Edge of Forever - Let the Demon Rock N Roll
Great hard rock album, maybe even topping their debut.

Jay Miles - 9 Hours
I'm just getting into this, so the verdict and jury is still out and so is my babbling. Next please...

Russel Allen - Atomic Soul
Not what I expected from Russel, but it is a lovely showcase for his voice. Can definitely hear the old 70s influences creeping in all over the place. He kinda lets all the grit and dirt lay around giving it a nice true hard rock sound that's not over polished but...just right. Looking forward to getting the review up for this one but it's still shining with too much of a glow, the cracks are showing and let's see how much is going to blaze through before the hammer is dropped on it.

Darren Smith Band - Keep the Spirit Alive
This one isn't anything particularly special but for some reason you keep getting drawn back into it.

Kamelot - The Black Halo
This CD is simply "haunting". I've loved these guys since they were striving to be Crimson Glory clones and it has been wonderful to follow their progress and hear them develop far beyond that and into their own sound. The progressive touches are filling them out and making the band be more unique with such exquisite attention to detail.

Masterplan - Aeronautics
Jorn Lande is something of a vocal god, simply can't stay away from the power and glory of his voice.

Nightwish - Once
I used to be a Nightwish fantatic during the Oceanborn/Angels Fall First era of the band before they became all "Hot Topic" swanky, semi-popular by the goths in the US. A friend of mine sent me a live version of them doing Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction" with male vocals...my reaction was "It's Tarot!" He was like "Who?" Heh, I had totally forgotten that they managed to pick up the guitarist/lead singer of Tarot and so I went back and really listened to "Once" for the first time and was blown away. He's here and there and injects the music with that something different that was needed.

Soilwork - Stabbing the Drama
I keep listening to this, not sure why. Alot of memories are tied up in this thing and I just can't let it go.

Tarot - Suffer Our Pleasures
Love me some Tarot I do! "Pyre of the Gods" kicks my ass all over the place. It's a shame they only release albums here and there nowadays.

Yngwie Malmsteen - Unleash the Fury
The Maestro does it again: Another mediocre album. Dude, it's not bad, but it sounds like "Trilogy" meets "Marching Out". That was cool for 1985-86 but Yngwie-ites (or whatever you want to call em) are kinda hoping for something more daring. Every other outfit out there is upping the ante but Yngwie is happy to sit and shred and not bother anyone else or try to compete. There's something to be said for sticking to your guns (or guitar in this case) but really... with the weak production, I would rather just listen to "Trilogy" again. Slap some slicker sound on this puppy though and baste it with some bombast and I'd be hailing it as the next best thing since "Magnum Opus".

HIM - Love Metal
Angsty, gothy, love songs that are more dirge-like and suicidal manical. I seriously wonder about these guys. I do love how they can manage to take some sick and twisted setup and sing about throwing your loved one down a grave and burying them or make asphyxiation...sexy. What the hell? I feel dirty just listening to the dementia in this, but also its the guy's voice, it's like some kinda really sick erotica for the soul.

Written by Alanna
Sunday, May 15, 2005