Let`s face it; European Power Metal tends to have more notoriety in the press [not the so-called "mainstream" press; one of those idiots recently stated "nobody Rocks harder than Avril Lavigne"! That`s how much THEY know..] But we Yanks are starting to catch up with our cousins across the Big Pond. One band that has not only "caught up" but actually SURPASSED many of those bands is Phoenix Reign. Hailing from Astoria, Queens NY, the band is made up of Theresa Gaffney [Vocals], Billy Chrissochos [Guitar], Kostas "Gus" Psarros [Guitar], Chris Pollatos [Bass] and Wayne Noon [Drums]. "Destination Unknown" is their debut disc, produced and released by the band themselves in 2007 [See? I`m playing a little catch-up myself!]. The Euro Metal styling are unmistakable, though with a little twist; there`s a more ethnic/exotic feel to the melodies at times, which is not unusual considering the Greek heritage within the band. Nor is it unwelcome, as the band cleverly merges these sounds into the standard Power Metal structures, thus ensuring that Phoenix Reign stand apart from the rest of the pack. A brief instrumental, "The Gates of Bosphorous", starts things off, and then we go into "Transcendent", a ground pounding slice of Metal thunder if I ever heard one! And it only gets better. The production here is top notch; all instruments are loud and clear, the guitars thick and crunchy. The songs themselves are above average length at times, but are never boring, and the band makes each note count. All this is a testament to the instrumental skill and songwriting abilities of the individual musicians; the guitarists have all the fire and flash of Metals` best, the rhythm section performs like a well oiled machine. The icing on the cake is Theresa's vocal performance; no shrieking opera singer, Theresa delivers in a middle register that drives the songs home like an iron fist in a velvet glove. Want proof? Check out cuts like "Masquerade Angel", "Another Night Alone", or the title track, and tell me I`m lying! But nowhere does Phoenix prove their mettle [or should that be "Metal"?] more than on the 12 minute "Constantinople 1453 (On The Eve Of The Fall)". In less capable hands, this could have been a boring mess, but Phoenix Reign have crafted no less than one of the best Metal epics since Maiden`s "Alexander The Great", and one that has to be heard to be believed. Destined to be a classic! And to top it all off, the CD has some very cool artwork, as well. What MORE could you ask? "Destination Unknown"? Hardly! Highest recommendation possible!!!!
It has been remarked upon by various other reviewers that [I`m quoting, mind you] "when reviewing a new Motörhead album, you have to state the obvious a lot." How can you say something different about essentially the same thing? Lemmy & Co. must ask themselves the same thing; fortunately, they seem to come up with the right answer! Like The Ramones, with whom they`ve always shared a spiritual kinship, Motörhead constantly look for a fresh approach within a limited framework. "Motörizer" is the latest effort from the band that launched a million other bands, and may very well be their of their best ever! As usual, the tunes are simple, direct and to-the-point, with the whole CD being just under 40 minutes. Motörhead always manage to say more in a few minutes than most bands do over the course of several albums. "Motörizer" kicks off a full-throttle with "Runaround Man", a song destined to take its` place amongst THE great Motörbangers of all time. The bands` high decibel, high velocity Blues and Boogie sound is oft imitated but never duplicated. Who ELSE could pull of tracks like "Teach Yo How To Sing The Blues", the near Power Metal "When The Eagle Screams", the KILLER anthem "Rock Out", or "Back On The Chain"? Lemmy`s lyrical style is in top form through out; the former Hendrix roadie is a bottomless well of clever word-play, though he can pen more serious fare, such as "Heros" and "The Thousand Names Of God", harrowing anti-war anthems ["When The Eagle Screams" falls under a similar heading] that surely rank among his best work. All told, another winner for the `head, and one of the best Metal albums of the year!!
A warning about Uli Jon Roth`s "Under A Dark Sky". This is NOT "Virgin Killer-Part II"; the erstwhile Scorpions axeman grew bored with that particular style 30 years ago, and those expecting it here will be mighty disappointed. The long awaited follow-up to 1995s` "Prologue To The Symphonic Legends" ["Under A Dark Sky" is Part 1 of a trilogy, I believe] features 10 tracks and runs over an hour in length. The sound on the CD is not Metal, or even Hard Rock; "Symphonic Rock" would be the most apt description, along with elements of `Seventies Progressive Rock. Really, the album is best taken as a whole, as each tune flows seamlessly into the next, woven into a tapestry of epic proportions and rife with cosmic themes, the nature of which may be tough to get a handle on at first. But trust it, go with it and hopefully you`ll get it! Roth`s Hendrix meets Beethoven approach has never been better represented than on the closing track, the 19-minute "Tanz In Die Dammerung". A true "Rock Opera" [as is the rest of the album], this is probably comes closest to Uli`s vision, which he seems to have pursued for most of his professional career. The breadth and scope of this piece is simply amazing, and cannot be accurately described; it must truly be heard to be believed. To those diehards who pine for the old days, buy the upcoming early Scorps re-releases; those who have followed Uli Jon Roth`s post-Scorpions career will certainly be pleased with "Under A Dark Sky", one of THE most innovative Rock albums of the year!
After the teaser promotional CD was released early this year, hopes were high for the debut full-length CD from the Czech Republic`s very own Evarest. So, does "Fear" live up to its` expectations? You bet! The band have incorporated all the best Euro Power Metal elements to create 10 songs that overflow with class, power and energy, as well as haunting melodies that stay in your head long after your ears have stopped ringing! As I mentioned in my review of the promo CD, the musicians in Evarest are among the best in the business, yet never let their considerable instrumental skills get in the way of the song, a common pitfall of many bands. After a brief intro, the first song we are treated to is the soaring "Searching For Lost Times", which contains all that is great about this band. This really sets the tone for the album, as does the title track. Other choice cuts include one of my all-time FAVORITE Metal ballads, "For Goddamned Love", the Helloween-like "Hero's Fate", the epic "Requiescat", and the pounding "River Of Death". Certainly one of the highlights on the CD is singer Eva Markvartova; no wimpy Goth girl, Eva is a powerhouse vocalist who brings the lyrical themes brilliantly to life. Also included on the album are 2 bonus tracks and a video clip, as well as a detailed biography of the band. "Fear" is a winner from start to finish, and one of the finest Metal debut albums of 2008. The future for Evarest looks very bright indeed, and the future of Metal looks equally bright because of bands like them. A must have!!!!! [Cheers and many thanks to Datis at Farvahar Records for the CD!]
"No Regrets" is the self-released debut album of Vision, a Hard Rockin` 5-piece based in Naugatuck, Conneticut. Expecting downtuned riffs, growly/screamo vocals and the like?Then move along, please! Vision have their feet firmly planted in that Loud & Proud decade, the `Eighties; no apologies and, of course, no regrets. Crunching guitars and fist-pumping anthems are the order of the day here, but this is hardly a nostalgic look back, or even an homage, This band play the music they love best, in spite of the latest "Here today, gone later this afternoon" trends. The band is: vocalist Michelle Privee, guitarist Dave Vignola, bassist Julie Vignola, drummer Diane Colano, and keyboardist/guitarist Joe Johnston. "No Regrets" was written, produced, recorded by the band at their own Vision Studios, which is an actual studio, not the laptop and plug-ins set-up that passes for most "home studios" these days. The songs? As described by the band: "If AC/DC and Joan Jett were to have a love child and allow Motley Crue, Van Halen and Metallica to babysit, the result would be Vision". That pretty much sums it up quite nicely. But as I said, this is no tongue-in-cheek retro Rockers` wet dream. Vision has crafted 11 high quality tunes filled with catchy riffs, clever hooks and melodies, flashy yet tasteful guitar solos [remember those?], kick ASS rhythms and well thought out lyrics, all delivered with the passion of a band who truly love and believe in what they do. Among the highlights for me are the opening track, "Don`t Touch My Guitar" [apparently based o an actual incident; when Michelle sings "And don`t think I can`t beat your ass just` cause I`m not a boy", you BETTER believe it, Sonny Jim!], "Rock Starr" [about quitting your day job and becoming a Rock star; sounds good ME!], "Line In The Sand", "Party Song", "All About You" and the title track. Hell, a lot of these songs could be radio hits if there were still any radio programmers out there with the balls to play this kind of music. You could go a long way towards rectifying that situation by checking out the bands` website and purchasing their CD, as well as their other merch, or [if you`re fortunate enough to be in the area], see them live. Two enthusiastic horns up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
