hard rock

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Honkin’ On Bobo (2004)

AEROSMITH – Honkin’ On Bobo (2014 Columbia)

Sometimes we take one for the team. For no reason other than to get it done, we take out albums we strongly dislike just for the sake of writing them up. Sometimes there are pleasant surprises and time has been kinder than our memories have been. And sometimes you’re just Honkin’ on Bobo, whatever the fuck that means. It could be code for Sucking the Big One.

Necessary background:  After 2001’s putrid Just Push Play, Aerosmith were eager to strip it back to basics and record an album live in the studio.  They returned to producer Jack Douglas and picked an album’s worth of blues covers to Aero-fy.  This is a formula that rarely works out well for rock bands, and Aerosmith fell into the blues cover trap with both feet.

The only exception is one new original, a ballady blues called “The Grind”.  It happens to be one of the best tracks, though firmly within that Aerosmith bluesy ballad niche that they carved out for themselves in the early 90s with “Cryin'” and “Blind Man”.  That this is an album highlight is a warning as sure as a watchman yelling “iceberg dead ahead!”  We’re about to take on water, and there aren’t enough lifeboats.

One of Aerosmith’s issues since the mid to late 90s is how they’ve become a caricature of themselves.  Bob Diddley’s “Road Runner” is thick with Aerosmith clichΓ©s to the point that it sounds like an Aerosmith covers band filling their set out with standards.  “Road Runner” isn’t limber, it’s thick in the thighs with thuddy rock tropes.  Joey Kramer injects some life into “Shame, Shame, Shame” but it only makes you wish Aerosmith had tackled the track in 1974 instead of 2004 so it wouldn’t sound so contrived.  “Eyesight to the Blind” (Sonny Boy Williamson) isn’t convincing, as Tyler huffs through the song like a burlesque singer.  “Baby Please Don’t Go” makes you crave AC/DC’s superior version, although the groove on this one is positively unearthly.  It’s an unbelievable groove that perhaps should have been made into an Aerosmith original rather than a throwaway cover.

Aretha’s “Never Loved a Man” is transformed into “Never Loved a Girl”, and with the Memphis Horns on board there’s some value to it, but compared to Aretha they sound like rookies.  Like an amateur artist copying a master with crayons.  “Back Back Train” is actually OK, and it might be that Joe Perry is a more appropriate vocalist for a blues classic.  Tyler’s histrionics wear thin on this album, but Perry’s laid back singing works better.  Tyler surely doesn’t aid the sluggish “You Gotta Move”.

A dreary “I’m Ready” (Muddy Waters) is still a long way from the end.  “Temperature” also drags along, Tyler turning it into a parody.  Fleetwood Mac get the Aero treatment on “Stop Messin’ Around”, at least the second Mac cover that Aerosmith have done after “Rattlesnake Shake”.  Please welcome Joe Perry back to the microphone on “Stop Messin’ Around”, and please keep Tyler away!  Unfortunately it’s a boring tune (blazing fretwork aside), and so is the closer “Jesus is on the Main Line”.

Even the most stalwart defender must concede that Honkin’ On Bobo isn’t a blues album for a blues lover.  It’s a blues-rock forgery that occasionally captures the odd highlight for posterity, but is otherwise expendable.  In other words if you’re in a Zombie apocalypse looking for CDs to chuck at the undead, Honkin’ On Bobo can be flung guilt-free.

1.5/5 stars

And once again, it’s the return of the dreaded flaming turd!

 

 

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REVIEW: Twisted Sister – Live at the Marquee (2011)

“Ladies and gentlemen…Twisted mother fuckin’ Sister!”Β  – Lemmy Kilmister

 

TWISTED SISTER – Live at the Marquee (2011 Rhino Handmade)

First of all, this thing is huge.Β  There’s a CD in there somewhere.

You already know some of these recordings from the Big Hits and Nasty Cuts CD.Β  In 2011, finally, after numerous B-sides and compilations, the entire legendary Marquee club show was made available on CD from the fine folks at Rhino Handmade. Coming in this beautiful (but fragile) cardboard die-cut cover, this was so long overdue.Β  For a long long time people sank many dollars into collecting as many of these live versions as possible.Β  Few collected all the released tracks, but now the entire show is available.Β  That means you get all those B-sides plus a bunch of unreleased songs from the gig, including all the talking.

From Lemmy’s now legendary introduction to the final notes of “Feel So Fine”, this is Twisted Sister at their absolute heaviest. When I first heard five of these recordings as the “Nasty Cuts” on the Big HitsΒ (1992) CD, they turned me off a bit. They were too heavy. Too fast. Too ragged. Too punk rock. Not what I was expecting from what I considered to be a pop rockΒ band, back then. However, Dee’s rants made this so difficult to turn off! You never know what was going to come out of Dee’s mouth next.

Eventually I realized, this stuff is actually Twisted Sister at their absolute best! They are in their element and in their glory, playing these songs for the fans and also the haters in the crowd that night, whom Dee addresses frequently.

I’m sure the bandΒ won the hatersΒ over that night.

The recording is crisp, clear, and powerful. It is in your face.Β  It feels like you are right there on that stage with the band.Β  The mix is perfect.Β  The guitars have good separation and the drums are recorded perfectly.Β  The vocals are also clear and only slightly overpowered by the stampeding band.

Personal fave: “You Can’t Stop Rock And Roll”. The crowd had never heard this one before, being brand new and unreleased.Β  Finally I am hearing a version of “You Can’t Stop Rock And Roll” that lives up to the song’s potential. The album version, as great as it is, isn’t as heavy as it was live. This, my friends, is Sister at their absolute best. I’m saying that without a trace of hyperbole. For me, this is it. This is Twisted Sister at their tightest, fastest, heaviest and inspired. The crowd eats it up.

Honorable Mention: “I Am (I’m Me)”, which comes close to the end of the set. Dee’s voice is off on a few notes, but this is rock and roll baby! I’d pay my life savings to be able to sing as well as Dee did that night!Β  (note: my life savings are not much, but I’d pay ’em anyway.)

Dud: “Leader Of The Pack”. It’s just weird to hear it at a show this insane. It kinda slows things down a bit much (even though it’s so much heavier than the Ruff Cuts version).

5/5Β fuckin’ stars!


Β Β Β Β Β 

 

REVIEW: Faith No More – “From Out of Nowhere” (1990 UK 3 track 7″ single)

FAITH NO MORE – “From Out of Nowhere” (1990 Slash records 3 track 7″ single)

When I was beginning to seriously collect Faith No More in 1991 onwards, I had no idea what was out there.Β  I found the UK 7″ single for “From Out of Nowhere” at a record show in Guelph.Β  There are different versions of this single out there with “Cowboy Song” on the B-side, but that track can also be found on Live at the Brixton Academy.Β  The UK single on Slash/London has two live tracks you can’t find anywhere else, recorded by the BBC on March 2 1990.Β  Shortly after “Epic” was released as a single, but before it went mega.

The problem is, with 10 minutes of music squeezed onto the B-side, this single sounds horribly thin and is ridiculously quiet.Β  Tons of surface noise too.Β  The A-side, which spins at 45 rpm, is better.Β  Have a look at the unaltered waveform in Audacity for comparison.

Faith No More didn’t truly make it big until the end of the (first) vinyl age.Β  The album version of “From Out of Nowhere” was always an excellent song; one of their most “mainstream” if you can call it that.Β  The keyboard hook is the main angle, and Patton’s notable for using that clean nasal voice he discontinued not long after.Β  An excellent song, and a cornerstone of any nutritious Faith No More collection.

The B-side, the exclusive live recordings, rotates at 33 1/3 rpm.Β  Captured in Norwich, “Woodpecker From Mars” is Faith No More’s instrumental classic led by a keyboard violin voice by Roddy Bottum.Β  There is a different performance on a home video called You Fat Bastards (which is the complete Brixton set) but nothing else on audio.Β  “Epic” is disappointingly edited by the BBC.Β  They obscure the line where Mike Patton naughtily sings “get down on it and fuck it some more.”Β  The band sound fresh and almost green with enthusiasm for the song, playing it a bit more straight than they would later on.

On the plus side, this single comes packaged in a gatefold sleeve, a rarity for 7″ release.Β  Inside Mike Patton is givin’ ‘er live on stage.Β  Some kids probably taped this to the wall as-is.

In short, the music is great.Β  The vinyl is not.

2.5/5 stars

REVIEW: Max the Axe – “Randy” Live at the Boathouse – VinylArt.co custom picture disc

There are plenty of services online for cutting your own music to vinyl these days.Β  The one that caught my eye was VinylArt.co, based out of Wales.Β  This company will cut picture discs with your chosen artwork and (legal) music to four sizes:Β  5″, 7″, 10″ and 12″.Β  How well does it work?Β  Read on to find out.

MAX THE AXE – “Randy” (Live at the Boathouse) (VinylArt.co custom picture disc)

“How many times can you say Randy?”

The first thing I need to note is that I didn’t choose a song to put on vinyl for its fidelity.Β  The prime factor behind me spending my money wasn’t to test the product for review, it was to make something that I wanted for myself.Β  It had to be something that you can’t get physically — I wanted to create my own physical product for something that only exists digitally.Β  In 2018, I recorded a song by Max the Axe when they played the Boathouse, and a few people commented that they liked the video.Β  I think the live version of “Randy” they played that night was outstanding.Β  It had bite and presence.Β  Singer Eric “Uncle Meat” Litwiller really gives his all in this version, particularly on the chorus.Β  I decided to turn that version, recorded on my phone, into an “official bootleg” live record.Β  Sound quality wasn’t even a concern in that regard.

VinyArt.co seem to market these records as keepsakes more than a way to play music.Β  For example, you have two packaging options:Β  a coloured paper sleeve, or a frame.Β  You don’t buy frames for records you plan on playing.Β  I planned on playing my Max the Axe “Randy” bootleg.Β  I wanted it to sound decent.Β  Does it?

Actually yeah.Β  It sounds OK for a picture disc.Β  There is surface noise that you can hear during the fades.Β  As you can see from the waveform image below, you also lose volume with a picture disc.Β  By nature it is not going to sound as clean as the original mp3 file that it was made from.Β  However VinylArt “master” the track as part of the process, and it does sound full and beefy enough for my needs.

Unaltered vinyl at top, original mp3 at bottom

It’s a very easy process.Β  All you have to do is upload a photo, and a track that you own (or one from their library).Β  Then you choose the record size.Β  Β The smaller the cheaper, but also the less music that will fit.Β  A 5″ record can only handle up to four minutes, so I had to go with the standard 7″ single.Β  The records are one-sided with a smooth white finish on the B-side.Β  With shipping to Canada, the whole thing cost me $55 CAD and took just over a week.Β  They track the whole process for you, from photo printing to audio mastering to record cutting.

Keep in mind picture discs do not typically offer the same quality as pure black vinyl, but this is something I wanted for myself as a keepsake.Β  The bass is nice and fat and the vocals clear as a bell.Β  Except for the fade-in and fade-out, which are noisy, it sounds like a vinyl record should.Β  About what I expected.

Now Max the Axe can boast that he has been bootlegged to vinyl, and a decent one at that.Β  I can claim to own the only copy in existence, a limited edition of one!Β  The rarest record in my collection.

VinylArt.co aren’t going to make your music sound better than the source material, but it will sound like vinyl.Β  Your music, on a playable picture disc!Β  I plan on ordering something from them again, so if repeating a sale is a way to judge a company, then VinylArt gets the passing grade.Β  And so does Max the Axe!

4/5 stars

REVIEW: Poison – “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” (1988 3″ CD single)

POISON – “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” (1988 Capitol 3″ CD single)

This is a beautiful item that I’m happy to have in my collection.Β  3″ CD singles were uncommon, but you’ve probably seen one before.Β  What is less common is the clamshell 3″ case that this Poison single came in.Β  A lot of 3″ singles came in regular 5″ cases, or a cardboard sleeve.Β  Clamshells are rare.Β  This one, called a “Gem Pak” (patent pending) was specifically made to house a “CD3”, another outdated term.Β  It’s made of white plastic and the artwork is in the form of a sticker which covers the front, back and spine of the case.Β  The Gem Pak’s flaw (patent pending!) is that it does not hold the disc in securely.Β  It wants to pop out.Β  Take care when handling one of these that the disc doesn’t fall out when you open it.

I’m a defender of “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”.Β  I loved it as a kid.Β  I remember some people saying it might be “too country”, which is wasn’t.Β  It’s just an acoustic ballad but a well written one and deserving of its success, if not its notoriety.Β  It tended to spawn a generation of soundalikes, a fuzzy swarm of late 80s acousti-balladry that ultimately only served to take bands like Poison down, while ushering in the grunge era.Β  “Every Rose” broke down walls for Poison, but the backlash was inevitable.Β  When Bill & Ted quoted it to get into heaven in 1991, it was already all over.Β  I can hear all that history when I listen to this single.Β  It’s an excellent song, and even C.C.’s solo, as inarticulate as it is, still fits like an electrically heated glove.

The B-side “Livin’ for the Minute” shows off the heavier side of Poison.Β  Fans might forget that Poison liked to really spit one out every now and then.Β  C.C.’s solo is bonkers on this one, but perfectly suited to the frantic tune.Β  Bret really cuts loose too.Β  Poison actually have some pretty cool B-sides.

These tracks are both available on the remastered Open Up and Say…Ahh!! CD, but you gotta snap this one up if you find it in the wild.

3.5/5 stars

REVIEW: Metallica – “Mama Said” (1996 CD singles one and two)

Part Two of a two-part “Mama Said” review

METALLICA – β€œMama Said” (1996 Vertigo CD singles parts one and two)

In order to get all the songs, you had to buy three separate singles.Β  You needed the 7″ vinyl (reviewed yesterday) and two CD singles.Β  The total payoff was seven B-sides:Β  five live, one demo, one single edit.Β  The 7″ picture disc included “Ain’t My Bitch” live from Irvine Meadows in ’96, and the rest are on the two CDs each sold separately.

The first single ignites the live feast with “King Nothing”, which finds Metallica in an informal mood before kicking into the track.Β  Though “King Nothing” was eventually released on its own as the fourth single from Load, it was never really one of the best songs from that album.Β  It slams heavy enough and would have been fun to mosh to.Β  They go old school on “Whiplash” which has that energy you want out of live Metallica.Β  The old fans boo the new fans, but everybody gets what they want.Β  Lars is sloppy as fuck; what do you expect?Β  When Metallica play stuff like “Whiplash” live it’s not about precision, it’s about energy and this version delivers.

The first CD ends with just a single edit of “Mama Said”, a good ballad with a country twang that some fans might have found unpalatable.Β  It’s shorter by 40 seconds, starting immediately with James’ lead vocal.Β  15 seconds chopped at the start and 20 more at the end.Β  Do Metallica fans need single edits?Β  No; Metallica was always resistant to compromises like that.Β  Paul DeCarli was given the job of the edit, presumably being told to get it safely under five minutes for radio.

“Mama Said” album version (top) and single edit (bottom) waveforms

The second CD in the set wastes no time going for the throat.Β  It’s “So What”, the infamously vulgar Anti-Nowhere League cover that was a B-side for Metallica once upon a time before.Β  It was so notorious that it became a live favourite unto itself, often turning up in the encores.Β  That’s followed by “Creeping Death”, an epic way to cap off the live tracks.Β  That mountainously heavy rock just never lets up until it gives way to another massive one.

The last and most interesting track among the B-sides is the original “Mama Said” demo recorded solely by James and Lars in Ulrich’s basement.Β  Electric guitar at first instead of acoustic, but beautiful.Β  The purity of this version, unadorned as it may be, is the reason to seek it out.Β  The twangy guitar part is in place, as are the lyrics (not always the case with James’ songs).Β  Metallica could easily release an album of their demo versions, but they haven’t so you gotta get the singles.

Seek these out.

4/5 stars

REVIEW: Metallica – “Mama Said” (1996 7″ picture disc single)

Part One of a two-part “Mama Said” review

METALLICA – “Mama Said” (1996 Vertigo picture disc 7″ single)

I can admit that my first Metallica album was Load.Β  I concede that they were more Rocktallica than Metallica on that album, but the fact of the matter is that for the genre, Rocktallica was good!Β  A lot of hard rock and heavy metal albums in the mid-90s were not good.Β  Β Metallica introduced themselves to me with an album that was what I wanted, when I wanted it.Β Β “Mama Said” was the third single from Load, a an acoustic ballad, and with an exclusive live B-side on the vinyl that wasn’t on the CD singles (to be reviewed next).

The 7″ single contains the album version, not the shorter single edit.Β  James Hetfield wasn’t afraid of getting personal in his lyrics anymore, and “Mama Said” is about his late mother.Β  It’s audible that he is getting something deeply important off his chest.Β  The music is notable for its distinct country twang.Β  Trash Metallica all you like, but this sounds great.Β  The thing about Metallica is that they usually (not always) do whatever it is they set out to do, and do it well.

That said, a 7″ picture disc is not the best way to hear Metallica play an acoustic ballad.Β  It can’t deliver the clarity and dynamics that a CD can.Β  The B-side, “Ain’t My Bitch” recorded live in California on August 4 1996, is a louder song and can get away with the format a little better.

James gets the crowd to shout “We don’t give a shit!” a couple times before they break into the song.Β  “Ain’t My Bitch” remains a fun little blast precisely about not giving a shit.Β  “Outta my way, outta my day!”Β  It might not be “Creeping Death” you can’t deny it’s fun to just bang along.Β  “Mama Said” might have been James dealing with deep shit, but “Ain’t My Bitch” says “just forget it and let go”.Β  Kirk Hammett’s solo on this one is mega fun, and it’s always a bonus to get Jason’s Newsted’s backing growls.Β  An underappreciated ex-Metallica member.

Including the tracks released over the two additional CD singles, “Ain’t My Bitch” is the seventh of seven total B-sides to “Mama Said”.Β  All the live ones are from the same show in Irvine Meadows.Β  If you gotta get ’em all, then “Mama Said” you need this picture single too!Β  Shame about the audio quality.

3/5 stars

Part Two tomorrow.

REVIEW: AC/DC – “Shot in the Dark” (2020)

AC/DC – “Shot in the Dark” (2020 Sony single)

Be honest with me.Β  Until recently, did you really expect a new AC/DC album in 2020?Β  The notoriously private band were spotted at a studio in Vancouver a while ago, but aside from that it’s been total radio silence.

Until now.Β  Power Up!

Brian “Beano” Johnson found himself the recipient of brand new, high-tech in-ear monitors enabling him to sing live once again.Β  Phil Rudd put his past behind him.Β  This was enough to get Cliff Williams back on board.Β  Angus Young had been sorting through dozens of riffs written by Malcolm.Β  With nephew Stevie Young still in the fold to play those riffs, AC/DC were a band once more.

2020’s Power Up (orΒ PWRϟUP) will be the first AC/DC album since the death of both George and Malcolm Young.

“Shot in the Dark” is the first single, available now on iTunes when you pre-order the album.Β  “Shot in the dark, beats a walk in the park.”Β  I highly doubt that it was a walk in the park, but the thing about AC/DC is that they make everything better.Β  (This week’s episode of the LeBrain Train was supposed to be about AC/DC bringing us exactly what we needed in 2020.Β  It has obviously been postponed so we can talk about Eddie Van Halen instead.)Β  If Black Sabbath’s “Rock and Roll Doctor” was a real person, there is little question that they would have prescribed us some AC/DC in 2020.Β  We needed this.Β  Like an Aspirin when your head is achin’, we needed a “Shot” of AC/DC.Β  Something bright and shiny to look forward to.

What AC/DC do, only they can do right.Β Β There’s nothing even remotely unique about “Shot in the Dark”.Β  It’s AC/DC.Β  It is what it is and does what it does, and it’s pretty simple.Β  All you need is a beat, a catchy guitar lick, and a belting singer.Β  “Shot in the Dark” has all that.Β  The things that do jump out this time are Angus’ solo — slidey goodness — and the sheer joie de vivre of it all.Β  Brian is sounding great.Β  Some have noted that AC/DC sounds more like the genuine article when Phil Rudd is on drums.Β  His thrift and pocket groove are peanut butter and jelly.

Rating a new AC/DC song is kind of pointless.Β  They always come out with something good, albeit familiar, for a first single.Β  1990’s “Thunderstruck” was an exception.Β  Β It’s been this way since 1995’s “Hard As a Rock”.Β  AC/DC drop a new single, and it’s always the same.Β  Good and familiar.Β  Same thing here.Β  Ratings are meaningless so we’ll call it a perfect score just because we should all be happy as fuck that AC/DC are back.

5/5 stars

REVIEW: Van Halen – Live Without a Net (1987 VHS)

VAN HALEN – Live Without a Net (1987 Warner Reprise VHS/DVD)

I set the VCR to record.Β  MuchMusic were showing the full concert:Β  Van Halen, Live Without a Net!Β  Though they beeped the naughty words, I had to make sure I didn’t miss this special.Β  I’d never heard Van Halen doing Roth tunes with Hagar before!Β  Folks, there was a lot of beeping.

Live Without a Net is undoubtedly goofy, and that is part of its charm.Β  It’s kind of annoying every time Sammy proclaims that they are in “New Halen” instead of New Haven, but I guess he had to.Β  I still don’t understand why Sammy painted that lady’s shoes red.Β  The fact that a roadie had red spray paint on standby was kind of cool though.Β  The band were obviously wasted, but put on a completely epic show nonetheless.Β  It was light on the Roth stuff that Sammy didn’t want to do, like “Jump”, but they also played virtually all of their new album 5150.

The new stuff was heavier on keyboards and for many of the songs, Eddie was playing the keys while Sammy actually played the solos.Β  Unusual for this band; absolutely.Β  Sammy’s solo in “Love Walks In” ain’t half bad.Β  While I enjoyed this change of pace, Bob Schipper did not.Β  “A guy like Eddie Van Halen shouldn’t be stuck on keyboards,” he said.Β  I’ll be honest here.Β  I prefer Eddie playing keyboards live, even if it means Sammy’s on lead guitar.

The friendship between Sammy and Eddie here is obvious.Β  The chemistry is clear.Β  The tension that used to fuel Van Halen is gone here, and in it’s place is simple male comradery.Β  It’s audible in the music, and Eddie can’t stop grinning…except when he’s busy dragging on that cigarette!

With the new tunes dominating the set, there were only two Roth-era numbers.Β  “Panama” was the only big Roth hit, with “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” representing the first LP.Β  Balancing the Roth songs are two Hagar solo tunes, “There’s Only One Way to Rock” and “I Can’t Drive 55”.Β  These are great and you won’t find too many live versions that are better.Β  There were also the usual guitar, drum and bass solos, but Michael Anthony’s is mostly tuneless.Β  A Zeppelin cover, “Rock and Roll”, closes the set.

As kids, Bob and I didn’t care about the Zeppelin song.Β  What we watched the video for was Eddie himself.Β  When it was time for his solo, we studied it.Β  There was no way we could have understood what he was doing on a musical level, but we watched his actual technique.Β  We wondered if he ever burned his hand on that cigarette dangling from the headstock.Β  Eddie’s solo was like opening a science textbook for the first time.Β  Except this was a textbook that looked and sounded absolutely badass!

This always should have been a live album.Β  Edited, of course.Β  You don’t need the shoe painting episode to fully enjoy Van Halen Live Without a Net.*

4/5 stars

 

* The painting of the shoes happened during “Best of Both Worlds” and was edited out when released as a single B-side.

 

REVIEW: Storm Force – Age of Fear (2020 Japanese import)

STORM FORCE – Age of Fear (2020 Japanese import)

If 2020 is indeed the Age of Fear, then at least Storm Force have brought us the album that we deserve for all our suffering.Β  Released before the pandemic but with some eerily relevant lyrics to our current time, Age of Fear is one of the most kickass discs you are going to hear this year.

Storm Force features the stellar talents of former Brighton Rock guitarist Greg Fraser, powerhouse singer Patrick Gagliardi, drum monster Brian Hamilton, and groovin’ bassist Mike Berardelli.Β  Fans of Brighton Rock (R.I.P.) will recognize the tone and stylings of the six-string magician they call Fraze.Β  That said, Gagliardi’s arena-sized vocals cords are what will draw you in to this band immediately.

Storm Force waste little time cutting to the chase.Β  The single-ready “Because of You” opens with some epic sci-fi keyboards that might have you feeling you’re at the intro to a progressive concept album.Β  But then Fraze hits you with a cool stuttery riff, and Patrick’s in your ears with a classic hard rock voice with grit and range to spare.Β  But you want hooks?Β  Storm Force deliver on “Because of You”, a song that would have been a massive hit in an earlier time.

Without letup it’s the title track “Age of Fear”, ushered in by the mountainous drumming of Brian Hamilton.Β  He and Mike Berardelli are locked in.Β  The riff has a bit of Darkness and the melody has shades of Dio. It’s an uptempo blast through midnight, but even that is just a warmup for the third track “Breathe”. With guest vocals from Serena Pryne, it’s a full-on epic. Keyboard accents lend it appropriate drama. This song is massive, powerful and perfect.Β  In another universe, a hit. Watch for a music video coming soon.

“Ember Rain” gives us the first true ballad. The ringing acoustics and storytelling guitar solos recall some of the best of late 80s Whitesnake. Listen to the bass roll, and how the sparingly and effectively the drum fills are used. After a ballad, it’s best to chase it with a heavy headbanger. “Ride Like Hell” is a vicious road tune that Axl Rose wishes he wrote. The chorus nails it home, and the solos are eloquent.

“Dirty Vegas” was the first Storm Force video and you can hear why.Β  With a title like “Dirty Vegas” you can count on a party tune.Β  With bite, and a chorus that goes on for days.Β  Music like this is what we need right now.

Storm Force know you need a comedown after a track like “Dirty Vegas” so an upbeat acoustic-based tune called “More Than You Know” is there to sooth your aching rock hangover.Β  But it’s only temporary as “Marshall Law” has come to bust the door down!Β  It takes a real singer to deliver on a track like this and Gagliardi is world-class.Β  Truly one of the hottest on the scene today and one listen to “Marshall Law” is all it should take to convince you.

These guys know how to pace an album, and a piano ballad called “Different Roads” occupies the all-important second-to-last track.Β  The vocals on this one are on a whole ‘nother level!Β  Gagliardi can do so much with his voice that I could probably convince you that he is actually two singers.Β  For penultimate tracks, “Different Roads” is one of those ballads that could close a record in its own right, but actually sets you up for one more knock to the skull.Β  “Ringside”, like its title suggests, is not a ballad.Β  It’s a high velocity adventure in heavy metal histrionics.Β  And that closes the album with a slam!…

…Unless you’re one of the lucky who owns a Japanese CD (or an iTunes download).Β  The bonus track on those formats is “Weight of the World”, a song certainly equal to the others on the album.Β  A solid rocker, “Weight of the World” might express how some of us feel right now.Β  “The weight of the world is tearing out the heart of me.”Β  Ever felt that way?

Expertly constructed songs.Β  Thoughtful lyrics.Β  World class production by Darius Szczepaniak.Β  Veteran performances by artists at the top of their craft.Β  An album we desperately needed in 2020.Β  Get Age of Fear.

5/5 stars

If you missed it, check out our live interview with Storm Force from September 4 2020 starting at the 0:16:50 mark.Β  Thanks to Superdekes for helping setting that up.