Review of High On Fire's Luminiferous

High On Fire isn't at the point where they're making the same album every time but you can always tell what to expect whenever they do release something new. Each of their efforts has its unique flavors but they never venture too far from their established Motorhead meets Celtic Frost brand of sludge. Their seventh full-length has been hyped for being the first that guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike has recorded (relatively) sober and for its conspiracy theory themed lyrics, though anyone who knows anything about the band shouldn't be so surprised by the latter element.

On a musical level, Luminiferous just might be the most straightforward album that High On Fire has ever put out. Past albums such as Death Is This Communion stood out for the epic structures and exotic instrumentation that went along with the thunderous aggression, the songs on here tend to just opt for the thunderous aggression and are based more on speed than anything else. This is most evident on "Slave The Hive" and the title track, both of which border on all-out thrash metal.

The musicians' performances are also a bit basic this time around, especially when compared to the brilliant intensity that was captured on De Mysteriis Vermis. Des Kensel's drums are as powerful as always but they aren't quite as flashy as bassist Jeff Matz only seems to shine on "The Cave." Fortunately, Pike's riffing patterns are as bludgeoning as ever and his gravelly howl has an odd way of making one feel right at home.

A smaller scale thankfully doesn't mean incompetent songwriting as the songs on here retain that solid High On Fire quality. "The Black Plot" and "Carcosa" start things off in an intense fashion and "The Falconist" and "The Lethal Chamber" feature some excellent mid-tempo riffs, but "The Cave" is easily the strongest standout on here. Its dreamlike vocal effects and spacy bass work make it one of the band's more unique slow tracks. It's also yet another track in the vein of "Bastard Samurai" and "Warhorn" that makes me that much more curious to see how that ever elusive Sleep album will turn out when it's ready...

Luminiferous does lose a bit of its impact when compared to the awesome De Mysteriis Vermis but it's a great album that stays true to their monolithic sound. More traditional metal fans may take to the faster approach and it has some of the band's best songs to date. Part of me is wondering if the risk of stagnancy is on the horizon but stuff like this will keep me more than satisfied.

Highlights:
"The Black Plot"
"Carcosa"
"The Falconist"
"The Cave"
"The Lethal Chamber"

Review of Dorthia Cottrell's Self-Titled Debut

Despite an abundance of stereotypes that suggest the contrary, heavy metal has always had an interesting relationship with acoustic music. It has been used for melodic contrast since the early days of Sabbath and Zeppelin but certain doom singers to be taking it a step further in recent years. Icons such as Wino, Dax Riggs, and even Buzz Osborne have released solo albums of singer-songwriter fare, each with its own voice but still seemingly part of some undetected movement. A new name is added to the list is that of Dorthia Cottrell, who is already making a solid claim as a solo artist after only putting out two studio albums (and a third on the way) with the up-and-coming Windhand.

Despite the major differences in sonic output and instrumentation, doom metal and folk are linked by their emphasis on emotion and atmosphere over technical ability. Thus, the feel on here isn't too far off from Windhand's heavier approach. Replacing the droning riffs with simply strummed chords and the occasional steel guitar or sitar may result in a lighter sound and more prominent vocals, but the album is still defined by a dark aesthetic. Even the gentler patterns on songs like "Maybe It's True" and her take on Townes Van Zandt's "Rake" have a melancholic feel to them.

But with this being the sort of albums where the songs tend to blur together, much of its strength comes from Cottrell's vocal performance. While she normally just adds to the haze of Windhand's Electric Wizard worship and doesn't stick out much, she really comes into her own here. Her vocals do tend to stay within a limited range but the echoing effects combined with her reassuring alto result in a performance that isn't too far off from one of Jarboe's more depressing streaks.

Seeing how Windhand had already flirted with acoustic material before prior to this album's release, it isn't too surprising to see their singer pull it off in a solo format. However, the atmosphere and the beauty of Cottrell's voice keep this from being an overlooked curiosity. The material isn't flawless but it sounds like the perfect soundtrack for driving down a quiet backroad at 3am. Highly recommended to lovers of dark Americana and doom fans looking for something new to mellow out to.

Highlights:
"Gold"
"Vessel"
"Maybe It's True"
"Moth"
"Rake"

Review of The Gentle Storm's The Diary

Prog mastermind Arjen Lucassen may have recently gotten his rock opera band Ayreon back up and running, but that's apparently no reason for him to not continue meddling with his series of seemingly endless side projects. Featuring The Gathering singer and previous collaborator Anneke van Giersbergen, The Gentle Storm is one of Lucassen's more introspective ventures and perhaps one of the most unique in his career.

While The Diary could be placed safely under the prog umbrella, its specific style is harder to pinpoint. Its theatrical atmosphere and use of classical instrumentation suggest a folk rock approach, especially on the more upbeat tracks such as "Heart of Amsterdam," but it varies in mood throughout and lacks aggression even on its heaviest segments. It is bombastic and conceptual as all of Arjen's projects tend to be but its Old World aesthetics capture the feel of the 17th century star-crossed lovers narrative in a way that his sci-fi oriented themes could never match.

Much could also be made of the decision to release the album as a double album with light and heavy versions of the songs, respectively referred to the Gentle and Storm editions. In reality, they aren't that far removed from one another. The Storm edition may throw in some heavier guitars and drums that beef up songs such as "The Storm" but the songwriting generally keeps to the same structures and tends to be dominated by the strings, horns, and Anneke's voice more than anything else. Whichever version is the "true" one likely depends on your personal tastes, but the Storm should be reassuring to established fans while the Gentle could probably be played at your local Renaissance Faire without too much trouble.

Whichever side you prefer, the album is put together and performed quite well. The clean production allows the various instruments to stand out and the vocals are always performed in an exotic but always relatable fashion. The songs also offer a lot of moods as previously mentioned; the opening "Endless Sea" and "Shores of India" have a dramatic air, "Heart of Amsterdam" and "Eyes of Michiel" offer upbeat waltzes, "The Moment" goes into a more somber direction, and even the largely atmospheric "Epilogue" ends with a whimper that avoids feeling like filler.

It's hard to tell which of Arjen Lucassen's projects are meant to be further developed and which are destined to be one-offs (I'm still waiting for another Guilt Machine album, damn it). I get a feeling that The Diary will be an example of the latter but its unique aesthetics may make a followup unneeded. The presentation is classy and the style could be enjoyed by fans of several different genres. My only hope is that they have period appropriate costumes and sets when performing this material live.

Highlights:
"Endless Sea"
"Heart of Amsterdam"
"Shores of India"
"The Storm"
"Eyes of Michiel"

Review of Paradise Lost's The Plague Within

Since they returned to a heavy goth metal style nearly a decade ago, Paradise Lost has yielded some quality material though they've run the risk of sounding too complacent at times. Factor in guitarist Gregor Mackintosh's work in Vallenfyre and vocalist Nick Holmes recent involvement with Bloodbath and you get the feeling that the band may have wanted to return to a more extreme approach as much as some of their fans have. Now with the release of their fourteenth full-length album, Paradise Lost aims to recapture some of their most primal sounds with some interesting results.

The stylistic shifts that are demonstrated on The Plague Within are best exemplified by Holmes' mixture of death growls and clean vocals. On one hand, his harsher voice never hits the grimy depths of Gothic or Shades of God and show their age at times. On the other hand, the growls are surprisingly solid for having not been seriously attempted in nearly two decades and their raspy edge has a uniqueness that allows it to work with all the different styles on display.

Going along with that, the album also succeeds for being one of the band's most diverse sounding efforts to date. "No Hope 'In Sight" and "Beneath Broken Earth" bring doom to the album's first half, "An Eternity In Lies" and "Sacrifice the Flame" showcase symphonic touches, "Cry Out" has a rare rocking tempo, and "Flesh From Bone" just might the band's most death metal-oriented track since the days of Lost Paradise. Somehow none of the tracks sound out of place; especially impressive considering how rarely they've fluctuated their tempos in recent years.

Unfortunately, the more adventurous songwriting may have occurred at the expense of their natural catchiness. While most doom bands let the riffs dominate their songs, Paradise Lost's standout trait has always been their ear catching vocal lines. "No Hope In Sight" and "Punishment Through Time" do offer some strong riffs but the scaled back vocals do keep certain songs from being as memorable as they could be. You won't find a less than great song in the bunch but one may long for the toe tapping structures that defined Draconian Times or even Tragic Idol.

While The Plague Within isn't quite as memorable as Paradise Lost's couple albums, it should be a refreshing listen for those who think the band has gotten too comfortable lately. It isn't the most catchy release but the stylistic changes pay off and there are highlights that can be enjoyed by just about any fan. This has the feel of a career retrospective but one can only hope this isn't meant to be their swan song. I get the feeling they still have a lot to work with...

Highlights:
"No Hope In Sight"
"An Eternity Of Lies"
"Punishment Through Time"
"Flesh From Bone"
"Cry Out"

A Look Back at Hear 'n Aid's Stars

Everyone knows about Ronnie James Dio's stints in Rainbow and Sabbath as well as his solo band, but his charity work also runs deep in the core of his character. Formed in the mid-80s to serve as a heavy metal answer to "We Are The World" and bring the finest icons of the era together in the name of African famine relief, Hear 'n Aid is one of his more interesting examples of his generous spirit. As you would expect, "Stars" is an incredibly dated song but one that demands to be enjoyed for that very reason.

If I'm being perfectly honest, I must admit that "Stars" isn't that special in terms of its actual songwriting. It's pretty much a "Rainbow In The Dark" rewrite right down to using a similar song structure but trades the iconic keyboard line for a one line chorus enthusiastically shouted by every musician involved. It's still a pretty fun song and wouldn't have been out of place on The Last In Line or Sacred Heart, but it likely would've been seen as a solid filler track if Dio had been the only singer on it.

But like all the other mid-80s charity singles, the guest singers are what make this worthwhile. Whether they were all passionate about the project or Dio was just that good at writing vocal lines, each vocalist gives it his all even if it's just for a single line. Hearing Geoff Tate and Rob Halford belting this out in their prime is life affirming but even the guys like Don Dokken and Kevin Dubrow manage to sound pretty damn epic. Of course, this being an 80s metal venture does mean that the well known shredders of the time get to shine in an extended solo section. This idea's execution is a bit misguided as the seemingly endless soloing threatens to kill the momentum established by the stirring verses and and each one is rather hard to tell apart unless you're that familiar with each guitarist's technique. Yngwie Malmsteen and George Lynch's solos are predictably flashier than the rest and I'm enough of an Iron Maiden fanboy to recognize their duo's harmonizing (and enough of one to wonder what the hell Bruce Dickinson was doing at the time), but it's hard to sit through it all without the video telling which guitarist you're supposed to be amazed by at a given time. Thankfully the drum solos are just a topper before the last chorus and not another section...

A friend and I once debated what singers would be on a modern version of Hear 'n Aid but this project could've only happened when it did and is best appreciated as a relic of its time. The driving rhythm, guest singers, and even the guitarists' contributions make it mandatory for 80s metal nuts but the typical structure and dated feel make it hard to recommend to anyone else. It's a fun listen and I'd probably get a copy if it were ever re-released. Rest in peace, Ronnie, no modern tribute could ever be as fulfilling as jamming this cornball.

Review of Nightwish's Endless Forms Most Beautiful

Plenty of bands are prone to airing out their dirty laundry but no other band makes theirs quite as dramatic as symphonic veterans Nightwish. After Forever/Revamp vocalist Floor Jansen has stepped in after Anette Olzon's unpleasant departure, Wintersun drummer Kai Hahto is filling in for an insomnia afflicted Jukka Nevalainen, and longtime session musician Troy Donockley has been recruited as a sixth official member. But amidst the Richard Dawkins cameos and Scrooge McDuck solo albums, Nightwish is staying consistent with Endless Forms Most Beautiful.

As expected with the member shifts, the band dynamic on this album moves away from the Olzon-era template and actually has more in common with Once or Century Child than anything else. The orchestra is still prominent but it does yield to the guitars and keyboards more often and even lets them take the melody on songs like "Edema Ruh." The lyrics also offer a different direction and are largely based around the ideas of Charles Darwin instead of the awkward childhood longing of keyboardist Tuomas Holopanien.

But at its core, the actual performances are still playing it safe. While Jansen is an amazing talent that represents the best of both worlds in a live environment, a very strict songwriting template prevents her from showing off and results in a performance that probably could've been executed by Tarja, Anette, or any woman with the ability to stay in key. Marco Heitala seems to have gotten similarly snubbed as his bass is less prominent than usual and his vocals aren't as common despite contributing to the songwriting more than before. The songwriting also generally sticks with familiar tropes; lead single "Elan" sounds like a composite of "Amaranth" and "Last of the Wilds," "Alpenglow" gives me brief "Ever Dream" flashbacks, and I keep expecting to hear "Dark Chest of Wonders" every time I hear "Shudder Before the Beautiful" and "Yours Is An Empty Hope."

But on the bright side, this album is a definite grower and takes more listens to get a feel for than any Nightwish album since the 90s. It is the band's most atmospheric effort to date, especially during "The Eyes of Sharbat Gula," and covers a broader spectrum of both heavier and mellower styles. The genre blending has become par for the course in recent years but it is starting to feel less gimmicky.

Overall, Endless Forms Most Beautiful is in a spot not unlike 2007's Dark Passion Play. The new lineup is experiencing some growing pains but provides a new or refreshing idea for every time it plays too safe. The songs are entertaining and I can't see the fanbase being too alienated by it after a couple attentive listens. I just hope we won't see another meltdown before this lineup gets the chance to improve...

Highlights:
"Shudder Before the Beautiful"
"Weak Fantasy"
"Elan"
"Yours Is An Empty Hope"
"Edema Ruh"

A Look Back At Mother Love Bone's Apple

Plenty of arguments have been made about how the deaths of such icons as Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain have changed the face of rock music, but I would argue that the loss of Mother Love Bone's Andrew Wood was one of the most severe yet overlooked in rock history. When Mother Love Bone was preparing to release its sole full-length album in 1990, grunge as the general public knows it did not exist. Pearl Jam wouldn't exist until after Wood's passing, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden were still opening for thrash metal bands, and Nirvana's seemingly imminent explosion was still a year away.

I don't think we would look at grunge the same way if Wood had lived long enough to see Apple get its due in the mainstream rock world. Perhaps the shift away from hair metal wouldn't have been so abrupt. Perhaps we would be calling bands like this "thinking man's glam." Perhaps the music of dirty flannel and rainy weather would've been seen as (gasp) fun! Whether you buy into this theory or not, you can't deny that Mother Love Bone put out a pretty damn good album during their all-too-brief run.

One thing that stands about this band is how they pulled from a wide variety of influences and came up with an eerily familiar sound in hindsight. Since most of the instrumentalists here soon ended up in Pearl Jam and Temple Of The Dog, it makes sense that this would have a lot in common with those two though the exotic tone and the theatrical vocals parallel what Soundgarden had done on Louder Than Love the year before. There's also a good degree of 70s rock influence on the singalong choruses and smooth balladry.

While grunge wasn't always a down in the dumps genre, Mother Love Bone's sense of fun was much more genuine than most of their peers. While guys like Chris Cornell and Layne Staley showed their less serious sides with sneered jokes or over the top bravado, Wood has an almost impish quality similar to Robert Plant or Freddie Mercury. His voice is charismatic yet still not trying to intimidate the listener during the album's less conventional moments. The great songwriting also helps as the choruses on "Stardog Champion" and "Holy Roller" will be in your head for days while "Crown of Thorns" has a somber air that is more relaxed or world-weary than truly downtrodden.

Of course, this album isn't quite perfect. You won't find a less than above average song on here but the classic 90s problem of having too many songs does mean that the second half runs together at times. In addition, it has its variety but its consistency does mean that you won't see too many Superunknown-style experiments on here. I suppose that's another element to think about when one considers how much further they could've gone...

Albums like Dirt and Nevermind may be what everyone associates with grunge but it is truly mind boggling to imagine how it'd be seen if Apple had gotten its due. It offers a different sound when compared to the cliche and those put off by the dreary aesthetics may find this more appealing. But even if you don't buy into alternate history, it's just as great as the classics and has plenty of great songs that are worth checking out. A lot of great things came from Mother Love Bone but it's a damn shame they didn't have more time...

Highlights:
"Stardog Champion"
"Holy Roller"
"Stargazer"
"Man of Golden Words"
"Crown of Thorns"