Gamma Ray - Hell Bent for Metal from Empire of the Undead

kmorg wrote:

This is a great album, and their best in a decade or so.

an april fools joke? the lyrics from this album suck.

powermacho wrote:

kmorg wrote:

This is a great album, and their best in a decade or so.

an april fools joke? the lyrics from this album suck.

Dude, metal lyrics suck no matter what; I'm an admirer of Bob Dylan and Neil Young and am the only one on this board that thinks Dio, God bless 'm, was a hack writer. Doesn't matter. I love heavy metal, and in my mind the poeticism is merely an ornament of the building, not the foundation itself.

If I thought albums sucked because of the lyrics I'd have do stop listening to metal alltogether. DIO anyone?

Yeah, lyrics play a miniscule part in my enjoyment of music, metal or otherwise. If I want poignant lyrics/prose, I'll start reading poetry.

I guess I'll stop putting any effort into mine.......   ...... wow..

It's hit and miss but some lyrics mean something.
OCI, not only do the songs rock but the lyrics have something to say. Aria of the Waters for one is lyrically amazing.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I guess I'll stop putting any effort into mine.......    ...... wow..

Actually, your stuff seems a cut above, but to be honest I haven't really been paying attention to the lyrics. I think it's just how my ear is trained with anything metal. I have been cranking Outsiders for the neighbors though!

Continuing on my first impressions from a week ago:

Time for Deliverance I didn't like at first. "A ballad?! Blah". But after a few listens I think it's quality. A classic Gamma Ray ballad in the original Land of the Free vein. Again, I'm starting to know this band a little too well because I just knew it was a Dirk Schlachter song from the first verse. It is a predictable track, but not bad at all, even enjoyable, eventhough I'm not the power ballad type myself.

Demonseed is a little strange. Slow and epic. Pounding riff and drumming. Maybe goes on for a little too long. Still a cool track. It has its place here.

Seven. Whoa, wait, is this Master of Confusion all over again!? Very similar main melody. Great song though. Superb hooks, vintage Kai Hansen. Even if it's very predictable and you always know what's coming next. "Devil eyes and seven snakes... dum de dum dum dum dum dum"

I Will Return - Arnold the Governator kicks off the album closer with "I'll be back". This is a Henjo song, clear as a day. Riffing and great guitar stuff happening everywhere and all around. A great heavy metal romp. Nice instrumental break after around 3:30 in the song that just takes off. One of the better songs on the album.

The bonus track I didn't even play yet.

I think it's one of their best albums. A solid and worthy collection of songs. Especially the opener Avalon pushes it over the top for me. Good solos too, I forgot to mention. Best Gamma Ray in the last little while.

I am excited to get this! I thought the EP was a return to form after some lackluster recent albums.

I just bought this album tonight, popped it in the "deck" on the way home. Got about halfway through, and I think it's excellent.

However, I've yet to pick up the Master of Confusion EP. That title track is on this album, and...what the fook?



It's "I Want Out!" Seriously. No one pulled Kai aside and mentioned it to him?

Kai has to get it out of his system every once in a while.. ("Heaven or Hell", "Send Me A Sign", etc..)..   

Eyesore wrote:

However, I've yet to pick up the Master of Confusion EP. That title track is on this album, and...what the fook?

It's "I Want Out!" Seriously. No one pulled Kai aside and mentioned it to him?

Wait until you hear "Seven"...

After the first couple of spins I am impressed. I didnt think they had this in them anymore.

Lari wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

However, I've yet to pick up the Master of Confusion EP. That title track is on this album, and...what the fook?

It's "I Want Out!" Seriously. No one pulled Kai aside and mentioned it to him?

Wait until you hear "Seven"...

Seven is definitely similar, as are some older songs, but "Master of Confusion" is pretty much the same song outside of a different chorus.

I've become a gamma ray maniac lately. I got powerplant yesterday and now own the band's entire catalogue.

Gilbert wrote:

I've become a gamma ray maniac lately. I got powerplant yesterday and now own the band's entire catalogue.

Razorblade Sigh is a great underrated track off of Power Plant.

Lari wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

I've become a gamma ray maniac lately. I got powerplant yesterday and now own the band's entire catalogue.

Razorblade Sigh is a great underrated track off of Power Plant.

I agree. It smokes.

so i was looking for the bonus material from Empire and came across:



huh???

That's a.....bizarre track, to say the least.

I really didn't hate that. Kinda had bits of Queen, bits of Republica and some unspecified weird.

End of the day it's a bonus for Japanese people, who can never be accused of having overly conventional tastes!   

I don´t know exactly why, but I can´t get into Gamma Ray. their music is too over produced to my ears. I like Power Metal, even some "Flower Metal" like Stratovarius and Edguy and Shaaman , but Gamma Ray sometimes sounds like Disney sound track to me because of all of these (cheesy as hell) over produced choirs on their music. I CAN´T STAND it.

exact33 wrote:

so i was looking for the bonus material from Empire and came across:



huh???

I believe that Kai wrote that with his son but I'm not 100% sure this is the song he was talking about. It was in an interview somewhere on youtube. They just did it for fun.