Greta Van Fleet "The Battle At Garden’s Gate" (2021)

The young Zeppelin starlets return with a sophomore effort I initially found underwhelming. Was this a repeat of the fumbled Anthem Of The Peaceful Army debut? Trying to find my way into the music I decided to put it on shuffle with along with the dynamite EPs Black Smoke Rising & From The Fires. They showed so much promise at that early stage of their career. Switching back and forth with this new set of twelve songs, it starts to make much more sense. Those original songs were wild, full of youthful energy and big riffs. Now, the group seem to look beyond the obvious.

The Battle At Garden’s Gate seems like an attempt to mature beyond the flash and dazzle. Thus it can seem somewhat dull at times. Greta Van Fleet's Problem is still the footsteps of acts gone before that they tread. Much of the music lacks originality, creating an undercurrent of uncertainty. Ive tried to let go of that tho. What I've found are the subtler crafts, cohesive song writing to focus on theme and topicality with out being steered to strongly by guitar and stage antics. Its best songs creep up on you, brooding, steadily building but not always seeking a "big moment" to conclude.

Though with a handful of songs that climax does arrive through ambitious guitar solos. Aiming for that classic timeless lead magic but awkwardly residing in the confines of ideas that were once the cutting edge. They do find their space to soar tho. To let go of the more critical ear, it can really feel quite special. The variety of cuts keeps the record flowing, moving between different intensities and focuses, everyone gets a moment to make a song memorable, mostly the Kiszka brothers with singer Joshua having a field day on some of these songs, going above and beyond to flex his mighty voice. Its an absolute pleasure on a song like Stardust Chords.

The record sounds fantastic, very lived in and warm, so much so I've barely considered the fidelity until now. Drummer Daniel Wagner carries the songs competently with groove for the backbone and occasionally flairs up with unleashed freedom as he goes ham on his kit. Its wonderful, like a progressive drum solo as he goes the rounds on the drums. Would certainly like to hear a little more from him.

I'm lukewarm on this record but mostly for the lack of originality but letting go of critique I've had nothing short of a blast with The Battle At Garden’s Gate. Now the initial shock of a band so stunningly reviving an old sound has worn off, its up to them to write memorable songs and I think they've genuinely done that here with a handful of them. As whole, its a case of time will tell but I can't complain as so far Its been great fun.

Rating: 7/10

Greta Van Fleet "Anthem Of The Peaceful Army" (2018)

The lime light is upon these young Classic Rock enthusiasts Greta Van Fleet. The time has come, this is their moment. I was enthralled by Black Smoke Rising and lukewarm on From The Fires but very much excited for this, their highly anticipated debut. With the first couple of listens I couldn't get along with much of it but with persistence I pushed through and found that the record is plagued by misfires that seem to dispel the magic its decent tracks conjure. Its lacking on those too. Anthem Of The Peaceful Army has few heights, some stinking lows and too much mediocrity.

Starting with the good we have the riled up energy of this era niche sound coming out through riffs of attitude and gusto, funky powerful drumming and the wild, soaring voice of Joshua Kiszka but only in a handful of moments. Unsurprisingly it pulls together well on lead single When The Curtains Fall. A song on par with the first EP.

The mediocrity seems to lie in the bands relying on tropes of that era gone by. The energy isn't always within their songwriting but more so the ideas of that time. Its as if the riffs, vocals and general approach to the music falls back on its nostalgic aesthetics, with more care given to capturing those older tones in a modern setting than getting the compositions and emotional direction right.

Then comes the ugly. I would mostly be critical of singer Joshua who, despite a fantastic voice, seems to miss the tone with his lyrics and performance style at times. The end of the record is tedious and his song Anthem seems to be a "come together" song, highlighting current political polarization and offering up a vacuous sentiment in return. Its lack of meaningful substance makes for unendurable listening.

I dislike being critical. It takes a lot of talent and effort to put together a record and as a listener I want nothing more than to enjoy the music but this misses the mark on so many levels. The inconsistency is strange and bar a few good songs this could of been a real stinker from a band who showed so much promise in reviving an old sound. Instead of moving that sound forward they seem to have circled the waters with little idea of where to go next. Very disappointing.

Favorite Tracks: When The Curtains Fall, Watching Over, Mountain Of The Sun

Rating: 5/10

Greta Van Fleet "From The Fires" (2017)

Following up on Black Smoke Rising we have an unusual release from the greatly hyped Greta Van Fleet. Its marketed as a double EP, eight songs that could of been an album however four of the songs are from the aforementioned release. So its like another four songs released alongside the last. Because of that Ive just focused on the new independent tracks, of which two are covers. That was unknown to me before writing this up, perhaps it serves as a testament as to how well they embody the era that inspires them since I was none the wiser, these songs fit sweetly into the run time.

These songs took a little longer to get into and I believe that's because these are the less dynamic cuts. They don't aim to dazzle up front with hard hitting licks but sneak up on you as their atmospheres build in intensity. Both the originals here culminate in guitar solos after the songs tempo feels hastened in the rising tide of instruments steadily raising the energy. The cover songs also ask something more from front man Josh Kiszka who certainly rises to the occasion without a sweat.

Admittedly I felt these song illuminated their potential to reach more crevasses of this era but in reality its a patchy release to comment on with just two originals. With an album arriving in just a month we will find out what this band is made for. Until then I will continue to enjoy these EPs very much so. Its been a while since Ive been so excited for a band outside my musical comfort zone and this is it!

Favorite Track: Edge Of Darkness

Rating: 5/10

Greta Van Fleet "Black Smoke Rising" (2017)

Do Greta Van Fleet live up to the hype? Does it even matter? Music should be about what you get out of it! If you can connect with the artists vision there is often something wonderful to be enjoyed. That is certainly the case for me and I even got to see them live earlier in the year at Download Festival. I really wish I had got to spin these songs sooner as I would of really dug that show. Familiarity and repetition are important for getting to know music but the reality is I was already singing along by the third listen. The four songs that make up this record are fantastic.

Hailing from Michigan USA, Greta have fallen under the spotlight for their enigmatic revival of 60s Rock, frequently being compared to the likes of Led Zeppelin. It is singer Josh Kiszka, one of the three brothers, who's electric singing makes them stand out. His howling voice hails back to that era vividly and compared to anything popular, or within my scope that's happening right now, he stands alone. It is a little unfair to focus on him alone though, the rest of the group embodies this era too.

Across these four songs you may be thinking this is a nostalgia trip but whats really making this music tick is the songwriting. The hooks are driving and powerful, the keys and organs gleam with that spark Lynyrd Skynyrd had. The music develops its themes and channels them into fantastic eruptions of energy when Josh kicks his voice into fifth gear and the guitars rise up with the hard grooving licks. Between its brilliant choruses the verses set the tone for whats to come, keeping you anticipating the shifts and waves of mood and charged emotion that come with it.

Another thought crosses my mind. This is not a style and era of music I'm that well versed in and so they could be plugging a void. The production is modern, bright and crisp, so much so to make the music far more inviting compared to the soft and muted recordings of times gone by. As I said up above, music is what you can get out of it. If you've exhausted everything from a style you like then its hard to get excited about new music in the same vein. I can see why fans of Classic Rock are skeptical but there is a huge opertunity here for a new generation to discover some truly fantastic music.

Favorite Tracks: Safari Song, Flower Power, Black Smoke Rising

Rating: 7/10

My Day At Sunday Download Festival 2018

 

I had quite the incentive to go for one day this year, with exception to five or six other artists, most the bands I wanted to see were playing Sunday. Of course discovering new acts and watching bands you've never heard of is a lot of fun too! Wish I had gone for the whole weekend now but I must admit I enjoy the comfort of my bed after a long day in the sun.

Dream State
Starting of the day this five piece group warmed up crowds with a mix of gleaming Post-Rock melodics and Pop-Metal heaviness that was easy to follow along with and enjoy.

Greta Van Fleet
With an unapologetic indulgence in nostalgia, GVF graced the stage in their sixties clothing and swooned the crowd. With an infectious mix of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendricks and Lynyrd Skynyrd vibes they relived the sounds of times gone by in glorious fashion. Very impressive.

Cradle Of Filth
Summer sun and the open stage just doesn't suit English legends Cradle Of Filth. With a mediocre stage presence and thin sounding symphonic section the performance mustered not much beyond the enjoyment of hearing a couple of old classics. Should of stayed at the second stage for longer.

Puppy
This was my third time seeing this rising band. Playing new songs and classics from Vol II, they were sure to win over new fans with an enthusiastic set that really got the day rolling as the moods flowed from their inspired playing, one of the days best.

Dead Cross
Ive caught wind of the acclaim for this "super group" of musicians from already established bands but have yet to get into a record. Getting punished by the hovering sun I watched from afar, enjoying the riff fests and smatterings of unsettling noise between but perhaps would of enjoyed it more had I known their material better.

Bad Cop Bad Cop
These punk rockers brought a lot of energy and liveliness to the stage, burning through songs with positive statements in between, not specially my cup of tea but it was nice to relax in the shade of the tent and enjoy the show.

Kreator
Not the first band that comes to mind when you think of Thrash Metal but these German Metal legends have been rocking that sound for decades and I'm guilty of not further exploring there records beyond a couple in the naughties. They put on a killer show that sounded fantastic. Hard hitting thrash that got the crowd moving!

Milk Teeth
I was dead excited to see this group. Having missed my chance to catch their Christmas show I was very happy to see them on this years line up. With a whole heap of energy they drove through their songs, commanding pits in the crowd and rocking their fantastic Grunge sound hard. I especially enjoyed Brain food from Vile Child as well as their guitarist who through his guitar to the ground in order to climb the scaffolding and scream at the crowd. One of the best.

Body Count
When I saw Ice-T and his cronies a couple years back they thought it would be the last. I remember it so well, that moment where Ice realized this was probably it for them. With one last effort the band revitalized their career thanks to the Grammy nominated Bloodlust. They returned to download with their usual persona and energy in front of a rammed crowd. They had just as much fun as we did with Ice entertaining between the songs.

Black Foxxes
It may not be a good thing to say that I can't remember much of this band, probably because I took the opertunity to sit down in the shade of the tent and recharge the batteries. I don't remember anything negative but I certainly wasn't captivated in anyway.

Thrice
With the sun at the peak of its cooking ability it was a little hard to fully enjoy this band, big scenic soundscapes born from Art Rock and Post-Hardcore vibes they put on a fair show of interesting music with a fair amount of texture coming over the PA.

Meshuggah
One of my all time favorite bands, they always stir me right up! Although I wasn't massively keen on The Violent Sleep Of Reason, the new songs were well performed by the five Swedes who let the music do the talking. They busted through about six songs, ending with the colossal Demiurge. It was a real treat of head banging madness and a touch of moshing that reminded me its not as fun as it used to be to get bashed about. Really loved seeing them, something that doesn't happen often enough!

Myrkur
With a gap in the scheduled for food I realized there was no reason I couldn't eat and listen. Just to my luck this group happened to be a really interesting composition of Black Metal with angelic vocals. The show was superb and now I have a new band I must check out!

Zeal And Ardor
The fruits of the internet age are laid bare here. A lone artist with an experimental musical idea, releasing the self produced Devil Is Fine online and blossoming to life with heaps of attention and praise from the viral nature of information. Now a six piece band, the fusion of Black Metal, Chain Gang songs and other extremes came to life through a vivid show that had the music roaring out of the angry Manuel, slamming his first into his guitar and screaming with ferocity. Undoubtedly the days best show, maybe one of the best this year.

Marilyn Mason
Following the best perhaps came the worst with a tantrum throwing Manson taking an age to get it together between songs. Promoting the new Heaven Upside Down album the song Say 10 sounded great and so did a few others to be fair but his stage presence and attitude just doesn't suit the big stage soaked in sun.

Baroness
The Grammy nominated Baroness return with pretty much the same show as last year. Now headlining the fourth stage their fans were huddled together to give it a stronger atmosphere but with no new songs It felt a little dull in comparison.

Ozzy Osbourne
Rather than go to the front and make the most of my last opertunity to see the Metal god himself on stage, we decided to hang back and watch from a far, which is never the same. It might play on my mind but given that seeing Black Sabbath hasn't left that much of an impression on me, I think the same could be said of Ozzy, he still sings fantastically but the era is long gone. It was great to hear so many classics but also nice to chill out and get away from the crowds early.