Tag Archives: American

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Song Reviews

Angel – Mariner (Song Review)

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“Sailed the straights alone my ship and me”

I’m a complete sucker for songs that evoke the sea or the coast and that’s exactly what I love about today’s song pick: Mariner from US pomp rockers Angel. Taken from their S/T 1975 debut, it’s not the wateriest song in terms of guitar effects and there are no atmospheric waves and seagull sounds. But the music and performance takes you on a wistful, dreamy journey that reminds me a lot of another seafaring classic, Procul Harum’s Salty Dog. Vocalist Frank DiMino is in particularly fine form, delivering the soaring and gentle tune like he’s got a faraway look in his eyes. But the best bit is an incongruous burst of piano that sounds like it’s straight out of the Rocky soundtrack. I guess you can take Angel out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of Angel.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Song Reviews

Kansas – Belexes (Song Review)

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“And gather together the best of your kind”

A highlight from Kansas’ self-titled 1974 debut, Belexes wears its influences very obviously on its sleeve but does a great job of showcasing the talent and forceful chops of the American proggers. There’s some exciting Purple-style wringing of guitar necks, the stomping rhythms and vocal harmonies are right out of classic Heep and then the keyboards go all Sinbad, sabres rattling like Emerson, Lake and Palmer. It’s a formidable performance and, in the spirit of the bands that influenced it, has a live, hot-off-the-press urgency. Originality is always a big plus, especially if you expect your progressive rockers to actually… you know… progress. But sometimes it’s good enough to just be shit hot. Like Kansas.

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

Guns N’ Roses – Estranged (Song Review)

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“I’ll never find anyone to replace you”

I’ve never been the biggest Guns N’ Roses fan but I really enjoyed watching their recent Glastonbury set on TV and I was especially pleased to be reacquainted with Estranged. Listening to the studio version now, I find I love it more than ever. Taken from the second of their two 1991 Use Your Illusion albums, it’s a wonderful ballad of epic introspection with a heartfelt, searching performance from Axl Rose and sensational melodic guitar lines from Slash, as well as two classy guitar solos. It has the kind of emotional crescendo that I think Axl Rose is particularly good at writing, and that feature in most of my favourite songs of his. If I was whittling the two sprawling Use Your Illusion albums down to a perfect single record, Estranged is one song that would always make the cut.

Death Metal, Genre, Heavy Metal

Morbid Angel – Rebel Lands (Song Review)

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“Rejoice as the blood flows”

I love how imperious and arrogant this song sounds. Like Morbid Angel circa 1991 are the death metal elite… and they know it. Check out Rebel Lands and you’ll know it too. The sandstorm riffs, demonic half-note stabs, squalling guitar solos and David Vincent’s domineering, emphatic vocals are all the stuff of extreme metal royalty. The band’s debut Altars Of Madness tore everyone a new arse in 1989 and, although Morbid Angel took a more refined, arty approach on their follow-up Blessed Are The Sick, chaotic death metal blasters like Rebel Lands prove the band were still capable of unleashing unholy war.

Death Metal, Genre, Progressive Rock, Song Reviews

Cynic – The Eagle Nature (Song Review)

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“Don’t be shallow”

Not that I need a reason, but with the 30th anniversary and an imminent remixed, remastered reissue, it seems like a good time to give Cynic’s incredible 1993 debut Focus a spin. Here’s The Eagle Nature, one of my favourite tracks from the album. Knotty thrash riffing and growling vocals keep this in familiar brutal territory but King Crimson-esque interlocking guitars, weirdo vocoder effects, moody synthscapes and a general sense of wellbeing make this a bit of a space oddity in the death metal realm. Back in 1993 (just six years on from barbaric early death metal classics like Scream Bloody Gore) Focus must have sounded like it was from another planet. And 30 years later, tracks like The Eagle Nature still sound like they’re at the cosmic cutting edge.

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

Virgin Steele – Last Supper (Song Review)

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“The Law reveals itself, shining like the sun”

It’s Easter so I thought I’d listen to something a bit more Jesus-y for a change. Here’s Virgin Steele’s Last Supper from their superb album The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell – Part One. Virgin Steele most often concern themselves with outsider/rebel figures in religion and mythology so it’s great fun to hear frontman/songwriter David DeFeis portraying the big J.C. with his characteristic defiance and passion. And it’s an excellently crafted and mature metal song too with dark Phrygian riffs adding an appropriately middle-eastern feel and an intense, rousing performance from DeFeis. As the song comes to an end his Zep-esque oohs and woos will have you picturing Jesus as some kind of windswept, chest-beating Robert Plant type figure. Which is how I like to imagine him anyway. Praise the Lord.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Song Reviews

Blue Öyster Cult – Monsters (Song Review)

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“New worlds waiting in the sky”

In Blue Öyster Cult’s Monsters, one woman and three men form a crew to steal a spaceship and head out into the cosmos in order to escape a laughter-free Earth. Unfortunately they don’t reckon on the monsters of their minds and the trip ends in sex, jealousy and murder. On BÖC’s 1980 album Cultösaurus Erectus, the band were keen to focus on their enigmatic, heavier side and Monsters‘ dark sci-fi yarn definitely delivers on that front. It’s also a ton of fun: a demented mix of sex and sax where huge stadium rock mixes with schizoid King Crimson riffs and swinging jazz interludes. And while the story ends badly for the crew, Monsters takes off in a climax that is Blue Öyster Cult at their euphoric best.

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

Love/Hate – She’s An Angel (Song Review)

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“They’ll lock you away”

They think she’s insane but Love/Hate, experts in all different types of ladies (from the cuddly wuddly wuddly ones to the nymphomaniacs… in black), know better: She’s An Angel. Taken from the band’s thumping and debauched 1990 debut album Blackout In The Red Room, She’s An Angel stands out as a refreshingly romantic, windswept change of pace from the rest of the album’s party-hearty race to the bottom. But there’s still plenty of that going on in She’s An Angel too, with its drug-taking protaganist, relentless yeah yeah yeah yeah yeahs, and its breathless, driving intensity. I always get a total charge from this exhilarating sleaze metal gem. It’s a guaranteed good time, even during the bad times.

Genre, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews, Thrash Metal

Testament – Burnt Offerings (Song Review)

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“Making the legacy known”

Evil feelings in the air? Then it’s time for some thrash. Taken from the first (and my favourite) Testament album The Legacy, Burnt Offerings is timeless, definitive moshing right down to its half-note riffs, shifting pace and Chuck Billy’s ballsy vocals. I love the black magic vibe of a lot of these early Testament tracks and Burnt Offerings has got that in spades. It’s like a moshed-up Mercyful Fate song with its seances, tarot cards, spooky intro and creepy-crawly verses. It’s an infernal thrash classic that… won’t die!

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Reviews

Journey – Wheel In The Sky (Song Review)

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“The mornin’ sun is risin'”

You never know what the new day will bring. I’ve been listening pretty solidly to death metal this week (Akercocke, Bloodbath, Gorguts) then I woke up this morning and my brain was playing Wheel In The Sky by Journey. Bit of a change of pace, but a fine suggestion, brain! Taken from my favourite Journey album Infinity, Wheel In The Sky is a standout song from the album and from the band’s whole career. It’s in D-minor, the saddest of all keys, but its bouncy rhythm, suvvern twang and Steve Perry’s blissful singing give it a strident, hopeful quality. Throw in an iconic guitar intro and a rich, warm production and you’ve got an absolute rock classic that never fails to put a spring in my step. Now let’s see what my brain’s got lined up for tomorrow… back to the good old zombie infernos I’ll bet.