FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
Even though this might be the darkest Yakuza record thus far, it’s also the most song oriented. It seems that Yakuza has focused on crafting their free form jazz metal jams into more succinct pieces this time around, which allows for a more palatable record. Palatable that is, for folks who found their previous work too challenging to listen to.
The Obsidian Conspiracy had an almost insurmountable expectation being the follow up from TGE and both solo records, which were great. Nevermore fans will be disappointed with this new album however, as the record doesn’t really deviate from the Nevermore formula and some of the songs are just plain stale.
The Return of the Witch is a solid piece of work. It’s an album that is upfront about what its intentions are.
At only 15 minutes long the Witness EP is definitely a teaser, but the three songs show a pleasing attention to old-school songcraft.
Festival is not far removed from Savatage’s (likely) final album, Poets & Madmen. Inclined to a middling pace, the focus is on weighty, bludgeoning riffs wrapped in grandiosity and drama.
The Wicked Symphony is exactly what you want from an Avantasia record. The production sounds huge, and clear, there isn’t a bum note in the playing, the songs are catchy as hell (I defy you to not sing along with “Dying For an Angel”) and the silly, tongue-in-cheekiness of the Edguy lyrics are left behind
By Adrien Begrand It goes without saying that the summer of 2010 is going to be a big one for Rush. Not only are…
If you like it mean, fast, crusty and hammering, check out Goner, it’s a housewrecker of a disc.
It has been a Godsmack trademark to toss out allusions to material that is more interesting and more ambitious than their commercial hits would seem to suggest. As The Oracle offers up its share of such material, it will be interesting to see where the band continues to take things from here.
As this is essentially a workmanlike album from a workhorse band, it is hard to conjure much excitement for To The Metal. It commits few misdeeds. It offers even fewer triumphs.