Manimal – ‘Armageddon’ (AFM Records)

Manimal – ‘Armageddon’ (AFM Records)

Apparently, Swedish metallers Manimal don’t like being called a power metal band and I must agree with them. To me they sound like a classic metal band, think of a combination of Judas Priest, King Diamond, Queensryche and Machine Head and you’re not far away from the sound of Manimal, named after the classic W.A.S.P. song maybe?

 

The imagery of the band lends itself to King Diamond and the whole Norwegian Black metal scene. Armageddon is a fitting title for the latest release for the band with its apocalyptic song themes. Before we get to the music though, I must mention the album covers amazing artwork by Stan W. Decker.  It’s a cross between Meat Loaf’s ‘Bat Out of Hell’ and the Terminator! A proper metal album cover. I would have bought the album for the cover alone!

 

Opening track ‘Burn in Hell’  begins with an atmospheric build up before a full-on metal assault with a huge riff, double bass barrages and some fantastic Halfordesque vocals from Samuel Nyman who really sounds incredible here. ‘Chains of Fury’ is a real highlight with its mid-paced chugging riff, more vocal acrobatics, and some fantastic melodic soloing from guitarist Henrik Stenroos. ‘Forged in Metal’ sounds like a track that could have been on Priest’s classic ‘Painkiller’ album. I really can’t emphasise enough how good Nyman sounds on this album. His range is incredible.

A strong metal album with plenty to keep hardcore metal fans happy. Great musicianship, songs that are not too long and great production from the band themselves make this a very enjoyable listen.

 

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Sweet Oblivion Featuring Geoff Tate – ‘Relentless’ (Frontiers)

Sweet Oblivion Featuring Geoff Tate – ‘Relentless’ (Frontiers)

Sweet Oblivion is a project that was put together by Frontiers Music guru Serafino Perugino around two years ago to give veteran metal vocalist Geoff Tate another musical outlet. The self-titled debut album was written, performed (apart from vocals) and produced by DGM guitarist Simone Mularoni and was well received in metal circles. This time around another Italian metal legend Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Timo Tolkki’s Avalon, Archon Angel) has taken the reigns. Tate has been much more involved with the song writing on this latest effort and there is plenty here that fans of classic Queensryche (and classic metal in general) can sink their teeth into.

The idea is simple but effective, give Tate a vessel that echoes his early work with Queensryche. Let’s be honest here, anyone who is going to listen to this is a fan of the Ryche and they want to hear Tate in a familiar setting. Tate has one of those “Marmite” voices (I happen to love his voice) but I know plenty of people that aren’t fans.

His legacy is a strong one though, Queensryche were a multi-platinum selling band at their peak and they have influenced many with their “Thinking Man’s Metal”.  This project isn’t all about nostalgia though, there are some other musical influences at play here. There are elements of classical music as well as crunching riffs and European power metal. Tate sounds fantastic throughout the album and seems to have a new vigour to his voice. This is easily up there with his best vocal performances since the Empire album back in 1990.

The album has a similar direction to the debut and the change of producer/song writer doesn’t seem to hinder the material at all. Tracks like the single Strong Pressure, Remember Me, Let It Be and the fantastic Aria with Tate singing in Italian all hit the target. They are well crafted and performed, and the band who include Lonobile on guitar, Michele Sanna on drums, Luigi Andreone on bass and Antonio Agate on keyboards can quite easily be overlooked due to the emphasis being on Tate. Of course, without Tate there would probably be no Sweet Oblivion, even so, the band should get some well-deserved kudos.

Strong songs, great production and fantastic artwork makes the package a desirable one. Tate is back on top form, and the Sweet Oblivion name may even see the day when they won’t need the Featuring Geoff Tate tag.

Buy Sweet OBlivion Here

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

 

 

 

 

Queensryche – Islington Assembly Hall 14/08/19

Queensryche – Islington Assembly Hall 14/08/19

Many years ago my love for Queensryche forced me into getting my first tattoo, the Pushead Empire Tri-ryche, which I had etched across my back after witnessing the band play another spectacular show on the Promised Land tour. Strangely after that things started to go slowly wrong. The band soon lost an integral part in guitarist-songwriter Chris DeGarmo and while several of the albums still had some great songs, they seemed to get into a rut of plodding repetition, that despite us being told were new and exciting, were often just dull and sometimes nothing short of terrible. Then the unthinkable happened and vocalist Geoff Tate was ousted from the band. That voice, gone.

While this would have been the final nail in the coffin for most bands, Queensryche aren’t most bands, and soon they were back with a new enthusiasm and with a new vocalist, Todd La Torre formally of Crimson Glory, who was more than man enough for the job. After the band’s third release with La Torre (the frankly magnificent ‘The Verdict’), I found myself snapping up tickets for their London show excited to see the band for the first time since 2010 when I left that show unsure if I would ever bother again. Luckily I did.

Kicking off with the opening track from ‘The Verdict’, Blood of Levant, it soon became apparent that the fire was back and despite now having only two original members, the soul of the band was still intact. With a setlist that spanned the years new material such as personal favourite ‘Light Years’ sat very comfortably between tracks as strong as ‘Jet City Woman’ and ‘Eyes of a Stranger’, and more tellingly even had fans singing it back word for word as well. This became more and more apparent throughout the gig with new material like Condition Human, Man the Machine and Propaganda Fashion being received as old favourites and seeing the busy venue head-banging along throughout.

While perhaps not the most active band on stage that you will ever see, Queensryche make up for it in sheer musicianship and Todd La Torre himself is something of a revelation, nailing everything with ease and also coming across warm, friendly and very humble. I found myself pretty much memorised by his performance, so much so when he hit “that note” at the opening of ‘Take hold of The Flame’, not only did I get goosebumps, I had a full lump in the throat and found myself welling up as I never thought I would experience that again.

Finishing with a sixteen song set with a rapturously received ‘Empire’, smiles were plastered across the faces of both band and crowd, and the newly announced UK dates later this year has left me checking to see who doesn’t deserve a Christmas present this year so I can afford another road trip to go and see a band that I can once again call one of my favourites!

Author: Nigel Taylor