Sacred Heart - Darkness Falls (Winkelrant)
British Melodic Rock band, Sacred Heart have been stuck on the periphery of fame for some years now, circling purposefully, looking for an opening.
Their third album, 'Darkness Falls' will get them closer, but won't see them breaking through.
Opener, 'Down' sounds remarkably contemporary, but is not typical.
The remainder of the album ploughs familiar furrows, none of them leading anywhere new and exciting.
But on the album's standout track (by a huge margin), 'No One Knows (War)' a new note appears : pathos. This song is heartbreaking in places, a powerful and compassionate look at the life of a soldier, movingly depicted as a daily act of heroism.
Elsewhere, and too often, the tracks take too long to reach something that never happens. A one dimensional production job sees too many well written songs - and potentially memorable hooks - rendered flat and lifeless.
Edge Of Forever - Another Paradise (7Hard Music)
This album had me thinking of Jaded Heart, Takara and Alias. In fact, for almost all of 'Another Paradise', I was fervently wishing I was listening to those other bands instead.
Like most fans of the genre, I was impressed with Del Vecchio's keyboard contribution particularly to the Bruno Kraler and Eden's Curse albums. On the other hand, I had some reservations concerning the news that Del Vecchio had now replaced Bob Harris as the band's lead vocalist.
But the word on the street was that this was the band's best album yet, so I had great expectations.
How wrong can you be.
Clearly inspired by Ikea, 'Another Paradise' is filled with flatpack melodic rock. When assembled it looks and sounds like a million other albums, with few if any distinguishing features.only the catchy throwback 'Lonely' and the obligatory ballad, 'What I've Never Seen' (with Harris on bgvs) rise above the level of lowest common denominator AOR.
Disappointing.
(For a true Spinal Tap moment, take a look at DelVecchio's description of "The Vocalist's Studio" on YouTube)
Rawkfist - Gardens Of Elysia (Danse Macabre)
In classical mythology, Elysium was the place to which dead heroes were transported by the gods.
Rawkfist's 'Garden Of Elysia' is an altogether more prosaic place, though it aims high and has its heavenly moments.
It's very firmly in the gothic / symphonic metal mould, with a female lead vocalist whose Kate Bush-ish voice trills sweetly through 11 well composed, well performed songs.
Problem is, we've heard it all before, so many times. Yes, they're good at what they do, but to be noticed you've got to be great. It's become such an overcrowded genre that you need to be world class now to have any chance of elbowing your way to the front.
First Child - Queen Of Hearts (Onslow Records)
Germany's First Child is essentially a male/female duo. There's the head turning 'Cat the Cat' adorning the cover in a questionable outfit, and there's Thomas Jauer who played all instruments, produced and mixed the album. The duo's prime asset, Cat's voice, occupies the slender vocal space between Ann (Heart) Wilson and Lenny (Kingdome Come) Wolf, and like you should with any powerful rock instrument, she uses it with care and skill.zipping up through the gears or throttling back as circumstances dictate.
The duo's second album benefits greatly from the Phillips/Applegate songwriting team. Their collaborations are mainly classic rock recreations, sometimes tastily sizzling, faux blasts from the past, but occasionally they come out like overdone glamrock, all blurred eyeliner and smudged lipstick.
The title track sets the scene with a pulsing hard rock stomp. 'Gambler' switches and sways between Kingdom Come circa 'Twilight Cruiser' and a ringing seventies groove, while 'Don't Mess Around' steps up and out of the ordinary, revealing Cat's captivation with our hard rock heritage.
But all too often mediocrity and parody raise their ugly heads.
If an astute quality control man were to whittle down the 16 tracks to 10 or even 11, First Child would have something potent in their hands.
Blindstone - Rise Above (Grooveyard Records)
Do you like Kings X, Frank Marino, Eric Gales? You do! Well, you'll love this.
Blindstone are a Danish funkrock band on an American label.
Funk can sometimes be overpowering, suffocating. Not so with this band.
Like those 3 legendary artists (Ty Tabor is a guest player here), it all starts with good songwriting - focused verses, carefully crafted hooks and ideally a set of lyrics with a grown up resonance.
And so, on 'Rise Above', the title track, Blindstone set out their stall with confidence and skill. This turns out be only the first of many outstanding songs; brooding songs with a hard kick; with smoking guitars and memorable melodies. Just listen to the spare riff sparring relentlessly over the title track's catchy refrain and you, like me, will be hooked.
Highlights include 'Keep The Rock Alive'. If the Eric Gales Band ever did anything better than this I never heard it. 'New Direction' takes us in exactly that. Rockier, harder hitting, densely packed with processed vocals and fresh, funky guitar sounds. Very kings X.
It might be sacrilegious, but the band puts a contemporary spin on their cover of Jimi Hendrix's 'House Burning Down'. That said, it's respectful - without being necessarily reverential - and for me at least, it works a treat.
Good band. One to watch.
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