Queensryche : " the Verdict"

Queensryche used to be one of my favorite bands. So much so I considered getting the logo tattooed on my wrist before it turned into a shit show. I was hard-core as I hung with them even into "American Soldier". When they split with Geoff Tate they lost me. I think even here it's proof that you can have someone who can hit all the notes that Tate could in his prime, but he doesn't put them in the same places with the same sense of theater, because well...he is not Geoff Tate. This might be there 3rd album with this guy, I know it's bad journalism to not know, but I do not give a fuck, because they were dead to me during this time. So I have a great deal of baggage I am having to put aside in order to give this album a shot.

t makes sense that the former Kamelot drummer would be playing with them on tour. The singer Todd La Torre, who got his start as a drummer plays on the album. But this begs the question what the fuck is the point without Scott Rockenfield. This is just Eddie Jackson and Micheal Wilton, trying to pass off originals as a Queensyrche cover band. La Torre who I was first very resistant to , does an admirable job of a Geoff Tate impersonation. I think what sells me more is he sounds more like a mix of "Operation Mindcrime" Tate with a side order of "Rage For Order" era. From a songwriting perspective it's all on the vocals as the other keystones of their sound are kinda dialed in. What this does have going for it is this is more metal than the later Tate albums. They experiment along the lines of what they did post-"Empire" on "Inside Out" . Speaking of "Empire" there is hint of that album on the song "Propaganda Fashion".

"Dark Reverie" is the first song where I think ...Ok this is Queensryche for real. So I am going to need more of these moments. It's not that this is a rocker in fact it's more of a power ballad , but all the marks they need to hit are there. There is a darker "Rage For Order" like tone to " Bent". This comes closer to sounding like them, until they speed and try to be heavier than it sounds like they comfortable. La Torre begins to remind me a little of Warrel Dane in a few places . "Inner Unrest" sounds like uninspired run of the mill power metal. "Launder the Conscience " is more of the same. It's not unlike the more ballad like "Portrait" that inspiration returns. They seem to do better on the power ballads. I'll give this album an 8 , it's better than I hoped for, but only marginally Queensryche, but the impersonation might fool you.

Sólveig Matthildur : "Constantly In Love"

It might sound like the easy way out to compare a female singer from Iceland to Bjork. I won't leave it at Bjork, because it is like if she decided to collaborate with Zola Jesus , the results might be similar to what goes on here. It would however be Bjork's more minimalist experimental side, rather than the knack for punchy pop hooks that propelled her earlier work. The album has an odd drift as before I knew it I was five songs in. I think the song before this "Tomas" was the first to really find it's groove. The vocals float with the atmosphere, rather than locking in to create defined verses and choruses. The electronics sometimes help provide structure more than others. On "My Desperation" it feels like the vocals are doing their own thing separate from the music laying underneath them. It borders on dark wave and I can hear this appealing to fans of goth. There is almost a looser Switch Blade Symphony feel at times. "Your Desperation" is more of a shadow of a song , so I do not reengage the album as active of a listener as I could be until the pulse of  "Tomas" which as I said is the first song to find a groove, thus leading me to become more invested.

I like the darker mood the synths create on "My Father Taught Me How To Cry". While it's nicely hypnotic it's not until midway into " Constantly Heartbroken" that it bends a knee and conforms to being a song. There is more that hooks me into "Dystopian Boy" . The lyrics are easier to make out and flow better with the synth moving the song. It might be the best song on the album. Deb Demure from Drab Majesty lends their voice to the song, but it disappears in the mix. Regardless this type of thing is certainly going to appeal to fans of Drab Majesty, so that is an easy sell. "Utopian Girl" must be the call and response to the previous song. Though it is not as catchy and dances alone in it's own murk. It does gain some sonic steam as the song gradually builds to add a greater dimension of dynamics than the bulk of the album has.

There is a better balance of many of the elements that have already been in play over the course of the album. There is the moody atmosphere. There is a dreamy electronic throb and soaring vocals over it. More Zola Jesus in nature and while is tries to hypnotize more than move your body, there is enough to grab a hold of. Overall I like the picture she is painting with the sounds on this album. I am unsure really how many repeat listens I would get out of this because It would make more sense for me to listen to Zola Jesus when I am in the mood for this kind of thing. I'll give it an 8.5.

Hebosagil : " Fortuna/Kevät"

Some times it pays off to take a chance and check out a band you know nothing about. It's not often that I am thrown a curve ball like I was with this album. That is saying a great deal as I knew nothing about these guys going into this one. It was a happy surprise.  This album is two eps that were slapped, together , but for all I care that makes this a new album, since I have not heard it before. This band from Finland is really interesting and hard to pin down stylistically. They are punky indie rock in the same way Iceage is now punky indie rock. Their shit has a sonic drone to it that I like. I would not call it noise rock , because it is not that Big Black kind of abrasion that all the Amp Rep bands try to copy. It is very melodic and musical without being overtly accessible.

 The second song simmers til midway through for them to finally get going. The guitar tone is jangly and clean with only distortion around the edges when it builds up and the vocals get more throaty. I t sounds like these guys would be fun live. They are moody and somber though not quiet dark. The third song has female vocals . It works of a formula similar to the song before it. Though it is more brooding and heavier yet more trippy when it builds up. I think I could appreciate this more if I were still smoking pot, but as is , this album is still cool. It is well produced though every raw and organic.

There are interesting guitar tones and I like the groove of the last song. The guitar warbles and echoes in a simple yet compelling chord progression. Of the male vocals on this album, which are two of the other three songs. I think these are sung the best.They get into a more throaty yell as the song builds up. It has more brawn than what you typically thinking of when it comes to indie rock, but I guess it is way past time for indie rock to actually rock. I'll give this album a 9.5 , it is excellent even though the songs don't conform to the most catchy brand of easy listening. If you want some indie rock that is rough in all the right places between your ears then do your self a favor and check these guys out.  This album comes out April 5th on Ektro Records.

Tyr : "Hel"

Up until this point "By the Light Of the Northern Star" was my favorite album by these guys. It had the kind of muscle many folk metal bands lack with great sense for hooky anthems . A darker heavier tone haunts the opening track. The vocals are almost more of a throaty death metal roar before they chorus finds the returning to the brawny singing that feels more like their trademark. While the melodies have more of the folk frolic to them, they are sung with balls. This is what sets  Tyr apart. One thing I like about this album is how the bass has more of a presence in the mix. This gives the over all sound a more commanding Iron Maiden like punch in their attack. Unlike Maiden this is not used to gallop, but more of a thrash chug...think Anthrax here.



This time around the song structure is more complex and nuanced. The guitar sound huge no matter what path the song winds around. It is more progressive than most of the so called progressive metal bands who are really wanking. These guys are certainly capable of delivering guitar solos sprinkled with shred, but in a more tasteful manner. Though I can here trace influences of "Black Album" era Metallica , I really like the melody to "Garmr".  They cross many genres as their are elements of power metal along the way, but I think thrash is the next dominant element. Even when they touch on their more melodic side with songs like "Sunset Shore". If it was one any other way it would have too much of the power metal like cheese. There is more of rock n roll feel to the otherwise thrashing "Down Hill Drunk" which is a little more straight forward and doesn't stand out as much as the previous songs. They come back stronger with  the powerful "Empire of the North". The guitar harmonies become more common and they begin to lock into more of a formula at this juncture in the album.

They incorporate many elements of classic metal on "King of Time" while retaining the big viking drinking song style of delivery. There is a more Judas Priest style of riffing on "Fire and Flame". The song slows to a more deliberate pace when the vocals come in, which is a welcome change of pace. Things speed up and fall into more typical heavy metal once we get to the solo section. The same could be said of the guitar harmonies going into "Against the Gods". The vocals are really the main thing that set this song apart. Despite getting off to a rough start with the Dragon Force like intro "Songs of War" turns out to be pretty decent. The last song is ok, but not ground breaking and doesn't give that much of dynamic shift from what they have already covered on this album. I will give this one a 9.5 as it's one of the most solid straight up metal albums I have heard so far this year.

Catching Up With 2018 -Sylvaine - " Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone"

I got angry that an album review of this Norwegian artist who released her debut back in 2018, said this sounded like if Chelsea Wolfe sang on one of Deafheaven's heavier song. While this is not really true , it underscores a larger problem in music today. There are no gatekeepers. Hiphop has had a quality control enforced by their artists ,where they called each other out for sucking.Rock music has become the internet fodder for millennial snow flakes who melt under criticism, because they are that thin skinned , along with the fact many journalists want to stay in the good graces of P/R Companies and Labels so are afraid to tell it like it is. That is not the case here. Also the problem with the comparison above is that if you are going to say that you need to grow the balls to come out and say they want to sound like Myrkur. Saying they want to sound like Myrkur is far more accurate in the end then comparing them to the two artists in that context. The writer must not know how Deafheaven's heavier work sounds,as it is far heavier than anything I have heard on this album so far.

You are assuming I do not like this album right now. That assumption is wrong, There are Alcest like post-rock elements that keep it soaring. This is not an accident as Neige plays drums on half the album. Her vocals are more Myrkur than Chelsea Wolfe as she strives for a more European folk sound that has more operatic timbre than Wolfe's more melancholy moan. To the point that "Abeyance" brings to mind the Gathering. It's more rock n roll and the least metal song so far, but perhaps the most well written. I have no problem with drawing comparisons with other artists as long as it's accurate. "Worlds Collide" could be said to sound like if the Cranberries to an ethereal journey into more sonic realms. That would true. Comparing it to Chelsea Wolfe would not be as it is not that dark. The Myrkur thing occurs more when there is a jarring transition into a black metal section. Though I would not call this a black metal album. Sometimes this shift feels more forced than others.

The last song has a clean strum of guitar that has more in common with American indie rock. It could be argued that this sounds closer to Chelsea Wolfe, but I would counter by saying it's actually more Emma Ruth Rundle, who has toured with Alcest before so there are the 6 degrees of separation. At the end of the day this marketing quirk is no fault of her own, in fact the point was to show how she doesn't fit into those molds. Sure her sound is familiar. Yes the dynamics are in the same zip code as Myrkur and will certainly appeal to those fans, but the architecture is different and this album is something of her own. I will give it a 9. Out now on Season of Mist.

Ville Valo & Agents : "s/t"

Remember when H.I.M covered "Wicked Game" ? Well that was foreshadowing. Ville is taking a stab at being Chris Isaak on this album. The Finnish version of Chris Isaak. Which oddly also involves little yodeling. It is not huge on the Elvis influence. The guitars have that weird mix of western rock a billy and surf rock that Chris Isaak has used. The 3rd song is one of the more Isaak leaning. Ville's vocal style is very smooth and almost bears no resemblance to to his darker goth rock days. Gone are the romantic satanic images. I know if you were listening to him back in the Myspace days or have a heartagram tattoo, then you are probaly wondering what even makes this album worthwhile.

To answer that it is going to require a few things from you the first being a very open mind. The second an appreciation for guitar. If you are really into guitar and not in the shreddy way, then you can appreciate the great tone captured here and tasteful playing. The pace picks up a little on "Paratiisi" but it hovers very close to the established zip code of the sound they are going for. There are some weird awkward moments that stray from the formula . "Rockin With Enzio" being one of those. It sounds like it is from a kids show on Telemundo. There are moments when the Spanish influence on Western music comes across more gracefully. The songs are more flowing than ballads , but not actually rock music. He also sings in his native tongue. Which works for growling metal, but might baffle the Myspace kids.

There are some instrumental interludes that I am not counting for the purpose of this review. While not dark as in goth there are some moody moments. There are some upbeat moments which feel like 1940s French pop music. These happier notes sound like Frosty the Snow man to me and do not sit as well. There are flirtations with rock music with songs like "Ma haluan sun" . The cadence of his vocals going down towards his more baritone range feels even more like Chris Isaak. There is more twang to "I Told You So" . It also finds him singing in English again. He still does it smoothly , it is however more country than what you are used to from him. It closes on a note similar to what we have already heard on this album. I'll give this album an 8. It is good for what it is , the weird thing is getting used to what this is when you perhaps expect something else.

Dream Theater : "Distance Over Time"

Since actual friends of mine have been asking me to review this , I will. I used to like this band in my late teen years. "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence " was the last album I liked. Shredding no longer does it for me. I do a 10 progressive albums every year, so I still like prog and listen to it. I prefer the more Peter Gabriel era Genesis or King Crimson style where it's darker and more cerebral. The songs actually progress rather than wank around. So what is Dream Theater to do in 2019, when metal is something much different than when "Awake" was released. Well their 14th album is not a drastic shift from what they have been doing. The first song works until you get to the chorus and then thanks to James they pour the cheese all over the chorus. The verses are fine with me. They are taking a stab at being metal again though I am dreading the power ballads that are sure to come. You can here the groove of Tool's influence on these guys. The riffs are winding. Labrie's main challenge is not to muck it up with vocals that sound like Journey and to try to find some balls , which he has yet to do here. There is not as much wanking and more focus on songs which plays in their favor. The guitar solo on "Paralyzed" is pretty tasteful as these guys go.

They bring a more old school metal feel to the riff leading into "Fall Into the Light"  once again the chorus fucks things up with the cheese. "Barstool Warrior " is more about the kind of showy acrobatics you expect from these guys , with more than enough guitar solos. When the vocals in they are rather subdued, and then once again sound too regal on the chorus. The drumming is great and the bass playing is pretty top notch as well. There is no question that these guys lock in like a fine tuned machine. Some of the melodies just sound like they belong in a Disney princess cartoon. The piano balladry begins to creep in midway into this song. They get to more syncopated grit that reminds me of " the Beautiful People " on  "Room 137".  It does not suck, it just doesn't feel all that inspired. It's not like they are punching a clock like some of the more recent albums. It just doesn't have any feeling.

A bass solo opens "S2n" which is more interesting than opening with a guitar solo. The vocals sound better with the robotic effects on them. When it speeds up then when get the same wimpy tenor that is their trademark. The synths begin to take more of a presence next to the guitars. I think if they band just plugged into their amps and went for it , the results might be more interesting than the over production here that gives things such a clean sound it feel sterile .  Things begin to get even more "proggy" as in gymnastics , not really telling the kind of shifting landscape of a story a band like Rush or Yes does. It is something I am sure people masturbate to at Guitar Center or NAAM. Labrie's voice does have more feeling on this song. It comes closer to being aggressive than anything I have heard on the album so far and the anthemic chorus is not as sugar coated.  Midway into the song it goes off into a Meatloaf like piano interlude, which I can only take in small doses so here it works .

"Out of Reach" is the kind of ballad I have been dreading. If you read my work here you know I have nothing against ballads in and of themselves, I think if this song was darker I might not mind it, but it invokes sappy 80s radio rock like Richard Marx too much for me. When the guitars bring in a little tension it is an improvement. I will say the build up on this song is not as cheesy as the chorus to some of the so called heavier rock songs. There is a bonus song I am not counting for the purpose of this review so I don't have to draw this out too much longer so we will say "Pale Blue Dot" is the last song. For these guys the song is dynamic but business as usual with no new tricks up their sleeves. I will give this album an 8, it is well done and a step back toward their more classic sound with keeping the cheese to a less than expected level. If you are a fan then this will sit right where you want it.