Random album reviews

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Tool
Fear Inoculum (2019)
  1. “Fear Inoculum” - Thirteen years after their last record, Tool return to open this one with a very quiet and subdued intro with a ton of groove. It moves, it flows and ebbs, like a river through time. Maynard comes in softly. Lyrillically this seems like a very mature look at stepping away from an abusive relationship, a saga we’ve already seen darker takes on in songs like “Prison Sex” and “Pushit”. I love the pre-chorus after the first verse, the breathy and faster pace of the vocals is great. And the chorus itself? Killer. What a great way to open up the album and show off a new mission statement. And halfway through, the song shifts into something a little heavier and more rhythmic, but never losing that fantastic groove. The final lines are triumphant, with the narrator breaking free of the toxic influence that once held him down. And the song ends with some great riffing and a cool solo, a nice rise and cap on a great, great song. I really struggle to see any flaws in this one. It’s groovy as hell, utilizing the extended runtime for an evolving experience, and is a fantastic listen every time I hear it. 10/10
  2. “Pneuma” - Another quiet intro starts off the second song and it’s really nice. Then comes a bass intro that reminds me slightly of “Schism” before the song actually gets started. The time signature is apparently 33/16, which explains why it’s such a mindfuck to bop along to. But their usage of it is fantastic; this is another groovy song with a little more ‘life’ so to speak than the previous song. The song winds along with no rush before hitting a fantastic chorus that feels thematically linked to Lateralus’s searching for meaning. We are all one. Pneuma. The post-chorus riff (which is heavy as fuck) sounds incredibly similar to the heavy riff in “The Patient”, but used for a completely different effect. A nice nod, whether intentional or not. A lengthy instrumental based around bass and drums meanders for a bit before rising back into the riff, where all but guitar drops out in one of my favorite moments on the album. Then the chorus returns for dramatic effect, and with a crash and bang finale it finally winds itself down into a fading spark. If I have one complaint it’s that as well-constructed as this song is, the final riff and lengthy instrumental aren’t quite as good as other moments on the album. But that’s it. Still an excellent, twisting serpentine epic. 9/10
  3. “Invincible” - Quiet, building intro again, this time based around guitar. Maynard enters, bringing to life a fading warrior entering his sunset, his final battle, needing to keep on his feet even while staring in the face of inescapable failure. It’s an interesting metaphor for the band’s return to the scene over a decade since their last record. I love the refrain to this song, a simple but catchy little chorus. The build-up with each passing moment is awesome. Finally hitting a proper drumbeat in the second chorus is such a nice pay-off. The band could have ended things after the third chorus and made this a nice, building, more compact number clocking in around six minutes. However, they don’t take the easy way out. If there’s one issue with the song it’s the way it moves into the next section. It feels disconnecting and is a weak moment in an otherwise great track. Luckily it starts to find its place again fairly soon thereafter, and it’s all worth it for the crushing riff we get foreshadowed and then thrust into with force. One of the album’s finest moments. Afterwards the song stops before erupting into the final section, a faster piece about the hero chasing faded dreams with a lot of hope in a moving and brilliant closing to this monster. If it wasn’t for the awkward transition in the middle this could’ve been a perfect song. Unfortunately it disrupts things just enough to move it down to a great song with excellent moments even if some don’t work as well. 8/10
  4. “Descending” - The sound of oceans opens this beast before — yet again — we have ourselves a quiet intro. The lyrics and Maynard’s vocals really come together to make this feel like a descent into the abyss, while working as an inspirational lyric about mankind. The hints at the chorus and the build up to its eventual explosive rise is fantastic. The instrumentation is exquisite. The song takes a breather and then comes back into the stacked chorus (or pre-chorus and chorus, depending on how you see it). The chorus is like a submarine breaching on the surface, surrounded by black sky and ocean. And once the lyrics have left us, we descend back down into the abyss for an extended instrumental section. It begins with a musical refrain of riffage that has a start-and-stop sort of pull to it — then Adam Jones gets to let loose with a pretty lit solo. Things quiet down as we reach the seafloor, a vast desert of darkness. And then the music rises up again as we drift along, heading into deeper underwater canyons as a synth appears for some extra effect. After some buildup we hear a guitar line that was nodded to some minutes ago, and is now a climactic eruption for us as the ocean reveals to us a red haze of musical extravaganza. Now you might think that the song will end on that note, but not so. Adam lays down another solo, this time with some heavy wah usage. Somehow it works to fantastic effect. Okay, now we’re actually winding down, as that riff refrain returns and we reach the surface again. The imagery present in this song, both through the lyrics and the music itself, is simply godtier fantastic. It’s a building behemoth in leviathan domain, with so many twists and turns that keep you floating through. What an amazing song. 10/10
  5. “Culling Voices” - Quiet synth intro before guitar leads us to the verse. The music certainly does what the band seeks to accomplish with it, but it’s hard to be as into this one after the gobsmacking previous song. The problem with this song is that there’s just not a lot to it. It’s pretty quiet for the first half, then builds up to a big climax, before stripping back down and building up right back up to the climax again. It’s kind of a weird way to structure a song, and makes for a way less dynamic piece than the rest of the album’s tracks. Do I still like it? Yeah, I think this is a good song with some nice passages, it’s just also the least interesting and necessary song on an album where all the other songs are genuinely great. 7/10
  6. “Chocolate Chip Trip” - The only “interlude” on the CD release is this track, which could also be considered a proper song given that there’s actual music on here. It’s an electronic-backed showcase for Danny’s intense drumming skills and is a nice breather for the fifteen minute final track. 7/10
  7. “7empest” - The album’s final song opens with another quiet guitar intro with some percussion that works in unison to remind to the “Vicarious” intro. Then the band segues into a fantastic Jones riff, with Maynard telling himself to “keep calm” before the storm erupts with “fuck… here we go again.” The lyrics and performance, the angriest and heaviest on the album, are reminiscent of the band’s early work, only done with the current Tool’s style and with a more mature feel. It’s a nice return though, and done with a lot of bite and groove. My personal theory is that this song is somewhat to do with the Trump presidency since there are a lot of lines about shifting blame and lies in spite of the sinister nature behind it all. But then a lot of people piss Maynard off so this is really only just one interpretation. A storming riff and short solo leads to a hook (“Calm before the torrent comes”) and then the song enters a lengthy, winding instrumental section. I love playing this one on the road. It brings to life the back streets and makes for such an enjoyable experience. It’s a slow-building showcase for Adam’s methodical skills, while Justin and Danny keep things grounded in the rhythm section. Lots of great musical passages sweep past us before the vocals finally return to continue the narrative. The chorus heartens back to “Third Eye”, but improves upon that previous epic immensely. It’s a simple, raging one that keeps the song’s momentum going excellently. Adam throws in a fairly wild solo for good measure before the song comes down and returns to the intro. The final verse is a building, slightly hopeful but ultimately damning piece that leads us back into a rip-roaring riff-building instrumental that climaxes with the final chorus reprise. The monster finally slinks to a close with a final nod to the intro and the album itself comes to an end. What a colossal song. So many bends as it winds along, and it keeps the attention throughout all of it. It’s a different beast when it starts than when it ends. A grippingly titanic affair that is a more than worthy closer to the album. Fantastic song. 10/10
Fear Inoculum is probably the band’s most consistent album. Every song on it is long, as the band takes things to the very furthest extent possible before wrapping up. It’s an approach that may not always be perfect, but I like it because we get to hear as much of the song with as many variations as possible. And the album’s success rate speaks for itself. All of the tracks are at least good. Most of them fucking slap. It’s a worthy, involving return to the form from a band that took forever writing it. Well worth the wait.

Total: 87%
 


Smith/Kotzen - Smith/Kotzen (2021)

Adrian Smith teams up with Richie Kotzen for an album’s worth of bluesy hard rock, with every song delivered as a vocal and guitar duet.
  • Taking My Chances - Swelling electric guitar and tapping gives way to a greasy staccato riff. This rolls into a groovy verse sung by Adrian, then a building pre-chorus led by Richie before blooming into a bright, catchy chorus with both singers, Richie taking lead. A quick guitar interlude flows back into the verse through chorus, then some guitar interplay leads into a cool tradeoff solo section before returning to the chorus. A reprise of the staccato riff with some extra flourishes leads into a breakdown outro. A very strong, catchy song that probably does enough to round it up to an 8/10.
  • Running - An abrupt percussive opening gives way to a softer, smoother verse rhythm. Richie and Adrian trade off verse vocals that remind me a bit of the melody from Peggy Lee’s “Fever”. Richie takes the lead for a strong chorus, joined in harmony by Adrian for the reprise. Some nice lead work brings us back to the verse and chorus, then we get some epic guitar noodling with a cool rhythmic change-up toward the end. Another reprise of the chorus with some new vocal tradeoffs gives way to an extended fade out with some sweet lead work. Another really strong track that merits a round-up to 8/10.
  • Scars - An arpeggiated acoustic-flavored intro supports a memorable bluesy verse vocal from Adrian, broken up with electric lead work. A marginally heavier riff propels Richie’s pre-chorus, opening up into a larger, catchy chorus. Richie’s voice sounds a little busted here, though he’s still hitting the notes. Another round of verse through chorus, then we get a great harmonized vocal bridge from both singers and a great solo. A variant chorus with some new vocal riffing gives way to an extended outro of tradeoff soloing that eventually fades away. Another really good track with some minor blemishes, 7/10.
  • Some People - A sparse opening with hints of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” rolls into a sedate verse with guitar and bass tradeoffs under Richie’s vocals. The pre-chorus pops things up a notch with Adrian taking most of the lead vocals, building into a big, soaring chorus from Richie. Another verse, this time with Adrian singing, flows into the pre-chorus and chorus, now with extra flourishes. A melodic interlude with some cool breakdowns leads into a sweet pair of solos that build perfectly back into the chorus with both singers. A reprise of the opening riff joins some nice lead work before a quick guitar solo outro. Great stuff that makes strong use of both musicians, 8/10.
  • Glory Road - A twangy, trotting intro with bluesy electric leads flows into an easy-going verse with tradeoff vocals from both singers. The duet continues into the brighter pre-chorus before blossoming into a big, uplifting chorus. Nice bluesy guitar fills throughout. Another round of verse through chorus, then we get some nice tradeoff lead work before returning to the chorus. Some more extended lead work builds its way to a quick ending. Really good, but not quite on the level of most of the previous tracks. 7/10.
  • Solar Fire - Guest drummer Nicko McBrain kicks things off, supporting a driving riff under a catchy verse with tradeoff vocals. The pre-chorus takes things up a notch as the vocals harmonize, breaking into a big, catchy chorus where Richie takes the lead on vocals. Another round of verse through chorus, then we get some more sweet tradeoff soloing, eventually flowing back into the chorus. Richie’s voice sounds a bit busted here again. An extended solo interlude eventually fades away to end the song. Great track overall, 8/10.
  • You Don’t Know Me - A melancholy electric intro flows into a slower-feel verse with a memorable vocal from Adrian and some nice electric fills. Richie’s higher-pitched pre-chorus sounds a bit like a cat being strangled (albeit in key), but this breaks into a great chorus that alternates between Adrian’s solo vocals and a harmonized duet. Another round of verse through chorus, extended to include a new section with Richie taking lead vocals, where the lyrics and melody evoke a bit of Bruce’s “Tears Of The Dragon”. A great extended solo section eventually builds back into the full chorus, then a decaying chord feint that comes back from the edge for a long jammy outro with some sweet lead work. This is a really great song, and while Kotzen’s vocal failings give it a bit of a black eye, I can’t quite convince myself to lower its rating below an 8/10.
  • I Wanna Stay - A plaintive electric lead on top of a slower groove eventually harmonizes, then gives way to a bluesy verse vocal from Adrian. This lifts into a pleasant tradeoff duet chorus. A reprise of the opening lead returns to the verse, now delivered as a vocal tradeoff, before flowing back into the chorus. A nice meandering solo makes its way back to the chorus, then some tasteful melodic lead work builds to an abrupt finish. Good stuff, 7/10.
  • ‘Til Tomorrow - Laid back chords flow into a catchy verse sung by Adrian. This steps up into a duet pre-chorus and a pleasant, groovy chorus with Richie taking the lead. An atmospheric guitar break leads into another round of verse through chorus. This flows into a breakdown interlude with some cool soloing before returning to the chorus. An extended upbeat solo section follows, eventually wrapping up on a big rock ending. Another really strong track that does enough to merit a round-up to 8/10.
Average: 7.7/10
Weighted: 7.7/10

Another great solo album from Adrian with very consistent song quality, though none of the tracks fully knock it out of the park.

The duet approach is interesting, and Adrian and Richie’s vocal and guitar styles really complement each other. Adrian’s smooth baritone is countered by Richie’s scratchy higher register (which usually sounds pretty good despite its occasional descent into animal timbre), and Adrian’s bluesy finesse on the guitar is countered by Richie’s overdriven, in-your-face sound. The fact that the two of them deliver all of the performances on the album except for half of the drum tracks really makes the Smith/Kotzen moniker appropriate.

This isn’t a metal album by any means, but it still rocks, and I really enjoy getting to hear Adrian express this side of his musical personality.

(Master review index >)
 
I need to do some more listening to this, but so far I'm not getting into it, it's just not a style I enjoy much, particularly the vocals. If I manage to home in on some nice meaty Adrian guitar bits it might become a grower.
 


Smith/Kotzen - Better Days EP (2021)

Building on the mojo from their debut album, Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen bang out another EP’s worth of songs less than a year later.
  • Better Days - A slower-paced groove underpins a strong verse with Adrian on lead vocals and Richie supporting him. A brief pause of a pre-chorus opens up into a bigger catchy chorus with Richie taking lead vocals and Adrian supporting him. A tasty melodic lead flows back into another round of verse through chorus. This breaks into a more atmospheric interlude with extended soloing, eventually building back to the chorus and some more vocal riffing before an extended soloing outro with a breakdown finish. Very good, probably does enough to round it up to an 8/10.
  • Got A Hold On Me - An electric guitar revs its engine and the bass line propels us into a driving riff with busy lead work on top. The guitars fall away as Adrian delivers a verse, then return for a bit, then fall away again as Richie delivers the next verse. Guitars drive us through a solid duet pre-chorus and into a good, catchy chorus with Richie on lead vocals and Adrian on backup. Another round of verse through chorus, then a less driving melodic interlude cuts into a more aggressive solo. Once more through the verses, pre-chorus, and chorus, and some extended soloing leads to a big rock ending. Good stuff, probably the most aggressive song from the band to date, but it doesn’t connect quite as strongly as some of their other songs. 7/10.
  • Hate And Love - A bass groove leads into gentler layers of electric guitars, eventually supporting a softer verse from Adrian. Things get slightly heavier for the second verse, where Richie takes the lead. This builds into a strong duet chorus. Some nice soloing with vocal riffing rolls back into another round of verse through chorus, then some more soloing and vocal riffing. This leads into a sweet multi-part solo that folds back into the chorus, then a long fade-out with more soloing and vocal flair. This is another really good song that grew on me over time and probably deserves a round-up to 8/10.
  • Rise Again - A fast-paced drum beat and bass fill leads into an oddly paced riff and some alien lead work. Adrian delivers a spoken word verse over some busy and constantly shifting rhythms. This cuts into a more stable duet chorus that sounds a bit more like a pre-chorus. Another odd verse and chorus, then we get some cool aggressive soloing leading to an abrupt ending. There’s some really cool and experimental stuff going on here, but I’m not sure it holds together as successfully as a song. Let’s say a robust 6/10.
Average: 7.3/10
Weighted: 7.4/10

More varied than the debut album, but a bit less cohesive as a result. The title track and “Hate And Love” are cut from the same cloth as the debut and are the most successful songs here, while the other two tracks are more aggressive and stray further afield, but lose a little magic in the process.

Still a very good set of songs overall, and well worth checking out if you enjoyed the debut.

EDIT: If you're considering picking this up, you should probably opt for the repackaged Better Days ...And Nights instead, as it includes 5 additional live tracks and is available on CD.

(Master review index >)
 
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Jer said:


Smith/Kotzen - Better Days EP (2021)

Building on the mojo from their debut album, Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen bang out another EP’s worth of songs less than a year later.
  • Better Days - A slower-paced groove underpins a strong verse with Adrian on lead vocals and Richie supporting him. A brief pause of a pre-chorus opens up into a bigger catchy chorus with Richie taking lead vocals and Adrian supporting him. A tasty melodic lead flows back into another round of verse through chorus. This breaks into a more atmospheric interlude with extended soloing, eventually building back to the chorus and some more vocal riffing before an extended soloing outro with a breakdown finish. Very good, probably does enough to round it up to an 8/10.
  • Got A Hold On Me - An electric guitar revs its engine and the bass line propels us into a driving riff with busy lead work on top. The guitars fall away as Adrian delivers a verse, then return for a bit, then fall away again as Richie delivers the next verse. Guitars drive us through a solid duet pre-chorus and into a good, catchy chorus with Richie on lead vocals and Adrian on backup. Another round of verse through chorus, then a less driving melodic interlude cuts into a more aggressive solo. Once more through the verses, pre-chorus, and chorus, and some extended soloing leads to a big rock ending. Good stuff, probably the most aggressive song from the band to date, but it doesn’t connect quite as strongly as some of their other songs. 7/10.
  • Hate And Love - A bass groove leads into gentler layers of electric guitars, eventually supporting a softer verse from Adrian. Things get slightly heavier for the second verse, where Richie takes the lead. This builds into a strong duet chorus. Some nice soloing with vocal riffing rolls back into another round of verse through chorus, then some more soloing and vocal riffing. This leads into a sweet multi-part solo that folds back into the chorus, then a long fade-out with more soloing and vocal flair. This is another really good song that grew on me over time and probably deserves a round-up to 8/10.
  • Rise Again - A fast-paced drum beat and bass fill leads into an oddly paced riff and some alien lead work. Adrian delivers a spoken word verse over some busy and constantly shifting rhythms. This cuts into a more stable duet chorus that sounds a bit more like a pre-chorus. Another odd verse and chorus, then we get some cool aggressive soloing leading to an abrupt ending. There’s some really cool and experimental stuff going on here, but I’m not sure it holds together as successfully as a song. Let’s say a robust 6/10.
Average: 7.3/10
Weighted: 7.4/10

More varied than the debut album, but a bit less cohesive as a result. The title track and “Hate And Love” are cut from the same cloth as the debut and are the most successful songs here, while the other two tracks are more aggressive and stray further afield, but lose a little magic in the process.

Still a very good set of songs overall, and well worth checking out if you enjoyed the debut.

(Master review index >)
Click to expand...
I bought the album and ep digitally and I hope Deluxe edition contains the album and EP and maybe some live songs in a set so I will buy it physically :)

Great reviews!!!
 


Mastodon - Hushed And Grim (2021)

In a year of many double albums, here’s another one, from the people who used to scream at me about Moby Dick back in the day. They seem to have mellowed out a little since then.
  • Pain With An Anchor - A long drum roll fade-in breaks into a hypnotic ascending groove supporting a melancholy verse. This cuts into a more aggressive descending chorus with huskier vocals, then blooms into a brighter instrumental interlude that eventually darkens. Another round of verse, chorus, and interlude, this time with electric soloing on top, and then we flow into a more aggressive extended rhythmic outro with an abrupt ending. A bit of a grower, but still very good, and it has a tendency to stick in your head long after you listen to it. A robust 7/10.
  • The Crux - Ominous guitar notes bounce around the stereo spectrum, suddenly being eclipsed by aggressive riffage and drumming. This gives way to a catchy, driving verse, and eventually a solid and simple chorus with some background screaming. A busy guitar interlude flows into a cool harmonized section. Everything stops for a heartbeat, then a gentler and more atmospheric interlude begins, with some nice electric lead work leading into a great vocal bridge. A variation of the busy interlude from earlier rolls back into the chorus, then a variant chorus closes out the song. Great stuff, 8/10.
  • Sickle And Peace - A foreshadowing of the chorus sung by a child gives way to a bright staccato odd-rhythm groove that underpins a solid verse with some odd phrasing. Some reverby “ahhs” lead back into the verse, then a quick guitar breakdown heralds the much heavier chorus. Another round of verse through chorus, then we get a heavy and off-kilter vocal bridge followed by a gentler interlude with some nice bluesy soloing. We return to the bridge, then back to the chorus, which morphs into an instrumental variant before a long decaying chord outro. Really good, bordering on greatness but not quite getting there. 7/10.
  • More Than I Could Chew - Distorted synth strings are eventually replaced by a heavy, percussive groove with nice runs in it. This supports a soaring, memorable verse 1. The rhythm shifts for a similarly memorable verse 2 before returning to the verse groove with some additional flourishes. Another round of verses, then we get a slower and more atmospheric interlude leading into a calm vocal bridge. This blossoms into a brighter instrumental with piano support that becomes a soaring chorus. Some sweet extended soloing carries us to the end. Great song with an interesting structure, 8/10.
  • The Beast - Some bright, southern clean guitar leads into a twangy electric riff supporting a swinging verse. A gentle interlude rolls back into the verse, then a much more driving rhythm kicks in for a soaring pre-chorus. Things get much heavier for the aggressive but less appealing chorus. Another round of pre-chorus, then a tasteful melodic solo leads back to the verse and gentle interlude before a decaying chord outro. Good song, 7/10.
  • Skeleton Of Splendor - A melancholy acoustic riff drives a wistful verse. Light electric guitars bring more darkness to the pre-chorus before opening up into a repetitive, atmospheric chorus. Another round of verse through chorus, then a heavier guitar and synth interlude leads into a strong guitar solo which folds back into the chorus and another decaying chord outro. Another good song, 7/10.
  • Teardrinker - A heavy oscillating riff breaks into a catchy melodic lead, leading into a gentler but still driving verse. A brief screamy pre-chorus blooms into a soaring, catchy chorus. Another round of verse through chorus, then we get a cool harmonized vocal bridge and what I think is a majorly wah-laden bass solo (or possibly synth?). A heavy guitar interlude leads into a pretty fiery solo, then we return to the chorus, which goes through some instrumental variations before yet another decaying chord ending. Great stuff, 8/10.
  • Pushing The Tides - A heavy off-rhythm riff gives way to manic drumming under a strong verse. Guitars join in for the second verse, followed by a chaotic interlude before returning to the verse. This suddenly breaks into a big, soaring chorus. A quick off-rhythm interlude rolls back into the verse and chorus. Another multi-part off-rhythm instrumental serves as an outro with a sudden finish. Another great song to close out the first disc, 8/10.
  • Peace And Tranquility - Cool, busy riffage eventually gives way to a gentler but equally intricate off-rhythm verse riff with a nice vocal. This breaks into a big, bright chorus. Another round of verse 1 through chorus leads into a lighter but still driving vocal bridge. A bouncy riff animates a catchy verse 2, followed by a sweet extended solo with percussive accents. Another round of verse 1 through the bridge leads to a quick ending. A cool, complex song that probably does enough to round it up to an 8/10.
  • Dagger - An ominous descending lead doubles the verse vocal as it goes through some different melodies and becomes the chorus. More verse through chorus, then we get a cool Middle Eastern instrumental. More verse through chorus, this time with synth accents, and then one last verse through chorus run to end the song. Good stuff, 7/10.
  • Had It All - Ringing electric guitar is joined by acoustic guitar to support a memorable verse. A darker interlude brightens a bit for the gentle pre-chorus. Another round of verse and pre-chorus, then we get a solid chorus. A heavier interlude leads into a noisy extended solo, then rolls back into the chorus. A reprise of the intro brings things to an end. Another good song, 7/10.
  • Savage Lands - An aggressive drum intro is joined by driving guitars to propel a strong verse. An ascending riff drives the solid pre-chorus, breaking into a pretty good pulsing chorus. Another round of verse through chorus, then a variant pre-chorus leads into a more atmospheric interlude that eventually hosts a strong guitar solo that completes the song. More good stuff, 7/10.
  • Gobblers Of Dregs - Alien guitar noises eventually lead to a descending guitar lead with synth support. Atmospheric guitar underpins a strong verse 1, returning to the descending lead for the memorable chorus. Another round of verse through chorus, then we suddenly get a more driving rhythm and brighter chords. This leads into a busier instrumental, then returns to the driving groove for a great verse 2, followed by an OK pre-chorus. Another round of verse 2 and pre-chorus, then we get a good extended solo that eventually folds back into the chorus before ending on a decaying chord. There are some really great parts in this track, but as a whole I’m not sure it merits a round-up. Let’s say a robust 7/10.
  • Eyes Of Serpents - A soft synth intro leads into twangy, ringing guitar to support a solid verse. The pre-chorus and chorus kick up the heaviness and have more memorable vocal melodies. Another round of verse through chorus, then we get an OK solo with some interesting change-ups underneath it. A somewhat strange harmonized interlude follows, then an interesting vocal bridge with some nice “woah-ohs”. A bluesy melodic lead with twangy guitars underneath serves as an outro. An odd track with some cool parts, but the weakest one on the album so far. Still, it does enough to hang onto a 7/10.
  • Gigantium - A busy drum intro breaks into a more stately guitar rhythm that drives a strong verse. The pre-chorus loses a little steam. Another round of verse and pre-chorus, then we get a soaring, trilling guitar solo before returning to the pre-chorus. A more uplifting instrumental turns into a strong chorus, giving way to a busy extended guitar solo. This flows into a string outro that ends abruptly. Cool song, probably does enough to round it up to an 8/10.
Average: 7.5/10
Weighted: 7.4/10

I’m not really a Mastodon kind of guy, as the screamy vocals from their earlier period just aren’t my thing; but after being exposed to some of their later, less screamy albums in the Greatest Metal Album Cup and hearing lots of good things about Hushed And Grim, I gave it a shot and I was very pleasantly surprised. My initial listens stuck with me enough to nudge me into buying the album, and it continued to grow on me with each spin.

This is a very good record with a number of great songs, and the instrumental performances are consistently strong and surprising. The songwriting is a little more uneven, but it’s always adventurous, which I appreciate. And the screaming is kept to a bare minimum, and it’s never in the foreground when it happens, which I also appreciate.

I enjoyed this enough that I may start exploring their discography again in reverse order.

(Master review index >)
 
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Lord Of The Lost - Judas (2021)

Not to be outdone by all the other double albums from this year, this German gothic industrial metal band delivered a double concept album about Judas Iscariot containing 24 tracks and clocking in at a whopping 1 hour and 44 minutes. The first 12 tracks are on a disc titled “Damnation” and the last 12 are on a disc titled “Salvation”.
  • Priest - A percussive intro with female and choral singing is joined by scratchy distorted guitars. Chris Harms’ low dulcet voice delivers a memorable melancholy verse, then a heavier, almost growled chorus 1. The heaviness builds through the next verse, then blows up into a big, catchy chorus 2. A reprise of chorus 1 rolls back into the verse, chorus 2, and chorus 1 again. A squealing guitar interlude suddenly falls away into a gentle acoustic take on chorus 2 with the vocals as “woah-ohs”. The guitars and drums start stomping on the end of this and explode back into the full version of chorus 2 before a quick nod to chorus 1, then some staggered low piano notes that bleed into the next track. Great stuff, 8/10.
  • For They Know Not What They Do - A church choir gently delivers the chorus 1 vocal as drums and guitar join in. This gives way to a gentler, catchy verse that bursts into a screamed version of chorus 1 with the choir underneath, quickly transitioning into the much bigger melodic chorus 2. This smoothly rolls back into another round of verse and choruses, then a reprise of chorus 1 with much crazier drumming, flowing back into chorus 2. A variant chorus 1 transitions into a reprise of the choral intro, then a piano solo foreshadowing the melody of the next song. I’m not that keen on the shouted parts, but the rest of the song is strong enough to hold onto an 8/10.
  • Your Star Has Led You Astray - Light percussion and a piano melody are joined by guitar accents and a quick foreshadowing of the pre-chorus. A midtempo groove drives a memorable verse, then the band falls away for a vocal and pipe organ pre-chorus before coming back in for an anthemic chorus. Another round of verse through chorus, then a darker bridge with scattered screaming rolls back into the chorus to close things down. Good song, 7/10.
  • Born With A Broken Heart - A choral intro is joined by guitar and drums, flowing into a gentler but still driving verse. This blossoms into a big melodic chorus that ends with a little bit of a scream. A reprise of the intro rolls back into the verse and chorus, then a synth and choral interlude that leads to a heavier version of the verse. A brief pause, then we get a much gentler rendition of the chorus with female backing vocals that pops back into the heavier version before a female vocal and pipe organ outro that flows into the next song. Great stuff, 8/10.
  • The 13th - Ascending synth tones are joined by pipe organ and a sparse verse vocal. A brief piano and choral break returns to the verse, then the piano and choir rejoin for a gentler melodious chorus. Another round of verse and chorus, then we get a great soaring vocal bridge and a brief choral interlude before returning to the chorus. Another stripped down take on the chorus brings the track to an end. Good song, 7/10.
  • In The Field Of Blood - A piano and solo female vocal intro gives way to a piano- and drum-driven verse. A brief pause, then we get a catchy but somewhat sedate chorus and a reprise of the female vocal. Another verse and chorus, then some screamed vocals lead into a melodic vocal bridge that rolls right back into the chorus and some vocal tradeoffs between Harms and a male choir that wind down as the music continues into the next track. Another good song, 7/10.
  • 2000 Years A Pyre - A subdued piano and drum groove underpins a gentle verse that ends with some screams. A brief heavier interlude flows back into the verse, then blows up into a big melodic chorus. Another round of interlude through chorus, then a busy guitar- and scream-driven bridge leads into a strong guitar solo that flows back into the chorus. Some choral and vocal riffing on the chorus ends in a scream, then atmospheric noises fill the remainder of the time. Borders on greatness, but I think the amount of screaming knocks this down a peg to a 7/10.
  • Death Is Just A Kiss Away - Cello and piano foreshadow the verse melody before the vocal takes over. Pipe organ joins in for the next verse, then the melody kicks up higher for the bridge and the next verse. A final vocal then a pause, and a coed choir and pipe organ come in to deliver another verse on their own before ending on a long organ note. Kind of a weird structure and no chorus (unless you want to call the verse the chorus), but the melody is compelling and I think it all still works. 7/10.
  • The Heart Is A Traitor - Distorted samples give way to a driving descending riff. This leads into a bouncier piano- and synth-driven verse, a cool ascending pre-chorus, and a big melodic chorus. Another round of riffage through the chorus, then we get a reprise of the riffage with some screaming before returning to the chorus. More riffage with occasional screams leads to a quick finish. Great song, 8/10.
  • Euphoria - Gentle piano supports a soft melodic verse. Light percussion joins the next verse, eventually blooming into another big melodic chorus. Another round of verse and chorus, then some nice lead guitar drives us into a great soaring vocal bridge. A gentle feint at the chorus quickly returns to full strength before some vocal and guitar riffing gives way to atmospheric sounds that eventually roll into the next song. The chorus could have been slightly stronger here, but the other elements elevate this track enough to round it up to an 8/10.
  • Be Still And Know - Big chords and electric drum accents surround a tinny reprise of the theme from “Death Is Just A Kiss Away”. This breaks into some nu-metally riffage with choral accents and synth stingers, eventually falling away for a solo piano interlude. The guitars return for a nice extended melodic lead with piano support that morphs back into the “Death Is Just A Kiss Away” theme, then decays away as dark piano tones and distorted voices close out the song. A cool instrumental that serves as conceptual glue, 8/10.
  • The Death Of All Colours - The final track on the “Damnation” disc begins with an a capella vocal that’s soon joined by a coed choir. The vocal melody goes through a couple of permutations, then adopts the “Death Is Just A Kiss Away” theme for a bit before gradually stripping itself back down to the a capella form of the introduction. Not much of a song, but it has some appeal. 6/10.
  • The Gospel Of Judas - The “Salvation” disc begins with some sparse guitar and synth stingers, eventually beginning a call-and-response verse vocal. This blows up into a midtempo interlude with some screams before returning to a more driving version of the verse. Another screamy interlude blossoms into a big, catchy chorus. A quick reprise of the opening returns to the driving version of the verse, then the chorus. A sleazy riff with some occasional screams leads into a cool vocal bridge, then a gentle take on the chorus quickly hits full strength before ending on a brief vocal breakdown. A very good song with a number of great parts, but it doesn’t quite merit a round-up. 7/10.
  • Viva Vendetta - Acoustic guitar supports a catchy verse, soon joined by synth, electric guitar, and piano. Some explicit homage to Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” is evident here (and reflected in the song’s video as well). The groove disappears for the pre-chorus, then returns in full for a strong chorus. Another verse, then a heavier guitar-driven version of the pre-chorus, and we return to the chorus again. A screamy vocal bridge leads to an abbreviated reprise of the acoustic verse, then back into the chorus. A vocal breakdown of the chorus gives way to an electric drum outro to close out the song. Another very good song, but I think this one does just enough to round it up to an 8/10.
  • Argent - Middle Eastern flavored female vocals are joined by piano, then drums and electric guitar in an uptempo groove. This falls back to piano and bouncy synths for the verse and pre-chorus, then gets heavier and is rejoined by the female backing vocals for the chorus. Another round of verse through chorus, then we get a gentle chorus breakdown before returning to the full-blown chorus. Another gentle breakdown leads into an outro of synth strings and heavily reverbed female vocals. Another very good song that deserves a round-up to 8/10.
  • The Heartbeat Of The Devil - A heavy guitar groove with piano support gives way to a more atmospheric verse, then a synth interlude blooms into a big melodic chorus. Another round of verse through chorus flows into a gentler bridge that morphs back into the chorus, now with choral backing vocals. A quick chorus breakdown then closes things out. A great song, carried largely by its chorus and infectious groove. 8/10.
  • And It Was Night - A creepy synth intro reminiscent of a 70s slasher film is soon joined by electric guitar and driving drums. The verse dials down the intensity a bit, then a busy pre-chorus soon builds into a giant catchy chorus. An interlude based on the chorus melody rolls back into the verse, then skips straight back into the chorus. This returns directly to the pre-chorus, then back to the chorus, then a hybrid verse/chorus, before falling away to a melancholy solo piano playing the chorus melody. Excellent song with a cool structure, 9/10.
  • My Constellation - Pipe organ and piano support a subdued verse. This soon opens up into a bigger, memorable chorus. A funkier rhythm accompanies the next verse and continues into the chorus. A gentle vocal bridge soon returns to the chorus, eventually gaining some choral backing before a quick finish. Great stuff, 8/10.
  • The Ashes Of Flowers - Sparse drums are joined by staccato synths and off-kilter piano to support a call-and-response verse between Harms and the choir. An uplifting pre-chorus is punctuated by some crushing guitar breaks. Another round of verse and pre-chorus, then we get an extra gentle verse, and the verse is then transformed into the chorus. An outro of the choir repeating the title vocal on top of spastic drumming overstays its welcome before reaching a quick percussive end. Some cool stuff here, but the flaws hold it down to a 7/10.
  • Iskarioth - An oscillating guitar lead breaks into a bouncy, driving riff. The verse dials back to just piano and synth, then adds guitar back in. A quick, gentle pre-chorus executes a key change into a more driving chorus that ends on a scream. The bouncy, driving riff returns, eventually rolling back to the verse and skipping directly to the chorus. A percussive interlude flows into a great vocal bridge that works its way back to the chorus, then a bizarre synth outro that echoes the bouncy guitar riff. Good song, 7/10.
  • A War Within - A piano and synth string intro gains pipe organ accompaniment for a melancholy verse. A more upbeat pre-chorus breaks into an a capella chorus that soon regains the backing of the band. Another round of verse through chorus (this time skipping the a capella bit), then we get a cello solo reprising the “Death Is Just A Kiss Away” theme again before returning to the chorus. This works its way back to a gentle rendition of the verse that gradually strips down to just the vocal to end the song. Great track, 8/10.
  • A World Where We Belong - The verse vocal strikes out immediately, soon flowing into a simple melancholy pre-chorus and a more uplifting chorus. Another round of verse through chorus, then we get an even brighter vocal bridge that returns to the chorus and then the pre-chorus, ending on a pre-chorus breakdown. Good stuff, 7/10.
  • Apokatastasis - Synth strings reprise the theme from “The Death Of All Colours” and take it through some permutations, eventually reprising the theme from “Death Is Just A Kiss Away” as well, then returning to the earlier theme. More effective conceptual glue, 7/10.
  • Work Of Salvation - Piano and choir support a gentle verse, then pipe organ joins in for a more uplifting chorus. Another round of verse and chorus, then a nice vocal bridge leads to a brief pause before returning to the chorus. Another pause, then a solo piano reprises a simultaneously melancholy and hopeful rendition of the theme from “Death Is Just A Kiss Away”, ending on a long low note. Another good song, 7/10.
Average: 7.5/10
Weighted: 7.5/10

Sweet Judas, that’s quite a bit of music for one sitting! At least the quality is consistently good to great.

I had never heard of Lord Of The Lost before, but a chance encounter with the “Priest” video sucked me in, and I really liked the rest of what I heard from the album. The first disc has more of a gothic metal focus, with more guitars and screamy accents, while the second disc leans into more of a Depeche Mode / New Order sound; but the church choirs, pipe organs, and piano elements span both discs, as do some of the recurring musical themes, so it all ties together quite nicely.

This album is a lot to digest, and as a result it’s a bit of a grower, though there are plenty of great melodic hooks throughout the record. If you’re not turned off by lower-range vocals or industrial sounds in your music, then I think it’s well worth the time investment.

(Master review index >)
 


Fvneral Fvkk - Carnal Confessions (2019)

Two years after their well-received EP Lecherous Liturgies, the band with the unfortunate name returned with their first full-length album of clean-vocaled epic doom metal with a harrowing church abuse theme.
  • Omnia Ad Dei Gloriam - A very brief atmospheric introduction features footsteps leading to a room with a struggling, pleading woman as a church choir sings a melancholy tune. “All Things To The Glory Of God”, indeed. Not a song, but a great tone setter. 8/10.
  • Chapel Of Abuse - Percussive chords herald a plaintive guitar lead soaked in reverb. This evolves into a slow, melancholy groove, then cuts into a crunchier riff for the verse. The vocals are clean and evoke the feel of a Gregorian chant, while the lyrics paint a terrible picture of the sexual abuse of altar boys within the walls of the church. The beat picks up as the verse continues, eventually blooming into a solemn harmonized chorus. A reprise of the plaintive lead rolls back into the verse, then the only non-clean vocal line on the album, before returning to the chorus. A melodic guitar lead echoing the chorus melody leads back to the original plaintive lead to end the song. Beautiful and gutting at the same time, 9/10.
  • A Shadow In The Dormitory - Ringing distorted chords are joined by a melodic guitar lead. This flows into a pendular riff, then a more sparse and crunchy riff under a dark and memorable harmonized verse. The lyrics this time are about the dread of the children living in a religious school, fearing that the priests will pay them a visit in the night, as they’ve heard others being abused on a regular basis. The opening lead returns, carrying us into a great but horrifying harmonized chorus. The pendular riff rolls back into the verse, then a sparse melancholy lead with percussive chords underneath buffets a soaring vocal bridge. Suddenly double kick drums appear, fundamentally changing the feel of the song. The opening lead returns us to the chorus, then some more percussive riffage serves as an outro. A little less consistent than the previous track, but multiple brilliant parts merit a round-up to a 9/10.
  • Alone With The Cross - A pick slide greets another melancholy guitar lead with chord support. This cuts into a more staccato verse riff with a great soaring vocal, then twists into a darker but extremely memorable chorus with nice melodic lead work. The lyrics describe a priest who regularly sodomizes himself with a crucifix(!) then feels ashamed and dirty afterward. A crunchy guitar lead works its way back to the verse and chorus, which ends nearly a capella, flowing into a soft vocal coda with clean guitar underneath. Haunting and brutal, great stuff. 8/10.
  • The Hallowed Leech - An a capella vocal launches right off the end of the previous song using a related melody, so you almost don’t realize this is a new track. This leads into a crunchy midtempo groove that trades off with a soaring verse vocal. A new riff offers a rhythmic change-up, leading into a great harmonized chorus. This one’s about youth being encouraged to pay money for the privilege of having religious bloodletting performed upon them. Another verse and change-up riff, then we get a great melodic lead and solo with some more double bass drum. This returns to the chorus and a sweet harmonized guitar breakdown before reprising the midtempo groove to end the track. Another great song, 8/10.
  • Poor Sisters Of Nazareth - A tuning radio offers pieces of a news report about nuns physically abusing their wards, then a distant distorted guitar plays a ringing riff. This cuts into a slow, heavy groove with sad, soaring lead work. A haunting but catchy verse vocal joins in, evolving into a dark harmonized chorus. Another verse, then everything but the drums fades away and we hear a woman crying in the rain. A gorgeous vocal bridge layers in on top of the crying, then a short rain-filled pause gives way to a melodic guitar lead that builds back to a variant verse and a long decaying guitar outro. Another beautiful song about awful things, 9/10.
  • To Those In The Grave - Another melancholy guitar lead with percussive flourishes gives way to a midtempo verse riff and a soaring vocal. This is broken up by crunchier riffs under interspersed bible quotes. The lyrics here are about all the people who have committed suicide as a result of their treatment by the church. A sad but catchy harmonized chorus follows, then another nice guitar lead carries us back to another round of verse and chorus and a reprise of the guitar lead to end the song. Great track, 8/10.
  • When God Is Not Watching - Melancholy clean guitar is joined by a pair of distorted leads, eventually blooming into a relaxed groove that supports a memorable verse. This one’s about a pair of priests who have to keep their forbidden sexual relationship secret to avoid being killed. Another melodic lead and vocal build up to a big, catchy chorus. The relaxed groove and guitar lead return, flowing back into another verse. A heavier interlude becomes a variant chorus, flowing into a great harmonized vocal bridge. This dissolves into a variant reprise of the opening, which gives way to receding footsteps and hints of a church choir before a door slams shut to end the album. A great song with a number of excellent parts, probably does enough to merit a round-up to 9/10.
Average: 8.5/10
Weighted: 8.6/10

Doom metal is a genre I’ve traditionally had some trouble getting into, because the slower tempos tend to make things plod along, and extreme vocals often find their way into the picture. But Carnal Confessions deftly sidestepped those issues for me, delivering a stunning album of dark, disturbing, beautiful music that fully embodies its theme.

The album is drenched in reverb, sounding like it could have been recorded in a church. The vocal stylings evoke images of Gregorian chants, including unusual choices with the vocal harmonies. The lyrics are absolutely brutal, pulling no punches and indicting the Catholic Church left and right, while still managing to include some turns of phrase that could be read as dry humor. Atmospheric sounds and recordings are also used to great effect. And all of these thematic trappings are underpinned by consistently great songwriting and memorable vocal and guitar melodies.

Some people may find the lyrical content too dark for their personal palate, but if you have a strong stomach and allow yourself to be immersed in the sonic landscape these guys have created, you will be richly rewarded — this is an excellent album.

(Master review index >)
 
Jer said:


Fvneral Fvkk - Carnal Confessions (2019)

Two years after their well-received EP Lecherous Liturgies, the band with the unfortunate name returned with their first full-length album of clean-vocaled epic doom metal with a harrowing church abuse theme.
  • Omnia Ad Dei Gloriam - A very brief atmospheric introduction features footsteps leading to a room with a struggling, pleading woman as a church choir sings a melancholy tune. “All Things To The Glory Of God”, indeed. Not a song, but a great tone setter. 8/10.
  • Chapel Of Abuse - Percussive chords herald a plaintive guitar lead soaked in reverb. This evolves into a slow, melancholy groove, then cuts into a crunchier riff for the verse. The vocals are clean and evoke the feel of a Gregorian chant, while the lyrics paint a terrible picture of the sexual abuse of altar boys within the walls of the church. The beat picks up as the verse continues, eventually blooming into a solemn harmonized chorus. A reprise of the plaintive lead rolls back into the verse, then the only non-clean vocal line on the album, before returning to the chorus. A melodic guitar lead echoing the chorus melody leads back to the original plaintive lead to end the song. Beautiful and gutting at the same time, 9/10.
  • A Shadow In The Dormitory - Ringing distorted chords are joined by a melodic guitar lead. This flows into a pendular riff, then a more sparse and crunchy riff under a dark and memorable harmonized verse. The lyrics this time are about the dread of the children living in a religious school, fearing that the priests will pay them a visit in the night, as they’ve heard others being abused on a regular basis. The opening lead returns, carrying us into a great but horrifying harmonized chorus. The pendular riff rolls back into the verse, then a sparse melancholy lead with percussive chords underneath buffets a soaring vocal bridge. Suddenly double kick drums appear, fundamentally changing the feel of the song. The opening lead returns us to the chorus, then some more percussive riffage serves as an outro. A little less consistent than the previous track, but multiple brilliant parts merit a round-up to a 9/10.
  • Alone With The Cross - A pick slide greets another melancholy guitar lead with chord support. This cuts into a more staccato verse riff with a great soaring vocal, then twists into a darker but extremely memorable chorus with nice melodic lead work. The lyrics describe a priest who regularly sodomizes himself with a crucifix(!) then feels ashamed and dirty afterward. A crunchy guitar lead works its way back to the verse and chorus, which ends nearly a capella, flowing into a soft vocal coda with clean guitar underneath. Haunting and brutal, great stuff. 8/10.
  • The Hallowed Leech - An a capella vocal launches right off the end of the previous song using a related melody, so you almost don’t realize this is a new track. This leads into a crunchy midtempo groove that trades off with a soaring verse vocal. A new riff offers a rhythmic change-up, leading into a great harmonized chorus. This one’s about youth being encouraged to pay money for the privilege of having religious bloodletting performed upon them. Another verse and change-up riff, then we get a great melodic lead and solo with some more double bass drum. This returns to the chorus and a sweet harmonized guitar breakdown before reprising the midtempo groove to end the track. Another great song, 8/10.
  • Poor Sisters Of Nazareth - A tuning radio offers pieces of a news report about nuns physically abusing their wards, then a distant distorted guitar plays a ringing riff. This cuts into a slow, heavy groove with sad, soaring lead work. A haunting but catchy verse vocal joins in, evolving into a dark harmonized chorus. Another verse, then everything but the drums fades away and we hear a woman crying in the rain. A gorgeous vocal bridge layers in on top of the crying, then a short rain-filled pause gives way to a melodic guitar lead that builds back to a variant verse and a long decaying guitar outro. Another beautiful song about awful things, 9/10.
  • To Those In The Grave - Another melancholy guitar lead with percussive flourishes gives way to a midtempo verse riff and a soaring vocal. This is broken up by crunchier riffs under interspersed bible quotes. The lyrics here are about all the people who have committed suicide as a result of their treatment by the church. A sad but catchy harmonized chorus follows, then another nice guitar lead carries us back to another round of verse and chorus and a reprise of the guitar lead to end the song. Great track, 8/10.
  • When God Is Not Watching - Melancholy clean guitar is joined by a pair of distorted leads, eventually blooming into a relaxed groove that supports a memorable verse. This one’s about a pair of priests who have to keep their forbidden sexual relationship secret to avoid being killed. Another melodic lead and vocal build up to a big, catchy chorus. The relaxed groove and guitar lead return, flowing back into another verse. A heavier interlude becomes a variant chorus, flowing into a great harmonized vocal bridge. This dissolves into a variant reprise of the opening, which gives way to receding footsteps and hints of a church choir before a door slams shut to end the album. A great song with a number of excellent parts, probably does enough to merit a round-up to 9/10.
Average: 8.5/10
Weighted: 8.6/10

Doom metal is a genre I’ve traditionally had some trouble getting into, because the slower tempos tend to make things plod along, and extreme vocals often find their way into the picture. But Carnal Confessions deftly sidestepped those issues for me, delivering a stunning album of dark, disturbing, beautiful music that fully embodies its theme.

The album is drenched in reverb, sounding like it could have been recorded in a church. The vocal stylings evoke images of Gregorian chants, including unusual choices with the vocal harmonies. The lyrics are absolutely brutal, pulling no punches and indicting the Catholic Church left and right, while still managing to include some turns of phrase that could be read as dry humor. Atmospheric sounds and recordings are also used to great effect. And all of these thematic trappings are underpinned by consistently great songwriting and memorable vocal and guitar melodies.

Some people may find the lyrical content too dark for their personal palate, but if you have a strong stomach and allow yourself to be immersed in the sonic landscape these guys have created, you will be richly rewarded — this is an excellent album.

(Master review index >)
Click to expand...
They have a great sound. I'd not heard them before. I'm fine with harsh vocals as you know, and can find that clean vocals with this type of music remind me a little too much of dated sounding post-punk, but these sound okay
 
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Bruce Dickinson
Tattooed Millionaire (1990)
  1. “Son of a Gun” - Love this acoustic intro with soaring electric leads running on top, so emotive. Bruce’s voice is gorgeous. Once he starts going harder he seems to care less about his singing, but there are still awesome moments (“lay down and diiiiiiieee!”) The verses are strong, but their start-stop approach maybe wasn’t the best decision here (but that’s nitpicking). The chorus is awesome, a belter 100%. The bridge is truly splendid, and Janick’s solo slays. This is an excellent song with a couple missteps along the way, but still manages to rock every time it’s played. Killer opener. 9/10
  2. “Tattooed Millionaire” - Janick nicks the “Photograph” riff from Def Leppard and makes it brighter and better. Bruce’s rasp sounds great in the verse, and I love the way he cleans up the approach during the melodic pre-chorus (which has some wonderfully colorful instrumentation). The chorus is blissful. Janick’s solo is noodly but so much more well constructed than just about anything he’s done in Maiden. This song is sleek, catchy, and just fantastic all throughout. Even though the definitive solo Bruce sound is that of AOB and TCW (to me), this kind of fun solo Bruce with a clean rock sound is also an excellent one. Wish he had more songs like this on the record. It was my first exposure to his solo career and I think it’s still a perfect glam song. 10/10
  3. “Born in ‘58” - One of the album’s most popular tracks, this one is somewhere between rock banger and rock ballad. It’s very good overall, but has some weird verse constructions and I think Bruce is approaching the verses a bit too hard. The chorus doesn’t rip quite as hard as on the previous two. But everything else is great. It’s an emotional, personal song and I always enjoy it. 8/10
  4. “Hell on Wheels” - Fun hard rock riffing, and Bruce is rasping more than he’s singing on these verses, giving off almost a rapping effect. Chorus is fine. Probably could’ve ended after that third chorus instead of running through the verse again. It’s fine. Inoffensive but also not ripping me out of my seat. 6/10
  5. “Gypsy Road” - A strong rock ballad with a strong performance from Bruce. The balance between distortion and lack thereof is well assembled. The chorus is a belter. Not one of his modt memorable maybe, but it’s definitely a good song! Always enjoyable as a shot of Bruce goodness. 7/10
  6. “Dive! Dive! Dive!” - Submarine noises, Bruce being cheeky, and then we launch into a driving, anthemic vocal piece that feels like it would be epic at a concert. Bruce is turning the rasp up to 100 and it actually works great in this song. The pumping bassline is so hype. The lyrics are so stupid but in a fun kind of way. The building pre-chorus enters us into the simple but effective chorus (before we get a section reminiscent of Aerosmith). This song is dumb as hell but so well constructed that I can’t not start jumping whenever it comes on. Silly but awesome. 9/10
  7. “All the Young Dudes” - A pretty good Mott the Hoople cover. Bruce maybe could’ve put more effort into his singing but otherwise it’s a strong performance from all involved. I dig Janick’s double tracked guitar lines especially. For Bruce’s only cover on an album it’s a good one. 7/10
  8. “Lickin’ the Gun” - That opening riff is definitely very Aerosmith. This song is like a retread of “Hell on Wheels” devoid of any of the fun. There’s literally no point to this one. Boring but not offensive enough to be bad. Rounding down cuz it does nothing at all except pads the runtime. 4/10
  9. “Zulu Lulu” - This one is stupid yet again but man, I forgot how much fun it is. The music is grooving and I think it’s pretty well constructed (although needlessly sexual and weirdly racial). Pretty great but in guilty pleasure fashion. 8/10
  10. “No Lies” - Among Bruce’s worse performances on the record, but I like the graveyard vibe of this one. The chorus is almost great, but the “whoah-oh-oh-oh” feels out of place. It gets pretty interesting by the end with Janick’s solo sections composed of cool guitar sounds rather than an actual solo. That part is awesome. Bass solo too! It ends anticlimactically but on my vinyl there’s a reprise and that really helps things out immensely. I’m rounding up my score because a lot of this song is great even if it’s imperfect. 8/10
Even in spite of the album’s silly nature and the fact that it was written and recorded off the cuff in a two week period, you can tell that it was created by professionals. The sound of this album is sleek and pristine, the music is great, and the melodies are strong. Bruce’s voice is definitely on the raspier side, but this is both a blessing and a curse, it just depends on which song you’re on. The lyrics are mostly dumb, but the fun kind of dumb, and the energy of this recording carries throughout and elevates material that otherwise could’ve been simply tossed aside. And Janick puts down an incredible performance on every track here, which to me means that his lackluster solos with Maiden are not due to lack of talent. This is a fantastic sounding album that’s far from perfect but is always fun to come back to and I like it a lot.

Total: 76%
 
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Didn´t expect praise for Zulu Lulu tbh.
Together with Dive! Dive! Dive! and Lickin´ The Gun my least favourites on my least favourite Bruce solo album.
 
I just think they’re fun and catchy. “Lickin’ the Gun” is probably Bruce’s worst song though.
 
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Bruce Dickinson
Balls to Picasso (1994)
  1. “Cyclops” - I really like unconventional opening numbers like this one. We instantly are transported into a paranoid state, with new axeman Roy Z winding through passages like a serpent. Bruce is at his most sinisterly seductive during the verses, accentuating that anxious vibe this song is laying down. The chorus is a belter! The album has issues with its vocal recordings, but even in the places where it’s noticeable here it still rocks hard. With a near eight minute runtime, we get a lot of room to explore the crevices of this monster, and hear Roy plant himself firmly as a master guitarist. Some great solos here. I love the shift into the extended outro, where Roy and Bruce meld together to craft a brilliant finale to a genuinely fantastic song. Everything about “Cyclops” is awesome. The vibe, the mood, the performances, so great. An unorthodox way to kick off a post-Maiden career, but what a statement to all that Bruce was not going to be sitting still. 10/10
  2. “Hell No” - Love this rumbling intro, like a volcano before erupting. That groovy percussion is fucking cool. Bruce is once again allowing the song to build from the quiet into more explosive territory. Lyrically this one seems to deal with darkness in society while also linking to his path out of Maiden in the pre-chorus. The chorus slaps once again. Roy gets a lit solo in, and we get a fucking groovy bridge which transports us into the deepest jungle in almost tribal instrumentation. There’s a lot to like about this song. It’s such a cool follow-up to “Cyclops” and we still haven’t gotten a typical rocker yet. Great stuff. 8/10
  3. “Gods of War” - More groovy percussion drives this song as we open with Bruce oh-ing before laying down one of the album’s most emotional vocals. But this is also emblematic of the vocal issue on the album; it just doesn’t sound right. Especially when he says his S’s. Otherwise it’s great. The chorus rocks and the solo is awesome. Not as good as the first two, but I think I can round up the score. 8/10
  4. “1000 Points of Light” - A slightly more typical rocker, but overly political which is something we only really got from Bruce on this record. We’re slightly more in filler territory here, but it’s still a good song with a decent chorus and another great solo. 7/10
  5. “Laughing in the Hiding Bush” - A heavy riff kicks off a moody, mid-paced rocker inspired by Bruce’s son. Childhood games are used to mirror destructive adult activities, or something. It’s a mostly great song that hints at where this solo career would head starting in ‘97. The only real issue I have with it is its sluggish feel which holds it back from being even better, and that ultimately affects the score. The final choruses almost feel a bore in spite of how good it is elsewhere. 7/10
  6. “Change of Heart” - Ballad time! This one is a quiet and sweet number with great performances from all involved. Always a nice listen. 8/10
  7. “Shoot All the Clowns” - Launching right in with the chorus, we enter a carnival of Bruce’s where we can be silly in the most faux-serious way possible. This song should be so much worse than it is, but I can’t keep myself from bopping along to it. It’s just fun. And that rap fucking slaps yo. Fire bars. Great song. (The extended version is meh though.) 8/10
  8. “Fire” - Roy locks in on a dirty heavy metal riff, and the verse is alright but eh. The chorus is where this song really falls off the cliff. One of Bruce’s absolute worst. This song is just so forgettable. It doesn’t say anything and never goes anywhere (although the bass and guitar solos are once again great). There’s more to this than “Lickin’ the Gun” but ultimately they’re both pretty pointless. It’s shameful that this made the album and bangers like “Fire Child”, “No Way Out”, and “The Breeding House” were left off in its favor. A poor showing. 4/10
  9. “Sacred Cowboys” - We slide right into a rockin’ riff before Bruce does some fast spoken word in lieu of a typical verse. The pre-chorus is good and that chorus is awesome. I wish Bruce used that chorus in a song with more care than this one, but at the same time I really like what we have regardless. It rocks and it slaps and it fucks and I do think this is an excellent song overall. 9/10
  10. “Tears of the Dragon” - Closing Bruce’s weirdest album is a tour-de-force that I’m sure many consider his all-time best track. “Tears” is an amazing ballad about the singer’s feelings about leaving Maiden and embarking on a solo career, leaping into a sea of unknowns, with Roy utilizing acoustic and electric guitars for some brilliant instrumentation. And speaking of brilliant, that solo of his is fucking phenomenal. As is the blinder of a chorus, holy shit. And the clincher of the matter? We even get a reggae breakdown lol. There’s some recording issues on this song and the Scream for Me Brazil version is superior, but it’s hard to deny this masterclass is songwriting. It’ll probably remain Bruce’s most definitive statement as both a songwriter and as emblematic of the magic of Maiden’s resident renaissance poet as the years go on. Incredible. 10/10
The score is higher than Tattooed Millionaire which makes sense as the bulk of these songs are stronger and more consistent than that album, and it has two all-time classics bookending it in the form of “Tears of the Dragon” and “Cyclops”. But it’s also less fun and more bleak, with the lyrics taking a turn towards the political. Sound-wise this may be his worst record, there’s issues particularly with the vocal recording and Shay Baby’s production doesn’t do the material justice. And additionally there are some great songs that got left off in favor of shit like “Fire”. But all in all Balls to Picasso is a very good album that just happens to be among Bruce’s worst records. I’d love to hear an alternate version with some of the other songs recorded for it present (a double-album would’ve been quite the statement after leaving Maiden), but I’m okay with what we got anyway.

Total: 79%
 
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