Voodoo Six- Songs to Invade Countries to

Modern rockers Voodoo Six have been championing a form of all-guns-blazing music which has been recognized by members of the rock and metal elite from Steve Harris of Iron Maiden to Mike Portnoy formerly of Dream Theater.

Songs to Invade Countries to provides a great balance between heavy, guitar based epics and melodic moments which show off a more light-hearted side to the band. The tracks also have a groove and definite blues-based kick which, along with the fantastic guitar solos, played with a gnarly tone shows how Voodoo Six are masters at a very traditionalist form of hard rock.

The vast majority of the album falls firmly into a category of earthy hard rock, which meld with groovy hooks to create a gritty atmosphere. The tracks are all strong rockers; riff laden and driving, which keeps the album moving forward without becoming repetitive.

The album perfectly shows off the musicianship and song-writing skills of all the band members, offering opportunities for all to shine.

Overall the album is a great rock and roll album which draws heavily on classic influences, whilst still managing to maintain a modern sound which allows it to fit in with the 21^st century’s rock and metal scene without sounding outdated.

8/10

Phil Demmel Jackson Guitar Clinic at GAK Brighton 20/04/13

A taste of the San Francisco Bay Area came to Brighton last night, as Phil Demmel, lead guitarist from modern thrash metal band Machine Head, gave a Jackson guitars clinic at the GAK music shop.

Along with a brief history of Jackson Guitars from the company representative who has been touring Europe alongside Phil Demmel, the modern thrash legend gave a brief talk about his guitar playing history, his influences (announcing his love of KISS), and the players who have inspired him to play- Angus Young and Randy Rhoads being the most stand out figures. The talk also traced his relationships with various guitars and members of his bands.

Of course, whilst there, a few Machine Head songs were played from the extensive back catalogue of tracks that he has worked on, along with a jam with Chris Cannella from the Jackson guitars workshop. Between these two players and plenty of choruses of “F**k yeah!” from the audience (complete with the horns \m/), the spirit of metal was certainly in residence, as huge riffs and crazy shred guitar solos were in abundance.  In that small room of barely 50 people, there was much more of an intimate atmosphere which helped bring Phil Demmel over as a really down to earth person who just happens to be in one of the planet’s biggest metal bands, touring the world. Although weeks on the road seemed to be taking their toll as my own question to him about musical influences outside the world of metal (i.e. Would one ever catch him listening to Beethoven or Miles Davis etc.) spawned a statement of solidarity with Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe in his manslaughter trial (a worthy cause in itself, but not quite what I was after as an answer).

After the talk Phil took the time for signings and photos with all the fans in the building and seemed genuinely willing to take the time to chat, despite his road-weariness.  

Diemonds- The Bad Pack

            This female fronted Canadian hard rock outfit is yet another example of a modern resurgence in music steeped in the legacy of 80s American hard rock and heavy metal. Full of driving riffs and loud choruses, The Bad Pack definitely has the feel of a good-time metal album.

Infused with a punky attitude, but retaining the more metal side of the music, from the “widdly-widdly” (technical term there…) solos, through to the spandex and hairspray, Diemonds are definitely takes a modern look at hair metal, whilst creating a different attitude with the use of a female singer. The songs don’t try to do anything mind-bending and drastic to their genre, however, they provide a definite shot of ‘Loud N’ Nasty’ energy to it, and don’t seem to take themselves too seriously, acknowledging that it’s  fun, noisy party metal which is great for a good time.

The songs on The Bad Pack stick with the traditional themes which are followed in classic metal- night time parties, escapism and generally having a good time. The music is also very much what you would expect- fast paced riffs, melodic lead guitar lines, over the top solos and chugging rhythmic patterns.

Overall, whilst the invention is kept minimal, Diemonds have produced a bombastic album that’s full of pure, good old fashioned rock music.

8/10

Sacred Mother Tongue- Out Of The Darkness

High speed heavy metal, thrashing riffs and insane guitar solos, it’s no wonder that people are saying that Sacred Mother Tongue are a band to watch. This second release continues in the same vein to which fans of SMT are used to.

Every song is a high-speed exercise in precision riffing, and the quality of the guitar solos (of which there are a great many) shows that it is no wonder that guitarist Andy James has been nominated as “Dimebag Darrell Shredder of the Year” in 2013’s Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards.

The band shows off an ever more complex writing style, with riffs which require a great deal of rhythmical interplay, along with heavier, slower sections in which the whole band falls into a solid groove.

A standout track which shows off all of this is ‘Seven’. Opening with an extended instrumental introduction section in which the tight rhythmic playing of the band, followed by a burst of technical guitar virtuosity. 

Between verses, the band falls into a tight-knit groove, guaranteed to get heads nodding along, fists pumping, and generally infusing the listener with as much energy as is evident on the album.

Really though, there seems to be little variety in the way Sacred Mother Tongue writes songs. Many of the tracks are of a very similar high speed, and follow the same formula which, by the end of the album can seem to have become a little tired.  The good thing about this though, is that the tracks are all great numbers, and any of them stand alone as great examples of modern heavy metal.

9/10

March The Desert- March The Desert

March The Desert’s latest release contains all the trademarks of the psychedelic metal which they claim to be attempting to emulate. Thick, distorted guitars playing groovy, slow riffs give the music a bounce, whilst the harsh vocal sound suits the science-fictional element of the lyrics.

The production side of the March The Desert EP leaves a lot to be desired. The vocals are at times overpowered by the rest of the band, which has a muffled sound, and at points the words are incomprehensible- even when they’re not meant to be. The whole album sounds very compressed, and could do with being made a lot clearer sounding. The drums at times blend completely in with the rest of the sound, which means that the album seems to lack the punchy rhythm that would hold the album together. The cymbals however seem to be left in prominence, creating a splashing, rhythmic sound which highlights the minimal drumming. In the points where the drums can be heard, they sound very loose and spongy, lacking any kick or punch.

The tracks have a slow, bluesy groove feel that has been drenched in distortion and various effects, giving the songs a trippy, stoner rock feel. These 6 long tracks all have a very similar feel: Slow and laid-back with a heavy, doom attitude. From time to time, the band let’s go and begins to show a technical side,

 Overall, the album has some fairly large production issues which seriously detract from the actual content. Musically, the band seems tight, but if felt like many of the tracks were using recycled ideas as the tracks lacked lots of individuality.

4/10 

Live Review- Jeff Scott Soto @ Camden Underworld 06/04/13

A far cry from the heady days of performing to sold out stadium audiences, Jeff Scott Soto nevertheless played an energetic and high-octane gig in Camden’s Underworld nightclub in support of his 2012 solo release, Damage Control.

The self-proclaimed “Soto-palooza” package of bands with which Jeff Scott Soto has a direct connection began with Greek glam-metallers Danger Angel who’s loud and proud brand of metal began the night with a high energy set. Soto had contributed backing vocals to Death Angel’s most recent album, Revolutia, and it was definitely possible to hear the similarities in the musical styles of the groups, a similarity which continued right through the whole event. Death Angel’s music melded melodious vocal lines with cranked up guitar riffs, blistering guitar solos and a keytarist who’s synth harmonies added an extra layer to the band’s sound, as well as allowing for an extra body to be running around the stage at all times.

Second on for the night was a trio fronted by Soto’s own guitarist Jorge Salán. The guitar work for which the band was really the vehicle was stunning, with Salán firing of solo after insane solo with flair and showmanship, whilst allowing the remaining sections of the songs to compl^st birthday only a few days before.  

ement the very showy solo playing which featured so heavily. Impressively, Salán was able to keep up a strong vocal performance whilst still playing complex guitar lines. The band was full of old-fashioned rock and roll spirit, and ended with a rousing rendition of the Gary Moore Celtic
 rock classic ‘Over The Hills and Far Away’, as it would have been the late, great guitarist’s 61

The main attraction of the night was, of course Jeff Scott Soto himself. Fronting his multinational band, JSS delivered a stunning performance in what he described as a “homecoming gig” in a “second home.” The set consisted mostly of tracks off his latest solo release, Damage Control, from 2012, (my review of which can be read here) but also featured tracks from earlier in his career. Moving about the stage almost constantly, JSS was able to engage with his audience a lot better than would be possible in a bigger venue, giving this sold out gig a more intimate feel. The only moment that the gig really slowed down was for the brief period that Soto played keyboards on a mellower track. In a moment of spontaneity, the ‘compulsory’ vocal back and forth was interrupted by a fantastic bass solo from the last minute stand in replacement bassist David Z, who’s single-handed rendition of Billie Jean brought a funkier element to the whole event, followed by a stunning cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s classic ‘Shot in the Dark’.  After an epic set which went on for the best part of 2 hours, and coming against the noise curfew in Underworld, Soto introduced his friend, Nathan James (made famous on the ITV show ‘Superstar’), fresh of a tour with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which Soto also sings for, in order to duet on ‘Stand Up and Shout’ from the soundtrack to the 2001 film ‘Rock Star’, for which Jeff Scott Soto had recorded all of the vocals for the fictitious metal band Steel Dragon. Finally, the riotous set closed with an a cappella verse of Steel Panther’s sleaze-metal track ‘Community Property.’ The whole night was electric, boding well for Soto’s set at Hard Rock Hell AOR later in the week. 

(all photos by Nick Webb)

Jeff Scott Soto- Damage Control

Vocalist extraordinaire Jeff Scott Soto, whose previous credits include Journey, Yngwie Malmsteen, Talisman and W.E.T., released his latest solo album in 2012. His music remains faithful to the era that he started in: Loud, brash, 80s rock and metal.

JSS’s voice here is as powerful as it ever is, showing that despite over 30 years of singing melodic hard rock, he can still hit the high notes.

The album is well balanced with anthemic, thundering guitar tracks, complete with shredding guitar solos, and more melodic tracks which are intended to get lighters rising up in audiences.  Track by track, there are few duff numbers,

Although some may label the whole album as radio-friendly cheese-rock, complete with power ballads and ostentatiousness which wishes that 80s success would once again return- I am partial to 80s bombast, so I am not going to hold that against the album. However the album does feel nostalgic at times, almost refusing to acknowledge any musical developments since Arena Rock stopped getting significant airplay.

Lyrically, the album focuses on standard radio rock themes of love and cars, with little attempt at lyrical depth, the purpose of the songs being to get a crowd rocking, not thinking.

Overall, this is an album for the 80s written in the 2010’s. The album keeps up a rock attitude the whole way through, but does feel at times very much like a nostalgia album of a star still trying to cling onto a bygone era. The album isn't bad at all- it just feels a bit cheesy and nostalgic, and doesn't quite have the same modernised rejuvenation that some similar artists have managed in recent years.

6/10

Godsized- Time

Mixing heavy riffs, old-school hooks and a certain traditionalist approach to recording- live, full band takes as much as possible- this debut album from the heavy metal beast that is Godsized serves up exactly what their fans have been waiting for. No nonsense, balls-to-the-wall, old fashioned, no frills heavy metal.

As a result of the nature of the recording process, the album has a powerful, raw, live feel to it. However there are places where it feels like the lower frequencies of the album have been slightly muffled.

The album shows a variety of songs, ballads and more up-tempo rockers. All of which are heavy and groove-laden. Full of huge guitar sounds, pounding drums, an ever-present bass line and powerful vocals, the album offers nothing but pure, simple, rock and roll, complete with duelling guitar solos.

Listening to the album, it is easy to hear how they were picked up to tour with Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society, the powerful riffs, screaming solos and loud vocals reminiscent of many classic metal acts through the ages.

The 12 tracks offered up here clearly show the band’s roots in classic rock and metal, steeped in the lineage of the groups who influenced them, creating an album of truly classic sounding metal, yet managing to remain up to date.

Whilst a head-banging, fist-pumping rollercoaster ride from start to finish, Godsized have not managed to make a hugely innovative album here. However, what there is a definite sign of promise to come, and a taste of their high-energy live shows.

7/10

KISS- Monster Review

You can say what you like about KISS, and people really do. The fervour and love of their army of fans is matched only by the strength with which many despise their brand of fun-loving, Rock & Roll music. Whilst it lacks any real depth, serious message or great technical ability, Monster definitely offers what made KISS huge in the first place: A slice of high energy Hard Rock that gets fists pumping in the air and the long hair (albeit a distant memory for many of their original fans) swinging.

The 20^th album of a career spanning 4 decades, Monster is the second record KISS have made with the current line-up of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (founding members) along with the guitar skills of Tommy Thayer, and the pounding drums of Eric Singer. The follow up to 2009’s Sonic Boom continues with the band’s return to the true 70s sound that they’re famous for. Never a group to push musical boundaries, KISS is still most certainly doing what they’ve always done. 3 minute Hard Rock with plenty of guitar solos and lyrics about little more than Rock and Roll and partying which, whilst alright for some, do not plumb the depths of imagination, imagery or metaphor to decipher, especially as the ideas could have been lifted directly from albums of the band’s hay-day of 30 years ago. The problem with this return to the style of their classic period is that listening through to the album, there is a sense that you’ve heard all the songs before. “Ground-breaking” has never been a term regularly used in terms of KISS’ music, but there is a lack of much of anything special or new on Monster.

The opening track of Monster, “Hell or Hallelujah”, which was first released at the start of July 2012, begins the album with a barrage of classic bombast. The high-energy continues throughout the first couple of tracks, drawing heavily on the Blues-Rock roots of the band, each following the stock Verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-solo format which, although tried and tested as a song-writing technique, offers little in the way of variety. The album features tracks which allow all 4 members the opportunity to have a turn on lead vocals. Although no-one else reaches the power and range of Stanley, Thayer’s tribute to the spaceman aesthetic that his character in the band has on “Outta This World” is a good rocker, although, like most of this album, there’s little inspired about it. The same with Singer’s “All for the Love of Rock & Roll”, while anthems extolling the virtues of specific musical genres are all well and good, music has moved on and evolved since the time that these songs belong in. The guitar playing on this album, whilst definitely better than most attempts at guitar based music that are released today, still lacks the sparkle, polish and sophistication that is needed to stand out even in the specific Rock music charts. The Hard, Party-on aesthetic seems to be wearing a bit thin on these stalwart veterans, with the two original members in their 60s, and Tommy and Eric in their 50s; it’s hard to see how relevant their lyrics are to them anymore.

This album is a welcome return to the 1970s styling of KISS’ music. Although the problem is large amounts of it do sound like off-cuts from previous albums. There are no real possibilities for a modern-day “Rock and Roll All Nite (And Party Every Day).” Unfortunately for KISS they seem to be resting on their laurels a bit with this release.

In a year where many other classic bands have released new albums, while this is definitely a fun, good time record, there’s very little special or exciting about it. The re-hashed formula of the songs makes this a bit of an old, toothless Monster at best. So for previous, and die-hard fans who love what KISS always were, this album continues their legacy successfully enough. But for people looking for an exciting, new addition to the Rock ‘n’ roll cannon, it lacks in many departments.

5.5/10

Dorje- Primordial Audio Chronicle Review

Dorje was formed in early 2012 as a project of Youtube based “guitar guru” Rob Chapman. Dorje, is a word that comes from Tibetan spiritualism, meaning “thunderbolt of enlightenment.” I’m unsure of the enlightenment part at this stage, but listening through to the two tracks that make up Primordial Audio Chronicle Volume 1 there are definitely more than a few lightning bolts. The musicianship evident on this recording is incredible- there are reasons why these men are getting so much recognition from their armies of online fans!

The first track, “Aeromancy” well and truly stamps Dorje into a brand of epic, technical Rock all of its own. With an atmospheric little introduction which then hammers straight into a powerful riff, the song is relentless in its attack. Taking influences from just about any Rock/Metal subgenre that you can care to imagine: Heavy riffs, atmospheric instrumental breaks, a shredding solo and a vocal track that sounds like it has been beamed through space from another dimension.

“Too Weak”, the other track on this short EP is another rocker. Although this time there’s a lot more groove to the song. The slap and pop of the bass line a lot more prominent here. Again with an amazing sounding, technical, yet tasteful solo- which is surprisingly rare from bands so stuffed full with technical ability as Dorje evidently is. The groove changes seamlessly and effortlessly between the different sections, making this song flow and ebb throughout.

This group have literally exploded since forming, making use of the extensive experience in New Media and online resources that the members have acquired. As a model of how using mediums like youtube can give great success, Dorje is the perfect model. The concept of collaboration between the band and their fans being a big part of the way Dorje work means that the upcoming video will heavily feature their fans. 

Overall, the biggest problem with the EP is that it is far too short. These two tracks give a very good idea of what the group is capable of, but it’s little more than a tantalising flavour of the essence of their sound. But the songs are solid, upbeat and real, rocking tunes.

8/10

Die Toten Hosen- Ballast Der Republik- 2012

Ballast Der Republik is the new offering from Germanic rockers Die Toten Hosen. Released back in May, this album is as eclectic as it is a novelty. Offering a mix of slower ballads and shout-along-in-a-rough-phonetic-way-despite-not-speaking-German Anthems

It is a strange phenomenon in the Musical world that bands from English speaking countries like England and America can find mass international fame worldwide, yet artists from other countries fail to make an impact on anything other than niche markets. This needs to change as there are some truly decent foreign acts out there.

These Punk-Rockers have really managed to get the art of writing good riffs, catchy lyrics and memorable hooks down. Whilst the album has a few weaker tracks, and tracks which seem rather indistinct (which is the problem with the majority of more modern rock bands I find), songs like the new (Oct 2012) single Altes Fieber really have power and a kind of epic quality that you can imagine a large crowd singing along with. Whereas on the slightly folksy track Ballast Der Republik, there is a definite Viking and pirate-rock influence. Die Toten Hosen don’t skimp out on the emotional level of their tracks either, without knowing anything of the meanings of the lyrics, there are the odd riff and melody to tug at the heartstrings in a precise, stereotypically Germanic way.

The major criticism of this album is that it seems a bit too polished for my taste. Everything feels precise and digital, which detracts from the rock n roll ethos this band seems to be struggling to keep hold of.

3 chord power rock style of the band does have the potential to get repetitive, especially as there are 16 songs on the album, barely any of which are much over 3 minutes long. However the different ways in which the formula is treated means that there is enough variety to keep the listener interested.

7/10

Van Halen- A Different Kind of Truth- 2012

A recent resurgence in the popularity of Classic Rock music has had many effects. Mainly that many older bands are facing increased pressure to reform, tour and record, and that I can now go into a record store and look for NEW albums by my personal favourite artists (yes, I have the same taste in music as your dad). The first offering from the old-guard of Rockers for 2012 comes from Californian metal masters Van Halen. This is their first album in over ten years, and their first with original singer, David Lee Roth since the 1980s. This is, therefore, a fairly momentous occasion for all fans of the band’s music. However, the album has been confirmed to be made up of mostly reworkings of old demos that never made it onto studio albums. This has made many people angry that the band has lost creativity and originality. What these people seem to forget is that people widely accept that old Van Halen was best Van Halen (VH I was a huge hit for the band back in 1978 was a hit, III in 1998 erm… was not) These songs, therefore, have the hallmarks of the band’s classic sound, infused with the relative youth of Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang, on bass.

Musically, the band are as strong as ever. The album contains 13 tracks of unashamed, unabashed, joyous Rock n Roll music. The years haven’t diminished the phenomenal guitar skills of Eddie that helped make the band so successful from the start. The solos are still lightning fast, with riffs that, if anything, prove that the band is as heavy as ever. There are few real problems with the music on the album, the biggest criticisms I have are: that occasionally the vocals seem to get a bit messy and become rather unclear. David Lee Roth, the enigmatic front man, although still a great singer, has, over the years, aged and is no longer what he once was. The drums pound away and keep a huge sounding beat going throughout the album

Some of the lyrical material is not exactly genius, with some songs sounding remarkably similar to earlier tracks (Stay Frosty bares a remarkable resemblance to Ice Cream Man) One of the tracks on the album, You and Your Blues seems to do nothing more than quote the titles of old Blues and rock  numbers. The first single from the album, Tattoo although catchy, lacks some of the spark and energy of their earlier songs. With a fairly cheesy refrain which, nonetheless is rather catchy. As a song, it’s not exactly highbrow or musically complicated, but it includes a typical Eddie guitar solo, proving that despite the years he’s still got his famous blazing chops.

In the end, Van Halen haven’t exactly stretched themselves or done anything different with this album. However, as such a well established band, that will either be a positive or a negative depending on your point of view. Nostalgia is probably the best way to listen to this album. Put aside any desires for a new sound, just think yourself into the minds of a 1980s Rock kid, and blast it out loud and proud. For me, it’s what this band’s meant to be: unashamed, unabashed, pure good time Rock & Roll!

Dream Theater- A Dramatic Turn of Events- 2011

There are many things that may alter the dynamics, sound and general attitude of a band. One of the most drastic of these would be the loss of a founder member and key writer of the band’s music. When Drummer Mike Portnoy decided to leave Dream Theater in 2010, the future of the entire band was up in the air; however, with new drummer Mike Mangini stepping into the enormous shoes left behind, this album is still very much a Dream Theater album in the style that fans are used to.

The album still contains all of the progressive touches that are associated with these Prog titans: Odd time signatures, complicated modal keys, extended solos and even some sound effects from Himalayan Shaman Throat Singers(that could be misheard as burps)  on the song “Bridges in the Sky.” This album has been compared by others to some of the best albums in the band’s 26-odd year existence. I agree that the album does sound “fresh and frankly stunning” even with the obvious comparisons that would come with changing line-ups, Mangini shows that he definitely has the ability, expertise and know-how to achieve great things and help write the next chapter in Dream Theater’s already epic tale. After such a great shake up in the ranks, however, it is only natural that there is a theme of loss and change that runs through the album. Especially as Portnoy was such a prolific contributor to the sound of the band.

Everything about the album is large, with big record label money behind them, being a major recent signing for Roadrunner Records (2006), epic sounding keyboard sounds which seem to soar, long songs, with only 1 of the 9 tracks on the album being less than 5 minutes long. However there are no multi-section epics that are commonly associated with the band are conspicuous by their absence.  Having said that, there is nothing here that resembles a standard song format. Even “Far From Heaven” (The album’s shortest track) still sounds very epic, even with mostly a piano and strings backing.

John Petrucci’s guitar riffs are, as ever, complex and serve to further to consolidate his reputation as one of the best guitarists ever. His playing style continues to astound and his skills only seem to improve with time. His solos remain exercises in the impossible, flying round the fretboard at dizzying speed.

The Keyboard wizardry of Jordan Rudness is as impressive as always, able to set the moods of slower sections of songs or increase the impact of large, epic sounding compositions. His backing on “Far From Heaven” is truly beautiful, less metal keyboards, more Lounge piano.  His introductions seem to dominate most of the songs on the album, setting a calmer mood before the rest of the band enters with big, metal riff-based sections.

Having been voted the best bass player of all time in 2010 by readers of MusicRadar, Myung’s lines have an understated power. Never treading on the toes of anyone else, but definitely keeping a firm foundation over which the rest of the band seem free to explore their own virtuosity.

Vocally, James LaBrie is as strong as ever, the operatic tenor of his voice allowing him to hit high notes that many singers would not dare to attempt. Unfortunately, he is still the most underrated musician in the group, never really having been voted as a great vocalist or front man. Which is a shame as his voice is one of the best out there, with a range that easily encompasses both softer and heavier styles.

Overall, this is a very good album, despite the comparisons brought about by line-up changes and complaints that people have that it’s not the same… It’s still epic Progressive Metal at it’s very best.

Diamond Plate- Generation Why?- 2-11

Anger, confusion, questioning of the government… What do these themes and emotions all have in common? They’ve been at the centre of many a lyricists mind since the dawn of time. From the early Elvis records, to the most bizarre and extreme corners of metal and out into the great beyond, the formula has been shaken and stirred over the decades. However, recently it has been allowed to settle back into an old routine. In the mid 80’s, American Metal had stagnated into the Cheesy Hair Metal scene of the LA area. Big hair and bigger clichés was what it was all about. In 1983, the beginnings of the Thrash Metal revolution attempted to shake things up and create something more exciting and fresh, which led to the creation of some of metal’s biggest selling acts. However, some 20 years later, the young, hyperactive upstart that was thrash has, itself, fallen into a bit of a rut.

This is the debut offering from Chicago Thrash Metal band Diamond Plate. As a Thrash album, it holds no surprises; fast, driving guitar riffs, heavy drums and vocals that growl and scream with the best of them. Unfortunately, there is very little of anything new, original or different about this album to any other Thrash Metal band, old or new. The songs all follow a similar format (with the exception of an interesting instrumental introduction number made from clips of old news programs). For a while there’s nothing particularly wrong with this, as they effectively establish a sound and a style in the vein of the old thrashers. However, by the time the hour-long album finishes, the formula of riff-verse-chorus-verse-solo-repeat wears a bit thin, with much of the album being interchangeable and indistinctive from the rest.

With the sheer number of Thrash Metal bands out there at the moment, there needs to be some sort of unique selling point to make them stand out from the masses (which, unfortunately, this band seems to lack). Having said that, however, as a metal album along to which one may wish to exorcise any demons with a fist in the air and the volume turned up to 11, you can do far worse. What Diamond Plate lack in subtlety and finesse, they more than make up for in raw aggression, brutality, and an obvious enthusiasm- never releasing the listener from the metaphorical steel vice of their music until the album’s well and truly over. Lyrically, ‘Generation Why?’ really does seem to attempt to critique such US policies as the war on terror in the Middle East. The unmistakeable thrash Metal guitar model rarely deviates, and there are plenty of millions-of-notes-a-second guitar solos to keep fans of virtuosic guitar pyrotechnics happy.

The album’s high points include “More Than Words”, a virtuosic, heavy groove instrumental, which gives all the musicians a chance to showcase their obvious talents. The piece even includes a Spanish flamenco style section. Solos are abound and long enough to have proper structures and build up as mini songs in their own right. The track also feels more laid back, without really slowing down the tempo. The piece has more of a Pantera, style groove than a hyperactive speed-metal feel.

Overall, this album is nothing particularly special, however it shows a band with a lot of potential for development. But as it stands, Diamond Plate are still lost amongst the masses.

Evile- Five Serpent's Teeth- 2011

In a world where metal is seemingly defined by doom and black metal, it is a rare thing to see an album that seems so influenced by some of Metal’s golden years (i.e. the early-mid 80’s), and “Five Serpent’s Teeth” the latest offering from Yorkshire Metallers Evile is exactly that, a back to basics piece of heavy metal gold. After their first album, which was produced by Flemming Rasmussen, who was involved in the making of arguably one of the best Thrash (if not the best Metal album of all time) Metallica’s Master of Puppets, the band has lost none of their classic, mid-80s Thrash sound. The influences from this collaboration are definitely still present and very obvious to all who know their old-school Metallica. With catchy, head banging riffs that make you want to raise your fist in the air, fast guitar solos and an all-out metal attitude, this is an all round great album with none of the stereotyped metal “doom and gloom”.  

The opening title track ‘Five Serpent’s Teeth” sets the scene for a consistently heavy album, it’s intense riffage is classic thrash at its best: Anthemic, and grabs you in a vicelike grip that refuses to let you go until the album’s well and truly over. ‘In Dreams of Terror’ continues in a very similar vein, which is one of my major criticisms of this album. From time to time it is hard to distinguish one track from another, as there are times when any let-up or subtlety in the song writing and playing are few and far between. ‘Cult’ is a great track, with a groove that occasionally seems to be missing from the other tracks.  ‘Eternal Empire’ and ‘Xaraya’ both follow the same formula of no holds barred, in-your-face metal. The Track ‘Origin of Oblivion’, if anything show a slightly heavier side of Evile, suggesting that they have their ears tilted ever so slightly towards more modern metal and aren’t just stuck in the 80s. ‘Centurion’ begins with an evil intro that leads into a slower song, but no less powerful. ‘In Memoriam’ shows a softer side of the band, as a musical tribute to bassist Mike Alexander.  It’s slow, melancholic melodies show a beauty of playing that the previous 7 tracks barely hint at. In my opinion, the best track on the album. The calmer atmosphere doesn’t last long however, as ‘descent into Madness’ returns straight back to the thrash mould. The closing number, ‘Long Live New Flesh’ is a killer anthem which ends the album as a call to arms for all young metal heads out there.

 Vocally, there are no soaring melodies or songs about demons and monsters, the singing is all deep and gravelly, without sounding growly or too guttural. Lyrically, there are great divides, with the song ‘In Memoriam’ dedicated to their late bass player, ‘Cult’ dealing with cultism, and ‘Origin of Oblivion’ dealing with globalisation and capitalism. The dual guitar assault here sounds huge and tight, with fast riffs and technical, lighting-fast fret board wizardry abound, so the air-guitarists out there (myself included) should be satisfied. The influences of these two guitar playing brothers (rhythm guitarist/vocalist Matt Drake and lead guitarist Ol Drake) are rarely hidden from the surface, with the odd moment of guitar harmony that could be taken straight out of any classic Judas Priest album. There are reasons why the metal community are going wild about this band, the whole album sounds like something that could have come out of the same San Francisco breeding ground that Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer emerged from.  Appropriate then that this band has, amongst many other achievements, toured with Thrash Metal titans Megadeth, won a Kawasaki Golden God Award for being “Metal as F**k.” They have played at many of the huge metal festivals in the last couple of years, including Download, Sonisphere and Wacken.   

Overall, this album, although at times a bit samey, shows the metal community that all is not lost.  Riff based classic thrash metal still exists.

The record label that has produced this have advertised this band with one simple tag-line: “Thrash is back” and is it? Hell yeah!

8/10

Originally published on my previous blog and in Lancaster University SCAN newspaper.