Artist: Stream Of Passion Title: “Embrace The Storm” Label: InsideOut Music Release Date: 10/25/2005 Genre: Gothic Melodic Rating: 8/10
Proving that he is never one to rest of his laurels Arjen Lucassens has done it once again. His last album was the epic “Human Equation” (released with Ayreon) and it would be received with considerable acclaim and justifiably so. He would put aside Ayreon for the next musical adventure and bring us a totally new band entitled “Stream Of Passion”. The band would be new but listeners would not be a stranger to some of the players for joining Lucassens would be Mexican singing sensation Marcela Bovio who recently recorded with Ayreon. The remainder of the band would be filled by an internet contest and with members residing all around the world a truly unique musical experience was the end result. Marcela is an amazing talent and her voice will instantly appeal to those who enjoy the presence of a beautiful female vocal on top of their rock. It’s a Gothic meets Progressive meets Atmospheric group that will appeal very much to fans of The Gathering more than something like Nightwish. Ms. Bovio’s voice while powerful is not one of the operatic styled ones. The other members of the group are Davy Mickers (drums), Lori Linstruth (guitar), Alejandro Milan (piano), and Johan van Stratum (bass). Arjen himself is of course a member not only providing guitars but also largely responsible for the music composition. For this release he centered his composition on Marcela’s voice and ideas in order to make her shine as much as possible. The result is fantastic and with songs like “Passion”, “I’ll Keep On Dreaming” and “Spellbound” there is a very positive result for the listener. I enjoyed these particular songs as well as “Out In The Real World” and “Calliopeia” since there was a lot of the heavy vibe I enjoy. Continue reading “Embrace The Storm” by Stream Of Passion→
Artist: Queensryche Title: “Operation Mindcrime II” Label: Rhino Records Release Date: 4/4/2006 Genre: Progressive Rock Rating: 8.5/10
Do you remember how it started? Do you remember that he was only doing what they told him? Well a full 18 years have passed and Nikki has returned to give us the second chapter to his tale which began in the classic “Operation: Mindcrime”. A lot of their original fans might lambaste Queensryche for choosing to revisit the themes of their most popular release but since so many years have gone by there is an entirely new audience available to their music. I admit at first I was one of the detractors who screamed “How could they do this”, fearing that the original release and its premise would suffer as a result but after a couple of listens I am happy to report that I was wrong. “Operation: Mindcrime II” picks up almost two decades later as Nikki now out of prison goes seeking revenge on the man who both put him there and was the cause of all his problems in the first place. The mysterious Doctor X. appears on the album in the form of the legendary Ronnie James Dio but his talents are sorely under utilized. He appears in only one song and could have been effective at least in dialogue in other areas of the album. Pamela Moore returns as Sister Mary (whether in his mind or in spirit I have not determined yet) and she shines on a number of tracks. After so many listens to Ms. Moore as this character I am interested in hearing her solo work. Tate is once again on top of his game proving that his pipes are still able to deliver even after over 20 years in the business. I also found the band to be above par and playing the best that I have heard them do in a number of years. Guitarist Mike Stone seems to have really stepped up for this release and is no longer relegated to the shadows left by Chris DeGarmo who left the band a number of years ago. As one might expect, members Rockenfield, Wilton and Jackson do not disappoint at all. Continue reading “Operation: Mindcrime 2” by Queensryche→
Artist: Green Carnation Venue: Knitting Factory (New York, NY) Opener: Beyond The Embrace Date: 2/27/2006 Label: The End Records
For those who are as new to the music of Green Carnation as I am you will be surprised to find that the band itself is celebrating a 15 year existence. Constantly displaying an interesting combination of music the band has changed their style on every album released merely because it is what they feel must be done. The changes are not due to record companies restrictions or what “is hot” at the moment. My first exposure to the group would be with 2005’s “The Quiet Offspring” which was a collection of Hard Rock tracks with some progressive melodies mixed in for good measure. It was a solid recording that when you listened to it would make you wonder why more people were not aware of them. Their latest effort entitled “The Acoustic Verses” is indeed that, a well-thought out and moody release with many Pink Floyd undertones. The overall catchy nature to this band and this release as well had me wondering why it has taken so long for them to come to the USA and play. Tonight that would no longer be an issue and the setting for this evening would be the Knitting Factory “Tap Room” in NYC. The club is more known for jazz and blues bands but of late has given sway to some great Metal performers. Tap Room is a smaller section of the club and provided fans an intimate setting to enjoy the music, a perfect setting for the level of music one expects on the acoustic release. Sadly, when I spoke to leader T’Chort and singer Kjetil I was asked what songs would I play if I were in the band for it seemed that the acoustic guitars were still in the UPS office back in Oslo. “What can Brown do for you?”; ruin your tour apparently. As a result the band would play different music than that which was planned and it seemed as though their heavier music fan base was more in attendance so perhaps for NYC that this would work best. Continue reading Green Carnation @ Knitting Factory (2/27/2006)→
Artist: Queensryche Title: “Promised Land” (remaster) Label: EMI Music/Capitol Records Release Date: 6/10/2003 Genre: Progressive Rock Rating: 7/10
Queensryche would continue its progression into a slightly different style from their origin on “Promised Land”. The album would follow hit maker “Empire” after a long break in releases for the band was almost always on tour. Released in 1994 we find a very different Queensryche and the end result makes “Promised Land” a very tricky record to absorb. While there are some solid rocking tracks like “I Am I” and “Damaged” there are also a few that seem out of place in this particular band (“Dis con nect ted”). “Bridge” is a nice ballad and would have made a good single for the band but I don’t recall it getting much radio play. The times of the day were loaded with other Seattle bands now as the “grunge movement” was in full sway and dominating every medium available. The title track itself has a very Pink Floyd feel to it and perhaps owes some respect to the legends for the way it ebbs and flows. At this point Queensryche had their core following and it seemed to maintain its course from there. Those that wanted heavy music had long since stopped and perhaps the mega hit of “Silent Lucidity” from “Empire” while making the necessary financial changes to their lives ended up costing some of those who supported from the beginning. Continue reading “Promised Land” (remaster) by Queensryche→
Artist: Green Carnation Title: “Acoustic Verses” Label: The End Records Release Date: 1/26/2006 Genre: Progressive Rock/Acoustic Rating: 8.5/10
Fans that have followed Green Carnation over the 15 years of their existence can attest that the band while very interesting is something that is very difficult to describe to the uneducated listener. The band showcases their level of talent by consistently changing their musical styles which makes every album something fresh and unexpected to the listener. They change not because of industry standards or orders but because the mood strikes them and while this might drive a publicist crazy or a new fan, the people that follow them embrace each turn. Their last recording “The Quiet Offspring” was a mixture of Hard Rock and Progressive Melodies while the one before that was a one song album encompassing epic. The latest release entitled “The Acoustic Verses” shows an entirely different side of this fascinating band by using acoustic guitars, keyboards, drums and bass. There are also wonderful string arrangements all tied together by the great and passionate singing of Kjetil. The result is an excellent sounding record that brings to mind a very strong Pink Floyd vibe but there is a sense of darker angst and sadness in some of the lyrical content. The new compositions are deep in their mood and feeling and I felt that moments on the recording were very hypnotic. It continues to show just how talented this band is and while my first album might have been “The Quiet Offspring” I was very easily able to enjoy this one. T’Chort (guitar), Tommy (drums), Kenneth (piano), Bjorn (guitar), Stein (bass), Michael (guitar) and Kjetil (vocals) have done a stand up job on this recording and are to be commended for the levels of creativity demonstrated. Continue reading “Acoustic Verses” by Green Carnation→
