One of my FAVORITE albums ever!
Posted by Empress of Mermaids on January 13th, 2007 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
I bring this with me when I go out. It’s great to get drunk to. It makes me feel sexy and it makes me strut my stuff. If you’re a girl like me, I HIGHLY recommend this album. This is not a sit-at-home-idly type of CD. Great to dance to and even better to fuck your boyfriend to! Shredding, spectacular (though sped-up) guitar solos and Robert Fleishman’s voice is SUPER sexy. This CD is a confidence booster for any woman who wants to draw attention to herself or just have a LOT of fun on a cool summer night out.
Dio - Master of the Moon
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
I liked this one better than, say, everything since and including Strange Highways. But maybe my opinion doesn’t count, for instance, I loved “Lock Up the Wolves” and “Sacred Heart” way more than “Dream Evil”. Of course, the first two are the untouchable classics by Dio. But there is quite alot of excellent music here, and as always it’s always hard to criticize the voice.
I also must state here how pathetic and awful Ozzy Osbourne’s output has been since after he fired Jake E. Lee, especially in comparison to Dio’s mostly very good output.
I used to miss the inclsuion of Vivian Campbell’s often interesting guitar work. But after hearing his snivelling in a recent interview on his ridiculous “Def Leppard” site, I consider him an ungrateful loser.
Dio - Sacred Heart
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
The first two are probably the actual Classics. But Sacred Heart is incredible even by dint of the title track alone. First track, “King of Rock N Roll”, as well as “Like the Beat of A Heart” and “Fallen Angels” are so musiczally and lyrically superior to the utter garbage showcased on MTV for the past fifteen years that it’s impossible for me NOT to rate this album five stars. Each track on this cd is easily memorable, with fantastic, at times beautifully mournful, singing and more than one excellent guitar solo by Vivian Campbell. Only “Hungry For Heaven” reeks a bit too poppily, but the strengths on this album so far outweigh the weaknesses as to make them seem ultimately negligible.
Great Advice: Want to check out Dio? Buy ALL the first three albums, RIGHT OFF. Then make sure you get a copy of the most recent, “Master of the Moon”. You’ll be delighted with all of them, guaranteed!
Deep Purple - Come Hell of High Water
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
The title says alot. But it might be more telling for me to say that this live document is the best of the Mach II reunion/post 1984-with-Blackmore live releases. But that’s not saying too much. For Blackmore fanatics, I’d reccomend ANY of the ’70’s Deep Purple and Raibow live albums before this one. Jon Lord sounds good on keyboards, and Gillan’s voice isn’t totally fried yet. But I wasn’t as impressed with the extended solo on “Anja” as so many appear to be…get Deep Purple’s “Powerhouse”, “In Concert” and most definitely “Made in Japan” before you get this one.
Black Sabbath - Live at Last
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
Ozzy’s voice is just before its peak (which reached its highest, and best…from 1973 to 1975), but still sounds quite pleasantly sarcastic. One can detect how he was beginning to get that excellent shriek eventually attained on the Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage full lengths. So, I must begin by stating that anyone whom has an interest in the development of what became one of heavy metal’s best voices should definitely get this. It’s impossible to compare Ozzy’s voice on ANY of his solo stuff to how he sounds here…he was just a MUCH better vocalist then. That said, I’d step on this release to get to the Ronnie James Dio led “Live Evil” release of Sabbath…Dio was technically a far better singer.
But I have to press home just how fantastic the REST of the band sounds here as well. Geezer Butler is excellent and creative with the patented, simple Sabbath riffs. Bill Ward is the one cheated most by the substandard quality sound here; his performance is VERY good, but buried. That,along with the inclusion of a couple of phoned in songs here (”Snowblind”, “Children of the Grave”) knocks a half point off my rating. However, it cannot go without saying that the guitar fest proceeding from “Wicked World” is absolutely brilliant. Iommi proves how astoundingly underrated he was and remains to this day with this stellar, highly musical performance. This is essential, but I’m a bit hard on it rating wise because phoned in performances bother me.
Also bearing mention is the KILLER early version of Killing Yourself To Live here. Total, abysmally despairing doom metal from Planet Hellsville.
Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
OTHER than the lyrics, this album is, in my humble opinion, the best studio album Purple ever did. I prefer live efforts of Purple. I have always been desappointed by the unevenness that has marked ALL their studio albums besides this one. Machine Head and In Rock (as well as Burn) are all really good albums, yet they each have SOME song or two that just pulls the rest down. This is a bitter thing for me to admit , as I worship Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar pl;aying, and the ’70’s Purple had some of the greatest rock/metal vocalists ever. Not to mention the incredible musicianship of EACH of the band members in general.
The songs here are ALL good musically, and Blackmore’s guitar playing is only matched by the material he did both live and in studio with Rainbow. The solos in Knocking At Your Back Door, for instance, are full of emotional depth…a devastatingly effective browbeating to the inferior, robotic wanking of the “shred” maniacs of that period.
If you’re curious about Deep Purple’s studio work, PLEASE get this one first. But before ANYthing, get “Made In Japan”, “Live in London” and “Powerhouse”!
Yngwie Malmsteen - Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in eb Minor
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
I’m ASTOUNDED anyone could impugn the relevance that this release has to music in general. There is nothing played on MTV, nor awarded at the Grammys, that compares with the significance of the release. The utter obtusity showcased in too many reviews of this release is amazing. This man has made legitimate Classical Music…the type that can stand up to most of the greatest, and he’s a “ridiculous rock person”. Deep Purple, Rainbow, and MOST CERTAINLY NOT Metallica never approached the magnitude of this accomplishment. The preposterous, Rabble-oriented reaction to this dvd on Amazon portrays the horrible, style over substance attitude of “music” fans everywhere.
If you enjoy listening to something that is a Landmark in Rock music, this is the release to buy. It is the ultimate accomplishment of Yngwie’s career. It is the high point of Rock music since the early ’80’s. Maybe I’m crazy for seeing…GRASPING the significance of this historical landmark. In any case, if you love progression in Rock music, or ANY type of music BUY BUY BUY!!!!
Dio - Sacred Heart: The DVD
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
If anyone goes a long way back with Ronnie James Dio, then this is the DVD to get. The stage show is pyrotechnically outstanding for the period, Ronnie’s voice is still just as good as when he was with Sabbath (the first time), and Goldy…well, he’s competent.
It’s interesting to me, watching the updated interview with Ronnie and Goldy in the special features section. To be more specific,I’m still baffled that RJD has kept Goldy on and off for so long.Goldy is certainly a capable guitarist, but without question only a slight improvement over the worse guitarist whom ever played with Ronnie, Tracy G. Although I can understand perfectly Dio’s firing of the ungrateful, Gary Moore ripoff Vivian Campbell (I’m not forgetting Viv was a good writer),but I still I see Dio’s loss of Rowan Robertson as puzzling as Ozzy’s spilt with Jake E. Lee. Rowan was the best he’d played with since Iommi, in my opinion.
Forgetting that, this DVD is probably my absolute favorite right now, though I’m still without the ‘72 Stockholm Purple show, and am still revved about hopefully soon checking out Blackmore’s fit at California Jam.
Rainbow - Live in Europe
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
This is a performance that actually beats out Made in Japan in a specific way: provocations of emotion. The vocal performance of Ronnie James Dio on “Mistreated” and “Catch the Rainbow” features the best ever in Rock and/or Metal music. He makes Coverdale, Turner, Hughes, Plant, and Halford look lame, which is saying one hell of a lot.
Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore combines with Dio and drummer Cozy Powell to make “Catch the Rainbow” a tour de force of sad, yet exquisitelty beautiful sound-magic. I’ve never heard such a heart wrenching performance by Blackmore or Dio…or anyone else in Rock/Metal history. Any fan of the aforementioned genres would be missing the experience of a lifetime if choosing to skip this release. Get this, Rising, and Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll. Today. Don’t cheat yourself.
Many have complained that the song “Stargazer” isn’t a standout here, but it’s hard to replicate that song without the benefit of the full orchestra, as it appeared on the Rising cd.
If you love music that makes you FEEL, you must get this. It is an experience you could never possibly forget.
Michael Schenker Group - World Wide Live 2004
Posted by Andy DiGelsomina on July 23rd, 2006 filed in Album ReviewsComment now »
Michael sounds excellent throughout this video, and his band is just great. the bass player, as weird as he may look to some, is really good. His (the bass player, Rev.’s) solo on Into the Arena proves that he fits right in to this band, one listen will prove that to any non-jealous/bitter listener.
The singing and the drums are quite good as well. The singer isn’t exactly Graham Bonnet (uh..how many ARE?) but he sounds fine to me.
I would think that ANY fan of Michael Schenker and/or great Rock guitar would LOVE this disc as much as I do. The interview at the end is pleasingly long and detailed, and I was thrilled to hear such an influential artist talk about his life and works.
Though I would have loved to have had some Walk on Water material on this, as well as the often excellent material from the more recent solo albums, it’s hard to argue with the older songs being done up on a dazzlingly lit up stage.
I thought that the listed price on this dvd was actually kind of LOW for so much music AND an interview, etcetera. I feel like Michael’s not getting properly compensated for his contribution to music. Not to mention the fact that this disc proves that he’s far and away one of the top five guitar players in the Rock/Metal world today.
I’ve played guitar for twenty one years, and I have not hesitated to tell my students to grab this dvd for their introduction to Michael Schenker. Kids like to have “video” with their music, and this disc provides both, in spades.
It say s alot FOR this video that I would reccomend it over what I used to for Michael’s experience (used to be Assault Attack and Strangers in the Night).
I have a bad feeling that the negative, completely unrealistic reviews of this disc were written by failed, bitter guitar players with an axe to grind that couldn’t stand up to five minutes of Michael’s playing. Take that to heart, people. This DVD ROCKS, and features some great playing by someone whom is quite rightly still regarded as the top ten best OF ALL TIME.