Trollheart

Well as I say the way I look at it is, back when I were younger I had no choice but to buy the music I wanted. Sites like we have now did not exist, and unless you taped something off the radio or had a mate with the album you had to buy what you wanted. When Audiogalaxy and Napster hit the scene I went crazy, downloading everything I could. Now I use cheaper music sites, Grooveshark, Spotify, YT and torrents to get what I want. I feel for the artists if they're not getting paid what they should but believe I did my bit to support them over 25-odd years, and no longer have the money or the freedom to spend as I did.

Trips into town took place almost every weekend and I would come back with a bag of records or CDs. Now I can't do that so what Spotify et al give the artists doesn't really bother me. That may sound harsh but hey, I'm older now with bills to pay and I can't afford to just buy CDs I think I might like at twenty euro a pop.

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Big Ears

I just meant that anyone who thinks they are doing right by the band by using Spotify, may not be doing as good as they think. Unless that band is Metallica. I rely a lot on YouTube, who are covered by non-disclosure eagreements, but they won't be any better than Spotify or Pandora.

There was a slogan along the lines of, 'Home taping is killing music.' It didn't and I bought most, if not all, of the albums I recorded anyway. After that I bought them again on CD, but stopped at the remasters and bonus tracks etc. I have even bought CDs and got home to find they were mastered from vinyl.

I admit I've downloaded albums that I could not find or were out of print, along with a few bootlegs, but I do not see record companies going out of business because of me.

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My Journal: Rabbiting On

Isbjørn

I use Spotify to stream albums that I may buy later, or that I probably won't buy anyway. I would probably buy more CDs if I could.

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Trollheart

God, I remember that! "Home taping is killing music! And it's illegal!" They didn't envisage the kind of piracy they'd be facing three decades later, did they? Like you I taped albums to see if I liked them then bought them if I did: it wasn't the same, back then, having just a tape with blue ink listings of the tracks. You wanted the album with the sleeve, notes, lyrics and so on. But then of course back then you were talking a fiver for an album; not so much to have to spend.

Gotta admit: whoever designed that logo, damn good job!

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Unknown Soldier

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
Much heavier than I expected it to be, but then after reading about the band being influenced by the likes of Dream Theater and Queensryche that explained everything. The band were pretty impressive over the opening track of 10 mins.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?
"Perpetual Child" is a rocker and a strong track, despite the obvious 90s Rush influences. "Spare Chicken Parts" was a good instrumental for a song so long,

3. What did you think of the later tracks?
"The bottom line" really stood out for me in the later part of the album. Overall I couldn't find a fault and enjoyed the piano focused "One Look Away".

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
Josh Pincus is a strong vocalist and I've already mentioned that he reminds me a lot of Dennis de Young in his vocal style.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
Yes as I love Dream Theater and I like long instrumental intros which show the proficiency of the band. Also as far as I'm concerned there is nothing wrong with musical wankery either, but then again I'm a power metal nut, so I like that kind of thing. But saying all that, I'm not a big fan of instrumentals on their own and like there to be some kind of singing. I also thought the keyboards and drumming here were good as well.

6.Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
Got stronger, but I don't think they needed an almost 9 minute instrumental this early on the album.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
I thought the lyrical content quite good and with some good touches here and there.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?
I really liked the band's metal sound on the album and as per usual I couldn't find fault with the instrumentals of the band at all.

9. What did you think of the production?
Very good and solid throughout, couldn't fault it in any way.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?
Had never heard of them before.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?
Progressive metal.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
About the same and remained steady for me throughout.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
"The Bottom Line" probably my favourite, "Spare Chicken Parts" I enjoyed it for an instrumental and the title track was good.

14. And the one you liked least?
No really weak tracks but "Sleepwalker" was a weaker second track.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
It's a strong debut for sure, but I do think there was too big an influence of their influences coming through. The lead singer amazingly at times sounds like Dennis de Young of Styx.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?
Read that they only have one more album, but yes I would like to give it a listen and also to spend more time with this album their debut.

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?
It's all about industrialisation a progress, but I know that because Trollheart told me so.

18. Did the album end well?
"To Say Goodbye Part II" is amongst one of the strongest tracks on the album. Overall the album encompasses a real range of heavy powered to softer sounding tracks and does both equally well.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
If it were 10 mins shorter, it would be an even better album.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
The album seemed tight and focused beginning to end and was cohesive in every way.

Ratiing:8.5 out of 10

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Metal Wars

Power Metal

Pounding Decibels- A Hard and Heavy History

Trollheart

You really heard Denis De Young, did you? I must listen to more Styx. I definitely heard Meat Loaf, with that growl and touch of anger in his voice that makes you worry he's gonna come over and beat you up for sleeping with his girlfriend, but that he'll explain it to you in detail first (and with, more than likely, a seventy-piece orchestra!) so that by the end you'll understand and even agree with him.

Glad you enjoyed the album though. Pretty mindblowing, I felt.

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Unknown Soldier

Well Dennis De Young never got quite so growly but the essence of his voice is almost the same.

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Metal Wars

Power Metal

Pounding Decibels- A Hard and Heavy History

Big Ears

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

My first impressions were that the band reflect the best of Dream Theater and Shadow Gallery, so they were good.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?

Having said the above, Perpetual Child begins with a monotonous cliched prog-metal guitar sound, which drowns out interesting keyboards. When the vocals appear, the track develops sparce Andy Summers/ Alex Lifeson guitar chords and a Rush-sounding passage. The third shift is into a Kansas/Styx-like section, due in part to singer Josh Pincus, who brings to mind a combination of Steve Walsh and Dennis De Young. Ironically, the long rambling experimentation becomes interesting in the final seconds with a rising synthesizer and guitar passage. Overall, there is a lot of complexity.

Sleepwalker is an improvement, walking a fine line between the prog metal of Dream Theater and jazz rock. The interation between keyboards from Pincus and Jimmy Pappas's guitar is very fast. Join begins like Kansas at their most AOR. At the halfway mark is a harmony guitar and keyboards sequence, reminiscent of Thin Lizzy. Again, and infuriatingly, the track becomes most intriguing in the final minutes with a jangling Rush-like passage.

3. What did you think of the later tracks?

Spare Chicken Parts, an instrumental, has a heavy guitar intro, followed by a complex jazz rock sequence. After four minutes and a funky little synthesizer passage, it becomes similar to UK with Allan Holdsworth, before introducing a fast drum solo (Nick Mason-ish drum sticks on bongos). The guitar and keyboards are extremely tight, with Pappas being incredibly fast, making me wonder why he is not a household name. Drummer Hal Aponte is a tasteful, but unorthodox and unpredictable drummer, particularly in his use of cymbals. He uses double-kick drums, without relying on them. Imagine DT with Colosseum II-era Gary Moore on guitar and you have got Spare Chicken Parts. Towards the end of the solo (5:58), the voice of an 'astronaut' from 2001: A Space Odyssey, says, 'Open the pod bay doors please Hal.' It's a judicious little masterstroke in a wonderful track.

Ice Age veer away from jazzrock with Because of You and its chiming off-kilter riff (early Status Quo, Big country and a smidgen of U2). The Bottom Line has an Ian Crichton-type (Saga) vocal, while Pappas and Aponte cut loose with an old-fashioned seventies-sounding hard rock passage. Despite the inconguous lyric, it is an excellent toe-tapping track. The way the band speed up and quieten down is especially effective. Ice Age begins with what could be Tangerine Dream on steroids and an excellent crooning vocal from Pincus. There are more Eddie Jobson-ish keys constituting the second of three ten minute-plus epics. In the late nineteen-seventies, One Look Away might have made a hit single in the US. Miles to Go returns to a jazz guitar feel.

Although To Say Goodbye Parts 1 and 2 are two separate tracks, which combine to close the album on a lengthy piece, it is the first shorter part which is most interesting and full of ideas. Part 2 is need of editing.

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?

I liked him and he makes a good job of the title track, but he can be a bit wearing at times.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?

In my opinion, the instrumental Spare chicken Parts is the best track on the album with its jazz-rock inclinations.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

The album improves beyond the halfway mark, but the final few tracks become repetetive and lack dynamics. Pincus is by no means a bad singer, but his voice can become a bit grating with over-exposure.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

Sometimes the lyrics jar with the music, but it works and the songs are strong.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

The musicians are tight and fast. Pincus is the lead singer, but he is also an outstanding keyboard player. The guitarist Pappas is underrated and should be better known.

9. What did you think of the production?

Clean, although the bass guitar could be boosted and the album is in need of editing.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?

I had heard of Ice Age, but never heard them. I read somewhere that they sounded like Styx if they played progressive metal, which I discovered is not far from the truth. By coincidence, I was listening to The Grand Illusion by Styx (1977), when TH suggested this album.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Progressive metal, but it is not helpful. Ice Age are definitely in the tradition of DT and Shadow Gallery.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

I was impressed by The Great Divide from the outset and my opinion has not changed.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

Spare Chicken Parts and The Bottom Line.

14. And the one you liked least?

To Say Goodbye Part 2.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?

There are bands who make one or two strong albums and disappear (Captain Beyond, Alphataurus) and Ice Age seem to be one of them.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?

I have heard the second album and it is as good as the first. It is a pity they did not make more, especially as some bands have recorded far too many.

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?

I wondered if it was about the search for the North-West Passage.

18. Did the album end well?

It closed on a bit of a whimper. See my comments on editing.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

Ice Age are further victims of the urge to fill a CD with 75 minutes of music. Although I am a fan, Dream Theater have the same problem.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

There was more hit than miss. After a cliched 'prog-metal' opening track, the band reveal that they have much more than one string to their bow. At heart they are a typical American progressive rock band in the style of Kansas, Styx and Saga (I know the latter is Canadian), but with Mahavishnu/Colosseum jazz-rock inclinations.

Overall Album Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

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My Journal: Rabbiting On

Big Ears

Apologies for the delay.

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My Journal: Rabbiting On

Isbjørn

Thought about it a little, and I figured this album club thing might not be for me. I guess we can say I'm out.

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