A couple of varied releases from well known bands — or at least the members of well known bands. The rest are a selection of some of the lesser known bands whose material I get. I have to say it's rather fun to discover new emerging talent.
Judas Priest: Nostradamus
This much anticipated album has the entire metal community alight. Now Nostradamus is not exactly an original theme for a concept. I can think of two other attempts at reducing his life and work to music. JP's two-CD set is quite the impressive set when you get the special edition with the hard-bound book. But does it live up to the hype?
No, not exactly, based on several complete listens I have made of the album. While there are tracks that remind one of the JP of old, there is nothing that jumps out and blows your mind as with tracks from Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime, or Iron Maiden's Seventh Son of the Seventh Son. There is not much on here that you would find yourself singing along to, or listening to specially. It's not a horrible album by any means and it shows JP stretching their wings in a clever way. Lyrically is not too dire either, it just does not move one in the way you might expect. The title track and a few others stand-out but not by much.
This is a competent attempt at a concept album from a great band. Will it be mentioned in anyone's top 10 concept albums of all time? I rather doubt it quite frankly.
Stone Gods: Silver Spoons & Broken Bones
Three members of the much admired, and equally loathed, Darkness decided they wanted to continue doing music after Justin Hawkins — lead singer of the Darkness — pranced off to rehab and other things. His brother Dan Hawkins, got the rest of Darkness together with the former bassist, Richie Edwards. This is their first release and its first single "Kill the Witch," is one hell of a freaking new wave of British heavy metal/hard rock stomper. There are still whiffs of other classic British bands like The Sweet, Queen, Thunder and even um... Busted. However as an effort to kick-out the jams, this is a great album. The quality of the musicianship is rather good and it is quite listenable. This is a grower without a doubt and the band are clearly finding their footing.
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