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Trouble - Simple Mind Condition
Escapi Music - Out Now |
 Trouble,
the Chicago doom merchants return with their first new studio
album in over 12 years after reforming a couple of years ago
after almost a decade of inactivity. “Simple Mind Condition”
marks the bands much anticipated follow up to “Plastic Green
Head” and Trouble fans will be ecstatic to hear the bands
classic sound as perfected over their 1990 self titled album,
1992’s Manic Frustration and the aforementioned ‘Plastic Green
Head’ is here alive and kicking. The album has all the Trouble
trademarks - superb tight grooving guitar work from Rick Wartell
and Bruce Franklin (writers of some of the best riff in Metal)
and the Ozzy-ish vocals of Eric Wagner. Trouble keep the spirit
of Ozzy era Black Sabbath-style Rock alive while remaining true
to their spiritual roots and this is a highly enjoyable slice of
riff fuelled classic rock. Whilst maybe not quite up with the
quality of work heard on their two Def American album (Trouble
and Manic Frustration), Simple Mind Condition is as good as
Plastic Green Head and certainly shows the bands are still
viable (and as enjoyable) in the 21st century.
Simply said if you like quality song writing, great Sabbath
inspired guitar and strong vocals melodies this is just the
ticket. Welcome back.
Rating – 88%
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Tomorrow's
Eve - The Tower
Lion Music - May 25th 2007 |
 Bouncing
back quickly from last years recommended ‘Mirror Of Creation II:
The Genesis’, Tomorrow’s Eve have wasted no time in putting
together a rather special little EP entitled ‘The Tower’ to
celebrate their recent European tour with Circle II Circle. The
EP contains 2 tracks from their next album in ‘The Tower’ and
‘Remember’ which are 2 quality progressive metal tracks that
combine great melody mixed with musical light and shade and the
ever impressive vocals of Martin LeMar. The keyboards of Oliver
Schwickert have been notched up a tad compared to ‘Mirror II’
and this is of benefit to the new material working incredibly
well with the punchy guitar work of Rainer Grund which suggests
the next album will be something truly special indeed. The EP
is rounded out with new recording of tracks from the bands back
catalogue in ‘Success (2007)’ and ‘Not From The World (2007)’.
The former is riff heavy and menacing whilst the later is mainly
piano led and atmospheric and again showcases LeMar’s vocals to
fine effect. Overall a very tidy little package and a good
starting point (given the low price) for anyone that has yet to
sample Tomorrow’s Eve own personal take on the prog metal
genre.
Rating - 88%
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Joe Lynn
Turner - Second Hand Life
Frontiers / out now |
 Having
seen his solo career profile soar in recent years thanks to 2
albums with Glenn Hughes and the stunning ‘The Usual Suspects’
Joe Lynn Turner went back to his earlier AOR sound for the
Sunstorm album. Many hailed it as his best work to date, yet
I always preferred the more rocking JLT works.
Joe states that his new solo
album ‘Second Hand Life’ is a cross between the aforementioned
‘Usual Suspects’ and ‘Sunstorm’, and whilst elements of both
albums can be traced here sadly it doesn’t come across quite
as coherently as I had hoped. I do feel the production on
this release does hold a number of songs back with a quite
sterile mix which although neither lacking in or over
exaggerating any specific frequencies just happens to sound a
little lifeless. Vocally Joe is as good as ever, with his
voice arguably as good if not better now that during the
classic Rainbow period. Whilst on the subject of Rainbow
there is a Blackmore connection to the track ‘Stroke Of
Midnight’ which was initially written during the sessions with
JLT for what would ultimately become the 2nd Mk.II
DP reunion album ‘The Battle Rages On’ under a different
guise. For the record this version smokes the DP effort so
its great to see it make an appearance at last as it was
originally written. Overall nothing bad at all here but
nothing truly stunning.
Rating – 75%
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Neal Morse – Sola Scriptura
Regain Records / Out Now |
 Progressive
rock fans rejoice for one of the true modern masters of the
genre has delivered an absolutely cracking new release in ‘Sola
Scriptura’ (which means “Only By Scripture” in Latin). The ex
Spocks Beard vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Neal Morse has
come up with 4 tracks which in classic prog rock fashion which
cover an astounding 76 minutes. Enticing into the recording
band for the new album is an amazing line-up of Mike Portnoy
(drums) and Randy George (bass) return on this release, with the
addition of special guest Paul Gilbert on guitar.
Musically anyone familiar with the
2 Transatlantic releases will have a good idea of what to expect
here yet the new material is heavier (at times rivalling Dream
Theater for terms of brutality) and its nothing but a joy to
hear Paul Gilbert in this musical framework. Filled with
incredible melodies, cascading guitar and keyboards and all the
great composition this ex Spock’s Beard leader is known for,
“Sola Scriptura” reaches beyond what one would think possible in
a progressive rock epic. Lyrically it draws on the life of
Martin Luther, the Christian reformer who lived in the early
1500s. (He’s the one who nailed the 95 theses on the door of the
Cathedral in Germany and rocked the entire world at the time.)
Musically it’s as hard hitting and intricately beautiful as
Morse’s best work. With 3 long pieces (the longest clocking in
at 29 minutes!) and one shorter ballad, this has all of Morse’s
trademark moments and the addition of Paul Gilbert’s blistering
guitar work puts it over the top.
Rating – 90%
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Masterplan
- Mk.II
AFM Records / Out Now |
 Having
loved the bands debut, and enjoyed most of Aeronautics I must
admit I was a little worried about how the band might turn out
for Mk.II with the loss of Jorn Lande and Uli Kusch replaced by
vocalist Mike DiMeo and drummer Mike Terrana (know to Grapow
from his Kaleidoscope solo album).
If anything the Masterplan sound
has not changed that much with maybe a little more standard
power metal numbers. Roland Grapow’s guitar work is once again
very strong with an impressive selection of fast tempo riffs and
rapid fire soloing but to be honest there is nothing new here in
terms of song writing or performance. Simply said if you
enjoyed the bands last 2 releases then you will enjoy this. Its
not the ground breaking release AFM records are marketing it as
but its solid enough.
Rating – 75%
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Sanctity – Road To Bloodshed
Roadrunner / Out Now |
 Roadrunner
seem to signing more bands of late than I get hot meals and with
Sanctity they have another thrash band to add to their arsenal.
Even before the release of their debut album, Road to Bloodshed,
Asheville, NC metal quartet Sanctity earned respect and
recognition from two generations of heavy metal royalty. First,
Trivium frontman Matthew K. Heafy saw Sanctity and was so
blown-away that he helped get them a record deal. Then,
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine caught Sanctity's performance during a
show with DragonForce and immediately offered them a vaunted
spot on the second outing of his Gigantour festival. "He came
backstage and asked us personally to do the show," drummer
Jeremy London recalls. "That was such a huge honor because we
all love Megadeth and Dave has been one of our idols all of our
lives."
Coming across as quite avid
listeners of Low era Testament with some slightly commercial
choruses (in a thrash sense) thrown in for good measure the band
have come up with a strong slice of what is a strong
interpretation of the genre nothing new in any sense but crank
it and it rewards.
Rating – 80%
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Alex Masi -
Late Night's At Desert Rimrock
Lion Music / Out Now |
 Alex Masi
continues his rich musical journey with a “Late Night At
Desert’s Rimrock”. The album also features his MCM band
mate and former
Yngwie Malmsteen,
Ark
drummer John Macaluso. “Late Night At Desert Rimrock”
resulted from some informal raw jams between Masi and Macaluso.
These jams saw Masi start on bass guitar playing to grooves
laid down by Macaluso with no preconceived ideas, plans or
melody with spontaneity being the main motivator. The music
of “Late Night At Desert’s Rimrock” may initially come across
as a slight surprise to those more familiar with Masi’s
neo-classical output such as the excellent ‘Eternal Struggle’
but the quality of musicianship displayed throughout from Masi
and Macaluso is jaw dropping.
Stylistically this although appearing quite experimental at
first after subsequent listens becomes much more cohesive and
rather addictive! Opener ‘Vagina Denata’, gets things to a
very rocking start with a pounding rhythm which sees Masi
deliver all kinds of smouldering electric and acoustic solo
lines, yet the underpinning rhythm helps keep the solo
sections all within the boundaries of good taste. ‘You Asked’
is quite atmospheric seeing Masi play more sustained lines
with an almost dreamy tonal quality. ‘Antistructure’ is a
highlight and something that Dream Theater fans would be able
to digest quite easily. ‘Love Is A Resonance’ begins with
clean chordal textures over which Macaluso delivers some great
drumming before Alex’s lead lines work nicely over the
backing. ‘Asparagus Piss’ is built around another impressive
Macaluso drum pattern and is one of the more straightforward
tracks on the album and home to guitar work that will please
any fans of Masi’s previous works. ‘Disembodied In Mojave’
is home to eastern textures whilst ‘Tiktaalik In Evolution’ is
not sort of like an updated and heavier Mahavishnu Orchestra
and another highlight. ‘The Smell Of Weightlessness’ is a
superb slice of progressive fusion with more eastern textures
and more sublime guitar work from Masi. ‘Telling England By
The Sound’ pays homage to the british progressive movement of
the 70’s whilst ‘His/Her Dosage’ heads back to space age
fusion textures. ‘Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t’ is slow tempo’d
and haunting whilst closer ‘Unsolved’ is a collection of sound
samples fused together for a mystical closing.
‘Late Nights At Desert Rimrocks’ may initially surprise Masi
fans expecting neo-classical output, but for those that have
delved deeper into the Masi repertoire with works such as MCM
you will have a slight feel for what to expect here. Overall
the album is a rewarding experience with time and is home to
great guitar work and drum work and comes recommended.
Rating – 80%
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