SEBASTIEN – Tears Of White Roses

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Sebastien is a band/project based in the Czech Republic, specialising in metal with many symphonic and progressive influences. Their press release claims their music is a breakthrough in progressive and symphonic music, but with regard to their chosen musical field, it’s a  struggle to hear anything that doesn’t sound like a bunch of safe, tried-and-tested ideas.

There was always hope that the roll-call of guest performers may go some way towards making this a worthwhile listen, but sadly, their performances aren’t anything special either. Take for example the guest spots by Amanda Somerville – on ‘Femme Fatale’ she gets no more than a few lines in the spotlight while on ‘Black Rose Part II’ her potentially very strong harmony vocal is left hovering somewhere in the back of the mix, somewhere behind Cornerstone’s Doogie White. Thankfully, on this big, theatrical ballad White’s vocals are strong enough to carry the piece (just as they had been on the previous ‘Black Rose Part I’). More should have been asked of Somerville, though, especially since her voice shines among the barrage of male metal voices.

‘Dorian’ and ‘Fields of Chlum (1866 A.D.)’ feature vocals by Rhapsody of Fire and Vision Divine vocalist Fabio Lione. His slightly more restrained delivery is well suited to both pieces. While a (far, far too loud) church organ dominates ‘Dorian’, a chorus where Lione harmonises with Roland Grapow provides what is easily this album’s best moment. Both vocalists are in fine form, and the melody itself is far more memorable than anything else here. ‘Fields’ is a power ballad, and while it contains a similar amount of power, thanks to a decent mid-pace, it doesn’t end up as stifling as most of Sebastien’s material.

‘Voices In Your Heart’ (featuring Masterplan’s Mike DiMeo and Roland Grapow) offers plenty in the way of speed, but far too much macho posturing and relentless double-bass drums make the end result rather unpleasurable. ‘Silver Rain’ (featuring Firewind’s Apollo Papathanasio) is slightly better as it carries a great down-tuned guitar riff riff in places and a great bass chug. The bas could have been put to far better use, mind; the upfront playing disappears after the intro. Once Papathanasio starts to sing, though, any promise is swept away. His loud, heavily accented vocals (delivered at full bore) are just too full on – and not especially tuneful.

The couple of performances featuring Fabio Lione are the only numbers preventing ‘Tears of White Roses’ from being completely forgettable. A couple of the guitar solos are decent and Roland Grapow’s production is solid, but since Sebastien have favoured complexity over memorable material and obvious hooks, they’re never going to be able to compete with Euro heavyweights such as Jorn Lande or Arjen Lucassen when it comes to this kind of thing.

December 2010

MOTÖRHEAD – The World Is Yours

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Twenty studio albums and various live albums into their career, it’s only Lemmy who remains from the “classic” Motörhead line up, but in many ways, that’s all you need. On 2010’s ‘The World Is Yours’, Lemmy, drummer Mikkey Dee and guitarist Phil Campbell (celebrating seventeen years together – Motörhead’s longest serving line-up) add little to their back-catalogue with regard to new ideas. However, this far into a career which has stuck almost rigidly to Lemmy’s original musical vision, they’re preaching to the converted. If you didn’t get the Motörhead ethos by now, you never will. And if you are someone who doesn’t get it, it’s likely Lemmy doesn’t care.

Recycling an already familiar title, ‘Born to Lose’ opens with a solid riff from Phil Campbell and it soon becomes clear very quickly that this isn’t a re-recording of an earlier Motörhead number. The riff may be decent, but it’s Mikkey Dee’s drumming which provides the moments of real greatness. Here, Dee pulls out all the stops, delivering something worthy of “classic” early Motörhead. His kit thunders out of the speakers with a great amount of power – spending so many years playing the intro to ‘Overkill’ must have left its mark. The guitar riff from the opening bars is replaced by something more rudimentary during the verses, but makes a timely return on the chorus sections. Campbell’s featured solo is full of wah-wah goodness and features a decent level of aggression. Meanwhile, the rhythm guitar riff placed underneath beefs things up further by delivering something reminiscent of ‘Mars: The Bringer of War’ from Gustav Holst’s ‘The Planets Suite’.

‘I Know What You Need’, ‘Devils In My Head’ and ‘I Know How To Die’ are archetypal examples of the sound which made Motörhead world famous. Although short on surprises, Lemmy, Dee and Campbell sound as tight as ever on these tracks – the furious solo on ‘I Know How To Die’ is possibly one of the album’s best and there’s a catchy edge present on ‘Devils In My Head’ thanks to a great shout along chorus.

With most Motörhead discs, there’s a slower, chugging number and ‘Brotherhood of Man’ offers one of their most threatening. Over a brooding riff, Lemmy recounts the fate of a world ravaged by war; a corrupt place where everyone has blood on their hands and murder is law. Lemmy’s vocal delivery steps down from its usual shouting croak and drops to an even lower register. In an almost spoken word delivery and Lemmy growls his way through some incredibly heavy lyrical content. A mid-section picks things up briefly as Dee sounds as if he’s gearing the band up for Campbell to deliver a killer solo, but after a couple of bars, the band drop back into the main riff in time for Lemmy to deliver the last verse. Naturally, Campbell squeezes in a solo at the close, but it’s quite understated. The chugging riff and doomy vocal are the big draw here – and this ‘Orgasmatron’ inspired number really hits it’s mark.

Lemmy and co sound at their most enthusiastic when they’re let loose upon a couple of numbers which are less influenced by hard rock and metal and lean farther towards old style rock ‘n’ roll. ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Music’ does exactly what it says on the tin, with Lemmy rasping his way through a number which borrows a musical aesthetic from very early AC/DC. It ends up sounding unavoidably like Motörhead, of course (especially on the choruses), but there’s a sense of fun delivered with a slight arrogance that’s often absent elsewhere. ‘Bye Bye Bitch Bye Bye’ takes the love for such rock ‘n’ roll tendencies to a whole new level as Motörhead speed their way through something which sounds like Status Quo’s take on Chuck Berry’s ‘Bye Bye Johnny’, but played with twice the aggression, served up with some mildly distubing misogyny. While Motörhead can often be accused to recycling tried-and-tested musical formulas and lyrical ideas, the energy behind this number proves the sparks of brilliance are still very much there.

Measured up against a few of their other 21st Century releases, ‘The World Is Yours’ may not match the greatness 2004’s ‘Inferno’, or deliver it’s songs at the blistering speed of the best moments of 2000’s ‘We Are Motörhead’, but it’s almost certainly as good as ‘Kiss of Death’ or ‘Motörizer’. The unconvinced are likely to remain unconvinced, but for the dedicated Motörfan, there are more than enough gems here.

December 2010

ONE DAY AS A LION – One Day As A Lion

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One Day as a Lion is an alliance between Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha and ex-Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore. That’s it. Two guys: one with a loud drum kit and the other with a message. No band. …And ultimately, very little in the way of music – just vocals, lots of very distorted Fender Rhodes keyboard noise and that aforementioned drum kit.

This EP lyrically contains the anger and passion of the best Rage Against The Machine material. Witness Zack during the title cut: “Blood soaked earth that you call home, close your eyes but don’t sleep / We comin’ like a people’s army for those who don’t eat” […] “smashed in his dome with a club of a white fed / No food, no water, no rights read”. Elsewhere he says “Your god is a homeless assassin who roams the world to save / He’s digging for buried treasures, leaving nothing but fields of graves” (‘Last Letter’). There’s enough lyrical bite to potentially make this thrilling.

This EP could have been great, but falls very short of mark, since musically, One Day As A Lion have relatively little fire and in addition, the keyboard drones become grating over the course of the twenty minute playing time. While Theodore’s drum work is aggressive, it’s just not enough to carry Zack’s message effectively.

Zack’s socio-political rants certainly work far better with Rage Against The Machine’s more sophisticated musical style. …And as for the rest of Rage, judging by the Audioslave releases, their musical tricks and style sound tired and lame without Zack. Although Zack’s 80s hardcore band Inside Out had their moments and Tom Morello’s melodic rock/funk metal outfit Lock Up showed signs of greatness, the release of that first RATM album truly raised the bar. For best results, all four guys really need to work together, but you hardly needed me to tell you that…did you?

February 2010

THE GARY MOORE BAND – Grinding Stone

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After the breakup of Irish power trio Skid Row (not to be confused with the popular US band) in the early 70s, Gary Moore embarked on a solo career. This, the first release with Gary as band leader is credited to The Gary Moore Band. The Gary Moore Band released one album together – 1973’s ‘Grinding Stone’.

The album possesses a fair amount of power, but not always much focus. ‘Time To Heal’, with a driving, almost southern boogie approach is one of the album’s better tracks, even if it’s more Allman Brothers than Gary Moore. The only down side is that Gary chooses to deliver his vocal in his rock style voice, which seems an odd choice given the nature of the material. It’s not like he’s not found his blues voice yet, either, as he uses that to great effect elsewhere on the album. The title cut is an instrumental (just shy of ten minutes) which fuses bluesy shuffles and faint hints of jazz rock, creating something which Carlos Santana would’ve been proud to have grace one of his mid seventies albums. Gary’s fuzzy guitar playing has a sometimes bluesy edge, but no real soul. It’s aggressive, sharp and fairly unrelenting. Jan Schellhaus (later of Caravan and Camel) helps create some softer counterbalance here; his piano and electric keyboard work is decent enough given what he has to work with. As something which sounds like it was born from a blues-rock jam, it’s pleasing enough, but you’ve heard this done so much better. ’The Energy Dance’ is a short keyboard instrumental leading into ‘Spirit’. All I’ll say about this is that Jan Schellhaas spoils decent piano work by overlaying what could be the most disgusting synth noise I’ve ever heard.

The seventeen minute tour-de-force ‘Spirit’ could’ve the high point for musicianship, although by the halfway point there’s a feeling that it could’ve been truncated. There’s a fine line between tasteful showmanship and self-indulgence…and this track wobbles across that line regularly. Starting with a tight workout (which again has an Allman Brothers Band feel) it certainly starts promisingly enough. Then, during a rhythmically pleasing section which sounds like another Santana cast-off (featuring solid interplay between Moore, Schellhaas and drummer Pearse Kelly), there’s a decent groove. However, the track falls apart at the seven minute mark as it descends into spacey keyboard and guitar noodling. At this point, it ultimately becomes something which feels like unnecessary filler. Even when the drums come back and the band fall into something which carries the spirit (no pun intended) of a threatening 70s film soundtrack, the momentum never really returns, despite a half decent guitar solo.

‘Boogie My Way Back Home’ is a standard blues workout, pre-empting Gary’s main musical focus by some years. It’s a track which features a simple, but direct use of slide guitar and Gary is in fairly strong voice. The vocal high point of the album, though, comes during the ballad ‘Sail Across The Mountain’. One of Gary’s greatest early achievements, his voice ranges from soulful to pained and passionate, again hinting at his future musical direction. In many ways, if ‘Grinding Stone’ makes any long lasting impression as an album at all, it’s one which leaves the listener asking why there couldn’t have been more of this?

Not long after the release of ‘Grinding Stone’, Gary’s solo career was put on hold, as he would be drafted in to replace Thin Lizzy’s departed guitarist Eric Bell. This tenure with Lizzy would be short, with Gary finishing their 1973 tour and contributing guitar parts to three songs from their 1974 album ‘Night Life’, before joining jazz rock outfit Colosseum II. He would later return to Thin Lizzy in 1979, as a full time member, appearing on their classic LP ‘Black Rose: A Rock Legend’.

As has been well documented, Gary would go on to achieve great things. His solo career – spanning several decades from 1979 onward – going from hard rock to blues and occasionally back again – has moments of sheer brilliance… ‘Grinding Stone’, meanwhile, is still no more than a curio which shows glimpses of greatness.

January 2010

THE GREAT AFFAIRS – Ricky Took The Wheels

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Any band that mentions The Black Crowes in their bio are likely to get my attention. In the case of Tennessee’s Great Affairs, bassist Matt Andersen “only needs his Black Crowes bootlegs to survive”. The Great Affairs may cull their sound from various rootsy sounding bands, but on this second album ‘Ricky Took The Wheels’, it’s not really the Crowes who are the over-riding influence. You’ll certainly hear traces of the Black Crowes moments within the album’s twelve cuts, but no more than you might hear an influence from the latter day work of Replacements or any other number of semi-acoustic/jangly retro outfits.
None of the tracks on ‘Ricky Took The Wheels’ are particularly groundbreaking, but within its grooves, Smith and co offer twelve songs of familiar pop/rock which stand up well to repeated listens.

‘Feels Like Home’ opens the album with a decent upbeat number, full of retro jangling guitars. The music recalls ‘Don’t Tell a Soul’ era Replacements, with its great chiming chords occasionally overlaid by slide guitar. The music may have a familiar ring, but Denny Smith’s slightly ragged vocals ensure they don’t sound like clones of Minneapolis’s favourite sons. Part of the main opening riff from ‘Inside Your Head’ resembles The Black Crowes number ‘Remedy’, but that’s as far as any real influence goes. For the verses, The Great Affairs settle on a funky groove. Smith’s vocal performance is well suited to the arrangement and Andersen lends an unobtrusive harmony vocal where required. Its punchy approach makes it one of the album’s stand-outs. With a mid-paced delivery, ‘No Heart Left To Hold’ showcases The Great Affairs in a very comfortable musical setting. With uncomplicated acoustic guitars and the return of the slightly countrified slide, The Great Affairs deliver a great piece of roots rock, which, although lacking a big hook, has a very pleasing sound, with Patrick Miller’s electric guitar work providing the best feature.

‘Good Flyin’’ begins with a rumbling bass intro from Andersen, soon accompanied by a few unfussy guitar chords. Anchored by Tim Good’s basic drum pattern, this is a snapshot of The Great Affairs in a more moody setting. While the bass carries the greatest presence during this number, it’s the occasional guitar fills which create it’s best musical moments – the retro bluesy tone calls to mind a slight Hendrix influence, but more discerning listeners may hear an influence from Audley Freed, (particularly from his work on the first Cry of Love disc, ‘Brother’). The Great Affairs follow this relative aggression with a track which is almost the polar opposite: ‘You’ll Never Know’, has a strong acoustic base, and with the acoustics overlaid by subtle electric twangs, this provides a really intimate moment for the album. A hushed, slightly cracked vocal from Smith only highlights the fragile nature of the song; it’s a great number, on which, the reserved performances from all concerned should be applauded.

The stomping nature of ‘You’re Not Funny’ comes with a sharp edge and a sneer which would befit Tommy Stinson’s Bash & Pop (whose sole album is a great mix of Stones fixated material with a hint of attitude borrowed from New York Dolls). The twin guitar attack from Denny Smith and Patrick Miller is instantly attention-grabbing, and the song barely lets up over the course of its four minutes. I’m a sucker for trashy rock ‘n’ roll ethics – and like that aforementioned Bash & Pop disc, this more than fits the bill. ‘Bastard Son’ captures The Great Affairs rocking out in a retro way, it’s mix of acoustic and electric guitars creating a sound which evokes the classic rock/pop of The Connells during their more upfront moments. It features one of Smith’s best vocals; he sounds perfectly at home fronting this simple, gently rocky arrangement. Once again, it’s nothing you won’t have heard before with regard to this particular musical niche, but it’s played very well. For guitar playing highlights, the finger-picked acoustic work on ‘My Apologies’ is recommended listening. This low-key number rolls along with the intricate guitar work taking the lead, as the band’s rhythm section take a back seat. As with the album’s other quiet moments, Smith’s vocal style finds a sympathetic place within the arrangement.

On the whole, while this album may not sound wholly original, it has plenty of heart. The Great Affairs show a high level of enthusiasm and have the ability to pen decent tunes. if you own albums by The Connells or any similar semi-acoustic rock/pop bands, ‘Ricky Took The Wheels’ could be for you.

Visit The Great Affairs here.

November 2010