Category Archives: Hard Rock

Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

Judas Priest – Killing Machine (Album Review)

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Judas Priest – Killing Machine (CBS – 1978)

I’m cranking the hi-fi high today for my favourite Judas Priest album: 1978’s Killing Machine. Alternatively titled Hell Bent For Leather in some countries, Killing Machine continued the band’s impossibly superb run of metal-defining 70s albums and was their most red-blooded and raunchy release to date. Alongside megaton leviathans like the resolute Delivering The Goods, the turbo-charged Hell Bent For Leather and tough, direct rockers like Running Wild are songs like the glam stomper Take On The World and the wonderfully wistful Evening Star that managed to simultaneously evolve and simplify Priest’s style without diluting their lethal state-of-the-art metal godliness.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews

Queensrÿche – The Lady Wore Black (Song Review)

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“And I listened, remembering all I heard”

It’s rare for a band to arrive as fully formed as Queensrÿche did on their self-titled debut EP. They sound absolutely world-beating, and in a year as strong as 1983 that was no mean feat. But, of the four songs on Queensrÿche, the one that sounds most like the ‘rÿche of the future is the closing track The Lady Wore Black. Geoff Tate’s high-flying yet melodic vocals and the tastefully restrained, emotive guitar solo are the stuff of metal legends and the gothic clean guitar and attacking, angular, textured riffing bear the hallmarks of the band’s best material yet to come. It’s hard to imagine a more attention-grabbing, anticipation-building career launchpad than The Lady Wore Black.

Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock

Blue Öyster Cult – Spectres (Album Review)

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Blue Öyster Cult – Spectres (Columbia Records – 1977)

The main feature here is Godzilla, one of Blue Öyster Cult’s most classic and fun tunes with its lumbering monster riff and witty lyrics but the songs I love most on Spectres are the ones that evoke hot, summer nights. Hells Angels ride out in the desert to a backdrop of ethereal harmonies on the elegaic Golden Age Of Leather, Death Valley Nights is sozzled noir, Fireworks is full of innocence and wonder and the vampiric masterpiece I Love The Night is dreamy and seductive. On a sweltering night, like it is tonight here in Scotland, Spectres is the perfect soundtrack. Now if only the backs of my knees weren’t so sweaty.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews

Virgin Steele – The Burning Of Rome (Cry For Pompeii) (Song Review)

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“Where the winds of war are blowing freely”

In a tale as old as time, mismanagement and a shite label almost ensured that The Burning Of Rome (Cry For Pompeii) and its parent album, 1988’s Age Of Consent, were lost to history. But, by the Gods and Godesses, Virgin Steele were able to re-release the album in 1997, by which point they were hitting their stride as purveyors of peerless barbaric-romantic metal and their fans could finally rejoice in this mighty masterpiece. Bombastic and grandiose, it’s a totemic moment in the band’s career and frontman David DeFeis delivers the tale of a fallen warrior with heroic levels of nobility and passion. The Burning Of Rome (Cry For Pompeii) is easily one of the best metal songs of all time. I don’t just get goosebumps listening to it, I get them even just thinking about it.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Reviews

David Lee Roth – Big Trouble (Song Review)

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“I feel like a yo-yo, I’ve been here too long”

Big Trouble‘s magical “I bet if you asked them, our heroes would say…” hook alone is enough to make it one of my favourite songs ever. But the track, from David Lee Roth’s 1986 album Eat ‘Em And Smile, also has a hypnotically groovy and sexy riff running all the way through it, a dazzling career-peak performance from guitarist Steve Vai, and Dave Lee Roth rapping away at his witty, quirky and evocative best. As always, he ain’t talking ’bout love, but Big Trouble is romantic and profound. Like a glimpse into Diamond Dave’s philosophy of life. Because Roth knows what our heroes would say. Somehow, he knows.

Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

Dio – Holy Diver [Joe Barresi Remix] (Album Review)

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Dio – Holy Diver: Super Deluxe Edition (Warner Records 2022)

I can’t say that Joe Barresi’s 2022 remix of Dio’s Holy Diver is a revelation exactly but it’s a tasteful update. It loses a bit of ambience but adds punch and it’s great to hear a fresh new version of an album I’ve listened to a gazillion times. And because the remix lets us hear beyond the original’s fade-outs we get to hear more of Vivian Campbell’s inspired guitar playing. Holy Diver was always one of my favourite-sounding metal albums though, so when I find myself thinking “this sounds fucking great” I also remember… it always did.

Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

Blue Murder – Nothin’ But Trouble (Album Review)

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Blue Murder – Nothin But Trouble (Geffen Records 1993)

Blue Murder were starting to sounding hopelessly outdated on their second album, 1993’s Nothin’ But Trouble. But in 1993 my taste in music was hopelessly outdated so I gobbled it right up. Compared to their bold debut album, Nothin’ But Trouble is a more calculated, commercial effort and there’s some rote wimphem here like Love Child and Save My Love. But I didn’t mind… back then I would have listened to Mr. Blobby if John Sykes was his guitarist. And there are some blazing rockers here like We All Fall Down and Cry For Love that took me right back to the glory days of Whitesnake’s 1987 and Thin Lizzy’s Thunder And Lightning.

Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock

Hawkwind – Hall Of The Mountain Grill (Album Review)

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Hawkwind – Hall Of The Mountain Grill (United Artists Records 1974)

Despite being a mellower and more conventionally “prog” album, with a soundscape reminiscent of Pink Floyd and mellotron-laden King Crimson, 1974’s Hall Of The Mountain Grill is one of my favourite Hawkwind albums and a great place to start if you’re new to these dystopian space rockers. Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear In Smoke) is worth the price of admission alone: the band at their anarchic, street-level best. And Lemmy fans will enjoy hearing an early, pub-rocking take on future Motörhead tune Lost Johnny.

Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

Gary Moore – Run For Cover (Album Review)

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Gary Moore – Run For Cover (10/Virgin 1985)

Gary Moore had a good voice but never quite at the same level as his fiery guitar playing so on 1985’s Run For Cover he enlists two legendary, but troubled, vocalists to help out. “Voice Of Rock” Glenn Hughes lends his powerful, soulful singing to four songs, most notably the classy Reach For The Sky which could have fit right in on his superb 1982 album Hughes/Thrall. And then Moore’s old Lizzy pal Phil Lynott basically steals the show with his larger-than-life presence: duetting on bullet-strewn hit Out In The Fields and contributing his own thumpingly macho, but characteristically vulnerable, Military Man. I enjoy the whole album but it’s these guest appearances that make Run For Cover a favourite.

My copy is from this box set. Good music, crappy packaging!
Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Reviews

Van Halen – Hear About It Later (Song Review)

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“But I ain’t home… at night!”

Van Halen’s fourth album, 1981’s Fair Warning, was one of their toughest, edgiest records but on Hear About It Later the band sound more like their old party-hearty selves. The bouncy main riff and the happy harmonies of the chorus are all classic feelgood VH. But, unhappy with band and producer interference, Eddie Van Halen was sneaking into the studio overnight to get his guitar parts just the way he wanted them. And the extra layers of dives, bends and swirling open chords gives the song a nocturnal, neon atmosphere. Pesky frontlegend David Lee Roth ends up stealing the song all the same. His performance is alluringly stand-offish until he offers an emotional olive branch in the middle-eight (“you can try me at home”) that ends up being the song’s, and maybe even his, greatest moment. And he didn’t even have to work any night shifts.