Sentinel's Quick Reviews

I always liked Lady Of The Valley.

I always liked this album.Vito is a very talented and underrated guitarist.

I just recently completed my White Lion discography. They had some cool deeper cuts and the hits are just fine too. Although Mike Tramp's Return of the Pride is a bit of a turd in the punch bowl.

Pride is a favorite of mine. I've always really liked Fight to Survive, as well. Killer guitarwork on both albums, with pretty damn good songwriting most of the time. "Lonely Nights" and "All Join Our Hands" always stood out to me, as well as "Lady of the Valley".

Good writeups on Leatherwolf, too. Their second self titled album is my favorite, but they're all stellar. I love the guitar tones they had.

I loved Leatherwolf the first time I heard them. I found a cassette of Street Ready at a Salvation Army Thrift Store for like 50 cents. Bought it and listened to it on the way home. My wife said "Well it sounds like your kind of music". After that I was able to upgrade it (and their other 2 self titled releases) to cd. Love all three of them. I still need to get World Asylum (or New World Asylum).

MetalGuy71 wrote:

I just recently completed my White Lion discography. They had some cool deeper cuts and the hits are just fine too. Although Mike Tramp's Return of the Pride is a bit of a turd in the punch bowl.

Yeah, I didn't really care much for "Return of the Pride" and I quickly traded away the few Mike Tramp solo albums. Check out the White Lion anthology 2 disc set from Cleopatra. Some very heavy demos and rare cuts.

Wurthless wrote:

Pride is a favorite of mine. I've always really liked Fight to Survive, as well. Killer guitarwork on both albums, with pretty damn good songwriting most of the time. "Lonely Nights" and "All Join Our Hands" always stood out to me, as well as "Lady of the Valley".

Good writeups on Leatherwolf, too. Their second self titled album is my favorite, but they're all stellar. I love the guitar tones they had.

Thanks for the kind words, sir.

007 wrote:

I loved Leatherwolf the first time I heard them. I found a cassette of Street Ready at a Salvation Army Thrift Store for like 50 cents. Bought it and listened to it on the way home. My wife said "Well it sounds like your kind of music". After that I was able to upgrade it (and their other 2 self titled releases) to cd. Love all three of them. I still need to get World Asylum (or New World Asylum).

I have "World Asylum" with Wade Black singing. It's good, not great, imho. It just doesn't sound a whole lot like the classic Leatherwolf. I don't have "New World Asylum" but I have heard it. I thought maybe I would like it better with Mike Olivieri's familiar vocals, but my opinion was pretty much the same. It's on the want list, but pretty far down.

I have also been alternating U.D.O. and Iron Maiden albums in the car to and from work, but I am spinning this neo classical masterpiece at the moment:


WOW. This one blew me away in Junior High. As I stated in the White Lion review I have been a fan of the shredders for a long time and it started with Yngwie. Technically, it wasn't this album but rather, "Trilogy" but it's still Malmsteen. I know people have strong opinions on the man and his ego but but I don't know him personally so I can't really comment on that. All I can say is that I have been a fan for years and own everything that he has put out.
EVH was always a fave growing up and I still count him as one today, but this was just different. Back then I didn't know the buzzwords like "neo classical" or "sweep arpeggio" that describe YJM's work the way I do now.I just knew it was different and it blew me away. The instrumentals outnumber the songs with lyrics but you don't go to a steak house for the sizzle. Still, this album is awesome. Yngwie's blistering guitar and Jeff Scott Soto's soaring vocals are what make the album for me.
Faves on this one:
Far Beyond the Sun, Icarus Dream Suite, Evil Eye

The outro at the end of Icarus Dream Suite has stuck with me for years.

So, the Megadeth marathon continues in anticipation of Dystopia:



This one is mean and angry. A stone cold Thrash classic. There isn't really much for me to say here that we don't all already know about this platter. So, faves are:
Peace Sells, Devil's Island, Good Mourning/Black Friday, and Wake Up Dead

the sentinel wrote:

WOW. This one blew me away in Junior High. As I stated in the White Lion review I have been a fan of the shredders for a long time and it started with Yngwie. Technically, it wasn't this album but rather, "Trilogy" but it's still Malmsteen. I know people have strong opinions on the man and his ego but but I don't know him personally so I can't really comment on that. All I can say is that I have been a fan for years and own everything that he has put out.
EVH was always a fave growing up and I still count him as one today, but this was just different. Back then I didn't know the buzzwords like "neo classical" or "sweep arpeggio" that describe YJM's work the way I do now.I just knew it was different and it blew me away. The instrumentals outnumber the songs with lyrics but you don't go to a steak house for the sizzle. Still, this album is awesome. Yngwie's blistering guitar and Jeff Scott Soto's soaring vocals are what make the album for me.
Faves on this one:
Far Beyond the Sun, Icarus Dream Suite, Evil Eye

The outro at the end of Icarus Dream Suite has stuck with me for years.

I started my Yngwie collection with Marching Out. Loved that one so I had to check out the other one I was missing. It was phenomenal to my teen ears, with great instrumentals. And I gotta mention I love the harpsichord in Little Savage.

the sentinel wrote:

So, the Megadeth marathon continues in anticipation of Dystopia:



This one is mean and angry. A stone cold Thrash classic. There isn't really much for me to say here that we don't all already know about this platter. So, faves are:
Peace Sells, Devil's Island, Good Mourning/Black Friday, and Wake Up Dead

Yep. A true classic that everyone should own.

007 wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

WOW. This one blew me away in Junior High. As I stated in the White Lion review I have been a fan of the shredders for a long time and it started with Yngwie. Technically, it wasn't this album but rather, "Trilogy" but it's still Malmsteen. I know people have strong opinions on the man and his ego but but I don't know him personally so I can't really comment on that. All I can say is that I have been a fan for years and own everything that he has put out.
EVH was always a fave growing up and I still count him as one today, but this was just different. Back then I didn't know the buzzwords like "neo classical" or "sweep arpeggio" that describe YJM's work the way I do now.I just knew it was different and it blew me away. The instrumentals outnumber the songs with lyrics but you don't go to a steak house for the sizzle. Still, this album is awesome. Yngwie's blistering guitar and Jeff Scott Soto's soaring vocals are what make the album for me.
Faves on this one:
Far Beyond the Sun, Icarus Dream Suite, Evil Eye

The outro at the end of Icarus Dream Suite has stuck with me for years.

I started my Yngwie collection with Marching Out. Loved that one so I had to check out the other one I was missing. It was phenomenal to my teen ears, with great instrumentals. And I gotta mention I love the harpsichord in Little Savage.

A definite classic! I remember first hearing this when some guy was playing this on his boombox during PE class back then. "You guys gotta check this guy out!" I was immediately hooked, THAT is STILL my favorite Yngwie album. I've always liked the production on it as well. It has an Al DiMeola sound to it.

007 wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

WOW. This one blew me away in Junior High. As I stated in the White Lion review I have been a fan of the shredders for a long time and it started with Yngwie. Technically, it wasn't this album but rather, "Trilogy" but it's still Malmsteen. I know people have strong opinions on the man and his ego but but I don't know him personally so I can't really comment on that. All I can say is that I have been a fan for years and own everything that he has put out.
EVH was always a fave growing up and I still count him as one today, but this was just different. Back then I didn't know the buzzwords like "neo classical" or "sweep arpeggio" that describe YJM's work the way I do now.I just knew it was different and it blew me away. The instrumentals outnumber the songs with lyrics but you don't go to a steak house for the sizzle. Still, this album is awesome. Yngwie's blistering guitar and Jeff Scott Soto's soaring vocals are what make the album for me.
Faves on this one:
Far Beyond the Sun, Icarus Dream Suite, Evil Eye

The outro at the end of Icarus Dream Suite has stuck with me for years.

I started my Yngwie collection with Marching Out. Loved that one so I had to check out the other one I was missing. It was phenomenal to my teen ears, with great instrumentals. And I gotta mention I love the harpsichord in Little Savage.

Great call on the harpsichord, sir!

chewie wrote:

007 wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

WOW. This one blew me away in Junior High. As I stated in the White Lion review I have been a fan of the shredders for a long time and it started with Yngwie. Technically, it wasn't this album but rather, "Trilogy" but it's still Malmsteen. I know people have strong opinions on the man and his ego but but I don't know him personally so I can't really comment on that. All I can say is that I have been a fan for years and own everything that he has put out.
EVH was always a fave growing up and I still count him as one today, but this was just different. Back then I didn't know the buzzwords like "neo classical" or "sweep arpeggio" that describe YJM's work the way I do now.I just knew it was different and it blew me away. The instrumentals outnumber the songs with lyrics but you don't go to a steak house for the sizzle. Still, this album is awesome. Yngwie's blistering guitar and Jeff Scott Soto's soaring vocals are what make the album for me.
Faves on this one:
Far Beyond the Sun, Icarus Dream Suite, Evil Eye

The outro at the end of Icarus Dream Suite has stuck with me for years.

I started my Yngwie collection with Marching Out. Loved that one so I had to check out the other one I was missing. It was phenomenal to my teen ears, with great instrumentals. And I gotta mention I love the harpsichord in Little Savage.

A definite classic! I remember first hearing this when some guy was playing this on his boombox during PE class back then. "You guys gotta check this guy out!" I was immediately hooked, THAT is STILL my favorite Yngwie album. I've always liked the production on it as well. It has an Al DiMeola sound to it.

Awesome memory, brother! Hey, chewie, what do you mean by Al DiMeola sound? Are you talking tone? I have read about Al on Ult's site. Gotta check out some of his stuff.

Just the production of that particular album. I always felt that it had the atmosphere of DiMeola's Electric Rendezvous album(which was the first album I heard from him).






Maybe it's the drum sound..... Not your typical Metal drumming on that Yngwie album. It is, after all, Barriemore Barlow from Jethro Tull pounding those skins.


Here's a tune that James Murphy covered on his solo album:

Ahh, okay. Cool. I liked those two tracks and I know the "Racing" track as Riot covered it too on the "Privilege of Power" album. Thanks, chewie.

THIS is the absolute most coolest tune on that album!

chewie wrote:

THIS is the absolute most coolest tune on that album!

Yes! Very cool.

the sentinel wrote:

So, the Megadeth marathon continues in anticipation of Dystopia:



This one is mean and angry. A stone cold Thrash classic. There isn't really much for me to say here that we don't all already know about this platter. So, faves are:
Peace Sells, Devil's Island, Good Mourning/Black Friday, and Wake Up Dead

My all time favorite Deth album.All Killer No Filler!🙂

Friday Night Metal!!! I love cranking the old school on a weekend night. This one is all killer and absolutely no filler. Heavy, fast, and loud! This album just begs to be played at 11 over and over again. I have Ult to thank for turning me on to these guys. In my ears, Exciter are the Canadian Raven - heavy, fast, and loud! Faves on this one:

Pounding Metal
Scream in the Night
Delivering to the Master
Violence and Force

When are you going to review the new DT album?

You know I spun it a few times over the weekend and thought about putting something up last night but all the links in the Power Metal thread Witchfinder gave me kept me pretty darn busy. It might be too late here tonight as I have a very early day tomorrow. Soon, I promise.

Dream Theater - The Astonishing


For those that saw my Top 25 All Time Favorite Bands/ Artists thread a while back know that DT a long time fave of mine. I got into them in High School after hearing "Pull Me Under" on a local Rock radio station (94 HJY out of Providence) and quickly ran out to get the album. In fact, when I got my first CD player in the Summer of 1993, I believe Images and Words was my first purchase. It also could have been Fates Warnings "Parallels" but I really don't remember.

Anyhoo, when I heard that the DT guys had a new one coming out I was surprised, and of course, psyched. When I heard it was a double disc concept, I was like "okay, 'Scenes from a Memory' blew me a way when it came out" and if anyone can pull this off it's these guys; so bring it on. Well, fast forward a few weeks and I pick it up day of release and spin it a few times through that weekend. I have held off doing a review for it the last few weeks because I didn't really know what to say. The usually verbose Sentinel was at a los for words.

I liked it while it was playing; but once it was over, I couldn't remember any of it. It's an odd dichotomy that there are shorter songs than DT usually has on an album, but I think the album itself should have shorter. They should have either cut out the interludes as they don't seem to add anything to the narrative or just whittled the whole thing down to one 75 minute album. Regarding the narrative, the songs don't seem to add much to really tell a coherent story. Unlike their previous concept album ( or Mindcrime) this album has no flow. Much like some of Kiss' "Elder" formats, I wondered if the songs were out of order.  Maybe it's me, but if I wasn't aware this was a concept album from the start, I don't believe I would have figured it out too quickly. Too many of the songs are samey sounding and too mellow. There is no meat here. And not much metal either. I think the comparison to Styx (rather than Rush) someone made in the thread announcing the release of the "Astonishing" is pretty accurate.

Normally, a DT album brings me to a bit of a higher state of mind and makes me want to return to that place over and over again to that place amongst the clouds and ether, but not this one. It just left me feeling flat on the ground. A disappointing overall 6/10.

the sentinel wrote:

Dream Theater - The Astonishing


For those that saw my Top 25 All Time Favorite Bands/ Artists thread a while back know that DT a long time fave of mine. I got into them in High School after hearing "Pull Me Under" on a local Rock radio station (94 HJY out of Providence) and quickly ran out to get the album. In fact, when I got my first CD player in the Summer of 1993, I believe Images and Words was my first purchase. It also could have been Fates Warnings "Parallels" but I really don't remember.

Anyhoo, when I heard that the DT guys had a new one coming out I was surprised, and of course, psyched. When I heard it was a double disc concept, I was like "okay, 'Scenes from a Memory' blew me a way when it came out" and if anyone can pull this off it's these guys; so bring it on. Well, fast forward a few weeks and I pick it up day of release and spin it a few times through that weekend. I have held off doing a review for it the last few weeks because I didn't really know what to say. The usually verbose Sentinel was at a los for words.

I liked it while it was playing; but once it was over, I couldn't remember any of it. It's an odd dichotomy that there are shorter songs than DT usually has on an album, but I think the album itself should have shorter. They should have either cut out the interludes as they don't seem to add anything to the narrative or just whittled the whole thing down to one 75 minute album. Regarding the narrative, the songs don't seem to add much to really tell a coherent story. Unlike their previous concept album ( or Mindcrime) this album has no flow. Much like some of Kiss' "Elder" formats, I wondered if the songs were out of order.  Maybe it's me, but if I wasn't aware this was a concept album from the start, I don't believe I would have figured it out too quickly. Too many of the songs are samey sounding and too mellow. There is no meat here. And not much metal either. I think the comparison to Styx (rather than Rush) someone made in the thread announcing the release of the "Astonishing" is pretty accurate.

Normally, a DT album brings me to a bit of a higher state of mind and makes me want to return to that place over and over again to that place amongst the clouds and ether, but not this one. It just left me feeling flat on the ground. A disappointing overall 6/10.

Perhaps I haven't given the ENTIRE album a fair shake, but at this point I'm taking your word for it. From what I got it's exactly as you describe, especially the comparison to Styx. Well said, all of it.

These guys need to chill out, strip down, and get back to basics.