After a long break it is about time to share some words on albums I got over the summer and think are very worthwhle to give a try.
Exist are the band around Max Phelps who played live with Cynic, Death To All and Obscura among others. I got into this band during their previous album So True, So Bound. Hearing a clip of a new song made me order this album and I think we have a winning grower here. This album is getting better every next time I play it.10 minute opening song "Through Suffering He Paints the Universe" is dedicated to Sean Reinert and spells Cynic all over. From the esoteric guitars through the clean vocals that require a certain taste through the extreme bits. While the chorus of The Lottery could have been on Traced in Air, we go heaviest hereafter when their extreme parts become dominant. The album even knows a ballad like song in "Sibblings Born Into Different Dimensions" and rollercoasters to the end with both calmer parts and heavier outbursts. For me the surprise album of past months, maybe a high scorer at the end of year when we all love to make lists in Corona times.
Ten years after they released their debut album Aquarius, Haken are for me back at the high level they kicked of. This is album is their sixth in ten years so a productive band they are. This does not mean it has been a smooth ride between us all the way as I had some issues with the Mountain and to a lesser extent Affinity. But the double of Vector and Virus is more to the point and heavier and pulled me fully back in Haken fan camp again. The epic on the album is the five part song Messiah Complex, but I was mainly blown away by the start. Prosthetic riffs heavier than they ever did, while Invasion has a nice stop/start way of reminding you it is Haken you are listening to. Carousel might be the best song of the album. So those three made me happy at first hearin already after which the album stayed at high level and guarantees I won't skip a live show by them next time they tour.
Time for some Epic Doom Metal and why not of the very best kind. Sorcerer nowadays give you what you expect. This is Doomy hardrock filled with great vocals, strong guitars and slow banging metal songs. Upon first hearing opener "The Hammer of Witches" you feel like shouting along Burn! Witch! Burn!. On the evening that Slayer said farewell to Holland Hans and I went to see Sorcerer in Dynamo. This year they would play Little Devil and based upon our raving reviews of that show we were already supposed to go with eight and still counting. If you have a mild interest in Black Sabbath of the late eighties, you should hear Sorcerer. Hope to see them as soon as touring becomes an option again. I did order the special edition, which comes as a box full of surprises and Josie one day shall wear the necklace, she rightly called not being me really.
Redshift set a record for me. Never did it take so long for a bandcamp ordered CD to arrive on my doormat. Well technically maybe not as 4 CD's never arrived so far. Redshift are one of those bands I discover through Angry Metal Guy. Listen on Bandcamp after reading the review and order, Well the order was in March, the arrival in July. Redshift play progmetal of the Mastodon kind. To me also low flying Australians Future Corpse came to mind, as did King's X at times. A trio they are, but they create heavy landscapes on this album of 76 minutes. You need to invest some time into the album, before appreciating the three who all sing. When they go louder it goes more in the screaming direction, but as that mixes with decent clean vocals it works for me. For those with some needed patience one interesting album indeed
If there ever was a band that made it hard for their fans to love everything they do, it must be Pain of Salvation. Originally this was not the case, as I think many agree that their first four albums are all classics in Progmetal. Then came BE followed by a Disco Queen on Scarsick and finally Road Salt part 1 and 2 left many wondering wtf happend to the band they loved ten years before. Then for me In the Passing Light of Day, catapulted them straight back to the top. And now there is Panther. Not an easy album, nor very metal. Yet after several spins it works for me and I think we should not be disappointed. They are at their best when they go emotional and long, so Wait and Icon are favorites, but a song like Keen to a Fault also got me as from the beginning. In conclusion this is a good album, although not their best. Finally a warning as well. I ordered the special edition with bonus disc. That holds in Fifi Gruffi the lousiest shitsong you hear this year, so make sure you skip that one. Don't say I did not warn you.
Against the Yin of many complex progmetal releases this summer I also need the Yang of a straight forward hardrock album of class. For that specific need Alcatrazz decided to return and give us Born Innocent. The last years there was some swapping of names between Graham Bonnet Band and Alcatrazz live. Now the band is called Alcatrazz and Gary Shea and Jimmy Waldo are back on board as well. Graham Bonnet the man who worked with the greatest guitarists in the business had in Alcatrazz Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai. So 34 years after Dangerous Games, Alcatrazz are back and do exactly what they did so well in the eighties. Guitar hero on this album is Joe Sump although there are many guest players too. This album gives me what I hoped for and Graham Bonnet is on top form. I saw him with Michael Schenker Fest and he had to work had, but in the studio all sounds fine with some great songs to help him. Man was I looking forward to finally see Alcatrazz in Musicon with Girlschool and Asomvel, but yes. Hope next year there is an option to repeat this tour. Date is set, virus not yet under control, but we are allowed to hope.
Oceans of Slumber arrived at album no.4 and decided to make it a self-titled one. Maybe it is because of Corona, that bands decided to release an album needing a lot of time before sinking in. After playing the album several times I can say that it is my favorite OoS album with Cammie on vocals. In general it sounds to me more constant than their two predecessors. The Banished Heart had in the title track and No Color, No Light two absolute highlights, but also some songs that passed by anonymous. On this album the latter does not seem to be the case. While saying that I still think the album somewhat on the long end. With many songs being built up as doomy ballad like works, who build up to some heavy outbursts the repetition factor is lurking around the corner. If this album would last 50 minutes (instead of the 71 now) it probably would be an all time classic. Now it is only for those who want to invest time and patience in a beautiful work of art, which is a good thing as such also. Best album with Cammie, yet Coffins like Kites!!!
Yes of course I already had the LP upon release and the CD, when I bought a CD-player. But now there is a special edition. 5 Discs of dwelling in my own past with this album, that opened the world of Prog Rock for me. Still one of my all time favorite albums the packaging alone deserves a purchase. Further there is a 2020 remix, the Market Square Heroes EP, live shows on DVD (Recital of the Script being old, but Marque Live new to me) Interviews on the creation. Basically for completionists only, but Marillion and especially the Fish years always shall remain special to me. Next week Fish shall post the special editions of his new album, which might be able to beat this artwork as Mark Wilkinson rules as well. So Here I am Once More...
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