that co-producer Andy Sneap may have contributed to the guitars on the record (he reportedly claimed Sneap, not Downing, actually played on the album), there can be no denying that this is the sound most closely associated with Judas Priest, combining classic metal elements of British Steel, Defenders of the Faith, and Screaming For Vengeance with the all-out metal assault that was Painkiller.  Containing some of the fastest, crispest playing ever put down by the band, Firepower is a metal guitar album for the ages, in my opinion, and simply must be heard.  Heck, the riff in "Traitor's Gate", alone, is worth slapping down some cash to hear, I believe, not to mention the riff-fests found in "Lightning Strike", "Necromancer", and the title track, among others.

The production here is excellent, with co-producers Sneap and Tom Allom, along with mixer Mike Exeter, really bringing the band to life on this record.  Again, as I mentioned earlier, the production team used multiple takes to get the best of each performer.  Allom, of course, was at the helm for several of Priest's biggest albums back in the day (interestingly, not Painkiller, however), and his return seems to indicate to me that the band knew something wasn't working quite right on the last few records.  That problem has been remedied with this production team.

So, is this the best Judas Priest record of all time?  Obviously, people are going to have varying opinions, but since you are reading this, you must want mine.  In my mind, it is definitely the best thing the band has put out in nearly 30 years, but it doesn't quite top the absolute metallic greatness of Painkiller.  It's close, no doubt, but it isn't quite there.  Classic metal fans are likely to point to British Steel or Stained Class as the band's most epic moment, and cases can be effectively made for Hell Bent For Leather or Screaming For Vengeance.  For my money, all of these would be in the top 1/3 of the band's releases, with Defenders Of The Faith just missing that list.  So, if forced to rank them, I would slot them like this...

6--Stained Class

5--Hell Bent For Leather

4--Screaming For Vengeance

3--Firepower

2--British Steel

1--Painkiller

Not a perfect record, which would be extremely difficult on an album that is 14 tracks long, but it is the best true "metal" album I have heard this year, and one of the best of the last 3 or 5 years.  If you haven't already snagged this album, I have no idea why, as this review is actually a couple of months late in coming.  Go get it.  Now.

Rating:  Supremely crankable, Judas Priest is back; long live the Priest!  Crank this to 9!

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BROKEN TESTIMONY "Holding On To Nothing"

(c) 2018 Thermal Entertainment

1. We Never Learned From Our Mistakes
2. Control
3. One Day
4. Fade Away
5. Instead We Hid From Them, Just Like Our Fears
6. Blessing
7. Medusa
8. We Smoke Them Away, Thinking They'll Burn Off
9. Unknown
10. Vitality
11. But They Just Stain Who We Are Inside

Judge Page--Lead Vocals, Guitars (solo on 9, 10)

Bryce Chism--Vocals (2, 6, 7), Drums

Nic Delvaux--Guitars (solo on 3, 4)

Justin King--Bass

Additional Musicians

Jacob Porter--Additional Vocals on "Fade Away"

I am not going to lie.  When I first received this CD, took a look at the band name, the ummm...interesting...cover art, and the way the song titles were laid out, I thought I was going to be reviewing a death metal band, or at least some kind of brutal metalcore.  Despite these things, however, Broken Testimony is most definitely NOT death metal, or metalcore, utilizing a more post-grunge, alternative hard rock/modern hard rock sound than anything else.  Except, it really isn't that modern sounding, either.  Let me explain...

Broken Testimony is a four-piece out of South Carolina, who has been performing together for only a couple of years.  Despite the relative lack of time together, the guys managed to put together this debut album, which is performed almost 100% exclusively by the band, with only a single guest vocal earning outside credit, which is kind of unusual for such an inexperienced band.  Usually with new bands, there was some bigger band that discovered them and helped them out in the studio by dropping a few guitar solos or co-lead vocals or something.  Not the case here.

The album starts off with...and is broken up by, and ended by, a series of musical interludes.  The first, "We Never Learned From Our Mistakes" is probably the coolest of the four here, and it features a thunderstorm and alert sirens while some mellow guitar strumming goes on over the top.  "Control" kicks in shortly after this intro ends, and almost immediately it is obvious these guys were big fans of the modern rock scene of the mid-2000s, early 2010s, as thoughts of older bands like Staind, Breaking Benjamin, Crossfade, Chevelle, and a few others start to permeate my mind.  The guitar work, in particular, is very reminiscent of what you likely heard from these bands around 2008, 2009, 2010, with the combination of clean and harsh vocals also recalling that era of hard music.  The mix on the drums sounds off to me, as they are pretty flat sounding, but overall, "Control" isn't a bad song at all.

"One Day" is more melodic in its approach, really reminding me of some of my favorite stuff from Staind, although Page's vocals aren't as deep or as emotional as Aaron Lewis' vocals are...but, really, whose are?  Page misses a couple of notes here, whether for dramatic effect or not, I really can't say, but overall, this is one of the best songs on the album, and is really where I think the band finds their sweet spot, stylistically.  Delvaux delivers a decent solo, one that is befitting of the style of the song, and the bass line here is pretty cool, so "One Day" has a lot of what it needs to be a really strong song.  Once again, the drums just sound off, which is unfortunate, as they do detract a bit from the song, and I get the impression that Chism is a much better drummer than the mix represents here.  Just a hunch. 

"Fade Away" continues in the Staind style, with a somber sounding guitar riff introing the track before the bass comes rumbling in over the top of some pretty powerful drum thunder.  Again, Page's vocal style is very reminiscent of the approach used by Lewis, but once again, he seems to miss a note or two, especially when he reaches back for a powerful vocal thrust, which seems to throw him off a bit.  The drums here are much better than on the previous few tracks, and again the band seems most comfortable in this style.  Once again, Delvaux offers up something of a solo, although, much like Staind, Chevelle, and their ilk, the solo really isn't the focal point of any song, so don't expect any Van Halen type of hammer-ons or string bending here.

We hit another interlude at track five, and this one comes off as a bit darker than the first.  There are some vocals to this one, sounding like they are lifted from a movie, but it is one I am not familiar with.  The "music" here is more just atmospheric noise behind the narration, and this track is just a wasted 1:50 to me.  Sorry...I'm not an intro/interlude/outro guy in general (you can find my complaints about these things all over this review site).

"Blessing" brings the music back to life with a really cool drum cadence and a funky bass line that is somewhat reminiscent of somthing Korn might have done several years ago.  The overall track doesn't sound this way, but the first minute or so is pretty cool.  From there, the verse sections are fairly laid back before the harsh vocals kick in on the pre-chorus sections, and then Page pours on the anger in the choruses themselves.  The thick, down-tuned guitars are pretty crunchy here, but I can't say that "Blessing" really does a lot for me, musically.  Lyrically, the song seems to be about killing someone, and is fairly dark and twisted, to be honest, especially when you consider the band is made up of teenagers and early twenty-somethings.  I mean, lyrics like "Plotting in disguise, With no haste, I could not wait..." combined with "No question, I had no doubt, Her skin felt so cold, As I gazed down into her eyes..." are kind of creepy, at least to me.  Maybe I'm reading too much into these words, who knows.

"Medusa" is up next, and is one of the angrier sounding songs on the record.  Page has an edge to his vocals throughout the song, and the lyrics scream of a friendship/relationship destroyed by deceit and lies.  The guitars churn angrily throughout the song, and the drums take on a tribal pattern that just feeds the angst here.  Easily the best of the hard-hitting tracks here, for my money, and a good type of song to make the far more melodic tracks like ""One Day" or "Fade Away" pop all that much more.

Too quickly we are disrupted by yet another interlude, this one called "We Smoke Them Away, Thinking They'll Burn Off".  Again, we have some ambient noise from the guitars in the background as a narrator reads through a passage by Alan Watts, one of those "deep Eastern thinkers" that my college philosophy professors probably still drool over to this day, but that really do nothing for me.  Go ahead and Google him and the words to this interlude and you will find him pretty easily.  Just wasted CD space, in my opinion, and I got an "A" in philosophy, but whatever...

The last two actual songs on the album are "Unknown" and "Vitality".  "Unknown" is a pretty stark, dark-sounding song from the outset, but lyrically seems to be rather hopeful, to be honest.  We find the band back in Staind mode for this one...and the drum mix issue has returned, also, sounding very flat.  A decent song, but not one that does anything to really set itself apart from the rest of the record.  "Vitality" ramps up the aggression slightly, still sounding a lot like Staind to me, but with more chugging guitar riffing going on and some harsher edges to Page's vocals.  I like the way the chorus is layered upon itself, and the track is one of the top three or four on the disc, to be sure.  

Things close out with the outro, "But They Just Stain Who We Are Inside".  I found a notation online that says these interludes were taken from a poem that Chism wrote called "Cigarettes On School Buses", but I'm assuming that is where the track titles come from, and that Chism isn't trying to take credit for Watts' work.

Overall, the band sounds to me like they have quite a bit of talent and a definite passion for the style of music they play.  The issues are that the production, especially on the drum mix, comes off fairly flat on about half of the album, and this style of rock is not really one that is popular today.  Had this come out in that late 2000s/early 2010s timeframe I referenced earlier, I wouldn't be surprised to hear Broken Testimony in the Octane mix.  As it stands, even with updated production, and a bigger recording budget (which I suspect is the root cause of the mix and the off-sounding vocal spots, where only one or two takes were likely used), this would still not sound like anything you hear on satelite radio or modern/active rock stations.  Maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing, and you have to play what you love and what you sound like, right?  To me, Broken Testimony sounds like a band that really loves Staind, Breaking Benjamin, and some of the other bands I mentioned, and, as such, they have incorporated those styles into their own music.  And there's nothing wrong with that or with being true to yourself.  Just don't expect the world to come meet you at where you are if they have already moved past the place you are standing in.  That is especially true of music...

I found an acoustic set from the band on YouTube that gives you a pretty good idea of where they come from musically, as it is VERY reminiscent of the unplugged show Staind did, musically.  If you want, you can check it out below.

The packaging is solid, with lyrics to all the songs included in the multi-fold digipack.  There is a black and white band photo under the clear tray, along with a thank you section and credits.

Rating:  For what it is, Broken Testimony's "Holding On To Nothing" is rockable.  I give this debut effort a 5.5.

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