Kris Barras Band's 'Halo Effect' - Album Review

The current UK-based rock boom does not seem to be abating anytime soon. Considering the glut of bands whom I was championing back in the late 2000s really struggled to turn heads, it is good that the current wave of diverse young rock bands are - and perhaps one of the real leading lights of this harder rock revival is the Torquay-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist Kris Barras. As he is relatively local, Barras is a musician whom I have been familiar with for a while - but I did not really become a fan of his until 2021 when I saw him and his band open for Black Stone Cherry in Exeter. Whilst my view on blues has changed over the years, it is still not a particular favourite genre of mine. Barras was always advertised as such, which is perhaps partly why I had never really checked him out, but I picked up his 2019 release Light It Up in the lead up to that 2021 show and found myself enjoying it. There was certainly plenty of blues on the album, but it also rocked harder than I had expected. It made me look forward to Barras' set more and I really enjoyed his efforts to get what was close to a home town crowd for him fired up for Black Stone Cherry. His set that night also included a few songs from the then-unreleased Death Valley Paradise (which I reviewed here), which dropped in 2022, and it was clear that Barras was heading in a new direction. I pre-ordered Death Valley Paradise and listened to the album a lot throughout 2022 - during which I also saw Barras again on his own tour as well as opening for Thunder in London. I think that it is fair to say that Death Valley Paradise contains almost no blues in the traditional sense and that it is very much a modern-sounding hard rock album. I was a bit concerned to see the likes of Blair Daly and Zac Maloy involved in the album's songwriting, as they and their ilk have been responsible for dumbing down bands like Black Stone Cherry incidentally in the past, but for me Death Valley Paradise really worked. Barras' voice and his riffy guitar style certainly brought the punchy songs to life and there was still some room for his trademark busy soloing - which is perhaps where the last few strains of his blues background could be heard in the phrasing. Barras has been busy ever since the album's release, with another lengthy UK tour taking place last year, but he also found time to write and record some more songs - with his latest album Halo Effect dropping earlier in the month. The CD case contains essentially no information about the album at all, save for the song titles, but I think that it is safe to assume that the album was recorded with the current iteration of his band: multi-instrumentalist and producer Josiah Manning, bassist Frazer Kerslake, and drummer Billy Hammett. It was certainly produced by Manning, after the band opted to use an outside producer last time, and Spotify's metadata also reveals that Barras and Manning wrote all of the album together - with both Daly and Maloy contributing to a handful of the songs again. The band clearly learnt a lot working with an outside producer last time, but with Manning gaining a reputation as an up-and-coming producer it made sense to keep everything in-house this time. The lack of outside help certainly does not show, either, as Halo Effect sounds huge - and every bit as 'produced' as Death Valley Paradise. Halo Effect continues the more modern sound established on the previous album and perhaps even doubles down in places - with more of a synth presence throughout alongside Barras' trademark gritty riffing and tasteful leads.

There are a handful of moments which shift things up somewhat, but generally Halo Effect sees Barras consolidating his current sound. The first two songs on the album acted as its lead singles and they are certainly tracks which are going to become live favourites going forward. Kicking off with Hourglass, the album gets off to a hard rocking start - with a juddering guitar riff and some cold synths opening the song up. As with his previous album, all the songs here are pretty short. There is little room for extended soloing or fat arrangements - and it is clear that all of Barras' focus here has been on riffs and hooks. The juddering riff here forms the basis of a pretty up-tempo verse, which hits hard thanks to the stabbing drum groove behind it, whilst the chorus slows things down a little and goes for a more epic sound - with more of a keyboard backing. When I first heard the song I thought that the lyrics did not really fit nicely into the melodies, with Barras feeling rushed whilst singing, but over repeated listens this feeling has gone - and the chorus has become a hooky earworm for me. There is a brief change of pace later on in the form of a clean guitar-led bridge, which concludes in a classic Barras solo, but generally the song is a hard rocker with a chorus that deserves to fill arenas - and this is not the only song that feels like such here. Unbreakable, the album's other lead single, is similar overall. The main riff this time is a bit busier than the staccato approach of the previous track - and the production choices and melodic approach really hark back to Barras' last album in my opinion. The main riff has a metallic quality to it, but the band never really stray into true metal, whilst the chorus is much more expansive - with keyboards and clean guitars adding to a cinematic sound to back some of Barras' best vocal hooks on the album. There is no real bridge this time which means that there is more time to focus on guitar soloing. As much as I like Barras' current sound, I do wish that he would allow himself to cut loose a little more often - as his solos are always excellent. This song is given a big kick thanks to his shredding here - and it leads nicely into the final iteration of the chorus which packs a real punch. With You retains the heaviness of the opening cuts, but ups the urgency somewhat - with the track moving beyond the mid-paced grooves of what came before to rock out a little more. The bass is really prominent during the opening riff, its popping tone adding a lot to depth to Barras' heavy riffing, whilst the drumming during the verses is filled with a few busy fills to add to the song's overall urgency. A few studio tricks such as gang vocals and record skip effects add to the verses, shaking things up, but everything really pulls together during a chorus which is maybe the biggest-sounding yet - with the clean guitar backing pushing its overall scope whilst Barras' smooth vocals easily push the 1980s-esque melodies. Despite the faster overall pace, the song is perhaps not has heavy as the opening two cuts - but a closing riff-led section does up the heaviness as the song fades out, with some effects and distortion seeing the song crash to a strange close.

Savages feels like Barras' latest attempt to really create an anthem. It is perhaps not as overt as My Parade from the previous album, but it has a similar overall feel at times - thanks to the opening gang vocal hooks, which are reprised throughout the song and somewhat modified to create another big chorus. The song is not as punchy as My Parade, though, and it feels that Barras has tried to do something a bit different here. I really like the song, but it does feel as if at one point it was probably a heavier track which was then morphed into something different. The strange electronic drum loops early on and the surprisingly sparse verses are unlike anything else here, but once the chorus kicks in it feels like classic Barras. There is also another excellent guitar solo later on, which is perhaps one of the album's best - as it mixes some tasteful bluesy phrases with some modern shred to create a real instrumental journey. I cannot help but think that the song would have been even better with more weight behind it, but as things stand I think it works nicely - with the experimental vibe and anthemic chorus coming together. A real favourite cut of mine here is Fall to Fly, which opens with one of the best guitar hooks on the album. Barras tends to lead with a riff rather than a guitar melody, but here he opts for the latter - whilst the band behind him really rock things up. Snappy verses, with plenty of busy bass playing, keep this high-energy feel going - and again the track feels like the songs on his previous album in a big way whilst including some of the guitar business of his earlier work. The verse vocal melodies do feel a bit rooted in the early 2000s at times, but they still work well, and it is the chorus where the song really shines anyway - with lots of busy guitar leads mixed into the background whilst the overall scope and vocal approach during it is not too far away from something Alter Bridge might attempt. The focus on guitar leads here and the massive chorus was enough to make the song jump out from the off - and it has already climbed up my list of favourite Barras songs. Waste Away with Me opens with another Alter Bridge-esque riff actually, with a main guitar chug out of the Mark Tremonti playbook, but the rest of the song is just sounds like typical recent Barras - albeit boosted with more of an overall 'production'. The subtle vocal effects during the hard-driving verses give the song a little bit of a twist but, again, it is the chorus where everything really kicks off - with plenty more keyboards and subtle backing vocals layered to create an effective sound. A brief bridge sees some more vocal effects used, creating a vocoder-esque feel, before a shredded solo builds on the song's overall energy. Reflections slows things down somewhat, opening with a pretty groovy riff and a shimmering synth backing. Despite there being some weight throughout the song, it is probably the gentlest on the album up to this point. It certainly feels like a ballad at times, but there are still plenty of riffs and a surprising amount of energy injected throughout. The hard-hitting drumming of Hammett would make any song feel heavier whilst the chorus is still backed by a heavy riff - even if the chiming clean guitars are higher in the mix overall. I do like the song, but it is the only one here which has not really grabbed me all that much yet. There is nothing bad on this album but Reflections is less interesting than the other pieces here in my opinion - even if the chorus is still pretty memorable overall.

Secrets is arranged in a similar manner, but overall I think that it works better as a slower piece than Reflections - and the arrangement overall feels more dynamic. It is another song that feels somewhat ballad-esque, but overall there is still quite a bit of harder rock to be found - with slow-burning verses building towards a pretty tough and faster-paced chorus. I think the balance is better than on the previous song, with the urgency of the chorus hooks contrasting well with the more laid back nature of the verses with their synths and clean guitar melodies. Another big plus for this song is that fact that Barras does cut loose a bit more guitar-wise here. The guitar solo is maybe the album's longest overall and it is packed with lots of excellent melodies and some fast-paced runs. After a couple of ballad-esque teases, Landslide then goes all out and acts as the album's 'true' ballad. Even so, though, it is not exactly a gentle acoustic piece - as there is still a big production to be found throughout, with Hammett's percussive drumming giving the song plenty of backbone. That being said, though, the song really pushes its emotional side in a big way. Barras' voice has a lot more room to breathe throughout, with less big riffing around him, and the chorus is expansive to really allow this to happen. There is more of a focus on clean guitars and synths throughout, but the riffing and toughness from Barras' core sound does still make itself heard - meaning that even the album's ballad packs a punch. The guitar solo does take a more emotional route, too, with some bluesy phrases which hark back to some of Barras' older albums. After a run of slower pieces, the album then comes to a close with two harder rockers - with Fear of Letting Go taking a bit more of an anthemic route overall. The song contains riffy sections but this is a track which goes all in for a more cinematic and big-screen sound. It reminds me a little of These Voices from the previous album, with a little of U2's scope mixed with his usual love of heavier riffs. Manning's production really brings the song to life, though, and this is a song where it is clear that a lot of thought went in into how the studio could be used to add value. The big chorus synths are full of life and a chanted bridge section returns somewhat to the gang vocal approach of Savages - albeit in a more subtle way. Big riffs and solos fill the latter portion of the song, too, meaning that there is a bit of everything on display. Closing things out is Apocalypse, a much heavier piece which returns to the harder sound of the opening few numbers. There is little of the light and shade experimented with throughout the album's second half, with the song instead just being an expansive hard rocker with one of the album's hookiest riffs overall and some excellent verse bass playing. There is nothing complicated about the song at all and I really like how the band just returned to something hard hitting to close things out. For me, Barras is at his best when he is really going for it, writing heavy riffs and big choruses - so Apocalypse is one of my favourite pieces here. It is packed full of energy and it really ends the album on a high - with a snappy chorus and busy riff bringing the best out of the band. Over the last three years I have become a big fan of Barras and Halo Effect has been getting a lot of plays over the past few weeks. It is an album that can be put on at any time and it hits home - and the concise length and lack of any real fat makes it a lean and powerful listen. It reached number five on the charts for a reason and I can see myself playing this a lot over the coming months.

The album was released on 12th April 2024 via Earache Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Hourglass.

Yes - Tavistock Review

It is always a great experience getting to see a well-established band play at a venue which is much smaller than is typical for them. This does not happen too often but when it does a special night for those in attendance is almost guaranteed. I have been to a handful of such gigs over the years, but one which sticks out is getting to see the British progressive rock legends Yes kick off their 2022 touring cycle at The Wharf in Tavistock - a local venue for me. The Wharf is probably the venue which I have visited the most over the years but generally my visits there have been for smaller bands. I did see Uriah Heep there a decade or so ago, before they started playing larger venues again here in the UK a couple of years later, but Yes is easily the biggest band which The Wharf has likely ever hosted. The reason for their 2022 show was that they had booked the venue out for a week or so to use to rehearse for their 2022 tour, their first run of post-pandemic shows, so decided to use the venue to also host something of a dress rehearsal. The 2022 Tavistock show was the band's first since 2019, then, and there were certainly moments of rustiness during the performance, but it was still a special night - with the band playing to a packed house of Devon locals just enjoying the moment. I had been a casual fan of Yes for years, and had seen them live previously in 2014, but that night in Tavistock made me a real fan. Since then, I have delved much deeper into Yes' back catalogue and am much more familiar than I was with their work since 2022. There are still a few albums I need to get, and really sink into their many and varied live albums, but I think it is fair to say that I am now a 'proper' Yes fan rather than just a casual one. Imagine my excitement, then, when it was announced a month or so ago that Yes would return to The Wharf - again to kick off their upcoming European and UK tour. Given that the band undertook an extensive tour of America last year, I am not sure that a dress rehearsal was perhaps as necessary as it had been in 2022, but I can only assume that the band enjoyed their time at The Wharf last time so they decided to repeat it. The band again used the venue as rehearsal space for a few days and capped off their time with another concert - before they head off to Europe to start the tour proper in a few days. If this is to become something of a Yes tradition then I am certainly not going to complain - and The Wharf is a great venue so it deserves the attention from a big band like Yes. It was with excitement that I headed to Tavistock on the bus from Plymouth after a day's work to take in the concert, then, especially as the evening also included a trip to a local excellent Indian restaurant. When I got to The Wharf, the bar area and garden were already pretty full. The Wharf generally attracts decent crowds but Yes is certainly a step up from most - so the place was full throughout. It was also an early show with no support act - with the band hitting the stage at 7pm and finishing up just before 9pm.

The great thing about this show was that, apart from the two songs which made up the encore, the entire main set was different from the last Tavistock show two years ago. Yes have a big enough back catalogue to make this possible, but there are more than a few veteran bands who rarely shake up the setlist - so having only two repeats from the last tour really made this night more exciting. The mix of material played was interesting, too, with some real classics thrown in alongside lesser-played fan favourites and a couple of genuine deep cuts. When the lights went down at 7pm and an orchestral intro filled the speakers band, led out by guitarist Steve Howe, made their way onto the relatively small stage - and immediately launched into the riff-heavy Machine Messiah from 1980's Drama. Yes have never been a metal band, but Machine Messiah is one of those songs which likely influenced the booming progressive metal scene of the 1980s with its Black Sabbath-esque riffing and doomy keyboard textures - albeit with plenty of excellent melodic leads for both Howe and Geoff Downes (keyboards/vocals) to sink their teeth into. The song is a pretty lengthy one, but it really allowed the band to spread out early on. Billy Sherwood (bass guitar/vocals) was high in the mix throughout, driving everything with his busy playing, whilst frontman Jon Davison perfectly delivered the material vocally - even if he was occasionally slightly low in the mix. The crowd were enraptured during the 10 minutes or so of Machine Messiah, and when it finished the place erupted - and the band knew that they had little more to do to keep everyone on side. A deep cut in the form of It Will Be a Good Day (The River) from 1999's The Ladder was then played and I liked the contrast between the heavy Machine Messiah and the more laid back pop which followed. Howe's guitar soloing and lead playing is rarely typical, but some of his leads throughout the second song were almost David Gilmour-esque at times - and the shimmering arrangement really brought the best out of Davison. A more hard rocking sound was then returned to via Going for the One - with Howe laying into his lap steel as the rocked up country vibes of the song filled the venue. These three opening songs showcased a huge variety in sound but this was only really just the beginning. Despite Going for the One being a single in 1977, perhaps the first genuine classic to be wheeled out was I've Seen All Good People. The song was one of the band's early forays into true progressive rock - with the gorgeous acoustic-based opening section perfect for Davison's floaty vocals, whilst the closing section allowed for the band to rock out a little more. This led nicely into an instrumental portion of the band's interpretation of Simon & Garfunkel's America - which gave Davison a bit of a chance to play around with his various pieces of percussion whilst Howe let rip with some busy solos. Perhaps the only track which felt somewhat out of place in the set was the acoustic pop of Time and a Word - a song which does not really represent what Yes become following its 1970 release.

Everything that followed was excellent, though. Howe pointed out that Yes could have been a bit ahead of their time environmentally, which heralded a performance of Don't Kill the Whale, but the next real highlight for me was a slightly re-arranged Turn of the Century which was packed full of emotion. The version started off with Howe on acoustic guitar and Downes on piano, alongside Davison's vocals, and around half of the song was sung acoustically like this. Sherwood and Jay Schellen (drums) did join in later - but even the song never returned to its true roots. Schellen's drumming was more percussive than usual whilst the bass added depth - and the song really came alive in this format, with Davison finding plenty of space in the mix around the acoustic instruments. Following this calmer moment, it was fitting that the band returned to a heavier territory and launched into South Side of the Sky - which on reflection sounds like a bit of a blueprint for where the band went later with Machine Messiah and also seems to borrow a bit from what bands like Deep Purple were doing at the time. Downes' organ really brought the song to life, despite Howe's heavy riffing cutting through the mix, but it was a track that showcased the band's long-time keyboardist in a big way - with plenty of lead and solo sections for him to show off during. Given that most of the set had been culled from the band's 1970s albums, it was fitting that their 2023 release Mirror to the Sky was featured with the inclusion of the bouncy and melodic Cut from the Stars. Given the song's reference to dark sky parks, it was fitting that the song was played so close to the Dartmoor National Park - and the new track was greeted as warmly as many of the classics were. There was only one piece of music left in the main set, but it was a lengthy one - and likely a highlight for many long-time fans. The closing medley took parts from all four of the side-long epics which made up 1973's Tales from Topographic Oceans and smashed them together - forming a new song from the parts. The medley flowed pretty well, though, and it covered a number of different moods - with some of the key themes from The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn) kicking things off. Perhaps the delicate Leaves of Green section of 'The Ancient' (Giants of the Sun) was the overall highlight of the piece - but the ending segment from Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil) brought the set to a pleasing end, and the crowd made their appreciation known as the band trooped off stage. As mentioned before, though, a two-song encore followed. The two songs included were the two everyone was expecting, but after such a varied set I do not think anyone minded singing along to Roundabout - which included Downes' best organ solo of the night, alongside lots of excellent synth leads. Not to be outdone, though, the spotlight was then turned over to Howe for Starship Trooper, with his closing guitar solo bringing the house down as expected. The duo ended the night on a high and when the band took their bows the cheering from the crowd could gave rivalled that of a crowd more typical of size for Yes. The setlist was:

Machine Messiah

It Will Be a Good Day (The River)

Going for the One

I've Seen All Good People

America [Simon & Garfunkel cover]

Time and a Word

Don't Kill the Whale

Turn of the Century

South Side of the Sky

Cut from the Stars

The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)/The Remembering (High the Memory)/'The Ancient' (Giants Under the Sun)/Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)

-

Roundabout

Starship Trooper

Having Yes come to Tavistock once was a lot of fun, but having them return was even better. It is clear that the band really enjoy their jaunts down to Devon to rehearse and road test some material - so I hope that we might be treated to a third such show in the future. I will certainly be there again if they do and Yes will continue to feature heavily in my listening going forward - as they become closer to becoming a real favourite.

Leaves' Eyes' 'Myths of Fate' - Album Review

It feels like quite a while since Leaves' Eyes last released an album. The German-based symphonic metal band have often been pretty prolific throughout their career, but when the band's ninth album Myths of Fate dropped last month it had been the best part of four years since we had last heard anything new from them. 2020's The Last Viking (which I reviewed here) was an album that took a while to reveal its charm - but over repeated listens it became another strong entry in the band's catalogue. I am not sure that it contained as many standout anthems as 2018's Sign of the Dragonhead (which I also reviewed here), which felt more traditional in sound, but it went for something of a more progressive and expansive feel overall - with the band trying for forge a new identity on their second release with current frontwoman Elina Siirala. Since The Last Viking's release, though, the band have undergone another pretty significant line-up change. Whilst the replacement of founding vocalist Liv Kristine with Siirala will always be the band's most famous and divisive schism, the departure in 2021 of founding guitarist Thorsten Bauer came as quite a shock. Bauer had been one of the band's driving forces since the off; and had been a part of Atrocity, the death metal band which birthed Leaves' Eyes since 1994; and was one of the two remaining main songwriters alongside harsh vocalist and producer Alexander Krull. Due to Leaves' Eyes seeming want to haemorrhage band members, with no two studio albums to this point featuring the same line-up, Krull is now the only founding member left. Given that he has always been one of the band's main songwriters, as well as their producer, this seems fine on the surface - but performance-wise he has always been something of a bit-part player. His harsh vocals have never been a main feature of the band's sound and whilst he handles the keyboards and such in the studio he does not play any instruments live. This leaves Leaves' Eyes in a rather strange situation, but the show must go on - as Myths of Fate proves. Guitarist Micki Richter, who joined the band in 2019, takes over Bauer's songwriting role here alongside Krull - with Jonah Weingarten (Pyramaze; Echoterra; We Are Sentinels; Catalyst Crime), who contributed to The Last Viking, also co-writing much of the album. Siirala has also acted as a songwriter for the band for the first time here, too, co-writing two songs. Filling Bauer's role as a guitarist here is Luc Gebhardt (Spiral Tower; Atrocity), with Richter also handling the bass guitar, whilst long-time drummer Joris Nijenhuis rounds out the five-piece. Despite the loss of Bauer, though, Myths of Fate does not sound significantly different to anything Leaves' Eyes have done before - but it does certainly revert to a more typical sound, reining in some of the more progressive elements of The Last Viking. It sounds more akin to Sign of the Dragonhead, then, with more of a focus on hooky songwriting and classic symphonic metal tropes - albeit with the band's trademark folk influences and the extreme metal guitar tones due to the link back to Atrocity. This is, though, likely the most harsh vocal-centric album of the band's catalogue to date. The change is not night and day, but given that Krull is the only founding member left he clearly wanted to make more of a mark on this album vocally. There is a heaviness throughout which has not always been present previously - but Siirala still dominates overall with her operatic tones.

One of the album's singles, Forged by Fire, kicks things off and the band's core sound immediately fills the speakers. There is no scene-setting intro track, but Forged by Fire does open relatively slowly - with the orchestrations setting the tone early on, before the crunchy guitars kick in and Nijenhuis lays down a double bass drum groove. The piece initially speeds up, exhibiting the band's more extreme metal influences briefly, but once Siirala starts to sing a more mid-paced chug is settled on. The guitars are pretty heavy, though, and the dense orchestrations are quite far removed from the dancing melodies often associated with symphonic metal. There is a lushness to the production, though, and Siirala sounds as good as ever - although Krull actually handles half of the verses, his bark cutting through the mix before Siirala takes back over for the ethereal chorus. The chorus is backed by fast drumming, though, and the gothic overtones are unmistakable - especially thanks to some choral vocal additions. The song is perhaps not as anthemic as Leaves' Eyes have often been in more recent years and it feels like a bit more of a throwback to the band's early days. Siirala certainly sounds more operatic than she sometimes does - and the plentiful harsh vocals hark back to that big era of gothic metal which hit big around the time Leaves' Eyes first started out. Those wanting something a bit more anthemic, though, should find plenty of enjoy in Realm of Dark Waves - another single. The band's folk influences are on display here, particularly early on thanks to some folk instruments making an appearance during the song's intro, but once Siirala starts to sing things take on a more typical mid-paced feel. The guitars are less crunchy here, with the bass taking on more of a role during the verses, whilst Siirala sings in a less classically-inspired manner - whilst some choral vocals add hooky harmonies. The song does build towards its chorus, though, which feels much bigger overall - with a strong orchestral backing, drum groove, and vocal melodies which are easy on the ear. The band's gothic overtones are still present, though, and the melodies are not too sugary - but the track is certainly more accessible than the opening number. Krull's harsh vocals are entirely absent here and there is also a lengthy guitar solo towards the end - which is extremely melodic. Who Wants to Live Forever opens with some gentle piano melodies, which really recall the booming symphonic metal scene of the 2000s - and the song feels brighter than is typical for Leaves' Eyes, with the odd hint of early Nightwish and the less technical side of Epica on display thanks to a more bombastic overall sound. Siirala always feels more operatic than Kristine ever did, so Leaves' Eyes have occasionally flirted with such a sound since she came on board. The piano accents during the verses and the pumping bass certainly hark back to early Nightwish - but the guitars, when they crash in, feel heavier to root the song in the band's more extreme influences. The chorus is hooky, though, and it is one of a number of very singable earworm moments on the album. This is boosted by the busier orchestral arrangements and there is a fair amount going on here despite the focus on hooks.

Hammer of the Gods returns to a darker sound, opening with some dense orchestrations before a juddering drum pattern kicks in - alongside a death metal-esque riff which later forms the basis of the song's chorus. Krull's growls open things up, but the verse proper slows things down somewhat - leaning on that gothic sound again with Siirala initially singing against a sparse atmospheric backing. The song develops as it moves along, though, with Krull and Siirala duetting as things get heavier. There are plenty of harsh vocals here following two songs without them - with the chorus being something of a shout-along moment thanks to Krull's simple growled hooks, which are doubled nicely by Siirala. A later bridge section returns to the simplicity of the early verses, with ethereal vocals, whilst a screaming guitar solo later injects some additional interest. In Eternity treads something of a different path to what has come before - both on this album and previously in the band's catalogue. It is a rather low key piece, with prominent bass playing and a ballad-esque tone - but the main difference is how Siirala sings the song. She sounds more typical during the chorus, which is a bit more rocked up with heavy guitars, but the rest of the song is sung in a much lower register than is typical for her - giving the song a strange, folky vibe. At first I thought that maybe the band had used a guest vocalist for parts of the song, but that does not seem to be the case - with Siirala pushing herself vocally instead. I did not really like the song that much at first, but it has grown on me somewhat over repeated listens. The wordless vocal hooks which resurface often throughout are memorable and it is nice hearing the band trying something new on an album which is otherwise pretty tried and tested sound-wise. Fear the Serpent is certainly much more typical, then, but it is not a return to a more bombastic sound - with a gothic approach again featured. There are shades of the album's opening cut here, albeit with less of a toughness, and the folk instruments of Realm of Dark Waves are also used throughout to add depth. There are a few other deeper vocal moments from Siirala here, too, but in general she sounds more her usual self - particularly during the chorus which is packed with a mid-paced groove and choral vocals. It is perhaps not the album's most interesting piece musically, but there is a pretty enjoyable guitar riff which takes over to kick off a more diverse bridge section which features harsh vocals and a guitar solo. Goddess of the Night is one of my favourite cuts here and it was one of the songs which really stood out to me when I first listened to the album. It opens with some folky melodies and a more floaty atmosphere - before acoustic guitars take over and Siirala sings in a gentle manner against them whilst the folky tone continues. The fiddle adds aching melodies as Siirala's vocal lines sit somewhere between emotional and playful - with an early rendition of the chorus having a smouldering power, before the drums come in and the song starts to slowly build. Later chorus renditions are heavier thanks to the rest of the band joining in and I really like how Siirala sounds here - with her operatic tones really bring the chorus to life. This is a song which again reminds me of the band's early albums. They have not done too many songs like this since Siirala came on board - and it is great to hear a folky, yet heavy, ballad from the band again. The closing chorus, with its guitar solo backing, is one of the album's best moments in my opinion.

Those missing the heavier side of the band and Krull's presence will certainly enjoy Sons of Triglav - an anthemic, mid-paced track which is very typical of the band's more recent albums. There are a lot of harsh vocals here and it is the song here which features Krull the most prominently I would say. Siirala still contributes, with a pre-chorus and half of the chorus belonging to her - but Krull dominates elsewhere, from the death metal-infused verses to the chant-along main chorus hook. The guitar playing is also a bit more involved here. The riffing is not just there to provide a crunch, with a few knotty guitar moments and burning leads adding plenty of depth. Given how fun songs of this ilk often are, I am surprised that Leaves' Eyes have not done more of them. Krull and Siirala work well together, as the chorus here shows, and the band have always done this sort of fist-pumping anthem well as a contrast to their more gothic core sound. Elder Spirit reins in the heaviness and crunchiness of the previous song, with a slow-burning vocal-led intro which soon gives way to a mid-paced folky instrumental section and a sparse verse with percussive drumming and some interesting clean guitar melodies. There are still plenty of metal guitars here but the song just feels a lot less in-your-face than the previous one - even if later verses actually feature Krull's vocals. His harsh vocals here feel less gruff than usual, though, and he has adapted his delivery to suit the song's overall vibe. The main chorus is memorable, though, even if the pace during it does feel a bit on the slow side. A little more urgency may have helped, but I like the song's vocal approach which is a bit different for the band and there is another good guitar solo included, too. Einherjar ups the pace and, following a relatively jaunty folk-based intro, is a pretty guitar-driven piece which actually injects a bit of a power metal feel into the band's sound in my opinion. The change of tack is not huge, but Siirala's vocals during the verses feel a bit more hard-driving than usual - whilst the punch from Krull's harsh vocals, some folky melodies, and guitar leads mix well with the band's usual crunch. The arrangement feels pretty snappy, then, and I really like how the song progresses. Siirala sounds great throughout and I like how Krull has been utilised in a manner which is different to usual - as he is not just adding a heaviness but instead he really gives the song a kick with his barks. There is quite a bit going on guitar-wise, too, with some great melodies and subtle riffs adding to that more up-tempo feel. A later bridge feels more typically heavy, but the following guitar solo is full of flair. The album then comes to a close with Sail with the Dead, which opens with some Epica-esque choirs - but once the guitars kick in the overall tone is very much Leaves' Eyes' core sound, with Krull unleashing a big growl early on. The bass-led verses feel appropriately dark and they get heavier as the song moves along - with faster riffing kicking in just as Krull takes over. The latter parts of the verse are sung as a duet, which keeps the darkness suitably upfront, but the chorus is more overly symphonic metal with a busier orchestral arrangement and some more operatic vocals from Siirala. It is not the hookiest of choruses here but it does feed into the song's overall atmosphere nicely. Whilst a more bombastic song might have worked better as an album closer, it is perhaps fitting that the band went for something darker here. Leaves' Eyes have generally been characterised by a more atmospheric sound than many of their peers and this song certainly taps into that core approach. It ends the album nicely, then, without too much bombast. Despite this album sticking closer to the band's core template than perhaps The Last Viking did, there is still some variety here - and the songwriting throughout generally feels tight and memorable. I did think that the band might struggle without Bauer, but Richter seems to have fully embraced the Leaves' Eyes sound in his songwriting and Siirala does more with her voice here than she has done previously. The album is another strong effort in my opinion and there is a lot to like for fans of all things gothic.

The album was released on 22nd March 2024 via AFM Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Forged by Fire.

DragonForce's 'Warp Speed Warriors' - Album Review

Following the band releasing new albums every two or three years between 2012's The Power Within and 2019's Extreme Power Metal (which I reviewed here), the British-based power metal act DragonForce have been relatively quiet of late - at least on the new material front. A new DragonForce album has often been on the horizon, but playing touring catch-up following the pandemic-enforced disruption and navigating a couple of pretty major line-up changes in a short space of time likely made the band sit back and take stock somewhat. The Extreme Power Metal touring cycle was heavily affected by the pandemic, so this likely set the cycle for the next album back - but I also think that the band had to consider operatations going forward without long-time bassist Frédéric Leclercq - who contributed to Extreme Power Metal but left the band to join Kreator before its release. Despite not being a founding member of the band, having made his debut in the studio on 2008's Ultra Beatdown, he had increasingly become the band's main songwriter - with both 2014's Maximum Overload (which I reviewed here) and 2017's Reaching into Infinity (which I reviewed here) being dominated by his compositions. I really liked Leclercq's songwriting and it meant that DragonForce's sound had slowly diversified over the years. The more recent albums generally felt more dynamic and sophisticated than the high-octane speed-fests of the past - but I am not sure that power metal was ever truly where Leclercq's heart was, and his departure left founding guitarist Sam Totman, who has been the band's principal songwriter throughout their career, to really pick up the reins once again. Extreme Power Metal was very much a Totman album, then, despite a handful of Leclercq-penned pieces, so it is not a surprise that is had a more old-school sound. It was also the first album without long-time keyboard player Vadim Pruzhanov, so the Extreme Power Metal tour saw a very different looking DragonForce treading the boards. Losing two long-time members in quick succession likely rocked the band and this is likely partly why new material has been lacking of late - but fans of the band cheered last month when their ninth album Warp Speed Warriors dropped. It is the band's second album as five-piece; as Pruzhanov has not been replaced, with Coen Janssen (Epica; Amahiru) playing all of the album's keyboards on a session basis again; and their first with bassist Alicia Vigil who has been playing live with the band since 2020. It is also the album that sees Totman really step up as the lead songwriting force again - as he has written every song here with the exception of the closing cover. I am not sure why none of the rest of the rest of the band chipped in, but frontman Marc Hudson has only periodically contributed as a writer and guitarist Herman Li, once a prolific writer, has not had a songwriting credit on a main album since The Power Within. This is very much the Totman show, then, so it harks back to the band's first few albums more than any other of their more recent releases. It also, worrying, starts to stray close 'meme'-esque territory - for want of a better term. Despite their antics live and over-the-top albums, DragonForce have never really gone for all-out silliness in the vein of a band like Alestorm - which they should be commended for. Warp Speed Warriors, though, does flirt with that vibe at times - and this is a path that I really hope that they do not fully embrace going forward.

That being said, though, there is still plenty to enjoy here. It is an album that really kicks in hard from the off, with the opening cut Astro Warrior Anthem being a real throwback to the band's early days. It opens atmospherically, though, with some synths and Hudson's opening vocal lines - but this slower intro is short-lived, as some dual guitar leads kick in and drummer Gee Anzalone speeds off. Not everything on this album is fast-paced, but there seems to be a big focus again on speed here. Despite the slower intro, this is a song which really roars out of the blocks and returns to the core sound with which DragonForce made their name. Hudson's machine gun vocal lines during the verses are accented nicely by shredded guitar leads, whilst the chorus is much more explosive overall - with a bigger keyboard presence and a bit more of an anthemic vocal approach despite the speed generally being maintained. DragonForce have always done faster tracks, even on their more recent albums, but I am not sure that any of them have been as blatantly a throwback as this one. It could have easily sat on 2004's Sonic Firestorm without sticking out and it is a longer-form piece, too, as many of the band's older tracks were. The arrangement is dynamic, though, with a few slower bridge moments changing up the pace - but once the main guitar solo section takes over the fast pace is maintained, with Totman and Li trading lengthy and shredded solos back and forth. DragonForce's guitar solo trade-offs are their USP and it is great to see that their melodic soloing approach is as strong as ever. As such, the song is one of the album's overall highlights and it is fun hearing the band operate in this manner again. Power of the Triforce is more of a mid-paced piece, although there is still plenty of energy throughout, and more akin to the band's recent albums in sound. It feels more overtly anthemic overall and made for being played live. It kicks off with part of the song's chorus, but the verses are much more stripped back sound-wise, leaving Vigil's bass and the keyboards to back Hudson's more heroic vocal performance. There is less of a focus on big guitar moments here, despite the occasional lead, and the track is crunchier overall - focusing more on Hudson's vocal hooks. The slower pace allows the vocal melodies to shine and the chorus is a hooky moment as a result. It is certainly an easy song to latch onto and it follows the vein of the band's other more recent singles. It is much shorter than the album's opening cut and it shows the restraint that the band have shown in more recent years to allow for hookier pieces. There is still plenty of high-octane guitar playing during a busy solo section, but elsewhere the arrangement is tighter and crunchier - with Hudson really shining during the aforementioned big chorus. Kingdom of Steel is a bit different again and goes for a sound which I am not sure that DragonForce have really attempted before. It opens slowly, with some dancing synths and percussive drumming - over which Hudson starts to sing in a more emotional and slower manner. It has the feel of a ballad throughout, but it is a not a typical DragonForce ballad as it feels more anthemic overall. Anzalone's drumming is punchy and his atypical playing gives the song a different feel, whilst the focus on cinematic keyboards really broadens its scope. It is the sort of song that I keep thinking is going to explode into something more intense, but it never does - and I quite like the fact that the band tried something different here. I am not sure that the song really grabs me in the way intended, but given that the band have often, and wrongly, been accused of sticking to one sound I like this slower-burn approach in principle. Hudson sounds great here, with his voice given more room to breathe, and the slower, more emotional guitar solo section is a bit different for the band.

Burning Heart gets back to something more typical, with the fast pace of the opening song retained - as Anzalone lays into his double bass drums from the off. There is no slow build up here, with the song exploding from the off, and it is again a hark back to the band's early days. There are plenty of blast beat-led sections to inject those moments of extreme metal influence which DragonForce often made use of, whilst there is also a big focus on guitar shredding here. Janssen's keyboards also take on a big role, with the slower pre-choruses popping thanks to his 1980s AOR-esque synths, but generally this is a fast-burning piece with a huge amount of crunchy riffing and guitar-led interludes. There are plenty of shredded parts between Hudson's vocal lines, although the chorus is generally left alone to allow his vocal melodies to really shine, and there is also another lengthy guitar solo section. This actually sees the band slow down a little, though, with a keyboard melody backing the solo section - and Vigil actually opens it with a melodic bass solo, before Totman and Li take over. The solo section does speed up as it moves along and the back-and-forth between the two players is as impressive as ever. Given how prominent the keyboards are throughout the song, though, it would have been nice to let Janssen let rip with a full-blown synth solo - but his contributions here are never-the-less important. For me, though, the album takes a dip with Space Marine Corp. I mentioned earlier that the band have flirted with meme-esque moments here and this is the song which largely does this. It is a mid-paced song overall, and parts of it feel like modern DragonForce, but there are guest spoken/chanted vocals here from Francis Ausley (Rattlehead; Giant Deathsnake) which are extremely cringeworthy. There is also a huge focus on rather on-the-nose gang vocals throughout - and Hudson also sings parts of the song in a rather strange way. The anthemic chorus is not too bad, but overall the song gives me the wrong sort of vibes. I have always admired DragonForce's ability to stay the right side of the silliness line. It would have been easy for them to stray into this territory earlier, but they have generally resisted doing so. From reading reviews online, this song does seem to have rubbed quite a few up the wrong way - so I am hoping that this experiment will not become a big feature of the band's sound going forward and it is easily one of my least favourite DragonForce songs to date. Following the brief atmospheric instrumental piece Prelude to Darkness, the band gets back on track with The Killer Queen - another fast-paced track which ups the heaviness overall. The opening riff is pretty thrashy, and there is a darkness to the song's opening moments, but when Janssen's synths kick in the track is typical DragonForce. There are lots of strong keyboard counter-melodies here, but the riffing throughout from Totman and Li is perhaps a little busier than usual - whilst the usual shredded guitar leads appear at regular intervals. This is another song which strips things back somewhat during the verses, though, with Vigil's bass really leading the way - whilst the band slowly grow around Hudson's vocals as the chorus is approached. Guitar and synth melodies fly around during the fast-paced chorus - and I do not mind the gang vocals as used here to toughen up parts of the chorus. The guitar solo section later really sees all of the leads earlier put to good use - but I actually think that the keyboard melodies throughout the song are more effective than many of the guitar leads. The solos are as good as ever, though, and the song is another strong cut on the album.

Doomsday Party changes the vibe again and it is another quite divisive track it seems. Unlike Space Marine Corp, though, I do actually quite like Doomsday Party. It is a bit different for DragonForce, but it does feel like a natural evolution of some of the mid-paced tracks on the band's recent albums - and it does not really stray into overt silliness. It is very synth-heavy, and certainly takes influence from bands like Amaranthe and Beast in Black (limited editions of the album come with a version of the song featuring Amaranthe's Elize Ryd on guest vocals), but the hooks are very DragonForce in nature - and the song overall does not feel out of character. The 1980s drum sounds are a bit on-the-nose, but everything feels suitably tongue-in-cheek for me - and the hooks are so big that it is hard not to get dragged along. The chorus is one of the album's most overt hooks for me and I can really see the track going over well live. It is the sort of the song made for the stage - and the funky bass playing of Vigil and the dancefloor synths of Janssen really make the song tick. There is still plenty of guitar crunch, though, and the trademark DragonForce guitar solos are present and correct - even if they feel more constructed and less shred-happy here. A short piano-led bridge section later provides a change of pace - but overall this is an upbeat party anthem which I sure will win people around eventually. The last original piece here, co-written by Janssen, is Pixel Prison - another speed-fest which is also big throwback to the band's early days. Blast beats and the opening guitar shredding set the tone early on, and the song is generally a high-octane piece - even if parts of the verses do slow things down a little with a piano backing. This just allows for a bit more of a dynamic arrangement, though, and generally the song really speeds off into the distance. What really grabs me about this track, though, is its chorus. The chorus melodies are very reminiscent of the band's past. The melodies are not a direct lift from any one particular song but they are very much of a type which the band used to make use of all the time. It has a very anthemic feel and it is another song that I can feel would go over very well live as a result. Elsewhere, Janssen does have a couple of standout keyboard moments, but again it would have been nice if he had a chance to really let rip with a big synth solo. The guitar solos are as good as ever, but given that Janssen has helped the band out for two albums in a row now, and co-wrote the song with Totman, a big synth solo would have been welcome. The song is another strong one, though, and it ends the album's original material on a high. There is one track left, though, and in DragonForce's semi-regular tradition of covering out-of-character songs they have tackled Taylor Swift's 2015 single Wildest Dreams. Despite how big Swift is, I am not familiar with the song, so I cannot compare DragonForce's version to the original - but the short, explosive song works well as an album closer. DragonForce have turned what is likely a country/pop track into a short burst of power metal - and it very much feels like it could have been a DragonForce song. The chorus is pretty hooky and the inclusion of lots of shredded guitar melodies behind Hudson's vocals throughout helps the song to feel at home on the album. I am generally not a fan of silly covers, and in truth I could do without some of the ones the band have done before, but I do not mind this one so much - it is short and it ends the album with a burst of speed. Despite a few quibbles throughout, I generally think that Warp Speed Warriors is another strong album from the band. It definitely lacks the more varied songwriting of Leclercq but I also like the many harks back to the band's early albums - and I do not think that many will be too upset with this focus on speed again. The sillier moments do grate, though, and I do hope that the band are not pushed down this route going forward. The world does not need more bands like Alestorm or Nanowar of Steel - and DragonForce should always aim to stay the right side of the line.

The album was released on 15th March 2024 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Power of the Triforce.

The Black Crowes' 'Happiness Bastards' - Album Review

When the Robinson brothers announced back in 2019 that The Black Crowes would reunite to celebrate the 30th anniversary of 1990's Shake Your Money Maker, I hoped that, at some point, I would be writing about new music from the veteran and well loved southern/blues/jam rock group. Frontman Chris Robinson and guitarist Rich Robinson, the only two musicians who have been in the band since its 1984 genesis, have not always seen eye to eye, though, with the band being on hiatus between 2002 and 2005 and again between 2015 and 2019. Lots of musicians have come and gone through the band's ranks over the years and the brothers captaining the ship have had the odd spat over the years - something which seems inevitable when it comes to siblings working together! Despite the band's latest reunion being disrupted by the pandemic, though, since being able to tour again The Black Crowes have been busy. With essentially a whole new line-up behind them, with the exception of long-time bassist Sven Pipien who came back on board in 2021, The Black Crowes of 2024 is different to the various incarnations of the past. It does seem that the Robinson brothers have put their various differences to one side, too, and there seems to be a lot of focus again on making the band a success. Of course, though, The Black Crowes have been successful for years. Whilst they are not exactly world-beaters, they are one of those bands who stealthily became really rather big - which is surprising given the band's love of an earthy jam and an arrangement which is not always obvious. In my opinion, though, this is no bad thing. Bands that push the envelope are always welcome and more interesting by default - and I really like The Black Crowes' take on rootsy rock, building on what The Allman Brothers Band and the Grateful Dead did but with a more Rolling Stones/Faces-esque strut. I am not always in the mood for the band's complex and loose sound, but sometimes nothing else will do - and the band's handful of live albums are always fun to delve into. Prior to last month, though, it had been 15 years since the band released any new material. In fairness, 2009's Before the Frost...Until the Freeze was a double album - but the fans were crying out for something new. Last month, though, the band delivered - and Happiness Bastards was released. It is the band's ninth album of original material, their first since Before the Frost...Until the Freeze - not counting 2010's Croweology, a largely acoustic-based collection of reworked songs. I think it is fair to say that the band's recent focus live focus on Shake Your Money Maker, which is easily the band's most hard rocking and accessible album, has influenced Happiness Bastards. It is the band's shortest album to date, at just under 38 minutes, and the arrangements are very tight throughout. The band do not always focus on hooks, but that seems to have been the case here. I really like the approach taken on this album, but some may miss the jammier aspect of the band's sound - although I am sure that live some of these songs will take on new heights. With the Robinson brothers and Pipien seemingly the official core of the band currently, the three are joined here by guitarist Nico Bereciartua, keyboardist Erik Deutsch, and drummer Brian Griffiths - all of whom are currently touring, or have previous toured, with the band.

There are a few mellower moments here, but overall Happiness Bastards is a pretty up-tempo and hard rocking album. The kick-off track Bedside Manners is a good example of such and it opens with a propelling drum groove, barroom piano melodies, and some trashy slide guitar licks. The overall production style utilised throughout the album is perhaps a bit smoother than is typical for the band - but there is enough of a rawness to allow the band's character to shine. Chris' voice is as raspy and full of grit as ever - and he really belts out the track during the fast-paced chorus. The guitars are pretty rustic behind him, but the busy piano from Deutsch adds some additional melodies - whilst Hammond organ is utilised during the chorus for plenty of extra depth. Vicki Hampton and Joanna Cotton sing backing vocals throughout the whole album, and their soulful additions really boost this track - with the choruses sounding big and memorable thanks to the combination of the backing vocals and the rumbling organ. A brief instrumental section sees a few more organ stabs really taking hold, but there is not a lot of cutting loose here - save for the closing moments which sees more slide guitar take over. Rats and Clowns initially seems like it is going to be more of a mid-paced piece, as it opens with a pretty deliberate guitar riff, but when Chris starts to sing the song speeds up. There is a punkish abandon throughout the track - with plenty of pent-up Rolling Stones-esque energy being let out. There is less looseness here and the track feels pretty tight overall - with Pipien's bass holding everything together nicely whilst the two guitarists lock in for a repetitive groove. The keyboards generally just add extra depth here, and do not really stand out, but a hooky chorus which could have sat on a Quireboys album showcases Chris' love of the occasional big hook - whilst the ladies again harmonise with him. A bluesy guitar solo takes the track to new heights later on; with the fairly lengthy and fluid solo being the album's first real instrumental focal point. Cross Your Fingers is the first somewhat slower piece here and it opens with a delicate, finger-picked acoustic guitar melody which is soon added to with some subtle slide swells. Chris sings over this slow-burning intro, and it seems as if the track is going to be a ballad, but this soon changes when the rest of the band crash in - and the track morphs into a mid-paced, groovy hard rocker with a Led Zeppelin-esque swagger. The riffing here channels Jimmy Page at this bluesiest, whilst the constant slide accents add a touch of class which would otherwise be absent. The verses are very much in that Led Zeppelin mode, then, but the chorus takes a different approach - with a lesser arrangement, ringing organ chords, and a machine gun-esque vocal approach. The chorus really shakes the piece up, then, but the core groove is always returned to - giving the song a real purpose and a grandness throughout.

Lead single Wanting and Waiting follows. It was the first taste we received of the album a few months ago and it is a good representation of its core sound. It works well as a single thanks to its catchy melodic approach as well as some key clap-along moments which are sure to go down well live. Again The Quireboys are a bit of a reference point and this is a track which certainly harks back to the early days of both bands - when Shake Your Money Maker and A Bit of What You Fancy were two of the hottest debuts on the block. The riffing here is snappy but mixed with a bluesy tinge, whilst the ever-present Hammond organ from Deutsch really elevates the song. The keyboard playing throughout this album is great but I really like the organ additions to this track. It just fills all of the gaps left by the bluesy riffing - whilst the pulsing bass also does its bit to keep the song feeling kinetic. The chorus is a real earworm, too, and I can see the song becoming a big live favourite as a result - with the ladies adding some great gospel-esque wordless hooks to really fatten up the arrangement. Wilted Rose is the album's first proper slower moment and it features guest vocals from country singer Lainey Wilson. The track is acoustic-based, with some busy, bluesy acoustic melodies opening things up, but the fat bass from Pipien ensures that there is a bit of a groove throughout. The drums are rather percussive early on, but come in properly as the song moves on - and Wilson also adds her voice to the mix, harmonising well with Chris. The song certainly feels like a ballad but the overall rawness of the production, the occasional organ, and the busy guitar playing does give the track a bit of an unusual edge. It does get heavier as it moves along, too, with the band building towards a chaotic slide solo in another Led Zeppelin-esque moment - which also features some pretty big wordless vocal moments from Wilson. It is a ballad with a difference, then, and one that gets better with repeated listens. Dirty Cold Sun returns to the album's core, harder rocking sound - and opens with a juddering main riff which soon explodes with a true hard rock groove and plenty more Hammond. The song's arrangement is drenched in different layers early on, but the verses generally feel a bit more stripped back. Pipien's sparse bass playing creates an interesting groove, which the guitars weave in and out of, but the chorus returns to the fatter sound of earlier - with plenty of big backing vocals and the roar of the organ. This is a track which really brings the best out of producer Jay Joyce in my opinion. If not dealt with properly, parts of this song could well have sounded quite muddy - but the mix and overall sound showcases all of the layers nicely whilst maintaining an appropriate level of rawness. The song's chorus really pops as a result and the occasional lead guitar moment also cuts through the mix with just the right amount of venom. Bleed It Dry is much rawer overall, but there is still plenty of a rock strut here. This sounds like a real throwback to the 1960s - and there is plenty of influence from The Rolling Stones to be found in the bluesy track. Chris plays the harmonica here to add additional depth, whilst his drawling vocals sit nicely over Griffin's booming drums and the gnarly slide guitar explosions. The percussive bassline and the barroom piano which is mixed into the background also hark back to that era - and the band have perfectly captured that feel here without feeling overly kitsch. It is a short song so it has the desired effect without dominating the album - and the harmonica bursts are a welcome addition.

Flesh Wound is another relatively up-tempo rocker, but the overall vibe of the piece is a bit different. There is a folky edge to the track, with bands like The Pogues brought to mind during some of the more overly melodic sections. The guitar melodies used throughout are very traditional-sounding in that respect and lack the typical bluesy approach of the band. They work well, though, and Chris sounds great during the folk/punk energy of the song's verses - before the chorus hits harder with plenty more excellent slide guitar playing and some shout-along vocals from Chris and the ladies. The punky vibes are certainly present during the chorus, but it also just feels like old-school blues rock thanks to the slide, and the vibe then changes again with a piano-led section which briefly slows the pace and returns to something folky - before one last chorus explodes out of the speakers. Follow the Moon is a bit more typical and it is a mid-paced rocker with a memorable opening guitar riff which is soon joined by a walking bassline and some piano accents to add depth. Following the strange and varied approach of the previous song, this track finds the band on more familiar ground. The main riff here could have easily sat on any of the band's previous albums and there is also plenty more slide on display here - particularly as the verses progress. This is one of those songs which slowly builds towards each chorus - with each verse starting out with just the main riff before piano, backing vocals, and eventually the slide really swell the arrangement. The chorus is very much a mix of all of these sounds, with lots of soulful vocal harmonies, whilst a later guitar solo is packed full of character despite its relatively short length. It is a good reminder of the band's core sound following the more dynamic previous piece and it also showcases why the band have often been considered one of the best in their field. The album then comes to a close with Kindred Friend, an acoustic-based ballad with some more harmonica and a lilting arrangement. Chris' voice here is much smoother and emotional than is typical, whilst the piano melodies nicely cut through the acoustic guitar base to contrast well with the vocals. Given the overall toughness of this album, the closing ballad is a reflective change of pace. The band have done plenty of slower songs in the past and this one is pretty typical of their approach - but as it is the only genuinely slow piece here it does stand out. Wilted Rose ends up rocking out, but this one does not - although the scale of the sound does increase thanks to a mix of swirling keyboards, some Pink Floyd-esque vocal arrangements, and choice slide guitar melodies. It is the most atmospheric the album gets so it closes things out nicely - and it is always good when an album ends with some warmth. There is a lot to like about this album and I have grown to essentially like every song over repeated listens. Despite a couple of more varied songs it definitely sticks to the band's early bluesy hard rock template pretty firmly - which may disappoint those who wanted them to stretch out a bit more here. I like the album's concise nature, though, and it is just good to have The Black Crowes back - with Happiness Bastards hopefully the start of a new chapter.

The album was released on 15th March 2024 via Silver Arrow Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Wanting and Waiting.

Blind Guardian - London Review

As much I love live music, I do have to concede that being away for four weekends in a row is not as easy as it used to be. I will continue to get to as many gigs as my budget allows, but I may need to start being even cleverer about how my trips away are structured - and I am quite looking forward to a couple of much-needed quieter weekends coming up! That being said, though, it was great to be back in London this weekend - particularly as it meant that I got to see the German power metal legends Blind Guardian live again for the first time since 2016. I saw the band in both 2015 and 2016, in what seemed to be a particularly busy period for a band known for downtime and lengthy gaps between albums, but save for the 2017 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air which I did not attend the band had not returned to the UK since. Given that there was no new album to tour in that time the lack of shows was not a surprise, but it was somewhat surprising how long it took the band to return following the release of 2022's The God Machine (which I reviewed here). In fairness, I think that the band's touring had been disrupted by the pandemic - meaning that shows around the time of the album's release and after were already dedicated to the 30th anniversary of 1992's Somewhere Far Beyond. This meant that the shows specifically for The God Machine got pushed back to allow for the Somewhere Far Beyond anniversary cycle to be finished off - so when a handful of UK shows were announced last year I picked up a ticket immediately. Whilst Blind Guardian are not one of my very favourite bands, they are a band that I have liked a lot for a long time. They are also one of the few power metal bands that are capable of playing more than one UK show on any given tour - and are also capable of filling a venue larger than The Underworld in Camden. Both of the previous Blind Guardian shows I had been to had taken place at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town - and this was where the band returned to this time. Both of the previous shows had been busy, too, and this one was no exception. I do not know if the show was sold out or not, but the venue was certainly packed - and when I turned up around half an hour before the advertised door times the queue was already snaking around the local area. I arrived at the venue following a fairly busy day travelling up from Plymouth and taking in some walks around central London - something which I do not often do. I tend to stick to less busy (and less expensive) areas, but there were a couple of places I wanted to visit - so I had a wander around Oxford Street and the surrounding area before heading up to Finchley to check into my hotel, have a bit of a rest, and then head back down to Kentish Town. The O2 Forum is a long-standing venue and it is one that I have grown to like quite a bit. I remember feeling somewhat ill there during the first of the two Blind Guardian shows previously mentioned, which coloured my view of the place for a while, but I have been there often enough over the years to make me a fan of it.

There was only one support act to warm up the large crowd, but I think that it is fair to say that the German five-piece The Night Eternal did their job well. Sound-wise, they had little in common with Blind Guardian - but the spooky vibe of the relatively traditional heavy metal act helped them to stand out and they did not immediately remind me of anyone else. In an attempt to describe their sound, though, they reminded me a little of the creepier end of the NWOBHM, with bands like Satan and Angel Witch coming to mind, mixed with some of the heavier end of bands like Fields of the Nephilim. There was certainly a strong gothic tinge to the band's music, and frontman Ricardo Baum's voice fitted that mould, but there was plenty of traditional heavy metal, too, and the mix generally worked well. The band did suffer somewhat from typical support band sound mixing in my opinion, which probably meant that some of the nuances of their music were lost, but they did seem to generate quite a decent reaction from the gathering crowd. There were a few around me who seemed to already be familiar with the band, but a few numbers in there was generally a warmth going the band's way from the crowd. This is probably, in part, due to the band's pretty original sound. I liked how they managed to have a creepy atmosphere without resorting to extreme metal trappings. There were a couple of brief moments where Baum did sing in a slightly harsher manner - but these were rare. The atmosphere instead came from a good mix of melodic guitar playing, retro tones, and Baum's off-kilter vocal performance. Not all of the band's songs hit home, but they seem like a band that would really come alive after living with their albums for a while. A few of the songs had pretty strong choruses, but overall they were more of a 'vibes' band - and I would like to give their two albums a go going forward. They seem quite hard to get, though, especially on CD. I had hoped to pick one up from the merch desk - but they were only selling vinyl. I will have to keep an eye out and try and pick up a CD in due course - as they seem like the sort of band that I could really get into given my enjoyment of the bands namechecked earlier in this paragraph.

It was only around 20 or so minutes later that Blind Guardian took to the stage. I had forgotten just how fanatical about the band that some of their fans are - so the next two hours were filled with great music and a rather intense crowd, some of whom I felt went a little over-the-top with their adoration and screaming. I am not sure how any of those doing so could actually hear the band, especially as the gig overall felt pretty quiet. I ended up taking my earplugs out after a couple of songs as I did not need them - and I wish that the band had been turned up a bit to drown out some of the strange, Beatle-esque reactions that were coming from portions of the crowd. It is always great to see people getting into a concert, but I do like to be able to hear the band over the fans! I did my best to block all this out, though, and settled into a 16-song set filled with some of the best power metal ever put to tape. The band's setlist pulled from throughout their career, with three songs from the latest album, but things kicked off with an old classic in the form of Imaginations from the Other Side. Given the song's status in the band's catalogue, it worked well as an opener. The chorus was the first of many which was sung back at the band loudly by the crowd - with frontman Hansi Kürsch sounding as gritty and powerful as ever. The sound levels did balance out somewhat, but I do wish everything had been a tad louder. I was right in front of André Olbrich (guitar/vocals), so his leads and solos rang clear, but I was missing some of the heft and riffing from Marcus Siepen (guitar/vocals). I was fairly close to the front, though, and sometimes being so close is not ideal sound-wise, but I still enjoyed the show - and it was great to be able to hear all of Olbrich's great melodic additions to the songs. Apart from the newer songs, the setlist largely stuck to live regulars. It was great to hear the thrashy Blood of the Elves from the latest album, though, and the energy levels were kept high early on thanks to Banish from Sanctuary being wheeled out for the 35th anniversary of 1989's Follow the Blind.

The set focused on the heavier end of the band's sound and given how much singing along was happening this seemed to be wise. Kürsch even acknowledged that they were going to focus on a more anthemic set due to the amount of crowd participation - and I think that, at times, the band were shocked by just how much love they were getting. There were slower moments, though. The acoustic guitars came out for the folky Skalds and Shadows and the later, ever-present, rendition of The Bards Song - In the Forest. These slower moments saw just as much singing as the faster, more anthemic parts of the set - and it seemed that whatever was chosen the crowd would lap up. A particular highlight for me was the more symphonic Secrets of the American Gods from the latest album. It is one of my favourite pieces from The God Machine and it allowed touring keyboard player Kenneth Berger a bit more of a chance to shine thanks to the song's dense arrangement. The newer songs still received huge reactions, though, as the heavier Violent Shadows later proved, but, of course, the classics really got the die-hards going - and the main set soon came to an end with the rollocking Lost in the Twilight Hall after everything else had essentially flown by. There was plenty more to come, though, and a five-song encore followed. It kicked off with the lengthy Sacred Words, with its symphonic heft and huge chorus, before the heaviness returned with the folky melodies of Time Stands Still (at the Iron Hill). The ever-present Valhalla then really whipped the crowd into raptures - and I think it was the endless singing of the song's chorus after it had ended which prompted the band to play an additional song. Looking at other setlists, Mirror Mirror has always closed the show, and drummer Frederik Ehmke had come to the front of the stage following it assuming the show was done, but Kürsch decided to play one more - and the crowd was treated to a bonus rendition of Majesty, which saw plenty more singing during the fast-paced chorus. It ended the night on a real high and the real die-hards around me likely thought they had died and gone to heaven. The setlist was:

Imaginations from the Other Side

Blood of the Elves

Nightfall

Banish from Sanctuary

The Script for My Requiem

Skalds and Shadows

This Will Never End

Secrets of the American Gods

The Bard's Song - In the Forest

Violent Shadows

Lost in the Twilight Hall

-

Sacred Worlds

Time Stands Still (at the Iron Hill)

Valhalla

Mirror Mirror

Majesty

Despite the rather intense crowd, I really enjoyed catching up with Blind Guardian after eight years. Each time I have seen the band they have delivered and they are considered one of the best power metal bands going for a reason. It was great to see them in a decent venue, too, as so many of their peers are reduced to the small clubs around London. Blind Guardian's grand music befits a larger room, though, and the fact that the O2 Forum was packed out is testament to the band's efforts. I imagine that it will be a while before they return to the UK again - but I will likely be in attendance again next time, too.

Whom Gods Destroy's 'Insanium' - Album Review

Supergroups are often viewed with suspicion, and with good reason, but every so often one delivers on the promise that its stellar line-up suggests - and the American progressive metal supergroup Sons of Apollo was one such band. I did not immediately pick up the band's 2017's Psychotic Symphony (although I did briefly talk about it here) but I did get around to it eventually - and found myself spinning it quite a lot. I saw the band live in 2018, too, and it was an impressive show - with some big names in rock and metal crammed onto a small club stage and letting rip in front of a dedicated crowd of prog lovers. 2020's MMXX (which I reviewed here) was a bit of a step down from the debut in my opinion, but I still enjoyed it a lot. With the pandemic hitting not long after the touring cycle for the album started, though, MMXX somewhat faded away. The band did eventually play a few post-pandemic shows in 2022 to complete a long-postponed South American tour - but it seemed that the band had somewhat run its course by then, with bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Mike Portnoy returning to their blues rock trio The Winery Dogs. The latter has recently, and famously, re-joined Dream Theater, too, and that essentially seemed to bring with it the official confirmation that Sons of Apollo were over - with a little bit of a war of words erupting in the press about the whole situation. Clearly looking to continue working together, though, guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal and keyboard player Derek Sherinian soon launched their new project: Whom Gods Destroy. I would imagine that the band had been in the works for longer than the time which has passed since Portnoy re-joined Dream Theater - but Whom Gods Destroy certainly feels like the sequel band to Sons of Apollo. That is how it is being marketed in any case, but I think that there are differences between the two groups. For me, Sons of Apollo were much more of a true prog metal band. It built on Sherinian and Portnoy's time working together in Dream Theater and the organic sound of 1997's Falling into Infinity - whilst adding some modern prog metal touches. It saw Portnoy returning to the genre with which he made his name, then, but Whom Gods Destroy is a much heavier beast. There are still progressive flourishes here, but overall the band's sound is much more metallic and concise overall. It is much riffier, with Sherinian's keyboards taking on a heavier and more growling approach, whilst the grittier vocals of frontman Dino Jelusick (Trans-Siberian Orchestra; Animal Drive; Dirty Shirley; Whitesnake) only add to that sense of toughness. Throw in Yas Nomura on bass guitar and Bruno Valverde (Angra) on drums and it is fair to call Whom Gods Destroy another supergroup - although I have to say I was not familiar with Nomura prior to hearing this album. The line-up here is perhaps not as star-studded as Sons of Apollo's was, but I think the success of the former band generated a lot of excitement for Insanium - Whom Gods Destroy's first album which dropped last month. Like many I was excited for the album, but I has taken me a while to get into it. I was not all that keen on it at first - but over repeated listens I have warmed to most of it, even if I wish that there was a bit more prog bombast here.

I would still still consider Insanium to be a prog metal album, though - it just goes about things in a different way. The musicianship here is still excellent but the playing just feels somewhat more reined in overall - which is perhaps not surprising given the absence of Sheehan and Portnoy. In the Name of War kicks things off and the track is a good representation of what is to come. It opens with some busy, minor key, piano melodies from Sherinian - which morph into a gritty synth lead when Thal's guitar kicks in and the song gets going proper. What always sets Sherinian apart from other prog keyboard players is his choice of tone. He rarely goes for bright and overly-synthy tones - with more organic textures prominent throughout. His keyboards often mix well with Thal's guitar riffing here - with the song's main riff feeling fat thanks to their link-up play and the verses have a nice depth thanks to some atmospheric chords. Thal's guitar is the album's driving force, though, and this is very much a metal album in that sense. There is less of his off-kilter approach here and his riffs are generally very in-your-face - as is the case here, although they do occasionally step back to allow for a keyboard hook to shine. Jelusick has proved himself as a strong vocalist over the years, particularly on Michael Romeo's War of the Worlds, Part 2 (which I reviewed here) in 2022. He utilises a similar vocal approach here, then, with a gruffer take which further sets this band apart from Sons of Apollo. I think sometimes the gruffness can be a bit overstated, though, and his verse delivery is a bit over-the-top. He tones it down a little during a later bridge section and I would have preferred more of this more melodic approach. That being said, though, he sounds strong throughout - and the song's chorus is pretty hooky despite the heaviness, although he does also somewhat tone it down a little here. Keyboard flourishes help the chorus to stand out, too, and there are lengthy guitar and keyboard solos later on - as if to remind the listener who is leading this band. Over Again showcases Sherinian's love of an organic keyboard texture with some Hammond organ early on - but again it is the mid-paced riffing of Thal which creates the song's early groove. The use of the Hammond is welcome, though, and it helps to add some old-school hard rock to the band's modern metal sound - although the chorus very much focuses on a more modern sound, with a Pantera-esque groove and a strange vocal from Jelusick. At times it sounds like he is going for more of a harsh vocal approach without really doing so - and I am not sure that these verses really work for me. Jelusick sounds strange and the overall approach feels bit rooted in the late 1990s/early 2000s. The chorus is more typical, though, and it opens up a bit more to allow for a more organic vocal approach - which is relatively hooky. For me, though, the best part of the song is the lengthy instrumental section which opens with a shredded guitar solo from Thal which gradually transitions into a full-blown keyboard extravaganza from Sherinian. The playing from the two of them here is some of the album's most explosive - it is just a shame that the rest of the song does not do a huge amount for me. I do not like the verse approach that much - and the chorus is decent whilst not exactly being stellar.

The Decision is a longer piece, so it naturally feels a bit more progressive. It opens up with a strong groove conjured up between the guitar, bass, and drums - over which Sherinian lays down some atmospheric and soundscape-esque melodic playing. After the full-blown heaviness of the previous songs, this track's more diverse approach is welcome. Songs like this are more what I expected from Whom Gods Destroy - and I wish that the album focused on this sound more. Nomura's bass playing gets some time in the spotlight here, particularly during the more stripped back verses. His popping groove is a simplified take on how the song opened, whilst Valverde's drumming is tight and Thal takes something of a step back to deliver some chiming guitar melodies. The track builds towards its chorus, too, which is heavier - but it still retains an atmospheric approach whilst also introducing some anthemic vocal harmonies and a larger overall arrangement. Jelusick sounds a lot more natural during this song, too. He still sounds gritty, but he sounds much less forced here. The melodies flow in a more natural way, then, and I much prefer him operating like this than trying to sound like Phil Anselmo. The length of the track also allows for some more soloing and there is a great showcase for Thal here - who reins in some of the shredding of the previous songs to go for something more structured and flowing, even if his playing does speed up as it progresses. In my opinion, songs like this showcase the band's songwriting and character far more than the overly tough sound of the previous track - and I hope, if this band is to continue, that we hear more like this. Crawl opens in a pretty chaotic manner, with some busy keyboards and percussive drumming - which soon morph into a pretty fast-paced, riff-led opening with double bass drumming and a heavy tone. Like the previous song, though, the arrangement here is a bit more dynamic - which is welcome. Once Jelusick starts to sing, the verse feels a bit more atmospheric - with a busy drum groove leading the charge whilst Sherinian's atmospheric keyboards add depth. The verses grow in stature, though, and I like how the song generally retains its heaviness despite these more atmospheric diversions. The heaviness here feels more natural, too. The riffing is more rooted in prog metal, especially given Sherinian's keyboard melodies which flit in and out of the piece, and Jelusick also remains in a more natural vocal range. The use of atmosphere throughout really helps the song to sound big, too. I do not feel it is as expansive as the previous cut, but there is still a welcome diversity here - with Thal and Sherinian often adding dual melodies to spice things up.

Find My Way Back slows things down further and acts as the album's ballad. There is still a toughness to the track overall, but it is easily the gentlest of the album's nine songs - and it allows Jelusick to showcase a much smoother and more emotional vocal approach. Despite my dislike of his overly tough performances earlier in the album, I generally think he is a great singer - and songs like this show why David Coverdale brought him into Whitesnake to help out vocally. In fact there are shades of big ballads by bands like Whitesnake throughout this song - although the riffing and drum punch is generally tougher. Sherinian's keyboards add plenty of atmospheric depth, though, and the chorus is a bit of a hark back to the 1980s overall in structure and melodic construction. I could imagine Coverdale himself singing it if the 'metal' was toned down about 20% - and the slower piece is a good mid-album pause for breath which allows the band to show a more emotional side and Thal to deliver some bluesy soloing. Crucifier returns to the band's core, heavier sound - and comes roaring out of the gate with some double bass drum grooves and busy keyboard melodies which morph into massive Hammond chords. After the ballad and a couple of more dynamic pieces the relentless heaviness here is actually welcome - and it is also pleasing that there is relatively little of the forced heaviness found elsewhere. There are occasional vocal lines which have that Anselmo feel, but overall the track is hooky and groovy - benefitting from a tighter arrangement and shorter length. The verses can feel a little over-the-top at times, with some overly-gruff vocals, but the chorus is one of the album's best - with a snappy riff from Thal playing nicely off Jelusick's strong vocal hooks. There is not much prog to be found here but the song is a powerful, driving metal anthem which harks back to the 1980s just enough to give it a soaring quality. The soloing is more explosive and concise here, too, with everything seemingly hanging off the chorus - which impresses with each rendition. Keeper of the Gate goes for more of a mid-paced, groovy approach - with an opening guitar riff that flirts a little with Eastern melodies. The band have not morphed into Myrath here, but there is something Phrygian about its tone which helps the song to set itself apart from the others here. This is one of the tracks that stood out to me from the off and it has remained a favourite - likely due to the hookiness of the opening riff, which forms the basis of the song's verses, and the more melodic approach taken overall. There is none of that forced heaviness here, with Jelusick sounding more natural and powerful throughout, whilst the interesting mix of guitar riffing and off-kilter Hammond organ playing gives the song something of a modern Deep Purple feel - albeit much more metallic. Again, this is more what I expected from Whom Gods Destroy. I do like most of this album, but some of the forced heaviness throughout does strike me as unnecessary and perhaps the sign of a band trying a bit too hard to be something that they are not. Whenever they operate in more what appears to be their typical range the song in question feels more successful. This track is not even all that progressive, really, but it is well-written, hooky, and includes enough musical twists to help it to stand out - with a groovy chorus thrown in for good measure.

The album's penultimate track, Hypernova 158, is a busy instrumental piece that allows for some all-out soloing from Thal and Sherinian in particular. I expected an instrumental to be included given the players involved, but I had assumed that it might be a fairly lengthy one. This track is just over three minutes long, though, so it gets in and gets out somewhat - whilst including a lot of busy playing. Nomura and Valverde hold everything down with a consistent and driving groove, with the odd off-kilter percussive stab, whilst Nomura even gets the chance to solo a little latter on with some busy bass runs. His playing is not generally as prominent on this album as it could be, likely due to the overall heaviness of the guitar and keyboard tones, but he stands out quite a bit here - whilst the soloing from both Thal and Sherinian is a bit more proggy overall given the room to stretch out. The album then comes to an end with its title track - which is the longest piece here at around eight and a half minutes. I had expected an epic here but, again, I had expected it to be longer. This shows the more concise sound which the band have been targeting here, but Insanium does still allow for some stretching out. The opening riff certainly feels more proggy, with some strange guitar harmonics thrown in, whilst the overall arrangement feels more of a hark back to the two Sons of Apollo albums. There is less overt heaviness here than there has been elsewhere on the album - with Jelusick feeling more dynamic vocally. This is particularly evident during the song's big chorus, which might not be the hookiest here but it is one that creates a strong atmosphere that pulls the listener in. This song is also one which pushes soloing in a big way. There are lots of short bursts of lead playing from both Thal and Sherinian - and there is also a lengthy solo section later on, which is backed by a much more melancholic arrangement and bookended by some of Jelusick's most emotionally-charged vocals. The song is generally on the heavier side, but there is plenty of light and shade throughout - and I really like the slower-paced mid-section with Sherinian's smouldering keyboard solo that sits at its centre. It helps the song to sound more powerful when it kicks back in - and the closing rendition of the chorus feels massive, especially as the song then slowly moves towards a riffy, and relatively doomy, close. I think it is fair to say that this album has not hit me like I thought it would, and I prefer Sons of Apollo's albums, but Insanium has grown on me quite a bit. I think it will continue to grow on me but there are some sections of this album which feel forced - possibly in an attempt to not sound like Sons of Apollo. Where the band focus on their strengths, though, the album really hits home - and there is still a lot to like here in my opinion. Whether we hear more from this band remains to be seen, but if there is to be a second album I am hoping for more of the band's dynamic approach and less of the forced heaviness which drags parts of this album down.

The album was released on 15th March 2023 via InsideOut Music. Below is the band's promotional video for In the Name of War.

Sonata Arctica's 'Clear Cold Beyond' - Album Review

The Finnish power metal five-piece Sonata Arctica has had something of an interesting career. The band can trace their history back to 1995, but it was not until the release of their debut album Ecliptica in 1999 that they fully got going. I have often theorised that bands which knock it out of the park with their debut album often struggle somewhat later on, with a gradual build up from modest start perhaps being a more sustainable career trajectory - and I think it is fair to say that Ecliptica has perhaps been a millstone around Sonata Arctica's neck. The late 1990s and the early 2000s were arguably the peak years of the European power metal scene, and Ecliptica immediately became one of its biggest albums. Listening back now it does sound a bit rough around the edges production-wise, but many of its songs have been setlist staples ever since - and I feel like everything that the band has released since ends up being compared to Ecliptica in the end. That being said, though, the band had a strong initial run of albums, with 2004's Reckoning Night being a personal favourite, but from 2007's Unia onwards Sonata Arctica's sound started to shift. Having said all that, I do not think that Sonata Arctica has ever released a bad album. 2009's The Days of Grays is a personal favourite of mine and there has been plenty to like on all of the albums which followed it - with 2014's Pariah's Child (which I reviewed here) perhaps being the pick of the bunch. The reason I bring this up, though, is that, for many years, Sonata Arctica has tried to somewhat move away from their early sound. I personally think that some overstate how much the band's sound changed over the years, but it is true that the blistering power metal of Ecliptica was toned down over the years - with more progressive and whimsical influences replacing it. Despite this, though, everything that the band has released has certainly been identifiable as by Sonata Arctica. The band has always had a quirky side, both musically and lyrically, and this was present from the off - but in more recent times frontman and songwriter Tony Kakko has allowed his imagination to run wild. 2012's Stones Grow Her Name stands out as a particularly diverse and quirky album and even their last album, 2019's Talviyö (which I also reviewed here), tried new things despite the band being 10 albums deep at that point. I have always admired Sonata Arctica for their willingness to experiment, but others have not been so understanding. The band has resisted the fan pressure to record something more old-school ever since the release of Unia and the fact that they have had a successful career without doing so is testament to their creativity. All of this, then, makes the band's latest album Clear Cold Beyond a bit of a strange prospect. From the release of the first single First in Line, it was clear that the band were harking back to their original sound. The press release which accompanied the single suggested that their next album was essentially going return to the band's roots - and this news was greeted gladly by the fanbase. I am not sure what made the band return to their original sound, but I hope that they did not finally just bow to the pressure to do so. That being said, though, Clear Cold Beyond is not just a simple re-tread of the past. It is certainly the most 'power metal' that the band has sounded for years, but they have not thrown the baby out with the bathwater either - as there are still plenty of experimental moments and smoother sounds which recall their more recent releases here.

The aforementioned First in Line kicks the album off and it really does sound like something from the band's past. From the off Tommy Portimo lays into his double bass drums at break-neck speed and Henrik Klingenberg's neo-classical keyboard melodies cut through the mix as they did during the good old days. Not every song is a fast-paced power metal anthem but there are more than a handful here - and First in Line is certainly one of the most blistering pieces the band has released for many years. Despite the pace, though, the classic Sonata Arctica smoothness and sense of melody is intact. Warm synths sit behind the double bass drums and flashy keyboard hooks, whilst Elias Viljanen's guitar tone is a little on the warmer side. The production is not as sharp-edged as on the band's early albums, but I like how grand this album sounds overall. It is really well produced and mixed, which allows all of the instruments to shine. Klingenberg in particular stands out during this track due to his mix of keyboard textures - which range from classic power metal sparkle, via a Hammond organ, to a flashy synth solo. Viljanen's guitar solo is perhaps not as flashy as it could have been, but this is a track which seems to focus more on the keyboards throughout - whilst Kakko is also in fine voice, particularly during the smooth chorus which is packed with hooky vocal melodies. California is similar, and it kicks off with a similar feel - with Portimo's drums perhaps even faster this time, whilst Klingenberg's synths tap out the eventual chorus vocal hook. As with the previous track, though, there is still plenty of smoothness throughout - but it does feel a bit heavier overall. The keyboards play a key role throughout, but there is more of a focus on the guitars this time - with Viljanen's rhythms nicely cutting through the wall of synths, and his occasional knotty riff injects some metallic interest. As is often the case with power metal, though, the song is a big showcase for the vocals - and Kakko shines. He has always been one of the most underrated vocalists in metal in my opinion and I am not sure that there is anyone else quite like him. His idiosyncratic approach always helps Sonata Arctica to stand out - and the chorus here is a showcase for his warmth and hooky style. There are quite a few memorable choruses on this album but California's is one of the best - and it is another song with a strong old-school sound that will delight long-time fans. Shah Mat is also pretty fast but, like the previous song, it ups the heaviness somewhat further - and this is a track which reminds me a little of the somewhat more theatrical and progressive The Days of Grays. The drumming here is not quite as relentless, despite plenty of double bass drumming, but this is a track which moves the keyboards into the background during large portions of its runtime. There is still plenty of atmospheric depth throughout, but the crunch of the guitars is much more prominent with Viljanen tending to dominate throughout. Kakko even utilises some slightly harsher sounding vocals at times during the verses, which helps to add to the heavier vibe, and the track feels like a throwback to the time I got into the band properly - when they started to move away from their early sound and experimented more.

Dark Empath is much more akin to the sound the band has been following more recently, but it continues on the darkness set out in the previous track. It is much more of a mid-paced piece, with little in the way of driving double bass drumming - with Portimo instead laying down more of a mid-paced groove whilst Viljanen's guitar chords really ring out and Klingenberg's synths swirl around creating a dense atmosphere. This is a song which goes all in on the band's much more quirky sound than some of the others here - and following three faster tracks this varied piece is very much welcome. I am glad that Sonata Arctica did not just try to remake Ecliptica here. The fast power metal is welcome, but I have generally liked how the band have grown over the years - and Dark Empath could only have come from Kakko's mind. That being said, though, there are some more high-octane moments here, such as a pretty proggy keyboard solo backed by some faster drumming, which leads into a frantic vocal-led section backed by some excellent guitar leads. It is a song that never really sits still but it is still very memorable - with a dancey chorus that brings the best out of Kakko's sing-song melodic approach. Cure for Everything at first seems as if it is going to be another slower piece, but it soon speeds up and it returns to the sound of the album's opening moments. Despite the pace, though, the track has a surprising amount of smoothness. I think the reason that Reckoning Night is my favourite Sonata Arctica album is due to its mix of blistering power metal and melodic smoothness. The harshness of the early productions was gone by that point and Kakko had learnt how to be fast and atmospheric. This song emphasises that and it feels like a bit of a throwback to the 2004 release. It has a pretty big chorus but it is relatively understated in that way that Sonata Arctica can sometimes be, whilst it goes all-out guitar-wise and allows Viljanen to really let rip with a pretty lengthy solo. Many of the solos on the album up to this point have been synth solos, with the guitar taking a backseat, so it is great hearing Viljanen going for it here. Another early single was A Monster Only You Can't See, a more diverse piece which opens with acoustic guitar and snappy keyboards which make for a quirky intro as Kakko sets the tone vocally. The song is much more mid-paced overall than many of the songs on the album, but there is a playfulness throughout which really makes it stick. It is not overtly power metal, but it recalls some of the strongest moments of the band's recent career whilst throwing in lots of old-school keyboard tones as well as some proggy guitar moments to shake things up. As is often the case, though, Kakko is the star here. His vocal melodies are grand throughout, and those moments which feature lots of choral and harmony vocal arrangements really elevate the track. He often uses folk-inspired melodies to give his songs a storytelling approach and that is essentially what he does here - whilst dialling everything up to 11. It is one of the strongest pieces here in my opinion and I can see it becoming a live staple going forward. Teardrops feels a bit tougher overall, but it remains similar to the previous song pace-wise. It is less diverse, though, and instead goes for more of a guitar-based approach with prominent guitar riffing throughout and a slight gothic depth thanks to the keyboards. A few pinch harmonics add some modern metallic twists to the song and generally the song is a tougher-sounding typical Sonata Arctica mid-paced track with a bit more bite. I like the crunchier guitar tone utilised here but the track is perhaps less memorable than some of those which came before - as it lacks some of the big chorus hooks and melodic twists present elsewhere. As such, it is probably the song here which sticks the least - and it somewhat passes by without much of note.

Angel Defiled ups the pace again somewhat, but there is a heaviness throughout which really grounds the track. The folky melodies are back in force, though, with plenty of up-tempo guitar leads throughout and a pretty busy dual guitar/keyboard solo; and these really mix well with the heavier tone throughout. Kakko occasionally sings the track in a grittier way than is typical for him, but his sing-song approach is ever-present as always - with another strong chorus really pushing the song to the next level. It is not as fast and furious as some of the pieces here, but the energy levels throughout are still pretty high - and this helps the heaviness whilst retaining plenty of crunch. This has been one of the album's real sleepers in my opinion, with each listen has increased my enjoyment of the track. The Best Things slows the pace down and acts as something of ballad - but it is not a typical ballad as it still contains plenty of the band's usual quirkiness. It opens with some piano melodies, before it turns into a waltzing piece with slow-burning guitar leads, a snappy drum groove, and vocals from Kakko which feel very heartfelt. Kakko has often had a way of injecting plenty of emotion into his songs - which is impressive given how left-field his songwriting can sometimes be. There is a lot of heart in the band's material and this song showcases that - with Kakko really oozing class here vocally, whilst the guitar melodies and keyboard flourishes again tap into those folky twists whilst also adding some symphonic flair. The plodding chorus is one that really sticks in the brain after a couple of listens and I also really like the instrumental section later on which features some excellent playing from both Viljanen and Klingenberg. It is not very old-school Sonata Arctica, but I also like the new-school - so this diverse song is one which I can appreciate. The album then comes to a close with its title track, which is relatively lengthy compared to most of the other pieces here. Many of the songs here are pretty compact, which also differs from the band's other recent albums, but this one stretches things out a bit more and goes for a creeping and over-the-top approach with a huge amount of atmospheric depth. I would not say that the song is particularly progressive as it tends to stick to the same template from the off, but I quite like the vibe that it creates. Sonata Arctica do not do dense and creepy too often and this sounds like their take on doom - which is not all that doomy but given how upbeat the band often sound the creeping arrangement works quite well to close out the album. It is a world away from the fast pace of much of the album, particularly the songs early on, but I am glad to see the band continuing to shake things up and try new things - even on an album which largely harks back to the past. Sonata Arctica never shy away from a challenge and whilst I think there are stronger things here I quite like the dirge with which the album ends. I am not sure the song would stand up that well on its own, but in the context of the album it feels like the dark to much of the light which came before - and I can appreciate the song when viewed in that way. Overall, then, the album is another enjoyable slab of varied melodic metal from Sonata Arctica. The album is much more 'power metal' than has been the case for a while, particularly in the first half, but it does vary things up later on - and I like the mix of sounds from throughout the band's career. There is a lot to like here and you can always count on Sonata Arctica to never be dull.

The album was released on 8th March 2024 via Atomic Fire Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Dark Empath.