‘Lucifer III’ Century Media Records Doom/Heavy Rock
Lucifer erupted onto the scene in 2015 following the collapse of The Oath. The band created an interesting blend of 70’s rock, doom and mysticism on the debut album, but following a line-up change for their sophomore album, Lucifer began to plough a purely retro 70’s sound. This year has Lucifer unleashing their third studio album, the boringly titled ‘Lucifer III’.
Thankfully, this is where the lack of thought and appetite ends with ‘…III’ as this album picks up where ‘…II’ left off. However, with this latest offering from Lucifer, the band take a further step into that 60/70’s sound, with some excellent riffs, melodies and songs that would certainly appeal to fans of Uriah Heep and Iron Butterfly, but also fans of something a little darker and heavier such as Black Sabbath and Pentagram. Yet, as retro as this album sounds ‘…III’ is still very much in contemporary vein, able to pull in fans of Avatarium, Orchid and even Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats with its overall sound. Furthermore, unlike many of their peers, ‘…III’ does not have an undercurrent of melancholy running through it, instead, there is an enjoyable, almost danceable vibe to this album that can be seen during ‘Ghosts’, ‘Leather Demon’ and ‘Midnight Phantom’, the latter of which invokes a riff has connotations of ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ with all its dope-smoking haze.
Much like the previous Lucifer album, ‘…III’ does take a little time to get used to. It is pleasing to listen to from the off, but with multiple plays, it really begins to take hold and before knowing it, ‘…III’ has been on a heavy rotation; another great album from a great band. 86/100 Adam McCann
Lordi
‘Killection’ AFM Records Heavy Metal
2006 seems almost a complete lifetime ago since Lordi hit international fame following their victory in the Eurovision Song Contest. Although active before this, Lordi hit a stride that saw them rise as Finland’s favourite monsters (sorry Hevisaurus) with a steady string of albums. This year has the Finns returning with their tenth studio album ‘Killection’.
As expected, ‘Killection’ continues in the same vein that Lordi have already been blazing away; this is an album full of the sort of vaudeville horror that would Alice Cooper happy with its tongue in cheek humour delivered through a professional hard rock sheen. Of course, this makes ‘Killection’ very accessible as Mr Lordi and co deliver an album that is very memorable and exceptionally enjoyable, particularly with the ‘radio spots’ which provide some humorous comic relief. In fact, a radio show is a good way to describe this album, plenty of this songs are done in different styles, but all delivered in that Lordi vibe, from the anthemic ‘Shake the Baby Silent’ and ‘I Dug A Hole in the Yard for You’, to the Corrosion of Conformity deep slung riffing of ‘Blow My Fuse’, to the disco beat of ‘Zombimbo’ which is a fantastic allusion to Kiss’ ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’ and the ‘Welcome to My Nightmare’ Alice Cooper style of ‘Like A Bee to the Honey’ which not only features a monologue in an ode to Vincent Price, but also features an excellent saxophone solo from fellow Finnish legend Michael Monroe.
For Lordi’s tenth album, this is a strong release that deserves to be heard. It is an album that needs to be taken at face value and not seriously, but that is where the beauty of this album lies. Need a quick pick me up? Then ‘Killection’ is bound to raise a smile. 82/100 Adam McCann
Lost Society
‘No Absolution’ Grey Beard Concert & Management Thrash/Groove Metal
Since their inception at the start of the last decade, Lost Society have been working exceptionally hard to bring their brand of thrash metal to the world. The Finns reached a pinnacle with their warmly received 2016 album ‘Braindead’. This year has the Finnish thrashers back from a break with their latest album ‘No Absolution’.
What Lost Society deliver with ‘No Absolution’ is an album which continues to plough the furrow laid out with ‘Braindead’. Yet, with this album, the Finns take a deeper delve, taking in much more groove metal elements here than the more thrashing elements of their previous albums. Furthermore, this latest offering from Lost Society contains an exceptional production; this is an album which is crisp and clear with a modern production that gives ‘No Absolution’ the ability to appeal to a wide demographic with its easy to listen and enjoyable sheen. This, when coupled with some fantastic musicianship, in particular the guitar work of Samy Elbanna and Arttu Lesonen; it is these guitar solos and phrases which really make ‘No Absolution’ very enjoyable that would appeal to fans of Machine Head, but also something much more modern such as 4Arm and even Trivium with touches of Metalcore, once again, showing Lost Society taking a step away from the thrash sound which made them. What this means for Lost Society is that ‘No Absolution’ appears to be a transitionary album; tracks such as ‘Nonbeliever’, ‘My Prophecy’ and ‘Deliver Me’ display perfect examples of this change; yet, some of these tracks drag, the albums closing track which features Apocalyptica, ‘Into Eternity’ just fails to grab any attention and ultimately feels like a Machine Head outtake.
As an album, ‘No Absolution’ is an album which should be approached with trepidation; those expecting the thrashfest of their earlier work may be a little disappointed. Yet, Lost Society seem to have opened their doors to a wider metal community; will this pay into the hands of the band? Only time will tell and therefore there should be a sense of caution used when approaching ‘No Absolution’. 71/100 Adam McCann
Lucifer Star Machine
Devil's Breath The Sign Records Hard Rock/Punk FFO: Ramones, Turbonegro, Motörhead, Volbeat, Misfits
Formed in the UK in 2002, Lucifer Star Machine (LSM) eventually changed line-up and relocated to Germany in 2012. During their lifespan, the German hard rocking band have released three albums of punk-infused rock and now; LSM are back with their fourth album ‘Devil’s Breath’.
Who would have thought it? ‘Devil’s Breath’ is an album which fires forward and shoots from the hip; there is no time here for arsing about with elongated solos, epic melodic passages or complex time signatures and who cares? LSM have got other things to do; drink beer and party. So, what the listener gets with ‘Devil’s Breath’ is an album which swaggers hard, it has all the explosive punk energy of the likes of Ramones coupled with the tongue in cheek delivery of Turbonegro. But, dig beneath this surface and what ‘Devil’s Breath’ gives is not only punk, but something else, there are touches 50’s rock n’ roll and even rockabilly alongside a melding of classic rock and metal. This makes ‘Devil’s Breath’ an exceptionally fun and accessible album with a broad range of sounds and catchy chorus’ seen during tracks such as ‘Dwell In Misery’, ‘Eat Dust’ and the superbly memorable ‘El Camino Real’, whilst ‘Baby , When You Cry’ has all the hallmarks of Volbeat which make this album difficult to not enjoy. However, there is the thought that ‘Devil’s Breath’ may not be ‘metal’ or ‘punk’ enough for those who staunchly sit themselves in each camp; when in truth, with ‘Devil’s Breath’, LSM have once again delivered a decent album of rockin’ songs that make it exceptionally difficult to not crack a beer and crank up loud.
7/10 Adam McCann
Lychgate
‘Also sprach Futura’ Debemur Morti Productions Avant-Garde Black Metal
Every Science Fiction franchise under the sun has taken it under its wing to explore the possibility of Artificial Intelligence replacing organic life and with Lychgate’s latest EP, ‘Also sprach Futura’, the band take a step into this world and add their Midas Touch to this latest project.
What Lychgate accomplish with their latest EP is to bring their avant-garde nature to J.Y. Vortigern’s latest vision. Vortigern’s exceptional instrumentalism once again stands tall and alongside Greg Chandler and S.D. Lindsley, ‘Also…’ continues to bend the genre-defining rules that Lychgate do so damned well. Previously, Lychgate have delivered albums which have been a tour de force in virtuosity that have not always been received well by those who like their music to be a brain numbing assault of the same repeating motifs. However, what makes ‘Also…’ so damned interesting is the inclusion of the organ, as it manhandles its way through the mix like the Phantom of the Opera, with its ominous and imposing presence which makes the introduction to ‘Incarnate’ so spooky and powerful as melodic guitars drift in and out, giving way to some real black metal powerhouse drumming. Furthermore, where this EP really excels is the lyrical delivery; this is amongst some of the best work that Lychgate have ever delivered as Vortigern seems to have become the God in the machine as bleak, black and grim lyrics contrast beautiful with some exceptional musicianship.
‘Also…’ has the potential to signal a new chapter with this band; of course, there is more than enough to please older fans of Lychgate, but this is an accessible EP that is more than interesting enough to turn heads and give this band the recognition they deserve. 83/100 Adam McCann
Laura Cox
‘Burning Bright’ earMusic Records Blues/Rock
The genre of blues/rock has been well-worn with a formula that although pretty standard, keeps throwing up excellent new editions and interpretations. That is what happened with Laura Cox, the half-English, half-French blues mistress talks a mean game with her sexy slide guitar and golden voice that oozes with emotion and soul as Cox continues blazing her trail across the blues/rock landscape with her latest album ‘Burning Bright’.
‘Burning Bright’ has everything that any fan of this genre could ever want, foot stomping, bar room blues that reeks of cigarettes, liquor and regret as Cox pours her heart and soul into every note, whether it is guitar or vocal. To achieve this, Cox throws plenty of sounds into a musical blues blender and returns with a fresh palette of sounds; ‘Burning Bright’ has all the anthemic qualities of Bad Company, Humble Pie or even Led Zeppelin as Cox prowls through the speaker with legato riffs and big chorus’ best seen on ‘Fire Fire’, ‘Last Breakdown’ and ‘Bad Luck Blues’. Furthermore, there are touches of ZZ Top with some fierce Billy F. Gibbons style staccato fuzz box voodoo, trading off with the more subtle, adult tones of Thunder or Joe Bonamassa’s latest work. But what Cox also demonstrates that she is the master of the ballad as she makes the guitar weep and moan in a way that can only be appreciated by fans of King King and Bonnie Raitt, making the listener feel every ounce of emotion in songs such as ‘Just Another Man’ and the sombre, slow burning closing track ‘Letters To The Otherside’.
What Cox achieves with ‘Burning Bright’, is an album of extremely enjoyable tracks that are sing-a-long from the start, loaded with big hooks and melodies that are guaranteed to be in the listeners head for weeks. ‘Burning Bright’ manages to breathe new life into an already well-worn genre and whilst there are no surprises here; the album does everything that it needs to do and is therefore best enjoyed with a glass of liquor after a long day. 84/100 Adam McCann
Lacuna Coil
‘Black Anima’ Century Media Records Alternative Metal
Lacuna Coil needed to do something following their 2016 album ‘Delirium’, this album was received lukewarmly by fans of the band and was the beneficiary of a harsh mauling from critics. Taking this in their stride, the Italian powerhouse returned this year with their latest offering entitled ‘Black Anima’ in an attempt to recapture the hearts of the heavy metal world.
The band have been choosing to plough their own furrow with a sound that has more akin to alternative metal than where the band began and due to this, this is what the listener continues to get with ‘Black Anima’. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything here that Lacuna Coil fans haven’t heard already, tracks such as ‘Apocalypse’, ‘Reckless’ and ‘Save Me’ all have chorus’ that are easy to sing along to with an almost middle of the road heavy metal enjoyability and the main reason for this is the production. What ‘Black Anima’ offers is a well-rounded super production that is both clean and shiny, the vocals of Christina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro are honed beautifully to intertwine and push this album into being audibly aesthetically pleasing, being both radio friendly and having the ability to sell reasonably well.
Yet, ‘Black Anima’ is a far cry from the Gothic metal that made the band’s name, Lacuna Coil have evolved into something else entirely; sure, this album is listenable and enjoyable at times as well as being significantly better than ‘Delirium’, but does it have the staying power of their early releases? Probably not and it should be listened to with this in mind.
60/100 Adam McCann
Lamassu
‘Into The Empty’ Independent Release Doom Metal/Stoner
Recently formed from the Australian doom and stoner scene, featuring members of Motherslug and Field, Lamassu have been beavering away to deliver their debut album ‘Into The Empty’.
This album has been written whilst the creative juices and honeymoon period of a new band have been at their pinnacle and therefore this gives the ‘Into The Empty’ a sparse, live feel, showing the band at their most primal, doing what they do best. What can be here are sludging riffs, memorable melodies and powerful vocals. It is these vocals which make Lamassu stand clear above their peers, Chris Fisher has the golden larynx of Chris Cornell, reaching those scratching high notes with ease particularly seen on ‘Killing Someone’ and the monstrous track ‘Control’. When coupled with this voice, the heavy descending riffs and odd signatures bring all the joy of ‘Louder Than Love’/’Badmotorfinger’ era Soundgarden. Furthermore, whilst there are still touches of doom here, with plenty of love for Electric Wizard and Sleep, there is also a sound of Alice In Chains as once again, Fisher joins forces with some beautiful melancholic harmonies which would not be out of place on ‘Alice In Chains’, particularly with Matt Dawkins’ wah-wah riffs during ‘Flow’.
‘Into The Empty’ is a great place for Lamassu to start, it keeps one foot firmly in the bands doom roots, but also spreads out with a grungy alternative feel that gives this album plenty of appeal.
80/100 Adam McCann
The Last Martyr
‘Creatrix’ EP Melodic Post-Hardcore Independent Release
Having only formed in the second half of last year, The Last Martyr (TLM) are quickly rising stars from the southern hemisphere. Hailing from Australia, the melodic post-hardcore band have practically demolished everything in their wake, a trend that shows no signs of slowing down with ‘Creatrix’, the band’s debut EP.
This amount of hype definitely creates an expectation and for those fans of the genre, there will little to no disappointment as ‘Creatrix’ delivers what it says on the tin; powerful pop female vocals courtesy of Monica Strut, mixed with the aggressive growls and savage breakdowns common within this style of music. In fact, whilst listening to ‘Creatrix’, it is difficult to believe that this is TLM’s first effort; there is an air of experience about it delivered through a top-drawer polished production that is audibly pleasing, as tracks like ‘Fear’ and ‘Echoes’ do a decent job of combining the sounds of Killswitch Engage, In This Moment and Paramore in with Asking Alexandria and Bring Me The Horizon. Yet, that is the downside to this EP, it is difficult to see any sort of uniqueness within TLM that makes them stand out amongst their peers. However, this EP won’t appeal to all rock and metal fans, yet, ‘Creatrix’ has that big infectious sound that can easily shift records attractive to both fans of the genre and those may stumble across through radio or streaming platforms. Watch this space for something bigger from TLM. 60/100 Adam McCann
Over the previous fifteen years, offerings from Locotus have been sporadic at best. However, last year, the Australian band managed to sneak out their latest EP ‘Through Flames Arise’ to as expected, a rather quiet response.
So, what does ‘Through Flames Arise’ actually consist of? Well, for those already familiar with the Locotus sound, they will not be disappointed with this EP. ‘Through…’ manages to rattle the speakers with its pounding metalcore grooves and aggressive breakdowns as vocalist Chris Fowler guides the listener through the EP with his growls. These growls particularly stand out during the songs ‘Untrue’ and the title track; the latter of which even has a touch of Sepultura, but the music here would appeal to fans of Chimaira, Machine Head and Killswitch Engage. Yet, with this EP, clocking in at just over 20 minutes, there just isn’t enough of it; the EP sadly runs out of time just as it is starting to get enjoyable and this leaves the listener baying for more. However, the inclusion of the elongated soundscape ‘Psyke’ is a little odd, it certainly does not bring anything to the album and after a few listens, it goes from being irrelevant to actually quite annoying. Yet, this irritancy is overshowed hugely by the quality from the other four tracks on the EP.
Locotus have released an EP which is thoroughly enjoyable. Hopefully, ‘Through…’ is just a stop gap in the bands history and if the quality of writing on this EP is anything to go by, then a full-studio album would be most enjoyable. 64/100 Adam McCann
Last In Line
‘II’ Frontiers Records 2019 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
Last In Line are the band which began life as a collective which celebrated the life and career of Ronnie James Dio. The band of former Dio members soon outgrew their tribute band roots and released their debut album ‘Heavy Crown’ back in 2016. Following the release of ‘Heavy Crown’, guitarist Vivian Campbell’s time was pulled back to Def Leppard in gearing up for the 30th anniversary world tour for ‘Hysteria’ which would extend into early this year. Yet in his spare time from Def Leppard, Campbell and co began work on what would become Last In Line’s second album, ‘II’.
Just as there was an evolution from Dio tribute band to ‘Heavy Crown’, there is a progression here with ‘II’. Vocalist Andrew Freeman may have constrained himself initially with the first album, but with ‘II’, the air of caution has been thrown to the wind allowing him to really dominate a decent vocal performance. Moreover, following the untimely death of previous bassist Jimmy Bain, former Ozzy Osbourne man Phil Soussan easily steps up to the plate and provides a solid performance. Furthermore, as expected with ‘II’, there are still traces of that initial Dio sound from the rigid pounding ‘Shame On The Night’ and ‘Lock Up The Wolves’ style opening track ‘Black Out The Sun’, to the Rainbow-esque ‘Sixteenth Century Greensleeves’ staccato riff to ‘Sword From The Stone’. However, tracks such as ‘Landslide’, ‘Year Of The Gun’ and ‘False Flag’ stray more towards a hard rock sound, which does show this band finding their own sound and it is this which makes ‘II’ so easy to embrace. There is enough here from the musicians to point out their individual talents, Vinnie Appice once again stands tall and strong with a rock-solid performance, whilst ‘II’ reminds us that Campbell’s unique talents are wasted in Def Leppard, although he does give us a glimpse of this with a Def Leppard style melodic interlude during ‘Sword From The Stone’.
‘II’ is the sound of a band of seasoned musicians expanding and formulating their sound and whilst it is a still a little rough around the edges, it is another strong, enjoyable album from Last In Line. 85/100 Adam McCann
Lucifer
‘Lucifer II’ Century Media Records 2018 Doom Metal
Lucifer arrived on the scene in 2014 following the disbandment of The Oath releasing their eponymous debut the following year to a rousing critical acclaim. Lucifer toured heavily with the likes of Paradise Lost, gaining much attention before suddenly parting ways with both founding guitarist and drummer Andrew Prestridge and Gaz Jennings before also saying farewell to Relapse Records. Although this had generated rumours of a Lucifer split, a one album wonder, but no, before too long Lucifer were back with Nicke Andersson, former guitarist of The Hellacopters and a new record deal with Century Media Records releasing their latest album ‘Lucifer II’.
Straight from the start, the changes can be immediately seen; ‘Lucifer II’ is a lot more upbeat than its predecessor and nowhere near as doom laden. This gives the album a much more of a 70’s throwback feel than a classic doom album, in particular, this sound is explored with the addition of a Hammond organ into tracks such as ‘California Son’ and ‘Dreamer’ which would seriously appeal to fans of Uriah Heep. Furthermore, the vocals of Johanna Sadonis are much more worn in and fitting to the sound of Lucifer and with a bigger budget from Century Media, the production allows Sadonis to roam and push her vocals to the forefront, especially during ‘Before the Sun’, ‘Faux Pharaoh’ and the excellent ‘Dreamer’.
As expected from a band which leans heavily on doom, there is a lot of Black Sabbath worship on ‘Lucifer II’. This makes the album feel warm and familiar; ‘Dancing With Mr. D’ touches on the riff for ‘Into the Void’ whilst ‘Before the Sun’ has all the heavy blues feel of ‘A New Day Yesterday’ by Jethro Tull. However, this subtle change in sound may have fans of the band’s debut album initially scratching their heads, but after a few plays, ‘Lucifer II’ becomes just as endearing.
‘Lucifer II’ may fall just below the standard set by the debut album, yet in all honesty, that was a high bar to reach. Lucifer have once again delivered an album which is exceptionally good and enjoyable, and it is certainly an album for any fan of female fronted doom.
88/100 Adam McCann
Leviathan
‘Of Origins Unearthed’ Independent Release 2018 Melodic Death Metal
The history of Leviathan has been marred by an extended run of bad luck including huge losses of money due to problems with their previous records distribution. This sadly caused Leviathan to call it a day in 2013 and the band went on an indefinite hiatus. Push forward four years and Leviathan are back, accompanied by a small line-up change of Hendrik Franke on bass and the female vocals of Jule Dahs. Spurred on by a renewed sense of vigour, Leviathan are releasing their third studio album ‘Of Origins Unearthed’ and not only is the band rejuvenated, but Leviathan sound fresh and hungry; a far cry from the jaded band that was last heard in 2013. The German melodic death metal band have rarely sounded this good and this is down to the chemistry that exists within Leviathan and the song writing which has come forward for ‘Of Origins…’. This chemistry has been fostered by the man from Orden Ogan, Seeb Levermann who has added his sense of pragmatism and knowledge of the genre to the album making ‘Of Origins…’ sounding exceptionally good.
However, a production and mastering sheen can only take a band so far and the sound must be backed up by the sustenance of good song craftsmanship and thankfully, this is in abundance during ‘Of Origins…’. The single ‘Proclamation of Death’ is a melodic death metal masterpiece, whilst the bouncing acoustic guitar at the beginning of ‘Come Forth Leviathan’ gives the band a different feel and is reminiscent of Blind Guardian, the fast paced epic nature of ‘Whatever’ would appeal to fans of Children of Bodom, whilst the soaring vocals of Jule Dahs during ‘The Eye of the Storm’ has all the hallmarks of Epica or Nightwish. As an album ‘Of Origins…’ is exceptionally enjoyable and is surprisingly good. It is a huge leap forward from their previous two albums and shows that Leviathan can go toe to toe with their peers. Unfortunately, without the backing of a record label, this album could sadly fall on deaf ears and that would be a tragedy. Get these guys a record deal and get them the recognition they deserve.
80/100 Adam McCann
Lords of Black
‘Icons of the New Days’ Frontiers Records 2018 Power Metal
As a band, Lords of Black had been generally overlooked until their virtuosic vocalist Ronnie Romero was plucked from relative obscurity to front Ritchie Blackmore’s latest incarnation of Rainbow. This would ultimately become a large boon to the popularity of the Spanish band with their previous album ‘II’ selling well on the back of Romero’s endeavour with Blackmore. ‘Icons of the New Days’ is the latest and overall third studio album from Lords of Black. It is stuffed full of the power metal riffs and soaring vocals that have come to be expected from the band.
When compared to the bands second album, ‘Icons…’ has a hell of a lot more consistency, both in song writing and song structure; something which Lords of Black have struggled with since their debut album. Romero’s vocals are once more the saving grace, his time in Rainbow seems to not only have improved his pronunciation, but also his phrasing and vocabulary, adding an extra arsenal to a voice which is already strong, powerful and versatile. Alongside the expected power metal, the band have also incorporated an element of progressive metal into their music, the track ‘Never A Prayer for the Dying’ has an extremely meaty riff and when coupled with Romero’s high soaring voice, it would appeal to any fan of classic era Iced Earth, whilst the guitar work during ‘The Way I’ll Remember’ has all the hallmarks of early Yngwie Malmsteen.
Unfortunately, many of the issues which plagued ‘II’ do resurface here, ‘Icons…’ like its predecessor is just far too long and many of the songs fail to be memorable. However, that is not to say that these songs are poor, in fact, far from it. Tracks such as the excellent opener ‘World Gone Mad’, ‘King’s Reborn’ and the towering title track are just that strong that they overshadow the remaining tracks. Lords of Black are moving forward, ‘Icons…’ is a huge step in the right direction in a genre which can sound easy sound bogged down in a generic sound, the band have excellent musicians and a unique vocalist and this album could prove to be a pivotal release in helping Lords of Black stand out from the crowd, breaking the monotony of power metal indifference and give them the staying power they so readily deserve. 73/100 Adam McCann
Lamb of God
Sacrament
Epic Records 2006
This is a Motherfuckin’ Invitation
Lamb of God are highly revered within the metal world, the band effortlessly blends the elements of groove metal alongside the harsh almost classic growls of Randy Blythe. Over the years, Lamb of God have built up a collection of strong albums including ‘Ashes of the Wake’, ‘As the Palaces Burn’ and ‘Sacrament’.
‘Sacrament’ is the 5th album from the Virginian band and consolidates Lamb of God’s years of work as one of their most successful albums to date. Not only did the album catapult the band into the limelight, it showed that American heavy metal could still have bite in the mainstream world, many people would go on to credit ‘Sacrament’ as the album which turned them on to heavy metal in the mid-00’s.
That is hardly surprising, ‘Sacrament’ features some of Lamb of God’s best work and most loved songs to date; driven on by the superb drumming of Chris Adler and the charismatic vocals of Blythe, tracks such as ‘Walk with Me in Hell’, ‘Pathetic’ and the perennial ‘Redneck’ throw down the gauntlet to their heavy metal peers without many bands in this year able to keep up.
As an album, ‘Sacrament’ would mark the start of a long period of success for Lamb of God, the ripples of which can still be felt 13 years on.
80/100
Adam McCann
Redneck; Lamb of God 'Redneck', 2006; Epic Records
Loudness
Rise to Glory
earMusic Records 2018
Settle to Indifference
Since their formation in 1981, Loudness have become regarded as the most pioneering bands to come out of Japan. Their latest release ‘Rise to Glory’ is impressively just shy of their 30th studio album and is a testament to the longevity of this band.
Even at this point in their career, Loudness show no sign of slowly down or the creative well drying up, there are some excellent songs which drive the first half of the album along; ‘Soul on Fire’ captures the very essence of the Loudness sound, the roaring ‘I’m Still Alive’ – even if it is saddled with an odd placed fade out and the thunderous ‘Go For Broke’ all create a very strong opening. Furthermore, ‘Rise to Glory’ reaches its pinnacle, the band showing a softer side with the beautiful ballad ‘Until I See the Light’ followed by possibly the best song on the album ‘Massive Tornado.
Unfortunately, there are a few things which prevent Loudness from knocking ‘Rise to Glory’ out of the park. The production is quite muddy, the guitars and the drums feel much louder than they need to be and this sadly drowns out the vocals and bass leading to a very tough and enduring initial few listens. Moreover, the second half of the album fails to have the gripping quality of the first and quickly fades to indifferences following the decent avant-garde instrumental ‘Kama Sutra’.
Loudness have once more delivered an album that has some excellent songs on it, but unfortunately the production sullies ‘Rise to Glory’ leaving it better than average at best.
71/100
Adam McCann
Soul on Fire; Loudness 'Rise to Glory', 2018; earMusic Records
Lynch Mob
Wicked Sensation
Elektra Records
1990
Wicked Sensation sums up a genre at its pinnacle
Sometimes heavy metal is so incestuous that it makes the 'Game of Thrones' franchise blush. In the grand scheme of heavy metal family trees, it is so easy to get lost within who is in what, who was in where, who is playing with who and who has fallen with who. In fact, it’s all a little soap opera when you boil it down to that. When Don Dokken and George Lynch realised that they could no longer tolerate each other, it called time on Dokken in 1989.
Lynch, never wanting to be outdone by his former bandmate jumped straight back into work forming his own band, Lynch Mob with former Dokken drummer Mick Brown recruiting then relatively unknown vocalist, Oni Logan. With Lynch Mob, Lynch decided to increase Dokken’s already highly melodic music whilst pushing the heavier side of Dokken towards the more melodic hard rock route already being explored by the likes of fellow American band, Mr. Big.
As the decade ticked over from 1989 into 1990, Lynch Mob released their debut album, 'Wicked Sensation' to a relatively successful response with its melodic hard rock hooks coupled with that big stadium style chorus expected from the MTV rotation of the day. That is certainly not a criticism, as 'Wicked Sensation' stands out among its peers with albums from Winger, Great White, Night Ranger and Danger Danger unable to keep up.
Just like Dokken, Lynch managed to bag a deal with Elektra Records who coupled the recording of 'Wicked Sensation' with acclaimed producer Max Norman, a man comfortable with the music scene with plenty of years under his belt. Besides the big releases that Norman worked on, he also worked on similar sounding releases by bands such as Lizzy Borden, Roughhouse, Dangerous Toys and Dirty Looks. Therefore, Norman and Lynch were like a match made in heaven and this would certainly play to Lynch Mob’s advantage.
The band itself sound hungry on this album, Lynch and Logan fire out of the traps, almost vying for supremacy as a slinky riff from Lynch is attacked by an almost Steven Tyler type scream from Logan signalling the start of the title track of 'Wicked Sensation'. 'Wicked Sensation' has that late 80’s Rock nightclub feel to it with its funky Mr. Big style breakdown and flashy guitar solo that just goes to show that George Lynch is probably one of the most under-rated and best guitarists of the 1980’s. How do you follow 'Wicked Sensation'? Well, you pick the first single from 'Wicked Sensation', which is 'River of Love'. 'River of Love' is a fantastic slice of melodic hard rock that if you had to sum up the genre with one track, then 'River of Love' would be a good call to demonstrate to someone as an example.
Unfortunately for Lynch Mob, 'Wicked Sensation' came out at a time when the tides of music began to turn that would ultimately put the pressure on Lynch Mob, but 'Wicked Sensation' is full fantastic melodic hard rock defining songs such as 'Sweet Sister Mercy' and 'No Bed of Roses' to the raucous 'Hell Child' and the very of its time misogyny of 'Dance of the Dogs'. All of these band together to form an album that was the pinnacle of Lynch Mob’s career with an album which still holds up well today.
75/100
Adam McCann
River of Love; Lynch Mob, 'Wicked Sensation', 1990; Elektra Records