Magnum's 'The Serpent Rings' - Album Review

I was talking last week in my review of Rage's latest album Wings of Rage about 'comforting' bands. There are certain bands out there who have been treading the boards for a good number of years and have released a lot of albums without ever really changing their sound. As much as I love it when bands take creative risks and amass a diverse discography, it is good to have a few ever-reliable bands that regularly put out new albums that sound familiar to fall back on. England's Magnum are one of those bands, and whenever I listen to a new album from the five-piece I always get a warm, fuzzy feeling. Not much has changed for the band between their 1978 debut album Kingdom of Madness and today, with the band's mid-paced, pompous melodic rock sound being established early on - with only occasional tweaks and modern production techniques leading to changes to the 'Magnum sound'. Despite being far from their commercial heyday now, which arguably lasted between 1982's Chase the Dragon and 1988's Wings of Heaven, Magnum remain a highly creative and busy unit. Founding member, guitarist, and main songwriter Tony Clarkin is one of the most prolific songwriters in rock these days it seems. He has single-handedly written pretty much entire Magnum catalogue himself, and the band have released a new album pretty much every two years since 2002's Breath of Life - their first album since reuniting after a six year break in 2001. In my opinion, none of the reunion albums have ever reached the heights of the band's classic albums, but they are all mostly extremely enjoyable and solid listens. I always look forward to a new Magnum album, and they have become auto-buys over the years due to their solid track record and distinct, recognisable sound. It is for that reason that The Serpent Rings has been on regular rotation in my house since its release a couple of weeks ago. The Serpent Rings is the band's twenty first studio album over all, and the tenth since the 2001 reunion. It follows hot on the heels of 2018's Lost on the Road to Eternity (which I reviewed here), an album that started really strongly but tailed off towards the end. It was also the first album following a fairly major double line-up change, meaning that the new line-up needed a bit of time to bed in. By the time Magnum entered the studio to record The Serpent Rings however, both keyboardist Rick Benton and drummer Lee Morris were well ingrained into the Magnum machine; although they were joined this time by another new face in new bassist Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69; Place Vendrome; Unisonic) - an experienced American musician, songwriter, and producer. His appointment follows Al Barrow's retirement from the band last year, and means that The Serpent Rings is the first Magnum studio album since 1994's Rock Art not to feature the band's former long-term bassist. Ward has history with the Magnum camp however, having produced and performed on frontman Bob Catley's Immortal solo album from 2008.

From the opening moments of Where Are You Eden?, the album's first song, it is clear that The Serpent Rings is one of the most pompous and luscious Magnum albums for some time. The orchestrations and keyboard arrangements throughout, courtesy of Benton, really recall the band's heyday and is a big part of the reason why the album is such a winner. That is not to say that the style here is vastly different to anything we have heard before, because it is not, but there is a certain punch and energy here that has not always been present in all of Magnum's recent opuses. The album just sounds like Magnum re-energised, and Where Are You Eden? really personifies this with a chunky Clarkin riff (augmented by some great pomp keyboards) to drive everything forward and a spirited Catley vocal performance. Catley's voice is certainly showing its age now, but he still does a great job throughout the album and in fact benefits from the somewhat punchier style the band have gone for here. He can still deliver a strong melody however, and the song's chorus shows him at his best as he delivers the dramatic lyrics with relish as Benton's orchestrations and keyboards swirl around him. It is the first of many powerful moments on the album, and the song is one of the best modern day Magnum opening numbers. You Can't Run Faster Than Bullets is less grand-sounding, instead opting for a heavier overall sound that is built around Clarkin's riffing. He has never been one of the flashiest or most interesting guitarists, but Magnum is built on his songwriting and he has made his style work for the band. The riff here is one of his more strident offerings, with a simple driving rhythm that Ward's bass doubles perfectly before a sparse, pseudo-industrial verse kicks in with a programmed beat, simple guitar grooves, and a gritty vocal delivery from Catley. While much of the album is grand-sounding, this is a track that relies on heavier vibes. The choruses are a bit grander, with some old-fashioned rock organ joining the fray to add depth - but on the whole this is a bit of an angular track. Magnum have done this sort of thing before, but this is possibly the strongest example of the style. Madman or Messiah opens with some pulsing keyboards to accompany Catley's vocals, but a crunching rhythm soon joins in, bulking the piece out. This soft/heavy opening is actually representative of the whole song, which is quite dynamic with plenty of light and shade to keep things interesting. While not exactly heavy, parts of the track are quite weighty with Clarkin's guitar really toughening things up, but there are also atmospheric moments that see layers of twinkling keyboards coming to the fore in a very modern progressive rock way. The whole thing is tied together with a lovely chorus that is classic Magnum, with lots of big vocal harmonies throughout and melodies that will instantly stick in the brain. Up next is The Archway of Tears, which is definitely my favourite song on the album and one of the best modern Magnum tracks overall. It is another fairly dynamic piece, with much of the song relying on Benton's rolling piano melodies - but when the band really kick in the energy and atmosphere really takes off. It is something of a big ballad, but with all the energy and grandeur that is to be expected from the band - especially during the epic chorus with all of its symphonic flourishes. I am not sure why the song stands out in quite the way that it does, as it is quite typical of the band's modern sound - but there is something about the way Catley sings the track that really pours with emotion. He still knows how to craft a hook, the chorus here is easily my favourite on the album. It also helps that Clarkin's solo is tasteful and melodic, and really adds to the overall song. He is not the greatest of soloists, but there are a couple of standout moments in that regard on this album and The Archway of Tears contains one of them.

Not Forgiven was the album's lead single, so was released online a couple of months prior to the album's release. It is a good song in the context of the album, but I am not sure it was a good choice to launch the album with it. Magnum, especially over the past decade or so, have written the odd plodding track that never really gets going and this is one of them. It is better than the average Magnum plodder however, as the chorus is pretty memorable and is helped by the overall grandness that permeates this album. I think it also helps that the band have Morris behind the drum kit now rather than Harry James, who is potentially one of the most boring 'big name' rock drummers out there. His playing is so wooden, and I think he contributed to making some of Magnum's previous mid-paced plodding tracks so dull. Even though Morris is not playing any faster, there is a certain punch and zip about his playing that just helps to elevate any track - with the occasional interesting fill thrown into even the most basic song. It is a song that has grown on me, and the chorus is definitely a strong moment - with some more gritty Catley vocals. The album's title track opens slowly with some wind and rain effects that a twinkling piano (and eventual guitar) melody slowly cuts through as some dramatic strings swirl around. Despite the song's grand entrance, parts of it are actually quite stripped back - only for the drama to resurface again elsewhere. The verses are somewhat quiet, with a slow drum beat and piano backing providing a great base for Catley's vocal melodies, but the song slowly builds towards a bigger chorus that makes great use of the orchestrations that are present throughout much of the album. It never really gets much heavier, although Clarkin's guitar rhythms do bulk things out, but the song just sounds much mightier the closer it gets to the chorus. It also contains the other excellent guitar solo moment of the album, with a soaring emotional Clarkin moment that showcases some of his most tasteful playing. House of Kings instantly gets back into heavier waters with a choppy opening guitar riff and a weightier drum beat. After a few different-sounding pieces, House of Kings takes the listener back to the album's opening handful of numbers with a real injection of energy thanks to Morris' playing and some really excellent keyboard playing throughout. Benton's keyboard and orchestral arrangements are all over the song, and he also arranged the brass section used here which only goes further to enhance the pomp. This also gives the chorus something of a heavy jazz vibe, with more than a little hint of Steely Dan to be found mixed in with the traditional Magnum sound. It works really well however, with a jazzy piano-led instrumental section being probably the highlight of the song as a whole. The Great Unknown is another slower keyboard-led piece that opens with Benton's playing slowly gaining volume, before Catley soon joins with his moody, distant-sounding vocal lines. In many ways, the song is very similar to The Archway of Tears, but without the spark that made the previous song such a winner. This is a still a very enjoyable piece however, but is more similar to songs of Magnum album's past. There is still a fair amount of grandness to be found, but it is not quite as pompous and overblown as some of the tracks here. That being said, Benton still excels himself again with some excellent piano work - and Catley really turns it up to eleven during the dramatic but slightly leaden chorus.

Man also opens slowly, with some rising strings and whimsical piano lines, before Clarkin's guitar rhythms add some crunch and the song starts to take shape. The verses have something of a strange feeling, with the stabs of guitar (which are backed up by all the other instruments) striking a bit of an interesting rhythm behind Catley's more-typical vocal delivery. Spacey keyboards fill in the gaps, which again is a bit different from the average Magnum track. There are moments, such as the grand chorus, which sound more like the band's typical sound - but on the whole the song sounds like something of an experiment, and on the whole it seems to work. No-one is expecting Magnum to reinvent the wheel twenty one albums into their career, but it is nice to see the veteran band trying something slightly different every so often. It seems that the new blood that has come into the band over the past few years has really given Clarkin a bit of a shot in the arm in that regard, and it is good to see the band taking the odd risk here and there to spice things up. The Last One On Earth opens as a bit of mid-paced plodder with a strident but simple beat, but that soon drops out to be replaced by some piano and guitar melodies that form the basis of the verses. It provides a solid backing for Catley's vocals, and when some interesting percussion joins in after a few bars the song comes alive in something of a folky way. It works well in my opinion, especially as the song moves into a chorus that is very typical of modern Magnum's sound. There are plenty more big vocal melodies for the listener to enjoy, with the chorus being another really strong moment in an album that features lots of really melodic and memorable choruses. The album's closing number, Crimson on the White Sand, is another slower-paced track in the The Archway of Tears vein - but again not quite as good as that excellent song. It opens with rolling classically-inspired piano lines from Benton that Catley begins to croon over, and it is this that essentially makes up the verses. There is very little embellishment from the band here, which is great as it allows Catley's emotional voice to shine and the piano work of Benton to get plenty of time in the spotlight. During the choruses however the band join in, and they make these moments sound huge and epic. There really is not a truly poor chorus on this album, with each one carrying lots of great melodies - thanks to Catley's continual enthusiasm for this role as the band's frontman. It is a particularly grand moment however, befitting of an album closer, that contains lots of excellent orchestral work and booming piano melodies that cut through the beefy guitars, bass, and drums to great effect. It is a song that works well as a closing number, with some potent Clarkin guitar leads to see things out, and it seems to bring the album's overall sound together nicely to bring the latest Magnum opus to a close. Overall, The Serpent Rings is another strong and enjoyable album from Magnum that is up there with some of the band's best work since their reunion. The grandness that has sometimes been substituted for gruff heaviness in recent times is back in a big way here, and the current Magnum line-up seems to be firing on all cylinders already - which is great to see.

The album was released on 17th January 2020 via Steamhammer/SPV GmbH. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Not Forgiven.

Moon Halo's 'Chroma' - Album Review

A late fellow blogging friend of mine once commented that must be something in the water in York, as the city is home to some of the best modern melodic progressive rock acts around. Mostly Autumn is the most notable example; but Breathing Space, Halo Blind, Riversea, Stolen Earth, and Cloud Atlas are all other examples that spring to mind - with a whole host of strong albums and memorable songs between them. While some of the above bands are no more, York still seems to be proving an inspirational place for many of its musicians. There always seems to be something new coming out from York that has the potential to interest me, and 2020 kicks of with the debut album from a new project called Moon Halo. Chroma is the album, and anyone who has ever enjoyed anything from any of the bands name-checked above is sure to find plenty to like here. The album is, at heart, a progressive rock album - but from the gentler, more accessible end of the spectrum. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with progressive music. I consider myself a fan of prog, but there are many of the genre's big hitters that turn me off. I have never really been a King Crimson or ELP fan for example, but I love bands like Marillion and Dream Theater - as well as the aforementioned Mostly Autumn who are up there with my favourite bands of all time. There are plenty of soaring, melodic tracks to be found here - with the voice of frontman Marc Atkinson (Riversea) leading the charge. Atkinson has an extremely smooth and emotional voice, a voice which is perfect for this sort of soaring, thoughtful music. Anyone familiar with his more acoustic-based solo work or the Riversea albums will instantly recognise his style, so it is unsurprising that Chroma sounds like a natural extension of his previous work. Atkinson is half of Moon Halo's main songwriting partnership, with keyboardist Iain Jennings (Mostly Autumn; Breathing Space) making up the other half. It is also unsurprising that Chroma also features lots of elements that can be found in Jennings' recent solo albums, particularly 2017's The House. Chroma, then, is almost a perfect meeting of the minds between Atkinson and Jennings, with the music here being great mix of their two styles. The third member of the main Moon Halo trio is bassist David Clements (Riversea), but there are a host of familiar names from the York prog scene featured throughout the album. Much of the guitar work is handled by Martin Ledger (Cloud Atlas), with the druming throughout coming from Alex Cromarty (Mostly Autumn; Halo Blind). Others such as Anne-Marie Helder (Karnataka; Panic Room; Mostly Autumn; Luna Rossa) and Olivia Sparnenn-Josh (Mostly Autumn; Breathing Space) contribute too, making Chroma a real who's who of the York prog scene.

The thirteen-track album kicks off with the pulsing The Web, a smooth, melodic piece of prog that is quite typical of the album's overall sound. Jennings' staccato keyboard melody and some distant spoken word extracts opens the song, before a trance-like percussion loop and vocal drones take over. It is a fairly modern-sounding opening, but when Cromarty's drums kick in and Atkinson starts the verse the track settles back into a familiar style. Much of this albums sounds like Riversea's two albums, with Jennings' keyboards dominating musically while Clements' subtle bass grooves contribute to the song's surprising depth. Guitars are fairly sparsely used throughout the track, as they mostly only add to the rhythm, which lets the band's three main players showcase their talents early. A melodic chorus holds the whole song together, with some poppy vocal melodies that are enhanced by Helder's delicate harmonies. The only part of the song that sees Ledger dominate is during the album's first guitar solo, a fairly controlled but melodic moment that introduces him to overall sound. On the whole this is an album dominated by Jennings' keyboards and soundscapes, but Ledger makes his presence felt throughout with some choice additions. In fact, he is more prominently employed throughout Seize the Day, a funkier piece that showcases some fuzzy blues playing from him throughout - while Jennings' electronics constantly fill the gaps. Jennings showcases his skills as a musician and a songwriter throughout this album. There are lots of keyboard styles used throughout, with pulsing grooves making up the majority of this track - although the choruses sees the use of melodic piano lines to change the mood. This is not a particularly hard rocking album, but there are a few riffier and more upbeat tracks - and this is one of them. Jennings seems to have always been interested in funky grooves and programmed synths, something which his solo work has showcased over the years, and he has brought that interest with him into Moon Halo. The short instrumental title track is essentially just a showcase for his playing, with layers of keyboards coming together to form a great, atmospheric piece of music. It shows the band's gentler side, and acts as something of an elongated intro to The Veil, one of the album's highlights. Atkinson and Helder team up for the wordless vocal intro, while Jennings' mournful piano sets the scene. In fact, the song in general is piano-based, and gets largely away from the pulsing synths and programming of some of the album's other pieces. This is a very Riversea-sounding piece, with Atkinson's emotional voice really carrying the track, while he adds extra depth with his acoustic guitar. The emotional pull of the song is further enhanced throughout by Ledger's guitar playing, and fairly early on he lays down a great bluesy solo that cuts through the mix and showcases his talents nicely. There are also shades of some of the songs that Jennings has written for Mostly Autumn over the years, so fans of that band will certainly find plenty to enjoy here - with Ledger's solos sounding somewhat similar to Bryan Josh's style. For me, it is the soaring, emotional nature of the song that makes it stand out - and that is why it is one of my favourite cuts here.

Parachute has something of an overall more rocky sound with a strange floaty, Eastern-tinged opening before Ledger comes in with a scratchy guitar riff that proceeds to dominate the track. There is something of an old-school hard rock feel that is showcased throughout the piece, and it is really the only song on the album that goes for an all-out rock feel. Ledger's guitars really dominate here, but Jennings' still gets plenty of chances to show off with some retro-sounding rock organ pulses while Cromarty's drums crash around beneath everyone. The chorus is a pretty catchy one, but unfortunately Atkinson's voice is a little buried in the mix so the melodies do not hit as hard as they should. If his voice was more prominent, the chorus would be a really powerful and particularly anthemic moment in the context of the album - but unfortunately the mix hampers this somewhat. The track is still a strong one however, and it is great to see everyone letting their hair down a little. Somebody Save Us gets back to the more atmospheric synth-based sound that dominates the album, with a pulsing programmed beat driving the early portions of the song while mournful piano and acoustic guitar back Atkinson's muttered vocals. It is a track that opens up as it moves along, with Cromarty adding real drums as the chorus arrives and Atkinson opens up vocally adding more power. It is a track that is very typical of the album's overall sound, with Jennings' really driving everything musically and Atkinson bringing the emotional touch with his lyrics and warm delivery. What's Your Name is another groove-based piece, with Ledger's strange guitar pattern opening the track up while a pseudo-industrial drum machine groove backs him up. This is one of the album's pacier tracks, and one that really showcases the skills of Clements. He is a very inventive bassist, who is all over this album, but his playing seems particularly prominent and important here. His grooves are what the track comes to be built on, and fit in perfectly with the strange electronics and guitar pattern. Jennings' keyboards take more of a backseat here, allowing the funky grooves to dominate and Atkinson's voice to provide the main melodic counterpoint. It leads to a different sound, but it works well and showcases another side to the band. Seventh Heaven gets back to the atmospheric roots of the album, with a proggy piano-led intro that soon gives way to a mournful bass groove and acoustic guitar backing. Ledger adds some David Gilmour-esque lead guitar swells and melodies throughout to add colour, but the main focus here is on Atkinson and his soulful delivery. Helder adds some occasional harmonies, but this is a track really written to showcase Atkinson's voice, while Jennings just makes everything sound bigger with his soundscapes. It is a real team effort, with everyone pulling together to make another of the album's highlights. Let Me Out is another somewhat funky piece, although it is not as upbeat or as in your face as some of the previous efforts here. There is something of the more restrained end of Toto here, with a very prominent bassline and a drum groove that recalls the late Jeff Porcaro. The soulful backing vocals courtesy of Janine Atkinson help to enhance that mood further, and provide a strong contrast to Atkinson's lead vocals - which are fairly mournful in comparison to the more upbeat backing vocals. It is a track that really has a bit of everything, and the instrumental portion that comes towards the end really showcases everyone playing to their strengths, with the bass dominating before a great old-school synth solo takes over.

Awoken is the only track on the album to feature Mikey Gibson on guitar in place of Ledger, who's simple rhythms open the track up nicely while Cromarty adds a simple beat and Atkinson sings some subtly-melodic vocal lines. It is probably one of the album's simplest pieces, with more of a focus on placing the vocal melodies at the front and centre of the song rather that creating big progressive soundscapes and arrangements. Helder is featured quite prominently vocally throughout too, harmonising well with Atkinson at times and even dominating vocally during some portions. We have not heard nearly enough from Helder lately, with Panic Room seemingly in limbo, so it is great to hear her voice again here. The track has something of a carefree feeling to it, something which is rarely found throughout the album. It is nice change of pace that adds some lightness and whimsical feelings - breaking up the dense soundscapes found elsewhere. Across the Great Divide immediately returns to the depth however, with a distant-sounding synth riff heralding the song's arrival before Atkinson starts singing over a sparse verse with cold synths and a programmed drum pattern. It is another song that builds up somewhat as it moves along, and it is also another piece that really relies on Clements' playing. His bass playing really seems to hold everything together, and is the rock that the song is built on. Elsewhere, piano melodies add colour to certain parts of the track and end up dominating as the song slowly fades out. The drums and grooves drop out, and leave Jennings' soundscape and Atkinson's voice alone as the track moves towards a low-key and reflective ending. Rise Up starts slowly, with synths and mournful vocals, but it soon morphs into another pacier groove-based piece with some some funky guitar rhythms and another pulsing bassline. It is a great track that showcases this side of the band probably the strongest, while still incorporating some of the soundscapes and denser feel of the slower songs. It is a song that sees all sides of Moon Halo come together nicely, and it all meshes together naturally - something that is never guaranteed when it comes to bands with multiple faces. There are moments when the grooves drop out somewhat and allow the synths to take over, but then everything will ramp up up again with some soulful vocal harmonies and a punchy drum pattern. A catchy synth solo is also included towards the end to contribute to the overall feel-good factor of the piece. The album comes to a close with Don't Let It End Like This, a dense, atmospheric track that is very typical of the overall album. Much like The Web opened the album in this fashion, Don't Let It End Like This closes the album out in a similar way. As much as I like the funkier pieces, it is songs like this that really showcase the players of Moon Halo at their best in my opinion. Atkinson also shines the most against the more atmospheric backings in my opinion, and he is helped out here by Sparnenn-Josh who's distinct voice adds a lot to the track. She essentially sings harmony vocals throughout some portions of the song, but she is very high in the mix so the song almost feels like a duet at times - especially as she adds some great wordless vocal melodies throughout an otherwise instrumental portion of the piece. It is fitting however that the final portions of the album are based around a Jennings' synth solo and a Ledger guitar solo however. The track is already full of emotion thanks to the vocal performances, but the two instrumentalists really add to this as the album closes. Overall, Chroma is a great debut album from Moon Halo that showcases the best of everyone involved and is filled with memorable songs. Whether Moon Halo will be a one-off project or whether we will hear more from the band is unknown at this stage, but either way this is an album that modern progressive rock fans will love.

The album was released on 13th January 2020 via Moonhalomusic. Below is the band's promotional video for album, featuring snippets of many of the album's songs.

Rage's 'Wings of Rage' - Album Review

Germany's Rage are one of those bands who have been around for years and just quietly bubble under the surface. They have released a tonne of albums since forming in 1984 - 24 if you include Prayers of Steel from 1985 when they were still called Avenger and the LMO orchestral collaboration album in 2013 - but have never really broken into the big time. Here in the UK, sadly, bands like Rage are fairly small fry. While they have had a lot more success on mainland Europe where good, old-fashioned heavy metal is still very popular, Rage's concerts in the UK are usually one-offs at the ever-reliable Underworld in Camden Town. It was actually in the depths of the Underworld that I finally acquainted myself with Rage a couple of years ago. The band were in the midst of a co-headline tour with Firewind, and I went along mainly to see the Greek power metal act as well as the support band COP UK who sadly now seem to be defunct. Rage were sandwiched between the other two bands but, despite main man and bassist Peavy Wagner feeling quite under the weather, they impressed me. There is something primal about bands like Rage. They play a sort of metal that is always reliable and always satisfying, while never truly blowing you away. They are one of those comforting bands that you can listen to when you want a shot of easy-listening heavy metal with solid riffs and the odd shout-along chorus. Since the London show in 2018, Rage have become of those bands that I occasionally turn to when I just want to switch off and listen to some uncomplicated metal. This may sound a bit like damning them with faint praise, but I have become something of a casual Rage fan over the past couple of years and can only see myself getting more into the band as time moves forward. I have only scratched the surface of their discography however. 24 albums will take quite some time for me to amass, and many of their earlier efforts seem to be pretty hard to get old these days - which is a shame. A Rage album that is not hard to get hold of though is Wings of Rage, the band's newly-released album and the subject of this blog's first album review of the new year and decade. Reading the album's liner notes Wagner, who incidentally has been the band's only original member since 1987, wanted to capture a bit of all of Rage's era on Wings of Rage - from good old-fashioned heavy metal, through tough power metal, to the dabbles with symphonic metal that the band has toyed with from time to time. A couple of listens to the album shows that Wagner was successful and Rage; which since 2015 has consisted of Wagner, guitarist Marcos Rodriguez, and drummer Vassilios Maniatopoulos; have delivered a very enjoyable platter of new heavy metal tracks that showcase the band's core strength, while occasionally shooting for the stars with stabs of grandness.

Opening with the sound of wind and rain, the album's first track True is a powerful, crunching mid-paced metal anthem that is similar to the band's last couple of albums. Since Rodriguez and Maniatopoulos joined Rage in 2015, Wagner seems to have been wanting to really get back to basics. Both 2016's The Devil Strikes Again and 2017's Seasons of the Black are some of Rage's heaviest and most uncompromising albums, and True sounds like a natural continuation of that sound with Rodriguez's slightly off-kilter riffing giving the track and unconventional and unnerving sound, while Wagner tackles portions of the verses with a creepy spoken word delivery. The recent Rage albums have eschewed the power metal-esque melodies that have been present throughout much of the band's career however, but Wings of Rage sees them back in a big way. Despite the modern sound here, True's chorus is a melodic feast, with Wagner singing in more of an anthemic and catchy way, which instantly draws the listener into the album. Rodriguez's flashy, shredded guitar solo also does this; and the song is arguably the perfect introduction to Rage. A little of everything that makes the band sound the way that they do is included here, and is a great mix of the modern toughness of the past couple of albums and the band's classic era. Let Them Rest in Peace is similar, with a grinding Rodriguez riff and a strong bass presence from Wagner. Rodriguez's presence in the band in particular seems to have really rejuvenated Wagner, and the two have struck up a great songwriting partnership over the course of the past five years. Let Them Rest in Peace probably the most melodic track the pair have come up with yet however, with plenty of strong vocal melodies contained within and some choppy guitar work that, while heavy, whips up plenty of energy while Maniatopoulos lays down a steady beat. Wagner's voice takes a little time to get used to, as he is a little gruff but still melodic enough to stop Rage teetering over into thrash territory. Many German metal bands form the 1980s have singers in the vein of Wagner, but he is probably the gruffest and toughest of the lot. There are no high-pitched screams to be found here, but he still knows how to craft a catchy vocal melody - with the song's chorus being a real high point of the album and a moment that is sure to go down well live. He is not averse to a more aggressive approach occasionally however, with the barked lines that end each chorus almost crossing over into the harsh vocal territory. Chasing the Twilight Zone picks up the pace a bit, and has something of a strong overall 1980s metal vibe. Rodriguez's driving guitar riff has a bit of an old Grave Digger/early Helloween vibe, and the overall pace of the song recalls that era nicely. Maniatopoulos is a little busier behind his drum kit here, with a few pacier sections to get his teeth into, while Wagner employs a more aggressive vocal approach to fit in with the track's overall crunch. There are still plenty of strong melodies here, with another catchy chorus that is sure to stick in the brain after only a couple of listens. The album's opening three songs all possess a really strong chorus, meaning that after only around fifteen minutes most melodic metal fans are going to be well and truly hooked. A fast-paced, shredded solo from Rodriguez is the icing on the cake - and showcases his talents as a guitarist.

Tomorrow continues the melodic, anthemic vibe already established by opening with a gang vocal-led chorus; before Rodriguez launches into another potent riff. This is the fastest track on the album so far, and showcases how Rage were influential to the speed metal movement of the 1980s. While never really sounding like a thrash band, Rage's faster songs - such as this - certainly have the same tempos and energy as your average thrash act; with the melodic guitar leads and anthemic choruses of more traditional metal. Rodriguez is all over this song, whether it be via the song's main driving rhythms or a melodic lead. There are quite a few portions throughout the track where he dominates the sound, such as the Iron Maiden-esque melodies that follow the choruses or another great solo that takes place over a potent galloping rhythm. The album's title track is another pacier song, but one that overall has a more modern sound - typical of the band's past couple of albums. With Rodriguez having dominated much of the album up to this point, it is great to hear Maniatopoulos' playing really dictating play here. The guitar riffing here is much simpler than much of what has passed, with the drums instead coming into their own. Maniatopoulos drives everything here, and often launches into a passage of double bass drumming to up the energy or throws in a slightly off-kilter fill to momentarily take the song in another direction. This approach works well, and it also allows Wagner's voice to shine atop the simpler guitar backing. He particularly impresses during the chorus, which is another melodic moment with some strong vocal lines. It is not as catchy as some of the choruses that come before it, but it still sticks in the brain. Following the short atmospheric instrumental Shadow Over Deadland (The Twilight Transition), A Nameless Grave kicks in with a mid-paced riff that also heralds the first of the album's orchestral moments. Rage have toyed with symphonic trappings throughout their career, particularly during the Victor Smolski era, and have even recorded full albums and played live shows with orchestral backing. Wagner wanted that element of the band's sound to be represented on this album, and many of the tracks found throughout the second half of Wings of Rage feature these embellishments. Rage also sound so much bigger with the strings behind them, and A Nameless Grave shows this. There is so much depth to be added with an orchestra, and the strings here transform what would otherwise be a bit of a plodding number into  dramatic and soaring piece of music. Wagner's gruff voice is a great contrast to the melodic strings, with the chorus benefiting from the pairing - and the slow-paced guitar solo section is also enhanced by the atmospheric depth. Don't Let Me Down ups the pace again, with Rodriguez owning the early portion of the track with some great riffing and a soaring guitar lead. It soon morphs into much more of a group effort however, and is probably one of the most dynamic pieces on the album with a few changes of pace and quite a few interesting ideas to be found throughout. The song's main riff is one of the album's best in my opinion, with the fast-paced verse benefiting from it. At first the track sounds like a fairly typical Rage tune, but then the strings join in again to add depth - before the song slows down quite considerably for the chorus. The chorus is still pretty anthemic, with the dancing strings really contributing to the overall melodic feel of the piece. It is an interesting mix of sounds, but it works well and it all comes together nicely.

Shine a Light seems to naturally continue on from Don't Let Me Down, with one segueing into the other. Shine a Light is a slower track however, and really kicks off in fine fashion with some great old-school sounding soaring guitar leads while the strings add a subtle bed of warmth. It is the album's ballad, and the verses see a really stripped-back sound with the subtle strings again present and Rodriguez laying down a sparse clean guitar melody. Wagner is probably not the best suited to singing ballads in truth, but he gives it his all and manages to inject a fair bit of emotion into his scratchy voice. A monotonous drum beat backs everything up, holding everything together perfectly, but Maniatopoulos soon ramps up his playing a little as the band moves towards the song's chorus. While not exactly heavy, it certainly has more weight than the rest of the track with a bigger guitar sound and Wagner's more typical vocal style present. The ballad works well however, and shows another side to Rage. HTTS 2.0 is a re-recording of Higher Than the Sky, a Rage classic that appeared on 1996's End of all Days. I am not really sure why the band felt the need to re-record the song, as in truth this new version sounds almost identical to the original - just with more of a modern production style. It is nice to hear the song with a little more 'oomph' thanks to the tougher production style, but in truth I do not think the new version of the track really adds much to the album. It is a catchy song, and is one of the band's live staples, so Rage fans will already be more than familiar with it. It is a fun, yet unessential, addition to the album - but it is the new material here that interests me more. Blame it on the Truth returns to the more mid-paced style of the album's early tracks, and has a real crunch to it. Rodriguez's riffing is again really on-point and brings the track to life, with the simple opening riff really having a lot of power behind it. In some ways, I think Rage operate best at this sort of pace. They do the speed metal thing well too, but Wagner's voice is best suited to sing atop these sort of mid-paced, crunchy riffs. His gruffness really comes to the fore here, with his more melodic style coming into play when the song does speed up somewhat during the choruses. The track also has possibly the longest guitar solo of the album, with a multi-part offering that mixes more controlled phrasing with fast-paced shredding. For Those Who Wish to Die, the album's final track, is another winner and is one of my favourite cuts here. It opens with Maniatopoulos' lone drum pattern, before the rest of the band join in for a great groove-based riff. Maniatopoulos' playing is all over this track, and again he really sets the pace, while the subtle strings used throughout add depth. Some portions of the verse basically leave Wagner alone to sing atop the drumming and strings, while Rodriguez comes in every so often to add power. The choruses are heavier, with a bit of thrash influence kicking in, and Rodriguez occasionally throws in a great Eastern-sounding melody - which also informs his short but explosive solo. It is another dynamic track that shows the whole band pulling together, and it rounds out the album in a powerful and heavy manner. Overall, Wings of Rage is another strong album from the band and probably my favourite effort that the current line-up has put out. There is quite a lot going on here, but at its core the album is melodic, heavy, and full of energy - which is exactly what is expected from Rage at this point in their career.

The album was released on 10th January 2020 via Steamhammer/SPV GmbH. Below is the band's promotional video for Let Them Rest in Peace.

Heather Findlay - Bristol Review

It has been a few years since singer/songwriter Heather Findlay last properly toured the UK. While she has played a few shows periodically in the intervening years, her last full band tour of the country was back in 2016. That tour was the celebrate the release of The Illusion's Reckoning, an album that she worked on as part of a project called Mantra Vega that was released earlier the same year. The show I saw in Leicester on that tour was excellent, and featured The Illusion's Reckoning played in full followed by a set of other songs from throughout her career. It is a shame that her fans have had to wait four years between tours, but I have accepted that being patient is key when it comes to following Findlay's career. Being a part-time musician is certainly not an easy vocation, but so far everything she has done has been worth the wait. Quality is certainly preferable to quantity, and it is clear that Findlay is an artist that puts her all into everything that she does - which is probably why I have never seen her put on a bad show or release a bad album. Speaking of albums, last year saw the release of her true debut solo album Wild White Horses. It seemed the process to the album was a tricky one, with a few false starts along the way, but the finished product is a strong one. It is an album that continues to grow on me, and it has become a regularly-played album in my house since its release last July. It is an album that I did not initially warm to, but repeated listens has revealed it to be a strong body of work - filled with a diverse mix of songs that cover a multitude of styles and vibes. Everything that Findlay has released as a solo artist has been different from the previous offering, and it is great to see her spreading her wings and tackling multiple styles. The current tour that she is on is to promote the new album, and it sees her playing a mix of venues old and new across the country. Luckily I did not have to travel as far as Leicester this time, as she booked a gig in the South West - aboard the Thekla in Bristol. The Thekla is one of Bristol's best venues in my opinion. It is not one that I have been to many times, but all of my previous visits have been very memorable. The venue's sound is always excellent, and it is one of those venues that always seems to create a strong atmosphere. I believe that this was Findlay's first show in the city as a solo artist, and the turnout certainly reflected that. While certainly far from poor, the crowd was certainly a little on the sparse side - which was a shame. However, given that Bristol is not a city that Findlay has played in for a long time - the hundred or so punters that turned up should be seen as a success. Those of us who stepped aboard the Thekla however were all ready for a good night, and the reaction from the crowd throughout the night was warm and appreciative.

Before Findlay took to the stage, the growing crowd was treated to half an hour or so of blues rock from the Hughes Taylor Band, a three-piece from Georgia. I am not the biggest blues fan, but I really enjoyed the band's set. Fronted by Hughes Taylor (vocals/guitar), the band ran through a blistering set of largely original material that was largely instrumental to showcase Taylor's shredding blues guitar style. Nate Lee (bass guitar) and Adriana Thomas (drums) backed him up nicely, but in truth it really was the Taylor show! The band's riffier material reminded me somewhat of Mahogany Rush, while the slower tracks certainly showcased Taylor's love of Stevie Ray Vaughn. Tracks like Streams and Just One Night certainly impressed the crowd, and by the end of the set the cheers for Taylor and co. were very loud indeed. While his voice is certainly nothing to write home about, Taylor's guitar playing was jaw-dropping at times. Blues artists have to do a lot to impress me, but some of the playing on display was truly excellent. He also performed one of the best Jimi Hendrix covers that I have ever heard, with a great mash-up of Hey Joe and Voodoo Child (Slight Return) wowing the crowd. I have heard some many average Hendrix covers of the years, particularly at the various Cambridge Rock Festivals over the years which often saw lots of pub-standard blues bands tackle the songs to varying degrees of success, but Taylor and co. really did justice to the original tracks. They ended the set with a new, heavier tune called Trouble that also went down well - with the three-piece receiving a strong reception as they took their bows. I left the venue later on with copies of Taylor's current two albums - a sure-fire way of knowing I had been impressed by what I had seen.

After a 20 minute or so changeover, Findlay took to the stage with the current iteration of her solo band - an eight-piece collective including Findlay herself that was made up of a mixture of old and new faces. With this new-look band came a new-look setlist - with all 12 songs from Wild White Horses featured throughout the evening and a selection of older material and choice covers rounding out the evening. The evening kicked off in the same way that the new album does, with Findlay's tribute to the late Liam Davison Here's to You. From the off it was clear that Findlay's current band was going to do her material justice, with many of the members coming together to replicate the big harmony vocals needed to make her material work - as well as two great guitarists in Martin Ledger and Simon Snaize, both veterans of various incarnations of Findlay's band. It was Ledger that impressed early on, tackling the country-esque solo in Here's to You - before leading the charge in a tough rendition of the old Mostly Autumn song Caught in a Fold, with his guitar replicating the flute leads of the original. Emily Lynn (keyboards/percussion/vocals) proved to be Findlay's main harmony vocal partner throughout the night, while Hughes' drummer Thomas and Georgia Rankin added additional vocals throughout the set - with the three teaming up to re-create Caught in a Fold's big vocal sound. With much of the set being made up of new material, I spent the evening just enjoying hearing so many songs live for the first time. Just a Woman was an early highlight, with Lynn's organ really filling out the sound and Snaize also proving himself as a vocalist as he took on the male vocal parts. The Eastern-tinged Face in the Sun saw a different side of the band, with the whole band armed with acoustic instruments and percussion - before this vibe was continued on during a great version of Fleetwood Mac's Gold Dust Woman (which also included a snippet of Led Zeppelin's When the Levee Breaks). Findlay nailed the song vocally, while Snaize added some great lead guitar work throughout which helped the song to hit hard.

Gold Dust Woman was the set's sixth song, and already a host of vibes had been displayed. More were to come however, with folk being showcased during I Remember (Findlay armed herself with a whistle during the intro) and more of a grand rock arrangement on display during Southern Shores. The latter featured some extra vocals from local singer Katy Burgess who did some backing vocals on Findlay's new album - which was recorded at the nearby Rockfield Studios. While the opening portions of the night were great, it was a set that really gathered momentum as it progressed. Black Rain, one of Mostly Autumn's heavier tunes, was whipped out to great effect; while Mantra Vega's jaunty Lake Sunday was a beautiful moment - with Findlay beaming behind her acoustic guitar. One of the stand-out moments for me however was Cactus, a relatively hard rocking cut from the new album that features some excellent lyrics and a fantastic groove that gave Stuart Fletcher (bass guitar) and The Quireboys' Dave McCluskey (drums) a bit of a workout. By this point however the main set was nearly over, with just Unoriginal Sin and Wild White Horses left. Burgess and Taylor joined the band for the latter, which gave the set-closer a huge, party atmosphere. There were nine people crammed onto the stage at this point, but everyone was clearly having a great time. Despite leaving the stage for a brief moment, there was time for a couple more - with Findlay and Lynn performing Firefly alone. You could hear a pin drop in the venue, with Findlay crooning beautifully over Lynn's piano. Everyone trooped back onto the stage afterwards however, and it was down to the album's closing track Forget the Rain to bring the evening to an end. It is one of my favourites from the album, so for me it ensured the evening ended on a high - and the crowd really showed their appreciation as Findlay and co. took their bows. The setlist was:

Here's to You
Caught in a Fold [Mostly Autumn material]
Just a Woman
The Island
Face in the Sun
Gold Dust Woman [Fleetwood Mac cover]/When the Levee Breaks [Led Zeppelin cover]
I Remember
Southern Shores [w/ Katy Burgess]
Winner
Already Free
Black Rain [Mostly Autumn material]
Lake Sunday [Mantra Vega material]
Cactus
Unoriginal Sin [Mostly Autumn material]
Wild White Horses [w/ Hughes Taylor and Katy Burgess]
-
Firefly
Forget the Rain

I have seen Findlay a few times as a solo artist now, but this is up there with the best of those shows so far. I loved getting the chance to hear the whole of her new album live, and the other songs chosen to fill out the set all contributed to the overall vibe of the evening - making for a flowing and dynamic evening. I hope she does not leave it another four years before touring the UK again!

Music of 2019 - Part 2

2019 is officially over, as is the past decade. The 2010s has been a great time for new music, with countless new albums being released over the past ten years. In my opinion 2019 has been one of the best years for new music this decade, despite some really tough competition, so putting my customary list together has been as difficult as always. The top four were easy, as in truth any one of them could have been my Album of the Year, but the remaining six spots could have been filled up by any number of other great albums. I know others do longer lists, but I like to keep things simple - and these ten albums are as good as any to sum up 2019 as a musical year for me. As always too, I have also included some of my favourite gigs of the year below. I am not sure I got to quite as many gigs this year as last year (which was an extremely busy year) but I still managed to get to loads of great shows. It is harder to narrow down gigs for lists like this, as they are one-off experiences that are hard to quantify. Albums you get to know over a period of months, whereas gigs come and go in the space of an evening - with outside factors such as illness of the behaviour of others in the crowd can also affect your gigging experience. I throw in the gigs lists in to highlight some of the best, but the focus here has always been on the new albums. In my opinion, the album (be it digitally, on CD, or on vinyl) is still the best way to listen to new music. Bands often put great care into the whole package (the artwork, the way the album flows song to song etc.) and I find it is in their original album running order that songs make the most sense. Nearly all of my music listening is done by playing full albums, and I do not see that changing any time soon. I think this is actually also the case for a surprising number of people. Sales of vinyl records have been soaring over the last few years, and the CD sees to be steadfastly hanging on despite people predicting its death over the past decade. Physical music still seems to the preferred method of music consumption for a large number of big-time music fans, and I for one am happy that this is still the case. As always, my Album of the Year list only contains new studio albums - so compilations, live albums, or collections of re-recorded material are not eligible for inclusion.

10) Alter Bridge - Walk the Sky
A latecomer to the list that pushed another album out, Walk the Sky has been really impressing me since its October release. The American hard rock giants hit the wall a bit in 2016 with the weak The Last Hero, but have come roaring back with their sixth album that showcases the four-piece at their best. Mixing the anthemic post-grunge rock style of their early work with the progressive songwriting of 2013's Fortress, Walk the Sky is arguably the best example of all of the band's disparate styles coming together to form a cohesive whole. It is an extremely accessible and melodic collection of songs, but strip back these layers and plenty of twists and turns can be found - as well as a lot of weight. Mainstream rock acts are rarely this heavy these days, and Walk the Sky is filled with pseudo-metal moments thanks to guitarist Mark Tremonti who is one of the generation's best riff writers. Frontman Myles Kennedy also once again shows why he has one of the most powerful clean voices in the world at the moment, and everything just comes together perfectly to create a dynamic and hard-hitting album.
Listen to: Godspeed, Take the Crown & Dying Light

9) Chasing the Monsoon - No Ordinary World
Those of us waiting for the Welsh progressive rock act Karnataka to re-launch itself again were treated back in September to the long-awaited launch of Chasing the Monsoon - a project featuring Karnataka alumni Ian Jones and Lisa Fury, as well as a host of others. This is not merely Karnataka under another name however, as the music contained within is much more cinematic and world-influenced - taking cues from a number of different styles, all while seemingly grounded in folk. Fury and arguably the project's driving force Steve Evans weave their delicate vocal melodies around a number lengthy and musically-dense songs that feature landscapes quite unlike anything I have really heard before. It is an album that reveals itself over a number of listens, as it takes on a lot of guises as it moves along. There are a couple of tracks that certainly sound like Karnataka, but there are moments that sound almost like Yes - as well as a host of other vibes and textures. It is an album that I am still discovering, and I feel that it is one I will be enjoying for years to come.
Listen to: Circles of Stone, Dreams & No Ordinary World

8) The Quireboys - Amazing Disgrace
Despite being a victim to the PledgeMusic drama, one of 2019's low-points musically, English rock veterans The Quireboys still managed to make a success of their twelfth Amazing Disgrace. It had been three years since the band had last released an album of new material, a large gap in the context of their recent run of releases, and the band were clearly keen to get back to doing what they do best. After exploring folkier sounds on St Cecilia and the Gypsy Soul and blues on Twisted Love, Amazing Disgrace was The Quireboys' signature brand of barroom rock and roll dragged kicking and screaming into 2019. The riffs are great, the grooves are strong, and the overall strut that the album possesses is second to none. The Quireboys are peerless when it comes to writing this sort of music currently, and Amazing Disgrace is another worthy entry in their fairly extensive body of work. Hard rockers and delicate ballads sit side by side here perfectly, with a few of the tracks already finding themselves at home in the band's live set.
Listen to: Original Black Eyed Son, Amazing Disgrace & Dancing in Paris

7) DragonForce - Extreme Power Metal
A bit like Alter Bridge, DragonForce have hit back strongly this year after a relatively weak previous album. Reaching into Infinity in 2017 was an album that had little staying power for me, but Extreme Power Metal just sees the band getting back to doing what they do best and result is a great feel-good slab of power metal that I have been listening to a lot since its September release. The band have not sounded this carefree since the late 2000s, and in many ways albums like 2004's Sonic Firestorm seem to have influenced the songwriting the most here. With bassist Frédéric Leclercq's songwriting taking a backseat here, presumably due to his eventual departure to join Kreator, guitarist Sam Totman once again picked up the slack and composed much of the album. Leclercq's songwriting had helped to diversify DragonForce's sound, which has certainly helped the band to stay fresh, but it is Totman's speed-fests that DragonForce are famous for - and Extreme Power Metal sees that style pushed to the fore once again. With a better production and tighter arrangements this time around however, DragonForce sound better than ever and this is a real high point in their impressive discography.
Listen to: The Last Dragonborn, Razorblade Meltdown & Strangers

6) Black Star Riders - Another State of Grace
A couple of line-up changes sometimes cost a band momentum, but for the Irish/American rockers Black Star Riders it just seems to have spurred them on to greater heights. The five-piece have long stepped out of the shadow of Thin Lizzy and have become one of the most-popular modern rock acts, with their heavy folk-influenced playing and slightly punky aesthetic informing their excellent songs. Another State of Grace is the band's fourth album, and for me it is easily their best since their 2013 debut. After taking a tougher route on 2017's Heavy Fire, the band got back to doing what they do best here - with new guitarist Christian Martucci clearly breathing new life into the band's formula and striking up a great writing partnership with frontman Ricky Warwick. Martucci and fellow guitarist Scott Gorham lay down twin-guitar lead after twin-guitar lead throughout the album, with each song here being memorable for different reasons. It is a true classic rock feast, and if it was not for another album that will come later in this list Another State of Grace would easily be the best old-school sounding rock album of the year.
Listen to: Another State of Grace, Underneath the Afterglow & Why Do You Love Your Guns?

5) Sabaton - The Great War
Sweden's Sabaton have become one of the most-consistent metal acts over the past decade or so - and are now also one of the biggest. With the band ready to undertake an arena tour of Europe early in 2020, Sabaton are really riding high. While the band's ninth album The Great War does little to stand out in the context of their catalogue, due to the fact that Sabaton have one style and stick to it like glue, it is another excellent release and is packed full of anthemic war songs that also prove to be something of a history lesson. This time focusing all of the album's songs on World War I, Sabaton tell us tales of Lawrence of Arabia and The Red Baron - all done via their concise, and pompous songwriting style. Some of the keyboards used here would make 1980s-era Europe blush, and the great guitar tag team of Chris Rörland and Tommy Johansson - the latter making his debut with the band on this album - are never far away from unleashing another driving riff or shredded solo. The star of the show however, as always, is frontman Joakim Brodén who's rich, deep voice (something atypical for power metal) is the perfect vehicle for these dramatic war stories.
Listen to: Seven Pillars of Wisdom, 82nd All The Way & The Red Baron

4) Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
Now we reach the real cream of the crop. Any of the top four could easily be my number one, but I had to put them in some sort of order. The first of these 'best' albums is the fourteenth studio album from progressive metal legends Dream Theater: Distance Over Time. For many this album was something of a 'return to form', but for me the band never lost their form so for me it is just another excellent album in their remarkable discography. I do think the decision to tighten up their sound again was a wise one however. The sprawling concept album The Astonishing was clearly a very divisive release, and the band wanted to get back to their core sound here. The band's patented mix of heavy riffing, melodic vocals, and technical instrumental passages works as well as ever here - with some of the fat of other albums trimmed somewhat to give the listener a more cohesive overall experience. The band have lost none of their magic through this tightening up process however, and the result is actually the band's accessible and most overtly-melodic album for some time. This would be a great entry point into the band's catalogue for new fans, and all five members of the band really pull their weight to make Distance Over Time a memorable experience.
Listen to: Fall into the Light, Barstool Warrior & S2N

3) Queensrÿche - The Verdict

Seven years into their rebirth with frontman Todd La Torre at the helm and Seattle's Queensrÿche seem to be keen to keep releasing some of their strongest work yet. While probably not quite as strong as 2015's Condition Hüman, The Verdict shows a confident Queensrÿche happy to be a progressive metal band again. Condition Hüman pushed the band's formula a little, but The Verdict is just a great old-school sounding Queensrÿche album packed full of melodic songwriting, progressive moments, and the band's signature grunge-esque darkness. The guitar work on display throughout from both Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren creates some of the year's most potent metal leads, while the vocal virtuosity from La Torre just showcases why Queensrÿche have really found their feet again under his guidance. His voice is perfect for the band, and his songwriting prowess has really brought the band back from the brink. He also handles all of the album's drums due to the ongoing and frustrating absence of Scott Rockenfield, showing that he is a true musician and certainly not just a powerful voice. It is another album that would work well as an entry point for a new fan, and The Verdict has been played regularly here since its March release.

Listen to: Blood of the Levant, Light-Years & Propaganda Fashion

2) Whitesnake - Flesh & Blood

Whitesnake are one of my very favourite bands, so a new album from them is always going to be something of an event. The band's last album of original material came in 2011, so a follow-up was long overdue - but Flesh & Blood defied all my expectations and has become one of my most-listened to albums this year since coming out in May. It follows on perfectly from the band's other recent albums, showcasing a bit of everything that has made Whitesnake such a captivating band since their late 1970s genesis. There are bluesy tracks reminiscent of their early work, there are foot-stomping stadium rock tracks that recall their late 1980s heyday, and there are gorgeous ballads that showcase the band's more recent iterations. Flesh & Blood is an album with a bit of everything, and the current six musicians that make up Whitesnake certainly gave it their all to make this album a special one. I always love hearing Tommy Aldridge behind the drum kit, and the duelling guitars of Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra are never far away from some bluesy slide work or a shredded solo. Main man David Coverdale sounds as sassy and powerful as ever too, and he and his band have created easily the best classic-sounding rock album of the year.

Listen to: Good to See You Again, Hey You (You Make Me Rock) & Heart of Stone

1) Mostly Autumn - White Rainbow

My Album of the Year is probably no surprise to those who know me well, as Mostly Autumn probably are my favourite band of all time. This was an album that took a while to bed in with me however, but after a couple of months with it I was convinced that it was one of the best things the band have ever done. Mostly Autumn have been on a real run of form of late, with their last three albums all being up there with the best of their career. White Rainbow might well be their best however, with the twenty-minute title track showcasing a bit of everything that has made the band so great over the past couple of decades. Much of the album was inspired by the tragic death of the band's former guitarist Liam Davison, and the sorrow has clearly led Bryan Josh and co. to dig much deeper than usual - and the result is something special that manages to convey a whole host of emotions. From the throwback intro to Viking Funeral, to the soaring guitar crescendo of Young, White Rainbow is a true journey that needs to be experienced from start to finish - and multiple times. It is one of the most emotionally-broad albums that I have ever heard, and I really think that this is that album that Mostly Autumn will be judged by long into the future.

Listen to: Viking Funeral, Western Skies & White Rainbow

Well, there you have it! My Albums of the Year list is a great representation of my listening over the past twelve months - and if there are any albums there that you have not yet checked out then I would urge you to do so. I would like to throw in the names of a few 'honourable mentions' too, as there were a few albums that just about missed the cut. Opeth's In Cauda Venenum was in an early draft of my list before I replaced it with Alter Bridge's effort. It is probably the Opeth album that I have listened to the most upon its release, but I still feel that there is a lot for me to discover there. A couple of other strong contenders were Eluveitie's Ategnatos and the debut from the latest incarnation of Rhapsody Zero Gravity (Rebirth and Evolution). Ategnatos in particular I have listened to a lot this year, so I could have easily justified including it - but I prefer the albums I chose instead just a little more. All I have left to do now is to shine the spotlight on some of my favourite gigs of the year - which again I have split into the fairly broad categories of 'big' and 'small'. 'Big' largely refers to stadium, arena, or large theatre shows; whereas 'small' refers to shows in small theatres or clubs. It is hard to draw a line between the two really, but the six shows below are just some of the many excellent nights out I have had this year:

Top 3 'Big' Gigs of 2019:

3) Kiss, Arena Birmingham, 09/07/2019

Allegedly on their final tour, the American stadium rockers Kiss visited the UK just two years after their last run of shows for an explosive and powerful evening of music taken from their vast back catalogue. Kiss have become masters at putting on a show over the years, and enough gunpowder to fuel a small revolution was used throughout the evening - with fireworks and pyro aplenty throughout. All of the show would be for nothing however if the band's songs were not up to scratch, but Kiss pulled out hit after hit throughout the evening - as well as showcasing a few relative deep cuts for the sold out crowd. It was a night all about over-the-top hard rock excess and a 'kitchen sink' production, but it all came together perfectly and if Kiss are about to bow out then they will have done so in style.

2) Ghost, Motorpoint Arena (Nottingham), 16/11/2019

If 2018 was the year that I finally got into Ghost, then 2019 was the year where I became a huge fan. After not 'getting' the band for years, I finally took the plunge and decided to go and see the band live - and I am so glad that I did as they put on one of the best shows of the year. The band's catchy, yet creepy, music translates into an arena environment perfectly and Tobias Forge led his large band through a greatest hits-esque set featuring material from all four of the band's studio albums. With bands like Kiss allegedly nearing retirement, stadium rock needs a new hero and Ghost is that band - and I can only see the band's shows getting bigger and grander as the years move on. People constantly ask where the next big festival headliners are, and Ghost seem about ready now to make that jump and become true legends.

1) Bon Jovi, Wembley Stadium, 21/06/2019

I had not had the chance to see Bon Jovi live before, and in truth I was somewhat apprehensive. Bon Jovi have not been a true classic rock band for some time, with a string of fairly mediocre albums packed with easy-listening songs for their casual fanbase. I had expected the band's show to be something similar, but it turned out to be one of the best rock shows I have ever seen - packed full of bona fide world-beating hits as well as a few deeper cuts for the die-hard fans. I have not been to many stadium shows, and some of them have been lacking in atmosphere, but this show was electric from start to finish - with even those of us at the very back to the stadium fully on board with the band's on stage antics. It is always great to have your perceptions and expectations smashed, and I left Wembley Stadium with a new-found respect for Bon Jovi.

Top 3 'Small' Gigs of 2019:

3) Black Star Riders, O2 Academy (Bristol), 10/10/2019

Hot on the heels of releasing the excellent Another State of Grace album, Black Star Riders kicked off their UK tour in Bristol, debuting many of the new album's songs. A few technical hitches aside, the evening was a powerful display of old-school hard rock from a band that just seems to get better and better as the years pass by. Ricky Warwick is one of the genre's best frontman, and seeing the elder statesman of rock that is Scott Gorham enjoying this new-found fame and appreciation is a joy to behold. 2019 was also the year that Black Star Riders did not include any Thin Lizzy songs in their setlist, showing more than ever how they have become their own band and are creating own legacy.

2) The Quireboys, O2 Forum Kentish Town, 14/09/2019

Of the three Quireboys shows that I saw this year, the band's 35th Anniversary show in London was easily the best of the bunch. Featuring the entire A Bit of What You Fancy album, as well as a handful of other choice cuts, the band rocked the sold-out Kentish Town Forum and put on one of the best shows of theirs that I have seen yet. I always love seeing The Quireboys live, but shows that see them diversify their fairly rigid setlist are always going to be winners for me. It helped that the live sound mix was excellent, with frontman Spike in the form of his life and keyboardist Keith Weir enjoying plenty of time in the spotlight. Any show that encores with a double salvo of Sex Party and Mayfair is always going to be a winner, and the show can be relived in all its glory via the band's new 35 & Live live album.

1) Marillion, Bath Forum, 09/11/2019

It is unsurprising that one of my all-time favourite bands topped this list, but when Marillion take a string section on the road with them and play a setlist packed with some of their best epic tracks then it is always going to be a winner! The band's most recent tour saw them play one of their proggiest setlists for some time, with the addition of six classically-trained musicians to enhance and bulk out their already grand sound. Marillion really are riding the crest of a wave at the moment and are the most popular they have been for a good number of years. Multiple sold out UK tours over the past few years showcase this popularity, and this tour could well have been the best of the bunch. Nothing will ever top that Albert Hall show in 2017, but this one came close.