The Night Eternal : '"Cold Velvet"

 The third album from this German band finds them perfecting their darker take on heavy metal. When you take the brighter, anthemic feel, it sounds less like power metal. Not unlike what Unto Others tries to do, these guys actually nail it with more balls. The powerful vocal performance helps with this. They balance the darker chords they let ring out on the second song with metallic drive. The bellowing croon of the vocals takes command of the song. The guitar solos are pretty tasteful rather than just masturbatory shredding. 

There is more of a Dio-gallop to "Caught in a Spell". Production-wise, this song is as stunning as it captures a legit 80s sound while not turning their backs on a more modern mix rather than just trying to pay tribute to years past. "When the Last Candle Dies" has a strong chorus melody, but the verse feels like a continuation of the previous song, and I had to go back and give it another listen. This vibe carries over into "The Veins of Time", though there is more of a Judas Priest feel to the riff of this one. There is a darker, more deliberate feel to "The Watcher of the Burning Veil". It eventually speeds up into the epic proto-thrash gallop they prefer.

"Shape of Sorrow" is more focused than the previous, which gives the chorus more impact. It only wanders off into a side quest around the guitar solo.. "Dance on Crimson Ground" is a trippy power ballad of sorts, as it ebbs back and forth rather than following the typical formula for that sort of thing. I will give this album a 9.5, as it's one of the strongest traditional heavy metal albums by a relatively new band that I have heard in some time.Blade Drops August 21st on Metal  

7.7

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Lex Legion : "s/t"

 

When the King is away, the kids will play. This vocal is comprised of the top tier of King Diamond's band members. Pete Blakk and Andy LaRocque on guitars is worth the price of admission alone. But wait, there is more. Mikkey Dee took a break from the Scorpions to play on this album. Hal Pinto is covering the bass duties as well. Pagan's Mind vocalist Nils K LaRue joins the Swedes, bringing some Norse vocal power to things. His power metal style of vocals works well over things; there is clearly a King Diamond influence on what he is doing as he leaps up into falsetto. 

The opening track hooks me in more than the second song; some of this is due to LaRue's vocals defaulting to the more expected power metal style, though things are still a little darker. But not darker than King Diamond, I like 'When the Stars Align' more than "' The Resurrected' as power metal can come close to hair metal with song of the anthemic touches, and they work better when they stay on the more metal side of the equation. Even when the singer steers them in a more cock rock direction, at least the riffs are still there. I don't think I am being too picky in this regard, as I love Queensryche, which navigates this well. I think dropping some ofthe vocal layers might be the key here. 

I had to go back after my first listen to this album and start again at "Dreams of Darkness" as that is where things began to run together for me. Perhaps it's the way the tempo picked up. Though the chorus on that one worked pretty well. There is a "Them" feel to " Saviours". It works well, has enough darkness to balance things out. "Life Eternal" has a more straightforward chug. They certainly know who they are writing for. The instrumental outro works well. It would take these guys to come close to anything King Diamond does, which is a tall order, making this album worth a 9.5. 

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Moonspell : "Far From God"

The opening track to the Portuguese band's newest album finds them dropping the metal altogether with a more organic rock sound, and the sung baritone vocals being the dominant. That said, it's also a great song, so I am not complaining about it. There is a more Sisters of Mercy-like bass line to the title track. Though the vocals try to capture more of a Peter Steele-like resonance.  Then things shift to a more Pink Floyd-like atmosphere on "Biblical" that reminds me of what Tiamat used to. This progressive connection takes things in a mroe rock direction. More distorted power chords hit, at first they are not more metal, until the band continues to turn the dial and there is an even more aggressive vocal apporach. 

"The Great Wolf in the Sky" finds the bass digging into create the backbone.   While a haunted longing floats over this song, it's not the catchiest thing they have done so far. There are growled vocal accents that the song builds into. They get credit for not doing this most predictably. "Your Promise of Light" is even darker, with the vocals taking on a lower whisper. This is effective at building tension as long as it's not something they default to. The growled vocals returned, but it's still not heavy enough to make it into one of the death metal month posts. 

While they are not part of the Peaceville scene, this could have come from that era, as it is a dreary style of dark ambient hard rock, which bands like Katatonia evolved into. "For the Love of Mortals" works off the melancholy vocal melody that is one of the album's catchier moments. "Our Freedom to Fall" is a doomier pace brand of downtrodden rock with crooned vocals that feels stronger than past releases. The harsher vocals are delivered with a little more power here. Though the music is more emotionally heavy than it is heavy metal. The last song employs an aggressive vocal approach that reminds me more of Tom Warrior's vocal style in Celtic Frost, yet the guitars do not seek to replicate that band's overt metal riffage. Instead, they drone on a more sorrowful chord progression. I will give this album a 9.5. Fans of dark European rock should give it a spin. Out July 3rd on Napalm Records.

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Heavy Maytal- Dio's"Magica"

 By 2000, I was pretty much jsut listening to hardcore shit like Converge or at the other spectrum the Cure, so this fell between the cracks and I have never listened to this album before. Craig Goldy returns for Dio's concept album. Jimmy Bain from Rainbow also showed up for bass duties."Lord of the Last Day" is the first actual song. It is slow and deliberate, bordering on doom, but not too anchored in nostalgia. It is interesting to hear Dio reach down and pull some lower notes out. "Fover Dreams" has more of a "Man on Silver Mountain" feel to its groove. It works for what they are doing here. 

It feels like they are jamming their way into "Turn to Stone," which would work well live. There are some soulful vocal embellishments by Dio in places on this one. Not the strongest chorus, but not opposed to this song either. Part of the concept is the robot voices, adding narrative, so maybe the theme is robots vs magic? "Feed My Head" is a little darker with great lyrics. "Eriel" has more of a "Holy Diver" gallop, but it does not feel too recycled. 

"Challis' takes modern drive and applies it to a more 80s rock sound. The riff carries echoes of "Cat Scratch Fever".  There is some interesting guitar work that opens up "As Long as it's not about Love."It starts off as more of a ballad, Dio showing off the more tender colors his voice is capable of capturing while retaining power. It never takes off but stays in a more dramatic, expressive place. There is a folkish intro to "Losing My Insanity," but with that song title, it would be too muh of a Spinal Tap moment for them not to kick into metal at some point. It's not the heaviest song on the album, but it has more of a swing to it. He has obviously become aware of folk metal by this point in time. 

"Otherworld" carries the typical not quite doomy throb that his solo work is known for, then the album takes a turn. There are two pieces called reprises before launching into the 18-minute of Dio's book on tape entitled. "Magica Story" so for the purpose of this album I am not going to include it nor was I really interested in story hour myself. I will give this one a 9 as despite it's ambitions and story telling it feels the least inspired .    But Dio is singing that elevates it over most metal albums from this period.

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Heavy Maytal - Dio- "Angry Machines"

 

In 1996, my taste in music leaned more toward industrial music like Skinny Puppy or heavier death metal, so this one slipped under my radar when it came out. It's heavier than the previous album. The opening track has a darker, more deliberate crunch. Seven albums in, this would be the last to feature Vinny Appice on drums. It flopped commercially as things were being steered in the direction of White Zombie and Marilyn Manson, so traditonal metal was falling between the cracks. To Dio's credit, he is not layering the vocals to sound like Alice In Chains or deviating from what he does, just producing it to sound heavier. The more thrashing "Don't Tell the Kids" is not the best choice to deliver this, but it doesn't suck, as these wily vets still know what they are doing.

"Black" has a little more of a staccato bounce to its groove that reflects the 90s. Dio also carries a little more of a snarl. But it's not like he was trying to be Korn. Jeff Pilson's bass adds more bite than he used to use in Dokken, for sure. They return to a heavier doomier tone for "Stay Out of My Mind". Thanks to the production choices, Dio's vocals glide with a smooth, eerie quality over the music. Midway into the song, things take a bizarre atmospheric turn.  "Big Sister" has a more modern metal stomp. Dio's vocals are similarly handled in the studio as was done on the previous song. "Double Monday" blends the punchy grit of the riffing with more melody.

"Golden Rules" is not as focused as the previous song, as the guitar falls back into a palm-muted shuffle for the verses. The chorus does not take advantage of this approach to let it explode more. Some cool, darker moments slither in the transitions. I  like the darker mood that opens "Dying in America," and the verse riff is pretty cool.  His voice is given space in the mix. "This is Your Life" closes the album. It's a ballad that is doesn't suck but is not his most inspired song, either. Overall, this album was a pleasant surprise, and there are some cool grooving songs on here that reflect where metal was at, and  to show how Dio remained sonically relevant. I will give it a 9.5  

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Heavy Maytal- Dio's "Strange Highways'

One of Dio's heavier solo albums, where he carried the energy from the "Dehumanizer" sessions into this one. The staccato riff in the verse of the opening tracks reminds me a bit of "21st Century Schizoid Man," but the song rocks out pretty hard. Tracy G's playing on "Firehead' makes this feel almsot more like solo Ozzy. The opening track sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the album, but Dio proved he can still be relevant in a post-grunge world. The title track features a great vocal performance from Dio as the verse riff crunches into a doomy territory. It is darker than the previous song. Jeff Pilson's bass crunches through to bring more weight to the riffs. 

According to Tony Iommi "Hollywood Black " does, in fact, go back to the session they did with Dio, as they demo'ed it out, but did not use it, so Dio resurrected it for this album. It works well enough. At this juncture in the album, he is beginning to get back in his formula when it comes to marching metal anthems. This can also be heard on "Evolution," which has more of a 90s groove to it. "Pain" adds more urgency and passion to the verses of "Pain". There is a dark power-ballad dynamic in place for "Give Her the Gun." I also enjoy Dio's more melodic moment, as his softer vocal is more nuanced. 

"Blood From a Stone' is a more straightforward rocker. The first song that has felt like filler to me, but even then, it works for what they are doing. "Here's to You' is another fast-paced rocker, less rock n roll and more metal than something like "We Rock" that is similarly paced. The last song is less memorable for some reason, it works, but doesn't hook me in. I will give this album a 9.5, so not quite perfect, but he benefited from this reset, and this is an underated album that put him ahead of most of his peers during this time.

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Heavy Maytal- Dio's "Dream Evil"

Since I have already reviewed 'Sacred Heart" just last year, I am skipping ahead to this album, which I wore out when it came out. It was darker than bands like Twisted Sister and Judas Priest were doing at this time. Craig Goldy replaced Vivian Campbell on this album, which factors into a shift in sound.  The opening track is pretty heavy on guitar solos and your typical Dio uptempo opener. But lyrically brilliant as he asks questions like "do you come alive with neon kills the sun shine?" Why yes, I do. The title track is one of his all-time strongest songs. The verses are pretty typical for him, but the chorus is perfectly produced and performed. There are moments in "Sunset Superman" that remind me of his Sabbath years, though the chorus is certainly the kind of anthem Dio was known for cranking out. 

Dio's take on power ballads was different from others from this era. There was a more mystical atmosphere to them that can be felt in the languid melody that leads off "All the Fools Sailed Away".  In some ways, it is not unlike some of Ozzy's work in this regard. Though this feels more menacing when it kicks in on the verse. Lyrically, there is also more depth than Ozzy's solo work, though the subject differs greatly. I had totally forgotten about the keyboard solo leading into the guitar solo on this song. 

"Naked in the Rain" sounds like it could have been left over from the "Sacred Heart" sessions. Craig Goldy's most impressive playing is on "Overlove". "I Could Have Been a Dreamer' shows the more emotionally sentimental side to some of Dio's anthems. It is consistent with who he is, but balanced out by songs like "Faces in the Window". The last song, "When A Woman Cries" has more groove to it and despite the shredding leans towards the shadow side of Dio though the darkest song on the album. I will give this underrated album a 10 as it has held up over the years, even with the synth prescence carrying over from "Sacred Heart". 

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Heavy Maytal -Dio's "the Last in Line"

 

The 1984 sophomore album feels more aggressive than it's predcessor, with more uptempo proto thrashers balanced out with Dio's commitment to melody, but a song like "I Speed at Night" almost feels like Judas Priest, but with flashier Motley Crue-like drumming. The anthemic opener 'We Rock" finds strong vocal melodies flowing over the faster riffing, driving it. The title track is one of the most recognizable songs outside of Dio's fanbase. Despite being more dynamic and melodic than "Holy Diver", his previous hit is just too infectious to be beat, despite this being the highest charting album for him.

They reach a more deliberate middle ground with "One Night in the City." This is one of the rare lyrical moments that brough things into the more modern urban landscape, despite some of the medieval metaphors that he could not shake. The guitar gives him more room to flex his powerful pipes on this one. It's the first song that I really noticed the synths on. Vivian Campbell has established himself as a guitar hero on this trip to the studio. "Evil Eyes" is another uptempo rocker that follows what we now know of as the typical Dio formula, but it was fresh when this album came out. 

"Mystery" is a more radio-friendly anthem that sounds like it was the precursor to 'Hungry for Heaven". It's catchy enough, so it works for me.  "Eat Your Heart" is more deliberate and powerful. Lyrically mroe typical of the times in certain ways, but it was more fun in those days, so there is that. "Egypt" is a darker song, with lyrics that encapsulate what Dio does. I will give this album a 10, it's a great metal classic. 

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Heavy Maytal- Iron Maiden's "Final Frontier"

The band's 2010 album was darker and grittier, though also more sprawling and epic, as heard in the almost nine-minute opening track, which takes two and a half minutes to build. I remember liking this album when it came out, but giving it another listen, I can appreciate the sonic layers captured here. This is not like other Maiden songs, which is impressive, though midway it busts into something more accessible to Maiden fans, as hookier vocals kick the door down. 

"Mother of Mercy" is more melodic with a rare strum coming from the guitar. Bruce sounds great, though past the age of soaring vocals, he works with what he has and has retained much of his power. The song builds into the expected gallop, though more mid-paced. You can hear the opening riff off "Coming Home' and know exactly who this is. Some of the best guitar solos from this era of the band, the song has its twists and turns without being overtly proggy, as everything flows well. "The Alchemist" is a more uptempo song that recaptures the direction the band was heading in on "Poweslave" just with the bombast dialed back with age. However, it gets the point across. 

"Isle of Avalon" starts off with a darker tension, which is always hte side of the band I appreciate the most, but the chorus rockets into the realm of their anthems. The choruses are really strong on this album; Dickinson puts a great deal of hooks in them as you can hear on "Starblind". There is more of a folk feel to the beginning of "The Talisman".  Not the first time we have heard this from the band. It occupies the first two minutes before the band comes galloping at full power. Bruce is knocking the top notes out of the park very casually. One of the reasons I like doing these stints of digging into my favorite artists' discographies is it gives me a chance like this to rediscover songs I had forgotten about. "The Man Who Would Be King" also follows their melodic, mysterious intro formula before working its way into something more powerful and metallic. This time is more atmosphere creating a fantasy environment for the epic guitar harmonies to emerge from. They jam out a bit on the instrumental section. 

They close the album with the 11-minute "Where the Wild Wind Blows." When it comes to their sprawling prog adventures, I normally expect things to start in a more subdued fashion like this, after all, they are going to have to have peaks and valleys to keep your interest. This intro part is two minutes before building to a more frolicking folk metal type riff, which, of course, they are the originators of. With three guitars, they can also fill up some time by giving everyone the chance to step into the spotlight. Here, they give this instrumental space, just over two minutes, so nothing excessive. Nine minutes in, they return to the guitar solos.  Metal is about sonic excess, but they use restraint and instead break things back down into the opening theme. This is another underrated album from this later period of the album that you should give a chance, as I give it a 10.  

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Heavy Maytal- Iron Maiden's "A Matter of Life and Death"

I now remember why I liked this album so much when it came out. Aggressive and rapid riffs but still allowing for melody. Bruce's vocal lines flow better than what we heard on 'Dance of Death". The more progressive vibes to "These Colours Don't Run" groove impressively. It has one of the album's strongest choruses to deliver a huge epic sound. Nicko's drumming is even more dialed in to give the songs the needed punch. The middle section holds the tension to set up the guitar solos. 

Bruce's voice sounds pretty youthful against the odd time, almost Tool-like pulse of "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns". Some pretty mean crunchy riffs on this do not sound dated and lack the nostalgia grab their peers tend to go for. It makes sense, as at this point, they had been playing festivals and seemed to have paid attention to where music was going. I am surprised that this album did not sell better outside of their fan base. In 2006, we were entering a phase where people began to stop buying music. They do lock into their classic gallop, but it is not looking back at the 80s for approval. 

"The Pilgrim" has more of a classic Maiden feel. The chorus is not quite as catchy as the previous songs. The verses to "The Longest Day' are darker where they have the huge anthemic chorus they are known for, which they swell into, shifting the mood. "Out of the Shadows" is a moody power ballad of sorts, and more melodic works really well; Bruce shines here. 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" is another powerful performance from Beuce, it's a deliberate and dynamic rocker that is more effective than pouring on the speed and guitar harmonies. 

By this time in their career, it is clear they have developed a new formula that takes a power-ballad-like dynamic to open a song, before transitioning into what you more typically expect from this band. This can be heard in action on "For the Greater Good of God". Though this means being expanded in epic prog metal for this song. "Lord of Light' starts off with a darker tension, before exploding into the gallop at the minute-and-a-half mark. The last song, "The Legacy," goes from being a folkish ballad to one of the most epic post-"Fear of the Dark" moments the band has summoned, and Bruce flexes his pipes as he gets up there. This album still holds up and is the most underrated in their catalog I will give it a 10.

 

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Heavy Maytal- Iron Maiden's "Dance of Death"

 

The band's 13th album is the one Bruce album I have spent the least amount of time with. It opens with a high-energy song with a rather dumb repetitive chorus. It makes me think of Van Halen. Not a terrible song, but I expect more from them when Bruce is around. There is a similar energy to "Rainmaker," but all the moving parts are higher functioning. The chorus works much better. "No More Lies" feels like something from "Fear of the Dark", which is wehre they started writing these types of darker songs. The guitar playing here is very nuanced. The vocal production on this album is way better than anything from the Blaze albums. It does build up until the thunderous chorus. With three guitarists, the solo sections have grown. 

"Montsegur" is heavier and an unrated Maiden song, I have never paid attention to til now, which is why I enjoy digging back into these albums I never gave enough of a chance. The title track is the kind of epic galloping frolic that is what this band is known for. So they are doing what you want from them. "Gates of Tomorrow" feels a little happy for my musical taste buds, but it's well-executed and sounds like them. "New Frontier" is more of what I want from them, as it has more of a metallic attack. "Paschendale " is Adrian Smith writing what he thought would be the typical Maiden epic, and he did a pretty good job of it, as it has a heavier stomp. 

There is a darker, more majestic feel to "Face in the Sand" that works well. The guitar riff to 'Age of Innocence' has a heavier chug than what you typically expect from them, but it works for where they were in 2003. This is juxtaposed by a poppier melody on the chorus, yet it all seems to gel. The odd choice of their first acoustic song to close the album is awkward, but you can't resent them for trying new things. But after listening to it several times, it never really hel my attention that well or felt memorable. Overall, this album works and recaptures what we love about the band more often than not so I will give it a 9.5. 

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Heavy Maytal- Darkthrone : "Pre-historic Metal"

 

It seems these guys are now transfixed on their Celtic Frost phase. They are still black metal if you are talking about how that genre was defined in the 80s. There is a rawer sound to this album than their previous one, but it does not hinder the head-banging, fist-pumping riffs. The vocals croaked with a Tom Warrior-like anguish, sitting back further into the guitars. You can still tell who this is as they have their ambiance abounding on the first song. The title track finds the tempo simmering to more of a Venom-like place. They built this to a more thrashing pace that is part  Mercyful Fate. There is just a hint of black metal, but it's done in such an old school way you can't tell except to notice the intensity shifts. 

"Siberean Thaw" is a weird one that wanders into oddly atmospheric places but sells itself with the killer riff the song ends on. "Deeply Rooted" finds the Mercyful Fate influence surfacing again. The snarl of the vocals does not contribute muh on this one, even though the guitars are pretty cool here. They could tell it was starting to drag when they wrote, as that point is when the riff shifts its groove. They try to go for a more Maiden-like gallop, which does not work as well. The sung vocals can be pitchy as usual. Though the sung vocals show great improvement on the most Mercyful Fate-like so far, "The Dry Wells of Hell," where he even goes up into a falsetto note.

While it is a bit of an odd bird, the more experimental atmosphere to "So I Marched to the Sunken Empire " was needed to break things up. It is the most interesting moment so far. Some proto thrashing goes down on "Eat Eat Eat Your Pride" that looks back a little into their older punk stuff. They do throw in a dynamic shift and slow it down. The more chugged riff is pretty powerful, so hard to complain about this song. 'Eon 4" closes the album with a more lumbering doom feel. The vocals feel like they were improvised on the first take. It shifts into a hookier, more Mercyful Fate-like riff, but vocally, there is no King Diamond.  I will give this one a 9 and see how it sits on me. When I want to hear Mercyful Fate, I will just play"Don't Break the Oath." But if that is what it takes to bring them out of the Celtic Frost phase it's a step in the right direction. 

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Heavy Maytal - Iron Maiden's "The X-Factor"

 I have never given the Blaze Bayley albums a chance. I have a few of these songs live when Bruce has sung them, so here we go. The opening track is "Sign of the Cross." It works well enough; it's obvious Blaze lacks Bruce's range, though his voice has a lower baritone grit that works for this song. I will find out how it holds up for the bulk of the album. It does sound like Nicko is just kind of dialing it in on this song. There is an interesting shift in the darker gallop this song goes to. But something is off even when i listen to just the instrumental sections, you can tell it's Iron Maiden, but it doesn't sound fully like them, this is due to the fact that Martin Birch is not behind the console. Nigel Green does seem like he is great with drum tones, though there is an interesting space in the mix created by how the guitars sit in different places. 

The beginning of "Lord of the Flies" makes me think of 80s Dire Straits. The new singer did give them the chance to experiment more. If they only got a better drum sound. Blaze's approach is more rock n roll on this one. His style of singing also makes the chorus not punch enough. It could almost be any bar band on a Saturday night playing originals, with the clever guitar interplay the most redeeming thing here. "Man on the Edge" is likea more rock n roll take on "Gangland." Things get darker on "Fortunes of War." the guitar parts also show improvement. The anthem power ballad "Look For the Truth" finds Blaze doing pretty well, and the whole song actually working. 

The clean guitar intro seems to be a pattern with this album. The Aftermath" finds its groove after one of these intros. "The Judgement of Heaven' finds the vocals sitting a little awkwardly atop everything. There are some tradmark guitar passages, but it sounds more likea band influenced by Iron Maiden than the actual band. "Blood on the World's Hands " has a suitable bass intro that leads to something that sounds more like the band with a lurking tension to it; it's one of the better songs so far. Blaze is inconsistent because he sounds good on this one.

It's not surprising that The Edge of Darkness" carries more sonic shadows. It reminds me of "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" but carries an epic gallop. This lineup is capable of pulling off good songs; I don't think the mix is doing them any favors. Another acoustic intro for "2AM", which gives Blaze enough room to really sing. He does not have Bruce's swagger, but works well on this one. Though not sure about how the drums are pushed forward for the guitar solo. "The Unbeliever" opens with some intersting guitar riffs, not sure about the interplay between the vocals and the drums though. Not the album's most focused song. 

"Justice of the Peace" is more like what you want from an Iron Maiden song, as it balances the bombast and melody with high-energy drive. "I Live My Way' seems pretty basic, but it works. They close the album with more of a rocker, picking up the pace for "Judgement Day," which feels like it's more obligatory than playing to Blaze's strengths. At the end of the day, aside from Blaze, these guys are Iron Maiden, so their chops alone make it more worthwhile than anticipated 

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Heavy Maytal - Iron Maiden's "Powerslave"

One of the most amazing things about this band is how they released their most classic albums only a year apart, recording them in between tours. This was brought to its pinnacle as the most finely tuned musical machine imaginable with their most aggressive and epic album to date, "Powerslave". It rips open with the rapid fire of "Aces High," which has a chorus that takes flight in a manner not unlike the subject of the lyrics. The slow down to a more deliberate pace for "Two Minutes to Midnight". "Losfer Words' is the ironically named instrumental, which feels like it has a heavier drive than the previous instrumentals released by the band, though some of the stign was taken out by the melodic solos.

"Flash of the Blade" is about Dickinson's love of fencing. The verses follow a similar formula employed earlier in the album as they race along to build into an anthemic chorus. This album is much more high-energy, with none of the songs leaning towards a power-ballad direction. This high-energy tempo can also be heard in "The Duellists." I think this more aggressive style of writing was perfectly timed as it coincides with the rise of thrash.  They keep the momentum with "Back in the Village."  This song is the lyrical sequel to "the Prisoner". It is one of my favorites on this album.

Despite the album cover, the title track is the only Egyptian-themed song, and even then, it's a metaphor for how Bruce felt about being a rockstar. The most deliberate and powerful song on the album. The sprawling epic "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." It speeds up into more of a gallop, which was mid-paced for them on this album, but to be a song that was such a grandiose prog metal sonic spectacle, the vocal melodies are all catchy as hell. They let things linger in the atmosphere midway through the song before building into a thundrrous climax.This album also goes up to an 11, so that is the score it gets reserved for only the rare upper tier albums, that are flawless classics.  

8.9

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Heavy Maytal - Gus G : "STEEL BURNER"

If it were not for the fact that I am dedicating this month to more traditional metal, I might have let Gus's new solo album fly under my radar. But that would have been a shame because he is obviously metal as fuck, having played with Ozzy and Firewind. He brings in some guest vocalists like Doro Pesch, who is a legend, but they have only added more grit to her pipes. Unlike one of my favorite metal singers who lends his pipes to the track 'Dancing With Death", the motherfucking incredible Matt Barlow.  Who sounds awesome, and this is going to be a tough song for them to beat. It sounds like he just stepped out to the goddamn "Darksaga" sessions to lay these vocals down, unbelievable. 

Then it's back to the instrumentals. I braced myself for the shredding, which is not normally my thing, but he used a manner of restraint on "Advent." His playing is pretty melodic here. If you are a guitarist under 40, chances are you are going to be all up in this. "What If" moves a more synth-wave-like groove before succumbing to the need for shredding. He brings on Ronnie Romero for "Frenemy". Which works well enough, it has a rock shuffle to it, and Romero's voice sounds rooted more deeply in the 80s. 

Dino Jelusick from Whitesnake tackles the vocals on "No One Has to Know." It is easy to understand why he is doing backing vocals for Whitesnake, as he sounds just like Coverdale. I imagine he sounds better than Coverdale does these days. 'Confession" is the obligatory blues instrumental, which is very tasteful and works well. It does build up into a more metallic solo, but remains pretty melodic. "My Premonition" finds Ronnie back to tackle a more Tony Martin-era Sabbath power ballad. "Closure is the kind of instrumental you expect from him, but very well done and not as over the top as I feared. I will give this album a 9.5, as when it comes to shredding metal, he does a great job of it.

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Heavy Maytal- Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast"

The big change happened here, and listening back to the album time and time again, it's clear what Bruce brings to solidify their sound. Bruce came on strong with an in-your-face ripper, and an underrated Miaden song, as this song does not get as much love as the other live staples from this album. It's one of my favorite songs from this album. The dark power ballad "Children of the Damned" finds a new snese of melody and dynamic being embraced in a way that only Bruce could have made possible, despite the band having already ventured in this direction with Paul. Beuce brought the intensity we now know as being metal into the song. 

I have always loved the syncopation of the drums leading into "The Prisoner," it's one of the album's best grooves. This song also shines a spotlight on the fact that when it comes to metal guitar solos, Miaden does it right by not just wanking off with shredding but using it to build on the melodic themes of their songs. Part 2 of the Charlotte saga continues on "22 Arcaia Ave ". This is darker than what they did on the "Killers." Then there is the title track, which is one of the best songs of all time, and has some tricky timing in the verses. 

What do I need to say about "Run to the Hills" aside from the fact that it's an iconic metal anthem? If you have heard any Maiden song, it has to have been that one. "Gangland" is my least favorite song on this album, but it still holds its own against their legacy. "Hallowed By Thy Name" closes the album in the most perfect manner possible. They took the epic songwriting formula they had been fine-tuning on the previous albums and made it bigger and darker. This is beyond being just a perfect album and hit a place that changed the shape of metal. I will give it the rare 11, setting it alongside the best albums ever made.

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Heavy Maytal -Sins of Shadows : "the Last Frontier"

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This band from France is, in some ways, like a more high-speed Kamelot. The vocals are the kind of dramatic yodelling that some times allwos it's over the top delivery to sacrfice the hooks in favor of vibrato and power, which might be why I do not give new musicc like this much of a chance and tend to stick to the classics who were not influenced by other metal bands but rock or prog bands so they jsut added the metal to the equation rather than trying to emmulaqte it. I guess Helloween is the first band that I noticed was trying to be like another metal band in this regard. The Iron Maiden influence was obvious, though now listening back, I can hear some Scorpions. With these, Queensryche and Iron Maiden are the big ones, but their gallop needs to be dialed up to fully capture the epic quality. 

These guys are releasing this album themselves so there are some budget constraints in the production, though the layers of vocals were given some love as they still manage a very larger-than-life sound until it gets to things like guitar solos that are sometimes sitting back in the mix rather than stepping into the spotlight. 'Walls of Past" is the first song where it feels like the barrage gets chaotic until the layers of guitars settle in. Less is more when it comes to this sort of thing, and when they give the vocals room to not have to yodel over things, it works best. Maybe 10 bpms slower would have benefited them and made it have more purpose. It feels like they are all over the place here.

"Tell Me Why" has a similar energy as the previous song, but a little more purpose, and the vocals benefit from this. Though another problem is revealed in the chorus, as it sounds too bright and is not dark enough for me. The lyrics are not that great either. If you want a band that will dedicate a section of a song to a guitar solo, these guys are for you. There is a more Iron Maiden-like sound to "Rise Again," but it brings that Helloween feel to mind. Sure, this guy can hit high notes, but I  would be more impressed by hearing some low ones as well; it's not range if that is all you do. 

"As Darkness Falls" should certainly feel darker, but will it ?" Well marginally. The vocals are grandiose but not catchy like something Maiden would do that gets stuck in your head, though this is an improvement, and perhaps the best song so far. A beefier guitar tone would also benefit these guys, though I know they like this one for the shredding. 'The End of the Road" finds them slowing it down enough to gain more purpose. This makes it another one of the album's strongest songs, as they are approaching things with more wisdom as the slower build creates the dynamic Overall they did a good job of making the album they wanted to make on the budget they had, so for that I will give this album an 8 as they are formidible musicians. . 

6.2

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Heavy Maytal : Iron Maiden's "Killers"

This is an important album for the band as it featured Adrian Smith, as well as being the first to be produced by Martin Birch. After the instrumental intro "Ides of March' they start kicking as with "Wrathchild", which might be the best of the Paul era songs. Paul's voice has more command here. The bass line also carries more grit. "Murders in the Rue Morgue" is more grandiose. At just over four minutes, they pack a bunch into this song. The verses are almost more punk-paced, where the chorus has a more signature Iron Maiden hook. Harris' bass playing is the obvious backbone that sets the stage for what was to come here. 

Smith and Murray's guitar harmonies are more fluid on this album than on the debut, with Dennis. "Another Life" finds Clive Burr's playing more confident. Riff-wise, these themes would get a more aggressive re-exploration with the feel of the "Powerslave" album that would come about years later."Genghis Khan" finds them locked in what we now think of as a variation of the Iron Maiden gallop. It's a compact instrumental under four minutes. Despite the opening bass line, "Innocent Exile" is more of a rock song. Di'Anno brings more of a swagger here. 

The title track is a little darker. It is also the only song Paul is credited with co-writing with Harris. Some of the album's best lyrics are featured here. "Prodigal Son" is more of a ballad, which finds strummed guitars rather prominent and some of the album's best guitar solos. It is one of Paul's best vocal performances. "Purgatory" is one of the album's faster songs, with a frantic bass line moving it. "Drifter" is another more rock-oriented song, but it works with the mood of this album, which did not find the band in a total metal prog direction yet. 

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Heavy Maytal - Chariots Overdrive : "The End Of Antiquity"

Some Asian kids based in Atlanta are trying to crank out metla that is rooted in the 80s. The vocals make me concerned about how easy it is going to be for me to make it through this album. They are this band's weak link. The guitar harmonies are their strength, though I like the raw Combat Records feel to the sound captured here that strikes me as being legit. There is a more Judas Priest-like sound for the guitars on "Marching Maniacs". Lyrically, it's terrible, and the guitars are really the only thing keeping me invested. The vocals are even grittier than the previous song, though it is clear this guy can't actually sing, as it is more spoken with a mock attitude. 

The drums could stand to come up in the mix and add some heft to their sound. There is a more thrash feel to the taunt riff that keeps " A Talkonautic Alchemist' moving. The vocals go up higher and sound not only strained but also very pitchy. When the vocals attempt to harmonize, it makes it even more apparent just how out of key they are. It almsot sounds like Elmer Fudd doing Iron Maiden karaoke. The guitar solos are the best part, but not something you can hang a whole song from. The only similarity to Iron Maiden is the fact that they, too, have an eponymous song. The vocals are more snarled here as they move in a thrashing direction. The melodious section of the song would have worked better with real vocals. 

"Nomadic Warfare" brings a more aggressive hug to life. I am cautious to get excited for anything, as it can anticipate the vocals coming in to ruin things. They wait for a minute and a half to do that, but they are pretty god-awful. There is a more melodic tension to the title track. The taunt palm muted riffs work well. If these guys were smart, they would have leaned more into the harsher vocal sound, as nothing is saving this singer. Midway through this song, there is a cool riff that feels like it belongs on a Dio album. They close the album with the twelve-minute-long."Bizarre Pilgrimage to the Cubik Mansion" Three and a half minutes into it, they go in a weirder, darker direction. It reminds me of Celtic Frost, which should also give you a glimpse into how the vocals on this album work, because often they sound like Tom Warrior trying to cover Judas Priest. They have potential as a band; they just need to get an actual singer and find a producer willing to work with them and help dial these sounds in.  I will give this one a 7.

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Heavy Maytal : Iron Maiden's "Iron Maiden" debut album

 

This 1980 classic redefined Heavy Metal with a sound that carried an even more punkish aggression than Judas Priest, but also the songwriting smarts of progressive. Steve Harris and Dave Murray, the only original members who played on this, are also in the current incarnation of the band. Drummer Clive Burr had a raw, energetic style that would evolve, with Harris' bass playing the most nuanced element in a song like "Sanctuary." The twin harmony parts that we now think of when it comes to this band were not at the forefront.

Paul Di'Anno's vocal style is grittier than Dickinson's more operatic belting, but he worked well for what the band was doing at the time, which was not far removed from bands like Thin Lizzy. Murray's playing feels more dominant than Dennis Stratton's. The yare both following the wandering path Harris leads them down on the power ballad "Remember Tomorrow," which also shows that Paul can actually sing really well when he puts his mind to it, though his voice breaks into falsetto way before Bruce's. Midway into the song, they are the gallop we know them for. 

The more upbeat "Running Free" follows the formula for what would become their anthemic arena rousing side. It remained one of their live staples. "Phantom of the Opera" is more overtly progressive than the other songs up to this point.  The guitar solo on this is clearly a Murray, as it showcases his melodic phrashing. Dennis is handling the higher background vocals, a role Adrian Smith would later take on. The instrumental "Transylvania" was written by Steve Harris for his previous band Smiler. It has faster riffs that would go on to inspire thrash bands to come. "Strange World" is another strong ballad that Paul shines on. Perhaps even more than "Remember Tomorrow".  There are more interesting guitar tones and phrases on this one as well. 

The more in your face "Charlotte the Harlot" is the first of four songs Dave Murray would write about this prostitute that he claims is based on a true story. I like the melodic middle section of this one. The album closes with the eponymous theme song, which they still play live. I will give this album a 10; it's one of the strongest debuts from a metal band. I would rank above the debuts of Priest, Slayer, and Metallica. 

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