Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Friday, January 07, 2011
Polaris (2009)
Polaris encompasses all that is great about Stratovarius, it has tons of variety while maintaining a fine balance of speedy, old school power metal pieces; the up-tempo neo-classical bits and the slower, more epic, progressive, power ballads. The progression is almost natural and album runs like a well oiled machine. On occasion, pieces and riffs do seem to be a bit derivative.
Johansson's keyboards find a prominent place throughout the album and it's heartening to see that they aren't buried underneath all the percussion and bass. Kupiainen is almost like a Tolkki clone at times, reproducing the classic Stratovarius style with neo-classical, Malmsteem-esque overtones. Lauri Porra is a great new find and does a splendid job on the bass. Kotipelto's vocals soar throughout the album and age hasn't done much to diminish the man's vocal prowess. Jorg Michael resonates the same thought showing that he too hasn't slowed down and is still able to pound the skins.
The lyrical theme of the album deals with regions far beyond terra firma, celestial topics now seeming to be a favourite for the band.
Polaris kicks off with Deep Unknown, a fast paced, roaring power metal song that is very reminiscent of Blood Diamond. Kupiainen's prog tinted composition goes through the motions effortlessly. A slightly off-kilter start, but not a bad one nonetheless.
Falling Star makes a big mark on the album. With great choruses, hooky, emotive riffing akin to the style in Fourth Dimension, this is a steadfast Stratovarius number that will appeal to the older bunch of fans.
What is probably the most powerful song of the album makes it's entry at position 3. The epic King of Nothing is an intense, melodic masterpiece that will not cease to stun throughout it's entirety. The focal point of the song is Johansson's keys, instead of merely backing up the guitars, he steals the show right from the start. Beautiful composition, that with its military rhythm, majestic soloing and melodic riffing shows you that new lineup shows some promise and that if the current lineup is stable, the fans have something to look forward to.
Up next is the neo classical Blind. The breakneck paced, melodic thrash of this track is a sort of letdown after King of Nothing, but then again isn't bad given that it's just a filler.
Almost midway through the album we encounter the heavy power ballad Winter Skies. One of the slower songs of the albums, it's quite unlike anything they've done before, but is extremely enjoyable. Kotipelto's unique wail fits brilliantly with the mood of the song. The keys again aren't there just to accentuate the guitars but add that certain something to the track especially during the solo. One of the better songs of the album.
Forever is Today, power metal staple or sorts is a sudden jolt after Winter Skies. Nothing particularly outstanding about the track, yet another necessary filler. Though the solo towards the end is the savior of the track.
Higher We Go continues in the same vein, another charged, melodic number. Interesting rhythm sections and great choruses save the song. Excellent neo classical soloing, as I mentioned before - like something out of a Malmsteem album, finishes the song. Standard Stratovarius from start to stop.
The elegant Somehow Precious comes in at position eight. Another slow ballad, it does not have the panache and style that Winter Skies did but feels poignant for some reason. This is Kotipelto's song all the way, yet another great vocal performance.
The extensively progressive, two pronged epic Emancipation Suite brings in the rear of the album. Filled oriental influences that alternates between drop dead heavy riffing, and slower melodic parts. Together, these are some the highlights of the album. The first part has the best soloing throughout the album. This is where Stratovarius truly return to form and you can really see the band working as a cohesive, multifaceted unit. Kotipelto hits some incredibly high pitches during the second part, which is again vocally driven. All is all, a well crafted opus that is a certifiable classic in the years to come.
The surprisingly short When Mountains Fall ends the album. The simple, vocally driven song that endears itself to the listener easily. If you listen hard, you'll notice Kotipelto's thick accent for the very first time on the album, seems like he loses himself emotionally on this particular piece.
Overview : Polaris is definitely a return to their old glory days. A renaissance for Stratovarius was long in order given the nightmarish turn their career had taken and Polaris is exactly the revival they needed. The infusion of new blood does not the see the band changing the proggy-power metal they pioneered, rather bringing it back in a grandiose manner. The same old Stratovarius sound that the fans have come love is still there, it's just got a brighter sheen with Polaris. Matias Kupiainen is a fine addition on the guitars. It almost seems like Tolkki's departure did little to spoil the sound of the album. In the end, a solid effort from Stratovarius.
Genre : Progressive Metal, Power Metal
Genre : Progressive Metal, Power Metal
Track Listing :
Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1."Deep Unknown" | Kotipelto, Kupiainen | 4:28 |
2."Falling Star" | Porra | 4:33 |
3."King of Nothing" | Johansson | 6:43 |
4."Blind" | Johansson | 5:28 |
5."Winter Skies" | Johansson | 5:50 |
6."Forever is Today" | Porra | 4:40 |
7."Higher We Go" | Kotipelto, Kupiainen | 3:47 |
8."Somehow Precious" 9."Emancipation Suite (Part I : Dusk)" 10."Emancipation Suite (Part II : Dawn)" 11."When Mountains Fall" | Kotipelto, Kupiainen Porra Porra Porra | 5:37 6:57 3:40 3:12 |
Total Album Time : 54:55
Personnel/Contributors :
- Timo Kotipelto - Lead Vocals
- Matias Kupiainen - Lead Guitars
- Lauri Porra - Bass, Backing Vocals
- Jorg Michael - Drums
- Jens Johansson - Keyboards
Release Date : 15 may 2009
Recorded : September-December 2008
Supporting Tour : Polaris World Tour
Live Albums : Polaris Live
Trivia : This is the first Stratovarius album not to feature Timo Tolkki
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Rust in Peace (1990)
Get ready to rattle yer heads!! With Rust in Peace Megadeth pulls out the biggest, baddest, thrashiest, most destructive fucking album from their mighty arsenal. It was Megadeth's finest hour, to bring out what is regarded as one of the best thrash albums at a time when the genre seemed to be dying. It's a good twenty years since the release of the album and yet it neither seems to have lost relevance or importance, still being one of the most highly revered thrash masterpieces.
Yet again with a different lineup, one that would to prove to be the band's most skilled, hailed and loved, Mustaine brings in Marty Friedman and Nick Menza as Megadeth's new lead guitarist and drummer respectively. Mustaine and Friedman make for a killer combination of guitarists it comes to the riffs, even more so when it comes to those mind blowing solos, and the guitar interplay is just deadly. Menza does a noteworthy job, not trying to steal the show at any point, but accentuating the rest of the band brilliantly. The other Dave, Dave Ellefson does a fair job with the bass, but in certain tracks the bass is the primary driving force at times. Of course, most of the songs have Mustaine doing his characteristic leering snarl, something that goes really well with the snide, sarcastic taunts that form a majority of the lyrics. All these together lend to the album a really unique sound that even Megadeth haven't been reproduce over the years.
The overall sound of the album is rather unique; thrashy, fast riffs with a fair amount of melody incorporated in it. The songs have a progressive edge, making this a smarter breed of thrash but one that everyone can enjoy. Cutting leads, chopping rhythm sections, impressive shredding, Mustaine's trademark vocals and Menza's powerful drumming - what's not to like.
The lyrical themes are along the same line as the previous albums with the songs dealing with politics, history, wars, nuclear fallout and environmental concerns. Of course the odd song or two strays away from the beaten path. The lyrics are written well, in a contemptuous manner that turns out to be amusing. Even the songs names are extremely original and creative.
Rust in Peace begins it's assault with one of thrash metal's all time greats - Holy Wars... The Punishment Due. Megadeth just couldn't have asked for a better track to open of the album. This one has technical thrash written all over it what with the unrelenting, speedy, shred riffs. The sheer level of ferocious, face-melting intensity is amazing. The sudden breakdowns into slow passages that allows for more focus on the vocals aids in telling the story behind the song - the Crusades. Mustaine has attributed the inspiration to song to various things from the Northern Ireland conflict to the a Marvel Comics' supehero - The Punisher due to the controversy it generated. The passages leads to incredible solos that sound unearthly at the blistering speed they're going at. With distinct sections that alternate between flat out thrash, speed and melodic thrash, Holy Wars... is one exhilarating ride. This is one song that simply whips ass start to stop.
Done with the technical workout that Holy Wars... turns out to be, up next is the middle eastern tinged Hangar 18. With strong progressive and neo-classical influences in everything from the riffing to the solos, this one shows us why Rust in Peace is considered unique in thrash. Hangar 18 relies heavily on the masterful performances by both the lead guitarists. It has a grand total of eleven, tremendously melodic solos between Mustaine and Friedman, not a single one of which is disappointing. This song goes into UFO conspiracy theories and primarily focuses on Hangar 18, part of the Roswell myth, where supposedly the aliens and their craft were brought to after the crash at Roswell. The cover of the album, by Ed Repka, has something in the vein of this song with Vic Rattlehead near the body of an alien (which has surprising similarities to Spielberg's E.T. ), as Mustaine puts it so well in the song - " in a suspended state of cryogenics". Really impressive lyrics that are brought out well. Menza does a excellent job with the drums, sounding almost mechanical at times. Taut, tight rhythm sections in between the solos are where the band showcases it's breed of thrash.
Following the insanity that is Hangar 18 is Take No Prisoners, a straight up, no holds barred, visceral toxic waltz about prisoners of war that is thrash for thrash metal's sake. Aggressive, diverse drumming, bombastic chorus lines and a muscular bass line just add to the mood. Ellefson's ultra fast bass solo starts the mood off with both the lead guitarists joining in with the jaw dropping shred riff and Mustaine frantically snarling all over it. A typical give 'em hell, obliterate-everything-in-your-path, war themed thrash metal song.
Continuing on with the vicious assault is Five Magics at position four. A melodic two minute instrumental passage drenched with a haunting harmony awaits the listener before Mustaine kicks in with his snarl, giving the band enough time to prove their mettle once more. Friedman comes in for another neoclassical solo before the songs breaks down into a simpler riff and the characteristic chorus. It finally closes off with a Mustaine solo. The only complaints you can think of are that it's an extremely short song, given the relative complexity of the song, it's hard to enjoy all the nuances.
Following up with yet another short number Megadeth put Poison Was the Cure in at five. Again it begins with a bass driven intro with short thrash bridges. After a brief drum solo it breaks into a thrash riffs that has a hard rock vibe at heart. Even though it's a filler it has it's silver lining in the form of a brilliant solo that comes in at the tail end of the song.
Next up is the fantasy-themed, power/thrash hybrid Lucretia. Though not the conventional thrash one would expect the band makes an impressive effort with this one. Filled with catchy hooks and killer riffing the song tells the tale of Mustaine's conversation with a ghost, weirdly enough. Friedman puts forth a more delicate, melodious solo that fits in very nicely with the mid tempo pace the songs goes at. Catchy and hard not to appreciate.
If previous three songs were the calm before the storm, violently raging forward at number seven is the tempest itself - Tornado of Souls. Easily one of the best tracks of the album, it's laden with intricate hooks and harmonics all over the song. Though Mustaine's vocals may not have exactly worked well for the previous three songs, him putting his best in here makes the song a more of an emotional experience for both the band and the listener, that in part being that the song is about dysfunctional relationships. Right from the hyperactive melodic riffage to the tight bass line to the staccato drumming everything aligns to form intelligent thrash start to stop. Menza provides excellent drum fills in between the varied passages throughout the song. Friedman opts to go for a more straightforward, classic metal solo that imprints itself immediately into your mind. Extremely impressive execution on the band's part.
A song about environmental activism, or atleast one that is intended at getting people to think in that direction Dawn Patrol makes it's presence felt at number eight. Starting with and comprising almost entirely of a chilling, spooky bass riff and rather lethargic drumming that somehow works for the song it's another good piece albeit meant to showcase Ellefson's talent. Not that great a song in the technical aspect given that it's in the same album as Holy Wars..., Hangar 18 and Tornado of Souls. Surprisingly it's rather short not even touching the two minute mark.
Finishing off the thrash metal masterpiece is the album's lost track, Rust in Peace...Polaris which is about intercontinental missiles (There actually is an intercontinental ballistic missile called the Polaris which is intimately linked with the Cuban missile crisis). A trademark Megadeth song, although one in which Mustaine's vocals yet again prove to be disastrous, Rust in Peace... is thrash metal straight from the eighties. Yet again Friedman's solo turns out to be the major highlight of the song.
Overview : Stellar thrash, no questions asked. Re-invigorated with a new line-up Megadeth recorded one of thrash metal's finest that proved to be the genre's savior in the nineties when thrash seemed to be dying out. This is the band's strongest effort musically and they outdo themselves here on Rust in Peace. Calculated, technical thrash that manages to maintain the fine balance between aggression and melody, it's no wonder why Rust in Peace, a thrash metal great apart, is regarded as one of metal's most influential albums. Can Megadeth top what they've done with Rust in Peace? So far, a good twenty years after the album's release the band haven't been able to match it.
Genre : Thrash Metal, Speed Metal
Track Listing :
Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1."Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" | Mustaine | 6:32 |
2."Hangar 18" | Mustaine | 5:14 |
3."Take No Prisoners" | Mustaine | 3:26 |
4."Five Magics" | Mustaine | 5:40 |
5."Poison Was the Cure" | Mustaine | 2:56 |
6."Lucretia" | Mustaine | 3:56 |
7."Tornado of Souls" | Mustaine, Ellefson | 5:19 |
8."Dawn Patrol" 9."Rust in Peace...Polaris" | Mustaine, Ellefson Mustaine | 1:51 5:54 |
Total Album Time : 40:48
Personnel/Contributors :
- Dave Mustaine - Lead Vocals, Lead Guitars
- Marty Friedman - Lead Guitars
- Dave Ellefson - Bass, Backing Vocals
- Nick Menza - Drums
- Ed Repka - Illustration
Recorded : 1989 - 1990
Supporting Tour(s) : Rust In Peace Tour
Rust In Peace 20th Anniversary Tour
Live Albums : Rust in Peace Live
Video Album : Rusted Pieces
Trivia :
It has been nominated twice for a Grammy in 1991 and 1992 in the category Best Live Performance.
The track Hangar 18 has a sequel in the Megadeth album The World Needs a Hero called Return to Hangar 18.
Judas Priest Announce Final World Tour - The Epitaph Tour
Legendary heavy metal band Judas Priest announce a final world tour that will be their farewell tour - the Epitaph World Tour to finish off a career that has lasted a good 40 years.
A statement on the band's website reads "After storming the world for nearly 40 years and taking their very special brand of heavy metal to all four corners of the planet, JUDAS PRIEST - one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, have announced this will be their final world tour!!
However, the mighty PRIEST will certainly be going out strong as they rock the planet starting in 2011 on the massive EPITAPH tour - hitting all the major cities throughout the world they will be playing the songs that helped make the name JUDAS PRIEST synonymous with heavy metal!With all guns blazing and amps cranked to eleven, the band will be giving all their fans one last chance to witness the ultimate metal experience that is JUDAS PRIEST! "
Judas Priest will kick off their farewell tour at the Sweden Rock Festival and will see them headlining major metal fests including Wacken at Germany and The High Voltage in the U.K.
Monday, December 06, 2010
MOTORHEAD'S NEW ALBUM
Motorhead have announced details of their upcoming new album.
'The World Is Yours' is set to be released on December 13 and will be released through Motorhead Music, the group's own record label. The album ,which was partially recorded in Foo Fighters' Studio 606, will be the band's twentieth .
Meanwhile, Motorhead will head out on a 35th anniversary tour of the UK in November.
The tracklisting for 'The World Is Yours' is as follows:
'Born To Lose'
'I Know How To Die'
'Get Back In Line'
'Devils In My Head'
'Rock 'N' Roll Music'
'Waiting For The Snake'
'Brotherhood Of Man'
'Outlaw'
'I Know What You Need'
'Bye Bye Bitch Bye Bye'
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