Posts Tagged ‘cd reviews’
Arch/Matheos – Sympathetic Resonance Review
First and foremost, John Arch is in my top 2 or 3 singers of all time. Personally I feel that man can do no wrong vocally. His 3 albums 
with Fates Warning are easily the best 3 consecutive albums a band could ever dream to put out. From Night On Brocken to Awaken the Guardian his voice progressed along with Fates’ music. By the time Awaken came out, I felt the band had set a standard for themselves that would make a follow-up album tough to compare. Then I read in one of the metal magazines that Arch had left the band. Seriously? Then out comes No Exit, a serious let down for me. It wasn’t that Ray Alder was a bad singer, but that certain something that only Arch could bring to the table wasn’t there. No Exit is a good album in its own right and I’ll be the first to admit that Perfect Symmetry is a great record, but still, it didn’t have John and after that one I was done with Fates Warning forever. They got too light and proggy for me.
In 2003 Arch released the 2 song EP A Twist of Fate and it was great to hear his voice again. At the beginning of this year it was announced that he had signed on with Jim Matheos to do an album. The band was dubbed Arch/Matheos and also includes journeyman bassist Joey Vera, Bobby Jarzombek and Frank Aresti. Wait, why not just call it Fates Warning? I’m sure respect for Ray and probaby some legal issues abound that keep that from happening along with John probably not in the mode for touring. Fair enough.
But for me, this is a Fates Warning album. This is the album that could have followed Awaken the Guardian. I finally bought this from iTunes this past Friday night and have listened to it about 8 times all the way through along with the new Anthrax album. This one’s better by a county mile, no disrespect to ‘Thrax.
I am loving this album on so many levels and for so many reasons. John’s voice and lyrical phrasing, the lyrics, Bobby Jarzombek’s drumming, Aresti’s contributions, Matheos’ riffage and song structures. I only wish the bass was a tad more prominent.
The album consists of 6 songs that all seem to flow together very well, much like they do on Awaken. Under a stained Glass Sky is my favorite so far, but the whole album just great. And seriously, Bobby Jarzombek is easily one of the best drummers in metal today along with Van Williams (Pure Sweet Hell/ex-Nevermore). Bobby doesn’t suck and he is perfect for this project.
This album is beautiful from front to back surely a must for any John Arch-era Fates Warning Fan. I am calling it the album of the year and it gets a 10/10. This will stay in steady rotation and I can’t get enough of it already. While it’s not Awaken the Guardian or Spectre Within, it is a wonderful new Fates Warning album with a phenomenal singer/lyricist.
I hope that a second album could be in the works somewhere down the road. This is good enough to warrant a follow-up. A tour? Please? Doubtful I know, but a man can dream, yes?
Again…10/10. Buy it!
Anthrax – Worship Music Album Review
Anthrax has dome some shuffling over the years in the singer department, that’s for sure. Turbin’s out, Belladonna’s in, Belladonna’s 
out, Bush is in, Bush is out, Nelson is in, Nelson is out, Bush is back in, Bush pulls aside (or is put aside) to allow for some shows with Belladonna, Bush ih out, Belladonna is in. Wow. There’s no question that Anthrax’s most popular era is with Belladonna at the helm. When we saw them last year, they sounded great overall and Joey’s voice sounded strong.
Anthrax released Worship Music last week and I’ve got 3+ listens into it which is enough to give it a proper review. Let’s be clear in that while I love John Bush with Armored Saint, he just didn’t cut it for me with Anthrax, although seeing them live with John in 2006 on the We’ve Come For You All Tour and they were really good.
Worship Music opens with the selt-titled intro then blasts into Earth on Hell which starts out fast with blast beats. That’s a twist. The next 5 songs are pretty killer with Fight ’em Til You Can’t, The Devil You Know and I’m Alive are my faves on the album. In the End rounds the last of what I consider the best tracks on the album. From here they really start changing things up a bit. The riffs get a bit chunkier and it starts sounding a bit more “modern”.
The last 5 songs really put me off a bit where the previous tracks all work well together. That being said, Joey sounds great and you don’t hear a lot of “fixes” in his stuff although there are some spots if heavy layering and “harmonizering”. I am sick of that sound in metal these days. It’s used as a cover up. Just get it out there clean and in the raw and of you can’t then don’t try at all. But this is good stuff. The ending tracks aren’t bad by any means but they’re quite a departure from the first half of the album.
I will call them out for ripping themselves off though. Remember Make Me Laugh from State of Euphoria? They totally jacked some of the vocal melody in the song for Fight ’em Till You Can’t. It’s a goofy song lyrically (zombie apocalypse) but it’s well-sung and well written.
In general, don’t expect Spreading the Disease or Among The Living, although there are a few flashes from Among on here. You get more of a State of Euphoria/Persistence of Time vibe in the whole thing with some modern metal vibes. Benante is a badass on some of these tracks…in general he’s a beast on the drums anyway. There are some really good guitar melodies here and there, something that you normally don’t get out of Anthrax.
It’s a good album and worthy of any Anthrax fan’s collection. It’ll get more listens from me fore sure. I give it a 7.5/10. With more listens I see that number go up a bit.
Ancient VVisdom – A Godlike Inferno
It’s not very often that I hear an album that grabs me by the throat with one hand and slaps me around with the other. The forthcoming release by Austin, TX’s Ancient VVisdom (yes, that is with 2 Vs) does just that. I was fortunate enough to get a promo copy of the CD from the band and have been listening to it a lot in the last couple of days.
I first heard the record a week ago riding around with their bassist and I just sat in his van tripping out a bit. Trying to describe this band’s sound is not so easy. It’s metal, but not what most would typify as metal. My first thought when hearing them was mid-era Bathory with much better vocals and a lot less drum work. Bathory’s “One Rode To Asa Bay” was the first thing that popped to mind. That’s not a bad thing as I liked some of the more melodic Bathory stuff. This album is very mellow…but heavy.
But this is still a bit different. Nice clean vocals, acoustic guitar backed by electric more in the background for enhancement. Drums are minimal, more used for percussive effect and not necessarily for just “playing the beat”. All of the songs are catchy and very memorable. Nathan Opposition’s (f. of Integrity) vocals fit perfectly. The album conjures a little early Pink Floyd as well and to a lesser extent and surely unintentionally I hear some of the atmospheric tones used on Tiamat’s Wildhoney album, which was hugely influenced by early Pink Floyd as well.
The one rub for a lot of people may be the overtly satanic content of the lyrics. You won’t miss it when listening to it as it’s right there. For me personally, I’m indifferent to lyrics by most bands. If it sounds good it sounds good…and this sounds good.
I’m attaching a song that they posted on YouTube but it will not be on the June 7, 2011 release on Shine Box Recordings. It will at least give you an idea of what’s in store. Highlights for me are the songs Alter Reality, Necessary Evil, Lost Civilization and World of Flesh, especially the 2nd half of that song. The riff is just wonderful!
All I can say from here is buy it when it comes out. It gets a 10/10 from me.
Dove – S/T
Dove is a band that you only hear whispers of and really only in certain circles. I had the privilege of seeing them at a club I worked for around 2005. Sadly there were only about 20 people there. No matter, Dove was great. The lineage of this band is pretty heavy and goes something like this:
Cavity–>Dove–>Floor–>Torche
Ah, you know Floor and Torche? Yes, same ones. I saw Floor a few months ago during FunFunFunFest in Austin and they are playing here again Saturday…of course I am seeing them again. Mammoth Grinder is opening and they are quality as well.
But back to Dove. This album crushes. It’s near the best 30 or so minutes you can spend listening to music. Heavy, down-tuned, melodic, no song clocks in over 3:55. The CD has long been out of print and apparently a vinyl reissue came out a year or so ago.
1. Thank You For Your Patience 01:52
2. Goes Without Saying 02:05
3. On a Mission 04:13
4. Red King 01:45
5. Neither Today, Nor Tomorrow 01:55
6. Twenty Three Twelve 01:56
7. Somewhere Between 02:33
8. This You Can Trust 02:11
9. Without Warning 01:54
10. You and I 01:42
11. Start Running Now 02:43
12. Never a Straight Line 02:52
13. Sight and Seen 02:40
14. See You Soon, Love Always… 03:55
Here’s a vid of Floor I shot last fall.
Pentagram – Last Rites
The new Pentagram came out today! I had pre-ordered it a few days ago and right when I got up this morning, I fired up my PC and let the download start. All total today I’ve got 4 listens into it including letting it play while I am writing this and feel that it’s enough to give it a proper review.
I’ve got to say that I didn’t really care for any of the Pentagram stuff after Victor Griffin’s departure from the band in 1994 (no offense to Joe Hasselvander), it just was missing something special…and obviously it was VG’s guitar playing. He’s got a great style that is just right for Bobby’s vocal stylings.
I had heard 2 songs from the album already and had already acquainted myself with them pretty well in the last week or 2; those songs being Call The Man and 8. Both tracks have a great feel to them and sort of show a “mature” sound to the band. This album seems to be a little more melodic than albums past. Bobby’s voice sounds great…nice and strong. Clean living has certainly given his voice some power again. The song Into The Ground has some good vocal harmonies that I assume are Bobby’s. Having downloaded the album, I have no liner notes to check. That’s one drawback of going all digital these days. Victor’s signature sound is all over this album. His solos are great as expected.
The songs 8 and Windmills and Chimes really show a new side to their music that I hadn’t heard before. They are a little more progressive and not so typical stoner/doom like they get classified as. Windmills and Chimes (remake) is really quite a beautiful song and one of my favorites on the album for sure. The song American Dream sounds similar to 8 when it starts but quickly goes in a different direction. Walk In Blue Light (remake from First Daze Here) and Nothing Left really sound like they could have been used on Relentless or Day of Reckoning. Great classic sounding Pentagram! I have to admit that the only song that hasn’t grabbed me yet is Death In 1st Person. It’s not a bad song at all, but just doesn’t hook me in like the rest of the album.
The only negative thing I can say about the album is in the production. It’s a wee tad muddy and Bobby seems a little too low in the mix…but that’s just my opinion. Otherwise I think it’s an awesome return to form by the band.
In general, it sounds like Bobby and Victor had fun making this record. It’s got really good energy and positive vibes to it and I can undoubtedly say that if you have ever even remotely liked this band, you’ll like this album.
8.5/10 if I was forced to put a number on it.
*UPDATE* – I didn’t realize until yesterday (4/13/11) that most of the tracks on here are remakes. While I am a little disappointed, the album still deserves the rating I gave it. BUY IT! Don’t download illegally.
Track Listing:
1. Treat Me Right
2. Call The Man
3. Into The Ground
4. 8
5. Everything’s Turning To Night
6. Windmills And Chimes
7. American Dream
8. Walk In Blue Light
9. Horseman
10. Death In 1st Person
11. Nothing Left
12. All Your Sins – Reprise
Yours truly and Bobby before their first of 2 shows at SxSW 2011.
The Metal Files 
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