Perpetual Etude - Now Is The Time (CD/LP)

 

Swedish band Perpetual Etude boasts former members of bands like Dionysus, Treasure Land, Air Raid, Nation, Stormwind etc. Musically Perpetual Etude is actually not that far from any of them (except maybe Air Raid). Opening track “I’ve Got The Power” immediately kicks off with a Strat that really sounds like Yngwie Malmsteen, but keeping in mind what Mr Malmsteen has released in the last couple of years, this sounds way more interesting. They are touching on neo-classic metal, but with a big dose of classic melodic metal/hard rock and I’d place them somewhere alongside Alkatrazz. Singer, Kristian Fyhr, is a gem with really powerful vocal cords, high pitch but with a nice raspy edge. Me like!  ”Show Me” reminds me of Graham Bonnet era Rainbow a bit, but with a bit more power under the hood. A strong touch of AOR, but without sounding sleazy. “Straight Through The Heart” starts off with some really nice guitar harmonies from the excellent shredder Magnus Mild and if Yngwie didn’t have a big dose of hybris, he would kill for a song like this. Magnus is also found in mega project Gathering Of Kings, but if I’m honest, I do prefer Perpetual Etude. Not putting GoK down, but they sometimes feel a bit scattered and unfocused while this album has a common thread and high quality all the way, both musically and performance wise. “Once We Were One” again throws in some Yngwie-souding Strat licks and it also flirts with the man musically. It does remind me quite a bit of Europe’s old “Scream Of Anger” (which was written by Marcel Jacob, hence the obvious Yngwie touch). There are similarities, yes, but it does stand on its own legs. This band’s Jens Johansson is Kaspar Dahlqvist who has previously played with prog metal band Treasure Land. On this album he sure shows his skills and there are several really nice keyboard-guitar interplays, such as in the neo-classical “Hell Fire Burn”. As if this wasn’t enough, we also find a guest appearance by former Yngwie (and many more) singer, Göran Edman in the song “Sail Away”. All in all, if you’re into classic hard rock, melodic metal with strong melodies, shredding guitar/keyboard work, solid production and some neo-classical vibes, don’t hesitate!

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Black Lodge

King Mountain - Kingdom Of Shadows (CD)

 

One of Greece’s hardest workin men is without a doubt Stavos Papadopulos. Guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, singer, producer, recording engineer, mastering engineer and song writer. His name can be found in relation to bands like Universal Hippies, Hard Driver, Freerock Saints, Super Vintage och Revolution Highway. King Mountain is another one and it rests on the sacred grounds of the hard rocking 70s, with the riff as a word of honor. Stavros is also without a doubt a master in this trade, which he proves again and again. On the album with singer Tania Kikidi, which was released at the same time as this he also delivered a big chunk of great riffs, so I guess his riff account is pretty big. Actually, this album and Tania’s album, aren’t that far apart musically. The biggest difference is in the vocal delivery department, where the vocals here are handled by Stavros himself. If I was to compare this to some contemporary bands, it would probably be The Dead Daisies or Black Country Communion. Hard rock with riffs up front and bluesy vocals to fit the mold. Stavros is a very capable singer who does a great job even if his guitar playing is a few notches better. I truly love his guitar playing, his groove oriented rhythm playing and the bluesy, bleeding solos. King Mountain – check them out!

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Grooveyard Records

Tania Kikidi - Rock & Roll Paradise (CD)

 

Greece has presented some good stuff now and then, unfortunately not that often. However, in the last 6-7 years there’s been a bunch of good stuff with a nice 70s vibe coming out with bands like Universal Hippies, King Mountain, Hard Driver, Freerock Saints and Super Vintage. One guy has a finger in each of the pies, guitarist, singer, producer Stavros Papadopoulos. So also here, meaning my expectations are quite high. Tania kicks off the opening track and immediately shows how things are done! Power-rock, hard rock, riff rock – classic hard rock with great melodies, fat guitars and Tania’s rocking voice as the icing on the cake. This starts out really good! “Queen Rider” continues in the same vein. It’s kinda hard to describe the style more than saying it’s 100 % rocking classic and quite timeless hard rock in the same musical territory as classic Dio and Victory, but with Tania’s voice as a new element putting them in a lane of their own. “Freedom Highway” invites you to some serious riffing with a nudge to the old Zep school, but a chorus closer to southern rock. “Night Burner” fills upp the riff account again and this one brings classic 70s bands like Teaze, Moxy and Riot to mind, and a riff that made me think of Whitesnake’s “Still of the Night”. Without going through each and every track on the album I’ll say that the overall quality is high, the song material is quite uniform but still varied enough to make it an interesting album. The fact is that the album rocks my world in every track! If you like classic hard rock with great riffs and a singer with the right rock edge, this album is a must The production, as Stavros’ productions usually is, is dynamic yet fat and powerful with kick ass guitars and drums that sound natural. High scores there as well! 

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Grooveyard Records

Stygian Fair – Equilibrium (CD)

 

Stygian Fair from Umeå, Sweden, made their debut in 2017 with the EP ”Into The Coven” and the year after they released the debut album “Panta Rei”, followed by “Nadir” in 2019. Now they have produced their third album “Equilibrium”. I shall admit I have totally missed out on the band’s previous releases, but after having digested this album, they definitely need to be investigated! The album starts with “The Covenant”. I had my fears this could be some bland power metal, but wrong was I. Sure, you could probably file this under “power metal”, but it has a healthy dose of classic hard rock merged into it and I also got some nice vibes of early Queensrÿche in the opening track. I really like that singer Pontus Åkerlund doesn’t fall into the power metal trap with wailings and high pitch yelling. He has a really solid voice, and his way of singing is more theatrical, almost tale telling with a really nice melodic feel. He kinda made me think of Christian Liljegren of Narnia, but with less vibrato and his own touch. “Gorgon’s Eyes” continues in the same vein while “Into The Light” takes it down to both heavier and softer regions. I almost had a feel of Manilla Road meets Brocas Helm, which is fine in my book. If someone had just played me this album, I would’ve had a hard time determining when it was recorded. It may as well have been the late eighties. “Infinitum et Finis” is also quite theatrical in its sound, with nice melodies and different parts that makes a nice change. It actually made me think of US band Legend (with the album “From The Fjords”). “Dark Angel” picks up the tempo a bit and here are some nice progressive retro vibes going on. Pontus sings really well with a nice feel and powerful voice. Great stuff, indeed! “Father Of Light” takes it down again, and here I kinda got a feel of old US metal band Culprit. The production, by Nils Johansson, is really good with a nice analogue feel to it. Besides Pontus, the band features Anders Hedman on bass, Emil Holmqvist on guitar and P-O Jonsson on drums. The closing title track is a real masterpiece with some really nice changes in tempo and feel. The album contains nine tracks, and I can’t find any weak links. A really even and good album that should attract fans of bands like Manilla Road, Culprit as well as Iron Maiden and vintage Queensrÿche.

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Sonic Age

Fulanno - Hash Negro En Las Misas Fúnebres (LP)

 

Not sure why Argentina of all countries seems to have a really fertile soil for retro/stoner rock, but here you’ll find excellent bands like Mephistofeles and Sahara and also Fulanno. "Hash Negro En Las Misas Fúnebres" was originally released in 2016, but then only in digital format. Now, Helter Skelter (sub-label of Swedish Regain Records) has finally given it a well-deserved vinyl release. This is more of a MLP than a full album, though. Five tracks and around 30 minutes of play time. Opener “En Tu Nombre” is a slow and heavy thing with the fuzz on eleven on the guitar. The sound is very “live in the studio”, which I really like. Very nice dynamics and a big sound. Singer Fila Frutos may not be the new Ronnie james Dio, but he is definitely good enough to carry the songs and I really do like his vocals. The title track is closer to doom than stoner with its slow drums and heavy riff. "Osciloscopio" also fits in the same box and it kinda makes me visualize lava slowly making its way down a mountain. The vocals kinda sails over the wall of guitars, which are really in your face, while the drums have quite a lot of air and reverb. “Hordas” continues in the same vein, if only a few bpm’s faster. The last song "Perfume Póstumo" picks the tempo up a few notches but without leaving the doom zone. A bit morr stuff is happening in this track and I’d place it in the same box as Witchfinder General and Cathedral with some Sabbath overtones (of course). A highly interesting album if you’re into heavy, slow and quite primitive stoner/doom. I really like this release, but their album "Nadie Está A Salvo Del Mal" is a few notches better, but this is a safe buy!

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Helter Skelter/Regain

The Sonic Overlords - The Last Days Of Babylon (CD/LP)

 

If you’re a fan of the Tony Martin era Black Sabbath, here’s a band you definitely shouldn’t miss out on! Swedish quartet The Sonic Overlords (who really do their name justice) is fronted by singer Marcus Zachrisson Rubin with Morgan Zocek (Sideburn) on guitar, Daniel Ramirez on bass and Per Soläng (Corroded) behind the drums. The album kicks off with slightly oriental sounding up-tempo rocker “Utopia”, making me think of Rainow meets Black Sabbath, while next track “In My Darkest Room” takes the tempo down to a nice mix of slow Sabbathy doom riffs and melodic vibes. “Fools” picks up the pace again and even if I do see Black Sabbath peeking out behind the corner it does have a nice dose of Sonic Overlords personality. “Lords Of Tomorrow” takes us back down into the basement… even under the basement. Doom of the highest order, in league with Swedish colleagues Sorcerer. A really fat riff with nice melodic vocals. This is great stuff, indeed! “World of Fire” starts off nice and easy to develop into a powerful ballad resting on a heavy foundation. Marcus, who also fronts cover band Ozzy The Coverband, does a great job, and despite the risk of doing so, does not sound like a copy of neither Ozzy, Tony or Dio. He definitely has his own touch which fits this band like a glove. “Sands of Time” is a mid-tempo cruncher which reminds me a bit of Grand Magus on “Iron Will”, but also with some softer parts weaved in. Very nice and dynamic. ”Shine” continues in the same vein, where they take it down with a softer pre-verse, and then flick the power switch and even features a football chorus as a new dimension. “Children of the Night” provides another dose of doom riffing. Detuned, heavy and powerful with Marcus’ voice as a flag bearer on top of the black mountain. One of my favorites on the album! “Eternal Heroes” picks up the tempo and the riffs are mean and suggestive, but the song still has a fateful feeling hanging over it. In the last track, “Past the End of Time” none less than Tony Martin guests on vocals. Maybe not totally surprising, since the song also has a strong vibe of Black Sabbath. The fact is I hardly hear the difference between Tony and Marcus’ vocals (and still I don’t feel Marcus sounds like Tony… figure that one out). I must also say, I really like the production, which is fat and powerful yet quite dynamic.

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: M-Theory

Air Raid – Freedom Ring (CD)

 

No, this is not the Swedish heavy metal band, this the original Air Raid, the 1980s US pomp rock band fronted by Arthur Offen and with Rick Hinkle on guitar. Yes, they are back! Air Raid only made one self-titled album back in 1981, but boy what an album. After some silent years Arthur came back (quite silently, though) with the pomp project Flag, with whom he released three killer albums in the same vein as Air Raid. He then did a solo album under his own name, also in the same vein. All of them well worth checking out if you’re into high quality pomp rock! Well, Now Arthur and Rick have re-united to produce a new Air Raid album. Starting out with a track named Air Raid, they show they are back, and that without missing a beat! Same style and sound, same powerful, guitar oriented powerful pomp rock with great melodies. Arthur still has the voice, slightly aged and matured, but with the same power and attitude. Let Your Freedom Ring continues in the same style, and I must say, what I find a bit intriguing with Air Raid, and that was even on the first album, is that their sound is anything but polished. The drums sound acoustic, the guitar is rough edged, there are even wah solos, which is not every day you hear in this genre, and there are no extra layers of “shimmer”. It sounds like the album could have been recorded live in the studio. I love that! Island Song starts out quite slow and quite heavy, picks up the pace, goes back down, and Arthur makes an almost dystopic vocal delivery. Quite theatrical, and with lots of interesting twists and turns. It is followed by Derby Bay which on the contrary is an up-tempo quite light weight piece to balance it out. A Place In The Northland starts out sounding like an intro to an old movie about knights in shining armor, and the lyrics may even describe that scene. A very theatrical, pompy and orchestral piece, with an almost Phantom of the Opera kind of touch where Arthur is not holding back on the keyboard delivery. Surprisingly short, though. Los Horizon starts out with yet another big and orchestrated keyboard delivery and now we are going down to the dark corners of the theatre, before heading into space (at least lyrically). Another well-arranged and highly interesting opus. I complained about the previous track being short, but here I do get what I ask for, a long and intricate epical opus in six parts with different moods and vibes, from slow and gloomy, to up-tempo and rocking to mid-tempo with some raw edge guitar riffing, to almost chamber style music with acoustic guitar, violin and piano and back into pompy power rock territory. We’re talking a near 20-minute opus here! A masterpiece indeed! The album ends with The Silvering which does feel like a perfect ending song, like a “Goodbye and thanks for all the fish” (sorry couldn’t help it – this did give me a Douglas Adams vibe for some reason). There’s no doubt – Air Raid are back, and they have done a masterful album indeed!

Janne Stark