Elvira Madigan ~ Regent Sie (album review) ... Seek out the evils of Elvira's world!

Style: symphonic black metal
Label: Black Lodge
Year: 2008
Home: Sweden

Members: Marcus H. Madigan ~ all instruments  

 

 

 

 I came across a Youtube video of Elvira Madigan & was immediately impressed. Impressed enough to immediately buy all their albums. Their? Actually, it should be - him. Elvira Madigan is the NIN of Swedish symphonic black metal, being one creative genius Marcus H. Madigan, whose passionate musical drive clearly comes through on all his albums. The most aggressive Madigan album, Regent Sie is a carefully conceived concept album of one long morbid story including the best of symphonic metal & the best of black metal with some very ornate lyrics along the way. It’s full title: Regent Sie: She-devils of Demonlore of Blood, Crosses & Biblewars clearly hints at what can be expected. To call this a potpourri of a more symphonic Cradle of Filth, a darker Mastodon & the ethereal elements of Opeth might describe the sound but it does little justice. Keyboards & guitars take equal time here, moving seamlessly between heavy riffs, solos & painfully sparse bridges, with a delightful mix of vocal styles that on first listen feels like multiple singers, which particularly got my attention on Youtube. If you like black metal & haven't heard the musical world of Elvira Madigan then waste not your time & go forth to seek out the evils of the world of Madigan. Every Elvira Madigan CD is decorated with some super-sexy bikini clad vixon art courtesy of Luis Rolo http://www.luisroyo.com

(originally written for the Roman Midnight Music newsletter: Issue 2, Fall 2009, expanded for blog)

Bonham ~ The Disregard Of Timekeeping (album review) ... Don't watch the clock when listening to this unsung classic!

Style: hard rock
Label: WTG
Year: 1998
Home: Los Angeles

Members: Daniel MacMaster ~ vocals
Ian Hatton ~ guitars
John Smithson ~ bass/keyboards
Jason Bonham ~ drums

Additional: Duncan Faure ~ b. vocals
Trevor Rabin ~ bass/b. vocals
Jimmy Zavala ~ harmonica
Bill Millay ~ keyboards
Bob Ezrin ~ orchestration


Had Michael Jackson lived to go back on stage it probably would have been the biggest tour of his career, but let’s not forget there was another major tour that could have been … had Robert Plant chosen to tour with Led Zeppelin after their successful reunion concert. So, in honor of past & potential future comebacks I wanted to remember an underrated glam rock band — Bonham — the short-lived band by the son of Zep drummer John Bonham. Maybe it was the cliché video for 'Wait For You' of the band dancing in a junk yard or the Plant-esque vocals of the late Daniel MacMaster that caught my attention, but whatever the reason I truly enjoy Bonham. Like many other bands they were critiqued for sounding like Zep, albeit one might turn the tables considering Plant’s later Fate Of Nations album hints of Bonham. This is 80’s hard rock that puts away blistering guitars for a more rhythmic & bluesy approach. Singer MacMaster died in 2008 at 39. The reunited Bonham sunk without him — proof of his draw, so I guess it was him that attracted me to the band. Trevor Rabin of Yes also makes an appearance, though on bass not guitar, plus famed producer Bob Ezrin.

(originally written for the Roman Midnight Music newsletter, Issue 2, Fall 2009, expanded for blog)

Guns N' Roses ~ Chinese Democracy (album review) ... Never really a democracy!

Style: hard rock
Label: Geffen
Year: 2008
Home: Los Angeles

Members: Axl Rose ~ lead vocals/keyboards
Dizzy Reed ~ keyboard/b. vocals
Chris Pitman ~ keyboards/bass/guitar/b. vocals
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Buckethead ~ lead guitar
Robin Finck ~ lead guitar/keyboards
Tommy Stinson ~ bass/b. vocals
Bryan "Brain" Mantia ~ drums/programming
Richard Fortus ~ rhythm guitar
Eric Caudieux, Caram Costanzo ~ programming/b. vocals
Paul Tobias ~ rhythm guitar/piano

Additional: Patti Hood ~ harp
Suzy Katayama ~ french horn
Pete Scaturro ~ keyboards
Frank Ferrer ~ drums

Guests: Sebastian Bach ~ b. vocals 

Speaking of what if reunions … this is not a bad album. It’s got some great songs culling diverse sources of inspiration that G'N'R previously only hinted at behind a bluesy façade. While the reformed band is without question Grade A talent. But, one can’t help but wonder what a G'N'R album would sound like with the original or classic line-up, because this feels like Axl’s attempt at at a Use Your Illusion III with ballads over riffs. Gone is blistering Slash & the youthful G'N'R jungle anger, replaced by more piano & intricate & lush arrangements that in some ways could be better than earlier G'N'R. But, it’s like listening to the Stones after Mick Taylor or Pink Floyd after Sid Barrett. Something is missing. Something familiar. It’s not bad, just different. If it wasn’t for Axl’s reputation & G'N'R’s past hits this album might have faired better on the charts. Unlike older G'N'R albums, this does not hit you in the face with a lyrical/musical onslaught. This is a more meditative G'N'R, if such a thing isn't a contradiction between band reputation & music. Axl deserves more credit for his work, but this isn’t a perfect world, particularly in the music biz. Give it a chance. It ain't bad & really should be listened to without the what if attached.

 

(originally written for the Roman Midnight Music newsletter Issue 2, Fall 2009, expanded for blog)

Lizzy Borden ~ Appointment With Death (album review) ... Their deathly masterpiece!

Style: hard rock, glam, shock rock
Label: Metal Blade
Year: 2007
Home: Los Angeles

Members: Lizzy Borden ~ vocals
Marten Andersson ~ bass
Joey Scott ~ drums
Ira Black ~ guitar

Guests: George Lynch, Dave Meniketti, Corey Beaulieu, Jonas Hansson, Erik Rutan ~ guitars
Michael T. Ross ~ keyboards

Having heard every album by glam & shock rock’s great under-recognized singer-songwriter Lizzy Borden, I proudly declare this to be one of best in the discography! This latest release, after about half a decade working on other projects, is a more mature sounding Lizzy where the excess of glam is put away for a firm grip on the shock rock now of Lordi & Alice Cooper while retaining a continued emphasis on powerful lyrics. This is album features love songs laced with the theme of death, from love of self to love of others. Under a sheen of headbanging rhythms these are truly emotional songs & that emotion shines through. Lizzy’s vocals are no longer the typical 80’s falsetto but either due to age or changing music, or a little of both, are now a dynamic mix of highs & lows that at times sound like an ethereal being come to earth bringing great wisdom, particularly when he harkens "I’m on the outside breaking free." Musically this is the same L.A. hard rock onslaught that has always been the trademark Borden sound but if this isn’t their hardest album it feels like it, where every song has a distinct drive. Two tracks have already been released as videos & I hope that is just a beginning because I can’t stop listening to this album & have already shared it with friends. Highly recommended & make sure to look for them on tour where they costume themselves as death. Features the guitar work of vegan guitarist Ira Black, whose since left the band, along with a guest roster of members from Dokken, Lynch Mob, Y&T, Trivium & Morbid Angel.

(originally written for the Roman Midnight Music newsletter: Issue 1, Summer 2009, expanded for blog)

Meshuggah ~ Obzen (album review) ... Not for the weak hearted!

Style: experimental metal, heavy metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Year: 2008
Home: Sweden

Members: Jens Kidman ~ vocals
Fredrik Thordendal ~ lead guitar/b. vocals
Tomas Haake ~ drums/b. vocals
Mårten Hagström ~ rhythm guitar/b. vocals
Dick Lövgren ~ bass

 

The alien-like face, the washed out colors & the odd name (both of the album & the band name) combine to pack an immediate punch drawing the eye to this prog-experimental metal release. But, does the music live up to the hope that this is going to be something as good as its looks? Definitely! This is a searing hot piece of gold that drops like lead & permanently leaves a mark in your memories. A pounding onslaught of thick bass heavy rhythms & slow cosmic-like guitar solos create a bed to growl over. This is a test in fast rhythms, slow solos & abrupt changes that build up to a crescendo. At worst this is the sound of a kitchen blender & helicopter doing a duet with a little distortion thrown in … which is actually something worth listening to! This is prog metal with all the speed one can muster, but don’t expect symphonic overtones like the somewhat similar Dimmu Borgir. No melodic keys here or pretentious fluffy orchestrations. This is pure extreme metal not for the weak hearted or pace maker protected. If you like Amon Amarth & Lamb of God than this is a good band to check out with no disappointment. 

(originally written for the Roman Midnight Music newsletter Issue 1, Summer 2009, expanded for blog)

Bison b.c. ~ Quiet Earth (album review) ... The earth is quiet no more!

Style: heavy metal, thrash
Label: Metal Blade
Year: 2008
Home: British Columbia, Canada

Members: James Farwell ~ vocals/guitars
Dan And ~ guitars/b. vocals
Masa Anzai ~ bass
Brad Mackinnon ~ drums

Guest: Jamie Hooper ~ vocals

Confession time. I have a particular fondness for Vancouver, B.C., where I once visited a past lover on the weekends, making it a home away from home, so it's no surprise that this band should get put on my CD player. I will argue that, outside of Quebec, it's hard to define if there's such a thing as a Canadian metal sound, but if Bison b.c. is an example of the high caliber & creativity of Canadian metal bands, I predict that everyone will eventually succumb to a fondness for Vancouver as it becomes to metal what Seattle is to grunge, as it's already become the new Hollywood to tv production. Quiet Earth is an interesting listen because all the songs melt into each other other like an ocean, so it's easy to not hear their individual dynamics on a half-hearted first listen, which is more typical with multi-tasking fans than not including myself. But, a couple songs into this musical tide & there dawns the sudden realization that something has been missed & that this is not just another thrash band on the block & it's finger to the rewind button time. This is a dynamic metal orchestra that has created 43 haunting minutes of rockin' metal with a lot of well thought out subtle rhythmic touches and arrangements. I particularly liked the vocals that verge on uncontrolled screaming but stay firmly in the camp of just plain animalistic. Great drumming & strong duel guitar rhythms will inspire musicians from here to ... Canada.

(originally written for the Roman Midnight Music newsletter Issue 1, Summer 2009; expanded for blog)