Slam Glory

REVIEW: Stir of Echoes – Stir of Echoes (2008)

STIR OF ECHOES – Stir of Echoes (2008 Stir Records)

When Hamilton’s near-legendary metal band Mystique broke up at the end of the 1980s, singer Ray D’Auria bounced back with the hard rocking Slam Glory.  That is a story and album unto itself.  D’Auria’s next major release was a full lengther with quartet Stir of Echoes.  The band formed in 2006 with a self-titled CD release in 2008.  According to a note from filmmaker Marco D’Auria, the album was engineered by Steve Negus of Saga fame.  What musical avenues would Ray explore this time, two decades after the end of Mystique?

The answer is:  if Mystique was metal, and Slam Glory was hard rock, then Stir of Echoes is good old rough n’ raw classic rock.  A heavier Led Zeppelin, perhaps.

Ray’s voice has transitioned to a rougher, more raspy delivery though still with the power and range we expect.  Opener “Sentimental” boasts some slippy-slidey guitar bits and bites, while a locked-in bass/drum groove keeps things moving.  This bluesy rocker is world class.  I like how the rhythm guitar part drops out when the solo comes in – very live sounding.  That’s Marco Ciardullo on guitar.

Track two, “Alone” is an upbeat rocker with Ray shredding the vocal cords throughout.  It’s actually a bit of a drum showcase on the side, with plenty of solos and fills by Darryl Brown.  There’s a bit of Zeppelin in the vocal delivery when Ray sings, “I, I…” at the midway point.  A brilliant track that smokes with a bass solo (by Carmine…just Carmine) and impressive musical exposition.

The groove of “Sold It All to Fame” recalls the classic British blues of bands like Humble Pie.  It sounds like it was born from a jam.  There’s a tasty guitar riff to bite into.  Following this groove, they go heavier on “Bonefoot” which might recall a Sabbathy vibe, circa the first three or four albums, in the riff and looseness.  “Lies, lies, lies!” screams Ray D’Auria like a man wronged.

Stir of Echoes slow things to a nocturnal crawl on the blues “In the Cold”.  Many classic heavy rock bands boast a classic slow blues, and this sounds like Stir of Echoes’ stab at the genre.  The band gets to stretch out musically while Ray focuses on the pain.  “All of this time…alllll of this time…”  Like a classic-era rock singer, Ray sounds out of another decade.

The burner gets turned up to 10, and things start smoking again on “Little Dog”, an absolute blitz.  Then they go for a more fun vibe on “Shot Gun”, which has one riff that definitely reminds us of Zep’s “How Many More Times”.  You have to question how Ray could sustain this kind is singing!  It’s top level, at all times, with the rasp and high notes!  At the end of the song, they ignite the afterburners and the whole thing goes stratospheric.

The first respite on the album lies within the acoustic intro of “Burning in the Rain”, the closest thing they offer to a power ballad.  Emphasis on the power.  Really, it’s more of a bluesy showcase for Ray to offer up some of his most passionate singing.  “Shake” takes things back to boogie, and the mid-tempo groove really allows the bassline to breathe.  This is a great song to dance or drink to.

The only song you might consider “soft” would be the acoustic closer “Too Late”.  Very Zeppelin III in feel.  The lack of volume allows Ray to lay back a bit and really just sing.  It’s just him and some acoustics, so the spotlight is on, and he uses it well.  Brilliant performance.

Except “Too Late” isn’t the closer!  There is an unlisted bonus track called “Wild Eye” which may be the best of the bunch!  It’s certainly one of the most memorable.  The stuttery opening riff is just a little different from the pack.

Stir of Echoes aren’t as diverse as Mystique, and the subject matter is more grounded.  Stir of Echoes is more laser-focused on a specific kind of rock, and they go all-in.  They do what they do very well.  The last band that attempted this kind of sound and did it this well was called Badlands.  If you know, you know.  Get it.

4/5 stars

VIDEO: Unboxing Amazon, and Gift from Slam Glory & Marco D’Auria

They say if you do anything, it has to be on camera these days. In this case, I agree.  In this video you will see:

  • A generous gift from Marco D’Auria and Slam Glory received with genuine warmth.
  • Some remastered glam/”hair” metal, in preparation of an upcoming episode of Rock Daydream Nation with Peter Kerr.
  • A Japanese import of the Durling pursuasion.
  • Gratitude.

I still can’t find the words so “thank you” will have to do for now.

 

MOVIE REVIEW: Mystique – Standing on the Firing Line (Guest video review by Uncle Meat)

Thanks to Marco D’Auria for the use of three exclusive movie clips in this review.

Last Train: The Mystique documentary with Marco D’Auria and special guest Martin Popoff

The Last Train – The MYSTIQUE Film

A big thanks to Marco D’Auria and special surprise guest Martin Popoff, for schooling us on Mystique!  From Hamilton Ontario, Mystique were a metal band with a riffy progressive rock bent.  Though they later evolved into a more hard rock sound, their metal side seems to be what has stuck with fans and collectors over the decades.  Their highly sought physical product commands high prices for original copies.  In this interview we covered:

  • The starting point, and Martin’s role in the genesis of the film
  • Mystique, their sound, image, and rare releases
  • Exclusive clips from the documentary film Mystique:  Standing on the Firing Line
  • Rare memorabilia
  • The Hamilton music scene
  • The future

See what the fuss was all about in Standing on the Firing Line: the Mystique documentary!  The film will be premiering in September:

The Westdale
1014 King Street West
Hamilton, ON L8S 1L4

Friday September 16, 7:30 PM

The band will be there, memorabilia will be on display in a “Mystique museum” of sorts.  Martin Popoff will be on hand and Marco will be introducing the film in person.  Tickets are still available.  Get your tickets by clicking here.

Additionally, we made the difficult announcement that this episode will be the final LeBrain Train.  Two and a half years ago, a pandemic changed everything about the way we interact socially.  Now the world is changing again and I need to re-prioritise certain things in my life. I spent a lot of Friday nights in front of a screen talking to you, laughing with you, sharing with you and surviving a pandemic with you.  Now I’d like to spend Friday nights looking at sunsets with Mrs. LeBrain.

It has been a pleasure and a privilege doing this for two and a half years, and I thank you all for making it possible!

Thank you to Meat, Harrison, Tee Bone, Kevin, Sarah, John, Geoff, Aaron, Marco, Tim, Rob Daniels, Robert Lawson, Max, Dr. Dave, Dr. Kathryn, James, J, Lana, Erik, Thussy, Dranovous, Michael Morwood, Mike Slayen, Brian, Brent, T-Rev, Scotty, Mom, and anyone I may have forgotten for coming on the show and bringing your own special sauce to the mix.  And of course, to Chris Sarre who I could never get to agree to come onto the show, but was still part of the heart and soul of it anyway.

I love you guys.  Truly I do.  Towards the end of the show, we played a brand new Tee Bone song called “The Last Train”.  It is a collaboration with Dr. Kathryn Ladano on bass clarinet.  I think it’s one of the best things they’ve ever done.

The Last Train…wow that’s hard to believe.  See you somewhere out there, some time, eventually!

Marco D’Auria takes us on the Firing Line with the Mystique Film! Live tonight!

The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike & Harrison

Episode 114 – MYSTIQUE – Standing on the Firing Line with Marco D’Auria

Canadian Filmmaker and Contrarian Marco D’Auria is back on the LeBrain Train tonight to discuss his new film Mystique: Standing on the Firing Line!  Mystique was a progressive metal band that formed in Hamilton Ontario in the 1980s.  They released a single, a demo, and an EP which today are highly valued collectables.  Their image might have been more hard rock/hair metal, but their music was far more challenging than their look.  Unfortunately the band never released their 1989 album, which was recorded but never properly mixed.  Now Marco is bringing Mystique back to the attention of the metal masses with this documentary which will debut in September.

Harrison and I will be peppering Marco with questions about this band, their discography, and his film.  It is something he is very proud of, and from what little I have seen so far, he should indeed be proud!

Marco will also be doing a giveaway!  In other words – catch this one LIVE.  This will be a special show, and we have more surprises up our sleeves.  Clips from the film (including unreleased music) and more will be going down tonight.  Seriously, don’t miss it.  You know how we do things here.  We like surprises.  Expect surprises.

Friday July 15, 7:00 PM E.S.T.  on YouTube, Facebook and also Facebook!

 

REVIEW: Raw M.E.A.T 3 – Various Artists (1992)

RAW M.E.A.T 3 (1992 M.E.A.T Magazine)

It took a while to be able to review this CD for technical reasons.  From day one, this disc would not play smoothly in any computer.  Most CD players could handle it, but no PC could without skipping horribly.  Independent CD production had iffy quality in the early 90s.  Now using external components I’ve finally been able to rip the album to PC.  I have not played some of these songs in decades!

Raw M.E.A.T 3 was different from the first two volumes.  The first focused on hard rock, the second on thrash.  One band from Raw M.E.A.T 2 went on to big things, that being Varga.  Volume 3 combined all genres of heavy music together on one disc.  From the heaviest of bands (Mindrape, Sinister Fiend, Hanker, Vertical After) to pop rock hooks (Deadline, Raw Trixx, Tryton) and progressive (Destiny, Justin Sane), all bases are covered.  The bands span several provinces from British Columbia to Quebec, whereas the first CD only had groups from southern Ontario.

Highlights are numerous.  Perhaps Russian Blue came in strongest with opener “Mama’s Love”, a modern twist on hard rock.  Deadline were right up there too, with a re-recording of “Friction Addiction” from their excellent first CD.  Raw M.E.A.T 3 is the only place you can get the re-recording, which is slicker and punchier than the original.  Tryton, the only female-fronted band, kicks serious ass on “Burning the Cradle”.  Singer Nina Zzo had the lungs for it!  (They later made an album as Loudshine.)  “A Wonderful Day” by Tempted Fate is another genius track, sounding a bit like “When Death Calls” by Black Sabbath before exploding into a punk rock chorus.

It’s a very diverse CD.  The bands Raw Trixx and Stone Valley both put in strong entries with “Time” and “Forever Gone” respectively.  These groups employ older hard rock sounds in spite of the changing tides of rock.  Slam Glory’s “Say It Like You Mean It” also fits that mold.  Fans of early Queensryche and Scorpions might enjoy Destiny’s “Man Alone” which brings to mind the trademark sounds of those bands.  Old-school thrash fans will dig the traditional speedy chug of Hanker and Vertical After.  The Cult-like No Morals had an enjoyable, unconventional 90s edge.  For Faith No More funkiness, it’s Sinister Fiend.  Overlord’s “Never Enough” has a tough metal punch but with punk-like recklessness.  “And if I sound bitter, it’s because I am!”  Even Christian rock makes an appearance.  Thunder Rider’s “For Christ’s Sake” isn’t bad, but the Quebec band had an early unfortunate image including swords, shields and hammers.

My favourite track of them all is “Illusion” by Justin Sane, which should have become a massive hit in 1992.  The four piece band combined modern metal grooves with quality lead vocals and musicianship to create a nearly seven-minute behemoth of a song.  It was recorded (like several of the songs here) at the renowned Metalworks Studios in Mississauga.  Shame the band had a jokey name, as it does not accurately depict their music.  There is a Justin Sane EP out there, reissued in 2006 as a split album with a band called Native Tongue, but it’s impossible to find.

I also approve of the names of the members of Vertical After:  Kick, Stu, Rhys and Odd.  I definitely want to be friends with anyone named Odd.

For the variety of quality hard rock, heavy metal and miscellaneous good stuff, Raw M.E.A.T 3 serves as an enjoyable listen and gateway to some bands you’ve never heard of before.  Off to Discogs to look for more!

4/5 stars