tts42572

Horrible.

I'm not sure how I look at it....These guys are either one of the biggest over-achieving bands in history....or one of the biggest underachieving bands.

I mean, on one hand they overachieved being that they made a huge career out of basically 2 albums (AFD, Illusion albums) but on the other hand they underachieved by only managing to do 2 decent albums.  

I guess at the end of the day, they became huge and made their money so guess they got what they were after.  But they surely left a lot of meat on the bone and should've accomplished much more. 

Not a bad song musically but struggling with the vocals and accent in spots.

2 hours ago, J.S.M said:

I really don't like the singer. He is lacking some coolness. It sometimes sounds forced/too high for him, in one of the previews he was absolutely out of time. His english pronounciation doesn't sound great (I'm not a native speaker myself but I can't stand a d-sound instead of a th)

Their sound and songwriting is pretty good. Loved the first album.

Same here.

I liked the first album, but the 2nd album lost me because of the singer.  I remember not minding the opening single but then it sort of lost me the more I heard.  

I dig the vibe and overall sound but when that stuff doesn't matter if vocals hold you up for whatever reason.

Don't think I've ever heard of these guys as far as I can remember.

Song is okay but not really grabbing me all that much.  I think I'm a little iffy on the singer.

I'll probably give the next couple singles a listen to see if they stick a little more or not.

5 hours ago, KarpetRydOFunk said:

Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea is another great album from them, and is the only one I've really invested time into. I should check out this new one. 

Been checking that one out too.....it is pretty good.  Not quite as edgy as the new one though.

Been sampling their other albums too but so far the newest one is grabbing me most.  

On 12/5/2023 at 8:53 AM, tts42572 said:

Feeling like my list is pretty well set this year unless I discover something over the next couple weeks.

For me, 

1.  Temple Balls - Avalanche

2.  Midnite City - In At The Deep End

3.  Station - And Time Goes By

4.  Tempt - S/T

5.  Defiants - Drive

6.  Eclipse - Megalomanium

Not really much beyond that I spend a lot of time with or that really grabbed me.  However, even though it came out 5 years ago, one of my most listened to albums this year according to my spotify list is Godsmack's When Legends Rise so that probably should get an honorable mention since it was really a new discovery for me this year.  In reality, I'd probably put it 3rd on my list above if I included it. 

If I were picking a top 5 songs, probably would be:

1.  19 Summertime - Defiants

2.  Someday - Midnite City

3.  Trap - Temple Balls

4.  Camouflage - Tempt

5.  If You Want Me Too - Station

Pretty decent year overall for my tastes.  We'll see what next year brings.  As of now, I think my most anticipated album is probably Kissin' Dynamite as they recently announced a new album will be out sometime in 2024.

 

I have to make an edit to my year end list.

After seeing some other year end lists, I happened upon giving the new album from Black Stone Cherry a listen after seeing a couple people with some similar tastes post about it.  I've never once listened to these guys before but really digging this new album and have basically had it on repeat the past week....just some solid modern melodic rock with some edge to it.  It kind of reminds me of the When Legends Rise album from Godsmack that I got into quite a bit after listening to it this year.  Maybe I'm just in the mood to hear something a little different lately, IDK.

Anyways, my "final" list now:   

1.  Temple Balls - Avalanche

2.  Midnite City - In At The Deep End

3.  Black Stone Cherry - Screamin' At The Sky

4.  Station - And Time Goes By

5.  Tempt - S/T

6.  Defiants - Drive

7.  Eclipse - Megalomanium

Never really listened to these guys but with new music hitting slow to start in 2024 I've been noting some stuff I've seen on year end lists to check out and this was one I checked out.

Really good album and some solid modern melodic rock.  Kind of reminds me in sound to Lansdowne....Frankly, sounds very similar IMO, especially to Lansdowne's more recent material which has more of a modern sound compared to their Blue Collar Revolver days.   

Think my favorites so far are Nervous, When The Pain Comes, Smile, World and R.O.A.R.  But there's nothing here I'm getting the urge to skip.

Good stuff for a little change of pace.

Really no resolution other than to be very frugal with what I buy.  I just don't listen to CD's much at all anymore but it's still a struggle to not buy them for some reason lol.  I have cut it down considerably though as I only bought 3 last year.  I have to keep reminding myself though to only buy albums I absolutely love or bands that I just want to collect.

It's still hard though as I still have those memories of buying basically every album that came out even if I only liked one song off it lol.

8 hours ago, Geoff said:

Just bought my ticket now. Quite a few I could pass on, but no way Tyketto, Slaughter and HEAT (still not seen them yet) are coming out and I'm going to miss it. Now I'll sit in dread for the next few months as each band cancels for some reason or other, lol. 

On paper, though, very exciting. I've seen Lynch Mob and Janet Gardner before and wouldn't mind seeing them again. Lynch Mob were really bland and legit seemed to avoid every song of theirs I loved when I saw them (with Oni Logan too, sadly - as in it would have been awesome if he could have sung on the classics), so hoping they play some of the classics of those first two albums this time around. If they did it'd be like seeing them for the first time as that first set list was just shit. 

I liked Janet Gardner and as long as her voice holds up I'm sure I'll enjoy her again. 

Was never a fan of Jetboy, but it's an okay band to see for "free" in addition to the bands I'm actually forking out the cash for. I wonder if they'll play 'Too late,' lol. 

Cruel Intentions are cool too - shouldn't dismiss them. I actually quite like them and don't doubt they'd put on a pretty wicked live show. 

Ragdoll had a few cool cuts too - I think? - that I'd hope they'd play live. Would have to brush up on Cruel Intentions and Ragdoll, but probably cool inclusions. Never really got a seat on the Wicked Smile bus, but they'll be cool to see live, I don't doubt. 

Anyway, fingers crossed super hard that at least Slaughter and Tyketto make it out here. The prospect of seeing 'Forever Young' live is orgasmic.  

Tyketto is great.  Saw them for the first time on the 2020 Monsters of Rock Cruise.  Danny Vaughn still sounds excellent.  I just wish these guys would tour more.  I think Danny lives somewhere in Europe now so they hardly ever play the USA anymore.

I was also happy to see Lynch Mob on that same MORC with Oni.  They played the whole Wicked Sensation album in order which I thought was cool.  I've see nthem without Oni one time and it just wasn't the same.

I've never seen H.E.A.T with Kenny so that would be something I'd like to see also.

I'd definitely be attending this show if I had the opportunity.

Yikes.  How could a band that was so good become so bad?  Clearly, there was a reason these songs they're putting out were never released.....they're all varying degrees of bad.

Whatever secret sauce this band had back during the Appetite and Illusion eras clearly got used up and the jar was licked clean.

Is it really that hard to just do some catchy hard rock songs with some Slash riffs/solos mixed in?  Apparently it is because they don't seem capable of doing it the past 30 years.

Okay tune.  Probably about as good as anything he's done solo.  Still, don't see myself returning to it for more listens.

Just never been enamored with his solo stuff as for me it's light years away from what he did in Skid Row.

7 hours ago, Geoff said:

So let's discuss the best album of the year (spoiler alert) that people seem to be purposely dodging and I need to understand why. I've missed the memo.

First Signal - 'Face Your Fears.' You dudes are my people, but hit me with it. What trivial reason are we all ignoring this album for? Can't be the songs because they're killer. 

If we pause what we're doing now and just put this in your ears;

 

Obviously no genuine member of this site is hearing that and thinking, "Oh my, that is yuck garbage." So why is everyone ignoring this album? Like I said, you're my people, but if there's on this thing this forum as a collective can do it's to get caught up on something trivial and insignificant and roll with it. Do we not like this album because it's another Frontiers project album? Fill me in, dudes. As someone who takes each album on it's own merit, this is pretty easily slaying most of what I hear this year (except maybe Creye) but it can't even earn a mention on any other list, on a melodic rock site? I am flummoxed. 

If it wasn't Hess singing someone else's songs for a Frontiers project, but it was a new band with the same album would everyone be falling over themselves for it? 

I think you nailed what it was for me.....I've grown pretty tired of these Fontiers projects.  I'm not buying the anymore and hardly listening to them either.  The ones I do listen to are those that I've really liked and sort of already made room for in my head lol....WET, Nordic Union, The Defiants, etc.  The Defiants might be more of a band than a "project" anyways as at least they've played some live shows.....Same with W.E.T.

Either way, I want to spend my time listening to and actually supporting bands that I might actually have a chance to see live someday, who are active on social media, etc.

As a result, I pretty much just skim past these projects now unless something comes along that absolutely blows me away.  This sounds pretty decent but I haven't been too into previous First Signal stuff I've heard in the past when I did check them out some.  I'm not huge into Hess for whatever reason.....even the Harem Scarem stuff is hit and miss for me.
 

Feeling like my list is pretty well set this year unless I discover something over the next couple weeks.

For me, 

1.  Temple Balls - Avalanche

2.  Midnite City - In At The Deep End

3.  Station - And Time Goes By

4.  Tempt - S/T

5.  Defiants - Drive

6.  Eclipse - Megalomanium

Not really much beyond that I spend a lot of time with or that really grabbed me.  However, even though it came out 5 years ago, one of my most listened to albums this year according to my spotify list is Godsmack's When Legends Rise so that probably should get an honorable mention since it was really a new discovery for me this year.  In reality, I'd probably put it 3rd on my list above if I included it. 

If I were picking a top 5 songs, probably would be:

1.  19 Summertime - Defiants

2.  Someday - Midnite City

3.  Trap - Temple Balls

4.  Camouflage - Tempt

5.  If You Want Me Too - Station

Pretty decent year overall for my tastes.  We'll see what next year brings.  As of now, I think my most anticipated album is probably Kissin' Dynamite as they recently announced a new album will be out sometime in 2024.

7 hours ago, KarpetRydOFunk said:

Yeah, but didn't he start off as a solo artist?

He may have...But I don't remember if he did lol.  I think the first I remember hearing of him was in Danger Danger.

Either way, I doubt whatever he does on this solo album will exceed his Danger Danger or Defiants stuff for me.

Will be checking it out but don't really see myself getting into it.

I don't know what it is, but for whatever reason I seem to often struggle getting into solo releases.  And especially when it's from artists that have been established in other bands/projects that I've enjoyed.  I think by nature I always compare the solo release to whatever the artist had done previously in other bands/projects and seems like most times it ends up feeling like a lesser version of that previous stuff to me.

Will check it out though....He's a talented dude.

Was able to give this a listen and happy to report it sounds fantastic!

Only one listen but damn, this rocks!  

This will certainly be in my top 3 this year.  We'll see how things settle with more listens.

Well worth checking out if you enjoyed their last album as this just picks up where that left off and takes it up a notch IMO.

1 hour ago, lettard said:

Yeah enjoy his reviews also , but find that he very rarely doesn't like something 

That Rozario album is quite good btw 

Yeah, I've noticed that some.  I remember he didn't care much for the latest Def Leppard though 

That said, I think he's said he doesn't like devoting a lot of time and doing videos to stuff he doesn't like as he doesn't want to come off as a hater and he's said he mostly just likes spreading the word and bringing some attention to stuff he likes.  And I get it....nobody is going to send you stuff to review if they think you're going to hate on it lol....like Frontiers for example 

I kind of pick and choose what I watch from him anyways and mostly only watch stuff I know I've liked or might be interested in.

Review of the album....I haven't seen many other reviews posted of it.

I enjoy this guys reviews/reactions and often seem to find myself agreeing with him.

1 hour ago, nyoilers said:

They need a US distributor. I bought their first CD from Amazon

Agree.  I feel like being with somebody like Frontiers might help them immensely just from the distribution standpoint.

I just think it's kind of tough for an Australian band to get traction these days here in the US.  I guess it's not much different than Euro bands trying to get traction here either....The logistics here with visas and crap just make it tough.

These guys should be playing festivals like M3.

I miss the old Melodic Rock Fests....Andrew would've had these guys coming over for sure!

New single out....Think from an EP that I think id due out in early December.

Sounding pretty good to me....

Anybody ever paid any attention to these guys?

I remember digging their Blue Collar Revolver album years ago but then they sort of fell of my radar.

They seem to be kicking things up again over the past couple years though and have signed with AFM Records.

I've dug some of their recent songs they've come out with.  Maybe worth checking/keeping an eye on if you like some catchy, modern melodic rock.  They kind of fit with stuff like Hinder, maybe Daughtry, etc IMO.

47 minutes ago, lettard said:

Yeah for me their best stuff they've done

That's where I'm landing too.

Only song still not really resonating with me is Somewhere In Between...That one kind of doesn't really go anywhere.

Dig all the rest though.

I feel like they stepped it up a notch on this.  The production and overall sound is probably the best they've had IMO too.

13 hours ago, EnJayKay said:

I wonder who's singing on this one?

Bryan Cole did a good job on his first one, wasn't Roy Cathey on the second one?

I think it was Roy on vocals last I knew.

I wish it was Cold Sweat getting signed to Frontiers and doing a new album though!

On 10/31/2023 at 5:25 AM, Geoff said:

Hate to be the doomsday parade, but sadly I don't like it one bit. The way in which the songs are delivered seems to cater to Don's vocals these days, and that part I can appreciate. Sadly, I just don't like any of the songs. 

I have no issues with Don's vocals for what they are, Levin sounds great but the production job really lets the rhythm section down. Weak drum sound doesn't do the album any favours when the songs are really struggling to deliver any punch as they are. 

Listened to a couple of reviews on this yesterday and both were a lot kinder than my ears were. Simply put, I just don't personally like any of the songs at all. They're subdued and restrained, but more than that, there's just no half decent hook, the choruses don't grab me whatsoever, and the verses just plod along. No part of any song interests me. Maybe the solos, but it's a struggle to make it that far on any of these tunes. 

It's sad to say. You can definitely look at it glass half full and say it's better than this or that, but comparing it to other poor albums doesn't work for me. Reality is I'll never play any song off this again, regardless of if it's better than another bad recent Dokken album or not. I was thinking about this the other day, and I'd probably have to go back to 'Erase The Slate' to find the last keeper track Dokken recorded, imo. That's a long time ago now... 

If I was pressed I'd say the best two tracks are 'Fugitive,' which is about as close to vintage Dokken as I think we can ever expect again, and the ballad 'I'll Never Give Up' is probably the track that suits everything about the band at the moment best. Relaxed vocals from Don, poor production not as vital for a softer song, and overall it just caters to how laid back the band is in 2023. 

I'd say basically all the same about this.

I appreciate the attempt and I don't really even think Don did all that bad vocally here all things considered.  For me though, the songs just needed more.  Add some harmonies, backing vocals and other hooks that would help these songs soar a bit.  Give me some "It's Not Love" style chants or something.

It's just too reserved and comes off as pretty dull and boring.  They could've added more to this to sort of take the focus and pressure off Don vocally IMO.

Such a bummer.  Probably my favorite TV show. 

RIP