Alice Cooper's 'Paranormal' - Album Review

Few solo artists can claim to be as influential or as revolutionary as Alice Cooper has been over the past five decades. While strictly not the first to do so, Cooper's use of make-up, an on-stage persona, and an over-the-top stage show really pushed the boundaries of live performance and redefined what a rock and roll show could be. His first album, Pretties for You, was released in 1969 and he has continued to release albums fairly regularly ever since. While it is his legendary live shows that he is most known for, his extensive back catalogue of studio recordings is impressive and contains many bona fide classics. Over the years, Cooper has tried his hand at many different styles of music. While his early 1970s glam rock output with the original Alice Cooper Band is arguably his most famous sound, his late 1970s/early 1980s experimental period has a cult following, and his late 1980s/early 1990s heavier rock sound that took influence from the hair metal phenomenon is still extremely popular. The heavier sound was retained during the late 1990s/early 2000s, but it was forged with industrial sounds which helped Cooper return to the horror themes of his earlier work. In recent years however Cooper has returned to his early sound somewhat with albums that contain catchy rock songs, with slight gothic overtones, and strong rock and roll/blues grooves. His last album, 2011's Welcome 2 My Nightmare, was an unexpected hit with many critics and fans calling it his best album for quite some time. While the original Alice Cooper Band has not been together for many years, Cooper has often used his touring band to record albums with. Welcome 2 My Nightmare changed this somewhat with a huge army of session musicians, songwriters, and previous collaborates coming together to create a fun album that really took the listener back to Cooper's early 1970s glory days. This approach has been continued on his latest effort, Paranormal, which believe it or not is his twenty seventh studio album! Produced by long-time producer Bob Ezrin, along with current live band member Tommy Henriksen and Swedish songwriter and session muscian Tommy Denander, Paranormal retains the bluesy 1970s sound of the previous effort and really sounds like Cooper is deliberately attempting to recreate his classic sound. Ezrin, Henriksen, and Denander are also responsible for much of the album's songwriting along with Cooper, and play many of the album's instruments. The drums throughout are mostly handled by Larry Mullen Jr. (U2), and the bass is mostly played by session king Jimmie Lee Sloas, so the majority of the instrumentation heard on the album is played by those five men. A few guests appear throughout however, including Roger Glover (Deep Purple; Rainbow) and Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), but Cooper fans will be happiest to hear that the three remaining members of the original Alice Cooper Band - guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway, and drummer Neal Smith - also appear on the album which helps to reinforce that classic 1970s sound when they appear.

The album opens with the title track, which is co-written by and features Glover, and it perfectly captures the creepy atmospherics of 1975's Welcome to my Nightmare with metronomic guitar melodies, occasional bursts of heavy 1970s-style rock, and Cooper's snarling vocals. Cooper's voice has barely changed at all throughout his career and he sounds as good as he did during his original early 1970s heyday. The song is mostly a slower one, but an explosive section towards the end that contains a a fluid guitar solo definitely helps to raise the energy levels somewhat before the creepy atmosphere returns. Dead Flies is a great slab of bluesy rock, and harks back to the sound the original Alice Cooper forged on songs like Under my Wheels. Denander and Henriksen form a formidable guitar duo here with a muscular riff that sits perfectly over Sloas' walking bassline. Cooper talk-sings his way through the verses with ease, but things pick up further during the somewhat anthemic choruses which make good use of the song's main riff and subtle vocal harmonies. A bluesy guitar solo is the icing on the cake, and really helps to reinforce that early 1970s sound. Fireball, which is co-written by and features Dunaway, is an upbeat rock track packed full of energy. Dunaway's bassline unsurprisingly drives the song, but the guitars help with some excellent riffing and bursts of lead to add extra melody. Ezrin's organ envelops the whole song, and gives the song a suffocating blues feel that contrasts well against Cooper's somewhat distant vocal performance. It is the longest song on the album, at just short of five minutes in length, but never outstays it's welcome with an addictive rhythm and a great raw production. Paranoiac Personality opens with Sloas' slow bassline, but the song soon explodes into a real slab of somewhat funky groove rock with a great guitar riff and some excellent drumming from Mullen. While the verses are packed with groove, the choruses are much more traditional with gang-style backing vocals which I am sure will go down well live, and big power chords from the guitars. Again, there is a fantastic guitar solo section which sounds like both Denander and Henriksen cutting loose. While the solos are never long on this album, as most of the songs are around the three minute mark, these little bursts of lead really help to bring the album to life. Fallen in Love features Gibbons on guitar so the song unsurprisingly opens with a sloppy bluesy riff that sounds like something Gibbons would have written for ZZ Top. While not credited, it also sounds like he contributes backing vocals to the track as it really sounds like his Texas drawl during the choruses! He definitely contributes the guitar solo however, as the tortured bluesy sounds coming out of the speakers could not belong to anyone else. This is something a little different to what Cooper usually does, but the songs works really well and is packed with attitude.

Dynamite Road opens the second half of the album up with an excellent blues shuffle. Cooper once again employs the talk-singing vocal style here which works well as the guitars chop away behind him. Mullen again shows his drumming chops here with a great performance that recalls many of the rock 'n' roll and blues legends of the 1950s and 1960s. It's a short song, and one that never lets up with the vocal lines coming thick and fast, but it is one that is guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Private Public Breakdown is more of a mid-paced rocker that is build around a strong guitar melody and a more overtly melodic vocal performance. This song really is classic Cooper and sounds like something that could have been on 1973's Billion Dollar Babies. Many of the songs on this album are faster efforts, but this one is happy to move along at a slower pace and the let the repeating guitar melody really drive things nicely. The chorus is another strong moment and helps to add extra melody. Holy Water is one of the best moments on the album in my opinion. There is a prominent horn section featured throughout and the performances of the rhythm section really gives the song natural swing. Cooper's vocals are at his most expressive here, and are very theatrical in their delivery. Horns are not something that Cooper has used much in the past, but it works well here and really make the song stand out. There is also a guitar solo performed by session musician Steve Hunter who has been collaborating with Cooper on and off since the mid-1970s. This song was not something I was expecting when listening to this album for the first time, but it really works well and I would be interested to see him tackle more songs like this in the future. Rats features the three remaining original Alice Cooper Band members, and has a great 1950s rock 'n' roll with bluesy guitar licks and plenty of keyboards from Ezrin. While not written by the original band, there is clearly still a lot of chemistry between the four men and their contributions really help to bring the song to life. A screeching bluesy guitar solo towards the end enhances that rock 'n' roll mood, as does Cooper's expressive vocal performances throughout. The Sound of A, also co-written by Dunaway, is a fairly experimental piece that features Ezrin's organ once more and plenty of acoustic guitars. It is an odd song to close such an upbeat and rocky album with, but the creepy atmospherics are somewhat comparable to that of the album's title track, effectively book-ending the album. I prefer Cooper's rockier efforts, but he does these more downbeat songs well too. Without having a true ballad on the album, this song acts as one with a melancholic feel and layers of atmosphere. Some of the guitar playing here sounds like something David Gilmour might have come up with had he ever collaborated with Cooper, but it is the growling organ that steals the show here and really makes the track what it is. Overall, Paranormal is another really strong album from Cooper that is the latest in a string of impressive releases. The album comes with a bonus disc that features two more new songs that also feature the original Alice Cooper band, and a handful of live recordings featuring Cooper's current live band. The whole package is excellent and is definitely recommended for fans of Cooper's early 1970s output.

The album was released on 28th July 2017 via earMusic. Below is his promotional lyric video for Paranormal.

Castell Roc 2017

In the small South Wales town of Chepstow lies a castle. Construction on Chepstow Castle began in in 1067, and it is the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. It was used extensively throughout the years, and was used as a garrison during the English Civil War. Initially a Royalist stronghold, it fell to the Parliamentarians in 1648 and remained in their hold until the war's end. After the Civil War the castle was used a political prison and remained in some form of military use until 1685. Since then the castle has fallen into disrepair, but has become a popular tourist attraction and the ruins were Grade I listed in 1950. As well as being a tourist attraction, the castle has featured on the big and small screens - including the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who - and the Brazilian metal band recorded part of their genre-defining 1993 album Chaos A.D. within the castle's walls. In recent years, the castle has also become a music venue for a limited period of time over the summer. The Castell Roc festival has been run over the past few years and it features a selection of stand-alone gigs held in the castle's courtyard. Many of the bands to perform at Castell Roc over the years have been tribute bands, but this year the organisers managed to put on an evening of real, bona fide British rock classics. Road dogs and raw rock 'n' rollers The Quireboys, AOR stalwarts FM, and Scottish rockers Gun were all booked to appear as triple-headliners in an evening that promised to be something special. Each band had an hour on stage, and all three bands made their hour count with crowd-pleasing sets filled with classics from their discographies. The billing was popular, and a large crowd was gathered throughout the evening which helped to create a fantastic atmosphere throughout. The setting of the gig really enhanced the atmosphere, with the imposing castle walls proving to be a fantastic backdrop for a rock show. There was a temporary bar erected within the walls, and there were a couple of stalls selling food. There was even a DJ playing rock classics on vinyl between the bands' sets.

The castle doors opened at 6:30pm, and Gun hit the stage at 7:00pm and impressed the growing crowd with classics from their back catalogue and new songs from their upcoming album. I had seen the band earlier in the year supporting Black Star Riders and, while that set had not exactly excited me, I was interested what they would do with more time. A lot is the answer, and their upbeat, melodic set impressed me greatly and I certainly came away with a stronger impression of Gun than I had previously. Brothers Dante (vocals) and Jools Gizzi (guitar/vocals) are the backbone of the band, and they led their troops through and hour of melodic rock anthems. Many of Gun's songs have strong choruses, and Money (Everybody Loves Her) proved to be a good opening number. Unsurprisingly their cover of Cameo's Word Up! brought a big cheer from the crowd. Throughout the set a few new songs from the band's upcoming album were played. These had a slightly heavier feel, which seems to be a bit of a new direction for the band, and I will interested to hear the album once it's out next month. Older numbers Steal Your Fire and Shame on You brought the set to a strong close, before a raucous cover of The Beastie Boy's (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) marked the end of a triumphant set. There were clearly a lot of Gun fans in the house, and a case could probably be made for them receiving the best reception of the three bands performing, but either way their set was a great start to proceedings.

FM were up next, and they played a festival set mostly made up of material from their first two albums. I have seen FM quite a few times over the past few years and, while this was not one of the best shows of theirs that I have seen, they still put on a good show. Sadly for the band, their first couple of songs were plagued with technical problems which definitely cost them early momentum but they rose above this and soldiered on. Digging up the Dirt from 2015's Heroes and Villains is still a hard rocking opening song, but Jim Kirkpatrick's (guitar/vocals) guitar kept cutting out throughout and eventually died just as he was about to launch into his solo. It was fixed, but it played up a bit again throughout I Belong to the Night, which is still one of my favourite FM songs. Things seemed to settle down after this, but it seemed to affect the band and they always seemed to be having to catch up on the energy and momentum that was lost during these first two songs. The songs chosen to play were all real winners through, with early single Let Love be the Leader being a real highlight with Jem Davis' (keyboards/harmonica/vocals) cutting synth melodies and the soaring chorus which sees the whole band harmonising well with Steve Overland (vocals/guitar) to create a big sound. It was great to hear the upbeat and bluesy Don't Stop live again, which has been absent from the last few FM shows I have been to, and the Desmond Child co-written single Bad Luck is always a winner live with a chorus to die for. By this point the crowd were starting to really warm to FM, and That Girl received the biggest cheer of the set and was sung back to the band by the large crowd. A couple more songs followed, and Davis ventured out from behind his big stack of keyboards with his keytar for the anthemic Other Side of Midnight which again went down well. The song would have been a big hit if it was released by Journey or Foreigner, and it just shows that FM really deserved to be much more successful than they were in the late 1980s when they were releasing all this material. The set ended with a cover of Bad Company's Can't Get Enough, which I have to say seemed like an odd choice to and an hour long festival-type set with. FM have more than enough great material to showcase without having to resort to covers, and I would have definitely rather heard a deeper cut from their catalogue or another newer number than Can't Get Enough. It was well played, but it just did not really fit in with the rest of their set and just felt somewhat tacked on at the end. Overall, this was a good performance from FM but one that was not helped by unfortunate technical problems that definitely cost the band momentum. The setlist was:

Digging up the Dirt
I Belong to the Night
Life is a Highway
Burning My Heart Down
Let Love be the Leader
Someday
Don't Stop
Bad Luck
Tough it Out
That Girl
Other Side of Midnight
Can't Get Enough [Bad Company cover]

The Quireboys have really become one of my very favourite bands over the past few years, and they were the perfect outfit to headline an event such as this. This was my tenth time seeing the band and, despite only having an hour to play with, it was one of the best sets of theirs I have seen. Like the other two bands, The Quireboys' set was a crowd-pleasing one mostly made up of their most famous songs, but a couple of deeper cuts were thrown in. The smooth blues rock of Twisted Love, from their latest album, opened up the show as frontman Spike took the stage. The loose guitar interplay between Guy Griffin and Paul Guerin is part of what makes The Quireboys such a potent live band, and their chemistry was as good as ever. The whole band seemed really up for it, and it was great that Keith Weir's keyboards were high in the mix to really get that full Quireboys sound. Too Much of a Good Thing followed which saw a lot of singing from the crowd, before a couple of songs from their 1990 debut album A Bit of What You Fancy followed. Of the two, it was the shorter There She Goes Again which really hit the spot with Spike often holding out the microphone to the crowd for them to sing the choruses. The bluesy strut of another newer number Gracie B went down well, with some excellent keyboard playing from Weir throughout, before This is Rock 'n' Roll really took the roof off with both Griffin and Guerin playing slide. A new addition to the set, a cover of Taj Mahal's Leaving Trunk - which is included on the band's upcoming album of blues covers White Trash Blues (sadly the song of the same name did not make an appearance in the set) - was a surprisingly hard-hitting number that definitely added something different to the band's show. I have White Trash Blues pre-ordered so I look forward to hearing that when it is released next month. What followed after this was more real Quireboys favourites. The pseudo-ballad Mona Lisa Smiled is always a winner live, before four songs from the band's early days rounded things off. Tramps and Thieves, a personal favourite, is always a welcome addition to the set. It has one of the band's best choruses and is always sung with vigour by Spike as Griffin plays the song's main melodies with his slide. Hey You is always a sing along moment, before things quietened down for I Don't Love You Anymore. Recently the band has been stretching this one out live, with a lengthy outro solo from Griffin, and plenty of time throughout for Weir to show off his piano-playing skills. By the time this came to the end, there was only time for one more, but 7 O'Clock is a song to round off any set with, and it probably received the biggest cheer of the night when it started. Overall, this was a set that proved why The Quireboys are one of the best-love British rock bands on the touring circuit, and they are always in such demand at festivals all over the world. The setlist was:

Twisted Love
Too Much of a Good Thing
Misled
There She Goes Again
Gracie B
This is Rock 'n' Roll
Leaving Trunk [Taj Mahal cover]
Mona Lisa Smiled
Tramps and Thieves
Hey You
I Don't Love You Anymore
7 O'Clock

There are few better ways to spend an evening than in a castle with three excellent British rock bands. I was impressed with Castell Roc, so will be keeping an eye out next year to see if they book anything else that is worth going to. I look forward to the inevitable next times that I see The Quireboys and FM, and I am certainly going to investigate Gun further as I was impressed by their set this time. All in all it was very much worth the trip to South Wales, and was a great way to get back to gig-going again after a quite couple of months.

Adagio's 'Life' - Album Review

France is not exactly known as a hotbed of rock and metal acts, but there are a few bands out there flying the flag for French music. The extreme and prog metal hybrid act Gojira are now genuinely big hitters in the metal world, and ambient rockers like Lazuli and Alcest are making waves in the progressive rock community. My favourite French export however is Adagio, a progressive metal act who have been around for a few years now but have lain dormant in recent years. I first came across Adagio in 2010 when they support Kamelot at the Koko in London's Camden Town. They were the first band of a three-band bill, but their tight, heavy, and melodic sound really shone through and it was clear that this was a band packed with talent. Adagio's history dates back to 2010 when they were formed by virtuoso guitarist and songwriter Stéphan Forté. Four albums were released between 2001 and 2009, and it was 2009's Archangels in Black that I began listening to after that excellent show in London. I have since gone back and amassed the band's entire back catalogue, which was not easy as many of the albums are quite hard to track down on CD for sensible prices, and have fallen in love with the band's heavy yet melodic sound. Comparisons can be drawn with the American prog metal act Symphony X, but in truth Adagio are heavier with influences from both thrash and extreme metal used often with fast tempos and occasional harsh vocals. Not long after the tour with Kamelot however, Adagio went on what seemed an indefinite hiatus. Christian Palin, the vocalist that was featured on Archangels in Black, had left the band before the tour. While it seemed the band wanted to work with Mats Levén, the veteran singer who stepped in to save the tour, on a permanent basis things just seemed to fall apart and Forté put Adagio on ice to focus on a solo career. Snippets of news were released over the years, and a couple of demos were uploaded to Youtube featuring singer Kelly Sundown Carpenter (Outworld; Beyond Twilight; Civil War), who played a few live shows with the band in 2007, a few years ago but then all fell quiet again. Last year however everything changed. Forté announced that Adagio were recording their fifth album and a crowdfunding campaign was launched to to finance it. This was an overwhelming success, which allowed Adagio to operate without a record label, but it was still well over a year before Life saw the light of day. Those of us who pre-ordered the album received our copies a few months ago, but it was officially released through Forté's own label last month. Not long after the campaign was launched, Carpenter was announced as the band's new, permanent singer; and the rest of the new line-up followed. Joining founding members Forté and bassist Franck Hermanny on Life were Carpenter, long-time keyboardist Kévin Codfert, new drummer Jelly Cardarelli, and violinist Mayline (Idensity) - making Adagio a six-piece for the first time. Despite it's lengthy gestation period, which included having to re-record all the drums when the drummer initially brought into the band Guillaume Bergiron hastily left the band not long after recording his parts, Life carries on the sound Adagio forged between 2001 and 2009. A few new influences, mainly from the tech/djent metal worlds, have been thrown into the mix too, but mostly this is an album of heavy and melodic songs of the kind that fans have come to expect from Adagio.

The album opens with the epic title track, which gradually builds up with a simple, but effective, orchestral score. This becomes more gothic and dramatic as it moves along, before a slow, heavy riff kicks in. Forté then launches into one of the album's many guitar solos before Carpenter takes over and showcases his gritty and theatrical vocal style. Adagio have had a few different vocalists over the years, but Carpenter could be their best yet. His thespian vocals fit perfectly with the dark and dramatic sound that Adagio have, and his performances during the sparse verses - which are dominated by Codfert's keyboards - bring to mind Alice Cooper and Jon Oliva. The song is a real prog metal epic, with different moods and styles stitched together to make a schizophrenic piece that alternates between smoother melodic pieces, spooky ambient sections, and crushingly heavy riffs that showcase Forté's new tech metal influences. His impressive leads skills are showcased perfectly towards the end during a lengthy neo-classical guitar solo as the song moves towards a groove-filled closing section with Carpenter's soaring reprise of the chorus. After the dark journey that was Life, The Ladder is a more traditional metal piece with a strong opening riff that leads into a verse wrought with despair as Forté's guitars create a cold atmosphere. The song slowly moves towards it's chorus. Piano melodies are added during the pre-chorus, and the following chorus really sees Carpenter let go vocally with a melodramatic display that perfectly fits the mood of the piece. It is not a fast song, and the guitars do not always dominate, but it still feels heavy - with a suffocating feel that is created perfectly. This changes up part-way through with a gorgeous keyboard-led instrumental section that provides a little light at the end of the tunnel, but this is soon extinguished with a twisted riff and a final repeat of the dramatic chorus. Subrahmanya, named after the Hindu god of war, is one of the album's heaviest pieces. It is also the one that really showcases Forté's new djent influences perfectly with an impressive riff that really knocks the listener flying. The lengthy and atmospheric intro, dominated by Mayline's violin playing, makes the riff seem even more powerful when it kicks in as the contrast is so stark. It is while listening to this song that you realise just how well produced the album is. Forté, Hermanny, and Cardarelli are in perfect harmony during this riff, and the whole song steams along with mechanical precision, all held together by Codfert's keyboard layers. The song also contains possibly Carpenter's best vocal performance on the album, with grit and emotion to rival genre greats Russell Allen and Matt Barlow. The chorus in particular is impressive, with subtle harsh vocals mixed into the background for effect and soaring melodies to die for. Mayline gets to a shine a little more part-way through with a violin-dominated instrumental section, which soon gives way to one of Forté's best guitar solos. The Grand Spirit Voyage is something of a mini-prog epic, and it has a less-dark tone than what has gone before. The influence of bands like Symphony X can be seen here, with melodic piano lines that act as the song's main riff, and a more traditional heavy metal feel with fast double bass drumming from Cardarelli and much less of the tech metal feel that dominated the previous numbers. Codfert's keyboards really dominate the song, and create a great atmosphere throughout. His piano playing in particular is impressive here, and provides the main focal point with Forté's guitar playing often content to provide more conventional rhythms.

Darkness Machine, which the band shot a video for, returns to the heavier sound showcased earlier with a dry, juttery riff that really cuts through the atmosphere with a heavy precision. I am not usually a fan of the djent guitar style, but Forté has made it work really well. Codfert's keyboards make up for the dryness created by the guitars and the balance between the two instruments is good. Carl Bensley (Instinct of Aggression) provides some harsh vocals throughout the song which really adds to the heaviness perfectly. Forté usually contributes the band's harsh vocals, so I am not sure why Bensley was selected for the job this time, but he sounds great none-the-less and adds some appropriate darkness to the song. Forté shines on the guitar however, with plenty of excellent riffs throughout that really drive the song forward at a good pace. The guitar solo slows things down somewhat though, and the deliberate phrasing used works much better than a simple flurry of notes would. I'll Posses You is as creepy as the title suggests, with Carpenter's theatrical vocals once again taking the centre stage. The strong piano presence throughout, coupled with Carpenter's vocal antics, make the song sound like a heavier Savatage at times - although this image shattered every time a djenty riff kicks in. I really like the way Adagio have managed to add this modern sound into their sound perfectly without making it sound forced. At heart Forté is still a student of a neo-classical guitar school, but the addition of djenty riffs and rhythms has really freshened up Adagio's sound during the long time away. Secluded Within Myself is a dark mid-paced number with plenty of great guitar and bass grooves which all sit atop a great piano performance from Codfert. There is a little of a Kamelot vibe throughout, despite being heavier than the majority of that band's efforts, but it seems a little of Kamelot's style may have rubbed off on the band during the tour in 2010. While Adagio's style is usually very melodic, this song seems to place greater emphasis on the vocal melodies than others. While it may be somewhat less interesting musically, Carpenter shines here with a simpler backing over which to sing. Trippin' Away acts as the album's ballad with a softer approach with a simple piano line and some bluesy guitar leads. Carpenter shows another side of his voice here, and actually sounds a little like Tommy Karevik, but during his time with Seventh Wonder as opposed to his darker efforts with Kamelot. After a lot of heaviness throughout this album, it is good to have a slower song and it works well within the context of the album. Codfert gets to flex his muscles a little more with his piano playing really placed in the forefront of the piece. Mayline's violin, which is often somewhat buried in the mix and used to help create atmosphere rather than as a focal point, also gets pushed to fore a little more here with a mournful solo section that really helps add extra emotional weight to the song. The album's final number Torn is another simpler metal piece with strong melodies that helps to bring the album to a memorable close. A piano intro gives way a symphonic metal backing with tight guitar rhythms and a bass-heavy verse that again feels like something might have come up with. The chorus is one of the album's most instantly-catchy pieces, with vocal melodies that really sink into the brain as Carpenter sings them with real energy. While the album's best songs have already come and gone, this song feels like a victory lap after a job well done - allowing the band a chance to just have fun with a simpler, more melodic piece. Overall, Life is a really strong comeback from Adagio after laying dormant for so long. There are not enough bands playing this sort of progressive metal any more, and it is great to have these Frenchmen (and woman) back with an album as vital and powerful as this.

The album was released on 26th July 2017 via Zeta Nemesis Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Darkness Machine.

Nine Inch Nails' 'Add Violence' - EP Review

Following a promise that he made in 2015 Trent Reznor, the man behind the legendary industrial outfit Nine Inch Nails, released his last studio effort under the Nine Inch Nails in December 2016. This long-awaited EP, Not the Actual Events (which I reviewed here), saw Reznor moving away from some of the more ambient sounds which have been dominating his songwriting during the past decade or so, and back to the grittier, rockier approach which served him so well during the early days of Nine Inch Nails' ascent to greatness. Despite Nine Inch Nails being Reznor's main outlet for his musical creativity since 1988, it is fair to say that, in more recent years, it has become one of many irons in Reznor's fire. While he still enjoys to revisit Nine Inch Nails every so often, it seems that his film score work is just as important to him these days; plus his work on getting Apple Music up and running certainly kept him busy. Despite all of these extra distractions, Reznor still makes time for Nine Inch Nails despite the outfit being largely on the back-burning since the end of the 2014 tour. With it's tough and somewhat chaotic sound, Not the Actual Events was a big hit with the Nine Inch Nails fanbase. There were shades of the industrial heaviness of 1994's The Downward Spiral and of the raw stadium rock of 2005's With Teeth, all nicely packaged together in an easily-digestible five track EP. Many of the older fans who had not really enjoyed the more electronica-based sounds Reznor had explored more recently, and in particular on 2013's Hesitation Marks, were brought back on board with Not the Actual Events. It was then revealed that Not the Actual Events was actually the first of a trilogy of new EPs from Reznor the second of which, Add Violence, was released last month somewhat unexpectedly. This series of EPs also sees the debut of Reznor's long-time collaborator Atticus Ross as a full member of Nine Inch Nails. Ross has worked with Reznor in a behind-the-scenes capacity on all Nine Inch Nails releases since With Teeth, is the co-composer on all of Reznor's film soundtracks, and is a part of Reznor's side-project How to Destroy Angels, so his greater involvement in Nine Inch Nails now should not come as a surprise. He obviously works well with Reznor, and it is interesting to see, after all these years, that Nine Inch Nails now has another 'official' member alongside Reznor. His contributions have no doubt helped Reznor to focus his creative muse once again, which can surely be attributed to the success of these two EPs. Add Violence is quite different in style from Not the Actual Events, with the gritty sound once again pushed into the background in favour of a more synth-based sound and murky soundscapes. Add Violence also looks to the band's past for influence too, with shades of 1999's The Fragile and even 2007's Year Zero throughout which helps to contribute to the spacier overall feel.

The EP starts off really well with the synth-heavy Less Than, which sees catchy synth melodies repeating over a punchy drum machine pattern. Reznor's patented half-spoken singing style is introduced almost immediately and this sits perfectly across the dominant synth loops, and some bass guitar playing joins in to add some extra groove. Guitars are absent from the verses, but are used in the chorus for extra power with punky power chords that fit well over the trippy synths. This is a high-energy piece, which is in contrast to much of the rest of the material found on Add Violence, and definitely links this EP to the previous one. Sharlotte Gibson and Allison Iraheta add some backing vocals throughout, which are quite prominent during the choruses, and they are the only guest musicians to be found on this EP. The Lovers is immediately more down-beat with a cold-sounding atmospheric drone which is a good backing for another trippy synth line. During the song's early moments, Reznor's voice is mixed into the background and almost becomes part of the musical landscape of the song, while subtle and haunting piano notes cut through the gloom. When he does begin to sing properly, his mournful croon really helps to add to the strange overall sound of the song. In many ways this is quite a hypnotic piece, with a synth pattern that repeats throughout almost the entirety of the song which helps to draw the listener into the depths of Reznor's mind. This dark feel is built upon further on This isn't the Place, which opens with a slow and menacing bass pattern which is slowly added to with layers of cold synths and atmospheric soundscapes. Reznor's vocals do not kick in until about half way through, and when he does his fragile delivery is quite different to anything he has done recently and definitely harks back, quite appropriately, to The Fragile. By this point, the song has taken on quite a discordant feel, and at times the vocals really clash with the music. I feel this is intentional however, and it works well to create an unsettling atmosphere - something which Reznor has always excelled in. Not Anymore is somewhat of a heavier piece, that opens with a fuzzy bassline and introduces some of the industrial rock elements that featured so heavily on Not the Actual Events. Reznor barks the lyrics throughout with real venom, and the spiky chorus, which is based around a groovy bassline, is one of the EP's most powerful moments. Cold synths are never too far away however, and this song links the previous EP's sound to the sound that dominates Add Violence perfectly, making good use of guitar rhythms and prominent synths. The final song, The Background World, is a lengthy piece at over eleven minutes in length, but the actual 'song' part of this is a more traditional length. It is another downbeat piece, with suffocating synths that create a really desolate feel that is only added to by Reznor's surprisingly melodic vocals. The song's methodical drum programming really draws you into the song, and the beats are easily the thing that stands out the most here. It is this beat that fills the rest of the song's running time, even after the main 'song' is over, as the pattern repeats over and over, getting slightly more distorted and obscured each time, until coming to an end. Overall, Add Violence is another strong effort from Reznor (and Ross) that works as a great companion piece to the previous EP. Their two contrasting styles show off the many sides of Nine Inch Nails perfectly, and I look forward to see where the pair go with the final instalment in the trilogy.

The EP was released on 21st July 2017 via The Null Corporation/Capitol Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Less Than.

Wintersun's 'The Forest Seasons' - Album Review

Wintersun are one of those bands which I have listened casually to some extent over the years, but have never really properly made the effort to get into. I bought their second, and up until last month their latest, album Time I not too long after it came out in 2012 but it never particularly grabbed me. Around the same time I also purchased a copy of the band's self-titled debut album from 2004 but, to my shame, it has remained unplayed all this time! I think it is fair to say that Wintersun have just never really excited me enough to ever get me to properly sit down with their discography - despite how sparse it is! Despite this, Wintersun's infamy over the years has not passed me by. The band, if you can even really call Wintersun a band, was formed in 2003 by singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Jari Mäenpää while he was a member of the Finnish folk metal band Ensiferum. Mäenpää left Ensiferum the following year to focus on Wintersun full time and has since become something of a pantomime villain in the metal world. Wintersun was a genuinely well-received album back in 2004, and this immediate success clearly went to Mäenpää's head. In the eight years that passed between Wintersun and Time I, Wintersun fans had to put up with missed deadlines, broken promises, and cancelled concerts while Mäenpää worked on his masterpiece: Time. Only Mäenpää can really explain the reasons for these delays, and he has attempted to do so over the years with many lengthy and sometimes seemingly-unhinged Facebook posts, the result was all but the most ardent Wintersun fans had all but given up on Mäenpää by the time Time I was released. Time I, seemingly half of the promised Time album, certainly received mixed reactions on releases and it continues to divide opinion to this day. There is no denying the creativity of Mäenpää and the scope of his vision when it came to Time I, it was just poorly executed with the final album sounding like a sonic mess, without any real clarity. Time I was the modern metal world's answer to Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy, although that comparison is not really apt as Chinese Democracy was actually good! Five more years have passed and we seem no closer to Time II's release, and Mäenpää has damaged his reputation further with more broken promises and a ridiculous public spat with his record label Nuclear Blast when they refused to finance the building of a personal Wintersun recording studio. That being said, earlier in the year Mäenpää made the shock announcement that a new Wintersun album was imminent. This new album was not to be Time II however, but a brand new project called The Forest Seasons. Advanced copies of the album were sold through a crowdfunding site which Mäenpää said will help finance his long-dreamed of studio where he will finally finish Time II. If all this sounds ridiculous, that is because it is, but I have to say that Mäenpää has really come up with the goods on The Forest Seasons. Where Time I was an overblown and confusing mess, The Forest Seasons is a leaner, more melodic beast that sounds much better (despite a few moments where the production suffers from too much going on at once) and is an instantly-enjoyable listen. Made up of only four lengthy songs, each one representing one of the four seasons, this is an album that is easily the best thing I have heard from Wintersun to date, and will probably help to restore Mäenpää's reputation somewhat after years of madness.

The album gets underway with the longest song, the near-fifteen minute epic Awaken from the Dark Slumber (Spring). After a minute or so of atmospheric wind noises, the drums kick in and a symphonic instrumental passage complete with some Oriental-inspired melodies gets things off to a strong start. Reading the album's liner notes, it is clear that The Forest Seasons, more so than any of Wintersun's previous albums, is a Mäenpää solo album in all but name. The other three band members: guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari; bassist Jukka Koskinen; and even drummer Kai Hahto; are conspicuous by their absence for the most part with Mäenpää instead opting to handle all of the album's instruments and programme the drums. In fairness, the programmed drums actually sound quite good, with plenty of punch, but Hahto is such a great drummer it seems a shame that his skills are not utilised here. Mäntysaari and Koskinen provide some additional vocals throughout, but overall this is clearly Mäenpää's project. Awaken from the Dark Slumber (Spring) is mostly a fairly mid-paced effort, with Mäenpää's harsh vocals dominating over gothic and symphonic backdrops. Mäenpää has always aspired to write grand and epic pieces, and this song definitely comes close to fulfilling those aspirations. Unlike the majority of Time I, Awaken from the Dark Slumber (Spring) is well-produced and there is a good balance between the heavy guitars and the more ethereal orchestral elements. This song is probably the most upbeat piece on the album, with folky melodies thrown in fairly often to provide a strong sense of melody throughout and allows Mäenpää a chance to show off his lead guitar skills. He rarely indulges in lengthy guitar solos, but the folky interludes here allow him a little opportunity to spread his wings. Short sections that feature clean vocals also add extra melody, and are used sparingly enough to make sure they make maximum impact when they do come in. The second number, The Forest that Weeps (Summer) opens with a frantic acoustic guitar melody over which layers of effects and subtle string arrangements are laid. While not quite as upbeat as the previous number, this is still a relatively light-hearted piece on the surface that makes liberal use of shimmering keyboard textures which are a great contrast to the harsh tones of the guitars. Many riffs throughout have the swagger of many of the great traditional metal bands of the past and, despite it's length, the song has a more traditional structure with an obviously melodic chorus that repeats throughout. The chorus makes use of Mäenpää's clean vocals, and the his folk-esque chants bring to mind the band Týr at times. The singer of Týr appropriately makes an appearance on the track, as part of a large choir made up of members of many metal bands such as Ensiferum, Turisas, and Children of Bodom. This choir helps to really bulk out certain sections of the song and it really adds depth. The song contains many instrumental interludes, which again make use of folky melodies. There is a great section about two thirds of the way through which starts out acoustically and then moves into a hard-hitting riff-driven section which features the same melody that was playing on the acoustic instruments played over a variety of tempos for effect. The last portion of the song contains the chorus, but thing time sung by the choir for full effect which is just as powerful as is sounds!

The album takes a heavier turn on Eternal Darkness (Autumn) which features prominent black metal influences and a murkier overall tone. Again the songs builds up slowly with an atmospheric intro, but as soon as the drums kick in with the blast beats the song really gets going with a dramatic stabbing string section and buzzsaw rhythm guitars. Mäenpää's black metal rasps are actually very convincing, and shows his diversity as a vocalist - something which he has probably not pushed himself far enough with previously. While I am not a big fan of black metal, I appreciate it occasionally, and the symphonic black metal of bands like Dimmu Borgir is certainly exciting and enjoyable. While not as good as their dark bombast, Mäenpää has done well on Eternal Darkness (Autumn) to channel that spirit and create a dark and heavy song that fits in with the overall album but also feels like something new for Wintersun. Most of the song moves along at a fast pace, which is thanks to the fast blast beats courtesy of the drum machine, but the pace does slow down sometimes and allows mournful guitar leads to shine through. This gothic turn helps to keep the song fresh, and stops it from becoming an assault on the senses. In fairness however, this is not the case with the faster sections anyway as the balance between the black metal elements and the extremely effective orchestral scores is pretty much spot on. The song is very well produced and this keeps things flowing nicely and ensures that the nuances are not lost in the mix - something which happened constantly on Time I. A lengthy shredded guitar solo is another highlight of the song, and shows that Mäenpää's guitar playing can really shine when it needs to. The album's final number, Loneliness (Winter), changes things up again with a melancholic overall feel and a much slower pace. Comparisons can be drawn between this song and many of the bands that make up the world of gothic metal with methodical guitar rhythms and moody orchestral sounds dominating the sound. While Mäenpää usually sings the majority of his songs in his harsh voice, much of this song is sung using his clean voice. While his clean vocals are a little rudimentary in comparison to his harsh delivery, they still work well and help to convey the song's mood perfectly - fitting in with the wintry, desolate themes. Explosions of heaviness are still present here, and these see Mäenpää growling once again, but for the most part this song is fairly laid back in comparison to the rest of the album, which helps things wind down after the black metal exploits of the previous song. Towards the song's end, you really start to get used to Mäenpää's clean vocals too, and I feel that this is something that he could work into something really effective with time and more practice. This song is a showcase for him vocally, and it is great to see him spread his wings. Overall, The Forest Seasons is an album that I did not expect to enjoy anywhere near as much as I do. Wintersun have never really done it for me a great deal previously but this album, despite only being four songs long, has made me change my mind about them somewhat. Hopefully Wintersun albums of the future will follow the well-produced mould of this one, and not the overblown and chaotic sound that was present on Time I.

The album was released on 21st July 2017 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's official lyric video for Awaken from the Dark Slumber (Spring).

Mr. Big's 'Defying Gravity' - Album Review

Mr. Big are one of those bands that have always been hard to pigeonhole. They are mostly lumped in with the hair metal scene, which is understandable give the era in which Mr. Big released their best-known work, but in truth they have always had much more substance than that. Prior to the band's formation in the late 1980s, both guitarist Paul Gilbert and bassist Billy Sheehan were well-known and respected musicians; with both often being heralded as virtuoso of their respective instruments. Gilbert's time in the speed metal act Racer X and Sheehan's tenure in the solo band of Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth had brought both of the musicians many plaudits in the rock and metal worlds, but it was in Mr. Big where they would find their true homes. The band was formed in 1988 and the virtuosic pair were joined by frontman Eric Martin and drummer Pat Torpey. A year later, the band's self-titled debut album was released and the Mr. Big sound was established. On the surface, Mr. Big are a good, old-fashioned hard rock act. The blues-based riffing and soloing that was pioneers in the 1970s by many of the genre's greats formed the basis of Mr. Big's sound, but the commercial sheen of the hair metal world that the band were formed in-amongst is also present. While the band's songs are often simple, memorable hard rock numbers, it is the musical ability of Gilbert and Sheehan that really defined Mr. Big. Both have the ability to really turn on a dime, and this skill lead to the band's knack of occasionally veering off into a off-kilter instrumental section, with the guitar and bass often playing together in a way which is rarely found elsewhere. Martin's warm bluesy voice, which is was different from the higher-pitched sound that was popular at the time, also lent to the band's signature sound and over the years he has proved himself to be a fantastic singer and songwriter - probably one the genre's most underrated stars. Martin, Gilbert, Sheehan, and Torpey have made up Mr. Big for the majority of the band's time in existence, save for a period between 1997 and 2002 when Gilbert was replaced by former Poison guitarist Richie Kotzen. After breaking up in 2002, the band reconvened in 2009 and the original line-up has been together ever since. The band's seventh album What If... was released a year later and was seen as a great comeback for the band. ...The Stories We Could Tell was released in 2014 to less-stellar reviews, and I have to admit that I am still yet to hear this album. Sadly this album did not feature Torpey due to his diagnosis with Parkinson's Disease, with the album's drums being programmed by Torpey and the rest of the band. Torpey's condition has greatly lessened his role in the band, but he is still active in the songwriting, something of which he has always been heavily involved in with Mr. Big. Last month saw the release of the band's ninth album Defying Gravity, their third since their 2009 reunion. With Torpey's condition still preventing him from drumming at full capacity Matt Starr (Ace Frehley; Burning Rain), who has been touring with the band for the past couple of years, has recorded most of, if not all of, the album's drum tracks. Sound wise, this album has a much rawer, bluesier sound than has been featured by the band previously, which definitely has it's pros and cons.

The album gets underway in fine fashion with the hard rocking Open Your Eyes, which opens with a Zeppelin-esque riff that makes the most of the album's rawer production. This gives way to a strident verse, backed by Sheehan's snaking bassline, and a somewhat AOR-inspired chorus with tight vocal harmonies and catchy melodies. This is one the songs on the album that best exemplifies the trademark interplay between Gilbert and Sheehan, with the two often locking into great bluesy grooves to great effect. The little pattern the follows the main riff is a great example of this, and shows their willingness to take a little risk and deviate from the norm. The album's title track seems to start off in a similar fashion, but the chiming guitar melody is surprisingly catchy and light-hearted which makes a nice change from a muscular riffing of the previous number. Once again, Sheehan's bass playing really dominates the verses with his heavily-overdriven instrument growling away to provide the main rhythms as Gilbert plays around him with his intricate leads. The chorus is another good one, but lacks the real killer hook that the previous song had. The highlight for me though is Gilbert's playing throughout, which includes a really tasteful solo and plenty of little licks. This song reminds me of the sound that Europe have been pursuing in recent years and, in fact, the bluesy overtones of this album mean that plenty of comparisons can be drawn. I think Europe did it better, but Mr. Big have also proved it to be a fruitful path to tread. Everybody Needs a Little Trouble is a mid-apced rocker that recalls the band's first couple of albums with a strong classic rock strut backed by a strong marching drum beat. Martin's vocals during the verses are quite different from his normal style, as they are delivered in an-almost snarling whisper, but he returns to his bluesy croon for the sleazy choruses which are packed with attitude. This song also contains Gilbert's first really lengthy solo on the album, which sees him cut loose with plenty of fast licks that are a good contrast to the methodical rhythm the rest of the song possesses. Damn I'm in Love Again is an acoustic-led piece with an-almost whimsical quality. Gilbert's acoustic guitars dominate throughout, and Martin sings the reflective lyrics effortless over the subtle percussion backing. Mr. Big have always done acoustic songs well, and in fact had a big hit with one back in the day, and this is another strong effort in that department. It is quite a short song, but helps to provide some diversity during the album's first half. Mean to Me is quite the opposite of the previous number and opens with a loose, but technically brilliant, guitar riff which sees the band's three musicians locking together perfectly with the unusual rhythms really standing out. The main body of the song is more typical, with a power chord-heavy verse which makes the most of Martin's vocal skills. The strange riff resurfaces in the chorus and somehow the band manage to make it work and fit a vocal melody over the top of it without it ever sounding forced. That has always been one of Mr. Big's skills, and this has helped them from stand out from the crowd over the years. Nothin' Bad ('Bout Feelin' Good) is another slower number, which sees Gilbert's acoustic guitars once again dominating, especially during the early part of the song. Unlike the previous acoustic number, this is more of a rocker and does feature the other members of the band heavily and once again recalls the raw style of Led Zeppelin. While not a bad song, it lacks the spark that many of the album's early numbers had and makes it one of the album's least interesting cuts.

Forever and Back sees the bluesy influence brought to the front again with a fuzzy guitar pattern and some lyrics about lost love sung perfectly by Martin. The song's chorus is a good one, which has a slightly jazzy beat and plenty of wordless backing vocals from the band to add a slight gospel feel. It is another relatively slow song, but it still packs a punch and really shows the raw sound the band aimed for on this album in a good light. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a great guitar solo from Gilbert here which, while following many of the bluesy clichés, really adds to the mood of the piece perfectly. The fuzzy sound continues on She's all Coming Back to Me Now, but the smooth melodies really recall the band's early days with Martin crafting some strong AOR-esque vocal melodies throughout which fit in well despite the rawer sound. Musically the song is less interesting than many of the others here, with a very basic guitar pattern throughout from Gilbert and Sheehan's bass is barely audible. The good chorus saves the song from real mediocrity however and has a light-hearted feel that is easy to get behind and sing along with. 1992 is one of my favourite pieces from the album and tells the story of the band having a hit with To Be With You and how quickly they fell from grace afterwards. The self-effacing lyrics are great and the song contains what is probably the album's best chorus. The opening guitar/bass riff is fantastic too, and really shows what Gilbert and Sheehan can do. In my opinion there is not enough of this kind of interplay on the album, but when it rears it's head it really hits the spot. This song however is really crying out for a smoother production more akin to the band's early albums, showing that their bluesy approach on this album is not without it's flaws. Nothing At All is another strutting mid-paced rocker, which is defined by an excellent drum performance. It is not clear whether the drums are played by Torpey or Starr - as both are credited with playing drums on the album - but I would assume that this is Starr's handiwork given Torpey's condition. The drums lay down a strong groove which is never really broken throughout, which is of course helped by Sheehan's thick bass playing. Songs like this really bring the best out of the album's production, and show that on the whole it was the right decision. The album's last, and longest, number Be Kind is a real bluesy workout with slide guitar sections, lengthy guitar solos, and walking bassline-led verses which sees Martin's croon put to good use. This is definitely not a typical Mr. Big number, but it fits well within the themes and sounds of the album and features some excellent guitar playing from Gilbert that is more restrained than his usual shredded style. Overall, Defying Gravity is another strong effort from Mr. Big that shows they still have plenty left to say and continue to make their somewhat quirky brand of hard rock work. While the rawer production might not be to everyone's taste, and definitely stops a few of the numbers from sounding as good as they could do, this is an album that flows very well and contains plenty of very enjoyable numbers that sit well alongside the more famous numbers from the band's past.

The album was released on 21st July 2017 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Everybody Needs a Little Trouble.

Ten's 'Gothica' - Album Review

Ten are one of those bands who have been putting out solidly enjoyable albums on a regular basis for many years now but continue to fly under the radar of many rock fans. Their sporadic live appearances have done nothing to help their profile in their twenty-plus year career, but their large and impressive back catalogue is certainly one that all rock fans should delve into every so often. Sound wise, Ten are firmly in the 'melodic rock' camp, and comparisons can be drawn between them and British rock stalwarts Magnum. The band's founding member, songwriter, and lead vocalist Gary Hughes certainly has the ear for a catchy melody and has been writing strong melodic rock songs, with surprisingly hard-hitting riffs and subtle keyboard textures, since the band's 1996 debut album X and he rightly should be heralded for his efforts. 2014 and 2015 saw plenty of studio activity from the band, with two albums released in a six month period. 2014's Albion (which I reviewed here) and 2015's Isla de Muerta (which I reviewed here) were both typical of Ten's signature sound, but ended up providing mixed results. The former is one of my favourite albums in the band's catalogue. While I admit that I have not heard many of their albums, Albion is certainly one of the best of those that I have heard. The songwriting was strong, and the melodies carried by Hughes' vocals proved to be extremely catchy. Isla de Muerta on the other hand was a much weaker effort, and definitely felt like the poor relation of the former. While a few songs stood out, the majority of the material just failed to really excite me. Both of those albums were released through the small British rock label Rocktopia Records, but since then the band have returned to their long-time home, the Italian label Frontiers, for their thirteenth studio album Gothica. Hughes, who has written about 95% of the band's catalogue himself, definitely overstretched himself on the Rocktopia Records project, and what is instantly clear from listening to Gothica is how much stronger the material is than Isla de Muerta. This album has clearly had a longer gestation period, and the songs have definitely benefited from this. Sound wise Gothica is classic Ten, although there are moments that are definitely heavier than the norm, with a few meaty riffs for the band's three guitarists to get their heads around. The band's current seven-piece line-up returns from the previous couple of albums, with guitarists Dann Rosingana, Steve Grocott, and John Halliwell; bassist Steve McKenna; keyboardist Darrell Treece-Birch; and drummer Max Yates joining Hughes again to refine his creations and create another strong album of atmospheric melodic hard rock that fits well within the band's established sound. I do not think this album is quite as strong as Albion overall, but there are a couple of really stunning songs here that are worth the price of admission alone.

Ten have never been a stranger to writing lengthier numbers, and this album gets underway with The Grail, a song that pushes eight minutes in length and contains all the hallmarks of the band's sound. Fitting in with the album's title, Hughes starts the song with a simple gothic choir before Treece-Birch's keyboards add a modern electronic sound. The song mostly moves along at a steady mid-pace, with tough power chord riffing and a subtle keyboard backing to help provide a backing for Hughes' voice. He has always been a great singer, and his performance here is no different, with his slightly low vocal style fitting in well with the lush sounds the rest of the band create. Bursts of shredded lead guitar mix well with more delicate piano-led sections to make an interesting and diverse song that ensures the album gets off to a strong start. The lusher sounds of the previous song give way to a heavier riffing in Jekyll and Hide, and there are some grooves throughout that bring to mind early Whitesnake at times. The heavier, bluesy riffs throughout helps the song to move along at a good pace, and the keyboards utilise less-convention sounds to add a little bit of a sci-fi feel at times. The song's chorus is a pretty strong one, and sees Hughes use his expressive voice to good effect as guitar leads cut through the tough rhythms. Travellers is the first real winner on the album however, with a spiky keyboard intro that soon gives way to lush synth textures and Hughes' mournful vocal performance. The song initially seems as if it is going to be a ballad, but it builds up slowly towards a slower, heavier verse section before exploding into one of the album's best choruses. The keyboards are always prominent throughout and really help to create the song's excellent atmosphere. Hughes' vocals here are stunning, and he shows again here why he is one of the most underrated rock singers ever. I have compared his style to that of Roy Khan's in the past, and this is a song that definitely shows that that comparison is valid. He does not have the mysticism of the former Kamelot frontman, but his voice definitely has the same tone. While Ten are usually fairly consistent, every so often they have the ability to really pull it out of the bag and craft a really excellent song. A Man for all Seasons is one of those, and it tells the tale of Henry VIII and his disillusion of the Monasteries. It starts with a renaissance-inspired instrumental section that sounds like something you might find on a Blackmore's Night album, before taking off with a keyboard-heavy riff and a driving drum beat from Yates. The verses are slower, and full of McKenna's snaking basslines, and these are the perfect backings for Hughes' historical lyrics. Again, the song is quite lengthy and really makes use of the guitarists' skills with lots of excellent bursts of prog metal soloing that sits perfectly atop the pomp rock backing. The chorus is the album's best, with twisting vocal melodies that are very easy on the ear and stick immediately in the brain. This is easily my favourite song on the album, and one of my favourite Ten songs ever. Sadly In My Dreams is almost the opposite, and shows that Ten are just as capable of writing a bit of a howler as they are a classic! The music is decent enough, with some heavier riffing, but the lyrics are a collection of lust clichés that even David Coverdale would steer well clear of! The less that is said about this song the better I think, so we shall move on!

Thankfully The Wild King of Winter is an improvement. The song builds up slowly from a synth and clean guitar intro, and soon bursts into one of the heaviest riffs on the album with a bit of a prog metal feel and storms along at a decent pace. Treece-Birch's keyboards stab in and out of the mix in a dramatic way to help give the song some urgency, but overall this song belongs to the guitarists. The song's chorus is a bit more overtly melodic, and less heavy, but most of all this song relies on the strong metal atmosphere that it creates with the fast riffing and the booming drums. As is fitting for a song of this nature, there is a great neo-classical guitar solo towards the end, which then morphs seamlessly into a keyboard solo, which is a nice change as this is something that the band do not employ too often. Paragon is a gorgeous piano-led ballad that really brings the best out of Hughes' voice, and lets his deep tones really ring through with a the dense piano and synth backing. Guitars and drums do join in for the chorus, and naturally as a result the song becomes somewhat heavier, but the darker mood never leaves the the piano always remains a strong presence throughout. Effects-heavy lead guitar passages are employed throughout and these helps to add some emotional weight. This song is another of the album's best moments, and shows Hughes' songwriting and vocal style at their best. Opening with some circus sounds, Welcome to the Freak Show is a strong up beat rocker that even seems to pay a little tribute to the hair metal scene in place. The main riff borrows quite a bit from Michael Jackson's Beat It, which is slightly jarring when you first hear it, but overall this is another very good song with plenty of overt melodies and a great energy created by the riffing and the plentiful bluesy rock soloing. Based on Mary Shelley's famous vampire novel La Luna Dra-Cu-La is another heavier, more upbeat piece that is based around a twisty riff and some standout drumming from Yates - especially during the instrumental sections where he breaks loose far more than he does usually. The keyboard backs the guitar in a way that brings to mind classic Deep Purple, and everything is held together by another strong vocal performance from Hughes. The song's guitar solo is one of the best on the album too, and contains lots of flashy runs. Into Darkness is another piano-led piece with some truly stunning vocals and a slightly theatrical feel. While many parts of the song have the feel of a ballad, there are still plenty of heavier bits to make the song have quite a dynamic overall feel. Like the album's opening number, this is a song that contains many of the things that really define Ten's sound, so is a good one to round the album out on. Overall, Gothica is another enjoyable album from Ten that includes a few really stand-out songs. There are low points, but this is an album that gets more right than it gets wrong, and is worth hearing for A Man for all Seasons alone.

The album was released on 7th July 2017 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Travellers.