Time To Take A Break...

I started this blog about two years ago now, with the intention of listening to various power metal albums, year by year, from the late eighties (Helloween) onwards. I wasn't sure how it was going to go, and it was to depend on how much I continued to enjoy the genre, as well as to whether I continued to feel like writing about all the different artists.
Well, two years down the track, I've listened right up until 2006, and now I think is a time to take an indefinite break from this blog.
Certainly, I am delighted with how things have gone.  Power metal is indeed a wonderful subgenre of rock music, and it has not let me down in the slightest. Naturally, come artists have been considerably better than others, and there have been highs with lows, but there's been so much to love, I know there are plenty of records I'll be going back to time and time again.
However, as I suspected, I've struggled with my enthusiasm lately, largely because of a need for something different (it's certainly not because of quality -  I think 2006 might have been the best year to date). I have wide tastes, and even as I've been going through these power metal years, I've been tempering them with other acts from time to time, particularly ones I have been longtime fans of, like Duran Duran, Nik Kershaw, Howard Jones, Suzanne Vega, The Human League, Heaven 17, Depeche Mode and others.  But power metal has dominated, and it's wearing me down a bit.
Having said that, I'm in a bit of a bind, because I'm only up to 2006, and we're about to enter 2014. I want to catch up, and there're heaps still to listen to!  I've had a stronger and stronger desire to go back to the music of the eighties and earlier for a while (the eighties will always be my ultimate musical passion), but it's silly to be forever being behind the times with at least some bands as the years go on (I couldn't care less with being behind the times as far as charting music is concerned - I pretty much gave up on that years ago).
So what I'm probably going to do is narrow things down a bit and persist with the power metal bands I have grown to love (as well as those other artists), trying to get up to date with them as much as possible, as well as attempting to investigate earlier acts whom I would like to try (largely, but not only, metal).
I don't know if I'm going to keep writing about them.  The thing is, while I know one or two people have at least read all this (thank you, Alltime Records), it's obvious I don't have much of an audience, which is fine. :-) I wasn't really sure if anyone at all would care about this.  But my writings have proven useful to me, as I have approached some bands' music with rather vague memories (if that) of what of theirs I've listened to before, and going back and reading what I've written of their earlier work has helped me better appreciate the album on which I am currently focusing.
I do need to mention Alltime Records, a new record reviewing site which contacted me earlier this year, having read my writings on this blog, and asked me to contribute to their venture, with was both flattering and surprising to me, as I don't think my writing is really all that great.  Sometimes I get on a roll and out comes some really good stuff, but at others I don't write a very long review at all, and that is sometimes because I simply can't think of a lot to say about the album I have listend to - it might be bad, good or very good, but so unremarkable, there just doesn't seem to be much to speak of.
But also because my brain does not always like to co-operate. I am the son of a man who has over a dozen books published (mostly religious/historical writings, under the name of either David Bennett, or David Malcolm Bennett), and of late, the brother of a girl who has just started getting young adult romance/science fiction books released (Lynne Stringer and her Verindon series), and I am hugely proud of them both.  I would dearly love to find the same success, most of all with some kind of children's writing.
But I find it so hard to do. :-/ Sometimes words flow, but at others it's like my brain is just screaming at me to stop.  I go through almost pain and deadening effort to just get myself going. Some might say "sure, everyone gets writer's block", but for me, it's the rule, not the exception.  I think it's fair to say it's one reason why I struggled so much at school.
Anyway, I am continuing to contribute to Alltime Records, and I would like to recommend them - they can be found at http://www.alltime-records.com/index.php - and certainly want to keep that up, as well as putting some up at Rate Your Music, a site I have been going to for some years now.
But I might put this blog on hiatus for a while, depending on how I feel in the coming weeks.
However, something I would like to do is make a list of the power metal bands I have grown to love, and am definitely now a fan of, as well as other lists of ones of whom I've given up, etc.
I love lists. :)
So I thought I would write all this as an explanation of what is happening, to whomever might be reading.  I want to thank anyone for taking the time to read this stuff, and I also want to thank so many of those great bands out there who have provided me with what I have to say has been a new lease on my music-loving life. :-)
I might be wearying of it for now, but my love for power metal will never die, and I know I will be approaching much more of it with just as much love as I have in the past.
Power metal rules!

Crystallion - A Dark Enchanted Crystal Night (2006)

Crystallion is a German band who doesn't really do anything remarkably new on this, their debut album, but still offer plenty to like as they indulge in all the cliches of power metal.
It's consistently speedy (no ballads), with reasonable melodies (highlights including "Visions" and "Crystal Clear"), and lyrics that revel in fantasy battles and triumphing over evil - example from "Tears In The Rain": "Onward now my warriors, we fight with no remorse/Sail away, the stars will guide us far to distant shores/Thunder shakes the battlefield, the dark defeats the light/'Til the last there's no retreat, for we stand as one tonight."  Where's my sword??
Thomas Strübler's vocals, which are a bit lower than usual for this style, are reasonable, but somewhat uninspiring, although the rest of the instrumentation is fine, particularly Manuel Schallinger's keyboards. 
The final song is the nine and a half minute "The Final Revelation", which brings out that great standby, the Book of Revelation and a battle between the angel Michael and Lucifer.  It's a nice effort, but lacks that epic feel, to the point where it almost sounds like the two protaganists are singing a duet in some apocalyptic cafe.
To a certain degree, I think Crystallion come across as a less hysterical DragonForce, and A Dark Enchanted Crystal Night (even in the title they try to squeeze in all the power metal cliches they can) is a pleasing listen, without managing to take the breath away.

***1/2

Heavenly - Virus (2006)

I've been won over by Heavenly so far, and this fourth album of theirs has done nothing to sway my view.
At a thankfully more manageable running time of fifty minutes, after the seventy-plus of the last release DUST TO DUST, Virus is not as mean as the cover would suggest, but it is more catchy, passionately played power metal, and Ben Sotto's vocals are reasonably restrained (compared with SIGN OF THE WINNER, anyway).
Such tracks as "Spill Blood On Fire", "Wasted Time" (with Sonata Arctica's Tony Kakko adding his voice), "Liberty" and "The Prince Of The World" are excellent, while they also do a first rate cover of the 1984 hit by Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora, "When The Rain Begins To Fall", a song that lends itself well to this genre.
If anything, I've underrated this French band thus far.  Their first four albums are all highly enjoyable, and thinking about them now, I'd have to put Heavenly as one of my favourites of power metal.

****

Crystal Eyes - Dead City Dreaming (2006)

Crystal Eyes' fifth album has them with their third vocalist, this time Søren Nico Adamsen, and that part of the band's sound is certainly better than their early days, helped by the also much improved production.
Unfortunately, the material is often rather uninspired, and doesn't really justify all the effort.  It's mostly reasonable stuff, a bit slower than normal, and songs like "Dawn Dancer" and "Temple Of Immortal Shame" are good, while the conclusion to the final song "The Halls Of Valhalla" (there's Valhalla again) is grabbing, but too much of this sounds like the band is just going through the motions.

**1/2

Sacred Steel - Hammer Of Destruction (2006)

Sacred Steel never have been the typical power metal band, and here they are mostly steeped in straight speed metal, and it's all very heavy and fast, with Gerrit Mutz's usual strangled vocal yelps combining with the gang chants, as they hail metal a lot, and also go for extra dark territory with, in particular, the nine minute "Black Church", which is slower, and is probably more satanic than you're likely to find anywhere else done by a band under the banner of power metal.
I like their heaviness, but Sacred Steel will never really be my cup of tea. I think I've come to that safe conclusion by now.

**1/2

Dragonland - Astronomy (2006)

So far, the three albums from Dragonland have yet to impress me, but this one is certainly a step up, if only for their attempts to progress.
As the title suggests, the topics focus largely on space themes, on the first half at least, and the song "Cassiopeia" is a highlight there (although that one's actually based on Greek mythology), while also intresting is "Beethoven's Nightmare", a reflection of the great composer's suffering through deafeness while writing his music.
The most notable part of the record, however, is the concluding, three-part "The Old House On The Hill". Said to be attributed to Danny Elfman (former singer/songwriter for Oingo Boingo, as well as being the composer for such themes as the ones for the 1989 "Batman" film, and for "The Simpsons"), it is completely instrumental and largely orchestral.  By the end, it reaches quite an impressive grandeur.
However, through all this, the fact remains that the song writing still isn't very inspired or interesting overall, something that has dogged Dragonland throughout their career.  They get marks here for a galant attempt, but only reasonable execution.

***

Fairyland - The Fall Of An Empire (2006)

FAIRYLAAANNNNDDD!!!!
No, I can't really sound metal-tough, no matter how I shout it, can I?
Anyway, The Fall Of An Empire is the second album of this French band, three years after their classic debut OF WARS IN OSYRHIA, and in that time, bassist/drummer Willdric Lievin and vocalist Elisa Martin had left, which resulted in the band bringing in a male singer (Martin was also replaced by a male when she left Dark Moor - does she put these bands off women somehow??), Magic Kingdom vocalist Max Leclerqc. While not great, he's certainly an improvement, and there are also a couple of other female voices that appear from time to time.
I admit I was a bit disappointed to start with when listening to this album.  I can now look back and see that the choral vocals that were so wonderful in OSYRHIA are still there, but they seemed somewhat diluted to start with. Or maybe the material is a bit weaker.
Indeed things do start a bit below par, but there is still some really good stuff here, the first outstanding track probably being the first slow song, "Eldanie Uelle", immediately followed by the more up tempo "Clanner Of The Light". These two songs show just how deft and melodious Fairyland can be. Other songs like "The Walls Of Laemnil" and the ten minute "The Story Remains" ar also good, and it soons become apparent this is indeed the Fairyland that has come before.
Guitars seem to be a bit more prominent this time around, and there's probably a bit more variety in regards to tempo and song structure. All these factors are fine. But the impression remains that The Fall Of An Empire stalls a bit at the beginning before eventually picking up.
Nevertheless, Fairyland are a must for those who love epic-sounding, symphonic power metal, and it's just a shame that their output is so sporadic.  The metal world could do with more from them, no matter what it might think of their name.

****

Celesty - Mortal Mind Creation (2006)

After the ordinary LEGACY OF HATE, Celesty return to form with this third album. It's not breathtaking, but decent enough power metal, with such songs as "Land Of Mortals", "Unreality", "War Creations" and "Arrival" amongst the highlights.
I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'm not feeling the best at the moment. Got a bit of a headache, which is unusual for me.  I don't think it's because I played these chaps too loudly. :) I'm afraid I don't feel up to writing or thinking much more...
But I can still say that Mortal Mind Creation is a good release.

***1/2

Dionysus - Fairytales And Reality (2006)

Wikipedia has this quote from Dionysus' drummer Ronny Milianowicz, concerning Fairytales And Reality: "This album is so good that you would throw away all other CDs you got only to have this one. It will make you drink beer like crazy. It will make your neighbors your worst enemies. It will make you a true metal warrior."
I would have liked to have made a few jokes in reply to that, but I won't, firstly because I'm guessing Milianowicz was being tongue-in-cheek, and secondly, the record is actually a good listen overall.
The band's third and last, it doesn't do anything particularly exciting, but the likes of "The World" and "The Game" are worthwhile, and one can't complain about Olaf Hayer's excellent voice.
Over the course of their trio of releases, Dionysus hasn't done a lot for me, but they're listenable enough. However, I won't be throwing out all my other CDs in the light of any of them.

***

Dream Evil - United (2006)

Dream Evil's fourth album, after the departure of drummer Snowy Shaw and guitarist Gus G. (replaced by Pat Power and Mark Black respectively), can't quite match the monster THE BOOK OF HEAVY METAL that came before it, but there's still plenty of metal pleasure with the likes of "Fire! Battle! In Metal!", "United" and "Let Me Out", while the lyrics veer to more of the evil side, with occasoinal references to Satan (there's even a "Hail Satan" a couple of times), although it's not clear what they're actually trying to say.
United is no classic, but what it does, it does well.

***1/2

HammerFall - Threshold (2006)

I have given each of HammerFall's first five albums three and a half stars, and this one is going to get the same.  It's not that all their releases have been identical, but they've managed to be consistent enough in quality, without reaching any breathtaking heights.
Threshold has a bit more of the choral/chanted choruses than usual, something that always appeals to me, and such songs as "Rebel Inside" "Howlin' With The 'Pac" and "Carved In Stone" are good, powerful heavy metal for those who aren't too demanding.
There's not much more to say, really. Another HammerFall album which offers no real surprises, but does the job.

***1/2

Wuthering Heights - The Shadow Cabinet (2006)

Following the excellent FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD was always going to be a tough ask, but Wuthering Heights have given it a damn good try on The Shadow Cabinet.
I think this is another of those albums which will grow on me with more listens, as I did find it a bit tough to get into, but enjoyed such pieces as "Snow - Apathy Divine Part II", "Sleep" (its quiet, a capella start before growing into a rousing refrain is terrific) and "Carpe Noctem - Seize The Night".
It's quite ferocious and vigorous throughout, with various complex passages, as well as touches of folk, and really just gives off a sense of fun, even if the lyrics aren't necessarily light hearted.
Wuthering Heights is definitely a band I'm going to have to investigate further, as I think their albums have much more to discover with subsequent listens.

***1/2

Divinefire - Into A New Dimension (2006)

I don't want to bag Divinefire too much, as I thought their first album, GLORY THY NAME, was excellent, and the follow-up HERO was also impressive, if not quite of the same calibre. And there are unfortunately few Christian bands that win me over.
However, this third album is a further step down.
It's extremely ferocious, with furious songs through its running time of about forty minutes, and main instrumentalist/music composer Jani Stefanović injects moments with death roars which aren't really necessary, although they aren't too bad. But there just isn't much in the way of stand out material; probably the first proper song, "Passion & Fire", is the best one. 
Singer/lyricist Christian Rivel does as good a job as he does with his fellow-band Narnia, a group which is not extreme, and whom I would normally enthuse less about. But in 2006, they won the battle with ENTER THE GATE.
Into A New Dimension is impressive with its fury and passion, but faulters with the actual material.

***

Angra - Aurora Consurgens (2006)

I admit my admirations for Angra have faded as their career has gone on.  I thought TEMPLE OF SHADOWS was quite overrated, and this follow-up has impressed me even less.
Based on the writings of Thomas Aquinas, and focusing on different mental states (like suicide and schizophrenia), as well as being the last album to feature drummer Aquiles Priester, it's quite heavy, which is good, but with few particularly memorable songs. And when they are memorable, like with the ballad "Breaking Ties", it's not for a good reason, since it sounds like Bon Jovi.
Maybe this will grow on me over time. But, for now, I can't really get excited about Aurora Consurgens.

**1/2

Mob Rules - Ethnolution A.D. (2006)

Mob Rules' fifth album, thanks to the liner notes for the songs on the first half, makes the song topics quite clear, as they sing about religious wars ("Unholy War"), the Klu Klux Klan ("Ashes To Ashes"), division in Germany ("Fuel To The Fire") and suicide bombers ("The Last Farewell").  For some reason, the songs on the second half do not have similar notes.
However, the album as a whole is not all that exciting musically anyway.  Mob Rules has always been reasonable, without doing anything outstanding, but Ethnolution A.D. is not even that good, with rather uninspired writing. What's more, Klaus Dirks' vocals, which have always been easily recognisable with their slightly warbly tone, get rather annoying on the latter part of the record with such songs as "New Horizons". Even the final, quite nice ballad "Better Morning" can't save things.
The best song here is certainly "Day And A Lifetime", but the album as a whole is really not all that special, no matter how notable some of the topics might be.

**

Virgin Steele - Visions Of Eden (2006)

Subtitled "The Lilith Project - A Barbaric Romantic Movie Of The Mind", this is Virgin Steele's first album in six years, and as if to make up for lost time, is eighty minutes long as it tells the grim tale of some kind of battle that starts in the Garden of Eden, when God creates Adam and Eve, and Adam then gets a second wife, the less pure Lilith, who seems to be befriended by the Devil, or something similar.
As usual, this is very much Dave DeFies, as he wrote it, produced it and performed much of the instrumentation.  His snarling/singing (when he does sing, DeFies has quite a deft, sometimes almost gentle voice) is also used for all the different roles in the drama, rather than inviting other singers along, and he is as professional as always.
However, the rock side of this is curiously muted at times - the guitars are certainly not very prominent, and the record can't help but drag in places. And yet it also can't help but be impressive overall, and such songs as the opening "Immortal I Stand (The Birth Of Adam)", "Bonedust" and "Childslayer" deserve to be seen amongst the better tracks from Virgin Steele's catalogue.
I can't say I care for the subject matter, and these really long albums are not easy to get into, and yet I surprise myself with how well I can get swept away by them sometimes. Such is the case with Visions Of Eden.  It's a flawed, but skilled piece of work from someone who just knows how to do this kind of thing.

***1/2