Queensryche - Empire (1990)

This is Seattle band Queensryche's fourth album, and this is the album that brought them to the mainstream. Mainly because of one song - you probably know it. But we'll get there in a minute. First off - the packaging.

 Here we have the tri-ryche again, this time in pixelated glory, it soars over the word "Empire" designed like a tower. In terms of graphic design, it is very basic and kinda rubbishy. They could have done better. Let's hope the music makes up for it!

The album opens with the melodic progressive chords of "Best I Can". A radio-friendly song with decent rhythm and the occasional triumphant soaring of keyboards. A little anaemic, however, sanitised and sterile.

We blast into "The Thin Line" in which Geoff Tate starts with his lower, (slightly) deeper vocals. Low tenor, perchance? Some nice guitar interludes and a gentle bridge into the rockier chorus.

A distant shadow of "Revolution: Calling" - "Jet City Woman" starts with similar chords, but fades into a somewhat bland, exsanguinated number. Entirely too accessible and rather lacking in passion.

"Della Brown" is another gentle number. The vocals are quite nice, soothing, good rhythm.

Finally, something with a bit of spirit to it. "Another Rainy Night", the second single, starts with a more dramatic flourish. The vocals have a little more emotion, touched with pain and building to a powerful chorus. Bittersweet lyrics:

"...Strange how laughing looks like crying with no sound..."

 Starting with an answerphone message, we have "Empire", one of the strongest and more energetic tracks on the album. Lyrics are political, and more in the "Operation Mindcrime" league. It builds strong, has nicely echoey chorus, and Tate has a bitter knife-edge to his vocals.

"Resistance" is also pleasingly powerful, building to a strong chorus and again installs memories of OMC. Tate sounds rather more passionate when singing politics rather than love.

The glorious lullaby, "Silent Lucidity" remains the 'ryche's most well known - and probably their best - track. Ever. The use of orchaestral elements gives it majesty and power, and Tate's lower tenor is deeply soothing, slightly sexy and laden with emotion. This track, alone, deserves 10/10. The whispered "help me" sends a shiver down my spine.

"Hand on Heart" tries to be a powerful piece, but "Silent" is a hard act to follow. Tate's voice is smooth and flowing, like a creamy hot chocolate. Some passion, still a bit commercial, however.

Another somewhat sterile, but still appealing piece "One and Only".

The mournful "Anybody Listening?" seems a desperate, anguished plea for someone, anyone, to listen, to realise. The music is strong, thick, laden with guilt and social conscience. Tate's voice tempered with dedicaation and desperation. Deliciously low, thick, melancholic. A fine conclusion.

Something of a santised, polished and radio friendly album from Queensryche. It does contain the one song that made their names known - and is pretty much the only Queensryche song I've ever heard on the radio, outside of specialised "metal" shows (when I used to request a different track from them every 2-3 weeks). The album starts weak, builds to its climax, peaking at "Silent Lucidity", although the songs that follow are still more spirited than the opening. The first four almost had me giving this a lousy 5/10, but I now feel more comfortable lifting it to a 7/10.

Lions Share - Two (1997)

Swedish band, Lions Share formed in 1987, suffering through many line-up changes. This is their second full length album (as you may have guessed) and is a progressive, melodic hard rock album with metal elements. They are now classified as "Power Metal" by Encyclopdia Metallium.

Just had a listen to a couple of their more recent tracks. Not overly impressed. This one is better.

It has a sort of progressive-hard-rock look to the packaging. Cover features two molten dolphin leaping from a chessboard. Black on white inside, very straightforward and very easy to read. Lyrics one page, band member photo on the other. They all look rather serious. On the back int contains the legend "Absolutely no gates used in this cd". Not sure what that means. So I asked google:

A noise gate or gate is an electronic device or software that is used to control the volume of an audio signal.

So, you learn something new everyday. I guess that means their sound is more authentic?

A chugging with pompous organ-synth opens "Wild at Heart". Full bloated, stirring. Guitars shift in and the rhythm surges forth. Vocals enter, smooth, almost sweet of a pitch not unlike Dream Theater. Surges into more full-blown shouts and bellows, with backing vocals sweeping around it like disembodied voices. Soemwhat savage and aggressive, as befits the lyrics:

"You know I've got a mean streak and you know that nothing can stop me now!"

The keyboards go a little wild in the solo.

The "Lord of the Pain" enters with lower, smooth vocals overlaid with gutteral shouting. Loud, aggressive, with violent rifts and churning emotions.

"Transient" starts with a blast. Shouting and singing combine in this sci-fi themed song with its rock rhythms.

The super-dooper-power-ballad "Don't Come Easy" feels almost like a parody, it's so different from the others. Vocalist Andy Engberg almost seems to be crooning. His voice is filled with passion and this is just like those good old-fashioned rock ballads of the late 80s/early 90s, complete with sing-a-long chorus and backing vocalists. It's uncanny, and quite beautiful, really. Engberg should sing more often.

"Shadows" was the first song I heard by Lions Share - played on MTV and it's a pretty epic hard rock piece. It starts with an aural assault like an avalanche of sound as the guitars and drums thrash, before Engberg's voice rises with the power and clarity of a deity rising from the stone. It is an immense and mighty song.

This is followed by another semi-ballad, "Baptism of Fire" has its slower moments. It is a stirring piece, complete with choirs. And latin. It makes me wonder if Lions Share are a Christian band. There's even a touch of Enya-style warbling. For a heartbeat, no more. There are some odd and intricate little quirks weaving their way through this track, bringing it into dramatic and passionate life.

Now it's time for a New Wave cover. Secret Service's "Flash in the Night". Not sure why metal bands like to cover New Wave tracks - this is the third I've heard in the last week. Here's the original. Whilst keeping the rhythms and structures the same, it is transformed into a dark and brooding Hard Rock piece, still retaining the keyboards. Immense and solid.

Another loud and dramatic piece, "World Gone Wrong" offers more of the heavy rifts, melodic shouted vocals and loud instrumentation, including keyboards. Not a bad piece, but nothing new or dramatic.

We conclude with an instrumental "Rat Race". For an instrumental, it offers little different from the actual songs, except for a bit more keyboard and that rising of drama and tension that builds then fades within a few beats.

Overall, it's an entertaining enough album, if a little too similar to the other bands of the late 90s for my tastes. Except for when they jump back into an 80s power ballad. Bit too shouty and not enough singy.

This earns it a rating of 6/10.

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.

Queensryche - The Warning (1984)

This is Queensryche's very first full length album, following on from their "Queen of the Reich" EP. It in inspired by world events of the time and also by the George Orwell novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

On a random aside - Geoff Tate was fired from Queensryche in 2012 - but due to legal issues both the line-up he left behind, now with the ex-vocalist  of Crimson Glory, and he with a "new" line-up including another ex-member, are both legally allowed to use the name "Queensryche". If both manage to get an album out in that time, it could make for an interesting aural battle.

But, in 1984 the wide world of progressive rock stood before Queensryche  - this album achieved modest success but never charted in the US of A, although "Take hold of the flame" became popular in Japan. The Japanese are known for having excellent taste in melodic metal (although I have only one Japanese metal band's album in my collection).

The cover is simple but makes a statement. It depicts a card - like a tarot card, inscribed with the words "The Warning" held in a gloved, and frankly rather unhealthy looking, hand, whilst green lasers shoot from the card like eyes or headlights, behind it is Earth. The message is clear - things are going wrong with our planet.

Here in his younger days (he's 24/25), Geoff Tate has a high and clear voice that rings out strong and clear with an almost bell-like clarity. The album opens with "The Warning", a song of simple structure with rhythmic guitar and drums. It is Tate's voice that gives it the power and emotional impact it implores - powerful, with a hint of desperation. He sure can hold his notes well!
"En Force" gets into a somewhat more dramatic start with tolling bells (their voices relatively high and drum-like) and surging into the vocals. Again, Tate's voice is a fine force and it is easy to see why his is considered one of the best in the genre. The higher notes are sweet and pure, but with the occasional harsher, raw edge. There is an innocence in it as well. The lyrics have a definite dystopia/sci fi edge:

"Light tracers follow me farther into the depths of unknown. The blackness surrounding the borders of hope. We're alone"

  The ghostly drumming and spectral and ethereal vocals give the final verse an eerie and unnerving edge. It feels lost, and haunted.

Before we soar into "Deliverance" a rather faster paced and energetic piece, similar to what we consider the classic Queensryche sound.

Ghostly and slow, feeling distant and haunted, "No Sanctuary" follows. This is not precisely a ballad, but definitely a slower, and softer song - again with an edge of desperation.

Following on from this is another dystopia-inspired song, "NM 156", this one possibly more inspired by the book. The vocals start with computer voices, then Tate's desperate high notes soar over them.

"Microchip logic, have we no more thought?
"Is this wrong" I enter, answers sought"

 The future is  before us, and it is not a pleasant place. Decent and somewhat complex guitar solo, soaring vocals compete with faster, harder, rawer and desperate. Tate can certainly wail.

Now, I believe it is time for a Power Ballad. And "Take Hold of the Flame" certainly fits the bill. The vocals are as bright and clear as the fire themselves, flickering into a gloriously high howl. The chorus is delightfully anthemic:

"So take hold of the flame. Don't you see life's a game?"

 I can almost see those lighters held high! (Of course, nowadays everyone uses cellphones instead - far less likely to cause accidents or fire alarms anyway).

The somewhat heavier "Before the Storm" follows this up with its echoed chorus and more involved guitar structures, the whirling guitar solo imitating a grey sky broiling with clouds.

"Child of Fire" is another song of loss and desolation, heavy with desperation as Tate wails:

"Look around. Is this the end you've foreseen?
The pain? The misery in us all?
What was it that you knew?
Will we someday learn it too?"

 Finally we conclude with "Road to Madness" in which Tate drops half an octave, or maybe a wee bit more and forlorn strings echo his words. His words are tinged with hints of loss and desolation. Like the soundtrack to a lost man, walking forlorn along an endless highway. It turns faster and more urgent as it marches towards its conclusion.

A very fine debut album, with hints at what Queensryche will become. The songs are nicely variable, contrasting with one another to take on personalities of their own. Haunting and memorable but possibly a bit dark and serious to earn it much acclaim at the time of its release - a time when Iron Maiden ("Powerslave") and Judas Priest ("Defenders of the Faith") were having their day and glam metal had laid its roots.  It had a lot of steep competition.

I'm going to give it 7.5/10.

(Note: Yes I posted R and Q around the wrong way, I DO know which way the alphabet works, that was just the way I happened to listen to them, okay?)

Dream Theather - Images and Words (1992)

Whilst talking to my brother the other day, we were discussing the difference between American and European metal, and I realised there were very few USA metal bands that I really, really liked. At that point, the only one I could think of were Queensryche and White Lion/Freak of Nature but now after some more thought, I would like to add Dream Theater and Savatage to that list. I was first introduced to Dream Theater in the early 90s, when we stayed in someone's house in Nelson. There had been a Japanese student boarding there, and he had left some of his albums. Most were Japanese pop/rock (which was rather pleasant, even with the lyrics all being foreign) and this album. Well, not this actual cd, as I did not steal it! After hearing them, I was hooked and one day came upon the record (vinyl) in our local store-of-goodness, Echo. As this predated eftpos cards, I had to run to the bank to withdrawal the cash. I returned just in time to see someone else buying it. Yes, I know, I should have asked the shop assistant to hold it under the counter for me. Anyhow, I eventually purchased it on cd from Borders, from the look of things, some many years later! And since I cannot currently play my vinyl collection, I suppose it is better that way.

Dream Theater began in 1985 under the name Majesty and hail from Massacusetts, America. They are still active today and have 11 albums under their belt - plus numerous bootlegs. They are one of the early progressive metal bands, similar in some stylings to Rush, but rather heavier. Their sound is rich and dramatic, soaring and proud, filled with complex stylings, keyboards and elaborate structures. The vocals are of the higher register, but vocalist James LeBrie has a crystaline and glorious voice, never shrieking, never screeching.

The album cover is beautiful - a small girl with thick curly hair and a white nightdress standing in an elaborate bedroom - with four post bed, vase of flowers and, slightly offcentre, a floating heart wrapped about with barbed wire. Above, the ceiling changes from the decorative trim of the bedroom to a cloud-swept sky, as though the bed will snatch her away into another world of wonders. It folds out instead of being a booklet, and there is a panoramic photo of the band, standing before some sort of arch, all very purple. On the other side can be found the lyrics.

"Pull me Under" begins with the gentle guitar chords, giving way as the keyboards roll over them in glorious synthesized sound, rising in power. It is almost two minutes in before LeBrie's voice rises like a sunlit storm. A little repetitive, it draws to a very abrupt ending, cutting off mid word.

A slower and more melodic number, "Another Day" stirs the spirit and ignites within a small spark of bittersweet hope. The saxophone adds its melancholic voice to the melody.

The intro to "Take the Time" is rather more dramatic, as the keyboardist is given rein and the bass churns in. The vocal style is different: faster, lower whilst around it the keyboard swoops and soars, then the voice too soars reaching to the skies. The sheer diverseness of the music, the complex arrangements between keyboard and guitar, vocals and drums make you realise how truly difficult it must be to compose music and brings the piece into glorious life*.

Piano and keyboards dance together and we're "Surrounded" by their delicate sound. LeBrie's vocals are a gentle caress, building into something a little more lively and brimming with goodwill and positivity. This song, in particular, reminds me of Marillion. The rising keyboards, the celebratory rhythms.

"Metropolis pt 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper" is a spirited and energetic song, with complicated keyboard structures, creating an evocative and imaginative symphony. The lyrics are poetic and beautiful.

"Love is the Dance of Eternity"

Heavy bass brings us into "Under a Glass Moon", another complex and deftly weaven symphony of keyboards and guitar.

Another slower moment, "Wait for Sleep" is exquisite and gentle. The keyboards are vibrant and alive, their sound etheral.This continues on into "Learning to Live". It is quite a mellow, peaceful song, but an inner current of inspiration and the dramatic flairs through it.

In conclusion; a lovely, dynamic elaborate and beautifully woven album, definitely deserving of 7/10.

* If there is one thing I am learning from this listen-to-all-my-CDs project, it is how the combination of various instrumental "voices" and arrangements can truly create a mood - from the slightly discordant and unsettling (Confessor), to the tense and frustrated (Tad Morose), and also to the positive and uplifting (most of my other stuff). There is a lot more to music than I have really appreciated previously. It used to be that I concentrated mostly on the vocals, but there is so much more to music than the voice.

Ritual - The Hemulic Voluntary Band (2007)

What can one say about Ritual? They are a not very well known band from Sweden who amalgamate folk and rock with a touch of progressive. They have released very few albums, and although they have a website, they do not appear to be updating it regularly.

I think if I were to give their music a sound, I would call it "Goblin rock".

What drew me first to this album was the cover - which features some rather weird little critters playing instruments. Several songs are based on the moomin series by Tove Jansson. The cover is quirky - and right up my alley given that I love things a wee bit weird and whimsical. The booklet is a delight - from the charming cover to the interior illustrations - which include the lyrics - including one in the form of a tale (based on one of Jansson's picture books) and the whole thing is designed to look like a book.

In style, their music is very quirky and kind of "organic". The sounds are slightly disharmonious, a little higher in pitch than you regularly get, with quirky little rhythms and reels. Like the dart of insects. It is very, very, easy to imagine the band to be these relatively formless, long muzzled beings.

I cannot remember when I bought this album, but I cannot help but feel that it inspired the gnome species in my novel "A Midsummer Knight's Quest". Heh, fancy that.

Instruments listed include: clavinet, harmonium, grand piano, rhodes, irish bouzoki, hammer dulcimer, recorders, whistles, nyckelharpa - I don't even know what half of these are!

The first track is the "Hermulic Voluntary Band" with its quirky, organic rhythms and a small dose of additional chaos. Erratic beats and little trills make it feel slightly discordant.

"In the Wild" is a slightly more refined number. The vocals are a bit smoother and the music somewhat restrained, although still prone to darting off into unexpected little rhythms. It fades into some rather sweet piano and then the rather discordant guitarish instrument takes over like a darting, swarming, biting bee.

A somewhat melancholic and rather quirky ballad, we have "Late in November" - which has recorders. This is from Snufkin's perspective.  Snufkin strikes me as rather an introspective nomad, who cherishes walking in the late autumn.

The is a sense of the ominous in "The Groke" as she stomps on in in a rhythmic march, bringing the winter and death with her. Her presense is ominous, and the music portends to this, but there is also an edge there - perhaps she is not so much evil and nasty, as just misunderstood?

"Waiting By the Bridge" is a poppy, lively little number. It is about Moomintroll waiting for his friend to come and take him away on a grand adventure. It is filled with cheer and hope.

Now we have the final track - and it is so epic it is longer than the other songs put together, clocking in at a massive 28 minutes. "A Dangerous Journey" opens with a cheerful rhythm and begins the tale of a young girl called Susanna, who seeks adventure.

"Life was so humdrum and always the same."

That is, she sets down her glasses and has them stolen - and replaced with another pair - a pair that change the way she sees the world (and grows her cat into a monster-cat). Here the tone changes, taking on an ominous edge, as the cat races away into the forest. She follows, and finds a swamp filled with ominous creatures and then a barren sea shore. Where can cat be? Things turn strange as she comes upon a peculiar pair. Things turn more sinster as, nearby, a volcano erupts.Whilst the lyrics are quite ominous, the nature of the music still makes it all sound very upbeat and exciting. Rather a contrast.There is a brief bit of dramatic tension coming towards the end of the track as they are pursued by a monster. But luckily a balloon swoops down and snatches them away to a pleasant valley where they have a picnic.

Oh, and the cat comes back.

For originality and quirkiness of sound, Ritual would easily rate a 10/10. Alas, for all their charm and whimsy, the music is just ever so slightly discordent and can be irritating if played too loudly or too many times. So I'm going to have to give it a 7/10.

Nightingale - Breathing Shadow (1995)

Another in my Black Mark collection.

Nightingale is Dan Swano of Edge of Sanity with his guitars, a keyboard and a drum machine.  I believe in later hours he acquired an actual backing band, but this entire album was recorded over 7 days in January. Essentially Swano had a fascination with goth rock (esp the Sisters of Mercy), and thus decided to spend a week or so recording an album. This is the result.

And you might be surprised to find, it is actually pretty good.

Packaging wise, it looks as cheap as you would expect a CD made in a week would look - red skulls gape out from the otherwise black cover, whilst the name "nightingale" sits above them in one of those ugly shadow fonts. Inside, a simple fold with over saturated colour and red font on black that renders it kind of difficult to read. Actually, it looks like the only working colours in the printer were black, red and blue. Hrm...

First track, "Nightfall Overture" opens with a swelling of keyboards and, combined with, the preprogramed beat of a drum machine a fairly artifical sound. Swano's voice, however, is lush and low, although also to reach slightly higher pitches. The music is variable and interesting and does not sound entirely programed.

The drum machine kicks us into "Sleep..." with its regular beats - beats that could be straight from the Sisters. It is repetitive, and somehow also hypnotic.

Picking up the pace slightly, is "The Dream Reader" which has a rather nice swooping bridge and quite a lot of keyboards. Like "Sleep" it is quite a hypnotic sound, very pleasant to listen to. The keyboards bring it to life.

"Higher than the Sky" has a slightly heavier beat, and a very nice keyboard melody. Makes one think a little of gliding through the sky, soaring around clouds and rising on thermals. Peaceful, almost serene.

Finally, some guitar - acoustic guitar I believe, adding a far more authentic touch to "Recovery Opus." It's something of a ballad - and seems to be about how the narrator has recovered from insanity. Or have they?

 "It's a mess here in my head... so I'll do what the voices say..."

I guess not...

 "The Return to Dreamland" is an actual instrumental - or possibly Swano didn't feel like singing along while playing his guitar. And there seem to be actual drums - unless a drum machine has a "drum roll" function? It's a slow paced, dreamy number with a few faster moments.

Probably the finest track on this album is "Gypsy Eyes" which is one of the few that I have actually danced to (in fact, we've played it at a few parties). The drum machine is back in force, but the pace is good, the lyrics interesting. Very 80s and very synth-goth. Maybe that's why it seems to be quite popular.

The vocals are very low and deep in "Alone?" Heavy with melancholy, and the light de-de-de of the accomapnying music accentuates the gloomy air. It sounds to me like Swano has accidentally "killed" his imaginery friend/voices in his head and this becomes more frantic, desperate and tinged with madness as it reaches the ending:

"...but it's not my shadow... it's not my shadow..."

The drum machine is back in "Lesson in Evil". There seems to be a theme of insanity and mental illness in these lyrics. Makes you wonder? They're somewhat sinister.

The album closes with "Eye for an Eye" which has the same smooth vocals, pleasant sound and somewhat macabre lyrics. The shadow is back, making me wonder if there is an ongoing theme running through this album - almost like a concept album.

For a one-man-one-week project created in his home studio, this is a pretty decent album. It's definitely different from Edge of Sanity (although the lyrics indicate that the narrator is approaching that edge) and proves that Swano can sing - and sing very well indeed. However, it could be improved manifold if Swano also happened to play the drums. Which he does, on later albums. Cos the slightly tinny, very electronic repetitive beat of the drum machine is no substitution for the real thing.

Let's go with a rating of 6.5/10.

Voivod - Angel Rat (1991)

French-Canadian band, Voivod, have been around for a while. This CD is probably one of their most mellow, their typical sound being a sort of technical thrash metal. Their music is complex and progressive, with dissonant chords and unexpected time signatures*, the vocals - on this album at least, are quite smooth.

I love the CD sleeve for this album - it's very old school, like those posters from the earlier years of the previous century - all ink and limited colour washes, with a swirling font reminiscent of old movie posters or carnival signs. It folds out into a semi-poster, with a photograph of the band. They're so young! Also there is  a very cool stylised crow in a tophat. The colour palette is limited to blue, purple and red, giving it a saturated and melancholic feel.

The CD opens with the staticky and disjointed "Shortwave Intro" which is reminscent of how we used to tune our radios, with little snippets of the ghosts along the airwaves. Then it rips into "Panorama". The song is erratic, with a cruisy chorus and rather strange lyrics:

"Somber drama, rolling down hill. Panorama, all is still. Anyway, anyhow; anyway, anyhow."

"Clouds in the House" is a somewhat more rhythmic number. Similarly jerky verses, smooth chorus and surreal, but poetic, lyrics.

The ocean beckons us into "The Prow" which is a pirate-esque style. From the cover, you're expecting it.

"Best Regards" is slightly rockier, but follows the same structure. It seems to be about waiting on the mail, for a letter to arrive. Ah, nostalgia. This reminds me of the days when I would wait on the mail. However, in this case it seems to concern a correspondent of a more personal nature.

Now we're into carnival theme - with "Twin Dummy" and reading the lyric sheet I now realise I've been hearing the words wrong all this time.

"The Circus left without me, and I'm alone with you now..."

I always thought it was "I'm in love with you now..." Hmmmm.

A somewhat cruisier number, "Angel Rat" is a haunting song which allows Snake better range with his vocals. He really has rather a nice voice - not very deep, but smooth and a little nutty. For some reason, the line: "Rat or Angel, does one really know?" really tickles my fancy, for some reason.

"Golem" is a slightly creepy little number - if you listen to the lyrics. It's another haunting and weird little song, with repeating vocals, erratic pacing and dissonant guitar chords.

We have a little harmonica in "The Outcast".

I like the chorus in "Nuage Fractal" which seems to have a slightly sci-fi-ish feel. I get the feeling that Voivod write their lyrics via stream of consciousness, because although they flow well and sound neat, they do not make a great deal of sense. I suppose that is poetry for you.

Starting off as more standard rock music, "Freedom". I suppose this is a ballad. It is very mellow and the music is melancholic and straightforward, instead of erratic and dissonant, although it does turn more typical-Voivod towards the end.

"None of the Above" concludes the album.

In summary - this is a somewhat more mainstream feel for Voivod - more rock than the thrash of their previous albums. It is somewhat soothing, despite the dissonant nature of the music. I enjoyed it as a whole, but I think the tracks are more effective individually, as they almost all feature a similar structure. It is quirky, and different, and I am pleased to see that the band are still releasing albums. I wonder what they sound like now?

My Rating = 7/10.

* From their wikipedia page. I don't actually know what a "time signature" is - but the music has a slightly jerky, discordant feel that is jarring yet not.

Tempest - Turn of the Wheel (1996)

I stumbled upon this band in the metal section of the music store one day. Being a fan of the metal/folk fusion, I pounced on it. However, it's not metal, it's more just folk with a hint of progressive rock. No matter, because it is a great album, and I feel I should delve further into the folk genre.

Tempest are a Californian Celtic band. They've had a number of line-up changes, but the vocalist throughout is Lief Sorbye (he's Norwegian), who also plays the electric mandolin. Formed in 1988, they have released a number of albums and perform both traditional folk songs and original renderings based on folk tales both real and imagined. Other instruments include octave mandolas, flute, harmonica, bodhran, keyboards, violins and a pennywhistle.

The album jacket suits the music - the cover featuring a button or similar, in which 11 frowning faces encircle a dome.  Inside, the lyrics are laid out in a text with a distinctly medieval font that is, nonetheless, easy to read and interlaid with folkish lineart. The inspiration for each track is noted at the top, giving the listener opportunity to research it further, should they so desire. The lyrics are delightfully narrative and a pleasure to listen to.

The general musical style is jaunty folk, with the traditional intruments infused with keyboards and the electric mandolin. These modern instruments are used subtly, so that it never becomes over-poweringly progrock and make a unique and memmorable blend.

The album opens with "The Barrow Man", inspired by the Norwegian myth of the ancient man in the mound.

"Dunmore Lassies" is an instrumental folk dance, combining two reels from Ireland - "the Dunmore Lassies" and "Toss the Feathers". Get up and get dancing!

"The Soul Cages" tells a haunting tale about a merrow who entrances and entraps men and cages them under the sea.

Then it is into "Bogey's Bonnie Belle" which is a traditional Scottish ballad and with a neatly lilting rhythm. It tells the tale of a young man who takes up work for a farmer, Bogey, but gets involved with a farmer's daughter, Isabelle. As their relationship grows, she winds up pregnant and no amount of secrecy can hide their relationship. Bogey, needless to say, does not take this well and sends our narrator on his way - along with the baby. We end with a couple of further folk reels.

A moodier and broodier song, "The Midnight Sun" - a ale of leaving behind your homeland and making the steps into a brave new world. It is a beautifully original ballad and possibly also autobiographical - as it speaks of fjords and the midnight sun, and Sorbye was Norwegian-born. His voice certainly portrays the emotion well.

A crooked little instrumental is "Winding Road". It is recommended that you do not dance to this one. It has a tempting rhythm but is temperamental and changeable.

Then for another version of "The Farmer and the Crow". Here it is entitled "Bonden Og Kraka", the traditional Norwegian folk song followed by several Norwegian halling tunes. These hallingdans is a solo acrobatic dance performed by a man that involves a fair amount of squat-dancing and concludes with him springing in the air and kicking a hat from a stick held high by a woman.

"For Three of Us" is a haunting travelling ballad, and the sort of song that sparks feelings of being far from home, travelling across broad, open spaces with exquisite vistas and rolling hills.  It is tinted with a hint of winter and fueled by the north wind.

Then into two more Irish reels with "Nine Points of Roguery".

Until finally concluding with the bouncy "Cat in the Corner" which tells the tale of a young man's misfortunes - a rogue wanderer with an eye for the ladies and a thirst for whiskey, he is.

If you wish for an eclectic blend of folk music - performed by a band located in sunny California, then Tempest are the band for you. Their music is polished and practised, overlaid with Sorybe's voice.

Rating - 9/10

Savatage - Streets: A Rock Opera (1991)

Savatage formed in 1978 (under a different name), by Criss and Jon Olivia in Florida, USA. In 1983 they changed the name to Savatage and became one of the forerunners of US progressive metal. In the beginning, their sound was more pure, unadultered speed metal with rip-roaring guitars and screaming vocals. As they grew older, their music matured and this album, from around the midpoint of their career, has a polished vibe, whilst still rocking pretty damned hard. Later albums included the addition of orchaestra. They eventually dropped into a hiatus in 2002.

 The cover for this album is pretty bland - the band posing in some sort of ornate mansion, looking all tough and serious, not daring to even show the slightest hint of a smile. Black clothing certainly seems to be the fashion - all jeans and shirts unbuttoned to varying distances down the chest. Long haired pretty boys (some with perms), or at least, they think they are. But hey, this was the early 90s and glam was just giving way to grunge.

"Streets" is a concept album, and follows the career of D.T. Jesus - a burned out rockstar who falls off the rails, and then endeavours to pull his life together. The story is explained in detail at the beginning of the CD booklet.

"I used to come down here and look at all the characters, never thought I'd be one of them..."

Like all good musicals, it begins with an introductory song "Streets" begins with a children's choir and certainly sets the mood of the dark and grimy streets, where lights flicker and promise hope and salvation and opportunity.

"Jesus Saves" introduces us to D.T Jesus - starting with a vocal intro and breaking into a story about his fall from grace. It is a strong rock number.

As the drugs take hold of D.T's life and his world starts to crumble inside, we fall into "Tonight He Grins Again". A slower number, dripping with melancholy and longing.

"Strange Reality" sees him tumble further and further on the downward spiral. D.T. becomes aware of his plight. It is a fevered song, edged with desperation.

"Am I losing my way? This strange insanity. An illusion away. Is this reality?"

Having had this revelation, D.T sends out a call for help in the beautiful and pleading "A Little Too Far" with its gentle piano and desperate lyrics.

After that mellow moment, we rock into "You're Alive" and D.T.s triumphant return, with the help of his previous manager, Tex. But his triumph is short lived, as a dark shadow - Sammy - returns from his past and confronts him. In a tumultouos, fast and vicious fight, Manager Tex intervenes and there is a battle between "Sammy and Tex".

 "Seemed things were going right, till Sammy pulled a knife..."

Tex is slain, and seeing the rage in D.T.'s eyes, Sammy  flees  into the night.

Bereft, alone, D.T. roams the streets a haze of melancholic morbidity, finally finding his way to the doors of "St Patrick's" cathedral. Here he falls into desperate, pleading prayers.

But God does not listen, or at least, he makes no response. Lost, confused; his mind filled with dark desperate thoughts and seeking escape, D.T. pleads "Can you Hear Me Now?"

But all around him are the bitter and dark streets of New York. "New York City Don't Mean Nothing" is another song of despair and loss. It starts with raw, tortured vocals, filled with pain at this great city, where you are noone and nothing. The rhythm starts, fueding it with rage.

Everywhere he goes, he sees, haunted and broken people - a "Ghost in the Ruin". Anger, despair, deperation feed the song into a turmoil.

Perhaps it would be better "If I Go Away", D.T. ponders. If I give up on this life, just fade away. More desperation, but now fueling melancholy and sorrow, the desire only to be taken away from this life.

In the frenizied "Agony and Ectasy", D.T. prepared to give up on his despair, and his new life and reteat back into the comforting shell of drugs and the oblivion they bring. But it all changes as he comes upon a derelict man, dying in the gutter. So wretched is he, that noone dare approach him, except D.T., who holds his hand and comforts him as he dies.  Or at least this is how the narrative is explained in the beginning of the CD, however, it is not so clear from the lyrics. The song "Heal My Soul" is a beautiful piano/vocals piece haunting and strong contrast to the preceeding track.

A sense of triumph continues in "Somewhere in Time" and finally concludes in "Believe", a song of hope and faith as D.T. watches the spectral figure of a small child steps from the corpse of the dead man and up into the stars. This is the spirit of the man as he was once, until he threw his life away on lost dreams and now he seeks only forgiveness. He turns to D.T. smiles, and fades into a gentle flash of light. Up above, in the summer sky, a star burns brighter.

Finally, unexpectedly, D.T. feels at peace with himself, and returns home. The slower, more positive atmosphere in the final songs reflects this.

Ultimately, a fine concept album - although the lyrics do not fit the story at the front particularly closely. It's a good storyline for a rock opera though, albeit slightly preachy. The mix of fast-paced, angry songs and slower, mellower numbers enhances the mood and aids the narrative.

I rate this album 8/10.

Queensryche - Promised Land (1994)

Queensryche  formed in Bellevue, Seattle 1981 and released twelve studio albums before finally parting ways in 2012.They are probably my favourite band to hail from Seattle, birth of Grunge music, and are most well known for their song "Silent Lucidity." Their earlier albums were more strongly metal, with operatic vocals (vocalist Geoff Tate is opera trained) and heavy riffs. As their albums progressed, their sound became more mature, and a little darker (in the case of this album), but ultimately their more recent releases (ie: this century) lacked the originality and energy of the earlier ones.

I selected this one, "Promised Land" released in the mid-point of their career.

It is a beautiful looking album - the simple, starkness and gloomy brownish-red hues help create the mood. The cover depicts the Tri-Reich (which is based on the falcon, no wonder I like it!) carved from wood, looking rather tribal. It is in fact a totem pole, and the CD cover folds out into a poster. And there is a vaguely tribal feel to some of the songs on this album.

Overall the sound is somewhat more personal than the earlier albums, with a dose more atmosphere and a little more experimentation with instruments and darker stylings. It is not especially heavy, relying more on dark atmospheres and haunting melodies, along with the raw emotion in Geoff Tate's voice to create a moody album - the result of burnout after the commercial success of "Empire". Whilst it did eventually go platinum in the States, it never achieved major mainstream success and was somewhat superceded by the growing Grunge music of the time.

"9:28 am" starts with a death and a birth.

"I am I" is a declaration of Self.

As far as songs go, "Damage" is not particularly remarkable. It's typical rock.

"Out of Mind" opens with a slow and moving intro, merging into the haunting lyrics. Tate's low singing voice complements this perfectly, and the accompanying guitar creates a mood that sens a shiver down the spine of anyone who is also paying heed to the lyrics which describe the forgotten people - the mentally lost and confused, kept separate from society, alienated from reality.  There is an atmosphere of menace here:

"They can't leave. You've left them here ... for me."

Acoustic guitar and vocals lead us in to the equally haunting "Bridge". The chorus of this song is particularly noteworthy - as a father tries to mend the "...bridge that's been blown apart..." from his son, but "...you never built them dad." It is also very catchy.

Title track, "Promised Land" is one of the most atmospheric and experimental of the songs on this album (also one of my favourites). The music radiates with mood and weighs one day with the grief of being left behind, becoming one of the forgotten ones. The lyrics ask "... where did it all go wrong?" It is a story of abandoning one's dreams, of failing to even try and reach the "promised land" and instead dropping into the angst-fueled world of apathy and alcohol.

This leads, quite neatly, into "Dis Con Nect Ted" which continues the themes of madness and loss, of separating oneself from reality. The slightly discordent edge to the opening chords lends to the feeling of confusion and dislocation. The vocals are low and dripping with personal loathing. There is a slight echoing going on, that makes Tate sound somewhat less than himself.

There is something faintly menacing about the children chanting at play as "Lady Jane" opens. The vocals are low, creepy, the lyrics unnerving. Something is very wrong in the life of Lady Jane.

"It's quite a scary, scary ride we take, Lady Jane."

 There are violins in this song too. I'm not sure if this is a song about abuse or a haunting, or if Lady Jane is slowly but surely slipping into the clutches of insanity. Whichever it is, this is an emotional and oddly disconcerting and disturbing song. It is also one of my favourites on this album.

With its politcal lyrics, "My Global Mind" brings us back into the heavier rock, but no less melancholic.

"One more Time" begs for a second chance, with a hint of desperation and no small measure of despair.

Piano leads us into the last, heartbroken ballad, "Someone Else".

"I feel like I did, before the magic wore thin..."

With few instruments, except the piano, it feels like Tate is (vocally) ripping out his heart and throwing it on the floor. The raw emotion cannot help but seer the soul. It draws to a very abrupt close, leaving me feel almost like I've been severed from it.

This is a fine album - it is deeper and darker and rather more melancholic than earlier albums and clearly marks a point of tumoil in the history of the band. The lyrics are rife with messages of disconnections from reality; of sacrifices and loss of self (and no small measure of bitterness). Despite this misery, there is no laying of blame, no accusations - it is not an album about love lost, or arguements - instead it is an album about feeling as though you're fractured inside of losing your sense of identity. Of needing something more to help redeem the drudgery of your life.

It is a beautiful, haunting and utterly poignant and defintely deserves a rating of 9/10,

Promethean - Gazing the Invisible (1997)

Poor Promethean don't seem to have made much of a mark on the Music Market - they don't even have a Wikipedia page. They do, however, have three core members (guitar, vocals, mandolin, keyboard) and an eclectic blend of "friends in need are friends indeed*" with instruments - guitar, drums, flute, violin, cello and even recorder. Taking many aspects of folk music, they have blended it with a fairly light metal sound and applied vocals that are not disimilar to those of My Dying Bride (the singing, not the growling) and Anathema.

The album cover is kinda dreary really - sepia tones, a strange image that seems to consist of a kneeling naked person with their lower body turned to stone and their hair merging into smeared, surreal braids. The band name, in a font only slightly darker than the general green-browns of the cover is quite difficult to read and the lyrics are so tiny and white on sepia that one almost needs a magnifying glass to read them, like the songs, they merge into one and are divided by paragraph breaks but not headed by titles making you wonder if you are intended to just listen to the entire album from beginning to end.

The spine reads:

"When everything is nothing and all new is but the same cover the earth with your sins and never feel any shame"

 It is all rather avantgarde (like their label) but does not make for very impressive or eye-catching packaging - which kind of makes me wonder why I picked them up. I am glad they did, however, because although their packaging may be drab and kinda cheap, I do like their music.

This music has great atmosphere - I believe it is the folk elements. It is very much "Mood" music, the sort that you could play cheerfully in the background for ages, and never grow tired of. It is pretty soothing though - no roaring guitars or raging drums - making you quite realise how extremely eclectic the "metal" genre is.

I have decided to listen to this album from beginning to end to get the feel for it, then listen to it again and begin my track dissection. Thus I shall save it for now and begin the "breakdown" of songs later today.

Let's see if a dissection can improve my understanding of this album:

The CD begins with some discordant notes before breaking in to soothing folk music of "Eternal Fall". This theme continues through much of the album. The vocalist's voice is rich, deep and mellow with good harmonics.

More mellow folk sounds lead us in to "Polygon" along with a few of the more discordant screeching beats, and a steady thrum building hte the background. Vocals are whispered, quoting lyrics that are at once poetic and also somewhat nonsensical - the ones printed on the spine, in fact. We are then treated for some very mood-infused folk music, mellow, laid back, like an evening spent lounging in the sun, perhaps strumming your mandolins or guitars as you put your feet up, lean back and close your eyes, sinking in to the music.

Birdsong and flute marks the beginning of "Gazing", a sound invoking thoughts of two lovers, gazing into each other's eyes as they lie in a field of golden corn, the wind twisting and whipping it around them.

"The" is a lovely intrumental piece.

The pace picks up a little, but only a smidgeon, for "Invisible". It has some nice trilly bits, introducing butterflies to our cornfield, but ultimately the sun is still shimmering down and the sending striations of light upon the ground, between the stalks. It is also devoid of vocals.

The vocals return in "Don't Mind the Dancer" as a child skips and spins through the cornfield, turning circles whilst butterflies flutter around their outstretched arms and the wind shimmers and shines around them. The serenity and innocence is shattered as we enter into the second half of this track, "The Dance with the Diseased" with discordant twanging music and a barely audible ranting voice.

"All Blue is Beautiful" and so is this song, with its frolicking flute and some other sort of buzzy-sounding instrument (I really wish I knew what these things were called).It inexplicably ends with the beeping of a disconnected telephone.

Haunting chords usher us in to "The Kiss of All that Remains". The vocals begin again, with almost half the lyrics on the sleeve remaining for this song and the next.

And then my Windows Media Player spontaneously forgot that I have a CD drive.

Luckily I had already stored this album on my harddrive, and thus can listen to the last track.

Not surprisingly, "Flowing Downwards" is something of a slow and romantic tune - at least for the first minute or so, then abruptly it ups the beat and breaks into something a tad more aggressive (but only a tad, this is the soothing and laidback Promethean, after all). This song is like the river, at times relaxed and slow, sluggish between the banks, other times narrow, deep and dangerous. There is a hint of the ominous on the horizon - a waterfall, perhaps?

"...I'm a god now and the slaves shall serve..."

As far as this album is concerned, the songs do sort of merge together, and although I would compare it with Amorphis's "Elegy" I think it would benefit from having a couple faster-paced numbers. As it stands, it is sort of like a gentle flow of sound, all beautifully structured and very musical but no real stand out pieces.  For the most part, pleasant and soothing.

This earns it a rating, from me, of  7/10.


* Which I presume means friends WE need as opposed to friends that need us.

For some reason, possibly due to Orphaned Land, I have remembered this band, and now just want to listen to this song several times, very loudly:

Babylon Whores - In Arcadia's Ego 

If anyone can get me the CD this is off, "Cold Heaven" I will.. do something nice for you.   I had a copy of the video, taped from MTV, but alaso, time is not kind to Video Cassettes and it was devoured by mould...

Angra - Holy Land (1996)

Ever since Andre Matos was described as a "younger* and more energetic Michael Kiske" I have been drawn first to Viper, then to Angra.

Angra are a great band in the power metal vein, with a heavy injection of prog rock. I own the limited edition pack of this cd - which means it comes in a tall and thin cardboard case, with a bonus live cd (3 tracks), a poster and a brochure with information on Angra's history and a list of the songs on this cd. Nice packaging, and limited edition, but a bitch to store!

The track listing in particular is quite amusing, as it reads like a menu:
"Crossing: It's the album's intro track. A tropical atmosphere is mixed with a Renaissance religious musical climate."

Which makes me laugh.

Brief history: Angra formed in the early 90s, stealing Andre from the now-turned-punk band Viper. Their first album was "Angel's Cry". They are from Brazil, and the story of this CD is about the discovery of the South American sub continent.

It begins with "Crossing", in which bird cries intermingle with this haunting instrumental before leading in to the rockier "Nothing to Say" - which according to the menu track listing is "in an aggressive yet melodic way".

The next song is the haunting "Silence and Distance" which is something of a ballard, with a nicely orcheastral build. Matos' smooth, rich voice croons to me.

Into the longest track, "Carolina IV" with a ten minute duration and changeable style.

"Holy Land" brings in some Brazilian and African vibes. Catchy and melodic. Likewise is "The Shaman", which includes authentic Indian insertions from the beginning of the century (doesn't specify which century, I'm thinking the early 1900s?).

"Make Believe" has a much rockier vibe, guided by the 70s sounds.
It has a video too
It is a very strange video, with rather saturated colours. I remember jumping with glee when I first heard it on MTV, back in the day when we had real Music Television that played Heavy Metal.

We rock it up with the somewhat heavier "Z.I.TO," before mellowing into the classical ballad of "Deep Blue"  with its fine orchaestral moments,  until finally concluding with the short, but lovely, acoustic "Lullaby for Lucifer", complete with seabirds.

Then, delightfully - a bonus track - "Queen of the Night" in which Matos displays the quirk to his vocals and builds to a bold chorus.

Andre Matos always sounds like he's smiling, and I can imagine he is having a grand time, strutting about performing his tunes (while wearing leather pants and an open shirt, yes please). His voice is not quite as rich or sexy as early Kiske, but has a youthful exuberance which I find quite charming. Overall, this cd is a fine blend of progressive rock intermingled with slower tunes, and with something of a hint at the band's South American heritage.

Bonus Acoustic CD - three tracks:

The intros and other talky bits are all in Portugese - in which I learn that Angra is pronounced "On-Gra". First track is "Angel's Cry", which I love. It has a catchy beat and an even catchier chorus. I love the bit in the centre where it picks up the pace and the audience start clapping along. How I wish I could be there! The acoustic touch is nice too, makes it sound that bit more tribal. And you've gotta laugh when he goes "ariba-ey-ey". Ah, these guys are having a fine old time, with changes in tempo, a fairly tribal sound and then back into the soaring symphonic chorus.**

After that, we are treated to "Chea de Saudade", which is a classic Bossa Nova song - a fusion of samba and jazz.

Then, to the disappointment of the crowd, we reach the grand finale - "Never Understand". Matos's voice swoops and soars through the verses and into the chorus. Like "Angel's Cry" this is a song to clap along with. The acoustic elements allow a lot of scope for Matos's rather soaring voice and also seem to permit the other members of the band to have some fun with more traditional instruments. It's playful and appealing.


I rate this album 9/10.


* A while three years younger. Heh. And no, I cannot remember the source of that quote, some old metal magazine I'd be willing to bet.
** The original version, from the album with the same name is pretty wicked too, but I think I prefer the playfulness of the acoustic version.