Darkest Hour -- 'Deliver Us' [review]

Darkest Hour - Deliver Us
Victory Records (7/10/07)
hardcore / metal


Darkest Hour is the perfect example of a band that has grown content with its place in the industry. With so many successful albums under its belt, there's no way that at least a few major labels haven't come calling yet, but the band seems content to stay on Victory.

Now, while there's nothing wrong with that attitude when it comes to a home for your music (as listeners, what do we care what label a band releases on?), it becomes a hindrance when you take the same attitude with your music, which is what Darkest Hour has done.

Growing leaps and bounds since 2001's So Sedated, So Secure, which was a landmark album for the band as it worked to incorporate as many extreme elements of metal to craft its sound, the group pushed the envelope ever so slightly with the next couple of albums. But, with Deliver Us, Darkest Hour seems happy just rehashing the blend of metal and hardcore to an honorable, albeit tired, result.

The album opens promisingly enough with "Doomsayer (The Beginning of the End)", featuring an acoustic intro and some inspired melodies (the hook in the chorus is a great surprise, too). The album is full of these surprises: the "clean" vocal refrain in "Sanctuary", John Henry's delicate balance of extreme and clean vocals on "Demon(s)", the haunting instrumental "The Light at the Edge of the World", the desperate melody on "A Paradox With Flies" and the killer guitar work on "Tunguska". In fact, the impressive "Tunguska" is exactly what Darkest Hour needs more of on the album.

The flip side is tracks like "Full Imperial Collapse", "Stand and Receive Your Judgement", "Fire in the Skies" and album closer "Deliver Us" -- all songs that follow the tired and true Darkest Hour template.

As a long-time fan of the band, you'd like to see some chances taken here and there—some lengthier, meatier songs (like the aforementioned "Tunguska"), perhaps more experimenting with the melodies, even more of the instrumental work. Instead, the band falls back to the comfort of short, blast-beat hardcore whenever it starts to shift from the norm.

Darkest Hour is one of those bands that should be at the forefront of the metal scene, if not for lack of effort (and hopefully not attention). They continuously release solid outings that one would expect, which, while not a bad thing, could ultimately prove the band's undoing if fans become too complacent with the sound or effort. Or, even worse, when change becomes inevitable, the changes needed are too drastic to be made.

Velvet Revolver -- 'Libertad' [review]

Velvet Revolver - Libertad
RCA (7/03/07)
Hard rock


With all the excitement and wonder surrounding the band in 2004, it was hard for Velvet Revolver to not make an impact with Contraband. With all the hype of the project, and the expectations brought to the table, thanks to the players involved, and their affiliation with their previous bands, it was hard for Velvet Revolver not to be met with adulation. And given that the band pretty much forced the effort with most of the material in place before vocalist Scott Weiland entered the mix, it was still a hell of a debut.

After all the touring in support of Contraband and the "growing as a band," one could only imagine the home run that was in store for the sophomore effort.

Instead, what we have with Libertad is a mish-mash collection of tracks, some that hit the mark, some that offer an interesting spin on what one would assume Velvet Revolver is capable of, and a couple more that are forgettable.

Given each member's past, it's clear the band should be able to craft a hook-filled rock song. Just look at the lead-off single "She Builds Quick Machines", and the even catchier "Get Out the Door". They're subtle, but really strong rock tunes around which a band could build an album.

Mix those with the more serious fare -- the Beatles-esque "Can't Get It Out of My Head", the ballad "The Last Fight" and the closer "Gravedancer" (which may have some of the best lyrics of entire the album) -- and you have a strong foundation.

It's the songs like "Just Sixteen" (with some fantastic guitar solos) and "Spay" that are the real meat and potatoes of this album. Each song careens along with some pure rock fury, and they're the only two tracks that really seem to slink along the border of a band being almost out-of-control. That's what this band needs to be doing, not generic safe rock numbers.

Instead, the listener is left with a "trim the fat" mantra running through their head, thanks to the utterly forgettable, repetitive nature of songs like "Let it Roll" and "She Mine", and it doesn't help matters any that these two open the album.

If you were to place blame, point straight to producer Brendan O'Brien, as the band seems stripped of any urgency throughout almost the entire album (there are only slight glimmers here and there). Why is Slash not front and center, tearing it up on every song? Dave Kushner is a great guitarist, but he should really be taking a back seat here instead of sharing the spotlight at all times. Why isn't Duff doing any notable vocals besides the backing harmonies? Why isn't the band devolving at any point into blues-soaked, sleazy metal (which they are more than capable of doing)? Why is the bass so nondescript? Who picked the play list? There were at least five better ways to have sequenced this album.

Josh Abraham knew what he was doing with Contraband, and while it came off as a solid debut with little focal point, at least it had the feel of an intense album; Libertad feels like a collection of songs that didn't fit on any other albums. Velvet Revolver deserves better, especially when the bright spots shine so brightly.

So, in the end, we're left with a solid 3/4ths of an album with notable and noticeable problems. The better songs show fantastic growth beyond Contraband, so this is far from a disaster, but it smacks of below-expectations. It'll be interesting to see what the next move for Velvet Revolver will be.

Nightrage -- 'A New Disease is Born' [review]

Nightrage
A New Disease is Born
(Lifeforce Records)

Nightrage seems to have made the transition from supergroup to "just a group" as smoothly as possible. While replacing a vocalist is never an easy task, replacing someone as renowned and respected as Tomas Lindberg could have been a deathknell. Instead, bassist Henric Carlsson recruited Jimmie Strimell for vocal duties and then built an entire new unit around the two (Marios Iliopouos on guitar and Alex Svenningson behind the drums).

So never was an album title more apropos: A New Disease is Born explodes out of the gate with the hammering "Spiral," and the new sound is immediately clear. The growls are less gutteral, the harmonies more melodic, the riffs less explosive. But the overall package is just as potent.

While similarities could be found, Strimell does anything but attempt to channel Lindberg. His dual vocal styles offer a great juxtaposition for the band's songs. He can tear up the mike on tracks like "Encircle" and "Death-Like Silence," but just as easily (actually) sing with the best of 'em on tracks like "Spiral" or "Reconcile."

The best part of Nightrage's sound is the driving melodies. There's subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) guitar riffs on a majority of the songs ("Scathing" and "A Condemned Club" especially) that come in unexpectedly to add that extra element to turn straight forward metal into sometime more ...

Rightly so, Nightrage was once at the forefront of the new European metal movement. But this is not the Nightrage of old. The fundamental sound of Nightrage (the soul, if you will) is alive and well in this new beast. While another album or two may be needed to see if this new incarnation of the band has staying power, A New Disease is Born is one hell of a re-debut. Any fan of the thrash/power/death metal blend European bands are perfect at crafting should pick up this album that will end up flying under the radar of most.

Machine Head -- 'The Blackening' [review]

Machine Head
The Blackening
(Roadrunner Records)


Front man Robert Flynn has been pretty vocal about his band's new effort being its "Master of Puppets, an allusion to what some consider Metallica's finest moment.

I'm not sure that's the best way to describe Machine Head's latest album, The Blackening. If 2004's Through the Ashes of Empires was a return-to-form, of sorts, for the band, then The Blackening is a realization of potential.

The one-two punch of the band's debut Burn My Eyes and follow-up The More Things Change all but cemented them as metal legends, but they were written off after a series of what many fans and metal journalists deemed musical mis-steps. Flynn and the boys were back on track with the Through the Ashes... album, and now they've crafted what will probably become one of the best releases of the decade when all is said and done.

Machine Head has finally reached a point in its career where it's ready to take chances and push the boundaries of its sound. Take the opener "Clenching the Fists of Dessent." The 10-minute plus epic veers through tempo-shifts and moods, from an unexpected acoustic opening to an assault of riffs that twist and spin, creating a layer of sound and moods that pull the listener through a meat grinder of emotion. Flynn and Phil Demmel (on lead guitar) are as tight as ever, trading solos and pushing each other's performance in something akin to a brotherly game of one-upmanship that keeps things from ever becoming boring. Adam Duce's bass work seethes with aggression on tracks like "Beautiful Mourning" and "Now I Lay Thee Down," while Dave McClain never misses a blast beat.

As a unit, Machine Head hasn't sounded this tight in a decade. The harmonies (from Flynn and Duce) have never soared so high; while the band maneuvers through a mine field of musical directions, mapping out a metallic journey that's hard to ignore.

Of particular note are the blistering "Aesthetics of Hate" (inspired by the murder of Dimebag Darrell) and album closer "A Farewell to Arms," a 10-minute cornucopia of style that seems to draw inspiration from every corner of metal.

When all is said and done, Machine Head's The Blackening will stand as a touchstone in the band's career. In this new, young millennium, the album is justification for Machine Head to stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Mastodon, Lamb of God and Killswitch Engage and consider itself one of the best metal has to offer. And what other metal band which debuted in the mid-'90s can do the same?

Linkin Park -- 'Minutes to Midnight' [review]

Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight
Warner Brothers (5/15/07)
Rock / Alternative


Minutes to Midnight is touted as the album that showcases Linkin Park's growth. Instead, it's an album which sees the band pushing the extremes of its sound further in each direction. Gone, for the most part, are the dueling vocals from Mike Shinoda (the rapping) and Chester Bennington (the singing), which used to anchor a majority of the band's sound in each song. It pops up once or twice, but is more the exception than the rule here. The music is tighter than ever and the band seems to continually meld together, which is something to be said for a six-piece.

"Given Up", the first song on the album (following a brief instrumental opener), is a nice page out of the screaming, hard-rocking Linkin Park playbook, while the melancholic "Leave Out All the Rest", is a complete 180 and it's here that the juxtaposition of the extremes becomes apparent.

The best part of Minutes to Midnight, though, is that the band is comfortable enough to not have to rely on its old standards. Sure, there are songs like "Given Up" and "No More Sorrow", which are chock-full of angst and intensity, but the greatest moments of the album are the slower tracks like "Shadow of the Day" (probably one of the best songs the band has ever recorded) and the politically charged "Hands Held High" (with some of the best lyrics the band has ever written). Then there's a song like "Valentine's Day" that does its best to merge the two ends of the spectrum.

The separating of the dual vocals has worked wonders for the band, as they've crafted a full, interesting album with plenty to prevent boredom. Even a track like "In Between" has enough melody in the background to keep it from being completely bland. Of course, there's also the up-tempo "Bleed It Out", which seems a little too forced and probably could have been cut in favor of something a little more fleshed out (the band does point out that this song was included for the "fun factor" it offers).

(As an aside, the accompanying booklet features brief explanations on the development of the album and each track, an excellent insight into the band for fans or the casual listener.)

Linkin Park's debut was a breath of fresh air back in 2000, and the band is only getting better with age and experience. It's clear the band took its time with this release, and it really shows with all the little nuances scattered throughout the album. Even if you were able to ignore all the hype and strip the Linkin Park name from this album, it would still be a contender for year-end best-of lists.

Dimmu Borgir -- 'In Sorte Diaboli' [review]

Dimmu Borgir
"In Sorte Diaboli"
(Nuclear Blast Records)


As much as Dimmu Borgir's Deathcult Armageddon put the band on the mainstream metal map, In Sorte Diaboli seeks to grab a stranglehold on the newfound fame and cling on for dear life.

That's not to say In Sorte Diaboli is a snapshot of a band "selling out," but more of a band seeing what worked on the last album and ratcheting up only the most successful of elements.

What Diaboli has to offer, it delivers in spades. The vocals are even more sinister, especially the screeching inflections littered throughout "The Conspiracy Unfolds"; the band is much tighter (if that was possible) than on Deathcult; the drumming, truly the highlight of Dimmu Borgir's sound, is off-the-charts -- the double-bass on "The Chosen Legacy" is especially noteworthy; the orchestration, while toned down, is even more "scene setting" in nature, and really adds a special dimension to Dimmu Borgir's attack. Of special note is the U.S.-only bonus track "The Heretic Hammer"; it does little to mess up the album setlist and would actually make for a perfect lead-off single, with some of the best rhythm guitar and orchestration of any Dimmu Borgir song.

The mis-steps, while few, are still impossible to miss. The harmonizing on "The Sacrilegious Scorn" seems way too forced; much of the album's piano interludes detract too much from the song at hand ("Sacrilegious Scorn" is once again most at fault here). The band also skipped any non-English tracks, which is shame given long-time fans' appreciation of DB's roots.

At the end of the day, the band's surprising success with Deathcult and stint on the Ozzfest mainstage obviously had an affect on the group's follow-up effort. Far from a swing and a miss, Diaboli still has that air of "not quite hitting the mark" given the steps taken over the past few albums in terms of the band tweaking and modifying its sound.

Ozzy Osbourne -- 'Black Rain' [review]

Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain
Epic Records (5/22/07)
Rock / Metal

"You may see the mushroom, but you won't hear the blast."

-- from "Countdown's Begun"

Ozzy Osbourne has been pretty vocal about making sure that it's known that he thinks his latest album, Black Rain, should have been the album to follow-up 1991's No More Tears. While the two releases one would be forced to ignore in that case, Ozzmosis and Down to Earth, were largely commercial endeavors, there were more than a couple of songs that shouldn't be lost and/or forgotten. Black Rain does, however, return to that more raw, rocking, classic Ozzy feel.

It's near impossible to review an Ozzy Osbourne album, given his status as royalty to any rock/metal fan. As with any Ozzy release, what you see is what you get. Zakk Wylde riffs it up throughout the album, and Ozzy's digitally-distorted voice is front and center, but the rest is nothing but pure filler.

The album opener, "Not Going Away", acts as a mission statement of sorts ("I've got nothing to hide, I'm not guilty inside / I won't give up / After all I'm still crazy, I'm not going away") and basically sets the tone for the rest of the disc: riff-heavy rock music, hard-hitting drumming and Ozzy's trademark wail. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. "I Don't Wanna Stop" is catchy enough, even if the lyrics are a little hokey (then again, "Crazy Train" wasn't rocket science), and "Lay Your World on Me" is a sweet enough ballad, but it's no "Mama I'm Comin' Home". "Here for You" is a little too saccharine for the album, while the title track sees Ozzy go after politicians and the war, but it kind of makes you long for the days of Sabbath and "War Pigs" more than anything else.

Of particular note is "The Almighty Dollar", which, at almost seven minutes in length, is probably as close as we'll get to another "No More Tears" (the song, not the album), and Wylde is particularly blistering with the axe on "11 Silver". The album closer, "Trap Door", is the song of the album, grabbing the listener and refusing to let up, as Ozzy hasn't sounded so intense and insane in years.

In the end, with Black Rain you have your basic Ozzy Osbourne album. Fans will eat it up because, well, it's new material from Ozzy. Those not yet converted won't be. Sure, the lyrics may lack a little more than they used to, and there may be a couple more ballads than there were in the old days, but after 30 years I'm pretty sure Ozzy's earned the right to throw some stuff on there for the Missus every now and again. It's not his best, and it's certainly not the album of the year, but there's something comfortable about an Ozzy album that fans can still enjoy, and enjoy it they should while there's still new material to be had.

On a side note, re the packaging: The record company went with a "less is more" motif for Black Rain. I can appreciate that to an extent; however, it was clear other packaging was originally intended (the cover artwork used for the European release, as a specific example). In this day of digital downloads, a cardboard slipcase with no liner notes or notebook, this just doesn't cut it. Fans still into buying albums at a store want something tangible, something to look at, and something worth their money. This was a big misstep in marketing, and the biggest disappointment with the album, in general.