Down - IV: Diary of a Mad Band

(Originally written for Under City Lights / Rare FM)

Down is quite literally the result of squeezing Pantera, Crowbar and Corrosion of Conformity together – both in personnel and sound. The result is a slow grooving, heavy bludgeoning of pure stoner metal. Their fourth album provides a rather faithful look in to the live Down experience, providing a chronological selection of cuts from their 2006 reunion tour. I say “faithful” because this is as raw as a live album comes; there are no studio touch-ups to be found here. Instead, we get treated to a fantastic array of sludging guitar riffs, pounding rhythm sections and the delightfully slurred vocals of Phil Anselmo. The flaws are audible through-out, particularly so in Phil’s voice which every once in a while goes horribly wrong (not in the least on the unbearably off-key ‘Planet Caravan’ wannabe, ‘Jail’). Equally, you can hear the guitars occasionally mess up (albeit, very rarely), providing the listener a real opportunity to listen to a band coming to grips with starting anew. It is rare that modern live albums sound genuinely live, especially so in the world of Pro-Tools abused metal, but Diary Of A Mad Band sees Down immerse you in gig the atmosphere as they storm through classics like ‘Lifer’ and ‘New Orleans Is A Dying Whore’. Even Phil’s ridiculous stage banter (which primarily entails indecipherable mumblings interjected by exclamations of “God-damn!” and “Bad-ASS!”) are kept fully intact. There are a few quieter moments, such as the melancholic ‘Learn From This Mistake’, but for the most part, things are heavy with that unmistakable Southern drawl.

If you’ve only heard Down in the studio and never had the opportunity to check them out live, this is the perfect solution. If, on the other hand, you have no idea who Down are, you could go a lot more wrong than picking this up. This is ballsy, Sabbath-inspired groove-metal through and through and is a testament to the band’s own integrity that they’re willing to commit their occasional flaws to record. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to shotgun some beers and punch a wall, but in a good way.

Alter Bridge - AB III

(Originally written for Under City Lights / Rare FM)

Alter Bridge’s third album, the logically titled AB III, sees the band inject some morose tonality in to their hard rock sound, presumably as a result of the apparently “dark” nature of the album’s concept. They indulge their more metallic side frequently, with opener ‘Slip In To The Void’ straddling a surprisingly well-executed line between groove-metal and melodic rock.

That’s not to say everything is blisteringly heavy - after all, this is Alter Bridge. Whilst the album doesn’t quite keep up with the intensity with which it starts, most of the songs are surprisingly hard hitting. ‘All Hope Is Gone’ is a slowed rocker with a bizarrely Celtic vibe, whereas album high-light, ‘Make It Right’, provides a mix of rock-balladry and Jimmy Page styled guitar twanging. Conversely, ‘Wonderful Life’ seems to be a generic ballad that falls a bit flat.

The band are clearly focussed on getting the balance between melody and heaviness just right, but this occasionally result in a split personality to tracks. ‘Ghost of the Days Gone By’ fleets between delicate verses and power-chord driven choruses before departing in to an almost Pantera-esque breakdown. Tracks such as ‘Isolation’ and ‘I Know It Hurts’ see Alter Bridge achieving their goal more succinctly, with the heavy riffage brilliantly juxtaposed by the soaring vocals of Myles Kennedy which serve to accentuate the melody behind the heaviness.

AB III is certainly quite a far cry from the band’s earlier material. I’ve always been rather on the fence about Alter Bridge, but AB III seems to cement the band as one worthy of attention. Whilst the album can drag on a bit, it primarily remains a prime example of strong, modern day rock and roll. At the very least, it’s deserves a good few listens from anyone who has ever wanted unfashionably long hair.

Michael Jackson - Hold My Hand

It is with a cautious sense of curiosity that I approach anything from the first of Michael Jackson’s posthumously issued albums (I’m assuming there will be more purely due to the unceremonious cash-cow Jackson’s death has provided). Leading single, ‘Hold My Hand’, sees Jackson performing a duet with Akon, a concept that initially filled me with fear, but remarkably, it works. Jackson’s vocals are as floatingly silky as ever before and Akon’s unsurprisingly auto-tuned voice seems to provide a slightly gritty but fitting counterpart. The entire production of the song clearly oozes qualities of Akon’s own material but it is admittedly jarring to hear Michael Jackson’s voice on something so overtly 21^st century. Whilst nothing particularly special, ‘Hold My Hand’ proves itself an upbeat if understated anthem that is sure to linger in the listener’s memory. With its sweeping orchestration and soothingly light accompaniment, ‘Hold My Hand’ has a certain charm despite its relative monotony. More than anything, it is pleasant to hear Michael’s voice on something new. Still, if you want a dose of classic sounding MJ, you’re probably best seeking out ‘Breaking News’.

Adler's Appetite - Alive

Being ejected from Guns N’ Roses – a band where members have clinically died for short periods from heavy substance abuse – for being too much of a junkie should give quite a clear impression of what metaphorical demons original drummer, Steven Adler, has been battling against for the last two decades. In a moment of sobriety, the maligned drummer formed Adler’s Appetite, a band that saw him and a cohort of other 1980s LA glam musicians effectively become a GN’R tribute act. New single ‘Alive’ however marks a recent trend of original material and, shockingly, it’s really quite good. ‘Alive’ is a short and sharp dose of ballsy hard rock that sees driving guitars, suitably gritty vocals and, of course, cowbell-laden drums come together harmoniously. Adler’s sticking with what he knows; thundering rhythms, head-bangingly heavy riffs and anthemic choruses that make you want to cockily punch the air. After circling the drain for so long, it’s fantastic to see Adler put out something as strong as this. ‘Alive’ is a slab of good-time, life affirming rock and roll that blows most of Chinese Democracy out of the water.

Neil Young - Le Noise

Crackling open with fuzzily distorted electric guitars, ‘Walk With Me’ sounds like it is building up to explode in to a huge, full band swamp rock stomp. Unfortunately, this never happens. Instead, Le Noise sees Neil Young accompanied only by his own crackling electric guitar, with all of the proceedings reinterpreted by a bizarre mix of sonic soundscapes courtesy of producer Daniel Lanois. These effects see Neil’s voice drenched in a floaty echo, whilst the guitars either sound dirge-like or fade into nothingness. The moody production acts as a mixed blessing - “Someone’s Going To Rescue You” sees the atmospheric space effects complement Young’s ethereal vocals whereas other songs like “Sound of Love” get lost in their own reverberated noise.

‘Love And War’ is one of the few acoustic cuts on the album and as it a result, it sounds more complete than the lone electric tracks which beg for rhythm accompaniment. The special effects on ‘Love And War’ and ‘Peaceful Valley Boulevard’ are few and far between but illuminate the guitar at the right moments without sounding over the top. As a result, the acoustic tracks prove the album’s highlight thanks to their solemn desperado flair.

As jarring as it initially is, it would however be wrong to say that Le Noise is a misfire. Once you get used to the bizarre soundscape, the strength of the material begins to reveal itself. The effect soaked ‘Angry World’ is a diamond in a rough; consisting of heavy metal riffs contrasted with Young’s high and vulnerable singing, it eventually culminates in a meticulous cacophony of fuzzy guitars, brooding melodies and echo. Le Noise’s key issue is its stylistic indecision. It is as if Young and Lanois aren’t sure whether they wanted to release an album of full-banded heavy swamp rock, solo earnest acoustic Americana or trippy ambience so instead they went with something that could just about be described as psychedelic folk. Le Noise is a challenge to get in to, but it is a mistake to discard it right off. For all its bizarre experimentation, there is enough traditional Neil Young goodness here to enjoy. It just takes longer than usual for it to pop out.

Gorillaz - Doncamatic

One thing that has to be admired about Damon Albarn is his willingness to experiment under the guise of Gorillaz. New single ‘Doncamatic’ is no different, seeing the “band” move in to the realm of synth-pop and, weirdly, it really works. ‘Doncamatic’ has an undeniably retro vibe, with its electronic instrumentals sounding a bit like a badly synthesised accordion being attacked by an unrelenting array of square leads (the single is accompanied by an instrumental version of the track that really elucidates how bizarre the background effects are). The most modern thing about the single is certainly the vocals of guest singer Daley, helping to cement the track in the 21^st century and giving the song its much needed hooks. It’s a straightforward but ear-catching tune that should be positively received by most.

Ginger - Ten (Two)

Ginger of The Wildhearts has just recently put out a compilation album that covers the first ten years of his solo work, aptly called Ten. Now, I’ll be honest. Despite being a massive Wildhearts fan, I’ve never properly gotten around to listening to Ginger’s solo output. You can’t blame me when there’s such of a wealth of stellar Wildhearts material to work through. However, as a companion to Ten, Ginger and co have picked an additional ten tracks that wouldn’t fit the compilation. Furthermore, they're being offered online for free. How delightful. If, like me, you simply haven’t had a chance to give Ginger’s solo material a fair shake, Ten (Two) provides an exemplary opportunity to do so. Expect something a bit more mellow and arguably more pop-oriented than The Wildhearts, but no less infectiously catchy. Go on, how often is it you get good music for free (...without breaking the law)?

Download Ten (Two) at http://gingerwildheart.bandcamp.com

Disturbed - Asylum

Disturbed’s Asylum starts off surprisingly well; its instrumental opener ‘Remnants’ evokes an almost Megadeth-esque vibe in places thanks to its haunting guitar leads before seamlessly seguing in to the album’s title track. Initially driven by a crawling bass line, the path is paved for thrashing guitars and David Draiman’s bizarre semi-bark to carry a great chorus in ‘Asylum’. At this point, I begin to question my preconceptions of Disturbed, perhaps having written them off for their previous nu-metal tinged shenanigans too soon. I continue this line of reasoning as ‘The Infection’’s stellar opening riff spirals out of control before revealing a soaring, melodic verse line. However, my newly founded open-mindedness crumbles quickly as the flat chorus leads in to a generic, stop-start guitar breakdown. It is these relentless spasms of chugged riffs that make Asylum nothing short of dismal. The slow and melancholic opening of ‘Another Way To Die’ and the interesting tapped guitar intro of ‘Innocence’ are both quickly ruined by the dull, unimaginative thudding of down-tuned guitars. It’s a shame as there is some genuine good on Asylum. For instance, ‘The Animal’ sees Disturbed master the balance between melody and heaviness while ‘Never Again’ provides a ballsy anthem that tastefully tackles the Holocaust. Indeed, there are certainly some memorable choruses throughout, but when the verses are as excruciatingly pedestrian as on Asylum, listening to an entire song becomes a bit of a chore.

Musically proficient, Disturbed showcase occasional flashes of song-writing talent on Asylum but they are never realised for more than a split second. Having established a certain sound early in their career, Disturbed seem stuck in a rut of displeasing tedium where experimentation is out and repetitiveness is in.

Spirits of the Dead - Spirits of the Dead

Spirits of the Dead are a massive nod to the past, incorporating elements of Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath and King Crimson to create something that sounds almost like a mellower Opeth. Opener ‘White Lady / Black Rave’ sees a strong 70s rock vibe come to the forefront, with light Hammond organs, bouncing guitar riffs and occasional synths evoking connotations of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Spirits of the Dead are exceptionally meticulous about the music they deliver, clearly avoiding the risk of becoming another retro-rock tribute act. Whilst it’s clear where the band’s influences lay, it would be wholly wrong to call them derivative as their brand of mixed genre rock sounds welcomingly fresh throughout. The music is ethereal and restrained without being dull, with the drum-driven urgency of ‘The Waves Of Our Ocean’ only letting up when sliced through by a guitar solo with all the fuzz of a bear. The heavier moments are few and far between but are cleverly implemented, appearing most prominently on ‘Red’ where the staccato riffing breaks through the solemn clean guitars. Of particular note is the album’s title track, which smoothly switches from blistering distorted guitars to melancholy cleans, eventually culminating in a heavy metal funeral march by its end. The entire album is a delight to listen to as it is abundantly clear a lot of time has been invested in making these songs as bright and fulfilling as possible.

N.B. Completely irrelevant, but I absolutely love the cover art.

Spirits of the Dead is out now on Big Dipper Records

http://www.myspace.com/spiritsofthedeadmusic

Shush - Soundtrack of My Life

From the get-go, Shush’s Soundtrack of My Life is an energetic and heavy platter of pop-punk that sees winding metal riffs cleverly punctured by catchy melodies, as prominently displayed by the hugely infectious chorus of ‘Got Caught In The Act’. Shush’s lively songs have just enough bite to keep even their poppier moments weighted, with ‘Shout’ clearly channelling that Wildhearts penchant for aggressive hooks. Not shying away from variety, ‘Blues’ sees the band take on a slightly more traditional blues-metal riffery, with the fantastic groove of the verse leading in to a disarmingly charming chorus. Conversely, the title track is a bit more restrained, marred only by the borderline annoying over-repetition of line "Welcome to the soundtrack of my life". Indeed, there a few duff moments on the album - pseudo-ballad ‘Stay’ comes across as a bit naff despite its strong vocal performance, for instance - but, with tracks as jabbingly addictive as ‘You You Me Me’, there’s more than enough to make up for it. In Soundtrack of My Life, Shush have delivered a consistent debut of hook-laden modern rock that is sure to cement itself to listeners’ memories.

Soundtrack of My Life... is out 1st November on Ruby Records.
http://www.shushsound.co.uk/

The Jim Jones Revue - Burning Your House Down

The Jim Jones Revue wear their influences on their collective sleeve, with their visceral music clearly based around the classic rock and roll formula of early greats like Little Richard. However, this rock and roll basis has been injected with the force of relatively more modern hard rock offerings. The result is Burning Your House Down, an album brimming with vibrant blues-rock stomps that often tread the lines of punk and early heavy metal, whilst still maintaining that boogie-rock shuffle. This seamless blend of the styles creates something really quite unique, where the thundering guitars are rivalled by the wild piano and the vocals are belted out with venomous intensity – especially so on single ‘High Horse’. Indeed, the bass driven ‘Elemental’ genuinely sounds like the hypothetical aftermath of Elvis binging on early Metallica, whereas the sinister shuffle of ‘Premeditated’s guitar riff is bolstered by an unrelenting piano and a scorching chorus. The title track itself provides the album with a bluesy slunk that is heavy enough to merit its hilariously aggressive title.

Burning Your House Down is a belligerent record throughout, but the songs are well crafted and still maintain a sense of melody. It’s rare that a band are able to capture such vigour in a studio, but The Jim Jones Revue showcase all the dynamism and force of a live gig, resulting in a brilliantly animated album from start to finish.

Sonisphere Festival 2010, Knebworth UK 30/7/10 - 1/8/10

(Again, this is to be printed in Powerplay Magazine. All blurry pictures taken by me.)

Friday 30th July

Delain

Playing a brand of female-fronted symphonic metal akin to Within Temptation, Delain's set was a slow beginning to the festival. One of the few moments of energy in the otherwise melodramatic proceedings seemed to be track 'The Gathering'. On the plus side, front-woman Charlotte Wessel had a great voice and the stage presence to match it. Opening a festival is never an easy feat and Delain were hardly a bad act, but not quite the kick-start I was expecting.

Turisas

Opening with the storming 'To Holmgard and Beyond', Turisas' set was one filled with beer-swilling gang chants and raised fists. Teasing the crowd with the beginning of their now well known 'Rasputin' cover, Turisas instead opted to drop in a well adapted version of Black Sabbath's 'Supernaut' before front-man, Mathias Nygård, went on to continue ranting about how bad Carlsberg is and ending with their mantra song, 'Battle Metal'.

Gary Numan

Expecting something more new wave, I was blown away by the sheer heaviness of Gary Numan's set. Focussing mostly on his recent material, each song was a brooding synth elegy that saw Gary stalk the stage with a gothic careen and the occasional cheeky grin. Even upbeat Numan stalwarts, 'Cars' and 'Are 'Friends' Electric?', were given a far more crushing treatment. To the credit of Numan and his band, they really delivered a powerful set that saw the audience enamoured.

Alice Cooper

Scarcely straying from the content of the Theatre of Death tour, Alice's set spanned his entire career with the crowd being treated to garage rock classics such as 'Be My Lover' alongside modern tracks such as 'Vengeance Is Mine'. Of course, this being Alice Cooper, the audience were here for more than just the music. When Alice impales someone on a cane several songs in, you know you're in for a good night. But Cooper himself was hardly a lone star – the titular character of 'Nurse Rozetta' made a fiery appearance before her eventual strangling and welcome surprise 'Feed My Frankenstein' saw a giant monster take the stage to torment Alice. Furthermore, throughout the set, Alice's band did more than justice to the wealth of strong material, making sure that even without the theatrics, an Alice Cooper show would be hard to beat.

Saturday 31st July

Sabaton

Opening with the storming 'Ghost Division', Sabaton's set was fast and furious. Established classics such as 'Primo Victoria' and 'The Art Of War' were joined by new song 'Coat of Arms', all inter-spliced by Joakim Brodén's hangover focussed crowd banter. As expected, the staccato piano of 'Cliffs of Gallipoli' and its rousing chorus went down a storm. Closing with the heavy metal tribute medley of 'Metal Machine' and 'Metal Crue', Sabaton ended on a high note having energised the morning crowd.

Tim Minchin

Being a fan of Tim Minchin's musical comedy, I was curious as to how it would come across at a festival. Although playing amusing skits such as 'Prejudice', the environment just wasn't right for enjoying the Australian’s set properly. Whilst the songs are indeed good, when a comedian's humour is derived from witty lyrics, being able to hear the words clearly is pivotal – however, the sound quality simply didn't allow for great enunciation. It wasn't all bad though. 'Rock and Roll Nerd' saw Tim unexpectedly joined by Evile guitarist, Ol Drake, creating quite a surreal pairing.

Mötley Crüe

Despite opening with a variety of sound issues during a shaky 'Kickstart My Heart', the Crüe managed to deliver. Whilst Vince Neil may have taken to skipping select words in the verses of 'Dr. Feelgood' and 'Shout at the Devil', he remains a capable front-man, bounding across the stage in every song and keeping the crowd lively. Furthermore, Mick Mars' guitar playing was mesmerising, despite the show clearly taking its toll on him. Amongst the staples 'Girls, Girls, Girls' and 'Same Ol' Situation', the Crüe also saw it fit to mark the occasion by throwing in a few rarely played tracks; the sleazy 'Ten Seconds To Love' and the infectious 'Rattlesnake Shake'. Coupled with a wealth of pyrotechnics and fireworks, Mötley Crüe put on an all round good show.

Therapy?

Before Therapy? even began to play their acclaimed album Troublegum, the Bohemia tent had met its capacity, with many people being turned away by security. Eventually overcoming the sound issues that led to two false starts, the band stormed through Troublegum with sheer intensity and the crowd clearly loved every moment of it. Filled to the brim, the tent pulsated with fans singing along and rocking out. With Therapy? playing so well and the audience actively participating, not only did Therapy? do their album justice, they also created the most euphoric moment of the festival.

Sunday 1st August

Slayer

Anyone who has seen Slayer knows exactly what to expect – Slayer is as Slayer does. Playing new tracks off 'World Painted Blood' amongst staples 'South of Heaven' and 'War Ensemble', Slayer capably thrashed their way through a short set. Ending with 'Angel of Death', the crowd erupted towards the front and Slayer reaffirmed their status as a band who don't need to try anything new to please their fans.

Alice In Chains

Whilst Lane Staley is arguably irreplaceable, William DuVall does his legacy justice with Alice In Chains seemingly invigorated. The band played a good mix of old and new, incorporating slower numbers 'Your Decision' and 'Would?' with rockers like 'Them Bones' and 'Man In The Box'. Closing their set with the powerful 'Rooster', it was clear that the new Alice In Chains have a great chemistry and it was a delight seeing Jerry Cantrell take the microphone for a good portion of the set.

Iron Maiden

Preceded by a melodramatic video of travelling through space and a lunar stage set to match, Iron Maiden opened with 'The Wickerman', thus setting the standard for a set filled with recent material. Whilst occasionally dropping in classics like 'Wrathchild' and 'Fear of the Dark', Bruce Dickinson was adamant to prove that Maiden aren't a “nostalgia band”. The results were a bit of a mixed bag. The epic 'Dance of Death' was a fantastic choice whereas the lacklustre 'Wildest Dreams' was not. The Dio-tributed 'Blood Brothers' fell somewhere in-between whereas new song 'El Dorado' came off much better live than recorded.

I understand what Iron Maiden were going for with this set, but it wasn't without issue. Most of these songs were just too long; frequent instrumental interludes aren't suitable for a festival environment. I applaud the band for giving their more recent material a deserved airing, but the balance became skewed, creating a set that alienated the many casual fans in the audience. Whilst the encore did help save the show (you can't beat 55,000 people singing along to 'Running Free'), Maiden could have been more diplomatic in their choices and not omitted some of their most famous numbers. I probably remain the only person to have seen Maiden twice and not heard flagship songs 'Run To The Hills' or 'The Trooper' performed. Though the set-list was occasionally dubious, the band still put on a great show filled with energy and it's always fun watching Eddie getting beaten with guitars.

Indica - A Way Away

(Written for Powerplay Magazine)

An odd signing for a predominantly metal label like Nuclear Blast, the perpetually labelled ‘all-girl band’ Indica play an almost gothic brand of pop rock. As ridiculous as it may sound, Indica are like the missing link between Nightwish and Girls Aloud. It’s catchy pop embroiled in a pseudo-dark image and symphonic orchestration. Listening to A Way Away, it’s no surprise that its producer was Nightwish’s own Tuomas Holopainen, who clearly brings his penchant for the grandiose in to the Indica formula.
Although it may sound like a musical identity crisis on paper, A Way Away is surprisingly listenable. The twee pop chorus of 'Precious Dark' is almost contagiously catchy, with lyrics straying between pretentious melancholy and Alexander Ryback fairy tales (you know, the Eurovision 2009 winner… no?). Similarly, the curiously poetic melancholy of 'In Passing' or the title track are enough to stay in the listener’s ear long after their conclusion. 'Scissor, Paper, Rock'sees Indica momentarily flirt with the up-beat, but only in its guitar driven instrumentation; the lyrics are as bleak as the rest of the album, but who cares when the chorus is this addictive?
There are certainly enjoyable moments throughout the album, but a lot of A Way Away seems to plod along rather drearily with many tracks sounding little more than a very simplistic funeral march. The strongest moments are when Indica step back slightly from their relentless elegy and deliver weirdly infectious gothic pop.

Liv Kristine - Skintight

(Written for Powerplay Magazine)

Those expecting something akin to Leaves’ Eyes from Liv Kristine’s solo output should probably avoid Skintight as the music here is an exercise in European pop-rock and a far cry from Kristine’s symphonic metal outfit. Clearly, the main draw of the album is meant to be Kristine’s floating vocals which remain consistently gentle throughout. However, when most of the material is as ironically lifeless as tracks such as 'Lifeline', it doesn’t matter how good the singer’s voice is. That’s not to say it’s all terrible – 'Emotional Catastrophes' makes great use of a slightly rocky and haunting set of melodies, 'Boy At The Window' boasts a driven, partially spoken verse section and 'Versified Harmonies'’s drifting chorus is well enunciated by quiet guitar siren calls and subtle sitars. But these moments aside, the lion’s share of the album remains monotonous acoustic pop that lacks any particular direction or excitement and as a result, Skintight, whilst listenable, is probably really only one for diehards of Kristine’s admittedly dazzling voice.

Serenity Dies - Hacksawcracy

(You know the deal by now. This one's for PowerPlay Magazine.)

Serenity Dies’ amusingly titled Hacksawcracy is a thrashing platter of metal, with its Annihilator-esque stop-start riffery and spiked, Mille Petrozza styled vocals making for an acidic mix. There are few dull moments on this album and variety is pleasingly rife throughout. The slunked riffs of 'In Devil’s Symmetry' are followed by clever little flourishes such as the intricate guitar pattern behind the chorus’ screams, a vigorous dialogue interjection and a fantastic set of solos. 'Psycho Ride' showcases an unexpectedly melodic chorus that is especially atypical to this brand of thrash but is masterfully implemented, whereas the almost Lamb of God stylistic flair of 'Dystopian Law' shows a willingness to be more than just a retro-thrash act.

Indeed, Hacksawcracy is short, sharp and hard hitting. In its modest 29 minutes, the album shows Serenity Dies to be skilled thrashers who have the oft-overlooked skill of not outstaying their welcome, offering quality over quantity.

Kiske / Somerville Album Launch Coverage

(To be printed in a future issue of PowerPlay Magazine, but in a very edited format as this is far too lengthy for normal publications - be warned, it's a long one)

Navigation has never been my strong point and having made it to Cologne, getting to the area of Ehrenfeld was more of a challenge than I expected. Easily baffled by German train signs and maps and despite having been given very concise travel instructions, I found myself walking the streets of Cologne for much longer than anticipated. One thing that was abundantly clear, even through travel induced exhaustion, was that Cologne is a city passionate about its rock music. In central Cologne and Ehrenfeld itself, the walls were plastered with posters for upcoming tours and releases ranging from the likes of Motörhead to The Pogues. Furthermore, the city centre of Cologne was filled with kids clearly in to their music – I’ve never seen so many goths in one place, and I’ve been to a 69 Eyes concert. With such blatant musical passion in its community, I wasn’t surprised that the launch for an album whose personnel included rock and metal stalwarts Michael Kiske, Amanda Somerville and Mat Sinner was to take place here later this evening.

Having arrived at the hotel with enough time for a power nap, I made my way to Ehrenfeld's Underground Club for the Kiske & Somerville launch event. After a bit of room-changing within the venue, we are all led in to what appears to be the club dance floor area where we were treated to the Kiske / Somerville record in its entirety and, honestly, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the album. Michael Kiske, still perpetually associated with his former band Helloween, and Amanda Somerville, whose own solo material is a far cry from metal, are amongst the best singers in the business but neither are exclusively heavy musicians – it’d be fairer to say that they both dabble in the metal world. That’s why when the album started, I was surprised by just how “metal” the proceedings were. Of course, with Mat Sinner as one of the key songwriters and producer, it made sense.

Opener 'Nothing Left To Say' is disarmingly heavy from the start. And yet, despite its furious drumming and pounding chords, the song remains highly melodic throughout; the chorus in particular, which sees Kiske and Somerville’s soaring vocals intertwine with one another in harmony over an exceptionally hooky chorus.
Similarly, the next track 'Silence' opens with jabbed violins before an interjection of thundering guitars. From a restrained verse, it leads in to a suitably epic vocal trade-off of a chorus between the two singers.
Follower 'If I Had A Wish' has a power metal opening of twinned guitar leads, setting the stage for an all around anthemic track. Whilst a tad repetitive, the strength of the hooks is more than enough to sustain it.
'Arise' is amongst the heaviest tracks on the album, boasting pinch harmonic riffs and a groove-metal breakdown that sees the weighted guitars well juxtaposed by serenely smooth vocals.
The sweeping orchestration of 'End of the Road' provides the track’s foundation, with neat flourishes of percussion and extra instrumentation cementing the track as one of the album’s highlights.
'Don’t Walk Away' sees an almost AOR styled addition to the album with a more upbeat chorus providing a welcome change from the rather brooding melodies that seem to encompass the rest of the album. The track is very rocky and very catchy.
Another lead driven number, 'A Thousand Suns' has a slow chorus that is made brilliant by the meticulous vocal harmonising. Furthermore, the flamenco guitar solo, whilst unexpected, is a great touch.
'Rain' fleets from soaring guitars to another infectious chorus and a very heavy bridge, creating another strong track
Slowing down a bit, 'One Night Burning' is a piano led ballad that again, really takes off at its bombastic and tuneful chorus.
Another album highlight, 'Devil In Her Heart' sounds sort of like a ballsier, European Evanescence. The two part chorus consists of one of the album’s best vocal trade-offs before moving in to doomy cries of “I’m going under”. Furthermore, the duel of guitar and keyboard solos provides a great finish.
The official album closer 'Second Chance' is another ballady number, but unfortunately falls a bit flat. It is having saved by a well placed, melodious solo.
Finally, bonus track 'Set A Fire' is heavier than anything that came before it, with its slow, thrashing intro subsiding to thumping drums and serene vocals from Somerville. The almost Eastern sounding acoustic guitars coupled with a haunting bass supplement Amanda’s interlude vocals fantastically, creating one of the best moments of the album. It’s a surprise that this track was only relegated to bonus material.

Whilst occasionally a tad formulaic in some of its song writing, nearly every track on “Kiske / Somerville” contains something memorable. Furthermore, it is nothing short of a treat to hear two talents such as Kiske and Somerville performing together so well. Following the album, we are shown the two promotional clips and then the the journalists get their chance to conduct interviews After a few drinks with the fellow attendees, I’m led to another building on the Underground’s property, where the talents of the album await to be interviewed. Unfortunately, Amanda had fallen ill by this point so I was left in the capable hands of Michael Kiske and Mat Sinner to discuss the album.

“I actually listened to it for the first time today as well,” Michael opens. “Of course I knew the songs, but I hadn’t heard the mix.” Asking what he thought of the finished product, Michael continues. “It’s very nice. The sound system was kind of unclear, so it had an almost ‘live’ sound. When you listen to it on a normal system, it’s going to sound clear.” Indeed, having already heard samples, it was clear this was the case. So, how did the project come together? “Serafino Perugino, the owner of Frontiers Records, asked me if I’d be interested in singing a full duet record with a female voice,” Michael recalls. “I did it once on the Indigo Dying record and it was a beautiful track. I really liked that song, so I said yeah, that I’d love to do it, if it’s the right kind of music. And then he…” Michael gestures towards Mat. “He asked me. He said ‘Mat, I really liked your last productions – are you interested in producing an album with Michael and a female singer?’ And I said yeah, of course, because I’ve loved Michael through all the stations in his career. I like his voice and he has a great background. So we were in need of a singer, a girl singer. We were searching and had a list of singers and we came to the point that Amanda came in to the picture. We’d worked on Avantasia and another project and there had already been a project where Michael and her had been singing together.”

Of course, Amanda Somerville was one of the key personnel behind orchestrating the Aina “Metal Opera”, on which Michael had sung a few tracks. However, Mat is quick to point out that “Michael didn’t recognise her in the first place.” Detailing of the circumstances, Michael adds “It’s a funny story. When I did the Aina album, I was sent a very beautiful thing on that called 'Silver Maiden'. Sascha Paeth sent me a demo with her singing on it. And I said to him, ‘Man, this sounds so good. Why don’t you take her voice? Why should I sing it? I can’t do any better, it’s awesome!’ You can ask her, I didn’t even know who she was, just this awesome vocalist – it was perfect! Then when we came to do the project, I didn’t know of the Aina connection. The thing is, after we did the video shoot – that’s when I found out it was the same girl.” Both Mat and Michael are quick to sing Amanda’s praises in her absence. “She’s very professional and very easy going,” Mat starts. “She’s very sweet and great to work with. With some girls, sometimes you have problems, but not with Amanda. She’s always sweet,” Michael adds. So how was the recording as a whole? Did you ever record together? “No, no. I would perform the songs, the instrumentation and whatever. Then Amanda would record her vocals and then I’d send the songs to Michael to record,” Mat details. Michael elaborates, “I love to record the vocals separately because then I can do it on my own time. Sometimes you’re just not in the right frame of mind to record and if you have people watching you, expecting you to perform, looking at the time… it’s a lot of pressure. I had some health problems in January, I had an operation for a hole in my diaphragm and it affected my singing.” So recording on your own gives you space to work around your health problems and record when you’re best prepared? “Yes, exactly.”

Looking at the credits, it’s quite noticeable that most of the album was written by Mat Sinner and Magnus Karlsson. With the key performers being Amanda and Michael, the album ended up heavier than I would have expected. “It’s heavy with a positive vibe,” Mat tells me. “It’s melodic. To me, it’s not heavier than expected, it’s just normal. It’s how I write, it’s very personal to me.” Michael adds, “It’s very positive and melodic. Just like with those Helloween songs, they were always positive and melodic.” Asking about how he felt not being part of the creative process, Michael states, “I didn’t write any of it, but I’m happy with my imprint on the album. Working with duet harmonies was very different to my previous collaborations but I think the record is an artistic success.” Mat nods.

With this slightly heavier offering and your current band, Unisonic, do you feel you’re re-entering the world of rock and metal again, Michael? “This project is heavy, yes but Unisonic are more rock, not metal. I like metal, but it’s too narrow for what we want. We want to be more open.” Michael has been known to be vocal about the metal crowd in the last decade, he assures me this is “in the past. I like metal, I still listen to some of those classic rock and metal albums.” At this point, Michael shows me his iPod and the wealth of varied music on it ranging from Oasis and Keane to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. So does he feel that his animosity towards the metal audience was founded in perhaps bad marketing? After all, his solo releases were far from metal but were pedalled to the Helloween crowd. “The record label jumps on past successes, so yes that wasn’t great. But when I was doing signing with Unisonic at festivals… yes, there was a lot of Keepers and Place Vendome but every third album was one of my solo albums so even some of the metal crowd were buying them.”

After listening to the album, we were also shown the videos for 'Silence' and 'If I Had A Wish'. How did you find that? “I was uncomfortable,” Michael admits. “It was my first time on screen in… 16 years? You can see me being uncomfortable in the videos, I’m just sitting down. Amanda was great though, she was the real performer!” Of course, this was the first time the Kiske & Somerville band had properly been in a room together, so nerves were understandable, as Mat points out. “We had to start somewhere. The videos were done before we had relaxed in to it so it doesn’t quite seem like a band.” Michael corroborates, adding, “The second video was better because we were more comfortable.” So, now that the band are used to each other, is there any chance of a tour? “A tour for Kiske & Somerville depends on the record’s response. We have to have the right feed back for it,” Michael states. Mat elaborates, “Live, we want to present the music on a very good level. It’s more like an opera, It’s too big for small clubs. We need a stage where everyone would fit! It would have to be very theatrical.” “Mat’s invested a lot in this, it’s very personal to him so we would want to do it right. It needs a nice foundation to keep it going, live or on record,” Michael adds. “But I think it’s a success, whatever happens. If it’s a success personally, that’s the most important thing.”

Finally, I ask Mat and Michael what their current commitments are from now. Michael is of course continuing on with his new band, Unisonic. Mat tantalisingly mentions that his next commitment is working on the solo album of another talent of the German metal scene, Ralf Scheepers. Teasingly, he reveals that there will also be a lot of interesting guests on the album and it’s with that little snippet we conclude the interview. However, immediately after the interview, we somehow slipped in to a rather lengthy conversation about U2 – apparently both Michael and Mat are big fans of the band – providing probably the most surreal exchange of the evening.

With the interview over, it’s back in to the main club for a generous amount of German beer, loud music and good times. The feeling seems to be mutual that the Kiske / Somerville album is a strong platter that displays the talents of its namesakes brilliantly. Only time will tell how well the album will be received on a wider scale but for me, it was a delight to hear such skilled singers working together so well. I’m sure I won’t be the only one wishing to see this project performed live, especially considering how meticulous Mat Sinner is about presenting the music properly, so hopefully the feedback will be as positive as the launch experience.