Fair Warning | Best and More

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

While we’re waiting patiently for a new studio album from German melodic rock masters Fair Warning, the band has served up a hefty 2-disc greatest hits package titled Best and More. There have been a couple of Fair Warning collections already (Early Warnings ’92-95 and Decade of Fair Warning), but nothing quite this large or comprehensive.

The 32-song Best and More features three songs from 1992’s Fair Warning, two from 1993’s Live in Japan, two from 1995’s Rainmaker, two from 1995’s Live at Home, six from 1997’s Go, four from 1998’s Live and More, two from 2000’s Four, two from 2006’s Brother’s Keeper, three from 2009’s Aura and three from 2010’s Talking Ain’t Enough: Live in Tokyo. The remaining three songs are single edits of “Light in the Dark” and “Children’s Eyes” and a previously unreleased live cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock n’ Roll.”

It has to be difficult to come up with a best of package when the band in question has so many great albums and songs. Their first four studio albums are such essential melodic rock records that it seems wrong to omit anything from them. Still, as far as song selection goes, Best and More does hit all the highlights. The ratio of album tracks to live versions is way out of proportion though. More than a third of the songs on Best and More are live versions, and while they’re perfectly decent recordings, they pale in comparison to the studio versions.

It’s hard to get excited about this collection. For newcomers, Best and More is a solid overview of Fair Warning’s catalog, but only if you don’t mind lots of live recordings. For longtime fans who already own most of the band’s albums, the fact that the only rarities here are edits or live versions isn’t going to be much of a selling point. What this band really needs to give us is a comprehensive collection – a box set even – of all the countless b-sides that have been on their singles, EPs and Japanese releases. That would be something to get excited about.

Genre: AOR, Melodic Rock

Band:
Tommy Heart (v)
Helge Englke (g)
Ule Ritgen (b)
C.C. Behrens (d)

Track Listing:
1. Burning Heart
2. Save Me
3. All On Your Own
4. Longing for Love
5. When Love Fails
6. Angels of Heaven
7. Out on the Run
8. Don’t Give Up
9. Long Gone
10. Generation Jedi
11. Don’t Keep Me Waiting
12. Still I Believe
13. Heart on the Run
14. Here Comes the Heartache
15. I’ll Be There
16. I Fight
17. The Way You Want It
18. Rock n’ Roll
19. A Little More Love
20. Come On
21. The Heart of Summer
22. Angel of Dawn
23. The Call of the Heart
24. Rain Song
25. Like a Rock
26. Out of the Night
27. Meant to Be
28. Don’t Count on Me
29. Just Another Perfect Day
30. Light in the Dark
31. Man On the Moon
32. Children’s Eyes

Label: SPV

Website: www.fair-warning.de

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

Doors | Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman

by John Kindred
Staff Writer –

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of L.A. Woman, the Doors and Eagle Rock Entertainment have released Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman on Blu-ray and DVD. This documentary tells the story of the making of L.A. Woman through interviews with living band members; Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore. Interviews with original band manager Bill Siddons, engineer/co-producer Bruce Botnick, Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman and many other industry insiders lend a broader and balanced perspective to the recording sessions and events that were happening during this time period.

Featuring live and studio performances and rare footage of the band in high-definition video, fans are treated to a comprehensive snapshot of time within historical timeline of the Doors. Chronicling L.A. Woman from writing, recording and releasing the album up to the untimely demise of Jim Morrison, this perhaps is the most informative documentary of the band from a specific time period ever released. Most of the previous documentaries cover the entire history of the band and never provide as much detail as Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman.

L.A. Woman, released in 1971, produced timeless music that is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago. Including the title track, “Riders of the Storm” and “Love Her Madly,” the album became the band’s second best-selling studio album and explored the band’s root influences, including R&B and Jazz. The album included additional support from guitarist Marc Benno and bassist Jerry Scheff, who beefed up the overall sound. The lyrics hinted at the departure of Morrison, and before the album was mixed, he left for Paris. The rest is rock ‘n’ roll history.

Along with the release of the Blu-ray and DVD, Rhino Records is releasing L.A. Woman (40th Anniversary Edition). This is a two-disc CD release that includes a newly discovered song “She Smells So Nice” and eight never-before-heard versions of songs from the album.

Band:
Jim Morrison
Ray Manzarek
John Densmore
Robby Krieger

DVD and Blu-ray Track Listing:
MAIN PROGRAM
Intro 

Early Doors


The Changeling


Been Down So Long
The Miami Effect


The Doors Workshop


Crawling King Snake


Love Her Madly


L.A. Woman


The Wasp (Texas Radio & The Big Beat)


Riders On The Storm


Cars
Hiss By My Window
Jim In Paris


Hyacinth House


Closing Doors

BONUS FOOTAGE –
John Densmore On L.A. Woman
Riders On The Storm

The Doors Guide To L.A.

Thoughts On Performing Live

Crawling King Snake
Blu-ray Disc Features:

Note: An Additional 35 mins of material previously unseen on TV
Previously unreleased track “She Smells So Nice” accompanied by newly created picture montage

Widescreen -
1.78
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 – English
DTS HD Master Audio – English
PCM Stereo – English
Subtitles – English, French, German, Spanish

Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment

Hardrock Haven rating: n/a

Taberah | The Light of Which I Dream

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

The Light of Which I Dream is the debut full-length from Taberah, a heavy metal band out of Tasmania, Australia. Taking their name from the Biblical site of God’s wrath, Taberah plays a kind of metal that’s equal parts power metal and traditional heavy metal. Fellow Australian metallers Lord Tim and Mark Furtner (of Lord) make guest appearances on this album.

Mixing traditional and power metal is always a great combination, and Taberah pulls it off pretty well here. They’ve got the rapid fire riffing and headbanging rhythms of Accept and Saxon, plus the melodic focus and anthemic nature of the Helloween/Gamma Ray power metal style. Some of the melodies as well as Jonathan B’s vocals also bring to mind Falconer at times. Lyrically, The Light of Which I Dream ranges from serious odes to battles, blood and fire to weepy ballads of lost love to full-on cheesy metal anthems. Some of these themes work better with Taberah’s overall sound than others. Opening (once you clear the throwaway instrumental intro track) anthem “Brothers of the Fire” is a monster of a metal anthem, but the lyrics would make Lost Horizon blush. “Stormchild,” “Requiem of the Damned” and the title track, however, are very effective songs with amazing energy.

The Light of Which I Dream is a very solid debut from a very promising band. It doesn’t quite measure up to the “name” power metal bands, but Taberah has definitely made a strong first impression here. It will be interesting to see how the band progresses. If you’ve been following the resurgent traditional metal scene in recent years, especially “under the radar” bands like Widow, Absolute Steel, Season of the Wolf, Praetorius and Age of Distrust, The Light of Which I Dream is an album you will definitely want to check out.

Genre: Heavy Metal, Power Metal

Band:
Jonathon B (v) (g)
Tom Brockman (d)
Myles ”Flash” Flood (g) (v)
Dr. Dave Walsh (b) (v)

Track Listing:
1. The Descent
2. Brothers of the Fire
3. The Call of Evil
4. Fearless
5. Stormchild
6. The Ballad of Ruby Joy
7. The Light of Which I Dream
8. Freedom or Death
9. Requiem of the Damned
10. The Reaper

Label: Metal Evilution

Website: www.facebook.com/taberah.tas

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.75/10

Sonic Station | Sonic Station

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Sonic Station is a new West Coast (by way of Sweden) AOR project put together by guitarist/composer/producer Alexander Kronbrink and smooth jazz keyboardist Jonathan Fritzen. Now if you read “West Coast” and “smooth jazz” and started feeling drowsy, you’re not alone. The whole West Coast “yacht rock” sound is pretty damned mellow in the first place, so adding soothing saxophone solos isn’t going to help much. Still, the fact that Sonic Station’s self-titled debut is on the Frontiers label is reason enough to give it a shot.

Once you clear the three-minute instrumental introductory track, “Gonna Show the Way” tells you just about everything you need to know about Sonic Station. It’s a fusion of AOR, pop and jazz (the kind they play in dentist offices, not the fun stuff you’d hear at a bar), and at its most rocking, it’s about as aggressive as the average Toto album. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if bands like Work of Art and Lionville are your cup of weak, watered-down tea, but it’s not a selling point for those looking for some rock in their melodic rock. The players involved are all very good musicians, and the songwriting and production jobs are first rate. At the end of the day though, this is a cross between pure Toto worship and a soap opera soundtrack, and a little of that goes a long way.

The Sonic Station debut features four different vocalists: Tove Lo, Kristoffer Fogelmark, Magnus Blacklund and Swedish television star Marika Willstedt. All four vocalists have strong, distinct voices, and all four get a chance to shine. They all fare best on the more upbeat, rocking songs, but Willstedt in particular can pull off a weepy ballad better than her male counterparts.

It’s hard to give Sonic Station a very enthusiastic recommendation. For what it is, it’s not bad at all, and those of you who loved Lionville and Work of Art ought to love it. It makes the latest releases from Kimball-Jamison and Fergie Fredericksen seem almost like metal albums though. You’ve been warned.

Genre: AOR, Melodic Rock

Band:
Alexander Kronbrink (g)
Jonathan Fritzen (k)
Henrik Linder (b)
Aron Mellergard (d)
Marika Willstedt (v)
Magnus Backlund (v)
Kristoffer Fogelmark (v)
Tove Lo (v)

Track Listing:
1. Intro
2. Gonna Show the Way
3. I Wish I Could Lie
4. Hold On To Me
5. You Have To Let Me Go
6. The Most Beautiful Fear
7. Running Through the Night
8. Never Let the Sunshine Die
9. My Last Refrain
10. Love You More
11. Reasons

Label: Frontiers

Website: www.sonic-station.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 6/10

Laura Wilde | Sold My Soul

by John Kindred
Staff Writer –

The 22-year-old Australian rocker, Laura Wilde, has been let loose on the U.S.A. Currently based in Los Angeles, Wilde released her first studio album titled Sold My Soul. Her debut release features 12 songs that musically fall into the realm of punk, glam and definitely rock ‘n’ roll. A self-taught guitar player, Wilde seems highly motivated and certainly determined to make herself a household name. The major question is, “Does her music warrant the accolades that will get her to the top?”

The music on Sold My Sold is a throwback to the late ‘70′s and early ‘80′s punkish-glam movement. Although the production techniques of today take the raw, gritty edge away from the songs, Wilde can’t escape the comparison. Armed with adolescent lyrics and a voice that may be years away from perfection also lend themselves to the punkish vibe. Vocally, a comparison to stars, such as Lita Ford, Pat Benatar and Chrissie Hynde, are very premature.

The music is a catchy hodgepodge of genres; pop-rock-punk-glam, mixed into a batter of adolescent rebellion, teenage drama and relationships gone bad. There is definitely a youthful, explosive energy, which has an appeal that may be closer to the hearts of teenagers who have fallen away from the likes of Miley Cyrus and now have a void to fill. Old-school music fans either will reach for bands with a mature sound or harken back to this style of music from the time period of its debut, during their youthful trials and tribulations.

The bottom line on the CD Sold My Sold is Laura Wilde is an artist still in development. While Wilde’s guitar-playing abilities are highlighted bright spots, listen to solos on “Classical Guitar” and “Four You,” Wilde isn’t going to overwhelm you with originality or anything new that is cutting edge or unique. Taking on the world today, as a solo artist, is a huge effort in itself. Honestly, maybe the push to release a record was too great. Wilde would benefit from touring and forming a band with which ideas would flow from multiple people. You have to the love the conceptual idea of a young woman stepping out to take on the music industry and winning. Time, hard work and determination will play a huge part in Wilde’s musical development.

Genre: Punk, Glam, Rock

Track Listing:
1. Intro
2. All Alone
3. Sold My Soul
4. Freeek!
5. Irate
6. Back Seat
7. For You [Explicit]
8. Anything Goes
9. Classical Guitar Star
10. Nothing Back
11. Love Buyer
12. Angel

Label: Vice Grip Music Group / TuneCore

Links:
http://www.laurawilde.com
http://www.facebook.com/laurawildemusic
http://twitter.com/laurawilde
http://www.sonicbids.com/laurawildemusic
http://www.imdb.me/laurawilde
http://www.myspace.com/laurawildemusic

Hardrock Haven: n/a

UFO | Seven Deadly

by Erik Tweedy
Staff Writer –

Over 40 years have passed since UFO released their debut record in 1970. Since that time, they have released some damn fine hard rock music and 20 studio albums. It would be understandable that after a career of that magnitude, in an extremely tough business, the passion would eventually give way to waving adios and riding off into the sunset and a seat at the table for an afternoon bridge game with the rest of the old folks. Not so for the two remaining original members of UFO, Phil Mogg and Andy Parker. Along with longtime stable mates Paul Raymond and Vinnie Moore, UFO has recorded one of the best releases in their illustrious career with Seven Deadly.

Seven Deadly finds UFO doing what they do best, creating enigmatic hard rock numbers with a bluesy swagger and some brilliant guitar playing that compliments the vocal styling of Phil Mogg. With a crunchy guitar intro, “Fight Night” opens Seven Deadly and showcases one of the UK’s best hard rock vocalists in Phil Mogg. Mogg is often overlooked when it comes to discussing Britain’s best rock vocalists, but at the age of 63, this man’s still got it and can easily hang with Paul Rodgers, Glen Hughes and David Coverdale. “Fight Night” is a no frills typical UFO track that straddles the line between hard rock and heavy metal.

Track number two, “Wonderland” is a barn-burner. With a chugging guitar and keyboard laden intro reminiscent of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”, “Wonderland” features guitarist Vinnie Moore at his best with a smoking guitar solo on perhaps the best track on Seven Deadly. It might take you ten listens to figure out what the lyrics mean and why Mogg is singing about a monkey throughout, but that is not a bad thing as this track really rocks and is worth hitting the replay button.

The roots of UFO can be found in the back alley clubs of London and the British blues scene is on full display with “Mojo Town.” After 40 years, this band still knows how to use its influences to create something entirely new and fresh sounding. Complete with a Black Sabbath inspired bass line and harmonica to boot, this sounds like the soundtrack for a gator infested, swampy, bayou movie and sets a cool vibe as the disc heads into the terrific and melodic “Angel Station”. “Angel Station” is a real joy to listen to and shows a different side to UFO with its melody and harmonies, but still provides the punch with Vinnie Moore’s massive bluesy solo.

There is a very comfortable feel throughout this release and each track brings something new, but still feels like your favorite old pair of shoes, broken in, but not worn out. With tracks “Year Of The Gun”, “The Last Stone Rider”, “Steal Yourself” and “The Fear” the rock and blues combination makes for some really good music. This is every bit as good and possibly even better than Black Country Communion’s latest release, “2”, that has been getting rave reviews.

“Burn Your House Down” again showcases Mogg’s steady vocals and Moore’s incredible guitar skills that backdrops this entire track. Moore has been a part of this band for over 7 years and it is easy to tell why Mogg wanted this superstar in the band. Moore fits the structure of these songs so well and with Paul Raymond on rhythm guitar, they make for a dynamic duo. With its beautiful soloing by Moore closing out the track, “Waving Goodbye” ends this terrific release on a strong note and hopefully the title of this track is not hinting at something to come. If Seven Deadly is any indication of what the future holds for UFO, this band is far from calling it quits. The production is top notch and the variety of music makes this a very enjoyable disc to listen to from start to finish. With so many studio releases in their career, it is hard to pick out a favorite or one that stands above the rest, but Seven Deadly assuredly includes some of the best tracks this band has ever recorded. UFO typically flies under the radar of most rock music fans, but Seven Deadly is worth seeking out to add to your collection. It is amazing to see a band that has been together for so long create something so good. Well done UFO, very well done.

Genre: Hard Rock

Band:
Phil Mogg – Lead Vocals
Paul Raymond – Keyboard/Guitars
Vinnie Moore – Guitar
Lars Lehmann – Bass
Andy Parker – Drums

Track Listing:
1. Fight Night
2. Wonderland
3. Mojo Town
4. Angel Station
5. Year Of The Gun
6. The Last Stone Rider
7. Steal Yourself
8. Burn Your House Down
9. The Fear
10. Waving Goodbye

Limited Edition Digipak Bonus Tracks
11. Other Men’s Wives
12. Bag O’ Blues

Label: Steamhammer/SPV

Website: http://www.ufo-music.info

Hardrock Haven rating: 9.2/10

Abigail Williams | Becoming

by Cyndi Jo
Staff Writer –

Los Angeles based band Abigail Williams have been demonstrating how black metal should be done since their 2006 debut EP Legend. Now, four years later, Abigail Williams’ third full-length album, Becoming, is sixty minutes of just genuine symphonic black metal from the first through the sixth track.

The first track and first single, “Ascension Sickness” is simply a raw oriental ambient tune. Starting off somberly, it quickly builds up and showcases Ken Sorceron’s powerful vocals; they aren’t the cleanest of vocals, but that can be surpassed because of how perfect the actual music is. Black metal fans will appreciate “Radiance” because guitarist Ian Jekelis grittiness in his guitar riffs demonstrates the dynamic capability the current foursome that is Abigail Williams have as black metal songwriters.

The overall production is a great step up from the last album. The transitions make it an easy listen. “Beyond the Veil” is a great example of that. The same oriental, theatrical tone makes it flow perfectly in a very neatly-wrapped, almost hour-long album.

Bottom line, Becoming is more than just horror-symphonic metal that will intrigue and captivate the hearts of black metal theatrical lovers everywhere. Listening to its entirety is the only way to understand and be mesmerized by it — a truly worthy album.

Genre: Black Metal

Track List
1. Ascension Sickness
2. Radiance
3. Elestal
4. Infinite Fields of Mind
5. Three Days of Darkness
6. Beyond the Veil

Band:
Ken Sorceron
Ian Jekelis
Griffin Wotawa
Zach Gibson

Label: Candlelight Records

Website: myspace.com/abigailwilliams

Hardrock Haven Rating: 8/10

Rhope | Turning Maybes Into Reality

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer –

Turning Maybes Into Reality is the debut release from Italian groove metal band Rhope, and this CD is definitely not a “maybe.” The Milan-based quartet delivers heavy and intense music combining elements of groove metal, metal-core, thrash and pure heavy metal with enthusiasm, style and an overwhelming sense of melody.

Rhope’s songs are an interesting mix of tempos and styles, and their vocals vary from clean to growls. The twin vocal attack of Giammi Giuliani (clean) and Diego Minach (growls/screams) is used effectively without being overdone, and the pair rips out a number of fine harmonies throughout the album. Giuliani’s voice is well suited to the genre, and he is able to vary his tone from grinding and harsh to soft and melodic. He sings with fire, and that more than makes up for a somewhat limited range. Diego Minach’s growls are generally understandable and integral to the songs, and his guitar work is very good – particularly as a rhythm player. Paolo Minach is a fine bass player, and he is given the chance to stand tall on a number of occasions and he delivers some intricate bass riffs and fills. Giovanni Tani is a solid drummer as well, and ranges from subtle and simple to totally manic while always complementing the music. The members of Rhope function well as a unit, surprisingly well for a new band.

Musical highlights include: the heavy opening track “Slaves” which shows the band at its strongest and fully firing on all cylinders; the booming bass, drum and guitar opening and neatly done clean vocals of “Parallel;” the great lyrics and interplay between Giammi Giuliani and Diego Minach on the epic “False Needs;” the gloomy atmosphere of “Your Peace” and 180-degree turnaround to an upbeat groove on the following track “Comedown;” the amazingly funky bass work of Paolo Minach on “Entropy of Brain” and the great vocal back-and-forth on “Cut The Pressure.”

A few lows are the somewhat disjointed sound of “Into The Box” and “Truth Lies,” and “Lust,” which doesn’t seem to know where it starts or where it needs to go. Again, the highs far outnumber the lows – you can attribute these off moments to the youth of the band.

Solid mastering by Tom Baker (Deftones, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Sevendust) helps to give Rhope a mature and consistent sound from track to track – an unexpected plus for a debut release. Despite a few rough spots when transitioning between the harsh and melodic elements, for the most part the blend of styles works well, as does the vocal teamwork of Giuliani and Minach. Rhope performs well and with great enthusiasm.

If you are into groove metal, thrash or metal-core, you’ll find a lot to appreciate here. While the band’s songwriting is a bit inconsistent due to the collision of melodic and harder styles, there are many more positives than negatives. A bit of seasoning will only make Rhope a better act, and with a touch more experiences they will definitely Turning Maybes Into Reality, and turning some heads at the same time.

Definitely recommended.

Genre: Groove Metal

Band:
Diego Minach (vocal growls, guitars)
Giammi Giuliani (lead vocals)
Paolo Minach (bass)
Giovanni Tani (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Slaves
2. Into The Box
3. Parallel
4. False Needs
5. Lust
6. Your Peace
7. Comedown
8. Truth Lies
9. Extinction Is Forever
10. Entropy Of Brain
11. Cut The Pressure
12. Now

Label: Bakerteam Records

Website: http://www.rhope.it, http://www.myspace.com/rhopeband

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Iron Mask | Black as Death

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

It is arguable that Belgian neo-classical metal band Iron Mask put out one of the best albums of the genre in early 2010 with the release of their third album Shadow of the Red Baron. At that time guitar hero and band leader Dushan Petrossi had been credited for saying that if the album’s commercial life-cycle was significantly impeded by illegal downloading, that would be the last of Iron Mask as a band.

Two years past that time, Iron Mask seem to have won that bet with Shadow of the Red Baron, resuming their activity with a new album Black as Death and a bigger label, being the German AFM Records. Still, it seems victory has its price and Iron Mask have suffered losses in their line up. Gone are drummer Erik Stout, keyboardist Andreas Lindhal and powerful vocalist Val Halla Jr.

Never the less, reinforcements were never far away; enter drummer Rami Ali (Frontline, Kiske-Somerville), renowned Swedish keyboardist Mats Olauson and on lead vocals, arguably the most iconic of all neoclassical singers, Mark Boals.

As your intuition probably tells you, Iron Mask have developed into something greater than the personal outfit of the Belgian guitar virtuoso; It’s a neo-classical metal force to be reckoned with, hence going no longer under the moniker ‘Dushan Petrossi’s Iron Mask’ (which served as the band’s full name up until the previous album), but plainly ‘Iron Mask.’

And it is all entirely justifiable since the changes in line up brought along changes in the musical style. Songwriting wise, the album is substantially heavier in terms of rhythm section and guitar riffs than anything Petrossi has attempted in the past (add to that the fact that Black as Death was produced by Denis Ward, and it all makes perfect sense).

Not only are we presented with a heavier album but with a thematically darker concept as well. From the majestic opening of the title track to its melodic yet sorrowful chorus (an epic composition that only Mark Boals can pull off so convincingly) one more-or-less gets the picture of what Black as Death is all about. That is not to say however that long term fans of the band are not going to find the characteristic neoclassical scales and vibrato-based vocal harmonies that have defined the band’s sound since their debut.

It is not a question of stronger songs over weaker tunes; simply tracks like “Broken Hero”, “God Punishes I Kill,” “Rebel Kid” and “The Absence” are expected to connect with the listener from their opening note, while “Black as Death” and “Feel the Fire” should require more plays for one to feel at home with all their musical twists and turns.

Believe it or not, with Black as Death, Iron Mask are actually pushing the creative boundaries of neoclassical metal in 2012 and that alone is a major accomplishment. One strongly feels that through Black as Death, Iron Mask offer something challenging but ultimately rewarding to the listener.

Genre: Neo-classical Metal, Melodic Metal

Line up:
Mark Boals – Vocals
Dushan Petrossi – Guitars
Vassili Moltchanov – Bass
Roma Siadletski – Vocals/Shouts
Mats Olausson – Keyboards
Ramy Ali – Drums

Track Listing:
01. From Light Into The Dark
02. Black As Death
03. Broken Hero
04. Feel The Fire
05. Genghis Khan
06. God Punishes, I Kill
07. Rebel Kid
08. Blizzard Of Doom
09. The Absence
10. Magic Sky Requiem
11. Nosferatu
12. When All Braves Fall

Band website: http://www.iron-mask.com/index.php

Label: AFM Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Vengeance | Crystal Eye

by Marcel ”Mars” Groeneveld
Staff Writer –

“We did it again, ha ha ha ha,” that is how Vengeance’s 1987 classic Take It Or Leave It starts off. Although a lot has changed over the years since their breakthrough album Leon Goewie, the driving force of the band, has certainly managed to once again put Vengeance back on track after a difficult time. Having gone through a lot of musical ups and downs, personal issues, the sudden and untimely death of guitarist and friend Jan Somers last year, you might say they have reached an all time low.

So much to everyone’s surprise, a new era has kicked in and another gem Crystal Eye see’s the light of day. With new players, help from some old friends and a new record company, SPV, the future looks bright again for Vengeance. The album’s sensational all-star cast is just as spectacular as the new material. Alongside original vocalist Leon Goewie, Crystal Eye features drummer Chris Slade (ex-AC/DC), guitarist Keri Kelli (ex-Alice Cooper), and bassist Chris Glen (Michael Schenker Group). This line up is also known as Chris Slade’s AC/DC cover band Steel Circle that plays throughout Europe.

The material for Crystal Eye, Goewie composed mostly in collaboration with producer Michael Voss (Mad Max, ex Vengeance), except for the title track written by former Vengeance guitarist Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One). The CD consists of 11 straight forward, kick you in the face songs. They all have that quality of being melodic, good sing along songs, with strong choruses while keeping that crunchy edge, do to Kelli’s guitar playing. Kelli is also helped by Michael Voss and Timo Somers (Jan’s son and also ex-Vengeance).

Even after 30 years Goewie is still exploring and developing his vocal abilities as he already has a very unique recognizable voice. As he sings in a lower register on parts of “Back To The Bone” and also the beautiful ballad “Missing,” Gary Barden (MSG) comes to mind. The beautiful bluesy ballad “Promise Me” brings out the pain and more serious side of Vengeance. You have to strap on the seat belts for “Whole Lotta Metal,” a number which Tony Martin (ex-Black Sabbath) contributed tailor-made for Goewie and Vengeance, rocks you socks off.

The album closes with the instrumental, “Jan’s End Piece,” which features the last solo recordings of Jan Somers as a tribute to him. Jan will not be forgotten as the band use the old Vengeance logo as an arch between the past and the future. The only negative remark on the album is the title song “Crystal Eye,” although a great song, is a little out of place when compared to the rest of the album.

Genre: Melodic Hard Rock

Line Up:
Leon Goewie – vocals
Keri Kelli – guitar
Chris Glen – bass
Chris Slade – drums

Guest musicians: Michael Voss – guitar, vocals / Timo Somers (Delain) – guitar
Jan Somers – guitar, artwork; cover and illustrations.

Track Listing:
1. Me And You 04:02
2. Bad To The Bone 04:51
3. Barbeque 03:31
4. Shock Me Now 03:28
5. Five Knuckle Shuffle 04:10
6. Desperate Women 04:03
7. Whole Lotta Metal 04:11
8. Promise Me 03:43
9. Crystal Eye 06:13
10. Missing 04:51
11. Jans End Piece 01:16
12. Paint This Town 03:25 (bonus track digi pack)
13. Barbeque – radio edit 03:35 (bonus track digi pack)

Website: www.vengeanceonline.nl

Label: www.spv.de

Hardrock Haven rating 9.3/10

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