I have been into Stream of Passion for quite some time now, having been turned onto the band by hearing frontwoman Marcela Bovio's wonderful voice in Ayreon's 2004 progressive rock opera The Human Equation. Bovio, and Ayreon mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen, then formed Stream of Passion the following year with a debut album and a live DVD following in quick succession. It was this DVD, Live in the Real World, that was my first exposure to Stream of Passion. At the time I was a subscriber to Lovefilm and the disc came in the post and I played it through a few times before returning it as I loved it so much. I then got the band's debut album Embrace the Storm, and bought the second album, 2009's The Flame Within, on release. By this point the band had changed drastically, with Lacassen abandoning the project as he seems to like to do, and a more stable line-up formed around Bovio, which has remained largely intact until this day. I somehow lost touch with the band sometime after The Flame Within's release and it was not until 2012 when I saw them supporting Epica in Nottingham that I really gave Stream of Passion much thought. There was no real reason why I stopped following the band, I think they just got lost in my never-ending quest for new and exciting music - unfortunately there just is not time for everything! Their set with Epica was great, but then the band once again slipped from my radar. It was not until earlier this year when they announced a short run of UK shows, which then later on became the band's last ever UK shows after they announced they would be breaking up at the end of the year, that I finally caught up on the band's catalogue. I bought a ticket for the show in Bristol (which would become gig number one of a three gig marathon!) and gave all of their albums a good listening to in preparation. It is a real shame that the band are calling it a day, but I suppose they have always been in the shadow of so many other bands in the symphonic/gothic metal worlds. Their dense, yet ethereal sound is not always easy to listen to, and they are less catchy and instantly memorable than many of their peers. The band will be missed though that is for certain, and Stream of Passion have a sound that is quite unlike any other band I know. I had not been to the Bierkeller in Bristol before, and was surprised by how big the venue was. The sound was fantastic throughout the evening too, with a huge amount of clarity and separation of instruments. It was one of the best-sounding shows I have been to in a while! The only disappointing thing about the night was the very low turnout. There cannot have been more than 100 people in the venue at any one time, which is a shame for a respected band's farewell tour. It is little wonder that bands of this type usually opt to only play London shows in the UK when turnouts can be this low, which just shows how relatively unpopular melodic, European metal bands are over here.
Bristol's own Triaxis opened the evening with their powerful brand of melodic metal. I saw the band at Bloodstock Open Air last year, and was impressed with them, but never really followed up this interest. I was looking forward to catching them again here to reacquaint myself with them. They made their half an our on stage count, with a few uplifting and heavy numbers that got the small gathering crowd going. While they were good, they did not seem as inspired or as good as their set at Bloodstock last year, which was a shame. The songs did not seem as catchy this time either, so maybe a different selection was chosen this time around? While I have enjoyed Triaxis both times I have seen them, I cannot help but feel they are one of the many bands out there who have plenty of potential and all the right ingredients to be a great band, but lack the certain indescribable spark that makes good bands into great bands.
Awake by Design, who were the main tour support for Stream of Passion's four UK shows, are a band I seem to be destined to run into every so often. I first saw the band back in 2008 in Ilfracombe of all places supporting Touchstone, and then again a few years later supporting Sonata Arctica in Wolverhampton. Each time I have seen the band they look vastly different (record numbers of line-up changes it seems!), with the exception of founding frontman Adrian Powell (bassist Dave Favill was definitely in the band for the Wolverhampton show, but I could not say either way for the Ilfracombe gig!). Part soaring melodic metal, part gothic melodrama, Awake by Design have always impressed me. Powell's voice is wonderful, much deeper than many of his peers but the emotion he can carry with his delivery is almost second to none. I have had the band's second album Carve the Sun since release, but I have yet to actually play it! Awake by Design are also victims of the sheer amount of music problem it seems! After this performance though, I shall be rectifying that immediately. Keyboards play a bigger part in the band's sound than before, with Janson Sissons' melodic lead lines and swirling atmospherics making the band sound bigger than ever. Luke Hatton is a great guitarist too, with lots of shredding solos and simple, but powerful, riffs. Powell stole the show however, and shows that he is one of the most underrated singers in the country.
Despite playing a venue with a small stage, and with a pretty small crowd, Stream of Passion really owned the night from the minute their set started. The small crowd made up for their size in volume, and the atmosphere was pretty good throughout despite the poor turnout. For a band with four albums under their belt who are coming to the end of their run, the band decided to give us the best of all their four albums - a 'greatest hits' set if you will. Bovio was in fine voice throughout, with her angelic voice having an edge to it that many other frontwomen in the symphonic/gothic world possess, and she led her band through 75 minutes or so of dynamic music. Monster and A War of Our Own, both from the band's latest album, provided a great start to set. Jeffrey Revet's (keyboards) piano and synth playing certainly drives the band's sound, with guitars providing crunching rhythms. Stephan Schultz (guitar) does get plenty of chances to shine too however with some excellent guitar solos, and he spent the entire set constantly switching between 6, 7, and 8 string guitars! In the End was an early highlight, which has one of the band's best choruses, and a short violin intro from Bovio. I have always thought it was a shame that Bovio never played more live violin, but I suppose this would restrict her movement on stage and might end up hampering her vocal performance. There were many highlights throughout the band's set, but the ultimate high point has to be the striking performance of Out of the Real World, from the band's debut album, that is easily the band's most memorable and catchy song. The chorus is wonderful, and shows the band could write a catchy 'hit single' if they tried. That is not really the band's way however, opting more for heavier brooding gothic anthems: 'We like drama' as Bovio quipped during the show. Their cover of Radiohead's Street Spirit is vastly better than the insipid original, and the band have turned it into a heavy power ballad that sounds like one of their own songs - the recipe for the perfect cover! The main set came to an end with The Endless Night, another soaring song that sums up what Stream of Passion are about perfectly. A three-song encore followed which included another cover, this time of Sonata Arctica's I Have a Right. That has to be one of Sonata Arctica's worst songs, but Stream of Passion's version is great and gives it the bite the original sorely lacks. The evening came to and end with the dynamic Haunted which perfectly mixes piano-led sections with all-out metal workouts. The setlist was:
Monster
A War of Our Own
In the End
Collide
When You Hurt Me the Most
Don't Let Go
Lost
Broken
Out in the Real World
Street Spirit [Radiohead cover]
This Endless Night
-
I Have a Right [Sonata Arctica cover]
The Curse
Haunted
Overall, this was a bittersweet evening of live music. Stream of Passion's performance was fantastic, but it was tinged with sadness as this will probably be the last time I ever get to see them live. I am glad that I managed to catch one of their headline shows before the call it a day however, and they have a DVD coming out at the end of the year from a show they filmed recently in their home country of the Netherlands. I shall look forward to adding that to my collection!
Monday, 17 October 2016
Thursday, 13 October 2016
Evergrey's 'The Storm Within' - Album Review
2014's Hymns for the Broken that really put Swedish progressive metal band Evergrey back on the map after three hard years. 2011's Glorious Collision was met with a fairly lukewarm reception, and the departure of two band members not too long after almost led the band to breaking up. Sole original member and bandleader Tom S. Englund was fairly open about these trials and tribulations during the run-up to Hymns for the Broken's release, and his hard work and determination paid off when that album turned out to be one of the band's best. I am no expert on Evergrey's back catalogue, but out of the few albums of theirs I have heard it is my favourite (I also reviewed the album here). The return of both guitarist Henrik Danhage and drummer Jonas Ekdahl, both members with long-standing association with the band and held in high regard by the fans, certainly helped Hymns for the Broken become the success that is was, and all five band members turned in stellar performances to create a real 'team effort' of an album. Evergrey are known for their dense and emotionally-charged music, that eschews traditional progressive metal tropes for a darker, more concise sound. Evergrey have never been a band to write lots of lengthy epic pieces of music containing extended instrumental sections with flashy guitar/keyboard solos, and nor are their songs particularly complex. There are no bands out there that really sound like Evergrey however, and that makes them unique. Englund's vocal performances are what drives the band's sound, with the rest of the band playing for the song and to create the dark atmosphere that sits perfectly alongside Englund's deep, heart-wrenching vocals and lyrics. Rikard Zander's keyboards never really take the lead as would often be the case in progressive metal, but instead employ a great wall-of-sound approach of dry piano lines and dense synth layers to create the band's claustrophobic sound. Englund and Danhage's guitar riffs and melodies are usually much simpler too. The riffs are usually on the heavier side, which is a great contrast to the keyboard work, and the solos are shorter and more concise than other bands. All of these things are employed on the band's new album, The Storm Within, which is their tenth release. This is, unsurprisingly, quite a similar sounding album to Hymns for the Broken, but it employs a heavier approach throughout that makes it darker and more foreboding than it's predecessor which was extremely melodic for the band's standards. While I do not this The Storm Within is as good as the band's previous release, there is still a lot to like here and the dark atmosphere created is perfectly executed.
The album opens in a sombre manner, something which characterises the rest of the material here, with the stark piano lines of the first song Distance. A heavy, 'djenty' riff soon kicks in, and Englund croons his way through the lyrics in his own inimitable style. Zander's piano lines remain, and add depth to the song by cutting through the crunching guitar rhythms of the verse. The chorus is pretty memorable too, with a subtly melodic synth lead that is backed up by more keyboards and simple guitar chords. There is a short guitar solo section too, with Danhage taking the first half and Englund the second. This instrumental section soon morphs into an almost-industrial part with grinding guitars and cold synths. Passing Through picks up the pace, with prominent electronics in the song's intro that have a rather uncharacteristic upbeat vibe to them, but the song is as dark and moody as ever. Despite this, the song creates a good amount of energy with a modern-sounding, almost Gothenburg scene-type, guitar riff behind the verses; and the melodic choruses which again make liberal use of the electronics and synths. Their chiming sounds are a great contrast to the heavier guitars, and the soaring vocal melodies are very reminiscent of the band's previous album. Someday has quite a hectic opening, with Ekdahl's drums playing a strange, frenetic pattern as the two guitars riff over the top. This strange intro soon gives way to a more traditional song with an instantly memorable chorus and excellent lead guitar playing throughout. The verses have real crunch as the two guitars double up with some heavy power chords, before the piano dominates the choruses with ringing notes that are a great foil for Englund's voice. There is a instrumental section part-way through too that is one of the few places where Johan Niemann's bass playing stands out. He is usually quite buried in the mix, so it is good to hear him here. Astray starts with one of the album's best riffs, and it lays down a solid groove from the off and never really lets this up throughout. The big, chunky riff of the intro gives way to a subtler lead line, but it carries the same groove and ensures the energy is present throughout the song. Short ambient instrumental sections break up the riffing, but the groove always re-establishes itself right away when the guitars and drums kick back in. Danhage's solo in the song drips with emotion too, and ends up sounding like a metal version of David Gilmour, which is certainly no bad thing! After four heavier songs, The Impossible comes along at the right time to provide a brief change of pace. It is a beautiful piano ballad, that definitely has something of modern Anathema about it, and it shows another side to Englund's voice. Zander is the star of this song though, with some excellent classically-trained playing that has a really deep rumble to it.
In contrast, My Allied Ocean is heavy! It is probably the heaviest I have ever heard the band play. and the opening riff hits you like a steamroller and sounds like something that should be on an At the Gates album! It works well however, and the song is one of my favourites on the album. There are plenty of great shredding lead guitar sections, and Ekdahl gets to cut loose a little with his drumming, something which does not happen too often. The chorus is great too, with strong vocal melodies from Englund and some subtle female wordless backing vocals that give it a slight ethereal vibe. In Orbit sees the first of two guest vocal spots on the album, as Floor Jansen (After Forever; ReVamp; Nightwish) duets with Englund on the song to good effect. She does not unleash her full operative power, but uses the grittier end of her vocals to create a great contrast to Englund's mournful croon. Niemann stands out again here, with a great bassline in the verse which is the dominant instrument. In general though, this song has quite a different feel to the rest of the album and reminds me a little of Symphony X's latest album Underworld (and particularly the song Without You). It is still a great song though, and hearing Englund and Jansen sing together is pretty special. She has to be one of the most diverse vocalists in metal at the moment, and she makes this song what it is. The Lonely Monarch has an extremely catchy intro with big piano melodies that meld perfectly with the heavy guitars. The song's main riff is also memorable and really drives the verses with a slight bounce. The song makes lots of changes as it moves along, with sudden blasts of double bass drumming taking over to good effect, and a slower chorus that is heavy on the keyboard layers. The Paradox of the Flame is another piano-led ballad, and features the second guest vocalist on the album. Carina Englund, wife of Tom, who is a regular contributor to the band's albums returns here after lacking a real staring role on Hymns for the Broken. It is another great ballad, with a fantastic string arrangement throughout that really adds to the emotional impact of the song. Slide guitar sections are also included which are the icing on the cake. Disconnect is heavier, and also features Jansen's vocals but in a more background role this time. Her operatic skills are put to the test during the choruses, with her wordless efforts providing a great backing for Englund. Intense riffing sections are paired up with delicate piano breaks to give the song great feelings of light and shade, and contains little bits of everything that makes Evergrey sound the way they do. The album comes to an end with the slower title track, which certainly has a heavier, doomy feel to most of what has come before. Keyboards also play a big part in the song's sound, with subtle lead lines throughout and plenty of atmosphere. It is another good song, and ensures the album ends on a high with a song that twists and turns and has a true progressive feel. Overall, The Storm Within is another strong release from the veteran Swedish metal band, and one that shows their semi-rebirth with Hymns for the Broken was not a fluke. Anyone who likes moody metal music with hints of prog and goth should check this out.
The album was released of 9th September 2016 via AFM Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Distance.
The album opens in a sombre manner, something which characterises the rest of the material here, with the stark piano lines of the first song Distance. A heavy, 'djenty' riff soon kicks in, and Englund croons his way through the lyrics in his own inimitable style. Zander's piano lines remain, and add depth to the song by cutting through the crunching guitar rhythms of the verse. The chorus is pretty memorable too, with a subtly melodic synth lead that is backed up by more keyboards and simple guitar chords. There is a short guitar solo section too, with Danhage taking the first half and Englund the second. This instrumental section soon morphs into an almost-industrial part with grinding guitars and cold synths. Passing Through picks up the pace, with prominent electronics in the song's intro that have a rather uncharacteristic upbeat vibe to them, but the song is as dark and moody as ever. Despite this, the song creates a good amount of energy with a modern-sounding, almost Gothenburg scene-type, guitar riff behind the verses; and the melodic choruses which again make liberal use of the electronics and synths. Their chiming sounds are a great contrast to the heavier guitars, and the soaring vocal melodies are very reminiscent of the band's previous album. Someday has quite a hectic opening, with Ekdahl's drums playing a strange, frenetic pattern as the two guitars riff over the top. This strange intro soon gives way to a more traditional song with an instantly memorable chorus and excellent lead guitar playing throughout. The verses have real crunch as the two guitars double up with some heavy power chords, before the piano dominates the choruses with ringing notes that are a great foil for Englund's voice. There is a instrumental section part-way through too that is one of the few places where Johan Niemann's bass playing stands out. He is usually quite buried in the mix, so it is good to hear him here. Astray starts with one of the album's best riffs, and it lays down a solid groove from the off and never really lets this up throughout. The big, chunky riff of the intro gives way to a subtler lead line, but it carries the same groove and ensures the energy is present throughout the song. Short ambient instrumental sections break up the riffing, but the groove always re-establishes itself right away when the guitars and drums kick back in. Danhage's solo in the song drips with emotion too, and ends up sounding like a metal version of David Gilmour, which is certainly no bad thing! After four heavier songs, The Impossible comes along at the right time to provide a brief change of pace. It is a beautiful piano ballad, that definitely has something of modern Anathema about it, and it shows another side to Englund's voice. Zander is the star of this song though, with some excellent classically-trained playing that has a really deep rumble to it.
In contrast, My Allied Ocean is heavy! It is probably the heaviest I have ever heard the band play. and the opening riff hits you like a steamroller and sounds like something that should be on an At the Gates album! It works well however, and the song is one of my favourites on the album. There are plenty of great shredding lead guitar sections, and Ekdahl gets to cut loose a little with his drumming, something which does not happen too often. The chorus is great too, with strong vocal melodies from Englund and some subtle female wordless backing vocals that give it a slight ethereal vibe. In Orbit sees the first of two guest vocal spots on the album, as Floor Jansen (After Forever; ReVamp; Nightwish) duets with Englund on the song to good effect. She does not unleash her full operative power, but uses the grittier end of her vocals to create a great contrast to Englund's mournful croon. Niemann stands out again here, with a great bassline in the verse which is the dominant instrument. In general though, this song has quite a different feel to the rest of the album and reminds me a little of Symphony X's latest album Underworld (and particularly the song Without You). It is still a great song though, and hearing Englund and Jansen sing together is pretty special. She has to be one of the most diverse vocalists in metal at the moment, and she makes this song what it is. The Lonely Monarch has an extremely catchy intro with big piano melodies that meld perfectly with the heavy guitars. The song's main riff is also memorable and really drives the verses with a slight bounce. The song makes lots of changes as it moves along, with sudden blasts of double bass drumming taking over to good effect, and a slower chorus that is heavy on the keyboard layers. The Paradox of the Flame is another piano-led ballad, and features the second guest vocalist on the album. Carina Englund, wife of Tom, who is a regular contributor to the band's albums returns here after lacking a real staring role on Hymns for the Broken. It is another great ballad, with a fantastic string arrangement throughout that really adds to the emotional impact of the song. Slide guitar sections are also included which are the icing on the cake. Disconnect is heavier, and also features Jansen's vocals but in a more background role this time. Her operatic skills are put to the test during the choruses, with her wordless efforts providing a great backing for Englund. Intense riffing sections are paired up with delicate piano breaks to give the song great feelings of light and shade, and contains little bits of everything that makes Evergrey sound the way they do. The album comes to an end with the slower title track, which certainly has a heavier, doomy feel to most of what has come before. Keyboards also play a big part in the song's sound, with subtle lead lines throughout and plenty of atmosphere. It is another good song, and ensures the album ends on a high with a song that twists and turns and has a true progressive feel. Overall, The Storm Within is another strong release from the veteran Swedish metal band, and one that shows their semi-rebirth with Hymns for the Broken was not a fluke. Anyone who likes moody metal music with hints of prog and goth should check this out.
The album was released of 9th September 2016 via AFM Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Distance.
Monday, 10 October 2016
Mostly Autumn - Leamington Spa Review
After a fantastic Christmas extravaganza last December (which I reviewed here), Mostly Autumn returned to The Assembly in the beautiful Midlands town of Leamington Spa for another mini festival of their own making. Last year's equivalent featured the last full performance to date of the fantastic Dressed in Voices album, along with an acoustic set, a set of Pink Floyd covers, and an extended encore that included some Christmas festivities. While it was a little early in the year for Christmas songs this time, the formula for this second Leamington 'evening with' Mostly Autumn was very similar. The band started the evening with an hour or so of acoustic music, followed by a support act, which in turn was followed by Mostly Autumn's main two-act headline performance. Last year's show was one of the best Mostly Autumn shows I have ever seen, which is no mean feat considering this one I am currently writing about is my 35th Mostly Autumn show, and this one promised to be up there with it. While I do not think this particular show eclipsed last year's wonderful evening, this was another excellent evening of live music full of new memories of one of my favourite live acts. The Assembly is one of the best mid-sized venues in the country, with an excellent central location and a wonderful sound system. It is no secret that bands have chosen it for conventions and all-day events in the past, with Mostly Autumn being the latest band to take full advantage of this facilities. The only real downside of the evening though was the turnout, which was considerably lower than last year. Last year's event saw the venue almost full, with fans travelling from far and wide to see the band. That was unfortunately not the case this year, but there were still enough people in the venue to make for a great atmosphere. Mostly Autumn fans tend to be very vocal and loyal anyway, and those that came again this year were treated to a fantastic set in the band's inimitable style. Despite the lower turnout, I have a feeling these 'evenings with' in Leamington will become annual events. I certainly hope so anyway!
The venue opened at 3pm, and Mostly Autumn hit the stage about half an hour later for a laid back hour of acoustic music before the show really started. The term 'acoustic' is used lightly here, as towards the end the band were firing on all of their rock cylinders, but things started off much more sedately than usual. They opened with two stripped back oldies, Never the Rainbow and Nowhere to Hide (Close my Eyes), which set the tone for most of the set. Olivia Sparnenn-Josh (vocals/glockenspiel/percussion) sung the first wonderfully, as the song took on a more lounge/jazz style than the 1970s hard rock of the original, and harmonised with Bryan Josh (vocals/guitar) beautifully on the second - which was the first real sing-along moment of the evening. Angela Gordon (vocals/flute/keyboards/whistle) took centre stage for a cover of Christy Moore's Ride On where she showcased her Celtic-infused playing and powerful voice. It has been good to have her back in the band these past couple of years, and I hope she sticks around! There were also a few solo spots in the set. Chris Johnson (vocals/guitar) sung the beautifully sparse Gaze, Alex Cromarty (vocals/guitar/drums) came out from behind his kit to sing a song, and Gordon had further chance to shine with a stunning version of her Odin Dragonfly song Given Time, with Johnson standing in for Heather Findlay with harmony vocals and acoustic guitar. This was easily the highlight of this first set, and the slightly revamped version (Josh added some electric guitar lines occasionally) was probably better than the original! Sparnenn-Josh then sung her ballad The Rain Song, which has morphed from an acoustic number, to a full band arrangement with Breathing Space, and back to an acoustic song again with piano and flute accompaniment. There were two songs left, and they were anything but acoustic! The Last Climb was dusted off again for a welcome outing. The song was a set regular for a few years, but has been used more sporadically recently and this was the first time I had seen the band play it for a couple of years at least. From the bluesy intro, through Gordon's lengthy flute solo, to Josh's long guitar solo, the song was fantastic, and it was good to hear it live again. The set came to an end with a storming version of the once ever-present Evergreen. It is a song that has not been featured much at all live year, but it was brought out again for this special occasion and Sparnenn-Josh owned it as she always has done since taking over the frontwoman spot in 2010. It was a great end to the set, and it gave us a taster of what was to come later. The setlist was:
Never the Rainbow
Nowhere to Hide (Close my Eyes)
Ride On [Christy Moore cover]
Gaze
{Unknown} [Alex Cromarty solo material]
Given Time [Odin Dragonfly cover]
The Rain Song [Breathing Space cover]
The Last Climb
Evergreen
After a quick change-over, it was time for the evening's 'proper' support act. As it was last year, violinist Anna Phoebe (who seems to be the latest addition to the large Mostly Autumn extended family) provided early evening entertainment for the gathered crowd, with some new material composed with guitarist Nicholas Rizzi. I saw the duo with Anathema in Exeter last year, but this time they are going under the name Papillon and seem to be looking to make this project into a full-time venture. At last year's Leamington show, Phoebe was accompanied by a classically-trained pianist, which I felt was better suited to her violin playing than the guitar was, but the two pairings show two very different styles. The set was the pianist was much more traditionally classical, whereas with Rizzi the music is quirkier and more upbeat. Rizzi is a good guitarist in his own right, and the two play off each other well. This sort of music will never be my favourite, but Phoebe is an extremely talented musician and it is always good to see something out of your comfort zone.
After an hour or so's break where the members of Mostly Autumn came out into the crowd to sign autographs and chat with the fans, the band started their marathon three hour plus set with a set of covers of songs that had inspired them. Considering most of the band's previous covers have been prog-related (mostly Pink Floyd), the set was full of quite a few surprises and it made for a diverse hour of music. Floyd's Us and Them got the show off to a good start, and the band were once again joined by saxophonist Chris Backhouse for the number as they were last year. Sparnenn-Josh then tackled Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll with ease. Her and Josh had performed this at the Josh & Co. Limited shows back in 2009, so it was great to see her really cut loose on this blues rock classic again. Phoebe joined the band onstage for Fairport Convention's Who Knows Where the Time Goes? which Gordon sung beautifully, before Johnson sung Neil Young's Like a Hurricane (which was the highlight of this set) and Radiohead's Fake Plastic Trees. Another highlight was Sparnenn-Josh's showpiece ballad All by Myself, originally by Eric Carmen but covered by Celine Dion among others. This hour-long set ended with a storming cover of Floyd's Comfortably Numb, which turned into a real guitar showcase for Josh. The song contains two iconic guitar solos, and he nailed both with ease. You can tell from watching Mostly Autumn play this song just how much the sound and songwriting style of Pink Floyd has influenced Josh and the band. Many old press releases used to refer to the band as the new Pink Floyd (which probably was not the greatest advertisement campaign) and it is easy to see their influence in the band's songs.
A twenty minute break followed, and the band came back onstage for the rest of their headline set, which was two hours of their own fantastic material. The set was largely the same as the one they have been playing on the road this year, but with a couple of choice changes to shake things up. The folky instrumental Out of the Inn, leading into the gothic rock of In for the Bite, have established themselves as another great concert-opening duo, and make for a dramatic entrance for Sparnenn-Josh on the latter. Josh's solo song has fit seamlessly into the set, and feels at home despite being darker and heavier than most of the band's material. The current set is a good balance of old a new, with the best of the Sparnenn-Josh-era of the band mixed in with classics from the past. Drops of the Sun, Skin on Skin, and Deep in Borrowdale (all from the Sparnenn-Josh-era) all rock hard and dominate the early part of the set. Skin on Skin particularly is a live highlight these days, with Cromarty's customary drum solo in the middle which leads into a folk rock workout at the end. The soaring symphonic rock of Wild Eyed Skies is another early highlight, with a soaring vocal performance and wall of keyboards from Iain Jennings and Gordon. Johnson's Silver Glass is a still a real showstopper live. His songwriting style is very different to that of Josh or Jennings, but that is what made his contributions to 2007's Heart Full of Sky so special. His songs sit well in the Mostly Autumn canon however, and hearing this one live again over the past couple of years has been a real treat. Mother Nature, brought out of retirement again this year, as easily the best song of the evening however. It is one of the best songs the band have ever done, from the melodic first half with the soaring chorus, to the prog rock instrumental ending which sees Josh and Jennings both have chances to solo as the energy builds up to a climactic finish with Andy Smith's bass solo. Phoebe rejoined the band on stage again for The House on the Hill which was lovely, as was the ballad Passengers which is always such a powerful live number. The main set came to an end with Sparnenn-Josh's signature number Questioning Eyes which is always an emotional moment, with Jennings' delicate piano melodies and Josh's ending slide solo. There was still time for a couple more however, and Phoebe took to the stage for the final time for the oldie (written in 1989 according to Josh!) The Night Sky which is rarely played live these days. It harks back to the time Mostly Autumn had a violinist in the band, and Phoebe and Josh both played their hearts out trading licks and melodies throughout. As always, Heroes Never Die brought the evening to a close, and the band took their bows to rapturous applause from the appreciative crowd. The setlist was:
Us and Them [Pink Floyd cover w/ Chris Backhouse]
Rock and Roll [Led Zeppelin cover]
Who Knows Where the Time Goes? [Fairport Convention cover w/ Anna Phoebe]
Like a Hurricane [Neil Young cover]
Fake Plastic Trees [Radiohead cover]
Take the Long Way Home [Supertramp cover w/ Chris Backhouse]
All by Myself [Eric Carmen cover]
The Great Gig in the Sky [Pink Floyd cover]
Comfortably Numb [Pink Floyd cover]
-
Out of the Inn
In for the Bite [Bryan Josh solo material]
Answer the Question
Drops of the Sun
Skin on Skin
Deep in Borrowdale
Wild Eyed Skies
Silhouettes of Stolen Ghosts
Silver Glass
Mother Nature
The House on the Hill [w/ Anna Phoebe]
Dressed in Voices
Passengers
The Spirit of Autumn Past - Part 2
Questioning Eyes [Breathing Space cover]
-
The Night Sky [w/ Anna Phoebe]
Heroes Never Die
Mostly Autumn shows are always powerful experiences, and this extended show was no different. It is great that the band puts on evenings like this for the fans, and they seemed to be having fun up there on stage throughout. The diverse covers set gave us an insight into the band's influences, and the powerful main set showed me yet again why they are one of my favourite bands. This is probably the last time I see the band play some of these songs for a while, as I have no more Mostly Autumn gigs planned for the rest of this year. February next year sees the release of their upcoming album Sight of Day, so I look forward to seeing the band again next year with a new album and a new set!
The venue opened at 3pm, and Mostly Autumn hit the stage about half an hour later for a laid back hour of acoustic music before the show really started. The term 'acoustic' is used lightly here, as towards the end the band were firing on all of their rock cylinders, but things started off much more sedately than usual. They opened with two stripped back oldies, Never the Rainbow and Nowhere to Hide (Close my Eyes), which set the tone for most of the set. Olivia Sparnenn-Josh (vocals/glockenspiel/percussion) sung the first wonderfully, as the song took on a more lounge/jazz style than the 1970s hard rock of the original, and harmonised with Bryan Josh (vocals/guitar) beautifully on the second - which was the first real sing-along moment of the evening. Angela Gordon (vocals/flute/keyboards/whistle) took centre stage for a cover of Christy Moore's Ride On where she showcased her Celtic-infused playing and powerful voice. It has been good to have her back in the band these past couple of years, and I hope she sticks around! There were also a few solo spots in the set. Chris Johnson (vocals/guitar) sung the beautifully sparse Gaze, Alex Cromarty (vocals/guitar/drums) came out from behind his kit to sing a song, and Gordon had further chance to shine with a stunning version of her Odin Dragonfly song Given Time, with Johnson standing in for Heather Findlay with harmony vocals and acoustic guitar. This was easily the highlight of this first set, and the slightly revamped version (Josh added some electric guitar lines occasionally) was probably better than the original! Sparnenn-Josh then sung her ballad The Rain Song, which has morphed from an acoustic number, to a full band arrangement with Breathing Space, and back to an acoustic song again with piano and flute accompaniment. There were two songs left, and they were anything but acoustic! The Last Climb was dusted off again for a welcome outing. The song was a set regular for a few years, but has been used more sporadically recently and this was the first time I had seen the band play it for a couple of years at least. From the bluesy intro, through Gordon's lengthy flute solo, to Josh's long guitar solo, the song was fantastic, and it was good to hear it live again. The set came to an end with a storming version of the once ever-present Evergreen. It is a song that has not been featured much at all live year, but it was brought out again for this special occasion and Sparnenn-Josh owned it as she always has done since taking over the frontwoman spot in 2010. It was a great end to the set, and it gave us a taster of what was to come later. The setlist was:
Never the Rainbow
Nowhere to Hide (Close my Eyes)
Ride On [Christy Moore cover]
Gaze
{Unknown} [Alex Cromarty solo material]
Given Time [Odin Dragonfly cover]
The Rain Song [Breathing Space cover]
The Last Climb
Evergreen
After a quick change-over, it was time for the evening's 'proper' support act. As it was last year, violinist Anna Phoebe (who seems to be the latest addition to the large Mostly Autumn extended family) provided early evening entertainment for the gathered crowd, with some new material composed with guitarist Nicholas Rizzi. I saw the duo with Anathema in Exeter last year, but this time they are going under the name Papillon and seem to be looking to make this project into a full-time venture. At last year's Leamington show, Phoebe was accompanied by a classically-trained pianist, which I felt was better suited to her violin playing than the guitar was, but the two pairings show two very different styles. The set was the pianist was much more traditionally classical, whereas with Rizzi the music is quirkier and more upbeat. Rizzi is a good guitarist in his own right, and the two play off each other well. This sort of music will never be my favourite, but Phoebe is an extremely talented musician and it is always good to see something out of your comfort zone.
After an hour or so's break where the members of Mostly Autumn came out into the crowd to sign autographs and chat with the fans, the band started their marathon three hour plus set with a set of covers of songs that had inspired them. Considering most of the band's previous covers have been prog-related (mostly Pink Floyd), the set was full of quite a few surprises and it made for a diverse hour of music. Floyd's Us and Them got the show off to a good start, and the band were once again joined by saxophonist Chris Backhouse for the number as they were last year. Sparnenn-Josh then tackled Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll with ease. Her and Josh had performed this at the Josh & Co. Limited shows back in 2009, so it was great to see her really cut loose on this blues rock classic again. Phoebe joined the band onstage for Fairport Convention's Who Knows Where the Time Goes? which Gordon sung beautifully, before Johnson sung Neil Young's Like a Hurricane (which was the highlight of this set) and Radiohead's Fake Plastic Trees. Another highlight was Sparnenn-Josh's showpiece ballad All by Myself, originally by Eric Carmen but covered by Celine Dion among others. This hour-long set ended with a storming cover of Floyd's Comfortably Numb, which turned into a real guitar showcase for Josh. The song contains two iconic guitar solos, and he nailed both with ease. You can tell from watching Mostly Autumn play this song just how much the sound and songwriting style of Pink Floyd has influenced Josh and the band. Many old press releases used to refer to the band as the new Pink Floyd (which probably was not the greatest advertisement campaign) and it is easy to see their influence in the band's songs.
A twenty minute break followed, and the band came back onstage for the rest of their headline set, which was two hours of their own fantastic material. The set was largely the same as the one they have been playing on the road this year, but with a couple of choice changes to shake things up. The folky instrumental Out of the Inn, leading into the gothic rock of In for the Bite, have established themselves as another great concert-opening duo, and make for a dramatic entrance for Sparnenn-Josh on the latter. Josh's solo song has fit seamlessly into the set, and feels at home despite being darker and heavier than most of the band's material. The current set is a good balance of old a new, with the best of the Sparnenn-Josh-era of the band mixed in with classics from the past. Drops of the Sun, Skin on Skin, and Deep in Borrowdale (all from the Sparnenn-Josh-era) all rock hard and dominate the early part of the set. Skin on Skin particularly is a live highlight these days, with Cromarty's customary drum solo in the middle which leads into a folk rock workout at the end. The soaring symphonic rock of Wild Eyed Skies is another early highlight, with a soaring vocal performance and wall of keyboards from Iain Jennings and Gordon. Johnson's Silver Glass is a still a real showstopper live. His songwriting style is very different to that of Josh or Jennings, but that is what made his contributions to 2007's Heart Full of Sky so special. His songs sit well in the Mostly Autumn canon however, and hearing this one live again over the past couple of years has been a real treat. Mother Nature, brought out of retirement again this year, as easily the best song of the evening however. It is one of the best songs the band have ever done, from the melodic first half with the soaring chorus, to the prog rock instrumental ending which sees Josh and Jennings both have chances to solo as the energy builds up to a climactic finish with Andy Smith's bass solo. Phoebe rejoined the band on stage again for The House on the Hill which was lovely, as was the ballad Passengers which is always such a powerful live number. The main set came to an end with Sparnenn-Josh's signature number Questioning Eyes which is always an emotional moment, with Jennings' delicate piano melodies and Josh's ending slide solo. There was still time for a couple more however, and Phoebe took to the stage for the final time for the oldie (written in 1989 according to Josh!) The Night Sky which is rarely played live these days. It harks back to the time Mostly Autumn had a violinist in the band, and Phoebe and Josh both played their hearts out trading licks and melodies throughout. As always, Heroes Never Die brought the evening to a close, and the band took their bows to rapturous applause from the appreciative crowd. The setlist was:
Us and Them [Pink Floyd cover w/ Chris Backhouse]
Rock and Roll [Led Zeppelin cover]
Who Knows Where the Time Goes? [Fairport Convention cover w/ Anna Phoebe]
Like a Hurricane [Neil Young cover]
Fake Plastic Trees [Radiohead cover]
Take the Long Way Home [Supertramp cover w/ Chris Backhouse]
All by Myself [Eric Carmen cover]
The Great Gig in the Sky [Pink Floyd cover]
Comfortably Numb [Pink Floyd cover]
-
Out of the Inn
In for the Bite [Bryan Josh solo material]
Answer the Question
Drops of the Sun
Skin on Skin
Deep in Borrowdale
Wild Eyed Skies
Silhouettes of Stolen Ghosts
Silver Glass
Mother Nature
The House on the Hill [w/ Anna Phoebe]
Dressed in Voices
Passengers
The Spirit of Autumn Past - Part 2
Questioning Eyes [Breathing Space cover]
-
The Night Sky [w/ Anna Phoebe]
Heroes Never Die
Mostly Autumn shows are always powerful experiences, and this extended show was no different. It is great that the band puts on evenings like this for the fans, and they seemed to be having fun up there on stage throughout. The diverse covers set gave us an insight into the band's influences, and the powerful main set showed me yet again why they are one of my favourite bands. This is probably the last time I see the band play some of these songs for a while, as I have no more Mostly Autumn gigs planned for the rest of this year. February next year sees the release of their upcoming album Sight of Day, so I look forward to seeing the band again next year with a new album and a new set!
Saturday, 8 October 2016
The Quireboys' 'Twisted Love' - Album Review
It could be argued that The Quireboys are one of the hardest working rock bands on the touring circuit at the moment. There seems to be very little time where the band are not on tour somewhere in the world, and their large fanbase is a testament to this commitment. Since 2013 and their new partnership with Off Yer Rocka Recordings, the band have poured some of their relentless road energy into new studio ventures and released three albums in that time - one each year. In a world were bands now often leave large gaps between studio albums, this streak from The Quireboys was pretty remarkable. Both 2013's Beautiful Curse (which I reviewed here) and 2014's Black Eyed Sons (which I also reviewed here) were good enough to get into my Top 10 Albums of the Year lists for their respective years, and brought fresh energy to a band that had not released an album since 2008. Last year's St Cecilia and the Gypsy Soul (which, yet again, I reviewed here) was a different beast. While the previous two were albums in the classic Quireboys vein, and every bit as good as their classic 1990 chart-climbing debut album A Bit of What You Fancy and the rest of their raucous catalogue, St Cecilia and the Gypsy Soul was a rawer, acoustic-driven work that showed a different side of the band. That album missed out on a place in my end of year list. but it is still a enjoyable piece of work and seemed to be the final album in the band's new trilogy. I certainly was not expecting a fourth new album in as many years, so when Twisted Love's announced came out of the view I was surprised. Surely no band can be this prolific without invoking the law of diminishing returns, but any fears of that were quashed as soon as I heard this album for the first time. This is certainly up there with the quality of Black Eyed Sons at least, and it set to become another Quireboys classic! Returning to the studio in Klippan, Sweden, with producer Martin Ekelund (Bonafide) were St Cecilia and the Gypsy Soul was recorded was clearly a good move, as this is possibly the best sounding Quireboys album of the recent haul. The now-established line-up of frontman Spike, guitarists Guy Griffin and Paul Guerin, keyboardist Keith Weir, bassist Nick Mailing. and drummer Dave McCluskey are firing on all cylinders here with everyone doing their bit to make this album a success. This is The Quireboys' 'blues' album, with a strong dose of that music genre in each of the ten songs here. Many songs feature the gospel-esque backing vocals of Lynne Jackaman (Saint Jude) and Jenny Palm which really helps to broaden the band's sound and aid that bluesy feel. This is a technique the band have not used much since their first couple of albums, and it is a welcome addition to Twisted Love. It is also the 'heaviest' album of the recent horde too, with only one recognised ballad and plenty of raw rock 'n' roll riffs from Griffin and Guerin.
The blues elements of the album are on display right away with the rollicking opening number Torn and Frayed. McCluskey's rolling drum beat provides the rhythm of the piece. while the guitars dance above with a slight country twang that gives this song a unique sound. Pär Jansson toots harmonica throughout, further adding to the bluesy feel of the song. Spike sounds reborn on this song, with his gravelly delivery fitting perfectly with the overall vibe. After the slightly left-field opening, the album returns to familiar Quireboys territory with the keyboard-driven rocker Ghost Train. Weir's electric piano leads and heavy organ stabs characterise the song and give it weight, with more than a little hint of early Whitesnake. Spike rules the song however with a commanding vocal performance. He has not sounded this good on record for a while, and has some of his early power back. The female backing vocalists help though, giving the chorus a big sound, and it is one of the catchiest moments on the album. Everyone delivers on this song, with the classic Quireboys sound coming to the fore with huge slide guitar lines. Killing Time is a guitar-driven rocker with a riff that sounds like a bastardisation of the Faces and AC/DC. In many respects, this song is probably the closest on the album to the sound that originally found them fame. Spike spits the vocals out with real venom, and Griffin and Guerin lock in together with a perfect looseness that only they can manage. Mailing shines here too, with a fluid bassline throughout that is more complex than the brash guitar chords and helps to provide a slightly funky subtle under-rhythm that gives the song real depth. I imagine this song will become a future live favourite, helped by the foot-stomping chorus and lengthy guitar solo. The album's title track is a song in the vein of those written for Beautiful Curse and Black Eyed Sons. Weir's keyboards provide the perfect atmosphere while Spike croons the lyrics in his distinctive style. This is not as heavy as the previous three songs, but still has a great rock feel with the rhythm section locking in perfectly to create a tight beat for the surprisingly spiky guitars to sit on top of. Jackaman's vocals are quite prominent here, harmonising well with Spike and providing a smooth equal to his rough delivery. Breaking Rocks is one of those songs that took me a few listens to appreciate. Most Quireboys songs are pretty instant, but this one took it's time to bed in. It is a very deliberate, mid-paced rocker which makes it's mark with a strong groove that all starts with Mailing's bassline. The rest of the instruments have a slightly claustrophobic feel, with harsh keyboard sounds mixing in with the classic Quireboys guitar sound. There is a strange guitar solo part-way through too which has a tortured tone which sounds strange at first, but over time begins to sound right.
Gracie B (Part 2) is not so much a sequel, but more of a re-working of the song that opened St Cecilia and the Gypsy Soul. The raw acoustic rock of the original version is replaced here by a raw hard rock version, with lashings of retro keyboard sounds and growling guitar lines. I am not sure this remake was strictly necessary, but it works well in the context of the album with this heavier sound. This version is closer to the live version the band have been playing for a while now, and it is good to have this version to compare to the sparser original from last year. Lifes a Bitch is classic Quireboys, and one of the standout tracks on the album. The perfect strut of the main guitar riffs is matched by an inspired vocal display from Spike who really owns this song. The chorus is a real winner too, with southern rock-style piano chords, and a catchy vocal melody which sees Spike ably assisted by the ladies. There is even a great piano solo towards the end, that shows Weir to be a formidable player with real skill. Stroll On is a great contrast to the raucous previous song, and adopts a much more laid-back rock vibe with shimmering organ sounds and a prominent bassline. This is another song that totally encompasses the sound the band have been pursuing since Beautiful Curse, with a storytelling vibe with Spike's signature style stamped all over it. There is a real class about this song, with a great old-school feel and a mix of sounds that works well. There is even a prominent harmonic section at the end, which brings the blues vibe back to the fore. Shotgun Way picks up the pace again, with a great bar room boogie feel, with a hint of Status Quo. Weir's keyboards once again dominate, with driving piano lines backing up the guitar riffs perfectly. This song is very similar to Torn and Frayed actually, with a similar drum pattern and melodies, but slowed down for greater purpose. It also features one of the best guitar solos on the album which is packed full of bluesy melodies and a great sense of character. The album closes with the only true ballad featured here, Midnight Collective. The Quireboys have always written beautiful ballads, and this is no exception. Spike's vocal style is perfectly suited for this sort of song, and his lyrics are perfect. Subtle piano chords and bigger keyboard sounds dominate, while the guitars sink to the background to provide the rhythmic elements. The guest female singers add their magic here too, for the last time, with some excellent wordless vocals to help Spike and create catchy little interludes. A slow guitar solo, which actually is the best one on the album, drips with emotion and is the icing on the cake. This is one of the band's best ballads yet. and works really well to close what is a relatively heavy album on a calm and sombre note. Overall, Twisted Love is another strong album from one of the hardest working bands around. Few could release four albums in four years with very little drop in quality, but The Quireboys have managed it, even throwing in a few new ideas to help keep things fresh.
The album was released on 2nd September 2016 via Off Yer Rocka Recordings. Below is the band's promotional video for Twisted Love.
The blues elements of the album are on display right away with the rollicking opening number Torn and Frayed. McCluskey's rolling drum beat provides the rhythm of the piece. while the guitars dance above with a slight country twang that gives this song a unique sound. Pär Jansson toots harmonica throughout, further adding to the bluesy feel of the song. Spike sounds reborn on this song, with his gravelly delivery fitting perfectly with the overall vibe. After the slightly left-field opening, the album returns to familiar Quireboys territory with the keyboard-driven rocker Ghost Train. Weir's electric piano leads and heavy organ stabs characterise the song and give it weight, with more than a little hint of early Whitesnake. Spike rules the song however with a commanding vocal performance. He has not sounded this good on record for a while, and has some of his early power back. The female backing vocalists help though, giving the chorus a big sound, and it is one of the catchiest moments on the album. Everyone delivers on this song, with the classic Quireboys sound coming to the fore with huge slide guitar lines. Killing Time is a guitar-driven rocker with a riff that sounds like a bastardisation of the Faces and AC/DC. In many respects, this song is probably the closest on the album to the sound that originally found them fame. Spike spits the vocals out with real venom, and Griffin and Guerin lock in together with a perfect looseness that only they can manage. Mailing shines here too, with a fluid bassline throughout that is more complex than the brash guitar chords and helps to provide a slightly funky subtle under-rhythm that gives the song real depth. I imagine this song will become a future live favourite, helped by the foot-stomping chorus and lengthy guitar solo. The album's title track is a song in the vein of those written for Beautiful Curse and Black Eyed Sons. Weir's keyboards provide the perfect atmosphere while Spike croons the lyrics in his distinctive style. This is not as heavy as the previous three songs, but still has a great rock feel with the rhythm section locking in perfectly to create a tight beat for the surprisingly spiky guitars to sit on top of. Jackaman's vocals are quite prominent here, harmonising well with Spike and providing a smooth equal to his rough delivery. Breaking Rocks is one of those songs that took me a few listens to appreciate. Most Quireboys songs are pretty instant, but this one took it's time to bed in. It is a very deliberate, mid-paced rocker which makes it's mark with a strong groove that all starts with Mailing's bassline. The rest of the instruments have a slightly claustrophobic feel, with harsh keyboard sounds mixing in with the classic Quireboys guitar sound. There is a strange guitar solo part-way through too which has a tortured tone which sounds strange at first, but over time begins to sound right.
Gracie B (Part 2) is not so much a sequel, but more of a re-working of the song that opened St Cecilia and the Gypsy Soul. The raw acoustic rock of the original version is replaced here by a raw hard rock version, with lashings of retro keyboard sounds and growling guitar lines. I am not sure this remake was strictly necessary, but it works well in the context of the album with this heavier sound. This version is closer to the live version the band have been playing for a while now, and it is good to have this version to compare to the sparser original from last year. Lifes a Bitch is classic Quireboys, and one of the standout tracks on the album. The perfect strut of the main guitar riffs is matched by an inspired vocal display from Spike who really owns this song. The chorus is a real winner too, with southern rock-style piano chords, and a catchy vocal melody which sees Spike ably assisted by the ladies. There is even a great piano solo towards the end, that shows Weir to be a formidable player with real skill. Stroll On is a great contrast to the raucous previous song, and adopts a much more laid-back rock vibe with shimmering organ sounds and a prominent bassline. This is another song that totally encompasses the sound the band have been pursuing since Beautiful Curse, with a storytelling vibe with Spike's signature style stamped all over it. There is a real class about this song, with a great old-school feel and a mix of sounds that works well. There is even a prominent harmonic section at the end, which brings the blues vibe back to the fore. Shotgun Way picks up the pace again, with a great bar room boogie feel, with a hint of Status Quo. Weir's keyboards once again dominate, with driving piano lines backing up the guitar riffs perfectly. This song is very similar to Torn and Frayed actually, with a similar drum pattern and melodies, but slowed down for greater purpose. It also features one of the best guitar solos on the album which is packed full of bluesy melodies and a great sense of character. The album closes with the only true ballad featured here, Midnight Collective. The Quireboys have always written beautiful ballads, and this is no exception. Spike's vocal style is perfectly suited for this sort of song, and his lyrics are perfect. Subtle piano chords and bigger keyboard sounds dominate, while the guitars sink to the background to provide the rhythmic elements. The guest female singers add their magic here too, for the last time, with some excellent wordless vocals to help Spike and create catchy little interludes. A slow guitar solo, which actually is the best one on the album, drips with emotion and is the icing on the cake. This is one of the band's best ballads yet. and works really well to close what is a relatively heavy album on a calm and sombre note. Overall, Twisted Love is another strong album from one of the hardest working bands around. Few could release four albums in four years with very little drop in quality, but The Quireboys have managed it, even throwing in a few new ideas to help keep things fresh.
The album was released on 2nd September 2016 via Off Yer Rocka Recordings. Below is the band's promotional video for Twisted Love.
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Twilight Force's 'Heroes of Mighty Magic' - Album Review
As I mentioned in my review of Sabaton's recent album, power metal seems to be slowly on the decline. This is quite a sad thing for me to come to terms with, as power metal was probably the first subgenre of metal that I got into in a big way, but it is hardly surprising given the limited scope of the genre in the first place. It has had it's own mini life cycle too: starting with Helloween and Stratovarius in the late 1980s/early 1990s; taken to quirkier territory with Sonata Arctica; and taken as far as it could possibly go (and back again) by Rhapsody of Fire. Rhapsody of Fire are probably the epitome of power metal in it's purest form, with soaring melodies, neo-classical lead guitar and keyboard runs, fantasy-inspired lyrics, and an epic symphonic backing. They pushed the genre as far as it could go, and probably ended up killing it in the process as no-one else could be more epic! These days, it seems power metal rests in the hands of Gloryhammer (and Sabaton, but they have transcended power metal now). While I do enjoy Gloryhammer's tongue-in-cheek power metal, and both their albums are extremely enjoyable, Gloryhammer are to power metal what Steel Panther are to hair metal. Power metal has been crying out for a new 'pure' act to carry the torch, and that act might have been found in Sweden's Twilight Force. They formed in 2011, and released their debut album Tales of Ancient Prophecies in 2014, but it was not until they signed to Nuclear Blast Records more recently that they started to get more attention. The results of this new partnership is the band's second album, the awfully titled Heroes of Mighty Magic (the music contained is far better than the title suggests, honestly..). Everything that was great about Tales of Ancient Prophecies has been included here and turned up to 11. Heroes of Mighty Magic is almost double the length of it's predecessor, and has much more going on. Sometimes there is almost too much going on, and the mix gets cluttered and it is hard to hear what is going on (the way early DragonForce albums do), but the melodies and songwriting here is always very strong. Guitarist Lynd and keyboardist Blackwald (yes, they all have awful stage names too..) have formed a solid songwriting partnership now and are set to be the future of epic power metal. They are aided by frontman Chrileon who has an extremely strong voice and a powerful range. With Heroes of Mighty Magic, Twilight Force are staking their claim to be the successors to Rhapsody of Fire, and may give power metal the kiss of life it needs!
Eschewing the usual cinematic intro so typical of power metal albums, Twilight Force steam straight into Battle of Arcane Might with a jaunty keyboard melody atop a crunchy rhythm guitar base. The song is your typical power metal fare, with a galloping verse that allowed Chrileon's strong vocals to dominate, before a soaring chorus takes over with plenty of keyboard layers and choral backing vocals. The lead guitar is very much in the Yngwie Malmsteen-esque neo-classical mould throughout and Lynd unleashes his first of many six-string attacks on this song, before a galloping, symphonic instrumental mid-section successfully takes over. Powerwind is the album's lead single, and opens out with something that sounds like it would sit nicely on a fantasy video game's soundtrack. This song is a microcosm of everything that makes Twilight Force a successful power metal act, but also showcases the cluttered production described earlier. Blackwald's synth leads throughout are extremely catchy, and the song's chorus could be the best on the album. Chrileon's high notes are something to behold, and he carries the song's melodies effortlessly as this simple bombastic number progresses. Rhapsody of Fire have not sounded this joyous for many a year now, and - despite the sound issues - this is a fine example of epic power metal at it's very best. Opening with a dramatic renaissance string melody, Guardian of the Seas soon becomes a shredding lead guitar workout for Lynd, although the production blunts the impact somewhat. This song has more bite than the previous two however, with gothic, Gregorian-esque choral vocals throughout and some excellent fast-paced drumming from new drummer De'Azsh. This is a powerful song, but the chorus is really let down by the production as Chrileon's vocals are almost totally lost at times. That leaves Lynd to be the star of the show, with plenty of explosive lead guitar breaks that are some of the most memorable heard in the genre for some time. Flight of the Sapphire Dragon starts off fairly placidly, but soon picks up the pace with some more soaring keyboard melodies and an anthemic gang vocal chant. This is one of the album's best songs, with a smooth verse that sounds a little like early Sonata Arctica crossed with Rhapsody of Fire's The Village of Dwarves (in fact, some of the keyboard melodies and sounds used here are similar to that song). The chorus is very upbeat, with plenty of strong vocal melodies to draw you in. It ends on what is probably the most ridiculous, yet amazing, bit of vocal gymnastics on the album, and ensures the song sticks in the mind. There and Back Again is a ten minute epic that ticks all the boxes, but never really amounts to being the epic is tries to be. In one piece of wish-fulfilment however, Fabio Lione (Labyrinth; Rhapsody of Fire; Vision Divine; Angra) duets with Chrileon throughout the song to add a bit of class. Their voices are so similar however, that is often difficult to tell who is singing when (the muddy production does not help). There are lots of stand out moments throughout the song, but it does not really hold together as a proper 'epic' that well. There is a song later in the album that does this much better!
Riders of the Dawn gets back to the shorter songs found on the early part of the album. I know I have been using Rhapsody of Fire for comparisons throughout this review so far, but this song really sounds like the Italian metal giants. If someone played me this song blind, I would have actually thought it was them! That is no bad thing however, and it rock with a storming chorus that actually sounds great and shows Twilight Force can produce music that sounds great from a production point of view. I imagine this song will become a live favourite for this chorus alone, but the lengthy guitar workout is also impressive. Lynd is the genre's new guitar hero, and this song showcases why. In comparison Keepers of Fate falls flat and fails to live up to the excellence of the previous number. The melodies here just are not that memorable compared to other songs on the album. It just never seems to get going, despite steaming along at a decent pace throughout and containing more good guitar playing. Rise of a Hero opens with a strong orchestral melody, before the playful verse kicks in with some child-like vocals in places, that work well in comparison to the full-bloodied delivery throughout, and this sits well with the very upbeat orchestral sounds the song uses. The instrumental mid-section is the highlight of the song however, with some fantastic keyboard and guitar interplay that really bring to mind those early Rising Force albums that made Yngwie Malmsteen a household name in the 1980s. To the Stars is another extremely catchy number that is sure to become a live favourite, with big gang vocal sections that will very fun to sing along to live. It is songs like this that prove that the simpler approach to songwriting brings more success to Twilight Force. The songs where the melodies are more in-your-face are the strongest, and shows that good power metal plays on these facts rather than bury them beneath a host of other musical layers. The final 'proper' song on the album is the epic title track, which is much more of a success than There and Back Again. Joakim Brodén (Sabaton) provides some guest vocals here. and his gruff voice provides a good contrast to Chrileon's soaring delivery. This is a song that is made up of quite a few bits, but they all fit together seamlessly and the song races by in what seems like far less than it's actual length. It provides a good end to the album, and shows that the band probably have a strong future in the genre. Two more tracks follow however, and they really knock the momentum of the album on the head and give the album a strange ending. The first is an entirely spoken word piece called Epilogue that goes on for over six minutes. I assume this is trying to tell the album's story, but since no clear story presents itself while listening, this mini audiobook feels totally unnecessary and cheesy (although not as terrible as the spoken word sections on the debut album). The second is an orchestral outro called Knights of Twilight's Might that just feels pointless after the weird spoken word track. The album should have ended with the title track, and these final two 'songs' only serve to damage the overall impact of the album. Overall, Heroes of Mighty Magic is a strong album of power metal anthems by a band that is sure to be the new torchbearers for the genre. My issues with the production and the album's ending aside, this is a great piece of work and I am sure this band will have a great and epic future.
The album was released on 26th August 2016 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's official video for Powerwind.
Eschewing the usual cinematic intro so typical of power metal albums, Twilight Force steam straight into Battle of Arcane Might with a jaunty keyboard melody atop a crunchy rhythm guitar base. The song is your typical power metal fare, with a galloping verse that allowed Chrileon's strong vocals to dominate, before a soaring chorus takes over with plenty of keyboard layers and choral backing vocals. The lead guitar is very much in the Yngwie Malmsteen-esque neo-classical mould throughout and Lynd unleashes his first of many six-string attacks on this song, before a galloping, symphonic instrumental mid-section successfully takes over. Powerwind is the album's lead single, and opens out with something that sounds like it would sit nicely on a fantasy video game's soundtrack. This song is a microcosm of everything that makes Twilight Force a successful power metal act, but also showcases the cluttered production described earlier. Blackwald's synth leads throughout are extremely catchy, and the song's chorus could be the best on the album. Chrileon's high notes are something to behold, and he carries the song's melodies effortlessly as this simple bombastic number progresses. Rhapsody of Fire have not sounded this joyous for many a year now, and - despite the sound issues - this is a fine example of epic power metal at it's very best. Opening with a dramatic renaissance string melody, Guardian of the Seas soon becomes a shredding lead guitar workout for Lynd, although the production blunts the impact somewhat. This song has more bite than the previous two however, with gothic, Gregorian-esque choral vocals throughout and some excellent fast-paced drumming from new drummer De'Azsh. This is a powerful song, but the chorus is really let down by the production as Chrileon's vocals are almost totally lost at times. That leaves Lynd to be the star of the show, with plenty of explosive lead guitar breaks that are some of the most memorable heard in the genre for some time. Flight of the Sapphire Dragon starts off fairly placidly, but soon picks up the pace with some more soaring keyboard melodies and an anthemic gang vocal chant. This is one of the album's best songs, with a smooth verse that sounds a little like early Sonata Arctica crossed with Rhapsody of Fire's The Village of Dwarves (in fact, some of the keyboard melodies and sounds used here are similar to that song). The chorus is very upbeat, with plenty of strong vocal melodies to draw you in. It ends on what is probably the most ridiculous, yet amazing, bit of vocal gymnastics on the album, and ensures the song sticks in the mind. There and Back Again is a ten minute epic that ticks all the boxes, but never really amounts to being the epic is tries to be. In one piece of wish-fulfilment however, Fabio Lione (Labyrinth; Rhapsody of Fire; Vision Divine; Angra) duets with Chrileon throughout the song to add a bit of class. Their voices are so similar however, that is often difficult to tell who is singing when (the muddy production does not help). There are lots of stand out moments throughout the song, but it does not really hold together as a proper 'epic' that well. There is a song later in the album that does this much better!
Riders of the Dawn gets back to the shorter songs found on the early part of the album. I know I have been using Rhapsody of Fire for comparisons throughout this review so far, but this song really sounds like the Italian metal giants. If someone played me this song blind, I would have actually thought it was them! That is no bad thing however, and it rock with a storming chorus that actually sounds great and shows Twilight Force can produce music that sounds great from a production point of view. I imagine this song will become a live favourite for this chorus alone, but the lengthy guitar workout is also impressive. Lynd is the genre's new guitar hero, and this song showcases why. In comparison Keepers of Fate falls flat and fails to live up to the excellence of the previous number. The melodies here just are not that memorable compared to other songs on the album. It just never seems to get going, despite steaming along at a decent pace throughout and containing more good guitar playing. Rise of a Hero opens with a strong orchestral melody, before the playful verse kicks in with some child-like vocals in places, that work well in comparison to the full-bloodied delivery throughout, and this sits well with the very upbeat orchestral sounds the song uses. The instrumental mid-section is the highlight of the song however, with some fantastic keyboard and guitar interplay that really bring to mind those early Rising Force albums that made Yngwie Malmsteen a household name in the 1980s. To the Stars is another extremely catchy number that is sure to become a live favourite, with big gang vocal sections that will very fun to sing along to live. It is songs like this that prove that the simpler approach to songwriting brings more success to Twilight Force. The songs where the melodies are more in-your-face are the strongest, and shows that good power metal plays on these facts rather than bury them beneath a host of other musical layers. The final 'proper' song on the album is the epic title track, which is much more of a success than There and Back Again. Joakim Brodén (Sabaton) provides some guest vocals here. and his gruff voice provides a good contrast to Chrileon's soaring delivery. This is a song that is made up of quite a few bits, but they all fit together seamlessly and the song races by in what seems like far less than it's actual length. It provides a good end to the album, and shows that the band probably have a strong future in the genre. Two more tracks follow however, and they really knock the momentum of the album on the head and give the album a strange ending. The first is an entirely spoken word piece called Epilogue that goes on for over six minutes. I assume this is trying to tell the album's story, but since no clear story presents itself while listening, this mini audiobook feels totally unnecessary and cheesy (although not as terrible as the spoken word sections on the debut album). The second is an orchestral outro called Knights of Twilight's Might that just feels pointless after the weird spoken word track. The album should have ended with the title track, and these final two 'songs' only serve to damage the overall impact of the album. Overall, Heroes of Mighty Magic is a strong album of power metal anthems by a band that is sure to be the new torchbearers for the genre. My issues with the production and the album's ending aside, this is a great piece of work and I am sure this band will have a great and epic future.
The album was released on 26th August 2016 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's official video for Powerwind.
Saturday, 24 September 2016
Delain's 'Moonbathers' - Album Review
Delain have really grown in stature in the past few years. Starting with their third album, 2012's We are the Others, Delain really found their niche in the metal world and established a sound that set themselves apart from other symphonic metal bands. Their riff-focused, heavier take on the genre has made Delain different from the rest of the more over-the-top bands in the symphonic metal world and has made them very popular in their own right. This heavier, streamlined sound was refined on 2014's The Human Contradiction (which I reviewed here) which was probably their most complete work to date. A slight over-reliance on guest vocalists gave the album a slightly disjointed vibe at times, but the songwriting, performance, and production was spot on throughout. I have to say that it took me a little while to really get into The Human Contradiction's heavier sound, but now I love it and it is the Delain album I reach for the most. Two years on, and plenty of live shows later, Delain's fifth album Moonbathers was released last month. It was preceded by an EP called Lunar Prelude back in February, which contained two new songs (both of which appear Moonbathers), a re-working of a The Human Contradiction bonus track, and some live recordings from the 2015 European tour. It worked as a good taster for Moonbathers, despite not being an essential release to own. Moonbathers is the band's first full-length album to feature guitarist Merel Bechtold (Purest of Pain; MaYaN) and drummer Ruben Israel, who have both been playing with the band for a while now. Both started as session musicians on tour with the band filling in for existing members, and gradually wormed their way into the band's permanent line-up. Israel replaced outgoing drummer Sander Zoer in 2014, and Bechtold was added last year after subbing for lead guitarist Timo Somers on a few occasions. Bechtold's addition makes Delain a six-piece for the first time since early supporting line-ups for the debut album Lucidity. While the twin guitar attack has not made a big difference to the band's studio output, something which they probably have not made the most of yet - some harmony leads and dual solos would be a great addition to their sound going forward, but live it helps to beef up the sound. Moonbathers could be described as a beefy album too, with the heavier side of Delain's sound emphasised with Somers and Bechtold's guitars dominating the mix, with founding member and songwriter Martijn Westerholt's keyboards taking more of a backseat. The star of the Delain show on this album however, as always, is singer Charlotte Wessels. Her strong, clear voice is the true heart of Delain and that has not changed here. Like The Human Contradiction, this album takes a few listens to get into, but there are plenty of strong songs here which will please fans.
The album starts with a bang as the chugging guitars and double bass drumming heralds the start of Hands of Gold which is a real symphonic metal anthem with dramatic orchestrations and the album's only guest vocal spot. Alissa White-Gluz (The Agonist; Arch Enemy) adds her trademark growling vocals to the album which is a great contrast to Wessels' soaring cleans. This is one of the heaviest Delain songs to date, and includes a excellent chorus where Wessels showcases her impressive vocal range as Westerholt's swirling keyboards and orchestrations provide colour. White-Gluz's section is the album's heaviest moment, and then everything drops out leaving just Wessels' voice with some subtle drumming - a great contrast in styles. The Glory and the Scum follows with a groovy riff and soon descends into a solid mid-paced verse led by Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije's driving bassline and a commanding vocal display from Wessels. The chorus is the song's strongest moment however. Wessels even provides the growled backing vocals during this part of the song, showing even more vocal range than I thought she possessed, and the rest of the vocal melodies are extremely catchy. Somers even gets a short guitar solo to show off his skills, something which is a rarity in the band's music. Suckerpunch, one of the two songs to appear on Lunar Prelude, opens with some atmospheric synths and morphs into a soaring rocker that relies more on Westerholt's keyboards than many of the other songs here. The verses are very rhythmic with some great drumming from Israel, and the chorus is an explosive one with lots of catchy backing vocals. The song's instrumental breakdown is also worth a mention, as it is more Nightwish than Nightwish! It shows that Delain can do the over-the-top style symphonic metal too, and this short section really adds something extra to an already great song. After three great songs, the album sees a slight drop in quality with The Hurricane. It is a slow song, but without any real standout melodies and it never seems to really go anywhere. It is a bit of a plodding song really, and Delain have done much better songs of this ilk in the past. The next song, Chrysalis - The Last Breath, is also a slow number but this is much more a ballad than The Hurricane. Opening with delicate piano and Wessels' voice, it starts off strongly and continues well throughout. I particularly like the strange chorus during the song, with some very floaty vocals from Wessels that sounds different from anything she has recorded before. It works well and you can see her love of Muse shining through. While the last third of the song is a bit gritter, it never really becomes a rocker. That works well however, and shows a different side to Delain's songwriting.
After two slower songs, Fire with Fire picks up the pace with a simple, but heavier metal tune which is instantly catchy and has a very old school Delain vibe. This would not have sounded out of place on 2009's April Rain. I imagine this song will become a live favourite, especially with the anthemic gang vocal chanting section that comes after the melodic chorus. There is another bombastic symphonic instrumental section part way through, which climaxes with some ringing piano chords and a huge, rousing gang vocal section. This is a rocking tune that stood out from the off, and is one of the best tracks on the album. Pendulum is another heavier track with some barking growls in the song's intro (and also used elsewhere throughout), but it soon becomes a smoother song with a keyboard-driven verse with van der Oije's rolling bassline proving some great rhythm. There is another strong guitar solo here, and shows that Somers is a pretty capable player. Flashy guitar parts have never been a big part of the band's sound, so it is good to see the guitar work a bit more varied and explosive in parts throughout. I would like to see the band do more of this in the future, especially with Somers and Bechtold in the band now. Bechtold is a real shredder too, so I would love to see her cut loose! Danse Macabre is a strange song, but it is great with some catchy Eastern-inspired melodies and some dancey synths in places that bring Amaranthe to mind. The chorus is classic Delain though, with Wessels' high vocals taking the spotlight as Westerholt's keyboards ring out with some extremely melodic lines. Overall, the song feels very different to what Delain have done in the past, despite some familiar sounds coming through, and it is good to see the band pushing themselves on this album. A cover of Queen's Scandal follows, which might actually be better than original. Scandal is not exactly a classic Queen song, and sounds more like Duran Duran or Spandau Ballet than Queen, but Delain have taken it and made it into a real rocker. The chorus is bombastic and powerful, and Wessels holds her own against the inimitable Freddie Mercury. There is a proper guitar solo here too, with a bit of shredding and what sounds like some lead keyboards thrown into the mix. This is a really strong cover, and merits it's inclusion on the album. Turn the Lights Out, the second song to appear on Lunar Prelude, the is the last 'proper' song on the album. I was one of the first people to hear this song when they debuted it in Bristol on their European tour last year, and I liked it from the off. It has a great atmospheric feel to it, as the big layers of keyboards dominate. Wessels sounds absolutely gorgeous during the floaty chorus and shows why she is one of the best vocalists in symphonic metal. It ends the album on a strong note, as it merges into the largely instrumental closing number The Monarch. Overall, Moonbathers is another strong album from Delain. It does take a few listens to get into, but it is an album worth sticking with as there are some real gems on here.
The album was released on 26th August 2016 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Suckerpunch.
The album starts with a bang as the chugging guitars and double bass drumming heralds the start of Hands of Gold which is a real symphonic metal anthem with dramatic orchestrations and the album's only guest vocal spot. Alissa White-Gluz (The Agonist; Arch Enemy) adds her trademark growling vocals to the album which is a great contrast to Wessels' soaring cleans. This is one of the heaviest Delain songs to date, and includes a excellent chorus where Wessels showcases her impressive vocal range as Westerholt's swirling keyboards and orchestrations provide colour. White-Gluz's section is the album's heaviest moment, and then everything drops out leaving just Wessels' voice with some subtle drumming - a great contrast in styles. The Glory and the Scum follows with a groovy riff and soon descends into a solid mid-paced verse led by Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije's driving bassline and a commanding vocal display from Wessels. The chorus is the song's strongest moment however. Wessels even provides the growled backing vocals during this part of the song, showing even more vocal range than I thought she possessed, and the rest of the vocal melodies are extremely catchy. Somers even gets a short guitar solo to show off his skills, something which is a rarity in the band's music. Suckerpunch, one of the two songs to appear on Lunar Prelude, opens with some atmospheric synths and morphs into a soaring rocker that relies more on Westerholt's keyboards than many of the other songs here. The verses are very rhythmic with some great drumming from Israel, and the chorus is an explosive one with lots of catchy backing vocals. The song's instrumental breakdown is also worth a mention, as it is more Nightwish than Nightwish! It shows that Delain can do the over-the-top style symphonic metal too, and this short section really adds something extra to an already great song. After three great songs, the album sees a slight drop in quality with The Hurricane. It is a slow song, but without any real standout melodies and it never seems to really go anywhere. It is a bit of a plodding song really, and Delain have done much better songs of this ilk in the past. The next song, Chrysalis - The Last Breath, is also a slow number but this is much more a ballad than The Hurricane. Opening with delicate piano and Wessels' voice, it starts off strongly and continues well throughout. I particularly like the strange chorus during the song, with some very floaty vocals from Wessels that sounds different from anything she has recorded before. It works well and you can see her love of Muse shining through. While the last third of the song is a bit gritter, it never really becomes a rocker. That works well however, and shows a different side to Delain's songwriting.
After two slower songs, Fire with Fire picks up the pace with a simple, but heavier metal tune which is instantly catchy and has a very old school Delain vibe. This would not have sounded out of place on 2009's April Rain. I imagine this song will become a live favourite, especially with the anthemic gang vocal chanting section that comes after the melodic chorus. There is another bombastic symphonic instrumental section part way through, which climaxes with some ringing piano chords and a huge, rousing gang vocal section. This is a rocking tune that stood out from the off, and is one of the best tracks on the album. Pendulum is another heavier track with some barking growls in the song's intro (and also used elsewhere throughout), but it soon becomes a smoother song with a keyboard-driven verse with van der Oije's rolling bassline proving some great rhythm. There is another strong guitar solo here, and shows that Somers is a pretty capable player. Flashy guitar parts have never been a big part of the band's sound, so it is good to see the guitar work a bit more varied and explosive in parts throughout. I would like to see the band do more of this in the future, especially with Somers and Bechtold in the band now. Bechtold is a real shredder too, so I would love to see her cut loose! Danse Macabre is a strange song, but it is great with some catchy Eastern-inspired melodies and some dancey synths in places that bring Amaranthe to mind. The chorus is classic Delain though, with Wessels' high vocals taking the spotlight as Westerholt's keyboards ring out with some extremely melodic lines. Overall, the song feels very different to what Delain have done in the past, despite some familiar sounds coming through, and it is good to see the band pushing themselves on this album. A cover of Queen's Scandal follows, which might actually be better than original. Scandal is not exactly a classic Queen song, and sounds more like Duran Duran or Spandau Ballet than Queen, but Delain have taken it and made it into a real rocker. The chorus is bombastic and powerful, and Wessels holds her own against the inimitable Freddie Mercury. There is a proper guitar solo here too, with a bit of shredding and what sounds like some lead keyboards thrown into the mix. This is a really strong cover, and merits it's inclusion on the album. Turn the Lights Out, the second song to appear on Lunar Prelude, the is the last 'proper' song on the album. I was one of the first people to hear this song when they debuted it in Bristol on their European tour last year, and I liked it from the off. It has a great atmospheric feel to it, as the big layers of keyboards dominate. Wessels sounds absolutely gorgeous during the floaty chorus and shows why she is one of the best vocalists in symphonic metal. It ends the album on a strong note, as it merges into the largely instrumental closing number The Monarch. Overall, Moonbathers is another strong album from Delain. It does take a few listens to get into, but it is an album worth sticking with as there are some real gems on here.
The album was released on 26th August 2016 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Suckerpunch.
Saturday, 17 September 2016
Sabaton's 'The Last Stand' - Album Review
While the power metal genre on the whole is slowly in decline, it's glory years behind it, one exponent of the genre continues to go from strength to strength. I am of course talking about Sweden's Sabaton, who's career continues to blossom despite releasing their eighth album, The Last Stand, last month! There are many bands out there who have never reached their eighth album, let alone see their star rise at the same trajectory as Sabaton's still is, so this is achievement is something not to be understated. Despite having their feet firmly rooted in the power metal camp, Sabaton have always worn their love for traditional heavy metal on their sleeves. Foregoing the traditional power metal clichés of high-pitched vocals and lightning-fast guitar solos, Sabaton have much more in common with bands like Judas Priest and Accept than they do with bands like Helloween. This is probably one of the secrets of their success, and as a result they appeal to a wide range of metal fans. The lyrical niche the band have carved for themselves has always played a part in their success. The historical themes are not unique to Sabaton, but few bands have done it with as much passion. Founding members and main songwriters Joakim Brodén and Pär Sundström really know their stuff, and their keen interest in military history is infectious and instills a thirst for knowledge. There are few bands that will have you flicking through Wikipedia articles after listening to their albums! Sabaton are survivours too, having survived a major line-up overhaul in 2012 that would have crippled a lesser band. The Last Stand is the second album with the post-2012 line-up, and follows on nicely from 2014's Heroes (which I reviewed here). Heroes reigned in some of the over-the-top theatrical and cinematic elements that the band had experimented with on 2012's Carolus Rex in favour of a more guitar-driven metal album that saw the band return to their roots somewhat. It was well-received, so the band have wisely followed a similar path on The Last Stand. That being said, Brodén's keyboards are much more prominent this time around and that gives the album a strong 1980s vibe at times, with some pretty retro synthesiser sounds used at times! As a result, The Last Stand sounds like a bit of a mix of Heroes and Carolus Rex which works well and the songwriting style used here is pretty typical of the band's past work. It is also the last Sabaton album that will feature the guitar skills of Thobbe Englund who left the band amicably after the album was fininshed. Tommy Johansson (Golden Resurrection) has joined the band as his replacement, but does not feature at all on The Last Stand.
Sabaton albums always start with a bang and this one is no exception. The mid-paced anthem Sparta, which is set to be a live favourite for years to come, opens with a majestic keyboard-driven motif with ringing power chords and Hannes van Dahl's rolling drums. The verses are quite sparse, with Sundström's growling bassline taking the lead as Brodén's low voice tells the first of many epic tales told on this album. While never a fast song, Sparta packs a serious punch throughout, and especially during the chorus which sees good use of gang vocal sections, and soaring vocal melodies that have become the band's trademark. It is one of the most instantly memorable Sabaton songs from the past few years, and is an instant classic. Last Dying Breath picks up the pace, but the keyboard-heavy sound remains as the guitars intertwine underneath. The verses have a classic Judas Priest feel, with a simple, driving rhythm that makes the most of Brodén's deep vocal style. While not possessing much of a chorus, the reprise of the song's intro riffs serves as such, as the pulsing keyboards rolls back time into the 1980s. Chris Rörland's guitar solo is quite lengthy too, with a good mix of fast shredding runs and slower, atmospheric sections. Blood of Bannockburn is a song that I did not like when I first heard it. It was released online prior to the album's release and it sounded very weak compared to Sabaton's older songs. While my opinion on the song has improved somewhat since, it is still the weakest song on the album for me. The fact the song was written in a major key makes the song stick out terribly with a strange, upbeat vibe to it, and the bagpipe melodies clash with the guitars. That being said there is a good, but short, Hammond Organ solo from Tomas Sunmo that adds something different to the established Sabaton sound. After the sombre spoken word piece Diary of an Unknown Soldier, which features the voice of fellow military history enthusiast Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth; Demons & Wizards; Sons of Liberty), comes The Lost Battalion which is a good old-fashioned Sabaton romp. Much has been made of the gun samples used to make the drum sounds on this song and it sounds great, giving the song a rhythmic pounding feel that helps to bring the story in the lyrics to life. Englund's mournful guitar solo fits the song really well, and the chorus is one of the most memorable on the album. Sabaton have a great knack for using backing vocals to their advantage, and the huge choir amassed for this purpose really shines here and helps bring the song to life. Rorke's Drift is less keyboard-focused and sounds like a song left over from the Heroes sessions. As a result it has a heavier overall feel, with some great speedy guitar riffing and drumming that allows van Dahl to cut loose somewhat. It is a high energy song, which sits well after the mid-paced power of the previous song. It always features a great dual-guitar solo which sees the band's two guitarists trading leads and peeling off each other perfectly.
The album's title track is up next and it is my favourite song on the album. It contains all the classic Sabaton traits, and is based around a fantastic mid-paced piece of music with a great story about the Swiss Guard to match. Brodén sounds even more inspired than usual on this song, and delivers what could be one of his greatest vocal performances ever. The religious imagery of the lyrics, and the story they tell, gives this song a unique feel, and Rörland's neo-classical solo is the icing on the cake. If someone was to ask me what was so great about Sabaton's music, I think this is the song that I would play them as it really contains everything that has made them so successful. After the majesty of the album's title track, the metallic Hill 3234, comes in like a steamroller with a thrashy main riff. This is another song out of the Heroes mould, and features some more technical guitar work than is usual on this album. The two guitarists mix intricate passages together well, and dominate the song with little interference from the keyboards. Most Sabaton songs feature quite simple guitar passages which help to emphasise the power of the melodies, but sometimes it is great to see them cut loose with more technical lines. Shiroyama features some of the most parp-tastic keyboards in the band's whole career and makes you wonder if Brodén has been listening to lots of Survivor recently! The song's verses are fairly non-desrcipt, as the whole song is built around an extremely powerful chorus that dominates. It is one of the more memorable moments on the album, and is sure to be a highlight of any future live show. Winged Hussars is another masterful display of mid-paced metal from a band who do it so well. Structurally this is similar to Sparta, with bass-driven verses and an extremely powerful chorus that makes good use of strong gang vocals. The main keyboard riff is ridiculously cheesy, but works well in the context of the song, even if it sounds like something Europe would have written around the time of The Final Countdown! The song is pure power however, and shows that metal does not always have to played at break-neck speed to achieve this. The album's final song, appropriately called The Last Battle, opens with a guitar/keyboard combination that is sure to get anyone pumped up, and the rest of the song does not disappoint. It is a simple song that really just plays to the band's strengths and has the feel of a victory lap after an album that is packed full of classic power metal anthems. Overall, The Last Stand is another great addition to the strong Sabaton discography and, the weaker Blood of Bannockburn aside, will probably be seen as one of the band's better albums in the future. This album will almost certainly appear in my Albums of the Year list come January, and it will more than deserve it's place. As a final note, the delux edition also comes with a couple of extra songs (including a good cover of Judas Priest's All Guns Blazing) and bonus DVD featuring a full live show filmed in France earlier this year. This is one delux edition that is well worth the extra few quid!
The album was released on 19th August 2016 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Sparta.
Sabaton albums always start with a bang and this one is no exception. The mid-paced anthem Sparta, which is set to be a live favourite for years to come, opens with a majestic keyboard-driven motif with ringing power chords and Hannes van Dahl's rolling drums. The verses are quite sparse, with Sundström's growling bassline taking the lead as Brodén's low voice tells the first of many epic tales told on this album. While never a fast song, Sparta packs a serious punch throughout, and especially during the chorus which sees good use of gang vocal sections, and soaring vocal melodies that have become the band's trademark. It is one of the most instantly memorable Sabaton songs from the past few years, and is an instant classic. Last Dying Breath picks up the pace, but the keyboard-heavy sound remains as the guitars intertwine underneath. The verses have a classic Judas Priest feel, with a simple, driving rhythm that makes the most of Brodén's deep vocal style. While not possessing much of a chorus, the reprise of the song's intro riffs serves as such, as the pulsing keyboards rolls back time into the 1980s. Chris Rörland's guitar solo is quite lengthy too, with a good mix of fast shredding runs and slower, atmospheric sections. Blood of Bannockburn is a song that I did not like when I first heard it. It was released online prior to the album's release and it sounded very weak compared to Sabaton's older songs. While my opinion on the song has improved somewhat since, it is still the weakest song on the album for me. The fact the song was written in a major key makes the song stick out terribly with a strange, upbeat vibe to it, and the bagpipe melodies clash with the guitars. That being said there is a good, but short, Hammond Organ solo from Tomas Sunmo that adds something different to the established Sabaton sound. After the sombre spoken word piece Diary of an Unknown Soldier, which features the voice of fellow military history enthusiast Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth; Demons & Wizards; Sons of Liberty), comes The Lost Battalion which is a good old-fashioned Sabaton romp. Much has been made of the gun samples used to make the drum sounds on this song and it sounds great, giving the song a rhythmic pounding feel that helps to bring the story in the lyrics to life. Englund's mournful guitar solo fits the song really well, and the chorus is one of the most memorable on the album. Sabaton have a great knack for using backing vocals to their advantage, and the huge choir amassed for this purpose really shines here and helps bring the song to life. Rorke's Drift is less keyboard-focused and sounds like a song left over from the Heroes sessions. As a result it has a heavier overall feel, with some great speedy guitar riffing and drumming that allows van Dahl to cut loose somewhat. It is a high energy song, which sits well after the mid-paced power of the previous song. It always features a great dual-guitar solo which sees the band's two guitarists trading leads and peeling off each other perfectly.
The album's title track is up next and it is my favourite song on the album. It contains all the classic Sabaton traits, and is based around a fantastic mid-paced piece of music with a great story about the Swiss Guard to match. Brodén sounds even more inspired than usual on this song, and delivers what could be one of his greatest vocal performances ever. The religious imagery of the lyrics, and the story they tell, gives this song a unique feel, and Rörland's neo-classical solo is the icing on the cake. If someone was to ask me what was so great about Sabaton's music, I think this is the song that I would play them as it really contains everything that has made them so successful. After the majesty of the album's title track, the metallic Hill 3234, comes in like a steamroller with a thrashy main riff. This is another song out of the Heroes mould, and features some more technical guitar work than is usual on this album. The two guitarists mix intricate passages together well, and dominate the song with little interference from the keyboards. Most Sabaton songs feature quite simple guitar passages which help to emphasise the power of the melodies, but sometimes it is great to see them cut loose with more technical lines. Shiroyama features some of the most parp-tastic keyboards in the band's whole career and makes you wonder if Brodén has been listening to lots of Survivor recently! The song's verses are fairly non-desrcipt, as the whole song is built around an extremely powerful chorus that dominates. It is one of the more memorable moments on the album, and is sure to be a highlight of any future live show. Winged Hussars is another masterful display of mid-paced metal from a band who do it so well. Structurally this is similar to Sparta, with bass-driven verses and an extremely powerful chorus that makes good use of strong gang vocals. The main keyboard riff is ridiculously cheesy, but works well in the context of the song, even if it sounds like something Europe would have written around the time of The Final Countdown! The song is pure power however, and shows that metal does not always have to played at break-neck speed to achieve this. The album's final song, appropriately called The Last Battle, opens with a guitar/keyboard combination that is sure to get anyone pumped up, and the rest of the song does not disappoint. It is a simple song that really just plays to the band's strengths and has the feel of a victory lap after an album that is packed full of classic power metal anthems. Overall, The Last Stand is another great addition to the strong Sabaton discography and, the weaker Blood of Bannockburn aside, will probably be seen as one of the band's better albums in the future. This album will almost certainly appear in my Albums of the Year list come January, and it will more than deserve it's place. As a final note, the delux edition also comes with a couple of extra songs (including a good cover of Judas Priest's All Guns Blazing) and bonus DVD featuring a full live show filmed in France earlier this year. This is one delux edition that is well worth the extra few quid!
The album was released on 19th August 2016 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Sparta.
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