I have a best of for Krokus and it covers their career rather nicely. Some day, I'm going to start to collect their cds once I get my want list cleared up a bit.
I have The Definitive Collection which I enjoy very much, however I think that gives me all the Krokus I need. Their discography is too big and hit-and-miss for me to dig any deeper.
Yeah that's where I've held off exploring Krokus appropriately. The singles sound good enough but that's quite a catalog to wade through to frequently encounter anything of quality. That said, I need to give it a shot.
the sentinel Metal is Forever
Number of posts : 9428 Age : 50
Subject: Re: Sentinel's Quick Reviews Sun Mar 27, 2016 9:11 pm
Couldn't find the whole thing so here's a good sampler. I have spun this a few times all the way through (both discs) since getting it on Friday night. First impression was "I love it," and that's where I am now. This album is deep and has a lot of different layers. It's equal parts Mike Howe fronted albums, more recent sounding offerings with RM at the helm, and old school MC Heavy Metal. I am able to hear some of the bands influences and a ton of melody in the music while the lyrics keep it true to MC being the thinking mans Metal band.
1- Reset - the opening riff reminds me of 70's era Priest. A good opening track. 2- Killing Your Time - awesome buzz saw guitar riff that has an easy sing along chorus that gets stuck in your brain meat. One of my faves on the platter. 3- No Tomorrow - acoustic intro (reminds me of The Who) that builds into a monster of Mike sounded gnarly and Kurdt's guitar sharp as a razor. 4- Signal Path - acoustic intro (that returns twice in the song) and wispy cymbals give way to an up tempo smasher that runs over 7 minutes and touches on all previous Howe MC albums. 5- Sky Falls In - mid tempo song that doesn't really seem to go anywhere despite good guitar work and some kick ass drumming. 6- Needle and Suture - growler of a track that sounds like something from "Wasteland" or "Generation" but with Mike and not Ronnie. Howe sounds angry and howling on this one. Another instant fave. This one is not knocking politely, it's just walking through the front door. 7- Shadow- This song is awesome and is probably my fave on the entire album. The chorus is catchy and the whole thing broods until it just walks up to you and punches you in the gut before fading away into the ether. 8- Blow Your Mind- Slow burn ominous "something's rising from the dark depths" intro that has Mike chanting the chorus like Morrison before 'Deth like drums and riff pummel you. The chorus I spooky and anthemic at the same time and for some reason the lyrics remind me of Sabbath. 9- Soul Eating Machine- full throttle number that sees Mike really shine vocally (not that he doesn't throughout) and I can picture him in the recording room from the EPK a few months back. Great guitar in this one. 10- It Waits - certainly a song title that would have fit right in on MC's "The Dark" and the song itself has another slow intro with doomy drum and bass that remind me of Overkill's "I Hear Black" album. This tune would have fit perfectly on HitB. 11- Suffer Fools - kickin' number that closes out the album (disc 1) quite nicely. Obviously, MC always had some great riffs and were never crazy shredders who showed off, but I sometimes find myself smiling at how good the guitar work is as I focus so much on their vocalists.
Overall, disc one is a great album and probably my favorite 2016 release so far as it sits a notch above Megadeth and several notches above Anthrax.
1- The Coward - Good song with a somewhat silly chorus. I can see why this one didn't make the album proper as it's a bit "paint by numbers" although it sports a nice Lizzy inspired guitar harmony. 2- Blister Fist - an instrumental that like the 2016 version of "It's a Secret" from the "Blessing In Disguise" album. 3- God Hit - another instrumental, albeit a more mellow and muted affair. Not a bad listen. 4- The Enemy Mind- A song worthy of inclusion on the first disc. 5- Signal Path (Radio Edit) see above review. A shortened version of the same song that already appears on disc one is dumb in my opine. 6- Badlands (2016) - I like this re recording. It sounds updated but still has the charm cuz Mike still has the chops. It's also a bit different at the end and served as a nice way of telling the world that he was back in the fold. 7- Shadow (Demo) - a rough and raw demo version of the song that also appears as track 7 on the album. The beginning is vastly different and features a cymbal crash and the guitar, drums, and bass kick in. The whole song seems to start in medias re and even the vocals sound a bit different. Almost sounds like this was an outtake from the "Blessing" era. I like it. If you are going to give bonuses, give me demos that sound different than the finished product; not "radio edits" or a poor recording. The worst is those silly remixes that incorporate EDM into classic Metal tunes. 8- No Tomorrow - track 3 from the first disc gets an "alt mix" but the only immediately noticeable difference is the intro. Instead of the "Pinball Wizard" sounding acoustic guitar we get a staccato drum beat.
Overall, disc two is a fun listen and has a few high points and only one low. I wish that they would have included the other two songs from the Japanese and European editions rather than the demos and alt mixes so it would have been a whole 'nother disc of original songs. I had really hoped that with the advent of a global release day there would be no more of this regional bonus crap, but oh, well, it definitely does not affect my enjoyment of my favorite new release thus far. Long live the Metal Church!!!
So, I went for a run and listened to AS Symbol of Salvation" and after dinner really wanted to hear some classic live Dokken. So, here we go:
I remember when this one came out, I grabbed it immediately. I was still teaching at the time and the minute the bell rang that Friday I was out the door. Awesome early live set that supposedly was unearthed by Don (from an old locker where he kept some master tapes) when he was in the process of remixing the "Breakin' the Chains" album. He says the tapes had no dates and only said "Dokken Live" so he called Wild Mick and he remembered these were some early shows while they were trying to get signed by a major in the USA. The tapes were moldy and had to baked in an oven to get them to work. Don sounds fantastic (just check out the vocal acrobatics in the middle of "Down Under") and Mr. Scary shines as always (check out the extended solo in "Night Rider" and the aptly titled "GTR Solo"). And the new rhythm section of Pilson and Brown thumps along like always. The ten tracks showcase a young and hungry band brimming with angst and firing on all cylinders. There are ten tracks, 3 of which are unreleased (Down Under, Hit and Run, and "Liar" of the three I like the latter two more but all were worthy of inclusion on the first few Dokken albums).Aand "Paris is Burning" has a different into and is here simply titled "Paris" and it sounds like they started recording after the show had already begun. I don't know where this was recorded, but at one point, Don talks of it being the last show before heading home. So, I don't think this was recorded in America. Anyway. Enjoy.
MetalGuy71 Bukkake Tsunami
Number of posts : 25557 Age : 53
Subject: Re: Sentinel's Quick Reviews Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:54 am
Good album. I just spun that Dokken cd not long ago myself. We discussed (ad naseum) over the timeline of this "1981" recording. If you're so inclined...
_________________ I used to be with it, but then they changed what "it" was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me, and it'll happen to you, too.
Fat Freddy Metal, Movies, Beer
Number of posts : 37971 Age : 54
Subject: Re: Sentinel's Quick Reviews Thu Mar 31, 2016 11:56 am
Yeah, whatever year that Dokken gig was recorded, it's a good'un. I own an embarrassing amount of live Dokken material (Beast From the East, One Live Night, Live From The Sun, and that one) and out of all of'em I like From Conception the best.
_________________ "If you're a false, don't entry, because you'll be burned and died!"
Yeah, whatever year that Dokken gig was recorded, it's a good'un. I own an embarrassing amount of live Dokken material (Beast From the East, One Live Night, Live From The Sun, and that one) and out of all of'em I like From Conception the best.
I'm partial to the One Night Live semi-acoustic album myself, but BftE and FCare both great. I never heard Live from the Sun.
_________________ I used to be with it, but then they changed what "it" was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me, and it'll happen to you, too.
One Live Night would be my 2nd favorite... Live From the Sun is decent too, in a "greatest hits" sort of way (it's also the lone live representation of the short lived Reb-Beach-on-guitar line up)
I honestly can take or leave Beast From the East. I've had it since it was a new release and guess I must've overplayed it to the point where I'm sick of it, cuz I rarely listen to it nowadays.
_________________ "If you're a false, don't entry, because you'll be burned and died!"
Good album. I just spun that Dokken cd not long ago myself. We discussed (ad naseum) over the timeline of this "1981" recording. If you're so inclined...
One Live Night would be my 2nd favorite... Live From the Sun is decent too, in a "greatest hits" sort of way (it's also the lone live representation of the short lived Reb-Beach-on-guitar line up)
I honestly can take or leave Beast From the East. I've had it since it was a new release and guess I must've overplayed it to the point where I'm sick of it, cuz I rarely listen to it nowadays.
I knew my fellow Dokken fanboys would join me here, haha. I would have to agree that Live FC would probably be my fave to listen to now. I really like the unreleased tracks and it's brimming with energy and angst. And it's before all the fighting took over the band. "Beast" will always be a fave for sentimentality, had it since it was new, last hurrah of the original lineup. Oddly enough, I have no Dokken boots so this is sort of that for me.
BftE was so rad for me in my teens but now it just kind of goes in one ear and out the other. OLN is a phenom spin; I remember having low expectations when I bought it at the time of release ("Acoustic Dokken?? Phbbt.") but damn, they did the (semi-) unplugged thing RIGHT. I honestly haven't heard the other live albums, which I should change soon here.
the sentinel wrote:
Couldn't find the whole thing so here's a good sampler. I have spun this a few times all the way through (both discs) since getting it on Friday night. First impression was "I love it," and that's where I am now. This album is deep and has a lot of different layers. It's equal parts Mike Howe fronted albums, more recent sounding offerings with RM at the helm, and old school MC Heavy Metal. I am able to hear some of the bands influences and a ton of melody in the music while the lyrics keep it true to MC being the thinking mans Metal band.
1- Reset - the opening riff reminds me of 70's era Priest. A good opening track. 2- Killing Your Time - awesome buzz saw guitar riff that has an easy sing along chorus that gets stuck in your brain meat. One of my faves on the platter. 3- No Tomorrow - acoustic intro (reminds me of The Who) that builds into a monster of Mike sounded gnarly and Kurdt's guitar sharp as a razor. 4- Signal Path - acoustic intro (that returns twice in the song) and wispy cymbals give way to an up tempo smasher that runs over 7 minutes and touches on all previous Howe MC albums. 5- Sky Falls In - mid tempo song that doesn't really seem to go anywhere despite good guitar work and some kick ass drumming. 6- Needle and Suture - growler of a track that sounds like something from "Wasteland" or "Generation" but with Mike and not Ronnie. Howe sounds angry and howling on this one. Another instant fave. This one is not knocking politely, it's just walking through the front door. 7- Shadow- This song is awesome and is probably my fave on the entire album. The chorus is catchy and the whole thing broods until it just walks up to you and punches you in the gut before fading away into the ether. 8- Blow Your Mind- Slow burn ominous "something's rising from the dark depths" intro that has Mike chanting the chorus like Morrison before 'Deth like drums and riff pummel you. The chorus I spooky and anthemic at the same time and for some reason the lyrics remind me of Sabbath. 9- Soul Eating Machine- full throttle number that sees Mike really shine vocally (not that he doesn't throughout) and I can picture him in the recording room from the EPK a few months back. Great guitar in this one. 10- It Waits - certainly a song title that would have fit right in on MC's "The Dark" and the song itself has another slow intro with doomy drum and bass that remind me of Overkill's "I Hear Black" album. This tune would have fit perfectly on HitB. 11- Suffer Fools - kickin' number that closes out the album (disc 1) quite nicely. Obviously, MC always had some great riffs and were never crazy shredders who showed off, but I sometimes find myself smiling at how good the guitar work is as I focus so much on their vocalists.
Overall, disc one is a great album and probably my favorite 2016 release so far as it sits a notch above Megadeth and several notches above Anthrax.
1- The Coward - Good song with a somewhat silly chorus. I can see why this one didn't make the album proper as it's a bit "paint by numbers" although it sports a nice Lizzy inspired guitar harmony. 2- Blister Fist - an instrumental that like the 2016 version of "It's a Secret" from the "Blessing In Disguise" album. 3- God Hit - another instrumental, albeit a more mellow and muted affair. Not a bad listen. 4- The Enemy Mind- A song worthy of inclusion on the first disc. 5- Signal Path (Radio Edit) see above review. A shortened version of the same song that already appears on disc one is dumb in my opine. 6- Badlands (2016) - I like this re recording. It sounds updated but still has the charm cuz Mike still has the chops. It's also a bit different at the end and served as a nice way of telling the world that he was back in the fold. 7- Shadow (Demo) - a rough and raw demo version of the song that also appears as track 7 on the album. The beginning is vastly different and features a cymbal crash and the guitar, drums, and bass kick in. The whole song seems to start in medias re and even the vocals sound a bit different. Almost sounds like this was an outtake from the "Blessing" era. I like it. If you are going to give bonuses, give me demos that sound different than the finished product; not "radio edits" or a poor recording. The worst is those silly remixes that incorporate EDM into classic Metal tunes. 8- No Tomorrow - track 3 from the first disc gets an "alt mix" but the only immediately noticeable difference is the intro. Instead of the "Pinball Wizard" sounding acoustic guitar we get a staccato drum beat.
Overall, disc two is a fun listen and has a few high points and only one low. I wish that they would have included the other two songs from the Japanese and European editions rather than the demos and alt mixes so it would have been a whole 'nother disc of original songs. I had really hoped that with the advent of a global release day there would be no more of this regional bonus crap, but oh, well, it definitely does not affect my enjoyment of my favorite new release thus far. Long live the Metal Church!!!
Great review man! I honestly don't get it--this album should be setting fire to this entire forum by now (it is on Spotify, after all). It's for sure their best album since Hanging in the Balance, something I didn't expect. The whole thing pummels and grooves, is hella catchy, and Howe has the same skill-set that he had back in the day. Plus this is the first time Kurdt and Mike have actually FULLY RECORDED and PERFORMED together! That in itself is a milestone.
The mix is also incredible for being so densely brickwalled--all produced and co-mixed by Kurdt in his home studio. Something about how the guitars are EQ'd gives out this warm tube-like presence, and the bass is squared very well without ever becoming muddy. It's all clean and sharp without being too slick.
My favorite tracks are Signal Path, It Waits (although I feel it drops out too soon), and Blow Your Mind, which is stuck in my head. But every track here is a winner, no fat at all. Blow Your Mind also is Mike's showcase track--the way he nails his performance here is just blazing (GOIIIIIIING TO BLOOOOOOOW YOUR MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIND).
You def know a lot more about the recording and mastering techniques than I do. Lol. And, you are right, this album should be dominating the forum right now. You know what we have to do then: POLL!
Funny - I just picked up Beast from the East and Lightning Strikes Again on my pawn shop tour of Cheeseland. I have not yet listened to LSA, but I blared Beast on the way home and it brought back a ton of memories. It is on my tradelist now, if anyone is interested.
To my ears, LSA sounds like a followup to Back for the Attack. It's so classic Dokken with Jon Levin's guitar tone even sounding like Mr. Scary himself.
Great review of the new Metal Church. I agree with you and Corpl both! It sounds like no time has past at all for them. I'm digging the hell out of it.Im surprised it's not making a bigger buzz here.
Great review of the new Metal Church. I agree with you and Corpl both! It sounds like no time has past at all for them. I'm digging the hell out of it.Im surprised it's not making a bigger buzz here.
Thanks, Wes. I appreciate the kind words; glad you liked the review.
Back in 2001, my best bud took a ride with me to a (now defunct) local record store. The owner kept raving about these guys and he was playing the disc in the store. I was hooked. This is the bands second album (I scored the first earlier this week) and they are led by a virtuoso guitarist named Rob Johnson, who at times has flashes of Yngwie speed and aggression. The songs are tight and precise and the vocals (Corey Brown reminds me a bit of Ray Alder) and musicianship are top notch. Most lyrics are about life, love, spirituality and the end of space and time.These guys sort of unfairly get lumped in as simply "progressive" Metal and I can understand why. They bear more than a passing musical resemblance to genre giants Fates Warning and Dream Theater; but I think they are more than just progressive. If pressed, I would classify as American Melodic Metal. I have an original press which has Maiden's "Flight of Icarus" as track 7 rather than as a bonus. I also have the original press of their first album, but unfortunately doesn't have the Rainbow cover as one of the bonus tracks. Enjoy.
Faves:
What My Eyes Have Seen End of Days Far Beyond Illusion Afterlife
I have this one and Decoding The Soul(which I remember being very good). I'll throw it in the car for tomorrows drive to work. I've been eyeing a copy of their first album for a while......
I had almost given up on acquiring the first one until I happened across it last week and the guy accepted my offer. I have to track down "Decoding" know. But they seem a bit pricey at the moment.
I am guessing you have the original Shrapnel release with the different mix. If so, how different is the mix? It's been years since I heard it.
Sent, listened to the Shrapnel version this morning and it's not radically different from the Epic version. The drums and guitars seem more prominent in the mix to me, but that's about it.
I am guessing you have the original Shrapnel release with the different mix. If so, how different is the mix? It's been years since I heard it.
Sent, listened to the Shrapnel version this morning and it's not radically different from the Epic version. The drums and guitars seem more prominent in the mix to me, but that's about it.
Here's a pic of mine:
That cover is sooo coooll!!! Damn, I gotta grab that on LP in the future. Thanks for the info, brother.
God, I love this one. The second album and second Dokken I ever got; and for a while it rivaled the next one for my all time fave in the 80's. When I was younger, my family was not setting the world afire financially so I didn't have nearly the collection I do know. I played the shit out of this one. I guess that's what you do when you only have a few dozen albums and cassettes. Despite the dated production (especially on the sound of the drums) this is a Metal record (unlike it's predecessor which was a bit lighter) but still retains the hooks and memorability. Some could argue it is the bands finest moment given the power of the title track, the speed of "Turn On The Action", and and the hit ballad "Alone Again" Say what you will about this emotional track, I think it is a great song and years ahead of the requisite ballad on every L.A. bands offerings."T & N" combines melodic and heavy elements perfectly with Dokken's layered background vocals that, in my ears, set them apart from their contemporaries. I wish the band had stayed this course instead of going back to the commercial sound to garner a hit. The lineup changes a bit from BtC: Don on vox, Mr. Scary on lead, Jeff Pilson on bass, and "Wild" Mick on the skins. The album was produced by Michael Wagener.
Track Listing: 1. "Without Warning" (Instrumental Intro) 2. "Tooth and Nail" 3. "Just Got Lucky" 4. "Heartless Heart" 5. "Don't Close Your Eyes" 6. "When Heaven Comes Down" 7. "Into the Fire" 8. "Bullets to Spare" 9. "Alone Again" 10. "Turn on the Action"
Faves here: "Don't Close Your Eyes" "When Heaven Comes Down" "Into the Fire" "Alone Again" "Tooth and Nail"
*I have always wondered if, like Priest's Hellion intro, was "Without Warning" supposed to be it's own song that never got finished?
*Supposedly, the album title is a reference to the band's management having to fight "Tooth and Nail" with Elektra records for not dropping them and giving the guys one more chance.
One of the first albums I won from the local Nashville FM rock station when I lived in Tennessee in the middle 80s.
I think I've told the story before but here it comes again. This radio station used to play 3 songs with a "theme" to them around 4pm. Whoever was the first caller to guess the theme could pick an album from the station's "vinyl vault". Also, you could send in suggestions for three themed songs and if your suggestion was used on the air, you too could pick an album from The Vault.
I won about a dozen albums on vinyl by sending in suggestions for themed songs. I don't remember what I suggested that won me Tooth And Nail but it was one of the first times I won anything. By the time I got to around album #10 the girl at the front desk of the radio station didn't even ask me for ID anymore; she just told me to go pick another album out of The Vault.
_________________ "The cat is the most ruthless, most terrifying of animals." - Spock in the "Catspaw" episode of ToS Season 2.
One of the first albums I won from the local Nashville FM rock station when I lived in Tennessee in the middle 80s.
I think I've told the story before but here it comes again. This radio station used to play 3 songs with a "theme" to them around 4pm. Whoever was the first caller to guess the theme could pick an album from the station's "vinyl vault". Also, you could send in suggestions for three themed songs and if your suggestion was used on the air, you too could pick an album from The Vault.
I won about a dozen albums on vinyl by sending in suggestions for themed songs. I don't remember what I suggested that won me Tooth And Nail but it was one of the first times I won anything. By the time I got to around album #10 the girl at the front desk of the radio station didn't even ask me for ID anymore; she just told me to go pick another album out of The Vault.
Subject: Re: Sentinel's Quick Reviews 
Thu Mar 24, 2016 11:19 pm
