Metallica "S&M2" (2020)

 

Twenty years on from their now iconic S&M performance with The San Fransisco, the two reunite for an experience both recreating the original and throwing in some new elements with underwhelming takes on Classical Music and of course an inclusion of new material from Hardwired and Death Magnetic. Although it is impossible not to enjoy a Metallica set list, this project feels inferior, cast to the shadows of its former glory with some flaws present throughout that just let you know the original was a magnitude better. Ironically it is this release the press seemed to have gotten onboard with, heaping on praise where the first one was often misunderstood.

 

As the band age so do their performances and all too often can you hear Lars struggling to keep pace, Kirk's solo's become a little scattered and sloppy and James too struggles with his voice infrequently. At the live show, its hardly an issue given the immersion and event but taken to wax, its all too noticeable. What is also very apparent is the often meager and timid nature of the symphony. Its either the mixing or composition but these numbers feel far more like a Metal songs with some added sparkle. I wasn't keeping tabs on if the symphonies were identical for songs that were featured again but overall it just felt quiet and less involved than before.

That being said one delight to behind where the new songs. They sounded fantastic! After a couple of years its proven they fit in alongside Metallica's many hits and the symphonic gloss worked ever so well, even if just a complimentary element. S&M2 is hardly a bad experience but it really doesn't offer anything more bar the newer songs. There was also an opertunity to take the two Classical songs and spice them up with some Metal but the one track they did this on was simply a disappointment. Its hardly surprising that retreading old footsteps hasn't yielded anything special here.

 

Rating: 5/10

Bathory "Twilight Of The Gods" (1991)

Twilight Of The Gods represents some truly new territory as a part of my nostalgic journey. Bar a couple songs, most of the record was fresh and thus had a challenge in the face of all the praise I heaped on Hammerheart. Its temperament is similar, more of this heathen viking Metal but with a duller edge. Its title track and Song Of Blood have a gloomy tone. They make up twenty one minutes of the record as the pair steady the ship for slower tempos. It shifts focus from guitar to its choral voices that conjure rural life of this inspired era of history. In a few rare moments of gusto, the guitars feel held back by the production which doesn't give them enough punch. Its very much an atmospheric affair and that gloomy feel does subside in parts but mostly these two have a burdensome vibe that drags on.

That temperament is felt throughout, however the middle tracks get to embellish their themes and stories with rocking riffs and choruses that bring some much needed excitement. The tone is dominating though, even Quorthon's excited explosions of lead guitar seem dulled. If its composition or production, I can't get away from this moody tinge, its almost indulging but mostly for me lurches in the shadows of the mythic, heritage charged music that came before it. This time around the vision of culture lost to time is distinct but lacking an enticing energy.

Blood And Iron gets a nod for its stunning glossy acoustic guitars that ring out metallic chords. Its a gorgeous compliment to the driving song beneath, breathing much needed colour into the icy, cold and stiff production that I'll say again feels a fraction away from being an endearing quality. The album ends on a high though, the Hammerheart song an anthemic out poor of triumphant singing that works in some of Gustav Holst's timeless music from The Planets. Its an epic conclusion to an otherwise disappointing record that is a little to self indulged in its droning tone and off-key singing, which again feels a fraction away from something great in its pursuit of authenticity. The bellowing call of the hard life of vikings resonates with that same hardship. A flawed record which has Its moments, I am doubtful it will grow on me.

Rating: 6/10

Metallica "S&M" (1999)

 

With S&M2 out and on my playlist, I wanted to relive again this remarkable collaboration between Metallica and the San Fransisco Orchestra. My impression of it today comes with more appreciation than ever. How has this record not become a yearly ritual. Between the Metallica binges, it would bring a whole new dimension to their arsenal of classic songs. More so, I think its the newly found adoration of what the band attempted with Load and Reload that lifts a fair portion of the record from depths I once skimmed over.

Symphonic Metal and the like may have been in relative infancy but to this late 90s period its no stranger. However the collaboration doesn't even resemble how strings and orchestra instruments had been paired with Metal music to date. The San Fransisco group orchestrate on their own terms, acting as another layer of musical identity with in songs already brimming with stature. The music is embellished, a real treat for those who appreciate a union of style often perceived of opposite despite many emotional similarities.

The album's opening is brilliant, Ecstasy Of Gold followed by the instrumental Call Of Ktulu gives ample time to take in the added dimension before ripping pace with Master Of Puppets, possibly the best way for James to bring his iconic voice in. From there the record ebbs and flows with refreshing changes of pace and also involvement from the orchestra, not every song and moment requires a layering of symphony and it too breathes with the set list. One thing to say, there is no fear in getting right in the weeds of some of the bands most iconic music.

There are many favorites each listener will find, among them a couple originals, Human and the adored No Leaf Clover, two fantastic songs, the last before St. Anger. No foreshadowing there. S&M is not without its flaws though. The seventeen minute passageway of Wherever I May Roam and Outlaw Torn drags its feet a little with the plodding repetitive baseline reminding me of a festival jam session giving the crowd ample time to take a trip to the bar and refuel on booze before the closing hits.

Being one to continuously move forward with music, a few nostalgic trips to old records have had me worried of magics left behind. I knew S&M stood in great stature among fans and myself, not so much critics at the time. Listening to it again, its almost as if I forgot about the endearing sparkle the whole experience has, especially the goosebumps educing enthusiasm from the crowd who James lets sing on the record with him. Must of been one heck of an unforgettable experience to have been there!

Rating: 8/10

Bathory "Hammerheart" (1990)

Ones body will be scared by age but so shall the mind! It seems almost criminal that the brilliance of Hammerheart has faded in reputation. Diving back into the Bathory records of youthful years I had somehow lost memory of this masterpiece. Thinking I was on the cusp of unearthing a new glory to enjoy, every track rang echos of a decade past by. Songs unearthed with their etchings still eternal under the dust.

This was the moment Quorthon embraced his heritage and forged a new, remarkable path. Somehow, I remembered this record as a drop off point but in fact these are all spirited songs keenly remembered, including the mighty One Rode To Asa Bay, the only Bathory song to ever be made into a music video if I recall correctly.

Leaving the ferocity of Blood Death Fire behind, slower tempos, brooding atmospheres and heathen choirs accompany a tamer Quorthon who channels his energy into roaring battle cries and off key singing. He conjures the viking spirit with this hard pressed voice that should turn the nose up in theory, yet the genuine passion in his voice pushes the Nordic spirit of the music into a vision coming to life.

Its the final piece solidifying this inspired music of mythic heritage fit to conjure candle lit halls and mighty landscapes of rural natural beauty. Although now a common thing to experience in Viking Metal, this must of been something special at the time of its release. The album opens up with two lengthy epics, Valhalla crashing with lightning strikes into a mountainous passage of drawn out power chords and thunderous drum pounding that sounds practically lifted from Call Of The Cthulhu.

Its a recurring section that elevates the music but also feeds into claims of plagiarism against the band. Something I had yet to touch on but much of the early material is akin to Venom yet Quorthon often claims to have not been influenced by them. It is however a moment of power from the percussive battery and throughout the album tumbling strikes of tom drums help propel these epic and heathen calls to the gods.

Moving into Fire And Ice and Father To Son, sections of dense distortion guitar singularly erupt with a keen parallel to Groove Metal, a genre yet to unfold at this point in time. Its not often the riffs are thrusted forth to the light as they mostly meld with synths to conjure the distinct atmospheres. That measure of fretwork is often subtle but a keen feature throughout. The surprise is these eruptions of meaty groove.

This is a pivotal album for Bathory, being at the forefront of one movement and in one stride to the next, forging and mastering an entirely new sound for the Metal umbrella of sub-genres. Where his last two albums showed flashes of this genius and reveled in a little diversity, Hammerheart is a very unified sound from stand to end that is near impossible to deny as a classic. I am so glad to have found my way back to it!

Rating: 9/10

Bathory "The Return......" (1985)

The Return...... Of Darkness And Evil, as its full title goes, is a fitting title for Bathory's sophomore record. I always remembered this as the "smelly" one. Listening to it again over fifteen years later a much more nuanced and interesting opinion is formed. Quorthorn makes a keen stride to embellish a more sinister tone, many abrasive ideas that would eventually become hallmarks in Black Metal. The strike of demonic gongs, deep command roars steeped in reverberations, shrill howls furthering ugly throaty textures and plenty of shadow echos to wrap them up in.

Despite issuing some key ideas for the scene to come, its all fractionally mismatched with the guitar tone that still has a warmer Heavy Metal charm about it, even with the low fidelity. These ideas that aim to dive deeper into the "evil" theme are currently pungent in inception. The whole thing is somewhat akin to early Graveland records. Its fair to say bar one or two songs the music is lacking a magnetism that came before it.

Perhaps in attempt to embrace the dark and foul, performances from the band become fair at best and seem intentionally sloppy in moments of lost synchronicity or attempted "edge". Tempos stutter, and drums loose there groove. It rarely aids the music or its intended theme, that needs to come from good songwriting and Quorthorn's riffs are baked stale for half of the record.

In the latter half of the album a darker guitar tone grinds power chords effectively and in two songs lays a much foundation for the evolution of the genre. Its guitar solos still seem lost in the Heavy Metal cliche tho, breaking the mood. These moments and the intro of dark scenic ambience give the record some needed merit because despite being early, raw and influential, its embryonic experimentation is ugly, not in the aesthetic and rewarding sense but that of a mostly haphazard record.

Favorite Tracks: The Rite Of Darkness, Reap Of Evil

Rating: 6/10

Bathory "Bathory" (1984)

I was listening to Scandinavian Metal Attack, a compilation of Heavy Metal released earlier the same year that the Swedish one man band Bathory featured on, when I realized its been well over a decade since Id last dived into these classic records that influenced the shape of Black Metal to come. Venom coined the name two years earlier but Quorthorn took the cheese out of the equation, sharpening the axe of evil with an aggression, keenly influenced by Motorhead. This self titled debut pushed the pummeling sound further whilst taking the occult seriously, laying foundations for a whole new musical scene to arise, inspired by the taboos of evil.

 With a brittle angular distortion guitar tone and shrieking howls, this dusky record and its simply awful audio fidelity presents an initial challenge. Much of the tone is pushed into the mid to high range with the low ranges being a muddy mess of bass resonance. All instruments have there sloppy moments with riffs falling off beat, drum strikes inconsistent and collisions of noise. Despite this the music overcomes the technical aspects, Quorthorn's throaty shouts and groans are sufficiently menacing for his evil themes of all things occult and taboo to have a sense of seriousness.

For a primitive and somewhat embryonic record the songs hold up well all these years later. The punkish riffing slogging power chords and melody interwoven picking rhythms stand on their own two feet. Without chasing the gimmicks of speed and extremity for extremities sake, Quorthorn uses his guitar to forge a genuine direction often illuminated by the shrill eruptions of lead guitar that dazzle the songs with speedy tapping arriving through a difficult to decipher whirl of low fidelity sound.

Its Intro and Outro songs make light use of thematic soundscapes to embellish the tone. I can't comment much on the origins of such integration in Metal but its almost no surprise to hear it here as many pioneering ideas have roots in Bathory. Another being the abrupt ending of tracks on two songs, something Darkthrone would get a lot of credit for later. Not all the songs are great, a couple drone with repetition but it has its moments. Many year from my last dive into this world, its clear the songwriting prevails and so its aesthetic elements fall into place given the uncomfortable topicality. The influence is obvious, the nostalgia magical but the best is yet to come!

Favorite Track: Raise The Dead

Rating: 7/10

Queen "Made In Heaven" (1995)

Another journey reaches the end of the road. Queen's fifteenth and final album, a somewhat "posthumous" release, arriving four years on from Freddie's passing. His voice features with normality, still powerful and beautiful, central to the theme, is clearly touched by his ill health. Most the music was recorded before his death and his band mates reworked parts of it after his passing to finish the recording. The result is possibly their blandest work to date, despite having a good spirit and message.

On first listen its gawky, tacky sense of uplift is rather dominating but with a few additional spins some of the Heavy Metal magic in the oppening takes hold. Brain May brings quite the bite in places with weighty hard riffs and bright, slick classic guitar leads in his defined style. Its layered with symphonic keys for a dense sound but as the midway point hits the attitude dissipates. The songs take on a softer tone with a lulling ballad energy focusing on Freddie's somewhat self cliched lyrics and persona.

Its the one record without a standout song, perhaps the title tack comes close with the best of Freddie here and some great cohesion as the song flows. Its counterpart however, Heaven For Everyone, follies as its well intended lyrics stack up the cheese with these ballad like "gentle epics". Its certainly not my cup of tea and ends up being the vibe most the music follows. It leaves me with mixed feelings.

Undeniably genius and brilliant in their element, Queen's eclecticism and eccentricity was practically miraculous in the best of their early output. Heading into the eighties that eclectic nature seemed to weigh them down as cohesion was waning and the song writing became more divided, rigid and lacking adventure. They developed a comfort in writing that lost its excitement and surprise. With Innuendo they mustered a little bit of that spark back but by Made In Heaven they lulled back into that comfort again. Its not a great record to end on but the journey has been immensely fun!

Rating: 4/10

Trivium "What The Dead Men Say" (2020)

Having spent over a month with this record my dissatisfaction perhaps stems from a case of fulfilled curiosity with their previous effort, The Sin And The Sentence, being a proper introduction to the bands identity. What The Dead Men Say feels like a total rehash of the same summery anthemic festival Metal spun with the same craft, intensity and almost cheesy lyrics poised with a tone of might, honor and glory. Matt Heafy's wording and delivery bares it formula, making for a rather predictable string of songs that summit the same emotional struggles over and over again.

To give the record some merit, its a very credible romp of melodic tinged aggressive metal. Soaring its way through turmoil with streaks of grooving riffs neatly composed, the songs carry a constant sense of epic struggle and overcoming odds as the temperament tends to follow the lyrical narrative. The longer tracks carry some variety with breaks from the normative structures but despite regular creative shake ups the whole thing feels like an repeating echo of what just came before it.

It leaves me with not much to say. Its opening track IX creates quite the anticipation with its darkly acoustic but once the metallic guitar kick in with an appropriately crisp, octane production the music swiftly fits the cast its molded for with all the verses, choruses and hooks feeling so normative. Even if this Is all I focus on with my writing, its an enjoyable record, a fun ride of proud fist pumping Metal precisely in the anthemic style Trivium have mastered over the years.

Rating: 6/10

Queen "Innuendo" (1991)

After a patchy decade pumping out mediocrity around one or two killer songs on each album, Queen enter the 90s with a strong shift in tone to solidify a return to form that was unfortunately their last with Freddie, who's health was declining during Innuendo's creation. The group effectively roll back the years, getting past the simplified approaches to songwriting and creating more inspired pursuits of Progressive Rock that manifest wonderfully on its opening track. They sound like Queen of the 70s.

 Although other songs don't follow this dynamic the album tone lacks any of the cheese or Synthpop influence they steadily picked up over the last decade. Its a return to roots that remains a step forward with the Hard Rock edge playing out in a fun new environment. Brian May's enigmatic lead guitar style sounds less like contrasting bursts of energy interrupting a songs flow. Queen get the mood right here, over and over, his solo's making for wonderful peaks in the flow of musical indulgence.

After a string of tracks, All God's People, These Are The Days Of Our Lives and most guilty, Delilah, hits a snag with that cheesy song writing rearing its ugly head as the tone shifts into a more formulaic cast. The Hitman pulls things back on track with a roaring anthem of Heavy Metal might as its attitude laden riffs throw up a head banger of a track! It's lyrics may be a little goofy but it makes up for it that riff! May also shreds a slick, lengthy lead guitar solo as the song takes a lengthy bow out.

The albums strength is its tone and atmosphere. It feels together as one project with the soft, airy synths composed with a familiarity from track to track. Its variety seems less obvious with this consistent sound, despite there being a handful of styles and creative expressions to go around the songs. Freddie gives a really fantastic performance. Even handicapped by a limit range, he puts all his feeling and passion into whats available. A redeeming record in the Queen arch, just one record left now.

Favorite Tracks: Innuendo, Don't Try So Hard, The Hitman

Rating: 7/10

Queen "The Miracle" (1989)

There is now just two more records to go and so our journey resumes with an obvious low point for these British legends! The Miracle see's out the decade with the gaudiest, over produced and sterile sound to date. The bands eclecticism manifests with a bold metallic edge fit for the cheesier strain of arena sized Heavy Metal.

Brian May's beaming guitar features heavily throughout yet somehow its bold synth tones and song writing of the fading 80s Synthpop scene dominates the vibe. His solo work is often quite the delight, dexterous shredding finds itself overlooked as its brief arrivals do little to combat the overall theme that leans heavily of borrow ideas.

A fair helping of these songs have elements clearly borrowed from the Synthpop and classic Heavy Metal scenes. The Invisible Man may have a killer baseline and drum groove but Freddie's singing imitates the Ghost busters theme song to little merit. I Want It All is the one iconic song however the title track misses its mark sorely.

 Despite this sounding resoundingly negative, the album has its listenable tracks and quite a few musical arrangements and ideas that certainly peaked my interest. Was It All Worth It has simply booming symphonic elements at play, a joy within a dull song. On all fronts their is at least something to be enjoyed yet I feel for Freddie. Its a weak contribution, little of his singing exploring the emotional ranges he is so capable of.

Some lyrics clearly deal with his health and diagnosis which were likely a contributing factor. Its a sad observation unfortunately however it all felt a bit routine and dialed in. The album was poorly received at the time and I think rightly so. It may be easy on the ears and simple to digest but there just isn't a lot to take away from this. Two left now!

Rating: 4/10

Jazz Sabbath "Jazz Sabbath" (2020)

Surely its just a shenanigan? A slice of fantasy folk lore stirred up to play a practical joke on fans of the iconic, legendary, pioneers of Metal to come, Black Sabbath! The story goes that this Jazz outfit were ripped off by Tony Iommi as composer Milton Keanes, like the British city, was hospitalized. This put their album in jeopardy and the master tapes have supposedly been lost for over fifty years. Doing a little online research into the bands history yields next to no evidence of their existence other than suspicious self published images of them on non existent publications. It feels like a hoax, which also doesn't speak to the apparent genius that extends beyond the alleged theft as Black Sabbath were no hit wonders!

Now lets talk about the music, you'll hear the classic riffs presented stunningly on a sublime piano tone, sometimes as part of broader compositions too. There is also plenty of original material spliced between. It makes it hard to comment on a lot of whats happening as it feels akin to a covers album in spirit. Played through a beautiful musical piano as part of a Jazz trio, the classic riffs are somehow slick, smooth and very relaxing. The power and weight of that Iommi guitar tone and style almost seems counter intuitive to what you'll experience on these seven tracks.

The recording is elegant and smooth, almost too much so. I am no expert but the clarity and fidelity of these dusty old recordings seems a little to crisp and vibrant, It is gorgeous in tone but that makes it more so questionable These are great qualities, the record is indulgent, a calming musical odyssey, with sparks of Rock guitar, Saxophone and Organs chiming in on occasion too. It is notable though these original moments also don't feel very "sabbathy". I have always found Jazz some of the most difficult music to describe and even with an anchor point of Heavy Metal riffage these songs are transformed into something else with that easy going Jazz charm. If it is a stunt as I presume, this project could of been better served as a fun novelty, re-constructing music for an alternative framing.

Rating: 5/10

Queen "A Kind Of Magic" (1986)

Kicking off with two utterly phenomenal tracks, Queen's twelfth outing proceeds to play like a series of bad choices where the groups eclecticism and willingness to follow the sounds of the time leads them astray. Its actually Freddie himself who gets the better of me, a rarity for his glorious voice. The played out slow ballad sound of One Year Of Love and the utterly cheesy Pain Is So Close To Pleasure have him steering his voice into a high pitch ranges that I just found discomforting. A couple of proceeding tracks play up an expectant Queen approach to songwriting before the album switches its last three songs into a soundtrack for the movie Highlander.

Gimme The Prize amps up the Arena Rock vibes with some Heavy Metal guitar leanings. Its big Industrial thumping drums bring things together. A little cliche but it has an attitude. Samples from the movie tend to break up the flow and cause fillers that sound trashy as evil laughs, explosions and sword slashing sounds do little for the music. Continuing on themes from the movie, Don't Loose Your Head has an typically 80s synth tone but the lyrics and sample inclusion makes it feel forced. With Princes Of The Universe they pull together many classic characteristics but to no avail.

Its opening two songs are all too well known due to use in pop culture, however giving them some up close attention I appreciated them a lot more. One Vision's use of synth and electronic manipulation in its opening sets the stage and gives a brilliant tone for Heavy Metal funk to jive in a futuristic feeling. The aesthetics are brilliantly constructed and the following Its A Kind Of Magic reinvents another Queen formula with those pumping baselines, rigid drums and atmospheric synths. This albums problem is that of many Queen records for some time now, the eclecticism that once made a brilliant album experience now seems rather tacky and without substance. They still make fantastic music but as the track record proves it comes in spurts that make for a good song or two each album. With some particular lows, its peaks can't save this from being their worst output to date.

Favorite Tracks: One Vision, Gimme The Prize

Rating: 4/10

Poppy "I Disagree" (2020)

The only time I'd heard of American singer Poppy beforehand was in the middle of some good old "he said, she said" internet drama. The story goes that her image is modeled around her producer and collaborator's previous artist, causing creative identity controversy. Ditching the former musical partner, she's brought a new team to this record, taking an experimental stride to brush with the twisted aesthetics of Extreme Metal in a whirlwind of styles stretching from buttery Pop and lush Electronic, to the boom and bounce of Nu Metal with a little Industrial grit. I was turned onto this new release by friends but Ive got to be critical, its all a bit too contrived for my taste.

I Disagree's strenuous diversity and flashy eclecticism feels like a shallow facade as just about every pallet presented keenly remind me of other artists, styles and aesthetics heard before. This lack of originality is thrust forth by the stitched nature of its musical progressions. Sudden shifts, jolts and turns in momentum feel hollow as the music pivots from dreamy singing and sunny synths to dirty Djent guitars and hammering drums with little meaning. It leaves the song writing in an awkward place where its intent feels at the mercy of a failed attempt to be audacious and daring.

It's not all bad however. The various musical pallets play well, textures and aesthetics sound gorgeous from start to end, there just isn't any cohesion. Poppy sounds at her soft and effeminate best in the dreamy pop sections as pivots to extremities often suck away the mood in favor of nonsensical aggression. The lyrics too are a bit all over the place. J-Pop influences play out with a quirky manor that falls flat on me. "Bite your own teeth" and other lines fail to offer substance. I think Anything Like Me talks to the drama addressed above and with that some meaning and depth is found but its lacking elsewhere, another dimension that falls short.

For the most part each listen flys by. Its entertaining but with little digging in deep or getting stuck in the mind. It does however end on a fantastic high note as Sick Of The Sun actually sticks to one idea for the whole track, playing out a strange summery vibe that's slightly esoteric and ethereal. It almost feels like a two part epic as an acoustic plucked guitar akin to Metallica's Call Of The Cthulhu or Ozzy's Killer Of Giants brings us into a second phase. This then finds the album's best metallic riffs as giant meaty notes parade with mountainous stature, leading into dazzling guitar solos. Its fantastic song writing on an album that's sorely missing it for all the tracks leading to this ending. A great bow out but also the only two songs to take away from it all.

Favorite Tracks: Sick Of The Sun, Don't Go Outside

Rating: 5/10

Fairyland "Score To A New Beginning" (2009)

Concluding our journey through the French Power Metal band's original trilogy of records, this final chapter remedies the vocal horrors of The Fall Of An Empire with a new approach to personal. Guest vocalists arrive in droves to color the music in a tapestry of voices. Theatric, occasionally operatic and frequently choral, male and effeminate singing lavishes this record with neither Elise Martin from Of Wars In Osyhria or Maxime Leclercq returning. The result is a pleasant one, an enjoyable variety of approaches typical to the genre, theatrical and empirical within its fantasy story telling setting which plays out in tales of war, exploration and adventure.

All Ive said before applies again, this record straddles the line between its previous two approaches yet didn't spark quite the magic I first heard on their debut. Gleaming triumphant music glistens again with uplifts and swells of glory and might as the music constantly ascends in a pursuit of epic it lands fairly well. Its a bit slow to get going but around A Soldier's Letter and Godsent it finds a stride. Its lavish and its symphonic component is usually the main propellant of its momentum through the record.

All the elements are there. The recording is gorgeous and instruments beaming with energy and color. Haven given it many spins I am not sure why it didn't stick. Perhaps the impact of a new sound has worn off, or maybe the songwriting wasn't quite there, despite seemingly like brilliant executions of fantasy driven Symphonic Power Metal with progressive structures. Score To A New Beginning ends up being one of those albums I can't criticize but just didn't quite click with as a whole experience, there are undoubtedly favorites in the track listing though.

Rating: 6/10

Favorite Tracks: Assult On The Shores, A Soldier's Letter, Godsent

Fairyland "The Fall Of An Empire" (2006)

Blown away by their stunning debut, Of Wars in Osyhria, I thought my battle with Power Metal may be turning. It is not so, this sophomore record from the French band has unfortunately solidified the focal point that ruins this style for me time and time again, the singing. With a line up shuffle retaining two of the original band, Maxime Leclercq steps in for the lead vocal role. His pitch and tone rubs me the wrong way on to many an occasion. Stretching and reaching for notes he can't quite grasp leaves a strain. The style is often to forceful and once again the French accent has an uncanny knack to make to add a irritation to the pronunciation. I've always believed in looking for what you enjoy in music but found very little of that here, the singing tarnishes the fantastic instrumentation.

The music itself is a little less charming then last time around. I suspect the vocals may have made it harder to digest but there is an obvious shift in luminosity. The elements of fantasy and wonder still play out through the picturesque synths painting magical landscapes and heroes adventures .This time they are more balanced with the aggressive guitars and drums that clatter along with chomping double pedal rolls battering patterns constantly. Its lively, animated and ambitious but the production is a little thin and raspy in places, the music does however get across well its fantastical themes and fairy tale story telling. Pianos feature frequently and ambitious songwriting births a progressive journey to venture on but as clearly stated the vocals dispel any magic. Its frustrating but it is what it is. The next album has a plethora of vocalists so it will be interesting to see what happens there!

Favorite Track: The Story Remains

Rating: 4/10

Ghost "Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic" (2019)

My ignorance in the absence of information has birthed an amazement of these seven minutes. Ghost are one of my favorite bands and between records they tend to divvy out EPs with cover tracks that give quite the insight into their influences. The title is either a topically suggestive or a co-incidental pun on the format or length. This stemmed from my astonishment of the lyrical crudeness on Kiss The Go-Goat. That song and Mary On A Cross both sounded like the blueprint to this bands sound. You see I had purchased the record in a surge of excitement. Its only now that Ive dug deeper in preparation for this post that I learn these are originals! What a derp, what an assumption, here I was thinking I was about to discover some hidden gems from the 60s singing what would of been utter filth for the time.

The two tracks sound even better now. Ghost have mastered the principles of Rock and Pop music from years gone by, reviving them in service of their playful satanic exterior. The result is a luscious and gorgeous wash of harmony and color that's deeply infectious and swooning. Melody is ripe and Tobias Forge relishes in the moment his hired guns have crafted so stunningly. Its so Ghost and still everything I want to hear. The thing is, if these are B-Sides, what on earth do they have in store for us next? These might be two of the best from their catalog to date! Maybe I am still a little dazzled from the excitement of new songs to internalize. Absolutely fantastic none the less, a stellar seven minutes you can spin over and over.

Rating: 4/10

Queen "The Game" (1980)

Arriving at the midway point of Queen's discography, the group step into the new decade with a cohesive shift in tone that reflects the passing times. Although still experimenting vocally and with special effects, the Progressive band we once knew is in embers as the Arena Rock tone strips these songs back to simple structures, tightly packed riffs and grooves of which a little Funk and Disco creeps into the rhythm section on Dragon Attack and Another One Bites The Dust. Its still a typically diverse record as Ive come to expect. Although the distortion guitars are absent on many a song, they have classic Queen rumbustious eruptions of oozing lead guitar on the tracks with lean Rock guitars tho. Crazy Little Thing Called Love switches up the tone for a warm and charming Rockabily number, still sounds fantastic all these years later.

A stinker turns up in Don't Try Suicide. Its a flaky tune attempting to address a serious topic with an utterly shallow and thoughtless tone. It sounds like a song coerced by some government prevention organization, with rules and regulation on what can be said. I'm sure there intentions were good but its an awful track. The album closes with a beautiful song, Save Me, that is one of their best Ive never heard before this voyage. Freddie's singing is sublime, the harmonies are gorgeous and typically enigmatic guitar leads from Brian May make it an overlooked Queen gem for my ears. All in all The Game is the latest offering of a band experimenting with many sounds, for some reason it all fits together better than previous attempts. And whats up with the album cover? Seems like not a lot of effort was put into its presentation.

Favorite Tracks: Play The Game, Another One Bites The Dust, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Save Me

Rating: 6/10

Fairyland "Of Wars in Osyhria" (2003)

This short lived band from France only released a trio albums, this being the first. Of Wars in Osyhria has been an absolute pleasure that has got me questioning my stance on Power Metal. First Sabaton blew me away and now this! Two totally different beasts but now I am seeing the lines that get blurred between the Symphonic Extreme Metal I love, for example Dimmu Borgir, and where Power Metal shares some similarities in embracing keys and strings. In particular, a relatively unknown outfit called Stormlord had a stunning fusion of Black Metal and this style of fantasy led symphony on their At The Gates Of Utopia record! The Metal was far more dominate and overpowering of its fantasy string section but the tone is very similar!
 

That initial comparison gave me an anchored entry into this record and swiftly did I grow to appreciate the absence of shouts and screams! Fairyland have given the spotlight to the layers of glorious synths ushering in hugely magical and imaginative soundscapes. Its actually the drum kit that brings in an extreme angle, driving the music along with thunderous intention, battering with an intensity to raise the stakes as the guitars tend to chug and churn underneath the rich symphony. Electrified lead licks and solos do occasionally blaze into the light but the keys are king here. Acording to the wiki only one keyboardist is employed at a time, I wonder how they pull of such a lavish sound live, its clearly layered and dense.

These songs dazzle there way through epic themes of might and magic, heroism in battle, good versus evil, all in a glorious stride that could encompass a typical Fantasy genre tone. Particularly Warcraft in places, echoing Glenn Stafford's genius soundtracks. Its wonderfully written, the songs continuously swoon in and out of oozing arrangements of gleaming melodies that give me goosebumps again and again. The balance is stunning, songs are structured with recurring sections that punch with weight after the dancing through progressive tangents tirelessly. Its sixty five minutes don't let up for a moment, a ceaseless magic that gushes forth right to the very end, the last few notes being admittedly underwhelming to bow out on.
 

Ive actually binged this record hard and its still working for me. I feel like Ive found another diamond that will be with more for the rest of time. The only weak spot Ive encountered is the vocals, Elisa Martin's operatic voice is a sturdy fit, powerful, strong and theatrical, only her accent puts a noticeable hindrance on the pronunciation of certain words. Its a minor qualm. Alongside her, the occasional chiming powerful male voices unite and plenty of choral voices enrich this avenue too. Its a thick and dense onslaught of instruments, crescendo by the lavish dance of stunning symphonies. Truly a marvelous record, can't wait for the next one!

Rating: 9/10

Queen "Jazz" (1978)

Now embarking on their seventh full length, the eclectic music of Queen is starting to to sound more compartmentalized. No longer an organic tapestry that ebbs and flows from theatrical pantomime to hard guitar grooves and all in between, the group have split their styles and experiments into distinct songs that had me feeling like I had a bias to the ones I knew. The reality is Jazz has a mix of stinkers and classics among its thirteen tracks. Where time has dwindled out the mediocre, the classics have lived on which leads me to believe its no bias but an album of mixed fruits, some of which are rotten and many listens couldn't sweeten the taste for me.

The album kicks off with the stale and jarring Mustapha. It conjures Arabic dialect to foster a middle eastern atmosphere. Then its dense and swaying rock guitars rub up against the stark tone with contrasting vibes. Its production is drab in halves and the song rather dull. Bicycle Race and Fat Bottomed Girls are classics that need no introduction, the latter revives the arena rock anthem ideals of News Of The World's opening songs. If You Can't Beat Them seems contrived to reach the same anthemic chorus ideals but its execution is so underwhelming, it doesn't have any juice or pizzazz. Don't Stop Me Now is a beautiful eruption of piano led music, trusted forth by Freddie's unforgettable expressions. Similar ideas can be heard on the ballad Jealousy and In Only Seven Days but again, its a template now and they don't deliver.

Many Queen tropes are being recycled, even guitar tones too. Its a creatively stagnant point but their collective genius lands on occasions. Jazz does end on a creative high with More Of That Jazz, deploying slick metallic guitar licks that gel into atmospheric vocal layering. Its a delight, played on a loop with snippets of songs from earlier in the record, a cool way to bow the album out. If Ive sounded critical it may be that opening song setting the wrong tone for the following music. At this point I just think the band have bared their fruits and its obvious what they are attempting, so when it doesn't hit the mark it falls flat in comparison to the high standard they have created for themselves.

Favorite Tracks: Fat Bottomed Girls, Bicycle Race, Dead On Time, Don't Stop Me Now, More Of That Jazz

Rating: 6/10

Queen "Queen" (1973)

Arriving at their debut release, my expectations had been lowered by the underwhelming Symphonic Rock of Queen II. Surprisingly, this is an easier to digest record. Full of the eclectic diversity and variety that Queen are known for however its yet to find distinction. The production is clunky and dated, the musical influences obvious, worn on the sleeve, yet the songs it births at this point in the bands infancy are much more distinguished and fun than the following record. Brian May also kicks the record into gear with burst of Heavy Metal eruption on Doing All Right very akin to some of his best moments. He quite often finds stirs of Heavy Metal energy to inject.

The song swings between polarizing styles in a playful manor and whats encapsulated in that one track can be heard throughout as the band sway from soft and folksy Progressive Rock into bursts of Heavy Metal and Classic American Rock. The song Son & Daughter even goes into Doom Metal territory as the slow, sludgy guitar grooves carry their texture into the light, very Black Sabbath. Much of the record plays with these obvious familiarities but they always come with a spice of instrumental playfulness as keys and guitar leads add colorful upheavals in practically every song.

Some of the lyrics take on a biblical tone, the track Jesus being a prime example. I am unsure if its a song of praise or a mockery but the tone is a shambles, making an ugly appraisal out of layered voicings which had been used beforehand so effectively as burst of immediacy on songs like Liar. Overall its far better than its predecessor but not exactly its own animal yet. All the markings of what make this band so fantastic are here, ready to be developed. From here onward we only have the 80s and 90s albums left to explore!

Favorite Tracks: Doing All Right, Seven Seas Of Rhye

Rating: 6/10