James LaBrie – Static Impulse Review
One gets the sense listening to James Labrie sing that he takes his work very seriously. Not so much the pinpoint-focused craftsman, nor the humorless artisan, but just that he lets no sung note hit …
John Ray’s Top 20 Of 2010
I’ve seen a lot of folks talking about how weird 2010 has been. And how shitty. I don’t know how I feel about it yet, except that it went too fucking fast. Or maybe not …
Angra – Aqua Review
I’ve always been supremely weirded out by those folks in church that sing their songs with fervent clenched-eyelid passion, hands raised to the heavens and slowly swaying. I’ve simply never been willing to drink enough …
Borean Dusk – Borean Dusk Review
It’s been said many times that vocals represent something of a fulcrum in heavy metal music. Lo! how many times we’ve relegated to the shelf an otherwise quality album because the vocals render sallow even …
Triosphere – The Road Less Travelled Review
Even if all the opportunistic carbon-copy acts in heavy metal’s recent history leave you less than excited about throwback sounds, it’s hard to deny the retro appeal when those sounds reflect a heartfelt bond with …
Slavemason – Slavemason Review
Slavemason’s debut LP seems to have all the elements necessary to a successful progressive heavy metal record. It’s formed from a prog-metal mold mostly akin to early Queensrÿche and Helloween, with maybe a bit of …
Zuul – Out Of Time Review
Zuul is denim and leather, white high-tops and thigh-tied bandanas. This nostalgic quintet calls Carbondale home, but their debut LP, Out of Time makes the more accurate reference to where they live: on the waning …
Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier Review
The Number of the Beast was the first heavy metal album I ever bought (on cassette from Fred Meyer’s at Lloyd Center Mall in Portland, Oregon, during the summer of 1982). Even though Iron Maiden …