Summer is here and a festival season in a full flow. Therefore there were numerous great artists releasing their work these days. However, there were plenty of disappointments as well. We will look at these artists: Scorpion Child, Rival Sons, Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé, Vektor, Year Of No Light, Iced Earth, Ayreon, Jorn, Nemesea, Katatonia, Lacuna Coil, Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Gojira, Anohni, Myrkur, Blues Pills and Alanis Morissette.
Scorpion Child – Acid Roulette
Raw flow of sexual energy and hell of a catchy melodies. No matter, if it’s speedy hard rock, or emotional slower pieces. You shake your head like a horny pigeon. Except for that one minute long bullshit called Séance. A collection of distorted speeches hurt your head and bloody interacts the whole listening flow. I hate to take the music-player out every time it starts, to skip it. I’m just erasing this piece, if I want to enjoy the album as a whole.
No “click” office:
Well unfortunately I cannot say the same about Rival Sons, which were getting as a good red wine, better with every year. However this years’ Hollow Bones is a pure dust. No heart, no soul and crap about black coffee? This is not Joe Bonamassa guys, with all respect to Joe, as he makes great wine from a crappy coffee. Somebody needs a broken heart here! CONFESSION TIME: Based on the recommendation from few people, I listened to the latest albums of Gwen Stefani and Beyoncé. Well, I cannot say I will do it sometime in a future ;D but creativity came from these strong ladies by having some shitty experience. Rival Sons – Don’t get too comfortable, as a support of Black Sabbath on their current tour and get back to the true taste of life!
Moving on in no “clicks”:
Vektor – items from their discography voted by Metal Storm users:
Yeah, there is some great riffing but seriously?
Year Of No Light – Nord nor apparently the best Iced Earth’s album Something Wicked This Way Comes. I’m considering Ayreon’s 01011001 as an absolute masterpiece; however it did not “click with The Human Equation from 2004.
Jorn – Heavy Rock Radio. My second most favorite singer of all time went absolutely nuts. Covers and his faces in C-class videos. Seriously?
Nemesea – R.I.P.
Nemesea – Uprise: So sad! I consider their 2004’s Mana as an absolute symphonic metal masterpiece. Yeah, it is not for everybody, but it was an absolute quality. Since then, it’s sort of low class “catchy” “gothic” rock. I might call it sell-out, but let’s just say, they like it more. 🙁
Compare for yourself: They have tried practically everything.
Symphonic gothic metal institution
Nemesis/Threefold Law (1:30)
Rare overflowing catchiness
C-class radio rock?
Hell of a disappointment
Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts. I love these guys. I could listen to the song Sold Heart any time, Night Is The New Day from 2009 is one my most favorite albums ever and I fully recommend to anybody even The Great Cold Distance or Dead End Kings. Katatonia is actually the only band on which my dad and my two uncles can agree on: AoR, Southern rock and melodic death metal guy! Can you imagine? But this time, I will not recommend them this album, as it seems as a bloody autopilot. No heart.
Lacuna Coil – Delirium. It gets even worse with Lacuna Coil. Since I was about 14, these guys were my most favorite female fronted band, even more than The Gathering. However, year by year, it’s just paler, flatter… well, I just feel nothing. I’m not one of those – “Oh, I miss Lacuna Coil‘s EP days of 1998 or even Comalies hits.” It’s just, more crucial members you lose, the worse it gets. These guys knew how to pick a time to leave. 🙁
Only few people will understand this: “At one point I was nineteen.” Thank you guys for so much, but now it’s just a memory.
Still sth to believe in
Bob Dylan – Fallen Angels
“When somebody loves you, It’s no good unless he loves you all the way.”
I played this album during my sister’s graduation…
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
I did my best. Gave their groundbreaking albums OK Computer, Kid A multiple tries and at least five, to their latest album, but no click. Few hints in incredible Daydreaming written about Radiohead singer Thom Yorke’s separation from his partner of 23 years. But otherwise – not for me.
However once again proved: “Greatest creativity comes from pain”
Gojira – Magma
“Gojira Madafaka!”
That’s an answer, if somebody asks me, what’s happening in a metal music world today.
Ladies corner
Anohni – Hopelessness
I missed her performance at Sonar Barcelona, but I will do my best at Colours Of Ostrava. It’s worth it, to seek beauties in ambient electronics.
Myrkur – Mausoleum EP
“Myrkur”, well that’s a term which brings beautiful and sick feelings. Her music is simply breathtaking but her behavior can be sometimes, very nicely said “childish” as u can see from our interview. On the other hand, her work is showing the beauty of nature and deepest feelings from both heavenly melodies to the darkest shades of black metal. Myrkur always had a feeling for acoustic environments and on live EP Mausoleum she gives space to clear, gentle singing supported by girls choir. Enjoy seven songs in a refreshed arrangements, one new song and a Bathory cover. All sounds more than lofely, but once in a while, you wish to hear raging guitar, as even Blackmore’s Night would be proud to create such melodies.
Blues Pills – Lady In Gold
I enjoy this album few weeks already! You’ll do the same when it comes out! ;D
Alanis Morissette – Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
Time to remove Alanis from my player. Few more moves, so Jagged Little Pill (Collective Interpretation) article can live, on it’s own and let’s move to different topics…
