tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30326750830889519282024-03-07T04:33:41.667+01:00Rock & Metal 4 YouThomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.comBlogger268125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-8566869940114635022019-01-19T14:01:00.002+01:002019-01-19T18:30:16.636+01:00CD-Review: AVANTASIA - "Moonglow"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh Tobias Sammet ... you have big shoes to fill. The mastermind behind the worlds most famous Metal Opera AVANTASIA has released a bunch of amazing records in the past, but especially with their 2016 output "Ghostlights" he raised the bar even higher. It was a stunning masterpiece from start to finish. The follow-up , called "Moonglow" , will arrive in just a few weeks and I'll tell you in this review if it can compete with the stunning Avantasia catalogue.</div>
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"Moonglow" is a symbiosis between old and new. That means the structure of the record and the songs are both new, but also familiar. If you look at the line-up you have the same impression: there are a bunch of singers on here, who already appeared on previous Avantasia records, such as Jorn Lande, Michael Kiske, Bob Catley, Eric Martin, Ronnie Atkins and Geoff Tate. And then there are a few new ones: Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian, Candice Night (Blackmoore's Night) and Mille Petrozza (Kreator). Although I love the familiar faces in Avantasia, I would have liked more new voices added to the mix. With that said it is also a bit sad, that Avantasia just relies on singers nowadays. There was a time where you also had different guitar players, drummers and other musicians on the the record, who had their unique style of playing. But as you would expect, every single singer on here did an outstanding job. Beside writing good songs, Tobias Sammet is a master in putting his guests into the right spot and so he did on "Moonglow".</div>
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To get a bit deeper in this Avantasia universe I'll do a little song-by-song review. So the album kicks off with <span style="color: orange;"><b>"Ghost In The Moon"</b></span> and here you have again this symbiosis of old and new: first of all this is a familiar kind of song like "Mystery Of a Blood Red Rose", just with a much more epic scale. But on the other hand it is the first time that a song, which is nearly 10 minutes long, opens an Avantasia album - and the next new thing: just Tobi Sammet appears on vocals. On every other longtrack different singers had their parts to play. But Tobi Sammet did that quiet well. It's a very melodic midtempo song that easily could have been written by Jim Steinmann and throughout it's 10 minutes it never gets boring - you get simply dragged into this Avantasia world again, so it is the perfect opener.</div>
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Next in line is <b><span style="color: orange;">"Book Of Shallows"</span> </b>and this is one of the heaviest Avantasia tracks in recent years. A fast power metal song with whipping drums and a darker tone. But it also features another amazing catchy chorus, intoned by Hansi Kürsch, Ronnie Atkins and Jorn Lande. Those three voices harmonize perfectly with each other. In the middle part Mille Petrozza comes into the game and he also contributes to the more heavy approch of the song. Although I'm not a fan of Kreator it was OK to have him in this track. But here is the downside for all Kreator fans: Mille has just a one minute appearance in this one song. You won't hear him on any other track, so that's a bit weired because every other singer becomes more time to shine.To me it has more of a marketing stunt.</div>
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Next song is the title Track <span style="color: orange;"><b>"Moonglow"</b></span> with Candice Night on vocals and this song is the perfect mix between radio-friendly Rock music and a mysterious atmosphere. This song will remind you very much at some Nightwish songs (for exmaple "Amaranth"). I liked that one very much!</div>
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With <b><span style="color: orange;">"The Raven Child"</span> </b>everything becomes a bit more complex. Tobias Sammet is supported by Hansi Kürsch and Jorn Lande on this one and especially the last third of this track reminds me very much at a "little" song, called "The Scarecrow". With 13 minutes "The Raven Child" is the longest track on this album and it comes along with more progressive elements such as various changes in pace, some celtic influences and so on. The anthemic chorus is another winner, but I would have liked to hear it a bit more often in this longtrack. It's a good song, but in my opinion there were other longtracks that grabbed me more.</div>
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With <span style="color: orange;"><b>"Starlight"</b></span> we get another typical Avantasia Power Metal tune. This time the bright spot lies on Ronnie Atkins and what can I say? He is one of my favorite singers and it's always a pleasure to hear his voice. The song is fun and will stuck in you head for weeks!</div>
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Next in line is <span style="color: orange;"><b>"Invincible"</b></span> - a calm piano ballad and a duet between Sammet and Geoff Tate. Both sound fantastic together, although I needed a bit time to get into this song. I'm a sucker for such power ballads like "Story Ain't Over" or "What's Left Of Me", but I got used to this track. It kind of works as an intro for the next song: <span style="color: orange;"><b>"Alchemy"</b></span>. This one is another rocker with a more darker approach. Geoff Tate is in great shape again.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>"The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn"</b></span> is the one track that features the most singers. Beside Tobi Sammet you'll get to hear Jorn Lande, Ronnie Atkins, Geoff Tate, Bob Catley (finally) and Eric Martin. Sadly the latter has just a very smale part in this song. The tune itself is one of the faster songs with great guitar lines and fun verses, but the chorus couldn't convince me that much. It doesn't want to stuck in my ear, unlike other tunes on this record.</div>
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With <span style="color: orange;"><b>"Lavender"</b></span> we get another midtempo-track that was written for Bob Catley and his voice contributes so much to this song. This is once more Melodic Pomp Rock at it's finest with an chorus just Tobias Sammet can write. For me easily one of the best songs on this record.</div>
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Some might ask "Where the hell is Michael Kiske?". <span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">I can reassure you: <span style="color: orange;"><b>"Requiem For A Dream"</b> </span>is the typical Michael Kiske song you find on every Avantasia record. It's an anthemic, fast power metal song in the vein of "Where Clocks Hands Freeze", "Wastelands", "Ghostlights" and so on. Although I have to say I liked the mentioned songs a little bit more than this new one. The thing is at this point it get's a bit too predictable. I mean you get this one Kiske song on every Avantasia album and they are all quality tracks that are fun to listen to, but I would love to get a bit more suprised. Put Kiske into some other songs where he can interract with other singers or do some songs that are more out of his comfort zone. That would be surprising and more interesting to me. But nevertheless - a very good song remains a very good song.</span></span></div>
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<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">The last track on this record is <span style="color: orange;"><b>"Maniac"</b></span> - yes, you heard right - "Maniac" - a cover song of the Flashdance film. Eric Martin sings on this one together with Tobi Sammet. It's fun to listen to - no doubt about that and I love hearing Eric Martin again, but what has this song to do with the rest of the album? For me this would be a typical bonus track. I really don't get why this track is on the regular album, while there is an Avantasia original song called "Heart" featured as a bonus track on the limited edition of "Moonglow". Can somebody please explain that to me? </span></span></div>
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<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">To sum it all up: "Moonglow" is another very strong album that shines with its outstanding cast and stellar performances from every one involved in this project. The punchy, but also warm production of Sasha Paeth does the rest. It's a very varied album that growes on you with every listen and never gets boring. I think many bands would kill to record such an epic piece of work. But within the Avantasia </span></span><span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">catalogue I have to say it is not the outstanding masterpiece I hoped for. Maybe my expectations were too high this time around and for sure all the things I criticized is nagging on a very high level. When I put this personal feelings aside it is a nine out of ten for me. Not quiet as good as "Ghostlights" (which was a ten), but also far, far away from being weak. "Moonglow" fits very well to the already existing albums and I think every Avantasia fan or people who like Metal Operas in general can buy this one blindly. Now I'm really looking forward to the Moonglow tour, that will start in a few months and if you get the chance to see Avantasia live then buy your tickets quickly, because some venues will be sold out soon. </span></span></div>
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<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">9/10</span></span></h4>
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<u><b><span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">Tracklist:</span></span></b></u><br />
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<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">01. Ghost In The Moon <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">02. Book Of Shallows <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">03. Moonglow <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">04. The Raven Child</span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">05. Starlight <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">06. Invincible</span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">07. Alchemy</span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">08. The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn</span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">09. Lavender <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">10. Requiem For A Dream <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">11. Maniac</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span class="tlid-translation translation"><span class="" title="">* best tracks</span></span></b></span>
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Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-74127501351606626122017-11-10T10:38:00.001+01:002017-11-10T11:30:41.411+01:00CD-Review: Shakra - "Snakes & Ladders"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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How fast time passes by - it feels like yesterday when singer Mark Fox rejoined the Swiss Hard Rockers of Shakra. It did not even take them two years to release the follow-up to their highly acclaimed reunion album "High Noon". I think it is the shortest period of time between two albums when it comes to these guys. So is "Snakes & Ladders" a rushed record or an essential album in Shakra's band history?<br />
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To give you a quick answer: to me it's a little bit of both. When I listened to this album for the first time it couldn't grab me like "High Noon" did and even after various listens I think this album has some more fillers to offer than previous records. And this is due to a more generic songwriting. The bluesy "Rollin'" or the title track belong to these type of songs. They aren't bad, but we we heard that stuff way better before. "Snakes & Ladders" was the first single from this album and compared to the single "Hello" from "High Noon" this new song doesn't have any chance, especially because the melody feels right off the shelf.<br />
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That is one side of the coin. On the other hand you also find some of the best songs Shakra have written in recent years. The epic opener "Cassandra's Curse" and the fast "I will Rise Again" include everything you love about this band: great hooks, huge choruses, crunchy riffs and high-class guitar-solos - simply everything a Hard Rock fan could ask for. And then there is this one song that truely stands out: "Something You Don't Understand" has the word "HIT" written all over it, although it is not a typical Shakra song because it has a softer note and an even more commercial feel to it. But you can't escape this beautiful melody, especially in the chorus. Stunning!<br />
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You see this album is a double-edged sword to me and same goes to the overall production/sound. While Thom Blunier delivers once more an outstanding production and the band sounds as good as ever I can't ignore a certain feeling of oversaturation, because Shakra don't add something new to their sound. On "Back On Track" and "Powerplay" for example they sounded fresh as hell. For sure with John Prakesh they had a new singer back then, but also the songwriting came along with a more modern twist at times and there was more varitey and energy. On "Snakes & Ladders" I have the feeling Shakra didn't have anything new to say. <br />
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I had a similar feeling when "Everst" came out back in 2009. Because I've heard the voice of Mark Fox in combination with the same old song structures way too often back then. So when they split, Mark's solo records and Shakras albums with Prakesh appealed much more to me. On the other side I loved "High Noon", although there wasn't something new either, but that didn't bother me, because I didn't had this combination Shakra songwriting + Fox for some years. It felt more like coming home. And now with this new album Shakra step on the spot again. But this is a very personal feeling. Some might say that this continuity is what makes this band so special. They stay to their roots - and I also appreciate that somehow, because when you buy a Shakra album you know exactly what you get - even without hearing a new song before.<br />
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So what is the final conclusion? Let's say this: with "Snakes & Ladders" Shakra release a very solid album that stays true to the bands roots and their loyal fanbase, but without adding any innovations in songwriting or sound. It's still a good album (Shakra are not able to record a shity one), but not their best to date. We are talking here about nagging on a high level and aside all the criticism, Shakra managed it once again to knock out the latest Gotthard album - and that says a lot.<br />
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8/10</h4>
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<u><b>Tracklist:</b></u><br />
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01. Cassandra's Curse <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
02. Friday Nightmare<br />
03. Snakes & Ladders<br />
04. Something You Don't Understand <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
05. The Seeds<br />
06. Rollin'<br />
07. Medicine Man <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
08. I Will Rise Again <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
09. Open Water <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
10. The Race Of My Life<br />
11. Fire In My Veins<br />
12. The End Of Days<br />
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-39835681284920043592017-07-08T11:19:00.000+02:002017-08-24T15:19:57.055+02:00CD-Review: Art Nation - "Liberation"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So here we have another Melodic Rock band from Sweden, called Art Nation. Sweden is always a seal for approval when it comes to quality rock music, so it was no wonder that the debut album from these guys hit the melodic rock community really hard back in 2015. They came out of nowhere and they succeeded all the way. With that said, now two years later they are ready for their second strike, named "Liberation".<br />
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While the first album "Revolution" was released by the smaller German label AOR Heaven, "Liberation" came out in the end of April this year from Sony Music/Gain, so it seems that not just a small group of people thinks that this band has something special to offer, but is the new record really that good?<br />
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Well, the only thing you could complain about is the lack of own identity that comes along with this album. There were a lot .... and I mean a LOT of moments when this record reminded me at Eclipse, H.e.a.t or One Desire, because melodies and arrangements are often similar to these bands. So I would have liked a more unique twist to the songs. Does that mean it's bad? Not by any means! If you are looking for some feel good songs to rock your summer - there are plenty of them on "Liberation".<br />
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Starting with the tasty opener "Ghost Town" that comes along with great hooks over to the fist-pumping "One Nation" to the closing "What Do You Want"- you can't do melodic rock any better. All songs have the power and the catchiness to them you would expect from such a record and even more, because Art Nation put two outstanding over-the-top-hits on this record. The first one is "Kiss Up & Kick Down" which combines an 80's influenced, anthemic chorus with more modern verses and the second one is the power ballad "When Stars Align" - what a monster of a song this one is. It starts slow just to built up and explode in a massive chorus that will stick in your eares for weeks. Just these two songs alone justify the purchase.<br />
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Also on the thechnical side there is not much to complain about: the power is there, it is produced very well, everything is played very well and singer Alexander Strandell has a voice that fits perfectly to this style of music.<br />
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In short: if you are a fan of the bands I mentioned above (or if you simply love Scandi Rock) and you can ignore the fact that Art Nation lean strongly to the formular of those bands instead of putting more unique elements into their songs, than this is for you. "Liberation" is a very good record - even better than the debut album, so buy this album, sit down in you car, open the windows and blast it as loud as you can. Then you'll see: this is the perfect summer record.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">9/10</span></h4>
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<u><b>Tracklist:</b></u><br />
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01. Ghost Town <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
02. Maniac<br />
03. The Real Me<br />
04. Kiss Up & Kick Down <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
05. When Stars Align <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
06. One Nation <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
07. A Thousand Charades<br />
08. Take Me Home<br />
09. I'm Alive<br />
10. Paralyzed<br />
11. What Do You Want <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>* best tracks</b></span>
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-5444944523271144362017-05-06T19:57:00.000+02:002017-05-06T20:01:53.615+02:00Quick-Reviews: Ayreon, Julian Angel, Harem ScaremHey folks,<br />
<br />
here are some albums to rock your spring and there is something for everybody, whether it's Hair Metal, Progressive Metal or Melodic Hard Rock! Check it out!<br />
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<b>- AYREON - "The Source"</b><br />
<b>- JULIAN ANGEL - "The Death Of Cool"</b><br />
<b>- HAREM SCAREM - "United"</b><br />
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AYREON - "The Source"</h4>
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As a huge fan of Avantasia I'm always very open minded when it comes to Metal Operas and the name "Ayreon" was no stranger to me, but I really couldn't sink into this music with previous Ayreon records. It was way to bulky to my ears. When Avantasia mastermind Tobias Sammet joined the project as a guest singer on "The Source" it got my attention immediately and I gave Ayreon another chance - and what can I say? I'm so glad I listened to this album. It is much more heavy than previous Ayreon records but at the same time more catchy and easier to listen to. Simply the right mixture for me. The story is interesting, the guests are superb and the songwriting and production massive! If you like Metal Operas give this a try! <span style="color: orange;"><b>R: 9/10</b></span><br />
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JULIAN ANGEL - "The Death Of Cool"</h4>
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The German "Hair Metal expert" Julian Angel is mostly known for his work with his Hair Metal project Beautiful Beast. Three years after BB's third release Julian decided to act again as a solo artist, but the new material is very close to his former project. With "The Death Of Cool" Julian presents us everything you love about the late 80's rock music: lots of attitude, catchy hooks, high pitched vocals and virtuous guitar work. The music comes along with a harder egdge, but there are still tons of nice melodies to discover like on the earworms "Reach", "Monsterous" and "Summerbreak". Although there could be a bit more variety and a more polished production on this record it is definitely recommended for every Hair Metal Maniac! <span style="color: orange;"><b>R: 8/10</b></span><br />
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HAREM SCAREM - "United"</h4>
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That the Canadian Melodic Hard Rock band Harem Scarem is one of the most underrated bands is no secret and I still don't understand the reason why, because with Harry Hess these guys have a unique singer and Pete Lesperance is a gifted guitar player, too. With "Distant Memory", "All I Need", "Change Comes Around" and "Stranger Than Love" they also have lots of amazing songs in their repertoire. I don't think the big breaktrough will come with their newest record "United", but for those who are interested in this band: it is one hell on an album! Amazing hooks, paired with great harmonies and tight musicianship. The title track alone is worth every penny. It's one of the bands strongest works to date, so go out and buy this LP when it is out next week! <span style="color: orange;"><b>R: 9/10</b></span><br />
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-52934651083617657492017-01-07T10:30:00.000+01:002017-01-07T10:30:14.747+01:00Quick-Reviews: Bon Jovi & Pretty MaidsHey folks,<br />
<br />
first of all I wish you guys a Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the time with your loved ones.<br />
After a long break (I think 3 months) I finally found the time to write some new stuff here. I posted my review to the forthcoming GOTTHARD album some hours ago and now I'd like to write something down to two major releases from the end of last year:<br />
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- <b>BON JOVI</b> - "This House Is Not For Sale"<br />
- <b>PRETTY MAIDS</b> - "Kingmaker"<br />
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BON JOVI - "This House Is Not For Sale"</h4>
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I never thought I could say this of another Bon Jovi record, but my prayers have been heard: "This House Is Not For Sale" is finally a return to old strength, which means it has a more rockin' sound (no ballad overkill here), better lyrics and most of all much better songs to offer than on the previous two lowlights "What About Now" and "Burning Bridges". THINFS is still no second Slippery or New Jersey, but the quality of songwriting is pretty good this time around and it's also really varied. Sometimes it felt like a Best Of. With the title track we have this kind of Have A Nice Day song, than we have some amazing melodic jewels with "Living With The Ghost" (great guitarline here) "Rollercoaster" and "New Year's Day", followed by a pretty cool (Hard) Rock number, called "Devil's In The Temple" and a more country influenced song, called "Reunion", that seems to be adressed to former Bon Jovi guitarplayer Richie Sambora. Yeah and also the ballads have their right to exist: "Scars On This Guitar" and "Come On Up To Hour House" have this kind of 90's Bon Jovi vibe in them and are fun to listen to. Even the piano ballad "Real Love" is somehow hunting.<br />
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Beside all those good songs, Jon Bon Jovi delivers his best vocal performance in years on this album. I still miss the harmonies between him and Richie Sambora. Those would have made some songs even more outstanding and magical. Phil X does a very solid job on guitars, Tico Torres has a bit more work to do and doesn't sound like a drum computer anymore, although the production from John Shanks is still very polished. But I appreciate the fact, that the guitars dominate the sound a bit more than on previous records.<br />
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Finally I just can say that "This House Is Not For Sale" restored my faith in this band. With a tracklist of 18 songs I only found ONE filler ("I Will Drive You Home"). The rest is enjoyable Rock music with more soul than on the previous two records combined. It's a step into the right direction and I can't wait for things to come ... and finally a reunion with Richie Sambora someday. <span style="color: orange;"><b>RATING: 8/10</b></span><br />
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PRETTY MAIDS - "Kingmaker"</h4>
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Here we have another heavyweight: some more "Danish Dynamite" from the guys of Pretty Maids. "Kingmaker" proves once more that no other band has the ability to combine edgy heaviness with sing-along melodies without sounding cheesy in such a natural way Pretty Maids do. "Kingmaker" follows the path of the previous two records "Pandemonium" and "Motherland", but has a more heavy sound. The mixture of songs is once more really good. The darker, more modern tunes like the opener "If Good Took A Day Off" and the title track give a very good contrast to awesome, more melodic driven earworms like "Bull's Eye", "Last Beauty On Earth", "Civilized Monsters" and "Face The World". The latter is one of the best songs this band has ever written and it is my personal song of the year in 2016!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpTPpb-KjP14nH0gsWhhGHtBdpd6lud4U-R_b0fRUYZIW_cwUCL1F2i8m9KWJx1_ZhD6PNJq0KTqhcA0NSv2IUhMoNfGg23nG_-GS8QrXxFeBYAJ4pZANd7lco4zHROkmwiy2IftPGO4/s1600/pm2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpTPpb-KjP14nH0gsWhhGHtBdpd6lud4U-R_b0fRUYZIW_cwUCL1F2i8m9KWJx1_ZhD6PNJq0KTqhcA0NSv2IUhMoNfGg23nG_-GS8QrXxFeBYAJ4pZANd7lco4zHROkmwiy2IftPGO4/s200/pm2.jpg" width="200" /></a>Like on every album before you need a few spins to get involved with every single song and the last two tracks can't hold the very high level of previous tracks, but that's nagging on a very high level. Speaking about performances, Ronnie Atkins is one hell of a singer and one of the best we have in Metal right now. I don't know how it works, but his voice gets better and better with age. Also Ken Hammer delivers some suberb guitarsolos that stick in your head for weeks. The overall production by Jacob Hansen is once more outstanding and takes this record to another level. It's easily one - if not THE - best sounding record in 2016.<br />
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The bottom line is that "Kingmaker" belongs in every Hard Rock/Heavy Metal collection. The second spring of these Danish guys continues with an album that is full of rich melodies, combined with a healthy dose of heaviness. You've got to check this out! <span style="color: orange;"><b>RATING: 9/10</b></span><br />
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-72797455114408496872017-01-07T01:32:00.000+01:002017-01-07T02:02:26.105+01:00CD-Review: Gotthard - "Silver"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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25 years in musicbusiness is a very long time and not every band formed in the early 90's is still around these days. But the Swiss guys of GOTTHARD stood the test of time. With "Silver" they celebrate their 25th anniversary - and it was a very moving quarter century. Started as a Hard Rock band in a time where this kind of music was simply dead, Gotthard quickly became one of the top acts of Switzerland with various number one records in their home country. In the late 90's they changed their musical direction from Hard Rock to more radiofriendly Soft Rock, just to hit everyone in the face in 2005 with a newborn, fresh heaviness on their outstanding record "Lipservice" (one of my all-time favorites).<br />
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But all this success was overshadowed by the sudden death of singer Steve Lee, who died in an accident back in 2010 - a tragedy, that shocked the whole rock community. With the death of this outstanding singer an era ended, but the story of this band wasn't over. A new chapter was written in 2012 with the new singer Nic Maeder and like a phoenix from the ashes Gotthard raised once more when nobody believed this band could still exist after their big loss. No, these guys have proven that music is their passion, no matter what circumstances will come around - and this has to be appreciated by everyone. <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">It is not self-evident that they are still around and I think that's the reason why this band has such a loyal fanbase - the "G.-Family". With all records in my collection you can easily count me to this group, but with their latest output "Bang!" I had some problems, so I wasn't sure what to expect from the follow-up "Silver".</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Previous Gotthard records were so strong, because they always sounded differently, but still had this kind of Gotthard essence in them. Listen to records like "Homerun", "G.", "Lipservice" or "Domino Effect" - they all sound totally different from each other, but still like Gotthard and personally I think that this essence was missing on "Bang!" - and I must confess that I also miss it on the new album as well. To make something clear - that has nothing to do with the performance of Nic Maeder or any other band member. The musicianship is once more excellent - no doubt about that. The problem lies in the songwriting itself. </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Some people might ask what is the essence of Gotthard? That is a very subjective matter, so I just can speak for myself here. To me it was the combination of heavy guitars, lots of soul and huge anthemic, well-developed choruses that stick in your ear immediately. The heavy riffing is still there on songs like "Electrified" or "Everything Inside", but especially the choruses sound sometimes uninspired and it seems that they don't get that attention and "care" anymore they really should get. Remember songs like "Heaven", "Let It Be", "Unspoken Words", "Anytime Anywhere" and so on? All of those songs had amazing hooks to offer, so you remember them even after decades. </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Also the ballads aren't that hunting anymore. The best example is the acoustic track "Not Fooling Anyone" - compared to "One Life One Soul", which is similar in style, it just sounds too generic and can't transmit emotions. It's really hard to describe. While listening to this album I had the feeling that something is missing - and I'm not talking about Steve Lee's voice here. I'm talking about the one final spark that really pulls you right into a song and simply grabs you.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">The question is: does it mean this is a bad album? No, of course not! </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Objectively speaking Gotthard made lots of things right on "Silver". Like I already mentioned the musicianship is awesome: Nic Maeder delivers great vocals, while Leo Leoni and Freddy Scherer can shine with their tasty guitar riffs and solos. Same goes to the tight rhythm section. The production is really down to earth and crystal clear. "Silver" can also shine with a lot of variety. Within their genre Gotthard make use of many different elements and instrumentations - we have modern pop/rock songs, the heavy midtempo tracks, the ballads, old-school classic rock songs and so on. Every tune comes along with different arrangements. Beside the loud guitars you'll get to hear a piano, a violin, a </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">harmonica, the Hammond organ and much more. That leads to the fact that every song on this album sounds differently and has a different pace. And that is the major point that makes this album better than "Bang!".</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">To my personal highlights belong the opener "Silver River", which is a true groove monster as well as the uptempo number "Blame On Me", where you think Aerosmith come around the corner in every second. Another winner is the half-ballad "Only Love Is Real" that turns into a more anthemic song and with the following "My Oh My" I finally felt this Gotthard essence I was looking for - this could have been a track from the early days.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">At the end of the day Gotthard produced a good record, which comes along in a much more organic and stronger way than its</span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""> predecessor</span></span>, although this is another album you have to give a few spins until it unfolds its full potential. Due to the diversity of arrangements "Silver" sounds quite fresh. People, who only know this band with Nic Maeder on vocals will get what they are looking for, because the musical style hasn't changed that much in the last few years. But if you are a die-hard fan like me, who even knows every bonus track from the early 90's, you might be disappointed from </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">a few decisions</span></span> in style and songwriting. It's up to your expectations, but it's definitely worth to have it in your Hard Rock collection.</span></span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">8/10</span></span></span></h4>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><br /></span></span>
<u><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Tracklist:</span></span></b></u><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><br /></span></span>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">01. Silver River <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">02. Electrified</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">03. Stay With Me</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">04. Beautiful</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">05. Everything Inside</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">06. Reason For This</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">07. Not Fooling Anyone</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">08. Miss Me <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">09. Tequilla Symphony No.5</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">10. Why</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">11. Only Love Is Real <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">12. My Oh My <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">13. Blame On Me <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">* best tracks</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><b><a href="http://www.gotthard.com/" target="_blank">www.gotthard.com</a></b></span></span>
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-87185200305098956482016-10-08T15:17:00.001+02:002016-10-08T15:17:51.192+02:00Quick-Reviews: Sonata Arctica, Kee Marcello, Meat LoafHey folks,<br />
<br />
long time no update, but I needed some time to collect a few albums for review, because August and September didn't offer many interesting releases. But now I can present you a pretty decent mixture of sub-genres: Prog/Melodic-Metal, classic Hard Rock and some theatralic Rock.<br />
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<b>- SONATA ARCTICA - "The Ninth Hour"</b><br />
<b>- KEE MARCELLO - "Scaling Up"</b><br />
<b>- MEAT LOAF - "Braver Than We Are"</b><br />
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<h4>
SONATA ARCTICA - "The Ninth Hour"</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiwsGsaNIkWRYvwx-0wK2y8Q-0jOpd79rID2FUkpb4N7InRIQYGHMaYaRCDcd2Qeasz3Rmd7wqQdfU_WOTQk3-2RlJTsrrqHf4BYgCjhyphenhypheni8T7IMgQplajGYUEftrP1h0a6ojJ8zC1BZ0/s1600/sonataarctica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiwsGsaNIkWRYvwx-0wK2y8Q-0jOpd79rID2FUkpb4N7InRIQYGHMaYaRCDcd2Qeasz3Rmd7wqQdfU_WOTQk3-2RlJTsrrqHf4BYgCjhyphenhypheni8T7IMgQplajGYUEftrP1h0a6ojJ8zC1BZ0/s200/sonataarctica.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I'm one of the very few people, who fell in love with this band during the last two releases "Pariah's Child" and "Stones Grow Her Name" - for me two milestones in the Melodic Metal genre, no matter what other people say. With "The Ninth Hour" Sonata Arctica went a step back. The record reminds me a lot at "Unia" and "Days Of Grays"" because the progressive elements were increased once more and many songs aren't that accessible anymore, which is a bit sad, because I loved the very melodic side of this band. But with each listen this album grows on you and has some very decent songs like "We Are What We Are", "Life" or "Fairytale" to offer. With that said this album is also a step back for me, but still worth to have it in your collection. <span style="color: orange;"><b>R: 8/10</b></span><br />
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<h4>
KEE MARCELLO - "Scaling Up"</h4>
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I didn't expect much after Kee's latest release "Judas Kiss", because I didn't like the dark and too modern approach. The more happy I was when the former Europe guitar player announced that the new album will sound like Europe's "Prisoners In Paradiese"-record from the early 90s. And that's totally true. I was very surprised when I listened to the opener "Black Hole Star", which could have been an Europe song back in the days. Also the following tracks "On The Radio", "Fix Me" and "Don't Miss You Much" are melodic jewels and some of the strongest tracks Kee ever wrote in his solo career. Also the guitar work is once more outstanding. The second half of the album has two or three fillers, but as a whole this is Kee Marcello's best record to date! <span style="color: orange;"><b>R: 8/10</b></span><br />
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<h4>
MEAT LOAF - "Braver Than We Are"</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YZXONkEW4hjeaoaHmGtMjSJOckGz661nHr_Katuhwlrf_wNMIZWPUWUvl2K9RbeyXwh1AUoxH9eECVT0LtS_6CfKgkcu16mFa9DjFx9vvA9NPflpzPGamU5QR5wEiXouJBtExvulMqE/s1600/Meat_Loaf_-_Braver_Than_We_Are.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YZXONkEW4hjeaoaHmGtMjSJOckGz661nHr_Katuhwlrf_wNMIZWPUWUvl2K9RbeyXwh1AUoxH9eECVT0LtS_6CfKgkcu16mFa9DjFx9vvA9NPflpzPGamU5QR5wEiXouJBtExvulMqE/s200/Meat_Loaf_-_Braver_Than_We_Are.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Oh my dear Meat Loaf, what happened to your voice? It sounded to good to be true when it was announced that the new album will feature original material from songwriter Jim Steinman, who wrote many iconic hits for the living legend. But what we get here is a very experimental record, where over half of the songs are just average stuff presented and produced without any power. If that wasn't enough Meat Loaf's vocals sound so weak this time. It really hurts to hear him sing on some passages of this record. For sure there are also some decent tracks like the overlong "Going All The Way Is Just The Start", where some kind of brilliance shines through, but even here most of the vocals are handled by a female singer. This record is simply a disappointment. <span style="color: orange;"><b>R: 5/10</b></span><br />
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-48606750192422954782016-07-26T16:29:00.001+02:002016-07-26T16:29:39.346+02:00Quick-Reviews: Steven Tyler, Kissin' Dynamite, Miss Behaviour (July 2016)Here are three more "Quick-Reviews" for you guys. This time I got
something for Hard Rockers, AOR fans and even for Country lovers:<br />
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<b>- STEVEN TYLER - "We're All somebody From Somewhere"</b><br />
<b>- KISSIN' DYNAMITE - "Generation Goodbye"</b><br />
<b>- MISS BEHAVIOUR - "Ghost Play"<br /></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTiAyQGtHcirRDMJKc1WpJkO8W2cQU0tduVHLNkEIB_p65anG7JoBN9fcAEkkCLjEJ66W531J6FIzPQXqbDAwwpRS8QaMAiZxiDKyzcKCC-2kfJ73nn6cFqGYxjZPdMmcQIvCrzbVE50/s1600/quick-reviews.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTiAyQGtHcirRDMJKc1WpJkO8W2cQU0tduVHLNkEIB_p65anG7JoBN9fcAEkkCLjEJ66W531J6FIzPQXqbDAwwpRS8QaMAiZxiDKyzcKCC-2kfJ73nn6cFqGYxjZPdMmcQIvCrzbVE50/s400/quick-reviews.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h4>
STEVEN TYLER - "We're All Somebody From Somewhere"</h4>
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Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler
released his first solo album these days and many people were annoyed
when it turned out that his solo work will be a country album. In my opinion Steven Tyler has the damn right to do things
differently from his main band. That's why you do solo projects. It
would have been boring if Tyler would have done the same stuff he is
doing for more than 40 years now. And the result sounds very fresh! Steven
Tyler gives all those Country songs a special twist with his unique voice and attitude<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">.
I was also really surprised by the good songwriting, which is even
better than on the latest Aerosmith record. Listen to "Only Heaven" for
example. All in all: Very well done! Even for people, who do not
listen to Country music that often. <span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 8/10</b></span></span></span><br />
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<h4>
KISSIN' DYNAMITE - "Generation Goodbye"</h4>
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It's great to see how this band from Germany gets more and more attention with each new record, because that is what they deserve. "Generation Goodbye" is already the fifth album by this band and it easily belongs to their best. Each song is a great Rock anthem with an 80's vibe, but very modern production. The band simply knows how to write extremly catchy songs like "She Came, She Saw", "Masterpiece" or "Hashtag Your Life". Some of them have even a deeper meaning. "Generation Goodbye" criticizes the way we live today with all that Social Media around us and how we make use of it. To be honest, it was time that someone took this topic to show how addicted we are. "Generation Goodbye" is a must-have for all Hard Rockers out there. Period! <span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 9/10</b></span><br />
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<h4>
MISS BEHAVIOUR - "Ghost Play"</h4>
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In September the AOR Rockers of Miss Behaviour will release their third album, called "Ghost Play" and to me it sadly feels like a step back, compared to the nice <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">predecessor "Double Agent". This record could shine with plenty of anthemic songs like the title track, "Corporation Arms" or "Don't Let It End". Such stand-out tracks are missing on this new record. Most of the time we get to hear very solid fare, that is presented and played very well, but I miss those songs that grab you immediately. </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Howsoever, songs like the opener "Friendly Fire" or "Walking In Shadows" are still worth listening to and friends of typical 80's AOR with guitars and </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">synthesizers will get what they are looking for. <span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 7/10</b></span></span></span><br />
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-34281981272163313502016-07-02T15:06:00.000+02:002016-07-02T15:14:40.513+02:00Quick-Reviews: Dare, Trick Or Treat, Phantom 5 (July 2016)Here are three more "Quick-Reviews" for you guys. This time I got something for Hard Rockers, Power Metal fans and Melodic Rock lovers:<br />
<br />
<b>- DARE - "Sacred Ground"</b><br />
<b>- TRICK OR TREAT - "Rabbits' Hill Pt. 2"</b><br />
<b>- PHANTOM 5 - "Phantom 5"</b><br />
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<h4>
DARE - "Sacred Ground"</h4>
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The guys around Darren Wharton will release their new album "Sacred Ground" in about two weeks. Many fans of their early works complained about the very slow and calm direction on recent records. But hey, there is much more Rock in "Sacred Ground". For sure it never gets as heavy as on the fabolous "Blood From Stone", so this record still belongs to the calmer side of Rock music, but it is a true winner when it comes to creating a dreamy atmosphere. The guitar work is excellent and <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">omnipresent</span></span> on this record as well as the warm voice of Darren. On top of that pearls like "Home", "I'll Hear You Pray" or "All Our Brass Was Gold"<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""> deliver outstanding songwriting with heart and soul, which makes "Sacred Ground" to a must buy! <span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 9/10</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">TRICK OR TREAT - "Rabbits' Hill Pt. 2"</span></span></h4>
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">The Italian Power Metal band Trick Or Treat started as a Helloween tribute band, which was never taken too seriously. With their new album "Rabbits' Hill Pt. 2" they wash every doubt away. This record is their best album to date. Trick Or Treat increased their songwriting skills very much and present us one Power Metal anthem after the other. A song like "Cloudrider" is pure Melodic Metal bliss - it doesn't get any better and also singer </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><span class="Description PromoDetailsItem">Alessandro Conti sounds better than ever. He reminds me a lot at the mighty Michael Kiske with his impressive vocal range. Guests like Tony Kakko & Tim "Ripper" Owens round up the whole package. Fans of Sonata Arctica, Helloween and even Avantasia will find what they are looking for. </span><span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 8/10</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">PHANTOM 5 - "Phantom 5"</span></span></h4>
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Praised as the new German supergroup, Phantom 5 had to fulfil huge expectations right from the beginning. This is no wonder when members of Frontline, Mad Max, Scorpions and Bonfire team up for such a project. Especially for fans of singer Claus Lessmann Phantom 5 is a true blessing after his departure from Bonfire. Yeah and that is what Phantom 5 sounds like: early Bonfire. That means there are some very catchy Hard Rock tunes on this debut album combined with a very tight and professional musicianship. But it is not the "big Hard Rock revelation" everyone was hoping for. Therefore you've heard the typical songwriting/production from Michael Voss way too often in recent years, but it's still a very solid record for all fans of European Hard Rock. <span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 7/10</b></span></span></span><br />
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-55471801951100509452016-06-18T10:39:00.000+02:002016-06-18T10:39:00.383+02:00Quick-Reviews: Volbeat, ToxicRose, Bonfire (June 2016)As announced yesterday, today I'll give you my first "Quick-Reviews" that will show you my opinion on some new records, but without the "PR <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">blah-blah</span></span>" ;)<br />
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This time with the following records:<br />
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<b>- VOLBEAT - "Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie"</b><br />
<b>- TOXICROSE - "Total Tranquility"</b><br />
<b>- BONFIRE - "Pearls"</b><br />
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VOLBEAT - "Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie"</h4>
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"Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie" is the logical <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">continuation of the previous record from 2013. That means you get less heavy rockers and a lot more melodic jewels. Yes, I say jewels, because I always liked those catchy anthemic songs much more than the heavy stuff from this band. I know that this album splits the fan community because it sounds more "commercial" (which isn't always a bad thing), but with anthems like "The Gates Of Babylon", "Mary Jane Kelly" and "You Will Know" you have plenty of great tracks with amazing hooks, superb guitar work, an in-your-face produciton and of course the strong and unique vocals of band leader Michael Poulsen. If you like melodic Hard Rock/ Metal with a twist you shouldn't miss this! <span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 10/10</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">BONFIRE - "Pearls"</span></span></h4>
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><b> </b>Here we have another very controversial record, because "Pearls" offers just re-recordings of some Bonfire classics - with David Reece on vocals. You can love his voice or not but he is a gifted singer. Personally I like his work with Bonfire and he gave each old song a new twist. I like many of those new version even more than the old ones, because of their different arrangements and some much better guitar solos (listen to "Stricke Back" or "Don't Go Changing Me") from Hans Ziller. Maybe some 80's classics are missing on this one, but with "Goodnight Amanda", "Give It A Try", "Heat In The Glow" and "American Nights" you find a bunch of hits here that will turn each new listener to a Bonfire fan! <span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 9/10</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">TOXICROSE - "Total Tranquility"</span></span></h4>
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Somewhere between Mötley Crüe, Crashdiet and Hardcore Superstar this Sleaze Metal outfit, called ToxicRose, presents its debut album "Total Tranquility". I was a huge fan of their EP they released back in 2012. It took them a very long time to release the final album. Maybe my expectations were too high, but sadly "Total Tranquility" can't hold the high level of songwriting they showed before. There are some catchy tunes here that are fun to listen to (check out "World Of Confusion" or the title track ) but very soon it all gets repetitive and replaceable. If they would have put the best songs of this album on a second EP this would have been solid stuff, but here it is sadly just slightly above average, although the musicianship is fine. <span style="color: orange;"><b>Rating: 6/10</b></span></span></span><br />
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-6548677964090972042016-06-17T18:56:00.001+02:002016-06-17T18:56:11.707+02:00Important Announcement - June 2016Hey folks,<br />
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I know, I know, plenty of time passed by since the latest update on this blog and I can only apologize for that. I think you guys noticed that since last year the <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">regularity</span></span> of updates on this blog decreased sharply. This is due to new responsibilities I took in my day job. There are lots of things going on right now - not just in my job, also in my private life. So there is simply not enough time to focus on this blog - and to be honest I'm also not in the mood to sit down in front of my computer right after work where I sit the whole day in the office in front of another computer. It is much more important to me to spend the free time I have with family and friends right now. I just got to that point where I had to set priorities ... and yeah, that's the honest truth: I can't ensure writing countless reviews and other stuff in the (complex) way I did before. It's a lot of work and it takes a lot of time writing this stuff. Please keep in mind that I'm running this site on my own. There is nobody who is helping me out here. With that said I also want to say sorry to the many bands out there, who write me E-Mails with requests for doing reviews on their albums. I have to select very carefully what fits to my own taste in music. It wouldn't be fair to criticise bands and music styles I'm normally not listening to.<br />
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I know that sounds worse, but I also don't want to shut the whole thing down. So I decided to do some more little updates from time to time. First I'll start with "Quick-Reviews", which means I collect some albums over a certain period of time and I'll give you my opinion on them, but in a very short, very focused way without talking so much about unnecessary things. Maybe this also fits perfectly to the <span class="gt-card-ttl-txt" style="direction: ltr;">zeitgeist nowadays. I mean, who of you still reads long texts? For sure, maybe I'll do one or two longer reviews on very special albums again, but not in the nearer future.</span><br />
<span class="gt-card-ttl-txt" style="direction: ltr;">Furthermore I'll try to continue doing interviews, since that doesn't happen that often I'll take the chance to do it if I have the opportunity. When it comes to live-reports I'll concentrate on shows/musicians I have not covered yet.</span><br />
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<span class="gt-card-ttl-txt" style="direction: ltr;">So these are the consequences that I have drawn to keep "Rock & Metal 4 You" still running and I hope you understand my points. THANK YOU!</span><br />
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<span class="gt-card-ttl-txt" style="direction: ltr;">All the best to you guys and keep on rockin'!!! </span><br />
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<span class="gt-card-ttl-txt" style="direction: ltr;">Thomas</span><br />
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<script async="async" src="https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-27057962257206072842016-04-27T13:28:00.002+02:002016-04-27T13:28:47.104+02:00CD-Review: Dynazty - "Titanic Mass"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Swedish group Dynazty is one of those bands, who always deliver high quality with each new album, but surprisingly nobody seems to care about them. If musicbusiness would be fair this band should have conquered the world by storm with their infectious Metal anthems. Started as a Hair/Sleaze Metal outfit they reinvented themselves back in 2014 with their latest album "Renatus", which was simply one of the best albums of the year. Now their fifth record "Titanic Mass" hit the stores and Dynazty continue where they left off with "Renatus".<br />
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I was one of those people who really appreciated the different approach they used on their fourth album. It was very fresh and combined the best of both worlds: the heaviness of classic Metal and the more melodic side of Hard Rock. "Titanic Mass" is the logical next step in the bands history and a continuation of the sound they introduced to us on "Renatus". Maybe the songmaterial is once more slightly heavier than on previous records, but the big hooks and anthemic melodies are still there.<br />
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"Titanic Mass" starts with one of the best Dynazty songs ever written - the first single "The Human Paradox". This is the perfect example what you have to expect from this band nowadays. Although they combine elements of different bands the result sounds still fresh and so unique. This song is a winner from start to finish, especially because of its amazing chorus, What follows are two more tracks in the same vein, called "Untamer Of Your Soul" and "Roard Of The Underdog". If you like heavy riffing and stadium sized refrains - these songs are for you. The following title track is one of the heaviest tracks on this album and reduces the influences of Melodic Hard Rock. This is a classic Heavy Metal neckbreaker. "Keys To Paradise" and "Break Into The Wild" continue the way of the first three tracks, while "I Want To Live Forever" comes along in a more darker, pounding way. Dynazty saved another killer tune for the last half of the record and this one is called "Free Man's Anthem". At this point you simply wonder where they get those great melodies from. Throughout the whole album you can easily hear that those guys are grown-up now and that they increased their songwriting skills massively over the years.<br />
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If you try to find something negative here you'll have a pretty hard time, because there simply is not a weak moment on this album. The only thing you could discuss about is the fact that there aren't many surprises on this record, but that's OK. You can't reinvent yourself with each new record. Personally I also needed a bit more time to get into some of the songs, but once that happend those tracks never let me go.<br />
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With that said also the production is once more outstanding. It's one of the best sounding records this year so far with a crystal clear and pounding sound. Nils Molin delivers once more a fantastic vocal performance on the mircophone. His range is impressive. Whether high-pitched vocals or more raw and gritty singing - he sounds awesome. Talking about the rest of the band I just can say they are one unit and everyone has his moments where he can shine on this record. The guitarsolos and the sharp riffings are excellent, as well as the tight rhythm section.<br />
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So what's the final verdict? With "Titanic Mass" we have another contender for the title "Album Of The Year" here. You simply can't do Melodic Metal any better than this in 2016. If you never heared of this band before you should definitely check them out, because they are one of the most ambitious bands around in the scene and they simply deserve it to become famous!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">10/10</span></h4>
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<u><b>Tracklist:</b></u><br />
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01. The Human Paradox <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
02. Untamer Of Your Soul <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
03. Roar Of The Underdog <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
04. Titanic Mass<br />
05. Keys To Paradise <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
06. I Want To Live Forever<br />
07. The Beast Inside<br />
08. Break Into The Wild<br />
09. Crack In The Shell<br />
10. Free Man's Anthem <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
11. The Smoking Gun<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>* best tracks</b></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-34414743478442858142016-04-10T09:55:00.001+02:002016-04-10T09:55:52.462+02:00CD-Review: Treat - "Ghost Of Graceland"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's kind of a surprise to hear something new from the legendary Scandi-Rock act Treat these days, because three years back they announced the end of the band. To be honest in my opinion it was a good decision at that time, because with their previous album "Coup De Grace" Treat were on the top of their game. It just couldn't get any better. CDG was praised by press and fans all over the world and so it seemed acceptable to me to end the journey when you are at your best - just to keep the legacy alive. With that in mind the new record "Ghost Of Graceland" has big shoes to fill. I'll tell you if the resurrection of Treat can live up to its hype.<br />
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When I first saw the cover artwork of "Ghost Of Graceland" I thought this will be a quiet dark album, but you don't need to worry, this record comes along in best Treat-fashion with some catchy melodies and a very positive vibe. Maybe the lyrics are a bit more mature and have more substance than on previous records.<br />
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I think the most important question is: can this album stand against "Coup De Grace"? Short and simple: no, it can't. This is due to two reasons: first of all "Ghost Of Graceland" has more of an classic AOR record this time, which means everything is a bit more polished and it simply doesn't rock that hard. "Coup De Grace" had more energy to offer, which made it sound very fresh. You don't have that effect here. In a very few moments Treat sound even a bit tired in my opinion. The second problem is the songwriting itself. Many of the hooks and melodies aren't that big anymore, there are not so many songs that catch your balls and pull you right in. Outstanding tracks like "The War Is Over" or "Skies Of Mongolia" are simply missing here. That don't mean that we have to deal with bad songmaterial here. It's all quiet solid and easy to listen to while driving in your car or doing something else, but for an intense listening experience it simply lacks at variety. <br />
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Nevertheless Treat fans will definietely find what they are looking for. It's obvious that Treat wanted to re-create that style and essence from "Coup De Grace" and a song like "Too Late To Die Young" captures that spirit quiet well. It's one of the more rockin' tracks on this album. The big vocal harmonies are also still there and other tunes like "I Don't Miss The Misery", "Endangered", "Alien Earthlings", and "Do Your Own Stunts" feature some very memorable choruses that spread this feel-good-vibe all over you. Also the musicianship sounds tight as ever. It's a slightly different line-up this time, because Pontus Egberg (ex- Poodles) is playing the bass this time. I was very surprised when I saw him on the promo pic. I liked him very much while he was playing with The Poodles, because he is a kick-ass bass player - especially live. Anders Wikström delivers once more some very melodic guitarlines and Robert Ernlund is doing a solid job at the microphone. He still has the advantage of having a unique voice.<br />
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Speaking about production I just can say once more that I would have preferred a more pucnhy sound, but OK this time they are mixing classic AOR with a modern twist and the result is still enjoyable.<br />
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Finally I just can say that you have to lower your own expectations here, because "Ghost Of Graceland" can't stand against the marvelous predecessor. I wouldn't go that far to say the whole album is a disappointment, because that is definitely not true. It has its very good moments, but at the same time some problems when it comes to variety and power. It's a solid entry in the Treat discography and people who love catchy Scandi-Rock will have fun with "Ghost Of Graceland" - that's for sure.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">7/10</span></h4>
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<u><b>Tracklist:</b></u><br />
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01. Ghost Of Graceland<br />
02. I Don't Miss The Misery <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
03. Better The Devil You Know<br />
04. Do Your Own Stunts<br />
05. Endangered <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
06. Inferno<br />
07. Alien Earthlings <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
08. Nonstop Madness<br />
09. Too Late To Die Young <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
10. House On Fire<br />
11. Together Alone<br />
12. Everything To Everyone<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>* best tracks
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-16190355779980166802016-04-09T10:19:00.001+02:002016-04-09T10:19:43.062+02:00CD-Review: Dion Bayman - "Don't Look Down"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Australian multi-talent Dion Bayman was the surprise act of the year for me back in 2013. With his smooth melodic rock and a sense for beautiful melodies he hit the spot in every way. He continued this path on the folowing album "Afterburn" in 2014, where he did some fine tuning here and there. It was another very infectious record. Now nearly two years later Dion comes along with his new effort, called "Don't Look Down".<br />
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After listening to this record I can make it short: everybody, who is a fan of Dion Bayman can order the album blindly! It offers all the trademarks you love about this guy: emotional, charismatic vocals, sweet melodies, soild production and a positive vibe. So you guys can stop reading now, you'll love it, I'm pretty sure.<br />
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To all those people, who haven't heard about Dion Bayman so far here is the extended version of the things I said above: Mr. Bayman's influences are pretty clear to hear on each of his albums: Richard Marx, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi and Matchbox Twenty - just to name a few. The cool thing is that the songs don't sound like a copy of these musicians. He takes little parts form each of them and creates his own cocktail. Dion Bayman's old-school melodic rock is something that is always easy to listen to, especially if you are looking for something to relax.<br />
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What I always liked the most was the fact that you could feel that this music is true and honest, played with heart and soul - and "Don't Look Down" is no exception. Maybe it is due to Dion's charismatic voice, but all of his songs have that certain kind of magic that can touch you deeply if you are in the right mood. A good example is "For You" with it's amazing, emotional chorus. Also "This Time" is a pure melodic rock gem and so infectious! I could easily list some more tracks here. There is simply not a bad song on this album and that shows on which high level Dion Bayman is making music.<br />
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So far, so good. If you read my other Bayman reviews you might notice that I repeat myself. So is there any difference compared to the previous records? That's still the little problem Dion Bayman has: There simply is no difference. All albums sound a bit similar to each other. After the third record in a row I would love to hear some kind of different approach on forthcoming songs. There has to be a bit more variety. Because if not, there is the possible danger that it get's boring. Dion hasn't reached that point yet, so I hope he dares to bring some new elements to the well-known mix. But that's the only thing you can complain about.<br />
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When it comes to production and sound I'm still impressed how talented this guy is. He still has my deepest respect to do everything on his own, starting by songwriting, recording, playing all instruments and mixing the whole thing. This is a full-blooded musician. And so it is no wonder that "Don't Look Down" sounds again very enjoyable with its warm production.<br />
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I think there is no need to write a long conclusion now, because you read that in the first chapter. "Don't Look Down" continues the line of high quality releases by this Australian underdog. It's once more a really good album, made for people who love hand-made music with a more softer note. Well done!<br />
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You can order the album here: <b><a href="http://www.dionbayman.com/music.html" target="_blank">http://www.dionbayman.com/music.html</a></b> <br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">8/10</span></h4>
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<u><b>Tracklist:</b></u><br />
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01. One More Reason <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
02. 24 Hours a Day<br />
03. Keep Coming Back<br />
04. For You <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
05. This Time <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
06. Had To Let You Know<br />
07. Open Your Heart<br />
08. The Last One<br />
09. It's Only Love<br />
10. Before My Eyes <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>* best tracks</b></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-57436288590044452092016-03-27T17:04:00.000+02:002016-03-27T17:09:00.596+02:00CD-Review: Reckless Love - "InVader"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Finish Glam Rockers Reckless Love impressed me very much with their latest record "Spirit" back in 2013. To me it was a huge step into the right direction - more Rock'n'Roll than Pop. Reckless Love had always an image problem.<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">They</span> <span class="">were</span> <span class="">often ridiculed as a boygroup. That was partly justified, because especially their second album was hard on the edge to a generic Pop-Rock album. With their fourth record "InVader" they finally crossed that line for the worse.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">I really don't get it. I mean these guys are touring and playing their asses off for years now to show everybody that they are a great Rock'n'Roll band. On "Spirit" they captured that feeling of their live shows very well and now three years later they are tearing down everything with an album that sounds like a soulless plastic Pop-Rock record off the shelf. </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Honestly I was a bit shocked when I listened to "InVader" for the first time. I don't know how drunk they were or what stuff they've smoked while writing and recording this album. It's obvious that they wanted to focus on a mainstream audience with Teenagers as their main target group. Backstreet Boys with guitars - that's how you can describe this album. On the other hand you can't deny that Reckless Love still have the ability to write songs that are catchy as hell. I love catchy songs, I also like some kind of Pop influence. There are tons of bands in the Melodic Rock genre who are influenced by Pop music as well. That's not the point. The thing is that Reckless love turn it to the maximum and they simply overdo it this time. Electronic, simply not hand-made, elements go hand in hand with voice-over effects and all other things you would expect from all those plastic Pop acts. Listen for example to the song "Child Of The Sun". What the hell is this? It is an absolute earworm, but it is this kind of earworm you don't want to have in your ear, because it is so intrusive. At some point I wasn't really sure whether I'm listening to a Reckless Love song here or if this is a crappy, generic Pop tune that is played to death on each radio station nowadays. Because that's what it is. So, thank you Reckless love for putting one of the most </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">irritating</span></span> earworms of the last few months into my ear. </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Y</span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">ou need more examples for this cheap Teenie Pop? Listen to "Scandinavian Girl" or "Keep It Up All Night" - another song you can't get out of your head although you really want to. There is simply too much sugar here and this song could have been a title track for the next FIFA world cup with its "olalalala" - choirs. All those tracks wear out so quickly. I can't imagine that they will stand the test of time in comparison to other songs of this band.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">I know that all sounds harsh, but all those moments are so disappointing and </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">unnecessary</span></span>. Reckless Love are on the top of their game when they dare to rock a bit harder on "InVader", because underneath this cheesy coating you'll also find some very solid </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">and fun rockers like the opener "We Are The Weekend", "Hands", the smooth melodic rocker "Destiny" and the party anthem "Let's Get Cracking", which would have fit perfectly on the previous album. With that said also from a production point of view "InVader" is very solid, because the sound is crystal clear. Also Olli makes again a pretty good figure on the microphone as well as Pepe on guitars. The rhythm section is tight as always and so you can't complain about the skills of the band members or production.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Oh Reckless Love, you guys made it very hard for me to enjoy the full album. It almost feels like some kind of </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">love-hate relationship between me and "InVader": </span></span>There are moments, which are really worth listening to, but just a few seconds later you feel the need to smash your head against the wall because you can't believe what the band is doing here. Please guys, you are at some point in your career now where you have to decide what you really want: do you want to be a Rock band or a Teenie Pop act? You can't connect both because the target groups are too different. Do you want to be a mainstream act like thousand other musicians or do you feel at home in a particular scene like the Glam Rock genre? "InVader" left me with very mixed feelings, so it's hard to give a final rating here. It is by far not the worst record around and offers you some cool feel good tunes. As always it depends on your own taste. If you can overlook this Euro-Pop elements then you might have fun with most of the songs, because they are all extremely catchy and fit to your next summer party. But if you are a fan of Hard Rock and Metal then this will be very disappointing for you. Even for traditional 80's Glam Rock fans. For the next time I hope the boys increase the dose of Rock'n'Roll much more, because this band has potential. I've seen it live and so I can't </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">accept</span></span> such a record. They can do better, listen to "Spirit" and you know what I mean.</span></span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">6/10</span></span></span></h4>
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<u><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">Tracklist:</span></span></b></u><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">01. We Are The Weekend <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">02. Hands <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">03. Monster</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">04. Child Of The Sun</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">05. Bullettime</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">06. Scandinavian Girls</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">07. Pretty Boy Swagger</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">08. Rock It</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">09. Destiny <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">10. Let's Get Cracking <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="">11. Keep It Up All Night</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class=""><span style="color: orange;"><b>* best tracks</b></span></span></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-22637362955706038652016-03-10T13:22:00.001+01:002016-03-10T13:22:06.247+01:00Live-Report: AVANTASIA - "Ghostlights" World Tour 2016 (Berlin, March 4th 2016)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been three long years now since I saw the Metal Opera Project Avantasia live on stage. It was my third Avantasia show, so I already knew what to expect: over three hours of pure Melodic Metal entertainment with a huge number of guest singers. The guys around mastermind Tobias Sammet started their "Ghostlights" world tour on March 4th 2016 in Berlin. The venue "Huxleys" was sold out as well as other upcoming dates on the entire tour. I have to admit that the venue isn't that big (there is space for around 1.500 people), but Huxleys is still one of my favorite places in Berlin. <br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />I was very excited for this show, because I never experienced a tour start, so I didn't know the setlist, the stage design and so on. Around 8:00 pm Avantasia finally hit the stage and started the "Metal Opera experience" with the first single of the new album "Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose". All people celebrated that song from the very first moment. I still don't get why Avantasia couldn't win the preselection round of the Eurovision Song contest with that song here in Germany. But yeah, that's typical German taste of music. It's quite awful when you see which music is popular here. The mainstream audience is simply not ready for this kind of Rock music yet. But that's not the topic here, so let's get back to the show.<br />
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What impressed me very much was the stage design. It looked like an old medieval ruin with a balcony which was very cool. The show went further with the title track of the new album, so it was Michael Kiske's turn and he delivered - as always. Pretty soon Ronnie Atkins joined the pack with "Invoke The Machine" and the following "Unchain The Light" combined the talents of both gifted singers. A truely powerful start. But also Tobias Sammet was in perfect shape. His vocals were top notch and you shouldn't take that for granted, because there were moments in his career where he didn't hit all high notes in the last few years.<br />
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With "A Restless Heart And Obsidian Skies" we got to hear the first ballad with the great Bob Catley on vocals. To be honest I was a little bit shocked when I saw him. He looked so tired and his face was bloated, but his performance was still awesome. Next in line was the man "who sounds like a grizzly bear, but has a heart like a teddy bear" (quote by Michael Kiske): Jorn Lande! I was so happy to see him back with Avantasia and he hasn't lost anything of his energy on stage. This voice is simply outstanding. He did a fantastic job on "The Scarecrow", "Promised Land" and many other songs.<br />
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Although he didn't appear on the new album, Mr. Big vocalist Eric Martin was another welcome guest in the line-up. He performed his song "What's Left Of Me" with so much charisma and passion. I love to see this guy on stage. He has a unique voice and is funny as hell. Beside all those gifted singers there were three more vocalists who ensured great backing vocals in the first place: Herbie Langhans, Amanda Somerville and Oliver Hartmann. Every one of them had a chance to shine on some solo parts as well: Herbie on "Draconian Love", Oliver on "The Watchmaker's Dream" and Amanda on "Farewell". I think I don't need to mention that they are all very talented people and each performance was very special! Oliver Hartmann delivered also some stunning solos on the guitar, as well as Sascha Paeth. Oh and I won't forget the poor Felix Bohnke on drums who had to play over three hours non-stop.<br />
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So, was everything perfect in this show? Surely not. Some singers had little problems in remembering the right lyrics - but OK, it was the first show and they didn't have the time to practice that much. Another strange thing is that Bob Catley and Eric Martin remained more in the background this time. I mean beside the big finale ("Sign Of The Cross") each of them was part of just four songs, while Kiske and Lande dominated the show for most of the time. The mixture could have been a bit more balanced here. Speaking about mixture: if you look for something to complain about it has to be the setlist itself. Don't get me wrong: I liked every song on this list, but all tracks (beside the new ones) were already played on previous tours. So to me it was a very "safe" setlist and I would have loved to hear some rarities. It simply wasn't that surprising. Especially people who loved the second Metal Opera album had to be very strong, because not one single song of the record made it into the show, besides a two minute version of "The Seven Angels" - which was another step back, because they played that one in full length on the last tour. But all in all this is nagging on a very high level.<br />
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Finally I want to give a huge credit to the audience. Berlin is always a difficult place to play when it comes to Metal and Rock music. The audiences in other parts of Germany are always much louder and <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">enthusiastic</span></span>. Not so this time. Fans came from all over the world to see the show. There were people from Greece, Norway, Sweden and many more and they all celebrated their favorite band together. That showed me once more that </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">nationalities don't matter and that music has the ability to connect people. Thumbs up to a great audience!</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">When the show was over I left this place once more with a smile on my face. I've rarely seen so much playfulness, funny and talented people together on one stage. Avantasia are still a household number when it comes to live performances. Convince yourself and buy one of the last few tickets for the upcoming shows. You won't regret it!</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span style="color: orange;"><b>You'd like to see more pictures from the show? Then take a look at the official Facebook-Page to this blog: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RockMetal4You" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/RockMetal4You</a></b></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
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<u><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Setlist: </span></span></b></u><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">01. Mystery of a Blood Red Rose<br />02. Ghostlights<br />03. Invoke the Machine<br />04. Unchain the Light<br />05. A Restless Heart and Obsidian Skies<br />06. The Great Mystery<br />07. The Scarecrow<br />08. Lucifer<br />09. The Watchmakers' Dream<br />10. What's Left of Me<br />11. The Wicked Symphony<br />12. Draconian Love<br />13. Farewell<br />14. Stargazers<br />15. Shelter from the Rain<br />16. The Story Ain't Over<br />17. Let the Storm Descend Upon You<br />18. Promised Land<br />19. Reach Out for the Light<br />20. Avantasia<br />21. Twisted Mind<br />22. Dying for an Angel<br /><br /><i>Encore:</i><br />23. Lost in Space<br />24. Sign of the Cross / The Seven Angels</span></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-10736772715018134012016-02-06T14:02:00.001+01:002016-02-06T14:02:27.223+01:00CD-Review: Dream Theater - "The Astonishing"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although American Prog Metal heroes Dream Theater are around for so many years now and they've gained a large fanbase, their newest piece of work "The Astonishing" is my first contact with this band. As far as I've seen it, this album splits the fanbase pretty much. Some people think it is a boring record, others praise it as a true masterpiece. Maybe the truth lies between those opinions. Because I never listened to Dream Theater before I can give you a more objective opinion on this album in my review.<br />
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For sure I have my own taste in music, so I can just be "objective" to a certain level, but sometimes it is very <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">advantageous if you've never listened to a band before, because then you don't make the mistake to compare new records with the older ones ... and you guys know, that every fan of every band always says "back then everything was better". Many memories are connected to music and so this is a normal reaction. I'm pretty sure there is a large number of Dream Theater fans who feel the same way and if your favorite band dares to try something new the backlash </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">is preprogrammed.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">And this is exactly what Dream Theater did: they tried something new with "The Astonishing". The reason why I didn't buy any Dream Theater records so far was the fact that I'm not so much into the genre of Progressive Rock. "The Astonishing" wasn't announced as a Prog album, instead Dream Theater created a Rock Opera, a Rock Musical if you want so. To me, as a fan of Avantasia and Sonata Arctica, it sounded pretty interesting so I gave it a shot. </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">The result is that "The Astonishing" keeps up to its promise: it is an ambitious Rock Opera project that tells the story of a young men in a distant future. A future, where music has vanished and an evil empire rules over the land, but this young man will rise to bring back the magic of music. You see, the story is a bit </span></span><span class="gt-card-ttl-txt" style="direction: ltr;">clichéd, but still interesting. To make this record sound like an epic Rock Musical Dream Theater reduced their progressive elements and replaced them with more symphonic elements and catchy melodies that remind you sometimes at the classic melodic rock genre. All that is mixed up with some orchestration and a huge portion of pomp. For many Dream Theater fans this is a slap in the face, I can understand that, but to me it is very appealing, because I'm a sucker for infectious melodies and song structures where I can see a red line somewhere. You won't find this red line on every track on "The Astonishing", but this album is still much more accessible than usual Progressive Rock records.</span><br />
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<span class="gt-card-ttl-txt" style="direction: ltr;">I don't want to concentrate on particular songs here because this album is way to complex to discuss every track. The 34 songs on "The Astonishing" are a mixture between very melodic rockers, instrumental tracks, some typical prog tunes and many atmospheric ballads. That might be a bit too soft and a bit too cheesy for some people but as a whole this mixture works pretty well. And you simply have to listen to this album as a whole to follow the story and to get the full experience out of it. With over two hours of playtime it's quiet difficult to listen to this from start to finish and be concentrated. Because that is what you have to do: sit down and listen </span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">attentively. Otherwise the pure mass of creative ideas and song fragments will strike you down at your first runs. This is another important aspect: you have to give this album various spins and the time to grow on you. You'll notice, that you will like it more and more with each new listen. That is what happend to me, so I discovered some brilliant melodies and ideas on "The Astonishing".</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Usually Rock Operas consist of various characters, who tell the story. This is the same here. So I can't understand why Dream Theater didn't make use of different singers, who bring those characters to life. Instead we hear James LaBrie singing all parts alone. He even "plays" a woman and a child. LaBrie is a gifted singer and I enjoyed his performance very much, but the thing is this: his singing style isn't that different from character to character. So if you don't read the lyrics while listening you often have no clue which role he is playing at the moment. That can be pretty confusing at times and they could have dealed with that matter much better. Look at Avantasia and you see how it should be done.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Another point is the production. It all sounds very polished and crystal clear, there is no doubt about that, but escpecially the orchestration could have been a bit more powerful. For such an epic project I would have liked a brighter and more bombastic sound (look at the new Serenity record). Nevertheless the band sounds damn tight and there is no doubt that all involved musicians belong to the best in their field.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">To come to an end: "The Astonishing" is a very varied, ambitious and complex record that will please fans who are more into the melodic side of Rock. Progressive die hards may not find what they are looking for. Otherwise fans of Rock Operas in general or people who like Symphonic Rock can give this a listen. With a few exceptions this is a very enjoyable album if you give it time and space to grow on you. Now excuse me, I have to get back to the gift of music. ;)</span></span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">8/10</span></span></span></h4>
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<u><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Tracklist:</span></span></b></u><br />
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<i><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">CD 1:</span></span></i><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">01. Descent Of The Nomacs</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">02. Dystopian Overture</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">03. The Gift Of Music </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">04. The Answer </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">05. A Better Life </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">06. Lord Nafaryus</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">07. A Savior In The Square</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">08. When Your Time Has Come </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">09. Act Of Faythe</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">10. Three Days</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">11. The Hovering Sojourn</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">12. Brother, Can You Hear Me?</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">13. A Life Left Behind</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">14. Ravenskill</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">15. Chosen</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">16. A Tempting Offer</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">17. Digital Discord</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">18. The X Aspect</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">19. A New Beginning</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">20. The Road To Revolution</span></span><br />
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<i><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">CD 2:</span></span></i><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">21. 2285 Entr'Acte</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">22. Moment Of Betrayal</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">23. Heaven's Cove</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">24. Begin Again</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">25. The Path That Divides</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">26. Machine Chatter</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">27. The Walking Shadow</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">28. My Last Farewell</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">29. Losing Faythe</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">30. Whispers On The Wind</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">31. Hymn Of A Thousand Voices</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">32. Our New World</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">33. Power Down</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">34. Astonishing</span></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-32402684393800650662016-02-05T21:00:00.000+01:002016-02-05T21:00:20.726+01:00CD-Review: Serenity - "Codex Atlanticus"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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End of January was an amazing time for Symphonic Metal fans. With Avantasia's "Ghostlights" and Dream Theater's "The Astonishing" (which is supposed to be a Rock Opera this time with many symphonic elements) fans of this particular genre are pretty busy for the next few months. It wasn't the best idea from the Austrian Symphonic Metal band SERENITY to release their fitfth opus "Codex Atlanticus" on the same day. After many listens I just can say it's a shame that this album is so overlooked, because it deserves better.<br />
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I was introduced to this band back in 2013 with their last album "War Of Ages", because I liked the concept pretty much. So "Codex Atlanticus" is my second point of contact with Serenity. That means I won't refer to their previous works that much. But of course there are two major differences when you compare this new album with their last one. First, the female vocals are reduced to a minimum. You can like that or not - to me it makes no difference. I liked the duets on "War Of Ages", but I'm also fine with the male vocals on "Codex Atlanticus". The second difference is the increased use of huge orchestral arrangements. For sure, orchestration is part of every Symphonic Metal band, but I rarely heard such bombastic arrangements in recent time. It gives the whole album that feeling of a motion picture soundtrack, paired with heavy guitars and I enjoyed this mixture very much.<br />
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"Codex Atlanticus" features a very interesting concept again. It's about the life of Leonardo Da Vinci and all the things that happened around him, such as the Illuminati, various conspiracies and much more. This topic alone gives the whole record such an epic scale. You have to listen to this album as a whole to sink into this historic world.<br />
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It all starts with a short intro that goes over to the first highlight of this album: "Follow Me" is the perfect opener and shows everything this album stands for. That means an interplay between heavy guitars, big orchestration, calm moments in the verses and <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">ears</span> <span class="hps">flattering</span> <span class="hps">melodies in the chorus. All that is topped by the great vocals of singer Georg Neuhauser. Everytime I hear him sing he reminds me so much at Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica. Those two voices are so similar, although Tony is singing a bit more over the top at times. The performance of Neuhauser is once more awesome and fits to the music perfectly.</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">On the tracks "Spirit In The Flash" and "Sprouts Of Terror" he is joined by bassist </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Fabio D’Amore on vocals. That gives a cool contrast, although I don't like the voice of Fabio that much. Especially "Sprouts Of Terror" is not my cup of tea when it comes to the heavy verses he is singing and on "Spirit In The Falsh" he sounds like he would imitate Tobias Sammet. Nevertheless both songs are still well written and they can shine with their melodic choruses.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">With "Iniquity" you get another stand-out track in best "Pirates Of The Caribbean" vein, at least when it comes to the orchester parts. Same goes to the epic "The Codex". But also friends of dreamy ballads will get what they are looking for. "My Final Chapter" is a little bit </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span class="gt-card-ttl-txt" style="direction: ltr;">clichéd, but</span> a well-crafted fantasy dream and "The Perfect Woman" (with Amanda Somerville on guest vocals) is a huge homage to Meat Loaf and shines so bright with its catchiness. If you order the limited edition of this album you'll also get the two bonus tracks "Forgive Me" and "Sails" - both also solid ballads. Maybe that is a little bit too much for some metalheads, but I think if you are a fan of Symphonic Metal you are used to hear some slower stuff.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">When it comes to production there is nothing to complain about. "Codex Atlanticus" comes along with a very warm, but powerful sound that underlines the complex arrangements perfectly. Serenity present themselves from their best side.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br />"Codex Atlanticus" is one of those records you can sink your teeth in, if you are a dreamer. This is an album that rewards people, who can listen to music </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">attentively</span></span>, while closing their eyes and discover different worlds within the music. If you are into Symphonic Power Metal or even Hollywood movie soundtracks and you appreciate some softer tones, then this album is for you! "Codex Atlanticus" grows with every listen and to be honest those are the records that will keep you coming back for a very long period of time. Very well done!</span></span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">9/10</span></span></span></h4>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<u><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Tracklist:</span></span></b></u><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">01. Codex Atlanticus</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">02. Follow Me <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">03. Sprouts Of Terror</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">04. Iniquity <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">05. Reason *</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">06. My Final Chapter</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">07. Caught In A Myth</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">08. Fate Of Light</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">09. The Perfect Woman <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">10. Spirit In The Flesh </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">11. The Order <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">12. Forgive Me (bonus track)</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">13. Sail (bonus track)</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">14. My Final Chapter (orchestral version/ bonus track)</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">* best tracks</span></span></b></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-10240959039208242232016-02-03T16:41:00.000+01:002016-02-03T16:41:15.199+01:00Exclusive Interview with Mark Fox (Shakra)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i>When vocalist John Prakesh left Swiss Hard Rockers SHAKRA two years ago, nobody thaught that former singer Mark Fox would return to the band, but as you see: mircales happen all the time and Shakra present us one of their strongest releases with Mark Fox on vocals. With that in mind it was time to talk to Mark about his return, reunions in general, his solo activities and of course the new album "High Noon". Check out what he had to say below.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hello
Mark, it’s a pleasure to talk to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are you?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: Hi! I’m fine thank you! Hope you
too!</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If
someone told you four years ago that you'll team-up with the guys of Shakra
again what would you have told him?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: This is a question I often heard after I left
the band. My answer was, no! Never! I just wanted to do my own thing and was
not interested about anything concerning Shakra. But I think it’s a normal
feeling. You can compare this with a broken relationship. You don’t want to see
those faces anymore and you look forward for new opportunities. </span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After
your break with Shakra John Prakesh filled the gap. How did you feel when
“your” songs were sung by someone else?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>Well, I didn’t really care about
that. As I said. My whole concentration was on my goals and there was no time
to look back.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What
were your thoughts when you heard the news of John Prakesh leaving the band?
Did you imagine to rejoin the band at this point?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>As I heard about John was leaving, I
took a note of that. But I never thought about rejoining the band till Thomas
made first step in my direction. This was first really strange for me but after
thinking about it a few hours I was motivated to give it a shot, at least to
talk to Thomas from eye to eye to find out what his plans are. And as we see
now, it works again! </span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2016
seems to be THE reunion year. We heard the news about Guns'n'Roses and
everybody is also hoping for a Skid Row reunion … maybe in another life. So,
what are your thoughts about reunions in general? Do you like the idea?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>You know, there are different kinds
of reunions. In our case it not just means for the purpose. I didn’t want to
just fill that gap they had again in the band. I wanted to have fun doing music
with the guys, otherwise this never had been a passable way for me. In general
it’s a good thing to reconcile with your enemy in this evil times. Making music
should be fun and not selfish.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now
Shakra is finally reborn. On January 29<sup>th</sup> you released your
new album “High Noon”. What is the album title all about?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>The title is about meeting each other on the
same eye line. High Noon, is a good metaphor for some important is coming up.
For that reason we took the owl with those penetrating eyes. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Was
it kind of difficult for you to write songs together with Thom Blunier and
Thomas Muster after such a long time?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>Not at all! You know, we never had
confrontations concerning the music. This was always the part of the game that
perfectly matched! The first song Thomas wrote and tried some melodies on
it was „Hello“. When we listened to that demo, we just looked at each other and said,
wow, sounds like I’ve never been away, that’s the real deal!</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Which
tracks are the most personal ones for you on this new album? </span></b></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>As I said before, „Hello“ was the
initial detonation. I can’t pick one song on this album, I think they are all
really great!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Chris
Von Rohr played a big role in bringing you guys back together. How did he
affect the recordings to “High Noon”?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>Chris helped us particularly in
choosing the songs for the album. At the end of songwriting process we had
about 30 or 40 songs and if you write songs, they are all your babies. This
makes it really hard to decide. So Chris helped us a lot whit his experience to
make the right choice and he gave a huge amount of motivation.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A
new tour is also in the making. Which countries will you visit and which ones
you would like to play in the future?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>We first start in Switzerland then
we go to Germany, France and Spain. I’d really like to play once in the USA or
in South America. But actually it doesn’t matter for me in wich country we
play, the main thing is that the people have fun with us and our music.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After
your break with Shakra you concentrated on your new band FOX. I think it was
supposed to be a band and not a solo project, right? Two records were released
– both with a total different line-up. What happened?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>In the beginning of FOX it was
supposed to be a band. This worked quiet good, we had a lot of fun and success
here in Switzerland. But then things happened, I won’t name them here because I
don’t wan’t to penalize someone. Anyway, it wasn’t possible to go on with this
line-up. On the second record I worked together with studio musicians. But the
whole process was so familiar that I decided to go on with these guys as a band.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Are
you still interested in doing such projects beside Shakra?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>It’s always cool to have some
variations in your life but at the moment Shakra is my priority. You can’t do 2
things together because there’s a need for full attention if something should
be more than good. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let’s
talk about some more general things: What do you think about the Swiss Hard
Rock scene? There are so many great bands like you, Gotthard, Krokus and so on
and they all play this similar Hard Rock style, some people call it “Swiss
Rock”. Why is this kind of music so popular in your country? What is the
secret?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>I don’t know the secret but when I go to
Jamaika, the people there like reggae and there are so many bands over there
making that kind of music. I can’t explain that. We just have fun!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Who
inspired you as a musician in your youth?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>Bon Scott, Brian Johnson, Axl Rose,
Steven Tyler - all that stuff you know? I think you hear that.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Speaking
about youth: When you started your career, what did you expect from being in a
band or in music business in general?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>Making music was always on my mind.
I expected to tour around, making concerts everywhere, sell many many records.
I made my dream come true and there is no end in sight. We’ll see what future
brings next!</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So,
when you look at all those new talented bands out there, which advice would you
give them to start a good career in music business?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>On the top: have fun and be proud. You’re
musician, you are free in your mind. Don’t sell yourself under price. Be honest
to yourself, always have a realistic self-assessment and don’t have to high
expectations, they will bring you down when it doesn’t work how you want it to.
Oh and of course, don’t go for short-term hypes, you won’t be fast enough, stay
true to your style. </span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How
important is commercial success for you? I mean, you still have to live from
your music. With that in mind, is it hard to find a good balance between
writing songmaterial that is appealing for a bigger audience and something that
fulfills you as an artist?</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>The most important thing is, to
write music that you like yourself. Best is when the people like it too but
there is never a guarantee. Also not, if you try to do something that is
really selling like hell at the moment. There are so many musicians out there,
you only can match if you are authentic.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
know that you are also very active on social media and that you are a person
who often speaks about unfair treatments in the world. When I take a look at
other musicians, who do the same thing, there is the phenomenon that some fans really don't like it if their favorite musicians have a political opinion or something like that. It feels like you, as an artist, are just there to entertain the people – no more, no less. How do you deal with that matter?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="mso-bookmark: result_box;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>Everybody
has the right to say his opinion. I’m not doing politics, I would name it ethic
and morality. I often use subjects like that in my lyrics. And if anybody
thinks he can criticize my music and who’s not musician, he should agree with
me that I’m right if I criticize the society.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="mso-bookmark: result_box;"><span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you have some final words for all
your fans out there?</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="mso-bookmark: result_box;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>Get
our new record „High Noon“ and enjoy how we enjoyed to create it! See you on a
show! </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="mso-bookmark: result_box;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark, thank you for your time! See
you on the road.</span></span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mark: </span>Thank you too! See ya!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.shakra.ch/" target="_blank">www.shakra.ch</a> </span></b></div>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-28831433328848154612016-02-01T11:52:00.002+01:002016-02-01T11:52:37.072+01:00CD-Review: Ecliptica - "Ecliptified"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Metal from Austria? Beside Symphonic Metal heroes Serenity I can't remember so many other bands of this particular genre from this country. Although Ecliptica are named after the debut album of Sonata Arctica they are not a Symphonic or Power Metal band as you might expect it. Ecliptica describe their music as "Metal'n'Roll" and they are around for quite some time already. Their new album "Ecliptified" marks their thrid record in band history and it shows the band from a more different side.<br />
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When you listen to the bands first two efforts you realize that they focus more on the Metal aspect on these records. With "Ecliptified" it's quiet different. Here the focus lies on huge stadium compatible sing along melodies and a bigger sleaze attitude. That means "Ecliptified" reminded me much more at the old Glam Metal acts from the 80's, without being a simple copy of them. So, if you like Glam Rock or Melodic Hard Rock you'll be very satisfied.<br />
<br />
Another thing that makes this band stand out from similar acts is the fact that two vocalists share the microphone: male singer Tom Tieber and female singer Sandra "Sunny" Urbanek . This mixture works pretty well, because these two voices <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">complement each other perfectly. Sandra is not just an incredibly beautiful rock chick, she also has this kind of sleazy attitude in her voice that fits the music very well, while Tom's voice goes more in the Metal direction with high-pitched vocals. </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">But what about the songs on "Ecliptified"? In this case this album is very varied. You have the catchy arena anthems like "Welcome To The Show", "One For Rock'n'Roll", the over-the-top hits "Rock'n'Roll Medication" and "I Surrender", as well as more heavy stuff like "Hate The Pain" and "We Rock" and of course the power ballads, named "I Need Your Love" (would have been an instant airplay hit in the 80's) and the slow "For Good". </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">So, within its genre "Ecliptified" deliveres a bunch of different ideas. Those fit pretty well together for most of the time, but sometimes the mix feels also a bit out of place. You notice that especially on the song "Road To Nowhere", where the verses sound very heavy and Metal like, but in the chorus this one turns into an AOR tune. Although this is by far not a bad song it doesn't fit so well here in my opinion. Then you have the song "Round 'n' Round" which is a bit too much Pop and sugar. </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">The rest of the album is very well balanced and the whole musicianship delivers an enjoable experience. On "Ecliptified" you'll also find some really amazing guitar-solos. So there is no doubt that those guys are all gifted musicians. The production can also shine with a clear sound without missing some edges here and there.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Finally I just can say that "Ecliptified" belongs to the first big surprises in 2016. Coming out of nowhere this album got me from the very first listen. I like the variety and the many hook loaden songs as well as the cool attitude of both singers. Combined with the tight musicianship and solid production this album is (</span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">with very few exceptions)</span></span> a winner from start to finish. You got to keep an eye on this band in the future!</span></span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">8/10</span></span></span></h4>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<u><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Tracklist:</span></span></b></u><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">01. Welcome To The Show <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">02. Hate The Pain</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">03. Round 'n' Round</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">04. Road To Nowhere</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">05. One For Rock'n'Roll <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">06. Need Your Love <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">07. Persephone (instrumental)</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">08. Hero Of The Day</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">09. Trip <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">10. Rock'n'Roll Medication <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">11. No Surrender <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">12. For Good</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">13. We Rock</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">14. Sleeping In My Car (Roxette cover, bonustrack)</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">* best tracks </span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><b><a href="http://www.ecliptica.at/" target="_blank">www.ecliptica.at</a></b></span></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-72145051306074916502016-01-27T16:49:00.000+01:002016-01-27T16:49:23.735+01:00Exclusive Interview with Tobias Sammet (Avantasia, Edguy)<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<i>Tobias Sammet, the
mastermind behind the German Power Metal band Edguy and of course the head of
the Metal Opera project Avantasia, has reached a lot in the last 20
years. Playing shows in over 40 countries and countless chart entries
are just a few of them. His biggest achievement seems to be the work
with his own heroes on Avantasia. In just a few days the next
masterpiece, called "Ghostlights", will hit the stores and just a month
later Tobias Sammet will attend the preselection round of the Eurovision Song Contest in Germany. So there were several reasons to talk to him again. But this isn't just another interview out of hundreds. This
time it was important to me to involve the Avantasia/Edguy fans, so I
asked those people in a fan forum for their questions and the resonance
was great. Thanks to all those people from all over the world who sent
in their questions! There were so many, so I couldn't use all of them, but I
selected a few and combined them with my own questions. Read the result below.</i> </div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Hey Tobi, great to talk to you! How are
you? You seem to be very busy these days.</b></span><br />
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Tobi: Hello Thomas! Yes, currently it's quiet stressful, but overall it's more positive stress. I did over 400 interviews already, I'm doing promotional tours in between ... that is a lot, but it's also a sign that we did something right with the new record otherwise people wouldn't be so interested. That's why I don't want to complain. I'm totally fine. Thanks! (laughs)</div>
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<b><span style="color: orange;">A new Avantasia album, called
„Ghostlights“, is on its way. What is the meaning behind the
title"Ghostlights"? Why did you choose this name for your
new album?</span>
</b></div>
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Tobi: Because the whole concept of this album deals with questionable ideals you have in life. It depends on which philosophy of life you have. Such ideals can be very different from each other. And it's about distractions to find cross-fires on the way to find out what you really want from life.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Does „Ghostlights“ conclude this
phase of Avantasia, or is it going to be a trilogy like "Scarecrow",
"Angel Of Babylon" and "Wicked Symphony"?</b></span></div>
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Tobi: No, it's not going to be a trilogy. It's just about those two records. It's a concept that started in novel form on "The Mystery Of Time" and "Ghoslights" is based on that one, so it finishes the story. The twelve new songs represent twelve stations on the protagonist's journey. It's a journey where he is looking for answers for some questions about his own existence and that leaves its mark on his philisophical worldview as well. Those twelve songs represent key moments on this journey and then it's done. There is no happy end indeed, it's a very open ending, but I didn't want to continue the story in fairytale form. Instead I wanted it to be more universal, so that people can think about the things that happen in the story. You should be able to interpret it for yourself in the end. So this concept and topic is definitely finished. I've also no plans to do another Avantasia album in the near future. I won't make the mistake this time to say that it is completely over, but ... oh God ... I think there won't be another Avantasia album in the next five years or so. I doubt it. But I don't really know, maybe I feel like doing one more in three years, who knows? I can't say it, exactly. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>I've listened to „Ghostlights“ for
quiet some time now and to me it feels like this record spreads a darker and more mysterious mood. Was that a concrete decision
based on the events that happen in the story?</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: No, that's just how the songmaterial develops during the whole process. It's very spontaneously. I'm not that kind of person who sits down after a large market analysis and says "the next album has to be faster, darker or softer". That will never happen and that's good, because so you can keep it intersting for yourself. I never really know in which direction it will lead. I just have a rough idea in mind when I develop a concept and of course there is a certain quintessence that is always present during the whole process, but I never really know how it will turn out. You never know if a song gets more dark or something like that. These are simply nuances. So many things are happeing during the development process, so because of smallest changes a song can go into a different direction in the end. Let me give you one example. There is one song called "Draconian Love" that sounds quiet dark, but that just happend in the studio. Originally this one was a typical Avantasia track in the vein of "Dying For An Angel" or "Avantasia" from the very first record. At the end of the day Sascha Paeth came up with the idea that my duet partner Herbie Langhans from Sinbreed could sing his part an octave lower than me to get a bigger discrepancy between our two voices. And suddenly this song got this kind of - many people call it "Gothic" touch. I really can't compare it, since I'm not into this style of music, but because of that little change this song got a more darker tone.</div>
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<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>I was pretty impressed when I saw
Dee Snider in the line-up. I also read that Meat Loaf was supposed to
be part of this album. How hard is it to convince such icons like them
or Alice Cooper to be part of Avantasia? How does that work?</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: It was very difficult to convince Meat Loaf to be part of Avantasia. You'll notice that when you'll listen to this album because you finally won't hear him sing on "Ghostlights" (laughs). But to be honest, it's very different. Some people really want to do it, some don't. In case of Meat Loaf I just can say that his management reacted very positive at the beginning, but for some unknown reasons they finally decided to keep away from it. With Alice Cooper it was a very different story back then. I wrote this song that was predestined for him and my friend Eric Singer just asked Alice to sing this song. Then Alice Cooper wanted to listen to the song first and in the end he was convinced to do it without any question.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>OK, so sometimes it's quiet easy.</b></span><br />
<br />
Tobi: Yes, sometimes it is easy, but if you want to have people like Geoff Tate on an album it's more difficult, because he is very, very busy. So we needed to find a certain date within his timetable where he was still available. Sometimes there are issues in finding an appointment and then the whole thing breaks up. It's not that easy, but if you produce such an album over a longer period of time and if you stay smart then you have the opportunity to be a bit more flexible in finding an appointment.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>The first single you've released was this
kind of „Meat Loaf“ track, called „Mystery Of Blood Red Rose“
and you do some great things with your voice on this one. Why you
choose this song as the first single?</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: There were several reasons. There where two songs to choose from: "Draconian Love" and "Msystery Of A Blood Red Rose". Those songs had a solid playtime to release them as a single. You can't release a seven minute song as first single. Ok, maybe you could, but you won't do yourself a favor, because even the Rock radio stations won't play such long tracks and they would cut it down, so there won't be much left from the original song. Furthermore "Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose" and "Draconian Love" are both very catchy in my opinion. It was just the right feeling that one of those songs could be the first single. At the end my record label prefered "Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose" and I also liked the decision, because this tune is actually more daring. If you compare the sound of this one with other songs it is very timeless ... cynics would say "old-fashioned" (laughs). So even on Rock radio this song stands out, because many people don't know these kind of songs anymore. Of course I know that current radio stations are not interested in playing my songs, but at least some Rock radio stations in Germany, South Europe and England play them from time to time and therefore it's cool to have such a tune that is kind of controversial. "Draconian Love" instead has this kind of melancholia that you hear pretty often in the 21st century. "Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose" is sumptuous and sounds like Meat Loaf around 1979 or at most 1990. That's exceptional and that was exciting for me.</div>
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<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>This track will become one that will go
down in Avantasia history, because with that one you'll <span lang="en">participate
in the preselection round of the Eurovision Song Contest in Germany.
Maybe you'll represent Germany in Stockholm this year. What does it
mean to you to be part of this huge show? What are your expectations?</span></b></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: To me it means that I can play my music in front of an audience that conceivably don't know that an act like us still exists. And this is a beautiful, selfish motivation (laughs). How the result will turn out is written in the stars, but that isn't important to me. Primarily I like the idea of keeping the flag high for this kind of music and it is a great opportunity when it comes to promotion. No more, no less. My record label came to me and asked me if I can imagine to do this. I don't know if they expected me to say "Are you stupid?". I thought about it and said "Yes, why not?". I mean, I already attended a morning show on TV in Germany, we also did some TV stuff in South America, as well as in Asia. So, as long as I don't have to do stupid things on TV why not singing my song, which I've recorded anyway? That's great and it is a music genre, that doesn't get much attention in the mass media. So, therefore it's pretty cool. </div>
<div lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Did you ever consider that
the participition in this show could damage the image of Avantasia? You know the Metal community can be very <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">conservative.</span></span> I
can imagine there are some metalheads out there who don't like to see
a Metal act in such a commercial show.</b></span></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: What kind of Metal band are we, if we would worry about what is proper or not ?(laughs) Seriously, my favorite bands also didn't ask me for permission on doing such things. Iron Maiden attended "Top Of The Pops", as well as AC/DC back then. This had no bad influence on the sound of AC/DC or on their carreer. At the end of the day the Eurovision Song Contest won't have any influence on the things I'm doing. We'll go out on world tours, we'll play our stuff, Avantasia will always be Avantasia, I will always be me, Edguy will always be Edguy and three minutes in television won't change that ... and our fans know that. Those people who don't know it are probably not our fans. Someone, who deals with us, knows that I see such things in a very pragmatic way. Puff is part of the trade.<br />
<br /></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>With all that media stuff
around you, is there anything that bothers you in case of your fame?
Can you still live a normal life, especially in Germany?</b></span></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: Sure, never mind! It always depends on what you finally make out of it. I'm always friendly when someone comes my way and speaks to me on the street. It's quiet easy, I've no problem with that. Actually I'm a pretty shy person, but if somebody is nice to me and asks me something I'll always answer them. Sometimes I would love to have a little bit more free time, but otherwise I've started the whole thing, so I have to live with the consequences (laughs).</div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Talking about fame, what
was the most beautiful thing you've read about yourself in the paper?</b></span></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: Oh, I don't really know. I've read lots of nice things about me and if the journalists aren't assholes they always show their readers who I really am and that is pretty nice. </div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Avantasia will also do a
huge world tour that will lead you to North America for the first
time. With just a very few shows American fans are a bit
disappointed. Is it that hard touring in the US? Is it a lack of a good
promoter or the demand for this type of music in general?</b></span></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: It is simply because such a venture like Avantasia is extremely expensive on the road. With Edguy you can easily do a tour in smaller clubs with 500 or 800 people per night. That is possible and is financially viable. With Avantasia you would easily burn thousands of Dollars on each night, if you are not selling out big theatres. I'm not that naive to believe that we are a "big number" in the USA. I know we have a solid fanbase in North America and there is much more work to do, but in contrast to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra we are not so "high gloss" and we are flying more under the radar. That's why I said, OK we go there, we play on the West Coast, we play on the East Coast and we play in Canada and the people have the opportunity to see us. I know it is connected with three or four hour flights for some fans, but that's just the way it works. Otherwise it would be impossible to see us in the USA. It's kind of a test. We'll see how everything will turn out and how these shows will work. Maybe we'll do this once more in six or seven years and then we will draw a resume out of the shows we played on this tour. Maybe we can convince other promoters from different cities to bring Avantasia in larger venues, instead of small clubs, in the future. So, at least we have the chance to come to North America without making too many financial losses.</div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Bob Catley won't perform
on the US dates. So, will you change the setlist? And is there any
chance to get other special guests like Bruce Kulick or Eric Singer
on the North American shows?</b></span></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: I wonder if it would be a good idea to let Eric Singer or Bruce Kulick sing songs like "The Story Ain't Over" (laughs), although Eric Singer is a good vocalist, but I think he is on tour with KISS at the time. I don't have any clue, we didn't talk about it so far. It is Bob Catley, I would have loved to have him with me during these shows, but Bob is torung with Magnum at the same time and I'm the biggest Magnum fan under the sun, so I wouldn't dare to convince him to cancel his tour. I don't want to be the reason for tensions between the band members. Therefore I love this band too much. That's why I said to Bob "you can do the tour with us until the Magnum tour starts and then you have to do Magnum" and that's the only right thing.</div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="de-DE">With Jorn Lande,
Ronnie Atkins, Eric Martin, Michael Kiske and many others the live
line-up is still stunning. Are there any plans to capture some shows for
a new live DVD/Blu-Ray in the future?</span></b></span></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: There aren't any plans so far. We wanted to do that on the last tour, but the interest from our record label Nuclear Blast was so low, that I would have lost much money. So I didn't do it. I mean I'm ready to do many things, but if you have to go to your bank branch and you have to withdraw a lot of your money, just to lose it because you don't have the support you need, I won't do it. I'm ready to invest in some things, but in this case that wouldn't work out very well for me.</div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>When it comes to
playing live do you prefer huge stadium shows (like Wacken) or more
smaller venues?</b></span></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Tobi: I like both. It depends on the people in front of the stage and if the spark is up all the time. Mostly I'm trying everything to light up the spark and if it don't work from the very beginning you just have to put more energy into your show. I still remember when we did a Christmas show in Germany. That was just a small club, called "Rockfabrik Ludwigsburg", with just 750 people in it and it was one hell of a show. This was one of the best shows I did in my entire career. I had so much fun, otherwise playing in front of 80.000 people at Wacken is also not a bad feeling. But at the end of the day it doesn't matter how many people attend a show, some magical things can also happen in small clubs.<br />
<br /></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>At the time we are
speaking Avantasia is considered to be more succesful than your main
band Edguy. Why do you think this is happening? Some people even say
that you keep the best songs for Avantasia. What would you say to
those people?</b></span></div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: I would say that they have no idea what they are talking about. It's simply bullshit! I also try my best when I write songs for Edguy. Writing a song is always a very personal thing to me and every song has to be good. Of course there are some tracks I like more than others when you look at your own discography, but I don't separate this between Avantasia and Edguy. Everybody has the right to like or don't like some things, for example I think that "Space Police" is one of the best albums I've ever recorded. I think "Rocket Ride", "Space Police" even "Tinnitus Sanctus", which is somewhat neglected by some people, or "Age Of The Joker" come up with some great songs. So, it is not true that only Avantasia gets the best songs. For sure the two bands sound quite different from each other, but that's not just because of the songs. It's the fact that there are different singers and musicians. Avantasia has a bit more of my handwriting all over it, simply because I can decide everything on my own. With Edguy it is different. Although I'm also the leader of this band it is still fact that we discuss everything within the band. I give 100 percent for both bands. But imagine with Edguy it is like five old spouse (laughs). That means 80 percent out of 100 go into the discussions, while on Avantasia 100 percent go into the production (laughs). But I'm still loving the work with Edguy. I've never said "this song is too good for Edguy, I safe it for Avantasia" in my entire life. That's bullshit and everybody who knows me knows, that I give 100 percent at everything I'm working on. I was also asked if I'd like to write songs for other artists and I refused, because if I write a cool song it is supposed to be an Edguy or Avantasia song. I also concentrate on only one thing and I never work simultaneously on two things. If I would have a cool song idea tonight I know exactly that this is going to be an Edguy song, because that is what will come up next: a new Edguy album. That's for sure and if I have an idea tonight I will write it down with the same passion like I'm doing it for Avantasia.</div>
<div lang="de-DE" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span lang="de-DE">Speaking about
Edguy: 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of Edguy, and the 20th
anniversary of your 'official' debut. Do you guys plan something
special?</span></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<span lang="de-DE">Tobi: No, we didn't plan anything so far, because an anniversary always sounds so old. Most people today are saying "Edguy - these Grown Ups", but when you would tell them that we are already 25 years around they would say "oh these old grandfathers, are they already that old and run-down, like others?", that's why we won't do it (laughs). I actually don't think it is that important, because you'll get old alone by yourself. Some others are also around for 30, 40 or 50 years. I mean, it isn't a huge achievement to keep a band name alive over a longer period of time. What I think is more amazing is the fact that we make music for twenty years with the same band members, because there aren't so many bands around who have the same line-up for such a long time. In 25 years of our career just one band member left Edguy and that was our drummer back in 1997. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Let's get a little bit back to
the beginning. When you made the decision to live your dream and
become a musician, how did your family react to this? Did you have
their support back then?</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: I think so. I was 14 years old when we started with Edguy, we were 17 when we recorded our first album. So, you simply needed the support. For sure my parents were not that satisfied when their 19 year old son signed some contracts where it was all about the money. I think they thought I would ruin the whole family (laughs). But all in all it was very easy and I got my support. I didn't get everything I wanted but a certain basic support was there ... although they told me three times a week I should think of going to an university or something like that and concentrate on the music later. But I always said that wouldn't work, because you have to do what you like to do. Otherwise it's just crap, otherwise you won't do things that good and I would have been a worse economist (laughs). That's why I thought I have to build up my band and I can also study later.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>What was the most important thing
you've learned from your parents?</b></span><br />
<br />
Tobi: That's a good question. I would say: a lot ... although I can't say something concrete now that would give a cool headline. I would say I'm quite honest. That is something I learned. I'm honest and straightforward. I don't really know if that comes from my parents, but for sure you take a look at your partens and they were always cool to me.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">You belong to the best
songwriters we have in Rock/Metal because you seem to have so many song
ideas all the time. But what would you do if you would lose your
inspiration? Any plan B?</span> </b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: Sure, I would try to get my inspiration back (laughs). No, there is no plan B. That's always just an excuse to neglect plan A and so plan A won't work. That's crap. I'll think of a plan B when the time will arrive to do it. You can't be prepared for all eventualities. Beside this I think the basic requirement is how much fun you have while doing these things. I have lots of fun and I won't let it be taken away from me. I think I just would wait. After we recorded our first demo I was affraid that I could lose my creativity, but somehow I've lost this fear over the years. The worst thing that can happen to me is to record an album where I had so much fun recording it and the whole public thinks it sounds like shit. But I could handle it, I even could survive it from an economic point of view (laughs).<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Tobi, thank you very
much for taking the time. As you know some of the questions were
asked by your own fans, do you have a message for them?</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Tobi: Yes, I think it's great that all those people follow me in what I'm doing and that they think about questions you could ask me, because that shows me that those people are obviously interested in my music and everything I do. I think that's pretty nice and I'm sorry that sometimes I do the things in a different way than they would hope for and if they think I wouldn't work on Edguy with the same passion like I do it on Avantasia, so I'm pretty sorry for that. But overall I'm very happy that all those people exist, because without them I couldn't do the things I love, so thank you!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>That's a nice closing remark. Good luck for your new album, tour and
of course the preselection round of the Eurovision Song Contest, Tobi! Maybe we'll hear us again someday.</b></span><br />
<br />
Tobi: Of course, thanks for having me! Bye!<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.avantasia.net/" target="_blank">http://www.avantasia.net/</a> </b></div>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-10079988886923274962016-01-19T11:37:00.000+01:002016-01-19T17:21:36.531+01:00CD-Review: Shakra - "High Noon"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When singer Mark Fox left Shakra back in 2009 nobody thought these guys will ever team up again. It seemed to be impossible because it was a quiet ugly break up with lots of bad blood. Fox was replaced by John Prakesh and just after two albums Prakesh left the band in 2014. I don't know what it is, but Shakra always had problems to keep their singer. To me it was a huge surprise when I heard the news of Mark Fox's return on the new album, called "High Noon". Now it's finally here and it feels like Fox never left the band.<br />
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It was back in 2007 when I discovered this Swiss Heavy Rock band. That was the time when their album "Infected" came out and I loved that one from start to finish. So to me, Mark Fox was always THE voice of Shakra. I know there was Pete W. in the early days, but to me Shakra's sound was coined by Mark Fox. And although the latest two albums "Back On Track" and "Powerplay" with Prakesh on vocals were great Hard Rock records, it didn't feel the same. Now with "High Noon" it feels like coming home, it feels like coming back to the days when I discovered Shakra - it simply feels right and when you listen to this album it's pretty clear that Shakra continue where they left off with "Everest" back in 2009.<br />
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Every Shakra fan will be pleased with this new record. It has all the ingredients you would expect from this band: the right balance between heaviness and melody, raspy vocals, soaring guitars, catchy riffs and a <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">monstrous rhythm section. It's all there and to me this is the best Shakra record with Fox on vocals right behind "Infected".</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">The special thing is that this album comes along with much </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">playfulness. It feels like the guys feel pretty comfortable in their skin and nearly every song spreads a positive mood. Tracks like "Hello!", "The Storm" and "Watch Me Burn" rock as hell. I could easily name almost every song here. There are just maybe two songs on this record that sound a bit too generic to my ears ("Eye To Eye", "Is It Real"), but those tracks are also far away from being bad. I always wonder how this band can produce such infectious guitar riffs. Just after a few seconds they grab you and you simply have to bang your head to them. But like on every Shakra album before there is of course a ballad on this one, too. It's called "Life's What You Need" and is simply beautiful. One of the better ballads this band has written and definitely one of the many highlights on "High Noon".</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">Another thumbs up goes to the massive production by Thom Blunier. He is a wizard. Period! If you want to hear a first-class in-your-face production you got to listen to this. This is how Hard Rock should sound in 2016. The dynamic is great and every instrument sounds crystal clear. In my opinion Blunier simply needs to produce some other bands. If you ever listened to such a high quality production you just want that every album sounds this way.</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">Finally I just can say that Shakra did everything right on "High Noon". It is a first class Hard Rock record with many catchy songs and infectious guitar play. To have Mark Fox back on vocals makes this album even more fascinating to me than previous records. I'm pretty sure that "High Noon" will end up in many Years leaderboards in December. Mark my words.</span></span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">9/10</span></span></span></h4>
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<u><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">Tracklist:</span></span></b></u><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">01. Hello! <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">02. High Noon</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">03. Into Your Heart</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">04. Around The World</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">05. Eye To Eye</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">06. Is It Real</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">07. Life's What You Need <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">08. The Storm <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">09. Raise Your Hands</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">10. Stand Tall</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">11. Watch Me Burn <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">12. Wild And Hungry <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en" tabindex="-1"><span class="hps">* best tracks</span></span></b></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-83515404401885968502015-12-30T11:26:00.000+01:002015-12-30T11:26:00.262+01:00Special: Forthcoming Rock/Metal albums in 2016!Hey folks,<br />
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today I'd like to take a look into the future. As I mentioned in a previous post, 2015 was a very slow year for me, because many of my favorite bands released their stuff already in 2014, so there was not much left for 2015, beside some surprises. But this means also 2016 will be one hell of a year! Have a look at the following list. It contains the forthcoming records I'm/I was most excited about and has no order or ranking. I just collected some bands here where I know they are currently working on a new album.<br />
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But before we start I want to take the time to <b>THANK YOU</b> guys for reading this blog and keep the whole thing rolling. Over 181.000 views show me that this site is still relevant for you and I have to apologize, that I didn't wrote so much stuff in 2015. Beside the lack of favorite releases it was still a matter of time. As you know, I'm running this site on my own and I have a day job. Things can become stressful very quickly. Also 2016 will be very busy for me and there will be months when you don't get to read any new stuff here. So, I want to thank you for your understanding. I'll try to upload new reviews as often as possible. Another thank you goes out to my colleagues at <a href="http://myglobalmind.com/" target="_blank"><b>MYGLOBALMIND</b></a>, who publish my stuff on their website, too. Those guys are doing a fantastic job as well. And last but not least I'd like to thank the musicians and their promoters, for giving me the chance to do all these reviews and interviews (although there was just one this year). Have a happy new year everybody! We'll hear from each other in 2016!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>AXEL RUDI PELL</b> - "Game Of Sins" (read my review <b><a href="http://rock-and-metal-4-you.blogspot.de/2015/12/cd-review-axel-rudi-pell-game-of-sins.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></b>)<br />
<b>HELL IN THE CLUB</b> - "Shadow Of The Monster" <br />
<b>AVANTASIA</b> - "Ghostlights" (read my review <a href="http://rock-and-metal-4-you.blogspot.de/2015/12/cd-review-avantasia-ghostlights.html" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>)<br />
<b>SHAKRA</b> - "High Noon"<br />
<b>NORDIC UNION</b> - "Nordic Union" (read my review <a href="http://rock-and-metal-4-you.blogspot.de/2015/12/cd-review-nordic-union-nordic-union.html" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>)<br />
<b>DELAIN</b> - "Lunar Prelude" (EP) <br />
<b>PRIMAL FEAR</b> - "Rulebreaker"<br />
<b>MAGNUM</b> - "Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies" <br />
<b>LAST AUTUMN'S DREAM</b> - "Paintings" (read my review <a href="http://rock-and-metal-4-you.blogspot.de/2015/12/cd-review-last-autumns-dream-paintings.html" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>)<br />
<b>RICK SPRINGFIELD</b> - "Rocket Science"<br />
<b>TOXICROSE</b> - "Total Tranquility" <br />
<b>JORN</b> - tba<br />
<b>DYNAZTY</b> - tba<br />
<b>KISSIN' DYNAMITE</b> - tba<br />
<b>RECKLESS LOVE</b> - tba<br />
<b>GOTTHARD</b> - tba<br />
<b>PRETTY MAIDS</b> - tba<br />
<b>TREAT</b> - tba<br />
<b>BON JOVI</b> - tba<br />
<b>RICHIE SAMBORA feat. ORIANTHI</b> - tba<br />
<b>MISS BEHAVIOUR</b> - tba<br />
<b>STEVEN TYLER</b> - tba<br />
<b>CONFESS</b> - tba<br />
<b>SUNSTORM</b> - tba<br />
<b>VOLBEAT</b> - tba<br />
<b>UNISONIC</b> - tba<br />
<b>FREEDOM CALL</b> - tba<br />
<b>VEGA</b> - tba<br />
<b>SHYLOCK</b> - tba<br />
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Looks like I will have lots of work to do ;) <br />
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-52930899973561702812015-12-29T00:35:00.000+01:002015-12-29T09:22:28.711+01:00CD-Review: Axel Rudi Pell - "Game Of Sins"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh how time flies by. It feels like yesterday when Axel Rudi Pell's latest work "Into The Storm" was released. That was two years ago and everybody, who knows the German Axeman knows, that he is very consistent in what he is doing and so it is no wonder that the follow-up "Game Of Sins" will hit the stores on January 15th. "Into The Storm" was a huge chart success for Pell and I also felt that Axel could increase his songwriting skills from album to album in the last eight years. Let's see if "Game Of Sins" is another step forward.<br />
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With Axel Rudi Pell it is always like some kind of double-edged sword and he seems to split the Metal community. The one side loves this guy for his consistency when it comes to sound and songwriting, the other side complains that every record sounds the same. The truth lies somewhere between.<br />
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Axel Rudi Pell always delivers what his fans expect from him, so die hard fans can't go wrong and they know what they get. That's the same with "Game Of Sins". You get the epic atmosphere on the title track "Game Of Sins", the melancholic mood in "Forever Free", a mixture between heavy rockers ("Fire", "The King Of Fools") and power ballads ("Lost In Love"), very extensive and bluesy guitar solos, as well as top notch vocals by Johnny Gioeli. If you love all that stuff you'll be fine with "Game Of Sins".<br />
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But I also understand the other side of the community even more than before, because "Game Of Sins" feels a bit too familiar this time around. There are many songs that seem to consist of various set-pieces from previous Pell songs (best examples: "Falling Star", "Till The Wolrd Says Goodbye", "Breaking The Rules") and to me that feels like a step back in songwriting quality. Especially the choruses are too generic and couldn't grab me like they did on the previous three records. I missed some really cool standout tracks like "Burning Chains", "Forever Angel" or "World Of Confusion". Not many melodies stuck in my head and even after various spins I just can say that the tracks sound too similiar to each other.<br />
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It is nearly the same problem the new Last Autumn's Dream album has, but with one difference: Axel Rudi Pell still tries to improve things from album to album and that's <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">precisely the</span> <span class="hps">case when it comes to production. "Game Of Sins" sounds huge! It is much better produced than previos records and especially the drums get more space to shine. The drumming of </span></span>Bobby Rondinelli never sounded that powerful and also the rest of the band ensures a punchy in-your-face sound. With that said, even some more weaker tracks are still fun to listen to.<br />
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On the other hand there are once more Johnny Gioeli's vocals that stand out here. He is still one of the best shouters out there and his voice never gets old. Combined with Pell's skills on the guitar this album still delivers solid fare for fans of epic Heavy Rock. And so everything stays the same: Axel won't gain a bigger audience with "Game Of Sins", but he also won't disapppoint his longtime fans. Personally I just can say that this isn't one of his strongest efforts, but still a solid one you can pick up and rock out to.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">7/10</span></h4>
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<u><b>Tracklist:</b></u><br />
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01. Lenta Fortuna<br />
02. Fire <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
03. Sons In The Night <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
04. Game Of Sins<br />
05. Falling Star<br />
06. Lost In Love<br />
07. The King Of Fools <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
08. Till The World Says Goodbye<br />
09. Breaking The Rules<br />
10. Forever Free <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span><br />
11. All Along The Watchtower (bonustrack)<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>* best tracks</b></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3032675083088951928.post-9489649261093765592015-12-28T10:29:00.001+01:002015-12-28T10:29:15.148+01:00CD-Review: Last Autumn's Dream - "Paintings"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every new year sees a new Last Autumn's Dream release. That is as safe as the "Amen" in a church and so the forthcoming record "Paintings" will be released in the end of February 2016. Three years ago I said that the quality doesn't suffer under the annual releases. Now we are at some point where it does. But let me explain this in this review.<br />
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First I want to make something clear: "Paintings" is by far not a bad album. It delivers once more the well-known mixture of traditional midtempo AOR tunes and slow ballads. That all is packed in a solid production with some remarkable vocals from singer Mikael Erlandsson. You also have some pretty good songs like "Out Of Love", "Take It On The Run" (REO Speedwagon cover) and "Bring Out The Heroes" on this release as well as <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">the obligatory</span></span> fillers - like always. Maybe you guys can guess what my point is. I simply don't see some development here, something that keeps everything interesting or makes it better in comparison to previous records.<br />
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Meanwhile I reached a point where I simply feel <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">satiated. I'm satiated of always the same melodies, same arrangements, same song structures - I've heard them way too often in recent years and back then they were even better. That leads to one major problem: some of the songs on "Paintings" are simply boring to me. I know that sounds hard, but that's what it is: boring. Last Autumn's Dream repeat themselves too often. For sure, there are many bands out there, who do the same thing, BUT they don't do it every single year over and over again. And that's why I'm so tired of it. I listened to this album for a few times now to write this review and when this text is done I don't feel the need to go back to this album once more and that says something. </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">I could repeat everything in this review I wrote about previous records. The only thing that makes Last Autumn's Dream still relevant to me (and which defines this band) is the charismatic and unique voice of Mikale Erlandsson. He is a true blessing for this band and I love his vocals. But in case of songwriting and presentation, there are so many other Scandi Rock bands out there who are far better nowadays. Take a look at H.e.a.t or the new Nordic Union - just to mention a few. Those bands also don't reinvent the wheel, but somehow everything feels more fresh and creative. I really would appriciate it if Last Autumn's Dream would take a break from two or three years and then come back with an album full of hits , where they simply had the time to collect song ideas over a longer period of time. The last album of these guys, which blew my mind was "A Touch Of Heaven" from 2010 and it still is one of my favorite albums of all time. That was exciting for me. </span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">If those points don't bother you and you are a LAD hardcore fan, then for sure you can't do something wrong with "Paintings". The band sounds still tight and they are all skilled musicians, so there is nothing to complain about in this case. The record has also a warm sound there is nothing that sounds terrible, it's just this repetitive songwriting on each new album. I hope you understand my point and why this album gets a lower rating this time. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_Kz6MQSyCOhVPvvtIOlxNUj6PVNIxyIj4z8pGWOphdbGnGhOeL1UC5BCmIuRankAuHX6m5vseCUfU2wiFv91QkKPQn36kIu7WZl24AhVUAjXPtiIPWgAkfrK3qqs8RIGMwPg-TT6kSw/s1600/IMG_8913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_Kz6MQSyCOhVPvvtIOlxNUj6PVNIxyIj4z8pGWOphdbGnGhOeL1UC5BCmIuRankAuHX6m5vseCUfU2wiFv91QkKPQn36kIu7WZl24AhVUAjXPtiIPWgAkfrK3qqs8RIGMwPg-TT6kSw/s400/IMG_8913.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"></span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">In conclusion I just can say "Paintings" is like every other LAD album in recent years. Not mindblowing, but also not terribly bad. It has solid (but also some average) songmaterial on it and some strong vocals, but personally I don't like to listen to the same LAD album over and over again for years now. If you can't get enough of Scandi Rock or if you never heard something from Last Autumn's Dream before you can give this a listen. It may be much more satisfying for you if you don't know previous records.</span></span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">6/10</span></span></span></h4>
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<u><b><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">Tracklist:</span></span></b></u><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">01. My Mistake To Make</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">02. Bring Out The Heroes <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">03. Out Of Love <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">04. Too Late</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">05. Take It On The Run <span style="color: orange;"><b>*</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">06. Wont'cha Stay The Night</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">07. An Eye For An Eye</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">08. Bitter Blue</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">09. In Case Of Landing On Water</span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">10. Rock Star Crazy</span></span><br />
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<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><span style="color: orange;"><b>* best tracks</b></span></span></span>
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<script async="async" src="http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Thomas Schwarzkopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06471692210802124960noreply@blogger.com1