Imagine recording a drunken barroom brawl between AC/DC, Motorhead and Blaze Bailey. [C`mon, humor me here!] The result MIGHT be Gun Barrel latest, "Bombard Your Soul"! This is the 3rd album in 5 years for the German 4-piece, and their best yet. No "Math Metal" here, just boozy Hard Rock/Metal that reeks of stale cigarrette smoke, blood sweat and beers; ya know, the good stuff!! "Dear Mr. Devil" is a powerhouse opening track that will bring a smile to even the most jaded `eadbanger. And it only gets better. From the AC/DC-style riffage of "On The Road Again" to the out `n` out Metal mayhem of "I'm Alive'", as well as "Dive Into The Flames" and "Bloody Pretender" and all points in between, all 12 cuts here are winners. "…Is You" is a real surprise ballad, and one the band handles with great aplomb. A high degree of songwriting craftsmanship, killer musicianship and a first-rate production make for a "can`t miss" combination! They don`t make `em like this too much anymore, but if everyone who`s reading this woud just go and BUY the damn thing, maybe we would have MORE great band like Gun Barrel; we DEFINITELY need `em! Highly recommended!!
It`s no secret that my favorite Black Sabbath era is the Tony Martin-fronted version! This is before Ozzy Hasbeen`s wife turned them into a nostalgia act, grinding out "The Hits" and exhibiting zero musical growth since! Not so Mr. Martin: two albums with guitarist Dario Mollo`s The Cage, one with Aldo Giuntini, Empire`s "Trading Souls" album with Rolf Munkes, and the Rondinelli brothers` "Our Cross, Our Sins", as well as various live appearances. Now comes Tony`s second solo album [the first was 1992`s` "Back Where I Belong"], and expectations were high. Soooo, was "Scream" worth the wait? You betcha`! A much heavier affair that his first solo outing, this album see Tony pretty much running the whole show [as well as playing nearly all the instruments], along with Sabbath alumni Geoff Nichols on keyboards, as well as Tony`s son on guitar. And it was actually recorded in Tony`s home in Headless Cross in Worcestershire, England! The 9 cuts here run the gamut of Metal/Hard Rock, sort of an overview of Martin`s career, stylistically. "Raising Hell" starts the album with a definitel Rainbow/Sabbath feel; best of all, it features pre-recorded drum tracks by the late, great Cozy Powell! "Bitter Sweet", "Faith in Madness" and the title cut are just SOME of the stand-outs of the album, while the clever, comical "The Kids Of Today [Don`t Understand The Blues]" is sure to warm the cockles of your heart! The emotive "Whever You Go" is my favorite; the song`s warm, organic almost `Seventies feel fits in perfectly with the rest of the album, and Tony`s impassioned vocals have rarely sounded better. "Scream" is probably among the finest work Tony`s ever done, certainly better than Sabbath`s recorded work of late. Oh wait, Sabbath hasn`t recorded anything [except 2 crappy songs in `98] since Martin left! Tells you a lot, doesn`t it? Certainly one of the best releases of 2005. Great job, Tony!!
At long last, one of THE most anticipated DVD releases of 2005! UK Rock stalwarts Magnum have bestowed upon their fans a 2-DVD treasure trove, one that will surely rank as a highlight among highlights in the bands` storied history. DVD 1 recorded over 2 nights in April `05 at the Astoria in London. This was during the tour which coincided with the 20th anniversary of what many fans arguably consider to be their album, "On A Storytellers Night" [released in 1985]. The tour featured 2 sets: the band doing their regular set with songs spanning their career, while the second set was the complete "On A Storytellers Night" album performed live. Magnum is a band that LIVES for the stage; their performance here shows how much they feed off the crowds` energy, and vice versa. I had the great fortune to see them at Sweden Rock `05 and the set list is basically the same here, with "Brand New Morning" [from the latest studio album of the same name] as the PERFECT opener! Favorite tracks? You kiddin`? Like I`m gonna be able to CHOOSE! But I`ll try: "Soldier oF The Line" is a bit heavier live [as I noticed at Sweden Rock] and just as great. High powered numbers like "Vigilante" and "Kingdom Of Madness" blend seamlessly with tracks like "Need A Lot Of Love" and the regular set closer "Sacred Hour". This last tune features great keyboard and guitar work by Mark Stanway and Tony Clarkin, respectively. Clarkin in particular shows that not only is a talented songwriter, but also one of the most highly underrated guitarists out there! But the boys ain`t finished yet! After a brief intermission, they hit the stage with the "Storyteller´s Night" set! During the intro, [so I`m told, anyway] vocalist Bob Catley appears onstage dressed as a robed and masked figure who speaks to the audience. Then the band dives into "How Far Jerusalem", a song that is just as great live! "Just like an Arrow", the title track and "Les Morts Dansants" as well as the 2 closing tracks: "All England´s Eyes" and a highly emotional version of "The Last Dance". Couldn`t have been a dry eye in the house after this! The band are in top form, with Bob being one of the most endearing frontmen ever. Drummer Jimmy Copley gets top marks for his obvious skills here, and bassist Al Barrow is a complete on [AND off] stage! A Magnum concert is TRULY a unique experience, a real bonding between audience and performer, and a show NOT to be missed!
But the fun STILL doesn`t end. DVD 2 has all kinds of great features; a brilliant acoustic version of "The Spirit", eight Magnum videos [some are a real hoot to watch!] with commentary by Bob and Tony. A 12 minute "View From The Queue", featuring interviews from various fans lined up outside The Wulfrun in Wolverhampton, UK. Interviews with the band. [I especially loved Bob`s remarks comparing himself to actor Bill Nighys` character in one of my favorite movies, "Still Crazy"]. A 9-minute documentary of footage from their trip to Sweden, with some footage from Sweden Rock; look closely at the crowd out front and MAYBE you can get a glimpse of yours truly!;)
Overall, this is one of the highest quality DVD`s I`ve ever seen, a must-have for any Magnum fan, casual and diehard alike, as well as someone interested in finding out what the fuss is all about. "Livin` The Dream" is is probably the BEST music-oriented DVD in my collection, as good as [and probably better in some ways] Kansas` "Device-Voice-Drum" and Saxons` "The Saxon Chronicles". If you need a reason to buy a DVD player, THIS is it! Thanks Bob, Tony, Mark, Al, Jimmy and Annie! Keep your night light burnin` and keep "Livin` The Dream"! Highest recommendation possible!
This EP from Sweden`s Astral Doors is basically a teaser for their third full length album "Astralism", which is due sometime in early 2006. But this 5-track affair should hold you over `til that momentous day. And if the title track is any indication, we`re in for a treat! The band`s obvious reverance for Dio-era Rainbow and Sabbath, as well as the Martin-fronted Sabbath is still evident on this son, but that`s why we LOVE this band, right? "Easy Rider" is a song written for the "Evil Is Forever" album, but scrapped at the last minute. Too bad, `cause this is probably one of THE best biker anthems since "Born To Be Wild"! The stirring "Far Beyond The Astral Doors" was on the Jpanese version of the bands` debut album while "Another Day In Hell" was supposed to be on "Evil Is Forever" but again ended up on the Japanese verson only. "Moonstruck Woman" appeared in a different form as the Japanese bonus track to the debut; here it has been re-mixed. Honestly, I have yet to hear a bad song by this band, and this EP is no exception! Finally, we have the video clip to "Time To Rock", so you can see just how HARD this baby Rocks live! So get this EP and you won`t have to pay extra for the Japanese versions in order to hear these tracks. This should tide us over `til the next album; it`ll be tough, I know......
Axehammer are one of those 80's US Metal bands that deserved more attention than they got. "Windrider" is the band`s second release [they released "Lord of the Realm" in `98, as well as appeared on a compilation back in `83], 10 cuts of unashamedly pure Old School Metal all the way! Recorded by the legendary Bill Metoyer [early Slayer, to name but a few], "Windrider" has a sound that is neither "modern" nor does it sound dated. Axehammer isn`t trying to re-invent the wheel or break any new musical ground; this is four guys [vocalist Bill Ramp, guitarist Jerry Watt, drummer Joe Aghassi and bassist Colin Sauers] sticking to their guns and doing what they love to do, trends be damned. And isn`t that what Metal is REALLY all about? Fist-pumping anthems are the order of the day here, with "Stand Up And Fight" kicking things off quite nicely. "Stand And Deliver", my favorite cut, the semi-ballad "Sacred Waters" and the killer title track are among the highlights of "Windrider". Obviously, a great deal of though went into this album, as each song stands apart from the other, a rarity in this genre. Hey, these guys KNOW what they`re doing! And if you know what`s good for YOU, you`ll click on the link below and order this bad boy, along with lots of other great Metal, from Denis at Sentinel Steel! \m/Two Horns waaaaaay up!!!\m/
