Tag Archives: American

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

Winger – Purple Haze (Song Review)

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“Lately things don’t seem the same”

Winger’s glam metal re-imagining of Hendrix’s Purple Haze was doomed to fail, considering the relative positions of Hendrix and Winger on the Cool-o-meter Of Rock. I’ll give Kip and pals kudos for being brave/cocky enough to put their own spin on such an untouchable classic but the end result leaves me neither happy or in misery. It’s not so awful that I’m thinking “scuse me while I skip this shite” but in bringing the song in line with their own brand of 80s virtuoso sleaze, Winger also manage to bash out all of the dark, lysergic funk that made the original so intoxicating in the first place. Which is probably why…*points at Cool-o-meter* Winger down here, Hendrix up here.

Album Reviews, Death Metal, Genre

Incantation – Onward To Golgotha (Album Review)

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Incantation – Onward To Golgotha (Relapse Records 1992)

Immolation, Suffocation and Incantation, the big three of death metal’s “-tion” bands, are all equally deserving of umm… adulation. But these days it’s Incantation I’m enjoying the most. I’ve had their 1992 debut Onward To Golgotha on CD for years but when I saw this vinyl reissue in Edinburgh last week I had to pick it up. This is a churning, subterranean take on Morbid Angel style death metal, more concerned with blasphemy than gore. Over 30 years since it was released, it still sounds impressively brutal and atmospheric. So if you like your death metal dank and cavernous you should give Onward To Golgotha your undivided attention.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Reviews

Sammy Hagar And The Waboritas – Things’ve Changed (Song Review)

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“Wondering, if you still got it in ya”

Here’s a feelgood classic rock song from a year that had very little of that going about. On Not 4 Sale Sammy Hagar And The Waboritas managed the rare feat (in 2002) of sounding like they were actually having a ton of fun bashing out songs like Things’ve Changed. It’s basic, familiar stuff but it’s also warm, catchy and delivered with infectiously easygoing charm. I love the mix of Who-like strummed acoustics and thick power chords and Hagar’s voice sounds great. Until this week I hadn’t listened to Things’ve Changed for over a decade so I can’t really say it’s essential but one listen was enough to have the song bouncing around happily in my head for days. It made me feel good. So no changes there.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Reviews

Enuff Z’Nuff – In Crowd (Song Review)

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“My favorite songs everybody says are lame”

In 1991, the rock “in crowd” was looking increasingly like a bunch of grunge numpties. So miserable. Much better to throw your lot in with glam outsiders Enuff Z’Nuff who released their pop metal masterpiece Strength that same year. It never scored the commercial breakthrough it was tipped to achieve but, never mind, it still holds up today. In fact, I listen to it and enjoy it more than ever. Here’s one of the album’s best tracks, In Crowd. It’s a brilliant sleazy rocker with a killer riff, Cheap Trick-grade hooks and smart, self-deprecating lyrics. Despite using the phrase “so miserable” seven times, In Crowd is a ton of fun.

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

Aerosmith – Make It (Song Review)

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“What have you got to lose?”

I remember buying Aerosmith’s Columbia years compilation Box Of Fire back in the mid 90s. I didn’t know a lot of the band’s 70s stuff and I was worried I’d risked too much cash on 13 CDs worth of albums I might not like that much. But the moment I heard the first riff of Make It, the opening song on their 1973 debut album, I knew it was going to be ok. Make It is a great, gutsy opener and a decent song but it’s the guitars that really umm… make it. It’s chock full of dirty drop-D riffing and colourfully wonky soloing. And that intro riff, with its goosebump-inducing suspended chord and mini-gallop, still knocks me out as much today as it did back in 1994. Money well spent.

Death Metal, Genre, Song Reviews

Blood Incantation – Inner Paths (To Outer Space) (Song Review)

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One of the best extreme metal bands of recent years, Denver’s Blood Incantation have shown a knack for instrumental music that culminated in 2021’s entirely ambient EP Timewave Zero. But my favourite of the band’s instrumental tracks is their extremely cosmic Inner Paths (To Outer Space), taken from the stellar 2019 album Hidden History Of The Human Race. A rare example of an instrumental being an album highlight and choice for lead single, Inner Paths (To Outer Space) skews a bit mellow, as metal instrumentals often do, but builds up from the ambient opening and hypnotic prog guitar to a properly brutal death metal climax. It’s the most immediately enjoyable and memorable song on a challenging, intense record. A short guest vocal from Demilich’s inimitably guttural Antti Boman almost stops this being classed as an instrumental but he’s not singing any words, let’s face it! Not ones known to humans anyway.

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

Riot – Narita (Song Review)

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Riot’s Narita is a great example of an instrumental that just flat out rocks. None of your mellow interludes, atmospheric intros or virtuoso shredding here, just a brilliant band knocking out a banging tune. Named after a controversial Japanese airport, the construction of which provoked heated protests and riots from farmers and activists, 1979’s Narita is the title track of the band’s second album and also one of its most exciting songs: an energising mix of 70s US rock (Montrose, The Nuge) and the kind of charging attack and duelling guitars that would become synonymous with Maidenesque 80s metal. Presumably, vocalist Guy Speranza sat this one out because he couldn’t be arsed writing a song about an airport but his superb voice isn’t missed here as the music is so dynamic and catchy. The New Yorkers would become one of rock’s mythic coulda/shoulda bands, which is a shame. As you can hear from Narita, Riot deserved to take off.

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

Ozzy Osbourne – Dee (Song Review)

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Following on from my post about Metallica’s Orion, here’s another instrumental that’s a showcase for a much-missed legend. Dee is a brief classical guitar piece that was written and performed by guitarist Randy Rhoads for Ozzy Osbourne’s 1980 album Blizzard Of Ozz. I can’t say that, in isolation, I find Dee particularly involving or moving. But the piece (written for the guitarist’s Mum, aww) is sensitive and pretty. Not words commonly associated with Ozzy Osbourne. And in the context of the full album it strengthens the overall musicality, variety and guitar hero-ness of a hugely enjoyable record. Countless aspiring guitarists (myself included) have tried to learn Dee and I’m sure they’ll continue to do so. That’s quite an impact for a 50 second interlude. His Mum must have been delighted beyond words.

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

Metallica – Orion (Song Review)

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I have a notion to write about some instrumentals so let’s start with one that’s often rolled out as the best metal example of the form: Metallica’s Orion. I’m not inclined to rank such things but I wouldn’t argue with this song taking top spot on such a list. Orion is classy and classical metal and a great showcase for Metallica’s much-missed bassist Cliff Burton, who’s writing and musicianship dominates here. It’s extremely well-paced with not a minute wasted as the tune shifts from claustrophobic mega crunch to more open lead breaks and melodies. Burton excels throughout with a range of bass leads and harmonies that all cement his legendary reputation. I especially enjoy the organ-like churn that gets the song off to an ominous start and the tranquil melody mid-song is one of the band’s most moving moments and still takes me back to the feelings of wonder and discovery I felt as a teen getting into all this stuff in the first place.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Reviews

Albert Bouchard – Mountain Of Madness (Song Review)

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“Avast me hearties…”

Albert Bouchard’s Imaginos trilogy has mostly involved re-imagined versions of old Blue Öyster Cult songs but it’s a wonderful new song Mountain Of Madness that forms the centrepiece of the trilogies final album, Imaginos III: Mutant Reformation. A collaboration between ex-BÖC member Bouchard and current member Richie Castellano, this is a glorious manfeels adventure on the seven seas. Mountain Of Madness is a glorious AOR tune with a piratey sway, Kansas-style fiddle and a soulful, melodic vocal performance from Castellano. The Imaginos series has been one of the most delightful surprises of recent years and it’s hit a peak with Mountain Of Madness. I love it!