W.A.S.P. - Babylon (2009)

W.A.S.P. were very much part of my heavy-metal upbringing. They rebelled, they threw raw meat around, they strapped half-naked women to chairs on stage, and they rocked. Blackie and company were always glorious in their fiery rage. Naturally, over time, and despite sticking to their guns, the scene they became part of fizzled out and even they sought pastures new. A few concept albums and rock opera's, even a darker sound, but nothing beats that sexsonic groove they produced back in the day. Some would argue that such a sound is at once dated and riddled with cheese, but then again W.A.S.P. wrote some true metal anthems. Even their 'Helldorado' record of more recent times was a rocket up the arse, so where does 'Babylon' see the band venturing ? Well, there's alot of fire on this record....literally. 'Into The Fire', 'Burn', 'Babylon's Burning', 'Seas Of Fire'...and there's that familiar formula of many records gone by...and it still works. Maybe it was because I was there when they screamed 'On Your Knees', maybe it was because i got pulled in by the dark magic of 'Live...In The Raw'...maybe I just have a soft spot for W.A.S.P.

They don't break any new ground but I don't wanna hear W.A.S.P. teasing with industrial funk, I want real metal, and as long as it smokes then it'll continue to work. 'Crazy' and 'Live To Die Another Day' are a rattling good listen. Blackie's vocals may have started to weaken, but it's still that recognisable yelp. 'Into The Fire' is clearly another return to form, a companion to the awesome W.A.S.P. classic 'Sleeping In The Fire'. With metal it doesn't matter how much it's not 'in' anymore, or how big it gets, the factor is, it continues to rule, and mainly due to the fact that the classic bands refuse to die and continue to show the new kids just how its done. 'Babylon' is a real heavy metal album, what ,ore do you want ?

8/10

Cheap Trick - The Latest (2009)

Okay, so I've been a bit of a criminal by not reviewing any Cheap Trick albums on this blog, but then again, there's always more to come. Here's a band, who, next to Enuff Z Nuff manage to use hordes of Beatles hooks and melodies but somehow get away with it. I don''t know how they do it, but 'The Latest' is a fantastic record that should see them filling stadiums, but which of course won't. Cheap Trick have always been underrated, their sugary rock all about sweetness and light, and the occasional tear. I don't personally think they are as mighty as Enuff Z Nuff but there's enough on offer here to suggest what we've always known, that most of the more successful bands in the world are crap and the coolest bands never get anywhere. Cheap Trick have been around for decades, but somehow they continue to evoke images of hazy days and love-filled summer's. 'The Latest' pines, swoons and dips its strawberry into the sugar, making you think you've heard every track before, possibly on a Beatles record, and yet somehow it still sounds new and refreshing. 'When The Lights Are Out' just sounds like a timeless classic of upbeat melody. It's hooks are in and you'll be humming it forever. 'Miss Tomorrow', 'These Days', 'Miracle'...utterly beautiful and majestic, evoking images of Lennon and Macca. It really is that good at times. Of course, the band can still rock, 'Sick Man Of Europe' and 'Alive' are big groovers, but again, it's back to those sweeping , soul-searching tracks which are born to be classics, if only in the minds of the metalheads fortunate enough to hear it. Gorgeous.

8.5/10

Church Of Misery - Houses Of The Unholy (2009)

When some musical genre's get saturated there are always a handful of bands who can oull you from the quagmire out into the light. The 'doom metal' genre has spewed out some cracking bands ever since Black Sabbath crawled out of their beds. A lot of these bands are imitators, some keen to jump on the retro bandwagon and shake their boogie doom. Other bands just try to be so heavy, but become tiresome in their plodding whilst other bands become 'stoner' and simply bathe all to much in the mighty weed. However, with Church Of Misery there's that simple motive - to pummel the listener. This isn't stoner, this doom rock 'n' roll...albeit serial killer obsessed. Sure, thousands of bands have glorified the sick and perverse ways of certain killers, but Church Of Misery seem genuinely seedy in their worship of sadists such as Albert Fish. Fused with samples of radio coverage and quotes from the actual killers, 'Houses..' is a monstrous record which provides a soundtrack to the extraordinary crimes that shocked the world. Those knowledgeable of serial killers will have heard of Richard Speck and Charles Starkweather, but it's the sheer dirtiness of the grooves that defies. Imagine Led Zeppelin only a thousand times heavier with a gritty vocal sneer...total doooomm! Church Of Misery aren't ponderous, but simply remove your teeth by vibrating the walls in their gargantuan riffage.

Forget the 'stoner' crap, this is the apocalypse right here, right now. Not for the faint-hearted or those offended by serial killers!

8/10

SIXX A.M. - The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack (2007)

Released on the back of his fascinating book of the same name, 'The Heroin...' sees rock god extraordinaire Nikki Sixx emerge with a sharp-shooting band with an unexpected twist. Wrapped up in a more polished and slightly Gothic sound, Sixx A.M., which is Sixx on bass, DJ Ashba on guitar and James Michael on vocals, are far removed from anything Sixx has done before. This is hip, modern, nu-metal laced at times, and dark but in an almost commercial rock way. Some would argue that James Michael's vocals are little too straight laced, but then again, Sixx has worked with a variety of stars and this time requires a voice to portray his emotions, fears and pains. This is the Sixx story on record, but does it reach the heights we expected ?

Well, at times yes. 'Van Nuys' is a dark epic of streetwise beats and crushing Gothic chorus, beautifully orchestrated, dramatic, theatrical. 'Life Is Beautiful' is an immense track, sweeping yet classic, that opening riff wouldn't be out of place on the latest Crue album, but the surprise once again comes in the vocals. James Michael certainly adds a sensitive side to the weight of sound, in fact vocally there is a lack of real identity here, but the chorus is immense, and the softness and hardness compliment one another perfectly. Ashba is a fantastic guitarist who has since joined the G 'n' R ranks, and 'Life...' is one helluva emotional track, a modern rock song for the airwaves.

'Pray For Me' is equally as cool, and it's here that James Michael excels himself. A crunching groove accompanied by his dark-laced vocal croon which builds to an immense chorus, and this continues with the superb 'Tomorrow'. Although having a strong commercial edge, the last two cuts show Sixx's ability to write on demand songs which aren't just about girls and sex. 'The Heroin Diaries...' is a deeply serious record, clearly drawn from painful experiences. However, I do have one complaint. 'Accidents Can Happen' is wistful enough to belong on a stage! And I'm not sure this is a good thing. Don't get me wrong, it's a cleverly constructed track, but again, this is where the problem lies with James Michael's delivery, a soft-rock crooner who remains hidden behind any barrage of riffage, but who soulfully floats above the more emotional strains of the tracks. 'Dead Mans Ballet' causes quite a rumble however, but the album does follow a familiar theme once James Michaels vocals interact with the subtle sound which he eases after the original blast. 'Permission' is quite 'Euphoric' as a track, lush in its arrangement and 'Courtesy Call' has a dark, Gothic edge that cuts deep. The album ends with 'Life After Death', and will probably leave most listeners compelled but not overly satisfied. But then again, I think this is a more personal album for Sixx, but despite the flaws of James Michael's delivery, there are some brilliant tracks on offer here and an album layered with emotion.

8/10

Malice - License To Kill (1987)

Straight to the point but reasonably good metal without pulling any punches. The photo's on the band may give you an idea that Malice like to shred those instruments, and pouting vocal prince James Neal has a fair set of lungs. Surprised to see Megadeth's Dave Mustaine and Dave Ellefson on a few tracks contributing backing vocals also. This is certainly late night radio metal, when the parents are in bed and the headphones are on, light a candle and be taken away by the beef of those riffs and soaring vocals.

No real thrills to speak of , this is simply solid metal that would never dare veer from its identity, although some would debate as to whether it has an identity in a field of so many other accomplished, but middle of the road rock acts. Kinda like watery Lizzy Borden, or softer Priest, with that every American haze to its sound. It doesn't pound, mainly because it's lacking any kind of attitude in its corporate guise. Quite like the album cover although maybe it's their to detract from the normality of proceedings. Like I said, it's solid rock but lacking the grease and tends to go in such a formulaic direction without effect.

Quite liking the streak of darkness in that riff to 'Christine' but I'm not sure how I'm meant to be reacting. Even so, it's at times frustrating in its lack of image but it's still a metal record worth hearing, just don't pay too much for it!

6/10

Metal Church - The Human Factor (1991)

One of metal's most overrated yet wonderfully talented acts. Here's a band who've grown from their thrash roots to incorporate a classical metal stance, but still remaining as powerful and intelligent as say, Megadeth. Terrible album (possibly influenced by the sickly alterno-metal scene at the time ?) cover hides another clinical record of power thrash. Mike Howe's remaining one of the best and most diverse vocalists in the genre, this is extremely progressive metal for anyone looking for thinking man's metal. In fact the intelligence shines through because after reading the seemingly cheesy lyrics to the title cut, one would think it difficult to get away with such an all too honest set of lyrics.

Metal Church may lack the imposing arrogance of other bands, especially those who sell out stadiums, but this is equally as energetic and important rock music. The instruments fuse together to erect a huge wall of searing sound for Howe to Sneer through. Cool grooves, memorable choruses and no issue excluded. It's a if the messages left by Priest in the '80s which I ignored, have now been polished and re-presented to me by Metal Church. Highly technical, refreshing, cold steel grooves, just check out the almost funky strut mid-section of 'Date With Poverty', but it's done for keeps, no slacking, just burning metal. Lyrically a superb record, but so much to take in, those crisp guitars, the ear-shredding bass and rumbling drums, a headbanger's paradise but maintaining a complexity of beauty. Cutting edge metal, 'In Due Time', 'In Mourning' and 'Agent Green', all slice and dice the brain like wire across cheese.

Cool band in a very metal way.

8/10

Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith (1984)

A more hoarse Halford bellows and wails through that crotch-grabbing soundtrack 'Freewheel Burning'. I can see it now, leather-clad studs on big, bad bikes and frizzy haired harlots giving admiring glances over their lacy shoulders. Priest at their best are a formidable act, but at their cheesiest they often fall short. Thankfully 'Defenders...' shatters any fears as Tipton and Downing begin on volume ten. Sharp, clinical hell hath no fury metal meltdown. Back in the day I wasn't actually much of a fan and have found the band's recorded output slightly irritating, often lukewarm and patchy, but when on form they smoke. 'Defenders...' has all the perfect ingredients to be a soul destroying metal menagerie of raging beasts.

Full of fist-pumping and holocaustic headbangers, ya know what ya gonna get with 'Jawbreaker', Holland's rattling cymbals crashing through the night, the guitars leaving fire in their wake. Strangely as well, it seems that Priest's lyrics, which seem so terribly cliched, do in fact work so much better than thousands of other bands. I guess they were one of the first to get the metal pandemonium down to a 't', hell fires, raging storms, dead of night, you know the score, ripping flesh for the sake of burning metal. The message is simple with Priest because at times they had the power and intensity to deliver it. Admittedly, when they failed, they were a corny bunch, but when they succeeded they stoked the fires for the early days of metal like no other. It's no surprise so many bands were influenced by such chest-pounding, domineering and leathery rock 'n' roll.

Priest are vital to metal and when they staked their place, they made themselves fossils in the framework of the genre for all to see, hear and be inspired by.

8/10