Eric3

On 2/14/2023 at 11:17 PM, melodicrock said:

 

Alessandro Del Vecchio - Keyboards

Produced by: Alessandro Del Vecchio

I can't tell if this is satire or not. 

3 hours ago, KarpetRydOFunk said:

What do you mean, exactly? 

What do you mean, what do I mean? It's a great song lol.

Holy crap, is this impressive or what?

Official Eric3 verdict: This album sucks.

It's just so boring. I admit to not being as familiar with this band's catalog as the rest of you but I can totally see where the comments about derivative, plodding songs come from. There are a few nice vocal melodies here and there but apart from a few songs (The Fire and The Rain, The Tidal Wave, Parabellum) there's just nothing that makes me want to listen again.

It shares some qualities - both good and bad - with Here Be Monsters, but that one had several more songs that aren't instant skips.

There's only one song on here that I don't like and that's In The Name of Love. The rest is really solid stuff, great dynamics throughout and just rocks harder than anything since the debut album. This album is not as strong but it's comfortably ahead of everything released under this project since then.

I don't normally like live albums, but...

Rush - Grace Under Pressure Tour 1984

Amorphis - Forging The Land Of Thousand Lakes

Dream Theater - Score

Helloween - Live in Sao Paulo

Metallica - Live in Seattle 1989 (not sure this counts or not)

Anathema - Universal

Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere

On 2/15/2023 at 2:48 PM, Jez said:

A good, solid album and far from the worst 'band' on the Frontiers label, but it didn't get me very excited if i'm honest. . I'll stick with the mighty' The Greatest Wonder' 

Pure magic.

First listen all the way through and yeah this is WAY better than the last two, maybe last three First Signal albums. I love how they brought back the grittier production of the debut, even though I'm pretty sure Dennis Ward isn't on the project this time. Better guitars, more imaginative percussion, and just ROCKS where the previous efforts plod.

Looks like a diverse songwriting team, too. Jani Limatainen (Sonata Arctica, Cain's Offering) on this one.

On 3/6/2020 at 10:48 AM, Stefan said:

 

I really like this one.

4 hours ago, CMGiordano said:

I have this suspicion (and I know I'm not the only one) that either 1) Frontiers just puts ADV on every project they do in some capacity (with the exception of well established groups like Stryper, Eclipse, etc. who have their own distinct songwriting styles) whether those involved in the project are down with it or not or 2) ADV just wrote and demoed so much shite during the pandemic, they just have a bunch of material lying around for people to use, and are handing it out to projects like, "Here, you want this? Please use this! We've got a studio full of the stuff! Use it, please! You'll love it, it's great!", if not some combination of both.

Didn't Joe Lynn Turner say something about this when explaining why he left Sunstorm? He didn't mention ADV specifically but he alluded to Frontiers turning the project into something different than what he had signed up for and getting little creative input.

First listen through on crappy work speakers and it appears this project has been Del Vecchio'd. Only a couple songs stood out to me but I'll listen with headphones later.

Pantera.

2 hours ago, tts42572 said:

Not too bad and Robin sounds phenomenal but the song feels kind of generic to me.

I wonder who wrote it?

3 for 3. Will we have an early favorite for album of the year?

Rapid Eye Movement and Anno Domini High Definition are two of my favorite prog metal albums. They haven't released anything as good since then IMO but I really dig their emphasis on creating jarring atmospheres. Also, Mariusz Duda is an incredible bassist.

None of the samples from this album have held my attention but I've mostly been listening while at work. I'll have to sit down and pay closer attention.

This band has been absolutely on fire for the past decade-plus. Hard to find any weak points in their discography since Ironbound. They kind had a weak point in the late 90s (which classic thrash band didn't?) but the way they reinvented themselves since then has been awesome.

Actually, that song kind of reminds me of their early 2000s material, at least during the breakdown in the middle. Bloodletting comes to mind immediately. I dig it!

4 hours ago, Ponen said:

Love the song 'Half Empty'. 'Eventually' is another tune I like. Overall, not a bad album. 

Crazy how this synthwave genre has gradually expanded our tastes in music over the last few years. The impact is pretty huge I must say. Its become a genre that we share and talk about pretty often on this forum and also find in year-end favorite albums/songs list, atleast in many members' lists. 

For sure! My love for synthwave originally came from modern AOR, with artists like Magic Dance and LeBrock bridging the gap. Then I found The Midnight and Timecop1983 and it was all over. 

I think it also helped that I first started getting into it right before COVID hit...going down the rabbit hole of a new genre of music was one of the things that kept me sane early in the pandemic.

1. Rush - Power Windows

2-10. ?

Too broad of a range 

Josh Dally - I Love You. Perfect pop song. Has already become one of my most-played songs.

Degreed - Turn Back

Moonrunner83 - Like We Were Kids

The Midnight - Heart Worth Breaking. Top 5 Midnight song IMO, too bad the rest of the album wasn't up to par.

Generation Radio - All Night To Get There

Futurecop! - Home

Threshold - Defence Condition

Ten - Immaculate Friends (Yes that's right!)

State Champs - Half Empty

Astronoid - Eyes

Which melodic rock/AOR albums can you listen to all the way through, over and over, and not be tempted to skip any song?

My picks:

• Work of Art - Artwork
• Survivor - Vital Signs
• The Defiants - s/t
• Vega - Stereo Messiah
• Khymera - The Greatest Wonder
• Harem Scarem - s/t
• FM - Indiscreet
• Signal - Loud & Clear
• Bon Jovi - s/t
• Strangeways - Walk In The Fire

On 11/3/2022 at 4:54 AM, Stefan said:

New song 'Chains'.

 

 

 

OK, I can't un-hear this. The high notes in the chorus stick out like a sore thumb. They're soooo...yelp-y.

The song is otherwise one of the best in her catalog, but man, some of those notes are just out of range...

Two of my favorite synthwave artists but I didn't like what they did with the vocals on this one. IMO the tempo is far too slow.

3 hours ago, Geoff said:

Yeah, gotta say I was a little disappointed too. One of, if not her weakest overall album yet. I do love 'It's over,' which cushions the blow, and there's a good handful of keepers... just I was expecting better, to be honest. 

I think it's better than her last two, maybe better than The Storm, but probably worse than Sign of Angels. Not even in the same zip code as Crossfire. Not counting Can't Stop.

So if this is, at best, her second- or third-best album...what does that say about the rest of her discography? Oooof. Might be time to call it a day for this project, Serafino.

On 1/22/2023 at 2:48 PM, CMGiordano said:

I sometimes wonder if the way I hold Heart, Fiona, Lee Aaron, the great Pat Benatar and the like in such high regard causes me to look at other female singers with an unrealistic standard.

Because it seems like a lot of these female fronted acts (The Big Deal, Nevena, Venus 5, etc.) don't strike me as anything more than okay and Issa seems to fall into the same category.

She's got a decent voice, but to me, her tunes don't feel like they have any soul to them? 

No, the Wilson sisters are tremendously talented. Issa is essentially a studio project. 

Decent album, better than her last two but that's not saying much at all. Unfortunately it falls off in the second half and there just aren't many memorable songs on it. Favorites are Live Again, the title track, Chains of Love, and It's Over.

Was really hoping for Crossfire 2 but I guess that's on me for setting my expectations too high.