By: Philip Sayblack

​Roughly two years after the release of its then latest album, Code Red, Primal Fear has returned with its follow-up, Domination.  Released Friday through new label home, Reigning Phoenix Music, the 13-song record proves a strong new offering from the band.  That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany said content makes for its own interest.  The album’s sequencing puts the finishing touch to its presentation.  Each item noted is its own important part of the whole.  All things considered they make Domination yet another welcome addition to this year’s already very crowded field of impressive new hard rock and metal albums.
Domination, the latest album from Primal Fear (the band’s 15th full-length studio recording), is a solid new offering from the veteran hard rock outfit.  The record’s success comes in no small part through the featured musical arrangements that make up its 59-minute body.  From beginning to end, the arrangements do not necessarily break any new major ground for Primal Fear.  The blend of power metal, hard rock, and even thrash that has been a trademark of the band over the course of its nearly three-decade-long life is just as prevalent here as in each of the band’s existing records.  The thing is that even with that in mind, the band still manages with each song here, to make a song that holds its own identity.  Right from the album’s outset, ‘The Hunter,’ audiences get an immediate taste of that familiar power metal lean.  It makes itself easily comparable to works from the likes of the band’s fellow power metal contemporaries, such as Hammerfall and Helloween.  One could even argue a comparison to works from the likes of Saxon here.
In the album’s second offering, ‘Destroyer,’ those comparisons remain but quickly give way to a much heavier approach more in line with songs from another of the band’s power metal counterparts, Grave Digger.  Even more interesting here is that even with that in mind, the arrangement is just as modern in its sound as anything else in the album.  From there the noted comparisons to works from Hammerfall and others come back into play while still balancing with a unique identity for each work.  It is not until the album reaches its midpoint, ‘Hallucinations,’ that the band really notably changes things up.  While yes, there is still a power metal lean to this arrangement, there is also a distinct 80s hair metal influence present in this two-and-a-half-minute instrumental track.  Thankfully that influence is not of the sappy, bombastic nature of so much music from the 80s.  Rather, the mood set in this composition is quite contemplative.  The piano line, countered by the guitar line and the equally powerful rhythm section, makes for a whole that is fully immersive, and in turn engaging and entertaining.
The 80s influence continues in the song’s eighth entry, ‘Eden.’  In this case the arrangement does come across as being a little more over the top in its brooding 80s metal nature but thankfully not too much so.  From there the band picks things right back up, amping up the sound and adrenaline in ‘Scream.’  This arrangement is more hard rock than power metal in its style and sound.  From there, the band goes back and forth between its hard rock and power metal leanings right up to the deeply emotional closer that is ‘A Tune I Won’t Forget.’  This song is more in the vein of ‘Hallucinations’ and ‘Eden’ but even more emotional in its presentations.  It is definitely a tune that listeners will not soon forget and when it is considered alongside the rest of the record’s musical body, that whole makes Domination a record that audiences will not soon forget, either.
The musical arrangements featured throughout Domination give audiences plenty of reason to take in this latest album from Primal Fear.  They are only part of the record’s appeal, too.  The lyrical themes that accompany the record’s musical arrangements make for their own interest.  Case in point is the seeming social commentary featured in ‘Scream.’  The seeming commentary comes as front man Ralf Scheepers sings here, “The world is turning/The sky is burning/I’m looking to the other side/The land in ruins/Destroyed the future/And gone is every kind of pride/Doesn’t matter if you’re poor or rich/In the end/We’re all the same/Scream/It’s raining fire/Scream/We’re going to extremes/Missiles/cruising over me/There is no democracy/Satellites are falling from the sky/The souls were sold by strategy/Money and conspiracy/One more last breath and we all die/Doesn’t matter if you’re poor or rich/In the end/We’re all the same.”  This wording comes across as a seemingly clear discussion.  It is an addressing of the state of the world.  That note of missiles flying over could be any conflict around the world, as could be that mention of there being no democracy.  The note of “money and conspiracy” certainly sounds like what is happening here in the United States today from the highest political office to the halls of Congress and throughout the business world.  Keeping all of this in mind, it is a familiar theme whose easily accessible delivery will make it resonate with plenty of audiences.
On a separate note, a song, such as ‘Far Away,’ the album’s lead single, takes audiences in another familiar direction.  This time, the song’s theme is that all too familiar topic of romance and relationships.  As Scheepers said in an interview ahead of the single’s premiere early this spring, “It’s an expression of faith and trust, no matter where or what.  We all know this feeling of missing someone so much, not being able to see or hear him/her every day – especially as musicians whilst touring.”  Audiences will agree.  That human need for companionship is one of the most prominent basic human needs.  It generates that emotional state presented here and in far too many songs out there.  To that end, it is another theme that will resonate with listeners just as much as anything else here.  The result is that it further serves to show the importance of the album’s lyrical theme to the record’s overall presentation.
‘March Boy March,’ the album’s penultimate entry, is yet another example of that importance of the album’s lyrical themes.  In the case of this song, the theme of perseverance is presented in something of an allegorical nature.  This as Scheepers sings to what must be a soldier to “March, boy, march” even through all of the difficulties and dangers that he faces.  Scheepers sings here, “Nothing and no one can stop you/There is no barrier/Fearless and faithful/Determined/You walk through walls/Steady/Endurance/A tough physical union/Muscles and tendons under maximum control/Chains and shackles/Thorns around your neck/Every step is torture/You don’t let it get you down/Your legend lives and lasts forever/In the books of history/Your legend lives and lasts forever/March boy march.”  Again, here is someone who is determined to succeed even in the worst situation.  Scheepers continues in the song’s second verse, “The scout/Trailblazer/Explorer/Courageous and so selfless/You are the one who saves us all/Nobly you clear the way/To destroy the enemy/The villain/Lurking in ambush/Like a martyr without any fear/In the morning haze/Sight and focus/Always clear/Your virtue is to fight for freedom/Driving out the enemy/Your legend lives and lasts forever.”  Once again, this is a figure who is so important to so many.  This is a person who impacts the lives of so many.  Once more, this really comes across as allegory of sorts, building on that reminder for people to press on.  Here the message to the listener is apparently that we all have an impact on people we may not even know.  If in fact everything interpreted here is the case then it is a powerful, welcome message that even further proves the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
When this seeming uplifting message is considered alongside the other themes examined here and that trio with the rest of the album’s lyrical presentation, that whole works with the album’s musical arrangements to make for all the more reason to take in Domination.
Putting the final touch to Domination is the sequencing of its presented content.  From beginning to end, the sounds and styles featured in the album’s arrangements change just subtly enough that it keeps the album’s energy flowing fluidly while also changing things up just enough to keep things interesting for listeners.  The sequencing also ensures that the lyrical themes change from one to the next enough that said change will also keep listeners engaged and entertained in its own right.  The overall impact is a positive aesthetic that will leave listeners with a positive mindset, knowing the nearly hour long time they have spent listening to Domination was well worth it.  In having that mindset listeners will agree that Domination is one more welcome addition to this year’s already very crowded field of top new hard rock and metal albums.
Domination is available now through Reigning Phoenix Music.  More information on the album is available along with all of Primal Fear’s latest news at:
Website: https://www.primalfear.de
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primalfearofficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matsinner1

BY: Philip Sayblack

​Finding a record that really stands out among the masses each year is anything but easy.  Yes, there are those records that are good, but the ones that really stand out are even more difficult to find.  Independent rock act The Squirts recently released one of those diamonds in the rough in the form of its aptly titled third album, III.  Released physically May 16 and digitally July 19 through F-Bomb Records and Vanity Music Group, the 10-song record is a work that appeals through its diverse musical arrangements and lyrical themes, each in their own way.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole, ensuring a record that is easy on the ears thanks to its effect.  Each item noted plays its own important part to the whole of the record.  All things considered they make III one of the best of this year’s new independent albums.
III, the latest album from The Squirts, is a win for the band and audiences alike from beginning to end.  As noted, that is due in part to its featured musical arrangements.  From beginning to end, what audiences get is so much diversity.  ‘Gotta Believe You Now,’ the album’s opener, delivers a unique blend of rock and emo pop that works surprisingly well despite those two distinct leanings.  At times, listeners can make comparisons to works from the likes of Foo Fighters while at others, to more current emo pop acts.  The whole is a composition that is infectious and an easy fit for any active/modern rock radio station’s play list.  ‘When You Die,’ by comparison, is a purer rock oriented song, though some 80s rock influence is notable throughout the nearly 5-minute composition.
As the album progresses into its third entry, ‘Funny You Should Ask,’ listeners get more of an early 90s pop rock vibe.  ‘Didn’t See That Coming,’ the album’s fourth track, is an aptly titled work considering that listeners certainly wouldn’t have seen coming the infectious, danceable work whose steady groove throughout exhibit a clear blend of funk and rock leanings.  The whole is a surprisingly fun track and one of the album’s best entries, musically speaking.  The band really changes things up in ‘Not a Good Day For a Clown.’  Clocking in at nearly three-and-a-half minutes, the noted 90s pop rock influence is once again notable throughout, though the country guitar line peppered throughout makes for even more interest.  The whole is yet another surprisingly fun, welcome addition to the album in whole that continues to exhibit the diversity in the album’s musical body.
‘White Noise,’ the opener for the album’s second half continues the album’s unique musical display.  That is because of its blend of 1960s pop, prog rock and even some metal (yes, metal).  The metal touch is very brief.  It shows up in the very first part of the chorus and is immediately countered by that more pop/prog hybrid sound.  The whole makes for yet another wholly unique addition to the album that further ensures audiences’ engagement and entertainment.
As if everything examined is not enough, the band continues changing things up yet again in the album’s seventh track, ‘Over The Moon.’  Once again here, audiences get something of a prog influence a la The Flower Kings and Spock’s Beard.  It is another change of sound and style from the band that even further displays the album’s musical diversity.
The bluesy approach that the band took to ‘Pins and Needles’ continues to ensure that engagement, as does the more rock oriented penultimate entry, ‘The Other Side of Paradise,’ and the return of the late 80s/early 90s pop rock approach of the album’s finale, ‘Nothing New Under The Sun.’  Simply put, from beginning to end of its 44 minute body, III proves a successful new offering from The Squirts in very large part to the welcome musical diversity that it presents.  The varied styles and sounds that the band offers audiences throughout the album give listeners more than enough reason to take in this album.
Building on the foundation formed through the album’s musical diversity is the lyrical content that accompanies said material.  ‘Gotta Believe You Now’ is a prime example of the important role of the album’s lyrical themes.  In the case of this song, it can actually be interpreted in different ways.  On one end, it could be inferred to be a love song while on another, it could also be seen more as a tribute perhaps to a friend, though the former seems more the case.  This as vocalist/bassist Matt Bissonette sings at one point in the song, “While the world is spinning on a fragile axis/Turning/Will you keep me from disaster after all/But you always have led me to brighter skies/Down elevation/Up conversation/One footprint found/Now I gotta believe you now.”  Earlier in the song Bissonette infers this is something of a romantic statement as he sings, “Just look in my eyes/True peace you will find/And I promise you’ll always be on the side/Where you’ll never cry.”  That declaration that a person will never cry in being with the song’s speaker, is familiar lyrical territory.  It is the kind of statement that is all too common in songs of that very all too familiar topic.  To that end, such familiarity and accessibility is certain to appeal to plenty of audiences.
‘Funny You Should Ask’ is another example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.  In the case of this song, this critic could be wrong, but the song comes across lyrically as a social commentary.  This as Bissonnette sings, “Funny you should ask/In a crazy world/That might not last/If you’re asking how I’m doing/Well/I’m fighting off these satellites/Spy balloons/And kryptonite/Wake up in a hole/To see the world/One by one/We all are bleeding soldiers/But this is not/How this war will be won/By one who took it on the shoulder/Our cup is running over/While we duck and cover/From an asteroid, fluttering/Like mashed potatoes/Will be smashed.”  What this statement seems to infer is that this is someone who is not at his or her best, and is telling that other person in a somewhat cynical way, exactly that.  The cynicism about the world continues as Bissonette sings, “Funny you should ask/When the moneymakers all collapse/Will we see/What they are doing/Well I’m fearing public oversight/Nothing’s ever black or white/Take me to the water/Where we all can drink.”  This person is seeing things in a tough light and this is especially clear as the song continues with Bissonette continuing his commentary about the negative forces in the world.  The whole makes for such an interesting discussion point and in turn another example of the importance of the album’s lyrical content.
‘Funny You Should Ask’ is just one of a number of songs featured in III that seems to deliver commentary.  ‘White Noise’ and ‘Pins and Needles’ both come across as delivering their own familiar and accessible commentaries.  Those wanting something equally familiar on the other end of the spectrum get that in another of the album’s apparent love songs in ‘Over The Moon.’  Between those songs, the others examined here and the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes clear the important role of the lyrical themes featured throughout III.  When those collective themes are considered alongside the album’s musical arrangements, the whole therein makes III all the more engaging and entertaining.
Putting the final touch to III is its production.  The production was self-produced by the band.  That means that the band knew exactly what it wanted to present and clearly did what was necessary.  That is because the result of the trio’s work is that from one song to the next, the instrumental and vocal performances expertly compliment one another.  The positive impact of that balance is that the production ensures just as much engagement and entertainment as the album’s content.  The whole collectively makes III a work in whole that is a fully welcome addition to this year’s field of new independent albums.
III, the latest album from independent rock act The Squirts, is one of the most welcome surprises of this year’s new albums field.  That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements in question are diverse throughout, offering listeners plenty to appreciate in themselves.  The lyrical themes that accompany that musical material add even more to the presentation.  That is because of their familiarity, their unique delivery fashion and of course, the accessibility related to that uniqueness.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the record.  It ensures a positive aesthetic that does just as much to ensure audiences’ engagement and entertainment.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the album.  All things considered they make The Squirts’ new album proves to be among the best of this year’s top new independent albums.
III is available now through F-Bomb Records and Vanity Music Group.  More information on the album is available along with all of The Squirts’ latest news at:
Website: https://thesquirts1.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560560796803

BY: Philip Sayblack

​Chevelle fans have a lot to be excited about this month.  That is because earlier this month, the band released its latest album, Bright as Blasphemy and launched a tour in support of the record, the band’s 10th full-length studio recording.  The next stop on that tour will be Sunday night in the nation’s capital.  That stop will be followed up by a performance Wednesday night in Raleigh, NC.  No doubt the band is performing a number of songs from its latest album, too.  For those who maybe have not heard the album either at one of the band’s shows or on record, it is a mostly successful record that is well worth hearing at least once.  That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany that musical material add to the album’s interest.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole.  Each item noted plays its own important part to the overall presentation of Bright as Blasphemy.  All things considered they make the record another welcome addition to this year’s field of new hard rock albums.
Bright as Blasphemy, the latest album from Chevelle, is a presentation that the veteran hard rock band’s fans and more casual audiences alike will agree is worth hearing at least once.  That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements presented throughout the album’s 39-minute run time are engaging and entertaining. This despite the reality that from one to the next none of the featured arrangements really breaks any new ground for the band.  That familiar blend of “dark prog” from Tool and post-hardcore Project 86-esque lean are just as much on display as ever.  Now that is not to say that this is necessarily a bad thing.  That is because even with that noted, the band – brothers Pete and Sam Loeffler, and Dean Bernardini – has still managed to ensure each composition here has its own identity.  So, in short, what audiences get here is plenty of familiarity in the record’s musical arrangements alongside something that is still fresh. 
Understanding and accepting the familiarity of the arrangements featured throughout Bright as Blasphemy, listeners will naturally move on to the lyrical themes featured across the album’s nine total tracks.  The themes in question follow one central, overarching theme, that of “the exploration of manipulation, blind following, an societal susceptibility.”  From one song to the next, the band does an impressive job of tackling these topics.  Case in point is the album’s two-part song, ‘Cowards.’  Split into two songs – ‘Rabbit Hole’ and ‘Jim Jones,’ the songs examine how societies are set up for manipulation and then manipulated by various forces.  In the case of ‘Jim Jones,’ that force was the evil, cult leader Jim Jones.  As the album progresses into ‘Hallucinations,’ the band tackles the noted overarching theme of manipulation by examining how leaders give people false hope of freedom but in reality they use fear to make people believe they are free.  This very scenario is playing out right here in the United States today under the current administration, so it makes it a very timely examination.
‘Wolves (Love & Light)’ takes that examination even deeper as it takes things in a more philosophical and existential direction.  It examines how the manipulation in question causes people to start questioning their own morals.  Again, those who start to realize the manipulations happening do in fact start to face that moral ambiguity.  We see it in the people who voted for the current administration only to be betrayed by its officials.  So again it is a fully relevant topic.
The matter of blindly following comes into play in the very next song, ‘Karma Goddess.’  This as Pete Loeffler sings, “Night lit/Eyes fixed/Insight of it/No wonder lines get crossed/This undying love for kingdom come/And somebody burst the bubble/Of this fairytale/Remember your truth/Oh/If they summon you/They said my blindness needs to be cured/They said my blindness eats/At they nerves/Hey/Simple reminder, kid/Dying hills/They said/My blindness needs to be cured/Trust us/Simply trust us.”  That call to “trust us/Simply trust us” because “my blindness needs to be cured” makes the message here clear.  This is about the leaders telling society that they need to not question; to simply follow blindly.  That is dangerous and sadly is, again, happening daily here in the United States.  To that end it is yet another example of the strength and importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
From there, the themes of examining society’s manipulation and the consequences thereof continues in the record’s final three tracks in equally interesting fashion.  All things considered, the deep, hard hitting lyrical content presented throughout this record plays into the record’s equally heavy musical arrangements to make for so much impact.  The result of that combined engaging and entertaining content is a presentation that is certain to appeal plenty of audiences.
Adding one more layer of appeal within this album is its general production.  There is a lot going on in this record, between the heavy, rich instrumentation in each song and the vocals.  Each side compliments the other just right from beginning to end.  Yesa, there is a lot of energy and a lot of heaviness but thanks to the painstaking efforts that went into balancing both sides, the result is a positive sound that further immerses audiences in the album.  Keeping that in mind, the positive aesthetic impact of the production works with the album’s content to make the whole one more powerful offering from Chevelle that is also a welcome addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.
Bright as Blasphemy, the latest full-length studio recording from Chevelle, is a powerful new offering from the veteran hard rock band.  It is a presentation that will appeal equally to the band’s established audiences and to more casual listeners.  That is due in no small part to its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements are of note because of their familiarity in style.  The lyrical themes, which follow one central, overarching topic, bring their own interest.  That is because of their resonance.  Everything examined lyrically in these songs is happening here in the United States to this very day.  It makes every song fully relevant lyrically.  In all honesty the overarching theme featured here is both timely and timeless.  To that end, it could be argued to be the album’s cornerstone.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to this album.  All things considered they make Bright as Blasphemy another strong addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.
Bright as Blasphemy is available now.  More information on the album and the band’s supporting tour is available along with all of Chevelle’s latest news at:
Website: https://getmorechevelle.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/chevelle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chevelleinc

BY: Philip Sayblack

​Summer is turning the corner and before long will make way for fall.  In much of the country, millions are already feeling the change in the air as temperatures are finally falling along with humidity levels.  While temperatures are finally cooling off, things are heating up for Helloween.  That is because on Friday, the veteran power metal band released its latest album, Giants & Monsters.  A supporting tour across Europe is set to span Oct. 17-Nov. 22. The band’s 16th (yes, 16th) full-length studio album, it is easily a work that the band’s established audiences and more casual audiences alike will appreciate.  That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany that musical material adds its own interest to the whole, making for more engagement and entertainment.  The record’s production rounds out its most important elements.  When it is considered alongside the album’s overall content, the whole makes Giants & Monsters easily one more of the best of this year’s already very crowded field of top new hard rock and metal albums.
Hard rock and metal fans have had a lot to appreciate this year.  New albums from the likes of Arch Enemy, Bleed From Within, Bloodywood, Dream Theater, Grave Digger, Machine Head, and just so many others make that clear.  Even with only a few months left in the year there is still plenty to come, too, from the likes of Sabaton, Dirkschneider and the Old Gang, and Testament.  Needless to say, that means this year’s field of most notable new hard rock and metal albums is already very crowded.  Helloween’s brand-new album, Giants & Monsters, released Friday, only made for that much more crowding.  This 50-minute presentation appeals from beginning for established and casual audiences alike in part because of its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements in question do not necessarily break any new ground for the band but that is OK.  That is because even with that familiarity in mind, the band still manages to make each of the album’s 10 total tracks unique from works that make up the rest of the band’s catalog.  In other words, that stylistic familiarity is there but the songs still boast their own identity separate from so much of the band’s expansive body of work.  At the same time, comparisons can also be made to works from so many of Helloween’s power metal contemporaries.  Right from the album’s outset, ‘Giants on the Run,’ audiences can make comparisons to works from Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and even Saxon.  Meanwhile the album’s latest single, ‘A Little Is A Little Too Much’ dives back into Helloween’s own 80s hair metal-infused works, so there again is that familiarity in its own right.  With ‘Universe (Gravity For Hearts),’ listeners could argue a comparison to works from yet another power metal act, none other than Dragonforce.  So to that end, the album’s musical arrangements are not necessarily unique here but even with that familiarity are still their own works even therein.  To that end, they make for a good starting point for the record.
The lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical arrangements builds the appeal for Giants & Monsters.  That is because of its own accessibility and familiarity.  Case in point is yet one more single from this record, ‘This Is Tokyo.’  The album’s lead single, it is a tribute to the city in question, according to front man Andi Deris.  Deris said of the song’s lyrical theme in an interview, “Japan plays a special role in my life because I had my first successes there.  I wanted to create a tribute to Japan for a while now and finally found the right lyrics.  ‘Because ‘Tokyo’ sounds better than ‘Japan,’ the city stands for a whole country that is very important to me.”  Having such a tribute has got to make the people of Japan and Tokyo in whole very proud.  On another level, everyone has had that place or person that has played a pivotal role in their lives.  That is what this song is about.  To that end, it is fully relatable to audiences, proving in its own way, the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
Going back to ‘Universe (Gravity For Hearts),’ guitarist Sascha Gerstner said of the song’s lyrical theme, “Everything in the universe is connected and what looks like infinite stars could in reality, be moments, hearts, and choices.”  In other words, we are a tiny little speck about the size of Mickey Rooney (Animaniacs fans will get that reference).  We are all one little part of something so much grander.  This is a great starting point for a much bigger existential and philosophical discussion, further proving again the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
‘A Little Is a Little Too Much’ is yet one more example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.  Deris said here in short that essentially, the theme is one of how one little thing happening can lead to something much bigger happening.  That something bigger is not always necessarily good, either.  In other words, we need to take into account the consequences of our actions.  Once again here we have a deep concept to which audiences are certain to connect.  To that end, it and the other themes examined here pair with the rest of the album’s lyrical themes to strengthen the record’s presentation all the more.  When the overall lyrical content is considered alongside the album’s musical arrangements, that whole makes for plenty of reason for audiences to take in this album.
The overall content presented throughout Giants & Monsters is just part of what makes the album impressive.  The record’s production rounds out its most important elements.  Throughout the course of the album’s nearly hour-long run time, the vocals and instrumentation are expertly balanced.  At no point does one musician overpower his band mates.  The result is that the sound quality throughout the album is just as impressive as the record’s overall content.  Keeping that in mind, all three items combine to make Giants & Monsters a fully successful new offering from Helloween.
Giants & Monsters, the latest album from Helloween, is a strong new offering from the veteran power metal band.  That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements are key because of their familiarity in sound and style and how that is balanced with the unique identity created within each work.  The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements is important because of its own familiarity and accessibility.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to its presentation, ensuring a positive audio quality from beginning to end.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of Giants & Monsters.  All things considered they make the album one more welcome addition to this year’s already very crowded field of new hard rock and metal albums. 
Giants & Monsters is available now.  More information on the album and the band’s forthcoming tour in support of the album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://helloween.org
Facebook: https://facebook.com/helloweenofficial
X: https://x.com/helloweenorg

BY: Philip Sayblack

Late next month, Rhino Records will re-issue Foghat’s seminal 1975 album, Fool for the City to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the platinum-selling record’s release.  It will be released separately on a 2LP and 2CD set, ensuring fans of both platforms will get to enjoy the presentation.  The forthcoming presentation is among the best of this year’s new music re-issues.  That is proven in part to the album’s production.  The bonus concert that accompanies the record in both platform presentations adds to the appeal.  The companion booklet that also accompanies the new presentation rounds out the whole of the recording’s positives.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the recording.  All things considered they make Rhino Records’ forthcoming re-issue of Foghat’s Fool for the City a work that the band’s established audiences will appreciate just as much as rock fans in general.
Rhino Records’ forthcoming re-issue of Foghat’s Fool for the City is a presentation that the band’s established audiences will appreciate just as much as rock purists.  That is proven in part through its main body.  From the album’s opener and title track to ‘Terraplane Blues,’ the album’s midpoint, to ‘Drive Me Home’ and ‘Take It Or Leave It’ – the album’s penultimate and finale tracks – the audio on the record’s CD presentation is just as clear as on any vinyl pressing from any act out there.  Simply put, the production in this re-issue is proof that audio transfer from vinyl to CD (the original recording would have been on vinyl in the first place) is possible without any loss at all.  To that end, for all of the vinyl fans out there, the resurgence in vinyl’s popularity will not ever lead to the demise of CDs.
Another positive to note in this new presentation is the bonus concert recording that accompanies the re-issue on both platforms, vinyl and CD.  Having the bonus concert on both platforms means that audiences will get to enjoy the concert regardless of which platform they choose.  This may not seem like much on the surface, but there are records out there whose bonus content has been limited to one platform or another, so, to have it available on both is a huge positive to this recording. 
On a related note, the concert, which was originally recorded in November 1975 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, IL boasts an interesting audio presentation.  Unlike so many modern concert recordings, this recording does not have the spit-shined sound quality of said offerings.  There are moments with front man “Lonesome” Dave Peverett’s vocals are a little bit washed out by the instrumentations throughout the concert.  At other times, the balance is better.  Overall, though, the audio quality is that “raw” presentation that is exactly what audiences would expect from being in person at a concert even today.  To that end, the availability of the concert on both platforms and its audio quality are of equal importance herein. 
Getting to the 8-song concert’s overall body, (the ninth track is actually a three-minute archived interview with drummer Roger Earl and Nick Jameson with Bass Frontiers magazine about the creation of ‘Slow Ride,’ one of the band’s biggest hits, if not its biggest ever), three of the songs are lifted from Fool for the City while three others – ‘Honey Hush,’ ‘Home in My Hand’ and ‘Wild Cherry’ – were lifted from the band’s 174 album, Energized.  ‘Maybellene’ was itself a cover of the song popularized first by Chuck Berry two decades earlier.  As the liner notes included in this record point out, ‘My Babe’ was also a cover, this time of the song by The Righteous Brothers.  So, while the set list clearly was not necessarily career-spanning for the band at that point, it still offered its own share of enjoyment, focusing on Fool For the City and at least one of the band’s then five total albums.  It is another live recording that until its release here, had never been released previously.  Keeping that in mind along with the reality that we do not know how much longer Foghat will keep going (considering Roger Earl’s age and that of the other band members), having such a vintage concert is a bonus in itself for audiences.  Whenever the band does call it a career, audiences who own this set will still be able to enjoy this concert from the band’s early days.
Moving on from there, there is one more positive to the whole of the 50th anniversary re-issue of Fool for the City.  That bonus is the set’s companion booklet.  The booklet is of its own importance because of the background that it offers on the songs featured in the main album.  It clearly points out which songs are covers and which are originals.  In regard to the originals, audiences will appreciate Earl’s anecdotes about said songs.  For instance, the very fact that ‘Fool for The City’ was – as Earl points out – about the band’s love of New York City, is pretty interesting.  It makes the energy in the song’s musical arrangement make more sense, as well as the song’s lyrical content.  The story that he shares herein as to how the song came to be is engaging and entertaining. 
Earl’s discussion on how ‘Slow Ride’ came to be is interesting, especially due to the note of the influence of blues legend John Lee Hooker.  He writes here, “Actually, a song like ‘Slow Ride’ is a John Lee Hooker riff, just played in a 4/4 as opposed toa shuffle.  Thank you, John Lee.  There’d be no boogie without John Lee Hooker.”  That is one heck of a tribute to note the influence of that blues legend on another equally famed and respected act. 
Speaking of one act paying homage to another, Earl writes in his discussion on ‘Save Your Loving (For Me),’ “We channeled one of our favorite bands on this one, Bad Company.”  He called the song, which was the b-side to ‘Slow Ride,’ “one of my favorite songs, especially the way Rod and Nick played.”  It is certainly a fan favorite to this day, too.  It would be interesting to learn even deeper, the role that Bad Company played in this song’s creation.  Sadly, Earl did not expand on that matter, but that is OK.  That this background in itself is added makes the song all the more interesting and may even get some listeners more interested in Bad Company who otherwise might not have listened to said band’s work.  So it is another example of the positives of the liner notes presented here.  When this and the other liner notes discussed here are considered alongside the other liner notes, the body of the bonus concert recording and the production in the main album, the whole makes this 50th anniversary re-issue of Foll for the City a record that Foghat’s established audiences will appreciate just as much as any more casual rock fan.
Rhino Records’ forthcoming 50th anniversary edition of Fool for the City is a strong presentation that will appeal widely among rock fans and those of the band itself.  That is proven in part through the production of the album’s re-issue.  In its transfer from the original vinyl recording to the new CD platform, there was no loss.  This means the sound quality is top notch here.  Speaking of audio, that of the companion bonus concert adds to the engagement and entertainment.  That is because it really does make audiences feel like they are really there.  It is not that spit-shined production of so many of today’s concert recordings.  The liner notes included in this recording, penned by drummer Roger Earl, put the finishing touch to the whole.  That is because of the background that his notes add to each song.  It really enhances the listening experience well.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of this record.  If there is any one negative to this whole it is the packaging, which sadly does allow the discs to easily fall out but that is not enough to doom the recording.  All things considered, the forthcoming 50th anniversary re-issue of Foghat’s Fool for the City is among the best of this year’s new music re-issues.
The 50th Anniversary re-issue of Fool for the City is scheduled for release Sept. 12.  More information on the recording is available along with all of Foghat’s latest news at:
Website: http://www.foghat.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/foghat
Twitter: http://twitter.com/foghat

BY: Philip Sayblack

​Summer is almost over and with it, so is Styx’s latest tour run.  The tour, which launched May 28 in Greenville, SC, is scheduled to wind down Aug. 24 in Milwaukee, WI.  The North American run is in support of the band’s latest album, Circling From Above, which the band released physically July 18.  The 13-song record is a work that will engage and entertain the veteran rock act’s established audiences as well as more casual listeners.  This is proven in part through its musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany said content does its own share to interest listeners, as does the sequencing of that overall content.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album.  All things considered they make Circling From Above a welcome addition to this year’s field of new rock albums.
Circling From Above, the latest album from Styx, is a presentation that will largely appeal to the band’s established audiences.  It will appeal to more casual listeners, too.  That is due in large part to its featured musical arrangements.  The album’s musical arrangements exhibit a blend of familiar older sounds from Styx and more modern style arrangements that are fitting for rock stations whose program directors are actually willing to play singles from established acts.  Yes, that is a commentary about said radio stations and their unwillingness to play said music.  One of the most notable of the more “modern” arrangements comes early in the album’s run in the form of ‘King of Love.’  The steady drum beat, production guitar riff and tuned vocal delivery in the verses conjures thoughts of works from Muse while.  The choruses meanwhile give listeners a touch of throwback sensibility. 
On a somewhat different note, ‘Blue Eyed Raven’ stands out with its flamenco-style guitar line at its foundation.  That, coupled with the mandolin, makes the whole a work that is easily modern in its world music approach.  At the same time, there is something in the vocal delivery and its production that still gives the song its own familiar vintage Styx vibe.  The whole therein is expertly balanced and gives listeners established and otherwise plenty to appreciate in its own way.
‘Michigan,’ the album’s third entry, is another example of how the band has managed to balance its vintage sound with something more familiar.  The fuzz of the guitars, paired with the vocals and rest of the arrangement makes the whole comparable to works from the likes of Spock’s Beard, believe it or not.  When this song and the others examined here are considered with the rest of the album’s entries, many of which in the second half are far more familiar, stylistically, the whole therein makes the musical body of Circling From Above a strong starting point for the album.
Moving to the album’s lyrical themes, one thing that is easy to grasp is that so much of the album’s lyrical content centers on relationships and women.  Case in point are songs, such as ‘King of Love,’ ‘She Knows,’ and ‘Forgive.’  There are songs that stray from that all too familiar norm, though, not the least of which being the album’s lead single, ‘Build and Destroy.’  Front man Tommy Shaw said in an interview, the song centers lyrically on the waste that orbits the earth, noting how so many satellites have been sent into orbit and then “tossed aside.”  He likened it to our own relationships, so even therein is a relationship allegory, making for more familiarity for audiences.  ‘It’s Clear’ is another song that seems, lyrically, to break from the all too familiar themes of romance and relationships here.  In this case, the theme comes across as being a social commentary of sorts.  The same applies to ‘Everybody Raise a Glass,’ which comes across as sending a reminder about unity and trying to remain optimistic even amid the negative.  ‘We Lost The Wheel Again’ and ‘Only You Can Decide,’ the album’s penultimate entry and its finale, are even more of that content that strays, thankfully, from the other noted content.  Simply put, the band offers a certain amount of familiarity, lyrically speaking in the content centered on romance and relationships while also presenting content that is deeper and more resonant.  To that end, the overall lyrical content featured in this record does just as much to make it engaging and entertaining as its musical arrangements.  All things considered, they make for plenty for audiences to take in.
Knowing how much the record’s overall content has to offer audiences, there is one more item to note here.  That item is the sequencing of said content.  As noted there is plenty of familiarity in the record both musically and lyrically, as well as other content.  From the record’s beginning to its end, that content is changed up just enough to keep things interesting.  On the matter of the musical arrangements, it seems that most of the more “modern” sounding content makes up the record’s first half while the second half boasts more of the band’s older, more familiar sound and style.  Lyrically speaking, the album changes things up just enough, too.  While there is, again, a certain amount of lyrical content centered on the all too familiar topics of romance and relationships, the album does not make listeners sit through that material for too long.  Rather, it mixes that material in alongside the more thoughtful material, ensuring listeners’ engagement and entertainment all the more.  The end result of the clearly well-thought-out sequencing is a listening experience that is sure to keep most listeners engaged and entertained.  When the positive impact of the sequencing is considered alongside that of the album’s content, the whole therein leaves Circling From Above one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new rock albums.
Circling From Above, the latest album from Styx, is a record that will appeal easily to a wide range of audiences.  This is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements are of note because of their blend of familiar older styles and sounds and more “modern” works.  The lyrical themes do just as much to appeal to listeners.  That is because of the blend of the all too familiar romance and relationship topics and the more welcome social commentaries.  The sequencing of said content puts the finishing touch to the whole, keeping things interesting for audiences.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album.  All things considered, they make Circling From Above one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new rock albums.
Circling From Above is available now.  More information on the album is available along with all of Styx’s latest news at:
Website: https://styxworld.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/styxtheband
Twitter: https://twitter.com/STYXtheband