In Flames' 'Siren Charms' - Album Review

In Flames are one of those bands that I have always been aware of, but have never really properly listened to. The only album of theirs that I am fairly familiar with is 2011's Sounds of a Playground Fading which did not sound like what I was expecting to hear. In Flames are often regarded as one of the biggest bands in the so-called Gothenburg Sound scene, or melodic death metal to you and I. What I expected to hear when popping the In Flames album in was more along the lines of At the Gates and Arch Enemy, but what I got instead was an album that sounded like a cross between Killswitch Engage and modern alternative rock. After that initial shock, I discovered that there were actually quite a few good songs on that album and, as a result, Sounds of a Playground Fading is an album that I enjoy. I have also learnt that long-time fans of the band have been very disappointed with the way the band's sound has evolved over the years. Heavy metal fans are often known for their staunch dislike of change, so it is refreshing to see a band just making the music they want to make; and if anyone else likes it then that is a bonus! Well, Siren Charms, eleventh studio album will probably not pull many disgruntled fans back in. It follows on from the unique sound created on Sounds of a Playground Fading, but polishing it up even more and creating something that is very catchy, yet rather simple. This album focuses on good, crunching riffs and catchy, yet melancholic choruses that seep into your conscious after repeated listens. Despite the catchy nature of the material, I find that this is an album that reveals itself gradually over time. That might seem like a contradiction, but that is what the atmosphere of the songs here suggest to me. I think that this is an album that will be dismissed off-hand by many, but those who stick with it will find a lot to enjoy. The production sounds very sterile, with lots of strange electronics surrounding the very dry sounding guitars, but I think this helps the overall sound of the album and helps it to stand out from the crowd. Frontman Anders Fridén uses a good mix of clean and harsh vocals throughout the album, and the guitar duo of Björn Gelotte and Niclas Engelin have their share of moments in the spotlight. Interestingly, this is Engelin's first album with the band, despite having a few small stints in the band over the years.

The album gets off to a good start with the swirling atmospherics of In Plain View, but it is not long before a nice dual guitar riff kicks in and the metal is in full flow. The verses gradually build up over a rising drum beat from Daniel Svensson, which sees Fridén see the lower end of his clean vocal delivery to create an excellent atmosphere. The choruses are much heavier, with a slightly thrashier tone and some more aggressive vocals to fit that mood. Everything's Gone starts out with a much more traditional melodic death metal-type riff before a chugging verse comes in and creates something that sounds very doomy. This song is definitely heavier, and fans of melodic death metal are sure to find lots to enjoy here. The song moves through lots of musical styles in it's short length, ranging from the aforementioned doom the the more metalcore-influenced chorus complete with excellent harsh vocals. Paralyzed sees the return of the electronics from the beginning of the album and they dominate the verses along with Peter Iwers' pounding basslines. There are some nice dual guitar riffs dotted throughout the song, but it is one of those songs where it is more than the sum of it's parts. No performance really stands out here, yet the song remains solid. The chorus melodies soar, and they draw you in. Through Oblivion is a much slower song, that is probably the best on the album so far. It is a sort of ballad, that is full of heartfelt vocal delivery and deep melodies. The verses are built around a very simple guitar riff and basic drumming; but the chorus builds up around Fridén's gothic vocal tones. The song does not last for very long, but it has a very serene atmosphere to it that really relaxes you while listening to it. That mood is slightly carried over to the next song With Eyes Wide Open. Although this is a heavier song overall, with more traditional metal riffing, the chorus still maintains that deceivingly gentle atmosphere. There is something very heartfelt about this pair of songs, and shows that metal can be delicate as well as abrasive. The title track is next and the energy ramps back up again during parts of it. The clean guitar riffs and Fridén's vocals give the verses here a Muse-like vibe, but the rest of the song is heavier with Svensson's double-bass drumming and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

When the World Explodes is probably the heaviest song on the album so far with a really thrashy atmosphere and some really strong harsh vocals. The chorus then bowls a googly at you as Emilia Feldt's smokey vocals come in and the song once again descends into a gothic vibe. It works so well, and Feldt's vocals mix well with Fridén's deep clean voice to create something of an early Lacuna Coil-type sound. This is probably my favourite song on the album, and the light and shade it creates is exceptional. Rusted Nail is up next and it is another really excellent song. The guitar riffing throughout this song is excellent, and use of keyboards to bulk out the sound works really well. The dual guitar Iron Maiden-like parts are good fun, whereas the bass-led parts sound really modern - it is a good mix of old and new. There is also a really excellent guitar solo, that uses traditional the blues style of emotion through note bending than excessive speed. Dead Eyes is a slightly longer song that really makes good use of the melancholic trappings that have been heard throughout the album. The chorus is full of emotion, and an excellent instrumental section towards the end mixed guitar and keyboards together really well. It is not quite as catchy as previous songs here, but the mood it creates is excellent. Monsters in the Ballroom is another heavier piece. The main riff is right out of the metalcore school and mixed melody and harshness together well. The verses makes use of Fridén's more aggressive vocals, before the chorus once again is extremely melodic with his strong cleans and plenty of lush keyboard to back him up. It is another one of my favourite songs on the album as it mixes the best elements of everything that has gone before it and goes through many different styles in it's short length. The album's final song is Filtered Truth. It makes really good used of dual harmonised guitar lines throughout and Fridén's gut-wrenching screams are powerful and sit well over the melodic guitar work. It is not the most interesting song here, but it has power and ensures that the album ends with a bang. Overall, this is an album that has plenty of strong moments and goes through quite a few stylistic changes throughout. This is certainly a mature album, and one for people who are going to sit with it and properly digest what is being offered to them. Those who do give it time, will find plenty of really get their teeth into!

The album was released on 8th September 2014 via Sony Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Rusted Nail.

Alestorm - Plymouth Review

http://www.last.fm/user/samlewis45/journal/2014/10/14/69ncnu_alestorm_-_plymouth_review

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Black Veil Brides - Exeter Review

http://www.last.fm/user/samlewis45/journal/2014/10/12/69jq0u_black_veil_brides_-_exter_review

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HammerFall's '(r)Evolution' - Album Review

HammerFall have been churning out high quality power metal album for the past twenty years now and certainly part of the furniture in that scene. Influenced by bands like Judas Priest, Saxon and Pretty Maids, HammerFall's brand of power metal is far more rooted in classic heavy metal than many of their peers'. Making limited use of keyboards, HammerFall instead focus on a twin guitar attack that relies on crunching riffs and melodic lead lines. Frontman Joacim Cans does not posses the huge range that other power metal singers have, but his power makes up for it. These things combine well to make a simple, yet ballsy sound that has been the staple of their work throughout their career. (r)Evolution is the band's ninth studio album and comes off the back of a planned two year hiatus to recharge their batteries. The band's last album, 2011's Infected, was met with a lukewarm reception when it was released which must have affected the band when they came to writing the eventual follow-up. I must say, I have always enjoyed Infected, but I can see why some fans would not enjoy the more plodding tracks featured, and the shift away from the fantasy-inspired lyrics and artwork. (r)Evolution, as the title suggests, sees the band attempting to recreate their classic sound once more, and to a certain extent they have succeeded. The album's artwork seems to be a tribute to covers past, and the fantasy lyrics are back in full force. The band's decision to work once again with Fredrik Nordström, who produced their first two albums 1997's Glory to the Brave and 1998's Legacy of Kings, was clearly done to try and recapture some of their early energy and sound. What this album is not however is Legacy of Kings part two. Elements of the band's early sound are present, but so are the heavier more mid-paced elements from the band's more recent work. In essence, this album is a mixture of all eras of HammerFall, and fuses all the facets of the band's sound together. Those fans who were hoping for a total reversion to the early sound will be disappointed; and certain press released which seemed to give that impression could easily confuse people; but if (r)Evolution is listened to with an open mind, I am sure that most HammerFall fans will find something to enjoy here.

The album starts strongly with the melodic feast that is Hector's Hymn, about the band's famous mascot. Straight away we are treated to a barrage of 1980s inspired metal riffing with Anders Johansson's precision drumming to drive them all along. The lyrics make plenty of references to HammerFall songs past, and Cans sounds the most inspired and diverse that he has in quite a while. This song certainly has big doses of old-school HammerFall, and the big chorus is the icing on the cake. The album's title track follows and this smacks of mid-period HammerFall and would have fitted nicely on 2005's Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken with ease. The verses are quite laid back, with guitarists Oscar Dronjak and Pontus Norgren making use of some nice clean guitar tones before the song slowly builds up, culminating in a gang-vocal-led chorus with plenty of catchy chanting. A bluesy guitar solo is another high point of the song, which makes a change from the usual, faster guitar-led instrumental moments. Bushido was the first song released from the album, so most fans will probably have heard it already. The opening guitar line is classic 1980s metal in the vein of Judas Priest, and Cans' vocals drive the song as, like the previous number, the song builds up around him. It is a powerful mid-paced number with an interesting stop-start rhythm that helps to keep the song interesting. The anthemic chorus is a winner too, and this song is sure to become a live staple for years to come. The next two songs are again in that mid-period HammerFall vein like the title track. Live Life Loud begins with a perfect headbanging rhythm and a simple riff that sticks in your brain and make itself hard to forget. This forms the basis for the song's chanted chorus; while the verses are built around a more modern sounding almost toned-down metalcore riff. It is a short song that is over almost as soon as it has begun, but the infectious nature of the piece makes it stand out. Ex Inferis is a much slower, more grinding piece. This has been a big part of the band's sound since their inception, and shows how the band are influenced by classic heavy metal more rather than more upbeat bands like Iron Maiden or Helloween. The chorus once again has that chanted quality to it, while Cans uses his powerful mid-range to sound actually pretty sinister throughout this song.

We Won't Back Down picks up the pace again and takes you back to the early days of the band with upbeat drumming, twin lead guitar harmonies, and a soaring chorus that demands to be sung. Old-school fans of the band will really appreciate this song, as it is one of the more purer power metal moments on the album. There is plenty of flashy guitar showboating during the solo section too. Winter is Coming is the album's obligatory ballad. In my opinion, ballads have never been HammerFall's strongest suit - but this song is not too bad at all. Cans manages to inject a fair amount of emotion into his vocal delivery, and Johansson's big drum sound helps to give the song a big booming sound, despite it's gentler nature. Origins is much stronger and ramps the pace back up. It is probably the most classic-sounding song on the whole album, so this one is likely to become extremely popular with the fans. The fantasy lyrics are very prevalent here, and the twin-lead guitar instrumental section is epic - before it explodes into a much speedier solo. It soon returns to the slower, harmonised section once again and this makes for probably the best instrumental passage on the album. This power metal at it's best, so all fans should check this song out! Tainted Metal is much ballsier and brings the band's more recent work to mind. I like the song though, and there are plenty of excellent riffs here to enjoy. Listen out to what is going on behind Cans' vocals, as the guitar work here is deceivingly complex and helps to keep the song interesting. This is a song where the instrumental work shines about the more obvious vocals and shows that the band can produce more than just simple, catchy metal songs. Evil Incarnate is probably the least interesting song on the album but still boasts a strident verse section. Efforts at harsh vocals later on during the song just end up sounding contrived but do not dominate the song, so that is okay. It is just a shame that the second half of the song basically just repeats the same chorus over and over again, which starts to become tedious after a little while. Wildfire is the album's final song and sounds more like speed metal than anything the band have done before. It really rocks and ensures the album ends on a strong note. The furious 'chorus' has a very thrashy feel to it, but the more melodic guitar solo section reminds you that this is a HammerFall song, despite the high speeds of the rest of it. Overall, this is a really solid album from a well-established band in the metal community. Some people might be disappointed that it was not a true return to the band's roots, but there are enough good songs on here to please those who like a good tune!

The album was released on 1st September 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Hector's Hymn.

DragonForce - Plymouth Review

http://www.last.fm/user/samlewis45/journal/2014/10/04/696250_dragonforce_-_plymouth_review

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Halcyon Way's 'Conquer' - Album Review

Despite the band still being relatively small, Halcyon Way are starting to make a name for themselves in the metal scene. The Atlanta progressive metal quintet already have plenty of high-profile support slots under their belts and more on the horizon; most notably, supporting Saxon and Skid Row throughout Europe later this year. It was a support slot that originally made me aware of the band, as I saw them touring with Delain in the UK back in 2012. I bought their EP IndoctriNation after the show having been impressed by their short but powerful set. I have since got their previous two studio albums and was equally impressed with them, particularly 2010's Building the Towers; their second release. Conquer is the band's third full-length studio album and sees the band perfect their heavy brand of melodic metal even further. While Building the Towers was definitely more progressive in terms of songwriting and arrangements, this album is catchier and packs a greater punch because of the tighter songs. The band's main trio of vocalist Steve Braun, guitarist Jon Bodan, and drummer Ernie Topran have had four years since the last album (not including IndoctriNation which was released on 2011) to perfect their craft and it shows. Joining the band for the recording of the album was bassist Max Eve, but he has since switched to rhythm guitar with the addition of bassist Skyler Moore to the band's ranks, bringing the band back up to their usual five-piece line-up. The album was recorded with just the four members though, with Bodan handling all of the guitar parts. Sound-wise, this album is still very much in the same vein as the band's previous work despite the tightening up of the arrangements that I mentioned previously. Halcyon Way still sound like a great mix of Rage for Order-era Queensrÿche and Nevermore with the odd passage of harsh vocals thrown in. Braun's vocals have got much stronger between this album and the previous one, and his delivery is excellent throughout. I had read some comments previously about some fans not really enjoying the tone of his voice, and I could understand their concerns to a point; but I think all that has been rectified here.

The album's title track gets things off to a heavy start with some drumming from Topran that slowly builds up before a huge guitar riff kicks in and the verse storms off with Braun's powerful vocal delivery and plenty of pinch harmonics from Bodan. Catchy choruses are all part of Halcyon Way's sound, and this song has an excellent one, with Braun being backed up by Bodan's harsh vocals to create a heavy, but infectious sound. The latter's lead guitar work is also strong, with a short solo before a reprise of the melodic chorus and harsh vocal-led section that follows it. Web of Lies, and it's video, have been on Youtube for quite a while now, and it is a very strong track that encompasses all that is good about the band. I particularly like the discordant riffing throughout the verses which sounds suitably evil. The chorus sees the pace slow slightly, taking on a more cinematic edge with Braun sounding really melodic, before an anthemic section led by Bodan's vocals is sure to get fists pumping when the song is played live. Conceived in Torment is another heavy song that has some jarring keyboard sounds throughout the intro that only help to add to the heavy atmosphere, giving the song a slightly industrial edge. The pre-chorus of this song is epic, with Topran's frantic drumming and Braun's extended vocal notes really standing out. Bodan's harsh vocals dominate certain sections of this song, and this makes it one of the heaviest numbers of the album. Home sees the pace drop slightly and allows Braun to use a slightly gentler side of his voice backed by some nice arpeggiated guitar lines from Bodan. Bigger riffs do come in throughout the song, but it still feels much more laid back than what has come previously. The chorus has a slight AOR feel about it too, which works surprisingly well. Militant is the album's next highlight. The main riff of this song has a real Queensrÿche vibe to it, but the double-bass drumming that is introduced soon kills this off and the heaviness returns. The verses see great use of call-and-response vocals between Braun and Bodan; and the song's chorus makes good use of the song's opening riff to create something that sounds like it is straight from the 1980s. Braun's vocals soar and the off-kilter rhythms provided by Topran's drumming gives the song a progressive edge.

Hatred is my Cause is one of the catchiest songs on the album. It is an angsty little song, with Braun snarling the verses out with real vim. The chorus is a melodic feast, with more hooks than anything heard on the album so far. It is still heavy though, with a section towards the end that ramps up in that respect, just before a short guitar solo. The Poisoned Apple is much more of a mid-paced affair which again makes good use of electronics to create a fuller atmosphere. The 1980s vibe is quite prevalent here again, with some nice arpeggiated lead guitars sitting just behind the main riffing and some added lead guitar lines compete with Braun's chorus delivery towards the end, adding a nice harmony. Save Your Tears is another more mid-paced song with a really powerful chorus and possibly the album's best guitar solo. Bodan really lets rip here and does his best to keep up with Topran's fast footwork. The second half of the solo is much slower and more melodic however, showing that he can do both the faster and more expressive soloing just as well. The next highlight is the penultimate song King of Ruin. The song opens with a rather progressive main guitar riff that gets through many notes in a short space of time. It is another heavy number with plenty of harsh vocals and on-point drumming from Topran. The dual-lead guitar solo is also very impressive, and has hints of traditional heavy metal about it. The progressive vibe is most obvious here though, with the technical guitar riffing and the song's very distinct sections that all mesh together very well. The album's closing number Eviscerate the Morning Sun ensures the album ends on a high with a furiously fast metal tune. The chorus manages to soar, despite the really fast drumming of Topran and Braun's piercing cleans rise above Bodan's harsh vocals to dominate the track. It is a great closing song, and is definitely one of my favourite songs on the album. Overall, Conquer is a real statement from a metal band that is looking to really go places in the scene. They have potential for an awful lot of cross appeal as their music is hard to categorise and has it's feet in many camps. I do not think it will be long before we start hearing a lot more about Halcyon Way in the music media, as they are the sort of band that should be being promoted a lot more than they are!

The album was released on 23rd August 2014 via Massacre Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Web of Lies.

Edguy - London Review

http://www.last.fm/user/samlewis45/journal/2014/09/16/68fvgu_edguy_-_london_review

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