I saw an interview with Magnus Karlsson and he says he is going to be writing the next Allen/Lande disc, a fact that thrilled me right down to my toes. I am absolutely going to freaking LIVE to hear that, and will be pissed beyond all recognition in the afterlife if I somehow kick it before that gets released.

Stratovarius is back without Tolkki? I think they will make a go of it, and come up with some good material too. Kotipelto's solo works are very close to the Strato camp and his song selection decisions have been more solid after every album. I'm feeling good about this and hope everyone else will stick with them too.

Lastly, the death of Mike Baker kind of shook me up for awhile. I was in shock and saddness for several days after hearing the news. He is one of the first musicians whom I really loved their work who have passed away while I was appreciating their music and looking forward to more. Cozy Powell hit me hard, but for some reason this even harder. Maybe its because I had some dealings with Shadow Gallery in the past and he was such a nice person to speak with. Rest in peace Mike.

It's the dawn and you're alive...


SHADOW GALLERY - CARVED IN STONE
This was my initial exposure to Shadow Gallery, back in 1997 and before "Tyranny" was even on the market. I loved the progressive tangents, and their overall style. The music had this purity, a happy, joyful vibe that blend into the music with such fantastic enthusiasm. "Crystalline Dream" remains the benchmark for the album, a flowing piece of fantasy sci-fi romance, for a dream-like flight through the pathways of the heart. Mike Baker's voice was absolutely gorgeous, and helped support the giddiness the song relishes over so exuberantly. Baker is gone now, another tragic death for our music industry, and a voice that will be missed. Hearing "Crystalline Dream" now, after many years being separated, is like a rebirth of both joy and sorrow. His essence is captured to be celebrated for all time, but again, the sorrow. It's like hearing a ghost shadowing us from the past. May his memory live on in the music...

SHADOW GALLERY - TYRANNY
"Carved in Stone" was my acquainted introduction, then "Tyranny" was the disc that drove them home as a real competitor in the progressive metal field. The album is still magnificent, a tight woven and intriguing concept that is pulled forth by wonderful performances. DC Cooper and James LaBrie bring their talents on board and give extra texture to the pathways of the music. It's a grandiose album, and one that stands up well today. So many others seem trite or make you wonder "What was I thinking?" when praising an album so absolutely, yet this one truly deserves the praise it was given then, and even now, ten years later and gone. "Hope For Us" is such a gorgeous track...

MSG - MSG
This is the McAuley Schenker MSG album, and one that I heard half a million times over the past decade and a half. "When I'm Gone" still resonates with its lush sorrow laced atmosphere of sour romance, and "This Broken Heart" is uplifting and quirky, despite having a darker theme underneath. "Neverending Nightmare" and "Crazy" lend a sense of distortion, one to chase away the nightmares, another as stark proof that just living can lead you into insane places you would never think otherwise. It's a very solid album, and was one of the last bright spots in Schenker's career for a long, long time. It's the dawn and you're alive...

KAMELOT - THE BLACK HALO
Its been three years since this has ruled my airwaves, and after some discussion here I had to check and see if memory served me correctly. Sure, songs like "Moonlight" and the always captivating epic ballad, "The Haunting" have been constant companions but not the entire album itself. My memory actually clicked just perfectly where this disc was concerned. Sure, my recollections are bathed in a sea of emotions which this was the soundtrack of a very tumultuous period of my life and honestly, it still brings chills up and down my spine and back again. It's a slice of brilliance. For every step they took forward, they polished it into a keen perfection. Passionate, thunderous and tinglingly epic, it's a masterwork of metal.

KIP WINGER - FROM THE MOON TO THE SUN
"Nothing" swept me away a few months back during the dawning of the summer. Now the rest is slowly twining itself around my soul like sparkling webs of changing moods. "Pages and Pages" with its careful pacing and simmering sorrow and the tear soaked "Where Will We Go" keep me up at night...

BROTHER FIRETRIBE - FALSE METAL
Being not exactly the most lewd or perverted person in the world, the entire naughty bit from "Lover Tonite" just completely flew right by me. I knew it was a lustful piece but didn't quite know some of the slang used here, such as "making the wounds that never heal." Ah yes, such an innocent phrase, but not here. Oh no, I think the naughty bit was the intention. So imagine my embarrassment at singing this while waiting in line at a public place (yeh, Walmart again, the place where I tend to make the biggest dork of myself, ha) and having people stare at me and looked shocked. Hey, I knew my singing was bad, but its not THAT bad... it wasn't til later when I was again, belting it at full volume while doing housework that it hit me - yeah, its a nasty song. And I LOVE IT EVEN MORE FOR THAT. HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! This album is getting tons of play just because its in my little green sports car. hooray.

GOTTHARD - DOMINO EFFECT
Yep Its back again for another month's playlist, and really, it needs to be. This was my numero uno disc of 2007 and it gets many furious replays while burning up the pavement of my hometown. Incredibly catchy tracks and some guitar rhythms that are still dazzling me over a year after its release. And this wasn't one that was played alot and then shelved, its been with me the entire time, and I still crave songs off of this thing frequently. Now THAT'S staying power, my friends.

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN - PERPETUAL FLAME
Yngwie hasn't done anything that shook my world since "Magnum Opus" (which was acquired during an "OH MY GAWD the local record store actually HAS IT" trivial check the week of its release). This one hasn't exactly shaken me down either, but its a split feeling. On one hand, Yng is back in the "Trilogy"/"Marching Out" form and with a production that does not suck. A few of his albums have had appalling production, just atrocious. This sounds crisp, and those synth warbling sinister in the background induces a flood of warm tingly happy shredding memories. There's alot of instrumentals (though incredible ones) and while the opening track left me cold, the Eastern swept "Eleventh Hour" and the thunder cracking "Live to Fight" are just awesome. The final verdict is still a looming, flaming question mark of epic proportions.

VIRGIN STEELE - LIFE AMONG THE RUINS
Does anyone know how HAPPY and THRILLED I am to get this back (again). I have now owned THREE copies of this on CD and once on tape. And it still is one of my favorite discs EVER. Period. I realize that many love to hate on it, but they are spewing nonsense (yeah you are, if you dislike this.....man). It's extremely fine hard rock and David's voice is just an entity of its own. Deep and sultry, dark and mysterious, light as the mist in the air... Its out NOW and if you ever appreciated melodic rock/AOR of any kind, then you NEED to own THIS disc. Its available, go buy it. You will not be disappointed. Such amazing passion...

FROM THE INSIDE - VISIONS
Speaking of passion... I am entirely too wild about Danny Vaughn's vocal performance on this. Couple that with the playing of Jimi Bell (who I also am crazy about) and it just hits me in the most delightful places. My favorites are still sticking at "Push Me Off" and "Telemetry" and I STILL rave over their clever word usage and Danny's magnificent phrasing. He's just so incredibly smooth, most people would be chopping their voice to bits hitting these notes. And then there's my recent infatuation too, with "If It's Not Love", which just breaks my heart and stomps on it every time I hear it. Terrific disc! Thanks Danny and company.... how about a third one now? "It's just a matter of time..."

ALLEN/LANDE - THE BATTLE
This disc is freakin awesome. I still love it beyond all shadows of a doubt. The combination of Jorn, Russel AND Magnus is just mindblowing. Two of the greatest vocalists singing on our planet today and one of the best songwriters/guitarists... it blows me away. The melodies are tight as drums, the production so slick, guitars are blazing and the vocals... well no one can stand up against Lande really, but Russel surely makes a good case for it.

HAREM SCAREM - HOPE
This album gives me hope. It echoes my sentiments, boosts my mood and illustrates some of the more nagging issues in my life. It's just a timely disc, and the songs just keep me gripped in their claws even months after I should have tucked it away to second tier stuff. Nope, it's still right on top along with Visions.

Written by Alanna
Saturday, November 15, 2008