LET THEM EAT METAL #4: Ace of Spades by Motörhead (Ending the year with ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!)

In the days of yore, when pop music meant something, it was filled with nourishing musical ideas and showed the tides of progress.  But then something happened, the ability for it to fill our soul has nearly vanished, and the masses are starved on good music.  There’s the occasional quality track that stays good after multiple spins, but it has gotten to the moment where even good pop music gets stale.  We live in a white-bread world in mainstream music.  However, there’s salvation from the drek that the masses need to know about.  In the words of Marie Antoinette, or more accurately The Rods quoting her: “LET THEM EAT METAL!”

Hello degenerates, heathens, weirdos, and deviants.  I am the Rock Otaku, and I’m here to show you worlds such as hard rock, metal, punk, alternative rock, movies, TV, anime, video games, and anything that makes us scream, shout, and gamble on the road crew for the love of a lamia girl (preferably legal age).

This series is dedicated to the best that heavy metal can offer.  As you will read, I will take you on a journey though the annals of heavy metal’s storied history from its beginning in early 70s, its crystallization in the late 70s and early 80s, its breakthrough into mainstream conscience in the early to mid-80s, its maturation in the late 80s and 90s, its dominance (sort of) in the 2000s and even today, and the rare moments that very few talk about unless in the company of like-minded fans.  Not in that order, but I’ll be looking at the footnotes oh metal history in the order I desire.  In short, this series is about metal, plain and simple.

While metal is awesome, its main rival (and occasional ally), punk rock, can offer some interesting musical ideas.  Started in the mid-70s as a reaction to arena rock, progressive rock, disco, and unfortunately heavy metal, punk rock’s main goal was to take rock ‘n’ roll back to what it was in the 50s: short, simple, straightforward, and very edgy and angry.  Also a massive influence on punk rock and its ethos (plus the image) is glam rock, with its stripped down music and shocking image.  Another stripped down genre that influenced punk was garage rock.  In short, punk is what happened if Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash performed a fusion dance with T. Rex, David Bowie, Slade, Sweet, and New York Dolls with the rage of MC5 and The Stooges.  The bands associated with the genre included The Ramones, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Damned, and many others.  But one band took the elements that were rooted in and expanded on 50s rock, merged them with heavier forms of rock like metal, and influenced the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, speed metal, and thrash metal movements around the world.  That band was Motörhead.

Started in 1975 after the fall of Hawkwind, bassist Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister decided that after performing in various 60s rock acts and being a roadie for stars like Jimi Hendrix, he would have his own rock band, with blackjack and hookers.  While they weren’t in the initial lineup when the band first started, “Fast” Eddie Clark and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor could be technically the first two guitarist and drummer that achieved success with Lemmy’s band.  Yet one of the most interesting thing about the band is that Lemmy was more of a fan of 50s rock and had more kinship with punk rock than heavy metal, playing with The Damned when they needed a bassist, and his style would clash with what metal was at the moment and even today (with djent, tech death, and modern progressive power metal), while his band’s style would inspire many metal bands in the 80s.  Such influences they delivered would range from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Power Metal, and even some Glam Metal (that last one is debatable, but their insistence on being called “rock ‘n’ roll would impact the subgenre’s mentality in my opinion).

At first, they released their first album Motörhead in 1977, then Overkill and Bomber in 1979, which would showcase their skills and multiple musical styles from metal, rock, hard rock, punk, blues rock, and even country (not sure about that all, but I’m sure those are the styles Razorfist mentioned in his Metal Mythos on this band).  Then in 1980, they released their fourth album, Ace of Spades, which is considered their best work.

Why this album at this moment in time?  Well, this can be considered a tribute to the late Lemmy and an analysis towards what he was able to do with his bass and famous vocal style alongside “Fast” Eddie and the also-deceased “Philthy Animal.”  Do I own a Motörhead album?  Hopefully in the next few weeks.  Do I regularly listen to them?  I do, but it depends on if I’m away from power metal and AMV Hell knockoffs.  Do I have massive respect for them, and do I enjoy them when I listen to them? 

HELL YEAH!

I outright love this band!  When you get down to it, Lemmy is an awesome musician, and his music will live on, no matter what happens.  When I heard that he died, I did not believe it.  When you get down to it, Lemmy felt invincible, with his age, physical condition, drug use, and sex life, and nothing was going to kill him, but then he died from prostate cancer, congestive heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmia.  In that same year, we lost Scott Weiland, who’s also considered a legendary rocker with a massive influence on many of today’s rock bands.  Later, specifically this year, we lost David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Prince, quality pop music, civility, and Carrie Fisher (F*** YOU 2016!!!).  Let’s just say that this year royally sucked, and to end it, I plan on ending it with the music of Motörhead to cleanse our bodies from this year’s fetid gunk.

Now that we got this out of the way, let’s get to the review to end this extremely disappointing year and hope for a rockin’ 2017.  THIS IS MOTÖRHEAD!  LET’S ROCK N’ ROLL:

1.    Ace of Spades:

Should I even go into depth on why this song is a deserved classic?  Anyone?  Well, here goes nothing.  This song is, in my mind, a TRUE CLASSIC.  Everything about it is excellent.  The beat.  The classic bassline.  The classic guitar riff.  The classic drum work.  Lemmy’s classic vocals.  The classic lyrics about card games like blackjack (and possibly hookers).  The classic guitar solo.  Everyone has dissected this rocker, and it’s still something I feel that music fans should love.  Yeah, the gambling aspect may be considered unhealthy, but has there ever been a politically correct Motörhead song?   Never, this band is about being loud and loving every second of their hedonistic lives.  If there’s a single flaw, it’s that I get a tear when hearing the ’08 remake, where Lemmy replaces “And don’t forget the Joker” with “But apparently I am!” as a continuation of “You know I’m born to lose/And gambling’s for fools/But that’s the way I like it baby/I DON’T WANNA LIVE FOREVER!” probably because, well, he does live forever, but not on this plain of existence.  Anyway this song is a classic, I love this track, and I feel that as a way to start this record, it’s the perfect way to do so.  Though I’d like to see if there are any Rio: Rainbow Gate AMV’s made to this song.

2.    Love Me Like a Reptile:

But if there are two topics associated with rock ‘n’ roll, it’s sex and drugs, as well as parties (make that three topics), and Motörhead write a lot of songs about those topics.  This is one of their sex jams.  More accurately, this is about a girl that gets Lemmy stiff and him ready to take her to the nearest hotel.  Possibly a hooker to pair it with the blackjack of the previous song.  Matching the sexual intensity is a venomous guitar riff, bassline, and drum beat that goes with Lemmy’s snarling growling.  Included are basic, but punchy guitar solo.  Each part goes together in this short, but effective, rocker like a glove.  Plus, there’s a sense of danger, with a snake rattle used in the percussion and references to venomous snakes that turns this song from a basic rocker to a pure slab of sleaze that 5 Seconds of Summer should take notes from.  Plus with all the snake references, I’m sure that I’m getting a vibe that Lemmy might have been a fan of hers:

Suu is best girl, though.

Time for the next rocker.

3.    Shoot You in the Back:

Where the last song was probably about sex with a lamia (or naga if you prefer Eastern mythology), this is about being a western badass.  With its galloping beat and guitar and bass work, Lemmy and co. evoke the era of the cowboy and their awesomeness in a swingin’, rootin’, shootin’, hard rockin’ song about a killer gunslinger in black.  Like in a western movie (you know, before every studio decided to make movies about superheroes like today).  As a result, there’s a similar energy to Aerosmith’s “Back in the Saddle,” another western-inspired hard rock song that evokes that era’s bravado extremely well.  Lemmy’s guttural vocal delivery works here, and the guitars are thrashin’ with a smokin’ riff and solo that follows the Code of the West (try to use Google to get that reference), a drum performance that evokes a bucking bronco.  It’s also a great fit for this album, considering the cover art.  If you’re a John Wayne fan, a Jimmy Stewart fan, a Clint Eastwood fan, or a fan of westerns in general, then you need to listen to this song.  Hell, this is a great song to play Red Dead Redemption to.

4.    Live to Win:

Yes, I’m aware of the fact that there’s an awesome Paul Stanley song of the same name that South Park used in their WOW episode.  But unlike that cheesy rocker, this is fast, straightforward, and right-to-the-point.  Yet at the same time, it has the same sentiment.  Essentially, it’s about being knocked around, but having the will and the fighting spirit to jump back up when knocked on your ass, living and striving to be the best around.  This is essentially a “Nothing stands in my way!” song, right down to the execution.  Starting with a thumping bassline that goes into the main guitar riff, the song stays in the fast lane for a majority of the song, with Lemmy belting about standing his ground and preparing for the moment when he is on top.  Adding to that are short, but tastefully bluesy guitar solos from Fast Eddie, with a longer one to close out the track.  This song is just aggressive, and it has the right to be aggressive.  Great song, and I’m not sure what to say next, so I’ll let Kamina have the floor to remind you what this song is saying:

Now to the next rocker.

5.    Fast and Loose:

From speedy metal to bluesy, bouncy hard rock, Motörhead decide to show their sensitive side.  More exactly, they show Lemmy’s ways with the ladies.  An ode to his sexual energy, Lemmy belts about how he can make the girl he’s singing to get with him in the bed and showcases how he can pleasure her.  Essentially, he knows that she likes it fast and loose, and he’s going to operate in that manner when they meet.  He also sings how the girl that like it the way she does knows that she wants more of the Kill Master.  To avoid alienating kids who aren’t aware of Lemmy’s sexual prowess, the song’s bouncy beat allows for a tastefully bassline, sleazy guitar riffs and licks, a steady drum performance that is well, fast and loose, plus there’s a bluesy guitar solo.  If this isn’t proof that Lemmy isn’t a British Glen Quagmire, then you need to listen to more Motörhead.

6.    (We Are) The Road Crew:

An ode to the roadies everywhere, this song gets this reaction from me:

Next time, I should vary images from Brütal Legend.

This headbangin’ rocker is about the life of the guys and girls that drive the band across the country, make sure that they look good onstage, ensure their sound works, and probably lead their devoted followers into battle against demons, zombies, skeletons, sellouts, and emos (and possibly angry white boys and drunk parents who listen to Hinder, Nickelback, and Saving Abel if Double Fine ever makes a Brütal Legend II).  Even better when you realize that Lemmy was a roadie before he was a rock star (he worked for Hendrix).  To dedicate this song properly to the unsung heroes of rock ‘n’ roll, Motörhead go for a driving beat with Lemmy singing about the tribulations of life on the road while providing thick basslines, the Philthy Animal keeping the beat in check like a sound technician on the drums, and Fast Eddie providing some intense guitar riffs, one excellent lick, and some crazy solos with the wah pedal.  Overall, this is a song worthy of the trust of Lars Halford, and the kind of metal to kick Emperor Doviculus’ and General Lionwhyte’s asses to.  What a way to end side 1 of this classic.

7.    Fire, Fire:

Kicking side 2 into action is this fast-paced rocker.  Dealing with, of course, sexy time and arousal, this thrashing sleaze rocker provides the intense energy that libido can provide to a man.  If I can describe this song’s attitude properly, this song is the audial equivalent to a man who just saw a very attractive woman, and vice versa.  And of course, it wouldn’t be a Motörhead song without the fast, aggressive, and loud instrumentation and feel.  With a powerful bass, punk and blues tinged metal guitar riffs, thunderous double-bass drums, and a scorching vocal delivery from Lemmy, this song is pure rock ‘n’ roll.  Plus included is a fiery guitar solo that will definitely heat up your face until it melts off your skull.  Overall, this is a fun song, but I’ve noticed a formula in this album.  Not the sounds, but the structure.  I’ll go into depth at the end, but we need to get going.  These songs are pretty short.

8.    Jailbait:

So for this song, Lemmy sings about his infatuation with a young girl, a girl young enough to get him in trouble with her parents and hopefully only her parents.  The issue here?  The title.  Not to say that this song is bad, but this has the same problem as Winger’s “Seventeen.”  A well-structured song that has everything you want in a rock song, but it’s about a much older man (Lemmy was in his 30s when he recorded this) lusting after a teenage girl.  You’re going to lose points with most audiences and make them uncomfortable with this lyrical content.  But here, where “Seventeen” reveals the underage lust in the chorus, this starts with that, and it’s arguably worse in that regard.  But, again, like “Seventeen,” it’s a banging song.  This bluesy metal number is pure musical sexual ecstasy, with thick bass, pounding drums, a strong beat that gets you in the mood for love, and blazing guitars, and Lemmy sounds excellent in his vocal delivery, plus there’s a strong guitar solo.  Everything about this song is perfect, and Motörhead manage to sell this dirty song with conviction and talent.  It feels like it works here, not a filler track, and it continues the sexual adventures of Lemmy Kilmister.  But thanks to the lyrics, this might be passed off, though the band pulls it off.  In a way, Lemmy is really reminding me of early Quagmire here.  I mean this is up his alley.

Remember when Family Guy was charmingly funny and not trying to shock everyone or be preachy?  Pepperidge Farm Remembers.

9.    Dance:

From blues metal to rock ‘n’ roll, Motörhead continue their assault.  To get the thought of Lemmy getting into trouble out of our heads, this song is about the times when you don’t need to think when hearing rock ‘n’ roll, YOU NEED TO DANCE!  This is a hard-hitting song that predates “Shut Up and Dance” by over 3 decades in its concept, and it’s a good song to groove to as well.  Not to bash it or say that this is filler.  It isn’t.  And its length allows you to get to the next track with ease while enjoying everything about this new one.  With a catchy guitar riff, a pounding rhythm section with thick bass and on-time drums, I can guarantee that you’d be shaking your tail-feather to this 50s-style rock number in no time.  If not, then Lemmy’s commands will get you on the dance floor faster than the Flash in bed (hey, this is a sexy album).  Plus, there are two great guitar solos that add to the dancing feel and showcase Fast Eddie’s chops.  In general, this is a great dance song in a genre that may or may not need more of them.  I mean, dance songs in heavy metal, but…

WHO ELSE BUT MOTÖRHEAD?

10.  Bite the Bullet:

If one thing may have been lost by most people, Motörhead is a band that has a lot of influences from punk rock as well as heavy metal.  Hell, their incorporations of early punk elements is what lead to their signature style and aesthetic.  As a result, we have a straight-up punk rock song here, with its very, very short runtime at 98 seconds, use of one short guitar solo at the end, and overall speed, with a fast riff, bassline, and drum performance from Fast Eddie, Lemmy, and the Philthy Animal respectively.  Plus you have some of Lemmy’s most aggressive vocals yet to appear on this album, with lyrics about, surprisingly, a breakup.  But the overall aggression of the delivery makes it seem as if Lemmy was just tired of this one woman and decided to tell her that he’s leaving for good.  Overall, great song in practice out of what could have been a disaster in theory, as they go the punk rock approach to this breakup instead of a ballad.  Great job guys, you win the opportunity to emulate KISS.

11.  The Chase Is Better Than the Catch:

No joke, that line in the last song review describes what this song sounds like: a KISS and/or Van Halen-inspired pop metal number with sleazy lyrics, as if it were performed by Motörhead.  There could also be an influence from Slade or The Sweet here, but due to how I’m, well, an American, KISS and Van Halen are the two bands I’m comparing this rocker to.  Even weirder is that this is the longest song on the album, being the only track that’s over 4 minutes long.  However, just because it’s like 2 of my favorite bands of all time, a little below Aerosmith (I’ve heard elements similar to the Bad Boys of Boston here, so that might have impacted my analysis), that doesn’t mean this song doesn’t rip.  With a mid-paced, bouncy, glam-inspired beat, right to the bass and drum performance, and a tastefully savage guitar delivery, this song provides the sonic backbone for Lemmy singing about, again, cuddling with a really attractive woman and the chase to get there.  Plus adding to the raw take on what will ultimately be the style known as glam metal, there are some ripping guitar solos on this album that evoke Ace Frehley’s mad guitar theatrics (when he decides to play).  Overall, this is the song that evokes the feelings of lust in all of us.  But, thanks to our politically correct environment, I feel that these songs are in short supply these days.  Great song.

12.  The Hammer:

Finally, we get to this moment.  Like how the title track was a slightly-under 3 minute speed metal anthem, we end side 2, and the entire album for that manner, with a slightly-under 3 minute speed metal anthem.  Everything about this feels like a spiritual sibling to “Ace of Spades” from the riff, the bassline, the drum patterns, the vocal performance, the structure, the guitar solo, everything.  This hits hard, and after this, the album ends.  Lemmy belts out a hard hitting vocal performance about being a badass, or possibly it’s about Lemmy bringing judgement to wrongdoers who threaten to ruin rock ‘n’ roll.  But whatever the case, he sounds savage here.  Overall, this punk-tinged speed metal number hits like a rock, is as hard as a diamond, and possibly helped thrash metal lose its baby teeth in the early 80s and become a musical force.

Now for my final thoughts.  I’ve noticed that there’s a similar structure throughout the album, regardless of how punk of whether the blues are on full effect here.  Essentially, you get three verses in every song with a short chorus that’s meant to be shouted out in unison rather than give the song pop radio airplay.  Usually after the second verse/chorus, there’s a guitar solo, and then there’s usually be a guitar lick or much-longer solo that ends the song afterwards.  Is this exclusive to this album?  Not really, as I’ve heard this structure across multiple Motörhead songs, but that is not an issue.  The whole issue with formulas seems to have occurred thanks to the internet allowing people to learn more things about their favorite music, even though a formula is a way to tell bands apart, and because Nickelback has ruined the idea of using a formula for modern artists.  Now here’s my piece: FORMULAS AREN’T TERRIBLE!  They can allow for a musician or band to create their stamp on the world of music as well as create a sort of cohesive flow for an album.  Think about that, in his Metal Mythos series, Razorfist bashed The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden, and album that doesn’t rely too much on formula most of the time, rather going for proto-progressive metal, yet he considers this album, one that has a very obvious formula, a true classic!  Yes, music is subjective, but you know what relies on formula?  Rock ‘N’ Roll!  Anything else?  EVERYTHING THAT PLAYS ON POP RADIO, REGARDLESS OF GENRE, MAY IT BE POP, R&B, HIP HOP, OR EVEN COUNTRY MUSIC!  Rock Otaku, Out.

But does that formula hinder this song?

There’s a reason that this album is a metal classic, and it’s because this is Motörhead at arguably their best.  The songs are catchy as hell, the production is excellent, the guitar work is excellent mixing punk, blues, rock, and heavy metal, the bass guitar is some of the best I’ve ever heard, and the drums helped show that metal can be louder, faster, and more over the top before Venom came in.  It’s also an extremely excellent, well, rock ‘n’ roll album in every sense of the phrase.  This is an album that I can talk about to not just metalheads, but punks, drunks, rednecks, inner-city kids, slobs, snobs, freaks, geeks, weirdos, hedonists, prudes, guys, gals, musicians, music fans, otaku, weeaboos, comic fans, cinephiles, Disney aficionados, Trekkies, Browncoats, Whovians, wizards, goths, steampunk aficionados, furries, and so on, and we can all agree that Motörhead is awesome.  You may have a Motörhead song that you prefer that may not be on this album, but there’s no denying how lame things would have been if this didn’t exist.  If there’s no Motörhead, then I’m sure rock ‘n’ roll wouldn’t have survived the 80s synth explosion.  No thrash, no hair metal, no grunge, no garage rock revival, no indie, no neo-traditional country, nothing but artificial music for the rest of our lives.  Would you want to live in that world?  No, and that’s why Motörhead were so important, but thanks to the modern world wanting to screw everyone over, we lost Lemmy and so many others, and 2016 felt that death hard (seriously, Justin Bieber is considered a legitimate artist today, JUSTIN BIEBER!).  But in the hope that we get more bands that rock hard in 2017, I will say that this album is not just a true rock classic, but it’s required listening for those who are passionate about rocking out.

Also, I wish everyone a shining, Happy New Year!

RIP Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister (1945-2015).  You were, and always will be, the true King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Final Rating: 10/10 (Not just heavy metal, but pure rock ‘n’ roll; a definite must-own if you’re a fan of raw, no-BS music).

Next time on Let Them Eat Metal: Balls to the Wall by Accept

Until next time, this is the Rock Otaku.  Live Loud, Play Hard, and Eat Metal.

All used references are done under the rules of fair use and are owned by their original creators.

Also dedicated to Carrie Fisher (1956-2016).  May The Force Be With You.

My Thoughts on the Active Rock Airplay Chart (12/27/16)

Hello degenerates, heathens, weirdos, and deviants.  I am the Rock Otaku, and I’m here to show you worlds such as hard rock, metal, punk, alternative rock, movies, TV, anime, video games, and anything that makes us scream, shout, and go nuts!

Today, I provide my thoughts on the current Active Rock airplay chart as reported on americasmusiccharts.com.  If you fellow rockers feel that I should be shredding to the Alternative chart or a Billboard chart (like the Mainstream Rock or Modern Rock Charts), then feel free to tell me in the comments.  Anyway, here’s week 10.

So how was Christmas?  Was it great?  For me, I got a Vinyl player and decided to make all music purchases in the near future mostly exclusive to the format.  It’s an interesting format, but it provides for some interesting sounds that I’ve never realized when playing music.  As in, there’s a sort of authenticity to the format.  Call me a sound snob, but I’ll use digital for quick musical discovery, finding albums to review for Let Them Eat Metal that catch my eye and ears, and if an album is too hard or expensive to find and get, regardless of format.  Beyond that, I’ll grab vinyl records for whatever album or band that I’d rather have in a physical collection than a digital list.

So for this week, I have some news.  First, this will be the last week that I use the Active Rock Airplay Chart from americasmusiccharts.com.  Starting next week, I’ll focus on the Billboard Mainstream Rock, Alternative Rock, and Hot Rock Charts in a new weekly column called “The Rock Otaku’s Rockin’ Billboard Chart Watch.”  If that sounds weak, then here’s this to take in mind: Billboard, regardless of what your views on mainstream music are, is probably the top authority on how popular a song is (well, based on sales, airplay, and streams), and rock is a part of that, no matter how much the hardcore SJWs want it dead (thanks, Nickelback, Creed, Limp Bizkit, Simple Plan, and political correctness).  Plus, it gives me a greater sense that these songs, if they rock or suck, are huge in the U.S.  Finally, the main format will be created after the first entries being the following: The Top 10 Worst Hit Rock Songs of 2016 and the Top 10 Best Hit Rock Songs of 2016.  Those will be on first and second weeks of January, respectively, with the third week being the week the true column format will be set.

So to send off this list, here’s the list in reverse order, with reviews for any new songs:

50.       Crown The Empire – Weight Of The World (New Arrival):

You know, if it weren’t for the guitars that came in after the electronic intro, I’d expect this to have been an EDM track.  Not to say that this is a bad thing, but it’s weird to have a rock song to take from electropop, but that’s our world today.  A big factor to this is the bouncy beat that propels this song, even when it starts to include more basic mallcore instrumentation.  Plus, the electronics seem to blend in with the guitars, making it sound as if the guitars were processed through a computer.  Plus the lyrics deal with your usual emo lyrical elements, making this song feel pretty meh from a lyrical delivery.  If there’s a silver lining, the band is capable of better in that alternative-tinged melodic pop metalcore style they play, but they need to pick better songs to show that for airplay.  But for now, it’s not too memorable.

49.       Seasons After – Fighter (49 Last Week)*:

Something with a little more bite than the last one, probably.  At least it sounds like it can be played against Papa Roach, Beartooth, and Five Finger Death Punch.  Like any other alt-metal song, it’s a heavy song with electronic touches, loudness-seeking production, and some emo lyrics, though it’s more about overcoming the darkness and kicking ass.  Hell, it’s called “Fighter,” and it has that “strive to fight” feeling that makes it great for shonen AMVs.  The drums are loud and pounding, the bass is thick, but I’m not sure if it’s mixed in properly here, the guitars are crunchy, down tuned, and aggressive, and the vocal delivery is intense.  Plus, there’s a short solo here that allows the guitarist to kick as much ass.  In short, this song is perfect for strength training or martial arts practice (plus figuring out how to shoot fireballs).

48.       Three Days Grace – You Don’t Get Me High Anymore (45 last week)**: Meh

47.       Judah & The Lion – Take It All Back (50 last week)**: Meh.

46.       Halestorm – Mistress For Christmas (New Arrival):

Apparently, this is a cover of an AC/DC song.  As for that, Halestorm are pretty good when they channel the Thunder Down Under.  But if there’s an issue, there’s one: it’s after Christmas, and I don’t expect it to stay on the chart for a while.  That’s the main issue, and other problems are present in Halestorm’s other work and the stylings of AC/DC, it’s something to get used to.  The guitars crunch, the bass is thick, the drums are like a thunderstorm (like Mutt Lange and Bruce Fairbairn-produced AC/DC), and Lzzy Hale showcases here inner Brian Johnson here.  There’s also a few great guitar licks that come from the Angus Young rulebook alongside a solo that fits in that rulebook as well.  If there’s a humorous aspect about this, the song is about a really hot chick, and the kind that the rockers are asking for as a Christmas present, and lead singer Lzzy Hale came out as bi on Twitter 2 years ago (seriously, look that up).  As a result, it no longer feels like a random gender-bender version of AC/DC, but a true tribute to their sound.  Rock On, and Merry Christmas.

45.       Sylar – Dark Daze (43 last week): Meh.

44.       Lamb of God – The Duke (46 last week)**: Good.

43.       Nonpoint – Divided.. Conquer Them (44 Last Week)**: Okay.

42.       3 Doors Down – The Broken (41 last week): Meh.

41.       Metallica – Hardwired (38 last week): Good

40.       Badflower – Animal (42 last week): Great

39.       One Less Reason – Break Me (31 last week): Okay

38.       Bleeker – Highway (39 last week): Great

37.       Art of Anarchy – The Madness (36 last week): Good, but Stapp keeps it from great

36.       Goodbye June – Oh No (35 last week): Great

35.       Amity Affliction – All Messed Up (37 last week): Meh.

34.       From Ashes to New – Breaking Now (39 last week): Pretty good.

33.       Alter Bridge – Show Me A Leader (26 last week): Awesome song, too bad it’s dropping

32.       Blink-182 – She’s Out Of Her Mind (32 last week): Good

31.       Avatar – Night Never Ending (31 last week): Great

30.       Adelitas Way – Ready For War (Pray For Peace) (30 last week): Good

29.       Through Fire – Breathe (29 last week): Okay

28.       Pretty Reckless – Oh My God (40 Last Week): Good

27.       Devour The Day – The Bottom (27 last week): Good

26.       Sick Puppies – Where Do I Begin (28 last week): Okay

25.       Green Day – Bang Bang (25 last week): Great

24.       Gemini Syndrome – Remember We Die (24 last week): Good

23.       Metallica – Moth Into Flame (23 last week): Great

22.       Red Hot Chili Peppers – Go Robot (21 last week): Good

21.       Pop Evil – If Only For Now (20 last week): Good

20.       Starset – Monster (22 last week): Great

19.       Kings of Leon – Waste A Moment (17 last week): Great

18.       In Flames – The Truth (18 last week): Boo

17.       Sixx:A.M. – We Will Not Go Quietly (19 last week): Okay

16.       Dinosaur Pile-Up – 11:11 (15 last week): Great

15.       Korn – Take Me (16 last week): Depends on the mood

14.       Beartooth – Hated (14 last week): Depends on the mood

13.       Chevelle – Door To Door Cannibals (13 last week): Great

12.       A Day To Remember – Naivety (11 last week): Good

11.       Breaking Benjamin – Never Again (12 last week): Good

10.       Five Finger Death Punch – I Apologize (9 last week): Boo

9.         Disturbed – Open Your Eyes (10 last week): Good

8.         Red Sun Rising – Amnesia (8 last week): Great

7.         Shinedown – How Did You Love (7 last week): Okay

6.         Green Day – Still Breathing (6 last week): Good

5.         Avenged Sevenfold – The Stage (5 last week): Good, bordering on great

4.         Metallica – Atlas, Rise! (4 last week): Great, bordering on Awesome

3.         Volbeat – Seal The Deal (3 last week): Awesome

2.         Ghost – Square Hammer (2 last week): Awesome

1.         Highly Suspect – My Name Is Human (1 last week): Definitely one of my favorites from this year.

*Not reviewed yet

**Different from last week due to unforeseen shift by yours truly.

Now for the dropouts, in order of smallest to biggest drop, and my thoughts on them falling:

50 Last Week: Head And the Heart – All We Ever Knew:

This was a decent song, and it definitely showed some promise for the band, but apparently, this was not something that would by enjoyed by the same meatheads who keep giving 5FDP a career.  That’s a shame, but it’s made Billboard Year-End lists, so I have no doubts that these guys and gals have a long music career on their hands.  Sometimes, you need stuff like this after multiple mediocre hard rock songs (not to say that any of them are bad, it’s just there’s a lot of meh songs).  I gives this band my blessings.

49 Last Week: Dorothy – Dark Nights:

What the hell?  This should have been on the charts for longer.  Not because this band’s on Jay-Z’s label, but it’s because this song rocks.  Hard!  This has everything that you need in a bluesy rock song, hot guitar riffs, licks, and solos, thick basslines, pounding drums, and the stage presence of lead singer Dorothy Martin.  This has everything, but apparently people prefer whatever the hell Katy Perry has to say (did she even have a hit this year?  I don’t think so).  Overall, it’s a shame that this fell off the charts.

48 Last Week: Memphis May Fire – This Light I Hold f/J. Shaddix:

This is no longer on the charts?  Well, that’s not a major issue, as I felt that this song was alright, nothing more.  It’s something that tries too hard to be aggressive, and the usage of Jacoby Shaddix makes this song feel like a Papa Roach reject.  Not to say it’s awful, but I’ve heard worse from post-grunge, pop punk, hip hop, and country, and bad metalcore depends on how emo it gets.  This gets pretty emo, and it’s purely for Hot Topic shoppers, but it isn’t the worst mallcore song I’ve heard in my lifetime, but at least it isn’t Atilla and King 810 (the former brings humiliation to my hometown).

So that’s my analysis of the chart.  Feel free to comment if you feel that I should mention other songs, or if your views on the mentioned tracks are different from mine.  If you have suggestions to improve anything I do, don’t be shy.  Constructive criticism is the best criticism in my book about how to do this.  Also, tell me if you want album reviews or even reviews in other mediums.  I’m up for suggestions.

Coming Friday: Let Them Eat Metal Continues!

Until next time, this is the Rock Otaku.  Live Loud and Play Hard.

All used references are done under the rules of fair use and are owned by their original creators. 

RockOtaku Reviews: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Hello degenerates, heathens, weirdos, deviants, rebels, and defected Imperial officers.  I am the Rock Otaku, and I’m here to show you worlds such as hard rock, metal, punk, alternative rock, movies, TV, anime, video games, and anything that makes us scream, shout, and Rebel against the Galactic Empire.

Today, I review a movie that I’ve recently seen that both fits my interests alongside my standards of high-octane, high-caliber blockbusters: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla (2014)), the film is an examination of the events that led to the events of Star Wars (or more accurately, Episode IV), specifically when the Rebel Alliance obtained the construction plans for the Death Star.  Said events sound easier said than done, but as the films shows, it was not easy to get to that moment.  There were a lot of secrets revealed, obstacles to overcome, decisions to make, Stormtroopers to kill, and, spoilers not here but it’s obvious what would happen, Rebels to die.  If you’d think that this would lead to a philosophical movie that deals with the costs of war and the morally-off decisions one must make to win war, you’d be both right and wrong.

Unlike the previous Star Wars films (the “Episodes” that deal with the saga of the Skywalker family, including last year’s The Force Awakens), this is a straight up war movie.  It has all the hallmarks of Star Wars, including the scenery, the ships, the concept of the Force (though it’s treated here like a religion rather than how we saw it in the main movies), and the sound effects, but it’s done without the black-and-white morality of the main films, instead the movie features the “good guys” doing some dirty deeds while there are some “bad guys” that act as if they have more honor and do things for the greater good (I’d go into spoilers if I went further with this), such as co-protagonist Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and antagonist Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) respectively.  But if there’s one character with a true arc, its main protagonist Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), who goes from anarchist to one of the most important people in the Rebel Alliance’s fight with the Empire.

Overall, the film, while dark (and it gets darker towards the end), was a very entertaining story through its two hours of ground warfare, emotional scenes, inspiring moments, and, of course, space battles.  If you are not a hardcore Star Wars fan, and you felt that the films were light on intergalactic warfare due to their Campbellesque storylines, you’d definitely enjoy the film and its characters.  But if you are a fanboy, there are lines, moments, characters and cameos that not just provide some excellent fanservice, but also manage to tie this film into that universe perfectly.

Also, the pacing is well done.  With an urgent feel, the movie gives us the feeling that if these characters slow down too much, then the likelihood that the Death Star will wipe them out grows, and there are times when we’re given a breather that allows for greater character moments.  Plus, the action flies through at the right levels, provides some great character moments in them, and serve each part of the story properly.  There is never a sense that they wasted time on an action scene at all.  As for said action scenes, some of them, including the final battle, are some of the most intense, nerve-wracking moments in not just the movie, but the entire Star Wars series as a whole.  Plus, there is a moment where a character, thanks to improved technology and a strong direction, lets to cut loose with all his power, and it is one of the scariest moments in the franchise.

But despite the darkness and warfare, there is some strong comedy here.  The main droid, K-2SO (Alan Tudyk through motion capture and voiceover, much to Anthony Daniel’s chagrin), manages to both be a funny character in dialogue (the theater I saw this in cracked up when he made a quip) and in action, including a scene that leads into one of the more impressive fight scenes in the movie.  While Jyn and Cassian have some funny moments (though rarely as they are the emotional center), the banter between Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen) and Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) showcases their comradery, their reliance on each other, and their friendship as two misfits in the series, a blind monk who believes in the Force and a mercenary who relies on some powerful guns.  Plus there is a funny line from Chirrut, whose delivery fits in the scene where it’s said, which needs to be seen to be believed.

As for the other characters, they offer moments that can bring out the feels.  There is never a moment where Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelson) is seen that is not emotional.  Plus, you get to feel for Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed), who learns of Galen’s motives and decides to defect, and his arc is one of the more interesting ones in the movie.  You also get Saw Gerrera (Forrest Whitaker), who provides one of the sadder moments in the movie.  Finally, there will be a lot of people that will feel for Jyn and what she goes through in this movie, and that’s saying how strong of a character she is.

Now let’s talk technical details.  This film’s cinematography is gorgeous, with fantastic shots throughout (and some with some interesting new tidbits about what’s possible in the universe).  There are a lot of handheld-cam moments that add to the intensity of the moments and make is as if you are with these characters when they go through what they have to deal with.  The action is also well done, mixing in-camera effects, intense choreography (plus having the star of the Ip Man movies is a guarantee of some fantastic martial arts action), soldier-like behaviors, and some CGI.  As for the CGI, it’s surprisingly well done, providing a sense of realism to the spaceships and vehicles (with the classic designs intact), while allowing for some very dynamic movements in flight.  Plus, the creature designs are excellent, with CGI only used on certain creatures that have less tangible designs as well as a majority of the creature effects being practical, costume, makeup, and puppetry.  This includes certain characters from the original movies.  Finally, the score is well done, with Michael Giacchino creating new musical cues for the movie while reusing John Williams’ classic themes at the right moments while giving them fresh spins.

If there are issues, there are two main ones.  First, the movie’s first two acts feel like a random hodge-podge of events that mostly do not lead to anything, but once the third act occurs, everything starts to make sense in the grand scheme of things, and allows for every major character (and the entire rebel team that decides to steal the Death Star plans) to have a major moment.  The other is how CGI is used to bring certain characters into the movie and the story its telling due to how they affect the movies this connects to.  While this is not an issue with a few characters, due to them being played by the actors that have played them before, such as Genevieve O’Reilly and Jimmy Smits reprising their roles as Mon Mothma and Bail Organa from Episode III.  This also does not affect (now is the time to bring him up) Darth Vader, as they found an actor for the physical portrayals while James Earl Jones returns to provide the voice, and he’s fantastic.  The characters it may lead to issues with are characters from the original film that appear in here, whose actors are unable to play here.  After a while, you get used to it, and their characterizations are intact, but it’s a minor issue due to the demands of the story.

As for the story and its demands, it led to some interesting ways to connect with current continuity.  Specifically, they all involve the original film, but they are inserted in ways that feel natural while providing appropriate fanservice, and some of them are extremely clever in how it’s done, such as using unused archival footage for certain characters.

Overall, this is a massively entertaining, but also very ambitious, entry into the overall Star Wars Saga.  While it may truly aspire to be an artistic tour-de-force, it’s great as a standalone anthology film detailing events mentioned in the main films.  I really enjoyed this movie, and if there are some issues, I feel that both older and newer fans are able to overlook them, and this is the true moment where the grit and story-focus of the Original Trilogy and the flash and technology used to make the Prequels mesh and show how the two styles can fuse properly.  I give credit to Gareth Edwards’ direction, the script from Cris Weitz and Tony Gilroy using John Knoll and Gary Whitta’s story idea, Greig Fraser’s cinematography, the editing from John Gilroy, Colin Goudie and Jabez Olssen, Michael Giacchino’s amazing score, and the fantastic cast.  In short, I’d recommend that you give this move a viewing in the theaters at least once, or maybe twice.  It’s worth it.

Final Score: 9/10 (Definitely a favorite)

Until next time, this is the Rock Otaku.  Live Loud, Play Hard, and May the Force Be With You.  Also, Merry Christmas!

All used references are done under the rules of fair use and are owned by their original creators. 

LET THEM EAT METAL #3: Hall of the Mountain King by Savatage (Tis the season for crunchy guitars!)

In the days of yore, when pop music meant something, it was filled with nourishing musical ideas and showed the tides of progress.  But then something happened, the ability for it to fill our soul has nearly vanished, and the masses are starved on good music.  There’s the occasional quality track that stays good after multiple spins, but it has gotten to the moment where even good pop music gets stale.  We live in a white-bread world in mainstream music.  However, there’s salvation from the drek that the masses need to know about.  In the words of Marie Antoinette, or more accurately The Rods quoting her: “LET THEM EAT METAL!”

Hello degenerates, heathens, weirdos, and deviants.  I am the Rock Otaku, and I’m here to show you worlds such as hard rock, metal, punk, alternative rock, movies, TV, anime, video games, and anything that makes us scream and shout in the hall.  OF THE MOUNTAIN KING!  AHHHHHHHHHH, YEAH!

This series is dedicated to the best that heavy metal can offer.  As you will read, I will take you on a journey though the annals of heavy metal’s storied history from its beginning in early 70s, its crystallization in the late 70s and early 80s, its breakthrough into mainstream conscience in the early to mid-80s, its maturation in the late 80s and 90s, its dominance (sort of) in the 2000s and even today, and the rare moments that very few talk about unless in the company of like-minded fans.  Not in that order, but I’ll be looking at the footnotes oh metal history in the order I desire.  In short, this new series is about metal, plain and simple.

Today, let’s talk about Florida.  Ah, Florida, the Sunshine State.  The home of Disney World, Universal Studios (yes, there’s a Hollywood version), SeaWorld (and there’s both a San Diego and San Antonio park), Busch Gardens (unless you live in Virginia), Cypress Gardens (before it became another LEGOLAND), and Silver Springs (not the city, the park).  Plus there’s at least three world-renowned universities there with iconic sports teams.  If you guessed, unless you’re a native or an old person, Florida is not that good of a state.  In fact, it’s pretty overrated, now that apparently the Zyka virus is a problem.  It’s humid, hot, wetter than a lake, and you have gators, snakes, Limp Bizkit, Creed, and political ideologies of its people being as dense as an anime harem protagonist.  Unless you’re a Blockbuster Buster or a Rocked, the only city worth living in is Orlando. 

But because it’s the Christmas season, I have to say something nice to avoid coal in my stocking or being blacklisted before Star Wars Land premiers.  While I did geek out over the parks, there’s also Alter Bridge coming out of the state, Tampa’s the reason we have death metal, Matthew Mercer came from there (and you know how that turned out), and two of the most influential American progressive metal bands came from there: Crimson Glory and Savatage, the band I'm writing about today.

 

As you may have guessed, I am not limiting myself to British bands for this series.  If I did, then it’d get predictable about how I rate bands, and I would exhaust every possible Monty Python reference I can make.  Plus, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal isn’t the only metal movement that happened.  There’s L.A. Glam Metal, Bay Area Thrash, Teutonic Speed and Power Metal (plus the thrash), Scandinavian Extreme Metal, the aforementioned Floridian Death Metal, Visual Kei, and whatever trendy metal movement is going on at this time.  This blog is about using the best that metal can offer, well known or obscure, to show some new insights into heavy metal, as well as make it even nerdier than it already is (with Blind Guardian and Machinae Supremacy, that might be difficult).  Finally, there’s ample opportunity to show just how interesting metal can get, both in its history as well as where certain bands came from, and ultimately what happened to them.

In this case, Savatage may not be known as heavy metal icons like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Accept, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax, but they have both interesting origins and recent history.  Formed in the Tampa area of Florida in the late 70s, their name was a fusion dance between “Savage” and “Avatar,” their original name before pre-YouTube copyright nonsense forced them to change it.  They originally played in more of a speed metal style while having some unorthodox elements, and they got a deal with Atlantic Records a few years after their first independent releases.  During this time, they released Sirens and The Dungeons are Calling independently, then Power of The Night as their major label debut.  After that was the release of Fight For The Rock, an album that the band has ultimately disowned due to executive meddling, the reason for every time creativity is squandered.  As a result of their frustrations, they got producer Paul O’Neill and created the album I talk about today: Hall of the Mountain King.

After that, we got Gutter Ballet, Streets: A Rock Opera (their last with founding member Jon Oliva due to alcohol and drug abuse), Edge of Thorns (their last with founding member Criss Oliva due to a car accident), and Handful of Rain (the album that had Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick), and Dead Winter Dead.  And then something happened.  Every member at the time was convinced to orchestrate Paul O’Neill’s Christmas-themed project, and the result was the first album by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, who I’m sure most of you know about.  If you don’t, here’s a few snippets of their work:

If that doesn’t put you into the holiday spirit while banging your head, then this describes you perfectly:

For today’s album, the reason why I’m reviewing it the Friday before Christmas is because I was introduced to the title track through a combination of Sirius XM’s Ozzy’s Boneyard playing it and Brutal Legend, and I would listen to all the songs on it later through YouTube and through Spotify.  If you’re wondering, those are two ways that I can listen to full albums, and I’m capable of finding some very interesting albums that are either out of print, but have been uploaded online, are too expensive thanks to them having to be imported, or I just need to listen to them for a review like this.  That’s it.  There’s nothing truly special about this review except for the fact that I find the title track to be ONE OF THE MOST AWESOME HEAVY METAL SONGS EVER CONCEIVED!!  Seriously, once I get to it, expect me to act all “Notice Me, Senpai” towards it.  But beforehand, here’s a note about the album.

When it came out, this was considered Savatage’s beginning as a progressive metal band and the point where they became a quality heavy metal band.  A reason for is this due to how the band hated the previous album and started to get influences from classical music and progressive rock.  As a result, they decided to craft an album that started their path into progressive metal, concept albums, and later the majesty that is the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  And this is the genesis of that.

Let’s get this venture into the underground place the mountain king roams all alone:

1.    24 Hours Ago:

Starting this album is one hell of an intro.  With an aggressive guitar, bass, and drum intro, including a guitar solo, that builds up to one hell of a vocal line, this establishes that whatever style of music you like, Savatage are here to rock!  After that, the intro riff is interspaced with the dynamic duo of Jon and Criss Oliva providing their skills on vocals and guitar respectively.  Throughout this track is a sort of dark undercurrent that is both awesome and creepy, with the lyrics dealing with going out on the road in your sweet car, running from something.  Alongside the aforementioned intro riff, performances, and lyrics is a bunch of different riff styles that gives this song an off-kilter feel that usually exists in progressive rock.  Hell, this is apparent in the first main guitar solo.  Also kickass is the chorus.  After the third usage of it, the song moves into a bass riff that turns into another killer guitar riff that leads to more guitar pyrotechnics with a neo-classical bent to them.  The final guitar line ends the song with said rage.  If there’s an overall feeling with this track, it’s like being inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for the last 24 hours (It’ll feel like a year in there).  However, there are some that can’t handle that, such as mainstream audiences that have the attention span of a squirrel, and, well, anyone who messes with Mr. Popo:

2.    Beyond the Doors of the Dark:

Starting with an eerie clean guitar intro, you get a low vocal performance from Jon that sets the tone for the rest of the song: dark enough to unsettle Gintoki Sakata.  The lyrics here involve someone calling out to the children of the night to come into his world beyond the darkness.  And after that creepy intro, the song builds into the kickass riff that would cause this in the weak-willed:

Said riff is pure guitar bliss, when you are demented.  Then the lyrics kick in, dealing with darkness and all that fun stuff, purely meant to make people scream like a little girl thinking about it, all with the sweet refrain of “A never ending suicide/Of nightmares you have inside.”  In short it’s pure word salad lyrics unless you consider the angle of one losing sanity.  Either way, it’s a dark track.  Plus, the instrumentation is stellar, with that riff, loaded with power chords, palm muting, and even some vibrato, thick bass, and pounding, thunderous drums.  Plus, the guitar solo also adds to the decreasing sanity of the listener, and it’s another strong showcase of Criss Oliva’s abilities.  In short, this is an awesomely creepy rocker that’s great to headbang to, and it could also scare your neighbors.

3.    Legions:

Ladies and gentlemen, the theme of Night Raid.  Well, unless the Jaegers are roaming the streets.  The opening bass line and guitar fills lead to a badass song that is about going out into the night and living by the motto “Let’s Get Dangerous.”  The verses give off this sort of going out to either bring terror to the masses through some dark means, or, based on the Akame Ga Kill reference, to bring terror to the corrupt and the crazy (The band should give Seryu a visit).  The chorus is just the title repeated for three times, with “Good God” added at certain points, then “Can I hear your battle cry” ending it.  It’s punchy, catchy, and surprisingly affective at showcasing the grit and tone of the song.  The instrumentation is equally badass, giving off a sort of punch that adds to the tone of the song, being dark but badass.  The guitars, bass, and drums are all excellent.  Plus that guitar solo is pretty awesome.

4.    Strange Wings:

Of the songs, this is probably the only sign of affections toward courting a mainstream audience.  That intro riff, the main riff of the song, is what gives me this thought, and the guitar solo is less crazy and more melodically tasteful.  After that, the song gets slightly lighter, while Jon croons about a woman who is, for some reason, riding a black Pegasus through the stormy skies, crying, while he decides to rush after her.  That’s where the song loses “mainstream” points due to its abstract lyrics that may be about a girl Jon knows in real life.  But here, because this is progressive power metal (and a 80s mainstream variant), the lyrics are fantastical, like an artsy picture you can find on DeviantArt.  Or anything out of Puella Magi Madoka Magica.  However, if this was about a normal girl at a Denny’s, then I’m sure Luke would have problems with it, but it isn’t, so I, and possibly Luke, can handle it better.  The instrumentation is fantastic, the guitars are catchy, melodic, and tasteful while being as sharp as a katana, the bass is righteously thick, and the drums are thunderous and provide an excellent beat.  The guitar solos here are all excellent as well.  Overall, this song may be weird, but it’s catchy enough to overlook that, and it fits well on this album.

5.    Prelude to Madness:

Madness?

Such a classic line.

The intro of this instrumental begins with a stormy tone, before moving into a “Mars”-esque guitar line paired with a string section, then a guitar line that continues the tone.  Finally, the song kicks into a symphonic heavy metal version of Edward Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” that gets faster, more aggressive, and ends in the orchestra performing it while Criss starts shredding on the guitar like a madman.  The rhythm section also manages to skillfully stay in sync with everyone else.  This is an excellent showcase of the band’s talents, musical abilities, and foreshadowing to two things: their later, more symphonic and proggy music, and the title track and its awesomeness.  Plus I have this reaction to the fact that this band’s guitarist died in a car accident six years after this album came out:

And I thought Clannad was depressing.

But enough with the sadness, this song ends with dark, stormy atmospherics that lead into the next song, a journey into further dark madness…

6.    Hall of the Mountain King:

With the previous song, you can call this a sort of sequel or successor to the Edward Grieg composition.  The song starts with the atmospheric sounds from “Prelude to Madness,” which segue into the kickass guitar riff that grabs you, then launches you into a kickass guitar solo that begins a journey into the underground kingdom, especially into the titular halls of the mountain king’s palace.  The lyrics deal with this adventure, going in and dealing with the darker aspects of such a perilous quest, and Jon Oliva’s delivery is pure heavy metal opera.  Adding to the metallic dungeon raid is the awesome rhythm section, several progressive moments (musically, this is still 80s metal), and Criss Oliva’s guitar solos, including a massive, face-melting one before the final verse.  For this adventure, you need a team that can handle the mountain king’s deep dark eyes watching them from his tower, with possibly some help from Log Horizon and/or any of the former members of the Debauchery Tea Party and their current guilds and parties.  However, do NOT invite this guy:

7.    The Price You Pay:

After that epicness, you’d expect the album to not be as good, but it’s still great.  However, the opening lyrics of this track, and Jon Oliva’s delivery of them, cause me to think that this song, which was started with another good riff from Criss Oliva, is Savatage’s addition to the canon of songs about creepy guys who frequent Denny’s (check out Rocked’s Regretting the Past series for that reference).  That’s just my opinion, but that may not be the lyrical meaning, as there’s lyrics about how this person, particularly a woman who’s worked hard, but nothing good happened to her.  But due to how Jon puts himself in this song, you get this view that he’s been creeping on her.  I, for one, find that disturbing.  Even with that, the song rocks.  With an ongoing trend of crunchy, textured, and melodic guitars, thick bass, and pounding, thunderous drums, interplayed with shredding guitar solos, Savatage continue to deliver the heavy metal glory.  Plus, the lyrics, no matter how creepy they are, have a sort of viewpoint that tells the viewer that there’s a cost to anything grand or big they try to do, even if it’s to get something you desire.  Look at the Elric brothers, there was a price they had to pay when they tried to perform human transmutation.

8.    White Witch:

This is pure speed metal bliss, that it is.  That intro pretty much tells you that this song will be a lot faster than what we got earlier.  As for the rest of the song, it delivers on the speed metal promise, with the drums being more thunderous than ever, and the guitars cutting with razor sharp precision.  As for the lyrics, they deal with Jadis and her dark magic on some unlucky shrub, possibly a Telmarine.  If you’re wondering the Narnia references instead of coke, when I hear the phrase “White Witch,” I’m going to think about the woman responsible for the enslavement of the land and its eternal winter before the Pevensie children came through the wardrobe so they can send her to the Shadow Realm with Aslan.  The instrumentation, as I’ve mentioned, is savage, with the aforementioned guitar and drum paired with thick bass lines creating a hard-driving song.  Plus the solo kicks ass.  Overall, this is the kind of song that you need to listen to when saving Narnia from the White Witch, but the Pevensie children are nowhere near this savage.  I’m sure that this guy would fit better song-wise:

9.    Last Dawn:

Giving us a minute to breathe is this instrumental track.  Continuing the aura of darkness is the ongoing usage of minor keys in the instrumentation, specifically the guitars and bass, the only two instruments heard here.  If there’s a story going on, there’s a sort of dark undercurrent that whatever’s going on this day, it may be the last for all of us.  That the dark forces will come and overcome good men.  That, to the purveyors of darkness, humanity is, well:

On to the next song, which defines that.

10.  Devastation:

I’ll have to give this song some kudos for having a sort of swing to the beat.  However, there’s a sense that, like the rest of the album, there is a strong influence from the British metal of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, once this song gets into gear.  Even more so here, with its apocalyptic lyrics.  With the glee of Yuki Terumi on anybody’s bad day, The Joker around knives, and Bowser in a Disney Princess convention, Jon Oliva sings about, well, the Biblical end of the world, like this…

…and the band follows along with the doom-filled metal, with, as usual, razor-sharp crunchy guitars, thick bass, and thunderous drums, filled with guitar licks and solos from Criss Oliva.  Said riffs cut like a knife, and the solo is another addition to the great solos here on this album.  The rhythm section is in key unison with what the Oliva brothers want to do here, and is expertly crafted.  As far as beats go, I can easily recommend this single track to a lot of more groove-conscious music fans, even pop listeners.  As far as closing songs go, this is one amazing one.  And yes, due to how cohesive the album surprisingly is, the last review was mostly stuff you heard of with references that I’m sure some readers will get a kick out of.

I could go on about this album, or the bonus track “Stay,” but I feel that stopping here, as this is how the album originally ended, is probably the most charitable thing I can do before Kris Kringle makes his global trip this Christmas Eve night.  Plus, I’d rather wait until Second Christmas before I’d go into depth about the fate of the individual band members (after making sure Santa’s brother Don is still out for the count).

This album is a fantastic work of progressive power metal, and one of the albums that sets the standard for the genre.  Is it perfect?  Not sure, but I’m sure I’ve been getting some complaints of heresy from metal snobs over my comments from last week, sort of like this:

But with Trans-Siberian Orchestra getting the praise and attention, I’m sure that making multiple anime references in here is not going to lead to planetary destruction from the Inquisitors.  Thankfully, I really love this album and everything that the band put into it.  Jon Oliva is fantastic on this album, delivering some amazing vocals throughout.  The production from Paul O’Neill is well done and fits the album well, with crunchy guitars from Criss Oliva, thick bass from Johnny Lee Middleton, and thunderous drums from Steve “Doc” Wacholz, plus very great usage of keyboards, orchestras, and sound effects.  If there’s an issue, then it would have to do with the compression on some of the instruments.  It helps with their sonic attack, but it does help date the album, thanks to how metal is produced today versus the mid-80s, despite it being better sounding and more atmospheric than what passes as metal today.  Plus, there’s a metric megaton of guitar shredding on the album, even outside of parts that are designated for the main guitar solo, but that’s an issue with progressive metal, so it’s something you have to get used to.  Plus the flamboyancy throughout the record is not going to go over well with certain groups who want everything rock or metal related to be a never ending series of “Teen Spirit” knockoffs.  But for me, this is a great album, and worth adding to any heavy metal collection.

Finally, to all who read this between its release date and time and Christmas Day, I offer a simple phrase.  This is for all kids between the ages of 1 to 92.  Although it’s been said many times in many ways, Merry Christmas to you all.  Be excellent to each other no matter the holiday and season.  And.  PARTY ON, DUDES!

RIP Criss Oliva (1963-1993).  May you shred your way into the hallowed halls of Valhalla this Yuletide.

Final Rating: 9/10 (Finely crafted progressive power metal, and a great introduction once you pass the Mötley Crüe and Judas Priest intro courses in heavy metal love and appreciation).

Next time on Let Them Eat Metal: Ace of Spades by Motörhead

Coming Sunday: Rogue One Review!

Until next time, this is the Rock Otaku.  Live Loud, Play Hard, and Eat Metal.

All used references are done under the rules of fair use and are owned by their original creators.