Virgin Black - Requiem mezzo forte (2007)

Formed in 1993, in Adelaide, Australia, I was first introduced to Virgin Black in the late-90s, when I stumbled upon a Christian metal show on a local radio station - a show which played its last track only a few weeks later.  That song was "Mother of Cripples", an early doom/death number - and quite possibly their demo. For a band played on a Christian Metal show, VB do not come across as typical of that genre.

The name, which sounds almost bordering on black metal, is said to represent "the juxtaposition of purity and humanity's darkness"*

In 2006, they undertook a project to release a trinity of albums, all named for their sound using the classical terms. I (thanks to my beloved brother) own two of them. I do not own the third one, the most beautiful and classical sounding of the three ("Pianissimo"), because the band took an "extended break" and have still not released it.

"Mezzo Forte" means "moderately loud". This album features the band performing with the Adelaide Symphonic Orchestra.

The cover features a portrait on parchment, one of those old style sepia artworks. The head is aflame, the vivide orange dancing across in stunning contrast to the shades of brown and tan. It is a booklet, and inside the lyrics read as typical goth-doom - poetic, majestic, dark and sorrow-filled.

"Requiem, Kyrie" begins with low, haunting melodies, deep and visceral, the sort that sends a chill down your spine. Chanting, spectral and eerie. Slowly the other instruments creep in, an orcheastra laden with gloom and tragedy. Rising over them, flitting like a gentle breeze bringing with it maudlin hope, the vocals rise and swoop and soar. Heavy with melancholy, desolation and loss, this truly is a requiem.

Heavier, but slow, dirge like, "In Death" has male vocals - merging the low, deep and haunted with the guttural snarls and grunts, punctuated by the rise and fall of the orchestra, the tension of drums and a spectral female choir. A gloriously dark, haunting and spooky symphony.

Harmonious, dark shadows of twilight stretching out across the fields as "Midnight's Hymn" comes upon us. The piano touch of frost. The churning of a double bass, and from the shadows a spectral voice rises, a strange and msyetious figure, as though created by moonlight. A man joins her, his voice low, echoeing, powerful.

"...And I am suffering...." is slow and laden with grief, loss and a hint of longing. The harmony between orchestral instruments and the soaring operatic vocals is truly a majestic combination, an aural delight. There is nothing more sublime, more beautiful than classical and metal joined in glorious harmony. So laden with emotion, power, drama. To anyone who claims that heavy metal is "just noise" - I would challenge them to listen to this album - it is impossible to do so without being moved:

"...when will my sorrow begin to pale?"

The bittersweet harmony of strings opens "Domine", in which the guitars and drums come crashing down, slow and strong. This is a much heavier number, the vocals slipping from guttural growls to higher, tenor-esque despair. There is an edge of menace.

Heart-aching, heart breaking, we step into the dirge that is "Lacrimosa (I am blind with weeping)". Lacrimosa is a beautiful word, would make a lovely Goth name. The harmonies of voice and string replicate the grief that falls upon one's heart, making it leaden with misery. Choirs rise in an anthem to despair.

Finally, it is time to "Rest Eternal" with a song reminscient of the earlier one - slow, heart-wrenching, lade with bittersweet melancholia. Atmospheric, emotive. Haunting.

Beautiful.

This is an album laden with layers and beauty. Unrepentingly sorrow-filled, but never gloomy or depressing, just a symphony of sadness, a requiem. The combination of orchestra and choral vocals, interspersed with the occasional more traditional heavy metal instruments and death metal vocals all combine to create an anthemic, sublime and magnificantly dark and haunting album.

I shall rate it 9/10.

I wish I could get my mitts on ""Pianissimo"... Why not release it already!

* From the source of all knowlege - wikipedia

Nightwish - Wishmaster (2000)

I own a lot of Nightwish, and I love their music - the exquisitely fragile beauty of Tarja's voice, the depth of complexity and power in the instrumentations and the epic force of their melodies. These is their third album, and they have yet to employ an official male vocalist - instead with have a list of men providing their voices - ranging from bass to tenor. And choirs, which should make for an epic production. Oooh, and flutes - can't forget the flutes!

To be honest, I've been putting off reviewing Nightwish becuse my brother does it so much better, so more poetically. You can read his blogpost about the band here. He knows technical terms and so forth - me, I resort to adjectives and repetition of the word "ethereal". Let's see if I can do an entire Nightwish album dissection without using that E word again.

Okay, here goes:

The cover depicts a child, kneeling before a lake, a scroll before him. He raises his hands, summoning the swans to take flight. Above, the sunset paints the sky in orange lava, whilst the dark reflections of trees line the horizon. Dreamy, strings of mist cloak the horizon and set a deep and melancholic mood. The entire palatte is shades of orange and brown. Inside, the booklet contains several fold out pages and the band all look suitably angelic.

Dramatic rhythms lead us into the stirring "She is My Sin" which builds in epic scale and might, broken by Tarja's hauntingly sweet, soaring soprano. It glides like a silver-feathered swift. Now the music has subsided down as a backing, complementing her voice but occasionally taking the opportunity to fly between verses.

"The Kinslayer" pays tribute to those slain in the Columbine massacre, in 1999. It starts with a dramatic cascade of keyboards and drums, before surging into the urgent rhythm and Tarja's exquisite voice soaring above like a lost soul or an avenging angel. It intermingles with the deeper bass (or baritone?) lending an ominous edge to what was a truly tragic event.

"For whom the gun tolls, for whom the prey weeps. Bow before a war, call it religion."

Softer, gentler, flutes and gentle keyboards usher us into the folk-orientated "Come Cover Me". Gliding gently, Tarja's voice soars with the gentle rhythms, like floating through clouds on a sunlit day in early spring. There's an earthy, pagan feel.

"Wanderlust" continues with this pagan, traveler vibe. The chorus is gloriously smooth, the keyboards dancing playfully between the voices, like leaves borne on a summer breeze. It all feels wild and free, unihibited by the restraints of the modern world.

"It's not the end, not the kingdom come - it is the journey that matters, the distant wanderer."

Beautiful fade out, as Tarja's exquisite vocals fade into silence.

Haunting, slow and slumbering, "Two for Tragedy" is a lullaby, a lament. Beautifully melancholy and utterly heart-wrenching.

"Wishmaster" starts with a dramatic flourish. Undeniably fantastical, with shades of epic power metal in the lyrics. Stirring, symphonic.

Keyboards and we're into "Bare Grace Misery" another piece driven by the vocals. Honey-tongued, golden and darkly romantic.

With a flourish and a flare, we rage into "Crownless". Fast in pace and with a fairy-tale theme. Keyboardist Tuomas is given full reign here, and the keyboards surge and swell in drama and pace, whilst the drums race the vocals.

"One fragrant rose worth ten times what I am..."

 Now it is time to be enshrouded in the gloaming shadows, as we find ourselves engulfed by "Deep Silent Complete". Black velvet, sirens calling - darkly romantic, infused with bittersweet melancholic grace.

Poetic and dark, "Dead Boy's Poem" is a last cry for help, a swansong. Vocally sublime, the music plays a soft accompaniment. Haunting.

"FantasMic" offers up a change of pace, starting with a waterfall of keyboards, a beautiful kalediscope of symphonic glory. Here the keyboards are given full, dramatic reign and the lyrics return to the fantastical - and also demonstrate Tuomas' love of Disney*. Part 2 is deliciously slow and heavy with loss and longing. Melodious melancholy. As we roll into Part 3, the flute adds its lilting, playful voice (like a dancing bluebird) to the rhythm and Tuomas returns with a flourish. Tarja's voice becomes a force of nature, fast and energetic. This section seems dedicated to the villains, and as such is heavier, more aggressive.

As an unannounced surprise we have "Sleepwalker", a track not listed on my "not to be sold outside of Russia" cd. This has a more modern sound to it, the keyboards taking on a space-edgy sound. It reads on my WMP as "Passion and the Opera", for some reason.

Overall, another beautiful album from a band of great power and majesty. Epic, symphonic, glorious - do I really need to say anything more?

Rating = 10/10

* I may not have noticed this if my brother hadn't pointed it out in his review, which made me read the lyrics in greater depth: the line "A cub of the king betrayed by usurper" is a dead giveaway - that and I see mentions of Black Cauldron, Fantasia...

Banshee Reel - Orchaestrated Litany of Lies (1995)

Now defunct Wellington band, Banshee Reel, are one of the best New Zealand bands from the mid 90s. Their sound is a fusion of folk and country, with a strong Irish element. They are competent musicians, skillful songwriters and sadly parted ways. Guitarist, Julia Deans, is now a member of Fur Patrol. She is responsible for the female vocals on the album, with Chris O'Connell and Allan Clark sharing the male vocals.

The album looks pretty cheaply made. The cover is white, a simple singlefold affair. Half the cover is some sort of peasant jester, covering half his face, the other is the title set out in a not very exciting font and displaying a somewhat lack of typesetting. Inside there is a band listing and a message to the people of New Zealand, Canada and Alburqueque, as well as a threat to some folks that stole their band equipment.

The album opens with the strumming, tinkliness of "Sorrow", like teardrops dripping down a painted, wooden face. Vocals are filled with sorrow, bittersweet and angsty, with a touch of an Irish accent. Or maybe kiwi-Irish. Catchy rhythms.A rather dramatic mandolin solo.

Slower, bolder; "Never Can Tell" has a slight country-hint to the rhythms and plenty of acousitc guitar. This is a song of murder, deceit and all beautifully sung with accompaniment from Deans and the lislting flight of a tin whistle.

Vocals lead us into "Blood on Your Hands", and then the instruments bounce in with almost carnival-esque rhythms: strong and bold and fast. Fast and surprisingly bouncy given the context is, once again, murder.

There's a brief reel and then we are into the looming, haunting "Lament".  An entrancing, otherworldy piece with beautiful harmonies, backed with strings and guitar. One of the finest, most atmospheric folk songs I own - this is the song that sold the album to me. Well, the cassingle - the album came some years later.

This is followed by the most devastatingly heart-breaking track on the album. "The Miner" starts with piano, but is largely dominated by the heart-renching vocals. Listen to the lyrics - they will haunt you and linger with you and bring a tear to your eye. The music is a soft, sorrowful accompaniment.

".. I don't blame you for leaving, my lovely; I don't blame you for leaving this slum. It was no life for you, watching me die, but I wish was out in the sun..."

 Deans gets the leading vocals on "Honest to God". Not my favourite song - more old school kiwi feeling than Irish, even with the accompaning fiddles. Good pace and entirely danceable.

"In Yer Dreams" is far more rockabilly country-esque with its fast, chugging pace and catchy choruses. Same vocalist as "The Miner".

It's back to the bittersweet melodies with "40 Miles of Pain" - it has a fast pace but the vocals and the voice of the string instruments lend a melancholic air.

More traditional folk - "Burn Me" has nice rhythms and somewhat morbid lyrics.

"First I heard her screaming when I laid my head to sleep. She turned my dreams to nightmares enough to make me weep..."

I'm not sure if she's a real person, deceased or some sort of demonic spirit. Probably the second or third option.

Another with strong country influences, "I Haven't Time" rocks along at a cracking pace, mostly guitar with a hint of fiddles.

"Horses" is slower, with wonderful folk rhythms and  the vocals like a gentle caress. This is listed on the cassingle as "Equus: Fear of Tides". Another achingly haunted piece.

We conclude with "Lament II" - the same structure and rhythms, but slowed down into bittersweet melancholy and with different lyrics (I think) and possibly more strings. A majestic, beautiful piece and a wonderful way to conclude.

Banshee Reel were a talented and original band, that I wish could have been with us for longer. Their music is sublime, variable and gorgeously emotive and their songs linger with you and haunt you for hours afterwards. There are some weaker tracks on this album, but they are vastly overshadowed by the powerful ones. They definitely deserve a 9/10.

Gamma Ray - Somewhere Out In Space (1997)

"Land of the Free" is, undeniably, Gamma Ray's finest album and as such was a very difficult act to follow. However, they did a admirable job with this album. Leaving the fantasy theme behind, they have now switched to a space and Egyptian theme, with the cover depicting an Anubis and an Horus bust above a row of pointy rocks, behind which is some sort of swirly time portal in which pyramids are either coming or going away or from space. In the front, Ol' Fangface is looking a little hungry, robed and toothy, and completely blindless today. It's all purples and golds and either acrylic or oil paint, looking very nicely Space Opera-ish.

It begins with the dramatic drum-rolling "Into the Black Hole". It is a fast paced, dramatic song, vocals filled with excitement and expectation as the narrator prepares to "fly beyond the gates of space and time...." and dive into the unknown. Dramatic guitar and drums for the instrumental passage. Captures the feel of the small craft charging into the roiling, writhing, churning black hole.

"Men, Martians and Machines" starts with the five notes from The Twilight Zone (but played on guitar) making a nicely ominous start into a dramatic song about an alien race seeking sanctuary from their destroyed planet and finding planet Earth.  Some nicely spacey/oriental chords there, before we surge into the faster paced and more typical GR skillmanship.

A bit slower, with nicely choral symphonies, "No Stranger (Another Day in Life)" displays a continuing theme of musical competence.

"Somewhere Out in Space" is a whirlwind of a track. It rips on it, swirling in majesty and power; the vocals racing, guitars and drums thrashing against one another, then it calms, the vocals smooth and swell, then its off again into the maelstrom.
(According to Wikipedia - this is inspired by Star Trek)

The "Guardians of  Mankind" is a powerful metal piece, moving at a rapid pace with pounding drums and anthemic chorus.

"The Landing" of aliens almost seems to continue on from "Men, Martians and Machines",  with the aliens arriving and being elevated to gods. It merges into "Valley of the Kings" and, judging from the cover, I would say that it marks the arrival of the Egyptian Gods. Nicely epic feel, great harmonies and more anthemic choruses, combined with some latin choral singing as well.

Dramatic and rousing, filled with passion, it is time for us to "Pray" - for a better tomorrow. This is the closest we're going to get to a ballad on this album. Hansen's voice is suprisingly sweet.

Drumbeats thunder as "The Winged Horse" gallops through the sky. Another powerful piece, this is more fantasy in theme than the rest of the album. It has a nicely dramatic narrative:

"It white horse rears and spreads its wings to reach the sky and search the king. the one will lead to win at last - oh, rulers of the past!"

"Cosmic Chaos" is a drum instrumental, creating a vibe of asteroids rushing through the air. Fast, dramatic.

It crashes into "Lost in the Future" which does indeed have a futuristic feel and makes an interesting contrast to the fantasy of "The Winged Horse". It is deliciously ominous:

"Tomorrow there'll be no sun, hanging high up in the sky..."

It's all dramatic and drastic until suddenly, inexplicably, the guitars break into "Oh Susanna" for a couple of lines and then churn back into the fast, frantic and desperate.

There's a bit of a Judas Priest influence to "Watcher in the Sky" which is fast, frenetic and furious. It's easy to imagine a lone spacecraft endlessly circuiting the planet; watching, always watching, but unable to do anything else.

 Piano and tinkly sounds sparkle as we see a "Rising Star" illuminate the heavens, exploding in a firecracker of light then erupting into "Shine On".  The song explodes with dramatic and explosive power. Very stirring, very inspirational. The ending melodies are lingering and powerful. A grandiose way to include a damned fine album.

Gamma Ray have created their own epic sound, merging the heavy guitar and drums of Iron Maiden with the intricities and anthemic feel of Queen. Combined with Hansen's skillful guitar playing and harsh, yet somehow vocals, a general positive edge to the music and fine musical structures, they have again created an album of epic scale and beauty. It might fall a bit short of "Land of the Free" and is not quite as quirky as some of their earlier albums, but it is a damned fine production and deserves 9/10.

Queensryche - Rage for Order (1986)

Queensryche are probably the finest band to come from Seattle, Washington. Sure, some would argue that it was Nirvana, or Pearl Jam, or maybe even Nevermore; but for technical prowess and musical competence, Queensryche have stolen my vote.

This is their second ful length studio album, and one of my favourites. It displays a creativity and intricity that was lacking somewhat from their debut album, along with an added dose of intriguing menace.

The cover is pretty plain - the band and the album names written in a ring, surrounding the tri-ryche symbol, overlaid across a fairly crude, lineary map of the world and coloured in what could well be blood red clouds. Inside the lyrics are printed in a bold, san serif font. I found the band photo particularly amusing:

Loving the widow's peak Geoff! The permed hair is particularly entertaining too.

The album starts with the catchy "Walk in the Shadows". Tate's voice is in fine fettle, high and melodic in pitch and power.

The rhythms slow, taking on a dreamlike quality, the guitars plucking gentle melodies as "I Dream in Infrared". Desperation bleeds from the vocals, surging into power and determination.

"The Whisper" is anything but. A solid beat, soaring vocals and a somewhat eerie edge to it. Great chorus, and harsh whispering voices. It has a technical aura to it, making me think of the voice in the computer, calling to the unsuspecting, controlling them.

"Please take my hand, don't be afraid. I am your master, you are my slave..."

Keeping with the creepiness, the eerie openings of "Gonna Get Close to You." The guitars create a dark and gloomy mood, shadows creeping in like fog, hiding all manner of secrets. The lyrics are pure stalkerism:

"I wait by your door til you're asleep at night and when you're alone I know when you turn out the light..."

Another with a menacing edge, "The Killing Words" bring with them a touch of frost, dancing across the drums and guitars. Chorus is filled with desperate anguish.

"Surgical Strike" hits with precision and power. Sharp, determined; Tate's voice is a spear. LYrics related to war.

Echoing, otherwordly, "Neue Regal" brings with it a hint of exotic. Vocals are high, bell-like, looming menace clustering in their shadows. Almost industrial sounds. Towers looming, darking the sky with their acrid smoke.

"Eternal Youth (We Are Rebellion)" strikes me as being a dystopian song, the sort that  makes you think of the general public rising up against the Government, waving banners, shaking fists. Combining shouting, breaking glass and general anarchy with Tate's vocals and a gallopin', rockin' chorus.

Following this is the hauntingly melancholic "London". It sounds like a love song - or to be precise, a loss song. The vocals are melodious, yet tortured, thrumming with loss and loneliness and abandonment.

"Screaming in Digital" is like a soul, trapped inside a computer, technologically imprisoned and crying for help. The vocals have a polished, technical edge to them. The instruments thrumming with pent up emotion.

Another haunting, lost and bittersweet piece, "I Will Remember" is heart-felt and forlorn. Tate's voice feels as fragile as a broken heart, the music playing a slow and solemn counterpoint.

 In a time when pants were tight and hair was permed, and lyrics were all about sex and love (but not necessarily both), Queensryche stomped onto the scene - with the hair and the pants, but they brought with them dark shadows and their own special blend of menace. This would have to be one of their finest albums: 9/10.

Helloween - Chameleon (1993)

Released in 1993, this is generally considered to be the low point in Helloween's career. It envelops a difficult part of their life - burned out after the Noise fiasco, with member cohesion and friendships crumbling, and the loss of Kai Hansen's genius. Like the lizard that gives it its name, it is an eclectic album, experimenting with a range of styles and rhythms. For all that the metal fans dislike it, it did receive rave reviews in NZ mag Rip It Up and it also finds favour with me. My musical tastes are nothing if not a little avant-garde, and my habits are nothing if not contrary. Whilst I would not consider it a necessity in every metal maniacs collection (mainly cos it ain't metal),  it holds a certain nostalgic appeal, combined with a level of insanity and genius. Helloween more recently did something equally experiemental, with the excellent "Unarmed" album, which is probably my top pick of their Deris days. But that is in the future, and this is the present, so let us now begin.

The cover sucks.
It's possibly the Worst Album Cover Ever. It's like they're not even trying. Four stripes - yellow, red, blue and green smeared across an otherwise white page. Pathetic. At least the little pumpkin cartoons that add a whimsical charm are still present, decorating every song. Although I have to confess, they look better in the smaller size of the cassette cover than enlarged for the cd.

At the back it says "Through hard times you find out who your real friends are."
I'm not sure if this is a barbed comment or not, given the turmoil in the band at the time, I'm thinking it may be so.  It was the last album with Kiske and Ingo.

This eclectic masterpiece is in fact the works of three of the band members, each of them creating music and lyrics for the rest to play. This is possibly what gives it its versatile, chameleonic, feel.

For the record:
Michael Weikath wrote: The First Time, Giants, Windmill, Revolution Now
Michael Kiske wrote: When the Sinner, In the Night, I Believe, Longing.
Roland Grapow wrote: I Don't Wanna Cry No More, Crazy Cat, Music, Step Out of Hell.

The album opens with a song about sex. This is "The First Time" that Helloween have a song with sexual connotations and innuendo. It begins with a squeal of feedback before the rock n roll rhythms take over. The chorus is nice and catchy. Drumroll to end it all, complete with distorted guitars and chimpanzees getting lively.

Then we sink into the opening beats of "When the Sinner". No idea how you'd categorise this song. Rock? It has quite dancey beats, kick horns. Kiske's vocals are damned fine, soaring up and down with youthful enthusiasm. The whole song contains the sort of vibrant energy that should have drawn in a wider audience. Jolly good guitar solo and a touch of piano.

Now into a powerful ballad, with enthusiastic acoustic guitar. "I Don't Wanna Cry No More" is Roland's song to his brother Rainer (presumerably deceased). Kiske's voice portrays the emotion well, combined with the light instrumentation. This is a song that is somehow both sad and celebratory at the same time.

And another switch, as we get jazzy with "Crazy Cat". The beginning sounds disturbingly like a dot matrix printer, before the kick horns rip in. The rock n roll rhythms transport you back to another era, maybe there are elements of Elvis here? Kiske is a big fan (but this is Roland's song). Lyrics are quirky and weird:

"Addicted to chicks! He's got a rental tree near the nudist beach, yeah!"

 It's energetic and crazy and probably about Fritz the Cat.

Now, for something a bit more emotional and powerful and downright METAL. "Giants" is possibly the only genuine metal track on this album, and what the others lack in majesty and power, it more than makes up for. From the soaring guitars, and dramatic music build slide guitar and then Kiske's voice, soaring high on currents of emotion and passion. This song is pretty damned epic.

A whistle-bang-whistle-bang follows on as the last chords fade and the "Windmill" begins turning. Piano, tinkling across the keys, Kiske's voice a gentle sussuration. Folk ballad? Vocals with acoustic guitar, a song that evokes memories, nostalgia, a feeling of peace and serenity.

"Don't feel alone and depressed, someone willl come at last. To soothe your stumbling mind to keep it away from the evil storm."

I always loved the lyrics of this song. I was 15 when it was released, and it gave me hope for my future. There's some pretty instense acoustic guitar strumming too. It's a very nostalgic and moving piece for me. Making me think of golden fields, and blue skies.

Now it's time to step back to the 70s, and time to put some flowers in your hair - because it's time for a "Revolution Now". The last of Weikath's contributions and with aspects of Sabbath and Trouble - that somewhat slow, slightly trippy, somewhat sludgy, psychadelic-doom sound (stoner metal?). The chorus is epic. The guitar solos are jolly fine. Fade out includes record scratching noises and grunting pigs. I am not sure why.

The acoustic-but-energetic "In the Night" really does do justice to Kiske's vocals and contains some very nice lyrics:

"When I wake up early in the morning, I catch a book and jump inside...."

And Kiske does his "Elvis voice". I love it when his vocals drop down an octave. Gives me shivers. The guitars are animated and filled with a playful joy.

Now, time for some "Music". Well, more music. This is a very powerful piece, building from a soft, almost haunting vocal line and with elements of classic rock. The stirring nature of the music and the power of the vocals, as they rise, soar, in celebratory harmony. It's slow and dramatic. The additon of the orchestra really helps improve the power.

"Step Out of Hell" is a song about drugs to what would be best described as dance-rock. Some reviews speculate that it's about Ingo and the lyrics centre on trying to help someone with a drug problem. The guitars are a little more energetic on this one, and Kiske's voice is as powerful as ever, but the cheesy keyboards feel awkward and a bit out of place. It is probably my least favourite song on the album.
Sadly, it's also prophetical:

"... go on like this you're gonna be dead..."

RIP Ingo.

Following on is the epic and beautiful "I Believe". Written by Kiske, this is him coming out of the Christianity closet in glory and triumph. It is a powerful and stirring song, even for a non-believer like myself. The rising melodies, the share jubilation and celebration in his voice and the full-on orcheastrations make me wish Kiske could perform with an orchestra all the time. And then he does his low-sexy-voice, except faster, and somewhat sinister. This is almost a song to inspire me to believe. But it's not preachy. Not really. Sure, he's singing about how important God is, but it's about his personal choice - not trying to inflict it upon the listener. Pure epic majesty.

Gentle strumming, provides acoustic support to Kiske's "Longing", it starts slow, but then the strings come in and then it becomes a thing of beauty. A song of loss, of love. Of longing. That final triumphant, symphonic blast...

"Here is love and there is pain; it's all around it's all the same".

You know what? This is a damned fine album! In fact, it's probably the most accessible Helloween album to the not-metal-fans and the structures and blend is an eclectic masterpiece. If I ignore the terrible cover and the internal band dramas and just concentrate instead on the extremely polished and brilliantly eclectic blend of music, that really deserves better recognition*.

I'd have to give this album 9.5/10.
Do you know what I want to see? Michael Kiske performing with an orchaestra. That would be amazingly awesome.

* Even the band pretend it does not exist - to the best of my knowledge, they no longer play ANY of these songs in any of their sets.

Unisonic (2012)

Michael Kiske reunited with Kai Hansen to produce an ENTIRE ROCK CD. How could I resist? How could I refuse? Two of my favourite metal idols back together. Sure, this isn't power metal, this isn't even completely metal, but that doesn't mean it won't be an excellent album, does it just?

First, let's look it over. I purchased the digipak because it had a bonus cd (containing a whole 3 tracks, but never mind). I don't know why, but I like digipaks. Sure, they're a bitch to store (since they won't fit in CD racks) and they collect dust (ok, so all my cds collect dust, cos I rip 'em and shelf 'em). It is attractively coloured in shades of blue, with a distinctly futuristic look, rather than the fantasy-esque of old. In the band photo, they all look very serious, except for goateed Kai Hansen, who is giving a little smirk.

"Unisonic" opens with a dramatic flourish, vocals racing up into a smooth and soaring chorus. Slammin' rockin' guitars and lots of energy. The lyrics are simple and repetitive - a great opening piece for both album and live performances with a rather complex and fast paced gutiar solo. Cleaner, polished and more mature than Helloween. Kiske's voice is clea, sweet and powerful.

A slower, but still dramatic opening to "Souls Alive" with twiddly guitar bits. Vocals are also slower, and rick with a good blend of guitars and vocals. This is pure rock with a touch of metal. It drops to a slower pace where Kiske's voice drops into his rich, lower notes, ending with a scream that proves he can still hold those notes!

"Never Too Late" starts with a bit of a quirk to it and good rock rhythms. Soaring into a great chorus. There is something so splendid about Kiske's voice, it fills me with joy and positivity, thrilling me to the core even to this day!


A modern, mainstream rock sound characterises "I've Tried".  The vocals are on a slightly lower register, rising up into a catchy chorus:

"I've never said I'm sorry, but god only knows I've tried..."

Ominous beats bring us into "Star Rider" with the litling vocals soaring up and down the octaves. Kiske still does a fine falsetto!

"Never Change Me" gives us a bouncy rock n roll rhythm with catchy beats.

There's a hint of glam in "Renegade" With its rich, thick vocals and higher pitched chorus. Nice flourishes of the guitars and a good solid guitar solo.

Another solid rock number, "My Sanctuary" has fast-paced vocals with sturdy guitar accompaniment. Soaring chorus and a nicely chanted conclusion.

There's a bit of an 80's rock vibe to the opening bars of "King for a Day". As powerful as ever, Kiske's voice soars and rises gloriously into an anthemic chorus, in which Hansen's distinctive vocals shadow his.

And for those that love the smooth, anthemic, feel-good pieces, "We Rise" certainly fits the bill. Kiske's voice is like a purr - smooth and sleek and the accompanying guitar rhythms reach deep down into the soul and fill the listener with, well, positivity.

We conclude with a haunting ballad, "No One Ever Sees Me", reminscent of some from Kiske's solo days: the sweet melodies, the bittersweet lyrics, the melancholic vocals. Accompanied by acoustic gutiars and somewhat soul-wrenching. Beautiful.

Now, for the three bonus tracks:

"Over the Rainbow" is another ballad; haunting and melancholic. The guitars a gentle accompaniment to the heart-breaking vocals.

Followed by "Souls Alive". I'm not sure how this differs from the previous version, except that it is two seconds shorter.

"The Morning After" is another haunting piece, the opening somewhat reminding me of Sting's ballads, for some reason. Maybe it's the guitar. It quickly surges into a rather rockier chorus, before slowing down  again.

This is not Helloween, this is not Gamma Ray. It is heavier than Kiske's solo work, although probably closer to that than any of the former. And you know what? If you want to hear Kiske doing power/symphonic metal, you just need to pick up an Avantasia album or any of his other side projects. This is more polished than the 80s stuff, with a clarity of sound and complexity of rhythm that is pure rock (with a touch of metal).

It's good stuff - 9/10.

Manowar - Anthology (1997)

Tonight I felt like a bit of a laugh, and thus I decided it was time to play my one and only Manowar CD. I purchased this from The Warehouse for very little, and suspect it is one of those cheap-knock-offs, excepting for the fact that my WMP does recognise its metadata and label the tracks appropriately. Who knows.

Manowar are one of the hardest metal bands to take seriously. This album does not help that in any way what-so-ever.  They formed in New York in 1980 - about the same time Iron Maiden we coming into their prime and they grabbed several themes with open hands - the first being fantasy and mediaeval, more of the sword and sorcery than the serious. You can sorta imagine these guys playing D&D on their weekends or pretending to be Conan the Barbarian. In 1984 they held the world record for Loudest Band ever, a record they have since broken twice. They are bombastic and pretentious and over the top with their raging guitars, throbbing drums and crazy lyrics about how awesome metal is. There's something totally over the top and anthemic about them.

As for this anthology... well, I'm going to do something I haven't done before in this blog - I'm going to scan the album cover. Seriously, my description cannot do it justice*:

It is a simple onefold affair - with a rather detailed history of Manowar on the inside. They have sprouted from the primeval roots of Heavy Metal, and from them was spawned the power metal genre (with some help from Helloween, of course). It extols the virtures of the band and how awesomely metal they are, and states that the vocalist Eric Adams, has a five and a half octave vocal range. That's really epic - I haven't found information on any other vocalist with that range. I didn't even know there were more than five octaves for male vocalists. They have also "declared war" on those who do not fully embrace the true spirit of their beloved heavy metal. I bet they'd like to take Slipknot down!

So let us begin our voyage of Heavy Metal discovery, we shall begin with the track:

"Manowar" with its solid beats, galloping guitars and somewhat powerful, but slightly tinny sounding vocals (I'm guessing that's the fault of the recording, which was probably made back in the early 80s). There is definite raw power here, and it kinda inspires one to jump around and posture and pose - either with guitars or swords, I'm not quite sure!

This is followed up by the rocky chords of "Metal Daze" in which Eric displays how high he can shriek and celebrates his sheer metal-ness:

"Only one thing sets me free, heavy metal - loud as it can be!"

There are aspects of Dio in the vocals, and of course pure 80s metal in the rhythms and uncomplicated structures. It's all very traditional, catchy and with enough repetiton to get the audience chanting along.

"Fast Taker" reminds me of soe of Sabbath's rockier moments (ie: with Dio or Gillian). The guitarist slides up and down his chords, racing along at breakneck speed, whilst Eric howls and screams. There's something visceral and somehow smokey and a little bit sludgy about it.

Now we get into the true sword and sorcery as we enter into the slower, driving bass of "Battle Hymns". There is more diversity in this track - and Eric sounds truly feral as he screams "Kill! Kill!" This almost seems like a true battle hymn - you can almost see the warriorss shouting it as they march (or ride) into war.
Oh my gosh - he's singing, actually singing! And he has rather a sweet edge to his voice. Amazing. Who would have thought?
And now he's screaming again. Oh and off go the duelling guitars.

Okay, I see what they mean by him being able to scale several octaves - it almost sounds like multiple vocalists - one minute his screaming the next dropping into bass.

And now the drummer's gone crazy. Then feedback!
Okay, this song is officially wicked.

Back to the more "ordinary" rock with "All Men Play on 10" which is about how society tries to force you from following your heart and fitting int society norms. I say "ordinary", but there's no way Manowar could ever be considered anything but over the top. The vocals are interesting in this one, closer to talking, but with rhythm, not fast enough to be anything like rap music, with the occasional smoother, sweeter bridge and anthemic chorus. I'm not quite sure how one plays on ten, however. Maybe it means full volume?

"All men play on ten, I'm never gonna turn down again..."

Back into the fantastical with "Sign of the Hammer" - insane drumming, throbbing beats and Eric's wonderfully diverse voice soaring into a rather awesome bridge. I can see the roots of power metal being set down right here. There's something amazingly evocative and stirring about their passion, it cannot help but send a thrill down your back. The recording quality has improved here too, so it must be a later track. Either that or I've gotten used to it. Galloping rhythms, soaring vocals... One can imagine the vast mountainous landscape, pine trees clinging to the slopes.

Now its time for "Fighting the World" and I can tell from the offset that this is another Metal is Great track. Yup:

"I'm fighting for metal cos it's here to stay!"

Truer words have never been spoken.

And of course, the loudest band in the world would have a song called "Blow Your Speakers". But it won't blow mine, because even at full volume this CD just won't go that loud. Solid rock with a hint of roll and a lot of passion and power and some very nice twiddly guitars.

What is this I hear? Piano? Could the mighty Manowar be about to give to me a ballad?
Oh yes! This is "Heart of Steel".
Wow, he really can manage quite a haunting and beautiful voice. Powerful too, as the verses march on. This is visceral stuff, digging right into the inner core of my being. It is empowering. Epic. Beautiful.

Screaming and screeching indicates that the next track is nto going to be anything less than a raging epic Heavy metal piece. Listen to the guitarists go - twiddly bridge-sliding, almighty rifts. It is time to bring the "Blood of the Kings".
The lyrics are totally ridiculous:

"On a crusade the world we bring, Four Kings of Metal, Four Metal Kings.
Death to the false ones, dance on a string..."

Oooh, more guitar duelling. This is hilarious!

And what better to follow up the blood of all king, than a little "Violence and Bloodshed"? It starts with the ominous howl of sirens, the buzz of choppers and then the guitars slip in. This is another one with faster vocals and a straightforward, fast-paced beat. It gives it a ... well not exactly modern sound, but definitely later 80s. 1987, in fact. Modern warfare for a change, and thus more savage and less bombastic than the medieavel/fantasy stuff.

Motorbikes might not be very fantasy, but they're very metal. "Wheels of Fire" from 1988 is more along the lines of thrash - pounding rhythms, roaring engine noise, surging guitars, aggressive vocals.

And then it's time for:

"Every one of us has heard the call.
Brothers of true metal, proud and standing tall
We know the power within us has brought us to this hall..."

You don't get a more epic Metal Anthem then 1992's "Metal Warriors". Even if it does declare "if you're not into metal, you are not my friend...". If I'd gone by that decree in my youth, I would have had even less friends. And I might not have the balls to take it, but I sure as hell wouldn't leave the hall (although I would probably have brought some ear plugs).

A rather sinister beginning to "The Demon's Whip" - more reminscent of black metal than power metal. Snarling demons, raging fire. Even the pounding, steel edged guitars makes one think of black metal - although the vocals are pure Manowar. Not a bad song, but I think it would have been better to end on Metal Warriors. There's some seriously shrill guitar here. And the false ending made me jump!
The drumming is far too fast, that can't be natural or real.

After it finishes, the silence left from the sheer intensity and enthusiasm seems odd. I almost expect my ears to be ringing, the world just seems too quiet now. And I wasn't even playing it that loud!

My only complaint about this cd is the quality. It's cheap. Even at full volume (and you want to play Manowar loud) it's not able to reach the intensity of more modern cds. Plus the bass lines and drums need to be lower and more ominous on some of the earlier tracks, it's all a bit high and tinny - like it came off a record. The later tracks are a bit clearer and you can't fault the band for the poor quality of a cheaply pressed CD I bought for peanuts.

If you want pretentious posturing, bombastic rifts, very versatile vocals, galloping intricate guitars, pounding drums, ridiculous lyrics and muscular guys wearing only their underwear, then check out Manowar. They're awesome, really.

No really!

And I wouldn't be a sister of true metal if I gave them anything less than 9/10.

* You may have wondered why I haven't put up the cd covers before. Partly it was due to copyright concerns - I'm not sure I'm legally allowed to, and mostly it was from sheer laziness - I'd rather be dissecting the music rather than trying to scan things straight. Besides, most album covers can be found by a simple google search.

Lake of Tears - Crimson Cosmos (1997)

Now we get to the point where Lake of Tears become truly awesome. Still retaining much of the doom, but shaking off some of the gloom, they took on a psychedelia edge, somewhat reminiscent of what Cathedral were up to at the same time - only LoT do it so much better. Quirky instrumentation, colourful artwork, lively music and Daniel's  voice all weave together to form one of my most played albums.

The cover is as psychaedelic as the music. A wizard sits in a duck-boat, with his companion corgi, whilst accompanied by a top-hatted gentleman riding a frog and a gnome atop a metallic fish. Around them, butterflies with strange patternings flutter. Behind, a forest of toadstools rises to meet the moon. The inside is fileld with whimsical colourful pictures, clearly detailed in colouring pencils - devils frolicing in bubbles, a grandfather and his grandkids staring at the Old Man moon. For Devil's Diner, candles are set, awaiting the diners. A manic jester, a frowning fairy and an angry wizard all illustrate the lyrics. Charming and delightful.

Our journey begins with "Boogie Bubble"'s sludgy guitar twiddliness before the bass and drums and full on guitars come barging on in, bringing with them delightfully bouncy rhythms and Daniel Brennare's slightly husky, raspy tones. This song makes me think of goblins riding bubbles. Or devils.

The opening chords of "Cosmic Weed" are also heavy and sludgy, as though slightly bogged down. The rhythm is slower, slightly doomy. The lyrics - well, you can pretty much guess what they're about:

"Come, come, try some cosmic weed and glance a world so strange indeed..."

Another with the typical doom arrangement is the crushing "When my Sun Comes Down" which has a haunting eerieness to it. The music is also kind of intense and low, making for a melancholic edge.

Then we slip-slide across the keyboard and enter into the rockin' beats of "Devil's Diner". The liveliest song so far, this is one that I have - on several occasions, danced to. Admittedly, not quite in the fashion of the scantily clad lasses in the clip. The piano and the rhythms give it an upbeat vibe.

This is followed by the almost folk-ish "Four Strings of Mourning". Again, the guitars and drums are mixed quite low, making them feel kinda sludgy and evoking feelings of forests and trees, their leaves turning from green to gold and drifting to the ground (but not quite as autumn themed as their next album). The slow paced verses lead into a slightly more upbeat chorus in which the music circles with the lyrics.I can almost hear the symphony of the frogs and crickets. There's a quite a decent guitar solo as well. It almost makes you feel a wee bit giddy. Or maybe that's because I'm doing as the lyrics say and:

"...spinning around in circles every day... spinning around and finding no new way..."

 The ghostly, spectral chords of the instrumental "To Die is to Wake" bring with them a melancholic, bittersweet echo of memories. The sort of song that carries you away on broken wings and takes you into the land of lost dreams.

"There's a fairy in my head and I call her Lady Rosenred" starts us off onto one of my favourite tracks on this album - the quite bouncy "Lady Rosenred" in which Jennie Tebler* does most of the vocals, with Daniel shadowing her. The references to "dragon fairies" inspired me to create a diminutive dragon species.

The next song is inspired by the Dragonlance books. "Raistlin and the Rose" is a haunting, melodic and melancholic number, filled with bittersweet rifts. It is an eerie and moody peace, fading out with echoing guitar and the spctral whisper of pipes.

"He calls him friend, and says he'll change, she calls him friend and he deceives again..."

The album concludes with the mystical and enchanting "Crimson Cosmos". The slow, light guitars, the whispers of flutes and Daniel's low and powerful vocals combine together to create a haunting and oddly nostalgic** number. It brings a shiver down my spine, and a tear to my eye.

"One went to seek the loss. One went to seek the darker side of us. One went to seek the cross. Only to find a crimson cosmos."

 There is something of a leisurely laziness to this music, which evokes the mood of talls trees and enchanted forests. Of mystical realms, and childhood nostalgia. I would go so far as to describe it as having a sort of fantasy/stoner vibe. The doom influences are still clear here, but they have stepped away from the death/thrash and more into a haunting, evocative and somewhat spiritual eerieness. The low, sludgy feel to the instruments, the low vocals, the somewhat surreal lyrics all contribute to both be soothing yet interesting, and somewhat quirky.

I believe this album deserves 9/10.

* Apparently she's Quorthon's little sister.
** Of course, the nostalgic thing might just be me - This album has been with me for quite a time and I have listened to it on numerous occasions, thus it evokes many memories.

Iced Earth - The Dark Saga (1996)

As you may know, I live in New Zealand. And New Zealand is pretty far from anywhere else, and our musical diversity/availability is not great. Nowadays the internet has basically superceded the need for music stores at all - with a combination of Amazon and Itunes putting many of them out of business or at least making them struggle for profits. Even before then, if you wanted the more obscure acts (which includes most European heavy metal) you had to either go to specialist stores or order them in specially. Becoming a true metal head became a dedicated feat. Since you could not discover new bands via the touch of a button, I instead resorted to good, old fashioned penfriends. At one point I had around six penfriends - there was Mikael in Sweden; Nathan in Wisconsin; Carl in Florida and Jeffrey in Washington state; also Howell in Utah and Tim in Auckland, NZ. Jeffrey is the only one I still have contact with - he now owns a fish store in Seattle and we have met up on two occasions - one being when he came to New Zealand, bringing with him a suitcase full of cds for me to listen to and the second being when, some ten years later, I finally made it to Seattle.

Anyhow, through these penfriends (except Howell, who was in prison and made beautiful art) I traded mix tapes and was given a few originals - Carl gave me all his Iron Maiden cassettes when he acquired them on CD. And Nathan, I think it was, gave me a handful of samplers he had received whilst working on a fanzine. This was one of these samplers. As such, I just have a cardboard sleeve and information that it still technically belongs to Century Media. I don't think they'll be wanting it back anytime soon. Besides, Nate may have reviewed it, but now I finally shall.

Iced Earth hail from Tampa, Florida, which seems to be home to many pretty heavy acts. At the time this was released, the vocalist was Matt Barlow. After the September 11 attacks, Matt decided that he wanted to do something more meaningful with his life, and eventually became a police officer, also joining the First State Force Band (composed of law enforcement people) which performed to schools and gave kids a positive message. His brother-in-law, Jon Schaeffer, is the guitarist of this band, and also performs in Demons and Wizards with Hansi Kusch of Blind Guardian. I am not sure who is the demon and who is the wizard!

This album is based on the comic book Spawn. It is described as more simplified and melodic than their previous stuff so lets see if that's true - not that I have any previous stuff to compare it with, although I'm pretty sure I've heard the song "Burnt Offerings" at least. Just not sure where it is! The cover is very comic-book esque - a ghoulish, skeletal figure, wrapped with chains and with tattered wings - or maybe a cloak. Fire rages in the background, yellow and orange against the purple background.

It opens with the title track "The Dark Saga" - haunting guitar beating ominously, whilst vocals loom over it. This is not an introduction, but more a summary track, as the narrator - Al Simmons - mourns how everything, all his deeds, have more-or-less backfired and ended it tragedy. After his death on the battlefield (due to a betrayal), he makes a deal with the devil to see his wife one last time. However, things do not work according to plan... He is sent back, certainly, but as a decomposing corpse, with a living cloak.
 
Barlow has a fine voice - with some nice, deep, low and strong, switching within a few lines to a higher, somewhat menacing snarl.

 From some website somewhere:

Barlow is most known for his dark, verismo tone and powerful highs. A high baritone, he is often confused for a much lower voice type due to his hefty dramatic timbre and gravelly delivery.

I'm jolly well going to teach myself about octave ranges!

"I Died for You" is another haunting number, in which the narrator grieves the life he has left behind and how his wife, his love, has moved on without him (it has been several years). Barlow's low vocals are quite chilling, and powerful, enough to make hairs rise on the back of your neck, even as he screams over himself.

I saw the movie shortly after hearing this album, and I wish it had been the soundtrack - that would have kicked arse. I cannot even really remember the movie, but it was over ten years ago. And according to my husband, not very good. I believe I thought "Iced Earth did it better".

A rather more aggressive number, "Violate" has the pounding drums and racing guitars, whilst over them Barlow howls forth the anger and wrath of the terrible clown, the Violator:

I'll beat you with your spinal cord, split your skull in two. I'll feast on your intestines, there's nothing I can't do. I'll rip your heart out of your chest, watch it beat as you cry. I revel in your agony. I violate and make you die!

The menacing "The Hunter" follows it up; slow and ominous it begins, the instruments swelling and surging into a stampede. From what I can gather, the Hunter is an angel sent after Spawn.

"The Last Laugh" is another brutal track, with slamming verses and raging drums.

Slower but no less brutal and dramatic, "Depths of Hell" allows Barlow's highly diverse vocal talents to take hold once more - with the low baritone intertwining with the menacing screams and raw edged howls. His despair is easily apparent in the tension and frustration of the music.

 With its ominous and brooding opening rifts, "Vengence is Mine" threatens just that. Raw, wild aggression. Short and savage, it is followed by the even more brooding "The Suffering Scarred". Slower, steady with haunting echoes of guitar floating like a savage caress above the beat. Barlow's voice is low and rich, filled with power - like Geoff Tate in his finer moments,

Heavy on the angst and self-accusation, "Slave to the Dark" is heavy with tortured vocals and dark instruments. It merges into the haunting and beautiful, sorrow-filled "A Question of Heaven".

This is a fine album, heavy and slow, filled with brooding and a healthy dose of self-loathing. The lyrics are haunting and there are some beautiful melodies. The atmosphere is tense, but resigned and slightly lost.

I rank it 9/10.

Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II (1988)

As promised, now it is time for the glory that is Keeper of the Seven Keys, part two, the follow up to tbe wonderful Keeper of the Seven Keys, part one and one of the definitive metal albums of all time. Here is where Power Metal began. That's not to say that Helloween are technically Power Metal, nor that they are the only band that can claim the honour of being the root of all that is awesome, but merely that this is one of the major contributing albums to the slightly pompous, extravagant genre of Power Metal. Helloween are more straightforward, but no less epic and this album is AMAZING.

When I was younger, relying on a fairly small allowance to afford the extravagances of cassettes, my brother and I bought a fair amount of music. I bought part one, he bought part two. This was a pity, because it meant that I could not really listen to this album. Since he preferred to sit in his room, door closed, music loud, burying himself within the immensity and engulfing himself fully in its richness, I could not easily join him. It is actually rather an awkward feeling sitting in your siblings's room, trying to sink into a sort of meditative, music induced state. Thus, I didn't really get to hear this album as much as I would have liked. I distinctly recall sitting outside his bedroom window one evening, whilst the power of the music poured through the window, listening. At this time, I also had a number of penpals and we exchanged cassette recordings around the world, sharing each others mix tapes. This, my friend, was how you learned about new bands before the interweb - before you could touch a button and hear samples from every single cd you can think of. Via snail mail... and mix tapes.... anyhow, I had a lovely penfriend in Sweden and he recorded this album for me so that I could listen to it too.

Of course, eventually, I purchased the CD. Along with Helloween's entire backlist, half of which I have on cassette tape as well as CD. Hey, you cannot have too much of a good thing - and at least I can listen to them in my car!

The cover is beautiful, moody and somewhat fantasy-esque. In the foreground, a hand inserts a key into a lake (from which faces stare out), whilst gnarled green hands grasp at it. The robes indicate that this may be the seer of visions - the cloaked figured from part one. The background is split in two by dark and brooding clouds - on one side, a monolithic rock formation glows in the mid day sun, in the other fires burn over a desolate and forboding, spiky black landscape. The cover is bordered in a chain of autumnal leaves. Inside it is all plain black text on white paper - very straightforward and simplistic, but pratical and easy to read.

This was Helloween's last album with Noise - a company that basically screwed them over. This cd went Gold in Germany, made it to #108 on the USA charts but despite being a highly successful album, they did not see much in the way of profits from it. Shortly after this they broke their contract, got into terrible legal battles (with Noise), weren't able to tour or release in the States for some years and not only that, but Kai Hansen left, not wishing to deal with the pressures of being in such a big band. Funnily enough, his band, Gamma Ray sort of took over the power and glory of this album with their "Land of the Free" release in 1995.

An eagle soars over forlorn, windswept cliffs in "Invitation" as the instruments rise in power and might, beckoning us onwards.

It swoops and strikes, charging in to the speed metal anthem of "Eagle Fly Free". The guitars are a wild and reckless beast, the vocals untamed and melodious. The drums... well the drums are slamming, beating a rapid and, at times, slightly monotonous, slightly tinny beat. Kiske displays his immensely powerful vocal talents, holding the note, unwavering for a good 15 seconds.

Then it is in to "You Always Walk Alone". I love the rhythms and structure of this song, it's so lively and inspirational, it fills my heart and soul with such empowerment.

"... the strength we have inside yourself is so more than you will know."

The highly entertaining "Rise and Fall" follows it up. It starts with rockin' beats and wooden laughter. You also get to hear Kiske say "bullshit" which is worth it in itself. The shifting rhythms and quirks of the backing music add to the somewhat comedic, fairy tale feel - as do the lyrics:

"A little dragon could spit fire, but never sought for something bad. He didn't know the knight's desire to throw a lance into his head."

It does make you ask two questions, however: How is luck like a ball? And what exactly did the queen of Los Angeles do with a chair? Sometimes I wonder if Weikath is on something when he writes his quirkier tracks. I mean, sheep?

Another quirky number is "Dr Stein" - a song about Frankenstein. For anyone who has heard Helloween as much as I, the opening chords are unmistakeable. This is probably one of their most famous songs - but there was no video made until it was re-released as part of the "Unarmed" album. Also written by Weikath, the lyrics are somewhat silly and rather fun. The guitars rise and fall in a complicated duet, with the keyboards arcing around them.

The anthemic "We Got the Right" follows. Kiske's voice is in fine form, a powerful tool with less support from the instruments in this piece.

Then it is time to get back into the speed metal with the raging "Save Us".  It is followed up by the equally powerful "March of Time". Two very fine examples of the speed metal genre, back to back. The racing guitars, the clanging drums, and above all, Kiske's voice soaring like the voice of a god, filled with power and glory. I have heard the chords and the rhythms of Helloween's music described as "happy sounding" and it is. I'm not knowledgeable enough about the technical terms to be able to tell you WHY their melodies sound positive whereas others do not, but the lyrics certainly help:

"Life's too short to cry, long enough to try..."

The final normal-length track is "I Want Out" which has an entertaining video. With its enthusiastic rhythms, catchy choruses and charismatic frontman, this track became a hit. Once again, the drums seem a little too high pitched on this piece, not sure if that is intentional or a result of not such great production. Once you start noticing it, however, it becomes a little annoying - and I don't want to be annoyed by this album. It's Helloween - it should be awesome! Everything should be absolutely perfect.

The final track is the epic "Keeper of the Seven Keys" and is a piece so majestic that it inspired me, in my teenage years, to write a highly derivative and pretty cliched fantasy novel. But not one that will ever see the light of day, I promise*.
And just to prove that nothing is ever original and that Helloween inspired other people to do the same thing - here's a D&D comic inspired by the same thing. Seriously, my characters even had similar names!
Anyhow, clocking in at over thirteen minutes long, it almost deserves an entire blog post of its own - but "The Seven Angels" didn't get one, so it isn't going to either.

It starts with light guitar, and Kiske's beautiful low vocals, soaring behind it are classical instruments, rising with power and might. This might be where the roots of Symphonic Metal began.
Our hero ("you") prepares for his coming Quest.
And off he sets, with the drums and guitars keeping pace.
The chorus rises, filled with power and ambition.

 "You're the keeper of the seven keys, to lock up the seven seas. And the seer of visions said before he went blind 'hide them from demons and rescue mankind'."

The first key belongs in the sea of hate, the second the sea of fear.

"Throw the third key into the sea of senselessness and make the people hold each other's hands..."

Fourth goes into the sea of greed.
The fifth into the sea of anger.

Meanwhile, something wicked is stirring, the guitars thrash and race and below it you can hear something growling.

Kiske becomes more urgent and insistent - urging you to "throw the key or you may die...". After the frenzy, the music dies down, mellowing into a haunting echo. Has the key been thrown? Is this the calm before the storm?

And where do the sixth and seventh keys belong? Who knows, it's never defined.

The devil is waiting on the shores of the last lake.
It might have been better to have Kai sing the voice of the devil - Kiske has the voice of an angel.
(Then again, Kai's a dwarf, right).

The guitar heralds the throwing of the key and the ensuring battle between the devil and the hero.
Don't worry, the hero wins and an earthquake swallows the devil down again.
Now it is time to celebrate.

I have noticed that there is a rough edge to this album - it has a slightly raw, untamed feel to it - not the overly polished and produced feel of later albums - such as "Pink Bubbles". I think that is part of the appeal, as it makes you feel closer to the band, making them seem more visceral. Although the higher pitch to the drums gets a little irritating. Also, the quality is not great - I have it at full volume to listen to it and when I put in my new Unisonic CD instead, it almost blew my speakers - it was that much louder. I guess that shows what effect 20+ years has had on sound quality.

Overall, however, this is an awesome album and should be in the collection of anybody who considers themselves a true metal fan.

I'm going to give it a 9.5/10 thanks to those drums.
I'm sorry Ingo...

If anyone does want to buy these two albums - they are now available as a set. Which includes some bonus tracks. These tracks I shall be reviewing in a later post.

* Michael Weikath would totally sue my tail. And as much as I'd like to meet him, in a courtroom over copyright violation is not the time and place for that!

Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime (1988)

This is probably the most epic and well known of Queensryche's albums - the concept album "Operation Mindcrime". Some have suggested it was inspired by George Orwell's "1984" but the plot summary is quite different. A sequel was released in 2006, but I do not own it and have never heard it.

 The cover neatly portrays the dystopia theme - with a lot f angry looking people - fists raised, above them a woman with her mouth open in a silent scream. Across the middle, a skull superimposed over a heart graph. All in stark black, white, yellow or red, which gives it the look of an old paperback book. Inside, the lyris are all rammed together one song into another, in a nice black against white font that makes them easy to read, even though you do have to squint a little.

The album opens with "I Remember Now" in which our protagonist, whose name is Nikki, in hospital. The nurse gives him a cursory glance-over, berates him for being and declares that "perhaps you need another shot". In the background, the radio mutters something about how the police have a suspect in custody regarding something political.

"Sweet dreams, you bastard."

The nurse mutters, as she leaves him to his memories.

We then rip into the powerful "Revolution Calling".  Disappointed in the state of contemporary society, and all the corruption, riots are brewing.

In the middle of this, Nikki received a phonecall from the mysterious Doctor X:

"...the Man with the cure"

Addicted to drugs, and with nothing more to lose, Nikkie is lured in to joining "Operation: Mindcrime" as an assassin, a combination of mind control and his addiction transforming him into a puppet. This is a catchy and powerful track.

Outside, the riots continue and the people "Speak". A somewhat more progressive number, with a sinister edge.

We are introduced to Mary in "Spreading the Disease" - a prostitute who is saved from the street by a rather corrupt priest named Father William. There is an edge of anger to it.

"... take her every night... on the altar like a sacrifice.."

"The Mission" starts with Nikki seeking forgiveness for his crimes, and finding solace in friendship with Mary. With slow, haunting and maudlin desperation, then becomes fused with anger and determination. However, Dr X sees Mary as a threat to Nikki's continual obenience and thus he lays down a challenge:

"Kill her, that's all you've got to do."
"Kill Mary?"
"She's a risk. And get the priest as well."

Nikki sets out to complete his task in the haunted "Suite Sister Mary" - Beginning with ominous choirs and low, despairing vocals. Nikki does not wish to kill the only friend he has. He kills the priest easily enough, but Mary is another matter entirely. This is a song of desperate choices. It climaxes into a confrontation, a duet of two voices, entangled in a bitter, desperate debate. It is probably the most epic and complex song on the album, with choirs and drama.

Unable to kill her, the two conspire to depart the organisation.

But "The Needle Lies" and there can be no escape for Nikki. When he returns to Dr X, stating his decision, he is mocked and scorned,

"...the Needle keeps calling me back..."

In this fast paced, almost pure speed metal number. Solid riffs, straightforward structure.
Confused, conflicted and in a sense of frustrated rage (as reflected by the music), Nikki storms off to find Mary.

She is dead. He cradles her body in "Electric Requiem". Wonders - did he kill her?

His mind is a turmoil, confusion. He runs through the streets calling her name. "Breaking the Silence" with his screaming.

"...look for your face in the neon light, you never answer me...."

This song has an almost anthemic feel.

Alas, his rather public performance attracts the attention of the police, and he is caught, subdued, a gun discovered on his person. Immediately, blame for the death of Mary (and the priest) falls to him and he is thrust into jail, bemoaning "I Don't Believe in Love":

"...it's never worth the pain that you feel..."

 Another desperate, pleading song. I remember screaming along with this song in the more angst-ridden parts of my youth. The rapid tempo beat adds the frantic feel - like the soul is being ripped apart with your denial.

"Waiting for 22" is a mournful guitar instrument, a song of wanting, longing, and waiting, waiting for your fate to be decided. Waiting for all the blame to be laid upon your head. The guitar not-so-gently weeps.

And then the clock ticking marks the hours. The hours spent waiting in "My Empty Room".

Finally, dragged away and convicted of murder and political insurgence, Nikki is thrown into prison, where

 "...every night my dreams return to haunt me..."

He has lost himself - and now he only sees the "Eyes of a Stranger". A melancholic, but powerful conclusion to this album.

So, who actually did kill Mary?
Well, a search on google revealed the probable answer to me. So, if you feel the urge to find out - you can do that too.

This is probably Queensryche's finest album - it's a rock opera, and one of similar grand style and plot to Savatage's many. Indeed, it may have inspired some of Savatage's (I'm not sure at which point they began doing concept albums, I guess I'll find out with my "research" here). The storyline is interesting, the songs dramatic and varying and overall it is an outstanding album.

So I shall rate it 9/10.

Kari Rueslatten - Spindelsinn (1997)

Okay, so listening to someone whose first name starts with K is kinda cheating, but it was her or Kiske, and I didn't feel like listening to more Michael Kiske today. Pity I didn't buy that Kamelot CD, eh?

Kari Rueslatten is a Norwegian lass who is 6 years older than me, making her 41. And, she actually looks it. Her voice, however, is like liquid silver, dipped in honey. She, along with her symphonic doom band - 3rd and the Mortal, were inspiration for such greats as Nightwish. She has performed with several groups, integrating doom-laden metal with folk vibes and her haunting, ethereal* voice.

The elements of folk are strong in this CD, her debut solo one (albeit a remastered version). Alas, the lyrics are all in Norwegian - a language I do not speak, and thus I cannot comment on her song writing abilities. However, despite the language barrier, I enjoy the way she sings, the lilt to her voice and the various levels she can attain.

Except that I have found translations! And the lyrics are as haunting and beautiful as you might imagine. I'll link them from the songs, so you can at least know what the titles and themes are. In lack of understandable lyrics, instead we are treated to an evocative combination of intruments and voice, portraying the message through sounds, not words, that are understandable in any language.

So, let us begin. And yes, I know I should be using the appropriate characters for some of these letters, but I haven't figured out how to do the special Norwegian letters. My apologies.

"I Manens Favn" ("In the Moon's Embrace") is a song about a dancer, whose magical dance lures in the women. It is most definitely folk inspired, and has a very bouncy rhythm. I could dance to this. I SHOULD dance to this.

We get slower with  the haunting "Spindelsinn" ("Mind Web"). A song that weaves an enchanting tune.

Now that I know what the "Skogens Kjole" ("The Forest's Song") is about,  I cannot help but feel the spirit of the forest in the words. It's easy to imagine snow-shrouded branches and leaves dropping in the breeze. The song is delicate and fragile.

The very sweet "Agatha" follows. It sounds like a love song. Agatha strikes me as being a wispy, spiritual being - a guide from another world.


"Trollferd" ("Troll Journey") takes you to another world, into a boreal forest, where snow sticks tot he moss laden trees and a trail of strange footsteps leads you through the snow, while above the sky is pale with the promise of frost.

"Vintersol" ("Winter Sunlight") picks up a more upbeat tone, sunbeams glinting off the snow, banishing the cold and portraying the world as pure and clean. A perfect day for a winter walk. The music has the promise of spring in its step, and the inclusion of classical instruments makes it seem divine.

A tender, beckoning song - "Jeg Kommer Inn" ("I'm coming in"), with string instruments, singing alongside Kari's beautiful voice. There's a little bit of bounce in the middle.

"Hor Min Sang" ("Hear My Song") is a very sweet and gentle piece, as soft as a caress.

"Som Av Meg" ("As of Me") is beautiful and ephemeral, a delicate whisper.

The chilling and ghostly "Nordnatt" ("Night of the North") ends the album, a haunting song of long, chilling nights and a vivid tapestry of stars. It fades slowly, the music ghosting away.

There are two more tracks - live versions of "Spindelsinn" and "I Manens Favn".

This is a beautiful album, a soundrtack to a cold winterland. The folk aspects and the classical instruments are a flawless combination with the sweet, lonely voice of Kari Rueslatten. The only downside is that the lyrics are not in English, but it loses none of its beauty because of this - and perhaps gains an extra element of mystique.

Overall rating = 9/10.

I have another CD by Kari, and it is in English.

* You will probably hear this term a lot in these reviews, this is because I like females with haunting, ethereal voices and have quite a collection of these CDs. If I can think of a different adjective, I shall make use of it. Okay?