Alunah - Strange Machine (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Crash landing again from their home planet of Birmingham, of course the central point of the Black Sabbath universe, it would be remiss of Alunah if they didn't worship their elders through massive riffs and spectral vocals. Strange Machine is pulled towards the that Black (Sabbath) hole but takes it's own flights of fancy that include touches of Hawkwind and more bands that swirl around in the psychedelic realms. Despite being the second studio album with singer Siân Greenaway and the first with guitarist Matt Noble, Strange Machine is actually the bands sixth studio album, the pounding grooves still delivered by bassist Dan Burchmore (who has been in the band for 10 years nearly) and founding member Jake Mason on drums.
If Violet Hour was a rebirth of some kind, introducing the second phase of the band, then Strange Machine is their chance to boldly go into realms as yet unexplored, Fade Into Fantasy for example adds the hallucinogenic, psychedelia of Rosalie Cunningham, Gong and Syd-era Pink Floyd, the waves of organs crashing in towards the end of that, climbing guitar lead, though Psychedelic Expressway is given the spirit of Woodstock and the West Coast sound during the 60's. Strange Machine was produced by Chris Fielding at Foel Studios and as with anything he touches, the heaviness on tracks such as the riffy Broken Stone and Dead Woman Walking, which features Crowbar guitarist Shane Wesley, is hefty as possible but also gives a great fidelity of sound for the clean guitars, organs, theremin and of course those excellent vocals to impress as well.
Strange Machine is Alunah spreading their wings and taking off into the next phase of their journey as a band, with the elements they've added here it's sure to be a long strange trip from here. 9/10
Treat - The Endgame (Frontiers Music Srl)
Swedes Treat are legends in the Scandi AOR/melodic rock scene, despite this The Endgame is only their ninth studio album. However after eight albums and the return of bassist Nalle Påhlsson to the band along with vocalist Robert Ernlund, guitarist Anders ”Gary” Wikström, drummer Jamie Borger, and keyboardist Patrick Appelgren, Treat are cranking out those AOR anthems they do oh so well. Part Def Leppard (My Parade), part Bon Jovi (Magic) and a massive influence on the incredibly healthy and vibrant Scandinavian AOR scene, Treat re-establish these credentials with the clever lyrics on Freudian Slip or the shimmering Rabbit Hole which is about as 80's as a White Lamborghini with the top down as the sun sets over the yachts on the bay.
Producer Peter Mansson brings out the sonic best in these tracks with his clean cut production boosting the bouncing rhythms, huge synth lines and the soaring vocals. The band say they want to make every album better than the last one and with The Endgame, they have managed to bring together a collection of upbeat, positive album that flies in the face of our current pessimistic world. A record that is designed as an escape filled with driving 80's rockers, arena friendly ballads, a track about a chilli (Carolina Reaper) and also packing a song that will make sure this Swedish band will get airplay at every baseball event this summer in Home Of The Brave. (Neal Schon will be kicking himself). There are American original bands that don't do AOR as good as this, well worth investing some time in. 8/10
Black Swan - Generation Mind (Frontiers Music Srl)
Generation Mind is the second record from 'supergroup' Black Swan. It features singer Robin McAuley (McAuley Schenker Group), guitarist Reb Beach (Winger, Whitesnake), bassist Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, The End Machine, ex-Dokken), and drummer Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big). With such big names in the melodic rock circles attached you can appreciate that it will be a slick melodic rock effort with great songwriting and playing, McAuley, Pilson and Beach wrote all the songs for this sophomore record and they have upped the ante again on Generation Mind.
From the bluesier edge to ballad How Do You Feel, to the guitar fueled Long Way Down there's hints of all of the members previous bands but Black Swan are much more than that, creating their own sound on the debut that has been refined on this second record. What is really impressive on this album is McAuley's vocals which are far superior now at the age of 69 than they were in his prime, on Wicked The Day he shows of those powerful/soulful tonsils to the full against Beach's choppy, solo filled guitar playing and that driving rhythm of Pilson and Starr, you can see why his drumming is in demand.
Generation Mind never moves too far from being a four established musicians showing off their chops but these chops are enough to keep you listening. 6/10
Ophelia's Eye - Hopeless World (Self Released)
According to the press for this record Ophelia's World take their cues from bands such as Killswitch Engage, In Flames, Lamb Of God and As I Lay Dying, though I wouldn't really advertise that last one too much lest their partners get a little worried. However that comparison aside, you can hear all of these influences on their new EP Hopeless World. Brutality is merged with melody from galloping "Maiden goes death" of My Honor to the bruising Fuck My Trust all the way through to thrashy I'm Explosive and the final battery of the melo-death 101 that is Pain And Sorrow. Having only been around for about 2 years, Hopeless World is supremely slick, melo-death with some metalcore and groove styles too, it's a very technical release that brings breakdowns, lead guitar flourishes.
But for me the one dimensional vocals and the fact that though there is claim that they are re-defining the genre with the heavy music they write, what they are doing is jumping into the furrow dug by In Flames, Killswitch Engage and most tellingly Trivium, then going about trying to emulate them. Consisting of Michel Egloff-Sieber (Vocals), Remo Lemp (Lead Guitar), Corinne Ryter (Rhythm Guitar), Stefan Bijkerk (Drums), and Sandro Suter (Bass), there's bags of potential here and they'll be pushed as the 'next big thing' I'm sure but for me if this Swiss band want to become that they will need to add a bit more nuance to the rest of their music as they do on the title track. 6/10