Virgin Steele - Nocturnes of Hellfire and Damnation - Review

So as usual VS is dividing opinion with their new record and I can see why. For me the record splits straight into two. The first half of the record is great but soon gets really slow and steady which is not something I am looking for in my VS music at all. 

First of all the production is much improved but still not as heavy as Mr Defeis would have us believe. The guitars are a bit louder but not punchy at all by today's standards and his vocals are still louder than everything else. The drum machine or usage there of doesn't really bother me. I care less about drums than any part of heavy metal music. I need cool melodies and huge chest beating choruses to get excited over and the album starts off so well until we reach the half way point and things start to get really bogged down.

Opener Lucifer's Hammer is a real solid start with a driving riff and David going at it full bore with his vocal acrobatics which of course annoys many but doesn't bother me. I consider his yelps arrrghhhs woooos part of the VS sound and I sort of look forward to them in fact. Track two Queen of the Dead is pretty catchy as well but a bit slower but I still like the mood and feel a lot.

Black Sun-Black Mass is an old song is side project Exorcist recorded for VS and is a really cool and heavy song and one of my faves on the album. I really enjoy what they did with this one. It's heavy and midpaced with a nagging groove and nice aggressive vocals from David.

Persephone is classic VS to me and has everything I love about VS. Soaring epic melodies and a good bit of power but still a lot of subtleties. I wish to God there were more tracks like this on the album but alas it's the only one.

Devilhead is quite an interesting track and has some cool slow build but it hints at what will bog down the second half of the album. I still like it though which is meandering track with heavier parts mixed with slower moodiness.

Demolition Queen basically reminds me of Whitesnake totally. I can imagine Coverdale singing this track and it going down a storm. The song hints at their glam times with the Age of Consent album but for some reason I really quite like the track.

The Plague and The Fire unfortunately sees the album descend into quite a mournful dirge like state of song writing. It has a painfully slow and boring riff whilst David goes on and on over the top. The son seems to go nowhere not very fast. With such an epic title, you'd think you'd be in for a barnstorming and rousing VS song like you'd find on Invictus but no it just trundles along although the shredding guitar solo is quite cool.

We Disappear is a groove based slightly glammy song again not too far from Whitesnake again although much darker maybe Snake crossed with Sabbath? The riff is simple and midpaced whilst David croons over the top but it's far too bogged down. The end of the song is sort of okay with some nice melodies as David sings " We Disappear" over and over and the lead solo from Pursino is really nice but the song is 7:54 and drags on and on with little excitement.

Glamour is a song I should actually hate but I like it more than the last two dirges that's for sure as it has a little more urgency and the feel of it is a little cooler and not so bogged down. David uses his vocal range from full Coverdale "wanna get in to your panties" croon to screeching banshee from Hades. The riffs are a little more groovy and exciting at least and one of them sounds like Pantera's Cowboys from Hell believe it or not. The chorus sees a time change and David pronounces Glamour like "Glamooor" lol. Better than last two songs but that ain't saying much actually.

Please be fast and good Delirium but nope the second half of the album continues in this slow and bluesy vain with another dirge like ditty and at 7:33 it's quite a chore to listen to indeed. The chorus is sort of OK and sung well but the whole feel of the song is so mundane and boring basically. There's not enough urgency in the songs in the second half and Delirium is a prime example of getting bogged down in slow meandering.

Hymns to Damnation is the original title of the album so I expect this to a fiery tune but still Mr DeFeis refuses to up the ante. Have you forgotten that VS is a metal band? This song start acoustic and sounds actually really nice and melodic before a heavy riff thunders into view and David howls but the chorus is just slow which you'd think a galloping riff would go down so well he just keeps crooning and squealing on and on. Not a bad song but the album is full of slow songs. Isn't it time for something faster and energetic? No I guess.

Fallen Angels is surely gonna end things on an upbeat note you'd think. Afraid not. It's slow and ballad like throughout. Not horrible but we've heard enough of this slow and emotional drenched stuff. We need some mountain moving heavy metal but we ain't getting it here folks.

I cut this band a lot of slack much more than many who laugh at them and I appreciate the ambition but this album is a let down after a rather good start. The best rating I can give is 6.5/10 for the hint of former glories here and there but could even be reduced to 5/10 if you're a harsh critic. If you like VS when they go all moody and not bombastic, then you might like it more but I think those people are far in the minority. Most people love VS for the barbaric aspects of their sound but this album just doesn't deliver what we need for more than half it's length. There are some good songs for sure but I don't think they have another Invictus in them any more although I hope I'm wrong.

Poets of the Fall Live Report

Having missed out on the first Poets of the Fall gig in the UK in the Underworld a while back I was quick to nab a ticket for this gig in the larger Scala. It's a good job I was quick as the venue quickly filled up and was tightly packed to capacity. I was a bit tired from work and couldn't find a decent spot to view the gig so I decided to venture up to the balcony for this gig which at teh Scala is very high up indeed. It was a bit awkward watching the gig from there and admittedly the vocals just didn't quite travel well acoustically and got lost in the big booming bass sound.

There was one support for the evening. A young American girl by the name of Addision Mills. She played simple songs about emotion or love or whatever. I'm sure she'll be huge or maybe not who knows. But these type of delicate flower emotional girl singers can soon start to build a following. She got a reasonable response but she was a bit shy and cutesie but she has talent no doubt and will have her fans but a very odd support for Poets.

Anyhow the crowd was getting more than a little excited to hear the Finns again and it's more than a little surprising that they have such a fan base here in the UK. The band took to the stage and were cheered to the rafters by the packed crowd and finally lead singer Marco took to the stage as the band started straight off into Choice Millionaire a song from the new album Jealous Gods. In fact the band played quite a few cuts from the new disk although it's perhaps the least rock of all their previous albums though it is still very classy indeed.

The sound from my high up vantage point was a little bass heavy for my taste and I would have liked to hear Marco's super vocals a bit louder and clearer but I had a perfect view of the stage so I couldn't really complain. The band is instrumentally spot on but all attention is directed towards front man Marco in this band. he literally has the crowd eating of his hand the whole night. Directing them to whoop and yell and sing as each song needs.

The band are well known for their emotional ballads and I must admit the crowd sing along sections were very loud indeed and almost everyone seemed to know the lyrics as directed by Marco. My favourite songs were of course the upbeat and catchy ones such as the amazing Diamonds for Tears, Locking up the sun, Lift and newie Daze. carnival of Rust got a huge response from the packed downstairs and the first encore closed with the awesome and anthemic Dreaming Wide Awake. The band played acoustically at times to allow greater crowd participation and Marco to show of his smooth vocals.

Poets of the Fall attracts a very diverse crowd of people that's for sure. A few metal heads of course but a lot of regular people who have cottoned on to the magic that Poets of the Fall can deliver musically. The band left after 90 minutes to rapturous applause and a well appreciative and happy audience on this lovely warm London night. A perfect night in fact to listen to a band such as Poets of the Fall and their melancholic melodic rock hymns.



Intro
Choice Millionaire
Locking Up the Sun
Love Will Come to You
Clear Blue Sky
Temple of Thought
Rogue
Daze
Rumours
Diamonds for Tears
Nothing Stays The Same
Encore:
Scarborough Fair
(Simon & Garfunkel cover) (Acapella)
Late Goodbye
Lift
Jealous Gods
Roses
Carnival of Rust
Dreaming Wide Awake
Encore 2:
Sleep

Helloween - My God-Given Right - A Review

I've listened to the album 3 times now and it's another really solid latter day Helloween record in its own right but it will take a few listens to catch on. On first listen I was a bit dubious but it's growing on me quite a lot now although some songs don't really excite me I will do a quick song by song review.

Heroes - An ok song but it doesn't wow me to be honest. It starts off really quite heavy and well but the chorus is quite predictable. 7/10

Battle's Won - Better! Musically unadventurous but typical Happy Helloween chorus. This actually reminds me of some Freedom Call song. 8.5/10

My God Given Right - Mid tempo song with a nice feel. I dunno about the chorus. It's not amazing me I must admit. I like the verses actually and feel the chorus is a bit average which is really strange for a Helloween song. There are some nice guitar melodies in it though. 7.5/10

Stay Crazy - Starts off like a Maiden epic and then goes headlong into an awesome guitar riff and melody. My fave song so far! The chorus is hugely catchy with counterpoint vocal arrangement with Andi answering his own calls. This is a nearly perfect Happy Helloween song and it also sounds fresh and cool. 9.5/10

Lost in America - Starts off bright and breezy with cool guitar melodies but Andi's thick German accent and goofy lyrics are a bit lame IMO. The chorus however is very catchy however much you try to hate it you can't. It's catchy and memorable. Goofy but happy tune. 8/10

Russian Roule - Ok going for a different and heavy feel this time with this thick grooving tune. The Russian style melody in the guitars is a cool touch. I really like that. The chorus Come out and play! Russian Roule is a bit boring but the ahhhhh sung by Andi is quite cool. The song is ok and will probably have its fans and splitting opinion. 7.5/10

Swing of a Fallen World _ Something un-Helloweeny. Broodng and pretty dark. Wouldn't have been that outta place on The Dark Ride. I am not too moved by the song to be honest. The mid section is better when it speeds up then it broods again till the finish line. 6/10

Like Everybody Else - Slow brooding ballad that heavies up slowly. The chorus is quite cool but it's not wowing me either. Too dark and dreamy. 6.5/10

Creatures in Heaven - Back to faster placed typical Helloween fare after quite a slow build up. The little guitar melodies are awesome here and there. The chorus is catchy and memorable whilst the guitar behind it is very melodic. A pretty damn great track. 9/10

If God Loves Rock n Roll - Nice guitar melodies but of course goofy lyrics from Andi not that I care as when the chorus comes along the urge to bellow is hard to resist. Must be amazing to hear this live and sing a long with a big shit eating grin on your face. 8.5/10

Living on the Edge - A more serious song that pounds along so well and come chorus time goes happy helloweeny with the carry on carry on plea from Andi but the feel of the song is quite heavy and pounding. Some Maidenish guitar scales and runs here and there and a great solo as well. 8.5/10

Claws - No let up in energy and pace again with this pacily riffed affair. The riffing is quite exciting on this track actually and whips up a real storm. Actually the chorus is not that amazing but for some reason it doesn't need to be on this track. Andi's more biting vocal attack hits the spot quite well. The song is about an eagle and his claws! The song reminds me of Primal Fear - I can imagine Ralfie belting this one out. 8.5/10

You, Still of War - The longest track and most serious track on the album is left till last. To be honest after 3 listens now I've yet to fully appreciate the track. It is a slowly building track and it reminds me of a slightly progressive version of the band. It has a slight Kameloty feel even. The chorus soon arrives and Andi goes ahhhhhhh! You, Still of war... Ahhhhhh! You still of nevermore!...It's sort of aggressive and angry but doesn't sound right for Hellloween. The verses actually are slightly happier although the lyrics still paint a picture of anger at the warmongers in this world or some such. The song deserves praise and I think I will appreciate it more pretty soon but the complex nature stops me from loving it immediately. The end solo is awesome though with some melodies which remind me of Maiden's SiT era. 7/10

Bonus CD

I Wish I Were There - The song is typical Helloween speed but the chorus soon arrives and it's a bit odd. The melody doesn't seem immediately catchy. It's a slightly weird track this one. Decent guitars at least but it doesn't do a huge deal for me. 6/10

Wicked Game - One of my fave songs across the whole album. Mid paced opening riff but then a glorious melodic riff soon thunders into view and the guitars sound sweet as hell and the chorus comes and it's bloody awesome. I love the demonic "Wicked Game!!" cries from the ghoul in the background whilst Andi sings "I came into the world to play!". I love this tune. The guitars rip and the vocals and chorus are ace. Should have been on the main album no doubt! 9.5/10

Nightmare - Another cool tune on the bonus disk which has counterpoint vocals again with Andi answering his own calls and even doing that during the chorus. The melody is really pretty strong. A cool and catchy track and could have easily fitted on the main album. Nice little bass solo in the end though the song is musically unadventurous the chorus makes it a catchy humber. The lead solo reminds me of Maiden again. 9/10

More Than a Lifetime - Another typical pounding Helloween rocker. The melody reminds me of another song. I forget which but it's rather familiar. The chorus is a soaring affair and has a decent happy melody. Andi sounds a bit like Ralfie in this song, maybe it's a PF song I'm thinking of. So 3 out of 4 songs on the bornus disk are more than good enough. More Maidenish SiT era guitar acrobatics to end the song. 8/10

So there you have it. Modern day Helloween. I have a slight complaint about the guitar sound if I'm being picky. It's slightly muddy for my taste. I like it sharper and cleaner but everything is balanced pretty well, it's just a personal preference of mine. I think this album is one of those that may need a few plays although some songs will get you from the outset. Overall I rate it at 8.5/10 and possibly a 9/10 with more plays as the songs begin to sink in. So in general Helloween are still pumping out the goods as regular as clockwork and at a good enough level to keep their legions of pumpkinheads happy.

Toto - Live at the Hammersmith Apollo 26th May 2015

Well I can never claim to be the biggest Toto fan the world's ever seen but who can say they don't love the classic hits of these old timer legends of the rock game? When I read that they would be playing the Hammy Apollo I nabbed a ticket for said show although the ticket price was of course not cheap but this was the first time for me with these old codgers so I begrudgingly paid up my cash and waited for showtime.

The show was billed as an Evening with Toto and no support was listed which was ok by me as we get to see and hear more Toto for our money. What can I say about these guys as an opening statement. They were bloody superb! I didn't expect to enjoy the gig this much but they were truly awesome at times and played with so much conviction and style. The new album has taken time to reveal it's charms to me but it's getting there and I'm starting to love many of the songs now and hearing them live as well has helped no end. I've since gone back to the album in the days after this gig and I have a whole new appreciation for the songs that I heard live. Some of the jazzy parts to the songs still don't resonate with me but the melodies really are superbly crafted.

Hearing the band live in all their pomp and glory was a spectacular sight as the curtain fell and the band launched into Running out of time from the new album, a song I've grown to love with repeated plays. The band played a mix between old and new and I must admit I did not fully recognise some older songs as a result. All the new tunes played went down superbly well with the crowd. I loved Orphan and especially the awesome progressive track Great Expectations from the new CD. Of course no Toto gig is complete without the big three, you know the ones, ok I'll spell it out - Hold The Line, Rosanna and set closer Africa, and all were played and sang to perfection by Joseph Williams. Steve Lukather of course sang a couple of songs with help from the crowd as he was suffering a bad cold and his voice was failing him somewhat but he did ok. On his guitar, he was in shit hot form and played up a storm including a blistering lead solo section doing Hendrix's Little Wing.

On bass was their old bassist David Hungate whose bass was actually on a stand as his back couldn't take carrying a guitar for more than two hours bless him. The guy played well though. For me the star of the show though was definitely lead singer Joseph Williams. the guy was flawless throughout and nailed every note. His voice was pitch perfect and went high and low as the song needed with effortless ease. A commanding performance by the man really.

At the end of a two and a quarter hour set the band were greeted like Gods by the crowd and left with huge cheers ringing in their ears. They put on a great show with all members playing and singing their hearts out.

I can't say if I would ever go and see Toto again should they come this was again but I'm glad I saw them this time and it was well worth the money in the end to see these legends still going and strong and delivering what their fans expect and want.

Running Out of Time
I'll Supply the Love
Burn
Stranger in Town
I Won't Hold You Back
Holy War
Hold the Line
Takin' It Back
Pamela
Bottom of Your Soul
Caught in the Balance
Without Your Love
Little Wing
(The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
Orphan
The Road Goes On
Great Expectations
Rosanna

Encore:
On the Run
Child's Anthem
Goodbye Elenore

Encore 2:
The Muse
White Sister
Africa

Flotsam and Jetsam live at the Camden Underworld

Well it's always good to see older bands for the first time and so it proved to be with the Flotsam and Jetsam guys. I can never admit to being a huge fan of these guys that's for certain but I thought it would be really cool to see how they played live and they didn't disappoint at all.

There were two support bands to get through before Flots ripped us a new one. First band were an English mob by the name of Desolator. I think I heard and dismissed them as average in the past but I was hoping to be entertained by them but alas they didn't float my boat. The bass sound was kind of interesting with it's twangy loud rumbles but the riffing and song writing was bog standard in this band. I guess if you're drunk enough you can enjoy this simplistic Motorheadish thrash but it didn't do anything for me though they weren't completely horrible either.

Second act were a female fronted thrash band called Bliksem. I have actually heard their album last year I believe but it was rather plain but not terrible by any means. In the live setting these guys were pretty tight and the chick's vocals were ok but their song writing is just mundane to my ears. They were at least respectable though and went down a bit better than the first band if nothing else.

The turn around between the main support and Flots was pretty quick and soon the stage was set up. I must admit the turn out for Flots was pretty disappointing but probably around a 150 or so but it was a Monday night and the band just doesn't have enough of a profile and remains a cult phenomena no doubt. Anyhow the band sounded good and as Eric said they concentrated mainly on their first two albums. Not that I could tell you what's what as I'm not hugely familiar with any of their material. The band has two shit hot riffers though and with an excellent vocalist like Erin A.K. on the mic there was lots to enjoyed. Only problem was the PA was a little too loud and Eric's vocals were drowned out sometimes and it was hard to hear him clearly. The band were tight as hell and played for almost 90 minutes and were applauded loudly by the crowd as they returned for the encore.

No doubt I will never be a huge fan of the band but it was good to tick them off the "bands that I've yet to see live" list if nothing else. Plus their musicianship is second to none with awesome guitar acrobatics throughout their songs. I just wish I could hear Eric's great vocals a little bit clearer but that's live metal for you. Everything louder than everything else!

Desolator

Bliksem

Flotsam and Jetsam

Hammerfall Live at the Islington Academy

The gig that almost wasn't! Well for me in any case. I had a hell of a day trying to get there as the tube conspired against me in every form possible. I finally managed to get there but I missed Neonfly completely and saw most of Skarlett Riot whom unfortunately I didn't like. I was disappointed to miss Neonfly as they are a great band and have released their best album yet last year. Next time!

Skarlett Riot are a modern melodic metal band with a girl singer. Reasonably catchy tunes but out of place for a support act to a band like Hammerfall and it was hard for them to get a great response from the true metalheads although everyone was polite and there were no catcalls from what I heard.

An early curfew for a Saturday night gig meant the show was supposed to start at 8 sharp but they started about 8.10pm so no biggie. Let's get the true metal party started with anthem after anthem of true melodic heavy metal and new song Hector's Hymn didn't disappoint. The band has a new drummer in the ranks and he didn't miss a beat of course. The band sounded super tight and the Academy had a real punchy and solid sound mix. Very similar actually to the records. The band started well with energy and lots of smiles and the rather packed floor was soon bobbing along. Unlike for Sonata a week ago, a mosh pit even started on the faster and heavier numbers and continued for most of the night. It was probably just boisterous moshing at best and nothing violent or thrash like with bodies flying every where or circle pits or out of place bullshit like that.

Joacim goaded the crowd like the veteran front man that he is and had us eating out of his hand all night. I still enjoy the Legacy of Kings material most of all when it comes to Hammerfall. Hence Let the Hammer Fall and Heeding the Call gaining a big reaction from the assembled true metal warriors. They played a medley of their own tracks which was quite cool as well. The main set ended with their namesake song Hammerfall sung by all and of course ended with their night with the anthemic Hearts on Fire. To be honest the set was a little mixed and could have been better. I would have actually preferred more new tunes to be honest as (r)Evolution is an awesome album. Live LIfe Loud from the new album was fantastic and I would have loved to have heard Origins from the newie as well. Still Hammerfall are true pros at the metal game and deliver the goods with smiles and plenty of style so you won't get bored at a Hammerfall gig that's for sure!

Hector's Hymn
Any Means Necessary
Renegade
B.Y.H.
Blood Bound
Heeding the Call
Let the Hammer Fall
Live Life Loud
400 Meter Medley
(Medley with parts of Genocide, Hero's Return, The Dragon Lies Bleeding and Riders of the Storm)
Raise the Hammer
Threshold
Last Man Standing
Glory to the Brave
We Won't Back Down
HammerFall

Encore:
Templars of Steel
Bushido
Hearts on Fire

Sonata Arctica - Live at the Islington Academy

Would you believe I have managed to avoid seeing the Finnish masters of melodic metal in all my gig going days. Not that I haven't had chances but I've sort of fallen out of love with the band over the years. I loved their first two albums religiously and have liked many songs here and there since but they've never fully been able to capture the magic of those first two albums by my reckoning.

Any how not to see them live again would be churlish on my part and so I nabbed a ticket for this gig and the support bands Freedom Call and Twilight Force swayed me further still in to thinking this would be a cool night. Good job too as the gig ended up selling out completely. Must be close to 800 or so punters in the end. I managed to get fairly close to the stage on one side but unfortunately standing behind a tall guy didn't help things one iota when it came to capturing decent photos or videos.

Twilight Force were up first and I must admit I was looking forward to seeing these guys the most. Their album is super cheesy but I'm up for that kinda OTT power metal mayhem any day of the week. The band took to the stage in full medieval garb with the two guitarists even going with the Ninja style face cover and even Elvish fake horns! If you're gonna do cheese you might as well do it proper justice and Twilight Force do that and then some. Good job they've got the songs to back it up as well. They had a crystal clear mix as well but the bass was a little loud for my taste at the expense of the guitars and was making my rib cage rattle.

The vocal mix was one of the best I have ever heard at a gig. The lead singer's voice rang loud and clear and his highs were perfectly delivered. They only played 30 minutes including a new song but their album is only a little bit longer in any case so they basically played everything they've got. I was surprised how many of the audience seemed to know their songs and they got an amazing reception from the early packed crowd. The "Twilight Force!!" chants soon started up in between songs and with their final song the band left to huge cheers. These guys are going places in the world of power metal let me tell ya!

Next up were Freedom Call who are celebrating 666 weeks since the release of the Eternity album. I think you're clutching at straws a bit when you've come up with such a milestone but heck they're here to play and have fun so who am I to complain. They played most of the songs from that album but no new songs that I recall. Considering I reckon their latest album is their best ever that's a bit of a shame. Still they always get a good response do the FC lads and this time was no exception. They played with smiles and left to cheers though I'm thinking the crowd was definitely here for the main act Sonata Arctica.

Now I know Tony Kakko's mob are very popular indeed but I was a little surprised how popular they really are these days. They're not releasing their best material yet their fan base is huge and this gig was easily sold out and they could have probably sold out a venue twice as big is my bold guess. This is billed as Ecliptica over Europe tour or some such name, as basically it's a 15 year celebration of the release of their debut and still best album in my humble opinion. They would of course be playing the album in it's entirety over the course of a 90 minute set with a two song build up and a longer encore with newer songs.

The band had easily the best sound of the night with everything balanced perfectly and Tony's vocals wonderfully balanced right at the centre of the mix where they should be I must admit I wasn't expecting his live vocals to be that good but he really surpassed himself and sounded superb all night, never missing a note. Plenty of in between song banter as well and possibly too much sometimes lol. The whole of the Ecliptica album was played from start to finish and sounded perfect to be honest and pretty much exactly like the album. They got a huge response from the crowd with literally almost every one singing the lyrics back at Tony. There's almost some sort of adulation within the power metal community for this band and they are much loved it seems. I knew they were a well loved band but this was more than that with the amount of love being poured from the crowd to the band. I loved Blank File and My Land, Destruction Preventer later was great. Letter to Dana got the biggest sing along of the night as did my favourite song Replica.

The set ended with some newer songs and the great Don't Say a Word from a couple of albums back. The huge and tightly packed crowd loved every minute and left well happy. I am glad I've finally broken my Sonata-less gig count although I'd probably not go and see them again unless they were part of a really cool bill or something.


Can-Can Jaakolla
White Pearl, Black Oceans...
X Marks the Spot
Ecliptica
Blank File
My Land
8th Commandment
Replica
Kingdom for a Heart
FullMoon
Letter to Dana
UnOpened
Picturing the Past
Destruction Preventer
Encore:
Mary-Lou
The Wolves Die Young
Don't Say a Word
(with Vodka outro)