Here we are with May Part 2.
The Black Serenade
Gunfire
Sign Of The Times
The End Of The Line
Bad Reputation
Wings Of The Storm
Into The Fire
Axel Rudi Pell
As soon as I saw the song titles and how un-original they sounded, I wasn’t really keen on this, but I’m glad I bit, because it’s a good metal album (metal being, the way I know metal) and Johnny Gioeli who has had vocal duties for over twenty years, delivers.
If you like good riffage plus lead breaks that sound like they came from the 70’s classic rockers and melodic vocals, then this album should be on your list.
“The Black Serenade” has the synth choirs happening while Axel Rudi Pell emotes and then burns for the minute and thirty seconds album lead track. “Gunfire” has the same venom of “Ace Of Spades” with a lead break that goes for almost two minutes, but never gets boring.
“Sign Of The Times” is epic, “The End Of The Line” is just one of those songs that could have come from a Rainbow album, about a “valley far away” and “Bad Reputation” has this major key vibe.
“Wings Of The Storm” is a blues tune, a metalized version of “Fool For Your Loving” and “Into The Fire” is epic, “Kashmir” like.
Cut Me Down
Ryders Creed
From the UK. That’s all I know. So I let the music do the talking and the song ended up in my playlist. They have an album out as well, which I will check it, as I’m interested to hear more.
Mysterious
DeVicious
From Germany.
This is why I like the recording industry and Spotify. Every artist can participate and somehow their music finds a way. From the artists mentioned, there are two German acts and an UK act.
All For Love
Joe Satriani
Satriani wrote a song once called “The Enigmatic” (it was called that because of the scale he was using was the Enigmatic scale) and that is how he has remained with me.
An enigma.
I’m on the train and I’m off the train.
“All For Love” is one of those slower tempo songs that will remain with me for a long time. So I’m back on the train.
Can’t Stop This Train
Hartmann
This song sounds a like those early 90’s songs that hit the charts, which focused on a blues like groove but still rocked hard. And the vocals remind me of David Coverdale so much on this one.
I also really like the lead break on this one, so I need to check out who the guitarist is.
Hollow Convictions
I Feel Alive Again
Prophets Of Treason
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage live in that world between aggression and harmony, between screaming and melody. In purgatory. It’s a balance. “Hollow Convictions” is excellent musically and it connects the balance for me, with a melodic Chorus. “I Feel Alive Again” also achieves that balance, along with the aggressive “Prophets Of Treason”.
Eternity Now
Love Is Alive
New Event Horizon
Everything You Want It To Be
Big Sugar
I had never heard of “Big Sugar” at all. But thanks to the blogging community and Deke at “Thunder Bay” I now have.
“Eternity Now” sounds like it could come from a Rush album. “Love Is Alive” sounds like the best Don Henley song that Henley didn’t write. “New Event Horizon” sounds like a reggae/Latin song which could be appear on an Enrique album. “Everything You Want It To Be” sounds like a funk song, until that ELO like Chorus kicks in.
Basically if you like variation in your artist, then Big Sugar delivers it.
That’s it for Part 2. May Part 3 is coming up.
destroyerofharmony 
I was reading you post and going I have’t heard any of these tunes and than BIG SUGAR!
Real glad you checked them out and found some gold in those tracks. Gordie Johnson is pals with Lifeson so of course there would be the RUSH connection which is never a bad thing!
Check out the Brothers and Sisters (Are You Ready )album and the album titled Heated.
Great stuff as Gordie and Bachman hook up for a stellar version of Let It Ride!
Thanks for posting about em. You know the world has so much noise and the blogging community has been excellent to discover artists.
You got that right. We are all geniune music fans. Music connects us all.
This time around I haven’t heard any of these, but the Joe. I always listen to Joe, don’t always buy, but some of stuff is amazing. And Big Sugar pops up and I think of Deke and lo and behold you mention him. He is the reason I know of them as well.
It’s why I like the blogging community. For me, I go and check out what you all recommend because I’m thinking if we have similar likes of the 70s, 80s and 90s bands, then we can’t really get led astray.
Agreed
I didn’t know you liked Killswitch engage, great band but you need to check out Times of Grace, i will let you do the research on how the album was made, its so interesting. The album, Hymn of a Broken Man, is amazing, so powerful in music and lyrics and you feel it even more when you hear how it was made, hope you enjoy i am putting that album on now
Times Of Grace is one of my favorites Ken.. I watched em live at the Roundhouse in Sydney as well when they came down for a BDO and did a sideshow
I saw them also, front and center before Machine Head, at a side show, new album should be very soon
Have they announced a date yet? It’s been in the works for the last three years (in between Killswitch and vocal surgery’s)
Jesse keeps posting on Instagram that its getting closer, and yes they have been working on it for soooooooo long. Also need to ask you heard of a band called Pain of Salvation?
Yep
I like The Perfect Element album and sort of lost track of em after Scarsick
Interested to hear you recommendation so I can check it out
Go straight to The Passing Light of Day, it has three or four amazing tracks, Meaningless, if you can find a live version of this on You Tube, check out the voice on the Guitar player, it was his song and brought it to the album, Reasons, Angels of Broken Things, this has the most amazing solo at the end with the drummer also doing a stand out job of playing out of time. Give it a run and I hope you like, would love to hear your feedback on that solo also
Cool
Will give it a spin
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