Mood Swings

Archive for the ‘Year 2010’ Category

Terra Nova’s first release came back in 1996 with “Livin’ It Up” which was a decent slice of 80s style AOR rock which made its was into my collection, but which I have to admit I found a little generic and it hasn’t been played that much. “Break Away” and “Make My Day” followed in the 90s, but amid record company problems the band called it quits in 1999. Frontiers persuaded main man Fred Hendrix to put together their “Escape” come back in 2005.

In 2008 the band started work on “Come Alive” with the ambition of recreating the exciting sound of their debut. For the most part the band play AOR with bands like Balance, Journey and Styx as reference points, but occasionally a few Bon Jovi influences coming through on the more uptempo numbers. I have to admit that in between the less than stellar keyboard heavy title track opener and what sounds like a Journey cover version closer, “The Final Curtain”, there are some decent tracks. However, my reaction to this album is pretty similar to their debut in that I think the music is too generic and it doesn’t make a big impact on me. Fans of their earlier albums may disagree.

Rating: 3 stars

When  I first started getting into rock music Rainbow fronted Dio were one the first bands to get my attention. The only Black Sabbath album I own in ‘Heaven & Hell’ from his first stint with the band. So Ronnie James Dio is a guy that I’ve admired for a long time. It was with sadness that I learnt of this passing earlier this year. I had ‘Long Live Rock n Roll’ as a ringtone for a few weeks just to mark his passing.

It seemed to be a very short period of time from Ronnie’s passing to press releases for this album. I have to say that my initial thoughts about this album was that it was incredibly opportunistic. However, when this landed in my review inbox, I did a little research and it looks like this album predated Ronnie’s illness & to be fair to Jorn he has recorded a couple of these song for other albums. Plus judging by his live recordings covers of Dio materiel features in his live act.

Apart from the original tribute song which starts off the album, we have a set of obvious and some not so obvious covers, some of which, ‘Lonely Is The Night’ and ‘Kill The King’ have already been released. It is clear that Jorn is a real fan of RJD and that these tracks pay homage to one of metal’s great singers. I’m sure that Jorn spent a great deal of time and effort to accurately recreate this set of faithful covers. However, my reaction upon listening to these tracks is an urge to go off and listen to the originals with RJD singing. I think a little bit of inventiveness and the introduction of a few twists and turns to give the songs a new dimension would help the longevity of the album.

This album accomplishes what it set out to do with aplomb, but, in a way it does it too well, because unless you’re a die hard Jorn fan most people’s reaction will be to want to listen to the originals rather than these covers.

Rating: 3 stars

I only really started paying attention to these guys when they switched to Frontiers and I bought their ‘New Religion’ album. I was in the mood for listening to something heavier and I reckoned that Frontiers must have heard something appealing to add them to their portfolio. I’ve listened  to ‘New Religion’ quite a bit. Their last studio album, ‘16.6 (Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead’, was a good follow up, but maybe I’m harder to impress second time around as it didn’t have quite the same impact as ‘New Religion’. I did have plans to review it here at Mood Swings, but this live album made an appearance before it happened. That review would probably have that the the albums are roughly equivalent, but that ‘New Religion’ remains my preferred option.

Of course, the band had released quite a few albums before ‘New Religion’, but to be honest with name like Primal Fear and a somewhat ropey image that seemed to focus on the darker side of life I was never inspired to check them out. Thankfully this album draws quite a bit from ‘New Religion’ and ‘16.6′, with ‘Fighting The Darkness’ being the star of the show. Good the hear that the band can deliver this track in flawless fashion in the live arena. Earlier material such as ‘Battalions of Hate’ and the ‘Metal Is Forever’ sound like the type of ham metal Judas Priest served up when they were at their most laughable.

So I guess this album proves the band can deliver the goods in a live setting. As a bit of a Johnny-come-lately fan the newer material is the most appealing. Like most live albums, this will be of most interest to established fans of the band.

Rating: 3 stars

Vanden Plas are a group that I first came across due to my like for Dream Theater. I went through a period of checking out bands that were reported to sound like DT. This led me to buy the band’s third album, ‘Far Off Grace’. At the time of that review I pretty much dismissed them as mere DT copyists.

A few years and a few Vanden Plas albums later, I have the opportunity to see if anything has changed.

This time I again hear lots of Dream Theater-isms in their music. However, these guys are taking a broadly more melodic approach that DT. Whereas I’d describe DT as progressive metal, I’d describe VP as melodic progressive metal, maybe progressive melodic rock would be a better description. Possibly I’m becoming more mellow in my old age, or possibly I’m disappointed that DT headed away from the melodic rock/progressive metal fusion that attracted me in the first place towards a more pure progressive metal approach as their influences changed from classic rock bands to more modern sounding outfits.

Anyway, this time Vanden Plas are getting a much warmer reception from me. This is a fine sounding, well executed melodic progressive metal album which I find engaging.

Rating: 4 stars

My first encounter with Towersound was back in 2005 when I reviewed their debut album, ‘Towersound. At that time the band consisted of 3 French Brothers, but more recently they dropped back to the original duo of Jon & Lonn. In fact, I have just visited the band’s website and it looks like in June 2010 Lonn has decided to leave the band and they have called it quits. The website will stay online and you will still be able to buy their albums from the website for a while, I guess until their hosting contract runs out.

Around the time of the debut the band described themselves as melodic heavy metal/power metal. In 2007 they released an album of rock ballads called “From Tears To Smiles” and the band now describe their style as “rock ballad and symphonic metal”. However, the band’s core sound is still the same, it is just that average pace of the tracks has slowed a little. The majority of the album is mid-tempo melodic metal tracks which seem to be hit a peak around the middle of the album with tracks like “Its Up To Me” and “Breathe Life Into Me”. Unusually for me the stand out tracks were actually the couple of heavier tracks called “The Demon’s Playground” and “No Mercy”, where there is a kind of Manowar vibe in the background.

The symphonic element comes in on the 3 instrumental tracks on the album. The album bravely opens with a gentle baroque sounding track, which I think makes a change from the all guns blazing attack that most bands launch in order to get you attention at the start of an album. The titles of the other instrumentals sort of do the description for me - “Strings Over Drive” and “Quartet No 11 in B Minor”. On top of the strings sits some neo-classical guitar work. I guess Mr Malmsteen features somewhere in their record collections.

Rating: 3 stars

Pretty Maids are a band that at one stage came onto my radar and I ended up buying a best of compilation called “The Best of….Back to Back”. That was quite a while ago and to be honest it was one of those albums that I haven’t played that much, despite there being some decent tracks on there such as “Red, Hot & Heavy”.

On to the present and this new album from these Danish rockers. Despite being Danish, they’ve got a soundbite from Obama opening the title track which in time honored metal tradition is a uptempo number designed to grab your attention. The next couple of tracks adopt a more melodic approach. INVU reminds me of the Treat album that was released recently. The lead off single “Little Drops Of Heaven” is very catchy and a really good track. The more muscular, but yet still melodic, “One World One Truth” & “Final Day Of Innocence” are decent tracks with some good guitar work.

It is then onto a full assault for “Ceilo Drive” & “It Comes At Night” as the band go into heavy metal mode. The way the band seem to suddenly veer off into this sort of metal mayhem is probably the reason that the earlier compilation didn’t cut it for me. The band came across as a little schizophrenic and also tended to sound a little average on the more metal tracks. However, this time, I’ll have to admit that the more metal tracks are better and manage scrabble their way into positive tractor.

The Bon Jovi-isms of “Old Enough To Know”, the sufficiently melodic “Beautiful Madness” and the slower more acoustic “Breathless” all make good impressions. There a remix of “It Comes At Night” as the final track, but it isn’t a radical departure from the earlier version.

The band have clearly put those years since I first checked them out to good use, as they have a good album that keeps me engaged even on the more metal moments.

Rating: 3 stars

Impulsia is a studio project which for this album includes Uno Sjöström, Johan Langquist and Marcus Jidell. Joining these guys are Robin Beck (James Christian on Backround vocal of “Too Many Heartaches”), Victoria Theodore (Stevie Wonder’s band), Thomas Broman (drums), Pontus Norgren and Pandora (lead vocals on “Oceans Of Love”).

I have to say that I’m a sucker for Robin Becks voice, so “Fly Away” makes for a great start to the album as far as I am concerned. The male vocals on “Rosa Lee” have a hint of the David Coverdales to them on this blues meets AOR track. Next up is a competent, but necessary cover of “Layla” which serves no other purpose other than to annoy me. If you are going cover such a well known track, at least have the wit change things around a little rather than simply reproduce the original.

Robin’s vocals on the 80s AOR of “Alone” get me back on board, although after a few listens I’m starting to find this track a little pedestrian and predictable. Pandora (A Swedish eurodance act according to Wikipedia) handles the female vocal parts on the duet “Oceans Of Love”. Given the title “Slow Down” it is no surprise that the track is a bluesy ballad.”Too Many Heartaches” shifts the tempo and the quality in a positive direction.

“Move On” is the sort of AOR track that would be at home on a Glenn Hughes album. Robin is back on vocals for a big 80s style AOR tracked called “Seas To Cross”. After a slowish start “Dream On” builds into a decent mid-tempo track. Tagged onto the end of the album are a couple of bonus tracks. I think I prefer the acoustic bonus version of “Rosa Lee” to the earlier version. The instrumental “Rivers Of Tears” is a nice way to end the album.

All the various elements of this album album at first glance seem like they are a very good match to my musical tastes and yet as a whole it sits somewhere around average for me. Maybe the music is too laid back? Maybe the switching between vocalist gives it a disjointed feel? Whatever the reason, I come away thinking that I should have like this more than I actually do.

Rating: 3 stars

Twenty-five years ago Treat released their début album and went on to release 4 other albums. Thirteen years ago they called it quits. They got back together again in 2006 and released a best of collection called “Weapons Of Choice”. In 2010 they have put all that experience to use in creating their sixth studio album, “Coup De Grace”. I have to admit that back when these guys were on the go first time around, I never really paid that much attention to them and they didn’t make it beyond my must investigate someday list.

New bands like Brother Firetribe have taken the best elements of melodic rock and fused them together with some great results. These guys aren’t going to let the new bands take all the glory. Treat have used their experience and fused it with modern production to create an album that is a also great showcase for the best elements of melodic rock.

After a short prelude, the band declare their intentions in emphatic style on “The War Is Over”. “All In” keeps things ticking over until “Paper Tiger” kicks in and makes you really pay attention. “Roar” pulls you further in with a catchy slice of hard rock. “A Life To Die For” is a very well executed power ballad. This is followed by a 80’s heavy hard rock track called “Tangled Up” that rocks out but still holds onto a sense of melody.

Along with “Roar”, “Skies of Mongolia” is one of the tracks that has been used to promote the album and it is a good mixture of power and melody that reminds me of prime time Europe. They vary the style slightly on the Whitesnake meets Brother Firetribe “Heaven Can Wait” by introducing a  bluesy undercurrent. “I’m Not Runnin’” is a bit moodier than the other tracks but still manages to hit you with a big chorus. On “No Way Without You” band push the pedal fully down but yet maintain a sense of melody rather than trying mindless speed. “We Own The Night” is a mid-tempo AOR track that hits all the right spots for me. It is the type of track that I love. This is effectively followed up by “All For Love”. The band again call up a bluesy feel for closer “Breathless”.

Treat have returned with an album that condenses all their experience into a set of songs that combine to give a great comeback album.

Rating: 4 Stars

Flamedown were formed in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2009. Charlie Giardina was previously in a band called Hardway and has worked with Eric Martin & Bruce Kulick  This is their debut EP. The band, who are currently working on their first album, describe their music as a mixture of Westcoast & AOR.

First a little story. My wife & I have many things in common. Musical taste isn’t one of them. However, when it comes to deciding what music to playing the car when were are on a family outing & we aren’t letting the kids take over the car stereo, LA Cowboy’s Endless Summer is one album that we often play. A couple of days after this EP dropped in my letterbox, we were heading out in the car and my wife said why didn’t we put on that CD you were listening to the other night.  Yip, she was talking about Flamedown. So Flamedown made an impression whereas the majority of music of music I listen to is met with indifference at best and in good company with what is regarded as a Westcoast classic.

“No One” is a good AOR meets Westcoast opener. This is followed by the more laid back “Someday I”. “Rivers Running Deep” has an AOR vibe to it kinda like Journey meets Toto. It was whilst listening to “Voices” that it clicked with me that Mark Spiro was the name of the artist that these guys reminded me of. An interesting fact I discovered when getting a bit of background on Flamedown is that it turns out that Charlie worked with Mark back in the Hardway days.

This first exposure to Flamedown made a positive impression on me and that is a good achievement because Westcoast is at the occasional end of my listening spectrum with acts often labelled as ‘pleasant’ rather than essential.

Rating: 4 stars

Auras was formed back in 2007 in Brazil. It features Gui Oliver – lead vocals, Ferpa Lacerda – guitars and background vocals, Edu Sallum – drums and percussion with help from Matheus Brandon – guitars and background vocals and Hemerson Vieira – bass to record this debut album. Frontiers’ own Dennis Ward handles mixing and production.

Listening to the opening of first song “Beauty Of Dreams” will transport you back in time to the Eighties when Journey, Survivor, Toto and Styx were at their peak. In the vocals department Gui Oliver bears more than a passing resemblance to Steve Perry and combined with their style means thst without any additional information to tell you otherwise you might think you were listening to a new Journey album. Considering how slick Journey albums sound that is quite an achievement on a debut album.

Stylewise this is a good fit for me and I found myself enjoying the “pleasant” listening experience. The quality of the songs is consistently ‘above average’ throughout making it difficult to pick out individual tracks for special mention. “Never Give Up”, “Reach Out” and  ”Hungry Hearts” were one that just edged ahead of the rest for me.

Overall my reaction to this album is positive and I think these guys have met their objective of recreating the sound and style of their influences. In fact, it is quite a achievement for a debut album. If they are to stay the course, however, they need to build upon this solid foundation and to add a bit of their own personality on future releases.

Rating: 3 stars