Reviews

Don't be fooled by a shoddy package recreating the artwork of one of the most famous bootlegs - the sound's much better than one might hope for. Too many live albums released, DP fans' thirst for more is unquenchable so here comes a time for boots to be refined and out. This July 1970 recording, known as "Space", or "H-Bomb", comes from Aachen rock festival, which is the reason for omitting the material off the then freshly released "In Rock" album from the set and keeping in more conventional frames. With unconventional improvisations, that means. Instrumental side emphasised, there's not much of Ian Gillan, featured only in "Black Night" and 34-minute "Mandrake Root", and that's good because vocals are the only thing recorded poorly due to the overload.

Beginning with a soundcheck interpolating a brief "Child In Time" quote, the show is one flow of a hot lava erupting through four tracks to a gloriously wild climax: Ritchie Blackmore smashing his amps to the bits. No words are enough to express that magic interplay the band were capable of before they became more song-concentrated. While in "Wring That Neck" Blackmore goes jazzying and grooving along Roger Glover's bass - heavy metal time was yet to come - the real commander of the battle is Jon Lord, whose Hammond and Moog roar and squeak and, among other classical pieces, take in Grieg's "Mountain King" - incidentally, Ritchie's signature tune since mid-60s. There are soft places which made BLACKMORE'S NIGHT medieval drift no surprise for old fans, yet "Black Night" is a pure fire thanks to Gillan aligning his voice in unison to guitar - the trick is born - and Ian Paice's ferocious drumming. Paicey's solo provides the foundation to "Paint In Black" showcasing everybody's skill to be a unit tight - and beautifully spaced out. Space truckin' caught at the start.

***** - for collectors only

If there's a pun in the title, the humour's wrong: Michael's sibling's band still bite while MSG become more and more stingless. Very problematic is shallow attitude somehow running towards Schenker's '70s work, which is funny once the opening number suggests "No Turning Back". Maybe, feeding "How Will You Get Back" to UFO could make sense for keeping the edges rough. Too much leader's activity with his old band and with his solo hand goes down on his own band. Still, there are strong riffs and delicate guitar web is woven but overall the music's hardly proves interesting. Perhaps, except for Gillan-esque "Blinded By Technology" dangerously balancing between old and new trends with acoustic lace in the beginning a real treat. "Sea Of Memory" comes equally heavy and too artificially modern, although there's a worthy chorus, remindful of Graham Bonnet, one of the new singer Chris Logan's predecessors. Logan appears to have no identity of his own to show off and goes for rather familiar melodies he takes responsibility for - "Eyes Of A Child" and "Fallen The Love" good examples. Good in all senses, yet is there a catchy melody in even more funky "Because I Can" or in "My Time's Up"? Only a hint of real rock'n'roll that comes a bit closer with "Age Of Ice"; that's true - some aging musicians grow a beard and lose a fire, flames of which blink in ragged groove of "Standing On The Road". Fortunately, Schenker always has a rabbit in the hat and when you gnash your teeth to "On Your Way", slinky bass line and exquisite guitar save the day. A narrow escape indeed, as you feel no soul herein, whatever dumb "Reflection Of Your Heart" is about. Who the hell needs reflection! "Roll It Over" is the simpliest rock and it smokes. So roll it over, guys, leave scorpions in their hole.

**3/4

Duller and duller, as Alice might say falling into another heroic metal well DOMINE dug with not much of an imagination. The subtitle reads, "The Legend Of A Power Supreme", and there's an eponymous instrumental intro - perhaps, the most soft piece on offer, as "The Hurricane Master" commences a relentless sound chase too poor in melodic terms to catch an ear. Omnipresent Bach harmonies coming from guitar are hardly attractive as well, let alone orchestral keyboards set against simplistic bashing in "True Leader Of Men". Still, once it's Wagner's turn to help out with "The Ride Of The Valkyries", that improves: Morby's voice approaches operatic clarity to deliver brilliant epic song - one of the best in the genre, unlike quite common drift of "The Fall Of The Spiral Tower". In order to keep it all together, four parts of "The Chronicles Of The Black Sword - The End Of An Era" are scattered around the album to further confuse a vague concept. Playing, whatever qualitative it is (and it is), doesn't matter much here, since "Horn Of Fate" just makes you wanna sleep. Boring, despite some folk motif, until it gets purified in acoustic glory of "The Bearer Of The Black Sword" before weight is gained and focus lost. Luckily, there's always a piano-led serenade "For Evermore", sung very heartfelt, vibrant and sincerely enough to savour. This one's not pretentious while 11-minute "Dawn Of A New Day - A Celtic Requiem" is. Which is dull save for some vocals-emphasised spots and a stealth from THIN LIZZY. Not DOMINE's battle, really.

***

Signs of rot seem to show now in TEN, and listening to this album explains why month before the release guitarist Vinny Burns left the band for Gary Hughes to stick to his own devices. Overall a solid melodic metal work, "Far Beyond The World" isn't equal to its predecessors lurching to cliches on the way from the glorious opener "Glimmer Of Evil" to closing title track. The former feels great, filled with guitars interspersed with thoughtful keyboards and moody singing remindful of songs Hughes writes for Bob Catley, and what an infectious chorus there! On to "Strange Land" (a riff rather primitive) and "Outlawed And Notorious", and that's basically '70s glam, so warm yet too familiar. Then "High Tide" exemplifies TEN's approach - soulful and clever - but it's here where the edge starts to wear.

If EAGLES ever were to be rivalled, that might be only this band, whose only drawback was a belated start. Their pedigree, though, proved to be more blue-blooded than just Linda Ronstadt's band, with Jock Bartley coming off Gram Parsons' FALLEN ANGEL, former BURRITO BROTHERS Rick Roberts and Michael Clarke, plus SPIRIT's Larry Burnett and JO JO GUNNE's Mark Andes. Those make for three guitars, four singers line-up equal to EAGLES on the songwriting base as well. Live, they were great too, to which this live recording from 1979 is the best document showcasing FIREFALL's magic rapport from David Muse's flute in "Cinderella" to fitting "Just What You Need" encore. Chugging like a train, slide guitar and harmonica build to scorching country blues, so arresting in bass-driven "Mexico". And there's a delicate side to them - who's to stand indifferrently "Just Remember I Love You" (great guitar/sax unison) or similarly titled "Goodbye I Love You" poignancy? The latter shares a riff with wonderful "It Doesn't Matter", a hit Rick Roberts, Chris Hillman and Stephen Stills scored a couple of years before. Not to burst in tears, you can do what slinky "Get You Back" prescripts.

The further the hotter, slapped bass of "No Way Out" signalling of funky time to get high with jazzy improvisation approaching "Soul Sacrifice" vibe. Then, EAGLES comparisons pop up again, as "Lips" jives not unlike "Life In The Fast Lane" - "Anymore" feels "brutally handsome" too - and "Colorado" sounds as a new "Desperado". Still, all these are pretty melodies catchy on arrival, always adventurous as "Strange Way", which boasts a frenetic flute solo, and easygoing as "Livin' Ain't Lovin'". Currently in circulation, FIREFALL might be an opportunity missed, but their music's really "Sweet And Sour", as particular tune goes.

*****

One of a kind thing, another sweet if dull attempt to marry metal with opera - "Ascending" overture is majestic! - with a certain sterility oozing out off the cover itself. Peel this feeling off and stick to Sabine Edelsbacher's solid gold voice instead of precise mechanic drumming, and you'll have classic '70s pop rock poised well between Andreas Eibler's guitar and keyboards of Lanvall. That's a Blackmore-ish move to take a medieval dance and build on it "The Palace", then "Fly On A Rainbow Dream" approaching RENAISSANCE and shift to acoustic frailty of "Moment Of Time", which is sublime. Maybe, even too much. At the same time, while there are NIGHTWISH, title like "Starlight Reverie" sounds like pun. And music too, after a couple of songs interest gets lost, no thrill of it all lying in rather familiar flow of "Color My Sky". It hardly makes sense to make a song long, though EDENBRIDGE are clearly obsessed with epic visions coming up with not only not touchy by any stretch "Velvet Eyes Of Dawn" ballad but also almost 10-minute long title track of a highest standards. Stepping away from balladry onto riffs, as bombastic "Into The Light" and "Suspiria" show, the band gets a grip of a listener to let it loose with the "Winter Winds" slow blow. Their arcana might be no mystery, yet one longing to be enchanted - be it!

***1/5

The title says it all, already the classics, RYCHE report on their achievements in a 2CD-set of concert renditions of four suites with three picking on two consequent studio albums. Given such a chronological treatment at this point of the band's career, there's not that much of a real evolution process on display, it's rather a whole piece of work even without early and late songs mingling. Michael Wilton's and Kelly Gray's guitars and Geoff Tate's voice cut the slice immediately with "NM 156" though no use denying their works of that period musically leaked from MAIDEN, which is more prominent now, when they grew up, Eddie Jackson's bass in "Walk In The Shadow" a proof while "Roads Of Madness" off debut "Warning", here linked to sophomore "Rage For Order", clearly shows these guys had to go their own road - and, unfortunately, lose the innocence of "London" and "The Lady Wore Black" on the way.

Glory came in 1988 with "Operation: Mindcrime", presented on "Evolution" almost in its shining entirely where, sharply proclaimed in "Revolution Calling", another development path lurks, and folk thread hides in "Spreading The Disease". Live, the cycle strikes maybe more than distilled in studio. Not the same with songs woven into "Empire/Promised Land" suite, a bit heavier but poorer from melodic side, like "Damaged" may show. Tate puts on different, lower register for that part in order to sound mature, which doesn't go well, except for betraying FLOYD's "Comfortably Numb" influence "Silent Lucidity" and wonderfully poppy "Another Rainy Night". Much better when it comes to "New Frontier/Q2K" with fusion of "Falling Down" that showcases Scott Rockenfield's thoughtful drum patterns. Yet at this point the music becomes less and less interesting up to yawning at "Sacred Ground", so "Hit The Black", a glance back, is good as wake-up call. Hardly an opportunity to be evolving further - now the band should heed the call, revolution calling.

****1/3

If anyone ever doubted what those two digits in the band's name mean, now there's no use interpreting them erotic way: inclusion of THE WHO's "Pinball Wizard" off 1969's "Tommy" magically shows the collective's roots, theirs hardly more than mod rock given a bit of heaviness to turn to melodic hard rock, just like in "Shadows Of Time" and "Trust The Wiseman". And why not trust real feelings: when "Promised Land" shoots from ballad flow to dramatic chorus the tears in David Readman's voice are on your shoulder. To draw this lot of compassion takes an equal measure of sincerity worn on the sleeves for vibrant "Shout!" holding a lot of panache in its anthemic swell and Dennis Ward's thumping bass. The dare is quite justified with totalitarian appeal of "He Took The World" or sheer stadium energy of "Don't Need Your Touch" underpinned by sneaking drums from Kosta Zafirou. It's all well balanced, so plaintive "In My Dream" follows headlong "Enslaved" to build a tension, which Alfred Koffers outlines impressively with his liquid guitar in "High As A Mountain". Not a weak tune in store, "Endangered" is what it says - a rare bird these days, and when the bonus track goes "One Time Is Not Enough" that's exactly what we're supposed to do - spin it on, if only for "Wizard'.

****4/5

There's a good sign in a band giving their name to some album down the line rather than the first one - THE BEATLES and METALLICA illustrious examples - and definitive article only adds emphasis to it. It's all down to old school, where power riffs like that of the title track, are born. The twenty-year experience shows in heavy music played very easily to capture one in a hurricane drive of opening "Son Of Evil". Another privilege of renown artists is they can hide not their influences, what DIGGER do in SABBATH-shaped "Scythe Of Time" with its swell bass and slow-burn riffs turning into wistful strum, and then "Funeral Procession" calls out in the night to join it. Bells toll, "The House" a ballad? Yes, deep feelings spilled out stretching from acoustic softness to orchestral ouevre. Chris Boltendahl's vocals might sound a tad forced yet newly recruited Manni Schmidt's guitar rocks with solos melodic to a bit making "Haunted Palace" a decline towards bombastic trap. How beautiful is solemn organ preceding sharp attack of "Raven" that pulls in quotes from Edgar Poe - thick darkness of the night conveyed perfectly! And who's that vocalising in gentle "Silence" - Ozz taking avenge on his "Changes"? Ah, it's OK if sometimes all sets aside to straightahead metal, like in "Spirits Of The Dead" or "King Pest", to win again with infectious choruses the pinnacle of which comes in furious "Sacred Fire". A hot stuff in a cold cemetary.

****3/4

Virtually a double-shot, this album efficiently proves that sometimes a top vocal line can be left off for music to retain its appeal. There are only five songs on offer with each one reflected in an instrumental version - minus Anna DeRose's voice, the only living "creature" in cold Gothic settings that perfectly deliver a mood of "The Sleeper" based on Edgar Poe's poem. An illustration to "The Valley Of Unrest" that "Survive" takes you in, and orchestral feel, close to RENAISSANCE's thanks to Jeff King's alluring piano sweep, are given a dramatic edge by classical-scaled guitars courtesy of Mike DiDonato. In "She Wants To Be", though, guitars come woven firmly into mix to complement piano, so the "metal" tag suits the music only to a certain extent - the measure's the same as in BLONDIE's "Call Me". Call it an alt progressive metal, if you like. Clever but without a sentiment, you may expect from a female-fronted band.

Another thing is that in absence of a memorable tune - "Carousel" the best example - music tends to be shallow, and here's the reason why it comes so easy to get rid of voice and not to lose. When piano and guitar do the talking on their own, the drift remains the same - even in "Real", where vocals reign before dissolving in organ fading too early. Mystery of the band is still to be unveiled. Ethereal and ephemeral.

***3/4

There's no surprise in that three former FAIR WARNING members - guitarist Helge Engelke, keyboardist Torsten Luderwaldt and drummer CC Behrens - plus former THUNDERHEAD bassist Ole Hempelmann and JACK'S HAMMER singer Olaf Senkbeil had cut a brilliant record, but what wasn't predictable is that it would come out so pathetic. WARNING had something for their successor to inherit - a soft spot for QUEEN panache, which shows off in anthemic "Dreamers" - up to May-ish guitar lines. But what was natural for great late Freddie is another band's poison. All the anticipations from artwork remindful of Storm Thorgeson aside, here comes a disillution rather than flood of pure feelings - even ballad "Heaven Knows" turns too solemn, and if tribal "Sundance" and opening "What You Believe In" hold a good swagger, it gets lost along the way in too heroic attitude and bombastic production - with due respect to superb musicianship.

Going astray to originality, like in Oriental-sprinkled "Crashed" or surprisingly fresh heady rock'n'roll of "Your Life", they hit the target and make wonder how it could sound live. Simple licks and humour of the latter are something to savour. Then, had "Promised Land" been more cutting, there would be a kick-ass terrace chant, but heartfelt soul of "I Take The Weight Off Your Shoulders" is the strangest thing on offer falling out of concept, though getting close to the FOREIGNER drift with "Cross The Line". Warm instrumental "Phoenix Tears" doesn't bring the flood either. Maybe next time.

****1/3