Cd Reviews

[Forostar]

Alright

"Better than Raw" is a really strong album indeed. I was lucky to see some stuff live, back in 1998 when they opened for Iron Maiden! I also like "The Time of the Oath" a lot (saw this stuff performed live when Skunkworks opened for them), though the production is pretty bad.

I am curious for the DVD - I am sure I will get it, don't know when yet !

Also Gamma Ray should come with a new DVD soon.

 

[Onhell]

Also Gamma Ray should come with a new DVD soon.

they sure are, it's been postponed due to post production issues... you can be assured I'm getting that as well

 

[Onhell]

Ok, I've given this one a good listen, even though I still don't know most of the tracks by name yet lol. BUT, Atreyu's Best Of is really good. I bought it as a mere sampler to see if the band is of my liking and let me tell you they are. The best way to discribe them is, Melodic Metal riffs and solos, pop vocal harmonies (with some pseudo death metal raspings) and an emo look. Their videos are better than that of the average metal band, I present to you exhibit A:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUrwkJyaQrE

The collection is really good because they basically put half of every album they've put out in it, 18 songs in all and threw in a bonus DVD with six music videos. I'm really digging it and I'm sure I'll buy their cd's as soon as I get more money...

According to wiki they are "metalcore": "Atreyu is a metalcore band, consisting of vocalist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller. The band was originally named "Retribution" but later changed their name to "Atreyu" after the character from The Neverending Story of the same name. Atreyu was formerly on Victory Records, but in November 2006 signed with major-label Hollywood Records."

They've released 2 EPs and three LPs, their "best of" being their 4th major release.

 

[Onhell]

Ok, I haven't posted on this thread for a while even though I've purchased a bunch of new music. So I'll just make one big post. The first purchase I'm really happy about was getting Helloweens Walls of Jericho with the Helloween E.P and Judas as an extra track. I didn't know how I'd react to the album since it is Helloween's first and it is Kai Hansen doing the singing, but I was blown away. It is an amazing album, Hansen's singing is not that bad, though he does get better in Gamma Ray and the solos are really good. It is easy to seperate Helloween into the Hansen era and the Deris Era and while both are unique I like Hansen's stint with them much more.

On MaidenFreak's suggestion I went out and got me some Savatage, On the Edge of Thorns and The Wake of Magellon. Both REALLY good albums and it is sad that they are now paying more attention to their "side project" The Trans-Siberian orchestra. While TSO is great, as Savatage they write great metal, but as far as I know TWOM was their last in '98. The singer is great with a normal range, reminds me of John Lundis ex-Masterplan.

The one I'm REALLY excited about is Avenged Sevenfold! I got their The City of Evil cd with their hit The Beast and the Harlot, which can be found on Guitar Hero (how I came to know about them) and it is one SOLID record. Their range is impressive, they are creative and unmistakeably Maiden-influenced. The last track on the album has the famous "galloping" beat of Run to the Hills, The Trooper and others. In one of the power ballads, their soloing is very much classical guitar... Just a great cd and I do plan to get more of their stuff.

 

[supersonic]

On MaidenFreak's suggestion I went out and got me some Savatage, On the Edge of Thorns and The Wake of Magellon. Both REALLY good albums and it is sad that they are now paying more attention to their "side project" The Trans-Siberian orchestra. While TSO is great, as Savatage they write great metal, but as far as I know TWOM was their last in '98. The singer is great with a normal range, reminds me of John Lundis ex-Masterplan.

If you liked those two and want to get more Savatage, Id recommend Streets - A Rock Opera and Gutter Ballet. These two have founding member Jon Olivia on vocals (His voice is not as powerful as Zach Stevens but he hits the high notes more often). Streets especially , is an album I would recommend to anyone remotely interested in Savatage. Definitely one of the best metal bands Ive heard 

 

[Natalie]

Savatage are definitely a great band, and I would also recommend the album Hall of the Mountain King.

P.S. @Onhell: Actually, their last album is Of Poets and Madmen released sometime after 1998. I have it, but I have yet to give it a good listen...

 

[Forostar]

Cool to read such an enthousiastic comment:

The first purchase I'm really happy about was getting Helloweens Walls of Jericho with the Helloween E.P and Judas as an extra track. I didn't know how I'd react to the album since it is Helloween's first and it is Kai Hansen doing the singing, but I was blown away. It is an amazing album, Hansen's singing is not that bad, though he does get better in Gamma Ray and the solos are really good. It is easy to seperate Helloween into the Hansen era and the Deris Era and while both are unique I like Hansen's stint with them much more.

When I heard this for the first time I didn't know much about hard rock and metal yet, and I thought it was terribly aggressive. Later I got into Maiden and they broadened my metal taste. One of the first bands after Maiden, I got into was Helloween. I tried this album again and I was stunned. What an aggression, melody and speed!

One of my favourite tracks was and probably still is Judas (later I also bought it on vinyl). The sound is a bit weird, with very heavy double bass and bass guitar in the mix. Markus Grosskopf has a unique style. Grapow lately described his style like this: "He has a very unique style which is really great, he is very kind of playing his own melody bass instead of just copying the rhythm guitar". It's absolutely true and it's a part of the Helloween trademark!

My favourite moment in Judas is the explosion and the excellent guitar harmonies that follow (with still rhythm guitars in the background!). Just love it!

Together with the Keeper albums (esp. part 1!) this belongs to Helloween's best work. You should have discovered it way earlier Onhell!   I don't think a bad review of Walls... exists on the net. By the way, most debut albums of "bigger metal"-acts rock!


Last week I bought both Pyramaze albums and I really like them! I am expecting a LOT of them next year when Barlow will unleash his voice upon mankind again! 

 

[Onhell]

Savatage are definitely a great band, and I would also recommend the album Hall of the Mountain King.

I saw the video for it on youtube and I didn't like it that much, which is why I waited so long to actually purchase a Savatage Cd, but now I'll definately get it, specially after Supersonic's recomendations (thanks!)

@forostar: It in fact took me WAY too long to get this album, but I'm glad I did. I want to get Chameleon, because everybody says it sucks, but now that I actually cut bands slack for experimentation, who knows, it might be a rare treat.

 

[Forostar]

I saw the video for it on youtube and I didn't like it that much, which is why I waited so long to actually purchase a Savatage Cd, but now I'll definately get it, specially after Supersonic's recomendations (thanks!)

@forostar: It in fact took me WAY too long to get this album, but I'm glad I did. I want to get Chameleon, because everybody says it sucks, but now that I actually cut bands slack for experimentation, who knows, it might be a rare treat.

Well, as much as I am positive about Walls of Jericho, Chameleon is one of the biggest disappointments I've ever heard of bands that I admire. It's like Helloween going Bon Jovi. To this very day I have refused to buy it. Strangely enough it features my favourite song released in 1993: Giants! What a riffs and solos. That track is so awesome!! It's totally not representative for the rest of the alum. One other track I like and that's the final epic track Believe.

Perhaps you will like Chameleon, though, I am 300% sure you will like the track Giants: best track of 1993!

 

[____no5]

Savatage are definitely a great band, and I would also recommend the album Hall of the Mountain King.

P.S. @Onhell: Actually, their last album is Of Poets and Madmen released sometime after 1998. I have it, but I have yet to give it a good listen...

Savatage is a holy band I highly recommend EVERYTHING

My top 5 albums :

1) Gutter Ballet -1989
2) Sirens -1983
3) The hall of the Mountain King -1987
4) Dead Winter Dead -1995
5) Power of the Night -1985

below is the cover of Gutter Ballet :

-------
ps #1 @Natalie : Poets and Madmen -2001

ps #2 Warlord and Savatage are the only metal groups that I like more than Maiden (even if Maiden is what I love more including all music gernes).....

 

[supersonic]

ps #2 Warlord and Savatage are the only metal groups that I like more than Maiden (even if Maiden is what I love more including all music gernes).....

I love Warlord too  . And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun Is a great album. I had a hell of a time finding it but it was worth it. I also have their newer album with the Hammerfall singer although I haven't listened to it too much.

 

[____no5]

I love Warlord too  . And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun Is a great album. I had a hell of a time finding it but it was worth it. I also have their newer album with the Hammerfall singer although I haven't listened to it too much.

...

you mean you found it in vinyl ?
.............................................................................or in CD ?

 

[supersonic]

No I found it on the internet. You wouldn't have the remotest chance of getting it on cd and definitely not on vinyl here in India.

 

[Onhell]

I love Warlord too  . And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun Is a great album. I had a hell of a time finding it but it was worth it. I also have their newer album with the Hammerfall singer although I haven't listened to it too much.

Joacim Cans left Hammerfall or was he a "guest" musician? I'm so out of the loop on these sort of things.

 

[Raven]

Got Ensiferum's new album, Victory Songs a few weeks ago.  The first thing that strikes you is that the band have some great promo shoots...

...Anyway, onto the album.  Despite the departure of lead vocalist (harsh and clean) and lead guitarist Jari Maenpaa in 2004, the band really haven't lost steam at all.  The whole affair kicks off with Ad Victoriam, an extended intro featuring several orchestrated instruments on the band's keyboards; while keyboard instruments can sound cheesy, in Emperor's music for example, these work well and aren't too overdone.  In fact, the keyboards work well throughout the whole album, neither too overdone nor too buried in the mix.  Anyway, the main melody of Ad Victoriam prefigures the final song, Victory Song, but before you get to that, there's 7 more songs of brilliance, which kicks off with the triple-whammy of Blood Is The Price Of Glory, Deathbringer From The Sky (cheesy title) and Ahti.  All three are very up-tempo, catchy numbers with relentless drums and rhythm guitars, catchy leads and great playoff between the acoustic (folky) sections and the distortion, and between the clean and harsh vocals.  Lots of the songs, in true Ensiferum style, have great sing-along sections, and the whole thing is a really nice album to listen to.  The final, epic, 10 minute title track is brilliant indeed, with all the hallmarks of a standard folk metal song (although not as raw as the older folk metal).  Simply put, if you want to get drunk, grab a sword and get some comrades to sing along with, this is the album to do it to.

 

[Hunlord]

Joacim Cans left Hammerfall or was he a "guest" musician? I'm so out of the loop on these sort of things.

Joacim didn't leave Hammerfall, that was the bassist Magnus Rosen a few months back. And he's not a guest musician.

 

[Onhell]

Joacim didn't leave Hammerfall, that was the bassist Magnus Rosen a few months back. And he's not a guest musician.

I don't think you understood my question. I know he is part of Hammerfall, but how did he do this other project, is it a side project, was he guest vocals or what?

 

[____no5]

I don't think you understood my question. I know he is part of Hammerfall, but how did he do this other project, is it a side project, was he guest vocals or what?

Mark Zonder didn't left Fates Warning either !
it was a sort of reunion just to record some old songs that never had been recorded, a studio project and that's all, I still not have listen to it -it's name is Rising Out Of The Ashes -2002, has take very good reviews (as always Warlord did)

Until 2002 Warlord has published just 12 songs (1983-1986) that still were largely enough to put them to a legendary status

...if we consider 80's as the peak of metal scene, I would say that Warlord -musically- was the peak of 80's

After they broke up Mark Zonder -this giant of drummer- joined Fates Warning, but he always kept saying that what he do in FW was very small comparing to Warlord project !!-just to make you imagine

I'm coming with a full Warlord review soon, I'm in the middle of writing it (I take my time just to make sure that's in proper English, I collect some informations too -hard to be found)

 

[Onhell]

Man I haven't posted here in a while but since I just had a VERY successful venture to the record store I'll be posting here as I listen to every album

First up is Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell III. The first thing that jumps at you is the fact that longtime collaborator Jim Steinman only wrote four of the 16 tracks. In fact Steinman sued Meat Loaf for using "Bat Out of Hell" and tried blocking the release of the album, ML counter sued and they eventually reached a mutually agreeable settlement where Steinman's music will still be part of the BOOH legacy. Desmond Child wrote the bulk of the songs and there are a few other artist/songwritters that pitched in.

The result? An AMAZING album, heavy as hell, epic and a very modern sound compared to the other BOOH releases that still had a very classic rock feel. Don't get me wrong, that is why I love those two albums and Dead Ringer for Love, the Classic Rock element, but this "update" on the sound is brilliant. HIGHLY recommended.

The other album I'll note on this post is Nightwish's Dark Passion Play. They had it on the listening station in the store and I decided to give it a whirl. Five seconds into the first song I was sold! What a change! I really like the new vocalist even though she sounds like many of the female metal singers out there. That was an advantage Tarja had, she was recognizable.  The "averageness" of the new singer is a plus too, I think. It doesn't restrict the band in catering to her voice like they did (I've heard that in cases HAD TO) with Tarja. In this album they seem to tap into previously unmatched potential and the result is a very epic record. I'm looking forward to their future releases.

 

[Onhell]

Ok, I'm really excited about this next cd for several reasons. Tierra Santa's Best of collection celebrating their 10 years.

I know we discussed best ofs in another thread and the general consensus was that if a band was to put out one they needed to be around long enough to have enough material, 2 cds was more appropriate than one and ideally the band was no longer active. Other's mentioned that sometimes it is done to commemorate the end of an era.

Tierra Santa has been around for 10 years, this collection is conglomerating the occasion and it is not only 2 cds, but also includes a DVD!!! (all for 20 dollares ) Not only that, the song selection is amazing!! There are only two songs from their first release and honestly rightly so. It is a good album, but only the tracks they picked can you really listen to over and over hehe. Aside from that they average 4 songs per album with the odd 7 (like from Sangre de Reyes) and again mostly picking all the good tracks. My only complaint is that the did not include Juana de Arco or El Laberinto del Minotauro (Joan of Arc and The Minotaur's Labyrinth) opting for the weaker La Armada Invencible and the power ballad El Amor de mi vida. However they do make up by having them (Joan and the Minotaur) on the DVD I also bought it because I bought all of their discography except for their last album on a burnt MP3 in Mexico for 2 dollars, so I figured I'd show my appreciation to the band buy buying this one not to mention it has 5 tracks from the one album, Apocalipsis, that I don't have. An AMAZING collection and highly recommended even if you don't understand a word of Spanish. I will say that unlike some power metal bands in this case you are missing out on half the fun by not understanding their lyrics...