Breeze Least-Breeze Least

Shadow Kingdom Records
2016

Blood-red rare(!) eighties/neoclassical heavy metal from Japan. That's about all there is to this recently-released (digital-download only) re-issue from the wonderful folks over at Shadow king Records. Where it is exactly that they dug this mysterious gem up from I'll never know, but here's the scoop all the same. Preceded by a 1985 three-track demo, "Breeze Least" was the atmospheric debut from this obscure Japanese metal band that has (appropriately-enough) been described as a cross between Merciful Fate's "Melissa" and Yngwie Malmsteen's "Rise Force". With a run-time that clocks in at over 48 minutes in length(!) the 7-track "Breeze Least" was originally put out on 12" vinyl in 1986 (and as an independent release to boot!), but somewhere along the way this cult band lost the master tapes. That's a real shame, but at least we can all enjoy the band's self-titled release in digital format. For those of you who might be interested in the track listing (because you know why not?) I've posted it below. To that end I've also put in a one time grading system. It's easy enough to understand. One * symbol is decent, two * symbols means good, three *'s means it's great and then four * symbols translates to "Hot damn! That's some smoking awesome shit there!".  
 

1. Breeze Least ***
2. Must be Crush **
3. Dolphin Tradition *
4. Damnation ****
5. Gate Tower ***
6. Caprice No. 9 - Dread to Death ***
7. Not the Hold**



As a side note, "Breeze Least" also contains elements of epic and speed metal as well as slight
nods of appreciate towards the likes of (early) Van Halen and mid-late seventies Kiss.

"Thunder And Steel Down Under"-A Tribute To Riot

Skol Records
2015


It's another fine Metal Monday so check this one out my friends and fellow metalheads. It's way past the point of being long-overdue, but Skol Record's "Thunder And Steel Down Under" is the first ever Riot tribute album. The fact that it has taken so long to put one together is wrong on so many levels, the least of which is A) how universal Riot's form of U.S. power metal is and then (as heard on this limited edition CD) B) how easily it lends itself to being covered. Thankfully this 14-track compilation not only addresses this gross negligence, but it does so in grand fashion and with the exact kind of style and grace befitting of such a classic band as Riot! And speaking of classics, "Thunder And Steel Down Under" features more than a few golden gems from Riot's amazing back catalog and they are given the royal treatment by many a great band that has already been featured here on Heavy Metal Time Machine! We're talking about the likes of Crystal Viper, Night Demon, October 31 and Rocka Rollas  (to name just a few) and here on the limited-edition "Thunder And Steel Down Under" these four bands join up with ten other great artists in order to pay homage to one of heavy metal's true unsung heroes! Obviously not all tribute albums are created equally and compilations in general can be so hit or miss. We all know this to be a sad fact of life. But again, we are talking about Riot and if any band has a back catalog that is perfectly suited for covering it would be this one. And it should go without saying, but on "Thunder And Steel Down Under" the list of bands that Skol Records assembled for this project is impressive. Besides those mentioned we have Savage Master, Attacker, Dexter Ward and Axel Rudi Pel (again just to name a few!) and it all adds up to one album that was so damn-near perfect that I had to stop and ponder the fact on more than one occasion! So, without further adieu let's jump right into this Riot tribute album! Produced by the one and only Bart Gabriel (Sacred Steel, Crystal Viper, Jack Starr's Burning Starr), "Thunder And Steel Down Under" is indeed a rare specimen in that it offers a tribute album that is actually worthy of the band of which it covers! Crazy right? Well, as strange as that sounds its the truth. We start things off with Ferdy Doernberg's brief instrumental take on "Soldier" before we are bowled over by Axel Rudi Pell's version of "Warrior". So far so good right? It only gets better friends as "Fire Down Under" sounds great in Attacker's hands! Already we see how right Riot's music can sound in the hands of those who share a true love and appreciation for the band and their remarkable brand of traditional and power metal! It should be noted at this point that income from the sale of this special album will be given to Sir Tony Reale (father of the late Riot guitarist and founding member, Mark Reale) so we're talking about great metal music for a great cause! It's win-win time all around! But anyway, Walpyrgus is up next with "Outlaw" and if you haven't figured it out for yourself by now let me just say again how well-suited this band is in regards to being covered! Wow. Riot is really something in regards to their back catalog and how many killer songs they have and it's a treat to hear how easily it transforms into straight-ahead metal and heavy power metal/thrash! When we are talking about Riot we are talking about the kind of traditional heavy metal  band that should be huge! Their form of power metal is absolutely slamming and yet it's so well-written and constructed that it can be turned on it's head and still sound fantastic! Few bands can stake that kind of claim, but then again Riot is in a league of their own. All of which begs the question why it hasn't happened sooner? Why has it taken so long for this classic American band to get a tribute album all their own? I wish I knew. Anyway, Savage Master is on board now with "Swords And Tequila" and it's at this point that we hear one of the only so-so tracks on the compilation. It's not that Savage Master is bad or anything. In truth I happen to love the band and their debut album received high marks for all of us here at Heavy Metal Time Machine. Even so I will admit that their cover of "Swords And Tequila" sounds coldly hollow when compared to the original. And that's a shame as "Swords And Tequila"is an absolute classic in it's own right. But hey, they can't all be winners right? From Savage Master we turn to  the neoclassical style of Angelo Perlepes' Mystery. I enjoyed their cover of "Sign Of The Crimson Storm" as it has a Dio flair to it. Next up is October 31 and they take on "Loanshark". Now the guys in October 31st are no strangers when it comes to cover songs so finding them on a Riot tribute album isn't all that surprising. What is surprising though is how little their cover of "Loanshark" sounds like the original. It's more of a punk thrash take on Riot and depending upon whether you are a fan of October 31or not you will either love it or hate it. I like it quite a bit as it is different in a good way and it offers a unique perspective of the music of Riot. From there we are served up one choice cover after another from band's here in the U.S. and bands from over in Europe. To save a bit of time and space the remainder of this tribute album looks something like this:

Alpha Tiger- "Flight Of The Warrior" (A solid cover that is a nice mix of flash and fury)
Stallion-"Rock City" (Good even if it can't touch the originals appeal)
Rocka Rollas-"Riot" (Nothing fancy or anything it's just the Rocka Rollas doing their thing)
Evil United-"Altar Of The King" (A Straight down the middle of the road shooter that hits it's target dead on)
Night Demon-"Road Racin'" (One of my favorite Riot numbers done by one of my favorite new bands)
Dexter Ward-"Running From The Law" (Totally kicking cover choice done right)
Crystal Viper feat. Todd Michael Hall-"Thundersteel" (A nice way to end this tribute)

As they are all really good covers there is no reason to get too technical about each track. Still, highlights for me (band-wise) would have to be: Rocka Rollas, Evil united, Night Demon and Dexter Ward. Especially Night Demon. Their cover selection has always been a guilty pleasure of mine so having one of my new favorites cover one of my old favorites was simply cool. And that's really what this tribute album is all about
when you get down to it! "Thunder And Steel Down Under" is all about a great group of bands and artists (both new and not so new) coming together to celebrate one of metal's finest bands and the life of one of it's finest members (Mark Reale). If the actual music isn't enough to sway you though then consider the fact that this compilation comes packed with a nice booklet with notes from each band. Consider it a little bonus if you will. In the end "Thunder And Steel Down Under" makes up for a great deal of lost time. It addresses a  gaping hole that previously existed and it honors not only Riot, but the bands that Riot influenced. As it is limited to a mere 1,000 copies I would definitely recommend that you not wait too long to buy this fantastic CD. It's worth every penny and it's for a good cause. What more could a Riot fan ask for?

Iron Mask-Fifth Son Of Winterdoom

AFM Records
2013

For the record I had not planned to review this album. In all honesty if a CD copy had not ended up in my mailbox (along with Epysode's "Fantasmagoria") I'd have skipped it all together as this Belgium act's last studio-release, 2011's "Black as Death", didn't exactly floor me. It wasn't as if it left a bitter taste in my mouth or anything. I just didn't find it all that exciting. Still, I swore to myself that I would leave any preconceived notions at the front door and give "Firth Son Of Winterdoom" a fair chance. "Sink or swim Iron Mask" I said to myself before tearing the plastic off of the CD and slipping it into my home stereo. Iron Mask, which was formed back in 1998 by guitarist Dushan Petrossi (also of Belgium power metal act Magic Kingdom), came out of the gate (somewhat) strong  with the rock-tinged track "Back into Mystery". Interestingly enough it's numbers like "Back Into Mystery" and the excellent "Angel Eyes, Demon Soul", which both feature rock and roll like arrangements, that help to give this album that little extra something. These guys definitely thought outside the box on these tracks (as well as on the cool Dio-ish "Rock Religion") and I'll gladly give them their due respect for that! Now, besides Dushan Petrossi (who handled all of the electric and acoustic guitars on "Fifth Son Of Winterdoom" as well as being credited with keys, orchestral samples and bass guitar) the musicians involved on Iron Mask's album number five include Petrossi's fellow Magic Kingdom member Vasiliy Molchanov (also formerly of Cryme and Shaw) who is also credited with bass along with drummer Ramy Ali (Evidence One, Freedom Call,  Kiske/Somerville, Roger Staffelbach's Angel of Eden, ex-Frontline, ex-Getaway, ex-Justice) and vocalist Mark Boals (Holy Force, The Codex, ex-Royal Hunt, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, etc.). Meanwhile guest musician Andreas Lindhal (of Denmark's Wuthering Heights) is credited with background keys and keyboard solos. Looking over my past notes for the "Black as Death" review it appears as if this is the second full-length Iron Mask release to feature lead vocalist Mark Boals and drummer Rami Ali. As far as how it stacks up to their last album I'd say they don't really compare as this one surpassed my expectations.The group seems to have taken a much- needed step forward musically although I will come clean and say that there was one aspect of the new Iron Mask LP that had to grow on me. At first it just seemed as if there was something about Mark Boals voice that didn't sit well with me. It's only after listening to "Fifth Son Of Winterdoom" a few times that I slowly started to appreciate his voice perfectly suites this kind of melodic, neo-classical power metal. It took me repeated listens to come to that point though and I'm not sure why my first listen and my last listen left me with two vastly different opinions. As I listen to it now the song "Eagle of Fire" is playing in the background and Mark Boals voice just seems to blend right into the kind of splendid power metal that fans of Dio would love and appreciate! That just goes to prove that sometimes it's better to give an album a few spins before you come to any rush judgements. Anyway, as far as getting back on track and talking about the musical direction here on Iron Mask's latest it does seem as if this time around the group is much more focused. "Fifth Son Of Winterdoom" just strikes me as so much diffrent and vastily improved then the group's last studio-album. Of course this one is two years in the making so maybe that has something to do with it? Whether that was the key or not Iron Mask seems to be right as rain with this full-length delight. For the most part (other then some fine, rock-drenched and skillfully assembled for ultimate enjoyment, power metal moments) it really is neo-classical power metal for the most part as far as what direction this release takes. It's all about doing what this bunch does best. As they run straight down the list with back to back tracks such as "Like A Lion In A Cage", "Only One Commandment" and "Seven Samurai" it becomes all too clear that Iron Mask has really risen the stakes and now their all about giving their A game for fans. Now the title cut, which is over 10 minutes long(!), might not make it for a lot of people (and I do have to say that from start to finish this was one track that had me contemplating hitting the skip button) as it comes across as a little overblown. But, when there are tracks like "Reconquista 1492" and "Run To Me" (where the listener is treated to everything that guitarist Dushan Petrossi has to offer and his skills are nothing short of spectacular!) it's hard to complain. Whether he is doing his best to pay tribute to the greats like Dio and Iron Maiden or digging out solos that make you envision Blackmore's Nights his playing is beyond golden! With that said it's the interplay between Dushan Petrossi's guitar playing and the lead vocals provided by Mark Boals that really gave me pause to consider how much I actually enjoyed this album! The two of them together give Iron Mask's latest a shiny, glossy feeling and make you truly appreciate the many interesting twists and turns that "Fifth Son Of Winterdoom" provides the listener. In addition to the drop-dead serious rockers and epic power metal moments mentioned above, which are really spectacular folks, the album does have more reflective moments like the powerful and sad ballad "Father Farewell". Petrossi wrote this song for his father who sadly passed away last year and it's the heartfelt pain of "Father Farewell" that makes this one track stick out from all the various rockers and power metal moments. By the time the epic "The Picture Of Dorian Grey" closes out Iron Mask's latest you're likely to find yourself a bit spent as there is just so much going on! At a little over an hour it is admittedly a long release, but with repeated listens I found new things to enjoy and little things popped up that I had noticed before. Chances are it would be the same for anyone who really takes the time to truly listen to this release. If you are a fan of neo-classical power metal then do yourself a favor and pick this one up. These guys deliver the goods on "Fifth Son Of Winterdoom" and this is one release that I'm more then happy to admit that my conceived notions were dead wrong! 

Neuronspoiler-Emergence

Self-Release/Independent
2013

When "Emergence" found it's way into my hands I felt compelled to do a bit of "research" first before even putting it in. I wanted to make sure someone wasn't putting me on before I waited my time. I was almost certain this would turn out to be some kind of techno/electronic studio outfit. It ended up that London's Neuronspoiler, who were formed in 2009, were actually a real band. Not only that, but they do play "metal". Their members come from four different countries and this is not the band's first recording. No, that honor goes to the 2010, EP, "No One's Safe", which actually has an average rating of 80% (on the Metal Archives) based on 2 reviews. I didn't bother to read either one of them though as by that point I was already off and running with this oddly named 5-piece. And what's an awful name without an equally head-scratching artwork to ponder? Maybe I'm a bit of a traditionalist, but I like my heavy metal albums to have heavy metal artwork. This one is just, uh, odd? I have no idea what to make of it. Why does it matter? Well, here's the scoop. If this band is going to be taken seriously they need to present a serious image. Art-wise this is, at best, goofy, otherwise it's just "Good God guys, what were you thinking?". It looks like a horny teenage boy drew it for crying out loud! The thing is this album is good enough to stand on its own. What you've got here is some traditional heavy metal, European melodic metal, neoclassical, classic rock, power metal, hard rock, modern metal and, well, whatever else they can summon up, all coming together in a way that sounds almost natural. Like breathing. So, why cheapen it with such a stupid album cover? These guys have obviously got the talent to make it. I just wish someone would give them a bit of a shove in the right direction and clue them in on what works (the music!) and what doesn't (the name/album art) while they still have a shot at making it.






http://neuronspoiler.bandcamp.com/album/emergence