Sunday, November 27, 2011

Mastodon - The Hunter [2011]

There were few albums released in 2009 that I loved more than Crack the Skye, which I found to be an absolute masterpiece of psychedelic, progressive stoner metal. For a while afterward, the next Mastodon release went almost all the way to the top of my waiting list, as I held my breath in heated anticipation for another masterpiece. However, I got distracted along the way, and when the album was finally announced (along with its short song times and more 'accessible' style), I felt a surprising air of indifference and a fear of extreme disappointment. I missed the release and the excitement as a result, an act that, as it turns out, The Hunter definitely didn't deserve. Mastodon have met (if not surpassed) my expectations yet again.

None of Mastodon's albums sound all that similar to one another, and The Hunter keeps that tradition alive for another affair. The amount of different styles mixed in this wide array of concise tracks is highly impressive, a method personally reminiscent of Voivod's Angel Rat (and yes, that's a very good thing!). Some songs roll mainstream with effective modern rock ("Curl of the Burl," "Blasteroid," and "Dry Bone Valley"), some are noisy stoner metal tunes ("Stargasm" and "Thickening"), some go full blown prog rock ("The Hunter" and "The Sparrow"), and some are simply bizarre exercises in miscellanea ("Creature Lives"). It's this kind of diversity that keeps The Hunter sounding fresh even after many listens. None of it is particularly heavy to an extreme degree, but fans who can tolerate a touch of commercialism in their metal should warm up to it fairly quickly.

The Hunter runs fairly long with thirteen tracks at a total of 53 minutes, but nearly every moment is worthy enough to be in this tasty brew. There's something special about the sound created when Dailor's energetic drumming, the contrasting vocals (once again provided by all members and switching between Ozzy-like droning and a more melodic sweetness), and the cascading rhythms and leads come together. The most fruitful exhibitions of this euphoric concoction are in the pristine "Bedazzled Fingernails" (ugh), which displays surprisingly complex melodies in its first rate chorus. If there was one track here that didn't capture my attention like the others, it was "Dry Bone Valley," a faster track that sort of loses itself in the middle of the album. Not bad, but nothing spectacular. I could say the same about the frenzied "Stargasm."

In short, The Hunter is just another great album by Mastodon. It's an album unlikely to change anyone's opinion of the band, and it does fall short of the excellent masterwork that preceded it, but Mastodon's latest does provide a fun foray into less daring territory; it should represent a safe purchase for fans of the group.

   Overall: 8.25/10 (Great - ...everything's fine)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Stormwitch - The Beauty and the Beast [1987]

I made it through three songs. Three entire frickin' songs. Then I realized that it was my duty to inform the public about this living monstrosity and forced myself to plow through the rest of its putrid contents. Okay... here we go...

Recommended on the basis that it sounds like German power/speed metal bands such as Helloween, this band seemed to have some good potential. I mean, their name is a combination of two of the most metal words in the entire English: wait, you mean a STORM and a WITCH? Like, together? Hell yeah. Metal claw all the way. Then we arrive at the cover art; okay, sure, it's cheesy as hell, but then again, Fates Warning and Liege Lord dwelt in mildewy subjects and they both kicked ass. However, what wasn't revealed by the band name should have gotten through to me in the album title. Beauty and the Beast? Seriously? I know this was a few years before the movie came out, but come on. Imagination, guys. Use it.

Unfortunately, mentally defunct decisions like that also translate directly into Stormwitch's music. This is obviously the work of a band starved for commercial success. The choruses are simple and repetitive, with enough of those overloud, layered gang shouts to make even Leatherwolf sound about as melodic as Hellhammer (the production as a whole has the keyboards and vocals way too loud in the mix). The riffs--none of which are good--are light and pompous. And the keyboards...oh boy, the keyboards. Let's just say they should provide a nice wet dream for avid Duran Duran fans. Oh, and it's all delivered by one of the wimpiest, most pathetic sounding vocalists I've ever heard. Imagine a drunken Michael Kiske that's been run over a couple times pitifully belting out of key high notes. Yeah, it ain't pretty, and neither are the laughable lyrics. A sample:

"He's longing, longing to stray
Leaving back all the yesterday's clay
Right down where the streets have no names
The winds were never tamed"

Random cliches systematically formulated running rampant at a rapid rate. This is a bigger trainwreck than that sentence. My, oh, my, I haven't even covered the songs yet. Most are just generic, inoffensive 'rockers' that sputter out like opener "Call of the Wicked," so I'm just going to cover the centerpiece that should receive the most damning of your malice. The title track is, in the most basic terms, a murderous behemoth of suffocating hair product fumes. The eardrum-assaulting keyboard intro is just a taste of the musical spoilt milk to come, complete with a soullessly derivative refrain that exclaims (proudly, I might add) 'hot nights' with all sincerity. What scares me is that no one stepped in at this point and said, "hey, wait a minute, music is supposed to be enjoyable." I mean, why not go all the way and start a Bon Jovi cover band. The horrendous female vocals sound like something you'd hear on a cheap 80's exercise video. And to think, I didn't even discuss the ballad...

This almost hurts. I don't take solace in trashing the lesser-known albums of metal's past; quite the opposite, in fact. I love finding those long forgotten gems and relish spending time in their warming glow, and I often like 80's cheese, too. That just makes Beauty and the Beast all the more harrowing to endure. There are about a thousand obscure albums more worthy of your attention, and though I can't speak on the behalf of Stormwitch's other material, I can say without a shred of doubt that this isn't one of them. Oh, well; every metal 49er is bound to strike a big lump of coal every now and then.

   Overall: 2.5/10 (Abysmal)

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Lost in Thought - Opus Arise [2011]

Lost in Thought is yet another project backed by prestigious producer Jacob Hansen, following in the great tradition of modern progressive juggernauts Anubis Gate and Pagan's Mind. Indeed, the music itself is pretty much an amalgam of every modern progressive metal tendency ever thought of. You've got your high register, hyper-melodic vocalist with a slight accent, an absolutely flawless, crystal clear production, over the top keyboards, and relatively simple songs that often manage to stretch themselves out across 6-7 minute tracks; and it's all delivered with top notch musicianship and an almost overbearing insistence upon achieving complete and utter perfection. Yep, it's another one of those bands, but really, Lost in Thought isn't half bad.

The good news here is that Lost in Thought doesn't strike the listener as the soulless prog machine many of these bands do. Nate Loosemore's smooth voice doesn't take command with a lot of power or character, but it is emotive enough to remember some of the more developed choruses here. That's another positive: repeating parts and songs instead of pointless meanderings. Not every track is perfect, but songs like gracefully forceful "Entity" and the Pyramaze-like "Blood Red Diamond" (sporting the most memorable chorus on the album) certainly leave a good impression. The airy, 'happy' "Seek to Find" is an uplifting number. Unfortunately, the second half can't quite live up to the first. The band's eponymous track shines, however, with the most impressive instrumentation on the record.

I do have to give the band credit for managing to hold back the desire to go all Dream Theater and challenge the limits of what a CD can hold length-wise. Fifty minutes is just the right length for this style, as any more would feel tedious and any less would come off as cheap. Still, I can't say I was fully enthralled for the entire duration. May problem with this release probably lies in the fact that we've all heard this exact song and dance dozens of times before, so nothing here really remains all that surprising or interesting after a couple good listens. However, Opus Arise is still a decent stab at the genre, and its definitely worth a listen or two from progressive metal fans for its highlights. I have a feeling this isn't the last I'll hear from this band, so maybe they'll strike even harder next time.

   Overall: 7/10 (Good)

Skelator - Death to All Nations [2010]

The revitalism movement has been thriving as of late, taking the thrash and traditional metal genres back to their glorious origins. In the latter category, Sweden has delivered bands such as In Solitude, Enforcer, and Portrait, dominating the market in low-fi, ass-kicking heavy metal. Well, nobody seems to be talking about Skelator, a band taking on the style of more local 80s heroes like Fates Warning, Crimson Glory, and Helstar while mixing it with NWOBHM foundations and a tone at times more charmingly European. Their second full length album (and first not to be self-released) Death to All Nations does the past proud with soaring melodies everywhere and charging riffs that won't fail to make one wax nostalgic.

Just about everything you could want in a revitalist band can be found right here. The production values appropriately shy away from modern polish, the charismatic vocalist wails with banshee-like high notes (sometimes reminding me of the glory of the late Midnight and irking me with off-sounding lines at others), and the guitars churn with that classic tone. The songs themselves start to branch out as the album goes on, beginning to break their A-B structures and evolve into lengthier anthems that showcase the US power metal genre's often forgotten progressive tendencies. All of them are successful in varying volumes at conveying a sense of interwoven classic simplicity and subtle complexity, never getting tiresome or too repetitive along the way.

"Birth of Steel" and "The Voice" (which provides the album's catchiest riff) are the perfect rockers to introduce the album, while "Victory (Henry V)" seems to follow with a take on Iron Maiden's penchant for historical songs. "Stand Up (For Rock and Roll)" is dedicated to Dio but plays more like Priest. Visions of Running Wild ran through my mind when I saw the name "For Death and Glory," and the song follows through with a swarming riff and Rolf'n'roll deep in its blood. Another sure highlight is the concluding title track, rushing forth with the intensity of German speed metal and offering another memorable chorus to boot. "Symphony of the Night" (Castlevania, anyone?) explores the dark themes reminiscent of Helstar's Nosferatu.

Does modern, over-orchestrated European fairy metal piss you off? Have you been disappointed with the path that metal has taken since 1989? Does progress overwhelm you? Don't worry, Skelator is here. I must admit that I'm highly partial to this breed of music, but I can honestly say that I can't see any fan of metal's less extreme tendencies turning down this well-executed time machine of a record. Death to All Nations may not be a classic, and it certainly isn't perfect as it doesn't quite reach the lofty heights of its predecessors (also, the vocal performance could use some work); but when you choose something like this, you know what you're going to get, and what you'll get is one of the best bands stirring this archaic brew today. Get this and Diamonds by Enforcer and you won't regret it.

   Overall: 8/10 (Great)

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Lantlôs - Agape [2011]

I really, really like the post-black metal movement. Enslaved's latest work continues to enthrall with its cascading melodies, intensely enveloping riffs, and post-rock elements while Alcest never fails to evoke wonder in its light, airy fairyland of shoegaze mastery. Other bands like Blut Aus Nord are providing their usual atmospheric approach while incorporating industrial touches. However, just as this expansive and still young genre's best moments can provide some of the best music available, its worst moments can be interminable exercises in tedium. Unfortunately, Lantlôs, yet another project Alcest's Neige is affiliated with, falls closer to the latter category. There's just not a whole lot going on here.

To be fair, I shouldn't lead anyone to believe that Neige possesses the majority of creative control here. This is first and foremost Herbst's project, as he performs the bass parts, plays guitar, and writes the lyrics. The music itself is slightly rawer and 'blacker' than Alcest, forgoing the dream-like, uplifting style for something more traditionally dark. That would be perfectly fine if these songs actually went somewhere or did anything. The sound in itself is still passable at worst, but as it stands, Agape meanders endlessly with slooooow passages, forgetting to create any atmosphere to go along with them. Neige does provide the vocals, though his wonderful cleans are almost entirely absent (barring opener "Intrauterin") and his harsh vocals, which make up the majority of the release, are no where near as emotional or interesting as on Ecailles de Lune.

Of these five tracks, only "Eribo - I Collect the Stars" fully pulled me into Herbst's capable vision, briefly mesmerizing with the most captivating melody on the record. Brief seems to be a theme here, with a plain lazy 35 minute run time that sadly feels longer than it should while barely exceeding EP length; and I like short albums. It might seem as if I'm not going far enough in depth on the contents of Agape, but that's a direct reflection of the album itself: there's really not much to talk about. It's not truly bad in any way, it's just sorta... here. I would still recommend fans of this type of metal to sample Agape in any way that doesn't require a blind monetary investment, as some might find something here that I didn't. However, in the end there's just too much stick and not enough carrot for my tastes.

   Overall: 5.5/10 (Mediocre)

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Battle Beast - Steel [2011]

In the case of Battle Beast's debut full length Steel, the cover art perfectly depicts the music beneath it. The image is amateurish, looking as if a middle schooler lost in a fantasy world sketched it on his desk in the middle of chemistry, not realizing that he is restricting himself in the intelligence department by not paying attention in the process. Couple that with the desperately "metal" logo and band name, and one could surmise that this is somebody who has dreams that far surpass his ability to actually make them come true. Well, this band is no different. Battle Beast plays a bare bones 80's heavy metal style with some anthemic keyboards sprinkled underneath, and the results mostly end up faring just as cheesily as its laughable cover. This is simply stupid power metal at its most unremarkable.

Built upon mid-paced riffs that are liberally borrowed from the heydays of bands like Dio and Dokken, most songs on Steel completely fail to stand apart from one another. Combine that with the mind-numbingly repetitive choruses (most evident on the painful "The Band of the Hawk"), and the charm the album exudes during its first half quickly fades into oblivion with its second. In the midst of this hairspray-polluted fairyland, only female vocalist Nitte Valo provides a convincing performance, putting forth just as much power, grit, and range as any man could, even if her voice does sound a bit overwrought at times. Unfortunately, her inspiration just makes the ridiculously juvenile lyrics more disappointing. I'm sorry, but I'd personally like to see more effort than songs titled "Justice and Metal" (chorus repeated ad nauseum) and "Enter the Metal World." We get it; you're a fucking metal band. Grow up.

Granted, the album does have a few strengths, mostly coming in the form of some songs several cuts above the rest. "Armageddon Clan" strikes with a fierce power missing from the rest of the mix, and I must reluctantly admit that the title track is insanely catchy despite its lyrics making me want to hurl. "Victory" is a memorable closer, going for a subtler power than the other tracks. However, the highlights are simply too sparse to warrant listening to this again. Steel is a mildly enjoyable album upon first listen, but in its attempt to win me over with repetition, its overly insistent onslaught of melody only drives me away from it. I can see how this brand of empty-headed metal might appeal to those looking for a good time, but for me, the proceedings are a just a tad too dumb. Maybe next time will be different.

   Overall: 5/10 (Mediocre)

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Riot - Immortal Soul [2011]

Among the endless onslaught of spectacular releases in the year 1988, an already well-traveled American hard rock band named Riot suddenly unleashed upon the world the unstoppable speed metal feast that was Thundersteel. Combining furious riffing, fast-as-light soloing, and Tony Moore's over the top, Halford-defying vocal performance, this masterpiece has been considered one of the very finest in the entire genre since its release. Its 1990 followup The Privilege of Power featured similarly superb songwriting but was largely botched by overlong, superfluous intros. This lineup disbanded and Riot went back to playing its old, bluesy style again. Ever since, however, many fans have wanted to see this group get back together and produce more music in a speed metal vein. Well, in 2011, that exact scenario has happened and Immortal Soul is the spectacular product.

Those expecting a dead on Thundersteel Mk. II shouldn't. Though there are a few balls out speed romps, Immortal Soul is also full of songs that take the mid-paced route, but that doesn't harm Riot's effectiveness to deliver simple, unforgettable melodies and choruses in the slightest. Tony Moore's commanding lead vocals certainly don't hurt a bit; he manages to give off this cool, slick charisma while throwing powerful high notes into the stratosphere. Sounding even better with layered background parts, Immortal Soul just might capture Moore at his best. The riffs are no slouch, either, no matter what the speed with which they are played. Just check the title track, "Echoes" or the classic throwback "Still Your Man" (Johnny's back, anyone?) for tunes that kill without kicking into maximum overdrive.

Oh yeah, the band still proves it still can put the pedal to the metal, too. Immortal Soul comes blitzing out of the starting gate with the band's eponymous song, a tactic that can feel cheesy and forced if executed improperly. This, however, is perfect. The song goes for the throat with blinding velocity, practically screaming, "Riot's fucking back and we're not taking shit from anyone." What's it gonna take to make you riot, Moore screams/asks? Well, this is what the fuck it takes to make me riot. "Fall Before Me" a more developed approach, astonishing with its highly catchy, emotive chorus. Straightforward rockers like "Wings are for Angels" and "Sins of the Father" lay contemporary melodic metal bands to waste, and this is a squad that's been taking no prisoners for 35 years. The jubilant "Insanity" gives off a Euro power vibe with its soaring major harmonies.

On the lighter front, "Whiskey Man" provides some amusing bluesy variation without distracting from the rest of the work. Speaking of distractions, don't let that overly computerized, gaudy cover art dissuade you; Immortal Soul is an instant classic in the making. There's not a single loser among these eleven anthems, even though it feels as if one could be omitted to ease the flow and cut down on the length of the album. Then again, I was raised on a 'ten tracks, no more' mindset for albums of this nature, so I could be biased. Nonetheless, Riot's latest is a must for anyone starved for quality American power or speed metal, and it goes without saying that fans of the band (especially of the Moore era) must hear this right away. I can only hope this lineup keeps producing even more great music for us to feast upon.

   Overall: 9/10 (Outstanding - this is what it takes)