Artist : DragonForce Country : UK Release : Ultra Beatdown [Special Edition] Year : 2008 Genre : Heavy Metal File Type : mp3 320 Info:
Simply put, I love this band. The energy, chops, and epic nature of
their work astounds me every time I hear it. Now you know where I place
this band in the grand scheme of metal groups: at the top.
What sets
this band apart from others like it (epic, speed, metal, whatever) for
me is their positive energy, upbeat lyrics, and tendency to stick to
major keys (rare in metal). While the argument that many of their songs
tend to sound the same has validity, this particular album stands out as
a unique entry in their catalog. What sets Ultra Beatdown apart from
their other albums is a stronger synthesizer presence and an overall
slower pace (this latter comment should be taken in context, they are a
speed metal group so slow for them is still pretty fast).
Artist : Oliva Country : USA Release : Raise The Curtain [Limited Edition] Year : 2013 Genre : Heavy Metal File Type : mp3 320 Info:
Being a Savatage fan from way, way back, my expectations were in the
middle ground. I adore Savatage and really dig most everything they ever
did, both with Criss Oliva and after his untimely passing. I love Chris
Caffery's stuff and love Circle II Circle, too. Pretty much everything
along the Sava-tree is cool by me, but to greater or lesser degrees of
listenability, including the Jon Oliva's Pain project.
This disc,
though, ostensibly Jon Oliva left to his own devices, raises the bar.
The production, the songwriting, the musicianship, from top to bottom is
top notch. The Oliva screams are there, the guitar playing is well
above average and in a great many spots I daresay that Criss would be
smiling at his brother's work and how well done it is.
Artist : ICS Vortex Country : Norway Release : Storm Seeker [Limited Edition] Year : 2011 Genre : Heavy Metal File Type : mp3 320 Info: ICS Vortex’s
debut album “Storm Seeker” is a havoc of groovy metal attitude mixed
with 70’s prog, stoner rock and his signature clean vocals. Catchy, riff
based, and free of album fillers, ICS Vortex anchors the 45 minutes trip into the storm on the solid foundation of the ICS Vortex trademarks. The dark waters of ICS Vortex
take you from the abyss to the raging waves and maroons you smiling
somewhere in space. “Storm Seeker” is no concept album, but the songs
are linked by an “All in!” attitude, mixed with love and respect for the
storms in man. The opening track “The Blackmobile” combines the drive
of raw Black Metal riffing with the total absence of grim vocals. When
the vocal harmonies hit, you will nevertheless praise the beast… Not the
evil-medieval one, but the horned ram on the panzer of a dodge! The ICS Vortex
wave pioneers on, song by song, adding references and styles as the
horizon expands. From Shakespearian death to gambling and from cravings
to downfall, “Storm Seeker” is a gallows-humored epic tribute to the
shabby demons of mankind. Commanding tracks like “Skoal!”, “Dogsmacked”,
“Oil in Water” or “Odin’s Tree” are a stylistic brew of tasty pagan
ingredients in a dirty metal pot. A wide array of delicious variety and
well-balanced spicing intensity, fried in very best classic Norwegian
style to a truly unique flavor experience for the accomplished consumer.
Artist : Black Label Society Country : USA Release : Catacombs Of The Black Vatican [Japan Edition] & [Limited Edition] Year : 2014 Genre : Heavy Metal File Type : mp3 320 Info:Catacombs of the Black Vatican will stand as an enduring testament to Black Label Society
s sheer force of will and mastery of each and every musical
neighborhood the hard rock titans choose to stomp through. The
aggressive bite of the barnstorming BLS banger Damn the Flood sits
comfortably right alongside the stripped down, emotionally searing Angel
of Mercy, Scars and Shades of Gray. The album s opening tracks, Fields
of Unforgiveness and lead single My Dying Time, drop the throttle into
swampy, down-tempo menace that wouldn t sound out of place in a Classic
Rock band s catalog nor at the creative height of the grunge era.
There
s a beauty in caveman like simplicity, in the
break-bottles-and-break-necks gusto of a loud power chord. To many
listeners, Wylde invented pinch harmonics every bit as much as Chuck
Berry s dreamt up the duck walk. When the Guitar Hero franchise was all
the rage, Wylde was a playable character in the game.
Every time you
re going to make a new record, it s exciting, he says of the run-up to
the creation of Catacombs of the Black Vatican. When you re in the
studio you can approach it like Salvador Dali where you ve got a blank
canvas in front of you. You can paint a little bit, sit back and look at
it and go, Oh man, let s add a little more red over here, let s make
this darker over there. Because live? It s a free-for-all. People are
bleeding. There s fire going on. You re getting attacked by grizzly
bears...
Saturday, September 10, 2016
