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Post by Erik Rupp on Jul 14, 2018 18:34:34 GMT -5
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Post by Erik Rupp on Jul 14, 2018 12:12:33 GMT -5
Here is our tribute to the late, great Vinnie Paul of Pantera, Damageplan, Rebel Meets Rebel, and Hellyeah. A great drummer and a great guy!
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Post by Erik Rupp on Jul 14, 2018 12:10:53 GMT -5
These shows will feature only music from the 70's! From early Heavy Metal to Hard Rock to Classic Rock...
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Post by Erik Rupp on Jul 14, 2018 12:00:27 GMT -5
An audio version of the Vista Records Radio "Van Halen Top 30."
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Post by Erik Rupp on Jul 14, 2018 11:56:18 GMT -5
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Post by Erik Rupp on Mar 22, 2018 22:46:06 GMT -5
Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios have been one of the biggest success stories in Hollywood over the last decade. They have made 18 movies, and all of them have been successful - some of them have been hugely successful and remain wildly popular. Feige's decision making on stories, choice of directors, and casting has been excellent to this point. But he's making a huge mistake with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What mistake is that? Dropping Chris Evans from the MCU. Chris Evans was one of the most inspired bits of casting Hollywood has seen in the last couple of decades. His portrayal of Steve Rogers has been fantastic. His ability to not only show Rogers' nobility, but also his vulnerability and determination, has been a highlight of the MCU. No one could have done it better. Chris Evans became Steve Rogers in a way that most Marvel Comics fans could have only dreamed possible 20, 30, or even 50 years ago. And now Feige and Marvel are planning to say goodbye to Evans after 2019. Avengers 4 will reportedly be the last movie to feature Evans as Steve Rogers, and after that Marvel's plans are top secret, more or less. While Marvel Studios will continue to pump out good to great movies, and while they will still be wildly successful, there will be a hole there - and empty spot where Evans as Captain America should be. Robert Downey Jr. is aging quickly, and his portrayal of Tony Stark is starting to wear thin (many MCU fans have said that RDJ was the weak link in Spider-Man Homecoming as well as Captain America Civil War). Replacing him or retiring Iron Man for a time makes sense. Downey really is getting too old to play Tony Stark effectively, and people are starting to tire of the way Downey plays the role. Make no mistake, Downey was the centerpiece of the MCU for several years, and the first Iron Man movie set the tone that Marvel Studios has so successfully followed. Downey was excellent in the role, but it has become a bit two dimensional - Stark is either a flippant smartass, or he's a dour lecturer. Unlike Evans, whose Steve Rogers is multi layered and is given new ground to explore in almost every movie, Downey as Stark is kind of a one trick pony (OK, a two trick pony). Evans is much younger than Downey, and he brings a lot more to the table than Downey does going forward. So why is Feige, along with the rest of the people at Marvel Studios, so hell bent on saying goodbye to Chris Evans? To focus on the new characters going forward? OK, that's fine - but I would like to remind Kevin Feige of one thing: This has been done before, and it didn't work. It was done in the comics in the late 60's. Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor were dropped from The Avengers comic so they could focus on the newer characters (Hawkeye, Black Panther, Giant Man, and Vision). The comics were still fairly good, and they still sold fairly well - but they were not AS good, and did not sell AS well without Cap as they did with him. Cap was brought back (along with Iron Man and Thor at times), and sales perked up again. The stories were more exciting and interesting. The A Team was back. The B Team was OK, but not as interesting and not as exciting as the A Team. Captain America would remain with the team for quite a while and was there far more often than he wasn't. The Avengers works MUCH better when Captain America is leading the team. The comic always has, and it always will. The same will be true of the movies. Chris Evans' absence will be felt just as much as the presence of everyone who is there. There will be a hole in the team that will be almost impossible to adequately fill. It's a shame that Feige and Marvel Studios have decided to prematurely end Chris Evans' run as Steve Rogers. He will be greatly missed.
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Post by Erik Rupp on Jan 18, 2018 0:14:48 GMT -5
The second in our series going over the top songs from various bands/artists is for Aerosmith. Again, our list is a hybrid of our favorite songs tempered by which ones we think are musically superior.
So, in the words of Sting - It's Showtime!!
Aerosmith Top 30
1. Sweet Emotion (Toys in the Attic, 1975)
2. Combination (Rocks, 1976)
3. Walk This Way (Toys in the Attic, 1975)
4. Lightning Strikes (Rock In A Hard Place, 1982)
5. Back in the Saddle (Rocks, 1976)
6. Toys in the Attic (Toys in the Attic, 1975)
7. No Surprise (Night in the Ruts, 1979)
8. Let The Music Do The Talking (Done With Mirrors, 1985)
9. Bolivian Ragamuffin (Rock In A Hard Place, 1982)
10. Eat The Rich (Get A Grip, 1993)
11. Sick As A Dog (Rocks, 1976)
12. S.O.S. (Too Bad) (Get Your Wings, 1974)
13. Nobody's Fault (Rocks, 1976)
14. Lick and a Primise (Rocks, 1976)
15. Bone To Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy) (Night in the Ruts, 1979)
16. Cheese Cake (Night in the Ruts, 1979)
17. Bitch's Brew (Rock In A Hard Place, 1982)
18. Rats in the Cellar (Rocks, 1976)
19. Adam's Apple (Toys in the Attic, 1975)
20. Jailbait (Rock In A Hard Place, 1982)
21. Last Child (Rocks, 1976)
22. Chiquita (Night in the Ruts, 1979)
23. Rock In A Hard Place (Cheshire Cat) (Rock In A Hard Place, 1982)
24. My Fist Your Face (Done With Mirrors, 1985)
25. Make It (Aerosmith, 1973)
26. Same Old Song and Dance (Get Your Wings, 1974)
27. Walk On Down (Get A Grip, 1993)
28. Draw The Line (Draw The Line, 1977)
29. Mama Kin (Aerosmith, 1973)
30. Dream On (Aerosmith, 1973)
Honorable Mentions:
Heart's Done Time (Permanent Vacation, 1987) Permanent Vacation (Permanent Vacation, 1987) Kings and Queens (Draw The Line, 1977) Rag Doll (Permanent Vacation, 1987) Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man (Pump, 1989)
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Post by Erik Rupp on Dec 12, 2017 20:49:33 GMT -5
This is the first in a series of lists on Vista Records compiling the, "Best," songs from various bands and artists. "Best," is always a tricky thing when it comes to song or album lists as it often becomes, "Favorite," songs or albums. Our hope is to find the middle ground between, "Best," and, "Favorite," with these lists. The number of songs on the song lists will depend in large part on the number of songs that the given band or artist has released to date.
Up first...
KISS
1. Black Diamond (KISS, 1974)
2. Detroit Rock City (Destroyer 1976)
3. Hotter Than Hell (Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
4. Deuce (KISS, 1974)
5. 100,000 Years (KISS, 1974)
6. Unholy (Revenge, 1992)
7. I Want You (Rock and Roll Over, 1976)
8. Got To Choose (Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
9. Modern Day Delilah (Sonic Boom, 2009)
10. Love Gun (Love Gun, 1977)
11. I've Had Enough (Animalize, 1984)
12. Strutter (KISS, 1974)
13. Firehouse (KISS, 1974)
14. Heaven's On Fire (Animalize, 1984)
15. Tears Are Falling (Asylum, 1985)
16. King of the Night Time World (Destroyer, 1976)
17. Calling Dr. Love (Rock and Roll Over, 1976)
18. Jungle (Carnival Of Souls, 1995/1997)
19. Parasite (Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
20. Flaming Youth (Destroyer, 1976)
21. All American Man (ALIVE II, Studio Side, 1977)
22. Shock Me (Love Gun, 1977)
23. Rocket Ride (ALIVE II, Studio Side, 1977)
24. I Stole Your Love (Love Gun, 1977)
25. Love Her All I Can (Dressed To Kill, 1975)
26. Master and Slave (Carnival Of Souls, 1995/1997)
27. Domino (Revenge, 1992)
28. Creatures of the Night (Creatures of the Night, 1982)
29. Let Me Go; Rock & Roll (Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
30. Heart of Chrome (Revenge, 1992)
31. Who Wants To Be Lonely (Asylum, 1985)
32. Watchin' You (Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
33. Hate (Carnival of Souls, 1995/1997)
34. Take Me (Rock and Roll Over, 1976)
35. Exciter (Lick It Up, 1983)
36. Thou Shalt Not (Revenge, 1992)
37. The Devil Is Me (Monster, 2012)
38. Larger Than Life (ALIVE II, Studio Side, 1977)
39. Psycho Circus (Psycho Circus, 1998)
40. Nowhere To Run (Killers, 1982)
Now, as with any list like this there will be comments like, "Where's this song or that song?" But we're pretty happy with the way this list looks. Of course, if we compiled it again a year from now there might be slight tweaks, a song or two dropped and replaced, placements raised or lowered by a spot or three, but overall we are satisfied with this list.
Feel free to post a list of your own if yours is significantly different from this one.
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Post by Erik Rupp on Aug 19, 2017 2:28:42 GMT -5
In the 70's, the Rock scene hadn't yet become what it would be in the 80's. The sheer number of bands hadn't yet gotten out of hand (there were a lot of bands, but it wasn't as crazy as it would be a decade later), but despite fewer competitors many of those who did get signed just couldn't find a large audience. Some of them achieved cult status (Budgie, Moxy, etc), and some came amazingly close to breaking it big - but didn't. Two of the most obvious examples are Angel and Starz. Interestingly, both of them had KISS connections. Angel was on the same record label as KISS, Casablanca, while Starz shared KISS' management company (Aucoin Management) and musical and theatrical advisor (Sean Delaney). While Angel was a theatrical band, much like KISS, Starz were more of a precursor to the kind of visual band that Van Halen would become. Lead vocalist Michael Lee Smith was a high energy performer on stage, much like David Lee Roth, and he was very athletic, again, much like Diamond Dave. The band started out with a couple of the guys wearing platform boots, like the early ones KISS wore, but there wasn't any make up or outrageous costumes. Well, not as over the top as what KISS wore, anyway. Where Starz scored a coup over KISS was in the producer they landed for their first two albums - Jack Douglas. Douglas had just made a name for himself producing Aerosmith's classic Toys in the Attic album. KISS had interest in Douglas following their breakthrough album, ALIVE, but they and their management decided to go with Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper) instead. Starz, on the other hand, knew that Douglas was their man, and he was hired to produce their first album. (KISS would then try to land Douglas as the producer for what became their Rock and Roll Over album, but Douglas was busy working with Starz and Aerosmith and wasn't available - which is a shame as Douglas would have been a great producer for KISS!) But what about that debut Starz album? It is a fantastic slice of American Hard Rock and Proto-Metal circa 1976. It features a combination of KISS, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Montrose, and Cheap Trick in musical style, and the audio production of the album is very similar to what Douglas got on Aerosmith's Rocks album. The guitars crunch and grind but have great earthy tone underneath that crunch and grind. The drums have snap and punch, and the bass sounds, well, like a well recorded bass. But the songs - MAN - THE SONGS! They kill! The album features one song after another with killer riffs and catchy, melodic vocal melodies and some amazing hooks. "(She's Just A) Fallen Angel," nearly broke the band out of the gate. Probably the most accessible, moderately toned down song on the album, "Fallen Angel," is a terrific, accessible, crossover Rock song. It rocks, but it's also radio friendly and featured a chorus catchy enough to have gotten played on 70's Top 40 radio - which it did. A little. The song peaked on the Billboard Top 100 singles chart at #95, getting airplay in some regional markets, but not throughout the country. Still, it was a start. The album sold fairly well for a debut album (Rock bands weren't necessarily expected to hit it big with their first album back at that time - Artist Development was still a big thing, as the record company and the band's management would work together to build a band with the second or third album expected to be the band's breakthrough). The band made a great appearance on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and absolutely hit it out of the park with an electrifying, energetic performance of one of the album's best tracks, "Monkey Business." But despite, "(She's Just A) Fallen Angel," "Monkey Business," and the infectious, "Detroit Girls," Starz, the album wasn't the hit that it should have been. More than 40 years later there can be no denying the quality of the songwriting, performances, or audio production on the album, but as is often the case, quality doesn't always equal sales. (More often than not it doesn't...) So the band went back into the studio with Douglas and recorded the follow up, which many fans consider to be their best - Violation. Without question it was their most successful album and featured their only Top 40 hit, "Cherry Baby," a Power Pop song that was even more radio friendly than, "Fallen Angel," and just as catchy. The album's title track was a solid proto-Metal track about a dystopian future where Rock and Roll had been outlawed (as had all kinds of fun behaviors and activities). It's effective, and not nearly as cheesy as the subject matter could have been (let's face it, in the campy 70's this kind of thing often didn't turn out well). The album was solid, maybe not quite as hard rock from top to bottom as the debut album, but the boundaries they pushed brought some good results. And yet the album, despite several great tracks and a Top 40 hit ("Cherry Baby" hit #33) failed to break the band to an audience the size of which KISS, Aerosmith, and Ted Nugent were enjoying. (Violation sold better than the debut, reaching #89 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart - not bad, but not a true hit.) So what do do? The band, record company (Capitol), and manager Bill Aucoin decided to go full on Power Pop for album #3 - Attention Shoppers! Power Pop, ballads, early Pop Punk (Punky Pop?), and even a hint of the style that would morph into New Wave a year or so later - Attention Shoppers was all of that. And that's where the wheels fell off. Sure, the album featured several very well written songs ("She," was absolutely fantastic), but the audience Starz had been courting was more interested in the harder edged music, and as would happen with KISS a couple of years later when they went too far in the Pop direction, that audience abandoned Starz. Realizing their misstep, Starz regrouped and went through a couple line-up changes (bassist Pieter Sweval and guitarist Brandon Harkin were both replaced, by Orville Davis and Bobby Messano, respectively). The two new guys joined original members Michael Lee Smith, guitarist Richie Ranno, and drummer Joe X. Dube - as well as producer Jack Richardson (mentor to Bob Ezrin, who was the mentor to Jack Douglas) who was brought in with the plan to recapture the harder edged sound that Starz was known for on their first two albums. The result - Coliseum Rock! It's a good album. Nearly as good as the first two, and right in that wheelhouse. An album that should have brought back those fans who were turned off by Attention Shoppers' foray into Poppier territiry. But it didn't. Not to the degree that the band, their management, and, most importantly, their record company hoped it would. Despite solid, high energy, posterior kicking tracks like, "Take Me," "No Regrets," and "Don't Stop Now," the album failed to match the sales numbers of their previous albums and Capitol dropped the band, effectively ending Starz as a viable national act. The Starz story doesn't quite end there, though. They would regroup a couple times in the early 80's, morphing into the band Hellcats before disappearing for several years, then returning to record new songs in the early 90's only to disappear again until 2003 when various line-ups of the group would reform to play sporadic shows for over a decade. Their albums would be reissued a few times on CD, first by Metal Blade in the early 90's, then by Ryko just over a decade later (in great remastered versions with bonus tracks). But for a couple years in the mid 70's it looked to many like Starz would join KISS, Aerosmith, and Ted Nugent as major players in the American Hard Rock market. And they almost did. They certainly should have.
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Post by Erik Rupp on Jul 30, 2016 18:25:20 GMT -5
DIO - A Decade of DioSix years after the untimely passing of arguably the greatest Rock/Heavy Metal singer in history comes a compilation of the first six albums from the band that bore his name. It's A Decade of Dio, and it features remastered versions of Holy Diver, The Last In Line, Sacred Heart, Dream Evil, Lock Up The Wolves, and Strange Highways. There isn't a dud in the bunch, with two of them being all time classics (Holy Diver and The Last In Line). So given that these albums have been available on CD for decades, is it really worth spending the money on this new box set? Well, for one thing the packaging is really cool. An outer box that holds the CD's in mini-LP/Record sleeves makes for a really nice looking package. For another thing, the remastering on some of these albums is the best to date, giving the albums a modern, but not brickwalled sound. Rather than going over the music on each album (we have reviews of the individual albums on the site already), let's focus on the sonics of the set, comparing the various releases and assessing where these new remastered versions fit in. Going chronologically, we start with... Holy DiverHoly Diver has been released on CD no fewer than 4 times now, and this may be the best it has ever sounded. The Audio Fidelity Gold CD has the most accurate mastering job (no extra EQ, minimal compression) so it sounds the most like what they were hearing in the studio, but this version sounds a little better at home or, especially, in the car. It maintains the crisp, clear high end while adding more low end and warm mids. It is more compressed, enough that it could be seen as a negative, but it's not brickwalled so the instruments still have something of a chance to breathe (there is still some sonic space between them, so it maintains an open, clear sound - maybe not as much as the Audio Fidelity version or the original CD release, but moreso than the Deluxe Edition). Most notable, however, is how, "In your face," this version of Holy Diver sounds. It isn't just louder, it's punchier. The set starts off on a high note not just musically, but sonically as the newly remastered version of Holy Diver sounds fantastic. Grade: A The Last In Line While the version of Holy Diver from this set is pretty much the best that album has ever sounded, this version of The Last In Line isn't quite as good. It's bigger, bolder, and beefier than previous versions - but it doesn't have that crisp high end that Holy Diver does (and it isn't quite as crisp as a couple previous releases of the album, either). It's close, but the guitar ends up getting lost just a tad in the process (not much, and not on all of the songs, but on a few it does get lost in the frequencies just a little). The high mids that really give guitars clarity aren't quite as present here as they could be (and were on previous releases). The difference is minor (most people wouldn't even notice - they'd just notice how much bigger the album sounds), but there is a difference. Still, this is a good job of remastering, just not great. Grade: B Sacred HeartSacred Heart is an album that was a step down sonically from the two previous albums. It had great, crisp, clear highs and crunchy mids - but not much bass. Part of the problem was in the mix (not enough bass, and the bass was EQ'd without a lot of low end), but part of the problem was in the mastering (the original mastering engineer didn't add enough bass in his EQ to compensate). The Deluxe Edition was better, but still didn't have enough bass. That gave the (uncredited) engineer for this remastering a golden opportunity to come up with the definitive version of Sacred Heart on CD. He didn't quite get that done. He didn't miss by much, though. There is more bass than this album has ever heard, and there are more low mids to warm up a sound that had been just a little harsh on previous releases. Unfortunately, that high end that gave the album it's crispness has been reduced, muddying up the sound ever so slightly. Again, we're talking marginal degrees that not everyone will be able to hear, but it is a little muddier than previous releases. Like Holy Diver and The Last In Line from this set, Sacred Heart is now more, "In Your Face," than ever before, and it will sound great in the car, and this is likely the best that this album has ever sounded. It's not perfect, but it's close. Grade: A- Dream EvilLike Sacred Heart, Dream Evil gives a mastering engineer a chance to put his stamp on the album and come up with the definitive CD release. The original mix by engineer Angelo Arcuri was a little muddy, not helped by Craig Goldy's guitar tone (which was the source of much of the sonic sludge). That can be fixed somewhat by carefully re-EQ'ing the album and adding more highs and high mids (while at the same time adding some punchy lows to create more clarity for the bass guitar). Is this the definitive release on CD for Dream Evil? Yes, but there is still a little room for improvement. It could be better, but not a lot. There is more of a crisp, clear sound than on previous releases, but there is less sonic space than on the other albums in this set, and there could be more highs and high mids than have been added here - not too much more, though, as that would create a harsher, somewhat unpleasant sound. Given the mix and the previous mastering jobs, though, this has to be seen as a significant success. Dream Evil hasn't sounded better than this before, and that's a major accomplishment. Grade: A- Lock Up The WolvesAnother album with issues in the mix that make it hard to make a big sonic improvement is Lock Up The Wolves. The guitars are just a little muddy (not as much as on Dream Evil, but not as crisp as Vivian Campbell's tone), and the drums & vocals dominate the mix in such a way that the guitars are reduced to a supporting role more than they should be for this type of music. How to fix that? This would be a case where significant compression would actually be an asset. Limiting the drums to a maximum level not much higher than the guitar and bass would help bring out the guitars. Also, the snare is a little overprocessed (not egregiously so, but definitely a bit overprocessed and harsh). This one is tricky, you want to make the guitars crisper and clearer without making the snare harsher. That calls for adding more mids with just a slight increase of high mids, and then adding those punchier bass frequencies. That, along with added compression, would make for a better listening experience. And, to a degree, that's what we got with this release. It could actually stand for a little more compression, and a bit more of the mids to bring out the guitar a little more, but it still is an improvement over the original CD. Grade: A- Strange HighwaysOf all of the DIO (the band) albums, the two that really needed the least work as far as remastering goes it would have been Holy Diver and Strange Highways. The original mix and mastering of Strange Highways was excellent, with no real deficiencies or flaws. So remastering this album should have been easy, right? Apparently not. While a few of the tracks on this edition of Strange Highways sound better than the original CD, many of them sound worse, becoming muddier and less defined. It starts out fairly promisingly with, "Jesus, Mary, and the Holy Ghost," sounding really, really good, but then, "Firehead," sounds both better and worse. The EQ is better than the original on, "Firehead," but it's overcompressed and lost it's sonic breathing room. Other songs that suffer from either overcompression or muddied up EQ include the title track, "One Foot In The Grave," "Here's To You," and, "Bring Down the Rain." Overall, the album sounds a little less spacious than the original release, even if it sounds bigger and bolder. Still, it's not a total loss as this version sounds better in the car (where you need more compression to overcome the road and engine noise). This is a great, underrated (and often underappreciated) album that deserved a better job of mastering. Not bad, really, just not great (and it easily could have been). Grade: C- So, overall, this is a great set to buy if you don't have all the titles already in your collection (the price is definitely right for the CD set), or if you want improved sound on 5 of the 6 albums in the set. Definitely - Recommended! Overall Grade: A- (For improved sound on most of the albums, great music, and great value.) Or, if you prefer... 4.5/5
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Post by Erik Rupp on Jul 3, 2016 20:01:13 GMT -5
Of course, when it comes to these two great albums, there are no losers...
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Post by Erik Rupp on Jun 30, 2016 0:25:12 GMT -5
Let's get ready to rumble! In this corner we have an undisputed classic. One of the greatest straightforward, old school Heavy Metal albums of all time... HOLY DIVER!!! And in this corner we have a follow up of unquestionable high quality. An album featuring some of DIO's all time best songs... THE LAST IN LINE!!! Both albums are absolute classics of the Hard Rock & Heavy Metal genres, and both feature both amazing highlights as well as incredibly solid album cuts. But which one is the better album? It's time for... Round 1 Stand Up and Shout VS We RockTwo uptempo tracks that lead off their respective albums in impressive style. Both songs feature great riffs, strong vocal melodies, and cool chorus hooks. Actually, they are fairly similar in structure and style, but the edge has to be given to Stand Up and Shout by a slim margin. Even so, both songs rate 10/10. Winner - Holy Diver Round 2 Holy Diver VS The Last In LineOnce again, we find two similar songs. Clearly, Ronnie found a formula that worked, and he stuck with it for album #2. The fast, energetic opener and the grinding, pulsating slowish midtempo song in the #2 slot. And both of these are great songs. Both are the title tracks for their respective albums, and both have held up amazingly well decades after these albums were originally released, but the edge here has to go to an absolutely perfect song. Simply flawless. Wait, that could refer to either one of them! Both rate 10/10. But this round goes to what may be DIO's best song... Winner - The Last In Line Round 3 Gypsy VS BreathlessBoth albums slip below the 10/10 rating for one of it's songs in this slot, and yet both songs are excellent all the same. Solid album cut is what they both are, and yet that description sells them both short. For most bands of that era these would be album highlights. For the first two DIO albums they're merely very good. Breathless earns a solid 9, but Gypsy just misses a 10 with a legitimate 9.5 Winner - Holy Diver Round 4 Caught in the Middle VS I Speed At NightCaught in the Middle is a good song. Well constructed and melodic while still Rocking hard. But I Speed At Night is an uptempo killer. It's a frantic song speeding to the finish line, and doing so with maximum class and melody. Caught in the Middle rates a very solid 8, but I Speed At Night is a clear 9. Winner - The Last In Line Round 5 Don't Talk To Strangers VS One Night in the CityOh, come on! Two more evenly matched songs. High quality, strong melodies, powerful riffs - this one's a draw. Both rate 9/10. DRAW Round 6 Straight Through the Heart VS Evil EyesWhile Straight Through the Heart wins this one, it is closer than you may think given just how great Straight Through the Heart is. Evil Eyes could almost be counted for both albums since it was originally recorded during the Holy Diver sessions (and included as a single B-Side), and then re-recorded for The Last In Line. It is also a great song, but the re-recorded version is better than the original (more polished vocal melodies and music without losing any edge or energy). But Straight Through the Heart is just a monster of a song. Phenomenal riffs, amazing vocal melodies, and the performances are flawless. An all time classic. Evil Eyes - 9, Straight Through the Heart - 10. Winner - Holy Diver Round 7 Invisible VS MysteryMystery is a good song. A solid Pop Metal song with a dark edge. But Invisible is 99% as good as Straight Through the Heart. It is another moster track. Another unquestionable classic. No contest here. Mystery is a 7, but Invisible is another 10. Winner - Holy Diver Round 8 Rainbow in the Dark VS Eat Your Heart OutThis matchup is a lot like Gypsy VS Breathless, only the margin is a little wider. Eat Your Heart Out is a really, really good song. Not quite great, but close. Rainbow in the Dark is Rainbow in the Dark. The song that propelled the DIO band into the spotlight. A song that made their career. Another classic, this one totally accessible for FM Rock Radio. Eat Your Heart Out - 8, Rainbow in the Dark - 10. Winner - Holy Diver Round 9 Shame on the Night VS Egypt (The Chains Are On)Both albums close with slower, moodier, more gothic sounding songs. Both are solid, but, again, it's the Holy Diver track that has the edge. It's got better dynamics and stronger music and vocal melodies. Egypt - 8, Shame on the Night - 9. Winner - Holy Diver That's 6 rounds for Holy Diver, 1 round as a draw, and two rounds for The Last In Line. If we take the boxing metaphor further and use the 10 point must system Holy Diver wins 88 - 74 (with Round 7 being the only 10-8 round). If we total the points of each song's raw scores (which is probably the most fair and accurate way to just the contest) Holy Diver wins 85.5 - 81. So, as great as The Last In Line is, overall, it still can't match the once in a lifetime greatness of Holy Diver. Winner and Heavyweight Champion - HOLY DIVER!
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Post by Erik Rupp on May 4, 2016 23:57:27 GMT -5
The Epiphone Elitist Les Pauls... Made at Japan's famous Fujigen factory. The attention to detail is excellent, and the playability and tone is phenomenal. They may just be the all-time best value (and biggest bargain) in Les Pauls.
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Post by Erik Rupp on Apr 30, 2016 19:50:41 GMT -5
After listening to the L.A. Theatre Works recreation of The War of the Worlds from 1994 the original version is even more impressive. Even with better technology the original cannot even be matched let alone bettered. The performances in the original version are much more realistic, with less, "Acting," than is true of the recreation.
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Post by Erik Rupp on Mar 20, 2016 0:40:39 GMT -5
Of course, no discussion of Les Paul type guitars would be complete without official Les Pauls. Gibson Les Pauls are well known for their tone and classic good looks, but less known is the fact that Gibson's budget line of Les Pauls from Epiphone are also very good (some, to the surprise of many, are as good as most Gibsons). Epiphone Les Pauls have gotten a bad rap due to the lower end of their line. Many of their cheap bolt-on neck models often have issues with staying in tune and come with poor electronics and mediocre pickups. Even their higher end models had some lackluster pickups for several years in the 90's and early 2000's. But the construction and workmanship of the Customs and the nicer Standards was quite good, and when Epiphone introduced their Elitist line they took their quality into the realm of guitars that sold for 2 or 3 times as much. The Elitists were made in Japan, where some of the finest guitars of the last 40 years have been made. The specs were equal to the Gibsons (solid maple cap, long neck tenon, better finish, better pickups, better electronics), and the workmanship was just outstanding. Shortly after introducing the Elitist line, Epiphone introduced their Probucker and Alnico Classic pickup lines, and suddenly even mid line Epiphone Les Pauls sounded amazingly close to the Gibsons. The workmanship on the Standard, Traditional, and Custom lines, along with signature models for players like Joe Bonamassa, Matt Heafy, Tommy Thayer, and Bjorn Gelotte, was far better than the Epiphone reputation said it should be. And the Tribute and Tribute Plus models were probably the best bargain in the Les Paul market with quality coming close to the Elitist line. And special mention should be made of the groundbreaking Prophecy Custom Plus line with their slim, 24 fret neck, phenomenal finishes, and either Gibson 498T/490R or EMG 81/85 pickups. The biggest difference between the Gibsons and the Epiphones is in the source and grade of wood used. But at 1/4 the price for the corresponding Gibson models the Epiphones are a fantastic bargain. Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro (Bourbon Burst) Tommy Thayer White Lightning Bjorn Gelotte Les Paul Custom (with EMG active pickups) 1960 Tribute Plus (with Gibson '57 Classic pickups) Prophecy Custom Plus GX (with Gibson 498T/490R pickups)
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Post by Erik Rupp on Nov 24, 2015 0:58:01 GMT -5
I'm sure I missed a few, too.
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Post by Erik Rupp on Nov 12, 2015 0:13:04 GMT -5
Mel Torme - the guy from Night Court... Mel was a great singer and songwriter.
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Post by Erik Rupp on Nov 8, 2015 12:16:44 GMT -5
This isn't hyperbole, this isn't wishful thinking, and it certainly isn't a fan being delusional.
2015 has literally been the best year for Hard Rock and Heavy Metal in decades.
First off, any year with a new Iron Maiden album is a good year, but when that album is one of their two best since 1988 that says a lot. The Book of Souls is an outstanding album and ranks high in the Iron Maiden catalog.
Secondly, when you've got newer bands like Trivium and Five Finger Death Punch putting out albums as good as Silence in the Snow and Got Your Six, respectively, you're definitely talking about a good year for Hard Rock and Heavy Metal.
But when you add to those albums outstanding new albums from...
Saxon Armored Saint Queensryche Tank (Tucker and Evans) Black Star Riders Europe Whitesnake Helloween Symphony X Joe Satriani Disturbed Motorhead Slayer Sevendust W.A.S.P. and Stryper
...you're talking about a very special year.
The combination of quality and quantity makes 2015 a standout year in the entire history of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, and arguably the best in 30 years!
Enjoy it. We may never see a year this good in Hard Music ever again. But if we do, that will be a very pleasant surprise (just like this one has been)!
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Post by Erik Rupp on Oct 29, 2015 19:14:52 GMT -5
Bump. Sorry that it took so long to finish...
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Post by Erik Rupp on Oct 29, 2015 10:24:45 GMT -5
Silence in the Snow, the new album from Trivium, is one of the best Heavy Metal albums of the last 30 years.
How's that for hyperbole?
The funny thing is, it's not really hyperbole - it's true. Silence in the Snow is an all time great Heavy Metal album. It is timeless. It would have sounded great in 1985 or 2005, and it sounds phenomenal now in 2015.
Trivium is hardly a new band, but they are part of the new breed. The difference with Trivium is that there has been constant change and experimentation within their overall Heavy Metal style. From the MetalCore stylings of their debut, Ember To Inferno, to the Metallica meets early Megadeth style of their 2006 album, The Crusade, to the more straightforward Power Metal of Vengeance Falls, Trivium has constantly expanded on their style while remaining faithful to the core of their sound.
And with Silence in the Snow Trivium has taken yet another step further along the road that has seen their style progress album to album. Actually, Silence takes Trivium two steps further down that road, which has some fans up in arms. Singer/Guitar Player Matt Heafy has taken his vocals to a level that few thought he could. He is a legitimate singer. He has a big, rich, powerful voice that can carry melody beautifully while still remaining amazingly powerful. It is the perfect marriage of power and melody, just as the style of this album is the perfect marriage of big, fat, but still somewhat complex and very heavy riffs with that powerfully melodic vocal style. Silence in the Snow may be a more mature, more melodic version of Trivium, but it is not the least bit wimpy. This is an album that will still punch you in the gut (or sometimes square in the jaw) with it's power, while at the same time working it's way into your brain with it's powerful melodic sense.
The album opens with a moody keyboard intro, "Sn0fall," that sets the table quite nicely for the album's title track. "Silence in the Snow," is an amazing song. It has a fantastic groove, and is propelled forward as much by the rhythmic heavy riffing as much as the drumming. Matt Heafy's vocals are fantastic, and the chorus hook is catchy. It is a timeless song to start a timeless album.
But if long time fans thought the album was going to be about catchy songs that are slightly simplified from Trivium's previous albums, "Blind Leading The Blind," can put their minds at ease. Yes, it has a catchy chorus hook and powerful, melodic vocals, but it is more complex musically than the title track and is one of the best songs on the album. And if fans want attitude they certainly get it in spades with, "Dead and Gone," a down-tuned track that has Heafy throwing in a little bit of a growl to his vocals in the verses & bridges - just enough to give the song an edge without getting ridiculous (where the extreme, rough vocals don't match the music, like many bands resort to these days in an attempt to keep their, "Credibility"). "Dead and Gone," is another of the album's highlights - but there are so many high points on this album that it's almost easier to pick out the few songs that are merely very good as opposed to picking out highlights.
"The Ghost That's Haunting You," is a phenomenal track. Hyperbole? Again, no, not really. This song has a percussive riff/vocal melody in the verse, and then a more melodic but still heavy bridge that leads into the kind of chorus that people will remember and sing along to twenty years from now. One would have to be a total cynic and amazingly closed minded to find ANY fault with this song.
Then some Helloween and Yngwie Malmsteen influences can be heard on, "Pull Me From The Void," which is dynamic and sees the band engaging in some tempo changes and changes in styles of drum beats throughout the song. What is most impressive about this song is that these changes all work well. The differing styles of the verses, bridges, and choruses complement each other. The changes are not jarring - they flow well. Oh, and the song itself is extremely strong from a musical and vocal standpoint. Score another one for Trivium.
The song that has some long time fans up in arms more than any other on Silence in the Snow is, "Until The World Grows Cold," which is almost a Power Ballad. Almost. More than a Power Ballad, though, this is a very melodic and dynamic song that remains fairly heavy. Not as heavy as the rest of the songs on the album, but not exactly Bon Jovi, either. This is still clearly Metal, but definitely not the kind of thing that Trivium was known for earlier on in their career. The most important thing is that it is a well written song and works well on the album as a change of pace. It brings further dynamics into the mix.
"Rise Above The Tides," is little closer to what Trivium fans are used to, only with a bit more dynamics and a lot more melody. It may not be one of the best songs on the album, but it is still very good and works well as an album track. Those long time fans can breathe a little easier with, "The Thing That's Killing Me," an upbeat song (mostly) where the heaviest, thrashiest part of the song is actually the chorus. Again, Trivium delivers a ton of dynamics and melody while still playing unquestionably HEAVY Metal. It's a marginally better song than it's predecessor, which says a lot.
Then things get really funky. A ton of Alice in Chains influences show up on, "Beneath The Sun," which has a verse that sounds like something that the Seattle band might have come up with. The bridge and chorus take those AIC melodic styles and turn them on their heads with some classic Trivium riffs and double bass drumming. This is a fresh and new style for Trivium, and because it isn't overdone it works well.
But the song that most resembles earlier Trivium is, "Breathe In The Flames," a song that transitions from a fast intro to a mid tempo groove in the verse to a fast, upbeat chorus (with a killer ascending riff). This definitely belongs in the category of album highlights. Heafy throws in a bit of his James Hetfield vocal stylings on this one, while still showing that powerful, melodic style that dominates Silence in the Snow as an album.
There are two bonus tracks available on the special/deluxe edition of the album, and they definitely make that version worth a purchase.
"Cease All Your Fire," again shows those tempo changes and dynamics that mark the album, and it is a fantastic song. "The Darkness Of My Mind," is a bit more melodic and moody, and is a little more mainstream, but is by no means a Pop song. It is bold and heavy and cinematic. A very, very good song.
The audio production on Silence in the Snow may very well be the best that we've heard on a Trivium album to date. Producer Michael 'Elvis' Baskette, recording engineer Jef Moll, and mixing engineer Josh Wilbur have done a great job of giving Trivium a somewhat fatter sound than they've had in the past without losing any crunch on the guitars. The drums are punchy and snappy and cut through the music perfectly.
Silence in the Snow definitely marks a further progression in Trivium's musical style, and it definitely is less thrashy than previous albums, but it is not a weak album in the least. It is bold and powerful and melodic and will stand the test of time as one of the all time Heavy Metal greats.
Buy it.
4.75/5
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