HEAVEN & EARTH:" Hard To Kill "
Quarto Valley Records
T r a c k l i s t:
1. Hard To Kill
2. Walk Away
3. Till It's Over
4. Bleed Me Dry
5. The Game Has Changed
6. Anthem
7. Monster
8. LA Blues
9. Hellfire
10. Beautiful Monsters
11. Bad Man
>>THE GODFATHERS: In the beginning regards the backward to the old school sounds was by Black Crowes at 1990 and followed by Germans Kingdom Come who copying Zeppelin motifs. Since then, the music industry has been stuffed with backtime and Vintage heavy bands from all over the planet,todays dominant acts and leadings outfits are "Monster Magnet", "Rival Sons", "Monster Track", "Wolfmother", "Vintage Trouble"and dozens of other remarkable ones. ( of course had preceded to it -Trouble- and -Saint Vitus- but with small feedback and recognition)
>>"MAIN MATERIAL":It's a strong project band that based in Los Angeles,(basically it's a Hollywood based band with acquaintances in Beverly Hills,Sunset Bulevard etc etc),the sound ranges somewhere between classic Bad Company or early Deep Purple or else something like several projects made by Joe Lynn Turner,or else like the Whitesnake of 1978 untill 1984 or like the Doogie White Project or like the Voodoo Circle or Michael Schencker.
Heavymetallized Hard Rock phase built on syntheseiser but mainly Hammomd organ phase also as an electric piano.
>>ADMINISTRATORS OF THE BAND: Leading premier in act is veteran Stuart Smith, the main guitarist,founder and songwriter,a consummate virtuoso, best of his forgoten race and maybe more,a Richie Blackmoore's learner, wich from now on, aiming to rebuild the splendor of "Rainbow-Deep Purple" era
And his companion new yorker singer Joe Retta, a very good tenor voice fixed with intense coloring notes, masculine air, and positive rock n roll consciousness, unfortunately does not perform the rock to opera show, nor during his stage act transform lyrical-metal stuff to make baroque oratorium(for metal audiences) like many colleague snob singers, is also the main composer of lyrics,and central topics concepts.
(Unfortunaly they met,not by accident,but by some agent's advice,somewere at Los Angeles musical labyrinth)
--The determined keystone sound from the priestly hammond type B3 and keyboards in "hard to kill" recordings was handled by Ty Baillie as sideman,until the album came out, after its release, took his place the well-known Mike Mangan connoisseur and virtuoso of priestlike Hammond B3 , which makes the sound timing workmachine go sixty years back.
>>THE TWO MORE MACHO & POWERED SONGS: a)(the 03rd track) "Till Is Over" :Manly explosion as in the 60s and b)(the 05th track)"The Game Has Changed": in grandioso guitar chords prelude topic says contrasts of today,alongside, the past. Regardles Bad Company's lasting glamor and power,pure crystalline sound without screams or barking ,both songs in a "Be Bop metal", like band's jaming in psychedelic giddiness
>>BLACKMORE COVERDALE SONGS: these are(track 10) "Beautiful Monsters" and "Hellfire" (Track 09), most motifs and compositions like to came out from year 1974 D.Purple's "Burn" gold album, as far as "Hellfire" is an up tempo,obvious are D.Purple's lending compositions ,subsist a permanent and an integrate instrumental musical carpet that surrounds and supports the whole song,this powerful vibe is due to guitars and the rhythm section.
>>FORCE FIREWORKS:both tracks are pretty explosive which means soaring adrenaline the(02-track) "Walk Away" and the "Monster" (07-track). "Walk Away" in spite of is loaded of vibrations , surrounded by dreamlike refrain,Retta's microphone performs absolutely aggressively and rhythmically,like to buck on us,apparently is band's arena gig song . and below the "Monster":is the politicized one social song of this album played in a Mid Tempo while the guitars pound too,sounds somewhat,a relatively -Whitesnake- at the "Cheap an 'Nasty" of 1989,while still as -early Dokken- at "Into the Fire" in 1984 ,in spite of the on stage urging, with regard to interpretation of Retta ,who's yelling and barking to transmit for audiences his potent, dragging all from stage's below to follow his dominate manner.
__________________________________________________________
ENSIFERUM : "Two Paths"
-Metal Blade rec/s-
tracklist
Ajattomasta unesta
For Those About to Fight for Metal
Way of the Warrior
Two Paths
King of Storms
Feast with Valkyries
I Will Never Kneel
God Is Dead
Hail to the Victor
Unettomaan aikaan
God Is Dead (alternative version)
Don't You Say (alternative version)
running time 53:30
Is like ancient movie serial soundtrack, triumphant composes. It's just sequel as previous album from year 2015 "One Man Army", hears bulky recordings as acting live on stage,maybe!, recording all together playing at the same time in some record cabin ,the basic feature are harsh male vocals but on melodic rhythms, hardly,sometimes goes similar to crude black metal stuff.
The platform of action are legenary characters from ancient war machine during the scandinavian medieval ages, the charm that offers epic narratives during the northern troops invasion down to the Roman civilized world.(ancient troops invaded to southern places)
Distinguished Ensiferum's basic elements, triumph clues in grandioso dimension, with martial epic elements of action same time it appears a below humor namely there are hints of mocking slaughterers swordsmen impressions of inferiority in interpretation, in a rollick way trick ,deliberately avoid to be compare with murderous obscurantists such as Marduk and any other cruel and sadistic band who follow by sick thugs audiences,not to be considered principals that lured around some brainless guys to wear armors and carrying swords at concerts , the other fundamental element is some raucous classical orchestra's , as well as uplifting opera motifs mixed with soft black riffs and ,to make theatricality air..
About songs:
(track_02)"For Those To Fight For Metal" the open song a typical melodic black metal ,on purpose hears sophisticated and noisy,while behind main singer added rest of the band members back vocals , guitars grandiose huge and riffs are huge charged track, bursting and raging , in the abstract makes warlike air while the topic is about a hymn regards metal rebels
(track_03) "The Way Of The Warrior": is the official power play from this album, (so it became labels represent official video)) is in the same composition's pattern and style reminds Equilibrium, guitarists Markus and Petri with artillery guitars make reaping riffs , also thankfully the akordion brings much easy the things to Folk, the composition is melodically elaborate polished and careful not to become like black metal of amon-amarth or trollfest
(track_04) "Two Paths":a very grandiose intro as guitars taking care of it ,frames a frightful theme from the concept story wich consists of many separate segments, somewhat mid tempo beat,in theater script air , while increasing the speed and accordingly follows one another,with two vocals kinds, the normal that dominate throughout that's the nice character of the movie, and harsh vocals that are the fiendish character, alternating accordingly, at choruses added greatness from choral vocals
(track 07)_ "Dont You Say":It's a sad potential motif,and powerful melody as songwriting also guitars tuned perfectly they don't slide over making solos and stunts, following urged the rhythm section's railway beat, to highlight the meanings and lyrics, describing a personal experience,their own lesson regarding members of the band,comprising Violin,and brings folk power even further and forward ,affects and stimulates feeling even more.
Best song(track 09)_"God Is Dead":a majestic 'movie-intro' follows by feature traditional folk motif then main part as aggregate is most outrageous and urged of the album,guitars follow beat,and beat push guitars and drums to flaming dance accompaniment,fast enough,devil-choruses and songwriter made a mad up tempo, that sets fire,accorfion is leading instrument on purpose,so makes it even more dramatic this basic melody is emphasized continuously.
__________________________________________________
JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR
"Stand Your Ground"
High Roller records
Tracklist:
1. Secrets We Hide
2. The Enemy
3. Stand Your Ground
4. Hero
5. Destiny
6. The Sky Is Falling
7. Worlds Apart
8. Escape From The Night
9. We Are One
10. Stronger Than Steel
11. False Gods
12. To The Ends
Burning Starr in rage of music genres are about from blues rock up to speed metal and thrash feature the main vocals interpretation comes from the aggressive tenor Todd Michael reactionary irritating voice making underground air the whole creation seems anachronistic metal project that goes against(it contradicts)to today's contemporary productions, it's a straightforward epic, unadulterated old school classic maximalist metal. Burning Starr as vintage band play with the principles that established the genre and founders like Saint Vitus,and Manilla Road, early Saxon ... Paul Samson,as early (Paul di Annos) Iron Maiden, Dio's ELF, and 'Rods',early Virgin Steele, approaching even Cirith Ungol, in a few words any "British metal sort" sound on both sides of the Atlantic.(with their own words from interviews all around, Jack answering)
"JACK STARR'S apologize":The previous one was "Defiance" and then "Land Of The Dead", this year's "Stand Your Ground" was late more than 6 years to come out,cause during the songwriting was gathering material like topics or social themes worked slowly tedious with concentration ,to come out something qualitative and tasteful, not a rough and snippy time record but to stay in history.......................!!
ENEMY'S BEHALF: Unfortunately, this kind from the side of music industry in the US is deliberately contempt and persecuted as unproductive, not in the market and in stores, nor has supported by major media and television media....................!!!
WHAT'S WRONG":The threat in regards the way playing Burning Star,...is all faces of modern hard rock parts, these are substitutes of classic metal,namely Nu Metal, Industrial, EBM, Djent, 'malignant Alternative', or Grunge, so I am exposed to audiences as a backward ,and as Burning Star representative,a false composer and guitarist in forgotten old school band...................!!!!!
SIGNING NEW LABEL: however, despite all negative ones and deterrent effects and barriers because of major labels,German label High Roller sign contract to Burning Starr in regards "Stand your Ground" album, namely to sign it means that,label counts to an amount of public, counts on sales, so traditional metal exists, so there are also proportionate customers, and besides the aged and purists ones there are young people who have just started to attract from old school music and get into traditional metal through some historic recordings these become best of our fanatic audiences__!
TOPICS: Although as metal characterized brainless genre, this one's "content is about social speculation" will not find nor hell, even darkness or harley chopper bikes , somewhat it reminds like concept one, where it's described globally, ... western civilization's race trying to survive against the inbound nations cultures that are uncontrollably invade to western territory, also title "Stand You Ground" describes the Defense and Controversy that the West has to fight for its values and identity ,while system being degraded and eroded by parasitic gathering of foreign hostile and aggressive civilizations that surround it, especially in the big cities regions
REST OF THE STAFF: best album was named as a producer Bart Gabriel, while technically mastering and mixing was undertaken by Kevin Burnes, a persistent and tireless master of digital recording and digital editing, he did not calculate the lost time or the superhuman work, but he was only interested in a perfect result (he is a major craftsman making the layers of solos not to be weaken and lost their uniqe)
A STATE:(As Jack Starr says after his collaborating with Daniel De Feis on early albums of Virgin Steele ) The 80eighties as a press term,namely,..epic bands were ruined by the levity and sexism of Glam and Hair Metal bands such as Mottley Crue, Poison, Cinderella, Twisted Sister, Ratt (as were belong to the metal genre too) , while unfortunately rest of the major bands that had something to say like Dio, Rainbow, Riot, Savatage, Rods, Virgin Steele were lost or ignored, because they criticized due their lyrics some bad topics of society, they had sad stories to tell were talking about real concerns and surrounded from potentional melodies .This scene gonna be come back, in the forefront this time, and make more audiences,that's for sure because of supported by loyal and fanatical fans of all ages purists and newcomers
TRACKS: Standing Ground contains many tracks because it counts like double double album of 79 minutes so if you run vinyl will comes out as two 33LP discs ...
BALLAD: i guess most sensual track is album's ballad Words Apart, which is going to live in memories for many years, there appears abilities of Todd Michael as a top singerv
#HeavenandEarthHardToKill, #hardrock, #heavenandearth #losangelesscene, #JACKSTARRSBURNINGSTARR, #oldschoolpowermetal , #ensiferumtwoPaths , #ensiferumfinland , #epicmetal , #ensiferum