With some rather dull weather here in Denmark during the summer there's time to listen to an extra pile of music, and with almost all record labels going over to digital downloads of promos there's a lot to dig into.
I unfortunately didn't get to see AC/DC on their current tour but have booked Dream Theater's Copenhagen show for September, so that explains the DVD's on the list.
AC/DC. No Bull (DVD)
Energized performance and a boiling atmosphere, talking about excited fans!
The setlist is pretty cool but I guess will never see them playing more than a couple of songs you didn't expect. I saw them back in 1996 and it was a night I'll never forget, truly magical, as this Madrid show also firmly documents.
Anthrax. Sound Of White Noise
From start to finish this is an extremely expressive round of Trashy Heavy Metal with both melody and interesting lyrics. Together with Among The Living this is my favourite by the band.
AOR. Journey To L.A.
Smooth and comfortable AOR but in the end it gets a bit too monotone.
Axxis. Utopia
This combination of Power Metal and Hard / Melodic Rock is actually pretty refreshing, decent disc.
Danger Danger. Revolve
A great album with a bunch of songs that slowly gets under your skin, I can't help singing a long to the groovy opener That's What I'm Talking About. With both Bruno Ravel And Roc Marcello on board I was hoping for something in the vein of the bombastic and glorious eighties stuff found on the Marcello-Vestry disc, but this is cool in a different and less nostalgic way. Rocket To Your Heart and Hearts On The Highway are true melodic gems; Dirty Mind is classic Danger Danger while Killin` Love shows a more serious side to the band. Superb production and Ted Poley sounds phenomenal as always.
Dream Theater. Falling Into Infinity
So not all ideas worked out that well but this is still a pretty ingenious and daring release. Take Away My Pain is painfully honest and beautiful, Peruvian Skies is just brilliant and fittingly heavy and Trails Of Tears gain extra points due to Myung's deep lyrics.
Dream Theater. Live In Tokyo / 5 Years In A Lifetime (2 DVD)
You really get a lot of different stuff here; interesting fan convention versions of DT classics and cool cover versions. This gives you a nice opportunity to compare Kevin Moore and Derek Sheridan and again Jordan Rudess' playing style.
Dream Theater. Live At Budokan (DVD)
Their dark and heavy sounding set from 2004 is musically amazing and the setlist daring with almost nothing from Images and Awake but with Falling Into Infinity getting a firm treatment. Trails Of Tears sounds magical and Goodnight Kiss comes off immensely beautiful and fragile standing in contrast to the opening of the set which is extremely raw.
Dream Theater. Score (DVD)
The entire Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence suite performed with a live orchestra is worth it all, chilling. The 20-year anniversary documentary is both informative and interesting.
Faithful. Light This City
There is a strange sense of innocence to it as the Portuguese AOR rockers delivers a solid if not exactly original effort.
Firenote. Firenote
Just above average disc being a bit too simple all around, the lyrics for the title track must be one of the funniest ever, and I don't mean that in a positive way.
House Of Lords. Cartesian Dreams
Bangin has some unbelievable cool chorus structures and Sweet September is a fantastic ballad but too many songs fail to really stand out. Very good album but clearly not up there with Come To My Kingdom and World Upside Down.
Iron Maiden. Flight 666 (2 DVD)
The documentary gives a thorough insight into life on the road and travelling 50.000 miles on a jet. Nicko is always man for some laughs but more "behind the members" and less "moving cases of equipment around" would have made an even more interesting picture.
The 16-track concert footage on the second disc is professional filmed and the performance top notch.
Iron Maiden. Flight 666 (2 CD)
Even though the recordings come from 16 different cities it's a pretty coherent experience listening to these classic from the Somewhere Back In Time Tour. I still think the setlist is a bit too conservative; Caught Somewhere In Time (pretty obvious), Deja-vu, Only The Good Die Young, come on.
Jag Panzer. Mechanized Warfare
Vigorous Power Metal of excellent quality. I have always admired Chris Broderick's technical and powerful playing, interesting what he can stir up in the Megadeth camp.
Johnny Lima. Shine On
A pleasant, melodic and catchy disc. Not exactly groundbreaking but solid.
Leprous. Tall Poppy Stories
A rather interesting blend of Pain Of Salvation and Opeth with Leprous being the most progressive and experimenting act, it drifts off too far from time to time but it's definitely a challenge.
Luca Turilli. Prophet Of The Last Apocalypse
It's futuristic in every aspect but that's also what makes it fun and a mostly successful record...I always liked the vocals of Olaf Hayer.
Mind Key. Pulse Of A Graveheart
A rather impressive release with a wide range of different scenarios and moods. Catchy, dark hearted, technical and bombastic are all words that apply to this Progressive Metal undertaking.
Pathosray. Sunless Skies
You can hear the Symphony X inspiration and the band does lay down some tight playing, unfortunately the at times fragmented song writing doesn't live up to it.
Praying Mantis. Sanctuary
It has a subtle but appealing atmosphere and ends up being a pretty good album.
Prodigal Earth. Zenith II Zero
Heavy Metal mixed with some progressive elements, it's too incoherent but offers some melodic moments of fine quality.
Rhino Bucket. The Hardest Town
With simple but pretty effective means the AC/DC sound a likes brings forth a decent album but their first three releases are without doubt still their best work.
Saint Deamon. Pandeamonium
I'm a bit disappointed as this is clearly not as strong and interesting as the debut, but you are guaranteed a steady round of Power Metal.
Shakra. Everest
With their distinct groovy sound Shakra deliver yet another Hard Rock album, it has it's moments but too much material sounds alike and fails to leave an impression.
Spheric Universe Experience. Unreal
Technical, progressive, innovative, not always memorable but clearly worth a listen.
Stan Bush. Every Beat Of My Heart
It took some spins but then the Stan Bush effect slowly sat in, he has a tremendous way of putting together ultra catchy and honest songs you'll end up singing along to sooner or later.
The Temple Of Now. Two Worlds
A just "overall good" Progressive Rock disc, it sounds innocent in a strange way and have some delightful harmonies but also too much mediocre stuff.
U.D.O. Dominator
The latest line of albums from the U.D.O. camp has had a couple of really cool songs and a bunch of above average material that just seemed too much alike, same goes for this one. I would save up the really good stuff and hold back a bit with the continuing streak of new releases.
U.D.O. Infected (EP)
Not essential but it has some decent songs that aren't to be found on the Dominator album.
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