Praying Mantis - Legacy (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / NWoBHM / Melodic Rock

Label - Frontiers Music

 

Track listing:

 

01. Fight For Your Honour
02. The One
03. Believable
04. Tokyo
05. Better Man
06. All I See
07. Eyes Of A Child
08. The Runner
09. Against The World
10. Fallen Angel
11. Second Time Around

 

NWoBHM vetrens, Praying Mantis, return with a brand new album in the form of Legacy, the first to feature drummer Hans In T' Zandt (Bangalore Choir, Vengeance) and new vocalist John 'Jaycee' Cujipers. It’s been four years since their Metamorphosis release, and that was just an EP of re-recordings. Their last proper studio album – the excellent Sanctuary – was released back in 2009.
Today, Praying Mantis are more of a melodic rock band, a very good one at that, but with a highly polished sound more akin to FM than their NWoBHM contemporaries of yesteryear such as Saxon, Iron Maiden, Diamond Head, Jaguar Samson and Vardis, but that's no bad thing when the songs are as well written as those on offer here with Legacy. There’s still a bit of their British classic metal roots here, especially in the twin guitars of Tino Troy and Andy Burgess, but it’s the band’s focus on melody that drives the album, and what makes these songs hit home right from the start. What can we say of new vocalist John 'Jaycee' Cujipers? Well he is great to be honest, he has a steady, powerful voice (he sings for a Dio tribute band if that tells you anything) that’s just perfect for this kind of classic Melodic Hard Rock. Even more so when he’s backed by the Troy brothers on the soaring choruses, fitting the songs really, really well.

"Legacy" features eleven new songs, and they’re all very strong, some of them truly awesome.
Leadoff single “Fight For Your Honour” captures the spirit of "Legacy" quite well, but you could pick, “Tokyo,” “Against the World” or “Eyes of a Child” and still seal the deal.
Even the more traditional love song “The One” has pomp and power.
"Legacy" is more than a worthwhile addition to the Praying Mantis discography, it is one of the strongest Classic Melodic Hard Rock albums 2015 has to offered so far.

 

Existing fans will love this album, as will fans of the melodic rock genre on a whole.

 

Well worth checking out!!

 

Rating 9/10

 

 



Crystal Ball - Liferider (2015)

Genre - Melodic Rock / Melodic Metal

 

Track listing:

 

01. Mayday!
02. Eye To Eye
03. Paradise
04. Balls Of Steel
05. Hold Your Flag
06. Gods Of Rock
07. Take It All
08. Bleeding
09. Rock Of Life
10. Antidote
11. LifeRider
12. Memory Run
13 - Sacred Heart (Dio Cover) (Bonus Track)

14 - Sign Of The Southern Cross (Black Sabbath Cover)(Bonus Track)

15 - Not Like You (Bonus Track)

After a 6-year hiatus they returned in 2013 with new vocalist and another solid record, and now two years later,  the guys are back with "Liferider", maintaining their unique blend of melodic edgy rock and hard rock groove.
Indeed, Crystal Ball's music is planted on the harder side of the melodic hard rock spectrum, sometimes pretty metallised but always melodious.
Heavy riffs abound on "Liferider" fortified by a rather thick rhythm section. Even so, melody and harmony does not take a back seat to any of this.
All these things come through within 'Mayday', 'Gods Of Rock', 'Antidote', and the quite catchy 'Eye To Eye', featuring Battle Beast’s Noora Louhimo. But this song may remind of something else as it has a strong melodic metal vibe.
You're likely to catch more of this with the title track, 'Liferider', and 'Balls Of Steel', both of which have a heavy and brisk pace.
There's a super catchy number in 'Paradise', while Crystal Ball's more Melodic Hard Rock side is expressed on 'Bleeding' and 'Memory Run'.
There's great guitar and vocal melodies, and an overall positively charged fun ride. What I really love is the variety presented on this disc, each song is interesting and has it's own personality while the overall disc stays very coherent.
Amongst the many formats available you get two of the best cover versions that I have ever heard. Crystal Ball's cover of Scared Heart is powerful, capturing the magic of the original, often overlooked Dio classic, and their version of  Sign Of The Southern Cross is quite simply the best cover of a Black Sabbath song that I have ever heard, especially adding the piano to the songs opening really adds to its power and atmosphere.

If you are going to check out one melodic rock / metal album this year make sure that its this one!

Very Highly Recommended

Rating - 10/10

Level 10 - Chapter One (Japanese Edition) (2015)

Genre - Melodic Metal

Label - AVALON / MARQUEE Japan

 

Track listing:

01 - Cry No More
02 - Soul Of A Warrior
03 - When The Nighttime Comes
04 - One Way Street
05 - Blasphemy
06 - Last Man On Earth
07 - In For The Kill
08 - Voice Of The Wilderness
09 - All Hope Is Gone
10 - Demonized
11 - The Soul Is Eternal
12 - Forevermore
13 - All Hope Is Gone (Acoustic Version) *
* Japan Only Bonus Track

Level 10 features vocalist Russell Allen (Symphony X, Adrenaline Mob), bassist Mat Sinner (Primal Fear, Sinner), guitarist Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween), guitarist Alex Beyrodt (Silent Force, Primal Fear), drummer Randy Black (ex-Primal Fear) and keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Voodoo Circle, et all).
As if that weren’t enough, the album also boasts guest appearances from Magnus Karlsson, Carsten Schulz, Sander Gommans and Amanda Somerville. This is 'top shelf' talent in every spot, so expectations are quite high for the band’s debut, appropriately titled "Chapter One".

In terms of overall style, Level 10 sounds exactly like you’d expect it to given the players involved: this is catchy melodic metal somewhere between Primal Fear, Sinner and Allen-Lande.
However, there's more groovy material in between: “Soul Of A Warrior”, the ballad “All Hope Is Gone” and “One Way Street” sound like they came off a Rocky Soundtrack. Ok, maybe that’s a stretch, but that’s the feeling I got. These songs' foundation are in the '80s Hard Rock / AOR vein, done now with heavier guitars and more balls.
Of course there’s certainly a 'Metal' edge and a dark side to some songs as well like “Blasphemy” and “Demonized”, but the motto in "Chapter One" is catchiness.
Given the players involved, you know what you can expect from each position on the album. The guitar work is impeccable, merging heavy and melodic sides perfectly.
The rhythms show just how much chemistry Sinner and Black have together, and of course Russell Allen sounds like the vocal titan he is. We hear a lot of the more melodic side of his voice from the Allen-Lande collaborations, but there is also a good dose of 'Angry Russell' plenty of power.
There isn’t a single individual performance that you could find fault with here.

On paper "Chapter One" should be one of the albums of the year. In reality it’s a really good rocking album that at the end of the day isn’t equal to the sum of its parts. As good as it is to have these stellar performers in one place, the songwriting – good as it is – perhaps isn’t up to the task.
Don't get me wrong, "Chapter One" is a completely enjoyable album and one that grabs your interest throughout, but there are no instant classics here that you know you’ll be listening to a decade later, like you do with Allen-Lande songs, as example.
Again, this is a really strong album, and Level 10 sounds awesome as unit. I just miss that 'memorable' tune.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating - 9/10

FAHRAN - Chasing Hours (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

Label - Self Released

Track listing:

01 - Long Gone

02 - Take This City Alive

03 - A Thousand Nights

04 - I Heard A Joke Once

05 - Chasing Hours

06 - Cased In Steel

07 - You Could Be Mine

08 - Some Kind Of Family

09 - Are We Free

10 - Back To Me

11 - Prison

12 - Black Mirror

13 - Storms We Ride

FAHRAN were formed in Breaston, England, back in 2012 from the ashes of Toxic Federation. "Chasing Hours" is the band’s second release following on from their self-titled debut album and it sees the debut of new vocalist Matt Black and bassist Josh Ballantyne.
Reading the band’s bio it states that Fahran’s sound is like a combination of older stalwarts like Queen and Iron Maiden melded with modern rock akin Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry, etc. This is true perhaps on some guitar riffs, but Farham, thankfully, has a more classic hard rock foundation than I expected.
On listening to the first track "Long Gone", several things become clear: the band are as tight as a duck’s rear end, for a self-produced album both production and final mix are spot on, oh, and the band kick some serious ass.
The song starts with an almost early '90s Bon Jovi intro before you are hit in the face by a monster of a riff that makes you sit up and take notice. It is a strong constant throughout this album.
New singer Matt Black has a soulful voice which suits the music really well and over the 13 tracks included on the CD the musicianship is top notch. The double guitar work of Jake Graham and Chris Byrne (who incidentally produced the album) is excellent, this is where the Maiden influence is at its clearest.
Highlights are plentiful throughout the record with tracks like "Take This City Alive" and "I Heard A Joke Once" which are short, sharp rockers rubbing shoulders with "Prison" and "Back To Me" which are well constructed heavy numbers.
"A Thousand Nights" is a kick ass classic rock stormer: it sounds huge and it's blessed with strong lead vocals. On title track "Chasing Hours" the band show they are more than a one trick pony as they deliver something altogether much more soulful that is drenched in emotion.
Also different cuts are "Black Mirror" which starts with a bit of quiet bass noodling before running full pelt to the finale, and the rocking ballad "Storms We Ride" with great drumming from JR Windsor.
Why Fahran aren't yet signed to a label is beyond me. They have the songs and the talent to be the next big thing given the chance and the right opportunities.
All members - five young guys - are really good musicians. In my opinion they are wise beyond their age and definitely born a couple decades too late, because "Chasing Hours" at times have that '80s / '90s feel.
More than one track here would make a great backing to a montage scene on Rocky IV or Karate Kid 2, with a modern sound, yes, but the skeleton of the songs have that 'smell'. You know what I mean. Some songs as well bring to mind American melodic hard rockers Waltham.
The production on "Chasing Hours" is nothing sort of outstanding, it sounds absolutely massive, as an album like this needs and deserves.

Very Highly Recommended

Rating - 10/10

DEVIL'S HEAVEN - Heaven On Earth (2014)

Genre - Heavy Metal / Melodic Metal / Hard Rock

Label -

Track listing:

01 - Welcome II The Show

02 - Demerital Action

03 - Devil Woman

04 - Touched By An Angel

05 - Mean Street City

06 - Day Of Doom

07 - Riders In The Sky

08 - Let It All Hang Out

09 - Festung Europa

10 - Cold

11 - Stillborn

12 - Hot Sex

13 - Wine Me

Hailing from Malmö, Sweden, DEVIL'S HEAVEN is a new sextet consisting of accomplished musicians from the Scandinavian scene; bassist Jonas Reingold is also a member of renowned Prog rockers The Flower Kings, and singer Marcus Nygren is the founder of the awesome AORsters State Of Salazar, presented here on this blog two years ago (and with a new album in the making).
After a couple of spins their debut CD “Heaven On Earth” not only has left a solid lasting impression on me, I assure you this recording doesn't sound like a first release at all.
Indeed, Devil’s Heaven sounds really tight on “Heaven On Earth”, showing the skills of all its members and benefited by a crisp production.
The style of these guys is a slick blend (accurately matching their own description) of '80s Melodic Rock, '90s Hard Rock (with a German vibe) and a touch of classic melodic metal on two tracks, all with a contemporary, updated sound.
Lengthy opener "Welcome II The Show" is a study in what Devil’s Heaven is. It’s an uptempo track with a great chorus, raging and clean vocals, heavy guitars and a wonderful keyboard part in the middle of the song. This song shows Marcus Nygren’s vocal versatility, going from raspy to groovy deep tones.
Then "Demerital Action" shows the band's melodic hard rock side, a track build for the arenas screaming to be played live. With a feeling recalling Bonfire and a touch of early Bon Jovi during the catchy chorus, all the fans (and not) will sing along the lyrics.

What follows is a bunch or really well crafted melodic hard rockers like "Devil Woman" (a highlight) recalling the greats Damned Nation, the catchy Gotthard sounding "Let It All Hang Out" or "Wine Me" akin Shakra, mixed with heavier numbers such as "Riders In The Sky", a solid melodic metal tune (early Pretty Maids style) with magical keys in the background.

We have two fine ballads in "Touched by An Angel" (ala Alfonzetti) with pianos plus organic instrumentation, and the solid "Cold", more in the traditional power ballad format, both really well arranged.

To sum up, “Heaven On Earth” is a more than a strong first work from this new Swedish combo Devil’s Heaven who have the skilled musicianship, compositional strength and sense of melody that characterizes their countrymen. 

Here you will find beautifully crafted Melodic Hard Rock songs in the traditional style, not directly resembling something older, through a really clear, meticulous production where all instruments sound neat.

Well Worth Checking Out

Rating - 9/10

Day Of A Thousand - Infinity EP (2014)

Genre - Progressive / Technical / Melodic Metal
Label - Glasstone Records

Track listing:

01 - Intro
02 - Ignite
03 - Elephant Bird
04 - Life Astray
05 - Dazed & Desolate
06 - Contigent


Day Of A thousand are a young (their average age is apparently just 16 years old!) Bristol (UK)based metal band who play with a confidence and maturity that is way beyond their tender years.
Infinity opens up with a great little instrumental intro, which brings to mind Mark Snow (composed The X-Files theme) to start with before the guitars burst in towards the end. Ignite follows, and if Im honest its awesomely intense and sets the scene well for what is to come.Elephant Bird sees the band take their foot off of the intensity peddle for a moment or two during the chorus where vocalist Josh Gallop shows just how versatile his voice is, with some great melodic lead and harmonic vocals. The quality performances and songwritting is maintained as the band storm through Life Astray, and Conigent, albeit whilst throwing in a few twista and turns along the way. The biggest stand out here for me has to be Dazed & Desolate, a beautiful track where the band really do lay off the agression and allow the melodies to provide the intensity. A great track, and the Ep's ballad if you will.
Day Of A Thousand manage to comine the best elements of the melodic metal / metalcore sound with some awesome electronica elements, giving them a rather inique and refreshing sound. Almost Fear Factory meets Mark Snow for a jam! Infinity is a very strong statement of intent from such a young band that are showing tons of potential to become one of the big players in the future metal scene.

Rating 9/10