REVIEW: Armored Saint – Symbol of Salvation (1991)

ARMORED SAINT – Symbol of Salvation (1991 Metal Blade)

In 1991, an hour-long album was becoming standard.  In Armored Saint’s case, it’s all killer no filler.

It wasn’t an easy time for the metal pioneers.  Founding guitarist and songwriter Dave Prichard died of leukemia far too young.  He left behind a handful of songs on a 4-track demo.  All but seamlessly, Jeff Duncan of Odin filled his spot, while original guitarist (and brother of drummer Gonzo) Phil Sandoval returned to the band.  With lead vocalist John Bush, and bassist Joey Vera, this lineup is still current today…although the band obviously broke up when John joined Anthrax for Sound of White Noise!

Although Symbol of Salvation was a triumph and a fine tribute to Prichard, the band did split afterwards.  It was 1991, and there was little future for a band like Armored Saint.  Fortunately they made this one count.

Symbol of Salvation is unrepentantly heavy.  Opener (and lead single) “Reign of Fire” is notable for a number for things.  1) Its incredible heavy chug (written by Prichard).  2) John Bush’s voice, straining at the leash every time he screams. 3) Incredibly crisp and heavy production by Dave Jerden.  4) The very evil looking music video.  5) An awesome chorus!  The album would be worth buying for this one song, but fortunately the other 12 are also great.

No less massive, “Dropping Like Flies” is melodic viciousness.  Without the speed of “Reign of Fire”, it still retains that screamin’ heaviness.  Another highlight is the more mainstream “Last Train Home”, an emotional and strong track that acted as second single.  The indelible chorus is impossible to forget.  This leads into the heavy “Tribal Dance”, spotlighting the percussion of Gonzo.  Joey Vera’s bass work is also impressive here (as it always is).  This is jungle metal, perhaps, a stomping romp through the bush with blades unsheathed.

One of the more divisive songs might have been “The Truth Always Hurts”.  To these ears, the riff (P. Sandoval/J. Duncan) sounds like sleaze metal from two years prior.  You could imagine Poison writing a song around it, though obviously not as heavy!  Make no mistake, “The Truth Always Hurts” is heavy, but there are elements here that could work in other genres if stripped of the crunch.

Backwards guitar introduces “Half Drawn Bridge”, an ominous and progressive instrumental which introduces the ballad “Another Day”.  It is unfortunate that this song never had a chance like Metallica ballads soon would.  It is reminiscent of some of the ballads that Testament were known to do.  In case you were worried, it picks up when it’s time for the solos!

The title track “Symbol of Salvation” is a riff monster.  Perhaps Hetfield wishes he wrote a reptillian riff as lethal as this one.  Brilliant heavy track; Bush at peak scream.  Then, there’s a chugging guitar like “Street Justice” by Twisted Sister, which soon breaks loose into the main riff of “Hanging Judge”.  Another riff, another chorus, another metal should-be classic.  That is nothing compared to “Warzone”, like Iron Maiden on anabolic steroids.  That is to say, it has the delicacy of some of Maiden’s work, but with the beefy pummelling of a boxing glove.  “Warzone” could be the highlight deep cut – what soloing too!

There is still plenty of metal to go.  In an earlier age, Symbol of Salvation would have been a double album (or at least a 3-sider!) but its length is not a weakness.  “Burning Question” brings back the speed.  It leaps and bounds, once again with brilliant solo work by Duncan/Sandoval.  Yet it’s the riff you’ll keep coming back to (if not the chorus).

Perhaps the most impressive song from a technical point of view is “Tainted Past”, the only song with a Dave Prichard guitar solo.  They painstakingly pulled his haunting and emotional solo from a demo cassette, and seamlessly used it in this track that Joey Vera wrote.  It’s jazzy and progressive to start, before Gonzo’s rock beats begin.  It’s definitely unusual and unlike any other song on the album.  You could say it’s album epic, which suits, since it’s over seven minutes long.

An album like this deserves a memorable closer.  That would be “Spineless”, a thrashing good time, and probably the fastest song on the album.  Bookending the album with the fastest tunes, “Reign of Fire” and “Spineless”, was a cool move.  It’s a neckbreaker for sure.  “Spineless!  That’s what you are!”

Every metal fan owes it to themselves to check this album out at least once.  Do it.

4.5/5 stars


Don’t forget to check out John Clauser’s excellent album battle episode – Symbol of Salvation vs. Sound of White Noise!

 

REVIEW: Blaze Bayley – War Within Me (2021)

BLAZE BAYLEY – War Within Me (2021

In 2021, Blaze Bayley released one of his finest solo albums, War Within Me.  It was his 10th studio album and somehow it was also his best, rivaling his work with the inimitable Iron Maiden.  It is also his most Maiden-esque, though heavier.  Blaze fails to fall into lyrical cliches and presents a series of cutting riffs, elevating this album to apex predator status.

Opening with a blitzkrieg of battering drums and lightning fast riffing, the title track “War Within Me” is exactly what it sounds like.  It is a battle for the mind!  “Never give up, I won’t back down!” howls Blaze, singing as strongly as he did 30 years ago.  “War within me, every day I fight!”  What an opening!  A mission statement from Blaze, with ribbons of guitars ensnared with cannon-blasts of beats.

Blaze takes us from the battle of the mind to the Battle of Britain of World War II.  The RAF No. 303 squadron is the subject of “303”.  Of course, this is a subject Blaze is familiar with, since Iron Maiden targeted the Battle of Britain with their own “Aces High”, one of Blaze’s top ten Maiden songs that he didn’t sing on.  Like the opening track, this one too blasts forth with the throttle locked on full.  Importantly, Blaze maintains a firm lock on vocal melodies and guitar harmonies.  It’s very Maiden-esque, but cranked.

Blaze wisely slows things down on the third track, “Warrior”, one of the man’s very best songs of his whole career, before he speeds up once again.  The guitar breaks are very Maiden-esque, perhaps even more like Bruce Dickinson’s latter-day solo work with Roy Z.  This is tasty metal, sprinkled with explosive guitar spark.  “I can be a warrior, with courage to rise up again!” growls Blaze like he means it.  Along similar inspirational lines is “Pull Yourself Up”, a grinder that takes the tempo back a notch or two.  The chorus on this one will eventually work its way into your skull like a drill.  One of the riffs is very much like present day Maiden.  The lyrics are obviously very personal to Blaze, with lines like “They said I could not sing.”  This is something you see from those who don’t know.

Stop doubting yourself,
Questioning yourself,
Stop hating yourself,
To believe in yourself.
Control my own thoughts,
Control my own mind,
They said I could not sing,
Come and sing with me!

“Witches Night” is one that takes a few listens to sink in.  Once it does, the chorus sticks.  The acoustic guitar segments add texture to the album, and again there’s a late Maiden quality to it.  Then, “18 Nights” also takes a listen or three to hit properly.  This is a simple tale of a South American tour – flights and earthquakes, oh my!  “Evacuate to higher ground!” warns Blaze.  “Stop the show!”  A blazing winner – pardon the pun.

War Within Me has a semi-conceptual segment that I call the “scientist trilogy”.  There are three parts:  “The Dream of Alan Turing” about AI, “The Power of Nikola Tesla” about free energy, and “The Unstoppable Stephen Hawking” regarding his survival against the odds.  “They only gave him three years to live, but Hawking defied them!”  This track is all about not listening to those who say there is no hope.  “They don’t know everything!” bellows Blaze.  All three songs are excellent, each one different, but all three possessing a mighty Maiden-esque strength, heavier than that band but with similar flavours.  Brilliant choruses on all three.

Appropriately, the album concludes with a ballad called “Every Storm Ends”.  It’s about overcoming, which Blaze has certainly done.  With War Within Me, Blaze has topped everything he released before under his own name.  Not bad after 35 years making music.

4.5/5 stars

The Awesomeness of Blaze Bayley – Celebrating 40 years of music with Mike and the Mad Metal Man

Three cheers for the Mad Metal Man!  For over a year of co-hosting Grab A Stack of Rock, he has earned the right to pick his own show topic!  His punch card is full, witness below and see for yourself!  And what did he pick with his full punch card?  He picked Blaze Bayley!  And he doubled down.  Foregoing the rules (again), Harrison didn’t pick a Nigel Tufnel Top Ten.  No, Harrison technically picked 22 songs.  All Blaze or Blaze Bayley-branded versions.

I chose songs from all three eras of Blaze:  Wolfsbane, Iron Maiden, and solo.

Harrison and I only had one song in common.  That means combined we have given you 32 songs to check out.  Harrison and I also provided a lot of context and background to our picks (Harrison more so than I!) and we hope that this episode is in-depth enough for the Blaze diehards.  And we know there are Blaze diehards out there.

We also took a look at some physical rarities:  Two Iron Maiden X Factor Japanese CDs, an X Factor singles box set, two lenticular Virtual XI CDs, a “Holy Grail” live album, one CD that Mike needs, one CD that Harrison needs, and a Wolfsbane cassette.

I sincerely hope you take the time to watch this passionate, insightful episode about a singer that deserves more of your attention, Blaze Bayley.

 

 

Tune in next week as we dive into Metallica!

 

We get (Future)Real with BLAZE BAYLEY (Iron Maiden, Wolfsbane, Blaze)! Top 11 of the Silicon Messiah! Celebrating 40 years of music on Grab A Stack of Rock!

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man

Episode 42:  Top 11 of the Silicon Messiah, Blaze Bayley!

This time Harrison’s not here by contractual obligation only.  The Mad Metal Man is in the driver’s seat for one of his favourite artists of all time:  Blaze Bayley!

From his time in Wolfsbane, to his two underrated Iron Maiden platters, and his exceptional solo career, tonight we’ll be talking all things Blaze!  There will be a Nigel Tufnel Top Ten tunes, and as an added bonus, Harrison will break down all the Easter eggs in his amazing Blaze Bayley show art.  How many can you spot?  Leave them in the comments, and check out the show tonight to see if you were right.

Blaze Bayley has two studio albums with Iron Maiden, plus a double greatest hits compilation.  As a solo artist he has released ten studio albums and seven live albums.  Wolfsbane did five studio albums and a number of singles and EPs.  He has toured with Paul Di’Anno, Geoff Tate and Ripper Owens.  There is a lot of music to choose from.

WARNING:  There will be shenanigans.

Blaze Bayley – “Born as a Stranger”, yet sharp as “Steel”!  Long may he reign.  Appreciate the man and the music with us tonight on Grab A Stack of Rock.

 

LIVE Friday Nov 24 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!

REVIEW: Arkells – Campfire Chords (2020)

ARKELLS – Campfire Chords (2020)

March, 2020:  the world came to a sudden halt as the Covid-19 pandemic spread from city to city, nation to nation.  We isolated in our homes and offices to keep our loved ones safe, and we waited it out.  For bands, everything stopped.  Gigs were cancelled, and recordings had to be done remotely from home.  On the bright side, this resulted in some brilliant music from legacy bands.  For the Arkells, it meant stopping all work on the next studio album (Blink Once) and separating for four months.  At the encouragement of bassist Nick Dika, the band got down to their singer-songwriter basics with a series of stripped-down versions of the “greatest hits” (so to speak).  Keyboardist Anthony Carone assembled the individual pieces into something cohesive, and Campfire Chords was born!  The title refers to the “campfire test”:  if a song sounds good done acoustically around a campfire, then it’s a good song.  Bon Jovi have a similar philosophy.

Campfire Chords opens with a surprisingly somber “Knockin’ At Your Door”, which was more of an anthem in its single release.  Souful backing vocals and pedal steel guitar gives it an entirely new feel.  Although everything about the melody is the same, it feels like a new song.

Following this is a brand new song:  “Quitting You”.  This lovely acoustic country ballad is just a beautiful love song.  Fiddles and acoustic guitars ring clean, while tambourines jangle in the background.  “I thought of maybe quittin’…but there’s no quittin’ you.”   Because it’s the Arkells, there are some cool “woah-oh-oh” singalongs too, because what’s a campfire without a singalong?  An Arkells classic.

A second new song, “Years in the Making” opens with harmonica and a strong Max Kerman melody.  This track later appeared on Blink Once in a vastly different arrangement.  A true Arkells anthem, you can hear it on this stripped down version.  It’s all about the melody, and then the hit of the chorus.  The piano break in the middle is really nice.

One of their earliest hits, “Whistleblower”, is slowed down and intensified with soulful backing vocals and steel guitars.  This one simmers, compared to the manic original.  It has a different kind of intensity, but the tension is there.  Another early hit, “Michigan Left” from the same album comes across really well acoustically.  The “woah-oh!” chorus is intact, and though it’s slower, it’s just as uplifting.  An even earlier song, from their debut album Jackson Square, called “I’m Not the Sun” comes next.  It’s gentle and floaty, though the lyrics are dark.  “So don’t let me be your guiding light, ’cause I’ll get you lost in the dark, I’m not the sun, there’s no guarantee, ’cause I burn out hard like a spark.”  Returning to the present day, “Don’t Be A Stranger” from the Rally Cry album is a song that might be an improvement.  Taking off the layers of polish, but leaving the string section in, it just breathes really smoothly now.  It’s the same song, but it hits differently.

An absolute highlight of this album is the new version of “Comes to Light” from their best album High Noon.  There’s a Bruce Cockburn feel to the guitars; quintessentially Canadian.  This one just cuts clean through.  The steel guitar is featured again, and the melodies shine.  “And with my headphones on, as I fall asleep, you’re my barricade from intruding dreams.”  While the original is hard to top, this one has magic to it that can’t be defined.  A masterclass in re-imagining.

Another Arkells classic, “A Little Rain (A Song For Pete)” takes us to church!  The Arkells go gospel, and do it like it’s second nature!  The rich choir-like backing vocals lend it an undeniable authenticity, but Max Kerman absolutely nails it too.  Not bad for a guy who, by the lyrics, “never tried religion”.  A little rain ain’t bringing him down goes the chorus, and that feeling is washed upon the listener like a baptism.  Pay attention to Nick Dika’s expressive and lyrical bass work.

Back to Rally Cry, the anthem “Eyes on the Prize” is stripped down to just acoustic and voice.  Though it was written pre-pandemic, one lyric rings way more true from the perspective of 2020:  “I think I’m done with the motherfuckin’ hiatus”!  The choir returns with Max on the chorus, and a harmony chimes in, but the music remains mostly simple acoustic guitars and soulful singing.

Revisiting the early years again, the light and airy “Book Club” is a delight.  The backing vocalists enhance its soulful feel, which was always there on the album version.  Following this is the slow and moving “And Then Some” from Morning Report.  One of the Arkells most beautiful love songs, it falls in the category of “personal favourite”.  The original has a real pulse to it, and this one is quite different in that way, but there’s also a newly acquired softness to it.  “Kiss Cam” from Michigan Left works well, given the lyrics.  “This campfire won’t last forever, the Hip have only wrote so many songs.”  Sadly true.  “We can’t stay up north for the summer, head back to the city, find a job.”  Can relate!  Speaking of personal favourites, Jen loves “My Heart’s Always Yours” in particular.  This acoustic version is transformed into much softer fare, like a dreamy morning anthem.

A steel guitar-laden version of the anthem “Hand Me Downs” is a back-end highlight.  Then “11:11”, already a brilliant single in its own right, is enhanced by the acoustic treatment.  This is another one that may in fact surpass the original.  At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal taste.  If you have more attachment to one version of another, that’ll colour what you prefer.

Finishing out the CD are the anthem “Relentless”, which always had a soul/R&B flavour.  Here it simmers intensely like hot pavement.  The closing track is the immortal “Leather Jacket” from High Noon, known to laymen as the “pay phone song”.  Steel guitars take us out to the country and that’s where the album goes as it rides off in the sunset like some kind of Canadian cowboy driving a dusty pickup truck through the gravel.  This is tagged by a lovely singalong (with horns) of the main hook, “You call me up from a pay phone, and I said who the fuck uses a pay phone!  There’s a crazy New Orleans outro like you’ve never heard, and that’s it!

These kind of “re-imagining” albums (if you will) can be so hit and miss.  I mentioned Bon Jovi earlier.  Remember that atrocity they did, This Left Feels Right?  It was so, so wrong.  The Arkells made no such mis-step here.  They key is…they didn’t have to take a left turn.  They just needed to turn to a different side of their sound, and focus in like that for a whole album.  The result is an acoustic album that has depth, variety, and in some cases, some versions that could top the originals.

You can’t get “Quitting You” anywhere else; to date this is its only release.

4.5/5 stars

#1095: Mental Health Plan: Gutterballs! (Jen Kicks Mike’s Butt at Bowling – with video)

RECORD STORE TALES #1095:
Mental Health Plan: Gutterballs! (Jen Kicks Mike’s Butt at Bowling – with video)

Part of my mental health plan this winter is getting out more.  Movies, dinners, that sort of thing.  Jen loves bowling, so she took me out bowling for the first time in many years.  Five pin bowling is her jam.  Her lanes at Towne Bowl just closed, but Victoria Bowl isn’t far.  We rolled in to roll, right at noon.

Now, it’s no secret I’ve been having problems with my right arm.  You’ve seen it on Grab A Stack of Rock all wrapped up in braces and Tensor bandages.  There’s some serious pain going on there and sometimes even working on a mouse all day can leave me in agony.  So, this was a big test for me.  Can I bowl for an hour?  Is this a viable option for spending time in the winter?

The answer to both questions is yes (sorta), and yes.  Sorta, because though I could bowl for an hour, I got noticeably worse after about 30 minutes and Jen proceeded to kick my entire ass.

Jen had the best score of her bowling career to date.  I started strong, but pulled one of my worst scores on my last game.

We had a lot of fun.  Because we were so early in the day, we had a whole side of the place to ourselves.  We were at ease and because there was nobody else around, I filmed a bit of it.  I’m always at my happiest when I can be creative, and I was able to bring that side of it into the game.

My elbow is paying for it now, and my right hand and wrist are a bit rough, but that’s how you build up strength and get past this stuff.  Next time I’ll stretch first, though – that was a mistake.  My thighs….

But we did it, and we had a great time doing it.  Mission accomplished.

Kicking winter’s ass one pin at a time.  Let it begin.

Music:  The Last Train by Tee Bone Erickson

 

You can see my score decline as the pain set in.

REVIEW: Whitesnake – Here I Go Again: The Whitesnake Collection (2002)

WHITESNAKE – Here I Go Again: The Whitesnake Collection (2002 Universal)

Back in the days before David Coverdale began lovingly curating his 80s catalogue with expansive box sets and assorted compilations, the record labels were doing it for him.  And, all things considered, they were milking it pretty hard with very little in terms of added value to the fans who already had a decent collection.  2002’s Here I Go Again: The Whitesnake Collection might have been the first one really worth buying.

At its moment of conception, it was probable and perhaps likely that a large number of Whitesnake fans didn’t already own all three of the Geffen albums on CD.  Perhaps they just owned Greatest Hits, or 1987.  Rather than force fans to buy (or re-buy) a three disc set for all that material, Universal gathered 24-bit remasters of the three albums with some associated bonus tracks and released it all as more affordable two disc set.  It offered good value for fans looking to get those albums digitally, or those just trying to acquire the bonus tracks.

Starting off with the rare “Radio Remix” of “Here I Go Again”, a familiar song leads the charge.  This unusual version has Dan Huff on guitar, Denny Carmassi on drums, and Bill Cuomo on keyboards.  It’s shorter without that long “keyboard heaven” opening.  As a radio remix, it has choppier guitars, more keyboards, and prominent female backing vocals.  Huff’s solo is refreshing after being used to Adrian Vandenberg’s for so long.

From there, the compilation delves into the albums, in their US mixes and running orders.  Therefore, Slide It In kicks off with “Slide It In” just as I remember it.  It will always be debated which version of Slide It In was superior, the original UK or the partially re-recorded US mix.  I have long maintained that the US had more punch, and I still prefer it.  John Sykes was a powerful force, and his modern guitar squeals helped push Whitesnake into the 80s (for better or for worse).  From there the album runs through the big singles “Slow An’ Easy” and anthemic “Love Ain’t No Stranger”.  These two songs alone are worth buying the album for, but the deep cuts are strong.  “All or Nothing” and “Gambler” are darker, while “Guilty of Love has an upbeat rock singalong power.  “Hungry For Love”, “Give Me More Time” and the cheeky “Spit It Out” are all memorable, but the dramatic “Standing In the Shadow Of Love” remains one of the most impressive Whitesnake closers to date.

There are no Slide It In-era bonus tracks included, but the next album 1987 is augmented with plenty.  We already had the radio remix, so the disc dives in with opener “Crying In the Rain”, actually a re-recording of a track from Saints & Sinners, just like “Here I Go Again” itself.  The CD runs through all of Side One of 1987 and partly into Side Two, with “Children of the Night” being the last song on the disc.  This is the one and major flaw with The Whitesnake Collection:  the oddly timed split between Discs One and Two.  “Here I Go Again” (the album version) was meant to close Side One of 1987, but these things can’t be helped.

After you blast through that remarkable album and all the John Sykes guitar fireworks it contains, you are treated to a number of extras.  UK-only songs “You’re Gonna Break My Heart Again” and “Looking For Love” should have been on the US album.  One rocker and one ballad, they aren’t really like any of the other songs and could easily have strengthened an already mighty album.  Then, for the fans that have always wanted to hear the one and only solo that Vivian Campbell recorded with Whitesnake, you are given the single mix of “Give Me All Your Love” (1988).  An odd choice for a single originally when better songs were available, but significant due to Vivian’s tenure with the band.  His solo is more whammy-inflected and shreddy, but it is still memorable and fitting.  Weirdly, Campbell is not credited in the booklet though Sykes and Vandenberg are.  The final bonus track of this era is the lovely keyboard ballad B-side “Need Your Love So Bad”, a re-recording of a Slide It In-era B-side.  A song that could have even been a single!  This showcase for David’s vocals features only keyboards and the man himself; no other instruments.

Some fans would stop the disc here and hit eject, for the controversial Steve Vai era is next with Slip of the Tongue.  An acquired taste, or perhaps not acquirable at all, Slip of the Tongue was a left turn.  Going even slicker and more modern, Coverdale eschewed the blues for the most part and took his band of pirates space truckin’.    For Steve Vai fans, this album features his most commercial playing, for he didn’t write any of the songs.  Adrian did, but was sidelined by injury.  Now with Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge on bass and drums, the band was completely different from the 1987 version!  David was pushing his voice into a higher register and it never quite sounded the same ever since.  Though Slip of the Tongue was a powerful statement in the world of inventive guitar fireworks, it ultimately proved unpopular with those who preferred when David was singing the blues.  Results may vary, but the perennial Vai-era bonus track “Sweet Lady Luck” closes the disc as it should.  It does not have the Chris Lord-Alge remix of “Now You’re Gone”, but hey.

There are minimal liner notes and photos, and it’s amusing to read the notes from the perspective of a time when Whitesnake was no longer a band.  (They reunited in 2003.)  However the value here is getting all this music and relevant bonuses all in one place for a good price.  It just made sense.

4/5 stars

 

Rock Daydream Nation: Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet – Did this album neuter 80s Hard Rock?

Here is the latest in a series of super-secret collaborations I have been working on! Peter Kerr invited me back onto Rock Daydream Nation to discuss Bon Jovi’s landmark breakthrough, Slippery When Wet.  Did this album essentially ruin hard rock for the next four years?  Peter and I took opposing views, though hardcore Bon Jovi fans will be happy with neither of us after watching this episode.

The thing I disagreed with Peter the most on was his assessment of the talents of Richie Sambora.  I encourage Peter to check out some of the tracks I mentioned in this episode to appreciate the talents of the guitarist (and vocalist).

I hope we don’t get killed by mobs of angry Bon Jovi Karens for this video.  Proceed with caution!