Before we dive into this review, there is a confession I have to make. I really, really enjoyed Sonata Arctica’s Stones Grow Her Name (2012), a record that is much maligned for being too weird, faux artistic and soft. And whilst I do love the earlier power metal efforts (up to and including Reckoning Night), I think Unia is by far the strongest album the Finnish band has put out. Then again, I also think A Matter of Life and Death is the best album Iron Maiden has released since Powerslave. Perhaps I’m just a sucker for classic metal bands who dare to tread outside of their safety zone and into a more daringly progressive area, which is exactly what Sonata Arctica has been doing for years now. So, with that out of the way, let’s check out what’s on offer this time. Continue reading
Author Archives: Ralph Plug
Stormwarrior – Thunder & Steele
It feels like 2014 has barely begun, but it’s already the best year for German power metal in ages. With releases from Iron Savior and Freedom Call already under our belt, and Gamma Ray, Edguy, Rage and Grave Digger scheduled to release albums later this year, there is nary a reason to complain. Amongst the vast array of German metal bands releasing new material, we can also find Stormwarrior. You know, the band you will regularly find playing Helloween‘s Walls of Jericho sets together with ex-pumpkin and Gamma Ray fronter Kai Hansen. Of course, besides providing a much appreciated journey down memory lane, the band also writes and releases its own material, and Thunder & Steele is the newest in a growing catalogue of top tier power metal for the band. Continue reading
Blues Pills – Live at Rockpalast
If there’s one thing the American-Swedish-French youngsters of Blues Pills should do, is finally release a full length debut album. And I mean a.s.a.p. The wait between the most excellent Devil Man four-track EP and the next piece of work was already tantalizing, but to be treated to another EP – although just as excellent – makes the wait for a full-blown album even more so. Then again, it’s better than nothing. Continue reading
Manowar – Kings of Metal MMXIV
Oh dear, that was rather unneccesary.
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Way back in 1988, the American metal band Manowar finally enjoyed their big break-through with their sixth effort, Kings of Metal. Combining the epic sound of their earlier albums like Into Glory Ride and Hail to England with the more rock ‘n roll approach of Fighting the World, Kings of Metal was the culmination of years of hard work for the band, and the epitome of what the band was capable of at the time. Eschewing the darkness that still make the first few albums into such timeless epic metal classics, Kings of Metal offered a more accessible approach to Manowar metal, and heralded a long era of heavy metal anthems and, dare we say, over-the-top cheesiness. It was also the last truly great Manowar album. Continue reading
Bruce Springsteen – High Hopes
When Bruce Springsteen announced an album of covers and reworkings of his own material, my initial reaction was tepid, and I imagine a lot of people reacted similarly. After the more introvert Wrecking Ball (2012), an album with new material and the E Street Band in full gear would have sounded like a much better idea, after all. Imagine the surprise then, that High Hopes turns out to be The Boss’ most spontaneous sounding and solid rocking album in ages. Continue reading
William Shatner – Ponder the Mystery
On William Shatner’s fourth album, he takes a deep dive into the realm of progressive rock. I believe the correct response to that would be, “what the hell?” Then again, Shatner’s musical career through the years has already been a steady flow of what-the-hell, hasn’t it? From the ludicrous The Transformed Man, where the actor dramatically read Shakespeare over pop music, to 2011’s hard rocking collection of science fiction-y cover songs on Seeking Major Tom. Both albums are both as enjoyable as they are ridiculous, whereas 2004’s Has Been was actually a pretty good album with mostly original material, where that perfect symbiosis between Shatner’s spoken word style and pop/rock music was finally met. Ponder the Mystery is more of that, but with a large dose of prog rock injected into it. Continue reading
Bad Religion – Christmas Songs (2013)
It’s perhaps a small miracle it has taken Bad Religion so long to come up with an official Christmas release. Masters of the harmonious oohs and aahs, seasonal sing-a-longs should be right up their proverbial alley, after all. Of course, there are a number of old (bootleg) recordings of the American punk rock institute burning their fingers on festive evergreens, but 2013 marks the year Graffin, Gurewitz et al release their first real Christmas EP. Continue reading
Steve Hackett – Genesis Revisited: Live at Hammersmith (2013)
Way back in 2012, former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett released a follow-up to his 1996 album Watcher of the Skies: Genesis Revisited, which, as the title suggests, featured a number of classic as well as lesser known Genesis songs. On Genesis Revisited II, Hackett pulled out all the stops and, together with a host of guest musicians, finally took on long-time fan favourites such as the gargantuan Supper’s Ready, The Musical Box and Return of the Giant Hogweed. Now, there’s the live document Genesis Revisited: Live at Hammersmith to accompany that release. Continue reading
Ayreon – The Theory of Everything (2013)
Well this was a long time coming. I’m speaking of the review, but the same could go for The Theory of Everything, the follow-up to the 2008 01011001 album, which was long held to be the swansong for the Dutch Ayreon project. Arjen Anthony Lucassen, tired of doing huge and complex projects after 01011001, had all but decided that there would be no more Ayreon, and instead concentrated on Guilt Machine, the second Star One album and his 2012 solo record, albums which were all a lot more straight-forward the increasingly complex bloat Ayreon had become. Apparently though, Lucassen needed another challenge in his life; queue 2013, and the new Ayreon album, The Theory of Everything. Continue reading
Atlantean Kodex – The White Goddess (2013)
If it looks like I’m fawning, it’s because I am. First there was that magnificent Fire on the Mountain album by Twilight of the Gods, and now there’s The White Goddess, the sophomore album by German epic metallers Atlantean Kodex. If it seems like I’m overdoing it with the superlatives by labeling both albums as “the best metal albums I have heard in years,” it’s because it is a bit too much. Problem is, it’s also very true. Continue reading
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