Twisted Tower Dire : Make It Dark

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer

At long last we finally get a new studio album from traditional metal warriors Twisted Tower Dire. In the four years since their last album (2007’s Netherworlds), the band has gone through lineup changes, label changes and a move from North Carolina back to Virginia. None of these changes have managed to put out the band’s fire, as their fifth full-length album – Make It Dark – proves right off the bat.

You know as soon as the blistering opener “Mystera” kicks in that you’re in for something special. Make It Dark is everything a traditional metal album should sound like. It’s full of high-speed riffing, compelling melodies and Maiden-inspired galloping leads, not to mention an overall energy that brings to mind the best of the NWOBHM. And how about those vocals? The late Tony Taylor (RIP) left some big shoes to fill, but Johnny Aune (also of Viper) does an amazing job. Not only does he bring an impressive range and real power vocally, if you’ve seen the band live recently you know he’s a killer frontman.

The only real disappointment is that the album is so short. With just eight songs and clocking in at just over 36 minutes, Make It Dark gets in, kicks ass, and gets out, leaving you wanting more, dammit, more! Ah well, it’s hard to complain when the album meets the classic “all killer, no filler” criteria. There’s almost no point singling out specific songs when they’re all this good, but if you’re looking to sample some tracks you’ll definitely want to hear the melodic “Snow Leopard,” the fist-pumping anthem “Make It Dark” and the 8-minute epic “Beyond the Gate,” which features some wicked guitar work.

2011 has already seen some strong traditional heavy metal entries from bands like Helstar, Benedictum and Vicious Rumors, but Make It Dark may end up being the best of the bunch. This is the album Wolf will be kicking themselves for not releasing. With this album, Twisted Tower Dire shows the rest of the traditional metal scene how it’s done. If you’re at all a fan of traditional heavy metal (power metal and thrash too, for that matter), Make It Dark needs to advance to the top of your buy list. Traditional metal has made a comeback lately, but for Twisted Tower Dire it never left.

Genre: Traditional Metal

Band:
Johnny Aune (v)
Scott Waldrop (g)
Dave Boyd (g)
Jim Hunter (b)
Mark Stauffer (d)

Track Listing:
1. Mystera
2. Snow Leopard
3. The Stone
4. Make It Dark
5. White Shadow
6. The Only Way
7. Torture Torture
8. Beyond the Gate

Label: Cruz Del Sur

Web site: http://www.twistedtowerdire.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Twisted Tower Dire The Curse of Twisted Tower/The Isle of Hydra (reissues)

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Twisted Tower Dire’s debut release The Curse of Twisted Tower, Heaven & Hell Records has released deluxe reissues of The Curse of Twisted Tower and the band’s 2001 follow-up The Isle of Hydra, both long out of print and notoriously difficult to track down.

To truly appreciate the early Twisted Tower Dire albums, you need to consider the era in which they were originally recorded. It’s difficult to imagine now, when fantasy-based traditional/power metal bands are literally a dime a dozen, but there was a time when that kind of music was as underground as it gets. That’s what makes Twisted Tower Dire’s unlikely beginning such a remarkable story. Unlike their European counterparts (think Blind Guardian, Morgana Lefay, Rhapsody et al), there was no built-in fanbase for traditional/power metal in America. It took real dedication for an American band to embrace the true metal sound in the mid 1990’s. Fortunately, the metal warriors in Twisted Tower Dire were up to the challenge.

Musically, these early Twisted Tower Dire albums are easy to sum up – classic metal inspired by Iron Maiden, Saxon, Warlord, Omen, Dio-era Black Sabbath. This is not sing-songy Freedom Call power metal or Hammerfall-style metal crusader anthems. It’s pure traditional heavy metal with an epic, fantasy-based lyrical focus, and unlike some bands, you’ll never have to convince anyone – ever – that Twisted Tower Dire is a METAL band.

The reissue of Curse of Twisted Tower features digitally remastered sound, a big plus when you consider the low production values of the original. It also features expanded liner notes (including gorgeous new cover artwork) and a second disc full of bonus material, including early demos (with female vocalist Janet Rubin), video footage, a Heaven & Hell Records MP3 sampler and other multimedia content.

The reissue of The Isle of Hydra also features digital remastering and a second disc featuring six cover songs (Voivod, UFO, Rush, Queensryche, Mercyful Fate and Manowar) plus additional multimedia content.

If you’re not familiar with Twisted Tower Dire, these reissues are the perfect way to get acquainted with the band. If you already know the band and have these early albums, the reissues give you plenty of reasons to replace your older versions.

Label: Heaven & Hell Records

Lineup:
Tony Taylor: Vocals
Dave Boyd: Guitar
Marc Stauffer: Drums
Jim Murad: Bass, Keyboards
Scott Waldrop: Lead and Acoustic Guitar

The Curse of Twisted Tower track listing:

Disc 1:
1. Land of Illusions
2. Hail Dark Rider
3. The Curse of Twisted Tower
4. The Epic War Never Ends
5. Rue of the Forsaken Sleepkeeper
6. Lament: Nocturne
7. The Valkyrie Death Squadrons
8. The Witch’s Eyes

Disc 2:
1. Rue of the Forsaken Sleepkeeper (’96)
2. Mourner in the Nethermists (’96)
3. Mourner in the Nethermists (’97)
4. Beyond the Gate (’97)
5. Home of Darkness (’97)
6. Starlight Requiem (’97)

The Isle of Hydra track listing:

Disc 1:
1. Battle Cry
2. The Isle of Hydra
3. When the Daylight Fades
4. The Dagger’s Blade
5. Ride the Night
6. The Longing
7. Sign of the Storm
8. Final Stand
9. Dying Breath

Disc 2:
1. Forgotten in Space (Voivod cover)
2. Give Her the Gun (UFO cover)
3. The Temples of Syrinx (Rush cover)
4. Queen of the Reich (Queensryche cover)
5. A Dangerous Meeting (Mercyful Fate cover)
6. Glory Ride (Black Sabbath cover)

Online: Official site

HRH Rating: 8.5/10