There is enough heaviness about to keep metal-heads happy and not come off as too wimpy. You can tell this lot know there hard rock, but here never a sense they are mimicking what came before. Want proof of damn good hard rock? Check out “Right Between the Eyes” and hear what this lot do so well.
Robert Berry: The Dividing Line
A veteran of bands such as Three (with Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer) and the uber-guitar supergroup GTR with Steve Hackett and Steve Howe the man comes with some decent credentials. Some of the tracks on here were meant for the never-released second GTR album, Listen to the People certainly speaks to that heritage.. He fronts a band with former members of Boston, Sammy Hagar, and Night Ranger called Alliance.
So what does the mean for the solo album. It's meant, according to him, as something a bit “more European” than Alliance. I suspect this album aims to be similar to the Scandi rock sound so prevalent from the continent. In the end it rather comes out as an interpretation of that style that does not always hit its mark.
He certainly has a good voice that works with this sort of music. Alas, much of the material on this release never rises over the level of just decent. In other words, most bands would love to release something of this consistency. The problem with many of the songs is that they are pleasant, but don’t necessarily jump out at you. Very few have that catchiness that is so common in the Euro-hard rock releases. It's possible that Berry needs the band format to get the best out of him.
Susperia: Attitude
This albums certainly speaks to an attitude… the attitude of angst and general annoyance. This is dark broody goth-tinged heavy metal done right. There is a sense of bands like White Zombie with no industrial leanings and a lot more melody. At times the band come across in similar vein Black Label Society without the tinge of southern rock. In a sense this lot of Norwegian nutters are just delivering fist-pumping melodic hook-laden metal done right.
This is a more trad heavy metal album from guys in bands that tend to be a bit more extreme including Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon, and Old Mans Child. To this lot playing this sort of melodic heavy metal would be akin for someone in Iron Maiden releasing an AOR album (it happened the band is called ASAP). Its got that sense of catchiness, melody and classic metal that some would call old school. Enjoy the haunting “Mr Stranger” with all its threatening angst.
Article comments